What happens after you survive the thing that was supposed to define you?

This week, singer-songwriter Andrew Marshall joins Elizabeth to talk about surviving childhood leukemia, competing on The Voice, navigating chronic pain and back surgery in his twenties, and the unexpected mental health challenges that come after the crisis is over.

Together they explore why trauma doesn't have to become your identity, the pressure creatives place on themselves, and how therapy, gratitude, and finding joy again can help you move forward.

Whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, chronic illness, or simply wondering how to rebuild after life changes, this conversation is a reminder that healing isn't about becoming someone new, it's about integrating every part of your story.

In This Episode

• Andrew's leukemia diagnosis at 16 and how it changed his life
• Meeting John Mayer through Make-A-Wish
• What it's really like competing on The Voice
• Why surviving trauma doesn't mean you're done healing
• Living with anxiety after major health challenges
• Recovering from back surgery and chronic pain
• The pressure of being an artist in Nashville
• Separating your identity from your trauma
• Therapy, meditation, gratitude, and practical mental health tools
• Rediscovering fun and creativity after burnout

Resources Mentioned

• Make-A-Wish Foundation
• Blood Cancer United
• Meditation and mindfulness practices
• Gratitude journaling
• RuneScape (yes, really!)

Connect With Us

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might benefit from hearing it.

Follow How Do Other People Do This? for more conversations about mental health, everyday challenges, and the creative ways people navigate them.

Content Note: This podcast shares personal experiences with mental health and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and rely on the treatment plan you've created with your healthcare providers.

What does it feel like to walk into a room where everyone already seems to know each other? For singer-songwriter and producer Josh Sahunta, it's a feeling he knows all too well.

In this episode, Josh opens up about developing social anxiety after the pandemic, attending the Key West Songwriters Festival as the "new guy," and learning how to keep showing up, even when every instinct tells him to leave. Together, we talk about networking, music, imposter syndrome, and why sometimes success simply starts with putting yourself in the room.

We also discuss Josh's latest single, "Human," a heartfelt reflection on how quickly life passes, grief, growing older, and learning to appreciate the people around us while we still can.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why social anxiety isn't always something you're born with, and how the pandemic changed Josh's relationship with people.
• The emotional reality of attending networking events when you don't know anyone.
• Practical ways to push through social anxiety without expecting it to disappear.
• Why giving yourself permission to leave after 30–45 minutes can make difficult events more manageable.
• How helping another anxious person can actually calm your own anxiety.
• The difference between networking and genuine human connection.
• Imposter syndrome in the studio even when working with top musicians.
• Using anxiety as preparation instead of seeing it only as an obstacle.
• Josh's songwriting process behind his newest single, "Human."
• Life in Nashville, chasing creative dreams, and balancing career with family.

Connect With Us

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might benefit from hearing it.

Follow How Do Other People Do This? for more conversations about mental health, everyday challenges, and the creative ways people navigate them.

Content Note: This podcast shares personal experiences with mental health and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and rely on the treatment plan you've created with your healthcare providers.

In this episode of How Do Other People Do This?, we talk about postpartum depression, mental health struggles, creativity, and the support systems that help us keep going.

Our guest Rachel Wong shares her experience with suicidal depression, postpartum anxiety and depression, and finding her way back to music after taking a break. We talk about the reality that sometimes the first step is not a new coping trick. Sometimes it is therapy, medication, and finding the support you need to get back to a place where you can function.

Rachel opens up about how motherhood, mental health, and creativity have shaped her life, and how she learned to build routines, protect her energy, and find people who truly show up for her.

We also talk about:

• Why therapy and medication can be important tools in mental health care
• Rachel’s experience with postpartum depression and anxiety
• Finding your support system and letting people see your struggles
• How music can be both healing and challenging
• The pressure artists face to constantly create
• Learning to separate your identity from your work
• Building a healthier relationship with success
• Creative coping skills that help during difficult moments
• Why talking things out with trusted people can be a form of connection and release

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussions of suicide, suicide attempts, postpartum depression, anxiety, and mental health struggles. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and rely on the support plan you have created with your provider if needed.

There is no piece of content more important than your own well-being.

About Rachel Wong

Rachel Wong is a queer AAPI pop and R&B artist from Portland, Oregon. She blends 2000s R&B nostalgia with modern moody pop. Rachel has been recognized as one of Willamette Week’s best new bands of 2025 and won Best Pop Song at the 2025 PNW Music Awards. Her music has received radio play across the UK, Canada, Singapore, and the Bay Area. Her songs have also been featured in sync opportunities, including Love Island.

Resources Mentioned

• Therapy and mental health support
• Medication as a mental health tool
• EMDR therapy
• Affirmation apps
• Ahead app for mental health exercises
• Calm app for sleep and relaxation

Remember

If you or someone you know is struggling, you do not have to handle it alone. Reaching out to a trusted person, mental health professional, or crisis support can be an important first step.

Content Note: This podcast shares personal experiences with mental health and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and rely on the treatment plan you've created with your healthcare providers.