Just Like Nana

Amie Penny Sayler
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Mental Health

Dive into the journey of Just Like Nana, a podcast passionately exploring ancestral trauma, generational healing, and the profound ways our family's past shapes our present mental and holistic health. Amie Penny Sayler shares captivating, research-based fiction stories of her grandmothers' lives and features insightful interviews with leading mental health and wellness practitioners.  Learn how to break cycles of trauma passed down through generations, understand family dynamics, and cultivate a regulated nervous system. Ground yourself in your history, honor your ancestors, and find your own path to trauma healing.  New episodes every Friday. Learn more at https://justlikenana.com/ 

  1. Liza Miron

    2d ago

    Liza Miron

    In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Liza Miron, Family Constellations facilitator and coach, to discuss ancestral trauma through family entanglements and how we can heal from them. Together they discover how to balance ancestral anger while honoring those ancestors, the importance of acceptance and belonging, and so much more. About Liza With over 15 years of hands-on experience with different modalities, Family Constellations facilitator and trainer Liza Miron is passionate about nurturing growth, fostering awareness, and uncovering underlying threads that keep people from enjoying their lives. This is complemented by her dynamic academic background, including a BA in Business Administration, an MA in Coaching and Human Resources Management, and spectrum-wide certifications including NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), Reiki, and Syntara System Energy Healing. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Recognize that you are part of a larger energetic web. When an ancestor is forgotten, excluded, or judged, the system often entangles a later generation to represent that person, leading us to repeat their difficult patterns.Healing begins when we acknowledge the black sheep or the forgotten ones and return them to their place in the system.Discover why the most powerful healing sentence is a simple Yes to reality. Looking at the truth of your family history without judgment allows the heavy energy of the past to transform into strength.You don't have to suffer to show loyalty to your lineage. Learn how to honor your ancestors by living a full, happy life—turning their survival and sacrifices into your fuel for success. Resources Mentioned Another Self (Zeytin Agaci) Connect with Liza Miron WebsiteFacebookYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn Connect with the Show Website: justlikenana.comShare Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed.Connect with Just Like Nana's Website. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. Theme music by Carter Penny.

    39 min
  2. Melissa Taylor

    Jun 5

    Melissa Taylor

    In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Melissa Taylor, a mental health provider who's deeply versed in cultural nuances and intergenerational trauma, to discuss seeking ancestral wisdom as part of healing. They also dive into the impact of systemic oppression on family dynamics and the importance of recognizing and validating individual experiences. About Melissa Navigating both physical and virtual spaces, Melissa is a third-culture individual deeply versed in cultural nuances and intergenerational trauma. Driven by a mission to reconnect with her ancestors and to help others on their own journeys of reconnection, she specializes in addressing relational and intergenerational trauma as well as oppression. Melissa’s practice is grounded in principles of anti-racism, anti-oppressive practices, and Black feminism. She’s committed to working with individuals impacted by colonization, enslavement, and 2SLGTBQ+ oppression. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Ancestors are not just biological; they can include community members, writers, artists, or even elements of nature like a specific lake or river that provides a felt sense of connection.We don't just inherit intergenerational wounds; we also inherit intergenerational wisdom—skills, ways of knowing, and a capacity for playfulness that can anchor us during difficult times.Healing often begins with a sensation rather than a thought. Look for glimmers of okayness or a settlement in the body, even if it only lasts for a few seconds.Individual trauma is often inseparable from systemic oppression, including racism, misogyny, and the patriarchy. Recognizing these external forces helps take the pathology off the individual. Resources Mentioned Ancestral Memory Therapy’s blogConnect with Melissa Taylor Ancestral Memory Therapy: https://www.ancestralmemorytherapy.com/ Connect with the Show Website: justlikenana.comShare Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed.Connect with Just Like Nana's Website. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. Theme music by Carter Penny.

    41 min
  3. Annie Brook

    May 29

    Annie Brook

    In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by psychologist and educator Annie Brook to discuss how the nervous system stores trauma, and what we can do to release those chemicals and emotions and ground back into our bodies. Together they explore pre-cognitive memories and how we can metabolize emotional distress. About Annie Annie Brook is a psychologist, educator, and author whose work focuses on trauma healing, birth imprint therapy, and applied neuroplasticity. Through The Brook Institute she teaches practical body mind tools that help therapists, parents, and individuals heal early developmental trauma and build healthier relationships. For more information visit https://anniebrook.com. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: While the mind can analyze trauma, the nervous system is what stores it. Healing requires moving into the felt sense to release energy that talk therapy alone often cannot reach.How experiences from the womb and birth—moments before we have language—create foundational blueprints in our bodies. Recognizing these early imprints can be helpful in understanding unexplained adult anxiety or shut-down.How to identify when your system has entered a freeze or existential shock state. Annie explains how dissociation serves as a survival mechanism and provides tools to safely bring your awareness back into your body.How to use sensory feedback and somatic techniques to finish incomplete trauma responses. Whether it’s reclaiming a birth push or moving through ancestral grief, these tools help your body understand that the danger is in the past.To develop a compassionate witness within yourself. By replacing self-attack thinking with curious body awareness, you create the internal safety necessary for deep integration and personal growth. Resources Mentioned Annie’s PDF Library: https://www.anniebrook.com/pdf-libraryAnnie’s “Blink Blink” video: https://www.instagram.com/p/C35qUqMOZ7T/Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pert, PhDThere’s No Such Thing As a Dragon by Jack Kent Connect with Annie Brook Instagram: @anniebrooktherapy Website: https://www.anniebrook.com Connect with the Show Website: justlikenana.comShare Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed.Connect with Just Like Nana's Website. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. Theme music by Carter Penny.

    42 min
  4. Erica Bonham

    May 22

    Erica Bonham

    In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Erica Bonham, a licensed counselor and embodied leadership coach, where they explore a “badass nervous system”, emotional alchemy, and tips for listening to your body. About Erica Erica Bonham is a licensed professional counselor, speaker, best selling author and embodied leadership coach. Her work bridges individual transformation and collective healing. She leads trainings on EMDR, ancestral trauma, and embodied, heart-led leadership. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: The difference between fake resiliency, a high-functioning trauma response rooted in fear, and true capacity.How to stay present with difficult emotions. Instead of avoiding the hard things, learn to use them as fuel for your growth and leadership.Moving beyond repeating affirmations like "I am worthy." Shift into an embodied practice where your value is something you feel in your cells, not just something you think in your head.Explore the intersection of the body, the heart, and the mind. When you unwind the patterns in all three areas, you stop playing small and start trusting your own intuition and impact.Why setting boundaries isn't just a social skill, but a physiological requirement for your nervous system. Strengthening your capacity to say "no" increases your capacity. Resources Mentioned Kim Krans The Wild Archetypes DeckKasia Urbaniack’s Book, Unbound Connect with Erica Bonham Website: https://www.avoscounseling.com Embodied and Unstoppable Workshop Nervous System Reset Toolkit Erica’s Book: Always Enough, Never Done Connect with the Show Website: justlikenana.comShare Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed.Connect with Just Like Nana's Website. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. Theme music by Carter Penny.

    46 min
  5. Bee Doyle

    May 15

    Bee Doyle

    In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Bee Doyle, a  nurse practitioner, intuitive healer, and spiritual teacher, to discuss moving out of survival states into a journey of healing and thriving. Together, they explore the non-linear nature of healing, ways to regulate your nervous system, tapping into ancestral resilience, and more. About Bee Bee Doyle is a nurse practitioner, intuitive healer, and spiritual teacher who uniquely bridges the worlds of medicine and metaphysics. As a combat veteran, her own path to wellness began after returning from a tour in Afghanistan, where she navigated the complexities of post-traumatic stress and a lost sense of purpose.Today, she is the owner of Double Libra Astrology, where she blends her medical background with evolutionary astrology, ancestral healing, and embodiment practices to guide others toward a holistic state of empowered living.  In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Healing is never a linear path from A to Z; it is a journey full of twists and turns that requires self-grace when you feel you’ve taken a step backward .True healing often remains stuck if your body doesn't feel safe. Learning to move out of high-alert states—like fight, flight, or freeze—is the essential foundation for any deep ancestral or trauma work.Use the "Heavy vs. Light" tool to build your intuition like a muscle. Pay attention to how your body physically reacts to truths (feeling "light" or expansive) versus untruths (feeling "heavy" or restricted) to guide your daily decisions .While we often focus on ancestral wounds, our lineage also contains the "resilience and positive tools" that allowed our ancestors to survive. Reclaiming these gifts is just as vital as healing the trauma .Showing up for yourself with softness and compassion creates a ripple effect, softening the world around you and positively impacting your community and future generations.Resources Mentioned What is Somatic Therapy?: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-somatic-therapy-202307072951 Connect with Bee Bee’s Upcoming Book, Keepers of the Light: https://publishizer.com/keepers-of-the-light/ Website: https://doublelibraastrology.com/ Instagram: @doublelibracoaching Connect with the Show Website: justlikenana.comShare Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed.Connect with Just Like Nana's Website. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. Theme music by Carter Penny.

    31 min
  6. Dr. Erika Yourdan

    May 8

    Dr. Erika Yourdan

    In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Dr. Erika Yourdan, a licensed therapist and counselor, where they discuss how to use systemic thinking and nature-based healing to bridge the gap between your past and your present, helping you claim your rightful place as a cycle breaker.  Together they explore the feeling of psychological homelessness, where the fractures in our family history leave us feeling disconnected from our roots and our sense of belonging.  About Dr. Erika Yourdan Dr. Erika Yourdan is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, addiction counselor, and certified EMDR practitioner based in Abilene, Texas. As a systemic thinker, Dr. Yourdan specializes in looking beyond individual symptoms to uncover the complex web of relational and ancestral transmissions that shape our lives. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Understand Psychological Homelessness: Recognize that the feeling of not fitting in often stems from a lack of emotional or ancestral safety. Healing begins when we acknowledge this displacement and start building an internal sense of home.The Power of Relational Transmission: Learn how trauma isn't just an event, but a vibe or way of relating that is passed down through generations. By identifying these systemic patterns, you can stop the copy-paste of trauma in your own life.Regulate Your Nervous System with Eco-Therapy: Discover how connecting with nature—whether through a hike or simply sitting with a tree—can help ground your felt senses and provide the safety your brain needs to process difficult family histories.The Logic of Safety: Move beyond the just do it scared mentality. Dr. Yourdan explains how to logic your way into safety by reminding your brain that the current environment is secure, allowing you to take steps forward, sideways, or even back with grace.Embrace Your Role as a Cycle Breaker: Accept your calling as a disruptor or transitional character. You don't have to heal generations of wounds in one day; even a single, small step is enough to start changing the story for your descendants. Resources Mentioned What is Polyvagal Theory?Dr. Laurel ThortonConnect with Dr. Erika Yourdan https://thesumofyoucounseling.com/ Connect with the Show Website: justlikenana.comShare Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed.Connect with Just Like Nana's Website. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. Theme music by Carter Penny.

    32 min
  7. Joanna Kent Katz

    May 1

    Joanna Kent Katz

    In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by healer and social justice educator Joanna Kent Katz, as they explore how to move from inherited patterns of trauma and cultural assimilation toward a heart-centered state of collective liberation. Together they discuss how healing your personal lineage is a vital step in dismantling systemic oppression and understanding your belonging in the world. About Jo Kent Katz Jo Kent Katz is an intuitive healer, social justice educator, and an ordained Kohenet (Hebrew Priestess) dedicated to the work of justice and healing. With a lineage rooted in Ashkenazi Jewish history across Russia, Romania, Ukraine, and Poland, Jo brings a deep understanding of how historical trauma and cultural assimilation impact our modern lives. She is the creator of "Transcending Jewish Trauma," a comprehensive resource that maps out inherited trauma patterns specifically for white Ashkenazi lineages. Jo also offers For Sacred Consideration, which are spiritual teachings Jo receives through channeling.  Jo bridges the gap between ritual support and social change, helping individuals navigate intergenerational healing to foster a deeper sense of communal and personal belonging. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How your brain creates survival strategies based on ancestral fears.Why personal ancestral healing is a prerequisite for collective liberation. By addressing our own inherited trauma, we stop projecting survival patterns onto our community spaces and social justice work.The cost of "whiteness" and assimilation for those with immigrant lineages.How to map out the specific traumas of your lineage—such as displacement or systemic violence—to understand how they manifest in your nervous system today as hyper-vigilance or a sense of not enoughness.Connect with Jo Kent Katz      https://www.jokentkatz.com/      https://www.transcendingjewishtrauma.com/      https://www.patreon.com/SacredConsideration Resources Blintz information: https://chompies.com/the-history-of-the-blintz/ Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz: https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/kaye-kantrowitz-melanie Connect with the Show We would love to hear your family stories. Website: justlikenana.comConnect with Just Like Nana's Website. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. Theme music by Carter Penny.

    36 min
  8. Savannah Brown

    Apr 24

    Savannah Brown

    In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Savannah Brown, where they discuss the mental and emotional tolls of breaking generational trauma patterns.  Together, they explore the reality that breaking trauma cycles isn't a clean, linear process—it's messy, imperfect, and requires an incredible amount of somatic awareness and radical self-honesty to move forward. About Savannah An Army veteran and police officer, Savannah is also a student obtaining a Master’s in Social Work. She is the author of In the Wake of Wounds: A Soul's Revival, a raw and unfiltered look at her personal journey through grief and the complexities of family dynamics.  In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Recognize that breaking generational cycles isn't a "one and done" event. It involves navigating a confusing, non-linear path of grief, anger, and acceptance where the goal isn't perfection, but consistent effort and self-grace.Learn to listen to your body’s signals. Identifying physical sensations—like a racing heart or a gut feeling—is a critical first step in regulating your nervous system and stopping a trauma response before it takes over.Discover how the act of conscious parenting can actually accelerate your own healing. By choosing to react with patience instead of the autopilot of your past, you aren't just protecting your children; you are re-parenting yourself.Shift your perspective on relationships by prioritizing reciprocity and safety. Healing involves the difficult but necessary work of setting boundaries with people who do not support your peace or growth.Adopt a mindset of ancestral sovereignty. Even when you are breaking their cycles, you can carry the strength and resilience of those who came before you, entering every space with the confidence that you belong there.Resources Mentioned TacMobilityThe Workout WitchI connected with Savannah on #PodMatch.  Connect with Savannah In The Wake of Wounds: A Soul’s Revival Instagram Connect with the Show Do you have a family story you want to share? We want to hear from you! Connect with Just Like Nana's Website. A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. Theme music by Carter Penny.

    38 min
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5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Dive into the journey of Just Like Nana, a podcast passionately exploring ancestral trauma, generational healing, and the profound ways our family's past shapes our present mental and holistic health. Amie Penny Sayler shares captivating, research-based fiction stories of her grandmothers' lives and features insightful interviews with leading mental health and wellness practitioners.  Learn how to break cycles of trauma passed down through generations, understand family dynamics, and cultivate a regulated nervous system. Ground yourself in your history, honor your ancestors, and find your own path to trauma healing.  New episodes every Friday. Learn more at https://justlikenana.com/ 

Information

  • Creator
    Amie Penny Sayler
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Just Like Nana
  • Show Website
    Just Like Nana