Beginning Again with Leeana Tankersley

In this episode, Elaine and Leeana recap their week and then deep dive into the idea of abandoning ourselves. What does it look like? What does it feel like? Why do we do it? And how the heck can we stop? Elaine shares wisdom from work with clients, and Leeana shares her own journey of learning to identify when she's overriding herself. 

In this episode, Elaine and Leeana discuss the kinds of things that save us when we are down and out, especially the mundane, the unexpected, and the incessant. Enneagram stances are thrown in for some fun, as Leeana talks about her enneagram 4 doing repression (aka "no bones") and Elaine talks about her enneagram 2 thinking repression. 

Leeana and lifelong friend, Tina Rose answer Elaine's questions about how their relationship has thrived over decades and how those learnings informed the way Leeana structured their women's group. 

When hard things happen, it's tempting to focus on a why for the experience.  Leeana and Elaine talk about this dilemma, and explore some theological thoughts that may impact our relationship with hope when hard things happen.

Leeana and Elaine are back in business! In this episode they talk about all the things that have helped them hold on to hope in the midst of hard days, featuring a few main ideas from Leeana's forthcoming book, Hope Anyway. 

Leeana shares reflections and challenges, directed mostly to her white listeners, on attitudes and behaviors that are congruent with Christ's message of reconciliation.Be sure to go to www.LeeanaTankersley.com/blog for more resources, links, and additional reflections on today's topic.

Leeana welcomes dear friend and group member, Debbie Cressey (aka Pirate Debs – you’ll hear the story), to the podcast to talk about planting and growing green things! What a perfect time to bring some life into your spaces. Brain research tells us that getting our hands moving in a productive way wards off depression and anxiety, and Debbie is here to help us plan and plant with purpose!You can find a corresponding blog post at www.leeanatankersley.com/blog that includes links mentioned in the episode and a summary of the podcast conversation.

Leeana and Elaine Hamilton (www.soulcarehouse.com) talk about things they are each loving lately. This episode is lighthearted and packed with random ideas if you need a boost, some inspiration, or even a bit of entertainment right now.As always, you can find a corresponding blog post (with links to everything mentioned in the episode + some bonus ideas that weren’t mentioned in the episode) at www.leeanatankersley.com/blog.

Leeana welcomes back Warrior Sister and licensed therapist, Elaine Hamilton, for a conversation about family brands. Leeana talks about a pep-talk she and the rest of her family received from her brother, Trey (AKA family CEO), which led to some consideration about what being “on brand” and “off brand” looks like in a family. Leeana and Elaine each share some of the hallmarks of their own family “brands.”As always, you can find additional musings, resources, and links on Leeana’s blog, www.leeanatankersley.com/blog. Each week she includes a post that corresponds with the podcast.

Leeana welcomes longtime friend and spiritual director, Linsey Wildey, to the show to talk about accessible spiritual practices. The conversation is fun and soulful and full of resources you can use to help you during quarantine and beyond. To find out more about Linsey’s practice, visit www.linseywildey.com. And for additional resources, links, and thoughts on the episode, visit www.leeanatankersley.com/blog.

Leeana welcomes regular guest, Elaine Hamilton, and they talk through what it means to step into your true self and leave behind some of the ways we diminish ourselves. This is an important conversation about getting out of our heads and into our hearts.

Leeana welcomes show regular, Elaine Hamilton, for a conversation on the one-year anniversary of the passing of Elaine's husband. This is a tender conversation about emerging from loss and reclaiming creativity and vitality.  You can get background information, resources, and additional thoughts on this episode at www.leeanatankersley.com/blog.

Leeana invites longtime friend and group member, Erica Ruse, to offer a "quick relax" meditation. Erica has offered these to their group for over a decade -- a way to quiet down, breathe, reintegrate, come home to your body, and begin again. 

Leeana and Elaine talk through quarantine, depression, anxiety, lifelines, and regulating our bodies and nervous systems. It's two girlfriends checking in on how they're each doing with a side of therapeutic expertise (Elaine)!

Leeana interviews author and therapist, Nicole Zasowski, about her new book Lost to Found. Nicole talks about the devastation of her fertility journey as a way to talk about the losses that we all experience. The conversation includes heartbreak, hope, and what it truly means to surrender.

Leeana and Elaine talk more about groups and many of the possible issues that come up when women come together. They talk about group values, time, conflict, what it means to be the "leader," and expectations.

Leeana and Elaine talk about nurturing deeper connection with other women in friendships and also intentional groups. They share about the groups they've been a part of how and how they started them.

Elaine and Leeana talk about how to care for yourself when you're going through a tough season.

Leeana and Elaine look back at 2019 and each share what they're letting go of from the past year (it was a DOOZY for both of them). And then they look ahead at 2020, sharing their words for the year, and how they hope to incorporate those words into their daily lives. (Spoiler: This is not a do more, do better, be a new you kind of episode. This one's got a lot of grace, friends!)

Elaine and Leeana Tankersley share how they are approaching this season while in the middle of big change and loss.    

We assume that personal expansion comes through our success, strategic thinking, and capacities. Leeana shares about the actual secret to expansion, growth, and transformation. Spoiler alert: What we see as only reductive is usually the fertile soul for expansion.

Leeana and Elaine Hamilton, founder and director of the Soul Care House therapy practice in San Diego, talk about life after loss. The good, the bad, the ugly, and — of course — the manic painting episodes. (This conversation was originally recorded in June).

Leeana talks with Physical Therapist and wellness expert, Melanie Connell (www.remedypt.com) about reconnecting with our bodies through movement, mindfulness, nourishment, and breath work.

We spend too much time listening to diminishing voices and not enough time listening to those voices that offer truth and wisdom. In this episode, Leeana shares about her own practice of listening and how it has changed everything for her.

Allowing our vulnerability and need to be witnessed by others can be challenging. What would it be like for us to allow others into those spaces of our lives where we feel imperfect, incapacitated, or just plain needy?

Is there a precious, fragile, wounded part of you that is calling all the shots? Are you trying your best to "adult," but something is holding you back? Is it time to release the burden you are carrying, and instead receive some rest?

Bestselling author and podcaster, Emily P. Freeman, joins the show for this episode. Emily and Leeana talk about barriers to beginning as well as practices that will help you take your next right step.

Is God inviting you to put something out into the world? Even after disappointment? Even after criticism? Even after uncertainty? Is God asking you to begin again -- return, reinvest, respond?

“I’m afraid that sometimes there’ll be lonely games, too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.” -Dr. Suess, Oh the Places You’ll Go We cannot bully ourselves into new territory. We have to believe ourselves there.

What do you need to leave behind in order to begin again?

We can choose to stay stuck, silenced, small or we can take the hand that is always reaching toward us, in grace, and step into the next, new moment. What does it mean to begin again? What does it require?