HopeMakers: Disrupting the legacy of trauma.

Dr Erica Bowen
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Trauma doesn't just harm those who experience it directly—it ripples outward, shaping behaviours, fuelling violence, and creating new victims. But what if we could interrupt that cycle? In season one of Hopemakers, we celebrated the extraordinary resilience of individuals who transformed their trauma and adversity into purpose—powerful stories of survival, healing, and hope that proved change is possible. Now, in season two (coming in 2026) we're expanding our mission. Hosted by Dr Erica Bowen, a registered practitioner forensic psychologist, chartered coaching psychologist, somatic trauma-informed coach and trauma-informed practice consultant, Hopemakers now bridges the personal with the systemic, bringing together three vital perspectives: the lived experiences of survivors who've broken cycles of harm, the cutting-edge research of academics working to reduce violent crime perpetration, and the practical insights of those pioneering trauma-informed approaches in communities and organisations. Through a somatic lens—understanding how trauma lives in our bodies and shapes our actions—we examine both sides of trauma's devastating cycle: how it wounds us, and how unhealed trauma can lead to harm. Each conversation explores the profound connections between individual healing and violence prevention, offering evidence-based insights alongside deeply human stories. This isn't just another podcast about trauma recovery. It's about understanding that healing personal wounds and preventing collective harm are two sides of the same coin. By disrupting trauma's legacy at every level—individual, systemic, and intergenerational—we create safer, more compassionate communities for everyone. Whether you're here for the transformative survivor stories that launched season one, or you're ready to explore the research and practice that can prevent violence before it happens, Hopemakers offers thought leadership, evidence, and above all, hope that change is possible. Because when we stop trauma in its tracks, we don't just heal individuals—we transform entire legacies. Subscribe to HopeMakers wherever you listen to podcasts, and discover your own path to hope.

  1. 4D AGO

    Episode 18 Leah Steele

    HopeMakers: Disrupting the legacy of trauma.

    54 min

  2. 12/22/2025

    Episode 17 tracey manser

    HopeMakers: Disrupting the legacy of trauma.

    56 min

  3. 12/15/2025

    Episode 16

    HopeMakers: Disrupting the legacy of trauma.

    50 min

  4. 12/08/2025

    Episode 15

    HopeMakers: Disrupting the legacy of trauma.

    51 min

  5. 12/01/2025

    Episode 14

    HopeMakers: Disrupting the legacy of trauma.

    53 min

  6. 11/24/2025

    Episode 13: Intentional Optimism: From Food Addiction to Faith-Based Hope and Women's Leadership with Andrea Johnson

    In this energetic and wide-ranging episode recorded around the International Day of Happiness, host Erica Bowen speaks with Andrea Johnson—also known as "The Intentional Optimist"—about her journey from struggling with eating disorders and depression to becoming an advocate for women's empowerment and faith-based leadership. Andrea shares her unique upbringing as a missionary kid, moving 17 times by age 21 between the United States and Seoul, Korea. Whilst this gave her a global mindset and incredible experiences (wearing Oscar de la Renta at 15, attending school with kids from 65 countries), she didn't have the tools to handle constant change. She coped by becoming a "food sneaker and food hoarder," hiding jars of peanut butter under her bed and eventually developing severe bulimia characterized by binge eating rather than purging. The conversation explores Andrea's turning point at age 21, spending her birthday in a 12-week inpatient program for bulimia and depression—finally receiving help that addressed the inside, not just external symptoms. She describes the long journey through multiple diet programs, marriage, seven years on antidepressants, weighing 310 pounds at under 5'2", and eventually choosing gastric bypass surgery as "the best physical choice I ever made for myself"—whilst acknowledging it's just a tool that requires internal work. Andrea reveals the moment she looked at her husband and said "I look into the future and it's a black hole"—having lost all hope and future vision despite never having thoughts of self-harm. This led to seeking help and beginning the journey toward what she calls "intentional optimism." She shares the devastating news of having only a 13% chance of live birth due to early menopause, and her powerful realization: "adoption is 100% chance." The subsequent two-year adoption journey included losing 2-3 potential babies before successfully adopting their son Nathan (whose name means "gift"). The episode introduces Andrea's philosophy of "intentional optimism" with its six tenets: optimistic, present, courageous, energetic, wise, and intentional. She argues that hope is not passive—it doesn't float in "like Tinkerbell"—but is actionable, born out of faith and doing something. Hope, she explains, has three components: helping us see the future (through making plans), seeing possibilities (by asking "what if?"), and changing our perspective. Andrea uses the powerful metaphor of taking a panoramic photo from the top of the Eiffel Tower—all those perspectives were always there, but you only captured one in your first shot. When you turn the camera around, you gain a completely different view without having to change location. This applies to how we see ourselves and others—celebrating uniqueness rather than forcing conformity. The conversation addresses Andrea's work empowering women to be "big" leaders in their own authentic way, not by mimicking masculine leadership styles. Drawing on the Proverbs 31 woman as a model, she advocates for women being unapologetically themselves—whether their "world" is the car rider line, helping kids who can't afford prom clothes, or becoming the next female US president. She introduces the concept of "positive opposites" learned from parenting her son with ADHD—turning "stop running" into "use walking feet"—as a powerful self-talk tool. Key Takeaways: Hope is actionable, not passive—it requires doing something, making decisions, taking stepsWe are what we choose—our lives are shaped by our decisions, not just our circumstancesHope encompasses three elements: seeing the future (make plans), seeing possibilities (ask "what if?"), and changing perspective (turn the camera around)Addressing only external symptoms without internal work leads to repeated strugglesFaith can undergird hope, but we still need tools and must take action"Decision is a superpower"—

    55 min

  7. 11/17/2025

    Episode 12: From Crystal Meth to Hope: Choosing What to Do With Your Feelings with Archie Messersmith-Bunting

    In this powerful and deeply moving episode, host Erica Bowen speaks with Archie Messersmith-Bunting, a professional motivational speaker known as "the feelings guy," about his journey from crystal meth addiction and suicidal depression to becoming an advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Archie shares his experience growing up gay in the Deep South, navigating religious trauma that taught him he was destined for hell, and living a double life that led to profound disconnection from himself. He describes how crystal meth initially made "all the pain go away," but as a binge user dealing with major depressive disorder, the crashes became unbearable—freight trains slamming through his brain repeatedly until suicide seemed like the only option that wasn't unbearable. The conversation explores the critical turning point when Archie realized he wasn't "the Manchurian Candidate"—that he hadn't irreversibly damaged his brain and actually had a choice. This moment of hope, recognizing he had agency even when he still struggled, became the foundation for his recovery. He credits his long-haired Chihuahua, Fabi, as instrumental in saving his life—nights when holding his dog and telling himself "we can do this, buddy" kept him going. Archie introduces his revolutionary approach to connection: replacing "How are you?" with "How are you feeling today?" These five words, he argues, can save lives by creating space for genuine vulnerability and stopping people on the suicide spectrum at points 1, 2, 3, or 4—before they reach the point of no return at 9 or 10. He explains how our transactional society programs us to respond with "I'm fine" rather than truthfully sharing our emotional state. The episode addresses the gifts within the pandemic's challenges, including forced reflection and the opportunity to practice genuine listening. Archie emphasizes the critical skill of listening to understand rather than listening to respond, advocating for adding "Can I listen?" to our vocabulary. He shares how his recovery required both traditional 12-step work and therapy working in tandem—that focusing solely on sobriety without addressing underlying trauma wasn't enough for him. Archie's message is clear: you can't help feeling how you feel—feelings exist for a reason and we're meant to experience the full range. But you do have a choice in what you do with those feelings. On bad days, the choice might simply be self-care. On other days, it's choosing to pick up the phone and ask someone to just listen. His philosophy centres on being a "helper" rather than needing advanced degrees—using the mess of his past to hopefully save lives. Key Takeaways: Replacing "How are you?" with "How are you feeling?" creates space for life-saving vulnerabilitySuicide exists on a spectrum—early intervention through genuine connection can prevent escalationHope emerges from recognizing you have a choice, even when all options seem unbearableListening to understand (not to respond) is a critical but undervalued skillRecovery often requires multiple approaches working together—one size doesn't fit allYou can't help feeling how you feel, but you can choose what you do with those feelingsWords of encouragement matter profoundly, especially during difficult timesSometimes the simplest things (like a loving pet) can keep us on the right side of the lineBeing a "helper" doesn't require degrees—lived experience and compassion are powerful tools

    50 min

  8. 11/10/2025

    Episode 11: Quantum Leap: From Corporate Comfort Zone to Transformational Purpose with Alexandra Ionitta

    In this inspiring International Women's Day episode, host Erica Bowen speaks with Alexandra Ionitta, a 27-year-old mindset coach who made the bold decision to quit her dream corporate job - travelling the world for a global company—because despite having everything she thought she wanted, she felt miserable and disconnected from herself. Alexandra shares the moment she recognised she was "living for the weekend," that quiet whisper of intuition telling her something had to change. Without any backup plan, she handed in her resignation and began travelling solo through Asia, searching for the connection with herself that she'd lost. This journey eventually led her to discover web design, then mindset work, and ultimately to studying with Bob Proctor and other leaders in the field of subconscious reprogramming. The conversation explores the crucial difference between being "interested" in change versus being "committed" to it—the difference between doing what's convenient and doing whatever it takes. Alexandra explains the distinction between self-confidence (believing you can do what you're already doing) and self-image (seeing yourself as the person who has already achieved what you desire), emphasising that without the right self-image, you'll sabotage even the best strategies. Alexandra discusses why personal development often gets dismissed as "fluffy" or ineffective—it's not that affirmations and visualisation don't work, but that people do them without genuine belief, which makes them useless. She explains how she experienced quantum leaps in her business (earning in months what previously took a year) by changing her internal programming rather than just working harder on external strategies. The episode addresses crucial themes for women, including the socialisation to serve others first, the difficulty of asking "what do I really want?" when we're bombarded by expectations, and the revolutionary act of filling your own cup first (which actually gives you more to offer others, not less). Alexandra challenges the language around goals—shifting from "losing weight" to "releasing what doesn't serve you," from punishment to self-love. She introduces powerful practices including: daily visualisation of your desired future self (even if it feels like pretend at first), looking in the mirror and declaring self-love until it feels true, and using gratitude as a bridge from negative states to positive ones. The core message is that hope—belief in yourself and your power to create change—is the foundation everything else builds upon. Key Takeaways: The difference between being interested in change and being committed to itSelf-image (who you see yourself becoming) matters more than self-confidenceEvery strategy fails without the right mindset and belief system underneathThe importance of disconnecting from external influences to discover what YOU truly want"Releasing" rather than "losing" creates a healthier relationship with changeLoving yourself NOW, before achieving your goals, is what makes transformation possibleGratitude serves as a bridge from negative emotional states to more positive onesAction reveals the next step—you don't need to see the whole staircase before startingThree daily practices: let go of the past each morning, visualise your future self, practice gratitudeEverything happens FOR you, not TO you—there's always a lesson for your growth

    52 min
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About

Trauma doesn't just harm those who experience it directly—it ripples outward, shaping behaviours, fuelling violence, and creating new victims. But what if we could interrupt that cycle? In season one of Hopemakers, we celebrated the extraordinary resilience of individuals who transformed their trauma and adversity into purpose—powerful stories of survival, healing, and hope that proved change is possible. Now, in season two (coming in 2026) we're expanding our mission. Hosted by Dr Erica Bowen, a registered practitioner forensic psychologist, chartered coaching psychologist, somatic trauma-informed coach and trauma-informed practice consultant, Hopemakers now bridges the personal with the systemic, bringing together three vital perspectives: the lived experiences of survivors who've broken cycles of harm, the cutting-edge research of academics working to reduce violent crime perpetration, and the practical insights of those pioneering trauma-informed approaches in communities and organisations. Through a somatic lens—understanding how trauma lives in our bodies and shapes our actions—we examine both sides of trauma's devastating cycle: how it wounds us, and how unhealed trauma can lead to harm. Each conversation explores the profound connections between individual healing and violence prevention, offering evidence-based insights alongside deeply human stories. This isn't just another podcast about trauma recovery. It's about understanding that healing personal wounds and preventing collective harm are two sides of the same coin. By disrupting trauma's legacy at every level—individual, systemic, and intergenerational—we create safer, more compassionate communities for everyone. Whether you're here for the transformative survivor stories that launched season one, or you're ready to explore the research and practice that can prevent violence before it happens, Hopemakers offers thought leadership, evidence, and above all, hope that change is possible. Because when we stop trauma in its tracks, we don't just heal individuals—we transform entire legacies. Subscribe to HopeMakers wherever you listen to podcasts, and discover your own path to hope.

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