Advertise on podcast: Success is Subjective: Real People. Raw Stories. Embracing a Non-Linear Life!

For Sally Littlefield, success once meant earning top grades, attending prestigious schools, and building an impressive career. After graduating with honors from UC Berkeley and landing a promising job in San Francisco, her future seemed bright. But an unexpected descent into psychosis would turn everything she'd worked toward upside down. In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna welcomes Sally, a schizophrenia advocate, speaker, and consultant, to share her journey through mental illness, unexpected setbacks, and the process of rebuilding a life she never anticipated. After being told her diagnosis would limit her future, Sally found a new purpose in advocating for others facing similar challenges. Together, Joanna and Sally explore the hidden dangers of overachievement, the struggle to separate self-worth from productivity, and the profound importance of unconditional love. Sally's story challenges us to reconsider what makes a life meaningful when the traditional markers of success no longer apply. Sally's Resources: Sally Littlefield's Website Sally on Instagram (@schizophrenicsally) Sally on LinkedIn Sally's Writing in Psychology Today Email: [email protected] Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #SchizophrenicSally #SchizophreniaAwareness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #PsychosisAwareness

For Patrick Flanagan, success was once measured by the size of his paycheck. But after alcoholism cost him his career, marriage, home, and relationships with his children, everything he believed about success began to change. Following multiple stays in treatment, Patrick faced the overwhelming task of rebuilding his life from the ground up. What began as a journey toward sobriety eventually led him to discover a new calling: helping individuals and families navigate the very struggles he knows firsthand. Patrick joins Joanna to share his remarkable journey from addiction to restoration, the profound impact of rebuilding relationships with his children, and how finding purpose through his work in recovery has transformed his outlook on life. His story offers a powerful reminder that some of life's greatest achievements aren't measured in professional accolades or financial success, but in the relationships we nurture, the lives we touch, and the people we become along the way. Patrick's Resources: Patrick Flanagan on LinkedIn Irishman Interventions Website Lion House Women's Sober Living Website Lion House Brownstone Website The Retreat Website Irishman Interventions: (612) 889-9182 Email: [email protected] Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #PatrickFlanagan #IrishmanInterventions #LionHouseBrownstone #TheRetreatMN #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryIntervention

Mallie Lake grew up feeling like she was always behind. Diagnosed with a learning disability at a young age, she struggled academically, masked her insecurities, and entered adulthood unsure of where she fit. After flunking out of college and finding her way into recovery, Mallie discovered something she had never felt before: a sense of purpose, community, and confidence in what she had to offer. That experience eventually shaped her career in substance use treatment and led her to found GLIDE, where she helps young adults build the executive functioning skills needed to manage life beyond structured support. In this episode, Mallie shares how her own struggles with organization, accommodations, and independence changed the way she defines success—and why struggling does not mean someone is incapable. Mallie’s story is a reminder that success is not always about achievement or appearances. Sometimes, it is about learning what support you need, accepting it without shame, and building a life that feels worth protecting. Mallie's Resources: Mallie Lake on LinkedIn Email: [email protected] Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #MallieLake #GlideLLC #GlideExecutiveFunctioning #ExecutiveFunctioningCoach #YoungAdultRecovery #RecoveryLifeSkills

Dr. Graham Husick once thought his future was clear: he was on his way toward becoming a professional athlete, and nearly every decision and sacrifice he made pointed toward that goal. Then an unexpected health crisis brought that dream to an abrupt end, leaving Graham to grieve not only the future he had planned, but the opportunities he had passed up along the way. In this episode of Success is Subjective, Graham joins Joanna to share how that unexpected turn ultimately led him to psychology and the work he does today. He challenges the familiar message that “you can be anything you want to be,” encouraging young people and their families to instead consider the intersection of what someone enjoys, what they’re good at, and what can realistically support a life. Graham also explores the difficulty of becoming someone different from who others expected you to be, learning to accept your limitations, and finding success in a life that may look nothing like the one you originally imagined. Dr. Graham's Resources: Husick Psychology Website About Dr. Graham Husick Dr. Graham Husick on LinkedIn Dr. Graham Husick on Psychology Today Dr. Graham Husick on the Hopestream Podcast Email: [email protected] Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #DrGrahamHusick #GrahamHusick #HusickPsychology #PsychologicalAssessment #PsychologicalTesting #LakesideIndependenceProgram

In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna sits down with Dave Frost of Echo Springs to explore the role that struggle, responsibility, and independence play in helping young adults move forward. Drawing from his own journey and years of working with young people and their families, Dave shares how taking ownership of his life shaped the person he became and the work he does today. Dave offers valuable insight for parents navigating the difficult balance between supporting their children and allowing them to struggle. He explores how rescuing, enabling, fixing, and solving can unintentionally rob young adults of opportunities to discover their own capabilities, and why sometimes a parent’s job is to “establish a need” rather than remove it. Through lessons from his work at Echo Springs, Dave challenges parents to consider the role they play in their child’s growth and how stepping back can help young adults build responsibility, confidence, and true independence. Ralph Waldo Emerson “To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty. To find the beauty in others; To leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know that one life has breathed easier because you lived here. This is to have succeeded.” Dave's Resources: Dave Frost on LinkedIn Echo Springs Transitional Study Program Dave Frost at Echo Springs Echo Springs on Instagram Echo Springs on Facebook Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #DaveFrost #EchoSprings #YoungAdultDevelopment #ParentingYoungAdults #TherapeuticPrograms #TransitionalPrograms #AdventureTherapy #ExperientialLearning

Candy Finnigan’s life has taken plenty of unexpected turns. From growing up in Kansas to marrying musician Mike Finnigan, navigating addiction and recovery, and eventually becoming a professional interventionist, very little about where she ended up was part of an original plan. In this episode of Success is Subjective, Candy shares how her own recovery led her into a career helping families in crisis, what she learned through decades of intervention work, and why she believes helping people find another way to live is its own form of success. She also reflects on her time with A&E’s Intervention, the importance of staying true to her values, and what it means to still be doing meaningful work as she approaches 80. Candy’s story is a reminder that purpose is not always something you plan for—and success can look a lot more like using what you’ve been given to help someone else. Candy's Resources: Candy Finnigan — A&E Intervention ProfileWhen Enough Is Enough by Candy FinniganFinnigan And GriffinA&E — Intervention Connect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #CandyFinnigan #Intervention #AddictionRecovery #Recovery #Interventionist #Sobriety #FamilyRecovery #AddictionAwareness #MentalHealth #RecoveryJourney

What happens when you’ve built a successful life, but still feel like something is missing? In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna sits down with Kevin Petersen, who found himself asking that question at 43 years old and 16 years sober. Despite being successful in sales, Kevin knew he wanted his life and work to mean something more. Kevin shares what led him to change careers in his 40s, his willingness to trade financial security for work he believed mattered, and how his wife’s cancer diagnosis gave new weight to the question, “If not now, when?” His story is a powerful reminder that success isn’t just about what you’ve accomplished—and it’s never too late to reconsider how you want to spend the rest of your life. Kevin's Resources: Petersen Family CounselingThe Chronic Hope Institute WebsiteThe Chronic Hope Institute on InstagramThe Chronic Hope Institute on FacebookKevin Petersen on InstagramKevin Petersen on LinkedInChronic Hope: Parenting the Addicted ChildEmail: [email protected] with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #KevinPetersen #ChronicHope #ChronicHopeInstitute #AddictionRecovery #FamilyTherapy #PetersenFamilyCounseling #ParentingTheAddictedChild

In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna sits down with Henry Maxwell, founder of Maxwell Recovery Services, to talk about a path that took an unexpected turn early in life. After struggling with severe addiction as a teenager, Henry entered treatment at 17, returned to finish high school sober, and soon found himself working in the very field that had helped change his life. Henry shares how a job he never planned on led to a career supporting individuals and families through addiction, treatment, crisis, and recovery—and eventually to starting his own company. He and Joanna also discuss the nonlinear nature of recovery, why healing involves the entire family, and Henry’s belief that success has far more to do with living in alignment with your values than checking off traditional markers of achievement. Henry's Resources: Maxwell Recovery Services Website Contact Maxwell Recovery Services Maxwell Recovery Services on LinkedIn Maxwell Recovery Services on Instagram Maxwell Recovery Services on Facebook Henry Maxwell on LinkedIn Henry Maxwell — Association of Intervention Specialists Email: [email protected] Connect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #MaxwellRecoveryServices #MaxwellRecovery #HenryMaxwell #AddictionRecovery #LongtermRecovery #Intervention #FamilyHealing #CrisisIntervention

In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna sits down with Morgan Grace, founder of Alchemy Collective, to explore the nonlinear journey that led her from music and multiple college majors to a career in trauma therapy. Morgan shares how her own healing journey ultimately reshaped her direction and inspired the work she does today. She also opens up about building Alchemy Collective and how her personal experiences have shaped the way she supports individuals, couples, and families navigating complex trauma and mental health challenges. Together, Joanna and Morgan discuss the pressure to have life figured out early, why young adulthood is meant to be a time of trial and error, and the importance of giving ourselves—and the young adults in our lives—the flexibility to change course while figuring out who we are. Morgan offers a refreshing reminder that changing your mind doesn't mean you're falling behind; it can simply be part of honing the compass toward what's right for you. Morgan's Resources:  Alchemy Collective WebsiteContact Alchemy CollectiveAlchemy Collective on InstagramAlchemy Collective on FacebookAlchemy Collective on LinkedInMorgan Grace on InstagramMorgan Grace on LinkedInEmail: [email protected] with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #MorganGrace #AlchemyCollectiveAustin #TraumaTherapy #TraumaTherapist #ComplexTrauma #TraumaHealing #TraumaRecovery #AlchemyCollective #MendTheMender

In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna sits down with professional cross-country skier and Olympian Ben Ogden to talk about the path that took him from a small town in Vermont to competing at the highest level of his sport. Ben reflects on choosing a college experience that allowed him to keep growing as both a student and an athlete, the disappointment of stepping away from graduate school, and the leap of faith that followed as he committed fully to professional skiing. Ben also shares why he believes success cannot rest on one identity alone. From restoring a 1973 Land Rover to learning how to weld, his hobbies have given him something meaningful to lean on through injuries, illness, setbacks, and difficult seasons in competition. His story is a reminder to stay curious, remain open to change, and keep building a life that gives you more than one reason to feel proud of who you are. Ben's Resources: Ben’s Official WebsiteU.S. Ski & Snowboard Athlete ProfileTeam USA Profile Instagram: @ben.0gdenYouTube: @ben.0gden Connect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #BenOgden #CrossCountrySkiing #NordicSkiing #TeamUSA #Olympian #WinterOlympics #ProfessionalAthlete #StudentAthlete #IdentityBeyondSports #EmbracingChange

Debbie Murad spent years chasing achievement before realizing that purpose—not prestige—was what truly guided her career. From nonprofit leadership and clinical social work to teaching graduate students at USC, each chapter of her journey prepared her for something she never expected: creating a program inspired by both her professional experience and her own daughter's challenges navigating life after high school. In this episode of Success is Subjective, Debbie shares how supporting neurodivergent young adults reshaped her understanding of success, why allowing her daughter to fail became an important turning point, and how those experiences led her to found Beach Cities Gateway. Together, she and Joanna explore purpose, parenting, life after high school, and why there is no one-size-fits-all path to adulthood.  Debbie's Resources:  LinkedIn: Debbie Murad, LCSWWebsite: Beach Cities GatewayLinkedIn: Beach Cities Gateway WebsiteInstagram: @beachcitiesgatewayFacebook: Beach Cities Gateway - Adult Life SkillsConnect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #BeachCities #BeachCitiesGateway #YoungAdultSupport #FailureToLaunch

In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna welcomes Theo Puccio, board-certified interventionist, care manager, and founder of ORCA Recovery. Raised in Brooklyn with dreams of becoming a lawyer, Theo seemed to be on a clear path to success—until substance use derailed his plans. After stepping away from college and entering treatment, he made the life-changing decision to stay in Colorado, where recovery became the foundation for a new purpose. Theo shares how those early experiences shaped his career helping young people and families navigate crisis, intervention, and recovery. He reflects on why character is built in the space between what we want to do and what we need to do, how he defines success by the respect of his peers rather than titles or possessions, and why he believes a meaningful gap year can change the trajectory of a young person's life. Theo's Resources:  The ORCA Recovery Website Theo Puccio on LinkedIn Connect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #OrchaRecovery #BehaviorIntervention #CharacterDevelopment #RecoveryJourney #Intervention

In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna sits down with Karla Gomez, a clinician and entrepreneur whose career has taken her from culinary school in Puerto Rico to co-founding multiple integrative mental health practices. As a mother, business owner, and clinician, Karla shares how each chapter shaped her definition of a meaningful life. Together, they explore why success isn't about following someone else's timeline, but about creating a life that aligns with your values. Karla also discusses the importance of addressing both biological and psychological health, why so many high-functioning people still struggle despite "doing everything right," and how reducing outside noise can help young adults better hear their own internal voice. Whether you're navigating an unexpected career pivot, supporting a struggling young adult, or redefining success for yourself, this episode offers a thoughtful reminder that the best path is often the one you create yourself.  Karla's Resources:  Canary House  LinkedIn: Karla Gomez  Connect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #KarlaGomez #CanaryHouse

In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna sits down with Kasey Bradshaw, National Director of Admissions and Outreach at BrightQuest Treatment Centers, to discuss the winding road that led him from a small, impoverished town in South Carolina to a career helping young adults navigate serious mental health challenges. Kasey shares how growing up believing college was the only path to success eventually gave way to a much broader understanding of fulfillment, purpose, and identity. Together, he and Joanna explore why adulthood doesn't have to follow a traditional timeline, the difference between a career and a calling, and why your job—or your diagnosis—should never define who you are. Whether you're a parent supporting a struggling young adult or someone questioning your own path, this conversation is a refreshing reminder that there's more than one way to build a meaningful life.  Kasey's Resources:  BrightQuest Treatment Centers BrightQuest Nashville BrightQuest San Diego Nashville Half Marathon Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Kasey Bradshaw on LinkedIn Connect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #BrightQuest #BrightQuestNashville #BrightQuestSanDiego #BehavioralHealth #ComprehensiveCare #DiagnosticAssessment #MentalHealthEvaluation #TraumaTreatment

In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna talks with entrepreneur, speaker, and author Ken Miller about his remarkable journey from Dartmouth graduate to more than two decades of homelessness, addiction, and multiple prison sentences. Today, Ken uses his story to encourage others that healing and lasting change are possible. Together, they discuss the difficult line between helping and enabling, why consequences can sometimes become the turning point toward recovery, and how parents can best support both their loved one and themselves through the process. This episode of Success is Subjective is a powerful reminder that success isn't defined by where you start—or even where you fall—but by the courage to keep moving forward. Ken's Resources:  Website: Ken Miller SpeaksBook: Becoming KenLinkedIn: KenMillerSpeaksInstagram: @thekenmillerspeaksFacebook: Ken Miller - SpeaksX: Ken Miller - SPEAKSYouTube: Ken Miller SpeaksYouTube: Ken MillerConnect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: [email protected] #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #KenMillerSpeaks #BecomingKen #AddictionRecovery #Alcoholism #DrugAddiction #Sobriety