In this deeply moving episode, we explore trauma, healing, resilience, and the courage it takes to reclaim your voice after years of silence.
In this episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Andrea Leeb, a writer and advocate living in Venice Beach, California, and author of Such a Pretty Picture: A Memoir. Andrea's work has appeared in literary journals including Litro Magazine, Potomac Review, Text Power Telling, and HerStry, and she serves on the Advisory Board for the UCLA Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House, supporting survivors of sexual assault.
Andrea's story begins with a painful truth. As a young child, she endured years of sexual abuse perpetrated by her father. Like many survivors, she carried the weight of secrecy and confusion for decades, trying to move forward while burying the past.
On the outside, Andrea built a successful life — working as both a registered nurse and an attorney and earning degrees from Georgetown University, Cardozo School of Law, and the Bennington Writing Seminars.
But trauma has a way of resurfacing when it remains unspoken.
Years later, during the Me Too movement, Andrea realized something powerful: when survivors share their stories, it gives others permission to speak. That realization inspired her to write Such a Pretty Picture, a memoir that explores the complexity of trauma, the long journey toward healing, and the courage it takes to break the silence.
In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Andrea shares how confronting the past can be painful — but also freeing.
In this episode, Andrea shares:
• 💔 The impact of childhood sexual abuse and the silence that often surrounds it
• ✨ How the Me Too movement helped inspire her to share her story
• 🧠 The long-term emotional effects of trauma
• 🤝 Why asking for help can be one of the strongest acts of resilience
• 🌱 The reality that healing is rarely linear
• 💬 The importance of believing survivors and creating space for truth
• 📖 How writing a memoir became part of her healing process
• 🤍 Turning personal pain into advocacy and support for others
Andrea also reflects on the emotional complexity of family relationships, the difficulty of confronting painful truths, and the power of storytelling to help others feel less alone.
Her message is clear: healing begins when silence ends.
This episode is a powerful reminder that speaking your truth can transform pain into connection, understanding, and purpose.
A courageous and compassionate conversation about trauma, healing, advocacy, and reclaiming your voice.
Follow Andrea Leeb
Website: https://andrealeebauthor.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrealeeb
Book – Such a Pretty Picture: A Memoir
https://www.amazon.com/Such-Pretty-Picture-Memoir-Andrea-Leeb/dp/1647425840