Knockin‘ Doorz Down

Cheryl Burke | Dancing with The Stars Sexual Trauma Survivor Alcoholism Podcast Host Recovery and Mental Health Advocate

When Cheryl was growing up, Cheryl was sexually molested by a trusted family friend. This event shaped how she chose her boyfriends growing up. She would pick the bad boys, or more specifically, men that would treat her badly. This trauma unknowingly started her down the road of alcoholism.

During her time on Dancing With the Stars, she gained confidence as a dancer early on. She was the first female professional to win the show and the first professional to win twice and consecutively. She has participated in 23 seasons thus far. This confidence led to heavy drinking while filming, and feeling like when she was drinking her dancing was much better. This eventually spiraled out of control and the drinking actually hindered her performance instead of enhancing it.

In regards to her past sexual abuse, she learned that you are not forgiving the person for the action, you are forgiving for yourself to create peace so you can sleep at night. To move on, it was also about consistently going to meetings, and seeking help in a productive and scheduled way. She’s not the type to just sit back and hope that help comes her way, she’s actively seeking it out now, and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

Cheryl has now been sober for 3 years. It’s still very new for her to sit and discuss her past traumas, a nerve-racking experience every time, but feels so much better after each session. Now she focuses on being grateful for every aspect of her life and focusing on the good things to make her progress in her fight against her addictions.

Cheryl has been looking into what actually causes her hypervigilance at times, she’s exploring having a trauma specialist look into what actually triggers this reaction. Lately, she’s been exploring different forms of meditation twice a day, and she finds that this has been very helpful in maintaining her sobriety. Her new “Pretty Messed Up Podcast” with AJ McLean and Rene Elizondo focuses on these topics and how each of them is dealing with their daily struggles.

This is Cheryl Burke in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

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