Virginia Underwood (Jini) | Awakening After Trauma

05/26/20 • 35 min

The Chronically Courageous with Bonni Howard

EP. 006 The Chronically Courageous Podcast

Jini didn’t always respect her need for rest and renewal and for years she ignored her body’s signals. She went on to earn her Master's degree in Counseling followed by the study of various healing modalities at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.

Like many chronic illness warriors, she remained invalidated and undiagnosed for years after the onset of her symptoms. Her persistence finally led her to multiple diagnoses including myalgic encephalomyelitis, hemochromatosis, and late stage neurological Lyme disease.

In addition to her health challenges, she endured several life-altering traumas, including the recent loss of her home and its contents in the Paradise, California Camp Fire.

In this episode, Jini and Bonni discuss the correlation between trauma and health. Jini explains how she uses “The Work” of Byron Katie, as one of several ways to maintain her loving heart and keep a grateful outlook.

Today Jini is a highly awakened soul, who shares her gifts through writing, teaching, and energy work. Her primary objective is to help others discover thier gifts and to assist in raising the collective vibration of the world.

What You’ll Learn:

What Jini finally figured out after 45 years (5:50)
The traumas that Jini has endured (6:11)
What she’s learned through her chronic illness journey (14:2)
Jini’s perspective on the Covid-19 pandemic (15:19)
What Bonni and Jini have learned about being courageous. (17:05)
The Byron Katie technique used to manage our thoughts and feelings (18:59)
The most valuable lesson that Jini has learned (28:26)
Services Jini offers through Eighth Chakra (31:35)

Questions Bonni asks Jini:

What was your life before chronic Illness? (4:01)
What kind of toll did trauma take on you? (9:19)
What’s your secret to still smiling and being so full of love after so much trauma? (10:27)
What have you been diagnosed with and what are your symptoms? (11:01)
What advice would you give other people who are going through chronic illness? (18:48)
After everything you’ve been through, what do you feel is the purpose of it all? (26:08)

Connect with Jini:

https://www.facebook.com/healingwithhigherself/

Connect with Bonni:

https://www.instagram.com/thechronicallycourageous/

https://www.facebook.com/bonni.howard

[email protected]

Show Resources:

Jini’s published article in The Mighty: https://themighty.com/2017/08/moving-slowly-chronic-illness/

The Work of Byron Katie:

https://thework.com/instruction-the-work-byron-katie/

Learn more about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis:

https://www.meaction.net/about/what-is-me/

Learn more about Hemochromatosis:

https://www.hemochromatosis.org/#overview

Learn more about Lyme Disease:

https://globallymealliance.org/about-lyme/diagnosis/stages/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EP. 006 The Chronically Courageous Podcast

In addition to her health challenges, she endured several life-altering traumas, including the recent loss of her home and its contents in the Paradise, California Camp Fire.

What You’ll Learn:

What Jini finally figured out after 45 years (5:50)
The traumas that Jini has endured (6:11)
What she’s learned through her chronic illness journey (14:2)
Jini’s perspective on the Covid-19 pandemic (15:19)
What Bonni and Jini have learned about being courageous. (17:05)
The Byron Katie technique used to manage our thoughts and feelings (18:59)
The most valuable lesson that Jini has learned (28:26)
Services Jini offers through Eighth Chakra (31:35)

Questions Bonni asks Jini:

What was your life before chronic Illness? (4:01)
What kind of toll did trauma take on you? (9:19)
What’s your secret to still smiling and being so full of love after so much trauma? (10:27)
What have you been diagnosed with and what are your symptoms? (11:01)
What advice would you give other people who are going through chronic illness? (18:48)
After everything you’ve been through, what do you feel is the purpose of it all? (26:08)

Connect with Jini:

https://www.facebook.com/healingwithhigherself/

Connect with Bonni:

https://www.instagram.com/thechronicallycourageous/

https://www.facebook.com/bonni.howard

[email protected]

Show Resources:

Jini’s published article in The Mighty: https://themighty.com/2017/08/moving-slowly-chronic-illness/

The Work of Byron Katie:

https://thework.com/instruction-the-work-byron-katie/

Learn more about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis:

https://www.meaction.net/about/what-is-me/

Learn more about Hemochromatosis:

https://www.hemochromatosis.org/#overview

Learn more about Lyme Disease:

https://globallymealliance.org/about-lyme/diagnosis/stages/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

David Pinkus | Behind the Scenes of Dating with Chronic Illness

Dating can be challenging under any circumstances, but chronic illness can add another level of complexity. Many people have questions about when it’s appropriate to bring up the subject of chronic illness and what to share in a new relationship.

This week Bonni and her fiancé, David Pinkus, discuss how they navigated dating early in their relationship. They talk about some of their challenges and how they've accommodated their differences in ability without having to sacrifice the things that are important to them.

What You’ll Learn:

The purpose behind this week’s episode (1:30)
Bonni’s earlier experience of dating with chronic illness ( 2:09)
David’s perspective on how Bonni handles her illness (9:20)
The adaptations the couple makes to accommodate their differences in ability (11:20)
The trials and tribulations of traveling with chronic illness (14:20)
One thing that David finds most attractive about Bonni (17:35)
The couple's feelings about Bonni having to use a cane (21:15)
The qualities that David admires in Bonni (33:45)
A little secret about this episode (40:20)
Dating advice from Bonni to her fellow chronic illness warriors (50:09)

Some Questions Bonni asks David:

What were your thoughts when I first told you about my situation? (3:40)
Do you think I should have shared about my chronic illness early on or should I have waited? (6:11)
There are plenty of healthier women to choose from, why did you pick me and why do you stay? (6:55)
Was there ever a time when it all seemed like too much? (9:01)
What was the hardest thing for you to see me go through? (15:37)
What have you learned about someone living with chronic illness that you didn’t know before we dated? (23:25)
What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about dating? (30:20)
Do you see any benefits to dating someone with chronic illness? (36:25)

Connect with Bonni:

[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/bonni.howard

https://www.instagram.com/thechronicallycourageous/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Janna Lopez | Finding a New Identity after MS Diagnosis and Midlife Transition

While getting ready to have her first book published, two years ago, Janna Lopez felt that something was off. At the age of 51, she learned that this feeling was not imagined, rather it was the result of having several lesions on her brain caused by Multiple Sclerosis.

In this episode, Janna uses her gift for verbal expression to convey the emotions that accompanied her diagnosis, how she has learned to manage her illness, and how she is moving forward with courage and purpose.

Janna is a published author, public speaker, midlife coach, and podcast host. Formerly, she was a successful magazine publisher and a communications consultant serving small businesses, non-profits, and multi-million dollar companies. Her life’s work has revolved around the art of expression through words and images.

Janna has a beautiful way of seeing the world and believes that in this time of a global pandemic, "it is the mundane that will save us". Her way of seeing the beauty in the simplest of things was a breath of fresh air in a time of great complexity.

What You’ll Learn:

About Janna (2:22)
How Janna came to find out she had Multiple Sclerosis (5:00)
What happened when Janna first met with a neurologist (9:07)
Janna’s perspective on who you are vs. what you do (32:06)

Some Questions Bonni asks Janna:

What do you think have been the gifts in getting this diagnosis and how has it changed you? (11:38)
How has your diagnosis affected your identity and how you see yourself in the world? (12:36)
What have you done to keep yourself on a positive path post diagnosis? (16:10)
What do you do to handle the emotional side of your diagnosis? (22:37)
What would you tell your younger self knowing what you now know? (23:56)
What advice would you give to other people who have been recently diagnosed? (25:36)
What would you define as courageous? (28:40)
What’s your answer now when someone says, “who are you”? (39:04)

Connect with Janna:

https://www.jannalopez.com/

Connect with Bonni:

https://www.instagram.com/thechronicallycourageous/

https://www.facebook.com/bonni.howard

[email protected]

Show Resources:

Janna’s Book, “Me, My Selfie and Eye” https://www.amazon.com/Me-My-Selfie-Eye-Conversation-ebook/dp/B083G2J7PQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=janna+lopez&qid=1578510891&sr=8-1

Eyedentity Talk with Janna Lopez Podcast: https://www.jannalopez.com/eyedentity-talk-with-janna-lopez/

My Mundane Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2951698238245582/

Organ Delight Supplement: