Conversations With a Wounded Healer

In the words of post-punk pioneers Talking Heads, "This ain't no party! This ain't no disco! This ain't no foolin' around!" Instead, we're getting serious about ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy with Heather Friedman, a New Hampshire-based psychotherapist, NARM-certified therapist, EMDR practitioner, and witchy-witch. Whether you're psychedelic curious or cautious, it's worth noting that t...

When I say "it's all connected," I'm not pushing a love 'n light colloquialism; I preach the gaddang truth! That cranky back you woke up with this AM? That IBS that took you down during a meeting? That nagging knee injury that kept you from your run? It's ALL connected to the way we treat ourselves. Those messages are often tied to big "T" or little "t" traumas that we haven't correctly processed,...

I'm gonna subhead this one, "A Simpatico Of Sarahs," not just because the alliteration pleases me. Sarah Bryski-Hamrick is a like-minded liberation-focused, anti-exploitation-oriented therapist and business coach who believes therapy IS political. She also believes that caring for our personal and professional selves is imperative, especially if we hope to break free from capitalism. We're talking...

Anne's recent conversation with Movement Coach Olive Walton is an excellent reminder of how much mental anguish and physical damage the shame monster can inflict. It's no surprise, then, that shame is a favorite weapon of both white supremacy and many in the fitness industry. Olive: "Conversations I've had recently with a lot of people is how their firsthand experiences with physical education wer...

My guest procurement process is pretty standard: a social follow or professional acquaintance morphs into an invite and eventual recording session. For this episode, however, I gotta thank the gods of analog alignment. They placed me in my favorite wellness collective at a personal low point. Here, I encountered a flier announcing a special event featuring Lama Rod Owens. The topic? Tantric Buddhi...

You, who are about to experience the brilliance of this episode for the very first time, are in for an extra special treat. With glitter on top. This one had me hootin', hollerin', AMENing, and researching tons of new-to-me things. Ladies, gentlemen, and those who eschew binary categorizations, please welcome the extraordinary Dr. Cheddar Gorgeous in conversation with our own amazing Anne. That's...

Healing takes on many forms. While our lists may vary, I'll wager that not many of us place "business stewardship" in the top ten. The thing is, in a capitalist society, doing business differently just might be the antidote to community disinvestment and unsustainable consumption of people and physical resources. And, since we gotta start somewhere, why not with a little fizzy bevy?  Mindy McCord,...

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 heali...

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 c...

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 i...

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 AD...

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...

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 da...

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 A...

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...

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 e...

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...

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...

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 betwee...

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 gro...

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 ant...

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 the...

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 (albei...

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 lookin...

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 an...