🌙 Episode Summary

In this powerful episode of Break the Cycles Podcast, host Alisha Sheri sits down with Simone Swartz — author, mother, mental health advocate, and PTSD recovery coach. Simone shares her deeply personal journey of surviving sexual assault in the military and spending nearly 20 years living with undiagnosed PTSD before finding healing. Together, they explore the many faces of trauma, the body's role in storing it, and why speaking out is one of the most powerful acts of reclaiming your power. Simone also shares details on her step-by-step PTSD recovery book and companion workbook, and the importance of community and integration in the healing process.

✨ Key Takeaways

• PTSD is not just a combat condition — it can stem from sexual assault, domestic violence, childhood trauma, gun violence, and more. This message is critically underrepresented in media.

• PTSD shows up in surprising ways — isolation, adrenaline-seeking behaviors, perfectionism, overworking, sleep dysregulation, and digestive issues can all be signs.

• Trauma lives in the body, not just the mind — healing requires physical movement, body-based therapies, and somatic release alongside mental work.

• Silence protects predators — the more survivors speak out, the safer the world becomes for others. Shame must switch sides.

• Healing is not linear, and it's not one-size-fits-all — there are dozens of therapy modalities (FDA-approved and otherwise) that can support recovery. Finding what works for you is key.

• Breaking cycles is a choice — and it starts with being willing to do the inner work, including revisiting painful moments in order to release them.

🎙️ Sound Bites

"PTSD is treatable, and from sexual assault, we should not be quiet — and we don't have to be."

"Breaking the cycles means having victory in your life. It means taking back your power."

"Trauma makes more trauma. It doesn't make you stronger."

"Healing is not for them. It's not closure for them. It's for yourself — so you don't have to carry that pain and anger."

⏱️ Chapters

0:00 — Intro & Welcome

1:30 — What "Breaking the Cycles" Means to Simone

2:30 — Simone's Background: Military Sexual Assault, PTSD, and the Nonprofit for Survivors

6:00 — Why She's Speaking Out: PTSD Beyond Combat

10:00 — Alisha Shares Her Own Experience with Sexual Assault & PTSD

14:00 — The Statistics: How Sexual Assault Compounds Over Time

17:00 — PTSD as a Full-Body Injury, Not Just a Mental Disorder

21:00 — Common Signs of Undiagnosed PTSD

26:00 — Healing Motivation: Children, Parenthood & Breaking Generational Cycles

31:00 — The Importance of Community in Healing

34:00 — Creating a New Identity: Resetting Your Life for Recovery

37:00 — Exercise, Physical Health & PTSD

40:00 — Simone's Book: A Step-by-Step Guide to PTSD Recovery

44:00 — Integration: Why Healing Doesn't Stick Without It

46:00 — Lightning Round: Daily Habits & The Cycle Women Must Break

48:00 — Where to Find Simone & Closing Thoughts

🌿 Call to Action

Are you tired of repeating the same cycles? Alisha offers private and group coaching for cycle breakers — focused on nervous system regulation, healing generational patterns, and rebuilding self-trust.

👉 Book a free clarity call at alishashari.com/coaching

👤 Guest Bio + Links

Simone Swarts is an Army Veteran, author, founder of one of the first nonprofits to give sexual assault survivors service dogs for sexual assault-ptsd victims. Simone is also a mother and mental health advocate.

Book & Workbook: Available on Amazon

Website: Www.ptsdandwhathelpedme.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ptsdandwhathelpedme?_r=1&_t=ZP-94MLnpDdJr5

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ptsdandwhathelpedme?igsh=cGluMGt4NGllbjM2

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ptsdandwhathelpedme?si=5JDcPnheHGppov-2

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