Healing doesn’t look tidy. It looks like confusion, breakdowns, breakthroughs — and a whole lot of misunderstandings. In this first full episode of Back Porch, Jennifer opens up about what it’s like when you’re not who people expect you to be in your healing.
She shares stories of being misread, the loneliness of isolation, and the pain of reaching out only to be met with judgment. Jennifer speaks candidly about trauma, CPTSD, and what it feels like to scream underwater while everyone else watches from the veranda.
But this isn’t just about struggle — it’s about presence, faith, and the kind of love that stays. With honesty and vulnerability, she reminds us that healing is survival, silence doesn’t mean weakness, and no one should have to walk through hell alone.
In this episode:
Why healing makes you “different” — and misunderstood
The loneliness of being unheard and unseen
The truth about reconciliation and unmet expectations
Facing trauma alone and the cost of survival
The tangled necklaces of CPTSD
The power of presence and unconditional love
Choosing silence as survival — and breaking it here
Jennifer closes with her psalm, From the Side of the Road — a heart cry for anyone who feels unseen and unheard.
“With space and a little salty grace, until the next time the porchlights blink.”
If you’d like to go deeper, join me on Patreon for behind-the-scenes reflections, extended writings, and live porch nights: patreon.com/JenniferShatzer
Learn more about me, my writing, and future projects: JenniferShatzer.com
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