ovarian cancer

Episode #136: The No Kids Life Is The Life For Me

Last week, I went to a doctors appointment that I’ve been putting off for a couple of years out of fear. And the appointment brought up some stuff I’ve been pushing to the side to tackle head on since I found out I had the BRCA 1 gene mutation 3 years ago.

All of you know that having the BRCA 1 mutation is linked to my risk to breast cancer, but what many of you probably don’t know is that it’s also linked to ovarian cancer — which means that if any family planning is involved in my world, it HAS to happen before I turn 35.

I’ve been unpacking this part of my story a lot behind closed doors, but I’ve never done it with all of you so, in true Amanda in the mess fashion, I’m opening the door to this conversation in todays episode.

Things I talk about in todays episode:

  • how to know if we’re supposed to be a parent

  • choosing to have kids in the climate we live in

  • the different tenants of the relationship escalator

  • how 3 years ago, I went from knowing I wanted kids no matter what to not wanting them overnight

  • the ethics around having kids with a genetic mutation of this nature

  • the nuclear family

  • polyamory, ovarian cancer, the BRCA gene and beyond

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Episode #106: Using Pleasure To Cope With Trauma And Grief - A Conversation with Alyssa Pressman

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Hi loves.

Todays episode is different — you may notice that there’s no typical intro music/snippets — because it didn’t feel right today. This week has been heavy. Hell, this year has been a fucking trip. And I wrestled with the idea of not releasing a podcast episode today — I wasn’t sure how we would be experiencing this post election day time. And when I woke up yesterday morning, in a mix of deep feels/sadness and hope for a brighter future in the US, I knew that this conversation, with a soul human of mine, was one that I needed to share with all of you today.

And with that, I’d like to introduce to you my friend and kindred spirit, Alyssa Pressman (she/her).

Alyssa is a Licensed Clinical Therapist & Certified Sex + Relationship Coach. She specializes in pleasure & joy post trauma, grief & with chronic illness. She loves supporting women in moving closer to themselves, to other people and to creating lives that feel in deep alignment with their unique desires. She is a BRCA1 mutation carrier like me, and a person living with chronic illness and pain. Reaching for joy and pleasure has been deeply healing for her. When not working, you can find her dancing, lounging, reading or cooking, usually scantily clad if not naked. She loves talking, learning and sharing on all things sex, relationships, death, healing & dark nights of the soul-you know, all the super casual things.

I invite you to take this one on a walk outside, or curl up with a cup of tea and absorb these words as a way to get away, for a moment, from the chaos. You are so loved.


Things we discuss in todays episode:

  • Alyssa’s wake up call around a chronic illness that made it impossible to have penetrative sex without serious pain in her younger twenties

  • How her work as a sex & relationship coach started to empower her sexually, in a more wholistic way

  • Pelvic floor struggles

  • BRCA and the other piece of the fear with our mutual diagnosis: ovarian cancer

  • Self pleasure practices & building a relationship with your pussy

  • How to claim your sexuality as your own and experience life changing pleasure

  • Redefining what sex and pleasure is

  • How to talk to your partner(s) around how to have more connected intimacy with one another

  • Boobs, the beauty of being un-partnered, using pleasure as a form of self care and beyond

Episode #72: Double Mastectomy Updates & Where I'm At Now With the BRCA Gene | A Solo Episode

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So many of you have sent in requests for an in depth update about how I’m doing post double mastectomy and where I’m at with my journey with BRCA — so ask and ye shall receive!

I dig into this way more indepth in my book — which is launching December 3rd, 2019 and I read an excerpt from it for the FIRST TIME IN TODAY’S EPISODE! You heard it here first sistah.

But in the meantime, here is the good, the bad, the ugly — the UPDATE.

You are not alone love. I’m in your corner, always.

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Episode #39: What you need to know about the BRCA gene

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EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

“When you have a mutation of one of these genes, that’s when you have a significant risk of developing one of those cancers in your lifetime.”

I was so honored to share my full story about the BRCA gene and my decision to get a preventative double mastectomy later this year on my friend Jen Wille’s podcast a few weeks back and I knew I needed to share this conversation with all of you.

This is the most vulnerable I’ve felt all year. And I would not be me if I didn’t share that with you.

So here goes. Dig in, and if you have any questions about anything I talk about, please do not hesitate to reach out. I am always here for you.

Here are a few things we discuss in todays episode:

  • My one non negotiable to start my day every day

  • The power (and fear) attached to sharing stories while navigating it in real time

  • My intention word of 2018 and the irony of it all

  • The ins and outs of the BRCA gene and how it impacts women vs. men

  • Navigating the idea of having kids now

  • The options for reducing your risk when you have the gene

  • Facing things you’re absolutely terrified of head on

  • Talking about my BOOBS in detail

  • The exact surgery I’m getting

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

TEAMI BLENDS TEAS — use code LYFYL for 15% off your purchase

Episode 21: Having the courage to live life with intention, radical self care and growing up in foster care with Jen Wille

Previous podcast episodes where I touch on BRCA // Episode 10: Finding strength in unexpected places & Episode 6: Facing Fear Head On

Jen’s podcast First & Foremost

FORCE

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photos by Kyle Wilson , Zeke D and Cam Frontain