I have a secret. It is hidden away underneath my shirt, and only revealed under the most private and intimate of circumstances. I reveal myself to only a select few. My husband, my mother, my aunt, a very few of the closest girlfriends will catch a glimpse. I took for granted my natural born nipples.… Continue reading I Have a Secret
Author: Melissa Eppard
I am a professionally trained and certified Life Coach with personal experience overcoming cancer as a mom in my mid-30's. After a diagnosis in 2014 I began blogging as a way to communicate with my family and friends, but it soon became much more than that. Writing was my lifeboat and connection with the outside world while immune compromised and healing from surgery.
Now I’m using my personal and professional experiences and living my dream of supporting others as a Healing Hope Cancer Coach. I help my clients understand their options, develop the best care team and a supportive network. Together we unpack the experience of having a cancer diagnosis, processing the emotional impact of a cancer. I offer stress reduction techniques to help manage fear and uncertainty, and coaching to support healing on all dimensions. After treatment ends, I help people find their personal roadmap through the pain and uncertainty, to a life fueled by clarity, personal strength and a connection to their unique life purpose. From diagnosis, through treatment and recovery, no one should go it alone!
I draw upon 10+ years of work immersed in holistic health and wellness. I was born and raised in the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York and live there still with my husband and son. My survivorship blog Melissashealinghope.com chronicles my healing journey. You can learn more about my work as a coach at MelissaEppardCoaching.com.
Making Some Room
Hello Friends, Last week I launched my new Life Coaching website at http://www.melissaeppardcoaching.com/. This new site provides a space where I can connect with more people in search of coaching as I grow my practice. My intention is to keep this blog at Melissashealinghope.com going for writing of a more personal nature. I have described the writing of… Continue reading Making Some Room
May 16th: Forged in Fire
On this day 2 years ago, the shattering blow came. The words I heard through the end of the receiver were surreal and an inky black curtain of uncertainty closed on me. But I am still here and I can say that we are not defined by the things that happen to us. As we are… Continue reading May 16th: Forged in Fire
Life Lessons from a Cancer Survivor: Avoid Burnout and Live a Purposeful Life
The hill is insurmountable. The laundry list of chores, tasks, to-dos –some mine, but mostly the doing is serving another’s needs, someone else’s mission. I grasp for air, for time to eat, to sleep, to play, to dream. Sound familiar? Before my cancer treatment ended, someone suggested to me that I be the person to… Continue reading Life Lessons from a Cancer Survivor: Avoid Burnout and Live a Purposeful Life
Who is Driving the Bus?
You feel a nudge in your gut, or a twang in your heart, some wordless voice whispers to you and you are guided if you listen. This is the eternal, inextinguishable part of yourself that is endlessly loving you, leading you towards the fullest expression of your unique purpose in this life. Some call it the,… Continue reading Who is Driving the Bus?
“Mommy’s Dying”
Introduction: The impact of a serious diagnosis on a family is far reaching and the healing continues long after treatment is over. “Mommy’s dying,” Julian declared, his sticky half boy-half baby fingers stuck to the short hairs on my neck. He looked into my eyes to gauge response, and I could tell by his… Continue reading “Mommy’s Dying”
Make Every Day a Celebration
Too often our minds turn to tasks incomplete, dreams unmet, problems in our society and environment that feel overwhelming. Tune into the news and a majority of the time the message is not one of uplift, instead exacerbating fear, unease and frustration. We get to work or gather with our friends and family, and often… Continue reading Make Every Day a Celebration
Do I need a Life Coach?
There are so many different ways that working with a coach can be helpful, but the basic idea is that you have someone in your corner helping you to find greater balance, fulfillment and joy in your life. I help my clients connect with their values, and together we ferret out the disruptive self-sabotaging talk… Continue reading Do I need a Life Coach?
The Cancer Wake Up Call: My Top 10 Life Lessons
We GET to wake up each day. We GET to have these experiences, even the little things that rub us the wrong way. Heal your relationships. Enjoy your body. Fall in love. Be in nature. Laugh more. Be vulnerable. Be real. You will NEVER have it all together. You will never get it ALL done.… Continue reading The Cancer Wake Up Call: My Top 10 Life Lessons
The Weight of Uncertainty
How do you navigate the exquisite pain and heaviness of uncertainty in the face of fear and tough decisions?
