Brooke sits down with Cassie Dobbs, a licensed professional counselor, registered art therapist, and fellow in thanatology with Riley Grief Services at Riley Children’s Health. Cassie shares how losing her dad at 18 shaped her path, and why art became the place she could go when words were not enough. Brooke reflects on Mallory’s grief journey, the role Riley Grief Services played for their family, and why kids often need a space that is not home, not school, and not their parents to say what they are carrying. Together they talk about how creativity can restore a sense of choice and control after a loss, how making something with your hands can open conversations that feel impossible, and why peer support matters so much for kids and teens. The episode also explores continuing bonds, including how siblings can stay connected to a brother or sister they lost, even when they never met them.

In this episode we explore:

• How art therapy helps when words are not enough;
• Choice and control as healing tools after loss;
• Continued bonds, keeping a loved one present in everyday life;
• Supporting bereaved siblings, including kids who never met the sibling they grieve;
• Peer support, grief camps, and why community changes outcomes

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Cassie's Guest Links:

• National Alliance for Children’s Grief: https://nacg.org/
• American Art Therapy Association: https://arttherapy.org/
• Doug Center: https://www.dougy.org/
• Coalition to Support Grieving Students: https://grievingstudents.org/

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Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Be a guest: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases⁠⁠

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Website, Merch, & More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.traumauncensored.com/⁠

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Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of child loss and bereaved siblings, substance use disorder and a parent’s death, traumatic grief, divorce, and mental health topics including anxiety, OCD, and coping in long-term grief.

If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.

For Episode 50, Brooke takes us back to the beginning. This is a rerun of Episode 1, the first time she shared the story that started Trauma Uncensored, the day her family’s life split into “before” and “after.” Brooke and Andres explain why the show exists, healing out loud, telling the hard stories, and building a place where people feel less alone. Brooke recounts the violent crash that killed her nine-year-old son, Logan, and why she refuses to call it an accident. She shares what she remembers, what she smelled when she woke up, the frantic scan of the car, the moment her body went into pure survival, and the lifelong imprint of what she saw that day. The episode also touches on why this case became a landmark distracted driving conviction years later, and why Brooke believes the fight is bigger than one family.

In this episode we explore:

• The mission of Trauma Uncensored, and what “healing out loud” means
• Brooke’s “before and after” life, and the day everything changed
• Why language matters, accident vs. preventable crash
• Graphic reality, trauma memory, and survival responses
• Distracted driving accountability, and why this story continues

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Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

Be a guest: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Website, Merch, & More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.traumauncensored.com/⁠⁠⁠

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Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of child death, graphic descriptions of a fatal car crash scene, severe injuries, CPR attempts, traumatic grief, and strong language.

If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.

Brooke welcomes back John Kinsey and Carolyn Clennon for a raw, honest conversation about what first responder work really looks like after the adrenaline wears off. They talk about expectation versus reality, how a “sick person” call can become a cardiac arrest, and why you learn to make decisions fast even when you do not have perfect information. John shares how the job can tax relationships and emotions over time, and Carolyn explains why confidence and compartmentalization are often survival tools, not coldness. Brooke connects the conversation to her own crash, what she misunderstood for years, and how compassion can grow when you finally understand the system behind the scene. They also unpack misconceptions, the difference between EMT and paramedic, why people should stop calling them ambulance drivers, and what it takes to protect your nervous system before the bucket overflows.

In this episode we explore:

• How the job changes you, at work and at home;
• Compartmentalization, confidence, and desensitization;
• Triage decisions, urban vs rural realities, and unseen limitations;
• Boundaries, balance, and what helps keep the bucket from spilling;
• Misconceptions about EMS and what deserves more respect.

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Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Be a guest: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases⁠⁠

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Website, Merch, & More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.traumauncensored.com/⁠⁠

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Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of child death, traumatic crash response, graphic injury references, suicide and suicide-related language, substance use and alcoholism, and first responder trauma, stress, and burnout.

If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.

Brooke is joined by Stephen Teal, a retired firefighter with 32 years in the fire service, to talk about what first responders carry and what finally forces it into the open. Stephen explains how humor and compartmentalization became the default coping tools, until one unexpected trigger hit his body like a warning light. From there, the conversation moves into what actually helps, peer support that understands the job, debriefing that is accessible, and a culture shift where it is normal to admit a call affected you. Stephen also shares the work he stepped into in his last years of service, helping expand recovery pathways, reduce overdose harm, and connect people with treatment through mobile outreach, peer programs, and medication-assisted treatment. This episode is both a reality check and a lifeline, for first responders, families, and anyone carrying too much alone.

In this episode we explore:

• Why pediatrics and family calls hit differently, and how triggers show up
• Humor, compartmentalization, and what happens when the bucket overflows
• Peer support programs that meet crews right after the hard calls
• Substance use stigma, Narcan realities, and why compassion changes outcomes
• Taking the first step to ask for help before it gets worse

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Stephen's Links:

• CORE Network: https://www.flcorenetwork.com/

_____________________________________________________________

Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Be a guest: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases⁠⁠

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Website, Merch, & More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.traumauncensored.com/⁠⁠

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Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of first responder trauma and PTSD, pediatric medical emergencies and child death, graphic injury references, suicide and suicide-related language, overdose response and Narcan, substance use disorder and medication-assisted treatment, and stigma in recovery.

If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.

Brooke is joined by Elizabeth “Liz” Boring, a licensed social worker and Fellow in Thanatology who supports families through Riley Grief Services at Riley Children’s Health. Brooke shares how Liz’s presence shaped her own grief journey, including small acts of remembrance that mattered more than people realize. Together they break down what thanatology is, why grief is not a mental health disorder, and how society’s discomfort with death can leave bereaved families isolated. Liz gently corrects common misconceptions, especially the idea that grief should shrink with time, and offers a more honest picture: the loss stays, but your capacity to carry it can grow. They also talk about why the dominant emotion in grief is often longing, why that longing is frequently misunderstood, and how families can navigate different grief styles under one roof. The episode closes with practical guidance for supporting grieving children and showing up for people when you do not know what to say.

In this episode we explore:

• What thanatology is and why grief education matters;
• Why grief has no timeline, and what actually changes over time;
• Longing versus sadness, and why that distinction matters;
• Different grief styles inside families, and how to communicate needs;
• Supporting grieving kids with honesty, preparation, and the right resources.

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Liz's Guest Links:

• National Alliance for Children's Grief: https://nacg.org/
• National Coalition to Support Grieving Students: https://grievingstudents.org/
• What's Your Grief: https://whatsyourgrief.com/

_____________________________________________________________

Email Us: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Be a guest: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Newsletter: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases⁠

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Website, Merch, & More: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.traumauncensored.com/⁠

_____________________________________________________________

Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of child loss and bereaved parenting, traumatic grief, longing and complicated emotions, references to suicidal-sounding statements as an expression of grief (not a diagnosis), and guidance for supporting grieving children and families.

If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.

Brooke sits down with Glenn Davis, a Florida firefighter-paramedic and longtime EMS educator, for a candid conversation about cumulative trauma and the moment his body finally said “enough.” Glenn describes his first PTSD collapse at home, the calls that quietly piled up behind the scenes, and how hard it was to admit he could teach about mental health while still missing it in himself. He also shares the role his wife played in keeping him alive, creating a safe space, pushing him to debrief, and helping him name what he was carrying. The episode turns toward what changed everything, a treatment journey Glenn calls a game changer, and what it felt like when the noise in his head finally quieted after decades. Glenn also explains why he is speaking now, the colleagues he has lost, the stigma that keeps people silent, and the hope that one more person can choose help before it is too late.

In this episode we explore:

• Cumulative trauma and the first PTSD collapse at home;

• Triggers, flashbacks, and why pediatric calls hit differently;

• Marriage, faith, and building real support inside the home;

• TMS explained in plain language, plus sleep and nervous system recovery;

• Stigma, suicide loss in the profession, and why Glenn is telling the truth now.

  
  

Glenn's Guest Links:

• eTMS Florida https://etmsflorida.com/
• JLC Services https://jlcservicesinc.net/
• Glenn's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gdavis09/

Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Be a guest: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases⁠⁠

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Website, Merch, & More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.traumauncensored.com/⁠⁠

Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of PTSD, cumulative trauma in first responders, pediatric medical trauma, depression, suicidality, suicide loss of colleagues, sleep deprivation, and treatment discussion including transcranial magnetic stimulation.

If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.

Brooke sits down with her longtime friend Carolyn Clennon, a paramedic in Indianapolis, for an honest look at what EMS work asks of a person over time. Carolyn shares what paramedic school demanded, how quickly burnout can build when you are expected to reset and go right back in service, and why the gap in support can feel louder than the sirens. She also talks about the double standard in how lifesaving work gets recognized, and what that does to morale when you are carrying hard calls day after day. Brooke and Carolyn make space for the human side of the job, the moments you cannot unsee, the questions people should stop asking, and the practical kinds of care that actually help. The episode ends with a reminder that lands softly but hits deep, sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer is not a procedure. It is comfort.

In this episode we explore:

• What paramedic school and 911 work demand over time;
• Burnout, back-to-service pressure, and why support must be proactive;
• Recognition gaps and the “just your job” double standard;
• Prevention and public education that could save lives;
• Why comfort is part of care.

Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Be a guest: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases⁠⁠

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Website, Merch, & More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.traumauncensored.com/⁠⁠

Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of traumatic medical calls, workplace stress and burnout, suicide, overdose response and Narcan, pediatric cardiac arrest and infant death, and preventable infant safety risks.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.

Brooke finally does the deep-dive episode listeners have been asking for, an EMDR-focused conversation with Alice, an EMDR specialist recommended by Brooke’s own therapist. Brooke shares how EMDR first entered her life after Logan’s death, why she was too hijacked for it to land back then, and what changed when she returned to it years later alongside ketamine therapy. She also shares a personal update about filing for divorce, and how EMDR helped her connect present-day patterns to childhood wounds and the belief that love is not safe. From there, Alice breaks down EMDR in plain language, where it came from, what trauma responses look like in the body, why some people develop PTSD and others do not, and what complex PTSD really means. They talk through frozen memories, adaptive versus maladaptive networks, the importance of preparation phases, and why EMDR is not about living in the past, it is about being present enough to heal what still gets triggered today.

In this episode we explore:

• What EMDR is, how it started, and why it works;
• Fight, flight, freeze, collapse, and how trauma responses develop;
• Complex PTSD and how repeated danger reshapes the nervous system;
• Why prep and resourcing matter before reprocessing;
• Letting go of control and staying present during healing.

Alice Guest Links:

• Website: https://www.alicestricklin.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063789169941#
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicestricklincounseling/?hl=en
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQGPlsE834R0hUlh-2gYedA

Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Be a guest: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases⁠⁠

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Website, Merch, & More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.traumauncensored.com/⁠⁠

Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of child loss, divorce, childhood trauma, emotional abuse and unsafe caregiving, complex PTSD, dissociation, suicidal thoughts, OCD, and detailed discussion of trauma responses and treatment modalities including EMDR and ketamine therapy.

If you are struggling or worried about someone, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for free, confidential support, 24/7.

In Part Two with Bri, Brooke returns to the day Rio was born and what happened after the C-section, when something felt wrong immediately and Andres was pulled into another room while Bri lay in recovery, waiting. Bri describes holding fear with an open hand, trying not to spiral into every “what if,” and the shock of navigating decisions while groggy, stitched up, and separated from her baby. Then the story widens into the grief that was already in motion: Bri’s mom’s dementia and the weight of bringing family into a NICU filled with alarms, other babies, and other parents living their own worst days. Bri shares one of the most tender moments of the episode, a brief window where her mom recognized her, lit up, and asked about the baby. Brooke and Bri talk about secondary losses, permission to feel anger, and why reframing is a practice, not a requirement, especially when you are exhausted.

We explore:

C-section aftermath, separation, and waiting for answers

NICU overwhelm and how the environment intensifies fear

Dementia, grief, and the ache of the moments you do not get

Reframing fatigue, permission to feel it all, and grace for yourself

Trauma stored in the body, EMDR, movement, and bilateral tools.

Email Us: [email protected]

Merch & More: https://www.traumauncensored.com/

Be a guest: email [email protected]

Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of traumatic birth and C-section recovery, NICU hospitalization and critically ill infants, fear of infant loss, dementia and caregiver stress, grief and secondary losses, anger in grief, and discussion of trauma responses and treatment tools including EMDR and somatic practices.

If you are struggling or worried about someone, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for free, confidential support, 24/7.

This episode picks up right where last week left off, this time from Bri’s side of the story. Brooke sits with Bri, Andres’ wife and Rio’s mom, to talk about the quieter kind of trauma that can start long before a medical crisis: the waiting, the hoping, the expectations you did not realize you were holding. Bri shares what it felt like to navigate pregnancy fears, early bleeding, the pressure of “geriatric pregnancy” labels, and the grief of watching a carefully imagined birth plan unravel. From there, she walks through the intensity of trying to flip a breech baby, the pain and fear inside an ECV attempt, and the moment the C-section became unavoidable. Along the way, Bri and Brooke talk about how emotions are information, how healing is a practice, and what it means to stay present in uncertainty, especially when your body and your baby are both unknowns. The episode ends with a clear pivot: this is part one, and the hospital and NICU story continues next.

In this episode, we explore:

Pregnancy anxiety, expectations, and the grief under “normal” milestones

Breech birth, ECV attempts, and fear around anesthesia and control

C-section realities, dissociation, and what nobody prepares you for

Emotional regulation, capacity, and staying honest in the unknown

Why this story continues, and what comes after discharge

Email Us: [email protected]

Merch & More: https://www.traumauncensored.com/

Be a guest: [email protected]

Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releases

Instagram: @traumauncensored

TikTok: @trauma.uncensored

YouTube: @traumauncensored

Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of pregnancy anxiety and pregnancy loss fears, bleeding during pregnancy, fertility and IVF references, medical stigma, intense pain during a medical procedure, anesthesia and surgical risks, emergency C-section discussion, dissociation, infant medical concerns including NICU and surgery planning, and discussion of infant illness and infant death.

If you are struggling or worried about someone, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for free, confidential support, 24/7.