Episode 25 - Healing Through Writing: Emotional Wellness, Trauma Recovery & Women’s Empowerment with Teresa Rosario-Hernandez

By Jessica Garrison

We are joined by another great guest from Podmatch, Teresa Rosario-Hernandez. Teresa is determined, independent, hopeful, hardworking, professional, and she is a forever dreamer. 

Since this episode releases during the holiday season, it’s more important than ever to make sure we are taking care of ourselves when the stress is building. Teresa shares how she didn’t recognize herself when she wasn’t taking care of her emotional and mental health. It manifested into physical health problems, as she was reacting to trauma rather than processing it. It’s become easier since Teresa has given herself permission to feel, saying that emotional health is more about moving through the storm rather than pretending it’s sunny out all the time. 

Teresa now has tools she uses to process these emotions and to move through the storm. She needs a way to release her thoughts so she doesn’t get caught up in that cycle of negative thoughts or memories. Through affirmations, voice notes, and poetry, Teresa has been able to put her emotions into words to be able to process them. Her main vice is writing, which is a powerful tool that is under utilized. I’m a bit biased, but there’s a great release when you write out what you’re thinking. I tell people that even if they aren’t “good at it,” writing poetry can really help you make some sense of everything going on in your mind. It doesn’t have to be perfect because you aren’t publishing it—no one has to see it but you. It’s relieving to get those thoughts out of your body, so forget about being the best writer or the best speller. Do it for yourself, and only share if that feels authentic for you. It’s also nice to keep them in a journal so you can look back over them when the feelings aren’t as fresh and raw. 

By taking care of her emotional as well as her physical health, it’s opened doors for Teresa to support women in living unapologetically. She emphasizes the need for more grace and less judgment in these spaces. We don’t always see what other people see, and everyone has their own experience or wisdom to share. There’s more of an impact when we can learn and we can teach without the worry of unnecessary judgment. I also loved that during this talking point Teresa says, “Never shame a woman for changing her mind or for starting over.” No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, there is always an opportunity to start fresh. It’s not easy, so it should be something that is celebrated and acknowledged. Women especially get put into a box that seems impossible to break out of at first, but once you do, the real magic happens. 
Teresa has her own self-improvement podcast, Prosecco Queens Podcast, where she continues to share her story (with a little help from the Prosecco, of course). Women work so hard to make sure others feel supported, so why not you? Start prioritizing yourself today and feel the shift into a healthier life.

Ways to Engage: Write a poem about a recent event or emotion you experienced. It doesn’t have to rhyme or be in a certain format. Just put the pen in your hand, open your mind, and write.