Dr. Sue McCreadie, MD, is a paediatrician and midlife transformation expert who helps women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s navigate hormones, heartbreak, and healing. In this candid conversation, we explore the fear and shame many of us feel around perimenopause, how to separate identity from emotion, and practical ways to move through self-doubt with love.

We talk about:

• Perimenopause 101: what’s happening in our bodies and why the timeline is so individual
• Naming shame & fear (Jess’s “black ball”) and how to unhook “I am” statements
• Self-doubt in high-achieving women + tiny, loving actions that rebuild confidence
• Masculine structure vs. feminine flow in creativity, business, and healing
• “What would love do?” as a daily compass for boundaries, rest, forgiveness, and courage
• Second callings: surrendering control and following the breadcrumbs

Take the Midlife Personality Quiz:

Uncover your greatest gift, biggest growth opportunity, and 8 personalized ideas to joy as a midlife woman.

https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/6527eb2db315de001400d356

Resources & Links:

Dr. Sue’s website: https://www.drsuemccreadie.com/

Substack: https://drsuemccreadie.substack.com/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drsuemccreadie/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drsuemccreadie/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejessvanrose

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeaftertraumapodcast

www.jessicavanrose.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this deeply moving conversation, I’m joined by Amanda Durocher, host of the New View Advice podcast. Amanda shares her journey of surviving sexual violence, uncovering repressed memories, and navigating the terror of speaking her truth out loud for the first time. We explore how her healing journey has been shaped by self-compassion, learning to trust herself again, and finding freedom from the weight of trauma. Amanda’s courage in sharing her raw experiences — from the moment she realized she could no longer keep memories buried, to her reflections on anger, body-based healing, and community — offers powerful validation and hope for survivors everywhere.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Amanda’s experience of repressed memories surfacing through dreams
• The terror and liberation of finally speaking her story out loud
• Why trusting yourself is essential after trauma
• How self-compassion shifted her healing journey and saved her life
• The role of the body — and practices like meditation, yoga, and somatic singing — in processing trauma
• Why anger, often seen as “bad,” is actually an important messenger in healing

Connect with Amanda Durocher:

• Website: www.newviewadvice.com
• TikTok: @newviewadvice

Amanda also hosts the New View Advice podcast, where she offers honest and empathetic reflections on what it means to be human.

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejessvanrose

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeaftertraumapodcast

www.jessicavanrose.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Therapist-turned-intuitive mentor Keri Nola joins Jess to explore ego death, shadow work, and the brave act of opening your heart after trauma. We talk boundaries vs. armor, how trauma blocks receiving, and a gentler path to “mature manifestation” so you can reclaim power and let life meet you.

What we cover

• Ego death as a soul nudge toward your next chapter
• Boundaries ≠ armor: why shutdown blocks receiving
• Body-based steps to find & thaw hidden blocks
• Minimizing yourself as a misuse of power (solar plexus work)
• Receptivity vs. receiving vs. taking
• A beginner-friendly journal prompt + two mantras you can use today

May this conversation be a soft place to land as you practice opening again.

This episode contains discussions of trauma, abuse, and other potentially sensitive topics. Please take care while listening and pause if you need to. Your well-being matters most.

Chapters

00:00 Ego death, body signals

01:06 Trigger warning + welcome

01:54 Closing a thriving practice

03:25 Following a soul call

05:14 Feeling rooted, fast

06:39 Provision meets truth

08:20 Jess goes all-in

09:50 Boundaries vs. armor

12:13 “What am I afraid of if life improves?”

14:45 Safe support, slow healing

18:31 Parts work & inner conflict

21:11 Self-respect vs. self-compassion

24:00 What shadow work really is

26:24 Facing what’s hidden

27:57 “You’ll only get what you’re ready for”

29:56 Taking up space

31:21 Belonging & being disliked

33:03 Healing isn’t linear

34:47 Oracle reading setup

38:17 Card 1: Uneven Exchange (sacral) + mantra

41:30 Card 2: Power (solar plexus) + mantra

44:56 Womb healing: releasing shame

46:33 Gentle journal prompt

48:10 Receptivity vs. taking

50:11 Mature manifestation

52:09 Curiosity in hard seasons

55:25 Opening the heart again

58:43 Keri’s behind-the-scenes practices

59:56 What “Life After Trauma” means to Keri + where to find her

Resources & Links

• Keri Nola — offerings, readings, journal: kerinola.com
• Mantra (Card 1: Uneven Exchange / Sacral): “I am worthy of being in balanced relationship with giving and receiving in a way that deeply resonates with the full essence of me.”
• Mantra (Card 2: Power / Solar Plexus): “I am worthy of standing firmly in the truth of who I am. This is the home of my divine power.”
• Journal prompt: “If I knew I could trust what would be revealed, I would be willing to open myself to…”
• Declaration: “I’m willing to see what I need to see, hear what it’s time to hear, feel what I’m ready to feel, and heal what is prioritizing for healing.”

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejessvanrose

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeaftertraumapodcast

www.jessicavanrose.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.