Cosmic Hairholding & Resiliency with Katie Baker (part 2)

How do we find our way back to joy after trauma? In this soul-stirring conversation, Katie reveals her extraordinary journey from abuse survivor to intuitive healer, showing that our deepest wounds can become our greatest gifts.

Katie's story begins with the writing of her memoir, "When the Universe Holds Your Hair Back" – a process that allowed her to release decades of stored trauma. With remarkable candor, she describes how reading her audiobook became the final act in her emotional healing, forming the foundation for what came next. But the universe wasn't finished with her transformation. Just as she completed her mental healing journey, a car accident forced her to turn attention to her neglected physical body, revealing how trauma resided in her tissues as much as her mind.

The most astonishing part of Katie's evolution emerged unexpectedly – developing intuitive healing abilities that allow her to sense energetic blockages and emotional wounds through touch. Though initially resistant to these gifts, she now embraces her role in helping others unlock their healing potential. "I think everybody has gifts," she explains. "My gift is just helping people unlock their gifts."

What makes Katie's perspective particularly valuable is her emphasis on implementation. "The ceremonies are like 5-10% of the actual work," she shares, stressing that real transformation happens in our daily lives when we incorporate insights into practical changes. Her wisdom extends to those still carrying the burden of shame, particularly addressing how men's trauma experiences remain underrepresented and often unacknowledged.

Katie's parting message resonates with universal truth: "Healing is for everyone. It's a birthright... there's no expiration date on it."

Katie Baker
hello@whentheuniverse.com

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https://www.peaceandfirehealing.com/universebook

The Quiet Gift: A Journey of Self Worth and Resilience is now available for download as an audible.  Check it out!

Transcript

Katie's Book Journey and Healing

Speaker 1 0:06

All of us reach a point in time where we are depleted and need to somehow find a way to reignite the fire within. But how do we spark that flame? Welcome to Reignite Resilience, where we will venture into the heart of the human spirit. Resilience where we will venture into the heart of the human spirit. We'll discuss the art of reigniting our passion and strategies to stoke our enthusiasm. And now here are your hosts, natalie Davis and Pamela Cass.

Speaker 2 0:41

So tell us about the journey for the book. So when did that inspiration come to you and what was that like to? Like you said, every chapter is its own little story. What was it like to remember all of that and bring that forward?

Speaker 3 0:54

Yeah, that was the story itself is part of the healing, no doubt about it. I think that I wrote the chapters and then I had this whole crew of incredible people that would just step up and say, hey, I can proof it. I think that I wrote the chapters and then I had this whole crew of incredible people that would just step up and say, hey, I can proof it, hey, I can edit it, or hey, I can help you with the book cover, that kind of stuff. So I knew it was meant to be written because doors were opening. And what happened?

Speaker 3 1:19

Really, I was in those ceremonies and I would hear something outside of myself because I had never even thought of writing a book and it would say write the book, write the book, You're meant to write a book. And so I was like, okay, I guess I'm meant to write a book, because I've heard this 10 times and this is not coming. You know I didn't feel like from my mind. You know I didn't feel like from my mind. And you know, when I wrote the pages, my kids, my husband, my mom, they all listened and I would cry and I would weep.

Speaker 3 1:56

When I read the audio book, which I also was like I don't know if I want to read the audio book, but somebody well, not somebody, lots of people said you have to tell your own story, you cannot let someone else read this. And I sat in my makeshift studio, as I lovingly referred to it, and I read those pages and I swear that trauma the last of it left my body. So there was something sacred about not only writing this book, but also reading this book. And then now, as I get to have conversations, they are just more real and I just want people to feel supported. And so and I like to just go deep quick I don't want to talk about the weather, I want to talk about how are you doing and how we can help each other get through this thing called life, because it's hard, you know.

Speaker 4 2:44

Yeah, it is Absolutely, and so, as Pam mentioned, the completion of the book is fairly recent and I'm assuming that you're still on your journey, your healing journey.

Speaker 3 2:54

Yeah, yeah, it's really interesting. Well, a couple things happen. So, yes, I'm still on my healing journey. I think that's a lifelong journey because there's always room for improvement. Or this week, week, it's like how can I be in a place of gratitude and love and you know, remember that as opposed to running around with, you know, some of my old traits, like I'm just crazed and I have to get all this stuff done, and so I feel like it's a lifelong journey. But a couple things happened after I completed the book.

Speaker 3 3:23

This is crazy because I was so focused on the mind I got in a car accident. Somebody hit me, going 40 miles an hour in my car as well, but spun me around an intersection. So the next eight months I had to focus on the body, which I had failed to do. And I thought I read the body keeps the score and I thought, oh, to do. And I thought I read the Body Keeps the Score and I thought, oh, that's not for me, but it is right, it's a two-part system and we hold all that in our tissues. And so I think that car accident in particular allowed me to work on the body next, and then I unearthed all these intuitive abilities through this process. So now I'm going down this really cool spiritual path that is amazing.

Speaker 2 4:06

I love it. What were some of the things that you did to heal the body going through that?

Speaker 3 4:11

Yeah, I did cranial, sacral, physical therapy, massage, yoga exercise. Yeah, I just I felt like, oh, that's kind of of sad, I've totally left the body behind and I recognize that. How oftentimes we disregard our own body, right, and especially when we don't have any, when we have that emotional detachment, you know your body is definitely something that you kind of don't think about. So just gets you from point a to point. So, yeah, I did all the things and just was practicing slowness, right, sitting outside as opposed to sitting inside, or connected with nature, all the things that make us feel better if we actually take the time to do it.

Speaker 2 4:56

I love that practicing slowness. I think that's hard for a lot of us. Yes, I think that's a beautiful thing. Can you share with us your spiritual journey? So it sounds like you're on this spiritual journey now as well. What does that look like?

Speaker 3 5:09

I was like, okay, kind of bless your heart, I'm going to pay my mortgage off early, save for retirement. And it was because I grew up, I was oftentimes an adult, right, and a lot of the scenarios I found my childhood. I found myself in my childhood. So it was a way for me to be like, okay, I'm going to do this traditional life. But spirit had a whole other idea for me. It was like, excuse, excuse me, you have no idea.

Speaker 3 5:48

So when I was in a journey, a ceremony in particular, and I just heard these messages and had what I felt like was a profound spiritual awakening, almost a divine calling not almost, it was a divine calling, but what it is is that I have intuitive abilities and I work with people. I hold their hands and I can sense and feel blockages or stuck energy and then we work to honor that and release it, hopefully and with their, in partnership with them, and sometimes physical things as well. I work with people and just able to if it's tied to emotions, I have an ability to sense what's going on and then we're able to really just honor that process. And, yeah, I get some visuals on the story. It's not like I'm reading somebody's mind, but I can sense and feel what's going on, or where I can see them at a certain age and where maybe that energy got stuck. Wow.

Speaker 4 6:43

Yeah, yeah, that's huge. I mean, really, when you look at that, like you have this detachment from the physical, and I think oftentimes people don't realize when your body, like the physical portion of this whole journey, is tapping you on the shoulder and sometimes screaming in your face like, hey, you need to stop avoiding this. We're going to really work on it right now and so going through that yourself, and then that your gift is actually connected to physical touch, so you're so. That's interesting.

Speaker 4 7:12

Yes, yeah they were probably laughing like, of course, yeah of course, yes, watch this guys exactly exactly where it's like well, that's adorable, she wants to have the house paid off and all of that. We, the collective, we also need you to do this. Yeah, yes, well, katie, talk to us about, like, discovering that gift, because this is something that I think many people have, gifts and talents in different forms and fashions, and if they find it in this life, that's great and some don't, but you've been fortunate enough to discover one of your gifts. So what's that been like for you? Like when you realize that you could actually life, that's great and some don't, but you've been fortunate enough to discover one of your gifts. So what's that been like for you? Like when you realize that you could actually help people in their healing journey? I would imagine that there was some emotion, reservation, hesitation that was connected to it, not just you diving in both feet, especially when you were focused on your to-do list that was still sitting on your desk.

Car Accident: Healing the Body

Speaker 3 8:09

Yeah, yeah, totally. Well, I've got to say that for me in particular. Well, number one, I think everybody has gifts. My gift is just helping people unlock their gifts, which is really cool when you think about it. However, when this first hit, I must admit that I kind of freaked out because I was like, oh my gosh, I didn't believe in this. And now look at me and somebody saw this and this is happening and this person just got helped. And what is going on? Am I making this all up? Am I crazy? I went to a bunch of intuitives, shamans, I mean. I traveled the world seeking answers and needs validation will be on my gravestone, I swear, but hopefully that'll be fixed by the end of my lifetime and that'll be gone.

Speaker 4 8:57

Another problem healed. I wasn't thinking needs validation. I can just envision you like going to all of these healers saying fix it. I don't know what to do with this.

Speaker 3 9:05

Do this, take care of this I know, exactly, exactly, oh my gosh and my mom's, like ha told you so you know yeah and so, but yeah, I just kind of it's. At first it was unnerving, now it is a beautiful unfolding and I think, quite honestly, the world needs us to all awaken to our gifts and our abilities and heal, because I think number one, there's no expiration date and healing is a birthright. But I also think that I had to go through that process, a really challenging process. I mean, it was raw, vulnerable, I cried so much over here, but it was worth it, because then at the end I get to see the light and how I can help others and help make the world a better place.

Speaker 3 9:56

You know, my thought was like we see, for example, I'm getting a little sidetracked, but it does have a point. But we see, for example, when somebody has been abused right, that could be, if you think about the roots of a tree that can reach families, other friends, it can reach whole communities and create so much damage, right? Because a lot of times people repeat these cycles and patterns that they have experienced. I was fortunate that I did not. However, I think what if we heal right and we learn our gifts and then we get to do the opposite of that right and spread that positivity to our friends, to our family, to whole communities, and help make this world as right as possible in whatever way we can.

Speaker 2 10:46

And so yeah, Creating that ripple effect? Yeah, Incredible.

Speaker 3 10:50

Yeah. So it's been beautiful to just work with people and for way too many intuitives say you're not crazy, just go, go, go forth.

Speaker 4 11:01

And the hard part is getting through all of the challenging, dark, sticky, you know, the stuff that we have to get through in the journey and not giving up in order to get to the other side. When you have this realization, and then recognizing the actual impact that you have once you get to the other side, or that you can have once you get to the other side, yeah, it's like gold, right, it's like finding gold.

Speaker 3 11:24

And here's the thing like the strength and fortitude that it takes people to keep it together and keep doing the same cycles, I mean we underestimate the amount of work that that takes. And if you actually just use that same strength and fortitude to make some changes and however, whatever path you choose, like that I feel like might help the world kind of get back on track, because it can be a little scary and I think a lot of people are just have fear and sad and they're scared and and it's just crazy. Like as I started my healing practice in particular, I found that a lot of the men that have been abused because I work with men and women but men, you know, I think those numbers, those statistics, it seems like from my perspective, are probably underrepresented of the actual impact that a lot of this abuse these survivors have just been challenged with in their life. So, and I would say the same for women, right, for men and women, because we don't talk about it, it's shameful, right, we think we carry the shame.

Speaker 4 12:32

Yeah, there's so much shame still in that space, for both men and women.

Speaker 2 12:36

Yeah.

Speaker 4 12:37

And I'm hoping that we can continue to work through that yeah.

Speaker 3 12:40

Because, you know, everybody deserves this. They deserve a better life, and I think that's the problem with worthiness is you oftentimes don't think that you are worthy of a better life, but I really believe that people are and that they can find their way home, and then it's miraculous, and even small changes allow us to see a little bit more clearly.

Speaker 2 13:01

Well and I think I mean, when you talked about, you thought you were okay and you were going about the motions you know how many people are out there that think they're okay, that they've just buried it and they're doing their thing, but they haven't had that person, like your son and your daughter who said, hey, time out, you need to take care of yourself. Such a blessing and your message is obviously needs to be shared with those people that are living that don't have that person to tell them, so that they can have that hope and know that there is something on the other side of that trauma.

Speaker 3 13:36

Totally, because I think that I made it out. I made it out. My cousins are in prison, in and out of prison, like there. I know a lot of people that did not make it out or died, you know.

Speaker 3 13:47

So I feel like I have, now that I've made it out, and feel so much better, so much more whole and full, that I have a responsibility to share my message in whatever way I can, even if it's to one person doesn't matter, but just to help, to let them know that they're worthy, that they're loved, that someone or something, to let them know that they're worthy, that they're loved, that someone or something believes in them and that there is a larger purpose and it's just a better way to live.

Discovering Intuitive Healing Abilities

Speaker 3 14:17

But yeah, so it's just like. That's why I felt like I have a responsibility and you know, to be honest, talking about not only the abuse and the details I did, without trying to leave people with you know, just that sort of nasty soot of those stories on them but telling my story and then also really talking about therapeutic psychedelics. Right, because I feared I would get judged. I'm known in my community for something very different than what I'm talking about in this book. I thought it is absolutely critical and I think we all kind of need to if we're in a space to do so is to be able to help in whatever way we can. So the book and my practice in particular are ways that I'm working towards that goal Incredible.

Speaker 4 15:02

Absolutely For our listeners that are curious about the book and even having an opportunity to work with you. Talk to us a little bit about the book and how one can incorporate that. Not just by hearing your stories, but it sounds like you have tools and practices within the book that will help people on their journey. Talk to us a little bit about those things that are available for them.

Shame, Judgment, and Community Healing

Speaker 3 15:22

Yeah, so it's when the Universe Holds your Hair Back, and it's available on all platforms, like I did the audio book and that's on Spotify and Amazon and the hardback paperback ebook everything is on Amazon and others as well. But I think what I did how I laid, chose to lay the book out is that I talk about my stories in the childhood in particular, like I'm not okay, opens up and talks about where I found myself when I hit sort of my rock bottom, and then I talk about the childhood, the experiences that had an impact on my adulthood, because I had not addressed them and what that looked like, and then how I work through to really resolve those burdens emotional burdens and sometimes it didn't happen just in overnight. It took a year to work through that and so I wanted to lay it out and what's been interesting is the feedback I've gotten thus far is like oh, I hear my story in yours. So, even though our stories are different, right, I did talk about so many different things, you know, and it could be emotion, like shame. You know what happens when your children leave the nest and how. You know, I actually felt sort of lost, like I didn't know who I was Suicide, addiction, all the abuses. I talk about that as well, but I thought it was really important. I didn't.

Speaker 3 16:46

I mean the second well, but I thought it was really important, I didn't I mean the second half of the book. It lightens up and you see the change and the transformation start to happen. So I feel like I wanted to just let people know with as much honesty that was humanly possible and that's what I put in the book about my own personal experience, how I work through it. I'm not going to tell necessarily other people how they do it, but I'm hoping that this book gives them just a sense of hope, right, that, like you know, this is kind of a messed up story and she made it through and this is what she experienced.

Speaker 3 17:22

But also some of the things that I talk about in the second half of the book is how you know, in particular, it can feel like a lot of division and how did I perceive humanity after some of these experiences? Because a lot of times what happens when you have these ceremonies is you experience profound love or joy. Sometimes you don't know, like in my case. I didn't really know what that felt like. However, I felt like when I sensed that I knew it, I remembered it, I knew a way to get back home to that emotion, whereas before it was unfamiliar, I had no idea, I didn't know what joy felt like, and so that's how I laid out the book and just really wanted to kind of close out with what this path, how it led me and the major changes that occurred in my life.

Speaker 4 18:12

That is so lovely, I think, when you talk about like joy and love and feeling that. Feeling and experiencing that, receiving that and not having the historical context to go back to, but knowing that you want to continue to get back there in your own space. Right, it's one thing when you're in this controlled environment and you have a guide that's holding space for you and you know you're kind of experiencing it as a collective. And then there's you know you're in your kitchen or your living room or driving into work and how can you get back to that place? So being able to fill yourself and bring that level of joy, letting it wash over you independently, I think is a great goal and objective to have?

Speaker 3 18:49

Yeah, because you know, really the ceremonies are like five to 10% of the actual work. That happens. It's when you get home. How can you incorporate those changes? How can you implement you know sort of the ideas or thoughts or things that crushed your mind, like I journaled a lot so that's why I actually had all the material for the book but really, just like, how can we make the changes at home? Because if you just go to a ceremony and do it and then go home and do the same thing, I feel like you will get stuck in your story. You will not be able to get free of that. And my goal was actually the opposite like I need to get out of this. This has been a prison for far too many years and so, yeah, it's definitely. And then community, right, and all these incredible people that enter your life and you're like boy, these people are on fire. They're cool and they have purpose and they're, you know, driven in a different way. So it's cool.

Speaker 4 19:46

And if someone wants to work with you, Katie, how can they go about doing so?

Speaker 3 19:50

Yeah, so I have Peace and Fire Healing. It's in Boise, idaho but I also do work with. I do online sessions as well, so I work with people over Zoom and then, yeah, I incorporate music so that I stay focused and we work with people, and so it's really incredible and we take notes and capture that. Yeah, so I do both. But, yeah, I would love to share my website with everyone and book information.

Speaker 4 20:17

Absolutely. We will make sure that we drop all of that in the show notes so that our listeners can get their hands on it as well. And the power of Zoom. I'm so glad that that was something that became a normal household name. When you're meeting people in the field, you can meet them anywhere.

Speaker 3 20:30

Right Like now, it's just like let's go and who knew, like we never really thought about Zoom prior to the pandemic. So I guess that's one blessing we took away.

Speaker 2 20:40

Yeah, exactly yeah. Amazing blessing because we get to interview people like you who are not in our same state.

Speaker 4 20:48

I know I love this. I love this. What's next for you?

Speaker 3 20:52

What do you have on the?

Speaker 4 20:52

horizon.

Speaker 3 20:53

Yeah, so I'm just in this really cool phase and I am loving it. So I'm writing blogs and I'm working with people, Like I just did some energy work earlier today. So I get this opportunity to help people one-on-one and I'm going to do some book readings this fall, so I'll travel around a little bit kind of thinking about book number two Now that I've opened this door. I think there's some tools and resources that people choose this path in particular that it might be beneficial to share from my own experiences. This one focused really on my life, but I think might be beneficial to share from my own experiences. This one focused really on my life, but I think it's important to share sort of some of the other stuff that came about.

"When the Universe Holds Your Hair Back"

Speaker 4 21:33

Oh yeah amazing lots ahead yeah, how many books do you have? Do you think? Have you received that? Do you know? Uh, three, three, yeah, I say that kind of like three.

Speaker 3 21:43

They told me three, so I'll be okay. That's what I thought I figured you knew. I know I'm like can I just do a couple videos and just get a little break? But I love the process of writing, but once you get on the other side, I'm telling you it feels like a new frontier and it's so exciting and I feel like my life just started.

Speaker 2 22:06

Good for you I love that.

Speaker 4 22:09

And I don't want us to miss that little nugget that you said, because as we talk about this journey, sometimes it's challenging, sometimes it's hard. It's absolutely worth it. But even just in that moment you said hey, what if I just do videos instead and do a couple of blogs? No, I know Three books, two more.

Speaker 3 22:26

Yeah, I know three books, two more. Yeah, I try to negotiate with spirit.

Speaker 2 22:28

I'm not.

Speaker 4 22:29

I sometimes it works, I'm just kidding. It won't work out so well you know who's who's in charge exactly. I love it. I love it. Well, katie, is there anything else that you would like to leave our listeners with that we haven't touched on today?

Speaker 3 22:43

no, well, I just think that healing is for everyone. Like I said, it's a birthright, it's everything. There's no expiration date on it. I've seen people in their 90s at, you know, some of these ceremonies, just getting a better understanding, knowing that their life is at the end, and so it's like I really feel like healing is for everyone, that we are worthy, everyone that we are worthy. And, you know, I'm just here to really help as best as I can, to support people through this process, because I feel like that's my life's mission now that I made it to the other side, because I know there's so many stories out there and so many opportunities for a different way of living Beautiful.

Speaker 4 23:25

Oh my gosh, thank you. Yes, I love this, thank you, thank you. Thank you for sharing your story, thank you for writing the book and sharing your information with our listeners. Again, we'll make sure that we put all of your contact info in the show notes and the link to your book in the show notes as well, so that they can click on through and get that. I'm going to download it on Spotify as soon as we hop off, because I'm an audiobook kind of girly, I like to have that feeding in. But thank you for taking the time to join us. It has been an absolute pleasure.

Speaker 3 23:54

Thank you. I really appreciate this opportunity and to spend time with you all, so thank you.

Speaker 2 23:59

Wish you the best.

Speaker 4 24:00

And for our listeners. You all know it. If you are wanting to know about all the things that are happening in the world of Reignite Resilience, head on over to reigniteresiliencecom or find us on Facebook or Instagram. Until next time, we'll see you all soon.

Peace and Fire Healing

Speaker 1 24:12

Bye everyone. Thank you for joining us today on the Reignite Resilience podcast. We hope you had some aha moments and learned a few new real life ideas. To fuel the flames of passion, Please subscribe on your favorite streaming platform, like or download your favorite episodes and, of course, share with your friends and family. We look forward to seeing you again next time on Reignite Resilience.