1 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: Take a deep breath in through your nose. 2 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 2: Holds it. 3 00:00:36,760 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: Now, release slowly again deep in, helle hold release, repeating 4 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: internally to yourself as you connect to my voice. I 5 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 1: am deeply well. I am deeply well. I am deeply wow. 6 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: I'm Debbie Brown and this is the Deeply Well Podcast. 7 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Deeply Well, a soft place to land on 8 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: your journey. A podcast for those that are curious, creative, 9 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: and ready to expand in higher consciousness and self care. 10 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: This is where we heal, this is where we transcend. 11 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Deeply Well. This podcast we are deeply 12 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: exploring pathways to inner peace, connection and healing. And I 13 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: am so excited. As always, I'm your host, Debbie Brown, 14 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: and today I am just absolutely honored to be joined 15 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: by a true force in the world of psychology, healing 16 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: and spiritual restoration. Today's guest is the renowned doctor Tama Bryant, 17 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: a New York Times best selling author, clinical psychologist, teacher 18 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: and minister. Doctor Tama Bryant, a New York Times best 19 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: selling author, clinical psychologist, teacher, and minister. Doctor Tama made 20 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,959 Speaker 1: history in twenty twenty three as the youngest female president 21 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: of the American Psychological Association. She has now just released 22 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,959 Speaker 1: her newest book, Matters of the Heart, Healing your relationship 23 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: with yourself and those you love, through Penguin Random House. 24 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: Matters of the Heart combines the wisdom of science, spirituality, 25 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 1: and real life experiences to help readers tend to their 26 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 1: emotional wellbeing and build meaningful connections. Doctor Tama provides evidence 27 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: based practices, essential relationship skills, and strategies to address common 28 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: relational struggles. She is on a mission to help individuals 29 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: reclaim their sense of self and well being in the 30 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: face of trauma and oppressive systems. She completed her doctorate 31 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: in clinical psychology at Duke University, followed by postdoctoral training 32 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: at Harvard Medical Center's Victims of Violence Program. Now a 33 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: tenured professor at Pepperdine University, she focuses her research and 34 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: clinical practice on interpersonal trauma and the societal impact of oppression. 35 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,119 Speaker 1: Welcome to the show. Thank you so much for being here, 36 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: doctor Tama. 37 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me. I am so 38 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: excited to be in this soft place to land with you. 39 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: Begin Yeah, oh my gosh. I mean, first and foremost, 40 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: I just want to reflect deep gratitude to you for 41 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: the work that you do. The way your work has 42 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: moved in the world, I think really came so far 43 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: ahead of what we are now maybe beginning to think 44 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: is commonplace casual understanding of how our pathts affect us, 45 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: and how childhood especially affect us, and how trauma affects us. 46 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: And I think for so many people, mental health and 47 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: faith has been such a disjointed body. Right, there's this 48 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: idea that trauma belongs over here. Faith and church and 49 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: God and ministry belong here, family belongs here, personal responsibility 50 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: belongs here, and everything. You know, there were all of 51 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: these pieces I think that people were really screaming for 52 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: help in and it. It isn't until recently that it's 53 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: really understood how holistic it all is, and how it 54 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: really is a true blend of everything all at once 55 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: and we have to approach it that way. But that 56 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: has been your call and your work. 57 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 2: How did you. 58 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: Begin to really in all the processes, see those connections 59 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: and put all of those puzzle pieces together. 60 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you for that. I would say it is 61 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 2: at the roots afrocentric. So in afrocentric psychology, afrocentric philosophy, 62 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 2: there is not a false dichotomy it's not like are 63 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 2: you spiritual or secular? Are you creative or intellectual? It's 64 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 2: all one. And so I grew up with that as 65 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 2: a foundation that it wasn't like are you going to 66 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 2: be focused in school or are you going to pray? 67 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 2: Like that question would never be asked. It was to 68 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 2: be the fullness of who you are. And so and 69 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 2: at the roots, psychology used to incorporate more at spirituality. 70 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 2: Psychology actually means study of the soul, and so the 71 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 2: founders of the field were often people of faith. But 72 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 2: then there was a detour as we try to prove 73 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,479 Speaker 2: ourselves to be scientific. So in order to be worthy 74 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 2: of being a science, we had to discard all the 75 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 2: things we could not easily prove. And so there has 76 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 2: been a reclamation of return to not only reclaiming spirituality, 77 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 2: but also reclaiming the body. Yeah, I mean the body 78 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 2: so important. 79 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: And it's so interesting the way just to be alive 80 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: right now, I think that's a loaded statement because it 81 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: is interesting for many reasons, but especially I think in 82 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: it does feel like a time where we do if 83 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 1: you're awake and aware for it, get to come home 84 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 1: to yourself, yes, and understand that the human experience is 85 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,359 Speaker 1: all of those facets. You know, whenever we've spoken to mind, body, 86 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: and soul. I think for so many years, it's still 87 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: not understood that is actually what your human experience is. 88 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: You are having the experience of your mind, of your body, 89 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: of your soul, and our work is to integrate. 90 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 2: That's right, because when we are seen and valued only 91 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 2: for our labor, then these systems benefit from the disconnection. Right, 92 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: I'm not a living soul if I am just your laborer. Right, 93 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 2: my heart doesn't matter, my body doesn't matter. And so 94 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 2: to resist that notion that the ways in which I 95 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 2: build up other institutions and systems is my worth and value, 96 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 2: which is often for women and people of color, that 97 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 2: has often been the narrative. And so to reject all 98 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 2: of that and say, when I'm just sitting here on 99 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 2: the couch, the two of us sitting here on the 100 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 2: couch are worthy. Yeah, we're our real sip and tea 101 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: and worthy. Yes, yes, yeah, that's the healing and the realization. 102 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 2: To come home to myself is to tell myself the truth, 103 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 2: and the truth is I am more than what I 104 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,239 Speaker 2: do for others. I am a living soul. 105 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: That line you set it just hit me in such 106 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: a special place. You're telling the truth, Yeah, you're telling 107 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: the truth. I remember a huge, a huge moment in 108 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: my walk with God and the building of my faith 109 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: was I was in so many dark places at once, 110 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: and I remember, and I've always been very wellness focused 111 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: and very holistic and very much and endure someone with 112 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 1: quite a bit of resilience. But I remember this phrase 113 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: came in. I just kept saying, like, God, what like 114 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:05,719 Speaker 1: what I've surrendered? 115 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 2: Like what is? 116 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: And what else do I need to know? And the 117 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: exact wordage that came through was I accept the truth 118 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: of my life. And it's like that it doesn't have 119 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: to have a definition. And I think when people think 120 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:27,119 Speaker 1: of understanding their truth or who and what they are, 121 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:29,839 Speaker 1: they think it also has to be quantified or they 122 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: have to know what that is, or it has to 123 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: even be words that fill that space. And it's like 124 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,680 Speaker 1: that peace, like right when you said it, It's like 125 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: truth is so much and it's not just the language. 126 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 2: We have access to. One of my dear friends, Asia 127 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 2: a Devo, is a poet and she has a poem 128 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 2: that says, who lied right? Who lied to you? That 129 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 2: told you a false sense of yourself. And we have 130 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 2: experience and people that presented us with lies from very 131 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 2: early and so it is the discarding and shedding of 132 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,959 Speaker 2: those lies so that I can know my worthiness. 133 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, before we get into the book, I would just 134 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: love to ask a question to understand what makes such 135 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: a unique being such as yourself. So your work it's 136 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: deeply rooted in healing, in psychology and spirituality. What were 137 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: some of the moments in your life that really, as 138 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: you were in these different kind of facets of yourself, 139 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: really understood your call and understood to blend them. 140 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I think one it's what in some settings 141 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 2: can be seen as a weakness is actually your strength. 142 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 2: And so growing up I would be what was called 143 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 2: a sensitive child and right here we are, here we are. Yeah, 144 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 2: it's like you know, I remember reading the story of 145 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: the Ugly Ducklan and I cried, Okay, so you feel 146 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 2: things so deeply and in certain settings like that's a problem. 147 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 2: But when you discover what you're here for, it's like, yes, 148 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 2: you needed to. You had to be made that way 149 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 2: right so that you could feel and be tender and 150 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 2: notice things people don't notice right and pay attention. So 151 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:41,439 Speaker 2: I would say that sensitivity, just like at my heart 152 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 2: and nature has been really important in my shaping. And 153 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,319 Speaker 2: then because my dad was a pastor, he would do 154 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: what they would call pastoral counseling, so instead of people 155 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 2: calling a therapist or a life coach, they would usually 156 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 2: speak to their minister. And so I say in my 157 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 2: prior book, Homecome, my first time working a crisis hotline 158 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 2: was as a kid because people would call the house 159 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 2: and they didn't care who answered the phone. They were 160 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 2: just you answer. They're crying and I'm like hello, So 161 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 2: that kind of nourishing, right. And my mother at some 162 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 2: when I was like in middle school, she went into 163 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 2: ministry as well, but focused on women's ministry, so you know, 164 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 2: for me later to become the president of the Society 165 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 2: for the Psychology of Women, as you know, I grew 166 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 2: up seeing her do the work right, so having that compassion. 167 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 2: And then I primarily grew up in Baltimore, which, while 168 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 2: it's beautiful culturally, also has a lot of community violence. 169 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:51,439 Speaker 2: I had the wonderful experience of in high school moving 170 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 2: to Liberia, West Africa with my family, and the first 171 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 2: year and a half was amazing because I was celebrated right, 172 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 2: and because everyone in the position of authority look like me, 173 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:08,479 Speaker 2: So it really expands your idea of what you can be. Unfortunately, 174 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 2: the second year, toward the end of the second year, 175 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:15,439 Speaker 2: there was a civil war. So, you know, me dedicating 176 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 2: my life to trauma recovery, you know, is what I 177 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 2: have seen and to know that it's possible, that it's 178 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 2: devastating and it doesn't have to be the end of 179 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,839 Speaker 2: our story. Wow. 180 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: In those two places, I'm so curious, were there any 181 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: differences in the ways that you saw people process trauma 182 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:38,199 Speaker 1: and pain. 183 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 2: What I noticed in the community in Baltimore was more 184 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 2: suppression and that the rule is to keep it moving. 185 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 2: So there's a lot of you know, performing well. 186 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: Right. 187 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 2: So when people say how are you, I'm good, good, right. 188 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 2: Or in the church community, I'm blessed. I'm better than 189 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 2: I do it, blessed and highly favor So we you know, 190 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 2: affirm ourselves even when we're struggling on the inside. So 191 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 2: there is not a lot of permission or space to 192 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 2: be broken hearted. Yeah, and that it is more acceptable 193 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 2: to be harsh than to be shattered. And so you know, 194 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: it's a lot of warriors. 195 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: Oh wait a minute, let's sit there because that landed, 196 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: that landed in somebody. And we on this show we 197 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: explore trauma a lot and self healing alive. And that's 198 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: the piece, right that I think is really confusing. And 199 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: I can only speak to the experiences that I have 200 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: really studied this in. But within black families, yes, the 201 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: harshness that can come from your family, from your parents, 202 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:01,239 Speaker 1: this idea of you know, well, the world ain't easy. 203 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 2: So got to prepare you. So that's the idea is 204 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 2: that I'm toughening you up so the world doesn't devour you. 205 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 2: So it comes for some people from a place of love, 206 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 2: from good intention, but can destroy people's spirits if you're 207 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 2: a more soft person or amplify and celebrate the hardness, 208 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 2: and then there is not room for our humanity, right 209 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 2: because I got to be a warrior at eight, right, 210 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 2: And so there is, yeah, a pressure in order to 211 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 2: survive is like don't be soft. Yeah. 212 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: And one of the things that you just said, where 213 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: you know, it's like this harshness. You know, I think 214 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: the people with the harshness and we too on the 215 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 1: receiving end, believe it comes from love, but it comes 216 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: from a lack of practice. 217 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 2: Of love. 218 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: You know, it comes from people that haven't even had 219 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: the chants to practice love for themselves, so they don't 220 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: understand how to live it as a verb. And yeah, wow. 221 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 2: And I want to acknowledge historically there wasn't space for that. 222 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 2: It's like there wasn't space. What people say, like I 223 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 2: would be depressed, but I don't have time right there, 224 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 2: So it is to take up space that had been 225 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 2: generationally denied. Right, So people don't know how to lead 226 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 2: you to what they could never do. And so then 227 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 2: we are carrying people call it ancestral wounds or intergenerational wounds. 228 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 2: But the gift is that we can shift it right 229 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 2: and by our example show that there's another way. So 230 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 2: while we honor, what I like to say is, you know, 231 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 2: the ways you survived are not always the ways you 232 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 2: want to live. So it's like, that's how you made 233 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 2: it out of there. My mom was one of ten 234 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 2: in the projects of New York, so she had to 235 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 2: know how to fight right, and and so we honor 236 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 2: that that's how you made it through that season. But 237 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 2: then there are those of us who are not in 238 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 2: crisis mode but still have not learned how to take 239 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 2: off our armor. 240 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, Now when you witnessed in Liberia the processing 241 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 1: maybe of intergenerational trauma or of civil war trauma, are 242 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: there any differences culturally to how people process in that 243 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: area in other areas. Yeah. 244 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 2: The two things that come to mind are and we 245 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 2: have a taste of the first one. We have a 246 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 2: taste of both of them. It just had to get 247 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 2: diluted and shifted in our transition. But in Liberia they 248 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 2: grieve and this is what we see with you would 249 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 2: see like at some funerals and like a black church 250 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 2: or people would be like oh right, because there's not 251 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 2: this suppression that you see like at the opera of 252 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 2: having to like contain and censor. It is like a 253 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 2: full body release and it is evidence of love. Like 254 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 2: if you don't like lay in the floor, you didn't 255 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 2: love them, right, So there is a call and an 256 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 2: expectation to freely feel your feelings. Right. And then the 257 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:40,719 Speaker 2: other piece that comes to mind is the truth telling 258 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:45,680 Speaker 2: and not sugarcoating. So like here, especially as a therapist, 259 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,120 Speaker 2: if we were going to have a support group through 260 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 2: people for people who went through a hard time, we 261 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:55,439 Speaker 2: might say like women with Wings support group, right, you know, 262 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 2: we don't call it something very flowery, and they literally 263 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 2: the aftermath of the war had a group called Women 264 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: with Rape Babies. Oh, I guess the name of the group, right. 265 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: Oh. 266 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 2: So it's like, we're gonna call it what it is. 267 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,360 Speaker 2: And I'm like, and people are gonna come, well, how 268 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:15,360 Speaker 2: else will they know that this is for them? 269 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: Oh? 270 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 2: My god? Oh my god, yeah, my god. So there 271 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 2: there's truth. There's truth. 272 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: Wow. Yeah, that I mean, my god. The power in 273 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 1: that truth, like the power in calling a thing a thing, yes, 274 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:53,719 Speaker 1: you know, like the power in being clear and saying 275 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: what happened to you people, being clear that that's what 276 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: happened to you, that if. 277 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 2: Not my shame or my secret. It's like this is 278 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 2: me and this is the baby and we're all here together. 279 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 280 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 2: Mmm wow. 281 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 1: That is something just kind of in the work that 282 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 1: I do has actually been coming up now more than ever, 283 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: Like when I'm guiding retreats or when we're doing you know, 284 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: some trauma and form facilitation. Those are some of the 285 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: stories that have been coming up so much more. I 286 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: don't necessarily want to stay here, but I'm just feeling 287 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,880 Speaker 1: so led to like be in the seat of this 288 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: for a second. You know, when it comes to things 289 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: like that that feel so garish, right, that feels so 290 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: in the underbelly of wellness, because we have wellness in 291 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: a lot of tears right now, right, And wellness quote 292 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 1: unquote as an industry is this nearly five trillion dollar industry. 293 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: The majority of that industry is centered in fitness, like 294 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: that's being under the umbrella of wellness. But people are 295 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 1: thinking that wellness and mental health and trauma are all 296 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 1: kind of these interchangeable words, and they are all companion words, 297 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: but they're not replacing each other. And so a lot 298 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: of the ways that wellness and mental health is spoken 299 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 1: to it in this day and age, it's really from 300 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 1: the lens of anxiety, and it's really from the lens 301 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 1: of kind of depression, but more so the daily hardship 302 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 1: depressions of the world or of some you know, charged 303 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:53,400 Speaker 1: and unfair experiences and adverse experiences. But there is hundreds 304 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:57,400 Speaker 1: of millions of people that don't necessarily know where they 305 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: fit in this conversation because when they're coming into these 306 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: spaces and people are sharing about what is absolutely important 307 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 1: and impactful in their lives. But then you do have 308 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: a percentage of the population that feels a little more 309 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 1: impossible to them to connect to this world. Right, So, 310 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: just for anybody listening right now that resonated with that 311 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 1: experience or an experience that is a lot harder to 312 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 1: stay out loud in front of a group or to 313 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 1: find pride in, how does one begin to approach that 314 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: truth in their life? 315 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I would say to first whisper it to yourself? Right? 316 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 2: The first person I confess it to is me, you know. 317 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 2: So one of the invitations that I invite people to 318 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 2: is can you say I miss me? I miss me, 319 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 2: and that acknowledges that who I have had to be 320 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 2: there are some parts of me that are missing, that 321 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:13,160 Speaker 2: got discarded along the way, that got hidden along the way, 322 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 2: that got hurt along the way. And so in order 323 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 2: to heal, I have to first be able to see 324 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 2: the distinction between myself and my wound. And sometimes we 325 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 2: are identifying with the wound, like, oh, that's just how 326 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 2: I am. No, that's how you became. 327 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 1: Right. 328 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 2: So I miss me who could sleep well at night. 329 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 2: I miss me who felt more confident. I miss me 330 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 2: that didn't have this other stuff attached to my intimacy. 331 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 2: I miss me And so we can whether we journal 332 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 2: that or speak that out loud. A truth confessed to 333 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 2: the self is already a powerful truth. It's already instead 334 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 2: of like I'm good, I'm good, it didn't bother me, 335 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,679 Speaker 2: I don't think about it. I'm fine, and it's no 336 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 2: I miss me and I had to become this other 337 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 2: version of myself and there are some parts of me 338 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 2: I want to get back. Thank you, and then picking 339 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 2: friends that cultivate truth telling, right, It's like, because if 340 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 2: I have to perform with you, like you're not really 341 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,400 Speaker 2: my friend, you know, and that may be something you're 342 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,439 Speaker 2: doing or the story I have told myself, But a 343 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 2: part of my healing is you know, even if I 344 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 2: don't like get up and on social media and tell 345 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 2: the whole story, is there anyone you tell it to? Right? Yeah? 346 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: Deeply? Well, you know the books that you've released before 347 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: this one that we're gonna step into. I mean just 348 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 1: you've been doing this work for so long, for so long, 349 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: and I thank you, and I just really want to 350 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: keep saying that. And I really thank you because doing 351 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: work like this before most people even understood any of 352 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 1: the connections, right, Like, it's a heavy work. It is 353 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:24,880 Speaker 1: such a heavy work to birth and so complex. 354 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 2: So some of your previous books. 355 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 1: Like Thriving in the Week of Trauma, a Multicultural Guide, 356 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: you publish that in two thousand and eight, Surviving Sexual 357 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 1: Violence A Guide to Recovery and Empowerment, publish that in 358 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: twenty eleven. Tweets for the Soul when Life Falls Apart, 359 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 1: that beautiful book came out in twenty fifteen, and now 360 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: you have your latest book, Healing your relationships with yourself 361 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: and those you love Matters of the Heart. What led 362 00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:00,080 Speaker 1: you to this next pillar in your life's. 363 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:07,119 Speaker 2: Work, Yeah, thank you for that. Recognizing how our relationships 364 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:15,560 Speaker 2: can nourish us or destroy us. Relationships, family, friendship, romantic, 365 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 2: they shape our lives. So when they are healthy relationships, 366 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 2: they're what we call protective factors. They can protect us 367 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 2: from the depths of depression, from anxiety, from addiction, dealing 368 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 2: with big life transitions. You know, if you're moving but 369 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 2: you have your friends, or you're going through a divorce 370 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 2: but you have good friends, that's a different experience. And 371 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 2: on the other side, unhealthy relationships, heartbreak, abandonment, those things 372 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 2: can devastate multiple areas of our lives, and they're often 373 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 2: not talked about in that way. So if you're successful, 374 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 2: then people just assume that, like everything is going to 375 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 2: be a success and don't really talk about how our 376 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 2: partnership can either elevate and nourish our lives or really 377 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 2: can take away everything. 378 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 1: Everything. Yeah, everything, m h. 379 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 2: It's true on every level. And so I dedicated the 380 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 2: book to my mom, who transitioned last year as a 381 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 2: result of breast cancer, and she loved deeply and fiercely. 382 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 2: And one of the moments that stood out to me 383 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 2: is I had a friend who had like a very 384 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 2: rough upbringing who got to meet my parents and she said, Tama, 385 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 2: I wonder who I would be if I had your parents, 386 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 2: And it really hit me right, it makes a big difference, huge. 387 00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 2: So I know the ways in which heard love set 388 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 2: me up for success, and I also know the impact 389 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 2: that lack of love, lack of nourishing can have as well. 390 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think you know, forgive me universe. I 391 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: don't know who to attribute this to, but you know 392 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: that's saying of like, it's not always what happens to you. 393 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: It's like sometimes what didn't happen to you, and like 394 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: experiences like that, And I think like, especially within the 395 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:30,680 Speaker 1: kind of generation that is like between thirty and. 396 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 2: Fifty right now. 397 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 1: That was a really specific moment in time in the 398 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: childhoods of those ages that I think, you know, hopefully 399 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: and a lot of social scientists are kind of coming 400 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: with more comprehensive studies of the effects. But you know, 401 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 1: being latchkey kids, being the generation that raise themselves more 402 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: than any other generation. It's like, I think that that 403 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 1: is even if you had big T trauma or not, 404 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 1: or just life's friction, that is a layer of grief. 405 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 2: A lot of people. 406 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: In these age demos are really going through like you know, 407 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: who not that this moment isn't perfect and divinely designed, 408 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: but who could you have been if you didn't have 409 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: so much responsibility or didn't have to do so many 410 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: things by yourself, or you know, didn't have your parents 411 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 1: as the first generation with like adults with AOL or 412 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: the ones to be distracted and really not you know, 413 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 1: plopping you in front of the TV or the chat rooms. 414 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 1: And it's very real, like there are so many things 415 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: that were missed in your development, you know that was 416 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: part of your story, and so much extra stress and 417 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: trauma that lives inside it for your body right now 418 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: because of it, because of the fast food of the time, 419 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:54,719 Speaker 1: because it's it's every generation definitely has their stuff in 420 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: so many ways. But that piece I think is really 421 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: coming up for people now more than ever. What didn't 422 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 1: I get right? 423 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 2: Eve Ensler and an interview about the Vagina Monologues, says, 424 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:11,800 Speaker 2: all of the energy women's been healing, Like if we 425 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 2: didn't have to heal from the abusive relationships, from the molestation, 426 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 2: what could we be creating, writing, building, launching right with 427 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:27,120 Speaker 2: that same energy? Which is why in therapy I often 428 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 2: say it's not just about decreasing symptoms of distress, it 429 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 2: is about now, like what are you going to create 430 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 2: and be? Right? So it's not just post trauma, it 431 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 2: is now like my growth and my thriving, and like, 432 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 2: now I get to be myself right. 433 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, Yeah, And just a moment of congratulations to everybody 434 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:58,640 Speaker 1: listening that is alive and has survived and is here 435 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: listening to this episode right now and all of the 436 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: limitless potential of who you are and who you can be. 437 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 2: It is so important for us to pause and appreciate 438 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 2: ourselves because often we're so busy in push mode and 439 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 2: striving mode that we don't get to say, even if 440 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 2: I am not fully where I want to be, let 441 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 2: me acknowledge I'm not where I was, right, And so 442 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 2: to train my eyes to see my own growth. 443 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: Oh, to train my eyes to see my own growth? Right? Oh? 444 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 2: Yes, like, oh, bear witness to yourself. Yes, in all 445 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 2: the processes. Yes, to say like a year ago, I 446 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 2: wouldn't have made this choice. I wouldn't have even noticed that, 447 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:58,360 Speaker 2: or I wouldn't have even known that I could have 448 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 2: permission to be that way, or to say that, yes, 449 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 2: it's wonderful, and all the feels when you're saying that, 450 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 2: I'm just. 451 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 1: Like, oh, yes, Lord, you know in this book the 452 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: one of the subjects that you tackle that I think 453 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: is just so incredibly relevant to so many people, And 454 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: so many people cannot necessarily find the trail back to 455 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: what brought this behavior out, but issues of control, specifically 456 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 1: emotional unavailability. It feels like we are Maybe it's just 457 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 1: because we have language for it now, but my God, 458 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 1: does this seem like its own epidemic emotional unavailability and 459 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: how unreciprocated love impacts our well being? 460 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 2: Yes? 461 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 1: Why do so many of us struggle with those particular 462 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: patterns that seems to be so so so pervasive, controlling unavailability, 463 00:32:56,400 --> 00:33:00,120 Speaker 1: inability to be truly intimate and connect and kind of 464 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: finding oneself in dynamics of unreciprocated love or feeling of 465 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 1: all different kinds. 466 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 2: Why is that? 467 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:12,640 Speaker 1: Why is that so prevalent now? And how do people 468 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 1: approach it? 469 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 2: Yeah? I think there has been a real devaluing a relationship. 470 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 2: So there is this focus on attaining and being driven 471 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 2: and accumulating and being booked and busy, and you know, yes, right, 472 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:43,320 Speaker 2: so when I am so focused in a targeted way, 473 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 2: I can neglect my own relationships and so then I'm 474 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 2: not available for that. Because another piece of it is 475 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 2: being raised or mentored by people who were disappointed and hurt. Yeah, 476 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 2: then they advise you, you know, don't get caught up, 477 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 2: don't believe them, don't do that, don't do that, And 478 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:13,359 Speaker 2: so then we fear it not to mention our own 479 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:19,759 Speaker 2: stories of heartbreak and disappointment. That can cause us to 480 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 2: out of fear. And I want to say it's understandable 481 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:30,759 Speaker 2: and important that we take pause after heartbreak, Right, you 482 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,919 Speaker 2: don't want to just jump into something else, But some 483 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:38,360 Speaker 2: people get stuck in the pause so it's been years 484 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 2: later and they're still like, oh no, thanks, none for me. 485 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:44,879 Speaker 2: I don't want it. I'm not interested. And so then 486 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:47,359 Speaker 2: that heart never got to heal. 487 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. 488 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then the part about wanting people who don't 489 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:59,719 Speaker 2: want us and holding on to that. You know this 490 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:04,360 Speaker 2: phrase I like that people uses around bread crumbing, right, yeah. 491 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:07,320 Speaker 2: So they give you just like a little bit, oh like, oh, 492 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 2: you think they're gone, and then they text you like 493 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:14,719 Speaker 2: three weeks later or you know, and more, good morning sunshine. 494 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:20,239 Speaker 2: It's a lord. And so that we can hold on 495 00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 2: out of hope. And then also we often think about 496 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:29,120 Speaker 2: people as being insecure, but the opposite can happen. When 497 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:33,759 Speaker 2: you're confident and successful, you can convince yourself I'm gonna 498 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 2: win them over right, So it's not just that you 499 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 2: feel like you're the worst. You're just like if I 500 00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:43,760 Speaker 2: call them this, if I do this, if I dress 501 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:47,200 Speaker 2: this way, if I am funny enough, if I you know, 502 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 2: then they're gonna see that I'm worth choosing. And so 503 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 2: to really get to that place of grounding that we 504 00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:04,240 Speaker 2: don't think about relationships as we think about a job promotion. Okay, 505 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:04,839 Speaker 2: hold on. 506 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:12,160 Speaker 1: Wow, can we explore that a little bit because I 507 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:17,320 Speaker 1: think that that is It's just I don't think everybody 508 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:23,160 Speaker 1: understands how much they perform yes, and how much they 509 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:26,640 Speaker 1: are innately wired to quote unquote win someone over, and 510 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 1: how that gives them the kind of endurance, the emotional 511 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:38,359 Speaker 1: you know, fortitude to keep pushing through mistreatment or nonchalance. 512 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 2: And then once the people are quote unquote one, then 513 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:48,320 Speaker 2: they often lose interest, right, because we can get become 514 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:52,799 Speaker 2: enamored with the pursuit, with the chase. Yeah, so we 515 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:56,320 Speaker 2: also have to look at what is my idea about 516 00:36:56,360 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 2: myself that when people want me, I find that undesirable. 517 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:06,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, hold on, get your note. 518 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:11,279 Speaker 2: Bunk, And like you know, when they're not interested, I'm like, 519 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 2: oh my gosh, right, I need them. And then when 520 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:18,160 Speaker 2: they're in your direction, it's like, oh they're born. 521 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:24,200 Speaker 1: So tell the people, yes, why are they doing that? 522 00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 2: It is own emotional unavailability. So that will create a 523 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:36,359 Speaker 2: pattern where I am constantly interested in people who are 524 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:40,440 Speaker 2: not reciprocating because they're not available, because the truth is 525 00:37:40,520 --> 00:37:44,279 Speaker 2: I'm not because if someone was actually to show up 526 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:48,439 Speaker 2: for me, that could be intense, that could be overwhelming, 527 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 2: that could be very vulnerable. So instead I'll keep waiting 528 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 2: for this one to leave their wife, or I'll keep 529 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:58,680 Speaker 2: waiting for this one to let go of their six 530 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 2: other people and focus on me. It's safe. It's a fantasy. 531 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:09,760 Speaker 2: And so fantasy can take up years of our lives 532 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 2: instead of creating real relationship. 533 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:18,320 Speaker 1: That is so important to say and be heard. Fantasy 534 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:22,120 Speaker 1: can take up your entire life. Yes, perform, you can 535 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 1: leave this earth having the entire time been playing a performance. Yes, 536 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:34,120 Speaker 1: never having been an actualized version of who you are 537 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:34,920 Speaker 1: for anybody. 538 00:38:36,239 --> 00:38:37,480 Speaker 2: Yes, what a tragedy. 539 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:39,400 Speaker 1: That's not what we're here. 540 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:45,040 Speaker 2: Right, And to go back to telling ourselves the truth? Right, 541 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 2: So then the truth becomes I don't actually want anybody, 542 00:38:51,440 --> 00:38:54,600 Speaker 2: So I'm gonna keep saying I want this person who's 543 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 2: not choosing me. Right, So it's like, yeah, tell yourself 544 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:02,439 Speaker 2: the truth. What's really going on here? What are you doing? Yeah? 545 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:02,839 Speaker 1: Right? 546 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 2: Or the truth may be I don't believe anyone would 547 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:15,400 Speaker 2: ever treat me well because I've never experienced it. So 548 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:18,719 Speaker 2: for some people it's a faith walk. Can I believe 549 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:22,080 Speaker 2: that I could be adored when I have never been? 550 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:25,240 Speaker 1: Yeah? 551 00:39:25,280 --> 00:39:27,840 Speaker 2: And the answer is yes you can, Yes, Yes. 552 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:32,480 Speaker 1: You can, Yes, And that is so deep. It's just 553 00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:36,320 Speaker 1: it's so interesting. You know. It's like even for those listening, 554 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:42,279 Speaker 1: it's like we're in conversation, right, and someone listening is 555 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 1: like they're in the midst of their day. But like 556 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:49,200 Speaker 1: some of the things that have just been identified. 557 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 2: They're the root of the root, right. 558 00:39:51,239 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 1: It is the core thing, the core, the depth of 559 00:39:55,160 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 1: a thing that is keeping you from everything, you know, 560 00:40:02,440 --> 00:40:04,920 Speaker 1: And it's like I just yeah, like we have to 561 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:10,440 Speaker 1: really hold that with the sacredness it deserves, because like 562 00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:16,200 Speaker 1: that is what you are alive to approach. That is 563 00:40:16,320 --> 00:40:19,319 Speaker 1: what the work is. And you know, I think for 564 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:21,640 Speaker 1: a lot of people when they're trying to understand what 565 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 1: their work is, it's just I found for myself it 566 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 1: was so helpful to switch the trauma and the disappointments 567 00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:36,120 Speaker 1: to a lens of this is my spiritual curriculum in 568 00:40:36,160 --> 00:40:40,360 Speaker 1: this lifetime. This is exactly what I meant to be 569 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:44,359 Speaker 1: thinking about. So instead of not thinking about it, I 570 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:47,719 Speaker 1: must let myself think about it and approach it and 571 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:50,880 Speaker 1: look at it because these were the set of circumstances 572 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:55,080 Speaker 1: I was meant to be in motion with while I'm here. 573 00:40:55,760 --> 00:41:01,240 Speaker 2: And I think it's so important for us to recognize 574 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 2: that denial and minimizing and avoidance don't work. So our 575 00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:13,960 Speaker 2: wounds show up even when we say I'm fine. So 576 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:16,120 Speaker 2: we say like, oh, I don't think about things like that. 577 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 2: I don't talk about things like that. But it affects 578 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 2: the way I date, It affects the way that I parent, 579 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:24,920 Speaker 2: It affects the way I deal with authority, figures on 580 00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:29,440 Speaker 2: the job because it is unhealed. And so it's not 581 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:33,399 Speaker 2: just like an invitation to say, oh, let's just look 582 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:37,640 Speaker 2: at trauma for trauma's sake. Trauma is looking at you, right, 583 00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:41,920 Speaker 2: It is writing your story. And so I choose to 584 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:45,920 Speaker 2: reclaim the pen that there were some things written on 585 00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:49,160 Speaker 2: the pages of my life that I did not choose, Yes, 586 00:41:49,560 --> 00:41:53,279 Speaker 2: and I'm not able to erase them. They happened, and 587 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:57,000 Speaker 2: I have the pen. Now, so what do I want 588 00:41:57,080 --> 00:42:00,600 Speaker 2: to write with the rest of my story? God? 589 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:04,040 Speaker 1: So it's just so powerful and true and beautiful, and 590 00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:07,840 Speaker 1: it's you know, and I think, yeah, you know, so 591 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:10,640 Speaker 1: many people avoid it, right because you think that once 592 00:42:10,719 --> 00:42:12,879 Speaker 1: you admit it or say it or look at it, 593 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:15,439 Speaker 1: you will be ravaged by it and you will live 594 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:17,600 Speaker 1: in it. But it's like, no, I just want it 595 00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:20,759 Speaker 1: to be noticed. I just wanted to be seen a 596 00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:24,320 Speaker 1: few good times so I could be released. 597 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:28,640 Speaker 2: Right, we're running and you can't outrun it because it's 598 00:42:28,640 --> 00:42:34,239 Speaker 2: on you, It's in you. So it is. The more 599 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 2: I run from it, the bigger it gets. And when 600 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:41,239 Speaker 2: I start to look at it and speak it, I 601 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:45,920 Speaker 2: shrink it by recognizing I am bigger than what was 602 00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:46,520 Speaker 2: done to me. 603 00:42:47,400 --> 00:43:00,839 Speaker 1: I am wow, thank you deeply well. One of the 604 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:06,440 Speaker 1: greatest determinants of our overall wellness is truly the quality 605 00:43:06,480 --> 00:43:11,960 Speaker 1: of our relationships. From a psychological and spiritual perspective, What 606 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:19,840 Speaker 1: are the core ingredients for a nourishing relationship? Friendship, romantic 607 00:43:20,360 --> 00:43:23,480 Speaker 1: in relationship, But what are the core elements of one 608 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:26,200 Speaker 1: that is healthy and is nourishing. 609 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:35,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, so one is loving care. Right. If I love you, 610 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:39,719 Speaker 2: I'm not going to do certain things. Right. If I 611 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:43,120 Speaker 2: love you and I care about you, I'm going to 612 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:46,640 Speaker 2: be intentional. If I love you and care about you, 613 00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:51,920 Speaker 2: it's not a burden. You don't have to keep asking 614 00:43:51,960 --> 00:43:57,319 Speaker 2: for certain things because it's out of love. Right. So 615 00:43:57,400 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 2: sometimes we have to tell ourselves the truth of life. 616 00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:04,759 Speaker 2: Do you even care about that person? Right? Because sometimes 617 00:44:05,160 --> 00:44:08,000 Speaker 2: we are with people because we are into their potential, 618 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:10,360 Speaker 2: which is not love. It's like, oh, I want to 619 00:44:10,400 --> 00:44:15,520 Speaker 2: make you. I'm gonna make you god my dream person 620 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:17,879 Speaker 2: out of you. And it's like, you don't care about 621 00:44:17,920 --> 00:44:20,880 Speaker 2: that person. Set them free and let them find someone 622 00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:25,520 Speaker 2: who loves them as they are. Right, So yeah, let's 623 00:44:26,360 --> 00:44:30,399 Speaker 2: on a core level that love and care in their 624 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:34,680 Speaker 2: present condition. So yes, we all want to grow and evolve. 625 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:39,080 Speaker 2: But if I don't care about you now, then I 626 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:46,200 Speaker 2: need to release you. So that's one. Another one is you. 627 00:44:46,280 --> 00:44:49,879 Speaker 2: We hear it from everybody, which is communication. A lot 628 00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:56,319 Speaker 2: of us are conflict avoidant, so we don't speak up. 629 00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:02,480 Speaker 2: One we wish people would read our minds. I mean right, yeah, 630 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:07,400 Speaker 2: I understand, and then you know, based on our past, 631 00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:12,719 Speaker 2: we might feel like if I share an issue, they 632 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:16,359 Speaker 2: might get mad or they might leave. So now I'm 633 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:20,040 Speaker 2: just holding it in. But the resentment is growing and 634 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:23,839 Speaker 2: they're continuing the behavior, not knowing that you really care, 635 00:45:24,160 --> 00:45:27,759 Speaker 2: not knowing that that's an issue. So we have to 636 00:45:27,960 --> 00:45:34,719 Speaker 2: lean into the hard conversations and allow people to see 637 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:38,720 Speaker 2: us with all that comes with us, and we also 638 00:45:38,760 --> 00:45:42,239 Speaker 2: have to be willing to hear them and to know 639 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:46,080 Speaker 2: we're not clones. We won't think the same on everything, 640 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:50,960 Speaker 2: our emotional response won't be the same one. So learning 641 00:45:51,600 --> 00:45:56,240 Speaker 2: each other's language is an important part of having a 642 00:45:56,280 --> 00:46:00,920 Speaker 2: healthy connection. And then we want relationships that are reciprocal 643 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:05,520 Speaker 2: and mutual, not one sided. Whether we're talking about friendship 644 00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:10,080 Speaker 2: or romance. It shouldn't be one person doing everything. Yeah, 645 00:46:10,200 --> 00:46:12,320 Speaker 2: we need to give and receipt. 646 00:46:13,600 --> 00:46:16,560 Speaker 1: What is what does reciprocal look like? Because that is 647 00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:19,160 Speaker 1: a question that comes up a lot from people because 648 00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:23,440 Speaker 1: I think often people think reciprocity is the exact same 649 00:46:23,640 --> 00:46:25,400 Speaker 1: thing in return. 650 00:46:25,400 --> 00:46:29,759 Speaker 2: Right it may. This is an important one because our 651 00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:34,520 Speaker 2: personalities and our strengths are different. 652 00:46:35,239 --> 00:46:35,479 Speaker 1: Right. 653 00:46:36,120 --> 00:46:40,399 Speaker 2: So the funny that comes to my mind is with 654 00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:44,520 Speaker 2: my parents. Before my mom was dating my dad, she 655 00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:48,160 Speaker 2: was dating this guy who was a poet, so, you know, 656 00:46:48,360 --> 00:46:51,600 Speaker 2: laying it on all the words, all the words ever 657 00:46:55,440 --> 00:46:59,040 Speaker 2: from God's mouth. Tell then what she said? She started 658 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:02,520 Speaker 2: dating my dad and literally, he'll sign a card love John. 659 00:47:03,520 --> 00:47:07,160 Speaker 2: Why that that's all you're gonna get? So is it 660 00:47:07,239 --> 00:47:10,120 Speaker 2: gonna now if she could write a whole, big, long poem, 661 00:47:10,200 --> 00:47:12,359 Speaker 2: but is she gonna get a poem back? No, it's 662 00:47:12,440 --> 00:47:17,319 Speaker 2: not like his thing. So we have to recognize you know, 663 00:47:17,520 --> 00:47:19,640 Speaker 2: the ways that people show their love. 664 00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:20,680 Speaker 1: Right. 665 00:47:21,400 --> 00:47:25,160 Speaker 2: I was working with a couple and I raised this 666 00:47:25,280 --> 00:47:30,040 Speaker 2: point because the wife is into self help books and 667 00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:32,400 Speaker 2: wanted the husband to like read all these books about 668 00:47:32,480 --> 00:47:36,040 Speaker 2: like successful marriage, and he didn't want to read them. 669 00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:38,440 Speaker 2: But he's never been a reader. It's like when they 670 00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:41,080 Speaker 2: were dating, he wasn't a reader. When they were engaged, 671 00:47:41,120 --> 00:47:44,080 Speaker 2: he wasn't a reader. Like. So to make the number 672 00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:47,640 Speaker 2: of books the measure of his love for you is 673 00:47:47,719 --> 00:47:51,440 Speaker 2: not fair. Right, doesn't mean he doesn't care, it's just 674 00:47:51,560 --> 00:47:52,760 Speaker 2: that's not his thing. 675 00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:57,080 Speaker 1: So that's so good, And it may not be how 676 00:47:57,120 --> 00:47:59,279 Speaker 1: his brain works, Like he may not even be able 677 00:47:59,320 --> 00:48:02,440 Speaker 1: to retain in if he reads it, depending. 678 00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:05,080 Speaker 2: On yeah, yeah, yeah, so he's willing to go to 679 00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:09,719 Speaker 2: couple's therapy. Awesome, let's let's do let's do that. Yeah, 680 00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:10,560 Speaker 2: let's do that. 681 00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:13,600 Speaker 1: You know, I think one of the last things I'd 682 00:48:13,680 --> 00:48:15,799 Speaker 1: love to ask you before I invite you to do 683 00:48:15,840 --> 00:48:18,600 Speaker 1: some soul work. Loneliness is a big theme for people, 684 00:48:18,800 --> 00:48:20,920 Speaker 1: and we're seeing a lot of studies come out about it. 685 00:48:20,960 --> 00:48:25,080 Speaker 1: People are talking about it more than ever. People choosing 686 00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:28,640 Speaker 1: to be single. Is that some of the highest numbers. 687 00:48:28,640 --> 00:48:33,160 Speaker 1: It's ever been or at least have been recorded. You know, 688 00:48:33,200 --> 00:48:37,040 Speaker 1: I think a lot of one can be lonely for 689 00:48:37,120 --> 00:48:39,080 Speaker 1: so many reasons. First, let me say that I don't 690 00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:42,200 Speaker 1: want to be overly general with our understanding of loneliness 691 00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:45,440 Speaker 1: because it's so layered and there's so many there's so 692 00:48:45,480 --> 00:48:49,640 Speaker 1: many barriers, there's so many reasons for it. But you know, 693 00:48:49,719 --> 00:48:52,239 Speaker 1: one of the reasons that I think not everyone notices 694 00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:56,319 Speaker 1: is that some of their loneliness and self isolation is 695 00:48:56,400 --> 00:49:00,239 Speaker 1: self imposed because they don't necessarily have the tools for 696 00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:02,000 Speaker 1: deeper intimacy. 697 00:49:01,520 --> 00:49:02,480 Speaker 2: Though they crave it. 698 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:09,160 Speaker 1: How can people begin to move beyond surface level interactions 699 00:49:09,760 --> 00:49:14,799 Speaker 1: and start to cultivate those deeper relationships, that deeper community, 700 00:49:14,840 --> 00:49:19,000 Speaker 1: that even deeper communication that they have been longing for 701 00:49:19,760 --> 00:49:22,200 Speaker 1: or wanting to experience your first time. 702 00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:27,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's important that we look at the stories we've 703 00:49:27,320 --> 00:49:32,720 Speaker 2: been telling ourselves, because the story I've told myself about 704 00:49:32,920 --> 00:49:38,080 Speaker 2: love or about relationships or about attractiveness can then shape 705 00:49:38,080 --> 00:49:43,600 Speaker 2: my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the 706 00:49:43,719 --> 00:49:50,520 Speaker 2: possibility of connection. Right. So, people will say like, oh, 707 00:49:50,680 --> 00:49:55,680 Speaker 2: I really want a partner, and they go out there 708 00:49:55,719 --> 00:49:59,360 Speaker 2: at a restaurant or wherever they are and someone approaches 709 00:49:59,440 --> 00:50:04,160 Speaker 2: them and they respond in warrior mode like what do 710 00:50:04,200 --> 00:50:05,319 Speaker 2: you want to know my name for? 711 00:50:07,800 --> 00:50:10,680 Speaker 1: Like, wait, I'm looking at why are you sharing at me? 712 00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:18,480 Speaker 2: So now I'm blacking my blessing right because I showed 713 00:50:18,560 --> 00:50:23,200 Speaker 2: up for combat and I want connection. So we or 714 00:50:24,080 --> 00:50:27,960 Speaker 2: you know people who are on these apps, and I 715 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:30,520 Speaker 2: know there can be a lot of mess on there, 716 00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:36,279 Speaker 2: but some people are like eliminating everybody. Right, It's like no, 717 00:50:36,600 --> 00:50:40,080 Speaker 2: then to this, to that, It's like you want to 718 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:43,719 Speaker 2: at least have a conversation less at least see if 719 00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:44,600 Speaker 2: it's possible. 720 00:50:45,520 --> 00:50:46,719 Speaker 1: Well that may or may not be me. 721 00:50:47,440 --> 00:50:52,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, So in that exploring the story and then that 722 00:50:52,480 --> 00:50:56,239 Speaker 2: whole thing of like if I want something different, I 723 00:50:56,320 --> 00:50:59,719 Speaker 2: may have to do something different, right, Yeah, And it 724 00:50:59,760 --> 00:51:02,759 Speaker 2: can help to get feedback from people if you have 725 00:51:02,840 --> 00:51:06,279 Speaker 2: close friends, you know, to say, you know, are there 726 00:51:06,320 --> 00:51:10,479 Speaker 2: any things you've noticed about me in this space? Right? 727 00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:14,040 Speaker 2: It may be you know, oh, you hook on the 728 00:51:14,200 --> 00:51:17,800 Speaker 2: people too quickly and that either scares them away or 729 00:51:18,000 --> 00:51:20,920 Speaker 2: then you're all hooked up and it wasn't fulfilling anyway, 730 00:51:21,200 --> 00:51:25,160 Speaker 2: so you like you're back into a bad situation. But 731 00:51:25,400 --> 00:51:29,640 Speaker 2: our our people, if we've let them in can see us, 732 00:51:30,160 --> 00:51:33,560 Speaker 2: and sometimes they can help us to see ourselves. 733 00:51:35,520 --> 00:51:38,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, and what a gift to to be able to 734 00:51:38,880 --> 00:51:41,560 Speaker 1: ask that of people. And I do you know acknowledge 735 00:51:41,600 --> 00:51:46,560 Speaker 1: that everybody has yet those safe and kind of mutually 736 00:51:46,600 --> 00:51:50,040 Speaker 1: witnessing friendships where you can ask questions like that in 737 00:51:50,080 --> 00:51:52,960 Speaker 1: a safe way. But if you do, and if it's 738 00:51:53,080 --> 00:51:56,720 Speaker 1: just been you know, kind of a defensiveness or something 739 00:51:56,760 --> 00:51:58,600 Speaker 1: that comes in because you don't want to quote unquote 740 00:51:58,640 --> 00:52:03,040 Speaker 1: hear something bad about yourself, think about that and really 741 00:52:03,160 --> 00:52:05,560 Speaker 1: lean into that, because I think sometimes our friends have 742 00:52:05,600 --> 00:52:09,560 Speaker 1: a lot of deep truths for us. Our community has 743 00:52:09,600 --> 00:52:12,520 Speaker 1: a lot of deep truths for us that they may 744 00:52:12,560 --> 00:52:15,400 Speaker 1: have always wanted to say to us as an aid, 745 00:52:15,520 --> 00:52:18,760 Speaker 1: as a help, but don't necessarily know that there's space 746 00:52:18,880 --> 00:52:23,319 Speaker 1: to don't want to upset you or jeopardize you know, 747 00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:27,600 Speaker 1: the integrity of the relationship remaining. But those can be 748 00:52:27,680 --> 00:52:32,040 Speaker 1: some of our most valuable, valuable mirrors in our lives. 749 00:52:32,239 --> 00:52:35,360 Speaker 2: Right, It's so true. And so I would say also 750 00:52:35,520 --> 00:52:43,000 Speaker 2: for us, like being teachable, being flexible, being willing to shift, 751 00:52:43,440 --> 00:52:47,920 Speaker 2: you know that sometimes my way of talking to people 752 00:52:48,680 --> 00:52:52,319 Speaker 2: or my way of being may not align with my 753 00:52:52,480 --> 00:52:57,399 Speaker 2: goal right. So now I'm standing all my wings, I'm 754 00:52:57,560 --> 00:53:03,960 Speaker 2: blacking myself. So let me explore another way. 755 00:53:05,040 --> 00:53:08,400 Speaker 1: This has been such a beautiful episode. At the end 756 00:53:08,400 --> 00:53:10,680 Speaker 1: of every episode, I like to invite the guys to 757 00:53:10,800 --> 00:53:14,160 Speaker 1: share some soul work with the audience. So any kind 758 00:53:14,239 --> 00:53:20,839 Speaker 1: of practice, thought, inquiry, exercise to further integrate everything that 759 00:53:20,840 --> 00:53:22,120 Speaker 1: they just experienced on this. 760 00:53:22,200 --> 00:53:27,600 Speaker 2: Show, Oh wonderful. So I'll invite us to some compassion holds, 761 00:53:28,239 --> 00:53:32,080 Speaker 2: and the first ones will put our legs uncrossed and 762 00:53:32,320 --> 00:53:37,160 Speaker 2: uncross our arms. And I want to start off by saying, 763 00:53:37,400 --> 00:53:41,880 Speaker 2: I believe in body sovereignty. So with body sovereignty, nothing 764 00:53:41,920 --> 00:53:44,279 Speaker 2: that I invite you to do are you forced to do? 765 00:53:45,200 --> 00:53:47,880 Speaker 2: So you as I invite you, you take pause and 766 00:53:47,920 --> 00:53:50,239 Speaker 2: say do I feel like doing that? Do I want 767 00:53:50,280 --> 00:53:51,839 Speaker 2: to do that? Or do I just want to watch 768 00:53:51,880 --> 00:53:54,560 Speaker 2: them do that? You get to choose, and that's a 769 00:53:54,600 --> 00:53:59,239 Speaker 2: part of your healing. You're yes and you're no. So 770 00:53:59,320 --> 00:54:02,400 Speaker 2: if it aligns with you, one hand on your heart, 771 00:54:02,480 --> 00:54:06,560 Speaker 2: one hand on your belly, inhaling in through the nose, 772 00:54:10,239 --> 00:54:16,319 Speaker 2: exhaling out through the mouth, and the hand on the 773 00:54:16,320 --> 00:54:29,239 Speaker 2: belly goes up to the forehead inhale and exhale. The 774 00:54:29,360 --> 00:54:31,840 Speaker 2: hand on the heart goes to the back of the head. 775 00:54:34,120 --> 00:54:44,640 Speaker 2: Inhaling through the nose, exhale out through the mouth, and 776 00:54:44,920 --> 00:54:54,759 Speaker 2: hug yourself inhaling in through the nose, exhaling out through 777 00:54:54,760 --> 00:55:00,200 Speaker 2: the mouth. If it aligns with you, you just begin and 778 00:55:00,320 --> 00:55:08,000 Speaker 2: rocking back and forth. You are your comforter. You give 779 00:55:08,080 --> 00:55:14,400 Speaker 2: yourself grace and give yourself love. And if it aligns 780 00:55:14,440 --> 00:55:19,840 Speaker 2: with you, we say the words, I am worthy of love. 781 00:55:21,600 --> 00:55:22,680 Speaker 1: I am worthy of love. 782 00:55:23,719 --> 00:55:25,440 Speaker 2: I come home to myself. 783 00:55:25,920 --> 00:55:27,640 Speaker 1: I come home to myself. 784 00:55:28,239 --> 00:55:32,440 Speaker 2: And you can stop rocking and return to the heart 785 00:55:32,600 --> 00:55:35,720 Speaker 2: and the belly. I am worthy of love. 786 00:55:36,520 --> 00:55:37,800 Speaker 1: I am worthy of love. 787 00:55:38,280 --> 00:55:40,120 Speaker 2: I come home to myself. 788 00:55:40,840 --> 00:55:42,680 Speaker 1: I come home to myself. 789 00:55:43,400 --> 00:55:58,640 Speaker 2: Welcome home, Welcome home, beautiful. Thank you so much, Oh, 790 00:55:58,680 --> 00:56:00,080 Speaker 2: thank you for having me. 791 00:56:00,960 --> 00:56:03,840 Speaker 1: Wow, what an honor, what a pleasure, what a privilege. 792 00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:08,880 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your work. Everyone. This beautiful 793 00:56:08,880 --> 00:56:12,120 Speaker 1: book is everywhere now. And don't forget to check out 794 00:56:12,120 --> 00:56:16,080 Speaker 1: the og classics that she has been putting out. Matters 795 00:56:16,120 --> 00:56:20,880 Speaker 1: of the Heart by doctor Tama Bryant. We'll be back 796 00:56:21,120 --> 00:56:24,920 Speaker 1: next episode, and in the meantime, really sit with this, 797 00:56:25,200 --> 00:56:27,880 Speaker 1: sit with some of this conversation see where it applies, 798 00:56:28,520 --> 00:56:31,600 Speaker 1: notice where it doesn't, and share this episode with a 799 00:56:31,640 --> 00:56:35,640 Speaker 1: friend that you think could really be moved and changed 800 00:56:35,680 --> 00:56:38,360 Speaker 1: by it in a way that is helpful and supportive 801 00:56:38,400 --> 00:56:41,880 Speaker 1: to them. As always, thank you for listening now mistake. 802 00:56:48,680 --> 00:56:52,480 Speaker 1: The content presented on Deeply Well serves solely for educational 803 00:56:52,560 --> 00:56:56,279 Speaker 1: and informational purposes. It should not be considered a replacement 804 00:56:56,360 --> 00:57:00,400 Speaker 1: for personalized medical or mental health guidance. It does not 805 00:57:00,560 --> 00:57:05,440 Speaker 1: constitute a provider patient relationship. As always, it is advisable 806 00:57:05,520 --> 00:57:08,920 Speaker 1: to consult with your healthcare provider or health team for 807 00:57:09,120 --> 00:57:14,080 Speaker 1: any specific concerns or questions that you may have. Connect 808 00:57:14,080 --> 00:57:18,040 Speaker 1: with me on social at Debbie Brown. That's Twitter and Instagram, 809 00:57:18,280 --> 00:57:21,040 Speaker 1: or you can go to my website Debbie Brown dot com. 810 00:57:21,240 --> 00:57:23,880 Speaker 1: And if you're listening to the show on Apple Podcasts, 811 00:57:23,960 --> 00:57:28,200 Speaker 1: don't forget, Please rate, review, and subscribe and send this 812 00:57:28,320 --> 00:57:31,240 Speaker 1: episode to a friend. Deeply Well is a production of 813 00:57:31,320 --> 00:57:35,560 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio and The Black Effect Network. It's produced by Jacqueis Thomas, 814 00:57:35,800 --> 00:57:40,400 Speaker 1: Samantha Timmins, and me Debbie Brown. The Beautiful Soundbath You 815 00:57:40,480 --> 00:57:45,480 Speaker 1: Heard That's by Jarrelyn Glass from Crystal Cadence. For more 816 00:57:45,520 --> 00:57:49,840 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, or wherever you 817 00:57:50,000 --> 00:57:52,280 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows. 818 00:58:00,640 --> 00:58:00,840 Speaker 2: Yes,