Damage Is Not Destiny: Rewiring Work, Life, and Leadership

Damage Is Not Destiny: Rewiring Work, Life, and Leadership

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? For Susan Schmidt‑Winchester, it was a hotel‑room wake‑up call and a voice she describes as God’s: “Susan, you need to stop drinking now or you’re going to hurt someone or yourself.” From that moment and 22 years of sobriety onwards, her mission has been crystal clear: change how people experience their workplaces. Speaking with host Valeria Teles, Susan explains how unresolved childhood wounds quietly run the show at work.

She and co-author Martha Finney coined the term ASDP – Adult Survivor of a Damaged Past – to describe those who grew up in stressful or dysfunctional homes and now grapple with perfectionism, people‑pleasing, overdrive, or hiding in plain sight. Her message is blunt but hopeful: damage is not destiny.

Using the playful image of bumper cars, Susan talks about those everyday “crashes” at work – being left out of a meeting, a sharp comment from a boss, a colleague’s offhand remark about golf invites – that send someone into shame, anger or panic. Instead of blaming the workplace, she suggests asking, “What am I believing about myself right now?” and “Have I felt this way before?” That’s where the healing starts.

Drawing on 36+ years as a chief HR officer, Susan mixes corporate know‑how with spiritual faith, positive psychology, coaching tools and neuroplasticity. She stresses that healing is ongoing – “That’s why the book is called Healing at Work and not Healed at Work” – and that every career conflict can be training ground for boundaries, self‑acceptance and new behaviours.

This conversation will resonate with anyone who’s ever left the office exhausted, replaying every interaction, or wondered why the same kind of boss keeps showing up. If the rest of your life could truly be yours, what would you start doing differently at work today?