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Racism is a public health crisis, one that affects every aspect of Black folks' lives. It also has a significant impact on our bodies. In this episode of The Bodyful Black Girl Podcast, Jennifer Sterling, a registered dance/movement psychotherapist and holistic nutritionist, shares five ways that racial trauma affects our bodies and offers Black womxn the opportunity to join her for Bodyful Healing's Expressive Movement Support Circle. More information here: https://bit.ly/2SofQXh If you like what you hear, feel free to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @bodyfulhealing. For additional show notes and more information about booking a dance/movement psychotherapy session, you can also check out our website: thebodyfulhealingproject.com.  This episode includes music from Blue Dot Sessions. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

As Black folks, we tend to carry quite a bit of intergenerational trauma. It can be a heavy load to carry and finding ways to let it go can be just as challenging as finding a Black therapist!  In this episode of The Bodyful Black Girl Podcast, we're joined by a fellow dance/movement psychotherapist —Stefanie Belnavis of A Bucket For The Well. In this episode, we discuss: what it means to be a culturally affirming therapist, the challenges of being Black women in a profession steeped in Whiteness and White Supremacy, the collaborative nature of dance/movement psychotherapy, how dance/movement psychotherapy can be used to heal intergenerational trauma. Stefanie also shares a word of advice for Black women interested in becoming dance/movement therapists. Stefanie D. Belnavis, LMHC, R-DMT, is an attachment-based Dance Movement Psychotherapist based in the Greater Boston area. Stefanie’s clinical approach which is centered around exploring the intersection of early childhood mental health, psychology, creative arts, social and racial justice, multicultural family/caregiving systems and addressing the implications of race-based trauma within communities of color. You can connect with Stefanie on Instagram and Facebook @abucketforthewell or via email: stefanie@abucketforthewell.com If you like what you hear, feel free follow Bodyful Healing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @bodyfulhealing, or check out our website: https://thebodyfulhealingproject.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

This is a challenging time to be a black person right now. Between the coronavirus killing our people and police lynchings, our bodies are under attack constantly.  With that in mind, guest GG Renee Hill chats with registered dance/movement psychotherapist and holistic nutritionist, Jennifer Sterling, about self-care ⁠— how do we take care of ourselves beyond bubble baths and face masks.  GG Renee Hill is a writer and speaker who helps others find, accept and express their truths through writing. She brings her experience as a blogger, memoirist, ghostwriter, and creative coach to the books, courses and workshops she offers on her website, allthemanylayers.com.  Through her offerings, she advocates for self-discovery and emotional awareness through writing, as she creates safe spaces for others to own their voices and tell their stories. When she's not working on her own writing projects, GG freelances as a communications consultant and workshop facilitator for corporate and non-profit clients. She lives in Maryland with her partner and three children and can be found on Instagram and Twitter @ggreneewrites. If you like what you hear, feel free follow Bodyful Healing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @bodyfulhealing, or check out our website: https://thebodyfulhealingproject.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

Many of us are living will illnesses, mental and physical, that no one can see. Our guest this week lives with both!  Clary Chambers is an invisible illness advocate. She owns and operates Spark Clarity, an organization that creates safe spaces for folks living with chronic and invisible illnesses, like fibromyalgia and dyslexia, to heal and thrive.  This insightful conversation includes a discussion about: Clary's experience as a queer black woman with fibromyalgia, dyslexia, depression, and anxiety. Her struggle to get an accurate diagnosis for her health concerns and challenges she faced in the workplace that led her to create Spark Clarity. We also discuss how play might be beneficial for folks living with chronic illnesses and/or invisible illnesses.  If you like what you hear, feel free to check out Clary and her work at www.sparkclarity.ca. You can also follow Bodyful Healing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @bodyfulhealing, or check out our website: https://thebodyfulhealingproject.com This episode of the podcast was sponsored by Kindred Medicine - a growing community of healers of color who are ready,willing, and able to support your healing. To find a healer of color for yourself, head to www.kindredmedicine.com Music provided by Blue Dot Sessions.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

'Rona did not come to play! It's changed all of our lives and many of us are feeling a little more edge because of it, so I thought it might be helpful to share some of the ways I'm coping with these interesting and uncertain times as a dance/movement psychotherapist and nutritionist.  I mention several resources in the podcast, among them my moving meditation album. You can find "Linger: Mindful Movement for Mental and Emotional Nourishment" here: https://bit.ly/347cdJO. If you're in need of a therapist, check out the offerings at Bodyful Healing or Open Path Collective: https://openpathcollective.org.  For more information on the ways food can support your mood, check out this blog post on the Bodyful Healing website: https://bit.ly/3dUOfWI.   If you like what you hear, feel free follow Bodyful Healing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @bodyfulhealing, or check out our website: https://thebodyfulhealingproject.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

The Bodyful Black Girl Podcast is back with special guest Bernadette Pleasant, the creator of Femme!  It’s a juicy episode that includes a discussion about: The movement modality Bernadette created, Femme! Wearing the mask of the strong black woman and the toll it can take on our bodies. The importance of creating spaces where black women feel safe, seen, and nourished The stress of living in bodies with black and brown skin If you like what you hear, feel free to check out Bernadette and her work at www.livefemme.com. You can also follow Bodyful Healing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @bodyfulhealing, or check out our website: https://thebodyfulhealingproject.com. You can find Jennifer Sterling's book, "Dear Strong Black Woman" here: https://amzn.to/38sEknG Music provided by Blue Dot Sessions and Rune Dale --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

So far we've focused our discussion on dance/movement psychotherapy, but there are a plethora of other bodyful modalities that encourage health, wellness, and vitality. We discuss one of them in this episode with our very first guest, Sonja Herbert.  Sonja is the founder of Black Girl Pilates and she's here to discuss...you guessed it, PILATES!  In this episode, Sonja defines Pilates and discusses how she stays connected to her body despite the racism that is often present in wellness spaces.  You can find more information about Sonja and Black Girl Pilates on Facebook and Instagram @blackgirlpilates. If you like what you hear, feel free to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @bodyfulhealing. For additional show notes an information about Bodyful Healing, check out our website: https://thebodyfulhealingproject.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

Depression is a brain problem. That's what most of us have been told. It's a mental health disorder that's caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. But what if there's more to it than that.  What if depression is a physical disease caused by something other than a chemical imbalance?  As a black woman who lives with depression, a dance/movement psychotherapist who supports black women living with depression and someone who has done LOTS of research on depression, oppression, and the body, I think it's important to consider all the options before making a decision.  Listen in to this week's podcast to learn a little more about how depression affects our bodies and why, according to The Behavioral Shutdown Model of depression and The Polyvagal Theory.  If you like what you hear, feel free to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @bodyfulhealing. For additional show notes and more information about booking a dance/movement psychotherapy session, you can also check out our website: https://thebodyfulhealingproject.com or find an alternative, holistic healer at kindredmedicine.com  This episode includes music from Blue Dot Sessions. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

Dance/Movement Psychotherapy isn't a well known form of psychotherapy, but it is the primary way in which Bodyful Healing supports black women living with depression. In this episode, Jennifer Sterling, registered dance/movement psychotherapist, holistic nutritionist, and creator of Bodyful Healing discusses:  What dance/movement psychotherapy is. The psychological theories she incorporates into her practice and work with clients and patients.  The difference between dance/movement psychotherapy and a dance class.  What you might experience in a dance/movement psychotherapy session.  If you like what you hear, feel free to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @bodyfulhealing. You can also check out our website: www.thebodyfulhealingproject.com for more information about dance/movement psychotherapy and to book a session with Jennifer Sterling, R-DMT, LCAT-lp.  This episode includes The Town Shops' "Befun" as well as music from Blue Dot Sessions.  For more information on our sponsor for this episode,  Heal In Color, head to kindredmedicine.com. A space for healers of color to list themselves as well as a space for people of color who may be seeking a healer of color to find one in their healing modality of choice.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message

Welcome to the very first episode of The Bodyful Black Girl Podcast. In this episode host Jennifer Sterling, registered dance/movement psychotherapist and holistic nutritionist shares what you can expect to hear in future episodes as well as the meaning of the word "bodyful." Hint: it's about the body...your body and mental health, to be exact!  If you like what you hear, feel free to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @bodyfulhealing. You can also check out our website: www.thebodyfulhealingproject.com Music provided by:  Truck Stop - "For all We Know" Zander - "Bedroll" Cloud Harbor - "Discover Harbor" Jake Bradford-Sharp - "BoogieWoogie" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bodyful-black-girl/message