Sometimes the path to healing starts with letting your imagination lead. In this episode, Lyndsay Soprano is joined by Deborah Weed for a conversation that blends creativity, resilience, and a fierce reclaiming of self-worth.

Deborah shares her story of being bedridden for three years—misdiagnosed, dismissed, and cut off from the life she once knew. But instead of giving up, she turned inward, channeling her pain into something powerful: a Broadway-scale musical and a character named Paisley the Porcupine who teaches kids (and grown-ups) about the power of self-worth. “Quills up,” she says, is the reminder we all need when it’s time to protect our truth and stand in our strength.

They talk about the difference between self-worth and self-esteem, the impact of childhood narratives, and how creativity isn’t just a passion, it’s a path to remembering who you are. Whether it’s theater, writing, music, or movement, pursuing what lights you up can be the most radical form of healing there is.

Tune in if you’ve ever felt silenced, sidelined, or small, and are ready to take your power back, one creative spark at a time.

Find Deborah Weed Online Here:
Website: selfworthinitiative.net
Instagram: @deborah.weed
Facebook: Deborah Weed
LinkedIn: Deborah Weed
Book: Paisley's Last Quill If Only

Find The Pain Game Podcast Online Here:
Website: thepaingamepodcast.com
Instagram: @thepaingamepodcast
Facebook: The Pain Game Podcast
LinkedIn: Lyndsay Soprano
YouTube: The Pain Game Podcast


Highlights:
(00:00 ) Introduction to Chronic Pain and Creativity
(02:38 ) Deborah's Journey from Bedridden to Broadway
(05:23 ) The Power of Creativity in Healing
(08:06 ) The Self-Worth Initiative and Its Impact
(11:13 ) The Story of Paisley the Porcupine
(14:00 ) Reclaiming Power and Self-Worth
(17:05 ) The Role of Empathy and Sensitivity
(20:01 ) The Importance of Community and Support
(22:40 ) Final Thoughts on Healing and Creativity