Show Notes
— Today, we're exploring a powerful question: What happens on the other side of healing? So often, conversations about trauma and mental health focus on reducing pain, managing symptoms, and learning how to function again. But healing can invite us into something deeper. It can become a journey of reconnecting with ourselves, rebuilding trust in life, rediscovering meaning, and expanding our capacity to experience joy. In this conversation, we'll explore the intersection of trauma, spirituality, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and personal transformation. We'll look at how psychedelics may create an opening to see ourselves, our stories, and our lives from a different perspective—but also why the medicine itself is not the whole story. Preparation, intention, safety, and especially integration can be essential parts of turning an experience into meaningful and lasting change. We'll also explore what happens when survival becomes a way of life—particularly for first responders, veterans, military personnel, healthcare professionals, and others who become exceptionally good at holding everything together while carrying experiences that may profoundly affect the body, nervous system, identity, relationships, and sense of meaning. And we'll look at moral injury: the deeper wounds that can challenge what we believe about ourselves, other people, and the world. But ultimately, this conversation is about life beyond survival. How do we reconnect with ourselves after years of simply getting through the day? How do we stop defining ourselves by what happened to us? How do we create a life that feels meaningful rather than merely manageable? And perhaps most importantly, how do we learn to feel joy again—without waiting for it to disappear? Because perhaps healing is not only about becoming less burdened by pain. Perhaps it is also about rediscovering who we are, reclaiming our capacity for joy, and finding our way back to feeling fully alive. Valeria sits with Melissa Perry — MA/P., LPC, LCPC, NMIT — She is Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist, Professional Counselor, Compassionate Healer, Mental Health Advocate, Public Speaker, Educator, and Activist. With over 20 years of dedicated experience in the field of behavioral health, Melissa Perry is a licensed clinical psychotherapist and professional counselor who has made a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals within her practice in Kansas, Colorado, and Missouri. A compassionate healer and an unwavering advocate for mental health, Melissa specializes in helping individuals navigate the complexities of anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, vicarious trauma, and burnout—particularly among first responders and professionals in the medical field. Throughout her extensive career, Melissa Perry, has cultivated a rich tapestry of experience, working in both inpatient acute mental health facilities, community nonprofits, military, and private practice settings. This diverse background equips her with a unique perspective and an ability to connect with clients from all walks of life. Her approach is rooted in empathy and understanding, fostering a safe space for individuals to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Melissa's therapeutic modalities are as varied as the individuals she serves. Utilizing ACT, DBT, EMDR, psychedelic and somatic practices. The last 5 years have been spent working within the psychedelic space. She has a vast knowledge of the function, benefits and risks of this exciting new space. She tailors each therapeutic journey to meet the specific needs of her clients. This holistic approach not only addresses the symptoms of mental health challenges but also empowers individuals to reclaim their narratives and embrace their true selves. As an ardent public speaker, educator, and activist, Ms. Perry passionately shares insights and knowledge on mental health and wellness. She is committed to breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health an
More from A Quest for Well-Being
— Today, we're exploring a question that reaches far beyond the world of sport: What does it really take to recognize our potential—and then have the courage, discipline, and resilience to develop it? We'll talk about the relationship between talent and mindset, what separates potential from lasting success, and how rejection, setbacks, and unexpected challenges can become powerful opportunities for growth. We'll also explore the deeper side of ambition: How do we continue striving without believing we are never enough? Can success and contentment coexist? And how do we make joy part of the journey rather than something we postpone until we finally reach the next goal? Joining me for this conversation is Timo Cato, whose years of identifying and developing talent in professional football have given him a unique perspective on human potential, perseverance, and what it means to keep becoming. This is a conversation about growth, resilience, ambition, self-belief—and finding joy not only in what we achieve, but in who we become along the way. Valeria sits with Timo Cato — He is an elite football scout, professional coach, talent developer, and motivational speaker with more than a decade of experience in the football industry. He has worked across all levels of the sport, from grassroots development to Premier League programs, identifying talented players and helping them reach their potential. Throughout his scouting career, Timo has produced detailed match reports and recommended talented players to Brentford, Fulham, Stoke City, and Cardiff City. His career later expanded into coaching and leadership, including overseeing large youth development programs that reached more than 70,000 young people annually and leading initiatives supporting women and girls in football. With a background in business administration, management, strategy, and sales, Timo brings a broader perspective to performance and professional development. He is also an experienced speaker who inspires audiences around ambition, resilience, discipline, confidence, professionalism, self-development, and developing a winning mindset—both in sport and in life. To learn more about Timo Cato and his work, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timo-cato-b0b17512a/ Instagram: @TPDTRAINING
— What if healing isn't always about adding more—more treatments, more supplements, more interventions—but sometimes about removing what stands in the way of the body's natural ability to restore itself? What happens when we give the body a chance to rest? And could fasting offer us a deeper understanding of the relationship between our physical health, our habits, and our overall well-being? Today, we're exploring the ancient practice of water-only fasting, the science and philosophy behind it, its potential benefits and risks, and what it might teach us about healing, awareness, and living more fully. Joining me is Loren Lockman, a natural health educator and therapeutic fasting practitioner with more than three decades of experience. Together, we'll explore a fascinating question: What if part of the path toward greater well-being begins with learning when to do less? Valeria sits with Loren Lockman — He is a therapeutic fasting expert with over 30 years of experience in natural health, nutrition, and water-only fasting. e founded and directed the Tanglewood Wellness Center for 29 years, one of the world's largest dedicated water-only fasting centers, where he oversaw more than 12,000 supervised water-only fasts, averaging 26 days in duration. His work is rooted in the belief that the human body possesses an extraordinary capacity for self-healing when given the right conditions and freed from unnecessary interference. His areas of expertise include therapeutic fasting, optimal nutrition, metabolic and digestive health, detoxification, longevity, and sustainable lifestyle transformation. Today, through Fast To Rise, Loren continues to educate and guide people worldwide, emphasizing the importance of physiological rest, whole-food nutrition, and conscious lifestyle choices. His philosophy challenges the idea that better health always requires adding more treatments or supplements, suggesting instead that removing obstacles to the body's natural processes can be equally transformative. Drawing on decades of practical experience, Loren explores the connections between physical health, mental clarity, energy, and emotional well-being. His mission is to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions, cultivate healthier habits, and experience greater vitality, resilience, and long-term well-being. Meet Loren at fasttorise.com and unlock his Ancient Secret of Healing free guide by visiting fasttorise.com/fasttorise-freeguide To learn more about Loren Lockman and his work, please visit: fasttorise.com
— What if the world we see is only a small part of the reality we experience? And what if the journey toward healing, awakening, and inner freedom begins not by searching outside ourselves, but by learning to trust what lies within? Today, we explore the mysteries of consciousness, the unseen dimensions of existence, and the profound relationship between our inner world and the lives we create. We'll reflect on intuition, energetic influences, emotional wounds, and the courage it takes to live authentically in a world that often teaches us to question our deepest knowing. But perhaps the most important question is this: How do we remain grounded in our humanity while opening ourselves to the mysteries of existence? Joining me for this exploration is Tori Kalmer, an energy healer and multidimensional facilitator whose work invites us to reconsider what it means to heal, awaken, and come home to ourselves. Valeria sits with Tori Kalmer — She is an energy healer and multidimensional facilitator whose work blends spiritual mentorship, cosmic origin exploration, and soul alignment. Through more than 1,800 private sessions with clients around the world, Tori has worked with the deeper layers of the human experience, including energetic patterns, soul and cosmic origins, ET and multidimensional beings, astral consciousness, alternate timelines, ancestral influences, emotional patterning, relationships, health and wellness, and more. Her work is rooted in the belief that spirituality is not separate from modern life - it is woven into how we care for ourselves, how we relate to others, how we experience our bodies and environments, and how we move through the world. Tori's approach bridges the mystical and the practical, helping people better understand themselves, reconnect with their truth, and create greater alignment between their inner world and the life they are living." To learn more about Tori Kalmer and her work, please visit: https://torikalmer.com/ https://www.instagram.com/torikalmer/
— Change is one of the few certainties of life. Sometimes we choose it, sometimes it arrives unexpectedly, and sometimes it completely changes the direction we believe our lives are taking. Today, J. Reed Durand joins me for a conversation about self-mastery, resilience, personal responsibility, and our ability to navigate change with greater awareness and intention. We explore the idea that adaptability is not simply something we are born with—it is a skill we can develop and strengthen. We look at how we recognize our patterns and blind spots, remain grounded under pressure, question the beliefs and biases that influence our decisions, and become clearer about our values, purpose, and intentions. We also explore the important difference between trying to control what happens around us and learning to master how we respond to it. True self-mastery isn't about having all the answers or eliminating uncertainty. It's about knowing ourselves deeply enough to remain centered when life changes the plan. Ultimately, we ask: Can learning to accept, navigate, and grow through change become a pathway to greater freedom, meaning, resilience—and joy? Valeria sits with J. Reed Durand — He is the author of "Train to Change: Phase One: Self-Mastery." From Private to Chief Information Officer, J. Reed Durand is a realist and change practitioner with 40 years of frontline leadership experience in one of the world's largest and most complex institutions—the U.S. Army. Throughout his dual military and civilian careers, he led personal, team, and enterprise-level transformations while refining practical, field-tested approaches to navigating change in high-stakes environments. After retiring twice and reflecting on the patterns behind continuous change, he created the Train to Change series—blending leadership, psychology, philosophy, and organizational behavior into grounded, immediately usable strategies for personal and professional growth. His first book, Train to Change: Phase One – Self-Mastery, is available worldwide, and his follow-on Kindle eBook, Train to Change: Realism, continues the series into Phase Two. Reed's work bridges theory and lived experience, offering audiences a disciplined, deeply human approach to self-mastery. His core belief is simple: lasting transformation begins with taking ownership of your own development. He helps others understand change, prepare for it, and use it as a catalyst for growth in an increasingly complex world. To learn more about J. Reed Durand and his work, please visit: https://managingchange.xyz/ and https://jreeddurand.com/
Some battles leave visible scars. Others unfold quietly within us—in fear, uncertainty, grief, anger, or the struggle to keep believing when life becomes painfully difficult. Valerie Sullivan, author of ZAY: Put on the Whole Armor of God, knows something about walking through those battles. Her journey has taken her from homelessness in Baltimore, where she arrived with a backpack and two young children, through profound challenges involving each of her three sons. Through it all, Valerie says her faith became the armor that helped her family keep moving forward. Inspired by her youngest son, Isaiah—Zay—the book transforms that message into the story of a young spiritual warrior who encounters forces of fear, confusion, and envy. Along his journey, family members equip him with the biblical armor of God: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Spirit. Our conversation explores what that armor can mean beyond the pages of a book. How do we choose faith when fear feels stronger? How can prayer change the way we respond to adversity? And how do we teach children that courage is not always about fighting back, but sometimes about finding the spiritual strength to remain grounded in love, truth, and hope? Valerie's story reminds us that even when we cannot choose the battles that come into our lives, we can choose what we carry into them. Valeria sits with Valerie Sullivan — She is the author of "ZAY: Put on the Whole Armor of God." ZAY is a faith-centered children's book inspired by Valerie's three sons, Curtis, O'shawn, and Zay. Through Zay's journey as a spiritual superhero, Valerie teaches children that life's challenges can be met not only with physical strength, but through faith, prayer, God's Word, and the support of family. Her message is deeply rooted in her own experiences of hardship and resilience—from homelessness with her young children to seeing her sons overcome a shooting, serious mental-health struggles, and other life challenges. Through it all, Valerie credits her faith with carrying and protecting her family. Her journey from arriving in Baltimore with little more than a backpack to later appearing on a Times Square billboard reflects her central belief: our circumstances do not have to determine our future. Valerie's work is ultimately a message of faith, perseverance, hope, family, and choosing spiritual strength in the face of life's battles. To learn more about Valerie Sullivan and her work, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@valeriesullivan-l7u6i