What if the path to healing wasn’t in returning to the life you had, but in dreaming up an even better one?
In this powerful episode of The Big Silence, Karena Dawn sits down with Ukrainian psychologist and motivational speaker Natalia Kholodenko. Once a TV star living a glamorous life in Kyiv, Natalia lost everything in an instant when war broke out. Forced to flee, she faced displacement, trauma, and the collapse of her identity, but she refused to give up. Now rebuilding her life while helping others do the same, Natalia opens up about finding meaning in pain, rebuilding self-worth, and the daily practices that anchor her through the darkest moments.
Can Your Dreams Be Stronger Than Your Trauma?
Natalia shares how she went from surviving bombings to speaking on international stages, rebuilding her life through imagination, purpose, and healing. Her story is a blueprint for how to find meaning after loss.
(00:01:00) Fame to Flight: Losing It All and Starting Over
● Natalia reflects on her life before the war: fame, wealth, and red carpets, and how it all vanished overnight.
● The hardest part wasn’t losing material things, but losing the belief in herself.
● “You are not alive when you are just surviving,” she says—describing how she knew she had to make a change.
(00:08:00) The Steps to Rebuilding: From Despair to Dreaming
● She shares how survivor’s guilt set in and how she found meaning by choosing to live in honor of those who didn’t make it.
● “Dream is more powerful than trauma.” Natalia explains how imagining a “huge future” helped her begin again.
● From dreams came plans, and from plans came people to help. She shares the importance of turning imagination into action.
● Her philosophy: never stop dreaming, because good dreams create good plans, and good plans can fuel a good future.
● “We are marketologists for our lives,” she says. Speak bad things, and you’ll believe them. Speak dreams, and your brain follows.
(00:14:00) Leading While Healing: How Helping Others Helped Herself
● Even while navigating her own trauma, Natalia started speaking online to women in pain, discovering healing in connection.
● She shares how her live streams helped survivors practice joy and laughter, turning them into tools for survival.
● “I only found myself again in this life.” Viewing what happened as a gift that helped her discover her life’s work
(00:17:00) Biohacks for the Soul: Daily Rituals That Anchor Her
● Every morning, Natalia visualizes giving an interview about her dream life. “I talk to the future me,” she explains.
● Cold water immersion is her go-to anti-stress tool
● Singing is a daily practice. Even silly made-up songs rewire the brain for joy.
● She’s even sung with Gloria Gaynor in support of Ukraine, proof that big dreams can come true.
Thanks for the support from our partners, including:
Guest Resources
● Follow Natalia on Instagram + @kholodenkon
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