Coping Chaos

In this episode, we’re opening up an honest conversation about trauma and how it shapes the way we respond to the world around us. As two people navigating daily life with severe mental illnesses, we share our personal experiences with both past and present trauma, exploring how our minds and bodies react when we feel threatened, overwhelmed, or unsafe.

We dive into the four common trauma responses: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—what they can look like in everyday situations, how they show up in our lives, and how our reactions can change over time. We also reflect on the differences between how we responded to trauma when we were younger and how we respond now, recognizing that every traumatic experience is unique, and so is each person’s response.

Through honest stories, shared experiences, and reflection, we explore the ways trauma continues to affect us, how our responses can evolve, and what it means to better understand ourselves with compassion rather than judgment.

Because sometimes, the reactions we struggle to understand today are the survival skills we learned yesterday.

A reminder: Every trauma is different, every response is valid, and healing looks different for everyone.

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]

Therapy is often presented as a place to find support, healing, and understanding, but what happens when the experience leaves you feeling worse instead of better? In this episode, we share our negative experiences with therapy, including the challenges of finding the right therapist, accessibility barriers, and the lasting impact of feeling unheard or misunderstood. We talk about therapy trauma, the importance of finding approaches that work for different people, and the need for more accessible options, diverse therapeutic methods, and continued research into mental health treatment. Because while therapy can be life-changing for some, it isn't always a positive experience for everyone—and those stories deserve to be heard, too.

Therapy can look different for everyone, and our thoughts and experiences with it can change over time. In Part 1 of our therapy series, we’re reflecting on the different types of therapy we’ve experienced, what we’ve learned along the way, and how those experiences have shaped our perspectives on mental health and healing.

We’re chatting about our personal stories, how our views on therapy have evolved, what influences our decisions to try or pass on certain approaches, and the expectations we had compared to the reality. We’ll also share our thoughts on what therapy might look like for us in the future!

Whether you’re currently in therapy, curious about trying something new, or simply interested in hearing different perspectives, we hope this conversation encourages you to think about what support, growth, and healing can look like for you.

Tune in for an honest, thoughtful conversation about our experiences with therapy, and stay tuned for Part 2 as we continue exploring the journey!

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]

Social media can be a great way to connect, laugh, reminisce, and even brighten a difficult day—but it can also have a very real impact on our mental health. In this episode, we talk about our personal experiences with social media and how it can affect our moods, thoughts, habits, and overall well-being.

We talk about the positive side of social media, including staying connected with family and friends, finding content that lifts our mood, and stumbling across nostalgic photos and memories that bring us joy. But we also dive into the darker side—doom scrolling, comparing our lives to the carefully curated lives we see online, and getting pulled back into negative memories or emotions from the past.

We also talk about the addictive qualities of social media, from chasing likes and those quick dopamine hits from videos and notifications to losing track of time and having our sleep disrupted.

Is social media helping us cope—or sometimes adding to the chaos? Join us as we look at the good, the bad, and the complicated relationship we have with our screens.

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]

In our final episode of Season One, we explore the complicated relationship between routines and mental health. As two siblings living with mental illness, we share how our daily, weekly, and/or monthly routines can help us navigate life, manage symptoms, and create a sense of stability.

We spend time unpacking our own routines and the role they play in our lives. From the habits that help us feel grounded, as well as times when we've noticed ourselves becoming overly attached to plans, schedules, and predictability.

Join us for an honest conversation about the often blurry line between routines that support us and routines that start running the show.

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]

In this episode, we talk about the ever-present background noise of anxiety—the constant static that can find its way into nearly every part of daily life.

We share our experiences with the physical and emotional signs of anxiety and the ways it can quietly shape our behavior, from doom scrolling and procrastination to avoidance, people-pleasing, and the need for control.

We also discuss the invisible side of anxiety: appearing calm on the outside while your mind is running laps on the inside. From overthinking decisions and chasing certainty to masking internal panic behind a smile, we talk about the loneliness that can come with carrying anxiety that others don't see.

Most of all, we talk about a simple truth: anxiety is exhausting.

Join us for an honest conversation about what it's like to live with anxiety every day.

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]

In today’s episode, we’re talking about emotional dysregulation — what it is, how it shows up in our lives, and the reality of experiencing what we personally call “meltdowns” while living with mental illness.

We open up about our own experiences, from misunderstandings and mistakes to disagreements and overwhelming moments that can quickly spiral emotionally. We also talk about the important difference between a meltdown and a tantrum — meltdowns are not goal-oriented or manipulative, but intense emotional and nervous system responses.

Together, we discuss: • What dysregulation and meltdowns look like for each of us • Common triggers and situations that can lead to emotional overload • Physical warning signs, racing thoughts, and emotional buildup • The coping tools and strategies we use to manage difficult moments

This episode is honest and meant to help others feel less alone while creating more understanding around mental health and emotional regulation.

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]

In part two of our Coping Chaos series on guilt and shame, we continue the conversation by talking about the ways these emotions personally affect our mental health, relationships, and sense of self-worth.

Now that we’ve explored the differences between guilt and shame, we open up about the pressure to always be productive, the guilt and shame that can come from feeling like our struggles affect others, and the complicated emotions tied to asking for help.

We also talk about how guilt can convince us that independence equals worth — and the damage that belief can cause when we’re already struggling.

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]

Welcome to the first part of our two-part series on guilt and shame. In this episode, we break down the differences between guilt and shame, explore how they show up in everyday life, and share the personal ways they’ve impacted us over the years.

From feeling guilty for being happy, to survivor’s guilt, to carrying shame about past versions of ourselves — we open up about the emotional weight these experiences can carry and how they shape the way we see ourselves.

Whether you’ve struggled with people-pleasing, overthinking, regret, or feeling “not enough,” this episode is a reminder that you’re not alone.

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]

In honor of Mother's Day, this episode explores the complicated reality of parenting while living with severe mental health challenges. We start by sharing some of the positives of parenting — the moments of love, pride, and joy that keep us going even on the hardest days.

From there, we open up about the very real physical struggles that can come with parenting while battling mental illness: cooking, cleaning, driving, keeping up with appointments, and simply getting through the day. We also talk about the emotional side of parenting — learning emotional regulation and trying to model healthy coping skills while struggling ourselves. We get honest about parenting while dysregulated and how emotionally and physically exhausting it can be.

This conversation also takes a deeper look at how our own childhood experiences and relationships with our parents continue to shape our mental health and parenting today. We share raw, personal stories from our younger years and reflect on the cycles we’re trying to break.

This episode is vulnerable, emotional, and deeply real — for anyone navigating parenthood, mental health, or the lasting impact of childhood trauma.

Coping Chaos is hosted and produced by KJ Cervi and Leia Williams. Audio mixed and edited by KJ Cervi. Our theme song is by Lucas Cervi and Leia Williams. Artwork is created by Lucas Cervi.

You can follow Coping Chaos on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at Coping Chaos Podcast.

We have also started a Patreon where you can help support us and have access to exclusive content.

Please feel free to rate and review wherever you stream. Send us your questions, Stories and Chaos Corner moments to [email protected]