Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy

Angie

Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy is a podcast for women ready to heal with hope, light, and laughter. Through honest conversations, playful practices, and uplifting stories, we explore how joy can be a powerful part of the healing journey.

  1. 1D AGO

    Ep. 63 Why Healing Begins When You Finally Find the Words with Megan Rodriguez

    Show Notes: In this episode of Healing Doesn't Have to Be Heavy, Angie sits down with Megan Rodriguez for an honest conversation about trauma, healing, reclaiming your voice, and learning that healing does not have to stay rooted in darkness forever. Megan shares her journey through a neglectful childhood and an abusive marriage, opening up about how emotional and verbal abuse shaped her sense of self and caused her to lose her voice. Together, Angie and Megan explore the hidden impact of trauma, discussing how the deepest wounds are often not just what happened to us, but the lack of support we had while navigating those experiences. Megan reveals a powerful realization that transformed her healing journey when she learned to identify her overwhelming emotional pain as grief, giving language to something that had previously felt impossible to describe. The conversation also dives into body based healing, somatic practices, intuitive listening, ritual work, and the importance of finding words, sounds, or sensory experiences that help survivors express what often feels inexpressible. This episode offers an honest look at healing, connection, and the power of finding safe people who can sit with you in your darkness without trying to fix or change it. If you have ever struggled to explain what you are feeling, felt isolated in your healing journey, or wondered if your voice could ever return, this episode offers understanding, hope, and a reminder that healing can create space for lightness, connection, and possibility. Bio: I’m Megan, the woman behind Wayfinding Rituals. In my young adult life, I spent 18 years in an abusive marriage, slowly learning to swallow my own needs and disappear from myself. Leaving that relationship taught me more about grief than I had words for, and the day I finally walked away, my body collapsed under the weight of everything I’d been holding. For a long time, I didn’t have language for what I was feeling. I only knew I wanted to heal whatever it was. I tried almost every modality and therapy I could find, read all the books, and did the “right” things, but nothing truly named what I was living through. It wasn’t until my soul-dog, Gaya, died in 2024, after carrying me through so much of my former life, that I finally recognized the shape of what I’d been feeling all along. It finally had a name: grief. Wayfinding Rituals grew out of that recognition. My work is rooted in lived experience, not formal credentials. I hold space for women walking with nameless emotions, grief that doesn’t always look like grief, anger and rage, deep sorrow, and even the strange tenderness of unexpected joy. My role is to witness, listen beneath the surface, and respond intuitively to what emerges, so you don’t have to move through it all alone. In ritual, I pay attention to what isn’t being said as much as what is. I work slowly and gently, creating spaces that feel like coming home to someone who has been waiting for you, calm, warm, and steady enough to hold whatever arrives. My hope is that being with me gives you permission to be exactly who you are, to feel what you actually feel, and to begin finding your own way through grief and change with more honesty and care. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/be_excellent1  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/beexcellentcollection  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beexcellentcollection Website:  http://www.beexcellent.biz Connect with me: Website:  https://angieberrettmovement.com/ Instagram:  https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/  YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement  LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/  TikTok:       https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1 🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Freak Out Fix 👉https://angie-berrett-movement.mykajabi.com/5-MinuteFreakOutFix

    35 min
  2. MAY 19

    Ep. 62 Bottom-Up Healing: How Yoga Therapy Targets the Root of Trauma in Your Nervous System

    Show Notes 🚨Trigger Warning This episode discusses childhood sexual abuse, PTSD, addiction, workplace bullying, and surviving house fires. Please take care of yourself while listening. Host Angie Berrett sits down with Australian yoga therapist and trauma survivor Liz Albanis for a rich conversation about healing trauma through body-based practices. Liz shares her personal journey from a childhood PTSD diagnosis following sexual abuse, to workplace bullying, two separate house fires, and misdiagnosis with bipolar disorder and how discovering yoga in 2011 became a turning point in her recovery. Together, Angie and Liz break down why talk therapy alone often isn't enough, how trauma lives in the body's fascia and muscles, and which yoga practices can help and which ones can actually make things worse. Bio: Liz Albanis is currently completing (nearly finished) her two-year studies to become qualified yoga therapist in Australia and internationally with the BioMedical Institute of Yoga and Meditation (BIYOME) in Australia. Further enhancing her ability to support individuals in their mental and physical well-beShe is a registered senior yoga teacher with Yoga Australia. She did her first 200 hour training with Byron Yoga Centre in 2012 and completed her 500 hours with them in 2013. She has also completed a second 200 hour with Power Living in 2020 (Power Vinyasa) She has also trained with several world renowned teachers such as, Bernie Clark, Dr Timothy McCall, Amy Weintraub, Judith Hanson Lasater, Sarah Powers, Jo Phee and online with Paul Grilley.  However she is forever a student and hers students have been her best teachers. She also has experience teaching a variety of styles (general Hatha, Bikram) vinyasa flow, yin, myo-yin, restorative yoga and Lifeforce Yoga). She has completed trainings here in Australia, Bali (Indonesia), Canada and the USA.  She is a certified Roll Model Instructor with Yoga Tune-Up. She is also a qualified personal trainer through her Diploma of Fitness. Plus a qualified Pilates (mat and equipment) and Barre Instructor. further enhancing her ability to support individuals in their mental and physical well-being. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lizalbaniswellnessau  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@lizalbaniswellnessau Website:  https://www.lizalbaniswellness.com.au/ 🎁 Liz's Free Bee Breath Guide — https://www.lizalbaniswellness.com.au/freebies  Connect with me: Website:  https://angieberrettmovement.com/ Instagram:  https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/  YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement  LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/  TikTok:       https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1 🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Freak Out Fix 👉https://angie-berrett-movement.mykajabi.com/5-MinuteFreakOutFix

    49 min
  3. MAY 12

    Ep. 61 Stop Numbing Your Emotions: How to Finally Feel and Heal With EFT Tapping with Sophia Graniela

    ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of trauma, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Please take care of yourself and return when you feel ready. Show Notes: In this episode of Healing Doesn’t Have to be Heavy, Host Angie Berrett, trauma-informed coach, registered nurse, play expert, and child abuse survivor, sits down with Sophia Graniela,  sobriety advocate, EFT tapping practitioner, and host of the Her Journey Home podcast. Sophia shares her raw, powerful story of growing up surrounded by alcoholism and loss, spending 15 years numbing her pain through substances and toxic relationships, and the moment at 29 she decided to choose herself. Together, Angie and Sophia explore how EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping can help women release emotional blocks, reclaim their authentic voice, and come home to themselves. Bio: Sophia Noelle Graniela is an EFT practitioner, self-expression and podcast guide, and the host of Her Journey Home. After years of hiding her voice and trying to fit in, sobriety and personal transformation led her to start sharing her story online and launching her podcast. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiagraniela/ Podcast: Her Journey Home — available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Website:  www.herjourneyhomeco.com  🎁 Sofia's Free Gift —join my Mic Drop circles every other Sunday- live EFT tapping to practice being witnessed & sharing their story in a safe & welcoming environment   Mic Drop Circle  Connect with me: Website:  https://angieberrettmovement.com/ Instagram:  https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/  YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement  LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/  TikTok:       https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1 🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Freak Out Fix 👉https://angie-berrett-movement.mykajabi.com/5-MinuteFreakOutFix

    35 min
  4. MAY 5

    Ep. 60 🎉I’m Back for Season 2! How to Move Forward When Trauma Triggers Hit Hard

    Show Notes: Season 2 kicks off with a powerful and deeply personal solo episode from Angie Berrett, trauma-informed coach, registered nurse, and survivor. In this raw and honest conversation, Angie shares what happened behind the scenes when she stepped away from the podcast and hit a difficult emotional low triggered by global events (particularly the Epstein Files) and past trauma. She opens up about navigating functional freeze, confronting subconscious beliefs, and rebuilding from a place of compassion instead of shame. This episode is both a reality check and a lifeline for anyone who feels stuck, overwhelmed, or like they “should be further along” in their healing journey. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why trauma healing is not linear and why setbacks are part of growthWhat “functional freeze” is and how it silently impacts your daily lifeHow triggers can reveal hidden subconscious beliefs that are holding you backThe dangerous belief that suffering equals worth and how to break itSimple, practical ways to start moving forward when you feel stuckHow small physical movement can help regulate your nervous systemA unique strategy to re-engage your brain without forcing productivityWhy self-compassion is essential for long-term healing Connect with me: Website:  https://angieberrettmovement.com/ Instagram:  https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/  YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement  LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/  TikTok:       https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1 🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Freak Out Fix  👉https://angie-berrett-movement.mykajabi.com/5-MinuteFreakOutFix

    29 min
  5. JAN 27

    Ep. 59 Finding Lightness While Healing Trauma: Season One Finale

    Show Notes: In this deeply personal and powerful season finale, host Angie Berrett reflects on the most impactful insights shared throughout Season One of Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy. Drawing from her lived experience as a survivor of childhood abuse, a registered nurse, a trauma-informed coach, and a movement and play expert, Angie revisits the guidance that resonated most with listeners navigating trauma and emotional overwhelm. This episode weaves together key moments and advice from across the season, offering practical, compassionate tools for finding lightness, safety, and hope while healing. Angie shares how play and movement became central to her own healing, how the nervous system responds to trauma, and why healing does not have to feel punishing or endlessly heavy. Listeners will hear clips and teachings focused on reconnecting with the body in ways that feel safe and empowering, releasing anger without harm, letting go of perfectionism, and learning how to move gently in and out of discomfort. Angie also explains why dissociation, rest, and small rhythmic movements are not failures but intelligent survival strategies, and how to build trust with yourself as you heal. This finale is both a reflection and an invitation: to protect your energy, to seek moments of joy, and to remember that even in a complicated and overwhelming world, healing can, and should, include play, movement, and hope. Listen to the full Episodes: Ep. 1 Angie Berrett Ep. 45 Breaking the Silence: Empowerment Through Shared Healing Journeys with Christella Ilunga Ep. 53 Holding Space for Survivors During the Epstein Files Ep. 56  When "Perfect" Falls Apart.  Learning to Heal through Mistakes Connect with me: Website:  https://angieberrettmovement.com/ Instagram:  https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/  YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement  LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/  TikTok:       https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1 🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Freak Out Fix: https://angie-berrett-movement.mykajabi.com/5-MinuteFreakOutFix

    31 min
  6. JAN 20

    Ep. 58 There Is No One Size Fits All Way to Heal: The Top 5 Episodes That Resonated Most in 2025

    Show Notes: In this special recap episode of Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy, host Angie Berrett reflects on an incredible year of meaningful conversations, global connection, and expanded awareness around trauma healing.  This episode highlights the Top Five most downloaded episodes as chosen by the listeners. With the podcast reaching audiences in more than forty eight countries and nearing ten thousand downloads, this milestone episode celebrates the voices, stories, and healing modalities that resonated most deeply with the community. Angie revisits powerful moments and insights from conversations that explore healing through play and movement, learning to reconnect with the body, and releasing what talking alone cannot reach.  The episode also sheds light on trauma in less discussed spaces such as coercive control in the workplace and the long term impact of emotionally unsafe professional environments. It explores how laughter and comedy can support nervous system regulation and reduce isolation by creating shared, embodied experiences of connection. The importance of rest is re-framed as a necessary and celebratory practice rather than a punishment in a productivity driven culture. Additional conversations highlight energy work, meditation, and alternative healing modalities that support emotional processing in ways that feel lighter and more accessible. A central theme woven throughout the episode is that healing is deeply individual. There is no hierarchy of trauma, no single correct modality, and no universal timeline. What matters most is finding approaches that bring safety, lightness, and a sense of agency back into the body. Featured Voices in This Episode Include: Amy Egan on quantum healing, presence, and possibility  Pat Romboletti on coercive control and trauma in professional environments Ben Brown on comedy, laughter, and collective healing  Erica Horowitz on rest, nervous system regulation, and reframing self-care  Gina Marie on pranic healing and her Colorful Clearing Method   Connect with me: Website:  https://angieberrettmovement.com/ Instagram:  https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/  YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement  LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/  TikTok:       https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1 🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Freak Out Fix: https://angie-berrett-movement.mykajabi.com/5-MinuteFreakOutFix

    26 min
  7. JAN 13

    Ep. 57 Healing Is Not One Size Fits All: A Season One Reflection

    Show Notes: Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy – Season One Wrap-Up In this special season one wrap-up episode of Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy, host Angie Berrett reflects on the powerful conversations, stories, and healing modalities shared throughout the season. As a trauma-informed coach, registered nurse, play expert, and survivor of childhood abuse, Angie shares how her own healing journey taught her a critical truth: there is no single path to healing. Trauma shows up differently for everyone, and healing often requires exploring multiple approaches before finding what truly resonates. This episode highlights key insights from several incredible guests, including survivors, healers, and leaders working across diverse modalities such as movement, play, journaling, shamanic practices, mindfulness, spiritual traditions, nonprofit advocacy, and holistic wellness. Together, their stories reinforce the idea that healing is deeply personal, nonlinear, and ongoing. You’ll hear reflections on topics such as repressed memories, childhood trauma versus adult trauma, the impact of trauma on the body and intimacy, soul and power loss, burnout and chronic illness, grief as a catalyst for purpose, and the importance of safe, supportive environments for healing. More than anything, this episode serves as a reminder that: You are not broken You are not alone Healing does not have to feel overwhelming or heavy There are many paths, tools, and resources available to support you Angie also shares how movement and play have been central to her own healing and offers listeners a free, short movement sequence designed to help regulate the nervous system when feeling overwhelmed. This recap is an invitation to explore, stay curious, and trust that your healing journey can include joy, color, and connection along the way. Join us next time for a special episode featuring the top five most popular episodes, as voted by listeners. Get the full episodes: Heather Miller - https://youtu.be/swFOAARgWwk Gina Marie - https://youtu.be/U4-gnMiJpv0 Barry Lipscomb - https://youtu.be/w_CeCFnd2H0 Elizabeth Munoz - https://youtu.be/nU9LWbMtEDk Connect with me: Website:  https://angieberrettmovement.com/ Instagram:  https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/  YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement  LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/  TikTok:       https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1 🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Freak Out Fix: https://angie-berrett-movement.mykajabi.com/5-MinuteFreakOutFix

    31 min
5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy is a podcast for women ready to heal with hope, light, and laughter. Through honest conversations, playful practices, and uplifting stories, we explore how joy can be a powerful part of the healing journey.