How much of who we are is truly ours—and how much has been shaped by the expectations, beliefs, and stories we’ve inherited?

In this episode of Her Village, Jacqueline sits down with Dr. Nicole Wordlaw, clinical psychologist, author, and longtime Buddhist meditation practitioner, to explore what it means to reconnect with our own inner knowing.

Nicole’s book, Waking Up Alone: Navigating the Narrow Passage Through Master-Slave Narratives, combines memoir with an exploration of identity, power, relationships, and the conditioning that can shape how we understand ourselves and our place in the world.

Together, Jacqueline and Nicole discuss the ways women can become accustomed to looking outside themselves for reassurance and validation, how motherhood can challenge our sense of identity, and what it looks like to begin rebuilding self-trust.

They also explore Nicole’s concept of the “inner teacher,” the difference between belonging and changing ourselves in order to belong, and why finding our way back to ourselves doesn’t mean we have to do it without community.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The personal journey behind Waking Up Alone
• How inherited stories and expectations influence our identities
• People-pleasing, perfectionism, and the pressure to do life “right”
• Motherhood, identity, and continuing to grow as an individual
• What it means to find and follow your inner teacher
• Rebuilding self-trust when you feel disconnected from your own voice
• The role of community in becoming more fully ourselves

Whether you’re navigating motherhood, a life transition, or simply wondering what you actually want beneath all the noise, this conversation is an invitation to get curious about the stories you’ve been living by—and remember that you’re allowed to keep becoming.

Connect with Dr. Nicole Wordlaw:
Website: https://www.nicolewordlaw.com/
Book: Waking Up Alone: Navigating the Narrow Passage Through Master-Slave Narratives

Connect with Her Village:
Instagram: @hervillagehq
Explore the podcast and community: joinhervillage.co

If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend who might need the reminder that she’s allowed to trust herself and keep becoming, too.

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