Can sharing your story actually help you heal? For Sandy Dyson Reid, the answer is yes, and it can help the people who hear it heal too.
▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube | 🎧 Listen on Spotify
On this episode of the Fully Stoked Podcast, I sat down with Sandy Dyson Reid, an inspirational speaker, published author, and founder of Boldly Evolve and The Well Vision. Through Boldly Evolve, a nonprofit, Sandy helps women and teens work through trauma and major life transitions using storytelling, support groups, coaching, and creative expression.
Key Takeaways
Sharing your story can release shame and help others heal.
Unprocessed trauma shows up in our relationships, decisions, and boundaries.
Survival mode clouds judgment. Healing means going through it, not around it.
"It's okay to not be okay." Acknowledging what needs attention is the first step.
Why Storytelling Heals
Sandy believes our stories are some of the most powerful tools we have, not just for our own healing but for the people who need to hear them.
"Our testimony saves lives... when we share our stories, it can bring healing and growth."
Bringing her own experiences into the light changed everything for her:
"Once we have that freedom to be able to share what we've been through, it releases something. It releases like that bondage or that hold."
Turning Hardship Into Purpose
Sandy has lived through childhood abandonment, the foster care system, domestic violence, and homelessness as a single mother during the 2008 recession. Today she uses those experiences to help others find clarity and confidence.
"If I have to put a reason to it, the reason would be to help other people come through."
Getting Out of Survival Mode
Survival mode can quietly shape how we show up in relationships, at work, and in the decisions we make. Sandy is clear that healing requires facing what happened:
"We have to go through it in order to heal from it."
"If we don't take care of those traumas, they're gonna come up some kind of way."
What's Next for Sandy
Sandy is pursuing her master's degree in social work so Boldly Evolve can offer more clinical support to women and teens. She is also developing her stage production, Nancy's Exodus, into a film.
Your Turn
Your past can be part of your story without becoming your future. What part of your story could help someone else right now?
▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube
Connect With Sandy Dyson Reid
Boldly Evolve
Website: boldlyevolve.org
Email: sandy@boldlyevolve.com
Instagram: @boldlyevolve_be
Facebook: @boldlyevolve
Connect With Sarah Stokes
Host, Fully Stoked Podcast
Sr. Mortgage Loan Advisor, Coast2Coast Mortgage Lending
NMLS #1743154 | Company NMLS #376205
Email: sarah.stokes@coast2coastml.com
Phone: 704-301-6040 | 828-772-4638
Instagram: @sarahwhitleystokes
YouTube: @fullystokedpodcast
If this episode brings up something difficult, you don't have to carry it alone. In the U.S., call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 1-800-799-7233 (National Domestic Violence Hotline).
Disclaimer: The Fully Stoked Podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only. Guests share their own experiences and opinions, which do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Coast2Coast Mortgage Lending. This content is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health care. Nothing here is an offer or commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.