What happens when a Southern Baptist single mom trades perfectionism for Maya wisdom?

Jan Capps discovered that the secret to a fulfilling life isn't found in climbing to the top; it's woven into the beautiful tapestry of community, creation, and embracing our gloriously imperfect humanity.

In this week's episode, Jan shares her transformative journey from small-town North Carolina to the highlands of Guatemala, where she spent decades working in healthcare and learning from Mayan culture.

Jan takes us through:

- How collaborative, imperfect gods gave Jan permission to embrace mistakes

- Why Maya women weave multiple roles, businesses, and dreams into one integrated life

- How the concept of "Susto" (soul loss) offers profound insights into healing

- A revolutionary approach to values-based living

- Why "everyone has a roof" in Guatemala and what Americans can learn about true interconnectedness

And so much more!

Jan Capps has been a public health advocate for immigrants, farmworkers, domestic violence victims, and people of color in the US, Guatemala, and Mexico for over thirty years, focusing on building local capacity and health equity.

During her two stints living in Guatemala, she organized and trained community health workers and midwives, managed a medical clinic, and studied the Maya Tz’utujil language. She has presented, trained, and written for national audiences.

Her greatest joy and most humbling experiences have been being a mother and watching her glorious daughter grow and launch into the world. Jan splits her time between Seattle, Washington, and North Carolina.

Connect with Jan:

Website: www.jancapps.com

Check out her memoir: Bird's Eye View: A Tapestry of Maya Mythology, Motherhood, and Making Life Anew

Connect with Aimee:

Instagram: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠

What if shame isn’t a flaw, but a signal that something essential in you has been pushed away? In this week’s episode, Aimee sits with David Bedrick, therapist, author of The Unshaming Way, and a passionate advocate for psychological truth-telling.

They explore how shame disconnects us from our experience, distorts our emotions, and shapes our identities from the inside out. Through somatic awareness, storytelling, and radical compassion, David invites us into the process of unshaming—not fixing ourselves, but fully witnessing and embracing the parts we've exiled.

David takes us through:

- Why shame cuts us off from empathy, truth, and genuine accountability

- How trauma and unacknowledged pain become embedded in the body

- The power of somatic language to access “unshamed experience”

- What it means to witness, rather than fix, someone in pain

- Why reclaiming emotion, desire, and personal narrative is essential to healing

- How unshaming returns us to wholeness and expands our capacity to love, feel, and act

And so much more!

David Bedrick, JD, Dipl. PW, is a teacher, counselor, and attorney. He grew up in a family marked by violence. While his father’s brutality was physical and verbal, his mother’s denial and gaslighting had its own covert power. This formative context introduced David early to the etiology of shame and instilled an urge to unshame.

Professionally, he was on the faculty for the University of Phoenix and the Process Work Institute in the U.S. and Poland, and is the founder of the Santa Fe Institute for Shame-based Studies, where he trains therapists, coaches, and healers and offers workshops for individuals to further their own personal development.

David writes for Psychology Today and is the author of three books: Talking Back to Dr. Phil: Alternatives to Mainstream Psychology and Revisioning Activism: Bringing Depth, Dialogue, and Diversity to Individual and Social Change. His new book is You Can’t Judge a Body by Its Cover: 17 Women’s Stories of Hunger, Body Shame and Redemption.

His new book, The Unshaming Way, was published by North Atlantic books in November 2024.

Connect with David:

Website: https://www.davidbedrick.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david.bedrick/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DBedrick

Order The Unshaming Way: https://a.co/d/dYTwNa7

Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/contributors/david-bedrick-jd-dipl-pw

Connect with Aimee:

Instagram: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠

Have you ever wondered what your pet is really thinking behind those adorable eyes? What if grooming your pet was more than a task, but a sacred exchange of trust and care?

In this week’s episode, Aimee sits down with Cassondra Smith, CEO of Club Pawsh and host of The Unlimited Groomer podcast. Cassondra shares her inspiring journey from music industry professional to animal wellness educator, speaker, and grooming expert.

Whether you’re a pet parent, an animal professional, or simply someone who believes in care-centered living, this conversation will expand your heart and perspective.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

- Cassondra’s journey from cubicles to canines, and finding her true calling

- How grooming is about more than looks, it’s about trust, healing & communication

- The concept of Fear Free grooming and why it’s changing the industry

- Why understanding animal behavior matters more than ever

- How somatic awareness applies to animals and what they teach us about energy

- The emotional impact of trauma (for pets and humans) and how to rebuild the connection

And so much more!

Cassondra Renee FFCP-G, AMCP, founder and CEO of Club Pawsh, is described as the only All-Luxury & Fear Free Certified Mobile Groomer in Buffalo, New York. She is a seasoned groomer with over 10 years of experience in in-home, mobile, and salon settings.

Cassondra has also held corporate roles overseeing hundreds of groomers, where she developed a passion for coaching and advising others in the industry to achieve success financially and personally. Her background includes personal development, a collegiate background in psychology, and a Bachelor's of Science in Music Business Management.

Cassondra's expertise and empowerment coaching have been featured in various media outlets, including Reader's Digest, television news, and animal sanctuary organizations. She also educates on platforms and podcasts within the grooming industry. Alongside her podcast, "The Unlimited Groomer," she offers business coaching tailored to pet industry professionals and is available for speaking engagements.

Additionally, she runs Pawscious Memories, which creates handmade pet keepsakes incorporating hair and cremains. Outside of her professional life, Cassondra has five pets, is involved in WINC (an organization supporting women in business), practices yoga and meditation, and enjoys dancing, reading, roller skating, and traveling.

Connect with Cassondra:

Socials: @clubpawsh, @unlimitedgroomer

Website: clubpawsh.com

Connect with Aimee:

Instagram: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠