1217. From Suicide & Shame to Self-Acceptance: Celebrity Hairstylist Chris Appleton’s Story

Heal Squad x Maria Menounos

Maria Menounos, Heal Squad

Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Education, Self-improvement

4.7 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 20 January 2026

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hey Heal Squad! Today Chris Appleton is with Maria and if you thought you knew his story… think again. Beyond the exterior of being a celebrity hairstylist (he’s worked on some of the most iconic women in the world like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, and Ariana Grande), Chris is opening up about a side of his life the world has rarely heard. In this episode, Chris goes deep into the generational trauma, childhood labels, and bullying that shaped him at age six, and the years he spent abandoning himself in order to perform for the world. He also speaks candidly about the night he tried to take his life after coming out: a moment that was both devastating and, shockingly, the beginning of his reinvention. But Chris’s story doesn’t end there. He was rescued, and that moment became his second chance to live authentically. This is all detailed in his new book, Your Roots Don’t Define You, and reminds all of us that becoming who you really are is always worth the fight. If you’re on your own path of transformation, this is a must-listen. Just a heads up, it’s a very honest and vulnerable conversation, so please listen with care. HEALERS & HEAL-LINERS: Reinvention Begins With Returning to Yourself: Chris reminded us that reinvention is about going back to the version of yourself you’ve abandoned & real transformation begins when we choose to see ourselves without apology. How to Break Generational Patterns: Trauma can get passed down quietly through silence, survival, and emotional suppression. But healing can move forward through awareness, therapy, and refusing to live by the labels you were given. It can stop with YOU! HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website:https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy’s Page: Shop My Macy’s Storefront EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/host AUDIBLE: https://audible.com/healsquad AG1: drinkag1.com/healsquad GUEST RESOURCES: Chris Appleton Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisappleton1/?hl=en Chris Appleton TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisappletonhair Book: Your Roots Don’t Define You: Transform Your Life. Create Your Comeback https://yourrootsdontdefineyou.com/?utm_source=hoobe&utm_medium=social ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos’ passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company’s Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Once the holidays are over, my energy can really dip into those winter blues.
0:06.2	But friends, remember, we have the power to run our day. And it's all about how you start.
0:11.6	I love making the mornings feel like a small win. I say my morning prayers. I get my steps in on my
0:16.9	walking pad, which you can find at Macy's. Macy's truly meets you right where you are with self-care items that help mornings flow.
0:24.8	So find the little things that make a big difference in store or online at Macy's.com.
0:29.3	Happy shopping.
0:30.9	Financial health comes up often on the show, and as the new year begins, many people are looking for smart, practical ways to earn extra income.
0:37.2	So here's an idea.
0:38.5	Consider hosting your home on Airbnb. It's now easier than ever with Airbnb co-host network.
0:44.4	You can hire a vetted local co-host to handle all the details. So every stay runs smoothly.
0:49.6	It's a stress-free way to turn your space into a meaningful source of income without adding more to your
0:54.3	plate. So if you've ever thought about hosting but need a little help, find a co-host at Airbnb.com
0:59.0	slash host. Enjoy. I'm on a journey to heal and get better in all areas of life, and I want to do it with you.
1:08.9	Welcome to Heel Squad by Maria Menunos, where we
1:11.6	improve and heal all parts of our lives, most importantly, our health. Heal Squad by Maria
1:17.5	Minunos, your life improvement series starts now. Coming up on this episode of Heal Squad,
1:24.1	this book was really powerful, and I think is going to help a lot of people to reinvent.
1:31.3	There's maybe a misconception of what my life is or what my life has been.
1:35.3	But the truth of it is it's not.
1:37.3	We need to start with the night I tried to kill myself.
1:39.3	Because that's the fucking truth.
1:41.3	I couldn't have hated myself anymore.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Maria Menounos, Heal Squad, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Maria Menounos, Heal Squad and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.