Heartbreak can turn even the strongest among us into tireless editors of the past. We replay scenes, bargain with “what if,” and try to outrun regret. This conversation changes that script. With transformation specialist Dr. Dravon James, we explore forgiveness not as a soft ideal but as a rigorous, practical pathway to real happiness. Acceptance—“it is what it is”—stops sounding like surrender and starts feeling like authorship. As Dravon says, you can’t change a yellow wall to blue without first naming yellow.

We dive into a blank-canvas practice that’s equal parts tender and disarming: release old labels, whisper “I am nothing,” and notice what appears. From that openness, the questions sharpen: Which version of me is complete? What wants to be created now? Along the way, we trade perfection for progress and explore how safety in relationships grows when we allow the power of “no.” Boundaries become bridges when consent enters hard conversations and curiosity replaces assumption. That’s where real repair begins.

Dravon’s insights on self-trust come alive here: before self-love, rebuild faith in your own choices by noticing how often you’ve already shown up for yourself. When we tune into that inner station, synchronicity feels less like luck and more like alignment. Sometimes the truth within says a long relationship has run its course. Hearing it is hard. Ignoring it is harder.

If you’re ready to stop punishing yourself, to let “no” deepen intimacy rather than threaten it, and to turn heartbreak into wisdom you can actually use, this episode is for you. Listen, share it with someone who needs a softer way forward, and leave a review so more people can find their path to everyday peace. Then tell us: what label are you ready to set down today?

Connect with Dr. Dravon James:

Website: https://drdravonjames.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdravonjames

Facebook: www.facebook.com/everydaypeacewithdrdravonjames

Book: Forgiveness: The Pathway to Happiness

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Email: chelsea@breakupward.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

Chelsea sits down with authors Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman to explore their novel Ten Thousand Light Years from Okay and what it means to be “better but not okay”—that space where life is moving forward, but your heart still carries the weight of grief, heartbreak, or uncertainty. We dive into unexpected heartbreak and how to move forward fearlessly when grief has robbed you of your invincibility. We also explore the gap between progress and pain, the individual path of healing, and the sustaining power of friendship in carrying you through grief. Whether you’re navigating heartbreak, a life shift, or just the overwhelm of being human, this episode reminds you that it’s okay to not be okay—and that feeling this way is part of breaking upward.

Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman:

Website: https://www.dobmeierkatzman.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katzndobs

Amazon: Ten Thousand Light Years from Okay

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Email: chelsea@breakupward.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

In a world filled with uncertainty and challenges, finding happiness can often feel like an elusive goal. In this episode, Chelsea engages in a captivating conversation with author Beth Romero about her recently released book, Happy AF, and her mission to prove that happiness is not just a fleeting emotion, but a choice that can be practiced and cultivated through consistent efforts.

Beth addresses the incongruence between internal feelings and outward presentation and emphasizes the distinction between joy and happiness, positioning the latter as a consistent commitment and a lens through which to interpret life. Happy AF becomes a poignant life raft toward cultivating practices such as gratitude and affirmations, particularly during bouts of heartbreak and depression. Chelsea and Beth delve into the significance of maintaining consistency in happiness practices, encouraging listeners to experiment with different approaches. They touch on the transformative power of empathy in relationships and the potential for altering one's internal narrative to cultivate a more authentic, supportive, and positive existence.

Beth Romero:

Website: https://bethromeroauthor.com

Happy AF via Amazon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethromero12

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethromeroauthor1

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Website: https://breakupward.com

Email: breakupward@icloud.com

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Email: chelsea@breakupward.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

In this courageous episode, we explore the complex world of codependency, trauma, and the healing path towards self-sovereignty. Our guest speaker The Conscious Codependence Coach, Cheryl Fidelman, bravely shares how her own codependent patterns formed as a result of her early exposure to trauma and instability. At the tender age of 4, she was sexually molested and two years later her father left after a domestic violence dispute, leaving her to shoulder the weight and responsibility of managing her mother’s mental health struggles.

Throughout the conversation, Cheryl introduces her own unique methodology, Conscious Codependency Recovery, designed to guide individuals on their journey to overcoming codependency and becoming a sovereign being with boundaries and an open heart.

She sheds light on the importance of recognizing the difference between true needs and codependent “illusions of needs,” our true selves and the "traumatic identity" we develop as a result of early life experiences, as well as the distinction between healthy intimacy and codependent intimacy.

We also take a deep dive into forgiveness, emphasizing the significance of self-responsibility and healing the impact of past trauma rather than focusing on the story and assigning blame, as well as the idea of breaking one’s own heart, as codependents often unconsciously create situations that lead to heartbreak.

Join us in exploring how to break the cycle of codependency, find your true nature, access deep, healthy intimacy, and embody freedom through the healing process.


Cheryl Fidelman:

Website: https://cherylfidelman.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cherylfidelman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherylfidelman
Book a call: https://cherylfidelman.com/connect

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Website: https://breakupward.com
Email: breakupward@icloud,com
Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com
Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Email: chelsea@breakupward.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

Tune in as we sit down with the inspiring anti-bullying activist and author of "My Real-Life Rom Com," Carrie Berk. Together, we journey through the fascinating world of modern relationships, where the realms of dating apps, influencer status, and mental health intersect.

Prepare to relate as we peel back the layers of our personal stories, revealing how our self-concept intricately weaves its threads into our love lives in this digital era. We'll challenge the notion that "people always leave" and explore why raising our expectations in relationships is not only possible but essential.

Carrie Berk:

Website: https://www.carrieberk.com
My Real-Life Rom Com: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, Bookshop.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/carrieberkk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carrieberkk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrieberkk
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carrieberkk

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Website: https://breakupward.com
Email: breakupward@icloud.com
Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com
Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Email: chelsea@breakupward.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

Celebrated for her prominent role in As the World Turns, actress Melanie Smith has redirected her professional journey toward the exploration of heartache, grief, and reinvention. Her endeavors have encompassed guiding numerous individuals in breaking free from their past, unearthing their authentic identities, and masterminding profound shifts in their life trajectories.

Joining Thank You Heartbreak at the 7-minute mark, Melanie provides an exclusive peek into the genesis of her inaugural book, "Unfinished Business: 8 Steps to Heal Your Trauma, Transcend Your Past, and Transform Your Life." She delves deeply into the intricate tapestry of emotions that propelled her research, recounting her personal odyssey of conquering childhood illness and subsequent solitude, debunking the illusion of an idealized existence, and embarking on the profound inner journey that facilitated her harmonious union with self and others.

Within this emotionally charged narrative lies the poignant tale of her mother's untimely departure due to a rare form of cancer, the tragic death of her sister, the dissolution of her marital bond, and the dizzying relinquishment of her once-cherished dream home. These cascading adversities served as the impetus for her to confront a fundamental query: "Who would I be, could I be, if nothing or no one had ever gotten in my way?"

Melanie’s work surrounding Unfinished Business underscores the significance of addressing lingering unresolved issues, which have the potential to obstruct the path to self-discovery and self-fulfillment, ultimately preventing individuals from embracing their destined sense of self.

Key episode themes:

• Trauma from being diverted from our perceived life purpose.
• Link between early validations and entrapment in adult obligations.
• Recovery as a vital life skill for inner peace and abundance through life's pain.
• Trust in oneself and a higher pattern.
• Value of charge-free and trigger-free dating.
• Body as a guide to finding our sweet spot of belonging.
• Girls abandon their bodies; boys abandon their hearts.
• Healing potential of relationships.
• Self-attunement for self-understanding.
• Distinguishing between the necessity for survival-driven special attention and ordinariness.

Melanie Smith:

Website: https://workwithmelaniesmith.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaniesmithofficial
Unfinished Business: https://unfinishedbusinessthebook.com
Unfinished Business via Amazon:

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Email: chelsea@breakupward.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

Clinical psychologist and author Dr. Cortney Warren is an expert on addictions, self-deception, romantic relationships, eating pathology, and the practice of psychology from a cross-cultural perspective. In today’s episode, she joins Chelsea 9:45 minutes in to talk about her latest self-help book on breakups, Letting Go of Your Ex: CBT Skills to Heal the Pain of a Breakup and Overcome Love Addiction.

Gems from this episode: overcoming love addiction with radical self-honesty, the skill of self-forgiveness, the courage to be honest with yourself and therein free to choose the life that aligns with who you really are, understanding why your own boundaries are so important to your own mental health, the power of the post-breakup pause, dating as an experiment and initiative of self-discovery, and why living and loving with your eyes wide open increases self-esteem and self-efficacy, decreases self-deception, and sets you up for a life of least regret.

Dr. Cortney Warren

Website: https://drcortney.com
Letting Go of Your Ex: via Amazon
TEDx Talks: Honest Liars
Psychology Today: Blog
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcortneywarren
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drcortneywarren
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CortneySWarren
Contact: https://drcortney.com/contact-cortney-warren

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Email: chelsea@breakupward.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott

Two-time guest, musician, beloved mindfulness writer, and author of Kickass Recovery, Billy Manas, joins Chelsea 9:30 minutes in for their yearly check-in about all the highs and lows they're recovering from.

Billy Manas:

Website: https://www.billymanas.com
Kickass Recovery: via Amazon
Substack: https://substack.com/profile/12500734-billy-manas
elephant journal: https://www.elephantjournal.com/profile/billy-manas
Music Show Dates: https://www.billymanas.com/shows
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billymanas2
Twitter: https://twitter.com/billymanas

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Website: https://breakupward.com
Email: chelsea@breakupward.com
Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com
Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musings

Chelsea Leigh Trescott:

Email: chelsea@breakupward.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thankyouheartbreak

Advice Column: https://www.huffpost.com

Writing: https://thoughtcatalog.com/chelsea-leigh-trescott