Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Ariaudo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sarah , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

Yes, there were two actually, because I clearly did not learn my lesson as fully as I should have the first time.

The first is when I started experiencing debilitating health issues over a period of time. I typically ignored them or explained them away by blaming my diet, work schedule, or lack of sleep.

It wasn’t until several years into my health journey, when I lost my monthly cycle, that I had to start paying attention. At first, I still ignored it, but after eight months of no cycle I was a bit concerned that it had just disappeared and was not coming back. By the time I started addressing the issues and figured out the root cause I had lost my cycle for just under two years.

You see, I started my career in Oncology with a desire to help people that were diagnosed with cancer. I began as a radiation therapist, treating patients with high doses of radiation to target the tumor. I later became a change management consultant for cancer centers.

This required me to travel all over the United States and Canada, averaging 10 to 11 weeks of travel before I had an in office week to catch up on work and get ready to do it all over again. The days were long between the travel, the time zone changes and the follow up work that was required each day. Averaging 14 or more hours a day.

During this time is when I lost my cycle in addition to the other health symptoms I was experiencing. I continued working my 14+ hour days and traveling, but knew I needed to address these issues.

I started seeing specialist after specialist to try to diagnose and fix my health issues. I ended up having multiple exploratory surgeries, taking high doses of medication and seeing a nutritionist who removed everything except vegetables and white meat from my diet. When my physician was preparing to triple my dose of medication, I decided I needed to step it up and be a partner in my own care. I was doing what they physician said, but wasn’t doing much else to help identify or heal myself.

That’s when I started yoga and a mindfulness practice. During this time I was learning to pay attention to my body, to slow down and to better manage my stress.

The result? My cycle returned, I had more energy, little to no symptoms or pain and felt better than I had in almost a decade.

The physician determined I had been suffering from high levels of chronic stress which resulted in my body “shutting down” or neglecting systems that were not “necessary” for survival, such as my monthly cycle.

This was eye opening to me, how the body tries to protect and heal itself by using the energy for where the issues are and result in neglecting other areas. Unless the root cause is addressed, we are chasing our tails, band-aiding our symptoms without truly healing.

The second lesson was an extension of the first. I had started going back to my old ways, working way too long of hours and way too often. I was trying to climb the corporate ladder in attempt to have it all, be successful, and be happy. I was trying to help people and make a difference. Instead, I was part of a mass reorg in the company I was working for, so I decided to start my own business instead of searching for another job.

Being a top performer, the most requested in my field, and working myself to burn out led to getting laid off versus the job security, promotion, or happiness I was looking for.

Why was I working so hard and putting my health at risk?

Fast forward, when the pandemic hit I realized I want to make a greater impact in the world. I began reflecting on how I could be of service to others. That’s when it dawned on me. Who better to teach stress management and mindfulness tools in order to facilitate healing than those diagnosed with cancer or other chronic illness?

I created a program and wrote a book to teach the tools in an accessible and time efficient way. I sell the book and program to cancer centers, who are gifting it to their patients. Individuals can also purchase, but my goal is to partner with cancer centers, employers and large organizations to provide this for free for their patients, employees and care givers.

Everyone deserves to have the tools and support to be healthy, without added financial strain.

As Founder of Mindful Based Healing, I created this program to support the mental and emotional healing of cancer patients during their journey. I also work with healthcare leaders and their teams to use mindfulness techniques to manage stress real-time, boost morale, employee engagement and productivity, while helping people experience a better overall quality of life.

My goal is to empower patients and healthcare workers. To give them the tools to care for themselves, to recognize barriers that may be preventing them from healing, following the prescribed plan, or resulting in stress, burnout or depression. I want to give back to the community I am proud to be a part of and help to level the health equity playing field.

Currently I have a handful of sites who are distributing the program and book to their patient, as well as a large non-profit who is conducting a board review of my program to determine how they will distribute these tools to their patient population. The need has been identified, this is the solution, and now is the time for mass distribution. I welcome anyone interested in learning more to contact me: [email protected]

Sarah , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Yes of course. Hello. I am Sarah Ariaudo, an introverted extrovert, eternal optimist, lover of travel and adventure. I love the outdoors, particularly the beach.  I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and am a working mother of a five year old daughter, two bonus sons and a wife. I’ve always had a desire to help people and knew I wanted to be in the healthcare industry. Choosing to work with cancer patients was an easy choice for me due to the nature of the work. I was able to care for the same people daily over the course of approximately three months during their treatments. It wasn’t until a few years into my career that I realized my special gift to my patients wasn’t the radiation treatments I was delivery, rather the personal touch and connection.

I asked questions. I listened. I care. This may seem obvious and like it should be a standard for healthcare workers, but with more and more regulatory requirements and the time constraints, many healthcare professionals just don’t have the time they want or need to deliver the quality of personalized care.

The support, connection and desire to help my patients beyond just their physical symptoms are what inspired me to start my company Mindful Based Healing and create the Cancer Journey program and book.

I had battled my own health issues for several years and had just profound transformation, both with my health and my overall outlook on life, I wanted to give back. Since I couldn’t find any other programs tailored for those battling cancer, I created my own.

The Cancer Journey book, which can be found on my website or amazon, helps those diagnosed and their family members with what questions to ask their healthcare team. It also teaches mindfulness techniques and empowers them to be an active partner in their care. The program demonstrates the techniques and is a personalized cheerleader they can take with them anywhere they have a phone.

What sets this program apart is the time commitment in manageable, 5-10 minutes a day, it teaches the techniques so people can learn and then be independent of a phone, app or program. It’s also relatable. I resisted some mindfulness and meditation techniques over the years because I didn’t think it was accessible for me. I can’t “clear my mind” for 45 minutes a day, so I didn’t even try. The good news? You don’t have to! I provide options which they get to CHOOSE. It’s not a one size fits all, so they really get to empower themselves in ways that work for them.

During the creation of this program, I learned from all perspectives of the journey how lonely it can feel. That’s why I address those concerns in a safe and neutral way. I provide options on how to take action to move forward, rather than be stuck in worry and misery. My life goal is to make a positive impact in as many lives as possible. I hope people value themselves enough to give themselves the gift of mental and emotional support so they can heal as best as possible.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Relationships. This field is comprised of endless people hoping to make a difference. People who care and people who most likely have been personally touched by cancer. With that said, it’s still an industry in healthcare and businesses are still trying to make money.

Relationships in Oncology go a long way. I’ve noticed a difference in those who seem to have genuine desire to help and offer solutions that make patients and healthcare professionals lives better and those who are just looking to make a sale. Doctors, Nurses, Administrators want to work with people who have the patients best interest at heart.

The other key piece to succeeding in this industry is relatability. The story of WHY we are doing this. HOW it improves people’s lives and the TIME commitment required for patients and healthcare professionals. As I mentioned, the time allowed to spend with each patient seems less and less due to regulatory requirements and patients are already overwhelmed with all of their appointments. These solutions need to be practical so they can be useful.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The lesson I had to unlearn, the hard way, is that working multiple shifts and burning myself out does not provide more benefit to my patients, colleagues or myself. My desire to help overtook my life for years and resulted in me not being healthy and therefore not being my best, mentally or physically.

I feel this lesson has also served me in other areas of my life, not just professionally. Caring for ourselves is the most important habit and gift we can give to ourselves and others. The results for me have been more energy, more patient with family/ friends/ colleagues, more creative and level-headed, and not as stressed or reactive to situations. This enables me to be my best for those I care about, which gives them a more calm and positive interaction with me. For my patients, providing a support sense of calm is powerful. If I’m stressed out or rushed, that just enhances their anxiety and worry. Having the ability to calmly and clearly answer their questions and the bandwidth to be supportive and confident in their care is a win for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mindfulbasedhealing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahariaudo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MindfulBasedHealing
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahariaudo/
• Other: Spotify podcast interviews: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/35gJ8CXFKZyAJR9mJyhyv0

Image Credits
Boden photography (headshot)