The Only Place She Could Be Herself Was at Work. Don't Let the Smile Fool You EP31

What happens when your personal pain becomes invisible but starts leaking into every room you enter, even the boardroom? In this episode of Don't Let the Smile Fool You, we sit down with Ama Karikari to talk about the complexities many women face when dealing with emotional abuse like the silent treatment, especially when they're high-achieving professionals juggling work, ambition, and toxic relationships. Ama opens up about her fifteen-year journey, beginning with her honeymoon, when she first experienced the silent treatment from her husband—a pattern that would haunt her marriage and spill over into her professional and personal life. As a lawyer, consultant, and later a candidate for public office, she tried to compartmentalize her pain, showing up each day with a smile that concealed intense private struggles. We talk about how that energy drains your confidence, your ambition, and even your health. Through candid stories and sharp insights, Ama explains how the absence of true support at home doesn't just cause a loss, but might also erase achievements that could have been. She reflects on moments like running for office while feeling unsupported, and the toll of living with someone who weaponizes silence. We touch on the ripple effects—how children absorb this pain, how work suffers, and what it takes to finally say enough. Ama reveals the turning point: the moment it became clear that what she was enduring wasn’t a communication problem, but a pattern of covert abuse. She shares how naming the problem, moving from marriage counseling advice to the language of trauma and domestic violence, was key to her escape and healing. Now, after divorce, she's helping other women recognize these patterns in their own lives with her new workbook, Silenced to Soaring, and a supportive community. This conversation isn’t just about surviving abuse—it’s about reclaiming yourself, rebuilding your ambitions, and learning how to trust your instincts again. If you’re a woman grappling with the effects of a toxic relationship, whether in West Africa or anywhere in the world, this episode will give you the language, validation, and practical steps to start regaining your power and your smile. Keywords: silent treatment, emotional abuse, toxic relationships, covert abuse, personal trauma, high-achieving women, professional women, compartmentalizing pain, ambition, support in marriage, divorce, healing, authenticity, self-worth, self-love, how abuse affects work, family legacy, breaking patterns, Ama Karikari, Silenced to Soaring, women’s empowerment, professional growth after divorce, support groups for women Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Normalizing Silent Treatment 05:35 Ama Karikari’s Honeymoon Story: When Abuse Begins 06:57 Sharing with Family and Not Recognizing Abuse 11:57 How Abuse at Home Impacts Confidence and Work 17:04 Running for Office While Silenced at Home 20:29 The Difference Real Support Makes—and What’s Lost Without It 27:06 How Women Adapt and Compartmentalize Hurt 30:27 The Limits of Compartmentalizing Pain at Work 32:54 Finding the Breaking Point and Leaving 39:19 The Cost of Staying: Health, Sanity, and Family Legacy 44:45 What About Women Who Cannot Leave? 47:22 From Surviving to Healing: The Power of Support and Self-Love 52:47 Unlearning Old Behaviors After Abuse 54:47 Why Silenced to Soaring is a Workbook 56:34 Speaking Up: Finding the Courage to Share 58:40 Where to Find the Book and Support Groups 1:01:42 Reflecting on What Could Have Been—with the Right Support If this resonates with you or someone you know, reach out—Ama’s book and her soaring sister circles just might be the resource you’ve been searching for. Find her on Skool, Support, Accountability, and Mastermind Group: https://www.skool.com/silenced-to-soa... Socials: Linkedin: @  / amakarikariyawson   Instagram: @amakkarikari Youtube:    / @amakkarikari   Tik Tok:   / amakkarikari   Connect with Uche Ofodile: Linkedin:   / ucheofodile   TikTok:   / uche_ofodile   Instagram:   / ucheofodile   Facebook:   / ucheofodileofficial