What does it really take to heal from profound childhood trauma? Alenda Jacobson's story offers a raw, unflinching look at this journey as she shares her experience of sexual abuse from birth to age seven and the chaotic family environment that shaped her early life.
With remarkable openness, Alenda reveals how trauma taught her to constantly scan for danger, prioritize others' needs above her own, and develop an almost supernatural empathy as a survival mechanism. "I was very tuned in to everything going on around me because I was trying to predict next moves," she explains. "I couldn't feel safe if I couldn't feel other people's emotions." This hypervigilance came at a steep cost, disconnecting her from her own needs and creating patterns that followed her into adulthood.
The turning point in Alenda's healing journey came not during therapy, but after it ended. Walking away from a session feeling unsatisfied, something shifted—she realized there had to be more to healing than what she'd experienced. This awakening led her to embrace practices she'd previously dismissed and to question long-held beliefs. Most importantly, she learned that healing requires feeling: "You have to feel your feelings and they're not going to go away until you sit with them and stop being afraid of them."
What makes this conversation truly special is Alenda's profound wisdom about self-love. "Unfortunately, you're not going to find healing where you were hurt," she shares, "which means you have to do the hardest thing you've ever done—learn to be in love with yourself." Her journey reminds us that while others can support our healing, ultimately we must become our own healers and "the hero to our own story."
Have you experienced trauma that still affects your life? Listen to this episode for compassionate insights from someone who's walking the path of healing. Text me at 913-392-2877 or email [email protected] to share your thoughts or connect with Alinda.

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