Social Harmony - Time to Talk

When you hear the word 'family' what springs to mind for you? You would hope words like 'love', 'support', 'safety' and similar words would be high on your list - but what if the word conjures up a different set of experiences for you? While for some family can be a haven, for others it can be something much different...

My guest today is Luigina Giampietro and her story is traumatic in parts, hopeful in others but there are often times when "what happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors" creates an atmosphere of gaslighting, coercive control and the opposite of what we think of when we talk about family values.

Gina grew up in a traditional Italian-American household and as such, straddled two seperate cultures although her parents were more versed in "the old tradition". From the outside looking in, Gina's family appeared to be a postcard image of what a hard-working, middle-class family should aspire to - although it is the things not discussed that give a greater indication of the wellbeing of those within that family.

Gina goes on to detail episodes of parental abuse, being scapegoated for when things went wrong, physical violence and many times down the years when she was expected to remain quiet and just let things slide for the sake of family harmony - when all this did was make things worse.

Reaching breaking point and deciding that enough was enough, Gina - with the support of her husband and two sons - broke contact with toxic family members in a move that was heartbreaking on a personal level but also 'not the done thing' within a tight-knit, traditional culture which places a high value on the family unit but also more ominously, 'La Cosa Nostra....'

Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:

http://www.youtube.com/@SocialHarmonyTimetoTalk

https://open.spotify.com/show/4aAdbPrTjEEnwco5jII65U?si=998a4105012f4939

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-harmony-time-to-talk/id1792776061

Returning for today's episode is Geraecka Lyonns, founder and director of The Mars Rising / The Mars Contract to discuss something that is very much front and centre in her work - The Mother Wound.

In her time as a tomboy, a construction worker, a dominatrix and a mother, Geraecka has been in a position to observe and speak with a wide spectrum of men in various guises, learning about their struggles, their triumphs and their lives as a whole - all while giving practical advice from a feminine perspective that nurtures positive masculinity rather than shying away from it.

In recent years, a great deal has been spoken about The Mother Wound and Geraecka explains exactly what this is in her forthright style, detailing its' origins, how it presents across various domains, avenues to healing and means of support for boys and men affected - again, using a nurturing method that promotes rather than emasculates.

As a condition that starts in developmental stages, Geraecka discusses her work with men and with mothers to explain how origins can stem from both traumatic and caring models of parenthood right through to common triggers and the impacts on adulthood - both for the self and in relationships.

Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:

http://www.youtube.com/@SocialHarmonyTimetoTalk

https://open.spotify.com/show/4aAdbPrTjEEnwco5jII65U?si=a19f4228313144e4

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-harmony-time-to-talk/id1792776061

Check out Geraecka' s work on the links below:

The Mars Contract
Geraecka Lyonns - YouTube
Instagram

Today I'm joined by Becky Farrar, an Identity & Self-Leadership Speaker and the creator of The FEAR Theory™ - a framework for aligned expansion that helps people navigate fear as their identity evolves.

With over 21 years of experience working with children, young people and adults, Becky combines lived experience, emotional insight and practical self-leadership tools to help people develop a different relationship with fear and growth.

Her work explores what happens internally as we step into new levels of visibility, possibility, change and expansion - helping people understand fear not as a stop sign, but as information that can support aligned decisions, self-trust and personal growth.
Through speaking, workshops and conversations, Becky is known for translating complex internal experiences into relatable, grounded language that creates powerful moments of recognition and reflection.

Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:

http://www.youtube.com/@SocialHarmonyTimetoTalk

https://open.spotify.com/show/4aAdbPrTjEEnwco5jII65U?si=d8f4983c815946ee

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-harmony-time-to-talk/id1792776061

Check out Becky's work on the links below:

Facebook

Instagram
Strive Dance Academy | Liversedge | Dance Classes
Becky Farrar | LinkedIn

Today I'm joined by Jade Horton, owner and operator of Merkaba Holistics, angelic reiki practitioner and so much more...

While the healing that Jade provides is a large part of the story, there is a lot of focus on what brought her into this realm. In 2020 after tucking in her two children Isaac, 3 and Sienna, 7, then heading to bed herself, Jade's life would change forever when a fire ripped through her home and left her staring at a jump from the upstairs of a three-storey house directly onto concrete. After being told that the children were safe, she leapt from the house and received horrific injuries including two broken ankles, broken pelvis and broken bones in her back. But there was more to come...

Whilst lying on the ground in agony and seeing a crowd of onlookers, Jade noticed that people would not confirm news of the children and it was not until later that she was given the news no parent wants to hear. Trying to come to terms with the enormity of everything that had happened so far, Jade was then told several times by specialists that she would never walk again - at this point she fought back hard. Following a six-week stay in hospital, bouts of depression and fighting against the odds, Jade took her first steps in March 2021.

Since her recovery, Jade has sought to use her natural gifts in order to help others recover from their own setbacks and traumas, both emotional and physical. Working holistically to understand her clients inside and out, Jade is the embodiment of strength, courage and self-determination.

Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:

http://www.youtube.com/@SocialHarmonyTimetoTalk

https://open.spotify.com/show/4aAdbPrTjEEnwco5jII65U?si=500c259768ad496e

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-harmony-time-to-talk/id1792776061

Check out Jade, her work and her story on the links below:
Merkaba Holistics - St Neots
TikTok - Make Your Day
Facebook
Instagram
St Neots mum Jade Horton wins Woman of Courage Award | The Hunts Post

Divorce is said to be one of the 'Big 5' when it comes to stressful live events and I can attest to this, having been through a separation of my own. While there were many with well=meaning platitudes and kind words, there was very little in the way of practical help other than from a legal standpoint and so when I came into contact with today's guest Taylor Beck I was very interested to hear about the work she does and the results it brings for her clients.

Taylor works as a divorce coach and this was something I had previously never encountered but given that I and many of my friends either have scars from our own divorce or are in the process of this, my interest was piqued and we began communicating.

Taylor has her own stories and uses her experience as both a means of connecting and empathising with her clients, as well as a roadmap for helping to navigate through the bureaucracy and emotional turmoil of divorce. She emphasises that she does not provide legal advice and is not a counsellor or therapist but is there to help take the sting out of the mediation process and beyond, whilst providing reassurance at a time when things can feel incredibly lonely and overwhelming.

I was unsure at first how I felt about the idea of a divorce coach, having jumped to my own conclusions and made assumptions which turned out to be inaccurate but having heard her story and come to understand what it is that she actually does, I feel like society could use more people lie Taylor and in hindsight wish I had known about such a service in my time of need.

Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts:

Social Harmony - Time to Talk - YouTube
https://open.spotify.com/show/4aAdbPrTjEEnwco5jII65U?si=2433ec018f184781

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-harmony-time-to-talk/id1792776061

Check out Taylor's work on the links below:

Facebook
Revive & Rise Coaching
Taylor Beck | Divorce Coach (@reviveandrisecoaching) | TikTok