Burn It Down & Begin Again

Erica Gil

Hosted by Erica, Burn It Down & Begin Again is a raw, soul-baring podcast about what happens when the life you built burns to the ground — and the woman who rises from the ashes stronger than ever. This is more than a story of survival. It’s a journey of truth-telling, healing, and radical reinvention. Erica opens with her own chapters of addiction, abuse, betrayal, and breakdowns — not to dwell on the past, but to light the way forward. From there, the podcast shifts into rebuilding and manifesting the life you want, surviving and healing from codependency and narcissism, reclaiming your voice, and learning how to stand in your power as the woman you were always meant to be. Each episode unpacks a piece of the path back to wholeness: untangling toxic relationships, setting boundaries, rewriting old narratives, and creating a life filled with strength, purpose, and joy. Erica doesn’t sugarcoat the pain — but she shows how to use it as fuel. If you’ve ever felt silenced, isolated, or like no one could possibly understand what you’ve been through — this podcast is for you. This is about remembering your worth. Reclaiming your voice. And rebuilding a life that feels like truth. Part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women telling real stories to break cycles, rise in power, and reclaim what was stolen.

  1. 4D AGO

    Chapter 19 - “You’ve Always Had the Power, My Dear” — Reclaiming the Strength That Was Never Gone

    Chapter 19 - “You’ve Always Had the Power, My Dear” — Reclaiming the Strength That Was Never Gone In this powerful chapter of Burn It Down and Begin Again, Erica returns to a truth that changed everything for her — you have always had the power… you just had to learn it for yourself.  Through raw storytelling and lived experience, Erica explores the difference between performing strength and actually living in your power. She reflects on growing up in an environment where power was taken, silence was survival, and peace depended on appeasing others — patterns that quietly followed her into adulthood, marriage, and identity.  This episode unpacks how control doesn’t always look loud, how powerlessness can disguise itself as competence, and how losing yourself is often the painful doorway to finally finding yourself. Erica shares how trauma, codependency, addiction, and collapse stripped her down to nothing — and how rebuilding from the ashes taught her something no permission, approval, or “fix” ever could: agency comes from within.  Inside this episode:  Why power is not granted — it’s rememberedThe hidden cost of living inside other people’s expectationsHow the nervous system adapts to control and why freedom can feel terrifyingWhy rock bottom is often the birthplace of clarity and courageHow belief, action, and responsibility rebuild a life from the inside outWhat it truly means to be a cycle breaker This is not a motivational pep talk. It’s a testimony of becoming — through fire, fear, loss, and the long climb back to self-trust.   If you’re rebuilding after abuse, addiction, divorce, or identity collapse…  If you feel small, stuck, or unsure of who you are anymore…  If you’re ready to stop waiting for permission and start choosing yourself…   This chapter is for you.   Burn It Down and Begin Again is part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women sharing real stories to break cycles, reclaim power, and remind each other what was always true.   You are not broken. You are not behind. And you have always had the power.   🌸 About Chickology™ Chickology™ is more than a podcast brand — it’s a collective of strong, real women telling real stories. Together, we’re reclaiming our narratives, breaking cycles, and lifting one another up through truth, laughter, and raw conversations. Every show under the Chickology™ umbrella is created by women, for women, with love. ✨ Join the Movement We’re always looking for bold voices and powerful stories. If you’re a woman ready to share your truth or host your own podcast with us, reach out! One honest truth at a time, we’re helping one isolated woman at a time feel less alone. 📍 Find Us Explore all Chickology™ podcasts at [Buzzsprout Podcast Directory link or Chickology website] Email us at: ChickologyPodcasts@gmail.com 💫 Because when women rise together, we change the world.

    29 min
  2. JAN 27

    Chapter 18 - Choosing Solitude — Love, Codependency, and the Peace of Being Alone

    Chapter 18 - Choosing Solitude — Love, Codependency, and the Peace of Being Alone In this chapter of Burn It Down and Begin Again, Erica explores a question she’s asked constantly — and one our culture still struggles to understand: Why do some people deeply want a partner… while others are genuinely content alone? This episode isn’t about dating advice or telling you what you should want. It’s about unpacking the psychology behind partnership, solitude, and the stories we tell ourselves about being “single.” Drawing from lived experience, psychology, and cultural conditioning, Erica breaks down the critical differences between wanting love, needing love, avoiding love, and choosing peace. She explores why contentment is often mistaken for bitterness, why women who enjoy their own company are pathologized, and why midlife has a way of stripping away illusions about relationships, worth, and identity. Inside this episode, Erica explores: Why choosing solitude doesn’t mean you’re broken or avoidantThe difference between codependency, avoidance, and conscious choiceWhy some people regulate safety and identity through relationships — and others don’tHow midlife shifts our tolerance for chaos, emotional labor, and compromiseThe psychology behind romantic fantasy, masculine archetypes, and modern dating expectationsWhy peace can feel threatening to people who haven’t found it yetThis is an honest, nuanced conversation for anyone who has wondered: Is there something wrong with me because I don’t want a relationship?Why do I feel anxious alone — or peaceful alone?Do I want partnership… or relief from discomfort?There is nothing wrong with wanting love. There is nothing wrong with choosing solitude. What matters is why. Burn It Down and Begin Again is part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women telling real stories, breaking cycles, and reclaiming the right to define fulfillment on their own terms. If you’ve ever felt judged for being single — or pressured to want what no longer fits — this episode is for you. 🌸 About Chickology™ Chickology™ is more than a podcast brand — it’s a collective of strong, real women telling real stories. Together, we’re reclaiming our narratives, breaking cycles, and lifting one another up through truth, laughter, and raw conversations. Every show under the Chickology™ umbrella is created by women, for women, with love. ✨ Join the Movement We’re always looking for bold voices and powerful stories. If you’re a woman ready to share your truth or host your own podcast with us, reach out! One honest truth at a time, we’re helping one isolated woman at a time feel less alone. 📍 Find Us Explore all Chickology™ podcasts at [Buzzsprout Podcast Directory link or Chickology website] Email us at: ChickologyPodcasts@gmail.com 💫 Because when women rise together, we change the world.

    31 min
  3. JAN 22

    Chapter 17 - Peptides & Power — Aging in Reverse, Fat Loss, and Feeling Like You Again

    Peptides & Power — Aging in Reverse, Fat Loss, and Feeling Like You Again  In this chapter of Burn It Down and Begin Again, Erica dives into a topic that has completely changed the way she thinks about aging, fat loss, energy, menopause, recovery, and overall health: peptides. If you’ve heard names like Ozempic, semaglutide, tirzepatide, or retatrutide floating around… this episode breaks it all down in real, understandable language. Erica explains what peptides actually are (think: tiny biological “signal messages” your body already understands), why peptide production declines as we age, and how restoring those signals can support metabolism, healing, brain health, sleep, inflammation, and vitality. This is an educational deep-dive with Erica’s signature truth-telling: the wins, the cautions, the “do your research” reality, and what she personally takes in her own peptide stack—plus what it helped her change in her body and her life. She also talks about the current FDA crackdowns, why peptide companies are changing language and product names, and what that could mean for access in the future. Inside this episode, you’ll hear: What peptides are and how they work in the bodyMajor peptide categories (metabolic/weight loss, cognitive, recovery, longevity, sleep, immune support)Erica’s real-life experience with fat loss, food noise, healing, energy, and menopause supportCommon side effects and why dosing mattersWhy reputable sourcing and third-party testing is non-negotiableThe shifting regulatory landscape—and why education matters more than everErica also shares the company she personally uses and a listener discount code (including a free bottle of bacteriostatic water) for anyone who wants to explore further. Important note: Erica is not giving medical advice—this episode is her personal experience and research to help you ask better questions and make informed decisions for your body. Burn It Down and Begin Again is part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women, real stories, real transformation. Because healing isn’t just surviving… it’s learning how to thrive in the body and life you’re rebuilding. 🌸 About Chickology™ Chickology™ is more than a podcast brand — it’s a collective of strong, real women telling real stories. Together, we’re reclaiming our narratives, breaking cycles, and lifting one another up through truth, laughter, and raw conversations. Every show under the Chickology™ umbrella is created by women, for women, with love. ✨ Join the Movement We’re always looking for bold voices and powerful stories. If you’re a woman ready to share your truth or host your own podcast with us, reach out! One honest truth at a time, we’re helping one isolated woman at a time feel less alone. 📍 Find Us Explore all Chickology™ podcasts at [Buzzsprout Podcast Directory link or Chickology website] Email us at: ChickologyPodcasts@gmail.com 💫 Because when women rise together, we change the world.

    46 min
  4. JAN 13

    Chapter 16 - Strong for Too Long

    Chapter 16 - Strong for Too Long In this powerful chapter of Burn It Down and Begin Again, Erica gives language to something so many women feel but rarely name: the invisible emotional weight we carry. This episode explores the quiet exhaustion that doesn’t come from doing too much in a single day — but from doing everything for everyone over a lifetime. The mental load. The emotional labor. The identity erosion. The constant vigilance. The unspoken belief that strength means carrying it all without complaint. Erica unpacks how women are conditioned to become the emotional anchors, organizers, caretakers, and peacekeepers — often at the cost of their own needs, joy, and sense of self. Drawing from personal experience, psychology, and lived truth, she explains why this weight isn’t imagined, why sleep doesn’t fix it, and why midlife is often when it finally demands to be acknowledged. This chapter is not about blame. It’s about recognition. Because what we can finally name, we can begin to release. Inside this episode, Erica explores: The hidden emotional, mental, and spiritual labor women carryWhy high-functioning anxiety and burnout are often survival responsesHow identity becomes shaped by roles instead of inner truthThe cost of strength without self-supportWhy naming your emotions is the first step toward healingHow to begin setting boundaries, practicing self-forgiveness, and coming home to yourselfIf you’ve ever felt exhausted in a way rest doesn’t touch…  If you’ve been praised for being “strong” while quietly falling apart…  If you’ve survived by carrying more than was ever yours… This episode is for you. Burn It Down and Begin Again is part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women telling real stories to break cycles, release what no longer belongs to them, and reclaim the life that was never meant to be sacrificed. You are allowed to put the weight down. You are allowed to rest. And you are not alone. 🌸 About Chickology™ Chickology™ is more than a podcast brand — it’s a collective of strong, real women telling real stories. Together, we’re reclaiming our narratives, breaking cycles, and lifting one another up through truth, laughter, and raw conversations. Every show under the Chickology™ umbrella is created by women, for women, with love. ✨ Join the Movement We’re always looking for bold voices and powerful stories. If you’re a woman ready to share your truth or host your own podcast with us, reach out! One honest truth at a time, we’re helping one isolated woman at a time feel less alone. 📍 Find Us Explore all Chickology™ podcasts at [Buzzsprout Podcast Directory link or Chickology website] Email us at: ChickologyPodcasts@gmail.com 💫 Because when women rise together, we change the world.

    22 min
  5. JAN 6

    Chapter 15 “I Am” — Reinventing Your Life by Rewriting Your Identity

    As we step into a brand new year, this chapter of Burn It Down and Begin Again begins with the two most powerful words in the human language: I am. In this deeply personal and transformational episode, Erica explores how the words we attach to “I am” don’t just describe us — they program us. Through the science of neuroplasticity, emotional conditioning, and subconscious belief, she breaks down how identity is formed, how it can quietly limit us, and how it can be intentionally rewritten at any stage of life. Erica shares her own raw story of losing herself in marriage, divorce, addiction, and midlife collapse — and the miraculous moment that changed everything. From surviving alcoholism and near death to rebuilding her health, relationships, career, finances, and sense of self, she walks listeners through the exact manifestation and reinvention process she used to reclaim her life. This episode is both a story of survival and a practical guide. Erica explains, step by step, how to rewire your inner dialogue, create a manifestation practice rooted in emotion (not wishful thinking), and begin living as the version of yourself you’re becoming — even when you don’t yet know how everything will work out. If you’re entering this year feeling ready for more, quietly exhausted, healing from loss, rebuilding after divorce, addiction, or simply sensing that your old identity no longer fits — this episode is for you. Burn It Down and Begin Again is part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women, real stories, and real transformation. You are not broken. You are not late. And your next chapter begins the moment you choose who you are becoming. 🌸 About Chickology™ Chickology™ is more than a podcast brand — it’s a collective of strong, real women telling real stories. Together, we’re reclaiming our narratives, breaking cycles, and lifting one another up through truth, laughter, and raw conversations. Every show under the Chickology™ umbrella is created by women, for women, with love. ✨ Join the Movement We’re always looking for bold voices and powerful stories. If you’re a woman ready to share your truth or host your own podcast with us, reach out! One honest truth at a time, we’re helping one isolated woman at a time feel less alone. 📍 Find Us Explore all Chickology™ podcasts at [Buzzsprout Podcast Directory link or Chickology website] Email us at: ChickologyPodcasts@gmail.com 💫 Because when women rise together, we change the world.

    38 min
  6. 12/23/2025

    Chapter 14: A Sacred Pause Before the Next Beginning

    As the year comes to a close, this chapter of Burn It Down and Begin Again is a pause — a moment of honesty, gratitude, and self-compassion. In this heartfelt end-of-year episode, Erica reflects on the journey of healing, rebuilding, and reclaiming life after trauma, while also naming something many women feel but rarely admit: burnout. With the holidays in full swing and pressure coming from every direction, Erica opens up about anxiety, exhaustion, and the reality of carrying too much for too long — even when life is full of blessings. This episode isn’t about giving up. It’s about listening to your body, honoring your limits, and choosing to step back so you can move forward with intention. Erica shares why she’s taking a short hiatus until January 6th, what this year has taught her about resilience and reinvention, and how midlife can be the beginning of something entirely new — not the end. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or quietly questioning how to keep going, this episode is a reminder that rest is not failure, reflection is not weakness, and healing doesn’t require perfection — only commitment to yourself. Burn It Down and Begin Again is part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women, real stories, and real transformation. You are not too broken, you are not too late, and you are never alone. 🌸 About Chickology™ Chickology™ is more than a podcast brand — it’s a collective of strong, real women telling real stories. Together, we’re reclaiming our narratives, breaking cycles, and lifting one another up through truth, laughter, and raw conversations. Every show under the Chickology™ umbrella is created by women, for women, with love. ✨ Join the Movement We’re always looking for bold voices and powerful stories. If you’re a woman ready to share your truth or host your own podcast with us, reach out! One honest truth at a time, we’re helping one isolated woman at a time feel less alone. 📍 Find Us Explore all Chickology™ podcasts at [Buzzsprout Podcast Directory link or Chickology website] Email us at: ChickologyPodcasts@gmail.com 💫 Because when women rise together, we change the world.

    8 min
  7. 12/09/2025

    Chapter 13: The Energy You Broadcast — How Your Inner World Shapes Your Outer Life

    Chapter 13: The Energy You Broadcast — How Your Inner World Shapes Your Outer Life Description: Welcome to Chapter 13 of Burn It Down and Begin Again — because sometimes the only way out is through the fire. This week, Erica gets honest in a way we don’t always allow ourselves to be. Exhaustion, overwhelm, resentment, holiday pressure — and the truth that even strong women get tired. But beneath all of that lies something deeper: the energy we carry, the energy we absorb, and the energy we unconsciously pour into the world. Your energy walks into every room before you do. It shapes your relationships, your opportunities, your emotional landscape, and your daily reality. And whether you realize it or not, you are broadcasting something every single moment. Today, Erica dives into the science, the soul, and the self-awareness behind that truth — and how to reclaim power when life feels like too much. Together we’ll explore: How exhaustion, resentment, and overwhelm subtly shift your energetic identityWhy your emotions broadcast before you speak — and how people feel you before they hear youThe neuroscience behind emotional contagion and why our brains mirror each other’s statesHow childhood trauma trains us to scan for danger and absorb energies that aren’t oursThe power of grounding, gratitude, and awareness to reset your internal frequencyReal-life tools to shift your energy when you’re drained, stretched thin, or simply humanThis chapter is not about pretending to be positive. It’s about being honest with yourself, reclaiming control of your internal world, and choosing the energy you want to lead with — even on the days when you feel worn down to the bone. 🔥 Your energy is a broadcast. When you shift what’s happening inside, you transform what becomes possible outside. Part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women telling real stories to break cycles, rise in power, and create lives built on truth, intention, and radical self-awareness. 🌸 About Chickology™ Chickology™ is more than a podcast brand — it’s a collective of strong, real women telling real stories. Together, we’re reclaiming our narratives, breaking cycles, and lifting one another up through truth, laughter, and raw conversations. Every show under the Chickology™ umbrella is created by women, for women, with love. ✨ Join the Movement We’re always looking for bold voices and powerful stories. If you’re a woman ready to share your truth or host your own podcast with us, reach out! One honest truth at a time, we’re helping one isolated woman at a time feel less alone. 📍 Find Us Explore all Chickology™ podcasts at [Buzzsprout Podcast Directory link or Chickology website] Email us at: ChickologyPodcasts@gmail.com 💫 Because when women rise together, we change the world.

    21 min
  8. 12/02/2025

    Chapter 12: From Victim to Survivor — Rewriting the Story That Tried to Break You

    Chapter 12: From Victim to Survivor — Rewriting the Story That Tried to Break You  Description: Welcome to Chapter 12 of Burn It Down and Begin Again — because sometimes the only way out is through the fire.  Victimhood may be where the pain began, but it doesn’t have to be where the story ends. In this powerful chapter, Erica explores the shift from “Why did this happen to me?” to “Look what I survived.” This isn’t just about perspective — it’s about power. And taking yours back.  With raw truth and soul-deep clarity, Erica unpacks how trauma imprints on the body and brain — and how we can rewrite those imprints through intention, belief, and a refusal to stay stuck in stories that never belonged to us.  Together we’ll explore:  The quiet ways victimhood hides in our language, choices, and identityThe science behind post-traumatic growth and neuroplasticityHow spiritual teachings and epigenetics point to the same truth: You can change your storyWhy reclaiming your voice is the first act of rewriting your lifeHow to alchemize pain into purpose, and survival into power This chapter is about burning down the belief that you’re powerless — and rising in the truth that you never were.   🔥 You survived what tried to break you. Now it’s time to become who you were always meant to be.   Part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women telling real stories to break cycles, rise in power, and reclaim what was stolen.   🌸 About Chickology™ Chickology™ is more than a podcast brand — it’s a collective of strong, real women telling real stories. Together, we’re reclaiming our narratives, breaking cycles, and lifting one another up through truth, laughter, and raw conversations. Every show under the Chickology™ umbrella is created by women, for women, with love. ✨ Join the Movement We’re always looking for bold voices and powerful stories. If you’re a woman ready to share your truth or host your own podcast with us, reach out! One honest truth at a time, we’re helping one isolated woman at a time feel less alone. 📍 Find Us Explore all Chickology™ podcasts at [Buzzsprout Podcast Directory link or Chickology website] Email us at: ChickologyPodcasts@gmail.com 💫 Because when women rise together, we change the world.

    34 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Hosted by Erica, Burn It Down & Begin Again is a raw, soul-baring podcast about what happens when the life you built burns to the ground — and the woman who rises from the ashes stronger than ever. This is more than a story of survival. It’s a journey of truth-telling, healing, and radical reinvention. Erica opens with her own chapters of addiction, abuse, betrayal, and breakdowns — not to dwell on the past, but to light the way forward. From there, the podcast shifts into rebuilding and manifesting the life you want, surviving and healing from codependency and narcissism, reclaiming your voice, and learning how to stand in your power as the woman you were always meant to be. Each episode unpacks a piece of the path back to wholeness: untangling toxic relationships, setting boundaries, rewriting old narratives, and creating a life filled with strength, purpose, and joy. Erica doesn’t sugarcoat the pain — but she shows how to use it as fuel. If you’ve ever felt silenced, isolated, or like no one could possibly understand what you’ve been through — this podcast is for you. This is about remembering your worth. Reclaiming your voice. And rebuilding a life that feels like truth. Part of the Chickology™ podcast collective — real women telling real stories to break cycles, rise in power, and reclaim what was stolen.