Healing through Community

Bridging Worlds: Healing Through Inheritance

From Dance to the Jungle to Midwifery: Claire on Plant Medicine, Service, and Reclaiming Life Force Elani Engelken, a Denver-based depth psychotherapist and somatic healer, welcomes guest Claire—someone she knew from the Denver dance world—to discuss Claire’s path from disciplined dancer training in Denver and New York to initiation in Colombia with yagé (ayahuasca) and years of apprenticeship with Indigenous elders in the jungle, including supporting her late teachers through their deaths.  Claire shares complexities of being a white Western woman in Indigenous spaces, and how her elders framed plant medicine as service to family, nature’s laws, territory stewardship, cultural preservation, and human rights. After returning to the U.S. due to a breakup and lack of resources, she committed to birth work, moved to New Mexico for a midwifery apprenticeship, and is pursuing licensure.  They discuss Western credentialing versus community-witnessed authority, acceptance of reality, ancestral healing beyond guilt. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:56 Dance Studio Connection 03:25 Claire Returns and Spiritual Blend 06:18 Claire's Journey to the Jungle 08:36 Loss and Coming Home 09:53 Midwifery Path in New Mexico 11:28 Working Within the System 13:35 Indigenous Leadership and Authority 19:33 Why Colombia and Ayahuasca 20:56 Boundaries and First Ceremony Risks 23:07 Elders Teach Integrity and Purpose 24:40 Jungle Healing Beyond Visions 25:45 Matriarchy and Natural Law 27:00 Return Home Saturn Lessons 28:05 Called to Midwifery School 28:44 Therapy and Masculine Repair 32:28 White Guilt and Ancestry 35:54 Indigenous Lineage and Belonging 42:34 Breaking Cycles Through Integration 44:01 Workshop Libido and Life Force 47:16 Where to Find Her Closing Where to Find Claire: sagefemmewomb.com

Sacred Mothering: How Mothering Shapes our Psychology

In this podcast episode, Elani, a depth psychotherapist and somatic healer, discusses the critical importance of matriarchal mother medicine for human psychology and community wellbeing. Elani highlights the crucial developmental years from conception to age seven and how a mother's environment and stress levels impact a child's ability to self-regulate. She covers the physiological and psychological aspects of mother-infant co-regulation, and the adverse effects of practices like sleep training and social isolation. The episode also touches on the lack of support systems for parents due to capitalistic demands and stresses the importance of supporting mothers through community and relational practices.

Healing through Community

In this episode of 'A Little Bit Psychic', Elani Engelken, a depth somatic integrative psychotherapist, discusses the critical role that community and connection play in mental, physical, and emotional health. She explains how humans, as pack animals, are biologically and physiologically wired to belong to a group, and how the modern emphasis on individuality has disrupted this natural need. Elani highlights the historical context of colonization and its impact on current societal structures. She argues for a return to communal support systems, emphasizing the importance of co-regulation and community healing, and shares insights from her own practice, including group therapy and the benefits of co-regulating with pets.

Inherited Pain: Understanding Epigenetics and Trauma

In this episode of 'A Little Bit Psychic,' host Elani Engelken, a depth psychotherapist and somatic healer, delves into the fascinating topic of epigenetics. Elani explains how intergenerational trauma is transmitted through gene expression and affects individuals' psychological and physical well-being. She discusses the overwhelming yet liberating realization for clients that their symptoms may be linked not only to personal experiences but also to familial and ancestral trauma. By integrating Carl Jung's concepts of persona and shadow, Elani emphasizes the importance of holistic and integrative healing approaches to address both nature and nurture. She shares personal insights and encourages listeners to explore their ancestral history and body symptomology to start their healing journeys.

Trauma and Energy- What is Nervous System Regulation?

In this episode of 'A Little Bit Psychic,' Elani Engelken, a depth psychotherapist and somatic healer, discusses the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit in the context of trauma and healing. Elani delves into the historical and philosophical roots of psychology, focusing on Carl Jung's depth psychology, its divergence from Freud's work, and why body-based trauma work is still the exception in the US. Elani emphasizes the importance of completing the stress cycle and the role of body symptomology in addressing trauma. Elani also discusses complex PTSD, the significance of co-regulation in healing, and the idea that trauma can be intergenerational, impacting not just individuals but also entire family lines. The episode aims to integrate psychological and spiritual perspectives to offer a holistic approach to healing and well-being.