Join me and Dr. Sousan Abadian, PhD, as we talk about “cracking ourselves open to allow the light to enter,” and Sousan’s upcoming book, Free Me To Love. I first met Sousan at Harvard Kennedy School 15 years ago and I was immediately captivated by her spirit, her wisdom, and her visionary work to help communities recover from trauma in order to move forward. Over the years, I’ve come to learn so much more of Sousan’s personal story of overcoming trauma, and it is profoundly powerful, moving, and inspiring. I know it will help so many people.

Sousan has an amazing background—she is an Iranian-born scholar who dedicates herself to the work of enhancing human capabilities and well-being. She has an independent practice teaching, speaking, and consulting internationally on leadership, collective trauma, and personal, social, and cultural change. She earned a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University, an M.P.A. in International Development from Harvard’s Kennedy School, and an M.A. in the Anthropology of Social Change and Development, also from Harvard University.

In Free Me To Love, Sousan shares her story of “the day her life fell apart” and how that shockwave shattered so many parts of her life, despite her outward success—as she shares, “This is my story of how woundedness kept knocking and I ignored it, until its rap and insistence grew and cracked me open to allow the light to enter.”

In this episode, we begin by talking about our self beliefs and perceptions—overcoming the tangled childhood stories we still tell ourselves; then we talk about how trauma and wounds affect the roles we play in our adult lives—as wives, mothers, and professionals; and we end by talking about choosing and co-creating a positive and thriving future—moving through, within, and “beyond” childhood trauma.

For more resources, visit www.OvercomingChildSexualAbuse.com and www.End1in4.org