75. Heart Attack Healing Blueprint with Tara Benoit

Update: 2025-11-19

Description

What happens when your identity is shattered in an instant, and the very thing that defined you is now a threat to your life?

Tara Benoit, a speaker, bestselling author, and 2025 American Heart Association Woman of Impact, joins Ian Bowen to share her harrowing and inspiring journey of surviving a SCAD heart attack at 46. As a lifelong athlete in the best shape of her life, Tara’s world collapsed when a spontaneous tear in her coronary artery led to a rare heart attack, forcing her to walk away from the heavy lifting and competitive fitness that she loved.

In this raw conversation, Tara pulls back the curtain on the frustrating medical gaslighting she endured, the grief of losing a core part of her identity, and the powerful mindset and practical tools she used to rebuild. She unveils her powerful "MOVE Method" framework (Manage, Overcome, Value, Evolve) and explains how movement and meditation became her anchors for emotional and mental healing. This episode is a masterclass for any life coach or individual on how to navigate a life-altering crisis, reinvent yourself with purpose, and lead from a place of renewed strength.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. What a SCAD (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection) heart attack is and why it disproportionately affects healthy women under 50.

2. The story of Tara’s heart attack, from the first warning signs to the moment of diagnosis after being initially dismissed.

3. The profound identity crisis that follows when you can no longer do the thing that defined you.

4. Why being physically fit can be a double-edged sword in both survival and emotional recovery.

5. The most challenging truth Tara had to confront about herself while writing her memoir, "Torn Heart."

6. Tara’s "MOVE Method" – a simple 4-pillar framework for managing control, overcoming challenges, valuing the lesson, and evolving through adversity.

7. Practical ways to use physical movement and stretching for emotional and nervous system regulation after trauma.

8. The one piece of advice Tara gives to anyone, especially women, feeling stuck and wanting to transform into the next version of themselves.

Key Takeaways:

1. Persistence is Getting Present, Not Just Pushing: True resilience isn't about forcing your way through; it's about the courage to stop, find clarity, and then take the next right step.

2. Your Identity is Not Your Activity: When a core part of your identity is stripped away, the path to healing involves grieving the old self and consciously building a new, equally powerful identity.

3. You Must Be Your Own Advocate: In a medical or personal crisis, you are the only one who knows how you truly feel. Using your voice to demand the care you deserve is non-negotiable.

4. Heal the Mind to Heal the Body: Trauma lives in the cells. Practices like intentional meditation and mindful movement are not optional extras; they are critical for recalibrating the nervous system and facilitating full-body healing.

5. Transformation Starts with Permission: The first step to changing your life is giving yourself unconditional permission to want that change and to acknowledge your current unhappiness as a catalyst.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to the Positive Persistence Podcast

01:09 - Welcoming Tara Benoit and Her Incredible Journey

02:02 - What is a SCAD Heart Attack?

03:29 - The Unknown Causes and Correlation with Stress

05:21 - The Identity Crisis of an Athlete Who Can’t Train

07:16 - The Moment It All Began: Tara’s Heart Attack Story

11:00 - Medical Gaslighting and the Fight for a Diagnosis

16:44 - The Pivotal Moment of Diagnosis and Validation

19:28 - The Hardest Truth: Confronting the Self in "Torn Heart"

22:53 - Introducing the "MOVE Method" for Resilience

28:05 - Using Movement and Meditation to Recalibrate Your Nervous System