The ReProgram (Ann Odom)

Welcome to the first episode! In this inaugural ep I explain how when we learn (just enough!) about the nervous system we can start to judge less and find more safety in the present moment, reclaiming the highest qualities of our best selves and our kiddos. I explain how we came to cruise in a chronic stress response, and how we can start to crawl our way out of it. There is learning here, but also an emotional experience for you to release some of the myths you have about yourself and your child. Because, say it with me, when we FEEL better we do better! I'm so glad you're here!
If you'd like to connect with me on IG: @the.reprogrammed.parent
And if you're interested in working together, my website is annodom.org

New brains for everyone! Paloma and Danny, The Founders of In the Cortex, are here to teach us how we can go back in time and give our brain the experiences it needs to repair and reorder, no matter our chronological age.
Brain reorganization is a non-invasive method of completing lower brain development by re-creating the movements that we might have missed as babies.
I am really excited about the work these incredible women are doing! This conversation is full of openness, invitations, reflections and insights into how we can access our truest sense of our humanity.
There are just so many ways to heal.
We also discuss how they work with subconscious reprogramming in the body, and our take on the sneaky barriers to healing.
Their work is exciting and essential for those of us ready to do the repair work at the most foundational level.

Takeaways

• Brain reorganization involves recreating the movements that babies do in their first year of life to develop the lower centers of the brain.
• The program focuses on integrating primitive reflexes and providing a solid neurological foundation.
• It only requires 5-20 minutes of brain work per day and can be done by people of all ages.
• The program aims to help individuals operate from the cortex, the higher centers of the brain. Breaking down barriers to accessing healthcare is crucial for promoting well-being.
• The subconscious mind plays a significant role in shaping our behaviors and beliefs.
• Early childhood experiences have a lasting impact on our development.
• Parents need to work on themselves in order to support their children's growth.
• Recognizing and addressing trauma is essential for healing and personal growth. Doing inner work and trusting oneself is essential for personal growth and well-being.
• The birth process plays a critical role in a person's life and should be given more attention.
• The Cortex Method is effective in regulating the nervous system and improving overall health.
• Authenticity and acceptance of imperfections are key to living a fulfilling life.
• Teachers can implement the Cortex Method in schools to support students' well-being and behavior.
• Getting back to basics and prioritizing inner work is crucial for personal growth and healing.

00:42 Discovering In the Cortex and Their Work

01:42 The Journey to Brain Reorganization

07:23 Introducing Brain Coaches

12:19 The Founders of In the Cortex

20:51 The Shift in Consciousness

24:06 Understanding Nervous System Regulation and the Subconscious

26:55 The Importance of Addressing Root Causes of Dysregulation

28:18 Reprogramming the Subconscious through Muscle Testing and Reconnect

30:55 The Impact of Early Childhood Experiences on Nervous System and Subconscious

34:28 Prioritizing Attachment and Meeting Children's Needs

41:38 The Role of Healthcare Professionals in Mental Health Support

45:47 Trusting Our Bodies and Embracing Our Humanness

46:36 The Shift in the Medical System and the Birthing Process

47:54 Doing the Inner Work and Reprogramming Our Subconscious

51:12 Understanding the Impact of Trauma on the Nervous System

54:41 In the Cortex: Tools for Brain Organization and Emotional Regulation If you're interested in this work you can check out their website to learn about their programs: inthecortex.com
They also have a wonderful podcast called "In The Cortex" on Spotify and Apple.

Happy Learning Loves!

I am so fired up to present this conversation to you today with Jessica Elefante, the author of "Living Well, Raising Hell: Freedom from Influence in a World Where Everyone Wants Something from You," co-chair of Mothers Against Media Addiction, mother, & tech critic at the heart of modernity & humanity. I devoured Jessica's book where she furthers her work to open people’s eyes on the topics of technology, capitalism, influence, and motherhood.

I devoured Jessica's book where she furthers her work to open people’s eyes on the topics of technology, capitalism, influence, and motherhood. In our conversation shares her personal journey as a former brand strategist in the tech industry and how it led her to a devotion to activism. Jessica is a wealth of knowledge in this space, in this conversation she emphasizes the importance of creating boundaries and balance with technology and highlights the work of Moms Against Media Addiction (MAMA) in advocating for change.

She also discusses the impact of technology on children's mental health and the need for regulation and guardrails to protect them. Our conversation revolves around the importance of creating a sense of safety and regulating the nervous system in adults and children (of course!). We talk about the many evidence-based negative impacts of excessive device use and the need for human connection and co-regulation.

We discuss strategies that we both use as mothers, and our conversation ends on a much-needed hopeful note-- Jessica is in this work so deeply, and is noticing a swelling tide of parents and researchers dedicated to protect children and implement policy that does so. We touch on Jonathan Haidt's work, you can learn more about him and his book "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness" here: https://jonathanhaidt.com/

You can find Jessica and more about her passionate and ever-evolving work here: https://jessicaelefante.com/

And you can learn about and get involved in MAMA's work here: https://www.joinmama.org/

Sound Bites

• "I have never seen anything like it."
• "This stuff is not designed to have a healthy relationship with it."
• "That's what an addict says when they've become sober for the first time."
• "Through understanding how the nervous system is actually working, learning just enough and learning how to send signals of safety to your own system."
• "It's like empty dopamine. It's trick dopamine."
• "This culture isn't raising my children. Companies are not raising my children."

01:54 The Influence of Technology

09:46 Protecting Children in the Digital Age

14:14 The Role of Moms Against Media Addiction

27:19 The Need for Regulation and Guardrails

30:38 Creating Safety and Regulating the Nervous System

35:26 Protecting Children from the Harmful Effects of Technology

36:55 Setting Boundaries and Providing Alternative Activities for Children

49:39 The Power of Collective Action and Advocacy

Today on the pod we are graced with the playful presence of Kara Latta, who reclaimed play during COVID and made it her literal job to help others do the same. 
She is blending together essential themes like healing our inner child through play, throwing out the false scripts that society handed us about our worthiness, and providing the experience of play for adults of all ages who are ready to get free from perfectionism and the prison of performing and pleasing. 
She gives us tangible tips to try to rewire our brains for relaxing into play, and a big old permission slip to value this important work of being free. 
You can find more about Kara on her Instagram, @theplayfulwarrior where she has several courses and offerings. 
You can follow me on Instagram at @the.reprogrammed.parent or go to my website if you feel called to work with me, annodom.org 

We have fine art nude and somatic photographer and worshiper of women Alli Monday back on the pod today to help us shift our mindset from "work to receiving" for our highest healing and thriving. Sounds good right? It is.

Alli recovered from Complex PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, and sexual assault through deep somatic healing understanding and practices. She tells us her story, provides some examples of her practices, and doses us with the compassion and safety she has reclaimed for herself.

This conversation itself is illuminating and healing (and she even leads us in an embodiment experience towards the end), and it's how we're launching our Live Body Blessing Offering that occurs on Oct. 17th at 12pm, and the price is just $10. And yes if you can't make it Live you can still receive and it's just as healing and impactful. The body doesn't know time, remember? ;)

Alli and I are passionate ambassadors bringing you back into your bodies, and this is such a gentle, easy entry point. Just show up, lay down, receive, and watch what happens.

Link to the Body Blessing here: https://www.iamladygroove.com/shop/p/body-blessing-online

And to connect more deeply with Alli's work, you can find her at her IG: @ladygroove or her website: https://www.iamladygroove.com/

Takeaways

*Authenticity is a continuous journey of self-discovery.

*Body blessings can transform our relationship with ourselves.

*Trauma can disconnect us from our bodies, but healing is possible.

*Spirituality plays a crucial role in our healing processes.

*Creating safe spaces is essential for vulnerability and healing.

*Community support enhances our healing journeys.

*Practicing tenderness towards ourselves is vital for self-love.

*Receiving love is as important as giving it.

*Building trust with our bodies takes time and patience.

*Self-compassion is a powerful tool for overcoming self-hate.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Allie Monday

02:20 Journey to Authenticity

04:27 Body Blessing and Healing

08:33 The Power of Self-Love

11:41 Spirituality and Somatic Healing

14:37 Relational Spirituality and Community

17:33 Grace Over Punishment

20:39 The Importance of Touch and Presence

23:35 Creating Safe Spaces for Healing

26:43 The Role of Tenderness in Healing

29:49 Investing in Self-Care

32:33 The Body Blessing Experience

35:49 Nurturing the Nervous System

38:29 The Power of Compliments

41:40 Closing Thoughts and Invitation

Child Neurologist Dr. Jorina Elbers is here to teach us how we can move ourselves into heart consciousness for our optimal nervous system health and impact in our parenting and lives. This work hits to the core of our Reprogramming, I could not be more aligned with her message and research.

Dr. Elbers brings us the latest research from the HeartMath Institute, an organization that has been scientifically researching the healing power of heart, so that individuals, families and organizations can enhance their life experiences using tools that enable them to better recognize and access their intuitive insights and heart intelligence. HeartMath tools are being used by top performance athletes, CEO's, and mental health professionals to optimize their performance, functioning, and health, and now we're bringing this goodness to parents!

This episode explains how our nervous system thrives, and how we can access that state in our moment to moment lives. Dr. Elbers also recently developed a parenting course for HeartMath, so this episode has her insights and recommendations on how to support our children's nervous system in the heat of hard moments.

This is one of my favorite episodes to date, I am so excited to bring these tools and insights to the parenting space and to you today.

Let's all do our work to "Feed the Field!" (you'll know what this means after listening).

If you ate interested in HeartMath's work, their website can be found here: https://www.heartmath.org/about-us/

Their parenting course can be found here: https://www.heartmath.com/training/heartmath-for-parents/

Dr. Elbers has a Holistic Integrative medical practice in Santa Cruz California, if you would like to learn more about her work: https://drelbers.com/

On Wednesdays, we talk about Codependency.

And we're doing it with Erika Wright, a codependency and spiritual counselor who — with blunt straightforwardness, loving kindness, and a strong Boston accent — helps people get out of their own way and have a better life.

Codependency is confusing, nebulous, and everywhere (including inside our bodies). We can't talk and learn about it enough as we ushed in this New Paradigm of Interdependence.

Erika and I discuss the cultural legacy that shaped our codependent society, how to heal our relationship with reality, how to release attachment to outcome and shaping others, internalizing unconditional love, learning to accept multiple opposing truths, uncovering authenticity and trust, the power of choice and the privilege of healing.

I loved talking about one of my favorite topics with this wise woman, she is so solid, self-reflective and relatable.

Speaking of relatable, we did throw in some F Bombs in this one, so make sure you listen to it your adult time (because I am sure your children have never heard the F word come out of your mouth)!

Takeaways

• Codependency is the result of various societal factors and involves control, manipulation, martyrdom, and a disregard for one's own feelings.
• Healing codependency requires healing one's relationship with reality and embracing vulnerability.
• Parenting can be an opportunity to learn about relationships and break the cycle of codependency.
• Self-validation and self-acceptance are crucial in overcoming codependency.
• Codependency is a learned behavior that can be unlearned and replaced with healthier patterns. Authenticity and trust are key in overcoming codependency and accessing one's true self.
• Healing is a privilege and a duty, both for oneself and for the collective.
• Choice is a powerful tool in shaping one's reality and embracing personal responsibility.
• Transparency and vulnerability create connection and allow others to see themselves in someone else.
• Embracing all feelings and experiences, both positive and negative, is essential for growth and self-discovery.
• Coming home to oneself and building a strong relationship with oneself is the foundation for healthy relationships and overall well-being.

01:47 Defining Codependency and Its Societal Implications

03:53 Healing Codependency: Relationship with Reality

06:11 Codependency in Relation to Parenting

09:37 Attachment to Outcome and Shaping Others

11:54 Sober Relationship with Reality

13:17 Validation of Reality and Inner Child Work

16:40 Changing Patterns and Intergenerational Healing

20:47 Healing Codependency: Unconditional Love

23:00 Healing Relationship with the Truth

25:46 Non-Codependency: Multiple Opposing Truths

27:56 Healing Codependency: Relationship with Oneself

31:21 Uncovering Authenticity and Trust

31:41 The Power of Choice and the Privilege of Healing

34:34 Codependency and the Need for External Validation

36:42 Saying Goodbye to the Old Self

38:41 The Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery

44:47 The Role of Spirituality in Recovery

49:42 Coming Home to Oneself and Practicing Self-Love

56:35 Healing and Transformation in Relationships

01:00:27 Serving Others Through Healing Erika and all of her wonderful work can be found on her IG: @erikawrighthcd

Wise and gentle Lelia Schott is here to honor our children and nurture us into neuro emotional awareness and healing for general life sustainability and parenting impact. 

As she states, “connection is a child’s deepest need and a parent’s highest influence.” 

AHHH. You know I love her. 

Lelia deeply understands the neuroscience behind our humanness, and like me, prioritizes everyone’s experience so that we can actually implement and embody the healthy ways we’re trying to treat our children.

This is a nice long back and forth conversation between us where we impart the knowledge that we have gained in our own healing journeys and how we’ve grown alongside our children. As you start to immerse yourself in these new concepts, this is the perfect way to marinate in these ideas with yumminess of our accountability, reflections and “me too-ness.”

Lelia is a South African mama of 6 who does 1-on-1 Coaching with parents all over the world, and also has a Course Offering called The Empowered Parenting Course where she covers topics such as Making Sense of Attachment and Nervous System Science, Anger and Healthy Aggression (YAS!), Playful Parenting and Storytelling and Your Personal Transformation. I so align with all that she focuses on, and in the gentle nurturing way that she does and I trust that you will too. Enjoy!

If you’d like to connect with Lelia and her work her IG is: https://www.instagram.com/leliaschott_synergyparenting

And if you’d like to connect with me and my work you can find me on IG: @the.reprogrammed.parent or my website, annodom.org

OK y'all, I know I am the Queen of Hyperbole, but are you ready to be forever changed??

This episode with journalist and author Rose Hackman will make you pissed, empowered, and will lift the veil (once again, because that's what we do now!) on what Emotional Labor is, how you're (probably) doing most of it, and how the people in your lives (cough cough, men) are absolutely able to do it as well. 

I have a hunch that Emotional Labor is a term you've heard whiffs of on Instagram, but you're not quite sure what it is. Rose Hackman literally wrote the book on it and spent years heavily researching the topic, how it plays out in our society, and how we can move our way out of the insidious expectations on women that are robbing us of our energy, influence, and making us feel so damn resentful.

There is tenderness and hope here-- I'm very intentionally not wanting to man-bash here, but I deeply believe we do need to understand these dynamics so we can see them, and then change them. This is a potent episode and you will not want to miss it!

Rose Hackman is the author of Emotional Labor; The Invisible Work Shaping Our Lives and How to Claim our Power, which you can purchase here: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/emotional-labor/

You can also access more of her work on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/rose.hackwoman/

Are y’all ready to be LadyGrooved? You may have your clothes on still, but I know you will be changed after this conversation. 

This episode with Alli Monday of Ladygroove Photography might be my favorite yet. This incredible woman has gone into the depths of her trauma, walked the Dark Night of the Soul, and emerged with deeply embodied joy, safety, love and a completely unique way of empowering other people to do the same. She loves bodies, she loves women, she loves freedom and rebellion that doesn’t hurt anyone. And she invites all of us into that level of living by her profession, her wise words and offerings, and just by the way she IS in the world. 

As a social species, we heal in relationship, and Alli provides this concentrated dose of acceptance and celebration of women in their bodies for her photography clients. She empowers women to play, be strong, messy, primal, soft, whatever they want to embody for their fully integrated selves to emerge. 

I love women like Alli, I didn’t know they existed until just a few years ago. Women who have seen the depths of pain and suffering, and found their way to this level of alive loving living through using relentless openness, curiosity and healing. You, like me, will be so inspired by the way she does life. 

To me, Alli embodies what can be on the other side of our healing. Enjoy loves!

Today on the pod we have the one and only Attachment Nerd Eli Harwood to tell us about attachment in her soothing co-regulating voice. She is a master clinician who has gained a following of over 500K because of the way she so clearly and empathically explains the science of attachment that applies to, all of us.

So if you've heard about attachment but aren't quite sure what it is exactly and how it applies to you and your people, this episode is the perfect primer.

In this episode Eli explains why her first book on parenting is focused on assisting parents in developing security within themselves, some of the cultural history behind the insecure parenting methods that have been rampant in our society and run counter to our evolutionary instincts, and some really soothing reframes on how we as adults (yes, in the midst of parenting our actual children) can start to process the dormant trauma in our systems for increased security and efficacy in our parenting.

Eli is brilliant and kind and I am beyond honored that she was able to speak to our community today. I know she will get your wheels turning and deepen your awareness of what's happening and needed in the relationships you value most!

*If this work resonates with you, Eli recently came out with her first book Securely Attached, which you can purchase here: https://www.abebooks.com/9781632174895/Securely-Attached-Transform-Attachment-Patterns-1632174898/plp

If you'd like to connect with Eli, her Instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/attachmentnerd/?hl=en

If you'd like to connect further with me, my IG is: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/?hl=en

I am so happy to share this timely episode on two topics pressing for my WNC community right now, and also for all of us as we heal and live these lives.

Kadhi is a transformational counselor trained in the Hakomi Mindfulness-Centered Somatic Psychotherapy, and is also an old family friend who was the first embodied woman I ever saw in my twenties. Kadhi talks about shifting our orientation to life from victim to beneficiary, and the way of the Spiritual & Emotional Alchemist that uses every experience as a vehicle for transformation.

Kadhi and I both share illuminating stories of our own dances with grief (quite literally, you'll see), and insights on how to navigate loss and transformation, emphasizing the importance of somatic experiences and the power of emotional expression, music and movement.

I am so proud of this episode. Kadhi has always been a wayshower for me, and talking about these deep complex topics with her was such a gift.

If you'd like to learn more about Kadhi Bo and her work, her website is here: https://www.kadhibo.com/about

and her illuminating IG here: @kahdi.bo

Takeaways

*Grief is a profound teacher that can lead to transformation.

*Emotional alchemy involves using all experiences for personal growth.

*Navigating loss requires a blend of pain and celebration.

*Parenting is an opportunity to allow children to explore their authenticity.

*Self-discovery often involves reparenting our inner child.

*Somatic experiences can unlock deeper emotional truths.

*Agency in our choices leads to empowerment in daily life.

*The complexity of human relationships requires compassion and understanding.

*Healing is a collective effort that benefits the community.

*Embracing our emotions can lead to greater vitality and creativity.

STOP EVERYTHING, EVERYONE...Jennifer Kolari IS ON THE POD TODAYYYY!

The brilliant and generous Canadian therapist, author, speaker and brain/heart behind the Connected Parenting Model is here to teach us about how our brains and bodies work, and to give us so many actionable steps to take to uplevel our ability to dose our children with the protective neurochemicals that bring out the best feelings and learning from all of us.

Probably no therapist has affected me, my parenting, and my career as much as Jennifer Kolari. In her grounded wonderful way, she illuminates SO much we experience in the Target aisle and our precious bodies and provides the most effective and concrete ways for maximum parenting impact and general life sustainability.

In this episode she explains how she came to develop the CALM Technique through working with traumatized youth in Toronto, she explains the core tenants of the CALM Technique, how to become a healthy authority figure, limbic bonding and adrenaline play, how to de-escalate any situation with mirroring and empathy, and how to heal and reparent our inner child in micro moments throughout the day.
Jennifer is this perfect bridge between the old and the new. She is such a visionary and innovator, but she is incredibly grounded and practical. She changed my life and brain years ago, and I am so excited for her to impact yours!

Takeaways

• Connection is essential for brain development and overall well-being.
• The Calm Technique focuses on attunement and mirroring to deeply connect with children.
• Oxytocin, released through connection, promotes learning, reduces stress, and strengthens the immune system.
• Self-regulation and self-compassion are important for parents to model and practice.
• Raising self-aware, confident, and love-based human beings is crucial for the future. Mirroring involves connecting with the child through facial expressions, body language, and active listening.
• The calm technique consists of four steps: see, agenda, listen, and mirror.
• Setting limits and boundaries is essential for healthy development.
• Parents need to find a balance between empathy and limit-setting.
• Repairing and reparenting are important for building self-awareness and regulating emotions. Learning to love and accept all parts of ourselves, including our primal emotions, is essential in parenting.
• Limbic bonding and oxytocin play a crucial role in building strong parent-child relationships.
• Practicing mindfulness and engaging in adrenaline play can help regulate emotions and stimulate the frontal lobe.
• Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-parenting are important for raising emotionally healthy children.
• Parenting is a journey of growth and learning, and repairing and connecting with our children is essential.

Jennifer Kolari has her own podcast "Connected Parenting," where she doles out 15-20 minutes episodes on various topics to put her knowledge in the hands of parents for free all over the world. Her books, "Connected Parenting" and "You're Ruining My Life! Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting" are both essential guidebooks for our parenting years.

She has a therapy practice in Toronto and San Diego, and trains therapists in how to become a Connected Parenting Facilitator. All of her goodness can be found on her website connectedparenting.com
Happy Learning Loves!

Y'all. I haven't met another coach or clinician who is more aligned with me around parenting, the nervous system, and what that means for US adults as we navigate these bodies, lives, and the monumental task of parenting.

Amanda is here to offer a supremely refreshing perspective on how we need to peel back the layers of what we're doing and focus entirely on what is most critical-- meeting everyone's essential needs for safety and connection. Focusing on this base, we promote resiliency, learning, more regulated connected nervous systems, and healthy attachment relationships.

Amanda talks about being a neurodiverse adult and how she deeply sees and supports other neurodiverse parents, we talk about how to move the energy of emotion intuitively (she gives the best examples!), and we both ended this conversation with a beautiful metaphor that I know will give you all the yummy feelies. We wax poetic on what this time in history calls of parents and how we are doing it in our own homes and bodies.

Amanda is a wise delight, and I could not be more on board with and inspired by the way she supports families.

As referenced in the episode, Amanda is launching a mini course to help us with the Holidays (yes please!) that you can find here: https://www.amandadiekman.com/holidays

And if you feel pulled to work more deeply with her, her Low Demand Masterclass Group Coaching Course starts in January and you can access the course here: https://www.amandadiekman.com/masterclass1?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amandadiekman.com%2Fa%2F2147735166%2FWQ6XbiUk

If you feel pulled to work more deeply with me, you can contact me on my website, annodom.org

Or via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

Dutch Psychologist Barlas Gunay is back and he's here to go all into boundaries with me! We've both noticed that boundaries is a concept the average person is more familiar with than ever before (yay), but we both see in our clinical work that there's a surface level behavior-based knowledge, that isn't moving the needle for most of us Cyclestarters as we have a lot of development to catch up first. 

As Barlas explains, People-pleasers, self-sacrificers, etc. often already know they need to set boundaries, say no, and express their needs more clearly. But as healers and teachers, if we tell them to “just do it” without acknowledging the deep inner work involved, we mislead them. You can’t break lifelong people-pleasing patterns without understanding why you people-please in the first place—why you’re so afraid of saying no and prioritizing your true self.

In this conversation we discuss the difference between too porous and rigid boundaries, the essential role of protecting the inner child, quiet boundaries that don't require anyone else's knowledge or buy-in, how we can unconsciously not hold boundaries to avoid our own work, and the essential role of befriending and listening to our anger.  This episode includes concepts and I offer examples from my own life, I was still in the middle of the Helene experience during this recording so I had many thoughts on how I was protecting myself and my energy during such a challenging time!

Barlas is a Dutch Psychologist of the powerful and insightful Instagram account @acceptandact, and his episode from February on "Anger and The Inner Child" remains my most listened-to episode! He is clear, kind and powerful in his multi-faceted effort to help us reparent and heal from inter-generational experiences that have caused us to cope and leave our authentic healthy selves. Enjoy the episode!

Our Somatic Sex, Love, and Relationship bestie Faith Laux is back on the pod to go even deeper (haha, wink wink) into the topic of sex, connection, safety and liberation. Yes yes yes. Get ready for lots of giggles and stop-you-in-your-tracks statements from this incredible woman.

In this conversation, Faith and I explore the intricate relationship between healing, pleasure, and sexuality. We discuss why relational safety is essential for a healthy sex life, the impact of shame on sexual experiences, self-pleasure as a powerful tool for healing, and the journey of self-discovery and true self-(and life) acceptance through the teachings of the ancient wisdom tradition of tantra. Faith emphasizes the essential need for open communication in our partnerships (and how this impacts our physiology), how a man's arousal is different than a woman's and how we can (*finally*) talk about this with our partner in a scientific way, our "four brains" and how we can be listen to them in the bedroom for optimal pleasure and healing, and so so much more. Ultimately, this conversation serves as a reminder of the urgency to live fully and authentically, passing on a legacy of aliveness to future generations.

Also, we say the "P word" like a zillion times, so FYI for little ears and your own comfort level with that (hello programming!). I am so proud to share this aspect of our healing with you as I am walking this particular journey in real time right now. I got pretty candid with my own process here-- feeling a twinge of a vulnerability hangover but mainly pride because I know I'm being really brave and touching on something important when I feel that.

As a friend told me recently, she said that she loves my podcast because I am touching on all facets of what it means to be a mother and a woman in this time, and this episode may not seem like it assists your parenting, but our liberation, our lightness, and our expansion serves ALL. Also, you deserve great sex.

Faith is such a safe, wise, attuned, playful advocate as we timidly come back home to ourselves in this sexual realm. If you want to connect with her and her work further, her website is: https://www.faithlaux.com/

And you can find her in IG: @faithlaux

Enjoy the episode!!!

Today on the pod I have the incredibly wise Betsy Archer to talk about all things bodies. Betsy is a long-licensed therapist who has transitioned into working as a personal trainer who helps folks heal their relationship with movement and their bodies.

Her personal gym/healing/community space All Bodies has dynamically met a need we didn't know we had. There, she provides the real time experience of being honored, seen, and supported as we return to our bodies and rewrite the scripts we were handed by culture and our families. 

Betsy is also an amazing mama of three, and we end up covering topics such as body autonomy, body neutrality, supporting our kid's (and our own) healthy relationship with food, taking up space, and honoring our emotions. This is a potent episode, enjoy!

You can connect with Betsy on Instagram @allbodiesmovement or her website allbodiesmovement.com

You can connect with me on Instagram @the.reprogrammed.parent or my website annodom.org 

The founder of @botanicalbonesco Rachel Meyer is here to talk about her journey back home to herself in the context of building a viral brand that brought success but also #lessons.
Rachel is talking about something we don't see enough in the online Instagram Universe-- the emotional cost of hustle culture, how it shows up even when we are the boss, and how it's all rooted in programming from childhood.
Rachel takes us on her brave journey of being scooped up by the Asheville entrepreneur community, peeking behind the curtain into successful small businesses and brands, and learning the emotional cost that people aren't talking about (but almost everyone is experiencing).
It turns out that even when we think we're building the business on our own terms, we're unconsciously still enslaved by our unmet emotional needs and internalized capitalism.
Rachel candidly explains how she has slowly unpacked what was driving her, and how she continues to humbly be on that journey.
Rachel is so wise and curious and kind and I know you'll leave this episode with fresh insights and the feeling of feeling seen! *She's also one of my best friends and so please excuse the gushing we do over each other, but I felt it was important to show aspects of female friendship in all their glory.

If you'd like to connect with Rachel you can find her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/botanicalbonesco/

And if you'd like to connect with me, you can find me at: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

Fellow therapist, coach and Instagram co-worker Shenikka Moore-Clarke is here today to explain many healing concepts that we all need to know about now, such as attachment, projection, somatics, cyclebreaking while parenting and The Safe and Sound Protocol, a nervous system healing tool that seems like it comes straight out of Star Trek.

This is an informative conversation between two clinicians and mamas who are living the work, who found their way back home to themselves in similar ways and are eager to teach others about what they've learned.

Shenikka is a long licensed clinician who had a health crisis land at her doorstep, and pushed her to move into somatic and nervous system healing work for her own healing.

Shenikka is my favorite kind of clinician, one who humbly guides her clients back towards their bodies and themselves.

If you would like to connect with Shenikka, follow her informative and funny IG at @the.healingvibe.

If you would like to find a clinician in your area who offers the Safe and Sound Protocol, you can look at this website: https://integratedlistening.com/products/ssp-safe-sound-protocol/?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign={campaign}&utm_content={content}&hsa_acc=2148588241&hsa_cam=15801363830&hsa_grp=152522012308&hsa_ad=638351133499&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=dsa-1922928373574&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA8YyuBhBSEiwA5R3-E9qRNYAjOlSdWUFAiXaSRdEhaxVWyZFWRSH43ww1IOe5nxwcpY91ThoC3fUQAvD_BwE

I have been wanting Occupational Therapist and Parent Coach Maggie Viers on the podcast for ages and today is the dayyyy! Maggie and I are so aligned with our approaches and the conclusions we have drawn from knowing, living and teaching the science of attachment and parenting. She is brilliant, down-to-earth, and my professional twin.

Today, Maggie and I are so excited to bring to you Our first Group Coaching experience, and the guiding principles we have both come to in our separate parenting and professional journeys.

Even if you're not considering joining this cohort, there is so much reframing, validation, and information embedded in this episode.

We discuss our personal journeys as parents and the overlooked essentialness of self-healing and self-care in parenting, and we touch on the various topics we'll be covering in The Nurtured Mama.

Sound Bites

• "Stop teaching and start relieving the pressure"
• "We are learning how to be human and our kids"
• "From cycle breaker to cycle starter"
• "How do we give ourselves compassion? How do we repair with ourselves so then we can repair with our children from a grounded, embodied place?"
• "It is nervous system revolutionizing to allow our inner child to tantrum and spit and scream and say exactly what hurt them."
• "The women are really leading this revolution of consciousness, of repatterning, of cycle starting. We really are on the front lines, the mothers."

If you're called to do this program or share it with someone you love, information here!

https://tidy-forest-73543.myflodesk.com/zotkmbe38q

I am filled with pleasure to present this conversation with Somatic Sex, Love and Relationship Coach Faith Laux. 

We discuss how healing from our traumas also means reinviting pleasure into our lives, we talk about embodiment, and how we can choose our experience over our appearance for our children, and ourselves, starting a compliment practice, and so much more. 

Faith also explained how she recently navigated cancer in a way that honored her sovereignty and her worth in such a radical and refreshing way. 

You can connect with Faith over on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/faithlaux/ or her website ⁠www.faithlaux.com⁠

You can connect with me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/ or my website annodom.org

I've been wanting my colleague Dr. Catherine Tucker to come on the pod for awhile now to discuss Theraplay, a therapeutic modality that utilizes the child-parent relationship to foster secure attachment through play-based activities.

Catherine illuminates this modality, where the Practitioner guides the parent and child through playful, fun games, developmentally challenging activities, and tender, nurturing activities that helps the parent regulate the child's behavior and communicate love, joy, and safety to the child. Connecting in this way helps the child feel secure, cared for, connected and worthy.

Who doesn't want that? We also talk about the power of presence, the concept of cycle starting, healing intergenerational trauma, and and the role of play in emotional regulation. We also discuss the embracing imperfection in parenting and focusing on connection over control in our relationships with our children.

One of my goals in my work is to empower parents to be conscious and educated consumers as seek support for their child and themselves. You can find more information about Theraplay here: https://theraplay.org/the-theraplay-institute/

And here you can look for a Theraplay practitioner in your area: https://community.theraplay.org/search/custom.asp?id=7042

If you are local to Asheville and want to work with Catherine directly, you can locate her practice here!

https://drcatherinetucker.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwooq3BhB3EiwAYqYoEjKhpoc7C-GL4rfow9TicXeqgFgLgObUgdUAj1Zds19o0jkCjDfNexoC2TcQAvD_BwE

Takeaways

*TheraPlay is a playful, evidence-based modality for healing.

*The parent-child relationship is central to emotional well-being.

*Presence and co-regulation are essential in therapy.

*Play is a powerful tool for creating felt safety.

*Parents often carry intergenerational trauma that affects their parenting.

*It's important to validate children's feelings and experiences.

*Healing is a process that can happen in real-time.

*Parents should focus on connection rather than compliance.

*Mistake-making is a natural part of learning and growth.

*Therapy can help repair attachment ruptures, no matter the age.

Chapters

02:41 The Journey into Attachment Therapy

06:37 The Magic of TheraPlay

12:33 The Importance of Parental Healing

18:41 Attachment and Therapy

20:59 Building Secure Attachments

28:17 The Power of Playfulness and Attunement in Building Secure Attachments

35:36 Repairing Ruptures: Creating Felt Safety

41:49 Challenging Traditional Parenting Models

45:10 Healing Trauma through Therapy and Attuned Relationships

What if there was an evidence-based way to discipline and parent our children that builds their brains, their capacity for problem-solving, strengthens our attachment relationship and also reduced our mental load??

Y'ALL. Not even kidding, this exists, and Dr. Tamara Soles is here to tell us all about it. I heard her on a podcast in 2018 and it literally changed my life-- I started implementing these principles in my relationships with my own children (and the families that I work with). This approach shifts us out of power struggles, indecision, and places a healthy amount of agency and power in our children's hands because children don't learn by being told what to do, they learn by making decisions.

This approach prioritizes connection and collaboration, while holding high warmth and high boundaries.

Dr. Tamara Soles is a Psychologist, Parent Coach, Podcaster and mother of twins, who deeply understands child development and the brain, and honors all of this while holding in mind our capacity as modern parents with limited support and time. Her approach is refreshingly loving and sustainable, while also empowering us to support our children in becoming the confident, internally driven intuitive adults they are meant to become.

I am so excited to share her and her work with you!

If you would like to connect more with Dr. Tamara Soles, her website is https://drtamarasoles.com/

James' wisdom is both ancient and forward-thinking. He reconnects us to the teachings of the past while helping us see the agency we have in our day-to-day lives to create the future we want to see.

In this discussion, we cover how to harness our intuition and how creativity is essentially bringing into being something we haven't seen yet. The parallels to our parenting abound--how can we have faith in ourselves enough to trust the rightness we feel in the moment, and be buoyed by the belief that just because what we're building (whether that's writing a book or creating security in our attachments) can't be seen yet, it doesn't mean we aren't creating it. 

I joke that James is a "New Paradigm Preacher," and to me he really is. I deeply feel that we are being fire hosed in the face with information, and we need leadership and inspiration to adopt guiding principles that reframe our sense of ourselves and this world we live in. James' work affected my healing journey profoundly years ago, and I am honored to bring his work and wisdom to you. 

James is the author of "Sh*t Your Ego Says," "How to Laugh in Ironic Amusement at Your Existential Crisis," and the recently published "The Art of You; The Essential Guidebook for Reclaiming Your Creativity." James is a meme poet, thought leader, and digital mystic, and you can find his daily doses of humor, wit and wisdom at his Instagram account @wordsarevibrations. 

I brought my deeply wise colleague Jillian Kelly to come talk to us about all things grief for the podcast today and honestly I was blown away with how beautiful it became. 
This episode will move you,.
We talked about how we can navigate grief in our families, the ambiguous grief that comes with our growing awareness of how our lived experience impacted us, how we can use music to move us, and how we can "find comfort in the mystery" of life. 
You'll even hear us two clinicians creeping out of the spiritual closet a little bit--something that is happening more and more in my life behind the scenes!
There is magic in this episode and connection to our ancestors, the perfect way to usher in October!
You can find Jillian's website, books, and practice here: https://www.ashevillechildtherapy.com/
To discover the beautiful works of Irish Poet John O'Donohue, see here: https://johnodonohue.com/store
If you'd like to connect with me on Instagram: @the.reprogrammed.parent

I am so excited to finally bring to you Veronica Rotman, a somatic nervous system healing practitioner and teacher to discuss with me the importance of somatics in parenting and the impact of the nervous system on our experiences. This conversation encompasses everything I have learned and believe that parents need to know to get free from the invisible prisons of performance, perfectionism and pain that they find themselves in. 

Veronica is not only an expert in the nervous system, but she specializes in the female nervous system, and she explains how the lack of maternal support specifically impacts our differently wired systems, as well as how females are wired differently than males. This is like a supportive mini masterclass, full of so much information, but also advice, encouragement, and empathy as we too as mothers fully know what it’s like to be in these bodies in this time in history.

And like me, she has found through her training, work with parents and from her lives experience, that when we do the somatic trauma healing work from the events in our lives (especially the relational trauma that is rampant in our culture), parenting can "flow from an intuitive place." This is everything I want for you all.
Enjoy this breath of fresh air and this further nudge into this life-altering work.

Takeaways

• Move beyond the cultural narrative of simply asking 'how do you feel?' and explore and be present with our sensations and emotions.
• The female nervous system is primed for relationship and co-regulation, and this is crucial in parenting.
• Neuroception is the autonomic nervous system's ability to scan our environment for signs of safety or threat.
• Prioritize oxytocin over dopamine in our culture to support regulation and well-being.
• New mothers often experience isolation and lack of support, which can impact their nervous system and mental health.
• Embodiment, regulation, and co-regulation are essential in parenting and fostering secure attachment.
• Interrupt the cycle of dysregulation and reactivity through open curiosity and self-awareness. Modeling emotional regulation is essential for children to learn how to regulate their own emotions.
• Creating coherence between our feelings, words, actions, and beliefs is important for building secure relationships.
• Healing and rewiring our attachment patterns is crucial for our own well-being and for providing secure attachment to our children.
• Nature can be a powerful co-regulator and can help us establish a sense of safety and connection.
• Anger is a natural emotion and can be a healthy part of our relationships when expressed and followed by repair.
• Accountability and embodiment are key in creating healthy dynamics and relationships.

You can connect with Veronica and her work on Instagram at @wakingwomb or her website https://waking-womb.com/ to see more about her retreats and offerings. Happy Listening and Learning Loves!

Hello Loves! Our dear friend Alli Monday interviewed me on her podcast "Sex & Somatics" during my Hurricane Helene experience, and I felt called to share it here too!

This is me, digesting and sharing and exploring what I know, and what I'm learning in real time. There is so much I didn't get the chance to say here-- about the epic tantrums and expressions of feeling I witnessed my children have (and did my absolute best to hold space for), about the incredible mutual aid work their father got to do with undocumented Spanish-speaking communities because I had the children, the outside support from agencies, individuals, other therapists and the federal and local government that has poured in, how fascinating it was to be the subject of mainstream media and see first-hand the false narratives that were being spun and also the secondary-trauma that occurs when we witness through our phones devastation and heartbreak that isn't actually in front of us, and and and.

Thank you Alli for being such a safe person for me, and the people she works with. Alli is a fine art nude and somatic photographer, a deeply wise healer and a dear friend.

And please, if you feel called, donate to Beloved Asheville, https://www.belovedasheville.com/

Shop from local Asheville stores for the Holidays if you can, and listen to Londrelle when to need to dose yourself in gratitude, https://open.spotify.com/track/6VWCeBktNMGdTTy5LxHj69?si=253116a4308842bd  

I am so happy to share this beautiful conversation between me and Jessica Jocelyn, a deeply wise, vulnerable, relatable poet who has published 5 books on healing, cyclebreaking and mothering. I knowwww.

This conversation centers on her latest book called "Stars at Last," about the healing she has found in finally having a daughter juxtaposed by the recent loss of her mother's life due to untreated mental illness. We discuss the poems in her gorgeous book that hit me the hardest, and we discuss her (and some of my) experience with grief, healing, holding almost equal amounts of anger towards and compassion for the wounded parent, inner child healing, and holding the tension between being where we've been and going where we're going.

My goal is always for you to feel seen and expanded from these conversations, and Jessica does it in spades.

You can connect with Jessica and her beautiful work on her IG: @letterstoanna, and also her 5 books of poems on loving an addict, inner child healing, discovering late-in-life neurodivergence and childhood trauma and pregnancy and motherhood here: https://linktr.ee/jessicajocelyn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabSINyyLscHL-ydb1IApBYZe-hBLsoq4d42SmekYdy24PQgdfFyk0UP7Lo_aem_dfW-wChUSmrqx_AswF9-6w

Chapters:

04:13 Exploring Childhood Trauma and Its Impact

07:20 Navigating Grief and Loss

10:23 The Healing Power of Connection

13:18 Transforming Pain into Wisdom

16:07 The Role of Touch in Healing

19:11 Understanding Childhood Memories and Validation

22:05 The Complexity of Grieving a Parent

25:18 Finding Hope and Moving Forward

27:52 The Gift of Compassion and Understanding

31:04 Creating New Narratives from Pain

40:31 Processing Grief and Emotional Support

42:56 Motherhood Reflections and Healing

47:30 Navigating Parenting Triggers and Growth

55:32 Reparenting the Inner Child

59:22 Breaking Generational Patterns

01:02:28 Empowerment and Community Among Women 

TedX Speaker, author and mother of 4 Katie Kimball is on the pod today to discuss the concept of picky eating and how it is not solely about the food! What?? I know. She introduces the five P's that contribute to picky eating: palate, pain, processing, pressure, and power. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the physiological and sensory aspects of eating, as well as the impact of pressure and power dynamics in the parent-child relationship. This episode will unlock so much powerful info for parents in this battle.

Even if you don't have a "picky eater," you have an eater. In this conversation Katie and I talk about how to support our children in listening to their bodies, making their own choices when it comes to food (with boundaries!) and helping them to build a healthy exploratory relationship between themselves and the food. What a gift to give them!

This episode was a wealth of information on a topic I know we all struggle with daily, I got so much out of it and I know you will too! Takeaways

• Picky eating is not solely about the food; it is influenced by various factors such as palate, pain, processing, pressure, and power.
• Understanding the physiological and sensory aspects of eating can help parents address picky eating behaviors.
• Pressure and power dynamics in the parent-child relationship can contribute to picky eating.
• Allowing children to listen to their bodies and make their own choices when it comes to food is important for developing a healthy relationship with food.
• Parents should focus on praising the process rather than the results when it comes to eating. Set boundaries and provide structure around meal times to teach kids to listen to their bodies and make healthy food choices.
• Establish snack time boundaries and say no to certain foods to create a balanced approach to eating.
• Teach kids to eat well by preparing the space, leading with healthy options, and maintaining a poker face.
• Exposure to a variety of foods is important, and it may take multiple attempts for a child to develop a taste for certain foods.
• Avoid short order cooking and catering to picky preferences, as it can exacerbate the problem.
• Cooking with kids builds their confidence, develops life skills, and creates positive associations with food.

You can connect further with Katie's incredible work and resources at https://www.kitchenstewardship.com/ and her Instagram @katiekimballkidscook

Asheville artist, icon, and emerging comedienne Robin Plemmons is on the pod today to make us giggle, open our hearts, and show us what it looks like when we're stepping into our mastery. She's this insane combination of Brene Brown and Dave Chapelle, and everyone needs to know her and what she's doing.

Robin did her first comedy show in Asheville earlier this year called "Spread Eagle at the Grey Eagle," where she hilariously and heart-feltly tackled the topics of trauma, healing and her ridonculous experience with Crohn's Disease and fistula in her nether-regions. Her next show is called "LOL SOB," (and is Dec. 26th in Asheville!) and touches on Helene, parenting, trauma, the election, and all the things swirling around her brilliant comedic brain.

In this conversation, Robin and I discuss the power of vulnerability in comedy, and the importance of breaking the silence around personal health challenges and shame. We delight in how humor can be a tool for healing and connection, especially in the context of Robin's experiences with Crohn's disease and the support of her medical team. The conversation also touches on the legacy of Southern culture, the role of music in personal empowerment, and the joy of embracing one's inner child. We discuss the power of music to uplift spirits, the importance of celebrating unseen acts of bravery, the challenges of navigating grief, and the necessity of finding joy amidst crises. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of connection, support, and honoring all parts of ourselves, especially in the face of life's relentless challenges.

*We also cuss a lot in this convo, we were feelin extra free and silly, so make sure little ears aren't around ;)

I am so happy to share my conversation with somatic fitness trainer Lizzy Zima with you today, she is doing something really unique, needed, and I am obsessed with it. Lizzie has in-person and an online studio where she provides ritual fitness and somatic self-care for women so they can "build strength, process their emotions and align with their highest selves."

Lizzy has connected the dots with her training and lived experience, that in order to embody our true feminine power, we must own our worth, heal our trauma, and reclaim the self-care practices that keep us connected to our inner strength and guidance. Her online studio is intentionally grouped around emotions so that women can listen to their bodies, meet the need, and then move into their lives with strength inside to handle what is outside of them. She combines weight training, pilates-inspired movement, EFT tapping, meditation and free dance to meet all the needs!

She's a safe, attuned cheerleader for women and I could not love her work and her more!

She is offering a free month of access to her online studio to all of us, you can access it here and use the code REPROGRAM.

https://www.empowerbodymindsoul.com/

Chapters

1:51 The Journey into Somatic and Nervous System Coaching

4:39 Healing Trauma and Building Relationships

6:33 The Importance of Strength Training for Women

9:25 Reconnecting with the Body and Inner Guidance

10:48 The Role of Women as Wise Elders

11:56 Cultural Perspectives on Aging and Wisdom

13:20 Creating Relational Safety and Authenticity

15:19 The Shift from Appearance to Experience in Fitness

19:41 The Power of Authentic Connection Among Women

21:55 Building Community and Sisterhood in Fitness

24:50 Creating Transformative Experiences in Classes

29:23 Intuitive Movement and Self-Trust

34:55 Holding Space for Emotional Needs

36:22 Reconnecting with Our Body's Cues

37:48 The Role of Spiritual Support in Healing

39:53 Centering Practices for Daily Connection

44:33 Building Self-Trust Through Daily Practices

56:55 Embracing the Divine Feminine in Leadership

1:07:29The Importance of Self-Care for Mothers

I am so pleased to share Psychologist Brent Beam and his insights into the present day masculine experience as it relates to fatherhood with you today.

Brent has developed a thriving practice supporting high performing professional men thrive in their personal lives as well as they do in their professional lives. He's deeply passionate and skilled at helping men shift their mindset into more effective ways of relating-- with their children, their partners and themselves.

As a father himself, Brent openly offers his own perspectives on parenting, how he has intentionally shifted his mindset that supports his needs as well as those of his son's, and also into the unique challenges that he sees men face today in their role as father.

In this time we find ourselves in, we can't have enough conversations around what it means for fathers to break free from the programming that prevents connection with their people, and an aliveness and thriving that is available for them too.

Please enjoy, and spread the word!

If you'd like to learn more about Brent's work, his website is here: https://brentbeamphd.com/

If you'd like to connect with me on Instagram, my profile is here: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

If you feel called to work with me, you can find information on my website: annodom.org

Join me and the deep and delightful Robin Plemmons as we discuss codependency and how it shows up in our relationships, our bodies, and our parenting. I find that codependency is a widely misunderstood concept, and can often be such a gateway to more peace and freedom in our lives. 

Robin Plemmons is an artist/ illustrator, a writer, and an overly enthusiastic (yet not annoying) cheerleader at heart. She makes things that aim to make you happy in your heart and pants area. Her motto is "balls to the wall, y'all" and valiantly attempts to live it out in all aspects of her life. She was voted "Best Indie Crafter" and "Blogger You'd Most Like To See Naked" in Western North Carolina. She has worked with American Greetings and her work can be seen in boutiques, art galleries, and on Etsy.com. 

If you'd like to learn more about codependency, I recommend Melody Beattie's book "The Language of Letting Go," which can be found here: 

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-language-of-letting-go-hazelden-meditation-series_melody-beattie/250027/#edition=1835460&idiq=1636235

You can connect with Robin over on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/robinplemmons/

You can also connect with me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/ or to inquire about working together, please go to my website annodom.org

*Or, alternate title: "How to Consciously Parent the Toddler that is our Body."

Yes, I know. Allow us to explain:

Seasononed psychotherapist turned Intuitive, Embodiment, and Relationship Coach Meaghan O'Malley is on the pod today to further de-mystify somatics, embodiment and how to be in relationship with our bodies as the ultimate vehicle for healing.

In this episode we talk about how to cultivate intuition through trusting the body, how to honor sensation and build a sense of safety in the body, how our body is essentially a toddler that needs to seen, accepted, trusted and soothed, the many ways the body talks to us, and how we can start to live a more aligned life when we are working with ourselves on this level.

Meghan's approach to healing is both deeply grounded and empowering (with a sprinkle of magic), the combination we all need as we navigate these turbulent changing times. I loved this conversation!

You can connect with Meghan on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/meghanomalleymagic/ and get more goodness from her!

If you are into two women in black turtlenecks talking about the healing power of dance, embodiment and spirituality, then you are going to love this episode with Asheville Icon, Misa Terral.

The more I learn about trauma and the nervous system, the more I value somatic expression--and there is no method quite like music plus dance plus community.

Misa is at the helm of Soulpower Dance, where she incorporates conscious choreography, energetic awareness and heart expanding moves inviting fun and freedom while digging deeper into embodiment, emotional wholeness and the spirit within. She creates safe playful spaces where we can emote, feel our power, move our anger, integrate our shadow, and experience the psychological phenomenon of Collective Joy.

Dancing to move and experience emotion has been pivotal in my healing and returning to Self, and I have had profound shifts in Misa's classes. I am so excited to have her wise grounded presence on the podcast today to explain how her work works, how she came to it, and what she feels about life.

She is a wise one y'all.

If you are not local to Asheville and feel drawn to work with her, Misa offers coaching as well and you can find that information here: https://www.soulpowerliving.com/coaching

Her IG is @soulpowerdance where she keeps us informed of her endless offerings that vary in topic but always return to the theme of accessing and embodying our highest selves.

Marriage and Family Therapist and Childhood Trauma specialist Amber Trejo is here to illuminate the ways untreated childhood trauma shows up in our parenting, and MAN, will you have some lightbulb moments in this episode.

Amber explains the symptoms of childhood trauma that often become activated by becoming a parent (catastrophizing, emotional flashbacks, over-reacting to age appropriate behavior in our children, overly seeking and relying on outside guidance and information and feeling powerless and out of control). Yup. Yes. Ok.

Amber and I provide examples of how this showed up for us in our journeys so you can fully grasp onto these concepts and feel so seen and not alone in them. We also talk about how the current parenting culture is another version of the 1950's housewife rules, the tension between the rising feminine and the wounded masculine, how trauma shows up in our relationship with our co-parent, and of course, you guessed it, inner child healing.

This episode is SO GOOD. Amber is such a gentle wise self-aware clinician, and I want to press this conversation into the ears of every parent out there. We need to know what we're dealing with to get out of it, this episode is a huge step in the right direction.

If you'd like to connect more with Amber, her Instagram is @Intagrativetraumatherapist, and her website is https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/

Our new insightful and hilarious best friend is here to talk about all of our favorite topics: wellness & consumer culture, embodiment, intuition, healing, spirituality, and parenting.

Rachel LaForce is a standup comedian and Spiritual Mentor who is using her brilliant brain and powerful voice to bring the people giggles and expansive insights in equal measure.

Come giggle and learn with me.

If you want to connect with Rachel LaForce, her IG is: https://www.instagram.com/rachellaforce/ where you can have access to her work, podcast and fab content.

If you want to connect with me on IG you can here: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

Matrescense is a life-changing word coined by Anthropologist Dana Raphael in 1973, that encapsulates the physical, hormonal, social and emotional transition that a woman experiences when she becomes a mother. This is a lifelong process that is often referenced as similar to adolescence, in that once this change begins in us there is no returning to who we once were. 

Matrescense looks different for everyone, and I am confident that this beautiful conversation with the deep and wise Jacqueline Kelly will move something within you yearning to be acknowledged. Without acknowledgement of this monumental change, we (and others) expect us to be the same person we once were– with the same capacity, priorities and even personality we once had.        

This is what we do now– free ourselves from the limitations that this unconscious society has put on us.

Moment to moment, mama to mama.  

**Also, I want to acknowledge that at the end of the episode I misspoke. The mind bending statement, “The Cave you Fear to Enter Holds the Treasure You Seek” is Joseph Campbell, not Carl Jung. And actually! In our Insta Culture, turns out this is not a direct quotation from him. The full passage is:

“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasure of life. 

Where you stumble, there lies your treasure. 

The very cave you are afraid to enter turns out to be the source of what you are looking for.”

Here is the TedTalk we referenced by Dr. Alexandra Sacks: https://www.ted.com/talks/alexandra_sacks_a_new_way_to_think_about_the_transition_to_motherhood?language=en

If you would like to connect with Jacqueline on IG: https://www.instagram.com/our_bravehearts/

If you would like to connect with me and my work on IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent

Today on the podcast we are going deep into aggression and how to support our children when their behavior manifests as such. Tosha deeply understands the neuroscience of safety, and how we can provide the felt experience first in our bodies and then in our relationship with our child.

This episode provides insights, empathy and many ideas that you can start to implement today for your sweet child who is struggling with aggression. 

Tosha is a parent coach, mom, author and runs her program Parenting Boys Peacefully, where she has laser focused in on how to support this specific highly challenging behavior. Tosha has collaborated with Dr. Shefali and has worked with families all over the world. If you feel called to work with Tosha, she is having a FREE Workshop called "Stop the Aggression," on March 12, link below:

https://parentingboyspeacefully.com/free-workshop/?affiliate=thereprogrammedparent

I know how hard aggressive behavior can be to manage and support. I've never seen anyone focus in on this topic quite like Toscha, she gives this area the attention, tools and support it deserves!

This POWERFUL episode with researcher, author and teacher Sarah Peyton had me taking notes and crying, because she explains what hurts us and what can heal us in the most validating scientific and soothing way possible.

Unlike anyone else I have yet to meet, Sarah has gone deep into the research of our brains and how not only our early attachment wounds and non-verbal messages have impacted us, but also that "the brain is forever available for resonant support and accompaniment."

In this episode we discuss the unconscious contracts we make with our parents to make ourselves bad instead of them, the socially normalized traumatized default mode network (that's the part of our brain that goes offline when we do psychedelics), how we can move unintegrated painful experiences into a different part of brain so we are no longer activated by present day similar experience, the dark insula, and how we can time travel using our imagination to reorganize and heal our brains.

This episode shifted so much for my awareness as a mother, human, and healer, and you deserve to be empowered and inspired by such information as well. Enjoy!

Sarah's books, courses, mediations and trainings for clinical professionals can be found on her website at https://sarahpeyton.com/

If you would like to connect further with me, my website is annodom.org and my IG is: @the.reprogrammed.parent

Ruthie Lindsey is an author, speaker, and healer who is on a mission to help us access the truest, most liberated version of ourselves by becoming endeared to our lives, bodies, & souls ✨ Ruthie has answered the call to healing in a way that isn't common in our culture, which is so deeply nourishing, healing and a beautiful thing to witness. She has been a guiding light for me for years on my healing journey, and I am so honored to have her here for us! In this conversation, we discuss the extreme events that led to Ruthie's healing journey, how she daily attunes to her Inner Child, the barriers to embodiment and how she comes back home to her body even as it holds chronic pain, how she works with her spirituality to stay really grounded in her human experience, and how she works with her Shadow to embrace all parts of herself. This episode is full of take-aways and tips, but more than that, you can *feel* the love and safety Ruthie has reclaimed within and with herself, and this conversation gives you an experience of being so held and loved, as well as a glimpse of what's possible for all of us called to this level of liberation.

Takeaways

• Coming back home to our bodies and learning to love and care for ourselves is essential for healing and self-discovery.
• Embodiment work, such as recognizing, allowing, investigating, and nurturing our emotions and sensations, can bring profound shifts and healing.
• Rewriting our limiting stories and reparenting ourselves with compassion and tenderness is crucial for personal growth and transformation.
• The intersection of spirituality and healing can provide a broader perspective and access to higher consciousness.
• Nervous system healing is a gateway to accessing higher consciousness and experiencing profound shifts in our lives. Parents need to understand that their survival physiology can be activated by their children's behavior, and that they are not bad parents.
• Finding safety in the body is key to overcoming the challenges of parenting.
• Shadow work involves recognizing and accepting all parts of ourselves, both light and shadow.
• Self-attunement and staying with ourselves are important practices for healing and growth.
• Healing and transformation can occur through nurturing relationships and healthy attachments.

04:27 Ruthie's Trauma Journey

10:35 The Importance of Self-Love and Compassion

15:52 Reconnecting with the Body through Embodiment Work

31:06 Balancing the Spiritual and Human Experience

36:21 Meeting the Needs of the Inner Child for Healing and Growth

39:29 The Power of Shadow Work and Healing Trauma

41:59 Embracing All Parts of Ourselves

44:58 Nurturing and Loving Our Wounded Parts

53:24 The Transformative Impact of Safe and Loving Relationships Ruthie can be found on Instagram at @ruthielindsey where you can access her various evolving offerings, including her excellent Substack (which I am a grateful member of!), where she has monthly classes and trainings on various topics for our thriving.

Her book, "There I Am," I also highly recommend and it can be found here: https://www.ruthielindsey.com/book

The incomparable Mary Van Geffen is here to help us parent our Spicy Ones, or know if we secretly are one too! Mary deeply understands the science of attachment and parenting, and provides such a soothing dose of wisdom, honesty, self-awareness and humor that can make you feel a little braver in whatever you're navigating in your body and in your relationships.

We talk about how our spiciest challenges in whatever form they come, are often the biggest invitation back Home to Ourselves, because that is truly where we have our greatest power and influence.

We talk about embodiment practices that we use, she provides journal prompts, we talk about tools to soothe nervous system (donkey breaths!), and even how she hacked her physiology on her lawn to prove her husband wrong.

Mary is such a light and this conversations GIVES.

If you feel called to work with her, she has many incredible offerings and ways to work with her on her website: https://www.maryvangeffen.com/

If you want to find out if you are parenting a Spicy One, take her quiz! https://www.maryvangeffen.com/quiz

You can also learn so much from her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryvangeffen/

We can dream right? Actually, we can parent in a way around screens and tech in a way that builds connections, awareness, and self-regulation in our kiddos around tech and Ash Brandin is here to help us learn how to do it. 

Ash Brandin has been a teacher for the past 13 years and has blended their love and knowledge of children and tech on their instagram account @thegameeducator, where they provide the soothing much-needed messaging on how we can navigate screens, behavior and *our own needs* as parents. 

There are ten million questions we have about the tech, and while this conversation only answers some of them (like parental controls, dopamine hits, fast screen changes, risk factors for tech addiction), what it really provides is a much-needed guiding principle on how to shift our view of the tech (that ain't going anywhere y'all) and to focus on how we can support our children in learning how to navigate it while also balancing our own needs as parents in this village-less world. 

This, is what we must, do now. I hope this conversation provides some empowerment and a bit of an exhale around this tricky tricky topic!

You can access Ash's work and helpful goodness here: https://thegamereducator.com/

And here is the link to guide to make your child safer on Youtube: https://thegamereducator.com/2023/03/26/how-to-keep-kids-safer-on-youtube/

So thrilled to provide this chock-full-of-parenting-reframes-and-general-goodness conversation with the iconic identical twins Hannah and Kelty of Upbringing to you today!
These innovative wise women bring so many refreshing and evidence-based thoughts to the parenting space, where we get a big old permission slip to co-create a sustainable home life that works for all parties, build skills, agency, compassion, empathy and self-attunement in our kiddos and finally, yes, let some shitake go. 
They are SO GOOD at helping us to zoom out, trust the long game, and parent aligned with our values and nervous systems. 
If you are in need of an enlightening, funny and evidence-based pep talk from your best gal friends, sit back and allow our empowering ideas to wash over you.  We flush out their brilliant metaphor for parenting as improv, go over their 3 C's that will help you remember how the heck to do this work in the moment, and also the unconscious feminist hypocrisy that is imbedded in the mainstream parenting methods that we are debunking and unlearning.  
I have effusively sent their profiles to my best girlfriends over the years, and I am so thrilled to now share their goodness with you too!
You can find their work on their IG: https://www.instagram.com/upbringing.co/
You can find me on IG as well: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

Brilliant, articulate fellow therapist Sarah Ann Saeger is here to help us learn to navigate what it means to be the first generation breaking free from the unhealthy and unhelpful ways we were parented, while also parenting and reparenting.

This rich episode touches on the impact of childhood trauma on our parenting, understanding the inner child, attachment styles and healing our own attachment to Self, how to practice inner attunement, how to navigate the moving target of holding boundaries with our parents and why she is no longer referring to families as dysfunctional.

Sarah's training is in Internal Family Systems, and we both share our wisdom earned and passion shared for supporting adults in reclaiming what was lost in childhood.

Sarah Ann Saeger is a trauma-informed licensed counselor, writer and somatic practitioner, and fellow traveler. She helps individuals become the healthy adult their inner child needs after attachment trauma and discover healing in relationship.

Takeaways

• Childhood trauma can impact our parenting by triggering unresolved issues and unmet needs from our own childhood.
• Understanding and healing our own attachment patterns is crucial for creating secure attachments with our children.
• Finding balance in boundaries allows us to be authentic and connected while also maintaining a sense of self.
• The truth teller in the family system plays a vital role in bringing attention to harmful dynamics and promoting healing.
• Emotional weather in the family can impact children's emotional well-being and behavior.
• Codependency can hinder our ability to meet our own needs and can be addressed through self-attunement and internalized safety. Inner attunement and external support are crucial for healing and personal growth.
• Navigating uncertainty and anxiety requires self-compassion and external resources.
• Understanding the impact of environment and experience is essential in reframing family dysfunction.
• Empathy and understanding are key in working with families and healing intergenerational trauma.
• Forgiveness is a complex process that requires self-validation and setting boundaries is important for self-protection.

Chapters

03:13The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Parenting

05:33 Understanding the Inner Child

08:07 Attachment Styles and Insecure Attachment

09:35 The Impact of Socially Sanctioned Parenting Methods

12:28 Finding Balance in Boundaries

13:59 The Importance of Secure Attachment

16:20 Healing Our Own Attachment Patterns

21:28 The Impact of Emotional Weather on Children

25:03 Codependency and Recovery

32:29 Choosing Self and Internalized Safety

34:21 The Emergence of Inner Attunement

35:17 The Importance of Community Support

36:13 Balancing Inner Validation and External Support

37:21 Navigating Uncertainty and Anxiety

38:06 The Need for Human Connection and Touch

38:33 Reframing Family Dysfunction

39:30 Understanding the Impact of Environment and Experience

40:27 Empathy and Understanding for Parents

41:22 Compassion for Our Family System

42:00 The Impact of Trauma on Development

42:30 Cynicism vs Understanding in Working with Families

43:23 Trusting Intuition and Making Connections

44:16 Exploring Connections and Creativity

44:28 The Power of Symbolic Imagery

45:17 The Complexity of Forgiveness

46:13 Working with Parts and Setting Boundaries

47:11 Being Present for Inner Child Healing

48:32 Navigating Relationships with Parents

50:12 Accessing Inner Strength and Protection

52:08 The Importance of Self-Compassion

53:38 Moving from the Brain to the Body

55:16 The Lifelong Process of Healing

56:00 Radical Acceptance and Setting Boundaries

57:36 Being Gentle with Ourselves

59:07 Learning from Life's Unfolding Experiences

01:00:37 Curiosity, Creativity, and Compassion

01:02:46 Releasing Energy and Moving Energetically

01:03:16 Gentleness and Understanding for Parents You can connect with her, her wisdom and offerings at her Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/sarahanntherapy/

In this episode we dive headfirst into the enchanting realm of Elle Erickson, the human Unicorn behind Asheville’s most captivating phenomenon – The Booth Fairy Project, a mobile happiness delivery service and social movement spreading kindness and connection through humor, conversation, authentic interaction, and community engagement.

She is an inspiring example to all of us for living a joy-led life of authenticity. She is basically doing pop-up play therapy with adults, restoring our faith in humanity, and sprinkling synchronistic moments of encouragement like confetti across town.

We discuss the epidemic of loneliness in the United States and what she is doing to address it, how you can get involved in this movement wherever you are, and many life-affirming tales from her work Booth Fairy-ing.  

*This episode also provides you with a foolproof way to quit smoking ;)

To support the movement, you can go to her Patreon page: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/theboothfairy⁠

You can also find her on instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/theboothfairyproject/⁠

We also discussed Allen Carr’s book “The Easy Way” to quit smoking/vaping. You can see his work here: https://www.allencarr.com/

If you’d like to connect with me, my website is: annodom.org and my instagram is ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

Grounded Queen Chelsea Buncher is on the pod today to talk about her deep reverence for nature/the body and it's innate healing abilities as an acupuncturist, single mama, and woman in a body over 40.

Chelsea talks so beautifully about the epiphanies that she had in her life that led to her philosophical stance on being a healer, and how she empowers her children to trust and attune to their bodies and surroundings as well.

This conversation is such a refreshing reframe on how we can have deep reverence for the body, and support our children to live aligned with theirs. She and I give recent examples of how we are honoring our children's bodies and supporting the messages from and needs of the body, and also how we can live in alignment with the seasons during these cold barren winter months.

So glad this fellow mama provided us with such warmth when we need it the most.

Here is the book Chelsea read that shifted her disordered eating:

https://dranitajohnston.com/eating-in-the-light-of-the-moon/

If you live locally and would like to work with Chelsea here is her website: https://www.lumenholistic.com/

If you'd like to connect with me further, my IG is: @thereprogrammed.parent

Ann Dupre Rogers is on the podcast today to fire us up about what is possible when everyone in our society has the tools to understand and regulate their nervous system.

She is the CEO of Resources for Resilience, a non-profit that has distilled the latest research on nervous system regulation and is putting it in the hands of teachers, police officers, physicians, parents, and anyone else with a nervous system.

After listening to this episode you will have a deeper understanding of the nervous system and how (socially normalized) chronic dysregulation impacts not only your mental health but also your physical health, you will have new tools to do this work in your day to day life, you will have a new lens with which to view your lived experience and that of those around you, and you will be FIRED UP about how to spread this work to the community you live in.

In this time where there is such tragedy in the world, I hope this gives you not only tools to soothe your own system, but also a place to put your energy where you do have a large impact--your precious body, your home, and the community that you live in.

If you'd like to know more about the work of RFR or get involved, their website is https://resourcesforresilience.com/

Their IG is: https://www.instagram.com/resources_for_resilience/

If you'd like to connect with me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

Dutch Psychologist Barlas Gunay of the powerful and insightful Instagram account @acceptandact is here to go deep into all the things we Cyclebreakers need to know to heal, reclaim our power, and find peace and ease in our lives.

We talk about anger and why women struggle the most with this (and it's consequences), we talk about nervous system self-regulation, we talk about inner child work, shadow work, and the trends that he sees culturally that give him so much hope about the healing possible for everyone in this Age of Information.

If you notice me covering the same topics over and over again at times, it's because I am! We can't learn enough about nervous system health, inner child work and Shadow work, and I absolutely love the way Barlas explains it all, how passionate he is, and how he is embodying the healthy masculine energy we all need.

If you would like to connect with Barlas, his IG is @acceptandact, there you can join his Patreon and get connected to his Cyclebreaking community and support group.

If you would like to connect with me on IG: I am @the.reprogrammed.parent

I see you, I celebrate you, I'm with you, I am you. XO

I am honored to have Buddhist, Spiritual Mentor, musician, and Dad muse Jaymee Carpenter on the pod today. Jaymee has humbly, honestly, and deeply discovered himself and some truths about life (that are, ironically, universal truths that must be discovered individually).  
Jaymee has experienced such extreme highs and lows-- he ran away from home as a teen after experiencing abuse, was drug-addicted and homeless for years, while also being the opening band for the Shins tour, getting signed by Subpop, and being the house band on a few episodes of "That 70's Show." After his rock bottom literally on Skid Row, he found the Buddhist path, which led him to eventually serve as a spiritual mentor at a rehab center in Malibu for years. He was hired because he was living the work, they saw it in his eyes. 
You will see and hear it too. He's got it. 
Now he has made it his life's work to mentor and support others all over the world (thanks Zoom!) from his growing community in Ojai, California.    
I hope you feel called to share this with the men in your lives. We need more examples of men looking at themselves, being open to growth, and laughing at themselves light-heartedly along the way. 
If you or someone you love feels called to work with him, you can go to his IG page: https://www.instagram.com/loveistheauthor/
If you want more Jaymee (I know you do), you can listen to his podcast "Love is The Author," here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-is-the-author/id1515059329
I discovered Jaymee on his old podcast with Darren Thomas Magee, "Mystical/Cynical," Also highly recommend! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mystical-cynical/id1549796606
If you'd like to connect with me on IG, you can find me at: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/
And if you feel called to work with me, you can find that information on my website: annodom.org 

On this pod this week we have the wise and worldly Rachel Zitin to talk to us about one of my favorite topics, EMBODIMENT.

Rachel is an American yoga instructor, tour guide, and retreat creatrix who has been living in Rome, Italy the past 14 years--giving her a masterclass in human history and the cultural forces that impact our relationships with our bodies.

We talked about how she creates retreats and how they are the only way to try on new ways of living in a safe setting so we can communicate to our bodies and nervous systems that it is safe to shift. In October I went on Rachel's 13th retreat "Let Your Body Speak," and the shifts in my relationship with and confidence in my meatsuit has been drastically shifted.

Rachel talks about what it was like to be raised by Gentle Parents in the 90's (go Zitins!), why she chose to have a photographer come to her retreat to do naked photo shoots, and how her knowledge of ancient Rome informs her perspective on what it means to be alive and a woman today.

Rachel is a fascinating powerful woman, and you will be so glad you met her today and came into her world. I know I am!

If you'd like to connect more with Rachel and consider attending one of her retreats (Asheville and Italy!), you can connect with her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/rachelzitin/

If you'd like to connect with me you can find me on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

I am beyond thrilled to introduce you to Laura Torres Harwood, a brilliant healer trained in Emotional Release Bodywork who is single-handedly responsible for the fact that I no longer clench my jaw. In this episode we explain this deeply embodied practice that brings us home to ourselves and opens up the loving heart; revealing the compassionate self that lays at the core of our being. 

Um, Yes please! 

We also explore the concept of the Inner Child, and how, as always, the programming from culture and our lived experience negatively impact our ability to live fully. My experiences with Laura have impacted me and my practice and my parenting more than anything else I have done, and I am thrilled to share this potent convo with you!

If you live locally and want to book a session with Laura, her website is soulfultoz.com

We also reference Internal Family Systems and “parts work,” which you can learn more about here: https://ifs-institute.com/

You can find more of my work either at @the.reprogrammed.parent or my website explaining my services at annodom.org

Please enjoy this gentle, wise permission slip of an episode with my lovely colleague Laura Torres.

In this episode we discuss what sensory sensitivity can look like in us adults, strategies to use to protect our own energy (and therefore, our relationships!) and soothe our overstimulated nervous systems within the logistics of our lives. We discuss what boundaries really are, how to send people's energy back to them, and how to better honor our own body's messages about what we uniquely need, moment to moment.

If you want more Laura in your life (you totally will), she is launching her 21 day Judgement Detox today to reset our neuropathways towards more self-compassion and acceptance. She has found through her many years working in her clinical practice that a foundation of self-compassion yields endless benefits to us and our people.

Laura can be found on her IG: https://www.instagram.com/lauratorrescoaching/

And if you'd like to connect with me as well I am located on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/the.reprogrammed.parent/

Today on the pod we have Declutter Queen Katy Joy Wells, who takes a much-needed holistic approach to helping us handle our homes. She uncovers some of the science behind our clutter-induced stress, and gives us an entirely new way to look at our home, our things, and how we spend our time.

We talk about consumer culture, perfectionism, and the sneaky ways "the things" are stealing precious time from us.

She is Margot Robbie on the outside, and wise sage on the inside.

Please enjoy this empowering perspective shift so we can take our power back and put our time and energy where we want it to be.

You can connect with Katy on Instagram at @katyjoywells or her website katyjoywells.com

If you'd like to connect with me you can at @the.reprogrammed.parent or my website annodom.org

We have a special treat for you today: one of our "Founding Mothers" from the first cohort of our Nurtured Mama Group is on the pod with me and my co-facilitator Maggie Viers to reflect on the experience, the shifts, and the turbo-charged magic that occurs when a group of women come together to heal. 

If you're Nurtured Mama Curious, or just want to learn more about this whole healing and Cycle Starting thing, highly recommend giving this episode a listen!

More information about the program is here: https://tidy-forest-73543.myflodesk.com/zotkmbe38qWe start on Jan. 29th!

We're gonna keep learning about this Nervous System, and today we're doing it with the gentle, wise and loving somatic practitioner Elena Dominguez. You'll just love her.

In this conversation we discuss the role of play in our nervous system and what we can learn from the dog park, how to reparent the body, how to reprogram the nervous system with compassion and patience, how to parent a healthy nervous system, how to open pathways for stress discharge, and how to work with the body and the subconscious for our highest healing.

This conversation is a beautiful way to continue the learning process we're in to better understand these precious protective bodies that are always available for healing. I can't wait to have Elena back to tell us more, she provides such a safe space for learning.

Takeaways

• Reconnecting with the body and honoring its needs is essential for healing and well-being.
• Play is a powerful tool for regulating the nervous system and promoting safety and connection.
• Self-compassion is crucial in the healing process, as we navigate the challenges of rewiring old patterns and beliefs.
• Understanding and honoring the rhythm of the nervous system can lead to greater safety and connection within ourselves and with others. Reconnecting with the body and using play and imagination are essential for healing trauma.
• Discharging energy and regulating the nervous system through movement and vocalization is important.
• Self-talk and self-praise play a significant role in the healing process.
• Integrating all parts of ourselves is crucial for healing and growth.
• Imagination and play are powerful tools for accessing and repatterning the subconscious mind.

01:45 Elena's Journey and Passion for the Body

07:25 The Role of Play in Healing and Reclaiming the Body

12:32 Understanding Somatic Play and the Rhythm of the Nervous System

24:54 Elena's Personal Journey and the Power of Massage

28:29 Exploring the Rhythm of the Nervous System

32:59 Parenting Healthy Nervous Systems and Embracing Discharge

34:56 Releasing Stress and Regulating the Nervous System

35:25 The Literal Prison of Low-Level Stress

36:19 Opening Pathways for Stress Discharge

38:36 Embracing Play and Removing Cultural Programming

39:06 Praising and Grounding After Stress Discharge

41:25 The Whole Body Brain: Integration and Cooperation

42:22 The Role of Imagination in Trauma Healing

49:28 Using Imagination to Repattern the Nervous System

55:58 Reparenting the Body for Healing

01:02:47 Creating a Safe and Nurturing Inner Environment You can see her work and offerings at her Instagram: @loveyourwholelife or her website, https://return-to-rhythm.com/

And you can purchase her incredible book, "Return to Rhythm: Learn Your Nervous System Rhythm to Restore Resilience in Your Body, Deepen Your Relationships, and Ignite an Embodied Spiritual Awakening" here: https://www.amazon.com/Return-Rhythm-Resilience-Relationships-Spiritual/dp/B0BMSQN378

The soft, wise, grounded Kirsten CoBabe is on the pod today to support and teach us how to attune to our teens (and ourselves!) as we navigate this dicey and impactful chapter in our parenting journey. 
This podcast got very big, deep and philosophical, but I think that's what we must do when parenting teens? Oh the bigness required!
What I especially love about the teen years (and Kirsten and I want everyone to know this!) is that the brain undergoes significant growth and development, including a pruning process that removes unused connections and strengthens others. So if we were struggling in their toddler years, if we didn't have the knowledge or the healthy nervous system to support them, we get a second chance to deeply positively impact them in the teen years. YES
We discuss the developmental growth happening in the teenage body and brain that is widely misunderstood by the culture-- which includes the heightened necessity of our own attunement and resonance, how to empower them to express their needs, how to lean into the self-involvement that is a developmentally necessity, how to connect with them, and how to support ourselves in this entire process (always!).
This is one of my favorite conversations, Kirsten is a wise delight and you will be soothed and inspired whether you're IN the teen zone or it's comin' for you.

Kirsten lives in Hawaii where she has her Teen and Parent Whispering Practice, and supports families all over the globe. Her Instagram is @kirstencobabe where you can find her gentle wisdom for parents in this pivotal chapter.

My colleague and friend Kathleen Fleming is on the pod today to delve into the complexities of postpartum mental health, the importance of emotional regulation, and the need for community support for mothers. We discuss the significance of understanding anger as a valid emotion (I know, again....we can't stop won't stop talking about anger!), the role of attachment in parenting, and the cultural challenges that new mothers face. And brilliantly, through the nervous system, we can time travel and meet those needs that were missed in the early days.

Kathleen shares her journey into postpartum support and introduces her upcoming live group course, 'What the Fuck is Postpartum,' aimed at educating and empowering mothers (and all caretakers). Her offering starts on Feb. 6th at 12pm for 6 weeks, and listened get a 10% discount with the code REPROGRAM. You can locate this offering on her website:

https://www.majesticunicorn.biz/wtfispostpartum

This discussion emphasizes the need for safe spaces where mothers can express their feelings and connect with others, ultimately fostering a healthier environment for both mothers and their children. Yes please!

We also reference Kathleen's viral blog post about anger, just GO READ IT. So important and healing:

https://www.majesticunicorn.biz/blog/2015/10/20/broken-things

Takeaways

• Postpartum is a critical period that requires support and understanding.
• Anger is a valid emotion that mothers need to express.
• Isolation can have detrimental effects on new mothers' mental health.
• Attachment theory plays a crucial role in child development.
• Cultural norms often overlook the emotional needs of mothers.
• Naming feelings can help in emotional regulation.
• Community support is essential for new mothers.
• Mothers need to prioritize their own well-being to care for their children effectively.
• The postpartum experience can awaken unresolved trauma.
• Creating safe spaces for mothers fosters healing and connection.

Enjoy the episode. Love y'all!

I LOVED this conversation so much, and think it's an essential piece for those of us in partnership with men, male bodies, and raising boys. Kieran Pollitt, British emotional release and trauma coach (and champion of inner child healing, you know I love it!) illuminates so beautifully the complexity of masculinity today, how cultural conditioning impacts men's ability to emotional express, the problems this causes to men and their relationships, and the necessity of safe spaces for vulnerability.

This is a collective need and will take a collective effort to shift the tides of the toxic telephone game of culture that has kept our men trapped inside of themselves and away from others for far too long. So grateful for this conversation and Kieran's work!

You can connect with Kieran further on his IG: @ ⁠kieranpollitt_ Takeaways

*Masculinity is being redefined in today's society.

*Creating safety is essential for emotional healing.

*Anger can be a gateway to deeper emotions.

*Somatic work helps release stored emotions in the body.

*Inner child work is crucial for healing past traumas.

*Healthy relationships require emotional safety and connection.

*Self-expression is vital for personal growth and authenticity.

*Community support enhances the healing journey.

*Trusting the process of healing leads to transformation.

Chapters

00:00 Addressing Toxic Masculinity and the Need for Inner Child Work

08:00 Creating Safety for Emotional Expression

11:25 Completing the Energetic Cycle of Emotions

18:47 De-Shaming Emotions and Exploring Techniques for Emotional Release

35:21 Introduction to Inner Child Work

41:31 Creating a Safe and Accepting Space for Inner Parts

49:52 The Transformative Nature of Visualization in Healing

53:19 The Power of Embracing Resistance

57:38 Reorienting to Authenticity and True Self

01:06:55 The Vulnerability of Connecting to the Heart

We have another Neurologist on the pod today to help us understand what is happening beneath our skin. Let's geek out on the science of healing and living!

Laura Cardwell is a Neurologist, mother, trainer and speaker who expertly explains many topics for us including the body as the subconscious mind and why change needs to happen there, healing the mind-body connection, the role of energy and frequency and the cultural historical reasons why science has only recently been going there, and quantum physics to top it all off!

She gives concrete tips on how to master our energy and bodies, but most importantly, this episode is gives so much insight into how we operate with the latest scientific research that hasn't hit the culture yet (remember it takes about 17 years).

If you'd like to learn more Laura and her work, you can do so on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lauracardwellqiw/

Happy Learning Loves!