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

Joanna Lilley, MA, NCC
  • 5.0 (62)
  • Mental Health
  • Weekly

Interviews of people who took a break from life at one point or another to get help, grow up, or just to reassess their life direction. Some guests struggled with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, a death in the family, or just decided college was not the place for them. These stories are all-to-real, and yet we don't talk enough about how common it is for those who took a gap year to defer college, went to college and took a break, or those who struggled launching into the workforce post-college graduation. This goes out to all the young adults and parents of young adults who are struggling and contemplating what will happen if they walk away right now. 

  1. Oct 20

    Episode 371 - From Berkeley Honors to a Schizophrenia Diagnosis: Sally Littlefield on the Life She Never Saw Coming

    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: sallyalittlefield@gmail.com Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #SchizophrenicSally #SchizophreniaAwareness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #PsychosisAwareness

  2. Oct 13

    Episode 370 - “Dad, I Just Want to Be Happy Like You:" Patrick Flanagan on Finding a Success Money Could Never Buy

    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: patrick@theirishmanandassociates.com Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #PatrickFlanagan #IrishmanInterventions #LionHouseBrownstone #TheRetreatMN #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryIntervention

  3. Oct 6

    Episode 369 - Masking, Flunking Out, and Finding Her Purpose: Mallie Lake on the Path That Led to GLIDE

    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: mallie@glidecoaching.com Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #MallieLake #GlideLLC #GlideExecutiveFunctioning #ExecutiveFunctioningCoach #YoungAdultRecovery #RecoveryLifeSkills

  4. Sep 29

    Episode 368 - You Can Be Anything You Want to Be…But Should You? Dr. Graham Husick on Knowing Yourself

    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: graham@husickpsychology.com Connect with Joanna Lilley Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #DrGrahamHusick #GrahamHusick #HusickPsychology #PsychologicalAssessment #PsychologicalTesting #LakesideIndependenceProgram

  5. Sep 22

    Episode 367 - Stop Rescuing, Start Preparing: Dave Frost on Raising Young Adults Who Can Stand on Their Own

    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: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #DaveFrost #EchoSprings #YoungAdultDevelopment #ParentingYoungAdults #TherapeuticPrograms #TransitionalPrograms #AdventureTherapy #ExperientialLearning

  6. Sep 15

    Episode 366 - There’s Another Way to Live: Candy Finnigan on Recovery, Purpose & Success

    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: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #CandyFinnigan #Intervention #AddictionRecovery #Recovery #Interventionist #Sobriety #FamilyRecovery #AddictionAwareness #MentalHealth #RecoveryJourney

  7. Sep 8

    Episode 365 - If Not Now, When? Kevin Petersen on Changing the Direction of Your Life

    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: kevin@chronichope.usConnect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #KevinPetersen #ChronicHope #ChronicHopeInstitute #AddictionRecovery #FamilyTherapy #PetersenFamilyCounseling #ParentingTheAddictedChild

  8. Sep 1

    Episode 364 - From Art School Portfolios to Addiction Recovery: The Sharp Left Turn That Changed Henry Maxwell’s Life

    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: henry@maxwellrecoveryservices.com Connect with Joanna Lilley: Therapeutic Consulting Association Lilley Consulting Website Lilley Consulting on Facebook Lilley Consulting on YouTube Email: joanna@lilleyconsulting.com #TherapeuticConsulting #LilleyConsulting #Successful #TherapeuticPrograms #Therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #MaxwellRecoveryServices #MaxwellRecovery #HenryMaxwell #AddictionRecovery #LongtermRecovery #Intervention #FamilyHealing #CrisisIntervention

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5
out of 5
62 Ratings

About

Interviews of people who took a break from life at one point or another to get help, grow up, or just to reassess their life direction. Some guests struggled with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, a death in the family, or just decided college was not the place for them. These stories are all-to-real, and yet we don't talk enough about how common it is for those who took a gap year to defer college, went to college and took a break, or those who struggled launching into the workforce post-college graduation. This goes out to all the young adults and parents of young adults who are struggling and contemplating what will happen if they walk away right now. 

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