Uncaged: PTSD, ADHD & Courage to Live Authentically| Krista’s Story
Some transformations don’t happen quietly.
They happen when you finally stop contorting yourself to fit a life that was never meant for you.
In this episode of the FoundHer Series, I sat down with Krista, a contributor to The Embers We Carry, Volume 3, to talk about authenticity, healing, and the courage it takes to live from truth rather than expectation.
Krista’s chapter, Uncaged, traces her journey through trauma, identity loss, and profound self-discovery. It is a story about coming back to yourself after years of surviving inside systems, roles, and relationships that demanded silence instead of wholeness.
When Success Costs Too Much
Krista’s life, from the outside, looked accomplished. She is a police officer and criminal profiler, trained to read people, recognize patterns, and assess risk.
And yet, like so many women, she found herself in environments, including a toxic marriage and a harmful workplace, where her intuition was overridden by conditioning, responsibility, and the pressure to endure.
Krista shared how her chapter explores the moment she realized that success without authenticity was too high a price to pay.
Healing, PTSD, and a Late ADHD Diagnosis
Krista spoke candidly about her healing journey, including therapy, navigating PTSD, and receiving a late ADHD diagnosis.
Rather than framing these experiences as limitations, she described them as doorways. Explanations that brought compassion to years of self-judgment. Language that allowed her to stop asking, “What’s wrong with me?” and start asking, “What do I need?”
Carrie reflected on how powerful it is when women tell these stories openly, especially in professions where strength is often defined as emotional suppression.
The Power of Observation Over Reaction
One of the most striking insights Krista shared was learning to observe instead of react.
In moments of emotional conflict, especially within her marriage, she discovered a quiet strength in staying present rather than being pulled into chaos. This shift didn’t just change her relationships, it changed how she saw herself.
Empowerment, Krista realized, wasn’t about winning arguments. It was about reclaiming agency.
Feeling Again, Fully
For a long time, Krista described feeling emotionally numb, a protective response to trauma and chronic stress. Healing allowed her to feel again, not just joy, but sadness, grief, and tenderness. Rather than being overwhelming, this return to emotional range felt like freedom. She spoke about how authenticity deepens connection, with ourselves and with others, and how vulnerability invites people to meet us where we truly are.
No Shame in Not Seeing the Red Flags
Krista also addressed a powerful and often unspoken truth: even highly trained, capable women can miss red flags in abusive or toxic relationships. As a profiler, she knew the signs. As a human, she was emotionally invested.
Her message is clear and compassionate: there is no shame in surviving. Healing isn’t about rewriting the past with regret, but honoring the growth that comes from it.
Why This Story Matters
Uncaged is for any woman who has ever felt trapped by expectations, relationships, or identities that no longer fit. Krista’s story reminds us that authenticity isn’t reckless. It’s rooted. And when we choose it, we don’t lose ourselves, we find ourselves.
Volume 3 of The Embers We Carry launches April 11, with Krista’s chapter standing as a powerful invitation to step out of the cage and into a life that feels like your own.
Learn more about the FoundHer Summit here!
“I stopped reacting and started observing, and that’s when my power came back.”
About Krista
Contributor to The Embers We Carry, Volume 3
Chapter title: “Uncaged”
Police officer and criminal profiler
Writes about healing from PTSD, a late ADHD diagnosis, and reclaiming authenticity
Explores women’s empowerment, self-acceptance, and freedom from toxic systems and relationships
Passionate about journaling as a tool for clarity, peace, and personal growth
