Life after a Heart Attack or Heart Surgery | Mental, Emotional & Practical Heart Health Wellness
Sallie Crawley is a heart attack survivor, cardiac coach and therapist. She specialises in holistic heart health and helping survivors and their families navigate the "emotional and mental rehab" that follows a life-changing cardiac event.
This show delivers actionable strategies regarding heart health wellness, rebuilding your confidence, managing health anxiety, and implementing practical wellness tools for life after your event or diagnosis. If you are looking for emotional support and expert mindset tips from someone who has walked the path of a heart patient, you are in the right place.
This podcast provides valuable insights for heart attack survivors, heart surgery patients (bypass, stents, valve repair), cardiac arrest survivors, those living with implantable devices (ICDs and pacemakers), and their families.
If you want to learn how to move past the fear of "what if" and manage your energy so you can live a full, happy life again, you are in the right place!
This show will provide answers to questions like:
- How do I manage the fear of having another heart attack?
- What does long-term heart health look like beyond just medication?
- How do I adjust to life with implantable devices like an ICD or pacemaker?
- Why do I feel depressed or anxious after my heart surgery?
- How can I rebuild my confidence when my body feels different?
- How do I manage fatigue and improve my energy levels naturally?
- Is it safe to exercise or be intimate after a cardiac event?
- How do I talk to my family about my recovery and emotional needs?
- How do I stop the "inner critic" and find joy after a heart diagnosis?
- What are the best mindset tools for long-term cardiac wellness?
🎧 Follow now to start healing from the inside out.
Life after a Heart Attack or Heart Surgery | Mental, Emotional & Practical Heart Health Wellness
014 Cardiac Chat with Brian Simpson – The Heart Attack Thriver, how having a heart attack changed his life for the better
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Brian suffered a massive heart attack at the age of 48. Prior to that he was exceptionally healthy and lived a very active life.
His heart attack occurred during an Ice Hockey match and he spent 20-25 minutes on his own in the dark unable to move.
Did he see the light? Despite there being a number of factors that seemed to make the situation difficult, he was lucky in so many ways including having paramedics having a Tim Hortons coffee (it’s famous in Canada). He’s lucky to be alive as they were so close.
He describes his experience in the Cath Lab, his opportunity to take part in a pilot and his magnificent cardiac recovery – his heart health before the heart attack gave him the edge in recovery.
After suffering a life-changing heart attack over 4 years ago, he set out to change how I was showing up in the world. He left a 25-year marriage, his job in a big pharmaceutical company and travelled extensively on his motorcycle through Canada, the USA and Central America searching for his purpose in life and ultimately happiness.
Brian shares with us his acceptance of abuse as a young child. How it created anger, guilt and shame. A secret and pain that he stuffed down into his broken heart.
Meditation was and still is a key element in helping Brian manage stress and heal his heart. Brian believes that stress is one of the main contributors to his heart attack and likely to be behind many other people’s heart health diagnosis.
Hear about his chance meeting with a Monk at an airport and the life-changing circumstances that followed. Then later his journey to India plays an important part in his life, and how he now focuses on helping other people through meditation and mindset coaching.
He explains how much he has changed as a person; his friends say he is unrecognisable from the man he was before. Not physically as he is as fit and healthy as he was before but emotionally, how he chooses to be in this life. He admits to being a recovering negative talker.
This is a fascinating interview, and suggest you stop and listen to what Brian has to say. He is ‘The Heart Attack Thriver’ and he has a checklist too.
You can find Brian in these places online:
- Instagram: @theheartattackthriver
- Facebook Group: The Heart Attack Thriver
- Coaching practice: The Kindfulness C
Read the complete article here Podcast & Blog Page.
Getting to know Sallie Crawley
Survivorship after a heart attack or cardiac surgery can be challenging. You can rebuild the puzzle of your life and thrive. It takes one beat at a time and the support of people who have had similar experiences. You are not alone. Join me and other hearties in the My Heart & Mind Community, you'll get a warm welcome. You can also visit my website www.myheartandmind.co.uk.
Disclaimer
The information contained within my podcast and on my website is for general information purposes only. It is not official health advice and is not intended to be used as such. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website is strictly at your own risk. If you have any questions relating to specific health concerns or you think you may be suffering from a medical condition, you must consult a medical professional immediately. You must also consult a medical professional before making any changes to your normal lifestyle habits. You can read my full disclaimer here.