Shows
Trauma Uncensored35. A Mother’s Knowing, A Life Rebuilt | Pearl ChiarenzaBrooke sits down with Pearl to share the day her son Matthew died and the years that followed, from the midnight dread she could not shake to the morning she saw a headline about a single-car crash and recognized her family’s vehicle. Pearl recounts calling hospitals, then the morgue, and learning there had been no next-of-kin notification before an organ donation call arrived. She traces the investigation gaps, the rumors she had to correct, and the complicated layers of identity, race, and belonging Matthew carried as a mixed-race adoptee. The conversation widens to Christmas after loss, naming both th...
2025-12-291h 03Trauma Uncensored34. Paramedic at Logan’s Crash: Grief, Alcoholism, and Finding a Way Back | John KinzieBrooke sits down with John Kinzie, a Florida firefighter-paramedic who worked Logan’s crash and later became a close family friend. John traces how cumulative loss, the crash, and job culture pushed him toward heavy drinking, the December 2018 night he checked into a hotel intending not to leave, and the moment he chose help instead. They talk frankly about stigma in fire and EMS, why some clinicians and programs miss the mark, and what real support can look like for first responders and families. John shares how 12-step community, peer support, and concrete department changes made recovery possible, and he...
2025-12-221h 03Trauma Uncensored33. The Power of Mindfulness and Its Connection to Healing | Christopher O'ReillyBrooke welcomes licensed professional counselor Christopher O’Riley to unpack how mindfulness helps a chronically stressed nervous system, and why ten minutes can truly change your day. Christopher shares his path from a chaotic adolescence into a daily practice that ended substance use before age 20, then led to clinical training and decades in addiction and trauma care. Together they talk about the parasympathetic “breather” mindfulness provides, doomscrolling that looks like rest but isn’t, and simple ways to weave presence into drives, dog walks, and dishes. The conversation also explores generational patterns, why many with addiction histories carry unresolved trauma...
2025-12-151h 01Trauma Uncensored32. Katie’s NICU Story: Four Losses, a 25-Week Birth, and HopeBrooke welcomes her cousin Katie Swisher, whose road to motherhood includes infertility, four miscarriages, and a micro-preemie who redefined hope. Katie traces the early losses and how joy drained out of every positive test, then the day a routine scan became an admission and bedrest. Hannah arrived at 25 weeks, 4 days, just 1 lb 10.8 oz and 12 inches, followed by 117 days in the NICU where alarms, nurses, and new language became daily life. Katie shares the first quiet minute she held Hannah, the long drive to the hospital, and the care team who taught them how to parent a preemie. Later, Henry’s...
2025-12-081h 11Trauma Uncensored31. Curiosity, Breath, and Beginning Again | Heather LunaBrooke welcomes her friend Heather Luna to share how years of depression led her toward inner child work and Kundalini yoga, and why practical nervous system tools changed her life. Brooke sets the table for new listeners and explains the heart behind Trauma Uncensored before introducing Heather’s background in yoga therapy and trauma-informed practice. Heather traces the arc from persistent depression into an unfamiliar meditation practice, then into teacher training where a 40-day kriya coincided with the first day she noticed the old cloud was gone. Together they talk about curiosity over reactivity, what neuroplasticity really means in da...
2025-12-011h 10Trauma Uncensored30. Leaving Abuse, Finding Peace | Marie Cat BassBrooke welcomes Marie Cat Bass, a Tennessee horse trainer and nutritionist, for a candid story about survival and repair. Cat traces early years of physical and verbal abuse, the night she called 911 at eighteen, and what it cost to start over on her own. She talks about mother wounds, boundaries that took a decade to build, and the ripple effects of divorce, co-parenting, and a public detour when her ex appeared on reality TV. The conversation turns to healing practices that changed everything for her, especially inner-child work and the letting go method she learned from Michael Singer, and...
2025-11-241h 05Trauma Uncensored29. Peggy’s Story: Sudden Loss, Community, and HopeBrooke sits down with Peggy Davenport, a widow reflecting on the day everything changed and the slow, determined work of building a life afterward. Peggy shares the moments leading up to her husband’s sudden passing, the shock of holding that reality, and the unexpected “signs” that helped her get through the early weeks. She talks about community rallying around her, returning to their catering business, and why therapy, routine, and small steps mattered when nothing felt possible. The conversation moves through timelines that do not behave, the myth that one year solves it, and the choice to let go of...
2025-11-171h 03Trauma Uncensored28. How We’re Rebuilding Traditions After Loss | w Lindsay, Mel, & MichelleBrooke opens her first panel as solo host and gathers Mel, Michelle, and Lindsay to talk honestly about the holidays after grief and change. They trace how traditions shift, why permission to do less can be lifesaving, and what it takes to rebuild connection without pretending everything is fine. Lindsay shares the ache of celebrating with surviving children while honoring the one who is missing, including the family’s ornament ritual. Mel describes dreading Thanksgiving after her husband died, then creating a new gathering that finally felt like theirs. Brooke reflects on early holidays after the crash, how guilt ca...
2025-11-101h 04Trauma Uncensored27. Healing Can't Be Rushed. | Mel Jordy ReturnsWe’re taking Trauma Uncensored off the feed and into real life! The first TU community retreat is happening April 30th to May 4th, built for rest and reset. Brooke also shares what is changing on the show, including hosting some conversations solo, and why this season asks all of us to slow down and go deeper. Then Mel returns with the kind of honesty that makes you lean in. What really happens when you push yourself back to “normal” too soon. How do you know when stabilization has to come before the deeper work. Announcements and updates will always...
2025-11-031h 42Trauma Uncensored26. It's Not What You Can Bench, It's What You Can Carry... | Lindsay HernandezAndres and Brooke welcome Lindsay Hernandez for a candid conversation during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Lindsay shares the story of her son’s birth at 34 weeks, the frantic minutes in the O.R., and the autopsy findings that revealed VATER syndrome and a trachea that did not connect to the lungs. She speaks to the paralysis of those moments, the shock of leaving the hospital without her baby, and the long game of grief that reshapes marriage, parenting, and community. Together, they discuss what support really looks like after "casseroles" fade, the difference between sprinters and marathoners, an...
2025-10-271h 21Trauma Uncensored25. Rock Bottom and What Came Next | Michelle PT.2In Part Two with Michelle Bandy Davis, the conversation moves from history to hard-won clarity. She recounts how early abuse and neglect set patterns that echoed into young adulthood and marriage, then describes the slow weave of control, the rupture that followed, and the moment everything collapsed into a forced psychiatric hold. From there, the story turns toward rebuilding: naming financial abuse, securing safety for her kids, entering therapy, and learning boundaries, forgiveness, and community. The question beneath it all is simple and fierce: how do you take your power back without losing your heart?We explore:
2025-10-201h 58Trauma Uncensored24. A Survivor Breaks Her Silence | Michelle's Story⚠️ Content Disclaimer :This episode contains open and emotional discussion of childhood trauma, abusive relationships, sexual abuse, parental betrayal, and emotional breakdowns. Please listen with care.In Episode 24 of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres sit down with a powerful guest Michelle Bandy Davis whose story unfolds slowly—and then all at once.What begins as a conversation about life after trauma takes a sharp turn when the guest begins to share memories of being abused as a child—and the betrayal that followed. It’s not a scripted retelling. It’s pain as it surfaces, cl...
2025-10-131h 10Trauma Uncensored23. Without Boundaries, We Break.⚠️ Content Disclaimer:This episode includes discussions of emotional boundaries, family trauma, and terminal illness. Listener discretion is advised.In Episode 23 of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres dig deep into the messy, often misunderstood topic of boundaries—how they’re formed, how they’re violated, and what happens when we go too long without them.Brooke reflects on how the dynamic with her father forced her to confront her own limits. She shares what it looked like to set boundaries with someone she deeply loves, and how doing so became a crucial ac...
2025-10-061h 11Trauma Uncensored22. Live Not In Shame⚠️ Content Disclaimer:This episode contains open discussion of emotional setbacks, guilt, shame, loss of a child, grief processing, and long-term healing. Listener discretion is strongly advised.In this vulnerable installment of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres return to the mics to unpack a painful truth: even after years of healing work, trauma can still catch you off guard.Brooke reflects on where she is emotionally nine years after Logan’s death, while Andres opens up about what it means to be emotionally depleted while supporting others. Together, they reflect on what it means to be honest...
2025-09-291h 13Trauma Uncensored21. Mel Jordy Tells Her Story: Tragedy, Grief, and the Fight to Be Heard.⚠️ Content Disclaimer:This episode contains detailed discussion of grief, medical trauma, the death of a spouse, parenting while grieving, PTSD, and emotional regulation. Listener discretion is advised.In Episode 21 of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres are joined by longtime friend and special guest Mel Jordy, who shares the deeply personal story of losing her husband Leon after a sudden medical emergency. While their losses are different — Brooke lost her son, Mel lost her partner — what binds them is the quiet knowing of what trauma does to a body, a mind, and a family.Mel reco...
2025-09-221h 49Trauma Uncensored20. The Fight for Myself⚠️ Content Disclaimer :This episode contains discussion of child loss, grief anniversaries, trauma recovery, emotional triggers, and personal accountability. Please listen with care.This special episode of Trauma Uncensored was recorded to release on Logan’s angel date—marking the anniversary of his passing. What starts as a reflection on grief evolves into something deeper: a raw conversation about what healing really looks like, and how much of it depends on the choices we make after trauma.Brooke and Andres explore:The difference between pain and sufferingWhy grie...
2025-09-151h 05Trauma Uncensored19. “It’s Not a Cure—But It’s a Tool” | Ketamine Therapy, Trauma, and Hope⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode includes candid discussions of trauma, grief, and therapeutic drug use. Listener discretion is advised.In this raw and revealing episode of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke opens up about what a full day of ketamine therapy actually looks like. From what time she wakes up, to the moment she’s hooked up in the starry Sagittarius Room, we follow her step-by-step through a treatment that has become a powerful tool in her trauma recovery.Andres asks the right (and sometimes ridiculous) questions—What does it feel like? Is there music? What kind of...
2025-09-081h 14Trauma Uncensored18. What Not to Say: The Do’s and Don’ts of Supporting Someone in Grief⚠️ Content Warning: This episode discusses grief, loss of a child, mental health struggles, suicidal ideation, and the insensitive things people sometimes say in the face of tragedy. Please listen with care.What do you say to someone when their world has shattered? In this episode of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres take a raw, unfiltered look at the clichés, comparisons, and unsolicited advice that grieving people so often hear — and why they hurt more than they help. From “at least he’s in a better place” to “shouldn’t you be over this by now?”, they break down the most...
2025-09-011h 13Trauma Uncensored17. “If There’s a God…” | Grief, Rage, and Faith After Loss⚠️ Content Disclaimer:This episode contains open discussion of child loss, spiritual confusion, faith and religion after trauma, survivor’s guilt, and strong language. Please listen with care.This episode is for anyone who’s ever asked: Why me?Brooke and Andres dive into the spiritual wreckage that comes after trauma — especially when that trauma is the death of your child. Brooke shares her complex, evolving relationship with God, religion, and the people who say “everything happens for a reason.”She also speaks directly to other grieving parents, reminding them that it’s...
2025-08-251h 14Trauma Uncensored16. Survival Isn’t Self-Care: Why the Work Never Really Stops⚠️ Content Disclaimer:This episode includes discussion of addiction, alcohol use, medication access, trauma responses, and coping mechanisms rooted in grief and survival. Please listen with care.In this raw and reflective episode, Brooke opens up about the slow unraveling that led to her stopping drinking — and why that wasn’t the end of the struggle. She talks about the difference between survival mode and healing, and why regulating your nervous system is an ongoing, daily practice.From her high school years of escaping through performance, to spending money as a form of...
2025-08-181h 08Trauma Uncensored15. Mallory's Voice: Grief, Growth, and Life After Losing Logan⚠️ Content Disclaimer:This episode includes discussion of sibling loss, childhood grief, trauma recollection, therapy for kids, and emotional healing. Please listen with care.In this special episode, Brooke and Andres are joined by a long-awaited guest: Mallory — Brooke and Jordan’s daughter, and Logan’s younger sister — who just turned 14.Together, they reflect on:What Mallory remembers from the day of the crashHow her parents talked to her about Logan’s deathWhat therapy, friendship, and time have taught her about healingAnd how grief shaped h...
2025-08-111h 02Trauma Uncensored14. The Year Before: The Road That Took Us There.⚠️ Content Disclaimer:This episode includes detailed discussion of child loss, suicidal ideation, physical shutdown due to trauma, abuse, self-harm, and the emotional collapse leading up to Logan’s death. Please listen with care.This isn’t the story of the crash — it’s the story of everything that came before it.In this powerful and long-awaited episode, Brooke shares the painful truth she’s never spoken publicly: the year leading up to Logan’s death was already unraveling. From family conflict and physical collapse to suicidal thoughts and emotional disconnection, Brooke describes...
2025-08-041h 22Trauma Uncensored13. Eat the Motherf*ing Cheeseburger: Brooke’s Self-Care Wake-Up CallAfter nearly nine years of healing, Brooke took a trip out West for one reason: to finally pause. In this episode, she shares what happened when she stopped pushing through pain, disconnected from family obligations, and prioritized herself for the first time in her adult life.From quitting smoking and alcohol to diving deep into breathwork, ketamine therapy, and spiritual healing, Brooke opens up about the revelations that surfaced — including the realization that unhealed childhood trauma was still shaping how she showed up as a wife, mother, and business owner.She also talks about how gr...
2025-07-281h 03Trauma Uncensored12. How Do You Parent After Losing a Child?In this deeply personal episode, Brooke shares how she and her husband Jordan have worked to help their daughter, Mallory, process the unimaginable loss of her brother, Logan. From early grief counseling and trauma camps to everyday emotional guidance, Brooke opens up about the messy, nonlinear journey of parenting through pain. She also discusses how breaking generational cycles and healing her own trauma became essential to showing up for her daughter.This is an episode about honesty, emotional survival, and the legacy of love after loss.⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of child loss, grie...
2025-07-211h 03Trauma Uncensored11. The Trial Part 3: Sentencing, Sobriety, and Starting OverIn the final part of the trial series, Brooke and her husband Jordan reflect on the day of sentencing — when the man who killed their son, Logan, was finally held accountable. Brooke shares what it was like to speak in court and lock eyes with the man responsible. Jordan opens up about the pain of the verdict, the pressure to stay strong, and the emotional cost of justice.With Andres guiding the conversation, they also talk about what came after: Brooke’s return to treatment, her path to sobriety, and the quiet, hard work of starting over. This...
2025-07-141h 14Trauma Uncensored10. Trial Part 2 | Letting Go of Control, Choosing to HealWhat happens when you spend nearly a decade fighting for justice — and then finally let go?In this powerful conclusion to the trial story, Brooke opens up about the moment she said no to a plea deal, walked into court, and watched a jury convict the man who killed her son. She also reveals the devastating emotional fallout that followed: seeing Logan’s autopsy report for the first time, relapsing into crisis, and what it really took to find her way back to peace.This is an episode about faith, trauma, transformation — and the courage to sto...
2025-07-071h 10Trauma Uncensored9. The Trial Part 1 | The Fight for Justice After Logan’s DeathIn Part 1 of this two-part trial episode, Brooke and Andres walk through the years of emotional and legal battles leading up to the landmark conviction of the man who killed Brooke’s son, Logan, in a distracted driving crash.Brooke opens up about what it took to face the courtroom — from fighting for charges to be filed, to reliving the trauma through evidence and testimony. She also shares how trauma therapy and residential treatment gave her the strength to testify and reclaim her story.This episode is not just about one family’s pursuit of justic...
2025-06-301h 11Trauma Uncensored8. A Father’s Grief: Jordan Shares His Story for the First TimeIn this deeply personal episode, Brooke is joined by her husband, Jordan, for his first-ever appearance on Trauma Uncensored. Recorded the day after Father’s Day, they talk about the crash from Jordan’s perspective — what he remembers, what he doesn’t, and what it was like to wake up in a hospital and hear the words no parent should ever have to hear.They open up about the impact on their marriage, their bodies, and their family. This is an episode about love, loss, memory, and the long, painful road of healing.Get a...
2025-06-231h 23Trauma Uncensored7. The Grief We Don’t Talk About: A Conversation with Logan’s AuntIn this deeply emotional episode, Brooke is joined by Jess — her sister-in-law and Logan’s aunt — to share what grief looks like outside the spotlight. As the first guest on Trauma Uncensored, Jess offers her unique experience of loss: one that’s devastating, yet often invisible. Together, they reflect on the day of the crash, the helplessness of being a supporter while grieving yourself, and the ongoing struggle to find light in the aftermath.This is a powerful episode about the grief that lives on the sidelines — and how vital it is to name it, share it, and honor...
2025-06-161h 02Trauma Uncensored6: Honoring the “Should Have Beens”Trigger Warning: This episode discusses grief, loss of a child, and emotional suppression.In this heartfelt episode of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke reflects on what would have been her son Logan’s 18th birthday — a milestone filled with the weight of should have been. She and Andres talk about how they plan to celebrate his memory, and how important it is to honor your pain instead of just trying to “deal with it.”They dive into the quiet grief of missed moments, the struggle of navigating people who compare trauma, and the emotional walls many of us were...
2025-06-091h 00Trauma Uncensored5. The Reality of Distracted DrivingTrigger Warning: This episode discusses fatal crashes, distracted driving, and trauma-related financial hardship.In this episode of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres dive into the hard facts about distracted driving — not just the emotional aftermath, but the numbers that paint a devastating picture of how common and deadly it really is.They share key statistics that expose the real risks behind texting, scrolling, and multitasking behind the wheel, while pointing listeners to resources like stopdistractions.org for education and advocacy.Brooke and Andres also talk about a reality many don’t want to face...
2025-06-0258 minTrauma Uncensored4: Your Questions, Our Truths — Q&ATrigger Warning: This episode discusses grief, trauma, and the emotional impact of distracted driving.In this special Q&A episode of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres answer powerful listener-submitted questions that go deep into the heart of Brooke’s story and the ongoing reality of life after loss.They talk about why they use the word crash instead of accident, how they approach conversations around distracted driving, and the emotional weight of preparing for trial. Brooke opens up about the “firsts” that hurt the most, how she keeps the memory of her son Logan alive in the...
2025-06-021h 00Trauma Uncensored3. The Grief TimelineTrigger Warning: This episode discusses grief and loss.In this episode of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres talk about one of the most frustrating things people dealing with loss often hear: "Shouldn't you be over it by now?"Together, they unpack the harmful idea that grief should follow a neat, predictable timeline. Brooke shares her personal experience of living with grief that doesn’t fade on schedule — and how healing doesn't mean forgetting or moving on.They also explore the emotional toll of having to explain or defend your pain to others, and offe...
2025-06-021h 01Trauma Uncensored1. The CrashTrigger Warning: This episode contains graphic and emotional descriptions of a fatal car crash involving a child.In this deeply personal and powerful first episode of Trauma Uncensored, co-host Brooke shares the story that changed her life forever. She walks us through the day of the crash — the moment everything turned — with raw honesty and heartbreaking detail. Brooke opens up about the last image she has of her son, the chaos of the impact, and the pain that followed.We also learn how cell phone forensics uncovered the truth about the distracted driver, adding a laye...
2025-06-021h 07Trauma Uncensored2. Trauma Doesn’t Care About Your VacationTrigger Warning: This episode discusses suicidal thoughts, addiction, and grief.In this episode of Trauma Uncensored, Brooke and Andres explore the brutal truth that trauma doesn’t care about your schedule — not even when you’re on vacation. Brooke reflects on a personal moment when trauma hit hard during what should’ve been a peaceful escape.They talk openly about the frustration of being told to just “get over it,” the unpredictable ways trauma shows up in daily life, and the emotional toll of losing a friend to addiction. Brooke also shares her experience with suicida...
2025-06-0259 min
Treating Trauma Podcast"Stories of Healing" with Brooke SchererOn the final episode of our Stories of Healing series, Christopher and Nicole sit down with Milestones alum Brooke Scherer to further examine the effects of trauma on her life and the profound healing she experienced during her time at Milestones. While knee deep in what she describes as “the darkest years of her life,” Brooke decided to pursue healing at Milestones after gentle encouragement from her husband (and fellow Milestones alum) Jordan. Upon witnessing the major shift in him, she became hopeful that real healing was possible for her too. We close out this episode by welcoming Jordan back...
2023-06-0857 min
Living Centered PodcastTreating Trauma 017 - "Stories of Healing" with Brooke SchererOn the final episode of our Stories of Healing series, Christopher and Nicole sit down with Milestones alum Brooke Scherer to further examine the effects of trauma on her life and the profound healing she experienced during her time at Milestones. While knee deep in what she describes as “the darkest years of her life,” Brooke decided to pursue healing at Milestones after gentle encouragement from her husband (and fellow Milestones alum) Jordan. Upon witnessing the major shift in him, she became hopeful that real healing was possible for her too. We close out this episode by welcoming Jordan back...
2023-06-0859 minTreating Trauma Podcast"Stories of Healing" with Jordan SchererToday Christopher and Nicole connect with Milestones alum Jordan Scherer to delve into his story and the work that changed not just his life, but the trajectory of his entire family. In this episode, we also invite Jordan's “soul partner” and wife Brooke, who after witnessing his transformation, came to Milestones in pursuit of her own deep healing. She shares candidly about the incredible change she saw in Jordan when he came home from his time at Milestones and the powerful impact of his ongoing commitment to growth and the undoing of his former unhealthy patterns.
2023-06-0148 min
Living Centered PodcastTreating Trauma - 016 "Stories of Healing" with Jordan SchererToday Christopher and Nicole connect with Milestones alum Jordan Scherer to delve into his story and the work that changed not just his life, but the trajectory of his entire family. In this episode, we also invite Jordan's “soul partner” and wife Brooke, who after witnessing his transformation, came to Milestones in pursuit of her own deep healing. She shares candidly about the incredible change she saw in Jordan when he came home from his time at Milestones and the powerful impact of his ongoing commitment to growth and the undoing of his former unhealthy patterns.
Discov...
2023-06-0151 min
Creatives IgniteTHE DESIGN RECHARGE SHOW: Brooke Scherer // European Design TourEpisode 175
This week on Design Recharge, we invite back long-time friend and frequent guest Brooke Scherer to talk about her whirlwind european design tour. She was teaching Design History while consuming original paste-ups, sketches of typefaces, grid system galore, street art and that is just a few of the things Brooke and her students from University of Tampa saw. We will talk about why seeing it in person is more impactful than just seeing reproductions in a design book. Join us for a mini-Design History lesson while we relive her European Design Tour.
2016-06-291h 06