What if you could edit your life like a film, even after 67 surgeries and five-plus autoimmune diseases?

Melissa McCurley brings stories like this one to everyone navigating work and life with long-term health conditions. Director and producer Carly Alyssa Thorne shares how she blends Reiki, Ayurvedic herbs and Western medicine to live with congenital rubella syndrome.

This chronic illness podcast episode gives you practical mindset shifts for boundaries, emergencies and hard seasons.

🎧 Hosted by: Melissa McCurley

🎤 Featuring: 

Carly Alyssa Thorne is a director, producer, actor, author and speaker with over 30 years in the consciousness transformation space. Born with congenital rubella syndrome, she has had 67 surgeries and now offers transformational breakthrough coaching and one-on-one medical advocacy. She contributed chapter six to the anthology Breaking Silence: Voices of Survivors. 

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ Thriving with chronic illness: gratitude comes before receiving more

✔️ Chronic illness energy rule: do it, delegate it, or delete it

✔️ Mindset shifts: handwrite one intention 3, 6 and 9 times daily

✔️  Food boundaries: be honest and bring your own safe food to gatherings

✔️ Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness 

✔️ Living will and DNR talks belong early, not after a crisis

✔️ Eastern and Western care can work together, with your physician's OK 

⏳ Timestamps (Click to Jump!):

📌00:00 – Preview: Prayers, Not ”I'm So Sorry”

📌00:28 – Welcome: Carly Alyssa Thorne 

📌 01:45 – 67 Surgeries & Congenital Rubella Syndrome

📌 03:05 – Port Hydration, Pulsed Red Light & Chi Machine

📌 07:17 – Weight Swings, Daily Gym & Gastric Bypass

📌 11:20 – Saying No When People Push Food

📌 15:25 – Accepting Prayers, Not Pity

📌 16:28 – Living Will, Living Trust & DNR 

📌 18:48 – 3 Medical Papers for Emergencies

📌 21:09 – Support Groups & Asking for Help

📌 23:56 – Reiki, IET, NLP & Hypnosis

📌 25:25 – Breaking Silence: Voices of Survivors

📌 31:23 – Breaking Generational Trauma

📌 33:46 – Do It, Delegate It, Delete It + The 3-6-9 Writing Habit 

💡Key Questions Answered in This Episode

Q: How can I practice Reiki on myself for self-healing?→ A: Carly Alyssa Thorne, a Reiki master with 30+ years in consciousness transformation, practices Reiki and Integrated Energy Therapy (IET) on her own; family can learn too. She says hands and feet are large chakras: pull hands apart, push them together, feel the energy, then fine-tune with symbols to meditate on.

Q: What is the difference between red light therapy and pulsed red light for inflammation?→ A: Regular red light warms skin; pulsed red light goes deeper into cells, says Carly Alyssa Thorne, who uses it 20 minutes daily. Her inflammation markers are now normal; check with your physician first.

Q: Why should I carry my DNR order everywhere?→ A: Carly Alyssa Thorne advises keeping your do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order in your wallet and car, because responders automatically resuscitate you. Carly, who's had a DNR and living will since 20, says if it's your true wish, keep it everywhere.

📇 Connect with Carly Alissa Thorne

• 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyalyssathorne/

• 📱Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlyathorne

• 📘Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlyalyssathorne

• 📱Webside: https://carlyathorne.com/

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