The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. In this conversation, our guests forge a link between childhood trauma and the severity of menopausal symptoms. Aisling, a GP who is herself experiencing perimenopause, notes that the menopausal women who consult her often carry immense stress from being "sandwiched" between their peak career responsibilities and caring for children, grandchildren and aging parents. Together Aisling and Rati contrast: - "Estrogen Washing" a term Aisling coined to suggest that HRT often serves as a "wash" which may offer temporary relief but is...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard Join us for this wide ranging conversation between a Menopausal Naturopathic doctor and a Therapist who lives with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome while mothering a neurodivergent family and experiencing Menopause. Together, Rosie and Priya address the many physiological, emotional and practical implications of Menopause "tipping points" for women’s health. They highlight that: - Living an inauthentic life (always "doing" for others) can create physical symptoms, likewise addiction patterns may emerge or intensify if unmet...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard This conversation moves from the medicalization of menopause to reclaiming it as a natural process; an important, transformative life stage marked by growth, development, and renewal, not an illness or pathology. Kate and Inés advocate for shifting from symptom management to trusting the body's innate capacity and involving the entire community in understanding this transition. Inés and Kate highlight:: - Brain Pruning which "chops away" old ways of thinking and being, making way for authenticity, new identity, and a...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. This conversation exposes the impact of cultural trauma on Indian mental and emotional well-being and the conflicts these cultural pressures can cause. After outlining how therapeutic approaches can ease the pain, transform lives and begin to shift cultural norms, expectations and beliefs, Mansi asserts that having dreams, desires, and boundaries is an expression of one's wholeness, not a betrayal of others. Cultural dynamics explored include: - The expectation that women will sacrifice their personal happiness for family...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J'aime Rothbard. Our guest, an expert grant writer for charities, social enterprises, and Indigenous organizations, shares her profound transition from a deep sense of invisibility to authentic visibility and happy invisibility. Barb also describes how integrating spiritual wisdom, trauma-informed healing and self-introspection ultimately directed her to surrender to her unique gift for impactful social justice work. Barb delves into: - Her own "happy childhood" myth, hiding the pain of her childhood medical trauma. - The value of Cosmic...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J'aime Rothbard. In this episode, Juliano shares his personal journey from the trauma of in utero addiction and premature birth, to being raised in the foster system, to his healing through expressive arts and Compassionate Inquiry®(CI). As a psychopharmacologist with time-limited patient prescription assessments, Juliano describes how incorporating CI practices into these sessions can help patients uncover years of hidden suffering, validate their lived experiences, question false narratives and potentially end trauma cycles He emphasizes the...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. This conversation explores Eva’s transformative journey from traditional peacework to a trauma-informed, soul-centred approach. Her own experience of progressive vision loss forced her into two years of deep shadow work. In this process she identified and released unhelpful core beliefs and avoidant patterns Today, Eva believes she lost her eyesight to rediscover her true vision and destiny, through embracing her Palestinian-Israeli identity She clearly explains why: - Sustainable peace begins within us - Traditional...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by J’aime Rothbard, Kevin Young and Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. Join us as we explore the overall impact of technology and AI on human attachments, relationships, dependence, skills, wellbeing and our environment. AI is examined in therapeutic contexts, along with the considerable ethical and societal concerns around its use in that capacity, and the documented damage it can inflict on vulnerable populations. Sat Dharam addresses a number of ‘hot’ tech and AI topics including the: - Potential future implications of transferring human attachment...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard This conversation explores how academic learning is impacted by a student's emotional state, prior experiences, and the safety of the learning environment. Bea, who has been teaching in various roles since 1993, saw that traditional teaching methods fail to account for the "whole" students who enter the classrooms. This failure often results in elevated student anxiety and hindered learning: As a teacher committed to evolving current educational institutions and systems, she addresses: - The impact of negative emotions on learning...
info_outlineThe Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. This rich conversation explores many topics, from Ester’s personal and professional journeys, to spiritual mysticism, to the parallels between experiencing ‘excellence’ in art, music and transformational trauma healing. Ester began sharing her NDEs and naming,”‘the Divine embrace” as her childhood comfort, the foundation of her healing approach and an enduring influence in her therapeutic practices. She also reflects on: - Why healing is always possible - Art and music as mediums for elevating consciousness...
info_outlineHosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard.
This conversation explores Eva’s transformative journey from traditional peacework to a trauma-informed, soul-centred approach. Her own experience of progressive vision loss forced her into two years of deep shadow work. In this process she identified and released unhelpful core beliefs and avoidant patterns Today, Eva believes she lost her eyesight to rediscover her true vision and destiny, through embracing her Palestinian-Israeli identity
She clearly explains why:
- Sustainable peace begins within us
- Traditional peacework as fundamentally broken
- Trauma-informed peacebuilding is able to end suffering comparisons and the weaponizing of trauma
- The Israel-Palestine conflict as a colonial themed theater in which global powers operate
- True conflict resolution requires the recognition of multiple truths and perspectives
Eva emphasizes that bringing people together in the midst of a genocide is immoral. Instead, she suggests the focus be on holding space for community pain, including the deep impact of collective generational trauma. She shares an inspiring vision in which she saw humans experiencing darkness as "particles of light" on a journey back to wholeness.
About Eva Dalak. Founder, Peace Activation
A skilled conflict transformation facilitator and peacebuilding trainer, Eva combines grassroots depth with policy-level insight. For 20+ years she has worked with international organisations in 22+ conflict zones across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, blending systemic change with personal and collective healing. After 30+ years as a gender and conflict expert, she leads trauma-informed, soul-centered initiatives as a women’s empowerment coach.
Growing up as a Palestinian-Muslim in Israel, Eva experienced a fragmented identity within a system designed to ‘divide and rule,’ reflecting the collective fragmentation she later observed. Fluent in five languages, she is trained in international development and law, spiritual psychology, and somatic experience.
Currently based in Costa Rica, Eva launched Peace Activation on October 7, 2023 in response to the escalating crisis in Palestine and Israel. It is a global peace initiative rooted in the belief that sustainable peace begins within.
Eva hosts the Peace is Possible podcast and authors The Other Narrative Substack, sharing stories of resilience and hope from the frontlines of conflict. On October 7, 2025, she will release her new book, Dancing In The Dark: How I Found My True Vision For Peace.
Promotional Message:
Did you know that Compassionate Inquiry® offers a free public blog library with over a thousand short posts written by our practitioners and facilitators? Each is only a 5 or 6 minute read, and topics range from connecting with authenticity to overcoming food addictions to understanding epigenetics, rethinking drug use, CI & Psychedelics, and much, much more. You can also read excerpts from podcast guests' interviews. Tap this link to access our helpful, enlightening and inspiring blog library.
Resources:
Websites:
Related Links
The Other Narrative - Substack
Books:
Dancing In The Dark: How I Found My True Vision For Peace. (Available Oct 7, 25)
Podcasts:
Quotes:
"Peace cannot be imposed through declarations. It is an ongoing process, a daily act of quiet courage... and it must be made again and again.” - Eva Dalak
I didn't fall into darkness—I answered its call. There, I remembered the grief I carried was never mine alone. What breaks us open is sometimes what births us whole." - Eva Dalak
"I believe that I lost my vision so that I could discover within myself where I had already lost my vision for my destiny. I had to lose my vision to find where, why, and what I am choosing to live." - Eva Dalak
"Wholeness is not something granted by a government, a passport, or a flag... Wholeness is something we must reclaim from within." - Eva Dalak
"Peace is not something we wait for. It is something we activate. We do not wait for peace; we embody it. The work is not done. It is just beginning." - Eva Dalak
Social Media:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/evadalak/
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eva-dalak-0702b02/?originalSubdomain=cr
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChbEP_Qv3J3PuWr2z-d8G4w
FB: https://www.facebook.com/evadalak/