What if healing isn't about putting yourself back together exactly as you were, but learning to embrace every piece of who you've become?
At EPIC AFTER's Finding Her Retreat, women affected by breast cancer came together for a weekend of connection, reflection, and rediscovery. We had the honor of being part of this beautiful experience, where Perky's very own Crystal Yang, BSN, RN, NC-BC, led a nurse coaching workshop that explored whole-person healing through the meaningful art of Kintsugi.
The workshop, Mended in Gold: Embracing Whole-Person Healing Through Kintsugi, invited participants to look beyond their diagnoses, reconnect with themselves, and recognize the beauty and strength within their individual journeys.
And while the artwork they created was beautiful, the meaning behind it was even more powerful.
Healing Is More Than Physical
When we think about healing after breast cancer, we often think about the physical aspects: surgeries, treatments, scars, and recovery. But healing encompasses so much more than what we can see. A breast cancer diagnosis can affect relationships, emotional wellbeing, confidence, identity, and even the way someone views their future. And while medical treatment addresses the disease, the personal experience of navigating cancer and survivorship deserves just as much compassion and attention.
As a registered nurse and board-certified integrative nurse coach, Crystal approaches health through a whole-person perspective, recognizing that wellbeing involves far more than physical health alone.
The workshop began with a comprehensive wellbeing assessment, encouraging each woman to reflect on different areas of her life. Where was she thriving? What felt out of balance? Which areas needed a little more attention, nurturing, or compassion? The goal wasn't to identify everything that needed to be fixed. It was to create awareness and encourage participants to recognize their individual needs.
Whole-person healing isn't about achieving perfection. It's about understanding yourself and giving yourself permission to prioritize your wellbeing.
Reconnecting With the Woman Who Has Always Been There
Following the wellbeing assessment, Crystal guided the women through a visualization exercise centered on reconnecting with their inner guide.
The woman who existed before the diagnosis. The woman who endured difficult treatments, navigated uncertainty, and adapted to changes she never anticipated. The woman who continued showing up, even on the hardest days. Through intentional reflection and self-gratitude, participants were encouraged to acknowledge that enduring presence within themselves.
Sometimes, we become so focused on everything our bodies have been through that we forget to appreciate everything they've carried us through. This was an opportunity to recognize that strength, offer themselves compassion, and reconnect with the person behind the diagnosis.
Kintsugi: When the Cracks Become Part of the Beauty
At the heart of the workshop was a creative experience inspired by Kintsugi, the traditional Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer and gold.
Rather than disguising the cracks, Kintsugi highlights them, transforming what was once broken into something with a visible history.
For women navigating life after breast cancer, that symbolism can carry profound meaning.
Cancer can leave physical scars, but it can also create changes that aren't visible to the outside world. Changes in relationships, confidence, identity, emotional wellbeing, and the way someone experiences everyday life.
During the workshop, each participant created eight colorful pieces, each representing a core pillar of whole-person health:
Life Balance: Finding harmony among life's many responsibilities and priorities.
Emotional Wellbeing: Honoring emotions and practicing self-compassion.
Mental Clarity: Supporting awareness, focus, and a sense of direction.
Spiritual Connection: Exploring purpose, meaning, and inner peace.
Physical Vitality: Caring for the body through its changing needs.
Relationships: Nurturing meaningful connections with ourselves and others.
Environment: Recognizing how our surroundings influence wellbeing.
Health Responsibility: Taking an active, empowered role in personal health and wellness.
Individually, the pieces were incomplete. But when brought together, they created something beautiful. The gold connecting the pieces symbolized the intentional work of caring for ourselves: the compassion, reflection, support, and choices that contribute to whole-person wellbeing.
The cracks weren't erased. They became part of the story. And perhaps that was the most meaningful lesson of all. Healing doesn't mean pretending difficult things never happened. It means acknowledging those experiences while continuing to discover meaning, connection, and possibility in the life ahead.
A Circle of Lovingkindness
To close the workshop, the women gathered for one final experience. Each participant selected a message of lovingkindness and shared it aloud with the group.
Words of love. Words of encouragement. Words of healing.
After spending time reflecting inward, the women extended that same compassion outward, offering one another the kindness and support they had been encouraged to give themselves. It was a beautiful reminder that while every breast cancer journey is deeply personal, connection can be an important part of navigating it.
We're incredibly grateful to Krystal and Stacy of EPIC AFTER for welcoming us into their Finding Her Retreat and creating a space where women could show up authentically, share their experiences, and explore what healing means to them. And to every woman who participated, thank you for your openness, vulnerability, and willingness to share a piece of your journey.
The Healing Doesn't Have to End at the Retreat
One of the most meaningful aspects of the workshop was its reminder that caring for ourselves is an ongoing process. There isn't a finish line for emotional wellbeing, self-discovery, or finding balance after breast cancer. And that's exactly where nurse coaching can play a role.
Through Perky's Nurse Coaching services, Crystal works alongside women navigating breast cancer, survivorship, and other life transitions, helping them explore their personal definition of health and wellbeing. With more than 14 years of nursing experience, Crystal brings both professional knowledge and a deeply personal connection to the breast cancer community.
Having witnessed multiple women in her own family, including her mother, navigate breast cancer, she understands how deeply a diagnosis can affect not only the individual but also those who love and support her. That experience helped inspire her mission to create a space where women feel seen, supported, and empowered throughout their journeys. As Crystal shares:
"There is nothing more important than being at peace within your inner environment. You are capable of hard things, and realizing your strengths and resources to utilize in tackling all that life brings is the strongest flex."
Her approach to nurse coaching is collaborative and individualized, focusing on helping clients recognize their strengths, identify their needs, and develop meaningful strategies to support their wellbeing.
And now, we're excited to share a new opportunity that may help make this support more accessible.
Exciting News: Crystal Joins Rebuild A-B's Mental Health & Mindset Coaches!
We're thrilled to announce that Crystal Yang, BSN, RN, NC-BC, has officially been added to Rebuild A-B's list of Mental Health & Mindset Coaches!
Rebuild A-B offers grants that may help eligible individuals access supportive services, including nurse coaching, as they navigate life after breast cancer.
This is an exciting opportunity for women interested in working with Crystal to potentially receive financial assistance for personalized, whole-person wellness support.
At Perky, we've always believed that restoration goes beyond what you see in the mirror. Confidence, emotional wellbeing, self-connection, and quality of life matter, too.
And we're so grateful for organizations like Rebuild A-B that recognize the importance of these aspects of survivorship.
Interested in Working With Crystal Through a Rebuild A-B Grant?
If you'd like to explore nurse coaching with Crystal, here's how to request her when applying:
Visit Rebuild A-B's grant application page.
Complete the application according to their instructions.
In the notes section, include Crystal Yang, BSN, RN, NC-BC, of Perky as your preferred nurse coach.
There isn't a separate coach selection option on the application, so the notes section is where you can communicate your preference.
While requesting Crystal doesn't guarantee grant approval or coach assignment, it lets the organization know who you're hoping to work with.
Grant eligibility, funding availability, approval, and coach assignments are determined by Rebuild A-B. Nurse coaching complements, but does not replace, medical or mental health treatment.
Your Story Is Still Being Written
The gold in each Kintsugi-inspired creation wasn't there to hide the cracks. It was there to honor the process of bringing the pieces together.
Healing isn't always about becoming who you were before cancer. Sometimes, it's about learning to embrace who you are now, recognizing the strength that has always been within you, and discovering what it means to care for every part of yourself.
And whether that journey begins through a creative workshop, a meaningful conversation, or one-on-one nurse coaching, every step toward greater self-awareness and compassion matters.
You are more than your diagnosis. More than your scars. More than the things you've endured.
With love,
Perky
