EP35: The Power of Your Voice | Setting Boundaries & Communicating Assertively

EP:39 From Cult Trauma to Spiritual Awakening: A Musician’s Turning Point

What do a Doomsday cult, rat poison, and a .357 revolver have in common? They're all part of one man's survival story — and none of them won. Raven is a lifelong musician, martial artist, and author who grew up in a cult, survived abuse at the hands of his stepfather, and spent years inviting death onto his own stage before driving to the woods one night with a loaded gun and one unanswered question: Does my life mean anything? The trigger clicked. The gun didn't fire. And everything changed. In this episode of Irene Cares, Raven shares how a moment of stillness, a shift in perspective, and a profound spiritual awakening turned a lifetime of rage into a mission. His message is simple and unshakeable: Don't quit. You are a rare and unique expression of something greater — and you were born to live it fully. 00:00 Intro 01:08 Meet Raven 02:15 Raised In Doomsday Cult 03:03 Poverty And Fear 05:59 Stepdad Poisoning 08:32 Bipolar Diagnosis 09:42 Mania And Coping 11:24 Hospitalizations And Memory Loss 13:29 Natural Healing Mindset 15:45 Martial Arts And Escape 16:33 Finding His Voice In Music 19:37 Touring And Shock Rock 22:03 Russian Roulette Turning Point 23:57 Satanism Explained 24:39 Meditation Awakening 1999 26:24 Catholic Buddhist Path 27:10 Meeting His Wife 27:37 Marriage And Family Life 28:09 Dojo And Utah Move 28:28 Cowboy Tour Company 29:55 Solo Gigs To UMG Deal 32:23 Six String Revolver Rise 33:52 Empty Eyes And Bipolar 35:20 Martial Arts Mentorship 40:14 School Of Rock And Stage Energy 44:22 Books And Nutrition Healing 48:42 Therapy Trauma And Faith 52:44 Never Quit Final Message 54:53 Where To Find Raven Check out Irene Cares on other platforms: - Irenegpt.ai [https://irenegpt.ai/] - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/irenegpt.ai?igsh=MWdwNTh0eTZ0aHNpaA==] - TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@irenegpt.ai?_r=1&_t=ZP-91vwytSGovf] - Youtube [https://youtube.com/@IreneGPT?si=8An_BfZ7YKOu3BOT]

EP38: From Survival to Alignment: Carrie Crane on Healing Trauma, Rewriting Patterns, and Self-Worth

On the Irene Cares Podcast, Carrie Crane shares how early trauma, an emotionally unavailable and abusive home, and becoming a mother at 15 shaped lifelong patterns of seeking love, people-pleasing, and survival mode. She describes placing her second baby for adoption at 17, pursuing nursing to prove a principal wrong, and later recognizing destructive relationship cycles, including severe abuse and partners’ addiction and infidelity, after her son confronted her bruises. Carrie discusses healing through self-love, boundaries, and shifting from victim to creator, along with tools like her “five T” trigger framework, nervous system regulation, and the power of language. She explains foot zoning as a mind-body-spirit alignment practice and outlines her work at Reclaim Wellness in Richfield, Utah, offering coaching, peptides, genetic testing, and holistic health support. 00:00 Judgment To Awakening 00:13 Meet Carrie Crane 01:16 Teen Mom Reality 02:22 Chasing Love And Safety 07:18 Victim To Creator Mindset 08:41 Body Image And Eating Disorders 11:46 Triggers Truth Transformation 14:47 Healing In New Chapters 19:42 Words Worthiness And Faith 21:52 Self Love Boundaries And Patterns 32:03 Childhood Abuse And Survival 35:23 Fifteen And Becoming A Mom 36:29 Proving Them Wrong 37:40 Midlife Peace Shift 38:07 Religion Love And Trauma 41:54 Mask Versus Spirituality 46:16 Trusting Intuition 49:45 Nursing And Fixer Roots 52:19 Survival Mode Inside 54:11 Healing Through Water 56:19 Abuse Pattern Wakeup 57:39 Foot Zoning Explained 59:35 Breaking Relationship Cycles 01:10:25 Control And Alone Time 01:11:52 Human Design Hermit Time 01:13:58 Goat Ranch Life 01:14:31 Goats as Land Managers 01:15:40 Reframing Life Events 01:18:16 Health Narratives and Diagnosis 01:20:13 Identity vs Feelings 01:21:35 Affirmations That Stick 01:25:05 Broken or Patterned 01:29:48 Coaching Approach and Identity 01:32:50 Small Changes Big Shifts 01:37:29 Burnout in High Achievers 01:40:23 Intuition vs Survival 01:42:48 Faith Feels Better 01:48:19 Daily Alignment Routine 01:53:03 Reclaim Wellness and Wrap Up Check out Irene Cares on other platforms: - Irenegpt.ai [https://irenegpt.ai/] - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/irenegpt.ai?igsh=MWdwNTh0eTZ0aHNpaA==] - TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@irenegpt.ai?_r=1&_t=ZP-91vwytSGovf] - Youtube [https://youtube.com/@IreneGPT?si=8An_BfZ7YKOu3BOT]

EP37: Veteran Tim Leavitt on Combat, TBI, Brotherhood, and Finding Purpose After War

Veteran Tim Leavitt describes joining the Army National Guard at 17 while in foster care, deploying to Iraq at 18 as artillery, leaving in 2008, then reenlisting in 2009 as a combat engineer and completing two Afghanistan route-clearance deployments. He recounts the realities of combat versus movies, including difficulty seeing shooters, and details a Kunar Province 360 ambush where radio intercepts warned of an attack, RPGs disabled his vehicle, his squad leader was badly wounded, and an RPG blast injured Leavitt with shrapnel and contributed to a TBI; he later suffered another blast and head injury when overrun. He discusses hospital recovery, being pushed toward separation, loss of military brotherhood, struggles transitioning to college, ongoing recovery and coping, and finding purpose through Ironman races, the Baja 1000, and delivering vetted humanitarian aid to Ukrainian villages. 00:00 RPG Ambush Flashback 00:30 Joining at Seventeen 02:55 First Iraq Deployment Reality 04:23 Leaving and Reenlisting 06:19 Route Clearance Mindset 14:23 Combat Myths vs Reality 17:12 Kunar Valley Injury 22:14 TBI and Recovery 25:56 Volunteering to Return 30:09 Final Deployment Fallout 32:29 Ironman After War 34:10 Learning to Swim for Ironman 35:00 Half Ironman Surprise 36:26 Baja 1000 Inspiration 37:12 First Trip to Ukraine 39:14 Aid Runs with Andre 42:14 War’s Other Side 47:29 What Recovery Means 52:38 Losing the Brotherhood 55:34 Almost Going AWOL 59:10 Finding Purpose After Service 01:05:12 Advice for Lonely Veterans 01:06:59 Ongoing Work and Family 01:08:00 Purpose Through Fatherhood 01:09:32 Protective Instincts Kick In 01:11:50 Boundaries Build Safe Kids 01:13:56 Letting Kids Own Choices 01:17:37 Coping With Bad Days 01:21:02 Anxiety Story Served Papers 01:23:49 Living With TBI Changes 01:28:36 Lessons I Wish I Knew 01:32:30 Who Tim Is Now 01:37:27 Adventure Mindset Reframed 01:39:25 Closing Thanks And Farewell Check out Irene Cares on other platforms: - Irenegpt.ai [https://irenegpt.ai/] - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/irenegpt.ai?igsh=MWdwNTh0eTZ0aHNpaA==] - TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@irenegpt.ai?_r=1&_t=ZP-91vwytSGovf] - Youtube [https://youtube.com/@IreneGPT?si=8An_BfZ7YKOu3BOT]

EP36: PTSD Awareness - What It Is, What It Isn't

Have you ever wondered why certain sounds, situations, or words send you spiraling — even when you're completely safe? You're not broken. You may be carrying invisible wounds. In this episode, Hope and De'dy open an honest, compassionate conversation about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder — what it actually is, what it isn't, and why so many people are living with it without ever having a name for what they're experiencing. PTSD isn't just something that happens to soldiers. It can develop after childhood abuse, relationship trauma, medical experiences, accidents, and more. And it doesn't always look the way movies and TV portray it. In this episode we cover: What PTSD really is — and the four core ways it shows up in daily life The most damaging myths that keep people from getting support Real-life examples of how trauma from abuse quietly affects relationships, work, sleep, focus, and emotions The difference between having a hard time and needing professional support Why healing starts with understanding — and why you are not to blame Whether you're on your own healing journey, supporting someone you love, or simply curious to understand more — this episode is for you. Your experiences are valid. Help is available. And this is a safe space. 🎙️ Subscribe, share, and join the conversation — we want to hear from you. Check out Irene Cares on other platforms: - Irenegpt.ai [https://irenegpt.ai/] - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/irenegpt.ai?igsh=MWdwNTh0eTZ0aHNpaA==] - TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@irenegpt.ai?_r=1&_t=ZP-91vwytSGovf] - Youtube [https://youtube.com/@IreneGPT?si=8An_BfZ7YKOu3BOT]

EP35: The Power of Your Voice | Setting Boundaries & Communicating Assertively

Are you tired of saying yes when you mean no? Do you struggle to speak up for yourself without feeling guilty or afraid of conflict? In this episode, we're diving deep into the transformative skill of assertive communication — and how mastering it can change every area of your life. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ The difference between assertiveness, aggression, and passivity — and why it matters ✅ Why setting healthy boundaries is essential for protecting your energy, time, and emotional well-being ✅ Real scripts and practical techniques for saying no, expressing discomfort, and stating your needs clearly ✅ Why you never have to justify your boundaries to anyone ✅ How to speak your truth in a way that respects both yourself and others ✅ How IreneGPT.ai can help you craft clear, assertive, and conflict-reducing responses using the BIFF method Your voice is one of your most powerful tools. Learning to use it assertively is one of the most direct paths to reclaiming your confidence, your agency, and your life. Whether you're navigating difficult relationships, workplace dynamics, or personal boundaries — this episode gives you the tools to show up for yourself, every single time. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode packed with real, actionable tools for personal growth and empowerment. 👇 Drop a comment below: What's one boundary you've been struggling to set? Let's talk about it. #Boundaries #AssertiveCommunication #PersonalGrowth #SelfEmpowerment #MentalWellness #CommunicationSkills #SayingNo #SelfAdvocacy #IreneGPT #PodcastForWomen Check out Irene Cares on other platforms: - Irenegpt.ai [https://irenegpt.ai/] - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/irenegpt.ai?igsh=MWdwNTh0eTZ0aHNpaA==] - TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@irenegpt.ai?_r=1&_t=ZP-91vwytSGovf] - Youtube [https://youtube.com/@IreneGPT?si=8An_BfZ7YKOu3BOT]