In this two-part conversation, Liz Wientjes is joined by returning guest the wonderful Dr. Cacky Mellor — somatic practitioner, researcher, and educator whose work bridges depth psychology, embodiment, and collective learning. Together they explore what it means to teach and live with reverence for the body.
As two empaths they reveal their experience as educators, and also discuss how to approach and work with empaths, regarding boundaries, titration, and classroom dynamics. It's a humble and human conversation from a lived experience, Liz and Cacky trace how our nervous systems shape every interaction — and how awareness can transform both teaching and wellbeing.
Cacky shares real time insights from several digital and international learning spaces, inviting us to approach learning as a living, relational process. From welcoming, to adjusting to grading!
Whether you’re an educator, therapist, or lifelong learner, this episode is a reminder that education begins in the body — and that our capacity to feel, rest, and relate is the foundation and enriching pathway for learning in class and in life.
00:00 Welcome to Part 2
00:35 Classroom Dynamics and Challenges
01:35 Adapting Teaching Methods
02:43 Student Feedback and Adjustments
07:43 Peer Learning and Group Work
09:54 Cultural Insights from Japanese Classrooms
17:31 The Importance of Names and Identity
27:29 Practicing Full Being and Group Themes
28:19 Internal Weather Report Exercise
31:43 Adapting to Group Energy
38:06 Un-Grading and Self-Assessment
45:40 Celebrating Growth and Learning
51:17 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell
at the start of part 1 it's Liz who guides us you all into a somatic meditation. It's a short scan along your body landmarks to ground and expand into community. And she put in her favourite 'reset' "sitbones wide"! Tune for more stability & stamina through full body presence and your sitting bones :)
at 28 ish minute, cacky shares a very accesible tool (weather report) for somatic arriving and tuning in with each other! Try it with your students.
Dr. Cacky Mellor, Ph.D., MSMT/E, SEP is Visiting Assistant Professor at Lesley University’s Mental Health & Wellbeing department and has a remote somatic private practice, Somatic Reclamation, working with individuals around the world. In undergrad, Dr. Cacky studied art therapy and holistic psychology at Lesley University, where her passion for somatics began to grow. After which she received her Masters of Education in art-based activism and social entrepreneurship.
She earned her Ph.D. in Depth Psychology with an emphasis in Somatic Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Dr. Cacky was awarded the Peter A. Levine Research Award in Dissertation Leadership by Somatic Experiencing International in 2022 for her dissertation, “Somatic Reclamation: Exploring the Lived Experience of Words”. Drawing from extensive training in Somatic Experiencing, Somatic Movement Therapy & Education, and Dynamic Attachment Repatterning, Dr. Cacky has cultivated a robust somatic pedagogy to support students in cultivating inspired, relational, and transformational learning communities.
📱Instagram: @somaticreclamation
🤳🏻 LinkedIn: @Cacky Mellor
Email: somaticreclamation@gmail.com
Liz hosts a 6-Day Retreat in Greece May 8 - 13 May, 2026. This will be in Dutch, "Thuiskomen in je lichaam, groeien in je vak en je leven". Voor meer informatie klik hier: Retreat Samos.
🌍 www.theembodiededucator.nl | liz@theembodiededucator.nl
👀 Watch+subscribe via Youtube @TheEmbodiedEducator
📱LinkedIn: @Liz Wientjes
📱Instagram: @Liz Wientjes - The Embodied Educator
Make a Donation to help spread the importance of embodied learning around education, it can be any ammount you are willing to give, as small as a cup of coffee (although the Samos airport price for a coffee was craaaaazy 6€ what's happening ? liquid gold ? :)
The Embodied Educator Podcast 👩🏻🏫 is hosted by Liz Wientjes. She's been in higher education for over 15 years teaching Communication, assessing, guiding and coaching many international students. To broaden her classroom horizon, over the last three years Liz has also freelanced in Primary Education and high school where she's discovering new teaching qualities and challenges!
This podcast comes from the crossroad with her other passion❤️🔥 embodiment. As a Pilates teacher, a (Flamenco) dancer, young horseback rider and as a bodyworker. This blend influenced to be The Embodied Educator. Brains don't learn. Humans learn. Humans with a nervous system, a heart, a pulse, sensations, and a natural push for aliveness. So why do we create so much learning spaces that don't feed/allow/acknowledge that aliveness? Not just for the body but for our whole being?!
That's what this free and made with love and care podcast is about. If you support our mission, a review, likes+starrs+shares and/or a donation help this podcast to grow. Consider paying it forward, any way available for you. Thanks for being part of this Community of Care for Education.
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Some parts are written with help of AI - apologies if there's an inconsistency or inaccuracy - I create this podcast in my spare time and totally out of love for learning, teaching and paying it forward :-)