Raised by Women

Raised in a cult and choosing to raise my kids differently with Luna Westish

What happens when you realize the beliefs, patterns, and survival instincts that shaped your life were never truly yours to begin with?In this episode, I’m joined by Luna, writer and author of Meet Me at the Ruins, for a powerful conversation about growing up in a high-control religious environment, the long road of unconditioning, and what it means to rebuild identity after trauma.Luna shares how discovering the public history of the group she was raised in changed the way she understood her childhood, her family, and herself. We talk about consent, agency, boundaries, parenting after harm, and the layered work of deciding what parts of you are rooted in truth and what parts were formed through fear, control, or survival.This conversation is honest, thoughtful, and deeply human. It explores what healing can look like when there are no simple answers, no neat endings, and no perfect way to parent, recover, or move forward. It is also a conversation about legacy: how we choose not to pass certain patterns on, how we repair in real time, and how we learn to live with more integrity in our bodies, relationships, and homes.If you’ve ever had to question the systems that raised you, untangle inherited beliefs, or choose a different path for the next generation, this episode will stay with you.In this episode, we explore:growing up in a high-control religious environmentfamily estrangement and the cost of naming harmparenting with consent and gentle boundarieshealing through research, writing, and reflectionbody autonomy, identity, and inherited patternswhat it means to build a different legacyTo connect with Luna:FB: https://www.facebook.com/lunawestishIG: https://www.instagram.com/lunawestish/TikTok: **Luna Westish (@lunawestish)**Luna’s Book: https://bookshop.org/a/115025/9798986371665Recommended book: The body is not an apology https://bookshop.org/a/115025/9781523090990Suggested books on cults: https://bookshop.org/shop/lunawestishIf this conversation stirred something in you, join the Inner Circle a private space for listeners and guests to stay connected and continue the reflection beyond the showwww.willijahdawson.com/innercircle

When Your Old Life No Longer Fits with Steve Roehr

What happens when the life you built no longer feels aligned with who you are becoming?In this episode of Raised by Women, I sit down with Steve, a former corporate project leader who spent decades managing large teams and high-stakes systems  until divorce, empty nesting, and organizational restructuring forced him to pause.What followed wasn’t a breakdown. It was an awakening.We explore how subconscious fears formed in childhood — scarcity, survival, anxiety quietly shape our adult decisions, from work habits to confidence to relationships. Steve shares how discovering Psych-K shifted his understanding of fear, belief patterns, and personal agency.We talk about:How inherited fear influences adult behaviorWhy awareness alone isn’t enough for changeWork identity vs. authentic selfImposter syndrome in leadershipThe cost of workaholismWhat “self-sovereignty” really meansThis conversation isn’t about abandoning your career. It’s about leading yourself differently inside it or beyond it.If you’ve ever felt the quiet nudge that something deeper is calling you, this episode will meet you there. To connect with Steve Special Discount for listeners: RBW_001https://www.self-sovereignty.com/offersCheck-out Steves EBook   www.self-sovereignty.comIf this conversation stirred something in you, join the Inner Circle a private space for listeners and guests to stay connected and continue the reflection beyond the showwww.willijahdawson.com/innercircle

The Mountains We Carry and The Ones We Choose to Climb with Muzna Amin

Some stories don’t begin with a plan they begin with a moment that quietly changes everything.In this episode, Mazna shares her journey from being born prematurely in Pakistan to building a life shaped by endurance, resilience, and personal transformation. After witnessing her mother survive a stroke and major brain surgery, Mazna experienced a deep shift in how she viewed her own health, energy, and future.What started as a simple decision to begin running became a life changing pathway that eventually led her to complete marathons and trek some of the world’s most challenging mountain landscapes including K2 Basecamp, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, and Mount Kilimanjaro.But this conversation goes far beyond physical accomplishment. Mazna reflects on emotional inheritance, cultural expectations, aging, and how resilience is often shaped by the women who came before us. She shares how witnessing her mother’s strength and sacrifice influenced her own ability to endure hardship, adapt to change, and continue showing up even during life’s unexpected disruptions.Together, we explore how endurance experiences shape identity, why growth often happens organically, and the truth that many people carry invisible mountains while navigating everyday life.This episode is a reflection on becoming and the ways our stories, our bodies, and our lineage shape who we grow into over time.To connect with MuzaE-mail: muznaamin78@gmail.comFB: https://www.facebook.com/muzna.aminIG: muzrocksandrunsIf this conversation stirred something in you, join the Inner Circle a private space for listeners and guests to stay connected and continue the reflection beyond the showwww.willijahdawson.com/innercircle

A Police Memoir Story: Legacy, Loss, and the Women Who Shaped His Strength with Thomas Carchidi

Behind every life story is a network of people who quietly shape who we become.In this episode, Tom shares his journey growing up in a close-knit Italian immigrant family built on sacrifice, work ethic, and deep family loyalty. From watching his parents build a life from nothing, to working in high-intensity law enforcement environments, Tom reflects on how resilience, service, and strength became part of his identity.He opens up about the women who anchored his life his mother, aunts, cousin, and grandmothers whose unwavering support and selflessness shaped how he shows up in the world today.Tom also shares his deeply personal experience surviving stage four cancer, describing how faith, family, and mental resilience helped him endure one of life’s most difficult seasons. Now pursuing law school and authoring a memoir based on his career in policing, he reflects on reinvention, purpose, and the lessons he hopes to pass forward.This conversation explores how family influence, adversity, and personal faith shape identity, leadership, and the stories we carry into the next generation.Connect with ThomasWebsite: https://www.lifeenforcement.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/A-Life-In-Law-Enforcement-A-Police-Memoir-The-Good-The-Bad-The-Corrupt-61566561005998/?locale=lv_LVLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-carchidi-653345331/If this conversation stirred something in you, join the Inner Circle a private space for listeners and guests to stay connected and continue the reflection beyond the showwww.willijahdawson.com/innercircle

Finding Your Voice After Survival: Story of Healing and Reclaiming Identity with Catalina Gonzalez

Catalina’s story is one of survival, awakening, and learning how to live beyond inherited pain.Born into instability and abuse, Catalina entered the foster care system at a young age, navigating trauma, abandonment, and identity loss throughout her childhood and early adulthood. For years, survival shaped her decisions, relationships, and sense of self.In this deeply honest conversation, Catalina shares how a life altering relationship ending became the turning point that forced her to confront patterns of self-abandonment and begin rebuilding her life with intention.Through healing practices, reconnecting with creativity, and learning to be present, Catalina discovered her voice and purpose. Today, she uses her lived experience to advocate for trauma-informed foster care reform and support others in rediscovering their identity beyond survival.This episode explores how generational patterns influence identity, why presence is a powerful form of healing, and how reclaiming your voice can transform pain into leadership and service.If you have ever felt defined by your past, struggled with abandonment, or wondered how healing shapes who you become, this conversation offers both perspective and hope.To connect with Catalina:Websites: https://catalinarising.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/catalinarises/If this conversation stirred something in you, join the Inner Circle a private space for listeners and guests to stay connected and continue the reflection beyond the showwww.willijahdawson.com/innercircle