The Power To Her Podcast

Episode 8 | She Left With Nothing — And Built Everything

⚠️ This episode contains discussions of domestic abuse and coercive control. Please take care of yourself while listening.

In this episode, Stacey sits down with Cheryl — a mum of two, accountant-turned-entrepreneur, and domestic abuse survivor — for one of the most honest, important conversations yet on Power To Her.

Cheryl opens up about leaving a coercive and controlling relationship in 2010 — long before coercive control was even a crime in the UK. With two boys under four, no job, and her confidence in pieces, she had no roadmap. What she did have was the will to keep going.

In this conversation, Cheryl shares:

• What coercive control actually looks like (and why so many women don't recognise it at first)
• How post-separation abuse continued long after she left
• The moment a police officer validated her experience — and why that changed everything
• How she built a business from scratch while still healing
• What Claire's Law is and how it could help you or someone you love
• Why she believes the grass really IS greener on the other side — and how she's now helping other women see that too

Cheryl now works with domestic abuse survivors in a local refuge, trains employers to spot the signs, and runs her own programme helping women reclaim their power and their finances.

This episode is for the woman who is in it, just out of it, or supporting someone who is. You are not alone. And there is a life waiting for you on the other side.

Resources mentioned:

• Claire's Law — the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (search your local police force to request a check online, confidentially)
• Your local council and Citizens Advice — more helpful than most people realise
• Cheryl's DMs are open: @iamcherylsharp

Episode 7 | Katie's Story: Behind the Smile

Please note: This episode discusses anxiety, depression, and OCD. If you're struggling, please reach out to a trusted friend, your GP, or a mental health professional.

Have you ever looked at someone and thought — she's got it all together? In this episode, Stacey sits down with Katie, mindset coach and former teacher, whose story is one that so many women will quietly recognise.

On the outside? Confident. Bubbly. Absolutely fine. On the inside? Battling crippling anxiety, depression, and OCD for over a decade — and not one person knew.

Katie opens up about how her parents' divorce at six set the foundation for a life lived in survival mode. From losing two stone on a dream trip to Thailand because she couldn't leave the room, to performing at university while falling apart behind closed doors — Katie shares the raw reality of living with two completely different versions of yourself.

She talks about the moment therapy changed everything, how EMDR helped her finally process what she'd been carrying since childhood, and the long road from people-pleasing perfectionist to the woman she is today — a mindset coach helping others do exactly what she had to do herself.

This episode covers:

• Growing up feeling deeply different and not understanding why
• What OCD really looked like for Katie — and why nobody knew
• EMDR therapy explained: what it is and why it worked when nothing else did
• Leaving teaching, pivoting to coaching, and learning to trust her gut
• The inner critic that gets louder when you go self-employed
• Why vulnerability is the real definition of female strength
• Learning to feel the full spectrum — including the joy

If you've ever smiled on the outside while falling apart on the inside, this one's for you.

In this episode, Stacey is joined by 21-year-old Katie Cook, the voice behind The PMDD Diary, for an honest, raw, and powerful conversation about living with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) — a severe hormone-based mood disorder that affects millions of women, yet barely anyone talks about.

From the age of 12, Katie knew something wasn't right. She suffered crippling mood swings, heavy painful periods, and a level of anxiety and emotional pain she couldn't put into words. But every time she asked for help, she was told the same thing: "You're just a teenager. It's normal. You'll grow out of it."

For nearly nine years, Katie was dismissed by doctors, even by a gynaecologist who wrote her off in five minutes on a video call. She started to believe she was the problem. That she was "just dramatic." That maybe she really was crazy.

It wasn't until she was 18, sitting in a GP's office refusing to leave without an answer, that the words premenstrual dysphoric disorder were finally spoken — and her whole life made sense.

In this episode, Katie shares:

• What PMDD actually is (and why every woman needs to know about it)
• The emotional toll of being dismissed by medical professionals for almost a decade
• How she went from hiding her condition to running 10k and raising over £1,000 for the PMDD Project
• Why she shows up on her platform with no makeup, in tears, no shower — and why that rawness matters
• The advice she'd give her 13-year-old self
• A message for every parent watching their daughter struggle behind a closed bedroom door

This one is for the women who've been told "it's all in your head." For the mums trying to understand their daughters. For anyone who's ever felt like a burden when really, they just needed someone to sit beside them and ask if they wanted a cup of tea.

Katie's story is a reminder: you are not crazy, you are not alone, and you absolutely have to advocate for yourself.

Connect with Katie: Follow Katie on TikTok and Instagram: @pmdddiary_

Resources mentioned: The PMDD Project — research, advocacy, and awareness for PMDD

Lillie's Story: Surviving a Narcissist, Trusting Your Gut & Walking Away 8 Months Pregnant

In this powerful and deeply honest episode, Stacey sits down with Lillie, founder of Salves Skincare, who shares her raw and unfiltered story of surviving a narcissistic relationship and rebuilding her life from the ground up.

Lillie opens up about how it all started — the designer clothes, the fancy car, the dream man who lavished her with gifts and made her feel like the most special woman in the world. And then slowly, almost invisibly, the drip, drip, drip began. The fly-away comments. The isolation. The OCD-level control. The role reversal that left her questioning her own sanity.

By the time she was eight months pregnant with her second child, Lillie had been gaslit into believing she was the problem. Until one morning, locked in her downstairs toilet with her partner's phone, she found the email that confirmed what her gut had been screaming all along.

This conversation is for every woman who has ever felt isolated, doubted herself, or wondered if she was the crazy one. It is for the woman who is still in it, still questioning, still trying to make sense of why she feels so unhappy in a life that "looks" perfect from the outside.

In this episode we talk about:

• How narcissists target empaths and the patterns to watch for
• The drip-feed effect of emotional abuse and why it's so hard to spot
• Gaslighting, isolation and the role reversal that strips you of your confidence
• Why your gut instinct is one of the most powerful tools you have
• How Lillie found the courage to leave, eight months pregnant with a toddler in tow
• Rebuilding your identity, your boundaries and your life on your own terms
• Finding real love after surviving the worst
• Lillie's non-negotiable boundary speech on her first date with her now-husband

Lillie's message to any woman listening who knows this is her story: "Just leave. However bad you think it might be, just leave. It only gets worse from there. The only way is up."

This is a must-listen for any woman who needs the reminder that her gut is right, her worth is not up for negotiation, and she is never as stuck as she thinks she is.

Trigger warning: This episode includes conversations around ADHD, childhood trauma, mental illness, psychosis, emotional struggles, and difficult family experiences. Please listen with care.

NOTE: At some points there's a very slight echo - so sorry but its a flipping brilliant episode - stick with it

In this powerful and deeply honest episode, I sit down with Kim as she shares her story of courage, growth, and starting over.

Kim opens up about receiving an ADHD diagnosis, growing up with a mother who experienced psychosis, and how those early life experiences shaped the way she learned to adapt, cope, and move through the world.

We talk about motherhood, emotional resilience, and the journey of understanding what you truly want from life. Kim shares how, at the age of 40, she made the brave decision to leave her career in law and begin again by starting a marketing apprenticeship.

Today, she successfully runs her own business, helping other women in business grow with confidence and clarity.

This episode is raw, emotional, and deeply empowering. Kim’s openness reminds us that life’s struggles can often bring us back to what truly matters. Her story is a beautiful reminder that it is never too late to change direction, start again, and build a life that feels more aligned with who you are.

You can find Kim on Instagram @kim_nextlevelwoman and @nextlevelwomanhq

Thank you for listening,

Stacey xox

In today’s episode of Power to Her, I’m joined by the wonderful Harriet, who shares her powerful journey through hysterectomy, menopause, motherhood, ADHD, and learning to become truly herself.

Harriet opens up about what it was like to go through a hysterectomy and navigate menopause, not just physically, but emotionally too. She shares how that experience shaped her, changed her, and eventually led her to support and coach other women through their own journeys.

We also talk about receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life, and the clarity that can come when you finally start to understand yourself in a different way. Harriet shares what it is like parenting children with ADHD, the challenges, the lessons, and the moments that have helped her grow as both a mother and a woman.

This episode is about so much more than diagnosis or life changes. It is about identity. It is about self-acceptance. It is about letting go of who you thought you had to be, and learning to show up as who you really are.

Harriet’s story is honest, empowering, and full of wisdom for any woman who is navigating change, motherhood, menopause, or simply trying to understand herself better.

This is a beautiful reminder that becoming authentically yourself is not always easy, but it is always worth it.

You can find Harriet on Instagram at @theempoweredgoddess_menopause

If you have a story to tell email me at [email protected]

See you at the next episode

with love

Stacey x

In this episode, Denise Lester shares her transformative journey from a decade-long nursing career in the NHS to becoming a life coach and hypnotherapist.

She discusses the emotional challenges of her transition, the importance of self-discovery, and the empowerment of women.

Denise emphasizes the significance of supportive friendships and the need to overcome self-sabotage. She offers practical advice for listeners feeling stuck and highlights her coaching programs aimed at helping women take action in their lives.

You can find Denise on Instagram @deniselester_healthandmind_co

Episode Title: Asma’s Escape: From Survival to Soul Sisters

Welcome back to Power To Her — Series 2. This is Episode 1, and it’s a powerful one.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Asma, a domestic abuse survivor. She shares her story of how she escaped an abusive marriage and found support through Refuge. Asma now helps women across the UK through her charity, Soul Sisters — supporting women to feel seen, safe, and strong again.

Trigger warning

This episode includes domestic abuse and attempted suicide. Please listen with care. If this feels too much right now, it’s okay to pause, skip, or come back another time.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• What life was like inside an abusive marriage
• The moment Asma knew she needed to leave
• How she found help and support through Refuge
• What healing looked like after leaving
• How Soul Sisters was born — and how she now supports women across the UK

Support (UK)

If this episode brings anything up for you, you don’t have to sit with it alone.

• Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline (24/7): 0808 2000 247
• Samaritans (24/7): 116 123
• NHS urgent mental health help: guidance on where to get urgent support
• Scotland (24/7) Domestic Abuse & Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234

A gentle reminder

You deserve support. You deserve safety. And you are not alone.

You can find Asma on Instagram: @domestic_abuse_coach and @soulsisters_empoweringpeople

If you would like to appear on the podcast as a guest you can apply here https://tally.so/r/LZPgkz

Happy New Year and welcome back to Power to Her 💛

This is a short mini episode to say a massive thank you for all the support through Series 1. I’ve honestly been so grateful for every listen, share, message, and comment. It means more than you know.

I also want to share some exciting updates for 2026. I’ve got 48 amazing women lined up for Series 2, and I cannot wait for you to hear their stories.

Series 2 launches on February 4th, and it’s going to be such a special one.

Thank you again for being here. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, please follow/subscribe and share it with a woman who needs a reminder that she’s not alone.

See you in Series 2 💛

Navigating Grief, Love and New Beginnings

In this episode, I sit down with Rachel, a brave and gentle soul who has walked through more loss than most of us can imagine.

Rachel lost both of her parents to cancer. Then, when she was 5 months pregnant, she lost her husband to suicide. Overnight she became a widow and a single mum, trying to survive heartbreak while preparing to bring new life into the world.

We talk about:

Living with grief when it comes in waves, not stages

The loneliness of widowhood and solo parenting after loss

Carrying love and pain at the same time

Building a colourful business from the darkest season of her life

Today, Rachel designs and sells modern, colourful grief cards and works as a grief coach. Her work is all about saying: “You’re not alone in this, and your grief is not too much.”

If you’re grieving a suicide loss or you’re a young widow

You do not have to go through this on your own. Here are some places that can offer support:

Samaritans (UK & Ireland) – 24/7 listening support. Call 116 123 for free or visit their website.

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) – Peer support for adults who have lost someone to suicide.

WAY – Widowed and Young – A UK charity for anyone who lost a partner before age 51, offering peer-to-peer support from others who “get it.”

You can find Rachel on Instagram: @lovelossdiscoballs

If you’d like to get in touch to share your story on the podcast, email me at:

[email protected]