Unraveled and Rising Podcast

What did your parents teach you about money? Whether you grew up believing money was scarce, something to fear, or something that caused conflict, those early experiences often shape how we earn, spend, save, invest, and even communicate in our relationships today. In this episode of Unraveled & Rising, we sit down with entrepreneur, author, and business coach Jen Perez to explore the emotiona...

At 12 years old, Kyle Fajen began using substances to escape emotional pain he didn't know how to process. After a serious car accident at 18 led to opioid prescriptions, what started as relief quickly became addiction. Over the next several years, Kyle's life spiraled into darkness as he used drugs to avoid the trauma, pain, and emotions he couldn't face. Even when his body was beginn...

Have you ever reacted to something and wondered, "Why did that affect me so much?"In this episode, Michelle and Terry explore the experiences so many women share—but often think they're carrying alone. From people-pleasing and mom guilt to self-criticism and putting everyone else's needs ahead of our own, we discuss how our childhood experiences, family dynamics, and early belief...

Mother’s Day can bring up a lot more than flowers and brunch. In this honest and emotional conversation, Michelle and Kimberly open up about the unexpected feelings they both experienced around Mother’s Day — without even realizing the other was struggling too. Because the truth is… many mother/child relationships are complicated. We talk about:Emotional distance between parents and adult children...

What happens when you’re still supporting your kids… while suddenly becoming responsible for aging parents too? In this honest conversation, Kimberly and Terry share their experiences with the “sandwich generation” — navigating adult children, divorce, medical issues, aging parents, burnout, overwhelm, and the pressure of holding everything together. We also discuss: “Parent dumps” happening at ho...

Why do so many feel exhausted, overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck… even when life looks “successful” on the outside? In this episode, we sit down with trauma-informed mentor and nervous system healing coach Stephanie Schoolmeester to talk about survival mode, emotional healing, burnout, people-pleasing, and reconnecting with your authentic self. We dive into: Nervous system regulation Childhood p...

You’re doing all the things—vitamins, treatments, workouts… and still not feeling like yourself. In this episode, we get real about beauty, aging, and menopause—from hair loss and skin changes to mood swings and emotional shifts that seem to come out of nowhere. It’s about hormones, identity, and the pressure to “keep it all together” while your body is changing. We talk about:→ Hair thinning→ The...

You know what to do… so why are you still stuck? In this episode of Unraveled & Rising , we sit down with therapist Deborah Gray to uncover what’s really driving that gap between knowing and doing—and why it has nothing to do with willpower. This conversation goes deeper than mindset. If you’ve been doing the work but still not seeing the shift—this will hit differently. Because you’re not laz...

What if supporting your mental health wasn’t just about talking… but also about how your brain is functioning? In this episode of Unraveled and Rising, we sit down with the team from Mindful Wellness Colorado to explore microcurrent therapy—an approach that’s gaining attention for its potential to support anxiety, trauma, mood regulation, and overall brain health. We ask the questions many people...

If you’ve tried therapy but still feel triggered, stuck, or overwhelmed… this may be the piece you’ve been missing. Knoel Hendrick, a therapist in the Denver metro area, unpacks EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)—a powerful approach that helps your brain and body finally process unresolved trauma. Kimberly and Terry also share their personal experiences with EMDR and what...

Do you avoid photos, hate how you look in pictures, or feel like your body image issues are affecting your confidence? In this honest episode of Unraveled & Rising, Michelle and Kimberly talk about the hidden pain of self-image, body dysmorphia, aging, comparison, and the identity stories we carry about our appearance. How insecurity gets shaped by family, culture, and social media — and why h...

What if the problem isn’t your life… but the programming running it? Mindset mastery coach Dr. Ed Wheeler breaks down the difference between your conscious and subconscious mind — and how hidden beliefs, trauma, and identity shape your reactions, relationships, and results. We talk about: ➡️ Why you don’t have to believe every thought you think ➡️ How trauma gets stored in the body ➡️ The “stick p...

Ever feel like you know better… but you still react the same way, choose the same people, or replay the same painful story in your head? In this episode of Unraveled & Rising, Terry (trauma recovery coach) shares a powerful tool she teaches every week to women inside a correctional facility: how to recognize the trauma thought loop—the cycle where a thought becomes a feeling, a feeling becomes...

When end of life happens for loved ones, families are left unprepared, conflicted, and overwhelmed at one of the most vulnerable moments of life. Kimberly Diaz, RN, explains what hospice care is, how it works, and why many families are often not fully informed about this option within the healthcare system. Drawing from years of experience sitting with hundreds of families at the end of life, Kimb...

What if constipation isn’t just physical — but emotional, nervous-system deep? In this episode, we sit down with Melissa Hall Klepacki for an honest, grounding conversation about gut health, chronic constipation, and the deeper root causes most approaches overlook. We move beyond the usual fiber-and-water advice and explore how stress, the nervous system, emotional holding, and lived experience ca...

This is not an easy story — but it’s an important one. Mandy Kiebler, MA, speaks openly about what it was like to be trafficked, how trauma shaped her choices and identity, and the long road back to safety, self-trust, and purpose. This conversation isn’t about shock — it’s about truth, resilience, and what healing really takes. Today, Mandy is a therapist, educator, and founder of The Refinery fo...

Every January, we’re pressured to reinvent ourselves overnight. Then, when we fall short, we blame ourselves instead of the system. Instead of chasing perfection, we talk about a healthier, more sustainable approach to change. In this episode, we discuss: Why society pushes New Year’s resolutions that don’t actually work How resolutions can trigger self-criticism and emotional setbacks The cycle o...

Personal growth changes everything — including your relationships. And no one really warns you about that part. Growth can be freeing. It can also be uncomfortable and humbling. In this episode, we cover: ✨Why personal growth often disrupts relationships ✨The grief that comes with outgrowing people you still care about ✨When cutting people off is about protection, not punishment ✨Why growth ca...

In this reflective year-end episode of Unraveled and Rising, the three of us sit down for an honest conversation about what unraveled for us in 2025, what we learned through it, and what we’re intentionally bringing with us into 2026.We invite you to go one step deeper. Visit our website https://unraveledandrising.com/ and write a letter to your younger self — sharing what you’re leaving in 2025 a...

In this deeply moving episode of Unraveled and Rising , we sit down with Michael Stone , trauma integration facilitator, spiritual mentor, and author of Traumatized: A Love Story . Michael shares his life journey with honesty and care — growing up in the shadow of severe childhood trauma, navigating years of instability and loss, and later enduring the devastating murder of his wife. For more than...

“We didn’t have food like this in the camps.” For Willie Handler, phrases like this weren’t history — they were the soundtrack of childhood. In this deeply moving episode of Unraveled and Rising, Willie Handler, author of Stepping Out of the Shadows, a memoir exploring what it means to be the child of Holocaust survivors, discusses how trauma, silence, and survival shape generations long after the...

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses domestic violence, emotional abuse, and trauma. Please listen with care. In this deeply personal episode, Terry and Michelle talk honestly about their experiences with domestic violence — how they ended up in abusive relationships, why they stayed longer than they ever expected, and the moment they finally chose to leave for good. This is not a story of sham...

In this episode, we sit down with Courtney Stanfield — veteran broadcaster, mom of three, and creator of the Air Out App, a safe, anonymous space for people to release the thoughts they’ve been holding in. The idea came to Courtney in the middle of the night — a dream so strong she found herself emailing app developers before sunrise. Today, Air Out is helping thousands of people vent, confess, pr...

In this powerful episode of Unraveled and Rising, Michelle and Kimberly dive into the Dementia Wave — a sweeping shift that is transforming American families, workplaces, and entire communities. With dementia rates climbing, most of us are completely unprepared. This episode explores how dementia is reshaping our society — and what we can do to respond with wisdom rather than fear. ❤️ In this epis...

No one should face their final moments alone, afraid, or unsafe. In this deeply human episode of Unraveled and Rising, we sit down with Brother James Patrick “JP” Hall, Executive Director of the Colorado Rocky Mountain Refuge—a sanctuary for people on hospice who are homeless or living in unsafe home environments. When the world turns its back, the Refuge opens its doors. It’s a makeshift family t...