Unpacking Me

UNPACKING ME: The Part of Trauma No One Talks About — Breaking the Cycle of Abuse This Father's Day This Father's Day season, we're going deeper than greeting cards and barbecues. On this episode of Unpacking Me , we're having the conversation most people are afraid to have — what does it actually take for a father to look at his own pain, his own upbringing, and choose to do t...

Father's Day can be one of the most emotionally complex holidays for those who have lost their fathers, are estranged, or never had a father figure at all. In this deeply moving episode, "Fatherless on Father's Day: Giving Yourself Permission to Feel All of It," we explore the often-unspoken grief that surfaces when the world celebrates a relationship you no longer have—or neve...

 Two Faces of Fatherhood: When Dad Saves the World But Can't Show Up at Home  At work, he was dependable. At church, he was present. With friends, he was warm, funny, and generous. With neighbors, he was the first to help. But at home — with you — he was somewhere else entirely. On this raw and revealing episode of Unpacking Me , we're exploring one of the most painful and confusing dyna...

 He Was Everyone's Hero Except Mine — Growing Up With a Father the World Loved Everyone cheered for him. The community adored him. The church celebrated him. The neighborhood looked up to him. But you just wanted him to see you. On this powerful episode of Unpacking Me , we're pulling back the curtain on one of the most isolating and misunderstood experiences a child can carry into adult...

 What happens when you can hold compassion for your mother… and still feel deeply hurt by her? In this episode, we explore the complexity of the mother wound —a deeply layered emotional experience that many people carry but rarely talk about openly. You can understand that she did the best she could with what she had, and still acknowledge the impact her limitations had on your nervous system, you...

What does it mean to show up as a mother when you’re still carrying unhealed parts of yourself? In this episode, we have an honest and necessary conversation about Black motherhood, trauma, and the emotional weight many Black mothers carry while raising children. So often, Black moms are expected to be strong, self-sacrificing, and resilient—while navigating their own unresolved pain, generational...

Why do so many of us learn to hide our emotions, push things down, and carry everything alone? In this episode, we explore emotional suppression—how it develops, why it feels like survival, and the long-term impact it has on your mental health, relationships, and sense of self. When expressing emotions didn’t feel safe, welcomed, or supported, many of us learned to stay quiet, be “strong,” and han...

The Real Reason You Overthink at Night You’re exhausted, your body is ready for sleep… but your mind won’t stop racing. In this episode, we unpack why your thoughts get louder at night, especially for those navigating anxiety, trauma, and emotional overwhelm. We explore how the nervous system, unprocessed emotions, and daily suppression show up when everything gets quiet. You’ll also learn practic...

Panic attacks can feel terrifying, overwhelming, and completely out of control. In this episode, we break down what is actually happening in your body and nervous system during a panic attack and why it can feel like you're losing control. We explore the science behind panic, the role of the fight-or-flight response, and practical ways to ground yourself when panic starts to rise. If you’ve e...

The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Therapist Choosing a therapist can feel overwhelming, especially when you don’t know what to look for. In this episode, we unpack the biggest mistakes people make when choosing a therapist and why the right therapeutic fit matters for healing. From ignoring specialization to overlooking personal connection and boundaries, we talk about the common pi...

Being Triggered, Healing, and Feeling Emotions for the First Time Unpacking Me: The Parts of Trauma No One Talks About Healing can feel terrifying when your nervous system finally starts to wake up. In this episode, we talk about that overwhelming moment when emotions surface after years of survival mode — and you start wondering if you’re losing your mind. We unpack what it really means to be tri...

There are moments in healing when something clicks — when you realize you’re no longer surviving, you’re choosing yourself. In this episode, we explore what it means to “grow up” in therapy: taking responsibility for your healing, recognizing patterns, and learning how to show up for yourself in ways no one ever taught you. We talk about the discomfort of self-awareness, the grief that comes with...

Unpacking Me: The Parts of Trauma No One Talks About What happens when you stop living for everyone else — and finally start choosing yourself? In this episode, we unpack what it really means to become the “black sheep” of the family. We explore how setting boundaries can trigger anger, guilt, and resistance, why healing often exposes long-standing family dysfunction, and how trauma survivors are...

Healing doesn’t happen without grief — especially at the end of the year, when reflection can bring up everything you’ve lost along the way. In this episode, we explore the quiet grief that shows up during trauma healing: grieving who you used to be, the life you thought you’d have, and the parts of yourself shaped by survival. We talk about how the end-of-year season can intensify this loss, how...

As the year comes to a close, so many of us fall into the silent spiral — comparing ourselves, questioning our progress, and feeling like we’ve somehow “failed behind.” In this episode, we get honest about the pressure that builds in the final months of the year and the way trauma can intensify self-criticism, urgency, and shame. We unpack the myths around productivity, the fear of not doing enoug...

The holidays can bring joy — but they can also bring pressure, guilt, and expectations. In this episode, we talk about the emotional weight of holiday obligations and how trauma, family dynamics, and people-pleasing patterns keep us stuck in traditions that drain us. We explore what it means to redefine the holidays on your own terms, honor your needs, and release the belief that you owe everyone...

For many people with trauma histories, saying “no” isn’t just uncomfortable — it feels dangerous. Especially during the holidays, when expectations and family dynamics intensify. In this episode, we dive into why setting boundaries can trigger fear, guilt, or survival responses, and how to navigate the holidays while honoring your limits. This is an honest conversation about reclaiming your voice,...

What happens when gratitude is used against you? In this episode, we unpack the dark side of “be grateful” culture — when people use gratitude to silence your pain, dismiss your needs, or guilt you out of wanting more. We explore how trauma survivors often internalize this pressure, confusing gratitude with self-abandonment. This conversation sheds light on how to reclaim gratitude in a healthy wa...

Life doesn’t magically get neat and orderly just because we’re healing — it stays messy, confusing, beautifully imperfect. In this episode, we explore how gratitude can coexist with struggle, how you can hold appreciation even when everything isn’t fixed, and why gratitude has nothing to do with perfection. It’s about presence, honesty, and noticing what’s still good even in the middle of the chao...

No one really teaches us how to be adults — especially when childhood was about survival, not stability. In this episode, we break down what “adulting” looks like through a trauma-informed lens: learning to self-regulate, set boundaries, manage responsibilities, and care for yourself in ways you were never shown. We talk about the guilt, confusion, and growing pains that come with reparenting your...

Trauma changes the way we see ourselves, others, and the world. In this episode, we explore what it means to live — and heal — through a trauma lens. From hypervigilance to self-blame, we unpack how past wounds shape present perspectives and reactions. Together, we look at how to recognize when your trauma lens is distorting reality, how to ground yourself in the present, and what it takes to begi...

In this episode, we explore how the mind can create both peace and pain — how “heaven and hell” are not just spiritual concepts, but internal realities shaped by our experiences and unhealed trauma. We talk about the ways our thoughts, memories, and beliefs can keep us trapped in cycles of fear, shame, or self-doubt, and how awareness and compassion can open the door to inner freedom. This episode...

Healing isn’t about simply waiting for time to pass — it takes courage. In this episode, we explore what it really means to face the work of healing: confronting pain, choosing growth even when it’s uncomfortable, and daring to believe you deserve better. We unpack the myths about “time heals all wounds” and highlight why healing is an active, intentional journey that requires strength, vulnerabil...

What happens when who you believe you are is built on someone else’s lens instead of your own? In this episode, we go deeper into the ripple effects of emotional invalidation — how repeated dismissal, gaslighting, or control can distort your sense of self and fracture your foundation. We unpack the ways trauma shapes identity, how living through someone else’s definition of you creates confusion a...

So many of us grew up being told we were “too sensitive,” “too much,” or that our feelings didn’t matter. In this episode, we reclaim the truth: your emotions and feelings are valid. We explore how trauma teaches us to dismiss or bury what we feel, the consequences of silencing our inner world, and the healing that comes from honoring our emotions without apology. This is an invitation to stop min...