Can Faith Heal You After Unimaginable Loss?
Mon Feb 02 2026
E439 Inner Voice A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Foojan Zeine & Dr. Howard T. Woodruff In this deeply moving episode of Inner Voice: A Heartfelt Chat, Dr. Fujan Zain sits down with Dr. Howard T. Woodruff—life coach, trauma expert, ordained pastor, and creator of Reclaimed Living—to explore how humans transform suffering into meaning, purpose, and resilience. This conversation weaves together trauma psychology, neuroscience, spirituality, grief, end-of-life awareness, near-death experiences, faith beyond religion, and post-traumatic growth. Together, they examine how powerlessness shapes trauma—and how reclaiming agency restores wholeness at every stage of life. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS – Main Topics 00:00 – Inner Voice Podcast introduction 02:11 – Meet Dr. Howard T. Woodruff: trauma work, EMS, ministry, global crisis response 06:12 – Childhood loss, first responder identity, and early trauma 07:45 – Losing a parent and questioning faith 08:50 – Becoming a paramedic, EMS director, and global consultant 09:04 – Ministry, meaning-making, and purpose after tragedy 09:56 – The death of Dr. Howard’s son (U.S. Marine) and trauma preparedness 10:18 – Dr. Foojan on childhood abuse, therapy, and questioning suffering 11:22 – Why humans expect life without pain 12:29 – Trauma, gratitude, and survival skills 13:05 – Choice, victimhood vs. victory, and reclaiming agency 14:02 – Working with 9/11 first responders 14:37 – Neurophysiology of trauma & “pre-programming” responses 15:17 – Preparing for worst-case scenarios 16:02 – Military conditioning, organ donation, and loss of control 17:20 – Tsunami survivor in India & reclaiming control after catastrophe 19:24 – Powerlessness, meaning, and trauma integration 21:08 – Reclaimed Living explained: Pain → Pivot → Purpose 23:44 – Awareness Integration & naming resilience 25:08 – Aging, usefulness, depression, and fear of death 26:49 – End-of-life meaning, guilt, gratitude, and life review 27:32 – Deathbed transformation: Dr. Howard’s grandmother 29:32 – Preparing for death as a meaningful transition 30:30 – Near-death experiences & giving permission to die 32:57 – Grief as a “selfish” emotion reframed 34:29 – Calling into ministry & spiritual awakening 38:54 – Presence over perfection in trauma and chaplaincy 40:12 – Religion vs. faith: breaking dogma 41:40 – Dr. Fujan’s spiritual awakening & existential healing 44:30 – Not being alone: existential anxiety dissolves 45:10 – Surrender, humor, and meaning in faith 47:11 – Asking for help as strength 48:10 – Assisted dying, autonomy, and ethics 50:53 – Surviving suicide attempt & puzzle pieces of life 52:48 – Love, memory, and healing scars 53:01 – How to find Dr. Howard & Reclaimed Living 53:36 – Closing reflections & final message 🔑 Key Themes & Keywords Trauma healing, PTSD recovery, grief counseling, post-traumatic growth, end-of-life psychology, fear of death, near-death experiences, spirituality without religion, meaning after loss, reclaiming agency, awareness integration therapy, first responders trauma, suicide prevention, assisted dying ethics, resilience, faith and neuroscience. 🌱 About the Guest Dr. Howard T. Woodruff is a certified trauma expert, critical incident stress debriefer, ordained pastor, and creator of Reclaimed Living, a framework helping people transform pain into purpose across all stages of life. 🌐 Learn more: reclaimed-living.org 📌 Subscribe & Connect Subscribe to Inner Voice for deep conversations on mental health, trauma, consciousness, and healing. Share your reflections—we love hearing from you. ✨ Create an amazing life for yourself and everyone around you. #mentalhealth #Wellness #Relationship #PersonalGrowth #selfimprovement
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E439 Inner Voice A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Foojan Zeine & Dr. Howard T. Woodruff In this deeply moving episode of Inner Voice: A Heartfelt Chat, Dr. Fujan Zain sits down with Dr. Howard T. Woodruff—life coach, trauma expert, ordained pastor, and creator of Reclaimed Living—to explore how humans transform suffering into meaning, purpose, and resilience. This conversation weaves together trauma psychology, neuroscience, spirituality, grief, end-of-life awareness, near-death experiences, faith beyond religion, and post-traumatic growth. Together, they examine how powerlessness shapes trauma—and how reclaiming agency restores wholeness at every stage of life. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS – Main Topics 00:00 – Inner Voice Podcast introduction 02:11 – Meet Dr. Howard T. Woodruff: trauma work, EMS, ministry, global crisis response 06:12 – Childhood loss, first responder identity, and early trauma 07:45 – Losing a parent and questioning faith 08:50 – Becoming a paramedic, EMS director, and global consultant 09:04 – Ministry, meaning-making, and purpose after tragedy 09:56 – The death of Dr. Howard’s son (U.S. Marine) and trauma preparedness 10:18 – Dr. Foojan on childhood abuse, therapy, and questioning suffering 11:22 – Why humans expect life without pain 12:29 – Trauma, gratitude, and survival skills 13:05 – Choice, victimhood vs. victory, and reclaiming agency 14:02 – Working with 9/11 first responders 14:37 – Neurophysiology of trauma & “pre-programming” responses 15:17 – Preparing for worst-case scenarios 16:02 – Military conditioning, organ donation, and loss of control 17:20 – Tsunami survivor in India & reclaiming control after catastrophe 19:24 – Powerlessness, meaning, and trauma integration 21:08 – Reclaimed Living explained: Pain → Pivot → Purpose 23:44 – Awareness Integration & naming resilience 25:08 – Aging, usefulness, depression, and fear of death 26:49 – End-of-life meaning, guilt, gratitude, and life review 27:32 – Deathbed transformation: Dr. Howard’s grandmother 29:32 – Preparing for death as a meaningful transition 30:30 – Near-death experiences & giving permission to die 32:57 – Grief as a “selfish” emotion reframed 34:29 – Calling into ministry & spiritual awakening 38:54 – Presence over perfection in trauma and chaplaincy 40:12 – Religion vs. faith: breaking dogma 41:40 – Dr. Fujan’s spiritual awakening & existential healing 44:30 – Not being alone: existential anxiety dissolves 45:10 – Surrender, humor, and meaning in faith 47:11 – Asking for help as strength 48:10 – Assisted dying, autonomy, and ethics 50:53 – Surviving suicide attempt & puzzle pieces of life 52:48 – Love, memory, and healing scars 53:01 – How to find Dr. Howard & Reclaimed Living 53:36 – Closing reflections & final message 🔑 Key Themes & Keywords Trauma healing, PTSD recovery, grief counseling, post-traumatic growth, end-of-life psychology, fear of death, near-death experiences, spirituality without religion, meaning after loss, reclaiming agency, awareness integration therapy, first responders trauma, suicide prevention, assisted dying ethics, resilience, faith and neuroscience. 🌱 About the Guest Dr. Howard T. Woodruff is a certified trauma expert, critical incident stress debriefer, ordained pastor, and creator of Reclaimed Living, a framework helping people transform pain into purpose across all stages of life. 🌐 Learn more: reclaimed-living.org 📌 Subscribe & Connect Subscribe to Inner Voice for deep conversations on mental health, trauma, consciousness, and healing. Share your reflections—we love hearing from you. ✨ Create an amazing life for yourself and everyone around you. #mentalhealth #Wellness #Relationship #PersonalGrowth #selfimprovement