Pulling The Thread with Elise Loehnen

“I think we need each other. I say this all the time, there are some things that are too big to feel in one body. You need a collective body to move them through. And I think that's what we need. We need to come together in spaces to heal, not just to consume together or to watch a movie together, but to feel together and to have human emotion in real life, in public and act from the place of a feeling body, to choose action from a feeling body and not just a reactive or a numb body, but a body that feels, a body that can connect. What kind of actions do you take in the world from that kind of body? I think it's different.”So says Prentis Hemphill, therapist, embodiment facilitator, and author of the just-released, What it Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World. In today’s conversation—the final in a four-part series—we explore a path to putting ourselves, and the collective, back together, and how this begins with a visioning…but a visioning born from getting back in touch with how we actually feel. I loved their book—just by reading along with Prentis’s own path to re-embodiment, I found myself finding similar sensations in my chest, back and heart. In today’s conversation, we talk about somatics, yes, but also about conflict—and what it looks like to become more adept with our emotions in hard times. This is one of my favorite conversations I’ve had to date on Pulling the Thread—I hope you enjoy it too.MORE FROM PRENTIS HEMPHILL:What it Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the WorldPrentis’s WebsiteThe Embodiment InstituteFollow Prentis on InstagramRELATED EPISODES:PART 1: James Gordon, M.D., “A Toolkit for Working with Trauma”PART 2: Peter Levine, Ph.D, “Where Trauma Lives in the Body”PART 3: Resmaa Menakem, “Finding Fear in the Body (TRAUMA)”Thomas Hubl: “Feeling into the Collective Presence”Gabor Maté, M.D.: “When Stress Becomes Illness”Galit Atlas, PhD: “Understanding Emotional Inheritance”Thomas Hubl: “Processing Our Collective Past”Richard Schwartz, PhD: “Recovering Every Part of Ourselves” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soraya Chemaly challenges the notion of resilience, advocating for collective care over individual triumph. The discussion explores gender dynamics, trauma, societal expectations, and redefining strength and resilience. Embracing body changes, challenging stereotypes, and engaging men in conversations about women's experiences are also highlighted.

Therapist and social worker Resmaa Menakem discusses ancient fears, racialized trauma, and the importance of communal responses to trauma. The conversation delves into personal experiences with fear, intergenerational trauma, and the impact of unaddressed trauma on relationships and communities.

Guest Kara Loewentheil discusses challenges of societal conditioning creating a 'brain gap' in women, self-doubt, body image beliefs, mindset shifts for personal growth, interplay of thoughts, emotions, and behavior, gender biases in money self-worth, and impact of personal transformation on societal change.

Peter Levine, Ph.D, expert in trauma therapy, discusses somatic experiencing and gradual healing through bodily sensations. His new book, An Autobiography of Trauma, delves into his personal journey and the global impact of his work. The podcast explores cultural approaches to trauma, collective healing, and the significance of self-care for generations.

Africa Brooke, author, discusses the impact of online personas on real-life interactions and the importance of cultivating self-awareness. She shares her journey of stepping back from the 'cult of wokeness' and the need for diversity of thought. The podcast explores cancel culture, societal pressures, self-expression, and the promotion of genuine conversations. Additionally, there is a discussion on wellness product selection and reflections on past behavior.

Dr. James Gordon, a trauma specialist, discusses the importance of courage and hope in healing trauma. He shares insights on using practical tools like slow breathing and physical meditation, community training in conflict zones, and the transformative power of group healing. The podcast explores global trauma healing efforts and the impact of personal transformation on societal change.

Author and journalist Johann Hari discusses societal perceptions of weight and sin, critiquing extreme weight loss methods and the glorification of suffering. He delves into his conflicted views on new weight loss drugs, explores genetic influences on weight gain, and compares US and Japanese food habits. The conversation highlights the emotional and physical impact of medications on weight loss, advocating for a scientific approach to managing weight.

Hi, It’s Elise, host of Pulling the Thread. Starting next Monday, I’m doing another special series—this set is about trauma, specifically trauma and the body. You’ll hear from four important voices in the space. We’re going to start with Dr. James Gordon, who works with groups all over the world who are in crisis, helping them move their experiences through the body before it gets stuck. Next, we’ll turn to the father of Somatic Experiencing, Peter Levine, who has a new autobiography about a horrific trauma from his childhood that led him to the formation of his practice, from which we all benefit today. Next, I’m joined by my friend Resmaa Menakem, author of My Grandmother’s Hands, the creator of the somatic abolitionist movement who works with me directly to illustrate how we all carry fear. And finally, Prentis Hemphill is taking us home: Their stunning new book, What it Takes to Heal, explores finding our calcified feelings and patterns of behavior in our bodies and navigating conflict without projecting our pain. In the show notes, you’ll find related episodes from years past, including guests like Galit Atlas, Gabor Maté, Thomas Hubl, and Richard Schwartz. I’ll see you this Thursday for a regular episode—though it’s Johann Hari, so there’s nothing regular about it.RELATED EPISODES:Thomas Hubl: “Feeling into the Collective Presence”Gabor Maté, M.D.: “When Stress Becomes Illness”Galit Atlas, PhD: “Understanding Emotional Inheritance”Thomas Hubl: “Processing Our Collective Past”Richard Schwartz, PhD: “Recovering Every Part of Ourselves” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“When we can pause for a moment and rifle through all that noise to figure out what the root of the fear is, then we can be with it in a meaningful way, rather than just let it run our lives. And a little bit of fear of death and a little bit of death anxiety is totally normal, for all of us. I mean, it's that thing inside that tells you not to keep walking when you get to the edge of a cliff, and even to like drink water, you know, hydrate, stay alive. It's in us. It's in our DNA. It's rooted in there. And so the goal is never to get over it entirely, but rather to learn from it, to be with it, to not let it run our lives, but rather to let it fuel our lives.”So says Alua Arthur, a death doula and recovering attorney who is the author of Briefly, Perfectly, Human, which is a guidebook for both how to live and also how to die. Alua is the founder of Going with Grace, a death doula training and end-of-life planning organization. In today’s conversation, we talk about what it would look like to get our death phobic culture a little closer to the end, why people fear dying, and what can be gained when we recognize the priceless gifts that come when our lives come to a close. Let’s get to our conversation.MORE FROM ALUA ARTHUR:Briefly, Perfectly, HumanFollow Alua on InstagramGoing with Grace WebsiteRELATED EPISODES:B.J. Miller: “Struggle is Real—Suffering is Optional”Roshi Joan Halifax: “Standing at the Edge”Frank Oswaseski: “Accepting the Invitation” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.