Breaking Free - A Body, Mind, Spirit Approach to Mental Health

Episode 56: Reimagining Spiritual Community with Pastor Ric Shewell

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 09:32:00 -0700

What does it take to build a spiritual community where everyone feels safe, seen, and supported?

In this thoughtful and tender conversation, Sommer Seitz and Pastor Ric Shewell reflect on the shifting landscape of spiritual community in a post-pandemic world. As many people reevaluate their relationship with organized religion, this episode offers a compassionate exploration of what it means to belong, to question, and to be held in unconditional community.

Sommer shares deeply personal stories of faith, healing, and growth—touching on moments of disconnection, family conflict, and the quiet courage it takes to seek spiritual authenticity. Pastor Ric offers insight into his ministry at Faith United Methodist Church, where open communion and radical welcome are central to his practice. Together, they speak to the power of creating spaces where people feel safe to explore their beliefs, express their doubts, and experience grace without prerequisites.

This episode invites listeners to consider what it means to belong, to question without fear, and to build communities rooted in grace, inclusion, and love.

You can belong to your tradition and find goodness and safety. There are people like you that are looking for that community that also are looking for ways that they can hold on to some of the soil that they were raised in and still flourish and grow in a new garden. There are people out there and you're not alone. ~ Pastor Ric Shewell, Faith United Methodist Church

Learn More
To explore Faith United Methodist Church and its inclusive practices, visit their website or connect via social media.

Website: https://www.faithunited.org/

Facebook: @pastor.ric.shewell
Instagram: Pastor Ric Shewell

Episode 55: Returning to the Body: A Gentle Path Through Somatic Healing

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 08:02:55 -0700

In this episode of Breaking Free – A Body, Mind, Spirit Approach to Mental Health, host Sommer Seitz welcomes Andrew Zorich, an integrative psychotherapist, international trainer, and author of Contemplative Somatics: Body-Based Meditations for Healing Trauma Gently. Based in Seattle, Andrew draws on nearly two decades of experience in the healing arts, blending trauma therapy, somatic psychology, and global contemplative traditions.

Andrew shares insights from his experience in massage therapy, bodywork, and contemplative practice, offering a grounded perspective on how traditional therapy can overlook the body’s wisdom. He and Sommer discuss how trauma is held in the nervous system and how internal safety becomes the foundation for deep, sustainable healing.

Listeners are introduced to contemplative somatics—a gentle practice blending meditation and body-based awareness. Sommer reflects on how this approach supports nervous system regulation, emotional connection, and self-compassion, while also touching on Eco-somatics, the healing power of nature, and creativity as a doorway to integration.

This heart-centered conversation offers both inspiration and practical tools for anyone on a path of embodied healing.

Connect with Andrew Zorich:
📘 Contemplative Somatics: Body-Based Meditations for Healing Trauma Gently
🌐 Website: www.premabodymind.com
📸 Instagram: @prema.body.mind.therapy
💼 LinkedIn: Andrew Zorich

Connect with Sommer Seitz:
🌐 Website: www.sommercounseling.com
📸 Instagram: @holistic.trauma.specialist
Sommer is a licensed mental health counselor in Washington with 18 years of experience and a certified life coach.

If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone on their healing journey—and don’t forget to follow Sommer for more insights on body, mind, and spirit integration.

Episode 54: Embodying Your Desire Part II

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 28 May 2025 11:41:02 -0700

Episode 54: Embodying Your Desire Part II

Welcome back to the Breaking Free Podcast, where we continue our journey of profound self-discovery through a Body, Mind, Spirit Approach to Mental Health. This week, your host Sommer Seitz is joined once again by the insightful intimacy and relationship coach, Naomi Slater.

Naomi Slater is an experienced Intimacy & Relationship coach, yoga teacher, and bio-energy therapist. She works with a unique blend of Tantric and Tao practices, combined with modern psychoanalytic tools, to help clients awaken their desire, heal relationships, and reclaim their power, pleasure, and passion. She's also the creator of the 'Awaken Your Desire' online course and works privately with couples online.

We're diving deeper into the vital education and tools that are often missing from conversations around desire and relationship building, especially when it comes to human sexuality.

In this candid discussion, Sommer and Naomi explore how societal shame, religious conditioning, and upbringing can create significant blockages to authentic sexual expression. They highlight that while curiosity about sex is a natural human drive, many traditional sources of "education," like some forms of media and pornography, offer misleading and often harmful portrayals. Our conversation emphasizes the importance of fostering healthy, consensual relationships and introduces powerful, practical tools like Imago Dialogue – a form of emotions-based communication that fosters deeper emotional awareness and connection – and the "wheel of consent" for cultivating truly fulfilling sexual experiences.

Tune in to discover how you can:

Identify, value, and communicate your emotions more effectively.
Understand the nuances of authentic consent in all intimate interactions.
Release shame and wholeheartedly embrace your natural desires.
Develop the profound "archetype of the lover" to experience a more soulful and deeply satisfying intimate life.

Whether you're looking to deepen your existing relationships or embark on a journey of self-understanding around your own sexuality, this episode offers a safe, supportive space and invaluable insights to help you break free from limiting beliefs and build healthier, more authentic connections.

Connect with Naomi Slater:
Email: info@naomislater.com
Website: www.naomislater.com

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode if you found it valuable!

Episode 53: Embodying Your Desire Part I

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:43:03 -0800

Welcome back to a whole new season of this podcast in which I will share the personal work of interpersonal healing I have done and the people teachers I have had on the journey to my own embodied wholeness. In this podcast I will introduce you to work of Naomi Slater and experienced intimacy and relationship coach with whom I had the opportunity to study in the healing art of tantra, bioenergy healing, and Imago Communication in her 12-week seminar, "Awaken Your Desire." I share my own personal journey reclaim the divine connection between spirituality and sexuality, reclaim my pleasure, and use tools of tantra to improve communication, establish healthy boundaries, and learn the inner workings of my own embodied sexuality. Naomi walks us through what blocks our pleasure, and how to release these blocks embodied safety with a holistic perspective on human sexuality and relationship. Naomi teaches us how to be deeply present and curious with our sensuality to awakens parts of self that may have been cutoff or repressed and provides a practical approach to embodying your desire. She is a mature woman, mother, long-term partner, and someone who teaches the medicine that she has learned in her own healing journey. She guides us to deeper self-awareness, sensitivity, and presence with our divine sexual Self.

Episode 52: Yoga is Life

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0800

In this podcast, I interview Dora Gyarmati, a seasoned teacher of mindfulness-based yoga for nearly 20 years, about how yoga has benefitted her life and that of her many students. I was able to complete my 200 hour yoga teacher training with Dora this past year and together we explore the lessons learned in life from the practice of yoga as well as how yoga can link our mind, body, and spirit in an intentional daily practice. We discuss why yoga has the capacity to add to the quality of our daily lives through helping us embody ourselves through mindful motion, self-awareness through meditation, and further connection with our spiritual selves through breath and heart space connection. We also discuss how not all yoga programs are the same. Many yoga studios seem to be loosing their holistic roots and perhaps loosing some part of the value that yoga provides in mirroring in the yoga room the same challenges we face in life such as dealing with discomfort, emotional regulation, finding balance, and keeping our focus where we desire to hold it. Whether you are a seasoned yogi or new to the practice of yoga, this podcast offers some beautiful wisdom and tools for how to bring mindful awareness to our lives and how to live a more self-examined life.
For more information about Dora, her teacher training, and her upcoming "40 Days workshop" on mindfulness and nutrition go to: https://www.spirapoweryoga.com/

Episode 51: A Season of Soul Work

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 12:18:10 -0800

In this episode I invite Dr. Sarah Campbell to discuss her soul work prompted by her graduation from her Doctoral Program in naturopathic medicine and a master's in Chinese medicine. Sarah finally gave herself space to feel the cycles of anger, grief, and finally joy at the retrieval of lost parts of Self she had dissociated in order to "fit in" to her programs that did not value her perspectives on healing. Sarah, who is a powerful teacher on the integration of body, mind, and spirit in our healing journey, shares how she uses free form movement such as dance, walking, intuitive touch, and other somatic therapies to "unwind" the emotions that get stuck in her body. She both celebrates the mind work of conceptualizing our trauma that has been done with traditional talk therapies and calls for a new season of growth that incorporates the mind-body connection through somatic therapies. She also celebrates slowing down and being present with her body-felt experience and re-parenting herself by celebrating herself for "being Sarah" and not for her achievements while giving her nervous system a needed rest after such a long season of producing. Sarah and I explore the universality of the body-stored trauma that people have when cutting off parts of themselves in order to fit into systems rather than living from authenticity. We further explain the joy that can be felt as we create intentional space to pause in our lives and connect to our body-felt wisdom that knows what is needed to retrieve these lost part of Self.

Episode 50: From Dogma to Dharma

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 11:10:10 -0700

Journey with me on my most vulnerable podcast yet as I share what has truly healed and continues to heal me and what obstacles I needed to breakthrough on my path of expansion in spiritual growth and development. Ask the deep questions with me such as: What systems support your growth and development and which hold you back? What mirrors do you have in your life that give you glimpses of who you really are? What courage and fortitude do you need to gather as you choose your personal expansion in the face of possible rejection and abandonment? Is it possible to choose your own growth journey and still find peace when others may not understand or even try to hold you back because of their own fear and dogmatic positioning? Is personal expansion really worth it? In my experience, the answer is a resounding YES!

Episode 49: Body Awareness

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:36:19 -0800

I loved this conversation with Isabella Hague, a certified fitness trainer and health coach, about her journey of self-love in relationship to her body and approaching wellness from the abundance of the heart. Bella tells a powerful story of moving from her story of scarcity and "not enough" mindset when she was facing infertility, miscarriages, health limitations, and perfectionism to deciding it was time to have an unconditionally loving relationship toward her body and to create energetic alignment with her healthiest self. As she began have awareness of scarcity mindset around her body she was able to shed this mindset in favor of unconditional love for her body, new health information, new opportunities to enjoy her body, and an abundant mindset toward health and wellness. Bella is all about releasing shame and giving yourself permission to have all the good things! Bella focuses on helping people to fall in love with their bodies, breaking false traditions of shame around our bodies, and how to have sustainable health practices that fit the individual. Her overall message is you give your body good things you will find your unique balance. If your are someone who has dealt with scarcity and shame around your body this podcast is for you.

Episode 48: Embodied Leadership

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0800

In this episode I invite an inspiring mentor in feminine leadership and Christian faith, Nina Petruzzo, to discuss the process of descending from the mind into the wisdom held in the body and heart. This allows one to fully embody their true feminine essence. Nina brings her experience of studying the body-mind connection as a dancer, occupational therapist, and yoga teacher to help men and women create sacred space to hear the language of their bodies through breath, sensation, and body-based healing practices. Nina discusses her own journey in learning to surrender her fear and courageously embody her gifts and how this process is something we all experience as we move into embodied leadership. As we learn to hold uncomfortable emotions in awareness and support ourselves through nervous system regulation, inner-child healing work, and Divine relationship, we can expand past our stuck energies and frozen emotions to expand our capacity to embody love and service. Nina also shares how her Christian faith has mirrored to her qualities of embodied leadership and how she integrates her faith in her work to stand in her sacred identity and embody her own feminine leadership. This truly was an inspiring conversation you won’t want to miss!

Episode 47: Stewarding Our Kids

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0700

In this episode, I invite Ganel-Lyn Condie (author of her newest book "The Stewardship Principle") to discuss her current lived experience as a new "empty-nester." She shares in her signature style of vulnerability and humorous reflection about her challenges in adult parenting, how she has intentionally prepared for this life transition, where she has found growth, joy, as well as struggle, and how we get to embrace the totality of our lived experience in body, mind, and spirit. Ganel-Lynn explains that learning to approach life as a series of "stewardships" including our roles as parents, spouses, bodies, health conditions, and even current life situations can empower you stand in the role of observer and student of all life can teach you as well as provide a hopeful and compassionate mindset. Ganel-Lynn teaches that as we see ourselves as stewards in the lives of our adult children, we can hold space for their unique development at every stage of parenting and let go of our ideas of how they "should" be performing. She explains that stewarding creates space for ourselves and our children to be unique, differentiate, and apply the values taught and learned in freedom and love. She admits that this style of parenting has been an everyday journey of learning to honor her own needed growth and self-care as well as allowing space for her kids to learn while in relationship with her. We both share our journey in parenting adult children, learning to hear and witness their lives, and "steward" over our own needed growth work in order to show up in more supportive ways for what our children. This one is a raw and real conversation between two girlfriends sharing their soul work and the lessons learned.

Episode 46: Defying Gravity

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 07:00:00 -0700

In this episode, I share how the musical, "Wicked", and the lyrics to the song, "Defying Gravity", mirror some of my lived experience in learning to trust my intuition when my path felt "less traveled." I also discuss the science behind why some of us choose to ignore our intuition in favor of "fitting in" or being accepted by systems because our autonomic nervous systems are wired for connection and to feel safe within "a tribe." Regardless of these wired connections, there is even a louder cry from your soul to show up as your unique self, share your unique gifts with the world, and in order to do so we have to metaphorically "defy gravity." In this case, gravity refers letting go of external sources of safety and security, identifying mind-states that trigger your autonomic nervous system to act in a state of fear and hypervigilance or even shutdown, and reprograming your mind to experience safety and security from the inside out. Ultimately, this promotes growth towards spiritual maturity which allows one to hear and follow the unique "the voice for God" within. This sovereign voice calls for you to no longer play small, keep quiet, or live in fear of loss of love or connection, but rather have confidence in your own being. Join me as I share the real work I have done to move from resistance to acceptance of myself that in turn expanded my capacity to see the value in the difference and uniqueness of those walking differently than me and to meet them in a space of greater unity and oneness. I hope this podcast helps you reflect on where you are on your journey through the perspectives of science, spirituality, and human growth and development!

Episode 45: Soul lessons in Balance

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0700

In this episode, I invite Heidi Tucker, an award winning author and motivational speaker, to bravely share her own growth work around her chronic illness struggle with vertigo. Heidi humbly and vulnerably allows me to guide her through concepts of how life gives us opportunities for personal evolution through what are called "soul lessons." Find yourself smack in the middle of Heidi's own personal evolution as she grapples to move forward in real-time with the same courage and strength that she has made such a study in her speaking and writing career. Heidi's stories focus on the descending and ascending process of inspiring others whom she interviews and gives them a voice; however, in this interview Heidi shares her own battle with chronic illness, trauma, and how she is learning to rise and apply what she teaches to her own current struggle. She shares how time in nature, learning to be present, and surrendering "the list" have been key lessons allowing her to step into greater balance. We learn how our best intentions sometimes cause us to miss signs that show us we need balance and self-care with our endless service. Join me in witnessing Heidi show hope to apply her "soul lessons" in order to continue to expand and fulfill her soul's purpose. I personally was humbled by her willingness to try this unique podcast style of doing "the work" while recording live for all to learn through the experience of this wise soul. This is such a classic example of who Heidi is, someone who desires to use all of her talents, gifts, and even struggles to lift others. You won't want to miss this one!

Episode 44: The Audacity to be You

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 07:36:26 -0700

In this episode I interview Dr. Brad Reedy, a seasoned therapist who wrote the book, "The Audacity to Be You: Learning to Love your Horrible Rotten Self." We explore together the conditions needed for each of us to do our own work and to have the ability to show up as ourselves in relationships. Brad talks about 2 opposing parenting styles that raise us up toward either fear of or courage to find our Self and models how to do the work of "courageous parenting." Brad walks on a journey of how to raise children and ultimately ourselves to be who they are versus what we think they should be and links this to the ability to have true intimacy in relationship. As a director of a renowned wilderness therapy program for teens and parenting education, he has certainly been in the trenches of helping others find their lost self and shows how doing our own work is inextricably connected to our ability to connect to one another. Come learn with me as I invite a Master therapist to teach us how we can show up as a more authentic therapist, parent, and partner.

Episode 43: Divine Union (Part 2)

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 16:55:04 -0700

The stage has been set by Intuition and Leadership Coach Emily Baker and I in the previous episode, "Divine Union Part I". We have taken you on a journey into the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic bodies that interplay in our healing processes and how connecting to the intangible energy body is valuable when seeking wholeness. In the previous episode, Emily introduced us to her "staircase model" that maps the repeatable and predictable pattern that can be seen in the interaction between the divine feminine and masculine energies as we seek to rise and go on our unique growth journeys. In this podcast, we take each part of Emily's model and break them down. Here are some key items covered:< 1) A walk you through some growth edges step-by-step in each stage and ways to more effectively navigate these edges. 2) Normalization of ways you have likely already done this work before and simply lacked awareness of your process to increase your confidence moving forward. 3) Sharing our collective personal and professional experience in completing this cycle many times and what we found has helped us and those we counsel to navigate the process with greater divine union. Our hope is that this podcast will give you greater confidence in your intention rise up, find greater support in the process, and maintain connections that which you value most. You won't want to miss this powerful episode full of tools and best practices!

Episode 42: Divine Union (Part 1)

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 08:11:06 -0700

Have your ever felt that the science of energetics (the balance of divine feminine and masculine energies) is too intangible for you to connect or understand? In this podcast, I invite Emily Baker, an Intuition and Leadership Life Coach, to discuss with us her “staircase model”. This model combines science, psychology, and energetics in an effort to show a predictable pattern of how energy expands and interacts within each of us as we grow across our lifespan and particularly as we learn to hear and follow our own intuition to create balance and union with others. Emily also focuses her work on understanding the rise of the divine feminine and how this rise may trigger responses in the masculine that are predictable and understandable. Her work is to help us find union between these energies as we rise together. Learn the predictable patterns you can use as guideposts to navigate your process of growth and development and join Emily as she uses the power of story to give language and structure to the masculine and feminine energies. There is a dance both within us and between us and all systems in our circles of these energies, so learn to better understand that dance and feel into where you are in your journey. Let's be more prepared to navigate our intentions to heal, expand, and show up in wholeness!

Episode 41: Nature as Healer

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 07:15:00 -0800

So many of us have rituals of healing that connect us to Nature such as gardening, hiking, and even sitting under trees. Have you ever wondered why? In this podcast, I invite two women, ShaIyn Kessler and Heidi Broadbent, whom I believe to hold great wisdom, to share their journey of healing through nature. We get raw and real about past struggles and how nature has provided resiliency, wisdom, a safe space, nurturing, and a connection back to our true divine selves. We talk about how great wisdom truths have often come as people sit under trees. Join us as we learn about how nature teaches lessons on transition, how to heal after trauma, and finding connection. These wonderful women share their journey of healing and take us to a place where we can see that Mother Nature is truly always there and waiting for us to find the connection, nurture, and healing wisdom we seek. Come be nurtured by this heartwarming podcast.

Episode 40: Healing our Mother Wound

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 07:00:00 -0800

We all know there is inherent trauma in the loss of a physical parent, but have you ever considered the wounding caused by the loss of a spiritual parent? In this podcast I am excited to introduce Krystal Barnes, an educator on Divine Feminine who has made it her mission to trace the feminine aspect of God in biblical text, mythologies, and histories to show that there has always been a mother, or feminine aspect of God. Unfortunately, this voice has been largely suppressed. We discuss the amazing phenomena of this “year of the mother,” and how many are waking up to their Divine Mother and their “mother wound” that is felt in each of our psyches. We also discuss how both men and women have aspects of divine feminine and masculine within them, and both of these parts of our divinity need acknowledgement and development to achieve personal and relational balance. We both share our journeys in healing our mother wounds, how these wounds show up in both men and women, and how you may be able to draw closer to this potentially suppressed aspect of your Self.

Episode 39: Messages from a Donkey

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:52:31 -0800

This holiday season I have been pondering an unexpected teacher, "the donkey," that has been speaking to me from my Christmas Nativity manger scene with symbolic truths that are for all of us as we go on the journey toward greater love and connection with our divine self. The donkey brings us messages of humility, peace, and service under the heaviest of loads as well as needed to untie yourself from that which holds you back. We will ponder on other profound messages from the Christian tradition of the Nativity and how it invites us to wholeness within ourselves and with each other. This message downloaded to me as a birthday gift this morning just in time to invite you to participate in the shedding of fear, shame, and a mindset of separation at this time of Winter Solstice. You can join in the ancient tradition of shedding the old year, with the sun completing it's yearly journey, and starting a new one Dec. 21st! I invite you to hear the messages for the donkey this holiday season.

Episode 38: Following Your True North

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 08:17:11 -0700

So excited to share this conversation with Allyson Chavez, a prosperity and success coach for ambitious God-centered women, who teaches women to lead with their feminine and leverage the power of their minds so they can lay down the struggle in pursuit of love and success. Allyson shares her authentic experience in personal excavation to rise above her limiting beliefs to move from personal struggle into allowing God/Universe to support her in co-creating her desires. Find out about our limiting beliefs that often show up around money and sex and how we can align with an abundant mindset to balance our masculine and feminine energies. She discusses how human sexuality connects to our "true north," the divine feminine, through our desires and what lights us up! Allyson and I both get raw and real about our own process in removing blocks to our sexual desires and how to start where you are at in this process. Come sit down with two women opening up their learning around sexual growth and development, how to find what you desire, and how to give yourself permission to express it.

Episode 37: Are you Brave?

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 14:18:25 -0700

For several months I have been gathering up courage to talk to you about a very personal topic, Human Sexuality. Why would a therapist struggle to talk about something that is such a big part of all our lives? I explore my own indoctrination around sexuality and how owning my divine sexuality has been perhaps the most important and most difficult part of my healing journey. In this episode, I candidly share my experience with doing a personal inventory of beliefs, systems, and perspectives that I recognized needed to go and how I replaced them with those that allowed for greater healing. I speak of my journey from child to woman in sexuality and how I learned to be responsible for how I show up in my relationships, with my own body, and how to co-create my sexual experience. I explore the first steps in healing wounded sexuality and invite you to step more fully into concepts of oneness and harmony with both your divine self and your partner. This one is raw and real!

Episode 36: Getting Out of Your Own Way

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 11:58:45 -0700

You likely can identify when stuck in fear, shame, and overwhelm. However, you may struggle to identify the root of this emotional state and how to shift out of it. In this episode, I will discuss the common plight that is self-sabotage. Then we'll go further into how you move out of these states into higher levels of consciousness that allows for personal growth and expansion. We will discuss topics such as: 3-Centered Knowing, the electro-magnetic properties in thoughts and feelings, and how to be intentional in what you intake into your mind and body. After all, you create your own view of reality. Join me in learning how to "choose in" to what you wish to create. Learn to recognize your blocks and be invited to expand and clear your beliefs, emotions, and energies that are stored in your mind and body that do not serve you. Come learn how to be further aligned with that which you most desire!

Episode 35: Walk Uniquely with Oneness

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 17:25:48 -0700

Using a model of human growth and development, we explore the journey of moving towards something called, "Oneness." Each of us is a unique Self with gifts, talents, and purpose that only we can individually bring to the world. Through the process of differentiation, you can learn how to show up as your unique Self even while being part of larger systems that may not always celebrate our uniqueness. Learning to see both the divinity in yourself and others that walk differently than you, allows for greater emotional and spiritual maturity and greater connection to the whole of the human family. May I suggest that our experiences of separation from love are our greatest teachers of where we are invited to grow into greater love. As we learn to observe our fear, triggers, and judgements of others, we become aware of our separation from love that stems from our ego self and its difference from our true identity. Awareness is the doorway to healing. I share some of my learnings along my path toward enlightenment and how I "choose the light" in how I see myself and others. I will walk you through an exercise that reveals the 3 parts of self: Ego, Heart, and spirit that all communicate to us different messages of our identity. By making this previously subconscious chatter conscious, you are empowering yourself to choose to hear the voice that best aligns with your true identity and what you desire to create. Oneness allows you to walk in greater confidence in your unique path before God/Source within your systems of family, friends, work, and religious communities. I invite you to explore how to uniquely walk in oneness in this podcast!

Episode 34: Healing the Shadow of Self-Betrayal

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Fri, 21 May 2021 08:00:00 -0700

In this episode I invite you to some recent "shadow work" I have been doing of owning my disowned parts of self including ways of I have betrayed my wants, needs, and even my uniqueness. Self-Betrayal is common for all of us that experience caregivers, systems, and mindsets that tell us that we need to perform, deny our wants and needs, or play small in order to feel loved and connected to a tribe. I will discuss a mindset that puts down the lies of fearful ego and helps you see how being your unique light is how you show up in humility and heal yourself and others. We also discuss strategies of healing self-betrayal including making and keeping a consistent promise to self. Join me to do a little shadow work and step further into your light!

Episode 33: Preparing for Presence

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 17 May 2021 08:00:00 -0700

Do you ever feel like you and your spouse are missing cues with each other to connect and wondering why that connection seems to happen elsewhere but not where you desire it most? I invite you to a conversation between my husband and I on this very topic. Mike and I both use tool of "preparation" to create safe space for those with whom interact in work environments and in this episode we share how we applied that experience to our marriage. We also discuss the importance of creating a safe place for both partners in order to allow for true presence. We hope you enjoy our authentic musing of how we don't have it all figured out but how we are continuing to explore and grow in creating the marriage we choose.

Episode 32: Revealing the Divine Feminine

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0700

Women are constantly bombarded with messages that they are either "too much" or "not enough." In this episode, I have the privilege of interviewing photographer, Lynette Smith, who is doing powerful healing work with women using her craft, professional photography. Lynette tells us about an exciting worldwide project called “40 over 40” that she has brought to my hometown of Wenatchee, WA and why she feels this project is changing lives of women in their mid-life. We also discuss the concept of “the divine feminine,” or as it is called in Chinese medicine, yin. We explore how to connect with this beautiful, nurturing, free-spirited, and secure part that is the divine feminine and it’s connection to human sexuality. I share how personally participating in this project with Lynette was a powerful teaching moment between myself and my source, God, that mirrored to me my true self. It shed light on my prior false programming in relationship to my body and human sexuality and invited me to further shed shame around this important topic. Lynette further shares how this project has helped other women connect with their divine worth and know further that they are enough!

Episode31: Healing The Divine Masculine

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 21:03:19 -0800

Do you have a friend that challenges you and brings out the best in you? In this podcast, I introduce you to my friend Antonio Battaglia and discuss how someone that is your opposite, or in Chinese philosophy, the yin to your yang, can bring you to higher levels of growth and consciousness. We share how our friendship did that for us! We take a look at the concept of divine masculine and it's opposite, divine feminine. Antonio gives us a refreshing male perspective on how to live from an open heart and allow the divine masculine to emerge in connection with the feminine energy. I appreciated his candor in sharing his journey from feeling a loss of a masculine mentor in his father that set him on a journey of self discovery and healing. His voice is to the wounded men in our world and the women that love them. Antonio gives some very insightful perspectives on what men need to heal themselves and how the divine feminine can play a key role in that healing. This is a must listen to episode!

Episode 30: Radical Self-Love

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 07:58:28 -0800

We live in a cultural that is in opposition to the true mindset of happiness, love and acceptance. In this episode, we will explore how choosing to love and accept yourself right where you are is the key to moving out of shame-based mindsets that keep you stuck in cycles of addiction, fear, blame, and feelings unworthiness of the love and freedom you desire. You will begin to see that when you radically accept that you are worthy of love and belonging, even in the midst of times when you are not living from your best self, you can begin to live free of the shame that holds you hostage. We will explore the skills of radical acceptance and meditation practice of RAIN by Tara Brach to help you address where you are stuck in your pain and learn to integrate your story of woundedness rather than spend energy running away, numbing out, or remaining in conflict with others. If you are someone seeking to transform your pain into purpose then this is the podcast for you!

Episode29: Balanced Goals

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 15:41:51 -0800

It's the New Year and many of us are hitting the ground running seeking a better 2021! For this purpose, I invited veteran fitness instructor and health coach, Melanie Gillespie, to share her journey from reaching extreme fitness goals that led her to crashed adrenals and a broken mindset to taking time to do the inner work. She now enjoys a balanced mindset, a healthy body, and a health relationship with herself. Her story is all too familiar as we often seek to "run faster than we have strength" and to set goals from the ego, shame-based part of us rather than from our hearts and true self. Come learn how to set goals in a sustainable way that leads to you having success both mentally and physically.

Episode 28: Let's Discuss Loneliness

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sat, 19 Dec 2020 17:52:52 -0800

In this episode, I invite my friend and colleague, Rachael Grant Dixon (host of "She's Awake Podcast") to share her unique perspective on the mindset of loneliness. We discuss how to "get curious" and experiment on new ways of processing the feelings of loneliness we all experience. Learn how feelings of division or separation with those to whom we seek meaningful connection can contribute to our loneliness. Come sit at our table and enjoy a candid conversation between two friends as we discuss ways to address these challenges, and how we personally have addressed feelings of disconnect.

Episode 27: The Courage to Heal

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 14:02:56 -0800

This Episode is a beautiful healing conversation about how we must courageously move towards our own suffering with compassion in order to be free of it. We will discuss the life work of Dr. Edith Eva Edgar, a survivor of Auschwitz during the holocaust. I will describe how her book, "The Chosen," caused me to further reflect on the universal principles found both in her journey and what I have seen in my individual growth and professional healing work with clients.

We will discuss how when "we deliberately turn towards suffering rather than averting our gaze," we are able to finally witness our pain and process the stuck parts of our story. No healing journey is exactly the same, however, all require us to first take personal responsibility for own feelings. We must move out towards the process of avoiding those emotions, projecting our pain onto others, and to see our part in creating the dynamics that we create with our current relationships. We will talk about how we often re-enact our trauma or continuously repeat the past story of pain in current relationships until we move to accept our story and process both the beliefs and emotions we have stored in both our bodies and in our minds. We will go over the skill of "notice, accept, check, and stay" as taught by Dr. Edgar and use this skill to walk through a self compassion and self healing meditation at the end of this episode. I hope you will have the courage to join me for this conversation of how move toward your intention of healing and growth.

Episode 26: The Healing Power of Gratitude

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 18:20:37 -0700

This new season is all about creating our best life in the face of challenge. I am excited for you to hear from Kamelia Britton, my October guest. October is both Breast Cancer and Mental Health Awareness month and Kamelia is an inspiration on both accounts. I met Kamelia in the middle of her chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer and was inspired by her courageous and inspirational response to her disease. I new her as the "Hackerette" who had built herself what most would consider a dream life of travel and wellness and was paid to inspire others online as she took pictures in new exotic locations monthly and shared her tips and photos via Instagram and blogs. What came next surprised all of us, but her most of all.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer and hew entire life shifted overnight. Kamelia tells us how there is life before, in the middle of, and after cancer and you are never the same. I appreciate her authenticity and vulnerability as she has shared with followers on social media her battle with cancer and how she used that struggle to help her find new purpose and passion from her pain. She tells us how she was able to start a "love ripple" that allowed her ease her pain by focusing on lifting others. These and other gratitude practices helped her find the strength-based mindset to beat her cancer and help others find their unique voice. Kamelia reminds us all there is much in life we cannot control and often our challenges come out of left field. We all have the choice to choose a purpose driven life in these moments and allow our pain to move us to new growth, but this is not easy road. Join me for an honest interview about her real journey and how it has shaped her. Learn how their truly is healing power that comes from gratitude practices, especially when life hands you a challenThis new season is all about creating our best life in the face of challenge. I am excited for you to hear from Kamelia Britton, my October guest. October is both Breast Cancer and Mental Health Awareness month and Kamelia is an inspiration on both accounts!

I met Kamelia in the middle of her chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer and was inspired by her courageous and inspirational response to her disease. She is known as the "Hackerette", and at one point had built herself what most would consider a dream life of travel and wellness. She was paid to inspire others online as she took pictures in new exotic locations monthly and shared her tips and photos via Instagram and blogs.

What came next surprised all of us, but her most of all. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and her entire life shifted overnight. Kamelia tells us how there is life before, in the middle of, and after cancer and you are never the same. I appreciate her authenticity and vulnerability as she has shared with followers on social media her battle with cancer and how she used that struggle to help find new purpose and passion. She tells us how she was able to start a "love ripple" that allowed her to ease her pain by focusing on lifting others. These and other gratitude practices helped her find the strength-based mindset to beat her cancer and help others find their unique voice.

Kamelia reminds us all that there is much in life we cannot control and often our challenges come out when we least expect them. We all have the choice to choose a purpose driven life and allow our pain to move us to new growth, but this is not an easy road. Join me for an honest interview about her journey and how it has shaped her life and personhood. Learn how their truly is healing power that comes from gratitude practices, especially when life hands you a challenge you did not expect or ask for.

ge you did not expect or ask for.

Episode 25: We Rise Together

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 16:00:18 -0700

It seems about time that I share the journey of my most important relationship with this community, my marriage. For many years, I wore a mask of perfectionism and "pretending to be", until I realized there is no joy in inauthentic living, especially in marriage. Relationship is a key component of our ability to heal, do our inner work, and move from shame to wholeness. However, our partners cannot heal us. Then what part does relationship play in our inner healing work?

In this Episode, I bring in my husband of nearly 20 years as a guest to discuss our journey as a couple in facing shame and woundedness as a team, and how our partners really show us the areas we most need to grow. We desired to heal and grow and if possible find ourselves on the other side united. We discuss how we did just that! Yes, like many of you we had some low points, even considered divorce for a time, but realized that the brokenness was inside each of us and our marriage was simplify a reflection of our own inner conflict. We will take you on a journey of 20 years of marriage and our evolution in thinking and relating that really helped us find both ourselves and our way to each other.

My husband brings a male perspective to the conversation of the healing journey and what it was like for him to co-journey with a partner overcoming Complex PTSD and trying to find her true self in the midst of parenting, marriage, and career development. We share how we went from disconnection to connection and the principles that allowed us to find that healing together.

Episode 24: Born To Create (Part 2)

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 10:57:30 -0700

Welcome to Part 2 of "Born To Create" Episode! If you haven't had a chance to listen to Part 1, start there as it will give you a great introduction to how to focus on what you desire start creating your life versus surviving it. Now you are ready to acknowledge that life's challenges are there to help you expand and be your greatest teachers. There is enough energy, wisdom, and love to help you get through your challenges and create the life you choose.

In this Episode I am getting real with you on what your specific blocks are to stepping into what I will call "The Empowerment Dynamic" coined by David Emerald's "Power of Ted." I will share with you a original meditation I created to teach my clients about the creation of our ego from fear and shame that is not "of you." I will help your reconnect to your true self that is safe, loved, good enough, and whole and complete and identify where you lost connection with that truth through false experience. We will then take that truth to create some "Dynamic Tension" to continual call you toward what can be in your life!

You will learn how about combing the skills of intention, or your desire outcome, with attention, keeping your focus where you desire it, to help you manifest your dreams. These are proven skills that I teach professionally and I will give you a taste of our Upcoming Conference, "Healed and Freed to Live From Joy" that you can attend from home to take that next step in your transformation journey (Coming September 2020 at WholeWomenLink.com). You are not here by accident. Our Soul's Purpose will never be quiet. This is your time to get clear on what you want, establish a community of support that can get you where you are going, and have the practices that lead to success! I am so happy you are here.

Episode 23: Born to Create (Part 1)

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sun, 02 Aug 2020 21:48:53 -0700

When did you decide you were too old to live your dreams? Many of us have listened to false messages about who we are allowed to be and given up on pursuing goals, activities, and environments that bring us joy. In this episode I will discuss how to move away from the "dreaded drama triangle" that keeps you stuck and into Your Creator self. You will learn the difference between living the life you choose and always feel victim to circumstance, emotions, and people is where you place your focus. I will acknowledge the real struggle we experience in letting go of old ways of being and ways we get trapped in our own drama and drama of others. When you discover a clear why and map toward your vision you can finally give yourself permission to live from passion and discover how to make your dreams a reality.

Episode 22: Emotion Coaching

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Thu, 21 May 2020 15:00:00 -0700

Are you noticing that your own emotional regulation and that of your loved ones is off? In this episode I discuss the body/mind connection to stress and how to effectively move out of negative cycles of emotion yourself and then lending support to your loved ones using John Gottman's "Emotion Coaching" model. Learn how to anchor yourself and your loved ones in times of high stress. (Photo credit: Jordan Whitt)

Episode 21: We are all Interdependent

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 18:00:00 -0700

Celebrate with me the one year anniversary of Breaking Free Podcast and the journey of healing from the inside out in body, mind, and spirit we have been on together. In this episode we will see how all this growth leads you to the ability to live life interdependent with your abundant source and have the strength and capacity to reach your highest intentions. Yes, we are all weak is some areas of self and life circumstances can be difficult however that recognition leads to the ability to go deep and receive strength from higher sources. Join me in how you can move away from extreme living and come to the balanced middle of interdependence. Image credit: Tim-Marshall

Episode 20: Swinging Into the Middle

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0700

Do you have an internal voice that is constantly criticizing you or puffing your up in self defense? In order to break imbalances we have in our relationships with others, such as codependence, we must first address our internal voice that pushes out of balance. The hook to living at extremes is 100% in you. In this episode we will explore how self-compassion provides the ability to respond to our struggle, find the love and connection we crave, and find a way back to balance within ourselves and our relationships. Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash

Episode 19: Further Up and Further In!!

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 19:00:00 -0800

Thank you beautiful community for joining us in 2019 to learn principles of healing that include a body, mind, spirit approach to your wounded places, learning how to develop greater awareness and go inside, and tools and principles that address the strength of your whole person.
This new season, we are going to dive deep together to apply this learning to the inner work that is still there for you to do to break free of that which holds you back. As your greatest work is done on the inside. This podcast will help your direct all your precious energy inside to the place and space where you have greatest influence skillfully and safely. We will also reach up to connect with your higher power to help you reveal your unique healing path and become a bridge to the new growth you seek. We all need partners in our healing.
We will also discuss the concept of sanctuary and how your body, home, and places of sanctuary can provide strength that you can take with you as you face your bigger wounds.
Lastly, we will put these principles into practice with a guided healing meditation that will allow you to practice developing that inner sanctuary and connect to your healing partners.

Episode 18: Showing Up As Yourself this Year!!

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 12:00:00 -0800

This time of year is full of advice as to what you need to "change" in order to improve yourself. Is it possible to navigate all this buzz and set goals that allow you to show up as your true self this New Year? Absolutely! In this podcast we will explore how to work with life's real challenges to see how life is showing up for you not against you and allow you to move into to the driver's seat as creator of your best life! You will learn how to love an accept yourself and set goals from self love that bring lasting change. Photo by Alan Emery on Unsplash

Episode 17: Acceptance is Doorway to Change

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sat, 30 Nov 2019 11:00:00 -0800

What we resist persists in our lives. In this episode we will explore how the skill of Acceptance opens door to change we are seeking and even talk about my personal hero Fred Rogers, of "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood," and look at the model of acceptance and healing this dear man left us all. Photo Credit: GENE J. PUSKAR/AP/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Episode 16: There is No Fear in Love

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 17:00:00 -0800

Does the emotion of fear constantly push you to either move to control or push away? In this episode we will discuss feelings of abandonment that all of us experience and how these feelings may be confirming the very thing you fear. We also learn how to move into receiving and operating out of love so you can release your fear and finally get the security you seek.

Episode 15: Creating Connection

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 18:00:00 -0700

In this episode I will discuss how we experience disconnect from our true self due to painful experiences. We then navigate our pain with strategies of disconnection to avoid further overwhelm. These include numbness, control, self critic, anxiety, etc. We will learn how to recognize ways we avoid connection with our pain and how to create healthy connection with our wounds so they can unburden and heal. Is your wounded child managing your life or are you?

Episode 14: Building from Strength toward Weakness

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 17:00:00 -0700

In this episode we will explore the the strength that already exists inside of you and how taking this strength-based approach will allow to you use that strength to overcome weakness. Photo by Helena Lopes from Pexels

Episode 13: Source and Intention Matter

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 08:00:00 -0700

In this episode we will explore how mindfulness practices provide a skill set or mechanism to help clarify and enact your heart's desire. In particular you will learn how to set an intention and choose sources that line up with your highest values.

Episode 12: The Healing Power of Stillness

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 11:00:00 -0700

In this episode we will discuss how to stillness practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and prayer can be a powerful tools to help us connect to and unlock our divine self. We discuss some specific ways to begin a stillness practices and why this might just be the gift that allows you to connect to your wholeness.

Episode 11: The Healing Power of Forgiveness

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 12:00:00 -0700

Are you tired of that wounded part of self constantly taking over your best intentions and ruling your life? This episode will explore steps that lead to letting go of our painful story, finding forgiveness for circumstances, others, ourselves, and even our higher power that get in the way of living free. Let's talk about the power of forgiveness... Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

Episode 10: Breaking Free of the Try Hard Give Up Cycle (Part 2)

Sommer A. Seitz, LMHC — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 19:00:00 -0700

We live in a world driven by goal-driven, product oriented mindsets. But does this bring consistent behavior and true joy? In this episode I will explore an alternative to these mindsets, Resting in your Higher Power, and how this can allow you to "break free" of the shame-driven "try hard given up cycle" you may be on and really consistently connect with highest version of yourself.

Episode 9: Breaking Free of the Try Hard Give Up Cycle (Part I)

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 14:30:00 -0700

The "Try Hard Give Up Cycle" is a shame-based cycle that many of us are caught up in without awareness that drives many addictions and mental health disorders. In this Episode I will introduce this cycle, how it operates, and the alternative to this cycle. I will show you how to use mindfulness practices to break free of this cycle and step more fully into joyful living.

Episode 8: Living from Abundance vs. Scarcity

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 09:00:00 -0700

An Abundance Mindset allows for both having success and joy in the way we live our lives. In this episode you will learn how to step into this mindset and why it may be preferable to the often scarcity and shame-based approaches that are taught and perpetuated in society today.

Episode 7: Parenting from True Self

Sommer A. Seitz, LMHC — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 18:00:00 -0700

There are always two selves battling within us, our Ego and True Self. This battle occurs when we seek to parent, connect, and find joy. In this episode we explore how to distinguish between the two, and step into parenting from our wiser, kinder, and more authentic part. Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels

Episode 6: The Healing Power of Relationship

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 20 May 2019 12:00:00 -0700

In this episode we will look learn about how relationships both heal and injure and learn specific tools and mindsets to stimulate that relational healing we all seek with both ourselves and others.

Episode 5: Internal Boundaries: Learning to Own Ourselves

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sat, 11 May 2019 12:00:00 -0700

Photo by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels

Episode 4: Meeting our Unmet Needs

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Sat, 27 Apr 2019 12:00:00 -0700

In this Episode I will seek to give you tools to identify what your unmet needs are that you may be seeking to meet in less than Abundant sources in your life. We will identify Abundant sources and take ownership for meeting our developmental needs in adulthood so we can be empowered to step out of the emotions of shame and disappointment that keep us stuck.

Episode 3: Developing Shame Resilience

Sommer A. Seitz, MA, LMHC — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 06:00:00 -0700

In this episode we will explore how shame is the organizing factor in nearly all mental health disorders, how to develop resilience around it, and use vulnerability and authenticity to return us to our sense of worth and personal power. The more we talk about shame, the less power it has!

Episode 2: The Body is the Gateway to Healing

Sommer A. Seitz, LMHC — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 11:00:00 -0700

In this Episode of "Breaking Free" podcast we will explore how creating space to hear and accept our body-felt emotions leads to desired change. Stillness, safe space for healing, and embracing our story (the strengths and weaknesses) allows us to move forward in new ways. Interestingly, healing starts with the body...

Episode 1: Why a body, mind, spirit holistic approach to mental health?

Sommer A. Seitz, LMHC — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 10:00:00 -0700

This episode explores the "why" of a body, mind, spirit approach to mental health and how this approach leads to lasting change and healing. This podcast will normalize the real struggle it is to address issues that lie outside our conscious awareness, stores in our bodies and subconscious mind, and gives you a starting formula to establish a whole healing practice in your own life.