Therapy refers to healing and practices, in this case, not formalized therapy with a clinician. As someone who is late diagnosed autistic and experiences chronic illness, I share how I've been working from the ground (bottom) up, and literally lying on the ground, to create a more attuned relationship to my body, and what its really like to be here in a body, to better meet and advocate for my needs.
Yourself, spirit, the universe, nature, friends, family, lovers, the community. We are living in dystopian, greedy times, yet our minds and collective consciousness are developing different values and imaginations outside of what is currently being lived and the ways in which humans and the earth are being exploited. Still, there is hope that lives within us, joy, and love. That glimmer of hope is energy that can be given towards community, relationships, and taking small actions in love and car...
Some thoughts and experiences since I've been on a little hiatus.
Discussing the wholeness of our most personal stories and experiences, how observing art resonates so deeply in the heart, how someone else's specific, detailed story somehow feels like ours or the world's story. While these stories may have not happened to us literally, we can sense them, it's like we know them, that they've happened or will happen to us in some form, that they are happening in the world, we are honored to hear them, and we are blessed to feel them in this mysterious way that r...
There is a pattern between those in roles of authority who care for vulnerable populations. Whether its not being allowed to go to the restroom without asking in school, ideas being disregarded as children, wisdom being brushed off or being unheard and unseen with your doctor, for those who experience chronic illness, for individuals who have had traumatic gynecologist experiences, and those who have been dismissed, sometimes further traumatized by therapists, there is an issue of refusal to res...
As someone who deals with anxiety and decision fatigue daily, I've decided to conduct an experiment... I am going to fully do this thing and parent myself through this thing of trusting myself. I have been living for a future that never comes- a future of free time and me time, but any moment that I might have an opportunity, I'll then stress myself out about "self-care" and battle myself mentally about which order I should do things and why I need to do all of these things because they are good...
Kiss me Pour into me so I may be warm for others Lend me some gold fairy dust I wish I was as high as you So natural and known- your meaning and timing But I've already floated among the clouds, so perhaps I'd be better in the ground Rooted in the ground, I mean I wish access to nature was a human right I wish human activity was organized around protecting our mother and abundance for all others But then we would know all others is the same as none, the same as one, the same as God Sometimes I f...
What do we mean when we compare moments to movies? Usually these moments that we think could be filmed are moments that are shocking, awe-inspiring, dramatic... These moments are our realist moments of expression of emotion (”acting out" means literally that they are physically embodying/expressing something from within). These moments could have been written by someone very creative because they are so unimaginable- could have been "scripted." Well, the truth is, we are scripting and acting in ...
How can we resist oppression that reduces people to their bodies, exploits labor, and dehumanizes as a primary tool for continued power? Pleasure-based activism is a personal and communal liberation from our own internalized negative and untrue thoughts derived from those who manipulated reality/society/institutions. Pleasure-based activism intentionally and naturally demands the inclusion of all humans and their right to pleasure, joy, balance, and rest. See the humanity in those doing the work...
Here's the story: Human nature is selfish. We have always been and will always be. When others gain, you lose. Fight your way to the top no matter what it costs. Equality and happiness just aren't tangible. Sorry. Your worth is dependent on your productivity. Your value is dependent on your appearance matching models'. You don't have enough still. You are not enough still. Don't buy it? Come with me, where I try to explain my intent with this podcast. There are alternatives. The missing 90% of h...
After sharing my personal experiences with birth control, I finally get into the Symptothermal Method- a combination of the cervical mucous method, the standard days method, and the basal body temperature method. It uses these combined methods to indicate when one is highly fertile (ovulating) and has lower fertility, and then consenting partners can abstain from sex during the fertile period or use a barrier method (condom). I forgot to mention this very important fact in the podcast, but this ...
I introduce the Symptothermal Method, a non-hormonal birth control method that I use personally. This has been my "alternative" to struggling with severe side effects on hormonal birth control for 6 years. Birth control is a personal choice and I want everyone to make empowered choices about theirs. To do this, I think we should be totally informed. Haven't heard of the Symptothermal Method? I hadn't either. Doctors rarely teach this method, so I'd like to shed some light on it. Some people love...
In an unorganized manor, I analyze systems of dominance and oppression across the narratives with parents to their passionate children, the state and "political party" to the people that support Black Lives Matter movement, global leaders and nations to the countries they colonized and currently force into sweat shops via Neoliberalism. A lot of parents are telling their children right now that their passion does not matter, that "it is the way it is," and "we've come so far." The state and stat...
I dive into intuition- trusting yourself and the clear messages given to you. I believe God lives in my heart, so when I am looking for guidance, I go within. Intuition does not feel tense, anxious, and agitated, but rather a clear and calm "yes," "no" or something else. There might be no huge, spiritual reason why you want to eat broccoli tonight, but if that's what you feel like, that's what your body needs. There is not always larger reason that your intuition leads you in a direction, but be...
Not just a hashtag. Black lives fucking matter. I cannot create alternative content without first addressing the murder of George Floyd and the violence being done by police to further oppress black people. While I wanted to address this and not be silent, I do not want to take from the voices we really need to listen to: black voices. I discuss violence vs. non-violence a little. What way are YOU comfortable with people protesting oppression, violence, and white supremacy? The peaceful wasn't "...
It's about darn time I talked about nudity! No? Yes! A little freestyle about my experience at the nude hot springs as it is relevant to healing my relationship with my body. It affirmed my body is clearly mine- no one is taking from me. I talk about the shame I've felt around my stomach and how it often prevents me from breathing deeply the way I'd like to. When I breathe deeper, I have the capacity to take more in and create more space. I don't think this stomach-shame and habit of sucking in ...
In this podcast, I address body-focused repetitive behaviors and chronic daydreaming (two distracting behaviors I have personally) and have recently brought to the surface more. Having and sometimes struggling with these, it has always been known of their existence, but not their cause or a method to stop. I still don't know the exact root causes, and I am aiming to accept them rather than have an aggressive approach towards myself. BFRB's can involve skin picking, hair pulling, nail biting, etc...
Season 1- Alternatively T, episode 5. I get into psychological reasons behind addiction and propose it is a lack of connection. I disarm the "disease model" of addictions and the treatment methods in congruence with it like AA and interventions (although I still support them and the people they have helped.) I believe we can still do better. I propose that the "addiction gene" is actually generational trauma. I talk about why these existing models and treatment perpetrate shame and guilt, which ...
Season 1- Alternatively T, episode 4. In this episode, I first reveal some of my political beliefs so that I can be authentic and vulnerable with you and shed my fear of people disagreeing with me. I open with my social political perspectives, so that I don't just critique current views and treatments for addiction, but rather, I share policies that I do advocate for. I touch on this political piece first because it is an essential part of the equation and if we deny it, we cannot fully treat in...
Season 1- Alternatively T, episode 3. When we wake up and check our phones, we are looking to the external world before processing our own feelings when we wake up. When we create space in the morning, we can self-reflect, cultivate gratitude, and slow down in the moments we do have control over. I've never been a morning person, but waking up becomes more joyful when you CHOOSE to wake up and curiously approach your day after doing the practices that make you feel peaceful. I describe my person...
Season 1- Alternatively T, episode 2. I discuss that health is not a moral obligation, the existence of systematic inequality and why health is not easily accessible for everyone, diet culture, shame and praise for weight gain and weight loss, choosing the most empowering perspective, affirmations, and going against societal norms by loving yourself at any age or weight because your body is YOURS. You are authentically beautiful.
Season 1- Alternatively T, episode 1. As we shift into a new normal and emotions arise, I encourage you to feel where in your body those emotions are rooted and with song and dance, allow those emotions to move through you. There is great wisdom, joy, and community in Italy where people are going to their balconies to sing and dance together. We can learn from this and sing and dance here, alone and with the witness of others (those you live with). The movement of the body and voice helps to rel...
