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

Joanna Lilley, MA, NCC
  • 5.0 (60)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED 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. 9H AGO

    Former Program Participant Series - Episode 328: When One More Try Changed Everything - Jaysa’s Journey

    On this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna brings you another story from our special former participant series where she extends the opportunity for former participants to share their journey with others. Today’s former participant is Jaysa Brown. In this episode, Jaysa reflects on entering the mental health system at a young age, navigating multiple treatment settings that didn’t always help, and the deep resistance she felt toward trying yet another program. She shares how relocating to Colorado became a turning point, the role community and support played in her healing, and how redefining success has allowed her to build a life rooted in stability, purpose, and self-trust. Now working as a mentor within the same program that helped her turn her life around, Jaysa offers an honest perspective on recovery, family dynamics, and what sustainable progress can truly look like. NOTE: The podcasts in this series can include sensitive subjects such as suicide, self-harm, substance abuse, hospitalizations, psychotic episodes, and other traumatic experiences which include parts of the treatment journey. No topic is off limits and not all stories are positive but they are real, raw, and transparent. **Listener discretion is advised**  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 #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryIsPossible #SobrietyIsBeautiful #SobrietyJourney

    32 min

  2. DEC 16

    Episode 327: Playing the Hand You’re Dealt - Brian Sacks on Survival, Stewardship, and Success

    In this conversation, Brian Sacks shares what it was like to grow up as the only child of parents who had him late in life—parents he would eventually care for emotionally, physically, and financially while still trying to become an adult himself. Brian opens up about the pressure of stepping into adulthood far too early, running his father’s business as a teenager, and learning to navigate life without the safety net most young people rely on. Brian also reflects on how those early hardships shaped him as a husband, father, and professional—and why breaking generational patterns became a non-negotiable part of raising his own children. Now, decades into a successful marriage and career, Brian has turned his lived experience into service, creating the Stuck in the Middle newsletter, podcast, and community for people balancing the simultaneous demands of aging parents, growing children, relationships, and work. This episode is a grounded, heartfelt reminder that success isn’t defined by ease—it’s defined by resilience, compassion, and the willingness to play the hand you’re dealt with integrity and grit. Brian’s Resources: Podcast: Stuck in the Middle Episode: Guiding Young Adults Through Emotional Struggles and Family Transitions with Joanna Lilley Newsletter: Stuck in the Middle Facebook: Stuck in the Middle News 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 #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #StuckInTheMiddle #StuckInTheMiddlePodcast #BrianSacks #TeenYears #TeenAnxiety #ParentingHelp #LifeTransitions #UpsAndDownsOfLife

    24 min

  3. DEC 9

    Episode 326: Parenting from Fear to Understanding - A Conversation with Ann Coleman

    In this week’s episode, Joanna sits down with Ann Coleman—attorney turned parent-educator and the host of Speaking of Teens. After years of struggling through her son’s anxiety, ADHD, and eventual placement in treatment, Ann realized that her own fear, misunderstanding, and emotional reactivity were driving the conflict at home. What happened next changed everything. Ann shares how she dove into adolescent neuropsychology, rewired her entire approach to parenting, and ultimately built a framework that has since helped thousands of families break destructive cycles. She talks openly about the grief of letting go of old expectations, the relief that comes from understanding the developing brain, and why “success” must be defined by the young person—not the parent. This conversation is an anchor for any parent navigating adolescence or young adulthood. Ann offers clarity, compassion, and the kind of perspective that can genuinely shift a family’s trajectory. Ann’s Resources: Website: https://speakingofteens.com/ Podcast: Speaking of Teens Instagram: @speakingofteenspodcast Facebook: Speaking of Teens Podcast 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 #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #SpeakingOfTeensPodcast #TeenYears #MomEmotions #TeenAnxiety #ParentingHelp

    27 min

  4. DEC 2

    Episode 325: Searching for Slippers - Stacy Ross’s Hard-Won Wisdom on Parenting a Child with Mental Illness

    In this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna sits down with author, advocate, and mother Stacy Ross, whose 28-year journey parenting a child with serious mental illness reshaped everything she thought she knew about success, family, and resilience. Stacy opens up about infertility, adoption, raising three children, navigating years of misdiagnoses, and ultimately learning how to parent through chaos, crisis, and transition. She shares how writing became her lifeline during the early days of COVID, how her memoir emerged from 200 raw pages written in solitude, and how she rebuilt her sense of self, purpose, and balance along the way. Stacy’s story is honest, grounding, and deeply human — a reminder that success rarely follows the script we imagined, and that acceptance, boundaries, and connection can transform even the hardest chapters. Stacy’s Resources:  Website: https://stacyrossspeaks.com/ Book: Searching for Slippers  Book: Where Do the Waves Come From?  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 #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #StacyRoss #StacyRossSpeaks #AdoptionAwareness #SearchingForSlippers #BPDAwareness #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder

    24 min

  5. NOV 25

    Former Program Participant Series - Episode 324: Jail at Seventeen, Recovery at Twenty-Nine: Chris Kelley’s Journey to Himself

    On this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna brings you another story from our special former participant series where she extends the opportunity for former participants to share their journey with others. Today’s former participant is Chris Kelley. Chris shares his honest journey from growing up in Cape Cod’s party culture, to court-ordered detox and time in county jail as a teenager, to finally entering long-term recovery at 29. Now 15 years sober and the Executive Director of Berkshire Transition Network, Chris talks with Joanna about the deeper emotional work behind recovery, the moment his “dam broke,” and how community, self-inquiry, and aligned purpose shaped the life he leads today. It’s a grounded, thoughtful conversation about transformation, trauma, and what “the work” really looks like. Chris also reflects on how unlearning old patterns became just as essential as building new ones. NOTE: The podcasts in this series can include sensitive subjects such as suicide, self-harm, substance abuse, hospitalizations, psychotic episodes, and other traumatic experiences which include parts of the treatment journey. No topic is off limits and not all stories are positive but they are real, raw, and transparent. **Listener discretion is advised** Chris’s Resources: Berkshire Transition Network Newport Academy 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 #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #SoberLiving #SoberMovement #SobrietyJourney #SobrietyIsBeautiful #AddictionTreatment

    35 min

  6. NOV 25

    Former Program Participant Series - Episode 323: Chicago Expectations, LA Redemption with Conor Gallagher

    On this episode of Success is Subjective, Joanna brings you another story from our special former participant series where she extends the opportunity for former participants to share their journey with others. Today’s former participant is Conor Gallagher Gray. Conor grew up on Chicago’s North Shore with every advantage and a clear path laid out for him—until addiction, stigma, and a collapsing sense of identity sent his life on a drastically different trajectory. After multiple treatment stays, arrests, a suicide attempt, and years of relapse and rebuilding, Conor eventually found long-term sobriety and a renewed sense of purpose. His journey took him from high academic and athletic expectations to living in a basement storage room, navigating psych episodes, and surviving several near-fatal moments that forced him to confront the reality of where his life was headed. Today, Conor co-owns men’s sober living homes in Los Angeles, where he channels his experience into community, accountability, and giving others the support he once needed. This conversation is honest, intense, and a powerful reminder that healing is rarely linear and purpose can grow from the most unexpected places. NOTE: The podcasts in this series can include sensitive subjects such as suicide, self-harm, substance abuse, hospitalizations, psychotic episodes, and other traumatic experiences which include parts of the treatment journey. No topic is off limits and not all stories are positive but they are real, raw, and transparent. **Listener discretion is advised** Conor’s Resources:  Eric’s House Recovery Menninger Clinic 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 #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #SoberLiving #SoberMovement #SobrietyJourney #SobrietyIsBeautiful #AddictionTreatment #EricsHouseRecovery

    27 min

  7. NOV 18

    Episode 322: Learning to Say Yes - Kathy Nauta on Finding Her Path

    Today’s Success is Subjective guest is Kathy Nauta. Kathy’s path to becoming a therapeutic and educational consultant looks nothing like the straight line she once imagined for herself. Growing up in a family where work was purely about survival, Kathy pursued accounting solely for the promise of financial security—despite feeling out of place every step of the way. After years in corporate finance, multiple relocations, raising three kids, and supporting a child with higher needs, she slowly found her way into advocacy, special education work, and ultimately the consulting practice she runs today. In this conversation, Kathy reflects on how her definition of success shifted from money and titles to emotional well-being, meaningful work, and a balanced life. She talks candidly about the pressure young people feel, how overstimulating our world has become, and why parents must prioritize their child’s social and emotional health over academic timelines. She also shares the personal experiences that shaped her approach with families — and the power of saying yes to new experiences as a way of truly getting to know yourself. This episode is especially resonant for parents of teens and young adults navigating uncertainty, as well as anyone who grew up believing that productivity equaled worth. Kathy’s honesty, warmth, and decades of lived experience make this an episode full of grounded, relatable wisdom. Kathy’s Resources:  Kathy Nauta Educational Consulting  Facebook: Kathy Nauta Educational Consulting  IECA - Independent Educational Consultants Association  New Jersey Children’s System of Care (CSOC) NAMI  COPAA - Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (SEAT Training)  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 #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #EducationalConsultant #EducationalConsulting #MentalHealthAwareness #AnxiousGeneration

    24 min

  8. NOV 11

    Episode 321: Try, Fail, Wander, Learn - Bix Firer’s Real Life Education

    Growing up in Milwaukee, expectations were clear for Bix Firer: go straight to college and stay on a traditional path. He tried — and quickly learned it wasn’t his path at all. After dropping out, Bix spent several years exploring unconventional jobs, traveling, and learning through lived experience rather than a classroom. Those detours became the foundation for discovering who he was and what he valued. In this episode of Success is Subjective, Bix shares how listening to his intuition — even when it meant starting over — eventually led him into outdoor education, meaningful community work, and a values-aligned career in conservation with the Ice Age Trail Alliance. His journey is a grounding reminder that success isn’t measured by speed or status, but by alignment, joy, and how we show up for ourselves and others. If you or a young adult in your life is questioning “the expected path,” Bix’s story offers reassurance that stepping off course may be the most important part of finding your way.  Bix’s Resources:  Website: Ice Age Trail Alliance Instagram: @iceagetrailorg Emma’s book: Dead Reckoning Podcast features: The Dirtbag Diaries 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 #Podcast #PodcastCommunity #TheJourney #SuccessIsSubjectivePodcast #TheUnpavedRoad #PFCAudioVideo #IceAgeTrail #FindYourTrail #ExploreWisconsin

    24 min
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5
out of 5
60 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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