Cycle Breaker and Change Maker with Renata Ortega

Today isn’t a “lesson” episode… or a “deep dive” into a single topic. It’s more of a heart-to-heart. You and me, sitting down together for a chat.

Because this is the final episode of Season One.

And I…

In this episode, I want to share with you what overthinking has looked like in my own life, why it shows up, and most importantly, how I’ve started breaking free from it. My hope is that by the end o…

🧠 Why We Miss the Signs: Unlearning What We've Been Taught

Most of us didn’t grow up learning the signs of emotional or psychological abuse. In fact, many of us normalized the abnormal, especially if …

For many trauma survivors, oversharing isn’t carelessness—it’s a defense mechanism. When you’ve experienced a life where your voice was silenced, your truth denied, or your needs invalidated, you mig…

Today, we’re unpacking something that gets mislabeled as strength but often masks something much deeper: hyper-independence.

You know that voice in your head that says, “I don’t need anyone. I’ve got …

 Today, we’re going beyond the introduction to “lack of accountability” and taking a deep, healing dive into how the absence of accountability in relationships can shape your reality—and how to recla…

North York Women's Shelter is a 40-bed emergency shelter supporting families from across the GTA who have experienced gender-based violence. Not only do they provide a safe place to stay, their famil…

Today we have a very special guest on the Cycle Breaker and Change Maker Podcast, our guest is Ellen Campbell.  Ellen is the CEO & Founder of the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness (Abuse Hurts).  

E…

In Episode 9, I introduced the idea that abuse is not always visible. That what happens behind closed doors can be completely at odds with the images we present to the outside world. And that’s what …

Today, we’re going deeper into a topic that so many of you reached out to me about—anticipatory fear, also known as anticipatory anxiety.

If you’ve ever found yourself bracing for something bad—even w…

The Diagnosis Doesn’t End the Story

If you’ve ever lived through a life-altering diagnosis—or supported someone who has—you know that the moment you hear the words from a doctor is both the beginning …

Today’s episode is a little different—but it’s one I believe is critical.

We're talking about something many of us don’t realize until it’s too late: the financial and societal cost of unresolved trau…

A trigger is not just a strong reaction. It’s a sudden surge of emotion or physical response that seems disproportionate to the moment—but perfectly logical when you look at your past. Triggers often…

Episode Description:

In this powerful episode of Cycle Breaker & Change Maker, Renata Ortega sits down with registered psychotherapist and coach Nisrine Maktabi for a deeply personal and healing conve…

In Episode 4, I introduced the idea of letting go—specifically, letting go of relationships that are no longer healthy or aligned. Today, we’re diving deeper.

Letting go isn’t a one-time action. It’s …

Hello, and welcome back to the Cycle Breaker and Change Maker Podcast. I’m Renata Ortega, and if you’ve made it here today, I want you to take a moment to acknowledge your courage. Today’s topic is o…

In episode 2, I introduced the concept of the negative relationship cycle—how we often find ourselves in harmful or unbalanced relationships without even realizing we’re repeating a pattern we never …

Andrea Page founded FITMOM in April 2000, one year after her first son was born. The birth of FITMOM was the result of her own personal struggle to overcome severe postpartum depression in her first …

Annalisa Vicente is a wife and proud mother of two amazing boys. She is an early childhood educator, motherhood coach, and best-selling author. Annalisa is a passionate maternal mental health advocat…

Today’s episode is deeply personal and something I believe many of us quietly struggle with. We’re going to talk about letting go of relationships — without guilt — even if you love the person and ev…