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In this raw and soul-stirring episode of the Self-Care Sht* podcast, host Kathy Love sits down with Erica Bonham, a therapist, author, and somatic trauma specialist whose work blends science, spirituality, and deep humanity. Together they unpack what it really means to heal the “not-so-pretty parts” of ourselves—those stories, sensations, and inherited wounds that live beneath the surface.

Erica shares how her own journey through adoption, sobriety, and family trauma shaped her mission to help others integrate body, mind, and heart. She explains ancestral and epigenetic trauma in down-to-earth language and offers powerful ways to reconnect to the body when talking therapy isn’t enough. From rage as sacred energy to shaking, laughing, and crying your way toward wholeness, this conversation is a masterclass in embodied healing.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• We All Have “Stuff.” Healing isn’t about erasing pain—it’s about metabolizing it so it can transform.
• Trauma Lives in the Body. You can’t think your way out of trauma; you have to feel and move through it.
• Find Your Own Medicine. Meditation, dancing, shaking, screaming, or stillness—whatever helps you release energy is valid.
• Slow Is Fast. Real healing takes time; rushing the process only recreates the trauma.
• At the Center of the Shadow Is Sweetness. When we compost the hard parts, we uncover love, levity, and liberation.

Erica Bonham is passionate about walking folks through the beautiful, messy process of turning wounds into wisdom so that we can all remember our true nature—that we are always and already enough AND we still have work to do. Her work bridges personal healing with collective transformation and invites us to remember that the world needs us here in our fullest expression. She is a nationally sought-after speaker, licensed professional counselor, certified EMDR clinician, consultant, trainer, bestselling author, and nervous system regulation coach. She’s passionate about redefining leadership as a practice of presence, resilience, equity, and joy.


📦 Download the Free Regulation Toolkit: 11 Somatic Practices to Get You Out of Overwhelm: https://www.avoscounseling.com/freebie

🌐 Connect with Erica and her team for therapy and coaching services at: http://www.avoscounsleing.com

📘 Book: Get a signed copy of Erica's bestselling book, Always Enough, Never Done: https://www.avoscounseling.com/always-enough

💌 Find AVOS on Instagram and Linkedin:
https://www.instagram.com/avoscounseling/

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If you’ve been struggling with emotional codependency or want to learn how to establish a healthy balance of independence and vulnerability in relationships, join Kathy on this transformative journey. Be sure to subscribe to My Self-Care Sht* and leave a review!

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