TURTZED

How do you survive when every pillar of your life begins to crumble at once?. Most of us are taught to "tough it out," but true strength is found in the willingness to be seen—crying on a bathroom floor—and then choosing to write your way back to life.

In this episode, Ricky Liorti joins us to share how he channeled devastating emotional pain into his book, Heartbreak Love. From resisting his therapist's advice to journaling for over a decade, Ricky discusses the radical transformation that occurs when you stop "bottling things up" and start prioritizing self-love. You’ll learn how to navigate the "dating game" without losing your sense of self and why your "enoughness" is never tied to someone else's inability to see it.

Journaling isn't about writing a "Dear Diary" entry; it's about jotting down raw emotions and themes that help you identify what truly matters. By committing to writing regularly, you can channel pain into poetry or purpose, eventually helping others navigate their own grief.

Breaking the "too manly for therapy" stigma is essential for emotional health. Successful people use therapy or coaching for routine "alignment checkups," ensuring their mental "pillars" are stable before a crisis occurs.

To find a real connection, stop settling for "coffee dates" and show up as your most authentic, high-energy self. Setting a high bar for the first experience helps weed out those who aren't a match and creates a space for a 1% soulmate connection.

• Ricky Liorti
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
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Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website. 

• 00:00 – The "One Take" goal and recording in New York
• 02:24 – Why journaling isn't just for "Dear Diary" moments
• 03:51 – The devastating heartbreak that sparked a poetry book
• 05:28 – The universal struggle of finding "your person"
• 06:44 – Why "manly" men are often the most hesitant to seek help
• 08:32 – The "Pillar Theory" of life and what happens when they collapse
• 10:50 – The awkward reality of your very first therapy session
• 13:02 – Why you might need to "date" your therapist to find a match
• 15:48 – Perfectionism vs. being the best version of yourself
• 18:22 – The word that defines Ricky’s life: Perseverance
• 20:30 – Why "Nobody F*cking Cares" is the most liberating advice
• 23:36 – Trusting your track record over your worries
• 27:32 – The airplane oxygen mask rule for self-love
• 31:18 – Turning 100 miles an hour into a life mission
• 37:34 – Why Ricky refuses to go on "coffee dates"
• 41:38 – The "1% Risk": Why you should never settle for a partner

What happens when the picture-perfect life you’ve painted in your head finally shatters, leaving you face-down on a shower floor? For many of us, the hardest part of the journey isn’t the trauma itself, but the agonizing process of unlearning the "clone" we created just to stay safe.

In this raw, foundational episode, Charles Turtz strips away the scripted versions of his story to reveal the gritty reality of surviving narcissistic abuse and the heavy weight of being "the other one". From the high-stakes world of corporate sales to the vulnerability of a legal name change, Charles Turtz illustrates the exact moment business success stops being enough to fill a personal void.

Living as a version of yourself that others find "acceptable" is a slow-motion trauma that silences your true voice. True alignment only begins when you stop treating your authenticity like a transaction and start owning your flaws and "fuck ups" as part of your power.

Many children of narcissistic parents become experts at reading tone and body language to avoid "misfired" emotions. Recognizing that these survival instincts were gifts for your past—but may be anchors for your future—is the first step toward autonomy.

A name is more than just letters; it is a representation of the lineage you choose to carry or the shadow you choose to leave behind. Taking control of your own identity, even through something as complicated as a legal name change, can be the most empowering "mile marker" on the road to self-love.

• Blog
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
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Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:00 – The "Perfection" Trap: Why the first script had to go
• 02:49 – The Shower Floor: A 2021 turnaround moment
• 06:00 – Psychological Thrillers: When family isn't a fairy tale
• 12:00 – The "Business Charlie" Addiction: Using work to hide
• 15:10 – Defining Trauma: Why your pain is valid
• 19:52 – Redefining Valentine's Day: A 70-year love story with yourself
• 24:42 – The Birthday Blunder: When your "real job" isn't enough
• 29:31 – The Name Change: Stepping out of the shadow
• 34:21 – The Father's Fury: Choosing happiness over approval
• 40:20 – "The Other One": Living in a sibling's athletic shadow
• 45:07 – The High School Hallway: The cost of being different
• 54:38 – The Emperor's New Clothes: Calling out the family dysfunction
• 01:04:18 – The Lucid Dream: A life-or-death message
• 01:09:02 – The "Business Press Release" Coming Out Email
• 01:13:24 – The 7:00 AM Call: A mother's secret fear
• 01:18:09 – The Street Corner: Fighting for control of the mind

How do you learn to trust your own body when it has been conditioned to survive in a war zone? When you are drowning in gaslighting and "flying monkeys," the hardest person to find isn't a new partner—it’s yourself.

In this powerful episode, Nia Renee, founder of How to Love a Battered Woman, shares her raw journey through narcissistic abuse and the grueling work of recovery. From surviving six brain surgeries to unpacking the "mother wound" through EMDR, Nia provides a masterclass in shifting from a people-pleasing survivor to the intentional "prize" of her own life.

• Nia Renee
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
• For Coaching, Consulting, Advertising, or Press Inquiries inquire here.

Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:00 – The Heavy Reality of Narcissistic Abuse
• 02:44 – The Moment I Realized I Was Teaching My Abuser How to Love Me
• 04:30 – Why Lived Experience is the Ultimate Teacher
• 07:13 – How Journaling Can Literally Save Your Life
• 08:30 – The Power of Having a "Business Partner" for Your Heart
• 10:45 – Why Abusers Constantly Move the Goalposts
• 14:27 – Reprocessing the Past with EMDR Therapy
• 17:00 – The Truth About Dating After Brain Surgery
• 20:30 – Why I Went on a Six-Month "Sex Cleanse"
• 23:28 – The Secret to Finding the Love You Genuinely Deserve
• 28:10 – Coaching vs. Therapy: Which One Do You Need?
• 35:12 – The Dangerous Myth of "Hurt People Hurt People"
• 38:20 – Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn: Which is Your Response?
• 44:24 – Why You Must Trust Your Aura Over Their Words
• 48:20 – The "Bob the Builder" Trap in Toxic Relationships
• 53:05 – Realizing You Are the Light at the End of the Tunnel

Is the dream of becoming a father possible when the world tells you it isn't? For many men in the LGBTQ+ community, the surrogacy journey for fathers feels like an impossible mountain of legal hurdles, emotional "gut punches," and financial stress. But as we discover today, the path to parenthood is as much about healing your own inner child as it is about bringing a new one into the world.

In this raw and deeply moving episode, Taylor McGrath shares his transformation from a young boy struggling with dyslexia and low self-worth to a man confidently awaiting the birth of his son. Taylor pulls back the curtain on the grueling "matchmaking" process of surrogacy, the terrifying moment their only embryo was at risk, and the viral "ice cream sundae" story that redefined his understanding of unconditional love.

The journey is a marathon involving egg donor selection, fertilization via ICSI, PGT-A chromosomal testing, and a complex matchmaking process with a surrogate. Taylor explains the reality of "dating" potential surrogates over Zoom and the intensive medical and psychiatric vetting required for all parties involved.

Pregnancy via surrogacy comes with unique anxieties, such as subchorionic hematomas which can cause terrifying bleeding episodes. Taylor discusses navigating these "ups and downs" through faith and the strength of a partnership, emphasizing the importance of staying resilient when things don't go according to plan.

A partner's radical empathy can "rename" traumatic memories, such as Taylor’s experience with childhood dyslexia and a sense of unworthiness. By recreating a painful childhood event—the ice cream sundae party—his husband provided a new memory of empowerment and worthiness.

• Taylor McGrath
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
• For Coaching, Consulting, Advertising, or Press Inquiries inquire here.

Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:01 – The weight of the topics we touch on
• 00:58 – Why Taylor chose vulnerability over silence on TikTok
• 02:25 – The "therapeutic" way Taylor handles internet hate
• 04:20 – The first date conversation that changed everything
• 05:13 – A mysterious Hinge message from a familiar artist
• 06:50 – The beach moment where the "mask" stayed off
• 07:45 – Breaking free from a past of manipulation and lies
• 10:23 – How TikTok restored Taylor’s faith in humanity
• 13:00 – The "gut punch" of the single embryo email
• 14:45 – The awkward "first date" with a potential surrogate
• 17:23 – The moment everything they hoped for became real
• 19:26 – A terrifying 3 a.m. call and an emergency room scare
• 23:55 – Preparing for a cross-border birth in Canada
• 28:49 – The ice cream sundae story that will break your heart
• 31:36 – A wedding night surprise that renamed a childhood trauma
• 38:25 – The five-word advice that ensures you will prosper
• 40:36 – What Taylor would say to his 14-year-old self

How do you stop the "inner monologue" of childhood trauma from sabotaging your adult success? Many of us spend years chasing professional milestones just to feel a sense of worthiness, only to find that the higher we climb, the deeper our personal struggles become. To truly move forward, we must learn to separate our identity from our achievements and address the emotional ingredients that shaped our story.

In this special "tables turned" episode, Charles Turtz sits down with former guest Mari to dive deep into his own journey of recovery. From the freedom found on the ski slopes to the life-changing mirror of group therapy, Charles Turtz shares how he navigated domestic abuse and trauma while building a career. Listeners will discover how to follow their emotions over their to-do lists and the specific tools needed to reduce the impact of past pain on their present life.

Group therapy provides a unique dynamic where helping others actually helps you confront your own suppressed emotions. It forces a shift away from "problem-solving" for others and back toward identifying your own feelings of anger, sadness, or numbness.

Basing your value on business achievements creates a fragile identity that shatters the moment you encounter a professional setback. True confidence comes from recognizing your worth as an individual, separate from the metrics of your job or the growth of your company.

When the path forward feels unclear, it is more effective to "unpack the emotion" than to force a productivity list. Trusting your gut and ensuring your emotional state is positive allows for greater freedom and clearer decision-making than pushing through burnout.

• Blog
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
• For Coaching, Consulting, Advertising, or Press Inquiries inquire here.

Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:00 – The "Ideal Guest" mindset you aren't expecting
• 00:30 – Why the mountain was the only place to feel free
• 01:20 – The duality of the ski slopes and the beach
• 02:05 – Creating a space for the "non-competitive" expert
• 02:40 – The 10-year delay in listening to your gut
• 03:15 – Why it's easier to fix others than yourself
• 04:00 – The "No Concept" phase of emotional healing
• 05:05 – The universal "inner monologue" of trauma survivors
• 06:10 – What happens when society tells you what to want
• 07:45 – Why "I'm sorry" is a learning tool for hosts
• 08:30 – The "To-Do List" trap that compounds distress
• 09:40 – When professional milestones make personal struggles deeper
• 10:45 – The day your worth stops being a business metric
• 12:00 – Why a trauma is just one "ingredient" in your life
• 13:30 – The "Exponential Curve" of trauma recovery

How do you stay calm when you find the person you’re about to marry is leading a double life? This episode dives deep into the Monica Love is Blind DC breakup interview, uncovering the raw reality of discovering infidelity just days before walking down the aisle.

Monica Davis joins Charles Turtz to share her transformative journey from a "people pleaser" who gave 90% in relationships to a woman who stands firmly in her self-worth. She reveals the therapy-backed mindset that allowed her to confront betrayal with logic rather than rage and why she’s finally prioritizing her own peace.

Monica explains that her "sturdy" reaction to betrayal was the result of four years of consistent therapy. Instead of falling into a cycle of "back and forth" texting, she learned to draw a hard line in the sand, prioritizing her own mental health over fixing a broken partner.

While the "pods" environment filters for emotional connection, Monica highlights how it can mask critical life factors like financial stability. She discusses the importance of asking "uncomfortable" questions about money before committing to a life together and why she refused to let an ex-partner leave without settling their debts.

Moving beyond the "Disney" version of romance, Monica discusses how true confidence comes from being comfortable in silence and solitude. She challenges the societal stigma of being single at 37, proving that a relationship should be a "bonus" to an already fulfilled life.

• Monica Davis
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
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Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:00 – The 70-question flight to the pods
• 03:02 – Why "small talk" is a sales tactic, not a connection
• 05:40 – The "flooding" trap in early dating
• 07:10 – What a 10-hour date with a wall actually feels like
• 10:24 – The 80/20 emotional labor imbalance
• 12:20 – When "talking the talk" replaces "walking the walk"
• 14:06 – Why cheating isn't always a green or red flag
• 19:32 – The "Out of Body" reveal experience
• 21:38 – Why "nervous laughter" hides the ick
• 25:40 – The Venmo collection that went viral
• 31:00 – Why the cast is "obsessed" with each other post-filming
• 37:04 – The layers of being "blind" to finances
• 43:28 – The secret "talking points" guide in the pods
• 52:28 – Dealing with the "37 and Single" trolls
• 58:03 – Why "Control" is the enemy of "Trust"

How do you reinvent your entire identity when the body you’ve relied on for your craft suddenly fails you?. For those facing a sudden medical diagnosis, learning how to pivot your career after a health crisis isn't just a logistical challenge—it's a battle for self-worth.

In this episode, Mariana Diaz shares her raw journey from the high-stakes world of professional dance to the structured creativity of art direction and photography. After a life-altering kidney disease diagnosis at age 18, Mariana Diaz had to mourn her lifelong dream of dancing and find a new way to channel her "choreographer" spirit into building H-Gab Studios.

When physical limitations ended her dance career, Mariana realized that the principles of discipline and leadership she learned in the studio were transferable to any professional field. Pivoting requires mourning the old dream to make space for a version of yourself that can thrive in a new environment.

As a first-generation American, Mariana felt the immense weight of her parents' sacrifices, leading her to live a "double life" to meet their high standards for school while pursuing her true love for the arts. Success often comes from turning that pressure into "street smarts" and a relentless hustle.

The healing journey is deeply tied to the quality of support from loved ones; Mariana credits her family's "rallying" around her during dialysis and her transplant as the factor that prevented her from falling into a deeper depression.

• Mari Diaz
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
• For Coaching, Consulting, Advertising, or Press Inquiries inquire here.

Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:01 – The heavy reality behind the curtain
• 01:28 – The wedding photographer who sparked a vision
• 02:46 – Why the hyperactive child was put in ballet
• 03:39 – The "control freak" choreographer's secret
• 04:55 – Realizing the shoot is just another dance
• 06:40 – How high expectations built a professional
• 09:24 – The "Master Cheater" of the charter school
• 11:34 – Carrying the weight of a parent’s sacrifice
• 14:32 – The burden of leading a double life
• 16:36 – The day freedom and diagnosis collided
• 18:02 – When the body says "no" to the dream
• 21:21 – Losing self-worth in the early 2000s mirror
• 25:08 – Why family support is the ultimate medicine
• 29:08 – The "light at the end of the tunnel" surgery
• 33:00 – Why no one is coming to save you
• 34:39 – The matriarchy that built a boss
• 36:54 – Why your dreams must evolve or die
• 39:21 – The universe: happening to you or for you?
• 41:46 – "If they want to, they will"

Can you truly learn how to get sober for someone else when you’ve reached a point where you no longer care if you live or die? For many, the "do it for yourself" narrative feels impossible when self-hatred has completely taken the wheel. After flatlining for five minutes from a fentanyl overdose, today's guest was forced to choose between a final cliff and a path he couldn't yet see.

In this raw and cinematic episode, Zack Livingston shares his journey from elite wildland firefighter to becoming the youngest interventionist on the hit show Intervention. He breaks down the "off switch" of dissociation, the weight of high-ranking military expectations, and the exact moment his father's compassion—not judgment—finally cracked his ego and saved his life.

Zack challenges the common recovery trope that you must want sobriety for yourself to succeed. He explains why, when you are consumed by self-hatred, doing it for a partner or a parent is a valid and powerful "anchor point" to get you through the door.

Addiction often serves as a survival mechanism to blot out emotions that feel unmanageable. Zack describes the "robotic existence" of flicking the switch to off and the terrifying difficulty of trying to turn it back on once you’ve lost your sense of self.

Even in "cool" and loving homes, the weight of high-achieving parents can create a perceived gap in self-worth. Zack discusses how comparing himself to his naval officer parents led him to find his first sense of "fitting in" through a glass of wine at age 10.

• Zack Livingston
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
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Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website. 

• 00:00 – The "Fire Terminology" Introduction
• 01:21 – Why Silence is the Addict's Best Friend
• 04:10 – The Weight of Naval Officer Expectations
• 08:16 – A Ten-Year-Old’s "Romantic" Glass of Wine
• 10:45 – The First Arrest: A 14-Year-Old’s Fire Extinguisher Fight
• 15:41 – Losing Yourself Twice: The 18 and 25 Milestone
• 18:29 – Finding Solace in the Colorado Wildfire Academy
• 20:52 – The DUI That Almost Froze Him to Death
• 25:10 – The 5-Minute Flatline in Tennessee
• 35:13 – The Phone Call: Telling Mom Her Son is Dead
• 37:40 – A "Good Kidnapping" into Detox
• 41:13 – The Pivotal Shift: When Recovery Becomes Sexy
• 45:25 – Don’t Be Realistic: How to Stay Hopeful
• 51:13 – Robbie’s Question: What Are You Actually Afraid Of?
• 55:15 – Charles Turtz: Breaking the Groundhog Day Cycle
• 58:12 – The Liberating Power of Group Therapy

How do you build a successful business when your own mind is your toughest critic? Overcoming perfectionism in business isn't just about better time management; it’s about a radical shift in how you view failure, mistakes, and the "messy" middle of the creative process.

In this milestone episode, Charles Turtz reflects on the one-year anniversary of his pivot from corporate operations to solo entrepreneurship. He shares the raw, behind-the-scenes reality of launching the TURTZ brand, revealing how the very act of storytelling became a form of therapeutic discovery that forced him to confront the "perfectionist trap" and learn the power of trusting experts. 

Most podcasts don't make it past their 20th episode, but reaching this milestone requires more than just good audio. It demands a commitment to showing up when there is no "tangible" proof of success and treating every technical hiccup as a necessary data point.

There is a psychological block that often prevents founders from articulating their own value clearly. By trusting experts in copywriting, design, and photography, you can bring a more authentic version of yourself to life than you ever could by working solo.

Financial risk in a new business is often a proxy for self-belief. Choosing to invest in a multi-page website or high-end equipment is a pivotal moment where you stop treating your business as a hobby and start treating yourself as a professional product. 

• Blog
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
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Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:01 – The 35th Birthday Pivot
• 01:20 – Why 99% of Podcasts Fail
• 02:54 – Proving You Can Figure It Out
• 04:10 – The Secret Branding Partner
• 05:40 – Writing Your Story Backwards
• 06:50 – Sharing Secrets with Family for the First Time
• 08:15 – Re-traumatization vs. Therapeutic Release
• 09:30 – The GarageBand Learning Curve
• 11:10 – The Psychological Block of the "About Me" Section
• 12:45 – The "Muted Colors" Confrontation
• 14:00 – The Website Cost Dilemma
• 16:20 – Learning to Celebrate the Wins
• 18:00 – Crying Before the Big Recording
• 20:00 – The Guilt of Taking a Break
• 21:30 – The Pain of a Missed Wednesday
• 23:40 – Looking Back Without Regret

How do you maintain a "white picket fence" life when your internal world is burning down? For many, the first step to healing is the hardest—saying the words out loud while the world is watching. In this episode, we explore the raw reality of the Bronwyn sobriety journey, moving past the curated squares of social media to the messy, beautiful work of true recovery.

Braunwyn Burke joins Charles to discuss her "unbelievable honesty" in the face of public scrutiny. From being "blackout drunk" on national television to navigating a devastating mental breakdown and financial ruin post-divorce, Braunwyn shares how she used EMDR and accountability to finally find peace at 47. Listeners will learn how to face their deepest fears of abandonment and why it is never too late to live an authentic life.

Braunwyn discusses how working with Captain Sandy and publicly admitting her alcoholism on camera acted as a pivotal "mirror" that made it impossible to keep lying to herself.

Braunwyn explains her experience with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), describing how it helped lower the "charge" of limiting beliefs from a nine to a zero.

Growing up in a "polite" Southern culture where mental health and addiction were never discussed, Braunwyn shares how she became a fierce advocate for her children's authenticity to ensure they didn't inherit her silence.

• Braunwyn Burke
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
• For Coaching, Consulting, Advertising, or Press Inquiries inquire here.

Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:00 – The danger of the "fun" reality TV phone call
• 02:15 – Why the "Housewife Sherpa" doesn't exist
• 04:42 – Rewatching scenes you have no memory of filming
• 06:30 – The "12 Days Sober" filming mistake1
• 08:15 – Growing up as a Mississippi "Chameleon"
• 10:40 – The "White Picket Fence" trap of the early 2000s
• 13:50 – Moving fast and the "Secret Lives" of runaway families
• 15:00 – The closet floor moment and the "God-shot" phone call
• 18:30 – Captain Sandy’s blunt advice on public accountability
• 20:15 – Taking back power in a garage confessional
• 23:45 – The "Mama Bear" instinct vs. self-protection
• 28:20 – The "Pink Cloud" and the ego-drug of fame
• 31:40 – Discovering you were married to a stranger
• 34:15 – Googling "How to know if you're having a psychotic break"
• 37:50 – From a "Level 9" worthlessness to a "Level 0" peace
• 41:30 – Why your best life is waiting at age 47