Healing Ninjas Podcast

In this episode, we hear from Anabel Vizcarra, an embodiment mentor and womb shaman from Sinaloa, Mexico. 

Anabel talks about her life journey and the reclamation and embodiment of her feminine power. She talks about her spiritual exploration, and how she came to realize that she was conditioned to live in a way that allowed her to be successful in real estate, and other aspects of her life, but that kept her from being able to live in her full divine self. Anabel dives deep into the importance for all of us to get in touch with our true selves so that we can heal and develop the ability to be who we are meant to be and find our inner peace. 

Anabel talks about how the world is used to functioning from a place of the mind (intellect), and the importance for all of us as people to move to the place of the heart (emotion), and eventually to go into the womb (wisdom), to find safety and peace within our bodies. She recommends journaling or recording voice notes when we are feeling really good to read or listen to when we are feeling low. Anabel also suggests having “conscious tantrums” where we can let out anger or frustration. 

Be sure to connect, support, and continue learning from Anabel on Instagram: @anabel.vizcarra

Also, sign-up for an 8-week Embodied Emotional Intelligence online immersion program: https://www.anabelvizcarra.com/embodied-emotional-intelligence.html

In this episode, we hear from DeAntwann Johnson, aka “DJ Johnson”,  a husband, father, author, mentor, coach, counselor, and sports statistician. 

DJ shares his journey with us including going through the Indiana foster care system and suffering child abuse, domestic abuse, and emotional trauma. He talks about growing up feeling like he was stripped of a lot of decisions in his life and feeling like others always made choices for him without asking him. He talks about how going through these experiences made him normalize a lot of harmful behaviors, which he took into his adulthood while holding on to a lot of anger.  DJ talks about at one point, wanting to end his life, but realizing that he was on this earth for a purpose.

DJ talks about the void he felt from the absence of his father, the tense relationships with his other caregivers, and learning to forgive. He talks about turning all his pain into his power. He talks about how he worked hard to overcome a life full of hardships, humiliation, aggression, and self-esteem issues, allowing him to be an active advocate for youth and families and inspiring them to be the best that they can be.

Be sure to connect with DJ on: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djinspiresall/ 

Website: https://djinspires.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/djinspiresall 

In this episode, we hear from Iliana Chino Hernandez, aka “Mz. Gatiz”, a Chicana rapper from Brooklyn, New York. 

Mz. Gatiz talks about her childhood, from seeing her parents struggle to make it in the United States to witnessing the poor living conditions of her family back in Mexico. She talks about how her parents were so focused on working that they would often leave her with nannies, which led to her being raised by other adults around her. Mz. Gatiz shares how, as a result of this, she was introduced to alcohol and the club scene at 11 years old. She also talks about being forced to assume adult responsibilities at an early age. By the age of 13 she was working, and at times was in charge of taking care of her younger sisters. Mz. Gatiz recounts holding back tears and parts of her life because of not wanting to feel weak and/or create tension within her family. She describes how despite all of this she found a space to express herself through music.

Mz. Gatiz talks about enjoying nature and being inspired by other singers such as Gloria Trevi. She talks about the real struggles of being a rapper and a human being at the same time, and the lessons that have come with it. 

Be sure to connect with and support Mz. Gatiz on: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mzgatiz/

Website: https://mzgatizny.com/ 

In this episode, we hear from Liliana Doyon, a first-generation Mexican-American and licensed marriage and family therapist from New York City. 

Liliana reflects on her own childhood experiences and how they led to her becoming a therapist. She talks about having experienced emotional neglect, physical abuse, and witnessing violence and rage growing up. Liliana unpacks how when she was young she would struggle with saying “I don’t know” out of fear, and how progressively this led to a huge motivation to want to know more by reading and connecting to people. She talks about being 16 years old and taking on so much which led to her first panic attack. Liliana shares how she went through several panic attacks until being introduced to both medication and therapy at a young age, thus providing some tools and language to understand her experiences. She later describes how she, at some point, engaged in her practice not only as a means to help others but also to avoid some of her own internal feelings. 

Liliana also gets vulnerable and dives into what it was like to experience a divorce following a 7-year marriage. She talks about how important it was for her to reconnect with herself to be able to heal from that experience and keep going. Liliana recommends journaling as a way to sit with and reflect on our lives.

Be sure to connect with Lilliana on: 

Website: http://www.relationshipcounselingct.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilianadoyon/?hl=en 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liliana-doyon-a0a63b86/

In this episode, Hernan Carvente-Martinez, Founder/CEO of Healing Ninjas, Inc. provides updates regarding where Healing Ninjas is headed both as a brand and as space for people to share their journeys. He talks about moving towards creating space for Spanish-speaking individuals to come to the podcast and share their stories entirely in Spanish. He also reveals that Healing Ninjas t-shirts are in the works! Along with other products that connect to the topic of healing. He asks that people reach out if there are particular products that they would like to see with the Healing Ninjas brand. 

Lastly, he encourages people to tune into the Healing Dialogues which are held every other week via zoom. The dialogues are a space for people to kick back and talk about what healing has been like for them. It is a brave space for people to connect with others who are also on their own journey and be able to share tips and resources with one another. If you are interested in joining register at:

www.healingninjas.org/healing-dialogues 

Also, be sure to follow Healing Ninjas on all social media platforms!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingninjas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healingninjas 

In this episode, we hear from Katherin Quezada, a young Mexican woman from New York City. 

Katherin talks about trying to get out of her comfort zone and growing up being told what was expected of her as a woman. She reflects on what it was like to be raised in an environment where communication was lacking and how this inevitably led her to keep to herself a lot and being very shy. Katherin also talks about recognizing repetitive harmful relationship patterns in her family and trying to break these generational patterns in her own life. She discusses what it has been like to set boundaries in her life, based on things that she doesn’t want to repeat. Katherine speaks about learning how to sit with her emotions and identifying what she is feeling, along with being able to accept that it is okay to feel. 

Katherin dives into how she has struggled with overthinking, and how it has often come up from having been the person that everyone would lean on for advice and support. She describes how her past reflects a lot on her present and overthinking about things that she has experienced in her childhood and not wanting to go through the same things as a grown woman. Katherin talks about learning to love herself and looking to the next day as another opportunity to be better/different. Katherin recommends finding loving positive people, listening to music, going for walks, and reading books by r.h. Sin if you are looking for resources in your healing journey. Katherin hopes to one day take her experiences and potentially be intentional support for others, particularly a therapist. 

Be sure to follow Katherin on: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_katherinnq_/

In this episode, we hear from Taishma Owens-Council, a 25-year-old Black woman, military spouse, mother, and owner of Virtual Goal Assistant Agency (VGAA).

Taishma dives into her motherhood journey. She reflects on being raised to think that women only had two options: motherhood or a career; but not both at the same time. She shares with us having the kind of awareness, during high school, that led her to know that she did not want to become a statistic and opted for birth control. Years later, after college, Tai and her husband found themselves trying for a child for three years to no avail. She shares how she sought help from a reproductive clinic and finally becoming pregnant, only to later develop gestational diabetes and be diagnosed with preeclampsia: a pregnancy complication for which the mortality rate is twice as high for black women. She talks us through the final stages of her pregnancy, and how the complication ultimately led to her staying in the hospital for 2 weeks and being away from her newborn son, Adonis, during her period of recovery.

Tai talks about how she later sought out therapy, was diagnosed with post-partum depression, and what it was like to unpack all of this trauma when healing was never part of the conversation growing up. Tai shares how she healed from this experience and how she decided to start her own business by turning her hobby into a full-time job. Tai describes how she learned to juggle being a mother, wife, and business owner all at the same time. Tai suggests that people learn to set boundaries so that they can protect their mental health, family, and happiness. 

Be sure to connect with Tai on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vgaallc/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taishma.council9

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/towens-council/ 

VGAA Website: https://www.vgaallc.com/

In this episode, we hear from Chris Marin, a half Mexican and half Guatemalan man from Brooklyn, New York. 

Chris talks about being sexually abused as a child and growing up for many years feeling guilty for his abuse. He reflects on how difficult it has been for him to process his past trauma, especially when violence has become so natural for him to see in his daily life and in the community he lives. Chris also talks about what it was like to heal through a break-up following a 7-year relationship and how he overcame unhealthy coping mechanisms by surrounding himself with people who truly care about him. 

Chris talks about being a survivor of two suicide attempts and being found by his nephew on both occasions. He shares how he came to the realization that he was not alone and that he is loved and supported by friends, family, and others in his life. Chris later goes on to also talk about losing his two close friends to suicide and reflecting on how he had always seen them happy, smiling, and joking while struggling inside. Chris urges people to remember that they are not alone, to read books by individuals like Maya Angelou, and find spaces to talk about what we are going through. 

Be sure to listen to Chris and follow him on: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mexi_mala92/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.marin.184

Unique Auto Club IG: https://www.instagram.com/unique_ac_/

In this episode, we hear from Roderick Keith Johnson, a national LGBTQ advocate for criminal justice reform and mental health, and a survivor of sexual abuse. 

Roderick talks about going into a Texas maximum-security prison as a black gay man, where he was sold into sexual slavery for 18 months. He describes how he pleaded for protection while inside and was denied help from prison officials. Roderick shares how he was forced on a daily basis to have sex in prison and how he was bought and sold among various prison gangs until finally getting the attention and help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). 

Roderick discusses how his story was chronicled as one of the worst cases of prisoner abuse in US history. His case, and many others, sparked a movement to stop this kind of abuse and led to the passage of the National Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). Roderick talks about processing all of these experiences with some of the best mental health experts in the country, particularly Dr. Terry Kupers of the Wright Institute. He talks about being diagnosed with PTSD, major depression, anxiety, bipolar & schizoaffective disorder, and his journey to getting the support he needed to heal. Roderick shares his own reflections on the mental health space, stories that have empowered him to continue advocating for change, and words of love and wisdom to survivors of sexual abuse and the LGBTQ community. 

Roderick asks that people learn more about the Black Justice Resource Group and support his ongoing advocacy work. 

Be sure to connect with Roderick via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roderick-johnson-073299152 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100043275947337

In this episode, we hear from John Ilawan, a young Filipino fitness enthusiast from Queens, New York, and graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

John shares with us his reflections on his own healing journey prior to 2021 and how it has shifted coming into the new year. He talks about the need to engage in healing work so we may consistently grow and not be comfortable in one place for the rest of our lives. John discusses what it was like to grow up in a Philipino household where he learned toxic masculine behaviors that would later show up in his relationships and lead to him hurting someone he cared about. John describes healing as a marathon and an ongoing process that prepares one for tough situations much like athletes prepare for sports.

John also reflects on how tough days can be used to know where we are in our healing journey and to think about what we need to keep working on. He talks about the need to look deep within ourselves to accept what we have gone through and to learn to hold ourselves accountable to the process. John goes into the importance of making time for ourselves to engage in positive activities that allow us to keep up with the healing journey. He suggests purchasing a 5-year journal and engaging in writing or poetry with intentional prompts to reflect on different areas of our healing, and looking back on how our responses may change over time.

Listen to John’s episode and connect with him via:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.ilawan/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.ilawan