Libsyn Directory

#424 Boundary Phobia After Breast Cancer

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

Release Date: 08/15/2025

#437 Life After Breast Cancer - The Power of Living On Purpose Every Day

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

In this episode, Laura explores a question that often brings women more confusion than clarity: “What is my purpose?” Drawing from her own reflections and from coaching breast cancer survivors, she reframes the conversation around a far more supportive question: “Am I living on purpose?” You’ll hear how intentional living supports cognitive health, stress resilience, emotional wellbeing, and metabolic healing after breast cancer. Laura breaks down the psychology and neuroscience behind purposeful living, explains why so many of us resist it, and shares simple, doable ways to build...

#436 Breast Cancer Recovery and The Block of Familiarity

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

Why do we keep holding on to things that don’t serve us—relationships, habits, or clutter that drains our energy? In this episode, Laura Lummer explores how the brain’s desire for safety keeps us clinging to what’s familiar, even when it hurts us. You’ll hear about two fascinating studies on the psychology of familiarity and habit formation, and learn how awareness, curiosity, and small acts of release can help you create space for what’s truly meant for you. 💬 “Comfort feels safe, even when it’s not healthy. But awareness is what frees you.” Join Laura inside the Better...

#435 Finding Balance and Flow in the Middle of The Good and The Bad

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

When you’ve lived through breast cancer, life often feels like a mix of opposites — gratitude and fear, healing and side effects, joy and grief. In this episode, Laura shares what it means to hold space for both the good and the hard, and how allowing energy to flow supports both emotional and physical healing. She explores the science of psycho-neuro-immunology, the lymphatic system, and fascia, and connects it to traditional healing wisdom about flow and stagnation. Learn how to create physiological safety, release stored emotions, and find balance in the space between the light and the...

#434 Breaking The Protective Barrier - The Healing Power of Radical Transparency

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

When we try to protect others from our pain, we often end up isolating ourselves. In this episode, Laura Lummer, The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach, shares her concept of the protective barrier — the invisible wall that forms when we hold our emotions in and pretend everything is “normal.” Through the lens of radical transparency and supported by research on emotional expression, Laura explains how honest communication reduces stress, strengthens immunity, and builds trust with our champions — the people who love and support us through it all. Listen and learn how vulnerability can be...

#433 Metabolic Health Day Insights with Katie Resor

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

Back from Metabolic Health Day, I’m joined by client and Terrain Advocate-in-training, Katie Resor, to share the most use-today insights: energy and fatigue through a metabolic lens, nature and circadian rhythm, simple detox wins, EMF practices that fit real life, and the vendors/tests we loved. You’ll also hear reflections on community, hope, and why health is a terrain we tend—not a finish line. Show links include the conference recordings and resources we mention. Explore more support: Grab your copy of the Metabolic Health Day conference recordings here: Better Than...

#432 Celebrating Milestones Beyond Scans and Labs

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

Being cancer-free doesn’t always mean we’ve healed. After 14 years of managing cancer, I’ve learned that healing is about more than scans and lab results—it’s about reclaiming joy, peace, and meaning in the present moment. In this episode, I share stories of women who stopped waiting for permission to live and how research shows that hope, gratitude, and laughter can support real healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: ...

#431 Shine Through October - Prevention Metastasis and Living Fully

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

October is a complicated month for so many of us touched by breast cancer. Pink ribbons are everywhere—sometimes they feel celebratory, other times they stir up fear, grief, or difficult memories. Both experiences are real, and both deserve to be honored. In this episode, I invite you to see October through a different lens. Instead of focusing only on awareness, what if we made it about aliveness? I talk about how prevention deserves as much energy as detection, why metastatic breast cancer looks very different today than it did 10–15 years ago, and how daily acts of self-love—like...

#430 Healing Starts with Honesty

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

Healing doesn’t begin with shame—it begins with honesty. In this episode, I share why telling yourself the truth is the most powerful first step in creating health and joy after breast cancer. You’ll hear: Why judgment keeps us stuck in old patterns How curiosity creates opportunities for growth A simple framework to reflect on your strengths and challenges My personal story of facing the truth and finding healing When you pair honesty with compassion, you’ll see just how much power you have to create a body you love and a life you trust. Explore more support: ...

#429 Dr. Toni Engram and the Whole - Body Benefits of Biological Dentistry

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

Biological dentistry goes far beyond cavities and cleanings—it’s about understanding how your mouth connects to your entire body. In this episode, Dr. Toni Engram explains how the oral microbiome impacts inflammation, hormones, digestion, and even healing from chronic illness. We cover: Why dental materials (like mercury fillings and fluoride) matter for long-term health. How to safely approach dental care during cancer treatment. Everyday practices—like nutrient-dense food, flossing, and tongue scraping—that protect oral and systemic health. Listen now and discover how...

#428 Breast Cancer and Stress - How to Protect Your Energy in the Last 90 Days of the Year and Beyond

Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

Why does it feel so hard to hear yourself when life gets busy—especially during breast cancer recovery? In this episode: The science of stress, sleep, and comfort eating Why white space is not a luxury but a recovery tool Four research-backed ways to restore energy and balance Practical if-then scripts to protect your health this season Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: Let’s Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it...

More Episodes

Have you ever felt almost afraid to set a boundary—especially with someone you love? You’re not alone. In this episode, I share the story of a client who jokingly called it “boundary phobia” and how that phrase perfectly captures the fear and discomfort so many of us feel when we try to protect our time, energy, or emotional well-being.

We’ll talk about:

The fears that keep us saying “yes” when we want to say “no”
The myths we’ve been taught about boundaries and relationships
Why boundaries are about action as much as they are about words
How to set healthy boundaries with yourself first—and why that’s the key to holding them with others
A short guided reflection to help you identify one internal boundary you can start practicing today

If you’ve been feeling drained, resentful, or guilty about saying no, this episode will help you shift the way you think about boundaries so they feel less like walls and more like doors you control.

References from this episode:

Parents Magazine study on accepting unwanted invitations: https://www.parents.com/why-saying-no-is-good-for-your-mental-health-8415963
Stanford Student Affairs research on boundaries strengthening relationships: https://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/how-life-treeting-you-importance-of-boundaries
2020 study on relational boundaries and enforcement: https://self-compassion.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Luchner-and-Snyder-2020-The-Importance-of-Flexible-Relational-Boundaries-.pdf
Mental Health Center on boundaries and burnout: https://www.mentalhealthctr.com/boundaries-and-mental-health
Dr. Kristin Neff’s self-compassion research: https://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2

Resources Mentioned:

Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching
Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp

Let’s Connect!
If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness.

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