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One car accident changed everything for Amy and Avery Nubson — their health, their marriage, their business, and the future they thought they had planned. In Part 1, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with Amy and Avery for a raw conversation about invisible injuries, chronic pain, PTSD, medical trauma, and what happens when you know something is wrong but getting someone to listen becomes a battle of its own. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “Pain doesn’t have to be visible to be real, and progress doesn’t have to be fast to matter.” — Inspired by Avery Nubson Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes discussion of chronic pain, PTSD, medical trauma, medication dependence and withdrawal, invasive medical treatment, and suicide risk. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or visit: https://988lifeline.org/ For crisis resources outside the United States: https://findahelpline.com/ Episode Description A car accident that looked minor on paper changed nearly every part of Amy and Avery Nubson’s lives. After Avery was hit from behind while stopped at a red light in 2014, he walked away without broken bones or obvious external injuries. But what followed was anything but minor: debilitating pain, PTSD, panic attacks, flashbacks, bladder and pelvic health complications, sleep problems, mobility limitations, and eventually a traumatic brain injury diagnosis that took years to uncover. In Part 1 of this deeply honest conversation, Avery tells G-Rex and Dirty Skittles what it was like to have his body become unfamiliar territory while repeatedly hearing that tests looked normal or providers didn’t know what came next. He opens up about male pelvic floor therapy, the shame surrounding intimate health problems, opioid withdrawal after insurance coverage changed, EMDR, implanted medical devices, and the exhausting reality of having to continuously advocate for care. Amy shares the other side of that journey: watching the person you love disappear beneath pain, trying to understand symptoms nobody prepared you for, and learning how to support someone through a recovery that doesn’t follow a clean timeline. This isn’t a story about magically “getting better.” It’s about persistence, invisible disability, medical self-advocacy, and finding hope in inches, not miles. Keywords: chronic pain, PTSD recovery, medical trauma, invisible disability, traumatic brain injury, EMDR therapy, men’s mental health, pelvic floor therapy, chronic illness, pain management, healthcare advocacy, anxiety after car accidents, caregiver support, mental health recovery, patient advocacy Meet Our Guests — Amy & Avery Nubson Amy and Avery Nubson have spent more than two decades building a life, businesses, and creative projects together, but a 2014 car accident forced them to completely rethink what partnership, healing, and success looked like. Amy now helps women reclaim their voices and tell their stories, while Avery brings his background in design, web development, marketing, SEO, illustration, and game design together with a growing desire to speak openly about chronic pain, men’s pelvic health, PTSD, and the treatments that helped him rebuild his life. Website: http://www.nufiremarketing.com Amy Nubson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amynubson-business-coach/ Avery Nubson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/averynubson/ Avery’s Games: https://humerusgames.com Key Takeaways An injury does not have to be visible on a scan for the pain and trauma surrounding it to be real. PTSD can show up in waves, through flashbacks, panic attacks, sleep disruption, avoidance, and triggers that may make everyday life feel unsafe. Physical pain and mental health are deeply connected, and treating one without acknowledging the other can leave major pieces of recovery untouched. Men’s pelvic health remains difficult to talk about, and shame can make an already isolating medical problem even harder to navigate. Self-advocacy sometimes means asking again, getting another opinion, and refusing to stop simply because the first answer was “we don’t know.” Healing may be measured in tiny changes: driving around the block, skiing again, traveling, sleeping better, or simply experiencing less pain than yesterday. Actionable Items Keep a symptom or pain journal. Track changes, triggers, treatments, medication reactions, and small improvements so you have something concrete to reference when progress feels invisible. If you feel dismissed or your symptoms remain unexplained, consider asking what the next appropriate referral or specialty might be instead of accepting “nothing is wrong” as the end of the conversation. When traveling with medical devices, mobility challenges, or other medical needs, research passenger-support options ahead of time and create a plan that reduces unnecessary stress. Important Chapters 00:01:57 — From Art School to 26 Years Together 00:04:10 — The Accident That Changed Everything 00:07:07 — When PTSD Arrived in Waves 00:14:57 — Portugal, Pain Relief, and Feeling Safe Again 00:20:05 — EMDR and Life After Panic Attacks 00:22:03 — The Medical Problems Nobody Could Explain 00:27:01 — The Reality of Men’s Pelvic Floor Therapy 00:33:15 — Fighting Insurance While Fighting to Heal 00:36:04 — Why Men Need Somewhere to Talk About This 00:42:51 — Pain Medication, Withdrawal, and the Pain Pump Decision 00:47:32 — Traveling With Medical Devices Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #ChronicPain #PTSDRecovery #MensMentalHealth #InvisibleDisability #MedicalTrauma #PelvicFloorTherapy #PatientAdvocacy #ChronicPainAwareness #EMDRTherapy #TraumaRecovery #HealthcareAdvocacy #PainManagement #CaregiverSupport #InvisibleIllness #MentalHealthRecovery *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Season 20 continues with Part 2 of our conversation with Tiphany Kane, where finding your voice becomes more than personal growth. Tiphany joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to share what happened when she had to fight to be heard while living with dangerously uncontrolled hypertension and repeatedly being told anxiety was the problem. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “You’re supposed to share your story. You’re supposed to be heard and seen.” — Tiphany Kane Episode Description What do you do when you know something is wrong with your body, but you keep hearing that it’s anxiety? You keep fighting to be heard. In Part 2 of our Season 20 opener, Tiphany Kane takes G-Rex and Dirty Skittles deeper into the medical journey that turned her hard-won voice into one of her most important tools. Tiphany was dealing with dangerously uncontrolled hypertension alongside lifelong congenital organ abnormalities. After one medical appointment left her sobbing before she could even make it to her car, she found a clinical trial through UCI Health for people with resistant hypertension. Two days after an appointment where she felt completely dismissed, she walked into a room where people listened. Tiphany was accepted into the clinical trial and eventually underwent renal denervation. Months later, she says her blood pressure was controlled with medication, and she had something back that she’d desperately missed: quality of life. But those years came with consequences. Tiphany discusses lasting damage involving her eyes, kidneys, and heart. This conversation isn’t about pretending every doctor is terrible or that anxiety can’t affect the body. It’s about recognizing that mental and physical health can exist in the same damn body at the same time. Having anxiety doesn’t make every physical symptom anxiety. Tiphany’s story is a powerful reminder to ask questions, document what you’re experiencing, bring support when you need it, and keep advocating for yourself when something doesn’t feel right. Keywords: Tiphany Kane, medical gaslighting, women’s health, patient advocacy, self-advocacy, anxiety stigma, chronic illness, resistant hypertension, healthcare trauma, trusting your body, women’s mental health, medical dismissal, emotional resilience, finding your voice, patient empowerment Meet Our Guest — Tiphany Kane Tiphany Kane, M.Ed., is an award-winning producer, entrepreneur, public speaker, and storyteller whose own medical journey has added another powerful chapter to her work: speaking openly about what happens when people have to fight to be heard and believed. CEO & Co-Founder, KaSa Media Productions — Tiphany produces podcasts, video, live events, and other story-driven media. Founder, J4F MORE Foundation — Her work reaches beyond production into advocacy, storytelling, and creating opportunities for other voices to be heard. Medical Advocacy — After navigating lifelong complex health issues and feeling dismissed during her medical journey, Tiphany began publicly sharing what happened so other people would know they aren’t alone. Just 4 Feet Studio — She is building a 5,500-square-foot state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos recording and post-production studio in Orange County, California. Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts — Tiphany is an AIVA member and serves as an AIVA juror. Website — http://www.kasamediapro.com Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/tiphanykane/ Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/tiphany.k YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@J4Fstudio LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiphany-kane-m-ed-514264175/ Key Takeaways Mental health and physical illness can exist at the same time. One doesn’t automatically explain away the other. You live in your body every damn day. If something feels wrong and keeps feeling wrong, it’s okay to keep asking questions. Self-advocacy isn’t about picking a fight with your doctor. It’s about being an active participant in your own care. Sometimes you need another person in the room. An advocate can listen, take notes, ask questions, and help when you’re too sick, exhausted, or overwhelmed to do everything yourself. Being listened to changed Tiphany’s medical experience. Feeling heard shouldn’t have to feel like winning the lottery. The voice Tiphany spent decades learning not to suppress became exactly the voice she needed when the stakes got serious. Actionable Items Walk in prepared. Keep a simple timeline of your symptoms, medications, relevant medical history, changes you’ve noticed, and the questions you don’t want to forget. Bring backup when you need it. Ask someone you trust to attend an appointment with you, and tell them beforehand exactly how you’d like them to support you. Ask one more question. If a physical symptom is being attributed to anxiety, ask what physical causes have been considered and what findings support that conclusion. Important Chapters 00:00:45 — What Happened After the Appointment? 00:01:14 — Finding the Clinical Trial 00:02:58 — Renal Denervation and Getting Her Blood Pressure Controlled 00:04:06 — The Lasting Physical Damage 00:05:03 — Getting Her Quality of Life Back 00:06:33 — Why Did Tiphany Have to Find the Answer Herself? 00:08:57 — Finally Being Taken Seriously 00:12:44 — When Trust in Healthcare Breaks Down 00:14:20 — Insurance, Chronic Illness, and Access to Care 00:19:51 — Why Having an Advocate Matters 00:20:59 — Anxiety and Physical Illness Can Coexist 00:22:17 — What Tiphany Wishes She Had Said 00:23:43 — Using Her Voice to Help Others 00:24:40 — What She Would Tell Her Younger Self 00:26:21 — Divorce and One of Life’s Hardest Lessons 00:29:27 — Where to Find Tiphany Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #Season20 #TiphanyKane #MedicalGaslighting #WomensHealth #PatientAdvocacy #SelfAdvocacy #ChronicIllness #HealthcareTrauma #AnxietyAwareness #TrustYourBody #WomensMentalHealth #FindingYourVoice #HypertensionAwareness #HealthcareAdvocacy #InvisibleIllness #EmotionalWellness *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Season 20 starts with one hell of a story. In Part 1 of this two-part opener, Tiphany Kane joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk about leaving a restrictive religious environment at 19, losing family and community, carrying the wounds of rejection, and eventually realizing she didn’t need anyone’s permission to use her voice. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “I can do really hard things.” — Tiphany Kane Episode Description At 19, Tiphany Kane packed up her little blue Toyota Corolla and drove across the country. She was leaving behind the restrictive religious world that had shaped what she believed about women, family, belonging, and herself. But getting out was only the beginning. In this Season 20 opener, Tiphany talks with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles about being disfellowshipped and suddenly losing contact with family members, childhood friends, and the community she had always known. She describes becoming an “instant orphan” and how that kind of rejection doesn’t magically disappear, even after decades. Those old wounds still show up. Sometimes rejection brings up a protective wall. Other times, it wakes up the little girl who wonders why people don’t fight for her. Tiphany has learned to recognize those stories without letting them run the whole damn show. She also opens up about people-pleasing, divorce, rebuilding her life, leaving a 20-year career she loved, and being told professionally that she was “too passionate.” That moment became another crossroads: keep making herself smaller or figure out who she was without everyone else’s rules. Then she found podcasting. For the first time, Tiphany could say what she wanted to say without asking permission. And once she found that voice, there was no putting it back in the box. Keywords: Tiphany Kane, religious trauma, finding your voice, rejection, people-pleasing, emotional healing, divorce recovery, reinvention, abandonment wounds, women’s mental health, self-worth, resilience, starting over, trauma recovery, podcasting Meet Our Guest — Tiphany Kane Tiphany Kane, M.Ed., is an award-winning producer, entrepreneur, public speaker, and storyteller who has seen firsthand what happens when someone finally stops shrinking and starts owning their voice. CEO & Co-Founder, KaSa Media Productions — Produces podcasts, video, live events, and story-driven media for people with something meaningful to say. Founder, J4F MORE Foundation — Tiphany has expanded her work beyond media production through the foundation and her passion for helping others. Just 4 Feet Studio — She is building a 5,500-square-foot state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos recording and post-production studio in Orange County, California. Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts — Tiphany is an AIVA member and serves as an AIVA juror. Website — http://www.kasamediapro.com Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/tiphanykane/ Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/tiphany.k YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@J4Fstudio LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiphany-kane-m-ed-514264175/ Key Takeaways Reinventing yourself doesn’t mean the person you were before was a failure. Sometimes every version of you gets you a little closer to who you really are. You can leave a controlling environment and still carry pieces of what happened with you for years. Rejection and abandonment can leave emotional fingerprints long after you’ve built an entirely new life. People-pleasing isn’t always about being nice. Sometimes it starts as a way to stay safe, accepted, or loved. There is no expiration date on finding your voice. Tiphany was in her late 40s when podcasting helped her truly discover hers. Being called “too much” doesn’t automatically mean you need to tone yourself down. Sometimes you’ve simply outgrown the room you’re standing in. Actionable Items Catch the rejection story. The next time something feels like rejection, ask yourself: What actually happened, and what is my old wound telling me happened? Notice where you’re shrinking. Look at your work, relationships, family, and friendships. Where are you editing yourself just to keep somebody else comfortable? Practice using your voice. Journal it, record it, say it to someone you trust, or create something. Give yourself one place where you don’t have to make your truth prettier for everybody else. Important Chapters 00:02:07 — A Lifetime of Reinvention 00:04:02 — Leaving Home at 19 00:05:30 — Growing Up in a Restrictive Religion 00:07:14 — The Questions That Changed Everything 00:11:08 — Disfellowshipped and Losing Her Community 00:14:52 — Rejection and Abandonment Wounds 00:16:34 — Breaking the “Good Girl” Programming 00:19:32 — Finding Her Voice in Her Late 40s 00:21:56 — How Podcasting Changed Everything 00:25:54 — When Health Problems Get Blamed on Anxiety 00:28:34 — Sharing Her Medical Story With the World Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #Season20 #TiphanyKane #ReligiousTrauma #FindingYourVoice #PeoplePleasing #EmotionalHealing #TraumaRecovery #Reinvention #StartingOver #SelfWorth #WomensMentalHealth #AbandonmentWounds #HealingJourney #DivorceRecovery #Resilience #Podcasting *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Season 19 gave us a front-row seat to grief, resilience, reinvention, boundaries, healing, and some seriously honest conversations. In this season finale, we look back at every guest who sat down with us, the moments that stayed with us after the microphones turned off, and how much we have both changed along the way. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “I want to leave behind doubt and sadness and bring with me determination and hope and love.” — Dirty Skittles Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes conversations about grief, suicide loss, sexual assault, addiction, depression, trauma, and other difficult mental health experiences. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 in the United States to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/ For international crisis support: https://findahelpline.com/ Episode Description We honestly cannot believe we are wrapping up Season 19. When we started Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, we knew we wanted honest conversations about mental health. We didn't realize how much those conversations would change us, too. This season brought us stories about burnout, grief, perfectionism, binge eating, difficult relationships, workplace stress, suicide loss, trauma, resilience, identity, and what it really means to reinvent yourself. Every guest brought something different into the room, but somehow each conversation left us looking at our own lives a little differently. In this finale, we go back through every guest from Season 19 and talk about what stuck with us. We reflect on boundaries, self-doubt, fear of failure, therapy, creativity, friendship, and the weird little things that help us stay grounded when life gets messy. We talk about learning to protect our peace, walking away from drama, giving ourselves permission to change, and understanding that trying something hard does not mean we failed just because the outcome looked different than expected. And yes, we also talk about fishing, fantasy romance, laughing at wildly inappropriate things, and why sometimes the best mental health support is having that one person who understands exactly how your brain works. The biggest takeaway from Season 19 is this: our stories matter, but they don't have to become our entire identity. Season 19 is ending, and we are leaving self-doubt behind. Keywords: mental health podcast, emotional wellness, resilience, self-doubt, boundaries, burnout recovery, grief, trauma healing, perfectionism, anxiety, personal growth, therapy, self-care, reinvention, mental health awareness Meet Our Guests — Season 19 Season 19 gave us some unforgettable conversations, and every guest left us with something that stuck. Diandra Ford-Wing — Diandra talked with us about severe workplace burnout, losing her mom, and what happens when grief does not fit inside somebody else’s timeline. Justin Shaw — Justin introduced us to his “shadow and sorcerer” framework and gave us a different way to think about trauma, identity, and what happens when our unhealed parts start running the show. David Meyer — David reminded us how powerful creativity can be when writing, poetry, storytelling, and self-expression become part of how we process what is going on inside our heads. Rocio & Angel — Rocio and Angel shared their work around women’s identity, growth, and transformation through The Orchid: The Secret Code of Modern Goddesses, while also showing us what genuine partnership and mutual respect can look like. Mandi Lynne — Mandi opened up about being a recovering perfectionist and learning how to stop tying her worth to being extraordinary all the time. Amber Abila — Amber shared her experience with restrictive eating, binge eating, and bulimia, along with the work it took to rebuild her relationship with food and herself. Barbara Parker — Barbara talked about perfectionism, divorce, rebuilding her life, and learning that sometimes “good enough” really is enough. Regent Cornell — Regent reminded us why the conversations we most want to avoid are often the ones we need to have, especially when work, relationships, and mental health collide. Stephanie Renner — Stephanie shared the heartbreaking loss of her son Jordan and how she has turned that grief into meaningful ways of reminding people that they matter. Noah May — Noah opened up about the circumstances surrounding his conception, the mental health struggles that followed, and how podcasting helped him find his voice. John Carter — John shared an unbelievable story of surviving being shot in the head, depression, addiction, jail, and major life changes before rebuilding a life centered around fatherhood, fitness, and resilience. Key Takeaways Healing does not happen on somebody else’s schedule. Grief, trauma, and burnout do not care what a policy says. What happened to us can shape us without becoming the only thing that defines us. Boundaries can feel uncomfortable, but protecting our peace is worth it. Trying something difficult and getting an unexpected result does not automatically mean we failed. We can reinvent ourselves at any age. There is no expiration date on becoming somebody new. Mental health support does not always look serious. Sometimes it is therapy. Sometimes it is laughter. Sometimes it is fishing, fantasy books, a phone game, or calling the one person who understands your sense of humor. Actionable Items Ask yourself what you are ready to leave behind in this season of your life. Write down what you want to replace it with. Pick one boundary that would make your life feel lighter and practice holding it without overexplaining yourself. Start your own joy folder. Fill it with photos, memories, screenshots, quotes, or anything else that reminds you what makes you feel like yourself. Important Chapters 00:00:37 — Welcome to the Season 19 Finale 00:03:48 — How Much We Have Changed 00:08:23 — Diandra Ford-Wing: Burnout, Grief, and Work 00:10:17 — Justin Shaw: Your Shadow Is Not Your Identity 00:11:32 — David Meyer: Creativity and Mental Health 00:12:53 — Rocio & Angel: Identity, Partnership, and The Orchid 00:14:04 — Mandi Lynne: Recovering From Perfectionism 00:15:22 — Amber Abila: Binge Eating and Understanding the Why 00:16:39 — Barbara Parker: When Good Enough Is Good Enough 00:18:24 — Regent Cornell: Having the Conversations We Avoid 00:20:13 — Stephanie Renner: Grief, Jordan, and Letting People Know They Matter 00:21:51 — Noah May: Finding His Voice Through Podcasting 00:22:54 — John Carter: Survival, Resilience, and Rebuilding 00:24:18 — Five Questions for Us 00:26:14 — The Ridiculous Things That Actually Help Our Mental Health 00:27:25 — Friendship as Mental Health Support 00:30:10 — What We Are Leaving Behind in Season 19 00:31:01 — Thank You, Season 19 Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #Season19 #MentalHealthJourney #EmotionalWellness #Resilience #HealingJourney #PersonalGrowth #HealthyBoundaries #BurnoutRecovery #GriefSupport #TraumaHealing #SelfDoubt #TherapyWorks #FindingJoy #MentalHealthCommunity #Reinvention *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens after you survive something that should have killed you? In Part 2, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles continue their conversation with John Carter about waking from a coma, living with permanent injuries, maintaining long-term sobriety, choosing forgiveness, staying grateful, and turning a brutal past into a life of purpose. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “Never give up. You are much stronger than you think.” — John Carter Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes conversations about gun violence, addiction, overdose, incarceration, depression, disability, and loss. Please take care of yourself while listening. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs immediate emotional support in the United States, call or text 988 or visit: https://988lifeline.org/ For crisis resources outside the U.S.: https://findahelpline.com/ Episode Description In Part 2 of John Carter’s story, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles go deeper into the moments that shaped the man he is today—and the mindset that keeps him moving forward. John describes the vivid dream he experienced while unconscious after being shot in the head. In the dream, he was repeatedly challenged to swim a race he could not win until an unknown older man appeared, coached him, and refused to let him quit. John eventually won the race—and woke up. To him, that mysterious coach represented a higher power delivering a message that would follow him for the rest of his life: keep going. The conversation explores the long road of physical recovery, John’s decision not to carry hatred toward the man who shot him, and why he sees accountability differently after surviving the consequences of his own choices. John also talks about maintaining sobriety by refusing to forget how bad addiction became. Today, storytelling, speaking at recovery centers, mentoring younger people, training clients, supporting Mobility Danes of New England, and being present for his children and grandchildren all help keep him connected to his purpose. He is candid about one challenge that remains difficult: accepting changes in his mobility. But instead of pretending those feelings don't exist, John keeps returning to gratitude. His message is beautifully simple: never give up, accept help when it comes, and remember that you may be stronger than adversity has allowed you to believe. Keywords: John Carter, trauma recovery, long-term sobriety, addiction recovery, forgiveness, gratitude, resilience, mental health recovery, overcoming adversity, purpose after trauma, disability awareness, personal growth, second chances, recovery motivation, never give up Meet Our Guest — John Carter John Carter is a personal trainer, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, author, and owner of Titanium Health and Fitness in Boston. After surviving a near-fatal gunshot, addiction, incarceration, disability, and profound loss, John rebuilt his life and now uses his experience to help others through fitness, speaking, recovery advocacy, mentorship, and service. His first book, Triggered to Change, documents a life he describes as having contained “a hundred lives”—and the second chances that made his current one possible. Website: https://www.johncarterauthor.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Triggered-Change-Life-Full-Turbulence/dp/B0DWLVRWW5 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitnessbycarter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@turbulencebook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turbulencebook_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-carter-b29a0a337/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@titaniumfitnessbr?_t=ZP-8wcklttkhhe&_r=1 Key Takeaways Long-term recovery requires remembering where addiction can take you—not romanticizing where you came from. Forgiveness can mean recognizing your own choices without carrying hatred for someone else. Purpose often grows when we turn painful experiences into something that can help another person. Accepting help can be every bit as important as having the strength to keep fighting. Gratitude does not erase difficulty; it changes what you choose to focus on inside it. Being present for the people you love can become one of the strongest reasons to protect your recovery. Actionable Items Write down the reality of a difficult period you never want to return to. Keep it somewhere you can revisit when your memory starts softening the hard edges. Identify one way your lived experience could help someone else—even if it is simply having an honest conversation. When adversity hits, replace “I can’t do this” with one smaller question: “What is the next thing I can do without giving up?” References Mentioned John Carter’s website:  https://www.johncarterauthor.com/ John Carter’s memoir, Triggered to Change:  https://www.amazon.com/Triggered-Change-Life-Full-Turbulence/dp/B0DWLVRWW5 John Carter’s TEDx talk is available through his website:  https://www.johncarterauthor.com/ Mobility Danes of New England:  https://www.mobilitydanesofnewengland.com/ Books for Prison: https://prisonbookprogram.org/ Important Chapters 00:00:53 — What Happened After John Was Shot 00:01:30 — The Dream John Remembers From His Coma 00:04:18 — Waking Up Unable to Move or Speak 00:05:19 — Physical Recovery and Aqua Therapy 00:06:43 — What Happened to the Man Who Shot John 00:07:23 — Choosing Accountability Over Resentment 00:09:03 — John’s Documentary and What Comes Next 00:10:20 — Getting His Book Into Prisons 00:11:25 — How John Maintains His Sobriety 00:12:27 — Being Present for His Family 00:14:37 — Accepting Changes in His Mobility 00:18:00 — Fatherhood After Prison 00:19:23 — What John Would Tell His Younger Self 00:22:19 — John’s Advice: Never Give Up 00:23:00 — Anxiety, Turbulence, and the Word John Hates Most Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #TraumaRecovery #SobrietyJourney #AddictionRecovery #NeverGiveUp #Forgiveness #GratitudePractice #PurposeAfterTrauma #SecondChances #Resilience #RecoveryIsPossible #DisabilityAwareness #PersonalGrowth #RecoveryMotivation #TriggeredToChange #JohnCarter *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At 22, John Carter survived a point-blank gunshot to the back of the head—but surviving the bullet was only the beginning. G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with John for Part 1 of an unbelievable conversation about organized crime, depression, addiction, prison, sobriety, physical recovery, and the people who helped him fight his way back. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “Tomorrow might not be here for you, so take advantage of it.” — John Carter Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes conversations about gun violence, addiction, incarceration, depression, overdose, and loss. Please take care of yourself while listening. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs immediate emotional support in the United States, call or text 988 or visit: https://988lifeline.org/ For crisis resources outside the U.S.: https://findahelpline.com/ Episode Description John Carter has lived through the kind of story that sounds impossible until you hear him tell it. Raised around organized crime and determined to follow in his father’s footsteps, John entered a dangerous world that nearly killed him. At just 22, he was shot point-blank in the back of the head. He survived—but the aftermath brought disability, depression, alcohol, drugs, and eventually dealing drugs to support his addiction. In Part 1, John joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk about the moments that changed the direction of his life. After his arrest, he found himself sitting in a police department parking lot at more than 300 pounds, using a wheelchair, broke, addicted, and out of options. A trip to detox—and a woman named Deb who showed him what recovery could look like—became the beginning of something different. John also shares how a 10-year prison sentence ultimately became part of his second chance. Inside, three men who had known his father refused to let him stay in his wheelchair. They brought him to the prison gym, trained with him, and helped him rebuild his body until he eventually walked out of prison. The conversation also explores grief, the loss of John’s brothers to addiction, the importance of asking for help, and the unexpected purpose he found through personal training and service dogs. John’s story isn’t about pretending trauma was a gift. It’s about what can happen when you keep getting back up. Keywords: John Carter, addiction recovery, mental health recovery, sobriety, trauma recovery, depression, prison rehabilitation, resilience, second chances, organized crime survivor, personal transformation, service dogs, recovery community, fitness and mental health, overcoming adversity Meet Our Guest — John Carter John Carter is a personal trainer, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, author, and owner of Titanium Health and Fitness, a private gym in Boston. After surviving a near-fatal gunshot, addiction, incarceration, and profound personal loss, John rebuilt his life around sobriety, service, fitness, and helping others believe that change is still possible. His memoir, Triggered to Change, shares his journey from organized crime and addiction to recovery, purpose, and second chances. Website: https://www.johncarterauthor.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Triggered-Change-Life-Full-Turbulence/dp/B0DWLVRWW5 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitnessbycarter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@turbulencebook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turbulencebook_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-carter-b29a0a337/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@titaniumfitnessbr?_t=ZP-8wcklttkhhe&_r=1 Key Takeaways Recovery can begin at the moment you finally admit you need help. Getting sober does not make every problem disappear, but it gives you a fighting chance to face them. A painful consequence can sometimes become the interruption that saves a life. Asking for help is not weakness—it can completely change the direction of your story. Physical movement and fitness became powerful tools in John’s rebuilding process. The people who believe in you can matter enormously, but you still have to choose the next right step. Actionable Items Make a recovery plan before you need it. Identify the people, places, and resources you can turn to when life becomes overwhelming. Look honestly at the environments that pull you backward. Sometimes protecting your progress means changing where you go and who you spend time with. Find one healthy practice that helps you reconnect with your body—walking, strength training, stretching, swimming, or another form of movement that meets you where you are. Important Chapters 00:01:02 — John Introduces His Story 00:02:25 — Growing Up Around Organized Crime 00:03:03 — Surviving the Gunshot 00:04:00 — Addiction, Arrest, and Hitting Bottom 00:05:09 — Meeting Deb and Seeing Recovery Differently 00:06:00 — A 10-Year Prison Sentence 00:07:29 — Making a Plan Instead of Giving Up 00:09:13 — Rebuilding His Body in Prison 00:12:14 — The Lesson John’s Father Taught Him About Quitting 00:16:55 — Entering Prison at 24 00:18:31 — Facing Temptation After Prison 00:19:40 — Losing His Brothers to Addiction 00:21:16 — Turbulence and the Power of Service Dogs 00:26:21 — Turning His Story Into a TEDx Talk 00:29:46 — Finding Purpose Through Speaking and Service Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #AddictionRecovery #SobrietyJourney #TraumaRecovery #SecondChances #RecoveryIsPossible #OvercomingAdversity #Resilience #PrisonRehabilitation #DepressionRecovery #ServiceDogs #FitnessAndMentalHealth #RecoveryCommunity #NeverGiveUp #TriggeredToChange #JohnCarter *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when years of depression, anxiety, bullying, and feeling like an outsider finally meet a microphone? G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with Noah May to talk about surviving some of his darkest moments, finding connection when he needed it most, and discovering that using his voice through podcasting could become part of his healing. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “Stay strong and don’t let it all bring you down. You got to keep fighting.” — Noah May Episode Description Noah May has been navigating depression since he was 13 and anxiety since he was 18, but his story is about more than diagnoses. It’s about what happens when loneliness, bullying, complicated family history, and feeling like you don’t belong start shaping the way you see yourself — and what can happen when you finally find a way to speak back. In this deeply personal conversation, Noah joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk about growing up without his biological father, learning the painful circumstances surrounding his conception, being bullied by classmates, and wondering whether he was ever good enough. He also opens up about starting therapy, struggling to be completely honest during those early sessions, and later realizing that healing sometimes requires finding the right outlet — not just following someone else’s version of what recovery should look like. For Noah, one of those outlets became podcasting. After graduating from Auburn University with a journalism degree, Noah faced another familiar fear: What if all that work had been for nothing? Instead of giving up, he leaned harder into creating. Today, he hosts three podcasts — Lethal Venom, Music Talks, and Southern Reads — and uses his platform to tell the truth, connect with people, and create the kind of space he once needed himself. Noah’s story reminds us that life rarely follows the damn plan. Sometimes healing looks like therapy. Sometimes it looks like friendship. Sometimes it looks like music, books, or sitting behind a microphone and finally saying the things you’ve carried for years. Keywords: Noah May, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, mental health recovery, podcasting and mental health, bullying recovery, loneliness, finding your voice, emotional healing, therapy, young adult mental health, mental health advocacy, overcoming adversity, healing through storytelling Meet Our Guest — Noah May Noah May is an Auburn University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and the host of three podcasts: Lethal Venom, Music Talks, and Southern Reads. After navigating depression, anxiety, bullying, loneliness, and periods of suicidal thinking, Noah turned his experiences into a reason to speak openly and create conversations where others can feel seen, heard, and less alone. Website: https://www.noahspodcasts.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/713902225134300 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenoahshowww LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-c-may TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thenoahshowww X: https://www.x.com/noahspodcasts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/noahspodcasts Lethal Venom: https://noahspodcasts.com/lethal-venom Music Talks: https://noahspodcasts.com/music-talks Southern Reads: https://noahspodcasts.com/southern-reads Key Takeaways Your past can shape you without getting the final say in who you become. Depression and anxiety can make you feel isolated, but hearing someone else’s story can remind you that you aren’t the only one carrying heavy shit. Finding the right mental health support may take time, honesty, and sometimes more than one therapist or healing approach. Creative expression can become a powerful emotional outlet when you've buried feelings for years. Supportive friendships can completely change the way we experience difficult seasons. Life rarely unfolds exactly according to plan, and that doesn’t mean you failed. Actionable Items Find one safe outlet where you can say what you’ve been holding back — whether that’s therapy, journaling, podcasting, voice notes, art, or a trusted person. Take inventory of the people around you. Pay attention to who makes you feel supported, heard, and able to be yourself. When your original plan falls apart, ask yourself, “What can I build with what I have right now?” instead of automatically assuming you failed. Important Chapters 00:00 — Meet Noah May 01:45 — Noah’s Childhood and Family Story 06:38 — Bullying and Growing Up Without a Father 08:11 — Depression and Anxiety Begin 09:12 — Starting College During COVID 12:52 — Why Noah Chose Journalism 15:00 — Turning a Dream Into Podcasting 16:38 — Podcasting as a Therapeutic Outlet 19:59 — Building Three Podcasts 21:05 — Music and Mental Health 23:14 — Rediscovering Reading 26:15 — Therapy and Learning to Open Up 28:28 — Giving Anxiety a Theme Song 29:53 — Advice to Noah’s 12-Year-Old Self 30:52 — The Hardest Lesson Noah Has Learned 32:15 — Noah’s Favorite Word 33:32 — Where to Find Noah Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #DepressionAwareness #AnxietyAwareness #SuicidePrevention #MentalHealthRecovery #HealingJourney #PodcastingForHealing #FindingYourVoice #YoungAdultMentalHealth #BullyingRecovery #EmotionalWellness #MentalHealthAdvocate #HealingThroughStorytelling #YouAreNotAlone #OvercomingAdversity #NoahMay *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Grief has a way of dragging us back into every decision, every conversation, and every painful “what if.” In this deeply personal episode, Stephanie Renner joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk about losing her son Jordan to suicide, the guilt and regret that followed, and how she learned to keep moving forward without letting the past define the rest of her life. Awards & Downloads Line Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listeners in more than 160 countries. Feedback Link Line We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “Love is not measured by the outcome.” — Stephanie Renner Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes candid conversations about suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm, grief, and the loss of a child. Please take care of yourself while listening and step away if you need to. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis in the United States, call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/ For crisis support outside the United States: https://findahelpline.com/ Episode Description After losing her father, her mother, and her oldest son within a six-year span, Stephanie Renner knows what it feels like to replay the past and wonder what could have been different. In this raw and deeply human conversation, Stephanie opens up to G-Rex and Dirty Skittles about her son Jordan, who died by suicide shortly before his nineteenth birthday. She shares what it was like raising a deeply empathetic young man who struggled for years with suicidal ideation, mental health challenges, and the feeling that he did not quite fit into the world around him. Stephanie also speaks honestly about the guilt that can follow devastating loss. The questions come fast and hard: What if I had found the right therapist? What if I had been home? What if I had made one different decision? She calls them the “if-onlys,” and she knows firsthand how easily they can become a prison. Over time, Stephanie began to understand that loving someone deeply does not mean you can control their outcome. That realization became one of the most important lessons of her life: Love is not measured by the outcome. She also shares the unexpected signs that have helped her feel connected to Jordan, the community that surrounded her when she could barely function, and the ways grief changed her perspective on fear, work, and what actually matters. After nearly 25 years as an attorney, Stephanie stepped away from the life she built and moved toward something more meaningful. Today, through her Regret to Resilience Method, she helps people work through regret, guilt, and shame after trauma or loss. She also founded Gilly’s Friends in Jordan’s memory, turning his kindness into a lasting reminder: You matter. You’re loved. Keywords: Stephanie Renner, Regret to Resilience, grief, grief recovery, suicide loss, suicide prevention, parental grief, guilt after loss, regret, emotional healing, self-forgiveness, resilience, trauma recovery, mental health awareness, finding purpose after loss Meet Our Guest — Stephanie Renner Stephanie Renner is a keynote speaker, writer, attorney, nonprofit founder, and creator of The Regret to Resilience Method. Her work helps people release regret, guilt, and shame after trauma or loss so they can move forward with greater purpose, confidence, and self-compassion. Her work is deeply personal. After losing her father, mother, and oldest son, Jordan, within six years, Stephanie turned her own experience with grief into a mission to help others stop allowing the past to control what comes next. She is also the founder of Gilly’s Friends, a nonprofit created in Jordan “Gilly” Guilford’s memory that spreads intentional acts of kindness and reminds people that they matter and are loved. Website: https://www.stephanierennerspeaks.com Gilly’s Friends: https://gillysfriends.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srrnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.renner2 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanierenner/ Key Takeaways Love is not measured by the outcome. You can love someone completely and still not control what happens. Regret often lives in the “if-onlys,” where we convince ourselves that one different choice would have changed everything. Grief does not mean forgetting someone or moving on from them. It can mean learning to carry love and loss at the same time. Support matters. Sometimes the people who simply show up, sit with you, feed you, and stay close make survival possible. Belonging matters, especially for young people who feel like they do not fit anywhere. Purpose can grow alongside grief. Stephanie transformed Jordan’s legacy of kindness into work that continues to help other people feel seen and valued. Actionable Items Challenge one “if-only.” Write down a regret you keep replaying and ask yourself whether you truly know that changing that one moment would have changed the outcome. Know who your people are. Identify two or three people you can call when life gets heavy, and consider whether someone in your life may need you to be that person for them. Do one intentional act of kindness. Send the text. Make the call. Buy the coffee. Check in. Small moments can carry more weight than we realize. Important Chapters 00:00 – Meet Stephanie Renner 02:30 – Signs From Jordan and Staying Connected After Loss 08:15 – Jordan’s Mental Health Journey 12:00 – Surviving the Loss of a Child 13:35 – The “If-Onlys” of Grief and Regret 18:50 – One of Stephanie and Jordan’s Final Conversations 21:45 – Mental Health, Shame, and Creating a Kinder World 23:30 – The Community That Carried Stephanie 26:15 – Losing Fear After Losing So Much 26:55 – Grieving a Son While Losing a Mother to Alzheimer’s 29:30 – From Attorney to Regret to Resilience 31:00 – Letting Go of Mother’s Day Guilt 33:30 – Care Bears, Raccoons, and Signs From Beyond 41:25 – What Stephanie Would Tell a Younger Jordan 44:25 – Love Is Not Measured by the Outcome 45:40 – Favorite Word, Least Favorite Word 46:10 – Regret to Resilience 47:05 – Gilly’s Friends and Jordan’s Legacy of Kindness Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website:  https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #GriefSupport #SuicideLoss #SuicidePrevention #GriefJourney #RegretToResilience #HealingAfterLoss #ParentalGrief #BereavedParents #EmotionalHealing #SelfForgiveness #TraumaRecovery #Resilience #FindingPurpose #GriefAndLoss #YouMatter *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some conversations can be course-corrected with feedback. Others cross a bright line and demand something more. In Part 2, G-Rex, Dirty Skittles, and Regent Cornell get even more practical about confrontation, emotional regulation, accountability, leadership, and what to do when the other person simply refuses to meet you halfway. Awards & Downloads Line Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback Link Line We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “People rarely need fewer confrontations. They need thousands more courageous everyday feedback conversations.” — Regent Cornell Episode Description How do you have a healthy conversation when the other person refuses to listen, take accountability, or change? In Part 2, Regent Cornell returns with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to push the conversation beyond basic communication skills and into the harder territory: bright lines, toxic leadership, broken trust, emotional triggers, and knowing when you have done everything you can. Regent explains the difference between feedback and confrontation, including situations where a boundary has been crossed so clearly that feedback is no longer enough. He also explores why confrontation should never become an excuse to retaliate, humiliate, or emotionally punish another person. The temporary satisfaction of “winning” a fight can quickly turn into regret. G-Rex asks what happens when leaders avoid conflict or when the person receiving feedback refuses to engage. Regent’s answer is clear: you cannot force someone to change. You can communicate, influence, set expectations, and choose what you are willing to tolerate, but accountability ultimately belongs to each individual. The trio also talks about self-worth, curiosity, emotional regulation, and why avoidance can quietly destroy relationships. Regent leaves listeners with a challenge: choose one conversation. Not ten. One. Decide what needs daylight, get curious about the other person’s reality, and stop waiting for the “suddenly” that comes after months or years of avoidance. Keywords: difficult conversations, courageous conversations, conflict resolution, mental health, emotional wellness, boundaries, leadership communication, workplace conflict, toxic leadership, self-worth, accountability, emotional regulation, healthy confrontation, relationship communication, Fierce Conversations Meet Our Guest — Regent Cornell Regent Cornell is a transformational leadership, talent-development, and organizational-growth expert with more than 33 years of experience helping leaders, teams, and individuals build the clarity, confidence, and capability to thrive. He serves as Vice President of Market Evolution & Strategic Growth at Fierce Conversations and owns Cornell Consulting, bringing expertise in executive coaching, strategic communication, organizational development, team building, diversity and inclusion, negotiation, and change management. Regent is an HBDI Level III Master Facilitator through Herrmann International and holds a Professional Coaching Certification at the ICF-PCC level from the University of Miami. He is also certified in Fierce Conversations, Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Prosci Change Management, and Advanced Consulting. Fierce Inc.: https://www.fierceinc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regent-cornell Key Takeaways Feedback is preventative care; confrontation is the intervention when a pattern becomes too important to ignore. Some situations cross a “bright line” and require immediate accountability rather than gradual feedback. You cannot force another person to change, no matter how well you communicate. Entering a confrontation to prove you are right usually shuts down curiosity and learning. The best time to give feedback is close enough to the moment to be useful and calm enough to be constructive. Avoidance weakens relationships; curiosity strengthens them. Actionable Items Pick one conversation you have been postponing and put a date on when you will address it. Before speaking, ask yourself: “Am I entering this conversation to prove something or to learn something?” Use Regent’s standard for fierce feedback: candor with care, clarity with curiosity, and courage with respect. References Mentioned Fierce Inc.: https://www.fierceinc.com/ Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott Important Chapters 00:00:49 – Asking, “How Can I Show Up Better for You?” 00:01:31 – Feedback as Preventative Care 00:02:08 – When Someone Crosses a Bright Line 00:04:22 – Confrontation Is Not Revenge 00:06:58 – What Happens When Leaders Avoid Conflict? 00:10:52 – What If the Other Person Won’t Reciprocate? 00:12:39 – The Cost of Waiting Too Long 00:16:08 – Self-Worth, Choice, and What You Will Tolerate 00:17:55 – Avoidance vs. Curiosity 00:19:57 – Stop Entering Conversations to Prove You’re Right 00:20:57 – Candor With Care 00:21:41 – Start With One Conversation 00:23:09 – Stop Waiting for the “Suddenly” 00:24:33 – A Message for Leaders 00:25:24 – How to Connect With Regent Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #CourageousConversations #DifficultConversations #ConflictResolution #HealthyCommunication #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalWellness #BoundariesMatter #Accountability #ProtectYourPeace #WorkplaceMentalHealth #EmotionalRegulation #SelfWorth #FierceConversations #RelationshipAdvice #PersonalGrowth *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when the conversations you keep avoiding start costing you your peace, your relationships, or even your mental health? G-Rex and Dirty Skittles welcome back Regent Cornell for a powerful conversation about honest feedback, emotional courage, boundaries, and why saying the hard thing early can keep resentment from taking over. Awards & Downloads Line Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback Link Line We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “Silence does not remove the issue. It simply delays the conversation while allowing the impact to continue.” — Regent Cornell Episode Description Avoiding a hard conversation might feel easier in the moment, but what happens when silence starts becoming resentment, anxiety, or emotional exhaustion? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles welcome back leadership and communication expert Regent Cornell to talk about why courageous conversations matter long before things reach a breaking point. Regent shares how the principles of Fierce Conversations have changed his personal and professional life, and why feedback should feel less like criticism and more like a GPS helping us course-correct. The conversation gets deeply personal as Regent opens up about quarterly relationship check-ins with his partner, navigating difficult family dynamics, and setting a painful boundary with a friend struggling with addiction. Dirty Skittles reflects on how avoiding hard conversations can turn into resentment, while G-Rex shares how she uses the principles of Fierce Conversations even when the person she needs to confront is herself. Together, they unpack why confrontation does not have to mean conflict, cruelty, or emotional warfare. Healthy confrontation means facing the problem with honesty, curiosity, and respect before frustration becomes something bigger. This episode reminds you that protecting your peace doesn't always mean walking away. Sometimes it means finally saying what needs to be said. Keywords: courageous conversations, difficult conversations, mental health, emotional wellness, healthy communication, boundaries, feedback, confrontation, resentment, self-awareness, relationship communication, conflict resolution, Fierce Conversations, leadership communication, protecting your peace Meet Our Guest — Regent Cornell Regent Cornell is a transformational leadership, talent-development, and organizational-growth expert with more than 33 years of experience helping leaders, teams, and individuals build the clarity, confidence, and capability to thrive. As Vice President of Market Evolution & Strategic Growth at Fierce Conversations and owner of Cornell Consulting, Regent works at the intersection of leadership, strategy, human connection, and change, grounded in the belief that meaningful conversations create the conditions for learning, action, and transformation. Fierce Inc.: https://www.fierceinc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regent-cornell Key Takeaways Avoidance does not solve conflict; it often gives resentment room to grow. Feedback works best when it happens before frustration becomes confrontation. Difficult conversations can strengthen both professional and personal relationships. You can have a Fierce Conversation with yourself, but an outside perspective can help challenge the stories you tell yourself. Setting a boundary does not mean you stopped caring about someone. Honest communication should come from respect, not revenge or the need to prove you are right. Actionable Items Think of one conversation you have been avoiding and write down what you actually need the other person to understand. Use Regent’s “experience, explore, explain” approach: share your experience, ask about theirs, explore the situation together, and clarify what happens next. Before confronting someone, check your emotional temperature. If you are going in to punish, prove, or unload, give yourself time to regulate first. References Mentioned Fierce Conversations: Fierce Inc.: https://www.fierceinc.com/ Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott Herrmann International / HBDI Important Chapters 00:00:40 – Regent Returns to the Podcast 00:04:44 – You Don’t Have a “Work Self” and a “Personal Self” 00:09:49 – Why Common Sense Is Not Always Common Practice 00:10:33 – Feedback Before Confrontation 00:15:46 – How Avoidance Turns Into Resentment 00:18:34 – Having Fierce Conversations With Yourself 00:21:55 – When Loving Someone Requires a Boundary 00:27:20 – Why We Need Other Perspectives 00:29:36 – Confrontation Is Not a Brawl 00:31:24 – Experience, Explore, Explain Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #CourageousConversations #DifficultConversations #HealthyCommunication #EmotionalWellness #BoundariesMatter #ProtectYourPeace #ConflictResolution #RelationshipCommunication #SelfAwareness #LeadershipDevelopment #FierceConversations #EmotionalHealth #Resentment #PersonalGrowth #CommunicationSkills *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when betrayal forces you to stop fixing everyone else and finally start protecting yourself? G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with Barbara Parker for a raw, funny, and deeply honest conversation about healthy boundaries, emotional safety, perfectionism, rebuilding self-worth, and learning that protecting your peace isn’t selfish—it’s necessary. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes conversations about infidelity, toxic relationships, emotional trauma, alcohol misuse, suicidal thoughts, and intense emotional distress. Please listen with care. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 in the United States and Canada for immediate support. You don’t have to carry the heavy shit alone. Mental Health Quote “Anything that comes between you and your peace needs to be removed.” — Barbara Parker Episode Description Barbara Parker knows what it feels like to lose yourself while trying to hold a relationship together. After discovering repeated infidelity in her marriage, she found herself facing heartbreak, anger, financial instability, and one brutal realization: she had spent so much energy worrying about someone else’s happiness that she had stopped paying attention to her own. In this powerful conversation with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles, Barbara shares how those painful experiences became the foundation for rebuilding her identity, strengthening her boundaries, and eventually helping others do the same. She explains why boundaries start with knowing what you want, why two perfectly good people can still be completely wrong for each other, and why protecting your peace sometimes means accepting that somebody simply isn’t headed where you’re headed. Barbara also gets real about perfectionism, anxiety, emotional triggers, and the wounds that can sit beneath our awareness until something slams directly into the panic button. She shares her “good enough” approach when perfection falls apart, her tea-kettle analogy for bottled-up emotions, and how her POWER method helps people communicate more clearly, rediscover their confidence, and create lives aligned with what actually matters. This isn’t about pretending heartbreak was some magical gift wrapped in a bow. It’s about realizing the shit that hurt you doesn’t get to own you forever. You can learn from it, rebuild from it, and become fiercely protective of the peace you worked so damn hard to find. Keywords: healthy boundaries, self-worth, emotional safety, toxic relationships, relationship healing, betrayal trauma, divorce recovery, self-love, perfectionism, anxiety, emotional wellness, confidence building, personal growth, women’s empowerment, mental health podcast Meet Our Guest — Barbara Parker Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S, is the Founder and CEO of BF Empowerment Center, where she helps people build confidence, improve communication, set healthier boundaries, and move through emotional healing and major life transitions. Drawing from both professional expertise and her own experiences with heartbreak, divorce, financial hardship, and rebuilding her identity, Barbara brings a practical, empowering approach to helping people create healthier relationships with themselves and others. Connect with Barbara: Official Website: https://www.bfempowerment.com/ Instagram — BF Empowerment: https://www.instagram.com/bfempowerment/ Facebook — B F Empowerment Center: https://www.facebook.com/bfempowerment/ LinkedIn — Barbara L. Parker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/queenblparker Key Takeaways Healthy boundaries begin with knowing what you want before somebody else starts deciding it for you. Two people can both be good humans and still be completely wrong for each other. Protecting your peace sometimes requires walking away from situations that keep pulling you away from yourself. Perfectionism can steal the joy from moments you worked incredibly hard to create. Anger can be the surface reaction covering a much deeper emotional wound. Rebuilding after betrayal means investing energy back into yourself instead of endlessly investigating somebody else. Emotional safety, self-worth, and identity matter just as much as what a relationship looks like from the outside. Actionable Items Ask whether it’s on mission or off mission. Before saying yes to a relationship, commitment, opportunity, or another obligation, ask whether it supports the life you’re trying to build or pulls you away from it. Practice the “good enough” reset. When perfectionism starts convincing you everything is ruined because something went wrong, remind yourself that successful doesn't have to mean flawless. Empty the emotional tea kettle. Make regular space to talk, journal, rest, seek therapy, or process what you’re carrying before one small trigger sends everything boiling over. Important Chapters 00:01:06 – Meet Barbara: Spunky, Sassy, and a Recovering Perfectionist 00:04:21 – What Healthy Boundaries Actually Look Like 00:06:29 – The Heartbreak That Taught Barbara Boundaries 00:08:53 – Facing Infidelity and Talking to Nine Mistresses 00:13:30 – Poor Boundaries, Lost Identity, and Inviting Chaos 00:15:15 – When Betrayal Made Barbara Disconnect From Herself 00:16:28 – Turning Pain Into Purpose 00:19:01 – Stop Investigating Them and Start Investing in You 00:21:53 – The POWER Method and Finding Yourself Again 00:23:51 – Anger, Old Wounds, and the Panic Button 00:25:26 – The Tea Kettle: What Happens When We Never Empty Out 00:30:22 – “This Is Going to Hurt, but It’s Going to Be Worth It” 00:32:04 – Loyalty, Fidelity, and Emotional Safety 00:34:06 – Anxiety, Perfectionism, and Never Feeling Productive Enough 00:35:12 – Favorite Word, Least Favorite Word, and Why “Can’t” Gets No Love Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #HealthyBoundaries #ProtectYourPeace #SelfWorth #EmotionalSafety #ToxicRelationships #RelationshipHealing #DivorceRecovery #BetrayalTrauma #SelfLoveJourney #WomenEmpowerment #EmotionalWellness #PerfectionismRecovery #ConfidenceBuilding #PersonalGrowth #HealingAfterHeartbreak *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if binge eating isn’t proof that you lack discipline—but a learned pattern your brain can actually change? In this episode, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with binge-eating coach Amber Abila to unpack food obsession, restriction, cravings, shame, and what it can look like to rebuild trust with yourself around food. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback Link We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “You’re a lot less alone than you think you are.” — Amber Abila Special Announcement Amber shares a guided audio designed to help people slow down and “play the story forward” when an urge to binge hits. The direct resource link was not included in the transcript, but listeners can find Amber’s resources through: https://theconfidenteater.org/ Episode Description Binge eating can feel like a battle between what you want to do and what your brain seems determined to make you do. Amber Abila knows that fight firsthand. After years of restriction, bingeing, bulimia, food guilt, and trying everything from calorie counting to willpower, she began searching for a different way forward. In this raw and practical conversation, Amber joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk about how binge-eating patterns can develop, why shame often keeps people stuck, and why simply trying harder may not create lasting change. Amber explains her approach to separating the biology that may contribute to urges from the psychology that can reinforce them, while also challenging the belief that recovery has to take forever. The conversation gets especially real around dieting, food noise, emotional eating, body image, and the endless mental tug-of-war between “I’ve been good all day” and “I deserve this.” Amber also shares how visualization, questioning automatic thoughts, noticing how food actually makes you feel, and celebrating small wins can help create new patterns. G-Rex and Dirty Skittles bring their own complicated relationships with sugar, carbs, dieting, GLP-1 medications, and body changes into the conversation, making this episode less about perfection and more about curiosity, awareness, and self-trust. Most importantly, Amber reminds listeners that shame doesn’t have to run the show. Change can begin when you stop treating yourself like the enemy and start paying attention to what your mind and body are actually telling you. Keywords: binge eating, food addiction, emotional eating, binge eating recovery, food obsession, food guilt, eating habits, body image, diet culture, food cravings, mental health, emotional wellness, self-compassion, habit change, confident eating Meet Our Guest — Amber Abila Amber Abila is a binge-eating and overeating coach and the founder of The Confident Eater. Drawing from her own experience with binge eating and bulimia, Amber now helps people challenge learned food patterns, understand urges, question automatic thoughts, and build a more confident relationship with eating. Her work centers on emotional eating, hunger and fullness cues, food mindset, body confidence, habit change, and helping people move away from cycles of restriction and shame. Website: https://theconfidenteater.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconfidenteater_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/532434625387487 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amberabila Key Takeaways Binge eating is not simply a matter of being “weak” or lacking willpower; Amber encourages people to look at the patterns underneath the behavior. Restriction and food obsession can create a cycle in which cravings grow louder rather than quieter. Shame makes it harder to ask for help, which is why talking openly about binge eating matters. Learning to question automatic thoughts like “I deserve this because I’ve been good all day” can interrupt old habits. Visualization can help you move beyond the first few seconds of an urge and imagine how each choice may feel afterward. Celebrating small wins matters. Your brain needs reinforcement when you practice a new response instead of immediately moving on. Actionable Items Ask, “Is this true?” When a food-related thought shows up—“I need this,” “I deserve this,” or “I already blew it”—pause and question whether the thought is actually true or simply familiar. Play the story forward. Imagine both paths: what happens physically and emotionally if you act on the urge, and what happens if you allow the urge to pass? Celebrate the new behavior. When you make a choice that supports the relationship with food you want, consciously acknowledge it instead of brushing it off. References Mentioned The Confident Eater: https://theconfidenteater.org/ Become a Confident Eater Podcast: Amber mentions her weekly podcast during the episode. You can find it on The Confident Eater website. DSM-5 / Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Amber references diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder while discussing how binge eating is recognized clinically. Important Chapters 00:01:12 – Amber’s Story and the Beginning of Binge Eating 00:02:22 – Restriction, Cravings, and Amber’s First Binge 00:05:17 – GLP-1s and Food Noise 00:06:38 – Why Amber Believes Binge Eating Starts 00:10:16 – Food Flavor, Cravings, and Hyperpalatable Foods 00:15:44 – The Pleasure-versus-Pain Teeter-Totter 00:23:46 – Visualization as a Tool for Urges 00:27:37 – Why You Should Celebrate Small Wins 00:30:02 – The Question That Can Change Your Thinking 00:32:59 – Can Change Really Happen Quickly? 00:37:22 – Restriction vs. Self-Care 00:40:25 – What Amber Wishes She Could Tell Her Younger Self 00:43:20 – The Hard Things Can Build Us 00:45:09 – Anxiety’s Theme Song and the Meaning of Confidence 00:47:00 – Where to Find Amber Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #BingeEatingRecovery #BingeEatingAwareness #EmotionalEating #FoodAddiction #FoodFreedom #RelationshipWithFood #BodyImage #DietCulture #FoodGuilt #SelfCompassion #EatingHabits #EmotionalWellness #HabitChange #ConfidentEater #FoodObsession *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if healing was never supposed to become another full-time job? In Part 2, Mandi Lynne joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk about leaving survival mode, reconnecting with yourself, refusing to let mental health diagnoses become limitations, and giving yourself permission to live now—not someday when everything finally feels fixed. Awards & Downloads Line Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback Link Line We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes conversations about trauma, depression, suicidal crisis, and suicide. Please listen in whatever way feels safest for you. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis in the United States, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/ For crisis resources outside the United States: https://findahelpline.com/ Mental Health Quote “I kept postponing living until I was done healing.” — Mandi Lynne Episode Description What if you stopped treating healing like the admission ticket you have to earn before you are allowed to enjoy your own life? In Part 2, Mandi Lynne joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to explore the philosophy behind ONE | Life and the shift from simply understanding mental health to figuring out how the hell we actually live with everything we know. After years of helping build MedCircle, Mandi began noticing something important. Mental health education was becoming easier to access, but people still needed help answering the next question: now what? She talks about going beneath the crisis of the moment to understand the beliefs underneath it, including how her former husband’s infidelity activated old wounds around worth. The conversation expands into boundaries, relationships, self-abandonment, caregiving, personal agency, labels, diagnoses, and why caring about other people should not require disappearing from your own life. Then things get wonderfully weird. There are raccoon videos, ADHD superpowers, favorite swear words, Joan Jett, Led Zeppelin, joy folders, squirrels eating McDonald’s cheeseburgers, funeral menus, tequila, mofongo, espresso martinis, glow sticks, and enough inappropriate laughter to keep the USS Shit Show afloat. Underneath all of it is a powerful reminder: joy belongs in recovery too. You do not need to become fully healed before you deserve connection, purpose, laughter, and a life that feels like yours. Keywords: Mandi Lynne, ONE Life, survival mode, trauma recovery, living while healing, mental health recovery, self-worth, boundaries, self-abandonment, CPTSD, anxiety, ADHD, emotional wellness, personal growth, healing journey Meet Our Guest — Mandi Lynne Mandi Lynne is the Founder and CEO of ONE | Life and a former executive at MedCircle, where she helped scale one of the world's most recognized mental health education platforms. A former educator and nonprofit leader with a background in science, education, and leadership, Mandi also holds certifications in Health & Wellness Coaching, Hypnotherapy, NLP, Somatic practices, and Global Leadership & Social Innovation through the United Nations University for Peace. Her perspective is shaped not only by her professional experience but by rebuilding her own life through trauma, chronic illness, job loss, bankruptcy, divorce, financial hardship, miscarriage, single parenting, OCD, anxiety, CPTSD, and a past eating disorder. Today, she helps people move out of survival mode and into a life of clarity, confidence, and direction. Not someday. Now. Website: https://onelifelivenow.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelifebymedcircle YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MedCircle Key Takeaways You do not need to finish healing before you are allowed to start living. Constantly triaging external problems can keep us from examining the deeper beliefs those problems activate. Caring for other people should not require abandoning yourself. Mental health diagnoses can provide information and direction without becoming your identity or limitation. Healing is allowed to include joy, laughter, music, nature, friendship, and ridiculous moments. Asking for help does not diminish your strength. Sometimes one person reminding you of your worth can change the direction of your life. Actionable Items Build five minutes of living into your day. Choose something that genuinely makes you feel alive—music, nature, coffee, laughter, animals, creativity—and make space for it before everything feels “fixed.” Create a joy folder. Whenever something sparks a moment of happiness, take a picture. On the days you feel disconnected from yourself, use that folder as evidence of what still lights you up. Identify your support people. Write down the names of the people you can contact when you are struggling so you do not have to figure out who to call in the middle of a hard moment. References Mentioned ONE | Life: https://onelifelivenow.com/ MedCircle: https://www.youtube.com/@MedCircle 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/     Important Chapters 00:00:46 — What is ONE | Life? Mandi explains her eight years with MedCircle and how mental health education evolved into a bigger question: once we understand what is happening, how do we actually live better? 00:02:31 — When all the distractions disappeared, Mandi reflects on COVID and how suddenly being left alone with ourselves changed the broader conversation around mental health. 00:03:20 — Stop spending every therapy session triaging the surface. Mandi explains how repeatedly focusing only on external crises can keep us from reaching the deeper beliefs those situations trigger. 00:04:00 — Infidelity, self-worth, and getting to the root. Mandi shares how her former husband’s affairs hurt so deeply because they reinforced something she already feared about her own worth. 00:05:05 — Stop postponing your life until you are healed. Mandi describes realizing that she had turned healing into a prerequisite for living and why that needed to change. 00:05:49 — Raccoon videos count as mental health care around here G-Rex explains the therapeutic value of starting the day with ridiculous raccoon videos, and somehow it makes perfect sense. 00:06:46 — Service without self-abandonment. Mandi talks about caring for others while recognizing that giving should not constantly come at your own expense. 00:07:16 — Relationships without betraying yourself. Mandi explores healthy connection, attachment wounds, authenticity, and finding people who cherish you for being who you actually are. 00:08:57 — G-Rex on masking depression: G-Rex reflects on how completely she hid her depression while caring for everyone around her and why she refuses to put that mask back on. 00:10:05 — Humor as a mental health pressure valve Mandi, G-Rex, and Dirty Skittles explain why sometimes the thing that keeps heavy experiences bearable is laughing at shit you probably should not laugh at. 00:11:47 — Living while you are still healing: G-Rex talks about traveling, setting boundaries, and continuing to experience life even while recovery was still unfolding. 00:14:42 — Introverts confess they kind of loved lockdown. Dirty Skittles and Mandi bond over the unexpected freedom of canceled obligations, while G-Rex, the extrovert, strongly disagrees. 00:16:32 — The evolution from MedCircle to ONE | Life Mandi describes creating a more experiential, inclusive approach focused on practical living rather than only diagnosis and education. 00:18:26 — Your diagnosis is not your personality. Mandi explains why labels should provide information and direction—not become evidence that you cannot do something. 00:20:32 — ADHD as a superpower: G-Rex talks about working with her ADHD instead of treating it solely as a limitation. 00:22:06 — What Mandi would tell her seven-year-old self: Mandi returns to the childhood trauma discussed in Part 1 and gives her younger self the message she needed most: it was not your fault. 00:23:49 — The hardest lesson: You do not have to do everything yourself. Mandi talks about responsibility, caregiving, parenting, enabling, and the value of letting others learn to stand on their own. 00:26:03 — If anxiety had a theme song, Joan Jett and Led Zeppelin enter the chat as Mandi shares the music that helps her interrupt anxiety and release control. 00:27:19 — Mandi’s favorite word is exactly what you think it is. The versatility and emotional range of the word “f**k” receive the appreciation it deserves. 00:30:38 — Mandi turns the questions on G-Rex and Dirty Skittles. The conversation shifts as Mandi asks the hosts about the life-changing realizations that altered their own mental health journeys. 00:31:01 — Dirty Skittles realizes she has been living in fight mode. Dirty Skittles shares how therapy helped her recognize chronic hypervigilance and begin discovering what peace actually felt like. 00:32:10 — The 988 call that changed G-Rex’s life. G-Rex describes the crisis call that reminded her of her worth, helped her ask for help, and became a pivotal moment in her survival. 00:33:10 — Kevin Hines and the power of human connection: Mandi reflects on conversations with Golden Gate Bridge survivor Kevin Hines and why acknowledging another human being can matter more than we realize. 00:35:02 — Healing outside therapy: Nature, joy folders, photography, and small moments of happ

How much of the way we see ourselves was shaped before we were old enough to understand what was happening? Mandi Lynne joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles for a deeply honest conversation about childhood trauma, shame, self-worth, perfectionism, and the work of separating who you are from what happened to you. Awards & Downloads Line Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback Link Line We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes conversations about childhood sexual trauma, eating disorders, alcohol use, shame, and suicide. Please take care of yourself while listening and step away if you need to. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis in the United States, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/ For crisis resources outside the United States: https://findahelpline.com/ Mental Health Quote “When we learn to see something differently, that is where most of the healing is.” — Mandi Lynne Episode Description Mandi Lynne has spent years working in mental health education, but long before becoming the Founder and CEO of ONE | Life, she was trying to understand the shit going on inside her own head. In Part 1, Mandi sits down with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk about the childhood sexual trauma she experienced at seven years old and how it shaped her understanding of love, safety, responsibility, and self-worth. She opens up about the shame and confusion that followed, including what she later came to understand as moral injury. That early trauma became tangled with perfectionism, OCD, anxiety, eating disorders, alcohol use, attachment wounds, and the exhausting belief that if she could just become good enough, perfect enough, or controlled enough, she might finally feel safe. Mandi also shares what began changing when she found the right therapist. The conversation explores cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR, expressive therapies, equine-assisted work, nature, and why healing does not always happen by thinking harder about the problem. G-Rex and Dirty Skittles share their own therapy experiences, including one of their favorite pieces of advice: speed-date your therapist. The right connection matters. This episode is heavy, funny, compassionate, and deeply human. Your past may explain parts of you, but it does not have to dictate the rest of your life. Keywords: Mandi Lynne, childhood trauma, trauma recovery, self-worth, shame healing, moral injury, OCD, anxiety, eating disorder recovery, EMDR therapy, attachment wounds, inner child healing, mental health recovery, expressive therapy, trauma-informed healing Meet Our Guest — Mandi Lynne Mandi Lynne is the Founder and CEO of ONE | Life and a former executive at MedCircle, where she helped scale one of the world's most recognized mental health education platforms. A former educator and nonprofit leader with a background in science, education, and leadership, Mandi also holds certifications in Health & Wellness Coaching, Hypnotherapy, NLP, Somatic practices, and Global Leadership & Social Innovation through the United Nations University for Peace. Her professional work is deeply informed by lived experience with trauma, chronic illness, job loss, bankruptcy, divorce, financial hardship, miscarriage, single parenting, OCD, anxiety, CPTSD, and a past eating disorder. Her work is grounded in one powerful belief: you do not have to wait to be fully healed to start living well. Website: https://onelifelivenow.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelifebymedcircle YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MedCircle Key Takeaways Childhood trauma can shape self-worth before we are developmentally able to understand what happened. Adult logic can know something was not your fault while a younger, wounded part of you still struggles to believe it. Shame and moral injury can create deep emotional residue that requires patience, compassion, and support. Perfectionism, control, disordered eating, and other coping mechanisms can become attempts to create safety. Finding the right therapist matters. One poor therapeutic relationship does not mean therapy cannot work for you. Healing is not always intellectual. EMDR, art, animals, movement, nature, and other experiential approaches can reach parts of us that conversation alone may not. Actionable Items Speed date your therapist. Pay attention to whether you feel safe, understood, and able to be honest. If the connection is not right, you may keep looking. Try a form of healing that does not require talking. Paint without a plan, spend time outside, listen to music, move your body, or engage with animals and notice what comes up. Offer yourself the compassion you would give a child. When shame appears, ask: “If this happened to a seven-year-old I loved, would I blame them?”   Important Chapters 00:01:02 — Who is Mandi Lynne? Mandi starts with a simple answer: a regular person. She explains why accepting who we are matters before we start chasing some supposedly better version of ourselves. 00:02:06 — Self-worth, perfectionism, and learning to feel proud. Mandi talks about growing up with messages about humility and confidence, and how easy it became to default to seeing herself through a negative lens. 00:04:34 — Learning to receive praise without shrinking: G-Rex opens up about becoming more comfortable with recognition and learning that confidence and generosity can exist at the same time. 00:08:53 — Childhood trauma and the beginning of survival patterns. Mandi shares her experience of sexual trauma at seven years old and explains the confusion, secrecy, attachment wounds, and self-blame that followed. 00:12:41 — When knowing “it wasn’t your fault” still isn’t enough. Mandi explains the difference between intellectually understanding what happened and getting the brain and body to believe it. 00:13:17 — Understanding moral injury and shame: Mandi discusses the guilt she carried from being forced into situations as a child that conflicted deeply with her values. 00:15:27 — Avoidance, eating disorders, alcohol, and control. Mandi talks about the ways she tried to outrun what happened and how perfectionism became an attempt to make herself feel safe. 00:17:44 — Pregnancy becomes a turning point. An unexpected pregnancy becomes a major catalyst for Mandi to take her mental health seriously and seek the right support. 00:18:46 — CBT, reframing, and recognizing thought patterns. Mandi describes learning that catastrophizing and black-and-white thinking were patterns rather than unavoidable truths. 00:19:05 — EMDR and healing beyond the thinking brain: Mandi explains why EMDR helped her access insights that talk therapy alone had not reached. 00:20:12 — Changing perspective without minimizing pain. Mandi talks about accepting that some experiences simply suck while refusing to remain mentally tied to them forever. 00:22:11 — Why you should “speed date” your therapist: G-Rex and Dirty Skittles share their own experiences finding therapists who were—and were not—the right fit. 00:25:30 — Painting without a plan: Dirty Skittles shares a therapy assignment that challenged her need for control and unexpectedly helped her feel free. 00:26:50 — Healing through photographs, horses, and experience. Mandi talks about expressive work, life timelines, equine therapy, and helping people access emotions through experience rather than forced conversation. 00:29:15 — Nature as medicine for the nervous system: G-Rex and Mandi connect over nature, grounding, winter weather, and the very real impact seasonal changes can have on mental health. Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews   #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #MandiLynne #ChildhoodTrauma #TraumaRecovery #HealingTrauma #SelfWorth #ShameHealing #InnerChildHealing #EMDR #TherapyWorks #OCDRecovery #AnxietyRecovery #AttachmentHealing #CPTSDRecovery #MentalHealthHealing #HealingJourney     *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What changes when you stop looking outside yourself for permission to feel whole? In Part 2, Rocio Aquino and Angel Orengo return with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles for a powerful conversation about breaking generational patterns, choosing yourself, letting go of emotional weight, healing old wounds, and building a life around joy instead of someone else’s definition of success. Awards & Downloads Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “Choose yourself. When you stop giving away your power, you finally have something real to give back to the people you love.” — Inspired by Rocio Aquino & Angel Orengo Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes conversations about childhood abuse, abandonment, suicide attempts, trauma, and emotional pain. Please listen with care. If you or someone you love is experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You do not have to be suicidal to reach out for support. https://988lifeline.org/ Episode Description What happens after you recognize your wounds? How do you make sure you aren’t unknowingly handing them to the next generation? In Part 2, Rocio Aquino and Angel Orengo join G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to continue their conversation about healing, self-awareness, and the lessons behind The Orchid: The Secret Code of Modern Goddesses. Rocio and Angel explore the stories society teaches women and men, why empathy and compassion matter, and how the media and stories we consume can shape how we understand ourselves and the world. Rocio reveals that the five women at the center of The Orchid carry pieces of her own experiences, trauma, and transformation. Angel shares one of the biggest lessons of his healing journey: we have more control over where our emotional energy goes than we realize. The conversation becomes deeply personal as Angel discusses childhood abuse and Rocio shares losing her mother, attempting suicide at 20, and what she would tell that younger version of herself today: go play the game, because you are going to be okay. They also talk about generational trauma, parenting, letting go, intuition, self-love, nature, emotional energy, and why taking care of yourself first is not selfish. G-Rex brings it home with one hell of a reminder: stop chasing somebody else’s definition of happiness and start chasing your joy. Healing yourself can change more than your own life. It can change what the people who come after you have to carry. Keywords: generational trauma, choosing joy, self-love, emotional healing, breaking generational cycles, intentional living, childhood trauma, personal empowerment, mental health recovery, letting go, self-worth, emotional wellness, healing family patterns, self-compassion, finding purpose Meet Our Guests — Rocio Aquino & Angel Orengo Rocio Aquino and Angel Orengo are the storytellers and creators behind The Orchid, a book and growing community dedicated to healing, self-discovery, purpose, and intentional living. Their work blends personal experience, honest reflection, storytelling, and meaningful conversation to encourage people to look inward, challenge inherited beliefs, and create healthier emotional patterns for themselves and future generations. Website: https://www.theorchidbook.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocioangel__/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rocioangel.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rocioangel.theorchid Key Takeaways Healing your own wounds can change what gets passed down to the next generation. Loving yourself does not take love away from your family; it can increase your capacity to show up for them. You have a choice about where you spend your emotional energy. Letting go is not weakness—it is deciding that something no longer deserves your peace. Happiness tied only to possessions or achievements can be temporary; joy can live in ordinary moments. Family, cultural, and societal stories can shape you, but they do not have to control the rest of your life. Actionable Items Do an energy audit. Identify one person, argument, resentment, or expectation receiving more of your emotional energy than you want to give it. Spend ten minutes outside without your phone and notice something small that genuinely brings you joy. Identify one belief, behavior, or emotional pattern from your family history that you do not want to pass forward, then choose one small way to respond differently.     Important Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Part 2 + Why Healing Stories Need a Bigger Stage G-Rex opens by asking how stories like The Orchid can help people better understand women's emotional experiences and normalize talking about mental health. 03:34 – Rocio’s Mission to Create Stories That Help People Heal Rocio talks about dedicating her life to stories that allow people—especially women—to see themselves through a different lens. 05:39 – Strengthening Women, Men, and the Human Experience Angel discusses the importance of empathy, kindness, compassion, and strengthening qualities historically labeled as feminine. 08:06 – How the Stories We Consume Shape Us Angel explores the influence of film, television, video games, and storytelling—and why he wants more stories showing people how to heal and survive. 09:45 – Rocio Reveals Herself in The Orchid’s Five Women Rocio shares that she sees parts of her own trauma and healing journey in all five central characters. 10:58 – Closing Your Wounds and Reclaiming Your Power Angel uses The Matrix as a metaphor for reaching a place where another person’s insults no longer have the same power over you. 15:45 – Take Care of Yourself Before Trying to Save Everybody Else Angel explains why healing yourself first allows you to show up differently for your family and everyone around you. 17:53 – What Angel Would Tell His Six-Year-Old Self Angel reflects on childhood abuse and the lessons about personal power and self-belief he wishes he could have learned before experiencing trauma. 20:21 – Rocio on Losing Her Mother and Attempting Suicide at 20 Rocio talks about reaching one of the lowest moments of her life and the message she would now give her younger self: you are not alone, and this will not last forever. 22:11 – Their Hardest Lessons: Abandonment and Letting Go Rocio reflects on surviving abandonment while Angel explains why letting go has been one of the most difficult and rewarding lessons of his life. 25:13 – “The Person I Love the Most Is Me” Angel shares the realization that taking responsibility for his own happiness actually allows him to love his wife, daughters, and family more freely. 27:02 – Choosing the Story You Tell Yourself Rocio and Dirty Skittles discuss how self-belief becomes a daily practice and why compassionate thoughts matter. 29:00 – Stop Chasing Happiness. Chase Your Joy. G-Rex shares why joy has become more meaningful than material success and encourages listeners to stop building their lives around somebody else’s dream. 32:22 – Anxiety Theme Songs and Remembering to Breathe Angel and Rocio share the reminders they use when anxiety kicks in and life starts feeling overwhelming. 35:50 – Healing as a Couple and a Family Rocio talks about investing in personal growth, growing together as partners, and watching those lessons ripple through their children and extended family. 37:23 – Breaking Generational Trauma Angel recalls the moment he and Rocio decided that the painful patterns carried through their family line would stop with them. 39:08 – “Yes, I Can” vs. “You Can’t” Rocio and Angel share their favorite and least favorite words, ending the episode with a reminder to stop allowing other people to define what is possible for you. 40:06 – Where to Find Rocio, Angel, and The Orchid Rocio and Angel share where listeners can connect with their work and leave one final reminder: one of the greatest resources you have is yourself. Closing CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews   #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #GenerationalTrauma #BreakTheCycle #ChooseJoy #SelfLove #EmotionalHealing #IntentionalLiving #HealingJourney #PersonalGrowth #SelfWorth #SelfCompassion #TraumaRecovery #LettingGo #FindYourJoy #TheOrchid #RocioAndAngel *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.orgCanada: Call or Text 988 — 988.caWorldwide: Find a HelplineMental Health Resources and Tools: The Help HubStay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles Official Website: goesoninourheads.netFacebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheadsInstagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittlesLinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty SkittlesJoin Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/)Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shopAudio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal