Show Notes:

In this episode of Healing Doesn’t Have To Be Heavy, host Angie Berrett is joined by survivor, author, and nonprofit founder Sophia Moreno for an honest and compassionate conversation about healing from complex trauma and finding your way forward.

Sophia shares her lived experience with childhood sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and financial abuse, along with the impact of victim blaming and narcissistic family dynamics. She reflects on the tools and support that helped her navigate her healing journey, including self education, journaling, and meaningful community connection, which ultimately led her to found Sophia’s Hope for a Safer Tomorrow, a survivor led nonprofit supporting others on similar paths.

Angie and Sophia talk openly about narcissistic abuse, gaslighting, trauma bonds, and the lasting effects of emotional and financial control. They also explore the topic of forgiveness in a thoughtful, nuanced way, focusing on personal release, self choice, and allowing each survivor to define what healing looks like for them.

Sophia also shares how writing became an important part of her process, resulting in two books that capture her story and offer support to others navigating trauma recovery. She speaks to the value of survivor led support groups, the role of community in reducing isolation, and the importance of honoring different healing approaches.

This conversation offers connection, understanding, and encouragement for anyone who has felt alone in their healing. It reflects the heart of the podcast and the reminder that healing does not have to be heavy, and that moments of lightness and hope can exist alongside the work.

Bio:

Sophia is a dedicated local author and the founder of Sophia’s Hope for a Safer Tomorrow, Inc. As a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence, which encompassed verbal, emotional, and financial abuse, she understands the profound impact of these experiences. After enduring years of emotional pain, Sophia made the courageous choice to “pay it forward” by channeling her struggles into a source of hope and healing. This powerful transformation inspired her to write impactful books and found her nonprofit organization. Her mission is clear: to empower individuals by showing them they are not alone in their battle against abuse and to provide essential resources for emotional recovery.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sophias hope for a safer tomorrow

Website: Sophia's Hope for a Safer Tomorrow | Domestic Violence

Connect with me:

Website: https://angieberrettmovement.com/

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1

🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Playful Move for Instant Calm: https://angieberrettmovement.ac-page.com/free-short-movement-sequence-for-when-you-are-overwhelmed

Show Notes:

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and the Epstein files. Please listen with care and take breaks as needed.

In this deeply personal solo episode of Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy, Angie Berrett gently holds space for survivors navigating an especially triggering moment in the collective conversation around child sexual abuse and the release of the Epstein files. Speaking as a registered nurse, trauma-informed coach, and survivor of child sex trafficking, Angie shares openly from her own experience while offering compassion, understanding, and support to those who may be feeling overwhelmed right now.

Angie reminds listeners that being triggered does not mean you are failing at healing. In fact, it often means your nervous system is responding exactly as it was designed to. She explains, in a grounded and accessible way, how trauma lives in the body and why emotions like anger, shame, fear, disgust, and numbness can surface during times when past harm is echoed in the news and public discourse.

Throughout the episode, Angie offers gentle tools to help listeners feel safer in their bodies. She shares a simple, play-based movement practice to release pent-up anger and emotional energy, along with grounding techniques that support coming back into the present moment. Sensory tools, touch, and self-compassion are woven throughout as reminders that regulation does not have to be forceful or perfect.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, to listen to your body, and to give yourself permission to not be okay. Whether you are a survivor of child sexual abuse, someone with a trauma history, or simply feeling affected by the weight of the Epstein files and related news, Angie offers reassurance that your responses are valid, your survival skills make sense, and you are not alone.

Connect with me:

Website: https://angieberrettmovement.com/

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1

🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Playful Move for Instant Calm: https://angieberrettmovement.ac-page.com/free-short-movement-sequence-for-when-you-are-overwhelmed

Show Notes:

In this episode, Angie sits down with astrologer, teacher, and former psychotherapist Lori Barnes to explore an unexpected but deeply insightful lens for healing: psychological astrology.

Lori shares her powerful story of being adopted, growing up with unrecognized emotional disturbances, and eventually discovering that astrology helped her understand herself in ways traditional therapy never fully could. Lori blends astrology and psychology to help people understand the complex layers of who they are — beneath conditioning, expectations, and early-life experiences.

Together, Angie and Lori explore:

💫 What “real” astrology actually is
💫 How astrology can reveal parts of the self that trauma may have fragmented or hidden
💫 Lori’s adoption journey
💫 Why astrology and psychology work beautifully together
💫 The role of body-based awareness in trauma healing
💫 How understanding your chart can bring compassion and clarity
💫 The freedom that comes from finally understanding who you really are

Lori also shares her personal story of healing relationships with her adoptive family once she finally understood her own wiring, and how astrology helped her do it.

Bio:

Lori Barnes is a professional astrologer, licensed psychotherapist (LMFT), and marketing strategist with over 35 years of experience across industries. Based between Illinois and Rome, Italy, she brings a unique global perspective to her work, blending modern and traditional astrology with psychology, marketing, and AstroMapping techniques such as AstroCartoGraphy and Local Space. Lori’s expertise helps individuals and entrepreneurs align timing, place, and strategy to achieve their goals. Her academic background includes a BA in Business, an MA in Psychology, an MA in Marketing, and a Diploma in Astrology. She serves as Marketing Director for Kepler College and the Organization for Professional Astrology (OPA), and teaches classes on marketing, psychology, astrology, and AstroCartoGraphy.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loribarnesprofile/

Website: https://www.loribarnesastrology.com/

🎁Grab your Free Gift: https://www.loribarnesastrology.com/astropsychologyplanets

Connect with me:

Website: https://angieberrettmovement.com/

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1

🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Playful Move for Instant Calm: https://angieberrettmovement.ac-page.com/free-short-movement-sequence-for-when-you-are-overwhelmed

Show Notes:

In this episode of Healing Doesn't Have To Be Heavy, host Angie Berrett sits down with yoga instructor, author, and trauma survivor Marie Triplett for a powerful conversation about healing, embodiment, and reclaiming joy. Marie was a key guide during Angie's early healing journey, offering compassionate support and trauma-informed yoga instruction at a time when Angie was navigating the emergence of childhood abuse memories.

Marie shares how yoga became her entry point into healing, helping her reconnect with her body, understand her triggers, and rebuild safety through mindful movement. She explains why the right teacher matters, how yoga teaches emotional regulation, and why flexibility has nothing to do with whether someone can benefit from the practice.

The conversation explores how Marie’s healing deepened through her relationship with food. She describes her shift from emotional and stress eating toward a mantra of “eat like I love myself,” which eventually expanded into “live like I love myself.” This transformation inspired her to reclaim her voice, step into her power, and write two deeply personal books filled with stories, mantras, and guided reflections.

Marie also opens up about the joy she finds in cooking and feeding others, how creativity became an expression of love, and why celebrating life is a radical act for trauma survivors. Her story is a testament to resilience, self-connection, and learning to run what she calls “victory laps” after years of survival.

Bio:

Wife, mom, grandma, Army vet, yoga teacher, life coach, VP of Operations, and 2-time published author, Marie Triplett has become a master life juggler. After overcoming a childhood of adversity built on sexual abuse, devastating loss, and founded in poverty Marie clawed her way out of hardship and set out to build a life she always dreamed of despite the odds. Marie is impassioned to help people speak up and speak out in their lives, and she is dedicated to inspiring others to find and take back their power. Marie has been teaching yoga and leading retreats for over a decade. Expect to laugh, sweat, be inspired, and challenged in equal measure.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marie.triplett

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marieheltontriplett/

Website: www.groundedwarriormovement.com

Connect with me:

Website: https://angieberrettmovement.com/

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1

🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Playful Move for Instant Calm: https://angieberrettmovement.ac-page.com/free-short-movement-sequence-for-when-you-are-overwhelmed

Show Notes:

In this deeply supportive solo episode, trauma-informed coach, registered nurse, and play expert Angie Berrett speaks directly to trauma survivors navigating the heavy emotional landscape of the holiday season. Angie opens up about her own lived experience with holiday-related trauma and seasonal affective disorder, offering both validation and compassionate guidance for listeners who feel overwhelmed, frozen, or disconnected this time of year.

She breaks down the physiology behind survival responses like functional freeze, explains why so many people feel the urge to cocoon during stressful seasons, and shares a powerful grounding tool designed to help you reconnect with your body without re-traumatizing yourself. This episode is a reminder that your responses make sense, you’re not alone, and small, gentle movements can create moments of peace amid chaos.

Connect with me:

Website: https://angieberrettmovement.com/

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1

🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Playful Move for Instant Calm: https://angieberrettmovement.ac-page.com/free-short-movement-sequence-for-when-you-are-overwhelmed

Show Notes:

In this powerful episode of Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy, host Angie Berrett, welcomes Jacqueline Kane. Together, they explore the deep connection between emotional trauma, chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, and the body’s energy system.

Jacqueline shares how childhood trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and long-held beliefs become stored in the body, often showing up later as fibromyalgia, low back pain, neck tension, autoimmune symptoms, and burnout. She explains why traditional Western medicine often misses the root cause, and how emotional healing, intuitive guidance, and energetic work can create real physical relief.

Listeners will learn practical tools to start releasing stored trauma, including somatic awareness, journaling, intuitive listening, and small nervous-system-safe steps toward healing. Jacqueline also breaks down common emotional meanings behind different types of body pain, like knees, shoulders, low back, & more.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in chronic pain, overwhelmed by stress, or disconnected from your intuition, this episode will offer clarity, hope, and actionable direction.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of trauma, abuse, emotional regulation, and somatic pain.

Bio:

Jacqueline Kane, a Heal-Your-Back & 3x-Your-Income Specialist for professionals ready to uplevel their lives and businesses. I help high-achievers release chronic pain, clear ancestral blocks, and activate prosperity using my Vibrational Prosperity Method™. Whether you're stuck in burnout, physical discomfort, or financial plateaus, I’ve got your back—literally and energetically—so you can rise into your most powerful, profitable, and pain-free self.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1239739566211490

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

Instagram: Low Back Pain • Trauma Healer @heal_with_jacque

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinekane/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC81GO_Q9KFnyToDf48zXZPg

Website: www.jacquelinemkane.com

Real Pain Relief Strategy Session https://JacquelineMKane.as.me/RealPainRelief

🎁https://jacquelinemkane.com/pain-free-day/

Connect with me:

Website: https://angieberrettmovement.com/

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1

🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Playful Move for Instant Calm: https://angieberrettmovement.ac-page.com/free-short-movement-sequence-for-when-you-are-overwhelmed

Show Notes:

Host Angie Berrett sits down with Laura Bonetzky-Gaffney, a multi-generational healer, intuitive, and survivor whose story sheds light on the intersection of trauma, justice, and resilience.

Laura opens up about her journey through domestic violence, court-sanctioned abuse, and a decades-long fight to reclaim her freedom after enduring corruption within the family court system. From being silenced in marriage to finding her voice as an advocate and author, Laura shares what it means to transform pain into purpose — and how the power of awareness, mindfulness, and community can be pathways to healing.

Together, Angie and Laura unpack the concept of “power protecting power,” the complexity of coping mechanisms, and the process of learning to trust your body and spirit again.

Laura also introduces a practical, trauma-informed tool — the “Stop, Pause, Breathe, What’s the Action Step” framework — to help survivors ground themselves in moments of overwhelm and reconnect to their inner wisdom.

This episode is a powerful reminder that healing doesn’t happen in a straight line — and that sometimes, the smallest steps toward awareness are the most transformative.

Bio:

Laura Bonetzky-Gaffney is a multigenerational healer, intuitive, author, and sacred activist devoted to helping others reclaim their power and heal at the deepest level. A Jikiden Reiki Teacher, trauma educator, psychic medium, and host of Triggers and Spiritual Medicine, Laura weaves ancestral wisdom, spirituality, and somatic healing into her work through Healing With Spirit and Healing Trauma Through Spirit.

For nearly five decades, she’s walked a sacred path of healing, breaking cycles of abuse, and remembering the medicine of the wise women before us. Her approach is multidimensional—rooted in authenticity, spirit, and a deep respect for each person’s unique rhythm of healing.

A survivor of domestic violence and court-sanctioned abuse, Laura now channels her experience into advocacy and education as a member of the TRAC Coalition in Massachusetts. She continues to guide others through transformational journeys, including a 6-month sacred pilgrimage to Ireland in 2026.

Newly remarried, proud grandmother, and lifelong student of herbal and plant medicine, Laura embodies her belief that true healing isn’t a quick fix—it’s a lifelong devotion to walking in alignment with Spirit and the wisdom of the ancestors.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

http://www.laurahealingwithspirit.com

https://linktr.ee/HealingWithSpirit

Connect with me:

Website: https://angieberrettmovement.com/

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1

🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Playful Move for Instant Calm: https://angieberrettmovement.ac-page.com/free-short-movement-sequence-for-when-you-are-overwhelmed

Show Notes:

In this hilarious episode, Angie Berrett sits down with comedian and storyteller Natasha Samreny to explore how humor can become a surprising tool for healing trauma and reclaiming joy. From ex-Mormon roots and cultural identity to setting healthy boundaries and finding your voice, Natasha shares her deeply human approach to using comedy as both creative expression and self-discovery.

Together, Angie and Natasha unpack the intersection of trauma, humor, and authenticity — and how laughter can release tension, create connection, and help us find lightness, even in life’s darkest chapters.

Bio:

Natasha Samreny is a third culture comedian currently based in Florida. Raised by a Mormon and recovering Catholic from different parts of the world, she identifies with anyone who treats garlic as a primary food group.

Natasha trained at Chicago's Second City, and has opened for Gina Brillon, John Poveromo, and Ahmed Ahmed. She's been seen at The Laugh Factory, The Improv, The Athenaeum, and with the Boston Comedy Arts Festival, Latina Comedy Festival, Detroit Women of Comedy Festival, Mortified Chicago, the Camden Fringe, and Edinburgh's Festival Fringe.

She produces storyteller shows and teaches performance workshops (Florida Studio Theatre, New South Comedy Festival, Rhode Island Latino Arts). Natasha Samreny currently hosts bilingual LatinX storytelling shows, and teaches teller workshops with RILA in New England. The next Tejiendo Historias will be Providence, Rhode Island. September show date TBA soon!

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/natashasamreny

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@natashasamrenycomedy

Connect with me:

Website: https://angieberrettmovement.com/

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angieberrettmovement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angie.berrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angieberrettmovement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieberrettmovement/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieberrettmovement?_t=8qP9poCboWA&_r=1

🎁Grab your Free 5 Minute Playful Move for Instant Calm: https://angieberrettmovement.ac-page.com/free-short-movement-sequence-for-when-you-are-overwhelmed