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Veteran spouses are the quiet strength behind the hero, but what happens when that quiet turns into burnout, hypervigilance, and years of holding everything together alone?
Bonnie Lippincott sits down with Jackie Wojtek and Cathy Turner, co-founders of the Restored Heart Collective, to unpack the healing work built for the often overlooked women living beside combat trauma.
Jackie and Cathy share the origin story of their nonprofit, from finding each other through Heroes and Horses to creating free immersive retreats that help military spouses come home to themselves through yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound healing, sauna, cold plunge, journaling, and deep community connection. What begins as a personal story becomes a larger vision for nervous system repair, emotional sovereignty, and a support system that lasts long after the retreat ends.
You'll discover why one-on-one therapy often falls short for spouses carrying secondary trauma, why shared experience changes everything, and how the shift from survival mode to self-trust can transform not just one woman, but her marriage, her children, and her whole family system.
Jackie and Cathy also explain the power of community-based healing, the importance of being seen without judgment, and why in-person retreat spaces create breakthroughs that online support simply can't replicate.
We break down the language of the work too, from moving from "behind" to "beside," to the Kintsugi-inspired meaning behind the Restored Heart Collective name, to the ripple effect that happens when one spouse begins healing and the entire household starts to regulate with them. This conversation also touches on the body keeps the score, the vagus nerve, heart coherence, and what it looks like to reclaim your voice after years of quiet sacrifice.If you are a military spouse, love someone who is, or care about trauma-informed healing, family resilience, and the power of women showing up for themselves, this episode will hit deep. Jackie and Kathy offer more than inspiration - they offer a path back to wholeness, one brave step at a time.
Jackie Wojtek is the co-founder of the Restored Heart Collective, a nonprofit creating restorative spaces for military spouses through immersive healing retreats and community support.
Cathy Turner is the co-founder of the Restored Heart Collective, helping build a nationwide model for spouse-centered healing and nervous system restoration.Perfect for listeners craving a conversation about resilience, marriage, nervous system healing, and what it really means to stop surviving and start coming home to yourself.
This episode of This Magic Life is sponsored by Knead Obscura LLC - Edith Harris. Through intentional bodywork, therapeutic massage, and restorative care, Edith creates space for deep relaxation, nervous system support, and reconnection to yourself. Edith’s approach is grounded in compassion, intuition, and whole-body wellness. Because caring for yourself isn’t a luxury — it’s part of living this magic life.
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Charity: Baby2Baby is a national non-profit organization that provides children living in poverty with diapers, clothing and all the basic necessities that every child deserves. To learn more and get involved, visit www.baby2baby.org
