141 ~ From Childhood Trauma to Living in a Cult: Dr. Martina Zangger’s Story

⚠️ *Please note: This episode discusses childhood sexual abuse, trauma, sex work and cult involvement. Please listen with care.* Dr. Martina Zangger is the author of *Not My Shame*, a psychotherapist and university lecturer whose life story is one of extraordinary survival, healing and transformation. After experiencing childhood sexual abuse within her family and growing up in an authoritarian environment, Martina’s search for belonging and meaning eventually led her to become involved in a cult in India. To fund her journey there, she worked as a sex worker in Sydney, experiences she now reflects on through both her lived experience and her professional understanding of trauma. But Martina’s story isn’t simply about what happened to her. It’s about what came next. After leaving the cult, Martina began the long process of healing, eventually earning three university degrees and becoming a psychotherapist and lecturer who now works to help others who have experienced trauma. In this deeply honest episode of *Before You Bloom*, we talk about childhood trauma, shame, survival responses, emotional safety and the ways trauma can shape the identities we build around ourselves. Martina shares what she wishes people understood about survivors, why shame can become so deeply embedded after trauma, what people often misunderstand about cult involvement and how therapy helped her begin to rebuild her life. We also explore what healing actually feels like, how the nervous system is involved in trauma recovery, learning to trust again, forgiveness, integrating different parts of ourselves and what it means to move from simply surviving to genuinely living. This is a conversation about the parts of trauma that are often difficult to talk about but also about the possibility of healing, reclaiming your story and discovering that your past does not have to determine your future. **A powerful reminder that shame belongs to the person who caused the harm, not the person who survived it.** Find Dr. Martina Zangger : Website If you or someone you love is experiencing abuse here are some support links : 🇦🇺 **Australia** - **1800RESPECT** – National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service: **1800 737 732** (24/7) - **Lifeline Australia** – Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention: **13 11 14** (24/7) - **Kids Helpline** – Counselling for young people aged 5–25: **1800 55 1800** (24/7) - **Blue Knot Foundation** – Support for adult survivors of childhood trauma: **1300 657 380** - **Beyond Blue** – Mental health support: **1300 22 4636** (24/7) 🌍 **International/Global** - **RAINN (U.S.)** – Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network: **1-800-656-4673** (24/7) or rainn.org - **Crisis Text Line** – Free 24/7 text support in the U.S. & internationally: Text **HOME** to 741741 - **Suicide Stop (Worldwide Hotlines Directory):** suicidestop.com/online **United Kingdom** - **Samaritans UK** – Call **116 123** (free, 24/7) - **NAPAC** – Support for adult survivors of childhood abuse: **0808 801 0331** **Canada** - **Talk Suicide Canada** – Call or text **988** (24/7) - **Canadian Centre for Child Protection:** protectchildren.ca **New Zealand** - **Lifeline New Zealand:** **0800 543 354** or free text **4357 (HELP)** - **Safe to Talk** – Sexual harm helpline: **0800 044 334** 💙 BOOK IN FOR 1:1 TRAUMA THERAPY WITH HAYLEY : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💙 💗 Thank you so much for being here on this adventure with me! 💗- Hayley Kinneavy xo ✨ Find us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@beforeyoubloom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠✨ ✉️ Email me : hayley@beforeyoubloom.com 🎧⭐ Follow us on :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧⭐ Follow us on :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💗 Visit our : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠