Surviving the Crash Was Just the Beginning

What happens when you survive the unimaginable — but spend decades convinced no one could ever really love the real you?

In this episode of Love and Trauma: The Real Deal, I sat down with keynote speaker, marketing executive, and absolute powerhouse Sabrina Bier — and let me tell you, her story is one I’ll never forget.

The day before college was supposed to start, Sabrina was hit by a drunk driver and thrown into a medical crisis that would shape the next 20+ years of her life. From a coma and multiple surgeries to a long-term autoimmune diagnosis, Sabrina didn’t just survive — she fought like hell to thrive.

But here’s the part most people don’t see:
While Sabrina was building a successful career and showing up as the strong one in every room, she was silently holding herself back in the most personal areas of life — her relationships, her vulnerability, her sense of worthiness.

Because when trauma tells you that you’re broken… it takes a long time to believe anyone could really love what’s underneath the armor.

🔪 The Real Deal: 3 Biggest Takeaways from Sabrina’s Story

1. You can be wildly successful — and still secretly scared to let people see the real you.
Sabrina shared how she built an amazing career, was the life of the party, and kept dozens of acquaintances… but never let people get too close.
Why? Because she didn’t want to be seen as the “injured lion in the pack.”
Sound familiar? For so many trauma survivors, hiding feels safer than being rejected.

2. Sometimes the scariest part of healing is what comes after survival.
After years of living in survival mode, Sabrina entered remission — and found herself grieving the sick version of herself.
Why? Because she didn’t know how to be healthy. She didn’t know how to slow down.
And without the chaos… she had to face the hard questions she’d been avoiding for years.

3. Real intimacy starts when you stop making decisions for other people.
This one hit me hard.
Sabrina talked about how, for years, she would push people away before they had a chance to reject her.
She never gave them the chance to choose her — because deep down, she believed they wouldn’t.
I’ve seen this in my own marriage. And I see it in the women I work with all the time.
But here's the truth: when we finally allow ourselves to be fully seen, we give others the opportunity to love us for who we really are — not just the mask we wear.

Sabrina’s story is about more than survival.
It’s about reclaiming joy.
Releasing shame.
And learning to live — really live — even after the pain.

🎧 Go watch the full episode now — and if it speaks to you, share it with someone else who needs the reminder that it’s never too late to be seen, loved, and whole.