In this deeply moving episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, John and KaZ have a powerful conversation with Deanne Ames—a retired psychotherapist, trauma survivor, and writer whose life story is a testament to resilience, healing, and the quiet courage it takes to choose peace.
Deanne shares her journey from profound childhood trauma and decades of survival-mode living into a season of grounded calm, made possible through therapy, EMDR, self-reflection, and ultimately, writing. She speaks candidly about how putting words to pain doesn’t reopen wounds—it gives them boundaries. Writing, for Deanne, became a way to metabolize experience, reclaim agency, and gently re-author her inner world.
The conversation explores:
How trauma reshapes identity—and how identity can be rebuilt
The role of EMDR and therapeutic support in long-term healing
Why writing isn’t about reliving the past, but releasing it
The difference between surviving and finally feeling safe
How peace is not a destination, but a practice
Rather than offering tidy answers, this episode honors the slow, nonlinear nature of healing. Deanne’s presence reminds listeners that peace doesn’t come from erasing the past—but from learning how to sit beside it without fear.
This is an episode for anyone who has lived through hardship, questioned their own healing timeline, or wondered whether it’s ever truly possible to rest inside your own life.
Quiet. Honest. Human.
A conversation that stays with you long after the recording ends.
Thank you Gray, Mary Ann McGee, Cindy Stewart, Sue N, and many others for tuning into my live video with Deanne Ames! Join me for my next live video in the app.
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About the Author
John Rinaldo writes Soul & Stories, a weekly publication centered on soul work, reflection, and the quiet process of becoming. He also hosts the live podcast Stories, Soul Work & Substack every Monday at 4 PM EST, where written ideas open into honest conversation.
He is currently working on The Hole: Forgotten in the Shadows, a documentary written and hosted by John Rinaldo and Hassan, telling the story of Italians who resisted and secretly helped smuggle Jews to safety during World War II.
John also continues his work through The Hard Truths, inspired by his book Earned, Not Given, where he explores identity, resilience, and the often-unseen experience of fathers.
The Positive Pen © is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Other Ongoing Series
Learn more through Stories, Soul Work & Substack, along with The Hard Truths—inspired by Earned, Not Given—exploring identity, resilience, and the quiet erasure of fathers, and The Hole: Forgotten in the Shadows, a documentary series uncovering how Italians resisted fascism and helped smuggle Jews to safety during World War II.
