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Brave Hearts Speak

Brave Hearts Speak

By: Lucia DiVieste Severtson
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 Brave Hearts Speak is a podcast dedicated to helping women reclaim their voices, rise from the shadows of abuse, and step fully into their power. Hosted by Lucia, a psychotherapist and survivor, each episode offers heartfelt conversations, healing insights, and real stories of resilience. Through truth-telling, creativity, and community, Lucia creates a safe and empowering space for women to break silence, process trauma, and rediscover joy. Whether you're beginning your healing journey or walking alongside others on theirs, Brave Hearts Speak invites you to listen, connect, and remember—you are not alone, and your story matters. Join the movement. Speak your truth. Heal your heart.2025 Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Title: Navigating the Shadows: Kaylin's Journey Through Abuse, Trafficking, and Healing

    Title: Navigating the Shadows: Kaylin's Journey Through Abuse, Trafficking, and Healing
    Dec 10 2025
    In this episode of "Braveheart Speak," host Lucia Severtson welcomes Kaylin, a survivor and advocate, who shares her powerful journey through childhood abuse, human trafficking, and addiction. Kaylin details her struggles, the failures of support systems, and her path to healing through faith, therapy, and advocacy. She reflects on reclaiming her voice, the importance of empathy, and her work supporting other survivors. The episode highlights the complexities of trauma, the need for compassionate listening, and encourages listeners to speak out, support survivors, and join a growing community of brave voices. Timestamps Grounding and Content Warning (00:01:06) Lucia offers a grounding exercise and cautions listeners about the episode's sensitive topics. Family of Origin and Early Abuse (00:06:28) Kaylin describes her childhood, her mother's hospitalizations, and abuse by her grandmother. Mother's Emotional Abuse and Judgment (00:07:37) Kaylin explains her mother's shift to judgmental behavior and emotional abuse. Grandmother's Continued Stalking (00:11:02) Kaylin describes her grandmother's stalking and the failure of authorities to intervene. Systemic Failures and Stigma (00:11:59) Kaylin discusses the difficulty of being believed and the justice system's failures. Leaving Home and Teenage Pregnancy (00:14:05) Kaylin describes running away, early independence, and becoming pregnant at 17. Finding Stability and Support (00:15:36) Kaylin's father helps her move, leading to subsidized housing and some stability. Entry into Human Trafficking (00:17:28) Kaylin explains how vulnerability led to being trafficked, and the manipulative tactics used. Seeking Validation and Worth (00:19:15) Kaylin reflects on seeking love and validation through appearance and pleasing others. Forced Criminal Activity and Homelessness (00:23:14) Kaylin describes being forced to transport drugs and guns, losing her home, and increased exploitation. Reflection on Numbness and Love (00:26:41) Kaylin discusses being in love with her trafficker and not recognizing abuse as abnormal. Cycle of Abuse and Addiction (00:36:12) Kaylin describes further abuse, addiction, and the struggle to break free from toxic relationships. Turning Point and Reinvention (00:39:39) Kaylin describes being arrested, using jail as a chance to reinvent herself, and regaining self-control. Relearning Empathy (00:46:07) Kaylin shares how she had to relearn empathy for herself and others during recovery. Advice to Survivors and Allies (00:47:23) Kaylin offers advice to survivors and the importance of speaking out and seeking help. Advocacy Work and Future Goals (00:51:41) Kaylin shares her current advocacy, public speaking, and hopes to influence legislation and support survivors. Powerful Quotes from the Episode Kaylin, 'I have a deep faith in God now through my healing process, and I've come to understand that every person has inherent value.'Kaylin, 'The drugs were going in my daughter's car seat. Then the sex trafficking started, really bad. It was constant, all day long.'Kaylin, 'I always say I think I had "Please Abuse Me" written on my forehead because that's all I could find. I just couldn't help but fall into that every single time.'Kaylin, 'I was thanking the officer for catching me. It was a huge, bright light. Finally, someone was going to put me away long enough to get sober and change my life.'Kaylin, 'I'm not afraid to speak anymore. I have a voice and I like to use it.' RESOURCES: Connect with Kaylin: Email: kaylinpolksme@gmail.com She welcomes survivors reaching out and is open to speaking engagements. COACH WITH LUCIA: COACH WITH LUCIA TAKING STOCK OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS (A Free Reflection Guide) - Get it Here! A FREE INTERACTIVE GUIDE TO HELP YOU DEFINE ABUSE AND BRAVERY - GET YOURS NOW! FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Brave Hearts Speak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify VISIT OUR WEBSITE: THE BRAVE WOMEN'S COMMUNITY CENTER CONNECT ON FACEBOOK CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM JOIN OUR MEETUP GROUP FOR LOCALS TO DENVER, COLORADO – JOIN HERE! BRAVE THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS; RECLAIMING YOUR LIGHT AND PEACE; A free, 15-minute guided meditation. Brave Through the Holidays: "Reclaiming Your Light and Peace" 💼 Partner Offer: Headway Looking to simplify insurance-based therapy? Headway helps licensed therapists and psychiatrists manage credentialing, billing, and admin — so you can focus on your clients. ✨ Special Offer:Sign up through our referral link and receive a $100 bonus when you join Headway as a provider. 👉 Join Headway Here! Disclosure: We may receive a referral bonus when you sign up through this link. This helps support the Brave Women's Community Center and our mission to make mental health care more accessible. Podcast Produced and edited by the team at ResilientVoiceMedia.com Contact us for expert podcast production and support.
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    57 mins
  • Navigating the Emotional Toll of Fighting Back: Monica Hall's Journey of Resilience and Healing (Part 2)

    Navigating the Emotional Toll of Fighting Back: Monica Hall's Journey of Resilience and Healing (Part 2)
    Dec 10 2025
    In this Part 2 episode of Bravehearts Speak, host Lucia Severtson continues her conversation with Monica Hall, picking up where last week's powerful story left off. Building on Part 1, where Monica detailed her fight against unethical practices within a for-profit nursing college, this episode moves deeper into the emotional impact of that battle. Monica opens up about the years of exhaustion, depression, and isolation she endured while standing up for herself and countless students. She also shares the healing she found through faith, community, and creative expression as she rebuilt her life after intense personal and political turmoil. This continuation explores the long-term cost of courage, the resilience required to keep going when systems fail you, and the importance of believing in your own voice. Listeners are invited to honor their own journeys and find strength in community, reminding us that healing and bravery are paths we walk together. Timestamps Beginning Monica's Emotional Journey (00:02:48) Monica begins sharing the emotional aftermath of her battle, focusing on exhaustion and depression. Isolation and Coping Mechanisms (00:05:19) Monica discusses her increasing isolation, unhealthy coping, and feeling misunderstood by peers. Why People Struggle to Support (00:09:16) Monica and Lucia explore why others are uncomfortable with vulnerability and pain. Processing Grief and Prolonged Recovery (00:13:01) Monica reflects on the unrealistic timelines for grief and recovery imposed by society and workplaces. Speaking from a Healed Place (00:16:28) Monica shares gratitude for reaching a place of healing and understanding after years of anger and confusion. Reflection on Discernment (00:25:04) Lucia invites listeners to reflect on which battles are worth their energy. Turning Point: Seeing Herself Again (00:28:21) Monica recounts a pivotal moment during the pandemic when she realized she needed to heal. Attempting to Write and Continued Struggles (00:28:52) Monica starts writing her story, lands a literary agent, but continues to struggle with addiction and anger. Year of Healing and Sobriety (00:31:00) Monica details her commitment to healing, sobriety, and finally feeling at peace. Trusting Divine Guidance (00:38:32) Monica shares inspiration from a mentor and her faith in being guided through uncertainty. Encouragement for Listeners (00:43:26) Monica urges listeners to believe in themselves and trust their inner voice, even after dark times. Book Plans and Final Reflections (00:45:04) Monica shares hopes for her book's release and the impact her story can have on others. Powerful Quotes from the Episode Monica, 'We're taught to keep it moving, to be strong, but we're human first and we feel things deeply.'Monic, 'I am speaking from a healed place; I can't tell you how good this feels, even though I am crying.'Monica, 'I literally got on my knees and said, "God, you're going to have to heal me, grow me up, and get me through this."'Monica, 'First and foremost, you've got to believe in yourself.'Monica, 'You can still have a beautiful life, even after going through something that devastated you.' RESOURCES: Connect with Monica: CONNECT ON FACEBOOK VISIT HER WEBSITE: www.MonicaMHall.com COACH WITH LUCIA: COACH WITH LUCIA TAKING STOCK OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS (A Free Reflection Guide) - Get it Here! A FREE INTERACTIVE GUIDE TO HELP YOU DEFINE ABUSE AND BRAVERY - GET YOURS NOW! FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Brave Hearts Speak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify VISIT OUR WEBSITE: THE BRAVE WOMEN'S COMMUNITY CENTER CONNECT ON FACEBOOK CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM JOIN OUR MEETUP GROUP FOR LOCALS TO DENVER, COLORADO – JOIN HERE! BRAVE THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS; RECLAIMING YOUR LIGHT AND PEACE; A free, 15-minute guided meditation. Brave Through the Holidays: "Reclaiming Your Light and Peace" 💼 Partner Offer: Headway Looking to simplify insurance-based therapy? Headway helps licensed therapists and psychiatrists manage credentialing, billing, and admin — so you can focus on your clients. ✨ Special Offer:Sign up through our referral link and receive a $100 bonus when you join Headway as a provider.👉 Join Headway Here! Disclosure: We may receive a referral bonus when you sign up through this link. This helps support the Brave Women's Community Center and our mission to make mental health care more accessible. Podcast Produced and edited by the team at ResilientVoiceMedia.com Contact us for expert podcast production and support.
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    50 mins
  • [Minisode] Healing Through Honesty: A Journey of Overcoming Subtle Abuse and Reclaiming Self-Worth

    [Minisode] Healing Through Honesty: A Journey of Overcoming Subtle Abuse and Reclaiming Self-Worth
    Nov 26 2025
    In this mini episode of "Brave Hearts Speak", host Lucia Severtson shares a personal story of emotional abuse and boundary violations by people she once considered family. She reflects on the subtle forms of harm, the importance of everyday bravery, and the healing power of speaking one's truth. The episode also highlights resources for support, including a guided meditation and the Headway platform for accessible mental health care. Lucia encourages listeners to recognize their own bravery, reject shame, and join a supportive community dedicated to healing and empowerment. Timestamps Dreams and Processing the Past (00:02:34) Describes recurring dreams about her abuser, the emotional impact, and the need to speak her truth for healing. Living with the "Van Creeps" (00:05:13) Describes her living situation in Los Angeles with relatives, their attitudes, and family dynamics. The Night of Boundary Violation (00:07:40) Details the incident of subtle abuse by a relative, her conditioned response, and the aftermath. Isolation and Struggle in Los Angeles (00:12:19) Discusses her loneliness, lack of community, and continued association with the abusive relatives. Cutting Ties and Family Symbolism (00:15:51) Describes leaving the relatives behind, her aunt's symbolic actions, and the emotional impact. Speaking Truth After Loss (00:17:03) Reflects on her aunt's death, the importance of honesty, and rejecting the idea that death erases harm. Reclaiming Bravery and Self-Worth (00:18:12) Emphasizes the importance of telling the truth, rejecting shame, and recognizing subtle abuse. Three Takeaways on Bravery (00:19:29) Shares three key lessons: subtle abuse is real, silence is survival, and it's never too late to tell your story. Powerful Quotes from the Episode 'This is me finally touching something I buried for decades.' 'I'm not telling this out of revenge. I'm telling it because I didn't know anger was allowed until only recently.' 'I am proud of my 21-year-old self, even though there's a part of her inside me who still feels like a failure for not making it in Los Angeles.' 'Those people were never my people. That house was never my home. And everything I walked away from was meant to be left behind.' 'Death doesn't rewrite history. Death doesn't turn cruelty into kindness. And I will not pretend the wounds I carried came from a gentle place because she's no longer here.' 'Truth has no expiration date. If the memory still lives in your body, your voice is still needed. Speaking now is liberation.' RESOURCES: COACH WITH LUCIA: COACH WITH LUCIA TAKING STOCK OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS (A Free Reflection Guide) - Get it Here! A FREE INTERACTIVE GUIDE TO HELP YOU DEFINE ABUSE AND BRAVERY - GET YOURS NOW! FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Brave Hearts Speak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify VISIT OUR WEBSITE: THE BRAVE WOMEN'S COMMUNITY CENTER CONNECT ON FACEBOOK CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM JOIN OUR MEETUP GROUP FOR LOCALS TO DENVER, COLORADO – JOIN HERE! BRAVE THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS; RECLAIMING YOUR LIGHT AND PEACE; A free, 15-minute guided meditation. Brave Through the Holidays: "Reclaiming Your Light and Peace" 💼 Partner Offer: Headway Looking to simplify insurance-based therapy? Headway helps licensed therapists and psychiatrists manage credentialing, billing, and admin — so you can focus on your clients. ✨ Special Offer:Sign up through our referral link and receive a $100 bonus when you join Headway as a provider. 👉 Join Headway Here! Disclosure: We may receive a referral bonus when you sign up through this link. This helps support the Brave Women's Community Center and our mission to make mental health care more accessible. Podcast Produced and edited by the team at ResilientVoiceMedia.com Contact us for expert podcast production and support.
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    22 mins
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