In this episode of The Traveling Therapist Podcast, Kym is joined by Christina Kantzavelos to delve into the profound experience of walking the Camino de Santiago. Christina shares her transformative journey on this ancient pilgrimage, highlighting the personal and spiritual growth she encountered along the way. Starting in 2015, she embarked on the Camino Frances route, a 500-mile trek from France to Spain, driven by both a quest for personal discovery and a break from her discontentment in hospital social work.

During her pilgrimage, Christina discovered her passion for travel writing and focused on the unique challenges of traveling with celiac disease. This led to the creation of her publication "BuenQamino," inspired by the common greeting among pilgrims. Christina's Camino experience was not just a physical journey but also a journey of self-discovery and reevaluation, leading her to pivot her professional life towards a path that truly resonated with her.

Christina P. Kantzavelos is a licensed psychotherapist (LCSW) writer, artist, and citizen of the world, with a home-base in Joshua Tree, CA. She received her Bachelor’s and Master's of Social Welfare (MSW) from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and her Masters of Library and Information Sciences from San Jose California State University (SJSU). 

She’s a first-generation college student, and third culture kid (TCK) holding dual citizenship in Greece/ the EU. She has visited over 35 different countries and documented most of it on social media. However, it was in completing the Camino de Santiago (500-mile pilgrimage across Spain) at the end of 2015, where she realized her strong affinity with writing. She decided to start BuenQamino, an Award-Winning, gluten-free and health-conscious lifestyle, and travel publication. 

In her 100% remote clinical practice (@BeginWithinToday), she treats and is an advocate for those with chronic illness and C-PTSD, utilizing various modalities such as EMDR, CA, neural retraining, EFT and others. She recently published 'Begin Within - A Daily Healing Journal' (www.beginwithintoday.com) for those living life with chronic illness or other health-related challenges.

Key Points:

• A Path to Self-Discovery: Christina's Camino de Santiago pilgrimage was a turning point, inspiring her to pursue travel writing and reassess her career in social work.

• Diverse Experiences on the Camino: The Camino offers various routes and experiences, from spiritual quests to physical challenges, accommodating diverse intentions and capabilities.

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Connect with me:

• Instagram: @thetravelingtherapist_kym
• The Traveling Therapist Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/onlineandtraveling/
• The Traveling Therapist Website & Offers:
  www.thetravelingtherapist.com

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