Love Letters to Our Bodies: Season Four

Let The Heart Do Its Work

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2398360/fan_mail/new] Many of the struggles we carry as adults have roots in the experiences that shaped us as children. In this episode of the Love Letters to Our Bodies podcast, Gwendolyn Mitchell welcomes psychologist, author, and spiritual teacher Dr. Brenda Wade for a deeply personal conversation about healing the lasting impact of trauma and reclaiming a sense of wholeness. An internationally recognized speaker and executive trainer, Dr. Wade combines science, psychology, and personal evolution in her approach to healing and well-being. Reflecting on her own upbringing and decades of work supporting others, Dr. Wade shares insights into the connection between emotional pain, physical health, and spiritual well-being. She and Gwendolyn discuss the effects of harsh parenting, racism, addiction, and intergenerational trauma, while also exploring the role of community and compassionate relationships in the healing process. From learning to regulate the nervous system to developing a more loving relationship with ourselves, this conversation offers powerful reminders that healing is possible at any stage of life. Listen in for an honest conversation about healing old wounds and building a more compassionate relationship with yourself. Key Points From This Episode: •    Introducing licensed psychologist, author, and spiritual teacher Dr. Brenda Wade. •    The childhood experiences that shaped her life's work in healing and psychology. •    How trauma, racism, and family history can affect future generations. •    The lasting impact of harsh parenting on emotional and nervous system health. •    What Dr. Wade learned from reconnecting with Africa and her ancestral roots. •    Why remembering and sharing our stories is part of the healing process. •    Addiction as an attempt to numb pain and the importance of recovery support. •    How unhealed trauma, racism, and stress continue to affect communities today. •    A simple heart-centered practice for finding calm, connection, and support. •    Finding the people who help us heal and see our potential. •    Breaking cycles of harm and creating healthier futures for the next generation. •    The powerful connection between relationship health and physical well-being. •    Learning to embrace your worth and cultivate self-love.   Quotes: “When you have that trauma, first in the family, the grandparents, my parents, there's no way not to feel it. And what it does over time is it creates chronic anxiety. Chronic anxiety turns into chronic depression.” — @drbrendawade [https://x.com/drbrendawade] [0:06:27] “I'm telling my story, because if we don't tell it, we can't heal. It stays inside us, and it's suppressed.” — @drbrendawade [https://x.com/drbrendawade][0:13:36] “I love the 12-step programs, because it's about spiritual wholeness.” — @drbrendawade [https://x.com/drbrendawade] [0:17:21] “We are not stuck with any patterns if we make the choice to address the pattern.” — @drbrendawade [https://x.com/drbrendawade] [0:23:17] “If you have children, you have to do that work. You have to do your work, so you don't harm them and make the next generation suffer.” — @drbrendawade [https://x.com/drbrendawade] [0:28:29] “Just tap your sternum. Let that heart do its work. The heart is a healer if we allow it to do the healing.” — @drbrendawade [https://x.com/drbrendawade] [0:37:21] “We all have possibilities; we all have ways that we can let our light shine.” — @drbrendawade [https://x.com/drbrendawade] [0:44:35]   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Dr. Brenda Wade [https://www.drbrendawade.com/about/] Dr. Brenda Wade on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendawade/] Dr. Brenda Wade on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@dr.brendawade1151] Dr. Brenda Wade on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr.brendawade/] Dr. Brenda Wade on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/ModernLoveTraining/] Dr. Brenda Wade on X [https://x.com/drbrendawade] Modern Love & Relationship Training [https://www.drbrendawade.com/] Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwendolyn-mitchell-she-her-5179431/] MOYO Institute, Inc [https://www.moyoinstitute.org/] instagram.com/moyoinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/moyoinstitute/]

Love Letters to Our Bodies: Season Four

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2398360/fan_mail/new] [00:00:00] Hello fam The DNA of the Love Letters to Our Bodies podcast is made up of heart-centered and heartfelt conversations on health, healing, and happiness by, for, and about Black women. As we enter Season 4, I want to thank you all for listening, for sharing with friends and your family members, and ask you to follow us and send us your feedback. What do you want to hear about? What's important to you? If you know of a sister who would make a great guest, let us know. We're slowly building an archive of sisters making important and meaningful [00:01:00] contributions to the lives of others, and there are so, so many unsung sheroes. Help us to put their voices on the map. We'll start Season 4 with a conversation with Dr. Brenda Wade on Healing Childhood Trauma. We'll speak with Jackie Mungo regarding her personal journey that led her to establish the Healing Institute Global Network. We'll be having a conversation with Michelle Mosley and Marion Harris, both of UCSF about the Cancer Education and Community Engagement Program at UCSF. And you'll enjoy a conversation that we'll have with ChyTea of the [00:02:00] Wellness Tribe about Kemetic yoga. We'll be speaking with a young sister by the name of Roshonda Parker of Royal Touch Wellness about massage and healing. And we'll speak with Courtney Watson of Doorway Therapeutics about psychedelic-assisted therapy… and much, much more. In fact, we may even broadcast live from the Love Letters to Our Bodies: Day of Renewal Wellness Summit on Friday, July 17th in Oakland. Our partners for that event are Charlotte Maxwell Clinic, Black Ladies Advocating for Cancer Care, and East Bay Healing House. And our sponsors are the Lloyd Symington Foundation, the Red Oak Opportunity Foundation, and Kaiser Permanente. So, we have quite a [00:03:00] bit of very interesting, information to share with you, beautiful conversations to share with you, and we invite you to join us for Season 4. Remember, this is Love Letters to Our Bodies A podcast of conversations on health, healing, and happiness by, for, and about Black women. We look forward to having you with us for Season 4. Thank you Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwendolyn-mitchell-she-her-5179431/] MOYO Institute, Inc [https://www.moyoinstitute.org/] instagram.com/moyoinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/moyoinstitute/]

The Subtle Power of Healing Touch

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2398360/fan_mail/new] Healing often begins in the moments when someone feels safe, supported, and truly cared for. In this episode of the Love Letters 2 Our Bodies podcast, Gwendolyn Mitchell is joined by Maggie Burgett, a certified Healing Touch practitioner and longtime volunteer supporting people in cancer treatment. She is also trained as a Compassion Ambassador through the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). Drawing on years of experience volunteering at Stanford Hospital and serving on the board of Charlotte Maxwell Clinic, Maggie shares how energy-based practices can help people reconnect with their bodies and move through illness with greater calm and compassion. Together, they explore what Healing Touch is, how it works with the body’s energetic system, and why practices like Reiki, mindfulness, and Tai Chi can play an important role alongside traditional medical care. The conversation also touches on trauma stored in the body, the importance of intentional listening, compassionate presence, and why healing often begins by slowing down enough to truly pay attention to ourselves. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about energy healing, compassion, and what it means to care for the whole person. Key Points From This Episode: •    Introducing Healing Touch practitioner Maggie Burgett and her journey into energy healing. •    The origins of Stanford’s Healing Partners supportive care program. •    What Healing Touch is and how it works alongside traditional medical care. •    Exploring the similarities between Healing Touch and Reiki. •    How Healing Touch works with the body’s energetic system to support healing. •    The connection between trauma, blocked energy, and physical symptoms. •    Research on Healing Touch benefits, including its role in reducing anxiety and pain. •    What Maggie witnesses in clients during and after healing sessions. •    How Tai Chi, mindfulness, and self-compassion support healing work. •    Charlotte Maxwell Clinic’s commitment to accessible integrative cancer care. •    Reflections on the Love Letters to Our Bodies workshops. •    How compassion training deepened Maggie’s healing and listening practices. •    Maggie’s heartfelt love letter to her own body. Quotes: “In basic terms, healing touch is a relaxing, nurturing energy therapy. It uses gentle touch to assist in balancing the client's physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.” — Maggie Burgett [0:10:47] “Healing touch works with your energy field to support your natural ability to heal. It's safe for all ages and works in harmony with standard medical care.” — Maggie Burgett [0:11:17] “The body is a beautiful machine, and if we get out of the way and let it do what it knows how to do, then there's a better chance that it can heal itself.” — Maggie Burgett [0:22:21] “Healing touch sessions provide healing for the practitioner, as well.” — Maggie Burgett [0:29:39] “Everybody should have access to integrative care because it complements standard medical care and is part of the whole healing of the body.” — Maggie Burgett [0:34:38] “Thank you, dear body, for your strength and resilience, for making me pay attention to you, and setting me straight when I wander.” — Maggie Burgett [0:42:30] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Maggie Burgett [https://charlottemaxwell.org/member/maggie-burgett/] Maggie Burgett on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-burgett-194a901/] Healing Beyond Borders [https://www.healingbeyondborders.org/] San Francisco Bay Area Healing Touch Community [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1094976208471748/] Stanford Medicine: Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) [https://ccare.stanford.edu/] Charlotte Maxwell Clinic: Integrative Cancer Care [https://charlottemaxwell.org/] Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwendolyn-mitchell-she-her-5179431/] Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwendolyn-mitchell-she-her-5179431/] MOYO Institute, Inc [https://www.moyoinstitute.org/] instagram.com/moyoinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/moyoinstitute/]

What Dr. Candace Pert Discovered About Emotions and Health

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2398360/fan_mail/new] In this solo session, host Gwen Mitchell explores the groundbreaking science of Dr. Candace Pert and her landmark work on Molecules of Emotion— and what it means for Black and African American women navigating health, healing, and cancer. What You'll Learn * What peptides are and why they matter for your health * The story of Dr. Candace Pert and her discovery of the opiate receptor in the 1970s * How emotions create real chemical messengers in the body — and travel to every cell * What happens when emotions get chronically blocked and how it can affect the immune system * Why releasing emotions (tears, laughter, honest conversation) supports the body's capacity to heal * The concept of the BodyMind — one integrated system, not two separate things * Three practical steps you can take right now to begin supporting your emotional and physical health Three Places to Start 1.     Give yourself permission to feel — fear, grief, anger, exhaustion, hope. Journal, allow tears, use prayer and creative expression to move emotion through the body rather than storing it. 2.     Change the conversation with your body — notice how you speak to yourself. Begin to introduce something softer: gratitude, gentleness, love. Your body hears every word. Come into community — human connection changes our chemistry. You are not meant to walk this road alone. Featured Work * Molecules of Emotion by Dr. Candace Pert About the Sponsor This episode is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc., a nonprofit offering heart-centered educational experiences, and the Lloyd Symington Foundation, which supports visionary grassroots cancer programs. Connect * Website: moyoinstitute.org [http://moyoinstitute.org/] * Follow on social media & subscribe so you don't miss an episode * Have a topic you'd like discussed? Let them know! Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwendolyn-mitchell-she-her-5179431/] MOYO Institute, Inc [https://www.moyoinstitute.org/] instagram.com/moyoinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/moyoinstitute/]

Herbs that Heal and North American Black Herbalism

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2398360/fan_mail/new] How can herbalism go beyond traditional medicine to meet our needs? During this episode, Gwendolyn Mitchell interviews a guest with rich knowledge about Black North American Herbalism, particularly as it pertains to women going through a health crisis. Shereel Washington is an accomplished herbalist and serves as the principal of Ixalted Natural Body Care and Botanicals, a health and body restorative herbal business that specializes in creating customized herbal formulations to support and restore overall health and wellness. Join us as she shares how her multi-faceted background in dance, martial arts, and herbalism, as first taught to her by her grandmother, has informed her life and work. Next, we dive into the details of how she uses herbalism to support women according to their symptoms, constitution, and needs. Lastly, Shereel offers some pearls of wisdom for women in the middle of a health journey of any kind: start where you are with what you have. Key Points From This Episode: •    Shereel’s background as a herbalist, martial artist, dance teacher, and performer.  •    How she came up with the name Ixalted after running an arts program with her husband, called Ixalt. •    Shereel’s first herbal teacher: her grandmother. •    How Ixalted customizes herbal remedies specific to the symptoms, constitution, and needs of her clients.  •    Why it is important to Shereel to preserve the history and knowledge of Black North American herbalism.  •    What herbs can offer to women in the middle of health crises that other medicines cannot.  •    Herbal remedies to support the cancer healing process.  •    How Shereel’s work helps women to take care of themselves productively. •    Limitations that women of color experience when exploring plant medicine. •    Advice for women in the middle of a health journey.  Quotes:  “Herbs are meant to first change our internal terrain.” — Shereel Washington [0:31:01] “Herbs invite us to – [be] more introspective and say, ‘what change, even if it’s one change, can I make to improve the quality of my life?’” —  Shereel Washington [0:43:55] “Taking care of yourself is productive. Noticing your body so that you can continue to do the things that you love but also to walk in a way that’s going to help you not cross that threshold of harm to yourself and to be able to know when you need to pull back to take care.” —  Shereel Washington [0:46:59] “You have more time than you think. Pay attention to what’s inside you and around you. You have more available than you realize. It’s not over until God says it’s over.” —  Shereel Washington [0:55:51] “Know that you have more time than you think and try [not to] allow fear to be the boss.” —  Shereel Washington [0:57:00]  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Shereel Washington on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ixalt/] Shereel Washington on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereel-washington-3a421110/] Ixalted Natural Body Care and Botanicals [https://www.ixaltednaturalbody.com/] Charlotte Maxwell Clinic [https://charlottemaxwell.org/] Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwendolyn-mitchell-she-her-5179431/] MOYO Institute, Inc [https://www.moyoinstitute.org/] instagram.com/moyoinstitute [https://www.instagram.com/moyoinstitute/]