#75 Dr. Ann O’Neill – Transformation from extreme Trauma

Learn from dealing extreme forms of trauma with Dr. Ann O’Neill, Founder of Angel Hands a non-for-profit provider of support and assistance to help people recover from extreme trauma. Ann shares how her own self-navigated road to recovery, from her own traumatic familicide exposure, in a pre-internet age lead to her study and the creation of Angel Hands to help others that have been thrust into a similar situation. Ann explains how when exposed to traumatic events some flail, some survive and some thrive; it is from this that she shares her empowering HOPE model of trauma recovery (Hero, Organiser, Pilgrim & Explorer). Bryn and Ann also discuss being ok with not being ok, the impact of choosing your self-identity labels, the pitfalls of over focusing on the ‘why’ to a traumatic event, the prevalence of domestic violence and familicide, and how there’s a big need for better models and case studies for post separation and co-parenting. While this may well seem like a ‘heavy’ topic, Ann is very inspiring to listen to and her sense of humour is infectious. It doesn’t take exposure to extreme trauma to takeaway and apply her messages and learnings to be all you can be.