Show notes
What happens when your body knows something is wrong, but the system refuses to listen? In this robust conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with cancer thriver and advocate Talaya Dendy to talk about medical gaslighting, emotional survival, and what it takes to fight for your life, literally and emotionally. This is our final episode of 2025, and we are closing the year with a reminder that you deserve to be heard.
Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads — a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health) and 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast) with over 3.5 million downloads and counting — continues its mission to spark unfiltered conversations about the human mind.
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here:
https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a
Mental Health Quote
“Those gaps in the system are the problem, you’re not.” — Talaya Dendy
Episode Description
Being told “it’s probably nothing” nearly cost Talaya Dendy her life.
In this candid, emotionally grounded episode, Talaya joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to share what it was like to be dismissed by a doctor, diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma a year later, and then left alone with the news on a Friday afternoon. What followed was not only a fight against cancer, but a battle against medical gaslighting, isolation, and a healthcare system that too often forgets the person behind the chart.
Talaya opens up about navigating cancer in her early 30s, enduring months of chemotherapy and radiation, and managing the stress of a new workplace while trying to protect her insurance and privacy. She also shares the heartbreak of learning who shows up and who disappears when your life is upended, and how boundaries become survival tools, not “nice-to-haves.”
Along the way, Talaya explains how journaling, mindset work, faith, and self-advocacy helped her stay grounded when support systems fell short. That lived experience ultimately became her purpose: serving others as a cancer doula and board-certified patient advocate, helping people ask better questions, get better care, and feel less alone.
As we close out our last show of 2025, this episode is a powerful reminder as we enter the new year: you are not a burden, you are not “too much,” and you have every right to demand care that is competent and compassionate.
Keywords: Talaya Dendy, cancer thriver, medical gaslighting, emotional healing, cancer trauma, self-advocacy, patient advocacy, cancer support, mental health podcast, emotional wellness, boundaries, healthcare trauma, survivorship, healing journey
Meet Our Guest — Talaya Dendy
Talaya Dendy is a cancer thriver, Cancer Doula, Board-Certified Patient Advocate, Health & Wellness Coach, and host of the Navigating Cancer TOGETHER podcast. After surviving Hodgkin’s lymphoma, she dedicated her work to filling the emotional and advocacy gaps in cancer care. Hence, patients and families feel supported, informed, and empowered throughout the journey.
Website: https://www.ontheotherside.life
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ontheotherside17/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/NCTpodcastfan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talayadendy/
Key Takeaways
Medical gaslighting is real, and trusting your body can save your life.
You have the right to ask questions, seek second opinions, and walk away.
Cancer impacts mental health just as much as it affects the body.
Not everyone will show up, and that clarity can change your life.
Advocacy is a skill that can be learned, even in survival mode.
Actionable Items
Write down symptoms and concerns before appointments, and bring them with you.
Practice one boundary this week that protects your health or energy.
Ask yourself: “Do I feel heard here?” If not, consider another provider or a second opinion.
References Mentioned
Journaling as a therapeutic practice
Patient self-advocacy in healthcare
Important Chapters
00:01 — Talaya’s lump is dismissed, and the path to diagnosis begins
05:00 — Getting the diagnosis by phone and feeling abandoned
12:30 — Learning self-advocacy and reframing “doctor knows best.”
18:00 — Isolation in treatment spaces and rejecting negativity
27:30 — Work, disability leave, insurance stress, and lack of empathy
39:00 — Leaving corporate and becoming a cancer doula and advocate
45:40 — Advice to her younger self and reclaiming worth
50:45 — Favorite word: Thriver; least favorite word: Authenticity
Closing CTA
Subscribe, Rate, and Review.
Thank you for being part of our 2025. This is our last episode of the year, and we will be back with a new episode on 1/6/26.
Leave a review or visit: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews
#MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #CancerThriver #MedicalGaslighting #CancerSupport #PatientAdvocacy #EmotionalHealing #HealthcareTrauma #HealingJourney #CancerSurvivorship #BoundariesMatter #AdvocateForYourself #LifeAfterCancer
***************************************************************************If You Need Support, Reach OutIf you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference.United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesOfficial Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: Sign Up HereMerch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.