Épisodes

  • Holly Porter: Near-Death Experience, Long COVID & Mental Health Recovery
    Oct 29 2026
    Holly Porter survived 70 days in the hospital battling COVID-19, but surviving was only the beginning of her emotional and mental health journey. In this powerful conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with Holly to explore her near-death experience, the devastating mental health impact of long COVID, and how she found purpose, peace, and hope after two of the darkest years of her life. 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 “Love them where they're at.” — Holly Porter Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder Content Notice: This episode includes conversations about near-death experiences, serious illness, medical trauma, chronic pain, profound emotional distress, family loss, and wishing for death during difficult periods of recovery. Please listen with care and take breaks if needed. 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 What happens when you survive something that nearly kills you, only to discover that staying alive is an entirely different battle? For Holly Porter, surviving COVID-19 meant 70 days in the hospital, two intubations, a tracheotomy, sepsis, and a near-death experience that changed everything she believed about life, purpose, and healing. In this deeply personal episode of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, Holly joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to share the mental health struggles that followed her hospitalization. Long COVID, chronic pain, hair loss, and losing her singing voice were devastating enough. But the emotional aftermath brought nearly two years of darkness, broken relationships, overwhelming grief, and moments when Holly questioned why she had survived at all. Holly opens up about her spiritual experiences, the questions she faced about her legacy, and how finding meaning in her suffering became part of rebuilding her life. She also shares the heartbreaking family challenges that tested her resilience and the lessons she learned about surrender, forgiveness, judgment, and loving people exactly where they are. Through her personal development framework, SHIFT—Surrender, Hope, Intuition, Faith, and Transformation—Holly offers a perspective on navigating adversity without pretending healing happens overnight. This conversation isn't about magically fixing everything. It's about surviving the messy middle, recognizing that emotional recovery takes time, and finding one small way to move forward. If you're navigating long COVID, medical trauma, grief, or the emotional weight of starting over, Holly's story reminds us that progress doesn't have to be dramatic to matter. Sometimes, better is simply better. Keywords: Holly Porter, near-death experience, long COVID mental health, mental health recovery, COVID-19 survivor story, medical trauma recovery, emotional healing, chronic illness and mental health, resilience after trauma, finding purpose after illness, mental health struggles, spiritual transformation, surrender and healing, grief and recovery, mental health podcast Meet Our Guest — Holly Porter Holly Porter is an international speaker, bestselling author of 18 books, entrepreneur, and founder and CEO of the International Retreat Association. With more than 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, she also hosts the All Things Retreat podcast and wrote The Near Death SHIFT, a deeply personal exploration of what her near-death experience taught her about life, business, and purpose. Following her 70-day battle with COVID-19 and the emotional challenges that followed, Holly has dedicated herself to helping others transform adversity into purpose, meaningful connection, and positive change. Connect with Holly Porter: Website: https://www.HollyPorter.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyporterinternational/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HOLLYANNPORTER/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IntlRetreatAssociationLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyporter/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/hollyporterSubstack: https://substack.com/@hollyporter Key Takeaways Survival and recovery aren't the same thing. Holly's 70-day hospitalization was only the beginning. Long COVID, chronic pain, and profound emotional struggles demonstrated how complicated life after a medical crisis can become.Mental health struggles can follow physical trauma. Losing her hair, singing voice, ...
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    46 min
  • Steve Collins: Living with vEDS, Health Anxiety, and Letting Go of Control
    Oct 27 2026
    What happens when a life-threatening medical diagnosis forces you to rethink everything you thought you could control? In this deeply personal episode of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with Steve Collins to explore his journey through vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS), medical trauma, job loss, and the powerful role of faith, humor, and resilience in finding purpose after life changes overnight. 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 “Your identity isn't defined by what you can do. Sometimes your greatest purpose comes from learning to let go, accept help, and show up for others in a different way.” — Inspired by Steve Collins Content Notice & Crisis Resources This episode includes discussions of life-threatening medical emergencies, chronic illness, medical trauma, fear of death, and the emotional impact of losing independence and employment. Please listen with care. 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 Steve Collins thought he had a stubborn stomach issue. Instead, persistent abdominal pain led to an artery dissection, a 32-day hospital stay, and a diagnosis he'd never heard of: vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS), a rare connective tissue disorder that changed what everyday life could look like. His decision to ask doctors to re-examine his scan became a powerful lesson in speaking up for your health. But surviving the medical crisis was only the beginning. Steve tells G-Rex and Dirty Skittles what happened when he returned home and realized he couldn't simply muscle through life the way he always had. The guy who fixed everything, jumped in to help others, and took pride in showing up at work now had to ask for help, accept physical limits, and reckon with a terrifying question: Who am I if I can't do what I used to do? At the same time, layoffs and the uncertainty of contract work challenged his sense of security. Steve opens up about the emotional fallout of job loss, the urge to control outcomes, and the anxiety that can follow a diagnosis when ordinary aches suddenly feel loaded with meaning. He also talks honestly about how medical emergencies affect spouses and families, not just patients. Through it all, his faith in God, his family's support, a sense of humor, and connections with others living with rare conditions helped him rethink what purpose looks like. You'll hear why he wears a medical alert bracelet, keeps health information handy, and believes that a respectful second question can matter. This isn't a story about pretending fear disappears. It's about learning to live with uncertainty without letting it run the whole damn show. Keywords: Steve Collins, vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, vEDS awareness, health anxiety, chronic illness mental health, rare disease diagnosis, medical trauma recovery, patient self-advocacy, faith over fear, letting go of control, job loss trauma, emotional resilience, chronic illness identity, caregiver mental health, finding purpose after illness Meet Our Guest — Steve Collins Steve Collins is a husband, stepfather, business leader, and man of faith living with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS), a rare genetic connective tissue disorder. As Strategic Partner and Principal Consultant at PADE HCM Services, he brings his professional experience into a new chapter of entrepreneurship while navigating the physical and emotional realities of his diagnosis. Through his story, Steve encourages others to advocate for their health, recognize the impact of medical trauma, and find meaning through faith, connection, and accepting what they cannot control. Connect with Steve: Company: PADE HCM Services Website: https://www.padeservices.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevevEDS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-collins-shrm-cp-ms-b47a2538a/ Key Takeaways Self-advocacy can change everything. Steve's decision to ask for another review of his medical scan helped uncover a dangerous arterial dissection. Asking questions and speaking up about persistent concerns can be essential to getting appropriate care.Medical trauma doesn't end when you leave the hospital. Living with vEDS means navigating uncertainty, physical restrictions, medication effects, and the emotional weight of knowing that serious complications ...
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    47 min
  • You Are More Than Your Worst Mistake: Ranae on Healing After Prison, Resilience, and Second Chances — Part 2
    Oct 22 2026
    Can prison become the place where someone finally begins to heal from a lifetime of trauma? In Part 2, Ranae Van Roekel returns with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to discuss surviving a serious mental health crisis, discovering healthier coping skills during incarceration, rebuilding relationships, and creating a new purpose through Connecting to Cope. 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 are not the worst thing you ever did.” — Ranae Van Roekel Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder Content Notice: This episode includes discussions of suicidal thoughts, severe depression, childhood sexual trauma, incarceration, and mental health treatment. The conversation also explores recovery, self-worth, and the importance of supportive relationships. 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 Imagine walking into prison carrying decades of shame, untreated childhood trauma, and the belief that your worst decisions are all you'll ever be remembered for. Now imagine discovering that healing is still possible. In Part 2, Ranae Van Roekel returns to Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads for a powerful conversation with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles about mental health recovery, resilience, incarceration, and rebuilding a life after devastating choices. Before entering prison, Ranae experienced severe depression and suicidal thoughts that led to a stay at a mental health treatment facility. Although she had begun recognizing her need for help, it wasn't until incarceration that she started confronting the childhood trauma she had spent decades suppressing. Ranae shares how therapy, psychiatric care, physical activity, self-esteem classes, and meaningful friendships helped her challenge deeply ingrained beliefs about herself. A mental health professional who refused to accept her avoidance became especially important in helping her recognize destructive thinking patterns. After serving 36 months, Ranae returned home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reconnecting with her husband and sons, setting healthier boundaries, and welcoming her beloved dog, Cope, helped shape her next chapter. That journey inspired Connecting to Cope, her platform for emotional wellness, self-care, and compassionate support. Together, the trio explores how forgiveness differs from accountability, why healing requires ongoing effort, and how supportive relationships can help people rebuild without erasing the harm they've caused. Ranae's message is simple but powerful: your past is part of your story, not your entire identity. No matter how far you've fallen, the next step still matters. Keywords: Ranae Van Roekel, healing after prison, mental health recovery, trauma healing, resilience and recovery, prison rehabilitation, second chances, suicide prevention, emotional resilience, mental health treatment, self-worth and shame, coping skills, rebuilding after incarceration, Connecting to Cope, personal transformation Meet Our Guest — Ranae Van Roekel Ranae Van Roekel is a mental health advocate, justice reform advocate, and founder of Connecting to Cope, an initiative focused on helping people find healing and growth beyond their circumstances. Drawing from her experiences with childhood trauma, federal incarceration, mental health treatment, and rebuilding her life, she encourages others to recognize their worth while taking responsibility for their actions. Ranae is also a wife, mother, grandmother, and devoted dog lover who believes that empathy, honest conversations, and ongoing personal work can create meaningful change. Connect with Ranae: Website: https://connectingtocope.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connectingtocope/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connecting-to-cope/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConnectingtoCopeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectingtocope/ Key Takeaways Healing can begin in unexpected places. Ranae started confronting decades of unresolved childhood trauma while serving her prison sentence, although she acknowledges that incarceration itself does not guarantee healing.Mental health recovery happens one step at a time. Counseling, physical activity, better sleep, and learning new ways of thinking helped Ranae build a healthier foundation.Your past does not have to define your identity. Ranae encourages people to ...
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    44 min
  • You Are More Than Your Worst Mistake: Ranae on Childhood Trauma, People-Pleasing, and Accountability — Part 1
    Oct 20 2026
    What happens when unresolved childhood trauma, decades of people-pleasing, and the fear of being judged lead you down a path you never imagined? In Part 1, Ranae Van Roekel joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles for a deeply honest conversation about childhood sexual trauma, anxiety, shame, financial fraud, and the life-changing decision to take responsibility for her actions. 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’m not saying I’m stupid. I’m saying I made a stupid choice.” — Ranae Van Roekel Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder Content Notice: This episode includes discussions of childhood sexual assault, rape, suicidal thoughts, depression, financial fraud, and the emotional impact of incarceration. Please listen with care and take a break if you need one. 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 What happens when the trauma you've spent your entire life hiding starts shaping decisions you never thought you'd make? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles welcome Ranae Van Roekel, a wife, mother, grandmother, and founder of Connecting to Cope, for an unfiltered discussion about childhood sexual trauma, people-pleasing, shame, and taking accountability when everything falls apart. As a young girl, Ranae experienced sexual assault and tried to tell trusted adults what happened. Instead of receiving the support she needed, she learned to associate her experience with being "bad." That belief followed her into adulthood, contributing to a pattern of overcommitting, seeking approval, and struggling to face difficult truths. Years later, what began as a small ticket-reselling business spiraled into fraudulent transactions. Ranae admits she made illegal choices while desperately trying to fix a situation that kept getting worse. The pressure, anxiety, and fear became overwhelming. Eventually, she faced a terrifying crossroads: end her life or come forward and take responsibility. She chose to tell the truth. Ranae shares what happened when she voluntarily contacted authorities, confessed to her husband, and began reaching out to the people she had harmed. The conversation also explores the emotional cost of apologizing, the impact of public judgment, and how her family's reactions changed everything. This isn't a story about using trauma to excuse wrongdoing. It's about understanding how unresolved pain can shape behavior while recognizing that accountability and healing can coexist. Sometimes, the first step toward changing your life is admitting that you can't keep living the way you have been. Keywords: Ranae Van Roekel, childhood trauma recovery, people-pleasing, mental health and shame, sexual assault survivor, unresolved trauma, trauma responses, anxiety and depression, accountability and healing, overcoming guilt, mental health crisis, emotional resilience, family support, Connecting to Cope, mental health podcast Meet Our Guest — Ranae Van Roekel Ranae Van Roekel founded Connecting to Cope, a platform that helps people navigate trauma, emotional struggles, and personal growth through education, self-care, and community. After serving 36 months in federal prison, Ranae transformed her experiences with unresolved childhood trauma, accountability, and mental health recovery into a mission centered on compassion and second chances. Today, she also advocates for justice reform and a greater understanding of the human experiences behind incarceration. Connect with Ranae: Website: https://connectingtocope.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connectingtocope/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connecting-to-cope/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConnectingtoCopeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectingtocope/ Key Takeaways Unresolved trauma can affect choices decades later. Ranae's childhood experience shaped how she saw herself, handled conflict, and sought others' approval.People-pleasing can become a damaging coping pattern. Constantly trying to make everyone happy made it harder for Ranae to acknowledge problems and set boundaries.Trauma explains context, not responsibility. Ranae distinguishes between the experiences that influenced her thinking and the criminal decisions she ultimately made.Shame can keep people trapped in unhealthy cycles. Believing she was ...
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    34 min
  • D E Foster: The Hidden Reality of Benzodiazepine Withdrawal and Long-Term Healing
    Oct 15 2026
    What happens when a medication prescribed to help you becomes the beginning of a life-changing health battle? In this powerful episode of Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with D E Foster to uncover the hidden realities of benzodiazepine withdrawal, chronic anxiety, and living with Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND). From 12 years on Klonopin to becoming a voice for patients navigating withdrawal, D shares a story of resilience, medical advocacy, and learning that healing doesn't always follow a straight line. 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 “Kindness to ourselves, take care of yourself, be good to yourself, treat yourself well, and equal kindness to others.” — D E Foster Content Notice & Mental Health Crisis Resources Content Notice: This episode includes discussions of benzodiazepine dependence, prolonged withdrawal symptoms, chronic anxiety, medical trauma, loss of independence, and suicide. Please take care of yourself as you listen. D shares the heartbreaking loss of two close friends to suicide while discussing the emotional and physical challenges some people experience during prolonged benzodiazepine withdrawal. 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/ Important Medication Safety Reminder: Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be medically dangerous, particularly when medication is stopped abruptly. Do not stop or change a prescribed medication without working with a qualified healthcare professional. This episode shares lived experiences and educational information, not individualized medical advice. Episode Description Imagine taking a prescribed medication for 12 years, trusting that it's helping you, only to discover that coming off it could change your life in ways you never expected. That's exactly what happened to D E Foster. In this eye-opening conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles welcome D, an author, podcaster, medical researcher, and patient advocate who has dedicated more than a decade to helping people understand benzodiazepine dependence and withdrawal. Originally prescribed Klonopin for chronic stomach distress, D spent 12 years taking the medication without being warned about the potential complications of long-term use. When he eventually learned about those risks, he began an 18-month taper. His final dose was August 20, 2014, but his journey was far from over. D opens up about living with Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND), including cognitive challenges, physical symptoms, and the emotional toll of losing his career and independence. He also explains the critical difference between physical dependence and addiction, why individualized medical guidance matters, and how his lived experience helped shape benzodiazepine research and clinical guidelines. But this conversation isn't just about medication. It's about what happens when life doesn't return to normal, and you have to figure out what normal looks like now. From meditation and mindfulness to his wife's unwavering support, D shares the coping tools, relationships, and sense of purpose that have helped him navigate his toughest moments. He also gets real about people-pleasing, setting boundaries, and stepping away from advocacy work to protect his own well-being. Because sometimes the strongest thing you can do isn't push harder. It's recognizing when you need to take care of yourself. Keywords: D E Foster, benzodiazepine withdrawal, Klonopin withdrawal, benzodiazepine dependence, BIND, Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction, protracted withdrawal, chronic anxiety, benzodiazepine tapering, anxiety medication, mental health advocacy, medication withdrawal support, long-term healing, mindfulness for anxiety, self-compassion Meet Our Guest — D E Foster D E Foster is an author, podcaster, medical researcher, and mental health advocate specializing in chronic anxiety, benzodiazepine dependence, and the complications of long-term withdrawal. After his own difficult experience discontinuing Klonopin, he wrote Benzo Free: The World of Anti-Anxiety Drugs and the Reality of Withdrawal, created the Benzo Free Podcast, and helped advance research identifying Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND). As co-founder and co-chair of the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group, D...
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    50 min
  • Alexis: You Are Not Your Diagnosis — Redefining Mental Health
    Oct 13 2026
    Who gets to define who you are? Your diagnosis, your past, or someone else's expectations? In this hilariously honest and deeply meaningful episode, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with Alexis, a special education teacher, mental health advocate, and founder of Permission to Define, to talk about living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), challenging mental health stereotypes, finding the right therapist, setting boundaries, and taking back the power to define yourself. 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 "The hardest lesson I've ever learned is disclosure is not access." — Alexis Kur Content Notice & Mental Health Crisis Resources This episode includes conversations about Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), trauma, mental health stigma, difficult therapeutic experiences, discrimination related to a mental health diagnosis, and a brief mention of a past suicide attempt. Please listen with care and take breaks if needed. 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 What if everything you've been told about your mental health, your identity, and what success should look like isn't the whole story? In this powerful, funny, and unapologetically honest episode, Alexis joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk about living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), challenging mental health stigma, and refusing to let anyone else define who you are. Diagnosed with DID at 26, Alexis opens up about navigating nearly two decades of therapy, confronting misconceptions about her diagnosis, and building a trusted team of three therapists she affectionately calls her "Justice League." From equine-assisted therapy to exploring EMDR, she shares why finding the right mental health support matters and why healing sometimes requires questioning the language and expectations surrounding it. Alexis also shares the remarkable career change that took her from a successful, six-figure environmental consulting career to teaching high school special education. For her, success is no longer measured by money or professional recognition. It's watching a struggling student find the confidence to walk into class or discover a strength nobody else noticed. Things get especially real when Alexis discusses having her diagnosis used against her by someone she trusted professionally. That painful experience reinforced one of her most important lessons: Disclosure is not access. Sharing your story doesn't give someone permission to weaponize it. Through laughter, vulnerability, and plenty of colorful language, Alexis reminds us that lived experience matters, boundaries are essential, and only you get to decide what your diagnosis or your life means. Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for your mental health is stop trying to fit someone else's definition of normal. Keywords: Alexis Kur, Permission to Define, Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID awareness, living with DID, mental health stigma, mental health advocacy, trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, equine-assisted therapy, therapy relationships, mental health boundaries, self-advocacy, redefining success, lived experience Meet Our Guest — Alexis Alexis is a high school special education teacher, mental health advocate, speaker, writer, and founder of Permission to Define, a platform dedicated to challenging labels, amplifying lived experiences, and changing conversations about mental health. After 15 years in environmental consulting, Alexis traded a six-figure salary for something far more meaningful: helping teenagers recognize their strengths, build confidence, and believe in themselves. Now, working with high school students who receive special education services for emotional impairments, she brings compassion, authenticity, and her lived experience into the classroom. Diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) at 26, Alexis has spent nearly two decades navigating therapy, confronting mental health stereotypes, and discovering what it means to live authentically. Through Permission to Define, she champions the value of lived experience, challenges limiting language, and encourages others to take ownership of how they define themselves. With sharp humor, unapologetic honesty, and a refreshing willingness to question the status quo, Alexis reminds us that a diagnosis is...
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    51 min
  • Amy & Avery: Rebuilding After Life Changes — Caregiving, Self-Advocacy, and Finding Your Voice | Part 2
    Oct 8 2026
    What happens when chronic pain doesn’t only change the person hurting — it changes the marriage, the money, the business, the caregiver, and everybody’s identity? In Part 2, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles continue their conversation with Amy and Avery Nubson about caregiver burnout, asking for help, surviving the darkest chapters of a relationship, rebuilding independence, letting go of shame, and creating a life that looks nothing like the one they originally planned. 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 “Doing nothing was just not an option.” — Avery Nubson Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes discussion of suicidal concern, severe chronic pain, caregiver burnout, depression, medication complications, medical trauma, and significant relationship and financial stress. 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 Part 2 of Amy and Avery Nubson’s story asks a question we don’t talk about nearly enough: what happens to the caregiver when someone they love becomes consumed by pain? Amy gets brutally honest with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles about the period when she felt like a car accident had stolen her husband, best friend, business partner, and financial security all at once. Their clients disappeared. Medical bills landed on credit cards. She became Avery’s caregiver while trying to keep their lives afloat — and eventually reached a point where she knew something had to change. Avery shares the other side: the shame of needing help, the frustration of invisible disability, difficult treatment decisions, setbacks that sent his mental health spiraling, and the exhausting process of learning to advocate for himself. Together, they explain how pain journals helped reveal progress that was otherwise almost impossible to see. But this episode isn’t only about surviving. It’s about becoming. Amy found independence and her voice. Avery returned to art, creativity, illustration, and board-game design. They learned to travel differently, spend time apart without fear, ask for help, tell the truth about what they were experiencing, and stop measuring their lives against someone else’s timeline. Twelve years after the accident, Avery says something remarkable: he feels like he is coming back better. Keywords: caregiver burnout, chronic pain recovery, caregiver mental health, self-advocacy, men’s mental health, invisible disability, relationship resilience, asking for help, medical trauma, chronic illness marriage, emotional healing, storytelling and shame, self-discovery, pain journaling, finding your voice Meet Our Guests — Amy & Avery Nubson Amy Nubson turned one of the most difficult periods of her life into a mission to help other women rediscover their voices, courage, and confidence through storytelling, coaching, conferences, and her Rebrand You work. Avery Nubson is a longtime designer, marketer, illustrator, web and SEO professional whose life after a 2014 accident expanded his creative work into board-game design while giving him a deeply personal reason to speak about chronic pain, men’s pelvic health, PTSD, and the importance of refusing to give up on finding care. Together, Amy and Avery offer two sides of the same story: the person living with pain and the person loving, supporting, and sometimes struggling beside them. 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 Chronic illness affects relationships and families, not only the person experiencing the physical symptoms.Caregivers need care too, and ignoring their needs can create resentment, exhaustion, isolation, and emotional collapse.Progress can be so gradual that you miss it unless you intentionally look backward and notice how far you’ve come.Asking for help is not failure. Sometimes the most useful request is incredibly simple: mow the lawn, carry the bag, sit with me, or listen.Independence can strengthen a relationship. Amy and Avery learned that doing things separately helped them rediscover themselves outside their roles as patient and caregiver.Telling the story you once hid can ...
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    52 min
  • Amy & Avery: Rebuilding After Life Changes — Chronic Pain, PTSD, and Fighting to Be Heard | Part 1
    Oct 6 2026
    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, ...
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    56 min