From Panic to Peace – How My Daughter’s Pain Became Our Journey to Healing
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 16
- 6 min read
Written by Elena Karnaukhova, Holistic Therapist
Elena is a holistic therapist specializing in nutrition, emotional healing, and spiritual growth. With a background in biology and a past as an athlete, she combines science and intuition to help people release trauma, regain balance, and reconnect with themselves.
When a mother’s ten-year-old daughter began suffering from panic attacks, their world changed forever. What followed was a profound journey of emotional healing and transformation, one that revealed how parental self-awareness and honesty can help children find calm, confidence, and peace.
A mother’s worst fear
She was only ten years old when it began. At first, it was subtle, a tightened chest, rapid heartbeat, fleeting moments of panic. But soon, these episodes grew more intense, more frequent, and utterly terrifying. My daughter, my bright, sensitive child, was experiencing panic attacks, overwhelming waves of fear that left her gasping, trembling, and convinced she could not survive another moment.
As a mother, I felt helpless. Nothing I said or did seemed to reach her. No words, no hugs, no reassurances could calm the storm raging inside her tiny body. It was more than anxiety. It was mental agony, pure and unbearable. On the darkest days, she whispered words no parent ever wants to hear, “I don’t want to live anymore.” My heart shattered, and in that moment, I realized that this journey would not just be about helping her, it would transform both our lives forever.
Understanding emotions and the body
At that time, I already had a background in orthomolecular therapy and emotional healing, but nothing could have prepared me for the depth of pain my daughter was experiencing. I began to notice a crucial truth, emotions are not separate from the body. Anxiety, fear, and trauma manifest physically, in the gut, the chest, the energy system. Panic attacks were not just mental phenomena, they were the body’s urgent cry for help.
This realization marked the start of my own journey into understanding the emotional roots of physical and psychological distress. I wanted to learn everything I could, not only to help my daughter but to help myself and, eventually, others who might be struggling silently.
Personal struggles: Life changes and growth
Life, as it often does, continued to challenge me. One of the sources of my unhappiness was my ex-husband, who was emotionally unavailable. Three years later, I realized that divorce was the best solution for both myself and my daughter. On top of helping my daughter navigate her mental health, I had to rebuild my own life. It was painful, exhausting, and at times overwhelming, but it was also transformative.
Through this process, I immersed myself in personal development and spiritual growth. I found mentors, spiritual teachers, and practices that allowed me to confront my own emotional blockages, fears, and unresolved trauma. I learned to observe my emotions without judgment, to release anger and guilt, and to cultivate compassion, not only for my daughter and myself but for the world around me.
The power of emotional honesty
Slowly, a profound transformation began to occur, not overnight, but steadily. I realized that to help my daughter, I had to model emotional freedom and honesty. I could no longer hide my own feelings or suppress my own pain.
We started to speak openly about emotions. When we felt angry, we expressed it constructively. When we felt joy, we celebrated it fully. We acknowledged sadness, fear, and frustration without judgment. This simple act of sharing our emotions authentically became a cornerstone of her healing.
Her panic attacks began to decrease in frequency and intensity. She learned to identify her feelings before they escalated, to breathe through the panic, and to communicate her needs clearly. Slowly but surely, fear gave way to empowerment.
The role of energy and presence
One of the most important lessons I learned as both a mother and a therapist is that children feel our energy. They are acutely sensitive to the emotional states of their parents, often more than we realize.
If a parent is tense, anxious, or emotionally blocked, a child absorbs that energy. Conversely, when parents process their own emotions, release negativity, and cultivate emotional freedom, children respond in kind. They feel our calm, our clarity, and our strength.
This principle became central to our recovery. I worked on my own emotional patterns, releasing old fears, resentments, and limiting beliefs. As I became more present and emotionally balanced, my daughter’s confidence, resilience, and joy naturally grew. Healing, I realized, is contagious, and it begins with us.
What I’ve learned
Over the past six years, combining professional expertise with personal experience, I’ve learned several truths that every parent and caregiver should know:
Panic is a signal, not a failure: Children’s panic attacks are often misunderstood. They are not “bad behavior” or a sign of weakness. They are a manifestation of unresolved emotional tension. Recognizing this is the first step toward healing.
Emotions are meant to move: Suppressed feelings do not disappear, they lodge in the body, creating anxiety, pain, and sometimes illness. Encouraging children, and ourselves, to feel fully, safely, and without judgment is transformational.
Modeling emotional honesty is key: Children cannot learn emotional freedom from words alone. They mirror our behavior. When we acknowledge our feelings, process them, and express them constructively, children learn to do the same.
Energy matters: Our emotional state communicates itself energetically. Calm, clarity, and presence are powerful gifts we give to our children, often more potent than advice or instructions.
Healing is a journey, not a quick fix: Recovery from panic, trauma, or deep emotional pain is rarely linear. There will be setbacks. Patience, compassion, and persistence are essential for both the child and the parent.
Transformation: A new way of living
Today, my daughter is strong, joyful, and resilient. She no longer hides from her feelings, she embraces them. Our home is a place where emotions are shared safely, happiness is celebrated, sadness is acknowledged, and even anger is expressed constructively.
For me, the transformation is equally profound. I have grown into a more authentic, present, and emotionally free version of myself. I understand the subtle interplay between mind, body, and spirit, and I now guide other parents and individuals through similar journeys of emotional healing and empowerment.
The lessons we have learned together are simple yet powerful:
Healing begins at home, with presence, honesty, and love.
Emotional freedom in parents creates emotional freedom in children.
Facing and processing pain is the path to resilience and joy.
The importance of sharing emotions with children
Many parents believe that shielding children from difficult emotions is protective. In reality, emotional openness is protective. Children benefit when they witness healthy emotional expression, they learn that feelings are normal, manageable, and even enriching.
The first step for parents is to remove their own emotional blockages, releasing negativity, fear, and unprocessed trauma. When a parent does this, children instinctively sense the difference. Their energy, mood, and ability to cope improve dramatically.
In our home, we have experienced this firsthand. As my daughter observed my honesty, my willingness to feel, and my capacity to process pain, she absorbed those lessons. Her panic attacks subsided, her confidence blossomed, and our bond strengthened.
Lessons for every parent
If there is one takeaway from our journey, it is this, emotional work is not optional, it is transformational. Every parent who commits to healing themselves gifts their child a life of resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness.
Encourage children to express their feelings.
Validate their experiences, even when they are intense or frightening.
Model healthy coping strategies.
Embrace vulnerability and teach that it is a strength, not a weakness.
This journey is not easy. It requires courage to face your own emotions and to guide your child through theirs. But the reward is profound, a closer relationship, stronger children, and a home filled with trust, love, and emotional freedom.
From panic to peace
Looking back, those first terrifying panic attacks marked the beginning of a life-changing journey. What started as a mother’s desperate attempt to help her suffering child became a path of mutual growth, healing, and transformation.
Today, we live a life of openness, connection, and joy. Our bond is deeper than ever. My daughter knows she can face life’s challenges because she has learned to feel fully and safely, and because she witnessed me doing the same.
As a therapist, I now share these insights with other parents and clients. Children feel our energy, and when we heal ourselves, we heal them too. Emotional pain does not have to define a life. With presence, honesty, and love, panic can transform into peace, and fear can become resilience.
Our journey is proof that even the deepest darkness can give birth to light, and that healing is always possible when we walk it together.
Read more from Elena Karnaukhova
Elena Karnaukhova, Holistic Therapist
Elena is an international speaker, holistic therapist, and founder of the High Vibrations community, supporting people on their path to growth and self-discovery. Having overcome a turbulent childhood, emotional abuse, bullying, migration across several countries, divorces, and countless ups and downs, she now helps others find healing and strength from within. Based in the Netherlands, Elena runs a thriving practice where she combines orthomolecular nutrition, spiritual psychology, and emotional release techniques to guide people back to themselves.
