A Journey of Healing Through Nature’s Wisdom
Dina Saalisi is a healer, author, and educator whose work invites others to reconnect with their inner truth through nature’s subtle power. Having faced early childhood trauma, Dina turned to spiritual and holistic methods not only to survive—but to thrive. Her journey of self-empowerment led her to discover the transformative potential of flower essence therapy, a practice she now shares with others seeking emotional and energetic healing.
In this heartfelt conversation with The Eden Magazine, Dina opens up about her past, her profound connection to nature, and her upcoming book, Transcending Sexual Trauma: Self-Awareness Tools and Nature-Based Practices to Cultivate Inner Healing.. She also shares insights on how to reclaim inner peace, the role of intuition, and the importance of tending to the spirit through nature’s medicine.
Please share a bit about your childhood and how early experiences shaped your path toward healing and self-discovery.
Throughout my childhood, I was a loner, shackled in the bondage of fear. Having suffered sexual trauma at an early age, I kept to myself and innately leaned on poetry and Nature as allies for self-soothing. I used to make up rhymes that I now understand were mantras or affirmations, which helped create a sense of safety within. Also, being outside among the flowers, fireflies, rocks, oceans, and Moon–always felt like a balm for my soul.
What initially drew you to holistic healing, and how did these practices help you reclaim your personal power?
I was born a healer. Much of the wisdom I carry, I don’t recall learning in this life. When someone asks me how long I’ve been doing this work, my reply is: “lifetimes.” I believe that we all come into this world as healers, able to develop our capacities for wellbeing for ourselves, others, and the planet. So, when I was at a career crossroads many years ago, it felt powerful and right to claim this as my gift to share with others.
Nature plays a powerful role in your work—what is your personal connection to nature, and how has it guided your healing path?
Nature is my work and is the guidebook by which I live. I understood early on that aligning myself with the rhythms and constancy of Nature was essential to being truly armed with the tools for resilience and strength. The more I lean into this medicine, the more I want to care for and protect my natural environments, and the more they give back in return. There’s an innate mutualism that offers reciprocal nourishment on the physical and spiritual levels.
How did you first discover flower therapy, and what made you realize it could be such a powerful tool for transformation?
I picked up Dr. Edward Bach’s book in a used bookstore in Greenwich Village in the late ’80s. Heal Thyself was an essential manifesto that I was longing for without knowing it. I intuitively understood every word of his thesis about how to work with the energies of flowers to create emotional shifts within. Naturally, as everything is energy, humans and flowers share a vibrational field that can be attuned to for healing. As I passionately studied and used this system on myself, friends, family, and ultimately with clients, over three decades, I’ve witnessed the easeful potential for growth that they provide.
Your upcoming book, Transcending Sexual Trauma: Self-Awareness Tools and Nature-Based Practices to Cultivate Inner Healing. sounds deeply personal and important. What inspired you to write this book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
What inspired me was the need for a body of collective experience and wisdom about how to reclaim personal power after sexual trauma. It’s a victory story in that it shares my journey over the course of fifty years, which echoes the powerful ebbs and flows that all survivors have experienced. To be able to resonate with and validate others in this way continues the cycles of healing for this vulnerable community of potentially empowered beings.
What are some of the most profound transformations you’ve witnessed in clients or in yourself through flower energy medicine?
Every transformation is profound in its own way, depending on the being who experiences it. When one consciously takes responsibility for their mental and physical wellbeing with the support of flower remedies, I’ve seen time and again how they become able to shift the chronic and short-term emotional patterns of the many facets of grief, anger, and fear. To offer these emotions a place to land, be better understood, and ultimately accepted as part of your whole experience, is to truly transform. The best part about flower therapy is that it does not erase the challenging emotions by way of ignorance or suppression; rather, it alchemizes them so that we learn the lessons needed to transform.
As a healer and educator, how do you stay grounded and nourished while supporting others through their healing journeys?
I awaken before sunrise and spend the first three hours of every day in spiritual practice. I also keep a 1-acre flower Garden that is the home of my extensive family of non-humans. Over the past two years, I’ve planted over six hundred organic pollinator plants to invite in birds and invertebrate pollinators. This is my essential way to stay grounded and balanced. If I ever feel confused, sad, or withdrawn, I go outside and see what Bee or Hummingbird has to share with me.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you—whether it’s a personal ritual, creative outlet, or unexpected source of joy?
I’m obsessed with Lace Lichen. This very special ecological resource is one of the most ancient species on Earth and is the state Lichen of California. Ramalina menziesii is unique in its intricate netlike appearance and its hauntingly moving display hanging from trees. After the winter rains in Northern California, I go out and collect it, and have been using it to make art. and have been using it to make art.
How do you integrate emotional, spiritual, and physical healing in your practice, and why is it important to address all aspects of the self?
I think any healing practice that provides deeper self-awareness is part of this trinity. Personally, and in my book, I highlight the foundations of a strong connection with Nature and ongoing psychospiritual inner work, as a way to ensure wellbeing. These practices are important, as they help us to balance the overuse of our intellect when trying to heal. Indeed, it’s important to gather scientific information to develop an understanding of the systems we’re employing. Still, ultimately we must go inward to create new neural pathways, which will lead to lasting change. So, it’s about creating a balance of intellect and intuition.
Can you speak about the role of intuition in your healing work, and how someone can begin to trust their own inner wisdom?
Trusting intuition is about letting go of expectations, control, and fear. We all “know” what’s right on the inside, but often we choose to ignore it to protect ourselves from difficult realities. Being in Nature is the best way I’ve found to connect with my inner voice. You can’t hide from dirt, sky, and trees. I encourage others to journal, preferably first thing in the morning, to illuminate their inner truths. This is a liminal time that provides the opportunity for connecting with your inner wisdom, before your brain wakes up. Re-read your writings from the previous period on the new and full Moon of each month to glean new awareness and insights.
What advice would you offer to someone who is just beginning their healing journey, especially after experiencing deep emotional or sexual trauma?
My book will offer wisdom and inspiration for anyone on their healing path. Start slowly and do what feels right. Journaling and Nature are a powerful combination to underpin your foundation for stellar health and dynamic wellbeing.
