Returning Home: The Podcast

On episode 24 of Returning Home, I interviewed Erin Stanley, a fellow therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. We talk about Erin's journey to becoming licensed and self-employed, the influence of social media and the information age on mental health, and how to cultivate self-care amid all the noise. Erin's work with millenials and elder Gen Z'ers is inspired by her own experiences in this generation, and her identity intersects in other ways, such as race and gender, which makes her very relateable to clients. Erin describes having a shorthand with clients where certain things don't need to be explained, which makes it easier for clients to get to the important work they came to therapy to do. When she isn't practicing therapy, Erin can be found baking cookies, playing with her dog or reading a good book.   Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Learn from Erin about how to cultivate hope, joy and mindful pleasure on a daily basis. Hear why Erin loves working with Millenials and elder Gen Z'ers in her private, virtual therapy practice. Develop ways to listen to your own body and live your life according to the messages you receive, as Erin explains some effective ways to do so. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 15| Be The Change: Positivity As A Practice Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Visit Erin's website and learn how to work with her here: Honey Bee Therapy See Erin's other links here: Linktree Connect with Erin on Instagram: @honeybeetherapy_ Attend Elise's next in-person event: GOLDEN HOUR by clicking here.

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tess Palma-Martinez. Tess is a sound healer, manifestation expert and founder of Completely Golden, based in Nosara, Costa Rica. She has created a medicinal style of sound healing, and works with clients in her Find Your Frequency mentorship. Her clients have experienced miraculous healing and perspective shifts that lead to greater awareness of who they are and how to express themselves in the world. You can find Tess on Instagram at @completelygolden where she shares a deeper connection with nature, offers daily insights and promotes upcoming events and retreats.  This episode is full of profound insights, a-ha moments and you'll probably want to listen with a pen and paper in hand!   Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Hear from Tess what she means when she says to validate yourself in every direction of your life. Learn about how Tess healed her body with sound healing. Discover how to find your frequency and shift from forcing things to happen to receiving. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 17 | Special Episode! Receive a Reiki Transmission Sign up for Elise's upcoming event GOLDEN HOUR on 3/23 here! Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Tess Palma-Martinez's website: www.completelygolden.com Connect with Tess on Instagram: @completelygolden Subscribe to Tess' Substack: www.completelygolden.substack.com  

On this latest episode of Returning Home: The Podcast, meet my guest Jenny McGurk. Jenny is a Psychic, Spiritual Guide & Resource. She uses Hypnosis, NLP, EFT and her natural intuition to help others heal & develop their own intuition. Her passion & highest excitement is to help guide others to discover their own unique inner intuition and develop a direct connection to spirit & source. Jenny spends her time studying, currently she is a 2nd Degree Freemason working on Master Mason, she loves reading about esoteric knowledge, ancient history, painting Aura readings for clients and having adventures homeschooling her kids. Listen to this episode to get inspired to start a new path, try a new talent, and let yourself be your true inner self. This episode should leave you feeling curious, ready to learn more about yourself and the world around you. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Learn what Jenny means by having Spiritual ADD. Hear about Jenny's path and courage to change careers. Pull back the curtain (a little bit!) about what it is to be a Free Mason! Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 18 | Blood + Guts + Star Stuff: Making Sense of Being Human Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Website: All information for Aura Readings, courses & free resources  https://www.jennymcgurk.com/ How To Follow Your Highest Excitement Book: https://a.co/d/eXcVU2w Daily Rituals Card Deck: https://jennymcgurk.kartra.com/checkout/b75b3154376599c67fee4c74a3d2dd3f Enjoyed this Episode? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

On episode 21 of Returning Home: The Podcast, meet Britt Stauduhar. They are a multi-passionate entrepreneur leading the way in Richmond's health, fitness, nutrition and lifestyle scene. Britt is a queer athlete & entrepreneur that has been working full time helping others uncover their strengths for the past 3 years. They qualified for IPL World’s in 2021 as a National level powerlifter and less than a year later they co-founded RVA’s first queer owned gym. They’ve since married their wife Kade Stauduhar, a highly credited VFX editor in TV & film and together they raise 6 cats as well as their creative company: STAUDZ. We had a really enlightening conversation that covered so many things- taking care of yourself so you can show up to other spaces and be your best for others, putting in the WERK, and shining light in dark spaces. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Hear more about Britt's journey from college dropout to successful business owner. Learn how you can truly live the life of your dreams if you stay true to yourself- which also means letting yourself evolve! Be the first to hear about a fun project that Britt and I may do together (you have to listen to the end to learn about it!) Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 18 | Blood + Guts + Star Stuff: Making Sense of Being Human Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Learn more about my upcoming Reiki training on February 10-11 and sign up here! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Personal: https://www.instagram.com/brittstaudz | @brittstaudz   Top Energy Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/topenergypod | @topenergypod   Naughty & Nourished: https://www.instagram.com/naughtyandnourished | @naughtyandnourished   Resistance + Co: https://www.instagram.com/topenergypod | @resistanceandcompany   STAUDZ: https://staudz.podia.com | https://www.instagram.com/staudzcreative | @staudzcreative   Enjoyed this Episode? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

In this episode of Returning Home: The Podcast, I interview Chelsie Skowyra, Spiritual Mentor. Chelsie is a former mental health therapist until her spiritual awakening sent her on a journey of integrating psychology with spirituality. She now works as a spiritual mentor offering transformational services such as teaching others how to be spiritual mentors, reiki healings, and hosting self-care retreats. In this episode, you will hear Chelsie's path to finding herself in her purpose, tools she offers to her clients in healing sessions, and OF COURSE a Taylor Swift reference (or 2!). I hope this episode is a reminder to listen to the small nudges you are receiving every day from various channels. Be open to the messages of your life and follow the guidance of your inner knowing. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Hear from Chelsie how she knew that Spiritual Mentorship was her professional calling. Learn what Chelsie means when she talks about favorite self vs. higher self. Discover some of Chelsie's spiritual icks! Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 16 | Reiki Is For Rebels: Finding a Spiritual Home Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Chelsie Skowyra's website: www.chelsieskowyra.com Substack: https://chelsieskowyra.substack.com/ Social Media (TikTok, IG, Pinterest): @chelsieskowyra Enjoyed this Episode? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

Meet Sophia Hornyak in this interview on Returning Home: The Podcast. Sophia is a mother, writer, akashic teacher, and occult historian. Driven by her own traumatic upbringing, she has a personal practice of researching occult and mystic philosophy to find the bridge between the spiritual and the meaning of self. Her work is grounded, raw, and places the importance of resonance in the hands of her students and clients. In this episode, Sophia shares about the powerful work we did together in EMDR sessions, her views on spiritual bypassing, her upcoming Trance training in the UK, and she discusses her terminology “Spiritual Ecosystem.” Healing doesn’t mean erasing yourself or your experiences, it means integrating the past with who you are now and who you have always been, and who you are becoming.   Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Hear from Sophia and the exciting progress she made during EMDR treatment. To learn what Sophia means by Your Spiritual Ecosystem. To discover upcoming events where you can meet Sophia and learn from her. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 18 | Blood + Guts + Star Stuff: Making Sense of Being Human Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Sophia Hornyak’s Website: www.divinevoidsophia.com  Connect with Sophia on Instagram: @divinevoidsophia Attend Sophia’s next event in Richmond: In person event:  https://buffalofirefly.com/pages/classes-events-journey-sophia Sophia’s podcast is called Magical Baddies (we love!)   Enjoyed this Episode? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.  

In this latest episode of "Returning Home: The Podcast," Elise returns to discuss the juxtaposition between having a powerful human brain and a very fragile human body. She discusses the difficulties she and her clients face in having to be both an animal and a computer all at once. In this episode, Elise tells some anecdotes about her life, and also poses big questions that feel almost too big to answer. You are invited to participate in this conversation by leaving a comment, or find Elise on social media and pose some questions of your own! Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Hear about common struggles in the therapy room. Feel a sense of connectedness to the conundrum of being a human with big dreams while also having to live with the restraints of a body. Broaden your thinking around common humanity. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 1 | Returning Home to Yourself From Childhood Trauma Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [02:45] A topic that comes up in the therapy room. Balancing having a really powerful human mind inside of a fragile animal body. Elise finds that she and a lot of her clients are deep thinkers who have answers to big problems but other people don't get it. [04:02] Common Humanity and Self Compassion Being a deep thinker and feeler can be overwhelming and lonesome Sometimes it feels like we're the black sheep sticking out from everyone in our lives Thread of common humanity is helpful when we think on a bigger global scale and the interconnectedness with others across the world. [06:30] Finding Community Where You Are Finding people who are likeminded so you don't feel so alone in your approach [07:03] Writing a novel! This concept of "blood and guts and starstuff" came to me in a creative writing class I took a class that uses prompts called "Life in 10 Minutes" to help jumpstart the writing process We had to read what we wrote out loud to the class! Writing helps me to metabolize what is in the ethereal realm into the 3D on the page. [09:09] Bringing Art into The World Having a human brain makes art possible All invention is only possible with the power of the human brain Getting feedback on our work can be really scary! We need feedback to improve our ideas [10:36] The conundrum of Blood + Guts + Star Stuff Humans are an oxy moron of needing to deal with the mundane and the magical Looking around and seeing the concepts and stories the human mind can take us Reconcile feelings and thoughts In the therapy room, clients recognize that logically they understand one thing about a situation and feel something completely different about it We can't think our way out of trauma which is maddening [12:42] The body isn't wrong, but the mind isn't always wrong either The mind can sometime work against our body to make meaning When our body feels a certain way, our mind can write an untrue story about it People are many parts- we don't have to judge it, it just is [15:30] Human Capacity to Make Things We Need Evolution of ideas across the years I tell a story about how I was thinking about this in high school while walking on the board walk Were humans always capable of making the things we have? Technology evolves so fast in the modern day It feels like a huge question to answer [17:59] A world full of people who have healed their trauma I think unhealed trauma is why we have war, power struggles and suffering I talked about the novel I want to write What if we lived in a world where everyone could live out their true potential? [20:56] Closing Thoughts If you have something to add, find me on social media and start the conversation with me there. I have interviews lined up with Richmond practitioners, so stay tuned If there is anything you want to hear about from me on the podcast? Let me know! Enjoyed this Episode? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

Welcome back to Returning Home: The Podcast, hosted by Elise Kindya. This episode is special because you will be receiving a Reiki transmission! Disclaimer: please do not operate heavy machinery such as driving a car when listening to this episode. Please have the following items available: a comfortable place to sit or lay down with pillows, blankets and anything you need to maintain a restful posture journal and pen anything you need to build a special space or altar such as: candle, crystals, feather and a vessel for clean water This episode is a channeled Reiki healing, so prepare to feel grounded, whole and rested at the end of this episode. Make sure you listen through to the end for a special surprise! As always, your reviews and ratings are so important. Please make sure to rate this podcast 5 stars! Resources: Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: The Podcast Episode 16: Reiki is for Rebels: Finding a Spiritual Home Sign up for a 1-1 Reiki Session with me here Sign up for my upcoming Reiki Mini Retreat (happening Saturday, August 19 2023 from 10am-12pm) here Connect with me on IG: @elisekindya Sign up for my newsletter Visit my website to learn more about my offerings: www.elisekindya.com  

Welcome back to Returning Home: The Podcast! I have taken a little hiatus while I had some big life events happening: getting married, bringing home a new puppy, and opening an in-person office/healing space! There has been a lot to celebrate in the 3D world. It feels good to be back on the show with you.   In this latest episode of Returning Home: The Podcast, I invite you to learn more about Reiki, which is my spiritual home. I explain a bit about the history of Reiki and how it got to the West from Japan, what the power of Reiki offers to you, and my own personal path for getting to Reiki (spoiler alert- I once thought all religion/spirituality was really corny!).   The reasons you should listen to this episode are: You want to understand more about what Reiki is. You are on a spiritual journey and you don’t feel like you have a spiritual home as of yet. Hear about my path to this approach to spirituality.   Resources: Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: The Podcast Episode 15: Be The Change: Positivity As a Practice Episode 3: 8 Healing Resources to Return Home To Yourself Sign up for a 1-1 Reiki Session with me here Sign up for my upcoming Reiki Mini Retreat (happening Saturday, August 19 2023 from 10am-12pm) here Connect with me on IG: @elisekindya Sign up for my newsletter Visit my website to learn more about my offerings: www.elisekindya.com Episode Highlights: [02:27] The History of Reiki The Original Reiki Ideals by Mikao Usui The approach of Reiki is kindness and appreciation of life Reiki means “universal life force energy” Reiki was founded and discovered in Japan 1914- Matiji Kawakami used Reiki in his therapy practice 1922- Mikao Usui received Reiki while meditating on Karuma Yama 1930s- Usui asked Hayashi Sensei to take over for him 1930s-1940s- Master Takata brought Reiki to the West through Hawaii Levels of Reiki: 1, 2, 3 and Master level William Lee Rand wrote many training manuals on Reiki that are used today   [06:35] Zooming out and seeing spirituality in general How spirituality runs through everything Universal force of love that transcends time, space and human made understanding of time and space Reiki runs through everything and can’t be tied down or stopped It helps to perceive this force to strengthen it, but it is working whether we focus on it or not Much like the universal laws of the universe and gravity- it works whether we recognize it or not Reiki is Source - The Divine, God/Goddess Reality is created in our minds, so we can decide to recognize it and let it help It can only help, it cannot hurt anyone How a Reiki session works- the practitioner tapping into this source/subtle energy realms and being a channel of it to you as the client   [10:30] My Journey To Reiki The days I am offering Reiki are really good days, it feels good and I know it is working on a heart, spirit and soul level I was raised Christian Maybe other trauma survivors can relate- becoming athetist or agnostic to rebel against organized religion I did not agree with how religion was presented and forced onto me as a child and teenager I was always drawn to tarot and other mystical practices but didn’t practice due to gatekeeping Slowly but surely, I opened to other approaches to life and spirit there were   [13:01] On the move- discovering Reiki in Richmond Nature is a huge part of life in Richmond which seemed to open me more to spirit and Reiki Living in NY and NJ, nature isn’t a big part of life or my upbringing and I felt really disconnected from anything important Having trauma in life cuts us off to positive experiences Life felt more hopeful about life in Richmond due to an abundance of nature all around and easily accessible   [15:52] How Social Work Opened me to Spirit The Social Work Framework of biopsychosocialspiritual helped me open up more to the idea of spirituality In my training as a trauma-informed therapist, it was important to build resilience by doing inner work and have inner resources Started a mindfulness practice and then being in that community, Reiki was a clear next step Health and healing always takes place in my mind - as a therapist, mental health is key Mindfulness and yoga helped me tune into my body   [18:45] If You’re Seeking, Reiki Might Help Reiki felt like a natural place to expand into my spirituality It wasn’t on my radar at first In 2016 or 2017, going to Yogaville was eye opening- they describe each religion as a path to get to the same place: God As a rebel, I liked that I didn’t have to choose to practice a specific religion There is no “church of Reiki” You get to experience spirit in your own unique way Reiki deals with subtle energy that is outside of conscious awareness  Spiritual but not religious #sbnr   [23:01] Reiki in my Life Now Reiki is a communal experience Reiki events, shares, and mini-retreats Combining the other training I have as an LCSW with this spiritual aspect is something different I offer my clients A Reiki session with me is a little different than with other practitioners Reiki is an empowering approach to spirituality- your power comes from within you and not from an outside source   [26:01] Reiki as Empowerment As someone who had choice taken away, Reiki is a refuge I am a rebel and want to forge my own path Reiki is amazing to me because it helped me find a way to be spiritual in my own way and not fit in a mold to do it   [28:52] Sobriety Strengthened My Connection to Reiki Being a clear channel in this way is important to me We keep going deeper into our healing Spoiler alert- there is no end to peeling our healing onion Being a human is a lot of work! Reiki offers me a way to be a human and feel happy, empowered and in more control of my life It gave me the gift of being more in touch with this side of myself There is always more to learn, love, heal and grow into   [30:47] Reiki Mini-retreat! In person in Richmond on Saturday August 19, 10am-12pm If you want to experience Reiki with me in person, email me for a discount code! Group Reiki as well as 1-1 hands on experience, journaling, and more! Visit www.elisekindya.com to book in person 1-1 sessions with me  

In this episode, join me to have a conversation about positivity and how we need this force in our life to combat negativity. I want to use this platform as a ripple to reach more people in order to positively impact my community and the world. Sure, there are moments when negativity takes over, and there are even times when the benefit of negativity can be felt and understood (listen to the episode to hear more about that!). But, making more time for positivity cannot be a bad thing for us. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Hear stories about how I take negativity and transform it. Uncover the hidden depths within yourself where you can access more positivity. Connect with the energy of gratitude and maintain what you already have instead of striving for more in order to feel positive. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 13 | The Power of EMDR Episode 14 | The Birth of The Art Of Us Slow Down To Speed Up: Visualization Masterclass Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [03:00] Why Positivity? I find that I often talk about trauma and negativity and want to lighten up the topics of the podcast a bit. Giving some of our time to what is going well. As a “J” on the Meyers Briggs, seeing the negative happens a lot for me, so I want to spend time on what’s going well. Let things be what they are and notice the good in them. Nothing is perfect anyway, so why not see the best in things when you can? You don’t have to believe all of your thoughts- both positive and negative.   [07:21] Synchronicities and Magic  Sometimes the cause between things happening doesn’t seem related but they are or we can connect them in our own mind. Listen to this section for a story about an interview I did in a past episode. The change you want to experience in your life can happen without you striving or trying for it. How can you slow down and receive? It can be relieving to think that there are forces at work that are outside of our human ability to perceive that can be helping us. Sometimes slow is fast. Being guided and learning is sending the message that you don’t know everything and you’re open to having your mind expanded. What you need is inside of you. [14:06] Grab a Journal and Ask Yourself These Questions: What is this resistance trying to teach me? What could I learn from this situation? What is missing that I’m trying to fill in right now? Do I need what I’m trying to fill in? Is the thing I’m using to fill this void actually serving me? [14:41] Being In The Cycle of Giving and Receiving is Positive It’s hopeful to see yourself in this light. You are resilient and capable of doing great things. Be your own cheerleader. Take time to celebrate your wins, milestones, and efforts. What is the point of reaching goals if we don’t mark the occasion? [18:09] Back To Magic - Synchronicities and Numbers  Noticing numbers in sequence helps me to feel positive, hopeful, and that I’m on the right path. Astrology and seasonal alignment can be inspirational as well. You can make the connections between what numbers and what they mean to you. Building a strong connection to your own intuition. [20:55] Mindfulness and Positivity Noticing neutral or pleasant emotions or sensations within yourself can be helpful. Sometimes we have to feel the suffering to get to the joy of life. Being able to define suffering is what helps us be able to define joy. Let giving space to positivity a daily practice. Seek assistance from a professional to work through these difficult emotions. [25:24] Social Media - Can It Be Used for Positivity? I am currently taking a break from social media. Listen to this section to hear how I used Pinterest to pour into myself rather than feel bad about scrolling. Use your brain chemistry to your advantage- if it feels bad, don’t do it. If it feels good, do it. If you are on a certain social media platform for a reason such as trying new recipes or art techniques, challenge yourself to actually try one of them this week as opposed to scrolling. [31:43] Not Using Winter as An Excuse to Cut Yourself Off If you’ve been hibernating all winter without contact with friends, it might be contributing to a negative feeling. As humans, we don’t need as much hibernation as the earth- our life span is a lot shorter. You can decide if you have energy or not- you don’t have to stay inside just because it’s winter. You’re allowed to start new things even in winter. Flow with your joy and inspiration. The human nervous system needs connection with other humans to feel nourished. If you have been withdrawn, your nervous system might be starving or thirsty. Ask yourself what’s the worst that will happen if you let yourself go out and be social. You might find that if you do it, you will have more energy and positivity. [37:49] Conflicting Voices Can Make Positivity Hard - But They Can Be Dealt With We are conditioned to think there is a perfect time for taking action or a better way to do something. How to confront this voice in a loving way by asking it some questions. Setting boundaries with ourselves can be hard, but it’s worth it. It’s showing yourself self love. Sometimes life is risky and we have to start taking chances in order to feel the bliss and pride we want to feel. Just because something is scary, doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. When you stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone, you realize you’re growing. Climb the mountain within to feel more positive. [40:15] Positivity is Maintaining What We Already Have Taking care of what we already have can help us feel more positive.  Gratitude makes way for appreciation and contentment. If we want to add something new, needing to tend to the “old” or what’s already there- take an inventory before adding something new.  [41:58] I’m Not An Expert on Positivity I need more positivity in my life which is why I’m doing this episode! To learn more from the experts, look up the University of Penn’s school of Positive Psychology. I want to be a ripple of positivity in the world. Enjoyed this Episode on Positivity? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home — even to your future self.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

If you live in Richmond, VA, you need to check out TAOU Studio in Carytown. TAOU stands for "The Art of Us" and has been birthed by Katie Bosch and Kat McCrory. In this podcast episode, you will hear about their inspiration for opening the studio, the type of yoga they practice and teach, opportunities to learn alongside them, and lots of fun stories about their lives that brought them to this place in time together. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Get to know Katie Bosch and Kat McCrory from TAOU Studio.  Learn how to pull ideas from the ether into 3D reality. Discover the importance of community on your self-discovery journey. Resources TAOU Studio in Carytown Upcoming trainings at TAOU in yin yoga and Katonah yoga. Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [05:25] Inspiration for The Art of Us Katie and Kat came into the development of the studio not knowing each other very well.  The concept of TAOU came together in 24 hours!  Both Katie and Kat bring a lot of past experiences into the studio.  Kat's computer died the moment she emailed Katie the PDF of the proposal while at a training in Costa Rica. [08:30] Pulling A Concept from the Ether into 3D Reality Dabbling in a lot of modalities like art, body work and others to let yourself explore.  Kat sees the connection of Katonah Yoga in how to bring dreams to life.  Listen to this section to hear a story about Kat and Jimmy Fallon's lawyer.  Sometimes a hard experience makes way for powerful lessons and leads to a rebirth. [13:26] TAOU Is Offering A Series of Katonah Yoga Trainings Breaking the training into smaller bite sized chunks.  There is so much to learn about the connection of mind/body so focusing on smaller parts is important.   The magic square = the body is a home. Asking yourself questions for how to deepen your connection to your life. [16:22] Putting Yourself In The Center of Your Dream  Having patience to put everything in practice and give yourself time for things to materialize.  Not giving up on your own vision and dream.  Realizing you will still get tripped up. Putting theory into practice helps you see if your vision is really for you. Your practice is up to you, you get to decide what your practice teaches you and what is revealed to you. Katie says that every time she comes to the practice, the questions are the same but the answers are allowed to shift which feels free. [23:01] Kat and Katie Are Mirrors for Each Other  Spending more time together they found out small similarities they have. Helping each other take concepts and make them 3D. Katie and Kat play off each other and it feels easy and effortless. [24:46] TAOU As a Space For Freedom Kat tells a story about her dream of having a studio that encompasses art, movement and supporting other people. Kat wants to break yoga out of a box, it can be innovated from the root of the practice. There were obstacles in the way when Kat was trying to open other studios, before opening TAOU. People take things really seriously and make us feel small, which can limit our dreams. Sometimes curve balls prove our limiting beliefs to ourselves. Katonah helped Kat change her life. [27:29] If Katie Hadn't Shaved Her Head, TAOU Wouldn't Have Opened Katie and Kat went to a training last summer for Katonah Yoga.  2016 was a huge year for Katie, where she got her yoga teacher training as well as got inspired to become a massage therapist.  At Vitality Float Spa, Katie was inspired to massage. At the beginning of 2022, Katie shaved her head. If she hadn't shaved her head, TAOU wouldn't have opened. Katie needed to shake things up to try something new for her professsional life. She couldn't put herself in the center of her work. Kat texted Katie in the middle of her deeper shadow work of trying to figure out her next professional step. Katie had the courage to step away from Vitality, building her confidence and taking the first step. [31:29] Following The Bread Crumb Trail to Bigger Life Changes It's impactful to ask smaller questions to get to a bigger new direction. Options only matter if you trust yourself to make a new choice.  Last year was the year of stepping into something to take a risk, feel powerful and believing in ourselves. [34:44] The Woo-Woo Is Related to Observable Science  Katie and Kat sometimes feel skeptical and question everything.  Healthy skepticism is good for us.  The "right" way vs what feels good to the individual. Do you think yoga is for everyone? Katie and Kat don't think so. Everything is a practice: cooking, sex, tennis, yoga, and life. It's a tool to help you to discover yourself. What is the correct tool? [39:24] Imitate, Integrate, Innovate Make your practice work for you.  Eventually, you no longer need the teacher because you make your practice your own. Return home to yourself. Unlock doors and go somewhere different. Elise wants to also break out of the box that social work tries to put her in professionally. [42:37] The Importance of Community Getting to know each other is the point of gathering in classes.   Eye contact as an intimate practice. Making friends as an adult isn't as hard as we make it out to be sometimes. Leading by example to join people together and feel more comfortable practicing together. Embracing yourself leads to embracing other people. How to make TAOU a community space is a huge prirority for Kat and Katie. [47:02] Exciting Offerings on the Horizon  TAOU is going to Portugal in early March. Spots for this retreat are full but there will be more retreats to stay tuned about in the future.  Trainings are coming up in the studio: Yin, and 2 Katonah trainings this year. Anyone interested in deepening their yoga practice can come to the trainings. Use what you learn in yoga off the mat. [51:11] Where To Connect With TAOU  www.taoustudio.com  Instagram: @taou_studio   Wisdom comes from asking yourself questions to get the answer.  Enjoyed this Episode About The Art Of Us? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

Healing from trauma sometimes seems impossible, but with new developments in neuroscience over the last 15 years, it is more possible than ever. Join me on this episode all about one of my favorite therapy modalities, EMDR. EMDR stands for “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing” and it’s a revolutionary technique that can help you to finally feel relief from trauma. In this episode, I explain a bit about how it works and why it works, as well as share some stories about my experiences both administering EMDR and receiving EMDR. You will learn so much about how trauma is stored in the body, how to metabolize it, and how to move forward with more peace and freedom. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Connect how trauma lives in the body and how to process it using both the mind and the body. Understand more about how EMDR works. Feel inspired that healing is possible. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 1 | The Power of EMDR Slow Down To Speed Up: Visualization Masterclass Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [04:54] What is EMDR? EMDR stands for “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing”. This modality was adapted from a 1950s modality, systematic desensitization therapy that used progressive muscle relaxation, and instead uses bilateral stimulation with eye movements as well as other stimulation- sound tones and tactile stimulation of touching or tapping. Bringing both sides of the brain online to witness a traumatic memory. [06:38] What is trauma?  Trauma is a negatively activating experience where we are overwhelmed by a threat and we are unable to successfully defend ourselves. In humans, we tend to get stuck in our trauma psychologically when we aren’t able to close the traumatic stress response. See the book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky to learn more about getting unstuck from stress. EMDR helps us get the trauma unstuck from our bodies. PTSD: Post traumatic stress disorder and CPTSD- Complex PTSD. Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. [09:01] Trauma happens first in the body- even psychological trauma. The body disconnects the higher-level thinking brain when we experience trauma. We need the energy in our limbs to fight or run away from threat. Trauma gets stuck in our body at this point. Humans make meaning of our experiences- and so when trauma gets stuck, we make it mean something about ourselves. EMDR guides clients to go back into the memory- usually the first and worst- and bringing the higher level/left side of the brain into the memory, usually gaining a new perspective on the memory. [11:58] Bringing all of you into the memory The analytical part of the brain is seeing this memory for the first time. After trauma, you might over analyze and wonder what we could have done differently. As humans, we make it mean something about us - even when it wasn’t our fault. EMDR can stop these intrusive thoughts. When you can see this memory more logically and objectively it helps you realize that the traumatic event that happened was out of your control. [15:24] Tools to use in EMDR  Often times, you needed protection from the trauma or nurturing after the trauma so that the impact would not have been as great. I help clients develop Protective Figures and Nurturing Figures into sessions to reprocess the memory. I see this as powerful inner child work. You deserve care and love, and EMDR provides the opportunity for a rebirth. [18:14] Talk therapy and EMDR We use the left side of the brain in talk therapy. The trauma is stored in the right side of the brain and in the body, which talk therapy doesn’t usually touch. EMDR brings both sides of the brain to see the memory and actually can do something with it. We can liberate and free ourselves when we do EMDR. Regain access to parts of yourself that felt inaccessible. [20:16] There is no time machine No type of therapy can rewind time and change your life experiences. What we can do is to use tools today to help you feel better about yourself, and increase your self worth to help you live your life differently going forward. [21:02] Things To Consider When Doing EMDR Important to do EMDR with other practices and with a trained therapist. Therapists can screen clients to make sure that they are appropriate for this type of work. People on TikTok are saying that they have given themselves EMDR- which I would not recommend. Sometimes slow is fast- working with a professional can help you get there the “right” way. Trauma makes us feel hyper independent and it’s actually healing to be in community when healing. [25:48] Closing Thoughts Our brains have neuroplasticity and mirror neurons- which helps our brain change. When we are intentional and willing to practice, we can change. EMDR helps you maximize the potential of your brain. Enjoyed this Episode on Positivity? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home — even to your future self.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

What does sobriety mean to you? We each get to choose what our relationship to the substances we consume is. In this latest episode of Returning Home: The Podcast, Elise talks more in depth about consuming substances- alcohol and others- and what this means for her life. She shares stories from her days of drinking and how it’s been easy for her to make a new choice in her life. She also shares stories about her new perspective as a sober person. Elise will encourage you to reflect on your own identity, your values, the balance you have struck in your life, and hopefully you’ll share a few laughs along the way. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Learn how you can align your identity with your actions. Discover the secret to staying sober. Hear some stories from my life that might help shed light onto the relationship you have with alcohol. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 2 | How Sobriety Changed My Life Slow Down To Speed Up: Visualization Masterclass Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [03:05] Things that make it easy for me to stay sober Thinking about how alcohol kills brain cells. Identifying as a sober person at the basic identity level. [05:32] I had hit a rock bottom moment while drinking that made me choose Hitting a rock bottom moment while drinking that made me come face to face with other parts of my identity. I had to choose between being a drinker and being kind, mindful, and thoughtful. [07:49] Grateful that I will never have another alcohol-induced rock bottom moment I can be fully awake to my life. If I have a bad day, it’s ok. I know how to take care of myself through that. Alcohol seems to have worse negative effects that make it easy to continue to not consume it. [09:31] The hardest part about staying sober The choice has been made at an identity level so it isn’t a choice for me at this point. For people struggling to stay sober from alcohol, I encourage you to ask yourself what it is about this substance that is calling to you, how do you identify yourself, and what is in your environment that encourages drinking alcohol. I miss some types of alcohol that taste good- like pina coladas. I like things that taste good and make me feel good- that is one of my values. Going to happy hour used to be a fun activity for socializing with friends. [14:18] My Secret To Staying Sober Reaching out to people I knew were sober and getting that support was really important. I didn’t work in a culture that encouraged Zoom happy hours. My living environment was supportive of staying sober. Identifying as a sober person has been my secret to staying sober. [16:43] Psychedelic Journey Staying in integrity, I have done a psychedelic journey. The purpose of this journey was to connect more closely to my truth and authenticity. Being under the influence of alcohol was for a different purpose than using psychedelics. Helps to stop overthinking. [21:32] Returning Home: Coming Back To Your True Nature Getting in touch with your truth and authenticity is easier without alcohol. How would your life be different if you were honest with yourself? Drinking does not help calm anxiety. It’s not a good “self medication” option. [22:53] Things To Consider On Your Sobriety Journey Welcome to the party! What do you want your life to be? Is alcohol something you want in your life? How much space and energy does alcohol take up? Are you ok with that harmony and balance you’ve struck? What are your values? What is the result you are getting from consuming alcohol? You have the power and control in your life to make a change if you want to. Enjoyed this Episode? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

Sometimes, winter can last a whole year. In this episode, Elise returns to Returning Home: The Podcast after an almost year-long hiatus. In it, she discusses where she went in 2022 and what lessons she learned along the way. If you’re looking for insight into why it’s ok to take a sacred pause, what to do when you’re feeling burned out or how to be present in your life, you will want to listen to this episode. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Learn how you can align your identity with your actions. Discover the secret to being in the present moment. Feel into how you can be the main character in your own life. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 2 | How Sobriety Changed My Life Slow Down To Speed Up: Visualization Masterclass Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [01:28] Going Inward to Recharge 2022 was a year-long winter. Back from a year away from podcasting. Lessons learned from taking a break. More movement can happen after taking a retreat away from work. [02:33] Staying Sober for Another Year People are wanting to hear more about sobriety from me. This habit is replaced with other habits. Having the clarity to see that other habits like eating sweets might need to be addressed. Identifying myself as a non-drinker on a subconscious level makes not drinking easier. I’m not involving decision fatigue in not drinking. Mindset work has made staying sober from alcohol easier. [07:35] Cross Country Road Trip Had some “dark nights of the soul” moments on my trip. Rethink your routines, identity, and allow yourself to do something a little different. Let yourself evolve by doing something that scares you. Asking myself- what am I waiting for? The present moment is the only thing that matters. It’s your responsibility to make your life what you want it to be. How you think about yourself and how you want to live your life affects the quality of your life. Wherever you go there you are. You can’t actually escape yourself. [12:52] Healing in 2022 Some healing modalities I employed were therapy, massage, Reiki, chiropractor, sauna, floatation therapy and more. Aligning the body, mind and spirit to be the best version of myself. The human experience necessitates the body. Returning Home to having a body and enjoying the ride. Immersing myself in love for myself- what does that feel like? Teaching Breathwork classes at Bod Wellness Collective and TAOU Studio. 2 retreats this year: one with my therapist and one weekend long silent retreat. [19:06] Friend Breakups 2022 saw the breakdown of community for me. If you’ve ever been through a friend breakup, you know how they can consume our mental space. This caused me to pull away a lot last year. Also had worked with a business coach that was not a good experience and sent me into a withdrawal mode of 2022. [21:09] Feeling Better On this side of things in 2023, I am feeling a lot better about the experiences I had last year. Knowing that other people can relate to feeling disappointed or betrayed by people is comforting. Non-attachment can help us make these situations feel better to us. People are the main characters in their own lives and they get to choose how they show up. [22:50] Energy Protection Protecting myself from my own negative thoughts has been necessary. I don’t have control over what other people choose to do or not do. I can focus my energy on my life and what I can do to make my life better. Thank you to my friend Ashley who inspired me to get back to the podcast! We have to be the main character in our own life- other people can’t be the main character in our lives. Quieting the outside noise and focusing on yourself can help you figure out what’s yours to do. [25:29] Exciting Things in 2023 My partner and I got engaged on our cross country roadtrip home! Published a journal on Amazon (get yours here!) The podcast coming back. I started taking voice lessons. Figuring out my work to do. [26:24] It’s Ok To Change I usually have a hard time letting myself change. Realizing it is ok to change, even in front of other people. We get to make up our own rules. You don’t have to wait until things feel perfect to show up and take action. Give yourself and other people permission to not be perfect. Your definition of perfection might even change. You can know who you are and be flexible at the same time. [29:17] Return Home To Yourself, Enjoy Being You The world will be a better place if you have compassion for yourself and be your true self. In Internal Family Systems, they call it being Self-led. Being your true authentic self. I want to be part of the movement to help people feel like they can be Self-Led. Enjoyed this Episode? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.  

Society hampers us with loads of pressure on what we should be and should have accomplished at a certain age. We glorify a culture of nonstop grinding, thinking that there’s no other way to reach our goals. However, we still wonder why so many of us feel unfulfilled and burnt out despite pursuing our dreams. We do so much to please others without leaving anything for ourselves. But at the end of the day, is all the grind still worth it? In the tenth episode of Returning Home, Elise shares a personal story on resentment, burnout, and quitting. She sheds light on the constant pressure the world imposes on us to do more and give more. Without setting boundaries in this pursuit, feelings of resentment thrive. Finally, Elise highlights that prioritizing yourself should always come first — and there's no shame in that decision.  If you want to know when to start taking a step back for yourself, then this episode is for you! Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Learn where the mindset of wanting to do more comes from. Discover how you can free yourself from resentment and burnout. Understand the importance of recognizing your limitations and capabilities. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 5 | Trusting Yourself Means Taking Responsibility Try StairMaster® Follow The Nap Ministry on Instagram! Slow Down To Speed Up: Visualization Masterclass Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [04:13] Taking Pressure Off Yourself The world is constantly asking us for more of ourselves. Start making yourself unavailable to things that no longer serve you. Take a step back from all the things you’re “supposed to do.” and take a huge step toward self-care.  [05:51] Open Yourself Up to More Love Love doesn’t equate to being productive for X amount of hours per day. Embodying more love means living your life and connecting with your feelings and relationships. Focus on your fulfillment and contentment instead of your work performance. Prioritizing productivity goes back to our education and family values. The mindset of “staying productive” antagonizes having free time. [07:50] On Resentment Resentment is an emotion opposite to joy, love, excitement, and contentment. You can only start giving from your overflow when you fill yourself up with love and happiness. Resentment comes from a place of scarcity, fear, and anger. [08:59] Quitting and Freeing Yourself from Resentment Elise left her last full-time job four years ago. Since she felt overwhelming resistance entering into her work, she put in her notice three months before her term ended.  She transitioned to being a therapist in an outpatient office, but it didn't work out as she expected. The experience took her on a winding path, doing interesting jobs, training, and hobbies. Elise: “We need to see ourselves in this cycle of giving and receiving. Once we've given, it is time for us to receive, so that we can give and then receive and then give.” Elise finally permitted herself to start her own therapy practice. It gave her more stability, control, and joy. [11:36] The Need to Do More The need to be doing more is always in Elise's mind. She feels the same even as she started a private practice. She feels like she has been working more than a 9 to 5 because of the other things she's trying to build. There’s this notion in the wellness coaching and therapy community of needing to teach others what you are knowledgeable of. Tune in to the full episode to hear about the conversation that became Elise’s breaking point! [15:47] How Resentment Builds Up Elise’s nervous system is wired to fight and see the worst in people. Her predisposition is that she needs to protect herself. She felt the need to keep pushing herself to feel valid and worthy. Society is performative. It reinforces and encourages us to keep working until we're exhausted. Resentment built up over feeling rejected and not getting the reciprocation she wanted from her work. [17:53] Choosing Healing Elise decided to quit spending her spare time trying to do multiple things for her business and prioritized healing. She realized she was meant to be a therapist, space holder, and mentor.  Inviting people who were not aligned with her in her space did not feel right. Elise: “The people who get it, get it, and the people who don't, don't.” She’s not going to chase people who don’t appreciate or understand her work anymore. She’s currently focusing on pouring into herself to get from a place of overflowing. [20:14] Setting a Boundary for Yourself Elise has been feeling tired a lot lately, and she realized she didn't need to feel this way. She took two weeks off to remove herself from that place but ended up stressing about working most of that time. Set boundaries by categorizing work into different priority levels.  The thought of shedding out all her liabilities made her feel immediately better. But it almost made her fall back into that routine. The root cause of falling into the cycle of performing is outside influence and pressure to be productive. [24:35] Recognize What’s Worth Doing It’s important to recognize what’s worth doing. You get to decide and take responsibility for the quality of your life. The online space has helped people see the limitless potential of having access to prospective customers. But we don’t need to be available to everyone all the time. We all have limitations. It’s critical to recognize them to determine your capabilities and what you want in life. Tune in to the full episode to hear Elise’s recipe analogy! [28:00] Recognize Your Limitations and Capacity Tune in to the full podcast to hear about @thenapministry’s post that resonated with Elise! Elise: “You get to choose the quality of your life, and you don't have to give, and give, and give until you're there's nothing left.” You have to give for yourself first before giving to other people. Get in touch with your limitations and capabilities. Then, you can reach your fullest potential. You don’t have to do all the things outside pressure is telling you to do. [30:15] Quitting and Finding Peace Elise is quitting to pursue what truly fulfills her without chasing anything anymore. Live your life with the intention of experiencing true peace. Give yourself permission to prioritize yourself and your well-being. You can only give to other people from your overflow when you prioritize your joy, contentment, and quality of life. Enjoyed this Episode? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.  

Goal setting is the navigator toward significant achievements in life. As we organize our goals, the urge to accomplish them quickly and easily could be tempting. Impatience and restlessness become the inner nemesis that blinds us from discerning our present accomplishments. But think about where you were five years ago: would you be able to be where you are now without your "little" and "trivial" accumulated effort? In the ninth episode of Returning Home, Elise delves into the concept of compound effect and how it manifests in life. She guides you through exercises that will help you look back, reflect, and start taking inspired action for your future self. Through this, you’ll be able to get in touch with yourself and why you’re enough. She reiterates the importance of being gentle with yourself and giving yourself credit. If you want to learn how the compound effect works in your life, then this episode is for you! Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Learn the concept of the compound effect. Discover why it’s critical to recognize and acknowledge that you’re enough. Connect with your past and future self. Resources Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 1 | Returning Home to Yourself From Childhood Trauma Episode 7 | Finding Your Truth: The Healing of Your Inner Child StairMaster® Slow Down To Speed Up: Visualization Masterclass Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [03:55] Compound Effect Small actions, if done consistently, create huge results. We often get caught up in wanting to make a big change and seeing results instantly. The compound effect revolves around consistency and intentionality. Our life is the destination we’re trying to seek. It’s the small everyday actions and attitudes that we hold. Elise: "Your mind, the way that you think, the way you see the world, the glasses that you put on, and that's how you see the world — your perspective — that is the journey and the destination." [05:50] On Transformation  There is no transformation waiting for your future self. What you need is a transformation in your perspective of yourself. Understand that you are already enough. Elise: “Taking small steps every day in the direction of your dreams is what is going to make the difference between success and prolonging your success.” You're already a success because you're living and breathing on this planet. [07:34] The Result of the Compound Effect The compound effect is what got you to where you are today, regardless of your intention and thoughts. It’s not thinking about a future goal or a quantum leap you want to make; it’s about where you already are. Look back on the goals you’ve had over the last five years. You have the result of the compound effect right now working in your life. [09:41] Giving Yourself Appreciation and Acknowledgment Acknowledge and come to peace with the fact that we will all die one day. Your present moment is the only moment that will be. Appreciate yourself for all you’ve accomplished and achieved, including getting through each day living. Elise: “You're gonna have good days, and you're gonna have bad days. Life is 50% positive, and it's 50% negative — plus or minus based on whether you're a pessimist or an optimist, and it's really not a judgment on that.” Both pain and pleasure are inevitable in this lifetime. They're available depending on your level of trauma. [11:43] Getting in Touch with Happiness  Having chemical or hormonal imbalance conditions makes it difficult to feel happy and optimistic. There are evidence-based practices that can help you get in touch with your happiness. We have an individual power to make our lives what we want them to be. [13:14] The Piece of the Puzzle We are part of a larger system. There are a lot of personal and societal issues that play a role in our mental health condition. We can’t separate ourselves from the puzzle of society. We are an individual piece that is part of the whole. [15:01] The Process of Individuation We have an individual right to sovereignty, power to affect change, and the ability to look back and reflect. Looking back in the past allows you to take the next step towards your goal or start a new phase. Elise: “We are on this journey of life, and each step that you take on the journey is part of you reaching your destination.” Deciding to be the type of person you want to be is reaching the end goal you want to be at. The present moment is a gift. Your values and aspirations get to be part of this gift. There is a reason why and how you’ve reached the place you’re at. There were steps, processes, and events behind it. [18:02] See Your Future Self: Being in Your Old Age Exercise Picture your future self at 90 years old: what goals would you have wanted to achieve? What would you like your future self to be savoring at that time? What kind of memories and experiences would you like to have built up? Listen to the episode if you want to learn more about the reflections you need to incorporate for the exercise. [19:48] Start Today Starting today, you can live the version of yourself that you’d desire in the next decades. Identify the steps you can take to get started on both far-off and short-term goals. “Goals” can refer to the quality of life you want or the type of person you want to be. Think about how you can continue recognizing that the compound effect that has worked in your life will continue to work. You can live the life you want to have; you are already doing it every day. [21:19] You’re Doing Enough You already incorporate your values into your day-to-day life.  You can invite more in from a place of excitement and abundance. You cannot give from an empty cup and expect to feel joy about it.  Recognize that what you already have is enough. Find a way to believe it if you don’t. Don’t settle; your life will become enough as you intentionally build it to be that way. [23:38] Returning Home to Yourself Would the version of yourself five years ago be happy with where you are today? Tune in to the full episode to hear Elise’s answer! Blurring out what happened in between the result can help you get in touch with your past self. Don’t be afraid of the inner work. It transforms in a way that’s beautiful, authentic, purposeful, and intentional. Returning home to yourself is a transformation you need to make. [27:00] Key Takeaways Be gentle with yourself and give yourself the credit you deserve. Commit to living in accordance with your values. Accumulate inspired action. Then, it will lead to the compound effect. Know where you’re going even if you don’t have the entire map. You can make quantum leaps by recognizing and claiming your desires, searching and recognizing opportunities, taking action, and celebrating. See the little moments in your life as an opportunity to celebrate your power to design your life. Enjoyed this Episode on Compound Effect? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home — even to your future self.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

The insistent pressure of settling down and starting a family can be crippling to many of us. People, especially women, are often expected to become parents and are criticized when they choose not to be. But raising kids takes a lot of responsibility, time, energy, effort — and not everyone is ready to commit to the sacrifices that parenthood demands. In the eighth episode of Returning Home, Elise shares the reasons behind her decision to remain childless. Here, she highlights the importance of “freedom” and “living life on her own terms.” She hopes her journey will help you reflect on your priorities in life and whether having children is something you truly want – and that there’s nothing wrong if you don’t. If you want to learn more about the decision of being child-free, this episode is for you! Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Discover what it means to be childless by choice. Find out the possible reasons — and Elise’s reasons — for choosing to be childless. Reflect on your perspectives and priorities on becoming a parent. Resources Slow Down To Speed Up: Visualization Masterclass Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [02:12] Choosing to Be Childless Currently, Elise feels good about her decision of being childless. Change is constant; she might change her mind in the future but doesn’t see herself having kids right now Growing up, she used to think about having kids. Becoming a parent and starting a family someday are expected from almost everyone. [05:29] Why People Choose Not to Have Kids Raising kids takes a lot of responsibility, and not everyone is ready for them. Some people might just not want to have children. You should live life on your own terms.   Capitalism is another reason people decide not to have kids since living in a capitalist society is both time and energy-consuming.   Elise: “Everybody’s on their last limb on their last thread on their last nerve, right? Like it’s just this constant grind… And it makes me think of trauma. Because trauma is too much too fast too soon. And it seems like there’s this whole hustle of raising kids.” The world we currently live in and its cultural and social expectations influenced Elise’s decision to be childless. [10:24] Healing Trauma Elise thinks having kids right now will impede her journey of trauma healing and set her back to a place of scarcity. The inflexibility of time due to constant work may activate trauma and lead to burnout. Trauma can be passed on through biological tissues, resulting in generational trauma. [14:43] Other Reasons for Being Childless Climate change, population increase, and industrialization are detrimental to our planet and have become a problem for future generations.    Elise worries about her kids’ safety and quality of life in such a damaged world if she chooses to have children.   She wants to enjoy her time and not deal with the anxieties that having a child entails.   Some people are childless by choice because they want to experience certain things in life that parenting would take away from them. [19:23] Treasuring Your Freedom Most people adore cute babies without realizing that they will grow up to develop their own personalities, behavior, and personal issues. Elise believes that dealing with children would strip away most of her freedom. Essentially, she enjoys her alone time and refuses the idea of children trespassing into her space. You can choose the battles you want to fight and make empowered decisions in your life. [24:04] Knowing Your Priorities Her decision could change, but choosing to be childless feels true to her. It’s important for Elise to prioritize herself, her health, and other aspects of her life — she is her priority right now. She still struggles with putting herself first sometimes. For a long time, Elise didn’t put herself first, which made her unhappy.   Elise: “For me, what it means to be childless by choice is to put myself first, all the time, every single day, no matter what because I didn’t do that for a really, really long time. And it made me extremely unhappy.” [25:43] The Choice is Yours Having kids will probably make her feel resentful. While exploring other possibilities, she is grateful that her life unfolds in such a way that led her to this perspective. Your life is unfolding the way it’s meant to unfold.   Elise: “If you’re listening to this, your life is unfolding how it’s meant to unfold. And the desires that you have are meant to be there, and the type of life you want to have is possible for you. And so you get to make these decisions from an empowered and informed place.” Life doesn’t come with rules, so don’t let anybody tell you what to do. If you want to know more about being childless by choice, search relevant hashtags on Instagram and look for podcasts. Enjoyed this Episode on Visualization? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.  Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

Everyone has a child within them. It represents the innocence, awe, and joy reminiscent of our youth. However, our inner child also carries the accumulated baggage of hurt, trauma, and fears from our early years.  As we grow into adults, we carry this inner child with us, and from time to time, it resurfaces to remind us of our childhood scars. Some choose to look the other way and continue living their lives. While this coping mechanism might work for a while, it may lead to destructive habits. Indeed, it’s uncomfortable to deal with childhood trauma, but you can address this by practicing inner child healing.    In this episode, Elise talks about mending the emotional scars left from our childhood through inner child work. She also shares ways to overcome trauma and negative self-talk and explains why it’s crucial to face our fears. Lastly, Elise imparts how we can truthfully connect with our mind and body. If you’re interested in starting your journey to inner child healing and finding your truth, stay tuned to this episode! 3 reasons why you should listen to the full episode: Uncover the meaning of inner child healing. Discover the modalities to healing your inner child. Learn the importance of mind-body connection in mending your emotional scars. Resources The Body Is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor Listen to previous episodes of Returning Home: Episode 1 | Returning Home to Yourself From Childhood Trauma Episode 6 | Uncovering the Hidden Strength of Self Compassion Slow Down To Speed Up: Visualization Masterclass Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights [03:33] Defining Inner Child Work Inner child healing is about loving that part of yourself who felt alienated. It addresses the emotional wounds attached to your early years. When your inner child is wounded, it can reflect on your current behavior.  [06:30] Healing Childhood Trauma  People who experienced childhood abuse could seek refuge in inner child work. Reflect on who you are beneath your pain. Psychological scarring could happen at birth or be inherited from previous generations.   [07:42] Our Body Everyone has an innate personality who wants to give and experience love. Infants have an unobstructed relationship with their bodies. No one needs to be ashamed of their body. We must unlearn the maladaptive ways ingrained in us. [10:23] On Self-Compassion It’s not selfish to love yourself. Elise: “I believe that when each person on this planet is appropriately loved and resourced, then we can stop hurting ourselves and each other and get to living the life we're meant to live.” It’s your birthright to feel happiness and contentment. The ripples of self-love can reach your community. [12:12] The Mind-Body Connection Inner child healing starts with your body. Your body contains your entire existence and memories. Everything you’ve been through was first experienced by your body. Reflect on your thoughts and understand the monologue happening in your mind. [15:18] The Internal Family System (IFS)  The exiled child learns to hide their emotions after constant rejection. The proactive protector prevents the exiled child from flooding our feelings. It often shames us for showing emotions. When the proactive protector fails, the reactive protector comes. They use extreme measures to go back to equilibrium. Your true self is what you want to uncover; it’s connected to your higher qualities. Elise: “Our psyche is not meant to be fragmented. We're meant to have all of these different experiences and not have one be judged as disgusting or unacceptable. All parts need to be able to be welcomed and be here in order to have a balanced and blended life.”  [21:16] Eye Movement, Desensitization, and Reprocessing (EMDR) EMDR is a form of therapy that uses bilateral stimulation. Listen to the full episode to know more about how it’s done! The logical brain takes time to process trauma. EMDR helps with inner child healing by analyzing and repairing the less accessible parts of the nervous system. [25:07] Facing Your Fears  Reclaiming your traumatic past raises your level of consciousness. Face your fears to find your truth. Elise: “You don't have to live without shining a light on the event that took your power from you. When fear is exposed, it loses its grip.” Emotional scars lose their power over you when you confront them.  [27:25] Return Home to Yourself Inner child work reclaims our worth and place in the world. Inner child wounding happens when others don’t recognize our feelings. Permit yourself to connect with your mind, body, and spirit. Healing from within takes dedication and commitment; it’s not an overnight process. Enjoyed this Episode on Inner Child Healing? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it! Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself. Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com. Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

Falling into the trap of self-criticism becomes our usual pattern when setbacks occur. It confines us in this dark pit within ourselves that surrounds us with harsh judgments whenever we encounter failures. Be that as it may, we are not alone. Everyone is bound to commit mistakes. Even the greatest personalities have done something they’re not proud of. To embrace our flaws, we need to practice self-compassion and understand that we are still a work in progress.    In this episode, Elise talks about mindful self-compassion and its relevance to our daily journey of finding ourselves. She also discusses how the practice is not about self-indulgence nor a form of self-pity. Finally, she shares how we can learn self-compassion through the different resources available today.    If you want to harness the power of self-compassion, this episode is for you!  Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Understand the meaning of self-compassion  Learn how to practice self-compassion daily Discover the connection between self-compassion and happiness Resources Get a copy of The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer The previous episode of Elise’s podcast: Episode 4 | 8 Healing Resources to Return Home to Yourself Read The Feeling Wheel by Gloria Willcox  Check out Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson  Grab a copy of For Your Own Good by Alice Miller  Try the Insight Timer  Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Sign-up here for Community Drop-In Group Sessions!  Enroll here for the self-led six module Visualization course!  Episode Highlights [03:07] The Practice of Mindful Self-Compassion There is a lot of hatred and bigotry in the world. However, our problems would be lessened if we start practicing self-compassion.  Self-compassion allows us to release ourselves from self-hatred and judgments.  We don’t have to pressure ourselves to be better at everything.  [06:37] The Pillars of Self-Compassion Self-compassion has three pillars: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness.  We have the tendency to fall into self-criticism whenever we talk about ourselves.  Mindfulness brings us to the present. It helps us examine our thoughts and how it affects our body.  Self-kindness means building up ourselves amid difficult times. We know the best way to help ourselves.    Elise: “[We] don't have to abandon ourselves or look outside of ourselves every time something goes wrong. We can start first to access this well that's within us that will never run dry.” [11:02] Creating Space to Be Whole Most people assume that self-compassion is a means for self-pity or boosting ego. On the contrary, it is actually the practice of carving space to find and be your true self.  Let yourself experience your emotions and understand how you respond to the present situation.   We must not only embody our positive emotions but also accept the negative ones too.  [15:00] What Doesn’t Fall Under Self-Compassion  Self-compassion is not about self-esteem. It’s about practicing kindness towards ourselves and accepting our reality.  Showing kindness to yourself means checking your emotional and physical state.  Hatred stems from our malnourished souls trying to find ways to boost their fragile self-esteem. [18:31] Reset and Center  Mindful self-compassion helps you find your center and determine what you should prioritize. Listen to the full episode to know how self-compassion helped Elise's life.    Elise: “Just because people expect you to do things a certain way doesn't mean that that's how you have to do things. Just because you're juggling a lot of things in your life doesn't mean that you have to keep doing that.” [22:10] Accepting Imperfection Practicing self-compassion helps you accept imperfect situations and manage your expectations.  Learn to appreciate the good and bad things in life.  Be grateful for being your authentic self.  Celebrate your uniqueness.  [25:18] Coming Home to Yourself Finding yourself is a lifelong practice.  Choosing to embark on this journey means showing up every day for yourself even if it’s difficult.  How we perceive life is all in our heads. We can control how we think and feel about a situation.  [27:28] Loving-Kindness Meditation Loving-kindness meditation is about deserving peace, happiness, and freedom.  It’s the practice of extending the ripples of love from yourself to others.  Elise shared that she gets easily angered before. Loving-kindness meditation allowed her to extend her compassion to everyone — even to those who are difficult to empathize with.  [30:04] On Happiness  Everyone deserves to be happy.  Happy people don’t inflict pain on others. Tune in to the entire episode to hear about Elise’s examples of personalities with unhappy lives and how it affected them.  Self-compassion can save humanity from suffering.  [31:46] Self-Compassion Is Not Indulgence There is nothing wrong with slowing down and giving yourself a break.  Give yourself the love and care you deserve.  [32:29] Learning Loving-Kindness Once we extend our loving-kindness to everyone—even to those we find detestable—we could make the world a better place.   Loving yourself becomes easier once you start extending love and kindness to other people.    Elise: “We have to be in this cycle of giving and receiving to be in cooperation with other people [and] to live on this planet.”  [33:28] Opening Ourselves  Opening ourselves to emotions also means inviting feelings we want to avoid.  We can only meet people as deeply as we have met ourselves.  [36:33] Learning Self-Compassion  Online and personal classes are available if you’re interested to learn about mindful self-compassion.  It’s also possible to do this practice on your own by buying workbooks related to it.   There are also journal prompts that help in gaining insights on self-compassion.  Applications are also available for meditation practices.  [39:44] Elise’s Learning Moment  Elise recognizes some parts of the podcast might have come off as offended or triggered.  Knowing her blind spots is a teaching and learning moment for her.  She initially didn’t want to upload this episode. However, she applied self-compassion in the situation by analyzing her emotions and talking to people she trusts.  We must accept that messing up at some point is normal.   Elise wants to be an example in living one’s authentic truth and encourages people to do the same.  Enjoyed this Episode on Mindful Self-Compassion? If you enjoyed this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share it!   Leave an episode review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review. You can also share what you’ve learned today with your friends to help them embody their true, authentic selves. Anything is possible when you return home to yourself.    Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.  Thank you so much for listening! For more episode updates, visit my website.

Have you ever experienced moments in your life where you feel like you’ve lost control, as if it’s all messed up, and there’s no way for you to get back on track? In moments like these, some people tend to blame or hold it against others. However, you need to take responsibility for yourself so that you can live the life you desire on your terms. In this episode of Returning Home: The Podcast, you will learn to understand the importance of trusting yourself and taking responsibility for your life and everything in between. If you’re asking why you’re stuck in certain circumstances or why you’re feeling the way that you are, Elise will take you on a journey of learning the art of choosing for yourself. Tune in to the episode and learn how you can take responsibility for your life and live in alignment, Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Understand what it means to take responsibility for your life. Discover the impact of trusting your intuition. Learn how trusting and taking responsibility can turn into giving. Resources Returning Home: The Podcast Ep. 4 - Harness the Power of Your Mind: How to Visualize Success Sign up for Elise’s Newsletter and receive a FREE PDF to start your self-compassion journey! Connect with Elise on Instagram: @elisekindya Episode Highlights   [03:55] Learning to Trust Yourself and Taking Responsibility for Your Life Taking responsibility is not about taking control of every aspect of your life. Instead, you are to take responsibility for what you make things mean in your life. Learning to trust yourself means giving yourself permission to think and listen to yourself. Get rooted for you to blossom. [09:00] Looking at Yourself and Deciding Decide to love the person you see in the mirror. Choosing to love the version of yourself allows you to give that same love to others. Elise: “We can only give from a place of overflowing.” You get to decide the experiences and opportunities that you need to have to live the best life possible and, in turn, expand and invite this positivity to others. [11:44] This Is a Process Unlearn the things you think you know and relearn them, such as trusting. It’s a cycle of repetition, consistency, and faith. It’s easy to get discouraged, but remember that showing up and trying is already a commitment. It takes practice, patience, and persistence. [14:39] Deciding Is Easy, Doing It Takes Time You can decide to trust and take responsibility in just a second, but the process will take time. The day you plant your seed is not the same day you eat the fruit that it bears. Elise: “Choosing to take the journey is the destination.” When you make the choice to trust yourself or take responsibility, then you’re already at your destination. It's the small decisions you make every day that determine whether you are taking responsibility. [20:20] When Are You Going to Start? It’s often other people who first see the potential you hold. It's hard to see your potential when it's right up in your face and you're in your own head.  When you don’t trust yourself enough to do it yet, search for people who are already doing it. However, discovering that someone is already doing the thing that you want to do doesn’t mean you can’t do it anymore. [22:19] Take Up That Space Do what you aim to do if it’s been in your heart and mind for the longest time. You are responsible for the space you take up in this world. Elise: “By you denying yourself that, [...] it’s taking away from the fullness that this world could have with your contribution. Your contribution is needed.” [24:30] Get in Touch with Your Inner Voice Set aside some alone time for yourself. Ask yourself, “What do I feel?” “Where do I see myself in 50 years?”  Getting clear on what’s going on in your mind is only yours to do. [28:34] Commitment and Showing Up for Yourself People often fear commitment because they don’t want to fail. Not taking the chance also means failing, so why not commit to doing it anyway? It doesn’t matter where you are in life right now; you can always decide to commit. It’s never too late to show up for yourself. Starting and then falling doesn’t mean failing. The permission you’re waiting for comes from you. [34:11] It Comes from Within You are responsible for your own happiness. The happiness that you form within yourself transforms into a renewable source that others can receive. The love that you give yourself can resonate with the people you encounter and can go back to you. Did You Enjoy this Episode? If you did, do subscribe and share this with your friends more for more episodes like this! Let me know what you think of this episode and share it. You are not alone and I will be here to remind you of that. I hope that you learned something new today about yourself and share them with a friend or two. If you have any questions, talk to me! You can email me through elise@elisekindya.com or you can send me a DM on my Instagram page. Thank you for taking your time to listen to today’s podcast! Stay updated by checking out my website.