Earth Priestess Podcast

04/14/2024

Exploration can feel both exhilarating and daunting,
especially when we’ve spent much of our lives focused on the external world rather than our internal landscape.

For women, navigating the complexities of s*xual intimacy during pivotal life events such as childbirth, menopause, or transitions in relationships can evoke feelings of uncertainty and fear. Yet, each stage of life offers an opportunity for profound connection with our body, mind, and spirit.

At every turn, we are presented with new perspectives on pleasure and connection.

Pleasure, often defined as the absence of pain, extends beyond the realms of s*xuality. It manifests in the simple joys of savoring a refreshing drink on a scorching day, feeling the gentle caress of a breeze against our skin, or embracing the beauty of our own reflection in the mirror.

These moments of delight serve as reminders of the immense pleasure that comes with self-discovery.

Thanks for this beautiful writing, Laura!

Whether you’re navigating a significant life transition or simply seeking to enrich your daily existence, the journey inward holds endless possibilities for
growth and fulfillment.

If you’re ready to embark on this transformative journey, allow me to introduce Laura
Osorio, our dedicated practicum student.

With a background in s*x and intimacy coaching,
Laura brings a wealth of expertise to the realm of counseling.

Laura’s approach is rooted in compassion, empathy, and a deep commitment to empowering her clients.

Her sessions will be $60. She’ll work mostly online, but an evening session may be possible! Let me know if you have any questions.

*xtherapy

03/25/2024

I had my last CIIS S*x Therapy class last weekend… a little conflict broke out about whether s*x was a want or need…
But aside from that, I just took from the buffet the ideas I wanted to try on for now and left the rest (as we might do in our s*xual life, too).

I have been doing my own reading on the depth psychological perspective … honestly, never thought I would find such an interest in Freudian writings!

I’m reflecting this weekend on the primal scene … that vital image of our parents in bed, located between memory and imagination… and I’m reflecting on how the integration of this coming together of opposites can teach us how to CREATE on every level.

Some kids heard it and didn’t see it. Some saw their parents bodies and then maybe made some guesses about how things might take place. Some kids had less of a sense because it was non-existent in their house.

You may already know about the idea of repetition compulsion and know that earlier experiences often have a stronger impact on the psyche than later intimate experiences.

I look at countries much healthier than North America in many ways and I wonder if their direct, honest response to their children’s questions about ‘how are babies made?’ is what helps some learn what it is to embark on a creative journey - and share that with another!

I think that it’s fascinating that we generally needed to construct that early template with imaginary free-play … so everyone’s template is unique, and as long as it’s not too rigid, we can learn to be influenced by the other and treat each encounter as an exploration with one another and a dance with one another’s past.

03/21/2024

Excited to hold an online mini series with Keisha on Emotional Regulation, Focusing & Self-Compassion. $50 a class. You can come to one or all!

Email me if you have any questions: [email protected]

❤️

03/18/2024

Freud believed that the s*xual drive (libido) was the primal motivating force that underlies all of life. While we generally can’t seem to tolerate much of Freud, his advocating for pleasure as an important element of life means that in this sense he was a rebel against patriarchy for his days.

About 50% of women report achieving or**sm through patterned s*x. And it’s not that or**sm is the measure of s*xual satisfaction … but why is it that so many are able to reach or**sm by themselves, just not with the ‘other’ involved?

I like to look at the archetype of Echo to explore some of these elements. Rather than ignite the self-discovery of The Initiator or drench herself in the warm, earthy waters of the Wild Woman … she makes herself into a mirror for the other to use as a projection screen while she morphs into whatever the other wants her to be. It’s a curse that she lives under so we really can’t judge her for it, but when the world becomes a world of smoke and mirrors (one of the many issues with instagram) than we have an empty void where we’d hope to have some community, connection and meaning.

Hiding behind the childhood script of ‘I am harmful’ and thereby doing all one can to not rock the boat … we can hold ourselves back from ever having a direct effect on someone (as though disturbing someone emotionally is the same as harming them).

In the therapist world, there are many Echo’s with encoded beliefs that we should be so careful not to be harmful that we, ourselves, should live in fear of ever offending anyone. But that’s not a very helpful therapist. Some clients need to be held very gently for a time, others, at other times, need a clear mirror to reflect back problematic patterns that are causing real issues in their lives.

Therapists grow when they grow beyond Echo and into the rich territory of dynamic relational work.

I’m loving therapy work these days because the field invites me to ever-expose more of myself to myself which brings me more layers of satisfaction 🌈

Photo by
Inspired by my journal, ‘Psychotherapy: an erotic relationship’ by David Mann & Chelsea Wakefield’s work around feminine archetypes :)

02/11/2024

02/08/2024

Hello and welcome!

I’m Keisha Virago, a Registered Professional Counsellor Candidate focused on trauma and addictions therapy.

It is my purpose in this lifetime to help my clients learn to forgive themselves for the things they have had to do in order to survive.

My integrative approach consists of various modalities including Somatic Therapy, CBT, SFT, Art Therapy, and Existential Therapy.

I believe when we learn to regulate our emotions and identify/advocate for our own needs, we create space for self-compassion and expansion in all areas of our lives.

In my personal time I enjoy taking aerial hoop classes, cozying up with a good book, making crafts, and baking for my friends.

I look forward to connecting with you and guiding you on your healing journey ✨

Keisha Virago • RPC-C

01/29/2024

The therapy can be a pretty ‘noisy’ field sometimes. I personally get overwhelmed by the focus on social media on certain styles of therapy and themes, as if the latest new modality is the best and only way to do it.

Jill and I are passionate about what we’ve found true in our own work which is that there is no better way to do therapy, rather there are the philosophies and paths IN that work well for you and your clients.

In our Relational Supervision group we help you find YOUR way of being a skillful, confident therapist while being yourself.

Groups are co-led by Angela Cara and Jill Koehler and are capped at 5 clinicians.

Join us for support, guidance and community as we explore, learn and grow together starting March 22nd 10-11:30am.

𝐓𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞👇
https://relationalsupervision.com/supervision/

01/24/2024

My new associate Keisha who specializes in trauma and addiction will be $130/hr.

She’s sincere, empathic and collaborative in her approach.

You can call her at 867-292-8817 if you are interested in a 15min consult about working with her for some online therapy work.

11/15/2023

Really excited about women’s circle tomorrow night :)

I’ve been finding work with inner worlds truly mesmerizing lately.

I’ve been dreaming of banyan trees and dark mala beads in diamond ruby libraries.

I’ve been amazed how many people have been dropping more and more into trust and that allows me to get to a place where I am not managing anymore (as you do in your first 10 years as a therapist) but rather equally surprised and delighted by what arises…even from the darkest places.

I remember when therapy felt hard.

I feel so touched now every day by all the raw truth showing up.

I love the marriage between practical and contemplative aspects in the work.

The world can be a hard place.

I feel really blessed to have my little office of consciousness unfurling 🍃

And that’s the result of the relationship between 2! Women’s circle magnifies the magnificence ⭕️ Message me you want to know more about the circle!

10/07/2023

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

09/22/2023

"Grandma, I'm tired. So tired of this life..."
"Take your tiredness, my child, and wrap it around yourself. Like a blanket in the cold winter months. Tiredness comes to make you a nest, to bring you to wear comfortable clothes, to make you sink into its warm embrace. I invite you to stay within yourself. Without strength, without thoughts, without actions. Like the snow that covers everything to soften the world, to make it muffled, to protect it from noise. Accept the flakes of your tiredness and let yourself be completely covered by them."
"I could die buried under there..."
"You will be reborn instead. Like the seed in the ground. Do not resist your weariness, do not reject it with a thousand actions, a thousand intentions, a thousand feelings of guilt. It just wants to take you by the hand and lead you to sink into the void. Right there, where the source of every inner strength lies. They taught us to be strong by resisting. But it is in surrendering that the true heroes emerge."
"I'm afraid, grandmother. What if fatigue will annihilate me?"
"My child, you are not afraid of tiredness but of losing control of yourself. The time has come for you to give yourself to life. And to generate together with it the most wonderful children: the fruits of your soul!"~

~Elena Bernabè

art: Eloy Bida

07/23/2023

Do you remember a time from childhood when you felt safe, joyous, alive, fully in your body?

Where were you?

What were you up to?

Who were you with?

What emotions does it bring up for you?

Sensuality has very little to do with s*x because it’s much more. It’s aliveness. It’s being present here in your physical body.

If hurts have closed your heart off, the work is growing your capacity to fully feel again 💜

🍃

07/08/2023

We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.

~ Carl Jung

06/26/2023

I wish someone had told me growing up what life could look like if I didn’t marry. All the books I read as a child were fairy tales with happy endings and they all suggested the same path to find that happiness - riding off into the sunset with the prince.

Fairy tales can be fascinating in how they symbolically represent stages of psychological development, but I didn’t understand that when my favourite book in preschool was Cinderella. I took that I needed to downplay my beauty, please other people, come into some luck and maybe, maybe strike it rich with a prince.

I’ve never been too pre-occupied with status symbols or material power, but I did always imagine that I’d be able to afford a house through finding a partner who has the same income as me. I just assumed it.

As a culture, we tend to focus on the literal, the step-by-step, the ‘getting our ducks in a row’ - apartment, fiancé, spouse, house, child… not so much on the deep inner inquiry and intuitive exploration of life through a non-linear process of self-discovery (despite financial & energetic cost).

I wish someone had explained to me that not needing to marry at all allows you time to get to know people for who they really are - flaws and all. Seeing over time if you can build a loving relationship with someone is the only possible way to know if you want to marry that person.

For the first time in my life I could care less if I am partnered or not.

I’ve noticed on my current trip that I’m relaxed, I’m content, and I’m enjoying myself in my singleness.

What’s culturally expected of me or what I expected of myself at an earlier time in my life has been falling aside and I find for the first time a sense of appreciation for the spirit of independence held by goddesses like Artemis.

We all need community. But there are so many different ways to create a family. I wish someone had told me that early on as I may’ve spent less time trying to do the ‘right’ thing and more time delighting in curiousity, personal challenge and divine play.

Coming to terms with our decisions in life sure frees up energy for enjoyment of ourselves and those around us!!

06/19/2023

I’m not defined by my age, but by my magic.

I loved a piece a feedback a younger woman gave me on my recent Women’s retreat. She called me a lioness and said that I embody everything a woman can be - strong, playful, joyful, soft, warm and solid - everything she was excited for in womanhood.

Do you have any fears around aging?

How do you define your values or worth?

06/16/2023

As women, we are wildly connected to all things.

We know that there is nothing more important in the world than our freedom.

The more we liberate energies within our own bodies, the more we get what really matters.

My role in the world is to meet what grows, to shine a light on what really matters and to set sacred boundaries with everything else.

Let go of the grasping.

What’s your role in this tapestry of humans and living beings?