What happens when trauma rewires your identity before you even know who you are? In this raw and radically honest episode, Sue Bowles shares her journey of entering survival mode at just 7 years old—and how it took nearly four decades before she started healing. From self-blame to self-discovery, Sue walks us through how she finally stepped into her power and chose to live again.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

• 💥 How trauma hijacks your identity and rewires your brain
• 🧠 What “ED” (eating disorder voice) sounds like—and how to shut it down
• 🔥 The danger of not owning your story (and how to start)
• ✝️ Why Sue calls herself “a holy exception”—and how faith helped her fight back
• 🛑 The lie that you need to be “fully healed” to help others
• 🧱 How radical self-awareness can disrupt years of survival mode
• 💬 What it actually means to take your power back, one step at a time

🎙️ What We Talk About:

• What survival mode looks like when it starts in childhood
• The emotional cost of hiding your story
• Rewriting your narrative without shame or denial
• The neuroscience of trauma and thought patterns
• How to “throw a pebble on the anxiety train track”
• Breaking cycles through radical ownership and support
• Letting healing be messy, non-linear, and ongoing

🔑 Key Takeaways:

“A manageable level of tolerable existence is no longer an option.”

“Gratitude and anxiety can’t coexist—they come from the same part of the brain.”

“You don’t have to be healed to help. You only need to be a step ahead.”

“Healing starts with getting the story straight—and calling out the lies.”

🙌 Why This Episode Matters:

Too many women carry invisible wounds and wonder why life feels so hard. This episode strips away the shame and shows what real healing looks like: owning the truth, rewriting the narrative, and taking one brave step at a time. If you’re still pretending you’re fine—this is your wake-up call. You were not built to break. You were made to disrupt.

💬 Connect with Sue

• 🌐 Website: www.suebowles.com
• 📲 Sign up for her Wednesday Hump Day Help encouragement text
• 🎁 Free resource on reframing your thoughts available after signup

🔗 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