The Brave Women's Community Center

12/21/2025

Last night at Blossoms of Light, I could barely convince my son to take a picture with me.
Public hugs are officially off the table now — those are the rules 😅

We laughed about it as he tried to get his dad to take the photo as quickly as possible.
And honestly, I get it. He’s growing. He’s finding his edges. He’s becoming his own person.

I’m so grateful for the private hugs.
For the moments he still needs my comfort and quietly seeks it out.
For the ways connection changes, but doesn’t disappear.

He looks just like his dad — light hair, big blue eyes — and nothing like me.
When he was little and we were always together (those first six years when I was mostly home with him), people would stop us at the park and say,
“Why is he so gorgeous… are you his nanny?”

I still laugh about it when I tell stories about him.
Because the truth is, we were inseparable — two peas.
Looks aside, he was always my little sidekick.

he’s still my baby — and also very much his own person now.

Soaking up the light. Holding the moments. Even the awkward ones.

12/18/2025

I’m creating new programming for women who are ready to reclaim themselves after abuse — and I want to build it with care, intention, and real input.

I’m looking for 7–10 women willing to participate in a 15-minute market research conversation via Zoom (this is not therapy or coaching).

This invitation is for women who have experienced any type of abuse — in any kind of relationship — and who feel ready to move beyond survival and toward identity, worth, purpose, and the next chapter of healing.

As a thank-you, participants will receive a $5 Starbucks e-gift card.

If you’re open to helping shape this work, comment or message me RECLAIM, and I’ll send the details.

Thank you for being part of something meaningful. 🤍

Please use this link to schedule a time: https://calendly.com/bravewomentransform-/brave-market-research

12/15/2025

It amazes me what people will put up with.”
Not because they’re weak —
but because standing up can cost everything.

Fear is real. Loss is real.
And sometimes… you still have to fight.

🎙️ Monica’s full story is now live on Brave Hearts Speak WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS
a podcast for women featuring survivors of emotional, institutional, workplace, and relational abuse.

You are not alone.
You are not broken.
And your story matters.

12/15/2025

We sent out this week’s email with something a little different inside.

Instead of a checklist or announcements, it’s a gentle menu of courage, creativity, and care — with invitations you can take, leave, or come back to later.

Inside, you’ll find:
• a playful joy prompt
• ways to listen to survivor stories on Brave Hearts Speak
• updates on Messy Joy and Therapeutic Improv
• and a few gentle ways to engage with our community

If you’d like to read it, you can find it here:
👉 https://myemail.constantcontact.com/A-gentle-menu-of-courage--creativity--and-care.html?soid=1140497097258&aid=L01V_zMj3ew

And if this kind of pace and presence resonates, we’d love to have you in our community.

If you'd like to join our email list please use the following link and receive a free creative guide to embody BRAVERY https://mailchi.mp/bebravewomen/bwcc-home-page-freebie

12/13/2025

I opened two coaching spots for women who are ready to stop living inside someone else’s version of them.

This is for women who have been shaped by trauma, abuse, or long seasons of self-doubt — and are ready to reclaim their voice, boundaries, and sense of self.

If you’re ready for support that is grounded, compassionate, and forward-focused, I’d love to connect.

Book a Brave Chat through the link with Lucia, founder of BWCC, licensed psychotherapist, and women’s empowerment coach at this link:

https://mailchi.mp/bebravewomen/coach-with-lucia

12/07/2025

When she ran, she showed us what courage looks like in its purest form.

In this week’s episode of Brave Hearts Speak, I sit down with Kaylin Polk — a survivor, advocate, and mother whose story is one of unimaginable strength.

Kaylin survived human trafficking and years of abuse. She shares the moment she made the decision to run — to grab her little girl, get in the car, and keep driving toward freedom — and what it takes to rebuild your life after surviving the unimaginable.

Her honesty, her heart, and her advocacy remind us all that healing is possible… and that courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s choosing to move anyway.

🎧 Episode out now on Brave Hearts Speak.
💜 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

12/06/2025

This is a chance to grow stronger. Lies reveal character, not yours. Keep living your life with honesty and integrity. Focus on those who lift you up instead of those who try to pull you down. The more you shine in your truth, the less power the lies will ever have over your peace.

Ever notice how haters try to drag everyone down with them? Watch closely. Lies spread fast. Stay true. Shine brighter. Who really knows your heart?

12/05/2025

12/04/2025

A personal note from me and Shea…

This is uncomfortable for me to share, but I’m learning to be braver in asking for support when it matters.

For the past year, Brave Hearts Speak — our survivor-centered podcast — has been fully funded by my private psychotherapy practice. Every interview, every hour of editing, every piece of outreach… all of it has come directly out of pocket because I believe in this mission with everything in me.

Working with Resilient Voice Media has been one of the greatest gifts. They don’t just “produce a podcast.” They elevate survivor stories with dignity, trauma-informed care, and craftsmanship that makes every voice shine in the spotlight it deserves. They’ve taught us how to use our own voices more bravely too — in marketing, storytelling, and making sure no survivor goes unheard.

But the truth is:
To keep the podcast going at this level, and to continue working with Resilient Voice Media, the cost is more than I can sustain alone.

So this month, for the first time, we’re asking our community for help.

Our goal is to raise $3,000 by January 31st to keep Brave Hearts Speak alive, thriving, and professionally produced.

If you feel moved and able to support this mission, you can donate here:
👉 https://buy.stripe.com/cNi3cxe8C3G42efdWRcfK00

And if donating isn’t possible right now, we understand completely.
Your encouragement, your shares, and your belief in this work mean everything.

Thank you for helping us amplify voices that deserve to be heard.

11/28/2025

Sometimes the hardest betrayal comes from the women we once admired.

Monica Hall shares how she once looked up to a woman celebrated for breaking the good old boy system — only to be dismissed by her when she needed help most.

“I just knew she was the kind of woman I wanted to meet and learn from.
And then, when I tried to get to her to address everything — she completely ignored me.”

This moment hit hard — because so many of us have trusted leadership that turned away instead of lifting us up.

🎧 Monica Hall’s story, “Courage in Action,” is now streaming on Brave Hearts Speak. LISTEN WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS
A story about integrity, disappointment, and what it really means to lead.

11/22/2025

Beware the laughing hyenas.
Not all cruelty looks like yelling.
Sometimes it looks like laughter.
Sometimes it shows up as “jokes,”
sarcasm,
mockery,
or group humiliation that you’re expected to laugh along with.

Some people humiliate you and call it humor.
Some people circle you with cruelty
and expect you to stay quiet
so they can keep feeling powerful.

And the worst part?
Most women have learned to laugh with them
because it feels safer than being the target.

My new mini episode is about that —
the laughing hyenas in my life
and the day I walked out of their story.

Episode drops Wednesday
on Brave Hearts Speak.

11/21/2025

If you haven’t checked out Brave Hearts Speak yet, here’s the teaser/trailer to give you a feel for what this podcast is all about. 🎙💜

Make sure to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode—because we have two powerful new episodes dropping on November 26th.

In Part 1, Monica Hall shares her extraordinary story of taking down an entire system—and the pain, anguish, bravery, and relentless courage it took to do it. Her voice is a force, and her story is one so many women will recognize pieces of themselves within.

Brave Hearts Speak is a podcast for women who have lived through abuse, coercive control, toxic dynamics, or years of being silenced. It’s for survivors who are ready to rise, reconnect with their power, and hear stories that remind them they are not alone.

These are not expert lectures—these are the lived truths of women who turned pain into purpose. Each episode is an invitation into healing, community, and courage.

If you’ve been longing for a space where women speak honestly about what they’ve survived—and how they rebuilt themselves from the inside out—this podcast is for you.

✨ Follow. Listen. Share. Your story matters here.