When Alzheimer's Hits the Table: Betsy Wurzel on Love, Loss & Learning to Fight Back

There’s a moment in life when everything flips—when the hand you’ve been dealt feels impossibly hard. For Betsy Wurzel, that moment came when her husband, Matt, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at just 55. But instead of folding, Betsy chose to fight.

In this deeply moving conversation, we talk about what it means to truly be a caregiver—not just the logistics and the exhaustion, but the emotional war zone of love, loss, and resilience. Betsy shares how she went from almost breaking down in a preschool classroom to creating a national movement and top-rated podcast that supports caregivers all over the world.

You’ll laugh, cry, and feel deeply seen as we explore the power of acceptance, the necessity of self-care, and the unshakable strength that comes when you decide—no matter what—to kick Alzheimer’s ass.

Key Takeaways:

• The unexpected grief of caregiving—and how to process it instead of stuffing it down

• The truth about “being strong”—and why asking for help is the real superpower

• How Betsy found her voice through advocacy, Facebook videos, and faith

• Simple but powerful self-care strategies (including shadow breathing and bathtub visualization)

• The importance of having a purpose—especially when life feels like a losing hand

Favorite Quote:
"You don't get over losing someone—but you move forward. I'm moving forward with Matt as my center. He will always be my inspiration." — Betsy Wurzel

Find out more and connect with Betsy:

"I am Host of Chatting with Betsy on Passionate World Talk Radio Network, Creator and Founder of #KickAlzheimersAssMovement Group on Facebook.

I worked as anLPN for many years,did retail work, and was a teacher 's aide in a preschool daycare.

I am mom to my adult son, Joshua who has a cognitive disability so I am still a caregiver!I became an advocate for Josh to make sure his educational needs were met!

I took care of my mom- in- law who had Alzheimer's Disease.My husband, Matt was diagnosed in May 2010 with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease and died on Jan01,2020.

Matt's journey changed my life in so many ways!I became an advocate, I found my voice and my gifts which I am grateful and blessed to be using to help others!

I use to do videos in my car about caregiving, and videos of Matt to dispell the myths of Alzheimer's being an " old person 's disease!

I was discovered by Jeanne White, who is Station Manager of PWTRN.

Jeanne interviewed me on her show and asked me to speak weekly on her show!

I was given my show after a year!

I created # Kick Alzheimer's Ass Movement Group so caregivers wouldn't travel this difficult journey alone.

In 2021,I was nominated and received the Caregiver Visionary Advocate Award by Caregiving. Com.

I recently was listed at #17 on FeedSpot 's top 70 Caregiver Podcast List!

I am proof that you can survive and thrive during caregiving!

I have learned to integrate my grieving with my living!I am grateful and blessed to be alive and healthy!

I give GOD the glory and honor for giving me the strength and grace to make it through caregiving and to be called to serve others!

Matt was my catalyst and will always be my inspiration for all that I do!"

🎧 Chatting with Betsy on Passionate World Talk Radio
🎵 Listen on Amazon Music
📘 Join #KickAlzheimersAssMovement on Facebook
💼 Connect with Betsy on LinkedIn

If you're interested in learning more about playing the hand you're dealt in this mental game of life, you'll love my book Poker: A Woman's Game. To download your free chapter today, visit https://lafayawaypoker.com.

What do you do when life knocks you flat .. and then kicks you again for good measure? In this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Jill Brown, who shares the story of how she went from burnout and heartbreak to full-on transformation.

After 22 years running her own driving school, Jill hit what she thought was rock bottom: loss after loss, a diabetes diagnosis, and the shocking news that she’d need two knee replacements. But instead of giving up, Jill paused, tuned in, and made a bold choice to rewrite her story.

Together, we talk about:

• Why “folding” can be the most powerful first move - if it gives you space to observe and reset

• The turning point moment (on a couch, with an omelet!) that changed everything

• How she reversed her diabetes and avoided surgery by becoming her own health advocate

• Her go-to daily practice to stay grounded, clear, and resilient (spoiler: it takes less than 2 minutes)

• What it means to be the powerful creator of your life - no matter the hand you’ve been dealt

Jill is living proof that you don’t have to accept the cards you’re given - you can reshuffle the deck and change the game.

 Favorite quote:
“You have the control to change anything. You are the powerful creator of your life.” —Jill Brown

Find out more and connect with Jill:

 After over 22yrs owning my driving school and retiring I was told I needed two knee replacements and diagnosed diabetic. This was a dark time until taking control and research I found a personal trainer who understood, after getting stronger no longer needed knee replacements and reversed my diabetes. I then trained as a life coach, conversational intelligence advanced practitioner, clutter cleaning coach using the Linn method. We are powerful beyond belief.  

Join her beautiful community of possibility seekers here: Advance Life Coaching Facebook Group

If you're interested in learning more about playing the hand you're dealt in this mental game of life, you'll love my book Poker: A Woman's Game.
 Download your free chapter today at lafayawaypoker.com

This one’s personal and oh so real.

In this episode, I sit down with my favorite human on the planet: my husband, James.

We open up about what it really looks like to “play the hand you’re dealt” when life throws you into full-on parenting mode with three little ones (who aren’t biologically his), a professional poker career, and two very different morning personalities.

Spoiler alert: one of us is a major morning grump. 🙃

James shares what it’s been like to step into this unexpected father role, how we found our groove as a poker couple raising young children, and why letting go of the “ideal” family dynamic was the best thing we ever did.

You’ll hear:

• How we divided up parenting duties without losing our minds (or our marriage)

• Why making breakfast became James' unexpected love language

• Our go-to strategies for handling tilt - at the poker table and in real life

• The power of deep breaths, posture checks, and emotional regulation (from a therapist AND a poker player!)

This is an honest, funny, and surprisingly tender conversation about love, family, and learning to win even when the cards look terrible.

🎧 Come hang out with us ... and maybe you’ll walk away with your own tilt tip or two.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:28 Meet My Husband: Our Unique Family Story

01:34 Daily Routine: Managing Mornings with Kids

02:06 Playing the Hand You're Dealt: Insights and Strategies

09:32 Tilt Tips: Managing Stress and Emotions

11:49 Breathing Techniques: Staying Calm Under Pressure

19:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

20:20 Outro and Additional Resources

If you're interested in learning more about playing the hand you're dealt in this mental game of life, you'll love my book Poker: A Woman’s Game. To download your free chapter today, visit https://lafayawaypoker.com

Hey there and welcome to the very first episode of The Lafaya Way Podcast!
I’m Lafaya Mitchell, and in a fun twist, I’m not hosting this one... I’m in the hot seat! My good friend Anke Herrmann flips the script and interviews me to give you the full scoop on what The Lafaya Way Podcast is all about.

Here’s what we chat about:
👉 The wild (but oh-so-true) parallels between poker and life
👉 How “playing the hand you’re dealt” has shaped my personal journey
👉 What “tilt” means at the poker table AND in life—and how to tame it
👉 Why this podcast isn’t just for poker players, but for ANYONE who wants to master their mental game
👉 How I blended my career as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with my passion for poker to create The Lafaya Way philosophy

This show is for the competitors, the dreamers, the leaders, and anyone who refuses to let life’s curveballs take them down. Whether you’re running a business, raising a family, navigating relationships, or sitting at the poker table, you’ll find something here to help you stay grounded and play to win.

[00:00:00] Welcome to The Lafaya Way PodcastLafaya shares why she flipped the script and let Anke interview her for this first episode.

[00:01:15] The surprising connection between poker and lifeLafaya explains how learning when to “hold ‘em” or “fold ‘em” applies far beyond the poker table.

[00:04:24] Introducing “playing the hand you’re dealt”Lafaya shares her own journey of overcoming life’s toughest cards and how this mindset became central to her work.

[00:06:36] The origins of The Lafaya WayHow Lafaya went from being called “the kid whisperer” to developing a method for calming chaos—first in therapy, now in poker and life.

[00:08:48] Not just for poker players!The show is for anyone wanting to perform at their best: athletes, parents, entrepreneurs, business owners, and more.

[00:11:00] Understanding “Tilt” in poker and lifeLafaya explains what it means to “go on tilt” and introduces her acronym: Temporary Interruption in Logical Thinking.

[00:13:12] Taming the Tilt: The Lafaya Way philosophyLearn how to stop poor decision spirals whether you’re at the poker table or navigating daily life.

[00:15:24] Who this podcast is for & what’s nextLafaya shares her vision for the show: relatable guests, real talk, and lots of laughs (and yes, her tribe knows her sailor mouth!).

🎧 Listen now and be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next!

💡 Want to go deeper?
If you're interested in learning more about playing the hand you’re dealt in this mental game of life, you’ll love my book Poker: A Woman’s Game.
👉 Download your free chapter today at https://lafayawaypoker.com

Is it really possible to “have it all” as a working mom?

Yes - and today’s guest Rebecca Olson is here to show you how.

In this episode, we talk about 'motherhood penalty,' overcoming overwhelm, navigating high-pressure “tilt” moments, and Rebecca’s powerful Pivot Protocol for taking back control of your time and energy.

In this empowering conversation, I sit down with Rebecca Olson - international life coach, podcast host, and creator of Ambitious and Balanced Working Moms - to dive deep into the challenges (and solutions!) of balancing career goals and family life.

Rebecca shares her insights on how working moms can reduce overwhelm, manage anxiety, and confidently navigate the pressure of splitting time between their goals and their loved ones.

You’ll hear us compare notes on “tilt” moments (as we call them in poker) and “crucial moments” (as Rebecca describes them)—those high-stress situations where things can spiral if we’re not prepared.

You’ll love Rebecca’s Pivot Protocol, a practical six-step method designed to help you regulate your emotions quickly and get back to making intentional, empowered decisions no matter what life throws your way.

This episode is packed with mindset shifts, calming strategies, and practical tools for any ambitious person who wants to show up fully in every area of their life.

00:00 Introduction to the Lafaya Way Podcast

00:25 Meet Rebecca Olson: Empowering Working Moms

01:47 The Motherhood Penalty and Career Challenges

03:15 Rebecca's Podcast: Ambitious and Balanced Working Moms

04:58 Handling Overwhelm and Emotional Management

10:11 The Pivot Protocol: Managing Crucial Moments

15:11 Understanding Emotional Regulation

15:27 Physical Means of Regulation

16:09 Faster Resets and Toolkit

16:44 Using Music and Screaming for Regulation

17:08 Avoiding Ignoring Tools

17:51 Step Five: Intentional Thinking

19:28 Emotional Cresting and Moving On

22:15 Step Six: Taking Action

23:48 Recap of the Six Steps

25:12 Rebecca's Coaching and Resources

28:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

🎁 Rebecca’s free gift for listeners:

Get the Working Moms Daily Kickstart - Rebecca’s simple daily practice to reduce the number of “tilt” moments you face each day and feel more in control of your time and energy.

Find out more and connect with Rebecca Olson:

Rebecca is an international life coach and podcast host who helps career-focused parents stop feeling overwhelmed and "not enough" so they can be present with their kids while crushing their career goals. 

Through her coaching programs and podcast, Ambitious and Balanced Working Moms, Rebecca has helped thousands of parents learn to feel confident in who they are, what they want and the value they bring to their company and family. She teaches an inside-out approach to creating work-life balance that gives individuals 100% control over their time, energy and success. 

Rebecca is known for straight-talking and big earrings. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two kiddos. When not coaching or speaking, she loves playing ultimate frisbee and drinks lots of tea. 

🌐 Website
🎙️ Podcast
💼 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram
▶️ YouTube

💡 Want to go deeper?
If you're interested in learning more about playing the hand you’re dealt in this mental game of life, you’ll love my book Poker: A Woman’s Game.
👉 Download your free chapter today at https://lafayawaypoker.com