Welcome to Shame to Shine!
Stories of brave women facing the parts of themselves we were taught to hide
What is this about?
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This series includes personal accounts of women who have walked through the isolating valleys of shame - which has looked like:
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Loss of self, burnout, heartbreak, perfectionism
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Job loss, exclusion, not enoughness, abuse
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Heartbreak, infertility, sexual trauma, religious deconstruction, divorce
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We want to share these stories to inspire you, see you, and remind you that you can keep going.
Hear their Stories
Click on each speaker's image to see their interview page
Picture Perfect No More: Reclaiming Identity and Enoughness
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Samantha Santiago,
PhD, MBA
Relationship Coach-Consultant, Founder of CONFIDENCE + FAITH™
Losing Your Identity + Growing In Life
Alli Cost
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
A Non-Traditional Life
Markeea Hart
Owner / Founder of
Girls Running Sh**
From Burnout to Balance: A Black Woman’s Journey to Thriving Through Wellness
Cat Bruno
Babesburgh Founder
Learning to Shine on Your Own
Briana Bowley
Nervous System Regulation Coach and International Speaker
From Pain to Power, From Loss to Legacy
Merilee Smith
Speaker | Mindset & Leadership Coach
Freeing Yourself the Perfectionist Hustle
Rachael Rennebeck
Co-owner of YaJagoff Media, LLC and PittsburgHER creator
Beyond the Image: Self-Acceptance, Natural Beauty, and Redefining Success
When the World Pushes Back: Alignment Through Disruption
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Dr. Missy Hillock
Quantum Psychologist
When Outer Dissonance Leads to Inner Alignment
Jackie Coley, PhD
Mental Fitness Coach & Career Strategist
The Push Off the Fence: When Disruption Becomes a Breakthrough
Aakanksha Agarwal
Journalist
No Limits to Growing
Christy Uffelman
Reinvention coach, #1 Amazon bestselling author and founder of EDGE Leadership
Wayfinding
Cassaundra Paolini
Soul Coach, Healer, Energy Worker
The Light in You
Kelly Boyer
Intuitive Advisor & Hypnosis Consultant
From Silent Survival to Soul-Led Clarity: How I Transformed 40 Years of Abuse into the CLEARITY Method™
Ta'lor Pinkston
The Heart Advocate, Licensed "Self-love" Social Worker, Mental Health Professional
From Self-Neglect to Self-love
"I'm every woman" : Navigating Harsh Transitions
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Lana Manikowski
Infertility Activist, Author and Podcast Host
Infertile and Childless: From Silent Shame to Strength
Cathy Skipper
Menopause Midwife
Menopause - A Portal to Sovereignty
Marlee Liss
Award-Winning Speaker, Survivor Advocate, Somatic Educator, and Author
From Shame to Empowerment: Rethinking Justice for Sexual Violence
Sara Kidwell
Founder of SoloTogether Coaching & Experiences | Holistic Executive Coaching for Women
Permission to Question, Deconstruct, and Reimagine Your Life
Dr. Steph Rouch
Founder of Paradigm Expansions, Spiritual Guide
When Listening to Yourself Becomes the Bravest Thing You Can Do | Shame, Divorce & Rediscovering Joy
Meet Your Host:
Stephanie Rouch, PhD
I’m so glad you’re here. I’m Dr. Steph—lover of life, seeker of truth, and intuitive spiritual coach.
For years, I lived in opposition to my own intuition. While I excelled externally, I was in a marriage trying to prove someone else was worthy of love—and pursuing a PhD to prove I was “good enough.” The deeper I denied my truth, the dimmer my spirit became.
Divorce brought me face-to-face with the shame, guilt, and self-doubt I had been carrying for years. Through chakra meditation and reconnecting with my heart’s voice, I began to honor myself—not by proving my worth, but by validating it within.
That journey lit the way to my true purpose: guiding women back to their own radiant inner light.
This series is your invitation into a circle of women who see you, welcome you, and hold space for your next chapter of transformation—from pain, perfectionism, and self-sacrifice into self-trust, joy, and freedom.
No matter what depths of shame you are experiencing, you are welcome here. All of you.
Deepen self-aCCEPTANCE
You are not alone in your pain. Your experience doesn't mean there is something wrong with you or you're doomed to a mediocre life.
Release the lies
The scripts that leave us feeling ashamed are illusions. Hearing accounts of others going through similar processes can help you remember that YOU get to choose how you feel about yourself and your life.
embrace freedom
As your shame loses its grip, there is freedom. Freedom with not having to please others, make them comfortable, or make them approve of you. YOU get to approve of you.
Love your life
As you become your own final arbiter of your life, the voice of your heart and intuition becomes more clear. You will continue to make choices aligned with your true self - and watch as the life of your dreams unfolds.