Beyond Your Past

Have you thought about reaching out to a therapist? Have you considered working with a Counselor? What about working with Life Coach? In this episode of the podcast, we talk about the importance of making your mental health a priority and deciding if it's time to seek professional help. Now more than ever, with your life being turned upside down, and dealing with the uncertainty surrounding everyday life due to COVID-19, you have a whole new set of pressures to work through every day. Then, what happens when life gets back to what it used to be, or a new version of what it used to be? Maybe your daily life will change in ways you never expected. We talk about the benefits of deciding to seek out help for your mental health and the blocks that may be holding you back from doing so. You'll learn how the perspective and insight that a mental health professional can give you, in virtually any aspect of your life, can be an invaluable resource in helping you feel more encouraged, inspired, grounded, and focused to handle what's coming. We'll also discuss the very important fact that, "You don't have to have a mental illness to seek out therapy".We always want to hear from you, so hit us up anytime using the contact form at BeyondYourPastRadio.com. You rock and we appreciate you so much. Thank for the listens, likes, and shares! Don't forget to give us a review and subscribe on your favorite podcast app. The video from Jodi Aman that was referenced in the podcast can be found here. Matt and JoanneSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

We're talking to an essential employee, and offering support, encouragement, and validation to everyone who is on the front lines in hospitals, doctor's offices, animal hospitals, grocery and food store workers, and so many others who are dealing with a seemingly unending amount of stress and uncertainty. We share insight, tips, and strategies to help everyone who has to be away from home, away from family, friends, pets, and their usual routine. The long hours, lack of sleep, lack of personal time, and feeling like there's no end in sight can be debilitating and take its toll on not only our physical health but our mental health. Joanne and Matt talk about ways essential workers can cope and reach out for support. Mindful Breathing, Planned Worry Time, Exercise, Focusing on What You Can Control, Understanding and Embracing that this is a Season, Telling Your Family What You Need, Doing Everything Mindfully and Intentionally, and more!If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please reach out anytime at BeyondYourPastRadio.com - we'd love to hear from you. The next episode will focus on helping loved ones and those who are at home holding down the fort while their partners are away. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

After a 5 month hiatus from recording new episodes, we're back with a special edition of Beyond Your Past Radio, and we couldn't be happier to be rejoining the podcast airwaves and spend some time in your podcast playlist this week. :)As certified coaches working with clients, and continuing our own healing, awareness, and discovery, we wanted to spend some time talking about the struggle of isolation and the uncertainty that comes with the covid19 crisis, and how it takes its toll on our mental health especially. After catching up for a few minutes, we talk about the differences between Concern and Worry; and how understanding the two can make a big difference in how you approach the unknown and uncertainty that is so prevalent in life these days. We also share several strategies to deal with anxiety and isolation, putting our own unique spin on ways you can cope and reframe the challenges that face us all in the coming weeks and months ahead. A huge thank you to everyone who continues to listen to our previous 170+ episodes, and is hopefully finding them to be validating, encouraging, and yes even a bit entertaining at times!We promise it won't be 5 more months until the next episode. Be sure and subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and give us a 5 star review if you wouldn't mind. )Matt and JoanneBeyondYourPastRadio.comSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

The long-awaited and wildly anticipated (more or less) return of the Mental Health Megacast is here! Season 3, Ep. 2 I believe is where we are, although truth be told it's hard to say for sure what episode it is. If you're a regular listener of these podcast episodes with Wes, Mike, and Myself, you know that episode numbers and times are a running joke with us.Anyways, on to the topic of What We've Learned About Ourselves Through Therapy. We discuss, in a round table format coming from 3 guys who are mental health advocates and recovering from our own struggles, not only what we've learned but also the struggle of overcoming the shame and stigma that therapy can bring.It's a candid chat where we talk openly about our own lessons and struggles and ways we've found to overcome some aspects of our past and of course still continue to figure out much of it as we go.Anyways, just in case you aren’t familiar with the Megacasts, you can check out past episodes here, and also my cohorts platforms as well….To that end, the Megacast is the combined collaborative brain powers (more or less) of Wes from AudioRising.com and Mike from MikesOpenJournal.com, and myself. I encourage you to check out and follow them online and through your favorite podcasting platform. Each of these guys has a tremendous message to share and an inspiring and unique way in how they go about it.We hope you enjoy this latest episode, and if you do have suggestions for future shows, we are always happy to field your ideas. One of the best things about these episodes is that that they are completely unedited, unscripted, just us hanging out and having a chat, to which you are always invited to listen in on.Be sure and follow Wes on Twitter @WesA1966 and Mike @Mike_Douglas_ & Open_Journal_ …oh and don’t forget to follow and subscribe to all of our shows on your favorite podcasting app! All conversation and information shared during participation on the Beyond Your Past Radio, and on BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Healing from physical pain, disease, or trauma is not an exact science; there is no "one size fits all" approach to healing. Each of us is different and experiences the feelings and emotions that come from healing in different ways, and of course on our own timeline. We talk often on the podcast about different ways that survivors of trauma, chronic pain, or illness, have found to embrace healing. The ways they have taken what's happened to them in life and figure out a way to turn it into a learning experience and being able to help others. Our guest on this episode, Amy Oestreicher, using art and creative expression in her journey, and she talks about that with us in an inspiring chat that is sure to leave you encouraged. Amy is many things, but first and foremost, she is a storyteller...she is an artist, writer, and influential speaker whose work is rooted in inspiration and built to be eclectic. From the visual arts to music to writing to education, click on any of the pictures above to explore her work and services offered. These include offerings such as a variety of hailed workshops and outreach programs, the sale of her visual art and fashion line, her original multimedia solo-musical PASSAGEWAYS, and her newly released book available below!During our chat, Amy talks more about how she uses creative expression to heal and navigate PTSD:Amy talks about the 29 surgeries she's had throughout her life and a backstory of how she first ended up in the hospital with a condition that nearly killed her.How does she cope with emotional and physical healing; the sexual abuse she experienced and the physical trauma. How is emotional recovery different than physical recovery. The four hardcore skills to resilience that have helped her. How creativity can be anything you want it to be, and the importance of being ok with making mistakes. In addition, how the approach to writing and creative expression in similar to the approach she takes in all of her life. Why she wrote her book, My Beautiful Detour, and the message she wants to share with everyone. You can learn more about Amy, her story, her artwork, her one-woman show, Ted Talks, her book "My Beautiful Detour, and more, over at her website, AmyOes.com. Be sure and follow her on social media as well!facebook.com/amyoestr linkedin.com/in/amyoes instagram/amyoes70 twitter.com/amyoes youtube.com/amyoes70If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?1. Share it with someone who might find it helpful.2. Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.3. Subscribe so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Since gratitude and forgiveness are key to healing, feeling empowered, enforcing healthy boundaries in relationships, and so many other aspects in life, we wanted to bring back a guest for a podcast episode who specializes in fostering a mindset of gratitude and understanding forgiveness.Lisa Cybaniak has dedicated her life to helping women in particular, and survivors as a whole, to find their voice. To begin to realize that they too have the ability to reach out for help, work through their past moving from victim to survivor, and ultimately from survivor to warrior.Lisa Cybaniak is a Motivational Speaker, Success Coach, NLP Practitioner, Author, and survivor of 10 years of child abuse. Over the last 3 years, her work has been featured on radio programs, podcasts, in magazines, and other media outlets. Her first book, Survivor to Warrior is available now on her website, LifeLikeYouMeanIt.com and on Amazon. She outlines on her website, I’ve developed three healing streams to empower you to build a life of purpose after abuse, wherever you may be on your path to recovery: Reaching Out, Victim to Survivor, and Survivor to Warrior.During our chat with Lisa, we talk more about how we learn gratitude and embrace forgiveness:The lessons you learn about your life and who you are, when you begin to understand what forgiveness means to you, and how it relates to your journey.The differences in all types of personal and professional relationships before you learn forgiveness and after.How you begin to practice gratitude; the first initial steps and the progression of taking it to deeper and higher levels in your life.The challenge of regrouping when you're knocked down, and how gratitude and forgiveness can help.Learning how acceptance is key to both forgiveness and gratitude.How you can recognize which patterns in your life need to be addressed in order to change how you approach relationships.How gratitude can be a game-changer in not only healing from trauma but all aspects of life.If you’d like to learn more about working with Lisa, her programs, upcoming new book, and her speaking engagements, just head over to LifeLikeYouMeanIt.com…and be sure and tell her, “Beyond Your Past, sent you”.

Childhood trauma is going to affect you into adulthood, and even with doing the hard work of healing, there will still be times of struggle. The difference is, the understanding, awareness, and skills you learn with the help of a trauma-informed professional can make all the difference in coping during those ongoing tough times.Our chat on this episode of the podcast is with Miranda Pacchiana, MSW: I am a writer, social worker, and survivor of childhood sexual abuse. When I first disclosed to my family that my brother had abused me as a child, I thought my whole world would change. I assumed my family members would share my desire to examine what had gone wrong in our home and pursue a path toward healing together. I was sadly mistaken. In fact, their behaviors left me feeling as though the abuse didn’t really matter. Yes, they believed me–but my family members still seemed determined to brush my trauma under the rug. Over time, I came to realize they viewed me as the problem for focusing on the abuse. Not the brother who had abused me or whatever damaging experiences he had undergone as a child.During our chat, we discuss the challenges of confronting family members who your childhood trauma, in particular:What is "the second wound" for trauma survivors?It's one thing to come to terms with a traumatic past, and as difficult as that is, revealing the details of the abuse to family members adds a whole new layer of fear, anxiety, and shame.The dynamic of a family who intentionally is covering up the abuse in order to hide a secret and keep the family name from being tarnished, vs the dynamic of telling family members who have no idea anything ever happened, and the risk of invalidation or minimization.The importance of a multi-faceted support system, and how to go about building up the support when you first begin to end your silence.Challenging the family's desire to keep everything a secret, and finding the courage to talk about it and not live in silence.Second-guessing yourself before and after you share your story.Be sure and follow Miranda on Twitter and Facebook: @SecondWound, and on Instagram: @TheSecondWound. Learn more about her coaching, clinical work, and her story at SecondWound.com as well as her podcast "Truth and Consequences, Navigating the Aftermath of Trauma."If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcast app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversations and information exchanged during participation on the podcast and BeyondYourPastRadio.com are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our guest on this episode of the podcast is well known in the narcissistic abuse recovery circles and has dedicated her life to exposing the tactics of narcissistic individuals and helping people break free from the grasp of a narcissist. I like to say that Kim Saeed is a narcissist's worst nightmare, because she's got the knowledge, skills, and lived experience to expose them for what they are trying to do in the lives of their victims.Her website, KimSaeed.com is the hub of all of her books, coaching programs, videos, blog posts, and materials...."I created this collective space after visiting seven different therapists, which not only failed to offer relief from my symptoms of narcissistic abuse, I felt further invalidated and more confused than ever. Most of the modalities and self-help out there simply don’t provide the solution for lasting relief.During our chat on the podcast, we dive into some specific aspects of narcissistic abuse and the tactics that a narcissist will use, including Cognitive Dissonance, Gaslighting, and Brainwashing. Kim explains each of these terms and how a skilled narcissist uses these manipulations in such a way that you don't even know something is happening until they've already got a grip on you.We talk about how to recognize when you're in an unsafe relationship and ways you can begin to pull yourself out of it when you're ready to take that step. As Kim mentions, they won't just go quietly into the night, they will step up their game to keep you in their grasp and believing their lies.Kim talks about the importance of paying attention to patterns, not words, in order to see a narcissist for who they truly are rather than what they've led you to believe. In addition, you'll learn how a narcissist can even use a therapy environment to their advantage, where you believe they are honestly trying to change, but in reality, their agenda is still the primary goal.Be sure and check out Kim Saeed on her website, KimSaeed.com for information on her courses, The Essential Break Free Bootcamp, and Beyond No Contact. You definitely don't want to miss her blog posts and her YouTube videos, all done in a way that is both educating and validating.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcast app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversations and information exchanged during participation on the podcast and BeyondYourPastRadio.com are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Recovery and addiction sadly often go hand in hand. What is modeled for us as a child, or not modeled for us, along the trauma of any type of abuse can lead to struggles with addictions of drugs and alcohol.Our guest today, Lisa Boucher, joins us to talk about her life which started out with abuse early on in the home, and a mother who was an alcoholic, and how those events and circumstances paved the way for her own struggles with alcohol.Lisa Boucher is the author of Raising the Bottom: Making Mindful Choices in a Drinking Culture, an award-winning book that won the 2017 Best Book Awards in the category of women’s health and placed as a finalist in the category of addiction/recovery. She is also a speaker.After short stints where she trained polo horses, worked as a flight attendant, hairdresser, and bartender, she realized that the time to implement serious change had arrived. She gave up drinking, revamped her life and settled in as a registered nurse where living a life in recovery became her way.For the past twenty-eight years, Lisa has worked with hundreds of women to overcome alcoholism, live better lives and become better parents. She was prompted to write Raising the Bottom when after twenty-four years of working in hospitals, she realized that doctors and traditional health care offer few solutions to women with addiction issues. She is dedicated to not only help women recover from alcoholism, but has extended her reach to educate and help corporations deal with the growing addiction problem that has permeated every sphere of American life. An author of five books, she holds a BA in English, and is the mother of twin sons. She currently resides in Ohio with her husband.During our chat with Lisa, she tells us more about her childhood and the circumstances that lead to her struggles with alcohol, and the events that transpired which help her begin the healing process from not only her trauma but also overcoming her addiction, and leading to her to a life of advocacy and helping others who struggle.We discuss the link between childhood trauma and addiction, as it relates to the ACES Study. WE also talk about how society today glorifies alcohol as the primary means of having fun, unwinding, and enjoying times with friends and family; that glorification can have a dramatic impact on a growing childhood and young adult.There's so much more to our chat with Lisa Boucher, that I hope will inspire you and encourage you that regardless of your childhood and regardless of the circumstances you are currently in, there is hope in healing, and there is no shame in recovery.Learn more about Lisa Boucher on her website, RaisingtheBottom.com and find her book on Amazon or your favorite book store.You can also follow her on Facebook , Twitter, and InstagramIf you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcast app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

How do you figure out what a trauma narrative is, how do you even know if what you went through was indeed trauma? What steps can you take to make sense of all the struggles you've endured throughout life, and how can they be traced back to that trauma you may have experienced?These types of questions are what our guest on the podcast helps you begin to figure out. Dorothy Pierre-Joseph talks about the movement she is starting, "The Trauma Tour", where you can come and experience a safe place of learning about trauma and how to not only tell your story but also embrace the progress you make as you begin to heal.As Dorothy Pierre-Joseph outlines on her website: Born to immigrant parents from Haiti, I can tell you from experience that life can be challenging. I was a product of a very abusive relationship and a victim of sexual abuse as a child. Much of my life was spent in anger and darkness. My decisions were heavily influenced by my brokenness. However, I always had a passion for learning and helping. I just did not realize that in order to fully help others I had to get healing myself. After a tumultuous period in my life, I attempted suicide and that was the turning point in my life.During our chat, Dorothy begins by sharing her background, which is in Psychiatric Nursing, and the circumstances that lead her to change her career direction from seeking to become a doctor, to become a nurse.We discuss what a trauma narrative is, and how when we begin to first tell our story, it's often from the perspective of being a victim because that's all we know. She shares how we learn to tell our story as we heal and not make the victim side of the story, the only side of the story. As Dorothy mentions, "Learning to Command Your Story, not Your Story Command You".She shares how as you begin to heal, not only does your story change but you change. You become more confident, more empowered, and able to release the shame of what you experienced...to not be bound by those experiences in life.We also discuss more about the Trauma Tour that she created, how to inform and educate your childeren about your struggles as you navigate your own healing while being a parent, and much more. If you'd like to learn more about Dorothy Pierre-Joseph and the Trauma Tour, check out her website, HeartBreak2BreakThrough.com.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcast app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversations and information exchanged during participation on the podcast and BeyondYourPastRadio.com are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Friend of the podcast, author, artist, and survivor, Larry Ruhl, joins us to talk about what life has been like since he released his book, "Breaking the Ruhls", and the new challenges that daily life brings after his openly wrote about his experiences.Larry joined the podcast previously, back in episode 72, where he talked about the experience of writing his book, why he did it, and the message he wants to share through his writing.Larry Ruhl serves as a board member for Taking Back Ourselves, which facilitates weekends of recovery for female survivors of sexual abuse, and is a registered speaker with the RAINN network (Rape Abuse Incest National Network). He previously served as a board member at Male Survivor. He also spoke at colleges and retreats to increase awareness of sexual abuse against men and boys. Today he shares his story publicly to spread awareness and to help others shed the shame and stigma associated with sexual abuse. He graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), with a degree in Display & Exhibit Design, and worked as a creative director at a textile firm for ten years until opening his own home furnishings/interior design business in 2004. He works as an artist and designer in the Hudson Valley. You can learn more about Larry on his websites, www.BreakingTheRuhls.com and LarryRuhl.com.During my chat with Larry, he gives us a recap on what's been happening in his life since his book has been published, including new speaking opportunities at conferences and some travel he's been able to do in support of his art.We also dive more deeply into the challenges and rewards that come with writing a book about your experiences.Larry shares about dealing with the personal struggle of some family members who may support you but choose to keep the struggles you share at a distance.We talk about navigating daily life after sharing your story openly, and the struggles of keeping up with self-care, along with the challenge of handling triggers, especially new ones that may come up.We discuss the importance of being open to exploring new coping strategies in ongoing healing, even if you have a solid arsenal of go-to skills.Being fully present in your body and being open to exploring new memories, personal struggles, or other challenges with your therapist, even if you feel like you've already done extensive healing.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcast app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the podcast and BeyondYourPastRadio.com are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Today's guest on the podcast, Austin Robin, is a survivor of childhood trauma and lives with Complex PTSD. She has also hosted her own podcast, "The Complexities Podcast", where she shares in-depth about her story and the challenges of living as a survivor and healing. While the show is currently on hiatus, it's most definitely worth a listen to the 30+ episodes.During our chat, Austin shares some of her back story of being a survivor, and we dive into some specific areas surrounding self-esteem:Her survivor story of abuse includes abandonment, neglect, and living with a narcissistic family.How going No-Contact with her father and mother was the best decision she ever made and was instrumental in her healing.Healing is exponentially more difficult when you are still in a toxic environment. Finding a way to break free is key.Understanding the reasons why you struggle with self-esteem, and perhaps downright hate yourself; where those feelings come from.Finding a reason to break free, go no contact, and take control of your healing. Even if that reason isn't "you", just find any reason to cling too.How eventually just finding any reason can lead to you learning to put yourself first.Her struggles with an eating disorder, that included checking herself into a medical facility to get help.The strategy of getting to a neutral place, before you try and go full speed ahead with your healing. Learning to embrace that "maybe I'm not quite so bad" is a key step, and can lead to "I'm a pretty resilient, amazing person".All this and more during my chat with Austin Robin. While Austin is not actively podcasting at this present time, and taking a break from social media, she can be reached via the Complexities Podcast Instagram Page or by emailing her directly at Complexities dot Podcast at gmail dot com.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcast app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the podcast and BeyondYourPastRadio.com are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Tricia Moceo advocates long term sobriety by providing resources to recovering addicts and shedding light on the disease of addiction. Tricia is a mother of two, actively involved in her local recovery community, and is passionate about helping other women find hope in seemingly hopeless situations. She is also an Outreach Specialist for Recovery Local, a local addiction/recovery based marketing company. She advocates long term sobriety by writing for many addiction recovery outlets online. During our talk, Tricia shares more of her personal survivor story, which included being molested by a family member starting at 5 years, and then her attempt at reaching out for help during a school seminar, which would ultimately pushed into decades of staying silent, internalizing the shame, and trying to deal with it on her own.The lack of support and understanding of just how much her past was affecting her as she grew up, lead to experimenting with alcohol late in high school, and then more heavily in college, eventually leading to her dropping out because the numbing and avoiding that had taken over through addiction.When her stepmom passed away of a heart attack, she was left to try and hold the family together, while still taking care of her young son, resulting in a turn to drugs to help cope. The perfect storm of losing one of her only support outlets, combined with her existing struggles with alcohol, and running the family business virtually on her own, caused her to spiral into drug addiction, unhealthy relationships, co-dependency, other unhealthy coping skills which eventually found her in the midst of a Child Protective Services case and the reality that she may lose her son.Tricia talks about the rock bottom moment of sitting in a jail cell, detoxing on a cold cement floor and realizing something had to change. Through the help of her caseworkers at CPS, she checked herself into a rehabilitation facility and began the process of healing. It was during that healing process that she finally found a healthy support system, including a therapist that she felt safe enough with to finally talk about the childhood trauma she experienced and the resulting CPTSD symptoms that she had battled her whole life.If you'd like more information on Patricia Moceo, just simply Google her name, and you'll find her story on countless rehabilitation and mental health-related websites. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcast app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the podcast and BeyondYourPastRadio.com are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

The official definition of Borderline Personality Disorder, as outlined by the National Institute of Mental Health: Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image, and behavior. These symptoms often result in impulsive actions and problems in relationships. People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that can last from a few hours to days.Jody Betty is a Certified Crisis Responder and a Trauma-Informed Peer Support mentor. She is a survivor of trauma and multiple suicide attempts and lives with BPD. She is also a blogger and podcast host, and her work as a mental health advocate with Sick Not Weak, is well documented through her writing and social media presence.Jody is a returning guest on Beyond Your Past Radio. She joined us back on episode 109, where she talked about some of her survivor story and life as a survivor. You can listen to that episode here or on your favorite podcasting app. She also wrote a blog piece a few years back, on Surviving My Past, where she talks about her safe place as a child.During our chat on the podcast, Jody gives us insight into what life is like living with BPD, and the constant struggle to understand what's happening, where her emotions are taking her, and utilizing the coping skills she's developed throughout her life.What is life like waking up each day and dealing with the daily struggles, of borderline personality disorder?When did she realize there was something wrong and decided to seek out treatment, and ultimately receive a diagnosis of BPD?The emotional roller coaster that happens throughout the day, and how often times it's all she can do to just get through one hour at a time.Coping skills that Jody has found helpful in living with BPD.Learning how healing happens "in the middle"; what that means for survivors living with BPD.Learning to hold two truths in your mind about who you are.Her peer support program where she works with survivors of trauma, struggling with chronic suicidality and living with BPD.You can learn more about Jody's advocacy work, check out her podcast, Mental Health Raw & Open, and read her blog, over at JodyBetty.com.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcast app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the podcast and BeyondYourPastRadio.com are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our guest on this episode of the podcast, Kimberle Taitano, has seen her share of challenges in life, physically, mentally, and emotionally. She joins us to talk about her experiences and how all of the challenges she's faced, brought her to a place of being able to work with others to help them heal and keep fighting for themselves...to never give up, regardless of a diagnosis or a traumatic past.Kimberle is an Integrative Wellness and Life Coach, Survivor, and Speaker: As survivors of sexual abuse trauma, we seek a way to find and achieve healing from the past. Here at Surrender 2 Wellness our unique perspective and life experience with the impact sexual abuse leaves in a survivor’s life is key to our coaching approach. Low self-esteem, self-worth, and lack of a positive self-image and self-love affect every area of your life.After an eight-year journey to find alternative healing modalities, Kimberle a sexual abuse survivor discovered new Fields of study. Studying with Deepak Chopra; David Simon; and Davidji learning the principle steps needed to obtain overall healing and closure. Kimberle has integrated these teachings and personal experiences with other holistic healing modalities. Resulting in a unique trauma recovery-focused process.During our chat with Kimberle, we talk about the diagnosis that brought her to a crossroads in her life, and already being a place of dealing with a traumatic past.She shares how the abuse began at 4 years old when she was sexually abused by her father, and experienced bullying and physical abuse at the hands of her stepfather. In addition, she also endured being molested by her stepsister. She talks about her attempts to take her own life, which started at age 8, and her last attempt at age 38. In addition, we discuss the reasons why she tried so often to take her life; and it wasn't because she wanted to die...she just wanted the pain to stop.You'll learn of the events that lead her to return to California after spending time in New York working on her acting career, and the diagnosis of MS that brought her to a crossroads, and a decision of either accepting that diagnosis or fighting for herself and finding alternative methods of healing.We talk about the holistic approach to healing that changed her life, which includes reiki, meditation, massage, yoga, supplements, acupuncture, nutrition, and more. You'll hear of the incredible healing that happened as a result of working with holistic doctors, using alternative medicine, that had her back on feet in a matter of months, and how she uses that same approach with her clients today.We talk about her research with ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences), and the connection of childhood trauma to chronic illness and disease.If you'd like to learn more about Kimberle's story, or if you're interested in potentially working with her as your coach, head over to Surrender2Wellness.com, and check out her coaching practice and more of her survivor story. Be sure and also follow her on social media:If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the podcast and/or BeyondYourPastRadio.com are intended for educational and informational purposes Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our guest today on the podcast, Delisa Richardson, has dedicated her life to finding the balance of living with chronic illness, recovery from being a survivor, being a mom and wife, and working with clients in her coaching business. As she outlines in her bio:Delisa Richardson Wellness focuses on empowering women to break the chains of trauma and abuse. I work with you to develop Mental, Emotional, Physical and Spiritual balance & wholeness. This will enable you to thrive and live your BEST life! My goal as a certified Integrative Wellness & Life Coach, NLP, EFT practitioner, and Hypnotherapist, is to help break the chains of trauma, end destructive relationships, help you to learn to love yourself not only survive but THRIVE! You will learn how to fully and confidently step into your life purpose.During our chat, Delisa and I talk about some of her survivor story, which started around the 9 and lasted until she was 13. She shares how and why she kept her abuse a secret and how it affected her all throughout her teenage years and into early adulthood, especially in the area of relationships.You'll learn the circumstances that transpired which lead her to seek the help of a therapist, what it was like to verbalize for the first time, out loud, that she was a survivor of abuse.Delisa talks about the struggles of being in abusive relationships, both physically and verbally, as a result of childhood trauma, and how the events of her past affected her ability to seek out healthy relationships and enforce boundaries.We discuss the importance of releasing the shame and guilt that comes with being a survivor of childhood trauma, and how recording her own voice, by listening to how she talked to herself; internalizing all of the shame and blame, helped her move forward and break that cycle.Her life with inflammatory bowel disease, and how living with chronic pain and illness can be traced back to the childhood trauma she experienced.We discuss how healing from trauma is a life long battle and the hope that comes from putting in the hard work of healing so you can live the life you want and be the person you want to be.Releasing yourself from the need to try and control the people around you or the events in your life, and how the process of healing helps you release that need and realize that you actually have very little control over most of your life.You can find Delisa on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter just search for "Delisa Richardson Wellness"If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversation and information exchanged during participation on Beyond Your Past Radio and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Even in today's world, where mental health is becoming more mainstream to talk about, there's still a stigma surrounding those dreaded two words. Even more than that, what about the judgemental mindset that comes with admitting you've attempted suicide, or live with chronic suicidality?It's for those very reasons that I wanted to bring Frank King, The Mental Health Comedian, onto the podcast so we can discuss not only some of his story and his work, but primarily in hopes of helping at least one person start a conversation that could make the difference between being alive today, and gone tomorrow.Frank King, aka The Mental Health Comedian, is a Suicide Prevention and Postvention Public Speaker and Trainer who turned a lifelong battle with depression into a keynote worth spreading. His mission is to end the stigma surrounding mental health by sharing his insights with anyone and everyone who will listen in an effort to “start the conversation.”Frank uses comedy and personal life lessons to help break the ice and start an engaging conversation amongst those struggling with mental and emotional stability. This act of faith helps those struggling to find a voice to express themselves. He believes that where there is humor there is hope. And where there is laughter there is life… Nobody dies laughing.During our chat, Frank shares how he got started as a comedian, speaker, and trainer, and how he's able to use his own life experiences to create a sense of support and understanding for those who struggle, and those who are supporting them. He talks about living with chronic suicidality, and how that affects even the most normal of everyday circumstances.The stories Frank shares of his experiences throughout his life are sure to not only move you deeply but also make you smile and laugh...a combination you don't see very much in the world of mental health and suicide prevention.If you get the opportunity to see Frank King perform, please don't pass up the opportunity. He's an amazing guy who has dedicated his life to helping people stay on this planet, one day at a time. Be sure and head over to TheMentalHealthComedian.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & YouTube.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversation and information exchanged during participation on Beyond Your Past Radio and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

This topic of an unhealthy or abusive relationship in therapy is not something you probably hear about every day, and unless you've experienced it personally or know someone who has, you may not even know it's actually a thing. My guest on the podcast today, Analie Shepherd, has experienced this type of abuse first hand, has written a book detailing her experiences and healing and speaks at conferences and with therapists on this topic.Analie joined the podcast previously back in 2017, where she first shared some of her experiences and gave us some insight into the world of healing from an abusive therapy experience. Today we continue that discussion as Analie shares a recap of her story and discusses more in-depth some of the more pertinent aspects of what abusive in therapy actually is, how to recognize it, and what healing looks like.From her website, MendingtheShatteredMirror.com - During the last four years, I have fulfilled one of my life dreams! I am a published author! For many years, friends have encouraged me to write the story of my life. Recently, I went through a traumatic experience, and have struggled to reclaim my life. This struggle became the motivation to finally write my story.Mending the Shattered Mirror chronicles the life-shattering abuse I suffered in psychotherapy, but also tells the life-affirming story of my search for healing and wholeness. Within the pages of this book, I have included my remarkable life journey--the sometimes tragic, sometimes triumphant, story of me!During our chat on healing from abuse in therapy, we cover:Analie shares a recap of her story on how and why she first sought the help of a therapist.How the abuse in therapy began and continued for 4 years. In addition, why she stayed in the environment for so long before finally being able to leave and begin healing.How to recognize the signs of a potentially unhealthy or outright abusive relationship with a therapist; they aren't as recognizable as you might think.Why it's not a bad thing for a client to long for a deeper relationship with their therapist, and the importance of the therapist being able to maintain the boundaries of a professional relationship.Are there dangers in showing any type of affection, even innocently, between a patient and their therapist?Working through the shame and self-blame that comes with realizing you were a victim of abuse in therapy.Things you can do to address concerns with your therapist or other helping professional.You can purchase Analie's book, Mending the Shattered Mirror, A Story of Recovery from Abusive Therapy, on Amazon. Be sure and also follow her on Twitter: @AnalieShepherdIf you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!All conversation and information exchanged during participation on Beyond Your Past Radio and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned wSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our guest today is an expert in the field of helping communities heal after mass shootings and other trauma's, and she shares some of her insight and experiences with us on this episode of the podcast. Melissa Glaser, MS, LPC is a community response and recovery leader. She was the coordinator of the Newtown Recovery and Resiliency Team (NRRT) from 2014 to 2016. Glaser is currently in private practice as a psychotherapist and actively consults with other organizations and communities. Previously, Glaser has served as a clinical and behavioral health director to several Connecticut non-profit organizations.Melissa is the author of, "Healing a Community: Lessons for Recovery after a Large-Scale Trauma", which outlines the twenty months spent in Newtown, Connecticut as the leader of the Newtown Recovery and Resilience Team. Her task as the leader of this team was to address the emotional impact and guide the mental health response after a gunman killed twenty children and six adults at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. Our chat with Melissa does not cover the issue of gun control, nor was that the intent of bringing her on to the podcast. Rather, we wanted to talk about the ways that we as every day people can help a community heal from such a tragedy; providing insight into the needs of survivors and their families and outlining some of the struggles that face not only the community but also the first responders and mental health professionals.Understanding that healing from mass trauma is an ongoing process. Recovery and support teams of mental health professional and first responders are often actively in place for at least the first 21 months after the trauma.The various stages of recovery and healing from a mass trauma, including the crisis management stage, the consequence stages, and more.The need for multiple different modalities of support. Many survivors are not able to utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other similar modalities due to not being able to express their needs verbally, immediately after a trauma. Other supportive methods including art therapy, music therapy, acupuncture, and yoga can be vital to helping survivors feel grounded.The challenge of dealing with the media after a mass shooting. How their desire to get a story out by asking survivors and family members to talk about what happened can cause a tremendous amount of guilt, confusion, and anxiety. In addition, Melissa shares how the vulnerability in sharing is often caused by a need to talk about the victim because of the fear of not being heard later, especially due to so many emotions in play immediately after a tragic event takes place.The agenda of politicians to try and portray a community that will be ok, that will heal, and pick up the pieces. That message of unity, while likely done with the best of intentions can have a negative effect due to the time it takes to heal and trust that's been shattered.The challenge of survivors guilt. When the community is portrayed as a group that is strong and resilient; that guilt of not feeling ok can cause survivors to be afraid or ashamed to ask for help because they are still struggling.What have learned from past mass shootings, and are we improving in our responsiveness and providing access to resources and support for victims and their families.We appreciate Melissa Glaser's willingness to come on the podcast and share her insight on this topic that affects us all so much. You can learn more about her work as a counselor and her book, on her website, MelissaGlaser.com. If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?SharSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

When you come to a point in healing from your past, from all of the abuse, the trauma, the years of suffering, you may come to a point where you just break down, fall to your knees, and cry out for help. That's exactly what our guest on this episode of the podcast did, and the answers she received were life-changing.Karen Cesario Rizzo is a spiritual coach, clairvoyant, and author: Having experienced tragedy and pain as a young child, I knew I felt different. But I always knew I was being protected by angels. I could hear them, feel them, speak to them and see them at an early age. After many years, I made the decision to lift the veil of pain and fear. It was a painful process I had to endure. As a result, I began experiencing increased psychic awareness beyond what I could comprehend. The journey has been amazing.During our chat with Karen, we talked about her unique survivor story and the journey of healing that lead her to be in a place of writing two books so far, and sharing her clairvoyant gifts and experiences with others through her coaching program:How she endured sexual abuse at the age of 7, from her father who was also an alcoholic and later took his own life.The breaking point that she came too that literally had her on her knees crying out for help and answers, and the life-changing results that came with that cry for help.How she learned that she could talk to angels and the healing benefits she experienced as a result; as well as how she began to develop this gift.The importance of peeling off each layer of pain, sitting with those feelings, and learning how to heal them through counseling and therapy.What you learn about yourself throughout that processWorking through the shame, pain, and victimization that comes with being a survivor so you can learn to see yourself through the eyes of love.How radical acceptance can play such an important role in healing from your past.Be sure and follow Karen Cesario Rizzo on her website and on Twitter: @KCesarioRizzo and Facebook: FlyingOnEaglesWingsIf you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.All conversation and information exchanged during participation on Beyond Your Past Radio and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on the podcast or posted on the above-mentioned website are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

So what can we do? How can we identify a relationship that is filled with emotional abuse? Is there a way to see it and get out before more damage is done and heal more compassionately and efficiently once it's over? What can we do to help ourselves in the future, to enforce healthy boundaries and not let someone take over our very existence?Liz Goddard returns on this episode of the podcast to dive deeper into healing from an emotionally abusive relationship. Elizabeth is an Author, Spiritual Life Coach, Soul Transformation Therapist, Soul Plan Reader, and Reiki Master Teacher; training with the Holistic Healing College in London. She works with women to help them understand why they attract abusive relationships and helps them heal the ORIGINAL wound. She believes that by healing the original wound you can feel whole, something you may never have experienced and allow you to take charge of your life.During our chat, Liz shares about her upcoming new book, "The A to Z of Emotional Abuse", and how the key to healing lies in understanding. In her new book, she takes the approach of education and learning about what emotional abuse is, in order to not only identify it but also to heal.How cognitive dissonance and gaslighting can go hand in hand in an abusive relationship, and consequently literally damage our brain from the emotional trauma.Understanding who exactly is to blame for the emotional abuse, and working through the urge to self-shame.What role did you play in the relationship, and what you can you learn from it without interpreting the events in a way that causes you to take on all of the blame?What is a manufactured soulmate and how can that mindset keep us stuck in the emotionally abusive relationship? For that matter, the importance of understanding that the toxic relationship itself is a manufactured relationship in the first place?How to recognize if you are in an emotionally abusive relationship; the key to understanding what's happening.Idealization and Devaluation phases of a relationship, and how the toxic partner will use your ideals against you to manipulate you.Learn more about Elizabeth Goddard, her ROAR program to Help Heal from Emotional Abuse, her Free Meditations available, her upcoming book, and more, over on her website ReviveYourSoul.co.ukBe sure and also follow her on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.*Source - https://www.dictionary.com/browse/can-t-see-the-forest-for-the-trees Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

So what does that hope actually look like, what does it feel like? Well, I'm glad you asked because our guest on this episode of the podcast is Monique Koven, Trauma-Informed Recovery & Resilience Coach.I have worked for over 25 years as a social worker where I worked with older adults, many of whom were Holocaust survivors. As a survivor of ongoing, repetitive childhood trauma, I know what it's like to believe that things will never change. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and chronic PTSD. I was always trying to find the right therapy to provide some relief and finally "fix" me. Over the years, I tried well over 15 therapeutic modalities, but nothing ever helped. I lived with chronic anxiety, fear, and distressing daily PTSD symptoms such as flashbacks, disassociation, and triggering. Waking up with feelings of dread at the thought of a new day and then living it in constant anxiety. Every. Single. Day. I was told that trauma and anxiety were going to be with me for the long haul and that I would have to learn coping strategies to manage my symptoms. I believed it. Until... everything changed.I have found complete freedom and am living my life fully without anything holding me back. I drive wherever I want, I take risks and step into things I never dreamed possible, and I feel at ease in my own body and mind. No more waking up in dread at the thought of another day. And the best part was that I didn’t need any tools or techniques.I can help you step back into your innate power and peace of mind. There is hope. Change is possible.During our chat with Monique, we talk about:Monique shares some of her past and the struggles she felt growing up in an abusive home.How she managed to try and feel safe in an environment full of chaos and violence.As she grew up, the challenges of seemingly having a perfect life but feeling pulled back into her past.Is it actually possible to fully heal from CPTSD and PTSD; and if so, what does that look like?Finding balance during your healing and what it means to go to both ends of the spectrum during healing work.Why is it important to have someone witness and validate your story.If you're interested in learning more about Monique's coaching programs, be sure and check out MoniqueKovenCoaching.com, Facebook & Instagram.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Your survivor story, the way you live it every day, and the way you tell it to others, evolves throughout the various stages of healing. Each version is your truth, as you experienced it in the past and how you live in the present. Each stage of healing represents how you've grown and how much you learn about yourself; and so naturally the details, the way you live each day, and the way you tell it, changes and evolves with you.On this episode of the podcast, we're talking about this very thing; learning how to tell your survivor story, as well as forming relationships with others after your trauma. Rachel Grant, Sexual Abuse Survivor Coach, is a regular on Beyond Your Past Radio, and I'm honored to have her join me today as I share a chat we had recently.Rachel Grant is a Sexual Abuse Survivor Coach, with an M.A. in Counseling Psychology. Her website, RachelGrantCoaching.com features not only her individual and group work with survivors, but also her book “Beyond Surviving”, Facebook Group, Master Class, and free and low-cost Audible Downloads covering topics such as Shame, Boundaries, Abandonment, and much more.It's always a privilege to talk with Rachel on the show; her message of healing is always encouraging and filled with hope for how we can move forward from the trauma and abuse, and be more than a survivor. We can Thrive!If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Joanne and I share some thoughts on self-doubt during this episode of the podcast. Her new book, "Ditch Your Doubt" gives you practical insight into how self-doubt is manifested in your life and ways you can overcome it.How is self-doubt presenting in your life? Are there strategies you’ve tried that just don’t work? There’s a reason for that; every event in life is a learning experience for your brain. What we teach ourselves, what we’ve been taught (consciously or otherwise), the people we interact with in daily life, it’s all connected and can all foster this mindset of perpetuating self-doubt and feeling stuck.There is hope, there are ways to work through this and retrain your brain to default to new pathways, new mindsets, and a more positive, authentic outlook on not only who you are, but what your capable of, and the way you see others.Read more on this on the blog post over on BeyondYourPastRadioIf you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

June is self-worth month here on the podcast. We started off talking with the UK's leading confidence coach and transformational mentor, Amy Rushworth, as she shared some of her story and talked about how finding your voice is in direct relation to self-confidence and developing your self-worth. After that, we shared some thoughts on how you are the one that gets to define who you are, and what you're about; your worth is not dependent on anyone or anything. So if you haven’t checked out those two episodes you’ll want to go back after this one and give em a listen.Continuing on with the self-worth theme, we’re talking with returning guest and friend, Brian Cardoza. Brian is an author, artist, and national speaker, using his platform to help share the message of his survivor story and encourage both men and women to take that first step of seeking help to work through a traumatic past.Brian’s message of hope, presented in such an authentic, genuine, and down-to-earth way, is inspiring because he’s able to relate to the unique struggles that survivors go through, including the silence and shame that keeps them stuck and feeling unable to reach out for help.We talk with Brian about his survivor story and get into a deep discussion about the struggles of survivors who are trying to find their voice and reach out for help. Throughout our chat, with Brian, you’ll notice how we use some well-timed, and improvisational humor to help illustrate that while this work is deep, powerful, difficult, and necessary, there is hope in healing and all of that work hard pays off.Plus, near the end of the podcast, in true Brian Cardoza form, he drops a nugget of wisdom that will result in a future episode on the topic of bringing awareness to "coercive rape" and the pressure that both men and women feel when it comes to intimacy. Believe me, friend, this one will definitely cause you to pause and ponder his take on this delicate subject. Please consider sharing your voice to help shape the direction of the podcast, by taking our Listener Survey. It only takes a couple of minutes and is completely anonymous. All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

In keeping with the theme of Self-Worth, that we have going right now for June 2019, I wanted to share my thoughts what exactly our self-worth is tied too. It's an interesting question to ponder if you pause and think about it for a minute. What things in your life are you maybe tieing your worth to as a human being?Your Job or CareerGetting a promotionAchieving a particular goalBeing a parentA spouseA hobbyYour house, Your Car, Your Possessions...Insert whatever you want... but consider taking stock of how much of your well being, your personality, your existence, your purpose, you put into those things..and how is that serving you? How does that make you feel, how does that inspire you?How temporary, or volatile are those things...are you always striving to live up to a standard of someone else, and if so, how's that working out for you?I share some thoughts on the importance of tying your self-worth, your reason for being on this planet, to only you. Not allowing anyone or anything to dictate who you are, how you should act, where you focus your time, efforts, and resources. Understanding that relationships, hobbies, friendships, careers, possessions, and the like...are all well and good, there's nothing wrong with any of those things, as long as you always know that you are amazing, worthy, capable, and important just for being you. Thanks for listening, and please consider sharing this episode with 1 person who might benefit from it. All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

During my chat with Amy Rushworth on this episode of the podcast, we are talking about how self-confidence is born, developed, and honed throughout your life experiences. It's those experiences that help you find your voice, which is discovered by developing your self-confidence; and your self-confidence is born out of everything you've been through in your past, and continues to develop as you live your life.Amy Rushworth is the UK's leading Confidence Coach & Transformational Mentor. She helps her clients and those who take her programs, to ignite their confidence, fire up their self-worth, and get their sparkle back.During our chat with Amy, you'll hear how she came to a pivotal point in her life of realizing she needed more out of her life than what she originally thought. She was checking off the boxes; a wonderful relationship, apartment on the beach, glamorous fashion career, and so on but there was something missing, and her body was beginning to show her this in ways she never expected.Through some difficult medical circumstances, she was left with plenty of time to reflect, and knew it was time to make a change.She shares how being in a place of true acceptance and self-love, helps her be in tune with what her body and mind are telling her. We discuss how gratitude opens your heart and rewires your brain, and that rewiring is essential in developing confidence and self-worth. She shares helpful strategies for starting your own gratitude journal and making it a part of your life, every day.We talk about the importance of getting to the root of limiting beliefs to help change the maladaptive coping skills that hold you back and keep you stuck. There's so much more during our chat with Amy, so be sure and check out the podcast by scrolling up and clicking that play button, or on your favorite podcast app. You can learn more about Amy's programs at AmyRushworth.com, and follow her on Instagram, and Facebook.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

It's funny how things work out in life, and I don't mean funny haha, but more like funny strange, or funny interesting. In this episode of Mobile Musings, sponsored by Beyond Your Past Radio, I look back at an episode I recorded 3 years ago, and wouldn't you know it..it's as relevant today as it was then. The struggles unfolding all around us in government, world violence, a divided nation and really divided world on so many fronts, can take its toll on your emotional health. These volatile times, the same as back then, can very easily steal your joy and bring down your outlook on humanity overall as well as the potential in your own life. For that matter, not even just 3 years ago, but these struggles have been around in various forms for decades, and one can make a case for these things being around since pretty much, forever. Times change, technology changes, and we just don't seem to learn from our past in some areas. You know how that old saying goes, right?So I hope you'll enjoy this look back at my thoughts on embracing the good the people around you, sharing a smile, and finding ways to rid yourself of the negativity in your life so can embrace everything wonderful about you and those around you. If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Problems falling asleep, staying asleep, getting enough sleep, feeling sleepy during the day...any of these ring a bell as something you struggle with? If you're one of the 50-70 million people in the U.S. alone that suffer from a sleep disorder, you can definitely relate. Even if you aren't diagnosed with a specific sleep disorder, problems falling asleep and getting enough sleep can still be an issue.*Dr. Mendelson joined us back in episode 104, where we talked about Antidepressants, PTSD, and Taking an Active Role in Your Treatment. After that chat, we talked about his work in the area of sleep, and I thought it would be a great idea to bring him back again to talk about this important topic.Dr. Wallace Mendelson is currently in the clinical practice of psychiatry. He was formerly Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Chicago. At that time, he was also Director of the Sleep Research Laboratory there. Dr. Mendelson earned an MD degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and completed a residency in psychiatry at the same institution. He has held professorships at Ohio State University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook, was Chief of the Section on Sleep Studies at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, MD, and Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Cleveland Clinic. Among his honors is the William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award from the American Sleep Disorders Association as well as the Special Award in Sleep and Psychiatry from the National Sleep Foundation, and he is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. In 1997, he was President of the Sleep Research Society. Dr. Mendelson has authored or co-authored three books, and co-edited another, and published over 190 peer-reviewed papers on various aspects of sleep research. During our chat, Dr. Mendelson shares his insight about sleep, including some of his research and information contained in his latest books, The Science of Sleep and Understanding Sleeping Pills.When you sleep, it's a very active time both for your body and your mind, as it goes through many stages while you are asleep.Processing, cataloging, and storing memories, and how emotional healing can also take place during sleep.Can you actually make up for lost sleep by trying to sleep in longer or going to bed earlier?Needing more sleep as you get older, and the difficulty in functioning without proper sleep each night.Types of sleep disorders: including disorders that affect falling asleep, staying asleep, excessive sleep, and abnormal behaviors while sleeping.Therapy modalities available to help with insomnia and other sleep disorders, including CBTI (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia).How phones and tablets can have a dramatic impact on falling asleep and the quality of sleep we get.Thank you to Dr. Wallace Mendelson for coming back as a guest on this

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn famously said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. This relates to the law of averages, which is the theory that the result of any given situation will be the average of all outcomes. When it comes to relationships, we are greatly influenced — whether we like it or not — by those closest to us. It affects our way of thinking, our self-esteem, and our decisions. Of course, everyone is their own person, but research has shown that we're more affected by our environment than we think.Not only in relationships, but that train of thought can apply to virtually any aspect of your personal or professional life. So the challenge then becomes, not only keeping your individuality (which is a podcast for another time) but also if you are influenced by others to any degree, being selective about the people you hang out with becomes paramount.That is the topic of this Mobile Musing episode, where I reflect back to our chat with Tiffany Toombs, on the power of reframing your limiting beliefs to change your life. During that chat, we talk not only about reframing, and what that is, but also about the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. We discuss the importance of enforcing healthy boundaries and being selective about those who are not only in your inner circle but also in acquaintances and other relationship levels.You may not be able to choose your colleagues, for example, but you can choose how much you own and internalize their comments and how much you allow them to influence your mindsets. If they are a negative influence, if they don't help you feel encouraged and empowered, then perhaps limiting exposure to them outside of the necessary meetings and such, may be something to consider.The same goes with friends and family members, of all levels:Do the people you spend time with make you feel good about yourself?Do they help encourage you in a genuine way? Are their comments uplifting?Are they there to listen and validate your struggles, without having to "fix" you or always give advice?Do you truly feel better about yourself when you're in their company?These types of questions are at the heart of ensuring that you not only feel inspired and encouraged but safe and supported. Of course, not everyone can live up those standards, and not everyone has the ability to relate to every aspect of your life, so it's important to have a diverse group that can be there to meet specific needs at any given time. And, in turn, you can be the very best support person for those in your life. If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or pSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

So how exactly do we even figure out what this whole "reframing" thing is? How do you figure out who the safe people are and make changes to surround ourselves with them? How do we change all these negative core beliefs that we've been rooted in for so long, so we can build new pathways in our brain and develop a new outlook on who we are and what we're capable of?I'm glad you asked...our guest, Tiffany Toombs is here to help shed some light on this subject and address those struggles and more.Tiffany is a Mindset Coach, and Master Practitioner of Matrix Therapies and NLP. She is the founder of blue lotus mind, a program she developed to help inspire men, women, and children to reconnect and love themselves, unconditionally, from the inside out. Her goal is to create a self-love revolution, where everyone feels empowered to redefine what happiness and love look and feel like, to them.I have experienced first hand what it is like to feel stuck and lost in life. This experience allows me to coach from a deeply personal place, from a place of being broken wide open and diving in to sort out the pieces...and so I want to start a self-love revolution. I want everyone I come into contact with to feel empowered to re-define what happiness and love look and feel like for them. During our chat on the podcast we cover:Self-Love; why do we resist it?Why it's so important to heal negative emotions & experiences from the past.The importance of doing what's best for us, even when others judge and call you selfish.Understand that every behavior has a belief system, and focusing on the behavior alone won't accomplish the goal of healing.Learning not to settle in your career, relationships, or any aspect of life.Taking time to connect with your highest intentions each day to help yourself continually grow and not regress back into old patterns you worked so hard to change.Life is full of ebbs and flows, ups and downs, and not getting too attached to either.We unpack all of this and more during our chat with Tiffany Toombs, so be sure and check out the podcast right here on the Beyond Your Past Radio, or search your favorite podcast app for "Beyond Your Past".Thank you to Tiffany for sharing her incredible insight and wisdom on the power of using Reframing to change your limiting beliefs.You can learn more about Tiffany Toombs, including her coaching programs and online resources, over on BlueLotusMind.com - Be sure and follow her on social media as well:Twitter: @TiffanyNToombs - Facebook: @BlueLotusMind - Instagram: @TiffanyToombs If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and dSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Continuing on with our new Mobile Musings podcast series every Thursday here on Beyond Your Past Radio, I'm sharing some thoughts around the topic of Interrupting Anxious Thoughts. How do we actually interrupt an anxious thought in the first place; and why is it important to develop this skill? On that note, it is indeed something that needs to be practiced and fostered over time since we are actually retraining our minds to stop using those old, negative, programmed, default responses that no longer serve us. What about reframing emotional responses? How does anxiety try and use your emotions against you? One reason is that it loves to live in an emotional mind, making it much easier to gain and keep a hold of us, which ultimately perpetuates the very actions, reactions, and mindsets we are trying to change. I talk about a current example in my own life, and how anxiety could very easily take a medical challenge I'm facing, and turn it into a worry-fest. An opportunity for me to stay up all night, overthinking, researching, and worrying myself over things I have no control over. There's a lot more in store in this episode of our new Mobile Musings series, so be sure and check it out and see what you think. If you'd like to send us a message and tell us what you think, we'd love to hear from you. If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Recently, Joanne had the opportunity to chat with Andrea Evans, about her first endeavor into the world of being an executive producer and the message she wants everyone to take away when you see her documentary, "Rocking the Couch".Andrea Evans has been a Hollywood icon for decades, staring in television shows including The Bold and the Beautiful, Passions, One Life to Live, The Bay, and more. Now she's teamed up with longtime friend and director, Minh Collins, to create a documentary in the wake of the scandal involving Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, and others, to help bring awareness to sexual assault victims and what can happen on the casting couch.Andrea talks with Joanne about how the idea for, 'Rocking the Couch', came to be and why she, Minh, and her team decided it was so important to make this documentary. She shares some of the processes in talking to women who would be willing to speak out and share their story, and the struggle of so many who simply couldn't share their experience due to shame, fear, their career, or family and friends who don't know they've experienced this type of trauma.Ms. Evans shares how especially vulnerable and susceptible aspiring actors are to what can happen on the casting couch. Since there is no clear cut path on how to make it in the entertainment industry, newcomers to the scene have to find their way and are often left to their own devices, which means they simply aren't aware of what can go on during the process of trying to make it in the industry.Andrea shares with us the message that she hopes everyone will take from this movie, that more people will be aware of what can happen in this situation and hopefully this can be a step in the direction of raising awareness and empowering survivors of sexual assault to reach out for help, share their story, and hopefully be a catalyst for helping to prevent this trauma.Rocking the Couch is currently available on Amazon Prime, Hollywood titans, Harvey Weinstein & Bill Cosby, have been brought to their knees by the #MeToo movement. The term casting couch has existed for decades in Hollywood, but in 1992, a case against talent agent, Wallace Kaye, was brought to court by 12 unknown actresses, who braved the loss of their careers, privacy & Hollywood dreams. Against all odds, they won, and no one listened, until now. "Our documentary explores the case and asks, "Why didn't we hear about this?" More importantly, why didn't Hollywood learn from this case? For, if they had, maybe the Cosbys and the Weinsteins would have learned as well, and these sexual exploitations could have been prevented". - Rotten TomatoesWe appreciate Andrea Evans taking some time out of her busy schedule to talk with us on Beyond Your Past Radio. We encourage you to consider checking out her film, and get a glimpse into a world that so many of us have never experienced but is none the less as real as it gets.If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Follow the podcast on that same app, so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!

Welcome to the next installment in the Mobile Musings series here on Beyond Your Past Radio. Each episode is recorded while out walking or driving, with nothing more than a mobile phone. You'll hear my thoughts on life, mental health, making a difference in the world and in the lives of others. So how can we potentially see ourselves, and the world, in a different way? Do we even need to, and if so, why? What kind of difference can it make in our daily life; personal, professional, relationships, everywhere?In this episode, I'm out doing some walking, did ya notice the walking intro too? :) Thinking about how much of a difference it can make if we decide that maybe, just maybe, we can choose to approach our day, or a specific situation, in a new way?Think about how you wake up each day, what is your mindset as you get ready to head out to work? What's going through your mind as you approach that lunch date with a friend? How much do you dread calling back that person you've been avoiding because you're afraid of what they'll say or ask you to do?What if you could take a chance, a calculated risk, and ask youself what it might be like to see that situation differently? How might that look to you?Give this episode a listen as I talk about it on the podcast!Please do let us know your thoughts on this raw, simple format which will begin being released every Thursday. Hit us up anytime at https://beyondyourpastradio.com/contact-us -MattAll conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

May is GBS-CIDP awareness month, and what better way for us to help do our part here on the podcast than to talk with a fellow survivor of this rare disease, and get his take on his experiences during diagnosis, treatment, and how life has changed for him since.Jeremy Oster reached out to me a couple of months back, when he was looking for connections to other survivors of GBS, and came across the podcasts I recorded about my experience. We chatted through email and on the phone, swapping stories, struggles, things we've learned along the way of our healing; and I thought it would be cool to bring him on the podcast to continue our chat during GBS-CIDP awareness month.Jeremy was like so many before the onset of GBS; married, children, successful career in both technology and sales, and while he had his share of struggles personally and professionally, he was primarily living life the way so many of us do each day. Then out of the blue, everything changed, and ever since his life has taken on a new normal in a way he could have never imagined.During our chat:Jeremy breaks down what exactly GBS is, and what it feels like to live with it each day both physically and emotionally.He shares what his life was like on a daily basis, an what happened just before Guillain Barre set in.The importance of moving past "how did I get GBS" and focusing on "what am I going to do about it".The toll this disease can take on a spouse and family, during treatment, recovery, and life afterward.Finding your new normal, and approaching life with the right mindset so you can be proactive in your healing, rather than just resigning yourself to what you think will never change.If you'd like more information on this rare disease, related conditions and variants, treatment options, and how you can help support research, please head over to GBS-CIDP.org, the official foundation website to see how you can get involved.To check out my other podcasts on this topic, check out "The Diagnosis that Changed My World", and my "One Year Later Update Episode" . If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Subscribe so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Welcome to the return of Mobile Musings! A short weekly podcast sponsored by Beyond Your Past Radio and Beyond Your Past. Each episode is recorded while out walking or driving, with nothing more than a mobile phone. You'll hear my thoughts on life, mental health, making a difference in the world and in the lives of others. This was a segment that originally started a couple of years ago but we ended up getting away from it for no other reason than, well we just did. I really enjoyed recording these and now seems like a great time to bring them back. So welcome back to Mobile Musings, the Reactivation..or the Return..or well, you get the idea. In this episode, I share alittle bit about the back story and also the reason why I decided to bring this format back to be a companion to our full-length episodes which get released every Monday. I share about the importance of knowing your limits, being able to pivot and adjust, and not trying your self-worth to the outcome of a project, or strategy change. I also share why burnout in any area of life is real, and why these episodes will help alleviate that concern. Plus, there's nothing wrong with having a little fun with a podcast right? You'll see what I mean when you listen, and if you enjoy them you'll notice other cool quirks and fun stuff each time that hopefully will bring a smile to your face. Please do let us know your thoughts on this raw, simple format which will begin being released every Thursday. Hit us up anytime at https://beyondyourpastradio.com/contact-us -MattAll conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Bipolar Barbie, a mental health advocate who shares her life on social media, joins me on this episode of the podcast to talk about this very subject and to share some of her life's story.If you follow B on social media, you know that she is very active on live streams, documenting her life as she continues to learn who she is and along the way inspiring followers from across the globe who resonate with her vulnerable, honest, message. A message of, "be unapologetically you", regardless of what others think.It's ok to struggle, to have bad days, and not have all the answers. It's ok to wake up and have no idea what the day is going to bring and how you'll feel; to be completely unsure of how you're going to manage from one hour to the next. Living with Bipolar, Depression, Anxiety, or anything else doesn't mean you are broken, hopeless, and destined to be something less than that you want to be. It just means, the way you get through each day, and accomplish your goals is going to look different than you originally thought, and that's totally fine. All that matters is that you keep going, keep fighting, and never give up.During our chat, B. shares why she calls herself, Bipolar Barbie, and how she began this life of being a mental health advocate and sharing her story on a global scale.We also discuss: The importance of being able to communicate effectively with a doctor or mental health professional about your diagnosis and the challenges you face every.Educating yourself on your diagnosis so you can take an active role in your treatment, and to help ensure you get the best treatment for you.Why her message resonates with so many people around the world, and why sharing her life so vulnerably and in an unscripted way, allows her to connect on a deep level with her followers.In addition how she also continues to learn about herself and further her own healing by sharing her life.How labeling someone and throwing around words like "mentally ill" in a negative context, only perpetuates the shame and encourages silence rather than seeking help.The importance of just being there for someone who's struggling, without needing to give advice or answers; just listen without judgment.Thanks again to B. for coming on the podcast, especially with the large time-zone difference between our locations. There's a lot more that we didn't get too, and to be honest, what we originally planned to cover wasn't what we actually talked about. That's the beauty of chatting with someone and just letting the conversation flow naturally. Don't worry though, she'll be joining us again later this year as a returning guest.You can follow Bipolar Barbie all across social media:YouTube - Twitter - Instagram - FacebookIf you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with one person who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Subscribe so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our guest on this episode of the podcast has dedicated her life to helping women in particular, and survivors as a whole, to find their voice. To begin to realize that they too have the ability to reach out for help, work through their past moving from victim to survivor, and ultimately from survivor to warrior.Lisa Cybaniak is a Motivational Speaker, Success Coach, NLP Practitioner, and survivor of 10 years of child abuse. Over the last 3 years, her work has been featured on radio programs, podcasts, in magazines, and other media outlets. Her first book, Survivor to Warrior is due out in June of 2019. She outlines on her website, I've developed three healing streams to empower you to build a life of purpose after abuse, wherever you may be on your path to recovery: Reaching Out, Victim to Survivor, and Survivor to Warrior.If you've not had an abusive background, but still suffer from low self-esteem or confidence, impostor syndrome or a lack of fulfillment in your life, you will find many options here for you too. Remember, if you keep doing the same thing, you can expect the same result. If you're ready for a different result, then you're in the right place!During our chat with Lisa, Joanne and I talk with her about her survivor journey and her work with clients:Lisa shares about the multiple types of abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather, and how she found the courage to tell someone what was happening.The incredible story of how her mother came to her rescue, validating everything Lisa said was happening and immediately made plans to get her away from the abuse.The challenges of relationships and being able to tell her story to others; only a handful of people knew what happened during her teenage and young adult years.We discuss the importance of tying the validity of your abuse, and survivor story, to the outcome of a court case when filing charges against your abuser.The struggles of using detachment as a coping skill, and how that lead to suicidal thoughts and closing off from nearly everyone in her life.How she is using her life experiences now to work with clients, speak internationally, and continue her own ongoing journey of healing.If you'd like to learn more about working with Lisa, her programs, upcoming new book, and her speaking engagements, just head over to LifeLikeYouMeanIt.com...and be sure and tell her, "Beyond Your Past, sent you". ;)You can follow her on Twitter: @LisaCybaniak , Facebook.com/lifelikeyoumeanit, and Instagram: @Life_Like_You_Mean_It-Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP & Joanne Cipressi, CHt, CNLP If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with someone who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Subscribe so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for You! All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or superseSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Joanne recently had the opportunity to spend a few minutes chatting with Abby Johnson; Author, Speaker, founder of "And Then There Were None", and former Clinical Director of Planned Parenthood. Abby has been using her voice in support of the Pro-Life movement since leaving her career in the industry in 2009. Her story has been featured on Fox News, ABC, and many other high profile media outlets as she uses her voice to help encourage women to consider a stance of what she refers to as "pro-love".As outlined on Abby's website: ...We see that every life, from the child in the womb, to the elderly - and in between, including the abortion clinic worker's life, has incredible value, and worth. We believe that abortion strips women of their dignity. We believe that motherhood is empowering. We believe that not conforming and giving into societal pressures when it comes to femininity is empowering.We believe that justice applies to every single human being on this earth. We believe in redefining the pro-life movement to include everyone, every age, race, gender, religion, and every job.During Joanne's chat with Abby, they discuss the movie now in theaters, "Unplanned", which is based on Abby's life experiences in working with Planned Parenthood and the events which transpired that ultimately changed her life; turning in an entirely new direction. Abby shares what the reaction to her movie has been, how important her support system has been to her, and what it's been like in her own life since releasing the movie. We encourage you to consider checking out the movie, regardless of where you stand on this issue.-Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP & Joanne Cipressi, CHt, CNLP If you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with someone who might find it helpful.Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Subscribe so you never miss an episode.That’s it…Super Easy and it would mean the world to us.If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for you. All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Have you ever said to yourself, "if I only knew then what I know now?" It's quite likely you are nodding your head in agreement, as that old saying is timeless. For better or worse, it's one of those things that gets passed down from generation to generation. It comes in especially handy when you're giving advice to a child about what you've experienced and what they can learn from your mistakes. Of course, we all know we've heard that and didn't listen right?..but I digress.Anyway, we wanted to share some of the things that we've learned along the way during times of deep healing in therapy, wisdom shared with us from therapists, friends, and others, or just revelations that come to us in the middle of the night. Don't you just love it when those happen?So what have we learned?Reaching out for help is hard, but necessary.For that matter, it doesn't make you weak when you reach out for support.Gaining a greater awareness of yourself, and knowing your limits.Knowing when to go all in with healing and when to take a break; listening to your body.Focusing on your strengths, rather than "what's wrong with you".How you talk to yourselfSelf-Care as a preemptive strategy to help with burnout in trauma recovery.A few more important ones that you'll have to listen to find out. :) - Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP & Joanne Cipressi, CHt, CNLPIf you enjoy these podcasts would you consider doing 3 easy things for us?Share it with someone who might find it helpful. Leave a review on your favorite podcasting app.Subscribe so you never miss an episode. That's it...Super Easy and it would mean the world to us. If you want to go a step further, we have a special Thank You just for you. All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our guest on this episode of the podcast is Leslie Peters, RN. Leslie is a registered nurse, who left a career she loved, to step out of her comfort zone and start following her intuition and her heart, by sharing her story as a speaker, self-love strategist and accountability partner in self-care.Leslie Peters is a woman who has spent a lifetime asking, listening and learning from others. The only person she never listened to was herself; she grew up, married and raised men with addictions. She trusted unhealthy people who loved her more than she trusted herself. Leslie says that this is actually the "Gift of her story". She felt no connection to her parents or husband - being an intuitive she knew she needed to feel connected for her survival. When she was 16, with the freedom of a drivers license, Leslie went in search of connection. She quickly learned that on the other side of the door of her home was a world where she could let her true self-free. The world became her home and the people walking down them her family. She routinely asked strangers thought-provoking questions about themselves; Leslie always found a way to relate. Their answers confirmed that she was not alone in her story and that she was indeed part of something bigger than her own small world - the greater good.During our chat with Leslie, we cover areas including:What is living life with H.E.A.R.T., and how she discovered this way of living is not always easy, but so important.Leslie shares the struggles she experienced in trying to live this way, and how she's been able to work through those challenges.Releasing the shame and anger she was holding onto for allowing herself to becomes something she wasn't, just to make others happy.How the ACES Study, (Adverse Childhood Experiences) plays a key role in all aspects of development; physically, emotionally, and cognitively.Understanding your ACES score and how it affects not only you but others in your life.Leslie's shares her score and what it's meant to her personally and in working with clients to help them understand their score.The healing that comes through neuroplasticity, awareness, education, and being in tune with yourself on a very deep level.If you’re not familiar with ACES, we encourage you to google “aces score” or go to acestoohigh.com and other similar sites for more information on this groundbreaking study originally conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, and learn more about your aces score.You can reach Leslie at LesliePetersRN.com or email her directly: Info at LesliePetersRN dot comPlease consider sharing this episode with someone who might need it, and don't forget to rate the podcast and leave a review on your favorite podcasting app!If you enjoy listening to the Podcast, why not consider helping to support us AND get a free copy of Joanne's book, Ditch Your Doubt. -Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP & Joanne Cipressi, CHt, CNLP All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Elisabeth Corey, MSW, and founder of BeatingTrauma.com joins me on the podcast as a return guest to discuss how writing and journaling can be an incredibly beneficial modality of healing. I first had the opportunity to chat with Elisabeth back in episode 38 as we discussed working with our inner parts to help heal trauma. Inner Parts work is a specialty of Elisabeth and continues to be a focus in her work with private clients and in her group sessions, webinars, and other resources created for survivors.During my chat with Elisabeth Corey on this episode of the podcast, we're diving more into those aspects of writing I mentioned earlier:How writing from our inner parts can help us connect with what we don't remember.What exactly are repressed memories, why are they so crucial to healing, and what misconceptions are there surrounding these types of memories?How the idea that writing doesn't come naturally for so many but why it's so important.On that topic, the type of writing that Elisabeth teaches her clients and those in her programs is not supposed to come naturally because of you're diving into areas of your life that you've spent years trying to forget. In addition, the coping skills that served us during traumatic events can be a cause of keeping certain memories repressed.How naturally, or not, do our inner parts take to writing and being given a voice?Which parts are more resistant vs which parts are more open to having a voice?Connecting with your inner child and writing from a place of your inner child's voice and perspective, as opposed to an adults version of their voice.Flashbacks, and how they are not always the overwhelming memories that cause so much turmoil and turn our world upside down.The importance of using these as a learning experience in writing to help uncover repressed memories.This was such an incredible chat with Elisabeth and she dives more in depth to those topics and shares her vast knowledge in a way that is validating and inspiring. I hope you'll consider checking out this episode and sharing it with someone who might find it helpful.Be sure and follow Elisabeth Corey, MSW on Twitter @BeatingTrauma and her website, BeatingTrauma.com, where you can also learn about her programs, webinars, and workshops.Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLPAll conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our returning guest for this week, Kelli Gettel, originally shared some of her story in episode 80, Life with Autism, CPTSD, DID, and Narcolepsy. If you haven't checked out that episode, you'll want to add it to a playlist on your favorite podcasting app and check out more of her story.During our chat today, Kelli gives us an update on how her healing work is coming along, including:How she's learning to interact with her alters, and give them the voice they need.New memories of childhood trauma, including sexual abuse and being subjected to a pedophile ring.The struggles with trust issues, even with a therapist who you've been working with for a long time.The challenges of opening up and sharing, trusting others to hear your story, and how you share.The strain that living with DID and other mental health challenges can put on a relationship.The adjustments her husband is making and how much his support helps her and her family.Taking an active role in your healing, and educating yourself, as well as interacting with the survivor community for support.Kelli lives in the central Pennsylvania area, with her husband and 3 children, including a 4 yr old who also was diagnosed with autism. You can contact her via email, kelligettel at gmail dot com, if you'd like to connect with her.Please consider sharing this episode with someone who might benefit from it, and don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcasting app.Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP and Joanne Cipressi, CHt, CNLP All conversation and information exchanged on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Everybody has one, and it follows you around, constantly causing you to second guess your decisions. It creates an element of self-doubt, perpetuates anxious feelings, and generally make your life miserable if you allow it that kind of power. What is it...Your Inner Critic.In this episode, Joanne and I are talking about the importance of not only recognizing it, but also responding to your inner critic This is such an important topic because it affects so many aspects of daily life, from personal to professional, relationships of all types. Virtually any aspect of your life is an opportunity for your inner critic to gain a foothold.I wrote in a previous post on my coaching website about some strategies to deal with your inner critic, and in this podcast episode we take that post a step further and offer more thoughts and strategies that you can use to take back your power from that voice in your head that causes you to doubt yourself and your abilities.What does it mean to be in charge of your inner critic?How can giving your inner critic a name, be helpful and empowering?How your inner critic uses your past against, especially when it comes to struggles or perceived failures?How can you turn down the volume on your inner critic? What does that mean?How can separating yourself from your inner critic be helpful and how do you do it?Remember, your inner critic is not your friend, it does not have your best interests at heart. It's there to make you believe that your best is not good enough, to perpetuate anxiety and unrest in your life, to steal your joy and contentment, and to bring self-doubt to the forefront of virtually every thought you have.You can take back that power, keep your inner critic in check, and live life knowing that your past or present circumstances are not the end all be all definition of who you are.Please consider sharing this episode with someone who might benefit from it, and don't forget to leave us a review on your favorite podcasting app. We would sure appreciate it.Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP & Joanne Cipressi, CHt, CNLPIf you'd like to be a guest on a future episode or have a topic for us to talk about, feel free to contact us. We love hearing from you. All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

I'm honored to welcome back returning guest, Vennie Kocsis, as we continue our conversation on how childhood trauma manifests itself in your life, both physically and emotionally. In particular, we're discussing the effects on dating and romantic relationships.We had originally intended to dive into more areas, beyond relationships alone, during this episode but as often happens, there is so much to cover that we thought it best to focus our time on this important part of survivor life. While relationships can be difficult to understand and navigate for anyone, the unique struggles that childhood trauma brings into the equation, add a dimension that not everyone can understand.Vennie Kocsis is an author, poet, artist, and survivor of Sam Fife’s Move of God cult. My creativity is the therapy by which I have survived the memories of abuse I suffered in my childhood. There are many caves where memories hideout, and I intend to travel them all in this lifetime. I understand the journey through trauma recovery, and I am here to share it with you.During this episode of the podcast, Vennie and I discuss some of the struggles for survivors and relationships:The importance that "no means no" regardless of the tone of voice you use to verbalize it.Understanding the fear aspect, and how "the way we say no" to someone, can be based on your past experiences of sexual abuse.How dissociation can take over when you are in a romantic situation with someone, even if they are completely safe?Understanding why survivors tend to try and justify the actions of others because of the grooming that affected our self-worth.Healthy boundaries: not only the importance of having them in the dating and relationship world, but also the struggles of trying to find a way to implement and enforce them.Being in a healthy relationship that ends, and the challenge of not going down the road of self-shame and self-blame for the reasons it ended.Can a little bit of hypervigilance be healthy in the dating world?Even in a seemingly safe social situation, triggers can arise that make us feel unsafe, and why it's okay to remove yourself and not feel bad about it.The trial and error that is part of dating and relationships for everyone, but especially for trauma survivors and knowing that even if you do something that you regret, it's not the end of the world and you can learn from it and move on without self-shame.This is such an important topic, and we hope you'll share this episode with someone who might benefit from it. After all, everyone can use alittle validation and encouragement in this area, right?Be sure and follow Vennie on VennieKocsis.com and Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.-Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLPSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

My returning guest for this episode is my good friend, fellow survivor, and advocate for survivors of childhood trauma, Vennie Kocsis.Vennie Kocsis is an author, poet, artist, and survivor of Sam Fife’s Move of God cult. My creativity is the therapy by which I have survived the memories of abuse I suffered in my childhood. There are many caves where memories hideout, and I intend to travel them all in this lifetime. I understand the journey through trauma recovery, and I am here to share it with you.I am a highly-sensitive, embodied Empath and integrated DID carrier. I productively live with the aftermath left over from extreme child abuse. I understand the journey through recovering from the shattering of religious and sexual abuse recovery. I know the work it takes in returning to our original, authentic mind and inner child. It CAN happen for you. It WILL happen for you. You can integrate the dissected pieces of yourself. You can heal. You can tell your story from a place of truth and vulnerability, rejecting critics and owning your own strength. I believe you. I support you. I am cheering you on! During this episode, we are talking about the Physiology of Childhood Trauma, and how sexual abuse affects not only our mental health but also our physical health. These effects can carry over into adulthood and cause not only the physical struggles of chronic illness and pain but the deep wounds created by the trauma create emotional challenges that affect virtually every aspect of our life.Vennie has done a great deal of research on this topic and shares some of that knowledge during our chat, as well as her own personal experiences of the abuse she suffered and the ways she continues to heal herself.We also cover some of the misconceptions of childhood sexual abuse, and how it's not always violent in nature.The connection between the biological DNA change of the body’s bacterial defenses when a child begins to eat the same solid foods as the family AND the nervous system at the end of the spinal cord which runs into the brain.The damage to the physiology of a child when they are so young and how this can lead to misinterpretations of their body as they get older.Vennie and I share this candid discussion because it's the things that not everyone wants to talk about. These are some of the effects of childhood trauma that not only she herself has experienced, but so many others as well, and that's why we are doing this series. To shed light on how being a survivor of childhood trauma affects you as an adult, but also to share the hope in healing and the important research that's being down by leading experts across the globe to better understand not only how is affected but also how we can heal.Be sure and follow Vennie on VennieKocsis.com and Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.Look for more of our chat and we continue this discussion during part II coming up on March 28, 2019!Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Recovering from childhood sexual abuse, narcissistic above, emotional neglect, bullying, or any type of childhood trauma is not something you can rush through. It's a long process, full of ups and downs, struggles and triumphs, and virtually every emotion you can imagine.One of the things I struggled with during intense times of healing was the concern of doing too much, too fast, and overextending myself without doing proper self-care. I was all in on my healing, which is not a bad thing at all, but at the same time, I often neglected the signs that I was approaching burn out or at the very least the signs that I just needed to ease off the throttle a bit.The more I healed, the more I learned, and the more I wanted to keep going. That's not to say there weren't times when I just wanted to quit, because believe me those were quite plentiful as well. Still though, I was inspired and driven to learn about trauma recovery and how it affected me and what I could do to help myself. My therapist warned on more than a few occasions to take breaks and not "live, eat, and breath" this stuff so much. Hindsight is 20-20, and if only I knew then what I know now...This episode is a look back at a previous podcast episode, #27, released back in 2017, and is one where I'm reflecting on this very topic of burnout in trauma recovery.It's a good reminder for myself, and perhaps something to consider for you too, that the risk of burnout in healing from childhood trauma, or any type of trauma, is real but there are ways to help ourselves avoid this while still moving forward. After wall, we don't want to quit and undo all the hard work that we've put in.With my co-host, Joanne Cipressi doing some traveling right now, this was a great time to launch this little project of re-releasing some previous episodes. Many of these older episodes are during the early stages of the podcast, and consist of me just sitting down and talking through my survivor journey.I hope you'll enjoy this look back at my thoughts on how I dealt with this, by working through it in my head and with my therapist at the time. And remember, there is no time table in healing except the one you place on yourself. Give yourself the opportunity to heal at a safe pace and embrace the process, because the destination of healing truly is the journey itself.If you'd like to be a guest for an upcoming episode of the podcast, we'd love to hear from you.-Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above-mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Our guest on this episode of the podcast discovered that his place of peace, of inspiration, of solace, was in the kitchen working as a chef. Spencer Gorman-Prow is the author of Solace in Chaos, a Chef's Memoir, which can be purchased on Amazon, both in paperback and in Kindle form.An Executive Chef's memoir of how he was able to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds of child sexual abuse and tragedy and forgive himself in order to achieve success. Chef Spencer relates his journey to health, happiness and healing - all found within the chaotic nature of the professional kitchen. Prepare to be inspired and perhaps even find your own coping strategies within the context of your professional passion.Spencer reached out to us to continue his journey of inspiring others by coming on the podcast to talk more about his story, including:How the childhood sexual abuse he experienced changed his life, and when he was able to begin working those memories as an adult.The lack of support available to him and how he navigated most of his healing journey alone until he met his wonderful wife.Why he initially turned to alcohol as a coping strategy and a way to numb the pain of those memories.Working through the trust issues, relationship struggles, as well as the self-blame that he internalized as a way to make sense of what happened.How he began to find peace in the kitchen, and what cooking offered him as a place of peace amidst so much pressure.How journaling helped paved the way for Solace in Chaos to become a reality.The challenges of speaking out as a male survivor, and the importance of sharing your truth to not only aid in your own journey but also to help inspire others.Be sure and check out Solace in Chaos, on Amazon. A resource that will surely inspire you to speak your truth, explore your passion, and not be ashamed of who you are and what you went through.You can also follow Spencer on Twitter: @ChefSpencer68Please consider sharing this episode with someone who might benefit from hearing Spencer's message, and don't forget to subscribe to Beyond Your Past on your favorite podcasting app.Your Hosts,Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP & Joanne Cipressi, CHt, CNLP Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Welcome back to the Mental Health Megacast, a semi-regular round table discussion with 3 mental health advocates, podcasters, and survivors of circumstances we’d rather forget, who are trying to find our way through life and make a difference.To that end, the Megacast is the combined collaborative brain powers (more or less) of Wes from AudioRising.com and Mike from MikesOpenJournal.com, and myself. I encourage you to check out and follow them online and through your favorite podcasting platform. Each of these guys has a tremendous message to share and an inspiring and unique way in how they go about it.In this episode, Wes brought up the topic of how we act and react around family members, and those who aren't necessarily active in mental health advocacy circles.We discuss the challenges of living authentically both inside and outside the world of mental health and recovery.What that authenticity looks like with family members vs friends vs colleagues vs those online who we interact with in our advocacy work.The challenges that arise when certain things are considered okay to say or talk about in some circles but not okay in others.The importance of fostering not only relationships with people who understand your struggles and the work you do in healing, but also those relationships that are just about having fun, relaxing, and blowing off steam...how this can be a form of self-care.The comfort level of sharing, and how much to share with those who don't necessarily understand life in recovery or what a healing journey is when they ask you to talk about it. The importance of not judging what we think they may or not understand, before we have a chance to talk with them and find out how interested they are.When to go deeper and share more, vs keeping information at a more surface level.We hope you enjoy this latest episode, and if you do have suggestions for future shows, we are still taking them. One of the best things about these episodes is that that they are completely unedited, unscripted, just us hanging out and having a chat, to which you are always invited to listen in on.Be sure and follow Wes on Twitter @WesA1966 and Mike @Mike_Douglas_ & Open_Journal_ …oh and don’t forget to follow and subscribe to all of our shows on your favorite podcasting app! ----------All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

This podcast focuses on inspiring you to break free from the chains of your past and move forward to experience the world of healing, possibilities, and opportunity that comes with working through past trauma. We wanted to spend some time with you today explaining why this is so important. There are many who feel like they don’t want to let the past go and others that believe they just can't do it even if they did want too. Sometimes we find comfort in holding onto the past because its familiar or we believe that by holding and constantly reminding ourselves of the past pain, we can protect ourselves from future pain so we keep all those memories alive. We come up with countless reasons to justify we doing this is so important; things like “the past is a part of me”, “this is just who I am” and “I don’t know who I’d be if I let that go.”We understand these statements and emotions because both of us, Matt and Joanne, have lived in that mindset for a long time. But, we also understand the amazing benefits of moving beyond that type of mindset -- which is why we do this podcast - in hopes that people will find the encouragement and motivation to move beyond their past so they can reap the benefits of doing so.It can be challenging to know the benefits of something if you have not experienced them yourself. So, today, we wanted to share with you some of those benefits that you can experience when you dedicate yourself to your own journey of healing. Remember, everyone heals in their own way and it doesn't matter how long it takes you, all that matters is that consider the possibility of how much more fulfilling and enjoyable life can be when you make your healing a priority.In addition to 4 primary benefits of healing, we also cover some of the reasons why it's so difficult to even attempt to begin healing past trauma in the first place; including reasons why we focus on the past, why it's hard to let go, and why we tend to focus on the negatives aspects of our life.I hope you'll check out this episode and please consider subscribing on your favorite podcasting app and sharing it with one person who might benefit.We also appreciate feedback too, so reach out anytime and tell us how we're doing!Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP & Joanne Cipressi, CHt, CNLPAll conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Leo Zaccari is a history professor, writer, and author of the psychological thriller ARKHANGEL. He teaches history at Brookdale Community College and loves thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy, and the paranormal. My book is a psychological thriller about a girl learning who she is and it touches on themes of coping with mental illness, isolation, alienation, and schizophrenia. I really hope that this book will help young and old alike feel that they don't have to be alone and that they can identify with a character who shares some of the same problems that they do, and that they can overcome them.During my chat with Leo, he talks more about his first book, which begins a series that will see the main character and protagonist, Raven, begin a journey of self-discovery while confronting her personal struggles in ways she never imaged.How did he come up with the character, Raven, and what was his inspiration for writing the book?The types of research he found himself undertaking and how the research he did helped develop the main character and story.What he's learned most during his research, especially since much of the mental health world was new to him.How this new awareness has influenced him and what he would like to see changed in the mental health world.How does Raven's mental health pose a challenge in the story and how she begins to explore and overcome these challenges.It was great to talk with Leo, not just to learn about his book but also to get his unique perspective of only recently entering the world of mental health struggles and things that people from all walks of life struggle with as a result of past trauma of all types.As someone who spends a great deal of time engaged with the mental health community in many ways, it's important to always be open to new ideas and perspectives. It's often all too easy to be wrapped up in our own world as we see it, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that, but gaining a different perspective allows us to explore this world we are so passionate about, in a different way. Maybe that changes some things, maybe it doesn't but giving yourself the opportunity to explore mental health challenges in a new way can only serve to broaden our horizons and help to remember pause and think outside the box now and then. You never know what you might come up with.Be sure and head over to Amazon and check out ARKHANGEL and also consider becoming a Patreon and join him on the journey of Raven and the adventures which await her during her superhero journey of self-discovery.-Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLPAll conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)