In this deeply moving episode of Courage to Heal, Anna sits down with Rhoda Banks, motivational speaker, coach, and author of the powerful memoir Daughter of an Assassin. Rhoda shares her extraordinary story of growing up amid violence, intergenerational trauma, and emotional neglect – and how she rose above it all to become a successful executive and advocate for healing and self-worth.

Together, Anna and Rhoda explore themes of childhood trauma, survivor’s guilt, emotional neglect, body image, forgiveness, faith, and personal transformation. Rhoda’s honesty and resilience will resonate with anyone who has struggled with feeling unworthy or burdened by their past. This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, and your legacy is yours to write.

Check Out Rhoda's Book

Rhoda's Website

In this episode of Courage to Heal, Anna speaks with Laurel Roberts-Meese, licensed psychotherapist and founder of Laurel Therapy Collective, about the power of EMDR therapy for healing trauma. With warmth and clarity, Laurel walks us through the eight phases of EMDR, explains how it rewires the brain’s trauma responses, and offers practical insights for those considering EMDR for PTSD or complex trauma. Whether you're an EMDR-curious client or a fellow therapist, this conversation sheds light on why EMDR is so effective—and what to expect from the process.

You can find Laurel here.

What is a trauma trigger—and why does it have such a powerful grip on your nervous system? In this episode of Courage to Heal, we explore what trauma triggers are, how they form, and why they show up in everyday moments. You’ll learn how to recognize your unique triggers and gently regulate overwhelming emotional responses. Anna shares two powerful somatic tools—the Spiral Technique and the Picture Technique—to help you feel safer in your body and reclaim your sense of peace. This episode is a must-listen for trauma survivors who want practical strategies and compassionate insights to better understand their emotional landscape.

Check out the Emotional Overwhelm Toolkit

In this heartfelt and illuminating episode of Courage to Heal, we dive deep into a conversation that’s long overdue—exploring the often misunderstood and overlooked experience of ADHD in women and those socialized as female.

Host Anna Khandrueva sheds light on the quieter, masked forms of ADHD that don’t match the typical, boy-centric stereotypes. Through tender storytelling and deep compassion, Anna unpacks the realities of emotional dysregulation, executive dysfunction, rejection sensitivity, and chronic burnout that so many women face—often without ever knowing why.

We’ll explore how high-functioning ADHD can mask inner struggles, the profound impact of hormonal shifts across a woman’s life, and the important but rarely discussed overlap between ADHD and autism (AuDHD). Anna also shares practical, healing steps toward self-compassion, support systems, and unmasking—the brave work of showing up as your authentic self.

Tune in to rediscover the truth: you were never broken—you were simply unseen. And now, it’s time to be seen.

Blog Post: ADHD In Women

Blog Post: ADHD Myths

ADHD Coach for Late-Diagnosed Women: Casey Jourdan

Discover the truth about grief beyond the outdated five-stage model. This episode dismantles common misconceptions about grief, reveals why Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's famous stages were never meant for bereavement, and explores the diverse grief responses.

Learn about anticipatory grief, complicated grief and the crucial differences between intuitive and instrumental grieving patterns.

Whether you're supporting someone through loss or navigating grief yourself, this episode provides the understanding you need without prescriptive timelines or one-size-fits-all approaches. Listen now to transform how you view and experience grief.

LINKS:

The Grief Recovery Method

The Grief Recovery Handbook

What if your emotions started in your body – not your brain? In this insightful conversation, Anna sits down with licensed clinical counselor, author, and international trainer Amy Sullivan to explore the life-changing lens of Polyvagal Theory. Known for her warm, accessible teaching style, Amy breaks down the nervous system's three core states and how they shape our sense of emotional safety, trauma response, and ability to connect.

You’ll learn:

• What the vagus nerve is and why it matters for trauma healing
• The difference between feeling safe vs. being safe—and why it matters
• How shutdown, anxiety, and calm each have "safe" and "unsafe" versions
• Somatic and expressive arts practices to help regulate your nervous system
• Why co-regulation (even with pets!) is essential for healing

Whether you’re a therapist, trauma survivor, or just curious about your emotional wiring, this episode is full of empowering insights that can help you reconnect with safety and presence.

Click here to learn more about Amy’s work at Rooted Compassion Counseling.

Join host Anna as she talks with therapist Alyssa Scarano about healing generational trauma. Discover how childhood experiences shape our beliefs and relationships, and how these patterns get passed down through families.

Alyssa explains what generational healing really means and shares how trauma creates survival strategies that might have helped us as kids but now hold us back as adults. Learn to spot signs of generational trauma in your life and get practical steps for healing that start with self-awareness and self-compassion.

Perfect for anyone looking to break free from inherited patterns and build healthier relationships—starting with yourself.

LINKS:

Alyssa's Website

Discover how connecting with your inner child can revolutionize your relationship with self-worth in this episode of Courage to Heal. Learn the crucial difference between self-worth and self-esteem, understand what inner child work really means, and explore practical techniques to begin healing childhood wounds that may be blocking your sense of inherent value.

Through personal stories, guided visualization, and actionable strategies, this episode offers a compassionate roadmap for moving from conditional self-worth to the unshakable knowledge that you are worthy simply because you exist. Perfect for anyone struggling with feelings of "not enough" or looking to deepen their self-compassion practice.

Inner Child Meditation