Thriving not Surviving

Keywords mental health, personal growth, resilience, memory loss, therapy, COVID-19, public speaking, purpose, burnout, recovery In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving , host Helen Valentino sits down with Gareth James-Ryan , who opens up about his profound journey of rebuilding life after a serious accident, memory loss, and mental health struggles. What began as a period of confusion and disc...

Keywords loneliness, community, mental health, chatty benches, support, connection, personal development, thriving, inspiration, storytelling Summary In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving, host Helen Valentino speaks with Aliya Musa about her transformative journey from personal loss to creating a community initiative called Hello Benches. After experiencing the death of her mother and the unr...

Keywords chronic pain, alternative therapies, kinesiology, reiki, emotional healing, India, healing centre, shamanism, music therapy, nature connection Summary In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving , Helen Valentino sits down with healer and musician Natalie Matos for an inspiring conversation about transforming pain into purpose. Natalie shares her deeply personal journey of living with chron...

Keywords surviving, thriving, spiritual awakening, meditation, self-worth, healing, emotional freedom techniques, miracles, self-discovery, transformation, spirit possession Summary In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving , Helen Valentino speaks with Claire Collard about her powerful journey from surviving to thriving. Claire opens up about early trauma, the healing path that followed, and the...

Keywords mental health, anxiety, depression, empathy, shamanism, Reiki, psychic abilities, healing, spirituality, community Summary In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving, host Helen Valentino speaks with Sydney, a shamanic healer and empath, about her journey through mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression. Sydney shares her experiences growing up in a family with mental hea...

Keywords thriving, surviving, personal growth, beauty standards, feminism, environmental awareness, sisterhood, resilience, empowerment, self-acceptance Summary In this episode of 'Thriving Not Surviving', Helen Valentino speaks with Elenice Faria about her journey from Brazil to London and back, embracing her natural beauty, and the societal pressures surrounding aging and appearance. They discus...

In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving , host Helen Valentino welcomes Sanna, a seasoned practitioner in somatic healing and trauma recovery. Together, they explore Sanna’s journey from moving through her own trauma to guiding others with powerful practices such as TRE (Trauma and Tension Release Exercises) and breathwork. The conversation highlights the importance of emotional release, the tra...

Keywords: Near-death experience, community support, emotional healing, authenticity, personal growth, living in the present, spiritual practices, trauma, vulnerability, gratitude Summary: In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving, host Helen Valentino speaks with Michael Brett, also known as Miracle Mike, who shares his incredible near-death experience and the profound impact it had on his life. M...

Keywords: Alcoholism, recovery, AA, addiction, mental health, personal stories, sobriety, blackouts, spirituality, overcoming challenges, self-discovery, community, support, 12 steps, parenting, self-worth, empowerment Summary: In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving , host Helen Valentino welcomes Melissa, her AA sponsor, to share her powerful story of recovery. Growing up in an alcoholic house...

Keywords thriving, surviving, personal growth, childhood trauma, education, spirituality, Reiki, social work, children's books, emotional healing, authorship, children's books, imagination, healing, education, creativity, emotional support, community, workshops, empowerment Takeaways Experiences in orphanages highlight the need for compassion. Angels and spiritual guides are present in our lives....

Keywords thriving, surviving, trauma, transformation, self-worth, authenticity, healing, music, community, empowerment, transformation, healing, spirituality, self-reflection, social media, emotional health, visualization, personal growth, connection, empowerment Summary In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving, host Helen Valentino speaks with Emmah Tubmen, a folk musician and embodiment coach,...

Keywords drumming, women's health, endometriosis, empowerment, healing, community, cycles, retreats, self-discovery, passion Summary In this episode of 'Thriving Not Surviving', Helen Valentino interviews Melonie Syrett, a passionate advocate for women's health and empowerment through drumming. Melonie shares her personal journey from suffering with endometriosis to discovering the healing power o...

Episode Overview; In this candid conversation, Robin Harford—forager, ethnobotanical researcher, and founder of Eatweeds —sits down with host Helen Valentino to explore how the wild can help us heal. Robin traces a life arc that begins in a violent, addiction‑scarred childhood, detours through the DIY punk scene and guerrilla self‑publishing, collapses under the weight of substance abuse, and fina...

Keywords: mental health, addiction recovery, ayahuasca, personal development, men’s work, community support, spiritual healing, brotherhood, thriving not surviving, resilience Summary In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving, host Helen Valentino speaks with Naoki Nayati, a suicide survivor and founder of The Brotherhood, a men's organization focused on healing and personal development. Naoki sha...

Keywords: Internal Family Systems, IFS, trauma healing, psychedelics, mental health, personal growth, meditation, unburdening, self-energy, thriving, Ibogaine, healing, integration, therapy, shamanism, ketamine Summary: In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving , host Helen Valentino is joined by Michelle Glass — IFS practitioner, educator, and author — for a powerful conversation about trauma hea...

Keywords: chronic fatigue, health coaching, fitness, self-discovery, mental health, wellness, personal growth, resilience, healing, lifestyle changes Summary: In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving , host Helen Valentino speaks with health and fitness coach July Styles about her journey through chronic fatigue syndrome and how it shaped both her life and career. July opens up about the emotiona...

Keywords: thriving, resilience, personal development, COVID-19, meditation, journaling, authenticity, limiting beliefs, community support, forgiveness Summary In this heartfelt episode of Thriving Not Surviving , Helen Valentino sits down with Chrissy Redmond — a Critical Care Matron, author, and truth-seeker — to explore her powerful journey through grief, healing, and personal transformation. Ch...

Confession: This episode is raw and mostly unedited. I lost signal completely (turns out leafy woods don’t love Wi-Fi – who knew?) and had to rejoin mid-recording. Luckily, Joe was incredibly patient and we were able to carry on. I did trim out a few “Can you hear me?" and some slightly panicked filler words – just enough to keep it flowing – but the spirit of the episode remains totally intact “R...

In this heartfelt episode of Thriving Not Surviving , Helen Valentino reconnects with the wise and wonderful Joanna Webber, Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga teacher, forager, and co-founder of The Ayurveda Academy. Joanna shares her deeply personal journey of healing—moving from a difficult childhood shaped by a narcissistic parent and a decade of eating disorders to embracing a life of balance, forgi...

In this heartfelt and spontaneous episode of Thriving Not Surviving , the tables are turned as Helen’s best friend interviews her about her extraordinary off-grid life in the woods. What started as a practical choice after a big life shake-up became a sacred way of living, full of meaning, challenge, and deep personal growth. Helen shares how she manifested her woodland home, her reflections on sw...

Summary In this bold and beautiful episode of Thriving Not Surviving , Helen speaks with Crystal Powers, an Elite Courtesan, content creator, and advocate for ethical tech. With honesty and heart, Crystal shares her journey from childhood trauma and emotional struggle to personal liberation, growth, and thriving in her truth. Together, they explore the power of therapy, the importance of forgivene...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of grief, baby loss, suicide, and death from illness. Please listen with care. Keywords: Grief, trauma, healing, loss, psychotherapy, spirituality, rituals, mental health, emotional resilience, PTSD, personal growth, shamanism, somatic healing. Episode Summary: In this deeply moving episode of Thriving Not Surviving , Helen Valentino speaks with M...

✨ Episode Description In this raw and heartfelt episode of Thriving Not Surviving , host Helen Valentino is joined by Andy, a gifted master carpenter and channel for dragon medicine, who shares his extraordinary journey from a high-control religious upbringing to a life of spiritual awakening and healing. Raised in a fear-based, authoritarian religion, Andy speaks candidly about the mental health...

Summary: In this heartfelt episode of Thriving Not Surviving , Helen Valentino and Eleanor Pool explore the profound power of forgiveness as a pathway to emotional and spiritual healing. They share personal experiences of forgiving themselves and others, highlighting how this practice transforms pain into peace and restores connection to self and community. Together, they unpack the emotional, phy...

In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving , Helen Valentino speaks with Rick Kahler — certified Financial Therapist, IFS Practitioner, and pioneer in integrating money and emotional healing. Together, they explore Internal Family Systems (IFS), a model that views every part of us — even the inner critic — as holding good intentions. Rick shares how IFS transformed his work, offering a compassionat...