Coming Home to Yourself: Season 18’s Biggest Mental Health Lessons

Coming Home to Yourself: Season 18’s Biggest Mental Health Lessons

Season 18 reminded us that healing is not always about becoming someone new. Sometimes, it is about finding your way back to the person you were before trauma, shame, burnout, illness, or other people’s expectations pulled you away from yourself. In this season-ender, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles look back at eight unforgettable guests, the lessons that stayed with them, and the conversations that changed how they think about anxiety, emotional healing, healthy masculinity, self-love, neurodivergence, food freedom, trauma, and listening to the body. AWARDS AND DOWNLOADS Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner for Best Health, a 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner for Best Mental Health Podcast, a 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner for Best Mental Health Podcast, and a 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner for Best Hosts, with more than 4.5 million downloads and listeners in more than 160 countries. FEEDBACK We’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a [https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a] MENTAL HEALTH QUOTE “Healing isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about coming home to the person you were before the world taught you to leave.” — Inspired by the guests of Season 18 TRIGGER NOTICE AND CRISIS REMINDER This episode includes conversations about suicide, suicidal thoughts, childhood sexual abuse, trauma, grief, serious illness, and mental health crises. Please take care of yourself while listening. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis in the United States, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.  https://988lifeline.org/ [https://988lifeline.org/] For crisis resources outside the United States:  https://findahelpline.com/ [https://findahelpline.com/] EPISODE DESCRIPTION Season 18 brought us eight guests with completely different stories, but one truth kept showing up: healing begins when we stop running from ourselves and start listening. In this season-ender, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles revisit the conversations that changed how they think about mental health, parenting, masculinity, trauma, food, illness, self-worth, and the way the body carries what the mind tries to bury. Nancy Gilette reminded us that behavior is communication and that connection needs to come before correction. Dr. Mark Sherwood showed us what it means to become a hope dealer, especially for people who feel forgotten or written off. Dominic Petty helped us see that peace is not some distant finish line. It is the baseline underneath the noise. Jason Lange gave men permission to feel what is happening in their bodies and talk about it without shame. Michelle Petties challenged diet culture by showing us that food noise is often emotional noise in disguise. Michael Caprio proved that a life-changing diagnosis can become part of your story without becoming the end of it. Alan Katz showed us that telling yourself the truth can set you free, even decades later. Anat Peri reminded us that the only way to feel better is to get better at feeling. G-Rex and Dirty Skittles also reflect on their own growth, the ridiculous lies anxiety tells us, and what happens when you finally answer that voice with two words: watch me. This episode is honest, funny, emotional, and full of reminders that your body is not the enemy, your emotions are not weaknesses, and asking for help carries absolutely zero shame. Keywords: mental health podcast, emotional healing, coming home to yourself, anxiety recovery, self-discovery, trauma healing, emotional wellness, healthy masculinity, neurodivergent parenting, food freedom, self-love, body awareness, emotional literacy, personal growth, mental health awareness MEET OUR GUESTS — SEASON 18 Season 18 featured eight guests with eight very different stories, but every conversation gave us one unforgettable lesson about healing, self-awareness, and finding our way back to ourselves. NANCY GILETTE Nancy taught us that behavior is communication. Before we rush to correct, fix, or control someone, especially a child, we need to slow down, listen, and connect first. DR. MARK SHERWOOD Mark reminded us that hope can be life-saving. Even the smallest glimmer of hope can interrupt the darkness and help someone believe that more is still possible. DOMINIC PETTY Dominic taught us that peace is not something we have to chase. It already exists beneath the anxiety, the noise, and the emotional chaos. The work is learning how to return to it. JASON LANGE Jason showed us that emotional strength begins with body awareness. When men learn to name what they feel and take responsibility for their pain, they are less likely to pass that pain on to the people they love. MICHELLE PETTIES Michelle taught us that food struggles are rarely just about food. Lasting change begins when we understand the emotions, beliefs, and unmet needs underneath the behavior. MICHAEL CAPRIO Michael reminded us that a diagnosis can change your life without ending it. Gratitude does not erase pain, but it can help us build meaning, connection, and hope on the other side of it. ALAN KATZ Alan taught us that the truth can set us free, even decades later. Healing began when he stopped blaming himself for what happened and finally told his own story with honesty and compassion. ANAT PERI Anat reminded us that the only way to feel better is to get better at feeling. Self-love grows when we stop running from our emotions and learn how to sit with ourselves without judgment. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Healing is not always a reinvention. Sometimes, it is a return to the most honest version of yourself. * The body is a messenger, not the enemy. * Connection creates more change than shame or correction. * Emotional literacy helps us understand what is happening inside us. * Rock bottom can become a turning point, but asking for help should come sooner. * Your worth does not depend on achievement, toughness, productivity, or perfection. ACTIONABLE ITEMS * Ask yourself, “What is my body trying to tell me right now?” * Replace broad words like “fine” or “stressed” with a more specific emotion. * When anxiety says you cannot do something, answer it with evidence and two words: “Watch me.” IMPORTANT CHAPTERS * 00:00:37 — Welcome to the Season 18 Ender, celebrating 18 seasons with laughs and side quests. * 00:05:17 — The Thread That Connected the Season: Finding your way back to yourself. * 00:08:11 — Growth, Reassurance, and Reinvention: How the season changed G-Rex and Dirty Skittles. * 00:11:09 — Nancy Gilette Connection before correction. * 00:14:58 — Dr. Mark Sherwood Hope, vulnerability, and first responder mental health. * 00:17:31 — Dominic Petty Inner peace, relationship healing, and baby spiders. * 00:25:16 — Jason Lange Men’s groups, emotions, and healthy masculinity. * 00:30:08 — Michelle Petties Food freedom and emotional eating. * 00:33:20 — Michael Caprio Rare disease, gratitude, and resilience. * 00:35:19 — Alan Katz Childhood trauma and telling yourself the truth. * 00:37:14 — Anat Peri Self-love and learning to feel. * 00:39:26 — Gratitude for the Season: Thanking the guests, listeners, and each other. * 00:40:42 — What Anxiety Told G-Rex From “You won’t make it” to “Watch me.” * 00:42:18 — Goodbye to Season 18: Closing out the season and welcoming Season 19. CLOSING CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews [https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews] #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #ComingHomeToYourself #EmotionalHealing #SelfDiscovery #AnxietyRecovery #TraumaHealing #EmotionalWellness #HealthyMasculinity #MensMentalHealth #NeurodivergentParenting #FoodFreedom #SelfLoveJourney #EmotionalLiteracy #BodyAwareness #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney   *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. * United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/] * Canada: Call or Text 988 — 988.ca [https://988.ca/] * Worldwide: Find a Helpline [https://findahelpline.com/] * Mental Health Resources and Tools: The Help Hub [https://www.thehelphub.co/] Stay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles * Official Website: goesoninourheads.net [https://goesoninourheads.net/] * Facebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheads [https://www.facebook.com/shltthatgoesoninourheads] * Instagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittles [https://www.instagram.com/grex_and_dirtyskittles/] * LinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty Skittles [https://www.linkedin.com/in/g-rex-and-dirty-skittles-1367a8299/] * Join Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/ [https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/]) * Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shop [https://www.goesoninourheads.shop/] Audio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Anat’s Journey from Rock Bottom to Self Love Feel Your Feelings and Rewrite Your_Story

What happens when losing the life you thought you wanted finally sets you free? G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with Anat Peri to talk about hitting rock bottom, uncovering childhood wounds, learning to feel your feelings, and building the kind of self-love that changes everything. AWARDS & DOWNLOADS Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. FEEDBACK We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a [https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a] MENTAL HEALTH QUOTE “The only way to feel better is to get better at feeling.” — Anat Peri TRIGGER NOTICE AND CRISIS REMINDER This episode includes conversations about emotional trauma, anxiety, substance misuse, depression, and suicide rates. Please take care of yourself while listening. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or considering suicide, call or text 988 in the United States and Canada. For international crisis resources, visit: https://findahelpline.com [https://findahelpline.com] EPISODE DESCRIPTION When Anat Peri discovered evidence that her five-year relationship was ending, she felt devastated—but underneath the heartbreak was an unexpected realization: she was finally free. Three weeks later, she boarded a one-way flight to California with $2,000, $40,000 in debt, no car, no job, and no permanent home. That rock-bottom moment became the beginning of her real journey toward self-love. In this raw and deeply practical conversation, Anat joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to explain why personal growth requires more than positive thinking and intellectual breakthroughs. She shares how codependency, emotional disconnection, and an unhealed father wound shaped her relationships, career choices, and belief that she had to work harder to be worthy. Anat also breaks down what it means to reparent yourself, recognize the childhood scripts still directing your adult life, and safely express emotions instead of judging, suppressing, or analyzing them. She explains why unfamiliar feelings can register as threats to the nervous system—and how giving an emotion your full attention for just 90 seconds can begin building emotional capacity. This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is not about becoming someone else. It is about letting go of inherited roles, reconnecting with your body, and trusting that you are worthy without hustling, performing, or proving yourself. Your feelings are not the enemy. They are part of the path home. Keywords: Anat Peri, self-love, emotional healing, inner child healing, reparenting, nervous system regulation, somatic healing, childhood trauma, father wound, codependency recovery, emotional expression, anxiety support, personal transformation, self-worth, generational healing MEET OUR GUEST — ANAT PERI Anat Peri is the CEO and Founder of Training Camp for the Soul and the creator and Master Facilitator of the TCS Method, a transformational coaching framework that blends mindset work, somatic healing, and inner-child reparenting. With nearly two decades of experience in developmental and trauma-informed coaching, she helps coaches, healers, and business leaders move beyond survival, break painful patterns, and create lasting emotional freedom. Website: https://trainingcampforthesoul.com [https://trainingcampforthesoul.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anat.peri/ [https://www.instagram.com/anat.peri/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anat-peri [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anat-peri] KEY TAKEAWAYS * Rock bottom can become the moment you finally stop living a life that no longer belongs to you. * Self-love means becoming your own inner best friend, cheerleader, protector, and nurturer. * Many adult relationship patterns are childhood survival strategies playing out in a different setting. * Positive thinking cannot replace the emotional work of grieving, feeling, and healing. * Emotions are not dangerous; they often feel threatening simply because they are unfamiliar. * You do not have to hustle, overperform, or overgive to prove that you are worthy of receiving.   ACTIONABLE ITEMS * Use an emotion or mood chart to identify exactly what you are feeling instead of defaulting to words such as “sad,” “bad,” or “anxious.” * Set a timer for 90 seconds and allow an emotion to move through your body using sound, facial expression, movement, and breath—without judging or explaining it. * Ask yourself: “Am I choosing this because it is aligned with who I am, or am I repeating a role I learned in childhood?” REFERENCES MENTIONED Training Camp for the Soul: https://trainingcampforthesoul.com [https://trainingcampforthesoul.com] Yale Mood Meter: https://moodmeterapp.com [https://moodmeterapp.com] 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org] Global Crisis Resources: https://findahelpline.com [https://findahelpline.com] The Chopra Center and the teachings of Deepak Chopra were also discussed as part of Anat’s healing environment and professional journey. IMPORTANT CHAPTERS * 00:00:37 – Meet Anat Peri Anat shares how growing up on the East Coast eventually led her to San Diego—and why California always felt like home. * 00:02:17 – Arriving at Rock Bottom With limited money, significant debt, and no job or home, Anat makes the life-changing decision to move across the country. * 00:04:06 – Codependency, Heartbreak, and Freedom Anat reflects on losing herself in relationships and the betrayal that finally gave her permission to leave. * 00:06:35 – One Hundred Days of Dating Herself Unable to enjoy her own company, Anat commits to spending 100 days building a relationship with herself. * 00:08:35 – Reconnecting With Her Body She discusses dissociation, plant medicine, stored tension, and realizing how much of her life had been lived inside her head. * 00:10:05 – The Relationship That Revealed Her Father Wound An emotionally significant relationship uncovers childhood grief and introduces Anat to deeper inner child work. * 00:12:11 – The Support Behind the Healing Anat explains how mentorship, meditation, yoga, friendships, and her work environment supported her transformation. * 00:15:40 – Recognizing Childhood Relationship Patterns She examines how her father’s absence shaped beliefs about being invisible, unimportant, and repeatedly chosen second. * 00:20:13 – Relationships as Mirrors for Growth G-Rex and Anat discuss healthy partnerships, vulnerability, and why lasting relationships require ongoing inner work. * 00:22:10 – Moving From Survivor to Creator Anat explains how inherited family scripts and generational learning can quietly control adult decisions. * 00:26:08 – Why the Work Never Really Ends Marriage, entrepreneurship, and reinvention continue to reveal new levels of healing and personal growth. * 00:29:47 – Choosing Joy Over External Success The conversation turns to money, career expectations, social media comparison, and defining success for yourself. * 00:34:31 – The Only Way to Feel Better Anat explains why talking about feelings is different from physically and emotionally expressing them. * 00:38:16 – Teaching Children Emotional Safety Dirty Skittles shares how she helps her son name and process emotions rather than dismissing or suppressing them. * 00:40:53 – Building Your Emotional Vocabulary Anat introduces the Mood Meter and a 90-second practice for making unfamiliar emotions feel safer in the nervous system. * 00:44:09 – What Anat Would Tell Her Younger Self She offers her 12-year-old self a message about intelligence, talent, self-acceptance, and future impact. * 00:44:37 – The Cost of Not Believing in Herself Anat reflects on leadership, business mistakes, overgiving, and learning that she is worthy simply because she exists. * 00:46:46 – Anxiety, Alignment, and Letting Go of “Try” The episode closes with Anat’s reflections on anxiety, her word of the year, and her choice to align with her authentic self. CLOSING CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews [https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews]   #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #AnatPeri #SelfLoveJourney #InnerChildHealing #SomaticHealing #EmotionalHealing #FeelYourFeelings #NervousSystemRegulation #Reparenting #CodependencyRecovery #ChildhoodTraumaHealing #GenerationalHealing #SelfWorth #TraumaInformedCoaching #EmotionalFreedom #TrainingCampForTheSoul *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. * United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/] * Canada: Call or Text 988 — 988.ca [https://988.ca/] * Worldwide: Find a Helpline [https://findahelpline.com/] * Mental Health Resources and Tools: The Help Hub [https://www.thehelphub.co/] Stay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles * Official Website: goesoninourheads.net [https://goesoninourheads.net/] * Facebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheads [https://www.facebook.com/shltthatgoesoninourheads] * Instagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittles [https://www.instagram.com/grex_and_dirtyskittles/] * LinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty Skittles [https://www.linkedin.com/in/g-rex-and-dirty-skittles-1367a8299/] * Join Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/ [https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/]) * Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shop [https://www.goesoninourheads.shop/] Audio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alan’s Truth-Telling Journey from Childhood Trauma to Emotional Freedom

Alan Katz spent decades telling other people’s stories while hiding the most painful chapter of his own. In this raw conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with the former Tales From the Crypt writer and producer to talk about childhood sexual trauma, self-blame, suicidal despair, creativity, and the brutal honesty that finally helped him reconnect with himself. AWARDS & DOWNLOADS LINE Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. FEEDBACK LINK LINE We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a [https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a] MENTAL HEALTH QUOTE “You’ve got to be brutally honest with yourself about yourself. Then you can maybe find happiness.” — Alan Katz TRIGGER NOTICE + 988 CRISIS REMINDER This episode includes candid conversations about childhood sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts, self-blame, depression, and emotional trauma. Please take care of yourself while listening. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 in the United States or visit: https://988lifeline.org/ [https://988lifeline.org/] For crisis resources outside the United States, visit: https://findahelpline.com/ [https://findahelpline.com/] EPISODE DESCRIPTION For most of his life, Alan Katz was a professional storyteller who could build characters, write dark comedy, and help shape iconic projects like HBO’s Tales From the Crypt. But beneath the success was a story he could not fully tell himself. At 14, Alan was sexually abused by a religious authority figure. After the abuse happened a second time, he began carrying a devastating belief: when something bad happens, it must be his fault. That belief became a lifelong pattern of self-blame, disconnection, rage, and emotional pain. In this honest conversation with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles, Alan shares how he reached the lowest point of his life just before Christmas in 2016, when he came within inches of ending it. Choosing to seek immediate help became the first step toward stabilizing his mental health, confronting the truth of his trauma, and reconnecting with the 14-year-old version of himself who had carried the blame for far too long. Alan also takes us behind the scenes of his Hollywood career, from his arrival in Los Angeles to his role in developing the Crypt Keeper’s unforgettable personality. He explains how creative success can become its own mountain—and how painful it can be when identity, purpose, and career begin to fall apart. This episode is about more than survival. It is about speaking up, releasing shame, reclaiming creativity, and discovering that the truth really can set you free. Keywords: Alan Katz, childhood trauma, childhood sexual abuse, emotional freedom, trauma recovery, suicidal thoughts, depression recovery, self-blame, mental health healing, emotional honesty, inner child healing, storytelling, Tales From the Crypt, creative identity, suicide prevention MEET OUR GUEST — ALAN KATZ Alan Katz is a writer, producer, storyteller, and podcaster whose entertainment career includes work on HBO’s iconic Tales From the Crypt. After decades of professional storytelling, Alan confronted the childhood trauma and self-blame that had disconnected him from himself, transforming his personal healing into a deeper purpose: making the world better through honest storytelling. He is also the co-founder of Costard and Touchstone, a podcast production company named after two Shakespearean “wise fools” known for speaking truth to power. Website: https://costardandtouchstone.com [https://costardandtouchstone.com] KEY TAKEAWAYS * Childhood trauma can quietly create patterns of shame and self-blame that last for decades. * What happened to you is not automatically your fault, even when trauma convinces you otherwise. * Speaking the truth about your own story can rebuild your connection to yourself. * Medication can be a valuable part of mental health treatment when used with informed medical support. * Career success cannot heal emotional wounds that have never been acknowledged. * Creativity can return with greater depth when it is grounded in honesty and purpose. ACTIONABLE ITEMS * Write a compassionate note to the younger version of yourself who carried blame that never belonged to them. * Identify one painful belief you have treated as fact, then ask: “Is this actually true, or is this something trauma taught me?” * Tell one safe, trusted person what you are going through instead of trying to carry it alone. IMPORTANT CHAPTERS * 00:00:57 – Meeting Alan Katz Alan describes himself as the final product of a remarkable story—one that proved the truth could set him free. * 00:01:42 – Success, identity, and falling off “Showbiz Mountain” Alan explains why staying successful in Hollywood can be more emotionally damaging than reaching the top. * 00:05:00 – Finding purpose through truthful storytelling He shares how reconnecting with himself helped him discover a deeper mission behind the work he had already been doing. * 00:06:40 – The childhood trauma Alan kept from himself Alan reveals that he was sexually abused at 14 and explains how the second incident created a lifelong pattern of self-blame. * 00:08:12 – Coming within inches of suicide Alan recounts the crisis he experienced three days before Christmas in 2016 and the decision to seek immediate medical help. * 00:10:39 – Finding a medication that helped stabilize him He describes how a mood stabilizer interrupted overwhelming rage and gave him space between emotion and reaction. * 00:14:38 – Reconnecting with his 14-year-old self Alan talks about embracing the younger version of himself who had carried guilt and shame for decades. * 00:16:02 – How emotional healing changed his creativity Truth gave Alan access to a wider emotional range and helped him evolve from a strong writer into a purposeful storyteller. * 00:17:15 – Leaving acting behind and becoming a writer Alan shares how a rough audition helped redirect him toward screenwriting and, eventually, Hollywood. * 00:20:42 – Meeting creative partner Gil Adler He explains how their shared belief in solving production problems through creativity shaped their partnership. * 00:22:38 – Joining HBO’s Tales From the Crypt Alan reveals how he became the show’s story editor when the series was originally expected to end. * 00:27:21 – Saving the show from cancellation Alan and Gil helped revive the series by protecting the rebellious spirit of the original comic books. * 00:28:53 – Creating the Crypt Keeper’s personality Alan explains how he gave the Crypt Keeper a character, a voice, and a twisted sense of humor, based in part on his own personality. * 00:32:31 – Moving Tales From the Crypt into feature films The conversation turns to Demon Knight, Hollywood expectations, and the fear of being pigeonholed creatively. * 00:34:20 – When a dream project was suddenly killed Alan recounts how Universal shut down a deeply personal film project and replaced it with Bordello of Blood. * 00:37:23 – The mental health cost of creative loss He reflects on how one devastating professional decision became a turning point in his emotional decline. * 00:38:11 – The advice Alan would give his younger self His message to his 14-year-old self is simple and powerful: “Speak up.” * 00:38:32 – The hardest lesson he has learned Alan explains why brutal honesty with yourself is essential to healing and happiness. * 00:39:24 – Alan’s work today He introduces Costard and Touchstone and shares how the company uses podcasting and storytelling to speak truth to power. CLOSING CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews [https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews] #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #AlanKatz #ChildhoodTrauma #TraumaRecovery #EmotionalFreedom #InnerChildHealing #SuicidePrevention #DepressionRecovery #TruthTelling #EmotionalHealing #MentalHealthMatters #SelfBlame #CreativeHealing #TalesFromTheCrypt #StorytellingHeals #HealingJourney #Bleav *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. * United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/] * Canada: Call or Text 988 — 988.ca [https://988.ca/] * Worldwide: Find a Helpline [https://findahelpline.com/] * Mental Health Resources and Tools: The Help Hub [https://www.thehelphub.co/] Stay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles * Official Website: goesoninourheads.net [https://goesoninourheads.net/] * Facebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheads [https://www.facebook.com/shltthatgoesoninourheads] * Instagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittles [https://www.instagram.com/grex_and_dirtyskittles/] * LinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty Skittles [https://www.linkedin.com/in/g-rex-and-dirty-skittles-1367a8299/] * Join Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/ [https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/]) * Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shop [https://www.goesoninourheads.shop/] Audio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Part 2: Michael’s Road to Gratitude: Mental Health, Rare Disease Advocacy, and Life Beyond Survival

In Part 2, Michael Caprio’s story moves beyond survival and into the messy, beautiful work of rebuilding a life with purpose. G-Rex and Dirty Skittles talk with Michael about mental health after surgery, living with FAP long-term, family genetics, advocacy, gratitude, and why helping even one person makes the whole damn story worth telling. AWARDS & DOWNLOADS LINE Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. FEEDBACK LINK LINE We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a [https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a] MENTAL HEALTH QUOTE “If my story helps one person feel less alone, then it was worth telling.” — Michael Caprio EPISODE DESCRIPTION In Part 2 of Michael Caprio’s conversation with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles, the story shifts from diagnosis and surgery to what happens after survival. Because surviving the scary thing is one chapter. Learning how to live again is a whole different road. Michael opens up about life after FAP surgery, including diet changes, bathroom anxiety, ongoing medical monitoring, and the everyday realities of living without a large intestine. He talks honestly about how a rare disease affects planning for the future, relationships, travel, family conversations, and the possibility of having children when a hereditary condition is involved. This episode also explores the emotional power of legacy. Michael shares how his grandmother’s courage shaped his understanding of perseverance, how his family’s “club” fostered connection rather than shame, and how writing A Bump in the Road helped him turn pain into purpose. One of the most moving parts of the conversation is Michael’s story about connecting with a woman in Australia who also lives with FAP and finally felt seen through his book. Through humor, honesty, and a whole lot of heart, Michael reminds us that rare disease advocacy is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about telling the truth, building community, and showing someone else that life can still be beautiful after the thing that almost broke you. Keywords: Michael Caprio, rare disease advocacy, FAP, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, mental health, colorectal cancer awareness, gratitude, survivorship, chronic illness, hereditary cancer, patient advocacy, medical trauma recovery, emotional wellness, family genetics, life after surgery MEET OUR GUEST — MICHAEL CAPRIO Michael Caprio is an Author, rare disease advocate, and speaker who draws on his personal experience with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis to help others feel less isolated in their medical journeys. He is the author of A Bump in the Road: My Medical Journey over Potholes, Detours, and the Bridge to Gratitude, a memoir that blends vulnerability, humor, and gratitude while shining a light on the emotional side of rare disease, surgery, and survivorship. Website: https://www.mikecaprioauthor.com/ [https://www.mikecaprioauthor.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikecaprio_author/ [https://www.instagram.com/mikecaprio_author/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Bump-in-the-Road/100076302759044/ [https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Bump-in-the-Road/100076302759044/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-caprio/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-caprio/] KEY TAKEAWAYS * Life after survival still comes with anxiety, adjustments, and big emotional questions. * A rare disease can affect everything from travel plans to relationships to future family planning. * Advocacy does not require perfection; it starts with telling the truth. * Family history can carry pain, but it can also carry strength, wisdom, and a blueprint for survival. * Gratitude can grow beside grief, fear, and uncertainty. * Helping one person feel less alone can turn a painful story into a powerful mission. ACTIONABLE ITEMS * If you live with a chronic or rare condition, make a “real life” plan for travel, food, bathrooms, appointments, and support instead of pretending your needs do not exist. * Share your story with one safe person or support group. Connection can break the shame spiral. * Replace “I can’t” with “What support or information would make this possible?” IMPORTANT CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 – Welcome to Part 2 G-Rex opens the second half of Michael’s story, bringing the conversation back to mental health, recovery, and life after diagnosis. * 00:00:39 – Was therapy offered? G-Rex asks whether anyone offered Michael therapy during diagnosis or treatment, and Michael reflects on not being ready for help at the time. * 00:01:30 – Life with FAP now Michael explains what day-to-day life looks like in his 30s, including diet adjustments, stomach sensitivity, and future medical monitoring. * 00:04:24 – Planning life around the body you have Dirty Skittles asks how FAP affects life experiences, and Michael talks about travel, bathrooms, crowded places, and learning not to feel ashamed. * 00:07:01 – Family planning and hereditary risk Michael discusses the emotional complexity of having children when FAP can be passed down genetically. * 00:08:50 – Nothing in life is guaranteed Michael shares his family’s perspective: every family has something, and FAP is theirs. * 00:10:47 – His grandmother’s courage and the butterfly effect Michael tells the powerful story of his grandmother, early medical procedures, and how her decision to keep going helped make his whole family possible. * 00:15:13 – Advocacy and helping others feel less alone G-Rex reflects on Michael’s courage in putting his story out there and helping others understand that FAP is not a death sentence. * 00:16:35 – Reaching someone across the world Michael shares the story of connecting with a woman in Australia who found comfort and validation through his book. * 00:20:57 – The family “club” and deeper connection Michael talks about how FAP brought his family closer and created a stronger bond through shared understanding. * 00:23:31 – Advice to his younger self Michael says he would go back to his 18-year-old self and tell him that life after surgery would be okay, and that there would be a future worth living. * 00:25:43 – The hardest lesson Michael shares that one of the hardest lessons has been accepting that some people cannot handle illness or hardship and may walk away. * 00:28:30 – Anxiety’s theme song Michael answers G-Rex’s question with humor and heart, landing on “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. * 00:29:37 – Favorite word: Attitude Michael explains why “attitude” matters so much to him and his family, sharing a quote that shaped his recovery mindset. * 00:31:34 – Least favorite word: Can’t Michael talks about why he dislikes the word “can’t” and how he pushes back against limitations. * 00:32:28 – Where to find Michael Michael shares where listeners can learn more about his book, his story, and his advocacy work. * 00:34:12 – Final reflections G-Rex and Dirty Skittles thank Michael for sharing his story and helping listeners understand rare disease, resilience, and hope. CLOSING CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews [https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews] #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #MichaelCaprio #RareDiseaseAdvocacy #FAPAwareness #FamilialAdenomatousPolyposis #ColorectalCancerAwareness #PatientAdvocacy #ChronicIllnessLife #Survivorship #MedicalTraumaRecovery #GratitudePractice #MentalHealthRecovery #HereditaryCancerAwareness #LifeAfterSurgery #BumpInTheRoad #HealingOutLoud *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. * United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/] * Canada: Call or Text 988 — 988.ca [https://988.ca/] * Worldwide: Find a Helpline [https://findahelpline.com/] * Mental Health Resources and Tools: The Help Hub [https://www.thehelphub.co/] Stay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles * Official Website: goesoninourheads.net [https://goesoninourheads.net/] * Facebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheads [https://www.facebook.com/shltthatgoesoninourheads] * Instagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittles [https://www.instagram.com/grex_and_dirtyskittles/] * LinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty Skittles [https://www.linkedin.com/in/g-rex-and-dirty-skittles-1367a8299/] * Join Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/ [https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/]) * Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shop [https://www.goesoninourheads.shop/] Audio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Part 1: Michael’s Bump in the Road: FAP, Surgery, Anxiety, and the Fight to Keep Going

At 18 years old, Michael Caprio was handed a diagnosis that changed everything: Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, a rare genetic condition tied to colorectal cancer risk. In this powerful Part 1 conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles talk with Michael about fear, surgery, anxiety, family history, and what it really takes to keep going when life smacks you sideways. AWARDS & DOWNLOADS LINE Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. FEEDBACK LINK LINE We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a [https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a] MENTAL HEALTH QUOTE “Sometimes the bump in the road becomes the bridge that gets you back to yourself.” — Inspired by Michael Caprio TRIGGER NOTICE + 988 CRISIS REMINDER This episode includes discussion of serious illness, surgery, medical trauma, anxiety, depression, and moments of feeling like life was no longer worth living. Please listen with care. If you or someone you love is in crisis or thinking about self-harm, call or text 988 in the United States to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You are not a burden. You are not alone. Help is available right now. EPISODE DESCRIPTION At 18, Michael Caprio should have been worrying about senior year, friends, and what came next after high school. Instead, he was facing a rare genetic diagnosis called Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, or FAP, a condition that causes precancerous polyps to grow in the large intestine and dramatically raises colorectal cancer risk. What followed was fear, bloodwork, colonoscopies, life-changing surgery, an ostomy, and the emotional punch of realizing his body would never be the same. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Michael joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk honestly about what it felt like to be diagnosed so young, how his family history shaped his understanding of FAP, and why Googling symptoms can send your brain straight into a horror movie. He opens up about having his large intestine removed, living with an ostomy during recovery, and struggling with the mental health side of healing. This episode gets real about medical trauma, anxiety, identity, and the moments when Michael felt like a burden to the people who loved him most. But it also shows the power of support, honesty, perspective, and choosing to stay in the fight one painful day at a time. Keywords: Michael Caprio, FAP, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, colorectal cancer awareness, rare disease, medical trauma, anxiety, ostomy recovery, colectomy, J pouch surgery, mental health, chronic illness, hereditary cancer, surgery recovery, emotional wellness MEET OUR GUEST — MICHAEL CAPRIO Michael Caprio is an Author, advocate, and rare disease warrior who was diagnosed with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis at just 18 years old. He is the Author of A Bump in the Road: My Medical Journey over Potholes, Detours and the Bridge to Gratitude, a memoir about surviving serious illness, navigating medical trauma, and finding gratitude after life-changing surgery. Website: https://www.mikecaprioauthor.com/ [https://www.mikecaprioauthor.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikecaprio_author/ [https://www.instagram.com/mikecaprio_author/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Bump-in-the-Road/100076302759044/ [https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Bump-in-the-Road/100076302759044/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-caprio/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-caprio/] KEY TAKEAWAYS * A rare diagnosis can change your body, your future, and your mental health all at once. * Medical trauma is not just physical; it can shake your identity, independence, and sense of safety. * Support systems matter, especially when your brain tells you that you are a burden. * Friends may show you who they really are during hard seasons, and that truth can hurt. * Gratitude does not erase pain, but it can help you rebuild after it. * Healing takes honesty, patience, and the courage to keep showing up. ACTIONABLE ITEMS * If you are facing a scary diagnosis, write down your questions before appointments so fear does not steal your voice in the room. * Build a support circle that includes medical professionals, loved ones, and people who understand your condition. * When your thoughts get dark, tell someone. You do not have to carry the heavy stuff alone. IMPORTANT CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 – Welcome to Part 1 G-Rex opens the episode and lets listeners know this is the first half of Michael’s two-part story. * 00:01:33 – Michael introduces his book Michael shares the title of his memoir, A Bump in the Road, and explains how his medical journey became the foundation of his writing. * 00:01:48 – Understanding FAP Michael explains Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, a rare genetic condition that causes precancerous polyps to grow in the large intestine. * 00:03:00 – Family history and “the club” Michael talks about his mom, aunt, and grandmother living with FAP, and how he slowly began to understand the family connection. * 00:05:19 – The diagnosis conversation Michael remembers being told he had FAP and how the seriousness of the diagnosis slowly started to sink in. * 00:06:39 – The danger of Googling symptoms After searching online, Michael found terrifying stories that made his fear and anger spike. * 00:08:30 – Being 18 and trying to process everything G-Rex and Michael talk about the emotional weight of facing a life-changing diagnosis while still figuring out who you are. * 00:10:05 – Surgery, colectomy, ostomy, and J pouch recovery Michael explains the surgery to remove his large intestine, the temporary ostomy, and the J pouch procedure that helped him regain quality of life. * 00:13:43 – The emotional toll of recovery Michael shares how difficult recovery became, including bathroom challenges, pain, frustration, and regret over how he treated people trying to help him. * 00:14:56 – Friends, support, and painful distance Michael reflects on friends who disappeared and others who showed up in ways he never expected. * 00:18:11 – A perspective shift after illness Michael describes how losing everyday freedoms made him more grateful for small things like coffee, exercise, and time with friends. * 00:22:29 – Rock bottom and the fight to keep going Michael opens up about feeling like a burden and the painful family conversation that helped snap him out of a dangerous mental spiral. * 00:26:10 – Closing reminder G-Rex and Dirty Skittles close with a reminder that it is okay to be not okay, as long as you are talking to someone. CLOSING CTA Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website: https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews [https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews] #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #MichaelCaprio #FAPAwareness #FamilialAdenomatousPolyposis #ColorectalCancerAwareness #RareDiseaseAwareness #MedicalTrauma #AnxietyRecovery #OstomyAwareness #ChronicIllnessSupport #SurgeryRecovery #MentalHealthMatters #HereditaryCancer #HealingJourney #Jpouch #BumpInTheRoad *************************************************************************** If You Need Support, Reach Out If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference. * United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/] * Canada: Call or Text 988 — 988.ca [https://988.ca/] * Worldwide: Find a Helpline [https://findahelpline.com/] * Mental Health Resources and Tools: The Help Hub [https://www.thehelphub.co/] Stay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles * Official Website: goesoninourheads.net [https://goesoninourheads.net/] * Facebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheads [https://www.facebook.com/shltthatgoesoninourheads] * Instagram: @grex_and_dirtyskittles [https://www.instagram.com/grex_and_dirtyskittles/] * LinkedIn: G-Rex and Dirty Skittles [https://www.linkedin.com/in/g-rex-and-dirty-skittles-1367a8299/] * Join Our Newsletter: (https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/ [https://grexanddirtyskittles.substack.com/]) * Merch Store: goesoninourheads.shop [https://www.goesoninourheads.shop/] Audio Editing by NJz Audio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.