Somatic Healing Through Movement: How to Release Stored Emotions and Build Self-Trust
Release Date: 02/09/2026
Grief, Isolation, and Healing: Learning to Ask for Support After Loss
Emotionally Unavailable
Therapist and host, Malisa Hepner, shares her lived experience of navigating grief after the loss of her son, Jake. She opens up about the waves of isolation, the disorienting nature of loss, and the quiet ways grief can reshape identity, connection, and daily life. Malisa explores the challenge of asking for support while grieving, the importance of being seen and held by others, and how community can become a lifeline in moments of profound pain. She reflects on her evolving spiritual beliefs, the complexity of finding meaning after loss, and the tension between carrying deep sorrow while...
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Emotional Abuse, Autoimmune Illness & the Mind-Body Connection: A Journey of Healing
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Therapist and host Malisa Hepner sits down with Keegan Read, host of the Retrieving Sanity podcast, for an honest conversation about trauma, health, and emotional recovery. Keegan shares his journey through childhood emotional abuse, family dynamics, autoimmune disease, substance use, and the long road toward self-discovery. Together, they explore how unresolved trauma impacts the body, how internalized beliefs shape identity, and why expressing emotion is essential for healing. This episode unpacks: The mind-body connection in trauma recovery How emotional suppression can manifest...
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From Trauma to Transformation: How Somatic Movement Creates Emotional Freedom
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In this powerful conversation, therapist and podcast host Malisa Hepner sits down with Angel Howard, Certified Somatic Therapist, Executive Coach, and inspirational speaker, to explore how somatic healing and movement can transform trauma. Angel shares her personal journey of resilience, uncovering family secrets, and using dance as a pathway to healing. Together, they discuss the role of the body in emotional expression, the importance of authenticity, and how movement supports nervous system regulation, communication, and personal growth. Choose one small way to let your body speak this...
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Somatic Healing Through Movement: How to Release Stored Emotions and Build Self-Trust
Emotionally Unavailable
Therapist and host, Malisa Hepner, sits down with Licensed Somatic Psychotherapist and author of “Shake Yourself Free”, Melanie Smithson, to explore the power of somatic practices and authentic movement as tools for emotional healing. Melanie shares her journey from CPA to somatic practitioner and explains how practices like breathwork, shaking, and intuitive movement help release emotions stored in the body. Together, they discuss meeting yourself where you are emotionally, working with resistance, building self-trust, and allowing grief and big feelings to move through without falling...
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Motherhood Without Losing Yourself: Identity, Self-Care, and Co-Regulation After Becoming a Parent
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Therapist and host, Malisa Hepner, and Cindy Woulfe,certified meditation teacher and wellness advocate and author of, “In the Weeds: A Guide to Saving Your Own Soul on This Crazy Journey Called Motherhood”, explore the realities of motherhood, from postpartum identity shifts to the pressure of unsolicited advice. They discuss the importance of self-validation, co-regulation in parenting, breaking generational patterns, and practical ways parents can nourish themselves while raising emotionally healthy children. Create a daily self-nourishment ritual—no matter how small—that...
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Spiritual Awakening and Intuition: Healing, Belief, and the Human Experience
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In this thoughtful conversation, therapist and host, Malisa Hepner, and Michelle Henderson, Author, speaker, mystic channeler, healer, explore the journey of spiritual awakening and the evolution of belief systems. They discuss intuition, healing, self-love, and compassion, examining how personal experiences shape spiritual understanding while emphasizing the balance between spiritual growth and our shared humanity. Identify one moment each day where you can respond from compassion instead of habit—toward yourself or someone else. Practice grounding that choice in your body and emotions,...
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When “I Understand” Can Hurt And Why: Healing the Wound of Unvalidated Grief
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In this solo episode, therapist and host Malisa Hepner unpacks why grief can feel so activating when someone says they “understand” your loss—especially when comparisons miss the mark. She explores how these moments often trigger deep neglect wounds and a fear that our pain isn’t being seen or honored. Rather than staying in victimhood or demanding external validation, Malisa invites listeners into a more grounded truth: our pain does not need to be validated by others to be real. Through compassionate reflection, she shares how healing begins when we recognize our triggers, take...
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Choosing Yourself: Authenticity, Attachment, and the Quiet Work of Healing
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In this solo episode, therapist and host, Malisa Hepner, reflects on the subtle but profound ways grief continues to shape her inner world—especially in relationships. She shares why she chose to shift the format of her podcast, honoring authenticity, capacity, and self-care over expectation. She explores attachment patterns, independence, and the emotional responses that surface when grief meets intimacy. This conversation names the often-overlooked micro losses of grief—the small, daily moments that remind us of what’s changed—and underscores the importance of community,...
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Holding Yourself With Kindness: Gratitude, Vulnerability, and Healing
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In this uplifting conversation, therapist and host Malisa Hepner is joined by Laura Bratton, founder of Ubi Global, to explore gratitude as a practice of honoring the work we do on ourselves. Together, they reflect on the courage it takes to show up, do the inner work, and continue evolving—especially when growth feels slow, unseen, or exhausting. This conversation highlights the power of self-compassion, perseverance, and community in sustaining personal transformation, reminding listeners that gratitude doesn’t have to be about outcomes—it can be about who we are becoming and the...
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Healing the Inner Child: Trauma, Self-Love, and Rewriting Your Story
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In this deeply moving conversation, therapist and host Malisa Hepner sits down with Hilary Momberger Powers—former child actress who voiced Sally in the Charlie Brown cartoons, now a recovery warrior, mentor, and author—to explore the lasting impact of trauma on personal development and healing. Together, they unpack how early wounds shape identity, the importance of inner child work, and what it truly means to break free from victimhood. Hilary shares her journey of reclaiming her power through empathy, self-reflection, and community support, emphasizing that real empowerment comes from...
info_outlineTherapist and host, Malisa Hepner, sits down with Licensed Somatic Psychotherapist and author of “Shake Yourself Free”, Melanie Smithson, to explore the power of somatic practices and authentic movement as tools for emotional healing. Melanie shares her journey from CPA to somatic practitioner and explains how practices like breathwork, shaking, and intuitive movement help release emotions stored in the body. Together, they discuss meeting yourself where you are emotionally, working with resistance, building self-trust, and allowing grief and big feelings to move through without falling apart. This conversation offers practical, accessible tools for managing stress, emotional overwhelm, and deepening body-based self-awareness.
Choose one simple somatic practice—such as 2–3 minutes of gentle shaking, slow intentional breathing, or intuitive movement—and practice it daily with the intention of listening rather than fixing. Notice what sensations or emotions arise, allow them to move through without judgment, and reflect afterward on what your body communicated. This builds self-trust and creates emotional regulation through the body.
Melanie's links: Website, Insta, Youtube
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Jen Taylor contact info: Jentaylorfani@gmail.com