Breaking Free from Generational Wounds with Lisa Manzo

If you love the show and you'd like to support it directly you can tip the host here https://imperfect-adulting.captivate.fm/support

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Lisa Manzo about unraveling childhood trauma, the path to sobriety, and the courage it takes to claim one's voice in adulthood. Lisa calls Las Vegas home. This episode delivers actionable insights for anyone navigating recovery, boundary-setting, and the journey of self-love after years of people-pleasing and perfectionism.

Lisa Manzo is an emotional trauma coach who helps others process and heal from deeply embedded childhood wounds. Drawing on her own story of recovery and resilience, Lisa guides clients toward peace and joy through mindset shifts, self-reflection, and energetic healing modalities. She is host of The Phoenix Mind podcast and offers programs for those looking to step into their own transformative journey.

Main Topics Covered:

1. The connection between sobriety and healing childhood trauma.
2. Growing up emotionally parentified and feeling unseen by parents.
3. How early experiences with perfectionism, people-pleasing, and compliance shape adult relationships and behavior.
4. The impact of family dynamics, divorce, and generational messaging (“be seen and not heard”) on self-worth.
5. Using personal development, NLP, and energetic healing as tools for recovery and rewiring.
6. The emotional residue of childhood stories—why memories like picture day or first communion can shape lifelong beliefs.
7. Navigating support through therapy, 12-step programs, and finding community after isolation.
8. Lisa’s journey from deep depression to peace, offering hope that joy is possible after transformation.

Quote from the Episode: "My voice didn't matter. What I had to say doesn't mean anything. And it still shows up in the fact that I have to really assert myself and people still aren't listening. Then I'll walk away and something bad will happen because they didn't listen to me." — Lisa Manzo

Timestamps: [00:00:06] Welcome & intros; Lisa shares her NYC roots and new home in Las Vegas

[00:01:33] The choice to get sober—and why ending drinking wasn’t enough

[00:02:28] The 12-step process: resentment, personal responsibility, and origins of trauma

[00:03:02] White-knuckling sobriety alone vs. seeking help and surrendering

[00:04:47] Family structure growing up: extended family, alcoholism, divorce, and its impact

[00:06:46] The “Pink Dress” story: picture day, parental control, lost joy, and lifelong emotional residue

[00:09:07] Reflecting as an adult on parentification, people-pleasing, and worth tied to compliance

[00:12:22] First communion and the struggle to belong; family choices eclipsing childhood desires

[00:17:56] Impact: Lisa’s voice and feelings not mattering—effects lasting into adulthood

[00:19:12] Early substance use, from childhood wine in soda to buzz-seeking at clubs

[00:20:57] When drinking becomes problematic: post-divorce stress management and unhealthy cycles

[00:22:19] The lack of coping tools, isolation, and why therapy and help are vital

[00:24:28] Beginning origin work: personal development, NLP, energetic healing, and the doors transformation opens

[00:27:31] What might have happened without sobriety—Lisa’s honest fear she wouldn’t be alive

[00:28:02] Finding peace and joy after years of unhappiness; helping others through emotional trauma

[00:28:51] Lisa’s podcast, The Phoenix Mind, and free program resources

[00:29:47] How Lisa uses free time: journaling, self-reflection, and making peace with triggers

[00:30:52] Dream vacation: summer city-hopping in Europe

[00:31:25] Junk drawers: Lisa’s philosophy on keeping organized “just in case” items

[00:32:28] Episode wrap-up; gratitude and closing exchange

ABOUT THE SHOW: The Art of Imperfect Adulting elevates the voices of experience by sharing real stories from real people figuring out adult life. Every episode features honest conversations about life's choices, changes, and challenges—interviews with individuals (not celebrities) who share their personal experiences and insights. Through these authentic stories, listeners find validation, motivation, and inspiration for navigating their own path through modern life. Because there's a big difference between expert advice and shared experience, and hearing another person's lived experience helps us feel less alone in our own situations.

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST: www.ThePhoenixMind.com

LISA’S PODCAST: The Phoenix Mind Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/1ATZIU7C73tO84LbELsvpu?si=aa79e9584b5f4734

GET LISA'S SPECIAL OFFER: https://thephoenixmind.com/free-certification

Note from the show: Guest offers are almost always limited-time and limited quantity. If you have any trouble redeeming the offer please reach out directly to the guest for support.

Never Miss a Moment of Imperfect Adulting

We invite you to join our email community and let us bring the podcast directly to you! As a subscriber, you'll receive notifications about new episodes, exclusive offers from our amazing guests, and easier access to any of the important links mentioned on the show—no more scrambling to write down websites or remember special codes.

Why subscribe?

• Stay up-to-date without checking your podcast app
• Get guest offers delivered straight to your inbox
• Access all important links in one convenient place
• Catch the highlights even when you don't have time to listen

Are you ready? Join us at https://www.imperfectadulting.com

If you have a story to share and you'd like to be a guest on The Art of Imperfect Adulting, here are the steps for how you can make that happen. Pitch yourself at https://www.imperfectadulting.com/be-a-guest

Here are a few resources that Amy uses to make all this great content. These are affiliate links :-)

For livestreaming and recording ECamm https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=amy69

Podcast hosting and distribution: Captivate FM https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=ntczmwi

Website hosting with Siteground https://www.siteground.com/?referrer_id=9115590

Ai Transcription Tool: Castmagic https://get.castmagic.io/ugrmjjrt8ofj

For Email I recently switched to Beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Amy-Stone

before that I used Kit.

Books I like and books written by show guests on Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/lists/podcast-guest-authors