How do we live life fully alive? For Sandhya Oaks, living fully alive entails being courageous enough to go to places of brokenness and shame, so we might find healing. While trauma or hurt stunts our capacity for fullness of life, healing leads to an increased ability to love and live abundantly.

Sandhya Oaks is a Ministry Leader, Spiritual Director, leads Kintsugi workshops, and does Story Work. Born in India and adopted as a Transracial Adoptee in the Midwest, Sandhya now walks with others through identity reclamation and creating experiences that restore shalom within the human heart.

She is the Co-Founder of The Adoption Triad, a group that provides community and resources to those connected to Adoption and Foster Care. Sandhya holds two Certificates in Narrative Focused Trauma Care from The Allender Center and a Certificate in Resilient Leadership from the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. Additionally, she recently completed her Trauma Care Group Training Certificate through The Art of Living Counseling Center.

In today’s episode, I talk with Sandhya about the power and freedom that can come from finding healing in our own stories, how she stays grounded in God’s goodness and beauty amidst life’s brokenness, and how she’s come to see beauty in unexpected places. Sometimes finding beauty in a broken world can be feel like grueling work. I’m so grateful for brave leaders like Sandhya Oaks, who graciously show us the way forward.