What do you do when life keeps testing how much you want it? In this episode, Michael Anthony talks with his friend Chris Miles, founder of Money Ripples. Chris has built wealth, lost it, and rebuilt it more than once. He went from picking up loose change at drive-thrus at 3 a.m. to reaching financial freedom by age 28. Then the 2008 crash left him more than $1 million in debt and on food stamps, and he lost his home in 2009. A year later, the company he helped pull back from the edge of bankruptcy did over $5 million in coaching sales.

Chris talks about the mindset, habits and faith that carried him through those lows. He also explains why some of his best ideas came during the hardest times, and why he sees money as "the magnifier of the soul."

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How a shy, socially anxious kid chose entrepreneurship over a "cookie cutter" life
• Leaving a job with six-minute bathroom breaks to work 100% on commission
• "Commission breath": how desperation pushes clients away
• The cold November night he spent three hours collecting $4 in change
• His car being repossessed, and working smile-and-dial sales at Ancestry.com
• Why his father, who "did everything right," still couldn't retire
• Moving from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset
• "Dollars follow value": becoming someone who solves problems
• Buying a Mercedes and a show home to hide his insecurities
• Losing everything in the 2008 recession, and the imposter syndrome that came with it
• Creating the Cash Flow Index debt payoff strategy at his lowest point
• His August 2009 moment of surrender, and the turnaround that followed
• Michael's own story: a Fortune 10 job at 20, a repossessed Cadillac, and being $50K in debt at 29
• How Chris retired twice by age 39

Chris Miles is a Cash Flow Expert and founder of Money Ripples who helps high-income earners achieve financial freedom through passive income. He has retired twice before 40 and helped clients create over $300 million in cash flow and long-term passive income. Chris is also the author of Work Optional Blueprint and host of the Money Ripples Podcast.

Connect with Chris Miles:

• Website: https://moneyripples.com/

·      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyripples/

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moneyripples
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneyripples
• Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/money-ripples-podcast/id895555599
• X: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/money-ripples-podcast/id895555599
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@moneyrippleswithchrismiles

·       Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscmiles/?isSelfProfile=false

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Why do you keep making the same choices even when you know better? In this episode, Michael Unbroken sits down with Carrie Davidson, a registered nurse, trauma coach, and author, to talk about complex PTSD (CPTSD), childhood trauma, and why so many survivors stay stuck in the same patterns.

Carrie grew up with an alcoholic parent in a home where nothing was predictable. As a kid and young adult she was diagnosed with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and none of those labels got to the root of what she was going through. Things finally made sense when she learned about complex PTSD and the inner critic. Her big shift was a new way of seeing herself: "I am not broken, but I'm patterned, and patterns can change."

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why trauma survivors get "subconsciously addicted" to behavior that feels safe and familiar
• How diagnoses and labels can miss the root cause of trauma
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how they shape adult behavior
• Why you can't think your way out of trauma, and why healing also has to happen in the body and nervous system
• Being "high functioning" while struggling with substance use
• Performative healing vs. real change
• Letting go of the identity you built just to survive
• Why healing can't happen alone and needs community

ABOUT CARRIE DAVIDSON:

Carrie Davidson is an author, registered nurse, and trauma recovery coach who spent decades in destructive patterns before learning in her mid-thirties that she was living with complex PTSD. Coming to her work from inside the wound rather than a textbook, she writes and speaks about the difference between what was done to her and what was passed down, what addiction was really trying to do for her, and what changed when she stopped performing recovery and started living it. Her memoir, Addicted to Trauma: A Memoir of CPTSD, Addiction, and the Patterns That Almost Killed Me, arrives in Summer 2026. She splits her time between Durham, North Carolina, and San Pedro, Belize, and can be found at carriepdavidson.com.

Connect with Carrie Davidson:

• Website: https://carriepdavidson.com/
• Instagram: @carriepdavidson
• TikTok: @carriepdavidson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cpdavidson1
• Podcast: https://podmatch.com/guestdetailpreview/178045952435507297817a5a1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriepdavidson/

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What if the moment your life falls apart is the moment you finally start living it?

In this conversation, Michael Unbroken is joined by Dr. Stephanie Nash, founder of Paradigm Expansions and author of "The D Word: How Divorce Ended Self-Abandonment and Led to Self-Reclamation," for a conversation about honesty, identity, the body's role in healing, and the quiet ways we disappear from our own lives.

Stephanie describes what it looked like to live between two worlds, one deeply spiritual and one built on constant achievement, always waiting for permission to believe she was enough. She walks through the choice to begin therapy, the ending of her marriage soon after, and the messy stretch of months that followed, including the loss of the future she had imagined and the grief that came with it. She and Michael get into why goodness alone will not make you happy, why we keep returning to rooms that hurt us, and how tuning into your own rhythms replaces the pressure to grow in a straight line.

Inside this episode:

• The link between chasing achievement and quietly abandoning yourself

• What dishonesty with yourself does to your relationships and sense of self

• Six areas of life where the truth is not optional

• Why healing often gets harder before it gets better

• Moving emotion through the body instead of thinking your way out

• Releasing the fear of how other people will see your choices

• Reading your current season so you know whether to push or pause

• Turning an ending into the beginning of reclaiming yourself

 

ABOUT DR. STEPHANIE NASH:

Dr. Stephanie Nash ("Dr. Steph"), PhD, OTR/L, is the founder of Paradigm Expansions, a platform that blends neuroscience and spirituality to help empaths break free from guilt and reconnect with their authentic selves; drawing on a diverse background in occupational therapy, rehabilitation research, health systems innovation, yoga, and intuition, she approaches inner healing work from both a scientific and soulful perspective, and her forthcoming book, The D Word, uses her own divorce as a lens to explore the journey from self-abandonment to self-reclamation—a message she captures through Carl Jung's idea that "the privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."

Connect with Dr. Steph:

Website: https://www.paradigmexpansions.com/start

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paradigm_expansions/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paradigmexpansions/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@paradigm_expansions

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanierouch/

Book (The D Word): https://www.paradigmexpansions.com/dword

Subscribe for more conversations about childhood trauma, entrepreneurship, healing, mental health, personal growth, and becoming the best version of yourself.

 

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Jessie Tylre Williams spent 25 years heavily addicted to drugs before getting completely clean on February 1, 2009. In this episode of The Think Unbroken Podcast, she sits down with host Michael Unbroken to talk about childhood sexual abuse, generational addiction, self-sabotage, identity loss, and what it actually took to get and stay sober for good.

This is a real, unfiltered conversation about addiction recovery, childhood trauma, and healing. Jesse shares her turning point, the night she nearly died getting clean, and how she rebuilt her identity from the ground up. Michael shares his own story of childhood addiction, a suicide attempt at 14, and the self-sabotage that came from early success. Together they break down why addiction often isn't the problem, it's the coping mechanism for a deeper pain, and what real, sustainable healing looks like in the years after you get clean.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, trauma, or feeling alone in the healing process, this episode is for you.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussion of childhood sexual abuse, addiction, and suicide. Please take care of yourself while listening.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

- Why addiction often starts as a coping mechanism for childhood trauma

- The connection between childhood sexual abuse and addictive patterns

- Why success and money can fuel self-sabotage

- How to rebuild your identity after getting sober

- Why "chaos becomes comfort" for people who grew up in dysfunction

- The role of surrender in long-term recovery

- How service to others supports sustainable healing

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction to Jessie Tylre Williams

00:16 The healing journey: rock bottom to rising

01:07 Why this conversation matters

02:02 Addiction running through generations

02:41 What addiction means to Jesse

05:27 Michael's story of childhood addiction

07:18 Jesse's childhood trauma and sexual abuse

09:49 The teenage years: escalating addiction

12:02 Jesse's addiction journey (trigger warning)

14:01 Wanting to die vs. wanting to live

18:06 Michael's suicide attempt at 14

19:59 Early success, money, and self-sabotage

21:26 Fight or flight and chaos as comfort

22:11 Life on tour as a musician

24:46 Training your mind like a muscle

26:42 Mental, emotional, and spiritual addiction

28:35 Feeling safe for the first time

29:33 The turning point question

30:35 Complete surrender: getting clean on Feb 1, 2009

33:29 Detox and replacing addiction with healing tools

36:35 Generational addiction and family history

38:04 Addiction as a "superpower" when redirected

38:34 Losing identity: killing "Mike" and "Aggie"

41:10 Rebuilding identity after addiction

45:14 Getting back up after falling down

46:41 Turning addiction into service to others

47:36 Where to find Jesse and her book

48:27 The legacy she hopes to leave

50:43 What it means to be Unbroken

ABOUT JESSIE TYLRE WILLIAMS:

Jessie Tylre Williams is a musician, author, and addiction recovery advocate who has been clean for over 17 years after 25 years of heavy addiction. She is the author of "Rising Above Hell," a memoir available in English and Spanish on Amazon, which includes a workbook to help readers process their own trauma and addiction.

Connect with Jessie:

Website: https://www.jessie-williams.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessietylre/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieTylre

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-tylre-williams-601b7548/

Book (Rising Above Hell): https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jessie-Tylre-Williams/author/B0B8B6DWPP

ABOUT MICHAEL UNBROKEN:

Michael Unbroken is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and host of The Think Unbroken Podcast, where he interviews survivors of childhood trauma and addiction about how they rebuilt their lives. He is the author of "Think Unbroken: Understanding and Overcoming Childhood Trauma."

Connect with Michael:

Website: https://www.michaelunbroken.com

Podcast: https://www.thinkunbrokenpodcast.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelunbroken

Book (Think Unbroken): https://www.thinkunbroken.com/store/paperback

If this episode helped you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe to the channel, and leave a review. You are not alone, and you are one decision away from everything being different.

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What happens when money, achievement, and success still leave you feeling broken?

In this powerful conversation, Michael Unbroken sits down with entrepreneur and author Howard Steinberg to explore the hidden connection between childhood trauma, high achievement, self-worth, and the relentless pursuit of success.

Howard shares how growing up with inherited trauma shaped his identity, relationships, and entrepreneurial journey. Together, Michael and Howard discuss why external success cannot heal internal wounds, how fear can masquerade as ambition, and what it takes to move from self-criticism toward self-forgiveness and self-love.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why childhood trauma often drives high achievement

• How money can become a false source of safety

• The difference between confidence and self-worth

• Why successful entrepreneurs can still feel empty

• How to make decisions from love instead of fear

• The role of psychedelic medicine and integration

• How self-forgiveness helps you trust yourself again

• What it means to become “unbroken”

Learn more about Howard Steinberg and his book, Confessions of a Problem Seeker:

https://howardsteinberg.com

Subscribe for more conversations about childhood trauma, entrepreneurship, healing, mental health, personal growth, and becoming the best version of yourself.

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In a world of nonstop noise, hustle, and distraction, most of us never slow down long enough to ask a simple question: who am I really when everything gets quiet? In this powerful conversation, Michael Unbroken sits down with neurospiritual practitioner Dhruva Gouler to unpack how isolation, deep silence, and ruthless honesty on the page helped him move from self hate to self love and emotional freedom.

You will learn why quitting the things that are destroying you, creating space for nothingness, and writing down everything you do not like about yourself can rewire how you see and speak to yourself when you are alone. Dhruva shares how he used “neurospiritual sovereignty” and what he calls emotional freedom to stop seeking external validation and instead govern his emotions from a calmer nervous system state.

If you struggle with trauma, self loathing, anxiety, or constant overstimulation, this episode will show you how to:

• Create intentional isolation and silence so you can finally hear your own thoughts and truth
• Use daily writing and journaling to process shame, resentment, and self judgment until there is nothing left to hide from
• Build emotional freedom instead of chasing emotional regulation that never seems to last
• Shift from self hate to self compassion by becoming the most important person in your life
• Move from sympathetic overdrive into a parasympathetic, grounded state through “neurospiritual athleticism”

Watch this episode if you are ready to stop numbing out, face yourself in the silence, and learn how to be unbroken from the inside out.

Timestamps (edit to match final cut):

0:00 – Why isolation and silence can save your life

2:00 – Dhruva’s journey from self hate to self love and emotional freedom

8:00 – Quitting what is not good for you and making yourself a priority

15:00 – Writing, journaling, and the power of radical self honesty

25:00 – Neurospiritual sovereignty, nervous system, and emotional governance

35:00 – How to create your own process of healing and sovereignty

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For so many high achievers, success becomes a survival mechanism instead of real healing from trauma. In this conversation, Michael Unbroken and inner child healing expert Ingeborg Mooiweer break down why working harder, achieving more, and collecting accolades never truly resolve childhood wounds. They explore how high performance can lead to burnout, divorce, health issues, and feeling emotionally unsafe, even when life looks “successful” from the outside.

You will learn:

• Why high performance often comes from childhood survival mechanisms, not genuine safety.
• What inner child work and reparenting actually look like in real life, step by step.
• How to create an emotionally safe “container” so you can finally address the root of your trauma.
• The role of environment, relationships, and self‑talk in long‑term healing and resilience.

If you are a high performer, entrepreneur, or leader who feels stuck in the same emotional patterns no matter how successful you become, this episode will help you understand what is really driving your behavior and how to start creating change that lasts.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro: High achievers and trauma

01:00 Why success will not heal your wounds

03:15 Survival mechanisms and childhood trauma

10:00 Inner child work and reparenting explained

20:12 Balancing high performance with real healing

If you found this valuable, subscribe for more conversations on trauma healing, inner child work, and becoming unbroken, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it today.

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It’s amazing what can happen when you step outside your comfort zone and answer the call of ayahuasca for deep healing and spiritual transformation. In this powerful conversation, Michael Unbroken sits down with ayahuasca guide and retreat leader Yasha Shah to unpack what really happens in the medicine space – beyond the hype, beyond the biohacking, and beyond the Instagram retreats.

You’ll hear Yasha’s raw story of battling depression, ADHD and desperation, trying everything from psychiatry to Reiki before finally traveling to Peru for a 21‑day immersive ayahuasca experience that changed his life – and then seemed to “stop working” when old patterns returned months later. After losing about 2.5 million dollars in the stock market and facing his own dark night of the soul, Yasha went back out into the world, spending a year in Nepal and India searching for gurus in the Himalayas, only to realize that no one else could save him – and that true healing demanded a different kind of spiritual honesty and responsibility.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What ayahuasca is and how Indigenous Amazonians discovered and combined specific plants like ayahuasca and chacruna to create the medicine, against impossible odds in a jungle of tens of thousands of species.
• How tribes in Peru and Colombia understand trauma as “soul loss” – and why they use ayahuasca not only for healing, but also for hunting, finding medicine plants, communicating with ancestors, and navigating the spiritual world, including the darker side of brujeria and energetic attacks.
• Why many Western seekers focus only on DMT, the default mode network and “inner child work,” while Indigenous healers emphasize spiritual and energetic dimensions that can’t be reduced to brain science alone.

Michael also shares his own firsthand experience drinking ayahuasca with Shipibo healers in a small group with multiple shamans and dedicated facilitators, including one night where he felt the crushing weight of every soul’s energy in the room until a shaman performed an intense energetic clearing with tobacco, blessed water and song that changed everything in an instant. As a self‑described rational, skeptical, Type‑A personality, Michael breaks down why this ceremony shattered his disbelief and opened him to a deeper understanding of plant medicine and spiritual reality.

If you’re curious about:

• Ayahuasca for depression, trauma and spiritual healing
• How to think about safety, lineage and integrity when choosing a retreat or shaman
• The real difference between quick‑fix “biohacking” and long‑term, spiritually grounded healing

…this conversation will give you grounded insight from both a skeptical entrepreneur and a student‑turned‑guide who has lived this path across Peru, Colombia, Nepal and India.

Watch until the end for practical reflections on how to approach ayahuasca responsibly, what questions to ask before you sit with any facilitator, and why some people don’t get lasting results – plus what might be missing in their healing process from a spiritual and energetic perspective.

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Most people think kids who commit violent crimes are just “bad seeds” – but the truth is far more complex and rooted in childhood trauma, foster care, and survival. In this in‑depth conversation, Michael Unbroken sits down with Wendy B. Smith, author of Before There Are Crimes, to explore what really leads young people into juvenile justice and adult prison.

You’ll learn how traumatic childhoods, unsafe neighborhoods, hunger, and constant exposure to violence shape a child’s brain and decision‑making long before a crime is ever committed. Wendy shares research and real stories from former juvenile offenders so you can understand the hidden factors behind youth crime, recidivism, and why punishment without healing doesn’t work.

If you work in mental health, foster care, juvenile justice – or you grew up in chaos yourself – this episode will challenge the myths about “criminal kids” and show why early support and trauma‑informed care matter.

Timestamps:

00:00 Why we misunderstand people who commit crimes

02:00 Wendy B. Smith on Before There Are Crimes

05:00 What every juvenile offender had in common in childhood

10:00 Foster care, trauma, and the path to prison

20:00 How chronic stress rewires kids’ brains

30:00 Why many youth end up in adult prison anyway

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Here is a concise, SEO‑optimized YouTube description tailored to this episode and script:

If life is kicking your ass right now and you feel stuck, lost, and asking “why me,” this conversation is for you. In this episode of the Think Unbroken Podcast, Michael Unbroken sits down with author, musician, and survivor Ben Barbic to talk about his new book Rise and Climb: Finding Purpose Through Pain and the exact decisions that turned rock bottom into a life of purpose and happiness.

We dive deep into childhood trauma, losing everything overnight, panic attacks, addiction, getting arrested at 28, and the mirror‑moment that forces you to choose: stay a lifer in your old identity or become the hero of your own story. Ben shares how he used therapy, meditation, music, and “flip the switch” decisions to correct the ship one day at a time and build a life as a present father, creator, and peaceful soldier.

In this episode you will learn:

• How to know when you have truly had “enough” and are ready to change your life
• Why one decision at rock bottom can snowball into a completely different future
• Practical ways to turn anxiety, panic attacks, and darkness into fuel for growth
• How to deal with shame, imposter syndrome, and your past without letting them define you
• What it really means to find purpose through pain and raise your standards again and again

Timestamps:

00:00 Facing reality and finding purpose through pain

03:15 What to do when life is kicking your ass

07:50 Childhood chaos, anxiety, and feeling different

13:10 Rock bottom, getting arrested, and the teddy bear moment

22:30 Panic attacks, letting go, and driving to Portland for therapy

32:20 Daily habits, long‑game thinking, and building momentum

47:30 Purpose through pain and using your story to help others

50:30 What it means to be Unbroken

If you are ready to rise and climb beyond your past, this episode will give you honest, real‑world tools to make one powerful decision today and start correcting the ship.

Listen to Ben’s music: search “Ben Barbic” on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major platforms.

Get Rise and Climb: Finding Purpose Through Pain on Amazon.

More episodes and resources: search “Think Unbroken Podcast” or visit thinkunbrokenpodcast.com.

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Started a brand new company on July 1st with zero clients. Three weeks later, it had booked six figures in business. In this episode, Michael Anthony breaks down the exact 4-step framework he used to land his first client from scratch — no fancy funnel, no big audience, just a simple, repeatable process anyone can follow.

If you're starting a business with no clients and no idea where to begin, this is your roadmap.

What you'll learn in this video:

Why business is simpler than you think — it's just an exchange of value

How to identify the one skill you have that people will pay top dollar for

Why you have to believe in yourself before you ever take the first step

The uncomfortable, repeated action that actually creates results

Why patience — not motivation — is what separates people who make it from people who quit

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 – What I'd do if I had zero clients today

2:06 – What I'm actually an expert at (and how to find yours)

4:25 – Step 1: Identify the skill that's worth real money

6:49 – Step 2: You have to believe before you can create

9:13 – Free resource: the 7-Figure Entrepreneur Handbook

11:36 – Step 3: Take action and get in the damn game

13:36 – Step 4: Be patient and play the long game

15:54 – Final thoughts: there is a process for this

ABOUT MICHAEL ANTHONY

Michael Anthony (Michael Unbroken) is an award-winning keynote speaker, best-selling author, and award-winning podcast host who has generated over $30 million in online sales and built multiple seven-figure companies from the ground up. He is the founder of the Unbroken Business Support Group, helping entrepreneurs and business owners simplify their message, land clients, and scale with proven systems.

GRAB THE RESOURCE

Get the 7-Figure Entrepreneur Handbook for $7 — the 10 biggest lessons learned building a seven-figure company:

https://unbrokenbsg.com/handbook

WORK WITH US

https://unbrokenbsg.com

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL

Website: https://www.michaelunbroken.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelunbroken

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelAnthonySpeaker

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-anthony-unbroken/

If you got value from this video, subscribe and leave a review — it means the world and helps this message reach more people who need it.

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Growing up in the same home does not mean you live the same story. In this powerful conversation, Michael Unbroken sits down with sisters Kathleen Harnish McKune and Karen Dickerson to explore how siblings can experience the same traumatic household in completely different ways and still find a path to healing together.

They share the reality of incest, sexual abuse, violence, manipulation, and emotional neglect in their childhood, and how those experiences shaped their identities, health, and relationships well into adulthood. You will hear how one sister became the “second mother” and dissociated to survive, while the other carried a high pain tolerance, dissociated from her body, and tried to protect everyone else.

Together they break down:

• How adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact the brain, body, and long‑term health
• Why emotional dysregulation, hot tempers, people pleasing, and lack of boundaries are trauma responses, not personality flaws
• The role of sibling competition, being ranked and rated, and being pitted against each other by abusive parents
• What it really looks like to reconnect as adults, repair sibling relationships, and become best friends after years of isolation and estrangement

You will also learn about the 5 Rs of resilience from their book “Remarkably Resilient Community Matters”, why understanding the neuroscience of trauma shifts the question from “What is wrong with me?” to “What happened to me?”, and how regulation practices like breathwork, somatic work, meditation, and self‑care can help widen your window of tolerance.

If you grew up in a traumatic home, have a high ACE score, struggle with anger, shutdown, anxiety, people‑pleasing, chronic illness or chaotic relationships, this episode will show you that you are not alone and that healing is a lifelong journey, not a one‑time event.

Timestamps (suggested):

00:00 Intro – Why siblings’ trauma stories matter

03:00 Kathleen’s story: abuse, escape, and years of no contact

10:00 Karen’s story: “protector child”, suicide planning, and a dog that saved her life

17:00 How their father used comparison, ranking, and isolation to control the kids

24:00 Discovering ACEs and realizing their childhood was not “normal”

28:00 The 5 Rs of resilience and why regulation comes first

33:00 Trauma responses vs personality: hot heads, people pleasers, and no boundaries

40:00 Parenting, breaking cycles, and learning regulation with the next generation

48:00 Why healing never ends and how to give yourself grace on the journey

If this conversation resonates, share it with a sibling, friend, or partner who needs to hear they are not broken and that it is never too late to choose themselves and begin healing.

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In a world drowning in anxiety, overwhelm, and constant pressure, what if your “anxiety” is not anxiety at all – but an old survival pattern your nervous system learned to keep you safe ? In this powerful conversation, Michael Unbroken sits down with nervous system specialist and creator of the Pattern Override Method, Sophia Tortarini, to unpack how to get back to baseline, regulate your body, and finally feel safe in your own skin again.

If you have ever walked into a room, read a message, or heard a certain tone and felt your chest tighten or your stomach drop before your mind could catch up, this episode is for you. Sophia explains why that response is not weakness or “brokenness” – it is a survival pattern your body wired in the past and was never told the danger was over. She shares how most of what we call anxiety is actually this pattern, how it once saved you, and how it may now be quietly costing you your peace, your relationships, and even your career, just like it almost cost hers.

You will learn:

• Why most day‑to‑day “anxiety” is actually a survival pattern, not a real‑time threat response
• The core principles behind Sophia’s Pattern Override Method and how it works directly at the nervous system level in real time, not just by talking about your past or visualizing your future
• The 90‑second to 2‑minute chemistry window: what actually happens in your body during a fear response and how looping thoughts turn a 90‑second wave into 30 minutes of panic
• Practical tools to interrupt the pattern in the moment, calm your nervous system, and “cut off” the old neural signal over time by repeatedly sending an opposite signal
• Why “the peace is in the pause,” and how delaying big decisions, moving your body, meditating, and journaling can keep you from burning everything down when you are triggered

Timestamp highlights:

00:00 – Why we are bathed in anxiety and overwhelm today

01:00 – Sophia’s definition of survival patterns vs anxiety and the Pattern Override Method

03:00 – How patterns show up in body language, relationships, work, and daily life

04:00 – Nature, nurture, and why constant fight/flight/freeze/fawn does not have to be your baseline

15:00 – The 90‑second chemistry rule and how to stop emotional looping with real‑time pattern interrupts

17:00 – “The peace is in the pause” – how to build a regulated decision‑making practice that actually sticks

If you are an entrepreneur, leader, or high‑performer who feels constantly on edge, reactive, or stuck in the same emotional loops no matter how much mindset work you do, this episode will give you a body‑based roadmap to real change. Come learn how to override survival mode, reset your nervous system, and break the habit of being the old you – one regulated breath and one interrupted pattern at a time.

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This video description is written to target searches around betrayal, breakups, “gone girl” style manipulation, male victims, and turning pain into purpose, based on the actual content of your transcript.

Imagine waking up one day and realizing the person you loved and trusted plotted behind your back to deceive you, take your money, and leave you with nothing. That is exactly what happened to Justin Smith when his partner of eight years blindsided him and tried to “gone girl” him for a big payout.

In this powerful conversation with Michael Unbroken, Justin shares how his entire reality was suddenly flipped upside down, how he lost his support system overnight, and what it really feels like to claw your way out of a deep emotional pit when it seems like everyone is cheering for you to fail. He talks about betrayal, manipulation, trauma, and the difficult decision to hold on to his values instead of playing dirty in return, even when people were using every trick against him.

If you have ever been blindsided in a relationship, gone through a high conflict breakup, or felt used for money, this story will resonate on a deep level. Justin and Michael explore how men are often silent about being victims, how the media usually only shows one side of manipulation, and why your painful experiences do not have to define who you are. Instead, how you respond to them and what you build from that pain is what truly matters.

You will hear Justin break down:

• How his partner plotted in advance to deceive and manipulate him for financial gain
• What it was like to wake up in a “MacGyver” style moment and realize his life had been rewritten overnight
• The reality of losing his support system and feeling completely alone in the aftermath
• The inner work it took to rebuild his identity, self worth, and sense of purpose after betrayal
• Why he chose to transform his pain into a mission to help other people instead of becoming bitter or vengeful

This episode is for you if you are searching for:

• “Gone girl relationship story”
• “Blindsided breakup”
• “When your partner uses you for money”
• “Male victim of manipulation”
• “Turning pain into purpose after betrayal”

Watch this full conversation to learn how to rebuild when your world falls apart, reclaim your power after someone tries to destroy your life, and use your story to help others instead of letting it destroy you.

Timestamps (approximate):

• 00:00 – The moment everything flipped upside down
• 01:19 – Why this story matters for anyone who has been through painful experiences
• 01:49 – The day Justin’s partner tried to “gone girl” him
• 02:24 – Why men rarely talk about being manipulated and used
• 03:44 – Rock bottom, loneliness, and clawing out of the pit with no rescue coming

If this conversation speaks to you, hit subscribe for more real stories about healing from trauma, rebuilding after rock bottom, and becoming unbroken.

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What would it take to get paid to go to outer space for your job? In this powerful Think Unbroken conversation, Christopher “Chuie” Huie shares how he went from feeling lost to flying to space with Virgin Galactic and turning audacious dreams into reality.

Christopher breaks down his unexpected journey into aerospace engineering, how he joined Richard Branson’s spaceflight company Virgin Galactic, and what it was really like to be selected as a test customer and launched on a suborbital spaceflight. We dive into the mindset, strategy, and daily decisions that helped him stand out inside the company, get on the radar of senior leadership and the Branson family, and ultimately earn a once‑in‑a‑lifetime seat to space.

If you have ever felt destined for something greater but had no idea where to put that energy, this episode will show you how to align your work with your authenticity, set audacious goals, and turn vision into action in your own life. We also talk about failure, feeling lost, and why doing your current work “the best it can be done” can quietly open doors you never imagined.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro: Making impossible dreams real

01:17 Why Christopher felt destined for something great (without “destiny”)

02:30 From engineering to Virgin Galactic and commercial spaceflight

04:00 How he became a test customer and got paid to go to space

06:30 Masterminding with Richard Branson and standing out at work

07:30 The simple career advice that helped him rise as a leader

In this episode you will learn:

• How Christopher “Chuie” Huie went from traditional engineering roles to flying on a Virgin Galactic space mission.
• How to use persistence, goals, and aligned action to create a life that once felt “out of this world.”
• Why authenticity, service, and excellence in “small” tasks can position you for rare opportunities.

If you are an ambitious high‑performer who has faced adversity and still feels called to do big things in the world, this conversation is for you.

Hit subscribe for more real stories and frameworks on turning trauma, adversity, and big dreams into unbroken strength and high performance.

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For almost a decade, Think Unbroken has been the home for healing childhood trauma, featuring over 1,000 episodes and world-class experts such as Gabor Mate, Caroline Leaf, Tom Bilyeu, Lisa Bilyeu, and Leila Hormozi. Now it’s time for a new chapter focused on entrepreneurship, business growth, and radical ownership.

In this episode, I share why I'm permanently stepping away from mental health coaching and what thousands of deep trauma transformations have cost me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You'll hear the behind‑the‑scenes story of my identity shift from “childhood trauma coach” to “entrepreneur who has a podcast,” and why I believe building a business is one of the most powerful paths to healing, self‑belief, and freedom.

If you're an entrepreneur, aspiring founder, coach, consultant, content creator, or business owner who is tired of motivation without execution, this episode is for you. I break down what you can expect from the new Unbroken Business Support Group Podcast:

• Weekly episodes on business strategy, marketing, sales, leadership, and money for entrepreneurs and business owners.

• Real “here’s exactly what I did” frameworks to launch, grow, and scale using podcasting, content, and direct‑response marketing.

• Candid conversations with elite entrepreneurs and business leaders about building profitable, resilient companies without losing yourself.

You'll also hear my story of going from a kid from the hood with drug‑addicted parents, no college degree, and a learning disability to building multiple seven‑figure businesses and leading teams across multiple companies — and why I’m convinced you can do it too if you stop saying “one day” and start today.

If you want to learn how to use podcasting as a real business growth engine (not just a hobby), I’m hosting the Podcasting for Entrepreneurs 4‑Day Live Challenge. Across four days, I’ll show you step by step how we've used a podcast to reach millions of listeners, generate clients, and build a profitable brand, so you can:

• Launch or relaunch a podcast that attracts your ideal clients.

• Turn episodes into leads, offers, and sales.

• Build a content machine that supports a real business, not just downloads.



Join the Podcasting for Entrepreneurs 4‑Day Live Challenge here: https://unbrokenbsg.com/challenge.

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If you feel like the worst thing that ever happened to you is the thing that defines you, this conversation is for you. In this episode, Michael Unbroken sits down with author Amy McKiernan to talk about trauma, addiction, rock bottom, and the long, honest path to becoming whole again.

Amy shares how she turned to drugs and alcohol to numb her pain, the dangerous path it led her down, and the “forced resets” that helped her slowly choose a different life. She explains how small daily choices, boundaries, and choosing herself over and over again created space for real healing, self‑worth, and becoming the woman she is today.

You will learn:

• Why trauma quietly drives your life until you face it
• How numbing out with substances keeps you from truly healing
• What “forced resets” and rock bottom can teach you about change
• How to start choosing yourself in small, practical ways every day
• The mindset required to do the hard work of becoming unbroken

If you are a survivor of trauma, childhood pain, or addiction and you feel shattered, this episode will remind you that you can do more than just survive. There is a fulfilling and beautiful life available when you decide to do the work and take your power back.

Subscribe for more conversations on trauma healing, resilience, and becoming unbroken.

Like this video if Amy’s story speaks to you and share it with someone who needs hope today.

Timestamps (suggested):

00:00 Intro – Why the worst thing does not have to define you

01:10 Meet Amy McKiernan and her new book

02:30 Living defined by trauma and feeling broken

03:20 Turning to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain

06:00 Forced resets, rock bottom, and early sobriety

10:00 Learning to value yourself and choose yourself daily

20:00 The path to becoming unbroken and creating a new life

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In this powerful conversation, Michael Unbroken and coach Paul Levitin break down why more information is not the answer to changing your life and what actually works instead. You will learn why we stay stuck in “scrolling hell,” how corporations design food, apps, and content to keep you addicted, and why willpower and motivation always run out over the long term.

They dive into the “age of information” problem – when you can Google or AI your way to any answer about health, wealth, and relationships, yet people are more unhealthy, overwhelmed, and unhappy than ever. Paul explains his EASIER framework, why your brain always chooses the path of least resistance, and how to reduce friction so doing the right thing actually becomes the easy thing.

You will also hear Michael share candidly about being 350 pounds, battling addiction, burning out after building multiple seven figure companies, and how he learned that discipline is an act of self love, not punishment. Together they unpack infinite goals like “be healthy” or “have a great relationship,” the crucial role of timelines, and why the peace – and your power – is in the pause before you act.

Timestamps (approx):

• 0:00 Choosing to be the hero of your story
• 4:00 Why information is not your real problem
• 15:00 The game is rigged: food, apps, and addiction by design
• 26:00 Willpower, motivation, and why “just try harder” fails
• 32:00 The EASIER framework and making change feel effortless
• 43:00 The peace is in the pause: overriding old patterns

If you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed by content, or frustrated that you “know what to do” but still are not doing it, this episode will give you a clear, realistic path to make change finally stick.

Hit subscribe for more conversations on trauma, healing, mindset, and becoming unbroken, and share this with someone in your life who feels like they keep punching the same brick wall and never breaking through.

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If you’ve tried traditional talk therapy for PTSD, trauma, anxiety, or a broken relationship and still feel stuck, this conversation will change the way you think about healing.

In this episode, Michael Unbroken sits down with psychotherapist and author Jonathan Robinson to explore how MDMA‑assisted therapy is being used to help people rapidly heal from childhood trauma, sexual abuse, PTSD, anxiety, addictions, and long‑standing relationship issues. You’ll hear real stories from Jonathan’s 40 years of experience and over 700 guided MDMA sessions, including work with individuals and couples who often make more progress in one afternoon than in years of standard therapy.

We talk about:

• What MDMA therapy for PTSD actually looks like step‑by‑step
• How MDMA affects the brain (amygdala, serotonin, safety, and relearning)
• Why MDMA‑assisted therapy shows such strong results in phase 3 PTSD trials
• How guided MDMA sessions can transform communication, intimacy, and sex for couples
• The difference between MDMA and other psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, ketamine, and ayahuasca
• How integration sessions lock in long‑term change after the medicine session

We also cover safety, legal status, and common fears people have about “drugs,” addiction, and doing this work over Zoom. Jonathan explains why MDMA is considered a potential breakthrough therapy for PTSD, why it is generally well‑tolerated in clinical trials, and how a clear protocol and skilled facilitation reduce the risk of difficult experiences.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro – Science, trauma, and the healing journey

3:00 Jonathan’s story, early MDMA research, and personal trauma

10:00 What is MDMA therapy for PTSD and trauma?

18:00 How MDMA changes fear, safety, and learning in the brain

26:00 Sex, shame, and healing childhood sexual trauma

34:00 Six relationship traps and why couples get stuck

44:00 MDMA for couples: intimacy, communication, and Zoom sessions

55:00 Safety, legality, big pharma, and the future of MDMA therapy

1:05:00 Integration, lasting change, and what it means to be unbroken

If you’re curious about MDMA‑assisted therapy, want to understand the research behind it, or are looking for hope for your own healing from PTSD, CPTSD, anxiety, or relationship pain, this episode is a powerful place to start.

Subscribe for weekly episodes on trauma healing, mental health, relationships, and becoming unbroken.

Learn more about Jonathan Robinson’s work on MDMA therapy: “Ecstasy as Medicine” and “Ecstasy for Couples.”

Listen to the Think Unbroken Podcast here: [Podcast page on MichaelUnbroken.com].

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical, psychiatric, or legal advice. MDMA remains a controlled substance in many countries and should only be used where legal and under appropriate supervision. Always consult with a qualified professional before making decisions about your health or treatment.

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Facing adversity, losing a parent, running the streets, juvie, gangs, alcoholism and depression… this is the real underdog story of how Michael Long went from chaos to choosing himself and rebuilding his life. In this raw conversation with Michael Unbroken, we talk about grief, addiction, faith, cutting toxic friends, and what it actually takes to walk away before you end up dead or in jail.

If you feel stuck in self‑sabotage, numbing out with alcohol, or repeating the same destructive patterns, this episode will show you that your past does not have to be your future. You will learn how Michael lost his mom to cancer, spiraled into fights, crime, and probation, and what finally made him change, quit drinking, and start over.

Timestamps:

00:00 Losing my mom & the start of the spiral

05:00 Juvie, streets, gangs and almost dying more than once

10:00 Depression, alcohol and bad investments that nearly cost everything

15:00 Cutting 95 percent of my friends to save my life

20:00 Choosing myself, rebuilding faith and creating a new path

In this video we cover:

• How childhood trauma and losing a parent can flip your life overnight
• Why grief, anger and guilt pushed Michael into the streets and juvie
• The role of alcohol, bad friends and bad investments in self‑destruction
• How he quit drinking, cut toxic people and started again
• Practical steps to choose yourself and stop repeating the past

If you are grieving a parent, stuck in addiction, or feel like you are one bad decision away from losing everything, this is for you.

➤ Subscribe for more conversations on trauma, healing and becoming unbroken

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