"Behind The Walls: Trauma, Truth, & Justice With Jean Trounstine."

In today's episode Grace talks about amplifying the voices of incarcerated women; with Jean Trounstine an acclaimed actress, turned professor, a legend in prison -reform sphere. She's the renowned co-founder of the women's branch of the groundbreaking alternate sentencing program - "Changing Lives Through Literature" - (CLTL). - She is also, the author of 8 books and the new sensational book: "Sounds Like Trouble To Me."Through her teachings and writing, she focuses on women in the criminal legal system -many of whom are survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Her work bridges education, storytelling and reform, telling us to rethink punishment - (examining how systems of incarceration often replicate cycles of harm, silence and trauma)and to imagine justice rooted in healing and humanity.Quotable Quotes:“Prisons do not disappear social problems, they disappear human beings.”— Angela Davis“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails.”— Nelson Mandela“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” — Viktor E. Frankl“Your silence will not protect you.” — Audre Lorde“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.— Maya Angelou“The opposite of poverty is not wealth. In too many places, the opposite of poverty is justice.” — Bryan StevensonKey Takeaways:• Many incarcerated women are not just offenders—they are survivors of long-term domestic and sexual violence.• The criminal legal system often criminalizes survival behaviors rather than addressing root trauma.• Silence within prisons is not neutral—it can be a tool of control and harm.• Education and trauma-informed care are essential for real rehabilitation and reduced recidivism.• Women’s friendships in prison can become powerful forms of emotional survival and resistance.• Reform must move beyond punishment toward healing, accountability, and restoration.• Storytelling is not just expression—it is a form of justice and visibility.Contact Jean Trounstine:Jean’s website: https://jeantrounstine.com/Jean’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jeantrounstine.comContacts For RASA: +447984098577Email: [email protected] a therapy and, or coaching session via my website: https://www.freedom4betterlife.com/MBACP- Certified. (British Association For Counselling & Psychotherapy)To contribute, use #participation to be a guest, # feedback or comment on the subject title.To share your story on the podcast, kindly send an email to: [email protected] - using #STORY for subject title.Kindly subscribe and leave reviews on Spotify, Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/rising-above-shadows-of-abuse/id1592540880Follow RASA Podcast on social media.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Realrasa1/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rasareal1/Twitter: https://twitter.com/risinaboveabuseTikTok: https://tiktok.com/risingaboveshadowsofabuseYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UColB9fTRkBSuon4lfsFaSJwLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/risingaboveshadowsofabuse/Patreon: https://patreon.com/risingaboveshadowsofabuseEmail: [email protected]