The Gifts of Trauma

Compassionate Inquiry
  • 4.6 (14)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Presented by Compassionate Inquiry®, the Gifts of Trauma is a weekly podcast that features personal stories of trauma healing and the gifts revealed on the path to authenticity. Compassionate Inquiry® is a psychotherapeutic approach created by Dr. Gabor Maté over several decades while working with both patients and retreat participants.Join us to hear what it was like for our guests to live with the tension of trauma, and what happened when they turned inward with compassionate curiosity. These highly relatable stories illustrate how they transformed their trauma generated fear, anger, pain or shame triggers into understanding, acceptance and love. www.compassionateinquiry.com

  1. 2D AGO

    Griefs We're Denied: Nature, Climate, Land Loss… with Steffi Bednarek

    Hosted by: Rosemary Davies-Janes & Kevin Young What happens when grief isn't personal, when it belongs to the land, the climate, and the fractured relationship between humans and the living world? Join us as climate psychologist, systems thinker and trauma therapist, Steffi Bednarek moves this conversation from the personal to the planetary, and from the clinical to the deeply, wildly human. She suggests that our epidemic of depression, anxiety, and disconnection may not be a malfunction, but an unanswered call to an unnamed grief so large, Western psychology barely has the language for it.  Steffi also explores: - How the fragmentation of modern life is itself a form of trauma - What it means to grieve the land, the climate, and the living world - What older traditions of keening, ritual, and belonging to place offer us now - Why life today feels hollowed out—and what that longing might be telling us This series began with a focus on personal loss. This final episode turns the lens on our innate global grief—for the world we're losing.  A grief we're systematically denied by our cultural fragmentation and exile from the Interspace.  About Steffi Bednarek, Founder and Director of the Centre for Climate Psychology A climate psychologist, Gestalt Psychotherapist, systems thinker, IFS therapist, founder and director of the Centre for Climate Psychology, Steffi is the editor of, Climate, Psychology and Change, a book which has been called "a work of wisdom and radical ideas."   With over 25 years of experience in systemic change and trauma therapy, Steffi invites a reimagining of our place in the web of life and advocates for the restoration of Soul in the collective culture.  Her work has supported national governments, the corporate sector, global financial institutions, the sustainability sector and large NGOs. She equips individuals and organisations to address the urgent need for regenerative change in ways that go beyond the mere correction of what is visible on the surface.  Professionals across all sectors count on her support to stay resilient, adaptive, creative and responsive in the face of global upheaval, climate anxiety, and an increasing awareness of our systemic entanglement with the culture we try to change. Promotional Messages: Spotlight Episodes: Your journey with Compassionate Inquiry® matters. Your work in the world matters. If you have a story to share about bringing Compassionate Inquiry into the world, we'd like to amplify your voice. Spotlight episodes are full length Gifts of Trauma podcast interviews offered exclusively to CI community members. You'll not only share your story with 55,000 healing professionals across all platforms, you'll receive a pre-interview strategy session plus three promotional video clips. We're offering only 10 Spotlight episodes per year and production realities require a financial contribution. Follow the links to access full details and express your interest. Spotlight Episodes   |   Sponsorships Blog Library: Did you know that Compassionate Inquiry offers a free public blog library with over a thousand short posts written by our practitioners and facilitators?  Each is only a 5 or 6 minute read, and topics range from connecting with authenticity to overcoming food addictions to understanding epigenetics, rethinking drug use, CI & Psychedelics, and much, much more. You can also read excerpts from podcast guests' interviews. Tap the link in the show notes to access our helpful, enlightening and inspiring blog library.  Resources: Websites: Steffi's Professional Website Centre for Climate Psychology Related Links: Compassionate Inquiry Upcoming Events Psychotherapy in a Time when the Familiar is Dying (2026) Video IFS and Climate Change (2025) Podcast Matthew Green on Trauma In Journalism (2024) Podcast IFS: Self Energy (2025) Video Books:  In the Absence of the Ordinary (2025) Climate Psychology and Change (2024) Climate Psychology and Change (Audiobook) (2024) Thirty-Two Words for Field  (2020) The Wild Edge of Sorrow (2015) We've Had 100 Years of Psychotherapy and the World Is Getting Worse (1993) Articles:  Gaslighting Democracy and the Double Bind of Truths Substack  Quotes:  "Grief can neither be forgotten nor healed over time. It always waits to be worked through." - Jorgos Canacakis "We do have rituals. We have rituals that are performed in agendas and meeting protocols. And all of that takes the life out of us. So for me, that is trauma. It's a traumatizing ritual."  - Steffi Bednarek "There is no difference between me and you and us and the land and us and whatever we call divinity or consciousness. It's the duality that is the illusion." - Kevin Young "When kids go to school, they learn to fragment life into its component parts, but never learn how to put it all back together again. And so I think that we get educated into a traumatizing worldview that becomes normal".  - Steffi Bednarek "Grief is alive, wild, untamed, and cannot be domesticated. It resists the demands to remain passive, and still we move in jangled, unsettled, and riotous ways. And when grief takes hold of us, it's truly an emotion that rises from the soul." - Frances Weller Social Media:  Linked In Facebook

    1h 1m

  2. MAR 26

    When Survival Usurps Grief: Showing Up When the World Is on Fire, with James Gordon, MD & Diana Gharib

    Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J'aime Rothbard. In this episode, Kevin is joined by James Gordon, MD, founder of the Center for Mind Body Medicine, whose teams have worked in Gaza, Kosovo, Syria, Bosnia, Northern Ireland and beyond, and Diana Garib, a clinical psychologist on the front-line in Beirut, recording live as conflict surrounds her. Together they explore: - What it looks like to show up for others when your own world is on fire - How humanizing the other can become the first act of healing - Why finding common ground—from shared grief to shared hummus—may be where peace actually begins - What it means to transform helplessness into action If you've ever wondered what grief sounds like when bombs are falling, drones are overhead and your six-year-old is playing war with his dinosaurs… It might sound like this conversation, which wanders —with warmth, humor, and hard-won wisdom—from grief to survival, from despair to agency, from the deeply personal to the global.  About James S. Gordon, MD A Harvard-educated psychiatrist, and pioneer of mind-body and integrative medicine, Dr. Gordon is the Founder (1991) and CEO of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM) which aims to make self-awareness, self-care, and group support central to all healthcare and education systems. His global faculty of 145 and a US-based staff of 26 have trained over 7,000 clinicians, educators, and community leaders in CMBM's model; spreading its therapeutic and educational programs to hundreds of thousands who are traumatized, stressed and confronting the challenges of anxiety, depression, chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Dr. Gordon believes that we all have great and largely untapped capacities to help and heal ourselves and one another. Dr Gordon is the former chair of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, and a clinical professor at Georgetown Medical School. He's known as a peacemaker, consensus and cross-cultural relationship builder, as well as for his life-changing therapeutic work with individuals, families and groups. A noted author and essayist on Alternative Medicine, Dr Gordon has authored several books, book chapters, and over 140 articles which have been published in professional journals and the popular press. His latest book, Transforming Trauma, (2021) presents trauma as a human experience, not a pathological anomaly. Drawing on current scientific research and his 50 years of clinical experience, Dr. Gordon demonstrates how, when people can meet the challenges trauma presents, they can discover joy, meaning, and purpose. About Diana Gharib, Licensed Clinical Psychologist  "When individuals experience trauma or severe life stressors, their sense of stability, identity and safety can be deeply shaken. In moments when [outer] circumstances cannot be changed, the work becomes one of inner transformation." Deeply committed to supporting this process and helping individuals reconnect with their resilience, dignity, and capacity for healing, Diana creates safe, respectful, and collaborative therapeutic spaces where healing, self-understanding, and lasting change can unfold. Her work with adolescents and adults who have endured traumatic and highly stressful experiences brings healing, supports the development of healthier self-perceptions, strengthens emotional regulation, restores a sense of meaning and agency.  Diana supports survivors of torture and sexual violence, individuals affected by war and displacement, refugees, incarcerated and detained populations. She also works extensively with people experiencing depression, anxiety, and complex personality-related challenges.  As no single therapeutic approach is suitable for everyone, Diana integrates a range of evidence informed modalities, including Compassionate Inquiry (CI), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and principles informed by polyvagal theory.  She also conducts therapeutic sessions grounded in both clinical knowledge and compassionate presence. Each therapeutic process she offers is thoughtfully tailored to each individual's unique history, needs, and therapeutic goals. Promotional Messages: CI CIrcles: If you're not a therapist or healer, but you've heard our guests describe the personal transformations they experienced during their Compassionate Inquiry® journeys, and wonder what that would be like for you... Circles is a 10-week small group experience offered to anyone who wants to experience the power of Gabor Maté's approach to trauma healing. Use this link to find out if this program is for you. Spotlight Episodes & Sponsorships: The Gifts of Trauma Podcast is now offering Spotlight Episodes and Sponsor opportunities exclusively to members of the Compassionate Inquiry community. Spotlight Episodes are full length interviews. Sponsors receive custom scripted promotional messages that air in multiple episodes, plus host mentions and show notes placements with links to your website and special offers. Both gain exposure to our audience of 55,000 people across all CI platforms. This is Compassionate Inquiry promoting its own, amplifying voices that genuinely embody the approach. These opportunities are limited to 10 per year and production realities require a financial contribution. Follow these links to access full details and express your interest. Spotlight Episodes   |   Sponsorships Resources: Websites: Dr Gordon's Professional Website  https://jamesgordonmd.com/ Diana's Professional Profile Related Links: The Center for Mind-Body Medicine  Restart Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture Finding a Steadier Path (2025) Podcast Transforming Trauma (2025) Video Transforming Trauma (2024) Video Books: Transforming Trauma: The Path to Hope and Healing Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven Stage Journey Out of Depression Manifesto for a New Medicine:  Health for the Whole Person Divine Beauty  The Presence Process Quotes: "One of the things that happens when there's trauma is we feel that we're alone with it—even though we can see that so many other people have suffered similarly. We feel very alone." - Dr James Gordon "In that helping of other people, there's the discovery of meaning and purpose as well as connection." - Dr James Gordon "One of the gifts of trauma is that it begins to break down some of those barriers and we begin to become more open to commonalities, including the commonality of our suffering." - Dr James Gordon "We are four generations of women witnessing war. The power that gives me is to be brave, to show up and do this work. To have a voice." - Diana Gharib "It's amazing how the brain—this resilient part—adapts to keep you going." - Diana Gharib "They're not broken. When I am able to see behind the trauma a person is carrying, and just see the essence of that person, healing starts." - Diana Gharib "When we can humanize the other, there's much less chance of us traumatizing the other." - Kevin Young Social Media: IG: (@drjamesgordon) IG: diana.gharib1 FB: Dr Gordon's Facebook FB: Diana's Facebook LI: Dr Gordon's LinkedIn LI: Diana's LinkedIn

    1h 9m

  3. MAR 19

    When Grief Is Stolen: Invasion, Colonization & Griefology, with Rosemary Wanganeen

    Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes & Kevin Young. Produced by J'aime Rothbard. If grief is the energy generated by loss, what happens to a people whose grief has been stolen for generations, and what becomes possible when we grieve our way home? In this episode, Rosemary Wanganeen, a Kaurna, Wirungu, and Koogatha Aboriginal woman and Australia's only griefologist, presents one of the most provocative perspectives explored in this series. She traces the suppression of grief and the ensuing psychopathic violence of Australia's colonizers/invaders to a declaration by Plato in 388 BC—the toxic legacy of which continues to fuel the behavior of spirit-absent humans. She also explains how: - Suppressed grief causes the spirit to separate from the body - A spirit-absent human can commit atrocities - The invading colonizers deliberately dismantled 60,000 years of sacred Aboriginal culture - Griefology offers a path out of the unresolved grief that traps colonized peoples - Her own spirit came home after five years of intuitive healing Rosemary's story—which takes her from a women's shelter in Sydney (where she encountered an ancestral grandmother) through founding the Healing Centre for Griefology to her current work—is a living testament to what becomes possible when we grieve our way back home to ourselves. About Rosemary Wanganeen  Clinical Griefologist Australia's only Griefologist, Rosemary not only pioneered this revolutionary field, but founded and leads The Healing Centre for Griefology, established in 1993 in response to her personal experiences as part of the Stolen Generation. Her work provides an evidence-based approach to transforming Aboriginal disadvantage into Aboriginal prosperity, shifting the conversation to healing, sustainability, and self-determination. Also a former research officer for the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, Rosemary's search for a deeper understanding of personal and collective loss produced her groundbreaking "Seven Phases" model which redefines grief—not as something to be "closed" but as a natural, ongoing process to be integrated into life. Her contributions have led to her recognition in academia, and she is currently a Master of Philosophy candidate at the University of Adelaide. As a keynote speaker, educator, trainer, program designer, and peer-reviewed author, Rosemary's work across multiple sectors demonstrates the far-reaching consequences of unaddressed grief in everyday life, including death and dying. After spending over 30 years supporting Aboriginal health, welfare, and social justice, she has dedicated her career to transforming how individuals, communities, and organisations understand and integrate loss and grief.  A proud South Australian Aboriginal woman of the Kaurna, Wirungu, and Koogatha nations, Rosemary's work has influenced mental health policies, leadership training, and community well-being programs, positioning her as a thought-provoking leader in holistic grief education. Promotional Messages: Compassionate Inquiry Professional Training If you've been listening to our podcast and are curious about the Compassionate Inquiry® approach developed by Doctor Gabor Maté and Sat Dharam Kaur, consider joining the Professional Training Program. It's open to all healing professionals, including naturopaths, physicians, body workers, coaches, and therapists. In addition to learning how to use compassion to support your clients in their most vulnerable moments with greater empathy and authenticity, you'll also deepen your own internal process. If you're interested, click this link to learn more. Spotlight Episodes Your journey with Compassionate Inquiry® matters. Your work in the world matters. If you have a story to share about bringing Compassionate Inquiry into the world, we'd like to amplify your voice. Spotlight episodes are full length Gifts of Trauma podcast interviews offered exclusively to CI community members. You'll not only share your story with 55,000 healing professionals across all platforms, you'll receive a pre-interview strategy session plus three promotional video clips. We're offering only 10 Spotlight episodes per year and production realities require a financial contribution. Follow the links to access full details and express your interest. Spotlight Episodes   |   Sponsorships Resources: Websites: Griefology Website Related Links: Good Grief Grave Matters Podcast (2024) Discovering Griefology Video (2023) Healing the Soul of Australia Podcast (2023) Loss, Grief and Forgiveness Podcast (2023) The Seven Phases to Integrating Loss and Grief Article Books: In the Absence of the Ordinary (2025) Working Together (2024) Living Legacies of Social Injustice (2023) How to Age Against the Machine (2023) The Wild Edge of Sorrow (2015) Why Do Christians Find It Hard to Grieve? (1997) Quotes: "Grief is not only illogical, but it's a weakness."  - Plato, 388 BC "You are as sick as your secrets are deep." - Unknown "The essence of trauma, at its purest level, is disconnect from the self." - Gabor Maté "I had to empty my physical body of all that grief energy for my spirit to feel safe enough to come home. And between my physical body and my spirit, we've been able to sustain that connection. It's sustained through griefology, one can't undo that. You can't go back to harming another human being because you become conscious." - Rosemary Wanganeen "Human beings have to wait for their rock bottom to say, I can't do this anymore, enough is enough. And then tap into, how do I get myself out of this now?"  - Rosemary Wanganeen Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosemary-kudnarto-wanganeen/ Facebook: Healing Centre for Griefology Instagram: @lossandgrief

    1h 6m

  4. MAR 12

    When Grief Doesn't Get a Funeral, with Dr Kenneth Doka, Maria de los Angeles Estrada & Ellie Davis

    Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J'aime Rothbard.  If you've ever grieved an unrecognized loss, please join us to explore Disenfranchised Grief, the term Dr Doka coined over 35 years ago to describe the grief that rises when a loss isn't openly recognized, publicly mourned, or socially supported, and why so many of us—unkowingly—carry this form of grief.  Drawing on his 50 years in the field, Dr Doka, along with Maria and Ellie who share their lived experiences of disenfranchised grief, unpack: - How grief (the energy generated by a significant loss) can show up emotionally,  physically, cognitively, behaviorally and spiritually - The five components of disenfranchised grief - Why we don't "detach" from those we've lost (and why that's healthy) - How judging others' grieving styles can tear relationships apart - Why not acknowledging losses can freeze grief in our bodies for decades - How grief can lead to growth, new insights, strengths, and a understandings of life & spirituality. Compassionate Inquiry colleagues Maria and Ellie bring personal dimensions to this conversation, sharing their own experiences of reproductive loss—the grief that rarely gets a funeral, a casserole, or even a conversation. If you've ever been told to move on from something you haven't been able to fully grieve, this episode offers perspectives and insights you may find helpful. About Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv Senior Vice President of Grief Programs at Hospice Foundation of America (HFA)  The recipient of the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), Doka is also professor emeritus, at the Graduate School of The College of New Rochelle. A prolific author and editor, he serves as editor of HFA's Living with Grief® book series, its Journeys newsletter, and numerous other books and publications. He has been a panelist on HFA's Living with Grief® program for 30 years. Doka is a past president of ADEC, a former board member of the International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement, and an Advisory Board member to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). He is the recipient of The International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement's prestigious Herman Feifel Award and ADEC's Award for Outstanding Contributions in the Field of Death Education. In 2006, he was grandfathered in as a Mental Health Counselor under New York's first state licensure of counselors. Doka is an ordained Lutheran minister. About Maria de los Angeles Estrada Licensed RN, Compassionate Inquiry® Practitioner, Trauma Recovery & Life Coach A Licensed Registered Nurse in New York state, María has 15 years of combined pediatric and perinatal care experience, as a birth assistant to midwives assisting mothers delivering at the Brooklyn Birthing Center, as well as at home births. She currently dedicates herself to her online private practice as a Trauma Recovery Coach, Life Coach, and Compassionate Inquiry (CI) Practitioner and CI Circle leader. Maria also co-facilitates two Focus Groups for the Spanish CI community: Accompanying Grief Processes with CI and Compassionate Parenting, and is an intern in the CI Portal training. Born and raised in Uruguay, South America, Maria moved to the United States when she was 18 to rebuild her relationship with her father, who migrated when she was 10. Today the mother of three and grandmother of four, she has been happily remarried for 31 years.  About Ellie Davis Chi Nei Tsang Practitioner and Resilience Coach Ellie has been walking with others on their healing road since becoming a massage​ therapist in 1993. In 2008 she expanded into Chi​ Nei Tsang (a Taoist hands on healing modality which focuses on releasing stress from the​ vital organs) which led her to Compassionate Inquiry in 2023, and David Kessler's Grief​ Educator training in 2025.  Having traveled the world helping people access the​ healing that naturally resides in the body, Ellle  recently found her way back to her own​ roots in Iowa, an unexpected move that facilitated healing her past.  She also began standing up for women's reproductive freedom, addressing the Iowa State legislature on the effect of its harsh anti-choice laws. Since her own early history as a "pro-lifer" was upended in 1996, her work with her own grief paved the way to creating​ abortion grief groups for people who made that choice and the constellations around them.   Promotional Messages: Spotlight Episodes & Sponsorships: Many of you are certified Compassionate Inquiry practitioners and trained community members bringing this work into the world in beautiful, unique ways. If you're interested in expanding your practice, The Gifts of Trauma Podcast is now offering Spotlight Episodes and Sponsor opportunities exclusively to members of the CI community. Spotlight episodes are full length interviews. Sponsors receive a custom scripted promotional message that airs across multiple episodes, plus host mentions, placements in the  show notes, with links to your website and special offers. Both gain exposure to our internal audience of 55,000 people across all Compassionate Inquiry platforms. This is CI promoting its own. These opportunities are limited to 10 per year, and production realities require a financial contribution. Follow these links to access details and express your interest. Spotlight Episodes   |   Sponsorships CI CIrcles: If you're not a therapist or healer, but you've heard our guests describe the personal transformations they experienced during their Compassionate Inquiry® journeys, and wonder what that would be like for you... Circles is a 10-week small group experience offered to anyone who wants to experience the power of Gabor Maté's approach to trauma healing. Use this link to find out if this program is for you.   Resources: Websites: Dr Doka's Professional Website Maria's CI Professional Profile: Ellie's Professional Website Related Links: Disenfranchised Grief Model  Grief Support Groups Books: Dr Doka's Publication Library Death & Dying, Life & Living 9th Edition (2025) Disenfranchised Grief: Ministry That Breaks the Silence (2025) Grieving Beyond Gender. With Terry L Martin (2025) When We Die (2020) Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy, by J William Worden (2018) Grief Is a Journey: Finding Your Path Through Loss (2016) Disenfranchised Grief: New Directions, Challenges, and Strategies for Practice (2002) Articles Ellie's Blog Quotes: "intuitive grievers experience grief as waves of emotion. Instrumental grievers use a more problem focused way of coping.  You can deal with grief dysfunctionally or functionally, but neither [grieving style] is dysfunctional by nature. There's nothing wrong with intellectualizing if it works." - Dr Kenneth Doka "...acknowledge loss in your life, the many losses we have, including the non death losses. But acknowledge life even with grief. There's lots to live for, lots to learn, lots to know." - Dr Kenneth Doka "Grief also affects us physically. We can have aches and pains. Cognitively, we can be unfocused, confused. Spiritually, it can distress our beliefs and, or sometimes empower our beliefs. And it affects our behavior. Some of us avoid reminders of the deceased, some of us seek them." Freud always talked about the loved, hated one. And it reminds us that any significant relationship carries a certain amount of ambivalence. Part of grief is acknowledging that ambivalence when it exists.   Social Media: Maria's Instagram: @maria.delos.angeles_life_coach Ellie's Instagram: Bloomingbeing.ellie Dr Doka's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000279231883 Maria's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maria.estrada.5811 Ellie's Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ellie.davis.355

    52 min

  5. MAR 5

    What We Don't Know About Grief, with Pam Sommer & Manisha Billimoria

    Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J'aime Rothbard. This gentle conversation launches a new series exploring death, loss and grief—experiences we all face yet are rarely taught to navigate. Our guests debunk grief 'myths', as it doesn't follow "5 Stages," we can't "pre-grieve" and being told to "be brave" can trap grief in our body for decades.  They also offer practical suggestions for supporting those who are grieving, and explain: - How grief can manifest in physical, emotional and mental issues - Why talking about the deceased is essential for the living - How repressed grief can lead to the development of "subpersonalities" - How our lost grieving rituals actually supported the grieving process Pam shares the sacred experience of sitting with her mother through her final night.  Manisha describes how her sister's death at 13 created a 38-year shutdown—until a Compassionate Inquiry training dyad and breathwork session finally allowed her body to release what it had been holding.  About Pam Sommer, Compassionate Inquiry® Practitioner & Facilitator, EFT, RMT A dedicated wellness practitioner, Pam is also an EFT Practitioner, and a Registered Massage Therapist trained as a Death Doula. Pam's journey into wellness began with experiences that sparked a deep commitment to healing and self-discovery. Her approach is rooted in empathy, understanding a genuine desire to support others on their path to well-being, and a passion for helping them live peaceful, fulfilling lives. Together with her clients Pam creates safe, nurturing spaces for healing.  Personally, Pam finds joy in simple things—exploring nature through camping and hiking, staying grounded through yoga and exercise. She lives on an off-grid farm with her partner and children, surrounded by a lively crew of freeloading animals who bring joy (and a bit of chaos) to their lives. Whether she's working with clients or spending time with her family, Pam strives to live authentically and help others do the same. About Manisha Billimoria,  Compassionate Inquiry® Practitioner, Biology of Trauma Facilitator A dedicated mental health counsellor Manisha specialises in trauma therapy and functional medicine. Her comprehensive training, which includes art therapy, REBT, EMDR, and SST, provides a supportive foundation for clients addressing diverse mental health concerns.  Committed to helping individuals overcome their challenges, build resilience, and embark on journeys of healing and self-discovery, Manisha's approach to mental health care is marked by her empathy, authenticity, and a genuine commitment to her clients' well-being. She provides a safe, supportive, nurturing environment that invites individuals to explore their emotions, confront their challenges, develop resilience and listen to the wisdom of their bodies.  Born in India, after 30 years in Sri Lanka, Manisha considers it 'home.' The organization she founded and leads, Umbartha, a Marathi word that means 'threshold.' Its mission is to support individuals on their journey towards alignment, authenticity and healing.  Promotional Messages If you've been listening to our podcast and are curious about the Compassionate Inquiry®  approach developed by Doctor Gabor Maté and Sat Dharam Kaur, consider joining the Professional Training Program. It's open to all healing professionals, including naturopaths, physicians, body workers, coaches, and therapists. In addition to learning how to use compassion to support your clients in their most vulnerable moments with greater empathy and authenticity, you'll also deepen your own internal process. If you're interested, click this link to learn more. Your journey with Compassionate Inquiry® matters. Your work in the world matters. If you have a story to share about bringing Compassionate Inquiry into the world, we'd like to amplify your voice. Spotlight episodes are full length Gifts of Trauma podcast interviews offered exclusively to CI community members. You'll not only share your story with 55,000 healing professionals across all platforms, you'll receive a pre-interview strategy session plus three promotional video clips. We're offering only 10 Spotlight episodes per year and production realities require a financial contribution. Follow the links to access full details and express your interest. Spotlight Episodes   |   Sponsorships     Resources: Websites: Manisha's Professional Website Maisha's Compassionate Inquiry Profile Pam's Professional Website Pam's Compassionate Inquiry Profile Related links: The Varsha Retreat, with Sat Dharam Kaur Compassionate Inquiry® Training Death Doula Training Biology of Trauma Training Articles: Picking Up The Dropped Stitch Trusting in Self, Trusting in Life Books: Pam's Essential Reading Podcast: Pam's First Gifts of Trauma Podcast Interview Quotes: "Wipe those tears away. That's not going to help anybody. They can help the person who's shedding the tears. It's so healing to just allow, otherwise that grief, that sadness gets bottled up inside." – Pam Sommer "When grief is suppressed, it doesn't disappear. It finds another way to speak, often through the body. The question is not how to get over grief, but how to stay present with it without abandoning ourselves" - Manisha Billimoria "There's no right way to grieve. If we can honor grief as a legitimate emotion, as much as sadness and anger and shame, we can turn this experience into growth, expansion and healing as opposed to [something that's] contributing to our pain." - Pam Sommer "Grief never leaves, but neither does love. They walk together now, hand in hand, teaching you how to live with an absence that is always a presence."  - Jamie Anderson "It's all the unexpressed love, the grief that will remain with us until we pass, because we never get enough time with each other." - Andrew Garfield Social Media: Pam's Instagram  Pam's Facebook Manisha's Instagram Manisha's Facebook Manisha's LinkedIn

    1h 2m

  6. FEB 26

    Rosemary Davies-Janes on, Transforming Marketing With 'Gabor-Style' Magnetic Presence

    Hosted by Kevin Young and J'aime Rothbard. Produced by J'aime Rothbard. In the second half of this intimate conversation, the hosts quick-response questions reveal the multifaceted wholeness Rosemary brings to Magnetic Presence Marketing—a radical new marketing approach modeled on Gabor Maté's own magnetism, presence, humility, vulnerability and honesty.  Together, the hosts and guest explore: - Reframing "Unique Selling Point" as "Unique Sovereign Presence" - Why withholding our Unique Sovereign Presence actually does a disservice to others - How integrating our 'Lego' can take us from seeming scattered to 'feeling free' - Why it's far too costly to abandon ourselves in our "pursuit of success"   Rosemary concludes this interview by sharing the vision that inspired her to make Magnetic Presence Marketing into a training program. To address the dilemma of healers whose 'marketing trauma' stops them from promoting their work, so they can't be 'found' by the people they trained to serve. The remedy? A 'clean' marketing approach that creates safety, mirrors healers values and honors autonomy About Rosemary Davies-Janes Trauma Therapist, Podcast Manager/Host, Magnetic Presence Marketing Creator  For nearly 30 years, Rosemary has worked at the intersection of authenticity, psychology, and healing. After two decades in corporate marketing leadership, she founded MIBOSO® to support the holistic integration of mind, body, and soul—through authentic branding, ethical marketing, and natural healing practices. She began podcasting in 2002, producing 150+ episodes with guests including Byron Katie, James Redfield, Gary Zukav, David Whyte, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt. Today Rosemary manages and hosts Compassionate Inquiry's The Gifts of Trauma Podcast.  In 2021, The Wisdom of Trauma movie led her to pursue intensive trauma-therapy training in Compassionate Inquiry®, Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy and Internal Family Systems. Rosemary now specializes in complex trauma work with clients globally, particularly those navigating cultural displacement, intergenerational trauma, and early life adaptations. Inspired by Dr Gabor Maté's own unique magnetic presence, Rosemary's blend of marketing expertise and trauma-informed psychology led her to create Magnetic Presence Marketing. This approach, launched in 2025, teaches heart-centered professionals to market their work authentically, without manipulation. Born in Canada and raised across three continents, Rosemary now lives in Costa Rica, where she continues her work supporting people in integrating their internal authenticity with their external expression. Promotional Messages: If you've been listening to our podcast and are curious about the transformative power of Compassionate Inquiry® you are invited to join us for a six hour online experiential introduction to the compassionate inquiry approach and community. Whether you're a healthcare professional, therapist, coach, or simply someone seeking trauma, informed personal healing or professional growth, the CI experience eventually invites you to witness live demonstrations, learn practical techniques, participate in reflective conversations and connect with a supportive community of like minded individuals all in a single immersive day. This event will be recorded and as a participant you'll have lifetime access to the event recording and so much more. To learn more and register, just follow this link.  Your journey with Compassionate Inquiry® matters. Your work in the world matters. If you have a story to share about bringing compassionate inquiry into the world, we'd like to amplify your voice. Spotlight episodes are full length Gifts of Trauma podcast interviews offered exclusively to CI community members. You'll not only share your story with 55,000 healing professionals across all platforms, you'll receive a pre interview strategy session plus three promotional video clips. We're offering only 10 Spotlight episodes per year and production realities require a financial contribution. Follow these links to access full details and express your interest. Spotlight Guest  |  Sponsorship Resources Websites: Professional Website Magnetic Presence Marketing Related Links: The Gifts of Trauma Podcast Compassionate Inquiry® Training Internal Family Systems Training (IFS) Relational Life Therapy Training (RLT) Podcasts: Transforming Survival into Safety & Presence, with Alison Creech Video: Unique Sovereign Presence Mediation Quotes: "...we've got this army of healers forming. What if they can't get past this marketing block and can't be found by the people they're trained to serve? That was when it came to me. We've got to radically shift the way we market." - Rosemary Davies-Janes

    43 min

  7. FEB 19

    Rosemary Davies-Janes on, Living Mythically, Aligning Multipotentialism, Unveiling Magnetism

    Hosted by Kevin Young and J'aime Rothbard. Produced by J'aime Rothbard.  What if your resistance to self-marketing is actually a trauma block? This week, our very own Gifts of Trauma co-host Rosemary Davies-Janes shares her journey from corporate marketing exec to authenticity recovery coach to Magnetic Presence Marketing creator. Hosts Kevin and J'aime dive into how she helps heart-centered professionals heal their 'marketing trauma,' shed their masks and attract ideal, right-fit clients Together they reflect on: - Why marketing blocks are almost always trauma blocks in disguise - How holding 7 different roles can make complete sense when you find your through-line - The role of Compassionate Inquiry® and why we need to do our inner work first - Why Gabor Maté's magnetic presence inspired an entirely new approach to marketing In this intimate conversation, Rosemary also explains why helping people access their authenticity is her driving passion, what it means to be a multipotentialite, why living a mythic life requires courage and grit, and how she learned that a wild spirit and authentic love can go hand in hand. About Rosemary Davies-Janes Trauma Therapist, Podcast Manager/Host, Magnetic Presence Marketing Creator  For nearly 30 years, Rosemary has worked at the intersection of authenticity, psychology, and healing. After two decades in corporate marketing leadership, she founded MIBOSO® to support the holistic integration of mind, body, and soul—through authentic branding, ethical marketing, and natural healing practices. She began podcasting in 2002, producing 150+ episodes with guests including Byron Katie, James Redfield, Gary Zukav, David Whyte, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt. Today Rosemary manages and hosts Compassionate Inquiry's The Gifts of Trauma Podcast.  In 2021, The Wisdom of Trauma movie led her to pursue intensive trauma-therapy training in Compassionate Inquiry®, Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy and Internal Family Systems. Rosemary now specializes in complex trauma work with clients globally, particularly those navigating cultural displacement, intergenerational trauma, and early life adaptations. Inspired by Dr Gabor Maté's own unique magnetic presence, Rosemary's blend of marketing expertise and trauma-informed psychology led her to create Magnetic Presence Marketing. This approach, launched in 2025, teaches heart-centered professionals to market their work authentically, without manipulation. Born in Canada and raised across three continents, Rosemary now lives in Costa Rica, where she continues her work supporting people in integrating their internal authenticity with their external expression. Promotional Message: Your journey with Compassionate Inquiry® matters. Your work in the world matters. If you have a story to share about bringing compassionate inquiry into the world, we'd like to amplify your voice. Spotlight episodes are full length Gifts of Trauma podcast interviews offered exclusively to CI community members. You'll not only share your story with 55,000 healing professionals across all platforms, you'll receive a pre interview strategy session plus three promotional video clips. We're offering only 10 Spotlight episodes per year and production realities require a financial contribution. Follow these links  to access full details and express your interest. Spotlight Guest Sponsorship Resources Websites: Professional Website Related Links: Magnetic Presence Marketing The Gifts of Trauma Podcast Compassionate Inquiry® Training Integrative Somatic Therapy Training  Internal Family Systems Training (IFS) Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Psychometric Profiles:  Myers Briggs DISC Strengths Finder Enneagram The Kolbe A Index 360 Degree Assessment Book: The Naughtiest Girl in the School Podcasts: Navigating Adoption's Emotional Turbulence Quotes: "A brand is a living entity—and it is enriched or undermined cumulatively over time, the product of a thousand small gestures." - Michael D. Eisner "A lot of times people tell me they share things they've never shared with another human before, things that might be deeply linked to shame or some early trauma that they haven't yet named. People have mirrored back to me, is, it's because I bring my authenticity." - Rosemary Davies-Janes " …that idea of masking and false safety is not something that comes with being a Multipotentialite and living across all these jobs and following your heart. There's a courage in there as well, I would presume, to living like that." - Kevin Young "There's a practice we go through in Magnetic Presence Marketing. Check with your head brain, your heart brain, your gut brain. Check with your five senses. Check with your intuition, check with your alignment with your spiritual connection, whether that's cosmological or collective or whatever it might be." - Rosemary Davies-Janes "As within, so without, as above, so below."- Hermes Trismegistus "Follow your heart and the universe will conspire to help." - Juliano Innocente Social Media: Facebook  Instagram LinkedIn

    58 min

  8. FEB 12

    Sat Dharam Kaur, ND, on 'Bridging the Gap'

    Hosted by J'aime Rothbard, Kevin Young and Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J'aime Rothbard. What if the chaos we're witnessing is humanity's collective trauma playing out on a global scale? Sat Dharam Kaur invites us to "mind the gap"—the space between our tumultuous present and unknown future—by mindfully pausing our reactivity and leaning into collective wisdom.  Our guest and hosts reflect on: - How powerful peoples' unhealed childhood wounds have and are impacting entire populations and ecosystems - The potential for men to heal their trauma, with healed 'wise' feminine support - How providing healing support from preconception through early childhood could end 'inherited' trauma - Shifting towards a "culture of care" inspired by communities in nature Sat Dharam concludes by inviting us toL "Step up. Go inside and feel…discern… What's my role, my passion, my destiny? What can I do? How can I be of service? it's [already] in our hearts. Then follow the thread, let it unfold. We're all unfolding together, it's this synergy between us that's creating this profound shift." About Sat Dharam Kaur, ND Compassionate Inquiry® Co-Director, Training Facilitator, Circle Leader, Certified Practitioner A practicing naturopathic doctor (since 1989) with a focus on women's health, cancer and mind-body approaches to healing, since 2012, Sat Dharam has been studying, hosting, working and teaching with Dr. Gabor Maté. She structured his work in a teachable format; the Compassionate Inquiry® Professional Online Training, and since 2019, she has incorporated it into her naturopathic practice.  Sat Dharam holds a BA (Psychology & English Literature) and a BSc (Biology). She completed her postgraduate studies at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine where she also taught stress management and women's health for 10 years.  The author of multiple *books on women's health, Sat Dharam also presents at global events, including Oxford 2025,  Europe's largest trauma, mental health and wellbeing conference. An expert instructor in Kundalini Yoga, which she has practiced and taught for over 45 years, Sat Dharam has developed yoga-based curricula in addiction recovery, trauma, and breast health; specialties in which she offers training to teachers around the world. Sat Dharam and her husband live in an off-grid home on 105 acres of beautiful land where she nurtures fruit trees and a large garden. She enjoys hiking, cycling, and communing with plants. She has three adult children and two grandchildren. Resources: Websites: Professional Site Compassionate Inquiry Profile Courses:  Beyond Addiction Compassionate Inquiry Presentations: Oxford 2025 Books: *The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women's Health *A Call to Women: The Healthy Breast Program & Workbook *A Naturopathic Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer *The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Breast Cancer Home Is Where We Start From: Essays by a Psychoanalyst The Evolved Nest The Upanishads Podcasts: Sat Dharam, Your Addiction Reveals Your Hidden Pain Zach Bush, MD & Eva Dalak, Relating to Our Original Imprint Quotes: "An infant who's held well enough is quite a different thing from one who has not been held well enough…in the early stages of emotional development, before the senses have been organized…very severe anxieties are experienced…The order of infant distress at this stage being of the same order as that which lies behind panic…a defence against the agony that makes people commit suicide rather than remember. You see two infants, one is being held …not just physically held but emotionally.... And there is nothing to prevent the rapid emotional growth according to inborn tendencies. The other has not had the experience of being held well and growth has had to be distorted and delayed, and some degree of primitive agony has to be carried into life and living." - DW Winnicott  "...this idea of allomothering, for the parenting not to be solely by one person, [as] what happens if that one person has a crisis…becomes ill or… is exhausted. And to recognize that in our human history as well as in the history of other species, like elephants and whales and cows, there can be an interdependency of mothering." - Sat Dharam Kaur "...look at the [prevalent] models of the divine masculine. They're the abandoned elephant models. …We're talking about creating a culture of nurturance whether it's through the father's older brothers or uncles that have wisdom, or whether it's through the matriarchal side and the mothers." - Sat Dharam Kaur "You are what your deep driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As is your will, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny. - The Upanishads Social Media: Instagram

    58 min
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4.6
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Presented by Compassionate Inquiry®, the Gifts of Trauma is a weekly podcast that features personal stories of trauma healing and the gifts revealed on the path to authenticity. Compassionate Inquiry® is a psychotherapeutic approach created by Dr. Gabor Maté over several decades while working with both patients and retreat participants.Join us to hear what it was like for our guests to live with the tension of trauma, and what happened when they turned inward with compassionate curiosity. These highly relatable stories illustrate how they transformed their trauma generated fear, anger, pain or shame triggers into understanding, acceptance and love. www.compassionateinquiry.com

Information

  • Creator
    Compassionate Inquiry
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    The Gifts of Trauma

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