Rewrite Your Story

About Rewrite Your Story

Join Milton & Victoria from Roots Counseling & Wellness as they explore the Self-Alignment System (SAS), a framework for rewriting your inner story, healing emotional patterns, and reconnecting with your authentic self. Each episode blends real conversations, insight, and heart to help you learn, heal, grow, strengthen, and accept.

Publisher

Roots Counseling & Wellness

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

31 Oct 2025

Latest episode

27 Mar 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Mar 2026

   🎙 Episode 15: New Habits Feel Hard for a Reason → You’re NOT Starting Over

   In this episode, Milton takes a step back to reset and clarify the Self-Alignment System, exploring why growth can feel messy, inconsistent, and frustrating, especially after periods of change. He breaks down the difference between biology and logic, explaining how the brain prioritizes quick, survival-based answers that aren’t always accurate. Using powerful metaphors like “freeways vs. winding roads” and “scaffolding,” Milton introduces the SAS Skill Box as a way to slow down, observe, and respond more intentionally instead of reacting on autopilot. Through a real-life example, he walks listeners through how to use observation (without judgment) to regulate emotions, maintain self-respect, and avoid unnecessary conflict. This episode is a reminder that growth isn’t about being perfect. It’s about building the internal support system that helps you choose differently, even when it’s harder.

2. 

   6 Mar 2026

   🎙 Episode 14: The Law & Order Trap → When Belonging Becomes People-Pleasing

   In this episode, we move into the “ground floor” of development (the belonging / law-and-order phase) where rules create safety… but can also create traps. We talk about how relationships get stuck when vulnerability doesn’t feel safe, how “shoulds” turn into people-pleasing, and why change gets so hard when the rules are tied to survival. We also explore how culture and family expectations shape what feels “right,” why questioning the rules can get you labeled as “rebellious,” and what it looks like to shift from living by structure to living by values, without throwing your whole identity away.

3. 

   27 Feb 2026

   🎙 Episode 13: Climbing the Ladder → What “Regression” Is Actually Telling You

   Ever feel like you’re doing the work (mindfulness, skills, therapy), and somehow it still feels like you’re going backward? In this episode, we break down state-dependent learning using our “time machine” metaphor: when your nervous system senses smoke, it sends you back to the most trained version of you, even if you’re older, wiser, and trying really hard. We talk about why sadness can feel unsafe (and turn into anger), why different people bring out different versions of you, and how “regression” is often just your system reaching for what once kept you safe. Instead of judging it, we learn how to get curious and use it as data so you can climb back into alignment without shame.

4. 

   20 Feb 2026

   🎙 Episode 12: Safety Before Logic → Why Skills Need Structure

   In Episode 12, we’re finally back after a string of tech problems, and we use it as a real-life example of the SAS model in action: resetting instead of quitting. We revisit the Skill Box and explain why skills need structure: every tool includes a clear purpose, the reason it works, the practice steps (in order), and a “taste test” to check what happened without judgment. We also talk about why the basics never stop being useful, how your nervous system prioritizes safety before logic, and why the brain often grabs a quick “why” just to move on. If you’ve ever felt stuck, discouraged, or tempted to start over, this episode is your reminder: you’re not failing, you’re collecting data, readjusting, and building a system that works over time.

5. 

   24 Jan 2026

   🎙 Episode 11: The Skill Box → Measuring Without Judgment

   This week is a little different. Victoria had tech issues, so Milton flies solo to introduce the Skill Box, a simple structure we use to understand what’s happening inside us without turning it into a self-criticism session. Milton breaks down why measurement is meant to be feedback, not judgment, and why structure isn’t restriction,  it’s support. Using relatable metaphors (recipes, music, Lego sets, and even golf clubs), we explore how skills have specific “jobs,” and why the goal is to learn the right tool for the right moment. We close with a reminder that learning to respond instead of react is a practice built through repetition, not perfection.

6. 

   16 Jan 2026

   🎙 Episode 10 → The Holidays Weren’t Magical, and That’s Okay (Let’s Talk Expectations)

   In this episode, we ease back into the new year by reflecting on the holidays, without the pressure of making them “magical.” We talk about how expectations (from media, family, and even ourselves) shape our experience, and how the Learn pillar helps us notice the filters we’re using. We also explore grounding as a bridge between Learn and Heal, why rest is actually part of alignment, and how “hibernation season” can teach us what our bodies really need. Plus: a funny Secret Santa story, a surprise Amazon package mystery, and why being “in the momentness” might be the antidote to holiday dread.

7. 

   26 Dec 2025

   🎙 Episode 9 → The Real Reason You Keep Falling Back Into Old Patterns

   In Episode 9 of Rewrite Your Story, Milton and Victoria continue the 7 Guiding Principles and move deeper into the Heal Pillar, where compassion becomes the foundation for real change. They explore “fractured strategies” (the protective patterns you built to survive), why your nervous system clings to what’s familiar (even when it’s painful), and how Parts Work/IFS helps you understand behaviors like fawning, freezing, avoidance, and self-protection without labeling yourself as “broken.” You’ll also hear why desire isn’t enough (growth takes work) and how sustainable progress comes from holding multiple truths at once (dialectical thinking): hard and doable, comfort and challenge, wanting change and fearing it. If you’ve ever thought, “If I wanted to change, I would,” this episode offers a more compassionate (and realistic) explanation, and a path forward that doesn’t rely on shame.

8. 

   19 Dec 2025

   🎙 Episode 8: Compass Check → 7 Principles for Real Change (Without Shame)

   In this reset episode of Rewrite Your Story, Milton and Victoria step back to clarify the foundation of the Self-Alignment System (SAS): seven guiding principles designed to function as a compass, not a set of rigid rules. They explore why lasting change starts with reality (people are doing the best they can with what they have right now) and how real growth happens when we look for cause instead of blame. Using relatable metaphors like compasses, prototypes, and “fail points vs. failure,” they explain why skills don’t stick unless they’re practiced across real-life situations, not just in controlled or ideal settings. If you’re exhausted by shame-based self-help, trying to force yourself into someone else’s mold, or feeling discouraged when progress isn’t perfect, this episode offers a grounding reset and a more compassionate way forward.

9. 

   12 Dec 2025

   🎙 Episode 7: Before You Heal, Drop Anchor

   In this episode of Rewrite Your Story, Milton and Victoria officially step into the Heal Pillar of the Self-Alignment System (SAS) and talk about what real emotional healing actually looks like in everyday life. They share the difference between anxious, urgency-driven change and wise, self-aligned change, and use the metaphor of kintsugi (repairing broken pottery with gold) to explore how your “cracks” and past experiences can become part of your strength instead of your shame. From there, they introduce the Heal Pillar’s first core skill: dropping the anchor. Through stories about crystals, grounding objects, skin-to-skin contact, and even paramedics and babies, they walk through practical emotional grounding tools you can use when you’re overwhelmed, like five-senses check-ins, deep breathing, body awareness, and touch. You’ll learn how grounding helps your nervous system settle, clears brain fog, and moves you from reactivity into that “watchtower” state we explored in the Learn Pillar. If you’ve ever felt stuck in anxiety, panic, or dissociation (or like your past is steering the present), this episode will help you start healing by coming back into your body, honoring your broken pieces, and choosing the next step from a grounded, self-aligned place.

10. 

    5 Dec 2025

    🎙 Episode 6: Seeing Clearly Again

    In this Learn Pillar finale, Milton and Victoria bring together everything we’ve explored in the Self-Alignment System (SAS) and prepare you to move into the Heal Pillar. They dig into why consistency is hard, how “doing mode” fuels shame and overthinking, and why we often react to assumptions instead of reality. Using Rosetta Stone and weather-app metaphors, they break down feedback decoding, how to check the facts, notice emotional filters, and see the “lens” you’re viewing yourself and others through. They also explore how core beliefs, social anxiety, dating, and relationships shape our internal narratives. With DBT skills, IFS language, and real-life stories, this episode helps you step into curiosity instead of self-criticism, pause the alarm system, and ask: What’s actually happening right now, and what’s the self-aligned next step? If you struggle with shame, people-pleasing, or analysis paralysis, this episode closes the Learn Pillar and opens the door to deeper healing.

11. 

    28 Nov 2025

    🎙 Episode 5: Learn Pillar (Part 3) → Curiosity, Emotions & Self-Aligned Living

    What if the hardest part of healing isn’t learning new skills, but unlearning the beliefs and roles that were never yours to begin with? In this episode of Rewrite Your Story, Milton McLelland and Victoria Johansen explore how curiosity, neutrality, emotions, and values all work together in the Learn Pillar of the Self-Alignment System (SAS). Through warm, real conversations, they look at how childhood learning, emotional filters, gender roles, shame, guilt, and cultural expectations shape the way we see ourselves, and how these inherited beliefs can quietly keep us stuck. Milt and Victoria discuss how to observe your emotions without judgment, how to tell the difference between your true values and the ones you absorbed from others, and why it’s so common to feel torn between independence, identity, and connection. They also explore the difference between being “selfish” and becoming self-aligned, offering practical insight into how to reconnect with your authentic self. If you’re navigating people-pleasing, identity confusion, emotional overwhelm, or the pressure to live up to others’ expectations, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and grounding.

12. 

    21 Nov 2025

    🎙 Episode 4: Learning to See Clearly → Neutrality, Perception & Presence

    In this follow-up to last week’s Learn Pillar conversation, Milton and Victoria dive deeper into what it actually means to see clearly in the present moment. They explore the difference between gathering data versus observing reality, why neutrality creates space for curiosity, and how we mistake “understanding” for “experiencing.” Milt talks about a moment teaching at the jail where his intentions didn’t match what the group actually needed, and Victoria shares her own struggle with wanting to fully understand clients by imagining (or overidentifying with) their experiences. Together, they break down how the Learn pillar trains you to: • Build precise perception • Notice when bias or assumptions creep in • Stay with the moment itself, not the past or future • Listen more than you label • Release pressure to “get it right” before you even begin 🎧 If you tend to overthink, over-explain, or over-prepare before acting, this episode brings a grounded, compassionate look at learning to just be here.

13. 

    14 Nov 2025

    🎙 Episode 3: The Learn Pillar → Neutrality, Rumination & Being in the Moment

    We talk a lot about “learning skills,” but what if the real work is learning the moment you’re in? In this episode of Rewrite Your Story, Milton McLelland and Victoria Johansen dive into the Learn pillar of the Self-Alignment System (SAS). They explore what it means to be present, why “non-judgment” can feel unrealistic, and how neutrality and curiosity help you actually see what’s happening right now. Milt and Victoria unpack rumination (with a very memorable cow metaphor 🐄), future forecasting, catastrophic thinking, and how our brains’ filters can pull us out of reality and into old stories. They also talk about perfectionism, pressure, and how hard it really is to pause and just be in a culture that worships constant doing. 🎧 If you’ve ever felt stuck in overthinking, self-judgment, or “waiting for the other shoe to drop,” this episode is for you.

14. 

    7 Nov 2025

    🎙 Episode 2: Understanding States → Learning Yourself Before You Change Yourself

    Every emotional state teaches us something, but only if we know how to listen. In this episode of Rewrite Your Story, Milton McLelland and Victoria Johansen unpack state-dependent learning, how your emotional and physiological states affect what you can learn and how you apply it later. They explore the roots of the SAS (Self-Alignment System) name, the connection between polyvagal theory and personal growth, and how understanding your own state can shift you from frustration to compassion. 🎧 Join us as we explore what it really means to learn yourself before you try to change yourself.

15. 

    31 Oct 2025

    🎙 Episode 1 – Our Story → SAS

    Every movement starts with a question, and for us, it was: What actually helps people change? In this first episode of Rewrite Your Story, Milton McLelland and Victoria Johansen share how the SAS Model, the Self-Alignment System, came to life at Roots Counseling & Wellness. What began as a blend of DBT and Internal Family Systems grew into a framework that helps people see where they are, where they want to go, and the phases they move through along the way: Learn, Heal, Grow, Strengthen, guided by Radical Acceptance. This is more than a new model, it’s the foundation of a movement toward compassionate, sustainable change. 🎧 Join us as we explore the origins of SAS and what it means to rewrite your story.

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Apple Podcasts (US)

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