In this episode of The Survivor’s Chair Podcast, host Kim Russell welcomes her dear friend Rob Hinds, founder and CEO of Raise Your Lid Consulting.

Rob’s story is one of resilience, overcoming bullying, low self-worth, people-pleasing, and a traumatic brain injury.

With over 20 years of experience in leadership coaching and personal development, Rob shares his powerful journey of shifting from fear to courage, from passivity to assertiveness, and from surviving to truly leading.

Together, Kim and Rob dive into the power of mindset, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, conflict resolution and how these skills transform not only our careers but also our relationships and self-worth.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, silenced, or limited by your past, Rob’s story will remind you that the lid on your potential can always be lifted.

SEO Keywords

* Raise Your Lid Consulting

* Rob Hinds interview

* mindset and personal growth podcast

* emotional intelligence and leadership

* overcoming people pleasing

* conflict resolution skills

* social intelligence explained

* traumatic brain injury recovery story

* self-worth and courage

* trauma healing and leadership

* How core values (courage, growth, and leadership) guide every decision

* What emotional intelligence really means—and how to practice it daily

* Why social intelligence is just as important in building relationships

* The power of conflict resolution as a bridge instead of a pit

* The masks we wear (humor, busyness, perfection) and how to remove them

* Moving from passive to assertive with healthy boundaries

* Why mindset is about choices—not quick fixes

* Rob’s top book recommendation: *Mindset* by Dr. Carol Dweck

Links - Rob Hinds

Website - https://www.coachingforsmallbusinesses.com/

Linktree https://linktr.ee/rob.raiseyourlidconsulting

Kim Russell

Website- https://www.kimrussellpro.com/

Email Sign up - https://kimrussellleaderreset.myflodesk.com/j6zv5fcak7

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LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimrussellpro/

In this episode of The Survivor’s Chair Podcast, Kim Russell invites you to pause, reflect, and truly celebrate your journey.

Too often, we rush past our accomplishments, big and small, without giving ourselves credit.

Kim shares personal stories from her own life as an adoptee, former foster youth, breast cancer survivor, and salon owner, encouraging you to recognize the resilience, growth, and strength that have carried you through life’s challenges.

From overcoming fears to building meaningful relationships, Kim reminds us that success is more than financial gain, it’s about creating a life that feels aligned, joyful, and true to who you are.

This is your reminder to take a deep breath, grab a pen, and write down every victory you’ve earned.

Show Notes

• Why it’s important to stop and acknowledge your own growth and wins

• How childhood experiences and trauma shape the way we view success

• The difference between the “old” definition of success and what it means now

• Why behaviors—especially in children—are often a form of communication

• Learning to release judgment about past survival choices

• The power of creating your own definition of success and happiness

• Practical exercise: Grab a piece of paper and write down everything you’ve overcome

• How comparing yourself to others on social media steals your joy

• Why every achievement, no matter how small, deserves celebration

• Encouragement to message Kim and share your wins

  
  

  Key words - redefining success, overcoming challenges, survivor stories, self-reflection, trauma healing, personal resilience, celebrate yourself, life accomplishments, foster youth success stories, breast cancer survivor journey, leadership in life

  
  

https://www.kimrussellpro.com/

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Lorraine Connell Podcast - Leaders of Today- From Teens to Titans

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leaders-of-today-from-teens-to-titans/id1591828902

In this episode of The Survivor’s Chair, host Kim Russell explores the power of emotional awareness and why it’s the foundation for healing, self-reflection, and authentic personal growth.

Drawing from her own story as a trauma survivor, adoptee, and mentor, Kim unpacks what it means to truly recognize, feel, and take responsibility for your emotions—especially when old wounds, patterns, or triggers show up in life.

She explains how our childhood experiences shape our emotional responses, how empathy and listening transform our relationships, and how conflict can become a path to growth when we stay emotionally present.

Keywords:

emotional awareness, emotional intelligence, trauma healing, self-reflection, personal growth, childhood trauma, empathy, listening skills, emotional regulation, conflict resolution, taking responsibility, healing journey

Key Takeaways:

• Awareness is 90% of the solution

• Healing requires feeling.

• Happiness is an inside job,

• No one can “make” you feel something, you’re in control of your emotional responses.

• Emotional unawareness often leads to reactivity miscommunication, and overwhelm.

• Listening is a healing skill most people hear to reply, not to understand.

• Triggers are invitations to grow

• Empathy and boundaries go hand-in-hand in emotionally healthy relationships.

• Taking responsibility for your emotions builds confidence, trust, and inner peace.

• Your early experiences matter but they don’t define who you are

Sound Bites:

“Happiness starts on the inside.”*

“Healing requires feeling.”

“Listening is an art.”*

“Your triggers aren’t the enemy—they’re a doorway to healing.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction to Emotional Awareness

04:13 – Understanding Emotions and Trauma

08:01 – Taking Responsibility for Emotions

11:24 – Navigating Relationships and Emotional Patterns

15:44 – Healing Through Emotional Awareness

20:24 – Empathy, Boundaries & Connection

24:54 – Handling Conflict with Emotional Intelligence

27:53 – Triggers as Opportunities for Growth

30:06 – Final Reflections & Outro

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In this episode, Kim opens up about sacrifice, people-pleasing, and the painful choices she made in her marriage and how those patterns were rooted in self-worth from her childhood trauma and adoption.

She shares the truth behind why she stayed in a marriage that didn’t feel right, the discomfort of disappointing others, and how the fear of being disliked or unloved kept her in cycles of over-giving.

From leadership lessons in her salon to the moment she stopped sacrificing herself for others’ comfort, this episode is for anyone who has ever said “yes” when they wanted to say “no.”

Kim invites you to explore:

1. What it really costs to be the strong one

2. Why it’s so hard to say no

3. How people-pleasing is tied to self-worth

4. And what freedom feels like when you finally reclaim your voice

If you've ever sacrificed your happiness to avoid conflict or chased approval at the expense of your peace, this conversation will feel like home.

Takeaways

People-pleasing often stems from a lack of self-worth.

Sacrificing personal happiness for others can lead to resentment.

Opening up to love requires vulnerability and self-awareness.

It's essential to recognize when to say no to protect your well-being.

Communication skills are crucial in maintaining healthy relationships.

Understanding the dynamics of givers and takers can empower you.

Self-education is a lifelong journey that enhances confidence.

Navigating hard conversations is necessary for personal and relational growth.

Recognizing your own needs is vital for a fulfilling life.

Chapters

Sacrifice and People-Pleasing in Relationships

03:01 The Impact of Marriage on Personal Growth

03:53 Navigating Divorce and Self-Worth

05:48 The Struggle with Communication and Confrontation

07:20 Leadership Lessons from People-Pleasing

09:34 Understanding Love and Vulnerability

11:23 The Balance of Sacrifice in Relationships

11:48 The Journey Towards Saying No

13:20 The Power of Saying No

17:11 Understanding Self-Worth and People-Pleasing

17:55 The Journey of Personal Growth and Education

18:42 Navigating Hard Conversations and Relationships

Website - https://www.kimrussellpro.com

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In this deeply moving and powerful episode of The Survivor’s Chair, Kim sits down with her very first guest—friend, entrepreneur, and founder of Women’s Business League, Melissa Gilbo.

This is not just a business conversation. It’s about what happens behind the business—the grief, the grit, the moments that break us open and redefine who we are. Melissa shares her incredible survival story of battling Rye syndrome as a child, navigating her son’s terrifying PANDAS diagnosis, the heartbreak of losing her mother, and the fear of rebuilding her business after the end of a long-time partnership.

With raw honesty and deep reflection, Melissa opens up about what it really means to be a high-achieving woman carrying so much—personally and professionally. Together, Kim and Melissa remind us that it's okay to need a minute, that vulnerability is strength, and that even in our most uncertain chapters, we are never truly alone.

If you’ve ever felt like you were treading water, this episode is a lifeline.

In this unfiltered and personal episode, Kim invites us into the sacred, uncertain space between endings and new beginnings—the messy middle. With raw honesty, she shares why this episode arrived late, the emotional toll of trying to “keep up,” and the hard truth that healing doesn’t always follow a schedule.

Kim reflects on the transition from cancer treatment to closing a 30-year salon business, caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s, and trying to write a book that holds decades of unspoken truth. This isn’t a conversation about having the answers. It’s about what happens when you stop performing, start pausing, and finally allow yourself to be where you are.

You’ll hear Kim wrestle with comparison, burnout, people-pleasing, and the false urgency to “do it all”—and how she’s learning (slowly) that rest is not a setback, and stillness is a skill.

Whether you’re between life chapters, rebuilding after loss, or just trying to breathe, this episode is a gentle permission slip to be in the middle without needing to rush the ending.

Takeaways

The cancer journey is ongoing even after treatment ends.

Self-care is essential for mental and emotional well-being.

Social media can distort self-perception and create unrealistic comparisons.

It's okay to take a break and not have everything figured out.

Writing can be a therapeutic process for understanding trauma.

Life is messy, and it's important to embrace that messiness.

The importance of community support during difficult times.

Trauma can shape one's identity and perspective on life.

It's crucial to prioritize personal needs and boundaries.

Key words - trauma leadership, foster care, identity shift, life purpose, personal growth, authentic leadership, mentor support, healing journey, women’s resilience, redefining success

Website - https://www.kimrussellpro.com

Email sign up - https://kimrussellleaderreset.myflodesk.com/j6zv5fcak7

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LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimrussellpro/

Julie Costa - https://www.instagram.com/julie.m.costa?igsh=dGNqdXFxMWE5N2Jr

In this episode of The Survivor’s Chair, Kim gets real about one of the most life-altering aspects of trauma healing: Embodiment.

What does it mean to feel safe in your body - especially after a lifetime of survival, hustle, disconnection, and pushing through pain?

Kim shares raw and unfiltered stories of how her own body screamed for her attention long before she ever learned how to listen—from running triathlons during a season of profound grief to being brought to her knees by a breast cancer diagnosis that forced her to finally stop.

She unpacks:

• What embodiment really means in trauma healing (and why it feels so foreign)

• The subtle signs you’ve been disconnected from your body for too long

• Why hustle culture, toxic positivity, and overachievement can actually be trauma responses

• How small, doable movements like swaying, humming, and stretching help rewire your nervous system

• What exercises support healing (and which ones might be harming you)

• Why stillness is often the hardest—but most necessary—thing for survivors

  
  

  embodiment, nervous system healing, somatic healing, CPTSD, trauma and the body, high achiever burnout, women and trauma, autoimmune and stress, breast cancer survivor, hustle culture, trauma and fitness

  
  

  Takeaways -

  You're not broken. It's not your fault.

  Embodiment is about connection and trust.

  The body holds memory.

  Awareness is 90% of the solution.

  You are not broken. You never have been.

  Your health is your priority.

  Small, tiny movements can make a massive difference.

  You can feel a little bit like learning a new language.

  Your body will tell you what it needs.

  It's about being present in your physical body.

  
  

  
  

  Chapters

  00:00 Introduction to Trauma and Healing

  07:39 The Impact of Trauma on the Body

  11:41 Hustle Culture and Disconnection

  19:09 Reconnecting with the Body

  25:37 Practical Tools for Embodiment

  31:27 Outro-FINAL apr 4, 2025 001_kim_russell's studio.wav

  
  

  Website - https://www.kimrussellpro.com

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  Early Birds Club- https://www.instagram.com/earlybirdschicago?igsh=cnRldDBoMnFxdnpk

What if the way you react, the way you feel, and the way you move through the world isn’t because you’re broken—but because your brain has been protecting you all along?

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Kim Russell breaks down the complex science of brain development and trauma in a way only a heart-led hairstylist and trauma-informed mentor can. From the “upstairs brain” to the “survival basement,” Kim explains how childhood trauma impacts five key areas of the brain—and what that means for us as adults trying to function, connect, and heal.

Keywords

trauma, childhood trauma, brain development, neuroplasticity, emotional regulation, healing, mental health, therapy, somatic healing, emotional brain

Takeaways

Understanding trauma can help us feel less broken.

The brain has different regions that respond to trauma.

Childhood trauma can lead to adult emotional dysregulation.

Neuroplasticity allows the brain to change and heal.

Practicing safety and connection can create new neural pathways.

Emotional regulation is crucial for healthy relationships.

Trauma can cause the brain to prioritize survival over logic.

Healing must begin with the body and nervous system.

Naming feelings can significantly improve emotional well-being.

Integrating various healing approaches is essential for recovery.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Childhood Trauma and the Brain

07:48 The Impact of Trauma on Brain Development

11:54 Healing and Neuroplasticity: Changing the Brain

15:04 Integrating Body and Mind for Healing

16:26 Outro-FINAL apr 4, 2025 001_kim_russell's studio.wav

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Welcome back to The Survivor’s Chair. In this powerful follow-up to last week’s episode on the fight, flight, freeze, and fawn trauma responses, Kim unpacks the science—and the soul—of your nervous system.

What really happens in your body when you’ve experienced trauma? Why do you feel stuck in overdrive even when life is “calm”? And how do stress hormones like cortisol and the vagus nerve shape your healing?

From hot flashes to sleepless nights, chronic tension to burnout, Kim explains the biology behind survival mode—and how to unlearn it. You’ll walk away with a deep understanding of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, and why feeling safe in your body is the key to true healing.

nervous system, trauma, sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system, vagus nerve, cortisol, self-care, healing, mental health, stress management

Takeaways - The nervous system acts as the body's alarm system, constantly scanning for danger.

Trauma can lead to a persistent feeling of unsafety, affecting the nervous system's response.

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the fight or flight response, while the parasympathetic system promotes calm and relaxation.

Cortisol, while helpful in short bursts, can be detrimental when levels remain high due to chronic stress.

The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating the body's response to stress and promoting relaxation.

Unresolved trauma can hinder the proper functioning of the vagus nerve, keeping the body in survival mode.

Self-care practices are essential for regulating the nervous system and promoting healing.

Breathing exercises and gentle movements can help retrain the nervous system to feel safe.

Social connections and laughter are vital for activating the vagus nerve and improving mental health.

Healing involves unlearning past patterns and learning to feel safe in one's body.

Chapters - 00:00 Understanding the Nervous System and Trauma

06:18 The Role of the Vagus Nerve

07:53 The Importance of Sleep

11:12 Regulating the Nervous System

13:47 Practical Tips for Healing

Website - https://www.kimrussellpro.com

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In Episode 10 of The Survivor’s Chair, Kim breaks down the four trauma responses—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—in a relatable and compassionate way.

Whether you’ve heard these terms before or they’re brand new, this episode is a powerful dive into why we react the way we do when we’ve experienced trauma.

From a hilarious (and revealing) bee attack story to the tender truth of people-pleasing, Kim uses personal experiences, brain-based insight, and heart-led wisdom to help you understand that your reactions are not flaws—they are survival responses.

You’ll walk away with language for your lived experience, clarity around what’s happening in your nervous system, and know that healing is possible.

Trauma responses, fight flight freeze fawn, nervous system, mental health, coping strategies, emotional regulation, personal stories, awareness, healing, self-care

Takeaways

The fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses are common trauma reactions.

Understanding these responses can help in managing trauma effectively.

The nervous system plays a crucial role in our trauma responses.

Fawn response is often overlooked but is rooted in fear.

Personal experiences can illustrate the impact of trauma responses.

Coping mechanisms can vary and may include staying busy or avoiding conflict.

Awareness of one's trauma responses is key to healing.

Breathing techniques can help calm the nervous system.

Introduction to Trauma Responses

03:05

Understanding Fight and Flight Responses

05:53

Exploring the Freeze Response

08:57

Diving into the Fawn Response

11:49

Personal Stories and Experiences

14:55

The Impact of Trauma on Daily Life

17:57

Coping Mechanisms and Strategies

20:45

The Importance of Awareness and Regulation

24:09

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