In this episode, we hear from Anabel Vizcarra, an embodiment mentor and womb shaman from Sinaloa, Mexico.  Anabel talks about her life journey and the reclamation and embodiment of her feminine power. She talks about her spiritual exploration, and how she came to realize that she was conditioned to live in a way that allowed her to be successful in real estate, and other aspects of her life, but that kept her from being able to live in her full divine self. Anabel dives deep into the importance for all of us to get in touch with our true selves so that we can heal and develop the ability to be who we are meant to be and find our inner peace.  Anabel talks about how the world is used to functioning from a place of the mind (intellect), and the importance for all of us as people to move to the place of the heart (emotion), and eventually to go into the womb (wisdom), to find safety and peace within our bodies. She recommends journaling or recording voice notes when we are feeling really good to read or listen to when we are feeling low. Anabel also suggests having “conscious tantrums” where we can let out anger or frustration.  Be sure to connect, support, and continue learning from Anabel on Instagram: @anabel.vizcarra Also, sign-up for an 8-week Embodied Emotional Intelligence online immersion program: https://www.anabelvizcarra.com/embodied-emotional-intelligence.html

In this episode, we hear from DeAntwann Johnson, aka “DJ Johnson”,  a husband, father, author, mentor, coach, counselor, and sports statistician.  DJ shares his journey with us including going through the Indiana foster care system and suffering child abuse, domestic abuse, and emotional trauma. He talks about growing up feeling like he was stripped of a lot of decisions in his life and feeling like others always made choices for him without asking him. He talks about how going through these experiences made him normalize a lot of harmful behaviors, which he took into his adulthood while holding on to a lot of anger.  DJ talks about at one point, wanting to end his life, but realizing that he was on this earth for a purpose. DJ talks about the void he felt from the absence of his father, the tense relationships with his other caregivers, and learning to forgive. He talks about turning all his pain into his power. He talks about how he worked hard to overcome a life full of hardships, humiliation, aggression, and self-esteem issues, allowing him to be an active advocate for youth and families and inspiring them to be the best that they can be. Be sure to connect with DJ on:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djinspiresall/  Website: https://djinspires.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/djinspiresall

In this episode, we hear from Iliana Chino Hernandez, aka “Mz. Gatiz”, a Chicana rapper from Brooklyn, New York.  Mz. Gatiz talks about her childhood, from seeing her parents struggle to make it in the United States to witnessing the poor living conditions of her family back in Mexico. She talks about how her parents were so focused on working that they would often leave her with nannies, which led to her being raised by other adults around her. Mz. Gatiz shares how, as a result of this, she was introduced to alcohol and the club scene at 11 years old. She also talks about being forced to assume adult responsibilities at an early age. By the age of 13 she was working, and at times was in charge of taking care of her younger sisters. Mz. Gatiz recounts holding back tears and parts of her life because of not wanting to feel weak and/or create tension within her family. She describes how despite all of this she found a space to express herself through music. Mz. Gatiz talks about enjoying nature and being inspired by other singers such as Gloria Trevi. She talks about the real struggles of being a rapper and a human being at the same time, and the lessons that have come with it.  Be sure to connect with and support Mz. Gatiz on:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mzgatiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MZGATIZ Website: https://mzgatizny.com/

In this episode, we hear from Liliana Doyon, a first-generation Mexican-American and licensed marriage and family therapist from New York City.  Liliana reflects on her own childhood experiences and how they led to her becoming a therapist. She talks about having experienced emotional neglect, physical abuse, and witnessing violence and rage growing up. Liliana unpacks how when she was young she would struggle with saying “I don’t know” out of fear, and how progressively this led to a huge motivation to want to know more by reading and connecting to people. She talks about being 16 years old and taking on so much which led to her first panic attack. Liliana shares how she went through several panic attacks until being introduced to both medication and therapy at a young age, thus providing some tools and language to understand her experiences. She later describes how she, at some point, engaged in her practice not only as a means to help others but also to avoid some of her own internal feelings.  Liliana also gets vulnerable and dives into what it was like to experience a divorce following a 7-year marriage. She talks about how important it was for her to reconnect with herself to be able to heal from that experience and keep going. Liliana recommends journaling as a way to sit with and reflect on our lives. Be sure to connect with Lilliana on:  Website: http://www.relationshipcounselingct.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilianadoyon/?hl=en  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liliana-doyon-a0a63b86/

In this episode, Hernan Carvente-Martinez, Founder/CEO of Healing Ninjas, Inc. provides updates regarding where Healing Ninjas is headed both as a brand and as space for people to share their journeys. He talks about moving towards creating space for Spanish-speaking individuals to come to the podcast and share their stories entirely in Spanish. He also reveals that Healing Ninjas t-shirts are in the works! Along with other products that connect to the topic of healing. He asks that people reach out if there are particular products that they would like to see with the Healing Ninjas brand.  Lastly, he encourages people to tune into the Healing Dialogues which are held every other week via zoom. The dialogues are a space for people to kick back and talk about what healing has been like for them. It is a brave space for people to connect with others who are also on their own journey and be able to share tips and resources with one another. If you are interested in joining register at: www.healingninjas.org/healing-dialogues  Also, be sure to follow Healing Ninjas on all social media platforms! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingninjas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healingninjas  Twitter: https://twitter.com/healingninjas  TikTok: @healingninjas

In this episode, we hear from Katherin Quezada, a young Mexican woman from New York City.  Katherin talks about trying to get out of her comfort zone and growing up being told what was expected of her as a woman. She reflects on what it was like to be raised in an environment where communication was lacking and how this inevitably led her to keep to herself a lot and being very shy. Katherin also talks about recognizing repetitive harmful relationship patterns in her family and trying to break these generational patterns in her own life. She discusses what it has been like to set boundaries in her life, based on things that she doesn’t want to repeat. Katherine speaks about learning how to sit with her emotions and identifying what she is feeling, along with being able to accept that it is okay to feel.  Katherin dives into how she has struggled with overthinking, and how it has often come up from having been the person that everyone would lean on for advice and support. She describes how her past reflects a lot on her present and overthinking about things that she has experienced in her childhood and not wanting to go through the same things as a grown woman. Katherin talks about learning to love herself and looking to the next day as another opportunity to be better/different. Katherin recommends finding loving positive people, listening to music, going for walks, and reading books by r.h. Sin if you are looking for resources in your healing journey. Katherin hopes to one day take her experiences and potentially be intentional support for others, particularly a therapist.  Be sure to follow Katherin on:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_katherinnq_/

In this episode, we hear from Taishma Owens-Council, a 25-year-old Black woman, military spouse, mother, and owner of Virtual Goal Assistant Agency (VGAA). Taishma dives into her motherhood journey. She reflects on being raised to think that women only had two options: motherhood or a career; but not both at the same time. She shares with us having the kind of awareness, during high school, that led her to know that she did not want to become a statistic and opted for birth control. Years later, after college, Tai and her husband found themselves trying for a child for three years to no avail. She shares how she sought help from a reproductive clinic and finally becoming pregnant, only to later develop gestational diabetes and be diagnosed with preeclampsia: a pregnancy complication for which the mortality rate is twice as high for black women. She talks us through the final stages of her pregnancy, and how the complication ultimately led to her staying in the hospital for 2 weeks and being away from her newborn son, Adonis, during her period of recovery. Tai talks about how she later sought out therapy, was diagnosed with post-partum depression, and what it was like to unpack all of this trauma when healing was never part of the conversation growing up. Tai shares how she healed from this experience and how she decided to start her own business by turning her hobby into a full-time job. Tai describes how she learned to juggle being a mother, wife, and business owner all at the same time. Tai suggests that people learn to set boundaries so that they can protect their mental health, family, and happiness.  Be sure to connect with Tai on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vgaallc/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taishma.council9 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/towens-council/  VGAA Website: https://www.vgaallc.com/

In this episode, we hear from Chris Marin, a half Mexican and half Guatemalan man from Brooklyn, New York.  Chris talks about being sexually abused as a child and growing up for many years feeling guilty for his abuse. He reflects on how difficult it has been for him to process his past trauma, especially when violence has become so natural for him to see in his daily life and in the community he lives. Chris also talks about what it was like to heal through a break-up following a 7-year relationship and how he overcame unhealthy coping mechanisms by surrounding himself with people who truly care about him.  Chris talks about being a survivor of two suicide attempts and being found by his nephew on both occasions. He shares how he came to the realization that he was not alone and that he is loved and supported by friends, family, and others in his life. Chris later goes on to also talk about losing his two close friends to suicide and reflecting on how he had always seen them happy, smiling, and joking while struggling inside. Chris urges people to remember that they are not alone, to read books by individuals like Maya Angelou, and find spaces to talk about what we are going through.  Be sure to listen to Chris and follow him on:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mexi_mala92/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.marin.184 Unique Auto Club IG: https://www.instagram.com/unique_ac_/

In this episode, we hear from Roderick Keith Johnson, a national LGBTQ advocate for criminal justice reform and mental health, and a survivor of sexual abuse.  Roderick talks about going into a Texas maximum-security prison as a black gay man, where he was sold into sexual slavery for 18 months. He describes how he pleaded for protection while inside and was denied help from prison officials. Roderick shares how he was forced on a daily basis to have sex in prison and how he was bought and sold among various prison gangs until finally getting the attention and help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).  Roderick discusses how his story was chronicled as one of the worst cases of prisoner abuse in US history. His case, and many others, sparked a movement to stop this kind of abuse and led to the passage of the National Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). Roderick talks about processing all of these experiences with some of the best mental health experts in the country, particularly Dr. Terry Kupers of the Wright Institute. He talks about being diagnosed with PTSD, major depression, anxiety, bipolar & schizoaffective disorder, and his journey to getting the support he needed to heal. Roderick shares his own reflections on the mental health space, stories that have empowered him to continue advocating for change, and words of love and wisdom to survivors of sexual abuse and the LGBTQ community.  Roderick asks that people learn more about the Black Justice Resource Group and support his ongoing advocacy work.  Be sure to connect with Roderick via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roderick-johnson-073299152  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100043275947337

In this episode, we hear from John Ilawan, a young Filipino fitness enthusiast from Queens, New York, and graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice. John shares with us his reflections on his own healing journey prior to 2021 and how it has shifted coming into the new year. He talks about the need to engage in healing work so we may consistently grow and not be comfortable in one place for the rest of our lives. John discusses what it was like to grow up in a Philipino household where he learned toxic masculine behaviors that would later show up in his relationships and lead to him hurting someone he cared about. John describes healing as a marathon and an ongoing process that prepares one for tough situations much like athletes prepare for sports. John also reflects on how tough days can be used to know where we are in our healing journey and to think about what we need to keep working on. He talks about the need to look deep within ourselves to accept what we have gone through and to learn to hold ourselves accountable to the process. John goes into the importance of making time for ourselves to engage in positive activities that allow us to keep up with the healing journey. He suggests purchasing a 5-year journal and engaging in writing or poetry with intentional prompts to reflect on different areas of our healing, and looking back on how our responses may change over time. Listen to John’s episode and connect with him via: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.ilawan/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-eric-ii-ilawan-760a17181/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.ilawan

In this episode, we hear from Abdul Ali, a 25-year-old Ethiopian-American Social Activist, Organizer, and Educator from Maine.  Ali shares with us his story, from having his parents divorced when he was 7 years old and coming to this country as a refugee. He reflects on the toll it took on him to have to choose between his dad or mom while growing up. Ali talks about what it was like to live with his father and brother in a shelter, have no structure, and feel like he had to raise himself. He opens up about later going to live with his mom and having to adjust to living with a step-dad and two siblings he’d never met. And later being kicked out of that home because of a misunderstanding at 12 years old. Ali reflects on how these experiences led to him growing up without a sense of belonging or safety. Ali further goes into how these experiences led to him being arrested, placed on probation at 15, and inevitably ending up in prison for two years. He speaks about taking college courses while incarcerated and finding theater as an outlet to talk about his story and getting the community to care. Ali describes losing one of his theater partners to an overdose and participating in an Islamic burial where he had to bury him with his bare hands. He ends by sharing some words of wisdom on how people can take their stories and use them as a force of change. Listen to his episode and follow his work on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humblephilosopher2020/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdul-ali-3a670ba0/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100036604031534

In this next episode, we hear from Ray Tebout, a strength-based human resources professional, addiction counselor, and founder of Mind Frame & Development Solutions. Ray reflects on how people sometimes grow up normalizing what they feel, including the bad, and move through life thinking there is no alternative. Ray shares how healing was not always important to him and how changes in his nutrition allowed him to realize that some of what he was feeling was connected to other aspects of his life including his eating habits. Ray talks about losing his mother at a young age and growing up with a father who struggled with drug addiction. He dives deep into what it was like to become the “unofficial head of household” and carrying the responsibility of being an adult and caregiver to his siblings while still being a child himself. Ray discusses how all of these experiences led to him becoming good at disassociating from his feelings, and being very calm in crisis situations, but how this inevitably led him to make some very poor choices in his life as well. Ray reflects deeply on his personal relationships and discusses how he dated the same kind of people, and repeated similar unhelpful dynamics in his professional life. He also talks about coming to the realization that his friends were not equipped with the tools to help him, which inevitably led to him finding a therapist for himself. Ray shares how he approached therapy with very clear goals and was intentional about finding a therapist that he could truly connect with in order to get the support he needed to get to a better place. Ray recommends reading the Grief Recovery Handbook. He also suggests that listeners find someone objective to talk about their deepest thoughts (or dirt), whether it’s a therapist, a spiritual advisor, or yourself; because we need to have those honest conversations and hold up the mirror to ourselves. Be sure to connect and support Ray via:  Gmail: rtebout@gmail.com   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-tebout/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ray.tebout

In this next episode, we hear from Mayte Villalba, a medical assistant, and owner of Resiliently Beautiful.  Mayte bravely talks about what it was like to engage in her healing journey after years of holding it all in. She reflects on her experience with bullying in high school, turning into the head of the household after her parents separated, and becoming a mother figure to both her siblings and mom. Mayte also shares what it was like to grow up with an alcoholic father and later using alcohol as a coping mechanism in her own life. Mayte opens up about her sexual assault and how she sought out therapy and other supports in college only to lose all of that after being dropped from school for poor grades.  Mayte recounts what it was like to be admitted to a psych ward following a suicide attempt, and later fighting the stigma associated with taking medication after deciding that it was something she needed. Mayte shares how she found refuge in art therapy while in the hospital and how she decided to launch her own small business, Resiliently Beautiful, as a means of turning her pain into something nice. She suggests that people not pack their pain in until exploding but instead find ways of taking it out gradually through activities such as writing, working out, reading, and art. Mayte also emphasizes the importance of learning to slow down and sitting with our emotions. Be sure to connect and support Mayte via: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ResilientlyBeautiful  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resiliently.beautiful/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Resilientlybeautiful LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayte-villalba-rma-cpt-a1a62a178/

In this next episode, Paulina Isabel Almarosa, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of LatinxGrief, allows herself to be vulnerable and emphasizes that therapists don’t have it all figured out. Pauliana talks about what it was like to work in different spaces including jails, hospitals, schools, and other community organizations, and seeing her own life reflected in the lives of other people. She reflects on what it was like to have her own grief invalidated so many times in her life and wanting to create a comforting and healing space for people to process their grief without being shamed for their emotions. Paulina shares how she grew up in a constant state of survival, and never really have had an opportunity to engage in her own healing work because of needing to prioritize the needs of her family, school, and “being successful”. She opens up about losing her father to lung cancer, supporting her brother through incarceration, and having to carry so much grief in her life without having space to process it because of so much “toxic positivity.” Paulina dives deep into what grief looks like and how it extends beyond just the concept of “death”, stating that “grief can also be the loss of something important in your life.” She also discusses how she started to listen to her body and began trying out different healing modalities including “sobadas”, “limpiadas”, and “acupuncture” to begin her physical healing process.  Paulina urges more therapists and healers to come together and create resources for the Latinx and Black community that focuses on grief.  Follow Paulina on:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latinxgrief/

In this next episode, we hear from Autumn Walker, a licensed professional counselor in Maryland, who is seeking to normalize mental health. Autumn talks about how going through her own healing process allowed her to discover new sides of her story, and be able to pass on lessons learned to others wishing to engage in healing work for themselves. She reflects on what it was like to understand that, growing up, her basic needs (i.e. food, clothes, etc.) were always met but coming to the realization, as an adult, that her emotional needs were not always met as well. Autumn opens up about being exposed to domestic violence at an early age and developing coping mechanisms that she would later take time to process and unlearn in her adulthood.  Autumn describes healing as a “rose growing from concrete” and an “ongoing process” which leads to you opening one door and seeing that there are so many other doors and levels that you can unlock in the process. Autumn also talks about healing being a form of “resilience” and having the ability to turn your “lemons into lemonade” while learning to face obstacles that come with healing because, as Autumn puts it, “new levels means new devils.”   As a therapist, she asks that listeners not see healing as a burden but rather as a requirement and training to reach different levels of peace in our lives. She suggests that people think about going to therapy, engaging in yoga, meditative practice, and spirituality as another means of centering ourselves in our healing work. Autumn also elevates the importance of having a positive social support system and filtering out connections that are not serving us. She also encourages people to listen to podcasts like Between Sessions and to buy a journal to dig deep into ourselves through bullet points, lyrics, drawings, writing, or anything that calls out to you.   Be sure to connect with Autumn via: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesoulreasons/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/autumn-walker-5a84a590/

In this next episode, we hear from Yuri Orozco, a Colombian woman, dog enthusiast, scuba diver, and student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Yuri talks about what it was like to grow up as the daughter of an incarcerated father, going in and out of prisons, and struggling to build a connection with him. Yuri reflects on what it was like to read books like the “New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander, and how it led to the start of her healing journey as she began to understand the impact of mass incarceration on her relationship with her dad. She discusses how healing became important, not only for her internal emotional balance but because she was able to realize that it would impact her romantic relationships, familial connections, and even her job as a Spanish court interpreter.   Yuri shares how focusing on her healing allowed her to be intentional about the way she handled the different emotional “seasons” of her life. Allowing her to be able to take on difficult moments when she could and acknowledging the time when she needed to take a step back. She recommends reading books like “Unfuck Your Brain” by Faith G. Harper and “Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety” by Daniel Smith. Yuri also has the following suggestions for people who want to engage in their healing journey:   1) Surround yourself with people you trust, have like minded-goals, and aren’t always involved in drama. And to distance yourself from friends or family who are not supportive or loving.  2) Take time to be with nature. Go to the beach, camping, be outdoors, and get as much sun as you can. 3) Practice meditation and breathing techniques to calm down during a stressful moment and rely on those tools in times of stress and crisis.  Be sure to connect with Yuri via: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuriorozconyc/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yuri.orozco  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuri-orozco-49978211a/

In this next episode, we hear from Arturo ‘Velaz’ Munoz, a poet, lecturer, and host of the Varrio Voices Podcast. He talks about what it was like at 10 years old to become a source of income at home and being introduced to alcohol early on. He shares his experience in therapy where he discovered that nothing was inherently wrong with him but also learned just how much was wrong with the conditions that he had to live through.  Arturo talks about growing up with the name ‘Silencio’ (silent) and using writing as a means to vent what he was feeling inside. He opens up about reflecting on his writings in college, and realizing that he talked a lot about “trauma”, without explicitly using that word, and instead, describing difficult moments as living with “demons” in his life. Arturo discusses what it was like to begin sharing his writing publicly and making people uncomfortable with his choice of words, and realizing that his writing could also be political.  Arturo shares what it was like to see healing as not just necessary for himself but also as a means to help heal those close to him and his community. Arturo asks that people share and subscribe to podcasts like Varrio Voices and Healing Ninjas, stating how important it is to support culturally conscious resources for our communities.  Be sure to connect with Arturo vía: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturo2020  Instagram: https://instagram.com/velazporvida  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arthur.munoz.790    And find Varrio Voices via: Instagram: https://instagram.com/varriovoices Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VarrioVoices/  Website: www.VarrioVoices.com Podcast: Spotify, Apple podcasts, and more!   Thank you Arturo for sharing so much with us and being part of the healing Ninjas community! We appreciate you.

Learning to use loving and supportive language for ourselves is important to the healing process. In this next episode, our interviewee chose to remain anonymous. She talks about what it means to be a survivor of sexual assault and living in a country where so much violence is happening against women, particularly Black and Indigenous women. She reflects on the importance of setting language boundaries with people in our lives, making it clear when words that are being used are causing us harm, and also making sure that the language that we have of ourselves is affirming, loving, and kind. She discusses the importance of acknowledging the pain that we carry and the need for us to change and reframe the way we think about ourselves. She also talks about what it has been like to process her experience as a survivor and finding the ability to feel proud of herself and live a happy life. She suggests looking into the teachings of researcher and neuroscientist Joe Dispenza as we engage in our own healing work.  A huge thank you to our interviewee for the courage to share her experiences with all of us. We appreciate you very much and we welcome you into the Healing Ninjas community!

Healing is painful and it can bring up a lot of anger in the process, but the end results can be tremendous. In this episode, we hear from Antonio Reza, a half Mexican and half Irish formerly incarcerated man, who shares how “hurt people, hurt people”, and how failing to address root problems in our lives can ultimately cause us to act out in ways that are destructive to ourselves and those around us. Antonio shares his thoughts on how toxic masculinity, and lack of emotional expression, affects the relationships that men have with their significant others, family, and kids. He reflects on how he used his pain and rage to propel his professional and academic success, but coming to a period in his life where the loss of two close friends drove him into a period of depression; that led to him being hospitalized and put on suicide watch. Antonio speaks about the fear of digging deeper into his past traumas and how keeping busy kept him from facing his demons for most of his life.  Antonio graduated as a Valedictorian from college and is currently in law school continuing to pursue his dreams along with his healing. He encourages formerly incarcerated people to go for their goals and dive into the healing process.  Be sure to connect with Antonio via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-reza-77549a165/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000158100378  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonio_reza_/

Learning to validate ourselves is important in order to break unhealthy cycles in our lives and be able to heal. In this next episode, our interviewee has chosen to remain anonymous. She talks about her journey of healing from domestic violence, alcoholism, and growing up as the child of an incarcerated parent. She shares what it has been like to break through the need to “perform” or seek “validation” from others, including family, and being able to recreate herself. She discusses learning to forgive and show compassion for herself and being able to find joy and peace in her life while honoring all the things she is feeling. She also shares what it was like to break free from domestic violence, taking her power back,  and relearning how to ask for help and be vulnerable once again.  She recommends reading books like “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene Brown and urges anyone who is going through a domestic or intimate partner violence situation to recognize that it is not okay and reach out to somebody for help.  If you are experiencing domestic violence you can also contact the DV hotline for advice at https://www.thehotline.org/get-help/ or call: 1-800-799-7233.