“There's no such thing as personal change outside of a social context. You actually can't separate a person from our social context. And that is just like, well, duh, how did they ever think we could do that?”

Check out the episode page for the transcript and the full list of the resources mentioned in this episode: https://widerroots.com/8 

In this conversation with Staci Haines, we dive into the intersection of personal transformation and structural social change. I appreciate Staci's commitment to holding these two aspects as inseparable - that true healing and justice require both inner work and outer change. We explore some challenging questions: How can we navigate conversations around Palestine and Gaza with our clients in a way that is grounded in compassion and truth? How do we ensure that transformational modalities don't inadvertently reinforce passivity in the face of injustice, but rather empower us to create change? What are the key distinctions between coaching and therapy, and how can we discern our realm of competency as practitioners?

Staci Haines is a pioneer in the field of politicized somatics and trauma healing. For over three decades, Staci has been dedicated to bridging personal and social transformation, guided by the belief that we cannot have one without the other. As the co-founder of generative somatics and a senior teacher at the Strozzi Institute, she brings a depth of wisdom and experience to her work supporting individuals and movements in healing trauma and embodying transformative change. 

⭐ Key moments

• 02:43 - Opening
• 05:03 - Staci's roots: personal + systemic transformation
• 12:32 - The power of somatics in social change work
• 17:58 - How we're showing up for Palestine
• 27:54 - How do we move beyond individualism in healing and coaching
• 36:09 - Coaching to challenge the status quo, not to cope with It
• 39:43 - Imagining new credentialing orgs for politicized coaching/healing
• 59:25 - Staci's sources of joy
• 1:04:22 - Closing

📚 Resources & Links

• Generative somatics (organization co-founded by Staci Haines)
• Strozzi Institute (Staci Haines is a senior teacher here)
• The Politics of Trauma by Staci Haines (book)
• Just Transition Framework (zine by Movement Generation)
• Sharks in the Time of Saviors (book recommended by Staci Haines)

💬 Connect with Staci Haines

• Stacihaines.com (Staci Haines' professional website)
• Instagram @stacikhaines

🎙️ Other episodes you might like

• Episode 5 with Kazu Haga: Spiritually Grounded Activism

🌲 Follow the podcast

• WiderRoots.com - Join the newsletter for more resources on personal + systemic transformation
• @WiderRootsPod - Follow the podcast on Instagram to get a peek behind the scenes
• Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts to help others find this show
• If you’re interested in coaching with Jeremy, reach out on his coaching website

I’d love to hear how this episode resonated with you or any suggestions for future topics/guests. You can email me at [email protected].