In this episode of the Live Free Podcast, I sit down with Diana, a cancer thriver and executive leader whose journey will inspire you to see challenges through a new lens. Diana opens up about the day everything changed—just 30 days into 2014, the year she had planned to thrive as a single mom, excel as a leader, and go on a missions trip. Instead, she got the call no one wants to hear: she had cancer near her left eye.

Over the next nine years, her mission shifted from traveling overseas to showing up with faith, kindness, and purpose inside hospital walls. She shares how she saved her eye for nearly a decade, then faced a life-saving surgery that removed her eye and sinus areas—followed by radiation, MRIs, and a new chapter of resilience.

Through it all, Diana embraced a profound mindset shift—from asking “Why me?” to declaring “Since it’s me…” She’s learned that adversity can refine us, not define us, and that our hardships can uniquely qualify us to serve and uplift others. Her story is a beautiful reminder that we can all choose to shine, even in the darkest places.

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In this high-energy, joy-infused episode of The Live Free Podcast, I sit down with Happiness Expert and author Deborah Mallow to explore how we can all create fewer days that suck—by making joy a daily, doable choice.

Deborah’s journey from the high-stress world of corporate sales and design to becoming a cheerleader for positivity (minus the pom-poms) is both inspiring and hilarious. Her book, 6 Steps to Fewer Days That Suck, offers a refreshing, no-fluff guide to building resilience, shifting perspective, and actually enjoying life—even when it’s hard.

We talk about how mindset shapes everything, why self-care is really about self-worth, and how small steps can lead to huge shifts over time. Deborah also shares how her Daily Decisions toolkit helps people stop waiting for life to get easier—and start dancing through the mess with more joy and confidence.

If you’ve been craving more lightness, less guilt, and permission to celebrate yourself unapologetically, this one’s for you.

Connect With Deb:

thedailydecisions.com

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In this deeply inspiring episode of The Live Free Podcast, I sit down with Tammy—a highly sought-after international psychotherapist, speaker, and podcast guest with over 25 years of experience in trauma recovery. Tammy has helped countless individuals transform the lingering effects of trauma, guiding them on a powerful journey from pain to peace.

As the creator of the Transformation Solution™—a cutting-edge blend of EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and other evidence-based therapies—Tammy offers an approach that accelerates and deepens healing far beyond what traditional methods often achieve. Her work isn’t just professional; it’s personal. Having used these very modalities in her own life, she brings both clinical expertise and lived understanding to her clients and audiences.

In our conversation, Tammy opens up about her own story of overcoming adversity, the importance of listening to your inner knowing, and why practices that promote self-connection and flow are essential for healing. We explore how trauma impacts the body, the unique power of EMDR therapy, and the role of helping professionals in walking alongside you—not in front of you—on the healing path.

If you’ve ever wondered whether deep healing is truly possible—or how to begin that journey—this episode will leave you with hope, clarity, and practical ways to take your next step toward peace.

Takeaways

• Inner knowing is accessible to everyone, despite external noise.

• Practices like meditation and nature can help access inner knowing.

• Turning towards discomfort can lead to greater clarity and flow.

• EMDR therapy is effective in processing trauma stored in the body.

• Symptoms of trauma are invitations to explore deeper issues.

Connect With Tammy

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In this uplifting episode of The Live Free Podcast, Christine sits down with Lori Rogers—mindset expert, speaker, and co-founder of a multimillion-dollar woman-owned business—to talk about how burnout, fear, and anxiety led her to an unexpected breakthrough.

Laurie’s story is one of radical reinvention—from high-pressure hustle to deep inner peace. Along the way, she created Positive Activity™, a mindset-based approach that helps people build resilience, shift their thinking, and create powerful daily habits rooted in joy, compassion, and clarity.

She opens up about her personal experience raising a child with special needs, how it reshaped her perspective on gratitude and self-worth, and the specific practices—like meditation, appreciation, and kindness—that helped her transform anxiety into peace. Laurie also shares the books that changed her life, including You Can Heal Your Life, and offers grounded advice for anyone struggling to believe that change is possible.

This episode is full of real tools, real talk, and a reminder that you don’t need a perfect plan to heal—you just need the willingness to start.

Connect with Lori"

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In this enlightening episode of The Live Free Podcast, Christine sits down with world-renowned physician, researcher, and Psychology Today contributor Dr. Laura Gabayan to explore one of life’s most powerful resources: wisdom.

Through her groundbreaking Wisdom Research Project, Dr. Gabayan interviewed 60 individuals across North America—people widely considered wise by those who knew them best. What she discovered became the foundation for her new book, Common Wisdom: 8 Scientific Elements of a Meaningful Life. From resilience and kindness to emotional regulation and spirituality, she outlines the eight key traits that help people navigate life’s hardest moments with grace and clarity.

Together, Christine and Dr. Gabayan discuss what wisdom really is, how we cultivate it, and why patience plays such a vital role in our growth. Whether you’re facing a major life shift or simply longing for deeper understanding, this episode offers science-backed insight—and a powerful reminder that wisdom isn’t reserved for the elderly or enlightened. It’s a skill we can all build.

Plus, hear about Dr. Gabayan’s Wisdom IQ Test, a unique tool for self-discovery that helps you reflect on your own path toward a more meaningful life.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:45 The Journey to Understanding Wisdom

06:41 The Eight Elements of Wisdom

09:56 The Role of Adversity in Wisdom

12:47 Cultivating Wisdom and Personal Growth

16:02 The Wisdom IQ Test and Its Importance

18:53 Final Thoughts and Resources

20:56 Podcast Outro.m4a

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In this empowering episode of The Live Free Podcast, Christine is joined by Leadership and Life Coach Gary Montalvo, whose grounded, compassionate approach to personal growth has helped people transform pain into purpose for nearly two decades.

Gary shares his powerful journey from working as an art director to stepping into his calling as a coach—and what it really means to lead yourself through change. Together, they explore themes of personal leadership, emotional resilience, and why vulnerability isn’t weakness, but wisdom in motion.

This conversation dives into what happens when we stop avoiding discomfort and instead learn to navigate it with clarity, courage, and practical tools. Gary reminds us that true leadership begins within—and that asking for help is one of the strongest moves we can make.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of how to move forward, this episode will leave you feeling seen, inspired, and ready to take aligned action—on your own terms.

Chapters

00:00 Journey to Leadership: A Personal Story

10:16 Tools for Navigating Stressful Situations

16:56 The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership

24:04 Embracing Pain and Growth

31:59 Redefining Leadership: Authenticity and Community

Connect With Gary

Website: https://www.garymontalvo.com/

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In this thought-provoking episode of The Live Free Podcast, Christine sits down with Joan K. Peters—professor, author, and self-proclaimed late bloomer in healing—to talk about the power of psychoanalysis and the courage it takes to look inward.

Joan shares her deeply personal journey from a painful childhood to uncovering the hidden layers of her unconscious mind through psychoanalysis. Drawing from her latest book, Untangling: A Memoir of Psychoanalysis, she opens up about what traditional therapy couldn’t reach, and how exploring her dreams, memories, and family dynamics led to profound transformation.

Together, Joan and Christine explore what makes psychoanalysis different, how understanding your past fosters self-compassion, and why storytelling is such a powerful tool for healing. Joan also offers thoughtful insight into how psychoanalytic ideas can be made more accessible and how we can all begin the process of untangling our emotional lives—regardless of where we start.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in old patterns or wondered how your past still shapes your present, this conversation offers both depth and hope.

Chapters

00:00 Journey to Ojai: A Dream Realized

02:50 Understanding Psychoanalysis: A Deeper Dive

06:43 The Impact of Childhood Trauma

12:55 Uncovering the Unconscious: Dreams and Nightmares

18:45 The Role of Psychoanalysis in Personal Growth

25:04 Resistance and Relationships: A Psychoanalytic Perspective

30:59 Writing 'Untangling': The Process and Purpose

41:01 Learning from Psychoanalysis: Insights and Applications

Connect With Joan

untanglingjoan.com

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In this raw and soul-stirring episode of The Live Free Podcast, Christine sits down with wellness coach, author, and retreat leader Carrie Asby, whose journey from burnout to balance is a testament to the quiet power of personal truth.

Once a fashion designer living what looked like a dream life in San Francisco, Carrie was privately self-destructing—numbing pain, chasing validation, and pushing herself to the brink. Her turning point came at rock bottom: eight bottles deep, completely alone, and whispering to herself, "This is not Carrie Asby." That moment cracked something open.

From that breakdown came a breakthrough—beginning with a pay-what-you-can yoga class, and leading to a lifestyle rooted in mindful rituals, nature, and radical self-compassion. In this episode, Carrie shares how she rebuilt from the inside out and now helps others reconnect with calm, clarity, and purpose.

Together, Christine and Carrie explore the power of morning rituals, the beauty of reconnecting with your true self, and why self-love isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline.

If you’ve ever felt lost in the life you built, or afraid you’ve gone too far to come back to yourself, this conversation will remind you: it’s never too late to begin again.

Connect With Carrie:

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