Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of grief, baby loss, suicide, and death from illness. Please listen with care.

Keywords: Grief, trauma, healing, loss, psychotherapy, spirituality, rituals, mental health, emotional resilience, PTSD, personal growth, shamanism, somatic healing.

Episode Summary:

In this deeply moving episode of Thriving Not Surviving, Helen Valentino speaks with Maria — a psychotherapist and trauma specialist — about her extraordinary journey through grief, loss, and spiritual transformation.

Over just two years, Maria experienced the deaths of nine loved ones. She opens up about how this intense period of loss impacted her personally and professionally, and how it led her deeper into the realms of ritual, somatic healing, and spiritual exploration.

Together, they explore the multifaceted nature of grief — from the trauma of loss to the gifts that can emerge when we meet death with presence and ritual. Maria offers gentle, embodied wisdom on how to move through grief, the somatic signs of PTSD, and the ways in which childhood trauma can shape our responses to death.

This episode is a tender, honest, and healing space for anyone navigating loss or seeking a deeper understanding of how we honour life — and death.

Takeaways:

• Maria lost nine loved ones in two years

• Grief is a uniquely personal experience that defies a set timeline

• Trauma can open doorways to unexpected spiritual insights

• Rituals help us process grief and honour those who have passed

• Cultural narratives shape how we view and experience death

• Somatic approaches are vital to healing trauma and grief

• PTSD can arise from repeated or complex trauma, not just flashbacks

• Music, nature, and animals can support emotional release and healing

• Grief can trigger unresolved childhood trauma patterns

• Community, compassion, and gentle listening are essential for healing

• Maria’s experiences led her toward shamanism and spiritual practices

• Accompanying someone in their final moments can be a sacred honour

Soundbites:

• "It's like you land on Planet Grief."

• "We don’t have an understanding of death."

• "Ritual gives the soul a language."

• "We need a more somatic approach to healing."

• "PTSD isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s silent and deep."

• "Grief taps into our own patterns and history."

• "It’s about very gentle listening."

References & Contact Info:

🌿 Instagram: @goldenthread.thehive

https://www.soulwave.co.uk/dying-matters

https://wcwaid.co.uk/

https://penhaligonsfriends.org.uk/

https://treglobal.org/

🎧 Full transcription available upon request: [email protected]

🌿 Instagram: @helens_inspired_healing

🌐 Website: www.inspiredhealing.co.uk

🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios

🎨 Cover Art: Dave Champagne

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