What We Carry

Amie Nelson
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What We Carry - Honest conversations about the human experience, and learning how to live with loss, trauma, grief and the things that shape us and how we move forward. 

Episodes

  1. Jun 18

    Ep. 11 Starting Therapy

    Taking the first step toward therapy can feel incredibly daunting—even if you happen to be a therapist yourself. In this solo episode, Amie opens up about her own early fears of judgment before diving into a transparent, reassuring guide on what it actually looks like to begin therapy. Whether you are feeling stuck in your head, navigating a massive life transition, or noticing that your nervous system is trapped in a fight-or-flight response to everyday stressors, Amie breaks down the myths of the therapeutic process. She explores how childhood dynamics shape us, why you absolutely do not need a formal diagnosis or a mental health crisis to deserve support, and how to safely maintain your autonomy and boundaries with a practitioner. Therapy isn't an expensive friendship or a life sentence; it’s a dynamic tool you can return to whenever life changes. Tune in for an honest "vibe check" on what a safe, supportive therapeutic relationship should look like. Key Takeaways You Don’t Need a Crisis: You don't have to be at rock bottom to seek help. As Amie notes, "Drowning is drowning, whether you're in 12 feet of water or two inches of water." Therapy is One-Directional: Unlike a friendship, therapy is a professional relationship solely focused on your growth. A skilled therapist is a trained professional, not just an expensive confidant. The Power of the Vibe Check: Utilize free consultations to see if a therapist's approach and personality align with yours. You Set the Pace: You are never required to layout all your trauma on day one. You have full autonomy to set boundaries and say, "I'm not ready to talk about that yet." Values & The Nervous System: Learn how big life stressors shrink our "window of tolerance," causing mismatched emotional responses to daily occurrences, and how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps realign us. Connect with Amie Clinic: Two Rivers Therapy Email: amie@tworiverstherapy.ca Phone: 403-383-1711 Note: If you have a personal history or friendship with Amie, she happily provides ethical referrals to other qualified clinicians.

  2. Jun 3

    Ep. 10 Body image and Eating Disorders with RCSW Jordan Burness

    In this powerful episode of What We Carry, Amie sits down with Registered Clinical Social Worker Jordan for a deeply moving master class on the complexities of eating disorders, self-esteem, and body image. Jordan shares her profound personal journey of being born with a cleft lip and palate. Growing up in a high-visibility, appearance-focused family, she navigated intense isolation, surgeries, and bullying. She opens up about how that lived experience ultimately led her to a vicious cycle of trying to find control through restriction and weight—and how a single, compassionate check-in from someone who noticed her pain changed the trajectory of her life. In this episode, we dive into: The Function of Disordered Eating: Understanding restriction and binge-eating as adaptive coping mechanisms for grief, trauma, and a lack of control. Self-Esteem vs. Body Image: How therapists often miss the root of low self-esteem and how it bleeds into our relationships, attachment styles, and intimacy. The Myth of "Just Be Positive": Why traditional "positive thinking" fails, and how to practice realistic "micro-shifts" toward body neutrality. The Three Tenets of Self-Compassion: Dr. Kristin Neff’s framework of mindfulness, self-kindness, and common humanity. Breaking the Silence: Why "secrets keep us sick" and how caregivers, partners, and friends can gently disrupt the cycle of suffering. Whether you are navigating your own relationship with food and body image, or trying to understand how to best support a loved one, Jordan’s blend of clinical expertise and radical vulnerability offers a roadmap back to self-connection. Connect with Jordan: Instagram: Follow her journey and insights @thebodyimagetherapist Work with Jordan: Book a session at www.yourcounselling.ca Connect with Amie & Two Rivers Therapy: Work with Amie: Ready to take the next step? Book a free consultation at www.tworiverstherapy.ca Stay Connected: Register for our newsletter, Notes Between Sessions, at www.tworiverstherapy.ca Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please reach out to local medical and mental health professionals. Help is available, and you do not have to carry this alone.

  3. Apr 30

    Ep. 9 Cycle Aware Partnerships

    In this deeply personal episode, Host Amie is joined by a surprise guest: her husband, Cole. Together, they pull back the curtain on what it actually looks like to navigate a "cycle-aware partnership." If you haven’t listened to Episode 8: Mindful Cycles with MC Decker, head there first! That conversation set the stage for this one, and you’ll want that context before diving into Amie and Cole’s reflection. In this episode, we discuss: •How Cole went from thinking Amie’s cycle was "just her thing to deal with" to realizing it’s a team effort that impacts the entire home. •How using language like luteal phase and progesterone replaces frustration with compassion and stops the "filling in the gaps" stories. •Amie hits Cole with a massive question about whether men learning about cycles can actually dismantle the patriarchy—and his answer might surprise you. •We tackle the "irrational" narrative used to keep women out of leadership why this is about power and control, not biology. This isn’t just a "women’s issue." As Cole says, it’s a team effort. Whether you have a cycle or you love someone who does, this episode is an invitation to stop walking on eggshells and start building a more solid, connected relationship. Resources & Ways to Support: As mentioned in the episode, silence and stigma carry a global cost. Here are ways to learn more and take action: • Moon Time Connections: An Indigenous-led group supporting menstrual equity across Turtle Island. • Free Periods Canada: Grassroots advocacy and education to end period poverty in Canada. • The Menstrual Equity Fund: Learn about Canada’s national pilot project to address barriers to access. • Plan International Canada: Read the reports on period stigma and how it impacts safety and education. • World Economic Forum: Closing the women’s health gap and the economic power of menstrual equity. Work With Amie: If you’re feeling a disconnect in your partnership or struggling to navigate your cycle and grief, you don’t have to do it alone. Amie works with individuals and couples to find stability and connection. • Book a Consultation: www.tworiverstherapy.ca

  4. Apr 15

    Ep. 8 Mindful Cycles with R. Psych MC Decker

    Have you ever felt like a different person from one week to the next? One moment you’re moving through the world with ease and energy, and the next, you’re met with a heavy wave of what we call biological whiplash. Today on What We Carry, I’m joined by MC Decker, a Registered Psychologist and the founder of Mindful Cycles. MC’s work is a bridge between the clinical and the deeply personal, helping us understand that our hormonal shifts aren't "glitches" in our personality—they are part of the very rhythm of our lives. In this episode, we sit with the complexities of the cycling body, exploring: • Why we feel a sudden shift in the second half of our month, and how to stop viewing our natural "protection mode" as a flaw. • Anger as an Invitation: Moving away from the shame of "PMS" and toward the wisdom of our irritability—what is our body trying to tell us about our boundaries? • The Silence of the System: A look at why we weren’t taught these fundamentals of our own anatomy and how we can begin to reclaim that missing narrative. • The Living Spiral: How cycle awareness acts as a physical mirror to the Spiral of Integration, helping us live in harmony with the things that shape us. Whether you have a cycle or you are walking alongside someone who does, this conversation is an invitation to move out of resistance and into a radical, compassionate acceptance of your own biology. Resources for the Journey: • Connect with MC Decker: Explore her work at www.mindfulcycles.com. • The Red School: Dive into the practice of Menstrual Cycle Awareness at www.redschool.net. • Sarah Hill’s Research: Learn more about the "Period Brain" at www.sarahehill.com. Work With Me: If you’re navigating your own spiral and looking for a therapeutic space that honors both your mental health and your biological reality, I would love to support you. I am currently accepting new clients for cycle-informed therapy at Two Rivers Therapy. You can book a consultation or learn more at www.tworiverstherapy.ca. Connect with the Show: • Host: Amie Nelson • Podcast: What We Carry • Listen & Subscribe: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere you get your podcasts. If this episode moved you, please consider sharing it with a friend. Let's keep carrying the conversation together.

  5. Apr 1

    Ep. 7 The Spiral of Integration

    In this raw solo reflection, Amie Nelson revisit's the conversation she had with her husband just before hitting 'publish' on Episode 1—and the realization that while putting ourselves out there gets easier, it never truly becomes easy. Amie dives into the difference between "Healing" and "Integration," offering a powerful reframe for those who feel like they are "failing" because old triggers have resurfaced. Using the metaphors of the Growth Spiral and the Closed Door, she explores the physical and emotional cost of perfectionism and shares a hard-won lesson in self-compassion from her time as a social worker in a high-stakes Emergency Department. If you’ve ever felt like you’re circling the same pain points, this episode is a reminder: You aren’t back at square one. You’re just seeing the view from a higher floor. Connect with Amie: • Work with me: I am currently accepting new clients. If you are looking for a therapeutic space to explore your own "spiral" and start the work of integration, please reach out for a consultation through my website www.tworiverstherapy.ca or email me at amie@tworiverstherapy.ca • Instagram: Hang out with me for more reflections on art, reading, and the messy process of living at @therapywithamie • Clinic Updates: Stay connected with the practice at @tworiver.therapy Coming in April: Keep an ear out for a series of exciting announcements dropping throughout this month! Make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss the new resources and ways to connect. Next Time: Amie sits down with registered psychologist M.C. Decker for a deep dive into Menstrual Cycle Awareness and the visceral impact of hormonal cycles on our mental health.

  6. Mar 18

    Ep. 6 Familiar in Discomfort with Bree

    What does it actually look like to sit in the dark with someone without trying to turn on a light? In this episode, I’m joined by my best friend of 12 years, Bree. We are pulling back the curtain on our friendship and discussing identity, mental illness, grief, boundaries and the art of staying with our friends through life’s ups and downs. Whether you are currently in the thick of a "growth season" or you’re trying to support someone who is, this episode is a roadmap for building a friendship that doesn't run from the heavy stuff. It’s a reminder that you aren’t doing anything wrong—you’re just in the middle of your growth. Connect with Amie @ Two Rivers Therapy • Watch on YouTube: Two Rivers Therapy • Follow on Instagram: @tworivers.therapy @therapywithamie • Submit Your Questions: I’m sitting down with MC Decker of Mindful Cycles Psychology soon to talk about the link between hormonal cycles and mental health. Send your questions to amie@tworiverstherapy.ca Please share this episode with someone you think might benefit! You never know the impact it may have.

  7. Mar 4

    Ep. 5 The Unraveling (why I deleted this 8 times)

    I had a script for this episode. I wanted to talk about the “dark months”, that heavy predictable season leading up to my mom‘s death anniversary. But after re-recording this eight times, I realized the lesson wasn’t in my notes. It was in the process of trying to record it. So, I’m leaving the mess in. This episode is an honest look at what happens when your old coping mechanism stop working and you find yourself spiralling. We’re moving away from the idea of “healing“ which feels like trying to fix a wound, and toward the practice of integration. It’s the messy lifelong work of growing around the things that shape us and learning to have compassion for the current versions of ourselves, even when our grief evolves into something new. If you’re currently in a season of transition or feeling like you’re failing because you can’t get “settled“, I hope this serves a reminder you are not doing anything wrong you’re just in the middle of growth. Looking ahead: I have some important conversations coming up that I want you to be part of! I’ll be sitting down with registered psychologist and MC Decker to discuss the intersection of hormonal cycles, mental health, and nervous system regulation. If you have questions for her, whether you’re looking to stop the war with your own body, or your partner trying to understand these shifts, please reach out to me at amie@tworiverstherapy.ca or send me a DM. And next time, I’ll be joined by my best friend, Bre, for a look at the evolution of long-term friendship and help practice boundaries with the people we love most. The work never ends, but maybe that’s a gift and not a life sentence. Thank you for being here with me!

  8. Feb 18

    Ep. 4 Laughter and Loss with Tim MacDonald

    Amie sits down with her dear friend, Tim. Tim shares his story and discusses how navigating grief shapes how he moves through the world. In this episode, we hope you hear how laughter can be medicine, how our friends and family want to help us carry the weight of life and how vulnerability is at the centre of this path. Do you want to be a guest on What We Carry? Please reach out to Amie at amie@tworiverstherapy.ca Do you want to work with Amie in therapy? Visit tworiverstherapy.ca for information on how to connect. (Must be a resident in Alberta, Ontario or Nova Scotia) Be gentle with yourselves, you’re not alone!

  9. Feb 4

    Ep. 3 A Banner Year

    Host Amie, shares an unscripted, personal account of her banner year — the sudden death of her mom, her father’s near fatal accident, a rapid wedding, and the identity shifts of grad school and moving during a pandemic. She explores grief brain fog, vulnerability, and learning to carry what shapes us. Amie explains why she started the podcast: to invite honest conversations about loss and living, to create space for being seen, and to remind listeners to be gentle with what they carry.

  10. Jan 21

    Ep. 2 The Tightrope

    In this episode, I sit down with my Dad to talk about what it’s been like to keep living after the death of my mom- his wife. We talk about grief that doesn’t follow timelines, the tension between honouring the past and moving forward, and how loss continues to shape our identities, relationships, and choices over time. This conversation isn’t about having answers or doing grief “right”, but about the reality of carrying love and loss together as life keeps unfolding. If you’re navigating grief, major change, or a life that looks different than you imagined, you’re not alone.

  11. Jan 7

    Episode 1: A beginning

    In this first solo episode of What We Carry, I reflect on what I’ve learned through grief, loss, anxiety, and the moments that quietly reshape us. After my mom died, I found myself asking a question I couldn’t escape: What is the point of life when pain and loss are unavoidable? This episode is about living with unanswered questions, learning to carry what shapes us, and letting the full range of human emotion exist without trying to fix or outrun it. It’s about meaning rather than happiness, coexistence rather than closure, and choosing not to carry our pain alone. If you’re entering a new season feeling uncertain, overwhelmed, or changed by something you didn’t choose, this conversation is for you.

  12. Season 1 Trailer

    What We Carry: Learning to Live with What Shapes Us

    I'm Amie, a therapist specializing in relationships, trauma, and grief. In What We Carry, we slow down to talk honestly about the human experience and how we learn to live alongside pain, loss, love, and quiet joy. Sometimes I welcome guests who share their stories; sometimes I reflect from my 12+ years in social work and my own hard seasons. This podcast is for anyone learning to set down armor and live a life that feels meaningful. New episodes every other Wednesday.

    What We Carry: Learning to Live with What Shapes Us
  • 1 Trailer
    11 Episodes

Trailer

About

What We Carry - Honest conversations about the human experience, and learning how to live with loss, trauma, grief and the things that shape us and how we move forward. 

Information

  • Creator
    Amie Nelson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    What We Carry