Trauma Rock Stars® | Trauma Recovery & Healing Podcast

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Have you ever felt completely lost — like you have no idea who you really are anymore? In this deeply moving episode of Trauma Rock Stars™, host Tracy sits down with Tara Wiskow, an intuitive energy healer and life-reinvention expert, who spent decades feeling disconnected from herself before finally coming home to who she truly is.

💗 A note before you listen: This episode includes an honest discussion of grief, disordered eating, and a moment of suicidal thoughts. If you're struggling, please reach out for support. In the US, you can call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline at 1-866-662-1235. You are not alone.

Tara shares the family secret she uncovered at age eight, the years she spent shape-shifting to fit in, the profound grief of losing her biological father and later her sister — and the moment everything shifted when she stopped running and started listening. It's an honest, tender conversation about identity, grief, self-love, intuition, and the belief that the truest version of you was never lost — she's been waiting for you all along.

Whether you feel stuck, disconnected, or like you've lost yourself in everyone else's expectations, this conversation is an invitation to find your way back.

🧠 Questions We Explore in This Episode:

• What do you do when you feel completely lost and don't know who you are?

• How can grief become a turning point for reconnecting with yourself?

• What is "identity shifting," and how does it help you come home to yourself?

• What does it mean to meet your "higher self" in meditation?

• How do you start learning to love and trust yourself again?

 ❓ Quick FAQ:

Q: What do you do when you feel lost and don't know who you are?

A: In this episode Tara shares that feeling lost often comes from years of shaping yourself to fit others' expectations. Her path back began with small acts of self-love and learning to listen to her own inner voice — the sense that your authentic self is still there, waiting.

Q: What is identity shifting?

A: Tara describes identity shifting as releasing the masks and beliefs you've carried to fit in, and reconnecting with your most authentic self — the work that finally brought her "home" to who she really is.

Q: What does it mean to meet your higher self?

A: Tara and Tracy each describe a guided-meditation experience of connecting with a calm, loving inner presence — what they call the higher self — and how that moment opened the door to deeper intuition and healing.

 🎸 Take the FREE Trauma Rock Stars™ Life Audit™:

👉 https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouw

Find out exactly where you are on your healing journey in less than 5 minutes. Your personalized Rock Star 30™ guide is waiting for you on the other side.

 🌿 Connect with Tara Wiskow:

🌐 Website: https://tara-wiskow.com

✨ "She Rises" program: https://tara-wiskow.com/she-rises

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-wiskow-610b4154/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeTheChangeYouNeedToday

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tara.wiskow/

 🎙️ Listen & Connect with Trauma Rock Stars™:

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TraumaRockStars

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/traumarockstars

📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/traumarockstars

🌐 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@traumarockstars

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracysmaldino

🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars

🌐 Website: https://traumarockstars.com

🎙️ Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063

 💛 Ways to Support Trauma Rock Stars™:

☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars

🤝 Become a Supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new

Trauma Rock Stars™ is a safe, real, and empowering space for anyone navigating trauma recovery. Hosted by Tracy — survivor, advocate, and your biggest cheerleader.

⏱️ Chapters:

0:00 — Have you ever felt completely lost? Meet Tara

2:00 — The family secret revealed at age eight

4:30 — Shape-shifting to fit in & losing herself

6:00 — Meeting her biological father: "like looking in a mirror"

9:00 — Losing her dad & years of feeling disconnected

10:00 — Turning to food to cope through the pain

16:00 — A breaking point and the moment everything shifted

20:00 — Learning self-love, starting in the mirror

26:00 — Losing her sister Trisha & the signs that followed

30:00 — The "Identity Shifting" workshop & meeting her higher self

37:00 — Why your higher self has been waiting for you

44:00 — Intuition, energy & shadow work

46:00 — Trusting your gut: a story of being protected

53:00 — Meditation as a daily practice

55:00 — Tara's healing work with clients

59:00 — Closing: you were never lost — she's inside you

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No matter how talented the artist — if the venue isn't 
maintained, the show suffers.

In this solo episode, Tracy Smaldino — former Production Manager 
at House of Blues Las Vegas — uses the concert venue as a 
powerful metaphor for your body. Your body is the space where 
your entire healing journey happens. And for most trauma 
survivors, we've been neglecting that venue for years.

This episode breaks down what it means to come home to your 
body and why somatic healing is the foundation everything 
else is built on.

In this episode:
- How trauma disconnects you from your body — and the signs 
  you've been living "above the neck"
- Your nervous system as your venue's infrastructure — 
  fight/flight vs. regulated
- Why healing only happens when your system feels safe
- 4 practical tools to start reconnecting today:
  Grounding, Body Scan, Movement & Breath
- How the Backstage Pass™ 90-Day program supports deep 
  body and nervous system healing

"Trauma didn't just hurt you. It evicted you from your 
own home. Healing is moving back in — one room at a time."
— Tracy Smaldino

🎸 FREE RESOURCES:
→ Free Life Audit Quiz (5 min, free): 
  https://traumarockstars.com/lifeaudit
→ Rock Star 30™ Program: 
  https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouw?typeform-source=traumarockstars.com

📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:
https://traumarockstars.com/#newsletter

🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars

💛 SUPPORT THE SHOW:
☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars
🎙️ Become a Supporter: 
   https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new

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What if someone could look at your energy and tell you exactly
what's blocking your healing — and clear it in real time?

In this unscripted, deeply vulnerable episode of Trauma Rock
Stars™, host Tracy Smaldino invites spiritual coach, master
healer, and 3-time author Cheryl to conduct a LIVE chakra reading
and energy healing session — on Tracy herself. Nothing was planned
in advance. What was revealed surprised even Tracy.

In this episode:
- Cheryl's origin story: her late brother's spirit appeared as
  a ball of white light 32 years ago
- What chakra readings actually reveal — blocks AND superpowers
- The block found directly in front of Tracy's eyes
- The nervous system urgency pattern working against healing
- Live harab breathwork: how full breath accesses the subconscious
- Inner child healing at age 6 — the root of "I'm not enough"
- Why awareness alone doesn't heal — it takes the body too
- The 3 affirmations that shifted everything:
  I am loved. I am enough. Life is incredible.
- How to become your own energy worker

"We are all powerful beyond what we can currently believe."
— Cheryl, Star of Divine Light Institute

🎁 FREE EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR LISTENERS:
Complimentary chakra reading exclusively for Trauma Rock Stars™
listeners: https://cherylstelte.kartra.com/calendar/20min-chakra-reading-free

📖 Connect with Cheryl: https://starofdivinelight.com

🎯 Free Life Audit Quiz: https://traumarockstars.com/lifeaudit

Newsletter: https://traumarockstars.com/#newsletter

🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars

💛 SUPPORT THE SHOW:
☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars
🎙️ Become a Supporter: 
   https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new

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When is the last time you checked in with yourself before the 
world got to you?

In this solo episode, Tracy Smaldino introduces the Sound Check 
— the daily non-negotiable practice that separates reactive people 
from grounded ones. Your nervous system is your instrument. Your 
body, emotions, thoughts, and voice are your channels. Skip the 
check-in and you walk onto the stage of your life completely 
uncalibrated.

In this episode:
- Why skipping your daily check-in keeps you stuck in 
  reactive mode
- The difference between reactive and responsive
- The 4 channels of your personal sound check
- A check-in question for every channel
- 4 simple steps to make this a daily practice
- Why trauma teaches us to abandon ourselves — and how to 
  come back
- How Rock Star 30™ builds the daily check-in into your 
  healing structure

Your 4 Channels:
1. The Vocals (Voice) — What am I not saying that needs 
   to be said?
2. The Beat (Body) — Where am I holding tension right now?
3. The Mix (Emotions) — What emotion am I carrying that 
   I haven't named?
4. The Reverb (Mind) — What story am I telling myself 
   today — and is it true?

"You cannot pour from an empty soundboard."
— Tracy Smaldino

Five minutes. Four questions. One practice that changes 
everything.

🎯 Rock Star 30™ Program + Free Life Audit Quiz:
https://traumarockstars.com/lifeaudit

🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars

💛 SUPPORT THE SHOW:
☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars
🎙️ Become a Supporter: 
   https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new

#TraumaRockStars #SoundCheck #NervousSystemHealing #MorningRoutine #ReactiveVsResponsive #RockStarResilience #RockStar30 #TraumaHealing #HealingJourney #DailyCheckIn #EmotionalHealing #SomaticHealing #InnerCritic #YouAreEnough #MentalHealthPodcast

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What do you see when you're at the very edge of life? In this unforgettable episode of Trauma Rock Stars™, host Tracy talks with Holly Porter, who spent 70 days in two hospitals fighting COVID in 2021 — intubated, in and out of a coma, with her organs shutting down. During that time, Holly had a series of profound out-of-body and near-death experiences that completely changed how she sees life, purpose, and what comes next.
 
Holly shares the "Stadium of Light," a life review that showed her only the good, a visit from her late mother, an army of loved ones (living and passed) chanting for her to "fight," and the single message that transformed everything: love them where they're at. She also opens up about her two hard years afterward, the hypnosis sessions that unlocked the rest of her story, and the SHIFT framework she now teaches.
 
This is a story of survival, faith, and finding your purpose — no matter what you've been through.
 
🧠 Questions We Explore in This Episode:
• What is a near-death experience really like?
• What's the difference between an out-of-body experience and a near-death experience?
• How can a brush with death reveal your true purpose?
• What does it mean to "love people where they're at"?
• How do you turn your hardest experiences into a legacy?
 
❓ Quick FAQ:
Q: What did Holly see during her near-death experience?
A: Holly describes leaving her body, traveling to what she calls the "Stadium of Light," a life review that showed her only the good moments, and being surrounded by loved ones — both living and passed — urging her to fight.
 
Q: What is the SHIFT framework?
A: SHIFT is the framework Holly teaches and writes about in her book "Near Death Shift." It stands for Surrender, Hope, Intuition, Faith, and Transformation.
 
Q: How can you find your purpose after a hard experience?
A: Holly believes you don't have to almost die to truly live. Her advice: quiet the outside noise, listen to your own intuition, and remember that changing even one life — including your own — is a purpose worth honoring.
 
Note: The spiritual experiences and beliefs Holly shares are her own, offered for reflection and hope — not medical advice.
 
🎸 Take the FREE Trauma Rock Stars™ Life Audit™:
👉 https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouw
Find out exactly where you are on your healing journey in less than 5 minutes. Your personalized Rock Star 30™ guide is waiting for you on the other side.
 
"You don't have to almost die to truly live and find your purpose." 
— Holly Porter 
🌟Connect with Holly: https://hollyporterinternational.com/
 
🎙️ Listen & Connect with Trauma Rock Stars™:
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TraumaRockStars
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/traumarockstars
📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/traumarockstars
🌐 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@traumarockstars
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracysmaldino
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars
🌐 Website: https://traumarockstars.com
🎙️ Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063
 
💛 Ways to Support Trauma Rock Stars™:
☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars
🤝 Become a Supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new
 
Trauma Rock Stars™ is a safe, real, and empowering space for anyone navigating trauma recovery. Hosted by Tracy — survivor, advocate, and your biggest cheerleader.
 
⏱️ Chapters:
0:00 — Meet Holly Porter & her 70-day fight for life
2:00 — Life before COVID & getting sick at a conference
4:25 — Walking into the hospital as her organs began to fail
6:48 — 70 days, two hospitals: intubation, sepsis & infections
7:00 — Out-of-body experiences & traveling "back in time"
11:36 — A message of support & her mother's visit
13:00 — "Fight, fight, fight": an army of loved ones, living and passed
18:51 — The Stadium of Light & her life review
21:00 — The messages: what she was told to do (and not do)
22:30 — Waking up & the "kidnap" feeling
24:00 — Two hard years & finding answers at IANDS
27:00 — The hypnosis session & the entity she calls Darby
33:00 — "Love them where they're at" — the message that changes everything
41:00 — Faith vs. spirituality after the experience
44:00 — The SHIFT framework & her book "Near Death Shift"
50:00 — Turning purpose into philanthropy & the Retreat Association
57:00 — You don't have to almost die to truly live: finding your purpose

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Are you healing in chaos — reacting to whatever is loudest and never actually choosing what you're working on?

In this solo episode, Tracy introduces The Set List: a

Just like a professional band builds their set list before a single 
fan walks through the doors, your healing deserves a strategy. Without 
one? You're just making noise.

In this episode:
- Why trauma keeps you in reactive mode — and how to break out of it
- The difference between working on what hurts most vs. what needs 
  to come first
- The 3 lanes of healing and how to prioritize without overwhelm
- A 5-step process to build your personal healing set list
- Why 30 days is the perfect opening set for your recovery
- How the Rock Star 30™ program gives you a fully guided roadmap

Your 5 Steps:
1. Take the free Life Audit Quiz
2. Choose one thing per lane
3. Put them in order
4. Give it a 30-day time frame
5. Review it weekly

You are not a passenger in your healing journey. You are the artist. 
You get to decide what's on the set list. Rock Stars always play 
with intention.

🎯 Free Life Audit Quiz + Rock Star 30™ Program:
https://traumarockstars.com

💛 SUPPORT THE SHOW: ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars 🎙️ Become a Supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new

🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars

🎯 Free Life Audit Quiz + Rock Star 30™ Program: https://traumarockstars.com 🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars

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Female firefighter bullying, workplace trauma, and PTSD recovery — this episode covers it all. Lynette was the first and only woman ever hired at her fire department, and on her very first day as a career firefighter, a captain pulled her into a room and told her: "If you ever get into trouble — we're not coming to save you."

She carried that secret for over a decade, walking into burning buildings never knowing if her team would have her back.

In this powerful episode, retired firefighter, trauma coach, and author of You're On Your Own, Lynette opens up about 18 years of workplace bullying, misogyny, and betrayal — and how she finally broke the cycle, found her voice, and rebuilt her life from the inside out.

🧠 In This Episode You'll Learn:

• How hypnotherapy completely transformed her trauma healing journey (and what happened in session TWO)
• Why trauma can be caused by betrayal — not just crisis
• How a childhood pattern of abuse showed up in every area of her life
• What post-traumatic growth actually looks like
• Why talk therapy wasn't enough — and what finally worked
• The moment she handed in her early retirement and said two words: "Plot twist."

💡 Key Takeaway: You are replaceable at your job. You are not replaceable in your own life. Choose yourself — even when it's terrifying. That's Rock Star Resilience™

🎸 Take the FREE Trauma Rock Stars™ Life Audit™: 👉 https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouw Find out exactly where you are on your healing journey in less than 5 minutes. Your personalized Rock Star 30™ guide is waiting for you on the other side.

💬 Drop "PLOT TWIST" in the comments if this episode hit home for you!

That's Rock Star Resilience™

🎙️ Connect with Lynette: 📖 Book — You're On Your Own: https://a.co/d/0frzuxt4 📲 Instagram: @FireWithinCrisisServices 🌐 Website: https://firewithincrisisservices.com

🎙️ Listen & Connect with Trauma Rock Stars™: 

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TraumaRockStars 

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/traumarockstars 

📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/traumarockstars 

🌐 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@traumarockstars 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracysmaldino 

🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars 

🌐 Website: https://traumarockstars.com

💛 Ways to Support Trauma Rock Stars™: ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars 🤝 Become a Supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new

00:00 — Introduction: Meet Lynette 

01:45 — From Hairstylist to Firefighter — How It All Began 

04:00 — Fire School: The Camaraderie She Thought She'd Have 

05:30 — Fighting to Volunteer: They Made It Clear She Wasn't Wanted 

07:00 — The Chief Who Had Her Back 

08:45 — Her First Day on the Job — The Threat That Changed Everything 

11:30 — Living With Fear: A Decade of Silent Pep Talks 

14:00 — Small Town, Big Secrets: The Weight She Carried 

16:30 — The Breaking Point — Reconnecting with Her Feminine Side 

18:00 — The Counselor Who Said: "That's Abuse." 

19:30 — Childhood Trauma, Abusive Relationships & the Pattern She Finally Saw 22:00 — "I Didn't Cry for Nine Years" — Stuffing It All Down 

24:00 — The Aha Moment: "Plot Twist." — Her Early Retirement 

25:30 — Fighting the Union That Was Supposed to Protect Her 

27:00 — Writing It All Down: Thousands of Pages, One Book 

28:30 — What Led Her to Hypnotherapy 

31:00 — Session Two: The Absolute Rodeo That Changed Her Life 

33:30 — Past Life Regression: The Castle, the Clay Hut & Standing Up 

35:30 — The Moment the Fear Left Her Body 

37:00 — What Hypnotherapy Is Really Like (Not What You Think) 

39:00 — The Book: You're On Your Own 

41:00 — Post-Traumatic Growth & Why PTSD Is Not a Life Sentence 

43:30 — The Chief Who Believed in Her — Where He Is Now 

45:00 — Finding Her Voice at the End of Her Career 

47:00 — What She Does Now: Trauma Coaching & Crisis Services 

50:00 — Advice for Anyone Stuck in a Cycle of Suffering 

52:30 — Choosing Yourself — Even When It's Terrifying 

57:00 — How to Find Lynette & the Phoenix Society

women in firefighting, trauma healing, PTSD recovery, workplace bullying, first responder mental health, toxic workplace, hypnotherapy, post-traumatic growth, female firefighter, trauma coach, women empowerment, healing journey, mental health podcast, first responder trauma, abuse survivor, trauma recovery, firefighter mental health, memoir, rock star resilience, Tracy Smaldino 

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Are you carrying too much? In this solo episode, Tracy introduces the Load-In & Load-Out framework — a life audit for your energy, boundaries, and everything you're carrying.

Just like a concert crew loads in and loads out, we need to review what is coming in and going out emotionally, physically, and mentally. Are you overextending yourself? This episode gives you baby steps to start auditing your energy today.

In this episode:
- What Load-In & Load-Out really means for your healing journey
- The 3 lanes of load-in — emotional, physical, and mental
- Why overextension is often a trauma response dressed up as strength
- What load-out actually looks like and why skipping it costs you
- Baby steps to start this week

Chapters: 

0:00 — Introduction & the concert metaphor
1:30 — What Load-In & Load-Out actually means
6:00 — The load-in audit: what are you carrying?
14:00 — Are you overextended?
20:00 — What load-out really looks like
27:00 — Baby steps to start today
33:00 — Life Audit™ quiz & closing

🎸 Take the free Life Audit™ at traumarockstars.com — 5 minutes and
It shows you exactly where your stage is overloaded.

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📧 [email protected]
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🍎 Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trauma-rock-stars/id1835876659
🎵 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/3j8Zoy3p3Mair20q0AQbW2
▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@TraumaRockStars
🎧 Amazon Music: music.amazon.com/podcasts/219f576b-698b-4678-b154-46370dac8617
🎙️ All Platforms: buzzsprout.com/2526063

Real Stories. Raw Truths. Rock Star Resilience™. 🎸
Trauma Rock Stars™ — hosted by Tracy Smaldino, Keynote Speaker · Host · Author

trauma healing, boundaries, life audit, energy management, trauma recovery, mental health, solo episode, people pleasing, self care, nervous system, trauma survivor, healing journey, load-in load-out, overextension, emotional health, personal growth

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What do you do when you're body-shamed online by the very people who should have your back? When trauma nurse Heidi posted a confident photo in a women's Buffalo Bills (Bills Mafia) group, she was met with anonymous body shaming and adult bullying instead of support. 💙

In this raw and powerful episode of Trauma Rock Stars™, host Tracy sits down with Heidi to talk about online bullying, body image, and the courage it takes to show up anyway — and why anonymous cruelty says everything about the bully and nothing about you.

Heidi is a 15-year trauma nurse and sexual assault nurse examiner who has seen the very worst of human suffering. Her perspective on why words matter — and why she refused to let the haters win — is one you won't forget.

Whether you've been bullied online, watched it happen to someone else, or maybe even been guilty of a snarky comment yourself — this episode is for YOU. 💙 Go Bills. Be a buddy, not a bully. 🏈

🧠 Questions We Answer in This Episode:
- How do you handle being body-shamed or bullied online as an adult?
- Why do people leave anonymous negative comments?
- How can women support each other instead of tearing each other down?
- What did 15 years as a trauma nurse teach Heidi about the power of words?
- How do you teach the next generation to be upstanders, not bystanders?

❓ Quick FAQ:
Q: How do you deal with being body-shamed online?
A: Don't fire back in anger. Heidi briefly took her post down, then reposted it with an explanation — refusing to let anonymous critics decide how she feels about her own body. Separate their projections from your self-worth, and lean on a supportive circle.

Q: Why do people leave anonymous cruel comments?
A: It's usually about them, not you. What someone puts out reflects what's going on inside them — anonymity just removes the accountability.

Q: How can women support each other online?
A: Be a buddy, not a bully. If a post bothers you, scroll past it. Celebrate other women's confidence instead of policing it.

🎸 Take the FREE Trauma Rock Stars™ Life Audit™:
👉 https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouw
Find out exactly where you are on your healing journey in less than 5 minutes. Your personalized Rock Star 30™ guide is waiting for you on the other side.

🎙️ Connect with Heidi:
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidi.kleinwillis
🛍️ Bills Gear by Abigail Lee: https://byabigaillee.com/

🎙️ Listen & Connect with Trauma Rock Stars™:
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TraumaRockStars
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/traumarockstars
📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/traumarockstars
🌐 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@traumarockstars
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracysmaldino
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars
🌐 Website: https://traumarockstars.com

💛 Ways to Support Trauma Rock Stars™:
☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars
🤝 Become a Supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new

Trauma Rock Stars™ is a safe, real, and empowering space for anyone navigating trauma recovery. Hosted by Tracy — survivor, advocate, and your biggest cheerleader.

⏱️ Chapters:
0:00 — Welcome & Intro — How Heidi Became a Bills Fan
2:21 — What Prompted This Episode — The Post That Started It All
5:00 — The Photo, the Boudoir Shoot & the Backlash
8:00 — Anonymous Bullying — Why It's Still Bullying
11:44 — Trauma, Grace & Why Words Can Devastate
13:47 — Just Keep Scrolling — Don't Yuck Someone's Yum
16:08 — Supporting Small Businesses & Local Love
18:26 — Adult Bullying — We're Not in High School Anymore
20:35 — Heidi Fights Back — Why She Reposted
22:31 — Body Image, Burns & Building Confidence
24:41 — How to Handle It Constructively
26:44 — Teaching the Next Generation to Be Upstanders
29:00 — Protecting Kids from Social Media Bullying
31:14 — What's Going On Inside You Is What You Put Out
33:25 — 15 Years in Trauma — How Heidi Copes
35:50 — Relationship Goals — 18 Years & Still Newlyweds
39:30 — The Bills Game Experience in Buffalo
41:30 — Buffalo Food Tour — Wings, Ted's, Duff's & Wegmans
47:25 — Decompressing After Trauma Nursing Shifts
50:00 — A Message of Gratitude to Healthcare Workers
52:16 — Final Thoughts — Find Your Happiness & Be a Buddy

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Can trauma actually live in your body? In this powerful episode of Trauma Rock Stars™, host Tracy talks with Nikki Everett — author, mental health advocate, and former mental-health and prison-system professional — about how a series of violent events led to complex PTSD, and the long, raw journey she took to heal.

💗 A note before you listen: This episode includes discussion of workplace violence, PTSD, & the loss of a colleague to suicide. If you're struggling, please reach out — in the US call or text 988, and in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You are not alone.

Nikki shares how trauma settled physically into her body, the dissociation she experienced, and the practices that slowly brought her back: journaling by hand, leaning into her triggers instead of running from them, and the Japanese art of kintsugi — repairing broken pottery with gold — which became the metaphor for her whole recovery. The lesson at the heart of it: you are not less because of what you've survived. You are more.

Whether you live with PTSD, love someone who does, or are simply trying to make sense of your own healing, this conversation offers honesty, hope, and practical tools.

🧠 Questions We Explore in This Episode:

• Can trauma be stored in the body — and how do you release it?

• What is complex PTSD, and how is it different from PTSD?

• How can journaling by hand help you heal?

• Why are our triggers actually "clues" worth leaning into?

• What does it mean to go "from broken to gold"?

❓ Quick FAQ:

Q: Can trauma be stored in the body?

A: Nikki shares how her trauma settled physically into her body — including persistent pain in her arm — and how learning to recognize and "shake out" that stored stress became part of her healing. (She references the well-known idea behind "The Body Keeps the Score.")

Q: How does journaling help with PTSD?

A: Nikki describes how writing by hand — even just drawing at first — helped move the trauma out of her head and onto the page, easing her nightmares and helping her sleep. It eventually became the foundation of her book.

Q: What is the kintsugi metaphor?

A: Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, making it more beautiful and valuable than before. Nikki applied it to her mental health: she's not "less than" for living with PTSD — she's the same person, and more.

Note: Nikki shares her personal healing journey and the approaches that worked for her — offered for support and hope, not as medical advice. Please work with a qualified professional about what's right for you.

🎸 Take the FREE Trauma Rock Stars™ Life Audit™:

👉 https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouw

Find out exactly where you are on your healing journey in less than 5 minutes. Your personalized Rock Star 30™ guide is waiting for you on the other side.

📚 Connect with Nikki Everett:

🌐 Website: https://sheismental.com.au/

📝 Blog: https://sheismental.com.au/blog

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheismental_ptsd/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoleeverettauthor

📖 Book: "Uncomfortably Comfortable" (available on Amazon, Kindle & audiobook)

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Trauma Rock Stars™ is a safe, real, and empowering space for anyone navigating trauma recovery. Hosted by Tracy — survivor, advocate, and your biggest cheerleader.

⏱️ Chapters:

0:00 — Meet Nikki Everett & her trauma journey

1:00 — 20 years in mental health & the prison system

2:26 — Five violent events & the stabbing that "broke" her mind

4:50 — Dissociation & losing the ability to speak

6:00 — Getting help, medication & years of recovery

8:00 — Where trauma lives in the body: the pain in her arm

12:00 — Kintsugi: repairing what's broken with gold

14:00 — "Trauma talk" & discovering journaling

17:00 — Why writing by hand helps you heal

19:00 — Coming off medication & exploring other therapies

22:00 — Triggers as clues: leaning in instead of pulling away

29:00 — Her book "Uncomfortably Comfortable"

31:00 — What other cultures teach about healing trauma together

38:00 — Finding your tribe & the semicolon tattoo

41:00 — Rewriting your story as the hero, not the victim

43:00 — Closing: you are more, not less, because of what you've survived

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