Most of us think of our nervous system as something that just happens in the background. But it's actually the conductor of your entire life experience. Every feeling, memory, and reaction is filtered through this incredible biological system. Think about it like this: When you remember a delicious meal, it's not just a mental image. Your body responds with mouth-watering sensations, perhaps even a warmth in your stomach. That's your nervous system in action! It's constantly communicating with you through physical and emotional signals.

When it comes to healing our deepest relational wounds, understanding how they show up in our bodies is just as important as understanding how they exist in our minds. In the recent Relationship Summit, Attachment Expert Dr. Diane Poole Heller and Somatic Psychologist Dr. Scott Lyons shared valuable insights on how early relationships shape our nervous systems and how we can start healing today. 

When we think about successful relationships, we often focus on love, chemistry, and emotional connection. But according to relationship expert Dr. Stan Tatkin, these elements alone aren't enough to create lasting partnerships. Instead, he suggests something both simpler and more challenging: treating relationships as a carefully designed system built on mutual agreements and body-based awareness.

Have you ever noticed how some moments of connection feel more meaningful than others? Maybe it was when you truly saw a friend's smile, or when someone genuinely asked if you were okay after a difficult experience. These special moments of connection happen in what experts call the "transpiring present moment" - and understanding this concept could transform your relationships. In our recent Relationship Summit, somatic counselor and trainer Jessica Montgomery shared fascinating insights about how we can create deeper connections by staying present in the moment

Imagine a therapy approach that doesn't just talk about your trauma, but helps your brain actually process and heal from painful experiences. Welcome to the powerful world of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) combined with Parts Work – a revolutionary method for understanding and healing your inner landscape. EMDR is like a gentle reset button for your brain's traumatic memories. Using bilateral stimulation (typically side-to-side eye movements), this therapy helps your brain reprocess difficult experiences, transforming how traumatic memories are stored. Think of it as helping your brain file away painful memories in a way that doesn't keep triggering you.

I want to talk about something many of us are navigating—acute and chronic high stress. Specifically, in the aftermath of disasters like the Los Angeles fires and the turbulence we witness globally. I believe we have an opportunity to look at trauma differently, to normalize and de-pathologize the human response to high-stress situations and bring in resources that specifically attune to our physiology in times of high stress.

Complex trauma shapes our entire being—body, mind, and spirit—disrupting our ability to connect authentically with ourselves and others. It leaves lasting imprints on our nervous system, influencing how we perceive the world and interact in relationships. Trauma survival mechanisms such as fight, flight, and shutdown are automatic responses designed to keep us safe in the face of danger, but when trauma is unresolved, these responses can remain activated, interfering with clarity, connection, and intuition.

I sit and explore my present relationships with my ancestors who have passed over and into the next world of being. I recognize the warmth of feeling in body and mind when recalling their role in my life.  My memories embrace this warmth of feeling in a shared sense of self and other. In this embrace, a spark of memory recall brings my ancestor back into the living moment. Sustaining the memory in the present moment brings me a sense of comfort.

Our nervous systems have a close relationship with the natural world. The sounds, sights, and sensations of nature speak a language our bodies inherently understand. When we're surrounded by natural environments where we feel safe, our nervous system often shifts into a more regulated state – heart rate steadies, breath deepens, and muscles soften.

When it comes to self-discovery, a psychedelic journey can accelerate growth in ways that simply talking through it never could. This work is as much about your body’s truth as your mind’s intentions. If we’re gearing up to explore these subconscious spaces, the groundwork isn’t about crafting the perfect mantra but about building a somatic intention—anchoring into bodily awareness and presence.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR for short, has become a widely and commonly used technique for treating PTSD. For many practitioners, it is the top choice for a starting point. As the years have passed and more research has been conducted, what once was heralded as a trauma treatment has seen expanded use. It has seen some transformation and is no longer just an intervention but a comprehensive approach to psychotherapy. 

In today’s fast-paced world, where we’re often caught up in the demands of daily life, somatic intimacy offers a gentle invitation to reconnect with ourselves and others on a deeper level. It’s about more than just physical touch or emotional closeness—it’s about embracing the profound bond between our mind and body and recognizing how this connection influences our overall well-being.

In this crazy, beautiful life, you and I will both experience loss and its constant companion, grief. But I am here to say that in the weeds of grief, unconditional joy is always possible. I’ve experimented with how to live this out in real-time, and this piece highlights my experience.

Polyvagal theory locates the nervous system within the individual (as well as within a social context) and helps to explain how and why our nervous systems interact in order to communicate cues of safety and connection, allowing us to feel understood in the presence of others. It also highlights how our nervous systems detect disconnection, sensing danger in our environment or from those around us. Learn more about Polyvagal Theory and the roots of health with Dr. Arielle Schwartz...

Trauma can simply be defined as too much, too fast, or too little for too long. It is a universal and unifying experience of being human. Nkem says "Trauma is a universal and unifying experience of being human, yet, we don’t always have the best understanding of it.”

Healing your wounded heart isn’t easy, but it’s worth it — where to begin to lean into curing your pain.

Bereavement companionship circles offer a safe haven for the bereft to share vulnerable grief stories associated with a significant loss of a loved one. The collective wisdom of the group springs forth from the tapestry of interweaving grief stories. Connections are deeply cultivated in group storytelling and leave participants feeling less isolated along their grief journey.

There is a synergy between Yoga Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in facilitating comprehensive trauma healing. Drawing upon the insights of 30 years of teaching and an understanding of the Kosha model and Ayurvedic principles, this integrative approach offers a holistic framework for understanding and treating trauma.

Our breath is a window into our bodily state (nervous system state) and is also the fastest way to modulate our bodily state and intervene at the physiological level. By changing our physiology, the breath has the power to affect our nervous system state and the emerging feelings, emotions, behaviors, and thoughts.

It takes an enormous amount of courage and vulnerability to talk about and get curious about burnout. At its core, burnout actually reflects a very important set of primal human needs and wishes - safety, belonging, and dignity. Burnout is simply a response to overwhelming life experiences. An adaptive strategy to the underlying need for safety, slowing down, and a holding environment where all parts of oneself are welcome, seen, heard, and acknowledged.