Melissa - A Sound Bath Sent Me Back In Time

What if healing doesn’t come the way you expected—but reaches you anyway?In this episode, Valerie sits down with Melissa —a Navy veteran, mother of three, and a fierce advocate with a servant’s heart—for a conversation that is as honest as it is human. Melissa brings humor, warmth, and just the right amount of spice as she shares her journey through trauma, healing, and learning to trust her body again.What starts with curiosity about a sound bath becomes something much deeper. Melissa opens up about what shifted when she stopped trying to heal the “right” way and allowed herself to experience something that actually reached her nervous system.She shares the moment she realized childhood trauma was shaping her marriage—feeling the pull to push her husband away while also fearing abandonment. From there, we explore the realities of therapy, barriers to care, and why modalities like EMDR can feel safer when words are hard to access.The conversation expands into sound therapy, somatic release, and what it’s like to revisit memories while still feeling grounded and safe in your body. If you’ve experienced hypervigilance, night terrors, or chronic insomnia, Melissa’s experience with improved sleep may resonate deeply.We also connect the dots between inner child work, mindfulness, parts work, and the daily practice of interrupting old narratives—especially the ones that say “something bad is about to happen.” Melissa shares how prayer supports her healing, how she serves fellow veterans by connecting them to VA mental health resources, and why holistic approaches like Reiki deserve a seat at the table alongside traditional care.There’s laughter in this conversation, too—because healing isn’t only heavy. Sometimes it’s surprising, sometimes it’s uncomfortable, and sometimes it’s exactly what you didn’t expect.If you’re searching for trauma recovery tools that meet you where you are, this conversation offers possibilities without pressure.Take what serves you. Leave what doesn’t. You don’t have to carry this alone.Contact Valerie Support the showRemember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.orgSAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.orgVeterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/https://www.scarsfoundation.org/*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an emailFind us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr