Trauma Candy Salad

In this milestone 50th episode of Trauma Candy Salad, Sammi and Ashley sit down with guest “E” to unpack her deeply personal journey through religious trauma and deconstructing from the evangelical faith.E shares what it was like growing up immersed in a belief system rooted in fear, control, and rigid expectations—and the complex, often painful process of questioning everything she was taught. Together, they explore how religious extremism can shape identity, relationships, and mental health long after someone leaves it behind.The conversation also expands into how these belief systems intersect with current political climates, and the real-world impact of extremism on personal freedoms and societal norms.This is one of our longest and most in-depth episodes yet, filled with raw honesty, thoughtful reflection, and moments that will challenge, validate, and resonate—whether you’ve experienced religious trauma yourself or are trying to better understand it.Content Warning: Religious trauma, spiritual abuse, extremism, discussion of political systems and beliefs.If you have a story you’d like us to read on the podcast, submit it here:https://www.traumacandysalad.com/submit-a-story

In this episode of Trauma Candy Salad, we’re diving into stories that explore how quickly “normal” situations can turn unsafe—and what it looks like to survive them.Amber shares what started as a typical teenage job at the mall… until a much older coworker crossed every boundary. What began as “just being friendly” escalated into stalking behavior that left her feeling unsafe at work—until her dad stepped in.Susie Q recounts a terrifying moment of domestic violence that happened while she was behind the wheel—an argument that turned physical in seconds and ended in a crash, injury, and criminal consequences.Wren opens up about life after leaving an abusive marriage, including ongoing co-parenting struggles, court battles, and the emotional toll of protecting her children while navigating manipulation, religious control, and a child caught between two conflicting realities.These stories highlight how abuse can show up in different forms—workplace harassment, intimate partner violence, and post-separation control—and how survival often looks like making impossible decisions in real time.As always, we hold space for the heavy… and still leave room for a little sweetness.🍬 Today’s candy picks: Swedish Fish, Hershey’s with Almonds, Nerd Clusters⸻⚠️ Trigger Warnings:This episode contains discussions of:* Workplace harassment & stalking* Domestic violence* Physical assault* Child abuse* Emotional & psychological abuse* Religious manipulation* Co-parenting conflictListener discretion is advised.⸻📌 Resources & Support:If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, you’re not alone. Support is available:* National Domestic Violence Hotline    Call: 1-800-799-7233    Text: START to 88788    Chat: thehotline.org* RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)    Call: 800-656-HOPE    Online chat available at rainn.org* Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline    Call/Text: 1-800-4-A-CHILD    Chat: childhelphotline.org* If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.⸻💌 Want to share your story or be featured on the show?Submit here: https://www.traumacandysalad.com/submit-a-story📱 Follow us: @TraumaCandySaladPod on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook

In this episode, Sammi is joined by Shauna (and returning guest Jess) for a raw and emotional conversation about what happens when the person you trusted most becomes someone you don’t recognize.Shauna shares how her relationship with her brother—once one of the closest bonds in her life—slowly unraveled, ultimately contributing to the breakdown of her entire family. What started as a shift during after a divorce turned into something much deeper: masks falling, personality changes, and the painful realization that the person she thought she knew wasn’t who they really were.Together, they talk about the grief of losing someone who’s still alive, how family dynamics can completely change after loss, and what it takes to set boundaries—even when it means walking away from family.This episode is about acceptance, self-protection, and the strength it takes to choose peace over proximity.

Jess is back in the co-host chair today while Ashley is busy with mom life and Kyle is down bad with a torn bicep (send thoughts and prayers 😅). What starts as a casual catch-up quickly turns into an episode centered around one common thread: the unpredictability of a father’s love.Ana shares the story of a dad who was mostly absent—but when he did show up, it left a mark that never faded.Jackie grew up trying to navigate “two versions” of her dad—one warm and loving, the other manipulative and emotionally exhausting—never knowing which one she’d get.And Gabbi takes us inside a home where her father’s presence meant fear, control, and violence, and the complicated feelings that came after his sudden death.These stories explore what it’s like to grow up walking on eggshells, trying to make sense of love that feels inconsistent, and the quiet relief (and grief) that can come with distance.Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and emotional abuse.As always, if you’re looking for support or resources, check the show notes or head to our website. And if you have a story to share, we’d love to hear from you.

In Part 2 of Erin’s story, we continue the conversation with a 30-year-old woman living with stage IV endometriosis and adenomyosis as she faces what happens when the pain comes back… even after major surgery.Erin shares what it was like to return to the operating room after her symptoms resurfaced, including the physical and emotional toll of repeat surgeries and the uncertainty of never knowing if the relief will last. We talk about the reality of chronic illness, when your body doesn’t respond the way doctors expect, and how exhausting it is to keep starting over.We also dive into Erin’s faith and how it has shaped the way she processes pain, grief, and purpose. From navigating a life that looks “normal” on the outside to redefining what quality of life actually means, Erin opens up about where she is now and what she’s still fighting for.This episode is about resilience, identity, and learning how to keep going when there are no easy answers.Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of chronic pain, medical trauma, surgical procedures, and emotional distress related to ongoing illness.

In Part 1 of Erin’s story, we sit down with a 30-year-old woman living with stage IV endometriosis and adenomyosis to talk about what happens when severe, chronic pain is repeatedly dismissed as “normal.”Erin shares how her symptoms began as a teenager with extreme period pain and quickly escalated into daily, debilitating pain that doctors struggled, and often failed, to take seriously. After years of being dismissed, misdiagnosed, and told her experience was just part of being a woman, she was finally diagnosed with stage IV endometriosis, one of the most severe cases her specialist had seen for someone her age.We walk through the emotional and physical toll of navigating the healthcare system, the reality of advocating for yourself when no one is listening, and what it was like undergoing her first major surgeries, including a multi-hour excision procedure.This episode sheds light on the reality of living with endometriosis, the dangers of medical gaslighting, and why early diagnosis and advocacy matter.Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of chronic pain, medical trauma, surgical procedures, and experiences of being dismissed within the healthcare system.

Trigger Warning: gun violence, attempted murderThis week we’re taking a short break from our usual listener stories for spring break (and to celebrate Kyle’s upcoming baby 👶), but we didn’t want to leave you without an episode.In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re sharing the powerful story of Malala Yousafzai, the girl who spoke out for girls’ education under Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan rule in Pakistan.At just 15 years old, a gunman boarded her school bus, asked “Who is Malala?” and shot her in the head.This is the story of the girl they tried to silence… and how she changed the world.      Information for this episode was compiled from the following sources: • National Women’s History Museum – “Malala Yousafzai” biography • Encyclopaedia Britannica – Biography of Malala Yousafzai • Nobel Prize Foundation – Nobel Prize facts about Malala Yousafzai • United Nations – Malala Yousafzai Messenger of Peace profile • Malala Fund – Malala’s Story

Some people don’t break things with one big moment — they take pieces slowly.In this week’s episode, “The Things He Stole From Her,” we share three stories about the ways harm shows up in relationships, in public spaces, and even inside the homes that are supposed to be safest.Ashley reads a story from a woman whose husband slowly turned the parts of her personality he once loved into reasons she was “in trouble,” until she realized the only way to keep her shine was to leave.Kyle shares a terrifying moment from a listener whose routine neighborhood run turned into a sprint for safety when a man emerged from the bushes watching her.And Sammi reads a heartbreaking story from a mother whose four-year-old daughter bravely disclosed abuse by her own father — and the long road that followed to protect her child.As always, we hold space for these stories with honesty, compassion, and a little dark humor along the way.Candy in the bowl this week: Malt Balls, Candy Hearts, and Pop Rocks.⸻Trigger Warnings:Domestic emotional abuse, coercive/controlling relationships, stalking/threatening behavior, child sexual abuse, discussion of sexual assault exams, incarceration.

Abbey is back with updates from Inside a Controlling Marriage… and y’all. The plot twists are PLOTTING. An engagement announcement. A surprise “I’m quitting my job” confession. A sudden move to Nebraska. A demand to end alimony. All in the span of like… five business days.Meanwhile, she’s taking back her power — going to therapy with her son, planning visits, and meeting with a new lawyer because absolutely not.Then we check in with Megan from Phil in the Blanks, who shares how telling her story helped heal something deep inside her. She opens up about honoring Terry, navigating grief anniversaries, losing her dog Bear, and trying to love again while carrying a love that still lives on a pedestal.This one is about grief, anger, affection, standards, silent treatments, fireworks, gym therapy, and asking the question so many of us have whispered at 2am:Should I fight for it… or let it go?

This week on Trauma Candy Salad, we’re serving Sour Patch Kids, Reese’s Cups, and Life Saver Gummies alongside three wildly different but deeply impactful trauma stories.Broken Leg Babe takes us back to church camp talent night in her “main character” era — where a Bluetooth malfunction, an ill-timed key change, and one dramatic step backward led to a broken leg and a legendary fall from grace.Zen Zombie shares the heartbreaking story of how a routine ER visit for a foot infection turned into a devastating medical decline after her mother was denied essential medications. What followed was a mental health spiral, 24/7 care placement, and a painful look at how healthcare system failures can permanently alter families.And Ollie brings a story about growing up with an alcoholic father — the chaos, the unfinished projects, the name-calling, and the night a cigarette sparked something bigger. It’s a raw look at resentment, guilt, generational trauma, and what it means to break cycles.As always, we hold space for the funny, the unfair, and the painfully complicated.If you’d like to submit your own story or be featured on the show, visit TraumaCandySalad.com and fill out the submission form.For resources related to topics discussed in this episode, check the show notes.No matter what you’re going through, there’s always room for a little sweetness.

In this episode of Trauma Candy Salad, Sammi, Ashley, and Kyle read three listener-submitted trauma stories that center around betrayal, domestic violence, grief, and the long-lasting impact of sudden loss. Ashley reads a story from “Bitter,” who uprooted her life and moved from Iowa to California for a long-distance boyfriend — only to discover infidelity, humiliation, and an STI waiting for her instead of a future. Sammi shares Soren’s story of growing up with a cruel and volatile father whose violence culminated in the devastating loss of a beloved family dog — and the complicated emotions that followed. Kyle reads Nick Nack’s story about losing his mom and sister in a drunk driving accident on Christmas Eve, and how grief changes the way holidays feel forever. These are stories about rage, heartbreak, trauma, abuse, and unimaginable grief — and the messy, human feelings that follow. If you’ve ever dealt with: • Moving for a partner and being betrayed • Emotional or domestic abuse in your childhood home • Losing loved ones to drunk driving • Grief that resurfaces around the holidays • STI diagnosis trauma connected to infidelity You are not alone. ⸻ 💛 Resources Mentioned / Related Support If today’s episode brought up anything for you, here are some resources: • National Domestic Violence HotlineCall or text 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org • RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)24/7 support at 800-656-HOPE or rainn.org • Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)Victim support services at madd.org • 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988 (U.S.) If you’re outside the U.S., you can find international crisis resources at findahelpline.com. ⸻ Want to share your own story or be featured on the show? Submit at https://www.traumacandysalad.com/submit-a-story Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook: @TraumaCandySaladPod As always, no matter what you’re carrying — betrayal, grief, anger, or memories that still ring in your ears — there’s always room for a little sweetness.

In this episode of Trauma Candy Salad, we sit with the kind of trauma that doesn’t always have a single moment — the kind that builds quietly through parenting, grief, and absence. Kyle shares a submission from a single mother raising an autistic son through years of unpredictability, fear, shame, relief, and eventual healing. Ashley reads a story from a mom unpacking emotional neglect, absent parents, and the deep desire to do better for her own kids. Sammi shares a heartbreaking story about losing a sibling to suicide and the lasting weight of grief, love, and the words we wish we’d said. This episode explores parenting trauma, emotional neglect, autism and behavioral health, suicide loss, and generational healing — with compassion, honesty, and care. If any of the topics in this episode are heavy for you, help and support are available: • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) — Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org • Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741 • NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) — nami.org • Autism Society — autism-society.org 🍬 Candy Bowl: Chocolate-Covered Pretzels, Sour Patch Kids, and M&Ms 📬 Share your story at TraumaCandySalad.com 📱 Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @TraumaCandySaladPod As always, take what you need, leave what you don’t — and remember, no matter what you’re carrying, there’s always room for a little sweetness.

Eating disorders, childhood trauma, addiction, and religious abuse — this episode of Trauma Candy Salad shares three deeply personal stories about the lasting impact of trauma and the work it takes to survive it.Beth opens the episode by sharing her experience with a severe eating disorder that began in adolescence and nearly cost her life, leading to congestive heart failure and long-term health complications. Her story explores body image, family dynamics, and recovery after years of disordered eating.Producer Phil reads Alyssa’s story about growing up around parental drug use and drug dealing, witnessing her parents’ arrest as a child, and how addiction and incarceration shaped her life.Ashley closes the episode with Gemma’s story of religious trauma and physical abuse justified by scripture, and the difficult decision to go no-contact to protect her own child and end the cycle of abuse.⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of eating disorders, addiction, child abuse, and religious trauma. Listener discretion advised.🍬 Candies in the bowl: Reese’s, Baby Ruths, and Peach Rings📩 Share your story at TraumaCandySalad.com📱 Follow @TraumaCandySaladPod on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook

This week on Trauma Candy Salad, it’s just Ashley and Kyle holding down the fort while Sammi rests her voice and cheers us on in spirit.We’re reading trauma stories that were originally shared in our TikTok comments—dropped casually, sometimes without warning, and carrying far more weight than a comment box can hold.These stories include childhood abuse and neglect, parental betrayal, medical dismissal during pregnancy, homelessness, and the long road of healing after survival. As always, listener discretion is advised—please take care of yourself while listening.If you need support or resources related to anything discussed in this episode, you can find links in our show notes or on our website.And if you’d like to share your own story, visit TraumaCandySalad.com to submit. We’re always here to listen.

This episode of Trauma Candy Salad covers trauma related to childhood injury, suicide, and stalking.We share three stories: a man who lost his arm in a farm auger accident as a child, a woman who witnessed her aunt die by suicide on her birthday, and a workplace harassment and stalking case that escalated into swatting, restraining orders, and ongoing fear.Themes include traumatic injury, amputation, farm accidents, suicide loss, workplace harassment, stalking, intimidation, and survivor impact.Candies in the bowl: Milk Duds, Jaw Breakers, and chocolate-covered raisins.To submit your own story, visit TraumaCandySalad.com.

This episode of Trauma Candy Salad explores heartbreak, divorce, illness, and loss when love ends without warning.We share three trauma stories: a marriage ending after a husband comes out as gay, a woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer and BRCA who is served divorce papers during chemo, and a relationship that ends through sudden ghosting with no closure.Themes include divorce, cancer, betrayal, grief, healing, relationships, and emotional trauma.Candies in the bowl: Twix, Sour Gushers, and Black Licorice.To submit your own story, visit TraumaCandySalad.com.

In this episode of Trauma Candy Salad, we’re talking about what happens when doctors don’t listen — and the damage that follows.Bad Back Becky brings Gum Drops and shares the agony of recurrent kidney stones, years of unmanaged pain, and being treated like a burden instead of a patient. Lindsey adds Tootsie Rolls to the bowl while recounting how obvious Lyme disease symptoms were dismissed as anxiety, delaying treatment and leaving her with long-term effects. Sammi closes the episode with Morgan’s story and some M&Ms, detailing how seizure medication toxicity was overlooked while weight gain and “anxiety” took center stage.These are stories about medical gaslighting, pain dismissal, and what it costs — physically, emotionally, and financially — when patients aren’t believed. We talk advocacy, systemic failures, and the rage that comes from realizing you deserved better care the whole time.If you’ve ever been told it was “just stress,” “just anxiety,” or “not that bad,” this episode is for you.Resources for the topics discussed in this episode can be found in the show notes and on our website.⸻👉 Have a story you want to share?Submit it at TraumaCandySalad.com👉 Follow us for clips, chaos, and candy bowls:Instagram, TikTok & Facebook @TraumaCandySaladPod👉 If this episode hit home, follow the show on Spotify, rate us, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear they’re not crazy.Because no matter what you’re going through — there’s always room for a little sweetness. 🍬

In this episode of Trauma Candy Salad, we take our first trip outside the studio to The Glitter Factory to sit down with sisters Britney and Madison for a deeply honest conversation about growing up as parentified glass children.When their baby brother was diagnosed with a very rare childhood cancer, Britney and Madison were still kids themselves—yet suddenly expected to be strong, self-sufficient, and emotionally invisible while helping care for him and their two younger siblings. In this episode, they unpack how parentification, sibling illness, and medical trauma shaped their childhood, their identities, and the way they move through adulthood today.We talk about what it means to be a glass child, how family dynamics change when survival becomes the priority, and why so many siblings of medically complex children grow up feeling unseen. This conversation is tender, validating, and a reminder that trauma doesn’t always come from what happened to you—but from what you were never allowed to need.✨ Recorded on location at The Glitter Factory🍬 Candy included, obviouslyContent note: childhood illness, medical trauma, parentification

This week on Trauma Candy Salad, we sit with Madysen — a mother whose story is almost unbelievable in its depth, grief, and resilience.Outside of becoming part of the 80% of women who miscarry their first baby, Madysen has lived through more loss than most mothers ever will.Madysen walks us through:• Three pregnancy losses• A first baby whose severe ear infections regressed her speech and left her nearly “deaf”• A second daughter rushed into repeated hospitalizations before her first birthday• A diagnosis of hyper-pituitarism, ketotic hypoglycemia, and a life-threatening pituitary aneurysm• Living with the fear her baby might need brain surgery• A miscarriage at 10 weeks that nearly caused her to bleed out• Becoming pregnant with conjoined twins — a 1 in 14.6 million occurrence• Facing Iowa’s restrictive laws after learning both twins’ hearts were failing• The impossible decision no parent ever wants to faceMadysen’s story is one of survival — financially, mentally, physically, and emotionally. It explains why she parents the way she does, why she carries the fears she carries, and how losing four babies and nearly a fifth shapes every part of motherhood.This episode is raw, real, and important.If you’ve been through miscarriage, high-risk pregnancy, medical motherhood, or complicated grief, Madysen’s story will remind you that you are not alone.

In Part 2 of Abbey’s story, we continue through the final years of her marriage — the escalation of physical abuse, the unrelenting emotional and mental manipulation, and the ways her ex-husband used financial control and parental alienation to keep her trapped.Abbey shares the moment she knew she had to leave, the dangerous reality of planning an exit from a violent partner, and the complicated aftermath of reclaiming her life after more than two decades of abuse.This episode dives deeper into the patterns of coercive control, trauma bonding, and the hidden barriers that keep survivors in abusive relationships far longer than the outside world understands. Abbey’s story is painful, powerful, and ultimately a testament to the strength it takes to break free.⸻Trigger WarningThis episode contains discussions of domestic violence, physical abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, financial abuse, and parental alienation. Listener discretion is strongly advised.⸻Resources & SupportIf you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, support is available:National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.)Call: 1-800-799-7233Text: START to 88788www.thehotline.orgLove Is Respect (teens & young adults)www.loveisrespect.orgNational Coalition Against Domestic Violencewww.ncadv.orgRAINN (sexual abuse & assault)www.rainn.orgFor international help:Search “domestic violence hotline” + your country.

For over 20 years, Abbey survived what most people can’t imagine: a marriage defined by physical abuse, emotional trauma, mental manipulation, financial control, and the devastating pain of being cut off from her children.Across this two-part series, Abbey tells the story of how abuse slowly becomes your normal, how isolation becomes a weapon, and what it really takes to leave a partner who has controlled your life since your teens.This episode dives deep into the realities of domestic violence, trauma bonding, coercive control, and the long road to healing on the other side.⸻Trigger WarningThis episode contains discussions of domestic violence, physical abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, financial abuse, and parental alienation. Listener discretion is advised.⸻Resources & SupportIf you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, you are not alone.Here are resources that may help:National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.)Call: 1-800-799-7233Text: START to 88788www.thehotline.orgLove Is Respect (for teens & young adults)www.loveisrespect.orgNational Coalition Against Domestic Violencewww.ncadv.orgRAINN (Sexual Abuse & Assault Support)www.rainn.orgIf you need international resources, you can search:“Domestic violence hotline” + your country.

At 19, Ivy thought she’d found safety in an older man who showed up for her when she was hurting. Instead, she walked straight into the perfect storm of grooming, love bombing, emotional control, and drug-fueled dependence. In this episode, Sammi, Ashley, and Ivy sit down for a raw and vulnerable conversation about: • The love bombing that hooked her in • The 17-year age gap and how it created control • Being introduced to cocaine and Adderall • Gaslighting, manipulation, and the “I’m just trying to help you” trap • The moments that pushed Ivy toward self-harm • The escape, the aftermath, and the reality of healing from someone who said he’d “save” her This is an intense but incredibly important story about grooming, coercion, and reclaiming your life after someone breaks it down piece by piece. Ivy’s honesty is powerful — and her perspective might help someone who doesn’t even realize they’re in a similar situation. 🍬 Candy of the week: Ivy’s favorite treat to get her through the chaos. 🎧 Listen with care. Trigger Warnings: Grooming, emotional abuse, drug use, self-harm, manipulation.

This week’s Trauma Candy Salad is a mix of heartbreak, healing, and a little Gorilla Glue. 🍬 Sammi shares Ginny’s story — a daughter raised by a teen mom who sacrificed everything, only to lose her too soon. Ashley reads a gut-wrenching account from Tomorrow Girl, who escaped an abusive relationship and found her way back to herself. And Kyle rounds it out with Gorilla Glue’s chaotic tale of childhood stupidity and unexpected scars (literally). It’s an episode about survival, resilience, and the strange sweetness that sometimes follows the pain. 💬 If today’s stories resonated with you, we’d love to hear yours. Submit your story or apply to be a guest at TraumaCandySalad.com. 🎧 Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook for behind-the-scenes clips and darkly funny moments between episodes. 📲 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you never miss a new salad mix. ⸻ ⚠️ Trigger Warnings: This episode contains discussions of: • Grooming and sexual coercion of a minor • Domestic violence and physical abuse • Grief and loss of a parent • Brief mention of injury/blood Please take care while listening. Skip or pause if you need to — your wellbeing comes first. 💛

This week on Trauma Candy Salad, Sammi, Ashley, and Kyle serve up a full three-course meal of chaos — featuring gaslighting boyfriends, fake best friends, and workplace Chads who just won’t quit. 🍬 On the menu: • A “good guy” boyfriend caught on Grindr (and a group chat cleanup that deserves an award) • A best friend who turned out to be a full-blown frenemy • And one woman’s “Roman Empire” — watching three mediocre men get promoted over her If you’ve ever been gaslit, backstabbed, or told to “be happy for the team,” this one’s for you. ✨ Listen, laugh, and heal — one story at a time. ⸻ 💭 Got a story you want us to read on the show? Submit it at TraumaCandySalad.com — and don’t forget to tell us what candy you’re bringing to the bowl! 📱 Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @TraumaCandySaladPod for behind-the-scenes chaos, story prompts, and more sugar-coated trauma. ⭐️ If you love the show, hit follow and leave us a review — it helps more survivors find their sweet spot in the madness. 👉 Trigger Warnings: emotional abuse, financial control, addiction, overdose, car accident, pet death, grief, verbal assault.👉 Resources: Find mental health and recovery resources on our website or in the show notes.👉 Share Your Story: Want to be on the show? Submit anonymously at TraumaCandySalad.com.👉 Follow Us: Stay connected on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @TraumaCandySaladPod for new episode drops and story prompts!

This week on Trauma Candy Salad, Sammi, Ashley, and Kyle unpack three powerful listener stories that will hit you right in the gut — and maybe even make you laugh through the tears.🍑 Story 1: A wife discovers the man she married becomes unrecognizable after kids — controlling her finances, her freedom, and nearly breaking her spirit.🍬 Story 2: A son relives the devastating year his mother went from pain pills to heroin — and the rage he feels toward Big Pharma.🍫 Story 3: A woman survives a horrific car crash and the loss of her dog — only to be screamed at by the man who caused it… until a total stranger, Margaret, steps in to save the day.💔 Heavy stories, honest reactions, and just enough sibling banter to remind you there’s always room for a little sweetness.👉 Trigger Warnings: emotional abuse, financial control, addiction, overdose, car accident, pet death, grief, verbal assault.👉 Resources: Find mental health and recovery resources on our website or in the show notes.👉 Share Your Story: Want to be on the show? Submit anonymously at TraumaCandySalad.com.👉 Follow Us: Stay connected on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @TraumaCandySaladPod for new episode drops and story prompts!

We’re finally back with a brand new episode of The Aftertaste! In this bonus episode of Trauma Candy Salad, hosts Sammi, Ashley, and Rachel catch up on two unforgettable listener stories — and things get delightfully off the rails.From emotional story updates to total sibling chaos, this episode has everything: laughter, closure, and way too many tangents. Whether you’re here for the follow-ups or just the unfiltered sibling banter, this Aftertaste will hit the sweet spot.🔹 Topics: story updates, sibling podcast, trauma stories, mental health, healing with humor, catching up, emotional storytelling, podcast follow-up episodes

In today’s episode of Trauma Candy Salad, we’re unpacking three powerful stories of family rejection, abandonment, and the unexpected places love can be found. 🍬 Pink Starbursts: A boy comes out to his mother, only to be met with cruelty and violence. What begins as abuse ends in an unexpected and shocking twist of fate. 🍫 Chocolate Covered Almonds: A child abandoned by their father grapples with the question — “What was so wrong with me?” 🥜 Snickers: Born into addiction and loss, one woman raises her grandmother while wondering what her life could’ve been in a “normal” family. ⚠️ Trigger Warnings: • Physical & emotional abuse • Homophobia • Parental abandonment • Death & medical trauma • Grief and complex family loss If you or someone you love needs support, visit the resources linked in our show notes or at TraumaCandySalad.com. ⸻ 💌 Want to Share Your Story? Submit anonymously or apply to be a guest at TraumaCandySalad.com 📲 Follow & Join the Conversation: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook → @TraumaCandySaladPod 🗳️ Don’t Forget: • Answer the poll on Spotify • Drop your thoughts in the Q&A — we do read them all! • Follow & rate the show to support free storytelling ⸻ “No matter what you’ve survived, there’s always room for a little sweetness.”

This week, things are different. No listener submissions—just us, sitting down with our very first guest, Rachel. If you’ve listened to Trauma Candy Salad, you’ve heard her name before. Ashley and I used to work with Rachel, but we never knew the full story she carried: a lifelong battle with depression that began in childhood and followed her into adulthood.Rachel opens up about navigating life while feeling “other,” surviving the quiet moments no one sees, and what it means to seek help when you don’t even have the words. This isn’t a polished success story. It’s real, raw, and every bit what this show was created for: honest conversations about the trauma we live through, and the candy we cling to along the way.Trigger Warning: Depression, suicidal thoughts.🎧 Listen in for a conversation we’ll never forget—because healing sometimes starts when someone finally says, “This is what it’s like inside my head.”🍬 Want to share your story next? Visit traumacandysalad.com to submit.

Today’s episode of Trauma Candy Salad is a wild ride through the spectrum of “are you kidding me?” moments — from career heartbreaks to shocking betrayals, and one story that’s straight out of a soap opera.💼 First up, “Open To Work” shares her story of pouring her heart into not one but two dream jobs — only to be laid off from both.🧠 Then, an anonymous listener opens up about the gut-wrenching experience of losing her therapist — suddenly and tragically — and how she found the courage to start over.🍫 And finally, “Fuck My Life” brings all the tea and chocolates to the bowl with a story that can only be described as “Real Housewives meets emotional damage” — his mom slept with his boyfriend.It’s equal parts grief, healing, and unhinged laughter — just the way we like it.🎧 Listen now for community, catharsis, and a little sweetness in the chaos.💌 Share your own story: TraumaCandySalad.com/submit-a-story💬 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @TraumaCandySaladPod❤️ If today’s stories hit close to home, take care of yourself — and check the show notes for mental health resources.

Today’s Trauma Candy Salad dives into the complicated, painful, and unforgettable ways fathers shape our lives—for better and for worse. From a dad who gambled away his daughter’s future, to a Navy childhood shattered by unthinkable violence, to the haunting memory of losing a father to suicide, this episode explores the lasting scars left behind. As always, we mix in a little sweetness with the candy bowl, but these stories don’t shy away from the heavy stuff.Trigger Warnings:This episode contains discussions of alcoholism, financial abuse, childhood trauma, domestic violence, murder, and suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised.✨ Got a story of your own you’d like us to share? Submit it at TraumaCandySalad.com or connect with us on Instagram and TikTok @TraumaCandySaladPod.

In this episode of Trauma Candy Salad, Sammi, Ashley, and Kyle share stories that highlight what it means to witness trauma and carry its impact into adulthood. • Brennon (🍫 Hershey’s with Almonds) recounts the years he watched his father abuse his mother, the complicated grief of losing her to illness, and the lifelong perspective that experience left behind. • Turtle Girl (🍭 DumDums) takes us back to her 11th birthday, when a poolside celebration turned nearly fatal for her younger brother—and how that day shaped her vigilance as a parent. • Betty Boop (🍬 Candy Corn) remembers the night her home was destroyed by fire, and how her father’s quick action saved her family from tragedy. Together, we unpack the invisible scars left by witnessing violence, accidents, and disasters—and how resilience often takes root in the middle of chaos. If these stories resonate with you, or you feel ready to share your own, visit TraumaCandySalad.com. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and TikTok @TraumaCandySaladPod for community and connection. ⚠️ Trigger Warnings: This episode contains discussions of: • Domestic violence and child witnessing abuse • Parental death • Childhood drowning/near-drowning • House fire and smoke inhalation traumaPlease take care while listening.

This week on Trauma Candy Salad, we’re diving into stories of love that endured, love that vanished, and love that still lingers long after loss. Jim shares his moving story of caring for his wife through Huntington’s disease until her final breath. Helen opens up about the heartbreak of being ghosted by the man she thought she’d marry. And Grandma June tells us about the sudden loss of her husband—and how her grief literally broke her heart.These stories are about the depths of devotion, the sting of abandonment, and the resilience it takes to carry love forward after it shatters.Grab your Milky Way, Haystacks, and Gum Drops—this is one you won’t forget.

This week on Trauma Candy Salad, the stories cut deep. Jumpy shares how her sister dismissed her pain after years of abuse, Gabe opens up about losing his best friend to the same partner who broke him down, and Jamberry reflects on a childhood scarred by betrayal and silence. Together, we unpack what it means to be hurt by the very people we thought would protect us—and how those wounds echo long after.Candy in the bowl: Peach Rings, Sour Patch Kids, and Twix.

In this week’s Trauma Candy Salad, we’re joined by stories that travel across borders and back into childhood bedrooms. Omari shares the bittersweet push and pull of leaving Guinea for freedom in Europe, only to find himself battling loneliness, language barriers, and the ache of being “different.” Halo opens up about the lasting imprint of growing up in a chaotic home, where silence feels like danger instead of peace. And Maya brings us the heartbreak of building a life in the U.S. while separated from her son, working endless hours to give him the future she dreams of—even as she misses the moments that can’t be replaced.These stories remind us how trauma follows us across oceans, generations, and even into the quietest moments of our lives. As always, if today’s episode stirred something in you, we’ve included resources in the show notes. And if you feel ready to share your own story, visit TraumaCandySalad.com—because no matter where you’re from or what you’ve been through, your story belongs here. NOTE: The TCS team is taking a small break for Labor Day next week and will be back the following Monday. We hope you enjoy your holiday and it gives our new listeners time to catch up on old episodes! 

In this week’s episode of Trauma Candy Salad, we sit down together again to share three powerful and very different stories of survival, abandonment, and the quiet hurts that stay with us. • Runner Girl brought Tootsie Rolls and told us about the night she ran barefoot from her abuser, and how the bruises faded long before the fear. • Juniper shared her story with Jolly Ranchers by her side, about facing terminal cancer alone after her husband walked out just seventeen days after her diagnosis. • Sombr came with Blow Pops and opened up about a painfully humiliating moment at school when her period started unexpectedly, and how the laughter that followed still lingers in her mind. Each story reminds us that trauma isn’t one-size-fits-all—whether it’s life-threatening, life-altering, or a moment you can’t shake, it matters. If today’s episode brought something up for you, please take care of yourself and know you’re not alone. ⸻ 📌 Resources: • Domestic Violence Support (U.S.): National Domestic Violence Hotline – Call 800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788 • Sexual Assault Support (U.S.): RAINN – Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org • Cancer Support: CancerCare offers free professional support – cancercare.org • Mental Health Support: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Dial 988 (U.S.) for free, 24/7 emotional support • International List of Hotlines: findahelpline.com ⸻ If you’ve got a story of your own—whether it’s big, small, or somewhere in between—we’d love to hear it. Share your story with us at TraumaCandySalad.com. You can also connect with us on Instagram and TikTok @TraumaCandySaladPod for episode updates and community conversations. And remember: whatever you’re carrying, there’s always room for a little sweetness. 🍬

With Kyle away on vacation, Sammi and Ashley welcome back our good friend Jess for a deeply personal and raw episode of Trauma Candy Salad. Today’s stories explore the tangled complexities of identity, survival, and friendship—told through the eyes of three storytellers who have lived them. Grace shares her journey of growing up under the crushing weight of religious shame, learning to see love not as punishment but as grace. Kacie reflects on twelve years in an emotionally neglectful marriage, and the moment she realized staying wasn’t the same thing as loving. And Nurse D opens her heart about losing the rare kind of friendship she thought she’d always have—and the lingering fear of being “too much” for people. These are stories of breaking free, finding truth, and learning to trust yourself again. Trigger Warnings: Religious trauma, internalized homophobia, emotional neglect, marital abandonment, grief, friendship loss, COVID-related stress, childhood instability, parental death, and themes of isolation. Resources & Support: • The Trevor Project – LGBTQ+ Support • RAINN – Sexual Assault Support • National Domestic Violence Hotline | Call/Text 988 in the U.S. • NAMI – Mental Health Resources If any of today’s topics resonate with you, please take care of yourself first. You are not alone, and help is out there. Share Your Story: Your voice matters. If you’d like to share your own experience, visit TraumaCandySalad.com/submit-a-story to submit anonymously or by name. We also hang out on Instagram and TikTok at @TraumaCandySaladPod—come connect with us.

🖤 This week on Trauma Candy Salad, we’re joined by a new guest host, Ivy, while Kyle is off on vacation. Sammi, Ashley, and Ivy bring three deeply personal stories to the table—each one a window into survival, resilience, and the quiet work of rebuilding after trauma. In today’s episode, you’ll hear: • A woman’s harrowing first date that ended in an assault—but also introduced her to the man who would later teach her what safe love feels like. • A young Latina woman’s experience with racism, xenophobia, and the weight of being made to prove her right to exist in the only country she’s ever called home. • A man still grappling with the death of his little sister, years after her passing, and how grief carved silence into every corner of his life. These stories are raw, tender, and powerful—reminders that healing doesn’t happen all at once, and sometimes, the most radical thing we can do is keep showing up. 🧁 This week’s candy bowl includes Snickers, Blow Pops, and Reese’s. ⸻ ⚠️ Trigger Warnings This episode contains discussions of: • Sexual assault and date rape • Racism and xenophobia • Childhood cancer and sibling loss • PTSD, anxiety, and grief • Family trauma and emotional neglect Please listen with care. If any of these topics are sensitive or activating for you, consider skipping sections or returning when you feel safe and grounded. ⸻ 🧰 Resources for Listeners If you or someone you love is struggling, here are some resources that may help: Sexual Assault Support • RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | www.rainn.org • National Sexual Violence Resource Center: www.nsvrc.org Mental Health & Grief • NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) | www.nami.org • The Dougy Center (Grief support for children, teens & families): www.dougy.org • Therapy Matcher (via Open Path Collective): www.openpathcollective.org Racism & Immigration Support • RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services): www.raicestexas.org • United We Dream: www.unitedwedream.org

In this episode, the siblings of Trauma Candy Salad are back together to share three harrowing listener stories that explore what happens when the people meant to protect us become the ones who hurt us most. From childhood abuse and fear-driven obedience, to the loss of a mother struggling with addiction, to the pain of forced separation and emotional abandonment during a teen pregnancy, each story reveals the long shadows that maternal trauma and generational cycles can cast. These are stories of silence, survival, and, ultimately, strength. 🍬 Today’s Candy Bowl Includes: • Butterfingers (Baby Giraffe) • Nerds (Dani) • Peach Rings (Serena) ⸻ 🚨 Trigger Warnings: This episode contains descriptions of child abuse, domestic violence, emotional neglect, teen pregnancy, drug addiction, death of a parent, coercive adoption, suicidal ideation, and parental abandonment. Please take care while listening and skip any sections that may be too difficult for you right now. ⸻ 💛 You are not alone. If today’s stories stirred something in you, please give yourself compassion and care. Resources and support links are available on www.traumacandysalad.com. If you have a story you want to share, visit our website to submit anonymously. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @TraumaCandySaladPod for updates, support, and a sprinkle of laughter between the heaviness.

While Ashley is out sick, Sammi’s best friend Jessica—who also happens to be Phil’s sister-in-law—steps in for a deeply meaningful episode. (Fun fact: without Jessica, there’d be no Trauma Candy Salad at all.)This week, we read three submissions that explore the quieter sides of trauma: emotional neglect in a marriage, caregiver guilt and exhaustion, and the lifelong ripple effects of childhood abuse. These stories are raw, brave, and heartbreakingly honest—and they remind us that even when we think we’re alone in our pain, someone else might be sitting with the same ache.TW: Emotional neglect, child loss, suicide ideation, postpartum depression, disability caregiver fatigue, sexual assault, CPTSD.Want to submit your story? Visit TraumaCandySalad.com or click the link in our bio.                                                               💛 Mental Health & Crisis Resources: • Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 (24/7, free, confidential) • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 (U.S. only) • National Domestic Violence Hotline – 800-799-SAFE (7233) or thehotline.org • RAINN (Sexual Assault Support) – 800-656-HOPE (4673) or rainn.org • Postpartum Support International – 1-800-944-4773 or postpartum.net • Find a Therapist – psychologytoday.com or therapyden.com

Ashley’s out sick this week, so our producer Phil steps in to help share three stories about complicated love, quiet resilience, and the way our past can shape us. This one’s tender, a little heavy, and full of heart.🍬 Follow us @TraumaCandySaladPod🖤 Submit your story at TraumaCandySalad.comNeed support? You’re not alone. Here are some trusted mental health resources: • 988 Lifeline – Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 crisis support • Crisis Text Line – Text HELLO to 741741 for free, confidential help anytime • NAMI – nami.org: mental health education, support groups, and tools • Therapy for Black Girls – therapyforblackgirls.com • Open Path Collective – openpathcollective.org: affordable therapy options 🖤 Take care of you. You deserve it.

This one’s for the originals. 💌 Today we’re sharing stories from two of the first people who ever trusted us with their trauma—before Trauma Candy Salad was even a podcast.There’s childhood betrayal, broken bones, grief, and one very questionable car ride. But more than that, there’s survival—and the full-circle reminder that being believed can change everything.⚠️ TW: Sexual abuse, neglect, suicide, substance use, kidnapping📩 Share your story

In this episode of Trauma Candy Salad, we’re diving into three unforgettable stories that remind us healing is rarely linear and sometimes it starts with a missed period, a fatal accident, or being forced to grow up too fast. From discovering you’re not the only one he’s raw-dogging (spoiler: he’s gross), to navigating grief, guilt, and complicated friendships, to a lifetime of generational trauma and finding sobriety after almost losing it all, we’re talking about the kind of pain that shapes you, but doesn’t define you.🍬 Candy in the Bowl Today: Gummy Worms, Cadbury Caramels, and Sour Patch Kids Watermelon.⸻⚠️ Trigger Warnings:This episode contains discussions of unplanned pregnancy, abortion, infidelity, death of a friend, emotional abuse, parental substance abuse, childhood trauma, mental health struggles, suicidal ideation, and substance use. Please take care while listening.⸻💌 Got a story of your own?We’re always listening. Submit your trauma at https://www.traumacandysalad.com/submit-a-story  You never know who needs to hear what you’ve survived.

Some stories don’t end when the episode does.In this first installment of The Aftertaste, we revisit two unforgettable submissions—one about a mother who gave up her child and lied about it until her death, and another about a survivor who was sent on the road with her abuser by the very person who was supposed to protect her. These follow-ups go deeper, adding painful, powerful context and the kind of closure that only comes when the people who caused the harm are gone.It’s about truth, survival, and what still lingers—because for some, karma really does have a body count.💔 Trigger warnings: Child sexual abuse, parental abandonment, drug addiction, emotional abuse, and grief.✍️ Submit your story at traumacandysalad.com/submit-a-story

Some stories change you. Others haunt you forever.In this emotionally charged episode of Trauma Candy Salad, Sammi, Ashley, and Kyle share three submissions that span the spectrum of human trauma - from a shocking tragedy rooted in PTSD, to a childhood lost to systemic abuse, to a soul-crushing toxic workplace. These are the kinds of stories that sit with you long after the episode ends.💥 Trigger Warning: This episode contains detailed discussions of suicide, gun violence, rape, child sexual abuse, drug use, emotional abuse, and workplace harassment. Please take care while listening and honor your limits.🍬 Want to share your own story and favorite candy for the bowl? Submit anytime at www.TraumaCandySalad.com/submit-a-story📲 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @TraumaCandySaladPod

In part two of our Traumatic Birth Stories series, we dive even deeper into the devastating reality of being dismissed, unheard, and endangered while giving birth. From ignored pain and misdiagnosed conditions to fatal medical negligence, these stories reveal the brutal consequences when doctors refuse to listen. One mother nearly lost her life after a massive postpartum hemorrhage. Another was sent home twice, only to face a nightmare delivery that left her emotionally scarred.These aren’t rare exceptions. They’re part of a much bigger problem.If you’ve experienced trauma, or any injustice that needs to be heard, we want to hear from you.💻 Share your story with us at traumacandysalad.com/submit-a-story🎧 Trigger warning for medical trauma, NICU stays, emergency childbirth and stillbirth.

In this emotionally charged two-part series, we dive deep into the raw and often overlooked reality of traumatic birth experiences. In Part One, Sammi, Kyle, and Ashley share listener-submitted stories that shine a light on the heartbreak, resilience, and chaos that can come with bringing life into the world.We hear from Erin, whose undiagnosed HELLP syndrome nearly ended in tragedy; from Holly, who was dismissed by doctors until it was almost too late; and from D, whose unexpected fourth child arrived amidst confusion, heartbreak, and a life-changing decision.With Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, and Reese’s Pieces in the bowl, this episode balances heaviness with heartfelt reflection, laughter with empathy, and sugar with truth.If you’ve ever felt unseen or unheard in your birth experience—or know someone who has—this episode is a must-listen.🎧 Trigger warning for medical trauma, NICU stays, and emergency childbirth.💻 Share your story with us at traumacandysalad.com

In this bittersweet episode of Trauma Candy Salad, Kyle, Sammi, and Ashley explore powerful listener stories about grief, healing, and unexpected joy. Through honest conversations and shared experiences, they highlight the strength it takes to move forward after loss. Despite heavy moments, this episode is filled with heart, connection, and hope. Tune in for a reminder that even in the darkest times, light can still break through.

In this emotionally charged episode of Trauma Candy Salad, Sammi, Ashley, and Kyle share three powerful listener stories centered on parental abuse and toxic family dynamics. From emotional neglect to addiction and betrayal, these stories highlight the deep scars left by traumatic upbringings. The hosts reflect on the courage it takes to break the cycle and reclaim a sense of self. As always, each story is paired with a candy symbolizing the bittersweet path to healing.

In this episode of Trauma Candy Salad, Sammi, Ashley, and Kyle share four powerful listener stories exploring loss, betrayal, abuse, and survival. From the grief of losing a beloved friend to the pain of domestic abuse, each story reveals the complex paths of healing. The hosts highlight the emotional weight of these experiences while honoring the resilience behind them. Through candid discussion, they reflect on reclaiming power and moving forward after deep wounds. 

In the first episode of Trauma Candy Salad, siblings Sammi, Ashley, and Kyle share personal stories of mental health struggles, grief, and bullying. They use humor and connection to process pain, adding a touch of sweetness to life’s tougher moments. The episode also features a moving anonymous story from “Waterworks Willow,” who opens up about family loss and trauma. Tune in for honest reflections, emotional depth, and the power of shared experiences.