Conversations That Heal

WE ARE MEDICINE

We Are Medicine: Healing Through Yoga, Plant Medicine, and Radical Self-Love with Taylor Briggs

In this transformative episode of Conversations That Heal, Dr. Stephanie Diane Jeffreys sits down with Taylor Briggs—a multifaceted entrepreneur, yoga teacher, and founder of Sol | Locs and Wellness. Taylor shares her powerful journey of self-discovery and liberation through yoga, Reiki, plant medicine, and holistic care designed to serve and uplift the Black community.

From her life-changing trip to Ghana in 2019 to launching Sol Locs during the pandemic, Taylor’s path has been one of courage, surrender, and rebirth. She opens up about how a heroic dose of mushrooms in 2022, coupled with a deep commitment to yoga, became the catalyst for releasing trauma, breaking generational cycles, and stepping into full authenticity and sobriety.

Together, we explore what it means to truly heal in a world that profits from our pain, and why Taylor believes we are the medicine—capable of rewiring our minds, healing our lineage, and living with deep intention.

Key Takeaways:

• Healing generational trauma through yoga and plant medicine

• The liberating power of sobriety and self-awareness

• How travel, community, and inner work reconnect us to purpose

• Why our bodies and minds already hold the medicine we seek

Resources Mentioned:

• Ignite Your Practice – a 6-week foundational yoga course

• Blaze Your Path – a 12-week immersive journey into yoga philosophy and energetic healing

Connect with Taylor:
🌐 iamsol.me
📸 Instagram: @iamsol
🎥 YouTube: @becoming-sol

Questions & Answers (Q&A) With Dr. Stephanie Jeffreys

In this heartfelt Q&A edition of Conversations That Heal, Dr. Stephanie Jeffreys dives deep into the questions that matter most from healing after trauma and navigating relationships, to finding yourself through travel and learning what it truly means to live in peace.

Each answer is a reminder that no matter where you are in your journey, healing is possible, growth is within reach, and purpose often reveals itself through the very pain that once broke you.

With her signature blend of transparency, wisdom, and grace, Dr. Jeffreys offers real guidance for real life helping listeners embrace every chapter of their story.

✨ If you’ve ever wondered how to move forward, reconnect with yourself, or heal from what hurt you this episode is for you.

Want your question featured in the next Q&A episode? ➡️ Email info@sdjeffreys.com or DM Dr. Jeffreys on Instagram @sdjeffreys

Love, Loss and Navigating

On July 31, 2025, I lost my best friend of 45 years, Derika. Our mothers were best friends, and from the very beginning, she was more than a friend she was my sister. Her love, laughter, and presence helped shape the woman I am today.

This special episode of Conversations That Heal is my heartfelt tribute to her life and the bond we shared. It’s a conversation about grief, love, and how healing continues even when our hearts are broken.

As I honor Derika’s memory, I also want to remind others that grief is not something we “get over.” It’s something we learn to carry with grace, gratitude, and love.

Thank you for listening, for healing with me, and for allowing me to share a piece of my heart with you.

Living In Defiance

In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Conversations That Heal, Kristi Stoyak shares what it means to live in defiance not out of rebellion, but from a place of healing, purpose, and self-worth.

From surviving the weight of trauma to reclaiming her narrative, Kristi walks us through her journey of choosing herself again and again, even when the world told her she wasn’t enough. She opens up about the moments that nearly broke her, the resilience she discovered within, and the radical act of choosing joy despite it all.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever been told to shrink, stay silent, or settle. Kristi reminds us that healing is not passive it’s bold. It’s intentional. And sometimes, it’s defiant.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Kristi transformed her pain into purpose

• What “living in defiance” truly means

• The emotional toll of healing and how to navigate it

• Encouragement for those who feel like giving up

If you’re ready to be inspired, challenged, and reminded of your power, this episode is for you.

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, comment, and share with someone who needs to hear this today.

Available on all podcast platforms.

#ConversationsThatHeal #KristiSpeaks #HealingJourney #LivingInDefiance #TraumaToTriumph #PodcastForHealing

 

Strength Can Be A Weakness

🦋 New Episode Alert: “Strength Can Be a Weakness” 🦋

How many times have you heard, “You’re so strong,  "I don’t know how you do it”… while you silently wonder who’s there to hold you?

In today’s Conversations That Heal episode, I take you behind the scenes of perpetual strength and talk about:

• Why being everyone’s “rock” can chip away at your own mental and emotional health
• Learning it's okay not to be okay.
• Practical ways to swap silent endurance for authentic, life-giving support.

💬 After you tune in, share your biggest aha moment in the comments—let’s break the myth that we have to be “strong” 24/7.

Tag a friend who needs permission to take the cape off today. 🦋

#ConversationsThatHeal #StrengthToHeal #VulnerabilityIsPower #MentalHealthMatters

Dreaming In The Debris

Dreaming in the Debris: Melissa Menny’s Journey from Childhood Trauma to Healing Through Words

In this powerful episode of Conversations That Heal, we sit down with Melissa Menny—writer, poet, and founder of theAddressHer.com—as she opens up about her extraordinary journey of healing after surviving what she calls “a wreckage of a home.”

Melissa’s story begins with unimaginable adversity: the death of her father from alcoholism at age 13, a mother imprisoned and battling schizophrenia, and the weight of raising herself alongside her siblings. But her story doesn’t end in the pain. It evolves into a narrative of resilience, reflection, and reclaiming her voice.

Melissa shares how the #MeToo movement became a turning point in her life, unlocking memories and truths she hadn’t fully named until she was 30 and preparing to become a mother herself. She speaks candidly about infertility, breaking generational cycles, and choosing to build a healthy marriage despite never having seen one modeled.

Through it all, Melissa has used writing as both a tool of survival and empowerment. Her latest book, My P is Political, gives voice to the female experience through raw, poetic honesty.

Her message is clear: Your trauma does not define you. You can rise above the statistics. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt stuck in their past but dared to dream anyway.

Visit: www.theaddressHer.com
Read her latest work: My P is Political

Give Yourself Grace

In today’s episode of Conversations That Heal, Dr. Stephanie Jeffreys invites listeners into a heart-centered dialogue on what it truly means to give yourself grace. So often, we extend compassion to others while being our own harshest critics. But healing begins when we allow ourselves to be human—flawed, growing, and still worthy of love.

Stephanie shares personal reflections and practical wisdom on releasing unrealistic expectations, learning from our missteps, and embracing the journey without judgment. This episode is a gentle reminder that progress isn't always linear and that grace is a gift we’re allowed to give ourselves every single day.

Whether you're navigating a difficult season or just need a pause to breathe and reset, this episode will speak to your soul.

If this episode resonated with you:

• Subscribe to Conversations That Heal so you never miss a new release.

• Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder to be kind to themselves today.

• Leave a review to help others find this healing space.

• Connect with Dr. Stephanie on Instagram and YouTube for more encouragement and honest conversations.

🎧 Listen on all platforms:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StephanieJeffreys
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-that-heal/id1805456580
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2uQXlvyY97Nv6kALy6cxo9
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/271336545
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eb49e137-b976-41b6-9351-a33e3792994f

Resilience Pays Off

In this powerful episode of Conversations That Heal, we’re joined by Carla A. Pinto — a New York attorney whose story is a testament to grit, resilience, and the courage to reinvent yourself.

Carla took the bar exam not once, not twice, but eight times over four relentless years — without a single break. Each failure chipped away at her confidence, while workplace betrayals and crumbling relationships intensified the pressure. Behind her professional composure, Carla cried herself home every night, struggling under the weight of expectations, isolation, and self-doubt.

Her breakthrough came when she finally surrendered — not to defeat, but to faith. She gave her burden to God, shifted her focus from passing the test to healing her spirit, and in February 2019, she passed the bar. But three years later, success didn’t feel like she imagined. She realized the career she had fought so hard for wasn’t fulfilling her anymore.

That realization led Carla on a journey of self-discovery — and to the surprising world of modeling. What started as a side interest opened new doors, reminded her of her power, and helped her redefine success on her own terms.

This episode is a raw, honest conversation about perseverance, identity, mental health, and the radical freedom that comes from letting go of society’s expectations.

Key Takeaways:

• Never give up on your dreams — but make sure they’re still your dreams.

• Your mindset can either be your prison or your path to peace.

• You’re allowed to pivot, evolve, and build a life that truly makes you happy.

Connect with Carla:

• Instagram: @_carlaapinto

Books Mentioned:

• The Power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy

• Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza