Way OUT of Childhood Trauma

Barb Varcl Smith - Parenting and Generational Trauma Recovery Specialist
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Trauma is not an excuse. Trauma is an explanation. Join Barb Varcl Smith, Trauma Recovery Educator, Speaker, Therapist, and creator of The Ascendance Method™, Fake Resilience™ and 5 Pillars of Self™, as she helps you understand trauma, recognise survival patterns, and reconnect with your inner strength. Through expert conversations, real stories, and practical insights, discover a different path to recovery. 🔹 For survivors: Find validation, clarity, and the courage to heal. 🔹 For professionals: Gain fresh perspectives and therapeutic insights. There is a way out — and it starts here.

  1. Aug 2

    Healing Through the Body: Breath, Sound & Trauma Recovery with Laura Dunworth

    In this episode of Way Out of Childhood Trauma, I am joined by Laura Dunworth, yoga instructor, meditation teacher, breathwork facilitator, and holistic healing practitioner who helps people reconnect with themselves through movement, breath, sound, and energy. Drawing on both her personal healing journey and years of experience supporting others, Laura shares how body-based practices can help calm the nervous system and create the conditions for lasting healing. Together, we explore why trauma is not only held in our memories but also within the body, and why recovery often requires more than understanding our experiences intellectually. We discuss how reconnecting with the body can support emotional regulation, resilience, and a deeper sense of wellbeing. In this conversation, we discuss: The connection between childhood trauma and the nervous system How trauma can become stored in the body The role of breathwork, yoga, and mindfulness in healing Sound, vibration, and their impact on emotional wellbeing Heart-brain coherence and the power of gratitude Why healing involves reconnecting with ourselves, not just understanding our past Finding hope, balance, and resilience after trauma Laura also shares her own journey of healing following childhood experiences and the sudden loss of her brother, and how those experiences inspired her to dedicate her life to helping others restore balance through holistic approaches to wellbeing. This episode is a gentle reminder that healing isn't only about changing our thoughts. Sometimes recovery begins by learning to listen to the wisdom of our own body and creating space for safety, connection, and self-compassion. ✨ Connection to The Ascendance Method™ This conversation reflects an important principle of The Ascendance Method™: our minds and bodies adapt to help us survive. Many of the patterns we experience today are survival adaptations that once served a purpose. While body-based practices can help regulate the nervous system and restore a sense of safety, lasting recovery comes from understanding and changing those survival adaptations. Through the lens of The Ascendance Method™, healing begins with Awareness—recognising the patterns that no longer serve us. From there, we move through Acceptance and Absolution, creating the conditions for Ascendance: living beyond survival from a restored connection to Self. Recovery is not about becoming someone different. It is about remembering who you are beneath the adaptations and stepping into Ascendance. 🔗 Connect with Laura Dunworth https://www.facebook.com/laura.s.dunworth/ https://www.instagram.com/vitality_life_online/ https://www.lauradunworth.com/

    Healing Through the Body: Breath, Sound & Trauma Recovery with Laura Dunworth

  2. Jul 26

    Episode 23 - When Success Hides Anxiety: Reclaiming Your Identity Beyond Burnout with Tracey Cumming

    In this episode of Way Out of Childhood Trauma, I am joined by Tracey Cumming, Transformational Life Coach, Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) Practitioner, speaker, and former corporate director with more than 20 years of leadership experience. On the outside, Tracey appeared successful. She had built a thriving career, held senior leadership positions, and managed large teams. Yet beneath that success, she was living with high-functioning anxiety without even realising it. Everything changed when, after becoming a mother at the age of 42, she was made redundant during maternity leave. Losing the career that had shaped much of her identity forced her to ask a profound question: Who am I when the role I've built my life around disappears? In this conversation, we explore: • High-functioning anxiety and why it often goes unnoticed • Burnout and the hidden cost of constantly achieving • How career and identity can become deeply intertwined • Why major life transitions can uncover unresolved emotional patterns • Motherhood, change, and rediscovering purpose • The importance of self-awareness and emotional wellbeing • Moving beyond survival into a more authentic and fulfilling life Tracey shares her personal journey from the corporate world into transformational coaching and explains how understanding the mind helped her not only recover herself but also support others experiencing similar challenges. This episode is a reminder that success does not always equal wellbeing. Sometimes the strongest-looking people are carrying invisible burdens, and the greatest transformation begins when we stop asking, "How do I keep going?" and start asking, "Who am I beneath all the roles I've been living?" ✨ Connection to The Ascendance Method™ This conversation reflects an important principle of The Ascendance Method™: many high achievers are not truly resilient—they have simply become highly skilled at surviving. What often appears as confidence, productivity, perfectionism, or constant achievement can sometimes be survival adaptations developed long before adulthood. Through Awareness, we begin to recognise these patterns. Through Acceptance and Absolution, we release the beliefs and emotional burdens that keep us trapped. Through Ascendance, we reconnect with our Inner Strength, Purpose, Intuition, Wisdom, and Self-Love, creating a life that is no longer driven by survival but by conscious choice. Healing isn't about becoming someone new. It's about remembering who you are beneath the roles, achievements, and adaptations. 🔗 Connect with Tracey Cumming Website: https://www.transformationallifecoach.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracey-cumming-40031510/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoach_tlc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transformationallifecoachtlc

    Episode 23 - When Success Hides Anxiety: Reclaiming Your Identity Beyond Burnout with Tracey Cumming

  3. Jul 19

    Episode 22 - Living with Agoraphobia: Deborah Higgins' Journey from Fear to Freedom

    In this episode of Way Out of Childhood Trauma, I speak with Deborah Higgins, author, life coach, social worker, and survivor of childhood trauma, anxiety, panic attacks, and agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is often misunderstood as simply being afraid to leave the house. In reality, it can become a life-limiting condition that affects relationships, opportunities, independence, and a person's sense of safety in the world. Deborah shares her deeply personal story of growing up with childhood trauma, experiencing panic attacks from a young age, and eventually struggling with severe anxiety and agoraphobia. Together, we explore: • What agoraphobia really is• The connection between childhood trauma and anxiety disorders• How panic attacks can develop into agoraphobia• Shame, fear, and the impact of living with constant anxiety• Growing up with parental addiction and instability• Recovery, resilience, and rebuilding confidence• Finding freedom beyond fear• Why it is never too late to heal Deborah openly discusses the challenges of living with agoraphobia and how she gradually found ways to reclaim her life despite years of anxiety and fear. Her story is one of determination, courage, and hope. After overcoming significant personal challenges, she went on to earn a Master's Degree in Social Work at the age of 62 and publish her first book at 71, proving that healing and growth remain possible at every stage of life. ✨ Connection to The Ascendance Method™ This conversation reflects a core principle of The Ascendance Method™: people are not broken—they adapted to survive. Agoraphobia and anxiety are not signs of weakness. They are often survival responses developed in response to experiences that once felt overwhelming or unsafe. Through Awareness, we begin to understand these responses. Through Acceptance and Absolution, we release shame and self-judgment. Through Ascendance, we move beyond survival and begin reclaiming our freedom, confidence, and connection to Self. Healing is not about forcing ourselves to be fearless. It is about understanding what created the fear and gently creating safety beyond it. 📖 Deborah Higgins' Book - published under name Elizabeth Connelly Available on Amazon:  A Cure for Anxiety: Biblical Truths and Metaphysical Practices to Overcome Anxiety, Panic, Social Anxiety and Agoraphobia Workbook - expand of book Email: debkhigginscoaching@gmail.com

    Episode 22 - Living with Agoraphobia: Deborah Higgins' Journey from Fear to Freedom

  4. Jul 12

    Episode 21 - Why Parenting Triggers Unhealed Childhood Wounds with Amy Haydak

    In this episode of Way Out of Childhood Trauma, I am joined by Amy Haydak, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), trauma therapist, parent coach, speaker, author, and mother of two. With more than 12 years of clinical experience supporting women, children, and families, Amy specialises in emotional regulation, generational trauma, maternal identity, and family systems. Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience, she helps mothers understand how unresolved childhood wounds can influence their parenting, relationships, and sense of self. Together, we explore: • How motherhood can surface unhealed childhood trauma• Why many parents don't recognise their own trauma• The impact of generational patterns on family dynamics• Emotional regulation and nervous system healing• How trauma is passed through generations• Recognising triggers and responding with intention• Building self-trust and creating emotional safety• What it really means to break the cycle Amy shares powerful insights from years of working with families and explains why healing often begins when we recognise that our reactions today may be rooted in experiences from long ago. This conversation offers hope for parents who want to create healthier relationships with themselves and their children while moving beyond survival-based patterns. ✨ Connection to The Ascendance Method™ This episode beautifully reflects one of the central principles of The Ascendance Method™: people are not broken—they adapted to survive. Many parents discover that the emotional reactions they experience with their children are not simply parenting challenges but echoes of their own unresolved childhood experiences. Through Awareness, we begin to recognise these patterns. Through Acceptance and Absolution, we release shame and self-judgment. And through Ascendance, we create a new path—one that is no longer driven by survival but by conscious choice, connection, and emotional freedom. Breaking generational cycles begins with understanding our own story. Healing ourselves may be one of the greatest gifts we can give to future generations. 🔗 Connect with Amy Haydak Parent Coach | Trauma Therapist | Speaker | Author Book:Unwritten Stories: A Mother’s Journey of Becoming: Finding Yourself While Raising the Future: Haydak, LCSW, Amy: 9798262438921: Amazon.com: Books Website: The Rooted Parent Method | Amy Haydak Coaching Facebook group (mothers/grandmother/female caregivers): https://www.facebook.com/groups/9259426820846036/ Helping women break generational cycles, reclaim their identity, and become emotionally regulated parents who lead with confidence, self-worth, and intention.

    Episode 21 - Why Parenting Triggers Unhealed Childhood Wounds with Amy Haydak

  5. Jul 5

    Episode 20 - Why Trauma Keeps Coming Back: Healing Childhood Wounds with Kym Power

    In this episode of Way Out of Childhood Trauma, I am joined by Kym Power, Wellbeing Coach, Holistic Therapist, Retreat Host, and Speaker, who has spent more than three decades helping people restore their mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. Kym has worked with thousands of clients, from entrepreneurs and high achievers to internationally recognised celebrities, supporting them to reclaim their energy, vitality, and sense of purpose. Together, we explore why so many people continue to struggle despite years of personal development, therapy, or self-help work, and why unresolved childhood experiences often remain at the root of emotional distress, anxiety, burnout, and feeling stuck. In this conversation, we discuss: • The lasting impact of childhood trauma• Why some healing approaches only provide temporary relief• The connection between emotional wellbeing and physical health• How unconscious beliefs shape our lives• The importance of addressing root causes rather than symptoms• Hope, healing, and transformation after trauma• What it means to truly thrive rather than simply survive Kym shares her journey from hairdresser and massage therapist to holistic therapist and wellbeing coach, explaining how years of working closely with people led her to explore deeper approaches to healing and lasting change. This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, even when you've tried many approaches before. Sometimes the breakthrough comes when we stop focusing only on symptoms and begin exploring the experiences and beliefs that shaped us. ✨ Connection to The Ascendance Method™ This conversation reflects a core principle of The Ascendance Method™: people are not broken—they adapted to survive. Many of the struggles we experience as adults are not signs of weakness or failure but survival responses that were developed earlier in life. Through the lens of Ascendance™, healing begins with Awareness—recognising the patterns that no longer serve us. From there, we move through Acceptance and Absolution, creating the conditions for Ascendance: living beyond survival from a restored connection to Self. Recovery is not about becoming someone different. It is about remembering who you are beneath the adaptations and stepping into Ascendance. 🔗 Connect with Kym Power Email: media@kympower.com  Website: www.kympower.com  Instagram: @kympowerwellbeing Facebook: @kympowerwellbeing LinkedIn: in/kympower

    Episode 20 - Why Trauma Keeps Coming Back: Healing Childhood Wounds with Kym Power

  6. Jun 28

    Episode 19 - The Fear Behind the Symptoms: From Dental Surgery to Trauma Healing with Kiki Ypsilanti

    In this episode of Way Out of Childhood Trauma, I am joined by Kiki Ypsilanti, a Dental Surgeon, Periodontist, and Certified Rapid Transformational Therapist (RTT) from Cyprus. After nearly two decades helping patients recover from gum disease and periodontal infections, Kiki noticed something remarkable. While she could successfully treat the physical condition, many patients continued to struggle with anxiety, fear, stress, phobias, and emotional challenges that affected their healing and long-term wellbeing. This realisation led her on a journey beyond physical health and into the world of the subconscious mind, trauma recovery, and emotional healing. Together, we explore: • The connection between emotional wellbeing and physical health• How fear, anxiety, and stress affect healing• The fear of the dentist and where it often comes from• The relationship between trauma and chronic health challenges• Why treating symptoms is not always enough• The role of RTT (Rapid Transformational Therapy) in uncovering root causes• How subconscious beliefs influence our lives and recovery Kiki shares her unique perspective from working in both dentistry and transformational therapy, offering powerful insights into the mind-body connection and the importance of addressing the deeper causes behind our struggles. This conversation is a reminder that lasting healing often begins when we look beyond the symptom and become curious about what our mind and body are trying to communicate. ✨ Connection to The Ascendance Method™ This episode reflects a core principle of The Ascendance Method™: symptoms are often messengers, not the problem itself. Whether the symptom appears as anxiety, fear, avoidance, chronic stress, or physical health challenges, the question is not "What's wrong with me?" but "What is this trying to tell me?" Through the lens of Ascendance™, healing begins with Recognition and Awareness—understanding the survival adaptations, beliefs, and emotional patterns operating beneath the surface. Only then can we move toward Acceptance, Absolution, and Ascendance. People are not broken. They adapted to survive. Recovery is the process of restoring connection to Self. 🔗 Connect with Kiki Ypsilanti Email: contact@kikiypsilanti.com Facebook: Mind Surgeon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_mind_surgeon_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mind-surgeon/ Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kikiypsilanti_theMindSurgeon?si=4T_6BmouYIqtnO71 Website:  https://www.kikiypsilanti.com/   Google Page: The Mind Surgeon  Learn more about Kiki and her work through her social channels and professional services.

    Episode 19 - The Fear Behind the Symptoms: From Dental Surgery to Trauma Healing with Kiki Ypsilanti

  7. Jun 21

    Episode 18 - From Survival to Recovery: Healing the Trauma Beneath Eating Disorders with Victoria Bailey

    In this episode of Way Out of Childhood Trauma, I speak with Victoria Bailey, founder of My Me Coaching, about her deeply personal journey through childhood trauma, eating disorders, addiction, dissociation, and recovery. Victoria shares how the coping mechanisms she developed in childhood helped her survive difficult experiences but ultimately disconnected her from herself. Together, we explore the relationship between trauma and eating disorders, the role of shame and self-worth, and how recovery becomes possible when we begin to understand the purpose behind our behaviours rather than judging them. In this conversation, we discuss: • Childhood trauma and survival adaptations• The connection between trauma and eating disorders• Addiction, dissociation, and codependency• The impact of shame on recovery• Self-worth, identity, and healing• Developing healthier tools for emotional regulation• Moving from survival to authentic living Victoria's story is a powerful reminder that healing is not about perfection. It is about understanding ourselves with compassion, recognising the strategies that once helped us survive, and creating new ways of living that support who we are today. ✨ Connection to The Ascendance Method™ This conversation reflects a core principle of The Ascendance Method™: people are not broken—they adapted to survive. Through the lens of trauma recovery, eating disorders, addiction, dissociation, and other coping mechanisms can be understood as survival adaptations rather than personal failures. Recovery begins with Recognition and Awareness—understanding what helped us survive and whether it still serves us today. Healing is not about fixing ourselves; it is about restoring connection to Self and moving from survival toward authenticity. 🔗 Connect with Victoria Bailey | My Me Coaching Website: http://www.mymeconsulting.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my.me.coach/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571157072956

  8. 03/04/2024

    Episode 17 - PMDD, Trauma and Identity: Finding the Root Cause with Lucia Petrusova

    In this episode of Way Out of Childhood Trauma, I am joined by Lucia Petrusova, RTT Practitioner, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and transformational coach, to explore the often-overlooked connection between trauma, identity, and PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). Lucia shares her own journey of overcoming identity struggles, PMDD, migraines, and PTSD, and explains how unresolved emotional experiences and trauma can manifest through the body in powerful ways. Together, we discuss: • The connection between trauma and PMDD• How childhood experiences shape our sense of identity• The impact of unresolved emotional wounds on physical and emotional wellbeing• Why symptoms are often messengers rather than the problem itself• Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) and its role in recovery• Moving from survival and symptom management toward lasting healing Lucia also shares insights from her work helping clients uncover the root causes of their challenges and create meaningful transformation in their lives. You can explore more in her book Unapologetically Feminine This conversation offers hope for anyone struggling with PMDD, trauma symptoms, identity issues, or feeling trapped in cycles they don't fully understand. ✨ Connection to The Ascendance Method™ This episode reflects a key principle of The Ascendance Method™: symptoms are often expressions of survival adaptations rather than evidence that something is wrong with us. Through the lens of Ascendance™, PMDD and other chronic emotional or physical struggles can become invitations to deeper self-understanding. Recovery begins with Recognition and Awareness—understanding what our mind and body have been trying to communicate. From there, we can move toward Acceptance, Absolution, and ultimately Authenticity. People are not broken. They adapted to survive. Healing is about restoring connection to Self. 🔗 Connect with Lucia Petrusova Contact Lucia on https://www.luciapetrusova.com Contact Barb on https://your-steps.co.uk

    Episode 17 - PMDD, Trauma and Identity: Finding the Root Cause with Lucia Petrusova
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About

Trauma is not an excuse. Trauma is an explanation. Join Barb Varcl Smith, Trauma Recovery Educator, Speaker, Therapist, and creator of The Ascendance Method™, Fake Resilience™ and 5 Pillars of Self™, as she helps you understand trauma, recognise survival patterns, and reconnect with your inner strength. Through expert conversations, real stories, and practical insights, discover a different path to recovery. 🔹 For survivors: Find validation, clarity, and the courage to heal. 🔹 For professionals: Gain fresh perspectives and therapeutic insights. There is a way out — and it starts here.

Information

  • Creator
    Barb Varcl Smith - Parenting and Generational Trauma Recovery Specialist
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Barb Varcl Smith - Parenting and Generational Trauma Recovery Specialist
  • Show Website
    Way OUT of Childhood Trauma