Healing Her Story with Riva Jean-Paul

Riva Jean-Paul
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Weekly

Are you feeling overwhelmed, disconnected from your body, or stuck in cycles of stress and trauma? Healing Her Story is here to guide you from feeling lost, isolated, and exhausted to feeling empowered, grounded, and deeply connected to yourself. This transformative podcast dives into trauma recovery, somatic healing, creativity, and the profound wisdom of trauma-informed menstrual cycle awareness. Each episode offers practical tools, inspiring stories of resilience, and insightful conversations to help you reconnect with your body, break free from societal expectations, and align with your natural rhythms. If you're ready to shift from surviving to thriving, join us as we illuminate the path toward healing, empowerment, and wholeness. It’s time to rewrite your story and embrace the life you deserve. Start your healing journey today with Healing Her Story—a podcast created for women, by women, who are reclaiming their power.

  1. 2d ago

    Moon Phases & Feminine Power: Your Weekly Cycle Sync | Full Moon & Ovulation: How to Care for Yourself at Peak Energy

    This week's Healing Her Story episode tunes into the energy of the full moon, landing on the rare day when the episode airs right alongside the actual peak. As Cancer season continues, the focus for these Monday episodes remains on care. And today's invitations apply just as much to this full moon as they do to your inner summer, your ovulation time. But this carries profound wisdom about how to work with peak energy rather than against it. The full moon is a time of fullness. The light is at its peak. And in the menstrual cycle, estrogen is at its peak too. In this episode, Riva shares three invitations for moving through this intensified energy with more support and intention. She covers: Creative expression — why getting what is inside of you outside of you, through art, cooking, movement, or making, is one of the most healing things you can do during this phase Connection — discerning what nourishes you right now, whether that is a solo date, deep rest, or a long dinner with a friend who actually fills you up Taking action — why the full moon has a way of making things undeniable, and why now might be the time to finally move on what you have been overthinking Riva closes with an invitation to celebrate yourself this week, drawing on the trauma-informed concept of resourcing, acknowledging what is already going well as a way to build confidence and create space for more positive change. Donation-Based Trauma-Informed Somatic Meditation to Support You, This Week 🤲🏼🌹 Somatic Body Scan for Self-Love and Body Appreciation This simple practice invites you to pause, breathe, and reconnect with your body in a gentle and trauma-informed way. Listen here Send us Fan Mail Our intro and outro song, Reclamation (Reborn), is an anthem of remembering. This song was created as a companion for the healing journey, especially for women reclaiming their voices, their rhythms, and their belonging in a world shaped by patriarchy. You’re invited to listen, feel, and let the music meet you wherever you are. Looking for support? Here's how to go deeper: Book a Somatic Assessment: Your 75-min 1:1 virtual session to explore what your body is holding and shape a personalized care plan. Book HereFree Trauma Recovery Mini-Course: A self-guided intro to trauma recovery and nervous system care. Download Here1:1 and Group Support: Virtual and in-person offerings. Learn MoreMeditations on Insight Timer: Guided practices for nervous system regulation. Listen HereWatch Reclamation: A music video and expressive arts project. Watch HereFollow on Instagram: @healingherstorypodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Email riva@windsofchangesac.com or DM @healingherstorypodcast on Instagram.

    19 min

  2. 5d ago

    Why Women Are Exhausted: The Price of Carrying Care in a World That Doesn't Value It

    This week's Healing Her Story episode opens a new cycle with a focus on care. What it costs. Who provides it. And why so many women are running on empty. Riva revisits a conversation she started on the show last year, this time with a deeper understanding, not just intellectually, but in her own body and nervous system. But this carries profound wisdom about what happens when an entire society fails to value the work that holds it together. In this episode, Riva breaks down the staggering economic reality of unpaid care work in America, the racial disparities within that data, and why care work remains one of the most undervalued forms of labor in the world. She explores the biological truth that oxytocin, not dopamine, is the primary regulator of the female nervous system, and why so many women are not receiving the reciprocal connection their bodies actually need to thrive. She also gets personal, sharing her own ongoing search for answers through the Western medical system, and why so many women leave talk therapy feeling like it simply wasn't built for them. In this episode Riva explores: The real dollar value of unpaid care work and why the numbers look different across race Why care work is the most essential industry in the world and remains chronically underpaid The biological need for oxytocin in the female nervous system and why dopamine-driven productivity culture leaves women depleted Why your rage, anxiety, and exhaustion are not problems to fix but intelligent responses to an oppressive system What it actually means to receive care rather than only give it This episode closes with three questions Riva invites you to sit with: do you see your caregiving as valuable, do you feel obligated to care for others at the expense of yourself, and is it easier to show up for others than for yourself. Send us Fan Mail Our intro and outro song, Reclamation (Reborn), is an anthem of remembering. This song was created as a companion for the healing journey, especially for women reclaiming their voices, their rhythms, and their belonging in a world shaped by patriarchy. You’re invited to listen, feel, and let the music meet you wherever you are. Looking for support? Here's how to go deeper: Book a Somatic Assessment: Your 75-min 1:1 virtual session to explore what your body is holding and shape a personalized care plan. Book HereFree Trauma Recovery Mini-Course: A self-guided intro to trauma recovery and nervous system care. Download Here1:1 and Group Support: Virtual and in-person offerings. Learn MoreMeditations on Insight Timer: Guided practices for nervous system regulation. Listen HereWatch Reclamation: A music video and expressive arts project. Watch HereFollow on Instagram: @healingherstorypodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Email riva@windsofchangesac.com or DM @healingherstorypodcast on Instagram.

    33 min

  3. Jun 22

    Moon Phases & Feminine Power: Your Weekly Cycle Sync | Stop Pushing Too Hard Too Fast: Waxing Moon Self-Care for a Sustainable Cycle

    This week's Healing Her Story episode tunes into the energy of the waxing moon and the follicular phase, one of the most tender and misunderstood windows of the cycle. This is a transitional energy. Estrogen is rising. The light is returning. And so often, this is exactly where women push too hard too fast, burning out before they even reach ovulation. But this carries profound wisdom about how to move through this phase with care instead of force. In this episode, Riva explores what the waxing moon is actually for. Not maximum output, but grounded, sustainable momentum. She shares her own evolving practices, including slow strength training, morning nourishment, and why progesterone loves steadiness and consistency. She covers: Why grounding matters most during this rising energy and how to find what actually grounds you Why this is the perfect time to explore something new without the pressure of committing yet Why HIIT and intense cardio aren't always the answer here and what gentle, joyful movement can offer instead A simple anchor question for Cancer season — how can you tend to yourself the way you tend to everyone else If you have ever crashed right before ovulation and wondered why, this episode will help you understand what your body actually needed. A Special Offering Riva also shares a new menstrual cycle coaching package called Synchronize, with two spots available at the pilot rate through August. The next step is booking a Somatic Assessment and Care Planning Session to explore if this is the right fit for you. Book Here Send us Fan Mail Our intro and outro song, Reclamation (Reborn), is an anthem of remembering. This song was created as a companion for the healing journey, especially for women reclaiming their voices, their rhythms, and their belonging in a world shaped by patriarchy. You’re invited to listen, feel, and let the music meet you wherever you are. Looking for support? Here's how to go deeper: Book a Somatic Assessment: Your 75-min 1:1 virtual session to explore what your body is holding and shape a personalized care plan. Book HereFree Trauma Recovery Mini-Course: A self-guided intro to trauma recovery and nervous system care. Download Here1:1 and Group Support: Virtual and in-person offerings. Learn MoreMeditations on Insight Timer: Guided practices for nervous system regulation. Listen HereWatch Reclamation: A music video and expressive arts project. Watch HereFollow on Instagram: @healingherstorypodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Email riva@windsofchangesac.com or DM @healingherstorypodcast on Instagram.

    28 min

  4. Jun 19

    Living Beyond the Box: Creativity, Multiplicity & Self-Expression with Dr. Tavina Lynn

    This week's Healing Her Story episode welcomes a guest whose life refuses to fit inside a single box. Dr. Tavina Lynn holds a PhD in Chemistry and teaches at Sacramento City College. She is also a writer, a dancer, a creative visionary. And for years, she believed she had to choose between these parts of herself. But this carries profound wisdom about what becomes possible when we stop choosing. Riva and Tavina met at a mural project, and the instant connection that followed set the stage for this conversation. In honor of Gemini season, this episode explores multiplicity, duality, and what it means to be more than one thing. They cover: Growing up in chaos and finding structure through learning and how that shaped Tavina's relationship to curiosity The internal pressure to choose between science and art and the misery that came from forcing herself into chemistry alone How COVID became an unexpected reset that reconnected her to her multifaceted self Why rigid, linear systems no longer serve everyone and how the breakdown of those systems creates space for something more fluid The real cost of suppressing parts of yourself to belong and why true belonging starts with accepting yourself first Creative life force energy and what it feels like to be danced by the dance instead of controlling it This episode is an invitation to stop asking which version of you is allowed to show up, and start asking what becomes possible when all of you does. Connect with Dr. Tavina Lynn: Substack Tavina’s Book: STILL in My Mother’s Womb: A Daughter’s Healing Experience  Send us Fan Mail Our intro and outro song, Reclamation (Reborn), is an anthem of remembering. This song was created as a companion for the healing journey, especially for women reclaiming their voices, their rhythms, and their belonging in a world shaped by patriarchy. You’re invited to listen, feel, and let the music meet you wherever you are. Looking for support? Here's how to go deeper: Book a Somatic Assessment: Your 75-min 1:1 virtual session to explore what your body is holding and shape a personalized care plan. Book HereFree Trauma Recovery Mini-Course: A self-guided intro to trauma recovery and nervous system care. Download Here1:1 and Group Support: Virtual and in-person offerings. Learn MoreMeditations on Insight Timer: Guided practices for nervous system regulation. Listen HereWatch Reclamation: A music video and expressive arts project. Watch HereFollow on Instagram: @healingherstorypodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Email riva@windsofchangesac.com or DM @healingherstorypodcast on Instagram.

    1h 26m

  5. Jun 15

    Moon Phases & Feminine Power: Your Weekly Cycle Sync | How to Actually Care for Yourself at the New Moon

    The new moon is here — and so is a new focus for our Cycle Sync episodes. This week, Riva introduces the themes of Cancer season as a guiding lens for the cycles ahead, with one central question at the heart of it all: how do we actually care for ourselves? This episode is an invitation to move away from rigid, one-size-fits-all self-care and toward something more fluid, personal, and cyclically aware. Riva shares how the new moon and menstruating phase call us toward lower energy, inward focus, and genuine rest — and what it practically looks like to create, prioritize, and protect that rest in a busy life. In This Episode Introducing Cancer season and its themes of care: self-care, community care, and deeper nurturanceHow Riva's own self-care shifts between structured seasons and spacious onesThe new moon and menstruating phase: what to expect energetically and how to work with itA practical strategy for protecting rest using your calendarWhat rest actually means — and why Netflix might not be cutting itRestorative movement ideas for the new moon phaseAlone time vs. social recharging: how to discern what you actually needWhy there is no universal prescription for self-care — and why that's a good thing Ready to go deeper? Download the Cycle Support Map — your guide to tracking and working with your cycle week by week. Send us Fan Mail Our intro and outro song, Reclamation (Reborn), is an anthem of remembering. This song was created as a companion for the healing journey, especially for women reclaiming their voices, their rhythms, and their belonging in a world shaped by patriarchy. You’re invited to listen, feel, and let the music meet you wherever you are. Looking for support? Here's how to go deeper: Book a Somatic Assessment: Your 75-min 1:1 virtual session to explore what your body is holding and shape a personalized care plan. Book HereFree Trauma Recovery Mini-Course: A self-guided intro to trauma recovery and nervous system care. Download Here1:1 and Group Support: Virtual and in-person offerings. Learn MoreMeditations on Insight Timer: Guided practices for nervous system regulation. Listen HereWatch Reclamation: A music video and expressive arts project. Watch HereFollow on Instagram: @healingherstorypodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Email riva@windsofchangesac.com or DM @healingherstorypodcast on Instagram.

    37 min

  6. Jun 12

    Between Worlds: Biracial Identity, Immigrant Guilt, and Self-Worth with Serena Arora, Author of UNBOUND

    What happens when you spend your life navigating between worlds? In this Gemini season conversation, I sit down with bestselling author, yoga therapist, and Ayurvedic practitioner Serena Arora to explore the complexities of identity, belonging, family legacy, and self-worth. Drawing from her memoir, UNBOUND: An Immigrant Daughter's Journey of Reckoning, Unraveling Shame, and Reclaiming Her Worth, Serena shares her experience growing up as a biracial, first-generation immigrant in Canada and the unique challenges of living between cultures, expectations, and identities. Together, we explore the concept of immigrant guilt, the often unspoken pressure many children of immigrants carry to succeed, achieve, and honor the sacrifices of previous generations. We discuss how family stories shape our sense of self, how generational patterns can quietly influence our lives, and what it takes to reclaim our worth outside of inherited expectations. This conversation also weaves through themes of duality and polarity, making it a fitting exploration for Gemini season. From navigating multiple cultural identities to balancing resilience with softness, Serena offers wisdom on embracing the both/and nature of being human. We also discuss maternal lineage, the ripple effects of healing, and the powerful responsibility many women feel to break cycles and create a different path for future generations. If you've ever felt caught between expectations and authenticity, belonging and individuality, or who you were taught to be and who you truly are, this episode is for you. About Serena Arora Serena Arora is a bestselling author, yoga therapist, Ayurvedic health practitioner, and educator. Through her writing, teaching, and mentorship, she helps women reconnect with themselves, challenge inherited expectations, and cultivate more authentic and meaningful lives. Her memoir, UNBOUND: An Immigrant Daughter's Journey of Reckoning, Unraveling Shame, and Reclaiming Her Worth, explores the intersections of family, culture, identity, and healing. Resources Mentioned UNBOUND: An Immigrant Daughter's Journey of Reckoning, Unraveling Shame, and Reclaiming Her Worth by Serena AroraAyurvedaYoga TherapyConnect with Serena Website Instagram Send us Fan Mail Our intro and outro song, Reclamation (Reborn), is an anthem of remembering. This song was created as a companion for the healing journey, especially for women reclaiming their voices, their rhythms, and their belonging in a world shaped by patriarchy. You’re invited to listen, feel, and let the music meet you wherever you are. Looking for support? Here's how to go deeper: Book a Somatic Assessment: Your 75-min 1:1 virtual session to explore what your body is holding and shape a personalized care plan. Book HereFree Trauma Recovery Mini-Course: A self-guided intro to trauma recovery and nervous system care. Download Here1:1 and Group Support: Virtual and in-person offerings. Learn MoreMeditations on Insight Timer: Guided practices for nervous system regulation. Listen HereWatch Reclamation: A music video and expressive arts project. Watch HereFollow on Instagram: @healingherstorypodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Email riva@windsofchangesac.com or DM @healingherstorypodcast on Instagram.

    1h 10m

  7. Jun 8

    Moon Phases & Feminine Power: Your Weekly Cycle Sync | The Duality of the Waning Moon: Rest, Momentum, and Healing

    This week's Healing Her Story episode attunes to the energy of the waning moon --- one of the most misunderstood transitions in the lunar cycle. Because this phase is not just about slowing down. But this carries profound wisdom about what the waning moon is actually asking for -- and why it looks different for every woman. In this episode, Riva explores the duality of the waning moon and luteal phase through the lens of Gemini season. This is a bridge phase. Not fully yang. Not fully yin. And that in-between quality is exactly what makes it so rich. She covers: Why some women still feel momentum during this phase and how to channel that energy wisely into completion and preparation The nesting impulse -- closing loops, clearing space and tending to your future self Why connection becomes deeply regulating during this time and what the female nervous system actually needs The other side of the duality -- slowing down, saying no, and leaning into rest when the body asks for it Why your experience of this phase may look completely different from cycle to cycle and from woman to woman The deeper invitation this week -- not to follow a formula, but to pause and sense what you actually need This episode is a reminder that cycle syncing is about so much more than productivity. It is about embodying a different way of being entirely. Send us Fan Mail Our intro and outro song, Reclamation (Reborn), is an anthem of remembering. This song was created as a companion for the healing journey, especially for women reclaiming their voices, their rhythms, and their belonging in a world shaped by patriarchy. You’re invited to listen, feel, and let the music meet you wherever you are. Looking for support? Here's how to go deeper: Book a Somatic Assessment: Your 75-min 1:1 virtual session to explore what your body is holding and shape a personalized care plan. Book HereFree Trauma Recovery Mini-Course: A self-guided intro to trauma recovery and nervous system care. Download Here1:1 and Group Support: Virtual and in-person offerings. Learn MoreMeditations on Insight Timer: Guided practices for nervous system regulation. Listen HereWatch Reclamation: A music video and expressive arts project. Watch HereFollow on Instagram: @healingherstorypodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Email riva@windsofchangesac.com or DM @healingherstorypodcast on Instagram.

    21 min

  8. Jun 5

    Why Your Nervous System Responds Better to Curiosity Than Criticism

    This week's Healing Her Story episode explores something that doesn't get talked about enough in healing spaces. Curiosity. Not as a personality trait. As a biological necessity. In this solo episode, Riva shares one of the most fundamental shifts she made in her own healing journey -- from relentless self-judgment to genuine curiosity. And why that shift changed everything. Not just emotionally. Biologically. She opens up about the years she spent trying to force change. Meditating more, scrolling less, thinking more positively, losing weight -- all at the same time. And how every time she fell short, the inner critic got louder. The loop got tighter. And the change she so desperately wanted never came. It wasn't until she discovered trauma-informed care that she understood why. Judgment creates unsafety in the nervous system. And an unsafe nervous system cannot change. In this episode she explores: Why everything your system does is a protective strategy and not a personal failing How curiosity literally primes the brain to form new neural pathways and learn The dopamine connection and why curious people tolerate uncertainty and discomfort better Why safety has to come before curiosity and the somatic practices that create that foundation How to begin shifting from "what is wrong with me" to "I wonder why this is happening" -- and what that tiny shift does inside your body If you have ever felt stuck in the loop of trying hard, falling short, and judging yourself for it -- this episode will finally help you understand why. And what to do instead. Resources to Support You This Week: Free Trauma Recovery Mini Course -- Three foundational pillars of trauma recovery with short somatic practices to help your nervous system move toward regulation and safety. Send us Fan Mail Our intro and outro song, Reclamation (Reborn), is an anthem of remembering. This song was created as a companion for the healing journey, especially for women reclaiming their voices, their rhythms, and their belonging in a world shaped by patriarchy. You’re invited to listen, feel, and let the music meet you wherever you are. Looking for support? Here's how to go deeper: Book a Somatic Assessment: Your 75-min 1:1 virtual session to explore what your body is holding and shape a personalized care plan. Book HereFree Trauma Recovery Mini-Course: A self-guided intro to trauma recovery and nervous system care. Download Here1:1 and Group Support: Virtual and in-person offerings. Learn MoreMeditations on Insight Timer: Guided practices for nervous system regulation. Listen HereWatch Reclamation: A music video and expressive arts project. Watch HereFollow on Instagram: @healingherstorypodcast Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Email riva@windsofchangesac.com or DM @healingherstorypodcast on Instagram.

    23 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Are you feeling overwhelmed, disconnected from your body, or stuck in cycles of stress and trauma? Healing Her Story is here to guide you from feeling lost, isolated, and exhausted to feeling empowered, grounded, and deeply connected to yourself. This transformative podcast dives into trauma recovery, somatic healing, creativity, and the profound wisdom of trauma-informed menstrual cycle awareness. Each episode offers practical tools, inspiring stories of resilience, and insightful conversations to help you reconnect with your body, break free from societal expectations, and align with your natural rhythms. If you're ready to shift from surviving to thriving, join us as we illuminate the path toward healing, empowerment, and wholeness. It’s time to rewrite your story and embrace the life you deserve. Start your healing journey today with Healing Her Story—a podcast created for women, by women, who are reclaiming their power.

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