Welcome to The Mindfulness Within Podcast, hosted by Gilbert Romero-Mewharter. In this episode, Gilbert is joined by Sung Kim, a therapist working at the intersection of trauma, identity, and liberation. They explore how liberation isn’t a one-time act but an ongoing relationship with ourselves, emphasizing patience, self-awareness, and continual return to our authentic selves.

Gilbert and Sung discuss how internal protectors, exiles, and inherited roles keep us stuck in shame and trauma. They highlight that liberation involves compassionately recognizing these parts, questioning their stories, and creating space for healing—step by step. Mindfulness supports us in noticing and extending kindness to these parts on our journey toward freedom.

Gilbert guides a grounding exercise to connect with your internal parts and their stories—burdens or blessings. This practice encourages curiosity, compassion, and permission for parts to rest and transform. Remember, liberation is a continuous process of relationship and self-acceptance, not a destination. Check out the full episode here: https://youtu.be/9k4ZpEkB-ig

#MindfulnessWithin #InnerHealing #LiberationJourney #InternalFamilySystems #SelfCompassion #TraumaRecovery #CulturalHealing #SelfAwareness

00:00 The Journey of Liberation

05:51 Understanding Internal Captivity

12:12 The Role of Parts in Healing

18:06 Navigating Authentic Identity

23:55 The Importance of Agency

30:00 Community and Liberation

36:09 Mindfulness and Grounding in Liberation

Welcome to The Mindfulness Within Podcast, hosted by Gilbert Romero-Mewharter, a space dedicated to exploring the depths of inner healing and self-awareness. In this episode, Gilbert is honored to welcome Martha Stebbins-Aguiñiga, a bilingual, bicultural therapist, EMDR-certified practitioner, and social justice advocate. Together, they delve into how our cultural identities—race, gender, language, and heritage—shape the parts of ourselves that often go unnoticed. This conversation invites listeners to witness their internal systems with curiosity and compassion, understanding that culture is not just outside influences but an integral part of our internal landscape.

Throughout the episode, Gilbert and Martha discuss how cultural stories and societal messages influence our internal protectors and exiles—those vulnerable parts that carry wounds from early life and legacy burdens. They emphasize that these parts are doing their best to keep us safe, often operating behind the scenes, sometimes with shame or pressure. Martha highlights the importance of approaching these parts with consent, kindness, and curiosity, fostering relationships within ourselves that allow for healing and integration. The episode offers practical insights into how mindfulness and internal family systems work together to honor all parts, especially those shaped by cultural and ancestral histories.

To support your journey inward, Gilbert guides a heartfelt exercise focused on connecting with parts of your cultural identity and internalized voices. This practice encourages you to listen to what your parts have to say—whether they carry pride, pressure, or shame—and to meet them with gratitude and compassion. Remember, your culture lives within you as a collection of stories, memories, and feelings, deserving of kindness and understanding. Thank you for tuning into The Mindfulness Within Podcast—where healing begins with self-awareness and embracing all the parts of who you are.

Full episode here: https://youtu.be/BGzwQIBlnR8

#MindfulnessWithin #InternalFamilySystems #SelfHealing #CulturalIdentity #TraumaHealing #MentalHealth #InnerWork #SelfCompassion

00:00 Cultural Identity and Internal Family Systems

03:09 The Role of Protectors in Therapy

06:03 Consent and Befriending Parts

08:49 Navigating Shame and Vulnerability

12:05 Cultural Messaging and Healing

14:53 The Intersection of Culture and IFS

17:49 Legacy Burdens and Healing

21:05 Possibilities for Growth and Change

23:57 The Healer's Journey

26:53 Cultural Messages and Self-Compassion

29:49 Closing Reflections and Exercises

In this deeply restorative episode of The Mindfulness Within Podcast, host Gilbert Romero-Mewharter invites listeners to connect with one of the most powerful and often misunderstood parts of the inner world: the protector. While the inner critic often takes center stage, our protectors—those that manage, numb, distract, or push—quietly carry the burden of keeping us safe, often without rest or support.

Drawing from the Internal Family Systems (IFS) framework and over 20 years of mindfulness practice, Gilbert explores the distinct roles of manager and firefighter parts. Through real-life examples, he illustrates how behaviors like perfectionism, avoidance, or emotional shutdowns may actually be rooted in long-standing strategies of care. The episode highlights how these parts aren’t dysfunctional—they’re devoted. And with mindful attention, we can learn to meet them with curiosity instead of resistance.

Listeners are also guided through a series of meditative practices to connect with a protector, visualize its form, and uncover the vulnerable part it may be shielding. These gentle exercises create a pathway toward compassion, integration, and healing. Whether you’re new to parts work or already on the journey, this episode offers a nurturing space to deepen your relationship with your inner world.

🌿 Pause, breathe, and listen in.

🔗 Tune in now and subscribe to support our growing community of care: https://youtu.be/OC_Qiso-rH0

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00:00 Introduction to Mindfulness and Protectors

01:36 Understanding Protectors: Managers vs. Firefighters

05:11 The Role of Mindfulness in Relating to Protectors

08:41 Guided Practices for Connecting with Protectors

19:04 Exploring the Exile: What Protectors Guard

22:32 Conclusion: Embracing Your Inner Protectors

In this episode of The Mindfulness Within Podcast, host Gilbert Romero-Mewharter takes us on a powerful journey inward to meet one of the most misunderstood parts of ourselves: the inner critic. Rather than shutting it down, Gilbert invites us to understand its protective role through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the steady presence of mindfulness.

With compassion and clarity, Gilbert helps listeners reframe the inner critic—not as an enemy, but as a part trying to keep us safe. He explains how mindfulness gives us the awareness to notice this part in real time, while IFS allows us to enter into a healing dialogue with it. Through a series of guided exercises, Gilbert shows how to unblend from the critic, build trust with it, and connect with the more vulnerable exiled parts it protects. The result? A shift from internal conflict to internal cooperation—and a step closer to true self-leadership.

If this episode resonated with you, take a moment to explore your inner world with kindness. Watch the full episode of The Mindfulness Within Podcast with Gilbert Romero-Mewharter here: https://youtu.be/kbFmYw7bkX0

#TheMindfulnessWithinPodcast #GilbertRomeroMewharter #InnerCritic #IFS #Mindfulness #SelfLeadership #EmotionalHealing #MentalHealthAwareness #SelfCompassion #TraumaInformedCare #HealingJourney #YouAreEnough

00:00 Understanding the Inner Critic

08:21 Mindfulness Practices for the Inner Critic

18:45 Reparenting and Healing the Inner Self

Welcome to the debut episode of The Mindfulness Within Podcast hosted by Gilbert Romero-Mewharter!

In this first powerful conversation, Gilbert introduces listeners to the intersection of mindfulness and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. With over 20 years of experience working with children, caregivers, and individuals on their healing journeys, Gilbert creates a compassionate space for those seeking to connect with their authentic self and cultivate lasting inner peace.

In this episode, Gilbert unpacks the fundamentals of IFS, explaining how our mind is made up of different "parts" — some nurturing, others protective or reactive — and how mindfulness can help us approach these parts with curiosity and compassion. Through thoughtful guidance and grounding exercises, listeners will explore how to observe inner experiences without judgment, build self-leadership, and foster healing from within. Gilbert's approachable style makes complex psychological concepts easy to understand and apply, making this a must-listen for anyone interested in personal growth and emotional wellness.

Take a deep breath and start your journey inward with The Mindfulness Within Podcast. Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/oaW4B2IRxaw

#TheMindfulnessWithinPodcast #GilbertRomeroMewharter #Mindfulness #InternalFamilySystems #IFS #SelfHealing #EmotionalWellness #MentalHealthAwareness #SelfCare #InnerPeace

00:00 Introduction to Mindfulness and IFS

02:55 Understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS)

06:01 Mindfulness Practices for Inner Parts

09:04 Cultivating Compassion for Exiled Parts

12:07 Self-Leadership and Integration