Healing After War: How Marial Dhal Transformed Trauma Into Hope & Purpose | Ep:29
In this powerful episode, Regina Lawless sits down with author and speaker Marial Dhal to explore how resilience, hope, and education helped him survive the trauma of being a child soldier in South Sudan. This conversation dives into healing after war, overcoming childhood trauma, and reclaiming your life after unthinkable adversity.
Marial shares his extraordinary journey from being abducted as a young boy during the South Sudan civil war to finding healing, family, and purpose through education and basketball. His story is a profound reminder that your circumstances do not define your destiny.
If you're interested in resilience, trauma healing, human rights stories, or personal transformation, this episode will move and inspire you.
✨ WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
* What resilience looks like in the face of life-altering trauma
* How education can become a lifeline and motivator for change
* The reality of child soldiers and the impact of war on youth
* How basketball became Marial’s therapy, structure, and healing
* The role of family, community, and culture in recovery
* Why hope and humility remain central to Marial’s journey
* How your story—and your suffering—can become a source of purpose
🕊️ ABOUT MARIAL DHAL
Marial Dhal is an author, speaker, and survivor of the South Sudan civil war. Forced into the life of a child soldier as a young boy, he escaped unimaginable violence and rebuilt his life with courage and hope. Today he uses storytelling to educate and inspire others about resilience, displacement, and the power of healing.
🔖 CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Resilience and Hope
03:01 Life in South Sudan: Culture and Community
10:28 The Journey to Education: A Desire to Learn
18:47 Abduction into War: The Reality of Child Soldiers
26:24 Coping with Trauma: The Psychological Journey
31:33 The Reality of Being a Soldier
34:05 Indoctrination and Identity in Warfare
36:47 Coping with Trauma and Acceptance
38:05 The Journey to Escape
40:26 The Kindness of Strangers
41:52 Discovering Basketball in Refugee Life
46:03 Basketball as Therapy and Opportunity
52:49 Family and Joy in the Present
54:13 Sharing My Story Through My Book
📚 CONNECT WITH MARIAL DHAL
✨ Book: Where is the Boy?: Escaping My Time as a Child Soldier [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFHHY76B?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_WPDQR0AFDF906QVTQ5BF&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_WPDQR0AFDF906QVTQ5BF&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_WPDQR0AFDF906QVTQ5BF&bestFormat=true&csmig=1]
📧 Publicist Contact: Ni Ema Baptista | niema@niemabaptista.com
🌿 CONNECT WITH REGINA LAWLESS
Website: https://www.reginalawless.com
Book: Do You — https://www.amazon.com/Do-You-Journey-Learning-MeaningFULL/dp/1639080783
YouTube: Soul Signal with Regina Lawless [https://www.youtube.com/@reginalawless/featured]
Podcast: The BlissFULL Life [https://link.cohostpodcasting.com/e9e57d2b-eac9-442e-adbd-80c015fa1e1d?d=svAXkhmz7]
Social: @reginalawless across platforms
