Love Letters to Our Bodies

Gwendolyn Mitchell
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  • Alternative Health
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Conversations on health, healing, and happiness by, for and about African American women. An exploration of the mind, body, spirit connection. and opportunities to hear from spiritual teachers, holistic health practitioners, and women helping to make life for others.  DISCLAIMER: THE LOVE LETTERS TO OUR BODIES podcast does not provide medical advice. The opinions, experiences, AND insights shared are for informational purposes only. Nothing shared on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider, don’t disregard or delay seeking it because of what you have heard on this podcast. 

  1. Jackie’s Journey from Pain to Purpose

    25 Jun

    Jackie’s Journey from Pain to Purpose

    Send us Fan Mail No one should have to face cancer alone. In this episode, Gwendolyn Mitchell welcomes Reverend Jackie Mungo, Founder of the Healing Institute Global Network, to share the personal journey that transformed her life and inspired a decade of service to individuals and families impacted by cancer. Jackie reflects on her own experience with misdiagnosis, the loss of her husband to cancer, and the calling that led her to create a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that no one faces cancer alone. Together, she and Gwendolyn explore the challenges patients encounter at the earliest stages of diagnosis, the importance of advocacy and emotional support, and the health disparities that continue to affect women of color. Jackie also shares how companionship, spiritual support, and community connection can help people navigate uncertainty and find hope throughout the cancer journey. Listen in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, healing, and the power of showing up for one another.   Key Points From This Episode: •    Introducing today’s guest, Reverend Jackie Mungo, and her work within the field of cancer. •    What healing means to Jackie and the vision behind the Healing Institute Global Network. •    Why misdiagnosis remains one of the biggest challenges in cancer care. •    Jackie’s treatment companionship service and the power of having someone by your side. •    How spiritual support helps people navigate a cancer diagnosis. •    Health disparities and barriers that affect women of color. •    Why cultural understanding and humility matter in healthcare settings. •    How the Healing Institute's fashion show empowers cancer survivors. •    Jackie’s message for anyone facing a new cancer diagnosis. •    Reflections on self-love, joy, and living life to the fullest.   Quotes: “I was always told that I had a healing in me—a healing presence.” — Jackie Mungo [0:06:24] “I offer my service to go with them, and I take them, and I sit with them, I take notes, and just be that extra listening ear, and also to ask questions that people don't even think to ask. Because I've been there before, and know the ropes.” — Jackie Mungo [0:10:30] “You don't think sometimes that what you do matters until people come back and say that it really does.” — Jackie Mungo [0:17:18] “I don't want anybody to go through the cancer diagnosis by themselves.” — Jackie Mungo [0:20:07] “Be kind to yourself, enjoy yourself, love on yourself, and just do all the things that make you happy.” — Jackie Mungo [0:21:57]   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Jackie Mungo on LinkedIn The Healing Institute Global Network The Healing Institute Global Network | Past Events Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn MOYO Institute, Inc Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn MOYO Institute, Inc instagram.com/moyoinstitute

    25 min
  2. Let The Heart Do Its Work

    11 Jun

    Let The Heart Do Its Work

    Send us Fan Mail 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 [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[0:13:36] “I love the 12-step programs, because it's about spiritual wholeness.” — @drbrendawade [0:17:21] “We are not stuck with any patterns if we make the choice to address the pattern.” — @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 [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 [0:37:21] “We all have possibilities; we all have ways that we can let our light shine.” — @drbrendawade [0:44:35]   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Dr. Brenda Wade Dr. Brenda Wade on LinkedIn Dr. Brenda Wade on YouTube Dr. Brenda Wade on Instagram Dr. Brenda Wade on Facebook Dr. Brenda Wade on X Modern Love & Relationship Training Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn MOYO Institute, Inc instagram.com/moyoinstitute

    48 min
  3. Love Letters to Our Bodies: Season Four

    Season 4, Episode 36 Trailer

    Love Letters to Our Bodies: Season Four

    Send us Fan Mail [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 MOYO Institute, Inc instagram.com/moyoinstitute

    4 min
  4. The Subtle Power of Healing Touch

    28 May

    The Subtle Power of Healing Touch

    Send us Fan Mail 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 Maggie Burgett on LinkedIn Healing Beyond Borders San Francisco Bay Area Healing Touch Community Stanford Medicine: Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) Charlotte Maxwell Clinic: Integrative Cancer Care Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn MOYO Institute, Inc instagram.com/moyoinstitute

    44 min

  5. 7 May ·  Bonus

    What Dr. Candace Pert Discovered About Emotions and Health

    Send us Fan Mail 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 healthThe story of Dr. Candace Pert and her discovery of the opiate receptor in the 1970sHow emotions create real chemical messengers in the body — and travel to every cellWhat happens when emotions get chronically blocked and how it can affect the immune systemWhy releasing emotions (tears, laughter, honest conversation) supports the body's capacity to healThe concept of the BodyMind — one integrated system, not two separate thingsThree practical steps you can take right now to begin supporting your emotional and physical healthThree 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 PertAbout 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.orgFollow on social media & subscribe so you don't miss an episodeHave 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 MOYO Institute, Inc instagram.com/moyoinstitute

    18 min
  6. Herbs that Heal and North American Black Herbalism

    23 Apr

    Herbs that Heal and North American Black Herbalism

    Send us Fan Mail 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 Shereel Washington on LinkedIn Ixalted Natural Body Care and Botanicals Charlotte Maxwell Clinic Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn MOYO Institute, Inc instagram.com/moyoinstitute

    59 min
  7. The Power of Reiki and Sound Healing

    9 Apr

    The Power of Reiki and Sound Healing

    Send us Fan Mail Your body may be holding more than you realize, and healing may begin by learning how to listen. In this episode of Love Letters 2 Our Bodies, Adriana Parrish, founder of East Bay Healing House, joins Gwendolyn Mitchell to explore how energy work can support emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Rooted in her own experience with grief, Adriana shares how Reiki, sound healing, and mindfulness became both personal practices and a path to serving others. Adriana unpacks how these modalities help regulate the nervous system, release what the body has been holding, and create space for restoration. She offers insight into what people may experience in a session, the role of intention and intuition in healing, and how these practices can support those navigating chronic illness or intensive treatments like cancer care.  Key Points From This Episode: •    Introducing Adriana Parrish and her work in Reiki, sound healing, and mindfulness practices. •    The concept of the wounded healer and how Adriana’s grief led her into the healing arts. •    Unpacking the modalities of sound healing and Reiki and the science behind it. •    What people may feel or experience during Reiki and sound sessions. •    Common misconceptions about Reiki and reframing it as gentle energy work. •    Unpacking how sound healing uses vibration to release stored emotion in the body. •    Encouraging curiosity and firsthand experience over fear or skepticism. •    The role of trust, safety, and connection in receiving healing practices. •    How Adriana maintains her own energy through grounding and self-care. •    A reminder that healing can begin with rest, breath, and slowing down. Quotes:  “It felt like I was in my own grief and my own healing. And one day, I just woke up from the fog, and it was very clear, in terms of what my next move was.” — Adriana Parrish [0:04:07] “[With Reiki, it’s] about four sessions before one begins to feel a shift of whatever the thing is that we're working on.” — Adriana Parrish [0:09:20] “[Reiki] is just really meeting people where they are. It's moving the things that have been stuck with us and that we're needing to get moving, to create balance within one's own energy, and to call on universal life energy force to help do that.” — Adriana Parrish [0:09:54] “[Reiki] is a very gentle relaxation practice, and it's just helping the body's natural ability to bring and call in balance.” — Adriana Parrish [0:19:28] “What excites me the most is these practices becoming more integrated for people within education, within our hospital systems. People need this alternative wellness just as much as they need a doctor.” — Adriana Parrish [0:35:26] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Adriana Parrish on LinkedIn Adriana Parrish on Instagram East Bay Healing House East Bay Healing House linktree The Telepathy Tapes Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn MOYO Institute, Inc instagram.com/moyoinstitute

    40 min
  8. Bridging the Gap with Clinical Trials

    26 Mar

    Bridging the Gap with Clinical Trials

    Send us Fan Mail What would it take to make clinical trials feel accessible, trustworthy, and truly designed for the communities that need them most? In this episode, Gwen Mitchell sits down with Ricki Fairley to discuss why clinical trial participation matters for Black women’s breast cancer outcomes and how we can bridge the gap in research. Ricki, an award-winning marketing veteran and triple-negative cancer survivor, has dedicated her expertise to breast cancer advocacy. She co-founded and leads Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, a non-profit organization focused on addressing Black breast cancer as a unique disease and reducing mortality rates for Black women. They also explore the work Touch is doing through various initiatives to support patients through providing information, advocacy, and survivor-led guidance. Tune in to learn how better representation in research can lead to better treatment options, stronger support systems, and more empowered choices for patients and families with Ricki Fairley! Key Points From This Episode: •    Why breast cancer outcomes for Black women are driven by biology and research gaps. •    Link to Blog post with images of lymph node tumors for a black & white patient. •    Understand how Black breast cancer cells can look different from white breast cancer cells. •    Get a breakdown of the SAMBAI research initiative and what it aims to achieve. •    Unpack the two biggest barriers to Black women joining clinical trials. •    Learn about TouchCare and how it supports Black women through clinical trials. •    What Ricki wants young Black women to know about triple-negative breast cancer. •    Discover how her web series has changed the conversation around Black breast cancer. Quotes: “Not enough attention was being given to Black women, so I said, ‘We have to figure it out, we need more science.’ So that is what made me start TOUCH; to really advance the science.” — Ricki Fairley [0:06:14] “We keep these secrets, and the secrets that Black families keep are killing us. We’ve got to put the words out there. [Touch] tries to make generational health a kitchen table conversation.” — Ricki Fairley [0:19:00] “If you have triple negative breast cancer. The best science you can have right now is to get on a clinical trial because those are the best drugs we have.” — Ricki Fairley [0:26:54] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  Ricki Fairley on LinkedIn Ricki Fairley on Instagram Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance BlackDoctor When We Tri(al) Cancer Grand Challenges SAMBAI (Social, Ancestry, Molecular and Biological Analysis of Inequalities) Unite for HER Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Love Letters 2 Our Bodies is sponsored by Moyo Institute, Inc and the Lloyd Symington Foundation Gwendolyn Mitchell on LinkedIn MOYO Institute, Inc instagram.com/moyoinstitute

    35 min
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About

Conversations on health, healing, and happiness by, for and about African American women. An exploration of the mind, body, spirit connection. and opportunities to hear from spiritual teachers, holistic health practitioners, and women helping to make life for others.  DISCLAIMER: THE LOVE LETTERS TO OUR BODIES podcast does not provide medical advice. The opinions, experiences, AND insights shared are for informational purposes only. Nothing shared on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider, don’t disregard or delay seeking it because of what you have heard on this podcast. 

Information

  • Creator
    Gwendolyn Mitchell
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Love Letters to Our Bodies
  • Show Website
    Love Letters to Our Bodies