Shift Shift Bloom

📝 Shift Shift Bloom S2 EP 17 Show NotesThis is the story of a body—how it holds pain, how it hides it, and how it sometimes saves your life by refusing to keep going.In this episode, Kristen talks with Andrea Ciannavei: writer, activist, playwright, TV producer (Mayans MC, Boots), and end-of-life doula. Andrea is also someone who spent decades navigating addiction, trauma, rage, disordered eating, and a complicated relationship with the world—and her own body.From her early years in New Rochelle and the halls of the Actors Studio, to gastric bypass surgery, 12-step recovery, and a spiritual path paved with dogs, writing, and grief work, Andrea’s story is brutal, funny, brilliant, and deeply felt.In this conversation, Andrea shares:🍽️ How growing up in an Italian American family shaped her earliest experiences with food, shame, and visibility🩺 Why her gastric bypass was “a suicide attempt with a side of surgery”🚬 How addiction masked deeper emotional pain—and how 12-step work cracked things open✍️ How writing helped her integrate the past and develop her voice🌈 Why she became an end-of-life doula—and how death work is deeply linked to trauma recovery🧠 How trauma isn’t just a personal wound—it radiates outward like fallout🔥 Why healing is nonlinear and sometimes angry, and why she’ll never stop fighting for her own lifeThere are moments in this episode that hit like a freight train, and others that feel like a hand on your shoulder. If you’ve ever struggled with body image, addiction, loss, or the long arc of becoming — this one’s for you.🔗 Related Resources📘 Andrea’s Play: Pretty Chin Up Published by Playscripts, Inc.🎤 Andrea Ciannavei – IMDb📚 It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn – Book link💀 National End-of-Life Doula Alliance – Certification and resources🧰 The RISE Framework – A trauma-informed approach from TCOM🧭 TCOM (Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management) – Healing-centered strategies for helpers and systems💬 Favorite Quote“I was the biggest I’d ever been, and I knew I was going to die. And I didn’t want to die. I wanted to live—but I didn’t know how.”Andrea Ciannavei is a writer, actor, teacher, producer, and political activist.TV: Co-Executive Producer on Boots (Netflix/Sony), Mayans MC (FX Networks), The Path (Hulu), Last Men Out (National Geographic);  American Odyssey (NBC Universal), Copper (BBC America), Borgia (Canal Plus). Plays: The Winstons, one-act play commissioned by Hangar Theater, Deep Trees, The Hard Sell, 7 Captiva Road, and Pretty Chin Up which received a development production at LAByrinth Theater Company (Artistic Directors: Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz) at The Public Theater. Publications: Pretty Chin Up (Playscripts, Inc.) She has also been published in DAME Magazine.For a decade, Andrea produced the Helen Deutsch Writing Workshops (aka Veterans Writing Project): free writing workshops for wounded warriors returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan (as well as their family caregivers) in Colorado, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, New York, Los Angeles, and the American Military Hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. Sponsored by the Writers’ Guild Initiative and in partnership with Wounded Warrior Project. This workshop has expanded to include Witness to Innocence which advocates for death row exonerees. In addition to teaching privately since 2005, Andrea has taught master classes and been a guest lecturer at Carnegie Mellon, Chapman University, Snow College and UC San Diego. She has been teaching writers how to work with beats and outlines exclusively to prepare them for working in writers’ rooms professionally since 2015.Education: NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Dramatic Writing Program and went on to Juilliard’s Lila Acheson Playwriting Fellowship 2008-2010. Proud member of WGA. Proud board member of Writers Guild Initiative (https://writersguildinitiative.org/) and Empower Survivors Now (https://www.empowersurvivorsnow.org/).🎧 Previous Episodes to Pair With This OneEP15: I Raised Myself — Mary Grace Lim on immigration, family wounds, and forgivenessEP14: Hold On Tight — Richie Barlow on trauma, dogs, and healing through careAdditional ResourcesTCOMThe Praed Foundation CreditsHosted by Kristen Cerelli Cover art by @jacksonfallTheme Music by Kristen Cerelli. Additional music by Ray Wyssman and The SimoleonsPodcast production by Timothy FallAll content Copyright ActuallyQuiteNice, Inc & TCOM Studios, 2022-2025

At five years old, he crossed the U.S.-Mexico border with his mother, hidden on a bus. At twelve, he crossed again—this time on foot, in the cold, through a desert canyon. Years later, Abrahan served in the United States Marine Corps, completed two deployments in the Middle East, and earned his U.S. citizenship.In this extraordinary episode, Abrahan sits down with Kristen Cerelli to share a story rarely told with such clarity, humor, and humility:🇲🇽 What it meant to be “illegal” at five—and why he thought his whole family was in trouble🧭 The emotional and physical toll of two border crossings before the age of 13🎒 What 12 schools in 12 grades taught him about adaptability and empathy🎖️ Why he enlisted in the U.S. military—and how it shaped, strained, and ultimately stretched him🎭 How acting, self-reflection, and solitude became his path back to joy❤️ The promise he made to his mother as a child—and how it still drives him todayThis is a conversation about immigration—but also about what it means to belong, and how we carry the legacy of our family, culture, and trauma into every new identity we forge.🔗 Related Resources📘 It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn – On inherited family trauma and healing🧭 TCOM (Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management) – Person-centered tools for change agents🌍 ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) – Understanding the long-term impacts of early adversity🎖️ Military Path to Citizenship – USCIS🎭 Resources for Veterans in the Arts 💬 Favorite Quote“For the first time in my life, I don’t feel like I have to take care of anyone else. I can take care of myself. And it’s beautiful.”🎧 If You Liked This Episode…EP13: I Just Wanted It to End – Richie Barlow’s journey from childhood trauma to business ownershipEP15: I Raised Myself – Mary Grace Lim on immigration, survival, and forgivenessAdditional ResourcesTCOMThe Praed Foundation CreditsHosted by Kristen Cerelli Cover art by @jacksonfallTheme Music by Kristen Cerelli. Additional music by Ray Wyssman and The SimoleonsPodcast production by Timothy FallAll content Copyright ActuallyQuiteNice, Inc & TCOM Studios, 2022-2025

Season Two continues exploring themes of resilience, inheritance, and reinvention. In Richie Barlow’s story, we saw how unmet needs became entrepreneurial muscle. In this conversation, we step through another doorway—immigration—to ask how identity and family are reshaped across borders.Mary Grace Lim was born in Carmona Cavite, Philippines, and came to the U.S. twice: once at five with her mother and stepfather, and again at eleven with her sisters. Along the way, she was raised largely by her grandmother, navigated her mother’s long absences and addiction, and found safety in community, sports, and faith.In this wide-ranging conversation, Mary Grace reflects on:💔 Growing up between two countries — and the ache of leaving her grandmother behind🌱 Raising herself when adults fell short, and the survival instincts that gave her strength🏐 Sports as salvation — how volleyball and basketball gave her purpose, discipline, and voice💸 Generational cycles of money and survival — and how she’s working to break them🙏 Faith and artistry as compass points — discovering God, creativity, and self-forgiveness on her own terms🧩 Healing generational trauma — inspired by Mark Wolynn’s It Didn’t Start With YouAt the heart of her story is a hard-won lesson: forgiveness of all parts of the self, and the courage to set new boundaries.🔗 Resources & Links📘 Book: It Didn’t Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycleby Mark Wolynn🧭 TCOM (Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management) – Learn more about shared language for healing systems🌍 CDC on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)💬 Favorite Quote“I think I raised me. I took what I needed from where it was available—and gave myself what I didn’t get.”🎧 Catch Up or RevisitMissed our last conversation? Listen to S2 EP13: Finding Light in the Darkest Places and S2 EP14: Hold On Tight with Richie Barlow for more on resilience, survival, and transformation.Additional ResourcesTCOMThe Praed Foundation CreditsHosted by Kristen Cerelli Cover art by @jacksonfallTheme Music by Kristen Cerelli. Additional music by Ray Wyssman and The SimoleonsPodcast production by Timothy FallAll content Copyright ActuallyQuiteNice, Inc & TCOM Studios, 2022-2025

EP14: Holding On Tight and Healing through Entrepreneurship (Part 2) with Richie BarlowIn the conclusion of this two-part conversation, Richie Daiches Barlow returns to share what happened after he aged out of the UK state care system—abandoned, robbed, and utterly alone. What followed was unlikely, healing, and deeply powerful.Starting with a pair of rescue dogs named Jack and Ernie, Richie found a new purpose—and inadvertently founded one of the UK’s top-rated pet care franchises, The Dog Walker. But this episode is about far more than dog walking. It’s about transformation, trust, and the invisible work of healing from trauma.🐾 In this episode, Richie talks about:How dog walking changed his life—and why it’s “not just a walk in the park”How his past shaped his deep empathy and his commitment to serviceThe trauma-informed principles that guide his leadership todayBuilding systems that protect—not exploit—othersBecoming a volunteer police constable to serve and repair the very system that once failed himThe love and safety he finally found with his husband, Ben🔗 Related Resources & Links📘 Richie’s Book – Richie Who Cares: A Lost Childhood and a Boy’s Journey for Justice🐶 The Dog Walker Franchise – Visit the official site👮‍♂️ UK Volunteer Police Roles – How to become a Special Constable🧠 Trauma-Informed Systems🧰 The RISE Framework – Recognize, Inquire, Support, and EmpowerA trauma-informed response tool designed for caregivers and systems seeking to provide compassionate, individualized support.🧭 TCOM (Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management) – Learn more at tcomtraining.comA person-centered framework focused on healing, transformation, and shared language across helping systems.🧒 Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) – CDC resource on ACEs💬 Favorite Quote:“I started living when I met Ben—not just surviving, living.”🎧 Catch Up or Revisit📍 Missed Part 1? Listen to S2 EP13: “I Just Wanted It to End” to hear Richie’s childhood story of survival inside the UK care system.If this conversation moved you, please consider:Leaving a review or rating on Apple Podcasts or SpotifySharing this episode with someone working in care, education, or justiceExploring more about trauma-informed care, youth advocacy, and healing-centered leadershipAdditional ResourcesTCOMThe Praed Foundation CreditsHosted by Kristen Cerelli Cover art by @jacksonfallTheme Music by Kristen Cerelli. Additional music by Ray Wyssman and The SimoleonsPodcast production by Timothy FallAll content Copyright ActuallyQuiteNice, Inc & TCOM Studios, 2022-2025

Show NotesIn this powerful first part of a two-part conversation, Kristen sits down with Richie Daiches Barlow—entrepreneur, bestselling author, and survivor—to share a story of unimaginable hardship, resilience, and hope.Richie’s childhood in the U.K. was marked by neglect, abuse, and systemic failure. Locked in his room for days without food, forced into survival mode, and eventually trafficked while under the state’s care, Richie endured what no child should. But through his boundless imagination, small acts of courage, and the support of a few extraordinary people—including his fierce advocate Pauline and his foster mother Anna Daiches—Richie found a way forward.Together, Kristen and Richie explore:Survival in silence — growing up in an abusive home and learning to endure isolation and hungerThe power of imagination — creating worlds of freedom when locked behind closed doorsLife inside the U.K. care system — including the failures that left children vulnerable to trafficking and abuseSection 28’s shadow — how anti-LGBTQ legislation shaped Richie’s childhood and compounded his isolationBeacons of hope — the mentors and allies who reminded Richie of his worthThe path toward healing — early signs of resilience, survival instincts, and the first glimpses of possibilityThis episode lays the groundwork for Richie’s extraordinary transformation. In Part 2, you’ll hear how he built a life defined by compassion, entrepreneurship, and advocacy—proving that healing and joy are possible, even after the darkest beginnings.📚 Featured GuestRichie Daiches BarlowCEO of The Dog Walker (named Best Pet Care Business in the U.K. by Corporate Vision, 2021)Bestselling author of Richie: Who Cares? A Lost Childhood and a Boy’s Journey for Justice🔗 Resources & LinksRichie’s Book on Amazon Learn more about the U.K.’s Section 28 and its lasting impact on LGBTQ+ rightsIf you think you know where this story goes, you don’t. What Richie endured as a child will break your heart—but what he becomes will inspire you even more.🎧 Listen now, and stay tuned for Part 2.Additional ResourcesTCOMThe Praed Foundation CreditsHosted by Kristen Cerelli Cover art by @jacksonfallTheme Music by Kristen Cerelli. Additional music by Ray Wyssman and The SimoleonsPodcast production by Timothy FallAll content Copyright ActuallyQuiteNice, Inc & TCOM Studios, 2022-2025