The Episodes
Episode 95: Boundaries: A Crucial Tool for Healing and Thriving with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
This week on the podcast Alyssa discusses a brand new, multi-episode topic. Pulling from Nedra Glover Tawwab’s book, Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself, Alyssa discusses what boundaries are, why[...]
Episode 94: The Different Faces of Depression with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Depression might be clinically diagnosed as a very specific set of symptoms, but it is often so much more than that. Does your depression cause you to over-function? Does it cause you[...]
Episode 93: Narcissistic Abuse, Pt 2 with Rebecca Christianson, LCSW
What is covert vs. overt narcissism? What do symptoms of abuse look like in victims? Can an abuser ever truly change? This week brings us[...]
Episode 92: Narcissistic Abuse, Pt 1 with Rebecca Christianson, LCSW
What is narcissism and how do we know if someone is a narcissist? Alyssa teams up with returning podcast guest, Rebecca Christianson, LCSW as they tackle this very important topic.
Episode 91: How to Improve Your Body Image
Diet culture and weight loss tools thrive off of making us hate our bodies. The good news is that you CAN reject the societal pressure to change your body and choose to[...]
Episode 90: Self Sabotage
Self sabotage often shows up at many points throughout our trauma recovery. It can take both conscious and unconscious forms. Tune in to find out if you may be sabotaging your own[...]
Episode 89: Debunking 8 Common Myths About Therapy
There are thousands of false representations of therapy in the media and general public. Some of these misconceptions about the therapeutic process may prevent people from seeking help or fully opening up[...]
Episode 88: Finding the Right Therapist for You
Where do I even begin to look for a therapist? How do I know what I can afford? How can I know if I’ve found the right therapist for me? If you’re[...]
87: Redux – How EMDR Can Help You Heal with Melissa Parks, LCSW
REDUX: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the leading treatments for PTSD. Melissa Parks breaks down how this therapy can help you recover and why it is so[...]
Episode 86: What You Need in Order for Trauma Therapy to Work with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Addressing your trauma in therapy can be one of the hardest, bravest things you’ll ever do. But before you do so, there are important safety measures that need to be put in[...]
Episode 85: The Five (5) Core Wounds, Part 2 with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Childhood trauma comes in a variety of different forms – no two trauma survivors have identical histories. However, what all trauma survivors have in common are experiences with the five core wounds[...]
Episode 84: The Five (5) Core Wounds, Part 1 with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Childhood trauma comes in a variety of different forms – no two trauma survivors have identical histories. What we do have in common, however, are experiences with the five core wounds that[...]
Episode 83: Trauma and Physical Illness: Lessons Learned from Endometriosis, Post-Op
In episode 73, Alyssa shared about her ongoing battle with endometriosis, a chronic and extremely painful disease. This week Alyssa is following up with a part 2 to episode 73, in which[...]
Episode 82: Toxic Positivity: “Good Vibes Only” Isn’t Good
"Good vibes only!"
"Keep a positive mindset."
"Try to focus on the good."
These can all be examples of a cultural phenomenon known as toxic positivity. Toxic positivity is the[...]
Episode 81: Imposter Syndrome is Keeping You from Living Your Best Life with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Imposter syndrome is the overwhelming feeling that we are phony or fraudulent in different areas of our lives. This psychological phenomenon causes us to attribute our successes or achievements to external circumstances[...]
Episode 80: What You Need To Know About Your Birth Control with Julia Abbiss
Did you know that the birth control pill can lead to clitoral shrinkage? Or that it can physically change your feelings of attraction to someone? Millions of people with female reproductive organs[...]
Episode 79: What Does “Gaslighting” Really Mean? with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Over the last several years, the term “gaslighting” has gained significant popularity among adults and adolescents alike. “Gaslighting” is a term that has been around since the 1930’s, but what does it[...]
Episode 78: The Tolerance Framework May Be Doing More Harm Than Good with Kristen Donnelly, MSW, M. Div, PhD
Kristen Donnelly (MSW, M.Div, PhD) is a TEDx speaker, international empathy educator, and researcher with two decades of experience in helping people[...]
Episode 77: How to Embrace Getting Older in a Youth Obsessed Society
Most of us live in a world that glorifies holding onto youth for as long as we can. As we get older, we are taught to be less excited about our birthdays,[...]
Episode 76: The Hype About Healing Crystals with Jennifer Burns
Jennifer Burns is a southern California mom who spent years being a people pleaser and suppressing trauma before she decided to take her life back into her own hands. Today she is[...]
Episode 75: An Alternative Approach To New Year’s Resolutions
Feeling overwhelmed by the push to make a New Year's Resolution? Tune in to learn more effective ways to create and achieve your 2022 goals.
Check out the Light After Trauma[...]
Episode 74: Why Trauma Recovery Must Include Somatic Healing with Kaity Rose Holsapple
Trauma severs the connection between our brains and our bodies, yet so much of Western culture encourages healing only from the chin up. On this week’s episode, Kaity Rose Holsapple, a Somatic[...]
Episode 73: My Battle with Endometriosis with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Endometriosis is an excruciatingly painful disease that is common among those with female reproductive organs, yet, there is little awareness on the subject. If you've ever had extremely painful periods but have[...]
Episode 72: Redux – Loving Someone with Complex PTSD with David and Alyssa Scolari
In this old episode, Alyssa brings her husband, David, on the show to discuss the challenges that can come with supporting a loved one with PTSD. David offers advice for supporters on[...]
Episode 71: How To Help Your Bereaved Child(ren) with Michele Benyo
Michele Benyo became a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist after her six-year-old son died from cancer. After witnessing her young daughter’s intense grief over the loss of her brother, she knew she had[...]
Episode 70: Tips to Beat Binge Eating during the Holiday with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Holiday gatherings are a struggle for anyone who battles with an eating disorder. With society’s ever-growing encouragement to avoid “holiday weight gain”, it can feel harder than ever to be able to[...]
Episode 69: Tips to Combat Seasonal Depression with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Daylight savings time and the decreasing temperatures have some of us feeling blue, but it doesn’t have to be this way! If the lack of sunlight and cold weather have you feeling[...]
Episode 68: Setting Boundaries with Family around the Holidays with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Whether you’ve gone no-contact with your family or are feeling anxious about being around family during the holidays, this week’s episode can help you figure out the best way to keep the[...]
Episode 67: Does Your Therapist Really Care?
At some point during the therapy process, we have likely all had the thought “My therapist gets paid to care about me – they’re not expressing genuine care or concern.” On this[...]
Episode 66: PCOS and the Anti-Fat Bias with Julie Duffy Dillon, RDN
On this week’s episode, Alyssa sits down with Julie Duffy Dillon, a weight inclusive Registered Dietitian, to talk about PCOS. Tune in for a discussion on how PCOS has[...]
Episode 65: Was It Bad Enough To Be Labeled “Trauma”?
This episode is for those moments when we find ourselves wondering if what we went through is “bad enough” to be considered trauma. Tune in for a deep exploration of what trauma[...]
Episode 64: You’ll Be Glad You Kept Fighting: One Woman’s Journey From Child Abuse with Christina Vitagliano
Christina Vitagliano shares her story from enduring child abuse to going on to start a multimillion-dollar business and publishing her own memoir. She breaks down the ripple effects that child abuse had[...]
Episode 63: “I Don’t Deserve To Heal” with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Have you ever felt like you just don’t deserve to be happy? Or more specifically, have you ever found yourself having self-harm urges or feeling suicidal after someone is genuinely kind to[...]
Episode 62: Wondering If There Is More To Life? There Is! with Donna Bond
We were not meant to live our lives by simply going through the motions. Unfortunately, far too many people go through their days feeling unsettled and unhappy with their[...]
Episode 61: Inside the World of Our Adolescents with Lynn Langan and Denise Wolf
On this week’s episode we welcome back our good friend, Denise R. Wolf MA, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPC along with our brand new guest, author Lynn Langan. Alyssa, Denise, and Lynn are passionate[...]
Episode 60: Grief and Love: Two Sides of the Same Coin with Kimberley Pittman-Schulz
On this week’s episode, Alyssa sits down with author Kimberley Pittman-Schulz to talk about one of life’s toughest emotions: grief. Tune in to listen to Kim share her personal experience in losing[...]
Episode 59: Living With Your Head Detached From Your Body with Amy Guerrero
Amy Guerrero is a trauma-informed recovery coach helping people on their journey of sobriety and healing from trauma. In this episode, she talks with Alyssa about why it can[...]
Episode 58: Shedding Light on Self Harm with Alyssa Scolari, LPC
Alyssa shares about her own battle with self harm and why we should never be writing self harm off as merely an attention-seeking behavior.
Episode 57: You Are Loved & You Never Deserved It with Johnny Crowder
In this week’s episode, Alyssa sits down with suicide and abuse survivor, Johnny Crowder, to talk about the seemingly "small things” that are hugely important to have in trauma recovery. Johnny opens[...]
Episode 56: Reframing Tools to Help Navigate the Post Pandemic World with Jolyn Armstrong
When her world was turned upside after receiving a phone call that her son was in jail, Jolyn Armstrong set out to learn techniques and tools to cope with the shock, trauma,[...]
Episode 55: The Aftermath of Murder: Spreading Awareness on Homicide Survivors with Dr. Jan Canty, PhD
Dr. Jan Canty is a homicide survivor who seeks to spread awareness and garner more support for other homicide survivors. In this week’s episode, Dr. Canty explores the traumatic moment when she[...]
Episode 54: Wounded in Combat: A Veteran’s Journey to Healing with Michael “CQ” Carrasquillo
In this week’s episode, Alyssa sits down with veteran, PTSD survivor, and comedian Michael “CQ” Carrasquillo. Michael provides an in-depth perspective on his time serving in the military, from the moment he[...]
Mini Episode 2: Survived & Thrived Stories, Alyssa’s Escape
In this unique episode of Survived & Thrived Stories, Alyssa breaks her silence about escaping from an abusive relationship. Almost 8 years to the day after her escape, Alyssa opens up about[...]
Episode 53: Part 2: Don’t Forget To Listen To Your Gut with Drew Assini
This week brings us part 2 of a two-part episode with friend and spiritual guide, Drew Assini. Drew shares his recent experience with working in an inpatient facility in Tennessee. As trauma[...]
Episode 52: Part 1: Holding Space for All of the Feelings with Drew Assini
The spiritual friend and guide that we know and love, Drew Assini, is back with a two-part episode! During his last appearance on the podcast, Drew shared about his journey from addiction[...]
Episode 51: Recovering from Depression, Brick by Brick with author Zack S. Rutledge
We don’t always want to hear that recovery from depression can take a long time. Some days,[...]
Episode 50: Relationships, Dating, and the Apologies We’ll Never Get with Bethany Barton
Author Bethany Barton joins us on the podcast this week to talk about her brand new book,[...]
Episode 49: The Burnout Epidemic: Prevention and Recovery with Michael Levitt
Michael Levitt is the founder & Chief Burnout Officer of The Breakfast Leadership Network, a San Diego and Toronto-based burnout media firm. In this week’s episode, Michael and Alyssa talk about the[...]
Episode 48: Part 2: How to Move Through Guilt and Shame with Rebecca Christianson, LCSW
Friend of the family and friend of the podcast, Rebecca Christianson, is back with a two-part discussion on the two emotions that trip us up the most when working through PTSD: Guilt[...]
Episode 47: Part 1: The Role of Guilt and Shame in PTSD with Rebecca Christianson, LCSW
Friend of the family and friend of the podcast, Rebecca Christianson, is back with a two-part discussion on the two emotions that trip[...]