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Word of the Week — Voice (When Quiet Compliance Stops Feeling Like Peace)

There’s a version of you that used to stay quiet.


To keep the peace. To avoid the fallout. To survive.


And maybe that version of you served a purpose. Maybe silence was safety at one point. But if you’re reading this now, you’ve likely reached the point where staying silent feels like self-abandonment — and using your voice feels like a return to yourself.


This week’s word is Voice — not in the polished, presentable, performative sense. But the raw, rooted, this-is-my-truth-even-if-it-makes-you-uncomfortable kind of voice.


Because the truth is:


You can be calm and still firm. You can be kind and still say no. You can speak up and still be dismissed — but that doesn’t make you wrong.

Helpful Tip: Anchor your voice in values, not reactions.


Before you speak up, especially in hard conversations, pause and ask:


What value am I protecting right now?

Maybe it’s honesty. Maybe it’s safety. Maybe it’s fairness.Naming that value keeps your voice grounded — not reactive, but rooted. That’s where true power lives.


One Fact to Hold On To:


A 2023 survey from the American Psychological Association found that nearly 46% of adults say they hesitate to speak up about important issues—at work, in healthcare, or in public settings—because they fear being judged, dismissed, or labeled “difficult.”


So if you’ve ever second-guessed yourself before asking a hard question or stating your needs—you’re not alone. But here’s the thing...staying quiet might feel easier in the moment, but it rarely brings peace in the long term. 


Here's the thing...


You don’t have to yell. You don’t have to convince anyone. You just have to stop disappearing inside yourself to make other people more comfortable.


This week, I hope you listen to the part of you that’s tired of being quiet.


Because you’re not too much. You’re not dramatic. You’re just finally using your voice.


About the Author: Carrie Summers, LCSW

Therapist • Mental Health Educator • Safe Space Creator


Carrie Summers is MDW’s trusted voice for all things mental health.


As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and the founder of Noreila Healing & Wellness in Wheaton, Illinois, Carrie brings a deep commitment to creating inclusive, judgment-free spaces where all people feel seen, supported, and safe.


Whether working one-on-one with clients or shaping mental health conversations within the MDW community, Carrie leads with warmth, insight, and advocacy.


Her therapeutic style is person-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed, grounded in the belief that every individual already holds the potential for healing within.


Carrie supports clients navigating a wide range of challenges, including perinatal mental health, relationship stress, divorce and separation, narcissistic abuse recovery, and major life transitions. Her work is guided by a commitment to meeting people exactly where they are.


Carrie holds a Perinatal Mental Health Certification from Postpartum Support International (PSI), allowing her to provide specialized care for individuals facing fertility struggles, postpartum mood disorders, and the often overlooked experience of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).


She also serves clients as a certified Divorce Coach, helping people move through endings with clarity and empowerment.


“Healing happens when people feel heard. I want every person to know they matter and that there’s no shame in their story." - Carrie

Carrie offers both in-person and virtual therapy sessions through her private practice, ensuring flexibility and access for clients throughout Illinois.


Outside the therapy room, you’ll find Carrie joyfully curating her next Nordstrom haul (no apologies) and fully embracing the philosophy that treating yourself is a form of self-respect. Reach out to Carrie at (630) 474-5275 or

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Disclaimer

None of the advice shared on The Modern Domestic Woman or any of its platforms should be a substitute for professional clinical treatment.

 

While some of the contributors provide a narrative of their own mental health experience, the goal is to help the reader find supportive resources in their specific geographic location. 

MDW reserves the right to remove any professional listing not abiding by the overall mission of providing healthy and positive resources for women.

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