We are back after quite a pause! Our last episode was in June 2025, and host Adam James Cohen shares about the reason for the pause plus brief discussion about why we're returning now amidst everything going on in our world.

The bulk of today's episode is Adam guiding listeners who are interested in space to check-in on their queer healing journey. Adam created a FREE PDF reflection guide: "THIS QUEER YEAR: A New Year Reflection Guide for LGBTQ+ Adults Healing From Anti-Queerness" which you can download here. Today's episode is an audio companion to this guide, inviting listeners to reflect on the 6 key areas supportive of helping LGBTQ+ adults heal from the impacts of having grown up queer in an anti-queer world.

More episodes are coming soon. If you are interested in being a future guest on the show, guest submissions are currently open. Visit https://www.secondadolescencepod.com/beaguest to submit your interest!

For more, visit www.secondadolescencepod.com or @secondadolescence (IG)

On this week's episode we have Bella Crum (they/she). Bella is a queer and neurodivergent somatic practitioner specializing in supporting queer and neurodivergent folks. In this conversation, Bella lets us into their own journey of understanding her queerness and neurodivergence, what healing and support has been for them in this process, and what somatic work actually is and how it can help us unmask, heal, and actually feel like our most true and free selves. I SO loved learning from and connecting with Bella, and am sure you will too!

About the guest:

Bella Crum is a queer and neurodivergent somatic practitioner who helps people become friends with their past, present, and future selves and the bodies that carry them—without shame, pressure, or pretending to be someone they’re not. She blends nervous system science, identity exploration, and a handful of swear words to support folks in unmasking, healing, and actually feeling like themselves. Basically, if you’ve ever thought “Am I queer enough?” or “Why does being a person feel so hard?”—they’re your people.

Links: For free resources, coaching and to sign up for the Somatic Yes course, you can visit www.rainbowwillows.org

To find Bella on social media, search @SomethinAboutBella on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube or click directly to the links on RainbowWillows.org

For more, visit www.secondadolescencepod.com and @secondadolescencepod.

On this week's episode we have Liz Rhea (she/her). Liz is a therapist who many folks may know on social media for her really helpful work of providing an affirming, validating, and helpful perspective about what it means to be a therapist and how folks who attend therapy can continue getting what they need out of it. So much of her therapy practice centers on support queer and trans people and people with religious trauma and that became a focus of today's conversation. Liz takes us into her own personal journey as a queer person who engaged in really meaningful deconstruction of beliefs that growing up in a conservative religious context left her with and kept her from existing fully as herself. Blending her own personal experience with her perspective and work as a therapist, Liz dropped so many nuggets of wisdom and affirmation throughout this chat!

About the guest:

Liz Rhea, MSW, LMSW is an associate licensed social worker and private practice owner in Atlanta, Georgia. Liz is a queer-identified therapist and specializes in supporting queer and trans folks, as well as folks navigating complex trauma, including religious trauma and purity culture recovery. Liz believes deeply in the utilization of reclaiming and healing within community in the therapeutic space. In addition to her work as therapist, Liz is a Founding Organizer for Let's Talk About It, a queer and trans-centered mental health training organization, and she creates content about being a chill therapist for both therapists and therapy-goers on instagram and tiktok!

Reclamation Collective: https://www.reclamationcollective.com

Let's Talk About It: https://www.letstalkaboutitcon.com

Liz's Website: https://www.lizrheatherapy.com

Tiktok: @lizrheatherapy

Insta: @lizrheatherapy

For more visit www.secondadolescencepod.com and @secondadolescencepod.