Yarns for the Soul
"Yarns" is a common way for New Zealanders to describe having a chat, a conversation. We might say 'I had a great yarn with Nicole the other day!'. For me, a yarn can go in many different directions, often including multiple tangents and side stories. It also involves having deeper discussions and diving into some vulnerability, before coming back up to a lighter level with some sarcasm or dark humour.
Yarns for the Soul was born out of a desire to champion more honest and vulnerable conversation (but also feel like you're sitting on a friend's couch with a cup of tea having a yarn with them- and that friend is me!).
I believe in the magic and power of story-telling, and everyone has stories that deserve to be shared with the world. We are all experts of our own lived experiences, and I hope by sharing these we can foster more curiosity and compassion for others and the world around us.
I yarn with my guests on a range of topics, often delving into subjects that are still considered socially taboo or not spoken about enough. In my mini-yarns, I also share parts of my own stories, and reflect on things that I'm learning while I continue to muddle my way forward and follow my nose!
...
If you'd like to get in touch, or follow my journey, you can find me over in Instagram @yarnsforthesoulnicole. See you there!
Yarns for the Soul
Episode 47- Yarns on trauma awareness, collective healing and recentering joy with Amanda
What is trauma, and why is it important on a collective level that we examine what's going on for us as individuals?
On this episode I yarn with the incredible Amanda Hanna, director and creator of SomaPsych which offers trauma-informed trainings across New Zealand. She also teaches yin yoga, somatic dance, mindfulness and meditation, and is currently studying towards a Masters in Psychology.
Amanda shares her origin story of creating SomaPsych, which came from a space of burnout and disconnection (which we can all relate to on some level!). She talks about what healing looked and felt like for her, including the mindset shifts that had to happen along the way.
I ask Amanda to share her definition of trauma, and we yarn about why a purely Western version of trauma misses so many important aspects of healing. We talk about how unpacking our own lived experiences can help us move towards collective healing, and what small steps we can take on a day to day basis. Amanda also explains how 'mindfulness' is often tokenistic, but also harmful, depending on the current state of our nervous system.
We also yarn about how we can look after ourselves while also accepting that we get to have sacred rage about everything going on in the world around us. Amanda shares her tips for how we can build capacity to be able to lean in, and how we can accept others around us who might choose to disengage.
To check out the awesome trainings that SomaPsych offers and to find out more, check out the website. You can also follow @soma.psych on Instagram.
...
If you're enjoying the podcast I'd love to hear from you- find me over on Instagram @yarnsforthesoulnicole.
