Couverture de Because I've Healed

Because I've Healed

Because I've Healed

De : Asha Wilkerson
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You did everything right. And still... something's off. Not quite broken, but not quite right either. Because I've Healed is for high-achieving Black women who are ready to stop performing and come home to themselves. We have real conversations and give real solutions. Asha Wilkerson is a former attorney, healing guide, and retreat curator in Lisbon, Portugal. She's been where you are. She got out., and she came back to get you! New episodes drop regularly. Go deeper with Love Notes, a weekly email for women ready to trust themselves again.Asha Wilkerson Spiritualité
Épisodes
  • Ep 54: How to Journal When You Don't Know What to Write

    Ep 54: How to Journal When You Don't Know What to Write
    Jun 30 2026

    If you are a high-achieving woman who has spent years in survival mode, journaling can feel incredibly intimidating. We’re often told to "just write your feelings down," but when you’ve been disconnected from your body just to get through the day, you look at a blank page and completely freeze. You might worry you're doing it wrong, or your brain instantly tries to edit every sentence before your pen even hits the paper.


    In this episode, I want to demystify the practice of journaling and examine it through neurological and somatic lenses. Writing by hand isn't just about recording facts; it’s a physical act that slows down your racing thoughts and creates a powerful mind-body loop. I'm breaking down three simple, unconventional journaling exercises designed to bypass your inner critic, release low-grade stress, and help you start exactly where you are.


    00:00 - Introduction to Journaling Challenges

    02:12 - The Neuroscience of Handwriting

    06:00 - Journaling Exercises: Writing From Feelings

    15:39 - Unsent Letters: Emotional Release

    22:17 - The Drain: Clearing Emotional Clutter


    Key Takeaways

    ✨ Journaling is not a writing skill. It's a self-connection skill.

    ✨ Handwriting slows your brain down enough to process what you're experiencing rather than simply react to it.

    ✨ The emotion underneath the goal matters more than the goal itself.

    ✨ You don't need to know how something will happen before you allow yourself to feel what you want.

    ✨ If you're disconnected from your emotions, start with what is easiest to access. Even irritation, frustration, or complaints.

    ✨ Sometimes emotional clarity comes after writing, not before.

    ✨ There is no "right way" to journal.

    ✨ Recognizing your emotions, staying connected to them, and articulating them are all learnable skills.

    ✨ The goal isn't to write perfectly.

    ✨ The goal is to hear yourself.


    Connect With Me

    • Threads: Come hang out and share your thoughts with me over on Threads at @AshaWilkersonESQ.


    • Community: Leave a comment on this podcast episode and let me know which of these three exercises landed best in your spirit this week.


    Enjoyed This Episode?

    Share it with a friend who keeps saying they should journal but never knows where to start.


    And if you try one of these exercises this week, I'd love to hear how it goes.


    Come home to yourself. 🌿
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    23 min
  • Ep 53: The Difference Between an Emotion and a Feeling

    Ep 53: The Difference Between an Emotion and a Feeling
    Jun 23 2026
    Last week, I shared what to do when you're in the middle of a difficult emotional experience. This week, I want to go deeper into something that often gets misunderstood: the difference between emotions and feelings.Most of us use those words interchangeably, but they're not actually the same thing.In this episode, I break down how emotions are automatic physiological responses that happen in the body before we have time to think, while feelings are the stories and interpretations we create around those emotional experiences. I share examples from my own life, including my years as an attorney, and how childhood experiences still show up in my dating life today.We'll explore why understanding this distinction can be so powerful on your healing journey, how trauma influences the way we interpret emotional data, and why learning to separate the emotion from the story can create more freedom, self-awareness, and choice in your life.If you've ever wondered why certain situations trigger such strong reactions or why you sometimes feel stuck in patterns that don't seem logical, this episode is for you.(00:00) - Understanding Emotions and Feelings(09:55) - The Role of Emotions in Healing(16:14) - Practical Applications and ResourcesTakeaways✨ Emotions and feelings are not the same thing. Emotions are automatic physiological responses that occur in the body before conscious thought. Feelings are the interpretations and meanings we assign to those emotional experiences.✨ You cannot stop yourself from having emotions. Emotions are part of being human. They serve as information and help us navigate the world by signaling what feels safe, unsafe, desirable, or threatening.✨ The body reacts before the mind understands. Fear, joy, sadness, anger, and excitement often arise in the body before we've had a chance to consciously process what's happening.✨ Feelings are shaped by your history. Your past experiences, beliefs, culture, nervous system patterns, and personal stories all influence how you interpret emotional experiences.✨ Healing requires separating the emotion from the story. A physiological response may be based on past experiences that are no longer relevant to your current reality. Learning to distinguish between the two creates space for new choices and healthier responses.✨ Triggers are part of being human. You cannot move through life without being triggered. What matters is not whether the trigger happens, but how you interpret and respond to the information it provides.✨ Emotions can be stored in the body. Practices such as breathwork, bodywork, energy work, and tapping can help release stored emotional responses and create greater emotional freedom.✨ You may not control your emotions, but you can develop agency around your feelings. With awareness and practice, you can choose how you interpret emotional experiences and how you respond to them.Resources Mentioned📚 Psychology Today The Important Difference Between Emotions and Feelings (February 2022) Referenced for its distinction between emotions as "raw data" and feelings as the stories we create around them.📚 BetterHelpAre Emotions and Feelings The Same Thing? Referenced for research discussing how emotions occur unconsciously in response to stimuli and feelings arise once the brain interprets those changes.📚 Karla McLaren Is It a Feeling or Is It an Emotion? Revisited Somatic educator and researcher whose work defines emotions as physiological experiences that provide information and feelings as conscious awareness of those experiences.Connect with me over on Threads @AshaWilkersonEsq and let me know how this episode landed in your body.Come home to yourself.
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    19 min
  • Ep 52: When "Tough Times Don't Last" Isn't Enough

    Ep 52: When "Tough Times Don't Last" Isn't Enough
    Jun 16 2026

    A few weeks ago, I came across a post on Threads that stopped me in my tracks.


    A woman wrote, "Somewhere deep within it hurts. Really wish I could get the words out, but it's so heavy to pen down."


    What struck me wasn't just what she said. It was who she appeared to be from the outside: successful, accomplished, building a business, encouraging others. And yet beneath all of that, something felt heavy.


    It reminded me how many of us are walking around carrying emotions we don't know what to do with.


    In this episode, I'm sharing a practical framework for navigating those moments when life feels overwhelming. Not with platitudes or toxic positivity, but with real steps you can take when you're in the trenches.

    We'll explore why feeling deeply doesn't mean you're broken, how to identify what your body and nervous system need, and how to use your emotions as information instead of getting lost in the stories they create.


    If you've ever felt stuck, heavy, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move through difficult emotions, this conversation is for you.


    (00:00) - Navigating Vulnerability on Social Media

    (02:52) - Understanding and Normalizing Emotions

    (05:45) - Identifying Needs and Seeking Support

    (09:00) - Decoding Emotions: Information vs. Story

    (12:02) - Practical Steps for Emotional Awareness

    (14:55) - Bridging Knowledge and Practice in Emotional Health


    Takeaways

    ✨ You are not broken because you feel deeply.

    Heavy emotions are not a sign that something is wrong with you. They are part of being human and provide valuable information about what is happening beneath the surface.


    ✨ Before you move on, ask yourself what you need.

    Instead of rushing to "fix" the feeling, pause and identify what would help you feel supported. Sometimes it's a hug, a conversation, rest, movement, nature, or simply being witnessed.


    ✨ Co-regulation is not a weakness.

    Humans are relational beings. Reaching out for support, connection, or comfort is often exactly what your nervous system needs to return to safety.


    ✨ Emotions carry information.

    Once your nervous system has settled, get curious. Ask yourself what the sensation in your body is trying to communicate rather than immediately reacting to it.


    ✨ Separate the emotion from the story.

    The emotion is the raw experience in your body. The story is the meaning your mind creates around it. Learning the difference can help you respond more intentionally.


    ✨ You can't always control what you feel, but you can choose how you respond.


    When you understand what an emotion is trying to tell you, you gain the power to decide what happens next.


    Connect with me on Threads: @ashawilkersonesq
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    17 min
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