In this episode of Talking to Trauma, Lori sits down with Amanda McCordic, founder of Dragonfly Reiki, to discuss her deeply personal journey through cancer, grief, healing, and profound life change. Amanda shares how Reiki became an important part of her own healing process and ultimately inspired her to create Dragonfly Reiki — a supportive online community centered around connection, reflection, and accessible healing resources.

Dragonfly Reiki was created from the belief that people deserve support, compassion, and space to breathe, especially during difficult seasons of life. Through Reiki sessions, guided meditations, classes, and affordable Community Circles, Amanda and her team offer gentle, welcoming spaces for people navigating stress, burnout, caregiving, grief, and overwhelm.

Amanda speaks openly about healing, self-worth, resilience, and making meaning from unimaginable challenges. This conversation is thoughtful, honest, and full of compassion.

Some additional details from Amanda:

Our community includes Reiki sessions, classes, guided meditations, supportive events, and our Dragonfly Community Circles: low-cost online gatherings led by practitioners from around the world. These circles are designed to help people reconnect, slow down, and experience moments of calm, reflection, and support alongside others walking similar paths.

We especially encourage people to explore our Community Circles as a gentle and affordable way to experience the Dragonfly community:

Dragonfly Community Circles

You can also explore our broader community, offerings, and free resources here:

Dragonfly Reiki Marketplace

One of the parts of Dragonfly we are most proud of is our commitment to supporting the caregivers in our society. Through our partnership initiatives, organizations and businesses can collaborate with Dragonfly to provide staff and volunteers with access to our growing commercial-free meditation library — allowing them to access Reiki, meditation, and calming support whenever they need a moment to reset and reconnect.

These partnerships are available not only to charitable and non-profit organizations, but also to businesses looking for meaningful ways to support staff wellbeing and reduce burnout in emotionally demanding environments.

To learn more about our community support and partnership initiatives, please visit:

Dragonfly Partnerships & Charitable Works

And for those looking for a gentle place to begin, Amanda is also sharing one of her guided Reiki bedtime meditations. This peaceful experience invites listeners on a calming journey through a tranquil forest, encouraging them to release the weight of the day, reconnect with themselves, and settle into a space of rest and reflection. Moving through nature toward a quiet pond surrounded by wildflowers, listeners are guided through grounding, self-reflection, and relaxation practices designed to support calmness, clarity, and restful sleep. Like many of the offerings within the Dragonfly community, the meditation is intended to create a small moment of peace in a busy and often overwhelming world. Find the meditation here: https://vimeo.com/1141511312/8ef802a6f0?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

And if you were looking to learn a little more about our therapy matching app, Therapy Dock, you can learn more here.

In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Talking to Trauma, Lori sits down with Sarah Sherman, founder of We’re Here For You Canada - an organization committed to supporting individuals experiencing intimate partner violence through advocacy, resources, and connection.

Sarah shares the story behind her work, including her own lived experience as a survivor of intimate partner violence. With honesty and courage, she speaks about the challenges she faced, what helped her navigate her healing journey, and how those experiences became the driving force behind creating meaningful support for others.

Together, they explore the realities survivors often encounter, the gaps that still exist in systems of care, and the importance of compassionate, accessible support. This conversation is both eye-opening and hopeful, highlighting the impact of turning personal pain into purpose-driven advocacy.

Click to learn more about We're Here For You Canada and if you are interested in purchasing Sarah's book Unbroken: One Woman's Story of Survival, you can reach out to her directly for details about purchase at [email protected].

Stay connected or to learn more about our therapy matching app that is currently in development, Therapy Dock.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of intimate partner violence. Please listen with care.

Stepping into the field of social work can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially for new graduates navigating the transition from education to real-world practice. In this episode of Talking to Trauma, Lori sits down with Ashley MacLean, a passionate social work student completing her Master of Social Work practicum with Rising Tides Counselling.

Over the past eight months, Ashley has gained hands-on experience working with clients, balancing the demands of learning and practice, and tackling the very real risks of stress and burnout that many new social workers face. Together, Lori and Ashley discuss:

🔹 The realities of being a practicum student and the challenges of applying theory to practice
 🔹 The emotional and professional pressures new social workers encounter
 🔹 The importance of mentorship and supervision in early career development
 🔹 Strategies for managing stress, avoiding burnout, and building resilience in the field

Whether you're a student considering a career in social work, a recent graduate, or someone curious about the realities of entering this profession, this conversation offers valuable insights and encouragement.

🎧 Tune in now and join the conversation!

In this episode of Talking to Trauma, I sit down with Caitlin Iles, a therapist on our team at Rising Tides. Caitlin shares her inspiring journey from aspiring English student to certified nutrition practitioner and yoga instructor before settling into her career as a counselling therapist. Caitlin shares how she integrates nutrition and yoga practices into her counselling sessions to support her clients' mental health and well-being.

We also discuss the courage it takes to try new experiences, the importance of giving yourself permission to start without feeling like you have to be perfect, as well as Caitlin's therapeutic approaches, including her love of accelerated resolution therapy (ART) to help clients heal from trauma and other mental health conditions.

If you're curious about holistic approaches to mental health or are looking for some inspiration to take a brave first step in your own life, this episode is for you.

Connect with Caitlin Iles:
Learn more about Caitlin or book a session with her here: Rising Tides - Caitlin Iles

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Stay updated with Talking to Trauma for more conversations exploring healing, mental health, and the incredible work of our therapists and community members.

In this high-energy episode of Talking to Trauma, I sit down with the incredible Dr. Celeste Vail, a naturopathic doctor with a passion for holistic health. We cover everything from what naturopathic medicine actually is to the critical role of hormones, sleep, and mental health in overall wellness.

Dr. Vail brings her signature humour and enthusiasm as we dive into:
✅ How naturopathic medicine supports recovery for physical and mental health
✅ The surprising impact of hormones on mood and energy
✅ Why sleep is the foundation of health and healing
✅ The joy of collaboration between mental health therapy and naturopathy

We had so much fun (and sometimes talk really fast—sorry, not sorry!). Whether you're curious about natural health approaches or just love an engaging conversation, this episode is for you!

🔗 Connect with Dr. Celeste Vail on her website or socials: https://townhealthsolutions.com/team/dr-celeste-vail/

In this episode of Talking to Trauma, we welcome Jean Sloan, a Licensed Counselling Therapist (C) at our Rising Tides Counselling clinic. Jean specializes in helping adults navigate food addiction, anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions, using a trauma-informed approach. Today, she introduces us to Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, an evidence-based model that helps individuals heal by understanding and integrating different parts of themselves.

Join us as Jean explains:
✨ What IFS therapy is and how it works
✨ How different "parts" of us show up in daily life and relationships
✨ The role of the Self in healing and personal transformation

IFS provides a powerful framework for healing trauma, increasing self-awareness, and creating lasting change. Whether you're a therapist, someone on a healing journey, or just curious about how IFS works, this episode offers valuable insights you won’t want to miss!

🔗 To book a session or learn more about Jean, you can visit her profile on our website at: risingtidesnb.com/jean-sloan

🎧 Tune in now and start exploring the power of IFS!

In this episode, we sit down with Kaeli Crozier, a dedicated therapist at Rising Tides Counselling. Kaeli is passionate about making trauma therapy accessible, effective, and client-centered. 

Our conversation dives into Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)—a powerful, evidence-based approach that helps people process trauma quickly and with lasting results. Kaeli shares:

✨ How ART works – a unique blend of eye movements and memory reconsolidation
💡 Who can benefit from ART – from trauma survivors to those struggling with anxiety and phobias
❤️ Why Kaeli loves using ART – the fast, profound relief it brings to her clients

Whether you’re a therapist, someone considering trauma therapy, or just curious about cutting-edge healing methods, this episode will open your eyes to the potential of ART.

🔗 Learn more about Kaeli and her work at risingtidesnb.com.

Listen now and discover why healing doesn’t always have to take years—it can happen in just a few sessions!

🌟 In this episode, we have the absolute pleasure of speaking with Ashley Darch, a CAN-certified Life Coach dedicated to helping people break through obstacles, achieve their goals, and create a deeply fulfilling life. 💡💖

Her journey into life coaching wasn’t a straight path—it was a calling. After years of battling depression and anxiety, Ashley found healing through positive psychology, neuroscience, and the science of well-being. Now, she’s passionate about guiding others on their own journeys toward joy, purpose, and transformation. ✨

🚀 Whether you're feeling stuck, searching for more meaning, or curious about how life coaching can support your growth, Ashley shares powerful insights on:
✅ Her personal path to coaching & self-discovery
✅ The key differences between therapy & life coaching
✅ How coaching can help you step into your full potential

📍 Ashley offers both online & in-person coaching at her office in St. Andrews, NB. Learn more about her work at @hnationwellness or on her website 👉 hnationwellness.com

🎧 Tune in now for an inspiring conversation about resilience, transformation, and the power of life coaching! 🔥💫

Tara Pyfrom has an incredible story of survival and recovery. Born and raised in the Bahamas, Tara and her wife, their young daughter and five dogs found themselves trapped in their home after Hurricane Dorian made landfall and changed their lives forever. Over two days, they waited and made decisions that they hoped would sustain their lives, uncertain if they would ever be rescued from the terrible circumstances that the family found themselves in. Even after their eventual rescue when the waters finally receded, they were forced to leave their home and start fresh in a new country and deal with the aftermath of PTSD and starting over. 

You can learn more about Tara and details of her upcoming book to be released in 2025 at https://tarapyfrom.com/ as well as connecting with her social media accounts of Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Tanya White has been working as a registered social worker since 2004. With experience working with grief, OCD and anxiety disorders, trauma including domestic violence and intimate partner violence, Tanya has spent two decades helping others cope with difficulties they are experiencing in their lives. Several years ago, Tanya found herself in a reversal of roles when her husband, Patrick was diagnosed with a terminal cancer at the age of 37. In this episode, Tanya shares insights from her own experience and how she learned to manage the impact of impending Patrick’s death on her life and their children. Tanya’s ability to blend her own experience with her professional knowledge provides insight and wisdom to those who may also be struggling with grief and loss. 

Tanya opened her private practice in 2015 and is trained in a variety of therapeutic models including Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and CBT, including Exposure and Response Prevention. She is licensed in New Brunswick and Ontario and also volunteers internationally providing counselling services to individuals in areas such as the Ukraine and Russia.