Ep.161 Losing Everything to Find Yourself: Breaking Free from Trauma & Overwhelm

When life knocks the wind out of you, how do you find your way back to yourself?

In this episode of Asking for a Friend, we sit down with Cristina Simmons—a mother, occupational therapist, Faster Way coach, and now author of Eat Your Feelings. Her journey reads like a survival manual for the modern woman: deep grief, childhood trauma, infidelity, chronic stress, raising adopted twins with prenatal drug exposure, and navigating the complexities of raising a child with autism.

But Cristina didn’t just survive—she rebuilt. Piece by piece.

After years of numbing pain with food, ignoring the signals from her body, and losing her sense of self, Cristina hit a breaking point. What followed was a radical shift toward healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She discovered the transformative power of functional fitness, nervous system regulation, and true community support.

This episode is a lifeline for women stuck in survival mode—especially in midlife, when the emotional backlog can no longer be ignored. Cristina offers practical tools rooted in her EAT method (Educate, Accept, Transform) to help you move through grief, overwhelm, and identity loss with compassion and clarity.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this all there is?” or felt like you’re disappearing under the weight of caregiving, trauma, or unmet expectations, Cristina’s story will meet you where you are—and light the way forward.

🎧 Tune in and take the first step toward reclaiming your health, your power, and your peace.

Her book, Eat Your Feelings, is being released in July 2025.

You can find Cristina Simmons at https://cristinapsimmons.com

https://www.instagram.com/cristinapsimmons/

This episode of Asking for a Friend is sponsored by Better Help. Get 10% off your first month of therapy at https://betterhelp.com/askingforafriend

_________________________________________
1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way - Reach me anytime at mailto:mfolanfasterway@gmail.com

If you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel stuck, it may be time to look deeper. I’ve partnered with EllieMD, a trusted telehealth platform offering modern solutions for women in midlife—including micro-dosed GLP-1 peptide therapy—to support metabolic health and longevity.

https://elliemd.com/michelefolan - Create a free account to view all products.

✨ Sign up for my weekly newsletter:
https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health.

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.