We Are The Stigma

It's our first 10 Minute Monday! Cody & Melissa start the clock and discuss a stigma for 10 minutes. Today they tackle Valentine's Day, a topic Melissa is more passionate about than we expected. From the pressures our partners may feel, to the rising suicide rate, listen in as the couple discuss all the chocolates in the heart-shaped box that is life. (FYI This episode is NSFW)As always thanks for listening, and stay tuned for Season 2!!! xoxThe best way to support We Are The Stigma is by leaving us a five-star review on itunes! As always, help us spread our message and and reach out if you’d like to share your story https://wearethestigma.com/be-a-guest-on-our-show/You can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook If you or someone you know is struggling please call your local crisis hotline or visit wearethestigma.com/resources  

Join your co-hosts as they sit down and reflect over the past 8 months and 21 episodes, and discuss the future of their stigma smashing podcast!  The couple laugh their way through gratitude, future hopes (and fears) and lessons learned. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for the continued support. We appreciate each and every one of you, and will be honored if you'd join us on our Season 2 journey - Coming February 2020!  Enjoy the New Year, friends, we'll see you on the side xoxThe best way to support We Are The Stigma is by leaving us a five-star review! As always share with others, and reach out if you’d like to share your story https://wearethestigma.com/be-a-guest-on-our-show/You can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Thanks for listening!! xox 

In Episode 21 the co-hosts chat with the spirited Secret Drug Addict! The trio chat about his substantial following on Twitter, his anonymity, and how he uses his platform to share and inspire. They delve into active addiction, touring with some of the biggest bands and the incredible clean life he now lives.The Secret Drug Addict is wise, unfiltered, funny as all hell and brings that proper London Culture. Fall in love with the accent, and humor, and stick around for the stories and inspiration. It doesn’t get better than this xoxFollow Secret Drug Addict on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can find We Are The Stigma on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook The best way to support We Are The Stigma is by leaving us a five-star review on iTunes! As always share with others, and reach out if you’d like to share your story https://wearethestigma.com/be-a-guest-on-our-show/Thanks for listening!! xox

In episode 20 of We Are The Stigma, Cody, and Melissa share a candid and educational conversation with 23-year-old Natasha about her lifelong battle with ulcerative colitis and the other diseases that have followed. The trio delve into the facts, the untold truths and the stigmas that come along with these diseases. Natasha shares what rock bottom of ulcerative colitis looked like for her, and how finding an acceptance allowed her to take her health into her own hands. Finally, Natasha confirms exactly what we have learned throughout Season 1 - in order to heal you must find your community. Natasha has had Ulcerative Colitis since She was a toddler. Ulcerative Colitis is an autoimmune disease classified as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and causes Natasha to suffer from urgency, inflammation, bleeding, anemia, fatigue, joint pain, isolation, and linked diseases as well. She is one of the 2 million Americans with this condition and has learned in recent years to stop suffering in silence by myself. Natasha is now

It’s part 2 of Overcoming Childhood Trauma and we’re going even deeper! Now that we know what brought Jen to, and through, her addiction, let’s discover what happened after she chooses sobriety. Please be advised that this episode delves deeper into child sexual abuse, as Jen shares the ins and outs of surviving. We talk about having kids, self-love, the importance of community, and beating the odds. most importantly, we discuss healing - and it is beautiful af. Listen in as Cody and Melissa share one of the most beautiful conversations with Jen Elizabeth, a fierce female who doesn’t hold back. Jen Elizabeth, author of “Shape of a Woman,” is a recognized recovery writer and speaker living in Southern California. She shares her story as a way to leave the light on for anyone who’s suffering under the darkness of shame and silence.Follow Jen on Instagram @resurrektion_of_meTwitter @resurrekt_of_me Find her book Shape Of A Women on Amazon  The best way to support We Are The Stigma is by leaving us a five-star re

It’s Episode 18 and the hosts are obsessed with this one. So obsessed they couldn’t cut a single thing out and have split this episode into 2 parts! Melissa and Cody chat with Jen Elizabeth & this conversation is next level!! Jen shares with us her story about overcoming trauma, and breaking the cycle of abuse and addiction. ***Please be advised: this episode discusses childhood sexual abuse, and other heavy topics.**This episode touches on childhood trauma, addiction, eating disorders, Munchausen syndrome, but it is also filled with recovery, beautiful inspiration. Listen along as Jen brings both the co-hosts to tears with her incredible story.See ya next Monday for part 2!Jen Elizabeth, author of “Shape of a Woman,” is a recognized recovery writer and speaker living in Southern California. She shares her story as a way to leave the light on for anyone who’s suffering under the darkness of shame and silence.Follow Jen on Instagram @resurrektion_of_meTwitter @resurrekt_of_me Find her book Shape Of A Women

We have TWO guests in episode 17! That’s double the stories, laughter and inspiration! Melissa and Cody share a conversation with Stephanie and Pete, a couple who found love after addiction. The foursome discuss love, addiction, chaos and the beauty in the other side. Pete is a recovering alcoholic and Stephanie is the ex-wife of alcoholic, and we couldn’t help but ask ourselves, how does this work?! Turns out, Pete & Steph are happy to tackle the question, and we couldn’t be more grateful. We discuss triggers, communication, friendship, moving forward, self-love, long distance relationships, dating after divorce, and how the pair navigate it all. So, whether you’re recovering or you love someone living with addiction - this one’s for you. If you or someone you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, codependency, or seeking help for a loved one please visit wearethestigma.com/resources For years Stephanie fought desperately to save her husband, her family, and herself from the overwhelming dest

In episode 16, co-hosts Melissa and Cody have an eye-opening conversation about eating disorders with Kelly Douglas. Kelly is a 24-year-old woman who’s been living with her eating disorder for 4 years and has been in treatment and recovery for her anorexia nervosa for the past 8 months. There’s so much to learn in this episode, from disordered eating to derogatory terms, root causes, triggers, and what ED treatment looks like, we promise you’ll discover ways to support your loved one, yourself and your fellow humans. Drop what you think you know about eating disorders and embrace what you don’t. Kelly Douglas is a freelance writer and a passionate mental health and disability advocate hailing from sunny California.  She’s also an editor for Unwritten, an online magazine dedicated to millennial life.  Kelly’s work has been featured on a variety of websites, including The Mighty, Thought Catalog, MSN, Yahoo!, and she’s also spoken about the intersection of disability and privilege for the Canadian Broadcasting

It’s our first bonus episode and we’re getting witchy with it! Melissa and guest co-host Julie (from episode 2) are chatting with the enchanting Amy Lea, about all things witchcraft! Sisters Melissa & Julie are on their own witchcraft journey, so they take this opportunity to ask all of the questions and learn all of the things. Amy Lea shares how she started her witchcraft practice, how she came out of the broom closet, and what her life looks like today. Her passion is spreading her knowledge and supporting baby-witches along the way! The co-hosts learn about Divination, the light and dark sides of practicing witchcraft, how to get started in your practice, questions to ask when purchasing the basic witchcraft tools, and so much more! Additionally, we discuss #100daysofwitchcraft and #hexyourlocalrapist. This episode is FULL of knowledge, the most important fact of all - witchcraft is a lifestyle, not satanic and not necessarily religious! There’s no right or wrong way to practice, all that matters is t

In episode 15 of We Are The Stigma, married co-hosts Cody & Melissa settle in for a candid conversation with BPD (borderline personality disorder) advocate, Megan Glosson. The conversation centers around one main thing - mental health hospitals. Megan, who recently completed her own treatment, explains the ins and outs of seeking help for ones mental health. The trio discusses stigma, judgment, and misconceptions of mental institutions while laughing over shared experiences. Melissa and Cody have also found themselves in the psych ward, so they're able to reminisce as well. If you’ve been searching for a sign to seek help, this is it. Reach out, it’s far less scary than society plays it out to be. Megan Glosson is an avid writer and mental health advocate. She's currently published on The Mighty, Project Wednesday, Thought Catalog, Unwritten, Your Tango, HerStoryBlog, Words Between Coasts, SheSaid, Yahoo, and MSN. Megan is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University (B. Mus, 2010) and reside

In Episode 14 of We Are The Stigma, your co-hosts share an inspiring chat with cerebral palsy advocate and writer, Tylia Flores. The trio share an eye-opening and honest conversation about what CP (cerebral palsy) is, the common misconceptions, and how able-bodied members of society can better support the disabled community. Tylia’s message and infectious positive attitude have inspired Melissa and Cody to stomp on their stigmas one day at a time, and we know she’ll do the same for you! As always, come join us as we learn, share, laugh and grow. Tylia Flores is a 24-year-old born with cerebral palsy. Although her condition has affected her mobility, it has never affected her will and determination to make a difference in the world. Through her many life challenges and obstacles, she discovered her passion for writing. Tylia’s goal in life is to share her stories with the world. In doing so, she hopes to help others with disabilities realize that they, too, have the potential to make their dreams come true.Fol

In episode 13 the sober couple sit down with The Sober Bitch, Beth Holden. Beth got sober at 19 years old and now spends her days supporting other fellow young people on the sober journey. Beth shares the events that led her to rethink her alcohol and drug use, the pains of her first year sober, how she did it, and what her recovery looks like now. Beth explains how there wasn’t a place for her in AA, so she created a place of her own which she now shares with others. The trio talk about homosexuality, the difference between teenage drinking and teenage drug use, and how there’s no one way to recover. Beth is a 22-year-old  sober queer lady from Knoxville, TN who advocates for all things young and recovery related.  She has a website TheSoberBitch.com where you can find her writings about the experience of being queer and in recovery at a young age, and a link to join her private young and sober Facebook group open to anyone 25 or younger and sober/sober curious. She also talks about all of these things on he

In episode 12 of We Are The Stigma, the married co-hosts share a candid conversation with Courtney Anderson about all things infertility. Courtney is a sober badass babe from Detroit, Michigan, who’s publicly open about the infertility journey her and her husband are on. When it comes to infertility, everything is talked about - financial, shame, guilt, the toll it can take on one's  relationships, the business of making a baby, sex becoming a chore, what to say and what not to say - all of it. As a couple who haven‘t struggled to get pregnant, Melissa’s first reaction is guilt, thanks to the interview, Melissa learns that guilt isn’t needed, it’s education and empathy. Courtney Anderson is open about so much more than infertility, she's a sober and health coach, a podcaster, a recovery advocate and co-founder of National Sober Day, which debuts September 14, 2019! You can listen to Courtney’s story here.Her podcast, Real Aligned Women here. If your a woman in sobriety join her supportive Facebook c

In Episode 11, the co-hosts welcome Tyler Cowdry to the show, and together they explore tragedy and grief. In 2016, Tyler was involved in a tragic, fatal car accident which turned his world upside down. Tyler now had to choose how to move forward. From mourning the love of his life, to realizing that the tragedy does not define him, Tyler embarked on a profound journey. As Tyler explains, there’s no one way to grieve. His process involves travel, his community, ayahuasca ceremonies, nature, and a couple of goats. The trio ask themselves, is closure necessary? Do we even want closure?? Join us as we discover - like everything else in life - you can break through the norms, and find your own way.Tyler is an emergency room nurse and restaurant/bar owner in Portland, Or where he has proudly called home for almost two decades. In that time he has established himself as an unconventional jack-of-all-trades and master of none dipping his ambitions into a wide variety of baffling hobbies and certifications. From nabb

It’s Episode 10 and co-host Melissa is sharing her story. The hosts sit down together and delve deep into Melissa’s past; what her active addiction looked like, self-harm, self-hate, and grief. Join the couple as they walk through darkness and into hope. As always, they cry, they laugh, they learn and connect. Please be aware, this episode discusses self-harm in a way that may be triggering, if at any time you feel the need for support, please contact your local crisis center, for further resources please visit https://wearethestigma.com/resources/The best way to support We Are The Stigma is by leaving us a five-star  review! As always share with others, and reach out if you’d like to share your story https://wearethestigma.com/be-a-guest-on-our-show/You can find Melissa on https://instagram.com/thepetitcactus https://twitter.com/mommy_sans_wineHttps://Facebook.com/thepetitcactusVisit her blog mommywithoutwine.com Follow us at https://instagram.com/_wearethestigma https://twitter.com/_wearethestigma https://F

It’s episode 9, and we’re diving into addiction! Your co-hosts sit down together and delve into Cody’s story. Cody was an alcoholic, but when alcohol no longer served its purpose, he traded in his bottle of vodka for a bottle of pain pills. Cody shares about his opioid addiction and the very dark places those pills took him in only a years time. Cody also suffers from OCD, depression, self-hate, and is a suicide survivor. In episode 9, the married couple laugh and cry together as Cody shares his experience, strength and hope. Please be warned, this episode talks openly about suicide. Remember, you are never alone, and there is a way out. If at any time you feel the need for support, please contact your local crisis center, for more information visit wearethestigma.com/resources. You can find Cody here on Instagram. Follow We Are The Stigma on Instagram www.instagram.com/_wearethestigma at https://twitter.com/_wearethestigma and on Facebook facebook.com/wearethestigmaWanna share your story? Send us a message!

Cody’s back from Iceland and the couple take a deep dive into vulnerability and toxic masculinity. Chatting with long-time friend, Poe, the trio take a self-discovery journey while discussing culture and the pressure men feel to swallow their emotions. After promising to live an honest life, Poe has spent the last 2 years discovering his authentic-self by embracing his truths and sharing them openly. Poe candidly discusses vulnerability and toxic masculinity in a way that anyone can relate to. His humor and insight are captivating!  So, sit back, relax, and take it all in. Poe is a man in his early 40's that is learning to embrace his vulnerability, but still has a lot to work on. He loves being a dad, writing, eating, snowboarding, and has been known to dress like a 17 year old that just found $500. He's a huge blazers fan, who don’t use many exclamation points, and firmly believes that hot sauce can go on anything. It’s time to start a conversation and change the dialogue, come join us! You can fi

In episode 7 of We Are The Stigma, Cody and Melissa chat with Esther Nagle to discuss a topic that hits close to home, Love Addiction. Thanks to Esther’s honesty and vulnerability, the couple are able to unbury some truths of their own. The trio discuss, self-esteem, insecurity, trauma, bullying and what it’s like to heal oneself. Esther also shares about her alcoholism, ADHA, and how she finally learned to breathe. Esther is a yogi, a sober mom, an author, speaker, truth teller, and a breathing coach from the UK. Join the couple as they unpack their past with a little help from their friend.  Find Esther Nagle at https://www.instagram.com/spacetobreatheacademy/ Join her Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/spacetobreatheacademy Read her beautiful words at https://sobermommies.com/author/esther-nagle/ To learn more about finding your breath, visit https://spacetobreatheacademy.com/check out her book, Bent Back into Shape: Beating Addiction Through Yoga https://www.amazon.com/Bent-Back-into-Shape-Addiction/

In Episode 6 the couple are chatting with Lori Massicot about all things aging! It’s the night before Melissa’s 31st birthday and the conversation couldn’t have come at a better time! Lori teaches women how to create a healthy lifestyle, both mentally and physically, so that they stop numbing out and start feeling happier and more confident in the middle of life; alcohol-free. The topic is perimenopause, but as usual the conversation gets SO much deeper! Listen along as the trio discuss aging - how to do it, what to look for, what it feels like, and how to handle it.  Lori is a sober lifestyle coach for women over 40, podcaster, certified nutrition coach, and LOVER of all things midlife.  After eight years of going through perimenopause while drinking two bottles of Chardonnay in one sitting, Lori decided to take the road less traveled and quit drinking after three decades of being the “party girl.”  Cody and Melissa find themselves inspired as it becomes clear that you can pursue your dreams at any age, and

It’s episode 5 of We Are The Stigma! Melissa and Cody are chatting with 35-year-old dancer, Harlow. Harlow has been in the sex work community for almost 15 years, she is a queer woman and a dedicated student. Needless to say the couple learn a lot more than they could have dreamt. The trio talk about strip clubs, the physical and mental tolls of dancing, living life in the closet, and end with a moment of deep empathy and respect. Melissa and Cody learn more about life than they do about dancing. Find us on social media instagram.com/_wearethestigma Wanna share your story? Email us at wearethestigma@gmail.com Want to help us out?? Leave us a 5-star review! If you feel the need for support contact your local crisis center and visit wearethestigma.com/resources for more information. Thanks for listening!