Understanding Soul Retrieval and Its Healing Power
By Rachel Tice, CEO, LMT, RYT200
In many ancient healing traditions—particularly within shamanic and indigenous cultures—there is a belief that emotional trauma, shock, or prolonged stress can cause parts of our soul essence to fragment. This phenomenon is referred to as soul loss. In psychological terms, this can be loosely compared to dissociation or emotional numbing, where a part of us “checks out” to survive difficult experiences. While this defense mechanism may protect us in the moment, it can leave us feeling incomplete, disconnected, or like we are living life without full vitality. Soul Retrieval is the intentional healing process of calling those lost or dormant parts of ourselves back home.
Technically speaking, Soul Retrieval is a shamanic healing practice in which a trained practitioner enters an altered state of consciousness (often through breathwork, drumming, or meditation) to journey on behalf of the client. During this non-ordinary state, they locate and recover the soul fragments that separated during past trauma or hardship. While this may sound mystical, the concept closely mirrors modern therapeutic techniques such as inner child work, somatic integration, and trauma resolution therapy, all of which aim to restore wholeness by reconnecting to parts of the self that were suppressed or forgotten.
In everyday terms, Soul Retrieval helps you reclaim the you that got left behind. Have you ever said, “I haven’t felt like myself since that happened”? Or felt that a part of your joy, trust, or creativity disappeared after heartbreak or hardship? Soul Retrieval gives language and healing to that experience. Instead of simply coping or moving on, it invites true reconnection, allowing you to regain lost confidence, emotional clarity, or passion for life. Many people report feeling lighter, more present, or more themselves afterward—even without fully understanding how or why.
Who can benefit from Soul Retrieval? Anyone who has experienced grief, heartbreak, abuse, major life transitions, or long-term burnout. It’s not limited to those with extreme trauma—it’s deeply supportive for people who feel stuck in patterns, unsure of their identity, or spiritually disconnected. You don’t have to believe in shamanism or energy work to benefit; the unconscious mind and spirit respond to symbolic healing whether or not the rational mind fully grasps it.
Ultimately, Soul Retrieval is a journey of remembering who you truly are beneath the wounds. It’s less about fixing and more about reclaiming. In a world that constantly pulls us outward, this practice offers a sacred invitation to return inward—to gather the scattered pieces of ourselves and welcome them home with compassion. Whether you understand it as energetic repair, psychological integration, or spiritual rebirth, one truth remains: healing isn’t always about becoming someone new. Sometimes, it's about becoming whole again.
