Author Interview: Cassidy Amber Chapman - A Listening Challenge

Hi everyone. I'm Jennifer from English with  Jennifer. I have a very special lesson to  

share with you. I invited a new friend to join me.  You'll get to test your listening comprehension as  

you hear our unscripted, fast-paced conversation.  I'll highlight key vocabulary that you can take  

away from the interview, but you'll also have the  opportunity to hear about one person's ability to  

overcome some incredible health problems in order  to pursue and then achieve a fulfilling life.  

I met Cassidy Amber Chapman through an online  community, and it turns out we both live in  

Massachusetts. Moreover, we both self-published  books back in November 2022. I understand that  

someone has to have a very compelling story  in order to find the time and desire to write  

about it. I wanted to learn Cassidy's story, and  I think you'll find it interesting and inspiring.  

Cassidy is the author of The Vibrancy Codes: A  Guide to Vibrant Health and Vitality . We have  

another thing in common. Back in November when we  published, my book -- for a very brief time -- was  

the #1 New Release in Midlife Management.  Cassidy's book was the #1 New Release in Holistic  

Medicine. Cassidy has earned five-star reviews for  her work, and she continues to sell it worldwide.

In addition to sharing her story through her  book, Cassidy has been traveling to give in-person  

talks. In her own words, she's on a mission.  She's on a mission to empower those who are  

craving a vibrant life. I'll tell you that when  you crave something, you desire it very strongly.  

As for what a vibrant life  is, I'll let Cassidy explain.

Well, Cassidy, thank you so much for taking the  time to talk with me today. Yes, of course. I'm  

so excited. Welcome, welcome. Well, you and I have  met before, but of course, I'm very eager to learn  

a little more about you, and for those watching,  um, perhaps you can start by telling us a little  

bit about yourself, like who are you and what do  you do. Yes, so I'm Cassidy Amber Chapman. I am a  

holistic health and life coach and international  speaker and author of the #1 New Release in  

Holistic Medicine and Energy Healing. The Vibrancy  Codes: A Guide to Vibrant Health and Vitality. And  

I help people create happier, healthier lives for  themselves and those around them. Isn't that an  

awesome job? To help people have a happy life. I  got a pretty good gig. And you're exuding that the  

happiness. I feel it from you. Um, but you're  throwing out a pretty long job title there,  

so let's pick apart one word that could be  unfamiliar not even just to language learners  

but even native speakers. You said "holistic life  coach." I'm starting to learn what life coaches  

do. "Holistic coach." Can you explain for people  who...What is a life coach as you practice? And  

then, what is a holistic coach? Yeah, so for  me, it's about integrating your whole self.  

So "holistic" means "whole," so when I go through  my programs or my my courses or anything that I'm  

interacting with...my one-on-one spaces, I create this  holistic approach, which is physically, mentally,  

emotionally, and spiritually. And having all of  these different, uh, healing modalities being  

used in all the different ways is really important  to be able to create what I call vibrancy -- which  

is this this vibrant health. This vibrant  vitality...so that you can live in the most,  

uh, this...this energy of just living fully in  every single one of your moments. So the simplest  

of terms of what a holistic health [coach] does  is help you co-create a healthy lifestyle through  

manageable steps that you can take daily. And  not just one aspect of your life, but again  

holistically, looking at many or all aspects of  your life. Exactly. Right. Do you know what a  

"gig" is? Cassidy explained that she helps people  create happier, healthier lives for themselves and  

those around them. I commented, "Isn't that an  awesome job?" She laughed and agreed and said,  

"I got a pretty good gig." In the past, we tended  to use "gig" for temporary jobs that people would  

get as actors and musicians. But today in American  English, we use "gig" for all kinds of work.  

Cassidy was being humorous because her  work is very important and special to her,  

but speaking in a light tone, she said, "I  got a pretty good gig." Cassidy explained that  

"holistic" means "whole," so a holistic approach  addresses all of you, all parts of your health.  

It integrates or pulls in different healing  modalities, that is, different types of treatment.  

And a life coach provides manageable steps that  you can take daily. So as a holistic life coach,  

Cassidy integrates different aspects of a person's  life and guides them to healthier, happier living.  

You really can't be happy just in one sphere,  right? It becomes sort of a game of balance.  

Exactly. And one aspect of your life is going  to affect every single other one. And so when  

it really comes from this holistic standpoint,  you get to actually transform your entire life.  

Transformative. I like that. Now, you're being  holistic coach...you don't, you know...I'm  

thinking of childhood. So many kids have childhood  dreams of "I want to be a doctor...or a singer, a  

dancer"... whatever. I don't think you were eight  years old and said, "I want to be a holistic coach."  

So, my question is how did this happen? Like, can  you describe your career path and what led you to  

this job? It's...it's funny because I when I was  young, I wanted to be a doctor. And I wanted to be  

up to...up until I graduated and this whole thing  started. Um, so my story starts around... it has  

to be like 11 years ago or so now. It's crazy  how time passes by, and at that time, I started  

having mystery medical symptoms. So, I had gained  over 50 pounds in under three months, eating less  

than 500 calories per day. I had purpling all over  my arms. I was nauseous every day. I was dizzy. I  

could go on with the symptoms that I had. And I  went to doctor after doctor and test after test,  

and they kept telling me that I was fine. I was  all right. It was all in my head or they were  

blaming it on the weight that I was gaining. Yeah  and so when I said I'm really only eating less  

than 500 calories per day, I was I was accused  of lying and closet eating and things like that,  

which was really really defeating at the time.  And after two years of this, I finally found a  

doctor who would prescribe me a medication  that drastically helped with the symptoms,  

and I'm so grateful for this doctor. I'm  so grateful for this medication. However,  

it was suppressing the symptoms. And  after five years of symptom suppression,  

I went through a health crisis, and this is  where all of those symptoms had come rushing back  

and new and worsening symptoms had started,  including unbearable pain -- physical pain where  

I felt like knives were ripping me open from the  inside out. It was unbearably physically painful,  

and the physical pain had gotten so bad that  I started to have panic attacks every single  

day because I was so afraid of the physical pain  that I was in. And I remember the panic attacks  

had gotten so bad that they would wake me up in  the middle of my sleep to have a panic attack.  

And so I remember this one night, I woke up  from a panic attack because I was afraid of  

I don't know...my body was just in fear, and  I was also in physical pain. And I remember  

taking a a pillow and just screaming into it  because my family had been up with me day in,  

day out trying to comfort me through this  never-ending pain, but it was it was never-ending.  

And so I just wanted them to be able  to sleep even though I couldn't.  

And I remember looking up at the ceiling and  just thinking I don't want to wake up tomorrow.

It was such a defeating feeling, uh, defeating  time. And during this health crisis where my  

physical pain already made it feel like  life wasn't worth living because of how  

physically in pain I was, I...uh...I also had  these other things happen in my life. I had  

ended a 15-year friendship that had felt like  a divorce. I was broken up by who I thought was  

the love of my life at the time. You know, your  first love you think is the love of your life.  

Um, during this this one year period, I also  had four family members die. Oh, I'm so sorry.  

Gosh. And during that time...was really really  dark, but gratefully, a couple things woke me up.  

One of them being one of those family members who  died. He was 32 years old. Oh, so young. Yeah. And  

I remember when he was dying, he was texting me,  "Cassidy, I don't want to die, I have so much left  

to live. So much to experience." And when he died,  I felt this duty not only to live for myself,  

but for him and for everybody else that didn't  have a chance to live. I highlighted words while  

Cassidy spoke. Let's review them and say them  aloud. Learn some phrases that go with them for  

greater context. Nauseous . She felt nauseous. All  in one's head. They said it was all in her head.

Closet eating. They accused her of closet eating.

Defeating. The accusations were defeating.

Suppress. The medicine only  suppressed the symptoms.

Unbearable. She experienced unbearable pain.

Day in, day out. Her family was  there to comfort her day in, day out.

The love of one's life. She thought  he was the love of her life.

First love. She lost her first love.

Duty. A duty to do something. She felt a duty  to live not only for herself but also for him.

And the second thing that happened was I had this  really significant dream. I I hold dreams in high  

esteem. I believe they give us messages, and in  this dream...do you know in a in a in a nightmare  

where you kind of feel like something bad is going  happen? That eeriness you feel that... Of course,  

we all know it, I'm sure. Yeah. And it had  that eeriness, like, "Oh, something bad is  

going to happen." Yeah and it was, I think, the  dead of night, in the dead of winter. And I was  

walking on a huge frozen lake of ice, and I looked  behind me and there was miles of ice behind me.  

Huh. And I looked in front of me, and about a  mile away was a hospital. And as soon as I saw it,  

I felt this deep desperation to get to that  hospital. And, Jennifer, this...this dream was  

so vivid that I felt my bare feet on the ice.  I felt the cold air biting at my skin. I felt  

parts of my body going numb, and so I started to  walk. I started to walk. And as I started to walk,  

the ice cracked beneath me and I plunged into  the water. And I accelerated deeper and deeper  

and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and  deeper and deeper into this water. And when I  

finally stopped, I looked up and I was miles away  from the surface. Huh. And this dream felt so  

vivid. I thought it was a perfect opportunity  to let go and to accept a cold dark death.

And that moment was very dark. And I I still...it  still brings me chills when I think about it.  

And I looked back up...and do you know when you  see a small glimmer of light through water> It  

shines just a little bit. Yes, a little  bit. There was a small glimmer of light  

where I'd fallen, and I felt this fear  come up. Was it too late to want to live?

And then this will to live washed over me, and so  I started to swim I started to swim. I started to  

swim, I started swim, and as I was swimming,  it was getting harder and harder to swim. It  

was like there was more and more resistance. It  was like swimming through water, then honey, then  

Jell-O and concrete, like it got harder and  harder and harder. And after what felt like hours,  

I finally pulled myself onto the ice. The  sun was coming up. I was super excited,  

and then this defeat and loneliness  crept up my spine. I realized no  

matter how far I just swam, I was still  all alone stuck on ice. And in my defeat,  

I looked off to the side and I saw two men in a  boat. The boat was half sunken into the water,  

and somehow they got to me and asked me, "Do  you need help?" I said, "Yes, please!" But in  

the back of my mind, I was wondering, how can  they help me if they're drowning themselves?  

And so I woke up with three very significant  messages that came to me. The first was that  

it was...there was still a will to live. Yes.  Still. I still wanted to live. The second was  

that it was going to take all of my strength  to get out of the dark hole that I was in,  

and it was...there was going to be more and more  resistance the closer I got to the surface. And  

the third was that I was asking help from people  who were struggling in their lives themselves.

And so I took a brand-new black notebook and I  wrote down "Cassidy's Health Plan" or "Cassidy's  

Healing Plan." I can't remember which  one. And when I wrote that down, I had  

the intention that I was going to get healthy,  and absolutely nothing was going to stop me.  

And it brought me down the most beautiful journey  of healing physically, mentally, emotionally, and  

spiritually. And this this holistic health became  my greatest accomplishment, my greatest gift. You  

know, when we think about health, we think about  not being sick...we think about avoiding pain and  

illness. But rather on my journey, I found there's  a health that we can feel in every single one of  

ourselves. It's a health that allows us to feel  connected to life, connected to people around us,  

connected to ourselves. It's...it's a health  that you radiate. This health. And people  

want to soak in your energy. It's a health  that brings you to a higher quality of life,  

and this is what I call vibrancy. That's it.  That's it. That's a vibrant health. Yes. And that  

is what I call the Vibrancy Codes. People could  ask me..., "How did you do this?" Yes. "How did  

did you make this happen?" And they kept asking,  "What's that one pill? What's that one...what's  

that one healing modality?" And I said, "It's not  one...just one." It was every single decision I  

made towards my health. And I said, "I could write  an entire book about what I did." So you did.

We just heard a key word as Cassidy defines  it. Vibrancy is a state of being. For her,  

it's a high quality of life. According to  Cassidy, vibrant health is not just avoiding  

pain and illness, but being healthy in our whole  body and being connected to life, to ourselves,  

and to people around us. It's a kind of health  that brings us to a higher quality of life.

"Vibrant" is the adjective. "Vibrancy" is the  noun. Cassidy's Vibrancy Codes allow you to  

achieve vibrant health. "Vitality"  is the energy she mentioned. It's  

the lively energy she demonstrates. Let's  quickly review other words from her story.  

Eeriness. The eeriness in her dream made her  think that something bad was going to happen.

Desperation. Deep under the  water, she felt desperation.

Vivid. Her dream was very vivid.

Accelerate. Her fall accelerated.

Glimmer. Deep underwater,  she saw a glimmer of light.

Creep up. A chill crept up her spine.

Cassidy, I think you share so openly and  so honestly about your struggles. What is  

it that you want people to take away? It's...you  know, we talk about...like so-called sob stories,  

and and some people use sob stories to gain  attention. That's not what you're doing. I know  

you have this pure heart. What do you want people  to take away from hearing about your struggles?  

I want people to know no matter where you're  starting from, you can create these higher quality  

levels of life that you may not even know are  possible yet. I didn't know it was possible. It  

was through my struggles that I was able to to put  on some armor that I didn't even know was creating  

me to these new higher levels of health and  well-being. But whatever you're going through, no  

matter where you're starting, I tell my story so  vulnerably and authentically because people think,  

"Oh, you're just a happy person. Oh you just  have great energy. Oh, this is easy for you." Oh,  

honey. It was not easy. I started from a place  that was so low and so dark, but no matter where  

you're starting from...even if you're at mediocre  and you're ready to get these higher levels...no  

matter where you're starting from, you can always  reach a new level of health and well-being. And if  

there's a small fire of desire, allow...allow  these stories to take you up to these places  

without having to go through rock-bottom. I don't  want you to have to go through rock-bottom like I  

did to get to these higher levels. I went through  it, so I can teach you rather instead of you having  

to go through that rock-bottom. Right. Right.  And so much of what you're saying resonates  

with what I believe. It's that what we want it  becomes a choice, right? Like, even health, good  

health is often a matter of choice. There's that  will, will to live, will to live and be healthy.  

There's something I read. I was visiting your  website, and something, um, caught my attention.  

It's like you said...you made this decision and  you knew that you were "born not just to survive  

but to thrive." And I think so much, so many of  us...we all have these dark moments, dark times,  

um, some to a higher degree than others, but  we all know darkness. We all know dark times,  

um, but so often it seems like we're surviving and  not doing enough of that thriving. In your words,  

how do you make the distinction between  surviving and thriving? What a great question!  

Because I was really in this survival state.  It's when you feel like you're grappling at  

anything and anyone to help you to try to...help  you. And again this is when the realization of  

I was asking help from people who are struggling  in their lives themselves, and then I started to  

look -- Who's thriving in their life? How can  I emulate that? Well, how can I ask them for  

help? Or even, how can I start to become my own  savior? I'm surviving is like me that is mediocre,  

like I'm surviving. Yeah. I've made it happen,  but it's not fulfilling. Thriving is feeling  

that fulfillment in every single thing that  you do no matter...no matter if things start  

to crumble and fall, you still thrive because  you have this internal power. And thrive I would  

say is is an internal power that you cultivate.  Cultivate. So, it's not something you...again,  

the magic pill isn't there and you just don't take  it -- poof! You're happier and healthy. Right? So,  

your book is called again The Vibrancy Code: A  Guide to Vibrant Health and Vitality. Codes. Codes  

that are common to all of us, that we can all  learn to apply. How did you crystallize that idea?  

So the word code, in itself it means something  you can embody. It's not just having knowledge,  

because knowledge is nothing without  implementation. For example, everyone knows  

meditation is a great thing to integrate. We know  the studies. We've seen the benefits, but a lot  

of people said I've tried meditation. When I...  when then I ask, "Okay, so you tried meditation.  

Um, how many...how frequently?" Okay. Maybe once  or twice a week. Maybe once or twice in itself  

you've tried meditation. And then I ask, "Have you  tried to meditate for 15 minutes a day daily for  

three to four months?" And they look at me like,  "What?" Because I'm like, "That's what the studies  

are. That's where you see the immense benefits."  It's through the daily implementation of these  

healthy habits that make these...this thriving  inevitable. But it's through that consistency that  

you see the immense benefits. That's why people  say, "I''ve tried." You really haven't tried if  

you haven't tried to implement it every single day  for a matter of months to years. Because that's  

where you see the real changes. So "codes" means  not just doing the things, but how are you...how  

are you actually doing them? How are you being  while you're doing? It's this "beingness" that we  

have during the doing that completely shifts...it  shifts what you're able to do for yourself.  

Let's take another look at key vocabulary. I'll  give you phrases and sentences for context.  

Sob story. Tell a sob story. Share  a sob story. Armor. Put on armor.  

Vulnerable. Vulnerably. Cassidy made herself  vulnerable. She told her story vulnerably.

Mediocre. A mediocre life. Rock-bottom. Start from  rock-bottom. Be at rock-bottom. Hit rock-bottom.  

Thrive. Cassidy decided to  thrive and not just survive.

Grapple. She was grappling with  problems and searching for answers.

Emulate. You can emulate people  who are successful and happy.

Cultivate. We can cultivate a healthy, happy life.

Crystallize. Crystallize an  idea. Crystallize our thoughts.  

Implementation. The successful  implementation of an idea.

Consistency. Meditate with consistency.

Right. And I think it makes it all the more  believable to know that you're not promising  

this solution: "Hey, you read the codes --  you got it." And okay, "Now I got the codes,  

I'm all fine." It's a it's a set of practices that  need to be implemented, and of course, to learn  

all of them, we'd have to read, um,  to learn...because I also know you don't just,  

um, have the book and you're not just sharing your  ideas, um, in print. You also practice as a coach.  

Right? So, what kinds of people do you serve? What  kinds of people do you work with? Yeah. For me,  

I really work with only those who are ready to  reach the next level of health and well-being for  

themselves. Like they're ready and they're willing  and they're...they're like, "Okay. I am ready for  

that next level." It's...this willingness, this  readiness saying "I'm ready to be supported" is  

what's really important because I'm here as a  support on your journey, and so those are the  

people that I help. The ones who are truly ready  for the transformation. It's so true. It's like  

we're wanting help, but not necessarily open  to help, and I think it again it comes down to  

that choice. Do you want to be helped? Do you  choose to be helped? Are you looking actively  

for those two guys in the boat? Have you ever  figured out who...what they represent exactly  

or is it...? That's I was realizing. They were  drowning and they were coming to say like, "Oh,  

do you need help?" And because they were ...they  were drowning, I was like, "Yeah, I need help,"  

but clearly they couldn't help me. They were  drowning themselves. And so I realized, okay,  

it's time for me to become my own savior.  It's time for me to build my own boat,  

and it's time for me to be the captain of my ship.  There you go. It's so true. It's like you don't  

want to just be helped and then it's a temporary  state of stability or security. You want to build  

a secure place long term...our boat...whatever it  may be. Um, what is something that we could do,  

of course, we don't have immediate access right  now to your set of codes, but is there something  

that you can share with us as a healthy  practice that anyone can start doing if  

they have the will to start doing it? Absolutely.  I mean I already mentioned you know implementing  

15 minutes a day...meditation daily, you know,  that's great. One thing I want to say is that  

it's how you implement the codes and that's  the practice I'm going to show you now.  

And implementing the codes first and foremost, you  want to just sit with yourself and with your body,  

and I invite the listeners...just maybe just  close their eyes for a moment and just ask your  

body, "What do you need right now?" Um, we  continue to look for doctors and people, and  

all these people tell us what we need. How about  you ask your body, what do you need right now?  

And that is first and foremost how you want  to cultivate a relationship with your body  

so that you're able to implement these healthy  habits and physically, mentally, emotionally,  

and spiritually. That's beautiful. So many of  the answers that we're searching for are within,  

aren't they? Yeah. It's...just you have to  find that quiet moment to do it. Create the  

quiet moment. Yes. Thank you. Right. Is  there any final message that you'd like  

to share or any information you'd like to  give? Yeah, I just want to remind you all  

no matter where you are, no matter where you're  starting from, no matter if you're you're happy,  

but you feel like there's more fulfillment to feel  and you might even feel guilty like, "I'm already  

happy. I already have a great life...and I want  more." You can want more, and you can create it  

for yourself. It's okay to have desires. Follow  the burning path of your desire because these  

higher levels and higher quality levels of life  are available to you, and you are worthy of them.  

Thank you. All right. How can people find  you? How can they buy your book? Yes, so,  

The Vibrancy Codes: A Guide to Vibrant Health  and Vitality. You can buy it on Amazon,  

um, or Barnes & Noble or, um, you know  other places, but Amazon just seems to  

be the place. And then you can follow me on  social media @cassidyamberchapman. That's both  

for Instagram...Facebook and LinkedIn. I'm very  active on Instagram. And Instagram and Facebook  

and Linkedin have all my other...website and  things like that. You can check out if you  

are looking for coaching or things like that,  but "Cassidy Amber Chapman" is for all those  

platforms. And I will include all links in  the video description. Cassidy, thank you so  

much for taking the time to talk with us. Thank  you. Thank you. Thank you. It's been an honor.  

I hope you enjoyed the interview with Cassidy.  You can buy her book The Vibrancy Codes: A Guide  

to Vibrant Health and Vitality on Amazon. You can  also follow her on Instagram and learn about her  

coaching services and speaking engagements  on her website cassidyamberchapman.com.

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