Jacquie grew up inside generational trauma and religious shame, was sexually abused as a child, gaslit into doubting her sanity, and later numbed the pain through addiction. She got sober, lost custody of her son, learned to set boundaries, and rebuilt a self that didn’t exist before. This conversation is a masterclass in refusing fake harmony and choosing radical self-trust.

• Generational trauma doesn’t disappear. It transfers until you disrupt it.
• Gaslighting erodes your reality. Rebuilding it takes time and tools.
• People-pleasing is not kindness. It is a survival strategy.
• Forgiveness is powerful, but only when it’s safe and self-led.
• Recovery is not a finish line. It’s a daily choice for truth over comfort.

🎙️ What We Talk About:

• Growing up in chaos: abuse, rage, religious shaming at school
• The long shadow of gaslighting and why it targets your sense of self
• ADHD, rejection sensitivity, and why “you’re dramatic” is a lie
• Addiction as anesthesia when your body doesn’t feel safe
• Temporary custody, heartbreak, and the slow rebuild of trust
• Love bombing, covert control, and the “compliment then dig” pattern
• People-pleasing, takers, and the mass exodus when you start saying no
• Safety first: why forgiveness cannot be forced or performed
• Self-worth as a practice: discerning when to speak and when to walk

🔑 Key Takeaways:

“If you don’t have a solid sense of self, the world will hand you one—and you won’t survive inside it.”

“Takers don’t become givers because you try harder. They leave when you stop performing.”

“Forgiveness without safety is spiritual bypass. Start with you.”

“Recovery is not about being good. It’s about being honest.”

🙌 Why This Episode Matters:

So many high-achieving women are applauded for being agreeable while they bleed out behind closed doors. This episode cuts through the performance. If you were raised to question your reality, Jacquie’s story gives you language, permission, and a path. This is how you stop negotiating with your pain and start rebuilding a self that cannot be gaslit.

💬 Connect with Jacquie:

• Website: jacquiegrillon.com
• New site in progress: jacquieinspires.com

🔗 Resources & Links:

• 💣 Download the Survival Mode Exit Blueprint
• 👉🏾 Join the Survival Mode Exodus Membership
• 🎧 Subscribe to Survival Mode Disrupted: The Podcast on YouTube
• ✍🏾 Subscribe to Survival Mode Disrupted: The Newsletter on LinkedIn
• 💬 Book a 1:1 Session with Leticia
• 📖 Order Survival Mode Exit Plan Book
• 😉 Join the free FB Group Disrupting Survival Mode