Friends,

What if the anxiety you feel around forgiveness isn’t resistance… but protection?

In this episode I explore the very real fear, confusion, and nervous system responses that can surface when we begin considering forgiveness after trauma, betrayal, abuse, or deep emotional pain.

Forgiveness is often presented as simple or immediate, but for many people, the thought of forgiving can activate shame, panic, dissociation, hypervigilance, or emotional overwhelm. Why? Because our bodies remember what happened, even when our minds try to move on.

Drawing from trauma research, somatic healing principles, and Christian spirituality, I explain how forgiveness anxiety may actually be a signal that deeper healing and safety are needed first.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why forgiveness can feel unsafe in the body
• How trauma responses impact our ability to forgive
• The connection between embodiment, emotional safety, and interior freedom
• Why misunderstanding forgiveness keeps many people stuck
• The difference between authentic forgiveness and forced forgiveness
• How unresolved trauma can manifest physically through chronic stress and mind-body symptoms
• Why becoming a “student of forgiveness” can reduce fear and confusion

References:

van der Kolk, Bessel A. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books, 2015. [1, 2]

Levine, P. Retrieved from YouTube, May 26, 2026 https://youtu.be/e4If-3mQtLA?si=KWMOhhWWR_z2KYE4

If forgiveness has felt overwhelming, unsafe, or impossible, this episode offers a gentler path forward — one rooted in honesty, nervous system awareness, compassion, and healing.

Are you:

• A high-achieving Christian woman?
• Survivor of Trauma and Betrayal?
• Have done all the things - therapy, wellness classes, spiritual growth practices?
• And still feel like something is missing?

Join us for the Freedom to Forgive Masterclass: A Journey of Healing, Release, and Renewal. We start next Wednesday!

Connect with Dr. Carron

• Partner with Us: https://go.drcarron.com/FIFYPodcastGift

• Join the weekly newsletter: https://go.drcarron.com/newsletterfreegiftoptin
• Work with me 1:1 — Looking for shame‑free, nonjudgmental support on your healing journey? Schedule a free consultation and let’s chat: https://go.drcarron.com/chatwithdrcarron

Love the Podcast?

If Forgiveness Is for YOU resonates with you, please:

• Follow / Subscribe
• Share with someone who needs hope
• Leave a rating and written review

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgiveness-is-for-you-overcome-trauma-through-forgiveness/id1721956839

How to Leave an Apple Review

1. Open the Apple Podcasts app
2. Search: Forgiveness Is for YOU
3. Tap the show (not an episode)
4. Scroll to Ratings & Reviews
5. Tap Write a Review

Credits

• Host & Producer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Podcast Editor: Dr. Carron Silva
• Cover Art Designer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Music: Kode M (@kodemaster90)
• Social Media Manager: Diamond_Media00

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. Guests are welcomed in a spirit of respectful dialogue and freedom of expression.

A Final Word

Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.

*Content Warning* This episode contains mature content not suitable for minors. Please use discretion when listening.

Friends,

In this episode, I explore one of the most difficult and rarely discussed questions surrounding forgiveness:

Who will I be if I let go of unforgiveness?

For many people, unforgiveness is not simply an emotional response to pain. It becomes intertwined with identity, safety, survival, and even spirituality. When we’ve lived for years inside betrayal, abuse, abandonment, or grief, forgiveness can feel less like freedom and more like losing ourselves.

In this episode, I share my own journey through childhood sexual abuse recovery and explore:

• how wounding can become part of our identity,
• why the nervous system resists unfamiliar peace,
• the attachment we develop to our personal stories,
• the spiritual pressure many Christians feel around forgiveness,
• and how repeated emotional patterns shape the brain over time.

If forgiveness feels scary to you, you are not broken. You may simply be standing at a crossroads between survival and freedom.

This episode offers compassion, insight, and hope for those who feel stuck in resentment, grief, fear, or confusion around forgiveness.

Reference(s): Van Der Kolk, B.A., The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books, 2015.

Learn more about the Freedom to Forgive Masterclass: A Journey of Healing, Release & Renewal.

Connect with Dr. Carron

• Partner with Us: https://go.drcarron.com/FIFYPodcastGift

• Join the weekly newsletter: https://go.drcarron.com/newsletterfreegiftoptin
• Work with me 1:1 — Looking for shame‑free, nonjudgmental support on your healing journey? Schedule a free consultation and let’s chat: https://go.drcarron.com/chatwithdrcarron

Love the Podcast?

If Forgiveness Is for YOU resonates with you, please:

• Follow / Subscribe
• Share with someone who needs hope
• Leave a rating and written review

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgiveness-is-for-you-overcome-trauma-through-forgiveness/id1721956839

How to Leave an Apple Review

1. Open the Apple Podcasts app
2. Search: Forgiveness Is for YOU
3. Tap the show (not an episode)
4. Scroll to Ratings & Reviews
5. Tap Write a Review

Credits

• Host & Producer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Podcast Editor: Dr. Carron Silva
• Cover Art Designer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Music: Kode M (@kodemaster90)
• Social Media Manager: Diamond_Media00

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. Guests are welcomed in a spirit of respectful dialogue and freedom of expression.

A Final Word

Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.

Friends,

As Memorial Day approaches, we pause to remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. But there is another group of veterans quietly fighting battles long after deployment ends, those struggling to transition home, find belonging, and rediscover hope in civilian life.

In this deeply important conversation, I’m joined by retired Lt. Colonel John Garcia, host of the Regiment of the Cross podcast, to discuss the invisible struggles many veterans face after returning home from service.

John shares the heartbreaking realities surrounding veteran suicide, the emotional and psychological challenges of transitioning into civilian society, and the ways advocacy, agriculture, storytelling, and authentic human connection can help restore dignity, purpose, and hope.

Together, we explore:

• Why the transition home can feel isolating and disorienting
• The importance of belonging and being truly seen
• The emotional toll of military service and reintegration
• The alarming statistics surrounding veteran suicide
• How civilians can better support veterans in their communities
• Why storytelling and meaningful work can become pathways to healing

This episode is both a Memorial Day reflection and a call to greater compassion, awareness, and connection.

If you know someone serving in the military, transitioning home, or quietly struggling, please share this conversation with them.

• Listen to the Regiment of the Cross podcast
• Email: regimentofthecross@gmail.com

Connect with Dr. Carron

• Interested in joining Dr. Carron for a forgiveness Masterclass this summer? Join the Freedom to Forgive Interested List. This course is for Christian women 50+ who have survived trauma, spent years in therapy, are living good lives, but still feel something is missing. In this course, we will journey together through a process of healing, release and renewal.
• Partner with Us: https://go.drcarron.com/FIFYPodcastGift
• Join the weekly newsletter: https://go.drcarron.com/newsletterfreegiftoptin
• Work with me 1:1 — Looking for shame‑free, nonjudgmental support on your healing journey? Limited spots available. Schedule a free consultation and let’s chat: https://go.drcarron.com/chatwithdrcarron

Love the Podcast?

If Forgiveness Is for YOU resonates with you, please:

• Follow / Subscribe
• Share with someone who needs hope
• Leave a rating and written review

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgiveness-is-for-you-overcome-trauma-through-forgiveness/id1721956839

How to Leave an Apple Review

1. Open the Apple Podcasts app
2. Search: Forgiveness Is for YOU
3. Tap the show (not an episode)
4. Scroll to Ratings & Reviews
5. Tap Write a Review

Credits

• Host & Producer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Podcast Editor: Dr. Carron Silva
• Cover Art Designer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Music: Kode M (@kodemaster90)
• Social Media Manager: Diamond_Media00

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. Guests are welcomed in a spirit of respectful dialogue and freedom of expression.

A Final Word

Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.

Friends,

In a world marked by division, violence, and deep injustice, the question of forgiveness becomes anything but simple.

In this deeply personal episode, I reflects on my lived experience of Apartheid, a system that shaped my childhood, understanding of safety, and relationship to truth.

As global events echo familiar patterns of oppression and silenced voices, this episode explores what it means to hold both grief and compassion simultaneously.

Through the life and witness of Nelson Mandela, a man who moved from prisoner to president and chose forgiveness in the face of profound injustice, we are invited into a difficult, necessary question:

Who do we forgive when the system itself is the wound?

This conversation doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it creates space to reflect on:

• Trauma stored in the body and how it resurfaces
• The impact of hidden or distorted history
• The tension between justice and forgiveness
• The role of our shared humanity (Ubuntu) in healing
• Why forgiveness begins with people, not systems

“Systems are made of people, and when people change, systems change.”

Whether you are carrying personal wounds or witnessing injustice in the world around you, this episode invites you to consider one small but powerful step:

Who is one person you might be ready to forgive?

Reference(s)

https://www.facebook.com/amarchivepub/videos/nelson-mandela-on-imprisonment-and-forgiveness-1991/2187579574982773/

https://youtu.be/hnpIyHzHukc?si=XF8MP2tISiITmP4M

Connect with Dr. Carron

• Partner with Us: https://go.drcarron.com/FIFYPodcastGift

• Join the weekly newsletter: https://go.drcarron.com/newsletterfreegiftoptin
• Work with me 1:1 — Looking for shame‑free, nonjudgmental support on your healing journey? Schedule a free consultation and let’s chat: https://go.drcarron.com/chatwithdrcarron

Love the Podcast?

If Forgiveness Is for YOU resonates with you, please:

• Follow / Subscribe
• Share with someone who needs hope
• Leave a rating and written review

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgiveness-is-for-you-overcome-trauma-through-forgiveness/id1721956839

How to Leave an Apple Review

1. Open the Apple Podcasts app
2. Search: Forgiveness Is for YOU
3. Tap the show (not an episode)
4. Scroll to Ratings & Reviews
5. Tap Write a Review

Credits

• Host & Producer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Podcast Editor: Dr. Carron Silva
• Cover Art Designer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Music: Kode M (@kodemaster90)
• Social Media Manager: Diamond_Media00

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. Guests are welcomed in a spirit of respectful dialogue and freedom of expression.

A Final Word

Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.

Friends,

What does it do to your heart, your body, and your sense of safety to love someone struggling with alcohol use?

In this episode, I’m joined by holistic health and fitness coach Tresa Salters, who shares her story of loving a spouse with alcohol use disorder, and the lasting impact it had on her mental, physical, and spiritual health.

While much of the conversation around addiction focuses on the person struggling, this episode turns the lens toward the spouse and family members who are often left carrying unseen wounds.

Tresa opens up about the moment she knew something had to change, how she began protecting herself and her children, and what true healing has looked like in the years since.

If you’ve ever felt the ripple effects of someone else’s addiction, this conversation will remind you that your healing matters too.

Tresa's Links

Website: www.livewellwithtresa.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@tresarolandosalters

FB: https://www.facebook.com/tresa.rolando.salters

IG: https://www.instagram.com/livewellwithtresa/

Freebie: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/coffe-chatl7uvjx

Connect with Dr. Carron

• Partner with Us: https://go.drcarron.com/FIFYPodcastGift

• Join the weekly newsletter: https://go.drcarron.com/newsletterfreegiftoptin
• Work with me 1:1 — Looking for shame‑free, nonjudgmental support on your healing journey? Schedule a free consultation and let’s chat: https://go.drcarron.com/chatwithdrcarron

Love the Podcast?

If Forgiveness Is for YOU resonates with you, please:

• Follow / Subscribe
• Share with someone who needs hope
• Leave a rating and written review

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgiveness-is-for-you-overcome-trauma-through-forgiveness/id1721956839

How to Leave an Apple Review

1. Open the Apple Podcasts app
2. Search: Forgiveness Is for YOU
3. Tap the show (not an episode)
4. Scroll to Ratings & Reviews
5. Tap Write a Review

Credits

• Host & Producer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Podcast Editor: Dr. Carron Silva
• Cover Art Designer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Music: Kode M (@kodemaster90)
• Social Media Manager: Diamond_Media00

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. Guests are welcomed in a spirit of respectful dialogue and freedom of expression.

A Final Word

Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.

Friends,

In today’s episode of Forgiveness Is for YOU, I’m joined by forgiveness coach Abigail Sikes, who shares her story of forgiving her ex-husband nearly nine years after their divorce

Abigail shares how God redeemed the pain of divorce by calling her into forgiveness ministry.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• How infidelity leaves wounds that don’t quickly resolve
• The physical cost of unforgiveness
• The emotional (and even physical) cost of holding onto resentment
• What forgiveness actually looks like in real life, not just in theory
• And how healing begins, even when you don’t feel ready

If you’ve ever felt pressure to “just move on,” this episode gives you permission to pause and forgive from the heart.

Abigail's Link(s):

Website: https://forgivinggifts.com/

Reclaim YOU: https://reclaimyou.us/my-story

Connect with Dr. Carron

• Partner with Us: https://go.drcarron.com/FIFYPodcastGift

• Join the weekly newsletter: https://go.drcarron.com/newsletterfreegiftoptin
• Work with me 1:1 — Looking for shame‑free, nonjudgmental support on your healing journey? Schedule a free consultation and let’s chat: https://go.drcarron.com/chatwithdrcarron

Love the Podcast?

If Forgiveness Is for YOU resonates with you, please:

• Follow / Subscribe
• Share with someone who needs hope
• Leave a rating and written review

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgiveness-is-for-you-overcome-trauma-through-forgiveness/id1721956839

How to Leave an Apple Review

1. Open the Apple Podcasts app
2. Search: Forgiveness Is for YOU
3. Tap the show (not an episode)
4. Scroll to Ratings & Reviews
5. Tap Write a Review

Credits

• Host & Producer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Podcast Editor: Dr. Carron Silva
• Cover Art Designer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Music: Kode M (@kodemaster90)
• Social Media Manager: Diamond_Media00

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. Guests are welcomed in a spirit of respectful dialogue and freedom of expression.

A Final Word

Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.

Friends,

When a marriage ends, many Catholics are left asking: Where do I belong now? Am I still part of the Church? And can I ever remarry?

In this episode, we explore the reality of divorce through the lens of the Catholic faith and the often misunderstood annulment process.

My guest, Theresa Matters, shares her personal journey through divorce and her experience seeking an annulment, and offers insight into how the Church carefully examines the validity of a marriage and what it means to find freedom, clarity, and healing on the other side.

Whether you are:

• A Catholic navigating life after divorce
• Considering the annulment process
• Or simply curious about what the Church actually teaches

This episode will help you understand the truth and the compassion at the heart of the Church.

• What the Catholic Church teaches about marriage and divorce
• The difference between divorce and annulment
• Common misconceptions about annulments (“Is it just Catholic divorce?”)
• What the annulment process actually looks like
• How to know if you might be eligible
• A personal story of healing and starting over

Theresa's Links:

IG: @little.way.freedom

Email: tmatters@gmail.com

Freebie: 9 Day Little Way Rose Novena mailchi.mp/6bf019fccdd1/fdyrr1tes2

Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/littlewayfreedom/welcome30minutecoaching

• USCCB Annulment Information
• Learn more about the Catholic annulment process through your local parish
• Speak with a priest or tribunal advocate if you are discerning this path

Connect with Dr. Carron

• Partner with Us: https://go.drcarron.com/FIFYPodcastGift
• Join the weekly newsletter: https://go.drcarron.com/newsletterfreegiftoptin
• Work with me 1:1 — Looking for shame‑free, nonjudgmental support on your healing journey? Schedule a free consultation and let’s chat: https://go.drcarron.com/chatwithdrcarron

Love the Podcast?

If Forgiveness Is for YOU resonates with you, please:

• Follow / Subscribe
• Share with someone who needs hope
• Leave a rating and written review

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgiveness-is-for-you-overcome-trauma-through-forgiveness/id1721956839

How to Leave an Apple Review

1. Open the Apple Podcasts app
2. Search: Forgiveness Is for YOU
3. Tap the show (not an episode)
4. Scroll to Ratings & Reviews
5. Tap Write a Review

Credits

• Host & Producer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Podcast Editor: Dr. Carron Silva
• Cover Art Designer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Music: Kode M (@kodemaster90)
• Social Media Manager: Diamond_Media00

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. Guests are welcomed in a spirit of respectful dialogue and freedom of expression.

A Final Word

Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.

Friends,

Divorce can feel like both a personal and spiritual rupture, leaving many questioning where they stand with God, the Church, and even themselves. But what if healing doesn’t require walking away, but instead how to remain?

In this episode, I’m joined by Carolyn Klika Catino, who shares her own journey through divorce and the deep healing that followed. Now serving others through her apostolate, Abounding Joy Ministry, she walks alongside individuals and families navigating separation and divorce with compassion, clarity, and hope.

Together, we explore what it looks like to:

• Stay connected to God and the Church in the midst of divorce
• Begin the process of emotional and spiritual healing
• Find support when you feel isolated or unsure where to turn
• Hold onto hope when your marriage has broken

This conversation is the beginning of a 3-part series on divorce, annulment, and forgiveness, offering a path forward for those seeking both truth and healing.

Reference(s)

https://www.romereports.com/en/2015/02/05/pope-francis-homily-the-church-should-be-like-a-field-hospital/

Resources & Support

If you or someone you love is experiencing separation or divorce, support is available.

👉 Learn more about Carolyn’s ministry: Abounding Joy Ministry https://aboundingjoyministry.com

Connect with Dr. Carron

• Partner with the mission: https://go.drcarron.com/FIFYPodcastGift
• Join the weekly newsletter: https://go.drcarron.com/newsletterfreegiftoptin
• Work with me 1:1 — Looking for shame‑free, nonjudgmental support on your healing journey? Schedule a free consultation and let’s chat: https://go.drcarron.com/chatwithdrcarron

Love the Podcast?

If Forgiveness Is for YOU resonates with you, please:

• Follow / Subscribe
• Share with someone who needs hope
• Leave a rating and written review

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgiveness-is-for-you-overcome-trauma-through-forgiveness/id1721956839

How to Leave an Apple Review

1. Open the Apple Podcasts app
2. Search: Forgiveness Is for YOU
3. Tap the show (not an episode)
4. Scroll to Ratings & Reviews
5. Tap Write a Review

Credits

• Host & Producer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Podcast Editor: Dr. Carron Silva
• Cover Art Designer: Dr. Carron Silva
• Music: Kode M (@kodemaster90)
• Social Media Manager: Diamond_Media00

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. Guests are welcomed in a spirit of respectful dialogue and freedom of expression.

A Final Word

Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.