Claim OwnershipMy Heart & Mind with Sallie Crawley - Life after a Heart Attack or Cardiac Surgery
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© 2025 My Heart & Mind with Sallie Crawley - Life after a Heart Attack or Cardiac Surgery
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You survived the heart attack, cardiac surgery, or cardiac arrest, but now what? Life after a heart event can feel overwhelming, lonely, and uncertain. Your body may be healing, but your mind and emotions are still catching up.
Friends say you’re lucky to be alive, and you know you are. But inside, you’re dealing with fear, exhaustion, and grief. You’ve been given a second chance, but you don’t know how to make the most of it. Your confidence is shaken, your energy is low, and no one really talks about how recovery is more than just medication and exercise.
That’s where My Heart & Mind with Sallie Crawley comes in — the podcast designed specifically for people recovering from a heart attack, heart surgery, cardiac arrest, or living with heart disease. You’ll get emotional support, mindset tools, and practical strategies to help you rebuild your life - one breath, one step, one day at a time.
Unlike medical podcasts that focus on clinical facts, My Heart & Mind is about the emotional and mental rehab you didn’t know you needed. Each episode blends Sallie’s personal experience as a heart patient with expert tips, inspiring interviews, guided visualisations, and real talk about how to manage fatigue, fear, and the inner critic.
Sallie Crawley is a heart attack survivor, cardiac coach, and certified practitioner in mind-body wellbeing. She understands firsthand the rollercoaster of emotions that come after a cardiac event, and she’s helped hundreds of people navigate recovery with more hope, clarity, and self-compassion.
Whether you’re newly diagnosed, weeks, months or even years into your recovery, or maybe supporting a loved one through theirs, this podcast will help you feel less alone and more in control. Tune in to learn how to manage your energy, shift your mindset, and find joy and purpose again - so you can live not just longer, but happier and better.
🎧 Follow now to start healing from the inside out.
45 Episodes
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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 understand why we must take care of ourselves first before we can effectively help others. I also dive into the transformative power of mindset, sharing a personal journey from self-criticism to self-love. Learn how changing your thoughts can lead to lasting c...
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 heart failure, or living with any form of heart disease, this is your time to remember: you can feel joy, peace, and calm—even in the midst of uncertainty. You’ll be gently guided through a soothing body relaxation, followed by a powerful repetition of the ...
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 "emergency kit" for your emotions is so much more than just a coping mechanism – it's a proactive step towards improving your mental and physical health. She explains how to create your personalised box, from decorating your chosen container to filling it with items ...
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 expect! In this episode, I'll explore what those first few days, weeks, and months can bring, both physically and emotionally, and share how you can navigate them with strength and hope. Important Disclaimer: I'm not a medical professional. This episode...
Today, I'm diving deep into a topic I touched on previously in episode 035, about "Can trauma and PTSD be caused by a heart attack, cardiac arrest, or open-heart surgery." This time, I want to share how even after a traumatic event, feeling good is not only possible but something you're absolutely allowed to do. I'm talking about moving From Trauma to Triumph: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) versus something truly transformative – Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG). In this episode, I'll share...
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 shares her expertise and personal insights, guiding you through crucial precautions and lifestyle adjustments that can make a significant difference during hot spells. Key Takeaways: Understanding the risks of heat on cardiac health.Practical tips for stayin...
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 recovery. We explore: The Nuance of Positive Thinking: It's not about being relentlessly positive, but understanding how your thoughts influence your feelings, actions, and behaviours.The Thought-Action Link: How a negative thought can derail your plans ...
Today I’ve been thinking about how much energy we spend trying to predict, control or prepare for every possible outcome in life… especially when we’re living with a health condition. It’s completely natural, we want certainty because it feels safe. And when your body isn’t behaving predictably, or when your health is uncertain, it’s easy to feel like the ground beneath you is shifting. Even the smallest decisions can feel overwhelming. Will I feel well enough today? What will the test result...
A cardiac event, whether a heart attack or surgery, doesn't just impact your physical health; it can dramatically affect your emotional well-being. In this episode, we explore the emotional roller coaster ride that often follows, akin to the stages of grief. We discuss: Grief Beyond Loss: How losing your "old life" after a cardiac event is a valid form of grief.The Change Curve: A model based on Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's stages of grief, adapted to the cardiac recovery journey.We'll look ...
Join me for an exciting announcement! My Facebook page, formerly known as "Heart Attack, Heart Surgery & Heart Disease Survivors Support Group," is officially rebranding to Healthy Hearts & Happy Minds! 🎉 This new name truly reflects my mission: to support and empower individuals living with or recovering from a heart attack, heart surgery or cardiac diagnosis on their journey to a healthier and happier life. In this episode, I'll explore what this rebrand means for our communit...
I confront the reality of trauma and PTSD following cardiac events like heart attacks, cardiac arrest, or open-heart surgery. It's a question many ask, and the answer is a definitive yes. I discuss: The Reality of Trauma: How life-changing cardiac events can make your own body feel unsafe, and why these feelings are normal.What is PTSD? Understanding symptoms like re-living events, heightened anxiety (hyperarousal), rage, guilt, vivid nightmares, and avoidance behaviours.Recognising Triggers:...
I dive into "Pumphead," or Post-Perfusion Syndrome, the post-operative brain fog many experience after heart bypass surgery. We'll cover: What is Pumphead? Common symptoms like brain fog, confusion, and dizziness.Why does it occur? Theories involving the perfusion machine and heart handling.Recognising Symptoms: How to identify signs like imbalance, difficulty problem-solving, or mood changes.Treatment & Recovery: Exploring medical approaches, cognitive exercises, social interaction, and ...
Join me in this powerful and candid interview with John Fraser, who shares his remarkable journey through a triple coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. At 66, John, a previously active individual, faced unexpected heart issues, leading to a life-changing operation. Listen as John details his experiences from initial symptoms and diagnosis to the challenges of surgery and recovery. In this episode, John opens up about: The initial signs and symptoms that led to his diagnosis.The emotio...
Today’s episode is a relaxamation and it focuses on taking time for yourself and putting yourself first. When was the last time you spent a whole day just for yourself, doing only what you wanted to do when you wanted to do it? I don’t do it very often myself and yet I know that I should. It’s an essential part of self-care. Self-care shouldn’t be for when you’re burnt out, uptight, stressed and feeling awful it should be used as part of your everyday life to avoid feeling depleted and ...
I am not sure about you but does your cardiac event consume your life? Is your heart health at the centre of everything that you do or think? Awe is an emotion characterised by a sense of reverence or wonder in response to something perceived as vast or great. Something outside of yourself. It has been shown to have several potential health benefits. Today I am going to talk about awe as it has been shown to have a positive impact on both psychological and physical health, making ...
The Dalai Lama said, “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” To me, the quote means that experiencing pain, physical and emotional, is a natural and unavoidable part of life, but whether or not we experience suffering as a result of that pain is a choice that we can make. In other words, we can choose to let the pain control and consume us, causing suffering, or we can choose to accept the pain and manage it in a healthy and constructive way. Managing how we feel and react to people, cir...
I am sure that like me you experience stress and anxiety. I thought that prior to my heart attack, I had it pretty much nailed anxiety and that I managed my stress levels well. Perhaps I did but after discharge from the hospital it got really out of my control and I had to learn to practice what I had been preaching to my clients. Today I am sharing with you 5 different ways of using your breath to improve your stress tolerance, enhance energy, and regulate your emotional and cogn...
My interview with Jon Johnston. He’s a survivor of a widow maker heart attack and a cardiac arrest that caused him to be without oxygen for 20 minutes, technically dead. He is also an author of two books and a sports website owner. Today he talks to me about his life before his event and how he died but miraculously survived. He shares with me how he pieced together what had happened with the help of family and friends along with his realisation that he was not the only person affected...
This week is about nutrition, and my guest is Cheryl Strachan of Sweet Spot Nutrition. She is a Registered Dietitian, specialising in cardiac nutrition and wellness. Her mission is to share her love for food that hits the sweet spot. She is also the author of a recipe book. It's called 30-Minute Heart Healthy Cookbook: Delicious Recipes for Easy, Low-Sodium Meals. Cheryl believes that we should focus on eating for health gain, because in the long run, weight loss diets don’t work for mo...
Today’s episode is going to be rather different; it’s going to be a fictional story. It’s a story of someone that had a heart attack although it is founded in a true story. It’s the first fictional story that I have found about having a cardiac event and I’d like to share it with you. I came across the author, Aaron David in a Facebook group when I was looking for people to proofread and give me feedback on my book ‘The Beat Goes On’, a how-to support yourself emotionally and practicall...
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