From Survivor to Thriver

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In this episode of From Survivor To Thriver, we sat down with A. Garcia to talk about domestic violence, trauma, PTSD, and how all of these things can impact your life. A. went through many hardships starting at a very early age and has learned that being vulnerable, even when it’s hard, can be the thing that helps you grow. 

During the past 35 years, A. Garcia has navigated through domestic violence, privacy, safety, vulnerability, and the mindset to endure personal adverse events in life. Her survival of a double attempted homicide while 8 months pregnant (by the father) and the desperation to survive became the catalyst to the creation of Be Your Incredible Self (BYIS) while achieving an undisputed outlook of independence. 

Her personal journey of post traumatic growth has led A. to dedicating her life in developing transformational programs, various forms of coaching, certification courses and establishing a nonprofit to help real time victims. Her commitment is to provide lifelong transformational habits that can restore your powerful internal sense of control.  

Today, she prides herself on meeting the daily challenges of being vulnerable and safe at the same time while empowering others to Be Your Incredible Self. Her personal mission is to help lead others in transforming their survival of Domestic Violence into Post Traumatic Growth and to mitigate the depletion of resources for real time victims. 

In today’s episode we cover: 

• A.’s experience as a dancer in the nineties
• The trauma’s A. experienced early in life and how it impacted her life
• The day A. learned and felt unconditional love
• The power of people that make you feel safe
• How A. found the courage to leave a domestic violence situation
• How A.s trauma impacted her relationship with her daughter
• How mirror work can help you overcome your challenges
• Understanding how to intercept negative thoughts and triggers

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with A.! If you want to hear more from her, you can follow her on Facebook, listen to her podcast, and check out her books. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Check out the Confronting Domestic Violence TV show: https://everydaywomantv.com/tv_shows/confronting-domestic-violence/ 

Visit A. website: https://beyourincredibleself.com 

Follow A. on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyourincredibleself/ 

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brushcreekthrivers

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brushcreekthrivers/

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fromsurvivortothriver

Get in touch: [email protected]

“I like me. I sleep peacefully at night knowing I did the very best I could given the circumstances.” -A. 

“We don't learn how to love ourselves on our own. We learn h

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Can you imagine finding true joy amidst the deepest throes of grief? 

That's the remarkable journey our guest, Marie Alessi, embarked upon after losing her husband to a brain aneurysm. She transformed her sadness into something genuinely positive, choosing to honor her late husband's memory and create a joyful environment for her two young sons. Marie's story provides comfort, guidance, and a unique perspective on embracing sadness to truly understand and appreciate joy.

This episode is filled with the hope, healing, and happiness that Marie offers to the world when people need it the most.

Marie Alessi is a mother to two boys, a bestselling Author, Influencer & Speaker. After her husband passed from a brain aneurysm, she found and created her way back to Joy. She instinctively knew it was the only path worthy for their young boys. 

Her husband had taught her the concept of two choices - and this one was made in his honor, to make him proud. Marie has become a shining example of choosing Love over fear and sadness. 

In her Movement, Marie offers hope, healing & happiness to the world when people expect it the least and need it the most.  

In today’s episode we cover: 

• Marie’s journey through grief after losing her husband suddenly
• What you should never say to someone struggling with grief
• The appreciation for life Marie experienced after meeting her husband
• The beauty and joy that can come from darkness
• The power of learning to let go
• How to discover what it is you are truly missing when you experience loss
• The ability to choose love and joy instead of victimhood
• How Marie stepped into the role of the sole parent
• Learning what to do with your pain

We hope you enjoyed this conversation with Marie! Please visit her website to learn more about her.

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Visit Marie’s website: https://www.mariealessi.com 

 Follow Marie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-alessi/ 

 Check out Marie’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvmG__TXI1qQWqEMnt6R43w 

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brushcreekthrivers

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brushcreekthrivers/

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fromsurvivortothriver

Get in touch: [email protected]

Quotes: 

“I see so much joy and so many gifts and so much beauty in all the darkness that people see. I see a lot more than that. I see what you can get out of it.” -Marie

“There is nothing but love out there in the world. Once you open your mind to it, that's all you see.” -Marie

“Life doesn’t end when our corporal being ends.” -Marc

“In order to be able to execute something that's simple, we often need to just let go.” -Erik

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In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Kayla Van Egdom, an energy healer and health coach, to hear her experiences of low self-esteem, trauma and the struggle with eating disorders. She shares her journey from adversity to resilience, shedding light on the transformative power of seeking the right professional help. 

Kayla Van Egdom is a health coach, energy healer, author and host of the Slay & Thrive podcast. Kayla has certifications from The Institute for the Psychology of Eating and Precision Nutrition, and her passion is helping men and women heal their relationships with food, end emotional and binge eating, and fall in love with the journey towards taking great care of themselves. 

Through various healing techniques, Kayla can help clients shift the blocks that keep them from turning their knowledge into consistent action. 

Kayla spent over two decades of her life disliking herself, hating her body, struggling with food, and feeling out of control in almost every arena of her life. Today, she has helped hundreds of clients improve their health, fitness, and mindset over the past few years. 

In today’s episode we cover: 

• The repercussions of online bullying
• Self-blame as a trauma response
• When Kayla realized that she deserved to get the help she needed
• Kayla’s eating disorder and how it impacted her life
• The layers of healing that Kayla went through in her journey
• Using pain as a teacher
• How Kayla overcame imposter syndrome while working to help people on their health
• Embracing realness and vulnerability
• How we can create a healthy relationship with social media
• The way that Kayla uses writing to heal
• Art as therapy

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Kayla! If you want to hear more from her, you can follow her on Facebook, listen to her podcast, and check out her books. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Follow Kayla on Facebook

Follow Kayla on Instagram

Check out Kayla’s books

Listen to Kayla’s podcast

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on TikTok

Get in touch: [email protected]

“I went into counseling knowing that the pain could be my teacher and what I was experiencing could actually help me grow and feel better in the long term if I chose to see it that way.” -Kayla 

“There is a professional out there who you can trust and open up to. Even if it's not the first person that you encounter or the first experience that you go through, there is that right person.” -Erik

“I'm a huge proponent of art being some of the best therapy you can find.” - Marc

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With the global environment that we live in, it is more important than ever for teenagers struggling with their mental health to know that they aren’t alone. 

In this special episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we had the privilege of sitting down with Abby Porter, a remarkable high school student. Abby shares her journey grappling with the challenges of her own mental health, which surfaced as early as the tender age of 5. We discussed how her struggles kindled a passion within her to become an advocate for the mental health of teens.

Abby Porter is a high school student from New Hampshire who is also a proud mental health advocate in her town. She has dealt with mental illness since the age of five, has been in therapy for about 11 years and has been in and out of hospitalizations. She helped create her school’s mental health team which is student and staff led. 

Abby also partners with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to provide in-school presentations about suicide awareness. These days she is very open about her struggles with bipolar in the hope that the stigma surrounding young adults who have bipolar can be demolished and so all future generations can grow up in a stigma free world.  

In today’s episode we cover: 

• The stigma around mental health among teenagers
• When Abby got started as a mental health advocate
• What got Abby through her darkest moments
• The importance of finding support when you are struggling and where you can find it if you don’t already have a supportive community
• Fact checking as a method to help cope with depression
• The biggest problems with mental health institutions
• Abby’s experience with bipolar disorder and how getting proper treatment changed her life
• How world events are impacting the mental health of teens
• The effect stress and anxiety students are feeling due to school shootings
• Abby’s best advice for students struggling and their parents

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Abby! She has learned so much at such a young age and we know she will continue to make a profound impact on the mental health of others. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brushcreekthrivers

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brushcreekthrivers/

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fromsurvivortothriver

Get in touch: [email protected]

Quotes: 

“It’s okay not to be okay. And it’s okay to have mental health issues.” -Abby 

“Just like how flowers work, nothing grows without rain. So take those hard times, take the rain and realize that the rain and those thunderstorms will make you grow.” -Abby 

“It’s so important that teenagers know that they’re not alone and there are other people out there who are like them.” -Erik 

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Music therapy can have a profound impact on your mental health. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Mack Bailey, an experienced musician and music therapist. Mac shares his journey from discovering his love for music at a young age to using it as a tool to heal those who have experienced trauma. 

Mack Bailey has been a musician since the age of eight. He toured with various groups including the Hard Travelers, the Limeliters, a musical tribute to John Denver featuring John’s band members, and as a duo with his wife, Rachel Levy. 

Mack’s personal story includes a time of deep depression in which he did not seek support and found himself ready to end his life. He credits writing a song at the 11th hour with saving his life. Through his education in neurologic music therapy, he became interested in how music rewired his brain. 

In 2011, Mack went back to school to pursue his master’s in music therapy at Colorado State University. 

In 2019, he founded Music Therapy of the Rockies as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focusing on mental health, music therapy research and techniques, and helping military veterans re-frame their military experience. 

Mack founded Music Therapy of the Rockies with a mission to help veterans and people who have experienced trauma, and to teach other music therapists the proven skills that have been positively affecting people’s lives. Mack is also dedicated to furthering music therapy research and mental health in his local community of Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado.  

In today’s episode we cover: 

• How Mack got started with music 
• How music changed Mack’s life when he was in the depths of depression
• When Mack decided to pursue a career as a music therapist
• The incredible impact music therapy has had on Mack’s clients
• The science of how music therapy works
•  How trauma impacts your body and overall health
• The retreats that Mack created to help veterans learn to use music therapy to cope with PTSD

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Mack! If you want to learn more from him or make a donation to his organization, make sure to visit his website and follow him on Instagram. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Follow Mack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mack-bailey-76023a95/ 

Visit Mack’s website: https://musictherapyoftherockies.org 

Follow Mack on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musictherapyoftherockies/ 

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brushcreekthrivers

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brushcreekthrivers/

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fromsurvivortothriver

Get in touch: [email protected]

“We can’t fix everything all the time by ourselves.” -Marc

“Music therapy's wonderful because you can really work with anybody, with any situation. You always look at it from a non-musical perspective, and then you find a way to put a musical spin to it.” -Mack

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Generational trauma is something that so many people struggle with and, unfortunately,  it can be one of the hardest things to break free and heal from. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Carrie Smith to talk about her life experiences and how it impacted her ability to form relationships in her life.

Carrington “Carrie” Smith is the founder and President of Carrington Legal Search and best-selling author of "Blooming", which tells the story of Carrie’s journey through the shit of life - her struggles, failures, trauma, and challenges – experiences universal to every human from every walk of life – to finding happiness, belonging, purpose, and joy by shifting her mindset and embracing gratitude. 

Never able to have a normal relationship, Carrie eventually married and divorced twice. She spent much of her life trying to “fit-in” and conform to the standards and wishes of others while battling years of depression, criticism, and self-loathing. 

As she fought to survive, she came to realize that her path to happiness was not about fitting-in but letting go and standing out. During the pandemic, Carrie authored "Blooming" as her answer to this question and her effort to help anyone who is struggling in life or career.  

In today’s episode we cover: 

• Carrie’s struggles forming “normal relationships” and the trauma it stemmed from
• Carrie’s childhood experiences with a narcissistic father and the moment that changed everything for her
• The value Carrie saw in herself and how it shaped her relationships going forward
• The transformative power of healing hypnosis
• How friendships change as you evolve
• Why comparison really is the thief of joy
• Generational trauma and how you can move away from it

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Carrie! If you want to learn more from her, make sure to grab a copy of her book! You can also visit her website and follow her on Instagram. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Visit Carries website: https://www.carrington-smith.com 

Follow Carrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriesmithtrabue/ 

Follow Carrie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carringtonatx/ 

Follow Carrie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarringtonATX 

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brushcreekthrivers

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brushcreekthrivers/

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fromsurvivortothriver

Get in touch: [email protected]

“It’s one of our basic human needs to feel like we belong and to feel secure and loved.” -Marc 

“We have to take care of ourselves. And often the people we are around are attracted to our persona, but not the person we are.” -Erik 

“In order to thrive in life and to be happy, I have to follow the path that I need to follow.” -Carrie 

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Have you ever experienced postpartum anxiety? 

For postpartum mothers, there’s generally a lot of information presented on the topic of postpartum depression and the signs to watch for, but there isn’t a lot of information being shared surrounding postpartum anxiety. 

Postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety are more prevalent than many people realize but mothers often don’t realize it’s happening. In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Allison Lieberman to talk about her experience with postpartum anxiety and the steps new moms should take if they think they are experiencing it too. 

Allison Lieberman is a licensed marriage and family therapist, mom of 2, and 2x postpartum anxiety survivor. She is the co-founder of Rooted in Harmony Counseling, a California-based group therapy practice dedicated to helping moms with anxiety, relationships, and parenting. 

She is also the host of The New Mama Mentor® Podcast. Allison is passionate about helping new moms overcome anxiety by developing confidence, shedding the mom guilt, and building a community. 

In today’s episode we cover: 

• Allison's traumatic birth experience and the start of her postpartum anxiety
• The difference between generalized anxiety and postpartum anxiety
• What postpartum anxiety really is and how it presents
• When Allison realized the anxiety she was experiencing wasn’t normal
• The intrusive thoughts that come with anxiety
• How her experience with postpartum anxiety impacted Allison’s experience with her next child
• The problem with the medical system when it comes to postpartum anxiety
• What new moms can do if they are met with resistance while seeking help
• The importance of advocating for yourself

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Allison! If you want to learn more from her, make sure to check out her website and tune in to her podcast.  You can also follow her on Instagram. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Visit Allison’s website

Follow Allison on Instagram 

Follow Allison on LinkedIn

Follow The New Mama Mentor on Instagram

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on TikTok

Get in touch: [email protected]

Quotes: 

“If your gut tells you that something isn’t right, trust it.” -Allison

“You’re not going to ignore something like diabetes or cancer, so why would you ignore your mental health?” -Allison

“If you’re thinking of something and you can’t find a thread of reality, that’s a red flag.” -Marc

“I’m a big proponent of the right medication, right dosage, right time, under the guidance of a professional.” -Erik

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If you want to overcome your mental health struggles and transform your life, it all starts with your mindset.

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Carrie Schmidt to discuss the power of energy and how it impacts our lives. 

Carrie shares the power of awareness and reprogramming the mind, as well as why we need to take responsibility for our own mental health so that we can raise our vibration and live a life we love. 

As the Founder and CEO of Infinite SOULutions, LLC, Carrie Schmidt puts the SOUL in SOULutions by transforming lives both personally and professionally. A dynamic, influential Thought Leader and Motivational Speaker, and author of Behind the Screen, she has the ability to instantly captivate your mind, heart and awaken your soul by empowering you to gain clarity on your purpose, overcome limiting beliefs, and have the confidence to pursue your dreams.  

After achieving top level leadership roles and a 6-figure salary (everything she ever worked for in corporate America), Carrie still felt a longing for something greater. She embarked on a spiritual journey of personal discovery and development that led her to research the fundamentals of psychology, neuroscience and quantum physics. 

In today’s episode we cover: 

• The dark matter and dark energy that make up our world
• Our egoic lens versus our spiritual lens and how they impact our view on life 
• Carries journey to where she is now and how she helps shine light on the darkness that people face
• What egoic illusions are and how they impact our lives
• How your energy is impacted by your environment
• How doing the inner work on yourself will change your life and opportunities
• The power of awareness
• Our soul flames
• What to do if you are stuck in your subconscious programming

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Carrie! If you want to learn more from her, make sure to grab a copy of her book! You can also visit her website and follow her on Instagram. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Check out Carrie’s book

Visit Carrie’s website

Follow Carrie on Instagram

Follow Carrie on LinkedIn

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on TikTok

Get in touch: [email protected]

“We are all connected. We are all one. If we could realize that as people, we could make this world a better place.” -Carrie 

“The shift from survivor to thriver doesn’t mean that everything is great. It just means that you now own it. You’re able to recognize it and break that pattern or behavior and do something differently.” -Erik 

“There isn’t one perfect person out there that is going to complete the puzzle of you. You have to complete the puzzle of you.” -Marc 

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What does it take to overcome adversity, depression, and PTSD while empowering others to do the same? 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we had the privilege of sitting down with Jevon Wooden to talk about how he struggled with depression and PTSD as a vet and how he now uses that experience to help others create a life they don’t need a vacation from. 

We dove deep into the importance of resilience, vulnerability, and sharing our stories to help others.

Jevon Wooden is an Army Veteran, certified mindset and perception coach, author, speaker, and founder of Live Not Loathe, LLC. He has overcome adversity, depression, and PTSD to earn multiple certifications recognized throughout the coaching community, as well as an MBA from the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith Business School and an M.S. in Cybersecurity from Fordham University. 

His mission is to empower others to increase their self-confidence, improve their self-perception, and design a life they don't need a vacation from through a mindset shift from scarcity to abundance.  

In today’s episode we cover: 

• The cultural shift needed to support vets coming home
• The strength in vulnerability 
• The family dynamic challenges that Jevon faced growing up
• The power of resilience
• The moment Jevon found his voice and his own power
• Jevon’s mental health struggles and the person that helped him through it
• Why the strongest thing you can do is get help when you’re struggling and talk about it
• How vulnerability helps you and other people that you may not even realize
• The beauty of change
• The importance of authenticity and accountability
• How Jevon works with his clients and how he helps them
• Moving from reacting to situations to responding
• The art of communication and how it has changed in our society
• The gap in the accessibility of affordable healthcare in different communities

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Jevon! If you want to learn more from him, visit his website and follow him on Instagram. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Follow Jevon on LinkedIn 

Follow Jevon on Instagram 

Visit Jevon’s website

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on TikTok

Get in touch: [email protected]

Quotes: 

“The scars you can’t see are the hardest to heal.” -Jevon

“You have the power to change, and change is a beautiful thing.” -Jevon

“Often, vulnerability doesn’t come out when you need to save yourself. It’s when you put someone you love on the line.” -Marc

“Vulnerability for me is a superpower. Every time I get vulnerable, I feel a bit better. And every time I feel better I feel stronger.” -Erik

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In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with special guest Elizabeth Knittel who bravely shared her remarkable journey of overcoming an eating disorder and alcohol addiction. 

Elizabeth opens up about her 10-year struggle with bulimia and the journey to find healing, as well as the power of peer support in healing from mental health issues, finding our way through dietary restrictions and sobriety, the importance of separating the person from their illness, and so much more. 

Elizabeth Knittel struggled through eating disorder recovery, battling her demons with alcohol addiction, and trying to find herself. It took 18 years to tackle her addiction and find a solution that truly impacted her life. 

Today she’s living multiple dreams, following her calling to lead, and celebrating the joys along the journey! Elizabeth has been called to guide intuitive lightworkers and entrepreneurs through miracles and quantum leaps daily through healing modalities such as Reiki, Sacred Geometry, Energetic Design, Theta Healing, Alchemy, Astral Projection. and Clairtangency.  

In today’s episode we cover: 

• The energies of the full moon and how it affects us
• The different types of clairvoyance
• How Elizabeth works with her clients on a spiritual level
• Elizabeth’s struggles with bulimia and the life-changing experience that helped her heal
• The work that she had to do to overcome her eating disorder and addictions
• The importance of not letting your disease define you
• How caregivers can best support anyone struggling with mental health issues 
•  Elizabeth's relationship with food now and the healing she has experienced
• Alcoholism and the negative connotations that come with it

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Elizabeth! If you want to learn more from her, we highly recommend you follow her on Instagram and visit her website. 

Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Links: 

Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn 

Visit Elizabeth’s website

Follow Elizabeth on Instagram

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on TikTok

Get in touch: [email protected]

Quotes: 

“When you’re struggling with eating disorders, addiction, or depression, love is what you need the most. Love is everything.” 

“The distinction between whether you have depression or depression is what you are  is where the healing begins.” -Marc 

“We’re all about shattering these stigmas and having these conversations.” -Erik