What do you do when life cracks you open- literally?

In this powerful and emotional episode, Brian R. King talks with brain injury survivor and mental health advocate Nicholas Ruchlewicz. After a traumatic motorcycle crash left him with a broken pelvis, crushed eye socket, and a traumatic brain injury, Nick could’ve chosen bitterness. Instead, he chose advocacy, empathy, and growth.

Together, they explore Nick’s transformation, from bullied “nerdy kid” to resilient survivor who now speaks with senators and supports fellow trauma survivors. This is an unfiltered look at trauma, healing, and what it really means to walk beside others in their pain.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• The invisible scars of trauma and how they shaped Nick’s early life

• His powerful use of D&D and music as healing tools

• The motorcycle accident that changed everything

• His path through rehabilitation, depression, and rediscovering self-worth

• Why he now says, “Why not me?” and fights to make others feel seen

• Trauma doesn’t define you—but it can refine you.

• Support systems don’t need to be big; they just need to be there.

• Gaming and music aren’t just hobbies—they can be lifelines.

• Empathy walks with you; it doesn’t talk down to you.

• Healing starts with the next right thing.

Want to hear more from Nick and support his advocacy? Visit his LinkedIn page and follow his work with the Trauma Survivors Network.

👉 If this episode moved you, share it with someone who feels invisible. Remind them they matter. Then subscribe, rate, and leave a review- because your voice helps more people find healing.

Have you ever felt like you're just not enough?

In this heartfelt episode, Brian R. King welcomes courage coach and author Bernice McDonald, who shares her powerful journey of overcoming fear, shame, and the long-held belief that she wasn’t good enough. With stories that span decades- from childhood classroom trauma to adult self-worth battles- Bernice invites listeners into the truth behind emotional eating, fear of judgment, and the courage it takes to heal generational pain.

Together, they unpack:

• How fear masks itself as protection but keeps us from growing

• The origin of the “not good enough” message and how it’s passed through generations

• Tiny Brave Steps: the tool Bernice teaches to reclaim courage one small decision at a time

• Parenting through legacy—what it means to model courage, not just talk about it

Bernice’s message is clear: you are enough. And you don’t need to take a leap—just one tiny brave step.

• “Not good enough” often starts with just a few defining childhood moments.

• Fear doesn’t leave—it just needs to be moved to the backseat.

• When you're stuck, progress begins with the smallest act of bravery.

• The legacy we leave is rooted in how we show up and support—even when it's hard.

💡 Ready to take your next brave step? Bernice created a free tool just for that: Tiny Brave Steps Generator. It’s personal, private, and designed to help you move forward—even if you’re scared.

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review if this episode helped you remember your worth. Courage is contagious—pass it on.

🔑 Key Takeaways:🛎 Call to Action:

What does it take to transform personal crisis into a calling that helps others thrive?

In this compelling conversation, Brian sits down with Eric Headlee—former engineer turned longevity coach—to explore the journey from physical pain and alcohol dependency to holistic health and purpose-driven work. Eric shares how a seizure in Italy became a wake-up call that led him into the world of stem cell therapy, remote patient monitoring, and preventative care solutions.

From carrying emotional scars to carrying 40-pound dumbbells, Eric’s story is proof that even a spiral can become a springboard—if you choose to rise.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The life-altering moment that forced Eric to stop drinking—for good.

• The surprising medical technologies helping people live longer and better.

• Why movement and sleep are foundational for health at any age.

• How he's building a legacy business that’s transforming lives—starting with his own family.

• Movement and sleep are the most powerful (and free) longevity tools available.

• You don’t need to wait until you’re sick to start healing.

• Legacy isn’t just about money—it’s about values, service, and sustainable impact.

• Preventative care is the future of health, and Eric is paving the way.

Ready to invest in your healthspan—not just your lifespan? Explore what Eric’s doing at AriseElite.com and follow his journey on Facebook.

👉 Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder: it’s never too late to start over, and never too early to start healing.

What if the very thing that made you feel “out of place” your whole life finally had a name?

In this profoundly resonant episode, Brian welcomes Dr. Liz DeBetta—author, performer, and advocate—to explore themes of adoption, neurodivergence, trauma, and the healing power of storytelling. Liz opens up about her lived experience as an adoptee, her solo show Unmothered, and the emotional journey of reclaiming her voice.

This conversation is for anyone who's ever asked, “Where do I belong?”—and for those raising, loving, or supporting someone who has.

You’ll hear about:

• The obscure word that perfectly names the feeling of not belonging

• How early trauma can result in acquired neurodivergence

• The hidden challenges adoptees face—even in loving homes

• Why storytelling is not just healing, but revolutionary

• How Liz’s solo show became a catalyst for connection and change

• Monocopsis: a persistent feeling of being out of place—finally, a word for it.

• Early maternal separation can rewire the nervous system in lasting ways.

• Writing and art offer powerful tools to process grief, identity, and loss.

• The system often pathologizes trauma responses instead of addressing root causes.

• Healing begins when we name what we've been afraid to say out loud.

Feeling seen by Liz’s story? You’re not alone. Explore her solo show Unmothered and other work by visiting her website or following her journey online.

👉 Subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who's still searching for their sense of belonging. Your story matters.

What happens when life throws you a challenge that seems insurmountable? Ken Kunken’s story is a living answer.

In this deeply moving episode, Brian sits down with Ken, a man whose journey began with a devastating spinal cord injury on the football field and transformed into a legacy of resilience, purpose, and service. From being told he might not live through the week to becoming a celebrated prosecutor and father of triplets, Ken’s life is a blueprint for defying limits and living with intention.

This conversation explores:

• The moment that changed everything- and how Ken responded.

• Returning to Cornell University before accessibility was a guarantee.

• His rise to a 40-year legal career as a quadriplegic prosecutor.

• The creation of lasting impact and inclusion through grit and advocacy.

• The power of identity, values, and support systems in overcoming adversity.

His memoir, I Dream of Things That Never Were, encapsulates his journey and continues to inspire change.

• Why accessibility is about more than just ramps—it’s about dignity.

• The role of mindset in navigating long-term disability and professional success.

• How a single act of accommodation can create ripples of inclusion.

• Insights on DEI from someone who lived its necessity every day.

Feeling inspired? Learn more about Ken’s story and grab your copy of his memoir at kenkunken.com. Prefer to listen? The audiobook is available, narrated by Ken himself, with production help from his son.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that limits are often just the starting line.

Belonging doesn’t always come from the outside—it often begins within.

In this boldly honest conversation, Brian and neurodiversity advocate Pasha Marlowe unpack the meaning of self-worth, identity, and living authentically as a neurodivergent person. From challenging outdated labels to redefining what inclusion really looks like, this episode is a journey into the power of embracing your full self.

Expect insights about:

• The quiet strength in letting go of perfection.

• Why “belonging to yourself” may be the most important relationship you’ll ever have.

• How language—like disorder vs. difference—can either confine or liberate us.

• Creating space for neuro-inclusion in homes, schools, and workplaces.

• And how to write your own rules for living meaningfully.

Tune in and explore how embracing your differences can become your greatest source of strength.

What happens when the unthinkable becomes your story—and no one is there to help you carry it?

In this deeply personal episode, Brian sits down with Susan Snow, whose life was shattered as a teenager when her father, an LAPD detective, was ambushed and killed. What follows is a raw, courageous conversation about trauma, silence, survival, and the moment everything began to shift toward healing.

Susan opens up about the years she spent hiding behind a mask, the long path to a real PTSD diagnosis, and how one therapist—and one truth—helped her rewrite the story she’d been carrying alone for too long.

Call to Action:
🎧 Press play and hear what it takes to reclaim your voice—and your life—when pain becomes your past, but not your future.

What happens when you stop playing it safe and finally bet on your own brain?

In this inspiring conversation, bestselling author J.D. Barker joins Brian to unpack how he walked away from a “respectable” corporate career to become a full-time novelist. They dive deep into the creative mind, autism, ghostwriting, marriage, rejection, and the myth of the perfect first draft.

J.D. doesn’t just tell great stories- he lives one. This episode is full of insight for anyone who’s ever felt stuck in the wrong life, dreamed of writing something meaningful, or wondered if their quirks might actually be their greatest assets.

🎧 Hit play to hear how J.D. turned hesitation into hustle—and how you can too.