Are You Available For Connection? (with Prentis Hemphill)

A new pod episode about embodiment and healing

We were so lucky this week to be joined by Prentis Hemphill: a  therapist, teacher, political organizer, and bestselling author of What It Takes to Heal.

So often we hear women say that things feel deeply wrong right now and they want to do something about it. But how do we engage without losing ourselves? It can feel like pain is the only way to make change, like we can only heal the world if we’re willing to be exhausted and broken ourselves along the way.

Prentis offers a different perspective. What if we can actually heal our systems while healing ourselves? What if it’s not about checking off items on a to-do list? They suggest that if we can be more present, listen with curiosity to ourselves and our neighbors, it doesn’t just make us feel more centered. It’s actually more effective organizing.

They described an experience in Ohio helping a campaign with door-to-door canvassing. The first day, the group knocked on doors and it went… fine. The second day, they started with a centering practice before they went out.

“Not only did we meet and exceed the numbers of the first day, but the kinds of conversations that people were reporting having had shifted dramatically. Because people can tell if you care. People can tell if you are trustworthy. People can tell if you believe what it is that you’re saying. If you have a vision behind you, people can feel that. It’s not just an idea. People can feel it in how you show up.”

(Prentis Hemphill)

You can try out a centering practice with their video here or check out their work at prentishemphill.com.

And if you’re interested in attending our upcoming virtual event When the World’s on Fire: Caring for Ourselves and Our Kids, you can learn more and RSVP here.