Show notes
Trigger Warning:
This episode includes open and honest discussions about suicide attempts, mental illness, emotional abuse, and childhood trauma. Please listen with care.
In this Part 2 of a 2-part series, we reconnect with Emily as she shares what life has looked like since her last suicide attempt—unpacking what real recovery feels like when it’s layered with parenting, relationship trauma, childhood emotional neglect, and navigating the pressure to “look okay” on the outside.
This is a story about fighting to stay, even when your brain tries to convince you otherwise.
Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is the 2024 People's Choice Podcast Award Winner for Health and the 2024 Women In Podcasting Award Winner for Best Mental Health Podcast, with over 2 million downloads across more than 100 countries.
We’re here to normalize mental health conversations through laughter, truth-telling, and a whole lot of heart.
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“I’m not proud of my story because it’s pretty—it’s ugly. But I’m proud I’m still here.” — Emily
What This Episode is About
Emily opens up about what came next after the suicide attempts, what healing looks like on the ground level, and the daily work it takes to quiet the internalized voices of shame. She talks about masking, being in survival mode, and the confusion of being a high-functioning person with severe depression.
You’ll also hear about her struggles in romantic relationships, what it felt like to have emotional abuse reinforced in adulthood, and how becoming a parent inspired her to change the narrative in her family line.
SEO Keywords:
Suicide attempt recovery, high-functioning depression, emotional abuse, trauma-informed parenting, mental health support, post-attempt healing, invisible pain, self-worth, generational trauma, PTSD recovery, inner child work, coping with shame, childhood emotional neglect
Meet Our Guest: Emily
Emily is a trauma survivor, a nurse, a mother, and a woman doing the hard work to heal while still showing up for everyone else. In Part 1, she shared her early struggles with mental illness, beginning with cutting at age 11 and two suicide attempts before she turned 21.
In this episode, she takes us deeper into the “after”—into the quiet, messy, nonlinear work of recovery.
She explains how her trauma carried into her adult relationships, how she learned to identify emotional abuse in real-time, and how she’s slowly starting to believe she is worthy of being loved without condition.
Emily’s story is not tied up in a neat little bow—and that’s precisely why it matters.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmiewillyy/
3 Key Takeaways
You can look “fine” and still be in survival mode. High-functioning depression is real.
Unresolved childhood trauma can impact every adult relationship. But awareness is power.
Recovery is daily work. It’s not a one-time decision; it’s a commitment to stay.
Actionable Items
Use grounding tools when shame kicks in—like naming your feeling out loud or writing it down.
Audit your relationships for emotional safety: Do they help you grow or keep you in patterns?
If you’re struggling, reach out to someone. You don’t have to wait until you're in crisis to ask for help.
Chapters & Time Stamps
[00:01:22] Living With the Aftermath
Emily reflects on what life looked like after her second attempt and why she thought she had to act “fine.”
[00:04:45] The Masking We Learn
The dangers of pretending everything is okay, even when it’s not—and how people missed the signs.
[00:09:12] Surviving Toxic Love
Emily shares her experience with emotionally abusive relationships and how it mirrored her childhood.
[00:21:30] Parenting as a Cycle Breaker
What she’s doing differently to raise her daughter with emotional honesty and safety.
[00:29:55] Healing Isn’t Pretty
The real, gritty parts of staying alive—and staying connected to yourself.
References
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – https://988lifeline.org
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
BetterHelp Online Therapy – https://www.betterhelp.com
Mental Health America – https://mhanational.org
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