Earthly Reads: Prentis Hemphill on What It Takes to Heal /S1:6
Black and white photo by Allan Carvalho of light streaming rippling patterns onto underwater stones.
In the sixth and final episode of our Earthly Reads series, we are honored to welcome back Prentis Hemphill, author of What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World. This episode offers a preview of the live Earthly Reads Book Study, now available for purchase.
Offering embodied insight into the ways in which healing manifests in our personal and collective lives, Prentis Hemphill brings a thoughtful and empathetic perspective to this crucial conversation. Exploring what the process of healing looks like within movements and the trouble with only focusing on the individual, Ayana and Prentis bring much-needed nuance and humanity to the dialogue. Dive right in for a conversation that invites us all to imagine new possibilities for justice, care, and wholeness—one that fosters deeper belonging with each other and the Earth.
Earthly Reads is a podcast series and online book study featuring conversations with some of our favorite authors including adrienne maree brown, Marcia Bjornerud, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Prentis Hemphill, Tricia Hersey, and Céline Semaan. This episode is just a small glimpse into some of the incredible live conversations that will take place throughout the book study. To access the full 75 minute episode join us on Patreon or the Earthly Reads Book Study.
“There’s finite resources. There’s needs that we have as human beings. How are we going to make decisions in a way that does not increase suffering? Because we know that by increasing suffering, we make everyone suffer, and we eventually make ourselves suffer too.”
Prentis Hemphill
Prentis Hemphill is the bestselling author of What It Takes to Heal, a groundbreaking exploration of healing, justice, and transformation. A therapist, somatics teacher, facilitator, political organizer, and writer, Prentis is also the founder of The Embodiment Institute and a leading voice in embodied leadership and collective healing.
What It Takes to Heal
What It Takes to Heal asserts that the principles of embodiment—the recognition of our body’s sensations and habits, and the beliefs that inform them—are critical to lasting healing and change. Hemphill, an expert embodiment practitioner, therapist, and activist who has partnered with Brené Brown, Tarana Burke, and Esther Perel, among others, shows us that we don’t have to carry our emotional burdens alone. Hemphill demonstrates a future in which healing is done in community, weaving together stories from their own experience as a trauma survivor with clinical accounts and lessons learned from their time as a social movement architect. They ask, “What would it do to movements, to our society and culture, to have the principles of healing at the very center? And what does it do to have healing at the center of every structure and everything we create?”
In this life-affirming framework for the way forward, Hemphill shows us how to heal our bodies, minds, and souls—to develop the interpersonal skills necessary to break down the doors of disconnection and take the necessary risks to reshape our world toward justice.
When purchasing from this link, a small portion of each sale goes toward For The Wild Slow Media projects.
♫ The music featured in this series is “Nucleo (Live)” by John Caroll Kirby (featuring Logan Hone, Benny Bock, Paul Maramba, and Tamir Barzilay), “Joyous Dance” by Laraaji, and “The Rite Way” by Muwosi and Lionmilk from the compilation Staying: Leaving Records Aid to Artists Impacted by the Los Angeles Wildfires courtesy of our partner Leaving Records. Compilation proceeds are directed back into the community of artists and families impacted by the fires. Learn more at staying.bandcamp.com.
Earthly Reads
Book Study
6 live, online salons with authors adrienne maree brown, Prentis Hemphill, Tricia Hersey, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Céline Semaan, and Marcia Bjornerud and host Ayana Young discussing their new books. Featuring live music (courtesy of Living Earth), embodiment practices, and Q&A with the Authors
For The Wild Study Notes for each book
Music playlists to study and move to
Access to the extended versions of the Authors’ new podcast episodes
A Practice & Resource Guide to take your studies further
Community Discussion group
More!
Earthly Reads Episode Series
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For The Wild is a slow media organization dreaming towards a world of grounded justice and reciprocity. Our work highlights impactful storytelling and deeply-felt meaning making as balms for these times. If you want to explore our work, please become a monthly sustaining member through our Patreon or consider making a one-time donation directly to us through our website. To stay up-to-date on our work, sign up for our newsletter.
