What if the very thing you thought you didn’t need… became the breakthrough you were praying for?

In today’s episode of Hope in the Fire, I share my personal journey of healing from childhood trauma — from working with a non-Christian counselor, to receiving pastoral counseling, to participating in women’s Bible studies… and ultimately discovering the transformational power of coaching.

Each step mattered. Each season served a purpose.

But coaching became the space where healing turned into forward movement.

In this episode, I break down:

• The difference between counseling and coaching
• Why both are valuable
• How coaching helped me move from awareness to transformation
• What it looks like to have someone walk alongside you in your healing

If you’ve done some healing work but still feel stuck, this episode is for you.

I’m now offering one-on-one coaching for women healing from childhood trauma who are ready to move from surviving to thriving.

👉 Rooted & Rising Coaching

You don’t have to walk this alone.

>>Grab a set of “My Identity In Christ” reflection cards.

Identity In Christ Cards-Teal

Identity In Christ Cards-Mauve

>> Download my free 5 Steps to Becoming An Overcomer

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> I’ll meet you in your inbox on Fridays! https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/newsletter

>> Visit the Website: https://lesliechermak.com/

From Shame to Freedom: Overcoming Childhood Trauma Through Truth

Have you ever walked into a room and suddenly felt small?

Felt inadequate without knowing why?

Avoided hard conversations because something inside you whispered, “You’re not enough”?

That whisper has a name.

Shame.

In today’s episode of Hope in the Fire, we are talking about toxic shame rooted in childhood trauma — how it forms, how it keeps you stuck, and how telling the truth becomes the first step toward freedom.

If you experienced sexual abuse, emotional neglect, bullying, or any form of childhood trauma, you may be carrying shame that was never yours to hold.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The difference between guilt and toxic shame
• How childhood trauma permanently encodes shame responses
• Why secrecy and isolation strengthen shame
• Why telling one safe person is the beginning of healing
• 3 practical journaling steps to start breaking shame cycles

Right now, 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 4 boys experience sexual abuse in childhood. If that statistic includes you, please hear this:

What happened to you was not your fault. You are not broken. And freedom is possible.

You do not have to carry this alone anymore.

✍️ Healing Reflection Exercise

If you’re ready to begin, grab a notebook and:

1. Write down what shame makes you believe about yourself.
2. Notice how your body responds when you reflect on it.
3. Name one safe person you could share your story with someday.

Awareness is powerful. Truth sets you free. And vulnerability breaks isolation.

🤍 Ready for Support?

If you are feeling a tug to finally release the secret, I offer private, confidential Rooted & Rising Coaching Sessions designed specifically for women healing from childhood trauma through biblical wellness.

You are loved. You are safe. And you are not alone.

🔗 Connect with Me:

👉 Schedule a Rooted & Rising Coaching Session.

>>Grab a set of “My Identity In Christ” reflection cards.

Identity In Christ Cards-Teal

Identity In Christ Cards-Mauve

>> Download my free 5 Steps to Becoming An Overcomer

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> I’ll meet you in your inbox on Fridays! https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/newsletter

>> Visit the Website: https://lesliechermak.com/

Welcome back to Hope in the Fire, the podcast for Christian women healing from trauma and rebuilding their lives through spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, and nutritional wellness.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about Christian stress management for women and how to experience true peace when life feels overwhelming.

If last week we discussed courage overcoming fear, this week we’re addressing something just as powerful — stress.

Because if fear tries to freeze you… Stress tries to control you.

From overthinking small decisions (like worrying for weeks about whether your daughter’s ears are even) to navigating major life choices about parenting, business, or mental health — stress can quietly take over your body and mind.

But peace is possible.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why stress often stems from perceived unmet needs
• How the nervous system responds to uncertainty
• The connection between trauma and control
• Why overthinking and perfectionism increase anxiety
• How to calm your body during stress
• The difference between self-reliance and surrender
• Practical faith-based tools for managing stress
• How identity in Christ stabilizes emotional overwhelm

Christian Stress & Anxiety: What’s Really Happening?

When you feel overwhelmed, your brain interprets uncertainty as a threat. Your nervous system activates, your heart rate increases, and your thoughts accelerate.

For many women — especially those who experienced childhood trauma — control becomes a coping strategy.

But control does not create lasting peace.

Trust does.

True peace doesn’t come from managing every detail. It comes from surrendering what was never yours to carry.

Who This Episode Is For:

This episode is for the woman who:

• Feels overwhelmed by daily responsibilities
• Struggles with anxiety or low-level depression
• Tends to overthink or micromanage
• Carries the pressure to “hold everything together”
• Desires faith-based tools for emotional regulation
• Wants Christian coaching for stress and clarity

Rooted & Risen Coaching

If you’re realizing stress and control are patterns in your life — not just temporary feelings — you don’t have to navigate it alone.

In my Rooted & Risen coaching sessions, we:

• Identify stress triggers and trauma responses
• Uncover limiting beliefs
• Reconnect you to your identity in Christ
• Create actionable steps for lasting peace
• Help you move from pressure to purpose

You were not created to live in constant overwhelm.

You were created to live rooted in truth and risen in freedom.

👉 Book your Rooted & Rising session here

>>Grab a set of “My Identity In Christ” reflection cards.

Identity In Christ Cards-Teal

Identity In Christ Cards-Mauve

>> Download my free 5 Steps to Becoming An Overcomer

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> I’ll meet you in your inbox on Fridays! https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/newsletter

>> Visit the Website: https://lesliechermak.com/