Breaking the Ice – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Courtlyn Fazakas, girlfriend of Brett Ferguson, who plays for the Guildford Flames in the EIHL, joins me on Breaking the Ice today! In this episode, she reflects on her journey from small-town life to navigating the perks and challenges of moving abroad with her partner and building a career and sense of purpose in a new country.

In this episode we chat about: 

• Shifting from corporate life to fitness and finding her passion.
• Adjusting to life as a hockey spouse, handling shared spaces, and making new friends.
•  Her experience with mental health and medication 
• Advice for starting your own business 

and so much more! Plug your headphones in and enjoy this episode!

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In this episode of Breaking the Ice, Rachel Novak, girlfriend of Michael Cichy, who plays for the Fife Flyers in the EIHL, joins me! Rachel and Michael have been in a long-distance relationship for over eight years. We dive into the challenges, lessons, and strategies of maintaining a strong relationship while apart, focusing on the unique struggles that come with the hockey lifestyle.

In this episode we talk about:

• The emotional rollercoaster of long-distance relationships.

• Managing communication with time zone differences and hockey’s unpredictable schedule.

• The impact of long-distance on mental health and anxiety.

• Practical strategies for maintaining trust and staying busy while apart.

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Dana Oleksuk, wife of Travis Oleksuk, who finished last season in Rosenheim in the Del3, joins me on the podcast for the third time! Our husbands played together in Austria for two hockey seasons and in this episode we caught up and updated each other on our lives.

In this episode we talk about: 

• Not having a contract this late in the year and what that looks like for each of us
• The possibility of retirement and how we each feel about it
• The day to day challenges of this position (living with family, lack of stability or not being able to plan anything)
• How we each would get our stuff back from overseas if we didn't go over
• Mental energy and how it takes so much out of you to have these same conversations every year with your significant other

Regardless of whether you have a contract or not, you will definitely be able to relate to this episode and I hope it brings some light into your week that you are not alone!

EPISODES WILL BE OUT TWICE A MONTH!

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Drew Shott joins me on the podcast today! Drew's boyfriend, Jalen Chatfield, plays in the AHL for the Utica Comets & up in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks. We talk about going from long distance to moving in together, the ups & down transactions of hockey, friendships, the NHL bubble & more!

Tanya Jarrett, wife to Patrick Jarrett, who retired from professional hockey in 2018, joins me on the podcast to discuss all things health. Tanya is a nutritional therapist and she shares her methods to optimize your overall health during the hockey season & in life!

After giving birth to her daughter, Tanya knew she had to make a lifestyle shift. She walks us through several steps you can take to make little switches to start feeling better mentally, emotionally and physically! She also has several great programs for her business, linked below. I learned SO much from her and I can't wait for you all to hear.

http://www.tanyajarrett.com/

Part 2 continues from last week episode so if you missed it, listen back!

Within part 2, Cassie talks about postpartum and how she had to go back to the hospital several times and felt she wasn't getting the help she needed during this new and overwhelming time.

We spend a good portion of the episode talking about the neccessities you need when having your baby during the hockey season overseas. You can really get ANYTHING overseas but it's more for your comfort.

Enjoy!

Cassie Garbowsky, wife of Matt Garbowsky, who finished last hockey season in the EBEL in Graz, Austria, joins me on the podcast today. Being over halfway through my pregnancy and having my baby in Graz next season, I had tons of questions for her and we decided to make this a two part episode!

Cass talks about planting the seed of having a baby to your husband, what you need to have written in your European contract, the benefits of having a baby abroad to first trimester anxiety and her personal birth experience in Europe.

I am so excited to share this one with you! Enjoy :)

Emily Usset joins me on the podcast for Episode 7. This girl was a freakin blast to talk to and I loved her endearing personality! Her and her husband met in college in the states, as he came over from Finland to play college hockey. We talk about the cultural differences of marriage in the U.S. and Scandanvian countries and once they were engaged and planning their big day, BOOM enter a global pandemic!

After blessings from their parents, they decided to elope to a courthouse in Finland. Mind you, Emily came over for a two week trip in March and has been kickin it in Finland ever since (bringing not much more than a winter jacket, doc martens and purple tennies!...see pictured above). We cover so much ground in this episode including what family and friends think when you follow your spouse all over the heck, the travel ban on the US for girlfriends and wives AND stay tuned for a special story about the sauna culture in Finland (and how she had to sauna in her birthday suit with her husband’s entire family, when she visited for the first time).

This is a good one folks, be sure to tune in!

Priscilla met her husband Matt Frattin in 2013 when he was playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 2017, Priscilla and Matt decided to make the move overseas and signed in Kazakhstan, with their 6 year old daughter and she became pregnant, while she was over there.

We talk about what her experience was like living somewhere so foreign, transitioning her daughter to a new school, while navigating everything in between, in addition to being newly pregnant. We also tap into the struggles of going to a new country and some of the difficulties we endure aka the grocery store and how important it is to connect with other hockey girls beforehand.

Prepare yourselves...it’s a LONG one but my hope is that it will be helpful and super informative (also, take a shot every time I say it is what it is, in this episode). From everything I have gathered, it’s so important to still do your own personal research before you travel. This should give you some mental clarity before you read everything online and get overwhelmed. You got this! 

We broke this up into four parts, each segment being about 30 minutes. 

1. I speak to flying with my goldendoodles as ESA (which I’ve done to Sweden and Austria) and within the United States. 
2. @meghan.schofield talks about flying with her golden in Cargo (to and from Canada). We talk about the steps you need to take to get your dog, their cage and your mind ready because we know there is so much fear regarding putting your pup underneath the plane.
3. @evellance clears the air that you CAN fly ESA into the U.K. I hand the floor to her and she breaks down, in order, what you need to do in advance for this. She talks about how there is no quarantine, fees to expect and more! 
4. @veronicakosarew does not have her dog or cat as ESA but has spent the last two seasons in the U.K. She talks about the alternative methods that you can take to get there with your animals as a “pet!” We also touch on pet passports. 

RESOURCES: 

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-health-welfare/heathrow-animal-reception-centre/Pages/Assistance-Animals.aspx

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/bring-pet-into-the-united-states/pet-travel-dogs-into-us