Write It Down and Burn It: A Massage Therapist on Nervous System Care, Sandwich Generation Life, and Finding Joy in the Mess

Heather is a massage therapist, somatic practitioner, foster youth volunteer, mom of two kids six years apart, and the person quietly holding together a caregiving landscape that includes aging parents 2,000 miles away, an 86-year-old mother-in-law, and a high-needs dog -- all while living next door to co-host Lissy (yes, really). This is one of the most grounded, honest conversations we've had about what it actually looks and feels like to be in the thick of the sandwich generation while still showing up for yourself.

Heather talks about her daily journalspeak practice: writing for 20 minutes every morning and then throwing it away and why getting rid of it is the whole point. She shares how she knows when she's running low (hint: she starts feeling self-conscious around her kids), why curiosity and anxiety can't coexist in the same brain, and how she's learning to tell the difference between doing things out of genuine nourishment versus doing them out of fear. She also makes a case for collage class as an act of civil disobedience, and for dancing twice a week as non-negotiable. This one's for anyone who takes care of a lot of people and is trying to figure out how to take care of themselves too, not out of obligation, but because they actually want to.

If this conversation resonated, The Weekly Exhale is Sarah's newsletter on nervous system regulation, burnout, and showing up for yourself in the small ways that actually matter. Sign up here.

If a big life change has you wondering what comes next, LifePlans (a company Lissy supports in an advisory role) offers personalized expert guidance to help you think it through and move forward with confidence. Learn more here.

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