The Healing Circle with Christine Higgins

Listener note: This episode shares a personal journey of overcoming deep-seated self-doubt, people-pleasing, and the emotional aftermath of challenging relationship dynamics. Please listen with care and feel free to pause or step away if these topics feel activating.
Guest Ciara shares her inspiring evolution from a place of chronic people-pleasing to grounded self-worth. After spending years prioritizing others’ needs over her own and losing her sense of self following a breakup, Ciara embarked on a transformative five-year journey of inner work, meditation, and shadow work.
Hear how Ciara shifted from "tunnel vision" to seeing the bigger picture of her life. She recounts her life-changing experience in Bali for yoga teacher training, the difficult process of setting boundaries that led to shifts in her social circle, and the "aha" moment of realizing how she was seeking external validation while neglecting her own needs. Now a former Miss Dublin and current Dublin Rose contestant, Ciara discusses the power of reclaiming your confidence and living a life with no regrets.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:50 Welcome guest Ciara: A full-circle moment
2:42 The people-pleasing trap: Forgetting “Little Ciara”
4:10 Understanding self-love vs. just speaking about it
5:05 Shadows and breakups: Finding identity in the dark
5:50 Beyond face masks: Defining “deep” inner work
7:07 Facing the shadow: Lessons on jealousy and shame
8:42 Relationships as teachers: Moving out of the victim mindset
11:03 Mirroring value: Realizing how we treat those closest to us
12:10 Shamanic perspectives: Soul retrieval and the “Spirit of the Eagle”
13:15 The observer vs. the absorber: Navigating overwhelm
14:41 Reclaiming lost confidence: From childhood to “soul loss”
16:52 Why the healing journey isn’t easy
17:34 The power of boundaries: Learning to say “enough is enough”
18:34 The Rocking Chair Test: Living a life with no regrets
20:54 Stepping out of the box: Navigating culture and judgment in Ireland
22:36 Tolerated vs. Celebrated: Finding your true cheerleaders
23:58 Miss Dublin and the Dublin Rose: Pushing past the comfort zone
26:13 The social media stigma: Debunking the “influencer” routine
28:59 Final words of wisdom: Choosing happiness over “what if”
30:38 Lessons from a grandfather: A content life without regrets
32:00 Closing: Good luck at the Dublin Rose
NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAY
Welcome to The Healing Circle podcast, a grounded and soulful space for a healing journey through real-life conversations. Each week features live shamanic counselling sessions and conversations with brave souls navigating emotional change, identity shifts, grief, and soul-level transformation. This space is for those seeking healing, clarity, emotional guidance, and spiritual awakening.

JOIN THE HEALING CIRCLE
Step into a safe, grounded space and receive a full shamanic counselling session. You can choose to be on camera or remain anonymous. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8q2W3Xwirf9ZYxbYRJKTKMFM9ybIyimkAkUyJoRUxxvMbGQ/viewform
💬 Prefer a private session? Join me for intuitive energy healing and discovery calls. No pressure, just gentle guidance when you are ready.
CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE

▶️ Subscribe here: @embodiedenergywellness💌 Website: www.embodiedenergywellness.com📱 Follow Christine on Instagram: @embodiedenergywellness

Listener note: This episode explores the deeply personal roots of unhealthy attachments and childhood trauma. The content may be activating for those who have experienced domestic or family-related trauma. Please listen with care, and feel free to pause, step away, or return when it feels supportive for you.
Christine dives deep into the "energetic golden cords" that bind us to others and the childhood origins of unhealthy attachments. Drawing from her own journey of seeking validation outside her family home following her father's mental health struggles and physical abuse, your host explains why we often cling to people who make us feel anxious rather than celebrated.
You will learn that an attachment isn't just about a person - it’s a survival strategy and a nervous system loop your body uses to feel safe. Christine provides five gentle, actionable steps to begin shifting from a state of "clinging" to a state of internal safety, helping you release the fantasy of what a relationship could be and embrace the reality of what it is.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro00:50 Why we give ourselves away to others02:15 The Golden Cord: Protecting your energetic exchange04:20 Is it love or a nervous system loop?06:10 Christine’s Story: Trauma and the search for external validation09:20 Regulate before you react: How to interrupt the loop11:30 Mirror work and meeting your own needs14:40 The Truth Bomb: Losing the fantasy to find real safety
NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAY
Welcome to The Healing Circle podcast, a grounded and soulful space for a healing journey through real-life conversations. Each week features live shamanic counselling sessions and conversations with brave souls navigating emotional change, identity shifts, grief, and soul-level transformation. This space is for those seeking healing, clarity, emotional guidance, and spiritual awakening.

JOIN THE HEALING CIRCLE
Step into a safe, grounded space and receive a full shamanic counselling session. You can choose to be on camera or remain anonymous. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8q2W3Xwirf9ZYxbYRJKTKMFM9ybIyimkAkUyJoRUxxvMbGQ/viewform
💬 Prefer a private session? Join me for intuitive energy healing and discovery calls. No pressure, just gentle guidance when you are ready.
CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE
▶️ Subscribe here: @embodiedenergywellness💌 Website: www.embodiedenergywellness.com📱 Follow Christine on Instagram: @embodiedenergywellness

Listener note: This episode shares a personal survivor's story involving childhood sexual abuse, the emotional weight of long-term secrets, and the challenges of the legal system. Please listen with care, and feel free to pause, step away, or return when it feels supportive for you.
Linda shares her raw and powerful story of finding her voice decades after enduring childhood sexual abuse by a neighbor. After years of keeping her trauma hidden under a "fake smile" and staying busy to avoid the pain, the stillness of the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to confront her past.
Hear how Linda moved from a place of fear and shame to one of incredible empowerment. She recounts the grueling process of reporting to the guards (police), the re-traumatizing nature of the court system, and the liberation she felt standing in a courtroom to read her victim impact statement. Now a healer and sound bath practitioner, Linda discusses the importance of being believed, the ripple effects of trauma on a family, and how she eventually reclaimed her peace.
TIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro 
0:50 Facing the past: Linda’s story begins 
1:42 The weight of a 20-year secret 
4:06 Why COVID-19 became the breaking point 
8:21 Discovering spiritual gifts and healing 
12:51 Knowing when to pause: Healing the healer 
14:41 The danger of staying "too busy" 
18:42 Navigating the guards and the legal system 
20:55 Standing in court: From victim to empowered adult 
23:14 Liberation: Choosing a fresh start and a new life 
27:10 The Victim Impact Statement 
35:34 The power of being believed 
37:13 Where to find Linda and Durkha Wellness 
NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAY
Welcome to The Healing Circle podcast, a grounded and soulful space for a healing journey through real-life conversations. Each week features live shamanic counselling sessions and conversations with brave souls navigating emotional change, identity shifts, grief, and soul-level transformation. This space is for those seeking healing, clarity, emotional guidance, and spiritual awakening.

JOIN THE HEALING CIRCLE
Step into a safe, grounded space and receive a full shamanic counselling session. You can choose to be on camera or remain anonymous. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8q2W3Xwirf9ZYxbYRJKTKMFM9ybIyimkAkUyJoRUxxvMbGQ/viewform
💬 Prefer a private session? Join me for intuitive energy healing and discovery calls. No pressure, just gentle guidance when you are ready.
CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE
▶️ Subscribe here: @embodiedenergywellness💌 Website: www.embodiedenergywellness.com📱 Follow Christine on Instagram: @embodiedenergywellness
CONNECT WITH LINDA
Instagram: @durga_wellness_

Listener note: In this episode, I share my personal experiences with parental mental health struggles, including my father's manic depression and schizophrenia. I also discuss the exhausting cycle of emotional suppression, burnout, and the numbness that can follow deep grief. Please listen with care and feel free to pause or return when you feel supported.
Doing everything right but still feeling stuck is a common hurdle on the healing journey. In this first solo episode of Season 2, the conversation shifts to why awareness alone was not enough to change my life. Years of simply surviving while balancing a business and four children left me internally exhausted and unable to switch off.
Navigating the reality of my relationship with my father revealed that while talk therapy provides powerful wisdom, the body and nervous system can still feel the same. Experiences live in our energy, and discovering shamanic healing became the missing piece to release what was finally understood. This episode dives into the process of Soul Retrieval to reclaim pieces of yourself lost to trauma and rediscover your joy.
TIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro
0:51 First solo episode of season 2
1:42 Why you still feel stuck
2:43 My story of grief and survival
4:55 Why awareness is not enough
6:59 The four areas of healing
8:54 Nature and frequency
10:51 Channelling life force energy
12:58 Gaining a higher perspective
15:01 Regulating your nervous system
17:20 Understanding Soul Retrieval
19:13 Closing and next steps 
NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAY
Welcome to The Healing Circle podcast, a grounded and soulful space for a healing journey through real-life conversations. Each week features live shamanic counselling sessions and conversations with brave souls navigating emotional change, identity shifts, grief, and soul-level transformation. This space is for those seeking healing, clarity, emotional guidance, and spiritual awakening.

JOIN THE HEALING CIRCLE
Step into a safe, grounded space and receive a full shamanic counselling session. You can choose to be on camera or remain anonymous. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8q2W3Xwirf9ZYxbYRJKTKMFM9ybIyimkAkUyJoRUxxvMbGQ/viewform
💬 Prefer a private session? Join me for intuitive energy healing and discovery calls. No pressure, just gentle guidance when you are ready.
CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE
▶️ Subscribe here: @embodiedenergywellness💌 Website: www.embodiedenergywellness.com📱 Follow Christine on Instagram: @embodiedenergywellness

Listener Note: This episode shares a personal story of recovery involving a serious workplace head injury and the emotional toll of chronic illness. The conversation explores the fear of long-term disability, loss of professional identity, and the challenges of caregiving while healing. Please listen with care, and feel free to pause or step away if these topics feel activating. 
After 22 years as a high-level nurse, Marcella’s life changed in an instant when a fluke accident in a cardiac lab resulted in a traumatic head injury. Left with a concussion that caused constant vertigo, fainting, and exhaustion, she found herself unable to return to the career she loved or even manage daily life with her children.
In this episode, Marcella shares how she navigated the slow, frustrating process of neurological healing when scans showed nothing but her body felt broken. She explains how she discovered Pilates as a tool for recovery, eventually leaving her nursing career to help others find relief from chronic pain and stiffness. From the science of brain enzymes to the benefits of "Chair Pilates" for the older generation, this conversation is a guide for anyone looking to rebuild their health from the inside out and find a new path after an unexpected life challenge.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Podcast Intro
00:50 Introducing Marcella
01:50 22 Years in Nursing
02:40 The Injury: A Split-Second Accident in the Cardiac Lab
03:10 Trying to "Push Through" a Brain Injury
05:28 The Reality of Concussion
06:53 Neurology and the "Roller Coaster" Effect
07:50 Discovering Pilates
08:23 The "Light Switch" Recovery: Waking Up After Six Months
09:30 Noticing Mobility Issues in the Younger Generation
10:15 The Career Shift: From the Hospital to Pilates Instructor
11:07 Chair Pilates: Helping the Older Generation Regain Mobility
13:17 The "Use It or Lose It" Philosophy
15:33 Releasing the Identity: Letting Go of "Marcella the Nurse"
17:50 Navigating Her Father’s Dementia While Healing
23:25 Sobriety and New Lifestyle Habits
25:39 Why Sea Swimmers Are Rarely Sick
27:40 The Benefits of Salt Water
30:24 Final Advice: Trusting the Healing Process and M3 Pilates
NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAY
Welcome to The Healing Circle podcast, a grounded and soulful space for a healing journey through real-life conversations. Each week features live shamanic counselling sessions and conversations with brave souls navigating emotional change, identity shifts, grief, and soul-level transformation. This space is for those seeking healing, clarity, emotional guidance, and spiritual awakening.

JOIN THE HEALING CIRCLE
Step into a safe, grounded space and receive a full shamanic counselling session. You can choose to be on camera or remain anonymous. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8q2W3Xwirf9ZYxbYRJKTKMFM9ybIyimkAkUyJoRUxxvMbGQ/viewform
💬 Prefer a private session? Join me for intuitive energy healing and discovery calls. No pressure, just gentle guidance when you are ready.
CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE
▶️ Subscribe here: @embodiedenergywellness💌 Website: www.embodiedenergywellness.com📱 Follow Christine on Instagram: @embodiedenergywellness
CONNECT WITH MARCELLAInstagram: @M3Pilates