Becoming Me with Alana Wilson

The Trauma Behind 90 Day Fiancé: Riley on Addiction, Grief & the Depression After Reality TV

We’ve seen him on 90 Day Fiancé.But we haven’t heard his side of the story.In this powerful and vulnerable conversation, Riley opens up about growing up surrounded by addiction, navigating unresolved childhood trauma, and the grief that changed his ability to say “I love you” after losing people he cared about.He shares the emotional toll of being portrayed negatively on reality TV, the depression that followed the show, and what it felt like to return home without support once the cameras stopped rolling.This episode goes beyond reality television.It’s about trauma, attachment wounds, grief, public shame, and what happens when pain is edited for entertainment.If you’ve ever struggled with loss, identity, or feeling misunderstood — this conversation is for you.

From Prison to Purpose: Surviving Trauma, Violence and Meaning After Incarceration

In this powerful episode of Becoming Me, I sit down with Ben for an unfiltered conversation about trauma, incarceration, healing, and redemption.Ben opens up about growing up privileged, chasing money, and surrounding himself with the wrong influences. A lifestyle that led to repeated run-ins with the law, time spent in jail across multiple states, and exposure to violence, overdoses, suicide, and death. Prison became his wake-up call, forcing him to confront who he was and who he wanted to become.He shares the turning point that changed everything, the emotional toll incarceration took on him and his family, and how his mother’s visit while he was locked up became a source of strength. Ben also speaks honestly about anger, emotional triggers, and how trauma affected the people he loves. Especially his motivation to become fully present for his child.After release, just as life seemed to be falling into place, Ben survived a devastating semi-truck accident that nearly took his life. Multiple surgeries, severe complications, and medical dismissal left him fighting for survival once again. Through it all, he turned to meaning, connection, and purpose. Staying in touch with people still incarcerated and veterans who understand what it means to live in constant survival mode.This episode explores logotherapy, resilience, accountability, and the belief that trauma doesn’t have to define you. It can sculpt you into something stronger.⚠️ If you or someone you love is struggling, you are not alone. You can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support.Connect with Alana: Instagram: @becoming.me.podcastFacebook: Becoming Me with Alana WilsonConnect with Ben: Instagram: human_intelligence_ledgerFacebook: Ben FreedlandLinkedin: Ben Freedland#prisontopurpose #lifeafterprison #traumarecovery #mentalhealthawareness #healingjourney #secondchances #Becomingmepodcast

Breaking Generational Trauma: Addiction & Healing | Becoming Me

In this episode of Becoming Me, Alana sits down with Intervention's Ginjer to share her raw journey through generational trauma, addiction, and doing what it takes to survive. From growing up without love to hitting rock bottom, Ginjer opens up about survival, accountability, and choosing healing over the past.

Paternal Abandonment, Generational Patterns, and Breaking the Cycle

In this powerful and honest episode, Mandy opens up about growing up with an alcoholic father who cheated on and abused her mother before ultimately disappearing from her life altogether. His absence left Mandy’s mother to raise her alone as a single parent, and Mandy reflects on the deep resentment, grief, and unanswered questions that followed her into adulthood. As the conversation unfolds, Mandy confronts the painful reality of generational patterns—particularly the heartbreak of watching her own child experience abandonment by their father, mirroring her own childhood wounds. She shares how never witnessing healthy, stable love shaped her understanding of relationships and led her into toxic and, at times, physically abusive partnerships. Together, we explore how unhealed trauma repeats itself, how abandonment shows up in parenting and intimacy, and the difficult work of breaking cycles that were never consciously chosen. Throughout the episode, I offer guidance, reflections, and practical advice on healing—on learning what healthy love looks like, reclaiming self-worth, and creating a different future for both herself and her child. This episode is a raw exploration of generational trauma, resilience, and the courage it takes to stop the cycle and choose healing, even when it feels overwhelming.

Overcoming Anger from Suppressed Trauma

In this deeply moving episode, Leticia shares her story as a first-generation American born to Brazilian parents and the complex family dynamics that shaped her early life. As a child, Leticia witnessed domestic violence between her parents—an experience that deeply conflicted her loyalty as a self-described “daddy’s girl.” When her mother threatened to leave, young Leticia begged her to stay, not yet understanding the cost of that choice or the trauma it would leave behind. Unable to process the anger and fear she carried, Leticia learned to bottle her emotions, leading her into therapy at a very young age and later into anger management. As she grew older, her perspective shifted. She began to see her parents not as larger-than-life figures, but as flawed humans—recognizing her mother as a tireless, hardworking single parent caring for three children, and coming to terms with the painful reality that her father was not a good man. The episode explores how these early experiences fueled Leticia’s deep fear of abandonment, impacted her romantic relationships, strained friendships, and contributed to her feeling treated differently than her brothers. Throughout the conversation, I find myself becoming emotional as Leticia’s abandonment wounds mirror my own, creating a powerful and vulnerable moment between host and guest. Together, we unpack the healing work Leticia has done, the realizations that changed her patterns, and how she ultimately built a healthy, secure relationship. We also discuss her years in the restaurant industry, the ways she felt stuck and afraid to move forward with her life, and how negative influences around her fed a fear of success. The episode closes with Leticia reflecting on her hopes, aspirations, and the future she is now brave enough to envision. This is a raw conversation about trauma, resilience, healing, and what it means to finally choose yourself.