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.
Episodes
63 episodes
063 Preparing for Heart Surgery - Before, During & After
Are you waiting for heart surgery and feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or unsure what to expect? In this episode, I guide you through every stage of preparation – physically, mentally, and practically – so you can enter surgery feeling empowered, ...
062 How to Overcome the Fear of Dying after a Cardiac Event
After a heart attack, cardiac arrest, or open heart surgery, something shifts. Even when your body is healing, your mind can feel on constant alert. Every twinge feels suspicious. Every flutter feels dangerous. And benea...
061 Relax - Every Day I Expect Magic to Happen in My Life
Today, we explore the powerful intersection of brain science and belief. We dive into the Reticular Activating System (RAS) - the brain’s gatekeeper - and how it filters the world based on what you focus on. By consciously expecting "mag...
060 A Heart-Led Membership Club for Cardiac Recovery
Heart disease isn’t just a physical journey - it’s emotional, mental, and sometimes spiritual. In this episode, I’m opening my heart to share something new I’ve been creating: a membership club designed for people living with heart disease or r...
059 Frank’s Crease - Your Earlobe’s Secret Heart Clue or Just Skin Deep?
Have you ever noticed a diagonal crease on your earlobe and wondered if it means something serious?In this episode, we explore Frank’s Crease (also known as Frank’s Sign), the line across the earlobe that some researchers have l...
058 Embracing the Both/And Mindset for Heart Health Recovery
Have you ever felt grateful to be alive… and deeply anxious at the same time?Relieved your surgery is over… and frustrated that recovery feels slow?Motivated to change your lifestyle… and grieving your old one?If so, you ar...
057 Travelling Abroad with a Heart Condition, after a Heart Attack or Cardiac Surgery
Can You Really Go on Holiday After a Heart Attack or Surgery? Here’s How to Travel Without WorryPlanning a holiday after a heart attack, heart surgery, or living with heart disease can feel overwhelming.Should you fly?<...
056 Cardiac Podcast Rename with a Chance to Win a Heart Recovery Book
The hospital fixed your heart, but who is helping you heal your mind? After 55 episodes of navigating the emotional, mental, and practical side of heart recovery together, I have some big news to share. As we look towar...
055 Relax - I Adapt and Adjust to What Is
A relaxamation to help you adapt to life’s changes after a heart attack or cardiac surgery. I will guide you through a gentle journey of relaxation and with the affirmation “I adapt and adjust to what is.” You'll learn how to reduce resis...
054 Journey to End-of-Life Peace: Planning with Love, Purpose & Kindness
End-of-life planning doesn’t have to be scary. In this episode, Sallie Crawley gently guides you through how to plan your care, medical wishes, and farewell in a way that brings clarity, comfort, and peace for both you and your loved ones.<...
053 GTN & Vasodilators - Managing Angina Effectively
In this episode, I will explain what vasodilators are, the difference between short-acting and long-acting nitrates, and how to use GTN spray and tablets safely. Learn about common side effects, emergency tips, and pract...
052 Why Saying THE Heart Attack vs MY Heart Attack Matters
Reclaiming Your Life Story: Why “A Heart Attack” or “The Heart Attack” Matters More Than “My Heart Attack”. The words we use to describe a health event can influence how we cope, heal, and view ourselves. In thi...
051 Relax - I Trust Myself to find Moderation
I will guide you through a relaxamation session that supports balanced living and moderation during the festive season. Using gentle relaxation, body awareness, and the affirmation “I trust myself to find balance and moderation”, this se...
050 Quitting Smoking - The Voice That Says You Can’t
Today, I explore the hidden psychology behind why it can be so difficult to quit smoking after a cardiac event, especially when you’ve tried before. Discover how your brain’s limbic system tricks you into believing you can’t cope without nicoti...
049 Love, Intimacy & Sex after a Heart Attack or Surgery
Intimacy, love, and sexual connection can feel complicated after a heart attack, cardiac arrest or surgery but they are a vital part of your recovery and emotional wellbeing. In this episode, Sallie Crawley walks you through the challenges, pra...
048 Ejection Fraction (EF) – Understanding Your Heart’s Strength
Understanding your ejection fraction (EF) can feel confusing, especially after a heart attack, heart surgery, or when living with heart disease. In this episode I break down EF in simple, relatable terms and explains why it matters...
047 Can you have a Happy Brain after a Heart Attack or Heart Surgery
Discover how to boost your happiness and improve your heart health after a cardiac event. In this episode, I explain how stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline impact your recovery, and how “happy hormones” - dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin...
046 Alcohol and Your Heart: Finding Balance After a Heart Attack or Cardiac Surgery
Many people worry about whether alcohol is off-limits after a cardiac event. In this episode, I explore the effects of alcohol on the heart, the truth about moderation, and practical strategies to enjoy life safely. Learn:
045 Self Care After a Cardiac Event isn't Selfish
Me, Myself, and I, today I tackle the myth that self-care is selfish and learn why it's actually an essential practice for our well-being after a heart attack or cardiac surgery. I use the powerful analogy of the airplane oxygen mask to underst...
044 Relax - I Have the Right to Be Happy
In today’s guided Relaxamation, I invite you to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the truth that happiness is your right and not a reward or something you have to earn. Whether you’re recovering from a heart attack, adjusting to life with hear...
042 A Self-Soothing Toolbox for your Heart & Mind Health
Today, we're talking about A powerful tool to help you manage those overwhelming moments of worry, stress, and anxiety that can often accompany a cardiac event: creating your very own Self-Soothing Toolbox.Sallie shares why this "...
043 Coming Home: What the Early Months After a Heart Attack Really Feel Like
What are the early months after a heart attack really like?" It's a question that brings back memories of my own uncertainty after leaving the hospital, stepping back into a life that suddenly felt unfamiliar. I just didn't have a clue what to ...
041 From Trauma to Triumph – Embracing Post-Traumatic Growth After a Heart Event
Today, I'm diving deep into a topic I touched on previously in episode 035, about "Can trauma and PTSD be caused by a he...
040 Beat the Heat and Stay Heart-Healthy
Summer can bring unique challenges for those with cardiac conditions. This episode provides actionable advice on staying cool, hydrated, and recognising the signs of heat-related stress, all tailored to help you protect your heart. Sallie share...
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039 Mindset and Cardiac Rehabilitation, Is There a Connection?
I challenge the notion that "you can't think yourself better" after a life-altering cardiac event. While it's crucial to acknowledge the trauma and negative emotions, we delve into the powerful connection between your mindset and your cardiac r...
