I’m joined by the incredible Ginni Saraswati—Founder and CEO of Ginni Media, award-winning journalist, and podcasting powerhouse. As the driving force behind a thriving production company and host of The Ginni Show, Ginni has dedicated her career to amplifying voices and stories that matter—including her own. In this deeply personal conversation, she opens up about growing up with a mentally ill parent, an experience I know all too well. Together, we reflect on the nonlinear journey of grief, having both lost our mothers in 2021, and the lifelong process of healing.

Healing from Parentification, Mental Illness Stigma & the Nonlinear Journey of Grief

Ginni shares the trauma of childhood abuse, the cultural stigmas that often silence survivors, and her ongoing journey of self-reclamation. We dive into breaking generational cycles, learning to trust and love again, and the transformative power of therapy and reparenting. Through it all, Ginni reminds us that healing isn’t about erasing the past—it’s about finding the courage to own your story. If you’ve ever felt alone in your journey, this episode is for you. Tune in now wherever you get your podcasts.

(00:02:32) Breaking the Silence on Growing Up with Trauma

• Podcast: The Ginni Show

• Mental Health, Physical Fitness, and Forgiveness with Karena Dawn

• Ginni’s childhood challenges growing up with a mentally ill mother 

• Navigating abuse and silencing as a child

• Processing sexual abuse in EMDR therapy

(00:13:41) Healing Trauma & Relearning Self-Care as a Parentified Child

• The toll of becoming a caretaker for a parent with mental illness

• How adults who experienced parentification struggle with self-care

• Lessons from doing the work of inner child healing

• The goal of the book she’s writing 

• How Ginni ended up in New York City from Australia

(00:21:44) Breaking Generational Cycles & Building Healthy Relationships

• Breaking the stigma of mental illness in brown culture

• Being a queer woman and breaking generational trauma 

• How complicated relationships with parents can affect romantic relationships

• How to hold space for trauma recovery in relationships

• Resources for self development and mental health

• Read: Complex PTSD by Pete Walker

• Read: Buddhism for Busy People by David Michie

• Read: Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav

(00:33:13) Normalizing The Nonlinear Grief Journey

• Navigating the fear of repeating familial patterns 

• How Ginni has been navigating the grief of losing her mother 

• Uncovering the many layers of grieving and the nonlinear path

• What Ginni learned from her grief journey

• What inspired her to start The Ginni Show and Ginni Media 

Thanks for the support from our partners, including 

Ketone IQ | This episode is sponsored by Ketone-IQ. Save 30% off your first subscription order and receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ at ketone.com/TBS.

Guest Info:

• Instagram: @theginnishow

• Podcast: The Ginni Show

Resources:

• Start a conversation in your The Big Silence merch: thebigsilence.com/collections/shop-all

• Read: The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing 

• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn

• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence

• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

• Therapy For All: Resources for those in need

• Thank you to our partners! Go to thebigsilence.com/partners for special offers for our listeners

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!

“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Producer, Bobby Goldstein.