Adult Child

What happens when you get sober… but the pain is still there?In this raw and relatable episode, Andrea sits down with fellow ACA Francisco to explore what healing actually looks like after sobriety — that messy middle where emotional numbness, grief, trauma recovery, and real intimacy all start to surface.Francisco got sober as a teenager, but it wasn’t until he found ACA that he began to confront the deeper wounds of his childhood. Together, they talk about what it means to un-thaw from functional freeze, grieve in real time, and build relationships rooted in wholeness rather than survival.Key Takeaways:Why sobriety alone isn’t enough — and how ACA helped Francisco finally feel what he’d been avoidingHow “doing okay” can be a mask for emotional shutdownThe intersection of grief, trauma healing, and long-term recoveryHow dating becomes a mirror for unresolved wounds — and a catalyst for growthWhy emotional sobriety isn’t about being happy, but being real⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpodRead lessOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comCheck out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When survival mode is all you’ve ever known, safety can feel threatening. This episode will help you understand why your body doesn’t trust what your brain says is fine—and why healing doesn’t start with your story, it starts with your body.Psychotherapist Carmen Dominguez joins us to unpack why so many trauma survivors can’t stay regulated, even when life is going well. We explore the polyvagal theory—and how nervous system dysregulation fuels everything from addiction and people-pleasing to codependency and emotional shutdown.🔑 Key Takeaways:• How polyvagal theory explains trauma responses like people-pleasing, addiction, emotional shutdown, and the fear of calm — even when life is finally “safe”• The role of “invisible trauma” — like chronic emotional neglect and unmet childhood needs — in shaping adult dysregulation and self-abandonment• Why codependency isn’t a character flaw, but a nervous system adaptation rooted in the fawn response and emotional neglect • The real reason healing doesn’t stick: how we retraumatize ourselves by doing trauma work before the body feels safe • What to ask a therapist before working with them — and how to spot whether they truly understand nervous system healing or are just using the buzzwords⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpodOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comCheck out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If you don't address your childhood trauma, your romantic relationships will. This is episode raw look at what happens when childhood wounds show up in adult relationships—and what it takes to break the cycle, together.Andrea sits down with Jeremiah and Mallory Campbell for a brutally honest look at how trauma, codependency, and unresolved childhood wounds shaped their relationship. From addiction and estrangement to postpartum depression and nervous system shutdown, they share what it really took to begin healing—individually and together.🔑 Key Takeaways:Childhood trauma doesn’t disappear in adulthood—it shows up in the way we fight, shut down, or try to fix our partner’s feelings.Codependency often looks like love at first. Jeremiah and Mallory share how enmeshment and emotional caretaking kept them stuck—and what it took to shift toward healthy interdependence.Family estrangement is grief with no clean ending. Mallory opens up about going no-contact with her parents and the emotional fallout of choosing boundaries over belonging.Healing while parenting means reparenting yourself, too. The Campbells share how their children’s emotional needs became mirrors for their own unhealed wounds.Breaking the cycle takes more than awareness—it takes nervous system work, real communication, and the willingness to get uncomfortable.⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpodOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Listen to Scott's first Shitshow Saturday episode here!⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comCheck out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What happens when the memories come back—but no one believes you? This is a story about shame, survival, and what it means to heal while raising the very children you’re terrified of hurting.In this episode, Andrea sits down with Alwynn, former host of Let Me Be Free, to talk about the long, messy road from toxic positivity to truth. From repressed memories and rage to parenting through trauma, this conversation is a raw look at what it really means to heal.🔑 Key Takeaways:Repressed trauma doesn’t stay buried forever — it shows up through the body, through emotional flashbacks, through parenting patterns, and through the parts of ourselves we don’t fully understand until we’re ready to remember.Toxic positivity is a survival strategy — and letting go of it can be the first step toward facing what we’ve spent a lifetime avoiding.Parenting while healing is messy, triggering, and sacred work — and real repair starts with self-forgiveness and honesty, not perfection.Shame thrives in secrecy — and healing begins when we can name our experiences, be witnessed, and know that we’re not the only ones.Breaking the cycle means confronting family denial, rewriting narratives, and grieving the childhood we didn’t have — even when others would rather we stay quiet.⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpodOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comCheck out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What if your "personality disorder" was actually trauma? The truth is, most therapists still don’t know how to spot complex PTSD — and way too many people get mislabeled in the process.In this episode, Andrea has compiled the best moments from her past conversations with Dr. Kirk Honda — licensed therapist and host of Psychology in Seattle. They unpack the blurred lines between complex trauma and personality disorders, challenge common therapy pitfalls, and offer real insight into what trauma-informed care actually requires.🔑 Key Takeaways:Why complex trauma often gets mistaken for a personality disorder — and how that mislabeling can delay real healingThe red flags of a therapist who isn’t truly trauma-informed (and how to vet the right one)How repressed memories work (what they actually are, and why trying to “dig them up” can be risky without the right support)The overlap between borderline personality disorder and CPTSD — and why labels aren’t always helpfulWhat most people get wrong about narcissism (hint: it’s not just a buzzword for people you don’t like)⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpodCheck out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️https://theshitshow.mn.co4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱  www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 BriansTHE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult ChildFollow Andrea on socialwww.instagram.com/adultchildpodwww.tiktok.com/@adultchildpodhttps://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comCheck out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy