We used the GMOS integral field unit on the Gemini South telescope to investigate the kinematics of the circum-nuclear ionized gas in two active galaxies: NGC 1386, a Seyfert 2, and NGC 1365, a Seyfert 1. NGC 1386, in particular, shows puzzling - but spectacular - features which pose a challenge to our understanding of active galactic nuclei and their interplay with the host galaxies. Optical integral field spectroscopy allowed to shed some light on the processes taking place in the heart of this galaxy. We found that the dominant kinematic components can be explained as a combination of rotation in the large-scale galactic disk and compact outflows along the axis of the AGN radiation cone. However, there is also compelling evidence for an
outflow in the plane of the AGN torus. Is this a new clue to the physical processes operating in AGNs?