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Bear Psychology Podcast

Dr. Anna Baranowsky is a Canadian Clinical Psychologist, CEO of the Traumatology Institute, Founder and President of the Board at Trauma Practice. She is the author of two books on trauma, numerous courses to help train professionals in trauma mental health and the developer of the Trauma Recovery Program for Self-Guided trauma care. She works with trauma survivors and those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on post-traumatic growth and recovery.

Through her work she believes that when we share, dialogue and feel supported, it provides a powerful foundation for forward movement in our understanding and the care needed. In her own words "I have found that the most profound changes occur when a person truly feels heard and understood - I like to think of it as deeply BEARING WITNESS to life evolving. We can feel incredibly stuck when we live with our fears, stressors and troubles in isolation."

Dr.Baranowsky is the host of the Bear Psychology Show, focusing on bearing witness to Evolving Mood, Mind, Health. Her talks revolve around recovery, relationships, work and life adventures.

She is dedicated to assisting organizations and health professionals who help trauma survivors to ensure a trauma informed lens of care can grow in community health networks. With that vision in 1998, the Traumatology Institute Canada (TIC) was established. TIC has trained thousands of individuals nationally and internationally.

Dr. Baranowsky serves on the board of directors of the Academy of Traumatology and is a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress through the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is recognized by The National Center for Crisis Management. She has published in the area of Post-Traumatic Stress, Compassion Fatigue, and therapeutic relationships (the Silencing Response).

Copyright:  Dr. Anna Baranowsky, 2020

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  2. Use Movement to Heal Trauma

Use Movement to Heal Trauma

Aug 7, 2025

“Embodied” approaches to healing include expressive movement, guided imagery, ritual, music and creative expressive interventions.  This goes beyond static medication and breathing exercises and into more dynamic practices. Pioneer Toni Bergins, brings active movement or “embodiment” into the toolkit offered in her book, “Embody: Feel, Heal, and Transform Your Life Through Movement” Bergins turns the processing of pain and trauma into an expressive art aligned with the most recent research. Her trauma-informed approach helps you release old struggles and shows you to stop over-thinking and get moving!

Listen to our conversation with author and creator of JourneyDance Toni Bergins as we discuss her approach for embodied healing through expressive movement, guided imagery, ritual, music, and creative expression.

Toni Bergins, M. Ed., is an author, holistic health practitioner and teacher. For 27 years, has led transformational workshops at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health.   She has lead her JourneyDance workshops at Institute, Omega Institute, 1440 Multiversity, The New York Open Center, Pure Yoga, and Blue Spirit.  JourneyDance has grown to be an annual event since Toni first presented her workshop at the Omega Institute in 2008. Toni also shares her talents by writing and creating videos for her website, journeydance.com.

Toni Bergins’ book gives readers a potent method for addressing trauma so that individuals can face it, recover, and learn to appreciate themselves for who they are. Her book includes Toni’s prescription for a comprehensive healing journey, comprised of five core elements:

  1. Music, to foster imagination and healing to change mood;
  2. Movement, to enhance presence and release old patterns and traumas;
  3. Mystical Inquiry, to guide readers into shamanic states using imagery and creative visualization;
  4. Prayers and Invocations, to raise energetic vibrations to a positive place; and
  5. Journaling, to process inner self-awareness learned on the dance floor.

If you are interested in learning about Toni Bergins’ unique, experiential, and therapeutic process, this podcast is for you.

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