Ali Christos knows what it is like to build a life that looks successful from the outside while struggling deeply on the inside.

In this vulnerable conversation, Ali shares his journey from childhood bullying and trauma to depression, a suicide attempt as a teenager, years of chasing external success, the breakdown of a 15-year marriage, and a serious accident that forced him to reevaluate what actually mattered.

We explore what helped him begin finding his way back: forgiveness, yoga, meditation, music, serving others, allowing difficult emotions instead of constantly numbing them, and developing a deeper relationship with spirituality and his own inner life. Ali also shares how he eventually became a quantum hypnosis practitioner and discusses his beliefs about the Higher Self, QHHT, intuition, past-life experiences, manifestation, and consciousness.

At the heart of this episode is a question many of us eventually face: Who are you when achievement, validation, money, relationships, and the image you’ve built can no longer tell you who you are?

If you’ve ever looked at your life and thought, “I should be happy… so why don’t I feel that way?” this conversation is an invitation to look beneath the accomplishments and reconnect with the person underneath them.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of childhood trauma, domestic violence, depression, suicidal thoughts and a past suicide attempt, self-harm, substance use, and other potentially difficult subjects.

Discover more conversations at WalkWithMeConversations.com.

In this episode of Walk With Me — Conversations With Real People, Stephanie Bloom talks with journalist and podcaster Noah May about living with depression and anxiety from a young age, navigating grief, bullying, family challenges, and the physical toll mental health struggles can take on the body.

Noah shares how music helped him feel less alone, how medication has supported him, and how his relationship with mental health has changed as he has grown older. Together, Stephanie and Noah also explore the importance of continuing to look for therapies, practices, supports, and lifestyle tools that may help someone move forward.

At the heart of Noah’s story is a powerful reminder: mental health struggles may be part of your experience, but they do not have to become your entire identity.

In this conversation:
• Anxiety presenting through physical symptoms
• Depression and suicidal ideation during adolescence
• Grief and the loss of a loved one
• Bullying and emotional isolation
• Music as a source of connection and support
• Medication and mental health management
• Nutrition, digestive health, and the nervous system
• Finding the right therapist and continuing to seek support
• Releasing shame around mental health
• Learning that a diagnosis does not define who you are

Connect with Noah:
NoahsPodcasts.com

Explore more conversations, stories, and resources at WalkWithMeConversations.com.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of depression, suicidal ideation, mental health crisis, and significant weight loss.

In this deeply moving episode of Walk With Me Conversations, Stephanie Bloom sits down with Karen Olsen to explore the profound impact of losing her mother to suicide at just twelve years old. Growing up in a time when grief, mental health, and suicide were rarely discussed, Karen was left to navigate unimaginable loss with very little support.

Rather than allowing that pain to define her future, Karen transformed her experience into a life dedicated to helping others. She shares her journey through grief, healing, resilience, and purpose, offering powerful insights for anyone carrying the weight of loss, trauma, or life's unexpected challenges.

This conversation is a testament to the human spirit's capacity to heal, grow, and create meaning from even the darkest experiences.

In This Episode You'll Learn

• How childhood grief can impact emotional development
• The unique challenges faced by survivors of suicide loss
• Why community and connection are critical components of healing
• How purpose can emerge from profound pain
• The importance of creating safe spaces for difficult conversations
• What resilience looks like in real life—not just in theory

Memorable Themes

• Grief and healing
• Suicide loss survivorship
• Childhood trauma
• Finding purpose through adversity
• Compassion and service
• Mental health awareness
• Hope after loss

Connect with Karen Olson

Please see the links below to connect with Karen and learn more about her work:

www.karenolsonauthor.com 

https://www.instagram.com/karen.olson.author/?hl=en 

https://www.facebook.com/karen.olson.author 

Continue the Conversation

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who may need to hear it.

For more conversations about healing, resilience, personal growth, and the many paths toward recovery, visit:

https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

There you'll find additional podcast episodes, resources, guest information, and tools designed to support you on your own journey.

Support the Show

If you're enjoying Walk With Me Conversations:

• Subscribe to the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share your favorite episodes with friends and family
• Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com for more resources and inspiring conversations

Every share helps spread messages of hope, healing, and connection.

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We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
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In this episode of Walk With Me Conversations, Stephanie sits down with Luke Mickelson, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization built around a simple but powerful mission: "No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town." Luke's journey began in Idaho with one family, one bunk bed, and a desire to teach a group of young men about service. What happened next changed the direction of his life.

Luke shares the moment he met six-year-old Haley, who had never had a bed of her own, and how watching her hug and kiss the bed he had built with his children made him realize that a bed represents far more than somewhere to sleep. It can mean safety, dignity, security, belonging, and the knowledge that someone cares.

That experience became the spark for Sleep in Heavenly Peace and a much larger conversation about service, purpose, community, and our willingness to act on what Luke calls our "tiny moments."

In This Conversation

Stephanie and Luke explore:

• How growing up in a small Idaho community shaped Luke's understanding of service and giving back.

• The personal "fog" Luke was experiencing when service unexpectedly gave him a renewed sense of direction.

• How building one bunk bed with his children eventually grew into the Sleep in Heavenly Peace movement.

• Why having a bed is about much more than sleep—it can offer a child security, confidence, stability, and a place that belongs to them.

• The difference between wanting change and developing the desire to act.

• Luke's concept of "tiny moments"—those seemingly small opportunities to notice a need and do something about it.

• How service can shift our perspective on our own struggles and reveal passions we may not have known were there.

• Why meaningful volunteer experiences matter just as much as the mission itself.

• The extraordinary things that can happen when ordinary people decide, I can help.

As Luke explains, we may not change the entire world every time we act on one of these moments—but we can change someone's world. Sometimes, that someone is us.

About Luke Mickelson

Luke Mickelson is the founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a nonprofit dedicated to building and delivering beds to children who otherwise may be sleeping on floors, couches, or other makeshift spaces. SHP's current leadership directory continues to identify Luke as the organization's founder.

Luke is also the author of More Than Just a Bed, a phrase that captures one of the central lessons of his work: giving a child a bed is about providing much more than a piece of furniture.

Connect With Luke & Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Sleep in Heavenly Peace:
https://shpbeds.org/

Through the SHP website, you can find a chapter near you, volunteer for a build or delivery, donate, explore starting a chapter, or apply for a bed for a child in need. Luke describes those opportunities in the conversation as ways communities can address child bedlessness locally.

Contact Sleep in Heavenly Peace:
https://shpbeds.org/contact-us/

Phone: 844-432-BEDS (2337)

A Note From Stephanie

One of the themes I continue to encounter through these conversations is that healing isn't only about what we are trying to leave behind.

Eventually, we get to ask:

What am I moving toward?

That question is woven throughout my book, The Quiet Rebellion: Choosing Peace, Boundaries and Embodied Freedom After Trauma, and it is becoming an even larger part of my work with the opening of Root To Bloom Consulting, LLC.

Luke's story is such a beautiful example of what can happen when we begin listening to those small internal nudges—the moments asking us to notice, choose, act, serve, create, or become something more.

Sometimes the next chapter doesn't announce itself.

Sometimes it looks like leftover lumber in the garage and one more bed that needs to be built.

Continue the Conversation

If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. As Luke points out in our conversation, simply talking about child bedlessness may reach a parent, neighbor, pastor, teacher, friend, or community member who knows a child sleeping without a bed.

And there is much more waiting for you beyond the podcast.

Visit https://WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore more conversations about healing, resilience, boundaries, purpose, and what becomes possible when we choose to move forward differently.

You can also learn more about Stephanie's book, The Quiet Rebellion: Choosing Peace, Boundaries and Embodied Freedom After Trauma, and follow the next chapter of this work through Root To Bloom Consulting, LLC.

Listen. Reflect. Share the conversation. And when your own tiny moment appears—consider what might happen if you act on it.

transcription

Meridee's story begins in a challenging environment marked by generational trauma and a mother struggling with serious mental health issues. Growing up in that instability forced her to confront difficult questions about identity, responsibility, and the cycles we inherit from our families.

transcription

As she became a parent herself, those lessons deepened. Raising a son with ADHD and oppositional defiant tendencies pushed Meridee to rethink everything she believed about parenting, control, and human behavior. Instead of trying to change her children, she began focusing on conscious parenting, self-reflection, and personal accountability.

transcription

Over time, that journey led her into coaching and addiction recovery work. Meridee believes that trauma often sits at the root of addiction, and that healing begins when we stop blaming circumstances and start examining our own responses to life's challenges.

transcription

Throughout this conversation, Meridee shares powerful insights on:

• Why authenticity is one of the highest forms of personal alignment
• How trauma and emotional pain can lead to addictive behaviors
• The importance of boundaries and accountability in relationships
• Why growth requires the courage to look honestly at ourselves
• How conscious parenting can help raise emotionally aware children
• Learning to find gratitude even in life's most difficult moments

This episode is a reminder that while we may not control what happens to us, we always have the power to choose how we respond.

Connect with Meridee Hlokoff

Addiction Recovery & Coaching Services
🌐 https://laserquittherapy.ca

Instagram
📱 https://www.instagram.com/sobercoachmer/

Meridee works with clients in addiction recovery, life coaching, business coaching, and personal development, helping people align their actions with the life they truly want to live.

Listen, Learn, and Walk With Us

If this conversation resonated with you, we invite you to explore more powerful stories of healing, resilience, and personal growth.

👉 Visit https://WalkWithMeConversations.com to discover more podcast episodes, resources, and conversations that remind us we're not alone in our journeys.

And if you found value in today's episode, please consider sharing it with someone who might need to hear it.

 Full Script, When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.   

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

What if a child who struggles to read or write isn't lazy, unintelligent, or incapable—but has simply never been taught in a way their brain can use?

In this episode of Walk With Me: Conversations With Real People, Stephanie speaks with dyslexia researcher and educator Russell Van Brocklen, whose own painful educational journey became the foundation for more than 20 years of work with dyslexic students, parents, and teachers.

Although Russell's intelligence tested in the 96th percentile, he spent much of his early education reading and writing at a first-grade level. He was placed in special education, excluded from opportunities, and repeatedly underestimated. After a successful state government internship was unfairly recorded as a failing grade, Russell decided to confront the very thing that had limited him: reading and writing.

He entered law school and began discovering how differently his dyslexic brain processed and organized information. That experience eventually led him to develop an instructional approach designed to help students translate their ideas into sentences, paragraphs, essays, and advanced academic work.

Russell explains why many dyslexic learners may understand specific details before they can grasp the larger concept, why a child's strongest interests can become powerful learning tools, and why writing can help bring structure to thoughts that otherwise seem to move too quickly to capture.

Together, Stephanie and Russell also discuss the emotional cost of being underestimated, the determination required to challenge established systems, and the importance of recognizing intelligence that traditional education may fail to measure.

In This Episode, You'll Hear About

• Russell's experience growing up with severe dyslexia while possessing high intelligence

• The emotional consequences of being mislabeled or underestimated

• How he completed college despite reading and writing at an elementary-school level

• The government internship that changed the direction of his life

• Why he deliberately entered law school to confront his limitations

• How dyslexic learners may process information from the specific to the general

• The importance of beginning with subjects that genuinely interest a child

• How writing can be used to organize ideas and strengthen reading skills

• Why parents can play an important role in supporting dyslexic children

• Russell's approach to moving students from sentences to advanced academic writing

• How foundational research and writing skills can prepare students to use AI as a tool without surrendering their own critical thinking

• What becomes possible when children are taught in a way that works with their brains

About Russell Van Brocklen

Russell Van Brocklen is a dyslexia researcher, educator, and the creator of The Writing Method. His original dyslexia research program received funding from the New York State Senate.

Russell has worked with hundreds of students and trained hundreds of teachers in techniques intended to help dyslexic learners strengthen their reading and writing skills. His work focuses on helping parents and educators recognize the intelligence behind a child's struggles and give that intelligence a clearer path onto the page.

Connect With Russell

• Website: DyslexiaClasses.com

• Contact Russell: Dyslexia Classes Contact Page

• Email: dyslexiaclasses1@gmail.com

• Parent programs and one-on-one support: Explore Dyslexia Classes

Continue Walking With Me

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a parent, teacher, or caregiver who needs to hear that struggling on paper does not mean a child lacks intelligence or potential.

Discover more honest conversations about healing, resilience, personal transformation, and doing what once seemed impossible at WalkWithMeConversations.com.

Subscribe to Walk With Me: Conversations With Real People on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss the next story.

To book a private session with me: https://calendly.com/stephanie-bloom5280

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

You can find the links to connect with Massimo in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.    

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Use my affiliate link to get your health supplements for 15% off and help support your favorite show.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Walk With Me, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Tyler Kania — former athlete, cybersecurity professional, and author of The Maniac With No Knees.

Tyler shares his remarkable story of resilience: from growing up in privilege to facing addiction, mania, and multiple suicide attempts — and ultimately finding purpose through writing, coaching, and connection.

This is a conversation about what it means to lose everything, find yourself again, and use your story to help others heal.

💡 Key Themes & Takeaways

• Empathy born from contrast: Growing up in a small farm town and attending a struggling inner-city school shaped Tyler's early understanding of privilege and perspective.
• When success and struggle collide: Behind career wins and athletic fame, Tyler battled undiagnosed bipolar disorder and crippling self-doubt.
• The moment that saved his life: A near-suicide interrupted by a glimpse of sunlight — and a friend's wedding — changed everything.
• Rediscovering purpose through coaching: Returning to rugby as a coach gave Tyler a new mission — to build people up, not just teams.
• Writing as a mirror and medicine: Through storytelling, Tyler turned pain into purpose and built a legacy of openness and hope.
• Choosing authenticity over shame: Tyler reminds us that being open with the world is easier than hiding in the shadows.

🗣️ Notable Quotes

"I attempted suicide… and the clouds parted, giving way to the afternoon sun. That small moment saved my life."

"Writing became my therapy — a mirror for my thoughts. It gives me joy, purpose, and challenge."

"The truly strong are the ones suffering in silence. It doesn't have to be that hard. Being open with the world is a lot easier than being closed."

🔗 Connect with Tyler

Follow Tyler on Instagram: @tyler_kania
Check out his short stories and upcoming book projects — all born from the belief that sharing our stories can save lives.

🙌 Listen, Share, and Walk With Us

Tyler's story is one of courage, redemption, and the power of authenticity.
If you or someone you love is struggling with mental illness, know this: you are not alone.

🎧 Listen now and explore more inspiring conversations at WalkWithMeConversations.com

In this episode of Walk With Me, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Andy, author of Dopamine Mountain, to explore how understanding dopamine—and learning to master it—helped her rebuild her life after addiction, burnout, and long COVID.

Andy shares her deeply personal journey from self-doubt and exhaustion to purpose, balance, and self-discipline. Through small daily actions, she retrained her brain to generate motivation naturally, proving that the path to healing is built on effort, reward, and rest.

If you've ever felt stuck, unmotivated, or disconnected from joy, this episode will help you see how science, mindset, and compassion can work together to create real change.

💬 What You'll Learn

• How dopamine drives motivation—and how to rebalance it.

• Why effort before reward is key to long-term happiness.

• How to use action to lift mood when mindset alone isn't enough.

• Simple, science-based tools for rewiring your brain through daily habits.

• Why discipline isn't restriction—it's a path to freedom.

🔑 Key Quotes

"Addiction is wanting, but not necessarily liking. The craving itself becomes the dopamine hit."

"Self-discipline is just choosing action over choosing quick dopamine."

"Each little step is a success—celebrate it, reward it, and then go again."

🌄 About Andy

Andy is a writer and creator whose work focuses on the intersection of neuroscience, healing, and personal growth. Her book, Dopamine Mountain, explores how dopamine management and small daily actions can transform motivation, mental health, and self-worth.
Learn more at DopamineMountain.com.

🔗 Connect & Explore More

✨ Listen to more powerful conversations about resilience, growth, and healing at WalkWithMeConversations.com

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
📲 Follow @WalkWithMePodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes moments.

🔥 Hashtags

#mentalhealthawareness #dopamine #mindsetshift #growthmindset #resiliencebuilding #neuroplasticity #motivationdaily #brainhealth #wellbeingjourney #selfworthjourney #effortbeforereward #balanceforwellness #mindfulmovement #selfcarematters #actionnotjustintent #rewardyourself #healththroughaction #youarenotalone #breakthestigma #walkwithmeconversations

He shares candidly about his time in gangs, substance use, and the violent moment that almost ended his life. But what follows is a story of reclamation—through meditation, therapy, Buddhist philosophy, and a commitment to healing. At the heart of it all is one courageous decision: to forgive the men who nearly killed him, and to forgive himself.

If you've ever wondered how to break generational cycles, find peace in chaos, or transform your pain into something useful—this conversation will move you.

🔑 Key Themes

• Identity confusion and cultural displacement
• Childhood trauma and early independence
• Gang involvement and life-threatening violence
• Plant medicine, therapy, and mindfulness as healing tools
• Redefining masculinity through peace and compassion
• Choosing forgiveness over revenge
• Breaking intergenerational trauma cycles

💬 Notable Quotes

"If I responded with more anger, they would've jumped me every day after that."

"What you're looking for is in your back pocket. All those years chasing identity, and it turns out—it was me I was looking for."

"The trauma didn't start with me, but it can end with me."

🔗 Resources & Mentions

• Cesar's website: CesarCardona.com
• Ram Dass, Schopenhauer, and Buddhist teachings
• Mindfulness and trauma healing practices
• Meditation and contemplative recovery tools

🧭 Connect with Us

For more stories of transformation, healing, and conscious living, explore:
🌐 WalkWithMeConversations.com

From growing up in Argentina and moving to the U.S. with nothing but hope, to surviving breast cancer and building a thriving therapy practice in her 50s, Zulma shares the truth behind what healing actually looks like. With wit, wisdom, and a few well-placed expletives, she challenges listeners to ditch perfection, embrace discipline over motivation, and stop asking "Why me?" and start asking "Why not me?"

This is a conversation for anyone who's tired of playing small and ready to live out loud—especially if you've been through hell and want to make it count.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

• Why Zulma moved to the U.S. at 31 with no job, money, or fallback plan
• The mindset shift that helped her face breast cancer with grit
• Why motivation is overrated—and how discipline is the real game changer
• Her unique style of therapy and the creation of Dragonfly Therapy Services
• A breakdown of Accelerated Resolution Therapy and how it helps people rewrite trauma responses
• The power of authenticity in the therapeutic process
• How to interview your therapist to find the right fit
• Her mission to help clients become the CEO of their own lives

Quotable Highlights:

"When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose. So I took it as an adventure."
—Zulma Williams

"I had cancer. Cancer didn't have me."
—Zulma Williams

"Motivation is overrated. You've been doing hard s** your whole life without it. That's called discipline."
—Zulma Williams

Connect with Zulma Williams:

• Instagram: @theswearingtherapist
• Therapy Practice: Dragonfly Therapy Services

🔗 Call to Action:

Inspired by this episode?
Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore more powerful stories, access healing resources, and connect with therapists like Zulma who are redefining what support really looks like.

👉 One story can change your path. Let this be one of them.

He talks about walking away from a 60-hour-a-week job, transforming his garage into a gym, coaching himself through recovery after major surgery, and reclaiming the track medals others said he'd never earn again. Now a speaker, author, and coach, Robert teaches others how to rewrite their narrative, face fear with action, and show up even when you're not at 100%.

What We Talk About in This Episode:

• Growing up with a drive to prove himself
• The power of physical movement to release stress
• Leaving a steady paycheck to pursue passion
• How to handle doubt when starting from scratch
• The mental shift from imposter syndrome to self-leadership
• Recovering from major physical setbacks
• Lessons from parenting, failure, and coaching
• Helping others find purpose through action

Quotable Insight:
"You don't have to be 100% every day. Just stay above 51%—keep moving forward."

Resources & Links:
📘 Robert's Book: Shut Up and Grind
🎤 Robert's Podcast: Shut Up and Grind with Robert B. Foster
🌐 Connect with Robert: robertbfoster.com

✅ Love this conversation? Want more real, raw stories of healing and self-discovery?

Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com for full episodes, resources, and ways to support or get involved.

🗓️ Episode Summary:
In this deeply moving episode of Walk With Me, host Stephanie Bloom speaks with Gina Economopoulos—author, end-of-life doula, and former Catholic nun—about how life's deepest wounds can cultivate our greatest compassion. Gina shares her journey through chronic illness, profound grief, religious trauma, addiction, and recovery, and how these trials ultimately equipped her to serve others at the threshold of death.

Her story, told with unflinching honesty and fierce grace, invites listeners to reflect on how pain doesn't disqualify us—it prepares us to walk with others through theirs.

📚 Gina is the author of Shake the Dust Off Your Feet and Walk, a memoir of loss, love, and liberation.

💡 Key Topics Covered:

• Growing up with illness and internalizing unworthiness
• Seeking belonging through people-pleasing and performance
• Joining—and being expelled from—a religious order after 12 years of service
• Losing her fiancé to alcoholism a month before their wedding
• Discovering her own alcoholism and beginning the healing journey at 49
• Becoming an end-of-life doula and rediscovering purpose through presence
• What it means to help others die with dignity
• How trauma, grief, and spiritual surrender shaped her story of transformation

📌 Notable Quotes:

"I got so used to bad things happening that it became normal. But healing meant choosing not to expect pain as my identity."

"I don't fear death. I see Jesus in those I sit beside in their final hours."

"If nobody told you they love you today—I do."

📖 Resources & Links:

• 📕 Shake the Dust Off Your Feet and Walk – Available on Amazon
• 🌐 Visit Gina's website: www.ginaecon.com
• Learn more about end-of-life doula work: INELDA.org

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Here's how you can support the show:

✅ Subscribe to Walk With Me on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

💬 Leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more listeners who need these stories of transformation.

☕ Support my work by donating via Venmo

🔗 Share this episode with someone who is grieving, healing, or searching for meaning. You never know whose life it might change.

Episode Summary:
In this powerful and emotionally charged episode, visual artist and writer Paula DiMarco opens up about surviving childhood dysfunction, loving someone with PTSD, and ultimately processing the tragic suicide of her partner, Alex. From her upbringing in Argentina to her creative healing journey in Canada, Paula shares the raw reality of trauma, the double-edged sword of hyper-adaptability, and how writing and art helped her make sense of the unimaginable. Together with host Stephanie Bloom, they discuss the rarely acknowledged trauma experienced by those who are left behind when someone threatens or dies by suicide.

Key Themes:

• The unseen trauma of suicide threats
• Loving someone with PTSD and depression
• Grieving someone whose truth you never fully knew
• Emotional abuse vs. mental illness—holding both truths
• The role of art and writing in healing and identity reclamation
• What the system gets wrong about crisis support
• Setting boundaries when your survival is on the line

Quotable Moments:
🖤 "Hyper-adaptability helped me survive, but it also made me tolerant of environments I should have never stayed in."
🖋️ "Writing became my lifeline—the only place where I could unpack everything without censoring or sugarcoating."
💬 "Being the one someone threatens suicide to is a trauma all its own."
🌊 "Art was how I stayed connected to myself while everything around me was falling apart."

Resources & Mentions:

• Paula's blog and forthcoming book on surviving suicide loss
• Suicide Prevention Resources (e.g., Talk Suicide Canada, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)

Michael Blair – Therapist, Coach, Author, and Creator of the Spin Method

📝 Episode Summary:

In this powerful episode, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Michael Blair, a veteran therapist and passionate grandfather who introduces us to a life-changing emotional regulation tool: When in Doubt, Spin It Out. Drawing from over 34 years of clinical experience, Michael shares how his "Spin" method helps individuals rapidly release emotional pain, process trauma, and reclaim mental clarity — often in under 10 minutes.

From suicidal ideation to anxiety, marriage conflict to chronic stress, Michael offers real-life examples where people found healing faster than they ever imagined. His approach isn't just therapeutic — it's transformational and accessible to anyone, even children. Through his book and free coaching demos, Michael is on a mission to bring this tool into 100,000 homes by 2025.

🔑 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why traditional talk therapy may not be enough for deep emotional healing
• How the Spin method works to "uninstall" negative emotions
• Real-world stories of trauma being resolved in minutes
• How to use this technique with children, partners, and yourself
• The surprising role of self-forgiveness in long-term emotional regulation
• Ways this process can support crisis intervention and suicide prevention
• Michael's vision for making healing scalable, fast, and freely available

📘 Resources Mentioned:

• Michael's book: When in Doubt, Spin It Out
• Website: www.whenindoubtspinitout.com
• QR code in the book links to $299 worth of free training sessions
• Expanded therapeutic model: Trauma Conversion Therapy (TCT)

💬 Memorable Quote:

"When in doubt, spin it out. You don't have to carry your pain forever." – Michael Blair

🎧 Listen Now On:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | WalkWithMeConversations.com

📲 Connect with Us:

• Learn more about upcoming guests and resources at WalkWithMeConversations.com

Key Topics Covered:

• Joe's Early Life and Trauma: Joe begins by sharing his childhood in the Bronx, his experience with physical abuse, and the emotional scars that shaped his worldview. His traumatic experiences at a young age set the foundation for much of his emotional struggles later in life.
• Loss and Beliefs About Love: At the age of 11, Joe's father's sudden death led to deep emotional beliefs about abandonment and loss, which impacted his future relationships and choices.
• The Healing Journey: Joe's path to healing started in his early 40s when he took a deep dive into understanding his trauma, behaviors, and emotional struggles. Through therapy and personal reflection, he started to unravel the beliefs and patterns that shaped his life.
• Addiction and Recovery: Joe opens up about his struggles with alcohol, the moment he realized he needed help, and the crucial role that community support played in his recovery. His commitment to his own healing journey reflects his understanding of addiction's complexities.
• Medical Career and Healing: With a lifelong dream of being a physician, Joe worked his way through various medical roles, from an orderly to a chiropractor, before becoming a medical doctor. He reflects on how his experiences as both a healthcare provider and a patient have shaped his approach to healing others.
• The Role of Medical Cannabis and Ketamine: Joe shares his work as a medical cannabis physician and his use of alternative treatments, including ketamine therapy for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. His approach combines his clinical expertise and personal healing journey to help others overcome trauma, addiction, and mental health struggles.
• Empathy in Medicine: Through his personal experiences, Joe has gained a deep understanding of what it means to be a patient, allowing him to empathize with his own patients who are navigating addiction, mental health challenges, and recovery.

Quotable Insights:

• "Healing is a lifelong journey, and the most important step is the one we take to begin it."
• "Resilience is key, but we don't do it alone. It's the people around us, the tribe, that helps us heal."
• "The only difference between you and me is that you're sitting on that side of the desk and I'm sitting on this side."
• "Cannabis is medicine. It has the power to help people heal, both physically and emotionally."

Connect with Joe: https://josephrosadomd.com/meet-dr-joseph-rosado/ 

Larry Bilotta's story doesn't start with success. It starts with silence—loneliness in a childhood home filled with music but devoid of mentorship or emotional guidance. Raised by parents who prioritized performance over parenting, Larry describes his upbringing as living in the "twilight zone"—not quite abuse, but certainly not nurturing.

With no mentors, no emotional compass, and no guidance, Larry learned everything the hard way: trial and error, mistake and consequence. It wasn't until he married his wife, Marsha—a strong, combative personality who clashed with his shutdown tendencies—that the real learning began.

Their 40-year marriage, by his own words, was "27 years of a marriage made in hell," followed by something miraculous: love. But not the fairy tale kind. The real kind that's earned through self-awareness, pain, and personal transformation.

Leaving the World of Fear, Entering the World of Love

According to Larry, the world is soaked in fear: media, culture, even our thoughts. We're trained to expect the worst, criticize everything, and believe there's no way forward.

But his life stands as proof that there is always a way. The key is choosing the path of love, not fear. That means becoming a creator, not a reactor. And it means committing to growth even when it's painful.

Because, as Larry says, nobody learns when they're happy. You don't grow in Disneyland. You grow in the dark—if you choose to.

Jamie Flemming is no stranger to pain. A survivor of over three decades of trauma, her story begins in childhood and winds through years of fear, anxiety, religious shame, and physical suffering. But it's not a story of despair — it's one of healing, awakening, and empowerment.

After years of feeling trapped in her trauma, Jamie began a healing journey that truly accelerated in her 30s. Traditional therapy and religious interventions hadn't brought her peace. Then came the turning point: a serious car accident, chronic pain, and the overwhelming burden of unprocessed trauma led her to explore psychedelic therapy.

Jamie experienced profound shifts through guided experiences with psilocybin, ibogaine, and 5-MeO-DMT. These journeys allowed her to revisit her trauma in a third-person perspective, purge emotional toxicity, and reframe her identity as a survivor. The effects weren't just emotional — her lifelong headaches vanished, her fear dissipated, and she began living without constant fight-or-flight tension.

Today, Jamie channels her energy into expressive art through her project "After Trauma Art," using words and visuals to help others feel seen and inspired. Her story is a testament to the power of alternative healing and the importance of creating space for deeper transformation.

🔗 Jamie's art: aftertraumaart.com
📱 TikTok: @aftertraumaart

You can find the links to connect with Martina in the here, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope. Currently I'm looking to support about 3 more hours of my time each week so I can release two episodes a week. I have a ton of edits to get through, somewhere around 20 episodes just waiting, and an extra 3 hours a week will give me the time I need to make it happen. So, go purchase your regular vitamins, minerals, supplements and self care products through that link!

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with John in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.    

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Check out my affiliate link Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope! 

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with him in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope! 

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with her in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope! 

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

She walks us through her realizations that she had a traumatic childhood and how the coping mechinisims she had used as a child were now causing her harm in her adult life. She then re-examined her life habits, learned to say no, and began the process of being there for herself to address those childhood wounds.

Walk with us as we learn that honoring ones needs is greater than abandoning oneself. She is gifting her book PDF to you here. <3

You can connect with Lolita Guarin here, or purchase her book "Stress Management for Adult Children of Alcoholics: How to Manage Everyday Life Without Being Overcome by Childhood Trauma" here.

Support your favorite show and save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

In this deeply personal episode of Walk With Me Conversations, Stephanie sits down with author Rich Dunning, whose memoir, Silence Was My First Language, tells the story of a childhood shaped by poverty, instability, addiction, abuse, homelessness, and one overriding rule: stay silent.

Rich shares how those early survival patterns followed him into adulthood. Despite building a successful career and becoming a husband and father, unresolved trauma remained beneath the surface, eventually contributing to severe alcoholism and the unraveling of the life he had worked so hard to create.

This conversation isn't only about what happened to Rich. It's about what he chose to do next.

Rich opens up about sobriety, Alcoholics Anonymous, learning healthier ways to cope, rebuilding trust, accepting responsibility for the pain he caused, and discovering that our past can explain our patterns without giving us permission to continue them.

Together, Stephanie and Rich explore what it means to recognize the patterns we've inherited, consciously interrupt them, and choose how we spend our time and attention moving forward.

In This Conversation

You'll hear about:

• Why silence became a survival strategy during Rich's childhood

• How unresolved childhood trauma can follow us into adulthood

• Addiction, rock bottom, and the decision to finally ask for help

• The role AA played in Rich's recovery

• Accountability versus using our past as an excuse

• Rebuilding trust and relationships after addiction

• Reparenting yourself and developing healthier coping skills

• Why breaking generational cycles requires both awareness and action

• Turning personal pain into purpose and service

• Why Rich wrote Silence Was My First Language

• His hope that sharing his story helps someone else recognize that it is never too late to change

Rich describes the book as something that eventually became bigger than his own healing—a way for another person struggling with trauma, addiction, or destructive patterns to see that change is still possible and that asking for help can be the beginning of a completely different life.

About Rich Dunning

Rich Dunning is the author of Silence Was My First Language, a memoir about survival, addiction, accountability, and the long journey of confronting the truth after a childhood spent learning to remain silent.

Rich and his wife are also behind The First Language Foundation, an initiative focused on helping vulnerable children facing circumstances including homelessness, addiction, abuse, and exploitation. Rich shared that he is committed to donating $1 from every book he sells to support the foundation's work.

His message to anyone who believes they've gone too far, lost too much, or made too many mistakes is simple: your story isn't over. You can take responsibility, change direction, rebuild, recover, and find purpose.

Connect With Rich

Rich Dunning / Silence Was My First Language:
Visit Rich Dunning Books

Connect with Rich on LinkedIn:
Rich Dunning on LinkedIn

Learn about The First Language Foundation:
The First Language Foundation

Contact Rich:
richdunningbooks@gmail.com

Continue Walking With Me

If this conversation brought something to the surface for you—a pattern you're ready to examine, a story you're ready to rewrite, or a part of yourself you're ready to understand more deeply—don't stop here.

Explore more conversations, resources, Stephanie's book, My Full Script Link, the Walk With Me Conversations podcast, and the Root To Bloom Practice at:

WalkWithMeConversations.com

Your roots are part of your story.

They don't have to determine where you bloom next.

Listen. Reflect. Take action. And keep walking.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of childhood abuse and trauma, addiction, alcoholism, homelessness, suicidal crisis, and recovery.

To book a private session with me: https://calendly.com/stephanie-bloom5280

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
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In this deeply encouraging conversation, Stephanie sits down with Amy Lenius, holistic health advocate, coach, and speaker, to explore what happens when we stop waiting for someone else to rescue our health and begin becoming active participants in our own healing.

After years of living with endometriosis, chronic pain, surgeries, medications, and discouraging prognoses, Amy chose a different path. Through curiosity, education, lifestyle changes, and a commitment to consistent action, she gradually transformed both her health and her mindset.

Together, Stephanie and Amy discuss why sustainable healing is built through small daily decisions rather than quick fixes, why self-belief is one of the greatest predictors of success, and how learning to understand your own body can become one of the most empowering journeys you'll ever take.

Whether you're navigating chronic illness, hormonal changes, burnout, or simply searching for hope, this episode offers practical wisdom and encouragement to help you take your next step.

In This Episode

• Amy's journey from chronic illness and endometriosis to holistic healing
• Why curiosity is one of the most powerful healing tools
• The difference between symptom management and addressing root causes
• Building self-belief through small, consistent actions
• The connection between hormones, inflammation, stress, and overall wellness
• Why perfection isn't required for transformation
• How to recognize your body's signals before illness becomes overwhelming
• The importance of sustainable habits over temporary motivation
• Creating a healing lifestyle instead of chasing quick fixes
• Supporting women's health through every season of life
• Learning to advocate for yourself within the healthcare system
• Why mindset is often the missing ingredient in long-term healing

Memorable Takeaways

"Healing isn't about one magic solution. It's about stacking small wins over time."

"You don't have to control everything—you just have to take ownership of what you can control."

"Self-belief grows every time you keep a promise you make to yourself."

"Your best days don't have to be behind you."

Connect with Amy Lenius

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amylenius

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amylenius

Amy also offers free community support through her social media channels and invites listeners to reach out directly with questions or to learn more about her coaching programs.

Connect with Stephanie Bloom

If this conversation resonated with you and you're looking for support on your own healing journey, visit:

https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

There you'll find hundreds of inspiring conversations with survivors, authors, therapists, advocates, and practitioners sharing the tools that helped them heal from trauma, addiction, grief, chronic illness, and life's greatest challenges.

If you're interested in working directly with Stephanie through Root to Bloom Consulting, book here for holistic wellness coaching, nervous system support, and personalized health consulting.

If you enjoyed this episode:

• Subscribe to Walk With Me – Conversations With Real People
• Leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts
• Share this episode with someone who needs hope today

Every story has the power to help someone else heal. 

Jay Sapovitz grew up close to his father, spending much of his childhood around sports and racetracks. By 13, Jay had started gambling. Before long, gambling wasn't simply something he did—it had begun swallowing his identity. He worked constantly to fund it, surrounded himself with older gamblers, and eventually chose UNLV as his college destination while already deep in an addiction he couldn't yet see clearly.

By his early twenties, Jay had reached a devastating bottom. Sitting alone in his parents' basement, he realized he could no longer keep living the way he had been living. The turning point came when he finally did something addiction had made incredibly difficult: he told the truth.

Jay made his last bet on March 6, 1997, and walked into his first recovery meeting four days later.

But this conversation isn't simply a story about quitting gambling.

Jay talks candidly about what happened after recovery—including professional success, entrepreneurship, the return of ego in a different form, and the realization that you can stop one destructive behavior without necessarily addressing everything underneath it. Eventually, he recommitted himself to recovery through honesty, community, service, and putting others before himself.

In This Conversation, We Explore

• How gambling became normalized for Jay at a very young age

• The relationship between addiction, identity, insecurity, and ego

• What finally pushed Jay to admit he had a gambling problem

• Why there isn't one "right" reason—or one right way—to recover

• The difference between stopping a behavior and continuing to do the deeper work

• How success and ego created an entirely different kind of rock bottom

• Why service became transformational in Jay's recovery

• Learning to separate what is actually true from the stories our minds create

• The surprising power of saying, "I don't know"

• Why recovery isn't linear, even decades later

• The importance of tools, resources, action, and community

• Learning to let other people have their own experiences—including our children

• Why honesty may be one of the most important ingredients in getting and staying well

Jay describes recovery not as something he completed, but as something he continues to practice. Nearly three decades after his last bet, he still has difficult thoughts, fear, self-pity, and moments when his mind tells him stories that simply aren't true. The difference is that today, he has tools—and he knows he has to use them.

As Jay puts it, recovery requires showing up every day.

Connect with Jay Sapovitz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jaysap
Ink'd Stores: inkdstores.com

Continue the Conversation

If something in Jay's story resonated with you, there are many more conversations, resources, and tools waiting for you at WalkWithMeConversations.com.

Explore past episodes, learn more about the people behind these conversations, discover resources for your own journey, and find ways to connect.

And if this episode made you think of someone who might need to hear it, share it with them. Sometimes one honest story reaches us at exactly the right moment.

If you're enjoying Walk With Me – Conversations With Real People, please also take a minute to rate and review the podcast on the platform where you're listening. Reviews help more people discover the show and allow these stories of resilience, healing, growth, and very real human experience to reach further.

Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to continue walking with us.

Content Note

This episode includes candid discussion of gambling addiction, suicidal thoughts, and recovery. Please listen with care.

In this deeply thoughtful conversation, Stephanie Bloom sits down with licensed therapist, storyteller, and author Johnzelle Anderson to explore the profound connection between identity, trauma, storytelling, and healing.

Growing up as a mixed-race child in the American South, John struggled to find belonging while navigating racism, abuse, neglect, and the confusion of being defined by everyone except himself. Yet throughout every difficult chapter, a quiet spark of hope remained.

That hope eventually led him to become a therapist, a writer, and the author of Mixtape, a memoir that reminds us that our stories don't have to imprison us—they can become the very thing that sets us free.

Together, Stephanie and Johnzelle explore why storytelling is one of humanity's oldest healing practices, how writing can become therapy, and why every person has a story worth telling.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why identity is often shaped by the stories we're told—and how to reclaim your own.

• How childhood trauma influences the way we see ourselves.

• The healing power of books, music, education, and creativity.

• Why writing your story can transform your relationship with your past.

• The difference between surviving life and truly living it.

• How therapists use narrative therapy to help people rewrite limiting beliefs.

• Why perfection keeps so many people from sharing their gifts.

• Practical advice for anyone who wants to begin writing, creating, or simply telling their own story.

• The importance of self-kindness as a lifelong healing practice.

Throughout the conversation, John reminds us that hope isn't wishful thinking—it's something built through experience, resilience, and choosing to keep moving forward, even when life feels uncertain.

Memorable Takeaways

"You are worthy of love, understanding, and belonging—not because you've earned it, but because you're human."

Healing often begins the moment we stop letting others define our story.

Creativity isn't reserved for artists. Whether through writing, painting, music, conversation, or simply sharing your experiences, telling your story is an act of courage.

Your past may explain you—but it doesn't have to define your future.

About Johnzelle Anderson

Johnzelle Anderson is a licensed therapist, storyteller, and author of Mixtape, a coming-of-age memoir exploring race, identity, trauma, belonging, resilience, and the lifelong pursuit of hope. His work combines narrative therapy, personal storytelling, and compassionate insight to help people better understand themselves and the stories that shape their lives.

Connect with John

Website: https://johnzelle.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnzelle_

Book: Mixtape: A Memoir
Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook through John's website and major online booksellers.

Continue Your Own Healing Journey

If this conversation encouraged you, challenged your perspective, or reminded you that your story matters, we'd love to continue walking alongside you.

Visit https://WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore hundreds of conversations with survivors, therapists, researchers, authors, and advocates who openly share the tools, therapies, and practices that helped them heal.

You'll also find articles, resources, and new episodes designed to help you better understand trauma, resilience, mental health, and whole-person healing.

Because healing isn't something we were ever meant to do alone.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs a little more hope today.

To book a private session with me: https://calendly.com/stephanie-bloom5280 My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

Others allow adversity to transform how they live.

In this inspiring episode of Walk With Me Conversations, Stephanie Bloom sits down with Bron Watson—nurse, educator, entrepreneur, mother of five, and founder of The Serenity Project. After surviving breast cancer and later being diagnosed with incurable multiple myeloma, Bron discovered that healing is about far more than medicine. It is about learning to live fully in the present, caring for yourself with intention, and finding peace even when certainty is impossible.

Rather than allowing illness to define her, Bron shares how she rebuilt her life around one guiding principle: healing is a journey, not a destination.

This conversation is filled with wisdom for anyone facing illness, trauma, grief, burnout, uncertainty, or simply wondering how to reconnect with themselves.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Bron's childhood, early bullying, and how it shaped her confidence and identity

• The pressure of always being the "good girl" and putting everyone else's needs first

• Building successful businesses while quietly ignoring her own inner voice

• How a breast cancer diagnosis forced her to reevaluate everything

• Why self-care is a necessity—not a luxury

• Living with an incurable blood cancer while choosing hope, courage, and purpose

• The difference between curing disease and pursuing healing

• Learning to become comfortable with uncertainty instead of trying to control it

• How emotional, mental, and physical stress all influence our health

• The Serenity Prayer as a practical framework for everyday life

• Why "be where your feet are" has become Bron's daily philosophy

• The importance of becoming an active participant in your own health journey

• Creating The Serenity Project to bridge science, evidence, and the human spirit

Memorable Quotes

"Healing isn't something that happens to you. It's a path you choose to walk."

"Self-care isn't selfish. It's how we keep showing up for the people we love."

"You may not be able to control your circumstances, but you can choose how you respond."

"Be where your feet are."

Key Takeaways

Bron reminds us that adversity comes in many forms—not only illness, but loss, broken relationships, financial hardship, burnout, and uncertainty.

While we cannot always control what happens to us, we can learn to:

• Slow down enough to hear our inner wisdom

• Focus on what is actually within our control

• Stop allowing fear to dictate today's decisions based on tomorrow's possibilities

• Care for ourselves with the same compassion we offer others

• Accept that healing looks different for every person

Her story is a powerful reminder that courage is not the absence of fear—it is choosing to move forward anyway.

Connect with Bron Watson

🌐 The Serenity Project
https://serenityproject.com.au

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwatson/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/bronwatson/

Podcast: The Serenity Project Podcast

Newsletter and community:
https://serenityproject.com.au

Continue Your Journey

If this conversation encouraged you, inspired you, or reminded you that healing is possible—even when life feels uncertain—we invite you to explore more conversations just like this.

At Walk With Me Conversations, we believe healing begins when people are willing to share honest stories, difficult experiences, and the wisdom they've gained along the way.

🎙️ Visit https://WalkWithMeConversations.com to discover more podcast episodes, resources, books, and conversations designed to help you navigate trauma, healing, resilience, and personal growth.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who may need this message today.

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

Ben shares the extraordinary story of growing up amidst childhood trauma, religious extremism, and emotional wounding, only to find himself drawn toward Native American healing traditions from a young age. That calling eventually led him to become the apprentice of Horace Daukei, one of the last renowned Kiowa medicine men, where he was introduced to vision quests, Indigenous healing practices, and a radically different understanding of health and human potential.

Throughout the conversation, Ben discusses the impact of trauma, attachment wounds, grief, and emotional pain—not only in his own life, but in the lives of the many people he has worked with over the decades. He also reflects on the challenges of balancing spiritual development with emotional maturity, sharing lessons learned from gifted teachers who possessed extraordinary healing abilities while still struggling with their own unresolved wounds.

This episode explores:

• Ben's childhood experiences with trauma, abuse, and religious fear
• His lifelong fascination with Native American culture and healing traditions
• Becoming the apprentice of a respected Kiowa medicine man
• Vision quests and their role in personal transformation
• Healing attachment wounds and emotional trauma
• The connection between body, mind, emotions, and spiritual growth
• Meditation, Qigong, and somatic healing practices
• Why healing is an ongoing process rather than a destination
• The importance of integrating spiritual growth with emotional health
• Practical ways to begin processing and healing emotional pain

Ben offers profound insights into how our lived experiences become stored in the body and how intentional practices can help us digest, process, and transform those experiences into growth and resilience.

If you've ever struggled with trauma, grief, abandonment, emotional patterns that seem impossible to break, or questions about the deeper dimensions of healing, this conversation offers both wisdom and hope.

Connect with Ben Oofana

🌐 Website: https://BenOofana.com

🌐 Meditation Resources: https://teachmetomeditate.com

📺 YouTube: Search "Ben Ufana" for long-form teachings and educational content

📞 Contact: 332-333-5155

If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to explore more conversations about healing, recovery, resilience, trauma, and personal transformation at:

🌿 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

There you'll find hundreds of inspiring interviews, resources, and stories designed to help you navigate your own journey toward healing and wholeness.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may benefit from this conversation.

Remember: healing isn't about becoming someone else—it's about returning to who you've always been beneath the wounds.

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show write a review or:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

Lena shares her story of growing up in a home shaped by criticism, emotional neglect, and generational trauma. From the heartbreak of having her childhood diary publicly exposed to decades spent hiding behind achievement and perfectionism, Lena opens up about how survival patterns can disconnect us from our true selves.

At age 51, after the death of her mother, Lena experienced a profound emotional awakening that began a decade-long journey toward healing and wholeness. Through therapy, dance, singing, writing, and learning to be fully present in the moment, she slowly reclaimed the voice and joy she had buried for most of her life.

This episode is an honest and compassionate conversation about:

• Childhood emotional abuse and shame
• Generational trauma and survival patterns
• The masks we wear to stay safe
• Learning self-compassion later in life
• Reconnecting to the body through movement and creativity
• Hospice work, death, and spiritual presence
• Finding authenticity, voice, and joy after trauma
• Why it's never too late to heal

Lena's story is a reminder that healing doesn't erase the past—it transforms our relationship with it.

Guest Information

Lena Fein
Author of Shattering the Mirror
Available on Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, and BookBaby.

Connect & Support

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. Your support helps these conversations reach more people walking their own healing journey.

Visit:
🌿 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com
for more episodes, resources, and conversations centered around healing, growth, trauma recovery, and authentic living.

Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow the podcast for future conversations that remind us we're never walking alone.

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

What does it really look like to rebuild your life after unimaginable loss?

In this deeply moving conversation, I sit down with Becky Smith-Gallai, author, speaker, and resilience expert, whose life has been shaped by profound adversity—and an unwavering commitment to finding possibility through it.

From losing her brother at a young age… to raising multiple children with complex medical needs… to becoming suddenly paralyzed as a single mother—Becky's story is not just about survival. It's about transformation.

Together, we explore how grief evolves over time, how to navigate uncertainty when there are no answers, and the practical tools that can help you keep moving forward—even in the hardest seasons of life.

If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to carry what life has handed you—this conversation will meet you there.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Becky's concept of "Pivot to Possible" and what it means in real life
• Navigating multiple layers of grief and unexpected loss
• The reality of raising children with special needs
• Living with paralysis and rebuilding identity after life-changing events
• Why grief is a "strange companion" that never fully leaves
• The power of journaling to process emotions and move forward
• How to build your support system—"who's in your boat"
• Managing uncertainty and conserving your emotional energy
• Turning pain into purpose through writing and service
• Daily practices that support resilience, gratitude, and healing

Key Takeaways:

• Grief looks different for everyone—and there is no "right" way to process it
• You don't have to have all the answers to take the next step
• Small, consistent actions can carry you through even the darkest seasons
• Community and connection are essential for healing
• Life can be good… but it takes intention and effort

About Becky Smith-Gallai

Becky Smith-Gallai is an author, speaker, and advocate for resilience and possibility. Through her writing and lived experience, she helps others navigate grief, uncertainty, and life's unexpected challenges.

She is the author of:

• Rethinking Possible: A Memoir of Resilience
• Morning Fuel: Daily Inspirations to Stretch Your Mind Before Starting Your Day

Her work has touched thousands through her writing, speaking, and the communities she's helped build.

Connect with Becky

• https://rebeccafayesmithgalli.com/
• Books available through major retailers (Amazon, etc.)

Call to Action

If this conversation resonated with you, I invite you to take the next step in your own journey.

👉 Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com for more powerful conversations, resources, and tools to support your healing, growth, and transformation.

And if you found value in this episode:

• Share it with someone who needs to hear it
• Leave a review to help us reach more people
• Subscribe so you never miss a conversation

Final Thought

"Life can be good no matter what… but the operative word is can. It takes effort—but it's worth pivoting to possible."

We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Click here to schedule a 1-on-1 private discovery call: https://calendly.com/stephanie-bloom5280/free-discovery-call-15-minutes
 Follow our YouTube channel: youtu.be/PyfCcN2Ev04

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Brian Power, an integrated attachment theory coach, to explore how childhood experiences shape the way we love, communicate, and connect. From a chaotic upbringing marked by instability and addiction to nearly losing his marriage, Brian shares the journey that forced him to confront his deepest wounds—and ultimately transform them.

This conversation is a powerful look at what happens when we stop blaming, start taking ownership, and finally learn the tools we were never taught.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• How childhood instability and abandonment wounds shape adult relationships
• The impact of addiction, emotional absence, and generational patterns
• Why we repeat unhealthy relationship cycles (even when we don't want to)
• The role of subconscious beliefs in driving behavior
• What attachment theory is—and why it matters
• How miscommunication and emotional triggers escalate conflict
• The breaking point that nearly ended Brian's marriage
• How doing individual healing work can transform a relationship
• The importance of tools, structure, and support in personal growth
• Why healing is a lifelong process—not a one-time fix

Key Takeaways:

• We are not broken—but we are often carrying unhealed wounds
• Awareness is the first step to changing patterns
• You can't change your partner—but you can change how you show up
• Even one person doing the work can shift a relationship dynamic
• Rock bottom can become the foundation for transformation
• Healing requires consistency, support, and willingness to look inward

About the Guest: Brian Power

Brian Power is an Integrated Attachment Theory Coach dedicated to helping individuals and couples understand their patterns, heal core wounds, and build healthier relationships. After transforming his own relationship through deep inner work, Brian now helps others navigate the same journey.

Connect with Brian:

• Website: https://myrelationshipfail.com
• Podcast: My Relationship Fail
• Free Relationship Strategy Session available through his website

Call to Action

If this episode resonated with you, and you're ready to go deeper into your own healing journey, visit:
👉 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

Explore more conversations, tools, and resources designed to support your growth, your relationships, and your path toward embodied healing.

And if you found value in this episode, share it with someone who needs to hear it—because healing expands when we walk together.

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
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 Follow our YouTube channel: youtu.be/PyfCcN2Ev04  

Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

David grew up in a military family and eventually followed that path himself, attending Penn State and becoming a Marine officer. His career included leadership roles and deployment to Somalia during the early 1990s. The experience gave him a deep understanding of discipline, strategy, and the psychology of human behavior. 

But David's story is about far more than military service.

Behind the structure of his career, he was navigating a much deeper personal journey — wrestling with questions about love, identity, faith, and what it means to live in alignment with truth. Through relationship challenges, spiritual awakenings, and years of self-reflection, David began exploring tools like meditation, journaling, coaching, and mindset practices to better understand himself and the human experience.

Today, David uses his experiences as a writer and coach to help others explore purpose, personal responsibility, and the deeper spiritual questions that shape our lives.

This conversation explores:

• Growing up in a military family and entering the Marine Corps

• Lessons from combat leadership and military culture

• The impact of childhood experiences and spiritual awakening

• Relationship patterns and personal transformation

• The power of journaling, meditation, and mindset work

• Exploring faith, purpose, and personal responsibility

If you've ever found yourself questioning your path or searching for deeper meaning in your experiences, this episode offers an honest and thoughtful look at what it means to do the inner work.

Connect with the Guest

Continue the Conversation

If this episode resonated with you, you can explore more conversations, healing resources, and podcast episodes at:

👉 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

You'll also find links to past guests, additional resources, and ways to stay connected with the Walk With Me community.

We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
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 Follow our YouTube channel: youtu.be/PyfCcN2Ev04

Dale's journey began in the summer of 1975, when a psychotic break during his freshman year at Dartmouth College led to involuntary hospitalization and a diagnosis that would shape much of his adult life. What followed were years inside psychiatric institutions, long-term stigma, and a mental health system that, at the time, offered little hope for recovery.

In this episode, Dale speaks candidly about:

• The culture of psychiatry in the 1970s and how it framed schizophrenia as incurable

• The lasting impact of being told he had "broken his brain"

• Anosognosia—why many people with mental illness don't believe they're ill

• The language gap between those with mental illness and those without

• Cannabis, personal agency, and controversial paths to self-regulation

• Creativity, poetry, and meaning-making as survival tools

• What it means to finally release a lifelong delusion and reclaim identity

Today, Dale is living independently, writing poetry, and mentoring family caregivers of people with schizophrenia, helping them move out of burnout and codependency and into resilience, self-worth, and compassionate understanding.

This episode challenges conventional narratives around mental illness and recovery—and offers a powerful reminder that healing is not linear, fast, or one-size-fits-all.

🌱 About the Guest: Dale Walsh

Dale Walsh is a poet, mental health advocate, and mentor for family caregivers of individuals living with schizophrenia. Drawing from decades of lived experience, Dale focuses on educating caregivers while helping them rebuild self-esteem, emotional resilience, and healthy boundaries.

🔗 Connect with Dale

• Website: https://www.dewlivelove.net

• Schedule a Session (Calendly): https://www.calendly.com/dalecoach55

✨ Call to Action

If this conversation resonated with you, we invite you to explore more stories like this at
👉 https://www.WalkWithMeConversations.com

You'll find podcast episodes, reflections, and resources centered on healing, resilience, and the shared human experience.

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review to help these stories reach the people who need them most.

What follows is a powerful story of neuroplasticity, relentless rehab, and a mindset anchored in possibility. Clinton walks us through his long road back: from ICU and rehab at Craig Hospital, to relearning movement inch by inch, to picking up his guitar again and even climbing a rock wall seven and a half years later.

He also speaks candidly about chronic nerve pain, the emotional cost of losing independence, and how moments of despair pushed him to search for anything that could help him stay alive and moving forward.

Ultimately, Clinton's story is a reminder to focus on what's still here—what you can do—and to keep building your life around that truth.

What We Talk About

• Clinton's upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio, and the emotional independence he learned early in life
• A restless, adventurous adulthood that took him traveling, into music, and finally to Colorado outdoor life
• The 2017 bike crash: helmeted impact, instant paralysis, and the eerie peace of the scene
• Why his injury allowed recovery: contusions, stenosis, and neuroplastic re-routing
• Intensive rehab, visualization, and self-designed exercises to regain hand and body function
• Returning to guitar through adaptive techniques and persistence
• Chronic neuropathic pain and the mental toll of being abruptly cut off from prescribed pain meds
• How kratom became a bridge for pain survival when other options disappeared
• Adaptive sports and reclaiming joy: three-wheeled mountain biking, support organizations, and getting back outside
• Clinton's guiding philosophy: "What can I do?" and learning gratitude for the small things

Memorable Moments

·         The split-second shift from terror to certainty that he would be okay after the crash

• "Belief and vision" as a core part of recovery, alongside medical reality
• Rebuilding a life through tiny wins: a thumb, a hand, standing, walking, and playing music again
• Gratitude as a daily practice rooted in regained independence

Resources Mentioned

Clinton shares places to learn about spinal cord injuries, support research, or find adaptive-sport help:

• Spinopedia
• Christopher Reeve Foundation
• Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP)
• High Fives Foundation
• Kelly Brush Foundation

About the Guest

Clinton Bartok is a former extreme-outdoor athlete, licensed acupuncturist, musician, and spinal cord injury survivor. After being diagnosed as a quadriplegic with central cord syndrome, he rebuilt his life through rehab, adaptive sports, and a deep commitment to accessibility advocacy.

If this conversation moved you, please take a moment to share the episode with someone who might need it. And for more stories of resilience, healing, and the human spirit—plus past episodes and resources—visit WalkWithMeConversations.com.

Anat shares her personal journey from childhood in Israel to becoming a mentor for those seeking emotional resilience and self-trust. She opens up about the impact of growing up in a home where love existed, but emotional expression did not — and how that early conditioning shaped her ability to connect, self-soothe, and feel safe within herself.

Through candid stories and practical wisdom, Anat reveals why positive thinking alone can't heal emotional wounds, how reparenting the self can create lasting transformation, and what it means to build true safety in the body. Together, we unpack the difference between coping and healing — and why learning to feel is the key to freedom.

What We Talk About

• The limits of "thinking positive" and the cost of emotional bypassing
• Growing up in an environment where discomfort was avoided
• How friendship and reflection sparked Anat's journey toward self-discovery
• Reparenting the inner child and learning to hold space for difficult emotions
• Practical tools to regulate the nervous system and create safety within
• Why emotional resilience is essential for breaking generational cycles

Key Quotes

"My mom believed all you had to do was think positive — but she didn't know how to make room for us to feel."

"Healing isn't about fixing yourself; it's about remembering how to feel safe being you."

"Your nervous system is always listening — it's sensing either safety or threat. The goal is to stay present while you feel."

"When we learn to hold our emotions, we stop outsourcing our peace."

Connect with Anat Peri

• 🌐 trainingcampforthesoul.com

Connect with Stephanie Bloom

Explore more conversations on healing, growth, and human resilience at
👉 WalkWithMeConversations.com

Subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who's ready to start feeling — not just thinking — their way toward healing.

🌍 Episode Overview

In this episode of Walk With Me, Stephanie sits down with Lisa Franz, a world traveler and nutrition coach who's helping people around the globe break free from restrictive diets and find joy in mindful, balanced living.

From growing up across continents to finding her calling after a personal battle with food restriction, Lisa shares her journey of transformation — one that began with tears in a Thai food court and blossomed into a life of freedom, balance, and compassion.

💬 In This Conversation, You'll Hear About:

• Lisa's international upbringing — from Germany to West Africa to the American Midwest
• How her global experiences shaped her view of humanity and connection
• The breaking point that led her from food fear to food freedom
• Why moderation and consistency are the real keys to health
• The shift from being a police officer to becoming a full-time nutrition coach
• What she's learned from 53 countries about how culture and food connect us
• How slowing down and eating mindfully can change your life
• The importance of self-compassion, curiosity, and living with intention

✨ Memorable Quotes

"We're all a lot more alike than we are different."

"I started crying in Thailand because everything felt off-limits — that's when I knew I wasn't meant to live in fear of food."

"Moderation and consistency sound boring, but they're magic."

"Food should enrich your life — not take away from it."

🔗 Connect with Lisa Franz

• Website: Nutrition Coaching and Life
• Podcast: Nutrition Coaching and Life
• Instagram & YouTube: @nutritioncoachingandlife
• LinkedIn: Lisa Franz

💡 About This Episode

Lisa's story is a reminder that wellness isn't about perfection — it's about awareness, balance, and freedom. Whether you're on your own health journey, exploring new cultures, or learning to trust yourself again, this episode will inspire you to take the next step with courage and compassion.

🎧 Listen & Learn More

Listen to this episode and explore more inspiring conversations at WalkWithMeConversations.com — where stories of healing, resilience, and self-discovery come to life.

Through meditation, therapeutic practices, and a willingness to face his inner narrative, Peter uncovered the strength to leave behind a business, a country, and a life that no longer fit. Now, as a systemic coach, he helps others do the same: get unstuck, ask better questions, and build lives rooted in clarity and meaning.

🧠 Topics We Cover:

• The hidden impact of childhood shame and family silence
• The misconception of "laziness" as a symptom of depression
• What it's like to have outward success but inward despair
• The life-saving power of yoga, meditation, and inner inquiry
• How coaching became both a personal and professional turning point
• Tools Peter uses to help others shift limiting beliefs
• Why self-awareness—not perfection—is the real goal

🧰 Mentioned Modalities & Tools:

• Meditation & breathwork
• Hypnotherapy & regression
• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
• Journaling, gratitude, and affirmations
• Morning and evening rituals for emotional regulation

🔁 Key Quote:

"Don't believe everything you think. I went from a really dark place to a life filled with joy. If I can do it, others can too."

🔗 Ready to Go Deeper?

Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to become a supporting member, access bonus content, and connect with stories that heal, uplift, and transform.

Guest: Nick Barrett, Founder of Cord Brick LLC

Episode Overview: In today's episode, we hear from Nick Barrett, the founder of Cord Brick LLC, as he shares his remarkable story of transformation—from overcoming addiction to launching a successful entrepreneurial venture. Nick's journey is one of resilience, creativity, and growth. Through his candid conversation, he highlights the power of community, the importance of personal growth, and how his experiences in recovery led to the creation of his innovative product.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Nick's Early Life and Struggles: Growing up as a sports-loving 90s kid in Northern Virginia and later Philadelphia, Nick shares his childhood experiences and how insecurity led him to alcoholism as a way to cope.
• The Turning Point: How hitting rock bottom—through job loss, relationship breakdowns, and multiple DUIs—pushed Nick to confront his addiction and find sobriety.
• The Role of AA in His Recovery: Nick reflects on the importance of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and how the support and community in AA gave him the strength to rebuild his life.
• From Sobriety to Entrepreneurship: After getting sober, Nick transitioned into the entrepreneurial world, creating Cord Brick—an innovative product to solve the problem of tangled phone cords. Nick discusses the challenges and triumphs of building his business from the ground up.
• Building a Balanced Life: The importance of physical, mental, and emotional balance in both sobriety and entrepreneurship. Nick shares how he learned to prioritize self-care and discipline, leading to his success as a business owner.
• Mentorship and Giving Back: Nick's commitment to mentoring others and sharing his journey with aspiring entrepreneurs. He emphasizes how helping others has been a crucial part of his success.
• The Power of Personal Growth: How Nick's focus on personal development, overcoming obstacles, and staying disciplined in both recovery and business has led to sustainable success.

Key Quotes:

• "Building something, whether it's a product or a life, is all about doing it brick by brick."
• "The real power in recovery wasn't in the state-mandated programs, it was in the community I found through AA."
• "Every step in life is a chance to improve. Even when you're struggling, every new version of yourself is an opportunity to get better."
• "Sobriety taught me to manage risk, but being an entrepreneur taught me to embrace calculated risks and follow through."

Where to Find Nick:

• Website: Cord Brick
• Amazon: Cord Brick on Amazon
• Social Media:
• Instagram: @cordbrick
• LinkedIn: Nick Barrett

Resources:

• AA – Alcoholics Anonymous
• Florida Gulf Coast University Entrepreneurship Program

Subscribe and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! Your support helps us continue bringing inspiring stories like Nick's to the forefront.

Episode Summary:
In this episode, we sit down with Rodney Miles, a man who beautifully navigates the balance between his professional career and creative passions. Rodney discusses how he adopted his full name, "Rodney Miles," as both his professional pen name and a symbol of his evolving identity. He shares valuable insights into how being a professional doesn't mean abandoning your creative soul, and how embracing both sides of yourself can lead to authentic success.

Rodney's journey offers inspiration for anyone struggling to balance their creative pursuits with professional demands, emphasizing the importance of persistence, authenticity, and surrounding yourself with a supportive community.

Key Takeaways:

• Dual Identity: Rodney explains how adopting his full name as a professional pen name allowed him to fuse his creativity with his career.
• Balancing Creativity and Professionalism: It's possible to excel in both realms by staying true to your creative soul while pursuing career success.
• The Power of Community: Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who support your growth is essential for success.
• Evolving as a Creative: The importance of continuing to learn, adapt, and evolve, both professionally and creatively.

Quotable Insights:

• "Being a professional doesn't mean you have to leave your creative soul behind."
• "Surround yourself with people who understand your vision and will support your growth."
• "Stay true to yourself, continue learning, and don't be afraid to evolve."

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Introduction to Rodney Miles and the episode's theme
• 03:15 - Rodney's story and the significance of his full name as a professional pen name
• 08:45 - How Rodney balances his creative passions with his professional career
• 14:30 - The importance of surrounding yourself with a supportive community
• 20:00 - Evolving as a creative and the value of continuous learning
• 25:30 - Final thoughts and advice for aspiring creatives and professionals

Connect with Rodney:

• Rodney Miles' Website: https://rodneymiles.com/
• Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006731687965 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebookdude 

Join the Conversation:
We want to hear your thoughts! How do you balance your creative passions with your professional goals? Share with us on social media or send us a message!

🎙️ Walk With Me Podcast
Episode Title: Healing the Root: Tammy Cox on Breaking Cycles, Reclaiming Self, and Transforming Love
Host: Stephanie Bloom
Guest: Tammy Cox – Relationship Coach, Host of Behind the Veil Podcast

Episode Summary:
In this raw and illuminating conversation, Tammy Cox shares her journey from a traumatic childhood marked by abuse and religious control to becoming a transformational relationship coach. Tammy walks us through how she unraveled her own inherited wounds, recognized destructive patterns, and rebuilt her life through deep emotional work and spiritual clarity. Now, she helps other women uncover the subconscious beliefs keeping them stuck—especially in love—and walks with them toward genuine healing.

Tammy's story is not just one of personal evolution; it's a blueprint for stopping generational trauma and choosing emotional freedom over inherited pain. This episode explores the connection between inner healing and outer relationships, the limitations of talk therapy, the power of somatic release, and why motherhood became her wake-up call to finally heal.

What We Talk About:

• The trauma of being raised in a controlling and abusive environment
• Losing her father to AIDS at 11 and the psychological aftermath
• The internal conflict of grieving someone who hurt you
• How unresolved trauma shows up in motherhood and relationships
• Why traditional therapy didn't go deep enough
• The belief that ruled her life: "I am unlovable"
• What actually works to heal core wounds
• The importance of finding the root pattern and subconscious belief
• Releasing fear-based religion and embracing spirituality
• Creating a new legacy for her children by modeling emotional freedom
• The power of being fully present, even during conflict
• How she works with clients to guide them through deep transformation
• Why healing isn't quick—but it is possible

Quotable Insights:

"If I don't heal me, she is going to become me."
"Talk therapy was just a band-aid. I needed to go deeper—into the body, into the belief."
"You can't pass on what you haven't practiced. That includes peace."
"Every traumatic event comes with a belief. And that belief is creating your entire life experience."
"You're not just healing for yourself. You're healing for your lineage."

Connect with Tammy Cox:

• Website & Coaching: Tammy's Linktree
• Podcast: Behind the Veil: Anonymous Transformations

Trending Topics Covered:
mentalhealth • healingjourney • traumahealing • emotionalintelligence • selflove • innerchildhealing • somatichealing • mindfulness • resilience • relationshiprepair

Subscribe & Share:
If this episode spoke to you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone walking a similar path. Your support helps amplify these stories of transformation and hope.

Her story is not only about hardship but also resilience and growth. Jen opens up about the path to recovery, emphasizing that healing is a continuous journey shaped by community, honesty, and support. She has transformed her own experiences into a message of hope, aiming to be an ally for others navigating similar challenges.

Full Script carries a variety of items, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, and more. I personally uses this site for my own supplements and wellness care products due to its competitive prices. By shopping through the provided link, I earn a small commission, which helps spread messages of hope. If you haven't already, consider signing up to start saving on quality products.

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with Shane in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.           

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with Walt in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.      

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

My affiliate link to Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope! 

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

As always,  you can always find the links to connect with  Marcy and her offerings in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It is really helpful to receive these commissions as they pay for some of the time I put into this effort. I sincerely appreciate you signing up today!

Lastly, if you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at WalkWithMeConversations@gmail.com. Reviews of this show on what ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful. If you send me a screen shot of your review, I'll read it aloud on the next recorded episode.

Connect with Audrey at her website Exhortation.media or on Facebook  

Support your favorite show and save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

In this powerful episode of Walk With Me, Dan McQueen shares the incredible story of surviving a catastrophic brain hemorrhage after what initially seemed like "just headaches." From a vibrant life in London working for Hootsuite to emergency brain surgery, a coma, and the brutal process of relearning how to function, Dan's story is a masterclass in resilience, mindset, and refusing to surrender.

Rather than embracing victimhood, Dan chose something different: relentless determination. Through humor, honesty, and unforgettable storytelling, he reveals how perspective became the foundation of his recovery and how small daily decisions rebuilt his life one step at a time.

Now a keynote speaker based in Vancouver, Canada, Dan speaks internationally about resilience, change management, motivation, and navigating adversity with intention.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Growing up in Canada and building resilience through sports
• Moving to Sweden and London in pursuit of adventure and career opportunities
• The terrifying moment Dan suddenly lost his vision in a London tube station
• Discovering a non-cancerous cyst on his pineal gland
• Emergency brain surgery complications and surviving a brain hemorrhage
• Waking from a coma unable to walk or speak
• The mindset that carried him through rehabilitation
• Relearning how to walk in one of London's toughest neighborhoods
• Why perspective changes everything
• "It's not what happens to you, but how you respond that matters"
• The importance of daily decisions and intentional living
• Turning pain into purpose through public speaking

Memorable Quotes from Dan:

"I wasn't going to let this define me."

"If I can walk here, I can walk anywhere."

"You get to do this."

"Play the hand you've got and play it as best you possibly can."

"When you change the way you look at the world, the world you look at changes."

Connect with Dan McQueen

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmcqueen/

Call to Action

If this conversation encouraged or inspired you, please share this episode with someone who may need hope, resilience, or a reminder that perspective matters.

For more inspiring stories, healing conversations, and resources for personal growth, visit:
🌿 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom 

In this episode of Walk With Me—Conversations With Real People, Stephanie speaks with Michael Monk, founder of the Avatar Energy Mastery Institute. Michael describes growing up as the black sheep of his family, struggling to find a stable identity, and eventually transforming the qualities that once made him feel like an outsider into a path of teaching and service.

Michael shares his account of a profound spiritual awakening in 1999 and the years he spent exploring prayer, meditation, energy, consciousness, and what he understands as direct communication with God and the Holy Spirit. He also discusses leaving organized religion, questioning his own perceptions, developing practices intended to quiet the analytical mind, and learning to trust his spiritual experiences.

Together, Stephanie and Michael explore the distinction between belief and personal knowing, the relationship between spirituality and the physical body, the importance of discernment, and the difficulties people may face when their experiences do not fit conventional explanations.

The conversation also turns toward love, grief, and continuing bonds with those who have died. Michael offers his perspective that love forms an enduring connection between people—one that separation and death cannot erase.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Growing up as an outsider and creating an authentic identity
• Moving from self-doubt toward confidence and purpose
• Michael's personal account of a life-changing spiritual awakening
• The difference between inherited belief and direct experience
• Prayer, meditation, intuition, and inner discernment
• Questioning spiritual experiences without immediately dismissing them
• Michael's understanding of energy mastery and consciousness
• Finding meaning and purpose through teaching others
• Love as a bridge through grief, separation, and loss
• Redefining success, retirement, and a life well lived

Michael's experiences and spiritual interpretations are his own, but his story invites each of us to ask: What becomes possible when we approach the unknown with curiosity while remaining grounded in thoughtful discernment?

Connect with Michael Monk

Learn about the Avatar Energy Mastery Institute and the Metaphysical Church of the Tree of Life:

MichaelMonk.bio

Continue Walking With Us

For more honest conversations about healing, resilience, transformation, and the many ways people find their way forward, visit WalkWithMeConversations.com.

Listen, explore past episodes, and discover resources created to support your own healing journey.

Walk With Me—Conversations With Real People: a space where stories unfold, perspectives shift, and hearts connect—one conversation at a time.

To book a private session with me: https://calendly.com/stephanie-bloom5280

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

In this heart-wrenching and powerful episode, Stephanie Bloom sits down with Dave Maheler, a recovery coach and Wall Street professional whose life has been marked by staggering loss and unwavering resilience. From surviving 9/11 inside the World Trade Center to losing both of his children—one to fentanyl poisoning and one to chronic illness—Dave has experienced devastation most cannot imagine.

Yet, through grief and trauma, Dave found purpose. He now dedicates his life to supporting individuals and families navigating addiction, emphasizing the need for whole-family healing, dismantling stigma, and redefining what recovery really means.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• The difference between sobriety and true recovery
• How family dynamics can either hinder or support healing
• What it means to serve others as a path to healing
• Insights from coaching people in addiction recovery
• The impact of fentanyl and the urgency of awareness
• Dave's spiritual journey and how faith keeps him grounded
• Practical tools for relapse prevention and recovery support

💬 Notable Quotes:

"Sobriety is stopping. Recovery is changing."

"Families need to heal together. One person's recovery isn't enough if the whole house is broken."

"Every small victory is a building block. Don't wait for the miracle—acknowledge the progress."

✅ Resources Mentioned:

• Dave's website: GroundZeroRecoveryCoaching.com
• Celebrate Recovery program
• Nar-Anon family support

👣 Connect + Take Action:

If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear they're not alone. Healing is possible—even after devastation.

🖥️ For more powerful conversations about healing, resilience, and purpose, visit
👉 www.WalkWithMeConversations.com

Episode Summary

In this deeply moving conversation, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Anne Hintz, a woman who transformed a lifetime of trauma into a journey toward profound self-awareness and peace. From an early life marked by instability, loss, and fear to her discovery of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Anne shares how she learned to quiet her mind, release long-held emotional pain, and reconnect with her true self.

Through her story, Anne reveals how unresolved trauma lives within the body — and how learning to feel our feelings fully can unlock lasting freedom. Her healing journey moves from emotional release to physical transformation, even down to changes in her posture and sense of embodiment.

Together, Stephanie and Anne explore:

• The impact of childhood trauma and generational conditioning
• How EFT (tapping) helps release emotions stored in the body
• The connection between physical tension and emotional healing
• Why true peace begins with radical self-acceptance
• How awareness, compassion, and presence can transform not just your mind — but your entire being

About Anne Hintz

Anne is the author of A Pathway to Insight and a passionate advocate for emotional and energetic healing. Through her writing, YouTube channel, and workshops, she helps others experience the same inner peace she discovered through self-awareness and somatic release. Learn more about Anne and her work at AnneHintz.com.

Key Takeaway

Healing is not about escaping pain — it's about feeling it, understanding it, and allowing it to move through you. As Anne reminds us, "The only way out is through."

Listen Now

Tune in to hear how Anne turned chaos into calm — and how you can begin your own journey toward inner peace.

👉 For more inspiring conversations and resources on healing, self-discovery, and transformation, visit WalkWithMeConversations.com.

In this deeply personal conversation, Stephanie Bloom sits down with Elizabeth Munoz, founder of Soulhaven and creator of the Radiant CEO Movement, to explore how childhood trauma, nervous system dysregulation, perfectionism, and burnout can quietly shape the course of our lives.

Elizabeth shares her journey from growing up in an abusive home, serving in the military, navigating high-pressure corporate leadership, and surviving toxic relationships, to experiencing a complete nervous system shutdown that ultimately became the catalyst for profound healing.

Together, Stephanie and Elizabeth discuss what it really means to reconnect with your body, release survival patterns, build healthy boundaries, and create a life rooted in peace instead of performance.

This episode is a powerful reminder that healing isn't about becoming someone new—it's about returning home to who you've always been.

In this episode you'll discover:

• How childhood trauma influences adult relationships and self-worth

• Why so many high achievers live in chronic survival mode

• The hidden cost of performance-based identity

• What nervous system regulation actually looks like in everyday life

• How self-compassion helps break generational patterns

• Practical ways to reconnect with your body through breath, movement, and awareness

• Why healing happens through small, consistent steps—not overnight breakthroughs

• The difference between chasing happiness and cultivating "baseline joy"

• How redefining success can transform your work, family, and legacy

Memorable Takeaways

"Healing doesn't happen all at once—it happens one breath, one choice, and one step at a time."

"You don't have to earn your worth. You simply have to remember it."

"Your legacy isn't just what you build—it's how you show up for the people you love."

About Elizabeth Munoz

Elizabeth Munoz is the founder of Soulhaven, creator of the Radiant CEO Movement, and a psychology-trained leadership coach who helps women reconnect with themselves after burnout, trauma, and nervous system dysregulation.

Her work combines psychology, nervous system education, conscious technology, ritual, embodiment practices, and lived experience to help women build businesses and lives that support their well-being instead of sacrificing it.

Connect with Elizabeth

🌐 Soulhaven: https://soulhaven.com

📘 Free Resources & Journal:
https://soulhaven.com

(Visit the website for Elizabeth's free "Too Much, Not Enough" guide, journal, courses, and additional resources.)

Enjoying Walk With Me?

If this conversation encouraged you, please consider:

• Following the podcast on your favorite listening platform.
• Leaving a rating and review—it helps more people discover these stories of healing and hope.
• Sharing this episode with someone who may need the reminder that healing is possible.

Explore More Conversations

Every episode of Walk With Me: Conversations With Real People shares honest stories of resilience, trauma recovery, personal growth, and the practical tools that help people heal.

Visit https://WalkWithMeConversations.com to:

• Browse hundreds of conversations with therapists, authors, advocates, survivors, and coaches.

• Discover practical healing resources.

• Learn about Stephanie Bloom's work and books.

• Subscribe so you never miss a new episode.

Because no matter where you've been...

You don't have to walk alone.

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
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You can find the links to connect with Alan in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.      

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with Andrew in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Support your favorite show and save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Support your favorite show and save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

As always,  you can find the links to connect with Jill in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope! 

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Kay grew up in a large Midwestern family as the oldest of eight children. That early responsibility helped shape her curiosity about people and her desire to serve others. Over the years, that curiosity led her far beyond her hometown—working in community development projects in inner-city Chicago and eventually across the world.

For decades, Kay helped communities identify what they wanted for their future and develop practical strategies to make it happen. Her work took her from the United States to Western Samoa and Zambia, where she spent years working alongside local leaders to improve access to healthcare, education, and community resources.

Through those experiences, she discovered a powerful principle: transformation begins when we shift our focus from what's wrong to what's possible.

After returning to the United States, Kay transitioned into entrepreneurship, building a career in health insurance and later expanding into wellness education—helping people understand how diet, inflammation, and lifestyle choices impact long-term health.

Now in her seventies, Kay continues to share her knowledge about vitality, aging, and personal responsibility for health. She believes that by making intentional choices—about food, mindset, and daily habits—people can dramatically improve their quality of life.

This conversation explores:

• How childhood experiences shape our mindset about life

• Lessons learned from decades of global community development

• Why focusing on what you want is more powerful than focusing on what you don't want

• The connection between inflammation, diet, and chronic disease

• How lifestyle choices influence energy, longevity, and vitality

• Why gratitude and mindset play a critical role in overall health

Ultimately, Kay's message is one of empowerment: small changes in thinking and daily habits can lead to meaningful change over time.

About Our Guest

Kay is an entrepreneur, health advocate, and community development leader who has spent decades helping individuals and communities improve their lives through intentional decision-making and lifestyle change.

After years of global community development work, she now focuses on helping people improve their vitality through nutrition, mindset, and healthy lifestyle practices.

Learn More About Kay

Website:
https://masteryourvitality.com

Free Report:
https://masteryourvitality.com/free

Listen, Learn, and Walk With Us

If you enjoyed this conversation, we invite you to explore more powerful stories of resilience, healing, and transformation.

Visit the Walk With Me Conversations website to discover more episodes, guest stories, and resources.

👉 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

Support the Show

If this episode resonated with you:

• Share it with a friend

• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform

• Subscribe so you never miss an episode

Your support helps us continue sharing powerful stories that remind us we're never walking alone.

You can find the links to connect with Scotty in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.   

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

In this episode of the Walk With Me Podcast, Stephanie sits down with Dr. Sharnael, a practitioner, author, and educator whose work blends holistic health, spirituality, and the science of human energy and physiology.

Dr. Sharnael shares the deeply personal journey that led her into the world of natural healing. After years of struggling with serious health issues and being placed on more than thirty medications without improvement, she began searching for answers beyond conventional medicine. That search eventually led her to explore biohacking technologies, naturopathic approaches, and the intersection of spirituality and science — a path that ultimately transformed her health and her purpose.

Today, Dr. Sharnael works with clients both online and in person, helping people uncover root causes of health challenges and guiding them toward greater physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Throughout this conversation, Stephanie and Dr. Sharnael discuss the importance of questioning assumptions about health, the power of mindset and perspective, and why many people today feel disconnected, overwhelmed, or exhausted. They also explore how healing can sometimes begin with something simple but powerful: remembering who we are and reconnecting with purpose, gratitude, and love.

This episode is a powerful reminder that transformation is possible, even after seasons of illness, struggle, or uncertainty.

In This Episode

• Growing up in a military family and how constant change shaped Dr. Sharnael's worldview
• The health crisis that pushed her to search beyond traditional medical approaches
• Exploring the connection between physical health, emotional well-being, and spirituality
• The role of biohacking, naturopathic therapies, and lifestyle changes in healing
• Why so many people today feel exhausted, discouraged, or disconnected
• The importance of perspective, gratitude, and community during difficult seasons
• Encouraging people to remember their purpose and the value of their life

About Dr. Sharnael Wolverton-Sihon

Dr. Sharnael Wolverton-Sihon is a practitioner, author, and educator focused on holistic wellness, energy medicine, and spiritual development. She works with clients through remote and in-person services, including biofeedback, frequency work, and wellness consultations designed to help individuals restore balance and vitality.

She is also the host of a weekly podcast and the author of multiple books, including The Science of Miracles.

Connect with Dr. Sharnael

Website:
https://drsharnael.com

Through her website you can learn about:

• Soul Audit sessions
• Biofeedback services
• Retreats and events
• Books and wellness resources
• Podcast episodes and educational content

Walk With Me Podcast

If this conversation resonated with you, there are many more stories of resilience, healing, and transformation waiting for you.

Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to:

• Explore more podcast episodes
• Discover guest stories and resources
• Access tools for personal growth and healing
• Stay connected with the Walk With Me community

👉 Visit: https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

Share This Episode

If you found value in this conversation, please consider:

⭐ Subscribing to the podcast
⭐ Leaving a review
⭐ Sharing this episode with someone who might need encouragement today

Your support helps these stories reach the people who need them most.

You can find the links to connect with Dr. Joe Giordano, in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.        

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at Info@WalkWithMeConversations.com . Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

• What it's like growing up undiagnosed autistic and ADHD in the 90s
• Masking, people-pleasing, and the cost of being "the good kid"
• Panic attacks, anxiety, and sensory overload that went unseen
• Why autism in women and girls has been historically missed
• Parenting neurodivergent kids while discovering your own diagnosis
• Sensory sensitivities (sound, food, textures, touch, water, heat)
• Learning to work with your brain instead of against it
• Redefining self-care, routines, food, hygiene, and daily expectations
• Letting go of shame and embracing a neuro-affirming life
• Why there is no "right way" to be human

💡 Memorable Takeaways

"I wasn't lazy. I didn't lack discipline. I just didn't have the words."

"Good food is food you can eat."

"It's not your job to dim yourself to make other people comfortable."

"Different is not wrong."

📚 About the Guest: Dr. Kristen Williamson

Dr. Kristen Williamson is a licensed professional counselor specializing in autism, ADHD, anxiety, and trauma. She works exclusively with neurodivergent clients and is passionate about normalizing late diagnosis — especially for women.

Kristen is also the creator of:

• Neuro-Spicy Workbooks designed to help adults understand their brains with compassion
• A forthcoming book on late-diagnosed autism in women, from puberty through menopause

You can find her educational content on TikTok and Instagram by searching Dr. Kristen Williamson.

🎧 Why This Episode Matters

So many adults — especially women — grew up without language, support, or validation for their neurodivergence. This conversation offers relief, understanding, and permission to stop forcing yourself into boxes that were never made for you.

You are not broken.
You are not behind.
You are not too much.

🌱 Call to Action

If this episode resonated with you, there are more conversations just like this waiting for you.

👉 Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore episodes, resources, and stories that remind you that healing doesn't happen alone — it happens when we walk together.

And if you loved this episode, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who needs to hear they're not alone.

Raised in North Carolina by a single mother, Edward grew up navigating life without a consistent male role model — an experience that deeply shaped his understanding of the challenges many men face today.

After studying industrial design and briefly stepping into the corporate world, Edward realized the traditional path wasn't aligned with his purpose. A life-changing opportunity took him overseas, where he eventually built a life centered around education, personal growth, and helping others become the strongest version of themselves.

Through personal struggles, heartbreak, therapy, and self-reflection, Edward discovered a deeper calling: creating communities where men can find support, accountability, and connection.

Today, he leads wellness initiatives, networking events, and brotherhood communities focused on mindset, discipline, health, and personal development.

This conversation explores purpose, healing, masculinity, and the importance of building strong communities in a world where many people feel increasingly disconnected.

In This Episode We Discuss

• Growing up without consistent male role models
• How martial arts shaped discipline and mindset
• Choosing purpose over the traditional corporate path
• Living internationally and expanding perspective
• The impact of heartbreak and personal transformation
• ADHD, therapy, and understanding how the mind works
• Building brotherhood and community for men
• The role of discipline, movement, and physical health in emotional healing
• Why mindset and environment shape the life you create

Key Takeaways

Community matters
Many men struggle in isolation. Building strong brotherhood networks can provide accountability, support, and growth.

Hard experiences can become catalysts for growth
Heartbreak and adversity can reveal deeper purpose when approached with reflection and intention.

Discipline creates freedom
Daily habits like exercise, mindset work, and self-reflection create the foundation for long-term well-being.

Life moves forward whether we participate or not
Purpose must be chosen intentionally, or we risk living according to someone else's vision.

Resources & Links

Edward Okafor

Platform:
Wisdom of Men – Men's wellness and personal development community

Connect with Walk With Me Conversations

If you enjoyed this episode and want more conversations about healing, growth, and resilience:

🌿 Visit the official website:
https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

There you can explore:

• Full podcast episodes
• Guest resources and articles
• Healing tools and modalities
• Insights from the Walk With Me community

Share This Episode

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who may benefit from hearing it.
These stories are meant to remind us that none of us walk the path alone.

We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
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Damian shares how a seemingly "normal" childhood—filled with baseball dreams and close family ties—was forever altered by the suicide of a father figure during his late teens. Carrying unspoken guilt and unresolved trauma, Damian turned to alcohol as a way to numb the pain, a coping mechanism that slowly grew into a 20-year battle with addiction.

What followed were years of fractured relationships, legal trouble, emotional isolation, and a growing sense of despair—until Damian reached a breaking point in his late 30s. In a moment of crisis, an accidental phone call became a lifeline, leading him to rehab, recovery, and a completely new way of living.

In this conversation, Damian opens up about:

• Losing a loved one to suicide and the weight of survivor's guilt
• Using alcohol to cope with trauma, anxiety, and depression
• Hitting rock bottom and confronting suicidal thoughts
• Entering rehab and learning how to truly heal—not just stay sober
• Trauma therapy, accountability, and emotional honesty
• Rebuilding trust with his wife and children
• Repairing a broken relationship with his daughter
• Becoming a leader, mentor, and advocate for mental health and addiction recovery
• Turning pain into purpose through service, speaking, and writing

Today, Damian facilitates mental health and addiction support groups, mentors incarcerated individuals through partnerships with local law enforcement, and continues to share his story so others don't have to suffer in silence.

This episode is for anyone navigating addiction, grief, mental health struggles—or loving someone who is. It's a reminder that healing is possible, help can come from unexpected places, and one honest conversation can change a life.

📚 About the Guest

Damian Bloss
Author of Breaking the Silence
Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Advocate
Group Facilitator & Mentor

🔗 Connect with Damian:

• Book: Breaking the Silence
  Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all major online retailers
• Facebook: Breaking the Silence
• Instagram: Breaking the Silence
• Linktree: Available via Damian's social profiles for book and contact links

If this episode resonated with you, or if you're looking for more honest conversations around healing, resilience, and the human experience, visit:

👉 https://www.WalkWithMeConversations.com

There you'll find more episodes, resources, and ways to stay connected.
If this story helped you, consider sharing it with someone who may need it—and remember, you don't have to walk alone.

Alicia's story begins with a devastating loss—her father was murdered when she was just two years old. Though she grew up surrounded by love and stability, the trauma of that loss quietly shaped her inner world for decades, manifesting as anxiety, fear, people-pleasing, disordered eating, and a constant sense of bracing for the worst.

In this conversation, Alicia courageously explores what it means to grieve someone you don't consciously remember—and how unresolved childhood trauma can live in the body and nervous system long into adulthood. She shares how facing the truth about her father's death in her 30s became a turning point, opening the door to healing, spiritual connection, and ultimately, freedom.

This episode is a powerful reflection on:

• Childhood grief and complex PTSD
• How trauma shapes our sense of safety and self-worth
• The role of spirituality and meaning-making in healing
• Giving ourselves permission to feel, grieve, and remember
• Finding courage in the places we once avoided

At its heart, this is a story about reclaiming your voice, honoring love that never disappears, and discovering the strength you didn't know you had.

🌿 About the Guest

Alicia Johnson-Niles is the founder of Unlikely Courage, a platform dedicated to helping people overcome trauma by accessing the courage already within them. She is also the author of Angel in Arlington, a true story weaving together grief, spirituality, true crime, and personal transformation.

🔗 Connect with Alicia

• Unlikely Courage: https://unlikelycourage.com
• Angel in Arlington: https://angelinarlington.com

👉 Call to Action

If this conversation resonated with you, we invite you to explore more stories like this.

Visit 🌐 WalkWithMeConversations.com to:

• Listen to more episodes
• Learn about upcoming guests
• Dive deeper into conversations about healing, resilience, and the human experience

And if this episode spoke to your heart, please consider sharing it with someone who might need it today.

You don't have to walk alone. 💛

Scott shares how a transient childhood shaped his emotional radar, why cognitive empathy became his framework for healing, and how he went on to build practical tools like a therapeutic card game and an AI empathy coach. From managing type 2 diabetes through fasting and keto, to helping parents reframe how they respond to their children's emotions, Scott's story offers a compelling look into emotional intelligence as a learned, teachable skill.

Whether you're a coach, a parent, or simply someone navigating your own healing, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about connection, communication, and what it means to truly be with someone in their pain.

🔑 Key Topics:

• Early childhood survival and emotional hypervigilance
• The difference between cognitive and affective empathy
• Building emotional fluency through pattern recognition
• Scott's health transformation using intermittent fasting and keto
• Parenting with empathy instead of distraction
• The origin and use of Empathy Bot and the "Play to Evolve" card game
• Why emotional attunement is critical for both kids and adults

🧠 Notable Quotes:

"Empathy isn't being nice or mean—it's about being real."
"Most people don't even know they're not practicing empathy."
"Gratitude gives me clarity. And clarity helps me show up better for others."

📍Resources Mentioned:

• ClearSay.net: Scott's website featuring his book, card game, and Empathy Bot
• Book: Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg
• Topics: Emotional resilience, self-inquiry, empathy in parenting, and AI tools for connection

📣 Call to Action:

If this episode moved you, challenged you, or gave you new language for your emotional world, don't keep it to yourself—share it, rate it, and visit
🌐 WalkWithMeConversations.com

Use my affiliate link to get your health supplements for 15% off and help support your favorite show.

In this powerful episode of Walk With Me Conversations, I sit down with Zolal Habibi, activist, advocate, and member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran's Foreign Affairs Committee. Raised in the United States by Iranian parents deeply involved in the fight for human rights, Zolal shares a story that is both deeply personal and globally significant.

At just seven years old, Zolal learned that her father had been killed by the Iranian regime during one of the darkest chapters in Iran's modern history. Rather than allowing grief to consume her, she made a choice that would define her life: to transform pain into purpose and dedicate herself to helping create a future where others would not have to endure the same suffering.

Throughout this conversation, we explore resilience, gratitude, leadership, women's empowerment, and the power of refusing to see yourself as a victim. Zolal offers a perspective that challenges us to recognize the freedoms we often take for granted and reminds us that every person has the capacity to become an agent of change.

In This Episode We Discuss:

• Growing up between two worlds: America and Iran
• How childhood exposure to human rights activism shaped her worldview
• Losing her father to political violence at age seven
• The decision to transform grief into purpose
• Why gratitude can be more powerful than victimhood
• The importance of serving something greater than yourself
• Women's leadership and empowerment within resistance movements
• The hidden strength and resilience that exists within all human beings
• How ordinary people can influence meaningful change
• The role awareness and action play in protecting human rights

Memorable Takeaways

• "Crying wasn't going to bring my father back, but purpose could honor his sacrifice."
• Freedom is often like oxygen—we don't recognize its value until it's gone.
• Pain can become a source of service when we choose purpose over self-pity.
• Every person has more strength and resilience than they realize.
• Inaction is an action in itself.
• Real change begins when we stop waiting for others to act.

Guest Resources

Zolal Habibi

Learn more about the movement and initiatives discussed in this episode:

🌐 https://mymagicforchange.com

Learn more about the National Council of Resistance of Iran:

🌐 https://www.ncr-iran.org

Connect with Walk With Me Conversations

If this conversation inspired you, challenged your perspective, or encouraged you to turn your own struggles into purpose, please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

For more conversations exploring healing, resilience, recovery, personal growth, and the human spirit, visit:

🌐 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

There you'll find podcast episodes, resources, articles, and information about The Quiet Rebellion and the growing Walk With Me Conversations community.

Enjoying the Show?

• Subscribe to Walk With Me Conversations
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with your friends and family
• Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com for more inspiring conversations and resources

Together, we can create a world where healing, compassion, and courageous action become contagious.

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

In this thought-provoking episode of Walk With Me – Conversations With Real People, Stephanie Bloom sits down with employment attorney, speaker, and author Natalie Holder to explore how workplace experiences can leave lasting emotional imprints—and how recognizing those patterns can become the first step toward lasting change.

Natalie shares how growing up with a strong sense of justice inspired her career advocating for people facing inequity and exclusion. Together, Stephanie and Natalie discuss workplace culture, leadership, psychological safety, self-awareness, and the importance of surrounding yourself with trusted advisors who help you make wise decisions.

Whether you're navigating a difficult work environment, rebuilding your confidence after burnout, or simply wanting healthier professional relationships, this conversation offers practical wisdom and hope.

In This Episode

• How childhood experiences can shape our sense of justice
• Recognizing unhealthy workplace cultures
• Why workplace trauma often follows us into future careers
• The hidden cost of shrinking yourself after difficult experiences
• How to identify repeating behavioral patterns
• The importance of psychological safety at work
• Why mentorship changes careers
• Understanding the unwritten rules of workplace culture
• Building your own "Personal Board of Directors"
• Creating an intentional strategy before leaving a toxic workplace
• Learning to advocate for yourself without losing your authenticity

Key Takeaways

• Awareness is the beginning of transformation.
• Trauma doesn't have to define your future.
• Healthy careers require healthy relationships.
• Success isn't just about working harder—it's also about understanding organizational culture.
• The people you surround yourself with can dramatically influence your personal and professional growth.

Connect with Natalie Holder

🌐 Website: https://natalieholderspeaks.com

🌐 Quest EI: https://questei.org

📺 YouTube: Search Natalie Holder Speaks for educational content on leadership, workplace culture, and professional development.

Connect with Stephanie Bloom

If today's conversation resonated with you and you're looking for support on your own healing journey, Stephanie is now accepting clients through Root to Bloom Consulting.

Whether you're seeking guidance through holistic health consulting, nervous system restoration, nutrition, lifestyle strategies, or personalized wellness planning, you can learn more and book an appointment through this link: https://calendly.com/stephanie-bloom5280 

🌿 Visit:
https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

There you'll find:

• Hundreds of inspiring healing conversations
• Resources for trauma recovery and personal growth
• Stephanie's book and recommended resources
• Podcast archives

Enjoying the Podcast?

If this episode encouraged you, please consider:

• Following Walk With Me – Conversations With Real People
• Leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform
• Sharing this episode with someone navigating workplace challenges
• Visiting https://WalkWithMeConversations.com for more conversations, articles, and resources designed to help you heal, grow, and thrive.

Every conversation has the power to change a life. Thanks for walking with us.

As always,  you can find the links to connect with NatNat in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope!

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful. If you send me a screen shot of your review, I'll read it aloud on the next recorded episode.

What happens when the conflict you grow up in becomes the very thing you're called to change?

In this episode, I sit down with Joe Dillon, divorce mediator and co-founder of Equitable Mediation Services, who shares his deeply personal story of growing up as an only child in the middle of a long, litigated divorce in the 1980s. What began as a childhood shaped by silence, conflict, and emotional disconnection followed him into adulthood—impacting his relationships, emotional regulation, and worldview.

But Joe's story doesn't end there.

After years of navigating his own patterns, he reached a pivotal moment in his 30s that changed everything—choosing to stop reacting from his past and start creating a different future. That decision not only transformed his personal life, but ultimately led him into a career helping others avoid the same kind of damage he experienced.

Today, Joe helps couples move through divorce in a way that prioritizes respect, emotional awareness, and the well-being of their children—proving that even in endings, there can be intention, integrity, and peace.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• What it's like to grow up in a high-conflict divorce
• How unresolved childhood trauma impacts adult relationships
• The moment everything shifted: choosing response over reaction
• Emotional regulation and why it matters in conflict
• "Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?"
• The hidden dynamics behind arguments (it's rarely about the surface issue)
• How mediation creates a healthier path through divorce
• The long-term impact of conflict on children—and how to reduce harm
• Why preparation is critical in any negotiation
• Turning pain into purpose and using your story to serve others

Key Takeaway

"It didn't happen to me… it just happened. Now what am I going to do with it?"

Joe's story is a powerful reminder that while we can't always control what happens to us, we can choose how we move forward—and that choice can change everything.

About Joe Dillon

Joe Dillon is a divorce mediator and co-founder of Equitable Mediation Services. With a background in finance and negotiation, combined with his lived experience as a child of divorce, Joe helps couples navigate separation in a way that is cost-effective, respectful, and focused on long-term well-being—especially for families with children.

Connect with Joe

🌐 Website: https://equitablemediation.com

Call to Action

If this conversation resonated with you, or if you're navigating your own healing journey, I invite you to explore more resources, conversations, and support.

👉 Visit https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

You'll find podcast episodes, tools, and insights designed to help you move forward with more awareness, intention, and peace.

And if you know someone who could benefit from this conversation, share this episode with them. You never know who might need to hear it.We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:Click here to join PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom   
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A near-death experience following a medical error changes everything. What follows is a radical transformation: healing from PTSD, walking away from martyrdom, and choosing to live entirely from the heart. Ash now helps others do the same as a heart-centered coach, blending deep personal insight with practical tools for change.

What We Cover in This Episode:

• The long shadow of adoption and the search for identity
• The damage of perfectionism and emotional neglect
• Rebellion as a cry for love
• Misdiagnosed mental health and the limitations of medication
• The life-altering moment of clinical death and what came after
• The wisdom of the body through somatic therapy
• How music became a sacred tool for survival and connection
• Living from the heart instead of the mind
• How Ash helps others turn pain into purpose

Quotable Insight:

"If I listen to my heart and devote myself to the work, the work devotes itself to me." – Ash Perrow

Resources from Ash:

• Explore Ash's work and download free resources: ashperrow.com
• Take the Inner Critic Quiz
• Learn how visible your message is with the Visibility Quiz
• Download 11 Habits for Connecting to Your Inner Guidance

If Ash's story moved you, inspired you, or helped you reflect on your own healing journey, there's more where that came from. Visit www.WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore past episodes, resources, and tools to support your path forward.

Subscribe, share, and stay connected—because walking with others is the real work.

Support your favorite show and save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Episode Summary:
In this insightful conversation, Leighton Campbell shares his journey from a childhood marked by instability and emotional strain to a purpose-driven adult life defined by resilience, emotional growth, and professional grit. Born in Jamaica and raised in the U.S., Leighton navigated the turbulence of a fractured home and emerged with clarity about what matters most: redefining rejection, cultivating internal strength, and learning how to stand firm when everything inside you wants to quit.

From enduring a grueling college sales program to forming lifelong bonds forged in struggle, Leighton reframes what it means to succeed—not by avoiding discomfort, but by walking straight into it and transforming it.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The impact of childhood dynamics on adult identity
• Turning rejection into emotional training
• How resilience is built through repetition
• The importance of communication and sales skills in shaping a career
• Emotional recalibration and personal responsibility
• Why healing requires facing discomfort, not avoiding it

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

You can connect with Darren at Coaching For Narcissism dot com

Please consider using my affiliate link for Full Script to find quality and clean products for your wellbeing,  and a 15% discount. I receive a small commission off each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Please check out my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission from each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.      

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with Fred in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.   

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Use my affiliate link to get your health supplements for 15% off and help support your favorite show.

My affiliate link to Full Script,. This is a place to purchase vitamins, minerals, supplements, wellness care products and other health supportive items. 

Soon, I will have a functioning website for you to come support in other ways, but it all takes time and money, so please give me the assist on spreading messages of hope.

If you would like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you have found me on, are immensely helpful.

As always,  you can always find the links to connect with Karen in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. I just ordered my collagen and I'm going to try a new bar shampoo I found, so I know you can find what you need there also.

Lastly, if you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on what ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful. If you send me a screen shot of your review, I'll read it aloud on the next recorded episode.

A quick note to say you can always find the links to connect with the guests in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It is really helpful to receive these commissions as they help pay for the equipment I use and some of the time I put into this effort. I sincerely appreciate you signing up today!

Lastly, if you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on what ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

As always,  you can find the links to connect with her in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope!        

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

We do discuss a healing modality and just a word of caution, that when dealing with CPTSD and other serious scenarios, not all treatments or modalities are good for all cases. Sometimes a therapy or session can send the student into a spiral in the wrong ways. Please be cautious and work with a trusted professional. No part of this podcast is meant to diagnose or treat any condition or situation. It is simply information in an effort to spread hope.

You can find the links to connect with Jennifer in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope! 

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Use my affiliate link to get your health supplements for 15% off and help support your favorite show.

🎙 Episode Title: Resilience Reset with Dr. Lynn Banas: Navigating Grief, Identity, and Rebirth

🎧 Summary:
In this powerful conversation, Dr. Lynn Banas shares her journey through profound loss, personal transformation, and her mission to guide others through grief. After losing her mother, brother, and husband within a short span, Lynn used her background in psychology, coaching, and change leadership to rebuild her life—and help others do the same. From the fog of early grief to redefining purpose in later life, this episode is a testament to resilience, flow, and the power of choosing a new identity.

💡 What You'll Learn:

• The difference between moving on and moving forward
• How grief rewires the brain—and how to support that process
• Why isolation can feel physically painful
• How to help someone who's grieving (hint: don't avoid their name)
• Why grief mentorship must go beyond the first year

📘 Resources Mentioned:
👉 Dr. Lynn Banas' free guide: Five Answers to the Tricky Question: "How Are You?"
👉 Book recommendation: Healthy Grief by Dr. Karen Kramer

🔗 Connect with Dr. Banas:
Visit Discovery Point Coaching
Download her free grief guide (link provided in episode description)

Support your favorite show and save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Guest: Patrick Casey – Nurse Practitioner, Personal Coach, Recovery Advocate

In this episode, Patrick Casey shares his raw and honest journey from a chaotic childhood and teenage heroin addiction to 22 years of sobriety and a career in healthcare. Patrick discusses the emotional roots of addiction, the turning point that changed his life, and the importance of connection and laughter in recovery. He also opens up about his divorce, grief, and how he continues to grow and help others through his coaching and medical work.

Topics Covered:

• Childhood trauma and emotional survival
• Addiction, rock bottom, and recovery
• Finding community and laughter in sobriety
• Life after treatment: relationships, growth, and setbacks
• Helping others as a recovery coach and nurse practitioner

Notable Quotes:

• "I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to live either."
• "Helping others is what saved me."
• "I found more joy sober than I ever did high."

Connect with Patrick: Patrick's Website       

Connect with HollyKem in the show notes here, and check out my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you will earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope. 

If you would like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you have found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with AmiLynne in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission from of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Walk with us as we learn to be still.

You can find her book here or connect on Instagram.

Support your favorite show and save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

You can find the links to connect with her in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.     

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at info@walkwithmeconversations.com Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

David shares his personal journey growing up in Denver, attending West Point, serving in the military, and transitioning into a long career in environmental engineering focused on water, air quality, wildlife habitat, and industrial responsibility. Alongside his professional experience, David opens up about one of the most defining chapters of his life—walking with his family through his young son's four-year battle with childhood leukemia, an experience that reshaped his understanding of resilience, family, and purpose.

The conversation weaves together science, philosophy, history, and deeply human stories. David discusses the ideas behind his book Man's Search for Sustainability, inspired by Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, and shares unexpected lessons from nature—comparing honeybees and desert locusts to illustrate how stress, community, and adaptation shape survival. He also reflects on Colorado mining towns, baseball as a form of community resilience, and why sustainability is never a fixed destination, but an evolving journey shaped by expectations and participation.

This episode is an invitation to pause and ask a powerful question: Why do we want to sustain anything at all?

Topics Covered

• Sustainability as a values-based, human question
• Growing up in Denver and family legacy
• Military service and a career in environmental engineering
• Water, air quality, and wildlife habitat stewardship
• Parenting through childhood leukemia and family resilience
• Lessons from honeybees and desert locusts
• Viktor Frankl, meaning, and the power of "why"
• Community, culture, and sustainability through history

About the Guest

David Auger is an environmental engineer with decades of experience in water and air modeling, industrial compliance, and wildlife habitat management. He is the author of Man's Search for Sustainability, a philosophical exploration of sustainability inspired by Viktor Frankl's work on meaning, and is currently working on a second book rooted in Colorado history, community, and resilience.

📘 Book: Man's Search for Sustainability

If this conversation resonated with you, explore more episodes, stories, and reflections at
👉 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

You'll find past conversations, resources, and ways to continue walking alongside meaningful stories of healing, resilience, and purpose.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and share—it helps these conversations reach the people who need them most.

In this episode of the Walk With Me Podcast, Stephanie speaks with Adriene Caldwell, author of Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines. Adrienne shares her extraordinary journey from childhood abuse, homelessness, and foster care to becoming a survivor, mother, and advocate for healing.

Adriene grew up surrounded by generational trauma, poverty, and instability. Her mother struggled with schizophrenia, and throughout her childhood Adrienne experienced physical abuse, extreme poverty, and constant upheaval—attending 13 different schools before graduating high school. 

Despite these challenges, Adriene found refuge in education. School became the one place where she felt safe and capable. That determination eventually helped her graduate from college with honors and begin building a life outside the patterns she grew up in. 

Along the way, Adriene faced addiction, heartbreak, and moments where life nearly fell apart. But becoming a mother changed everything. She made the conscious decision to break the cycle of trauma and create a different future for her daughter.

Today, Adriene is sharing her story through her memoir Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines, offering hope and perspective for others navigating trauma, recovery, and resilience.

This conversation is a powerful exploration of healing after childhood abuse, overcoming addiction, and becoming a cycle breaker.

Key Topics Discussed

• Surviving childhood abuse and generational trauma

• Growing up in extreme poverty and homelessness

• Experiences within the foster care system

• Finding stability and identity through education

• Overcoming addiction and self-medication

• Becoming a cycle breaker for the next generation

• The healing power of writing and storytelling

• Lessons learned from surviving trauma and rebuilding life

About Adriene Caldwell

Adriene Caldwell is the author of Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines, a memoir detailing her journey through childhood trauma, foster care, addiction recovery, and ultimately rebuilding her life.

Her story is a testament to resilience and the possibility of transformation even after unimaginable circumstances.

Connect With Adriene Caldwell

🌐 Website
https://unbrokencaldwell.com

📖 Book
Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines

📚 Read the Prologue & Chapter One
Available on her website.

💬 Reader Remarks / Contact
Adriene welcomes messages from readers through the contact section of her website.

Listen to More Stories of Healing and Resilience

The Walk With Me Podcast shares powerful conversations with people who have faced trauma, addiction, loss, and adversity—and found ways to move forward with courage and resilience.

If this story resonated with you, explore more episodes and resources at:

👉 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

Share This Episode

If Adriene's story of resilience and recovery inspired you, please consider:

✔ Sharing this episode with someone who may need encouragement
✔ Leaving a review for the podcast
✔ Visiting WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore more powerful conversations

Your support helps these stories reach the people who need them most.

In this uplifting and unexpected conversation, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Zander Phelps — also known as Z Play Coach — a creative soul on a mission to help the world reconnect with joy through play, laughter, and presence.

From his idyllic childhood in Orange County to the stark reality of military life underground in Japan, from corporate burnout at NBC to selling everything he owned to travel the world with just a backpack and a foot bag — Zander's story is a testament to resilience, transformation, and the magic of human connection.

You'll hear how a single sack (or "foot bag") opened the door to global friendships, spontaneous laughter, and a lifelong purpose. Zander also shares the benefits of juggling, laughter yoga, and cultivating play as a daily practice for better health, happiness, and human connection.

🗣️ Topics We Explore:

• Why play is not a luxury — it's a fundamental human need
• How juggling helps you focus, balance, and relax your brain
• The healing power of laughter (and why adults need it more than ever)
• How one foot bag turned into a passport to connection around the world
• Zander's mission to inspire a new generation of "ambassadors of play"
• The science behind why play makes us more productive, creative, and joyful

🛠️ Tools, Takeaways & Resources:

• Learn more about Zander's work:
• Try juggling or foot bag play to engage your brain and body
• Start your day with a 10-minute laughter exercise to reset your mood
• Embrace play as a form of resistance against stress, burnout, and isolation

🔗 Connect & Explore More:

👉 For more inspiring conversations like this one, visit:
WalkWithMeConversations.com
Your journey to healing, purpose, and deeper connection starts here.

In this powerful episode of Walk With Me, Stephanie sits down with Lori Maher — a trauma survivor, holistic healer, and the heart behind Compassionate Empowerment — to explore her remarkable path from childhood abuse and chronic illness to healing, self-discovery, and purpose.

Lori shares how early emotional neglect and trauma led to decades of anxiety and physical exhaustion, culminating in a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome at the age of 30. With mainstream medical options failing her, Laurie turned inward and began a transformational journey through somatic healing, yoga, energy work, and trauma education. Today, she's a wellness center owner, coach, and retreat host helping others reconnect with themselves and reclaim their inner power.

This episode is a heartfelt invitation to rethink how we view trauma, healing, and the importance of feeling safe in our own bodies. Lori's story is both deeply personal and universally relevant to anyone on a path of recovery and self-love.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• Childhood trauma and its lifelong effects on the body and mind
• The limitations of traditional talk therapy for trauma healing
• Discovering somatic and energetic healing modalities (yoga, acupressure, Reiki)
• The role of the nervous system and adrenal fatigue in chronic illness
• How to rewire your inner critic and reclaim self-worth
• Finding safety, alignment, and empowerment after trauma
• The ripple effect of healing and conscious connection

❤️ Memorable Quotes:

"You're not going to heal unless you feel safe."
"We are not our thoughts. We are our heart and our gut."
"Healing is not linear — it's a practice, a daily return to self-love."

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Lori's work and connect with her directly.
• Recommended reading: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

📣 Call to Action:

If Lori's story resonated with you, or if you're ready to explore your own healing journey, we invite you to dive deeper at WalkWithMeConversations.com.
Explore past episode and find tools to support your own path toward wholeness.

From a childhood shaped by generational trauma and emotional neglect to a young adulthood marked by loss, rebellion, and self-destruction, Danielle's early years were filled with pain and confusion. But a spontaneous road trip to California in 1978 became a turning point — a journey filled with divine protection, unexpected encounters, and the first spark of hope that would lead her back to herself.

Today, Danielle helps others break the chains of trauma through her SELF Process: See, Expose, Love, and Free. Her work reminds us that love — unconditional love — is the greatest healing force we have, and that redemption runs deeper than our wounds.

Together, Stephanie and Danielle discuss:

• The impact of generational trauma and emotional neglect
• How faith and grace brought healing to deep emotional pain
• Danielle's journey from rebellion to restoration
• The meaning of unconditional love and forgiveness
• The courage it takes to dare to love yourself again

This episode is a beautiful reminder that no matter how broken your past may feel, there is always hope for healing — and a way home to love.

Guest Bio:

Danielle Bernock is an author, speaker, and trauma-informed coach who helps people reclaim their self-worth and connect to the love that heals. She is the creator of the SELF Process and the voice behind the movement That Lady on the Internet Who Loves You.

Learn more about her work at DanielleBernock.com.

Connect & Reflect

Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com for more inspiring stories of redemption, resilience, and healing.
There you'll find full show notes, resources mentioned in the episode, and ways to join our growing community of listeners walking toward wholeness — one story at a time.

Episode Summary

In this deeply honest and powerful conversation, Matt Von Becklin shares his journey through addiction, identity loss, abandonment wounds, and ultimately recovery. From growing up with an absent father and feeling perpetually on the outside socially, to navigating substance use through alcohol, cigarettes, tramadol, and kratom, Matt opens up about how addiction became both a coping mechanism and a cage.

Matt explains how his lowest moment—facing suicidal thoughts—became the catalyst for radical self-responsibility and innovation. Drawing on his background in chemical engineering, he developed QuitKit, a non-prescription, research-backed supplement regimen designed to ease opioid and kratom withdrawal symptoms. What started as a personal survival tool quickly became a lifeline for others.

This episode explores the emotional roots of addiction, the dangers of socially accepted substances, the mind-body-spirit trifecta of healing, and how one person's willingness to stop abandoning themselves can ripple outward to help others reclaim their lives.

🧠 Topics We Cover

• Growing up with abandonment, loneliness, and feeling "different"
• The social pressure to fit in and how it fueled substance use
• Alcohol as a culturally normalized escape
• The transition from recreational use to dependency
• Tramadol and kratom addiction—and why kratom is dangerously misunderstood
• The moment suicidal ideation forced a life-or-death choice
• How Matt used science, research, and self-trust to heal himself
• Creating QuitKit as an alternative to traditional detox pathways
• The power of being just "one or two steps ahead" and reaching back
• Redefining self-worth through service, recovery, and integrity

✨ Key Takeaways

• Addiction often stems from unresolved emotional pain and self-abandonment
• Healing requires addressing the physical, mental, and emotional layers together
• Quick fixes train the brain to abandon long-term solutions
• You don't need to have everything figured out to help someone else—just be a step ahead
• True freedom comes from reclaiming agency and honoring who you really are

🔗 Connect & Learn More

To explore more conversations like this—focused on healing, resilience, and real human stories—visit:

👉 https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

You'll find podcast episodes, reflections, and resources designed to support meaningful growth and connection.

💬 Final Reflection

Matt's story is a powerful reminder that sometimes our darkest moments hold the blueprint for our purpose. When we stop abandoning ourselves, we create space not only for our own healing—but for the healing of others.

In this episode of Walk With Me Conversations, I sit down with author Tony Stewart to explore a love story shaped by creativity, devotion, and the hardest kind of grace. Tony shares his background growing up as a free-range kid in Manhattan, driven by theater, filmmaking, and a lifelong impulse to create. But the heart of his story centers on his late wife, Lynn, and the seven-year journey they walked through her stage-four non-smoker's lung cancer.

With honesty and tenderness, Tony opens up about caregiving—the fear at diagnosis, becoming the "project manager" of treatments, pushing himself past his limits, and learning to accept help. He also reflects on the surprising beauty inside the hardest moments, especially during Lynn's home hospice, which he describes as sacred and deeply meaningful. Through it all, Tony shows what grief can teach us about love, presence, and the possibility of joy alongside sorrow.

What You'll Hear in This Episode

• Tony's early life in Manhattan and how creativity shaped his identity
• His path from lighting design and filmmaking to software and global consulting
• The unexpected way he met Lynn at a college swimming pool
• Lynn's humor, spirit, and the ease she brought into Tony's life
• The shock of her cancer diagnosis and the terrifying early days of uncertainty
• How caregiving reshaped their world—and Tony's sense of himself
• The role of CaringBridge in building community, documenting the journey, and staying connected
• Tony's breakdown after the first year, and the healing that came through openness and support
• The narrowing of life through illness, and the deepening of love within it
• Home hospice, Lynn's death, and the grief that followed
• Why Tony wrote Carrying the Tiger and what he hopes it offers others walking similar paths
• A powerful reminder: don't run away from the sacred parts of dying and grieving

Memorable Moments / Key Quotes (paraphrased)

• Lynn's wicked deadpan humor was part of what made Tony feel truly at home with her.
• Caregiving was both brutal and beautiful—filled with exhaustion, fear, intimacy, and love.
• Sharing the journey publicly helped them survive it privately.
• Grief and joy can coexist; joy doesn't betray love.
• Being present for a loved one's death can be one of life's most meaningful experiences.

About the Guest

Tony Stewart is the author of the memoir Carrying the Tiger: Living with Cancer, Dying with Grace, Finding Joy While Grieving. His book chronicles the caregiving and grief journey he shared with his wife Lynn, offering a compassionate, unfiltered look at illness, death, and the long road after loss.

Resources & Links

• Tony's memoir: Carrying the Tiger: Living with Cancer, Dying with Grace, Finding Joy While Grieving
• CaringBridge: A private community platform for sharing health journeys and receiving support

Call to Action

If today's conversation resonated with you, there are more stories like this waiting for you. Visit WalkWithMeConversations.Com to explore episodes, guest resources, and ways to stay connected to the community. And if this episode helped you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it too.

What happens when the story you tell yourself becomes the barrier to your healing?

In this episode, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Blake Hunt, a therapist who turned his darkest struggle into his greatest source of service. Blake opens up about growing up in a family that moved frequently, carrying hidden resentment, and using alcohol as a way to quiet the emotional noise of unprocessed pain.

As his addiction deepened, Blake lost everything that once gave his life meaning—his marriage, his career, and his sense of purpose. But in a moment of surrender, he said yes to help for the first time. That decision led him on a path not only toward sobriety but toward rediscovering his own humanity.

Today, Blake works as a therapist at the same treatment center where he began his recovery, helping others learn to trust, regulate emotion, and rebuild their lives from the inside out. His story challenges us to look deeper—beyond the surface of success or suffering—and ask what part of ourselves is still waiting to be seen, heard, and healed.

Key Takeaways

• How childhood instability shapes emotional coping patterns in adulthood
• The connection between resentment, addiction, and avoidance
• Why surrender—not strength—is often the first step to real recovery
• The role of humility and trust in long-term healing
• How to transform pain into purpose through service and self-awareness

Memorable Quote

"Healing meant asking: now that this happened—what do I do with it? I stopped being a victim to my story and started learning from it."
— Blake Hunt

About the Guest

Blake Hunt is a therapist based in Utah who works with clients navigating addiction, trauma, and emotional regulation. His lived experience gives him a unique perspective on healing—one grounded in empathy, accountability, and the power of personal transformation.

Call to Action

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who might need to hear Blake's story.

🎙 Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore more stories of healing, connection, and resilience.

From the emotional weight of saying goodbye to the cold bureaucracy of banks and legal documents, Adam talks candidly about what it really means to leave behind a legacy—and why we need to bring death into everyday conversation. You'll hear how risk-taking shaped his path, why organization is the ultimate act of love, and how he's turning personal loss into scalable impact through tools, conversation games, and now, a book deal.

Whether you're navigating loss, planning ahead, or supporting aging parents, this episode offers insight, tools, and heart.

Topics Covered:

• The emotional and logistical toll of estate management
• Why death should be part of everyday conversation
• Creating accessible tools for the "sandwich generation"
• Building a legacy rooted in service
• How small acts of preparation ease massive burdens

Quotable Insight:
"Your legacy isn't about being remembered in 200 years—it's about the impact you leave behind right now." — Adam Zuckerman

Resources Mentioned:

• Adam's site: BuriedInWork.com

• 🎧 Connect with More Conversations that Matter
  Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore past episodes, access healing resources, and sign up for updates on future guests and tools that help you live with more intention, clarity, and care.

With honesty and humor, Mark unpacks the struggles of 15 years of unclear direction, the hard lessons of trial and error, and the breakthrough that came when he discovered the power of clarity. He explains why simplicity beats complexity, why joy is a non-negotiable in productivity, and why there's no shame in doing what it takes—whether that's driving for Uber or taking on unexpected work—to pursue your bigger goals.

Listeners will also hear Mark's unique take on technology, the importance of setting boundaries, and his simple yet powerful advice for reclaiming focus in a distracted world. His "Tigger energy" and practical wisdom will leave you both smiling and motivated to get clear, slow down, and choose positivity.

Key Takeaways

• Why clarity is the foundation of lasting success.

• How pivot points—like being fired—can become turning points.

• The importance of joy in true productivity.

• Simple practices (like going outside barefoot without tech) to recharge your brain.

• Why there's no shame in doing what it takes to support your goals.

• The ripple effect of positive energy and intentional choices.

Memorable Quotes

• "Even though I'm known as Mr. Productivity, I am fascinated with helping people get their life back."

• "All your success starts with getting clear."

• "Productivity without joy isn't really productivity."

• "You don't always need to be on your phone—please tattoo that on your brain."

• "You can't control what people say, but you can control your reaction."

Connect with Mark

🌐 MrProductivity.com – One-stop hub for Mark's podcast, coaching, and resources.

Call to Action

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to the Walk With Me podcast and share this episode with a friend who could use a boost of clarity and positivity. To support the show and gain access to more inspiring conversations, visit WalkWithMeConversations.com.

Andra opens up about the courage it took to walk away from unsafe environments, the quiet unraveling of a marriage built on rescuing, and the radical shift of choosing herself. Now, as a divorce coach, she helps others navigate one of life's most overwhelming transitions by offering grounded, practical emotional support that makes space for grief, resilience, and real change.

Whether you're currently navigating a divorce, supporting someone who is, or healing from your past, this conversation offers tools for emotional clarity and a reminder: you don't have to do this alone.

What We Talk About in This Episode:

• The hidden cost of people-pleasing and emotional masking
• Why emotional support during divorce isn't optional — it's critical
• How unresolved trauma shapes our adult relationships
• The impact of choosing calm over chaos, and what happens when we outgrow old patterns
• Setting gentle but effective goals during emotional overwhelm
• Why the stories we tell ourselves can either cage us or set us free

Quotable Moments:

"I had blended in so much that no one even knew who I was."
"I didn't need rescuing anymore — and that changed everything."
"You don't have to do this alone. Emotional support isn't extra — it's essential."

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Andra Davidson's work: https://www.andradavidson.com
• Explore coaching support for divorce and emotional clarity
• Tools for boundary setting and healing through transition

💡 Connect + Support the Show

If this conversation resonated with you, consider becoming a supporting member. Visit
👉 WalkWithMeConversations.com
to access bonus content, resources, and more transformative interviews like this one.

Full Script,

You can find the links to connect with Lauren in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.   

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with Pam in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.           

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

As always,  you can find the links to connect with her in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. My latest shipment has come in and I bought some copper and chromium that I know I can trust because full script only carries the good stuff. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope!        

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

As always,  you can find the links to connect with Logan in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope!  

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful. If you send me a screen shot of your review, I'll read it aloud on the next recorded episode.

As always,  you can find the links to connect with Susan in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope!

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on what ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful. If you send me a screen shot of your review, I'll read it aloud on the next recorded episode.

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link.

Use my affiliate link to get your health supplements for 15% off and help support your favorite show.

In this deeply moving episode of Walk With Me – Conversations With Real People, Stephanie Bloom sits down with author, educator, and grieving mother Katie Rizzo to talk about surviving the loss of her oldest son, Nicholas, to opioid addiction.

Katie shares the journey that led her from scientist and biology teacher to writer and advocate after tragedy forever changed her family's life. Together, Stephanie and Katie explore the devastating impact addiction has on families, the hidden shame so many parents carry, and why healing begins when we stop suffering in silence.

Katie also introduces her powerful books, The Trimesters of Grief and None of Them Are You, born from journal entries and poetry she wrote while learning to live alongside unimaginable loss.

This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and ultimately hopeful—a reminder that compassion is often the first step toward healing.

In this episode we discuss:

• Katie's childhood and the people-pleasing patterns that shaped her life
• Losing her son Nicholas to opioid addiction
• Why addiction affects the entire family—not just the individual
• The role Al-Anon played in her healing
• Breaking the stigma surrounding addiction and overdose
• Why shame keeps families isolated
• Learning to live with grief instead of trying to "move on"
• How writing became a lifeline through loss
• The healing power of movement and exercise
• Building community after unimaginable tragedy
• Why compassion—not judgment—is essential in addressing addiction

Key Takeaways

• Addiction is a disease—not a moral failure.
• Families deserve support instead of shame.
• Grief changes us, but it doesn't have to isolate us.
• Writing can transform overwhelming emotions into something meaningful.
• Healing is rarely linear and looks different for every person.
• Community often becomes one of the greatest sources of resilience.
• We cannot control another person's choices, but we can choose how we respond with love and compassion.

Memorable Quotes

"I'm half here and half with Nicholas."

"There are over eight billion people on Earth, and none of them are you."

"We need less shame and more compassion."

Resources Mentioned

• Al-Anon Family Groups
• Love in the Trenches
• Finding the Words by Colin Campbell
• David Kessler's grief work
• Nick Cave's The Red Hand Files

Connect with Katie Rizzo

🌐 Website: https://katierizzo.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/katierizzo007

Facebook: https://facebook.com/rizzoboysandagirl

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-rizzo-098978280

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katie.rizzo007

Katie's Books

📖 The Trimesters of Grief (Memoir)

Purchase: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Trimesters+of+Grief+Katie+Rizzo

📖 None of Them Are You (Poetry Collection)

More information: https://katierizzo.com

If this conversation encouraged you, challenged your perspective, or reminded you that you're not alone, please share this episode with someone who may need it.

To discover more conversations about healing, resilience, trauma recovery, and the remarkable strength of the human spirit, visit:

https://WalkWithMeConversations.com

While you're there, explore hundreds of conversations with survivors, therapists, advocates, authors, and everyday people who have found hope on the other side of hardship.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your community. Every conversation shared helps someone else realize they don't have to walk alone.

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
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Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

My affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It goes a long way to encouraging me to spread messages of hope!   

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with Adam in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

My affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope. Currently I'm looking to support about 3 more hours of my time each week so I can release two episodes a week. I have a ton of edits to get through, somewhere around 20 episodes just waiting, and an extra 3 hours a week will give me the time I need to make it happen. So, go purchase your regular vitamins, minerals, supplements and self care products through that link!

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Without further delay, here is my deep and healing conversation with Jen.

Full Script, an online dispensary offering professional-grade supplements and wellness products. Full Script carries a variety of items, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, and more. I personally uses this site for my own supplements and wellness care products due to its competitive prices. By shopping through the provided link, I earn a small commission, which helps spread messages of hope. If you haven't already, consider signing up to start saving on quality products.

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Guest: Brigitte Becker, author and advocate

Summary:
In this heart-wrenching yet inspiring episode, Brigitte Becker shares her journey from growing up in a loving immigrant family to becoming a mother through adoption. When her daughter began to exhibit signs of deep trauma and was eventually diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, Bridget entered a new world of advocacy, therapy, and self-discovery. Her story highlights the complexities of mental illness, the systemic shortcomings in trauma care, and the deep reservoir of love required to keep showing up.

Topics Covered:

• Childhood and family values
• Infertility and adoption journey
• Early attachment and signs of trauma
• The diagnosis of BPD and navigating treatment
• Challenges with the healthcare system and school
• Parenting strategies and self-care
• Letting go and holding on with love
• Advocacy through writing and community work

Resources Mentioned:

• Let the Wildflowers Grow by Brigitte Becker
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• McLean Hospital – Adolescent BPD and DBT programs

 Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.           

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with Shane in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.           

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

You can find the links to connect with Ryan in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to Full Script,. When you follow this link, and enter your name and email, you'll earn a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. I receive a small commission off of each sale and it is what allows me to produce this show. So please, if you have not yet, go sign up and help me spread messages of hope.   

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

My affiliate link to Full Script,  saves you a 15% discount on supplements of every variety and flavor as well as many home and wellness care products. 

If you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on which ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link.

As always,  you can always find the links to connect with the guests in the show notes, along with my affiliate link to my Full Script, where when you sign up, you receive a minimum of 15% off of the supplements that you likely already purchase, and I earn a small commission from each sale. It is really helpful to receive these commissions as they help pay for the equipment I use and some of the time I put into this effort. I sincerely appreciate you signing up today!

Lastly, if you'd like to be a guest on the show, or have feedback, email me at walk with me conversations. Reviews of this show on what ever platform you've found me on, are immensely helpful.

Save yourself 15% off the health supplements you take with my Full Script affiliate link. 

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode of Walk With Me, we sit down with Susie St. Angelo, a former banking executive turned health coach, podcast host, and advocate for mental wellness. Susie shares her incredible journey through personal trauma, chronic stress, toxic relationships, and major life transitions—all of which ultimately led her to a life of purpose, passion, and authenticity.

From surviving the emotional fallout of a fiancé's family suicide just weeks before her wedding, to enduring two marriages plagued by alcoholism and emotional disconnect, Susie's story is a powerful testament to the strength it takes to walk away, heal, and start over. She opens up about adrenal fatigue, the toll of perfectionism, the healing power of dogs, breath work, and the surprising pivot that led her to launch her own health-focused podcast—built around the simple but profound idea of sharing an "SOS tip" to help others take small steps toward wellness.

Her transformation from "Susan the professional" to "Susie the authentic" is both inspiring and relatable—especially for midlife women facing their own crossroads.

🧠 Topics We Cover:

• Panic attacks and early signs of emotional misalignment
• How functional medicine helped Susie identify stress as a root cause
• The impact of suicide and unspoken grief
• Leaving a successful career and two marriages to reclaim her life
• Why holistic health coaching goes beyond food and fitness
• Finding meaning through breath work, gratitude, and storytelling
• The importance of community, connection, and asking for help
• Redefining health, happiness, and identity at midlife

💡 Favorite Quote:

"You can't heal in the environment that made you sick."

🎯 Call to Action:

If this conversation moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And for more inspiring episodes like this, visit WalkWithMeConversations.com — where stories of healing, resilience, and transformation are always just a click away.

In this episode of Walk With Me Conversations, Stephanie sits down with author, speaker, and Marine Corps combat veteran Keith Cole for a deeply personal conversation about survival, faith, healing, and the courage it takes to finally face the things we have carried for far too long.

Keith shares how the death of his father during his senior year of high school changed the direction of his life and eventually led him to join the Marine Corps during the Vietnam era. His service included combat in Vietnam, multiple injuries, and later the difficult responsibility of notifying families when a Marine had been killed or wounded in action.
After returning home, Keith continued to push forward—becoming guardian to his younger siblings, attending college, becoming a CPA, building a career, and creating a life that looked successful from the outside. But the grief and trauma he had set aside never truly disappeared. Over time, emotional numbness, exhaustion, nightmares, and alcohol became signs that what had been buried still needed to be addressed.
Keith eventually reached a breaking point that became a turning point. He cried out to God for help and began writing about his experiences. That writing became part of his healing process and eventually inspired a fictionalized story drawn from his own memories, pain, and redemption.
Through that process, Keith also developed what he calls PRAISER, God's Recovery Plan, a scripture-based recovery practice designed to support people navigating trauma, severe stress, and the challenges of everyday life.

In this conversation, Stephanie and Keith explore why avoiding pain is not the same as healing from it, why trauma does not have to come from combat to be real, and why asking for help is an act of strength—not weakness.

Keith leaves listeners with an important reminder: whatever you are carrying, you do not have to carry it alone. Support may come through trusted friends or family, clergy, a therapist, or another person willing and able to walk beside you.

In This Episode

• How grief changed the direction of Keith's life

• Serving as a Marine during the Vietnam War

• Surviving combat and multiple injuries

• The emotional toll of notifying families of military casualties

• What happens when trauma is continually pushed aside

• Alcohol and avoidance as coping mechanisms

• Reaching a point of surrender and asking for help

• How writing became part of Keith's healing

• The connection between faith, reflection, and recovery

• Why healing requires active participation

• Why strength includes being willing to talk about pain

• The importance of reaching out instead of struggling alone

Connect with Keith Cole

Learn more about Keith, his speaking, book, workbook, and recovery resources at:

Recovery by Faith:
recoverybyfaith.com

Email:
keith@recoverybyfaith.com

Keith is also available to speak with churches, veterans' groups, and other organizations where his message may be helpful.

Continue the Conversation

If this episode encouraged you, challenged you, or reminded you of someone who may need to hear Keith's message, share it with them.

For more conversations about healing, resilience, personal growth, and learning how to walk through the difficult parts of life with greater awareness and intention, visit:

WalkWithMeConversations.Com

Listen to more episodes, explore additional resources, and continue walking with us—one conversation at a time.

To book a private session with Stephanie: https://calendly.com/stephanie-bloom5280

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom

Albert opens up about growing up feeling different in a blue-collar Italian family where sports defined connection, while he found refuge in books, libraries, creativity, and introspection. After experiencing devastating family loss, depression, and suicidal ideation as a teenager, he began searching for meaning through psychology, teaching, and eventually the world of performance and talent development.

Together, Stephanie and Albert discuss:

• The impact of grief, family estrangement, and feeling unseen
• Why healing is rarely linear
• The importance of self-forgiveness and accountability without shame
• How purpose, creativity, and service to others can help pull us out of depression
• The power of language and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
• Why finding your own tribe matters more than "fitting in"
• The dangers of AI replacing authentic human connection
• How our perceptions shape the realities we experience

This episode is an honest exploration of what it means to rebuild yourself after pain — and how compassion, curiosity, and meaningful connection can transform the way we move through life.

Key Takeaways

• Healing takes time and requires gentleness with yourself
• You are not "broken" for responding normally to difficult circumstances
• Forgiveness is about freeing yourself, not excusing harmful behavior
• Purpose and meaningful activity are essential for mental wellness
• Small shifts in language can dramatically shift mindset and behavior
• Authentic connection matters more now than ever

About Dr. Albert Bermonti

Dr. Albert Bermonti is a performance psychologist, psychology professor, author, and talent agent who specializes in helping people overcome limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging patterns. His work blends psychology, NLP, hypnosis, mindset coaching, and performance development.

He is also the host of the upcoming podcast Mental Rehearsal, focused on the emotional and psychological side of acting and performance.

Connect with Dr. Albert Bermonti

• Podcast: Mental Rehearsal (coming soon)
• Books and upcoming projects on self-sabotage, mindset, and AI relationships

Listen & Connect

If this conversation resonated with you, please share this episode with someone who may need to hear it. Your support helps these stories and healing conversations reach more people.

Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com for more podcast episodes, healing resources, articles, and upcoming projects focused on trauma recovery, personal growth, and embodied healing.

Thank you for walking with us.

My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280
Click here to purchase my book on Amazon  
Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom 

What You'll Learn:

• Brian's personal journey from injury to insight
• The hidden struggles of returning veterans
• How to reframe trauma into a tool for growth
• The power of speaking out and seeking help

Resources Mentioned:

• Brian Fleming's books and speaking engagements Brian Fleming's Website

What if healing isn't just about coping—but actually repairing the brain?

In this deeply moving episode, Dr. Theodore Henderson shares his journey from severe childhood trauma and years of suicidal ideation to becoming a leading voice in brain health and innovative mental health treatment.

We explore the lived reality of trauma, the hidden role of shame, and the small, daily decisions that can keep someone alive when everything feels impossible. Dr. Henderson also breaks down the science behind neuroplasticity and how emerging treatments like ketamine therapy and infrared light are helping people heal from depression, PTSD, and even dementia.

This conversation challenges the way we think about mental health—and opens the door to something far more hopeful.

Keywords

trauma healing, PTSD recovery, neuroplasticity, ketamine therapy, infrared light therapy, depression treatment, brain health, childhood trauma, mental health podcast, suicide awareness

Timestamps 

• 00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Theodore Henderson
• 05:00 – Childhood trauma and survival
• 15:00 – Living with suicidal ideation
• 25:00 – Understanding shame as a survival mechanism
• 35:00 – From trauma to purpose
• 45:00 – Neuroplasticity and brain healing
• 55:00 – Ketamine therapy explained
• 01:05:00 – Infrared light therapy and breakthrough treatments
• 01:15:00 – Why brain health > mental health

Resources & Links

• Book: Brighter Days Ahead 

If this episode spoke to you, there's more support waiting for you.

Visit https://WalkWithMeConversations.com for more conversations, tools, and resources to support your healing journey.

Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder: brighter days are possible.

Click here to join PodMatch and be my guest: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom  
We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph
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