On Trauma & Power
A podcast by the Center for Trauma and Embodiment
Hosted by CFTE Co-Director Jenn Turner, LMHC, On Trauma and Power explores the profound relationship of trauma and healing through the lens of embodied practices and the complex dynamics of power. Featuring survivors, experts, educators, authors, and practitioners of varying disciplines, this podcast dives into how trauma and power intersect in diverse ways in our lives. Join us for trauma-informed conversations that inspire, educate, and empower.
Check us out on Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts
Listen to the Latest EpisodeEpisode 7 Out Now!
Healing Grief with Embodied Storytelling ft. Peggy J. Bowers
Jenn Turner, LMHC sits down with Peggy J. Bowers, Ph.D. for an impactful and vulnerable conversation as they delve into the profound themes of trauma, healing, and the power of storytelling, particularly through literature. They explore how narratives can help individuals process their experiences and the importance of community in the grieving process. Peggy shares her personal journey of grief and healing through poetry. Peggy and Jenn explore how creative expression can facilitate healing, the importance of body awareness in understanding trauma, and the journey towards vulnerability and self-compassion. This conversation emphasizes the interconnectedness of mind and body in the healing process and the challenges of coping mechanisms developed as a means of self-protection. We discuss the importance of being open and compassionate towards oneself and others, the power of community, and the courage it takes to ask for help, especially in times of grief and trauma.
About Your Host
Jenn Turner, LMHC (she/her)
Jenn brings a wealth of experience and compassion to this podcast, having dedicated her entire career to supporting survivors of trauma. She is a trauma-informed therapist in private practice, where she supports clients in integrating their whole selves—mind and body—into the healing process. Currently, Jenn serves as the Co-Director of the Center for Trauma and Embodiment, which she founded in 2018 with co-founder Dave Emerson, YACEP. In this role, Jenn oversees numerous global training programs for practitioners and develops body-first interventions for trauma healing.
Season 1
Episode 1
Discovering the Power in Embodied Healing featuring Dave Emerson, YACEP
Dave Emerson, YACEP, co-founder of Center for Trauma and Embodiment joins co-founder and your host, Jenn Turner, LMHC to discuss Dave's journey into trauma work, the importance of relational dynamics in healing, and the need for research to validate yoga as a treatment for PTSD. The conversation highlights the significance of feedback, accountability, and power dynamics within trauma care, emphasizing the necessity of creating a supportive work environment that fosters vulnerability and curiosity. He and Jenn recount the beginnings of their groundbreaking work in embodiment and trauma healing and explore whats to come!
About Dave
Dave has provided training internationally since 2006 and has developed, conducted, and supervised TCTSY groups for rape crisis centers, domestic violence programs, residential programs for youth, active duty military personnel, survivors of terrorism, and Veterans Administration centers and clinics and more. He is the author or co-author of numerous papers on yoga and trauma; the co-author of Overcoming Trauma through Yoga; and the author of, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy.
Find more of Dave's work with CFTE and TCTSY. Read Dave's books Overcoming Trauma through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body and Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy..Connect with Dave on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Episode 2
Transforming Education and Work-Culture with Trauma Awareness featuring Tiffany Johnson, Ph.D.
Dr. Tiffany Johnson and Jenn dive into what it means to bring a trauma-informed lens to business education and the workplace. They explore the history of work, its ties to power and equity, and the ways trauma shapes our professional lives—often in ways we don’t recognize. Tiffany shares her journey of integrating trauma awareness into her teaching, challenging traditional norms, and reimagining workplace culture with identity and agency.
Together, they unpack the disconnect between productivity and well-being, the pressures of academia, and the tension between individual empowerment and systemic change. They discuss the importance of modeling new ways of being, the role of self-discovery, and how indigenous wisdom offers a path toward more sustainable and human-centered work environments. This conversation is about expanding what’s possible—personally, professionally, and collectively.
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany Johnson (she/her) is a work, equity, and wellness researcher, writer, and teacher. As an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at Georgia Tech, she teaches classes to all levels of students (undergraduates, MBAs, and PhD). In addition, she is a yoga and meditation teacher. Having been trained by Octavia Raheem and Meryl Arnett in 2018-2019 (200 hours), she specializes in offering “chill” yoga classes – classes that honor and infuse movement with stillness-based practices. Tiffany also completed her trauma center trauma sensitive yoga training (TCTSY, 300 hours) in Fall 2020. She draws upon these teachings to guide not only trauma-informed contemplative practices within organizations, but also her research, classes, and mentoring relationships within the business school (and broader college) settings, and her ethos for leading and guiding retreats, workshops, etc. for Black and Brown women in academia.
Learn more about Tiffany on her website. Follow Tiffany on Instagram.
Episode 3
Community Care and Mind-Body Healing featuring Dr. Viann Nguyen-Feng
Dr. Viann Nguyen-Feng shares her insights on community engagement, the mind-body connection, and the importance of research in counseling psychology. She shares with Jenn her origin story and personal journey into the field, the significance of cultural heritage in her practices, the significance of the min-body connection, and the role of community support in trauma recovery. Viann and Jenn discuss the need for collaboration in research and the importance of pacing in community work, culminating in a discussion about radical healing interventions for BIPOC communities.
About Viann
Dr. Viann Nguyen-Feng is a counseling psychologist and an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She is one of the community-engaged scholars with UMN's Office for Public Engagement, serves as core faculty in the clinical-counseling graduate program, and directs the Mind-Body Trauma Care Lab. Dr. Nguyen-Feng is a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and also holds certifications from the Center for Trauma and Embodiment as a Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Facilitator and Trauma Informed Weight Lifting coach. More information can be found on her lab website.
Check out Missouri Breaks to learn more about the work that Jenn and Viann dis with Indigenous communities in South Dakota.
Join Mindful Mornings with Viann (free to the community on Thursdays at 9 a.m. ET)
For more information on examples of Mind-Body Trauma check out Viann's Ted-Ed presentation.
Episode 4
When Patients Empower The Self ft. Dr. Desmonette Hazly
In this enlightening and powerful conversation, Dr. Desmonette Hazly and Jenn explore the multifaceted nature of trauma and healing. They discuss the importance of mindfulness practices, the stigma surrounding mental health care, and the need for a trauma-informed approach that empowers individuals. Dr. Hazly emphasizes the significance of community and cultural perspectives in healing, advocating for a shift from viewing trauma solely as a disorder to recognizing the potential for post-traumatic growth. This episode highlights the necessity of understanding the individual’s experience and fostering a supportive environment that encourages self-empowerment and holistic healing.
About Dr. Hazly
Dr. Desmonette Hazly MA, MSW Ph.D., is an Integrative Health Specialist in Los Angeles. Dr. Hazly currently develops and implements trauma-informed culturally inclusive health and wellness education programs for marginalized groups in underserved communities. Dr. Hazly approaches health and wellness from a comprehensive mind, body, and spirit perspective and provides simple health and wellness skills and techniques that can be easily incorporated into daily activities that also promote culturally relevant mental health support without stigma. Dr. Hazly has developed and implemented community health and wellness programs locally, nationally, and internationally and has collaborated with the Los Angeles Public Library, the Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health and Public Health, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, the Veterans Affair Hospital in West Los Angeles, International Red Cross, the United Nations, and UNICEF. Dr. Hazly has taught integrative health and wellness education for over 15 years.
Episode 5
Adaptive Yoga: Healing for Every Body ft. Rodrigo Souza
In this profound and vulnerable conversation, Jenn and Rodrigo explore the transformative power of adaptive yoga, particularly for individuals who have experienced trauma and disability. Rodrigo shares his personal journey from a physical yoga practice to a more thoughtful, spiritual approach after his spinal cord injury. They discuss the coexistence of grief and joy, emphasizing the importance of embracing all emotions. Rodrigo also highlights the need for greater accessibility in yoga, advocating for inclusivity and education for yoga teachers to better serve individuals with disabilities. In this episode, Jenn and Rodrigo explore powerful themes of adaptive yoga, trauma, and community building; they discuss the importance of finding safety in the body, and the journey of befriending trauma and the significance of accessibility and the need for yoga to be a welcoming space for everyone.
About Rodrigo
Rodrigo Souza (he/him) is an Adaptive and Accessible Yoga teacher with experience teaching yoga to people who have undergone Trauma and disability. Rodrigo sustained a spinal cord injury after a fall accident. Through direct personal experience with traumatic injury and chronic pain, discovering the need to take charge of his recovery to optimize long-term well-being, he decided to become a Yoga teacher and teach from his own experience, creating Allihopa Accessible & Adaptive Virtual Yoga Studio where he teaches folks with a diverse range of abilities from all over the world. He also teaches for several Non-profits, Community Centres and newly injured folks in an Active Rehabilitation Center in Sweden.
Rodrigo is focused on creating a supportive community for those who have experienced trauma, loss & and disability through Adaptive & Accessible Yoga. He also leads a monthly Ambassador Mentorship program for Accessible Yoga teachers, emphasising creating a robust and supportive community for those seeking to bring Yoga to marginalised groups. The program is designed to infuse their Yoga careers with purpose and meaning by serving the underserved with love and compassion.
You can find out more about Rodrigo and how to work with him by visiting allihopayoga.com or connect on Social media channels @allihopayoga.
Episode 6
Parenting, Life Pitfalls, & Positivity ft. Natalie Silverstein
Natalie Silverstein, MPH joins Jenn for an impactful and vulnerable conversation as they dive into the complexities of parenting in a challenging world, the importance of facing difficult realities, and the transformative power of turning personal struggles into positive action. Natalie shares her journey as a mother and advocate, particularly in light of her husband's diagnosis with a genetic form of Parkinson's disease. They discuss the need for honesty in parenting, the significance of community service, and the role of philanthropy in creating change. Jenn and Natalie explore the importance of language in how we perceive and interact with those in need and how we embody both suffering and resilience, and the choices we make in facing adversity. Natalie shares her personal journey of vulnerability and the importance of breaking cycles of negativity, ultimately advocating for kindness and hope as essential components of the human experience.
About Natalie
Natalie Silverstein, MPH, is an author, speaker, nonprofit founder, and advocate for family and youth service. She wrote Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back and The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference, both award-winning resources for inspiring kindness and civic engagement. She is the host of the podcast Simple Acts, Big Impact: Celebrating Teen Changemakers. Natalie serves as the New York City coordinator for Doing Good Together, curating a monthly listing of family volunteer opportunities shared with thousands of local families.
She is the co-founder of The Silverstein Foundation for Parkinson’s with GBA, which supports research toward a cure for Parkinson’s Disease in GBA mutation carriers. Her work and writing have been featured by Good Housekeeping, TODAY, Katie Couric Media, Zibby Media, and Grown & Flown. A frequent speaker, Natalie presents on youth service, philanthropy, and parenting with purpose. She is a founding member of Impact 100 NYC and serves as Development Chair on the board of Riley’s Way Foundation.
Connect with Natalie and see more of her work on Instagram @simpleactsguide
Episode 7
Healing Grief with Embodied Storytelling featuring Peggy J. Bowers, Ph.D.
Jenn Turner, LMHC sits down with Peggy J. Bowers, Ph.D. for an impactful and vulnerable conversation as they delve into the profound themes of trauma, healing, and the power of storytelling, particularly through literature. They explore how narratives can help individuals process their experiences and the importance of community in the grieving process. Peggy shares her personal journey of grief and healing through poetry. Peggy and Jenn explore how creative expression can facilitate healing, the importance of body awareness in understanding trauma, and the journey towards vulnerability and self-compassion. This conversation emphasizes the interconnectedness of mind and body in the healing process and the challenges of coping mechanisms developed as a means of self-protection. We discuss the importance of being open and compassionate towards oneself and others, the power of community, and the courage it takes to ask for help, especially in times of grief and trauma.
About Peggy
Peggy J. Bowers, Ph.D. is a scholar of the ethics and philosophy of media and culture, a lover of the Arts, and especially enamored of thinking and writing about reciprocal relationships with other humans, fellow creatures and our environments. She holds a Ph.D. in communication from Stanford University, MA in communication and a BA in journalism from Wichita State University. Peggy ponders how popular culture illuminates the perplexing facets of our humanity and engages our sense of play, and her work explores the connections among ethics, visuality, culture and the environment wherever they are found. She tries never to be afraid of being a beginner. Her scholarship has been published in such venues as Journal of Mass Media Ethics, Free Speech Yearbook, Communication Monographs, American Communication Journal and the International Journal of Media and Cultural Politics as well as in scholarly book chapters. She has received awards for her scholarly work and has professional journalism experience.
At the Center for Trauma and Embodiment, we recognize that complex trauma is both interpersonal and systemic, and that quality care models must address both dynamics. We aim to create a space where meaningful conversations about trauma and power can thrive.
This podcast is an extension of that mission, offering a space for discovery, reflection, and new ideas. We are committed to learning and growth by engaging with survivors, practitioners, and community leaders from diverse perspectives. Whether you’re a practitioner, a survivor, or someone seeking to better understand the intersections of trauma and power, we invite you to join us on this journey of healing and empowerment.
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