Host Dr Russell Thackeray welcomes Fort Lauderdale–based visual artist, therapeutic arts practitioner, author, and two-time cancer survivor Nerissa Balland, who discusses her work at the intersection of creativity, resilience, and personal growth.

After being diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in 2016 while pregnant and parenting a toddler, she navigated surgeries, immunotherapy, later recurrence, chemotherapy she stopped due to low odds and side effects, and advocacy challenges including being told to terminate a pregnancy; she is now 8.5 years NED.

Balland distinguishes therapeutic arts from art therapy and reframes resilience as engaging with adversity and moving forward, focusing on process over product, identity, and what can be controlled.

She describes interviewing 100+ young mothers with cancer and her book, "Canvas of Courage," featuring 19 stories with practical “grace notes,” addressing gratitude, creativity, and how to show up for others.

00:00 Heatwave Welcome

00:48 Meet Nerissa

01:47 Art and Resilience Mission

04:07 What Visual Artist Means

05:20 Redefining Resilience

07:24 Therapeutic Arts Explained

10:24 Identity and Honest Expression

12:12 Corporate Toxicity Lessons

17:51 Control and Moving Forward

19:38 Creative Coping Stories

21:48 Melanoma Diagnosis Journey

30:14 Advocacy and Treatment Choices

32:28 Canvas of Courage Book

38:14 Where to Find Nerissa

38:57 Final Thanks and Goodbye

You can contact us at info@qedod.com

Resources can be found online or link to our website https://resilienceunravelled.com