A Contagious Smile Podcast
Stop surviving and start thriving. A Contagious Smile is a globally ranked podcast providing a safe haven for abuse survivors and special needs families navigating the journey of trauma recovery. Whether you are healing from domestic violence, narcissistic abuse, childhood trauma, or the daily challenges of disability advocacy, our mission is to turn your pain into power.
Each episode features raw, authentic conversations with survivors, mental health experts, and advocates who share actionable resources for PTSD healing, resilience building, and emotional wellness. We go beyond the struggle to highlight the triumphs of the special needs community, offering support for caregivers and individuals with disabilities who are rewriting their own narratives.
Hosted by Victoria Cuore, an award-winning trauma advocate and survivor, this podcast delivers the "blueprints" for recovery—not just Band-Aids. Join our community to find hope, humor, and the unstoppable spirit needed to rekindle your inner light.
A Contagious Smile Podcast
Latest Episodes
Mediumship Without The Movie Magic
Your gut knows things before your brain can explain them, but how do you tell the difference between real intuition and a loud imagination? We sit down with Danielle Ribbon Clumber, an LCSW trauma therapist in Utah and founder of Willow Medella...
Surgery, Setbacks, And Self-Advocacy
One minute we’re hearing, “You can go home,” and the next we’re being warned that leaving in the wrong condition could mean paralysis. That whiplash sets the tone for a raw, honest update from Victoria and Michael after a major spinal surgery t...
His First Pedicure Michael's Father's Day
A Father’s Day pedicure turns into a surprisingly tender milestone when my husband walks in convinced it “isn’t for men” and walks out admitting the hot rocks, paraffin, and toe rubs were the best part of his day. We laugh about gifts that are ...
How The Guardian Model Rebuilds Mental Health Care
The fastest way to break a person isn’t always the illness; it’s the system that treats them like a number and calls it “care.” We sit down with veteran attorney and nonprofit leader Michael Mackniak, a nationally recognized mental health advoc...
We Cannot Keep Pouring Into People Who Never Pour Back
Some people call you a friend, then disappear the second you stop being convenient. We get blunt about that kind of fake loyalty and what it does to your trust, your energy, and your peace. From old work “friends” who vanish to the constant dra...
Fan Mail
I thank you so much for this episode it hit so many places in my life. I’ve been struggling with coming out of a relationship. I didn’t realize was a bad relationship until later and now looking back on everything made me look at myself in a different way and realize I’m not the bad person I was made to feel. I know that I’m a people pleaser, but that is not how I felt. And even after I was made to feel bad, I still wanted to please. I shared this episode with a friend who today still struggles with an abusive relationship she had many years ago. She thinks that no one would want to hear her story, but I explained to her so many women could benefit from her story. I'm hoping she reaches out. Victoria, my name is Sheryl. I've left a comment for this podcast, but I met you at the POpshelf store in Douglasville this weekend. I so enjoyed our conversation and I'm so grateful that you into the store and I've had the pleasure of speaking with you.
Atlanta, Georgia