Send us Fan Mail

What if getting involved in politics isn't the opposite of spirituality?

What if it can actually be a spiritual practice?

In this episode of That's What She Said, I get personal about why local politics and civic engagement have unexpectedly become such an important part of my spiritual journey.

I've spent much of my life thinking about healing, energy, yoga, Reiki, and creating peace. And yet, I've come to realize that protecting my own peace isn't enough. There is a part of me that feels called to show up for people who don't always have the privilege, resources, or voice to advocate for themselves.

And that calling goes all the way back to childhood.

I share the story of why I wanted to be Mother Teresa as a little girl, what happened when I eventually learned about the complicated controversies surrounding her legacy, and what that experience taught me about holding two truths at the same time: that someone can inspire us deeply while still being human, flawed, and worthy of scrutiny.

Because maybe our job isn't to know whether our actions will "work."

Maybe our job is simply to ask:

What is mine to do?

I also talk about the guilt I've felt when I couldn't attend every protest or participate in every way I wanted to—and how I've come to see this podcast itself as a form of civic engagement. Creating space for people to tell their stories, asking questions, staying curious, and encouraging others to participate are all ways of showing up.

And then I share something that surprised me:

Watching my local school board and town meetings has actually given me hope.

When the national political landscape feels overwhelming, there's something incredibly grounding about watching people in your own community sit around a table, disagree, listen, reassess, and work toward the common good.

Sometimes it's not glamorous.

Sometimes it's downright boring.

But there are adults in the room.

And maybe we need to remember that.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why I wanted to be Mother Teresa as a child
• The complicated legacy of Mother Teresa and what it taught me about heroes
• Why service and compassion have always been central to my worldview
• The guilt of having a comfortable life while other people are struggling
• Why I believe privilege comes with a responsibility to care
• Learning to act without attachment to the outcome
• Why criticism and disagreement have humbled me
• The importance of being willing to say, "I didn't know that"
• Why this podcast has become my own form of civic participation
• What I've learned from watching local school board and town meetings
• Technology, phones, and finding balance for our children
• Local budgets, property taxes, grants, and the surprisingly fascinating world of town government
• Why zooming in on our own communities can give us hope when the national picture feels overwhelming
• Finding your own way to serve

A question for you:

What is yours to do?

You don't have to change the entire world.

You don't have to attend every protest or have all the answers.

But where are you being called to show up?

Maybe it's a town meeting.

Maybe it's your child's school.

Maybe it's volunteering.

Maybe it's having a difficult conversation.

Maybe it's simply paying attention.

I'd love to hear what your version of showing up looks like.

Continue the work with me

If you're feeling called to turn inward and explore your own healing, I have several opportunities coming up:

Reiki I — September 12–13
Learn the foundations of Reiki with a focus on self-Reiki and self-healing.

Reiki I — October 10–11
Another opportunity to begin your Reiki journey and develop a deeper relationship with your own energy.

Weekly Healing Circles — Thursdays in September | 6:30–7:30 PM
A space to slow down, connect, breathe, and heal in community.

Women's Witch Retreat — September 25–27 | Salem & Rockport, MA
Only 2 spots remain for this intimate weekend of ritual, yoga, magic, connection, and intention-setting.

Find all upcoming events and registration information at Amanda Bryan Therapy.

Keep showing up.

Keep asking questions.

Keep listening.

Keep learning.

And remember:

You don't have to change the entire world. You just have to be willing to care about the part of it that's right in front of you.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

What if making a difference in your community starts with something much smaller than running for office?

In this episode of That's What She Said, Amanda sits down with her first guest in this new series exploring the intersection of community, democracy, and civic engagement. Kaitlyn is a longtime volunteer, parent advocate, and elected budget committee member who shares how one seemingly small issue—trying to make an inclusive playground truly accessible—sparked a journey into local politics and community leadership.

Together, Amanda and Kaitlyn discuss what it really looks like to become involved in your town, why local government matters more than most people realize, and how ordinary people can make an extraordinary impact simply by paying attention and speaking up.

This conversation isn't about being a political expert. It's about finding the courage to use your voice.

In this episode, we explore:

• How one accessibility issue became the catalyst for civic engagement
• Why local politics affects our daily lives more than we often realize
• The surprising power of attending your first town or school board meeting
• Moving beyond self-doubt and learning to trust your voice
• Advocating for public education and inclusive communities
• Why courage grows every time we choose to participate
• The importance of community over complacency
• How civic engagement can become part of your spiritual practice

One of Kaitlyn's biggest takeaways:

Amanda also reflects on listening to her own local school board meeting for the first time and realizing something unexpected: despite political differences, there are still adults showing up, listening, debating, and working toward solutions together.

The episode closes with a tarot reading that beautifully mirrors Kaitlyn's journey of transformation—from personal hardship to meaningful service—and reminds us that new beginnings often emerge from the moments that challenge us the most.

Resources Mentioned

• Five Calls – Find your representatives and make your voice heard: https://5calls.org
• NH Deserves Better – Learn about New Hampshire candidates and legislation: https://nhdeservesbetter.com
• New Hampshire Bridge Brigade for Democracy – Find peaceful community actions and bridge events: https://nhbbd.org

Connect with Amanda

Visit Amanda Bryan Therapy for retreats, Reiki trainings, yoga classes, and upcoming events:
https://www.amandabryantherapy.com

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that their voice matters.

Because democracy isn't something we watch.

It's something we practice.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In this episode, Amanda explores the theory that the healthiest societies — like the healthiest bodies — require integration, not opposition. Drawing on her identity crisis during COVID, her 14 years as a holistic practitioner, and her roots in New Hampshire, she makes the case for a 'beautiful marriage' between market economies and strong social investment — and gives listeners a concrete, week-by-week civic action plan specific to NH.

Runtime: ~35–40 minutes

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE

• The identity crisis of COVID — and why the 'burn it all down' response isn't the prescription
• The false binary between capitalism and socialism — and who benefits from that framing
• Post-WWII America and the conditions that actually created the middle class
• What Norway, Denmark, and Germany actually look like — and what 'social democracy' really means
• New Hampshire's specific political landscape: the housing crisis, mental health access gap, school funding inequity, and the Free State Project
• A week-by-week civic action plan designed specifically for NH residents
• How the wellness and healing community can step into civic leadership

NH CIVIC RESOURCES — START HERE

Find Your Legislators

Find Your NH State Representative — gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members — Select your town to find your rep and their contact info

Find Your NH State Senator — gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members — Select your town to find your senator

NH General Court (full legislature site) — gencourt.state.nh.us — Track bills, committee hearings, and the legislative calendar

Organizations Worth Knowing

NH Listens — nhlistens.org — Nonpartisan civic dialogue initiative at UNH. A safe, structured way to start engaging across differences.

Open Democracy NH — opendemocracynh.org — Focused on campaign finance reform, voting rights, and government transparency. Nonpartisan 501(c)(3).

Granite State Progress — granitestateprogress.org — Progressive policy advocacy and communications hub covering education, healthcare, gun safety, and more.

NH Progressive Source List (comprehensive org directory) — A full alphabetical list of NH advocacy organizations compiled by Granite State Progress — find the issue area that calls to you.

League of Women Voters of New Hampshire — lwvnh.org — Nonpartisan voter empowerment organization with local chapters across NH.

Current Issues to Watch in NH

These are the live issues where citizen voices are actively moving the needle right now:

• Workforce housing legislation — bipartisan urgency, real momentum
• Mental health system reform — NH is under legislative pressure over psychiatric access gaps
• Medicaid expansion — NH expanded it, but it comes up for renewal; showing up matters
• School funding equity reform — a long fight but a generational one worth joining
• Voting rights — Open Democracy NH recently won a landmark federal case blocking restrictive voter registration law HB 1569

YOUR WEEK-BY-WEEK CIVIC WELLNESS PLAN

Treat this like a new practice. Small, consistent action creates real change — in a body and in a community.

1. Week 1: Find out who your NH state rep is at gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members. Just learn their name.
2. Week 2: Sign up for one local organization's newsletter (NH Listens, Open Democracy NH, or Granite State Progress).
3. Week 3: Attend one public meeting — selectmen, school board, or city council. Just watch. It will demystify everything.
4. Month 2: Write one email or call your state rep about an issue you care about. NH legislators respond.
5. Month 3: Bring one person with you. Healing happens in community. So does civic change.

BOOKS MENTIONED & RECOMMENDED

Political Economy & History

• The Great Transformation by Karl Polanyi — the foundational argument that unregulated markets destroy the social fabric they depend on
• A Theory of Justice by John Rawls — the philosophical case for a just society built on fairness, not just freedom
• Strangers in Their Own Land by Arlie Hochschild — essential reading for understanding the divide with empathy rather than judgment

For Understanding What Works Elsewhere

• The Nordic Secret by Lene Rachel Andersen & Tomas Björkman — how Scandinavian countries built both prosperity and social trust
• Winner-Take-All Politics by Jacob Hacker & Paul Pierson — the documented story of how US policy shifted toward the wealthy over 40 years

CONNECT WITH AMANDA

• Website: amandabryantherapy.com
• Studio: SoNew Yoga, Merrimack, NH
• Podcast: That's What She Said — available wherever you listen
• If this episode resonated, share it with someone who's frustrated but doesn't know where to start. That's who this was for.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever been in a country where you don’t speak the language — and somehow still got your point across? That’s energy healing. You’re already doing it. Reiki just teaches you to speak it fluently.

In this episode, we’re diving deep into one of my most passionate topics: **Reiki.** What it actually is, what the science says, and why I believe this practice belongs in every single person’s life. Whether you’re brand new to the concept or you’ve been curious for years, this one’s for you.

I’m also sharing details about my upcoming **April 11th & 12th Reiki trainings** — and why I think you should be there

What We Cover

- The analogy that finally makes Reiki *click* — think: traveling abroad, language barriers, and a 603 area code

- What Reiki actually is — the history, the Japanese roots, and how it works

- The science behind energy healing (yes, there are real studies — we go there)

- **Reiki I vs. Reiki II:** what each level is really about and why we never rush the process

- Why you might already be doing energy healing without knowing it

- The truth about energetic transference — and why training protects you

- Myth-busting: Does it require belief? Is it religious? Can you hurt someone?

- The 5 Reiki Principles — a simple daily practice that can shift everything

Science & Studies Mentioned

- Research on **electromagnetic fields emitted from practitioners’ hands** — measured in the same frequency range (0.3–30 Hz) used by medical PEMF devices

- **2019 meta-analysis** in the *Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine* — Reiki shown more effective than placebo for pain, anxiety, fatigue, and mood

- **2010 study** in the *Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine* — Reiki produced significant reductions in anxiety and improvements in heart rate variability

- The **NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health** recognizes Reiki research

- Reiki programs at **Yale, Johns Hopkins, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center**

 Upcoming Reiki Trainings

I would love to see you in person this April. These are small, intimate trainings — you’ll receive your attunement, practice with the group, and leave with a manual and a practice you can use that same night.

**Reiki I — Self Healing**

 April 11th + April 12th

*Perfect for beginners. No experience needed. This level is all about you — learning to practice Reiki on yourself for healing, grounding, and self-care.*

REGISTER HERE 

Questions? Just DM me — I mean it. I’d rather answer a hundred questions than have you talk yourself out of something that could change your life.

Connect With Me

- Instagram: @amandabryantherapy

- Website: https://www.amandabryantherapy.com/

- Email: [email protected]

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

We are not living in normal times—and your body knows it.

In this episode, Amanda explores collective trauma: what it is, why so many of us feel anxious, reactive, or exhausted, and how prolonged stress impacts the nervous system and our sense of safety. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, come back into the body, and take responsibility for our own healing in the most loving, compassionate way.

Through personal stories, energetic insight, and grounded spiritual wisdom, Amanda shares how what we see on the outside is often a reflection of what’s happening within, why self-healing practices like Reiki matter more than ever, and how tending to our own energy is an act of both personal and collective care.

This episode also explores the role of selfless service—a core teaching found across ancient traditions—as a path back to meaning, connection, and true happiness.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure how to stay human in an inhumane world, this episode is for you.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• What collective trauma is and how it shows up in daily life
• Why so many people feel on edge, anxious, or emotionally raw right now
• How trauma lives in the body—not just the mind
• The connection between energy, personal responsibility, and lived experience
• Why Reiki and self-healing practices help regulate the nervous system
• How embodiment supports healing during uncertain times
• The role of selfless service in restoring meaning and connection
• Why returning to our roots—community, ritual, presence, humanity—matters

Key Takeaways:

• You are not broken—you are responding normally to abnormal conditions
• Healing doesn’t require fixing yourself, but listening to yourself
• Nervous system regulation is essential in times of collective stress
• What we tend internally shapes how we experience the external world
• Acts of compassion and service are powerful medicine—for ourselves and others

Resources & Offerings Mentioned:

• Reiki & self-healing practices
• Embodiment and nervous system regulation
• Ongoing workshops and healing spaces with Amanda
   (Details shared at the end of the episode)

Reflection Prompt for Listeners:

Where in your life are you being invited to slow down, come back into your body, and take loving responsibility for your own well-being?

Closing Reminder:

Healing the collective begins with tending the self—gently, honestly, and with compassion.

Learn More about Lucy and Violet:

https://violetleclaire.com/

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Amanda dives into one of the most common questions she hears from parents:

“If we don’t practice a religion… what do we teach our kids about life, death, intuition, and meaning?”

Whether you’re spiritual-but-not-religious, deconstructing old beliefs, or simply wanting to raise emotionally intelligent, intuitive children in a grounded way — this episode will give you clarity, language, and confidence.

Amanda explores the developmental psychology behind intuitive children, how to talk about spirituality without fear or dogma, and how nature can become a family’s greatest teacher. She shares personal stories from her own children, practical tools for grounding intuitive kids, and guidance on breaking your own inherited religious fear cycle.

This is a warm, grounding episode filled with wisdom, real-life examples, and permission to let your child trust themselves.

 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• The developmental stages that support spiritual openness
• Why kids are naturally connected to intuition, energy, and symbolism
• How adults unintentionally close that channel

 How to talk to kids when you don’t follow a religion

• Explaining beliefs using the “paths on a mountain” metaphor
• Teaching children all belief systems instead of choosing one
• Encouraging kids to trust what resonates with their soul

 Nature & love as a spiritual foundation

• How Amanda uses gardening, seasons, and cycles to teach her children about life and death
• Real conversations Amanda has had with her kids about grief, heaven, and reincarnation

What psychology says about children’s spirituality

• How kids understand big concepts before age 12
• Why imagination, symbolism, and sensory experience help them feel safe
• How to support spiritual development without indoctrination

Practical tools for grounding intuitive kids

• Language to normalize intuition
• Supporting kids who sense energy or feel other people’s emotions
• How to respond when they say they’re scared or “felt something”

 Breaking your own fear cycle

• How your religious upbringing affects your parenting
• Moving from fear-based to curiosity-based spirituality
• Giving kids permission to evolve their beliefs over time

A guided grounding moment (perfect to replay with your kids!)

 27:00 – Guided grounding practice

Books Mentioned:

• Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution — Cat Bohannon
  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706822/eve-by-cat-bohannon/
  
  
• Who Cooked the Last Supper? The Women’s History of the World — Rosalind Miles
  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/117073/who-cooked-the-last-supper-by-rosalind-miles/
  
  

Amanda’s Yoga Studio + Offerings:

• https://www.amandabryantherapy.com
  
  
• https://www.sonewyoga.com
  
  ENJOYING THE PODCAST?

If this episode supported you, please share it with another intuitive parent or someone raising children in this new era of consciousness. Your shares help this show grow and help other families feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

In this heartfelt return to the podcast, Amanda opens up about life’s recent heaviness, the overwhelm of the world, and the deep grief of losing her beloved Reiki master, Lourdes Grey. She shares the powerful impact Lourdes and her husband John Grey (one of Hawayo Takata’s original Reiki students) had on her spiritual path and how their teachings continue to shape her work today.

Amanda speaks openly about what she experiences as a medium — what really happens when we die, why our souls choose to come to Earth, and the beautiful frequency of the other side. She explores how grounding in nature and practicing gratitude can raise our vibration, making it easier to feel the presence of loved ones who have passed.

This episode includes a gentle guided meditation to help you sit with grief, soften your heart, and allow gratitude to rise.

Topics include:
• Grief, loss, and spiritual lineage
• What mediums experience about the afterlife
• How gratitude lifts our vibration
• Nature as a grounding anchor
• Feeling loved ones in higher frequency
• A guided meditation for grief + gratitude

Perfect for anyone navigating grief, seeking grounding, or craving a deeper understanding of the soul’s journey.

https://www.amandabryantherapy.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@amandabryan2326

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome back to That’s What She Said! In this episode, I dive into what I’m calling the Lilith Era—a time when women are no longer shrinking into “little lady” stereotypes, but reclaiming our power as creators, leaders, and warriors.

We’ll explore:
 ✨ Who Lilith really was—and why her story was rewritten to demonize feminine power.
 ✨ The biology of women’s strength, endurance, and emotional intelligence under pressure.
 ✨ Historical and modern societies that flourished under female leadership.
 ✨ The myth of “fragile, emotional women” vs. the reality of emotional intelligence in leadership.
 ✨ Real examples of women warriors—from Vikings to the Dahomey Amazons to resistance fighters.
 ✨ How reclaiming feminine energy could rebalance politics, culture, and community today.

I’ll also share personal reflections on strength, community, and what it means to truly step into your Lilith energy.

Resources & References

📚 Books

• Rosalind Miles, Who Cooked the Last Supper? The Women’s History of the World
  
  
• Cat Bohannon, Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution
  
  

📰 Articles & Research

• Washington Post – Why women may be stronger than you think
  
  
• Harvard Business Review – Research: Women are better leaders during a crisis
  
  
• PMC Study – Stress and decision-making: gender differences
  
  
• Duke CE – Women perform well under pressure
  
  

🌍 Cultural & Historical References

• Mosuo society, China (Kingdom of Women)
  
  
• Minangkabau, Indonesia – world’s largest matrilineal society
  
  
• Iroquois Confederacy – Clan Mothers
  
  
• Viking warrior woman discovery, Birka, Sweden
  
  
• Dahomey Amazons (Agojie)
  
  

🎙️ Past Episode Connection

• That’s What She Said Podcast Archive
  
  

Connect with Me

🌐 amandabryantherapy.com

🌐 sonewyoga.com

📸 Instagram: @amandabryantherapy

🕊️ Bluesky: @amandabryantherapy

✨ If this episode inspired you, share it with someone who needs a reminder of their power. And if you’re local to Merrimack, come join me in the studio—we’re building community, strength, and healing together.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever felt a whisper of presence—a song that played at just the right time, a sudden scent of perfume, a vivid dream that felt more real than sleep? In this episode, I explore the many ways our loved ones continue to reach out after they’ve passed.

I share my own experiences as a medium, including the story of a powerful Tarot session where language was no barrier to spirit, and how I’ve learned to trust the subtle ways energy communicates. We’ll talk about:

✨ The history of spirit communication and why the longing to connect is universal
 ✨ How charlatans in the Spiritualist movement remind us to use discernment and intuition
 ✨ The many signs loved ones use—dreams, sensations, symbols, scents, and synchronicities
 ✨ How to interpret subtle signs without overthinking them
 ✨ Why children often connect more easily with spirit
 ✨ Holding grief with wonder rather than fear, and letting love be the language that continues

Whether you’re grieving, curious, or simply open to the mystery, this episode invites you to listen with your whole heart.

💌 Let’s Connect

• 🌐 Website & Blog: amandabryantherapy.com
  
  
• 📸 Instagram: @amandabryantherapy
  
  
• 🐦 Bluesky: @amandabryantherapy.bsky.social
  
  
• 📧 Email: [email protected]
  
  

If this episode resonates, please share it with someone you love or leave a review—it helps the podcast reach more people who need it.

And remember: your loved ones may be gone in body, but love doesn’t vanish. It transforms. Pay attention to the whispers.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

💫 Episode Summary:

This week’s Leo New Moon is one of the most powerful of 2025—intense, transformative, and deeply revealing. In this episode, we explore how to stay grounded, clear, and spiritually resilient amidst inner conflict, outer chaos, and global gaslighting.

You’ll learn spiritual and practical tools for inner strength, the deeper astrological themes of this new moon, and how to practice presence and discernment when everything feels polarized.

Whether you’re feeling emotionally overwhelmed or simply want to align with the cosmic energy, this episode will leave you rooted, radiant, and ready to move through change with courage.

🔮 In This Episode, I Cover:

• The Leo New Moon (July 2025): why it’s one of the most significant of the year
• Pluto, Chiron, and Eris transits—and how they stir shadow, wounds, and awakening
• The shadow and light of Leo energy: ego vs courage, control vs devotion
• Spiritual tools for resilience: meditation, gratitude, nature, surrender
• Practical grounding strategies for nervous system support and discernment
• Why staying grounded is essential in a gaslit political landscape
• A closing breathwork + presence ritual to root you in your truth

🌀 Astrology Highlights:

• New Moon in Leo – creativity, courage, leadership, and heart
• Opposite Pluto – power struggles, ego death, transformation
• Square Chiron – wounds around identity and belonging resurfacing
• Square Eris – chaos that disrupts the status quo and demands truth
• Harmonious aspects support Leo’s higher expressions: confidence, generosity, fearless love

🧘🏽‍♀️ Mentioned Practices:

• Root & Rise Ritual for grounding and clarity
• Discernment during media/political gaslighting
• Ways to work with your inner "wildflower strength"
• Journaling + breathwork to embody resilience

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Join my upcoming workshop or class
• Download your Leo New Moon Ritual PDF (optional)
• Follow me on Instagram for daily updates
• Subscribe to my newsletter for monthly astro-spiritual insights

💌 Let’s Connect:

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who needs grounding right now. Tag me in your rituals and reflections—I’d love to hear how you’re working with this moon. 🌕

Support the show