Today’s episode is raw, real, and deeply human. Kyla sits down with Sam Clohessy, a personal trainer from Western Australia, who shares her story of strength, survival, and self-discovery after being diagnosed with breast cancer at just 34 years old.

From her early days working on remote mine sites to building a fitness business and navigating the breakdown of her marriage, Sam opens up about how years of stress took a toll on her body and how she found resilience, healing, and hope through movement, mindset, and natural medicine.

Sam takes us through the moment she found a lump in the shower, her experience with chemotherapy and the “Red Devil,” and the turning point that led her to explore cannabis as part of her recovery journey. Together, Kyla and Sam unpack what it really takes to heal - body, mind, and spirit - and why curiosity, community, and self-care can make all the difference.

You’ll Learn:

• How chronic stress and emotional trauma can impact physical health
• What life on the mine sites taught Sam about fitness and discipline
• The reality of a young woman navigating breast cancer and single motherhood
• What to expect from chemotherapy and radiation (and the infamous Red Devil)
• How cannabis entered Sam’s healing journey and why it’s still a taboo topic in oncology
• The lifestyle practices that help her stay healthy today: movement, nutrition, grounding, and mindset

Highlights:

• “Cancer isn’t who you are - it’s a chapter in your life. Don’t let it consume you.”
• “Fitness was my anchor. It filled my cup and kept me sane.”
• “I asked my GP for a prescription for cannabis and she said, ‘You’d have to be terminal.’ Two years later, she started prescribing it.”
• “The more positive and hopeful you are, the more your body can heal.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Research on CBD, THCA, and CBDA in breast cancer cell studies (referenced by Kyla in-episode) Cannabidiol as a Novel Inhibitor of Id-1 Gene Expression in Aggressive Breast Cancer Cells - McAllister et al
• Cannabidiol Induces Programmed Cell Death in Breast Cancer Cells by Coordinating the Crosstalk between Apoptosis and Autophagy - Shrivastava et al
• Kyla’s Cancer Support Document — to request a copy DM kyla on IG @cannacuriousau

Connect:

Follow Sam Clohessy on Instagram @infinityboundlessfitness

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Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

In this conversation, nurse and educator Megan Mbengue walks us through her path from hospital wards to cannabinoid care.

We break down the endocannabinoid system in plain language, why CBG is her daytime go-to for anxiety and focus, and how to use THC without wrecking your nervous system.

We dig into cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), the problems with high-THC vapes, why flower still matters, and what her team is seeing in a suppository study for period pain. We also touch on microdosing psychedelics, integration, and doing the root-cause work so you actually need less over time.

You’ll Learn:

• What the endocannabinoid system does — in human words
• Why CBG can calm the fight-or-flight response without sedation
• How hormone shifts in peri/menopause can change your THC sensitivity
• The early signs of CHS and why vapes fast-track trouble
• When to choose flower, patches, teas, or suppositories
• A nurse’s harm-reduction approach to anxiety, sleep, and pain
• Where microdosing can bridge the gap when cannabis isn’t enough

Highlights:

• Dancer to nurse to plant medicine: the career pivot that started in hospice
• The seizure case that changed everything
• CBG vs CBD: different receptors, different outcomes
• “Start low, go slow” especially for women in peri/menopause
• CHS red flags: morning nausea, abdominal pain, alcohol intolerance
• Vapes vs flower: why potency and frequency matter
• Suppositories for pelvic pain and periods: real-world outcomes women report
• Microdosing + integration: working on the root, not just the symptom

Practical Takeaways:

• Anxiety (daytime): try whole-plant CBG; keep THC low and targeted at night for sleep
• New or returning users: start with flower or gentle oral routes; avoid high-THC distillate vapes
• Pelvic or period pain: consider vaginal or rectal suppositories many women report reduced cramps, headaches, and nausea
• Morning nausea with daily use: pause and assess for CHS signs; seek support early
• Cycle tracking: you may need less THC mid-cycle and a different method in the late luteal phase

Resources Mentioned

• Society of Cannabis Clinicians https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/
• EntheaCare — https://entheacare.com
• OnTracka —https://www.ontracka.com/

Connect with Megan

• Instagram/Threads: @enthea.care

"Send us a message"

Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

Painful sex is common but not normal. Kyla and sexologist Lillie Brown unpack the fear–pain cycle, pelvic pain, arousal and lubrication, and practical steps to heal without pushing through pain. We also touch on how cannabis may help some women reduce pain and increase pleasure, plus when to bring in a pelvic floor physio or sexologist.

Key Takeaways

• Pain is information, not something to “push through.”
• The fear–pain cycle can be broken with slowness + safety + pleasure.
• Arousal matters: women need 20–40 minutes for full physiological arousal (engorgement, lengthening, “tenting”).
• Lube is protective and pleasurable. Add more than you think.
• Penetration can be taken off the table while you heal and sex can still be great.
• Consider a pelvic floor physio and/or sexologist for tailored support.
• Some women find cannabis (topical/systemic) helps with pain, arousal, and presence. Start low, go slow, and consult a clinician.

What We Cover

• Defining painful sex (dyspareunia) and common sensations (stinging/burning at the entrance, deep dull/throbbing pain).
• Pelvic pain 101 and common contributors (endo/adenomyosis, pelvic floor dysfunction, UTIs, thrush, IBS, hormonal shifts).
• Vaginismus (primary/secondary) and why “just relax” isn’t a plan.
• The fear–pain cycle: anticipation → bracing → pain → avoidance (and how to exit it).
• Arousal & anatomy: erectile tissue of the vulva, vaginal lengthening, and “tenting.”
• Practical tools: breathwork, pelvic floor release/relaxation, lube strategy, dilators with arousal, depth-limit tools (e.g., Ohnut), positions, and partner communication.
• Cannabis & sex: topical application, suppositories, systemic use, and why presence matters.

"Send us a message"

Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.