The Work of Being Human

This week we have the distinct pleasure of having spiritual teacher, coach, and healer, Erika Enriquez, on the show. Her clarity and understanding of the Inner Child can advance us all on the road of healing. Her life wasn't easy and these lessons were hard won, but the grace and *appreciation* she has for everything that formed her will give you a new perspective on the hardship in your life.Request a topic on the podcast: thepodcast@vanessalondino.comClick here to follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessathetherapist/Get in touch with Erika: https://erikaenriquez.comFollow Erika: https://www.instagram.com/erikaenriquez_/TikTok: @erikaenriquez

A client asked me a question two weeks ago that got me thinking... I haven't told you the whole story. This week, I tell you what the turning point was in my own life. To learn more about groups, click here: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

The final installment of our series on the Drama Triangle brings us to the "Persecutor," aka the "bad guy" or the villain. This is the most aggressive role and often the most damaging. Tune in this week to learn how the Persecutor operates, why, and how you can stop shifting into this role. For information on groups or the Toolbox workshop, click here: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

Last time we took a deep dive into the Victim Mindset, this time it's the second leg in Karpman's Triangle: The Rescuer. This is the person who gets the most praise and has the "best" reputation. They'll give you the shirt off their back, but is it really about helping? Today we explore how to actually help someone in need, when to help, when to let them figure it out, and how to STOP rescuing others from their own consequences. To learn more about the Toolbox Workshop, Online Groups, or to be featured on the "Ask V" segment, click here: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

What is a victim? What is the difference between being victimized and having a victim mindset? This week and for the next two weeks in July, we're going to take a deep dive into each role in the famous "Drama Triangle." From Victim, to Rescuer, to Persecutor, we all need to develop some awareness about how these roles inhabit us in conflict and what we can do to get out of them and out of the dreaded drama triangle. Don't we all play the victim sometimes? Why do we do it? Listen today to find out! (For more info, listen to the episode released on March 23, 2023 called "The Triangle of Madness.") Here's a helpful video of Steven Karpman on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3P3kZ8BW_pI?si=4Z1o8wy0B91TrPAN

Some of my favorite work is when adult clients bring in their parents. Brave souls enter my office in their 70s and 80s, willing to do whatever it takes to break dysfunction and free their children and grandchildren from the chains of trauma that hold generations captive. But what does it take to heal a family system? A lot. It's not easy. But it's possible. Share this podcast with members of your family with whom you seek healing. To learn more about online groups: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

We talk a lot about healing on this podcast. Healing from depression... anxiety... trauma. What if I told you that healing from schizophrenia was possible? Naturally? Without drugs? From inner work? Today's guest will prove me right. Tracey has walked one of the bravest roads and come out of it healed and helping others to heal. She tells her story of how healing is possible for everyone who's willing to dig in deep. WARNING: Extremely graphic stories of abuse. Please listen with caution. To request a podcast topic or learn more about online groups: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact Tracey's website: https://www.fullrecoveryfromschizophrenia.ca

"It's a chemical imbalance!" "It's hereditary." "I'm predisposed to it..." We've been told so many complicated, unhelpful reasons for why we suffer in life. Our mental and emotional distress leads us to therapist after therapist, and it can feel hopeless. Their diagnoses give us no information about what went wrong in our lives, just the shameful insinuation that something is wrong with us. We believe the best we can do is manage our symptoms. I'm here to tell you... you can heal. For more information on the online group starting up, click here: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

This week I have the honor of interviewing one of my earliest inspirations in this field. I met Virgil Stucker, then the Executive Director of Cooper-Riis healing community in Asheville, NC, when I was just an intern. The impact of that meeting and the subsequent visit to Cooper-Riis changed me forever and set my feet on a path of helping others in the most humane and effective way possible. Simply put, this interview will make you a better person. To be part of an online group, click here: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

The current moment is telling us: "You don't need a relationship. You don't need anyone. You need to be perfectly fine alone." But is that realistic? For a species that is as socially complex and needy as human beings, is the idea that we can thrive without intimacy reality or fantasy? This week we take a look at what it takes for a relationship to truly be a healing presence in our lives and the work it takes to build that. For online groups, click here: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact