Let go.
Break free.
Live Forward.
Darlene Lekowski is a bestselling author and speaker on resilience, and an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse and trauma. Today she shares her story and message with women leaders, students, and organizations dedicated to child welfare and advocacy.
As featured on…
We all want to feel in control of our lives
Whether you’re a student, a business leader, or a survivor of abuse—each and every one of us learns early, and often, that we are not as in control as we would like.
So we build a box.
And we put anything and everything inside of it that’s too difficult to deal with, or even disclose. Our self-doubt, fears, flaws, baggage, and yes, even our true identities… into the box. Then we shut it tight and believe that we have it all under control.
Except, boxes leak. Secrets come out.
And eventually, Pandora’s Box explodes—as I learned all too well.
Through my 50+ year journey as a survivor, mother, and top performer turned business leader at a $30+ billion per year company, I’ve learned that the only way to truly control your life is to let go.
It’s time to open the box. To break free. To live forward.
And I’d love to show you how.
Hi, I’m Darlene
I'm a survivor turned speaker, bestselling author, and business leader who spent fifty years carrying a secret that nearly broke me — and I am now choosing to use my story to help others heal. My memoir Shattering Silence tells the story of surviving childhood sibling sexual abuse, burying the truth to protect my family, and ultimately fighting back — including winning a defamation lawsuit brought by one of my abusers.
But what drives me now isn't the past. It's the students who don't yet know they can survive whatever form their secrets take, the women leaders still performing strength while quietly carrying shame, and the organizations working every day to protect children who need the perspective of someone who has been there. I’m on a mission to help others let go, break free, and live forward.
When One Woman Rises
"Darlene Lekowski is nothing short of a 21st-century heroine who reminds us that when one woman rises, she lifts countless others with her."
- Nancy Sharp Author, Speaker & Founder of The Sharp Brain Collective
Speaking Programs
Darlene delivers her message of resilience, hope, and healing at trauma & survivor events, high schools & colleges, and women’s leadership groups.
Trauma & Survivor Events
1.
Whether you have a roomful of survivors, a gathering of mental health professionals, or an assembly of folks dedicated to child advocacy (law enforcement, case managers, etc), Darlene provides both a firsthand perspective and a powerful message about resilience.
2.
High School & Colleges
Your students have been through a lot. Whether it’s trauma or the weight of a world that feels impossibly heavy, Darlene will show them how to reclaim hope, build a powerful sense of self, and create positive forward momentum.
Women’s Leadership
3.
Women in the workplace are pressured to be so much to so many, and it can feel like the only way to do it all is to be perfect. As both a lifelong survivor of abuse and a successful working mother who has climbed the corporate ladder in a male-dominated field, Darlene knows a thing or two about the cost of hiding your true self. She broke free, and she’ll show you how.
Working with Darlene is simple
Step 1: Let Go
Schedule a 40-min call with Darlene to discuss your event, audience, and goals.
Step 2: Break Free
Darlene will propose a personalized presentation to exceed your expectations.
Step 3: Live Forward
Inspire your audience to embrace courage, reclaim personal agency, and move forward with renewed perspective, purpose, and hope.
Shattering Silence
A Story of Survival, Justice, and the Power of Telling the Truth
#1 Amazon Bestseller in Self-Help for Abuse and Inner Child
How do you keep a secret for 50 years?
Shattering Silence is a raw, courageous memoir by Darlene Lekowski — a survivor of childhood sibling sexual trauma and abuse (SSTA) who spent decades protecting her family with silence, only to be dragged back into the past when one of her abusers filed a civil lawsuit against her. Faced with a defining choice, Darlene chose truth. And she won.
Available in print, digital, and audiobook.
Real Stories. Real Impact.
How Darlene's message is inspiring courage, healing, and change.
Truth Sets Us Free
"Shattering Silence shows that silence may protect briefly, but truth sets us free."
- Jane Epstein
Author of I Feel Real GuiltyYou Are Brave. You Are Stronger Than You Think.
""You are brave. You are stronger than you think. And you can heal."
- Cindy Wellwood Burke
Sibling Abuse SurvivorA Voice for Survivors Everywhere
"Her victory felt larger than a personal triumph. It felt like a victory for survivors everywhere who have struggled to be heard, believed, or understood."
- Noémie Gaspard
Survivor AdvocateHealing Begins the Moment a Story Is Spoken
"It is a stark reminder of how transformative it can be when someone chooses truth over silence, and how healing begins the moment a story is finally spoken aloud."
- Dianna FeurigThe Strength to Champion a Cause
"She never gave up on herself... and came out a stronger woman with the determination to stand up for herself and champion a cause for all who are abused."
- William Selvitelle
Author of Heaven's WindowThe Human Side of Justice
"Her story is an important reminder of the person behind the client and the necessity of caring and having compassion for those we have the privilege of representing."
- Jeff Kuykendall
Attorney