

Adult Child
Andrea Ashley
Adult Child dives deep into the lasting effects of growing up in dysfunctional families—unpacking complex and relational trauma, codependency, toxic shame, and addiction patterns with raw vulnerability and unapologetic authenticity.Hosted by Andrea Ashley, a recovering shitshow with 17 years sober, each episode shares unfiltered insights, expert conversations, and practical tools to heal your nervous system and break free from the cycles that hold you back.Whether you’re an adult child of alcoholics or from a dysfunctional family, navigating toxic relationships, or healing your inner child, this is your no-BS space for healing. New episodes every Wednesday & Saturday.And damn the join The Shitshow Healing Community for live support groups and connection with fellow cycle breakers.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 18, 2025 • 1h 17min
The Truth About Codependency: Why It’s Not Empathy, It’s Survival w/ Dr. Sarah Michaud
Dr. Sarah Michaud, psychologist and author of "Co-Crazy," shares her journey of overcoming codependency and addiction. She discusses how codependency is often misunderstood as selflessness, revealing it to be a survival mechanism rooted in trauma. The conversation highlights the myth of high-functioning individuals who seem fine while avoiding deeper pain. Sarah emphasizes the grief of healing, letting go of unfulfilling relationships, and the need for personal accountability in recovery. She also explores the transformative power of body awareness in healing trauma.

Jun 14, 2025 • 40min
SHITSHOW SATURDAY #157 - Kristen
TRIGGER WARNING - This episode discusses childhood sexual and physical abuse.⬇️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.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jun 11, 2025 • 1h 7min
The Body Remembers What Talk Therapy Missed: Somatic Healing, Inner Child Work & Ayurveda w/ Jeannine Rashidi
You can escape the chaos, build a new life, and still feel like your trauma is living in your body.Jeannine Rashidi is a trauma healing practitioner, Ayurvedic doctor, and author of Abundance Beyond Trauma. She also happens to have one of the most jaw-dropping, powerful healing stories I’ve ever heard.In this episode, Jeannine shares how she escaped an abusive, addiction-fueled home at 15, became a mother while living unhoused, and eventually broke generational cycles — not just for herself, but for her daughters.Key takeaways from this episode:– You can repeat your trauma story even after you’ve escaped it. Jeannine found herself in a relationship that mirrored the chaos she grew up in. It wasn’t until her daughter began showing signs of trauma that she realized the cycle was continuing — and that she had the power to stop it.– Talk therapy didn’t touch the places her trauma lived. It was through somatic work, massage therapy, and Ayurvedic medicine that Jeannine began to access the pain, memories, and survival patterns stored in her body.– Parenting while triggered is its own kind of trauma. Jeannine opens up about how her daughters’ milestones activated emotional flashbacks — and how healing her inner child became essential to showing up for her kids.– The body gives us information before the brain can explain it. Whether it’s flinching during touch or chronic pain that won’t go away, Jeannine shares how the body holds clues to unresolved trauma — and how learning to decode them can transform the healing process.– Healing doesn’t require retelling your entire story. Jeannine’s EDHIR process meets clients where they are, helping them explore what’s present now — and trusting that this will lead them back to what needs to be integrated, without re-traumatization.⬇️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.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jun 7, 2025 • 42min
SHITSHOW SATURDAY #157 - Kelly A.
⬇️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 Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jun 4, 2025 • 1h 7min
When Sobriety Isn’t Enough: An ACA Recovery Story of Trauma, Dating & Grief w/ Francisco
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 Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

May 31, 2025 • 39min
SHITSHOW SATURDAY #156 - Kristy
⬇️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 Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

4 snips
May 28, 2025 • 1h 8min
Why peace feels unsafe: Trauma Healing Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory w/ Carmen Dominguez
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 Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

May 24, 2025 • 39min
SHITSHOW SATURDAY #155 - Outgrowing People Who Won’t Grow With You
⬇️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 Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

May 21, 2025 • 1h 12min
How Trauma Shows Up in Relationships: Codependency, Triggers & Healing w/ Jeremiah & Mallory Campbell
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 Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

May 17, 2025 • 40min
SHITSHOW SATURDAY #154 - The Return of Scott
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 Bioma Health and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://gobioma.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Calm: https://calm.com/ADULTCHILD* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/adultchildAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy


