Welcome to the very first episode of the Love Is Balm podcast. I’m your host, Ashley Cummings — trauma therapist, identity specialist, and guide on the journey toward healing, self-love, and authentic leadership. This episode invites you to pause, reflect, and consider the emotional foundations that shape your leadership.

In this powerful opening conversation, we will explore:

• Why true leadership begins with self-love and emotional grounding
• How internal turmoil stifles your brilliance and dims your light
• The emotional prisons that keep leaders from stepping fully into their purpose
• A faith-based perspective on self-love, drawn from John 10:10 and Matthew 22:37-39
• The difference between appearing strong and being whole
• A personal story of navigating emotional pain and reconnecting with self-trust
• How self-love fuels our ability to lead with integrity, clarity, and compassion

This episode serves as a love letter and a guide to help you release emotional chaos, reconnect with your purpose, and lead from a place of wholeness. The journey to building a loving, sustainable world starts within. Take Ashley’s invitation to reflect, breathe, and consider how you can return to yourself — because when we lead with love, we help heal the world.

Stay tuned for the next episode where Ashley will explore the difference between self-care and self-love — and why it matters.