Let’s tug on the thread woven through much of the world’s established (ahem, accepted) architectural design. Yep, it’s racism. I’ll be honest: before Anne’s fantastic conversation with Wandile Mthiyane, an Obama leader, TedX fellow, founder and CEO of Ubuntu Architecture Group, and social entrepreneur, I hadn’t given this aspect of institutional racism much thought.  Nor had I considered the healing characteristics that culturally competent architects might incorporate into future designs. To be fair, Wandile says architecture isn’t inherently racist. Still, the biases imposed on designs by those in power are, and the discipline is ripe for revolution: “My work now centers around using architecture as a vehicle to restore folk's dignity by building homes.”  GUEST BIO Wandile Mthiyane is an Obama Leader, TedxFellow, architectural designer, social entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of Ubuntu Design Group (UDG). This architectural organization focuses on social impact design projects ranging from individual housing to urban design scale. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website:www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram: @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Our Bookshop.org page! https://bookshop.org/shop/HeadHeartBizTherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items!https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

Witchcraft has always been a radical act, and I am never more in my element than when I’m playing with tarot, crystals, and even my houseplants. This tracks since witches often work with the elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit to enact personal or societal transformation.  Elena Rego isn’t “just” a witch; she’s the force behind The Holy Witch and The School of Holy Witchery, and our conversation isn’t “just” about the much-maligned tradition of witchcraft. Instead, we explore rituals that reconnect us to our inherent wholeness, we reclaim honest, inclusive dialogue, and we revel in the juiciness that is Lilith: the original witch. GUEST BIO Elena Rego. A practicing Witch for close to 30 years, I have woven together my experience as a Social Worker, Body Worker, and artist to inform my Priestess work as a ritualist and teacher. My spiritual path has been rooted in deep shamanism, animism, feminism, and magic, with studies and initiations in Dianic Witchcraft, Sri Vidya Tantra, and Core Shamanism. The core of my work is to be in deep service to our collective unfoldment as spiritually rooted, connected, and potent Witches. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website:www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram: @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Our Bookshop.org page! https://bookshop.org/shop/HeadHeartBizTherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items!https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

Whatcha hungry for? It’s a cheeky question with answers that reveal more than our immediate desire for something salty or sour, crunchy or creamy. As Anne discovers in conversation with UK-based chef and social justice change-maker Neha Patel Hampton, food can heal literally and figuratively, bringing us back to ourselves and each other.  Neha sprinkles tales of personal reclamation with lessons in world history and views on current events. Her stories remind me that none of us exists in a vacuum; our choices are informed by who and what came before us. For Neha, that’s her parents and the colonialism that forced them to carve out lives far from their home state of Gujarat, India, enduring unbearable pressures to assimilate as “obedient migrants.” But her narrative is also flavored by boxes of rare, fragrant mangoes, the ultimate expression of life’s sweetness. GUEST BIO Neha Patel Hampton is so many things. With over 20 years of experience in corporate, hospitality, and charity settings, she now fights for social justice through her work with organizations that help improve the lives of those who migrate and fight racial and gender inequality. Topped off with a heartfelt sprinkling of food and yoga as her way of bringing people together. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website:www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram: @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Our Bookshop.org page! https://bookshop.org/shop/HeadHeartBizTherapy NEW: Check out our cute merch items!https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch  

This episode contains a conversation about suicide & suicidal ideation. Do you struggle to complete basic tasks and have tactile sensitivities? Do you overshare in conversation or perpetually interrupt others? You might be neurodivergent. Or not. ADHD––attention deficit hyperactivity disorder––is one possibility that often goes underdiagnosed. While greater awareness could lead to vastly better ADHD treatment options, self-diagnosis via TikTok is NOT the answer! Alyse Ruriani, a queer femme registered art therapist and licensed professional counselor, is a recipient of a late ADHD diagnosis. As someone with vast personal and professional lived experience, Alyse is uniquely qualified to help folks leave the agony behind in favor of reclaiming agency.  GUEST BIO Alyse Ruriani (she/they), MA, ATR, LPC, is a queer femme registered art therapist, licensed professional counselor, illustrator, and person with lived experience. Their work aims to communicate information, provide tangible tools, and validate the human experience through engaging illustrations and designs. When Alyse is not working, you can likely find her swimming in some body of water, making art with friends, or hyper fixating on some new idea. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website:www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram: @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Our Bookshop.org page! https://bookshop.org/shop/HeadHeartBizTherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items!https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

The more I learn about indigenous and traditional approaches to well-being, the more I understand that humans ARE nature, not something outside or above it. Shay Grant, an herbalist and yoga teacher who relocated to the UK from Canada, operates from a similar POV.  As Anne discovers, the land around us has the power to enhance our mental and physical well-being. All we have to do is stop and smell the roses. Or the gorse. And here’s the great thing: your locale doesn’t matter. Urban, suburban, or rural, you’re never more than ten steps from experiencing the emotional and physical support that plants provide.  Shay believes in creating an empowering relationship between our bodies and the world around us, and her training perfectly combines ancient wisdom and modern scientific discovery. “I would not choose a world without modern medicine. I would not choose to live in that world,” Shay asserts.  GUEST BIO Shay Grant (she/her) is a Canadian yoga teacher and Medical Herbalist living in the UK. She's been teaching yoga for 8 years and practicing as a herbalist for 2. Shay believes in creating an empowering relationship with our bodies and the land.  Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website:www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram: @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Our Bookshop.org page!https://bookshop.org/shop/HeadHeartBizTherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items!https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

Christine Leone, LCSW, has experience shining a light on realities folks would rather leave in the dark. As a child, she and her family left liberal NYC for Portland, OR, the little-big city advertised as a cultural and political utopia. In actuality, life in that PNW paradise was anything but. Christine and her family discovered that the city’s progressive patina obscured a very different––and dangerous––reality. “Under the guise of liberalism, there's definite, blatant racism,” she says, adding, “but I've discovered also that that's kind of everywhere.” Christine argues that it’s the less blatant, passive-aggressive racism embedded in well-meaning care systems that takes a more insidious toll. GUEST BIO Christine Leone has been a social worker and therapist since 2008. She was born in New York City, lived in Portland, OR, and has been settled in the Chicago area for over 20 years. For the last several years, she has been focused on creating a sense of home after divorce and seeking balance between self-care and community care while providing healing spaces for others. She currently lives with her eight-year-old son and partner of five years. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items!https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

When I say there’s a palpable spiritual quality running through Anne’s chat with Dr. Isha McKenzie-Mavinga, it’s not me getting all woo-woo as I’m wont to do. Dr. Isha is an integrative transcultural psychotherapist, trainer, and supervisor in the UK with over three decades of professional experience. She’s a lecturer, writer, and Reiki master as well as a published author, poet, editor, and, as Anne puts it so well, an amazing human.  The profoundly intimate cadence of this conversation no doubt stems from Dr. Isha’s role as Anne’s mentor. But the mentee has to meet the mentor halfway; they have to pick up what the mentor is putting down. GUEST BIO Dr. Isha McKenzie-Mavinga has thirty-three years experience as a Transcultural Psychotherapist, Supervisor, Lecturer, Writer, and Reiki Master. As a published writer & poet, she is the author of ‘Black Issues in the Therapeutic Process’ (2009) and ‘The Challenge of Racism in Therapeutic Practice’ (2016). She also co-authored an autobiography, contributed papers and poetry to several anthologies, and most recently co-edited and presented in ‘Therapy in Colour’ (2023). Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items!https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

How’s your nervous system these days? Oof. I don’t ask to provoke. Still, I understand that the question can stir up immediate and unpleasant vibrations deep in the marrow, feelings that cannot be put into words. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s evolutionary.  Courtney Rolfe is a psychotherapist, trainer, and speaker who has spent much of her professional career translating the language of Polyvagal Theory, those adaptive behavioral strategies that all mammals access to varying degrees. While the theory behind our vagus nerve’s role in emotional, relational, and fight-or-flight responses is a modern field of study, that bone-deep knowledge is ancient wisdom, according to Courtney, and has always guided our lived experience. She’s here to help us put language to that spine-tingly, unconscious knowing and become more aware of our agency in the process.  GUEST BIO Courtney Rolfe is a psychotherapist, trainer, and speaker who uses the wisdom of the nervous system to guide and inform her clinical work. Courtney is passionate about teaching other healing professionals about the nervous system through the lens of the Polyvagal Theory. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items!https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

We're in it now, folks: the first episode of the rest of our lives. And, oh my, does Anne bring the sauce. Even better, her first guest delivers the spice!  Dee Albert is a UK-based psychotherapist and trainee supervisor offering both long and short-term therapy plus group and individual supervision focused on navigating the impact of racism, the challenges of personal and cultural identity, and empowering women. Dee is also a shamanic student who weaves massage techniques, yoni steaming, cacao ceremonies, and other spiritual practices into her psychotherapy.  This conversation is a vibrant reminder to all practitioners (regardless of modality) that showing up as our authentic selves is a therapeutic salve. Sprinkle your spice into every space. Without apology. GUEST BIO Dee Albert is an England-based psychotherapist who incorporates the personal navigation of her internal world in the work she does with her clients, culminating in a unique therapeutic approach. She is inspired by shamanism and spirituality. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items! https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

Change is effing hard! And also… change is what’s needed so that we can fully embody our wildest dreams. Keen fans of the podcast will note that I’ve hinted at changes coming here, too. Well, today’s the day I forgo cryptic signals in favor of the big reveal: Introducing my new co-host Anne Remy! Wait, what?! Who? Why? Maybe I should say, “Re-introducing Anne Remy” because you met her earlier this year (go listen now, if you haven’t). Judging by the response to that episode, y’all love her as much as I do, so this change won’t be as hard as you might imagine. To refresh: Anne is a fellow Ohio native, a humanist therapist, TCTSY trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, a breathwork facilitator, and a yoga teacher living and working in the UK. The timing feels right, and Anne’s presence, doubly so. She shares my desire to connect with a global community of radical visionaries––therapists, light workers, and healers who are revolutionizing their chosen modalities.    That wasn’t so hard, was it? Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items! https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

Money: the root of all evil or a force for good? Maybe you grew up with little financial security, and that anxiety now strains your attempts to plan responsibly. Perhaps you’ve accumulated some wealth but have no idea where to invest it.  River Nice, an anti-capitalist financial planner and the founder of Be Intentional Financial, LLC, wants to turn that storm of individual financial worry into a tsunami of collective financial activism, one client at a time. They acknowledge the harms of white supremacist, patriarchal capitalism and help families use their money to get as close to their ideal lives as possible.  So what does River’s profession have to do with healing? Oof. Capitalism has seeped into and monetized almost everything we come into contact with. Isn’t it time we liberated ourselves and our communities from its grasp? GUEST BIO River Nice (they/them) is an anti-capitalist financial planner, meaning they acknowledge the harms of white supremacist, patriarchal capitalism and help individuals and families use their money to get as close to their ideal lives as possible! River helps their clients with topics like budgeting, debt, financial emergency preparedness, investing, insurance, and planning how to afford life goals like gender transition, family planning, buying a house, and retirement. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy NEW: Check out our cute new merch items! https://tinyurl.com/CWHmerch

My guests pulsate at such perceptive, heartfelt levels that I expect only aural soundscapes to emerge rather than actual conversation. I wouldn’t be mad about that, but then we’d miss out on receiving the wisdom of folks like Kenji Kuramitsu, M.Div, LCSW. The two of us went spelunking in the deep caverns of generational trauma, shame, and resistance. Our conversation connected the many dots between what has become divided and what has gone willfully unaddressed. GUEST BIO Kenji Kuramitsu, LCSW, M.Div (he/him) is a mental health and spiritual care professional living in Chicago, IL. Kenji draws on training in health care chaplaincy, group psychotherapy, and anti-racism consulting to provide care in clinical, nonprofit, and movement settings. His creative writing has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and he is the author of "A Booklet of Uncommon Prayer: Collects for the #BlackLivesMatter Movement." Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy

True confession time. I have, on occasion, found myself getting comfy with a rote response to the world’s -isms (capitalism, racism, ableism) and villainous influences (patriarchy and white supremacy). "I know" these ills deeply affect me, personally and professionally. "I know" what my responsibility is in challenging those forces and creating an equitable world.  “I know” is a sign that I’ve grown too accustomed to my own answers. You know? Hurrah for Loretta Pyles, Ph.D.! Her writing forced a hard reboot of my "I know" attitude, flipping what had become automatic over to active and embodied. Loretta advocates for continual self-inquiry as critical to professional growth. She’s dedicated her career to helping folks resuscitate the connections they’ve been conditioned to ignore: heart-mind, community, and nature. GUEST BIO Loretta Pyles, Ph.D., is Professor at the School of Social Welfare, University at Albany, SUNY. Her work centers on environmental disasters, racial/economic/gender justice, integrative healing, and human rewilding. She is the author of Progressive Community Organizing: Transformative Practice in a Globalizing World, 3rd ed. and Healing Justice: Holistic Self-Care for Change Makers. When she's not teaching or working on her new book on rewilding, she can be found playing outside or camping in her Volkswagen van. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy

Y’all know I’ve relinquished the ownership reigns of Head/Heart Therapy to the brilliant Rayell Grayson LCPC, CADC. If not, I urge you to check out our fantastic conversation. Now, it’s time to welcome the rest of Head/Heart’s leadership team: Clinical Manager Anna Goldberger, Director of Operations Benji Marton, and Clinical Director Joanna Taubeneck.  Tune in to an excellent introduction to anti-capitalist, liberation-focused strategies for professional development in any role or industry. The Head/Heart team has been there, done that, and is still committed to doing the work. Active anti-racism? Compassionate accountability? Meaningful self-care? Tick! Tick! Tick!  GUEST BIOS Anna Goldberger, LCSW (she/her), is a licensed clinical social worker and Clinical Manager at Head/Heart Therapy. Before becoming a social worker, she worked as a community organizer. Because of this experience, she recognizes the need for emotional, spiritual, and psychological healing among communities and individuals fighting for justice. She brings this recognition and a joy for holding compassionate healing space for all who need it into her therapeutic relationships. Benji Marton, LCSW (he/him), is a licensed clinical social worker and Director of Operations at Head/Heart Therapy. Benji believes therapy supports the telling of your story from a non-judgmental and curious lens. You, and only you, are the expert in your story. He sees therapy as a journey in which therapist and client experience together through a non-hierarchical relationship that focuses on empowerment. Benji is the guide, but ultimately, the journey is yours. Joanna Taubeneck, LCPC, R-DMT, GL-CMA, E-RYT (she/her) is a licensed clinical professional counselor, registered dance/movement therapist, certified movement analyst, and experienced registered yoga teacher. She’s also the Clinical Director at Head/Heart Therapy. As a former dancer, Joanna is passionate about movement and acknowledges that the body holds deep, intuitive wisdom and also the imprints of our many life experiences. The body remembers, on a physiological level—oftentimes much more fully than does the brain—moments of calm and also moments of trauma.  Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy

We all need unofficial mentors and cheerleaders. One of mine is Samson Teklemariam. He “constructs clinical leadership models designed to navigate change in behavioral health and addiction treatment spaces, delivering results that improve quality patient care.”  That’s the fancy stuff out of the way. What you really need to know about Samson is that he has a gift for encouraging folks to reach their potential as they lift others. What you need to know about our conversation is it’s juicy!  Let’s explore ways to promote authenticity and accountability in peer-led recovery spaces. Let’s break down strategies for maintaining that tightrope balance between the art and science of what a therapist does. Let’s get real about sustainable anti-capitalist supervisory structures. Ready? Set? Let’s go, Samson-style! GUEST BIO Samson Teklemariam, LPC, CPTM, is an industry thought leader with a track record for leading large-scale transformations that generated new thinking, shifted business models, and disrupted the marketplace. As a catalyst for innovation, Samson constructs clinical leadership models designed to navigate change in the behavioral health and addiction treatment and deliver results that improve quality patient care. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy

Well, hello there! Just me, your Wounded Healer, firing up the guest audio tracks after a month of solo shorties. I’m chatting with Anne Remy this week, a humanist therapist, TCTSY trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, breathwork facilitator, and yoga teacher.  Anne and I spin in a pretty tight orbit to each other, lives intersecting at various points right up to both of us becoming therapists (albeit years apart). Anne’s career has taken on an international flair (her passport boasts stamps from 70+ countries), and she recently settled in the seaside city of Brighton, England.  Globe-trotting has gifted Anne with a unique perspective on how the US and the UK train and certify therapists, manage their healthcare systems (ah, socialized medicine!), and value the pursuit of mental wellness. GUEST BIO Anne Remy is a humanistic therapist, a TCTSY trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, a breathwork facilitator, and a yoga teacher. Originally from the US, Anne has lived and traveled in over 70 countries before moving to the UK. She uses her international experience to inform her practices and to support the decolonization of the health and wellness industry. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy

As we transition out of both a Mars and Mercury Retrograde this month, I’m looking forward to having a better relationship with my body.  Sometimes I overwork myself. Sometimes I, unfortunately, punish my body by consuming things I don't think really suit it. Sometimes I push my body past its limits. So this year, my intention is I want to listen more to what my body is asking for. I’m also looking forward to taking Foundations in Somatic Abolitionism with Resmaa Menakem with my colleagues and past podcast guests Rayell Grayson and Sarah Suzuki. We’re really delighted to get to learn directly from Resmaa. I recommend checking out his books, courses, and other media! Support for mental health workers: If you work in the mental health field and are looking for support from like-minded people, check out our third installment of the Wounded Healers Virtual Group. It’s a juicy, sweet, and really cool place to connect.  Virtual community for group practice owners: I offer a working collective for group therapy practice owners who want to lead from the heart while building a thriving, ethical business. Join us at Wounded Healers as Leaders. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram: @headheartbiztherapy

I'm happy to be in 2023, and one of the reasons is…. (drum roll please!)... I've stepped down from my duties as president of Head/Heart Therapy and I am launching a new business called Head/Heart Business Therapy!  The mission is to work directly with individual therapists, group practice owners, and larger healthcare and mental health organizations in order to transform through heart-centered and business-minded practices. I want to help therapists heal and I think that needs to happen at a more collective level.  Don’t worry! Conversations With a Wounded Healer podcast isn’t going away. In fact, we have some cool sh*t coming up this year! So stay tuned… Meanwhile, listen to this short solo episode to find out what the tarot cards had to say about the show for 2023. Thank you so much for being here. I’m curious to see what’s coming this year and I hope to see you in one of my upcoming groups to support you in your professional healing practice. Support for mental health workers: If you work in the mental health field and are looking for support from like-minded people, check out our third installment of the Wounded Healers Virtual Group. It’s a juicy, sweet, and really cool place to connect.  Virtual community for group practice owners: I offer a working collective for group therapy practice owners who want to lead from the heart while building a thriving, ethical business. Join us at Wounded Healers as Leaders. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website: www.headheartbiztherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartBizTherapy/ Instagram:  @headheartbiztherapy

Fans of the pod already know that I fangirl hard for Dr. Jennifer Mullan and Decolonizing Therapy, the global movement she created to “radically reimagine the old mental health paradigm. If you’re new here, allow me to introduce you to the future as envisioned by this badass author, speaker, organizational consultant, teacher, course creator, and community builder. Dr. Jennifer describes herself as a mixed-race Black woman with lighter skin privilege and a bigger-bodied, neurodivergent cat mom with East Coast roots and West Coast devotions who believes that accountability coupled with community is the answer. Dr. Jennifer holds space for the really big, complex emotions that block our progress. She also provides an access point: a reintegration and re-remembering that she calls knowledge-with-a-capital-K.  MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS Check out our Wounded Healers Virtual Group. It’s a juicy, sweet, and really cool place to connect. GROUP PRACTICE OWNERS I'm offering a working collective for group therapy practice owners who want to lead from the heart while building a thriving, ethical business. Join us at Wounded Healers as Leaders. GUEST BIO Dr. Jennifer Mullan is the author of the forthcoming book Decolonizing Therapy: Oppression, Historical Trauma & Politicizing Your Practice, and is highly sought after international speaker. She is also an organizational consultant, teacher, course creator, community builder, and decolonized mental health movement starter. In December 2017, Dr. Mullan created the Decolonizing Therapy Instagram, which has grown a large, enthusiastic following and profoundly shifted the world’s understanding of therapy and mental health. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Onyx Fujii’s contribution arrives by way of the Kintsugi Therapist Collective (co-founded with CWH guest Asher Pandjiris), and I’m in awe of what they have created: a virtual community offering “embodied care, support, wisdom, and resources to trans and non-binary, BIPOC, chronically ill, and disabled mental health providers.”  One of this conversation's “off-camera” revelations is that Onyx joined me from their bed. It’s a small win for Onyx, allowing them to honor the day’s physical and mental limits. While Covid exposed cracks in overburdened systems, societal acknowledgment of our vulnerability (and interdependence) remains non-existent. Even in a field supposedly aligned with self-care, productivity remains paramount. MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS Check out our Wounded Healers Virtual Group. It’s a juicy, sweet, and really cool place to connect. GROUP PRACTICE OWNERS I'm offering a working collective for group therapy practice owners who want to lead from the heart while building a thriving, ethical business. Join us at Wounded Healers as Leaders. GUEST BIO Onyx Fujii, LCSW, is a queer, non-binary, chronically ill, mixed-race licensed clinical social worker. They are a home-owner and multiple small businesses owner, living and working on unceded Lenni Lenape land, colonially known as Philadelphia, PA. They are a trauma-informed psychotherapist, a clinical supervisor, an intersectionality-focused cultural humility consultant, and the co-director of the Kintsugi Therapist Collective, LLC. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi  

If the Moon could speak, what would it tell us? Creative Lunar Guide April Miller McMurtry says that the great orb is transmitting intel to us all the time; we just need to become more fluent in its language. Her work speaks to the part of me that loves it’s-okay-to-say-witchy mindfulness.  April’s tools for engaging with energetic patterns are more robust than a daily tracking log and more inclusive than calendars that chart menstrual cycles. Her goal was to bring about more intention to how we experience our inner and outer lives, with the Moon reminding us that everything happens (or should happen) in phases.  MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS Check out our Wounded Healers Virtual Group. It’s a juicy, sweet, and really cool place to connect. GROUP PRACTICE OWNERS I'm offering a working collective for group therapy practice owners who want to lead from the heart while building a thriving, ethical business. Join us at Wounded Healers as Leaders. GUEST BIO April Miller McMurtry, MAT, is a Creative Lunar Guide who supports people on their path of growth and transformation through the simple yet profound practice of self-study in relationship with cycles. April is the founder of THE MOON IS MY CALENDAR and has independently published the New Moon Calendar Journal since 2014. With a Master of Arts in Teaching and a background in expressive art, yoga, and meditation, April loves to share the language of the Moon to help people access their inner wisdom - inspiring us all to take better care of ourselves, each other, and the Earth!  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

The last 2.5 years (and counting) have opened floodgates of reckoning, especially within therapeutic spaces, and I’m so here for it! So, too, is Asher Panjiris, who rightfully points out that our profession is overdue for an overhaul. Yasss! Asher claims a lot of different identities: psychotherapist, queer parent, human to two dogs, and the host of Living in This Queer Body. They’re also co-founder and co-director of Kintsugi Therapist Collective, a community space dedicated to helping therapists build embodied and liberatory care practices. The Japanese art of kintsugi, or golden mending, is a perfect metaphor for the reparative work needed: more grace for therapists as we embrace our flaws and imperfections and heal our wounds––in full view of our clients. Sound scary? Freeing? Asher says it's a bit of both. And that’s ok. MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS Check out our Wounded Healers Virtual Group. It’s a juicy, sweet, and really cool place to connect. GROUP PRACTICE OWNERS I'm offering a working collective for group therapy practice owners who want to lead from the heart while building a thriving, ethical business. Join us at Wounded Healers as Leaders. GUEST BIO Asher Pandjiris is a chronically ill, white, non-binary psychotherapist, clinical consultant, podcaster, and co-founder of Kintsugi Therapist Collective. They are a queer parent to a super-rad human and two dogs and reside on stolen Nipmuc and Pocumtuc lands. Join Onyx and Asher March 3-5, 2023, for a virtual weekend intensive, during which you will experience a concentrated and highly personalized curriculum designed to support care workers.  We hope to challenge the unrealistic expectations of the care work industrial complex, nurture pathways for reconnecting with pleasure, and develop enlivening professional practices/strategies. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Happy anniversary! You and I have gone through a lot over the last five years. Progress! Stagnation! Rage! Exhilaration! And, would you believe, 200 conversations with wounded healers? A line-up of humans so generous of spirit that their insights echo throughout my body long after the recording session ends. There’s something to this idea of embodied wisdom, the way we physically understand what our minds can’t (or refuse to) comprehend. Somatic Experience Practitioner Sarah Wolfman (one of my first guests ever) calls it the power of our bones. So what do these old bones know now? Sarah returns to help me sift through the transformative lessons of the last five years.  GUEST BIO Sarah Wolfman is passionate about embodiment as a tool for transformation. By attuning to the body's natural rhythms and sensations, her clients master their nervous system's ups and downs, creating space for empowerment, resilience, and vitality. Sarah specializes in transforming trauma and chronic pain through Somatic Experience Practice, functional & dynamic movement, somatic touch, cranial-sacral techniques, and mindfulness. NEW: Virtual community for group practice owners Starting in January 2023, I offer a new support/working collective for group therapy practice owners who want to lead from the heart while building a thriving, ethical business. Join us at Wounded Healers as Leaders.  CONNECT: Support for mental health workers If you work in the mental health field and are looking for support from like-minded people, check out our third installment of the Wounded Healers Virtual Group. It’s a juicy, sweet, and really cool place to connect.  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

College. If your origins story includes a collegiate stint, the word either ushers in a flood of autumnal-toned nostalgia or overwhelming anxiety. Which camp you occupy depends, in part, on the support you received from professors and administrators while attending school. Wouldn't it be great if all guidance counselors approached their task as Carrie Young did when she occupied the office, full of heart and candid intel on career paths?  Luckily for millions of students, Carrie has traded in one-to-one academic advising for guidance on a grander scale. As host of the Paths In Progress podcast, she presents a more transparent take on life as a working adult, highlighting rather than downplaying all of its roadblocks, u-turns, and serendipitous detours. Carrie invites her guests (yours truly included), who pursued various majors, to reveal how they navigated all the twisty post-collegiate turns they took to become who they are today. GUEST BIO Carrie Young is a classically trained musician and experienced higher education administrator and educator. Throughout her work with students, she prioritizes mentorship and relationship-building. With her new podcast Paths in Progress, she wants to help students and recent graduates learn about the education and career paths of professionals across various fields who had challenges, pivots, and roadblocks along their path. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Are you now, or have you ever been disabled? That's not a trick question. Artist, art therapist, and disability activist Bri Beck asserts that disability exists along a complex spectrum –– visible, hidden, physical, developmental, temporary, persistent, evident at birth, resulting from trauma –– rather than a simple binary. And yet… Even with close proximity to it, so much uneasiness surrounds disability and those for whom it is a fact of life. So, what's up with our everyday ableism, especially in therapeutic spaces? "There's always a very strange weirdness, and I find, at least in my experience, that it's like, people are trying to show you, 'I'm cool with this. I'm gonna make sure you know I'm fine!'" says Bri, who lives with pseudoachondroplasia, a form of dwarfism.  Bri navigates a world where well-meaning folks can quickly cross the line. "As somebody that's apparently, outwardly, disabled, I have people touch me all the time, strangers that just don't know me, and that's so much, like, boundary-crossing." Bri's experiences don't end with touching. They often include a blatant disregard for her agency. Out-maneuvering such ableism is exhausting, says Bri, and puts me in mind of the tiresome intent of "good white people." Both broadcast their opposition to -isms through actions or language so beyond what is necessary that their efforts* become caricatures of authentic human interaction. *Insert face-palm here because we can all recall a situation (or many) in which we've overcompensated for our discomfort in exactly the same cringe-worthy manner. GUEST BIO Bri Beck is a disabled art therapist and disability arts and culture maker. Bri sees individuals in private practice and also works part-time with Access Living of Metro Chicago, where she facilitates the peer wellness program. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Dropping this convo alongside recent pop culture reminders (hello, little mermaids and Emmy Award-winners!) that representation matters because it heals. Rico Ricketson created an entire platform around that idea. He’s the founder and CEO of MH3, a subscription-based resource that partners with corporations to provide mental health education featuring the voices and experiences of diverse health and wellness experts. “We provide credible mental health education so that employees can learn how to catch changes in mood, energy levels, and sleeping patterns before they become something more serious,” Rico says of the company he founded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While Rico’s professional credentials are massively impressive, it’s his personal motivations for creating MH3 that I find so profoundly moving. As a minority, a survivor of domestic violence, and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, finding credible mental health information from experts with whom he shares similar lived experiences isn’t easy. He designed MH3 to deliver that vital life-saving mental wellness support through engaging interviews featuring voices not often represented in corporate wellness programs. “The only thing capitalistic about MH3 is that I hope millions and billions of people get to heal from stories.” GUEST BIO Rico Ricketson is the Founder & CEO of MH3, Mental Health Education for the Mind, Body, and Spirit. When Rico learned of Covid-19's spread throughout Italy in March of 2020, he used his passion and desire to help and save lives. Rico took his 20 years of healthcare advertising experience and combined it with his expertise in human-centered design and his Master's in Biology/Neuroscience to create MH3 so he could do something to help. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

I've had a lot of conversations with a lot of amazing folks. Believe me when I say there's something special about the frequency from which Rusia Mohiuddin operates. She's tapped into a universal rhythm that, in simplest terms, is the deep understanding that people are the source of all power. If that level of embodiment comes across as too lofty for the "average" person to access, allow Rusia to share another vital facet of her being: "I have a potty mouth like a true New Yorker as well." That's what showing up as your whole self is all about. As founder and principal of Universal Partnership (UP), Rusia combines her vast experience as a master trainer, facilitator, and somatic coach with generational wisdom––the lived understanding that social movements require holistic foundations to achieve healthy momentum. Rusia centers on the cooperative rather than the singular: "If everything, all the ecosystems on earth, are reliant––our bodies and the ecosystems within them are reliant––why would all this reliancy then create societal systems that are unaligned and not reliant on each other, that's actually reliant on the suffering and the oppression of most of us?" Hell if I know, but here we are, in the wake of every -ism coming before us. There IS one -ism that can save us: collectivism. Us. The people with the power. It's a lesson handed down to Rusia through her elders, and we all have access to similar wisdom––if we commit to relearning its language.  GUEST BIO Rusia N. Mohiuddin is a master trainer, facilitator, & somatic coach who pioneered the integration of somatics into an organizing framework. Her current mission, through Universal Partnership, has been developing a holistic model for social justice change work that places in its center the necessary transformation of social change agents. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

The longest, most important, and, let’s be honest, most frustrating relationship of our lives is the one we have with ourselves. How amazing, then, to connect with someone who gets the struggle and sits alongside us in that space. Mia Park is one of those people for me. For a lot of folks. A talented, multidimensional artist based in Chicago, she’s fueled by a boundless enthusiasm for community engagement through acting, producing events, teaching yoga, and more. Through these myriad pursuits, Mia cultivates kinship with others while deepening her relationship with herself.  “I work hard on relationships because they're fearful for me in many ways.” The admission acts as a preface to Mia’s challenging backstory. Perhaps it’s because of her difficult childhood that she’s so committed to making connections across different communities in multifaceted ways. Mia’s definition of wholeness is nothing like the commercialized ideal of completeness. “The body is never balanced. We’re never gonna be whole, and that's part of the struggle and the acceptance of the struggle––and I think that's okay.”  She pauses to offer an addendum. “I believe we are 100% whole.” Even amid our failures, redirects, and mulligans. Even when we opt not to forgive those who’ve caused us harm. “The ability to make peace with and accept yourself, forgive yourself, I think that's a byproduct of becoming whole.” Wherever we go, there we are, already in our wholeness. GUEST BIO Mia Park is a multi-dimensional artist based in Chicago. Boundless enthusiasm fuels her community engagement through acting, producing events, teaching yoga, and more. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

I do not like CBT. Don't worry; I won't break into a salty Dr. Seuss-esque rhyme deriding cognitive behavioral therapy (although I could). But then Charles Small, LCSW, would kindly call me and my objections to CBT in rather than out. I know this because that's how he's handled my grumbling in the past. He's one of those rare souls who can debate without derision, urging folks (like me) to hit pause long enough to trust his professional experience, reconsider the reams of evidence, and assess their (my) personal resistance through a more transparent lens. And you know what? Sometimes* I get it wrong about CBT.   Alright! Let's get ready to rumble! But not really. Our conversation isn't a CBT vs. NARM cage match. In fact (and I would only say this to you because we're friends), there are points along the healing trajectory where these two modalities intersect. "Where our actual locus of control is, for the most part, is in our behaviors,” says Charles. This mindfulness component is just one example. Another is CBT's non-judgemental approach. "It's not that there's this moral right or wrong. Instead, if I'm gonna choose the sort of person I wanna be in the world, what do my behaviors have to look like?"  *I still hate CBT, though. GUEST BIO Charles Small, LCSW, is a social worker providing therapy for adults at Cognitive Behavioral Associates of Chicago. Prior to private group practice, Charles worked with veterans of the US Armed Services at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and the Road Home Program at Rush, where he provided evidence-based psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD, Military Sexual Trauma, and Moral Injury. Charles is also a lecturer at Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago, offering courses on Social Work with Veterans and Evidence-based Therapies for treating PTSD. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Liz Dubé, MA, MS, has one of the best professional introductions on the planet. “I want to heal the world one bedroom at a time.” For the record, Liz is a certified sex therapist, not a sex surrogate. In other words, she gets talky with her clients, not touchy. If visions of the Netflix show “Sex Education” come to mind or Dr. Ruth Westheimer answering embarrassing questions on her weekly radio show with sincerity and smarts, you’re on the right path. We live in a world working overtime to cleave us from our innate sexuality. No wonder we disembodied creatures have difficulty connecting, regardless of our trauma histories. Hell, even the most “together” of relationships might struggle with the sexual part of intimacy. “Maybe a part of you thinks I'm not enough, I'm defective, I'm broken, I'm a fraud––all these things that so many of us relate to show up in the bedroom,” says Liz.  You’re not broken; intimacy is overwhelming! Addressing trauma and restoring desire doesn’t have to be. In addition to her psychotherapy practice, Liz offers a 4-week coaching program to empower women. She also shares adult sex education tips via her YouTube and TikTok channels. “So many people come to me, saying, ‘Liz, can I be healed?’ And I'm like, f*ck, yeah, you can!” Drs. Jean Milburn and Ruth Westheimer would be proud. GUEST BIO Liz Dubé (sounds like Doobay), a Certified Sex Therapist, Coach and Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, loves working with people who want to better understand themselves sexually and feel sexually empowered. She's helped thousands of men, women, and couples who were feeling stuck sexually and is working her ass off to save the world one bedroom at a time.  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

“Movement is life.” When Kira Macoun utters that phrase midway through our conversation, she’s referencing both our physical and sacred selves. Whether she intended to or not is not up for debate because this woman embodies forward motion in all aspects of her life. Kira, a functional fitness specialist and somatic movement educator, is co-owner of Comfy Fitness, the online group and personal training studio dedicated to challenging what it means to be physically fit. She’s also a hella inspiring activist. “One of the things we recognized about the methodology we invented was that we were getting people very consistently and reliably out of pain,” Kira says. Comfy Fitness’ body awareness practices turn what is often a disconnected, fast-paced pursuit into a journey of self-discovery. “What we do in somatic education is basically circumvent the brain. We stop, lay down, and allow the brain to catch up with what it didn’t know it was doing.” Kira’s a passionate organizer and frontline advocate for issues relating to economic inequality. “As above, so below; as within, so without,” she says of her enviable involvement with social causes. She offers real-life encouragement for folks (like me) so overwhelmed by the sheer need that we don’t know where to begin. “I invite people to think about the one thing that sets your hair on fire, the thing that keeps you up at night. That’s probably the direction you should go in.” GUEST BIO Kira Macoun has been an avid mover and exerciser since the age of 12 and became a self-proclaimed "gym rat" by the age of 15. It seemed a no-brainer when she created a fitness and movement company in 2008 after receiving her personal training certification the year before. Since then, Kira has secured several certifications in the world of fitness and movement, and loves talking about the incredible adaptability of the human body and how we can use our bodies to coach us through life. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Given the recent reversal of Roe v. Wade, honest insight into and support for modern-day parents or child caregiving are more necessary than ever. Although recorded weeks before the ruling, this conversation seems incredibly prescient.  Allison Staiger, LCSW, is spiraling. “Have you heard of that term before? Spiral-linear?” she asks. I hadn’t but given her definition, it’s a concept I’m down with. “It’s where you're still moving forward but there's lots of cycles and you kind of cycle back. Things die and then are reborn.”  Makes sense given Allison’s current physical and emotional “birthing” process. She’s deep in the process of relocating her life and fierce feminist care practice from Metairie, LA, to Chicago. Highwire Therapy supports new, expectant, hopeful, and grieving parents, helping them process perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, loss, birth trauma, caregiver burnout, infertility, and the general OMFG of becoming a parent.  The Matriarchy, her nascent coaching practice, is a shame-free space in which folks can rage against the mom-chine (well-played, Allison!), assisting clients in liberating themselves from the mommy complex. Parent or no, Allison challenges all of us to get in touch with our righteous anger and, honestly, there’s no time like the present. Circle back to your Divine Feminine and give the patriarchal system of oppression a big middle finger. GUEST BIO Allison Staiger, LCSW, is the founder of Highwire Therapy, a psychotherapy private practice, and The Matriarchy, a feminist coaching practice. As a licensed clinical social worker certified in perinatal mental health, she works with new, expectant, hopeful, and grieving parents, offering support for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, pregnancy and infant loss, birth trauma, caregiver burnout, infertility, and the general holy shit-ness of becoming a parent. Fed up with the insufficient and oppressive norms and narratives in our current culture of caregiving, she created The Matriarchy to help parents socialized as mothers partner with their radical, rebellious anger, and channel it into fierce feminist care. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork.

Here’s a hot take for you: The teachings of a privileged white dude from the past can help us sort through our modern existential crises. OK, in the world of Jungian psychology, my pithy opening salvo is far from controversial; it’s indisputable. One of the folks translating Carl Jung’s classic analytical foundation into a contemporary application is Satya Doyle Byock, LPC.  At The Salomé Institute of Jungian Studies, Satya and faculty provide online salons and seminars that delve into the power of Jung’s work to heal complex personal and societal issues. In addition to hosting the Institute’s podcast, Satya is about to release Quarterlife: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood, a much-needed guide for bridging the gap between adolescence and mid-life.  “There's kind of this whack-a-mole game of social justice where it's like there's a never-ending number of problems and pains and sufferings, and it's so exhausting,” she says. “When I found Jung’s psychology, It really spoke to me from a feminist and anti-racist perspective.” Even if you “don’t know” Jung, you know Jung. He coined the idea of the “introvert” and “extrovert” personalities, archetypes, and the power of the unconscious––a fundamental aspect Satya wants to rescue from the patriarchy’s toxic clutches.  GUEST BIO Satya Doyle Byock, LPC, is a psychotherapist in private practice, the director of and teacher at The Salome Institute of Jungian Studies, and the author of the forthcoming book "Quarterlife: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood," to be published by Random House July 26, 2022 For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

My guest Kerri Kelly landed on the perfect summation for this episode: “It’s gonna be juicy y’all!” And it is, since our discussion centers on whiteness. Ha––leave it to whiteness to center itself here, there, everywhere. In this instance, however, whiteness and the cacophony of capitalism that almost always accompanies it, is drowned out by Kerri’s challenging, meaningful call-in. And she keeps that volume turned way up. In her new book American Detox: The Myth of Wellness and How We Can Truly Heal, Kerri confronts the toxic systems (founded on whiteness) that have commodified wellness and prohibit everyone (including white folks) from enjoying genuine well-being.  What qualifies her to make such a case? Well, Kerri is the founder of CTZNWELL, a movement that’s democratizing well-being for all and a yoga instructor with 20+ years of experience. She’s well-known for making waves in the wellness industry by challenging norms, disrupting systems and mobilizing people to act. She’s dedicated her life to kicking down doors and fighting for justice, traits she’s inherited from a long line of first-responder ancestors.  Now that I see the lie of white supremacy everywhere (Perfectionism! Productivity! Individualism!), I recognize how thoroughly indoctrinated I am in the system and the harm caused by my own mistake. That repeated realization is tiresome, by design. White supremacy is engineered to keep us severed from self-discovery and the will to continually question and call out. This is challenging, lifetime work.  GUEST BIO Kerri Kelly is the founder of CTZNWELL, a movement that is democratizing well-being for all. A descendant of generations of firemen and first responders, Kerri has dedicated her life to kicking down doors and fighting for justice. She’s been teaching yoga for over 20 years and is known for making waves in the wellness industry by challenging norms, disrupting systems and mobilizing people to act.  A community organizer, wellness activist and author of the forthcoming book American Detox: The Myth of Wellness and How We Can Truly Heal, Kerri is recognized across communities for her inspired work to bridge transformational practice with social justice. She’s been instrumental in translating the practices of wellbeing into social and political action, working in collaboration with community organizers, spiritual leaders and policymakers to transform our systems from the inside out. Her leadership has inspired a movement that is actively organizing around issues of racial and economic justice, healthcare as a human right, civic engagement and more. Kerri is a powerful facilitator and TED speaker and is the host of the prominent podcast, CTZN. You can learn more about her work at kerrikelly.co and ctznwell.org.  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast GET CONNECTED Wounded Healers Virtual Group: https://tinyurl.com/woundedhealersvg-2 *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

The magic of great photography is that it uncovers emotions on both sides of the lens. But what if subject and audience are the same? That exposure arrives with all sorts of charged, squishy feelings––including a healthy dose of healing. That’s what I’m experiencing as I circle back to the beautiful new collection of branding images my guest Meagan Thomas took of me. Meagan is a boudoir photographer specializing in capturing each client's unique beauty, revealing the ravishing soul within so that they can bear witness to it, too.  You might be asking, “Hey Sarah, doesn’t boudoir photographer imply spicy shots of nakey folks?” Yes. Yes, it does. And while my branding images aren’t nakey (natch), time spent in Meagan’s company, whether through a photography session or simply via this conversation, is a reminder of/return to our beauty beyond the physical. She makes women feel strong, assured, and sexy as hell. I say “women”, but Meagan’s objective is to create an environment where everyone is free to embrace and embody their enoughness. And confidence comes from unlearning all the conditioning that’s force-fed to us by advertising. Even with my clothes on, I had to grapple with capitalism forever expropriating my desirability––as a professional person, a sensual being, and all the complexities in between.  Under Meagan’s guidance, I experienced the freedom to pose and play. To experiment in my body. To be seen and see me. “I think my biggest goal is to remove contempt from your psyche,” she says. “If you can go from the contempt of ‘I hate this” to ‘It's not that bad. I’ve done my job.” Job well done. I cried when I received the final images from Meagan. I like who I see. GET CONNECTED Crave with Mishara D. Winston: www.misharadwinston.com/crave Wounded Healers Virtual Group: https://tinyurl.com/woundedhealersvg-2 GUEST BIO Meagan Thomas is a boudoir photographer who specializes in identifying the unique beauty of each client she engages with. In every image she wants to see evidence of the ravishing soul within, so that her clients can see it too. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

It’s not every day that I speak with an animal psychic. Allow me to head off any skepticism by saying this is no “talk to the animals” farce. If you’ve ever experienced the special bond from loving an animal, you likely shared moments of complete synchronicity, as if you both spoke a common language. When that beloved animal passes, the loss is immense. Overwhelming. I say this as someone who has missed her little Oscar every day since he left this world in 2019. Regardless of species, Linda Roberts says we all have an innate capacity to connect telepathically with our furry (or scaly) companions if we remove self-doubt and balance logic with intuition. Oh, and practice, as is the case with any new-to-us language.  For those not up to the work, Linda is a fantastic intermediary. She’s a life-long animal lover who’s honored her ability to communicate with creatures great and small through energetic, heartfelt connections. Linda doesn’t limit her work to end of life or afterlife communication. She shares several stories of pet-owner impasse and insight into the mind of pandemic pets who find themselves thrust into long periods of loneliness after two years of 24/7 wfh companionship. That pee on your sofa is no joke!  GET CONNECTED Crave with Mishara D. Winston: www.misharadwinston.com/crave Wounded Healers Virtual Group: https://tinyurl.com/woundedhealersvg-2 GUEST BIO Linda Roberts is a lifelong animal lover who enjoys working and living with a variety of animals. Linda feels honored to have the ability to communicate with them. It’s through an energetic, heartfelt connection that she is able to acquire an understanding of the animal’s thoughts, actions, and feelings.  She has experience working with cats, dogs, horses, birds, and reptiles.  Linda enjoys helping people to solve the mysteries surrounding their animal’s behaviors and health concerns. She also enjoys teaching others to tap into this natural ability.   For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: https://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

If I had to pick one word to describe this conversation with Dr. Barbara Shabazz, PsyD, my choice is easy: intentionality. And possibility. And community. And… Y’all know by now that I refuse to play nice with arbitrary limits!  I could turn to the 20k folks who follow her over on IG for additional superlatives. Not to mention the clients who seek Barbara’s guidance via Intentional Activities, her multi-format personal and professional coaching practice. Add members of Intentional Activities Academy, the inclusive, non-judgemental, anti-oppressive virtual collective. However, as is always the case, it’s best to let my guests do the talking.  “What we don't repair, we repeat. Not talking about it, not addressing it, doesn't make it go away.” Are you keen to discover why top-tier talent is leaving managed care in droves to pursue careers in coaching?  Not sure why diversity initiatives continue to fail academia?  Can’t understand why we, as a society, haven’t yet moved beyond whiteness and supremacy culture?  I humbly submit the quote above for your review. GET CONNECTED Voicemail for 200th episode: https://speak-to.us/convoswithawoundedhealer Waiting List for Wounded Healers Virtual Group: https://tinyurl.com/WoundedHealerWaitlist GUEST BIO Dr. Barbara Shabazz is a clinical psychologist who coaches. She has spent 25+ years helping folks in the therapeutic setting, community, and classroom. Her goal with her company, Intentional Activities, is to tap into the inherent strengths of each client, equipping them with the tools necessary to live a more action-oriented and authentic life. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Where organized religion goes, the need for therapy often follows. There’s no shortage of examples in which Christianity’s original pitch––to love and care for one another––has gotten corrupted by those delivering Jesus’ message.  But what if you’re called to fight for your faith? What if you believe that your generation is the breath of fresh air its stagnant lungs need? Or, what if you want to offer a safe space where other disillusioned faithful can ask WTAF?  What if you’re all that. And a Mormon? Caitlin Olsen is a trained therapist and mental health coach who offers expert guidance for the modern Mormon woman. So much of Caitlin’s story resonates, especially her struggles with mental health compounded by a global health crisis and a former US president who exploited the pandemic for political gain.  Those four years shook Caitlin’s faith, forcing her to question her place within the Mormon Church. Caitlin still believes that there’s a place for faith in her life.  Our conversation reminds me that we can celebrate the values of a faith tradition and rejoice in its gospel if we’re called to do so. We can also love the promise of religion yet set out to make our spiritual way. Whatever our path, we have agency; we can challenge those that block our way or take a road less traveled. GET CONNECTED Voicemail for 200th episode: https://speak-to.us/convoswithawoundedhealer Waiting List for Wounded Healers Virtual Group: https://tinyurl.com/WoundedHealerWaitlist GUEST BIO Caitlin Olsen is a trained therapist, mental health coach, and lifelong Mormon. She runs group programs, creates self-paced courses, and works 1:1 with incredible coaching clients under her business, Caitlin Olsen Co. Her mission is to destigmatize mental health care, change some family trees for the better, and bring mental health to the forefront of Mormonism. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

What a time to be alive, huh? I say so with tongue firmly planted in my cheek because when crisis cycles like the one we’re currently in arise, instinct often overrides my ability to analyze. I rush for the deep end with an overwhelming need to do everything, even as I realize I’ve stretched myself too thin to do anything. Raise your hand if you’ve been there; done that. Val Jencks, MS, LMFT, LCPC, gets it. In addition to spending nearly three decades mentoring new therapists and working with couples and families at her Chicago-based group practice, this self-described “serial volunteer” has also dedicated her life to advocating for people impacted by trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Oh, and btw, she’s a stand-up legend who co-founded Laughing Matters In Chicago, a nonprofit that produces comedy events supporting young performers in recovery. But wait, there’s more. Val’s 2015 TEDx Talk “How to Rewrite History” is a message for anyone who has witnessed or survived youth abuse. But the beauty of Val’s wisdom isn’t in how she keeps all the balls in the air. Instead, those times when she’s let the balls fall (because yeah, life) provide the most insight. Multiple crises have taught Val the importance of establishing a new orbit, mindful that her wellbeing (not to mention that of her family, colleagues, and clients) hangs in the balance. However, taking care of oneself is easier said than done, especially for entrepreneurs in the healing space. When crisis crashes into capitalism, a flood of self-serving propaganda follows, pressuring individuals to practice resilience amid the storm.  Post-traumatic growth doesn’t come quickly; it reveals itself by inches or less. “I just am much more comfortable with myself. I'm less judgmental of myself.”  And less compelled to dive in head-first without checking her own vitals. Special Note: For those interested in providing tangible support to LGBTQIA+ communities under threat in Texas and Florida, the following is a small list of vetted resources: Resources for Texas Trans Kids www.txtranskids.org www.transtexas.org/resources www.transequality.org/additional-help www.transhealthconsulting.com/mentalhealth Resources to Oppose Florida Don’t Say Gay Bill Take Action via Equality Florida - http://eqfl.org/act Florida Coalition for Trans Liberation - www.fc4tl.org Safe School South Florida - http://safeschoolssouthflorida.org SAVE LGBTQ - www.save.lgbt GET CONNECTED Voicemail for 200th episode: https://speak-to.us/convoswithawoundedhealer Waiting List for Wounded Healers Virtual Group: https://tinyurl.com/WoundedHealerWaitlist GUEST BIO Val Jencks, MS, LMFT, LCPC, has spent nearly three decades working with couples and families in her Chicago practice, Prairie Family Therapy. Often described as a “serial volunteer,” she has a strong penchant for championing the underserved, with decades of advocacy for people impacted by trauma, mental illness and addiction. She also co-founded “Laughing Matters in Chicago,” a nonprofit dedicated to producing comedy events that support young performers in recovery. Her 2015 TEDx talk “How to Rewrite History” is a message for anyone who has witnessed or survived youth abuse.  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

I have long wished for one complete website where I could find information about every trauma modality––the who, what, where, why, and how of trauma-informed care if you will––because I want training in all of them!  The truth is, whether we’re therapists, specialized healers, or lightworkers, there’s a reason why we call what we do practice: we never arrive at a place of absolute knowing.  Shelby Leigh helps practitioners of all sorts examine, without judgment, the situations that arise, teaching them how to best integrate a foundation of trauma awareness into their practice life. When we accompany clients on their healing journeys, we’re bound to encounter new conflicts and confront reminders of our past traumas. It’s these inevitabilities that Shelby’s 1-to-1 coaching sessions and group programs make space to address. Her coaching clients gain a more nuanced understanding of themselves and how trauma impacts the care dynamic. As someone who’s constantly urging therapists to do their own work, I hella approve of Shelby’s coaching roadmap! I appreciate healers like her, who actively support the rest of us as we push the self-imposed limits of our intrapersonal communication skills and deepen our interpersonal healing.  GET CONNECTED Voicemail for 200th episode: https://speak-to.us/convoswithawoundedhealer Waiting List for Wounded Healers Virtual Group: https://tinyurl.com/WoundedHealerWaitlist GUEST CONTACT BIO Shelby Leigh has nearly 15 years of clinical practice, a Master's degree in Somatic Psychotherapy, two coaching Certificates and numerous trainings in the Somatic treatment of trauma. Between her own journey with complex PTSD and supporting thousands of students and clients, she is ignited by supporting folks across the globe to be able to support themselves and the people they work with to move from simply surviving to truly thriving. A former licensed psychotherapist, now coach and consultant - Shelby teaches trauma awareness to coaches, therapists, healthcare professionals, and organizations worldwide. A great passion is understanding and supporting folks with developmental and complex trauma in a holistic, body-based, integrative way. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

This one has all the hallmarks of those "very special episodes" from TV days gone by. Awesome guest? Check. Witty banter? Check. A lesson on the power of vulnerability? Check. We're talking *chef's kiss* from start to finish, not least because I get to publicly gush over my friend Rayell Grayson, LCPC, CADC. Knowing Rayell brings me so much joy on the daily. I'm proud to be in her orbit and utterly amazed by her as a counselor, speaker, manager, and human. She's committed her life to holding space for and centering those who identify as BIPOC. Rayell is also Executive Director at Head/Heart Therapy––but not for long. Trumpets, please, as I introduce folks to the next owner of the practice! Say what?!?! I said it. I mean it. I'm doing it! And when you meet Rayell, you'll understand why she's the logical choice to guide Head/Heart Therapy into the future. Had I not brought her on once the pandemic hit in 2020, I genuinely don't think I would've survived.  Here's to the promise of continued emotional evolution for both Rayell and Head/Heart Therapy. Let's bear witness to the future of anti-racist, anti-oppressive, liberatory therapy together. GUEST BIO Rayell Grayson LCPC, CADC, is a licensed clinical professional counselor, certified addictions counselor, and the Executive Director of Head/Heart Therapy. She holds a Master’s of Arts degree in clinical counseling psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Rayell specializes in: substance abuse/addiction, complex PTSD, trauma/racial trauma, cultural/racial identity development, life adjustments/transitions, stress management, mood disorders, anxiety, relational complications, domestic and sexual violence, low self-esteem/self-worth struggles, women’s issues, and health/wellness concerns. Rayell is currently holding space and centering her work around those who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

If you look up the word “radical”, you’ll find definitions for its noun- and adjective-based usages. Marvin Toliver, MSW, LCSW, embodies both. He's a self-respecting bisexual man of color who refuses to bear the crushing weight of racist, capitalist, heteronormative systems. Instead, Marvin advocates fiercely for marginalized folks and won’t accept anything less than complete liberation and revolutionary social change.  Radical Therapy Center is a group practice where folks with marginalized identities are prioritized. The trauma-informed care is focused on liberation not only for their clients but for anyone whose identity is stigmatized (and worse) by the colonial philosophies governing our daily lives––that goes for many therapeutic environments as well. Melanated Social Work, the group Marvin co-founded with three Black and Brown therapists, is yet another way he’s bringing radical change directly to marginalized people, bypassing the “wellness” structures that cause them intentional and covert harm.  Radical change takes root when everyone has space to grow into the genuine expression of who they are. Marvin sees his challenges, coupled with his privilege, as a bridge for folks routinely excluded from conversations about self-love and transformative healing.  GUEST BIO Marvin Toliver, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker born and raised in Oakland, CA. He is a radical therapist, radical educator, consultant, guest lecturer, and dope human. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Oh, nothing, just me and Heidi Savell, LCSW, my new fave polyamory coach, replacing capitalism with divine feminine energy, repairing acute attachment wounds, and returning agency to anyone frustrated by the limits of monogamous relationships.  OK, before we go any further into this convo, let me emphatically state that neither Heidi nor I have anything against monogamy. Furthermore, monogamists still on board with our discussion will learn a lot about emotional intimacy from polyamorous folks, like navigating jealousy and setting clear boundaries. Win-win-win! So how did we arrive at this current wave of poly-popularity? Heidi says we owe much of the spotlight to the pandemic. Two years into various stages of lockdown and social separation have exposed myriad societal issues, not least of which is the unrealistic assumption that a single partner can (or is willing to) fulfill all our needs.  It’s helpful to have a professional guide, especially in the early stages of your polyamory growth. Heidi’s own journey prompted her to create the coaching practice she wishes she had access to as a poly newbie. With her help, fledgling polyamorists gain the skills necessary to build meaningful connections and address old wounds in the process.  Could widespread post-pandemic polyamory be the antidote to patriarchal power-hoarding and capitalism’s doctrine of scarcity? Sign me up for polyamory’s brand of emotional abundance! Poly-curious? Sign up for Heidi’s “Managing Jealousy” free mini-course and newsletter at She Loves Radically. GUEST BIO Heidi Savell, LCSW, is a polyamory relationship coach and therapist. She believes that polyamory can be an empowering and satisfying relationship model, and is passionate about helping folks find ways to thrive in these relationships.  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Moin Subhani is a Toronto-based psychotherapist who practices the Gestalt method. Moin likens the modality to emotional intelligence 101, an awareness of intra- and interpersonal truths. That inward/outward journey is one Moin knows well. ”Growing up in this society, especially as a Brown person, queer, it was hard for me to sit comfortably in my skin and love myself.”  His corporate career made the task doubly difficult. In a setting where the aggressive male stereotype is at best tolerated and at worst celebrated, any show of displeasure or vocalized anger by a person of color is generally deemed a threat to rigid roles and accepted strategies for overpowering challenges to the reigning authority.  Y’all know that when anger is shoved down, it corrupts from the inside out. The emotion continues to simmer until it boils over, often in the gut of subsequent generations––and isn’t that what we’re experiencing now as the world is made to examine past injustices in order to create a more equitable future for all?  Moin feels that Gestalt fosters a more thorough unlearning and rewiring process. In an age of accelerated global reckoning, where our anger is regularly misunderstood or aggressively disregarded, there’s promise in reclaiming our anger as power with rather than power over. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Astrology Podcast Astral Realms Crystal Oracle Deck Gestalt Institute of Toronto NARM - NeuroAffective Relational Model GUEST BIO Moin Subhani is a Registered Psychotherapist. As a therapist, Moin is compassionate, creative and playful. He completed his psychotherapy training at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto and is a life-long student of Eastern Spirituality. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Let's settle this once and for all: astrology is a science like quantum physics and theoretical math. Please don't come at me; I've got a former chemical engineer on my side. Actually, my guest Sara Calvarese, the aforementioned former chemical engineer, made that bold proclamation at the top of our chat. Throughout the convo, Sara drops truth bombs supporting astrology's place alongside other analytical pursuits along with quotable gems regarding small business ownership, community, and eroding capitalism.  Astrology, entrepreneurship, and degrowth––a trifecta of healing endeavors that this Wounded Healer is intensely passionate about (cue my inner Chiron monologue!). If you don't know much, or anything, about these topics, let this episode be your gateway.  Let Sara provide deeper insight into the mystic-scientific connection for those well-acquainted with the good stuff. Sara is an anti-capitalist, self-proclaimed science witch and owner of The 8th House ethical modern metaphysical shop in Mount Holly, NJ (on Lenape land). If you want a heads-up on what's coming, a scientific assessment of the stars could provide warning, wisdom, and a way forward.  *** To donate to Sista Afya’s Whole Women, Whole Communities campaign, please visit: https://donorbox.org/saccwholewomen/fundraiser/sarah-buino GUEST BIO Sara Calvarese is an anti-capitalist, "science witch" who owns The 8th House - an ethical modern metaphysical shop in Mount Holly, NJ (on Lenape land). She is an astrologer, tarot reader, deck creator, author, and maker. She comes from a long line of small business owners and enjoys advocating for small businesses struggling to exist in late-stage capitalism.  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Shout out to all the black sheep! Given the interactions I’ve had with many of you over on IG, self-declared black sheep make up most of this Wounded Healer’s audience. We kindred souls are a misunderstood bunch.  With so many black sheep about town, you’d expect to find volumes written in our honor. Where are the books detailing our experiences or offering keen insight into the unique psyche of black sheep? Fear not! The definitive tome on black sheep is in its research phase, courtesy of my guest Kathi Hennessey, LICSW.  Kathi’s black sheep backstory is laden with classic markers: Irish Catholic upbringing, a family history of alcoholism, resentment, denial, divorce. Those compounded traumas don’t always add up to black sheep designation. So what does? Kathi aims to find out. She hopes her research will offer guidance on how folks can black sheep better because––families.   Bad and embarrassing? The OED got it wrong. Sure, black sheep unleash Kali energy on that sticky generational trauma loop. But we do so as a means of healing. If smashing the status quo lands us outside a broken family dynamic, bring it on. Black sheep are a breed apart. And we’re far from alone.  *** To donate to Sista Afya’s Whole Women, Whole Communities campaign, please visit: https://donorbox.org/saccwholewomen/fundraiser/sarah-buino GUEST BIO Kathi Hennessey LICSW is a licensed psychotherapist with a private practice in Massachusetts. I am conducting research on people who are the black sheep of their families. As the black sheep of my family, I was looking for support and validation for my healing journey. For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

Pardon me while I drop my first ever LIVE episode into this space! And, wouldn’t you know it, my guest and I cover all the Conversations With a Wounded Healer favorites: community, connection, spiritual anchors, resiliency, the white-washing of mental wellness spaces, and the importance of therapists engaging in their own work (natch).  What a joy to sit beside Camesha Jones, LCSW, at Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness, her gorgeous social enterprise located in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. Founded in 2017, Sista Afya is dedicated to providing low- to no-cost mental wellness services that center the experiences of Black women. Let’s chat about why centers like it are important––and, believe me, there aren’t many places like Sista Afya, sadly. “Sometimes people keep saying this BS that Black people don't want to engage in therapy,” says Camesha. Ah, yes, the narrative about which communities are and aren’t receptive to supportive healing, created by those outside the community to stigmatize and keep critical infrastructure like therapy from reaching those who need it. Camesha flatly refutes the trope.  Camesha has built a center that’s community focused down to its core. The name, for instance, combines sista, a term of endearment used between Black women, and afya, a Swahili word that means to be healthy, free from psychological and physical illness.  In her own life, Camesha takes continual care to address challenges inherent to living with bi-polar disorder. She offers hope to folks, including fellow therapists, with similar experiences, modelling self-awareness and practicing sustainable self-care while running a successful business. “I go to therapy. I go to my psychiatrist. I take my meds. I do all the things [ ] and that's part of why I call myself a mental illness survivor,” she says, adding, “we're dealing with some of the same things, we're all dealing with some of the same things. It doesn't mean that we can't be effective in this work.” GUEST BIO Camesha Jones, LCSW, is a Social Worker, Entrepreneur, and Community Mental Wellness Advocate who serves at the intersection of culture, community, and social justice. Camesha strongly believes in eliminating barriers in the mental health field that people of diverse cultural backgrounds experience by creating affordable and accessible care that centers on the well-being of the whole person. Camesha is the Founder and Executive Director of Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness.  “WHOLE WOMAN, WHOLE COMMUNITIES” FUNDRAISER INFO To donate to Sista Afya’s campaign, please visit: https://donorbox.org/saccwholewomen/fundraiser/sarah-buino I’m excited to support Sista Afya’s Fall campaign, “Whole Women. Whole Communities.” This year, Sista Afya Community Care has offered 650 free therapy sessions and over 35 community workshops and classes that have collectively served over 200 women. The goal is to raise $35,000 to continue offering free mental wellness care to Black women in Chicago. They need your support to sustain the progress they’ve made so far. Sista Afya continues to remove barriers to accessing mental wellness care in their communities. Will you contribute to the annual year-end campaign by giving $50, $100, $250, or whatever amount you can towards our goal of $35,000 to help deepen the impact in providing free mental wellness care for Black women? The campaign will run the entire month of December, but make sure to donate now.  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi

If you’re a baby therapist (or a seasoned pro) looking for a sign, this is it! Lean into moments of extrasensory perception. Take leaps of faith toward alternative career paths. Trust that your current discomfort heralds growth. My longtime friend and one-time coworker Virginia Castillo, LCPC, is a chill, uplifting study in clearing space for all three. Our convo is such a gift for this quiet time of year. It’s the season of turning inward, exploring our options, and assuming that our seemingly “out there” choices will have a positive ripple effect. The therapy profession isn’t an easy path to tread, especially when you enter the field ready and willing to do your own work. Few therapists-in-training receive that message from their professors or case supervisors. I say it all the time: better support of our clients begins when we acknowledge those parts of ourselves that require deeper exploration or healing.  Virginia has recently taken her intrapersonal work to a deeper level with clairvoyant training. Clairvoyants have a highly developed capacity for receiving the information, then distilling it into a more accessible format.  As her studies progress, Virginia’s coming out more as clairvoyant to friends and a few family members. It’s a challenging process as some find her pursuit too woo-woo to take seriously. Virginia has come to accept that she might lose some people as she taps further into her abilities. And, that’s ok. Her clairvoyance may cause waves in her personal life, but it’s the ripples she hopes to extend to her clients. “If you can create that space in the therapy room with people and guide them into learning how to heal themselves, that's the healing.” GUEST BIO Silver Lining Psychotherapy Instagram Facebook Virginia Castillo LCPC is a licensed clinical professional counselor, owner and founder of Silver Lining Psychotherapy, LLC., in Chicago. She is a first-generation Mexican American and proud Latina.  For full show notes, resources, and links to connect with our guest, visit: http://www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast HEY LISTENERS… Tell us about yourself, win prizes! Complete this short survey by November 30, 2021 to be entered - https://tinyurl.com/cwhsurvey2021 *** Conversations with a Wounded Healer is a proud member of @mhnrnetwork. Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places... Website: www.headhearttherapy.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr @HeadHeart_Chi