You’re getting it all done—but your body’s a mess, your relationships feel like walking on eggshells, and you’re more defensive than you’d like to admit. In this powerful episode, trauma therapist Noha Mostafa unpacks what’s really going on beneath the surface for high-functioning people who are secretly running on empty. We talk about how chronic stress and unresolved trauma show up in your body, your emotions, and your most important relationships—and why no amount of willpower or productivity can fix what your nervous system hasn’t healed. If you’re tired of holding it all together while feeling like everything’s falling apart, this conversation is for you.

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube: High-Functioning & Hurt: Stress in Body and Relationships

Learn more about Noha Mostafa:

Website: www.counselingandtherapeuticwellness.com

What if the child in front of you isn’t misbehaving—but simply trying to survive? In this eye-opening episode, trauma educator and founder of Connecting Stories LLC, Maddy Wright, shares how early trauma rewires a child’s brain, body, and belief system—and how those same survival patterns can follow us into adulthood. Drawing from her powerful journey as a foster sibling and certified TBRI practitioner, Maddy breaks down why traditional discipline fails, what real trauma-responsive care looks like, and why early intervention isn’t just helpful—it’s life-changing. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or partner, this conversation will forever change how you see behavior, connection, and healing.

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube: From NICU Babies to Broken Systems: A Trauma Educator's Fight for Connection

Learn more about Maddy Wright:

Website: Connecting Stories Trauma-Informed Digital Resource Folder

After years of doing the hard work to heal her childhood trauma, a chance meeting with a dying friend shifted everything for Maggie Weldon. In that emotional moment, she realized just how different her life could have been—and how many others were still silently suffering. In this powerful episode of Love and Trauma: The Real Deal, Maggie shares how that encounter became the spark for her life’s mission: helping others find the freedom, peace, and healing she fought so hard to create for herself. Her story is a moving reminder that it’s never too late to face your past—and that healing doesn’t just change your life, it can change the lives of others too.

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube: From Panic to Peace: Maggie Weldon's Journey Out of Traumaland

Learn more about Maggie Weldon:

• Website: http://www.LeavingTraumaLand.com
• Link to FREE Path to Freedom 22 page eBook: A Path to Peace eBook

In this powerful recap episode, I’m sharing the most unforgettable moments from my conversations with three incredible men—Chris Sanders, John Mollura, and Matt Gerlach. From toxic relationships to panic attacks and hidden trauma beneath high achievement, each of these stories cracked something open. You’ll hear the real, raw truth about what it takes for men to heal—and what we can all learn about emotional safety, vulnerability, and the power of self-compassion. If you’ve ever felt alone in the struggle, this one’s for you.

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube: When Men Heal: What They Taught Me About Silience, Success & Self-Compassion

Matt Gerlach was a high performer on the outside—but behind the scenes, his life was spiraling. When he ended up in the hospital, it forced him to face what he’d been resisting for years: his past wasn’t behind him—it was running the show.

In this episode, Matt gets real about anxiety, burnout, and the moment he realized that healing meant finally turning toward the pain he never wanted to acknowledge.

If you’ve ever felt like you're barely holding it together… this one’s for you.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: You Can Heal: Matt Gerlach's Journey Through Trauma and Truth

Learn more about Matt Gerlach:

• Website: https://mattgerlach.com

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: From Rocket Scientist to Real Talk: Unpacking the Trauma Behind Reactivity

Learn more about John Mollura:

• Website: https://johnmollura.com

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Sapha Pardo, Women’s Embodiment + Empowerment Mentor, and we go all the way there—the self-abandonment so many of us don’t even realize we’re living with, how trauma fractures our relationship with ourselves, and what it really takes to start feeling whole again.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: The First Relationship to Break: Reclaiming the Self After Trauma

Learn more about Sapha Pardo:

• Website: www.yoursoulfulgoddess.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/yoursoulfulgoddess

He’s a tech innovator, endurance athlete, and devoted father who nearly lost himself in a toxic first marriage—until he chose to do the hard work of healing. In this raw, honest episode, Chris Sanders shares how he rebuilt his life through therapy, rediscovered his passions, learned to speak up about his story, and became the kind of partner who could love—and be loved—fully again. Don’t miss this powerful conversation about leaving what breaks you, choosing yourself, and building the kind of relationship you truly deserve.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: Running Toward Himself: Chris Sanders on Divorce, Healing, and Choosing Love Again

Learn more about Chris Sanders:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/heetrie

What does healing really look like when you stop performing for the world and actually tell the truth? That question sat with me throughout these conversations—and it’s why I’m so excited to share this special Love and Trauma: The Real Deal recap episode. This week, I’m revisiting my favorite moments from interviews with three incredible women who don’t just talk about resilience—they live it. Each of them has walked a different path. But they share one undeniable truth: real healing begins when we break the silence.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: Breaking the Silence: 3 Women, 3 Paths, One Truth

You know those people who just radiate success? The ones who are crushing it in business, look polished on the outside, and seem like they have it all together? This week on Love and Trauma: The Real Deal, I sat down with one of those women—Elle Petrillo. And let me tell you… this episode is packed with wisdom, vulnerability, and the kind of truth that can change the way you see yourself. Elle is a top brand strategist, speaker, and coach who’s helped over 1,000 thought leaders, bestselling authors, and top podcasters cut through the noise and build profitable personal brands with purpose. Her team at Brand Builders Group is known for helping mission-driven experts become unforgettable—and Elle lives and breathes that mission. But behind her impressive resume is a story that’s raw and real. Elle opened up about losing her dad at 13, entering a string of trauma-fueled relationships, surviving an emotionally abusive marriage with an addict, and how she finally broke the cycle by doing the work—not the performative kind, but the deep, uncomfortable, transformational work.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: Healing Vibes

Learn more about Elle Petrillo: