Beyond MeToo: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Trauma

In this episode, Molly shares a meditation originally released on the podcast “Meditations,” by her friend Gregory T. Obert in May of 2019. We are happy to share this recording here, where you'll hear a set of sexual healing affirmations, ready by Molly and repeated several times in a loop. You may prefer to listen to this meditation in a quiet and private space to take them in. If you'd like to hear these same affirmations read by Gregory, you can find his podcast and look for the episode released on May 26, 2019 on the “Meditations” podcast by Gregory T. Obert.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Sarah: www.theembodyconnection.com // sarah@theembodyconnection.com   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, content creation for Somatic based healers: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

In this episode, Molly interviews Amy Dawn about how she navigated the criminal justice system after deciding to press charges against the man who raped her. Some key highlights include: How Amy found herself in a role reversal from criminal justice student to someone navigating the system, and the challenge she experienced coming to terms with being a rape survivor. Her decision to report and then to pursue legal action. Disclosure and allowing other people's reactions to impact how we feel about ourselves and what happened to us. Victim blaming, objectification, and dehumanization throughout the legal process. The importance of her legal advocate throughout the legal process. How the legal system's way of poking holes in her character led to her questioning her very identity. The awkwardness/injustice/irony of being a mere witness in a case about her own rape. Her decision to leave the criminal justice world professionally. Finding her voice and her authentic self.   Amy Dawn has a Master's in Criminal Justice and Criminology but left that field behind following her own experience with sexual assault. She pivoted careers and now volunteers with Resilience as a medical advocate. Outside of her full-time day job, she also works as a photographer. She is passionate about using her experience to foster dialogue whether it be through writing, photography, or advocacy. In her spare time, you'll usually find her with her best friend, her dog Addison, who she rescued from Paws, and when they are feeling ambitious, they love taking in foster dogs. -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Amy Dawn is putting together a currently untitled photography project around survivors. It's meant to bring to light the magnitude of words during disclosures, to convey the impact of victim shaming, and to humanize survivors. Link here: https://www.amydawnphotography.com/open-call   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, content creation for somatic based healers  https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag  

In this episode Molly interviews Amy Collins, a survivor of things that were meant to break her spirit. Being honest with her past has helped her heal in so many beautiful ways. She believes in staying true to who she is and doing what's best for her healing. In this interview, she shares her recent experience being in recovery from addiction, an eating disorder, and PTSD and the power of groups, among other things, in her relatively recently begun healing journey.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Amy: truthbadassery@gmail.com Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, content creation for somatic based healers: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

“Many sexual trauma survivors went into a freeze state.. And so there's this sense of ‘My body betrayed me, and I don't want to be in this body, but I'm stuck here, so I'm going to do the best job I can to not be here.' And that is the ultimate disconnection. So what we're going for is to start to reconnect that, just a little bit at a time, maybe at first just with questions and guidance, and little by little, help you start to recognize that your body is an ally in this process of healing. And in fact, because it was the site of the crime, it's also the site of immense healing. And until you can actually feel that, there are things you can't heal. There are things you can't heal with words because words weren't what injured you.”   In this conversation, Molly and regular special guest Sarah Brennan share their perspective on the role of touch in healing from sexual trauma. Some of the themes they explore are: The power of safe touch. Doing TO the body or making the body DO versus feeling, experiencing, and listening to the body with genuine curiosity. The body as key to healing injuries that were (and continue to be) experienced in the body. Feeling betrayed by the body's response to assault or violation. Feeling subtle sensations again (or for the first time) after only being able to feel extreme sensations or numbing out or being hypervigilant - or any combination of the aforementioned strategic adaptations.    “People who are terrified need to get a sense of where their bodies are in space and of their boundaries.  Firm and reassuring touch lets them know where those boundaries are: what's outside them, where their bodies end. They discover they do not need to constantly wonder who and where they are. They discover their body is solid and they do not have to constantly be on guard. Touch lets them know they are safe.” ~Bessel Van Der Kolk -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Sarah: www.theembodyconnection.com // sarah@theembodyconnection.com   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   Book: The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel Van Der Kolk   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, content creation for somatic based healers: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

“I'm still struggling with ‘my body is my own'... It really does make me angry because it feels like I'm missing out on this wonderful thing that you experience with a partner.”   In this episode, Molly interviews Anne Jensen, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse within a religious cult, shares her journey over the past several years after disclosing the abuse to her family. She discusses how the process of disclosing was retraumatizing for her, how she started doing the true work of healing when she was truly ready, the role of religion & purity culture in her silencing and disempowerment, and her ongoing struggles with intimacy.   Anne was born and raised in a non-denominational Christian cult in Ontario, Canada, where she endured years of sexual, emotional, and religious abuse. After her family moved out of the community, she spent her teenage years and early twenties in evangelicalism trying desperately to find some kind of healing. She stayed silent about the abuse until she was forced to reveal it in 2015. Since then she has left religion and fully committed herself to her own healing journey which has included talk therapy, yoga, meditation, and medication. She started sharing her story on social media in the hopes that it would encourage other survivors and make them feel less alone. Since she spent so many years suffering in silence, she has made it her mission to use her voice to advocate for survivors of both sexual and religious abuse. She is currently writing her memoir and hopes to get it published one day.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Anne: annemargaretjensen@gmail.com Twitter: @annemargaretj IG: @annemargaretj   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

In this conversation, Molly and regular special guest Sarah Brennan discuss consent in and out of the bedroom, fear of rejection (being rejected and/or rejecting someone else), and how communicating clear boundaries begets trust.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Sarah: www.theembodyconnection.com // sarah@theembodyconnection.com   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   Washington Post Article: Consent is not enough. We need a new sexual ethic. By Christine Emba: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/03/17/sex-ethics-rethinking-consent-culture/   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, copy creation for somatic based healers: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

“I like to think that I grew up in a relatively progressive area of the country… but I definitely, by osmosis, absorbed the cultural expectations and ideas of what a man is and should be, and it was definitely not somebody who'd been sexually abused or taken advantage of. And I think that was another factor inhibiting me from talking about it - just not wanting to deal with the consequent shame and humiliation that I'm sure would have come.”   Phil is a poet, journalist, and content marketer whose debut poetry collection, How to Bury a Boy at Sea, will be published by Stillhouse Press on April 5th, 2022 and is available for pre-order (see his website or direct link below). His poetry has been nominated for a Best of the Net award and has appeared in or is forthcoming in The Laurel Review, Rust + Moth, Two Peach, 2River View, Awakened Voices, The Indianapolis Review and elsewhere. He currently lives in Alexandria, Va., with his wife, Jenny, and their animals: a dog named Brenna, and two cats, Grady and Princess.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Phil: https://www.philagoldstein.com/ Twitter: @philgoldstein IG: @philagoldstein FB: https://www.facebook.com/philgoldsteinpoet/   Pre-order Phil's book, How to Bury a Boy at Sea: https://www.stillhousepress.org/stillhouse-store/how-to-bury-a-boy-at-sea   Phil's book upcoming events (including DC and Chicago, as well as virtual): https://www.philagoldstein.com/book-events   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

“A lot of the work that I'm doing now is because of what happened in the backseat of that car... I would be lying if I said that that is resolved... I am recognizing that I still have a freeze response… It's taken me nine years of resisting that there was still work to be done from that - because I didn't want to investigate it… I lived with a very, very deep sense of shame until the last few years… The event plus the shame created this shut-down - a lack of circulation, a lack of life, a lack of movement in the middle part of my body… And even though I couldn't articulate it, I [began] moving toward something that was regulating my nervous system and making me feel better... So I think it's this really beautiful dance between the top-down information that I've learned and the bottom-up primal work that I've been doing. It's helping me put myself back together.” In this episode, Molly interviews Lauren Dollie Duke about her new memoir, Sh!thouse, which is the story of her own brutal girlhood and her ongoing journey of untangling herself from intergenerational trauma. In this rich conversation, she and Molly explore themes including: Complex/relational trauma and its relationship to sexual trauma The importance of both top-down (cognitive) and bottom-up (somatic/body-based) approaches in healing The idea of “story follows state” and “fake it ‘til you make it” The nervous system, polyvagal theory, and trauma (look for Stephen Porges's work if you'd like to learn more) The paralyzing potential of sexual trauma and shame and how that might relate to digestive issues, shallow breathing, and an overall lack of pelvic sensation/connection Yoga and breathwork techniques as tools to bring our whole bodies back online Teacher as student and healing as a lifelong journey   Lauren Dollie Duke is a writer, educator, healer, entrepreneur, community activist, and thought leader. She has taught thousands of yoga students over the last 15 years, led dozens of retreats and trainings, and continues to push the edges between yoga, mental health, and trauma. In a sea of corporate yoga, where most independent studios don't survive, Lauren Duke founded a one-of-a-kind Community-Care/Yoga studio in Encinitas, California, creating a thriving community where she teaches and hosts a variety of beloved yoga classes, educational seminars, and writing workshops.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Lauren: lauren@gatherencinitas.com Get her book: theunapologeticvoicehouse.com/lauren-duke/ (also available on Amazon) IG (personal): @dollieduke83 IG (book): @shithousebook FB: Surviving, Healing, and Evolving   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

In this conversation, Molly and regular special guest Sarah Brennan share their thoughts and experiences with big emotions, including “overreacting,” acting out/bad behavior, being labeled as “too emotional” or “too sensitive,” self-shaming, shutting down – and ultimately building the capacity to tolerate those big scary emotions with compassion for yourself and others. They also discuss triggers and how they manage them, the question of how to communicate about big feelings, how (and whether) to explain the experience of physical violation, and ultimately, what it means to face your emotions head on rather than allowing them to come out sideways.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Sarah: www.theembodyconnection.com // sarah@theembodyconnection.com   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

In this episode, Dr. Rhonda Sherrod shares insights from her own healing journey from early childhood sexual abuse, which she also shares in her recently published book, “SHE - Surviving Healing & Evolving: Essays of Love, Compassion, Healing, and Affirmation for Black People.” A passionate educator and sought after public speaker, Dr. Sherrod previously taught undergraduate and graduate psychology at two HBCUs. She is now the president of The Need To Know Group where she conducts professional development trainings for educators, devises communication strategies for entrepreneurs, and creates, and delivers enlightening classes on the history of Blacks all over the world for private clients.   Dr. Rhonda Sherrod attended public schools in the western suburbs of Chicago. She has an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Alabama, a master's degree in English from Chicago State University, and a law degree from the University of Texas. After practicing law several years, she matriculated at Jackson State University where she had her doctorate conferred in clinical psychology. A licensed psychologist, Dr. Sherrod completed her pre-doctoral internship at Harvard Medical School before serving as a clinical fellow at Harvard. She has also completed liberal arts graduate classes at the University of Chicago and the Harvard University Extension School.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Rhonda: rhondasherrod@survivinghealingandevolving.com Twitter: @HealingEvolving IG: @survivinghealingevolving FB: Surviving, Healing, and Evolving   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag    

  **GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING** please listen with care In this conversation, Molly and regular special guest Sarah Brennan reflect on how close to home the issue of sex trafficking is, including Sarah's own story of being groomed and, ultimately, trafficked. Indeed, the Department of Homeland Security's relatively new definition of sex trafficking acknowledges domestic sex trafficking, as well as international. And as we head into Super Bowl weekend in a couple weeks, we can anticipate that 10,000 girls & women will be trafficked in some way at that event alone.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Sarah: www.theembodyconnection.com // sarah@theembodyconnection.com   Contact Molly: www.theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

Since 2018, Kristen has been a a certified rape crisis counselor in the state of Illinois and a volunteer medical advocate for Resilience (formerly Rape Victims Advocates).  In her role as a medical advocate, Kristen provides individual level support and advocacy for survivors throughout their process at the hospital. She does this by answering pages to the hospitals that Resilience has contracts with and sitting with survivors of sexual assault in the emergency room as they receive medical care and have evidence collected. Some of Kristen's other interests include being a master level Reiki practitioner, as well as a Fiber Artist - she's a weaver and a jewelry maker.    -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   https://www.ourresilience.org/   Contact Kristen: @Kristenwray123 on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter    Contact Molly: theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag  

In this mini-episode, Molly invites you to reach out if you or someone you know may be interested in being interviewed on the show. Listen to hear some ideas of who we're looking for, and reach out to Molly at molly@theembodyconnection.com if you are interested. Also - What's your word or phrase for 2022? Molly reflects on this concept, as well as her phrase for 2022, in this episode and also wrote this blog post: https://theembodyconnection.com/the-power-behind-a-word/ SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Molly: theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag  

“And so while it is my job to support artists in the work they're doing, I often see my own survival in the work that they're sharing, and for me that just deepens the sense of not being alone. And every time, I think “Oh, right -- that's the basic tenet of a healing community -- remembering ‘I'm not alone.'”… And for me it is the thing I need to continually remember and come back to: “I'm not alone, I'm not alone” -- I think forever it will be helpful to hear and to see that.” Molly spends time talking with Jeri Fredrickson, the Creative Director of Awakenings, a nonprofit arts organization whose mission centers survivors of sexual violence. She sees literary, visual, and performing art as a channel to nurture love and access beauty while questioning the experiences that hold people together. She has an MFA from Antioch University Los Angeles and her book You Are Not Lost was published in Fall 2021. Awakenings is a non-profit organization dedicated to making visible the artistic expression of survivors of sexual violence. We are committed to creating a physical and virtual artistic space in which to engage in an open dialogue that promotes healing of survivors through the arts and furthers awareness and understanding of sexual violence. We do this by producing year-round art events and opportunities spanning every medium, including visual art, literature, music, theater, and performance art that are made by, for, and about survivors of sexual violence.  -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Jeri: https://awakeningsart.org/ // Jeri@awakeningsart.org or jericreatesthings@gmail.com // @awakeningsart (IG&Twitter) // @jfredcreates (IG) // @awakeningsartchicago (FB)   Contact Molly: theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag  

In this conversation, Molly and regular special guest Sarah Brennan share their thoughts on a key part of the conversation that we should be having with our young people when we talk to them about sexual assault and how we may be inadvertently blaming and shaming them into silence.   -------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Sarah: [theembodyconnection.com // sarah@theembodyconnection.com   Contact Molly: theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

“You're experiencing your everyday life in your body already. Sexual trauma is a trauma to the body already. So it's with you. Learning how to connect to your body and understand it and feel connected to it as a supportive part of yourself can be a really important part of the journey. With some of my clients, we don't move; we just connect to the body as a resource in other ways.”   Amanda Mitchell is the Founder and CEO of InTouch & Motion, a creative arts therapies and psychotherapy practice in Chicago that supports uniqueness and creativity as integral to the healing process. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist that has worked with those impacted by violence and trauma for over 11 years, including at sexual trauma centers, in a prison, with individuals and families involved in the foster care system, with veterans, and most recently in private practice for the last 5 years.   SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Amanda: www.intouchandmotion.com // amanda@intouchandmotion.com // FB: @InTouchandMotion // IG: @intouchandmotion   Contact Molly: theembodyconnection.com // molly@theembodyconnection.com   -------------------------------------------- Special thanks to:   Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/   Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/   Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag  

“When I wrote The Courage to Heal, if you had asked me who I was at that point in my life, I would've said ‘I'm an incest survivor,' and that would have been it. I didn't have any other identity. I was consumed by it, and it felt like my life had been destroyed by it and that I would never recover. So many decades later, I'm in such a different place that if you asked me, ‘Who are you?', I would say ‘I'm a teacher, I'm an author,  I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother, I'm a swimmer, I'm a hiker,  I'm a friend, I'm a sister.' ‘Incest survivor' wouldn't even be on the list, and it's because that experience, with many other experiences, is in the fabric of the cloth that shaped me, but it's so in the background now.”   Laura Davis is a six-time bestselling author. Her books, including The Courage to Heal and I Thought We'd Never Speak Again have been translated into 11 languages and sold 1.8 million copies. Laura leads writing workshops in the U.S. and internationally that focus on writing as a tool for healing and transformation.    Laura's new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars: A Mother-Daughter Story is the riveting story of her embattled relationship with her mother Temme, their determination to love one another, and the dramatic and surprising collision course they ended up on at the end of Temme's life. For the millions of readers of Laura's first book, The Courage to Heal, The Burning Light of Two Stars is both prequel and sequel, revealing in page-turning, intimate detail how Laura reconciled with the mother who betrayed her, and came to care for her in her final days.    You can read the opening chapters here: https://lauradavis.net/the-burning-light-of-two-stars/   SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Laura: www.LauraDavis.net // FB: @thewritersjourney // IG: @laurasaridavis Contact Molly: molly@theembodyconnection.com   Special thanks to: Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/ Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag  

Molly and special guest Sarah Brennan share their own experiences of the first time they shared aloud their sexual trauma, as well as what came next. SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Sarah: sarah@theembodyconnection.com Contact Molly: molly@theembodyconnection.com   Special thanks to: Jenn Baykan, virtual assistant for creatives: https://www.jbaykan.com/ Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag

“There is, in this, an opportunity to truly listen to what we’re being called to move through and move toward…. I’m being asked and called to surrender much more than I have in the past, to move further into a space of faith. I have a foundation, but I’m needing to build a house on top of that foundation.” In this special episode (after a year long hiatus!), Molly is interviewed by Sarah Brennan, a former guest on the podcast who will soon be co-hosting the show with Molly. Join Sarah as she prompts Molly to explore the ways that the current pandemic has served as both a trigger and an opportunity for deeper healing. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------

In this episode Molly shares some reflections on her healing journey in real time. "I'm angry that I have to do this work. And I'm angry that I've had to do all of the work I've done. I'm angry that I do most of it alone. I'm angry that I have to pay for it financially, with my time, with my energy. I'm angry that I've had pain in my body as a reaction to the trauma that I've held and harbored for years. I'm angry about it. It's bull shit. It's taken too much of my life." --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ---------------------------------------------------

"If we're not honoring boundaries with each other on a smaller scale, in a smaller context..., it's no surprise to me that we have this whole culture that is having a lot of trouble with boundaries and standing up for ourselves and saying 'no.' ... We don't wanna say 'no' to people, we don't wanna let them down, we don't wanna hurt their feelings. It's very difficult for all of us, men and women, to practice 'yes' and 'no.'" Kate is a trauma-informed bodyworker, coach, and social change and transformation educator. In this episode, she shares her perspective on the transformative power of bodywork and yoga as it relates to healing from trauma. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Kate: https://www.itskatepowers.com/ Ihttps://www.instagram.com/itskatepowers/ https://www.facebook.com/itskatepowers/ Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------              

"Every small and large step I've taken to speak, in whatever form - whether it's my voice, my play, my readings - every time I do any of that, I heal a little bit more because it's contradicting all that has made me believe I shouldn't be telling... It's always healing, every bit of it."  Donna has a lot to offer with nearly four decades working through her own healing process. She is an activist, playwright, actor and author who is committed to sharing her story of healing from incest as a part of her own healing and the healing of the issue of sexual violence in our society. In this interview she covers a lot of ground: her work in feminism’s second wave; how she began speaking aloud about the truth of her incest; the difference between forgiveness and acceptance; the role of spirituality in healing; the importance and difficulty of coming out to her family about her father’s abuse; the role of art and writing in her healing path; and the importance of bringing childhood sexual abuse into the public conversation. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Buy Donna's book, Healing My Life: From Incest to Joy, here:  https://levellerspress.com/product/healing-my-life/  Contact Donna: www.timetotell.org // instagram.com/timetotellproject Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------              

In this mini episode, I share my own story of how I decided to heal and how Reiki gave me the support I needed to do so. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------

"When you have sexual agency as a woman, there’s less of you being on the defensive as the victim. When we own our bodies, and we own not only our sexual power but also when we own our sexual pleasure, then we can say ‘Ya know, this doesn’t feel good. I don’t like this.’” Tazima - a sex & intimacy coach - talks about bringing trauma into our relationships and into the bedroom AND what we can do about it, including moving toward pleasure and away from shame & avoidance. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Tazima: www.infiniterelating.com Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services

“Once you start examining it, then it’s yours. Then you own it. These are MY memories. I’m not reacting out of something that happened to me; I’m reacting out of something that I own. It’s a small little adjustment in your brain, and it’s everything.” Sarah Brennan is a wife, mother of two beautiful boys and a Reiki practitioner living in Chicago. After leaving a career in the restaurant industry to raise her children, she focused on her own healing from decades old sexual trauma - through talk therapy, meditation, and Reiki.  Her path has led her to become a Reiki practitioner and she hopes to focus on helping others to heal from emotional and sexual trauma.  In this interview she discusses - among other things - how she made the conscious choice to heal after hitting rock bottom, how she then took on her healing as a full-time job and how she is raising her two boys to be aware and conscious about sexuality and consent.  --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Sarah: sarah.b.brennan@gmail.com Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------              

"If I'm willing to take a new definition of vulnerability and recognize it as 'This is part of the human condition; everyone is vulnerable to something, and no one leaves this world unscathed in some way.' If I'm willing to look at it that way, I have more of a chance to empower myself and to help myself, rather than to just stay stuck." Sarah Buino is a Chicago based therapist and founder and president of Head/Heart Therapy, a group practice that specializes in addiction, shame and complementary healing modalities. In this interview we discuss the concept of sexual abuse on the energetic level and the nuances of sexual trauma, as well as its relationship to addiction. She also shares hope for healing in discussing the approach of finding the ease in the "dis-ease" and the importance of vulnerability and empathy as the antidotes to shame. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Sarah: www.headhearttherapy.com https://www.facebook.com/WoundedHealr/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadHeartTherapy/ Instagram: @headhearttherapy Twitter: @WoundedHealr // @HeadHeart_Chi Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/

"If we're asking what's next, my 'what's next' has a lot to do with making space for people's healing, which doesn't just mean feeling good and getting bodywork and going to yoga. It could mean getting really angry and getting really sad and finding places and practitioners who can hold space for all of that healing to unfold, so that we can move into whatever is our own 'what's next.'" As a survivor, practitioner, advocate and so much more, Molly lives and breathes the anti sexual violence movement. In this interview, she discusses The Breathe Network, which helps connect survivors of sexual violence with trauma informed holistic practitioners of over 30 modalities who offer sliding scale services. If you want to hear her unique insight into the MeToo movement, you'll find that about 40 minutes into the interview.  The article I read that moved me to reach out to Molly back in 2014:  http://www.thebreathenetwork.org/when-the-rape-myth-is-your-reality --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Molly Boeder Harris: www.thebreathenetwork.org // www.mollyboederharris.com Contact Molly Coeling: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/

“For young women and girls, overwhelmingly, the silence results in funneling them further into a system of violence. So they go from personal and interpersonal violence to structural and systemic violence, ultimately leading them to incarceration.” In this interview, Liz shares her thoughts on sexual violence both from the perspective of her professional work advocating for at-risk girls, as well from a more personal lens, as the daughter of an incest survivor. The mission of her consulting group, She Dreams of Freedom, is to improve the outcomes of young women and girls in the criminal and juvenile justice system. In this interview she talks about the importance of seeing these girls, what you can do to help and how in the act of “helping” we often find our own healing. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Twitter: @lizsalexander // FB: Liz S. Alexander // www.shedreamsoffreedom.com Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------              

In this mini episode, I reflect on an alternative to the "he said, she said" rhetoric that is dominating the national conversation (yet again). "Even if he knows somewhere inside himself that he did this, is there any space in our current conversation for him to admit what he did, to apologize and to potentially arrive at redemption? Redemption as a human being who is worthy of love, who is worthy of respect, who is not to be shamed and cast aside and isolated." ------------------------------------------------- The Dave Chapelle Netflix special I refer to is called "The Bird Revelation" Kimberly Ann Johnson's Facebook post: "What Kavanaugh could have said...."  https://www.facebook.com/magamamacom/photos/a.751660498182116/2314431865238297/?type=3&hc_location=ufi --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes!   Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/

“Scorpio is the underworld, the skeletons in our closet... And here comes this bright, shiny light [Jupiter] being like ‘Hey, let’s look at that,’ and pretty much in tandem with Jupiter’s onset to Scorpio, the MeToo movement popped up.” In this interview Carly explains how we can look to astrology to better understand the energy that was the impetus for the MeToo movement - and where we are headed, if we do The Work. We also touch on the basics of astrology, how it can be used as a therapeutic modality and get into a few examples from my own birth chart. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Carly: StructureConstructor.com  [Please note that Carly no longer does readings at Shadow Emporium, as referenced in the interview. Contact her directly to set up a reading.] Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------              

“I think with the right support system and enough time, people can really understand their strengths in survival and then use those strengths and create a more thriving life.” Hillary Catrow, acupuncturist, is the owner of Quil Studio in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood. In this interview she discusses her experience working with survivors of torture, the ways that trauma can present in the body and how she uses acupuncture and additional training to help her patients work through their trauma. Aside from the hopeful quote above, one of my favorite things Hillary shared in this interview was, “We’re constantly running from these ideas of pain and suffering, and it is really through the pain and suffering that we gain insight into what is going on and what we’re experiencing in the world." --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Hillary:  www.quilstudio.com // https://www.facebook.com/QuilStudio/ Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/

“When we do this for ourselves, we’re doing it for the healing of the whole world.” Anna is dedicated to the healing arts, and I have had the honor of knowing her and learning from her for several years. In this interview, she discusses the powerful practice of Forrest Yoga and how it can be used as a tool to reclaim our bodies, process emotions, rewire our brains and, ultimately, reclaim our spirits. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Anna: www.boldlygoyoga.com // instagram: @annaschabold // FB: @ASchaboldYoga Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------

“The story you tell yourself is terribly, terribly important. But when it comes to healing the body.. the question is ‘Can I transform that?’” I met Melanie in 2012 and have walked through much of my healing process with her by my side. In this episode, Melanie’s sense of humor and vitality shine through, even as she discusses her own ongoing work toward healing from childhood sexual abuse. She also shares about the work she does to facilitate healing for her clients, using massage and craniosacral therapy, among other physical and energetic techniques. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Melanie: melaniejansen17@gmail.com Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/ ----------------------------------------------------

Molly explains why she's launching this podcast and what listeners can expect. -------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE to the show to be the first to hear about new episodes! Contact Molly: www.mollycoeling.com // molly.coeling@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------- A special thanks to: Gina McLaughlin Photography for photo and graphic design: https://www.facebook.com/ginamclaughlinphotography/?fref=tag Dave Hiltebrand for intro and outro music original composition: https://www.davehiltebrand.com/ Gregory T. Obert for podcast consulting services: https://gregorytobert.com/