In this powerful episode, Scarlett opens up about leaving a religious cult, the shock of being discarded by her entire family, and the grief of realising her parents never loved her in the way she needed. She and Helen explore what it means to parent after trauma, to live with the echoes of fat phobia, shame, and control, and to try to build an identity after years of being told who to be. Their conversation touches on resilience, fragmentation, neurodivergence and the small, steady steps of reclaiming herself. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenvilliersliberation.substack.com/subscribe
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22. Why Is Knowing My Dad Something I Have To Hide?
Apply to be on the show.In this powerful conversation, Helen speaks with Sabrina, who was abducted by her mother as a child and raised far from her biological father. Now, at 40 and newly diagnosed as autistic, she is reconnecting with her father while still caught in the emotional grip of a controlling mother.Together they explore the lifelong impact of enmeshment, secrecy, and guilt, and how Sabrina has been taught to protect her mother’s feelings above her own needs. She shares the pain of being made responsible for everyone else’s emotions, the fear of being seen as “bad” for wanting more, and the struggle of deciding whether she can risk honesty without losing her family.Through the conversation, Helen helps Sabrina untangle fear from responsibility, recognise her right to know her father and heritage, and begin to imagine a future where her choices are not defined by her mother’s control.Grow, connect and thrive with a free 7-day trial of The Hub. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenvilliersliberation.substack.com/subscribe
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21. Was My Mother Good or Bad?
Apply to be a guest on the show.In this episode, Helen speaks with Elizabeth, who has gone no contact with her father and is now questioning the role her late mother played in enabling his behaviour. Once seen as her safe person, her mother’s minimising responses and final letters revealed a truth Elizabeth has struggled to face.Together they explore the grief of realising lost protection, the weight of guilt and responsibility, and the anger that comes with uncovering how secrecy and shame shaped her childhood.Grow, connect and thrive with a free 7-day trial of The Hub. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenvilliersliberation.substack.com/subscribe
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1:32:39
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1:32:39
20. Should I Tell My Children About Their Abusive Grandparents?
In this episode, Helen is joined by Jada, who opens up about the death of her abusive mother and the painful legacy it has left behind. Jada reflects on how her mother not only failed to protect her from her father’s abuse but also manipulated and controlled her well into adulthood. Now, six months after her mother’s death, she is faced with complex emotions of anger, grief, shame, and the question of whether to share the truth of her past with her two young adult children.Jada speaks candidly about her children’s very different experiences of their grandmother, the shame she feels for raising them under her roof, and the confusion that comes with suddenly having the freedom to speak when her voice was suppressed for so long.Content warning: This episode includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse and discussions of suicide and cancer.Grow, connect and thrive with a free 7-day trial of The Hub: https://liberationacademy.co.uk/the-hub/To be on the show please apply here: https://hub.liberationacademy.co.uk/podcast-application This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenvilliersliberation.substack.com/subscribe
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1:33:24
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1:33:24
22. Why Is Knowing My Dad Something I Have To Hide?
What if loving one parent meant betraying the other?In this powerful conversation, Helen speaks with Sabrina, who was abducted by her mother as a child and raised far from her biological father. Now, at 40 and newly diagnosed as autistic, she is reconnecting with her father while still caught in the emotional grip of a controlling mother.Together they explore the lifelong impact of enmeshment, secrecy, and guilt, and how Sabrina has been taught to protect her mother’s feelings above her own needs. She shares the pain of being made responsible for everyone else’s emotions, the fear of being seen as “bad” for wanting more, and the struggle of deciding whether she can risk honesty without losing her family.Through the conversation, Helen helps Sabrina untangle fear from responsibility, recognise her right to know her father and heritage, and begin to imagine a future where her choices are not defined by her mother’s control.Grow, connect and thrive with a free 7-day trial of The Hub: https://liberationacademy.co.uk/the-hub/To be on the show please apply here: https://hub.liberationacademy.co.uk/podcast-application
Each week Helen invites a guest to explore a problem they’re facing and works through it with them; peeling back the layers to understand what’s happening and offering ways to move forward and make changes to resolve the issue.
Whether it’s coping with narcissistic parents; going no contact; parenting ADHD or Autistic children; parenting after trauma; or their own ADHD or Autism; Helen helps the listener untangle the parts that keeps them stuck.
To access Helen’s community focused on healing, learning and support, visit https://liberationacademy.co.uk/the-hub/ helenvilliersliberation.substack.com
Ireland