It’s a special joy and privilege to welcome today’s guest, Lara Love Hardin, to the podcast!

Lara Love Hardin is a woman of many talents – she is a literary agent and president of her own agency, True Literary. She has a Masters Degree in Creative writing and is a NYT’s best selling author. Her personal memoir The Many Lives of Mama Love, A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing and Healing was selected by Oprah to share with her audience. Our conversation centers on forgiveness and Lara’s challenge to forgive herself as an act of freedom.

We follow her journey from writer to addict to felon to best selling author and her new role as a prison reform activist. Lara is funny, self-effacing, smart, and a clear voice for all of us in our journey to being our truest selves. Take a listen - you’re going to love this one!

In today’s episode about the depths of forgiveness, we cover:

• Lara’s story of going from a supermom of 4 boys, to a convicted felon, and eventually, a best selling author and prison reform activist
• The act of self-forgiveness + the power that comes from getting yourself out of a ‘dark’ moment
• How loneliness and neglect can be pathways to addiction + Lara’s personal experience of isolation and feeling embarrassment regarding her emotions growing up
• Learning to embracing it ALL, and owning your ‘stuff’ as a coping mechanism (rather than turning to substances)
• The way we view forgiveness and show treatment towards incarcerated people in the U.S.
• The staggering statistic of mothers in prison + how they cope with not being with their children
• How the judicial system is designed to keep putting people back ‘in’, instead of allowing people the option to get ‘out’ for good
• How we can actually support women who are incarcerated + the importance of second-chance hiring for women and mothers
• The typical mindset people have of ‘once a felon, always a felon’ + why many convicted individuals tend to feel safer in jail
• The 10 week program, The Gemma Project, Lara created to support women while they’re in prison with a vast array of basic skills + vital community component
• The surreal, beautiful experiences Lara has been a part of + the underlying, deep-rooted fear and rejection she has still struggled with along the way

Connect with Lara Love Hardin more by visiting her website

Order your copy of Lara’s book, The Many Lives of Mama Love

Learn about and consider supporting The Gemma Project

Watch/listen to Lara’s interview with Oprah on the Super Soul Sunday Show HERE

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