E 236: Recovering from Trauma Through Bodywork, Movement & Connection w/Blanca Rodriquez
In this powerful and inspiring conversation, we explore the profound impact of childhood trauma on adult life with special guest Blanca Rodriguez — speaker, educator, best-selling co-author, and CEO of Wounded Healer, LLC. With more than two decades of experience as a licensed massage therapist, Blanca offers deep insight into how trauma isn’t just a memory — it lives in the body.
Blanca shares her personal journey from silence and pain to empowerment and purpose, demonstrating that healing is not a destination — it’s a courageous, ongoing process. She highlights the importance of a holistic approach to recovery, combining traditional therapeutic support with innovative modalities like canine massage therapy, movement, music, laughter, and dance to unlock emotional release and transformation.
This episode is a reminder that life does not get better by chance — it gets better by change. Listeners are encouraged to take small steps toward healing, embrace their inherent worth, and seek support that nurtures both the body and soul.
✅ Key Takeaways
- Untreated childhood trauma has a deep and lasting effect on adult emotional and physical health.
- Healing requires a holistic approach — addressing the trauma stored in the body, not just the mind.
- Creative expression (music, dance, laughter) can serve as powerful tools for emotional release and growth.
- Trauma recovery often accelerates when physical therapies like massage are integrated into care.
- Support systems and community are vital — we heal faster when we’re not alone.
- Personal transformation is a choice — small, consistent steps create a better quality of life.
⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:01 — Introduction to Blanca Rodriguez
10:40 — The Healing Journey: Trauma & Recovery
16:09 — Breaking the Silence: The Journey to Healing
24:22 — Movement, Massage & Emotion: Where Trauma Lives
29:27 — The Power of Support Systems & Taking Action
🔗 Connect with Blanca
Website: www.woundedhealer.us
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Woundedhealer1965
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blanca-e-rodriguez-58b20490
More links: https://linktr.ee/woundedhb
Yeah.
Speaker AWell, hello everybody and welcome to another episode of Blanc of of Adult Child of Dysfunction.
Speaker AToday we have with us Blanca Rodriguez.
Speaker AShe is with us from sunny Florida as well.
Speaker AAre you in Florida right now, Blanca?
Speaker BYes, yes, I am.
Speaker APerfect.
Speaker AAnd she's the CEO of Wounded Healer llc.
Speaker AShe's an accomplished speaker, storyteller, educator, a canine massage therapist and bestselling book co author.
Speaker ABlanca has dedicated her career to helping individuals understand the long term effects of untreated childhood trauma and how music, laughter and dance can provide a creative outlet for healing and transformation.
Speaker ABlanca's contribution to the personal growth world has helped individuals improve her quality of life by helping them understand that life does not get better by chance.
Speaker AIt gets better by change.
Speaker AIs that your tagline?
Speaker ABecause I love that.
Speaker BOh, yes, it is.
Speaker BThank you.
Speaker BThank you.
Speaker AI was gonna say because I know I hear a lot of them, but that definitely, like, I'm always like, you know, it's choice.
Speaker AYou have to choose, you have to decide.
Speaker ABut I like that it doesn't get better by chance, it gets better by change.
Speaker AAnd absolutely, I love it.
Speaker AAnd honestly, obviously change is what you help promote.
Speaker ASo I'm going to jump right in because I want to ask you, how did you get into, or do you do on a regular basis, the canine massage therapy?
Speaker BYes, I actually do.
Speaker BAnd this is very interesting and thank you for that question.
Speaker BI've been a licensed massage therapist for 20 years and as part of our licensing is our obligation to have continuing education courses every two years.
Speaker BI was looking for something more interesting to do.
Speaker BI've been doing this for 20 years already and I always.
Speaker BI'm an animal lover at heart.
Speaker BI grew up around animals.
Speaker BI've been.
Speaker BDogs are my thing.
Speaker BDefinitely I was looking for something new to do and there it was.
Speaker BEquine massage therapy.
Speaker BI'm like, well, I love horses, but horses are big, intimidating and their muscle mass is gigantic.
Speaker BSo I saw in a random magazine it was a blessing.
Speaker BCanine massage therapy courses in Sarasota, Florida.
Speaker BAnd there I went.
Speaker BI've had, and I haven't stopped since then, 10 years of being a canine massage therapist.
Speaker BCanine massage therapist is a powerful practice that has been around since, since 2700 B.C.
Speaker Bactually.
Speaker BBut here in the Americas is a pretty young practice.
Speaker BPeople didn't really know about it until the 1970s that it was introduced as equine massage therapy and then canine massage therapy.
Speaker BAnd the akc, or American Kennel Club, approve of the practices of massage therapy for better quality of life of our beloved dogs.
Speaker BSo that's exactly what I do.
Speaker BAs much as massage therapy is highly beneficial for us humans, it is equally beneficial for dogs because we both are mammals.
Speaker BWe have nerves, arteries, body systems, muscle emotion.
Speaker BSo, yes, that is definitely one of my biggest passions is canine massage therapy.
Speaker BNo doubt.
Speaker AWell, it, it's funny you say that because I have a little pug and I always say, like, that is her happy place when she's sprawled on her back with her legs out and I'm rubbing, like massaging, like deep in, you know, those little, what I call her chicken legs.
Speaker AAnd I'm like, dog.
Speaker AAnd I always said dogs need massages too.
Speaker AIt's not.
Speaker AOh, that's great.
Speaker ASo is that your business?
Speaker ALike your main business?
Speaker BPart of my business is canine massage therapy.
Speaker BYes.
Speaker BAnd I do human massage therapy as well.
Speaker BYeah.
Speaker AOkay, perfect.
Speaker AAnd you do that.
Speaker AI mean, massage is so beneficial.
Speaker AAnd a lot of people, I mean, you treat trauma and it just goes to reason, and we talk so much on this podcast about the fact that the trauma is not stored in your mind, it's stored completely in your body.
Speaker AI mean, it's in your mind too, but it's in your body.
Speaker AAnd until you get that out, you.
Speaker ASo talk a little bit about that.
Speaker BYes, absolutely.
Speaker BThank you for that.
Speaker BYes.
Speaker BI've been medical massage therapist for 20 years.
Speaker BThis has been my scope of practice ever since I got license.
Speaker BI have worked in many environments, but one of the most powerful environments that I worked at was at rehab centers for drug abuse and alcohol abuse.
Speaker BI work at two of these powerful facilities.
Speaker BAnd the most important part of this is that in these places, people have nothing to lose because they lost it all.
Speaker BAnd the one, the place where, I mean, that is filled for.
Speaker BWith strangers, where I experience more brutal honesty than anywhere else in my life was in these centers.
Speaker BAnd most of the time, I could say like 98% of the time that people get numbed by drugs, alcohol abuse, whatever the case may be, whatever the addiction may be, the root cause of it is childhood trauma.
Speaker BThere's no doubt about that.
Speaker BI come from childhood trauma.
Speaker BAnd all I needed to do is say, how are you feeling today?
Speaker BAnd the box will open.
Speaker BAnd definitely, if there is something that all patients that I took care of in these years, it was this.
Speaker BThey felt better with a seven minute massage than they felt in a full session of psychotherapy.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker BAnd they failed with having pills to numb their pain because that's a big problem with recovery centers here in the state of Florida, is that they substitute an addiction with another addiction.
Speaker ARight.
Speaker BThey numb people with pills so they can supposedly recover.
Speaker BTo me, that is not the answer.
Speaker BThat is not the road.
Speaker BThey have feel.
Speaker BAnd I can confirm this because I took care of three, over 3,000 people in one year.
Speaker BAnd what they will, almost all of them will say is like a massage did much better than me, than the damn pill.
Speaker BAnd definitely it was a great help to their recovery process.
Speaker BYes, emotions are stored in the body.
Speaker BStress levels that we have in our mind will reflect directly in our body in the weakest points that we have.
Speaker BFor example, you have, have the tendency to have migraines.
Speaker BYou get stressed out, guess what's going to happen.
Speaker BA migraine will follow.
Speaker BAnd like this, so many other parts of our bodies that yes, the body keeps a score and we may have some kind of trauma when we were even babies.
Speaker BAnd your body will remember for the rest of your life.
Speaker BNow how are we going to address these challenges?
Speaker BThat's another story.
Speaker BAnd massage therapy is a beautiful, powerful way to address being in touch with our bodies, recognizing that our bodies deserve to feel better, to heal in some other way versus regard, I mean, besides a medication.
Speaker BBecause medication is a temporary fix for a permanent issue.
Speaker BAnd definitely we got to be very, very aware and create that mindfulness about how are we going to.
Speaker BWhat is going to work better for me?
Speaker BIs it going to be taken on a leave because I have a headache or is it going to be, let me book a massage with this person because my full upper back is hurting and when the leaf is, the effect is gone, then the pain will come straight, right, right back.
Speaker ASo, and, and not only that, but like you said, if you go into a recovery center, I mean, these people are stuck and trying to break the habit of turning to something external when things are not going as well or when they can't, when they can't cope.
Speaker AYou know, it's very easy.
Speaker AWe want, we're, we're a quick fix kind of nation.
Speaker AWe wanted just a quick, quick fix.
Speaker AAnd sometimes, yeah, I mean, yes, that pill, I mean sometimes even just holding that pill and getting ready to hand it to someone has been shown to lower their cortisol levels.
Speaker ALike their stress like drops because they know they're going to get it.
Speaker ABut what if we could take them outside and run them around or like you say, dance with them, play with them, distract them in another way and let them just get it out of their body.
Speaker AIt was, I was talking to my husband the other day and we were, he said something about, I wish I could shake like a dog.
Speaker AAnd so we got in that conversation about how the dogs shake to reset nervous systems.
Speaker AI'm like, sometimes you need to, sometimes you just need to like, like shake it like crazy.
Speaker BThat's right.
Speaker AYou know, I mean, it's just so, so vitally important.
Speaker ASo, so your, your work is the trauma.
Speaker ADo you still work in the recovery centers or no?
Speaker BNo, I don't work in the recovery centers anymore, but I work in a wellness center.
Speaker BAnd this wellness center is more of a holistic approach to medicine.
Speaker BThere is a nurse practitioner, there's a medical doctor, and then there is me, and then there is a nutritionist.
Speaker BHolistic life coaching.
Speaker BI do holistic life coaching too.
Speaker BMental health counselor.
Speaker BIt's a beautiful facility that offers whatever works for you in a holistic way.
Speaker BEast meets West.
Speaker BIf you need your medication for whatever the case may be, but you can have, have the help of a massage, of a meditation session, reiki session, energy work that is so powerful, then it's more than welcome as well.
Speaker BBut yes, what the, the, the mission that I fulfilled in these recovery centers was the, one of the most impactful things that I have ever done in my career as a massage therapist.
Speaker BBecause I was in that trauma.
Speaker BI was that loss for many years of my life.
Speaker BI was depending on alcohol and drugs to numb my own pain.
Speaker BSo I know exactly where these people come from when it comes to, it's like, okay, I am lost in my silence.
Speaker BI am lost in my shame.
Speaker BHow am I going to channel all of these?
Speaker BHow am I going to let it out if I even let it out?
Speaker BAnd it takes hard work and dedication to start the speaking process, to start the long recovery process, because recovery is not like a quick fix like you just said.
Speaker BRecovering, recovering.
Speaker BIt takes most likely the rest of our lives to recover.
Speaker BThe triggers will come when you least expecting.
Speaker BNow, how do you address them?
Speaker BThat's a whole different story, right?
Speaker BAnd definitely, you know, in, in my process of healing from childhood trauma, from untreated childhood trauma for so long.
Speaker BI understand that the triggers are there.
Speaker BThe triggers will come.
Speaker BBut I am safe, right?
Speaker BI am safe.
Speaker BI am okay.
Speaker BIt's going to be okay.
Speaker BLife is different now.
Speaker BI am not at risk like I was.
Speaker BI am not living around chronic untreated mental illnesses like I used to.
Speaker BIt's a whole different ball game.
Speaker BI, I, I, every time that I feel a little bit shaky, so to speak, it's like, okay, is time to do some breathing exercises and meditation.
Speaker BAnd that to me, that is one of the best medicines that I Still use to this day, and I use it every single day.
Speaker BI take care of a lot of people in my.
Speaker BIn this beautiful career of mine.
Speaker BSo taking care of myself is the rooting of it all.
Speaker BBecause if I don't take care of myself, how am I going to be?
Speaker BYou know, expressing to people and communicating to people is like, oh, you got to take care of yourself, because the effects are great, because you will have better quality of life.
Speaker BI gotta practice what I preach, man.
Speaker BOtherwise it's all for nothing.
Speaker AYeah, exactly.
Speaker AAnd just the fact that, I mean, like you said, if you're not feeling safe there, the people that you're working with are feeling that you're not feeling safe as well.
Speaker AIt's super important.
Speaker ASo you talked about breathing, you talked about meditation.
Speaker AI mean, I think that's the biggest thing.
Speaker AAnd a lot of people, especially listening to this podcast, it's called Adult Child of Dysfunction, they're kind of at the starting point.
Speaker AThey kind of understand, like, wow, yes.
Speaker AOh, my gosh, Tammy, you said something to me the other day, or you said something on your podcast and I felt like you were talking to my soul.
Speaker ABut what.
Speaker AWhere do I go?
Speaker AWhat do I.
Speaker AWhere do I start?
Speaker AYou know, that's a lot of the times, the big question.
Speaker AAnd a lot of people aren't ready to jump into therapy.
Speaker AA lot of people are kind of still battling with that.
Speaker AI can't say anything.
Speaker AOr if they're.
Speaker AIf you're just in the starting point, what would you suggest would maybe be a first step?
Speaker BWell, I can tell you of what works for work for me.
Speaker BI was in the world of silence for 47 years of my life.
Speaker BThat's a long time.
Speaker BAnd what worked for me, little by little, because now we have this age of technology.
Speaker BAnd yes, there are many bad things, but there's many things that are within reach, which are many people.
Speaker BAnd YouTube.
Speaker BYouTube University, to me, is a powerhouse.
Speaker BI listened to Brene Brown.
Speaker BBrene Brown is a powerhouse.
Speaker BThis woman I went to, to Anthony Robbins, unleashed Unleash the power within.
Speaker BThat was the first big event that I did of personal development and healing.
Speaker BAnd it was online while the Pand was happening.
Speaker BAnd it was transformational in my life.
Speaker BAnd I was alone in a room going through this healing process.
Speaker BI didn't really reach out to nobody because that was.
Speaker BI mean, for me, that was the.
Speaker BMy biggest fear was, how am I going to reach to anybody when I don't feel worthy about it?
Speaker BBecause I didn't feel that I was worth anybody's help.
Speaker BI didn't feel that I was worth every.
Speaker BAnybody's attention.
Speaker BSupport, support.
Speaker BBeing there for me, helping me navigate through all of these things and challenges that I went through, all through these very dark seasons in my life that lasted so long.
Speaker BHow am I gonna start with so much information that I had within me?
Speaker BAnd I started with just jumping in and YouTube for me was, it's like, you know what I need to listen to words of wisdom, to words of comfort, to words from the professional.
Speaker BLet me, let me approach the best of the best when it comes to this healing journey that has been so rocky, so silent, so lonely because I was on my own.
Speaker BI grew up in an environment of.
Speaker AShh.
Speaker BYou don't talk about the dead.
Speaker BWhat does an 8 year old girl understand upon the tragic death of her father and not being able to talk about the dead?
Speaker BWell, I cannot talk about anything wrong then.
Speaker BAnd that was my mindset.
Speaker BAnd I did it.
Speaker BI survived it on my own.
Speaker BI didn't know how to grief.
Speaker BI had to figure it out on my own because those were the years of silence, a world of silence.
Speaker BAnd it was, it was a hard road, but it taught me so many lessons.
Speaker BAnd that's one of the reasons why I'm here, sitting with you today to help others.
Speaker BIt's like if you've been in the world of silence, hey, let's talk.
Speaker BBecause I was there for decades upon decades of my life.
Speaker BBut definitely the.
Speaker BTo me, the first step was say to myself, I cannot do this alone anymore.
Speaker BI can't.
Speaker ANope, you have to surrender.
Speaker AYou have to surrender and realize that it's bigger than you.
Speaker AIt's.
Speaker AYou can't.
Speaker AYeah, no, you absolutely can't.
Speaker AI know, because I tried.
Speaker AI tried for about 25 years and I was like, this is not working.
Speaker BYeah, yeah, I was going, I was going in that vicious circle of, oh, yeah, I can do it.
Speaker BOh, I can do it on my own.
Speaker BNo, no, you, you cannot do it.
Speaker BAnd there's certain.
Speaker BThere's so many things in life that why try to do it on your own when there's a lot of people like ourselves, willing to lend a hand, willing to listen to what you're saying and give you a word of comfort, of wisdom, maybe an experience that I had, maybe can help someone out there, right?
Speaker BAnd this is why we're here today.
Speaker BBecause maybe all of these things, all of the childhood trauma, all of the darkness, all of the silence, the drug abuse, the alcohol abuse, jumping from person to person will help someone out there.
Speaker BMaybe Our openness will help.
Speaker BOne person, two, a million.
Speaker BOh, even better.
Speaker BEven better.
Speaker BYeah.
Speaker AOh, yeah.
Speaker AAnd.
Speaker AAnd without.
Speaker AAnd listening.
Speaker ALen, you said everybody's, you know, there's people out there to listen.
Speaker AThere's people out there to listen and not judge.
Speaker AThat's the thing, too, is because I know when you grow up like that, you're just like you said you didn't.
Speaker AYou were in silence for 47 years because not only did you not feel that you were worthy, but you don't want to be shamed again.
Speaker AAnd it is, you know, you don't want to be judged again.
Speaker AYou don't want to be laughed at again.
Speaker AYou don't want to be told that your feelings don't matter or that, you know, nobody's doing that now.
Speaker ALike, if those are.
Speaker AIf somebody's doing that, those are not your people anyway.
Speaker ASo, again, you know, there's so many people out there that care and there's so many people.
Speaker AI tell people, you know, although your experience was very unique to you, there's so many people out there that have traveled a very parallel path, that have had the same experiences just in a different version.
Speaker ASo people get it.
Speaker ALike, nothing.
Speaker AYou tell me whatever shocked me.
Speaker BThat's right.
Speaker BThat is right.
Speaker BAnd to me, in my experience with the rehab centers, there were so many stories.
Speaker BAnd yes, just like you said, the parallels of our stories is like, wow, we are.
Speaker BWe meet here.
Speaker BAnd out of everywhere else that we could be in this planet, here we are together.
Speaker BAnd it's for a mission.
Speaker BIt's for.
Speaker BIt's.
Speaker BIt is part of the plan.
Speaker BI'll never take it for granted because the same way that these beautiful humans learn something from me, I surely learn a tremendous amount with them.
Speaker BAnd definitely every single day I will go in grateful.
Speaker BI'm grateful because it's not for everybody to work at a rehab center.
Speaker BIt's not for everybody because the things that I saw and heard were very, very intense.
Speaker BThey're not to be repeated and.
Speaker BAnd talked about here.
Speaker BBut it's part of the huge lesson.
Speaker BIt's part of something bigger than myself that I was doing there is like, wow, all of this dark.
Speaker BThe dark season that I have, which lasted a long time of self sabotaging and not taking care of myself and undermining myself and not bad.
Speaker BI'm not giving myself any value.
Speaker BDefinitely a turn around in 180 degree turn.
Speaker BWhen I landed this very important job with these people, definitely.
Speaker BAnd I would talk to patients and I will tell them part of my story.
Speaker BAnd it's like, well, you definitely seem like you never had a problem.
Speaker ALike.
Speaker BExactly, exactly.
Speaker BThis is why.
Speaker BIt's like, wow, this is one of the most powerful reasons why I was there is to.
Speaker BFor them to see.
Speaker BIt's like, wow, you were there.
Speaker BWow, you did that.
Speaker BAnd look at where you are now.
Speaker BAnd like, bingo.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AYes.
Speaker AI mean, you're a walking test.
Speaker BReally is possible.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AAnd I, I look at that and I say, that's what our job is.
Speaker AOur, our job is to be walking testimonies that you can come from a really deep, dark place and you can do the work and you can certainly, you can be happy.
Speaker AYou can find that inner peace that so many people struggle with.
Speaker AI know, I remember.
Speaker AAnd I don't know who the psychologist was, and I, I said this a couple times.
Speaker ASo if you, if you're out there listening and you've already heard this, I'm sorry, but, you know, and, and she says just that, that one piece of that unworthiness, because that's where it all stems from.
Speaker AIt all stems from that, that belief that you're not worthy from whatever was fed to you as a child.
Speaker AThat's really what it is.
Speaker AAnd she said, you know, picture.
Speaker AShe goes, picture your favorite ice cream and think about how that feels in your body.
Speaker AAnd it feels warm, right?
Speaker AYou picture your favorite food or curling up on the couch with a bowl of ice cream, whatever it is, and it feels warm and fuzzy and happy, right?
Speaker AAnd then say to yourself, I deserve all good things.
Speaker AAnd sit with that for a second, because some people go like, I'm over it.
Speaker AI did it.
Speaker AI did the work.
Speaker AI'm over it.
Speaker ABut when they do that one little test and then all of a sudden they get that little twinge in their stomach or their back tenses or their jaw tightens, it's like you still, you still don't feel 100 worthy.
Speaker ASo that's, you know, it's kind of like a very good, easy, quick test to see where you're at.
Speaker AYou can do it with anything.
Speaker ALike you said, your body keeps score.
Speaker ASo any question, it's like muscle testing.
Speaker AAny question you ask yourself, you're going to get some kind of physiological reaction.
Speaker BThat's right.
Speaker BThat is absolutely right.
Speaker BWithout, without question.
Speaker BI love essential oils.
Speaker BI love aromatherapy.
Speaker BAnd as an aromatherapist, the first thing that, the, the first approach for aromatherapy is this.
Speaker BYou show the bottle to the person and then it's like, okay, smell the scent.
Speaker BIf your body backs off, you don't need it.
Speaker BBut if you're like, oh, my God, that smells so good, then your body is receiving it because it needs that.
Speaker BThat.
Speaker BIt needs that essence.
Speaker BSo it's.
Speaker BIt's very interesting how, yes, our body really does keep the score.
Speaker BThere's even a book that is called the Body Keeps its score.
Speaker BLove it highly.
Speaker BOh, my God.
Speaker BThat was.
Speaker BThat was one of the.
Speaker BThis.
Speaker BOkay.
Speaker BAnother wake up call.
Speaker BAnd another wake up call is like, yeah, absolutely, Absolutely.
Speaker BI. I'm a sexual violence surv myself, and I had issues with my reproductive system.
Speaker BAnd yesterday I'm.
Speaker BI'm sharing this with you because it's very important.
Speaker BYesterday I went to a OBGYN for the first time in many years, because I was running away from going to an obgyn, feeling baited with, going there against my will, being seen against my will, being tested against my will.
Speaker BFor the first time in my life, I told the practitioner, hey, I'm a sexual assault survivor.
Speaker BPlease be gentle with me.
Speaker BAnd it was one of the most liberating experiences that I had in my life.
Speaker BAnd I was like, wow, I never did this before.
Speaker BI told the practitioner even.
Speaker BIt's like, I never told anybody, anybody.
Speaker BSo.
Speaker BSo this is about still breaking my silence at age 60.
Speaker BI'm still breaking my silence with something as intimate as it is going to the doctor.
Speaker BI spend my whole menopausal stages on my own.
Speaker BI did everything on my own.
Speaker BEverything.
Speaker BAnd honestly, my menopause stages was not that bad.
Speaker BI just followed.
Speaker BAnd I do.
Speaker BI did a lot of research.
Speaker BI did my own homework.
Speaker BI don't recommend that everybody does what I did.
Speaker BDon't do.
Speaker AI did.
Speaker BBut definitely, you know, that was a big stepping stone in my life to let the nurse practitioner know where I was, where my.
Speaker BMy trauma comes from.
Speaker BAnd she was extremely gentle.
Speaker BAnd I felt safe.
Speaker BHere we go again.
Speaker BI felt safe in this woman's hands.
Speaker BAnd I'm very grateful for that.
Speaker AYep.
Speaker AAnd no.
Speaker AAnd that's.
Speaker AIt's huge.
Speaker AThat's a huge step.
Speaker AAnd it just goes to show you it doesn't matter how old you are, which I'm still blown away by the fact that.
Speaker AFact that you're 60, because if anybody that's out there, if you're watching this on YouTube, should look 60.
Speaker ARight?
Speaker BThank you.
Speaker BThank you.
Speaker AWhen you said last time we talked and you said, I've been keeping my silence for 47 years, and I'm like, so pre birth, I was like, I wasn't gonna question you on it because I'm like, okay, I just met her, so I'm not gonna say anything, but, yeah, thank you.
Speaker AThat, that was great.
Speaker ABut, no, I mean, it makes a difference.
Speaker AAnd think about now, like, if you're out there listening and you're younger and you're not 60, have those conversations now.
Speaker ASometimes those conversations are the hardest to have.
Speaker ABut how, like you said, how liberating.
Speaker BYes.
Speaker AAnd had you done that when you were 25, your whole.
Speaker AThe whole trajectory of doctors and, and having that annual exam and all of those things would have probably been 100 different.
Speaker BAbsolutely.
Speaker A100 different.
Speaker BAbsolutely.
Speaker BWithout a doubt.
Speaker BWithout a doubt.
Speaker BThat was an open door for me.
Speaker BI mean, it was really, really liberating.
Speaker BIt was empowering in a big way that I finally tell a practitioner that this happened to me, so please be.
Speaker BBe gentle.
Speaker BAnd it was very empowering.
Speaker BDefinitely.
Speaker BI'm very, very grateful for that moment.
Speaker BI mean, in a big way, I feel like I kind of needed this.
Speaker BYeah, I. I needed that.
Speaker BAnd it's like, this is another step to my recovery at this age.
Speaker BSo remember, everybody out there, there is no certain age for recovery.
Speaker BYou can recover.
Speaker BYou can.
Speaker BYou can restart that button at any age, no matter what.
Speaker BYou're worth it.
Speaker AYes, absolutely.
Speaker AAnd I think that's the biggest message, and that's the biggest message I try to share with people is just every.
Speaker AEvery single step you make forward is worth it.
Speaker AAnd also to remind people, too, that it's not.
Speaker AIt's not linear.
Speaker AHow many times during your recovery did you go forward and then five step back, steps back.
Speaker BThat's right.
Speaker BThat's right.
Speaker BYeah.
Speaker BYou know, it doesn't come with an instruction book, that's for sure.
Speaker ANo.
Speaker AAnd there's no shame in 57 years old getting triggered by something and having to work through something.
Speaker ALike you said, that's just a.
Speaker AYou know, I truly believe that God doesn't give you any more than you can handle.
Speaker ASo as you get stronger, he unravels a couple more layers here.
Speaker AAnd that's why it's a lifelong thing.
Speaker AIt's not, you know, you don't see a stop sign up four years from now and go, oh, when I get to that stop sign four years from now, I'm going to be good.
Speaker ABecause that's.
Speaker AThat's not what it's about.
Speaker ABut like you said, it's about being able now to take something that triggers you and very easily and safely cope with it and deal with it.
Speaker BAbsolutely.
Speaker BBig time.
Speaker BAbsolutely.
Speaker BWithout a doubt.
Speaker BYesterday was.
Speaker BI mean, I was triggered, and I am so thankful that I have an amazing husband that I can.
Speaker BHe's.
Speaker BHe's my best friend, and he.
Speaker BHe knows my story entirely.
Speaker BAnd I called him and I told him, listen, I am not good with this appointment that I'm going to.
Speaker BAnd he was there to support me and.
Speaker BDefinite feeling that support, especially from a man, it's.
Speaker BIt's a very important part, Very important part of my recovery.
Speaker BI'm grateful for him.
Speaker BYeah, tremendously.
Speaker BYeah.
Speaker AAnd hopefully, hopefully everybody out there listening has that one person.
Speaker AAnd it doesn't always have to be your spouse.
Speaker AIt can be a best friend.
Speaker AIt can be a therapist, it can be a coach.
Speaker AIt can be anybody.
Speaker AIt can.
Speaker AIt can be the crossing guard that.
Speaker AWhen you walk your kids to school.
Speaker AYep, that's right.
Speaker AThat's right.
Speaker AYou just want.
Speaker AEverybody needs that one person, especially when you're younger.
Speaker AAnd they say that even with children that are going through that kind of trauma, if every child had one, one supportive, at least one where they could go to with absolutely everything, the trajectory of your life would be a hundred percent different.
Speaker AI didn't have that person.
Speaker AYou probably have that person.
Speaker BYeah.
Speaker ASo I can.
Speaker AI can remember saying to my kids, you know, hey, if you don't feel safe coming to tell me something, find someone.
Speaker AFind someone.
Speaker AYou can tell if it's a teacher, if it's a guidance counselor, whoever it is, if you don't trust me with it, trust someone with it.
Speaker BAbsolutely.
Speaker BSo that's what I. I tell my kids, too.
Speaker BThey are full.
Speaker BThey're.
Speaker BThey're adults and they live their own lives.
Speaker BBut definitely I tell them, I always tell them I'm here to lend a hand.
Speaker BI'm here to listen.
Speaker BI'm here to make you company, even if you don't want to speak a word.
Speaker BI'm just here because I want you to know that you don't have to go through this alone.
Speaker BBut if you have a friend, if you have a therapist, if you have a co worker, if you have whatever the case may be, but make sure that it's someone that will give you words of support, not criticism.
Speaker BRight.
Speaker BBecause when it comes, when criticism and bullying is in the equation, then you rather not go that route.
Speaker BI mean, that's why I. I come from a very big family.
Speaker BI'm Puerto Rican, and it was a huge family.
Speaker BAnd I had all of these cousins, uncles, aunties.
Speaker BEverybody was there, and still I felt that I was the only person in the middle of that room.
Speaker BAnd nobody will reach out to Menahan.
Speaker BNobody will say Nothing about, hey, I'm here for you, that really, really didn't happen.
Speaker BAnd that I take as a less as.
Speaker BAs, you know, words of wisdom for someone that is like, no, don't do it alone, because it's not easy.
Speaker BThe world gets much more complicated than that when you even try to do things alone.
Speaker BBecause it's not real.
Speaker BDefinitely.
Speaker BIt's.
Speaker BIt's not real.
Speaker BYeah.
Speaker ANo.
Speaker AAnd also, you know, we don't know what we don't know.
Speaker ASo what you're thinking is, you know, especially when you start on the journey and all of your feelings, all of your emotions, everything is wrapped up in.
Speaker AIn memories or what was kind of dictated to you.
Speaker ARight.
Speaker AYou know, it's like I tell people, it's even like when you start affirmations, it's good to have somebody to be.
Speaker ATo.
Speaker ATo validate even those affirmations, because you can say, oh, you can wake up in the morning and you could look at a picture of yourself on the mirror and say, I am beautiful.
Speaker AI'm amazing.
Speaker AI am good.
Speaker AI am.
Speaker AI am worthy.
Speaker AI'm going to stand up for myself.
Speaker ABut the first time the rubber hits the road and you got to make a decision, you're not.
Speaker ANot now going.
Speaker AComing from that logical person that just said all those things, you're coming from your subconscious, and so you're going to act differently.
Speaker BYeah.
Speaker ASo that's why I think that's one of the biggest reasons.
Speaker AAnd having that support system, too, is that what you see is your normal.
Speaker BYeah.
Speaker ASo you think you're just going to continue those patterns because it's your norm.
Speaker BYeah, that's right.
Speaker BThat's right.
Speaker BUntil.
Speaker BUntil you get out of that comfort zone and start breaking the chains of generational trauma.
Speaker BThat is a big, profound, lengthy process, that is for sure.
Speaker BYes.
Speaker BYes.
Speaker AAnd like I said, though, and I think you've already said, too, every step forward is so worth it.
Speaker AIt's every single tiny step.
Speaker ASo I always ask people, you know, what's one.
Speaker AOne little tiny thing you can do today to just go a little forward?
Speaker AYou know?
Speaker BThat's right.
Speaker AStand up for yourself a little more.
Speaker ABe a little more the person you want to be.
Speaker ATake care of yourself a little more every day, do one little thing, and that just.
Speaker AIt compounds.
Speaker BYes, absolutely.
Speaker ALiterally compounds.
Speaker BAbsolutely.
Speaker AWell, Blanca, I could talk to you all day long, but I know you do.
Speaker AYou're here in Florida.
Speaker ADo you work remotely?
Speaker ADo you work.
Speaker ADo you have an office?
Speaker AI mean, obviously for animal massage, you need an office, but so for animal.
Speaker BMassage and a human massage.
Speaker BI have an office for animal massage.
Speaker BI go to the animal house because that's where they feel safer and more at ease.
Speaker BSo I go to.
Speaker BI do home calls for dog massage.
Speaker BNot for humans humans.
Speaker BThey go to the office where I am at here in Stuart, Florida.
Speaker BAnd I work remotely for people with.
Speaker BFor holistic life coaching.
Speaker BI do that remotely.
Speaker BAnd I have my.
Speaker BI see most of my clients, I see them online actually.
Speaker BI'm a group fitness instructor as well.
Speaker BSo I do Sumba classes for populations 55 plus.
Speaker BSo I am very happy to do that.
Speaker BI'm a speaker educator.
Speaker BI do my authorship.
Speaker BBut yes, all of these hats that I wear are all with the same exact purpose, to help others improve their quality of life, no matter what age we are.
Speaker BAnd I am very humble, grateful and honored that all of these different craft that I've been building over the years, they came in together into one umbrella that is called Wounded Healer.
Speaker BSo I'm, I'm very happy about that.
Speaker AVery proud and I think, yes, that's great.
Speaker ASo if people want to reach out, find you, how is the best place to find you?
Speaker BYes, you can call me at 772-475-0126 or my website, www.
Speaker BWoundedhealer.us.
Speaker AOkay.
Speaker AAnd I will put that in the show notes.
Speaker ASo if you just tried to listen to that real quick and try to write it down, don't worry about it.
Speaker AIt'll be in the show notes so you can get hold of Blanca.
Speaker AAnd I so appreciate you coming.
Speaker BThank you.
Speaker BTammy, thank you so much for, for having me.
Speaker BWhat an honor has been to be here.
Speaker BWhat a joy.
Speaker AWell, you have a most wonderful day.
Speaker AAnd for everybody else out there listening, like she said, just one step at a time.
Speaker AThere's.
Speaker AThere's so many different things you can do.
Speaker AI think she mentioned reiki, she mentioned massage, she mentioned aromatherapy, she mentioned all of these things and they're all good.
Speaker AEverything works.
Speaker AIt's a body, mind and spirit.
Speaker AYou have to integrate it all together.
Speaker AYou can't just fix one.
Speaker AIt's a big package deal.
Speaker AThat's why having these wonderful people that have encompassed it all in their training is amazing.
Speaker ASo she has quite a box of tools and we appreciate you coming and everybody else, as always, if you have any questions, if any of this resonates with you, please reach out.
Speaker AIf you're on YouTube, like comment and subscribe.
Speaker AWe want to grow this channel and grow our reach so that we can help more and more people.
Speaker AThank you all and you have a blessed day.