426: Ending the Cycle of Family Trauma Featuring Sharon Weinstein

426: Ending the Cycle of Family Trauma Featuring Sharon Weinstein

"How did you ever come out of that household? How did you ever evolve into who you are and what you've become from that background?"

We met in Washington DC at the final competition for the People's Choice speaker for the next TEDxUStreetWomen event scheduled on November 3, 2025. And when she won the coveted spot, all of us were thrilled. She earned it.

In this episode we discussed her TEDx talk, "Think Differently to be Unstoppable", the use of the 4W framework to reframe personal trauma into recovery and growth. She shared insightful, powerful stories of how she modeled what she wanted to see in her children and family to end the cycle of family trauma.

We also discussed her new book, Harmony by Design, replacing the concept of balance with a work and life integration.

If you're curious to hear the story of that 18-month competition, listen to episode 421 featuring Kuti Mack.

Highlights:

• 4W Framework

  • Where am I? Assess your current reality, take inventory with honesty and clarity.

  • What if...? Brainstorm different approaches and potential outcomes.

  • What WOWs? Identify ideal outcomes given current resources. What is the best case scenario?

  • What works? Find sustainable, repeatable solutions. Take small steps.

• Sharon's soccer story, choosing to start an adult women's league without any experience, so her children could see her trying something uncomfortable and new, and so she could be more aware of what her children were experiencing.

Quote: 

"...And sometimes the biggest question that I get from them is, 'how did you ever come out of that household? How did you ever evolve into who you are and what you've become from that background?' They say it to me all the time. 'Are you sure you weren't adopted?'"

Watch Sharon's recently published TEDx!

About Sharon:

A global nursing leader, TEDx speaker, and advocate for personal transformation who empowers others to rethink what's possible and turn adversity into strength. A Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), she's an award-winning healthcare innovator and author. Founder of SMW Group and the #FromCrisistoCapacity framework, she develops nurse leaders and strengthens teams and organizations through resilience, stress reduction, and human performance.

Visit, follow, and connect:

LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, website.

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About Sarah

Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team’s results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other’s “language”, learning to value each other’s strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening. 

Sarah’s nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness.

Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

421 The Lives We Live

421 The Lives We Live

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Kuti Mack discuss their unique experiences in being selected for a TED talk, the process in getting to their own important story they needed to tell, as well as the people who supported them along the way.

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Highlights

• The benevolence of somebody else and admitting when you need help going hand in hand with not assuming people are capable when in reality they need help. Knowing we are all human and we all need somebody to lean on and to let ourselves lean on others as well. 

• You need to try things out of your comfort zone in order to grow. 

• Even if you’re nervous, even if you’re scared, do it anyway.

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Quotes

“There is still a self belief that you have to have to believe that you can do these things.”

“Having them understand that you don’t have to be a great speaker, as a matter of fact when you are a little tense or nervous, just that that little bit of vulnerability is probably going to fly so well for your talk.”  

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Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

What is one thing you’ve been wanting to do that you’ve been hesitant to do? What is one thing that when you think about if you have the right people in your circle that could support you in your goal, in your idea in sharing something important to you. What is that? And I really encourage you to think about what your idea would be if you were to share something on a stage, like a TEDx stage. What do you bring that’s unique? What are your talents? What matters deeply to you, deeply enough to put yourself in this extremely uncomfortable position? Stretch out of that comfort zone, reach out to either Kuti or me and we will gladly share our experiences directly and offer whatever we can to help you try to do that next big thing because the people that you surround yourself with are either your greatest assets or your biggest liability.           

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

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About Kuti

From selling millions of records to pushing kale juice, KUTImack. is a master of reinvention and the living proof of his Be Your Best Daily[image] philosophy. A former top music executive turned sought-after personal trainer, nutrition expert, and TEDx speaker, he turns complex science into simple, actionable strategies that transform wellness and productivity peaks. Creator of the 6-Week SuperYou[image] and BYBD™.

Bedtime Blueprint, he’s earned the nicknames “Fitness Philosopher” and “Rockstar Professor” for his unique ability to fuse entertainment-world experience with science-backed inspiration that connects with every audience member.

Be sure to check out his Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram! Also be sure to watch Kuti’s TEDx Talk, 6 Week Super You, and his Speaker Site KUTImack!

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About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!