In today’s episode, Elisa tells her story of childhood abuse, teen pregnancy, still birth, a near death experience, and more. Elisa talks about how she untangled life to build a sense of safety and security and how she turned her trauma into a wildly successful career.

Elisa Stancil Levine spent her childhood in a canyon on the American River, upstream from the site of the California gold rush. She left school at sixteen and as a single mother in Sacramento earned a degree in library science and studied creative writing. Working with partners she remodeled sixteen historic houses and was home and garden editor and feature writer for Sacramento Magazine. At thirty-six she founded Stancil Studios, an award winning, nationwide decorative finishes company in San Francisco. 

Levine’s memoir shares the story of “the making of a maker” and takes place in Northern California, Manhattan and Paris. When Elisa is not writing, traveling or consulting on color and pattern she and her husband spend hours immersed in nature, running and riding horseback on Sonoma Mountain. 

In This Episode 

• Nature was safe and nature was free 
• How curiosity saved her 
• The dark night of the soul moment
• Getting the rage out 

Links 

Elisa’s Website 

Elisa’s Facebook & Instagram 

SubscribeToDebi.com 

PBT Podcasts 

Healed or Hardened Quiz 

Post Betrayal Syndrome Quiz 

PBT Institute Membership Community 

Trust Again Book 

From Hardened to Healed Book