This week, Sammi got to speak with her childhood best friend, Sam Balbierz, about their 23+ year friendship. Reflecting on both their personal and joint growth, the two discuss their shared journeys from childhood to adulthood. This episode dives into hot topics like navigating differences in long-term friendships, surviving wedding culture as "the single friend," facing your own shadow, and dating in your upper 20s.

Whether you're atheistic, agnostic, religious, or spiritual, you likely have faced spiritual starvation and existential thoughts at some point. This episode explores common spiritual doubts amid individual and collective suffering. Dive into the essence of spirituality on both a personal and communal level, and learn how you can tune into the interconnectedness of humanity.

Yoga instructor Julia Teters joins Sammi to discuss the ins and outs of obsessive-compulsive disorder, a highly misunderstood and stigmatized anxiety disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior. Both girls share their personal struggles with OCD, examples of intrusive thoughts/compulsions, as well as the treatments that have worked for them.

Welcome Julia Burke, published author/poet and full-time writer, to Rite of Passage Podcast! In this week's episode, Julia opens up about becoming a writer, navigating life from an artist's POV, and connecting with your emotions/intuition.

Be sure to purchase Julia's poetry collection, Moonstruck: Told by the Seasons. You can also find some of her work on Instagram at @j_burke_poetry.

In this week's episode, Sammi talks to her friend Amanda, a court-appointed special advocate, a sexual assault advocate, and the host of the podcast Healing on Mars. Amanda will also be pursuing a master's degree in clinical mental health and rehabilitation counseling this autumn.

During this conversation, Amanda talks about her own mental health experiences, which led her to seek a fulfilling career that would allow her to help other individuals. She discusses topics like childhood trauma, emotional regulation, and our interconnectedness as complex humans.

Also, be sure to check out Healing on Mars for more content by Amanda.

Welcome to Write of Passage With Sammi Caramela — a rebrand of Sammi Says. Learn all about what you can expect from this podcast going forward.

Especially with a history of trauma, it's easy to want someone else to save you from the torment you face. But there is so much power in saving yourself.

This week, Sammi talks about the insecurities — where they stem from, how to overcome them, and the power of owning exactly who you are. She also talks about how society pits us against each other; we are on the same team, not in competition!

In this week's episode, Sammi talks about the true meaning of love, including lessons and stories from listeners. How do you define love, and what would you risk for it?