S7e16: Sadie Hannah – On the Other Side of Suffering

Sadie Hannah, beloved Hoffman teacher and coach, shares with us her experience of profound transformation in the Hoffman Process as well as navigating the transformation she has continued to experience since. Her story reveals the richness, beauty, and possibility available on the other side of suffering.

Content Warning: this episode contains sensitive content that details the near death of a child. It may not be suitable for all listeners.

As a 31-year-old mother of two when she came to the Hoffman Process, Sadie felt broken. She’d experienced the life-changing near death of her four-year-old son and her resuscitation of him by doing CPR. As she tells us, her son survived, but the experience shattered her sense of self as a mother. In one pivotal moment during the Process while deep in her expressive work, Sadie experienced the profound realization that no matter how angry, uncontrolled, and messy she got, the Light remained. Regardless of how upset and disappointed she was with herself, she knew she was worthy of love and knew she remained connected to the Light.

Sadie connects her realizations about the nature of suffering with her early days of training to be a nurse practitioner. Then, she hoped to avoid feeling others’ suffering. Now, through the transformation she’s experienced, she opens to the suffering in our world as a conscious decision. As a Hoffman Process teacher, Sadie guides her students with the same vulnerability and love she so clearly embodies in this conversation. We hope this heartfelt conversation with Sadie and Drew opens you to a more conscious relationship with what lies on the other side of suffering.

More about Sadie Hannah:

Sadie Hannah holds a Master’s in Science from the University of California, San Francisco. After a 20-year history in Western medicine, she is committed to helping clients move beyond their most fundamental challenges (learned behavior). Sadie is a member of the teaching faculty at the Hoffman Institute and the medical staff at Stanford Children’s Hospital. Sadie is a licensed Nurse Practitioner and a member of the medical staff at Stanford University with a background in pediatric oncology, pediatric end-of-life, and children’s cancer research.  

Sadie’s unique blend of experience allows her to meet others in their fundamental urge to grow, heal, and transform in a truly authentic way.  Where neuroscience meets heart, Sadie works with individuals and groups, guiding her clients not outward but inward, toward the depths of their being, as they navigate important transitions in life, relationship, career, and culture.

In her most important work, Sadie enjoys being a mother to her three young children.  She loves exploring the edges of her physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual capacity through exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, and embodiment practices.

As mentioned in this episode:

Stanford Children’s Hospital Pediatric Oncology

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Costa Rica
•  Monkeys of Costa Rica

Hoffman Institute teacher training