Healing After Harm with Heena Patel

In this episode, we turn our attention to a space many of us turn to after experiencing harm: (psycho)therapy. I'm joined by Lisa Kays, a licensed therapist to talk about how the very behaviors we're working to heal from in learning and spiritual communities can also show up in licensed mental health spaces. Lisa is a practicing therapist herself, so this isn't an argument against therapy, and she...

In this episode, Heena talks with psychotherapist and author Lena Derhally about narcissistic abuse, how to support those experiencing harm, and the communal narcissist. Lena shares the abusive relationship that became the foundation of her life's mission to help others recognize narcissistic patterns and push for real accountability. We talk about why emotional and psychological abuse can be as d...

In this episode, I sit down with Elisha Tichelle — threshold guide, nervous system alchemist, and one of my own mentors — for a deep and wide-ranging conversation about power, fawning, sovereignty, voice, and what it really means to heal. We talk about the idea of "sacred rage" and why timing matters when it comes to speaking your truth publicly. We explore fawning patterns — both the active kind...

Welcome to Healing After Harm, a place for nuanced conversations about pathways to healing after abuse within learning and community environments. In this inaugural episode, host Heena Patel shares her personal story with abuse and her why for this podcast. Main topics: Heena's personal experience of grooming and abuse by a former teacher The process of coming out publicly and navigating cultural...