Conversations With A Wounded Healer

Heyyy, burnt-out practice owner! Yeah, you, the one who’s overburdened, under-resourced, and lonely. The practice owner who thinks that no one understands their particular pain. I feel you. I know you. I WAS you. Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Burnt Out Practice Owner (BOPO). I’m Sarah Buino, a heart-centered, liberation-minded consultant helping individuals, groups, and organizations in the therapy field evolve with courage, authenticity, and vulnerability. I’m also the creator and co-host of Conversations With A Wounded Healer. Most importantly, I’m a former, frazzled practice owner who’s gone through all the highs and lows associated with creating, nurturing, and selling a business. Now I’m here to help you navigate your practice journey via quick (30 minutes or less) episodes, between our usual Wounded Healer episodes. Buckle up! I’m transparent as hell about my experiences––be they successes or slip-ups––and not shy about sharing. Hell, in this episode alone, I talk about burnout-induced suicida

It’s a difficult time to identify as a fiercely open-hearted, optimistic human. That’s especially true for folks embodying marginalized identities. And yet, somehow, Michael J. Morris finds ways to lead with love. They’re a powerhouse multi-hyphenated talent committed to personal and collective healing and liberation through their work as an astrologer, tarot reader, artist, writer, teacher, facilitator, and witch. Michael deepened their knowledge of witchcraft under elders of the Ara tradition and studied astrology with Demetra George and Chani Nicholas while also pursuing their Ph.D. in Dance Movement. Their professional endeavors are, as a result, incredibly diverse: tarot consultations, reiki, astrological readings, ritual facilitation, teaching… Ultimately, Michael helps folks find the tools they need to create a more meaningful life. GUEST BIO Michael J. Morris, PhD., is an astrologer and tarot reader, artist, writer, teacher, facilitator, and witch committed to personal and collective healing and liber

One of the things I love about Anne's episodes is I get to experience them as a fangirl first. Anne's conversation with Nadia Gilani, a London-based yoga teacher and author of The Yoga Manifesto, is no exception (there’s a reason Anne calls Nadia “a warrior pose of a woman”).  Sure, the tl;dr header is appropriation vs appreciation within the retail-oriented, whitewashed atmosphere of modern yoga. However, the unabridged version goes deeper, like a good asana, inviting folks to explore their relationship to yoga and its tenets, question the teachers, and consider how our favorite classes are taught and sold.  There’s no “proper way" to asana (that’s colonizer thinking!). Nadia and Anne simply, gracefully encourage everyone to get into a sloppy lotus if that’s where they’re at today, investigate their relationship to this vital living practice, and question their participation process, whether that’s as a teacher or a student.  GUEST BIO Nadia Gilani (she/her) is a yoga teacher and author of The Yoga Manifest

In the words of post-punk pioneers Talking Heads, “This ain’t no party! This ain’t no disco! This ain’t no foolin’ around!” Instead, we’re getting serious about ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy with Heather Friedman, a New Hampshire-based psychotherapist, NARM-certified therapist, EMDR practitioner, and witchy-witch. Whether you’re psychedelic curious or cautious, it’s worth noting that the use of MDMA, psilocybin, ayahuasca, etc., in guided practice could expedite breakthroughs in the treatment of PTSD, C-PTSD, and depression that might take years via talk or somatic modalities alone.  Heather views psychedelics as a true “assist,” meaning she advocates for advanced client prep plus post-experience support to correctly disseminate the epiphanies one may have while under the influence. GUEST BIO Heather Friedman MC, LCMHC, LPC, is the owner of Tree of Life Psychotherapy, where she treats a wide variety of clients for PTSD, C-PTSD, mood and anxiety disorders. While she has been trained in many modalit

When I say “it’s all connected,” I’m not pushing a love ‘n light colloquialism; I preach the gaddang truth! That cranky back you woke up with this AM? That IBS that took you down during a meeting? That nagging knee injury that kept you from your run? It’s ALL connected to the way we treat ourselves. Those messages are often tied to big “T” or little “t” traumas that we haven’t correctly processed, leading to miscommunication between head and knee (or back or gut), says John Gasienica, a therapist and the Director of Development at the Pain Psychology Center in Los Angeles. Listen in to mind-blowing revelations about pain and the life-changing therapy called pain reprocessing within the confines of this conversation between John, Anne, and me––truth bombs that just might change the way you approach the mind-body connection and your relationship with the physical vessel you inhabit.  GUEST BIO John Gasienica, MSW, is a therapist and the Director of Development at the Pain Psychology Center in Los Angeles where

I’m gonna subhead this one, “A Simpatico Of Sarahs,” not just because the alliteration pleases me. Sarah Bryski-Hamrick is a like-minded liberation-focused, anti-exploitation-oriented therapist and business coach who believes therapy IS political. She also believes that caring for our personal and professional selves is imperative, especially if we hope to break free from capitalism. We’re talking power to ALL people! First comes the hard work of deconstruction; the second step on our journey towards anti-capitalism is a messy but miraculous mourning period – and Sarah is deeply empathetic to those of us just starting down the path. GUEST BIO Sarah Bryski-Hamrick (she/her) is a leftist therapist and coach out of Pennsylvania. She offers services through an anti-capitalist, socialist lens. She has worked with clients around the world, including the US, Australia, Switzerland and Canada.  *** 2 Free Months of Marco Polo Plus  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been

Anne’s recent conversation with Movement Coach Olive Walton is an excellent reminder of how much mental anguish and physical damage the shame monster can inflict. It’s no surprise, then, that shame is a favorite weapon of both white supremacy and many in the fitness industry. Olive: “Conversations I've had recently with a lot of people is how their firsthand experiences with physical education were pretty negative”.  We carry that negativity into adulthood, often pursuing movements our bodies couldn’t accommodate then shaming ourselves for failing to fit a painfully restrictive mold. Olive is here to help: “A big part of what I do is breaking down those barriers, reframing their perspective, working with a more positive, playful attitude.” GUEST BIO Olive Walton is a movement coach who shares movement practices from yoga to strength training, mobility to handstands, and leads with curiosity and playfulness for the body and mind. Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've

My guest procurement process is pretty standard: a social follow or professional acquaintance morphs into an invite and eventual recording session. For this episode, however, I gotta thank the gods of analog alignment. They placed me in my favorite wellness collective at a personal low point. Here, I encountered a flier announcing a special event featuring Lama Rod Owens. The topic? Tantric Buddhism. Lama Rod is a Black Buddhist Southern queen, international influencer with a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist studies from Harvard Divinity School, and author. And if your only reference point for Tantric anything is based on the mid-90s sexploits of a certain English musician and his wife, this ain’t that. Instead, Lama Rod is distilling liberation to its most profound, heartbreaking, and, yes, pleasurable essence. GUEST BIO Lama Rod Owens is a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. An international influencer with a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Studies from Harvard Divinity School. Author of Love and Rage

You, who are about to experience the brilliance of this episode for the very first time, are in for an extra special treat. With glitter on top. This one had me hootin', hollerin', AMENing, and researching tons of new-to-me things. Ladies, gentlemen, and those who eschew binary categorizations, please welcome the extraordinary Dr. Cheddar Gorgeous in conversation with our own amazing Anne. That's Doctor Cheddar Gorgeous, as in PhD for real. As in darling of RuPaul's Drag Race UK s4. As in renowned drag performer, celebrated artist and activist, mind-blowing academic, and all-around beautiful human. – I'm bookmarking every sentence that falls from Cheddar’s perfectly applied lips for future reference.  GUEST BIO Dr. Cheddar Gorgeous (A.K.A Dr Michael Atkins) is an Academic, Drag performer and visual artist based in Manchester, England. Their body of work stretches across a broad spectrum of arenas. The alien deity is most well known as the star of Channel 4’s Drag SOS as well as BBC’s RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Ser

Healing takes on many forms. While our lists may vary, I’ll wager that not many of us place “business stewardship” in the top ten. The thing is, in a capitalist society, doing business differently just might be the antidote to community disinvestment and unsustainable consumption of people and physical resources. And, since we gotta start somewhere, why not with a little fizzy bevy?  Mindy McCord, one-half of the team (alongside Layne Cozzolino) behind Siren Shrub Co., believes that being the best doesn’t necessarily mean being the biggest. Nor does it mean following a rule book written by those who’ve come before, which, in the alcohol and alcohol-adjacent industries, means mostly male-lead, mainly venture capital-backed brands.  From engaging with local farm partners (the brand is based in Wisconsin) to being mindful of where they spend their dollars, Mindy says Siren’s guiding principle is community wealth-building rather than scaling for global market dominance.  GUEST BIO Mindy McCord is the co-founder (

Let’s tug on the thread woven through much of the world’s established (ahem, accepted) architectural design. Yep, it’s racism. I’ll be honest: before Anne’s fantastic conversation with Wandile Mthiyane, an Obama leader, TedX fellow, founder and CEO of Ubuntu Architecture Group, and social entrepreneur, I hadn’t given this aspect of institutional racism much thought.  Nor had I considered the healing characteristics that culturally competent architects might incorporate into future designs. To be fair, Wandile says architecture isn’t inherently racist. Still, the biases imposed on designs by those in power are, and the discipline is ripe for revolution: “My work now centers around using architecture as a vehicle to restore folk's dignity by building homes.”  GUEST BIO Wandile Mthiyane is an Obama Leader, TedxFellow, architectural designer, social entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of Ubuntu Design Group (UDG). This architectural organization focuses on social impact design projects ranging from individual h

Witchcraft has always been a radical act, and I am never more in my element than when I’m playing with tarot, crystals, and even my houseplants. This tracks since witches often work with the elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit to enact personal or societal transformation.  Elena Rego isn’t “just” a witch; she’s the force behind The Holy Witch and The School of Holy Witchery, and our conversation isn’t “just” about the much-maligned tradition of witchcraft. Instead, we explore rituals that reconnect us to our inherent wholeness, we reclaim honest, inclusive dialogue, and we revel in the juiciness that is Lilith: the original witch. GUEST BIO Elena Rego. A practicing Witch for close to 30 years, I have woven together my experience as a Social Worker, Body Worker, and artist to inform my Priestess work as a ritualist and teacher. My spiritual path has been rooted in deep shamanism, animism, feminism, and magic, with studies and initiations in Dianic Witchcraft, Sri Vidya Tantra, and Core Shamanism. T

Whatcha hungry for? It’s a cheeky question with answers that reveal more than our immediate desire for something salty or sour, crunchy or creamy. As Anne discovers in conversation with UK-based chef and social justice change-maker Neha Patel Hampton, food can heal literally and figuratively, bringing us back to ourselves and each other.  Neha sprinkles tales of personal reclamation with lessons in world history and views on current events. Her stories remind me that none of us exists in a vacuum; our choices are informed by who and what came before us. For Neha, that’s her parents and the colonialism that forced them to carve out lives far from their home state of Gujarat, India, enduring unbearable pressures to assimilate as “obedient migrants.” But her narrative is also flavored by boxes of rare, fragrant mangoes, the ultimate expression of life’s sweetness. GUEST BIO Neha Patel Hampton is so many things. With over 20 years of experience in corporate, hospitality, and charity settings, she now fights for s

This episode contains a conversation about suicide & suicidal ideation. Do you struggle to complete basic tasks and have tactile sensitivities? Do you overshare in conversation or perpetually interrupt others? You might be neurodivergent. Or not. ADHD––attention deficit hyperactivity disorder––is one possibility that often goes underdiagnosed. While greater awareness could lead to vastly better ADHD treatment options, self-diagnosis via TikTok is NOT the answer! Alyse Ruriani, a queer femme registered art therapist and licensed professional counselor, is a recipient of a late ADHD diagnosis. As someone with vast personal and professional lived experience, Alyse is uniquely qualified to help folks leave the agony behind in favor of reclaiming agency.  GUEST BIO Alyse Ruriani (she/they), MA, ATR, LPC, is a queer femme registered art therapist, licensed professional counselor, illustrator, and person with lived experience. Their work aims to communicate information, provide tangible tools, and validate the h

The more I learn about indigenous and traditional approaches to well-being, the more I understand that humans ARE nature, not something outside or above it. Shay Grant, an herbalist and yoga teacher who relocated to the UK from Canada, operates from a similar POV.  As Anne discovers, the land around us has the power to enhance our mental and physical well-being. All we have to do is stop and smell the roses. Or the gorse. And here’s the great thing: your locale doesn’t matter. Urban, suburban, or rural, you’re never more than ten steps from experiencing the emotional and physical support that plants provide.  Shay believes in creating an empowering relationship between our bodies and the world around us, and her training perfectly combines ancient wisdom and modern scientific discovery. “I would not choose a world without modern medicine. I would not choose to live in that world,” Shay asserts.  GUEST BIO Shay Grant (she/her) is a Canadian yoga teacher and Medical Herbalist living in the UK. She's been teachi

Christine Leone, LCSW, has experience shining a light on realities folks would rather leave in the dark. As a child, she and her family left liberal NYC for Portland, OR, the little-big city advertised as a cultural and political utopia. In actuality, life in that PNW paradise was anything but. Christine and her family discovered that the city’s progressive patina obscured a very different––and dangerous––reality. “Under the guise of liberalism, there's definite, blatant racism,” she says, adding, “but I've discovered also that that's kind of everywhere.” Christine argues that it’s the less blatant, passive-aggressive racism embedded in well-meaning care systems that takes a more insidious toll. GUEST BIO Christine Leone has been a social worker and therapist since 2008. She was born in New York City, lived in Portland, OR, and has been settled in the Chicago area for over 20 years. For the last several years, she has been focused on creating a sense of home after divorce and seeking balance between self-care

When I say there’s a palpable spiritual quality running through Anne’s chat with Dr. Isha McKenzie-Mavinga, it’s not me getting all woo-woo as I’m wont to do. Dr. Isha is an integrative transcultural psychotherapist, trainer, and supervisor in the UK with over three decades of professional experience. She’s a lecturer, writer, and Reiki master as well as a published author, poet, editor, and, as Anne puts it so well, an amazing human.  The profoundly intimate cadence of this conversation no doubt stems from Dr. Isha’s role as Anne’s mentor. But the mentee has to meet the mentor halfway; they have to pick up what the mentor is putting down. GUEST BIO Dr. Isha McKenzie-Mavinga has thirty-three years experience as a Transcultural Psychotherapist, Supervisor, Lecturer, Writer, and Reiki Master. As a published writer & poet, she is the author of ‘Black Issues in the Therapeutic Process’ (2009) and ‘The Challenge of Racism in Therapeutic Practice’ (2016). She also co-authored an autobiography, contributed paper

How’s your nervous system these days? Oof. I don’t ask to provoke. Still, I understand that the question can stir up immediate and unpleasant vibrations deep in the marrow, feelings that cannot be put into words. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s evolutionary.  Courtney Rolfe is a psychotherapist, trainer, and speaker who has spent much of her professional career translating the language of Polyvagal Theory, those adaptive behavioral strategies that all mammals access to varying degrees. While the theory behind our vagus nerve’s role in emotional, relational, and fight-or-flight responses is a modern field of study, that bone-deep knowledge is ancient wisdom, according to Courtney, and has always guided our lived experience. She’s here to help us put language to that spine-tingly, unconscious knowing and become more aware of our agency in the process.  GUEST BIO Courtney Rolfe is a psychotherapist, trainer, and speaker who uses the wisdom of the nervous system to guide and inform her clinical work. Courtney is p

We're in it now, folks: the first episode of the rest of our lives. And, oh my, does Anne bring the sauce. Even better, her first guest delivers the spice!  Dee Albert is a UK-based psychotherapist and trainee supervisor offering both long and short-term therapy plus group and individual supervision focused on navigating the impact of racism, the challenges of personal and cultural identity, and empowering women. Dee is also a shamanic student who weaves massage techniques, yoni steaming, cacao ceremonies, and other spiritual practices into her psychotherapy.  This conversation is a vibrant reminder to all practitioners (regardless of modality) that showing up as our authentic selves is a therapeutic salve. Sprinkle your spice into every space. Without apology. GUEST BIO Dee Albert is an England-based psychotherapist who incorporates the personal navigation of her internal world in the work she does with her clients, culminating in a unique therapeutic approach. She is inspired by shamanism and spirituality.

Change is effing hard! And also… change is what’s needed so that we can fully embody our wildest dreams. Keen fans of the podcast will note that I’ve hinted at changes coming here, too. Well, today’s the day I forgo cryptic signals in favor of the big reveal: Introducing my new co-host Anne Remy! Wait, what?! Who? Why? Maybe I should say, “Re-introducing Anne Remy” because you met her earlier this year (go listen now, if you haven’t). Judging by the response to that episode, y’all love her as much as I do, so this change won’t be as hard as you might imagine. To refresh: Anne is a fellow Ohio native, a humanist therapist, TCTSY trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, a breathwork facilitator, and a yoga teacher living and working in the UK. The timing feels right, and Anne’s presence, doubly so. She shares my desire to connect with a global community of radical visionaries––therapists, light workers, and healers who are revolutionizing their chosen modalities.    That wasn’t so hard, was it? Let’s be friends! You