The Secret KeepHers

What if the reason you still struggle — even after the books, the therapy, the forgiveness, the affirmations — isn't because you're doing it wrong…
…but because your nervous system still doesn't feel safe?
In this episode of The Secret KeepHers Podcast, I sit down with Chad Carpenter, a Somatic Breathwork Facilitator, to explore a powerful truth I see every day in my coaching work:
Many of the patterns we try to fix mentally are actually stored physiologically.
Hypervigilance.
Overwhelm.
People-pleasing.
Self-doubt.
Insomnia.
Burnout.
Difficulty speaking your truth.
These aren't character flaws.
They are nervous system adaptations — often rooted in early childhood experiences.
And because they were wired into the body, they can't always be healed through logic alone.
You cannot think your way out of a body that doesn't feel safe.
We explore how unresolved stress, chronic exposure to unpredictability, and adverse childhood experiences condition the nervous system into survival mode — even when life looks stable on the outside.
This conversation bridges:
The trauma-informed coaching and identity rewiring work I do with women

And the somatic breathwork Chad facilitates to support physical release and regulation

Because true healing requires both awareness and nervous system safety.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
How trauma is stored physically — not just psychologically

Why cortisol can stay elevated even when your life feels "good"

What hypervigilance looks like in adulthood

The difference between mental forgiveness and embodied release

Why crying, shaking, and screaming are natural discharge mechanisms

How breath communicates safety or threat to the nervous system

What a somatic breathwork session actually feels like

How to shift from shame to curiosity when you're triggered

I also share how growing up in an unpredictable environment conditioned my nervous system to stay on alert for years — even in safe seasons of life.
Your body can be braced long after the threat is gone.
That's not weakness.
That's wiring.
And wiring can be retrained.
About Chad Carpenter
Like many of us, Chad grew up in an environment where authentic expression simply wasn't available. Without an outlet to honestly share his inner experience, he learned to suppress his struggles, leading to years of anger, frustration, and a deep sense of being misunderstood.
From a young age, Chad developed patterns of isolation and emotional bottling. By his mid-teens he was coping with life through drugs and alcohol and walking a path that, without conscious intervention, would have certainly led to a life of destitution.
After undergoing three knee ligament replacements by the age of 20 and experiencing a rapid decline in physical well-being, Chad found himself searching for relief. By divine intervention, he discovered the tools of yoga, breathwork and meditation and slowly traded destructive patterns for healing practices that would profoundly change his life.
Since experiencing deep transformation and healing through Somatic Breathwork, he has dedicated his life to guiding others through the same process. He is passionate about helping people experience the deepest, and longest lasting shifts possible through the integration tools that he learned through his own journey.
Chad brings a rare balance of grounded support and inspiring motivation to every experience he guides. For him, holding space for others as they move through their deepest challenges is the pinnacle of life itself.
"There's just nothing like it in all this world for me."
He's known for holding spaces where people feel safe, seen, and supported, helping them dig deeper than they ever thought possible.
Connect with Chad
Instagram: @chadbcarpenter
Facebook: Chad Carpenter
Website: quantumbreath.co
Complimentary 30-minute Support Call: Support Call
Phone: 561.373.7084
Work With Me
If this episode resonated — especially if you've been living with overwhelm, anxiety, hypervigilance, self-doubt, burnout, or patterns you can't seem to shift — this is exactly the work I guide women through.
As a Trauma-Informed Coach, Advanced Certified Trauma Practitioner, and Neuroencoding Specialist, I help women:
Rewire survival-based identity patterns

Build nervous system safety

Release self-rejection and shame

Reclaim their voice

Move from hypervigilance into grounded power

You are not broken.
You are patterned.
And patterns can be rewired.
To connect with me for coaching:
https://www.corinnezuleger.com/
Instagram: @corinne_zuleger

Trigger warning:  sensitive subject matter. 
 
This episode is different.
For the first time since July 2024, I'm sharing my story.
I take you inside what it was like to grow up in a home shaped by addiction, unpredictability, and fear—and how living in chronic stress wires the nervous system to stay on high alert. I explain Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in simple, human terms and connect them to the adult patterns so many people quietly live with: overwhelm, anxiety, hypervigilance, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and burnout.
This isn't about blame.
It's about understanding why your body responds the way it does—and what actually helps it heal.
If you've ever thought, "Why am I exhausted even when life looks fine?" or "Why can't I ever fully relax?" this episode will give language to what your body has been trying to tell you.
You are not broken.
And you don't have to hide anymore.
Website: www.corinnezuleger.com
Instagram: @corinne_zuleger

Starting over can feel disorienting, especially when your life changes in ways you didn't choose. In this episode, I sit down with Andrea Daley, a life coach who supports women through major life transitions—divorce, empty nesting, relocation, career changes, and those "what now?" moments that come when the chapter you lived in closes.
Andrea shares a powerful truth: sometimes we don't realize what we've been carrying until we're far enough removed to finally see it. Her "secret" wasn't something she was intentionally hiding—it was the quiet normalization of stress, emotional loneliness, and pushing through because it felt like the only option.
Together, we talk about identity after life shifts, what it means to move from survival into ownership, and how to rebuild a life with clarity, confidence, and courage—one step at a time.
In This Episode, We Talk About
How "hindsight clarity" can reveal what we didn't recognize in the season

The hidden weight of living in a marriage that looked fine on the outside

Why stress can become so familiar you stop naming it

What happens when motherhood becomes your full identity—and then everything changes

The spiral that can follow divorce and major life transitions (and how to crawl your way out)

The difference between feeling hurt and living from a victim mindset

Why learning to be loved well can feel harder than staying in what's familiar

Andrea's reminder that you can create a new chapter—even if you didn't choose the ending of the last one

Andrea's Golden Nugget
Andrea's biggest takeaway is this:
You are exactly where you're meant to be on your journey. Even if the ride is bumpy, there is something here for you—and when you choose to stay in motion, you give yourself the chance to build what's next with intention.
About Andrea Daley
Andrea Daley is a Certified Coach, Life Transformation Specialist, Speaker, and Author with a Master's in Psychology and certification through the International Coaching Federation. After navigating her own life-shattering transition, she discovered the power of coaching and rebuilt her life with clarity, confidence, and courage. Now, she helps women do the same through The Empowered YOU Method—a transformative framework built on Rediscovery, Realignment, and Renewal. Featured at conferences and women's events, Andrea is known for her warmth, humor, and relatable storytelling that inspire audiences to embrace change, rediscover their strength, and create authentic, fulfilling new chapters in their lives.
Connect with Andrea
Website: andreadaley.com

Instagram: instagram.com/andreadaley_lifecoach

Facebook: facebook.com/andreajdaley

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andrea-daley-life-coach

Connect with me, Corinne
If this conversation resonated and you want to stay connected, you can find me here:
Website: corinnezuleger.com

Instagram: @corinne_zuleger

Podcast: The Secret KeepHers Podcast (on all major platforms)

*****ALERT!!  There is reference to drug use and mental health issues in this episode.  Always seek a professionals assistance with these topics and listen with care.
In this episode of The Secret KeepHers Podcast, I'm joined by author and TEDx speaker Nadine Machkovech for a thoughtful, honest conversation about recovery, identity, and the journey that led to her book,
Enough Already: A Journey From Hiding to Healing.
Nadine shares how her path of long-term recovery shaped not just her life, but her voice—and why Enough Already couldn't be written until she was ready to stop performing and fully listen to herself. We talk about how healing is not linear, how worth is not something we earn, and why telling the truth—without polishing it for approval—became essential.
Much of our conversation centers on the writing process itself. Nadine reflects on how putting her story on the page became a physical and emotional release, and why this book took years to arrive, even though it was always meant to be written.
This episode is for anyone who has ever felt pressure to be someone they're not, waited for permission to speak, or quietly wondered, "Am I enough?"
In This Episode, We Discuss
The lived experiences behind Enough Already

Recovery as identity work, not just behavior change

What it means to stop hiding and take the mask off

Writing as a form of healing and release

Self-worth beyond performance, achievement, or approval

Why this book was written now

About Nadine Machkovech
Nadine Machkovech is an author, TEDx speaker, prevention advocate, and Executive Director of RISE TOGETHER. She is known for her grounded honesty, lived-experience leadership, and her work helping people reconnect with their voice, their story, and their inherent worth.
Get the Book & Connect with Nadine
Enough Already: A Journey From Hiding to Healing

nadinespeaks.com/book
Website: NadineSpeaks.com

Instagram: nadine.speaks

Nonprofit: weallrisetogether.org

Connect With Me
Website: corinnezuleger.com

Instagram: corinne_zuleger

The Secret KeepHers Podcast: available on all major podcast platforms

Interested in being a guest on the Secret Keephers podcast? go to www.corinnezuleger.com

In this episode of The Secret KeepHers Podcast, I sit down with sister duo Britney Suttner and Andrea Renkas for a deeply meaningful conversation about motherhood, healing, community, and what it really looks like to support families holistically.
What started for them in the fitness world—during Andrea's early postpartum experience—slowly revealed a much bigger need: women and families were navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood without clear education, trusted resources, or real community support. From that lived experience, Motherhood Alliance was born.
We talk about how motherhood can shift identity, how overwhelm becomes normalized, and why asking for help is not a weakness—it's wisdom. Brittany and Andrea share how their work evolved from fitness coaching into education, connection, and ultimately building a centralized wellness directory for families in Northeast Wisconsin.
This conversation is about more than business. It's about purpose, seasons of life, collaboration over competition, and lifting others as we heal ourselves. If you've ever felt like you were carrying too much alone, this episode is for you.
What We Talk About in This Episode
How motherhood can quietly disconnect women from themselves

Why postpartum education is often missing—and why it matters

The emotional, mental, and physical toll of doing it all alone

Building community as a form of healing and prevention

Pivoting in business as seasons of life change

Supporting small, heart-centered wellness businesses

Asking for help in motherhood, business, and life

Creating access to holistic and integrative family care

Key Takeaways
I don't have to do motherhood—or healing—alone

Community support changes outcomes for families

Education before pregnancy impacts postpartum recovery

It's okay to pivot when my life evolves

Collaboration creates more healing than competition

Asking for help is an act of strength

About My Guests
Britney Suttner and Andrea Renkas are the sister team behind Motherhood Alliance, a wellness-focused community created to support families seeking a more holistic, connected, and empowered approach to health.
Rooted in their own journeys as moms and entrepreneurs, they help parents find trustworthy local providers, wellness experts, and family resources—without the overwhelm. Their work centers on whole-person wellbeing, community care, and making it easier for families to access supportive, integrative options close to home.
Through their directory, community events, and conversations on their podcast, Brittany and Andrea are passionate about uplifting both families and the small wellness businesses that serve them—strengthening communities one relationship at a time.
How to Connect with Motherhood Alliance
🌐 Website: motherhoodalliance.com

📱 Instagram: @motherhoodalliance

📘 Facebook: Motherhood Alliance

🎧 Podcast: Motherhood Alliance (available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more)

✉️ Email: [email protected]

My Closing Reflection
This conversation reminded me how powerful it is when women listen to their own experience and respond with service. Motherhood Alliance exists because Brittany and Andrea paid attention to what was missing—and chose to build it.
If you're a mom, caregiver, or family looking for support… or a wellness professional wanting to serve from the heart… I hope this episode helps you feel seen, supported, and less alone.
Learning from life, leading with love.
—Corinne 💜