What if the wine you’re using to “wind down” is actually keeping you stuck in survival mode? That’s the question I didn’t know I needed answered—until I sat down with Kathryn Traff, neuroscience expert, bestselling author, and founder of Kathryn Traff Coaching. In this raw, eye-opening conversation, we pulled back the curtain on something so many high-functioning women silently struggle with: using alcohol to cope. Kathryn’s background is nothing short of incredible. For over 20 years, she worked alongside top neurosurgeons at places like the Mayo Clinic and Stanford, supporting some of the most high-stakes, high-pressure brain and spine procedures in the world. But behind the mask and the scrubs, she was emotionally exhausted, carrying the trauma of what she witnessed in the operating room and the pressure to hold it all together. Like many of us, she turned to alcohol. Not to party—but to survive. A glass of wine here, a ritual there… until it became a habit that affected her health, her clarity, and her connection to herself.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: When the Operating Room Broke Her: And Built Something New

Learn more about Kathryn Traff:

• Website: https://revivesoberspirit.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kathryntraffcoaching

In this powerful recap episode of Love and Trauma: The Real Deal, I revisit two unforgettable conversations about the hidden wounds we carry and the choices we make to heal them. Coach Karmin Reeves Jenkins shares how learning the truth about her father, following a path she never wanted just to keep the peace, and unspoken resentment shaped her marriage and relationships in ways she never expected. And Dr. Argie Nell Nichols takes us to her Arkansas cattle ranch roots, where Cherokee wisdom and a fiercely loyal brother helped her navigate undiagnosed dyslexia, emotional pain with her mother, and the journey from survival to generational healing. These stories remind us that while our past may shape us, it doesn’t have to define us.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: Rewriting the Script: Family Secrets, Expectations, and Generational Healing

Imagine a world where kindness isn’t just something we talk about—but something we live by. A world where challenges don’t define you, but instead refine you. That’s the world Dr. Argie Nell Nichols was raised in—thanks to the grounding wisdom of her Cherokee grandparents and a barefoot, wild-hearted childhood on a cattle ranch in Arkansas. But don’t let the picturesque backdrop fool you—Argie’s story is one of grit, grace, and generational healing. In our latest episode of Love and Trauma: The Real Deal, Dr. Argie opens up about the complicated layers of her early life. Her dyslexia went undiagnosed for years, leaving her to quietly struggle in school. Her relationship with her mother brought emotional pain that took decades to process. But through it all, she leaned on the fierce love of her older brother—her protector, her guide, and her constant. That relationship, rooted in loyalty and unconditional love, became a blueprint for how Argie would go on to lead, teach, and inspire.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: Raised by Cherokee Elders, Shaped by Struggle

Learn more about Dr. Argie Nichols:

Website: https://herlifelegacy.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/argienellnichols_

What if the lowest point in your life—the one filled with shame, regret, and fear—was actually the turning point? That’s exactly what happened to Marci Hopkins, award-winning TV host, podcast creator, author of Chaos to Clarity, and recovery advocate. In this week’s episode of Love and Trauma: The Real Deal, Marci and I had an incredibly raw, honest conversation about how childhood trauma shaped her coping mechanisms, how she used alcohol to survive, and what it took to finally break the cycle—not just for herself, but for her entire family. Marci’s story is a true testament to what’s possible when you decide to stop numbing and start healing. It’s not just about sobriety. It’s about wholeness—and becoming the woman, mother, and partner she was always meant to be.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: When Numbing Doesn't Work Anymore: A Wake-Up Call to Heal

Learn more about Marci Hawkins:

• Website: https://wakeupwithmarci.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/wake_up_with_marci

Alright, imagine this: You’re eight years old, and out of nowhere, you find out the man you thought was your father… isn’t. Your real dad? Someone you’ve never met—and he’s in prison. Now fast forward a few years, and you’re stepping into a military career—not because it was your dream, but because it was the path your family laid out for you. You didn’t want it, but you went along with it. You kept the peace. You did what was expected. That’s exactly what Coach Karmin Reeves Jenkins went through. In this episode, Karmin opens up about the childhood revelations that rocked her world, the pressure to please others that led her down a path she never truly wanted, and how all of that—her past, her unspoken resentment, and the patterns she didn’t even realize she was carrying—started showing up in her relationships, especially in her marriage.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: The Truth About People-Pleasing, Past Wounds, and Living a Life That's Not Yours

Learn more about Karmin Reeves Jenkins:

• Website: www.ih4al.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/karmin_simone_

Niobis is a nationally recognized healthcare leader, a best-selling author, and a total powerhouse in her industry. But behind all the accolades is a story of resilience, survival, and deep emotional healing—one that started when she was just eight years old, acting as the translator for her mother’s cancer diagnosis. That alone stopped me in my tracks. As a mother, I can’t imagine placing that weight on a child’s shoulders—but Niobis didn’t have a choice. That moment was the beginning of her becoming “the strong one,” the fixer, the responsible one who carried everyone else’s load. And wow… if you’ve been following my story, you know that hit home. Niobis went on to face an unimaginable series of health crises—a brain tumor, a stroke, two cardiac arrests, and a devastating car accident—yet she still pushed forward, still wore the mask, still kept it all together… until she couldn’t anymore.

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube: From Medical Trauma to Truth: How to Break the Cycle and Build a Life of Purpose

Learn more about Niobis Queiro:

• Website: www.queirogroup.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/niobisqueiro

This recap episode of Love and Trauma: The Real Deal dives into my favorite February moments—powerful conversations about letting go of control, people-pleasing, and emotional overwhelm. Featuring Heather Hanson on breaking perfectionist walls, Amy Sanders on unlearning people-pleasing in blended families, and Nicole Gotthold on using breathwork to release grief and trauma, these stories offer real tools for real healing. Plus, I share my own biggest takeaway that just might shift how you see your own journey.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: Breaking Free: The Best of February on Love and Trauma

In this powerful episode of Love and Trauma: The Real Deal, I sat down with Amy—bestselling author, master-certified coach, and unapologetic advocate for women’s empowerment—to talk about what it really takes to heal from betrayal, religious conditioning, and people-pleasing patterns that keep you stuck. Amy's story is one of grit, grief, and growth. From losing her sister to suicide at age 10, to marrying someone her whole body said “no” to, to becoming a broke single mom of three—she’s lived it. But she didn’t stop there. She took small steps to reclaim her power, and today, she’s a self-made millionaire helping women rewrite their stories and rise into their brilliance.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: From People Pleaser to Powerhouse: Breaking Cycles

Learn more about Amy Sanders:

Website: https://amysanders.co/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/amysanderslife

In this week’s episode, I talk with Nicole Gotthold, a Transformational Breathwork & Empowerment Practitioner who found herself completely undone after the sudden loss of her husband. Grief, anxiety, perfectionism—it all came crashing in. Nicole is a Transformational Breathwork, Energy & Empowerment Practitioner who found her way to healing after one of life’s most heartbreaking moments.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: When Emotions Don't Make Sense: Breathwork, Triggers and Healing

Learn more about Nicole Gotthold:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/wildheartcompass

In the latest episode of Love and Trauma: The Real Deal, I had the honor of sitting down with Heather Hanson—also known as the Gut Health Paramedic. She's a best-selling author, speaker, and wellness expert who’s helped countless women overcome chronic symptoms like fatigue, bloating, brain fog, and weight gain. But in this conversation, she shared a side of her story most people have never heard. Heather opened up—for the first time ever—about how her childhood trauma shaped the very coping mechanisms that helped her survive, but eventually started to sabotage her health and relationships. Her story is one that so many of us can relate to: high-functioning on the outside, emotionally exhausted on the inside.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: From Control to Connection: How to Stop Surviving and Start Healing

Learn more about Heather Hanson:

• Website: https://flourishnutritionaltherapy.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/flourishnutritionaltherapy