On this episode grooming, power abuse, and the freeze response that kept me alive. The savior teacher who turns villain at night. The singer who sings in my ear. The one who makes me forget he’s dangerous because the help felt real. Predators know their prey. Poverty, no bio father, born to a teenage mom, broken home. Check, check, check, check. I was a walking target. At 15, I was homeless, no contact with my mother, living out of sink-washed T-shirts at my grandmother’s, attending an alternative school with nothing but poverty and no safety net. 

They all knew exactly who I was: a girl with too much going on to say no.

I froze. Every time. I didn’t know how to stop it. I didn’t even know I was supposed to. This is what grooming looked like in real time. This is how predators find their prey. This is the story I carried for 20 years before I could name it. I’m Talkin To You. I’m Talkin To Me Too.

#MirrorMoments #SurvivorStories #Healing

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this episode, I explore the caged bird’s song, realizing my strength was never a choice but a survival instinct. People praise how I endure, but I never had options like leaving my kids or falling into addiction. I chose to sing, turning pain into purpose. My capacity to love, to try again, to find silver linings, once felt like a curse, making me angry at endless tests. Losing my son became my greatest lesson, teaching me to listen before chaos, to weave warmth from ashes. I built my own cage, locking doors for safety, distracting myself with what didn’t serve me. Through tears, I see how I froze, ran, hid, but never let go of my heart. The real security is acceptance, loving every part of me, good and bad. No more prisoner of my own war. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Season one explored my roots, growing up in Chicago with siblings and my mother’s influence. Season two traces my tree, how those roots shaped my husband and cycles of pain. I’m grateful for you listeners, holding space for my truth. My inner voice grows, and I love the woman in my mirror moments. Join me this season to uncover your strength too. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this heartfelt episode of Season 2, I share the chaos of losing my business and money, raising three kids while terrified as a new manager. Then I met Desi, whose words, “We don’t have to live like this,” stopped me cold, offering a choice I never saw growing up in a world where you just survive. Her poise, like a steady trunk, showed me I could walk away from the fire. She taught me to listen, to ask questions like “Help me understand,” and to see beyond my anxiety through books like Radical Candor. Desi was a mirror, reflecting what I could become, helping me rebuild my strength and find my voice in a life on fire. Her impact lingers, a door I prayed for, guiding me to grow past pain. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this opening to season two, I dive into the heart-wrenching night my ex-husband assaulted me in our home, ignoring my desperate pleas to stop as he forced himself on me. The weight of childhood pain, where I learned to silence my voice, resurfaced as I froze, shielding my sleeping kids from the truth. His lingering shadow, watching me crumble, forced me to face my silenced voice and the roots that let me down, my mom walking away, caught in her own anger, leaving me without a safe space. I turned to my sister, sought help in silence, writing my pain down, holding back tears to be strong for my kids.My voice felt drowned, but my spirit pushes to protect my daughter with fierce resolve. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Season one dug into my roots, growing up in Chicago, shaped by my siblings, my mother’s influence, and childhood wounds. Season two explores my tree, how those roots grew into the partners I chose, especially my husband, and why I stayed in cycles of pain. I’m grateful for you listeners, holding space for my truth as I navigate these branches. My inner voice grows stronger, and I love the woman I see in my mirror moments. Join me this season to uncover your own strength. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this season finale, I dive deep into the soul-crushing betrayal that unfolded with DC, a friend I held close to my heart, whose whispered “I love you” turned into a hollow lie as he forced himself on me . That night didn’t just deepen the loss of my voice; it became a mirror forcing me to confront my own instincts, questioning why I failed to trust my choices and decisions when danger loomed. The guilt that weighed me down stemmed from childhood encounters with cousins and O, where I didn’t know better as a child, carrying that confusion into adulthood, believing DC was truly my friend. I torment myself with thoughts of when that friendship twisted, whether he was predatory from the start, seizing an opportunity I was too naive to see, and how I could have missed the signs. This experience has been a painful awakening, pushing me to explore the self-doubt that silenced me and to seek the strength within to rebuild my trust in myself.

As this season draws to a close, my heart swells with gratitude for every listener who has journeyed with me through the shadows of my past. Despite the heavy burdens of abuse and loss, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the woman I am today, using these trials as opportunities to reflect on myself in mirror moments that reveal my growth. Though my external voice was stripped away for so long, my internal dialogue has transformed, and now when I stand before the mirror, I love the reflection staring back at me. It took finding my voice both inside and out to embrace these me moments, and I warmly invite you to return next season to continue this path together, discovering your own voice amid the chaos. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this episode, I recount opening the door to sheriff’s officers as a child, facing eviction. We sat on the curb, desperately waiting for help.Later we moved to a dissembled community in Chicago.My mom’s absence left me vulnerable, sent to the store where a man preyed on me, starting with “help in the back” and escalating to touching my feet, lifting my shirt, dropping my pants. I froze, lost my voice, wearing baggy clothes to hide, rejecting pink for black, overwhelmed by touch. Signs went unseen, my mom ,a mother of four by the time she was 21, my siblings lost in their lives. I reflect on the lasting scars, disconnecting healthy touch from predatory, only finding safety with my kids. I wonder how many girls he targeted, how he knew my mom wasn’t around. No answers needed anymore, I stay away, listen to my intuition’s warnings. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this episode, I confront the anger that consumed me after giving birth, staring in the mirror at a woman who felt weak for not saying no , risking her baby’s life. I reflect on the mental escape during abuse, the silence that let him get away with it, and the shame of keeping peace. Through tears, I unpack pretending hurt was anger, fearing vulnerability in a world with no room for pain. I share how reading and driving over a bridge to meet Charlamagne tha God, sparked my escape. He said just start, mess up, and learn, so I did, vowing to surround myself with mirrors that reflect my worth. No more suppression, just the messy truth of waging war on weakness. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this episode, I unravel the storm of 2017, starting with my son’s birth by C-section, a fragile three pounds, fighting in the NICU until he passed at home in May. By July, pregnant again, I buried my shame and rage, questioning God, terrified of losing another. Bed rest and weekly shots marked my anxious days, but an ex-husband’s insistence led to a reckless Thanksgiving night, forcing an emergency C-section less than ten months later, chaotic and risky. She arrived to “Here Comes the Sun,” tiny and beautiful, rushed to the NICU. Through tears, I reflect on losing my son, feeling like a failure despite my body’s fight.  Too scared to hold her, I pumped milk, bracing for her end, but she defied odds. Teaching her sign language, I found my unscarred self in her smile, her love mending my pain. She’s my sun, proving light follows darkness, a mirror of my healed spirit

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this  deeply personal episode, I bare the unseen battle of birthing twins in a tub at home, a secret I’ve carried in silence. Discovering my pregnancy with lifeless twins after a quiet ultrasound, I hid my grief while bartending, pacing through labor until delivering them, and fainting from blood loss. The weight of losing Infinite and Divine crushed me, yet I showed up daily, masking my pain. Through tears, I reflect on , feeling like a failure despite my body’s strength. No more trying, just the messy truth of my unseen struggle. I recall the shock of labor, the isolation without support, and the shame that silenced me, fearing judgment for my body’s repeated trials. Each loss, from my first son at 36 weeks to my daughter at 26, left scars, yet I stand here, letting this truth breathe. It’s a story of survival, not perfection, as I face the void left by those I couldn’t save. I’m Talkin To You , Im Talkin Me Too.

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show

In this episode, I wrestle with the parts of me no one sees the silent struggle of no motivation and paralysis when faced with choice. Rooted in past trauma, I’ve lived in survival mode, moving only when the fire’s under me, but I’m tired of the chaos. Through tears, I unpack how my mother’s roots and ex-husband’s control shaped this freeze, pushing me to reclaim my voice. I reflect on rare days with my kids, fighting to show up as myself, not a perfect mom. There’s no easy fix, just the messy truth of waging war on what holds me back. I’m talkin to you,  I’m talkin to me too

Hey, it’s Danielle To You from I’m Talkin to You, I’m Talkin to Me Too! I’m so excited to hear from y’all with our new fan mail! No names needed, just your truth. My stories are heavy with pain but bright with possibility. What episode moved you or changed your view? Tell me how it felt

A reflective moment with Danielle, encouraging listeners to sit still, have a mirror moment, and release what they’ve carried too long. Emphasizing the power of speaking out, this closing note affirms that everything’s always working out, and we’re all infinite.

Support the show