In this episode of the podcast, I'm joined in conversation by Joy Smalley, a devoted wife and mother of four teenagers aged 13-17. She's deeply involved in her children's lives, homeschooling them and sharing their passions for activities like volleyball, jiu-jitsu, art, and anime. Joy is also a writer and proudly identifies as an introvert.

Today's discussion delves into community and coping with past traumas. Joy opens up about her personal experiences with trauma and its enduring effects on her faith, family, and the people around her. She offers a profound insight into her journey, chronicled in her memoir, "Abraham’s Daughter: Healing Trauma from a Childhood in Missions."

We explore the process of both writing and healing, emphasizing the importance of self-discovery and maintaining a connection with one's spirituality, even in the face of life's hardships. I hope this episode encourages you to find healing and hope. 

Episode Highlights: 

●       Getting to know Joy 

●       Raising teens & homeschooling 

●       Living as a missionary in Mongolia during childhood & the trauma that came with it 

●       Survival as a child

●       Signs of unresolved trauma

●       Self-harm 

●       Receiving therapy

●       Joy’s Book - Abraham’s Daughter  

●       Monica’s episodes What Defines You? and Struggling Does Not Make You a Failure

Find more on Guest:

●       Joy’s website JoySmalley.com 

●       Joy’s recent read The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis

●       Instagram @joysmalley6

Find More on The Commons with Karla:

●       On IG @karla_osorno

Thank you for listening! Please subscribe, rate and review The Commons with Karla Podcast on Apple or Spotify. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. For show notes, go to karlaosorno.com/podcast.

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.