Unhealed: Surviving Isn’t Healing

The Unhealed Podcast
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Weekly

Unhealed: Surviving Isn’t Healing is a raw and thought-provoking podcast that dares to uncover the hidden scars of childhood abuse. Too many adults believe survival equals recovery, but survival is only the first step. This podcast is for survivors who thought survival was enough but discovered true healing takes more. Hosted by Cynthia, each episode features personal stories; others highlight experts and fellow survivors—all with one goal: moving from surviving to healing. theunhealedpodcast.substack.com

  1. The Unheard

    Feb 16

    The Unheard

    If you ever feel ready to share your story out loud, I would be honored to hold a safe space for you. You can email me attheunhealedpodcast@gmail.com If this episode resonated, don’t forget to subscribe to my Substack. Like. Follow. Share this episode with someone who needs it. If you’d like to support this work and help me continue creating these conversations, you can go tobuymeacoffee.com/theunhealedpodcast Your support keeps this space alive. Get full access to Unhealed: Surviving Isn't Healing at theunhealedpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    18 min
  2. I Love Dr. King Enough to Tell the Truth

    Jan 19

    I Love Dr. King Enough to Tell the Truth

    This podcast episode is not a tribute and it is not a history lesson. It is a direct examination of this country as it exists right now and what it means to invoke Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while openly rejecting the values he lived and died for. Racism is not subtle. It is loud, defended, and rewarded. And every year we pause to celebrate Dr. King without reckoning with how far we have drifted from the moral clarity he demanded. I recorded this episode thinking about what I am supposed to teach my grandchildren about truth, courage, and integrity in a world that performs justice instead of living it. This is not meant to comfort.It is meant to confront. If you are willing to listen honestly, this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen to the full episode here. Get full access to Unhealed: Surviving Isn't Healing at theunhealedpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    12 min
  3. My Relationship With Men

    Jan 7

    My Relationship With Men

    In this raw and unfiltered Season 2 opener of Unhealed, Cynthia reflects on her relationship with men and the impact those relationships have had on her life. Through lived experience, pattern recognition, and hard-earned insight, this solo episode explores intimacy, betrayal, accountability, self-worth, and healing for women navigating their own choices and for men willing to listen when the truth is spoken. This is not about blame; it’s about honesty, responsibility, and the awakening that comes when we stop softening our truth. Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of childhood sexual abuse, betrayal, abortion, and emotionally heavy themes. Listener discretion is advised. Email (to share stories):theunhealedpodcast@gmail.com Support the podcast:https://buymeacoffee.com/theunhealedpodcast Substack:https://theunhealedpodcast.substack.com Get full access to Unhealed: Surviving Isn't Healing at theunhealedpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    27 min
  4. The Patterns We Carry, The Voices We Reclaim with Author Amy McKiernan

    12/11/2025

    The Patterns We Carry, The Voices We Reclaim with Author Amy McKiernan

    In this powerful episode, author Amy McKiernan joins Cynthia to unravel the hidden patterns born from childhood and teenage trauma — and the quiet courage required to face them. Amy shares how writing became a place to name what hurt, honor what survived, and reclaim the parts of herself that once felt silenced. A tender, resonant listen for anyone healing from a story they were never invited to tell. Book Title: More than a survivor - Eight keys to overcoming sexual assault & finding a path to living a fulfilled life Purchase: https://amymckiernan.com/ To support this show: buymeacoffee.com/theunhealedpodcast If you would like to share your story out loud in a safe judgement free space email me at: theunhealedpodcast@gmail.com Get full access to Unhealed: Surviving Isn't Healing at theunhealedpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr
  5. The Pain Behind the Power: Why Some Become Bullies

    12/08/2025

    The Pain Behind the Power: Why Some Become Bullies

    Why do some people become bullies? Is it really about power—or is it about pain? In this powerful solo episode, Cynthia, host of Unhealed: Surviving Isn’t Healing, explores the hidden wounds and unspoken experiences that often shape bullying behavior. While bullying is never justified, this episode invites listeners to look deeper—to ask: What happened to them? and What does unhealed pain look like when it turns outward? Through real talk, reflection, and compassionate truth-telling, this episode offers a new lens on cruelty, control, and the emotional roots of aggression. ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses emotional trauma and bullying. 🎧 Listen in if you’re ready to unpack the pain behind the power. Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/theunhealedpodcast Share your story: theunhealedpodcast@gmail.com Host disclaimer: I am not a therapist or licensed mental health professional. Get full access to Unhealed: Surviving Isn't Healing at theunhealedpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    29 min
  6. What My Father Taught Me About Men — And What I Had to Unlearn to Survive

    12/02/2025

    What My Father Taught Me About Men — And What I Had to Unlearn to Survive

    In this raw and deeply honest solo episode, Cynthia opens up about the first wound that shaped her entire relationship with men — a wound created in childhood and carried into womanhood. She shares how early experiences with a father who didn’t protect, nurture, or affirm her led to a lifelong struggle with trust, intimacy, boundaries, and emotional safety. Speaking directly to listeners who grew up unprotected, unseen, or misunderstood, Cynthia explores how childhood trauma influences the partners we choose, the love we accept, and the patterns we repeat. She reveals how many of us unknowingly mimic the same emotional behaviors of the people who hurt us — and how recognizing this truth is the first step toward breaking generational cycles. This episode dives into healing, solitude, self-worth, and reclaiming your peace — while reminding you that your story matters, your voice deserves air, and your healing is possible. A powerful conversation for anyone who has ever questioned their worth because of how they were treated, and anyone ready to unlearn old wounds and rise as the person they were always meant to be. If today’s episode gave you something — a moment of clarity, a breath of relief, a feeling of being seen — and you want to pour back into this space, you can buy me a coffee. Your support truly means the world to me. buymeacoffee.com/theunhealedpodcast If you would like to share your story out loud email me at: theunhealedpodcast@gmail.com Get full access to Unhealed: Surviving Isn't Healing at theunhealedpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    16 min
  7. When Silence Speaks: Listening Beyond Your Child’s Words

    11/09/2025

    When Silence Speaks: Listening Beyond Your Child’s Words

    In this deeply personal and emotional episode of Unhealed: Surviving Isn’t Healing, host Cynthia opens her heart about the power of silence—what it hides, what it reveals, and how easily it’s overlooked. Speaking from her own lived experience, Cynthia shares what it felt like to be the child no one truly saw and what it means now to listen differently as a parent, grandparent, great aunt etc. This episode isn’t about blame—it’s about awareness, reflection, and redemption. Through raw storytelling and gentle honesty, Cynthia reminds us that silence has a language of its own, and that sometimes, the most powerful act of love is noticing what isn’t being said. Disclaimer: Cynthia is not a therapist—just a woman on her own healing journey. The conversations in this episode are for awareness and reflection only and should not replace professional help. If you would like to support this podcast simply buy me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/theunhealedpodcast If you would like to share your story out loud in a safe space judgement free email me at: theunhealedpodcast@gmail.com Get full access to Unhealed: Surviving Isn't Healing at theunhealedpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    24 min
  8. Tell Somebody: From Silence to Strength — A Conversation with Aleesha Barlow

    10/30/2025

    Tell Somebody: From Silence to Strength — A Conversation with Aleesha Barlow

    In this powerful episode of Unhealed: Surviving Isn’t Healing, host Cynthia sits down with Aleesha Barlow, founder of the Tell Somebody Movement, to explore how one woman’s act of courage became a nationwide call for awareness and healing. Aleesha shares her journey from surviving childhood abuse to reclaiming her voice and transforming pain into purpose. Together, they unpack the emotional realities of breaking silence, the long path of healing, and the creation of a movement that empowers survivors to speak their truth. Listeners will gain insight into: The moment Aleesha chose to tell somebody How healing evolves through faith, community, and advocacy What it takes to build safe spaces for survivors How each of us can help break the cycle of silence This conversation is both raw and restorative—a reminder that speaking your truth can spark collective healing. Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of child abuse and trauma. If you or someone you know needs support, contact the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or visit childhelphotline.org. Aleesha Barlow Contact Information: www.TellSomebodyToday.com If you would like to share your story out loud email me at: theunhealedpodcast@gmail.com If you would like to support this podcast go to: buymeacoffee.com/theunhealedpodcast Get full access to Unhealed: Surviving Isn't Healing at theunhealedpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 3m
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5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Unhealed: Surviving Isn’t Healing is a raw and thought-provoking podcast that dares to uncover the hidden scars of childhood abuse. Too many adults believe survival equals recovery, but survival is only the first step. This podcast is for survivors who thought survival was enough but discovered true healing takes more. Hosted by Cynthia, each episode features personal stories; others highlight experts and fellow survivors—all with one goal: moving from surviving to healing. theunhealedpodcast.substack.com

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