Let's HEAL!

Rick Hightower grew up in an all-Black neighborhood in Atlanta, arrived at TCU (a university in Ft Worth, TX) at 19, and discovered for the first time what it meant to be a Black man in a predominantly white world. That discovery shaped his entire career. In this conversation, Beth and Rick explore the survival patterns that navigating race creates, Rick introduces the concept of aversive racism, and Beth shares her own unconscious bias story and asks whether it crossed into how she led. Today’s lesson: conscious living.

Chapters:
00:00 Cold open
00:10 Intro
00:45 Meet Rick Hightower
03:25 Two heart attacks and a wake-up call
05:20 The courage to speak up before retirement
12:00 Right under your nose but you don’t see
13:15 “I haven’t had any major trauma”
14:48 I discovered I was Black at 19
16:32 The calculus class that changed everything
20:00 Working harder and watching others get more
22:05 The false arrest at TCU
24:00 Black professionals and the exceptional standard
27:45 Conscious living and picking your battles
29:50 Prepare to be wrong
32:05 What navigating race costs your relationships
35:03 Seeking joy and setting boundaries
35:35 Beth’s unconscious bias story
39:56 Aversive racism explained
43:13 The mask, the pandemic, and conscious living
47:10 Close

Connect with Rick Hightower:
LinkedIn:   / rick-hightower-3405bb179 

Instagram: instagram.com/hightower_rick

Facebook: facebook.com/rick.hightower.7
Website: therickhightower.com

Connect with Beth:
[email protected]
empoweredsurvivors.com
Substack

What happens when the fuel running your entire career is a lack of self-worth, and you don’t realize it until the validation spigot turns off?

Molly Moore Smith spent over 25 years in the tech industry, rising from entry-level to VP while her entire identity ran on external validation. In this episode, Molly names the survival patterns that drove her leadership for two decades — perfectionism, people pleasing, control, and numbing — and shares the moment she uttered the scariest words of her adult life to her boss on a Zoom call.

Chapters:
00:00 Cold Open — “If success in this role means I have to spend 50% of my time doing these things, then I’m not the right person for the role”
01:02 Introduction: Molly Moore Smith
04:50 Where the Drive Began: Scarcity, Divorce, and the First Job That Rewarded Effort
06:27 External Validation as the Only Fuel
08:50 The Validation Spigot Turns Off
11:30 The Cost at Home: Mommy Guilt and the 80/20 Marriage
14:35 Naming the Survival Patterns: Perfectionism, People Pleasing, Control, Numbing
17:55 The 2019 Health Pivot
20:10 The Biggest Funk: Misalignment, Stopping Drinking, and the Zoom Call
23:00 The Scariest Sentence She Ever Said to Her Boss
26:40 What Healing Freed Up: Writing a Book, Spiritual Awakening, Energy Healing
30:20 The Emotion Code: How Trapped Emotions Drive Leadership Behavior
36:52 What Would You Say to Her?
39:42 You, Too, Can Heal

Connect with Molly Moore Smith:

http://nextbeststep.co

linkedin.com/in/molly-smith-cecp-24345712

http://youtube.com//@mollypositivepants

Through The HEAL Framework™, Beth helps leaders recognize, examine, and change these patterns.

Connect with Beth:

[email protected]

http://empoweredsurvivors.com

Substack: @‌bethjoneshealingmentor

Subscribe wherever you get your podcast.

What happens when the survival strategies that got you through childhood become the leadership behaviors your team has to navigate every day?

Chason Forehand spent years leading teams in hospitality while carrying unresolved trauma that shaped how he showed up: trust issues that became harshness, emotional walls that shut down empathy, and a need for control that kept his team at arm’s length.

In this episode, Chason and Beth name the survival patterns that drive leadership behavior, where they come from, and what it takes to recognize them. Through The HEAL Framework™, Beth helps leaders understand that these patterns can be recognized, examined, and changed.

Chapters:

00:00 Cold Open — “I was failing at that because I was struggling myself.”

01:02 The Leadership Series Begins: Why This Conversation Is Long Overdue

08:05 Chason’s Story: From Childhood Abuse to Running Restaurants

10:22 How Addiction Morphs — From Substances to Workaholism

17:55 Trust Issues at Work: When Survival Becomes Harsh Leadership

20:39 The Mask of High Performance: Succeeding While Struggling

28:09 What Emotional Intelligence Looks Like After Healing

29:48 Three Questions That Changed Everything: What Am I Feeling, Where Does It Come From, What Do I Want to Do About It

30:57 Why Healing Is a Career Imperative for Leaders

31:43 You, Too, Can Heal

Connect: [email protected] | empoweredsurvivors.com

Connect with Chason Forehand: Chason Forehand | Linktree or Chason Forehand | LinkedIn

Subscribe wherever you get your podcast.

Fifty episodes. And now, a new chapter.

In this special solo episode, Beth Jones — your HEALing Mentor and Leadership Performance Strategist — reflects on the first fifty episodes of Let's HEAL! What they taught her. What they proved. And where the show is going next.

From the healing toolkit to faith and forgiveness, from the courage it takes to tell your truth publicly for the first time, to the bridge between survival patterns and high-achieving leadership — this episode honors the journey and opens the door to what comes next.

Because healing is not just personal. It is professional. It is organizational. Starting with Episode 51, Let's HEAL! is going into the business world — conversations at the intersection of leadership performance and healing the survival patterns that keep us from achieving real success.

You, too, can heal. And when you do, you lead differently. You love differently. You build something that actually lasts.

0:00 Fifty Episodes — Sitting With the Milestone
0:33 What This Show Has Always Been
1:23 The Healing Toolkit — What the Body Knows
3:00 Healing Through Faith, Forgiveness, and Fire
4:48 The Courage to Tell the Truth
6:28 Episode 44 — Two Healed People
7:14 The Bridge to Something That Lasts
8:35 Episode 50 — Full Circle
10:12 Where We’re Going Next

Connect with Beth: [email protected] | Empowered Survivors

In a milestone Episode 50 — intentionally released during Child Abuse Prevention Month — Beth Jones is joined in person by the two women who were present the night her healing journey truly began. Wendy Wysong flew in from New Zealand and Cara O’Brien flew in from New York City — both already in Dallas to stand beside Beth at her wedding two days after this recording. It is a rare and full-circle moment: the same three women who sat at a tiny lobby bar table in Hong Kong six years ago, together again in the same room, celebrating the victory of Beth’s healing journey.

Approximately three weeks after a hypnotherapy session surfaced childhood sexual abuse that Beth had long since dissociated from, she was in deep despair. Carrying fragments of memory with no clinical language to contain them. She gathered her courage and told her truth for the first time. Wendy, drawing on her early career as a victim advocate, gave Beth words that changed everything, including dissociation and trauma therapy. The next morning, a single Google search led directly to Beth’s trauma therapist, Monica Borschel, and the TALK Hong Kong survivor support group, both foundational pillars of her six-year healing journey.

This is also the final episode of Let’s HEAL!’s first healing-focused chapter. Beginning in May, the show expands to explore the intersection of healing and leadership performance because the survival patterns that protect us in crisis become the invisible barriers that limit our leadership. Everything that follows begins here.

Chapters:

00:00  Introduction — Episode 50 & Child Abuse Prevention Month

05:00  Meet the Tribe — Wendy Wysong & Cara O’Brien

14:00  The Rebirth — The Aftermath of the Hypnotherapy Session

18:00  The Night in Hong Kong — Summoning the Courage to Speak

25:00  Holding Space — The Gift of Presence vs. the Urge to Fix

31:00  Dissociation & Word Soup — Giving the Pain a Clinical Name

40:00  The Google Search — The Hand of God, Monica, and TALK Hong Kong

51:00  Unconditional Love — Redefining Friendship, Faith, and Belonging

66:00  A Time to Celebrate — Healing as the Foundation of Everything That Follows

-- FREE RESOURCE --

🎁 Download: The Healing Quick Start Guide → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/heal

-- WORK WITH BETH --

🤝 Mentoring (1:1 / group) → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/work-with-me

🎤 Speaking & Interviews → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/speaking

📖 Book: “Becoming an Empowered Survivor” → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/books

-- CONNECT WITH BETH --

🌐 Website → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/

📱 TikTok → @BethJonesHEALingMentor

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethjoneshealingmentor/

-- CONNECT WITH WENDY & CARA --

🔗 Wendy Wysong LinkedIn: Wendy Wysong

🔗 Cara O’Brien LinkedIn: Cara O'Brien

You can be an elite performer and still be lost. In this episode, Mike Gminski (former NBA star) and co-host Eddy Anderson join Beth to discuss the roadmap for climbing out of the darkness of addiction. They explore the roadmap and its three transformative pillars: Gratitude, Humility, and Service. Whether you are battling ego, hiding behind a "perfect" mask, or seeking purpose in your pain, this conversation offers a spiritual, grounded framework for lasting change. Mike also shares his work with Sana Recovery and why "relatability" is more powerful than "idolatry."

Chapters:
00:00 Intro: Climbing Back from Rock Bottom
00:54 Gratitude for the Suffering
05:40 The Trap of 75% Effort
09:10 Redefining Humility
14:20 Eddy’s "Low Bottom" Moment
18:50 The 7-Eleven Validation
23:00 Service: Washing the Feet of Others
34:10 Connecting with Sana Recovery

-- FREE RESOURCE --
Download: The Healing Quick Start Guide → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/heal

-- CONNECT WITH MIKE GMINSKI --

Website: https://www.sanarecovery.org
Website: https://www.sanahouse.com

LinkedIn: Michael Gminski | LinkedIn

-- CONNECT WITH BETH --

Website → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/
TikTok → @BethJonesHEALingMentor
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethjoneshealingmentor/

NBA star and broadcasting legend Mike Gminski lived a life of public celebration while secretly drowning in grief and addiction. After losing his fiancée suddenly, Mike retreated into isolation, hiding his escalating alcoholism until an intervention by his son changed everything. In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Mike joins Beth Jones and her husband and co-host, Eddy Anderson — a former elite athlete in his own recovery — to discuss the "athlete ego," the traumatic weight of grief, and the pivotal moment he moved from humiliation to humility.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro: The Kitchen Table Confrontation

05:22 The Mask of Success and Professional Sports Culture

10:45 Sarah’s Passing and the Short-Circuit of Grief

15:30 The Woods: Hiding Addiction in Plain Sight

21:10 The 2020 Pivot: Lockdown and Intervention

48:30 Root Causes: Why Therapy is Essential for Athletes

-- FREE RESOURCE --
Download: The Healing Quick Start Guide → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/heal

-- CONNECT WITH MIKE GMINSKI --

Website: https://www.sanarecovery.org
Website: https://www.sanahouse.com

LinkedIn: Michael Gminski | LinkedIn

-- CONNECT WITH BETH --

Website → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/
TikTok → @BethJonesHEALingMentor
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethjoneshealingmentor/

When a 1:00 AM phone call shattered her world, Krystal Gonzalez was faced with an impossible choice: let the pain consume her family, or fight for the life she had built. Krystal had already survived a childhood marked by her mother's drug addiction, homelessness, and domestic violence. She built a beautiful life, only to have her 18-year-old daughter, Aaliyah, tragically taken in the largest mass shooting in Baltimore's history. In this incredibly moving episode, Krystal shares how she channeled the protective instincts of a lioness to survive for her living children, navigated the complexities of family grief, and turned her darkest hour into a fierce advocacy movement. Through her nonprofit, Redirecting Our Culture, and her work on the ENOUGH Act, Krystal is proving that while we must learn to live with loss, we do not have to accept living with the pain.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro & The Lioness Instinct
01:14 Welcome to Let's HEAL!
03:56 Meet Krystal Gonzalez: Overcoming Early Trauma & Homelessness
11:36 The Night That Shattered Everything: Aaliyah's Story
20:00 A Mother's Nightmare: Arriving at the Crime Scene
28:25 Choosing to Survive: Gathering Spiritual Strength
34:30 Navigating Family Grief & The "Fathers Forever" Group
48:35 Turning Pain into Purpose: The ENOUGH Act
57:38 Redirecting Our Culture: Protecting Future Generations
68:15 How to Connect with Krystal & Final Thoughts

-- CONNECT WITH KRYSTAL GONZALEZ --

Website: https://www.krystalgonzalez.com/
Website: https://www.redirectingourculture.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiremecree/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kshepperson1

-- FREE RESOURCE --
Download: The Healing Quick Start Guide → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/heal

-- WORK WITH BETH --

Mentoring (1:1 / group) → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/work-with-me
Speaking & Interviews → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/speaking
Book: "Becoming an Empowered Survivor" → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/books

-- CONNECT WITH BETH --

Website → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/
TikTok → @BethJonesHEALingMentor
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethjoneshealingmentor/

Christopher Carazas endured years of psychological abuse where his autism diagnosis was weaponized against him. After surviving a suicide attempt and later losing the partner who finally taught him he was lovable, Chris wrote "Now That I'm Still Here." In this episode, Beth and Chris discuss dismantling the lie of worthlessness, the reality of C-PTSD, and finding hope in the micro-moments.

Trigger warning: suicidal ideation and suicide

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:22 Who is Christopher Carazas Today?
05:58 When the Diagnosis Was Weaponized
10:18 The Pivot Point: The Psych Ward & The Mom
12:20 Small Wins & Shadow the Dog
14:00 Meeting Katie: Being Seen as Human
16:40 Tragedy & The Book "Now That I'm Still Here"
21:50 The Myth of the "Quick Fix" Cure
33:40 Finding the Courage to Speak Up
47:00 The Reality of Complex PTSD (Why Writing Wasn't Enough)
56:00 The 2020 Shift & The Lie of Worthlessness
01:07:00 The Greater Purpose of Pain

-- CONNECT WITH CHRISTOPHER CARAZAS --

✨ Book ("Now That I'm Still Here"): https://www.amazon.com/Now-That-Im-Still-Here/dp/B0CNW9FV3F
✨ Substack: https://substack.com/@ccarazas?utm_source=global-search

-- FREE RESOURCE --
✨ Download: The Healing Quick Start Guide → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/heal

-- WORK WITH BETH --

✨ Mentoring (1:1 / group) → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/work-with-me
✨ Speaking & Interviews → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/speaking
✨ Book: "Becoming an Empowered Survivor" → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/books

-- CONNECT WITH BETH --

✨ Website → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/
✨ TikTok → @BethJonesHEALingMentor
✨ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethjoneshealingmentor/

In this episode of Let's Heal! with Beth Jones, we hear a powerful personal story about addiction and the journey to recovery. Our guest, Davis Garner, shares insights into overcoming a substance use disorder, highlighting the profound shift from an addict to someone embracing healing. This conversation offers a raw look at the challenges and triumphs of addiction recovery.

Davis grew up in a "Preacher's Kid" home that looked upright on the outside but was filled with strict discipline and emotional neglect on the inside. To cope, he turned to substances, not to get high, but to pause the pain. He calls this "The Delay." In this powerful episode, Davis shares how he broke a 30-year cycle of addiction through the Men of Nehemiah program, discovering that the path to healing his own ego was found in cleaning the streets of South Dallas.

If you are tired of pressing pause on your potential, this conversation will help you find the play button.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro & The Cost of Escape
02:02 Meet Davis: The "Chicago Texan"
03:30 The Angel Mother & The Devil with a Pitchfork
09:40 Addiction: It’s Not a High, It’s a Delay
15:38 The 3 AM Infomercial Call to Men of Nehemiah
17:50 The Dangerous Myth of the "Functional User"
23:58 Losing Control: The 2nd DWI and The Wake-Up Call
28:40 The Healing Power of Cleaning Streets in South Dallas
35:00 Planting Seeds: How Gardening Restored His Spirit
43:00 Reconnecting with 4 Adult Children
49:00 Why You Can't Skip the Fire
55:54 Conclusion & Gratitude

-- RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE --
💻 Men of Nehemiah: https://menofnehemiah.org/
🤝 Human Impact: https://www.humanimpact.org/

-- FREE HEALING RESOURCE --
📥 Download: The Healing Quick Start Guide → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/heal

-- WORK WITH BETH --

🤝 Mentoring (1:1 / group) → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/work-with-me
🎤 Speaking & Interviews → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/speaking
📚 Book: "Becoming an Empowered Survivor" → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/books

-- CONNECT WITH BETH -
💻 Website → https://empoweredsurvivors.com/
📱 TikTok → @BethJonesHEALingMentor
💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethjoneshealingmentor/