How A Teacher Faced Trauma, Fought Loneliness, And Chose Herself - Roanna White

Send us Fan MailThe word crisis gets thrown around at midlife like it’s inevitable. We push back... This conversation with Roanna White—senior teacher, mum of three, and unapologetic solo traveller—is a grounded and generous exploration of how women can transform upheaval into agency.We talk through the real stuff: leading a team while quietly battling anxiety, parenting teens who test every limit, and the moment somatic therapy surfaced repressed memories that finally explained years of physical symptoms. It’s vulnerable, practical, and quietly radical.What sets Ro apart is her body-first approach to healing. When CBT couldn’t reach the root, somatic experiencing helped her nervous system complete what trauma began. She reframed intrusive thoughts as messages of safety, learned to pause before reacting, and began using simple mantras—power, boundaries, worth—to guide choices under pressure. That inner recalibration opened space for joy: Bollywood dance that celebrates imperfect hips and full hearts, and solo travel that rebuilt self-trust from Thailand to Vietnam, and now to India and Nepal.We also dive into the loneliness epidemic and how Western communities have felt lonelier than ever since COVID. Ro’s response is both personal and pioneering: build connection on purpose. That's why she’s launching Yankyr, a hire-a-friend platform for safe, paid companionship—coffee, theatre, a concert—designed so people actually show up. It’s not dating, not therapy, just the missing bridge between wanting company and finding it.If you’ve ever felt unseen in a crowded life, this will land.The takeaway is clear: midlife isn’t the beginning of the end—it’s a second debut. Choose yourself, without apology. Book the class. Say 'no' sooner. Put your health first. Ask for help.And if this conversation resonates, share it with a friend, hit follow, and leave a review—what one powerful change are you making this year?Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest.All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do.https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directoryIf you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee!https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast