Themes: Control, Surrender, Trust, Trauma, Self-Compassion, Self-Love, Perfectionism, Inner Child, Safety, Healing, Reflection, Self-Discovery

In this solo episode, I invite you to explore your relationship with control. I share my own experience of how hard it is, especially as a trauma survivor, to let go of the idea that there is much I can control in life. I share with you a few days that we can explore this inner narrative of control and how we can start to transform control into surrender and trust in the Universe (or whomever/whatever you believe in). It is very human of us to want to have predictability and certainty in our lives, but there can also be a lot of freedom and liberation in accepting that there isn't much that we can control. I hope you enjoy this episode!

This episode invites you to explore the following questions:

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Self-Compassion, Cycles, Art, Creativity, Painting, Messiness, Healing, Inner Work, Self-Discovery, Self-Love, Surrender, Grief

In this episode, I am joined by Nora van den Berg  (@nora_vandenberg), an artist, mama of two boys, and an explorer in the magic and mystical of life. Her work and life are deeply rooted in celebrating the mystery of our soul's evolution by expressing it through the touch of a paintbrush. In this conversation, we go into how, even in the darkest and messiest phases in life, we can choose to walk along the path of our heart and soul. We then geek out together on how, for those of us who bleed monthly, our sacred moon cycles help us honor the seasons of our days, months, and years. Nora then goes into how art, somatics, & creativity has helped her personally move through grief & difficulties in her life. She shares how it is important for us during these tough times to connect to what is happening INSIDE our bodies instead of attaching to the stories that appear in our minds. We finish off the conversation by exploring how we can move with the currents & flow of life and use practices like painting to express what is happening in our inner worlds & help us connect to the magic that's already within all of us. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it!! 

This episode invites you to explore the following questions:

References In The Episode:

You can connect to Nora by going to her:

Website: https://linktr.ee/noravandenberg

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

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Self-Compassion, Self-Love, Trauma, Inner Child, Safety, Healing, Reflection, Self-Discovery, Intention, Boundaries, Mindfulness, Media

In this solo episode, I share my thoughts on how we could all reflect a little more on WHAT and WHO we are allowing into our lives. With Halloween season approaching, I share my own story of how I recently crossed my own boundaries by consuming too much negative and scary content that ended up activating my nervous system in unhealthy ways. I explore how we can tune into our own bodies and notice when we are crossing our own boundaries. I finish the episode by extending this concept into reflecting on who we allow into our lives and how others can affect our nervous system and influence our mindset. I hope you enjoy this episode and are honoring your Inner Child, body, mind, and soul!

This episode invites you to explore the following questions:

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Trauma, Self-Compassion, Inner Child, Safety, Healing, Inner Work, Self-Discovery, Creativity, Art, Slowing Down, Rest

In this episode, I am joined by Hope Carpenter (@hopehealingarts), a multi-disciplinary healing arts practitioner, mentor, writer, and survivor-turned-advocate who has been working in the fields of wellness, spirituality, and intuitive healing for over 12 years. In this conversation, we go into how self-compassion is such an important and sacred part of the journey in healing from trauma. We discuss how telling someone to "get out of their comfort zone" may be more harmful than helpful to a trauma survivor that needs to create and embody more safety. Hope then shares with us how they allow for their Inner Child's joy and creativity to be channeled through setting aside intentional time for stillness, movement, and space. I enjoyed this conversation with Hope and hope you will too!

This episode invites you to explore the following questions:

You can connect to Hope by going to their:

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

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Trauma, Trauma-Informed, Mental Health, Yoga, Somatics, Healing, Inner Work, Self-Discovery, Slowing Down

In this episode, I am joined by Emma Stern, a mental health professional and movement teacher. In this conversation, we go into how uncomfortable change can be and how we can make the most of the "in-between" by slowing down and enjoying life. Emma shares with us what it means to be trauma-informed and how we can get more in touch with our bodies. We then conclude the conversation with discussing how we can all take more steps to create a more trauma-informed world and how, in order to move through discomfort, we need to feel what comes up--there's a reason why we hear the saying, 'You need to feel it to heal it'! 

This episode invites you to explore the following questions:

You can connect to Emma by going to her:

Website: www.emmasternsomatics.com

Mental Health Practice Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metamorphosis.pdx

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmasternsomatics

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Trauma, Healing, Inner Child, Creativity, Play, Self-Awareness, Meditation, Self-Discovery

In this solo episode, I introduce WHO our Inner Child is and WHAT they represent for us: the creative, intuitive, joyful, wondrous, and adventurous part of our whole selves. When we get wounded in childhood as the result of trauma or other challenging experiences, our Inner Child may close off and stay stuck at the age at which we experienced wounding. This can involve many ages, like it does for myself! By developing and connecting to our Inner Child, we can develop a sense of self-trust and, as a result, ENJOY life and have FUN! Meeting my Inner Child and being on a journey of healing my wounded Inner Child has completely changed my life. It has been one of the most powerful practices in my healing journey from trauma to date. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode & are inspired to love, nurture, and play with your own Inner Child. <3

In this episode, I discuss:

Recommended Books For Inner Child Healing

Healing Your Aloneness: Finding Love and Wholeness Through Your Inner Child

The Journey from Abandonment to Healing

Becoming the One: Heal Your Past, Transform Your Relationship Patterns, and Come Home to Yourself

The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Storytelling, Creativity, Words, Connection, Spirituality, Healing, Inner Work, Self-Discovery, Self-Acceptance, Personal Storytelling

In this episode, I am joined by April Bell, who is the founder of Tree of Life Legacies, a wisdom-keeping and storytelling project based in the San Francisco  Bay Area. In this conversation, we go into the healing power of  storytelling and how connection is formed when we choose to share our  experiences and ask others questions. April gives us examples of storytellers and how you can start telling your own story today. What words are you choosing when telling your own story? Do you actively listen to others, especially elders, when they tell their story? There is a lot of beautiful wisdom in this episode, and we hope you enjoy our conversation! :)

In this episode, we discuss:

You can connect to April by going to her:

Website: https://treeoflifelegacies.com/

App Website: https://storycatcher.app/

Purchase Story Prompt Cards: https://treeoflifelegacies.com/legacy-questions/

Soul Forum Podcast: https://soulforumpodcast.com/

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

Referenced In The Episode:

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Art, Creativity, Busyness, Slowing Down, Trauma, Grief, Spirituality, Healing, Self-Discovery, Self-Acceptance

In this episode, I am joined by Amelia Hutchison of Art Therapy In Real Life. Amelia is an artist and art psychotherapist living and working online from the Slocan Valley of British Columbia. We start off the conversation by having Amelia share what art therapy is and how it is a powerful practice to heal from grief and trauma. She shares how art can help us tap into our inner knowing when we don’t have the words to name our experiences and how we can start incorporating art into our healing journeys. We finish the conversation by discussing how we can get wrapped into the pressures of the "hustle culture" and how there is a lot of beauty in slowing down and self-acceptance in meeting ourselves where we are, which art can help with. There is a lot of beautiful wisdom in this episode and we hope you enjoy our conversation! :)

In this episode, we discuss:

• what art therapy is and how you can make art to tap into your inner creativity to heal grief and trauma
• how art can help you create tangible narratives from your mind and body
• how art can be a spiritual practice of tapping into your inner knowing
• how we can get wrapped into the “hustle culture" and how we create space to meet ourselves when we choose to slow down

You can connect to Amelia by going to her:

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@art_therapy_irl

Website: http://arttherapyinreallife.com/

Referenced In The Episode:

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
• The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
• Marlee Grace's website

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Trauma, Healing, Somatic Therapy, Mind-Body, Self-Awareness, Talk Therapy, Yoga, Meditation, Self-Discovery

In this solo episode, I go into my own journey of being in talk therapy and how I knew it wasn't helping me heal where most of my trauma was stored: in my body. Somatic therapy is a type of therapeutic practice that focuses on your body and helps to reconnect your mind and body together--this is very helpful for trauma survivors, those who have PTSD, and/or anyone who is disconnected from their body. Somatic therapy has completely changed my life and has helped me develop a more compassionate and loving relationship with my body. If we take the time to explore what stories, thoughts, sensations, and emotions are stored in our body & nervous system, we can learn to rewire our programming and liberate ourselves from what is holding us back from living our most vibrant & authentic lives. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode & are inspired to love your body even just a little more after listening to it. <3 

In this episode, I discuss:

Recommended Books For Somatic Healing/Trauma

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

Becoming the One: Heal Your Past, Transform Your Relationship Patterns, and Come Home to Yourself by Sheleana Aiyana

Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter Levine

In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness by Peter Levine

The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse by Ellen Bass & Laura Davis

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Themes: Trauma, Addiction, Sobriety, EFT, Spirituality, Somatic Healing, Self-Healing, Self-Love, Self-Discovery

In this episode, I am joined by Kacie Salas of Whole Soul Recovery! Kacie shares how she started her spiritual journey, which involved major traumatic losses and a journey of healing from addiction. Kacie discusses how Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) has been an effective healing tool for tapping (pun intended!) into your physical body, emotions, and subconscious beliefs. We both discuss how trauma lives in your body and how learning to connect and listen to your body is fundamental for releasing trauma and in connecting to your intuition. There is a lot of beautiful wisdom in this episode and we hope you enjoy our conversation!

In this episode, we discuss:

You can connect to Kacie by going to her:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whole.soul.recovery

Holistic Coaching Profile: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/kacie-salas-calpine-ca/954751

Debriefing The Front Lines Website: https://debriefingthefrontlinesinc.org/

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Mental Health Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please dial 9-8-8 (in the USA) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.