In this deeply honest and hopeful episode, I’m joined by Cheryl Stott, a woman whose story is not defined by trauma...but by resilience, growth, and the decision to keep going when everything felt lost.

Cheryl opens up about her early life, growing up in an unsafe home where violence and fear were part of her daily reality. As a child, she struggled to regulate her emotions and later received diagnoses of Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. Searching for relief and understanding, she turned to drugs in an attempt to cope with the pain she carried for so long.

By her mid-30s, Cheryl reached a breaking point. After years of addiction, self-harm, and a suicide attempt that left her hospitalised, she found herself questioning whether life had any meaning at all. She speaks candidly about losing custody of her son, feeling invisible, and believing that no one truly cared.

But this episode is not about the moment she tried to end her life- it’s about what came after.

Cheryl shares how meeting someone who genuinely saw her and believed in her became a turning point. With support, courage, and immense inner work, she got clean, moved forward, and began facing the unresolved trauma that had shaped her entire life. Though that relationship didn’t last, it played a crucial role in helping her reclaim herself.

Today, Cheryl has spent over a decade working in drug recovery, helping others find a way out of addiction. She is now a personal trainer, using fitness as a tool for mental strength, self-respect, and healing. She believes the body is a reflection of the mind- and that movement can change lives.

Her message is one of hope:

✨ The pain won’t last forever.

✨ You are not broken.

✨ There is another way — even when you can’t see it yet.

This episode is raw, emotional, and deeply human. It’s for anyone who has ever felt lost, ashamed, or unsure how to keep going... and for anyone who needs to hear that change is possible.

Connect with Cheryl:

📱 Instagram: @exerciseforwellbeing