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

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