To Be Held

Aqiyla Thomas
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To Be Held: Where Healing Is Meant To Be Shared An audio storytelling project that brings awareness to the everyday acts of being held in our lives and the practice of being supported, comforted, and cared for in this rollercoaster of life.

Episodes

  1. To Be Held: In Our Bodies

    10/16/2025

    To Be Held: In Our Bodies

    In this episode of To Be Held, we return after a necessary three-month hiatus to tend to grief and we feature an enlightening conversation with Shakira Bonique, a retired massage therapist turned culture strategist who guides recovering overachievers back to themselves through yoga, humor, and soul-deep storytelling. With her Rhythmic Bloom method, she helps people release what is heavy and create movement, both physically and emotionally, into a truer way of living. You can find Shakira at www.rhythmicbloom.com and/or Instagram @shakirabonique. In our conversation, we discuss the importance of play, movement, and community in healing. We also explore themes of personal growth, body awareness, and the pursuit of social justice through practical actions and bodywork practices. Shakira encourages listeners to embrace periods of transition and trust their intuitive journey towards faith and healing.

    1h 23m
  2. You Might Also Like: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    10/16/2025 ·  BONUS

    You Might Also Like: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    Introducing Parenting Expert Emily Oster: The #1 Parenting Mistake That Causes Unnecessary Stress (Use THIS Data-Backed Framework to Debunk the Biggest Parenting Myths!) from On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Follow the show: On Purpose with Jay Shetty Parenting today feels like navigating endless advice while quietly wondering if you’re doing any of it right. Jay sits down with bestselling author and economist Emily Oster to unpack one of the most overwhelming journeys many people will ever face: becoming a parent. In a world filled with endless advice, social media pressure, and conflicting research, parenting can start to feel like a test you’re constantly failing. Emily offers a refreshing, data-driven perspective that helps parents cut through the noise, separating real evidence from the myths that fuel unnecessary anxiety. From pregnancy and fertility to sleep training and screen time, this conversation reveals what truly matters and what parents can finally let go of. Together, Jay and Emily challenge many of the parenting beliefs we’ve accepted without question. They explore why modern parents feel so overwhelmed by information and expectations, when the data actually shows there are many “right” ways to raise a child. Emily breaks down how correlation is often mistaken for causation in parenting advice and how that misunderstanding quietly drives guilt, fear, and comparison. Whether it’s breastfeeding versus formula, screen time, sleep training, or developmental milestones, Emily encourages parents to move away from perfection and toward confident, thoughtful decision-making. In this episode you'll learn: How to Stop Overthinking Parenting Decisions How to Decide What Parenting Advice to Ignore How to Choose the Sleep Strategy That Works for Your Family How to Raise Kids with a Growth Mindset How to Plan Parenting Decisions Before Problems Arise How to Let Go of the Pressure to Parent Perfectly Parenting can feel overwhelming, especially in a world filled with endless advice, opinions, and expectations. The truth is, raising a child isn’t about getting every small decision perfectly right, it’s about showing up with love, care, and intention, day after day. Emily’s book, Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know, offers guidance through pregnancy and motherhood. Grab a copy now. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here.  Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast  What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:39 Why Does Parenting Feel Harder Today? 04:06 What the Data Really Says About Parenting 05:24 Don’t Trust This Fertility Advice! 07:56 What Affects Sperm Health 09:51 Lifestyle Habits That Affect Fertility 12:26 Are Antidepressants Safe During Pregnancy? 15:02 Which Pregnancy Rules Actually Matter (And Which Don’t) 18:25 When Is the Best Age to Have Kids? 21:56 Common Pregnancy Myths Debunked 31:19 How Dads Can Support After Birth 34:09 What’s Actually Best for the Baby? 36:51 More Parenting and Pregnancy Myths 44:20 How to Deal With Mom Guilt 47:55 How to Raise Confident Kids 54:28 Parenting Decisions That Cause Stress 56:27 The Truth About Sleep Training 01:02:03 Does Crying It Out Harm Attachment? 01:04:12 How Much Screen Time Is Too Much? 01:09:40 The Truth About Childhood Vaccines 01:12:02 Are Kids Being Overmedicated? 01:14:35 The Many Paths to Parenthood 01:16:49 This or That: Parenting Edition 01:24:31 Emily on Final Five Episode Resources: Website | https://parentdata.org/  Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/emily.oster.509/  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/profemilyoster  LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/parentdata  TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@profemilyoster  X | https://x.com/ProfEmilyOster  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. To Be Held: In Nature

    06/19/2025

    To Be Held: In Nature

    This month's episode, I connect with a warm and gentle spirit, my neighbor, Peregrine Bermas, a Chicago-born and bred clinical herbalist at Dirt & Free Herbal Arts, illustrator, and curious earthling invested in destabilizing colonial cosmology through community herbalism and art. You can learn more about their healing work and sign up for their Patreon at dirtandfree.world. In our outdoors chat, we discuss Peregrine's journey into herbalism and to North Carolina, their experiences with the medical system, and their passion for working with abundant plant medicine like burdock and dandelion. They also share insights on building interspecies relationships, working in community spaces, and the importance of patience, self-acceptance, and trust in both personal and communal healing. Listen in and be inspired! If you would like to share your stories on being held or become a guest on the To Be Held podcast, please send me an email at hello@tobeheldpodcast.com.

    1h 16m
  4. To Be Held: In Our Scent Stories

    05/15/2025

    To Be Held: In Our Scent Stories

    In this month's May episode, I sat down with the brilliant and genuinely cool Tiffany M. Griffin, CEO, Co-Founder, and Co-Owner of Bright Black, a North Carolina-based social enterprise based in Durham that pioneered the art of using scent to share positive stories about the beauty and brilliance of Blackness. Since launching in 2019, Bright Black has gained national and international notoriety, attracting the attention of Beyonce, Zendaya, Jordan Peele, Nike, and others.   Uniquely, Bright Black synthesizes cooperative economics theory with revenue-sharing practices to amplify their social and economic impact through strategic partnerships. These collaborations have included partners such as the NBA and WNBA, Michelle Obama's When We All Vote, and the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, and have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in donations to social organizations working to improve the lives of Black people around the world. Before founding Bright Black, Tiffany was a Strategic Advisor in the Center for Resilience at the US Agency for International Aid (USAID), where she helped to spearhead the Agency's first resilience policy and corresponding programming and evaluation frameworks. Before her work at USAID, Tiffany was a health and safety nets policy staffer for Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico. Tiffany has a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where she focused on decision-making as a conduit of racial discrimination. She also has dual BAs in Psychology and Communications from Boston College.   In our conversation, Tiffany shares insights on her journey in starting and sustaining a Black business, her reflections on motherhood, and the importance of community trust. We delve into the complexities of self-reliance, mutual aid, and her vision for more models of community care and support, in addition to the challenges and nuances of balancing personal and professional life in maintaining a mission-driven business.    If you would like to share your stories or become a guest on the To Be Held podcast, please send me an email at hello@tobeheldpodcast.com.

    54 min

  5. 04/17/2025

    To Be Held: As We Build Community

    This month's conversation is a heartfelt conversation with my friend Marqiece, a Georgia native who moved to North Carolina a few years ago. He spends his time hanging with friends and partners, hiking, playing video games, and being silly. Marqiece also leads a local, Black hiking group (Blk Hiking Club RDU) and spends his time during hikes wondering where the soundtrack playing in his head comes from. We get into the challenges of finding community, particularly for Black men, and the importance of creating intentional spaces for connection and support. Marqiece shares his personal experiences with loneliness during the pandemic, moving to new places, and eventually finding close connections through hiking and community building. Listen in as we reflect on the nature of being held in community, the balance of give-and-take in relationships, and the significance of community support.  If you would like to share your stories and have your voice be featured on the next podcast episode, or become a guest on the To Be Held Podcast, please send me an email at hello@tobeheldpodcast.com.

    54 min

  6. 03/20/2025

    To Be Held: In My Voice

    In the premiere episode of 'To Be Held,' host and producer, Aqiyla introduces herself and the profound journey that led to the creation of this storytelling project. Recorded in her makeshift home studio in Durham, North Carolina, she opens up about her experiences with intense grief, the loss of multiple loved ones, and the impact on her sense of self. She shares her struggles with vulnerability, her journey through depression and social anxiety, and the significance of finding one's authentic voice. Through personal storytelling and community engagement, Aqiyla explores the concept of being 'held'—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. She invites listeners to reflect on their own relationships with their voices and the people and experiences that have shaped them. Email us at hello@tobeheldpodcast.com to share your story about the topic of being held in your voice and me may feature you on a future episode. -What has been your relationship with being held in your voice?  -What has been your process of discovering your authentic voice?   -Do you have any significant memories of anyone or anything who's challenged you in your voice or empowered you in your voice?

    18 min

  7. TRAILER

    Trailer

    Come take this journey with me as I explore the everyday acts of being held in our lives and the practice of being supported, comforted, and cared for in this rollercoaster of life. What does 'to be held' mean to you? Premiering March 20th, 2025. New episode every 3rd Thursday of the month.

    2 min

Trailer

About

To Be Held: Where Healing Is Meant To Be Shared An audio storytelling project that brings awareness to the everyday acts of being held in our lives and the practice of being supported, comforted, and cared for in this rollercoaster of life.

Information

  • Creator
    Aqiyla Thomas
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    To Be Held