Breakdown to Breakthrough

In this episode, Krystal interviews Melinda Oliver. Also known as Mel from STL on social media, Mel is a yoga teacher, law student, and St. Louis native who leads by example. Mel found yoga while navigating out of a difficult breakup. As Mel says, it’s not a sugary story. 

She found her thoughts turning off because of yoga. Something revolutionary because it was a quiet she had never experienced. After experiencing that herself, she wanted to extend that to more and more people. 

During her time in St. Louis, Mel mentored hundreds of students in St. Louis city. Students that were often forgotten or misunderstood. Mel shared the revolutionary quietness she found from yoga with these students. From yoga, to conflict management, to being the love and support they needed. 

It was during her time mentoring students that she connected with a few amazing humans who she shared a similar mission with. All were fully committed to improving the health and wellbeing of Black communities in St. Louis. Mel continued on to co-found The Collective STL, a yoga studio in downtown St. Louis to help heal the mind, body, and spirit. 

In 2020 in the heat of the pandemic and racial tension, Mel was accepted into law school with a $40,000 scholarship awarded. She posted a video of her Mom’s reaction to this on Twitter and it went viral. This gained traction in ways Mel could never imagine. 

But Mel from STL is more than any one accomplishment, role, viral tweet, or trauma she’s survived. Mel embraces her wholeness as a human and extends that for everyone else around her to embrace.

RESOURCES:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
• Mental Health Crisis Text Message Hotline: Text 'Home' to 741741

SUPPORT MEL: 

• Instagram: @melfromstl_ 
• Twitter: @melfromstl_
• Donate to The Collective STL: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CHB52QCWKDH6W
• The Collective STL Donation Cashapp: $thecollectivestl
• www.thecollectivestl.org 
• Mel's viral video: https://twitter.com/melfromstl_/status/1270706558603853825

FIND US ON ONLINE:

• www.bd-bt.com
• Instagram: @bdbtpodcast
• Facebook: @breakdowntobreakthrough
• Sign up for our emails: http://eepurl.com/hAg1sD

Intro and Outro by AudioBinger

In this episode, Gabby and her Dad talk about the passing of her Mom on 07/20/2021.

They talk about her journey through cancer in the past 4+ years, her parents' love story, and the legacy her Mom leaves behind.

An episode in loving memory of Pam Rezex who shined a bright light everywhere she went.


RESOURCES:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
• Mental Health Crisis Text Message Hotline: Text 'Home' to 741741

FIND US ON ONLINE:

• www.bd-bt.com
• Instagram: @bdbtpodcast
• Facebook: @breakdowntobreakthrough
• Sign up for our emails: http://eepurl.com/hAg1sD

Intro and Outro by AudioBinger

In this episode, Gabby and Krystal talk about anniversaries and milestones after losing someone you love. 

*Trigger Warning: Mention of suicide and self-harm* 

Krystal explains in depth how the first year after her Dad passed felt. She shares many ways she handled milestones like his birthday and the anniversary of his death. She provides tangible advice for what has helped her cope in the past 2 years. 

In this episode Krystal and Gabby also share advice from listeners that have lost loved ones. They answer questions from listeners like, “Should I bring it up, or let it pass unless they bring it up?” 

There is no shame in having questions and not a whole lot of answers. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. We hope this episode can help those of you who have either lost someone you love, or are hoping to support someone who has lost someone they love.

RESOURCES:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
• Mental Health Crisis Text Message Hotline: Text 'Home' to 741741

FIND US ON ONLINE:

• www.bd-bt.com
• Instagram: @bdbtpodcast
• Facebook: @breakdowntobreakthrough
• Sign up for our emails: http://eepurl.com/hAg1sD

Intro and Outro by AudioBinger

Do you ever feel EVERYTHING all at once? Or do you ever feel nothing at all and numb to emotions altogether?



In this episode, Gabby and Krystal talk about just that - feeling everything or nothing at all. They talk about how periods of inactive or active trauma can impact feeling everything or nothing at all.



Krystal explains her experience with feeling little to nothing for over a year and how she now feels looking back on that period of her life. They expand on the importance of grace and self awareness.



Gabby discusses the importance of making space to think about what’s happening in your life when you’re feeling nothing at all. She provides questions she asks herself during these times to check in.



They take a deep dive into the word SHOULD and how often they feel like they should be responding in a certain way. Focusing on the fact that comparing your emotional responses to others can sometimes lead you to feel like you don’t care enough, or you care too much compared to others. When in reality, there is no right or wrong way to have a hard time.



Krystal opens up about the months after her Dad passed, living with PTSD, and how feeling nothing was a side effect of being in shock during that season of her life. She talks about how humor has been a coping mechanism she's developed through childhood.



They both expand on how to handle intense emotional seasons of life, especially when they come suddenly after feeling nothing at all. They explain how to create a joy list that can be used as a tool for when you’re feeling everything all at once.



Whether you find yourself in a season of feeling everything all at once, or nothing at all, your experience is real and valid. You are not alone in these pockets of life. As Krystal says in this episode, “There’s no right way to have a hard time. As long as you are doing the best that you can, given the circumstances.”



MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

• “Wherever I go, I meet myself.” illustration, find on Instagram @iuliastration

RESOURCES:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
• Mental Health Crisis Text Message Hotline: Text 'Home' to 741741

FIND US ON ONLINE:

• www.bd-bt.com
• Instagram: @bdbtpodcast
• Facebook: @breakdowntobreakthrough
• Sign up for our emails: http://eepurl.com/hAg1sD

Intro and Outro by AudioBinger

Have you ever thought about the little traumas and big traumas that make up your life story? Do you ever feel like your hard times are harder than everyone else’s or not hard enough? 

In this episode, Gabby and Krystal talk about Little T and Big T Trauma. The smaller and bigger traumas that make up our lives. They discuss the differences between these traumas and how no matter how “big” or “small” your trauma may be it is a valid, valued, and a very real part of your life experience. 

They dive into parts of their own trauma and compare inactive versus active trauma. They explain the importance of not getting caught in the web of comparison. Including comparing to the way others handle hard times or even the way they handled a previous hard time. 

They talk about the importance of hope in both of their unique journeys. Plus how you can create hope in your own Little T and Big T traumas throughout your life.

No matter how you find yourself, Gabby and Krystal want you to know no matter how big, or how small your trauma/hard time/painful experience may be, you belong here. As Krystal says in this episode, “We all have it worse.” 

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

• “Different Types of Trauma: Small 't' versus Large ‘T” by Dr. Elyssa Barbash

RESOURCES:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
• Mental Health Crisis Text Message Hotline: Text 'Home' to 741741

FIND US ON ONLINE:

• www.bd-bt.com
• Instagram: @bdbtpodcast
• Sign up for our emails: http://eepurl.com/hAg1sD

Intro and Outro by AudioBinger

When you're having a hard time or working through traumatic experiences, what can make you feel even just 1% better? How do you cope with huge emotions when your heart is already heavy?

In this episode, Gabby and Krystal talk about the rollercoaster of living in chaos. They discuss what has helped them feel less "crazy" and what has prevented them from invalidating their own feelings when it's hard to even narrow down what exactly they're feeling in the first place.

It's never easy to clear life's hurdles, but finding simple ways to make the emotional challenges more bearable can help. The longer you hang on in the darkest moments, the closer you are to the sunlight.

If you or someone you know is struggling, don't be afraid to ask for help.

RESOURCES:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
• Mental Health Crisis Text Message Hotline: Text 'Home' to 741741

FIND US ON ONLINE:

• www.bd-bt.com
• Instagram: @BDBTPodcast

Intro and Outro by AudioBinger

In this episode, you get to meet the voices of Breakdown to Breakthrough and what led us to the mics! What is BDBT all about? What will we talk about in each episode? Who are the voices on the show? Take a listen to our debut episode to find out all that and more!





Intro/Outro music by AudioBinger