In this episode of Karamo Connects, host Karamo revisits a viral clip featuring siblings Kaya and Troy, whose mother Stephanie struggles with drug addiction, incarceration, and abusive relationships. Troy recounts severe verbal and physical abuse from his mother and a house‑guest named Luther, as well as his own disciplinary record (weed use, car theft, bringing a gun to school). Kaya expresses concern that their mother's toxic behavior is influencing Troy. Karamo reads viewer comments, offers a trauma‑informed reading of Troy’s body language (floor‑staring, rocking, stuttering) and explains how early attachment wounds manifest in adolescent behavior. He emphasizes the importance of consistent parental love, warns against prioritizing romantic partners over children, and suggests stable, supportive environments for Troy, even if that means Kaya taking him in. Throughout, Karamo provides empathetic validation, practical advice, and reinforces the need for safe, loving family dynamics.
Chapters
You said, you told my producers that your mom said something that really upset you. What was it?
She said she hate me and she wish I was dead.
Wow. When did she say that?
In December.
So recent. So this season, a young woman named Kaya came to my show because she was worried that her mother's toxic behavior was rubbing off on her teenage brother. Her mother Stephanie had been in and out of jail and struggled with drug abuse. And her brother Troy was suspended for smoking weed, stealing cars, and even brought a gun to school. Can you believe that? At that young age, bringing a gun to school? Well, the clip from this episode went viral, and y'all had a lot to say in the comments. And now I want to respond to some of y'all. So let me get my phone out, and let's read some comments. Do you feel like we're hearing what's going on, or do you feel like your mom's hearing you?
You got to sit up, bro. No.
I know this can be difficult. You got cameras here. You got your mom. You don't wanna make anybody mad, you know what I mean?
Let her know how you feel. Let mama know how you feel.
You can tell her. This is a safe place for you.
Talk to her.
Come on, I'm listening. Come on. She listening. You know, you say nobody listen to you. We listening.
He's definitely traumatized. You can tell by him staring at the floor. The stuttering is from the nervousness of hoping not to say anything bad. Listen. You can tell that this young man has been through some stuff. Him looking down, is he scared? He's not sure of who he is. And to be honest with you, that's what happens when we become adults who have low self-esteem. We mimic that same behavior. And so if you can correct it as a young man, give them the tools to be better, then as they get older, you can start to say, okay, now you know how to navigate this. And so you picked up immediately on the body language. The body language said it all. This is a young man who was hurting, who had experienced some bad things and wasn't doing too well. The behavior that your son is exhibiting, we wouldn't be able to even get to today because we have to get you to a place as his mother where you can feel healthy enough. The son rocking himself backstage is a trauma response similar to rocking the infant stage of himself because he grew up unattached to unreliable parenting. It is true, you can pick up on a young child immediately how they're feeling. You can pick this up on adults too. Body language is the key tool that I use to help understand what my guests are going through. Y'all heard me say it on the show several times. I can see your body language, I'm reading your body language. And the more that we can be more in tune with reading people's body language, seeing what they're going through, and then following up with a response of like, is this what you're experiencing? It helps us to understand each other more. What does she bring around you?
She got somebody in the house named Luther. That be around me and he be calling her B words and stuff. And one time he, when she was gone, I think she was at work, he had got mad at me 'cause me and my friends, they had came to the house and we was playing hide and go seek in the house. And so he had got mad at me, then put his hands around my neck and then hit me against the wall.
Wow, I'm very sorry that happened to you.
And then he tried to fight my friend Then he called the police on us.
Don't ever put a man before your children. Call them names and say awful things to them. A mother's love goes a long way. Every child needs it. Amen. I understand when a mother never got the love, and so she's trying to find companionship, but that's never an excuse for making your child feel as if they're second to someone you're in a relationship with. You have to always make sure your child knows that they are needed, they're wanted, that they're loved, and You should never allow your relationship with a person that you started dating come in between you and your children. Y'all gotta check that stuff. Right now, your son needs to be in a place where he can get stable.
Well, the only choice that he would go to is also a family that's not also not stable. So he can come with me.
There we go.
Hold on.
Please keep us posted on this family. I can tell they really want to be better. Also shout out to the sister for stepping up. Troy is feeling so low and it was making me so sad. You know what? Shout out to the sister because it was her who said, enough is enough. You're not gonna do this to my little brother. And I just love when somebody in our families advocates and says, I'm not gonna let this keep going. That's how you break generational trauma. That's how you show up and support siblings or family members. And that sister did that. And I have faith that she's gonna always be a light to support her little brother. So listen, y'all have insights and y'all are attuned, and I love hearing from you. So keep commenting and let me know what you think. It's only together that we can continue to talk and grow.
