Precarious
Life. Playing by the rules, doing the right thing, working hard and striving to be a good person can give us a sense of control and security. At least that is what Leah believed until she was diagnosed with advanced ovarian and breast cancer when she was 46 years old. She quickly realized that life is truly precarious - filled with uncertainty and dependent on chance. Through hearing other's stories of their precarious moments, we realize that this is actually what connects us as human beings. There is beauty in the struggle. Leah Barrett, MS, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private practice in Colorado where she lives with her husband and a few fur kids.
Episodes
July 28, 2023 • 20 mins
Forgiveness, to forgive. Why is it so hard to do? Is it that we think we are condoning the person's behavior if we forgive the person? What do we gain by not forgiving? What do we lose by not forgiving?
We lose a great deal when we hang on to resentments. Science shows it's bad for our health- physical and mental.
In this episode of Precarious, I explore forgiveness: its definition and and give an example of "how to" forgive.
Why this...
We lose a great deal when we hang on to resentments. Science shows it's bad for our health- physical and mental.
In this episode of Precarious, I explore forgiveness: its definition and and give an example of "how to" forgive.
Why this...
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July 17, 2023 • 19 mins
What is Awe? When is the last time you experienced it? Even I questioned whether it is considered an emotion? It is an emotion that absolutely can improve our quality of life. Yet, it takes paying attention and being open to it.
In this episode of Precarious, I reference Dacher Keltner's book, AWE. The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. He outlines 8 sources of AWE and how we can access this beautiful...
In this episode of Precarious, I reference Dacher Keltner's book, AWE. The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. He outlines 8 sources of AWE and how we can access this beautiful...
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June 29, 2023 • 24 mins
Susie Steiner, a writer for the Guardian, published an article about a nurse who documented the top regrets of the dying.
She wrtites, "Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book calle...
She wrtites, "Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book calle...
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June 15, 2023 • 12 mins
It can be lonely in the podcast land. I'll admit that having a one-way conversation has its advantages. And, facing my mortality can be lonely at times. So, I've decided to invite you into the conversation. In this short episode, I pose a number of questions about life and death and living and dying. I realize this can be a difficult topic, so be gentle with yourself if you feel uncomfortable.
Email your responses to: leah@leahbarr...
Email your responses to: leah@leahbarr...
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April 27, 2023 • 20 mins
The chidren's book, The Velveteen Rabbit, was first published just over 100 years ago. The book is packed with life lessons or least encurages the reader to go inward and explore what it means to be REAL in this world that rewards us for being something we are not. I'm finding that illness and eventual death is a beautiful pathway to becoming real. In this episode of the podcast, I explore this connection. When you are stripped of ...
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April 6, 2023 • 28 mins
I've struggled for a long time attaching my value to my health. This struggle has been amplified these past 9 + years since I was diagnosed with cancer. The emotion that comes up strongly is shame. Shame and guilt are cousins in the emotional world. Guilt means "I did something wrong" while Shame means "I am wrong". How many of us carry this message? I'd be curious to know. I unpack some of my thoughts about this concept.
Friendship...
Friendship...
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March 23, 2023 • 27 mins
I've been receiving a newly FDA-approved drug since December. My hope has been to give my body the chance to see if the disease responds to treatment in order to improve my quality of life. As it turns out, this treatment has been very difficut for me to tolerate. It's brought into question so much for me. Every day I wake up feeling grateful to be alive. Everyday I look for the beauty.
In this episode of the podcast, I share a stor...
In this episode of the podcast, I share a stor...
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February 9, 2023 • 48 mins
Every wonder what its like to work in cancer care? As a nurse? How it affects that individual? How it changes her/him? I do. You'd think I'd have those questions answered living with cancer for almost 10 years. Nope. All of my heath care providers show up professionally with appropriate boundaries. Sitting down with Monica, one of my oncology nurses, and having the opportunity to ask her all of these questions was eye-opening. You ...
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January 23, 2023 • 28 mins
I have decided to come clean and let you in on how my path towards death has evolved. I admit, I was purposely not disclosing some information. And, in this episode I lay the foundation for my rationale - or at least I explore my rationale. I'm at a crossroads. And, yes, I return to the concept of suffering becasue it's one of my measuring sticks. I ask all of us to visit our relationship with it: what does it mean to you? How do y...
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December 30, 2022 • 28 mins
Here's another BONUS episode of the Precarious podcast. I'm tossing these out there as I feel moved to share with you an "audio journal" version of my experiences living and dying. I guess you could say I'm letting you in to my inner workings as I travel down this path.
These audio journals are not meant to replace the original Precarious podcast format. I do plan to interview guests as long as I am feelng well enough and can recrui...
These audio journals are not meant to replace the original Precarious podcast format. I do plan to interview guests as long as I am feelng well enough and can recrui...
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December 23, 2022 • 36 mins
In this episode of BONUS EPISODE of Precarious, I share my experiences about how my not knowing how much time I have left to live has beautfully transformed my relationship with time for the better.
I have a different relationship with time. Cancer has made that clear to me. Have you thought about your relationship with time? How do you view time? Do you chase it? Lose it? Wish you had more of it? Wish you were better at mastering ...
I have a different relationship with time. Cancer has made that clear to me. Have you thought about your relationship with time? How do you view time? Do you chase it? Lose it? Wish you had more of it? Wish you were better at mastering ...
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December 22, 2022 • 51 mins
I met Jeff Eagan a couple of years ago. He is a physical therapist specializing in oncology. What does that mean? Research demonstrates that moving your body and exercising through cancer treatment decreases fatigue, increases mood and improves quality of life. Over the years, Jeff and his colleagues have built an incredible program which has blossemed into a community of people living with cancer "working out" together. What he di...
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December 15, 2022 • 35 mins
I've been living with cancer (ovarian and breast and now ovarian) for nine years. I've been grateful to have periods of life with out active disease. Now - I'm approaching the end of my life. If someone told me that I would live nine years beyond the day I was first diagnosed, I would not have believed them. It's hard to capture all that I have learned about myself, others and what it means to be human through facing my death by li...
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November 24, 2022 • 63 mins
I've stopped treatment for my cancer. And, honestly, didn't plan on recording another podcast mostly because I did't think I'd still be alive. In this episode of the Precarious podcast, I took advantage of my "aliveness" and sat down with my dear friend, Michelle Faris. She has shown up for me in ways that bring tears to my eyes: such acts of beauty. I wanted to capture an organic conversation and share this with you. Over this pas...
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November 3, 2022 • 42 mins
I love sitting down with Skye C Cleary because I love philosophers and especially female philosophers! This was a treat for me. Not only is Skye a philosopher, she is an author - her most recent book "How to be Authentic. Simone de Beauvoir and the Quest for Fulfillment".
She also teaches at Columbia University and the City University of New York. I could go on and on about her achievements. But, what I want you to know is that our...
She also teaches at Columbia University and the City University of New York. I could go on and on about her achievements. But, what I want you to know is that our...
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November 3, 2022 • 60 mins
I recorded this episode in mid-September and am just releasing it now (my cancer/treatment got in the way).
Cissy White is a writer, speaker and advocate all things trauma. She is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse and abandonment and has created a platform to raise awareness of the devastating lingering impacts resulting in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
A few years ago, Cissy was diagnosed with advanced ov...
Cissy White is a writer, speaker and advocate all things trauma. She is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse and abandonment and has created a platform to raise awareness of the devastating lingering impacts resulting in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
A few years ago, Cissy was diagnosed with advanced ov...
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September 22, 2022 • 23 mins
What if this is as good as it gets? What if our best days are behind us? I think about this often as I'm constantly adjusting my definition of what it means to be fulfilled, successful, or even happy (I'd settle for content). Join me as I explore the benefits of accepting what is and what shows up in our lives. There is a down side to perpetually striving to be better than good. And ,if this sounds depressing, it's not. It might ac...
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September 8, 2022 • 40 mins
Dr Keith Kahn-Harris has been living with Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) since his early twenties. He acknowledges that he is privileged in that he was able through support of his family to complete his graduate studies and become a professor, researcher and writer. Despite his accomplishments, he continues to strive to balance his chronic illness and live his full life. I was intrigued by an article he...
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August 11, 2022 • 50 mins
Joe Sooch is 29 years old and has been living with Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a very rare genetic connective tissue disorder characterized by the abnormal development of bone in areas of the body where bone is not normally present such as the ligaments, tendons, and skeletal muscles. He has lost 95% of his mobility and relies on others to help him with daily functions. But, talking to him, you wouldn't know it....
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