Dear Little Me

Signs of a narcissistic mother, effects of narcissistic abuse, signs of gaslighting, effects of gaslighting Welcome back to PART TWO of Melissa's powerful and heart-wrenching story. In part one, we followed Melissa into the depths of the abandonment, abuse, shame, and humiliation that shaped her early life. Following a complete breakdown, and the realisation that she needed and deserved help, Meli...

Welcome to Season 7!  Signs of a narcissistic mother, effects of narcissistic abuse, signs of gaslighting, effects of gaslighting From a very young age, Melissa suffered physical abuse at the hands of her mother. Melissa’s father was absent for work much of the time and Melissa’s parents marriage was highly volatile and chaotic. (**Trigger Warning**) The chaos reached a devastating peak when,...

There is a huge expectation for all of us that Christmas equates to joy.  But it can just as easily equate to triggers, to feeling dysregulated because of past experiences with our families and I’ve heard from listeners how much they are dreading spending Christmas with people they find truly challenging.  People as close as their own parents and brothers and sisters. This is our final e...

Part two of our 2023 wrap up! Welcome to this special two part episode of the podcast, where we take a reflective journey back through the wisdom shared by our incredible guests over the past year. Every story involves a reveal of truth and the heart of healing lies in embracing these truths. Each guest has shared their own unique journey of navigating abuse, abandonment, judgment, and expectation...

Welcome to this special two part episode of the podcast, where we take a reflective journey back through the wisdom shared by our incredible guests over the past year. Every story involves a reveal of truth and the heart of healing lies in embracing these truths. Each guest has shared their own unique journey of navigating abuse, abandonment, judgment, and expectation. These experiences have impri...

Dr Heather Browne's Mom was magical, exquisite, cultured, and a joy to be around. However, amidst the beauty, Heather's mother struggled with schizophrenia. Heather's childhood unfolded in the magical realm her mother created, offering Heather a unique perspective on the fluidity of our sense of reality and the profound influence we hold over our own perceptions. Today, Heather is renowned as the...

In this episode, Wen Peetes, Intuitive Healing Coach, courageously opens up about the childhood trauma she endured from both parents. Trapped in a world of expectation and appearances, everybody wore a mask. This is a story of how truth heals. At a critical point in her life, Wen faced a complete breakdown—a moment often triggered by the confrontation of truth. Lives can fracture when co...

Dr Constance Scharff’s father was highly abusive resulting in Constance taking her first drink at age 11. By the time she was in college, Constance was drinking two litres of hard liquor a day. She firmly believed she did not have long to live and friends expected she would not make it through her twenties. As a small child, Constance was abandoned and uncared for. She was lost in a family wh...

In this episode Reagan, a listener of this podcast, courageously steps forward to share her story. It's heartwarming to witness the incredible community we've built, where listeners like Reagan generously contribute their narratives in the hope of helping others. Your support truly makes this podcast exceptional. Reagan's journey is one of profound resilience, particularly in navigating the comple...

At the tender age of 12, amidst a night of domestic violence, Jana underwent a profound spiritual experience that reshaped her understanding of her existence. In that moment, she realised she was not alone and that her parents were just souls on a human journey. This pivotal event laid the foundation for Jana's future, as she looked to heal the scars of her traumatic past. Central to this transfor...

Melissa was raised in a home where both her mother and father had endured deeply traumatic experiences. As her parents went through a divorce and a stepmother came on the scene, the trauma intensified. Amidst the chaos, nobody noticed that Melissa was getting deeper into a group of kids who were engaging in drug use. Over time, drugs became a surrogate for the love she wasn’t receiving. Melissa we...

In this poignant and enlightening episode, Christina Carlson, Life Coach, shares her personal journey of growing up in a strict evangelical household. From birth, children in such families are instilled with the belief that God is an ever-watchful presence, aware of every thought and action. The level of control over a young life and mind is nothing short of terrifying. In this quick chat episode,...

In this insightful episode, we delve into the profound impact of generational patterns on our lives. Our thinking, behaviors, and beliefs are often inherited from previous generations, without our knowledge. It's a phenomenon so deeply ingrained in our subconscious we can't see how it is playing out for us every day. Our guest this week, Nina Cruz, is a Conscious Coach dedicated to helping individ...

Have you ever been told how truly incredible you are? As a child, were you celebrated and encouraged to embrace your unique self? For many, the answer is a resounding "no." In fact, it's often quite the opposite. Many of us grow up internalizing the belief that we're anything but remarkable. This deep-seated notion can become a subconscious belief. One that whispers, "There is nothing amazing...

In this week's compelling episode, we are joined by Skadi Cooke, author of How I Learned To Love You After giving birth, Skadi remembers looking across at this new life, this newborn child in a crib, and in that pivotal moment, a daunting question emerged… .“How can you call yourself a mother if you cannot even love your child?” Despite Skadi wanting this child so much, there was no feeling o...

Did you know that deep trauma can be rooted in seemingly small, overlooked experiences from our past? Not all trauma is born from a lifetime of abuse or abandonment by a parent; sometimes, it's the seemingly insignificant events that leave a lasting mark on our lives. In this quick chat episode, our guest, Enneagram Coach Samantha Mackay, shares her personal journey of understanding how a seemingl...

"Be strong, don't cry, suppress your emotions and strive to meet your parents' every expectation." In this episode we are talking about losing our authenticity as a result of parental expectation. From a young age, Dr Sajad Vahedi found himself living a life he had crafted to conform to the expectations of his family. Despite being an inherently emotional child, Sajad learned to stifle his feeling...

Rev’s mother struggled. She made many attempts to end her own life and Rev was dedicated to trying to fix and save her mother over many years. Ultimately Rev’s mother could not be saved and Rev experienced profound anger and grief after her mother's tragic passing. After a year of mourning, Rev made the decision to embrace life to the fullest. Her life would be different. But a...

In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the intricate and multi-layered subject of the Mother wound. Despite the societal idealisation of mothers as kind, loving, and supportive figures, the reality is more nuanced for many women. Often, our mothers struggled to fulfil this role due to their own challenging upbringings, past abuse, or neglect. Michelle Gomez, a leader in helping women...

Accepting Your Child’s Identity In this quick chat episode, we delve into the concept of identity with Dr. Lu Lu, a paediatrician, educator and Life Coach who specialises in youth suicide prevention. Identity begins at birth. A child is born and is immediately assigned a gender by the doctor, midwife and parents. It's the way it has always been done. But this may not be the way your child identifi...

What makes a cycle breaker? In this episode, we are privileged to sit down and have a profound conversation with Dr. Mariel Buqué, a remarkable leader in the field of trauma. Dr. Mariel holds a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology from Columbia University and is now a distinguished Trauma Psychologist. She's the author of Break The Cycle: A Guide To Healing Intergenerational Trauma , a must-read fo...

In this compelling quick chat episode, we delve into a story of immense courage and resilience, exploring the journey of a survivor of child abuse who found the strength to confront her past and seek justice. Lynn Crook's journey is a testament to the incredible power within each of us when we choose to confront our traumatic past and hold those responsible accountable. Lynn's journey begins with...

Emotional abuse—and its far-reaching effects. Anna believed she’d had a good childhood, there were annual family holidays and no obvious disadvantages. However, the journey to healing began when Anna became a mother and faced a startling realization about her own past. Anna's daughter's behavior proved to be extremely challenging, and Anna found herself plagued by intense thoughts of harming her c...

This week's blog Panic Attacks: The Facts In this quick chat episode, we delve into the profound relationship between childhood trauma and its impact on physical health. Our guest, Lauren of Love, a Healing Teacher and Mentor, shares her personal journey of overcoming deep-seated trauma. Lauren's childhood trauma left her struggling with issues such as weight gain, low self-esteem, chronic illness...

Panic Attacks: The Facts out now! on the HEAL blog. Part Two. In Part One Beck shared the truth of her chaotic childhood. Now, Beck shares her remarkable journey to healing, which included grappling with debilitating blackout panic attacks. Beck's unwavering determination to forge a brighter future for herself and her children is nothing short of inspirational. Beck came to the understanding...