From Academia to Authenticity: New Book “See Through” Shines a Light on Healing, Shame, and Radical Transparency
See Through: The Art and Cost of Radical Transparency by Stephanie M. Hutchins, PhD (Releasing January 6, 2026).
Author Stephanie M. Hutchins, PhD, turns three decades of trauma into a powerful guide for living with radical honesty and emotional freedom.
For years I told the truth only after editing out my pain. See Through is the book I needed when I thought being real would ruin me.”
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- After three decades of living with unspoken trauma, life coach and former biology professor Stephanie M. Hutchins, PhD found the courage to strip away perfection and tell the truth. Her new book, "See Through: The Art and Cost of Radical Transparency in a World That Profits from Pretending," available for preorder now and releasing January 6, 2026, invites readers to do the same.— Stephanie M. Hutchins, PhD
In “See Through,” Hutchins combines memoir and trauma-informed insight to explore what happens when we stop hiding our wounds and start reclaiming authorship of our lives. Written during her global healing journey—from a treatment center in the U.S. to a Buddhist monastery in Asia—the book illuminates the messy, magnificent process of becoming whole after trauma.
“For years I told the truth only after editing out my pain,” Hutchins shares. “See Through is the book I needed when I thought being real would ruin me. It’s about what it actually takes to live free after survival has been your full-time job.”
BREAKING THE SILENCE ON HIGH-FUNCTIONING TRAUMA
Hutchins knows what it means to look “put-together” while silently unraveling. Behind her academic accolades and transformational coaching career lay decades of sexual abuse, grief, and body-image battles. Rather than another glossy self-help manual, See Through dismantles the myth that healing requires constant positivity.
Readers will recognize themselves in stories of overachievement, people-pleasing, and perfectionism—all framed as survival strategies that once protected us. By naming them without shame, Hutchins helps readers reframe their patterns as evidence of resilience, not failure.
WHY AUTHENTICITY IS THE NEW LEADERSHIP
Beyond personal transformation, See Through also calls on workplaces, schools, and organizations to rethink what “professionalism” means. Hutchins argues that genuine leadership starts with psychological safety—the courage to model imperfection and humanity in spaces that often reward performance.
This makes the book as relevant to executives, educators, and therapists as it is to individuals navigating trauma recovery. It provides a roadmap for cultivating cultures that value honesty over image.
FROM BREAKDOWN TO BREAKTHROUGH
Hutchins’s turning point came after leaving academia to pursue full-time travel and entrepreneurship. While recording her third audiobook abroad, she realized the stories she once hid were the very stories that set others free. That insight became the heartbeat of See Through—a manifesto for living unmasked.
Each chapter pairs personal narrative with reflection prompts designed to help readers:
• Reclaim ambition without self-abandonment
• Set boundaries that protect energy and peace
• Transform shame into strength
• Redefine success beyond external validation
THE ART—AND COST—OF TELLING THE TRUTH
The book doesn’t romanticize transparency. Hutchins reveals the backlash, loneliness, and “transparency hangover” that often follow honest living. Yet she insists the cost of silence is higher.
“Authenticity isn’t reckless exposure,” said Hutchins. “It’s self-alignment. It’s telling the truth without betraying yourself.”
For readers who appreciate Brené Brown’s courage to name hard truths and the raw power of "Untamed," "See Through" adds more grit, grief, and global perspective.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie M. Hutchins, PhD is the founder of Serotinous Life, a trauma-informed coaching company that helps people move from surviving to thriving. She is the author of "Transformation After Trauma," "Reclaim Your Life After Trauma," and "Moving Forward," and her books, videos, and programs have reached thousands navigating post-traumatic growth.
Through workshops, digital programs, and speaking engagements, Hutchins advocates for radical self-honesty as a pathway to freedom. She lives nomadically, writing and teaching across the globe.
PREORDER AND LEARN MORE
See Through: The Art and Cost of Radical Transparency in a World That Profits from Pretending is available now for preorder. Readers can access exclusive bonuses and updates at https://www.serotinouslife.com/see-through.
Stephanie M. Hutchins, PhD
Serotinous Life, LLC
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