Rebel Hearts And Healing Paths

Joanne Lockwood is joined by leadership coach and facilitator Debbie Danon for a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to lead with care in a world that often feels unsafe and polarised. Debbie reflects on growing up as a Turkish Jewish Londoner and how early experiences of being “a minority within a minority” shaped her relationship with identity, belonging, and the constant pressure to explain herself.

Debbie shares deeply personal experiences of miscarriage, termination for medical reasons, and the impact of grief on the body and mind. Together, they explore why people often freeze with fear of “getting it wrong,” and what genuinely supportive responses can look like in moments of loss—less fixing and rationalising, more presence, listening, and simple acknowledgement.

The episode also turns to the strain that global conflict can place on individuals and communities, including the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia, and the ways trauma can dysregulate us and shrink our capacity. Debbie describes stepping back from social media, seeking trauma-informed support, and focusing her energy on relational spaces where listening is possible.

Across the discussion, Debbie’s “rebel leadership” framework—rebel authenticity, rebel balance, and rebel courage—becomes a practical lens for sustaining inclusion work over the long term. Joanne and Debbie discuss allyship beyond performance, how to build trust and relationship before action, and why community and solidarity are essential for lasting change.