Healing Childhood Sexual Abuse | Childhood Trauma, Shame, Trust Issues, Anger, Abandonment, Fear

Do you hold back from opportunities or relationships because of fear or anxiety?  Are you afraid to let people in for fear they might know how you feel? Do you isolate? Do you feel trapped? Are you longing for relationships with women who get you? When you encounter fear, your amygdala, the brain’s primary fear center, becomes activated.  That’s when your flight or fight response kicks in.  You wa...

Have you ever believed “I’m not worthy of love,” “It was my fault,” or “I’ll never be whole” because of something that happened in your past? Childhood trauma and abuse can leave deep wounds that affect our self-worth, relationships, confidence, and identity. But those painful thoughts don't have to define you. In this episode, Leslie shares her personal journey from childhood sexual abuse, shame,...

Have you ever wondered, “Does my life even matter anymore?” After experiencing childhood sexual abuse, it can be difficult to trust—to trust people, trust yourself, and sometimes even trust God. When your boundaries were violated, your innocence was taken, and shame became part of your story, you may find yourself asking: How can I trust God with my life when I don’t understand why He allowed thes...

Have you ever wondered why you can be surrounded by people and still feel completely alone in what you’re carrying? Maybe you’ve spent years trying to move forward from childhood sexual abuse or childhood trauma. You’ve prayed, worked on yourself, sought help, and tried to put the past behind you. But sometimes the shame, self-doubt, relationship struggles, people-pleasing, or feelings of rejectio...

Why am I still struggling when what happened was so long ago? If you have ever asked yourself this question, you are not alone. Maybe you've tried to move on. Maybe you've prayed, gone to counseling, read the books, or told yourself that you should be over what happened by now. But deep down, you still struggle with shame, self-worth, trusting others, difficult relationships, anger, or patterns yo...

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “Why do I keep doing this?” Maybe you keep falling into the same relationship patterns. Maybe you struggle with anger, people-pleasing, shutting down, negative self-talk, fear of rejection, or difficulty trusting others. You know you want to change. You've prayed about it. Maybe you've been to therapy, read the books, listened to podcasts, and tried to use wi...

Why do we still struggle with shame even after we've accepted God's forgiveness? For many women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse, shame feels like a constant companion. It whispers lies that you're damaged, unworthy, and beyond repair. But those lies were never spoken by God. In today's episode, Leslie shares part of her own healing journey and explores what Scripture says about shame,...

One of the simplest ways to help you overcome fear, anger and shame from your past, seems to be the hardest thing to do. And that is to take of yourself. I am not talking about just your spiritual life or just your thought patterns… I am talking about you as a WHOLE woman. Your overall heath INCLUDES taking care of your body so that you can have the confidence to show up for the people in your lif...

Have you ever wondered if your past has disqualified you from the life God intended for you? After experiencing childhood sexual abuse, many women believe their story is defined by shame, pain, and brokenness. But God's Word tells a different story. In this episode, Leslie shares a personal story of God's faithfulness and explores the remarkable story of Ruth—a woman whose life began with loss and...

Happy 4th of July—and Happy 250th Birthday to the United States! 🇺🇸 As we celebrate the freedom of our nation, I want to invite you to consider an even greater freedom—the freedom that can only be found in Jesus Christ. In this special Independence Day episode, I share a personal reflection on growing up loving America, remembering the Bicentennial celebration in 1976, and how, years later, I disc...

Have you ever felt like you were making progress in your healing journey, only to find yourself triggered again? Maybe you've wondered, "Why am I still struggling?" or "I thought I was past this." If you've ever felt discouraged because healing hasn't looked the way you expected, this episode is for you. The truth is, healing isn't a straight line. It has ups and downs, breakthroughs and setbacks,...

Have you ever felt like no matter how much healing work you've done, you still struggle with feelings of shame, unworthiness, fear, or self-doubt? One of the most devastating effects of childhood sexual abuse isn't just what happened to you—it's what you came to believe because it happened. Many survivors carry hidden beliefs such as: It was my fault. I'm damaged. I'm unlovable. I can't trust anyo...

Have you ever wondered why you're still struggling with the effects of childhood sexual abuse, even after years of counseling, prayer, self-help books, or simply trying to move on? If so, you're not alone. Many survivors believe that with enough time, effort, or willpower, the pain should eventually disappear. Yet they still find themselves battling shame, anxiety, trust issues, triggers, people-p...

Have you ever wondered why childhood sexual abuse still affects your life years—or even decades—later? Maybe you've worked hard to move forward. You've built a family, a career, or a life that looks successful on the outside. Yet underneath the surface, you're still struggling with shame, fear, anxiety, people-pleasing, trust issues, anger, or feeling like you're never enough. If that's you, this...

Did you grow up feeling emotionally unseen, unsafe, or unloved? In this deeply personal and healing episode, we’re talking about the mother wound — the emotional pain many women carry from childhood when they did not feel nurtured, comforted, protected, or emotionally connected to their mother. This episode is especially powerful for women healing from childhood trauma and childhood sexual abuse,...

The woman who has experienced a broken heart in many ways is a victim in the wake of another persons intentional abuse. This can leave feelings of fear, loneliness, and despair.  Today Leslie shares a simple solution and gives you 3 steps to begin your healing journey or continue on from Childhood Sexual Abuse.  🔗 Connect with Me: 👉 Schedule a Rooted & Risen Coaching Session . >>Grab a...

Is God real? This is a question that gets asked from every woman who has experienced childhood sexual abuse.   In this episode, Leslie touches a deep rooted subject. Shares her own experience of asking God for evidence that He hears her.   In Matthew 5:8 Jesus says, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God."  It can be tough when you feel fear, have anger, a lack of trust and so much s...

Can what you eat impact your healing journey after childhood sexual abuse? In this episode of Hope in the Fire, we explore the connection between nutrition, emotional health, and trauma recovery. While food doesn’t heal trauma, it can support your body, improve mental clarity, and strengthen your ability to heal. In This Episode: How trauma affects the body and nervous system The connection betwee...

Prayer can feel confusing… even distant… especially when your story includes deep wounds like childhood sexual abuse. In today’s episode, we’re simplifying prayer and bringing it back to what it was always meant to be—a real, honest conversation with God. If you’ve ever struggled to trust God, open up to Him, or even know what to say, this episode will gently guide you through a simple, powerful f...

What if the biggest battle you face every day… is happening in your mind? For women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse, the lies can feel overwhelming: “I’m not worthy.” “I’m not loved.” “My life doesn’t matter.” In this deeply personal and truth-filled episode of Hope in the Fire, we’re talking about how to break free from those destructive thought patterns and replace them with what God...

What if your story isn’t over? Today we’re talking about what it looks like to move beyond healing… and begin rewriting your story with God. After unlocking childhood memories and learning how to process them safely, the next step is transformation—shifting the way you see your past, your identity, and your future. If you’ve ever felt defined by what you’ve been through, this episode will remind y...

*WARNING This episode may have triggering content. What do you do when painful childhood sexual trauma memories start to surface? In Part 2 of this series, we’re continuing the conversation on healing childhood trauma—this time focusing on how to process difficult memories safely and with God at the center. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, triggered, or unsure what to do when memories come back, t...

Have you ever felt disconnected when others share joyful childhood memories? Maybe you don’t remember much… or maybe the memories you do have feel too painful to revisit. In this episode of Hope in the Fire, we’re talking about how childhood trauma can impact your memories—and how healing isn’t just about processing pain, but also rediscovering joy. I share my personal journey of avoiding childhoo...

What if the very thing you thought you didn’t need… became the breakthrough you were praying for? In today’s episode of Hope in the Fire, I share my personal journey of healing from childhood trauma — from working with a non-Christian counselor, to receiving pastoral counseling, to participating in women’s Bible studies… and ultimately discovering the transformational power of coaching. Each step...

From Shame to Freedom: Overcoming Childhood Trauma Through Truth Have you ever walked into a room and suddenly felt small? Felt inadequate without knowing why? Avoided hard conversations because something inside you whispered, “You’re not enough”? That whisper has a name. Shame. In today’s episode of Hope in the Fire, we are talking about toxic shame rooted in childhood trauma — how it forms, how...