Podcast by The gift of Trauma – Episode 21: Addiction’s Collateral Damage To Families & Children, with Andrea Porcelli
- Andrea Porcelli
- Apr 11
- 4 min read
By The Gifts of Trauma /April 10, 2025 Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbar.
(Your can listen to the conversation in this links. This post is copy and paste from the page of Compassionate Inquiry - The Gift of trauma)
Compassionate Inquiry® website:
Apple Podcast:
Spotify:
Text by Rosemary Davis-Janes
In this inspiring, honest conversation, Andrea shares her personal story of healing the pain of addiction within her family. She shares the struggles her parents, step-parents, brother, son, and son’s father had with addiction, and explores the wide-ranging collateral damage addiction can cause in families. The long list of emotional burdens carried by family members can include feelings of anxiety, sadness, stress, loneliness, shame and fear. Childhood coping strategies, while initially helpful, can cause long term harm, such as Andrea’s hypervigilance, anorexia, disconnection, and physical burnout.
In addition, Andrea reflects on:
How her multicultural background, growing up in, and living in different countries shaped her identity, and created a deep sense of not belonging anywhere
Creatives’ ability to express their pain through art, and how that can be a therapeutic outlet when dealing with trauma and addiction
The coaching program she developed for photographers and creatives, and the support program she is currently co-creating for families experiencing addiction
How the healing that she and her loved ones experienced was facilitating by understanding and expressing long hidden and repressed feelings of sadness, loneliness and shame
Andrea ends this interview by urging listeners, who are personally impacted by addiction, to seek out their own support communities and opportunities to speak up.
About
Andrea Porcelli - Trauma informed therapist & coach for photographers and artists
Born in Barcelona to South American parents, Andrea grew up moving between Spain, Chile, Argentina, and the Netherlands, surrounded by refugees, musicians, philosophers and poets. She spent years searching for her place in the world. Addiction also shaped her upbringing. Many of her caretakers and community members struggled with substance use, so she inhabited an environment of disconnection, suppressed pain and inherited beliefs about her own survival, love, and worth.
For 25 years, as a producer for international photographers and commercial advertising, Andrea supported creatives in bringing their visions to life. Realizing that her calling extended beyond artistic expression—she launched a coaching program for creatives & photographers that reconnected them to their artistic essence.
In 2011, after facing burnout and other issues, Andrea addressed her own disconnection by studying childhood trauma, stress patterns, and the bodily signals sent in response to unresolved experiences. Inspired by the work of Dr. Gabor Maté, she found profound wisdom through training in Compassionate Inquiry® (CI) and discovered that healing begins with curiosity, presence, and self-compassion. Certifications in Systemic Coaching and Family Constellations, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Yin Yoga, Stress Management Coaching, Psychosocial Counseling, and studies of approaches that integrate the mind, body, and emotional healing, including the Feldenkrais Method, deepened her expertise.
Today, Andrea’s practice is rooted in the understanding that our stories live in our bodies, and true transformation happens when we listen deeply. Through Compassionate Inquiry, Creative Systemic Coaching and Somatic-based techniques, she creates a safe space for individuals to reconnect with their inner truths, release their limiting beliefs, and embrace their full authenticity.
Resources
Websites:
Videos:
Trauma and the Nervous System Stephen Porges & Gabor Maté
Finding Wholeness Through Our Broken Places Tara Branch, Jack Kornfield & Gabor Maté
What is Meant by Authenticity? Gabor Maté
We as Organism Alan Watts
Myth of Myself Alan Watts
Don’t Force Anything Alan Watts
The 7 Impacts of Trauma Gabor Maté
What is Trauma? Bessel van der Kolk
How the Body Keeps the Score on Trauma Bessel van der Kolk
Relational Mindfulness: From Trauma to Connection Terry Real
On Grandiosity and Shame Terry Real & Esther Perel
The Hidden Effects of Trauma in Relationships Tomas Hübl & Terry Real :
Developmental Trauma into Integration and Resiliency Dan Siegel
On Disorganized Attachment Dan Siegel
Books:
Buddha’s Brain Rick Hanson & Richard Mendius
Hold On to Your Kids Gordon Neufeld & Gabor Maté
Scattered Minds Gabor Maté
The Myth of Normal Gabor Maté
When the Body Says No Gabor Maté
The Body Keeps the Score Bessel van der Kolk
The Power of Now Eckhart Tolle
Brainstorm Dan Siegel
Mindsight Dan Siegel
Books
Latin American authors’ books that helped Andrea understand her roots include: Isabel Allende, Gabriel García Márquez, Eduardo Galeano, Borges, Cortazar, Mario Benedetti and Pablo Neruda
Music:
As her father was a musician, music was a big influence in Andrea’s life. It helped her be with her emotions without shame or fear, and understand her roots. The following artists all contributed to the soundtrack of Andrea’s life: Mercedes Sosa, Violeta Parra, Carlos Gardel, Liliana Herrero, Atahualpa Yupanqui, Pablo Milanes, Carlos Aguirre, Pablo Aznar, Nina Simone, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, The Beatles, Soundgarden, Eddie Vedder, and her father, singing folklore and tangos.
Quote:
“Healing is a journey home—to ourselves, our roots, and our wholeness.” – Andrea Porcelli
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