It's episode 12 of Carrie's Always Talking! At the top of the episode, Carrie discusses the choice to make this 12th episode the last of the season. She thanks her listeners for following along for the last couple of months and encourages anyone who wants to come on the podcast for season 2 to reach out.

In this episode, Carrie chats with Brianna Beasley, who graciously shares her experience with Long Covid. Brianna discusses life before her diagnosis in 2021 and the changes she's been forced to make in her life because of her health concerns that developed in the months after her acute infection. She explores the concept of "pacing" in order to learn one's limitations when living with a chronic illness. Brianna also discusses her doctors and some of their theories around how long covid develops along with the treatments that have been most helpful for her thus far in her bid for recovery. Her story is one of resilience and determination, and the hope is that listeners learn more about this diagnosis and also gain a better understanding of what challenges individuals with disabilities can face in day-today life. Anyone can become disabled at any time, and Brianna does an amazing job at providing useful information while being vulnerable in sharing her story.

Brianna's story is not intended to be medical advice, she encourages those listening to do their own research. She does provide some references that have been helpful for her, and those are included in the notes below.

Resources mentioned in the podcast:
https://www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/what-is-long-covid
https://covidinstitute.org/https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2023/10/12/septad-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-pots-long-covid-kaufman-ruhoy/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8HWt9g4L0k

If you have a story you'd like to tell, send me an email at carrie.always.talking@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

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In episode 11 of Carrie's Always Talking, Courtney Alesandro joins Carrie to discuss the complexities of being child-free by choice, exploring societal norms, personal choices, and the emotional landscape surrounding motherhood. They delve into the value of women beyond their roles as mothers, the impact of patriarchy on women's decisions, and the importance of empathy and understanding in conversations about reproductive choices. The discussion emphasizes the need for curiosity over assumptions and encourages listeners to reflect on their reactions to others' choices.

Carrie highlights the idea that making the choice not to mother or nurture does not make a person less worthwhile, even if it elicits a negative reaction to those around them. Both Carrie and Courtney share some of their experiences as women who have made this choice in their own lives. As always, there are lots of laughs and connection while discussing this topic that has become more politicized in recent months.

If you have a story you'd like to tell, send me an email at carrie.always.talking@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

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It's Episode 10 of Carrie's Always Talking! Can you believe we're in the double digits? This week, Carrie chats with her Aunt, Melissa Watters (Missy) about the sudden death of her husband, Darrin, 14 years ago. Melissa discusses the details of that life changing day and her journey to provide for her daughters while managing her immense grief. Her story is one of learning how to pivot after loss and finding a way to rebuild- It's also a story of finding strength that you never knew you possessed and how we all have that ability within us as well. It's an emotional and inspirational story. If you've been touched by loss, grab your tissues, and tune in. You don't want to miss this one.

National resources for Grief and Loss:
https://www.ogr.org/national-grief-resources


If you have a story you'd like to tell, send me an email at carrie.always.talking@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

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It's episode 9 of Carrie's Always Talking! In this episode, Carrie chats with her friend and past improv teammate, Paul Fields, who graciously shares his experience with depression and his journey towards recovery. They discuss the importance of speaking up and seeking help, as well as the challenges of dealing with mental health issues. Paul emphasizes the need to find one's baseline and maintain it, while also recognizing the negative thought patterns and reframing them. He discusses what interventions worked well for him and how he's been able to support those in his life who are also being more open about their mental health challenges. There is some discussion around the topic of suicide in this episode as Paul is sharing openly and honestly about the challenges he's faced in living with depression. While there are no explicit details shared about his experience, it still may be challenging to listen to if you've been touched by any attempts in your life. The take away message is one of hope, consistency, and continued growth.

Resources for MH support:
In Pennsylvania, you can text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is available 24/7 at no cost. You can also call or chat with 988. Counselors can provide therapeutic interventions, referrals, and activate mobile mental health crisis teams.

Crisis Text Line- Text 741741 to reach this line, which is available 24/7. You can use it for stress about school, work, family, or housing, or for other crises that aren't life-threatening. College students can text GOT5 or Got5U to 741741.

If you have a family member that you want to support or you require support as a caretaker related to mental health concerns, NAMI is a great resource. https://www.nami.org/

If you have a story you'd like to tell, send me an email at carrie.always.talking@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

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In episode 8 of Carrie's Always Talking, Carrie's on her own this week. She introduces the podcast and encourages listeners to reach out if they would like to share their stories in a future episode.

She reflects on last week's episode and the theme of moving to a new place. Carrie shares a little bit about her journey of moving to Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2008-2009 while her husband completed his Master's degree at Queens University. She discusses how moving both amplified her anxiety and gave her the benefit of growing more as a person as well. Have a cup of tea or coffee and listen along as Carrie talks about just how different it can be to move to another country.

If you have a story you'd like to tell, send me an email at carrie.always.talking@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

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In Episode 7 of Carrie's Always Talking, Carrie chats with her friend, Lori Bedell, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, about her life changing move from State College to Maine. Lori shares that Maine is a place she's wanted to live for the last 32 years and what it's been like to realize this dream. She discusses how empowering the experience of living there alone for a year was for her and how she feels that she can step- up to future challenges with more confidence because of this experience. Lori also discusses how after some challenges in her marriage, which were the catalyst for her move initially, she and her husband are in a great place both geographically and relationally. Lori emphasizes the idea of speaking your plan out loud to someone that can support you and help with accountability. Additionally, the question of fate vs making a decision and moving on it was debated. There are lots of laughs and possible plans for Carrie to also move to Maine! This is an episode you don't want to miss.

If you have a question for next week's mini episode, or if you have a story you'd like to tell, send me an email at carrie.always.talking@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

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In episode 6 of Carrie's Always Talking, Carrie has Courtney Alesandro join again to follow up on their episode from last week. The idea that dying is a moral failure and the cancer battle analogy are discussed in this mini episode. Courtney is a breast cancer survivor as well, and she shares some of her insights around how the idea of losing a battle to an illness is a way for us to separate ourselves from the painful realization that we are all going to face death at some point. The episode topic sounds heavy, but there are lots of laughs and connection taking place while sharing a similar philosophy post cancer diagnosis and treatment.

If you have a question for next week's Who Asked Me segment, or if you have a story you'd like to tell, send me an email at carrie.always.talking@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

Facebook group- www.facebook.com/groups/carriesalwaystalking/

Articles about the Cancer Battle Analogy:
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/02/28/1158867580/why-lost-their-battle-with-cancer-dementia-wrong-thing-to-say

https://healthydebate.ca/2013/04/about-healthy-debate/opinions-about-healthy-debate/when-dealing-with-cancer-lost-battle-language-is-inappropriate/

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In Episode 5, Carrie and Courtney discuss the importance of taking risks and following your instincts. They share personal stories of times when they followed their intuition and made decisions that led to fulfilling experiences. They emphasize that there are no rules in life and that it's okay to say no to things that aren't for you. They encourage listeners to embrace new experiences, even if they don't go as planned, and to remember that a rich and exciting life can be found in the small moments. In this conversation, Carrie and Courtney discuss the importance of living a meaningful life and finding joy in everyday experiences. They explore the idea that life doesn't have to be filled with big adventures to be fulfilling, and that even small, playful moments can bring happiness. Courtney shares her experience working in palliative care and how it has shaped her perspective on life and death. They also touch on the concept of contemplative medicine and the importance of embracing new experiences and not being afraid to try new things.

If you have a question for next week's Who Asked Me segment, or if you have a story you'd like to tell, send me an email at carrie.always.talking@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

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