Brooke welcomes her friend Heather Luna to share how years of depression led her toward inner child work and Kundalini yoga, and why practical nervous system tools changed her life. Brooke sets the table for new listeners and explains the heart behind Trauma Uncensored before introducing Heather’s background in yoga therapy and trauma-informed practice. Heather traces the arc from persistent depression into an unfamiliar meditation practice, then into teacher training where a 40-day kriya coincided with the first day she noticed the old cloud was gone. Together they talk about curiosity over reactivity, what neuroplasticity really means in daily life, and why simple habits matter more than grand plans. Brooke also names her own experiences with shutdown and suicidality, and how stabilization plus practice helped her find steadier ground. The episode closes with two portable regulation tools listeners can try anywhere: extend the exhale by humming or whistling, then keep it going for a few minutes.

We explore:

• A candid origin story of depression, self-medication, and the first steps toward practice.

• Teacher training, a 40-day meditation, and the moment the cloud lifted.

• Curiosity versus reactivity, plus a plain-language neuroplasticity sketch.

• Daily practice that fits real life, not perfection.

• Two go-anywhere tools for downshifting your system.

Guest Links:

Heather's official website: https://theheatherluna.com/

Book a complementary discovery call:

https://calendly.com/swanloveholistics/30min

Follow Heather on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/swanloveholistics/https://www.facebook.com/swanloveholistics

Whistle, Hum or Sing to Improve Your Health blog post:

https://theheatherluna.com/whistle-hum-or-sing-to-improve-your-health/

Take an on-demand workshop series with Heather - The Art of Inner Mastery:

https://swanloveholistics.heymarvelous.com/product/89804/about

Try a FREE guided 1:2 ratio breath practice with Heather:

https://swanloveholistics.heymarvelous.com/product/60425/free-media/599598

Practice kundalini yoga in the comfort of your own home with Heather:

https://SwanLoveHolistics.heymarvelous.com/product/54315

Email Us: [email protected]

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

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

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Content Disclaimer:This episode includes discussion of depression, substance use as self-medication, grief, trauma, suicidal thoughts, OCD, therapy and medication, and somatic and yogic practices.

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

Brooke welcomes Marie Cat Bass, a Tennessee horse trainer and nutritionist, for a candid story about survival and repair. Cat traces early years of physical and verbal abuse, the night she called 911 at eighteen, and what it cost to start over on her own. She talks about mother wounds, boundaries that took a decade to build, and the ripple effects of divorce, co-parenting, and a public detour when her ex appeared on reality TV. The conversation turns to healing practices that changed everything for her, especially inner-child work and the letting go method she learned from Michael Singer, and why she now chooses peace over anger. Cat closes with grounded advice for anyone in an abusive situation, including the hardest part, leaving, and what life on the other side can look like.

We explore:

• Calling 911 at eighteen and the moment police lights meant survival

• Mother wounds, distance, and rebuilding contact with limits that protect you

• Co-parenting through upheaval, including reality TV fallout on a family

• Inner-child repair and the letting go method as daily practice

• Practical encouragement for people planning a safe exit

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 childhood physical and verbal abuse, domestic violence, strangulation risk, religious trauma, divorce, co-parenting conflict, and references to hospitalization.

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

Brooke sits down with Peggy Davenport, a widow reflecting on the day everything changed and the slow, determined work of building a life afterward. Peggy shares the moments leading up to her husband’s sudden passing, the shock of holding that reality, and the unexpected “signs” that helped her get through the early weeks. She talks about community rallying around her, returning to their catering business, and why therapy, routine, and small steps mattered when nothing felt possible. The conversation moves through timelines that do not behave, the myth that one year solves it, and the choice to let go of control enough to follow the next breadcrumb. Peggy also opens up about dating after loss, faith, and finding purpose in service, including a project to support kids in sports. This is a grounded, hopeful listen for anyone rebuilding after grief and wondering what comes next.

We explore:

• Community showing up and how to accept help without losing yourself

• Therapy, routine, and the myth of “being better after a year”

• Letting go of control to notice the next right step

• Work, purpose, and new beginnings after a spouse dies

Books Mentioned:

Amazon.com: Guided: The Secret Path to an Illuminated Life (The Path of Light Series): 9780593729571: Jackson, Laura Lynne: Books

Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe (The Path of Light Series): Jackson, Laura Lynne: 9780399591617: Amazon.com: Books

Waking Up Alone: Grief & Healing: Cicero, Julie: 9781425997632: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery (Audible Audio Edition): Brianna Wiest, Stacey Glemboski, Thought Catalog Books: Audible Books & Originals

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 sudden spousal loss, grief, faith and spiritual signs, therapy, dating after widowhood, and coping in early bereavement.

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

Brooke opens her first panel as solo host and gathers Mel, Michelle, and Lindsay to talk honestly about the holidays after grief and change. They trace how traditions shift, why permission to do less can be lifesaving, and what it takes to rebuild connection without pretending everything is fine. Lindsay shares the ache of celebrating with surviving children while honoring the one who is missing, including the family’s ornament ritual. Mel describes dreading Thanksgiving after her husband died, then creating a new gathering that finally felt like theirs. Brooke reflects on early holidays after the crash, how guilt can push parents to overdo it, and the relief of choosing experiences that bring real peace. Together they circle practical encouragement for anyone in a fresh season of loss, from saying no, to resting, to setting boundaries that protect your energy.

We explore:

• How grief reshapes holiday traditions and expectations

• Permission to rest, say no, and set healthy boundaries

• Starting new traditions that fit the family you are now

Email Us: [email protected]

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

Instagram: @traumauncensored

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YouTube: @traumauncensored

Content Disclaimer:This episode includes discussion of child loss, spousal loss, miscarriage, grief, holidays after loss, divorce, and boundaries.

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

Brooke shares what is changing on the show, including hosting some conversations solo, and why this season asks all of us to slow down and go deeper. Then Mel returns with the kind of honesty that makes you lean in. What really happens when you push yourself back to “normal” too soon. How do you know when stabilization has to come before the deeper work. Announcements and updates will always be said in the podcast, and today they set a new tone for where we are headed together.

We explore:

• The vision for the April 30 to May 4 community retreat and how it came to life

• Brooke stepping into solo episodes and what that means for listeners

• The cost of pushing through dysregulation and how to notice the signs

• Choosing therapists and modalities that match trauma needs, including EMDR

• Why medication and stabilization can make therapy finally click

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 spousal loss, medical error, grief, burnout, dysregulation, suicidal thoughts, therapy and medication, and references to ketamine therapy.

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

Andres and Brooke welcome Lindsay Hernandez for a candid conversation during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Lindsay shares the story of her son’s birth at 34 weeks, the frantic minutes in the O.R., and the autopsy findings that revealed VATER syndrome and a trachea that did not connect to the lungs. She speaks to the paralysis of those moments, the shock of leaving the hospital without her baby, and the long game of grief that reshapes marriage, parenting, and community. Together, they discuss what support really looks like after "casseroles" fade, the difference between sprinters and marathoners, and how comparison can give way to compassion. Lindsay also describes founding the Christian Michael Hernandez Foundation and the perspective shift that guides how she parents today.

We explore:

• Pregnancy and infant loss, NICU response, and unanswered what ifs

• VATER syndrome, monitoring, and why the outcome still changed everything

• Community care, sprinters and marathoners, and feeling less alone

• Choosing perspective, carrying grief, and parenting after loss

⁠http://www.christianmichaelhernandez.org/⁠

VATER Syndrome ⁠https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24083-vater-syndrome

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

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

Content Disclaimer:This episode includes pregnancy and infant loss, neonatal death, emergency delivery, medical details related to VATER syndrome and NICU efforts, grief, and funeral planning.

In Part Two with Michelle Bandy Davis, the conversation moves from history to hard-won clarity. She recounts how early abuse and neglect set patterns that echoed into young adulthood and marriage, then describes the slow weave of control, the rupture that followed, and the moment everything collapsed into a forced psychiatric hold. From there, the story turns toward rebuilding: naming financial abuse, securing safety for her kids, entering therapy, and learning boundaries, forgiveness, and community. The question beneath it all is simple and fierce: how do you take your power back without losing your heart?

We explore:

• How childhood harm shapes adult attachment, choices, and denial

• Isolation, manipulation, and financial control inside a marriage

• Rock bottom, hospitalization, and the pivot toward survival and support

• Practical recovery tools, from therapy and EMDR to transparent community

• Co-parenting, accountability, and forgiveness without abandoning boundaries

https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/⁠

⁠https://www.thehotline.org/⁠

⁠https://www.allstatecorporation.com/the-allstate-foundation/relationship-abuse.aspx

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 childhood sexual assault, physical abuse, domestic violence, infidelity, financial abuse, and suicidal thoughts, as well as references to hospitalization and trauma therapy.

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

⚠️ Content Disclaimer :

This episode contains open and emotional discussion of childhood trauma, abusive relationships, sexual abuse, parental betrayal, and emotional breakdowns. Please listen with care.

In Episode 24 of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres sit down with a powerful guest Michelle Bandy Davis whose story unfolds slowly—and then all at once.

What begins as a conversation about life after trauma takes a sharp turn when the guest begins to share memories of being abused as a child—and the betrayal that followed. It’s not a scripted retelling. It’s pain as it surfaces, clarity arriving mid-sentence.

https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/⁠

⁠https://www.thehotline.org/⁠

⁠https://www.allstatecorporation.com/the-allstate-foundation/relationship-abuse.aspx

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

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

⚠️ Content Disclaimer:

This episode includes discussions of emotional boundaries, family trauma, and terminal illness. Listener discretion is advised.

In Episode 23 of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres dig deep into the messy, often misunderstood topic of boundaries—how they’re formed, how they’re violated, and what happens when we go too long without them.

Brooke reflects on how the dynamic with her father forced her to confront her own limits. She shares what it looked like to set boundaries with someone she deeply loves, and how doing so became a crucial act of self-preservation. For the first time, she reflects on what it means to create space for herself—even when it’s uncomfortable.

Together, they explore:
– What boundaries actually are—and what they’re not
– Why we often wait too long to protect our peace
– The role of community in surviving emotional collapse
– How grief shapes what we allow and what we tolerate

This episode is for anyone who’s been stretched too thin, loved too hard, or lost themselves trying to hold everyone else together.

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

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

Visit us at: https://www.traumauncensored.com/

⚠️ Content Disclaimer:

This episode contains open discussion of emotional setbacks, guilt, shame, loss of a child, grief processing, and long-term healing. Listener discretion is strongly advised.In this vulnerable installment of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres return to the mics to unpack a painful truth: even after years of healing work, trauma can still catch you off guard.

Brooke reflects on where she is emotionally nine years after Logan’s death, while Andres opens up about what it means to be emotionally depleted while supporting others. Together, they reflect on what it means to be honest about where you are.

Together, they dive into:

• The guilt of being “set back” when you thought you were past it

• The shame that lingers, even after deep healing

• How grief evolves—but never disappears

• Learning to live for the ones we’ve lost, without living in their shadow

This episode is a raw and honest reminder that healing isn’t a straight line and sometimes the most powerful growth happens in the middle of the mess.

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

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