In today's episode Sarah + Lydia engage in a personal and relatable talk about the cycles and rhythms of life. In a time where the pandemic has affected every one of our lives drastically for the last two years, they reflect on why it feels so exciting and yet so scary to leave this part of our life behind and adjust to, yet another, new normal. They discuss why fear of change keeps us stuck, adopting new habits, ways to visualize our needs, and how to reframe your narrative. Check out: Sonja Renee Taylor Follow us on IG @healingwithpurposepod We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected] **And remember, the information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice or used as a replacement for therapy. Intro music by: The Monocle Twins - The road to life

Episode #19 Overview:  Ancestral healing and the importance of feeling connected to your ancestors.  How Kara began her journey in ancestral healing by means of herbalism in order to connect to her ancestors heritage. Kara shares how ancestral plants, food and music are gentle and powerful ways to start our work with trauma, healing, and communication.  How we can honor our ancestors through different elements.  Plants to support our nervous systems during this time of collective anxiety due to global events.  Guest Bio: Kara Wood www.cimarutaremedies.com Follow Kara on IG: @Cimarutaremedies Kara Wood was made in Mexico, born in New Mexico and raised in California by a first generation Southern Italian American single mother who instilled in her early on: music and books are important, and we are abolitionists. Kara means black in Turkish, beloved in Italian, and friend in Irish.  She is a mother and an animist folk herbalist who helps folks deepen and activate the ancestral connections inside their bodies. Kara believes that we hold the ancestor realm inside of our bodies. That the elements, the plants, the trees and mushrooms are our ancestors and it all comes down to energy exchange. Epigenetics, Mythology, and Living Folk culture direct and inform her work.  She is committed to collective liberation, reparations and rematriation; shifting culture away from white supremacy, away from injustice and intolerance. Kara holds a BFA in fine art and documentary photography and was part of the first Cecemmana cohort, Ancestral Apothecary's three year clinical herbal certification program. **On today's episode, Kara mentioned she is traveling to Sicily this summer and wanted the share the organization, Radici Siciliane, that she is traveling with.  Final thoughts: Follow us on IG @healingwithpurposepod We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected] **And remember, the information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice or used as a replacement for therapy. Intro music by: The Monocle Twins - The road to life

Episode Overview: Sarah + Lydia are joined by their friend and colleague, Viridiana Rubio, in an open and honest discussion about anti-racism work. They talk about how their experiences, personally and in the workplace, along with research, education and awareness building has helped them to understand the importance of having conversations about race and differences with children. Discussing these difficult but necessary topics will help the children in our lives to better navigate their curiosity and develop positive connections to our collective diversity.  We can each do our part in anti-racism work and help to create social change.  Guest Bio: Viridiana Rubio Viridiana is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and a Registered Play Therapist in the state of Texas. She received her masters in education from the University of Texas at El Paso in guidance and counseling in 2011. She has been working with children, adolescents, adults and families for over 10 years in the city of El Paso, TX and has been trained in many therapeutic approaches, including Sensorimotor psychotherapy, EMDR, and Child-centered play therapy. Viridiana approaches her clients as holistic beings and helps them build awareness to explore wounds and trauma to allow a person to achieve healing within themselves. Currently, Viridiana is a clinician at the Comprehensive Care Center where she serves the students of the YISD. She sees children from ages 4-19. At her side practice, The Root Counseling also services adolescent and adult clients. Resources from Today's Show: Main references: How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi Project Implicit 100 Children's books to help talk about Racism + Discrimination Films/Documentaries: I am not your negro 13th Teach us all Rat Film Uncomfortable Truth 10 much watch Black History Documentaries 26 Mini-films exploring race, bias and identity with students Youtube Videos: Systemic racism explained How to talk to kids about race Sesame Street (colors of me song) Why do we have different skin colors? Follow us on IG @healingwithpurposepod We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected] **And remember, the information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice or used as a replacement for therapy. Intro music by: The Monocle Twins - The road to life

Episode Summary: Sarah + Lydia discuss ancestral trauma and how it is represented in the relatable, emotional, and heart-warming Disney movie Encanto. They break down and explore the main themes and characters in the movie to help us to understand ourselves and our family dynamics so that we can do our part in healing generational trauma. They will also discuss how the burden of ancestral trauma is passed down through many generations and isn’t created by one of us alone. Exploring the role each of us has in building awareness of the patterns, and actively working to reroute our thoughts and behaviors to break harmful family cycles. Episode Details: [3:22] Abuela Madrigal. Introduction of the family matriarch and her role in perpetuating the family's ancestral wounds. [11:47] Mirabel. Our main character and unintentional cycle-breaker. [18:22] Luisa. Arguably the most relatable character to many; she is the strong, independent, overachieving woman who holds so much on her back. [25:30] Bruno. A misunderstood character who brings to light hard truths and realities that Abuela does not want to face. [35:56] Isabella. The perfect, people-pleasing, rule follower. [40:43] Conclusion and Summary. Abuela reveals her traumatic experience to Mirabel.  As this occurs, Mirabel is able to understand how the experiences shaped her grandmother and subsequently the rest of the family over many decades. The episode addresses the importance of ancestral trauma and the curiosity necessary to have conversations that move us toward healing. References: It Didn't Start with You - Mark Wolynn Follow us on IG @healingwithpurposepod We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected] **And remember, the information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice or used as a replacement for therapy. Intro music by: The Monocle Twins - The road to life

On this week's show, Sarah + Lydia are joined by their friend and colleague Kelly Martin, LPC-S, Registered Play Therapist of Playroom Lubbock.  Kelly shares about the 8 sensory systems, how they present in our bodies, and ways to cope with under/over active sensory systems.  In the episode, Kelly mentions a quiz to determine if you might be a Highly Sensitive Person and you can find that here.   Kelly Martin is a counselor, play therapist, college professor, and mother of 2 sons. She works with children and parents at her private practice in Lubbock, TX.  She fulfills her sensory needs through yoga, CrossFit, soft blankets, and essential oils. IG: @playroomlubbock Website: http://www.playroomlubbock.com/ Follow us on IG @healingwithpurposepod We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected] **And remember, the information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice or used as a replacement for therapy. Intro music by: The Monocle Twins - The road to life

In the final episode of 2021 Sarah + Lydia share their biggest lessons in 2021 and it get's real deep! This year was yet another strange collection of days and months with many twists and turns and hidden lessons.  Listen along as we get vulnerable and share how this year has impacted each of us.   Follow us on IG: Lydia Kasmoch, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @thrivecounseling.ep Sarah Swafford, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @mindfulwellness.ep We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected]

In today's show Lydia + Sarah talk about asking for help and why it's so d*mn hard sometimes!  We polled our IG community recently and share the most common reasons why people don't ask for help.  And we bet you'll identify with some of these too!  Come along with us on this journey to understand what keeps us from reaching out to those around us and how to start practicing the act of receiving love more in our daily lives.  Follow us on IG: Lydia Kasmoch, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @thrivecounseling.ep Sarah Swafford, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @mindfulwellness.ep We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected]

We know what you're thinking ... the holidays are a lot!!! There's gatherings, gifts, food, more food, more gatherings, and more presents to wrap.  It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of it all.  So today, Lydia + Sarah offer you 6 tips to THRIVE during the holidays.  We've got this!  Follow us on IG: Lydia Kasmoch, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @thrivecounseling.ep Sarah Swafford, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @mindful.wellness.counselingep We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected] **And remember, the information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice or used as a replacement for therapy. Intro music by: The Monocle Twins - The road to life

It's almost that time of year - the holidays!  In today's show Lydia + Sarah talk through the areas we most need boundaries during the holidays.  Join us for a beautiful show to help us all live our best holiday lives with those we love.   Follow us on IG: Lydia Kasmoch, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @thrivecounseling.ep Sarah Swafford, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @mindfulwellness.ep We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected]

In today's show Lydia + Sarah explore expectations versus reality.  Often life does not turn out how we plan it and that can lead to confusion, guilt + shame, and internalizing the reasons as to why we are not where we think we "should" be.  Lydia + Sarah share stories from their own lived experiences as well as tools for how to cope when life doesn't go how we plan it.  Follow us on IG: Lydia Kasmoch, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @thrivecounseling.ep Sarah Swafford, LPC, Registered Play Therapist @mindfulwellness.ep We'd love to hear your feedback.  Please leave us a review and if you have topics you want us to cover on the pod email us your ideas at [email protected] **And remember, the information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice or used as a replacement for therapy. Intro music by: The Monocle Twins - The road to life