When grief silences a voice built for performance, the path back to purpose can feel impossible — but for sonic artist Debra Twilight Copes, that silence became the very foundation of her rebirth.
Sonic Artist and vocalist shares her journey through grief, faith, intuition and finding her voice again in “The Moment We Rise.”
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, October 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Debra Twilight Copes, a sonic voice artist and metaphysical practitioner, has opened up about the devastating loss of her mother, the isolation that followed, and how she ultimately discovered a renewed sense of purpose for her voice. She is one of 15 contributing authors in the newly released international bestselling anthology, “The Moment We Rise Stories of Healing, Purpose, and the Courage to Choose a New Beginning”. The book hit shelves on September 9, 2026, and quickly climbed the bestseller charts in multiple categories — including Biography Reference & Collections, Mental & Spiritual Healing, and related genres — across the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
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Within her chapter, titled “My Million-Minute Silence: The Day I Stood Still,” Copes confronts the crushing grief, burnout, and personal turmoil that consumed her after her mother passed away. As the distractions and creative outlets she once relied on slipped away, an unexpected stillness forced her to reckon with the emotional and spiritual weight she had been carrying for years. She writes about burying not just her mother but also her own voice, letting go of her dream of performing on stage — only to later uncover a far different calling for that same voice.
For someone accustomed to a relentless pace of decision-making, responsibility, and caring for others, Copes admits she rarely paused to consider what it was costing her. But after her mother’s death, the combination of grief and invisible health struggles left her with no choice but to slow down, prioritize her own wellbeing, and finally listen to what her body was telling her.
“Writing about that day was one of the hardest things I’ve done, but it reminded me how far I’d come, became another part of my healing and brought my role and purpose to life. The reason for sharing my story outweighed the pain of revisiting it. I wouldn’t change a thing about the experience, and the insights I gained will stay with me as I create spaces for others to share their stories.”
The chapter digs deep into Copes’ internal struggle during the dual isolation of grief and the pandemic, shedding light on the rarely discussed reality of losing her only confidante as an empath. On a day marked by uncomfortable truths — and with a spiritual calling she had long felt growing harder to ignore — she came to a stark crossroads: “Give up. Or get up.” What followed was an experience she describes as having “restored my voice for purpose, not performance.”
The title of her chapter carries meaning beyond her personal story. Copes chose “My Million-Minute Silence: The Day I Stood Still” to capture a stretch of grief, change, and uncertainty in which she grew quieter on the outside while her intuition and spiritual pull became louder within. For her, putting the chapter to paper ultimately gave that silence a voice of its own.
“We have spent generations gathering in circles. Perhaps it’s time we remembered why,” Copes said.
Now, drawing on the vocal purpose she rediscovered, Copes incorporates original sonic art and immersive soundscapes into restorative and storytelling circles, as well as holistic offerings designed to unite the inner voice with creative energy. She views her chapter as the opening of an ongoing conversation — an invitation to see circle gatherings as fertile ground where personal and unspoken truths can surface, where people can feel seen, integrate what they discover, and build momentum toward a deeper sense of belonging.
A vocal advocate for empaths, creative expression, and accessible restorative spaces, Copes hopes that circles and similar opportunities for connection will become a more familiar part of everyday community life.
“The Moment We Rise” brings together 15 authors who share personal stories spanning illness and healing, grief and loss, trauma, relationships, shifting identities, spiritual experiences, self-discovery, reimagined dreams, career pivots, and unexpected routes to purpose. The anthology was compiled by Vickie Gould, founder of Life Changing Energy, and published by Morning Oak Publishing.
This release follows the international bestselling anthologies “The Call Within: Finding Purpose and Sparking Transformation” and “Whispers of the Soul: Stories of Resilience, Awakening, and the Power of Healing from Within.” All proceeds from “The Moment We Rise” go to Brighter Healing Foundation, supporting its mission to expand access to holistic healing tools, education, resources, and support.
About Debra Twilight Copes
Debra Twilight Copes is a sonic artist, sound healer and holistic practitioner whose instinctive creativity shapes her approach to sound and wellbeing. As part of her evolving vision, Empath’s Odyssey, she is developing women-centred restorative and storytelling circles, alongside intimate experiences that weave together voice, sound and ceremony. Debra is a certified GeoLove Master Energy Healing Practitioner, having trained under Oliver Niño. Her professional development also includes accredited training in circle facilitation, Sound Healing and Sacred Ceremonies Facilitation with Life Changing Energy and Mindfulness Meditation Teacher training with Sean Fargo. As a voice artist and vocal arranger, Debra has contributed to session recordings, a music library and film, including “The London Mob”. Her voice has also been featured on radio. Through sound, story and self-expression, Debra hopes to encourage inner peace, connection, restoration and personal transformation.
For more information or for media inquiries visit: www.millionminutesilence.com
Vickie Gould
Vickie Gould International, LLC DBA Life Changing Energy
Why it matters: Copes’ story underscores a truth many grieving people discover only in hindsight: that silence and stillness, however painful, can become the raw material for a more authentic life. Her chapter — and the anthology as a whole — models how personal vulnerability can be transformed into collective healing, especially for empaths and others who pour themselves into caring for everyone but themselves.
