No One Is Normal

Brad H. Hill

No One Is Normal is a raw, honest self-improvement podcast about recovering, healing, and rebuilding life. Brad H. Hill, author of No One Is Normal, shares real stories from the book, meaningful listener experiences, and conversations with professionals to explore addiction, trauma, shame, and self-forgiveness. This show helps you grow, reflect, and take the next step toward becoming who you were meant to be.

  1. 3 HR AGO

    015 - Laura Bratton | Losing Her Sight, Choosing Courage, and Redefining What’s Possible

    Some changes arrive slowly, but alter everything. In this episode of No One Is Normal, Brad sits down with Laura Bratton to discuss her journey of losing her sight as a teenager and how that gradual change reshaped not only her world, but her understanding of herself. Laura shares what it was like to move through denial and grief while the world around her continued operating as usual. She speaks openly about learning Braille and Spanish Braille, navigating anxiety, and adapting to a world built for sight. Rather than framing her story as one of “overcoming blindness,” Laura redefines resilience as a daily choice — one rooted in self-compassion, validation of emotions, and small acts of courage. She reflects on becoming the first blind student to complete the Master of Divinity program at Princeton, not as a moment of achievement alone, but as an exercise in self-trust and redefining what was possible. This conversation explores gratitude not as forced positivity, but as perspective. Courage not as a one-time decision, but as something practiced repeatedly. And change not as something to conquer, but something to navigate with honesty. In this episode, we discuss: Gradual vision loss and the grieving process Adapting to a sighted world Learning Braille and Spanish Braille Anxiety and non-linear healing The difference between acceptance and peace Self-compassion as a resilience tool Becoming the first blind MDiv graduate at Princeton Daily courage versus one-time bravery The role of community and spirituality in growth Trusting your inherent worth during rapid change If this episode resonates, it may be because change rarely asks for permission. It asks for presence. And sometimes the most powerful shift is remembering that worth was never dependent on circumstances in the first place. 🌐 Learn more about Laura’s work:👉 https://laurabratton.com 🌐 Learn more about Brad's work: 🎙️ Podcast & episodes: ⁠https://www.bradhhill.com/podcast⁠ 📖 Book (Print + Kindle): ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9H8Z3GQ⁠ 🎧 Audiobook on Audible: ⁠https://www.audible.com/pd/No-One-Is-Normal-Breaking-Free-from-Normal-Audiobook/B0GJFWBSBZ

    54 min
  2. 23 MAR

    013 - Zulma Williams - Unfiltered Healing

    Starting over doesn’t always happen once. Sometimes ithappens again and again, across countries, careers, health challenges, and identity shifts.In this episode, Brad sits down with Zulma Williams, a licensed clinical social worker known as The Swearing Therapist, to talk about reinvention, discipline, and what real mental health work looks like when life doesn’t follow a traditional timeline. Zulma shares her journey from Argentina to the United States, returning to school later in life, navigating breast cancer, and ultimately redesigning her life to live by the ocean in Panama.This conversation explores anxiety, depression, grief, and self-talk through a grounded, human lens. Zulma explains how discipline can matter more than motivation, why mindset shapes healing, and how staying present can change theway people relate to pain, fear, and uncertainty. The discussion also touches on creativity, therapy, and the courage it takes to keep moving forward without pretending things are easy.This episode is for anyone who feels behind, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward and needs a reminder that growth doesn’t require perfection, just honesty and persistence. Zulma Beatriz Williams is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker,breast cancer survivor, podcaster, and founder of Dragonfly Therapy Services. She specializes in trauma, anxiety, and depression, and is known for her direct, real-world approach to mental health.🔗 Learn more about Zulma’s work: Email: info@dragonflytherapyservices.netWebsite: https://www.dragonflytherapyservices.netIG: https://www.instagram.com/theswearingtherapist/Podcast: https://feed.pod.co/get-real-with-zulmaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DragonflyTSLV/You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@theswearingtherapistLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zulma-williams-ab7609214/ 🔗 More from me:🎙️ Podcast & episodes: ⁠https://www.bradhhill.com/podcast⁠ 📖 Book (Print + Kindle): ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9H8Z3GQ⁠ 🎧 Audiobook on Audible: ⁠https://www.audible.com/pd/No-One-Is-Normal-Breaking-Free-from-Normal-Audiobook/B0GJFWBSBZ

    1hr 14min
  3. 9 MAR

    011 - Hilary Momberger Powers - Life Rewritten

    In this episode, I sit down with Hilary Momberger Powers, a womanwith an unbelievable story of transformation, recovery, and deep emotionalhealing. Hilary began her career at only five years old, landing the role of SallyBrown in the Charlie Brown cartoons and working alongside legends like CharlesSchulz. But early fame came with pressure, fear, and a painful realitybehind the scenes that shaped how she saw herself for years. We talk about how people pleasing becomes survival, howoverachieving can become a form of pain management, and why addiction is oftenthe symptom of something deeper that has been avoided for too long. Hilaryshares what it truly means to hit rock bottom, why surrender can become thefoundation for a new life, and how healing requires more than motivation. Itrequires honesty, support, and a willingness to face what has been buried. One of the most powerful moments in this conversation is Hilary’smetaphor of cleaning out the emotional refrigerator. That place whereold pain sits and rots in the dark until it affects everything else. Thisepisode is about opening that door, doing the work, and finally letting thepast release its grip. We also talk about the power of service, the necessity of community,and why real recovery is not about chasing recognition. It is about findingfreedom. If you’ve ever felt trapped in old patterns, stuck in self-doubt, orexhausted from trying to hold it together, this episode will hit home. 🔥 In this episode, we cover: - Childhood fame and the cost of being a “meal ticket” - Why fear creates a false version of who we are - “Moving targets don’t get hit” and the overachiever trap - Addiction, rock bottom, and what surrender really means - Cleaning out the emotional refrigerator instead of buying a new one - Service, gratitude, and recovery that actually lasts - Why healing requires community and support 🔗 Connect with Hilary: Hilary’s work, coaching, and resources: Website: www.hilarymombergerpowers.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilarymombergerpowers/ Email: info@hilarymombergerpowers.com https://www.facebook.com/hilary.momberger LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-momberger-powers-078a604/ 🔗 More from me: 🎧 Podcast hub: www.bradhhill.com/podcast 📘 Book: No One Is Normal on Amazon: https://a.co/d/ibq85NR If this episode helped you, share it with someone who needs it and I’ll see you in the next one.

    1hr 15min
  4. 23 FEB

    009 - Stanley Bronson Interview - Beating Yesterday

    Some changes start with urgency. Others begin with quiet resolve. Stanley Bronstein’s story didn’t hinge on one dramatic moment. It unfolded through years of learning what works, what fades, and what it actually takes to build a life that stays healthy long after motivation disappears. In this conversation, Stanley opens up about the cycle so many people know too well. You lock in for a while, you lose weight, you feel better, and then life hits. Old habits come back. The structure disappears. The progress slips away. Not because you are weak, but because temporary effort can’t compete with permanent systems. We talk about what it means to stop chasing short bursts of discipline and start building routines that can actually be lived inside of. How walking became a foundation. How simplifying food choices created stability. How the mindset shift from “trying to get results” to “beating yesterday” makes real transformation possible. This is not a story about perfection. It is about consistency. It is about progress without punishment. And it is about learning how to keep going even when the excitement wears off. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the repeat cycle of starting over, this episode is for you. How to find more about Stanley Bronstein:Website is TheWayOfExcellence.com YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thewayofexcellence LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanleybronstein/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wayofexcellence/?sorting_setting=CHRONOLOGICAL More about Brad H. Hill and the No One is Normal book and podcast: 🎧 Podcast Episodes: ⁠https://www.bradhhill.com/podcast⁠ 📘 Get the Book (Amazon): ⁠https://a.co/d/ibq85NR⁠

    59 min
  5. 16 FEB

    008 - Under The Surface: Excuses Are Like A**holes

    There’s an old saying that excuses are like a******s and everyone has one. I am not here to beat anyone up for having them. I am here to be honest about what it cost me when excuses stopped being occasional and started becoming my default setting. For a long time, I did not just make excuses. I collected them. I polished them. I built whole stories around them. They were armor when I felt insecure, and a shield when I was afraid to try. The problem was not that I owed the world an explanation. The problem was that I had a built-in excuse for every failure before I even started. I used excuses in the big arenas that shape an actual life. Alcohol. Health. Career. Any time change felt hard or vulnerable, I reached for lines that sounded reasonable, but kept me circling the same drain for years. Then I walk through the shift that finally started changing things. Quitting smoking was a turning point because I stopped treating change like a vague wish and started treating it like a project. A real quit date. Triggers. Environment. The unglamorous structure that makes follow-through possible when motivation dies. We also zoom out into the psychology of excuses. Self-handicapping. Perfectionism. Procrastination. The way the brain tries to drag you back into what is familiar because “safe” matters more to it than “fulfilled.” And the truth that real change is usually boring up close. Small actions. Reps. Consistency. Not a dramatic overnight reinvention. By the end, this is the bottom line. Excuses will always be an option, always within reach, ready to soften discomfort and give you a fast exit. The choice is who gets the final say. Content note: addiction and habit change themes. No One Is Normal Book and Podcast Links: 🎧 Podcast Episodes: ⁠⁠https://www.bradhhill.com/podcast⁠⁠ 📘 Get the Book (Amazon): ⁠⁠https://a.co/d/ibq85NR⁠

    21 min

About

No One Is Normal is a raw, honest self-improvement podcast about recovering, healing, and rebuilding life. Brad H. Hill, author of No One Is Normal, shares real stories from the book, meaningful listener experiences, and conversations with professionals to explore addiction, trauma, shame, and self-forgiveness. This show helps you grow, reflect, and take the next step toward becoming who you were meant to be.