What happens when the "good daughter" wakes up to the truth?
In this week's Surviving Roots episode, Cari Fund sits down with Lauren Smallcomb — certified mind-body practitioner, trauma survivor, and author of Golden Child: My Descent to Scapegoat and Rise to Freedom.
Lauren shares her journey from being the adored "golden child" in a rigid, religious family to becoming the scapegoat when faith, politics, and identity collided. Together, Cari and Lauren explore what it means to break free from high-control systems, redefine forgiveness, and rebuild a life rooted in freedom, grief, and authenticity.
You'll hear:
✨ The painful shift from golden child to scapegoat
✨ How patriarchy and religion shaped her silence
✨ Why acceptance (not forgiveness) is where healing begins
✨ What parenting looks like after breaking generational cycles
Grab Golden Child wherever books are sold and follow Lauren's work at @flourish_therapy and @goldenchildbook.
🎧 Listen to Surviving Roots Podcast on all major platforms — and don't forget to leave a review and share this episode with someone who's healing from a family that couldn't hold their truth.
Follow Cari Fund at @cari.fund on Istagram.
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