Episodes

  • Why Survivors See What Others Miss

    Why Survivors See What Others Miss
    Jan 3 2026
    Survivors often notice things others overlook—the subtle shifts in tone, the inconsistencies in stories, the undercurrents of control or manipulation that don’t show up on the surface. This isn’t paranoia. It’s pattern recognition shaped by lived experience.

    In this episode, we explore why trauma survivors develop a heightened ability to see what others miss—and how this awareness is often misunderstood or dismissed. We’ll talk about the difference between intuition and hypervigilance, how the nervous system learns to scan for danger, and why survivors are so often gaslit for naming truths that make others uncomfortable.

    Most importantly, we’ll discuss how to reclaim this sensitivity as a strength—without letting it keep you stuck in survival mode.

    If you’ve ever been told you’re “too sensitive,” “overreacting,” or “reading into things,” this conversation is for you.

    ✨ You’re not imagining it.
    ✨ You’re not broken.
    ✨ You’re learning how to trust yourself again.
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    13 mins
  • Hyper-Awareness or Intuition?

    Hyper-Awareness or Intuition?
    Jan 2 2026
    Many trauma survivors are told they’re “too sensitive,” “overreacting,” or “hypervigilant.” In this episode of After the Fire, Michelle Hadley explores what’s actually happening beneath that label—and why heightened awareness isn’t something to eliminate, but something to understand.

    This conversation unpacks how trauma sharpens perception, pattern recognition, and emotional intelligence, and why survivors often notice shifts, inconsistencies, and unspoken dynamics long before others do. Michelle examines the difference between nervous-system-driven vigilance and grounded intuition, and what it takes to rebuild trust in your own perception after it’s been dismissed or minimized.

    Rather than asking listeners to turn their awareness off, this episode offers a reframing: awareness becomes power when it’s regulated, embodied, and integrated. If you’ve ever doubted your instincts—or been taught not to trust what you see and feel—this episode invites you to reclaim discernment as a strength forged through survival.

    After the Fire is a Resilience Labs podcast about healing, integration, and the power that emerges after trauma.
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    14 mins
  • What trauma takes—and what it leaves behind

    What trauma takes—and what it leaves behind
    Jan 2 2026
    There is a moment after trauma when you realize something has shifted—and there’s no going back to who you were before. In this opening episode of After the Fire, Michelle Hadley explores what trauma takes, what it irrevocably changes, and what quietly remains.

    This is not a conversation about “bouncing back” or fixing yourself. It’s about understanding trauma as a threshold—one that alters perception, identity, and nervous system responses, but also awakens clarity, intuition, and depth. Michelle reframes survival not as damage, but as initiation, and invites listeners to release the pressure to return to an earlier version of themselves.

    If you’ve ever felt like life has a clear before and after, this episode offers language, validation, and a steadier way forward—one that honors both what was lost and what emerged.

    After the Fire is a Resilience Labs podcast about healing, integration, and reclaiming the power forged through survival.
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    14 mins