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Healing Through Wonder

How Awe Restores Us After Trauma and Loss

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Healing Through Wonder

By: Val Walker
Narrated by: Katherine Fenton
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About this listen

Bloomsbury presents Healing Through Wonder by Val Walker, read by Katherine Fenton.

Val Walker's profound journey through trauma and spiritual exploration is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. This book beautifully captures the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of connection and awe. A must-read for anyone seeking healing and understanding. -- Shari Botwin, LCSW, author of Thriving After Trauma and Stolen Childhoods

Val Walker's story of healing began in her darkest moment.

Homeless, running from a violent partner, and battling suicidal depression, she found herself sitting by a river holding a bottle of pills in one hand and a bottle of red wine to wash them down in the other. Out of the twilight sky a majestic blue heron circled and landed just a few feet away. Something in the heron's piercing eyes caused her to stop swallowing the pills. In that moment, she realized that there was just too much beauty and magic in the world to give up.

Thus began a decades-long quest to understand how wondrous encounters can spark healing from trauma and grief. This inspiring guide shares healing stories sparked by wondrous experiences and unpacks the neuroscience that explains how wonder helps our brains and bodies heal.

©2026 Val Walker (P)2026 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Abuse Dysfunctional Families Grief & Loss Mental Health Parenting & Families Personal Development Personal Success Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders Professionals & Academics Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Social Scientists & Psychologists

Critic reviews

Healing Through Wonder is a luminous testament to the transformative power of awe. Blending personal vulnerability with compelling research, this book invites readers into a journey where wonder becomes a profound source of healing and hope after trauma and loss. (Scott T. Allison, PhD)
Walker’s personal experience with trauma is both moving and beautifully written. Her study of awe as a source of healing for herself and others will bring hope, help, and pave a better future for many. (Kelsey Crowe, PhD)
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