Healing for Her

In this episode, Nicola explores how busy women—especially stay at home mothers—can find pockets of solitude and silence in the midst of daily demands.

Drawing on scripture, personal stories, and practical examples, she offers simple ways to pause; to let scripture and prayer wash over ordinary tasks, and the wrestle of trying to bring morning devotions into the tension of midday life.

The episode is a meandering reflection around grappling with what it’s like to transform seemingly “fleeting” and sometimes wonky moments into quick restorative practices that ground the heart, and reduce rumination. Being curious about fostering integration between belief and behaviors, for a wholehearted-healthful self.

Two specifics to note:

1. Practical micro-practices: remeber to include short, intentional pauses—e.g., a quick breath prayer in the kitchen, reflect on a poem or scripture while doing chores, or allowing a song to soften the heart—as accessible forms of solitude when full silence isn’t possible.

2. Integration over performance: The goal is not perfection or a rigid spiritual-emotional routine but an invitation to the self to remain curious. Asking self if it can carry over the posture and insights from devotional moments into the messy realities of the day, stirring faith to help shape responses (calm, hope, self-compassion) rather than becoming a checklist. As if to ask, who am I becoming, as I’m doing?

Oh death where is your sting!? This song called Forever is such a sweet reminder of the culmination of things hoped for.

https://youtu.be/VsP9ZT6t5Ss?si=jA5Q6NPZx6uz5fKB

In this quick reflective episode, I invite you to reflect on where life is meeting you: to sit with the tender rhythm of life and motherhood — anticipating, holding, releasing, and learning to love in each new season.

Through the ordinary act of parting with meaningful things, embracing patterns of life that feels mundane, we explore how simple things become choice memories, and rhythms become witnesses to who we were, what we hoped for, and who our children are becoming.

This episode is for the woman or mom who is sorting through more than belongings. She is sorting through memories, expectations, grief, gratitude, and change. Together, we make room to honor what served us, release what no longer belongs, and gently embrace the beauty of what is unfolding now.

And if you’re curious, the book I snagged out of the give away box(☺️)is The Story of Little Babaji. And another sweet one is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Host Nicola invites listeners to unpack the weight of everyday stress, exploring briefly how the amygdala hijacks our responses. This started with intentions of brevity, and took a turn, 😘a bit longer than expected, however.

Nicola reflected on how to reclaim somewhat a-calmer, more creative living through gentle reframing and self-compassion.

In this episode she names the physical and emotional signs of lingering stress, offers simple breath-and-awareness practices, and encourages listeners to lower the internal pressure, ask for support, and carry responsibility more sustainably.

“Stress can become chronic when the amygdala “hijacks” our thinking, shifting us from creative flow to hypervigilance and reactivity.”

“Notice what you’re carrying—both external tasks (laundry, appointments, childcare) and internal pressures (fear of things falling apart, shame, identity stress).”

4 Breathing Exercises for Less Stress, More Energy | Northwestern Medicine

If you’re looking for a Mom Mentor or Consultant, click here

https://calendly.com/healing4her

On this episode of Healing for Her, host Nicola P. Hawkins talks with Rachel Gordon, a former practicing Physician Assistance currently a stay-at-home mom, about the messy, unexpected transition into motherhood and how she found her footing.

Rachel shares candid moments of postpartum anxiety and depression, realizing the need to openly share her struggles with her husband and trusted friends for support and accountability.

And the sense of relief of having her health care team validate what she noticed felt off.

She further shares how learning her needs allowed her to see and appreciate the benefits of consistent childcare, part‑time work, craft, advocacy, for structure and adult connection.

We shared passionately the need for women to have the option of accessible healthcare and therapy.

We explored practical strategies for moms regarding rebuilding the village, starting community, seeking some child‑free time for meaningful pursuits, and things like doctor’s appointments.

There are three important questions Rachel asked women in her community, one was “what’s been hard?”.

Listen to hear the other questions, and how honoring faith while accepting outside help on the path to healing can aide in your flourishing.

The purpose of this podcast is not to diagnose or treat, but to start conversations that you can hopefully take to a professional or trusted other. If you’re like us and many other women who have wondered about our state of wellbeing, this scale allows you to get a sense of where you are and how to move forward vs wondering or being fearful of what you might find.

https://www.ismanet.org/doctoryourspirit/pdfs/Beck-Depression-Inventory-BDI.pdf

I woke up the morning of this episode recording and this song was coursing through my heart. I celebrated my spiritual rebirth this week, I think this song is fitting for that initial experience in Point Blank, TX. Throne Room

And, if you’re looking to grow beyond listening, get activated with 1:1 Coaching to learn practical skills for self-connection, vulnerability, and sustainable caregiving. Click;

https://calendly.com/healing4her/initial-phase

Spots are limited. Book a complimentary 30‑minute discovery call, use the calendly link to reclaim energy, clarity, and joy in your “right now” season!

You can find out more about Rachel’s work here

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-gordon-070113191?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios

In this episode, Nicola explores how mothers can reclaim emotional wellbeing by practicing small, intentional steps of self-attunement and repair. She outlines a practical how-to:

1) Pause and name the emotion—use brief grounding (breath count) and identify primary and deeper feelings;

2) Track the meaning and need—notice the stories you tell yourself, name the need beneath the feeling, and choose a small, doable corrective action (self-soothing, a brief recess, or a repair conversation).

Through personal examples and reflective prompts, Nicola shows how tiny, repeated practices of curiosity and honest repair shift overwhelm into clarity, connection, and sustainable self-care.

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Feeling drained, unseen, or stuck as a mom/woman and ready to take practical steps for change? Remember: you’re not failing — you’re human.

And, if you’re looking to grow beyond listening, get activated with 1:1 Coaching to learn practical skills for self-connection, vulnerability, and sustainable caregiving. Click;

https://calendly.com/healing4her/initial-phase

Spots are limited. Book a complimentary 30‑minute discovery call, use the calendly link to reclaim energy, clarity, and joy in your “right now” season!

This song kept coming to heart as I reflected and prepared for recording. I hope it meets you. Hope being still, brings listening, & that you hear and feel remembered.

https://youtu.be/l_gCkN5bcGU?si=dOkWnkbgc9q17CjJ

In this episode, Nicola  explores vulnerability in motherhood—how mothers often hide or minimize their pain, the ways unmet needs and unprocessed wounds surface during parenting, and the importance of compassionate curiosity and reconnecting with oneself to heal and flourish. Really this message fits any context women find themselves in, where the patterns and behavior locks your true experiences internally, while outwardly you’re satisfying the circumstances that demands of you. She shares that processing pain or becoming vulnerable(with self, your safe people, therapy or coaching) leads to sustainable change rather than repeated venting or resignation.

Feeling drained, unseen, or stuck as a mom?

You’re not failing—you’re human!!

So, if you’re looking to grow beyond listening, get activated with 1:1 Coaching(through therapeutic lenses) to learn practical skills for self-connection, vulnerability, and sustainable caregiving. Click;

https://calendly.com/healing4her/initial-phase

Spots are limited. Book a 30‑minute discovery call towards enrolling, use the calendly link to reclaim energy, clarity, and joy in your “right now” season!

In this episode Nicola meandered through reflecting on grief, suffering, and the hard work of holding space—especially for mothers. She reflects on seasons of feeling unheld, the cost of suppressing emotions, and the tension of “choosing joy” while burning out.

Drawing on conversations from friends and a maternal mental health retreat, she highlights research (including epigenetic indicators for postpartum depression) and the value of community-centered approaches to support new and returning mothers.

Nicola revisits her own parenting journey—questioning punitive norms, discovering gentler approaches, and learning to assess family dynamics honestly. She emphasizes the importance of naming losses, processing pain, and reclaiming narratives to reduce shame and inflammation from past wounds. Practical ideas include expanded screening opportunities (e.g., pediatric visits), intentional invitations and hospitality, and creating space for vulnerable, curiosity-driven conversations within friendships and families.

Tied to Good Friday, Nicola weaves themes of grief and hope together: admitting hardship, seeking help, and holding fast to long-term purpose. She encourages listeners to speak the truth of their experience, test grief with meaning-making, and reach for community and spiritual practices that restore resilience. The episode closes with a reminder that hard seasons are part of the story—but not the whole story—and that healing and hope are possible with support.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2xW95p7FswkR7scv6wxmjZ?si=4J2G0g5-Tp2iDIQt0iQ3kQ

Easter related resources

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQuN2SOjrmj/?igsh=MTBqcjk5eml4djA1Zw==

Kier Gaines, licensed therapist reflection on gentle parenting and healthy family system.

RPRP Staff - Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences

Dr. Jennifer Payne, MD

https://youtu.be/S27luprE2a8?si=T46F7xWWA9xvFref

God is here, worship for the heart and reminder of  His presence

 

Points of reflection, things to ponder on how to hold space for you and your people:

1. Name and process grief—acknowledging loss reduces shame and background emotional load.

2. Hold and seek holding—intentional, compassionate presence from friends, family, and community matters.

3. Prioritize maternal mental health—screening (including potential biomarkers) and accessible support can prevent/mitigate postpartum struggles.

4. Reassess parenting narratives—move from punitive defaults to curiosity, assessment, and gentler, intentional practices.

5. Anchor in hope and community—faith, meaning-making, and trusted relationships provide resilience through hard seasons.

 

Learn how to "frame your day" to shift from utter survival and pivot with a plan, at least towards the next right thing—practical steps to shift from reactive chaos to calm-like proactive focus. Hear quick tactics like prioritizing one daily win, time-blocking, using calendar reminders, and matching tasks to your season of life so moms can protect their energy and get more done with less overwhelm.

Here are a few reflective questions, I pondered within this episode of me thinking out loud! Only if we were together over a lumberjack coffee, tea or whatever! Cheers!

1. Question: “How do you build the ability to focus?” Calendars? Predictable rhythms?

2. Question: “How do you protect your attention?”   Frame your day? Work with your “actual capacity”?

3. Question: “What does framing your day look like?” What are the have-to’s? Do you use a list, or time blocking? Finding the “one thing” to focus in on for 20mins, etc.?

4. Question: “How do you identify the season you’re in?” Are you on the right trajectory?

5. Question: “What’s your one thing you can be proactive in versus being reactive?” How do you focus on end task to block out new shiny temptations?

And finally two quotes that met me ‘after’ wrapping up this episode. Hope you find it as added encouragement. 

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Reflecting on Elizabeth Elliot’s quote(see link below)Pricilla states, ”Often we say, Lord show me the next twenty years, and He’s like, if I can get you to just be obedient for the next twenty years you will be exactly where you need to be” -Priscilla Shirer

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVeFirGDW1Y/?igsh=eG52YzhreHB4c3Ay

 

Goals are more than a one time decision, they are a continuous choosing.

However you find yourself with set goals, I hope this episode meets you where you are and serve as a good companion(especially if you’re wavering) of encouragement that explores practical, compassionate approaches to growth—when change gets hard, scary, or exhausting.

Here, I tried to blend personal stories, therapeutic insights, and simple tools—mini habits, boundary-setting, nervous-system strategies, and relationship check-ins—to help us plan for setbacks, distinguish protective urges from wise discernment, and build sustainable, bite-sized routines that compound into real transformation.

Listen for encouragement that I too am working to build within. It’s short practices you can do today, and honest conversations about the emotional cost of change so you and I can embrace the hard by incremental bridging forward without losing the total-self.

Grief is more than loss—it's a complex emotional journey of transformation.

Join Nicola P Hawkins and Dr. James Hawkins as they explore grief beyond death, revealing how unexpected changes reshape our internal landscape. Discover how to:

- Recognize grief in all its forms: transitions, relationships, and unmet expectations

- Practice compassionate presence with yourself and your emotions

- Organize internal experiences to move from despair to healing

- Understand grief as a sacred process of personal growth and resilience

For women(and other listeners) seeking to flourish well by honoring their emotional experiences, this episode offers a tender, therapeutic approach to navigating life's most challenging transitions.

I hope this helps. :)