Wisdom Is Healing: Redefining Our Relationship With Suffering

— "Life is a good teacher and a good friend. Things are always in transition, if we could only realize it. Nothing ever sums itself up in the way that we like to dream about. The off-center, in-between state is an ideal situation, a situation in which we don't get caught and we can open our hearts and minds beyond limit.

— Life's work is to wake up, to let the things that enter into the circle wake you up rather than put you to sleep. The only way to do this is to open, be curious, and develop some sense of sympathy for everything that comes along, to get to know its nature and let it teach you what it will. It's going to stick around until you learn your lesson, at any rate. — Pema Chödrön.

Valeria interviews Allie Vaknin — she serves as a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern in Orlando, Florida, working primarily with adolescents and adults who suffer from anxiety, depression, trauma, identity issues, and relationship difficulties.

Allie graduated from Columbia University with a Master's in Mental Health Counseling, and prior to that, received degrees in Human Communication and Sociology with a minor in Leadership Studies from the University of Central Florida. A majority of her clinical experience has focused on serving individuals from marginalized and underserved communities across the country, including Miami, Orlando, [near] Los Angeles, and New York City. As the daughter of immigrants, a Colombian mother and Israeli father, her multicultural background and diverse clinical experiences have been an asset when working with issues of identity and complex trauma.

Her approach focuses on helping clients develop self-understanding and learn practical skills. She believes education is a form of empowerment, so she frequently infuses opportunities for clients to learn about psychological concepts that can help them understand their own experience. She also incorporates mindfulness and self-compassion techniques, which help clients become more present and less harsh on themselves. Overall, her style of counseling can be described as supportive, empowering, insightful, collaborative, and oftentimes funny. She genuinely loves her job, and she's grateful for each opportunity to cross paths with, and support, a fellow human being.

To learn more about Allie Vaknin and her work, please visit: wildheartscounseling.org

— This podcast is a quest for well-being, a quest for a meaningful life through the exploration of fundamental truths, enlightening ideas, insights on physical, mental, and spiritual health. The inspiration is Love. The aspiration is to awaken new ways of thinking that can lead us to a new way of being, being well.