Dr. Marina Kostina is a force in the self-help and personal development field, spearheading transformative journeys through her roles as a hypnotherapist, energy healing practitioner, and owner of Ravenous for Life Healing Center in Chicago. Her path to success, marked by resilience and determination, started with humble beginnings in the Soviet Union, where she learned the power of joy and resilience amidst adversity. Dr. Kostina’s diverse expertise, from being a bestselling author and award-winning transformational coach to winning multiple US Department of Defense grants, has garnered recognition in outlets like Entrepreneur, USA Today, and Hay House.
With a PhD in Education focused on the psychology of online interactions, she uniquely combines academic rigor with holistic healing, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human energy regardless of physical distance. Her life’s mission is to help individuals reclaim their fragmented selves, manifest dreams, and break free from stagnant routines, embodying a rebellious spirit against conformity and inspiring others to live ravenously. Today we have the privilege of interviewing Dr. Kostina and learning a little more about her as well as her newest book 52 Pieces.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your background and expertise in the self-help and personal development field?
I am the owner of Ravenous for Life Healing Center located in Chicago. I’m a hypnotherapist and an energy healing practitioner specializing in trauma and addictions.
I came to the United States with a suitcase in my hand and a dream in my heart. Working numerous jobs trying to pull myself through college, and even have a road in Iowa that I built with my own hands! During my long journey to find my life mission I experienced many hardships, including homelessness, losses of jobs and a recent near-death trauma that broke me into 52 pieces. Yet, all of these seemingly difficult events turned out to be the biggest gifts that guided me closer to my real purpose.
Today I am a Bestselling Author, Award-Winning Transformational Coach, Hypnotist, Healer, 7X Winner of the US Department of Defense Grants, Reiki Master/Teacher, and Researcher. I guide consciously-minded individuals on a journey to reclaim the fragmented pieces of their souls. I help men and women manifest their biggest dreams and create a lifestyle that brings them freedom by breaking through their lethargic status quo and starting to live ravenously.
My accomplishments have been featured in Entrepreneur, Hay House, Hay House Live, WGN, Buzzfeed, Thrive Global, Authority Magazine, People magazine, USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, Telemundo, and Chicago Latino TV, New York Post, among others
I have been a disruptor ever since I was a little girl. Growing up in the Soviet Union, and at that time the economy was really poor and my mom and I had to stand in long lines for food and household items. I remember entertaining the crowd of people waiting in line with us at just five years old. Wearing a long skirt and playing with a tambourine and as I danced my long hair was loose and floating. I danced to celebrate my beauty and my femininity–a young girl reveling in her loveliness, my dancing putting smiles on the faces around me, providing a stark contrast to our bleak circumstances. I was happy and full inside, filled with love for myself, and I had so much love inside me to give back.
That is when I felt my purpose first. I dreamed of transforming someone’s gray and familiar reality into a colored dream full of joy, play, and happiness. Ever since that time I have been redefining the “norms” and rebelled against being “put in a box”.
My life probably feels very chaotic to others. I moved to another country with just a suit in my hands. Quit a “safe” academic world right after getting my PhD to become an entrepreneur, which led to two failed businesses and I started my third one in my late thirties–this one is a keeper as I have finally found my life purpose!
I hold a PhD from the University Of Iowa in Education. My dissertation dealt with psychology of online interactions. As a researcher, I study how people interact with each other and others. Adding the distance element helped me understand that human connection and energy is not tied to a particular location, that we are all interconnected. After going through a personal trauma where I seemingly lost everything and was temporarily homeless, I decided to expand my profession as a teacher/professor to become a healer and a hypnotherapist.
Since then I received various initiations to healing modalities, became a Reiki Master/Teacher, Shambala Reiki practitioner and learned from top notch healers in Siberia, Russia and Mexico. I have also received five certifications in hypnosis. I am a certified hypnotist with the National Guild of Hypnotists, a certified Advance SP hypnosis practitioner, a certified New-Eriksonian hypnotist, a certified forensic hypnotist and a certified Dovshenko hypnotist specializing in helping people with alcohol dependency.
What inspired you to become a self-help author, and what drives your passion for helping others with their personal growth and well-being?
This book is a recollection of my personal journey through the physical and psychological trauma as a result of my near-death skydiving accident that happened on June 19, 2022. It provides concrete steps for surviving on physical and psychological levels through the terror of catastrophe, and how to find deeper meaning in a seemingly unfair event so that an empowered life is a tangible result. Plenty of stigma exists about the mental issues caused by accidents, and not enough support systems are available. This book helps the survivors of accidents transcend the limitation of their physical bodies and tap into the realm of energy where faster healing and deeper meaning reside. Lastly, this offers daily practices that assist with softening the loneliness and separation, as well as for making peace with and using their disaster to advance their live
Could you tell us about your books and any specific themes or messages you aim to convey in your writing?
I have written 3 books so far.
My first book, The Golden Climate in Distance Learning that I co-authored with Dr. LaGanza is based on my doctorate dissertation and gives concrete tools for educating online. This was many years ago when distance learning was just in its beginning stages and was a breakthrough insight in the industry. That is when I learned about energy travelling across the distance and started learning energy healing and hypnosis.
My second book, Find the G Spot of Your Soul helps women find, embrace, and manifest their life purpose through creativity, pleasure, joy, and mining the meaning in their pain. Combining extensive research and empirical data based on my work as a healing practitioner and a clinical hypnotherapist, Dr. Kostina demonstrates that sexual energy, creative energy, and spiritual energy all come from the same place. This book provides readers with a way to apply this principle, utilizing my unique diamond-shaped formula to help people fulfill their unique purpose. Each point in Finding the G-Spot of Your Soul is illustrated with stories shared by her clients that readers can easily relate to. Hands-on activities and fun exercises follow each chapter, allowing readers to apply these ideas and to discover the meaning of their own lives, break away from the status quo, and start living ravenously.
My third book, 52 Pieces: A Manual of Light to Survive the Abyss of Trauma is a recollection of my personal journey through the physical and psychological trauma as a result of my near-death skydiving accident that happened on June 19, 2022. It provides concrete steps for surviving on physical and psychological levels through the terror of catastrophe, and how to find deeper meaning in a seemingly unfair event so that an empowered life is a tangible result. Plenty of stigma exists about the mental issues caused by accidents, and not enough support systems are available.
This book helps the survivors of accidents transcend the limitation of their physical bodies and tap into the realm of energy where faster healing and deeper meaning reside. Lastly, this offers daily practices that assist with softening the loneliness and separation, as well as for making peace with and using their disaster to advance their live
Can you share insights into your latest book, 52 Pieces? What motivated you to write this particular book, and what do you hope readers will take away from it?
This book is a recollection of my personal journey through the physical and psychological trauma as a result of my near-death skydiving accident that happened on June 19, 2022. It provides concrete steps for surviving on physical and psychological levels through the terror of catastrophe, and how to find deeper meaning in a seemingly unfair event so that an empowered life is a tangible result. Plenty of stigma exists about the mental issues caused by accidents, and not enough support systems are available. This book helps the survivors of accidents transcend the limitation of their physical bodies and tap into the realm of energy where faster healing and deeper meaning reside. Lastly, this offers daily practices that assist with softening the loneliness and separation, as well as for making peace with and using their disaster to advance their live
How do you define trauma, and why is it important to address this topic in your work? What are the different forms of trauma that your book addresses?
One of my favorite definitions of trauma comes from Valerie Candela Browe. That trauma is “when too much happens too soon for the nervous system to process,” “It’s like eating a big meal and not fully digesting it, but then eating another big meal, and then another. The body does not digest what has happened and instead, we stuff our feelings, numb out, or deny reality.”
Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma in our society concerning trauma and there is almost no safe place for negative expression (we are taught to smile through pain) and at the same time no tools are given that teach us how to cope with life’s challenges and self soothing during rough times. We are usually given a pill to numb our pain and be more convenient for others. That is why I wrote this book to share the tools I used that I either knew from my profession or created myself as a means of survival through this horrific journey. I want through it raw–no anti-depressants, minimal pain killers (only right after surgery), no alcohol, smoking or drugs. I want others to know they can do it too!
My book, while describing my physical pain in details, mainly addresses psychological trauma and deals with such difficult aspects of it as anxiety, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, anger, betrayal, shame, etc.
In your book, you discuss resilience as a key aspect of trauma recovery. Could you elaborate on the concept of resilience and how it plays a role in healing?
Resilience is an ability to recover from difficult circumstances. Often trauma absorbs people so much that they BECOME their trauma but resilience allows you to stay true to who you are, no matter what the circumstances. Some people are born resilient but I believe it is a feature that can be developed through mind work, spirituality and practical tools.
52 Pieces provides actionable steps for healing. What are some of these steps, and how do they contribute to the recovery process?
In my book I identify 3 stages of trauma survival:
- The ABYSS: where you simply need to survive on a physical level and have enough psychological strength to pull through pain.
- The SPARK: is the stage where psychological trauma kicks in with intense power, and the aftermath of trauma is felt the most.
- The LIGHT: where we need to rebuild ourselves, so we are reborn as a new version (I call it 2.0 version of ourselves).
I offer techniques from various modalities to address each stage.
Self-care and self-compassion are recurring themes in your work. Can you explain how these concepts support individuals in their healing and personal growth journeys?
Trauma journey is a lonely journey as not even your closest people can understand what you are going through. That is why you need to develop strong connection with your best self–yourself. Taking care of yourself as much as you can (for instance through this horrible time I always kept my feet and hands pretty to give me some sense of beauty when my face was broken and swollen). You also need to stop judging your moods, different strength or speed level you might have compared to the pre-trauma self. Understanding that ALL emotions you experience are normal and THE WAY you express them are the RIGHT way for YOU is the foundation for self-care. Once you release your emotions, you can focus on the actions. Remember, no one walked in your shoes, so any judgement or criticism from others is irrelevant. Be your own advocate, supporter and cheerleader.
Healing from trauma often involves overcoming challenges and obstacles. What are some common hurdles that individuals face, and how can they navigate these successfully?
Trauma affects our brain, I even have a subsection in my book called Your Brain on Trauma, therefore you might experience emotions you have never had to deal with before, you reactions to things and events might be extreme and your perception of reality might be altered. Know that about yourself and be kind. Educate your loved ones about this so they are less judgmental and more patient with you. PTSD symptoms are normal, yet very hard to predict or control. Your psyche will do anything to protect itself but it also can be stuck in a self-destructive loop. Seek professional help of psychologists, coaches and hypnotherapists.
The first solution everyone including your loved ones and the doctors will be to give your anti-depressants. While I respect the medication for some cases, in majority of cases there are not the true solution. They numb your reactions without dealing with the problem itself. Unfortunately, the way out is always the way through; you will have to deal with you problems and your trauma by diving into them.
Building a support network is essential during the healing process. What advice can you offer to individuals seeking support from friends, family, or professionals?
Choosing people who are positive and who believe in your success is a must, people who have the space for your emotions and your pain- the majority of people don’t have capacity to deal with their own negative thoughts, let alone with someone else’s. Yes, this means to change your circle and do a lot of “cleaning”, but it is worth it at the end. Then, it is your responsibility to educate your support circle about the effects of trauma and the ways they can be helpful. I have chapters in my book dedicated exactly to that. Finally, don’t forget that nature and pets are a huge part of your support network, often the strongest one as they intuitively show you the bigger picture and are never judging or criticizing.
Can you share your writing process, from conceptualizing a book to completing it? Do you have any specific routines or rituals that help you write effectively?
Honestly, this particular book was writing itself. I feel that the message was coming through me from a higher place of consciousness to help others see the light. As for the writing process itself, I wrote the book out of order as I was living through a certain stage of my healing journey. Then I created a table of content and re-arranged those pieces in a more logical structure, so in the way I did the opposite of what a regular book creation sequence would be. But I believe that is why the book is so authentic. Most of my audience tell me they feel and relate to the book on a very deep level.
How do you engage with your readers and your community to offer ongoing support and guidance? Do you have any favorite reader interactions or stories that stand out?
I LIVE my book and the message in it. My healing journey is not over, so I am still a part of it and I transparently share it with everyone from day one on social media. Thousands of people follow my path, my pain, my fears, my joys, my surgeries and hence my book.
My favorite parts is when my readers reach out to me to tell me they can relate to my message and that it pulls them through their dark days, and when they show me their books full of highlighted paragraphs and bookmarked pages.
Are there any upcoming projects or books you’re working on or planning to release in the future?
I have created a deck of motivational and manifestation cards to accompany this book, I want to make sure the readers know about it and use these magical cards to shift their mindset, raise their vibration and create new outcomes for themselves. I also hope to create a training based on my book to build communities of trauma-informed survivors to guide them from TRAGIC TO MAGIC.
How do you prioritize your own personal growth and well-being, given your work in the self-help field?
I start my day by making myself strong. I do yoga, affirmations, mediation and breath work. If I don’t know something or if I am passionate about a topic, I learn it and most often get certified in it so I can teach it to others. In all honesty, self- growth and continuous learning is my n umber one tool that keeps me push through and find extraordinary solutions to problems that seem unsolvable.
What advice would you give to aspiring self-help authors who want to make a positive impact with their writing and help others on their journeys?
Transparency, passion and service–are the key to impactful writing. Write about what makes you passionate, be honest about your own feelings, your own limitations, weaknesses and fears, and really have the desire to SERVE. Put your egos, and your “bestselling list” dreams aside and focus on what value you can bring to those who choose to spend their time reading your book.
Have you received feedback from readers who have benefited from your books? Could you share any stories of how your work has positively impacted someone’s life?
I receive daily messages from people telling me how my book and my journey helped them deal with their own challenges. This is the best reward. I also had several people telling me that it helped them deal with suicidal thoughts and even saved their lives. For this I am eternally grateful as I know way too well the darkness of the spiral created by the possibility of taking your own life.
Balancing a career in self-help writing with personal life can be challenging. How do you manage this balance, and do you have any self-care routines or practices you personally find effective?
My answer my not be what you expect but for me balancing work and life is an oxymoron. My work IS my life, The type of work I do cannot be called work–I feel I play with magic all day long. I reached the state of high integrity in life where I am the same person no matter what circumstances you can find me and my “work” routines are my self-care routines. I’ve always had time for my family and friends, but also for my clients and my pets. I walk my talk so whatever I recommend to my clients, I do myself. It makes life easier and it creates the flow as opposed to resistance.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our audience, or any final thoughts you’d like to leave us with?
I want you to know that you are powerful beyond the belief. You are not your face, body, your possessions or status. I want you to read my book because you are an unstoppable force of nature! This book is about my accident, but it is intended to help you with YOUR journey through trauma–on both emotional and physical levels. You will learn about my magical recovery and how I beat doctors’ timelines. I will give you all of the tools I used for myself, but I will also share my most vulnerable moments, so you know you are not alone in going through the darkness. No matter how strong your support group is, no one will truly understand what you experience unless they have been in your shoes themselves.
In this book, I confess my hardest moments because you will have them, too. I have experienced peaks, but also valleys where I cried my butt off, laid low and retreated to the darkest corners of my soul. In that low state, I felt fear, loneliness and at times, desperation. It was in those moments that the lessons revealed themselves, enabling me to get up slowly and take the steps to resolve whatever needed to be resolved.
I also want to encourage you to love yourself “as is” at all points of your healing journey. I have always worked on loving myself, and it has always been a tough process. We grow up with ideas of how we need to be. Often even the people we are closest to give or withdraw love based on how we fit into their perception of the world. Throughout my life I had set individual goals and achieved them, exercised a lot, and was continuously improving myself to be pretty, smart and successful. I had come to a place where I believed I was truly worthy of my own love.
Now, with this accident, God took all of my layers away. All of the things, people and activities that I believed made me strong. God took away my physical appearance for a moment, too. So how do you love yourself when you are completely naked, when all of your “crutches” are gone, when your face is temporarily swollen and your body is temporarily out of whack?
As ironic as it is, I have found that on many levels, I love myself more now than ever. But on a deeper level, the level no one can affect or destroy, on the level of my soul. Do you love yourself “as is”? Imagine dropping ALL layers that cover your one and only true love: the love of your divine essence.
I hope those of you who are going through emotional or physical trauma and reading this book will understand that you are not alone. Success is not the absence of dark times; it is the ability to move forward DESPITE those times, and to trust something bigger than yourself to make it all okay. Know that trauma is not necessarily the grand negative event that happens TO us, but our reaction to it. At the end we have a choice to be absorbed by our “bad fortune” or transform it into something meaningful and powerful.
Find the Author
Find the G-Spot of Your Soul: Move from Lethargic to Ravenous Living
Dr. Kostina’s groundbreaking book, Finding the G-Spot of Your Soul, helps women find, embrace, and manifest their life purpose through creativity, pleasure, joy, and mining the meaning in their pain. Combining extensive research and empirical data based on her work as a healing practitioner and wellness coach, Dr. Kostina demonstrates that sexual energy, creative energy, and spiritual energy all come from the same place. Dr. Kostina provides readers with a way to apply this principle, utilizing her unique diamond-shaped formula to help people fulfill their unique purpose. Each point in Finding the G-Spot of Your Soul is illustrated with stories shared by her clients that readers can easily relate to. Hands-on activities and fun exercises follow each chapter, allowing readers to apply these ideas and to discover the meaning of their own lives, break away from the status quo, and start living ravenously!
