Redemption, Bravery, and Forgiveness featuring Christian Branscombe
Release Date: 07/30/2024
The Body Keeps the Score but the Church Keeps the Secrets with Margaret Bronson
LaidOPEN Podcast
Join host Charna Cassell for a raw and eye opening conversation with Margaret Bronson, founder of Deconstruction Doulas. Margaret grew up inside a high control Christian cult and survived domestic violence, child abuse, excommunication, and the long psychological fallout of authoritarian religion. Now she guides others through the same dismantling of belief systems that once owned them. In this episode, Margaret unpacks how she and her husband developed somatic practices to help survivors heal the trauma stored in the body after years of purity culture, spiritual coercion, and obedience...
info_outline
How to Raise Kids Without Losing Your Mind (or Yourself) with Dr. Chelsey Hauge-Zaveleta
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, Charna talks with Dr. Chelsey Hague-Zavaleta, an expert in applied educational neuroscience and social–emotional learning. Together, they explore what it really means to raise calm, connected kids — and how to do it without losing your mind (or yourself) in the process. They unpack the science of co-regulation, discuss the difference between gentle and authoritative parenting, and share practical tools for managing stress behaviors and creating family balance. Dr. Chelsey offers compassionate insights for parents, teachers, and caregivers looking to...
info_outline
Ep. 109 The Unstoppable Ann Randolph: Presence, Play, and the Power to Transform
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, host Charna Cassell sits down with award-winning playwright, performer, and teacher , whose autobiographical solo shows blend comedy, storytelling, and profound transformation. Together they explore their long-held desire to collaborate — a journey guided by synchronicity, presence, and creative courage. Ann shares how her early days working the graveyard shift at a homeless shelter evolved into a celebrated career sharing the stage with icons like Mel Brooks and Alanis Morissette. She opens up about using comedy to approach trauma, the healing power...
info_outline
Ep 108 The Secret Life of Dreams with Bonnie Buckner
LaidOPEN Podcast
This season, dreams are really on my mind. I’ve been thinking about how they shape our creativity, our healing, and the subtle ways our bodies speak through them. In this episode, I sit down with dreamwork expert Bonnie Buckner, author of and founder and CEO of the International Institute for Dreaming and Imagery. Bonnie teaches that dreams aren’t just stories from the night—they’re a living intelligence, guiding us through symbol, sensation, and emotion. Together, we explore how dreams can open pathways to creativity, empathy, and collective consciousness. We talk about the...
info_outline
Ep 107 Psilocybin and the Future of Healing with Tania de Jong
LaidOPEN Podcast
Welcome back to LaidOPEN Podcast. In this week's episode, we explore altered states of consciousness, sound, healing, and the legacy of ancestral trauma. My guest is . She's a singer, sound healer, and social entrepreneur who co-founded , leading efforts to make psilocybin and MDMA legally available for treatment-resistant mental health conditions. Tania shares her own healing journey as a descendant of Holocaust survivors and the profound impact of psychedelic-assisted therapy in her life. We discuss the importance of set and setting, the benefits of group work, and how finding one’s...
info_outline
Ep. 106 Dreaming Your Life Into Beeing: Healing, Intuition and Animism (Part 2) with Ariella Daly
LaidOPEN Podcast
Trigger warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault. In part 2 of this powerful conversation, Charna sits down again with : dream worker, animist, and beekeeper — to continue exploring how dreams can become profound guides for healing, recovery, and transformation. Ariella shares more of her personal path, weaving together the wisdom of dreams, ritual, and the natural world to show how the subconscious can support deep repair after trauma. Together, we discuss practical tools for reclaiming your body, rebuilding your relationship with eros and creativity, and...
info_outline
Ep. 105 Dreaming Your Life Into Beeing: Healing, Intuition and Animism with Ariella Daly (Part 1)
LaidOPEN Podcast
Trigger warning: discussion of seggsual assault near the end In this episode, Charna interviews , a seasoned dream worker, animist, and beekeeper with over 15 years of experience. Ariella shares her fascinating journey into beekeeping and dream work, influenced by a blend of naturalism from her mother and mysticism from her father. She recounts a significant experience where wild bees moved into her home, deeply intertwining her dream work with her beekeeping practice. Ariella and Charna discuss the profound healing and intuitive lessons bees can impart, the importance of intentional...
info_outline
Ep. 104 Medical Misogyny and the Medical Me Too Reckoning with Micah Larsen
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this powerful episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, I sit down with medical researcher, writer, and host of Modern Hysteria, , to dive deep into her deeply personal and courageous journey through PMDD, menopause, and preeclampsia. With warmth and unflinching honesty, Micah illuminates the painful gaps in our healthcare system and the persistence of medical misogyny—and, more importantly, how we can begin to dismantle those barriers. We explore: The courage it takes to speak openly about taboo topics like incontinence, childbirth, postpartum challenges, and menopause. How narrative and advocacy...
info_outline
Ep. 103 The Pleasure Process: Keys To Cultivating Embodied Desire with Susan Morgan Taylor
LaidOPEN Podcast
What do you really want—and how do you even begin to ask for it? In this episode of laidOPEN, I’m joined by somatic sex therapist , a healer and teacher who guides people through the often-overlooked terrain of embodied desire. With over 25 years in somatic healing, Susan brings a grounded, intuitive approach to what she calls the Pleasure Keys Process—a set of practices designed to help individuals and couples reconnect with their sensuality, emotional truth, and authentic connection. We dive into how early wounding, stress, and disembodiment can short-circuit intimacy—and what it...
info_outline
Ep. 102 Strategies For Being A Better Partner In Love, Life and Everything In Between with Nick Brancato
LaidOPEN Podcast
Welcome to the first episode of July 2025, where I have a fascinating conversation with , a relationship systems architect and author of Nick shares his unique journey from being a professional poker player to stepping into the world of personal development and relationship coaching. We talk about the significance of aligning priorities within relationships, enhancing communication, and strategies to maintain focus under stress. Nick also introduces his 'Prioritize Us' test, a powerful framework designed to help couples (and friends and anyone else you want to build a more connected...
info_outlineIn this incredibly moving episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, Charna engages in a powerful discussion with Christian Branscombe, who, after being sentenced to life in prison for murder, transformed his life through meditation, reading, and community healing initiatives. This profound experience led him to become an advocate for transformative justice and healing initiatives in the prison system and beyond.
Together they delve into Christian's transformative journey and his work developing prison programs to provide healing. Christian also recounts an emotional courtroom experience highlighting the power of forgiveness in healing from trauma.
A key focus in this episode is on how self-compassion helps free us from our trauma and sham with Christian sharing his insights and experiences on the subject. Overall, the conversation explores the impacts of generational trauma, coping mechanisms, and the steps toward personal and communal transformation. Something we can all use in this highly polarized world we’re living in.
01:00 Guest Introduction: Christian Branscombe
01:43 Christian's Transformative Journey
04:00 The Power of Community and Healing
08:06 Facing Shame and Trauma
10:22 Generational Trauma and Coping Mechanisms
19:54 Buddhism and Finding Purpose in Prison
28:05 Transparency and Accountability in Healing
36:27 The Power of Embodied Wisdom
37:00 Rewiring the Brain Through Physical Practices
37:54 The Role of Somatic Experiences in Healing
38:32 Victim Offender Dialogue: A Transformative Experience
39:06 The Journey from Trauma to Compassion
40:47 The Importance of Self-Acceptance and Compassion
42:28 Balancing Life's Ecosystem
44:07 The Impact of Childhood Trauma
48:16 Forgiveness and Compassion in the Healing Process
55:25 The Role of Community in Healing
01:00:26 Embracing New Experiences for Growth
01:04:58 Defining Freedom Through Interconnection