Episode 4 - Self Care is Healthcare with Vashti Kanahele
By Jessica Garrison
Trigger warnings: Mention of Sexual Assault briefly (in regards to PTSD)
The best ways to describe Vashti Kanahele are fierce, loyal, brave, empathetic, and passionate. All of these traits are admirable ones that many people aspire to have. Vashti showcases her incredible character throughout the episode and brings a perspective to the podcast that we don’t usually get.
I could go on forever about Vashti’s episode and how many important layers she brings to the conversation, but something I really connected with was her stance on supporting women in living unapologetically. She is passionate about helping other women, and with her husband being a diplomat, she hears women’s stories across many different countries, languages, and cultures. Vashti mentions that when we ask someone how they are, they tend to say, “I’m fine,” even if that’s not really the case. Not everyone has the continuity of care or support, so women get used to brushing off the truth.
Vashti used the analogy of putting a bandaid over a wound but not getting down to the root cause of the problem. We can say we’re fine and heal ourselves for a short period of time, but that isn’t digging deep enough to understand why it happened in the first place. Without understanding the true cause of our emotions or physical ailments, then they will keep returning.
She supports women having all of their options presented to them, and Vashti wants to help women advocate for themselves. It’s always easier to advocate for someone else than ourselves, and when we’re in a struggling society, it’s also easy to let things go. However, you’re not doing yourself any favors by pushing off the real problems and trudging through the hardships. Sometimes it’s the only option for survival, but it won’t hold you up forever.
It’s always so exciting to hear these stories from women on the podcast because everyone brings a different perspective to how they see the world, and Vashti was no exception. By sharing her outlook and knowledge with us, as well as all the work she does for women, Vashti inspires us to keep an open mind. Her incredible resources will be listed on our website, and I encourage everyone to check them out and think about our ways to engage. This conversation is one we’ve had before but one we want to see continue.
Ways to Engage: Think of an example of when you continued saying you were fine even when you were falling apart inside—we all have those moments. Can you think of a time when a friend was doing the same thing, and you wanted to offer them help or support? In moments that you feel tired, rundown, or burnt out, remind yourself to treat yourself like a friend in a moment of need. Give yourself the same grace and patience, and reach out to someone you know you would do the same for. We are all here for each other, and there’s incredible spaces for women to support other women.