Heal in Harmony Emmy Marie

In this episode, I unpack the lyrics of “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” by Taylor Swift from the 2022 album, Midnights, through the lens of grieving the loss of your childhood self after enduring trauma.

Childhood ends for everyone, but if you experienced trauma at a young age, you might have been forced to grow up way too young. As an adult, we can look back at our past with sadness, grieving the ways we were prevented from being the children we were. I see “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” as an ode to this grieving process - in addressing the fact that we never deserved the trauma we went through, we can let go of shame that we somehow deserved it.

This is a heartbreaking song and episode, so please be gentle with yourself when listening.
Relationships take work for everyone, but when you’re a trauma survivor or living with mental illness, it’s easy to question if what you can give to the relationship is going to be enough for the other person to stay. In this episode, I consider the ways Taylor’s lyrics convey the doubt, the desire, and the compromise of dating when you’re on your healing journey.

In this episode, my guest, Marisa, of @littlebent_notbroken and I unpack the lyrics to “The Way I Loved You” from Taylor Swift’s album, Fearless (throwback!). We discuss our interpretations of the song through the lens of what it’s like to be in a new relationship after a toxic or abusive relationship. Some topics we cover in the episode are:

missing someone even though they were toxic or harmful in your life.

when dating after abuse feeling boring or lackluster compared to the high highs and low lows of a past relationships.

why you’re attracted to the chase of someone inconsistent.

what you learn from relationships that pair love with pain.

and so much more!

In this episode, my guest Sara Aird of @breakingdowncptsd and I unpack the lyrics to “My Tears Ricochet” from Taylor Swift’s album, Folklore. We discuss our interpretations of the song through the lens of what it’s like to walk away from a toxic or abusive family system. Some topics we cover are the duality of loving people but knowing you need to walk away from them, feeling misunderstood for making boundaries, and creating your own home base.

Content note: suicidal ideation is mentioned briefly around the 12-minute mark, in addition to discussions of abuse (non graphic) throughout. Please take care of yourself when listening!

In this episode, I unpack the lyrics of “The Great War” by Taylor Swift from the 2022 album, Midnights through the lens of inner child healing.

Relationships take work for everyone, but when you’re a trauma survivor or living with mental illness, it’s easy to question if what you can give to the relationship is going to be enough for the other person to stay. In this episode, I consider the ways Taylor’s lyrics convey the doubt, the desire, and the compromise of dating when you’re on your healing journey.

In this episode, my guest, Jessie, and I unpack the lyrics of “evermore” by Taylor Swift from the 2020 album, Evermore.

In this episode, we explore a realistic timeline of healing from an abusive relationship - because it’s usually not all sunshine and rainbows after you leave. This episode is about the aftermath: processing the trauma, trying to figure out what exactly happened, and the cycles of self-blame when the world tells you to get over something you can’t. We discuss the complex experience of freedom: feeling lost in addition to experiencing the loss of something that meant the world to us. Despite the darkness of grief, we unpack the parts of this song that point to the magic and power of survival.

In this episode, I unpack the lyrics of “The Great War” by Taylor Swift from the 2022 album, Midnights through the lens of inner child healing.

In the first verse and chorus, I interpret the battle described as the struggle for survival in an abusive relationship, reflecting on my own feelings of powerlessness and self-blame. Moving to the second verse, I discuss the challenges encountered during the healing process, including self-destructive tendencies and the difficulty of trusting safe individuals. The bridge serves as a pivotal moment of realization, where I unpack the manipulation and betrayal endured when we have been convinced to fight against ourselves. The final verse describes the commitment to healing, honoring the journey, and vowing to never return to the horrors of the past. I conclude the episode by reflecting on the personal significance of embracing my inner child and the profound wisdom that emerges from within.