Thriving not Surviving

Keywords thriving, surviving, trauma, resilience, personal growth, Buddhism, storytelling, adventure, cultural experiences, empowermentTakeaways  · Thriving means having the tools and community for support.· Mary Gold's childhood was marked by dysfunction and challenges.· Traveling abroad shaped Mary Gold's perspective on life.· Surviving a traumatic experience in Somalia led to personal growth.· Cultural differences in Senegal presented unique challenges.· Mary Gold found solace in writing and poetry during tough times.· Buddhism provided a framework for resilience and personal empowerment.· Chanting became a powerful tool for Mary Gold's transformation.· Humour and storytelling are essential in coping with life's challenges.· Mary Gold's life experiences highlight the importance of community and support.Summary In this episode of 'Thriving Not Surviving', host Helen Valentino speaks with Mary Gold, who shares her extraordinary life story filled with challenges, adventures, and resilience. From a difficult childhood in a dysfunctional family to her travels across the globe, including traumatic experiences in Somalia and cultural challenges in Senegal, Mary Gold's journey is one of survival and empowerment. She discusses how writing, poetry, and Buddhism have played significant roles in her healing process, emphasizing the importance of community and support in thriving through life's adversities. With humour and insight, Mary Gold inspires listeners to embrace their own journeys of growth and resilience.Sound Bites· "Surviving trauma led to personal growth."· "I found solace in writing and poetry."· "Buddhism provided a framework for resilience."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Thriving and Surviving01:19 Mary Gold's Challenging Childhood05:28 Adventures Abroad and Life Lessons09:04 Surviving Trauma in Somalia13:34 Cultural Experiences and Love in Senegal17:09 Health Struggles and Resilience21:33 Reflections on Trauma and Writing30:37 Finding Thriving After Trauma31:39 Cultural Transitions and Personal Challenges33:03 Resilience Through Writing and Buddhism33:53 Discovering Buddhism: A Life-Changing Encounter37:54 The Power of Chanting and Its Meaning42:14 Transformative Effects of Buddhist Practice45:56 The Importance of Personal Responsibility49:15 Finding Joy in Life's Journey50:02 Humorous Anecdotes from a Colourful PastResourcesChant - Nam‑myōhō‑renge‑kyō (also seen written “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo”)“Nam” (or sometimes “Namu”) means a dedication/obeisance. “Myōhō-renge-kyō” refers to the title of the Lotus Sutra and means something like “the wonderful law of cause and effect of the lotus flower sutra”Soka Gakkai International UK https://sgi-uk.org/Connect with HelenWebsite: InspiredHealing.co.ukIG: helens_inspired_healingLinkedIn: Helen on LinkedInFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios 🎨 Cover art: Dave ChampagneFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk

Keywords Obesity, depression, bariatric surgery, gastric band, gastric bypass, metabolic surgery, eating disorders, addiction transfer, sobriety parallels, mental health, body image, keeping weight off, Kio Method, transformation, resilienceSummary In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving, host Helen Valentino speaks with actress, podcaster and weight-loss mentor Mel Harris about her extraordinary journey from severe obesity, depression and eating disorders to lasting transformation. Mel shares how childhood low self-esteem, people pleasing and isolation led to compulsive eating, bulimia and a suicide attempt in her 20s. After years of trying every diet and therapy, she chose bariatric surgery — first a gastric band that later failed, and then a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass — and ultimately lost almost 15 stone. But the real work, she says, was not just losing the weight, it was learning how to keep it off for life. Mel talks about the grief of being “the fat friend,” working as an actress only getting bigger-body roles, the moment she couldn’t play with her nephews and finally asked for help, and how she now supports others through her Kio (Keep It Off) Method. This conversation also explores the parallels between food addiction and alcohol recovery, the lack of long-term support after surgery, and why relapse into old patterns is normal — but not inevitable.Takeaways • Obesity is often rooted in early low self-worth, people pleasing and not feeling “good enough.” • Depression and disordered eating frequently go hand in hand. • Bariatric surgery is a powerful tool, but it is not a magic fix — aftercare matters. • A failed or slipped gastric band can be converted to a gastric bypass. • Weight-loss surgery patients often experience addiction transfer (e.g. to alcohol). • The “honeymoon period” after surgery ends — that’s when most people need support. • Keeping weight off requires conscious habits, self-talk and awareness of trigger foods. • 76% of people who lose a large amount of weight regain it without long-term strategies. • Mel created the Kio Method (Keep It Off) to help people maintain results for life. • We are all works in progress — long-term mental health support is valid.Sound Bites“I was just two pounds short of 25 stone and I couldn’t even play with my nephews — that was   my catalyst.”"The surgery helped me lose the weight. The mindset helped me keep it off.”"People think the hard bit is losing it — it isn’t. The hard bit is keeping it off.”“I heard myself say, ‘Go back to bed with a packet of biscuits’ — and I chose not to.”“Obesity is now classed as a disease because at a certain point your body can’t do it alone.” “I don’t want people to go through what I went through — that’s why I created the Kio Method.”Connect with MelKIO Method - https://kiomethod.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kiomethod/?viewAsMember=true Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kiomethodInstagram: KiomethodYouTube: KIO- Keep it Off - YouTubeTikTok URL: https://www.tiktok.com/@kiomethodPodcast: KIO Keep it off ! Connect with HelenWebsite: www.inspiredhealing.co.ukIG: helens_inspired_healingLinkedIn: Helen on LinkedInFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk

Keywords meditation, spirituality, sobriety, personal growth, mental health, mindfulness, healing, transformationSummary In this conversation, Georgia Laurence shares her profound journey with meditation and spirituality, emphasizing their critical roles in her life and sobriety. She reflects on how meditation has been a life-saving practice and how spirituality has supported her sober journey.Takeaways · Meditation has been the practice that has saved my life.· I would not be here if I hadn't found meditation.· It was just complete alignment and fluke that I found it.· If I didn't have spirituality, I probably wouldn't be sober.· These spiritual practices are essential on my sober journey.Sound Bites· "I would not be here if I hadn't found meditation."· "Meditation has been the practice that has saved my life."· "It was just complete alignment and fluke that I found it."Connect with GeorgiaInstagram: @enchantedminds_Facebook: Enchanted MindsWebsite: Enchanted MindsYouTube: Enchanted MindsConnect with HelenWebsite: InspiredHealing.co.ukIG: helens_inspired_healingLinkedIn: Helen on LinkedInFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios 🎨 Cover art: Dave ChampagneFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk

Keywords: infertility, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, IVF, medical consent, abortion pill, adoption, childhood trauma, special-needs parenting, alcoholism, sobriety, Kundalini yoga, Amma (the hugging saint), Gabor Maté, Compassionate Inquiry, self-trust, forgiveness, resilience, thrivingSummary: In this deeply moving episode, Denise Sohandev shares a decade-long journey from infertility and repeated pregnancy loss to adoption, medical trauma, and the slow rebuild into a meaningful, sober life. After being told one fallopian tube was blocked, Denise experienced multiple miscarriages, a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, and two rounds of IVF (including a brief triplet pregnancy). In a rushed clinical encounter she was given an abortion pill without informed consent, a breaking point that catalysed her decision to reclaim agency and listen to her body’s signals. Denise and her husband adopted a 15-month-old son carrying early trauma; the realities of special-needs parenting collided with her work as a yoga teacher and coach, and alcohol became her coping tool. A chance trip to India in 2017, a life-affirming darshan with Amma, and the support of a new friend became the pivot: Denise chose sobriety (3 July 2017) and later trained in Gabor Maté’s Compassionate Inquiry, which helped her soften self-judgement, process childhood patterns, and move from victimhood to responsibility and compassion. Today she supports others through body-based healing, reminding us that thriving isn’t perfection—it’s tools, support, and the courage to trust your own inner knowing.Takeaways:1.Your body knows—learn to recognise and trust its signals.2.Informed consent matters; slow down rushed medical decisions.3.Grief needs space; bypassing feelings delays healing.4.Parenting a traumatised child is a marathon—build a village of support.5.Alcohol “works” until it doesn’t; one decision can start a new chapter.6.Spiritual experiences can catalyse change, but daily practices sustain it.7.Compassionate Inquiry reframes blame into understanding and choice.8.Naming the inner critic helps you loosen its grip.9. Forgiveness frees you first—let go so you don’t carry the prison with you.10. Thriving ≠ constant bliss; it’s having tools, community, and self-trust.11. Agency is reclaimed one boundary at a time—especially with authority figures.12. Nothing was wasted: every step can become part of your medicine for others.ResourcesGabor Mate – Compassionate enquiry Connect with DeniseEmail - connect@denisesohandev.comWebsite denisesohandev.comIG - Denise.sohandevConnect with HelenWebsite: InspiredHealing.co.ukIG: helens_inspired_healingLinkedIn: Helen on LinkedInFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios 🎨 Cover art: Dave ChampagneFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk

Keywords mental health, personal growth, resilience, memory loss, therapy, COVID-19, public speaking, purpose, burnout, recoveryIn 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 disconnection evolved into a story of resilience, self-discovery, and purpose.Gareth shares his experiences of navigating through the fog of confusion, seeking help & how therapy, self-reflection during COVID-19, and an openness to serendipity helped him navigate burnout and find new meaning through public speaking and helping others. His story is a powerful reminder that even when we lose our way, healing and clarity are possible — and thriving can emerge from the most unexpected places.Takeaways: • Gareth’s journey began with a life-changing accident • COVID-19 created space for self-reflection and healing • Memory loss revealed deeper emotional and mental health challenges • Therapy was key to unpacking and processing his experiences • Recognizing burnout is vital for long-term wellbeing • Purpose and passion can be rediscovered after breakdown • Embracing change allows growth and transformation • Public speaking became a way to inspire others • Serendipity often guides us toward unexpected opportunities • Self-care and support are essential to recoverySound bites: • “I had to find out who I was.” • “I had a full mental breakdown.” • “I was so lost and confused.”Resources:Jay Shetty Connect with Gareth Gareth James-Ryan | LinkedInGareth JR | Step Zero (@gareth.jr) | TikTokConnect with HelenWebsite: InspiredHealing.co.ukIG: helens_inspired_healingLinkedIn: Helen on LinkedInFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios 🎨 Cover art: Dave ChampagneFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk

Keywords loneliness, community, mental health, chatty benches, support, connection, personal development, thriving, inspiration, storytellingSummary 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 unravelling of her marriage, Aliya found purpose in addressing loneliness through the concept of chatty benches—designated spaces for people to sit and engage in conversation. The discussion highlights the importance of community support, human connection, and the ripple effect of kindness in combating loneliness. Aliya shares her vision for expanding the Hello Benches initiative across the UK, emphasizing the need for policies that promote mental health awareness and community engagement.Takeaways · Aliya Musa's journey illustrates the power of community support.· Chatty benches serve as a tool to combat loneliness.· Loneliness affects people of all ages, not just the elderly.· The Hello Bench initiative aims to create spaces for conversation.· The importance of human connection has been magnified post-COVID.· Aliya's story shows how personal struggles can lead to positive change.· The concept of Hello Benches can inspire similar initiatives worldwide.Resourceshttps://www.chasingthestigma.co.uk/ https://hubofhope.co.uk/Professor Dixon ChibandaConnect with Aliyalinkedin.com/in/aliya-musa-ab209050www.hellobench.org.ukIG:@hellobenchConnect with HelenWebsite:www.InspiredHealing.co.ukIG: helens_inspired_healingLinkedIn: Helen on LinkedInFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios 🎨 Cover art: Dave ChampagneFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk

Keywords chronic pain, alternative therapies, kinesiology, reiki, emotional healing, India, healing centre, shamanism, music therapy, nature connectionSummary 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 chronic back pain from a young age and how it became a catalyst for profound self-discovery. From kinesiology and reiki to shamanism and music therapy, her story explores how alternative therapies can reconnect us with our bodies and awaken emotional healing. Having spent time in India and later creating her own healing centre, Natalie’s path reveals the importance of patience, community, and connection with nature on the road to wellness. This heartfelt conversation invites listeners to honour their own healing process, trust their intuition, and explore the many ways body, mind, and spirit can come back into balance. Takeaways • Thriving means having the right tools and support • Chronic pain can start early and transform through awareness • Kinesiology reveals the body’s deeper needs • Reiki and emotional healing are closely linked • Time in India opened new doors to healing and self-understanding • Creating a healing centre fosters connection and growth • Music, voice, and vibration are powerful healers • Nature connection restores balance and peace • Patience is key to sustainable transformationChapters00:00 Introduction to Thriving and Surviving01:40 Natalie's Journey with Chronic Back Pain04:02 Exploring Alternative Therapies08:27 The Impact of Kinesiology12:38 Reiki and Emotional Healing13:38 A Year in India: Healing and Discovery20:06 Establishing a Healing Centre in Goa23:15 The Evolution of Natalie's Healing Journey28:31 The Role of Shamanism and Plant Medicine32:26 Returning to the UK: Adjusting to Change39:26 The Power of Music and Voice in Healing41:13 Connecting with Nature: Practical Tips47:23 The Importance of Self-Exploration and Healing54:53 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsConnect with NatalieMy Sound | Natalie MatosNatalie Matos Music – Co-creating TRANSFORMATION THROUGH COACHING HEALING & MUSICIG: nataliematosmusicConnect with HelenWebsite: InspiredHealing.co.ukIG: helens_inspired_healingLinkedIn: Helen on LinkedInFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios 🎨 Cover art: Dave ChampagneFor full transcription, contact: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk

Keywordssurviving, 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 moment everything changed—a family trip to an abandoned beachfront hotel that turned from playful curiosity into a profound spiritual encounter with her young daughter. What began as a “spooky adventure” became a catalyst for Claire’s awakening and her lifelong connection to energy, spirit, and protection.Together Helen and Claire explore the tools that helped her rebuild from the inside out—meditation, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), self-worth, faith, and the willingness to believe in something greater. Their conversation reminds us that even the darkest or most mysterious experiences can become doorways to love, healing, and transformation.Takeaways • Thriving means having the tools to navigate dark times. • Meditation and presence bring peace and self-discovery. • EFT offers practical relief from stress and anxiety. • Self-worth is inherent—it doesn’t need to be earned. • Miracles and mysteries can guide transformation when we trust the process. • Sharing our stories inspires healing and connection. • Revisiting the past with compassion opens space for growth. • The power of now is truly transformative.Resources Gabor Mate  - “Scattered Minds”Dick Schwatz – “No bad Parts”Eckhardt Tolle – “The power of Now” & “A new Earth”Connect with Claire - Claire Romero is a meditation teacher, spiritual healer, and founder of Imagine, a holistic wellbeing brand that helps people reconnect with peace, purpose, and presence. Through her online Rise & Thrive community, transformational retreats, and mindset coaching, Claire guides others to heal, awaken, and create a life that feels aligned, free, and deeply fulfilled. Her work blends modern mindset tools with ancient spiritual practices — bridging the mystical and the practical in a way that truly transforms livesWebsite: ImaginemindsatpeaceIG: @imagine_mindsatpeaceConnect with Helen 🌿 Website: InspiredHealing.co.uk 💫 Instagram: @helens_inspired_healing 💼 LinkedIn: Helen on LinkedIn 📩 For full transcription: helen@inspiredhealing.co.uk🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios 🎨 Cover art: Dave Champagne