Healing After Trauma: Grief, Self-Blame & Reclaiming Power with Dr. Louise Stanger | 449

Trauma sucks. It doesn’t need a gratitude journal, a silver lining, or a rebrand as “the best thing that ever happened.” So when a book called Trauma Is Your Superpower landed on Nicole Kalil’s radar, she had questions. In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole welcomes Dr. Louise Stanger, a nationally recognized interventionist, licensed clinical social worker, and author of Trauma Is Your Superpower. With more than four decades helping individuals and families navigate addiction, trauma, and crisis, Louise explores how painful experiences can shape a life without getting to run the whole show. Together, they discuss grief, trauma recovery, self-blame, and the difference between taking responsibility and deciding everything is somehow one’s fault. They also explore why healing needs connection, why friendship breakups deserve space to be mourned, and how compassion can coexist with honesty and accountability. Topics include: How trauma can shape identity without becoming the entire identity Giving grief room without putting healing on a deadline Recognizing repetitive thoughts, shame, and self-blame Separating personal responsibility from fault Finding community, trustworthy support, and a nonjudgmental listener Practicing compassion while still telling the truth Making space for different responses to loss, including relief Seeking support when grief or painful experiences remain unresolved Nobody owes the world an inspirational comeback story. Reclaiming voice, self-trust, and choice can be powerful enough—and what happened doesn’t get to write every chapter that follows. Thank you to our sponsors! Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at Greenlight.com/TIWW. Don't wait to teach your kids real-world money skills! Connect with Louise: Website: https://allaboutinterventions.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Trauma+Is+Your+Superpower+Louise+Stanger Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ask-dr-louise/id1893970305 Related Podcast Episodes: The Biology Of Trauma - And How To Heal It with Dr. Aimie Apigian | 346 The Fourth Trauma Response You’ve Never Heard Of (And How It’s Running Your Life) with Dr. Ingrid Clayton | 342 127 / Trauma with Jessi Beyer Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices