Courageous Journeys® ~ Impact & healing from childhood trauma

This episode originally aired on YouTube.   Navigating relationships can sometimes feel like walking through a minefield, especially when you’re dealing with unhealthy dynamics. How do you protect your peace and healthy sense of self when others are quick to deflect blame? What does it really mean to set healthy boundaries? In this episode, I talk about how to identify when you're unfairly car...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Millions of people struggle with anxiety (among other symptoms), often without understanding its true origins or how to help resolve it. There are a lot of factors and circumstances that influence how and to what extent someone might struggle. In this episode, I delve into the intricate connection between childhood trauma and adult anxiety/struggle. I tal...

This episode originally aired on YouTube. The link mentioned is further down in the description. Have you noticed feeling a little more anxious, irritable, or drained? Maybe you can’t really identify a specific reason? You're not alone. The things going on around us has a profound impact on our emotional well-being, often in ways we don't readily recognize. In this episode, I talk about ho...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Advocating for ourselves is difficult for a lot of people. The more vulnerable the situation, the more difficult it is. This, in part, happens because with that vulnerability, shame is often present as well. Whether it’s at work or with a business, family or friend relationships, or as it relates to boundaries, becoming an advocate for yourself is importa...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Have you ever felt paralyzed by uncertainty on your healing journey? That nagging doubt that creeps in when you're trying to set boundaries, build new relationships, trust your own memories, or even trusting your progress? You're not alone. It’s a natural part of the healing process. It’s ultimately about learning to trust in yourself. In this epi...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Acknowledgment is an important step in healing. But, deep healing requires us to go deeper, into the emotional aspect of what it means to acknowledge and accept. In this episode, I share more on what no longer denying our wounds actually means… what it looks and feels like. I share a significant example from my own life as well as some other ways it can s...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Imagine being near the summit of this healing process and realizing that you’ve forgotten an important piece that you needed to be able to feel the full depth of freedom that comes as you heal. I don’t want that to be something you experience. Instead, I want you to be able to trust that you’re collecting everything you’ll need through the journey and onc...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  For too many children, the people they should be able to trust the most turn out to be the people who hurt them the most. This is relational trauma. Experiencing trauma is not just about what happens to you, but so much of the impact comes from who the perpetrator is to you and how that betrayal of trust can affect you for years to come. In this episode,...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Join me for an important conversation on an often forgotten, yet deeply impactful ,form of childhood wounding. Neglect is a silent wound that can be hard to acknowledge… and heal. It’s often minimized, denied, and overlooked. Sometimes, even by those in mental health, child protective services, and the justice system. Just as being able to acknowledge oth...

This episode originally aired on YouTube. The link mentioned is further down in the description. About a year and a half ago I spit in a tube and sent it off to 23andme to learn more about my ancestry. I ended up getting a little more than I bargained for… There have been some interesting and surprising things that have arisen since learning my father is not who I believed he was. In this episode,...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Whether it’s watching fiction on television or the 24 hour news and images of the devastation across the world, it’s nearly impossible to not feel the impact of the trauma so many are experiencing. For survivors of childhood or complex trauma, the impact can feel even heavier because it tangles into the web of our own trauma… fear, betrayal, heartbreak, a...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  You know those moments when you hear or experience something and your way of thinking or perspective suddenly changes? Those “aha” moments. These are pretty common along this healing journey. However, there are a few that are “AAHHHAAAA” kind of moments. An experience or realization that becomes more like a tectonic shift. In this episode I’m sharing some...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  One of the major challenges people face when trying to set boundaries is dealing with the unhappiness and pushback from others. It can be so difficult, especially if you've spent much of your life being a people-pleaser and putting others' feelings above your own. In this episode, I'll share one of the most important things to remember as you...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  There's a video going around on TikTok asking the question "Would you rather run into a bear or a man in the woods?" It has sparked a really interesting… and affirming, yet alarming conversation. Today, I want to dive into that from a bit of a different angle. For survivors of sexual trauma or harassment, there is so much self-doubt around t...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  When we think of a survivor of childhood sexual trauma, we tend to have preconceived ideas, expectations, and images that come to mind. In today’s episode, I talk briefly about where they come from and the misconceptions that abound in them. Then , I talk about the diverse realities of being a survivor of childhood trauma, shattering the notion of what so...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to bring awareness to help lessen the stigma around mental illness. I think there’s another important aspect to this that I share in today’s episode. I talk about mental health vs mental illness (there should be no shame or stigma around either one) and the importance of starting with ourselves in releasing bot...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Today, I'm sharing a personal story that explores how self-doubt, panic, shame, and a disastrous seventh-grade haircut can resurface even after years of healing work. I had an experience recently that brought back some familiar feelings of shame and panic from my childhood. In this episode, I offer insights into the ongoing journey of healing, emphasi...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  There is a lot that goes into choosing when and with whom to share your trauma experience. There are many ways you can be met by the person you’re sharing with. We all hope, even if we don’t think it will happen, that we’ll be met with understanding, compassion, and support. Whomever we share with is going to have their own feelings about it. Sometimes th...

Returning to Wholeness: a journey of learning to trust and embody the truth of who you've always been: https://courageousjourneys.com/courses/returningtowholenessjc As someone who has been through this healing process myself and now supports others on their journey, I really get the frustrations and self-criticism that can come when progress feels slow or nonexistent. That sense of judgment, d...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  It's Sexual Assault Awareness Month and this year's theme really resonated with me - Building Connected Communities. In today’s episode, I talk about the role of shame that survivors often carry, and how open conversations are key to shifting societal attitudes and creating true understanding. Thus, ending shame and ultimately the prevalence and i...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  Honoring our needs and desires after experiencing childhood trauma is crucial to the healing journey, yet it often isn’t something that’s talked about. When we grow up in an environment of chaos, dysfunction or abuse, we get the message, often many times over years, that our needs don't matter. So as a means of survival, we disconnect from being able...

This episode originally aired on YouTube. The links mentioned are further down in the description Navigating relationships when you’ve been hurt by someone is… interesting. It can be virtually impossible to trust in what a healthy relationship is. This can lead to overcompensating in an unhealthy relationship or running at the first sign of something other than bliss. Neither of which are healthy...

This episode originally aired on YouTube. The links mentioned are further down in the description For too long, we've lived in a society where there is silence and secrecy around sex, sexuality and sexual abuse. It’s time (well actually, long overdue) for us to end the silence so we can end the shame and stigma. In today’s episode, I talk about about the challenges and benefits of having these...

This episode originally aired on YouTube.  If you've been following me for a while you probably hear me talk about self-acceptance and honoring your true self a lot. But, as is often the case, it can be hard to apply things we know to ourselves. In today’s video, I share my experience of finally being able to embrace and even honor parts of myself I often believed weren’t good enough. I hope t...

This episode originally aired on YouTube. The link mentioned is further down in the description. When a trauma survivor confides in you by sharing their experience or story, how you respond can deeply impact their healing journey. With compassion and understanding, disclosure conversations present an incredible healing opportunity. However, even when very well-intentioned. we can unknowingly inval...