In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast, host Angelina Rivera sits down with performer, photographer, and community advocate Karen Diaz to explore her journey from trauma and anxiety to advocacy, healing, and impact.
Karen opens up about her experience with childhood trauma, bullying, panic disorder, and an eating disorder, and how years of survival eventually led her to seek therapy, faith, and true community support. She shares the pivotal moments that reshaped her life, including her mental health breaking point in 2019 and how returning home to heal became the foundation for transformation.
The conversation dives into Karen’s advocacy work with organizations like Rockin’ Our Disabilities, her passion for uplifting individuals with visible and invisible disabilities, and how earning the titles of Miss Route 66 and Miss US Woman of Achievement became a platform for service rather than recognition.
This episode is a reminder that healing is not linear, asking for help is strength, and purpose often emerges from our hardest seasons. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, trauma, burnout, or feeling unseen, this conversation offers hope, encouragement, and proof that your story still matters.
In this deeply moving episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast, host Angelina Rivera sits down with performer, photographer, and community advocate Karen Diaz for an honest conversation about resilience, healing, and purpose.
Karen shares her powerful journey from trauma and anxiety to advocacy, healing, and impact, opening up about childhood trauma, bullying, panic disorder, and an eating disorder. She reflects on the years she spent surviving, her mental health breaking point in 2019, and the courage it took to ask for help through therapy, faith, and community support.
Throughout the episode, Karen explains how returning home to heal became a turning point that led her into community leadership and advocacy work. She discusses her involvement with organizations serving individuals with disabilities, her passion for breaking stigmas around mental health, and how creativity through photography and dance became essential tools for healing.
Karen also shares how stepping into pageantry was never about perfection or appearance, but about using her voice and platform to serve others. Earning the titles of Miss Route 66 and Miss US Woman of Achievement allowed her to spotlight underserved communities, uplift individuals with visible and invisible disabilities, and show what purpose-driven leadership truly looks like.
This conversation is a reminder that healing is not linear, vulnerability is strength, and purpose often grows from our hardest seasons. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, trauma, burnout, or feeling unseen, this episode offers hope, encouragement, and reassurance that better days are ahead.
✨ In This Episode, You’ll Hear:
Karen’s experience with childhood trauma, bullying, and mental health challenges
Living with anxiety and panic disorder and navigating recovery
The role of therapy, faith, and accountability in healing
How community became a lifeline rather than a fear
Advocacy for people with disabilities and breaking harmful stereotypes
Turning creativity, photography, and dance into healing tools
Pageantry as a platform for purpose, not performance
Why asking for help can change everything
The importance of perseverance, patience, and hope
💬 Karen’s Refine & Shine Reminder:
Don’t give up. Better days are ahead, and the right people will come into your life at the right time.
🔗 How to Connect With Karen Diaz
Follow Karen Diaz and connect with her work in photography, community advocacy, and creative storytelling:
📸 Photography Instagram: / healingwithcreatives
✨ Personal Instagram: / lifeofkaren
📘 Facebook: / karen.diaz.262537
Karen uses her platforms to highlight community stories, advocate for mental health and disability awareness, and share purpose-driven creativity.
🔗 Connect with Angelina Rivera
🌐 Website: www.angelinarivera.com
📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: www.angelinarivera.com/links
📲 Facebook: / angierivera23
📲 Instagram: / refineandshinepodcast | / the.angelina.rivera
🎧 YouTube: @refineandshinepodcast | @the.angelina.rivera
💼 LinkedIn: / theangelinarivera
/ refine-and-shine-podcast
📲 TikTok: / refineandshinepodcast
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🛍️ Work With Me — Courses & Coaching: https://angelinarivera.com/coaching-s...
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