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It's Therapy Thursday!!

Survival can be the loudest chapter, but the quiet that comes after is where so many of the real questions hit. We sit down with Nerissa Balland, a therapeutic arts practitioner, visual artist, and the author of Canvas of Courage, to talk about what it means to rebuild your identity after cancer, trauma, grief, or any life-altering change that leaves you feeling emotionally disoriented. Her story begins with a metastatic melanoma diagnosis while she’s five months pregnant, and it opens into something bigger: how we carry unprocessed emotion when there are no words for it.

Nerissa shares the line that reframed healing for us: “Broken crayons still color.” We dig into why creativity is not about making “good art,” but about giving fear, grief, guilt, and survival mode somewhere to go. We talk presence over perfection, the pressure to look strong, and what it changes when our kids see us rest, cry, and recover instead of pretending we have it all together.

We also get honest about survivorship, including the guilt of outliving others, the PTSD that can linger, and why “fake positivity” can backfire. Along the way, we challenge modern speed culture and quick-fix self-care, and we point toward tools that actually hold up: asking for help, building community, and using grounding practices like music, movement, breath work, and visual expression to reconnect with yourself.

If this conversation gives you language for something you’ve been carrying, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. What’s one emotion you wish you had a safer place to put down?

Nerissa was diagnosed with cancer while five months pregnant. She didn't write a book about surviving. She wrote one about what happens after, and why so many people fall apart once the adrenaline stops. Her work gives your listeners a framework for processing what they've been through, whether they're currently in it or years out.

Canvas of Courage
The Art of Healing, Hope, and Gratitude for Young Mothers Facing Cancer

Available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble

Art Website

• IG: @nerissaballandart
• Support patient access to Canvas of Courage: GoFundMe

Support the show

Host Candace Patrice
Co-host Janet Hale

visit the website at https://www.essentialmotivation.com/
Instagram instagram.com/essentialmotivationllc

visit Janet's website https://haleempowermentllc.com/

To be a guest on our show email me at candacefleming@essentialmotivation.com
In the subject line put EMH Guest

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988

Music by Lukrembo: https://soundcloud.com/lukrembo
Provided by Knowledge Base: https://bit.ly/2BdvqzN

Send us Fan Mail

It's Therapy Thursday!

Sex can be joyful, grounding, spiritual, and deeply connecting and it can also be wrapped in pressure, shame, secrecy, and survival. We go there with honesty, starting from everyday body image and self-talk, then opening up a bigger conversation about sexual wellness, boundaries, and what it means to choose intimacy on purpose.

We break down abstinence vs celibacy in plain language, and we talk about why some people step back from sex for mental clarity, healing, or self-respect. From there, we explore sex as a “spiritual dance,” the kind of connection that gets better when you know your power, communicate clearly, and stop treating pleasure like something you have to earn. We also touch on tantric sex and mindful intimacy, including how slowing down can shift the whole experience from performance to presence.

Then we get serious about consent and sexual shame. We talk about coercion, manipulation, and why “giving in” is not the same as a free yes. We also name how trauma, molestation, and rape can distort self-blame, especially when people feel pressured to stay quiet or when bystanders ignore what’s happening. If you’re supporting someone in an abusive situation, we share why judgment often backfires, why leaving can be dangerous or complicated, and why paying attention to early red flags matters.

If this conversation helps you feel seen, share it with someone you trust, subscribe for more, and leave a review so more people can find Essential Mental Healing. What’s one thing you wish everyone understood about consent and healthy intimacy?

Support the show

Host Candace Patrice
Co-host Janet Hale

visit the website at https://www.essentialmotivation.com/
Instagram instagram.com/essentialmotivationllc

visit Janet's website https://haleempowermentllc.com/

To be a guest on our show email me at candacefleming@essentialmotivation.com
In the subject line put EMH Guest

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988

Music by Lukrembo: https://soundcloud.com/lukrembo
Provided by Knowledge Base: https://bit.ly/2BdvqzN

Send us Fan Mail

IT's Therapy Thursday!

You ever catch yourself studying someone else’s life like it’s a map, then feeling behind when your path doesn’t match theirs? We go straight at that pressure and tell the truth: you can learn from other people without trying to copy their journey. Mom and I start with a small moment that turns into a big reset, standing in the kitchen and realizing the present moment can be enough, even when life is loud.

From there we pull lessons from everyday stories and the internet, including a creator who went viral with a goose named Ducktavious and a man whose terrifying, laced experience pushed him toward faith and a new direction. Both stories point to the same takeaway: what looks like “overnight success” or “sudden transformation” usually has a deeper backstory, and your healing journey will never be a carbon copy of someone else’s. We talk mindset, discipline, resilience, and why trusting your gut matters more than chasing somebody’s formula.

We also get real about family, parenting, and boundaries. We share how feeling misunderstood can shape a child into an adult who over-explains, people-pleases, or fights to be seen, and how parenting changes when you lead with curiosity and ask for the why. If you’ve been navigating school stress, co-parenting pain, divorce recovery, or just trying to be a better parent and a better you, this conversation is for you.

If this hit home, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review so more people can find Essential Mental Healing.

Support the show

Host Candace Patrice
Co-host Janet Hale

visit the website at https://www.essentialmotivation.com/
Instagram instagram.com/essentialmotivationllc

visit Janet's website https://haleempowermentllc.com/

To be a guest on our show email me at candacefleming@essentialmotivation.com
In the subject line put EMH Guest

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988

Music by Lukrembo: https://soundcloud.com/lukrembo
Provided by Knowledge Base: https://bit.ly/2BdvqzN