When Shelby was 7 years old, her mother passed away and then Shelby's father passed away at the very end of December 2022. When Trinity lost her mother when she was in her 20's, it was profoundly painful. Needless to say, experiencing the loss of a parent is one of the most traumatic experiences we can have.

Our guest today, Jocelyn Bates, lost BOTH parents within the span of 7 days and under the most distressing circumstances during the COVID pandemic. I don't know if any of you have experienced such loss, but it has taken us YEARS to heal from the loss of our parents who truly had a unique and special place in our lives in so many ways and we, honestly, don't think we'll ever fully heal from that loss. It is something we'll carry with us for ever.

Shelby still tears up when she thinks about losing either parent (no surprise)...whether it has been over 40 years or just a little more than a year the pain of the loss is still very real and raw. Jocelyn knows that pain well and has channeled her grief to creating a space of healing and reinvention for others.

During this period of loss, Jocelyn was really in tune with her body and intuition and leaned into the messages she was receiving and allowed them to guide her actions. It was because of this intuitive path she took that she now helps others heal by encouraging them to get curious about their emotions and then to express those emotions through some form of creativity. 

On this journey, Jocelyn found new meaning and used her grief as a catalyst for transformation. She has so many tools at her disposal...and so many of these were new to us. She's getting certified in Soul Art Healing through Creative Expression, she's trained in Akashic Records and Human Design. She uses Yoga Nidra to balance the nervous system as we move through our emotions. All of which help to navigate through pain, trauma, and grief to find yourself in a place of growth and empowerment.

Trinity was SOO fascinated by these tools that she booked a session with Jocelyn to experience them myself and gained so much insight into the sort of longing she's been feeling.  

In this episode, Jocelyn teaches us:

1. We tend to want to avoid grief or feeling badly. However, this is an opportunity to really get in tune with your body and feel/move through your emotions in a way that resonates with you.
2. When you're truly in touch with your body and emotions, you can hear the subtle messages that you are getting sent. Surrender to your intuition and follow the threads of opportunity that present themselves.
3. Akashic records are a dimension of pure knowledge. Every soul has record of all the life experiences it has had. Everyone has the ability to access these records. Time is not linear. Everything is happening all at once...past, present, and future.
4. There are ways to open the door to our emotions slowly and to feel them incrementally. If we need to, start by writing out your painful experience in the third person and, when the time is right, you can revisit the narrative in first person.
5. Soul Art was developed by Laura Hollick and is a creative process that works with Intention, Somatic Awareness, and channeled creativity to gain insights through your art about an area in your life where you may desire more clarity, healing, or transformation.

To find more of Jocelyn:

Website | Jocelynbates.net

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And you know...if you are feeling lost or stuck, you're not alone. Midlife can be a tricky time, We're fed up, burned out, feeling lost, and trying to remember who we are and figure out who in the hell we want to become. But, we are on this journey with you alongside so many other women. It is our goal to give you space to connect with others on this same path and to give you new tools and resources to navigate this time in life. If you're enjoying this show, please share it with a friend and leave a review so we can continue to bring these tremendous resources to each and every one of you. Then join us in the middle by finding us on Facebook or Instagram or our website dearmidlife.com. We can wait to do life in the middle with you!