Secrets Are Not Safe

What happens when the person meant to protect you becomes the source of your pain — and the silence around you makes it worse? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Deanna Salles-Freeman, a speaker, educator, and highly certified coach who has made it her life's mission to bring light and lightness to the heaviest of topics.

Deanna's journey into trauma work wasn't theoretical. Her own experience with intimate partner violence, combined with discovering that her daughter survived child sexual abuse, cracked her world open — and ultimately led her to find beauty and even laughter in the healing process. Raised in a high-control religion where secrecy was the norm, Deanna knows firsthand how silence enables harm and how breaking it can save lives.

Today she is a Master NLP Practitioner, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and Oola Life Coach among other certifications — and she channels all of it into helping survivors find their own laughter after.

In this episode we talk about:

• How secrecy in high-control religious communities enables abuse to go undetected
• What parents need to know if a child discloses abuse
• Why laughter is not the opposite of grief — it's part of healing
• Her trauma-informed retreat and this year's unique virtual, season-aligned experience
• What it really means to break the cycle for the next generation

About Deanna Salles-Freeman:

Deanna is a speaker, educator, and highly certified coach who brings light and lightness to the heavy topic of trauma. Her personal journey with intimate partner violence and her daughter's experience as a CSA survivor led her to dedicate her life to helping others find their laughter after. She is a Master NLP Practitioner, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Oola Life Coach, and Aromatherapy Certified professional.

🎙️ Listen to her podcast, Laughter After Trauma: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/laughter-after-trauma/id1632469554

• Deanna's retreat: https://deannawellness.com
• Follow Deanna: https://www.facebook.com/auntieprudence

Dr. Davis has played a pivotal role in helping our daughter process her trauma and reclaim her strength.

On this episode, you will hear us discuss, how do parents miss signs of grooming and abuse. We also talk about what does a healing journey look like for those who have experienced trauma.

And most importantly, how Dr Davis as the founder of the Willow Field Foundation, is making a difference to provide resources to others.

Please join us in making mental health therapy available to others, like my daughter, but those who don't have access to it. A donation of any amount makes a difference. https://www.thewillowfieldfoundation.org/

Medical Doctor and Psychiatrist, Dr Tim Brewerton reveals how the medical and psychiatric communities came to discover the frequency of connection between eating disorders and trauma as well as the validation of dissociative identity disorders.

We debunk myths and share truths and ways to support and seek help.

Support education and awareness thru the documentary project about Sylvia at sylviadoc.com

Know the signs of child sexual abuse

Non Profit Darkness to Light has many resources from free information such this article on identifying child sexual abuse

to online or in person training here

I became a facilitator to train others. Reach out to me if I can of help to you.

Discover the 3 critical tips for parenting kids through anxiousness, sadness and self harming

Listen to Silent by Marshmello ft. Khalid

Each survivor has a different journey. Many times abuse is not reported. We honor and support every survivor. Whether they choose to report the abuse or not.

Prevent, Identify, Report Abuse here

Discover 3 critical tips for parenting kids thru anxiousness, sadness, and self harm.

Follow our story and more resources here

But for the courage of a friend, willing to risk the friendship to save our daughter's life, our story could be very different.

For more information about Ending the Silence suicide prevention presentations including online event or to schedule in person go ⁠here ⁠

⁠Discover 3 critical tips for parenting kids through anxiousness, sadness and self harm ⁠

For more information, our blog, and resources go to secretsarenotsafe.com

Our story happened in a nice neighborhood north of Dallas, TX. And it is likely happening in your neighborhood too. I am the mother of a sexually abused and trafficked child. And I did not know it was happening. Until I did. And things changed.

Discover the 3 tips for parenting kids thru anxiousness, sadness and self harm.

Follow our blog and access more resources at secrets are not safe

Support mental health scholarships thru the foundation inspired by our daughter's story, the willow field foundation

I get it. It is uncomfortable to read, to hear and to say. But while we are choosing to avoid what is comfortable, predators are leveraging our ignorance and manipulating our trust. To protect our children, we must get uncomfortable.. Know the facts. Know what to look for. So we can Identify, Prevent and Report Abuse.

For more information, tools and resources on how to identify, prevent and report child sexual abuse go to non profit Darkness to Light

Discover the 3 Critical Tips for Parenting Kids thru Anxiousness, Sadness, and Self Harm

support mental health therapy scholarships thru the Willow Field Foundation inspired by our daughter's story.

For more of our story, blog and resources, go to secrets are not safe

A sneak peek into why and what this podcast will be about. Please be sure to tap that arrow in top right corner to FOLLOW so you will be notified when new episodes post.