Painful experiences in life are inevitable.
They can change us forever.
We can become bitter. Or better.
This podcast tells the stories of people who have gone through the valley of pain and come out the other side better.
The goal?
To uplift and encourage, because contrary to popular belief, suffering ISN'T optional.
But what you do with it? That's your choice.
In the powerful return of The Alchemy of Pain, Brenda Viola sits down with transformation coach and Catching Thoughts creator Jayne Boggs for a deeply honest conversation about emotional healing, self-awareness, and the science behind naming our feelings.
Brenda opens up about growing up in an environment where emotions were suppressed rather than processed; a reality many listeners will recognize.
Inspired by neuroscience research showing that simply naming emotions can reduce activity in the brain’s fear center, the conversation explores how emotional honesty can become a pathway to freedom.
Jayne shares the story behind her interactive game Catching Thoughts, a tool designed to help children — and adults — understand the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through principles rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and faith.
Together, Brenda and Jayne walk through a real-life example of how negative thoughts can spiral into shame, paralysis, and emotional pain and how replacing lies with truth can bring peace, clarity, and healing.
The episode also dives into deeper themes of codependency, boundaries, marriage struggles, authenticity, and the courage it takes to stop abandoning yourself to keep others comfortable.
Jayne vulnerably shares how her own painful season ultimately led to transformation, creativity, and purpose.
This heartfelt conversation is a reminder that pain does not have to define us. It can refine us. And sometimes, healing begins with something as simple and brave as telling the truth about how we really feel.
Learn more at www.catchingthoughts.com
23 Dec 2024
EPISODE 48 - Santa Claus: The Message is Love
"Santa! I love you!"
Those words, yelled out by a random car passenger driving past him brought clarity to a man whose white beard and demeanor immediately evoked the classic image of Santa Claus.
He'd been praying about "what to do with all this." Playing the role at Christmas was one avenue he pursued, but the whole "ho ho ho" and commercialism didn't fulfill his spirit.
"Santa! I love you!"
Something about those words resonated.
He went to the courthouse the very next day and had his name officially changed. "Having the name Santa Claus makes my work as an advocate for children more effective."
That work; his life's purpose, as is often the case in this podcast series, emanated from his own painful childhood. An overweight child with a disability, he was bullied. And he determined that one day he would stand up for children who couldn't protect themselves.
Santa lives in North Pole, Alaska (which is different from The North Pole), and the essence of his message is love: "We can't save people. But we can love them."
You'll feel the love throughout this interview, with encouragement to ask for help and laugh more - and how the dark times help us appreciate the light even more.
Learn more about Santa Claus at www.santaclausnorthpolealaska.com.
9 Dec 2024
EPISODE 47 - Stephanie Smith: The Mother Wound
Stephanie Smith, a best-selling author and government analyst, shares her journey of breaking free from her 'mother wound' and embracing her true self through acceptance and self-discovery.
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