In this episode of The Reclamation Room, raw authenticity reigns as we meet a guest who is open-hearted and unafraid to confront her past. Ashana and guest Devorah Brinckerhoff candidly explore the profound impact of unresolved trauma, discuss the nuance and complexities of navigating relationships after betrayal, the journey of self-discovery along the way, and the power of art as a therapeutic outlet.   

About Devorah

A professional artist based in Oregon, Devorah developed a unique healing methodology known as Soul Portraits. This innovative approach combines artistic expression with deep spiritual and emotional work to help people transform trauma into empowerment. Devorah is passionate about serving as a transformational guide, instructing others through their own powerful creation of Soul Portraits.

Connect With Devorah!

Website: https://soulportrait.art/

Facebook: ⁠ / deborah.brinckerhoff   

TikTok: / @soulportrait.art 

Instagram: ⁠⁠ / devorahbrinckerhoff

Key Takeaways

• Art can be a powerful outlet for trauma.

• Creativity is a means of connecting with oneself.

• Personal stories of trauma can resonate with others.

• Navigating relationships can be complex after trauma.

• Healing is a journey that often involves facing difficult truths.

• Family dynamics can complicate the healing process.

• Forgiveness is a personal journey, not a requirement.

• Self-acceptance is crucial in the healing process.

• Art can help express emotions that are difficult to put into words.

• Creating soul portraits can facilitate personal healing.

Join the Community 

💛 Join my ⁠free weekly women’s call⁠ on Tuesdays to go deeper and experience live coaching.

⁠https://www.yournorthstarrising.com/weekly-womens-circle

To Support the Show:

Rate, follow, and share The Reclamation Room with your friends. And always comment to let us know if you have feedback!

Thanks for listening. 💛

Be a guest on the show, or invite me onto yours:

⁠⁠Message me on ⁠Podmatch⁠!⁠

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/ashana

Brief mention of self-harm is present in this episode. If you or someone you know is struggling or thinking about suicide or facing a mental health crisis, you’re not alone.
Help is available 24/7. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or chat online at 988lifeline.org.

In this episode of the Reclamation Room, we meet the world-renowned Love Doctor (Anil Gupta), and navigate the quest of reclaiming happiness no matter the difficulties of our past, our present, and discuss the secrets to solidifying a happy and purposeful future.

Throughout this enlightening conversation, we get to know more about Anil Gupta’s personal journey to becoming the Love Doctor: from his battle with self-harm and being suicidal, his wife’s integral part in promoting his life changing path to healing and happiness, and how to recognize the formula to a lasting relationship from the very start. The conversation culminates in a powerful message about being the light in the world, the power of recognizing your own self-worth, and making a difference in the lives of others. You will not want to miss this one!

About the Love Doctor

The Love Doctor (Anil Gupta) is a relationship expert and coach and the great mind behind the Happiness Formula, The Happiness Test, the Relationship Score and the Relationship Ratio; Gupta is also an international best-selling author of 3 books. He has spoken in the presence of royalty, presidents, including world leaders such as the Dalai Lama. Additionally, Gupta has shared the stage alongside the likes of figures such as Les Brown, Richard Branson, Marcus Lemonis, Daymond John, Sharon Lechter. 

Key Takeaways:

• The Love Doctor is on a mission to reach a billion people through love and positivity.

• Humility is a muscle that needs to be exercised regularly.

• Healthy relationships are built on integrity, love, and emotional health.

• Forgiveness is crucial for personal growth and healing.

• Collecting data is essential in making informed choices about relationships.

• You are valuable regardless of what others say or do.

• Kindness can make a significant difference in someone's day.

• Self-worth is intrinsic and cannot be diminished by external opinions.

Connect With the Love Doctor!

Website: https://meetanil.com/ 

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnilLoveDoc 

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anilgupta-lovedoctor/ 

Join the Community

💛 Join my ⁠free weekly women’s call⁠ on Tuesdays to go deeper and experience live coaching.

Weekly Women's Circle

To Support the Show:

Rate, follow, and share The Reclamation Room with your friends. And always comment to let us know if you have feedback!

Thanks for listening. 💛

Be a guest on the show, or invite me onto yours:

⁠Message me on ⁠Podmatch⁠!⁠

In this episode of The Reclamation Room, I’m sitting down with Wendy Alexander, author of Internal Uprising and founder of Happy Career Hub.

Wendy’s story is powerful. She grew up through the worst years of apartheid in South Africa, then moved to Australia where her first job ended in an armed robbery. Later, after escaping an abusive relationship, she started over completely as a single mom. And through all of that, she found her way back to herself.

Now, through her writing and her work, Wendy helps women who’ve felt silenced by trauma learn to trust themselves again, reclaim their identity, and start fresh with clarity. We talk about the quiet kind of resilience that doesn’t always get seen, how writing can help you heal, and how important it is to have people around you who remind you of your strength when you forget.

Key Takeaways:

- Resilience grows through openness and self-trust
- Writing can help you process and reconnect with your truth
- Supportive voices matter more than we realize!
- Starting over doesn’t erase your past. It integrates it.
- Healing takes time, patience, and compassion
- You can rebuild your life at any stage
- Strength doesn’t mean hard. It can look soft too!

Connect with Wendy:

Website: happycareerhub.com
LinkedIn: wendyaalexander

Join the Community + Support the Show

Join my free weekly women’s call on Tuesdays to go deeper and experience live coaching. We also have a private community where the conversation continues.

Rate the show: If this episode spoke to you, please consider following The Reclamation Room, give it a 5-star rating, and share it with a friend who might need this reminder. It helps us grow and keeps these conversations going.

Be a guest on the show or invite me onto yours: Message me on Podmatch!

Thanks for listening! 💛

In this episode of The Reclamation Room, I’m talking about the heavy shame that shows up after betrayal, the “how could I have been so stupid,” “why did I trust them,” “I can’t believe I wasted years” kind of shame.

I share why those thoughts make sense, how they’re your brain trying to find safety, and why the part of you that loved with an open heart is not the problem. That tender, generous version of you is sacred. She deserves protection and care, not punishment. We’ll talk about how to hold boundaries without hardening, how to turn regret into wisdom, and how to come home to the self who still believes in love.

You’ll walk away with simple, grounded practices to move from self-blame to self-respect, protect your open heart, and rebuild trust with yourself.

Key Takeaways:
• Shame after betrayal is a signal, not a verdict.
• My open heart isn’t what failed me. Manipulation did.
• Boundaries are love in action.
• Self-compassion turns regret into wisdom.
• I didn’t waste years. I learned what love isn’t.
• I can stay soft and still be safe.
• The part of me that trusted still deserves care.

Join the Community + Support the Work💛 Join my ⁠free weekly women’s call⁠ on Tuesdays to go deeper and experience live coaching! We also have a private community where the conversation continues. You can find me any time at WayHomeWellness.com.

Rate the show: Please give this show a follow, rate it out of 5 stars, and share with a friend or loved one who you know might love it! This helps us reach more viewers and get more conversations happening around healing, learning, and love.

Be a guest on the show, or invite me onto yours: Message me on ⁠Podmatch⁠!

In this episode of The Reclamation Room, we’re talking about what it really looks like to come home to your body when hormones, thyroid health, and everyday stress have taken a toll.

Kate Gregory shares her story of navigating hormone and thyroid challenges, and how learning to listen to her body changed everything. We dive into how thyroid and adrenal health are deeply connected, the pressure women carry, and why self-compassion is a powerful part of healing.

You’ll walk away with simple, holistic tools to support your energy, mood, and sense of balance, without overcomplicating your wellness.

About Kate
Kate Gregory is a Women’s Holistic Hormone Practitioner who helps women fix their periods, boost their energy, and actually feel good again. She lives in Texas with her husband and three kiddos and loves rewatching The Office or spending time outdoors.

Key Takeaways:
• Thyroid and adrenal health are deeply connected.
• Understanding your body is an act of self trust.
• Rest and self compassion are medicine, not luxuries.
• Holistic healing helps you reclaim your energy and voice.
• Being a woman isn’t a burden, it’s a superpower.

Resources Mentioned
📚 Anne of Green Gables — a story of innocence, imagination, and finding belonging.
📚 The Nightingale — a reminder of women’s resilience and quiet strength.

Connect With Kate
Mini-course: Energy Reboot (use code RECLAIM for 20% off)
https://www.queenbeehormonehealth.com/energy-reboot

Free private podcast: Understanding Your Hormones
https://www.queenbeehormonehealth.com/private-podcast

Instagram: @queenbeehormonehealth
Email: [email protected]

Join the Community + Support the Work
💛 Join my free weekly women’s call on Tuesdays to go deeper and experience live coaching.
💜 Support our mission with Break the Silence Alabama:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ashana/bring-real-survivor-stories-to-national-tv

Be a guest on the show, or invite me onto yours: Message me on Podmatch!

In this episode of The Reclamation Room, we’re getting honest about what it really feels like to handle conflict when you’ve been through narcissistic abuse.

It’s not about “winning” or keeping the peace at any cost! It’s about staying grounded, protecting your energy, and choosing what actually serves you.

I’ll walk you through the PACE Method, a simple framework to help you move through hard conversations without losing yourself. We’ll talk about what it means to slow down, check your reality, and speak from self worth instead of survival mode.

Conflict doesn’t have to mean chaos. You can handle it with clarity, compassion, and confidence, and I hope this episode will help you get there.

Key Takeaways

• You don’t have to fear conflict — it can actually be a place for growth.

• Pause to get grounded before reacting.

• Assess what’s really happening, not what your fear is saying.

• Communicate your boundaries calmly and clearly.

• Exit or Engage intentionally — both are powerful choices.

• Your worth doesn’t disappear in conflict; it shows up when you honor your peace.

• Confidence in conflict comes with practice, awareness, and support.

  
  

  💛 Join my ⁠free weekly women’s call⁠ on Tuesdays to dive deeper into these topics and experience coaching in real time

  If this conversation resonates, please subscribe and leave a rating. It helps The Reclamation Room reach more women reclaiming their emotional power.

  💜 If this podcast and my work with Break the Silence Alabama speaks to you, you can support our mission by contributing to our Kickstarter campaign to bring survivor stories to national television: ⁠https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ashana/bring-real-survivor-stories-to-national-tv⁠ Every pledge, share, and word of encouragement helps amplify this mission. Thank you for being part of the movement to break the silence. 💜

  Be a guest on the show: message me on ⁠PodMatch⁠!

In this episode of The Reclamation Room, I’m sitting down with Amanda Baker to explore a topic that’s at the heart of so many of our healing journeys: the complex relationship between empathy and narcissism.

If you’ve ever felt drained, confused, or triggered by someone’s behaviors and wondered why you keep showing up the way you do, this conversation is for you.

We get into how both empaths and narcissists often stem from similar wounds, why curiosity is such a powerful tool for growth, and how therapy and relational healing can guide us toward reclaiming our emotional lives.

Here’s what we explore together:
✨ How empaths and narcissists can share the same core wounds
✨ Why both patterns are rooted in protection, not malice
✨ Recognizing your own patterns as a key step toward healing
✨ Using curiosity instead of fear to break destructive cycles
✨ The difference between validating your feelings versus rescuing yourself
✨ Coping mechanisms, how they help and how they can hurt
✨ Why therapy is not just about feeling better but learning how to feel fully
✨ Connecting with others for relational growth
✨ Becoming curious with both your shadow and light for holistic healing

This episode might feel a little intense, but leaning into discomfort is where transformation happens. When we start noticing our patterns with curiosity and compassion, that’s when real healing begins.

💛 Join my free weekly women’s call on Tuesdays to dive deeper into these topics and experience coaching in real time

If this conversation resonates, please subscribe and leave a rating. It helps The Reclamation Room reach more women reclaiming their emotional power.

💜 Connect with Amanda Baker
Website: amandabakerwrites.com

💜 Support the Movement
If this podcast and my work with Break the Silence Alabama speaks to you, you can support our mission by contributing to our Kickstarter campaign to bring survivor stories to national television: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ashana/bring-real-survivor-stories-to-national-tv
Every pledge, share, and word of encouragement helps amplify this mission. Thank you for being part of the movement to break the silence. 💜

Be a guest on the show: message me on PodMatch!

In this solo episode of The Reclamation Room, I’m diving into one of the most misunderstood (and honestly, probably triggering) parts of healing and relationships: the fine line between setting a boundary, being a doormat, and unconsciously trying to manipulate the other person.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I holding a boundary or am I being abusive, too?” this one’s for you.

We’ll explore how self-accountability isn’t about shaming yourself, but about developing the awareness that leads to real discernment: something many of us didn’t learn if we grew up around chaos, narcissism, or emotional immaturity.

Here’s what we get into:
✨ Why awareness must come before healthy boundaries
✨ The sneaky ways we can manipulate situations (even when our intentions are good)
✨ How self-compassion helps you face your “unregulated” or “unpolished” parts
✨ What real discernment might look like when you’re learning to trust yourself again
✨ The difference between setting a boundary to protect peace vs. control to receive connection
✨ How to protect your needs without losing your dignity, patience, or softness

This episode might make you a little uncomfortable.. and that’s the point. Growth comes outside of the comfort zone, right?
When we start getting curious about why we do what we do, but with self-compassion rather than judgment, that’s when transformation happens.

If you’re ready to get radically self-honest, deepen your self-awareness, and learn how to hold space for both your needs and your humanity, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

💛 Join my free weekly women’s call on Tuesdays to explore these topics in community, and get a feel for how I coach in real time.

And if this episode resonates, please hit subscribe or leave a quick rating! It helps The Reclamation Room reach more women who are reclaiming their truth, one boundary at a time.

💜 Support the MovementIf this podcast and my work with Break the Silence Alabama speaks to you, I’d love your support. We’re currently running a Kickstarter campaign to help bring survivor stories to national television: raising awareness, inspiring healing, and creating real change around domestic violence recovery.

You can learn more and contribute here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ashana/bring-real-survivor-stories-to-national-tv

Every share, pledge, and word of encouragement helps amplify this mission. Thank you for being part of this movement to break the silence. 💜

In this episode of The Reclamation Room, I’m joined by my dear friend Sonya Luna: a life coach, acupuncturist, and one of the most authentic & hilarious humans I know. She actually invites me to share part of my story in this episode! So much fun. Join us as we sit down for a powerful conversation about healing from narcissistic abuse.

If you’ve ever questioned your reality, felt stuck in a trauma bond you know isn’t healthy, or struggled to trust yourself again after gaslighting and manipulation, you’re not alone. This conversation goes right to the heart of what makes recovery so complex, and why it’s also so profoundly transformative.

Here’s what we get into:

• Why cognitive dissonance keeps us stuck (and how to start breaking free)

• How the trauma bond forms and what it actually takes to untangle from it

• The deeper layers of the “mother wound” and disconnection from the divine feminine

• How your body’s wisdom can guide you through healing

• Small, practical ways to rebuild self-trust, self-love, and sovereignty

We also talk about how narcissistic abuse isn’t just an individual issue: it’s a reflection of a larger cultural disconnection from empathy, intuition, and nature. Healing yourself ripples outward. 💛

If you’re in the messy middle of untangling from abuse or learning to love yourself again, this episode is a reminder that you’re not broken: you’re reclaiming.

And if this conversation resonates with you, please hit subscribe or leave a rating. It helps this space reach the women who need it most. 💛

In this episode of The Reclamation Room, I’m talking about something called chronotrauma: the way trauma messes with our sense of time. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the past, trapped or restless in the present, or like future dreams might not even exist for you, you’re not alone. That’s what chronotrauma feels like.

The good news is, our brains are designed for change! Healing really is possible. And it doesn’t take giant leaps- it takes small, steady steps that add up over time.

Here’s what we’ll get into:

• How trauma can distort the way we experience past, present, and future

• What it looks like to actually map out your timeline for clarity

• Simple tools to anchor yourself in the present when you feel stuck

• Why resilience builds slowly, and why that’s a good thing

If you’ve ever wondered why time feels different after trauma, or how to reclaim your timeline so you can move forward, this one’s for you. 💛

And if something here lands for you, go ahead and hit subscribe or drop a rating! It helps this little corner of the internet find the people who need it most. Thanks for being here.

References mentioned in this episode:

The Body Keeps the Score

My Weekly Women's Call

A few of the articles I mentioned in my research:

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