Discover the transformative power of trauma-sensitive yoga and body-centered healing in the latest episode of "Hope Illuminated" with Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas. Joined by expert guest Jessa, listeners explore the profound journey from childhood suicidal thoughts to finding empowerment through Ashtanga yoga. Dive into a candid conversation on overcoming trauma, the importance of lived experience in mental health care, and the science behind holistic approaches to healing.
When we are in crisis we find ourselves constantly drained by the urgent and important things in our life that demand our attention. Should we get a moment of reprieve, we often succumb to the desire to escape by engaging in something that numbs us out. In this podcast we talk about making time for spiritual wellness during difficult times. My guest, suicide prevention specialist and community trauma responder Sarah Gaer, gives us some concrete ideas on how we can tend to our souls when our world seems like it’s falling down around us.
Well before we had writing and certainly before we had powerpoint, people were sharing stories. When it comes to suicide, we must “tell a more powerful tale” — one of resilience and redemption. When we cultivate stories that describe experiences of coming through unimaginable suicidal despair or suicide grief, storytellers “make meaning” and broader societal changes are possible. In other words, storytelling is good for the storyteller, and when done safely and effectively, it is good for the listener and can powerfully shift culture. In this interview Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona and I talk about the neurobiology and cultural implications of the power of the story to heal.
