My name is Nicole Cicco, and I founded 'The Sound Within Us' as a way to share my insights and healing journey with others who may be suffering in their lives from pain, chronic illness, a mental health crisis, and/or emotional trauma, and need guidance and support.
In 2013, I experienced my own traumatic event that negatively impacted every aspect of my life.
During a lumbar spinal fusion surgery, my spinal cord was accidentally cut, resulting in a painfully debilitating condition called arachnoiditis, which is an inflammatory condition that causes relentless and severe pain, often along with other complications. (Click the link below to find out more about this disease)
I lost the ability to do many things, including supporting myself and my family in an accounting career that I spent a lifetime building and working my way to the top. Instead of crunching numbers and looking out from my office window, high atop the "City of Brotherly Love,” my days were spent lying in bed in pain and my legs were no longer able to support me in the way they used to. I could not play with my kids, I could not stand long, I was not comfortable driving in the car, I could not walk very far, I could not sit for any length of time, and lying in bed too long caused more pain and discomfort than was helpful. The pain was always there and affected every aspect of my life. I thought my life was over, and I spent my days wishing I no longer existed. I wanted out.
Desperation drove me to plead with doctors for relief, even entertaining the idea of paralyzing my legs to escape the agony. Traditional medicine offered no hope for recovery, only more drugs and deepening depression. Exhausting modern medical options, I found myself heavily medicated, severely depressed, and struggling with a bleak prognosis of a painful life.
I felt like no one could understand what I was going through, and nothing was the same as it was, including my relationships with anyone around me. I became a different person who I no longer recognized. Not only could I no longer meet the everyday physical requirements of life, but my state of mind was in a dark place. I later realized that neither did I have the coping skills needed, nor the support system necessary to meet the challenges of my new life.
The struggle was not only physical but also mental and emotional, as I grappled with a loss of identity and a lack of coping skills and support system. Falling into a dark pit, I experienced the "Dark Night of the Soul," feeling completely disconnected from the flow of life. This journey led to a nervous breakdown and the loss of my relationships, and financial stability, culminating in hospitalization and an inability to care for my children.
In my darkest moment, I heard a voice call out, urging me not to give up. At that point, I realized that I was not walking this journey alone. This marked the turning point that led me away from conventional medicine and toward alternative healing. I began listening to that inner voice and read book after book - leaving no stone unturned - looking for answers. Following the inner voice where it led me, I discovered stories of many people who overcame life-threatening illnesses and miraculously cured themselves of things considered uncurable. These miraculous recoveries seemed to center around holistic medicine and having a strong spiritual foundation. So, in 2016, I began embarking on a spiritual journey to find healing, inner peace, and meaning.
Utilizing a range of holistic practices, from acupuncture to meditation, I gradually moved from a state of constant stress to healing. Through yoga, reiki, alchemy, sound healing, and energy psychology, I cleared negative patterns from my subconscious mind, healed emotional trauma, and took control of my health and well-being.
This transformative journey taught me the importance of change and responsibility. Establishing healthy boundaries and voicing my needs, I rebuilt my life and overcame the need for medication and assistance. I have emerged restored and at peace, and grateful for the miracle that healed my mind, and body, and reunited me with my spirit.
This challenging experience, though initially considered a tragedy to me, became a blessing in disguise. I have learned that a healing journey is not necessarily going to cure what is broken but can restore wholeness to a fractured life. I have emerged transformed and connected with my truth and my true inner self. And in that connection, I found a new life’s purpose that allows me to serve others in the hopes that together we can make a difference and make this world a better place for us all.
I can help you find meaning in your life again after an illness, crisis, injury, or trauma. You have all the resources inside you already to overcome any challenges - you just need to believe in yourself and allow the magic to happen! I have overcome great adversity and so can you! Much peace and love to you on your journey to find wholeness, inner peace, and balance!
May you too, be awakened by The Sound Within Us!
