Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy

Angie
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Arts

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. Sep 1

    Ep. 76 Why Trauma Healing Is Not Linear (and What to Do When Old Wounds Resurface)

    🚨Trigger warning: this episode references child abuse and domestic abuse without going into specifics. In this solo episode of Healing Doesn't Have to Be Heavy, Angie Berrett opens up about a recent energy healing session that surfaced something she never expected: unprocessed wounds tied to her divorce nearly twenty years ago. What came up was not the emotional connection to her ex, which she had long released, but a deeper wound around leaving the Mormon faith and the way that choice validated the messages her childhood abusers had used to control her. Angie speaks candidly about the exhaustion of trauma healing and the discouragement of discovering a new layer when you thought you were done. She names the truth that healing is not linear. It loops back on itself, circles out, and returns to places you believed were already closed. For those who experienced childhood trauma, when the nervous system forms its earliest pathways under stress, this work can feel especially relentless. At the heart of the episode is her belief in play and movement as a way to release what talking and therapy cannot always reach. Angie walks through practical, body-based tools you can use when you feel overwhelmed or on edge. She talks about finding stillness near moving water, giving yourself permission to be pissy and to rest without guilt, and using imaginative movement to shift stuck energy. Picture yourself as a whale swimming through the ocean, a gentle stream, or a pterodactyl riding air currents, letting your body feel big and powerful instead of small and unworthy. She explains why the brain stacks layer upon layer of trauma on top of an original wound, and why each layer we release opens a freedom we could not have imagined before. This episode is a compassionate reminder that a setback is not a failure. It is evidence that you are reaching a deeper layer. 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

  2. Aug 18

    Ep. 75 Trauma Steals Your Imagination. Play Gives It Back with Steve Rix

    Show Notes: In this episode, Angie sits down with Steve Rix, founder of Play Lab, for a conversation that is equal parts inspiring, hilarious, and quietly profound. Steve opens up about growing up believing something was wrong with him, and how it took him 47 years and two little kids on a Honolulu beach to discover the tool that would change everything. After 90 days stuck in victim mode with an emotional fuel tank running bone dry, a simple question from two children, "Hey mister, you wanna play?", cracked his whole world back open. Thirty minutes of dancing in the waves and building sandcastles left him electrically smiling, and he has never looked back. Together, Angie and Steve dig into why play is the ultimate bypass for trauma. When Angie shares that trauma is the loss of access to imagination, Steve calls it brilliant, and the two of them unpack how play rebuilds that bridge back to possibility. Angie stomps around as an elephant. Steve becomes a wave that never ends and a cloud that always sees the sunshine. Silly? Sure. Life-changing? Absolutely. You will hear the difference between the act of playing and the state of being playful, why you can run a work meeting or an inventory report in a state of play, and Steve's five ingredients for genuine playfulness: full presence, connection to imagination, free expression, connection to others, and zero ulterior motives. Steve also shares the mission behind Play Lab, tackling workplace burnout by turning offices into metaphoric playgrounds where people are playfully productive. And he gets real about the hard stuff too: the discomfort of that first drum-circle dance in Venice Beach, the exercise where his clients wrote their future selves as warrior princesses and space agents (ten of twelve are now living those stories), and his belief that transformation is never timely and change is never convenient, but it is always worth the journey. The big takeaway? Play never lets you down. Ever. Whether you use it as a respite from the work of healing or as the means of healing itself, your imagination is the gateway to the life you actually want. Bio: Meet Steve Rix, he has dedicated his life to becoming a Human Capital Wizard: He believes investing in the mental well being of people is the most important mandate of the coming years. Steve has spent three decades honing and developing his skills as an expert in employee engagement. From start-ups to fortune 100 companies, Steve has provided coaching and consulting in the development of people to perform at their highest levels. Through the ebbs and flows of his own entrepreneurial journey, his experience has provided invaluable insight to corporate leadership, organizational health, and cultural vitality. Some of you may remember him for starting Imagine That almost 10 years ago. During those years he has explored, researched and experimented with play in the workplace as the highest state of effectiveness and efficiency. From coaching and consulting, to focus groups and beta testing, over 250 unique case studies lead Steve to develop a particular set of experiments and experiences; that when delivered to a workplace culture undeniably facilitate useful changes in culture. During the pandemic he took a bold step in bringing in two partners and rebranded the business to Playlab. In the last year they haven released his first book, Play Saves the Day. Additionally they have acquired one company and working another. Behind the scenes the company has been designing a series of new tools to be used by all business professionals globally. The inspiration for all of this came from the dangerously alarming state of mental health in the workplace. Now more than ever companies have a moral mandate to take care of their human capital. Putting people over profits will unequivocally create more profit and happier people in the workplace. Play as a state of being is the most powerful foundation for human transformation. Steve is on a mission to be the prophet of play to help heal the global mental health pandemic. He is fun, he is passionate and will help anyone he can discover their personal playful path to transformation. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/rixsteve/ LinkedIn:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/steverix/ Website:  www.experimentwithplay.com 🎁Grab an electronic copy of his book Play Saves the Day by emailing steve@experimentwithplay.com with "Angie's podcast" and "play saves the day" in the subject line.  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

  3. Aug 11

    Ep. 74 From Surviving Columbine to Finding Joy Again with Heidi Johnson

    Show Notes: Trigger Warning: This episode discusses trauma, mental health, school shootings, gun violence, panic attacks, and survivor's guilt. Please listen with care. What happens when the worst day of your life becomes the story everyone expects you to carry forever? In this deeply moving episode of Healing Doesn't Have to Be Heavy, Angie Berrett sits down with Heidi Johnson, a survivor of the Columbine High School shooting, to talk about trauma, survivor's guilt, healing, and what it truly means to reclaim your life. Heidi shares what it was like to survive one of the most devastating school shootings in American history, the pressure of living through a public tragedy, and how years of suppressing her pain eventually led to a complete emotional collapse. Rather than offering quick fixes, this conversation explores the long road of healing through therapy, self compassion, movement, boundaries, and choosing purpose instead of obligation. Together, Angie and Heidi discuss why trauma survivors do not need to earn their survival, how healing is never linear, and how joy becomes possible again after unimaginable loss. If you have ever struggled with trauma, anxiety, survivor's guilt, or the pressure to be "strong," this episode offers hope, honesty, and practical wisdom. Bio: Heidi Johnson is an international nonprofit leader, keynote speaker, and survivor of the Columbine High School shooting whose life and work have been shaped by resilience, purpose, and a deep commitment to serving others. She brings a rare perspective that combines lived experience with decades of leadership in global humanitarian work, inspiring audiences to find hope, purpose, and courage in the face of adversity. In the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy, Heidi became a national voice for healing. She traveled across the United States speaking to audiences ranging from schools and churches to community organizations and large public events, sometimes addressing crowds of more than 20,000 people. She has spoken in stadiums, at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and at countless events across the country. Her story has been featured by national and international media, including Dateline NBC, Daystar Television, and the Chicago Tribune, among many others. Today, Heidi serves as Associate Director of Marketing and Development for Healing Waters International, where she helps lead fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and global partnerships that bring sustainable safe water solutions to communities around the world. Previously, she served as Executive Director of Saving Moses, where she expanded programs into multiple countries, more than doubled the organization's donor base, and led initiatives serving vulnerable mothers and children. Her career has taken her across Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Philippines, developing programs that address some of the world's most pressing humanitarian challenges. She holds an International MBA from the University of Denver and a Master's in Development Practice from Regis University, where her award-winning graduate research focused on improving maternal and neonatal healthcare in rural Angola. Heidi has also been featured on numerous podcasts discussing leadership, fundraising, resilience, and nonprofit innovation. Whether speaking about overcoming trauma, finding purpose after tragedy, leading through uncertainty, or creating lasting global impact, Heidi combines authenticity, practical wisdom, and compelling storytelling that resonates with audiences long after the event concludes. Her message is both deeply personal and universally relevant: while we cannot always choose what happens to us, we can choose how we respond—and that choice has the power to change not only our own lives but the lives of others. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/hlcortez Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/heidi_jhnsn/ Website:  http://healingwaters.org 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

  4. Aug 4

    Ep. 73 NEp. 73 Nurse Burnout Is Rising Here's What Every Healthcare Leader Needs to Know with Julie Watson

    Show Notes: What happens when the people who spend their lives caring for everyone else forget to care for themselves? In this episode of Healing Doesn't Have to Be Heavy, host Angie Berrett welcomes Julie Watson, Executive Director of the Watson Caring Science Institute, to explore how self compassion, creativity, and authentic human connection can transform healing for caregivers, trauma survivors, and anyone feeling overwhelmed by the demands of life. Although Julie's work centers around nurses, this conversation reaches far beyond healthcare. Together, Angie and Julie discuss why caring for yourself is not selfish, how creativity helps process trauma, and why healing is never one size fits all. If you've ever struggled to put yourself first, felt burned out, or wondered why traditional self care doesn't always work, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on what true healing can look like. Bio: Julie Watson, BFA, MA, Caritas Coach®, FRSA Executive Director, Watson Caring Science Institute a 501c3 Non profit BFA, Bennington College, VT USA MA, Arts & Cultural Management - University of Sussex,  UK Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) London Honorary Member, Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing The 10 Most Empowering Women in Business, Miami,  2023 and 24 Managing Editor, Lotus Library, an imprint of Watson Caring Science Institute To connect with our guest, click on the links below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatsonCaringScienceInstitute  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watsoncaring/   LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/company/watson-caring-science/   For Spanish Speakers https://www.facebook.com/WCSI.LatinoIberoamerica/  Website:  http://www.watsoncaringscience.org 🎁free resources -videos and downloadables: https:www.watsoncaringscience.org/education/free-global-online-programs-2/ free online courses Caring Science Mindful Practice and Caring in the Digital World https://www.watsoncaringscience.org/education/free-global-online-programs/ Caritas Healing Connections - every 3rd Saturday; virtual 1 hour free: https://www.watsoncaringscience.org/caritas-healing-connections/ Caritas Consortia - see web page for details, on site/virtual free https://www.watsoncaringscience.org/about-wcsi/regional-caring-science-consortia/ Come to our Conference! Hosted by Vanderbilt University Nov 20/21, 2026 all welcome https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu/programs/external-learning/science-and-soul/ Our most popular course 6 month virtual- open to all! Caritas Coach Education Program https://www.watsoncaringscience.org/education/caritas-coach-education-program-ccep/ 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

  5. Jul 28

    Ep. 72 Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Body: How Somatic Release Heals Childhood Trauma

    Show Notes: What happens when you become a parent and realize you have no idea what unconditional love actually feels like? For Tammy Vincent, that moment arrived at seven months pregnant, reading a children's book that should have felt sweet and instead cracked her wide open. It became the catapult into a thirty year healing journey that took her from adult child of two alcoholic parents to trauma informed empowerment coach. In this episode, host Angie Berrett sits down with Tammy Vincent, a trauma informed ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics and dysfunctional families) empowerment coach who helps people who carry that quiet, unsettling feeling of not knowing who they are or where they are going. Tammy grew up inside chaos, with both parents struggling with addiction, mental illness in the home, and suicide attempts around her. She spent decades trying every tool she could find, secretly moving in and out of therapy for twenty five years while telling no one, including her husband, until recently. Angie and Tammy get honest about the parts of childhood trauma that rarely get named. They talk about the walls that keep the bad out while also keeping the joy and love out, and how rescuing a dog taught each of them what unconditional love could feel like with no earlier reference point for it. The heart of the conversation is somatics. Tammy credits Angie's work and one simple idea, get out of your mind and into your body, with the biggest daily shift in her healing. She no longer ruminates or spirals into shame because she has learned to ask where a feeling lives in her body, stay curious rather than judgmental, and breathe into that spot until it loosens. Angie shares the research that the body takes in around eleven million bits of sensory information per second while the conscious mind processes only a fraction, which is why the answers we need are often in the body long before they reach the mind. Tammy offers a caution worth hearing twice: there is no such thing as big T or little T trauma. If something happened to you, you did not process it, and it changed how you see yourself or the world, it deserves exploration and so do you. Free Gifts: Tammy is offering listeners a complimentary AO biofrequency voice scan, normally 250 dollars. Angie's Five Minute Freak Out Fix is a free movement sequence for moments when your nervous system tips into overwhelm. Both links are in the show notes. Connect with Tammy Vincent at TammyVincent.com for coaching, speaking, courses, and podcasting. Subscribe to Healing Doesn't Have to Be Heavy for more conversations on releasing trauma through play and movement. Content note: This episode discusses childhood abuse, substance abuse, suicide attempts, and sexual abuse. Please take care of yourself as you listen. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: Website:  https://www.tammyvincent.com/ Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/tammy.vincent.52  Podcast:  Adult Child of Dysfunction 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

  6. Jul 21

    Ep. 71 The Transition Phase of Trauma Healing No One Talks About (And How to Get Through It)

    Show Notes: Healing from trauma is not a straight line, and one of the least talked about parts of the journey is the transition phase. It's that in between space where your old coping strategies no longer fit, but your new way of living isn't fully established yet. In this episode, Angie Berrett opens up about her own experience moving through this phase right now, and why the discomfort you feel during this stage is not a sign that you're failing at healing. It's a sign that you're growing. Angie explains what happens in the body during the transition phase, including why your nervous system shifts into fight, flight, or freeze as a protective response to stepping into the unknown. She shares honestly about the irritability, the urge to escape, and the moments of numbing out that come with this territory, and why all of it is normal. She also talks into one of the hardest parts of the transition phase: outgrowing relationships. Angie shares her personal experience of walking away from a romantic relationship with someone she deeply loved, not because they were a bad person, but because their healing paths had diverged too far. She also discusses how her relationship with her parents changed as she set boundaries around the faith community connected to her abuse. Outgrowing relationships doesn't make you better or worse than anyone. It means you're on different paths, and that's okay. Then Angie gets practical, offering playful movement tools for each nervous system state. For fight energy, she shares drumming techniques using pillows and household items to release anger safely. For flight energy, she guides you through imaginative movement, including her favorite: pretending to be an octopus on roller skates. For freeze, she offers a gentle caterpillar in a cocoon visualization using small, rhythmic movements to slowly bring your body back online. If you're in the messy middle of your healing journey and wondering why everything feels so uncomfortable, this episode will help you understand what's happening and give you real tools to move through it. 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

  7. Jul 14

    Ep. 70 How Trauma Healing Changes Your Nervous System and Your Life

    Show Notes: What does healing actually feel like? Many people believe that healing from trauma means you'll never struggle again. In this deeply personal solo episode, Angie Berrett shares an unexpected experience that challenged everything she thought she knew about trauma recovery. After her beloved service dog was diagnosed with cancer, Angie expected to spiral into panic and emotional overwhelm. Instead, she experienced something completely unfamiliar: a calm, regulated nervous system. That experience led to an important realization. Healing doesn't eliminate life's challenges. It changes how your body responds to them. Angie explores what nervous system regulation actually feels like, why trauma is often described as "the loss of imagination," and how play and movement can help release stored survival energy from the body. She also shares how a difficult recovery period reminded her that healing is not perfection. It is learning to move through life's inevitable ups and downs with greater compassion, resilience, and self awareness. If you've ever wondered whether healing is really possible or questioned your progress because you still have difficult days, this episode offers hope, practical insight, and reassurance that healing is a lifelong journey. 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

  8. Jul 7

    Ep. 69 Why the Right Trauma Specialist Can Change Your Healing Journey

    Show Notes: Finding the right support for trauma healing can feel overwhelming, especially with so many therapists, coaches, and healing modalities available today. In this solo episode, Angie shares practical guidance for choosing the right trauma healing professional while avoiding common mistakes that can leave survivors feeling discouraged or unsupported. Drawing from both her professional background and personal healing journey, Angie explains why trauma informed care matters, why specialization is often more important than generalized experience, and what questions every survivor should ask before investing in therapy, coaching, or alternative healing practices. Whether you're just beginning your healing journey or looking for new support after feeling stuck, this episode offers actionable insights to help you make informed decisions with confidence. 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

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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.

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