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Some stories begin at the bottom of a valley and keep climbing, one deliberate step at a time. This conversation is one of them: a raw, faith-forward journey through complex PTSD, dissociative amnesia, a medical maze that offered more pills than answers, and the stubborn decision to “try” until trying became living. We share how a childhood shaped by war rewired memory, how the body kept the score in nosebleeds and spasms, and how a neurologist’s blunt truth became a doorway to a different kind of healing.

We talk about the 2019 moment that changed everything: a sky that formed an eye—an uncanny mirror of a tattoo—offering a clear path when doubt was loudest. Then came the pandemic slow-burn and a year of tests that taught tough lessons on self-advocacy. You’ll hear the tools that made a difference: pattern recognition, tracking symptoms, asking precise questions, and building rituals that calm a frayed nervous system. Faith anchors the work—prayer, routine, and the daily act of reliving and integrating what was once too painful to hold.

There’s a plot twist on a school morning: a car crash, an intact child, and a totaled Hyundai that took the hit. Honoring a childhood vow with a used BMW that symbolized survival, agency, and finally choosing the lane meant for us. More than a material win, it’s a marker that the inner child can lower her guard because the adult is steady at the wheel.

If you’re navigating trauma, feeling erased by systems, or just tired of not recognizing your own story, this episode offers tools, proof, and hope. Subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the moment that moved you most—your words help others find the path.

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Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.
Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc
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Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

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Some conversations change how we move through the world. This one starts with a simple idea—showing up—and expands into a working model of compassion you can practice today: presence over fixing, empathy with boundaries, and community care that protects everyone’s safety and dignity.

We share why self-compassion is the first step toward sustainable support, then map the bridge from connection to compassionate action. Through four real-life scenarios, we rehearse what to do when a friend keeps canceling, how to respond to a stranger in public distress, ways to help a colleague who unloads every day without becoming their sole outlet, and how to address a harmful mental health comment from family without igniting a fight. Along the way, our team offers grounded tools: assess risk before engaging, name your capacity out loud, ask “Do you want listening or feedback?,” use simple, impact-focused language, and avoid enabling by returning agency to the person who owns the story.

We also play with “Compassion in Color,” a creative exercise that surfaces how each of us experiences care—yellow light for warmth, lavender for open-hearted talk, sky blue for steady shelter, gray for endurance together, and red for the lifeblood urge to help. That spectrum becomes a practical insight: different people need different forms of compassion, and together we can cover more ground. We close with a three-time compassion pledge—one act for yourself, one for someone close, and one for a stranger or difficult relationship—turning intention into habits that actually change lives.

If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs a little courage, subscribe for next month’s topic on building structure, and leave a review to help more people find these tools. Want to fuel the work? Grab a digital dozen in our Krispy Kreme fundraiser and support our documentary and community programs.

Support the show

Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.
Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590


Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

Send us a text

After a long hiatus following a car accident, I return to share how daily gratitude practice and self-advocacy helped me navigate serious healthcare challenges while strengthening my faith and purpose.

• Starting each day with a "thank you prayer" creates powerful positive energy that sustains you through difficulties
• Car accidents and healthcare systems can test our faith and resolve in unexpected ways
• Advocating for yourself means reviewing medical records, challenging inaccuracies, and ensuring your voice is heard
• Project Human continues to grow with monthly community conversations and our documentary premiere on July 26th
• Human connection remains our most valuable commodity in an increasingly digital world
• Taking small, consistent actions creates momentum when challenges seem overwhelming
• Our documentary "Define the Narrative" showcases the power of authentic expression and community healing
• We're seeking volunteers who believe in creating spaces for humanity to reconnect

Join us for our monthly community conversation on July 24th and our documentary first look on July 26th.

Support the show

Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.
Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590


Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.