How We Can Heal

What does it really take to endure when the air thins, the quads burn, and doubt gets loud? We sit down with ultrarunner Katharina Hartmuth—Hardrock and UTMB podium finisher and winner of the 330 km Tor des Géants—to unpack the mental game of mountain ultras and the deeper work that fuels lasting resilience. From long stretches above 12,000 feet to the rare quiet of a small, devoted race community, Katharina explains why Hardrock f...

When slowing down feels dangerous, your body might be living in Global High-Intensity Activation(GHIA): always on, always braced, always moving. Today we sit down with licensed marriage and family therapist and Somatic Experiencing faculty member Mahshid Hager to name that pattern, trace where it comes from, and chart a humane path back to rhythm. 

Mahshid explains why a body wired for survival often resists rest, and how to work wi...

What if the most powerful medicine starts with warmth, rhythm, and trust in your own body? Today we sit down  down with licensed acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist, and yoga teacher Tara Tonini to trace how trauma-informed Chinese medicine can steady the nervous system, smooth cycles, and support conception, pregnancy, birth prep, and postpartum in a way that fits into real life. From liver qi and kidney jing to the heart-mind connec...

Mothers are asked to offer the critical early childhood care that shapes people and impacts communities, while systems fail to offer them the basic care they need to thrive. 

We invited Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, health psychologist and IBCLC, to map the real drivers of maternal mental health and the surprisingly simple supports that change everything: responsive care, consistent follow‑through after screening, and communities de...

What if the moment you stop trying to fix yourself is the moment real relief begins? That’s the surprising turn in our conversation with meditation teacher and parent Cara Lai—authorized in the Theravada lineage (IMS, Spirit Rock) and known for an approach that’s honest, funny, and deeply humane. Cara traces her path from art school and a “soul-sucking” office to early retreats that opened a brighter world, then a year-long retreat...

Yoga doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful. That's the refreshing message from Melanie Salvatore August, who brings her background as a classically trained actor, writer, and veteran yoga teacher into a conversation that strips away pretense and gets to the heart of what makes practice sustainable.

Melanie's journey began with meditation books discovered as a preteen and evolved through her years in New ...

What if the key to living more fully isn’t thinking harder, but reconnecting with your body? In this week’s episode of How We Can Heal, Lisa sits down with actor and teacher Josh Pais to explore what it really means to “lose your mind” and why that might be the best thing you can do.

Josh shares how his father's work as a theoretical physicist alongside Einstein sparked a profound insight: emotions are simply atomic vibrations....

Ever feel like polarization makes meaningful conversation nearly impossible? Dr. Donna Hicks returns with transformative insights on navigating our divided world through dignity consciousness. 

At Harvard's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Hicks witnesses dignity violations daily yet remains steadfastly committed to her groundbreaking work. She reveals why these violations feel so viscerally painful – our...

Lucy Bartholomew brings Australian sunshine to this captivating conversation about finding purpose on mountain trails and wisdom in difficult moments. When Lucy was just 15, she discovered her passion for ultra running alongside her father, embarking on a journey that would take her from weekend camping trips to world championship podiums.

What began as quality time with her dad evolved into a career marked by remarkable a...

What does it truly mean to show up whole and authentic in a world that encourages fragmentation? Dr. Thema Bryant doesn't just talk about integration—she embodies it as a psychologist, author, professor, sacred artist, and minister leading transformative work in trauma healing and relationship building.

Dr. Bryant shares her excitement about merging different aspects of her identity and work, challenging the notion th...

Dr. Judith Herman, a towering figure in trauma studies and author of the landmark books "Trauma and Recovery" and "Truth and Repair," takes us on a journey through the evolution of trauma understanding from the 1970s—when we didn't even have terminology for what victims experienced—to today's complex landscape of healing and justice.

Drawing from decades of clinical work and research with surv...

Ready to transform your healing journey? Season six of the award-winning How We Can Heal podcast brings fresh perspectives and powerful insights every Monday. We've assembled an extraordinary lineup of powerhouse healers, teachers, athletes, researchers, and even actors who will share their unique approaches to personal and collective healing.

This season dives deep into transformative concepts like liberation psychol...

Dr. David Spiegel, Wilson Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, brings over 40 years of expertise in trauma, hypnosis, and mind-body medicine to this fascinating conversation. Drawing from decades of scientific research, Dr. Spiegel reveals how hypnosis serves as "controlled dissociation," offering a powerful pathway for trauma recovery by allowing people to revisit difficult experiences while maintaining p...

Season 5 of the How We Can Heal Podcast is sponsored by SimplePractice.

If you want to simplify the business side of your work, I highly recommend Simple Practice! 

Right now they’re offering a special 7-day free trial with 70% off your first 4 months for How We Can Heal listeners.

Go to https://www.simplepractice.com/howwecanheal to take advantage of this offer today!

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This episode is also sponsored by the International Society fo...

Season 5 of the How We Can Heal Podcast is sponsored by SimplePractice.

If you want to simplify the business side of your work, I highly recommend Simple Practice! 

Right now they’re offering a special 7-day free trial with 70% off your first 4 months for How We Can Heal listeners.

Go to https://www.simplepractice.com/howwecanheal to take advantage of this offer today!

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This episode is also sponsored by the International Society fo...

Facing the unimaginable pain of losing a child, Anna Ratnathicam Diab opens her heart to share the story of her daughter Carolina, who passed away suddenly at age 11 during a family trip to Uganda in 2019. What unfolds is a raw, honest conversation about navigating grief's unpredictable terrain and finding meaningful ways to honor a child's memory.

Anna vividly recalls Carolina's vibrant personality—her love...

Award-winning author of "The Yoga of Parenting," Sarah Ezrin shares how yoga philosophy provides a framework for navigating parenthood's chaos with grace and self-compassion. 

The yoga practice she once knew - with its hours on the mat and meditation cushion - has transformed into what she calls "yoga snacks": micro-moments of mindfulness chosen throughout her day. These might look like lighting a favorite c...

What if the transformation into parenthood isn't just about survival, but offers a unique window of opportunity for profound growth? In this illuminating conversation, classical singer and Alexander Technique practitioner Madison Smith challenges the harmful notion that we should "bounce back" after childbirth, offering instead a revolutionary perspective on the neurological shifts that occur during this major life t...

What if sports were designed around athlete wellbeing instead of profit? In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Diane Williams shares the buried history of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), an organization that flourished in the 1970s and early 1980s with a radical vision for collegiate athletics centered on education and student development.

Dr. Williams, a professor of kinesiology at McDaniel...