Heart on the Table

Heart on the Table
  • 5.0 (26)
  • Mental Health

Heart on the Table is a podcast by Bri Leavitt, LCSW and Myranda Peterson, LCSW — two trauma therapists, friends, and moms who know the messy, beautiful work of healing. Together, we explore what it means to grow, repair, and show up fully in life and motherhood, weaving our expertise in trauma therapy, attachment, and self-discovery with intuitive tools like tarot and oracle cards. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about healing past wounds, rewriting old stories, and finding magic in the process. Whether you’re navigating motherhood, trauma recovery, or simply searching for deeper connection with yourself, this space is for you. New episodes release every other Monday — subscribe and join us as we put it all on the table.

  1. 2h ago

    Breathwork with Amber Kuhn: How The Breath Releases Stored Emotions And Calms The Nervous System

    Breathing is the one thing you do all day, yet most of us never learn how to use it when life gets loud. We’re joined by Amber Kuhn, a trauma-informed breathwork and sound facilitator and mom of four, to get honest about what breathwork actually feels like: activating, surprising, sometimes emotional, and often deeply calming on the other side. If you’ve ever wondered why you can “know” you’re fine but your body still feels stuck, this conversation gives you a new map.  We talk through Amber’s first breathwork class and how it brought up stored emotions she didn’t realize she was carrying, plus why that kind of release can happen without a single word spoken. We dig into the nervous system side, including what activating breath patterns can do, why sensations like tingling or hand tightness can show up, and how a safe, trauma-informed container changes everything. We also zoom out on trauma as anything less than nurturing, and why somatic practices can complement therapy, especially when you want a felt shift, not just insight.  Amber also shares how she integrates sound healing with singing bowls for rest and integration, why people sometimes fall asleep during the sound bath, and how she approaches group space with consent, intention-setting, and zero pressure. We end with practical ways to start breathing more fully at home and how to find Amber’s offerings if you want to experience it in person. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who’s been carrying too much, and leave a review so more people can find the show. If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every other Monday. Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod

  2. Aug 10

    Justice: Facing Yourself Without A Blindfold

    Justice is one of the most misunderstood tarot cards, and we wanted to slow it down and tell the truth about what it asks of us. We start with the basics and then go deeper: the Justice card as number 11 in tarot numerology, the two pillars as a threshold, and the upright sword as a symbol for cutting through the veil. Instead of treating Justice like a verdict, we treat it like a skill: learning to see clearly and live on purpose. From there, we widen the lens to real life and mental health. We talk about how doomscrolling and constant “big picture” fear can disconnect us from our inner world, and why staying connected inside is sometimes the most radical way to keep going. We name the limits of control, the weight of uncertainty, and the small but powerful places where our choices actually matter: our responses, our relationships, and the way we meet our own needs. The heart of this conversation is shadow work. Justice isn’t only about what looks good on paper; it’s about holding the whole self on the scales, including the parts we label selfish, angry, needy, or “too much.” We explore how values change over time, why buried traits tend to resurface anyway, and how compassion can create the balance we keep trying to force through perfection. We also share a striking Irish folktale (via Jessica Dore’s Tarot for Change) that shows what happens when we refuse the “grotesque” parts of ourselves and what becomes possible when we finally turn toward them. If you’ve been craving more self-trust, more inner authority, and a way to create change without abandoning parts of yourself, this one is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves tarot and psychology, and leave a review if our work supports you. What part of yourself are you ready to meet with kindness next? If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every other Monday. Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod

  3. Jul 20

    Infertility, IVF, and a Complicated Second Pregnancy: One Mom's Story feat. Rhiannon

    Today we’re joined by Rhiannon Mann, a prosecutor, wife to a criminal defense attorney, and mom of two, who shares what it really took to bring her son into the world after years of infertility, medical uncertainty, and more procedures than most people ever imagine.   We walk through the full fertility journey in clear, honest detail: the early gut feeling that something was off, the long wait to get into a fertility clinic, the reality of IUI success rates, and the leap into IVF with its steep costs, embryo attrition, genetic testing, and the brutal emotional math of repeated failed transfers. Rhiannon also opens up about the identity crisis infertility can trigger, the self-blame that shows up when control disappears, and why telling friends and coworkers can become its own form of grief.   Then we shift to the part people don’t always warn you about: pregnancy and birth after infertility. Rhiannon describes a high-risk pregnancy complicated by autoimmune disease, placenta previa that didn’t resolve, fear of placenta accreta, and the grief of losing the birth experience she had hoped for. She tells the full C-section story, including a difficult spinal placement, being separated from her newborn, a NICU stay, and the isolating reality of recovery when everyone focuses on the baby and forgets the mother is a person too.   If you’ve searched for infertility support, IVF and embryo transfer guidance, C-section recovery truth, NICU mom experiences, or postpartum mental health language that feels validating, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more real stories, share this with someone who needs it, and if it resonates, leave a review. What’s one thing you wish people understood about infertility or birth trauma? If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every other Monday. Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod

  4. Jun 22

    We're back! Postpartum Truths And The Second-Baby Reset

    We come back after a long break and get honest about what it takes to keep a passion project alive while raising kids and working. Miranda shares a raw second birth story and how postpartum keeps teaching her surrender, repair, and the value of a real village.  • taking a slower summer pace to avoid burnout and keep the podcast enjoyable  • shifting from big plans to one-track focus when scheduling guests and recording  • feeling “initiated” by the transition from one child to two  • postpartum emotions colliding at once: grief, guilt, and gratitude  • centering through basics and leaning on partner support  • learning that knowledge and statistics do not replace lived experience  • being sent home from the hospital twice and second-guessing intuition  • fast labor, missed antibiotics, and the reality of plans changing  • navigating toddler needs alongside newborn care  • attachment pressure, disconnection, and the importance of repair  • noticing unexpected community support and kindness in public spaces  If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every other Monday. Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod

  5. Mar 29

    The Wheel Of Fortune: How The Wheel Turns

    The Wheel of Fortune tarot card looks chaotic at first glance, but the more we sit with it, the more it starts to feel like a map for real life. We’re taking a short break in April and coming back in May, and that timing couldn’t match the theme better: seasons change, cycles complete, and the wheel keeps turning whether we try to control it or not. So we slow down and read Major Arcana card 10 for what it actually is: a turning point, a reset, and an honest reminder that nothing stays fixed. We get into the details that make this card so rich: the letters on the wheel that can be read as TARO, ROTA, TORAH, and ORAT, and why that “multiple meanings” idea mirrors how our own lives look different depending on where we stand. We also break down the alchemical symbols for mercury, sulfur, salt, and water as a practical way to talk about mind, drive, stability, and emotion, and how change isn’t just external. It happens internally too, in your nervous system, your intuition, and your sense of identity. Then we go deeper into the parts that feel personal: the snake as the down cycle, the way renewal can feel like loss, and why people get stuck in the middle when they’re afraid of pain. We talk arrival fallacy, plateaus, and the anxiety of taking the next leap without knowing the ending. From Anubis and the theme of death and transition to memento mori and the sphinx holding a sword with restraint, we keep coming back to one question: how do we stay grounded in uncertainty without shutting down or over-fighting everything? If this conversation helps, subscribe so you don’t miss the upcoming guest episodes, share it with a friend who’s in a transition, and leave us a review. What part of the cycle are you in right now? If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every other Monday. Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod

  6. Mar 16

    AI Cannot Replace The Heart Of Being Human

    We talk about ChatGPT in motherhood and the quiet ways AI can pull us away from self-trust, real connection, and presence with our kids. We wrestle with perfectionism, parenting anxiety, and screen habits while trying to choose boundaries that match our values.  • outsourcing intuition to AI and what it does to self-trust  • Sam Altman’s parenting comments and why they feel dystopian  • milestone culture, growth charts, and the pressure to raise “perfect” kids  • how anxiety trains the brain to reach for quick certainty  • perfectionism as control and why it blocks real living  • attachment, attunement, and the cost of distracted parenting  • AI bias, corporate incentives, and the risks of unregulated tech  • phone and screen boundaries that we try to model at home  • creativity, boredom, and choosing play over constant optimization  If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every other Monday. Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod

  7. Mar 2

    PART TWO: The Connection Between A Nurse And A Mom After Birth Trauma feat. RN Lindsay Coultas

    Birth rarely follows a script, and when the ground drops out—hemorrhage, magnesium fog, sky-high blood pressure, and a baby in the NICU—the moments that matter most are often quiet, stubborn, and human. We walk through that storm together: the nurse who trusted her gut when “gushes” were waved off, the choice to validate fear instead of minimizing it, and the push to wheel a shaky new mom to finally meet her baby. That single act becomes a hinge in the story, turning dread toward attachment and grief toward meaning. We open up the raw reality of postpartum trauma—palpitations, doom feelings, trembling hands—and name what culture too often erases. No “at least.” No gold stars for staying silent. You’ll hear the “emo talk” every NICU parent deserves: this is loss, and loss needs time, language, and permission. From there, we ground into what helps. Practical advocacy when something feels wrong. Magnesium side effects decoded. How to navigate NICU rules without losing your voice. Why early bonding isn’t a luxury but the neurological foundation of trust, especially for boys who may lag in emotional development. We challenge the “don’t spoil the baby” myth with attachment science and lived experience. You’ll also get a simple blueprint for support: assign real partner jobs, create a post-birth boundary script, and choose affirmations that feel true enough to hold—my body will heal, I can ask for help, this bond grows daily. Whether your NICU stay was three weeks or three months, pain doesn’t grade on a curve; your story stands on its own. If you’re navigating those first days—the hardest days—this conversation offers steadiness, language, and light. If it resonates, subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more parents find their footing. If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every other Monday. Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod

  8. Feb 16

    PART ONE: The Importance Of Emotional Support After Birth feat. Lindsay Coultas

    Birth isn’t the ending; it’s the opening act of a new life you have to learn in real time. We sit down with postpartum and transition nurse Lindsay Coultas, RN, BSN, RNC-MNN to unpack what happens after the delivery room—where expectations meet reality, consent matters, and emotional support can be as vital as any monitor. Lindsay’s journey winds through pediatrics, psych, occupational health, "med‑surg", and teaching before landing in the moment postpartum “clicked” for her: sitting with a mother after an emergency C‑section, naming the grief, and giving permission to feel it. Together we break down what a postpartum nurse actually does, why a dedicated transition nurse is at every birth, and how hospital culture mixes strict protocols with surprising superstitions meant to “ward off” worst‑case scenarios. We talk straight about birth plans and why flexibility protects you when things change fast. You’ll hear candid stories about consent, episiotomies, and the quiet ways care can fail when mothers say something is wrong and are told they’re fine. We balance that with practical advocacy: choose providers who listen, write intentions instead of scripts, and trust your intuition when symptoms don’t sit right. This conversation is grounded in real‑world recovery. We cover C‑section ambulation, managing clots and bleeding, and the overlooked power of rest. We spotlight cultural models where families feed, shield, and tend to new mothers for weeks—and ask what it would look like to build that support here. Expect concrete tips: make visitors earn baby cuddles with chores, align with your partner as a team, and invite women who’ve walked this path to stand near you. The goal is simple and radical: readiness, reverence, and listening to mothers the first time they speak. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us the one thing you wish you’d known about postpartum. Your story could help someone else feel seen. If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every other Monday. Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod

See All (26)

5
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Heart on the Table is a podcast by Bri Leavitt, LCSW and Myranda Peterson, LCSW — two trauma therapists, friends, and moms who know the messy, beautiful work of healing. Together, we explore what it means to grow, repair, and show up fully in life and motherhood, weaving our expertise in trauma therapy, attachment, and self-discovery with intuitive tools like tarot and oracle cards. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about healing past wounds, rewriting old stories, and finding magic in the process. Whether you’re navigating motherhood, trauma recovery, or simply searching for deeper connection with yourself, this space is for you. New episodes release every other Monday — subscribe and join us as we put it all on the table.

Information

  • Creator
    Heart on the Table
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Heart on the Table
  • Show Website
    Heart on the Table

You Might Also Like