Sarah Schaefer doesn’t just talk about surviving—she embodies what it means to reclaim power after a lifetime of chaos. From childhood abuse and addiction to 9/11 trauma and parenting through a health crisis, Sarah has lived what most only imagine. In this raw and redemptive episode, we talk recovery, reinvention, and radical responsibility.

• 💥 The 11 Shades of Meredith Grey and why we relate so deeply
• 🧠 How trauma becomes your identity—and how to shake it
• 🧨 Why ownership is the missing link in healing
• 🧬 Ketamine therapy, coaching, and unconventional modalities that actually help
• 🔥 The real reason we self-sabotage and repeat pain
• 🤯 How historical trauma gets passed through generations
• 📖 Her powerful book The Dumpster Fire Diaries—and what it means to finally feel peace

🎙️ What We Talk About:

• Growing up with abuse and navigating early hypervigilance
• Surviving 9/11 and the spiral into 30 years of addiction
• The truth about trauma responses and emotional addiction
• How ketamine therapy helped Sarah interrupt intrusive thoughts
• Why generational trauma shows up in your money mindset, relationships, and more
• The real cost of avoidance, denial, and toxic resilience
• Strategies to quiet the “dumpster fire” in your head—without bypassing pain

🔑 Key Takeaways:

“If you think you deserve better—you do.”

“The fire doesn’t define you. What you do next does.”

“Toxic resilience is still survival mode—it’s just dressed up prettier.”

“You can’t heal what you keep hiding. And you don’t need to earn your breakthrough.”

🙌 Why This Episode Matters:

This is more than a conversation—it’s a full-body exhale for anyone carrying silent battles. Sarah proves that healing isn’t pretty, linear, or safe—but it’s possible. And that possibility begins with one bold decision: to stop pointing fingers and start rewriting the story. If you’re stuck in cycles, craving peace, or questioning if it’s too late for you—press play.

💬 Connect with Sarah:

📖 The Dumpster Fire Diaries → https://www.thedumpsterfirediaries.com

📱 Follow Sarah on Instagram, LinkedIn & TikTok via her website

🔗 Resources & Links:

• 💣 Download the Survival Mode Exit Blueprint
• 👉🏾 Join the Survival Mode Exodus Membership
• 🎧 Subscribe to Survival Mode Disrupted: The Podcast on YouTube
• ✍🏾 Subscribe to Survival Mode Disrupted: The Newsletter on LinkedIn
• 💬 Book a 1:1 Session with Leticia
• 📖 Order Survival Mode Exit Plan Book