Down With My Demons: The Shadow Work Path

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In this episode, I finally name what has been living in the background of everything: my mother’s death, and the grief that took me under. I share how losing her shattered the life I thought I was living, and how that rupture rippled into this podcast: why I went quiet and what it has meant to be reshaped by grief instead of trying to outrun it.

Inside this episode, I talk about:

• The story of my mother’s death and the immediate aftermath
• How grief hijacked my body, my nervous system, and my creativity
• The guilt and shame of disappearing from the mic 
• Grief as an alchemical process: what has burned away, and what remains
• The slow, messy rising-from-the-ashes 
• The blooming and integration

This is a tender, honest conversation about love, loss, and the parts of us that die with our parents, and the strange, sacred work of rebuilding a self after that.

If you’ve ever gone offline during a season of grief, or felt like you were “failing” at being visible while your heart was breaking, I hope this episode feels like permission and companionship.

Thank you for still being here with me in the fire and the rebirth. 

https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To connect with Chloe Lionheart:
Email: [email protected]

or visit: https://www.wholeheartednetwork.com/

Resources:

The Prophet (Free E-Book): https://www.kahlilgibran.com/images/The%20Prophet%20Ebook%20by%20Kahlil%20Gibran.pdf

"The Wild Edge of Sorrow" by Francis Weller:

https://www.francisweller.net/books.html

All There Is Podcast with Anderson Cooper

https://www.cnn.com/all-there-is-anderson-cooper

"The Smell of Rain on Dust" by Martin Prechtel

https://www.marcusbooks.com/book/9781583949399

"Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents" by Lindsay C. Gibson 

https://www.newharbinger.com/9781626251700/adult-children-of-emotionally-immature-parents/?srsltid=AfmBOopHG-jOeUKWgRzHFNwLOlKLuXUErO32UvwcPpIizJvMG-Sw45iN

Find a therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com

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We're back! This episode touches on what it means to be with our seasonality of soul and explores the importance of acknowledging what is happening in the present moment. With the growing climate of uncertainty and discomfort, Chloe Lionheart describes how to tend to our becoming and increase our self-compassion. Themes of burnout, radical honesty, emotional regulation, and hustle culture can be found in this episode. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review!

https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To connect with Chloe Lionheart:
Email: [email protected]

Resources:
To find Lindsay Mack's "Tarot for the Wild Soul Podcast"
https://www.tarotforthewildsoul.com/about-the-podcast

"Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver

Find a therapist through:
www.psychologytoday.com

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Join my guest, Claire Thompson and me, as we explore the shadow of authority, how that plays into our integrity, small bits about what it means to move with integrity, and over course RAGE! The episode begins with a dive into working for others and beginning to step into our power by bringing awareness to formerly hidden patterns of behavior and how that may be getting in the way of our ability to lead. This then guides us into a juicy conversation on integrity and leads into Rage and the navigation of root emotions. Being a Rage Ritual Practitioner, amongst other amazing offerings, Claire discusses the potency of integrating a rage practice and sheds light on a few ways that might be integrated into our daily lives. Please excuse any dog interferences, even puppies need to rage sometimes. Please subscribe, review, and best of all... SHARE! I hope you enjoy and I'll see you next time. 

Visit our site!
https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To connect with Chloe Lionheart:
Email: [email protected]

Join Claire at her next in-person Rage Ritual Event:
https://app.oneboulder.one/event/EF3CHTZ9UG4WO

Resources:
Rage Rituals:
https://medium.com/know-thyself-heal-thyself/rage-rituals-and-how-they-can-heal-us-6a1455bf2014

“Love and Rage: the path of liberation through anger” by Lama Rod Owens
https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-and-rage-the-path-of-liberation-through-anger-lama-rod-owens/9563937?ean=9781623174095

"The Mountain is You" by Brianna Wiest
https://shopcatalog.com/product/the-mountain-is-you/

"Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger" by Soraya Chemaly
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Rage-Becomes-Her/Soraya-Chemaly/9781501189562

"The Power of Women's Anger" a Ted Talk by Soraya Chemaly
https://www.ted.com/talks/soraya_chemaly_the_power_of_women_s_anger?language=en

"The Dreaded Drama Triangle" a Ted Talk by Lucy Barnes
https://www.ted.com/talks/lucy_barnes_the_dreaded_drama_triangle?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Extra:
Queen of Hearts Compilation
https://youtu.be/CtCQHCOls2E?si=3nQZ5W2Osznh04Bs

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This special edition episode is a conversation, much needed on the global main stage. For too long, we here in America, have only ever heard one perspective on the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. We are very fortunate to hear from Ramzy, a Palestinian American Man, on the history of Palestinian culture, people, land, and how this conflict began. In this episode we dive deep into the weeds of the issues surrounding the atrocities currently plaguing Palestinian and Israeli citizens and work to shed light on the complexity of colonization. Finally, we are hearing a Palestinian perspective. One rooted in political awareness, understanding, and as much openness and vulnerability as possible. I am infinitely grateful to Ramzy for having this talk with me and I urge you to continue to challenge the media narratives fed to us when searching to understand larger conflicts such as these. Don't forget the words of Ghandi, who said, "An eye for an eye makes the world blind." May this episode bring greater awareness as far and wide as possible, so that we as global citizens, can empower ourselves with information enough to learn and start making whatever changes are needed to bring peace to this land for all. Sit back, open your heart, and enjoy this long overdue conversation. Please subscribe, like, share, and leave a review.

Visit our site!
https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To connect with Chloe Lionheart:
Email: [email protected]


Resources:

Visualizing Palestine
visualizing palestine — Visualizing Palestine

If Americans Knew
If Americans Knew - What every American needs to know about Israel/Palestine

Decolonize Palestine
Home | Decolonize Palestine

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This week we are unpacking Dopamine! This is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days and this episode is devoted to the continued exploration of understanding how our brains and bodies work in conscious and unconscious ways. Inside, we learn about what dopamine is, where it is, what it does, and how that might play out in our lives. Part of the shadow work experience is first learning to be aware of ourselves and our many systems, before we can take further steps. Once we are more cognizant of ourselves, next comes learning to show ourselves compassion for our humanness and starting on the path of making necessary shifts.  Please like, subscribed, leave a review, and SHARE! I hope you enjoy the episode and look forward to being with you in there. Till next time...

https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To connect with Chloe Lionheart:
Email: [email protected]

Resources:
Adrenal Glands: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23005-adrenal-gland

Body-Mind Centering: https://www.bodymindcentering.com/

-Great book on Body-Mind Centering by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen
"Sensing, Feeling, and Action: The Experiential Anatomy of Body-Mind Centering"
https://bonniebainbridgecohen.com/collections/books

Chakras: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/7-chakras-for-beginners

Kundalini Energy: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/the-science-of-kundalini#:~:text=Kundalini%20is%20a%20potential%20power,species'%20evolution%20toward%20greater%20consciousness.

Dan Siegel: "Dopamine and Teenage Logic" Article
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/01/dopamine-and-teenage-logic/282895/

More info:

Scientific Article:
"The relationship between childhood trauma, dopamine release and dexamphetamine-induced positive psychotic  symptoms" - 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6848217/

Poem by Khalil Gibran "On Pleasure" from his book "The Prophet"
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/148570/on-pleasure

The Prophet (Free E-Book): https://www.kahlilgibran.com/images/The%20Prophet%20Ebook%20by%20Kahlil%20Gibran.pdf

Exercise Questions:
...When feeling the pull of dopamine...
1. What do I want right now?
2. What do I need right now?
3. What is going to make me feel my best in hours or days from now?
4. What happened throughout my day that's playing a role in how I feel right now?
5. Will I be able to show myself kindness after I feed this desire?

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Today we're talking about PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder). With so much to unpack, we discuss what these two things are, the differences, neurological factors, somatic sensations, how they show up in our day to day or in our development, what impact they have on our relationships, and how to navigate these depths while living a life full of wonder. Please subscribe, share, and review if you feel called. See you in there!

https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To connect with Chloe Lionheart:
Email: [email protected]


RESOURCES:
"What makes complex ptsd different"
https://www.brainline.org/article/what-makes-complex-ptsd-different-typical-ptsd-and-how-begin-healing-process

Dr. Gabor Mate on Trauma: https://drgabormate.com/trauma/

Neuro-information:
Amygdala: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8228195/#:~:text=The%20amygdala%20participates%20in%20the,of%20the%20fight%2Dor%2Dflight
Hippocampus: https://www.osmosis.org/answers/hippocampus#:~:text=The%20hippocampus%20is%20involved%20in,to%20the%20objects%20around%20them.
Autonomic Nervous System: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539845/#:~:text=The%20autonomic%20nervous%20system%20is,sympathetic%2C%20parasympathetic%2C%20and%20enteric.
Limbic System:
https://www.webmd.com/brain/limbic-system-what-to-know#:~:text=The%20primary%20limbic%20system%20function,and%20its%20sphere%20of%20influence.

Soul Retrieval:
https://kripalu.org/resources/soul-retrieval

Active Imagination: Confrontation with the Unconscious:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRVlWEwmbfQ


Mentions:
Dysthymia:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/dysthymia#:~:text=What%20is%20dysthymia%3F,of%20major%20depression%20at%20times.

Somatic Practice:
One hand on heart and one below the belly. Feet hips width apart. Slowly rock side to side and close your eyes and breathe.

Practice for relationships:

1. “I have this narrative ___________________, would you please confirm or deny it?”
2. “Would you like me to just listen or offer solutions?”
3. “Do you have space at the moment to talk?"

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This episode explains a bit about what I've been experiencing and the wisdom I've been gleaning over the last 10 months away from the pod. Join as we unpack a dark night of the soul and what it means to both be in the darkest depths and to emerge. Some of the themes include the element of water as a metaphor for emotions and being in the shifting landscape of humanness, lesson learned in the deepest parts of drowning, the beauty of the dark and its necessity, and tools to help BE with the process of it all. Please like, subscribe, share, and most of all I hope you enjoy.

https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To connect with Chloe Lionheart:
Email: [email protected]

RESOURCES:
"The Red Book" by Carl Jung
https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/red-book-of-carl-jung/the-red-book-and-beyond.html

"The Missing Element: Inspiring Compassion for the Human Condition" by Debra Silverman
https://debrasilvermanastrology.com/the-missing-element-book/

"Motherpeace Tarot Deck and Guidebook" by Karen Vogel and Vicki Noble
https://motherpeace.com/

Mentions:
Manjusri: https://buddhismnow.com/2010/03/25/manjushri-bodhisattva/

Mermaid Archetype: https://shimajournal.org/issues/v12n2/g.-Inkol-Shima-v12n2.pdf

The "Depths": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uCySQOMB-4

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WE'RE BACK!! Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support. On this weeks episode we've got the second part to our interview with the legendary Lisa Chatham. We cover a lot of ground from consent with partners and owning our wanting, speaking boundaries, polyamory and consenting non-monogamy, what it means to be a hell yes, and much more. The conversation of consent is one we could have indefinitely, and we grappled with such ideas, as not being damaged goods as a survivor of sexual assault and what it might mean to have a somatic practice in order to get back into our bodies after long moments of dissociation. We are all worthy of excellent sexual experiences so press play and enjoy!

https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To connect with Lisa Chatham:
http://www.lisachathampsychotherapy.com

To connect with Chloe:
Email: [email protected]

Resources Mentioned:
https://www.5rhythms.com/
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/4/21/proposed-changes-harassment-policies/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1363460720961303
https://sadeclasses.org/speaker/julie-fennell-slutphd

Books:
The Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy
https://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Slut-Third-Practical-Relationships/dp/0399579664

Please Scream Quietly: A Story of Kink by Julie Fennell
https://www.hpb.com/please-scream-quietly-a-story-of-kink/P-47814652-NEW.html

The Art of Receiving and Giving: The Wheel of Consent by Betty Martin with Robyn Dalzen
https://wheelofconsentbook.com/

Respect: Everything a Guy Needs to Know about Sex, Love, and Consent by Inti Chavez Perez
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43669272-respect

Pussy: A Reclamation by Regena Thomashauer
https://www.amazon.com/Pussy-Reclamation-Regena-Thomashauer/dp/1401950248

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This episode marks part one of our first ever Sex Series! In honor of Scorpio Season, the holiday season, and the shifting of our environments and selves, we dive into some of the edgier and more taboo parts of life. This first episode features Lisa Chatham, a Naropa University professor and licensed Psychotherapist. We begin to unpack the very difficult to navigate conversation that is consent and discuss the not so black and white nature of it. Lisa brings brilliant psychological, developmental, and social information to the table to aid a well rounded discussion. Consent is a topic that requires much more than an hour long conversation so thank you for baring with us as we do our best to hit some major (and maybe some unpopular/controversial) points. I hope you enjoy, see you next time.

*If you or someone you know is/has experienced sexual abuse/assault/violence, please seek support. You are not alone.

https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To get in touch with Chloe, please email:

             [email protected]

• To get in touch with Lisa Chatham:

Website: www.lisachathampsychotherapy.com


*National Sexual Assault Hotline (24 hour service)
1-800-656-4673


RESOURCES:

“No” (2017) Series by The Heart Radio with Kaitlin Prest
https://www.theheartradio.org/no-episodes

“In The ‘No’ Part 2” by RadioLab
https://radiolab.org/episodes/no-part-2

“In The ‘No’ Part 3” by RadioLab
https://radiolab.org/episodes/no-part-3

CONSENT!
"Consent: 101" A Series by Planned Parenthood
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3xP1jlf1jgJRkChwVOlwQcV0-UqcWiFV

"Consent is as easy as FRIES!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTSDIilyA2I

"Coffee Consent: The other half of the consent argument"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOrGa7vPzvQ

"Consent: For Kids!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AArIv-tvxWE

"Sex Education Should Start with Consent" with Kaz (Tedtalk)
https://www.ted.com/talks/kaz_sex_education_should_start_with_consent?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

BOOKS:

"It Doesn't Have to be Awkward: Dealing with Relationships, Consent, and Other Hard-to-Talk-About Stuff" by Dr. Drew Pinsky and Paulina Pinsky

Comprehensive List of Books dealing with Sexual Assault
https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/list/share/186066773/1069795477

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In this week's episode we talked to Garrett Hooper LMFT about men's mental health and why he think's it's taken so long illicit a societal response. Men make up the majority of death by suicide cases in the United States and yet there is not much conversation about it. The stigma and shame felt by many men around accessing or seeking out mental health continues to be a huge problem. Conversations like these will hopefully illuminate the versatile and beauty of different methods available to men all around the country. We briefly discuss gender, privilege, race, and the revenge on men experienced through social media and the like. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please share this episode or any of the resources below. It only takes one person to care and get curious to make a huge impact in someone's life. I hope you enjoy and see you next time!

Website: https://www.downwithmydemons.com/

To get in touch with Chloe, please email:

             [email protected]

• To get in touch with Garrett Hooper:

Website: https://www.garretthoopertherapy.com

RESOURCES

Articles:
"Men's Mental Health - The Silent Crisis"
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-about-men/201702/mens-mental-health-silent-crisis

"How Men's Mental Health Impacts Families"
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sharpening-some-iron/202201/how-men-s-mental-health-impacts-their-families

"King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine" by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette
https://www.amazon.com/King-Warrior-Magician-Lover-Rediscovering/dp/0062506064

"Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World" by Bill Plotkin
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Human-Soul-Cultivating-Fragmented/dp/1577315510

"Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche" by Bill Plotkin
https://www.amazon.com/Soulcraft-Crossing-Mysteries-Nature-Psyche/dp/1577314220/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1666246442&sr=1-1-ef9bfdb7-b507-43a0-b887-27e2a8414df0

Therapeutic Resources and Trainings:
https://www.openskywilderness.com/

https://www.sacredsons.com

https://www.manuncivilized.com

https://mantalks.com

https://therapyforblackmen.org

https://gestaltoftherockies.com/

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