June 30, 2025 • 25 mins
Have you ever walked into a medical appointment hoping for support — only to walk out questioning your sanity?
In this powerful episode of Growing Tall Poppies, Dr. Nat Green breaks her silence on the deeply personal and painful experiences she and many of her clients have faced within the healthcare and mental health systems. From being gaslit and dismissed, to surviving medical misadventures and a systemically mishandled allegation — Nat takes you inside the invisible battles that so many trauma survivors face.
Dr. Nat delves into the deeply personal and systemic issues that arise when the very systems designed to protect us—healthcare, mental health, regulatory bodies, and legal systems—end up causing more harm than healing.
⚠️ This episode dives deep into:
- Medical gaslighting and the dismissal of invisible illnesses
- How patriarchal power structures protect health professionals — not patients
- Why complaint systems re-traumatise rather than repair
- The emotional toll of speaking up in a system designed to silence
- How to turn pain into purpose and advocate for systemic change
If you’ve experienced chronic illness, complex trauma, or have been disbelieved by the very people meant to help — this episode is for you.
🧠 Topics We Cover:
- What it’s like to be gaslit by health professionals, and regulators
- The intersection of trauma, chronic pain, and medical misogyny
- The cultural conditioning inside the “boys’ club” of healthcare
- What true trauma-informed care should look like — and how to demand it
- Ways we can create real change and protect future patients
Dr. Nat shares her own experiences with medical trauma and the systemic barriers she faced, offering a poignant narrative on gaslighting, dismissal, and the fight for acknowledgment. She emphasizes the need for systemic change, highlighting the importance of sharing stories, advocating for trauma-informed systems, and building collective voices to challenge outdated, patriarchal structures. Tune in to discover how we can move forward, create meaningful change, and truly thrive after trauma.
Whether you’re a patient, a professional, or someone trying to make sense of what happened to you — this episode offers validation, insight, and a way forward.
🔗 Connect with Dr Nat
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen
Website https://www.drnataliegreen.com.au
🗣️ Share this with someone who’s been dismissed, silenced, or hurt by a system that should have done better. You are not alone — and you are not the problem.
If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen
Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dr Nat Green (00:01):
Welcome to the Growing Tall Poppies Podcast.
I'm your host, Dr.
Nat Green, and I'm so excited tohave you join me as we discuss
what it means to navigate yourway through post-traumatic
growth and not just survive, butto thrive after trauma.
(00:23):
Through our podcast, we willexplore ways for you to create a
life filled with greaterpurpose, self-awareness, and a
deep inner peace.
Through integrating the manyyears of knowledge and
professional experience, as wellas the wisdom of those who have
experienced trauma firsthand.
(00:44):
We'll combine psychologyaccelerated approaches.
Coaching and personal experienceto assist you, to learn, to grow
and to thrive.
I hope to empower you to createdeeper awareness and
understanding and strongerconnections with yourself and
with others, whilst also pavingthe way for those who have
(01:08):
experienced trauma and adversityto reduce their suffering and
become the very best versions ofthemselves.
In order to thrive.
Thank you so much for joining meon today's episode.
(01:29):
Welcome back to Growing TallPoppies.
The space where we grow togetherafter trauma, where we talk
about the hard things withhonesty, compassion, and a
fierce commitment to truth.
I'm your host, Dr.
Nat Green, and today I wannatalk about something that's
(01:51):
personal, painful.
Deeply systemic.
It's something I've stayedsilent on for a very long time.
What happens when you try tochallenge a system that protects
itself, especially when thatsystem is supposed to protect
(02:14):
you?
Today we are diving into whathappens when the very systems
designed to protect and care forus; health, mental health,
complaints regulatory bodies,and even the legal system end up
causing more harm than healing,especially for those of us
(02:38):
living with invisible healthconditions, trauma or complex
needs.
We are talking aboutgaslighting, dismissal, being
told nothing's wrong when yourbody is screaming, that
something is being told thisdidn't happen when it absolutely
(03:03):
did.
And we're also asking the bigquestion how.
Do we create real systemicchange in institutions and
systems that weren't built forus, and in many ways were built
to protect themselves.
(03:23):
If you've ever felt like youwere screaming into the void,
then this episode is for you.
I wanna name something clearly.
The outdated patriarchalstructures in our healthcare and
medical systems that havecreated a kind of closed boys
(03:43):
club, one that makes itincredibly difficult and
sometimes dangerous forindividuals, especially women,
to speak up when something goeswrong.
If you've ever been dismissed.
Gaslit or retraumatized by acomplaint process that should
(04:06):
have protected you.
You are not alone, and thisepisode is especially for you.
So let me start today with apersonal story.
It's not one I share lightly.
'cause the emotional toll oftrying to raise a concern within
(04:29):
these systems has left asignificant scar of its own.
Several years ago, I trusted ahealthcare professional with my
care What followed wasn't just amedical error, it was a cascade
of preventable harm thatunfolded over months.
(04:52):
Had there been more listening?
More transparency, moreaccountability.
So much of it could have beenavoided.
Instead of acknowledgement, Iwas met with silence or worse
defensiveness, closed ranks,passive aggressive
(05:14):
communication, blame shifting.
I wasn't just trying to recoverfrom a health event.
I was navigating a complaintsystem seemingly designed to
protect itself rather thaninvestigate or restore justice.
(05:35):
You see, it's not just aboutindividual professionals making
mistakes, mistakes happen.
We're all human after all.
But what creates deep lastingtrauma is when the system
refuses to acknowledge the harm.
When it gaslights, the personaffected, retraumatizes them
(05:56):
through bureaucratic hoops andthen closes the door in their
face.
And this wasn't isolated.
Many of my clients, especiallywomen, and those with complex
trauma histories, haveexperienced the same silencing.
(06:17):
So as some of you may know.
From listening to some of mystory in previous episodes, I
underwent major anklereconstruction surgery that
definitely didn't go to plan.
It led to a golden staphinfection, which turned systemic
and nearly cost me my lifethrough sepsis.
(06:39):
Eight months in and out ofhospital, four surgeries, the
development of autoimmuneconditions, chronic reactions.
Complex regional pain syndrome,peripheral neuropathy.
The list goes on and on.
Whatever could go wrong oftendid.
(07:00):
PICC lines placed dangerouslyclose to my heart.
A guide wire left inside anotherPICC line after a surgery, which
could have been fatal.
And every time I spoke up, I wasdismissed.
Told it wasn't a big deal.
Treated as though I wasexaggerating or making it up.
(07:23):
One doctor wouldn't even examineme, afraid to speak against a
colleague.
I wasn't looking to blameanyone.
I just wanted someone toacknowledge my condition and to
help with effective treatment soI could get better.
Instead, I learned, I just hadto put up with it.
(07:45):
To bottle it all up and thattrauma undoubtedly stayed
trapped inside my already overs,sensitized nervous system.
And later I sought help fromanother professional,
vulnerable, desperate to managewhat I was living with.
(08:06):
And instead what occurred was asituation that I perceived to be
an assault, a sexual assault.
I won't go into detail here, andnothing has been legally proven
or disproven, but I can saythis, the way the system's
(08:28):
handled it has definitelycompounded my trauma.
Not once, but again and againand again.
And here's the truth.
It is possible, andheartbreakingly too common to be
(08:49):
re-traumatized by the veryinstitutions that claim to
protect you.
When you live with invisibleillness, a complex condition,
chronic pain, trauma, youquickly learn that being
believed is not guaranteed.
(09:10):
It often feels like a battle.
An uphill one at best one, youmay not have the energy to
fight.
Here's where I've been, failedthe health system where my
symptoms were downplayed and Iwas labeled too complex to
assist the mental health system,where as a clinician myself, I
(09:37):
feared being seen as impaired.
Couldn't trust colleagues totruly hold space.
When I finally did, they let medown and I was shattered due to
their fear of speaking out onthe stand if that was ever
required.
I was let down big time, thecomplaint system, which
(10:03):
eventually apologized for theirprocesses, but changed nothing.
The legal system whereaccountability became a script
of legal speak, not justice.
I've sat in rooms where peoplelook me in the eye.
They nodded empathetically andsaid, oh, we hear you.
(10:27):
This shouldn't have happened.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
The system has let you down.
And then silence.
No follow up, no systemicchange.
Just another ticked box.
Silence.
No action.
(10:47):
No change.
The deepest harm isn't alwaysthe initial event.
Sometimes it's a repeatedbetrayal.
The gaslighting, theinvalidation, the erasure.
(11:07):
I know from my clients and somecolleagues that I'm not alone in
this.
I feel that it's finally time tospeak out.
When you live with invisibleillness, it doesn't just reveal
physical challenges.
(11:27):
It exposures the fractures inthe system.
You look fine on the outside, soyou must be exaggerating.
You ask questions, so you mustbe difficult.
You advocate for yourself, soyou must be emotional or
noncompliant.
(11:49):
And this happens most often towomen neurodivergent people and
those with trauma backgrounds,because this isn't just about
healthcare, it's about power.
Outdated patriarchal systems arebuilt on control, hierarchy and
(12:10):
certainty, not curiosity,collaboration, humility, or
listening in these systems.
The professional is alwaysright.
The patient is a liability andoften seen as unreliable.
A complaint is a threat.
(12:32):
Not a gift for growth.
Add to this, the additionallayer of the cultural
conditioning in these systemsthat says doctors don't make
mistakes, colleagues don't calleach other out, and admitting
fault is weakness, not an act ofintegrity.
(12:55):
It's cultural, it'sgenerational.
It protects itself at all costswhile patients just like you and
me, pay the price.
Add to this, the toxic cultureof silence, where healthcare
(13:16):
professionals are oftendiscouraged from apologizing or
punished if they speak out andit becomes clear.
The system is built to protectitself, not the people it
serves.
Are you trying to make acomplaint?
(13:39):
For most people, it's not anempowering process.
Indeed, it's a soul destroyingone.
Why?
Reviews are often conducted bypeople with personal or
professional connections to thepractitioner.
Trauma-informed care forcomplainants is non-existent.
(14:01):
No check-ins, no emotionalsupport.
No transparency about theprocess.
Outcomes are minimal orperformative.
Offered a defensive responsethat shifts the blame back onto
the patient.
And even when harm isacknowledged or fault is found,
(14:25):
nothing changes.
And this creates a chillingeffect.
People stop speaking up,problems continue harm repeats
and silence.
It just grows stronger.
(14:46):
What happens when you do try tocreate change, you burn out, you
advocate.
You write letters, you makecalls.
You attend meetings withofficials.
You hold yourself together inrooms where no one understands
your pain.
(15:07):
You explain yourself again andagain and again.
Then nothing.
Nothing changes.
If you're very lucky, someonemay acknowledge something, but
(15:27):
no job's lost, no policy shifts,no real accountability takes
place.
No meaningful outcomes.
You are not only left with youroriginal trauma.
The exhaustion and the emotionaltoll of having to justify your
(15:48):
own pain.
Again, advocacy fatigue is real,and this is why so many give up,
not because they don't care, butbecause it's soul destroying to
be ignored and continuallyunheard.
(16:08):
So what do we do about this?
How do we move forward?
How do we create systemic changein a system that resists
scrutiny?
And this is the part of theepisode where I wish I could
give you a simple five stepsolution, but if we're honest,
(16:29):
change is slow, messy, andrarely linear.
Here's what I do believe indeeply.
One, your story is power.
Telling your truth, whether it'sthrough a podcast, a social
post, a letter, or a privatejournal.
(16:52):
This is a radical act.
Chips away at silence, and thesilence is what enables systemic
harm to continue sharing ourstories as painful as they are.
This interrupts the silence.
It lets others know that they'renot alone.
(17:15):
It builds momentum.
It builds connection.
It invites others to say, metoo.
Number two, let's call fortrauma-informed systems.
That means acknowledging theemotional impact of medical
(17:37):
harm, having independentreviewers, making space for
patient voices, not just tickingboxes.
Let's push for independentcomplaints.
Bodies that don't review theirown trauma-informed interviewing
processes, protective policiesfor patients with complex needs
(18:01):
or trauma backgrounds.
Number three.
Let's train professionals inhumility and accountability.
This isn't optional anymore.
Humility, listening, traumaawareness.
They should be non-negotiable inclinical training.
(18:24):
Trauma-informed is not just forpsychologists, not anymore.
Fourthly, let's empowerwhistleblowers.
Health workers who speak upshould be protected, not
punished.
We need to value integrity oversilence.
(18:47):
Number five, collective voicesare so much louder than solo
ones.
One voice may be ignored, butmany.
That's where a movement begins.
Let's share stats and patterns.
Submit letters, use numbers andstories.
(19:08):
Number six, let's buildalliances, whether it's through
joining advocacy groups, supportnetworks, making our own
communities, speak on platforms,share space.
Don't go it alone.
Connection is power numberseven, centre lived experience
(19:38):
in system design.
Real reform happens when thosewho have been harmed are invited
into leadership, are involved inhaving input into the systems
that hurt them, not silenced ortokenized.
If you are offered a seat at thetable, for goodness sake, take
(19:59):
it.
If you're not, then create yourown.
And lastly, number eight, restand reclaim your energy.
Sometimes the most radical actis to stop fighting the system
and put that energy back intoyour own healing.
(20:22):
Your own joy, your owncommunity.
You are not required to burn outin the pursuit of justice.
Sometimes thriving is your mostpowerful rebellion, so reclaim
your nervous system.
Your healing matters too.
(20:43):
And if you are sitting theretoday or out on your walk, you
are listening and thinking.
That's me.
I've tried.
I've spoken up.
I've been shut down.
I want you to know and hear mewhen I say you are not
(21:08):
overreacting.
You are not crazy.
You are not the problem to theperson who's been hurt by one of
these systems.
Not just by the original harm,but by how it was handled.
I wanna say this, it wasn't yourfault.
(21:31):
You are not overreacting.
Your pain is valid, and itdeserves to be heard and held
with care.
The systems need to change, notyou.
The culture of silence andprotection in many of these
(21:52):
systems is a collective wound,but that means that healing can
also be collective by speakingup, by joining together, by
refusing to be silenced, we chipaway at the old structures and
we build something better.
(22:13):
And every time that you tellyour story, you're not just
healing yourself.
You're helping to carve a saferpath for someone else.
We need systems that don't justheal.
They listen where professionalsare human, humble, and
(22:38):
accountable.
Where every person, regardlessof their title is treated with
the dignity that they deserve,that centre humanity, humility
and honesty.
Thank you for listening.
(22:59):
If this episode resonated, thenI'd love for you to please share
it with someone that you thinkneeds to hear it.
Let's interrupt the silencetogether because together slowly
imperfectly, but powerfully wecan create the kind of change
(23:21):
that makes the future better forthe ones coming behind us.
You shouldn't have had to gothrough what you did, but your
voice might help someone elseavoid it.
If you've got a story like this,then I really wanna hear from
you.
(23:44):
I'd love for you to reach out,DM me on Instagram or Facebook,
send me an email.
I'm here and I am more thanready to listen, so let's keep
growing, and rising together.
Bye for now.
(24:10):
Thank you for joining me in thisepisode of Growing Tall Poppies.
It is my deepest hope thattoday's episode may have
inspired and empowered you tostep fully into your
post-traumatic growth, so thatyou can have absolute clarity
around who you are, what mattersthe most to you, and to assist
(24:32):
you to release your negativeemotions.
And regulate your nervous systemso you can fully thrive.
New episodes are published everyTuesday, and I hope you'll
continue to join us as weexplore both the strategies and
the personal qualities requiredto fully live a life of
(24:52):
post-traumatic growth and tothrive.
So if it feels aligned to youand really resonates, then I
invite you to hit subscribe andit would mean the world to us.
If you could share this episodewith others who you feel may
benefit too, you may also findme on Instagram at Growing Tall
(25:13):
Poppies and Facebook, Dr.
Natalie Green.
Remember, every moment is anopportunity to look for the
lessons and to learn andincrease your ability to live
the life you desire and deserve.
So for now, stay connected.
Stay inspired.
(25:34):
Stand tall like the tall poppyyou are, and keep shining your
light brightly in the world.
Bye for.
Welcome to the Growing Tall Poppies Podcast.
I'm your host, Dr.
Nat Green, and I'm so excited tohave you join me as we discuss
what it means to navigate yourway through post-traumatic
growth and not just survive, butto thrive after trauma.
(00:23):
Through our podcast, we willexplore ways for you to create a
life filled with greaterpurpose, self-awareness, and a
deep inner peace.
Through integrating the manyyears of knowledge and
professional experience, as wellas the wisdom of those who have
experienced trauma firsthand.
(00:44):
We'll combine psychologyaccelerated approaches.
Coaching and personal experienceto assist you, to learn, to grow
and to thrive.
I hope to empower you to createdeeper awareness and
understanding and strongerconnections with yourself and
with others, whilst also pavingthe way for those who have
(01:08):
experienced trauma and adversityto reduce their suffering and
become the very best versions ofthemselves.
In order to thrive.
Thank you so much for joining meon today's episode.
(01:29):
Welcome back to Growing TallPoppies.
The space where we grow togetherafter trauma, where we talk
about the hard things withhonesty, compassion, and a
fierce commitment to truth.
I'm your host, Dr.
Nat Green, and today I wannatalk about something that's
(01:51):
personal, painful.
Deeply systemic.
It's something I've stayedsilent on for a very long time.
What happens when you try tochallenge a system that protects
itself, especially when thatsystem is supposed to protect
(02:14):
you?
Today we are diving into whathappens when the very systems
designed to protect and care forus; health, mental health,
complaints regulatory bodies,and even the legal system end up
causing more harm than healing,especially for those of us
(02:38):
living with invisible healthconditions, trauma or complex
needs.
We are talking aboutgaslighting, dismissal, being
told nothing's wrong when yourbody is screaming, that
something is being told thisdidn't happen when it absolutely
(03:03):
did.
And we're also asking the bigquestion how.
Do we create real systemicchange in institutions and
systems that weren't built forus, and in many ways were built
to protect themselves.
(03:23):
If you've ever felt like youwere screaming into the void,
then this episode is for you.
I wanna name something clearly.
The outdated patriarchalstructures in our healthcare and
medical systems that havecreated a kind of closed boys
(03:43):
club, one that makes itincredibly difficult and
sometimes dangerous forindividuals, especially women,
to speak up when something goeswrong.
If you've ever been dismissed.
Gaslit or retraumatized by acomplaint process that should
(04:06):
have protected you.
You are not alone, and thisepisode is especially for you.
So let me start today with apersonal story.
It's not one I share lightly.
'cause the emotional toll oftrying to raise a concern within
(04:29):
these systems has left asignificant scar of its own.
Several years ago, I trusted ahealthcare professional with my
care What followed wasn't just amedical error, it was a cascade
of preventable harm thatunfolded over months.
(04:52):
Had there been more listening?
More transparency, moreaccountability.
So much of it could have beenavoided.
Instead of acknowledgement, Iwas met with silence or worse
defensiveness, closed ranks,passive aggressive
(05:14):
communication, blame shifting.
I wasn't just trying to recoverfrom a health event.
I was navigating a complaintsystem seemingly designed to
protect itself rather thaninvestigate or restore justice.
(05:35):
You see, it's not just aboutindividual professionals making
mistakes, mistakes happen.
We're all human after all.
But what creates deep lastingtrauma is when the system
refuses to acknowledge the harm.
When it gaslights, the personaffected, retraumatizes them
(05:56):
through bureaucratic hoops andthen closes the door in their
face.
And this wasn't isolated.
Many of my clients, especiallywomen, and those with complex
trauma histories, haveexperienced the same silencing.
(06:17):
So as some of you may know.
From listening to some of mystory in previous episodes, I
underwent major anklereconstruction surgery that
definitely didn't go to plan.
It led to a golden staphinfection, which turned systemic
and nearly cost me my lifethrough sepsis.
(06:39):
Eight months in and out ofhospital, four surgeries, the
development of autoimmuneconditions, chronic reactions.
Complex regional pain syndrome,peripheral neuropathy.
The list goes on and on.
Whatever could go wrong oftendid.
(07:00):
PICC lines placed dangerouslyclose to my heart.
A guide wire left inside anotherPICC line after a surgery, which
could have been fatal.
And every time I spoke up, I wasdismissed.
Told it wasn't a big deal.
Treated as though I wasexaggerating or making it up.
(07:23):
One doctor wouldn't even examineme, afraid to speak against a
colleague.
I wasn't looking to blameanyone.
I just wanted someone toacknowledge my condition and to
help with effective treatment soI could get better.
Instead, I learned, I just hadto put up with it.
(07:45):
To bottle it all up and thattrauma undoubtedly stayed
trapped inside my already overs,sensitized nervous system.
And later I sought help fromanother professional,
vulnerable, desperate to managewhat I was living with.
(08:06):
And instead what occurred was asituation that I perceived to be
an assault, a sexual assault.
I won't go into detail here, andnothing has been legally proven
or disproven, but I can saythis, the way the system's
(08:28):
handled it has definitelycompounded my trauma.
Not once, but again and againand again.
And here's the truth.
It is possible, andheartbreakingly too common to be
(08:49):
re-traumatized by the veryinstitutions that claim to
protect you.
When you live with invisibleillness, a complex condition,
chronic pain, trauma, youquickly learn that being
believed is not guaranteed.
(09:10):
It often feels like a battle.
An uphill one at best one, youmay not have the energy to
fight.
Here's where I've been, failedthe health system where my
symptoms were downplayed and Iwas labeled too complex to
assist the mental health system,where as a clinician myself, I
(09:37):
feared being seen as impaired.
Couldn't trust colleagues totruly hold space.
When I finally did, they let medown and I was shattered due to
their fear of speaking out onthe stand if that was ever
required.
I was let down big time, thecomplaint system, which
(10:03):
eventually apologized for theirprocesses, but changed nothing.
The legal system whereaccountability became a script
of legal speak, not justice.
I've sat in rooms where peoplelook me in the eye.
They nodded empathetically andsaid, oh, we hear you.
(10:27):
This shouldn't have happened.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
The system has let you down.
And then silence.
No follow up, no systemicchange.
Just another ticked box.
Silence.
No action.
(10:47):
No change.
The deepest harm isn't alwaysthe initial event.
Sometimes it's a repeatedbetrayal.
The gaslighting, theinvalidation, the erasure.
(11:07):
I know from my clients and somecolleagues that I'm not alone in
this.
I feel that it's finally time tospeak out.
When you live with invisibleillness, it doesn't just reveal
physical challenges.
(11:27):
It exposures the fractures inthe system.
You look fine on the outside, soyou must be exaggerating.
You ask questions, so you mustbe difficult.
You advocate for yourself, soyou must be emotional or
noncompliant.
(11:49):
And this happens most often towomen neurodivergent people and
those with trauma backgrounds,because this isn't just about
healthcare, it's about power.
Outdated patriarchal systems arebuilt on control, hierarchy and
(12:10):
certainty, not curiosity,collaboration, humility, or
listening in these systems.
The professional is alwaysright.
The patient is a liability andoften seen as unreliable.
A complaint is a threat.
(12:32):
Not a gift for growth.
Add to this, the additionallayer of the cultural
conditioning in these systemsthat says doctors don't make
mistakes, colleagues don't calleach other out, and admitting
fault is weakness, not an act ofintegrity.
(12:55):
It's cultural, it'sgenerational.
It protects itself at all costswhile patients just like you and
me, pay the price.
Add to this, the toxic cultureof silence, where healthcare
(13:16):
professionals are oftendiscouraged from apologizing or
punished if they speak out andit becomes clear.
The system is built to protectitself, not the people it
serves.
Are you trying to make acomplaint?
(13:39):
For most people, it's not anempowering process.
Indeed, it's a soul destroyingone.
Why?
Reviews are often conducted bypeople with personal or
professional connections to thepractitioner.
Trauma-informed care forcomplainants is non-existent.
(14:01):
No check-ins, no emotionalsupport.
No transparency about theprocess.
Outcomes are minimal orperformative.
Offered a defensive responsethat shifts the blame back onto
the patient.
And even when harm isacknowledged or fault is found,
(14:25):
nothing changes.
And this creates a chillingeffect.
People stop speaking up,problems continue harm repeats
and silence.
It just grows stronger.
(14:46):
What happens when you do try tocreate change, you burn out, you
advocate.
You write letters, you makecalls.
You attend meetings withofficials.
You hold yourself together inrooms where no one understands
your pain.
(15:07):
You explain yourself again andagain and again.
Then nothing.
Nothing changes.
If you're very lucky, someonemay acknowledge something, but
(15:27):
no job's lost, no policy shifts,no real accountability takes
place.
No meaningful outcomes.
You are not only left with youroriginal trauma.
The exhaustion and the emotionaltoll of having to justify your
(15:48):
own pain.
Again, advocacy fatigue is real,and this is why so many give up,
not because they don't care, butbecause it's soul destroying to
be ignored and continuallyunheard.
(16:08):
So what do we do about this?
How do we move forward?
How do we create systemic changein a system that resists
scrutiny?
And this is the part of theepisode where I wish I could
give you a simple five stepsolution, but if we're honest,
(16:29):
change is slow, messy, andrarely linear.
Here's what I do believe indeeply.
One, your story is power.
Telling your truth, whether it'sthrough a podcast, a social
post, a letter, or a privatejournal.
(16:52):
This is a radical act.
Chips away at silence, and thesilence is what enables systemic
harm to continue sharing ourstories as painful as they are.
This interrupts the silence.
It lets others know that they'renot alone.
(17:15):
It builds momentum.
It builds connection.
It invites others to say, metoo.
Number two, let's call fortrauma-informed systems.
That means acknowledging theemotional impact of medical
(17:37):
harm, having independentreviewers, making space for
patient voices, not just tickingboxes.
Let's push for independentcomplaints.
Bodies that don't review theirown trauma-informed interviewing
processes, protective policiesfor patients with complex needs
(18:01):
or trauma backgrounds.
Number three.
Let's train professionals inhumility and accountability.
This isn't optional anymore.
Humility, listening, traumaawareness.
They should be non-negotiable inclinical training.
(18:24):
Trauma-informed is not just forpsychologists, not anymore.
Fourthly, let's empowerwhistleblowers.
Health workers who speak upshould be protected, not
punished.
We need to value integrity oversilence.
(18:47):
Number five, collective voicesare so much louder than solo
ones.
One voice may be ignored, butmany.
That's where a movement begins.
Let's share stats and patterns.
Submit letters, use numbers andstories.
(19:08):
Number six, let's buildalliances, whether it's through
joining advocacy groups, supportnetworks, making our own
communities, speak on platforms,share space.
Don't go it alone.
Connection is power numberseven, centre lived experience
(19:38):
in system design.
Real reform happens when thosewho have been harmed are invited
into leadership, are involved inhaving input into the systems
that hurt them, not silenced ortokenized.
If you are offered a seat at thetable, for goodness sake, take
(19:59):
it.
If you're not, then create yourown.
And lastly, number eight, restand reclaim your energy.
Sometimes the most radical actis to stop fighting the system
and put that energy back intoyour own healing.
(20:22):
Your own joy, your owncommunity.
You are not required to burn outin the pursuit of justice.
Sometimes thriving is your mostpowerful rebellion, so reclaim
your nervous system.
Your healing matters too.
(20:43):
And if you are sitting theretoday or out on your walk, you
are listening and thinking.
That's me.
I've tried.
I've spoken up.
I've been shut down.
I want you to know and hear mewhen I say you are not
(21:08):
overreacting.
You are not crazy.
You are not the problem to theperson who's been hurt by one of
these systems.
Not just by the original harm,but by how it was handled.
I wanna say this, it wasn't yourfault.
(21:31):
You are not overreacting.
Your pain is valid, and itdeserves to be heard and held
with care.
The systems need to change, notyou.
The culture of silence andprotection in many of these
(21:52):
systems is a collective wound,but that means that healing can
also be collective by speakingup, by joining together, by
refusing to be silenced, we chipaway at the old structures and
we build something better.
(22:13):
And every time that you tellyour story, you're not just
healing yourself.
You're helping to carve a saferpath for someone else.
We need systems that don't justheal.
They listen where professionalsare human, humble, and
(22:38):
accountable.
Where every person, regardlessof their title is treated with
the dignity that they deserve,that centre humanity, humility
and honesty.
Thank you for listening.
(22:59):
If this episode resonated, thenI'd love for you to please share
it with someone that you thinkneeds to hear it.
Let's interrupt the silencetogether because together slowly
imperfectly, but powerfully wecan create the kind of change
(23:21):
that makes the future better forthe ones coming behind us.
You shouldn't have had to gothrough what you did, but your
voice might help someone elseavoid it.
If you've got a story like this,then I really wanna hear from
you.
(23:44):
I'd love for you to reach out,DM me on Instagram or Facebook,
send me an email.
I'm here and I am more thanready to listen, so let's keep
growing, and rising together.
Bye for now.
(24:10):
Thank you for joining me in thisepisode of Growing Tall Poppies.
It is my deepest hope thattoday's episode may have
inspired and empowered you tostep fully into your
post-traumatic growth, so thatyou can have absolute clarity
around who you are, what mattersthe most to you, and to assist
(24:32):
you to release your negativeemotions.
And regulate your nervous systemso you can fully thrive.
New episodes are published everyTuesday, and I hope you'll
continue to join us as weexplore both the strategies and
the personal qualities requiredto fully live a life of
(24:52):
post-traumatic growth and tothrive.
So if it feels aligned to youand really resonates, then I
invite you to hit subscribe andit would mean the world to us.
If you could share this episodewith others who you feel may
benefit too, you may also findme on Instagram at Growing Tall
(25:13):
Poppies and Facebook, Dr.
Natalie Green.
Remember, every moment is anopportunity to look for the
lessons and to learn andincrease your ability to live
the life you desire and deserve.
So for now, stay connected.
Stay inspired.
(25:34):
Stand tall like the tall poppyyou are, and keep shining your
light brightly in the world.
Bye for.
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