DEEPER Conversations with Dr. Barbara Swinney

What if the behaviors you call “personality” are actually survival patterns you learned long ago? In this powerful episode of DEEPER Conversations, Dr. Barbara Swinney sits down with trauma specialist and embodiment coach Anu Verma for an honest conversation about healing, identity, self-worth, and reclaiming your life.

Anu shares her deeply personal journey from childhood trauma and abuse to healing, resilience, and the creation of her Victim to Victor brand. Together, Dr. Barbara and Anu explore how trauma can shape people-pleasing, validation seeking, overworking, toxic relationships, hyper-independence, burnout, and difficulty trusting yourself.

The conversation goes beyond simply becoming aware of our patterns. Anu explains why deeper healing requires examining the beliefs beneath those patterns, developing self-awareness, reconnecting with the body, practicing grounding and self-reflection, and learning to build self-trust.

Key takeaways:

How childhood trauma can influence identity, relationships, and self-worth

Why awareness alone may not be enough to break deeply rooted survival patterns

The connection between people-pleasing, hyper-independence, burnout, and trauma

How self-trust and confidence can be rebuilt through experience and self-awareness

Why healing can create space to discover who you are beyond your survival story

If this conversation speaks to you, like the episode, subscribe to DEEPER Conversations, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Then take the conversation deeper by joining the DEEPER Space Community and continuing the work of healing, reconnecting, and becoming.

What happens when the titles, accomplishments, career, and success you built your identity around no longer define who you are? In this powerful episode of DEEPER Conversations, Dr. Barbara Swinney sits down with author and speaker Dawn Stephens for an honest conversation about identity, faith, healing, surrender, and discovering who you truly are.

Dawn shares the deeply personal journey behind her award-winning Potter’s Vessel series and explains what it means to be a “fruit pot,” a vessel willing to let God grow something through her rather than finding identity in what she holds. Together, Dr. Barbara and Dawn explore career transitions, loss, leadership, burnout, uncomfortable seasons, spiritual growth, and the surprising ways our wounds and “cracks” can become places through which wisdom and purpose flow.

This conversation is especially meaningful for women navigating a life transition, questioning their identity, or learning to surrender what they thought their path was supposed to look like.

Key Takeaways:

Your identity is deeper than your job, achievements, education, or titles.

Difficult seasons can become opportunities for spiritual and personal growth.

Surrendering a dream is not necessarily giving up on your purpose.

Our wounds and “cracks” can become sources of wisdom and connection.

Your story can be transformed into something that serves and helps others.

If this conversation speaks to you, like, share, and subscribe to DEEPER Conversations. Then share it with a woman who needs this reminder: your story is not just what happened to you, it is where the wisdom and purpose can be found.

What happens after the healing? What if healing is not the finish line, but the beginning of becoming the woman you were meant to be?

In this powerful episode of DEEPER Conversations with Dr. Barbara Swinney, Dr. Barbara welcomes Alicia Thomas Searcy back for an honest conversation about life after trauma, rediscovering identity, and learning to choose a life rooted in freedom, wholeness, and self-worth. Alicia shares how walking away from an abusive marriage and toxic work environment forced her to confront the patterns that shaped her choices and ultimately discover who she was beyond her titles and accomplishments.

Together, Barbara and Alicia explore healing, identity, toxic relationships, leadership, self-worth, healthy love, personal growth, and what it means to intentionally create the life you want. Alicia also opens up about recognizing a healthy relationship, building a life with her husband Carlos, philanthropy, education advocacy, and saying yes to experiences she once believed were out of reach.

Key Takeaways:

If this conversation resonates with you, like, subscribe, and share it with a woman who needs to hear that her healing is not the end of her story. Keep healing, keep leading, and keep going deeper.

What happens when you stop starting over and decide to truly change your life? In this powerful episode of DEEPER Conversations with Dr. Barbara Swinney, Dr. Barbara sits down with Keisha Gibson of Kick Weight with Keisha to explore a remarkable journey from 285 pounds to 150 pounds, and the deeper transformation that happened along the way.

Keisha opens up about her struggles with weight, health, emotional eating, accountability, and the mindset shifts that helped her create lasting change. She shares how intermittent fasting, keto, understanding insulin and hormones, consistent routines, and community support became part of her transformation. She also reveals how documenting her journey on YouTube helped her stay accountable and ultimately became the foundation for a thriving multimillion-dollar business.

But this conversation goes far beyond weight loss. Dr. Barbara and Keisha explore how your personal story can become your platform, how solving real problems can become a business, and why health, confidence, discipline, identity, and leadership are deeply connected.

Key Takeaways:

If this conversation inspires you, like, share, and subscribe so you never miss a DEEPER conversation. And if you're ready to heal, lead, and leverage your story, visit Deeper Women Lead Global and discover what's possible when you go deeper.

What if being busy isn't the problem, but the solution? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Barbara Swinney and Dr. Leona Allen challenge the way we think about busyness, revealing how productive action can replace overwhelm, overthinking, and self-doubt.

Together, they explore the connection between healing, identity, and purpose, unpacking how imposter syndrome, emotional wounds, and people-pleasing can keep us disconnected from who we were truly created to be. Dr. Leona shares her deeply personal journey from struggling with her own health and self-worth to becoming a trusted leader in natural health, weight loss, and lifestyle coaching. This inspiring episode offers practical wisdom for anyone seeking personal growth, emotional healing, and the confidence to step into their authentic purpose.

Key Takeaways:

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs a reminder that healing, purpose, and lasting transformation begin from within.

What does it take to heal, lead with confidence, and build a legacy that lasts for generations? In the very first episode of DEEPER Conversations, Dr. Barbara Swinney sits down with real estate investor and associate broker Donna Middlebrooks for an inspiring conversation about healing, purpose, leadership, and generational wealth.

Donna shares her remarkable journey, from growing up in a loving, faith-filled family to navigating the heartbreaking loss of her father, and how those experiences shaped her leadership and resilience. Together, they explore the power of authentic friendships, accountability, intentional healing, and taking bold risks to create financial freedom through real estate investing. Whether you're a woman in leadership, an aspiring entrepreneur, or someone seeking personal growth, this episode offers practical wisdom and encouragement to help you move forward with purpose.

Key takeaways:

If this conversation inspired you, subscribe to DEEPER Conversations, leave a review, and share this episode with a woman who is ready to heal, lead boldly, and build a lasting legacy.

What happens when being "the strong one" becomes the very thing keeping you from healing? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Barbara Swinney sits down with Meka DaVeas to explore the hidden cost of constantly shape-shifting to meet everyone else's needs and the courageous journey back to your authentic self.

Meka shares her deeply personal story of losing her father at a young age, stepping into a caregiving role, battling stage three triple-negative breast cancer, navigating grief, and discovering that true strength comes from vulnerability, not perfection. Together, they unpack the pressure many women, especially Black women, feel to always appear strong, while offering practical wisdom on healing, self-awareness, authentic friendships, and silencing the inner critic. If you've ever struggled with people-pleasing, emotional healing, or rediscovering who you are beneath life's responsibilities, this episode will remind you that healing is work, and you don't have to do it alone.

Key Takeaways:

If this conversation encouraged you, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a woman who needs permission to stop carrying the world alone. Your support helps more women find healing, hope, and deeper conversations.

Your relationship with your hair is often about much more than appearance. In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Barbara Swinney sits down with her daughter Jharde Swinney as they explore how a natural hair journey can uncover deeper stories of identity, confidence, healing, and self-acceptance.

From childhood relaxers and damaged hair to discovering natural curls, learning self-care, and embracing every stage of growth, this honest conversation highlights the emotional impact of hair on Black women and girls. The episode also shares a powerful story of mentoring young students, showing how words of encouragement can help shape confidence and heal wounds across generations. Whether you're navigating your own natural hair journey or learning to celebrate who you are, this conversation offers hope, encouragement, and practical reminders that healing is a process.

Key Takeaways:

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that they are already worthy, beautiful, and enough. Join us for more conversations that inspire healing, growth, and authentic leadership.

You Can't Heal What You Hide: Michelle Speakz on Trauma, Faith, Healing & Finding Your Voice

What happens when the pain you hide begins shaping your life, your relationships, and even your purpose? In this powerful episode of DEEPER Conversations, Dr. Barbara Swinney sits down with Michelle Poitier, also known as Michelle Speakz, for a raw conversation about trauma, healing, faith, identity, and finding the courage to use your voice.

Michelle shares how generational trauma, sexual abuse, shame, silence, and suppressed pain impacted her journey, and how confronting what she had hidden became a pathway toward freedom. She opens up about moving from military service and personal trauma into ministry, leadership, authorship, and a deeper understanding of her calling.

Silence and shame can keep painful cycles alive, while sharing your story can become part of the healing process.

Watch, listen, and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that their past does not have to define their future. Like, subscribe, and join the conversation for more real stories of healing, leadership, faith, and purpose.

From Silent to Powerful: Finding Your Voice, Healing, Faith and Leadership with Chaka Serrant

What happens when the little girl who learned to stay quiet becomes the woman who finally finds her voice? In this powerful episode of DEEPER Conversations, Dr. Barbara Swinney sits down with Chaka Serrant for an honest conversation about healing, faith, leadership, identity, and using your God-given gifts without shrinking yourself.

Chaka shares her journey from Dominica to Brooklyn, navigating language barriers, cultural identity, childhood silence, church hurt, grief, motherhood, and the pressure to meet everyone else’s expectations. She opens up about how those experiences shaped her leadership and created patterns that followed her into professional and personal relationships.

The conversation also explores the intersection of faith and leadership, the importance of therapy and trusted relationships, recovering from compounded trauma, and learning when to speak up and when to remain silent. Chaka also reveals how she now uses her background in technology, AI, and automation to help women and business owners reclaim time and build businesses around what matters most.

Key Takeaways

Listen, subscribe, and share this episode with a woman who needs the reminder that it is her time to be heard