<p>This week, Ash sits down with principal consultant and founder of the Energy Collective Co, Jade Donegan, to explore what it really means to care for your inner world while navigating the demands of work, family, and grief. Jade shares how her spirituality helped her to navigate the profound rupture of losing her dad, a loss that reshaped how she sees life, love, and success.</p><br><p>She opens up about her journey through grief and forgiveness, the unexpected signs she still receives from her father, and the emotional toll of trying to keep going when your heart is somewhere else. Ash and Jade dive into the importance of emotional health at work, the need for accountability in professional spaces, and how understanding our own energy can change the way we lead, collaborate, and show up for the people around us.</p><br><p>Throughout their conversation, Jade reflects on the transformative power of practices like Reiki, and how they’ve helped her build self-awareness, soften self-judgment, and create workplaces where wellbeing is taken seriously. Together, they talk about moving through emotions rather than getting stuck in them, and the courage it takes to let yourself feel everything without shutting down.&nbsp;</p><br><p>At its heart, this episode is an invitation to meet yourself with empathy whether you’re sitting in grief, in transition, or in growth. You’ll walk away with insights on how to build a life and career that honour both your humanity and your healing.</p><br><p><br></p><p><strong>Episode Chapters:</strong></p><p>00:00 Introduction to Retreats and Personal Growth</p><p>01:51 Meet Jade Donegan: A Journey of Transformation</p><p>04:04 Daily Life and Finding Joy in Learning</p><p>08:10 The Move to New Zealand: A Family Adventure</p><p>11:32 Hiding Behind a Smile: The Impact of Grief</p><p>19:06 Navigating Grief: A Personal Story of Loss</p><p>23:44 Navigating Numbness and Helplessness</p><p>24:26 The Journey of Forgiveness</p><p>25:55 A Life-Changing Accident</p><p>28:20 Empathy and Forgiveness in Grief</p><p>29:36 Signs from Beyond</p><p>36:50 The Power of Reiki</p><p>43:03 Workplace Wellbeing and Accountability</p><br><p>You can connect with Jade using the links below:</p><p><a href="http://www.energycollectiveco.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.energycollectiveco.com.au/</a></p><br><p><br></p><p>Follow and connect with Ash on:&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ashbutterss/%20%E2%81%A0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠Instagram⁠</a>&nbsp;@ashbutterss</p><p>TikTok <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@behindthesmilewithashb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@behindthesmilewithashb</a></p><p><a href="http://www.ashbutterss.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Website⁠ <strong>www.ashbutterss.com</strong></a></p><br><p><br></p><p><strong>Join Ash on retreat in 2026!</strong></p><br><p><a href="https://www.ashbutterss.com/the-embodied-woman-retreat" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Embodied Woman Retreat | Gold Coast | May 2026&nbsp;</a></p><br><p><a href="https://www.ashbutterss.com/bali-retreat-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026</a></p><br><p>Watch Ash’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfclluaXT4Q" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TEDx Talk here</a>!</p><br><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>