What if chronic pain isn’t just physical? In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Patricia Nesler, a chronic pain specialist, shares her powerful journey of overcoming fear, trauma, and physical suffering to reclaim her life. From navigating a traumatic birth experience to discovering the mind-body connection in healing, Trish reveals the unexpected truths about pain, resilience, and the power of self-awareness. If you've ever felt stuck in a cycle of stress and symptoms, this episode will challenge what you think you know about healing and empower you to take control of your body and your future.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Pain Isn’t Your Enemy—It’s a Messenger
• 00:00:45 - Welcome to Finding Your Fierce: Meet Trish Nesler
• 00:02:22 - Trish’s Story: From Struggle to Strength
• 00:03:36 - Healing Through Vulnerability: The Power of Alchemy
• 00:04:10 - Breaking Free: How Trish Helps People Overcome Chronic Pain
• 00:05:17 - Parenting, Trauma, and the Stress We Carry
• 00:05:55 - A Birth Experience That Changed Everything
• 00:07:13 - When the Body Breaks Down: Searching for Answers
• 00:14:07 - Unlocking the Mind-Body Connection
• 00:15:22 - How Repressed Emotions and Anger Manifest in Pain
• 00:16:58 - The Hidden Impact of the Fawning Response
• 00:18:46 - How to Recognize and Overcome Fawning
• 00:19:54 - Why People-Pleasing Might Be Holding You Back
• 00:21:04 - The Science of Pain: Amygdala, Fear, and Social Exclusion
• 00:22:29 - How Your Brain Shapes Your Pain Experience
• 00:26:07 - Somatic Healing: Moving Beyond the Pain Cycle
• 00:35:20 - The BFF Framework: Breathe, Focus, Take Fierce Action
• 00:40:55 - Healing, Connection, and Reclaiming Your Power

Links and Resources:

• Peaceful Warrior Website
• Greenhouse Holistic Co-op Center
• Trish on Instagram

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

Carolyn sits down with Pam Dunwald, a veteran nurse turned fierce advocate for aging adults. With over 40 years in healthcare, Pam has seen it all—families lost in medical jargon, patients overlooked, and a system that often forgets its most vulnerable. She shares moments from challenges she faced standing up in a broken system, and how she found her voice as a nurse advocate. From confronting ageism to fighting for better patient care, Pam’s mission is clear: no one should navigate healthcare alone.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Empathy: The Superpower We Don’t Talk About Enough
• 00:00:39 – Kicking Off with Fierce Energy
• 00:01:33 – From Weak Stomach to Fierce Advocate
• 00:03:49 – A Bingo Hall, A Life-Changing Moment, and a Nursing Career Born
• 00:06:04 – The Secret to Staying Resilient (Even When It’s Hard)
• 00:07:42 – Why Aging Adults Deserve More—and How to Fight for It
• 00:09:17 – The Nursing Stories That Changed Everything
• 00:11:04 – Spit On, Cursed At, Ignored—The Truth About Being a Nurse
• 00:14:16 – Want to Be an Advocate? Here’s What You Need to Know
• 00:20:08 – How to Find Your Fierce in 5 Minutes at a Time
• 00:24:43 – The Self-Assessment Trick That Changes Everything
• 00:27:14 – The Final Word: One Fierce Mission, One Powerful Legacy

Links and Resources:

• Pam on LinkedIn
• Your Nurse Advocate Consulting, LLC

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

Carolyn sits down with Jan Dégallier, a strategic business coach and consultant who transitioned from a long corporate finance career to entrepreneurship. Jan shares how she stepped away from a secure, traditional path to build a business centered on helping entrepreneurs and small business owners understand their numbers and make evidence-based decisions. She explains the power of tools like scorecards and weekly metrics in driving clarity and growth. Carolyn and Jan discuss resilience, faith, and the importance of staying uncomfortable to keep growing. Jan’s story is a testament to taking bold action, embracing curiosity, and building a business rooted in purpose and clarity.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 – When Safe Isn’t Secure: The Moment Jan Stepped Off the Traditional Path
• 00:01:02 – Behind the Numbers: Meet Jan Dégallier
• 00:01:36 – Audit to Awakening: A 30-Year Career in Retrospect
• 00:02:47 – Faith vs. Fear: The Decision That Changed Everything
• 00:03:26 – Know Your Numbers, Know Your Future: Jan’s Mission for Entrepreneurs
• 00:09:02 – The Scorecard Revolution: Measuring What Truly Matters
• 00:15:11 – Accountability Partners Aren’t Just Buzzwords – They’re Lifelines
• 00:16:41 – Resilience, Faith, and the Relentless Pursuit of Growth
• 00:19:09 – The Pause Before the Leap: Wrapping Up with Jan Dégallier

Links and Resources

• Jan on LinkedIn
• Catipult
• Dégallier Leadership Solutions

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!