In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Thrive While Loving an Addict, host KL Wells welcomes author and cycle-breaker Wendy B. Correa to discuss her extraordinary journey from childhood trauma to profound healing.

Wendy shares the genesis of her complex PTSD and anxiety, starting with the traumatic death of her father and the subsequent years spent walking on eggshells with an alcoholic and violent stepfather. She details how she intuitively sought out healing modalities—from nature and Buddhism to 12-step programs and Native American spirituality—long before modern science validated their effectiveness.

This conversation is an honest exploration of intergenerational trauma, the biological impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and the courage it takes to rewrite your own story. Wendy introduces her forthcoming memoir, My Pretty Baby (releasing November 4th), which serves as both an “autopsy” of her family’s dysfunction and a guidebook for others seeking to end the cycle of trauma. This episode is a beacon of light, emphasizing that healing is not only possible but contagious.

Key Discussion Points

• The profound trauma of parental loss in childhood and the lack of emotional support in the 1960s
• Growing up with a Jekyll and Hyde alcoholic stepfather, leading to hypervigilance and complex PTSD
• The realization that family dysfunction is often layered with intergenerational trauma, addiction, and mental health issues
• Wendy’s intuitive search for healing through nature, Zen meditation, Buddhism, music, 12-step programs, and Native American spirituality (sweat lodges and vision quests)
• The scientific understanding that trauma is not just an external event, but a biological change that "rewires our biology" and causes the body to "keep score"
• Trauma as a public health issue, with 61% of adults having at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) and the correlation between high ACE scores and decreased life expectancy
• The power of community and "safe connection" as a form of medicine for the brain
• The critical difference between forgiveness (for the forgiver) and reconciliation, and the necessity of strong boundaries or even estrangement for survival

Some Questions I Ask

• What was the turning point when you realized your trauma wasn’t your fault?
• How did you begin exploring healing modalities before they were mainstream?
• What role did nature and spiritual practices play in your journey?
• How do you define forgiveness in the context of trauma and family?
• What do you hope readers take away from My Pretty Baby?

✅ In This Episode, You Will Learn

• How early childhood trauma can shape one’s identity and relationships
• The biological impacts of trauma and how healing rewires the nervous system
• Practical tools for reclaiming your voice, body, and boundaries
• Why healing is possible at any stage of life—and how one person’s healing can ripple out to others
• The importance of community and safe connection in overcoming generational patterns

👤 About the Guest: Wendy B. Correa

Wendy B. Correa is a writer, yogi, hiker, and licensed massage therapist. She has worked in film, television, multimedia, and music in Los Angeles, and later as a radio DJ in Aspen, Colorado. Wendy holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and theater arts and has contributed articles to Mothering magazine.

A devoted wife and mother, she currently resides in Denver, Colorado, and enjoys traveling to magical destinations with her family. My Pretty Baby is her debut memoir, releasing November 4th.

📧 For more information, visit Wendy's website or email her at: [email protected]