The Shadow Side with Safrianna
The Shadow Side with Safrianna
Podcast Description
Hey there, I'm Safrianna Lughna, LCPC, MS, aka the Queer-Spirit Guide, and I've created this podcast for those of you brave enough to walk in the shadows with me.
In my travels through spiritual and self-improvement spaces, I've found too many personal development spaces are drowning in toxic positivity. They'll tell you to "just think positive" and "focus on gratitude" while completely ignoring the shadows that are actually running the show beneath the surface. I'm here to offer something different.
As a public school educator and trauma therapist turned transformational mentor, I've witnessed firsthand how true healing happens not by avoiding our shadows, but by turning toward them with curiosity and compassion. The Shadow Side is where we dive into all those uncomfortable, messy parts of our existence that most people are too afraid to talk about – generational trauma, social justice, spiritual awakening, authentic relationships, and collective consciousness, for example.
Each episode offers a judgment-free space to explore these shadows through either my solo reflections or conversations with guests who aren't afraid to get real. You'll hear from disruptive leaders, healers, and visionaries who are challenging the status quo and creating authentic paths forward. Together, we'll unpack the toxic systems we live within while discovering how to liberate ourselves and support collective healing.
I don't offer quick fixes or simplified solutions. I acknowledge the complexity of being human while providing practical insights for navigating it all. Whether I'm examining current events through a shadow work lens, breaking down spiritual concepts without the bypassing, or interviewing guests about their personal journeys through darkness to light, you'll find discussions that validate your experiences while expanding your perspective.
Some episodes feature deep dives into specific topics like cultural appropriation, religious trauma, or the shadow side of wellness culture. Others explore personal practices for shadow integration, helping you develop your own relationship with your darker aspects. I occasionally pull cards from intuitive decks to provide insight for the collective energy we're moving through, and I'm always transparent about my own ongoing journey.
This podcast is for you if:
You're tired of surface-level spiritual content that avoids the hard stuff
You want to explore the intersection of mental health, spirituality, and social justice
You're navigating your own healing journey and need guidance without toxic positivity
You're seeking authentic community that embraces both shadow and light
You believe personal transformation and collective liberation are interconnected
New episodes drop biweekly, with special bonus content for those who support the show. You can connect with me on socials by visiting https://livinglunas.com/socials, or join the conversation on YouTube where you'll find the video versions of these episodes a...
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast delves into themes of generational trauma, social justice, spiritual awakening, and authentic relationships, including specific episodes that tackle cultural appropriation, religious trauma, and wellness culture. It aims to confront uncomfortable topics candidly while offering personal practices for shadow integration.
Hey there, I’m Safrianna Lughna, LCPC, MS, aka the Queer-Spirit Guide, and I’ve created this podcast for those of you brave enough to walk in the shadows with me.
In my travels through spiritual and self-improvement spaces, I’ve found too many personal development spaces are drowning in toxic positivity. They’ll tell you to “just think positive” and “focus on gratitude” while completely ignoring the shadows that are actually running the show beneath the surface. I’m here to offer something different.
As a public school educator and trauma therapist turned transformational mentor, I’ve witnessed firsthand how true healing happens not by avoiding our shadows, but by turning toward them with curiosity and compassion. The Shadow Side is where we dive into all those uncomfortable, messy parts of our existence that most people are too afraid to talk about – generational trauma, social justice, spiritual awakening, authentic relationships, and collective consciousness, for example.
Each episode offers a judgment-free space to explore these shadows through either my solo reflections or conversations with guests who aren’t afraid to get real. You’ll hear from disruptive leaders, healers, and visionaries who are challenging the status quo and creating authentic paths forward. Together, we’ll unpack the toxic systems we live within while discovering how to liberate ourselves and support collective healing.
I don’t offer quick fixes or simplified solutions. I acknowledge the complexity of being human while providing practical insights for navigating it all. Whether I’m examining current events through a shadow work lens, breaking down spiritual concepts without the bypassing, or interviewing guests about their personal journeys through darkness to light, you’ll find discussions that validate your experiences while expanding your perspective.
Some episodes feature deep dives into specific topics like cultural appropriation, religious trauma, or the shadow side of wellness culture. Others explore personal practices for shadow integration, helping you develop your own relationship with your darker aspects. I occasionally pull cards from intuitive decks to provide insight for the collective energy we’re moving through, and I’m always transparent about my own ongoing journey.
This podcast is for you if:
You’re tired of surface-level spiritual content that avoids the hard stuff
You want to explore the intersection of mental health, spirituality, and social justice
You’re navigating your own healing journey and need guidance without toxic positivity
You’re seeking authentic community that embraces both shadow and light
You believe personal transformation and collective liberation are interconnected
New episodes drop biweekly, with special bonus content for those who support the show. You can connect with me on socials by visiting https://livinglunas.com/socials, or join the conversation on YouTube where you’ll find the video versions of these episodes and more in-depth resources.
Visit Safrianna.com or LivingLUNAs.com to learn about working with me directly through mentorship programs, courses, and community offerings designed to support your journey through the shadows to authentic wholeness.
The shadows aren’t something to fear—they’re portals to our most profound healing, our deepest wisdom, and our most authentic self-expression. I believe you’re here because some part of you knows this truth already. Together, we’ll navigate the darkness, find the gems hidden within it, and emerge more whole than we’ve ever been.
Are you ready to illuminate what others keep hidden in the dark? Subscribe now and join me on this journey into The Shadow Side.
In this rich, wide-ranging conversation, Safrianna sits down with Women’s Empowerment Coach and Executive Coach Johanna Lyman (she/they) to explore what men really want — and why the answer might surprise you. Spoiler: it’s not what society has been telling us.
Johanna brings 20 years of experience as an executive coach, a mystery school background, a stint as an exotic dancer, and a trauma-informed lens to this conversation. Together, Safrianna and Johanna unpack the distortions patriarchy has placed on masculine identity, the epidemic of male loneliness, and why “men only want sex” is actually a profound misreading of the human need for connection.
They discuss the divine masculine and divine feminine — energies that live within all of us regardless of gender — and how toxic masculinity has warped those energies into something that harms everyone, men included. From Brene Brown’s research on shame to the incel movement to the miniseries Adolescence, they trace how unhealed trauma and emotional starvation are playing out at a cultural and political level.
Johanna shares how her time as an exotic dancer taught her that men’s deepest longing isn’t sex — it’s to be seen, heard, and truly known. She and Safrianna explore how sex workers and healing practitioners sometimes provide the only space where men feel safe enough to be vulnerable, and what that says about how we’ve failed men emotionally.
The conversation also addresses the educational system’s neglect of boys, the loneliness epidemic among cis straight men, compulsory sexuality, sexual trauma, the scarcity mentality driving “us vs. them” culture, and how building robust support systems — not just depending on a partner — is essential for everyone’s healing.
This is a conversation with compassion at its center: seeing the trauma underneath the behavior, without excusing the harm it causes.
Topics Covered:
—Divine masculine and divine feminine energy — and how both have been distorted
—The male loneliness epidemic and the epidemic of “no homo” culture
—What Johanna learned from dancing: men want connection, not just sex
—Brene Brown’s research on shame and the male “don’t be weak” box
—Toxic masculinity as the patriarchy’s legacy — and how it harms men too
—The incel movement, Andrew Tate, and the trauma underneath the rage
—Compulsory sexuality and its role in sexual trauma
—Why emotional education has been withheld from men — and what that costs everyone
—The scarcity myth: justice work for one group doesn’t diminish another
—Practical tools: journaling, community, professional support, and the Mankind Project
—Building support systems beyond your romantic partner
—Hope and healing through curiosity, compassion, and connection
Content Warning: This episode discusses sexual trauma, sexual assault, compulsory sexuality, political violence, and the incel movement. Please care for yourself as you listen.
This podcast is for anyone ready to explore uncomfortable truths, do the inner work, and contribute to collective healing. If you’re tired of surface-level conversations and ready to go deeper, this is your space.
Connect with Johanna Lyman: linkedin.com/in/johannalyman
Contact: [email protected] | Safrianna.com | LivingLUNAs.com
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