Advertise on podcast: Surviving Roots: Examining the stories we inherit—and the courage to rewrite them.

Telling the truth doesn't guarantee people will love you. But keeping quiet doesn't guarantee they will either. In this deeply personal solo episode of Surviving Roots, Cari Fund celebrates the release of her debut book, Autopsy of a Good Girl, and takes listeners behind the scenes of the story she spent decades learning how to tell. From a little girl in West Virginia who learned to read every room and keep everyone comfortable to a woman navigating marriage, motherhood, estrangement, perfectionism, and shame, Cari examines what being the "good girl" really cost her. She opens up about the return of her eating disorder struggles during COVID, the pressure to become the perfect mother, the painful relationships she lost by speaking publicly, and the unexpected relationship she rebuilt with her father. She also shares what it took to write and publish her first book, including more than 80 literary agent queries, the rejection that brought old wounds to the surface, and the messages from thousands of women who reminded her why she started telling her story. In this episode: Why the good girl wasn't born, she was trained. How childhood rejection can follow us into adulthood. The hidden cost of perfectionism and trying to be the perfect mother. What estrangement, reconciliation, and family loyalty have taught Cari. Why speaking the truth can bring both freedom and loss. The rejection, persistence, and courage behind Autopsy of a Good Girl. Why the book isn't a healing manual, a call for no-contact, or a demand to forgive. This isn't a story about having all the answers. It's about what happens when you stop asking everyone else for permission to live your own life. Get the new book: Autopsy of a Good Girl: Shameless Essays on Cutting Ties, Keeping Receipts, and Rebuilding a Life on Your Own Terms. Available in hardcover and ebook. https://www.cari.fund Connect with Cari: Instagram @cari.fund Podcast: Surviving Roots

You can be in a room full of people, successful, loved — and still feel completely alone. In this episode, host Cari Fund sits down with trauma-informed therapist Dr. Sylvia Kalicinski, host of The Dr. Sylvia K Show and author of the brand-new book Lonely AF: A Therapist's No BS Guide to Feeling Less Alone. Sylvia opens up about losing her mother at age two, growing up as the golden child of a narcissistic father, and the unprocessed grief she didn't recognize until adulthood. Together, she and Cari explore why emotional loneliness has nothing to do with how many people are around you, how generational trauma gets passed down through our nervous systems, and what it really takes to stop wearing the mask and come home to yourself. Sylvia also walks us through her five-step HEART method — Honor your emotions, Explore your family patterns, Acknowledge your pain points, Rewrite your narrative, and Turn within — and guides a grounding exercise you can do anywhere, anytime, for free. This is a conversation about cycle breaking, the mother wound, narcissistic family dynamics, and the freedom that comes when you finally choose your own story. 📖 Get Lonely AF by Dr. Sylvia Kalicinski: https://amzn.to/4b3SdLV Connect with Dr. Sylvia: @drsylviak Follow the podcast: @survivingrootspod Follow Cari Fund: @cari.fund 🌱 Free estrangement guide: www.cari.fund

What if going no contact was never the choice — what if it was simply the moment you stopped your own abuse? Licensed psychologist Dr. Sherrie Campbell returns to Surviving Roots for her third visit — and this is hands-down our most powerful (and yes, most fun) conversation yet. Dr. Sherrie is one of the nation's leading voices on estrangement, toxic family, and cycle breaking, and her new book You Are Home is the healing manual so many of us never had. In this episode, Cari and Dr. Sherrie go deep on what it really means to heal from family trauma — using the unforgettable metaphor of a house, from the basement where we store the pain that was never ours to carry, all the way up to the top floor where we finally get to dream. It's heart-opening and heartbreaking in the very best way. We talk about: • Why "you didn't go no contact — you stopped your abuse" reframes everything • Emotional homelessness and what it feels like day to day • Separating what was done to you from who you actually are • Why "no contact" isn't cancel culture — and why it isn't a trend • Reclaiming your inner child and learning self-love when you were never taught it • "Self-integration": the stage after estrangement nobody talks about • Setting boundaries from strength instead of guilt Whether you're on your first step or your millionth, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are. 📖 Grab Dr. Sherrie's new book You Are Home on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Sa3YK5 💛 Follow Dr. Sherrie: @dr.sherrie 🎙️ Follow the show: @survivingrootspod ✨ Follow Cari: @cari.fund Free estrangement guide: www.cari.fund

What if the worst thing that ever happened to you became the thing that finally woke you up? In this episode of Surviving Roots, Cari Fund welcomes back author, speaker, and Every Soul Has a Story podcast host Dara Levan to talk about her new novel, Shaken to the Core — a deeply human story about grief, marriage, identity, and what we do with the time we have left. Dara opens up about the sudden loss that inspired the book, why "showing up" matters more than knowing the right thing to say, and the belief that bodies die but souls don't. She and Cari get into how grief is so often misunderstood, why she stopped "deifying the dead," what it really takes to choose joy (not toxic positivity), and how motherhood and mothering can transcend biology. Along the way they talk honestly about marriage that survives the hard seasons, estrangement, chosen family, and refusing to pretend everything's fine. Whether you're grieving, healing, or just trying to live with no regrets, this conversation is a reminder that you can choose your own path — even when you think you can't. Dara's new novel, Shaken to the Core, is out now. 🎧 Topics: grief, sudden loss, motherhood, marriage, identity, choosing joy, legacy, estrangement, chosen family, healing, living with no regrets. ✨ Connect: Follow Cari: @cari.fund | www.cari.fund Follow Dara: @dara.levan | Every Soul Has a Story podcast 📖 Buy the book, Shaken to the Core: https://amzn.to/3Qdwnyl 📓 Grab my FREE guide: www.cari.fund 📓 $9 Estrangement Survival Mini Guide: https://cari-fund.myshopify.com/

What if anxiety isn't a flaw to fix, but a signal you've stopped listening to yourself? In this episode of Surviving Roots, Cari Fund sits down with mental health educator and author Genny Rumancik — founder of The EQ School and the voice behind a 170,000-strong community — to unpack what emotional intelligence actually looks like in real life. They get into the moment at a Portland airport that changed how Genny understood conflict, the "eldest daughter" wound and the cost of holding everything for everyone, why self-awareness is a daily practice and not a personality trait, and how to set boundaries from a grounded place instead of a reactive one. Genny also shares why the goal isn't to make hard feelings disappear as fast as possible — it's to learn to be present with them so they can move through you. Whether you're on your first step or your millionth, this conversation is a permission slip to slow down and come home to yourself. Genny's debut book, The Wisdom of Feeling: Finding Clarity, Courage, and Connection Through Emotional Intelligence (Tarcher), is out now. 🎧 Topics: emotional intelligence, self-awareness, anxiety, boundaries, the mother wound, eldest daughter syndrome, breaking generational cycles, nervous system regulation, healing. ✨ Connect: Follow Cari: @cari.fund | www.cari.fund Follow Genny: @theeqschool | theeqschool.co 📖 Buy the book, The Wisdom of Feeling: https://amzn.to/4fP7W4H 📓 Grab my FREE guide: www.cari.fund 📓 $9 Estrangement Survival Mini Guide: https://cari-fund.myshopify.com/

What if your "glow up" isn't a makeover… it's freedom? In this episode of Surviving Roots, Cari Fund sits down with Michelle Fairburn—mother of two, creator, and living proof that rebuilding a life doesn't happen overnight (and doesn't need to look polished to be powerful). Michelle became a mom at 20, navigated profound loss and a mother wound, and later survived a fast-moving relationship that turned abusive after marriage. Together, Cari and Michelle unpack the real behind-the-scenes of healing: self-forgiveness, faith, identity, parenting while evolving, and what it takes to break cycles without pretending it's "easy." In this episode, we talk about: Becoming a mom at 20—and why her kids were planned. The "mother wound," abandonment, grief, and missing pieces you can't Google. How love-bombing can look like a fairy tale… until it doesn't. Red flags: moving too fast, isolation, jealousy, identity erasure ("my wife"). Self-forgiveness as the moment you finally unlock your life. Faith as a turning point (and the difference between healing and pretending). Parenting with grace: not bashing dads, letting kids see truth for themselves. Creating content with her daughter as a business: impact + income. Handling trolls (and what happens when someone comes for your kid). Michelle's story is honest, funny, raw, and deeply human—and it'll leave you thinking about what "freedom" really means. Find Michelle: @michellefairburn (on all platforms) Find Cari: @cari.fund If this episode hits home, share it with a friend—and don't forget to follow, rate, and review. Check out my Estrangment Survival Mini-Guide

What does it really take to leave a narcissistic relationship—without losing your finances, your children, or yourself? In this powerful episode of Surviving Roots, I sit down with Camille Zhuk, founder of The Breaking Free Project, a strategic support platform designed to help individuals—especially parents—safely exit narcissistic relationships. With a background in business and finance and specialized training in narcissistic abuse recovery, coercive control, domestic violence advocacy, and behavioral profiling, Camille offers something rare: clear, logical strategy paired with deep compassion—without pretending to be a therapist. In this conversation, we unpack: How to protect your finances when leaving a narcissistic spouse Why you must plan quietly—and what happens if you don't How to protect children from emotional harm and parental alienation The importance of evidence documentation and legal strategy Early red flags like mirroring, moving too fast, and refusal to accept "no" Why calm and control—not confrontation—are your greatest tools This episode is not about labels or trends. It's about education, safety, and reclaiming your peace. If you're asking yourself, "Am I married to a narcissist?" Camille also shares a free first step: you can take an assessment on their website to help you identify narcissistic patterns and clarify what you're dealing with. 🎧 Listen now and learn more at breakingfreeproject.com Follow Cari Fund at @cari.fund

Motherhood isn't just hard — it's heavy. And one of the biggest invisible weights? Feeding everyone… every single day. In this episode of Surviving Roots, Cari Fund sits down with Diana Arango, co-founder + CEO of Chefpost, a platform connecting busy families with vetted personal chefs on demand. Diana shares the real story behind Chefpost: how her own burnout as a working mom sparked a mission to help families reclaim time, presence, and connection at home. In this conversation, we cover: The mental load of meal planning (and why it's exhausting) Why "balance" is a myth — and what actually works for moms How to shift from a suffering mindset to a supported life Why asking for help is strength, not failure How Chefpost makes personal chef support accessible and flexible Explore Chefpost: chefpost.com Subscribe for more conversations on healing, motherhood, boundaries, and building a life that actually feels good. www.instagram.com/cari.fund  If the holidays bring up complicated feelings about family, you're not broken — you're human. My Estrangement Survival Mini Guide is for adult children navigating distance, boundaries, or no-contact with a parent while still wanting peace, clarity, and self-trust. It's not about blame or cutting people off. It's about understanding your nervous system, releasing guilt, and choosing what supports your healing — whatever that looks like for you.  Click here: https://cari-fund.myshopify.com/

At twenty, she found her father after a fatal accident. At forty, she lost her husband to cancer. And somehow—she found herself again. In this deeply human conversation, lifestyle and beauty creator Rachael Potash shares how she turned unimaginable loss into a story of reinvention, healing, and hope. Now a mom of two and a bonus mom to four, she's helping women over 40 feel seen, confident, and hopeful again through fashion, beauty, and honest storytelling. Rachael opens up about: 💔 Losing her husband at 40 and rebuilding her life from scratch 💫 Navigating motherhood, grief, and a blended family of six kids 💋 Finding love again — and redefining beauty, confidence, and identity in midlife 🧠 Choosing better instead of bitter, and learning to honor both joy and loss This is not a story about tragedy. It's a story about rebirth — the kind that happens when you decide your second act will be your strongest. Listen to Reinvention After Loss: Confidence, Healing, and Finding Love Again at 40 on the Surviving Roots Podcast with host Cari Fund. Follow @rachaelpotash, @survivingrootspod, and @cari.fund on Instagram for more real conversations on healing, motherhood, and starting over.

What happens when the "good daughter" wakes up to the truth? In this week's Surviving Roots episode, Cari Fund sits down with Lauren Smallcomb — certified mind-body practitioner, trauma survivor, and author of Golden Child: My Descent to Scapegoat and Rise to Freedom. Lauren shares her journey from being the adored "golden child" in a rigid, religious family to becoming the scapegoat when faith, politics, and identity collided. Together, Cari and Lauren explore what it means to break free from high-control systems, redefine forgiveness, and rebuild a life rooted in freedom, grief, and authenticity. You'll hear: ✨ The painful shift from golden child to scapegoat ✨ How patriarchy and religion shaped her silence ✨ Why acceptance (not forgiveness) is where healing begins ✨ What parenting looks like after breaking generational cycles Grab Golden Child wherever books are sold and follow Lauren's work at @flourish_therapy and @goldenchildbook. 🎧 Listen to Surviving Roots Podcast on all major platforms — and don't forget to leave a review and share this episode with someone who's healing from a family that couldn't hold their truth. Follow Cari Fund at @cari.fund on Istagram.

What if setting boundaries isn't about pushing people away — but about finally choosing yourself? In this powerful and deeply relatable conversation, Harvard-trained clinical psychologist Dr. Sabrina Romanoff joins Surviving Roots host Cari Fund to unpack the hidden patterns that shape our relationships — from friendship breakups and people-pleasing to the repetition of childhood wounds in our adult lives. Together they explore: Why boundaries are acts of preservation, not rejection. How self-abandonment begins in childhood — and how to stop repeating it. The psychology behind friendship breakups and envy. What "getting comfortable in the uncomfortable" really looks like. How to know if someone is a battery or a generator in your life. Why guilt can actually be a sign of healing. Whether you're untangling toxic dynamics or learning to stand in your worth, this episode will help you reconnect with the version of yourself you've been betraying just to keep the peace. ✨ Connect with Dr. Sabrina Romanoff: @drsabrinaromanoff 🎧 Listen to more episodes of Surviving Roots — streaming now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms. 📘 Download The Bold Self-Healing Guide — your free resource for turning pain into potential, linked in Cari's bio at @cari.fund

In this raw and soul-stirring episode of Surviving Roots, Cari Fund sits down with Michelle Garside—co-founder of Soul Camp Creative, a sacred strategy house helping purpose-driven people and organizations tell their most authentic stories. Michelle has spent her career creating transformative spaces like Soul Camp, The Enchantment Experience, and The Connecticut Women's Club. But beneath all that success is a story of radical truth-telling, recovery, and what it really means to belong. Together, Cari and Michelle dive deep into the loneliness that hides beneath high achievement, the spiritual disconnection that fuels addiction, and the messy, beautiful process of coming home to yourself. Michelle opens up about her recovery from bulimia, addiction, and alcoholism—and how shame became the doorway to her power. She shares the story behind her upcoming 2027 book, Not Awakened, which challenges the illusion of "perfect enlightenment" and invites us to embrace our full, human messiness instead. ✨ Inside the episode: The loneliness that success can't fill Motherhood as a spiritual practice of imperfection Recovery and radical truth-telling The healing power of community and belonging "God comes through guys"—how love can become a mirror for awakening The anti-guru message behind Not Awakened 💬 "Loneliness is a spiritual hole." 💬 "We become the choices that we make." 💬 "Maybe we're not meant to be enlightened—maybe we're meant to be human." Follow @cari.fund and @survivingrootspod for more stories about truth, healing, and becoming who you were meant to be. 🌿 Get My Free Guide: Ready to start your own journey of self-discovery and healing? Download my free Bold Self-Growth Guide at www.cari.fund — your roadmap to reconnecting with yourself, setting boundaries, and creating the life you actually want.

Writer, mother, and reluctant socialite Asha Elias joins Cari to talk about reinvention, resilience, and the real story behind her rapid rise as a novelist. From launching Pink Glass Houses to celebrating the release of The Namaste Club, Asha opens up about writing, grief, raising two kids post-divorce, and how dating a younger man has taught her about love and softness in relationships. Asha has contributed to Cosmopolitan magazine and is a regular columnist for Miami New Times. She lives in Miami Beach. This conversation is honest, inspiring, hilarious, and packed with reminders that you can start over at any time — and do it loudly. This episode explores: Writing books faster than people have babies Reclaiming your voice after family childhood dysfunction Dating younger and being loved how you've always wanted Grieving a complicated relationship with her late mother Letting go of shame and the power of trying again If you're standing at the edge of reinvention, this one's your permission slip to leap. Books discussed: Pink Glass Houses & The Namaste Club Connect with Asha on Instagram @asha.sue.elias Connect with Cari on Instagram @cari.fund Listen to Surviving Roots wherever you get your podcasts.

What if parenthood came with a delegation plan, a support team, and a mission statement? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Christine Landis—former CEO turned intentional parenting strategist and founder of Peacock Parent—to unpack how executive-level planning, outsourcing, and mindset shifts can radically reduce burnout and bring joy back to motherhood. We explore: The hidden mental load modern parents carry How to apply "time is money" thinking to family life Why delegating isn't selfish—it's self-preservation How Christine's new membership platform Proxy is helping busy families reclaim joy and rest Christine Landis is a former CEO who sold her global company and retired at 36. She now helps parents stop glorifying burnout and start parenting with presence, purpose, and peace through her revolutionary platform Proxy—a delegation toolkit designed for modern families. 🎁 EXCLUSIVE GIFT FOR SURVIVING ROOTS LISTENERS: Get $100 off your annual Proxy membership and start outsourcing the overwhelm today. Use code: CARIFUNDGIFT at checkout. 🦚 Learn more at peacockparent.com 💻 Hire help with Proxy: peacockparent.com/hire-help 📲 Follow Christine: @peacockparent 🌱 Follow me: @cari.fund

In this soulful episode of Surviving Roots, host Cari Fund welcomes Haitian-born artist and yoga teacher Anick Vorbe, author of the spiritual memoir My Drumbeats. Together, they explore how grief can become a sacred portal of awakening. Anick shares her healing journey through the sudden loss of her brother, her experiences with ayahuasca, and how writing this book became a way to reconnect with her voice, her culture, and her purpose.  We discuss plant medicine, raising conscious children, and what it means to write for the collective. This conversation is a heart-opening reminder that healing isn't about avoiding pain—it's about moving through it. We talked about: How losing her brother launched her into awakening Her journey with ayahuasca and natural healing Raising a son while breaking generational cycles What it means to create from pain, not in spite of it Listen in and rediscover your own rhythm. If you're grieving, growing, or searching for meaning—you'll feel seen in this episode.   Grab Anique's book My Drumbeats on Amazon.  Download my free guide to Bold Self-Growth and Living Visit my website www.cari.fund for more info.  Anick is happy to be part of Rythmia's  Life Enhancement Center's  program. This is her place of choice for ayahuasca.  Interested to learn more about ayahuasca, you can go directly to www.anickvorbe.com or her instagram profile  @anickvorbe. Just select the link and schedule a phone session with a Rythmia Life Enhancement Center representative.