How To Survive Survival

Jessica Buchanan
  • 5.0 (10)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS

What happens after the moment that changes everything? Surviving a traumatic event is often seen as the end of the story. But for many, it’s only the beginning. How to Survive Survival explores what comes next—the uncertain space where pain, identity, and purpose collide. This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder.

Episodes

  1. 2H AGO

    From Fastest Swimmer in the Nation to Sobriety, Hilary Phelps on Reclaiming Identity

    Hilary Phelps is a holistic performance coach, speaker, advocate, and founder of The Right Room—a platform devoted to guiding high-achieving women through life’s most pivotal transitions. Once the fastest swimmer in the nation for her age, Hilary’s early promise was eclipsed by a 15-year battle with addiction that began at just 14. At 29, she made the courageous decision to enter recovery, not just to put down the substance, but to reclaim her identity, rebuild from within, and begin the work of lasting transformation. After quietly celebrating 15 years of sobriety, Hilary chose to share her story publicly in 2022, recognizing that vulnerability, when shared with intention, becomes a form of leadership. Her voice now serves as a lifeline to others navigating what she calls the quiet collapse—that often invisible moment when outward success no longer aligns with inner truth. Through her private mentorship, group programs, and podcast The Right Room with Hilary Phelps, she creates spaces where women can reconnect with their voice, redefine their power, and live from a place of alignment and wholeness. Hilary lives in Arlington, Virginia with her son, Alexander and partner, Greg, and brings her lived experience, somatic training, and deep empathy to everything she does—blending success with soul to support women who are ready to rise differently. www.hilaryphelps.com Instagram: @hilaryphelps_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-phelps-6143695/ This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder. Her latest book, How to Survive Survival: A Guide for Turning Life’s Hardest Moments Into Meaningful Contribution for the World was released in 2025.  Jessica is also the author of Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, published in 2014, which became a New York Times Bestseller.  Jessica is the founder of Soul Speak Press, a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on stories from women who have been through something, now they know something and can teach us something. When she’s not writing or speaking, Jessica is traveling the world with her Swedish husband and two “half Vikings.” She aims to lead a life shaped by curiosity, culture, and a deep appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.

    35 min

  2. 1D AGO

    From Syrian Prison to Perspective, Sam Goodwin’s Story of Resilience

    Sam Goodwin is an inspirational keynote speaker, bestselling author and founder of SGI Ventures. He has delivered hundreds of corporate keynotes all around the globe, from Fortune 500 giants to industry-leading organizations.  As one of the few people to have traveled to all 193 countries in the world, Sam’s global journey took an unexpected turn in 2019 when he was taken hostage and wrongfully imprisoned in Syria. His bestselling memoir, Saving Sam, recounts this harrowing experience and reveals the hard-earned wisdom he discovered through the ordeal. Today, these lessons form the foundation of SGI’s signature program, “Winning Through Uncertainty.”  A former Division I hockey player, Sam spent six years living in Singapore working for a tech startup and an NGO. He completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees before earning a doctorate in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC. Away from the keynote stage, Dr. Goodwin is a private pilot, Ironman triathlete and an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis. He and his wife, Natasha, make their home in Tampa, Florida, where Sam balances coaching leaders, logging flight hours and playing in a weekly men’s league hockey game. https://www.samrgoodwin.com/ https://www.instagram.com/samrgoodwin/ Saving Sam: The True Story of an American’s Disappearance in Syria and His Family’s Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him Home  This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder. Her latest book, How to Survive Survival: A Guide for Turning Life’s Hardest Moments Into Meaningful Contribution for the World was released in 2025.  Jessica is also the author of Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, published in 2014, which became a New York Times Bestseller.  Jessica is the founder of Soul Speak Press, a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on stories from women who have been through something, now they know something and can teach us something. When she’s not writing or speaking, Jessica is traveling the world with her Swedish husband and two “half Vikings.” She aims to lead a life shaped by curiosity, culture, and a deep appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.

    38 min

  3. 2D AGO

    The Mountaineer Behind 127 Hours, Aron Ralston, on Survival, Sacrifice, and Gratitude

    Aron Ralston's extraordinary story of survival after an 800-pound boulder trapped him in a remote Utah canyon captured global headlines in 2003. In his New York Times best seller, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, the Oscar-nominated film, 127 Hours, and on stage, Ralston takes audiences vicariously through those six days without water, means of communication, or hope of escape, to the ecstatic moments when he freed himself by severing his own arm. Following a miraculous rescue spearheaded by his mom and with the aid of prosthetics he helped design, Aron returned to his outdoor passions, completing elite mountaineering projects which remain unrepeated even to this day. He has interviewed with Tom Brokaw, David Letterman, and Jay Leno, and received standing ovations and industry-leading testimonials from over five hundred groups around the world. Attendees credit Ralston's story with encouraging them through disease, disability, and loss, even saving their lives from suicide and depression.  Aron's incredible triumph in the face of insurmountable odds inspires audiences to harness the power of their deepest motivations, relationships, and mindset to transform personal and professional "boulders" into their blessings. Today, Ralston continues to pursue high-altitude adventures, advocates for wilderness protection, and tries to keep up with his two spirited children, Leo and Elisabetta. This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder. Her latest book, How to Survive Survival: A Guide for Turning Life’s Hardest Moments Into Meaningful Contribution for the World was released in 2025.  Jessica is also the author of Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, published in 2014, which became a New York Times Bestseller.  Jessica is the founder of Soul Speak Press, a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on stories from women who have been through something, now they know something and can teach us something. When she’s not writing or speaking, Jessica is traveling the world with her Swedish husband and two “half Vikings.” She aims to lead a life shaped by curiosity, culture, and a deep appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.

    52 min

  4. TRAILER

    How To Survive Survival Trailer

    What happens after the moment that changes everything? Surviving a traumatic event is often seen as the end of the story. But for many, it’s only the beginning. How to Survive Survival explores what comes next—the uncertain space where pain, identity, and purpose collide. Hosted by bestselling author and survivor Jessica Buchanan, this podcast dives deep into the lived experiences of people who have endured the unimaginable and chosen to turn their suffering into service, impact, and meaning. Each episode reveals what survival really requires—not just in the moment of crisis, but in the long, relentless aftermath. www.jessbuchanan.com This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder. Her latest book, How to Survive Survival: A Guide for Turning Life’s Hardest Moments Into Meaningful Contribution for the World was released in 2025.  Jessica is also the author of Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, published in 2014, which became a New York Times Bestseller.  Jessica is the founder of Soul Speak Press, a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on stories from women who have been through something, now they know something and can teach us something. When she’s not writing or speaking, Jessica is traveling the world with her Swedish husband and two “half Vikings.” She aims to lead a life shaped by curiosity, culture, and a deep appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.

    1 min

Trailer

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

What happens after the moment that changes everything? Surviving a traumatic event is often seen as the end of the story. But for many, it’s only the beginning. How to Survive Survival explores what comes next—the uncertain space where pain, identity, and purpose collide. This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessica Buchanan
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 How To Survive Survival
  • Show Website
    How To Survive Survival

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