When belonging and truth collide, navigating transitions can feel like losing your whole map.
In this episode, Paula Stone Williams—international speaker, author, and pastoral counselor—joins Nikki P. for an honest conversation about identity, faith, gender, and the real cost (and gift) of becoming your authentic self.
Paula shares what it meant to transition later in life and lose her roles, relationships, and community almost overnight—and how she rebuilt from the ground up. We talk about why belonging often outranks truth, how fundamentalism trains people to “kill their soul” early, and what it’s like to live on the borderlands of gender while the world insists on binaries. Paula also names the everyday misogyny she experienced after transitioning, and why proximity + narrative change hearts faster than outrage.
You’ll hear:
- How to stay grounded when your tribe polices your voice
- The difference between ego safety and soul-level authenticity
- What “faith reconstruction” can look like after fundamentalism
- Why integration matters more than erasing your past
If you’re in the messy middle of identity, faith, or belonging, this episode offers nuance, compassion, and next steps.
If this resonated, follow the show and share it with someone navigating change.
Resources & Links:
- Listen to the companion podcast: It's Both- Guided Meditations for Anxiety, Emotional Regulation, & Real Life Transitions
- Connect with Paula Stone Williams
- Subscribe, rate, & review It's Both on Apple Podcasts
- Join the Courageous Living Group Transformation
- It's Both on Instagram & Youtube
Thank you again for listening and remember, life isn't either/or, it's both.
