In this powerful follow-up conversation with Dr. Jodi Richardson - Jane O'Brien shares how she’s navigated life after her transplant with deep presence, gratitude, and inner strength. We explore the fleeting nature of illumination, and how she’s turned daily practices like meditation and gratitude into anchors for resilience.

Jane opens up about her experience with panic attacks, PTSD, and how modalities like EMDR helped her process trauma. She also shares an extraordinary story from her time in ICU—when, despite being unable to speak, she still found a way to help another patient rediscover her will to live.

This episode is a gentle yet profound reminder of the healing power of perspective, the choice we have in how we meet life’s challenges, and the quiet strength found in giving to others—even when we ourselves are in need.

If you’re facing a tough time, this conversation will remind you that you’re not alone—and that hope can be found in the most unexpected places.

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In this powerful and deeply emotional episode, host Jodi speaks with Jane O'Brien, a mother of three and former media professional, who shares her remarkable journey through chronic illness, resilience, and life-saving transformation. After being diagnosed at 38 with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis, Jane spent 15 years battling progressive lung disease and vocal cord paralysis. Her life changed forever when, at the edge of lung failure, she received the gift of a double lung transplant.

Jane opens up about the physical and emotional toll of living with chronic illness while raising young children, her struggle with the idea of receiving donor organs, and the strength she drew from her family, her medical team, and the belief that better health was possible. She also shares how her daughter Holly’s drawing of her with healthy lungs became a daily symbol of hope—an image she kept by her side during hospital stays.

This conversation is a moving exploration of uncertainty, gratitude, mental health, and the profound impact of organ donation—not only on recipients but on their families, too.

PART 2 of this conversation will be released, in the next episode

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Dr. Jodi Richardson continues her illuminating conversation with psychologist Jodie Wassner, diving into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and its transformative approach for families navigating childhood anxiety.

What you'll learn:

• Why building connection and understanding must precede cognitive work with anxious children
• How to use the powerful ACT question: "Is that just something your mind is telling you?"
• Practical strategies for helping both parents and children tolerate uncertainty
• The step-by-step process of moving from empathetic understanding to helpful cognitive techniques

Standout moment: "Parents often rush to fix their child's anxiety, but Jodie explains why spending months truly understanding your child creates the foundation for all effective intervention work."

Who this episode is for: Parents supporting anxious children, educators working with anxious students, therapists interested in ACT approaches, and anyone seeking to understand psychological flexibility in managing anxiety.

Listen now to discover how ACT principles can help anxious children separate from unhelpful thoughts while living according to their values.

Jodie Wassner's book mentioned: https://www.woodslanehealth.com.au/products/9781839975820?srsltid=AfmBOorhVwFFObgAD0RWw76jrEEMKSsYh36ST4-fMTr-CBFUfXEOnuUD

More on Jodie's work:

https://www.curiouskidspsychology.com.au/our-team

Connect with me:

https://linktr.ee/drjodirichardson?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabqDVAw_zhoG3IXGRhgjn-J14BFJy50ztJbCHywMfZobVH12nX1USMbisI_aem_QViUbKkXHlwbD3y4kGcvGQ

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.