How do you rebuild your life when your own mind—and a devastating accident—try to break you?

On this deeply moving episode of Wake Up Your Soul, Andrea Lynn sits down with author and speaker Carolyn Skowron. For years, Carolyn struggled in silence with a Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD)—a condition that left her highly verbal but battling severe anxiety, depression, isolation, and bullying.

After a late diagnosis at 16 and a near-fatal battle with her mental health in college, Carolyn finally began to find her footing through therapy and mindset shifts. But in 2020, a severe car accident changed everything, serving as a profound wake-up call about gratitude, purpose, and the true meaning of resilience.

If you or someone you love is navigating a learning disorder, severe depression, or recovering from trauma, this conversation offers a powerful roadmap for healing and breaking the stigma around mental health.

In this episode, we cover:
• Understanding NVLD: What it’s really like to live with a Nonverbal Learning Disorder and the hidden struggles of spatial awareness and conceptual skills.
• The Darkest Moments: Carolyn’s courageous battle with severe depression, bullying, and negative self-talk.
• Tools for Healing: Practical strategies for recovery, including CBT-style reframing, mindfulness, and "the deep three" breaths.
• The Wake-Up Call: How a life-altering car accident shifted Carolyn’s perspective toward profound gratitude and purpose.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favorite platform:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wake-up-your-soul-with-andrea-lynn/id1793875840
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4D2b74Cnzb5W9Z7hQNRgbD

Connect with Carolyn Skowron:
Website: https://carolynsophia.com

Connect with Andrea Lynn:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrealynnintuitive/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@wakeupyoursoulwithandrealynn

00:00 Negative Self Talk Spiral

00:18 Show Disclaimer and Intro

01:51 Meet Carolyn and NVLD

03:06 What NVLD Looks Like

06:18 Diagnosis and School Struggles

09:02 Boarding School Decision

12:15 Loneliness and Social Media

13:40 Therapy Tools and Deep Three

17:03 Rewriting Your Inner Narrative

18:39 2020 Crash and Wake Up Call

20:37 Second Chance and Meaning

21:22 Saved at the Edge

21:51 Host Near Death Story

23:27 Turning Pain Into Purpose

24:14 Building Blocks Mindset

25:21 Training Your First Thought

27:38 Teens Social Media Spiral

33:06 Bullying and Body Image

37:57 Aging Authenticity Standards

39:21 Kindness and Getting Help

40:43 Book and Speaker Links

Support the show

Click and subscribe to my youtube channel where you can catch fun lives to uplift your mood and video versions of this podcast:

https://youtube.com/@wakeupyoursoulwithandrealynn?si=fGyeGrftRqTZNnjR

Follow me on Ig:

https://www.instagram.com/andrealynnintuitive?igsh=MTgzemQ2bnNwM2d4ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr