Podcast Playlists: Mental Health & Emotional Well-Being
A kidney cancer diagnosis can impact more than your physical health—it can affect your emotional well-being, relationships, and daily life. Our podcast, Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, addresses these through candid conversations with people across the spectrum of kidney cancer, from families navigating a diagnosis to doctors who treat patients every day to researchers on the frontlines of discovery.
This “Mental Health & Emotional Well-Being” playlist is essential listening, exploring how people with kidney cancer manage anxiety, cope with difficult emotions, navigate the holidays, address men’s mental health, and find healing through creativity. We hope these conversations provide comfort, practical strategies, and reassurance that you are not alone.
Stop the Worry: Simple Ways to Manage Anxiety
Dr. Tracey Murry from Ochsner Health shares why getting professional help matters, simple ways to ease anxiety, and the truth about not having to “be strong” all the time.
Managing Emotions
Lauren Burling, MSS, LCSW, is a therapist and clinical oncology social worker. In this episode, she unpacks the heavy emotions people with cancer often face, including the evolving landscape of psychosocial care, “scanxiety,” and techniques for managing emotions independently. She also shares practical steps for finding mental health support when you need it most.
Making it Through the Holidays with Cancer
Sean Healy discusses how to navigate the holiday season while facing the challenges of cancer. The holidays can be a tough time for many, especially when dealing with loss, stress, or difficult memories. Sean shares how shifting focus, giving back to others, and accepting tough emotions can help ease the emotional load.
Men’s Mental Health
Masculinity and cancer can be a complicated mix, but emotional well-being isn’t a gendered concept, it’s a human one. Dennis Heffern, LCSW and Marc Olivares, MA, MS, LPC-S break down the topic of men’s mental health.
The Art of Healing: How Creativity Helps Patients Cope and Thrive
How do we express the things that feel impossible to put into words? Kayla Fulginiti of Elephants and Tea dives into the power of creative expression. From the rhythm of pottery and knitting to the physical release of dance and movement — it’s about meeting yourself where you are and releasing the expectations that often come with the cancer experience.
To see our full podcast collection and stay up to date with future seasons, visit https://www.kidneycancer.org/podcast/.