Episodes

  • The Green Room: Build Your Safe Space Before the Show Starts | Trauma Rock Stars™

    The Green Room: Build Your Safe Space Before the Show Starts | Trauma Rock Stars™
    Jun 30 2026

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    You've been going straight from bed to the show, from the
    show back to bed — with no preparation and no recovery.

    In this solo episode, Tracy Smaldino introduces The Green
    Room — the protected backstage space every artist has before
    and after the show — and shows you how to build yours for
    your own healing journey.

    Because that exhaustion you're feeling? That's what happens
    when the green room gets canceled indefinitely. The
    numbness, the irritability, the going through motions —
    that's a performer who has been on stage without a break
    for too long.

    In this episode:
    - Why the green room is a necessity — not a luxury
    - Why trauma survivors often grew up with no safe space
    - The 3 dimensions of your personal green room:
    Physical, Emotional & Mental/Spiritual
    - Tracy's personal story: the only green room she had
    at House of Blues
    - How to build your morning green room practice
    - Why your recovery ritual matters just as much
    - How to create nervous system cues that signal safety
    - How Rock Star 30™ acts as your guided green room

    "You were never meant to perform without a green room.
    Nobody is. The fact that you have been — and kept showing
    up anyway — that's not something to be ashamed of.
    That is something to be in absolute awe of."
    — Tracy Smaldino

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    Listen on Spotify:
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    18 mins
  • She Died and Came Back "Knowing Everything" — Inside a Near-Death Experience | Brheanna

    She Died and Came Back "Knowing Everything" — Inside a Near-Death Experience | Brheanna
    Jun 25 2026
    Send us Fan MailWhat happens in the moments after we die? In this extraordinary episode of Trauma Rock Stars™, host Tracy talks with Brheanna, who survived a near-death experience in 2020 and came back profoundly changed. Brheanna describes standing outside her own body, a life review where she saw how everything was connected, and a spiritual awakening that reshaped how she understands life, death, and healing.💗 A note before you listen: This episode includes brief discussion of childhood trafficking and sexual trauma. If you or someone you know needs support: in the US, the National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-373-7888, RAINN's confidential hotline is 1-800-656-4673, and you can call or text 988 anytime. You are not alone. She and Tracy explore her later Kundalini awakening, what the chakra system is, how to reconnect with your intuition, and the questions about consciousness and reincarnation that her experience opened up. Whether you're curious about near-death experiences, spiritual awakening, or simply what it means to feel connected to something larger, this is a conversation that will stay with you. 🧠 Questions We Explore in This Episode:• What is a near-death experience really like?• What is a Kundalini awakening, and how does it happen?• What are the chakras, and why do they get "blocked"?• How can you reconnect with your intuition and inner guidance?• How can a brush with death change the way you live? ❓ Quick FAQ:Q: What is a near-death experience?A: A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound psychological event some people report after coming close to death. In this episode Brheanna shares her own NDE during COVID in 2020 — including the sensation of leaving her body and a vivid "life review." Q: What is a Kundalini awakening?A: Brheanna describes a Kundalini awakening as a powerful rush of energy moving up the spine through the body's energy centers (chakras). She explains it can happen spontaneously, as hers did, and shares how she learned to work with it. Q: How can you strengthen your intuition?A: Brheanna offers a simple practice she teaches clients: ask yourself a yes/no question, notice where you feel a sensation in your body, and track that "spot" consistently over time to build a clearer connection to your inner guidance. Note: The views and healing approaches Brheanna shares are her own personal beliefs and experiences, offered for reflection — not medical advice. 🎸 Take the FREE Trauma Rock Stars™ Life Audit™:👉 https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouwFind out exactly where you are on your healing journey in less than 5 minutes. Your personalized Rock Star 30™ guide is waiting for you on the other side. 🎁 CONNECT WITH Brheanna:→ Website: https://www.lightandbreezycoaching.com/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552308631333📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightandbreezy1111/🌐 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brheanna1111 🎙️ Listen & Connect with Trauma Rock Stars™:▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TraumaRockStars📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/traumarockstars📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/traumarockstars🌐 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@traumarockstars💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracysmaldino🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars🌐 Website: https://traumarockstars.com🎙️ Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063 💛 Ways to Support Trauma Rock Stars™:☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars🤝 Become a Supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new Trauma Rock Stars™ is a safe, real, and empowering space for anyone navigating trauma recovery. Hosted by Tracy — survivor, advocate, and your biggest cheerleader. ⏱️ Chapters:0:00 — A near-death experience & spiritual awakening: meet Brheanna2:00 — Childhood, an imaginary friend & becoming a "truth seeker"4:00 — Getting sick during COVID & collapsing at home4:50 — Leaving her body: "it was just a vessel"6:00 — The upgrade, the messenger & deciding to come back11:40 — The life review: seeing how everything is connected13:57 — "Separation is an illusion" — feeling the oneness16:00 — Coming back & a recovery the doctors didn't expect17:00 — What a Kundalini awakening actually is18:30 — The chakra system, explained20:50 — Her spontaneous awakening & learning to work with the energy25:00 — Hypnosis, meeting your guides & a simple intuition practice35:00 — Questioning history, religion & "what we've been taught"47:00 — Inside her healing practice: QHHT & energy work57:00 — Closing thoughts & how to connect with BrheannaSupport the show
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    55 mins
  • The Rider: Your Non-Negotiables Are Not Optional | Trauma Rock Stars™

    The Rider: Your Non-Negotiables Are Not Optional | Trauma Rock Stars™
    Jun 23 2026

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    Did you know Van Halen's famous "no brown M&Ms" demand had
    nothing to do with being a diva? It was a test. And it changes
    everything about how we think about our own non-negotiables.

    In this solo episode, Tracy Smaldino introduces The Rider — the
    list of requirements every artist puts in their contract before
    they perform — and shows you how to build yours for your own
    healing journey.

    Because you have been performing without a rider. Showing up for
    everyone else's needs while completely ignoring your own. And
    that stops today.

    In this episode:
    - The real story behind Van Halen's brown M&Ms
    - Why a rider is professional necessity — not selfish behavior
    - How trauma taught you your needs were too much
    - The fawning response: people pleasing as a survival strategy
    - The 4 clauses of your personal rider:
    Physical, Emotional, Mental & Relational requirements
    - How to communicate your rider and hold it
    - What to do when your rider is violated

    "A rider without consequences is just a preference. The reason
    it's called a non-negotiable is because it is NOT negotiated."
    — Tracy Smaldino

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    19 mins
  • Feeling Lost? Coming Home to Your True Self After Grief & Trauma | Tara Wiskow

    Feeling Lost? Coming Home to Your True Self After Grief & Trauma | Tara Wiskow
    Jun 18 2026
    Send us Fan MailHave you ever felt completely lost — like you have no idea who you really are anymore? In this deeply moving episode of Trauma Rock Stars™, host Tracy sits down with Tara Wiskow, an intuitive energy healer and life-reinvention expert, who spent decades feeling disconnected from herself before finally coming home to who she truly is.💗 A note before you listen: This episode includes an honest discussion of grief, disordered eating, and a moment of suicidal thoughts. If you're struggling, please reach out for support. In the US, you can call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline at 1-866-662-1235. You are not alone.Tara shares the family secret she uncovered at age eight, the years she spent shape-shifting to fit in, the profound grief of losing her biological father and later her sister — and the moment everything shifted when she stopped running and started listening. It's an honest, tender conversation about identity, grief, self-love, intuition, and the belief that the truest version of you was never lost — she's been waiting for you all along.Whether you feel stuck, disconnected, or like you've lost yourself in everyone else's expectations, this conversation is an invitation to find your way back.🧠 Questions We Explore in This Episode:• What do you do when you feel completely lost and don't know who you are?• How can grief become a turning point for reconnecting with yourself?• What is "identity shifting," and how does it help you come home to yourself?• What does it mean to meet your "higher self" in meditation?• How do you start learning to love and trust yourself again? ❓ Quick FAQ:Q: What do you do when you feel lost and don't know who you are?A: In this episode Tara shares that feeling lost often comes from years of shaping yourself to fit others' expectations. Her path back began with small acts of self-love and learning to listen to her own inner voice — the sense that your authentic self is still there, waiting.Q: What is identity shifting?A: Tara describes identity shifting as releasing the masks and beliefs you've carried to fit in, and reconnecting with your most authentic self — the work that finally brought her "home" to who she really is.Q: What does it mean to meet your higher self?A: Tara and Tracy each describe a guided-meditation experience of connecting with a calm, loving inner presence — what they call the higher self — and how that moment opened the door to deeper intuition and healing. 🎸 Take the FREE Trauma Rock Stars™ Life Audit™:👉 https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouwFind out exactly where you are on your healing journey in less than 5 minutes. Your personalized Rock Star 30™ guide is waiting for you on the other side. 🌿 Connect with Tara Wiskow:🌐 Website: https://tara-wiskow.com✨ "She Rises" program: https://tara-wiskow.com/she-rises💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-wiskow-610b4154/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeTheChangeYouNeedToday📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tara.wiskow/ 🎙️ Listen & Connect with Trauma Rock Stars™:▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TraumaRockStars📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/traumarockstars📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/traumarockstars🌐 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@traumarockstars💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracysmaldino🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars🌐 Website: https://traumarockstars.com🎙️ Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063 💛 Ways to Support Trauma Rock Stars™:☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars🤝 Become a Supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/newTrauma Rock Stars™ is a safe, real, and empowering space for anyone navigating trauma recovery. Hosted by Tracy — survivor, advocate, and your biggest cheerleader.⏱️ Chapters:0:00 — Have you ever felt completely lost? Meet Tara2:00 — The family secret revealed at age eight4:30 — Shape-shifting to fit in & losing herself6:00 — Meeting her biological father: "like looking in a mirror"9:00 — Losing her dad & years of feeling disconnected10:00 — Turning to food to cope through the pain16:00 — A breaking point and the moment everything shifted20:00 — Learning self-love, starting in the mirror26:00 — Losing her sister Trisha & the signs that followed30:00 — The "Identity Shifting" workshop & meeting her higher self37:00 — Why your higher self has been waiting for you44:00 — Intuition, energy & shadow work46:00 — Trusting your gut: a story of being protected53:00 — Meditation as a daily practice55:00 — Tara's healing work with clients59:00 — Closing: you were never lost — she's inside youSupport the show
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    57 mins
  • Live Energy Healing Session: Finding Your Blocks & Superpowers with Cheryl | Trauma Rock Stars™

    Live Energy Healing Session: Finding Your Blocks & Superpowers with Cheryl | Trauma Rock Stars™
    Jun 11 2026

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    What if someone could look at your energy and tell you exactly
    what's blocking your healing — and clear it in real time?

    In this unscripted, deeply vulnerable episode of Trauma Rock
    Stars™, host Tracy Smaldino invites spiritual coach, master
    healer, and 3-time author Cheryl to conduct a LIVE chakra reading
    and energy healing session — on Tracy herself. Nothing was planned
    in advance. What was revealed surprised even Tracy.

    In this episode:
    - Cheryl's origin story: her late brother's spirit appeared as
    a ball of white light 32 years ago
    - What chakra readings actually reveal — blocks AND superpowers
    - The block found directly in front of Tracy's eyes
    - The nervous system urgency pattern working against healing
    - Live harab breathwork: how full breath accesses the subconscious
    - Inner child healing at age 6 — the root of "I'm not enough"
    - Why awareness alone doesn't heal — it takes the body too
    - The 3 affirmations that shifted everything:
    I am loved. I am enough. Life is incredible.
    - How to become your own energy worker

    "We are all powerful beyond what we can currently believe."
    — Cheryl, Star of Divine Light Institute

    🎁 FREE EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR LISTENERS:
    Complimentary chakra reading exclusively for Trauma Rock Stars™
    listeners: https://cherylstelte.kartra.com/calendar/20min-chakra-reading-free

    📖 Connect with Cheryl: https://starofdivinelight.com

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    57 mins
  • Sound Check: How to Check In With Yourself Before the World Gets to You | Trauma Rock Stars™

    Sound Check: How to Check In With Yourself Before the World Gets to You | Trauma Rock Stars™
    Jun 9 2026

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    When is the last time you checked in with yourself before the
    world got to you?

    In this solo episode, Tracy Smaldino introduces the Sound Check
    — the daily non-negotiable practice that separates reactive people
    from grounded ones. Your nervous system is your instrument. Your
    body, emotions, thoughts, and voice are your channels. Skip the
    check-in and you walk onto the stage of your life completely
    uncalibrated.

    In this episode:
    - Why skipping your daily check-in keeps you stuck in
    reactive mode
    - The difference between reactive and responsive
    - The 4 channels of your personal sound check
    - A check-in question for every channel
    - 4 simple steps to make this a daily practice
    - Why trauma teaches us to abandon ourselves — and how to
    come back
    - How Rock Star 30™ builds the daily check-in into your
    healing structure

    Your 4 Channels:
    1. The Vocals (Voice) — What am I not saying that needs
    to be said?
    2. The Beat (Body) — Where am I holding tension right now?
    3. The Mix (Emotions) — What emotion am I carrying that
    I haven't named?
    4. The Reverb (Mind) — What story am I telling myself
    today — and is it true?

    "You cannot pour from an empty soundboard."
    — Tracy Smaldino

    Five minutes. Four questions. One practice that changes
    everything.

    🎯 Rock Star 30™ Program + Free Life Audit Quiz:
    https://traumarockstars.com/lifeaudit

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    #TraumaRockStars #SoundCheck #NervousSystemHealing #MorningRoutine #ReactiveVsResponsive #RockStarResilience #RockStar30 #TraumaHealing #HealingJourney #DailyCheckIn #EmotionalHealing #SomaticHealing #InnerCritic #YouAreEnough #MentalHealthPodcast

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    21 mins
  • 70 Days Between Life and Death — Her Near-Death Experience | Holly Porter

    70 Days Between Life and Death — Her Near-Death Experience | Holly Porter
    Jun 4 2026
    Send us Fan MailWhat do you see when you're at the very edge of life? In this unforgettable episode of Trauma Rock Stars™, host Tracy talks with Holly Porter, who spent 70 days in two hospitals fighting COVID in 2021 — intubated, in and out of a coma, with her organs shutting down. During that time, Holly had a series of profound out-of-body and near-death experiences that completely changed how she sees life, purpose, and what comes next. Holly shares the "Stadium of Light," a life review that showed her only the good, a visit from her late mother, an army of loved ones (living and passed) chanting for her to "fight," and the single message that transformed everything: love them where they're at. She also opens up about her two hard years afterward, the hypnosis sessions that unlocked the rest of her story, and the SHIFT framework she now teaches. This is a story of survival, faith, and finding your purpose — no matter what you've been through. 🧠 Questions We Explore in This Episode:• What is a near-death experience really like?• What's the difference between an out-of-body experience and a near-death experience?• How can a brush with death reveal your true purpose?• What does it mean to "love people where they're at"?• How do you turn your hardest experiences into a legacy? ❓ Quick FAQ:Q: What did Holly see during her near-death experience?A: Holly describes leaving her body, traveling to what she calls the "Stadium of Light," a life review that showed her only the good moments, and being surrounded by loved ones — both living and passed — urging her to fight. Q: What is the SHIFT framework?A: SHIFT is the framework Holly teaches and writes about in her book "Near Death Shift." It stands for Surrender, Hope, Intuition, Faith, and Transformation. Q: How can you find your purpose after a hard experience?A: Holly believes you don't have to almost die to truly live. Her advice: quiet the outside noise, listen to your own intuition, and remember that changing even one life — including your own — is a purpose worth honoring. Note: The spiritual experiences and beliefs Holly shares are her own, offered for reflection and hope — not medical advice. 🎸 Take the FREE Trauma Rock Stars™ Life Audit™:👉 https://form.typeform.com/to/qeZfPouwFind out exactly where you are on your healing journey in less than 5 minutes. Your personalized Rock Star 30™ guide is waiting for you on the other side. "You don't have to almost die to truly live and find your purpose." — Holly Porter 🌟Connect with Holly: https://hollyporterinternational.com/ 🎙️ Listen & Connect with Trauma Rock Stars™:▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TraumaRockStars📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/traumarockstars📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/traumarockstars🌐 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@traumarockstars💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracysmaldino🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/traumarockstars🌐 Website: https://traumarockstars.com🎙️ Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063 💛 Ways to Support Trauma Rock Stars™:☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/traumarockstars🤝 Become a Supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526063/supporters/new Trauma Rock Stars™ is a safe, real, and empowering space for anyone navigating trauma recovery. Hosted by Tracy — survivor, advocate, and your biggest cheerleader. ⏱️ Chapters:0:00 — Meet Holly Porter & her 70-day fight for life2:00 — Life before COVID & getting sick at a conference4:25 — Walking into the hospital as her organs began to fail6:48 — 70 days, two hospitals: intubation, sepsis & infections7:00 — Out-of-body experiences & traveling "back in time"11:36 — A message of support & her mother's visit13:00 — "Fight, fight, fight": an army of loved ones, living and passed18:51 — The Stadium of Light & her life review21:00 — The messages: what she was told to do (and not do)22:30 — Waking up & the "kidnap" feeling24:00 — Two hard years & finding answers at IANDS27:00 — The hypnosis session & the entity she calls Darby33:00 — "Love them where they're at" — the message that changes everything41:00 — Faith vs. spirituality after the experience44:00 — The SHIFT framework & her book "Near Death Shift"50:00 — Turning purpose into philanthropy & the Retreat Association57:00 — You don't have to almost die to truly live: finding your purposeSupport the show
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    57 mins