Why Are We Hiding Our Brokenness?
The Hidden Cost of Silence: Melissa’s Story of Loss, Trauma, and Healing
In this episode of Let’s Get Naked, we talk about something many people carry—but few talk about: unhealed childhood trauma.
Our guest, Melissa, shares the heartbreaking story of losing her husband to suicide in 2022. On the outside, they seemed to have it all. They were both successful dental professionals, raising a beautiful family. But behind the perfect image was a lot of pain they had never fully dealt with.
Melissa opens up about how both she and her husband carried trauma from their childhoods. They had learned to smile through the pain and keep going. But over time, the weight of that unprocessed trauma became too heavy. Her husband started using alcohol and opioids to cope. He kept pretending everything was fine—right up until the day before he took his life.
One of the most powerful parts of the conversation is how Melissa explains the pressure men feel to hide their emotions. Society teaches them to be “strong” and not talk about what they’re going through. This silence can become deadly.
After her husband’s passing, Melissa found healing in a surprising way—not through years of therapy, but through breathwork. She shares how this practice helped her release pain that had been buried for decades. Breathwork allowed her to feel and process grief, trauma, and PTSD in a way she hadn’t before.
Now, Melissa is on a mission to help others heal too. She’s teaching her kids how to talk about their emotions and even bringing emotional intelligence tools into their classrooms. Her story is one of deep pain—but also of hope and purpose.
If you’ve ever struggled with your own past or love someone who has, this episode is for you. It’s a reminder that healing is possible, no matter how heavy the pain. And sometimes, getting honest—getting “naked”—is where it all begins.
