Prowl The LAB Podcast

A Breast Cancer Journey: Thriving One Step at a Time

For our season opener, I am deeply honored to sit down with Mrs. Jennifer Douglas; wife, mom, author, speaker, and fierce patient advocate. We dive deep into her path through diagnosis, treatment, and beyond, as detailed in her book and video course, A Breast Cancer Journey: One Step at a Time. What started as a private, therapeutic outlet for Jennifer in 2020 has become an incredible resource for others. We didn't sugarcoat the experience. Instead, we dug into the realities of the journey: ✨The Power of Self-Advocacy: Why setting physical and emotional boundaries, and learning to push for the specific care you need, is absolutely non-negotiable. ✨Reclaiming Intimacy: We broke the silence on sexual wellness during and after cancer. Jennifer shares her proactive approach to finding medical providers who will have open, honest conversations about this critical, yet often overlooked, piece of women's health and femininity. ✨The Emotional Truth: We validated the very real anger and fear that comes with the loss of normalcy, and why acknowledging these feelings is an essential step toward becoming "happy, healthy, and whole." Cancer can change your style, your identity, and even your support systems. But ultimately, this kickoff episode is about moving past simply surviving. It’s about learning to strive, rise, and thrive. Jennifer fully embodies this mindset and I am so honored to share this conversation with you.

Beyond Diagnosis: Nurturing Your Connection, Strengthening Your Bond

Once again, we sit down with the amazing Dr. Tom Murray to discuss how couples can navigate life when health challenges touch a relationship. We discuss how roles shift and intimacy can feel distant. Join Prowl The LAB for a candid, compassionate conversation with Dr. Tom Murray, award‑winning author of Making Nice with Naughty (2023 Global eBook Silver Medalist), widely featured clinician, and dynamic educator seen in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, and The Daily Mail. Together, Dr, Murray and I explore practical, no‑nonsense ways couples and parents stay connected under stress. Grounded in our belief that healthy sexuality fuels holistic well‑being, Dr. Murray shares actionable strategies to navigate fear, fatigue, and changing identities while protecting desire, closeness, and joy. We’ll learn: 🧑🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏼Simple rituals and communication frameworks that rebuild trust and tenderness. 🧑🏿‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏾How to redefine intimacy (beyond intercourse) and keep pleasure on the table. 👩🏽‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏼Boundaries, self‑compassion, and co‑regulation skills that reduce resentment and burnout. 🧑🏽‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏽Ways to support each other when one partner serves as caregiver, or when one partner navigates a diagnosis, treatment, or survivorship Couples, this conversation is for you. We recognize the challenges that come with daily life. When adverse health states, trauma, or different‑ability comes into frame, the physical, emotional, and sexual bonds between partners get tested. This conversation aims to help couples turn that test into testimony. You can learn more about Dr. Murray and snag a copy of his book here: ⁠ [http://apathtowellness.com/] apathtowellness.com ⁠ [http://apathtowellness.com/](Company)⁠ [http://drtommurray.com/] drtommurray.com ⁠ [http://drtommurray.com/](Company)

Life wiith Herpes: Shedding the Shame, Discarding the Blame

This week, we sit down for a candid and powerful conversation with Ms. Alexandra Harbushka, founder of Life with Herpes, a leading resource dedicated to supporting individuals living with this common condition. In this must-listen episode, we dive deep into the often-unspoken emotional landscape of a herpes diagnosis. We explore the pervasive issues of stigma and shame that are unfortunately attached to the virus, and discuss how these deeply personal emotions are not just feelings, but powerful forces that can significantly influence health outcomes. Key Discussion Points: * The Emotional Toll: How the fear of judgment keeps people silent, isolated, and prevents them from seeking essential physical and mental health support. * The Shame-Health Connection: Understanding the scientific link between chronic emotional stress (shame, anxiety) and compromised immune function and overall well-being. * Challenging the Narrative: Alexandra shares her journey from diagnosis to advocacy, offering actionable advice on how to reclaim your identity and move beyond a label. * Communication & Relationships: Strategies for open, honest conversations with partners, friends, and family, and the importance of finding a supportive community. If you or someone you know has been impacted by an STD diagnosis, this episode offers a crucial blend of compassion, education, and empowering steps toward self-acceptance and optimal health.

Evolving Identity, Our Need For Connection & Living Out Loud After Breast Cancer w/ Dr. Liz O'Riordan

What happens when the doctor becomes the patient, and then the advocate? In this deeply human conversation, we sit down with Dr. Liz O'Riordan, a former consultant breast surgeon whose life changed at 40 with a Grade 3 breast cancer diagnosis. After chemotherapy, a chest wall recurrence that led to going flat, surgical menopause, and a second recurrence in 2023, Liz’s world shifted again, this time from the operating theatre to survivorship, from clinician to narrator of her own story. To close out this amazing month of solidarity, advocacy, and hope Dr. O'Riordan and I explore how illness reshapes identity, career, body image, and intimacy. Liz speaks candidly about grief, fertility loss, and the pressure to “bounce back,”. Through writing and advocacy, she’s forged a path that honors pain and possibility; becoming the woman, wife, and physician she is today. Within this episode we also discuss: • How caring for women with breast cancer informed Liz’s empathy, communication, and clinical lens before her own diagnosis • Moving from physician to patient; going flat; surgical menopause; targeted therapy; and the physical and emotional realities of recurrence • Retiring from the work she loved, navigating grief, and building a new identity and purpose through writing and voice • Sexuality and wellness after cancer and naming libido changes without shame, co-creating intimacy, and aligning care with consent, comfort, and curiosity • Releasing pressure to “return to normal,” setting boundaries, and rebuilding connection on your terms This episode centers dignity, agency, and the full truth of survivorship. If you’re navigating treatment, recurrence, or life after cancer, you’ll find language, validation, and practical hope here. Learn more about and contact Dr. Liz O'Riordan here: www.liz.oriordan.co.uk [https://liz.oriordan.co.uk/]

You’re Not Broken; You’re Human: Busting Myths About Desire & Sex

Erinn Hoel is a licensed sex therapist and the founder of Hoelistic Health, where she specializes in helping women reclaim their natural desire and deepen intimate connection in their relationships. As the creator of the signature Desire to Fire Method, Erinn has developed a comprehensive three-phase approach that addresses the root causes of low libido. Her methodology focuses on removing the underlying blocks that inhibit sexual desire, enhancing natural arousal responses, and empowering women to experience fulfilling intimacy that feels effortless rather than obligatory. Through her holistic methodology practice, Erinn has helped hundreds of women reclaim their sensuality and desire, resulting in transformations that enhance not only intimate relationships but overall confidence, self-worth, and increased life satisfaction. Contact Erinn Here: https://www.hoelistichealth.com/