Victim to Survivor to Thriver: The Journey Back to Yourself Through PTSD

Girlfriends: Growing Together, Growing Apart, and Going Deeper

This episode is about girlfriends and how friendship actually changes as we grow. Anna shares what it’s like to have a full life and a full circle, and the reality of trying to show up for people while also honoring your own capacity. We talk about “forever friends” and what she calls “summer camp friends”, the ones who come in for a season, feel really deep, and still matter even if they don’t stay close. We also get into vulnerability, curiosity, boundaries, and what it looks like to step back from a friendship without making it mean something is wrong. This is a conversation about loving your friends while being real about your time, your energy, and the season you’re in. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:27 Meet Anna and the Theme 01:38 Where Anna Is Now 04:18 What Feels Alive 07:16 Fill the Gap and Adult Friends 09:00 Maintaining a Big Circle 11:14 Tiers and Friend Categories 13:46 Summer Camp vs Forever Friends 19:38 Friendships Change and Self Trust 24:49 Formative Years and Middle School 31:27 Core Values of Old Friends 33:55 Making Tier One Friends 39:22 Vulnerability and Authenticity 41:12 Friendship Feels Like Dating 42:16 Hook and Net Connection Styles 45:49 Curiosity Over Rejection 48:51 Be Curious Not Judgmental 51:15 Boundaries and Seasons 01:01:46 Healthy Discomfort and Honoring Your No 01:06:20 Friend Breakups Matter Too 01:10:49 Final Reflection and Wrap This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theartofhonestypodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi. Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/theartofhonestypodcast/]

The People Who Sit With You: On Being a Safe Place, Social Work, and Suicide

This conversation is about what it means to be a safe place, for others and for yourself. The kind of quiet, steady support that doesn’t try to fix everything, but chooses to sit with what’s real, especially through loss and mental health challenges. Allison sits down with her longtime friend Michael, a dad, husband, and social worker who is stepping into a high school role after working toward it for over a decade. Together, they reflect on growing up, the power of community, and how early experiences of feeling safe shaped who they are today. Michael shares what he’s seeing in teens right now, including struggles with emotional regulation and overstimulation, and how he creates calming spaces to help them come back to themselves. Allison also opens up about a deeply personal chapter from 10 years ago, where Michael was a steady anchor in her life. They talk about connection, turning pain into purpose, and what it looks like to show up for others in a way that truly matters. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:24 Content Warning and Support 00:42 Meet Michael the Safe Friend 02:11 Career Layover to High School 06:05 What Feels Alive Now 07:13 Growing Up in Lake Zurich 09:11 The Safe House Rules 12:41 Younger Self and Purpose 14:06 Why Social Work Chose Him 17:01 Teens and Emotional Regulation 24:16 Creating Calm and Safety 26:23 Overstimulation at Home 29:50 Allison’s Dark Chapter 33:33 Finding Safe Anchors 37:08 Being Seen and Heard 39:26 Hotline Training and Healing 43:47 Life Death Life Cycles 46:02 Who Was Your Anchor 47:41 Turning Journals Into a Book 54:31 Legacy and Connection 56:53 Impacting High Schoolers 59:44 Lessons From Teachers 01:02:49 Letting Go of Control 01:08:35 Closing Reflections Michael's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Hopefully-This-Helps-Michael-Irgang/dp/B0CRT5NWBZ [https://www.amazon.com/Hopefully-This-Helps-Michael-Irgang/dp/B0CRT5NWBZ] This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠theartofhonestypodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi. Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theartofhonestypodcast/]

A Full Life: Motherhood, Staying Grounded, and Being Yourself

This conversation is with Jane, a mother and mental health professional, who shares what it’s been like stepping into a season of life where she feels more grounded and more at home in herself. We talk about how she’s become more comfortable in her own skin, quicker to admit mistakes, and able to meet herself with more self love and forgiveness, especially after growing up with high standards and performance expectations. Jane reflects on how midlife has shifted her perspective, bringing an awareness of time and a return to simple things like joy, curiosity, and trying new things without needing to be good at them. We also get into what it looks like to nourish yourself in small, everyday ways, the reality of parenting in a rapidly changing world, and how she approaches motherhood with unconditional love while doing her best not to pass down fear or anxiety. Jane shares what her work in mental health has taught her about holding space for others, setting boundaries, and taking care of herself so she can continue showing up fully. We also talk about vulnerability, repair, and what it means to be human, especially in relationships with the people we love most. 00:00 Welcome to The Art of Honesty 00:27 Meet Jane Today’s Guest 01:55 Where Jane Is Now 04:39 Self Love and Mistakes 06:40 Roots of High Standards 08:58 Ego Softens in Midlife 13:16 Reconnecting With Joy 18:36 Simple Nourishment Habits 20:23 30 Minute Self Care 24:19 Motherhood in a Changing World 25:57 Parenting Without Answers 27:00 Shielding Kids From Doom 29:21 Letting Go As They Grow 31:22 Biggest Parenting Fears 32:41 Anchors And Attachment 35:58 Inside A Therapist’s Work 39:50 Holding Others’ Pain 41:51 Boundaries And Self Care 43:36 Therapist Vs Human Hats 48:21 Vulnerability And Repair 51:22 Closing Gratitude This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠theartofhonestypodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi. Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/theartofhonestypodcast/]

A Soldier’s Journey Through Faith, Doubt, and Intention

A Soldier’s Journey Through Faith, Doubt, and Intention Staying Open After Service, Loss, and Shifting Beliefs with Ryan This conversation is about staying open to connection, curiosity, and life, even after experiences that could have hardened or closed you off. Allison introduces The Art of Honesty and sits down with Ryan, who spent 27 years in the Army with multiple deployments and nearly six years overseas. His story reflects resilience, growth, and a deep commitment to becoming a present and intentional father after years of service required him to be away. Today, he prioritizes showing up for his kids, building consistent relationships, and creating meaningful time together. Ryan shares how the military shaped his leadership, discipline, and sense of purpose, from enlisting at 17 to building a career in aviation. He speaks with honesty and respect about his experiences, including the loss of his best friend Alex in the Extortion 17 crash, and how that loss deepened his appreciation for life, connection, and the people around him. A powerful part of Ryan’s journey is his shift from devout Christianity to atheism. What began as a genuine search for truth became an intentional process of questioning, learning, and rebuilding his beliefs. Rather than closing off, Ryan has remained open, grounded in critical thinking, compassion, and respect for others’ perspectives. His curiosity continues to lead him into conversations and experiences that expand his understanding, including engaging with different cultures and belief systems. This episode is not about having all the answers. It is about what it looks like to grow, to question, and to stay open. Ryan brings a thoughtful, steady presence to this conversation, offering a perspective rooted in service, lived experience, and a genuine desire to understand both himself and the world around him. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 01:48 Gratitude and Perspective 03:50 Fatherhood After Deployment 10:19 AGR Life and Weekend Commute 11:17 What Military Service Misses 13:46 Why He Joined at 17 17:08 Civilian Detour and Aviation 19:23 Back to the Reserves 21:19 Losing a Best Friend 24:58 Roots and Religious Upbringing 28:58 From Faith to Atheism 34:52 Deconversion and Seeking Truth 40:54 Respecting People Not Beliefs 42:30 Mosque Visit for Connection 43:09 Curiosity Over Conversion 45:37 Beliefs Without Harm 46:42 Allison’s Spiritual Journey 52:20 Raising Kids to Think 58:02 Pulling the Loose Thread 01:00:43 Contentment and Legacy 01:08:07 Discovery and Real Dialogue 01:13:57 Stop Surviving Start Living 01:16:34 Joy Resources and Support 01:21:58 Gratitude and Being Okay 01:24:42 Closing Thanks and Community This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠theartofhonestypodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi. Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠@theartofhonestypodcast⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theartofhonestypodcast/]

Victim to Survivor to Thriver: The Journey Back to Yourself Through PTSD

Victim to Survivor to Thriver: The Journey Back to Yourself Through PTSDThis conversation is about what it looks like to live with post-traumatic stress disorder from the middle of ongoing healing, through honesty, nervous system work, and daily choices to stay present. Host Allison speaks with Sims, who shares his history of childhood sexual abuse, years of misdiagnoses before learning he had PTSD. Sims discusses CBT and EMDR, getting off antidepressants and the routines that support his regulation-sleep, exercise, sunshine, clean eating, breathwork, and play. He explains how public storytelling became a duty, how he reframed identity beyond “survivor,” and how his experiences shape emotionally attuned parenting, affirmations, and modeling service, alongside forgiveness toward his parents. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:25 Content Warning 00:40 Why This Episode Matters 01:45 Where Sims Is Now 02:21 Letting the Inner Child Play 03:14 Discovering PTSD Late 04:38 Early Therapy and Setbacks 05:33 Returning to Therapy 06:25 EMDR and Healing Tools 07:04 Abuse and Substance Use 08:27 Sobriety and Plant Medicine 10:59 Microdosing and Macro Doses12:57 Building New Neural Paths 14:41 Embracing the Full Self 16:55 Rumi and Full Spectrum Feelings 19:31 Leaving Meds Behind 22:47 The Sims Sauce Routine 25:56 Slow Morning Luxury 28:06 Breathwork Daily Tool 30:12 Box Breath And Humming 32:51 Comfort With Feelings 34:57 Finding Resilience Voice 39:09 Inner Child Healing 44:28 Beyond Survivor Identity 48:40 Parenting With Agency 53:54 Forgiving Parents 55:51 Closing Reflections This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠theartofhonestypodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi. Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠@theartofhonestypodcast⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theartofhonestypodcast/]