In this episode of The Walk With Me Podcast, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Danielle Bernock — author, trauma survivor, and emotional healing coach — to explore her powerful story of transformation.

From a childhood shaped by generational trauma and emotional neglect to a young adulthood marked by loss, rebellion, and self-destruction, Danielle's early years were filled with pain and confusion. But a spontaneous road trip to California in 1978 became a turning point — a journey filled with divine protection, unexpected encounters, and the first spark of hope that would lead her back to herself.

Today, Danielle helps others break the chains of trauma through her SELF Process: See, Expose, Love, and Free. Her work reminds us that love — unconditional love — is the greatest healing force we have, and that redemption runs deeper than our wounds.

Together, Stephanie and Danielle discuss:

• The impact of generational trauma and emotional neglect
• How faith and grace brought healing to deep emotional pain
• Danielle's journey from rebellion to restoration
• The meaning of unconditional love and forgiveness
• The courage it takes to dare to love yourself again

This episode is a beautiful reminder that no matter how broken your past may feel, there is always hope for healing — and a way home to love.

Guest Bio:

Danielle Bernock is an author, speaker, and trauma-informed coach who helps people reclaim their self-worth and connect to the love that heals. She is the creator of the SELF Process and the voice behind the movement That Lady on the Internet Who Loves You.

Learn more about her work at DanielleBernock.com.

Connect & Reflect

Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com for more inspiring stories of redemption, resilience, and healing. There you'll find full show notes, resources mentioned in the episode, and ways to join our growing community of listeners walking toward wholeness — one story at a time.

In this episode of Walk With Me, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Anat Peri, an inner child expert and mentor to coaches and healers, to explore what real healing looks like beyond "just thinking positive."

Anat shares her personal journey from childhood in Israel to becoming a mentor for those seeking emotional resilience and self-trust. She opens up about the impact of growing up in a home where love existed, but emotional expression did not — and how that early conditioning shaped her ability to connect, self-soothe, and feel safe within herself.

Through candid stories and practical wisdom, Anat reveals why positive thinking alone can't heal emotional wounds, how reparenting the self can create lasting transformation, and what it means to build true safety in the body. Together, we unpack the difference between coping and healing — and why learning to feel is the key to freedom.

What We Talk About

• The limits of "thinking positive" and the cost of emotional bypassing
• Growing up in an environment where discomfort was avoided
• How friendship and reflection sparked Anat's journey toward self-discovery
• Reparenting the inner child and learning to hold space for difficult emotions
• Practical tools to regulate the nervous system and create safety within
• Why emotional resilience is essential for breaking generational cycles

Key Quotes

"My mom believed all you had to do was think positive — but she didn't know how to make room for us to feel."

"Healing isn't about fixing yourself; it's about remembering how to feel safe being you."

"Your nervous system is always listening — it's sensing either safety or threat. The goal is to stay present while you feel."

"When we learn to hold our emotions, we stop outsourcing our peace."

Connect with Anat Peri

• 🌐 trainingcampforthesoul.com

Connect with Stephanie Bloom

Explore more conversations on healing, growth, and human resilience at 👉 WalkWithMeConversations.com

Subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who's ready to start feeling — not just thinking — their way toward healing.

🎧 Episode Title: From Chaos to Inner Peace with Anne Hintz

Episode Summary

In this deeply moving conversation, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Anne Hintz, a woman who transformed a lifetime of trauma into a journey toward profound self-awareness and peace. From an early life marked by instability, loss, and fear to her discovery of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Anne shares how she learned to quiet her mind, release long-held emotional pain, and reconnect with her true self.

Through her story, Anne reveals how unresolved trauma lives within the body — and how learning to feel our feelings fully can unlock lasting freedom. Her healing journey moves from emotional release to physical transformation, even down to changes in her posture and sense of embodiment.

Together, Stephanie and Anne explore:

• The impact of childhood trauma and generational conditioning
• How EFT (tapping) helps release emotions stored in the body
• The connection between physical tension and emotional healing
• Why true peace begins with radical self-acceptance
• How awareness, compassion, and presence can transform not just your mind — but your entire being

About Anne Hintz

Anne is the author of A Pathway to Insight and a passionate advocate for emotional and energetic healing. Through her writing, YouTube channel, and workshops, she helps others experience the same inner peace she discovered through self-awareness and somatic release. Learn more about Anne and her work at AnneHintz.com.

Key Takeaway

Healing is not about escaping pain — it's about feeling it, understanding it, and allowing it to move through you. As Anne reminds us, "The only way out is through."

Listen Now

Tune in to hear how Anne turned chaos into calm — and how you can begin your own journey toward inner peace.

👉 For more inspiring conversations and resources on healing, self-discovery, and transformation, visit WalkWithMeConversations.com.

🌿 Episode Summary

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Walk With Me, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Tyler Kania — former athlete, cybersecurity professional, and author of The Maniac With No Knees.

Tyler shares his remarkable story of resilience: from growing up in privilege to facing addiction, mania, and multiple suicide attempts — and ultimately finding purpose through writing, coaching, and connection.

This is a conversation about what it means to lose everything, find yourself again, and use your story to help others heal.

💡 Key Themes & Takeaways

• Empathy born from contrast: Growing up in a small farm town and attending a struggling inner-city school shaped Tyler's early understanding of privilege and perspective.
• When success and struggle collide: Behind career wins and athletic fame, Tyler battled undiagnosed bipolar disorder and crippling self-doubt.
• The moment that saved his life: A near-suicide interrupted by a glimpse of sunlight — and a friend's wedding — changed everything.
• Rediscovering purpose through coaching: Returning to rugby as a coach gave Tyler a new mission — to build people up, not just teams.
• Writing as a mirror and medicine: Through storytelling, Tyler turned pain into purpose and built a legacy of openness and hope.
• Choosing authenticity over shame: Tyler reminds us that being open with the world is easier than hiding in the shadows.

🗣️ Notable Quotes

"I attempted suicide… and the clouds parted, giving way to the afternoon sun. That small moment saved my life."

"Writing became my therapy — a mirror for my thoughts. It gives me joy, purpose, and challenge."

"The truly strong are the ones suffering in silence. It doesn't have to be that hard. Being open with the world is a lot easier than being closed."

🔗 Connect with Tyler

Follow Tyler on Instagram: @tyler_kania Check out his short stories and upcoming book projects — all born from the belief that sharing our stories can save lives.

🙌 Listen, Share, and Walk With Us

Tyler's story is one of courage, redemption, and the power of authenticity. If you or someone you love is struggling with mental illness, know this: you are not alone.

🎧 Listen now and explore more inspiring conversations at WalkWithMeConversations.com

Guest: Lisa Franz — Nutrition Coach, Digital Nomad, and Host of the Nutrition Coaching and Life Podcast Host: Stephanie Bloom Podcast: Walk With Me

🌍 Episode Overview

In this episode of Walk With Me, Stephanie sits down with Lisa Franz, a world traveler and nutrition coach who's helping people around the globe break free from restrictive diets and find joy in mindful, balanced living.

From growing up across continents to finding her calling after a personal battle with food restriction, Lisa shares her journey of transformation — one that began with tears in a Thai food court and blossomed into a life of freedom, balance, and compassion.

💬 In This Conversation, You'll Hear About:

• Lisa's international upbringing — from Germany to West Africa to the American Midwest
• How her global experiences shaped her view of humanity and connection
• The breaking point that led her from food fear to food freedom
• Why moderation and consistency are the real keys to health
• The shift from being a police officer to becoming a full-time nutrition coach
• What she's learned from 53 countries about how culture and food connect us
• How slowing down and eating mindfully can change your life
• The importance of self-compassion, curiosity, and living with intention

✨ Memorable Quotes

"We're all a lot more alike than we are different."

"I started crying in Thailand because everything felt off-limits — that's when I knew I wasn't meant to live in fear of food."

"Moderation and consistency sound boring, but they're magic."

"Food should enrich your life — not take away from it."

🔗 Connect with Lisa Franz

• Website: Nutrition Coaching and Life
• Podcast: Nutrition Coaching and Life
• Instagram & YouTube: @nutritioncoachingandlife
• LinkedIn: Lisa Franz

💡 About This Episode

Lisa's story is a reminder that wellness isn't about perfection — it's about awareness, balance, and freedom. Whether you're on your own health journey, exploring new cultures, or learning to trust yourself again, this episode will inspire you to take the next step with courage and compassion.

🎧 Listen & Learn More

Listen to this episode and explore more inspiring conversations at WalkWithMeConversations.com — where stories of healing, resilience, and self-discovery come to life.

In this episode of Walk With Me, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Andy, author of Dopamine Mountain, to explore how understanding dopamine—and learning to master it—helped her rebuild her life after addiction, burnout, and long COVID.

Andy shares her deeply personal journey from self-doubt and exhaustion to purpose, balance, and self-discipline. Through small daily actions, she retrained her brain to generate motivation naturally, proving that the path to healing is built on effort, reward, and rest.

If you've ever felt stuck, unmotivated, or disconnected from joy, this episode will help you see how science, mindset, and compassion can work together to create real change.

• How dopamine drives motivation—and how to rebalance it.

• Why effort before reward is key to long-term happiness.

• How to use action to lift mood when mindset alone isn't enough.

• Simple, science-based tools for rewiring your brain through daily habits.

• Why discipline isn't restriction—it's a path to freedom.

"Addiction is wanting, but not necessarily liking. The craving itself becomes the dopamine hit."

"Self-discipline is just choosing action over choosing quick dopamine."

"Each little step is a success—celebrate it, reward it, and then go again."

Andy is a writer and creator whose work focuses on the intersection of neuroscience, healing, and personal growth. Her book, Dopamine Mountain, explores how dopamine management and small daily actions can transform motivation, mental health, and self-worth. Learn more at DopamineMountain.com.

✨ Listen to more powerful conversations about resilience, growth, and healing at WalkWithMeConversations.com

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. 📲 Follow @WalkWithMePodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes moments.

#mentalhealthawareness #dopamine #mindsetshift #growthmindset #resiliencebuilding #neuroplasticity #motivationdaily #brainhealth #wellbeingjourney #selfworthjourney #effortbeforereward #balanceforwellness #mindfulmovement #selfcarematters #actionnotjustintent #rewardyourself #healththroughaction #youarenotalone #breakthestigma #walkwithmeconversations

Episode Summary

What happens when the story you tell yourself becomes the barrier to your healing?

In this episode, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Blake Hunt, a therapist who turned his darkest struggle into his greatest source of service. Blake opens up about growing up in a family that moved frequently, carrying hidden resentment, and using alcohol as a way to quiet the emotional noise of unprocessed pain.

As his addiction deepened, Blake lost everything that once gave his life meaning—his marriage, his career, and his sense of purpose. But in a moment of surrender, he said yes to help for the first time. That decision led him on a path not only toward sobriety but toward rediscovering his own humanity.

Today, Blake works as a therapist at the same treatment center where he began his recovery, helping others learn to trust, regulate emotion, and rebuild their lives from the inside out. His story challenges us to look deeper—beyond the surface of success or suffering—and ask what part of ourselves is still waiting to be seen, heard, and healed.

Key Takeaways

• How childhood instability shapes emotional coping patterns in adulthood
• The connection between resentment, addiction, and avoidance
• Why surrender—not strength—is often the first step to real recovery
• The role of humility and trust in long-term healing
• How to transform pain into purpose through service and self-awareness

Memorable Quote

"Healing meant asking: now that this happened—what do I do with it? I stopped being a victim to my story and started learning from it." — Blake Hunt

About the Guest

Blake Hunt is a therapist based in Utah who works with clients navigating addiction, trauma, and emotional regulation. His lived experience gives him a unique perspective on healing—one grounded in empathy, accountability, and the power of personal transformation.

Call to Action

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who might need to hear Blake's story.

🎙 Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore more stories of healing, connection, and resilience.

🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode of Walk With Me – Conversations with Real People, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Dan Vaysburd, a former investment banker who transformed his life from addiction and escapism to service and recovery.

Dan's story is a striking example of what happens when external success collides with inner emptiness — and how choosing self-awareness and service can rebuild a life from the inside out.

💬 Episode Highlights

• The Double Life – Dan shares how his pursuit of perfection in a high-pressure, achievement-focused upbringing created an identity crisis that fueled addiction.
• Losing His Mother – The grief that sent him spiraling into escapism through video games, alcohol, and drugs.
• Rock Bottom – A single night that exposed his hidden life and forced him to confront what he'd been running from.
• Rebuilding Through Recovery – How entering a 12-Step program and embracing accountability helped him discover humility, discipline, and spiritual connection.
• Fitness as Redemption – Dan's transition from finance to personal training, using movement and mindset to help others heal physically and emotionally.
• Service Over Self – Why helping others is now the foundation of his sobriety, fulfillment, and purpose.

🌱 Key Takeaways

• External success can't compensate for internal chaos.
• True healing begins when we stop escaping and start owning our story.
• Fitness and spirituality can be powerful allies in recovery.
• Service is not the end of the journey — it's the sustaining force of long-term transformation.

💡 Notable Quote

"You can't move away from yourself — you bring you wherever you go." — Dan Vaysburd

🔗 Connect with Dan

Website: DanVaysburd.com

🙌 Connect with Stephanie Bloom & Walk With Me

Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to:

• Explore more inspiring episodes
• Join the community of listeners walking their own path of healing
• Subscribe for behind-the-scenes updates, upcoming guests, and exclusive tools for personal growth

📣 Call to Action

If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs a reminder that change is possible — and visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to keep walking with us.

In this episode of Walk With Me – Conversations with Real People, host Stephanie Bloom sits down with Mark Struczewski, better known as Mr. Productivity. Mark shares his inspiring journey from being a latchkey kid in Rochester, New York, to a radio DJ, to the 2005 pivot that ultimately launched his career as a productivity coach, speaker, and podcaster.

With honesty and humor, Mark unpacks the struggles of 15 years of unclear direction, the hard lessons of trial and error, and the breakthrough that came when he discovered the power of clarity. He explains why simplicity beats complexity, why joy is a non-negotiable in productivity, and why there's no shame in doing what it takes—whether that's driving for Uber or taking on unexpected work—to pursue your bigger goals.

Listeners will also hear Mark's unique take on technology, the importance of setting boundaries, and his simple yet powerful advice for reclaiming focus in a distracted world. His "Tigger energy" and practical wisdom will leave you both smiling and motivated to get clear, slow down, and choose positivity.

• Why clarity is the foundation of lasting success.

• How pivot points—like being fired—can become turning points.

• The importance of joy in true productivity.

• Simple practices (like going outside barefoot without tech) to recharge your brain.

• Why there's no shame in doing what it takes to support your goals.

• The ripple effect of positive energy and intentional choices.

• "Even though I'm known as Mr. Productivity, I am fascinated with helping people get their life back."

• "All your success starts with getting clear."

• "Productivity without joy isn't really productivity."

• "You don't always need to be on your phone—please tattoo that on your brain."

• "You can't control what people say, but you can control your reaction."

🌐 MrProductivity.com – One-stop hub for Mark's podcast, coaching, and resources.

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to the Walk With Me podcast and share this episode with a friend who could use a boost of clarity and positivity. To support the show and gain access to more inspiring conversations, visit WalkWithMeConversations.com.

In this heartfelt episode of Walk With Me: Conversations with Real People, Dennis Quinn shares how mentorship became both his anchor and his lifeline through decades of inner turmoil, personal transformation, and recovery. From growing up in a large Catholic family to navigating addiction, identity, and grief, Dennis speaks candidly about what it means to simply show up—especially when you don’t have all the answers.

We explore the life-changing impact of his relationships with two boys through the Big Brothers program, the emotional weight of coming out in a conservative era, and the unexpected clarity that sobriety brought him. Dennis offers honest reflections on presence, compassion, and how sometimes, just being there is the most radical act of care.

🎧 Topics Covered:

• Growing up in a family of nine
• Hiding his identity and the toll it took
• Becoming a Big Brother and how it changed his life
• Living with grief after the loss of his mentee
• Lessons from sobriety and recovery
• What it means to lead with presence, not solutions
• The power of gratitude—even in hard places
• Why mentorship is about mutual transformation

📚 Featured Book: Stick Figures: A Big Brother Remembers — by Dennis Quinn Available at: www.DJQuinnAuthor.com

💬 Quote from Dennis:

“If that kid—with everything he had to carry—could say ‘I got a lucky life,’ then any of us can find gratitude.”

✨ Connect and Reflect: This conversation is a reminder that healing isn't always loud. Sometimes, it's quiet. It's a chess game in a locked room, a hand-drawn calendar, or a five-minute warning before saying goodbye. Dennis’s story asks us: What would change if we treated presence as a gift, not an obligation?

👉 Want more real conversations about healing, resilience, and connection? Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore episodes, become a supporting member, and join our community of listeners who believe in the power of showing up.