Creating Psychological Safety from the Inside Out with Deborah Lee

Send us a Message

What if the key to safer workplaces isn’t a new policy... but your own nervous system?

In episode 157 of The Empowered and Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with trauma consultant, speaker, and founder of Creaturae, Deborah Lee, for a deep conversation on embodied leadership, psychological safety, and the courage it takes to show up without the mask.

Together, they unpack the hidden toll of performative leadership, why so many leaders are silently struggling, and how real change begins within, not through control, but through connection. Deborah shares how embodied leadership—rooted in interoception, movement, and gentle self-awareness—can create the conditions for real trust, real connection, and real change.

This one is for every leader, healer, entrepreneur, or human who’s been told to be “professional” while quietly falling apart inside. Because the truth is that nervous system regulation, presence, and authenticity aren’t luxuries—they’re leadership essentials. 

“If your life is a performance, you can’t create safety for anyone else.” – Deborah Lee

Key Takeaways

• Leadership is about creating space for authenticity, not performance
• Psychological safety is foundational to effective, healthy workplaces
• Self-awareness and nervous system regulation are core leadership skills
• Every emotion is valid and offers insight
• Authenticity fosters trust, connection, and relational safety
• You don’t have to know it all to lead well, you just have to start with knowing yourself

Key Moments

00:00 – Welcome and intro
02:22 – Introducing body-based leadership work
04:50 – A hard truth: “Leadership is not the same as masking”
06:31 – Changing leadership culture when the system resists authenticity
07:32 – The loneliness of leadership and the limits of transparency
12:16 – Why psychological safety must start in your own body
18:48 – What is pendulation and why it matters for emotional regulation
23:34 – A nervous system reset you can do in under 30 seconds
29:01 – Stuck energy, speechless terror, and how trauma blocks communication
35:06 – Heartbreak and healing from domestic violence
39:30 – Reconnecting with your body as a source of truth and safety
41:21 – Explanation of somatic terminology (pendulation, titration, interoception)
44:04 – Why people shut down around money—and how embodiment helps
46:04 – The longing for presence, truth, and real connection
49:04 – It’s okay not to know: how we’re all learning as adults
51:53 – Final takeaways

Connect With Deborah

Website: http://www.creaturae.org

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/leeydeborah

Instagram: @creaturae7 

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries community and mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to feministpods.com to explore everything we have to offer.