Defiance of Silence - A Sacred Witness

What if the most healing thing we can offer isn’t advice, but presence? We close our first season by honoring the stories that found a home here and the witnesses who listened with care. From sexual trauma to the quiet, everyday work of surviving, this conversation threads together what we learned, what surprised us, and why the body keeps holding truth long after the recording stops.

We revisit the heart behind the show: to build a steady, humane space where truth lands without spectacle. You’ll hear the lessons that kept showing up—trust silence, resist fixing, and let people be seen as they are. 

We share guest-by-guest reflections: resilience that refuses to be defined by harm, faith that became a lifeline, a nurse creating decompression spaces for her team, nonlinear healing told without shame, and a loved one naming the grief and grit of supporting a survivor. Along the way, we offer grounded guidance for listeners who felt old pain wake up: slow down, recruit support, and treat that activation as evidence of something honest happening.

Looking ahead, we keep the core focus on sexual trauma while widening the container to include grief, moral injury, and the unseen costs of caring. That expansion isn’t dilution—it’s depth. We’ll explore how recovery reshapes families, how healers carry what they witness, and how small practices build nervous-system steadiness. If you’ve been waiting for a place where your story won’t be rushed or sensationalized, you’re home.

Take a breath, take what steadies you, and leave what doesn’t. Subscribe to follow season two, share this with someone who needs a gentler conversation, and leave a review to help others find the space. Your voice matters—and you are worthy of being witnessed.

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Start with a breath, stay for the truth. Valerie sits down with Lauren, a licensed professional counselor and former child life specialist, to unpack what it really means to be a sacred witness—how to show up for survivors without losing yourself to vicarious trauma. From emergency rooms and SANE exams to therapy rooms and courtrooms, we trace how the body stores stress, why memories fragment under threat, and how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn actually protect us in the moment.

Lauren shares the signs helpers often miss—intrusive thoughts, numbness, headaches, sleep swings, quiet rage—and offers clear ways to notice when the weight you’re carrying isn’t yours. We explore prevention that goes beyond posters: peer debriefing, boundaries that stick, flexible self-care rituals, and leadership that treats mental health as readiness. You’ll hear simple scripts for hard moments: what to say (and not say) to someone in pain, how to set kind limits when you can’t hold more, and how to widen the net so no one becomes the only lifeline.

For first responders, clinicians, and caregivers navigating stigma and policy, we talk candidly about confidentiality, reassignment, and finding safe spaces to release the day—prayer in the car, a walk in the sun, music that lets you cry, a quiet night with a book, even throwing ice in the backyard. The heart of it is presence: immediate debriefing when shock is fresh, deeper processing when the body is ready, and everyday rituals to let go of what doesn’t belong to you.

If you’ve ever taken someone’s story home in your shoulders, this conversation offers language, tools, and hope. Subscribe, share with a teammate who needs it, and leave a review with your favorite grounding practice so others can try it too.

Lauren Hollis is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor who owns her own private practice in The Woodlands, Texas. She works with children, adolescents, couples and adult individuals. When she is not working, she is passionate about her faith in God, children and spending time with family. 

Lauren Hollis, MA, CCLS, RPT, LPC-S

Licensed Professional Counselor- Supervisor

Registered Play Therapist

Sacred Connections

www.laurenhollis.com

832-299-4830

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Some stories crack the shell and let the light in. Valerie sits with Becca—a tattoo artist, mom, and survivor—who turns the old script of silence on its head and shows how radical self-forgiveness can rebuild a life. We move through early violations and the ache of not being believed, into the adult patterns that followed: people pleasing, numbing with alcohol, and mistaking compliance for consent. When a trusted friend crossed a line, Becca didn’t just name the harm; she learned to name her nervous system, too. Fawn and flop aren’t character flaws—they’re survival responses—and that simple truth can dissolve years of shame.

What changes once shame loosens its grip? Becca shares the tools that actually worked. Journaling that challenges “Is this 100% true?” Mindset shifts that turn ten negatives into ten grounded positives. A practice of “neutralizing” people—not saints, not monsters—so the body can stop whiplashing between idealization and resentment. She even reframed abandonment, finding the ways it made room for real love, presence with her kids, and sharper empathy for unseen people. As a creative holding space for clients’ stories, she learned that carrying someone’s pain doesn’t lighten their load; witnessing without judgment does.

The heart of this conversation is radical responsibility rooted in compassion. Not blame. Not perfection. A daily choice to send love to the self-inside the memory, to retire the word "should" and to take one steady step at a time. If you’re ready to heal without a checklist, to trade drama’s “internal drugstore” for nervous system peace, and to feel truly witnessed, this one meets you where you are and walks with you forward.

If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us one belief you’re ready to rewrite. Your story deserves to be heard.

Becca Nushell is a tattoo artist, content creator, and mom who has learned the power of radical self forgiveness. By taking full responsibility for her life, she has shifted from living in a victim mindset to finding genuine peace and freedom. Her story is about healing through accountability, compassion, and truth.

Nushelltattoos.org

Instagram @Nushelltattoos 

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

What does it take to love someone through trauma without losing yourself? We sit down with Rachel—forensic nurse, educator, and secondary survivor—to unpack the messy, courageous work of building safety, voice, and trust when PTSD lives in the home. From a brave early disclosure on a blind date to a life-saving inpatient stay and a parking-lot pregnancy reveal, her story is equal parts raw and deeply hopeful.

Rachel explains why their earliest agreements mattered: medication choices stayed with him and his doctor, he owned appointments, and she stepped out of the fixer role. We walk through the strain of loud PTSD episodes, the quiet damage of walking on eggshells, and the moment a therapist finally said, “It’s time.” Later, a shared trauma retreat reframed everything: secondary trauma is still trauma, and healing belongs to witnesses, too. Rachel describes laying down resentment, learning somatic regulation, and rebuilding a marriage around honest needs and compassionate boundaries. She also shares what didn’t work—unsafe communities that wanted curated stories—and how safe witnesses, consistent therapy, and body work changed their family’s rhythm.

As a forensic nurse, Rachel brings a trauma-informed lens: consent, pacing, and the sacred weight of someone’s story. She offers practical takeaways for caregivers and survivors alike—safety plans with clear steps, removing lethal means, centering the patient’s voice, and modeling resilience for kids. We end with a simple grounding exercise you can use today to release what isn’t yours to carry.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs a witness, and leave a review so others can find it. Your voice helps build a braver, safer community.

Rachael Reynolds is a Forensic Nurse and educator with over 15 years of experience in Labor & Delivery, Pediatrics, Hospice, and Sexual Assault Forensic Examination. As both a nurse, secondary survivor of sexual assault and the spouse of a survivor, Rachael brings a deeply personal perspective to her work and advocacy. She and her husband Ashton have been married for 15 and a half years, growing side by side as they navigate the realities of PTSD, trauma recovery, the healing power of empathy, and the everyday work of healing — while raising four incredible children. Together, they strive to break the silence and stigma surrounding trauma by embracing transparency, faith, and open communication in their home and community. Rachael believes storytelling has the power to connect, validate, and transform both in the exam room and around the dinner table.

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Silence can isolate — but it can also safeguard a story until it’s ready to be spoken.
In this episode, we sit with Jeanine McNeill, CPS—an Army Veteran, Women Veterans Program Certified Peer Specialist, and Women’s Health Liaison at the Sheridan VA. With more than 40 years of lived experience, Jeanine has transformed her own journey through Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) into advocacy, support, and education for her fellow Veterans.

Jeanine’s healing path has led her into national recognition. She is a Daily Points of Light Award recipient for her work with The Pink Berets, was honored with a Quilt of Valor for her dedication to female Veterans, and served as Ms. Senior World Wyoming 2024, using that platform to elevate awareness of MST and IPV on an international stage.

We begin this conversation with a grounding exercise to honor the weight of what follows. Jeanine speaks candidly about how the body often remembers what the mind cannot yet name—the freeze response, intuitive knowing, and the clarity that sometimes emerges years later. She shares a pivotal moment: an unexpected reunion with someone connected to her assault, which became a turning point in her healing and a powerful reminder of what it means to be witnessed.

Jeanine also introduces the SELF Method she teaches to residents:
Silence the noise
Evaluate with a body scan
Listen to your body
Feel what you’re meant to feel, then move forward

We explore what it means to support others while protecting your own energy—through breathwork, grounding walks, mindful drives, and prayer for what cannot be carried alone. Jeanine reframes triggers as information, not setbacks, and speaks to the shift from victim, to survivor, to thriver.

This episode is an invitation to trust your pace, honor your body’s wisdom, and remember that healing is possible—and you are worthy of being witnessed.

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

When the US Army stamps your discharge Chapter 8 and strips your benefits, it’s easy to believe your service didn’t count. Lucy wouldn’t accept that ending. She walks us through growing up in chaos, surviving assault in uniform, and carrying a story so heavy it nearly pushed her over the edge—until a clinician named PTSD and a fellow vet’s challenge rekindled her fire.

We trace the moments that changed everything: a panic attack at work that sent her to the ER, the disappearance of Vanessa Guillen that turned avoidance into action. Lucy shows how advocacy can spark policy change while quietly draining a survivor’s reserves. She speaks frankly about the Netflix spotlight, the flood of requests from other survivors, and her decision t to ask for help. 

What follows is a blueprint for sustainable healing and service. Lucy returns to medication on her terms, builds daily breath work and yoga practices. Takes long walks with her husband to decompress and reconnect. She sets boundaries, practices seasonal advocacy, and reframes worth beyond a DD214. The message is clear and compassionate: give yourself grace. If you’re navigating MST, PTSD, or the invisible weight of silence, you’ll find practical tools, hard-won wisdom, and the courage to make your own pace.

Lucy is a proud United States Army Veteran and a lifelong advocate for veterans’ rights and recognition, both in New Jersey and across the country. Lucy currently serves as Program Coordinator for YWCA Northern New Jersey’s Operation Sisterhood, a comprehensive initiative designed to support women veterans as they transition from military service to civilian life. Beyond her professional roles, Lucy is a dedicated volunteer and national advocate. She works with Minority Veterans of America, The Pink Berets, and is a prominent voice in the #MeTooMilitary movement, which emerged in the wake of Specialist Vanessa Guillen’s death. Lucy testified before the House Armed Services Committee on July 29, 2020, during the landmark hearing, The Military MeToo Movement. Her advocacy was featured in the Netflix documentary “I Am Vanessa Guillen.” In recognition of her leadership and service, Lucy was appointed by VA Secretary Denis McDonough to the VA’s Workgroup on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault. She was also appointed by Governor Phil Murphy to the New Jersey Commission on Women Veterans. In 2024, she was inducted into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame. Lucy lives in Essex County, New Jersey, with her husband and four children and is a proud grandmother. Her life’s work continues to center on honoring and uplifting those who have served.

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

What holds a caregiver together when the work starts to pull them apart? We sit down with Halie—trauma nurse, survivor, and seeker—to explore the quiet, practical ways she rebuilt herself after moral injury, burnout, and years of outrunning her own story. She brings the ER and ICU into focus with unflinching honesty, then shows how small rituals and community transformed adrenaline into presence. 

We talk about how trauma lives in the body—fear in the chest, danger in the neck—and how EMDR helped her find and soften those beliefs without rushing herself back into pain. If you’ve ever thought “I’ll deal with this later” and then never went back, her framework for actually closing the loop will land: set an intention before shift, name what you’ll return to, and claim time after to release what isn’t yours. It’s direct, doable nervous system care for anyone navigating healthcare, trauma work, or high-stakes service.

This conversation also challenges the old script that caregivers must be stoic to be strong. We talk candidly about vicarious trauma, profit and vulnerability in medicine, and why “leave it at work” only works when you have a real ritual of release. Halie models what a culture shift can look like—leaders making space, teammates witnessing without fixing, and clinicians regulating in real time without shame. 

A personal note and resources from Halie's heart to yours.

www.CoDA.org
www.adultchildren.org
Don’t Clock Out

Each program has zoom meetings available outside of a structured recovery program, such as Save A Warrior. https://www.saveawarrior.org

Richard C. Schwartz -You Are The One You’ve Been Waiting For &-No Bad Parts

I didn’t spend too much time during the podcast to disclose my childhood trauma, not because it didn’t matter, but more so because it no longer defines who I am now that I have found myself. I never would have believed a life full of self love and gratitude was possible, and now I can’t imagine living another day without this practice of self care. I encourage you, the listener, to go find you, through all of the mud and the muck, all of the self hatred, and all of the disbelief that life could be anything more than the despair you feel now. Have courage, take that first step, and keep trying until you find what works on your way back to yourself. It’s so beautiful on the other side, and I’m saying that while in the beginning-middle of my own journey.
I love you.

Halie

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

A two‑piece swimsuit turned see‑through. A cabin in the woods. Years of silence that felt safer than the truth. Susan joins us to trace a line from early humiliation and assault to a life rebuilt on wise vulnerability, safe witnessing, and a stubborn kind of joy that doesn’t vanish when life gets loud. We talk about how shame sneaks in when adults laugh instead of protect, how silence becomes a habit that looks like strength, and how one brave share can unhook a story from your identity.

We get specific about what “safe space” really means—people who listen more than they talk, don’t moralize your pain, and hold your words with care.

You’ll hear practical ways to test trust with small disclosures, spot red flags, and use discretion without feeling like you’re keeping secrets. We map the move from triggers to glimmers, showing how tiny moments of safety slowly retrain the nervous system. 

For those who hold space for others, we offer tools to witness without absorbing: journaling to move the weight of listening, debriefing with non‑identifying details to a trusted mentor, and simple rituals that return stories to their owners.

Susan’s faith frames her courage: testimony brings light, and light starves shame. Whether you connect through spirituality, community, or professional support, the path forward starts with one step—making a call, walking into a resource center, or telling one kind person. If you’ve ever wondered how to share your story without breaking yourself open again, this conversation is your guide and your companion.

If this helped, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so others can find these stories. Your voice matters—what part of this conversation stayed with you?

Susan lives in Virginia with her husband, she is a mother of three and Nanny to 8 Grandies. She has been mentoring and teaching for over 30 years. At twenty-eight years old, Susan fell in love with Jesus and God’s word in print. She takes the promise of Hope and overcoming wherever she goes, whether speaking to a large group, or just meeting a complete stranger. She can't help but share that God’s promises are bigger than any obstacle she or you face.

https://www.facebook.com/susan.dunning.77/

X @dunsuz

Instagram @misseshopeful

susandunning.com 

#thereishope #celebrateeverything

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

What happens when your very survival depends on disconnecting from your own body? For Paralympic champion and Army veteran Lia Coryell, this wasn't a philosophical question—it was her childhood reality.

Born into extreme poverty in northern Wisconsin with a father in prison and an illiterate mother, Lia learned early that the world could be unimaginably cruel. By age nine, she had developed a profound dissociative response, believing her soul lived outside her physical form. "I was Lisa's soul and I'm like, 'It's okay,'" she explains. "My job as her soul was to love and protect her." What mental health professionals would later identify as a trauma response, young Lia experienced as her superpower.

Despite teachers who dismissed her as "not worth it," Leah developed a rebellious determination that would define her life: "I'm going to know everything." This drive led to multiple academic degrees and accomplishments.  

Lia's most powerful achievement might be her perspective on trauma and healing. After rebuilding her foundation "one rock at a time" following devastating setbacks, she now shares a truth both simple and profound: "You are not what happened to you. You get to choose who you are and what you want to be. You get to write your own story."

Whether you're facing your own trauma history or supporting someone through theirs, this conversation offers wisdom on creating sacred space for healing, recognizing when you need boundaries, and transforming rebellion into resilience. As Lia proves through her remarkable journey, sometimes our deepest wounds become our greatest gifts to the world.

See Lia's winning match from the 2022 World Para Championships in Dubai.
https://youtu.be/5DACOWUm4zE?feature=shared

https://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2022/03/lia-coryell-wins-team-usas-first-women-w1-world-para-championship/

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

"The body keeps the score." This phrase has become commonplace in trauma-informed circles, but what does it actually mean when your physical symptoms have emotional roots? How do we become truly present in bodies that have stored years of unprocessed experiences?

In this profound conversation with Air Force veteran, former firefighter, and bodyworker Amber Miskovich, we explore the sacred art of witnessing—both ourselves and others. Amber breaks down the science of how our thoughts create physical constriction or dilation in our bodies, explaining why anxiety, digestive issues, and countless other symptoms often connect to emotional states we've yet to process.

We will delve into what makes a good witness versus someone who simply wants to fix, rescue, or join in your drama. Amber shares powerful practices for healers and helpers to avoid absorbing others' pain while still holding compassionate space. 

The conversation also addresses the challenging balance between sharing your story and practicing discretion, why truth-tellers are essential on your healing journey, and how to recognize when your body is signaling "yes" or "no" to a person or situation. Join us for this deeply nurturing exploration of coming home to yourself while learning to witness others with presence and care.

Find Amber on IG: @awonderly @thewonderwithin

https://www.thewonderwithin.com

Contact Valerie

Support the show

Remember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!

If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
• SAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• 988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1
• Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/
• https://www.scarsfoundation.org/
• Operation Equine

*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an email

Find us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr