157 episodes

This podcast is guiding trauma survivors through their journey of self-discovery, healing and personal growth.Its host Nicoleta is a Romanian-British Psychologist, Therapist and Educator and a survivor of childhood trauma and TNBC herself.Nicoleta is interested in authentic human connection, healing and personal development and loves to help people grow conscious awareness, heal their past, develop relationship attunement, and finally open to happiness.

Open To Happiness Nicoleta Porojanu

    • Health & Fitness
    • 3.7 • 3 Ratings

This podcast is guiding trauma survivors through their journey of self-discovery, healing and personal growth.Its host Nicoleta is a Romanian-British Psychologist, Therapist and Educator and a survivor of childhood trauma and TNBC herself.Nicoleta is interested in authentic human connection, healing and personal development and loves to help people grow conscious awareness, heal their past, develop relationship attunement, and finally open to happiness.

    157 - Insights from the hardcore BDSM practice

    157 - Insights from the hardcore BDSM practice

    In this episode Nicoleta explores sexuality and happiness with the author of EXODAI Elizabeth Hendrick, British national living in Tokyo.
     
    Happiness as the 100% contentment with who you are
    Starting life in a happy loving family 
    Discovering interest in girls at puberty
    Fantasies of bondage at the age of 10
    Identified as a lesbian at 13
    Discomfort within due ingrained religious conditioning
    Feeling miserable with own sexuality
    Unconsciously attracting dysfunctional relationship 
    Hitting the rock bottom at 35
    7 years of seeking and self-discovery
    How religion and politics shapes our perception of sexual fluidity
    The myth that being gay is an abomination before God
    Why is BDSM still stigmatised and misunderstood?
    How 50 Shades of Grey is not a real representation of BDSM
    Theories linking birthing process and BDSM
    BDSM as an innate experience
    The euphoria in the addiction to torture
    Pain as a strong source of arousal in sadomasochism
    Sexual (dis)harmony between a BDSM and not non BDSM partners
    Fulfilling unmet needs outside of the relationship
    The codependency in bending to please the BDSM partner 
    In love and tortured by a sadistic Japanese dominatrix
    Hardcore BDSM torture to bruises and cuts
    The delusion of saving the dominatrix from her demons
    The unconscious guilt and shame fuelling self-loathing
    When BDSM becomes a vehicle to therapy and healing
    Self-awareness that the disconnect over the sexuality led to self-punishment
    The symbolism and hidden message of dreaming
    Past live regression as a channel to relieve burdening emotions
    Coming out from darkness into self-love, gratitude and mindfulness
    Sharing the experience in the memoir book EXODAI
     
    Find out more about Elizabeth here: https://exodai.co.uk/
    Order the EXODAI book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJDKPZMT

    • 1 hr 17 min
    156 - Infatuation and suffering in dating

    156 - Infatuation and suffering in dating

    In this episode Nicoleta talks about dating and happiness with Ruth Schwartz, the founder of the Conscious Girlfriend Academy, from California USA.
     
    Exploring the many flavours of happiness
    Happiness as joy and satisfaction
    Happiness as a feeling of aliveness
    Happiness in living your purpose
    Happiness in sharing the message with the world
    Childhood happiness in the relationship with the universe
    Drawing happiness in adolescence from romantic relationships
    When as an adult you remain a student of the mysteries of life
    The longing for romantic connection
    Between romantic attraction and sustainable love
    Infatuation, limerance and delusion in dating
    Abusive relationships and shattering breakups
    Insight into the particularities of lesbian dating
    Rapid bonding and premature commitment in lesbian dating
    Healing childhood trauma to create conscious relationships
    Homophobia and claiming the gay identity
    The need for a conscious girlfriend school
    Retraumatization and relational trauma in romantic relationships
    Healing through compassion, awareness and tolerance
    Healing through non-violent communication 
    Healing through the openness to learn and grow
    The levels of compatibility: commonalities, chemistry and vision
     
    Find more about Ruth here: https://www.consciousgirlfriendacademy.com/about

    • 42 min
    155 - Trust that you are not alone

    155 - Trust that you are not alone

    In this episode Nicoleta talks about hardship and happiness with Elaine Glass, intuitive coach, speaker and author from Arizona USA.
     
    When happiness is living your soul’s person.
    The gift of a blessed happy childhood.
    Moving through hardship in the 20s.
    Surviving as a single mom with 2 children.
    Offering emotional support to patients as a hygienist.
    Training in coaching and coming back “home”.
    When the quietness is not silence.
    Overcoming a stress related autoimmune disease.
    From re-embodiment to cleaning the environment.
    Mental landscaping and embracing resting and receiving.
    Healing the relationship with ourselves.
    The power of surrendering.
    Remember your beginnings. 
    Trust that you are not alone.
    Playfulness is your true nature.
     
    Connect with Elaine here: 
    https://dankuschell.clickfunnels.com/eg-home
     
     

    • 44 min
    154 - Conscious loving in relationships

    154 - Conscious loving in relationships

    In this episode Nicoleta talks about relationship and happiness with the founders of The Hendricks Institute, Katie and Gay Hendricks from California, USA.
     
    Celebrating 44 years of marriage and over 40 books.
    The relationship is about two people telling the truth to each other.
    Adversities are our best teacher. 
    Creating a healthy relationship out of tiny choices.
    Take responsibility and understand how you contribute to conflict.
    When you eliminate blame and criticise.
    Reclaim your ability to interact consciously.
    Being who you are in the relationship.
    Solve the problems with the incredible power of commitment. 
    Why fear stops us from creating healthy relationships.
    Guy’s incredible story of weight loss. 
    When Gay learned to love himself.
    Katie is sharing her traumatic past.
    How Katie used dance and movement in therapy.
    The power of sharing our immediate internal experience.
    When happiness is openness to live and internal peace.
    There is hurt in the betrayal and the emotional divorce. 
    3 types of relationships: learning, celebratory and toxic. 
    We repeat our traumas in our relationships.
    Wounded relationships can be saved through commitment. 
    How to nurture a conscious loving attitude.
    Attend yourself, speak the truth and be committed to your creative genius.
    Be authentic, responsible and appreciate life.
     
    Connect with Katie and Gay here: https://hendricks.com/.

    • 56 min
    153 - The impact of children on marriage

    153 - The impact of children on marriage

    In this episode Nicoleta explores parenting and happiness with Kara Hoppe, psychotherapist from California USA
     
    The impact of a baby on marriage.
    When the couple relationships gets stuck.
    When childhood trauma robs us from happiness.
    About the capacity for joy and sadness.
    When leaning into sorrow opens the door for happiness.
    The joy in the small moments of life.
    Joy is connection, suffering is isolation.
    Trauma in adolescence during the parents’ divorce. 
    The markers of relational trauma. 
    How having children shifts the intimacy in the couple.
    Principles for parents to centre the couple relationship.
    Handling conflict, communication and connection.
    How to deal with the betrayal of trust.
    Understanding the attachment wounds and our nervous system.
    Naming the relational trauma in order to heal it. 
    Growing together through the birth of a child.
    Show up, live in the now and stay connected.
     
    Connect with Kara here: 
    https://www.karahoppe.com/

    • 43 min
    152 - Living Beyond Boxes and Labels

    152 - Living Beyond Boxes and Labels

    In this episode Nicoleta is talking about labels , social identity and happiness with Jaï Bristow, diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) consultant from London.
     
    Humans as complex multidimensional being.
    Born in the Indian Himalayas and blessed by Dalai Lama 
    Life growing up in a meditation centre.
    Depression and anxiety from the age of 10.
    Living with a chronic condition and disability.
    Coming out as trans and non-binary. 
    When gender becomes a limitation of freedom.
    Happiness as the feeling of joyful freedom. 
    Insight into social justice and its healing power.
    About the internal and the external healing. 
    When we fit “beyond boxes”.
    Labels, intersectionality, mirrors and windows.
    How the concept of diversity is misused these days.
    The importance of equality, equity and inclusion.
    Debating power, privilege and prejudice.
    Meditation as the way into the social justice world.
    Authenticity, acceptance and curiosity to live a happy life.


     Jaï Bristow
    Jaï Bristow is a multiethnic queer disabled content creator, group facilitator and public speaker. They are a diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) consultant and offer in person and online workshops on power, privilege and prejudice, with the objective of raising awareness of and finding freedom from oppressive outer and inner structures. They host a number of online summits and are the creator of Beyond Boxes with Jaï Bristow, a podcast and youtube channel exploring labels and identity.
    Jaï has been working in events and media production since 2010 and hosting groups around social identity since 2016, focusing on gender, race, sexuality, class and disability. Their work is inspired by their own life experiences as well as mindfulness, inquiry and NVC tools. They have been practicing meditation since childhood, been a student of the Diamond Approach since 2016, which brings together ancient spiritual practices with modern psychology and inquiry methods, and been training in nonviolent communication (NVC) since 2018.
    Connect with  Jaï  here:
    jaibristow.com
    Instagram @beyond_boxes

    • 59 min

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