Maybe I Was Never Broken: What Healing Is Teaching Me About Shame, Survival & Who I Really Am
The Courageous Journey
Maybe I Was Never Broken: What Healing Is Teaching Me About Shame, Survival & Who I Really Am What if some of the things you've spent years believing were wrong with you weren't evidence that you were broken at all? What if they were adaptations? In this episode of The Courageous Journey, I reflect on something that happened while speaking at the National Domestic Violence Hotline Conference in Texas. I walked into a room I had been invited into—and still found myself wondering whether I belonged. I noticed everyone else's degrees, credentials, titles and accomplishments. I...
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Paula Interviews Dr. Mike Hennes of The Neural Connection
The Courageous Journey
Paula Hello Everyone and welcome to The Courageous Journey. I have an exciting episode with for you today. I am actually going to be talking with doctor Mike Hennes from The Neural Connection. He is the doctor that if you've been seeing any of my social media, or you've listened to me talk about in any of my speaking engagements, I often refer to him as doctor Mike. And the person that I have worked with, I had get a lot of questions about my care with him, so I brought him on, especially since I'll be speaking at the National conference on the hotline Conference against Domestic Violence here...
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More Than the Power of One
The Courageous Journey
Hello everyone, and welcome to The Courageous Journey. My name is Paula and I am so excited that you are here. I just want to tell you that this is an off the cuff, not planned episode. You know, you complain as much as you want, but sometimes life just gives you what you need to talk about. And you have heard me talk. If you've been following me for any length of time about like, the power of one, and sometimes it's one person. Sometimes that's one conversation. And I know that this is going to not be a popular topic with some people, but I kind of want to just talk today about the power of...
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I Finally Found My Voice
The Courageous Journey
This latest episode is sharing with you how I think I finally found my voice, why everything is changing, and why it all comes back to one simple truth.... And welcome to the Courageous Journey podcast. This episode is going to be, I think I finally found my voice and why everything is changing and why it all comes back to one simple truth. Today is going to be a little bit different. I'm not teaching neuroscience. I'm not talking about trauma. I'm not diving into brain injury. Instead, I want to tell you about something that has quietly been happening behind the scenes over the last...
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The Beliefs That Hurt Worse Than The Abuse
The Courageous Journey
The Beliefs That Hurt Me More Than the Abuse For years, I believed the abuse itself was what kept me stuck. Looking back, I see something different. In this episode, I share one of the biggest breakthroughs in my healing journey: it wasn't just the traumatic events that shaped my life—it was the beliefs and survival patterns my brain developed because of them. Using a simple story about trimming trees around my property, we explore why healing isn't about erasing our past. It's about un...
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Life Didn't Interrupt My Mission—It Prepared Me for It | The Courageous Journey Returns
The Courageous Journey
After a three-month break, I'm back—and this season begins with more than just an update. In this episode, I share what has been happening behind the scenes as I've cared for my mom through advanced dementia, prepared for my first national domestic violence conference presentation, and made the decision to step fully into my calling as a speaker, educator, and advocate. Healing isn't linear, and sometimes life doesn't derail our purpose—it prepares us for it. I'll als...
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The Courageous Survivor Season 2 Episode 7: My Brain Health Truth
The Courageous Journey
Listen to this brave episode where Paula discusses her recent medical visit, and what she has learned about her brain function and health. About The Courageous Journey The Courageous Journey is a podcast exploring the connection between trauma, brain health, and healing through the lens of lived experience, neuroscience, faith, and hope. Each episode helps survivors and professionals better understand the brain so healing and lasting change become possible. Disclaimer: The content s...
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What Does Trauma Informed Mean to You?
The Courageous Journey
Paula and her friend Kerri unpack what trauma-informed care really means — beyond training modules and checklists — and argue it must include how trauma rewires the body on a cellular level. They share personal experience with lifelong trauma, traumatic brain injury, and the limits of conventional medicine, and call for a holistic approach that connects brain, gut, hormones, sleep, and metabolism. Highlights: Why the ACE score matters for long-term physical and neurological health.How trauma ...
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The Call: The Courage to Live Differently
The Courageous Journey
In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Courageous Survivor, Paula Walters reintroduces herself and shares why she uses the word courageous to describe her healing journey. March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and Paula opens up about the honest struggle of choosing discipline, structure, and faith in a culture that celebrates comfort and excuses. As a trauma survivor and brain injury advocate, she reflects on what it really means to live aligned instead of relatable — and why t...
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Trauma is NOT Easy Season 2 Episode 4
The Courageous Journey
In this powerful episode of The Courageous Survivor: The Rewired Journey, Paula Walters shares the frustration, truth, and lived experience that led her to create this podcast. Living with layered trauma and brain injury, Paula challenges the idea of quick fixes and explains why healing is not a destination—but a lifelong journey. She explores how trauma reshapes the brain and body, why symptoms are often misunderstood or misdiagnosed, and what it really takes to move out of survival mode and...
info_outlineIn this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Courageous Survivor, Paula Walters reintroduces herself and shares why she uses the word courageous to describe her healing journey.
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and Paula opens up about the honest struggle of choosing discipline, structure, and faith in a culture that celebrates comfort and excuses. As a trauma survivor and brain injury advocate, she reflects on what it really means to live aligned instead of relatable — and why that choice often makes people uncomfortable.
From dopamine-driven scrolling and alcohol culture to stress, private integrity, and the fear of being judged, Paula shares her own recent wake-up call about wasted time, avoidance, and accountability. She challenges listeners to consider who they are becoming — and what their future 70- or 80-year-old self might wish they had started today.
April brings Stress Awareness Month, Alcohol Awareness Month, Move More Month, and World Health Day — making it the perfect time for a 30-day reset.
Paula invites you to join her beginning April 1st by choosing just ONE commitment for 30 days:
• Eliminate alcohol
• Give up social media
• Meal prep weekly
• Move daily
• Protect your sleep
• Prioritize prayer
• Or commit to any habit that strengthens your future self
This episode is a call to alignment, integrity, and courageous self-respect.
Excellence may feel lonely — but regret feels worse.
Are you ready to stop shrinking and start becoming?
About The Courageous Journey
The Courageous Journey is a podcast exploring the connection between trauma, brain health, and healing through the lens of lived experience, neuroscience, faith, and hope. Each episode helps survivors and professionals better understand the brain so healing and lasting change become possible.
Disclaimer:
The content shared on this podcast and YouTube channel is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only. I, Paula Walters, am not a licensed medical professional, and the information provided should not be construed as medical advice. I am sharing my personal journey of healing—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—based on my own experiences and the research I have found to be beneficial for me.
Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions regarding your health or treatment options. What works for me may not work for you, and it is important to find a path that is right for your unique needs and circumstances.