Dr. Irit Felsen

Dr. Irit Felsen

In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Dr. Irit Felsen, a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma and traumatic loss, where they discuss the impact of significant familial trauma through the lens of Holocaust survivors and their families. Together, they explore how to navigate family dynamics that result from trauma, and the importance of separating the love from the trauma. About Dr. Irit Felsen Irit Felsen, PhD is a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma and traumatic loss, whose clinical work and research have been focused on Holocaust survivors and their families. Dr. Felsen is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and was previously an Assistant Professor at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University for 14 years. Dr. Felsen is a Fellow of the APA Trauma division (Division 56) and a member of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. She is the chair of the Trauma Working Group at the NGO Committee on Mental Health in Consultative Relationship to the United Nations.   During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Felsen was the chair of the Working Group focused on the needs of Vibrant Older Adults in the APA Interdivision Covid-19 Task Force, and when she resided in NJ,  she was a board member of the Holocaust Council of MetroWest.   Dr. Felsen’s papers have been published in peer-reviewed professional journals, and she authored multiple book chapters. Her research was the basis for the book “Psychoanalysis and Holocaust Testimony: Memories of Unwanted Social Trauma.”  Dr. Felsen is sought-after speaker presenting nationally and internationally about the long-term effects of trauma on survivors and about the intergenerational transmission of trauma and resilience to the descendants of survivors. She is in private practice in Englewood, NJ. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: * Learn to distinguish between your parents' true core personality—what they actually wished and wanted for you—and the restrictive, anxious behaviors caused by post-traumatic stress. * Gain a clearer psychological perspective on why trauma survivors sometimes struggle with boundary-setting and letting their children separate, removing the blame and introducing deep compassion into the relationship. * Reclaim your family narrative by honoring the immense resilience it took for your lineage to survive, turning that historical strength into fuel for your own personal growth and success. Resources Mentioned * Psychoanalysis and Holocaust Testimony: Memories of Unwanted Social Trauma [https://www.routledge.com/Psychoanalysis-and-Holocaust-Testimony-Unwanted-Memories-of-Social-Trauma/Laub-Hamburger/p/book/9781138859210] * The work of Beatrice Beebe, PhD [https://www.beatricebeebe.com/] * Nothing Makes You Free [https://bookshop.org/p/books/nothing-makes-you-free-writings-by-descendants-of-jewish-holocaust-survivors-melvin-jules-bukiet/7f18302984cdd8a2] edited by Melvin Jules Bukiet * Fugitive Pieces [https://bookshop.org/p/books/fugitive-pieces-anne-michaels/7bb54b8aa88aa299?ean=9780679776598&next=t] by Anne Michaels Connect with Dr. Irit Felsen * Website: https://www.iritfelsen.com/ [https://www.iritfelsen.com/] * Research: https://www.iritfelsen.com/research/ [https://www.iritfelsen.com/research/] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irit-felsen-3b316712/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/irit-felsen-3b316712/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoPm6rBX9nGA0g76s4A-UpA [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoPm6rBX9nGA0g76s4A-UpA] Connect with the Show * Website: justlikenana.com [http://justlikenana.com] * Share Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed. Connect with Just Like Nana's Website [https://justlikenana.com/]. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective [https://feministpodcasterscollective.com/]. Theme music by Carter Penny.

Liza Miron

In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Liza Miron, Family Constellations facilitator and coach, to discuss ancestral trauma through family entanglements and how we can heal from them. Together they discover how to balance ancestral anger while honoring those ancestors, the importance of acceptance and belonging, and so much more. About Liza With over 15 years of hands-on experience with different modalities, Family Constellations facilitator and trainer Liza Miron is passionate about nurturing growth, fostering awareness, and uncovering underlying threads that keep people from enjoying their lives. This is complemented by her dynamic academic background, including a BA in Business Administration, an MA in Coaching and Human Resources Management, and spectrum-wide certifications including NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), Reiki, and Syntara System Energy Healing. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: * Recognize that you are part of a larger energetic web. When an ancestor is forgotten, excluded, or judged, the system often entangles a later generation to represent that person, leading us to repeat their difficult patterns. * Healing begins when we acknowledge the black sheep or the forgotten ones and return them to their place in the system. * Discover why the most powerful healing sentence is a simple Yes to reality. Looking at the truth of your family history without judgment allows the heavy energy of the past to transform into strength. * You don't have to suffer to show loyalty to your lineage. Learn how to honor your ancestors by living a full, happy life—turning their survival and sacrifices into your fuel for success. Resources Mentioned * Another Self (Zeytin Agaci) [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14899624/] Connect with Liza Miron * Website [https://www.coachingandconstellations.com/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/newfamilyconstellations/] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ14F4nfDntDlGlmRhIiaZQ/videos] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lizamironcoaching/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizamiron/] Connect with the Show * Website: justlikenana.com [http://justlikenana.com] * Share Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed. Connect with Just Like Nana's Website [https://justlikenana.com/]. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective [https://feministpodcasterscollective.com/]. Theme music by Carter Penny.

Melissa Taylor

In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Melissa Taylor, a mental health provider who's deeply versed in cultural nuances and intergenerational trauma, to discuss seeking ancestral wisdom as part of healing. They also dive into the impact of systemic oppression on family dynamics and the importance of recognizing and validating individual experiences. About Melissa Navigating both physical and virtual spaces, Melissa is a third-culture individual deeply versed in cultural nuances and intergenerational trauma. Driven by a mission to reconnect with her ancestors and to help others on their own journeys of reconnection, she specializes in addressing relational and intergenerational trauma as well as oppression. Melissa’s practice is grounded in principles of anti-racism, anti-oppressive practices, and Black feminism. She’s committed to working with individuals impacted by colonization, enslavement, and 2SLGTBQ+ oppression. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: * Ancestors are not just biological; they can include community members, writers, artists, or even elements of nature like a specific lake or river that provides a felt sense of connection. * We don't just inherit intergenerational wounds; we also inherit intergenerational wisdom—skills, ways of knowing, and a capacity for playfulness that can anchor us during difficult times. * Healing often begins with a sensation rather than a thought. Look for glimmers of okayness or a settlement in the body, even if it only lasts for a few seconds. * Individual trauma is often inseparable from systemic oppression, including racism, misogyny, and the patriarchy. Recognizing these external forces helps take the pathology off the individual. Resources Mentioned * Ancestral Memory Therapy’s blog [https://www.ancestralmemorytherapy.com/blog/] Connect with Melissa Taylor * Ancestral Memory Therapy: https://www.ancestralmemorytherapy.com/ [https://www.ancestralmemorytherapy.com/] Connect with the Show * Website: justlikenana.com [http://justlikenana.com] * Share Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed. Connect with Just Like Nana's Website [https://justlikenana.com/]. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective [https://feministpodcasterscollective.com/]. Theme music by Carter Penny.

Annie Brook

In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by psychologist and educator Annie Brook to discuss how the nervous system stores trauma, and what we can do to release those chemicals and emotions and ground back into our bodies. Together they explore pre-cognitive memories and how we can metabolize emotional distress. About Annie Annie Brook is a psychologist, educator, and author whose work focuses on trauma healing, birth imprint therapy, and applied neuroplasticity. Through The Brook Institute she teaches practical body mind tools that help therapists, parents, and individuals heal early developmental trauma and build healthier relationships. For more information visit https://anniebrook.com [https://anniebrook.com/]. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: * While the mind can analyze trauma, the nervous system is what stores it. Healing requires moving into the felt sense to release energy that talk therapy alone often cannot reach. * How experiences from the womb and birth—moments before we have language—create foundational blueprints in our bodies. Recognizing these early imprints can be helpful in understanding unexplained adult anxiety or shut-down. * How to identify when your system has entered a freeze or existential shock state. Annie explains how dissociation serves as a survival mechanism and provides tools to safely bring your awareness back into your body. * How to use sensory feedback and somatic techniques to finish incomplete trauma responses. Whether it’s reclaiming a birth push or moving through ancestral grief, these tools help your body understand that the danger is in the past. * To develop a compassionate witness within yourself. By replacing self-attack thinking with curious body awareness, you create the internal safety necessary for deep integration and personal growth. Resources Mentioned * Annie’s PDF Library: https://www.anniebrook.com/pdf-library [https://www.anniebrook.com/pdf-library] * Annie’s “Blink Blink” video: https://www.instagram.com/p/C35qUqMOZ7T/ [https://www.instagram.com/p/C35qUqMOZ7T/] * Molecules of Emotion [https://bookshop.org/p/books/molecules-of-emotion-the-science-behind-mind-body-medicine-candace-b-pert-ph-d/72da14861c8ec2df?ean=9780684846347&next=t] by Candace Pert, PhD * There’s No Such Thing As a Dragon [https://bookshop.org/p/books/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-dragon-jack-kent/2af0245f08ed3383?ean=9780375851377&next=t] by Jack Kent Connect with Annie Brook Instagram: @anniebrooktherapy [https://www.instagram.com/anniebrooktherapy] Website: https://www.anniebrook.com [https://www.anniebrook.com] Connect with the Show * Website: justlikenana.com [http://justlikenana.com] * Share Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed. Connect with Just Like Nana's Website [https://justlikenana.com/]. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective [https://feministpodcasterscollective.com/]. Theme music by Carter Penny.

Erica Bonham

In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Erica Bonham, a licensed counselor and embodied leadership coach, where they explore a “badass nervous system”, emotional alchemy, and tips for listening to your body. About Erica Erica Bonham is a licensed professional counselor, speaker, best selling author and embodied leadership coach. Her work bridges individual transformation and collective healing. She leads trainings on EMDR, ancestral trauma, and embodied, heart-led leadership. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: * The difference between fake resiliency, a high-functioning trauma response rooted in fear, and true capacity. * How to stay present with difficult emotions. Instead of avoiding the hard things, learn to use them as fuel for your growth and leadership. * Moving beyond repeating affirmations like "I am worthy." Shift into an embodied practice where your value is something you feel in your cells, not just something you think in your head. * Explore the intersection of the body, the heart, and the mind. When you unwind the patterns in all three areas, you stop playing small and start trusting your own intuition and impact. * Why setting boundaries isn't just a social skill, but a physiological requirement for your nervous system. Strengthening your capacity to say "no" increases your capacity. Resources Mentioned * Kim Krans The Wild Archetypes Deck [https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Archetypes-Deck-Guidebook/dp/0062871773?ref_=ast_author_dp] * Kasia Urbaniack’s Book, Unbound [https://www.kasiaurbaniak.com/unbound-book] Connect with Erica Bonham Website: https://www.avoscounseling.com [https://www.avoscounseling.com/] Embodied and Unstoppable Workshop [https://www.avoscounseling.com/embodied-and-unstoppable-workshop] Nervous System Reset Toolkit [https://www.avoscounseling.com/freebie] Erica’s Book: Always Enough, Never Done [https://www.avoscounseling.com/always-enough] Connect with the Show * Website: justlikenana.com [http://justlikenana.com] * Share Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed. Connect with Just Like Nana's Website [https://justlikenana.com/]. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective [https://feministpodcasterscollective.com/]. Theme music by Carter Penny.