Why does childhood trauma repeat itself?
How do you know if unresolved trauma is affecting your behavior?
And what happens when you realize you might have become the person you once feared?

In this episode of No Hard Feelings…Kinda, we talk about childhood trauma, emotional healing, therapy, and personal accountability with podcast host and former chef Lee Risby.

Lee shares his experience growing up with physical abuse, struggling with self-harm, and building the kind of emotional armor that many people develop when they don’t feel safe. Over time, that armor turned into anger, attitude, and behaviors that began affecting the people around him - including in hismarriage and family.

Then came the moment many people avoid their entire lives:
the realization that unhealed trauma doesn’t just hurt you… it can hurt others too.

In this honest conversation we talk about:

• How childhood abuse affects adult relationships
• Why trauma can turn into anger, control, or toxic behavior
• The psychology behind self-harm and emotional coping mechanisms
• Chef culture, masculinity, and emotional suppression
• Recognizing when you’ve become the bully in someone else’s story
• Divorce, therapy, and radical self-awareness
• How to take accountability without drowning in shame
• Learning how to give and receive love after trauma
• Healthy coping strategies for stress and emotional regulation

This episode is about breaking cycles, facing uncomfortable truths, and learning how to become someone you actually like being.

Also, because this is No Hard Feelings… Kinda, we still manage to laugh - because if we don’t laugh, we’ll all end up sending our therapists voice memos at 2AM.

If you’re interested in mental health, trauma recovery, therapy, self-improvement, or personal growth, this conversation will resonate.

And if halfway through the episode you find yourself thinking,
“Wait… am I the problem?”

Don’t worry.

That’s not a crisis.
That’s self-awareness.

🎧 Listen now:
New episodes of No Hard Feelings…Kinda drop regularly featuring real conversations about mental health, relationships, trauma, and the chaos of being human.

childhood trauma, trauma healing, therapy conversation, breaking generational trauma, emotional healing, mental health podcast, self awareness, toxic behavior psychology, abuse recovery, trauma and relationships, accountability and personal growth, therapy and self improvement, narcissistic abuse recovery, healing after divorce

What happens when a divorced woman stops chasing love…and starts choosing herself?

In Part 2 of my conversation with Shiri, we dive into post-divorce dating, female empowerment, emotional independence, and the unexpected truth: sometimes healing doesn’t make you softer - it makes you selective.

I came prepared to talk about avoiding emotionally unavailable men.

Shiri came ready to admit she was the emotionally unavailable one.

We unpack:

• Dating after divorce

• Reclaiming confidence after marriage

• Ghosting and emotional boundaries

• The difference between empowerment and avoidance

• Trauma patterns in adult relationships

• How self-worth changes your dating standards

• Why “chemistry” isn’t always healthy

• And what it really means to take yourself dancing

This isn’t about hating men.

It’s about understanding patterns.

It’s about recognizing when your nervous system is confusing chaos with connection.

It’s about healing attachment wounds without pretending you’re perfect in theprocess.

If you’re navigating life after divorce, re-entering the dating world, or learning how to stop over-explaining yourself - this episode is honest, funny, and unfiltered.

Because sometimes growth looks like saying:

“I don’t owe anyone access to me.”

Listen to Part 1: I Can Love Me Better for the full arc.

Therapy is expensive. Share your chaos with me…for FREE.

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The ROAR Gallery is a digital wall of encouragement where people can upload short video messages for individuals and families going through tough times,especially during hospital stays.

You can view examples here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGjde29iQPBJL_Trf3F7yWw

Your ROAR can change a life. Share your story and inspire hospital families to nevergive up.

Upload your ROAR: https://extendtherose.org/roargallery

Welcome to The ROAR Gallery - a movement of hope that starts with you. Here, people from all walks of life share short stories of courage and gratitude, creating a wave of encouragement for children and families fighting tough battles in hospitals. Every ROAR reminds them they’re seen, heard, and celebrated.

Together, we’re flooding hospital rooms with positivity and giving families the strengthto keep going.

A ROAR is a short, positive message - a declaration of the good in your life and a reminder that hope still wins.

Because hope is a team sport. 🌹

What happens after divorce?

Grief…healing…and sometimes a full-blown glow up.

In Part 1 of my conversation with Shiri, we dive into what it really looks like to get your groove back after divorce - rebuilding confidence, rediscovering desire, reclaiming identity, and realizing you don’t need a partner to validateyour worth.

And let me tell you…her ADHD brain makes this conversation absolute gold.

We go on tangents.

We double back.

We laugh until we forget what the original question was.

But underneath the chaos? Real talk about dating after divorce, self-love, independence, boundaries, and stepping into your power without apology.

Somewhere in the middle of the wild detours, it hit me:

“I can love me better.”

Completely unplanned, both of Shiri’s episodes ended up being PERFECT for Valentine’s Day - because nothing says romance like choosing yourself first.

Part 2 is coming shortly - and it goes even deeper into love, dating, and what happens when you stop shrinking and start shining.

If you’ve ever:

• Navigated divorce

• Wondered how to date again after a long relationship

• Lost yourself in a partnership

• Or needed permission to take your power back

This one’s for you.

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The ROAR Gallery is a digital wall of encouragement where people can upload short video messages for individuals and families going through tough times, especially during hospital stays.

You can view examples here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGjde29iQPBJL_Trf3F7yWw

Your ROAR can change a life. Share your story and inspire hospital families to never give up.

Upload your ROAR: https://extendtherose.org/roargallery

Welcome to The ROAR Gallery - a movement of hope that starts with you. Here, people from all walks of life share short stories of courage and gratitude, creating a wave of encouragement for children and families fighting tough battles in hospitals. Every ROAR reminds them they’re seen, heard, and celebrated.

Together, we’re flooding hospital rooms with positivity and giving families the strength to keep going.

A ROAR is a short, positive message - a declaration of the good in your life and a reminder that hope still wins.

Because hope is a team sport. 🌹

In this episode, JoJo sits down with Dr. Robb Kelly, a leading addiction recovery expert with decades of experience helping individuals and families understand addiction, trauma, and the path to sustainable recovery.Dr. Kelly breaks down what addiction actually is - beyond stereotypes, shame, and moral judgment - and explains why willpower alone is never the answer. Together, we talk about control, coping, relapse, accountability, and the very human reasons people turn to substances in the first place. This conversation goes deep, honest, and unfiltered - without oversimplifying something that affects millions of people in different ways.And yes, before dedicating his life to recovery work, Dr. Kelly was also a professional musician who played at Abbey Road Studios.Because apparently some people collect resumes, and others just casually live six different lives.Before the interview, Fame, Flames, and Feelings takes a hard look at how we treat addiction when it plays out in public, using celebrity culture to unpack stigma, spectacle, and our obsession with redemption arcs.And after the interview, The Audacity Files: Recovery Edition is back - calling out the wild confidence, bad takes, and unsolicited opinions people love to share about addiction while knowing absolutely nothing.This episode isn’t just about addiction.It’s about judgment, control, humanity - and what it actually takes to change the conversation.Listener discretion advised. Heavy topics, honest conversations, and zero sugarcoating.________________________________________The ROAR Gallery is a digital wall of encouragement where people can upload short video messages for individuals and families going through tough times, especially during hospital stays. You can view examples here: / @roar-gallery Your ROAR can change a life. Share your story and inspire hospital families to never give up. Upload your ROAR: https://extendtherose.org/roargallery Welcome to The ROAR Gallery - a movement of hope that starts with you. Here, people from all walks of life share short stories of courage and gratitude, creating a wave of encouragement for children and families fighting tough battles in hospitals. Every ROAR reminds them they’re seen, heard, and celebrated. Together, we’re flooding hospital rooms with positivity and giving families the strength to keep going. A ROAR is a short, positive message - a declaration of the good in your life and a reminder that hope still wins. Because hope is a team sport. 🌹

“When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight.” - All American RejectsThis bonus episode brings together all three parts of I Married a Narcissist into one uninterrupted story - because apparently trauma hits harder when you don’t have to click “next episode.”So many of you asked to hear it start to finish, and honestly… it deserved to live in one place. What began as survival slowly turned into clarity, self-trust, and eventually the kind of peace that doesn’t require explaining yourself to anyone.This is a story about emotional abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, and the mental gymnastics required to convince yourself everything is “fine.” It’s also a story about waking up, choosing yourself, and realizing that losing your mind was actually your nervous system screaming, “girl, please.”It’s heavy. It’s raw. It’s honest.But if I can laugh now, it means I made it out.Content warning: emotional abuse, narcissistic behavior, relationship trauma.Season 2 officially begins January 22nd - new guests, new stories, same emotional chaos (just better boundaries).And if you want to keep the conversation going, join the private Facebook group:No Hard Feelings…Kinda | The After Party - where we unpack episodes, overshare responsibly, and laugh at things that probably should require a consent form.No hard feelings… kinda.#narcisist #narcissisticabuse #narcissism #podcast #darkhumor

This episode is not a recap.
It’s a victory lap with reckless commentary.

The Season One Finale and New Year’s Eve Special closes out a year of saying things out loud and only afterward remembering that microphones work and the internet is forever.

Expect laughs, deeply questionable observations, and several moments that absolutely should not be replayed in a professional environment - but unfortunately now exist in audio form.

We don’t do New Year’s resolutions here.
We do anti-resolutions: lower expectations, stronger boundaries, and absolutely no pretending next year will “be different” without evidence. You’ll probably start writing your own halfway through.

Stick around for a rundown of the craziest crimes of 2025, the most unhinged celebrities of the year, and proof that society was largely unsupervised.

Oh - and yes.
Jesus will be live-tweeting this episode.

I’m a little scared…yet so intrigued.

Subscribe to the No Hard Feelings.Kinda YouTube channel so you don't miss a thing!

#newyearseve #newyears #happynewyear #seasononefinale #podcast

If you only ever listen to one episode of this podcast, let it be this one.

I share Part 3, the ending story of my first marriage - not for shock value, not for sympathy - but because silence stopped protecting us a long time ago. This is a story about alcoholism, narcissistic abuse, smear campaigns, and the quiet devastation that happens behind closed doors. It’s also a story about boundaries, choosing your child, and learning - slowly, painfully - to trust yourself.

But because it is Christmas week, this episode also makes space for a little levity.

Alongside the most personal story I’ve ever shared, we take a detour into holiday chaoswith:

- Fame, Flames, and Feelings: The Jesus Is Watching Remix

- The Audacity Files: Christmas Edition

Because healing doesn’t mean you stop laughing.

And surviving the holidays sometimes requires both truth and humor.

This episode is not chaotic.

It’s not angry.

It’s intentional.

If you’ve ever been told you were “overreacting,”

If you’ve ever been forced into silence to keep the peace,

If you’ve ever learned that love with conditions isn’t love at all -

This one is for you.

Content Note: This episode discusses emotional abuse, addiction, and harm involving a child. No graphic details, but please take care of yourself while listening.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening.

And thank you for trusting yourself enough to stay.

Please check out the private Facebook group I made for you all – No Hard Feelings…Kinda| The After Party. This group can be whatever you guys want it to be! It’s where we can build this community of bad asses that have gone through some wild stuff and lived to talk about it! Let’sconnect!

Please subscribe to the YouTube channel so you never miss a thing!

#narcissisticabuse #narcissist #narcissism #marriage #divorce #nohardfeelings