Dr. Kennedy is a licensed psychotherapist with decades of experience in counseling, facilitating the spiritual journey of others, and public speaking. As an award-winning author of a social skills curriculum and a curriculum to divert youth from substance use, she has helped thousands of people live better lives.

As a mother, teacher, single parent, minister, and certified practitioner of the BodyTalk energy healing system her years of personalized service to others cultivated her belief that when we are in a caregiver role, one of the biggest challenges we face is maintaining balance in our lives.

Why Johnlyn from Reveal the Heart invited Judith as the keynote speaker for the Our Great Recovery Event coming up.

Judith walks the walk…she doesn’t just talk about it!

Offers accountability along with compassion. I felt like I could accept myself as I was AND had hopes that I could change.

Judith created a safe space for me as I healed from PTSD and depression. I felt like I could be honest and she didn’t dig into my past.

At the age of 76 Judith shares her journey when appropriate. She learned a lot when she attended al anon sessions.

Watch the full video or fast forward to the parts that are relevant for you!

Cliff notes below.

3:11 It’s difficult enough to ask for help especially when you do that and then things get worse in your life. Whether it was a comment from a medical professional, a well-meaning friend or a family member.

3:47 What are some of the best ways to practice self-care?

Keeping the balance by using the wheel of life (google). WOBBLE!!! Pay attention to the wobble.

5:22 How do we make ourselves take the time for self-care? It hasn’t always been easy!

6:36 Judith talks about storge love and tough love.  My response…what on earth is storge love!!!

8:33 Tough love…Christians are used to “turning the other cheek” versus taking actions to stand up for their beliefs like Jesus did.

10:10 Coping skills we use, may have increased during the pandemic.

10:31 Is self-care selfish? NO! However, our family of origin (and society) can impact how we feel about self-care. Self-care is a learned behavior, not natural. We can know intellectually it’s not selfish. Self-care is an OPPORTUNITY to take care of our “vehicle.”

12:30 Checking in frequently is imperative.

14:00 How does learning assertive communication help with self-care?

It’s absolutely critical! Not aggressive or passive, but assertive.

This is something we can learn especially for those people who avoid confrontation! Symptoms we can feel when we try to communicate can be a lump or constriction in the throat, nausea, anxious all over.

14:55 Trained as women to be passive or if we stand up for ourselves, we’ll often turn aggressive…then we get the label of bitchiness.

15:12 Assertive communication: we stand up for ourselves without maligning others. CRITICAL FOR SELF-CARE. It can eliminate problems in work relationships, personal relationships.

Stand up for ourselves WITHOUT hurting others.

16:10 Judith was an English teacher as well as a school counselor. Is assertive communication taught in the school system?

Judith created a social skills curriculum (side note…this is an award winning curriculum) and it’s taught in that curriculum, but not in the school system.

Judith learned assertive communication in the 1970’s.

17:00 We may swing from burying our heads in the sand to EEEEK! Aggressive. We will be learning this style of communication and practicing it for those people who want to during the Our Great Recovery event. So many of us avoid confrontation until we explode. We will quickly and effectively address the root issues of why we avoid confrontation during the event as well.

17:52 How has covid isolation affected overall mental health?

Statistically there has been a real rise in anxiety, depression and in some populations suicide.

Due to enforced isolation.

The pandemic hangover has to do with fear of getting covid again and unsure of their social skills now. Pandemic has been a gift in some ways. It’s shown us how to be alone and find the “right” social circles for us.

INTROVERTS!!! No need for small talk at the event! Creating a safe environment. That’s where people change and heal.

21:05 Healing doesn’t have to be drudgery…our society encourages work, work, work!  How do play and laughter recharge us?

22:36 Judith has learned with her decades of experience that the healing journey is not work…it’s play.  Johnlyn disagrees 😊 but would like to get there some day!

Play is critical!

21:33 There is a time and place where we need anti-depressants and/or anti-anxiety meds. Judith tries least invasive things first. Recommends that people combine medication with the healing arts when needed.

25:19 How do we deal with the cultural push for us to be busy, busy, busy?

At the age of 78 Judith is very physically active. She skis, mountain bikes, gardens, etc. in addition to the work she contributes to the world. She believes that when you do the healing work, adding in laughter and play, this allows you to live a healthier lifestyle. Physically and mentally. This is not something that came naturally to her!

By the grace of the divine, she has made different choices in her life than what was modeled to her.

27:12 In what way do unconscious beliefs affect our well-being? The beliefs we are unaware of that we hold, that affect our decisions in life.

Dr. Bruce Lipton “Biology of Belief”

He says that our everyday decisions are based upon beliefs we are not even aware of.

We think we are making conscious decisions but we make decisions based on our beliefs around:

Financial

Deservedness

Work

Time

Relationships

Very important for us to unearth those unconscious beliefs so we are *really* choosing and not having things chosen for us based on beliefs we picked up from our parents or society.

28:56 It is impossible to get to those unconscious beliefs without assistance. Sometimes Judith can do it through therapy but far more effective to do it using our healing methods. It’s amazing how quickly the beliefs can be seen when we allow the information to come in instead of digging for the beliefs.

29:11

As healers we can’t do anything for someone else, they are making the decisions while we hold and support their efforts.

Beliefs are so painful!

30:30 Fear of success! Sounds crazy, but look at how people are treated when they succeed. Johnlyn was told by someone that “you know you’ve made it when you receive a threatening email!”

31:08 The Thriving Mom Toolkit…Kick out mom guilt and create the life you and your family deserve.

There’s far more stress, pressure and conflict than you ever imagined.

Moms who have said to Johnlyn “all this pressure started after I became a mom.”  As we address the unconscious beliefs that we hold, the mom guilt, the mom pressure literally falls away.