About the show

How to Tell Someone is a narrative podcast featuring real people as they share the moments of pivotal communication related to trauma, identity, relationships, loss, and transformation. We explore the ways their experiences have shaped how they perceive and move through the world today.

Episodes combine vulnerable storytelling, thoughtful narrative structure, and original musical scoring. Season 1 launches in January 12, 2026.

Tonya Pieske

Creator, Host, Writer, Editor, Composer

Tonya Pieske is a musician, writer, and producer based in Portland, Oregon.

With How to Tell Someone, Tonya blends her lived experience with CPTSD and her background in fostering psychological safety through her nonprofit work. She uses a trauma-informed process with each guest to ensure storytelling is safe, grounded, and consensual.

Her work on the show centers nuance and authenticity, offering a rare space for people to share the stories that shaped them.

You can connect with Tonya on LinkedIn and learn more about her music at www.hexteriamusic.com.