A small-group series for adults and family members affected by sibling sexual trauma and other forms of intrafamilial harm
Based on Dr David R. Hawkins’ “Letting Go: The Pathway to Surrender”
Overview
Many of us who grew up with sibling sexual trauma learnt to survive by holding on. We lived in our heads, stayed vigilant, managed emotions alone and carried burdens that were never ours to carry. Letting go is not natural for a trauma-affected nervous system, and often the very idea of surrender can feel unsafe.
This ten-session series offers a small, facilitated learning circle where we explore the themes of Letting Go by Dr David R. Hawkins, using the Letting Go Guided Journal as a companion. You do not need to let go of anything quickly or on command. We are simply learning what surrender might feel like, in the gentle company of others who understand.
Like the Blue Borage Conversation Café series, this is not therapy and not peer support. It is a reflective space for learning, noticing and softening together.
A Note from Dr Hawkins
Letting go is like the sudden cessation of an inner pressure, or the dropping of a weight. It is followed by a feeling of lightness, happiness and freedom. Imagine if you could experience that release at any time, with any event. You could be in charge of how you feel, no longer at the mercy of circumstances or other people.
— Dr David R. Hawkins
Your Facilitator
Susan Dunlop is a trauma-aware leadership facilitator, professional coach and NLP practitioner based on Gubbi Gubbi Country (Noosa, Queensland). She is a certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, a trauma-informed practitioner and a licenced 3 Vital Questions® facilitator with The Center for The Empowerment Dynamic.
Alongside her professional credentials, Susan brings lived experience of sibling sexual trauma and a long-standing commitment to creating spaces where survivors and loved ones can find community, compassion and room to breathe. Over the past nine years she has guided individuals and groups to explore truth, dignity and self-agency, and in 2025 she established the Conversation Café series on SSTA — a space where silence still weighs heavily on many families.
Hawkins’ work on surrender weaves naturally into Susan’s understanding of choice, presence and personal freedom. This pilot group brings those learnings into a small, steady circle designed for those curious about what letting go might mean in the context of trauma.
Her facilitation is warm, grounded and relational — allowing each person to move at their own pace.
Alone is hard. Together is better.
What We Will Explore Together
Across the ten sessions we will explore themes such as:
- why our bodies brace and our minds over-function
- numbness, grief, fear and shame
- anger and boundaries that were never respected
- the armour we learnt to wear
- courage, acceptance and small acts of self-trust
- connection, compassion and nervous system settling
- listening to the body with respect rather than fear
- building a personal letting-go practice that feels doable
Each session includes grounding, a brief teaching from the book, time with the Guided Journal, optional sharing, a somatic micro-practice, integration and a closing reflection.
You will have one or two chapters to read (or listen to) between sessions.
Who This Series Is For
This space may be right for:
- adults who experienced sibling sexual trauma or other intrafamilial harm
- non-harmed siblings
- parents, partners or loved ones affected by the ripple effects of SSTA
- anyone who feels tightly wound inside and senses it may be time to ease, slowly and safely
No prior experience with the book is needed.
Something to Consider Before Joining
Readiness matters. You do not need to be “healed” or far along in your journey, but a sense of curiosity and emotional steadiness helps. If you have been engaging in your own growth work — through reading, reflection, counselling, body-based practices, or simply years of inner noticing — this space may feel supportive.
If you are currently in a very raw or overwhelming place, or without any personal support, the series may feel too exposing right now. It is not a replacement for therapeutic care or crisis support. It is a reflective, gentle space for learning alongside others who understand the long shadow of home-based trauma.
You are the best judge of your readiness.
Why This Program
Many people affected by sibling sexual trauma reach a point where therapy has helped, yet the loneliness that follows disclosure or family fracture remains. In our global Conversation Café circles, we hear often about the longing for connection, understanding and emotional steadiness — a longing unmet in many families of origin.
One of the most powerful things emerging in these gatherings is the realisation that a global family exists. People discover they are not alone; others carry the same questions, the same silence, the same longing to speak truth without fear.
We live in a world filled with screens and fragmented communication. For many who grew up with SSTA, communication was already complicated. What we need is a different kind of space — quiet, communal, reflective, deeply respectful and not clinical or overwhelming.
This series extends the Conversation Café philosophy into a deeper guided practice. It offers a soft, steady place to explore letting go within the particular landscape of sibling sexual trauma, and to do so together rather than alone.
Session Outline (High-Level)
You will receive the full map after registering. Themes include:
- Arriving and softening
- Living in the head
- Numbness and grief
- Fear, shame and the tightening body
- Desire, anger and boundaries
- Pride and the armour we wear
- Courage and acceptance
- Love and connection
- Stress, health and the body’s messages
- Integration and practice
Format
- Ten sessions
- Fortnightly
- 90 minutes each
- Held on Zoom
- Small group for safety and connection
- Cameras optional
- Bring tea, blankets, or whatever supports your body
- You will need Letting Go and the Guided Journal (or the audiobook The Essence of Letting Go)
Registration & Pricing
$550 AUD for the ten-session series
(Eventbrite will convert at checkout.)
As at 27 November:
- approx. USD 360
- approx. GBP 270
Places are limited to protect the intimacy of the group.
After registering through Eventbrite, you will receive your first session link in the Eventbrite confirmation email. Susan will then send the full calendar invites directly, along with your Zoom links for the entire series.
You are welcome to email Susan at connect@blueborage.com.au if you have questions or would like a brief one-to-one hello before joining.
Dates
Ten sessions, held fortnightly from Friday 6 February 2026,
6.00–7.30 AM Brisbane (AEST).
A full global schedule chart is available in your welcome materials.
Shopping List
- Letting Go: The Pathway to Surrender — Dr David R. Hawkins
- The Letting Go Guided Journal
- or The Essence of Letting Go audiobook (Audible)
Either the book or the audiobook works well between sessions.