In this expansive and deeply human conversation, I sit down with Mariya Javed-Payne, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Brainspotting Trainer and Consultant, and somatic psychotherapist, whose work lives at the intersection of science, spirituality, and cultural consciousness. Mariya shares her powerful personal story of immigration, identity, and adaptation, growing up between India, Europe, and the United States in a Muslim family navigating racism, systemic barriers, and cultural dislocation. Rather than one defining moment, her path into healing emerged from years of lived experience, including a decade of active addiction and the slow, courageous process of coming back to herself. We explore how these experiences shaped her passion for helping others be seen in their full humanity, and her commitment to approaches that go beyond surface-level healing. Through Brainspotting, somatic therapy, and non-ordinary states of consciousness, including ketamine, cannabis, and breathwork, Mariya supports deep, integrative transformation. She also speaks to the importance of trauma-informed work through a post-colonial, anti-racist, and earth-honoring lens, challenging clinicians to move beyond technique and into true attunement and embodiment. This conversation is a powerful invitation to examine healing through a wider lens, one that honors the body, the nervous system, cultural identity, and the unseen layers of human experience. Mariya Javed-Payne is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor and International Brainspotting Trainer and Consultant. She is a somatic psychotherapist and the owner of Awaken Consulting Services, a private practice and consultancy where she utilizes Brainspotting therapy and offers training and consultation on the treatment of trauma, somatic psychotherapies, psychedelic assisted therapy, anti-racism, and ancestral healing. She also utilizes psychedelic medicines and non-ordinary states of consciousness such as ketamine, cannabis, and breathwork with somatic therapy and Brainspotting. Anchored as a bridge between the mystical and scientific, Mariya has courageously supported and trained thousands of therapists and healers to embody attunement and provide trauma-responsive via a post-colonial and earth-honoring lens. Want to know how you can begin your journey to hope and healing? Visit Elevated Life Academy for classes and free resources for personal development and healing. Resources: CherieLindberg.com ElevatedLifeAcademy.comcap Guest Links: www.awakenconsultingservices.com/trainings www.awakened-roots.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariyajavedpayne https://www.facebook.com/awakenconsultingservices https://www.instagram.com/awakenconsultingservices/
