This episode is one of the most personal ones I've shared.

I was taught to be strong, composed, selfless. I didn't realize until years later that I was also taught to shrink; to silence my needs, to put everyone else first, to be the version of a woman that made other's comfortable.

But healing meant I had to unlearn her.

In this episode I talk about:

- What it looked like to unravel those old versions of myself.

- How my mom's love helped me rebuild from the inside out.

- The grief of feeling out of place after leaving Hawai'i

- And the journey of finally feeling safe enough to be me -- all of me.

I'm not the woman I was raised to be. I'm the woman I chose to become. And that changed everything for me.

We often talk about healing like it's a straight line, from pain to peace, from trauma to transformation. But real healing? It's messy, nonlinear, and layered. In this episode, we unpack the spiral nature of healing-how you can circle back to old wounds AND still be growing. I'll share how your brain and body store emotional pain, how neural pathways and survival patterns show up when you least expect them, and why revisiting hard feelings doesn't mean you've "failed."

We'll also explore how Polyvagal theory, safety, and self-trust are essential to staying grounded on the healing journey. Whether you're feeling stuck, triggered, or like you're "back at square one", this episode is here to remind you: you're not broken, you're becoming.

Book recommendation: My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem

https://a.co/d/1Cwal1d

In this tender and thoughtful episode of Soulful Wahine, we're exploring attachment styles through the lens of self-compassion and curiosity - not shame. So many of us grew up learning how to love and protect ourselves in ways that made sense at the time... even if they feel messy or confusing now.

Whether you find yourself getting anxious in relationships, pulling away when things get too close, or struggling to trust your needs are valid - this episode will help you make sense of it all.

We'll talk about what each attachment style might look like in everyday life, how your earliest relationships shaped the way you show up now, and what healing can look like as you move toward feeling safer, softer, and more secure.

This isn't about labeling yourself - it's about learning to love the parts of you that were just trying to survive 💛

Book recommendation: https://a.co/d/a1fRcWg

This one's going to sting.... but it's all love.

You're not attracting emotionally unavailable people, you're tolerating them. And today, we're unpacking that pattern with honesty, softness, and accountability.

In this episode of Soulful Wahine, I'm diving into:

- Why chaos feels like chemistry.

- How your nervous system mistakes inconsistency for love.

- What real self-love looks like (Hint: it's not just bubble baths + mantras)

- The difference between choosing peace and being "too cold"

- How to finally stop settling for emotional breadcrumbs.

This episode is your wake-up call AND your warm hug. You're not hard to love-you're just done accepting less.

🎧 Listen now + share it with someone who always gives too much.

Friendship breakups can cut just as deep as romantic ones - especially when it's with a sister you thought would be in your life forever. In this episode, we explore the grief, betrayal, and silence that often surround broken bonds between women. But we're also talking healing- how to restore your sense of sisterhood and call in deeper, more soulful connections with women who truly see you. If you've ever felt burned, left out, or like you're better off alone... this one's for you. There is a sisterhood out there that feels safe, nourishing, and real.

Book recommendation: https://a.co/d/c5Z84DV

Your inner child isn't just a memory - it's a living part of you that still craves joy, play, softness, and imagination. But for so many of us, especially as Polynesian women and women of color, childhood wasn't always safe. Playfulness was shut down. Joy felt conditional. Creativity took a backseat to survival.

In this episode of Soulful Wahine, we're diving into:

🌺 What inner child healing actually looks like.

🎨 Why reconnecting with our inner play and creativity is essential to your healing.

🤍 How joy becomes a form of resistance when you were to taught to shrink.

Whether you're reparenting yourself, trying to feel more alive, or finally giving yourself permission to have fun - this episode is your invitation to soften, explore, and reclaim the parts of you that never stopped dreaming.

This week's book recommendation: The Inner Child Workbook: https://a.co/d/52a4WUp 

🔔 Follow for more healing-centered episodes rooted in truth, culture, and care. 

💌 Share this with a sis who's learning to feel safe in her joy again.

Why does saying "no" feel so heavy? In this episode of Soulful Wahine, we're diving into the deeper roots of people pleasing - especially in cultures where being "the good girl" or "the strong one" is expected. I talk about how fear of disappointing others can keep us stuck in cycles of burnout, resentment, and self-abondonment.

Whether you learned to keep the peace in your family or just can't shake the guilt that comes with setting boundaries, this one's for you. Let's talk about what it means to choose yourself without shame.

Book mentioned:

The Disease to Please by Dr. Harriet Braiker.

Mahalo & Aloha, 

- Kehaulani.

Polynesian women are strong - but that strength often comes at a cost. In this episode of Soulful Wahine, we talk about the deep emotional pain that goes unspoken in our communities, and why talking about mental health still feels so taboo. We dive into what it means to break the silence, normalize therapy, and begin honoring your emotional needs without shame.

Follow on IG: @soulfulwahine

Subscribe on YouTube: @soulfulwahine

#SoulfulWahine #PolynesianMentalHealth #BreakingGenerationalCycles.

Welcome to the very first episode of Soulful Wahine! I'm your host, Kehaulani, a licensed mental health therapist, and proud Polynesian & Black woman, here to create a space for healing, connection, and truth-telling. In this episode, I'm sharing Soulful Wahine's mission statement, my personal story, how this podcast came to be, and what you can expect from this soulful, raw, and empowering journey. Whether you're here for the sisterhood, the stories, or the healing - you're in the right place.