Episode E443 | Inner Voice – A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Foojan In this episode of Inner Voice – A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Foojan, Dr. Foojan Zeine sits down with nationally recognized traumatic grief expert Jennifer R. Levin, PhD, LMFT, FT, to explore the complex realities of traumatic grief, sudden loss, and unexpected death. Sudden death can shatter our assumptive world, dysregulate the nervous system, and create symptoms that go far beyond natural grief. Together, they unpack the critical difference between grief and traumatic grief, how shock impacts the brain and body, and why stabilization must happen before deeper grief processing can begin. As founder of Traumatic Grief Solutions and one of fewer than 300 professionals credentialed as a Fellow in Thanatology, Dr. Levin provides crisis response consulting, grief leadership training, and trauma-informed coaching for executives and HR leaders. She explains how sudden workplace loss affects productivity, morale, and long-term retention — and why most bereavement policies fail grieving employees. You’ll also learn how anger, guilt, regret, and loss of control show up after traumatic loss, how collective trauma differs from personal grief, and what truly helps someone heal after unexpected death. Midway through the conversation, Dr. Levin shares practical tools from her new book, The Traumatic Loss Workbook: Powerful Skills for Navigating the Grief Caused by a Sudden or Unexpected Death, offering actionable strategies for coping with grief, regulating the nervous system, and rebuilding meaning after tragedy. ⏱️ Episode Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction to Traumatic Grief & Sudden Loss 2:03 – Meet Jennifer R. Levin, PhD, LMFT, FT 6:00 – Grief vs. Traumatic Grief: Key Differences 8:44 – How Sudden Death Affects the Brain & Nervous System 10:53 – Real-Life Cases of Shock & Dissociation 13:51 – Safety, Stabilization & Trauma Recovery 17:17 – Collective Trauma vs. Individual Loss 20:34 – Anger, Rage, Guilt & Loss of Control 25:07 – Bereavement Leave & Workplace Grief Culture 28:23 – The Financial & Emotional Cost of Grief at Work 30:28 – Trauma-Informed Leadership & HR Strategies 36:20 – How to Support Someone Who Is Grieving 41:56 – Facing Mortality & Talking About Death 45:03 – The Traumatic Loss Workbook & Resources This episode is essential for anyone coping with personal loss, supporting a grieving loved one, leading a team after a workplace tragedy, or seeking trauma-informed strategies for healing after sudden death. Whether you are a therapist, executive, HR professional, or someone navigating grief recovery, this conversation offers compassionate insight, evidence-based tools, and practical guidance to foster resilience and long-term healing. Learn more: TraumaticGriefSolutions.com TherapyHeals.com

Dr. Kirsten Viola Harrison, trauma psychologist, author, and founder of Soul Wise Solutions, brings over 35 years of experience helping individuals navigate profound psychological and spiritual transitions. In this powerful podcast conversation, she shares her work with clients living with complex PTSD, dissociative identity disorder (DID), schizophrenia, trauma recovery, and near-death experiences, offering deep insights into healing, resilience, and spiritual integration in psychotherapy. Dr. Harrison is the co-author of I, Sean/a: The Story of a Homeless Intersex Woman Who Inspired a Community, the remarkable true story of Sean/a Smith — a homeless intersex woman living with schizophrenia whose life challenges stigma and inspires a movement toward dignity, inclusion, trauma healing, and community transformation. Her story powerfully addresses mental health stigma, homelessness, schizophrenia awareness, and intersex advocacy. 🔹 From Personal Trauma to Trauma Psychology Dr. Harrison shares how her passion for trauma studies began through her first husband’s severe traumatic experiences, which shaped her lifelong dedication to trauma-informed therapy. She explores the connection between psychological trauma and spiritual encounters, a topic she later examined in her dissertation research. This discussion highlights the importance of amplifying marginalized voices and addressing stigma surrounding serious mental illness. 🔹 The Evolution of Trauma Therapy & Dissociative Disorder Treatment In conversation with Foojan Zeine, Dr. Harrison reflects on the evolution of trauma therapy, dissociative disorder treatment, and trauma-informed care over the decades. They discuss how the mental health field has become more accepting of client experiences, especially in cases involving DID and severe trauma. The episode also explores the emotional challenges therapists face, the necessity of creating safe healing spaces, and the integration of spirituality into psychotherapy. Dr. Harrison references the pioneering work of Ralph Allison, particularly his concepts around internal self-helpers in dissociative identity disorder treatment. 🔹 Quantum Spirituality, Psychosis & Mental Health The conversation moves into the intersection of science, spirituality, quantum physics, and psychosis. Dr. Harrison and Dr. Zeine examine how emerging perspectives in quantum theory are bridging the gap between scientific explanation and spiritual experiences in therapy. They discuss how clinicians differentiate between: • Drug-induced psychosis • Schizophrenia • Spiritual experiences • Trauma-related dissociation Dr. Zeine shares clinical observations on distinguishing substance-induced psychosis from schizophrenia, emphasizing the importance of careful evaluation in media narratives and mental health diagnosis. 🔹 Drug-Induced Psychosis vs. Schizophrenia Explained One of the most compelling segments explores the clinical differences between drug-induced psychosis and schizophrenia. The discussion highlights how drug-induced psychosis may create an entirely internal world disconnected from external reality, while schizophrenia often maintains partial connection to the outside world. Dr. Harrison also revisits the story of Shauna — the intersex woman who lived on the streets for eight years before community intervention changed her life. Through resilience, spiritual connection, and community support, her story demonstrates hope in the face of severe mental illness, homelessness, and stigma. Dr. Harrison encourages listeners to read her book to better understand the complexities of schizophrenia, trauma recovery, and compassionate community support for marginalized individuals. #MentalHealth #Wellness #Relationship #PersonalGrowth #Self-Development

E441 – Inner Voice | A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Foojan & Dr. Mohammad Nami In this powerful neuroscience and mental health discussion, Dr. Mohammad Nami, Associate Professor at Canadian University Dubai and Clinical Neuroscience Director at BrainHub UAE, joins Dr. Foojan for a heartfelt and in-depth conversation about memory formation, trauma healing, PTSD treatment, EMDR therapy, neuromodulation, psychedelics in psychiatry, and dementia prevention. 🧠 Memory Formation and Neural Rewiring Dr. Nami explains the neuroscience of memory formation, detailing how synapses strengthen through long-term potentiation (LTP) to create lasting memories. He reveals why traumatic memories and PTSD become deeply encoded due to strong emotional salience and how the hippocampus and related brain structures consolidate and retrieve memories. Learn how therapies like EMDR help rewire neural pathways, reduce emotional distress, and support trauma recovery through neuroplasticity. 🔄 EMDR Therapy and Neuromodulation for Trauma & PTSD In this in-depth conversation, Dr. Foojan and Dr. Nami explore how Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) works to desensitize traumatic memories by integrating positive cognition with distressing experiences using bilateral stimulation such as eye movements or tactile input. Dr. Nami also discusses the neuroscience behind EMDR and how combining psychotherapy with advanced neuromodulation techniques like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and vagal nerve stimulation may enhance PTSD and trauma treatment outcomes. The discussion emphasizes a holistic mental health approach that includes psychology, neuromodulation, medication when necessary, lifestyle optimization, sleep health, and emotional regulation for long-term recovery. 🧩 Neuroscience and Psychological Therapy: The Brain–Behavior Connection Dr. Nami explains how cognition, emotional regulation, and behavioral insight reshape neural circuitry. He highlights the interaction between the central nervous system and autonomic nervous system, and how unresolved trauma can manifest both mentally and physically. The conversation explores insight-building, managing negative thought patterns, and optimizing brain-body balance for cognitive and emotional resilience. 🌿 Psychedelics, MDMA & The Future of PTSD Treatment Dr. Nami discusses emerging research on psychedelics and MDMA-assisted therapy for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD. He explains their impact on neural transmission systems and emphasizes that psychedelic-assisted therapy requires careful screening, professional supervision, and a multidisciplinary approach. 🧬 Dementia, Alzheimer’s & Brain Health Prevention Addressing rising rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Nami explains the role of genetics, lifestyle risk factors, sleep quality, stress, and metabolic health in cognitive decline. He shares evidence-based brain health strategies including physical activity, healthy nutrition, emotional regulation, and proper sleep hygiene to protect long-term cognitive function. This episode is essential for anyone interested in neuroscience, trauma healing, PTSD recovery, EMDR therapy, brain health, neuroplasticity, psychedelics in psychiatry, dementia prevention, and cutting-edge mental health treatments. For more information on brain health services, visit brainhubuae.com.#MentalHealth #Wellness #Relationship #PersonalGrowth #Self-Development