Sex Birth Trauma with Kimberly Ann Johnson

In this episode, Kimberly and Kathleen discuss branding, identity, entrepreneurship, and privilege. Kathleen explains how her branding business came to be and her philosophy for how to brand oneself authentically. Kathleen describes her business, Braid Creative, and the Braid Method. Kimberly and Kathleen also discuss how to have difficult conversations around race, privilege, and capitalism as white women and entrepreneurs. Kathleen shares her expertise around branding and marketing to discuss tips of branding authentically as well as her perspective of recent politics through a marketing lens. Bio Kathleen Shannon is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Braid Creative, a branding agency for entrepreneurs, small businesses and organizations. She is the author of "Being Boss: Take Control of Your Work and Live Life On Your Own Terms" and created the Braid Method, a formula for personal business branding. What They Share —The branding Braid Method —How to brand authentically —Navigating work and parenting responsibilities during COVID-19 —Interrogating privilege as a white woman entrepreneur What You'll Hear —Describes founding branding agency with sister —Started blogging about life as freelancer —Forms repeatable methods for branding —Articulating preferred forms of working style —Branding for Kimberly's work —Creative processes in the in-between moments —Trusting in collaboration with others during creative process —Being vulnerable to criticism and feedback —Became life-coach certified to be a entrepreneur —Branding authentically to self —Presenting aspirational self to dream clients —Cohesiveness and authenticity in branding —Working and schooling from home during COVID-19 —Running business with working mothers —Navigating daily life with work schedules, school, and other responsibilities —Money narratives in relation to white and class privilege —Dismantling capitalism within places of power —Anti-racism and branding work —Marketing and politics —White women holding unpolished conversations together regarding power and racism —Lifetime commitment to equity and progress as white women —Imperfection and discomfort in difficult conversations regarding power and privilege Resources website: braidcreative.com IG: @andkathleen

In this episode, Kimberly and Lily discuss issues with conventional nutritional guidelines for pregnancy, which foods provide needed nutrients during pregnancy, and the importance of proper nourishment postpartum. Lily's research on how food affects pregnancy culminates in her most recent book "Real Food for Pregnancy" which provides evidence-based data on best foods with the most health benefits, meal plans, and nutrient breakdowns for pregnancy and postpartum. Lily and Kimberly also discuss the commonalities between "Real Food for Pregnancy" and Kimberly's "The Fourth Trimester" which both emphasize the importance of preparation and nourishment for postpartum. Bio Lily Nicholas is a registered dietician and nutritionist, certified diabetes educator, and has built her career researching real food for pregnancy and gestational diabetes. Her work includes prenatal nutrition public policy, consulting, research, writing, and clinical practice. Her best-selling books "Real Food for Gestational Diabetes" and "Real Food for Pregnancy" combine evidence-based and traditional information regarding prenatal nutrition. She also offers nutritional trainings for professionals. What They Share —Why mainstream dietary advice is misguided —Which foods and nutrients are essential for pregnancy —Health issues with vegetarian and vegan diets during pregnancy —Food preparation and cooking tips —Importance of nourishment postpartum What You'll Hear —Prenatal nutrition guidelines are outdated —Conventional nutrition advice for past forty years is unchanged —Conventional nutritional advice as dogma with consequences in practice and public policy —"Play it safe" approach for prenatal nutrition out of caution —Focus on what can't eat versus what can eat to optimize baby's health —Focus on macronutrients (fats, carbs, protein) and ratios is problematic —Guidelines create deficiency in micronutrients and minerals —Under-estimated amount of protein needed in pregnancy by 73% —Deprivation, rigidity, fear around weight gain is common because of conventional guidelines —Focus on taking away instead of making space for more (food, money, nutrients, etc.) —Carbs need fat and protein for balanced blood sugar levels —Unbalanced blood sugar extremes causes feeling out of willpower physiologically —Body tells this information very clearly —Kimberly describes deficiency from being vegetarian for years —Blood sugar management as vegetarian is challenging —More plant-based diets harder to manage and recover after pregnancy and birth —Postpartum challenges due to vegetarianism (pelvic floor health, breastmilk production, blood sugar levels) —Nutrients in animal foods easiest to get for optimal health —Research shows fully vegan diets create nutrient deficiencies without supplementation —Some nutrients may not be well-absorbed in vegan diet and create deficiency in baby's health —Nutrients need to be present and in synergy for optimal health (DHA and choline, for example) that even supplementation can't mimic —Recommends real whole food sources for optimal health in pregnancy and —Experiencing mental health challenges on a vegetarian diet —Shifting from cultural norms to making food preparation valuable —Finding ways to make food prep and cook less time consuming —"Real Food Instant Pot Recipes" —"Lazy Meal Planning" on Lily's blog —Time for food prep and cooking for optimal health as self-care —Cook in bulk, use leftovers, repurpose leftovers, batch cooking —Differences in prenatal and postpartum —Emphasize protein, don't fear fat, higher quality carbs, less white flour carbs, produce and vegetables —Greater emphasis on eating more and water intake during postpartum ——Mental health as addressing physiological needs especially postpartum —Preparation for postpartum essential to health —Ask for help postpartum —First book chapter available for free —Trainings for professionals in nutrition Resources Website: lilynicholdsrdn.com IG: @lilynicholsrdn

In this episode, Kimberly and Hala discuss the nervous system's role in self-regulation and social justice activism. Healing must happen individually and collectively by understanding and regulating the nervous system, establishing and maintaining heart-centered relationships, and working with each other towards liberation. They discuss how to move beyond one's privilege towards discomfort in order to enact change for the greater good and why trauma-informed spaces are necessary for social justice activists and allies. Hala also describes the process of writing her book "Peace from Anxiety" and why it was written for this time. Bio Hala is a yoga teacher, somatic counselor, trauma therapist, social justice activist, author, mother, and co-founder of Off the Mat and Collective Resilience Yoga. "Peace from Anxiety: Get Grounded, Build Resilience and Stay Connected Amidst Chaos" is Hala's latest book which combines somatic experiencing with social justice through an intersectional lens of privilege and power-dynamics. What They Share —How and why "Peace from Anxiety" was written by Hala —Importance of Critical Consciousness in Somatic Experiencing and healing —Moving from fight-flight response to tend-befriend with social awareness and love for the other What You'll Hear —Inception of first book as culmination of Hala's teachings from past twenty years —Book discusses anxiety and using somatic experiencing to cope —Critical consciousness as awareness of socio-political context —Well-being includes equity and justice for everyone not just most privileged —Healing can be individualized but have to expand compassion for others —Move towards uncomfortable edges towards unfamiliar and discomfort —Use self-regulation and healing to move towards discomfort —Work is to turn towards one another —How to move towards discomfort for privileged people —Love people who are targeted in the world —Change happens relationally through love not intellectually —Change begins with heart and the body —Tending to recent cultural reckonings regarding racism —Creating trauma-informed spaces for healing and a bridge —Addressing nervous system in social justice activism —Understanding trauma and nervous system as we move towards liberation —Hala returns to process of writing book which includes tips, tools, and practices Resources Website: www.halakhouri.com IG: @halayoga, @offthemat, @collectiveresilienceyoga

In this episode, Kimberly and Haize discuss Haize's Get Rooted with Haize Doula Training, Haize's experience as a doula and mentor, and birth work in relation to relationships, energy, and community-building. Haize describes her experience as a spiritual mentor and doula for birthing families and how her new doula training curriculum came to be. She also discusses how COVID-19 has impacted pregnant and birthing people, causing even more isolation and health risk factors. The pandemic in addition to Haize's lifelong experiences have re-energized Haize in her trainings to focus on holding space, relationships, and community for birth workers, birthing families, and the community at large. Bio Haize Hawk is a certified doula, student midwife, spiritual counselor and community leader, mother, and offers full-spectrum doula care. She recently created and runs doula trainings based on her decades of experience in holding birth as spiritual, a rite of passage, and initiation for families. Get Rooted the Haize Way is Haize's doula training that began as a pregnant people's class and has developed into a full curriculum and certification for doulas and birth workers. What They Share --Get Rooted with Haize Doula Training philosophy --Importance of birth workers supporting one another --Importance of birth workers supporting families energetically --Impact of COVID-19 on pregnant and birthing people What You'll Hear --Started group coaching for pregnant mothers --Developed class as a doula training --Doulas needing certification for hospitals during COVID-19 --Creating curriculum and certification for doula training --Curriculum includes spiritual ancestry, masculine/feminine, herbology, nutrition, homeopathy and more --Cohorts building community with each other --Trainees doing inner work on themselves to prepare for birth work --Understand importance of birth workers --Importance of relationships between midwives, pediatricians, hospitals, doulas and all birth workers and support --Birth workers showing solidarity for each other --Protecting energy as birth workers --Power-with vs. power-over --Pregnant and birthing during COVID-19 increase in high risk factors --Birth as a spiritual transformation to individual and family --Maintains morning and evening routines as boundaries for time and access --Turns to community for support and nourishment --Self-replenishment as service for community --Love as foundation of everything --Recommendations to hold energy not place-holders --Doula support as mutual energetic reciprocity --Business of relationships, space-holding as energy in doula work --Returning to origins of birth with relationships and space-holding Resources IG: @iamhaizehawkrosen

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces. Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world. These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).

In this episode, Kimberly and Livia discuss Livia's latest book "The Somatic Therapy Workbook" and how it came to be during a difficult marital separation. Livia shares how writing her book was an anchor in the midst of relationship chaos, all while mothering and how to co-regulate with children at developmentally appropriate ages. Livia walks us through her ultimate decision to separate from her ex-partner as healthy self-preservation, as well as the difficulties of doing so within a family unit. Bio Livia Shapiro is a mother, long time yoga practitioner and teacher, somatic psychotherapist and author. Livia writes on the intersection of yoga, somatics, and psychology. She is the author of "The Somatic Therapy Workbook: stress-relieving exercises for strengthening the mind-body connection and sparking emotional and physical healing." Her article "Yoga-Based Body Psychotherapy" is published in the International Journal of Body Psychotherapy and is a tool for weaving yoga and psychotherapy into a seamless psychotherapeutic model. As a Somatic Psychotherapist Livia works holistically, helping women reorient and repair their nervous systems to live more vibrantly and powerfully. What They Share — Betrayal and infidelity in a marriage while mothering — How to co-regulate with children verbally and physically during crises — Separating and single parenting/co-parenting — Living with actual reality vs. desired reality — Preserving Oneself as ultimate act of Mothering What You'll Hear — Livia shares writing "The Somatic Therapy Workbook" during a life crisis — Dealing with difficult pregnancy physically and emotionally — Experiencing miscarriage as grace — Livia's "Fully incarnate" soul into body as a woman, therapist, mother, human — Blighted ovum miscarriage — Break-up of relationship with ex-partner and daughter's father — Family secrets and developmentally appropriate honesty with children — Boundaries, privacy, and protection with children — Betrayal and shock during marital crisis and mothering — Repairing after marital arguments in front of children — Spousal separation while parenting — Giving children language during difficult times — Single parenting — Co-regulation as acknowledging difficult emotions for children — Confirming realities instead of hiding for children — Lack of confirmation leading to cultism, narcissism, binary thinking — Growing up without honest conversations between parents and children — Teaching verbal and bodily ways to shake out a tense situation — Sharing space both individually and together with children — Needing individual and emotional space from children — Healing, repairing, and recalibrating from infidelity — Infidelity as a power struggle — Self-preservation within a family dynamic — Discovery trauma occurs when told of betrayal — Grieving future sibling loss with same parents as a result of separation — Difficulty accepting potentially new parents in child's life after separation — Family in-tact doesn't necessitate individual being in-tact — Kimberly's desire for marriage and leaving relationship with child's father and Brazil — Being first person in lineage to divorce — Evaluating relationship difficulty vs. needing to leave traumatic situation — Leaving unhealthy environments as necessity and self-preservation — Accepting what is true and not what wished was true — Claiming self as mother, wife (ex-wife), author — Need for Applied Psychology for all body-workers and somatic professionals — Yoga teachers as somatic practitioners — "The Somatic Therapy Workbook" for all practitioners (yoga, birth, therapists) — "The Somatic Therapy Workbook" complimenting and pairing with "Call of the Wild" Resources Website: http://ecstaticunfoldment.com/ IG: @liviashapiro Email: lgsyoga@gmail.com

In this episode, Kimberly and Marisa Meltzer discuss body image within diet culture and the politics of food. Marisa discusses her latest book, This Is Big: How the Founder of Weight Watchers Changed the World -- and Me, which describes her relationship with food, her body, and dieiting. Feminist politics complicate how many women experience body image and dieting; additionally, food is largely cultural which further complicates how women navigate eating, weight, and their bodies within an ever-changing landscape. Kimberly and Marisa both discuss their personal experiences with their bodies and aversions to diet culture. Bio Marisa Meltzer is a journalist based in NYC. She has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, The Guardian, New York Magazine, Vogue, and more. She has authored How Sassy Changed My Life and Girl Power: The Nineties Revolution Music, as well as her latest book This Is Big which discusses her personal relationship with weight, the founder of Weight Watchers, and diet culture. What They Share -Personal experience regarding body image, weight, and diets -Researching Weight Watchers for This Is Big -Diet culture and food within U.S. versus other countries -Feminist conflicts with diets and weight What You'll Hear -Marisa was put on a diet at age 4 -Familial relationships with one's body and food -Experience while writing latest book This Is Big -COVID-19 pandemic influencing our relationship with weight and food -Researching Founder of Weight Watchers -Experience with Weight Watchers -Kimberly describes experience with weight -Feminism influencing weight politics -"Fat" as a descriptor not value judgment -Food in community vs. food individually -Excess of choice in food, diets, and lifestyles -Compulsive eating behavior versus normal eating -Impulses, needs, desires, and satiation -Cultural approaches to food -Approach to food as rebellious act -Relationship with parents after latest book Resources Website: https://www.marisameltzer.com/ IG: @marisameltzer

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces. Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world. These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).

In this episode, Kimberly and Joan discuss how to develop resiliency and gracefulness in stressful times. Joan describes the mind-body connection when experiencing stress as well as how to embody bravery through connecting with others, music, nature, exercise, and more. Resilience and bravery are learned characteristics which require embodied acts to cultivate within oneself as part of living an authentic life. Bio New York Times best-selling author,Dr. Joan Borysenko, is a world-renowned expert in stress management and mind-body medicine. Her training as a psychologist and cell biologist combined with her grace, sense of humor and ability to combine the latest neuroscience with mindfulness and personal stories, have made her a popular teacher worldwide. Enjoy this excerpt from her book, It's Not the End of the World: Developing Resilience in Times of Change. What They Share -Transforming stress to resiliency as a rite of passage -Mind-Body connection during stress -Socializing, nature, music, exercise and more for moving beyond stress -Embodied acts of bravery What You'll Hear -Transformation occurs as a rite of passage -Phases of handling stress for transformation -Learnable skills to develop more resilience -Bodies and importance of community -Tend and befriend as a stress response -Connection to other people, inner lives, and nature -Naming fear causes neo-cortex to release hormones to calm it down -Reframing fear by claiming bravery -Mind-Body as a field and its inception -Experience of being a woman at Harvard Medical School -Trauma as most severe type of stress -Trauma healed through body not mind -Stress is somatically-based and must be released through body -Writing spiritual memoir as legacy left for generations -Positive psychology versus spiritual by-passing -Creating bravery circuits through small, embodied acts -Holding onto goodness as resources in desperate times Resources Website: https://www.joanborysenko.com/about-joan/

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces. Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world. These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).