In this episode of The Braver Women Show, I’m joined by client, George, a queer woman based in the UK, for a real and honest conversation about trauma, recovery, and what it means to find your voice again after years of holding it back.

This is not a polished interview. It is a relaxed, human conversation about what changes when a woman stops performing and starts relating to herself differently.

George shares her Braver Women therapy journey , including how childhood trauma shaped her sense of self, how internalised beliefs quietly ran her life for years, and what began to shift when she learned how to stay connected to herself rather than escape from what she was feeling.

We talk about disconnection, addiction, losing yourself in other people, and the long term impact of living through survival patterns. George also reflects on why previous therapy did not help at the time, and what made this work different once she was ready to lean in.

At its core, this particular episode is about voice. About moving from getting through life to actually being present in it. And about reconnecting to a sense of agency and self worth after trauma.

Content note:
This episode includes brief references to addiction, self harm, and suicide, discussed within the context of recovery and healing. Listener discretion is advised.

What we touch on in this episode

• How trauma can silence your voice long before you realise it
• Why many queer women learn to stay quiet, edit themselves, or minimise
• The difference between performing in therapy and embodying change
• Addiction and disconnection as survival strategies rather than character flaws
• What it means to relate to yourself differently after trauma
• Choosing your life direction without denying what happened to you
• Reclaiming self worth after years of internalised beliefs

If you want to connect with me, Leanne, therapist and the founder of Braver Women and other queer women who are on their healing journey, then join the Braver Women Community today - I give you access to a generous amount of materials, insights, member only videos and discussions that aren't shared anywhere else. Many members have found it life changing and the best thing about it, it's always free. Every question is always answered with the same care and support that I show my clients:

The Braver Women Community

If you prefer to watch this episode then head on over to YouTube and you can see there - Click here

If you would like to have a chat of have a suggestion for a podcast episode that you'd like me to cover then go ahead and send me a message at: info@braverwomen.com

Until next time, remember -Bravery isn't a leap. It's built through small deliberate steps. And when you're ready to take yours, you know where to find me.

Leanne.

Content Note Prior to Listening:
This episode includes discussion and references to childhood sexual abuse and suicidal thoughts. Please listen with care and pause whenever you need.

In this deeply personal episode of The Braver Women® Show, Leanne shares a conversation that reveals the quiet power of a specialised therapeutic relationship designed to reach places ordinary approaches often can’t.

Ally, a remarkable woman from the north of England, speaks openly about the childhood sexual abuse she endured and the decades of shame, anxiety, and 'otherness' that followed.
After years of searching for something that could truly touch the depth of her pain, Ally found in her work with Leanne the level of safety and structure needed for profound healing.
Within that carefully held space she discovered the courage to face experiences she once believed would define her forever.

Ally now calls this experience “the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” and offers her story as a gift to any woman who needs to know that the shame they carry was never theirs to begin with.

This episode explores:
• How childhood trauma silently shapes identity and self worth
• Why shame feels permanent - but isn’t
• How healing becomes possible when safety, responsibility, and a deeply committed therapeutic relationship come together

It’s an unpolished, profoundly human conversation about trauma, resilience, and the life changing impact of a therapeutic relationship unlike anything Ally had experienced before.

If this episode helps you, please share it with someone who might need hope today and leave a review to help more lesbian and queer women find these powerful conversations.

info@braverwomen.com

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What does it really take to come out later in life, when you're married, a mother, and terrified of breaking everything you've built?

In this powerful episode of The Braver Women Show, Nichole shares her raw, honest journey of coming out at 50 after decades of hiding her truth.

From growing up in a conservative religious environment in Utah, to the fear of disappointing her family, to the moment she finally had the conversation with her mother she'd avoided for years, this is the story of what it means to let go of the life you were told to live and choose authenticity instead.

Nichole worked with me for 3 months in the Braver Women therapy programme, where she dismantled the fear, shame, and silence that had kept her stuck for decades. She didn’t just come out. She finally came home to herself.

If you’re tired of hiding, afraid of what coming out might cost you, or unsure if it’s too late to choose yourself, this episode is for you.

Ready to start your own journey?

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