What happens after survival? Karen Hall celebrates with Lauren Willardson, about how the Lord not only helped her heal physically, but enabled her to come off conqueror! Witness her story of faith, forgiveness, and finishing God’s mission in Part 2 of this inspirational story on The Hero Within with Karen Hall, where we move beyond survival into the greater challenge: physical and emotional healing as well as choosing forgiveness. After surviving nine stab wounds during a mission in Texas, Lauren faced an equally powerful journey—choosing to forgive her attacker and embracing God’s call to continue His mission.

This episode explores the emotional and spiritual healing that follows trauma, and the courage it takes to live beyond fear. Lauren shares her deep gratitude for the Lord saving her life yet again which motivated her to want to continue serving Him and helping others. With vulnerability and strength, Lauren reveals how she turned unimaginable pain into a testimony of faith and resilience.

Host Karen Hall, The Queen of Empathy™, guides this heartfelt conversation with compassion, showing how emotional intelligence and faith work hand-in-hand to turn tragedy into triumph. This episode moves beyond survival—it’s about redemption, purpose, and the healing power of forgiveness.

Lauren's story gives us all hope for healing from the traumas we experience in this life, and the power of gratitude to help us move beyond our pain.

Meet Karen Hall:

Karen Hall, known as The Queen of Empathy, is an Emotional Intelligence Leadership Coach, speaker, international bestselling author, and podcaster. With over 40 years of experience coaching, Karen specializes in helping leaders develop emotional intelligence to build trust and strengthen relationships. Karen combines neuroscience, emotional intelligence principles, and practical leadership strategies to increase resilience and inspire high-performing teams. She is the Executive Producer and host of The Los Angeles Tribune, and Managing Director of The Los Angeles Tribune Women’s and Spanish Journals . Trained by renowned thought leader Marianne Williamson as a spiritual life coach, she hosts The Hero Within Podcast™, ranked in the top 2.5% globally. She also hosts Unstoppable AF - Unstoppable AND FUNNY! comedy podcast, The Empathy Advantage podcast and The AI Advantage podcast. Karen empowers leaders to regulate emotions to remain calm in crisis, overcome adversity, and deepen meaningful connections. Married for nearly 40 years to her husband Joshua, Karen cherishes her family of four children and five grandchildren as her greatest blessing.

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Meet Lauren Willardson:

Lauren Willardson, an Utah native, graduated from BYU in spring of 2025 with a degree in journalism and minors in Spanish and political science, with an emphasis in religious freedom. She was serving for just 10 weeks as a young missionary when an intruder entered her apartment in the middle of the night, stabbing her and her companion multiple times in their sleep. The young missionaries were saved by the hand of God, and Lauren has since enjoyed sharing her story to promote faith through podcasts, firesides, and many other venues. You can learn more about her story on Facebook and Instagram @TheWorkofHisHands.

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Karen Hall visits with Lauren Willardson to discover what happens when her mission in Texas turns into a fight for survival?

Lauren’s story is one of unimaginable courage: stabbed repeatedly in the night, she should not have survived. But through her faith, inner strength, and the miraculous power of God, she not only lived—she found new purpose.

In Part 1 of her journey, Lauren takes us into the darkest hours of her life and the gift of faith and hope that carried her through. This episode of The Hero Within with Karen Hall is a powerful reminder that miracles do happen, and the human spirit is stronger than we can imagine.

Meet Karen Hall:

Karen Hall, known as The Queen of Empathy, is an Emotional Intelligence Leadership Coach, speaker, international bestselling author, and podcaster. With over 40 years of experience coaching, Karen specializes in helping leaders develop emotional intelligence to build trust and strengthen relationships. Karen combines neuroscience, emotional intelligence principles, and practical leadership strategies to increase resilience and inspire high-performing teams. She is the Executive Producer and host of The Los Angeles Tribune, and Managing Director of The Los Angeles Tribune Women’s and Spanish Journals . Trained by renowned thought leader Marianne Williamson as a spiritual life coach, she hosts The Hero Within Podcast™, ranked in the top 2.5% globally. She also hosts Unstoppable AF - Unstoppable AND FUNNY! comedy podcast, The Empathy Advantage podcast and The AI Advantage podcast. Karen empowers leaders to regulate emotions to remain calm in crisis, overcome adversity, and deepen meaningful connections. Married for nearly 40 years to her husband Joshua, Karen cherishes her family of four children and five grandchildren as her greatest blessing.

Connect with Karen Hall:

Linked In

YouTube

Website

Facebook

Instagram

X

Meet Lauren Willardson:

Lauren Willardson, an Utah native, graduated from BYU in spring of 2025 with a degree in journalism and minors in Spanish and political science, with an emphasis in religious freedom. She was serving for just 10 weeks as a young missionary when an intruder entered her apartment in the middle of the night, stabbing her and her companion multiple times in their sleep. The young missionaries were saved by the hand of God, and Lauren has since enjoyed sharing her story to promote faith through podcasts, firesides, and many other venues. You can learn more about her story on Facebook and Instagram @TheWorkofHisHands.

Connect with Lauren:

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In this episode of The Hero Within Podcast, host Karen Hall interviews Lisa Urbanski, a holistic wellness advocate from Manitoba, Canada. Lisa shares her profound story of overcoming addiction and embracing her highly sensitive and empathic nature. Struggling with these traits from a young age, Lisa turned to substances to cope, which led to a severe addiction. At the age of 30, she decided to turn her life around, utilizing methods like yoga, manifestation, and natural health practices. Lisa explains how understanding her sensitivity and finding the right support systems were crucial in her recovery. The conversation delves into the importance of purpose, processing emotions, and the role of community and holistic health in maintaining sobriety and personal growth. Lisa also speaks about her impactful work with therapy dogs and her commitment to helping others unlock their potential.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Struggles

00:39 Welcome to the Hero Within Podcast

01:13 Meet Lisa Urbanski: The Unconventional Conventional Woman

02:29 Lisa's Early Life and Empathic Abilities

04:03 Struggles with Substance Abuse

07:01 Journey to Sobriety and Self-Discovery

10:14 Finding Purpose and Helping Others

15:08 The Power of Mindset and Natural Healing

21:45 Conclusion and Contact Information

Meet Karen Hall:

Karen Hall, known as The Queen of Empathy, is an Emotional Intelligence Leadership Coach, speaker, international bestselling author, and podcaster. With over 40 years of experience coaching, Karen specializes in helping leaders develop emotional intelligence to build trust and strengthen relationships. Karen combines neuroscience, emotional intelligence principles, and practical leadership strategies to increase resilience and inspire high-performing teams. She is the Executive Producer and host of The Los Angeles Tribune, and Managing Director of The Los Angeles Tribune Women’s and Spanish Journals . Trained by renowned thought leader Marianne Williamson as a spiritual life coach, she hosts The Hero Within Podcast™, ranked in the top 2.5% globally. She also hosts Unstoppable AF - Unstoppable AND FUNNY! comedy podcast, The Empathy Advantage podcast and The AI Advantage podcast. Karen empowers leaders to regulate emotions to remain calm in crisis, overcome adversity, and deepen meaningful connections. Married for nearly 40 years to her husband Joshua, Karen cherishes her family of four children and five grandchildren as her greatest blessing.

Connect with Karen:

Linked In

YouTube

Website

Facebook

Instagram

X

Meet Lisa Urbanski:

Lisa Urbanski is a holistic wellness advocate and community leader from a small town in Manitoba, Canada. After overcoming a personal battle with addiction, she discovered her passion for personal growth, mindset, and holistic healing. Through her transformative journey, Lisa tapped into her inner strength and is now dedicated to helping others unlock their own potential. As the pack leader of a therapy dog program and a pioneer in frequency-charged nutrition, Lisa blends innovative practices with her healing approach to create lasting change and support individuals in their transformation.

Connect with Lisa:

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