When We Speak

" I know what real looks like and as a trauma survivor...I also know what healing looks like."Today's interview is with Jackie Roby. Jackie details her story of surviving childhood sexual trauma, coping with family secrets, PTSD, and her journey to finding freedom from the shame and secrecy. Jackie's career in the travel industry led her to the world of wellness travel and healing retreats. Jackie shares how travel can heal those who suffer with depression, anxiety, and PTSD.  Jackie also started a movement called #TravelCanHeal to support those in need of healing. Jackie also discloses the following:

--the impact of being the family peacemaker

--the impact of family secrets on her mental health

--coming into her awareness of how much her words matter

Jackie Roby is Chief Excellence Officer at Inspired Journey Consulting, a Boston-based business dedicated to wellness, healing, and transformational tourism. She is a sales strategist & social media amplifier for wellness travel businesses. Jackie is a Diversity Equity Inclusion advocate with over 19 years of experience in travel and hospitality sales. IJC's vision is to create a world where marginalized people feel empowered to be their authentic selves, where traveling is a tool for inclusion, to enhance the cultural wellness in the travel industry, and grow emotional intelligence, healing, and self-care for a kinder humanity.

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"If one is committed and married to systems, structures, and any forms of hatred, oppression, and violence, it's probably not going to work for you here. You might want to keep it moving."

Today we are speaking with Reverend Felicia Parazaider about her Revolution of Love Ministry. We discuss what prompted her to create this community and why community is important. Rev. Felicia also shares her thoughts on the following topics:

--what it means to show love to another

--unprocessed grief and the connection to violence

--her work with transformative justice and social justice movements

--triaging pain

--the importance of inner child healing

--self-compassion

--the disease of oneness

Rev. Felicia Helen Parazaider is an ordained interfaith minister, speaker, author, and expert in the field of nonviolence.  She attended the Chaplaincy Institute for Arts and Interfaith Ministry, and was ordained in March 2012.  She holds degrees from University of California Berkeley in both Religious Studies and Peace & Conflict Studies, and has completed training programs in Spiritual Psychology, Tree of Life Teachings, and Clinical Pastoral Education. For 20 years, Rev. Felicia has been involved in ministry and activism.  In the early aughts, she began with the Anti-Defamation League and the Feminist Majority Foundation.  During this time she cut her teeth in the world of social justice.  After moving to the Bay in 2006, she began working with Pace e Bene (PeB), a nonviolent nonprofit organization.  While working for PeB she deepened her skill set by leading workshops and trainings in nonviolence and de-escalation techniques. She has ministered extensively to drug addicts and alcoholics, both on the streets of Los Angeles and in the Bay Area. For several years she served as a Hospitals & Institutions (H&I) chairperson, in charge of taking panels of recovering alcoholics into USC County Hospital to carry the message of recovery. She also worked at Kaiser Hospital Oakland and Walnut Creek as a chaplain. Her more academic work has led her to teaching classes in nonviolence and meditation at UC Berkeley,  Since she is the only minister from The Chaplaincy Institute to launch an all faith/no faith ministry, she has since returned to her alma mater and taught students how to create community ministry from the ground up. Rev. Felicia is a radical sacred activist, traveling to India and the Middle East on peace delegations, walking over 500 miles through the Nevada desert against nuclear proliferation and for peace, as well as being arrested over 20 times for participating in nonviolent civil resistance protesting drone warfare, nuclear weapons, and the separation of migrant families from their children, to name a few. She is the founder of The Revolution Of Love (ROL), a ministry which emphasizes the intersection of inner work and outer work in the world for the purposes of healing and radical change.  The ministry met over 200 times in the San Francisco Bay Area for service from 2012-2017.  Upon moving back to her hometown of Los Angeles, she relaunched ROL services.  In August 2019, the latest branch of ROL, Speak Boldly, was born.  These events covered a variety of topics, redefining violence, anger, forgiveness, to name a few.  Since COVID-19 we meet every Sunday Night via Zoom.  All are welcome. Sign up here: https://slkt.io/7lAC She is the creator of The Prayer Rope and The Love Challenge, both branches of ROL that are specific ways to begin to transform oneself and this world.  A seer, energy worker, and intuitive, she is also trained in Jewish Mysticism and Indian Way.  Her speaking is a blend of her Roma roots of storytelling, channeling, and performance art.  She is committed to agitating people into new paradigms in a bold and loving way, for the sole purpose of world changing.  In 2022, her first book will be released on her story from violence to wholeness.  

Stay tuned for updates about her one person show.  Rev. Felicia’s life is a dedication to love and justice. 

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"When you love you, nothing someone says will make you think differently about you."

Today we are speaking with Candace Joseph about her mental health diagnosis and the impact PTSD, depression, and anxiety has had on her life and entrepreneurial  journey. Candace shares her story with honesty and strength as she gives listeners insight on how trauma impacted her daily life activities and ability to form healthy relationships. Candace also shares the following topics:

—How PTSD, depression, and anxiety presented in her life

—The importance of 12 Step Groups

—The impact of mental health therapy

—The pain of solitude

—Finding her authentic self

—Creating safe spaces

—High vibrational relationships

—Being open to change

—Honoring your intuition

—Fearing change and evolving

Candace Joseph is CEO of The Joseph Consulting Firm, LLC. She coaches entrepreneurs from start to growth. She creates marketing strategies, growth plans, and streamlines systems to strength a company’s position upon launch. She also hosts a weekly radio, The Business Knowledge Broker Hour with Candace Joseph, on High Volume Music Radio gearing to highlight the vast hidden jewels of entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations all around the globe. Candace holds an accounting degree from Prairie View A&M University. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to opera, playing chess, and volunteering with local organizations on their marketing campaigns. Candace is a seeker of knowledge and believes in sharing it to all. She seeks to daily motivate, encourage, and empower all to be the greatest version of themselves. She is on a quest to create visibility success for all.

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"You still have to live. You still have to figure out what you were put her for..."

Today we are speaking to Michele Johnson, MHS, PA-C about her own journey with chronic pain and how she found ways to cope despite her medical diagnosis. Michele shares tips with listeners regarding what helped her to continue to thrive and how she now uses what she's learned to help others. Michele covers the following topics on this episode:

—Her journey with fibromyalgia

—Her introduction to Chinese medicine

—How she learned to advocate for herself and how others can do the same

—What she lost due to chronic pain

—What she gained because of chronic pain

—The importance of finding your tribe

—Changing your physical environment

—The benefits of therapy

—The impact of certain foods on chronic pain

—The importance of faith

Michele Johnson MHS, PA-C is a certified Family Medicine Physician Assistant, Certified Professional Life Coach Specializing in Stress Reduction as a form of healing, Speaker and Author of the International Best Seller Pain Free: How To Live A Full Life Despite Chronic Pain. Told from her perspective as a Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Warrior for nearly two decades, the self help memoir focuses on Healing the wounds Invisible Illness through the holistic health techniques, learned in her practice of western medicine as well her study abroad of China and Cuban Health Systems. As The Pain Free PA she trains clients in releasing the stress that’s making them sick. Helping to regain their body, their energy and their time. Featured on various medical podcasts, SiriusXM Radio and as a Rare Disease Advocate Panelist, Michele’s passion to help decrease the pain, anxiety and isolation of Invisible Illness through crushing the effects of stress on the body shines through the testimony of her clients and patients.

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"God will love us right where we are, but I didn't really feel I was worthy."On today's episode Chandra Moyer shares her story of growing up in a military family in a predominantly White community. She details what it was like becoming aware of the abuse after more than thirty years of dissociative amnesia, shame, and her family's denial and abandonment. Chandra also discusses the following topics:

—the power of validation

—receiving revelations through dreams

—fear of upsetting family

—using journaling as a roadmap to healing

—the importance of community

—The #metoo movement's impact

—reparenting herself

—sex trafficking advocacy

Chandra Moyer is a sought-after speaker, author, and life coach. For three decades, she has empowered women through conferences, healing retreats, and workshops. Chandra is the author of the novel I Met Her Before and the memoir Tragically Taken. She is “four times” military: an Army veteran, Army spouse, Air Force mom, and Air Force brat. Chandra is the recipient of the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for her child trafficking prevention work. A survivor of incest and complex trauma, Chandra has overcome insurmountable challenges to become the woman she is today. After her recovery, she became a healer, leading others out of the darkness and into the light. As an ordained minister, she launched a ministry to help other abused women. Chandra shares her story to empower and inspire women to overcome obstacles to be the best version of themselves. She is passionate about social justice and helping others find freedom through hope and truth. A wanderlust at heart, she has traveled broadly to over 40 states and 20 nations. Meeting people from all over the world is the most rewarding part of her travels.

Chandra lives in Suffolk, VA, with her husband and fur baby Nyla. Chandra loves spending time with her growing family, a mother of four adult children, and Mimi to seven grandchildren.

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" Diet culture isn't happy to see you feel satisfied with yourself."

In today's episode I'm speaking with Jess Brock-Pitts about her journey to weight neutral fitness and body positivity. Jess brilliantly explores the following:

—How food shaming sends a message of who is worthy and who is loveable

—How we attach moral value to food

—How diet culture sends the message that if you're  in a bigger body, you should want to lose weight

—The manipulation of diet culture

—How parents can avoid applying food rules to children

—How we can prevent our children from having weight and body shame

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"Say what you want because that is how you get your pleasure."

In today's episode I'm speaking with Yael R Rosenstock Gonzalez about sex positivity, pleasure, and consent. We also delve into what it means to be a part of a community and own your identity.

Yael R Rosenstock Gonzalez is a sex educator, sex coach, researcher, author, speaker, curriculum developer, and workshop facilitator. As a queer, polyamorous, white-presenting Nuyorican Jew, Yael has always been interested in understanding the multi-level experiences of individuals. This led her to found Kaleidoscope Vibrations, LLC, a company dedicated to supporting and creating spaces for individuals to explore and find community in their identities. Through her company, she facilitates workshops, develops curriculum, offers Identity Exploration Coaching, and publishes narratives often left out of mainstream publishing. Yael has been engaged in workshop development and facilitation since 2005 with children, youth, and adults. Before establishing her own company, she spent 6 years with the Center for Ethnic, Racial, and Religious Understanding, where she developed and led programs with an intersectional lens. In 2018 Yael published An Introguide to a Sex Positive You: Lessons, Tales, and Tips, a queer and trans inclusive book, and has since established herself as YaeltheSexGeek and begun offering Sex Coaching services. She is also an author for the Pure Romance Buzz Blog and is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Behavior at IU Bloomington while conducting research with the Center for Sexual Health Promotion.

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To sign up for Yael's coaching community visit https://pleasurepracticebodyconnections.carrd.co/

Purchase Yael's book An Introguide to a Sex Positive You!

"There can't be a resurrection until something has died."

Today we are speaking with Heather Caliri about how we heal from self-criticism, feeling as if we aren't good enough or that we are " bad Christians". Heather invites listeners to heal from abuse, learn how to have healthy relationships, and healthy boundaries. She created 30 Days To Loving Dignity for Christians who have experienced verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse.

Heather Caliri writes about being an awkward Christian: finding God’s grace in the most uncomfortable places. She has written extensively about mental health, abuse and its repercussions, healthy relationships, faith reconstruction after spiritual abuse, and progressive theology. Her work has been featured in many publications, including at Christianity Today, In Touch Magazine, Fathom Magazine, Relevant Magazine, iBeleive.com and Image. She served as a contributing editor at both SheLoves Magazine and The Mudroom and makes awkward Christian art on Instagram. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two daughters, and does her best to wear slippers as often as possible.

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Check out Heather's website @ https://www.heathercaliri.com/

Read more of Heather's writing here @ http://mudroomblog.com/author/hcaliri/

To purchase the Loving Dignity course go to Heather's webite @ 30 Days to Loving Dignity (thinkific.com)

Course Excerpts

What if loving people well could actually help you flourish as a full, whole human being? https://youtu.be/PeH-BqnLmdE

If we accept that all of us are capable of abusing someone, we find this weird freedom .https://youtu.be/NHe3Symffnw

This is the amazing gift we get when we begin rejecting abusive or unhealthy ways of treating people: https://youtu.be/5rWTOcqPljI 

Today we are speaking with Darleana McHenry about what it means to have financial literacy in the Black Community, the importance of Black children being proficient in math, and she addresses the inequities that exist in our capitalistic, global world. Darleana explores some of the challenges in the Black community as a result of poverty and lack of economic stability. Darleana provides insight into simple steps that people can take immediately to become more educated and ways to seek support to manage financial issues that are often generational.

Darleana is the founder of Black in Money Recovery. Darleana says her family struggled with money issues for generations that included bouts of abundance as well as bouts of poverty. Darleana says her father was absolutely brilliant as a businessman yet he struggled to maintain his wealth because of generational curses and racism. Darleana started Black in Money Recovery, Black in Debtors Anonymous, Black in Underearners Anonymous which are all Twelve Step Programs for the Black community after realizing she was not going to heal in the spaces created by and for White people.

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Check out Darleana's website @ http://stcarriescenter.org/ 

Today we are speaking with Dr. Erika about imposter syndrome and burnout while working in corporate America. She discusses her history of depression, thoughts of suicide, and how she pivoted from her most painful moments. Dr. Erika is a coach, consultant, and podcast host. Through her platforms, Dr. Erika helps women get clear on their path, unleash the courage to step out of their comfort zone and optimize their capacity to prevent overwhelm and burnout in the process. Dr. Erika believes that within every women lives a dream and it takes clarity, courage, capacity, community, and commitment to make that dream a reality.

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Check out Dr. Erika's website  to receiver her free gifts: Ebook (12 Women with Career Transition Stories); Infographic (12 Mistakes to Avoid as a Rookie Entrepreneur); 28 day Challenge Guide/ebook (Creating Clarity and Capacity in Your Life and Business) @ http://www.drerikabydesign.com