Broken Beautiful Me - Stories of Hope, Gratitude & Resilience

In this deeply moving episode, we explore trauma, healing, resilience, and the courage it takes to reclaim your voice after years of silence. In this episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Andrea Leeb, a writer and advocate living in Venice Beach, California, and author of Such a Pretty Picture: A Memoir. Andrea's work has appeared in literary journals including Litro Magazine, Potomac Review, Text Power Telling, and HerStry, and she serves on the Advisory Board for the UCLA Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House, supporting survivors of sexual assault. Andrea's story begins with a painful truth. As a young child, she endured years of sexual abuse perpetrated by her father. Like many survivors, she carried the weight of secrecy and confusion for decades, trying to move forward while burying the past. On the outside, Andrea built a successful life — working as both a registered nurse and an attorney and earning degrees from Georgetown University, Cardozo School of Law, and the Bennington Writing Seminars. But trauma has a way of resurfacing when it remains unspoken. Years later, during the Me Too movement, Andrea realized something powerful: when survivors share their stories, it gives others permission to speak. That realization inspired her to write Such a Pretty Picture, a memoir that explores the complexity of trauma, the long journey toward healing, and the courage it takes to break the silence. In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Andrea shares how confronting the past can be painful — but also freeing. In this episode, Andrea shares: • 💔 The impact of childhood sexual abuse and the silence that often surrounds it • ✨ How the Me Too movement helped inspire her to share her story • 🧠 The long-term emotional effects of trauma • 🤝 Why asking for help can be one of the strongest acts of resilience • 🌱 The reality that healing is rarely linear • 💬 The importance of believing survivors and creating space for truth • 📖 How writing a memoir became part of her healing process • 🤍 Turning personal pain into advocacy and support for others Andrea also reflects on the emotional complexity of family relationships, the difficulty of confronting painful truths, and the power of storytelling to help others feel less alone. Her message is clear: healing begins when silence ends. This episode is a powerful reminder that speaking your truth can transform pain into connection, understanding, and purpose. A courageous and compassionate conversation about trauma, healing, advocacy, and reclaiming your voice.   Follow Andrea Leeb   Website: https://andrealeebauthor.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrealeeb Book – Such a Pretty Picture: A Memoir https://www.amazon.com/Such-Pretty-Picture-Memoir-Andrea-Leeb/dp/1647425840

In this powerful and inspiring episode, we explore fear, resilience, motherhood, illness, and the radical courage it takes to start saying yes to life even when uncertainty feels overwhelming. In this episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Asha Mevlana, a two-time breast cancer survivor, professional violinist with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, motivational speaker, and author of To Hell With No: Adventures in Finally Saying Yes. Asha's life changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 24 years old. Faced with the fragility of life far earlier than expected, she made a decision that would reshape everything: she created a "fear list" — a list of the things that scared her most — and began saying yes to them one by one. Skydiving. Silent meditation retreats. Touring the world as a professional musician. Building a life filled with experiences instead of limitations. But life had another challenge waiting. Twenty-five years later, while raising her young son, Asha faced breast cancer again. This time the stakes felt different. The question was no longer simply how to live bravely — but how to redefine strength while being a mother, navigating fear, and learning how to stay present for the life unfolding right in front of her. In this deeply moving conversation, Asha shares how resilience is not about pretending to be fearless, but about allowing courage and vulnerability to coexist. In this episode, Asha shares: • 🎻 How a breast cancer diagnosis at 24 became the catalyst for a life of bold choices • ✨ The "fear list" practice that pushed her to say yes to the unknown • 🧠 Why fear often disguises the very experiences that lead to growth • 💔 Facing cancer again decades later — this time as a mother • 🤍 How motherhood changed her relationship with courage and vulnerability • 🌍 Life as a touring violinist with Trans-Siberian Orchestra • 🌱 Why resilience isn't about toughness, but about presence • 🔥 How saying yes to life can transform even the darkest chapters into purpose Asha also reflects on how surviving cancer twice reshaped her priorities and her perspective on success, reminding us that the most meaningful moments in life are rarely the ones we plan. Her story is not just about survival. It is about choosing possibility, even when fear whispers louder. This episode is a powerful reminder that courage does not mean the absence of fear — it means refusing to let fear decide the limits of your life. A heartfelt and inspiring conversation about illness, resilience, motherhood, creativity, and the extraordinary power of saying yes to life. ⸻ Follow Asha Mevlana Website: https://www.ashamevlana.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashamevlana Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashamevlana LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashamevlana Book – To Hell With No: Adventures in Finally Saying Yes https://www.amazon.com/Hell-With-No-Adventures-Finally/dp/1647424984

In this deeply courageous and honest episode, we explore sibling loss, unspoken grief, epic choices, and the life-altering decision to move from chaos to intention. In this powerful conversation, Kelly sits down with Zander Sprague, bestselling author, licensed professional clinical counselor, TV host, and acclaimed motivational speaker. Zander's life changed forever on December 9th, 1996 — the day his 30-year-old sister, Lucy, died unexpectedly. At just 28 years old, Zander found himself navigating a kind of grief that often goes unseen. While parents are supported in the loss of a child, sibling grief is frequently overlooked, minimized, or misunderstood. Not one person asked him how he was doing. And in that silence, he began to question whether his loss even mattered. It did. Through years of personal healing and professional work, Zander transformed his pain into purpose. Today, he helps others understand that broken moments are not the end of the story — they are the foundation upon which strength, clarity, and intentional living are built. In this deeply moving episode, Zander shares: • 🤍 Why sibling grief is real, significant, and often invisible • 💔 What it feels like when no one asks how you are doing • 🧠 Why siblings often do not grieve openly in front of parents • 📖 The inspiration behind his books Making Lemonade and Why Don't They Cry? • 🔄 How grief reshapes identity at a young age • 🎯 What it means to make "epic choices" that create an epic life • 🌊 Why pain can either harden you or transform you — and how to choose • 🕊️ The courage it takes to reclaim your narrative after devastating loss Zander also speaks about the broader nature of grief — not just the loss of a loved one, but the grief of life changes, transitions, and chapters ending before we are ready. He reminds us that grief is not weakness. It is love with nowhere to go. This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and filled with practical wisdom for anyone who has experienced loss and wondered how to move forward without leaving part of themselves behind. A compassionate and powerful episode about sibling loss, resilience, intentional living, and the epic courage it takes to choose your life again.     Follow Zander Sprague   Website: https://zandersprague.com   Books: Making Lemonade: Choosing a Positive Pathway After Losing Your Sibling https://www.amazon.com/Making-Lemonade-Choosing-Positive-Pathway/dp/0989017701   Why Don't They Cry? Understanding Your Living Child's Grief https://www.amazon.com/Why-Dont-They-Cry-Understanding/dp/0989017728   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zandersprague Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zandersprague LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zandersprague  

In this deeply reflective and powerful episode, Kelly sits down with psychologist, grief expert, and author Dr. Mekel Harris for a conversation about loss, leadership, faith, parenting, and the quiet courage it takes to keep your heart open after it has been shattered. Dr. Harris never expected grief to become her life's work. But after losing her mother to stage four pancreatic cancer in just 30 days, and later losing her father during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she found herself face to face with the raw reality of loss — personally and professionally. What she discovered was not just heartbreak, but transformation. Today, Dr. Harris is a licensed psychologist and CEO of Harris Psychological Services, LLC. She is also co-founder of Bloomwell Partners, a consulting firm equipping organizations to lead with grief-informed care. Through private practice, global speaking engagements, and corporate training, she helps individuals and leaders navigate grief not as a weakness — but as part of our shared humanity. In this intimate conversation, Dr. Harris shares: • 🤍 Why grief is not a problem to solve but a companion to learn • 🌊 What it means to truly "companion" someone in their pain • 🧠 How children experience grief differently at each developmental stage • 🏢 Why workplaces must move beyond three days of compassionate leave • 🌍 The hidden grief of divorce, layoffs, identity shifts, and life transitions • 🕊️ The profound impact of losing both parents — including during COVID isolation • 🙏 How faith transformed her grief from knowing about God to knowing God • 🌿 Why gratitude and grief can coexist — even when it feels impossible • 💛 The power of self-compassion in a culture obsessed with productivity • 🐢 Why leaders must learn to move from "lion mode" to "turtle mode" — reflection before reaction One of the most moving moments in this episode comes when Dr. Harris describes lying on a hotel floor after her mother's death — reaching for her phone to call someone, anyone — and realizing no one answered. In that silence, she experienced something she can only describe as an overwhelming presence. That moment changed everything. This episode is about more than grief. It is about courage. It is about staying open. It is about allowing pain to become a teacher instead of something to outrun. A profound and compassionate conversation about grief, faith, leadership, parenting, resilience, and the wisdom that comes from keeping your heart open. ⸻ About Dr. Mekel Harris Mekel Harris, Ph.D., NCSP, PMH-C, CAGCS received a B.A. in Psychology from Baylor University, M.A. in Psychology from Houston Baptist University, and a Ph.D. in Clinical/School Psychology from University of Houston. She completed her pre-doctoral internship and two-year post-doctoral fellowship at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Harris has served in higher education, community-based and hospital-based mental health programs. She currently works in private practice as a licensed psychologist and CEO of Harris Psychological Services, LLC, offering mental health support across the lifespan. She is also co-founder of Bloomwell Partners, LLC, a consulting firm that equips organizations to provide grief-informed leadership and care in the workplace. Dr. Harris has presented at over 30 domestic and international conferences and has been interviewed globally on topics including grief, trauma, leadership, and community mental health. ⸻ Follow Dr. Mekel Harris Website: https://www.harrispsychologicalservices.com/ Bloomwell Partners: https://www.growwithbloomwell.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmekel/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrMekel/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekel-harris-phd-ncsp-pmh-c-cagcs-629138104/ Book – Relaxing Into the Pain: My Journey Into Grief and Beyond (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2QXGZ8V

In this deeply honest and empowering episode, we explore identity, trauma, finding belonging in the wild, and the courage it takes to redefine what a "full life" looks like after the world tells you it's not possible. In this episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Antoinette Lee Toscano, an outdoor industry influencer, writer, speaker, and founder of the American Adventure Sports Club nonprofit. Antoinette is a former IT executive turned adventure sports advocate, whose journey from traumatic injury and anxiety to radical freedom in the outdoors shows us that healing doesn't always look like rest — sometimes it looks like waking up in the middle of a river, choosing life again and again. After a devastating rappelling accident left her with a traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, PTSD, and nearly immobile, Antoinette didn't just survive — she reimagined what life could mean. Instead of waiting for a "normal" she decided to create a New Normal Big Life — a life filled with rivers, snow, wilderness, and a community for people who felt priced out, rejected, or unseen in outdoor spaces.   In this heartfelt and expansive conversation, Antoinette and Kelly explore how the outdoors became more than adventure — it became a path to freedom, identity, community, and deep human belonging. In this episode, Antoinette shares: • 🌲 How a life-threatening injury became the catalyst for intentional living • 🌀 Why creating a "new normal" wasn't about escape, but reclamation • 🧗‍♀️ The power of the outdoors to heal nervous systems and transform self-belief • 💪 How she built community, accessible adventure, and broke barriers in outdoor recreation • 📖 Why storytelling and writing helped her reclaim agency over her own narrative • 🛶 The importance of inclusivity — for people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and people who've been priced out of outdoor spaces • 🌊 What water, rivers, and moving wilderness taught her about resilience and joy • 🤍 How freedom becomes your compass when suffering is no longer the central story Antoinette also reflects on how helping others create their own Big Life through her nonprofit, her writing, and her outdoor media has become the heart of her purpose — not because she fixed her pain, but because she leaned into it and let it expand her empathy, courage, and leadership. This is a grounded, courageous, and deeply human episode about redefining normal, living with intention, and building a life that feels truly alive. ⸻ Follow Antoinette Lee Toscano Website & Blog – New Normal Big Life - https://nnbl.blog/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/antoinetteleetoscano/   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/antoinettelee.toscano WhitewaterTV / AdventureTV - https://xotv.me/channels/359-whitewatertv   Paddling Magazine Contributor Page - https://paddlingmag.com/author/antoinette-lee-toscano/   Diversify Whitewater (Co-Founded Project) - https://diversifywhitewater.org/ American Adventure Sports Club (Nonprofit) - https://nnbl.blog/american-adventure-sports-club/   Book Feature – Women and Water (Antoinette's story contributor) Available wherever books are sold (search "Women and Water She Explores")  

In this deeply intimate and soul-opening episode, we explore grief, self-trust, journaling, and the quiet courage it takes to return to yourself after unimaginable loss. In this profoundly moving conversation, Kelly sits down with Marie Cruz, a coach, speaker, and retreat facilitator whose life has been shaped by resilience, reinvention, and radical self-honesty. Marie's story is not one of bypassing pain, but of learning how to sit with it, listen to it, and allow it to transform her from the inside out. Raised in poverty in rural Louisiana, Marie became a young single mother and later built a successful corporate career. But her life shifted forever after the sudden loss of her mother, followed by the devastating loss of her son just two years later. What followed was not a search for answers outside herself, but a return inward. Through years of journaling, spiritual inquiry, and deep emotional work, Marie developed what would become her signature process, The Nautilus Way, a guided journaling and self-inquiry method that helps women uncover truth, heal trauma, and reconnect with their essence. In this episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Marie and Kelly speak openly about grief that rearranges everything, the loneliness of loss, and the power of creating spaces where women no longer have to protect others from their pain. In this episode, Marie shares: • 🌿 How grief reshapes identity and simplifies what truly matters • 💔 Why losing a child changes the nervous system, the soul, and the way we see the world • 📖 How journaling became a sacred portal for healing and self-connection • 🌀 The four stages of her journaling process: reveal, review, rewrite, and rewire • 🤍 Why women struggle to love themselves and how self-abandonment is learned early • ✨ How intuition and inner guidance emerge when we stop silencing ourselves • 🕊️ Why healing is layered and why we never "arrive" at the end • 🌊 The power of women-only spaces, especially for bereaved mothers, to exhale fully Marie also speaks candidly about her women's retreats, her work with grieving mothers, and why holding space without fixing is often the most powerful form of healing. She reflects on the courage it takes to trust inner wisdom, to stop editing ourselves, and to choose self-love even when it feels unfamiliar. This is not a conversation about getting over grief. It is about learning how to live alongside it with grace, truth, and presence. A compassionate, grounding, and deeply human episode about loss, journaling, intuition, and the beauty that can emerge when we honor the cracks instead of hiding them.   Follow Marie Cruz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marieeurecrews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariecrewsempowers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empowermentandgriefguide Book – Even When She Rose (Amazon): https://a.co/d/dayGabK

In this powerful and reflective episode, we explore loss, achievement, identity, and the courage it takes to stop measuring life from the outside in. In this episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Alan Lazaros, CEO and co-founder of Next Level University, a globally ranked Top 100 podcast with over 2,300 episodes listened to in more than 180 countries. Alan's story begins with profound loss. His father died when Alan was just two years old. Years later, his stepfather left, taking with him an entire extended family and financial stability. What followed was a childhood shaped by abandonment, pressure, and an unspoken belief that achievement could replace safety. Driven to prove his worth, Alan became a high achiever. He excelled academically, rose quickly in corporate America, and achieved financial success at a young age. From the outside, his life looked like the definition of success. Inside, something was missing. A near-fatal car accident at age 26 became a turning point. It forced Alan to confront a question many avoid: If this were the end, would I be proud of the life I lived? That moment cracked open a deeper journey, one focused not on external validation, but on meaning, alignment, and internal fulfillment. In this deeply honest conversation, Alan shares how achievement without purpose can become another form of avoidance, and how personal growth, self-awareness, and meaning must come before lasting success. In this episode, Alan shares: • 🌱 How early loss shaped his drive, ambition, and fear of abandonment • 💔 Why achievement can become a survival strategy rather than a source of fulfillment • 🧠 The difference between external success and internal alignment • 🔄 The Four Buckets of Life and why most people get stuck in the wrong one • ⚖️ How to balance health, wealth, love, and purpose without burning out • 🧩 Why inaccurate self-perception keeps people stuck, even when they work hard • 🎯 The "glass and rubber balls" metaphor for focus, boundaries, and leadership • ✨ Why meaning, not status, is the true driver of long-term fulfillment Alan also speaks candidly about coaching, humility, and the uncomfortable truth that growth requires seeing ourselves clearly. He challenges listeners to rethink what they chase, why they chase it, and whether their success actually reflects who they are. This episode is a reminder that healing doesn't always look like slowing down. Sometimes it looks like realigning. Letting go of who you thought you had to be. And choosing a life built from meaning, not expectation. A grounded, insightful, and deeply human conversation about loss, ambition, self-awareness, and the courage it takes to build a life that feels true. ⸻ Follow Alan Lazaros Website: https://www.nextleveluniverse.com Podcast – Next Level University: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-level-university/id1227858278 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alanlazarosllc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc

Welcome to Season Four of Broken Beautiful Me. In this deeply grounding and compassionate episode, we explore healing not through willpower or escape, but through presence, surrender, and learning to feel safe inside your own body. In this intimate conversation, Kelly sits down with Hans Andreas Weygoldt, a transformational coach and breathwork facilitator whose journey from addiction to emotional freedom reshaped not only his life, but his understanding of what true healing requires. After spending eight years caught in opioid addiction, Hans learned that what he was really trying to numb were unexpressed emotions, unresolved trauma, and a nervous system stuck in survival mode. His healing began not with force or discipline, but with surrender, curiosity, and breath. Through his work today, Hans helps high-performing leaders and individuals uncover the hidden emotional patterns beneath stress, success, and self-sabotage. His approach blends neuroscience, breathwork, and consciousness-based coaching to support emotional regulation, presence, and authentic leadership. In this thoughtful and heart-centered episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Hans and Kelly explore how healing unfolds when we stop running from discomfort and learn how to stay. In this episode, Hans shares: • 🌿 How suppressed emotions live in the nervous system, not the mind • 🧠 Why success and achievement can become a form of emotional avoidance • 💔 How generational trauma quietly shapes our relationship with anger, grief, and vulnerability • 🌬️ Why breathwork creates safety for emotional release without substances • 🤍 How shame begins to dissolve when it is witnessed without judgment • 🔁 Why healing is not about fixing yourself, but learning to trust your inner experience • ✨ How gratitude can transform guilt, regret, and pain into purpose • 🕊️ Simple breath practices that can be used anytime to return to calm and presence Hans also reflects on the importance of community, sharing, and connection in the healing process. He explains why healing is not meant to be done alone and how safe spaces allow the nervous system to finally let go of what it has been holding for years. This is a gentle, powerful conversation about addiction, emotional liberation, breath, and the courage it takes to feel deeply in a world that often teaches us to shut down. A compassionate, grounding, and deeply human episode about healing the nervous system, breaking generational cycles, and discovering peace through presence. ⸻ Follow Hans Andreas Weygoldt LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-andreas-weygoldt-151777356/ Website https://pneumorphosis.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hans.andreas.weygoldt Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hansandreasweygoldt

What if the bravest thing you ever do isn't surviving what happened to you… but choosing to stop hiding it? Welcome to Season Four of Broken Beautiful Me. We begin this new season with a deeply honest and compassionate conversation about grief, trauma, therapy, and the courage it takes to live openly after years of silence. In this profoundly moving episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Linda Feig Knipe, a retired high school counselor and first-time author who spent decades helping others through trauma while quietly carrying her own. After the death of her husband, Linda found herself at a crossroads that would change the way she lived, healed, and told the truth about her life. Linda's story is one of resilience shaped over a lifetime. In her twenties, she survived sexual assault and lived for years with unprocessed trauma, shame, and PTSD. Later, while training to become a counselor, she was unexpectedly triggered and forced to confront what she had spent years burying. Therapy became not only a place of healing, but a turning point that transformed how she understood herself, her work, and her relationships. Writing her book Braving Therapy later in life required Linda to face a new fear — the fear of being fully seen. For the first time, she chose honesty over protection, openness over silence, and courage over comfort. In this intimate and thoughtful conversation, Linda shares: • 🌿 How grief became a gateway to personal transformation • 💔 The long-term impact of trauma and why silence can become toxic • 🧠 What therapy really feels like from the inside — and why it's so hard to begin • 🕊️ How shame shapes our inner lives and keeps us disconnected • 💬 Why healing doesn't mean going back to who you were, but becoming someone new • 🤍 The power of sharing our stories and learning we are not meant to do life alone • 🔍 Why human connection matters more than ever in an increasingly digital world Linda also discusses her book Braving Therapy, written as a companion for anyone who has ever wondered whether therapy might help but felt afraid to take the first step. Her message is clear: healing takes courage, honesty, and support — and no one has to do it alone. A compassionate, grounding, and deeply human conversation about grief, trauma, therapy, and the freedom that comes from finally telling the truth. ⸻ Follow Linda Feig Knipe Website: https://lfeigknipe.com/ Book – Braving Therapy (Amazon): https://a.co/d/4f8FwWF Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l._feig_knipe FB: https://www.facebook.com/p/L-Feig-Knipe-100086436326648/

What if the moment that changes your entire life isn't a single event… but a series of wake-up calls your soul keeps sending until you finally pay attention? In this profoundly moving episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Simon Lüthi, a former high-performing corporate executive who nearly died multiple times before discovering the spiritual path that would transform his entire existence. Today he is known as The Rocket Shaman — a healer, energy medicine practitioner, and end-of-life doula whose work blends ancient wisdom with modern suffering. Simon's story begins long before adulthood: three near-death experiences as a child and teen, followed by years of pushing himself through perfectionism, pressure, and the relentless grind of corporate life. But everything began to unravel when he developed a mysterious autoimmune illness so severe he could barely get out of bed. Doctors couldn't explain it. Treatments failed. And then came cancer. These crises didn't break him — they opened him. Through shamanic training, energy medicine, ancestral healing, and an intense spiritual awakening, Simon discovered a deeper truth about illness, trauma, consciousness, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. His experiences guiding people through the final hours of life — and witnessing what happens in the moments just after — reshaped his understanding of love, death, and the continuation of the soul. In this intimate conversation, Simon shares: • ✨ The near-death experiences that marked him long before he understood them • 🔥 How chronic illness and cancer became the catalysts for his spiritual awakening • 🌿 The moment energy medicine finally shifted what modern medicine couldn't • 💫 Why he believes with absolute certainty that life continues after death • 🕊️ The signs and messages he's witnessed from loved ones who have crossed over • 🌀 How trauma can live in the body across generations — and even past lives • 🌙 What it means to guide someone through their final transition with peace and dignity • 💛 Why self-talk, intention, and inner authority are essential to true healing Simon also discusses his book, Becoming the Rocket Shaman, and how we can all begin reclaiming our power, our intuition, and the healing potential that lives inside us. A powerful, healing, deeply spiritual exploration of illness, awakening, and the invisible threads connecting us to something much bigger than ourselves.   Follow Simon Lüthi Website: https://www.therocketshaman.com Book – Becoming the Rocket Shaman (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FFPBNKSM Book – Becoming the Rocket Shaman (Barnes & Noble): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/becoming-the-rocket-shaman-simon-luthi/1148299305

What if the moment that changes your entire life arrives as a glowing ball of light in your bedroom doorway when you are only sixteen years old? In this deeply reflective episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Carmen Turner-Schott, MSW, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker, Christian astrologer, teacher, and bestselling author who has spent nearly three decades helping trauma survivors find meaning, resilience, and healing. Carmen's story begins in the Ozarks of Missouri, where she grew up feeling different from everyone around her. As a child she sensed things she couldn't explain, dreamt vividly, and carried emotions that didn't belong only to her. But everything shifted the summer before her senior year when she witnessed a glowing yellow orb of light in her bedroom doorway. Frozen in fear, unable to speak, she watched it move through her home as her mother tried to rationalize what neither of them could truly name. That moment became the spiritual turning point of Carmen's life. In the years that followed, Carmen experienced profound loss and intuitive awakenings that led her toward psychology, trauma work, and eventually the study of astrology as a tool for self-understanding. She began reading charts by hand, long before computers, discovering that each chart reflects a person's emotional makeup, strengths, wounds, and the energy they carry through the world. Today, Carmen is a professor of social work and a sought-after astrologer whose work bridges spirituality, psychology, and healing. In this conversation, she shares: • 🌟 How growing up empathic shaped her sense of identity and belonging • 🕯️ The night she encountered the glowing orb that opened her spiritual path • 🔮 Why astrology is less about prediction and more about understanding your inner landscape • 💫 The difference between your sun, moon, and rising signs, and why the moon sign reveals your emotional truth • 🧡 How each astrological sign heals differently, and what that means for self-care • 🌙 Why trauma shows up in specific parts of the birth chart, and how that knowledge helps survivors rebuild • 🌏 How ancient symbolism, psychology, and spirituality all converge through astrology Carmen also talks about her newest book, Your Astrological Energy, and how understanding your chart can help you cultivate compassion for yourself, deepen your relationships, and navigate your life with clarity and confidence. A warm, illuminating exploration of intuition, identity, healing, and the mysterious ways we are guided toward who we are meant to become. Follow Carmen Turner-Schott Website: https://www.carmenturnerschott.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenturnershottauthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deepsouldiversastrologywithcarmen YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@carmenturnershott 🎧 Listen to more episodes of Broken Beautiful Me for stories of hope, resilience, and healing.

What if the truth you discover decades later changes everything you thought you knew about your life, your loss, and your identity? In this moving episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Lisa Sugarman, an author, crisis counselor, and three-time survivor of suicide loss who has transformed profound grief into purpose, community, and healing. Lisa's story begins in childhood with the loss of her cousin at nine years old and the sudden death of her father just a year later. For 35 years she believed he died of a heart attack. In her mid forties, she learned the truth that he died by suicide, forcing her to grieve him all over again and reshaping her understanding of her past, her pain, and herself. Today, Lisa is a passionate mental health advocate, a crisis counselor with The Trevor Project, a storyteller with NAMI, and the founder of The HelpHUB, one of the most comprehensive free mental health resource platforms available. She also facilitates Safe Place, a virtual support group for suicide loss survivors, and cohosts The Survivors Podcast.   In this conversation, Lisa shares: • 💔 What it is like to lose a parent twice, and how hidden truths create both wound and wisdom • 🌙 The three years she quietly cried herself to sleep while holding her life together on the outside • 🧭 How a single podcast appearance became the catalyst that changed the direction of her life • 🤝 The power of sharing our stories to break stigma, build connection, and create community • 🪢 Why grief never ends, and how it becomes the tether that keeps us connected to those we love • 🧩 How The HelpHUB is helping people find crisis support, tools, and treatment when they need it most A tender and courageous exploration of grief, truth, connection, and the healing that begins when we finally speak the stories we've held inside.   📘 Lisa is the author of Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide Loss (2026), How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids and Be OK With It, Untying Parent Anxiety, and LIFE: It Is What It Is. Follow Lisa Sugarman: Website: https://www.thehelphub.co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_sugarman The Survivors Podcast: https://www.thehelphub.co/podcast The HelpHUB: https://www.thehelphub.co 🎧 Listen to more episodes of Broken Beautiful Me for stories of hope, resilience, and healing.

What if the key to healing is not just in the body but in the soul? In this powerful episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor, a neurologist who has dedicated more than three decades to understanding the connection between the brain, emotion, and spirit. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Hahnemann Medical College, Dr. Taylor completed her neurology residency at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned the Humaneness in Medicine Award and was recognized as one of Philadelphia's Top Docs for Women. She recently published Whispers of the Mind: A Neurologist's Memoir, a deeply moving collection of personal and professional essays that explore how we face illness, addiction, trauma, and the search for meaning.   In this conversation, Dr. Taylor shares: • 🧠 How resilience and gratitude can rewire the brain for healing • 💊 Why addiction is a neurological disease, not a moral failure • ✍️ The power of writing and reflection to process grief • 💔 Lessons from patients who taught her the meaning of courage • 🌿 How compassion and forgiveness transform both patient and healer   A heartfelt exploration of what it means to be human, fragile, resilient, and beautifully connected.   📘 Whispers of the Mind is available now wherever books are sold. Follow Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566811690823 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolyn.larkin.taylor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynlarkintaylor-author Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carolynlarkintaylor/   🎧 Listen to more episodes of Broken Beautiful Me for stories of hope, resilience, and healing.

In this profound episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Dr. Robert Macauley — one of only a few hundred physicians in the United States to specialize in pediatric palliative care. Robert's memoir, Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor's Soul, is the first book to share the stories of children receiving palliative care — showing that this field is far more about how you live than how you die. Through the courage of these children and their parents, Robert found healing for deep wounds from his own past — and a new understanding of love, faith, and grace in the face of suffering. As both a physician and an Episcopal priest, Robert explores how a loving God could allow children to suffer — and what these young lives teach us about compassion, connection, and what truly matters. Together, Kelly and Robert talk about: • 🩵 The powerful lessons sick children taught him about living fully • 💭 The spiritual questions that shaped his journey as both doctor and priest • 🕊 How grief, faith, and storytelling intertwine to heal the soul • ❤️ Why remembering is one of the most sacred acts of love • 📖 The message behind his memoir: that meaning can be found even in loss If you've ever wrestled with grief, faith, or finding hope in hardship, this conversation will stay with you long after it ends. ⸻ 📘 Order Dr. Robert Macauley's Book: ➡️ Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor's Soul (Also available through local bookstores, Amazon, and Powell's) 🌐 Connect with Dr. Robert Macauley: Website: https://becauseiknewyou.com Instagram: @DrBobMacauley Facebook: DrBobMacauley ⸻ ✨ Subscribe to Broken Beautiful Me for more soul-deep conversations about resilience, faith, and the beauty found in our most broken moments.

What happens when a nine-year-old girl leaves communist Poland for the "land of freedom"… and instead walks straight into 13 years of silence, fear, and abuse? This week on Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Christine Sadry — award-winning author, former UN peacekeeper, and survivor of unimaginable childhood trauma. At just nine, Christine was promised a new life in America. Instead, she arrived alone at JFK Airport… and no one came to meet her. The next morning, every belonging she had was gone. What followed were years of cruelty and isolation that could have broken anyone. But Christine didn't break. She rose. From being abandoned as a child to serving the United Nations across war-torn countries — even being blessed by Pope John Paul II — her life is a testament to the power of forgiveness, faith, and the human spirit. In this deeply moving episode, Christine shares: • 💔 How she found courage in the middle of trauma • 🕊️ Why forgiveness set her free from the past • 🌍 The unexpected path that led her to global peacekeeping • 🙏 What it really means to never give up on yourself If you've ever felt trapped by your past, Christine's story will remind you — healing is possible, and hope is never lost. ⸻ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Broken Beautiful Me Podcast 📘 13 Years Lost by Christine Sadry — Available on Amazon 🌿 Follow Kelly Buckley on Instagram @kellybuckleyofficial

What happens when a woman in her late forties makes a promise to her dying mother… and ends up changing the entire trajectory of her life? This week on Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Margie Zable Fisher — co-author (along with her late mother) of The Cabernet Club, published on January 31, 2025. Margie's story is one of reinvention, resilience, and love. Before becoming a full-time writer after 50, she ran a successful P.R. agency for 20 years, with her work appearing in The New York Times, AARP, Fortune, Next Avenue, and more. She's a wife, mother, Cabernet lover, spelling-bee enthusiast, and first-time triathlete after 50 — proving it's never too late to rewrite your story.   In this deeply moving conversation, Margie opens up about: 🌿 Turning fear into fuel — how she transformed the prospect of turning 50 into a year-long "Margie Project" of trying new things, from motorcycle riding to zip-lining. 🏃 How one 5K race led to triathlons and a completely new relationship with herself. 💔 Fulfilling a promise — finishing and publishing the manuscript her mother spent 20 years writing, just as she had vowed before her mom passed away. ✍️ Teaching herself fiction writing from scratch, while navigating raw grief. 🧠 How grief became a gift, shaping a legacy and unlocking unexpected creativity. 📚 The journey of bringing The Cabernet Club to publication and what came next.   Margie's story is proof that midlife is not the end of the book — it's the start of a whole new chapter.   🎧 Listen now to hear a story about love, loss, courage, and the powerful ripple effects of keeping a promise. 🔗 Connect with Margie 👉 Website & Bonus Chapter: margiezfisher.com    👉 The Cabernet Club — available now wherever books are sold.   🎥 Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/T6njqOGGYzs  

What if addiction isn't something to fix… but a portal to awakening? This week on Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly Buckley sits down with Greg Vorst and Michael Nolan — co-founders of Embodied Recovery, a pioneering treatment centre in Silicon Valley helping people transform addiction and mental health struggles into soul growth and empowered living. Greg and Michael are doing recovery differently. Their Empowered Living Teachings weave together psychology, ancient wisdom, and embodied practices. Drawing from therapy, 12-Step recovery, and Sundo — Korean Taoist breathwork, they guide clients back to their inner wisdom, creating spaces where spiritual transformation and nervous system regulation go hand in hand. Their personal stories are raw, honest, and deeply human. Both men walked their own recovery paths — spanning spiritual communities, 12-Step rooms, and years of personal work — before creating a treatment model rooted in integrity, embodiment, and community. In this powerful conversation, they open up about: • 🌿 Reframing addiction from a "problem to fix" to a spiritual doorway to awakening • 💨 How bottom-up healing and daily breathwork unlock transformation where talk therapy alone can't • 🧱 Working with denial and resistance through love, trust, and gentle truth-telling • 🎶 Rediscovering the "Melody of Love" — and how to return to it when life pulls you away • 🤝 Why every team member at Embodied Recovery works their own recovery program — and why it matters for clients • 🌀 How their new nonprofit Melos will offer graduates a community of spiritual practice, sober dance, and breathwork long after treatment ends This is an episode about coming home to yourself, breaking through the noise, and remembering that the gold has always been inside you. ✨ ⸻ 📌 Links & Resources • 🌐 Kelly's Website: https://www.kellybuckley.com • 📚 Kelly's Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com (search "Kelly Buckley") • 🧠 Embodied Recovery: https://www.embodiedrecovery.org • 🎶 Melos Nonprofit: https://www.melosrecovery.org (opening planned for 2026) ⸻ 🎧 If Greg and Michael's story resonates with you, share this episode with someone who's ready to stop fixing… and start awakening.

What happens when the woman who seems to "have it all" admits she's still terrified to be seen? This week on Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Angie Hawkins — The Inner Glow Coach and author who helps high-achieving, spiritual women stop chasing love and approval… and start radiating fierce confidence from within. Angie's story is both breathtaking and brutally honest. She's bungee-jumped in New Zealand, skydived, run 16 marathons, and even leapt out of a helicopter Navy SEAL-style. She packed up her life in Chicago and moved to Hawaii alone — all in the pursuit of purpose and joy. But behind the fearless exterior was a deep fear of truly being seen. In this powerful conversation, Angie opens up about: • 🌿 Her journey from emotional rock bottom to rediscovering her inner light • 🪂 How bungee jumping became a metaphor for courage and transformation • 📱 The "Instagram vs Reality" exercise that cracks open vulnerability in her workshops • 🌞 What it means to shine from the inside and how it ripples into every area of life • 💬 Why facing our deepest fears is the key to real freedom This is an episode about masks, courage, and the quiet revolution that happens when women stop seeking external validation and start trusting themselves. ⸻ 📌 Links & Resources • 🌐 Angie's Website & Coaching: https://runningandslippers.com • 📚 Running in Slippers — Angie's Memoir: Available in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook on Amazon (search "Running in Slippers Angie Hawkins") • 🗓️ Book a Free Coaching Call with Angie: https://runningandslippers.com → Free Call section ⸻ 🎧 If Angie's story resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to be reminded: the glow is already inside you.

Hey Friends, welcome back to Broken Beautiful Me 💜 This week's conversation is raw, brave, and soul-shifting. I sit down with Katie Baker—writer, advocate, and childhood abuse survivor—who has transformed her pain into profound purpose. 👉 From years of battling addiction, shame, and silence… 👉 To sitting in sacred ayahuasca ceremonies around the world… 👉 To writing her memoir When the Universe Holds Your Hair Back… Katie shares how she reclaimed her voice, her body, and her spirit. Her story is not just about surviving trauma—it's about reclaiming agency, finding community, and daring to live fully. ⸻ 🔖 Episode Chapters 00:00 – Katie's son says "Mom, it's your turn to heal" 02:00 – Facing childhood trauma & breaking silence 09:00 – First experiences with psychedelics & ayahuasca 16:00 – Inside a sacred ceremony: intention, process & release 25:00 – Turning pain into advocacy and writing her memoir 32:00 – Healing family relationships across generations 46:00 – What society misunderstands about survivors 54:00 – Learning self-care and finding balance 01:01:00 – Katie's legacy of hope for future survivors ⸻ In this episode, we talk about: • 🌱 The turning point when her son said: "Mom, it's your turn to heal." • 🍃 How therapeutic psychedelics opened a path to transformation. • 💔 What society still misunderstands about abuse and survivors. • 💡 Why telling our stories breaks cycles of shame and secrecy. • 🌍 How Katie is now helping others heal through writing, advocacy, and spiritual practice. Katie's honesty reminds us: every scar tells a story—and every story has the power to heal. 📖 Connect with Katie Baker Website: peaceandfirehealing.com Book: When the Universe Holds Your Hair Back (available on Amazon, Audible, Spotify) 💜 If this episode moved you, please subscribe, review, and share with someone who needs to hear that healing is possible. Together, we shine brighter.

In this deeply moving episode, we welcome Dr. Beverly Thorn — psychologist, author, dementia caregiver, and certified end-of-life doula. Dr. Thorn spent decades as a clinical psychology professor at Ohio State and the University of Alabama, publishing hundreds of articles and books on chronic illness. But when her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, her professional expertise collided with personal reality. She became a full-time caregiver and, later, an end-of-life doula, documenting her journey in her powerful book: Before I Lose My Own Mind: Navigating Life as a Dementia Caregiver This episode dives into: • The hidden emotional toll of dementia caregiving and why so many feel alone. • Why caregivers must care for themselves — not just for their loved ones, but because they matter too. • Practical tools like journaling, meditation, and support groups to reduce stress. • Why it's vital to plan for end-of-life care and set clear boundaries as a caregiver. • The surprising role of music, movement, and memory in dementia care. ⸻ ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 – Dementia caregiving: the hidden struggle 02:30 – Dr. Beverly Thorn's journey from psychologist to caregiver 05:00 – Writing Before I Lose My Own Mind 10:00 – Loneliness, stigma & the emotional cost of dementia 20:00 – Why caregivers neglect their own health 28:00 – Planning for end-of-life & honoring wishes 37:00 – Journaling, meditation & coping with grief 43:00 – Support systems, respite care & "the club" 50:00 – Research, resilience & final advice for caregivers 55:00 – How to connect with Dr. Thorn ⸻ 🔗 Links & Resources • 🌐 Dr. Beverly Thorn's website: www.drbeverlythorn.com • 📖 Before I Lose My Own Mind: Navigating Life as a Dementia Caregiver – Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Ask your local bookstore • 🎧 Free relaxation & meditation audio guides: www.drbeverlythorn.com • 📚 Alzheimer's Association statistics & caregiver resources: www.alz.org • 🌐 Host's website: www.kellybuckley.com ⸻ 📌 Key Topics • Dementia caregiving myths & truths • Why caregivers often neglect their own health • Coping with grief before, during & after loss • Building a reliable care team • Finding resilience in brokenness