In today's episode Grace talks about amplifying the voices of incarcerated women; with Jean Trounstine an acclaimed actress, turned professor, a legend in prison -reform sphere. She's the renowned co-founder of the women's branch of the groundbreaking alternate sentencing program - "Changing Lives Through Literature" - (CLTL). - She is also, the author of 8 books and the new sensational book: "Sounds Like Trouble To Me."
Through her teachings and writing, she focuses on women in the criminal legal system -many of whom are survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Her work bridges education, storytelling and reform, telling us to rethink punishment - (examining how systems of incarceration often replicate cycles of harm, silence and trauma)and to imagine justice rooted in healing and humanity.
Quotable Quotes:
“Prisons do not disappear social problems, they disappear human beings.”
— Angela Davis
“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails.”
— Nelson Mandela
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” — Viktor E. Frankl
“Your silence will not protect you.” — Audre Lorde
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
— Maya Angelou
“The opposite of poverty is not wealth. In too many places, the opposite of poverty is justice.” — Bryan Stevenson
Key Takeaways:
• Many incarcerated women are not just offenders—they are survivors of long-term domestic and sexual violence.
• The criminal legal system often criminalizes survival behaviors rather than addressing root trauma.
• Silence within prisons is not neutral—it can be a tool of control and harm.
• Education and trauma-informed care are essential for real rehabilitation and reduced recidivism.
• Women’s friendships in prison can become powerful forms of emotional survival and resistance.
• Reform must move beyond punishment toward healing, accountability, and restoration.
• Storytelling is not just expression—it is a form of justice and visibility.
Contact Jean Trounstine:
Jean’s website: https://jeantrounstine.com/
Jean’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jeantrounstine.com
Contacts For RASA: +447984098577
Email: [email protected]
Book a therapy and, or coaching session via my website: https://www.freedom4betterlife.com/
MBACP- Certified. (British Association For Counselling & Psychotherapy)
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