Turning Pain Into Purpose
On Rooted in Wellness with Mona Sharma, Karena Dawn founder of The Big Silence shares a deeply personal conversation about trauma, resilience, and reclaiming your voice. Mona and Karena discuss breaking generational cycles, the shame so many people carry in silence, and why vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s power.
Karena shares her story of growing up with a parent living with paranoid schizophrenia, how she moved through addiction and suicidal ideation, and the pivotal moments that helped her come home to herself. We also explore the physical weight of unprocessed emotions, the importance of finding the right support system, and how small daily practices—like movement, meditation, and asking for help—can transform your life.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your past or unsure how to move forward, this conversation offers real hope and permission to begin.
Balancing Wellness With Real Life
Karena talks with Mona about forgiveness, self-worth, nervous system regulation, and how movement, community, and storytelling helped her reclaim joy. Karena also shares what it really takes to feel safe in your body again and why “doing the work” is uncomfortable—but necessary.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, and you don’t have to carry what was never yours to hold.
The Big Silence Memoir is Available on Audiobook
Karena shares part of her memoir in this conversation. Now available on Audiobook!
