We Can Do Hard Things

On our third anniversary, we’re taking a look back at our first anniversary when 15,000 Pod Squaders joined us live to discuss:   - Why Amanda started taking meds, Glennon keeps taking meds – and why Abby might consider taking meds :)  - The brilliant preemptive post mortem strategy to help you emotionally recover from any gathering.   - Your most frequently asked question of Abby: How she tracked down her first love connection at the Macaroni Grill. - The pie chart of showing up – and why it’s rarely ever 100%.   - Glennon shares her first steps up from the “landing” of her eating disorder relapse.   CW // eating disorders discussion To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

322. The One Who Taught Glennon Friendship: Alex Hedison   Today is a big day. Artist, actor, photographer, filmmaker, and dear bestie of Glennon and Abby, Alex Hedison is here! Alex is the person who Glennon credits with teaching her how to be a friend. HUGE! In this episode, they share how their friendship started, how they make it work, and Alex offers amazing life advice. It’s like being a fly on the wall in one of their hangouts. You will LOVE this chat between Alex, Glennon, Abby and Amanda! Discover:  -The story of how Glennon and Abby became friends with Alex and her wife, Jodie Foster; -The literal fire that solidified their friendship;  -How to never have an ick moment again after a social gathering; and -Why we MUST stress our relationships and what that means in action. About Alex: Alex Hedison is an internationally acclaimed photographer, artist, director, and actor. Hedison has exhibited in galleries in the US and abroad. Her most recent solo exhibitions include the opening of FRIEZE Seoul 2023; Von Lintel Gallery, Los Angeles; H Gallery Paris; Photo London; and Paris Photo. Her acting career spans numerous television roles, including a pivotal character in the cultural phenomenon, The L Word. A critical voice in both the artistic and LGBTQ+ community, Hedison directed the short documentary film ALOK, a thought-provoking short film that explores compassion as a catalyst for social transformation and inspires viewers to embrace personal freedom beyond the binaries that divide us. Produced by Natalie Shirinian, Elizabeth Baudouin (pronounced Bode-win), Meggan Lennon, and executive produced by Jodie Foster, ALOK was selected to premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. IG: @alexhedisonstudio To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

321. Expert Advice on Genetic Testing, Cancer Prevention & Care Disparities with Dr. Rachel Brem Dr. Rachel Brem is back to discuss genetic testing for breast cancer risk, systemic issues within the medical establishment, guidance for those with dense breasts, and practical advice on MRI and mammograms. Plus, we’ll hear some of the heartfelt and inspiring messages you’ve left us since you learned of Amanda’s diagnosis.  Discover:  -The shocking statistic about who is most susceptible to breast cancer; -Why every doctor has a bias and what to do about it; -The truth about “overdiagnosis”; and  -How to get genetic testing and what to do with the information you receive. On Dr. Rachel Brem: Dr. Rachel Brem is the author of No Longer Radical: Understanding Mastectomies and Choosing the Breast Cancer Care That's Right For You. Dr. Brem is an internationally known breast cancer expert who has been instrumental in developing and implementing new technologies to improve breast cancer detection. She is Professor and Director of Breast Imaging and Intervention at George Washington University, Vice Chairman of the Department of Radiology, and Chief Medical Advisor and Cofounder of the Brem Foundation. She is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging. Find our first episode with Dr. Brem here: 320. Early Detection, Mammograms & Breast Cancer Care with Dr. Rachel Brem To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

320. Early Detection, Mammograms & Breast Cancer Care with Dr. Rachel Brem Amanda shares an update on her recovery from breast cancer. Then, renowned breast cancer expert, Dr. Rachel Brem, joins the conversation to discuss the critical importance of early detection, breast density's impact on mammography, and when we need additional screenings.  Discover:  -The differing guidance on screenings and the truth about how often you should actually get screened for cancer; -Advice on what to say to your doctors to make sure that you get the screening you need and so that they can be covered under insurance; and -How to learn how dense your breasts are and what to do with that information.  On Dr. Rachel Brem: Dr. Rachel Brem is the author of No Longer Radical: Understanding Mastectomies and Choosing the Breast Cancer Care That's Right For You. Dr. Brem is an internationally known breast cancer expert who has been instrumental in developing and implementing new technologies to improve breast cancer detection. She is Professor and Director of Breast Imaging and Intervention at George Washington University, Vice Chairman of the Department of Radiology, and Chief Medical Advisor and Cofounder of the Brem Foundation. She is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging. Find more resources at The Brem Foundation Website: https://www.bremfoundation.org/  Check out Dr. Brem’s Book, No Longer Radical: https://www.nolongerradical.com/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

319. Breaking Generational Cycles: Embodiment & Healing Trauma with Prentis Hemphill Glennon and Abby welcome Prentis Hemphill, a writer, embodiment facilitator, political organizer, and therapist. They discuss individual and collective healing through embodiment. The conversation spans the concepts of embodiment, cycle breaking within families and generational healing and how to get back into a healthier relationship with yourself and others.  Discover:  -The important practice of crying dates to help rediscover yourself & your instincts; -How to learn the difference between your trauma and your personality; and -What it means to be a cycle breaker & how to own your part in generational healing. About Prentis: Prentis Hemphill is a writer, embodiment facilitator, political organizer, and therapist. They are the founder and director of the Embodiment Institute and the Black Embodiment Initiative, and the host of the acclaimed podcast Finding Our Way. Their work and writing have appeared in The New York Times, HuffPost, You Are Your Best Thing (edited by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown), and Holding Change (by adrienne maree brown). And their new book is called, What it takes to heal. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In honor of Pride month, Glennon shares an encore conversation that she and Amanda had with Abby about how she healed from religious trauma and found spirituality again. Originally titled, QUEER FREEDOM: How can we be both held and free? Abby, Amanda and Glennon discussed:  -How Abby learned from church as a child to hate herself—and the healing moment she realized that God and religion are not the same. -The miraculous letter Glennon received from a reader the day after she came out. -Glennon’s response to the statement “I disagree with your lifestyle, but I love you anyway.” -When it’s time to either raise hell inside of—or leave—the institutions that require us to deny who we are or what we know. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

318. Tegan and Sara Ask: Did We Do Enough?  Tegan and Sara join us for a heartfelt conversation about sisterhood, career, legacy, and the loneliness of being “The First”.  Discover:  -Why Tegan and Sara are asking themselves, “Did we do enough?”; -Their backstage disputes and what it taught them about resolving family disagreement;  -The pain and beauty of paving the way, and how Abby relates; and -The one question you need to ask yourself to know whether your life is actually working for you. About Tegan & Sara Throughout their career of over 20 years, Tegan and Sara have built a multi-faceted media empire that extends into TV, books, newsletters, and public service, always deeply rooted in music.  With multiple JUNO Award wins and numerous GRAMMY, GLAAD, and Polaris Prize Award nominations, Tegan and Sara’s crowning achievement is the Tegan and Sara Foundation. Tegan and Sara are the authors of the New York Times best-selling memoir High School. Their second book, Tegan & Sara: Crush, will be released on October 1, 2024. IG: @teganandsara X: @teganandsara  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

317. What Amanda’s Learned About Life, Love & Community (Post Surgery Pt 2)  Amanda details surgery day, her healing process, and the role her community has played in getting her through it all.  Discover:  -The choice Amanda made about who came back with her for surgery; -Amanda’s scariest and lowest moments so far, as well as the most beautiful ones; and -Abby’s advice about how to approach surgeries and your relationship with your doctors;  To hear the first two episodes about Amanda’s diagnosis, as well as the one before this, listen at the links below:  -Episode 309 Amanda’s Diagnosis and What’s Next (Pt. 1)  -Episode 310: Amanda’s Diagnosis and What’s Next (Pt. 2)  -Episode 316: Amanda Returns Post Surgery: Here’s What She Wants You To Know To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

316. Amanda Returns Post Surgery: Here’s What She Wants You To Know  Amanda returns nine days post surgery to share more about the process of finding a surgeon, the importance of seeking multiple medical opinions, the critical elements of preparing for surgery, and how she’s recovering so far. This episode is full of insights and tips for those going through a breast cancer diagnosis or those who love someone who is going through one. As you listen, please note that the hosts are not medical professionals, but only sharing their own personal experience. For any medical advice, please consult with your doctor.  Discover:  -Amanda, Glennon and Abby’s three must-have tips to handle doctors appointments;  -Some important things Amanda found out about mastectomies and female pleasure, and why it is important to bring it up to your doctor; and -An emotional moment Amanda had while finding a surgeon and how Glennon and Abby helped her through it.  To hear the first two episodes about Amanda’s diagnosis, listen at the links below:  -Episode 309 Amanda’s Diagnosis and What’s Next (Pt. 1)  -Episode 310: Amanda’s Diagnosis and What’s Next (Pt. 2) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

315. Grief: How to Move Through Losing a Friend with Sloane Crosley CW: Discussion of suicide  Abby and Glennon welcome New York Times bestselling author Sloane Crosley. Sloane shares her experience of losing her dear friend to suicide and the grief journey she went on in the aftermath. The conversation explores handling loss, the nuances of friendship, humor in the face of sorrow, and living in the present moment. Discover:  -Whether the desire to give meaning to a death helps or hurts the grieving process; -What NOT to say after someone dies by suicide and what might help;  -The place of humor in grief: when it’s useful and when it’s a coverup; and -The reason you have every right to deeply grieve a friend and the pain of grief hierarchies.  About Sloane:  Sloane Crosley is the New York Times bestselling author of the new memoir Grief Is for People; the novels Cult Classic and The Clasp; and three essay collections: Look Alive Out There, I Was Told There’d Be Cake, and How Did You Get This Number. She lives in New York City. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

314. Jealousy: Glennon & Abby Share It All  Glennon and Abby candidly discuss their personal experiences with jealousy. They explore how jealousy manifests, its implications on their connection, and the steps they've taken toward understanding and addressing it. Discover: -Abby and Glennon’s jealousy origin stories; -Abby’s confession to Glennon about her jealousy; -Why self trust might be the key to overcoming jealousy; and -How Glennon and Abby protect each other’s hearts AND wounds in their relationship. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

313. How to Turn a Mistake into Magic with Suleika Jaouad Glennon speaks one-on-one with the brilliant Suleika Jaouad about Suleika's journey through the messy middle – living well in a body that does not feel well, and creating a life of beautiful defiance. Discover:  Why believing we should “Live everyday like our last” is unhelpful; Why the unproductive periods of life are *actually* where you do the most work; The specific, best ways to really show up for friends who are in the messy middle;  How to alchemize your pain into creativity; and The lessons we can all learn from Jellyfish   Suleika Jaouad is the author of the instant New York Times bestselling memoir, Between Two Kingdoms. She wrote the Emmy Award-winning New York Times column “Life, Interrupted,” and her reporting and essays have been featured in the New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Vogue, and NPR, among others. A highly sought-after speaker, her TED Talk – “What Almost Dying Taught Me About Living” – has nearly five million views. She is also the creator of The Isolation Journals, a community creativity project founded during the pandemic to help others convert isolation into artistic solitude. IG: @suleikajaouad To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

312. Potholes & Productive Conflict in Relationships with Abby & Glennon Abby and Glennon answer ALL of your relationship questions. We get into juicy topics like how to fight better, the balance of individuation and connection in relationships, and how to take ownership of your own feelings vs. judging your partner’s behaviors.  Discover:  -What introverts and extroverts have to learn from each other and how they can be in a relationship effectively; -Abby and Glennon’s unbelievable golf cart fight and tips on how to have more productive conflicts;  -How to let go of the need to control someone else; and -What Abby means when she says, “woof.” To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

311. Post Diagnosis: Glennon & Abby Reflect and Decide What Needs to Change  Glennon and Abby reflect on the dynamics of love, control, and support in relationships in the wake of Amanda’s diagnosis.  Discover:  -The simple sentence that Tish said to Glennon that shattered her reality; -Glennon’s creative way of reading books & what it has to do with controlling others; and -Why Glennon didn’t speak for a week after finding out sister’s diagnosis & what it felt like inside. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

310. Amanda’s Diagnosis & What’s Next (Pt. 2)  In Part 2, Amanda shares more from the messy middle of her breast cancer diagnosis. She talks candidly about her hopes, fears, and what she has realized really matters.  To listen to the first part of our conversation with Amanda, click here: Amanda’s Diagnosis and What’s Next (Pt. 1) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

309. Amanda’s Diagnosis and What’s Next (Pt. 1)  Amanda shares the news about her health and what’s next for her healing. Amanda, Glennon, and Abby go into the tactical, philosophical and emotional aspects of this diagnosis and all share how they’re feeling about it and working through it at this moment. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

308. Brittney Griner On Coming Home & Recovering From Trauma  Glennon and Abby talk with athlete, humanitarian, activist–and one of the bravest people they’ve met–Brittney Griner. Brittney discusses her harrowing experience in the Russian prison system, as well as her basketball career, recovering from trauma, and her excitement over becoming a parent.  Discover:  -Why she went to Russia in the first place – and the gender pay gap in women’s sports;  -Her first thought as she stepped foot on American soil after her time in a Russian penal colony; -How she feels about America now that she’s back; and  -How she reconciled her relationship with her dad after having a tough time coming out  About Brittney:  BRITTNEY GRINER is a pioneer, humanitarian, and activist and was named as one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2023. Griner is an NCAA champion, a WNBA champion, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Winner of the Best Female Athlete ESPY Award, and a nine-time WNBA All-Star, Griner is one of the most decorated and influential athletes of this generation. IG: @brittneyyevettegriner To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

307. Healing From Complex PTSD with Stephanie Foo Abby, Amanda and Glennon are joined by author and radio producer, Stephanie Foo. They discuss Stephanie’s memoir, What My Bones Know, and her journey healing from Complex PTSD.  Discover:  -The difference between Trauma, PTSD and complex PTSD;  -What “THE DREAD” is and how to know if you have it;  -Why if the trauma is relational, the healing has to be relational, too, and what that means, in-action; and  -Whether you can ever truly give what you never got as a parent.  CW: Discussion of physical and verbal abuse and neglect. About Stephanie: Stephanie Foo is a writer and the author of the New York Times bestseller, WHAT MY BONES KNOW: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma. She is also a radio producer, most recently for This American Life. Her work has aired on Snap Judgment, Reply All, 99% Invisible, and Radiolab. A noted speaker and instructor, she has taught at Columbia University and has spoken at venues from Sundance Film Festival to the Missouri Department of Mental Health. She lives in New York City. IG: @foofoofoo To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

306. The Truth of OCD: Therapist Alegra Kastens on Living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Therapist Alegra Kastens shares the truth about her lived experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that is vital for all of us to understand. Detailing her own struggle, and work as an OCD specialist, Alegra helps demystify the relentless cycle of ego-dystonic, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and compulsions that define this often-misunderstood and under-diagnosed disorder – sharing why so many people have OCD and do not know it, and ways to support people with OCD without enabling and reinforcing the compulsions. CW: Discussion of intrusive sexual and violent thoughts as well as suicidal ideation. About Alegra: Alegra Kastens is a licensed therapist, OCD specialist, writer, and the founder of the Center for OCD, Anxiety, and Eating Disorders in New York City. Fueled by lived experience with a lesser-known manifestation of OCD, education and advocacy about OCD are at the forefront of her career. IG: @AlegraKastens TikTok: @AlegraKastens To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

305. How to Self-Regulate, Heal Your Relationships & Accept That You’ll Never Be Finished  As we continue the discussion on Busyness, Amanda, Glennon & Abby share more of their thoughts about the cult of Busyness – how buying into it shows up in you and your relationships, and how it leads to dysregulation and dissatisfaction in all areas of life. We go through the signs that might indicate you’re too busy and burnt out, how to know the difference between building a life and living a life, and why dysregulation can be a breadcrumb toward healing. Discover:  -Why the addiction of busyness will never be pointed out or helped by most people;  -Why Abby says the idea of retirement is the greatest heist in human history; and -The emotional breakdown Amanda had, which led to starting her healing journey. Also check out: 304. Break Up with Busyness & Let Go of Your To-Do List 281. How Amanda Finally Calmed Her Brain & Her Letter from Love with Liz Gilbert  261. How to Stretch Time with Jenny Odell 139. No More Grind: How to Finally Rest with Tricia Hersey 93. BURNOUT: Do You Feel Half Alive? with Emily and Amelia Nagoski To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices