In this interview, Connie from Home Team Healing Arts shares her profound journey through shamanic healing, energy work, and spiritual transformation. From an early connection with the ocean to her recovery from alcoholism, she discusses how these life experiences opened the doors to deep healing practices.
Connie explains the role of compassionate depossession, curse unraveling, and ancestral medicine in restoring personal sovereignty, and she reflects on the mentorship of Betsy Bergstrom in shaping her unique approach.
Join us as Connie offers insights into the unseen forces that influence our lives and the path to reclaiming true authenticity.
How did your connection to the ocean shape your understanding of energy, spirit, and shamanic practice?
From the time I was a toddler, I was immersed in life around water, starting with swimming pools. At 4, we moved to a beach town in Southern California, just two blocks from the ocean. My mom would often take us to the beach, and I developed a love for exploring the tidepools. It was like entering a completely different world—one where time seemed to disappear as I wandered through this new dimension.
As a kid, I learned to “mat” surf on waves, then moved on to body surfing, and eventually, surfing. My first snorkeling experience came when I was 7, and it completely changed my perspective. I felt like I was stepping into another world entirely, filled with unique beings I’d never seen before. I immediately noticed how quiet it was, floating with the ocean’s rhythm, hearing only my own breath through the snorkel, surrounded by vibrant orange and blue fish. It was their home, and I felt so privileged to be a sacred witness to this awe-inspiring world.
Surfing taught me to connect with the ocean’s movements—the ebb and flow of the waves. I learned the “language”: the timing, the pull as a wave forms, the thrust as it rushes toward shore. Over time, I became deeply attuned to it, which always made me feel safe in the water, even when big waves tumbled me under, not knowing which way was up. I always trusted that I’d find my way back to the surface.
Looking back, I realize this connection with the ocean was a relationship, though I didn’t consciously recognize it at the time. Water has been a constant theme in my dreams, especially the ocean. Around five years into my Compassionate Depossession work, one of my most powerful allies, the Great Ocean Mother/Yemanya, began to appear. She has since become an important and integral ally of Home Team Healing Arts.
I guess having a built-in connection simply from where I was living, at such a young age, opened some big doors for me to experience different realms that supported completely different life forms. Learning to understand energy and flow. And now in my work, that is pretty much what it’s about. Working with different energies, realities and beings. Sensing energetic shifts and currents.
How did your journey through recovery from alcoholism open the doors to shamanic initiation and deepen your healing work?
My sobriety journey started with Divine intervention. Absolutely. Then 12 Step work was a big part of becoming more spiritually awake. I was much more aware of guidance with a stronger desire to surrender to something wiser than my ego. As I learned to trust the sacred guidance I was being graciously offered,
I learned to trust the sacred guidance I was being given, which led me to Reiki—something I knew little about at the time—and connected me with the perfect practitioner and teacher for me. Reiki and my mentor played a pivotal role as I navigated my first year of recovery, amidst such profound changes in every aspect of my life. After experiencing so much healing and clarity, I knew I wanted to learn Reiki myself so I could help others in the same way my teacher had helped me. He recommended that I take a basic shamanism class and learn to journey, to further enhance my intuitive abilities. He suggested the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, so I enrolled in the Basic class—and that’s when I knew I had found my place. The shamanic path offered me exactly what I’d been searching for in a bottle: a deep connection to Spirit.
Traditionally, in order to become a true shaman within a tribe, an individual would endure intense, often life-threatening challenges. This might include suffering from a serious illness, confronting overwhelming spiritual trials, or facing situations that pushed them to the very brink of survival. Somehow, they would emerge from these harrowing experiences, transformed. By journeying into the deepest darkness and teetering on the edge of death, they would return to the light, bringing with them a broadened perspective on life, along with newfound wisdom and a deeper sense of compassion forged through their trials. They return with a greater capacity to help others. The shaman is known as the ‘wounded healer’. Without that wounding (that may not ever completely ‘heal’) the shaman would not have the understanding to be able to be of service to their tribe and to the physical world of human and the other-than-human.
In that first Basic class, the teacher introduced the concept of ‘psychopomp’ work, which has always been a key element of shamanic healing. Psychopomp, a Greek term meaning “conductor of souls,” refers to helping those in need of assistance during their transition or guiding them to where they truly belong. As soon as she mentioned this being offered as a class on Dying and Beyond, I nearly shouted, “THAT’S what I want to do!!!” I’m not sure where that impulse came from, but it resonated deeply within me. I dedicated myself to learning and practicing, and after a few years, I was led to study with Betsy Bergstrom, who created the “Compassionate Depossession” method. Psychopomp work and Compassionate Depossession have since become a central part of my healing practice.
I’ve discovered that addiction can be driven by overshadowing energies. Now, I have the privilege of supporting others on their recovery journey.
The shamanic path is more than a practice; it’s a way of life, and it has become my way of life. I am deeply grateful to the helping spirits.
Can you explain the role of compassionate depossession and curse unraveling in your practice, and how these methods help restore personal sovereignty?
Unraveling a curse usually requires reversing or neutralizing the harmful energy and intent behind it, and this process should only be done with the full guidance and support of powerful spirit allies. In my intake, I ask specific questions to help identify if someone might be dealing with “overshadowing” or the effects of a curse. Many of my clients find that Compassionate Depossession and Curse/Thoughtform Unraveling often go hand in hand .
Cursing remains prevalent around the world and has been woven into the fabric of human history since the days of cave paintings. Take, for example, an ancestral curse: it could stem from a time when an influential landowner had a neighbor consumed by jealousy, desiring the landowner’s property for himself. To rid the landowner and his entire family, the neighbor enlists someone to place a curse on them — one that would bring ongoing decline in health, wealth, and prosperity. The curse is meant to affect them “lock, stock, and seed.” This not only harms the landowner’s family during their time, but also curses the descendants that follow, causing them to suffer inexplicable misfortune. Today, these descendants might have no understanding of why their lives seem to be filled with persistent struggles, and no amount of medication or therapy offers any hope.
That’s where someone like me comes in. Using the protocol I’ve learned from Betsy Bergstrom, there’s a way to trace the issue all the way back to its original source. Sometimes, a spirit is trapped within a curse as part of the “fuel,” so not only is the person suffering from the curse’s effects, but they’re also dealing with the overshadowing influence of a bound spirit. And this spirit isn’t always human. In such cases, psychopomping (the act of guiding souls) is necessary to help release the being as part of the process of unraveling the curse. The curse is then gradually unwound through all the generations, stretching back to its origins, and extending forward into the client’s future, including any potential descendants. Additionally, there can be entanglements with powerful thought-forms or belief systems, which can have a similar disempowering impact as a curse. Thought-forms are created by mental energy and can grow to act autonomously. These can mimic curses in their influence. To unravel a thought-form, it requires recognizing its existence, understanding its origin or purpose, and transmuting it and cleaning everything that it affected.
The process of unraveling is handled just like curses by my skilled allies in this work. From the origin point to the present, it’s completely erased—like it never even happened. I used to believe the past was unchangeable, but now I’ve seen otherwise! The method Betsy teaches can truly transform people’s lives.
When a spirit overshadows someone, any of the above effects can manifest in their life as well. However, the person is almost always unaware of the presence of the being affecting them. The result is that the spirit’s consciousness begins to merge with that of the living person, influencing their thoughts and actions.
When someone is already energetically drained from trauma, it creates space for other energies to attach. It could be that a being is seeking the life force of the living person, or maybe it’s a relative, or even just a subtle resonance that draws them in. In some cases, the being may not even be aware they’re connected to a living person. They might be so lost in their own “dream” state that they’ve forgotten who they are or what’s truly happening. There are countless variations of this, but the key point is that these beings affect the living in harmful ways. Something Western culture doesn’t recognize. In these situations, the living person or their descendants may experience a significant loss of personal power, leaving them desperate to understand what’s wrong and find a way to heal.
There is a Divine Order in the Universe, and each being has a unique and rightful place within it. Sometimes, for reasons beyond our understanding, an individual may become displaced from their rightful position and end up “out of order.” For example, when a loved one passes and we struggle to let go, they can become “stuck” on the earthly plane, unable to move forward on their soul’s journey. In this state, they linger as an energetic presence, a ghost, and begin to influence the living. Over time, they may lose awareness of their true identity and start living in their own illusion or “dream.” This can have a draining effect on their host, who may have been unable to cope with their absence. What began as a longing for connection can ultimately disrupt both of their lives.
Through Compassionate Depossession, I work alongside a team of Compassionate Spirit Allies who specialize in guiding these souls, helping them heal, transform, and return to their rightful place in the Divine Order.
Many people are already carrying the effects of trauma, whether big or small. In shamanic terms, this often leads to soul loss, which equates to a loss of personal power. People come to me with patterns of negative thinking, emotional distress, and behaviors that hold them back—addictions, chronic illness, ongoing misfortune, harsh self-talk, a sense of not being themselves, or a significant change in their sense of self after an event like an accident or surgery. Some hear disturbing or frightening voices, or simply feel disconnected from their own life. Many feel powerless. This sense of despair can drain their life-force, and these struggles often continue for years, sometimes even decades.
When a person is weakened by power loss, they become more vulnerable to harmful energies, like incorporeal forces. However, when the curse and all its associated thought forms are fully removed from the system, and the healing process is complete, the person’s life-force is restored. They regain space, freedom, and autonomy to truly live, breathe, and LIVE!
The old limitations, negative thought patterns, and feelings of despair and hopelessness are replaced by a genuine sense of potential, possibility, and empowerment. Sovereignty. Agency. Autonomy. This is the essence of my core intention – to help people reconnect with the truth of their authenticity. To rediscover the Divine Blueprint of who they were meant to be, fully vibrant and alive in their current form. Their True Self. Their Divine right to Sovereignty.
What insights have you gained from studying with Betsy Bergstrom, and how has her mentorship influenced your approach to healing? How do you integrate different traditions, such as Norse magic, ancestral medicine, and shamanic Reiki, into your healing work?
The insights I’ve gained from studying with Betsy Bergstrom are countless. I might not even fully realize just how profoundly she’s impacted me on so many levels! It feels as though the work I’ve done with Betsy continues to influence my subtle energy in ways that benefit me, even beyond my conscious awareness.
I started my shamanic journey in 2010 with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. At some point, I made a heartfelt request to the Universe—asking to find a true, indigenous shaman to work with, who was easily accessible. Someone who could bridge ancient wisdom with modern life.
During a three-year advanced initiations program at Hood Canal, Washington, I heard about Betsy Bergstrom’s teachings. I learned that her work was unique and offered practices that few others did. I immediately felt a pull to take a class with her. She was exactly what I had been searching for—and so much more!
At the time, I was living in Eastern Washington and frequently traveling to Tacoma to visit my father, who was in his final years. Betsy was based in Seattle, so I began to combine my trips. My first class with her was “Curse and Thoughtform Unraveling” in April of 2014. I had no idea what to expect, and the content was completely new to me. But from that first experience, my inner landscape expanded exponentially!
I continue to study with her and now I assist in some of her classes, and my inner world keeps expanding. She has guided me in removing blinders, allowing me to sense and see beyond the ordinary. The profound shamanic practices have shifted my perception, deepened my connection to spiritual realms, and fostered a sense of unity with nature and other-than-humans. It’s led me to adopt a more animistic view and a deeper understanding that we are not just one species in one dimension—there are endless species across countless dimensions!
Over the past decade, I have taken nearly every class Betsy has taught, including multiple sessions of Curse/Thoughtform Unraveling and Compassionate Depossession, as well as the Compassionate Depossession Teacher Training in 2020-2021. I’ve also studied Seidr with her for the last ten years. Seidr, an ancient Norse shamanic practice, involves oracular work using a staff and song to open spiritual realms, including those of the Disir, unlike typical shamanic journeys that use drums or rattles. This practice is used to access ancestral wisdom, connect with Norse deities, perform divination, and facilitate personal transformation. Betsy practices Seidr in a way that honors its ancient roots. My own ancestry includes connections to Norway, Iceland, and the British Isles, all of which hold Norse magical traditions in their histories.
At its core, Seidr represents a deep connection with the Ancestors, the land, the Other Worlds, and the Mysteries. Betsy is a teacher of Mystery Traditions, and as she says on her website, Spirit-wise.com: “My goal in teaching is to facilitate a connection with wisdom traditions and lore, so that these rich contributions can be adapted in the present to enrich individuals, families, and communities in contemporary times.” This has been my learning journey with her for over ten years.
As a teacher and role model, Betsy has had a profound influence on my healing practices on every level. One major takeaway from my time with her is her commitment to normalizing experiences beyond Western conditioning and consensual reality. She encourages a remembrance that the world is alive, and that much of nature carries its own consciousness. This perspective has deeply shaped how I view my own path, the world around me, and my approach to healing.
I’ve learned to trust my intuition and reconnect with the natural world in ways I was never aware of. Now, I feel more attuned to the spirits of the land, the ancestors, and the unseen energies that surround us. This has made my daily life richer, more meaningful, and aligned with my own gifts, strengths and interests.
Betsy introduced me to the concept of working with ‘Fields,’ which really resonated with me. We both participated in a year-long program with Francesca Mason Boring in Washington, focused on Family Systems Constellations work. After that, I continued studying with various Constellations facilitators and teachers for the next four years, specifically exploring the ‘ancestral field.’
As I delved deeper into working with ancestors, I was drawn to study with Dr. Daniel Foor and Ancestral Medicine, which I did for several years. A significant part of my healing practice now revolves around helping people connect with and heal their ancestral fields. Connecting with our ancestors helps to deepen our connection with ourselves.
The foundation of my healing practice is rooted in both 12-Step work and Reiki. I view Reiki as an ancient shamanic healing practice, and the Reiki guides that came to me when I first began attuning to my lineage have become essential allies in my shamanic work. Many years ago, I was certified in Shamanic Reiki by Llyn Cedar Roberts.
Shamanism draws on the wisdom, power, and energy of nature, as well as the expanded spiritual realms, to bring harmony to individuals and communities. Reiki channels universal life force energy to heal, restore balance, and promote well-being. When these two practices are combined, they amplify each other, creating a potent force for healing.
Through this journey, I’ve learned to trust my intuition and reconnect with the natural world in ways I never thought possible. I now feel more deeply aligned with the spirits of the land, my ancestors, and the unseen energies that surround us. This alignment has transformed my life, making it richer, more meaningful, and in harmony with my unique gifts, strengths, and purpose.
Ultimately, everything I offer in my practice is based on ancient, time-tested healing methods. I trust in what has worked for millennia and continues to provide profound support today—Ancient Technologies for Modern Times.
