133~ Why I Became a Nun at 19: Helen Whait on Trauma, Control, and Finding Freedom

In this powerful conversation, Helen Whait shares the extraordinary and deeply human story behind her decision to become a nun at just 19, and the lived experiences that shaped that moment long before she ever stepped into a convent.Helen reflects on a childhood marked by emotional abuse and control, and what it does to a young person’s sense of self, safety, and identity. She speaks honestly about what “normal” looked like growing up in that environment, and how survival can sometimes blur the line between restriction and refuge.We explore the moment she chose the convent, and why something that may appear outwardly restrictive felt, at the time, like freedom. Helen opens up about what the convent gave her that she had been missing, what daily life was really like behind the walls, and whether the belonging she longed for ever truly arrived.This conversation also dives into the quieter, harder work that comes after: unlearning internalised beliefs, learning to trust yourself again, and understanding that the problem was never you. Helen speaks to the real practice of setting boundaries after a lifetime of having none, and the guilt and fear that can come with it.Now working as an occupational therapist, she reflects on how her past has shaped the way she supports others, and how her biggest challenges have gradually become part of her strength and purpose. This episode is for anyone who has ever questioned their upbringing, felt trapped in a version of life that didn’t fit, or is quietly trying to rebuild themselves after leaving something that once felt like home.Find Helen : Instagram💙 BOOK IN FOR 1:1 TRAUMA THERAPY WITH HAYLEY : ⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠ 💙💗 Thank you so much for being here on this adventure with me! 💗- Hayley Kinneavy xo✨ Find us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@beforeyoubloom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠✨✉️ Email me : [email protected]🎧⭐ Follow us on :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧⭐ Follow us on :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠💗 Visit our : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Before You Bloom Podcast is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. I would like to recognise their continuing connection to land, water, and culture and pay my respects to their elders past, present, and emerging, and any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people listening today.