Welcome to Season 2, Episode 4 of “what I don’t want you to know…” 

In this soul-stirring conversation, we sit down with Katie Maiolo — nurse, world traveler, and courageous truth-teller — as she shares the deeply personal journey of navigating life, illness and identity after a shocking cancer diagnosis.

From childhood dreams of nursing to adult panic attacks and the unraveling of control, Katie brings raw honesty to what it means to face not just a health crisis, but an identity reckoning. Together, we explore the messy in-between: life after treatment, the illusion of safety, and the unexpected fears that arise when the storm appears to have passed.

With humour, heart and unyielding grace, Katie speaks candidly about body image, menopause, anxiety, and the emotional weight of recovery — while also celebrating the joy of presence, the beauty of being “here,” and the power of naming your truth.

🧠 What You’ll Hear:

• How childhood dreams collided with adult realities
• The quiet trauma of living with anxiety while caring for others
• A cancer diagnosis that forced Katie to break old patterns
• Fear of recurrence, identity shifts and the pain no one prepares you for
• The invisible weight of post-treatment life
• Finding humour, gratitude and healing in unexpected places
• Why feeling everything (even all at once) is a kind of freedom
• The gift of being seen — and seeing yourself — with compassion

🌱 Katie’s Truths:

• "You can be really sick and still feel joy."
• "Kids are brutally honest — and sometimes, that’s the mirror we need." (Quote: “Mum, you look way better with hair.”) 
• "There’s no glass ceiling if you’re okay with feeling uncomfortable."
• “I think I’m fucking cooked mate”
• “Maybe I’m not my eyelashes”

📔 For the Listener:

This episode is for anyone who's ever struggled to feel "enough" in their own skin, who’s faced life’s curveballs and wondered, “Who am I now?” Katie reminds us that even in the darkest chapters, there’s light to be found — and that healing is not about going back, but moving forward with truth and a massive side order of self-compassion, love and laughter.

Thank you Katie for teaching us how to “stick the landing”… we couldn’t be more in awe if we tried. 

As always, go so gently… 

Em & Tan xx

🔖 Keywords:

mental health, cancer recovery, anxiety, personal growth, nursing, identity, vulnerability, resilience, women’s health, emotions, self-compassion, fear of recurrence, menopause, healing, authenticity

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.