Podcasts about Aimie

Attachment is a survival imprint that lives in the body, encoded before you had language. In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian walks through the 6 hidden attachment pains, the adult symptoms each one creates, and why inner work alone cannot reach where the pattern lives. ➡️ Full show notes: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/post/episode-177-6-attachment-wounds-chronic-symptoms In This Episode You'll Learn:  02:54 — How did Dr. Aimie's adopted son become her wake-up call to attachment biology? 10:12 — How does attachment loss connect to chronic fatigue and autoimmunity? 12:27 — Why doesn't awareness or inner work change attachment patterns? 15:24 — What is autoimmunity at the level of attachment biology? 25:06 — What is Hold Me attachment pain and how does it form? 31:36 — How does Hold Me pain become IBS, autoimmunity, and fibromyalgia? 40:11 — What is Support Me attachment pain and how does it shape the brainstem? 46:58 — What is See Me attachment pain and how does it shape self-worth? 47:47 — What is Understand Me attachment pain and which chronic conditions does it create? 50:20 — What is Love Me attachment pain and how does it shape adult relationships? Resources/Guides: Attachment Pain Guide — A complete map of all 6 attachment pains, the adult symptoms linked to each, and entry points for repair.  ➡️ Full show notes with links and resources: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/post/episode-177-6-attachment-wounds-chronic-symptoms

Trauma is stored in our body and our nervous system more than just in our minds. In this interview we discuss the biology of trauma and PTSD. Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership:https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership In this conversation, Dr. Aimie discusses the biology of trauma, emphasizing the physiological responses that occur in the body during traumatic experiences. She explains the differences between stress and trauma, the role of the nervous system, and how chronic trauma can lead to various health issues. The discussion also covers practical steps for healing and regulating the nervous system, including the importance of safety, nutrition, and somatic practices. Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books  Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

What if trauma is more than a psychological experience? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Aimie Apigian, a Preventive and Addiction Medicine Physician and founder of Trauma Healing Accelerated™, to explore how trauma becomes stored in the body and influences the nervous system, metabolism, immune function, and overall health. Together, we challenge the conventional view of trauma and examine why unresolved survival responses can contribute to chronic symptoms, fatigue, dysregulation, and disease. We discuss the differences between stress and trauma, the body's survival adaptations, the five patterns of stored trauma, and the critical role of the autonomic nervous system in recovery. Dr. Aimie shares her Biology of Trauma® framework, explaining how healing goes beyond mindset and requires creating safety within the body to restore resilience, regulation, and lasting health. If you've ever wondered why some patterns seem impossible to change, why chronic symptoms persist despite doing everything "right," or why healing often feels incomplete, this conversation may completely transform the way you think about trauma, health, and recovery.   Key takeaways: Trauma is not limited to psychological impacts but involves complex biological adaptations that affect the entire body system. Stress and trauma are distinct, with trauma representing an overwhelming threat that triggers a different survival response. Unresolved trauma can lead to chronic health conditions, including autoimmunity and fatigue, highlighting the need for integrative healing methods. Healing from trauma requires creating an environment of safety before addressing deeper emotional and physiological issues. Effective trauma therapy should incorporate mind work, body somatic work, and biology for comprehensive healing.   More About Dr. Aimee Apigian: Dr. Aimie Apigian is a double board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine, with advanced training in biochemistry, public health, and functional medicine. She is the national bestselling author of The Biology of Trauma (foreword by Gabor Maté), featured on the USA TODAY Best-Selling Booklist and recipient of multiple book awards. She is known for making trauma healing both precise and deeply human, bridging functional medicine, attachment science, and trauma therapy to show how the body stores survival patterns and what it specifically needs to heal. Through her Biology of Trauma® framework, she integrates somatic work, parts work, and targeted biology to identify where the system is blocked and restore its capacity for healing through a structured, measurable sequence. Dr. Aimie is the founder of Trauma Healing Accelerated™ and host of the Biology of Trauma® Podcast, where she trains individuals and practitioners worldwide to move beyond insight into real, lasting change. Website Instagram Connect with me! Website Instagram Facebook YouTube

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Aimie Hines and Ed McKnight First up, a Budget 2026 debriefing this time looking at the politics of it all: is this an election winning budget? The panel is joined by political commentator Grant Duncan. Then, children with parents in prison are serving an invisible sentence. That's the stark callout from a organisation which provides support to some of the 25 thousand or so children in that category. They say that hardship starts from the moment a parent is sentenced - and they've come up with a plan to change that. The panel is joined by Corrina Thompson who leads youth advocacy at Pillars.

In part two, Dame Lynda Topp was fired up at the music awards and attacked the government's spend on the arts. The panel discusses the issues at play with Jesse Austin-Stewart, lecturer at Massey University in the School of Music and Screen Arts, also a composer and music producer. Then, does anyone remember the glory days of the workingmen's club? The cheap pints, the cover bands, the darts. In Hamilton, those days are being reignited with an evening of Pub Olympics. It's a round robin of pool, giant Jenga and more all designed to entice younger members back to the working man's club. The panel talks to Nathan Hartley, manager of the Hamilton Workingmen's Club.

Metabolic syndrome, long-haul syndromes, hypersensitivity, and autoimmunity are four ways the immune system adapts to a nervous system living in fear. Each one is the immune system adapting to a fear-driven nervous system. These are adaptations. The body is doing what bodies do. In this solo episode, Dr. Aimie walks through all four immune adaptive patterns. The fear pattern behind each one. What your diagnosis is actually telling you. And why hope lives in a simple fact: most immune cells turn over every three days. She also shares her own experience with all four. This is also her own story. Her work in repairing the Biology of Trauma®  started here. ➡️ Full show notes: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/post/what-fear-does-to-your-immune-system-biology-of-trauma In This Episode You'll Learn: [01:00] Why our nervous system always adapts (and our immune system follows) [03:00] The first immune adaptive pattern: metabolic syndrome [06:00] What the lab markers actually point to (it lives upstream) [08:00] The second immune adaptive pattern: long-haul syndromes [11:00] Pre-existing nervous system state matters more than the exposure [13:00] Dr. Aimie's college mono-like illness and the decade-long pattern [15:00] The third immune adaptive pattern: hypersensitivity [18:00] Why some people don't know they're hypersensitive [21:00] The three-day window: how fast the immune system can shift [22:00] What changed in three days with adopted children [24:00] The fourth immune adaptive pattern: autoimmunity [27:00] Fear that turned inward as anger (and why) [29:00] Having all four patterns: Dr. Aimie's own story Resources/Guides: Read Chapter 10 of The Biology of Trauma — Dr. Aimie's book takes you deeper into all four immune adaptive patterns and the shared root in nervous system dysregulation. When You're Ready to Begin the Work, The Foundational Journey is the six-week online program where the Essential Sequence begins. Safety, Support, and Expansion in the order the body needs them. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 133: Autoimmunity and Childhood Trauma: How Your Immune System Reflects Your Past Episode 164: Could Your Trauma Be Disrupting Your Metabolism? The Weight Health Conversation Episode 75: Fear, Attachment & Relational Trauma: Solutions For The Hyper-Sensitive Gut

Send us Fan MailMy guest today is Aimie K. Runyan, author of Mademoiselle Eiffel, listed in the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction.View the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_JcFmRQ4PcQWhy Aimie chose to write about Claire Eiffel rather than her more famous father, and the surprising role Claire played in running Gustave's household, social life, and business from the age of 14.The wax figure of Claire at the top of the Eiffel Tower, alongside Gustave and Thomas Edison, and the historical meeting it commemorates.How clothing functions as armor and identity in the novel, particularly Claire's corset as a symbol of constraint reframed as protection in a world not built for ambitious women.The invisible female labor at the heart of the story, and what Claire sacrificed, including her art and her choice of husband, to secure her place at her father's side.The opposition to the Eiffel Tower from artists, architects, and Gustave's own friend Garnier, and what the contrast between the Opéra Garnier and the tower reveals about two competing visions of modernity.Aimie's research trips to Paris and the Musée d'Orsay archives, where the Eiffel family correspondence, party menus, and letters from admirers have been preserved since 1981.What Aimie gained by returning to the archives after the story was already written.The Panama Canal scandal, Gustave's complicated legacy, and why writing through Claire's adoring lens required Aimie to be deliberately even-handed with a man who was "no more of a villain than your average rich man used to getting his own way."The oldest daughter narrative and why Claire's story resonates today, including a frank conversation about the undervaluing of women's labor and the difference between "emotional labor" and plain old mental load.Aimie's advice to writers on research: travel if you can, use Google Earth if you can't, never hesitate to contact museum curators, and know that one good research trip can fuel three books.Reading from the scene in Portugal where 14-year-old Claire organizes a workers' dinner and earns her first public acknowledgment from her father.Read more about Aimie K. Runyan on her website: https://www.aimiekrunyan.com/Are you enjoying The Art In Fiction Podcast? Consider giving us a small donation so we can continue bringing you interviews with your favorite arts-inspired novelists.  Click this link to donate: https://ko-fi.com/artinfiction.Also, check out Art In Fiction at https://www.artinfiction.com and explore 2500+ novels inspired by the arts in 11 categories: Architecture, Dance, Decorative Arts, Film, Literature, Music, Textile Arts, Theater, Visual Arts, & Other.Want to learn more about Carol Cram, the host of The Art In Fiction Podcast? She's the author of several award-winning novels, including The Towers of Tuscany, A Woman of Note, The Muse of Fire, and The Choir. Find out more on her website....

Grieving without getting stuck is possible. But most people don't know what that actually looks like from the inside. In this personal episode, Dr. Aimie shares seven principles she is living right now — attachment grief, heart shock, body holding, and toxic positivity. Not the theory of grief. The actual practice from inside it. If you have ever wondered how to grieve without shutting down — or why grief and the nervous system are inseparable — this episode is the most personal answer Dr. Aimie has given. ➡️ Full show notes: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/post/episode-174-7-principles-for-feeling-grief-in-your-body-after-loss In This Episode You'll Learn: 04:45 — What is the difference between grief and heart shock?  07:40 — Principle 1: Why does your grieving style depend on your attachment style? 15:00 — Principle 2: What does it mean to let your body be held during grief?  21:50 — Principle 3: How do you anchor to life when the shock wears off?  27:36 — Principle 4: What is the difference between feeling grief and feeding grief? 36:00 — Principle 5: Why does choosing not to numb matter in grief?  39:40 — Principle 6: How do you move from your thoughts into your body during grief? 45:40 — Principle 7: Why does riding the biggest waves require the right person?  Resources/Guides: Read The Biology of Trauma, Chapter 5: The Whole-Body Experience of Overwhelm. Goes deeper into the vagus nerve, diaphragm, breath, and gut shutdown referenced in this episode. This is the biology underneath every principle Dr. Aimie shares. ➡️ Full show notes with links and resources: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/post/episode-174-7-principles-for-feeling-grief-in-your-body-after-loss

Food cravings are not a willpower problem. They are messages from a nervous system trying to survive. In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian maps the cortisol, blood sugar, and inflammation patterns behind cravings, why menopause makes them louder, and how stored trauma in the body keeps the loop running. ➡️ Full show notes: EP 173: What Sugar, Bread, and Salt Reveal About Your Nervous System in Menopause In This Episode You'll Learn: 01:00 — What does it mean that cravings are a survival strategy? 02:30 — Why do hormone shifts in menopause make cravings louder? 03:30 — How does blood sugar trigger the nervous system's danger response? 05:30 — What is actually happening at 3 PM when sugar cravings hit? 07:30 — Why does cortisol stop following its normal rhythm? 10:00 — Why does gluten bind the same receptors as opiates? 12:30 — How did Dr. Aimie's own bread cravings reveal childhood programming? 16:30 — How does gut inflammation reach the brain through the vagus nerve? 18:30 — What do salt cravings reveal about adrenal function? 22:30 — Why did Maria's grandmother's cookies become a craving in midlife? 27:00 — What is the neural pathway behind comfort foods? 28:30 — Why does food become emotional regulation when other tools are missing? 30:30 — Why does everything biological get louder in menopause? 34:00 — Why is chronic stress different from a chronic trauma response? 36:30 — How do leptin, ghrelin, and sleep loss feed the craving cycle? 38:00 — What is the path forward when cravings are running the show? Resources/Guides: Read The Biology of Trauma, Chapter 14: Support: Building Regulation Through Repair. Goes deeper into the neurotransmitter, blood sugar, and gluten science discussed in this episode. Program: Foundational Journey — A six-week online process working directly with the nervous system. Where course members practice the exact survival-strategy awareness, somatic tools, and pacing skills that have to come first before the deeper work with stored trauma can hold.  Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma — A Roadmap for Healing. A 23-page guide and assessment quiz to help you recognize whether your body is carrying stored trauma. Use cravings as one of the windows. Download the guide Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 171: Is Your Chocolate Holding Your Marriage Together?  |  With Luis Mojica Episode 168: What Stored Trauma Does to Your Hormones? Episode 164: Could Your Trauma Be Disrupting Your Metabolism? The Weight Health Conversation

Dr. Aimie Apigian comes back to unpack the biology of trauma and how unresolved overwhelm lives not just in the mind, but in the body and cells. Together, we will explain why you can't simply “think your way out” of stress patterns, and how true healing requires addressing the nervous system, cellular health, and subconscious beliefs.From mitochondrial shutdown to learned helplessness, this conversation bridges science and lived experience—offering a new lens on fatigue, burnout, fertility challenges, and emotional resilience. The key message: healing isn't about pushing harder—it's about restoring safety and capacity in the body.Key Takeaways:Trauma isn't just psychological—it's stored in the body and biology.You can't think your way out of survival mode; the nervous system must feel safe.Chronic stress + overwhelm reduces cellular capacity, especially in mitochondria.Many people are stuck in a loop: high stress (gas) + shutdown (brake) at the same time.Healing requires a holistic approach: mind, body, and biology working together.Where to find Dr. Aimie Apigian:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigianYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigianWebsite: https://biologyoftrauma.com/Podcast: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/Book: https://book.biologyoftrauma.com/landing-pageDr. Aimie Apigian Bio:Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH, is a double board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine with advanced degrees in Biochemistry and Public Health. She is the founder of The Mind-Body-Biology Institute and creator of The Biology of Trauma®, a pioneering framework that integrates medicine, neuroscience, and somatic therapies to address how trauma is stored in the body—and how to heal it. Inspired by her personal journey as a foster and adoptive mother, Dr. Aimie blends rigorous science with deep compassion to help individuals and practitioners achieve lasting transformation. Her book, The Biology of Trauma, reveals the cellular and emotional roots of fear, pain, and overwhelm, and offers a practical path to true mind-body-biology healing.

Mother hunger is what the body carries when it missed one of three essential elements of maternal care: nurture, protection, or guidance. On this Mother's Day Bonus Episode, Dr. Aimie sits down with Kelly McDaniel — author of Mother Hunger — to map the biology underneath. They walk through how unmet nurture shapes adult eating patterns, how unmet protection leaves a nervous system that never learned to settle, and how unmet guidance can leave a daughter inheriting the wound her mother could not heal. This is not about blaming any mother. It is about giving language to what the body has been holding so the work of repair can begin. ➡️ Full show notes: Mother Hunger: What the Body Carries When Nurture, Protection, and Guidance Are Missing In This Episode You'll Learn: [00:00] Why a high-functioning life can still carry a hunger for maternal love [02:00] Why is the biological mother described as your 'first home'? [09:00] What are the three essential elements of maternal love? [15:00] How does unmet nurture show up in adult eating patterns? [22:00] What does protection actually mean for an infant nervous system? [28:00] Why does the embodiment of rejection persist into adult life? [32:00] What is guidance, and why does it look different for daughters than for sons? [36:00] What happens when a daughter becomes her mother's confidant? [41:00] What does it mean to reclaim the tender parts of yourself? [44:00] Why mother hunger requires relational repair to heal Resources/Guides: Mother Hunger: How Adult Daughters Can Understand and Heal from Lost Nurturance, Protection, and Guidance — by Kelly McDaniel Free Guide: Attachment Trauma Roadmap — Dr. Aimie's free guide on how the nervous system shapes attachment and where repair begins · The Biology of Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian — the underlying science of how attachment patterns become biology Kelly McDaniel's website  Related Podcast Episodes: EP 69: How Attachment Shapes Our Biology and Behavior with Dr. Aimie Apigian EP 167: Did Attachment Trauma Start Before You Had Memories? EP 171: Is Your Chocolate Holding Your Marriage Together?  |  With Luis Mojica

 ➡️ Get the full show notes and episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - The 3 Hidden Costs of Being the Strong One - Burnout's Real Biology You've been the strong one. The one who keeps everything running. The one others lean on when things fall apart. Your body has been keeping score. And the bill has three items. There is a specific biology behind the pattern of holding everything together. It is not a personality trait. It is a nervous system response — and it carries three hidden costs most people never connect to the same source. In this episode of The Biology of Trauma® Podcast, Dr. Aimie Apigian — double board-certified physician and author of The Biology of Trauma — takes you inside the biology of what actually happens when a nervous system crosses from stress into overwhelm, and names the three hidden costs of a body that never resets back to safety. One is the reason you cannot rest, even when you are exhausted. One is the reason you no longer recognize yourself. And one is the reason your body has stopped repairing the way it is built to repair. The episode ends with a map. Three phases. A sequence. And the reason the sequence matters more than any single tool. In This Episode You'll Learn: [01:00] What happens inside the body when a lifetime of holding everything together becomes the default setting? [02:22] What is the body's full response to danger — from startle to stress to the critical line of overwhelm? [04:31] What is the specific threshold where the body shifts from stress into shutdown — and why is that line so important? [06:56] Why does the body lock into a survival loop when no full reset to safety occurs? [08:49] How does the body signal that it is stuck in the Body-Trauma Loop — and what does that feel like from the inside? [13:00] What is the first hidden cost — and why can't the body access real rest in survival mode? [23:20] What is the second hidden cost — the survival strategies that quietly replace who you really are? [29:23] What is the third hidden cost — and why do survival mode and repair mode block each other at the biological level? [37:57] What would actually happen if you stopped holding everything together — and what is the body protecting against? [42:12] How does the Recognize → Reasons → Repair framework apply to the pattern of over-functioning? [46:00] What are the three phases of the healing journey — Safety → Support → Expansion — and why does the sequence matter? Resources/Guides: Free Guide: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian — This 23-page guide includes the quiz Dr. Aimie references in the closing of this episode. A starting place for recognizing stored trauma in the body. Book: The Biology of Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Chapter 9 covers neuroception. Chapter 11 covers how attachment and early life shape neuroception. Chapter 12 lays out the Safety → Support → Expansion sequence referenced in this episode. Program: Foundational Journey — A six-week online process working directly with the nervous system. Where course members practice the exact exercises and sequence that establish a biology of safety that has to come first before anything else can hold. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 48 — How to Heal Bracing and Hypervigilance with Cat Dillon Episode 68 — Struggling with Sleep? How to Regain Restful Nights with Suzie Sink Episode  79 — How Chronic Health Challenges and Your Work Impact Each Other with Sally Riggs Episode 126 — Neuroception Explained: How Your Nervous System Decides What's Safe and Why It Matters for Healing Episode 127: Why Your Body Is Wired for Danger: Understanding Trauma's Impact on Your Nervous System Episode 129 — Why You're Still in Survival Mode (Even After Years of Therapy and Healing Work) Episode 134 — The Biology of Overwhelm: Why Small Demands Feel Impossible Episode 135 — The Hidden Difference Between Stress and Trauma in How the Body Keeps Score Episode 138 — Why Your Body Holds On When Your Mind Has Healed with Dr. Aimie Apigian

We are excited to host Monika Aimie Greenfield on this episode of the Mangu.tv podcast.Monika is a Women's Empowerment Coach, Somatic Therapist & Feminine Embodiment Guide. She works with women around the world to overcome wounds around their self-worth and come home to their full power and potential, through childhood trauma resolution, somatic healing and embodied belief and behaviour change.Monika takes a woman-centred lens to transformation and, in her work, explores themes of self-worth, childhood trauma, embodiment, and the female experience. She is an ACC Accredited Coach, Wild Feminine Facilitator®️ and has completed professional training with world-renowned trauma expert, Dr Gabor Maté, in his revolutionary approach to trauma healing, Compassionate Inquiry®️. This modality is woven into her practice, alongside transformational coaching, self-esteem development, and feminine embodiment, to create truly transformational experiences for women seeking to reclaim their full power, agency and expression.Monika shares the story of her upbringing in London, and speaks about key moments during her childhood that influenced the work she does today: her father's emigration to Australia and the loss of her brother. Monika discusses the various practices and years of self-discovery that she endured, as well as the route and training that led her to somatic therapy, coaching, and working with women.Giancarlo and Monika explore the intersection of psychotherapy and coaching, discussing healing, empowerment, self-actualisation, and the interplay between career ambition and the pursuit of purpose for mental well-being.

➡️ Get the full show notes and episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Why Menopause Is When Your Stored Trauma Finally Surfaces  What if the anxiety, the depression, the rage, and the emotional floods did not begin with perimenopause and have been there all along? And menopause is simply when the body can no longer hold them? What if your childhood ACE score is one of the strongest predictors of how severe your menopause experience will be? In this episode, Dr. Aimie talks with Dr. Betty Murray, hormone metabolism expert and functional medicine PhD, to connect two things medicine has kept separate for too long: stored trauma and hormonal health. Estrogen has receptors on every cell in the body except two. When it declines, every cell registers it — and for women carrying decades of chronic stress and stored trauma, that decline removes part of the biological buffer that was holding everything together. Dr. Aimie brings the trauma biology (as referenced in the ACE research, the PTSD and estrogen study) and the Biology of Trauma® framework that explains why menopause is the moment when what the body has been holding finally surfaces. Dr. Murray's hormone science confirms what that framework predicts: how a trauma-informed approach can actually help, why bioidentical hormones and the right labs matter, what the 10-million-woman study actually found, and how the Women's Health Initiative misrepresentation changed women's care for decades. This episode is for every woman who has been handed a prescription instead of a conversation about her hormones. In This Episode You'll Learn: [00:00] Why are hormones, buried emotions, and stored trauma connected — and why is menopause when it all surfaces? [04:45] What is the new lens for reading hormone labs — and why does dosing one-size-fits-all fail 75% of women? [08:00] What is actually happening biologically when a woman in perimenopause feels rage, anxiety, brain fog, and emotional sensitivity? [8:49] How do estrogen's receptors on every cell in the body explain the scope of menopause symptoms? [10:51] What did a 6,000-woman PTSD study reveal about the relationship between estrogen levels and trauma symptom severity? [14:14] What labs should be tested, when should they be tested, and why does the phase of perimenopause change what you are looking for? [21:21] Is the depression diagnosed during menopause actually depression — or a hormone picture being handed an antidepressant? [22:36] How do adverse childhood experiences raise the risk for first-episode major depression during menopause? [27:35] What is the difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones — and why does delivery mechanism matter? [31:44] What does the 10-million-women retrospective study actually show about hormone replacement and all-cause mortality? [36:41] What did the Women's Health Initiative actually find — and how was a non-statistically significant finding turned into a 25% headline? [38:42] What does Dr. Betty Murray want every woman to know before she leaves this conversation? Resources/Guides: Dr. Betty Murray — Hormone metabolism expert and functional medicine clinician with over 20 years of experience in women's hormonal health, host of the Menopause Mastery podcast, and founder of The Menrva Project — an AI-powered telemedicine platform personalising menopause care across all 50 states. Free Guide: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian to help you understand what your body has been holding and how to begin working with it. The Biology of Trauma Book by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Where you can read Chapter 11 on how early life experiences become the preexisting filter through which every subsequent stress — including the hormonal shifts of menopause — is experienced. Foundational Journey — If this episode made you realize that stored trauma may be part of what you are experiencing in perimenopause, the Foundational Journey® is where we begin. A six-week online process working directly with the nervous system — building the biological foundation that has to come first   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 69 — How Attachment Shapes Our Biology and Behavior Episode 135 — The Hidden Difference Between Stress and Trauma Episode 146 — How Attachment Affects Us for Life

➡️ Get the full show notes and episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - What Did Your First Year of Life Teach Your Body About Safety? What if the patterns you've called personality — the distrust, the hyper-independence, the certainty that your needs are too much — were never personality at all? What if they are the nervous system doing exactly what it learned to do before you had a single memory to show for it? Attachment trauma persists in the body as implicit survival programming — not as memory, but as an operating assumption the nervous system keeps running long after the original environment has changed. In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian traces the attachment and trust cycle — the precise biological sequence in the first year of life that either builds or disrupts the nervous system's capacity for safety and connection. When that cycle breaks down, the body adapts. Those adaptations don't feel like adaptations. They feel like identity. Using the Biology of Trauma® framework, Dr. Aimie unpacks why attachment trauma patterns feel like personality rather than learned survival strategies, how children lose themselves to preserve the bond — the attachment vs. authenticity tension — and what that costs the body decades later. She also addresses why adrenaline, not cortisol, is the real driver of the stress response, and what the biological link between early attachment trauma and adult chronic illness actually looks like in the nervous system. This episode is for anyone whose body has been holding patterns that predate any story they can tell about themselves. In This Episode You'll Learn: [00:00] What does it mean when your body learned danger before you had words? [02:00] What happens to a nervous system that doesn't get held enough — and what does a baby's body conclude about the world? [02:59] What does being born premature, adopted, or with a cord around your neck do to a nervous system that has no words yet? [06:18] What is the attachment and trust cycle — and is your first year of life still running your relationships today? [09:00] What does it do to a nervous system when needs are met with joy — versus met with burden? [13:49] What are the five steps the body takes into a trauma response — and how do you know which one you're in? [18:31] What is the attachment versus authenticity tension — and what does a child abandon to stay connected? [22:00] What does it look like when a nervous system loops between stress and overwhelm — and never actually feels safe? [25:45] How did Dr. Aimie recognize her own stored trauma — even when she didn't think she'd had any? [29:00] What is the difference between stress and trauma — physiologically, not just emotionally? [33:17] What does cortisol actually do in the stress response — and why is targeting cortisol the wrong place to start? [38:33] Where do you go from here — the Attachment Trauma Roadmap, the book, and what your nervous system needs next? Resources/Guides: Free Guide: Attachment Trauma Roadmap — Learn how your nervous system's early attachment experiences affect your sense of safety in relationships now, and where to begin. Book: The Biology of Trauma Book by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Chapter 9 covers the patterns of stored trauma; Chapter 11 explores how attachment becomes the lens through which we see the world. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 69 — How Attachment Shapes Our Biology and Behavior Episode 59 — How to Parent Adopted Children with Early Life Trauma with Robin Karr-Morse Episode 135 — The Hidden Difference Between Stress and Trauma In How The Body Keeps Score

➡️ Get the full show notes and episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Is the Need to Always Be “Good” a Trauma Response? What does your body do with guilt it can never undo?  Have you ever done everything right — and still felt something unresolved living in your body? Maybe it's not a dramatic story. Maybe it's just a moment you can't stop replaying. A decision you can't forgive yourself for. A version of you that acted against your own values — and your nervous system never got the memo that it's over. That's what this episode is about. Gregg Ward accidentally took someone's life at 18. For 46 years, it lived in his body — flushed skin, tense shoulders, a loop that no amount of success, service, or self-improvement could stop. In this conversation with Dr. Aimie, he shares what moral injury actually is, why the body keeps reliving a story with no ending, and how movement became his nervous system's path through what therapy alone couldn't reach. This is not a story about grief resolved. It's a story about grief metabolized. And the moment the burden finally lifted — not when the pain disappeared, but when the purpose stopped being about him. If something in you has never fully quieted — no matter how much work you've done — this conversation was made for you. Gregg Ward is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Respectful Leadership. He is a global speaker, thought leader, and bestselling author. Gregg's TEDx San Diego talk has been selected for TED Global publication. Resources/Guides: Centerforrespectfulleadership.org — Gregg Ward — Center for Respectful Leadership Confessions of An Accidental Killer — Gregg Ward — TEDx San Diego hyacinthfellowship.org —  Hyacinth Fellowship The Biology of Trauma®Book by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Where you can read Section 2 —  starting with chapter 6 which explains the mechanism by which the body keeps score, even of regret. Free Guide: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 35: 5 Ways How Polyvagal Theory Helps With Trauma Work with Stephen Porges Episode 76: Polyvagal Theory: Become an Active Operator of Your Nervous System During Grief with Deb Dana Episode 114: The Science Behind Why We Can't 'Get Over' Loss And How to Grieve with Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor Episode 124: Grief and Gut Health: Is It Just Emotional or Something More? Episode 126: Neuroception Explained: How Your Nervous System Decides What's Safe and Why It Matters for Healing Episode 127: Why Your Body Is Wired for Danger: Understanding Trauma's Impact on Your Nervous System Episode 135: The Hidden Difference Between Stress and Trauma In How The Body Keeps Score Episode 138: Why Your Body Holds On When Your Mind Has Healed with Dr. Aimie Apigian

➡️ Get the full episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast – Episode 164: Could Your Trauma Be Disrupting Your Metabolism? The Weight Health Conversation What if the reason your body is holding onto weight has nothing to do with what you're eating — and everything to do with hormones you may not have heard about?  In this episode, Dr. Aimie talks with registered dietitian and author Ashley Koff to unpack the hidden world of weight health hormones: GLP-1, leptin, ghrelin, and more — and why optimizing them matters for everybody, not just people trying to lose weight. What you'll hear will change how you see your body — not as something failing you, but as a sophisticated ecosystem sending you signals worth decoding. Ashley reveals why 93% of Americans are metabolically dysregulated, how trauma and chronic stress directly suppress the hormones that regulate metabolism and body composition, and why "weight loss" as a goal is actually working against your biology. Whether you're curious about GLP-1 medications, perimenopause weight changes, or just why the scale never seems to match your effort — this conversation will shift everything. In This Episode You'll Learn:  (00:00): Introducing the connection - weight, metabolism and GLP-1 (03:06): The weight-trauma connection: Why the body holds on despite every effort (04:04):  What “weight health” means biologically — and why weight loss as a goal misses the point (07:17) The incretin discovery: How GLP-1, leptin, ghrelin, and seven other weight health hormones regulate your biology (10:53).Why 93% of Americans show signs of suboptimal metabolic health — and what that actually means for you (11:36) Ashley's pizza framework: The right sequence for assessing your metabolic ecosystem (16:00) How to assess your weight health hormones — and why a blood test alone won't tell you what you need to know (24:03) Perimenopause and menopause: Why digestion fails first — and how that drives belly fat and brain fog (31:25) Learned behaviors vs. hormone imbalance: How to tell what is biology and what is a survival strategy from childhood (38:33) Where to start: Ashley's first step for anyone wanting to optimize weight health (41:52) The deliciousness signal: Why a “seven or above” is a physiologic mechanism, not a preference (45:08) Ashley's final message — where to find (her book) Your Best Shot and her clinical resources Resources/Guides: Your Best Shot by Ashley Koff, RD: The Personalized System for Optimal   Weight Health — GLP-1 Shot or Not Ashley Koff's website — For more on digestive, metabolic, and hormone health optimization The Biology of Trauma®  Book by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Where you can find the framework for finding your block in Chapter 12 Free Guide: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 56 — Hormones: A Portal Into Our Stored Trauma with Dr. Aimie Apigian Episode 75 — Fear Stored in the Gut: Attachment, Relational Trauma & Solutions for the Hyper-Sensitive Gut Episode 82 — Using Biological Rhythms to Recover From Trauma with Dr. Leslie Korn Episode 138 — Why Your Body Holds On When Your Mind Has Healed Episode 151 — Why Healed Trauma Returns in Perimenopause: Chinese Medicine Lens with Dr. Lorne Brown

Tonight, on The Panel, Emile Donovan is joined by panellists Aimie Hines and Chris Clarke. First up, "Far from smooth" - that's the assessment from phase two of the Covid-19 response inquiry. Health Minister Simeon Brown said the report shows the government at the time ignored evidence and advice which he says meant lockdowns went on for longer than needed and economic help went to the wrong places. Public health expert professor Michael Baker chats to the Panel about the report and where to from here. Then, oil prices are all over the show thanks to the Iran War. That means pain is coming at the till, particularly if the conflict is ongoing. The Panel asks what can governments and central banks do to help our wallet?

In part two, Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet is in hot water after bagging ballet and opera. What does a local expert think and ... could it be that maybe he's right? Then, a request to remove a potentially dangerous tree was backed up by a poem at a hearing last month. To hear more about this and for a live reading, we're joined by the poet, Jim Moffat.

Device-related complications aren't just physical. They're wrapped up in every message you ever received about your body, your worth, and whether you're enough. Dr. Aimie Apigian reveals why the decision to extract devices from the body brings old trauma screaming to the surface and why patients find themselves at war with their own minds. From job pressure to childhood bullying to Baywatch reruns, the reasons folks get cosmetic devices run deeper than anyone wants to admit. And when it's time to remove them, that original wound reopens. This conversation explains why you change your mind every three days, why you can't think straight in consultations, and why your nervous system treats this decision like a life-or-death situation. Because to your body, it is. Get Dr. Aimie's book Biology of Trauma: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/book IN THIS EPISODE WE'LL: Unpack why device extraction activates old wounds about body image, worthiness, and belonging Explore the real reasons folks get prosthetic devices, from workplace pressure to media programming to adolescent trauma Understand why patients freeze in consultations, change their minds repeatedly, and feel at war with themselves Learn how the nervous system shifts between survival mode and recovery mode and what that means for restoration Discover practical tools to track your trauma responses and aid your body's restorative capacity CHECK OUT THESE EPISODES: When Bigger Breasts Makes You Invisible: One Mom's Journey from Shame to Healing | Regina Steele My Breast Implant Illness and Explant Story with BII Survivor Casey Araujo and Dr. Robert Whitfield From Breast Implant Illness to Wellness: Allie Janszen's story of Explant with Dr. Robert Whitfield Let's Connect Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/breast-implant-illness/id1678143554 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@robertwhitfieldmd/videos Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SPDripbluZKYsC0rwrBdb?si=23ea2cd9f6734667 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drrobertwhitfield?_t=8oQyjO25X5i&_r=1 IG: https://www.instagram.com/breastimplantillnessexpert/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/DrRobertWhitfield Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-robert-whitfield-md-50775b10/ X: https://x.com/rob_whitfieldmd Read this article - https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/breast-reconstruction/types/implant-reconstruction/illness/breast-implant-illness Shop: https://drrobssolutions.com SHARP: https://www.harp.health NVISN Labs - https://nvisnlabs.com/ Get access to Dr. Rob's Favorite Products below: Danger Coffee - Use our link for mold free coffee - https://dangercoffee.com/pages/mold-free-coffee?ref=ztvhyjg JASPR Air Purifier - Use code DRROB for the Jaspr Air Purifier - https://jaspr.co/ Echo Water - Get high quality water with our code DRROB10 - https://echowater.com/ BallancerPro - Use code DRROBVIP for the world's leader in lymphatic drainage technology - https://ballancerpro.com Ultrahuman - Use code WHITFIELD10 for the most accurate wearable - https://www.ultrahuman.com/ring/buy/us/?affiliateCode=drwhitfield

➡️ Get the full episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Episode 163: Growing Up With Addiction Left a Trauma Your Body Still Carries What happens when a child has to become the adult in the family? Dr. Tian Dayton, clinical psychologist and author of Growing Up with Addiction, joins Dr. Aimie for one of the most personal conversations on the podcast. Both share their own childhood stories of reading the room, managing a parent's emotions, and the unspoken rules that shaped their nervous systems for decades. This episode reveals how children in unpredictable families redirect their brain's resources from play to survival, how addiction's rhythms become the child's operating manual, and why chronic survival physiology leads to digestive dysfunction in midlife. Whether addiction was part of your family or not, these dynamics may be running your body today. In This Episode You'll Learn: (00:00) What happens when a child has to become the emotional manager of the family (02:58) What chaos actually looks like in a family that appears organized on the surface (05:00) How a child's brain shifts from play and curiosity to strategizing and operating (07:23) The different physiological states of a parent in addiction: sober, craving, and under the influence (10:22) Why addiction spills beyond substances into food, process addictions, and mood cycles (14:55) The connection between protein deficiency, neurotransmitter production, and craving cycles (22:16) How the insula processes conflicting emotions and body sensations during overwhelming moments (27:51) Why chronic survival physiology leads to digestive issues, bloating, and gut inflammation (29:33) The perimenopause tipping point: when the body stops adapting to decades of unresolved stress (52:17) The Al-Anon principle that changed everything: love the person, separate the disease Resources/Guides: Growing Up with Addiction by Dr. Tian Dayton — How Adult Children of Addicts Can Heal Family Trauma, C-PTSD, and Codependency Dr. Tian Dayton's website — Relational Trauma Repair resources and training The Biology of Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian Songs of the Inner World — Dr. Aimie's YouTube music channel Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 92: How Chaos of Early Childhood Trauma Affects Our Adult Nervous System with Dr. Tian Dayton Episode 146: How Attachment Affects Us For Life: 6 Childhood Pains and How to Repair

Dr. Aimie Apigian returns to explore how unresolved trauma and chronic survival stress can evolve into fatigue, autoimmune symptoms, digestive issues, and brain fog. This conversation dives into why high-functioning, driven individuals often feel depleted despite appearing “fine,” and how nervous system dysregulation keeps the body stuck in a state of danger.Learn how restoring safety, regulating the nervous system, and repairing biology can reverse chronic symptoms and build true resilience from the inside out.Key Takeaways:Autoimmune symptoms may reflect a nervous system stuck in chronic danger mode.High-achieving, perfectionist personalities are more prone to trauma-driven depletion.Emotional overwhelm can trigger immune activation and brain inflammation.Digestive dysfunction and fatigue often stem from vagus nerve shutdown and metabolic stress.Healing begins with restoring safety and regulating the nervous system before processing trauma.Dr. Aimie Apigian Bio:Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH, is a double board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine with advanced degrees in Biochemistry and Public Health. She is the founder of The Mind-Body-Biology Institute and creator of The Biology of Trauma®, a pioneering framework that integrates medicine, neuroscience, and somatic therapies to address how trauma is stored in the body—and how to heal it. Inspired by her personal journey as a foster and adoptive mother, Dr. Aimie blends rigorous science with deep compassion to help individuals and practitioners achieve lasting transformation. Her book, The Biology of Trauma, reveals the cellular and emotional roots of fear, pain, and overwhelm, and offers a practical path to true mind-body-biology healing.The Biology of Trauma: Your Issues are Stuck in Your Tissues with Dr. Aimie Apigian

➡️ Get the full episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast — Episode 162: Why Fixing Someone You Love Is Destroying Your Nervous System When someone you love is struggling with addiction, your nervous system absorbs what theirs numbs out. Relational trauma repair therapist Karen Moser joins Dr. Aimie Apigian to explain why the families of substance users often carry deeper nervous system dysregulation than the users themselves. This episode reveals the biological cost of trying to control another person's healing and what it takes to reclaim the parts of yourself that got lost along the way. In This Episode You'll Learn: (00:00) Why helping someone you love may be destroying your nervous system (02:00) What Relational Trauma Repair (RTR) is and how it works with the body (06:30) How Karen Moser brought Relational Trauma Repair (RTR) into addiction treatment and family work (08:00) Why the family's nervous system is often more dysregulated than the user's (11:00) Why sobriety alone does not resolve the family's nervous system patterns (15:00) Where relational trauma repair starts with families and self-relationship (19:00) How floor checks help name and locate emotions in the body (22:30) Why anger, shame, and even joy are emotions people learn to avoid (28:00) How childhood survival roles create adult role fatigue and burnout (38:00) A practical exercise to reconnect with the alive, strong parts of yourself Resources/Guides: The Biology of Trauma book — Get your copy here Songs of the Inner World — Dr. Aimie's YouTube channel for real, raw, honest words for your inner world. Nervous System Journal — Download at biologyoftrauma.com/book. Track how often you are in a survival state. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 136: How Chaos of Early Childhood Trauma Affects Our Adult Nervous System with Dr. Tian Dayton Episode 158: Marijuana, Addiction, and the Body: What We've Been Getting Wrong with Kevin Sabet

Aimie Rigas is an audience engagement and growth expert. She is the Director of Audience Growth for Nine Publishing, which includes The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times and all associated brands such as Good Food. In this role, Aimie is responsible for audience engagement, consumer subscription revenue and marketing.She is a board member of the Fairfax Foundation, which provides financial support to advance the health, education and welfare of people who work in, or have previously worked in, the media industry in Australia and their families.

What if the breaking point so many of us are feeling right now is actually the beginning of profound healing and purpose?  In this episode, returning guest and trauma expert Dr. Aimie Apigian helps you understand why so many conversations feel triggering—and how unresolved trauma, not just current events, may be at the root.  We explore the difference between resolved and unresolved trauma, and why being activated is a sign your body is asking for deeper safety and support.  We're talking about shifting pain into meaningful action—whether that's healing your body, setting boundaries, or standing up for change in a grounded way.  Dr. Aimie breaks down her sequence of healing and explains the science behind how trauma is stored and how it can truly be resolved.  Tune in here to go from overwhelmed to empowered! Aimie Apigian, MD  Dr. Aimie Apigian is a double-board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine with double Master's degrees in biochemistry and public health. She's the leading medical expert on how trauma becomes our biology and what to do once it creates a chronic health condition. She hosts a podcast, a YouTube channel, and online Summits, working with experts in the health and trauma space. She also leads groups through her programs to address stored trauma in the body, and teaches practitioners to do the same in her Biology of Trauma online Training. IN THIS EPISODE Discovering new layers of unresolved trauma  Creating safe spaces to ask the hard questions How to make your children feel safe to share their feelings   The biology behind why we can feel re-triggered Creating safety & mentally supporting yourself through hard times Resetting your nervous system to feel safe in your body  How to support & show up for each other through uncertain times Dr. Aimie's guide on healing stored trauma & more resources for you  QUOTES “Don't do anything alone. This is where a tribe, a group of people, can make a tremendous difference in the world.” “Healing is not staying small to stay safe. It's finding that safety, but then layering in the support on a biology level, on a somatic level, on a mind level. Those are all the three levels that allow our mind and body to have the energy to actually process.” “When we've had this past trauma, our brain likes to put things into those kinds of boxes. so being able to step back and learn over time that while it's important to speak up, it's also important to choose who I share those things with because it's not meant for everybody.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Order my latest book: The Perimenopause Revolution ⁠Dr. Aimie's book: The Biology of Trauma https://a.co/d/09grbJrF⁠ Dr. Aimie's Socials:  ⁠Dr. Aimie's Website ⁠ Instagram Facebook LinkedIn  YouTube RELATED EPISODES  681: The Biology of Trauma: How Stress Gets Stored in Your Body (and Passed On to Your Kids) and How You Can Start To Heal with Dr. Aimie Apigian 720: Why No One Talks About Loneliness in Midlife—And Why It's Not Just You 717: “I Don't Feel Like Myself Anymore”: The Mental & Emotional Reality of Perimenopause 702: How to Heal Trauma and Rebuild Trust Through Connectability with Anna Runkle 

➡️ Get the full episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Episode 160: How Creativity Rewires Your Nervous System with Adam Roa What if the key to healing isn't more therapy—but creativity? Adam Roa's poem "You Are Who You've Been Looking For" reached over 250 million people. But before that poem existed, Adam spent 25 years emotionally shut down. He didn't remember his childhood sexual abuse until age 30. His journey reveals why creativity creates neurological safety for emotions that were once too overwhelming to feel. Creativity isn't about talent—it's about pattern disruption. When you turn pain into a poem or painting, you force your brain to view that experience differently.  This episode explains why safety must come before expression and how the creative process rewires neural pathways when talk alone can't reach what's stored in the body. In This Episode You'll Learn:  (01:00) What poetry has to do with your nervous system's capacity to heal (03:45) Why Adam's viral poem reached 250 million people (05:30) How childhood trauma stayed hidden for 25 years (08:00) Why acting became Adam's first safe space to feel emotions (12:00) The moment poetry became a survival mechanism after heartbreak (17:00) How creativity rewires neural pathways associated with traumatic events (22:00) Why one poem can play multiple roles in your healing journey (27:00) What happens when you write for yourself but release for others (32:00) Dr. Aimie shares her song "Letter to the Me" publicly for the first time (47:00) Adam performs "You Are Who You've Been Looking For" (54:00) The journey from viral success to learning what self-love actually means Resources/Guides: The Biology of Trauma book — Get your copy here Adam Roa's New Book — Crazy Love explores the journey of learning to truly love yourself. Available May 2025. Adam's Websites — adamroa.com Dr. Aimie's Music Channel — Songs of the Inner World on YouTube Free Guide: The Chronic Freeze Response — Understanding why your body stays stuck even when you want to move Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 82: Using Biological Rhythms to Recover From Trauma with Dr. Leslie Korn Episode 119: Transforming Trauma Into Joy & Purpose with Gregg Ward  

Why Won't My Body Heal? Could It Be Holding Trauma? In this episode, we go deeper than ever before on this podcast.I sit down with Dr. Aimie Apigian, double board-certified physician and author of The Biology of Trauma, to uncover something most people — and even most health professionals — completely overlook:

You know it's not good for you. You do it anyway. Then you ask yourself why. Late-night scrolling when you promised you'd sleep. Sugar after dinner when you said you'd stop. The fight you picked that you didn't need to pick. We call it lack of willpower. But willpower isn't the problem. This is the biology behind the main episode this week with addiction policy expert Dr. Kevin Sabet. He shared what we've been getting wrong about marijuana and addiction. Now I'm taking you deeper into what's actually happening in your brain when you can't stop doing what you know is harming you. In this episode you'll hear more about: (01:00) Why "why am I doing this to myself" is a dopamine question. (02:30) The truth about dopamine — it's not just high or low. It's both. (03:00) How drama and interpersonal chaos become dopamine sources. (04:30) Why the more you push the lever, the less dopamine you get. (05:00) Dopamine isn't about pleasure. It's about remembering what's important. (07:00) How early attachment wires dopamine to connection — or to danger. (09:00) The definition of addiction: going somewhere other than safe human connection to feel okay. (10:30) The three biochemical imbalances common in addictive patterns. (11:00) How brain inflammation lowers dopamine and raises glutamate — the double whammy. (12:30) Why bribes actually work for dopamine-driven behaviors. The craving isn't a character flaw. It's a signal. When dopamine is low at baseline, your nervous system will find ways to get it. The question is whether we repair the biology or white-knuckle through life. Resources/Guides: Download the 3 Most Common Biochemical Imbalances Guide — The biochemical imbalances Dr. Aimie mentions that disrupt normal dopamine activity.  Biology of Trauma book — Available everywhere books are sold. Get your copy → Watch the video version on YouTube → Check out the main episode -  Episode 158: Marijuana, Addiction, and the Body: What We've Been Getting Wrong with Dr. Kevin Sabet Try this practice this week: Notice when you're reaching for something to take the edge off. Before you act, pause. Ask: "Is my baseline dopamine low right now? What is my body actually looking for?" Awareness interrupts the automatic loop. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. It helps others find trauma-informed care.  

Can you do all the therapy and still have brain fog? Yes. Can you talk through your past and still have chronic fatigue? Absolutely. Here's the tension. We've been told that processing trauma means talking about it. That resilience means surviving hard things. But what if your body is still holding what your mind thinks it released? I go deeper into this with Marie Demasio in Episode 157. She shared how she'd done so much work after losing her son. She thought she was past it. Then she visited our mutual friend, Dr. Bryce Applebaum. He told her that her vision was a mess. Her brain was inflamed. This was never just about the mind. It's about what the body holds. In this episode you'll hear more about: (01:45) Why brain fog is one of the most common blocks to living from safety. (03:22) What neuroception is and how your body's dashboard works. (04:48) How brain inflammation sends ongoing cues of danger. (06:15) Why dissociation and fog are survival strategies, not dysfunction. (08:30) The cycle of caffeine, sugar, and pushing through brain fog. (10:05) Why I assess brain inflammation first in my program. (11:42) The specific supplements that reduce brain inflammation. The body holds what the mind thinks it released. When we address brain inflammation, we remove a cue of danger. Then the nervous system has a chance to believe it's safe. Resources/Guides: Get Dr. Aimie's Brain Inflammation Supplement Protocol — The exact supplements mentioned in this episode including N-acetylcysteine, Neuro-Mag, turmeric, resveratrol, and apigenin. Access the protocol Biology of Trauma book — Available everywhere books are sold. Get your copy Free Guide: The Essential Sequence - Discover why doing the right things in the right order is key to releasing trauma.  → Watch the video version on YouTube  → Check out the main episode this follows: Episode 157: Soul Contracts and the Biology of Grief with Marie Demasio Try this practice this week: Notice your brain fog. Before reaching for caffeine or sugar, pause. Ask: "Is my body sending me a danger signal right now?" That awareness is the first step. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. It helps others find trauma-informed care.

Have you ever felt like no matter how much talk therapy you do, you're still stuck in the same cycles of anxiety, burnout, or chronic fatigue? According to Dr. Aimie Apigian, that's because trauma isn't just a psychological story we tell ourselves—it's a biological reality stored in our cells. In this deep-dive episode, we sit down with Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH, a double board-certified physician and the leading medical expert on the Biology of Trauma®. Dr. Aimie explains why traditional healing models often miss the mark by focusing only on the mind, while ignoring the physiological "stuckness" of the nervous system. We explore the concept of the "trauma body"—the physical manifestation of past overwhelm—and how our biology actually dictates our emotional and mental capacity. In this episode, we cover: Stress vs. Trauma: Why stress can be growth-promoting, but trauma acts as a biological injury that requires a different roadmap for repair. The 5 Stages of Trauma Response: Moving beyond "fight or flight" to understand the full spectrum: startle, stress, the wall, freeze, and shutdown. The "Functional Freeze" Trap: How many high-achievers are actually living in a state of "high-functioning freeze" and why their "drive" might actually be a survival response. Moving to "Calm Alive": Dr. Aimie's signature framework for shifting the body out of survival mode and into a state of authentic safety and vitality. If you've been told your symptoms are "all in your head" or you've reached a plateau in your healing journey, this conversation will give you the science-backed tools to partner with your body and finally move from surviving to thriving. For more information on Dr. Aimie's book go to: The Biology of Trauma To connect with Dr. Aimee Apigian: Instagram: @draimie LinkedIn: Dr. Aimie Apigian  YouTube: @DrAimeeApigian Website: Biology of Trauma Podcast: Biology of Trauma Podcast Follow us on Instagram: @every.body.talks @jenngiamo @schully Subscribe to our YouTube channel! Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening. Apple Podcasts Spotify Be sure to leave a 5 star rating! It really helps grow the show. If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be amazing!

➡️ Get the full episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Episode 157: Why Spiritual Insight Alone Can't Heal Trauma with Marie Damasio She understood her grief completely. After her son Tristan died from brain cancer, Marie Damasio dove deep into spiritual work—soul contracts, Akashic records, the meaning behind her loss. She found peace. And her body stayed stuck. You'll hear more on: [00:00] Soul contracts and capacity for resilience [01:12] Cellular energy and critical line of overwhelm [03:32] When spiritual insight arrives but the body stays stuck [10:34] Why we stay frozen in identities that no longer serve us [18:47] Why understanding alone doesn't create change [20:03] Dr. Aimie's five agreements for trauma work [27:13] Viktor Frankl on meaning and struggle [35:05] For practitioners: Insight without embodiment [40:16] The alchemy of transmuting pain into purpose [46:30] Vision therapy and integrative care Resources/Guides: Free Guide: The Essential Sequence - Discover why doing the right things in the right order is key to releasing trauma. If you've tried therapy, spiritual work, and self-help but your body stays stuck, this guide explains why sequence matters—and what to do about it. The Biology of Trauma book - Get your copy here  Foundational Journey - The 6-week program to lay the foundation of safety and skills for self-regulation to do the deeper work. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 46: 5 Agreements to Keep Group Trauma Work Safe with Dr. Aimie Apigian Episode 134: The Biology of Overwhelm: Why Small Demands Feel Impossible

Why do so many people with depression struggle to stop their antidepressants? What if the answer isn't about willpower — but about missing nutrients your brain needs to function?  Dr. James Greenblatt has spent 30 years in inpatient psychiatry. He watched patients go from one medication to two, then three, then five. Suicide rates kept climbing. And he started asking: What if the brain is simply missing what it needs? His new book Finally Hopeful explores the biological causes of depression most doctors never test for. Get the full episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Episode 156: Can't Get Off Antidepressants? Ask for These Lab Tests In This Episode You'll Learn: [04:09] Why Dr. Greenblatt wrote Finally Hopeful after 30 years in psychiatry [12:50] Vitamin D as the foundation: Why nothing else works without it — not meds, not therapy [14:35] How vitamin D deficiency affects serotonin production in the brain [12:50] Dr. Aimie's personal story: vitamin D levels of 12, then only 20 with supplementation [17:06] Why vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common factors in people who can't stop antidepressants [18:48] The gut-serotonin connection: 90-95% of serotonin is made in the gut [21:00] The building blocks your brain needs: iron, B12, folate, zinc, magnesium [24:57] Brain inflammation and its connection to suicide risk [26:14] Why sleep deprivation creates inflammatory markers within hours [32:07] The simple labs to ask your doctor about — and why testing is the only path forward Resources/Guides: Free Guide: Top 3 Biochemical Imbalances That Affect Mood - a starting point for understanding the most common nutrient imbalances connected to depression The Biology of Trauma book - Available now everywhere books are sold. Get your copy Foundational Journey - The 6-week program to create inner safety and shift your nervous system. Build the foundation that allows your body to actually use the nutrients and support you give it. Dr. James Greenblatt - Get a copy of the Finally Hopeful book and find more resources at https://www.jamesgreenblattmd.com/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 41: Solutions for Low Serotonin and GABA in Trauma with Trudy Scott Episode 101: Brain Inflammation: Addressing The Overlooked Gatekeeper To Trauma Release with Dr. Austin Perlmutter

EVEN MORE about this episode!Can trauma live in the body long after the story has faded—and even be passed down through generations? In this powerful episode, Julie Ryan sits down with trauma expert Dr. Aimie Apigian to explore how trauma is stored not just in the mind, but deep within our biology. Drawing on cutting-edge science and lived experience, Dr. Aimie reveals how inherited trauma can shape stress responses, health patterns, and emotional regulation through epigenetics and cellular memory.We also uncover the surprising links between food, movement, and trauma recovery—why certain foods feel comforting, why others leave us anxious or overstimulated, and how everyday choices like caffeine and inactivity quietly fuel adrenaline and stress. Dr. Aimie explains how gentle movement and intentional nutrition can help release stored stress and restore a sense of safety in the body.Through real-world stories, including a veteran who pushed beyond his limits, this conversation highlights the delicate balance between stress and rest, resilience and recovery. With practical tools and compassionate insight, this episode empowers you to listen to your body, rebuild trust from the inside out, and step into a more grounded, regulated version of yourself.Guest Biography:Dr. Aimie Apigian is a double board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine with master's degrees in biochemistry and public health, known for revolutionizing trauma healing by revealing how trauma is stored in the body's cells—not just the mind. Her bestselling book The Biology of Trauma (with a foreword by Gabor Maté) reframes how we understand the physiological impact of trauma and the body's capacity for healing. Inspired by adopting a child during medical school, Dr. Aimie developed a science-based, integrative approach to trauma recovery, which she now shares through practitioner trainings, international speaking, her podcast, and YouTube channel—bridging functional medicine, attachment theory, and trauma therapy to demonstrate that true healing of mind, body, and biology is possible.Episode Chapters:(0:00:01) - Healing Trauma Through Science and Spirituality(0:17:07) - Foods That Discharge Adrenaline(0:33:22) - Understanding Stress, Rest, and Growth(0:37:15) - Understanding Trauma's Biological and Spiritual Impact(0:51:55) - Healing Trauma Through Ancestral Reincarnation➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan YouTube➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan Español YouTube➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan Português YouTube➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan Deutsch YouTube➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan Français YouTube✏️Ask Julie a Question!

What if the grief you've been pushing away is trying to tell you something? In this mini episode, I open the vault on my live Q&A with Biology of Freeze students. These are the real questions people ask when they're in the deep work. The answers might surprise you. A caregiver asked how to show up for her family while grief keeps pulling her under. A practitioner wondered why her autoimmune clients can't take action. I share the exact practice I use when grief hits like a wave. Spoiler: it's not positive thinking. It's not pushing through. It's pausing long enough to let that part of you feel heard. In this episode you'll hear more about: The grief practice no one taught us: Why ignoring emotions or "staying positive" abandons the hurting part. I share the phrase I say out loud when grief shows up. It starts with: "I'm having a feeling right now." How to stay present to pain without drowning: The physical gesture I use to stay connected instead of numbing. It's not about making it go away. It's about not leaving that part alone. What grief is really pointing to: Behind every wave is something you deeply value. Give it space. You'll get clarity on how you want to live. Generational trauma lives in the body: I break down how ancestral patterns show up in beliefs, sensations, and even DNA. The good news? All of it can be rewired. Why autoimmune clients can't take action: This isn't motivation. It's learned helplessness from early overwhelm. The roots often start before you could talk. Body work sending you into shutdown? If dental work or sauna leave you crashed for weeks, it might not be emotional. Your detox pathways might not keep up. Music as nervous system medicine: Not all calming music actually calms you. I explain what tempo range shifts your heart rate. Our grief isn't a problem to solve. It's a messenger pointing us toward what matters most.

What if the reason we can't say no isn't a willpower problem—but a nervous system problem? In Part 2 of this raw, unscripted conversation, Dr. Aimie Apigian and her friend Jalon Johnson go deeper into what actually happens inside our body when we try to set a boundary. This isn't theory—it's two people sharing what it felt like to rehearse conversations for days, to brace for rejection, and to genuinely believe the world might end if they said no to family. From the realization that we've been having hour-long arguments with people entirely in our heads, to the moment the sun still came up after saying "I'm not coming," this episode gets honest about why boundaries feel like pulling the pin on a grenade—and what changes when we finally let it go. In this episode you'll hear more about: The conversations we have that never actually happen: Dr. Aimie's revelation that she would spend hours—sometimes days—rehearsing both sides of a conversation with someone, anticipating their response, forming rebuttals, all before saying a single word out loud. The exhausting mental gymnastics of trying to manage someone else's reaction before it even exists. Why "no" feels like a threat to survival: Jalon's insight that if you've never been comfortable saying no, your nervous system treats it like danger. The activation, the bracing, the preparing for impact—it's not dramatic, it's protective. And it makes sense when we understand what we learned in childhood. "No with a period is a complete sentence": The reframe Jalon's first therapist gave him that he's carried ever since—and why most of us still struggle to say no without attaching explanations, justifications, and apologies to soften the blow we're sure is coming. The world didn't end—and that changed everything: Dr. Aimie's experience of finally setting the boundary, bracing for disaster, and then... nothing. The sun came up. The family moved on. And she was able to show up as the person she actually wanted to be instead of the drained, resentful version running on empty. Self-care feels frightening when you've never done it: Why taking care of ourselves can feel more threatening than burning out, and how building tolerance to rest—just like building tolerance to anything new—takes practice, not perfection. Asking "why" until you get the real answer: The technique both Dr. Aimie and Jalon use to get beneath the surface reason—asking why five, six, seven times until the truth finally shows up. Dr. Aimie's application of this to her emotional eating patterns and what she discovered underneath the hunger. Setting a boundary isn't about having the perfect words or the right explanation. It's about recognizing that the discomfort we feel isn't proof we're doing something wrong—it's proof we're doing something new. Our nervous system learned that saying no was dangerous. It will take time to teach it otherwise. And in the meantime, we can hold both: the part that's terrified and the part that knows we need this.

So many midlife women describe themselves as stressed, but what if what we're calling “stress” is actually something deeper happening inside the body? In this powerful conversation, Heather sits down with Dr. Aimie Apigian, physician, speaker, and author of The Biology of Trauma, to unpack the difference between everyday stress and stored trauma that shows up as overwhelm, exhaustion, irritability, or feeling “stuck.” Together, they explore why midlife is often the moment unresolved patterns surface, how the nervous system drives our physical and emotional responses, and why pushing harder, at work, at home, or even in the gym, can actually reinforce a survival state. Dr. Aimie shares how to know the difference of recognizing tools for healing rather than triggers for dysregulation, and she offers the first steps to reset your system, build true resilience, and reconnect with the energy and clarity you've been missing. If you've been living in go-mode for so long it feels normal, this episode will help you understand your body, reclaim your power, and finally begin your reset. Find Dr. Aimie here: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/Grab The Biology of Trauma here Thanks for listening whether you were folding laundry, going for a walk or whatever other multi-tasking you were getting after. I am having so much fun sharing and connecting with you, badass! Be sure to hit subscribe and get notified of the next impactful episode of The Badass Reset Club which drops every other Tuesday. Curious about how Symmetry can help you boost performance, get out of pain and fix your posture? Book a free call! https://www.heatheryanceyfitness.com/Symmetry Be a founding member of The Menopause Strength Society and join today! https://www.heatheryanceyfitness.com/community Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coachheatheryancey/ Ladies, join our private facebook for menopause support and more! https://www.facebook.com/groups/badassresetclub If you want to watch the podcast to see if I actually did something with my hair, find us here: https://www.youtube.com/@heatheryanceyfitness Ready to feel better with the Age Like a Badass Menopause course? Grab it and start taking action today! https://www.heatheryanceyfitness.com/offers/BEHgRUEg Wanna get STRONG? Grab my free 4 week Strength Training program! In 1 month, you will feel stronger, more confident and badass again! https://www.heatheryanceyfitness.com/opt-in Thorne Collagen discount - https://www.thorne.com/u/Yancey Platinum Red Light Therapy - https://snwbl.io/platinumled-therapy-lights/ZEZAC8005

What if the hardest part of our healing journey isn't the inner work—but showing up to family gatherings after we've changed and our family hasn't? In this raw, unscripted conversation, Dr. Aimie Apigian sits down with her friend Jalon Johnson to talk about something most healing resources won't touch: the exhausting reality of being around family when we're no longer willing to play the role they expect. This isn't a polished teaching episode—it's two people figuring out in real time how to navigate people-pleasing, unspoken guilt, and the mental gymnastics of anticipating everyone's reactions while trying to stay true to who we've become. From recognizing the coping mechanisms we didn't know were coping mechanisms, to the practical strategy of getting our own hotel room, this episode gets honest about what it really takes to walk the "healthy lonely road" when our family is still stuck in old patterns. In this episode you'll hear more about: The tradition trap and choosing ourselves: Why challenging family traditions makes us the "bad guy" even when those traditions are unhealthy, and how stepping outside the role we're "supposed to play" makes us a threat to people who haven't chosen us—they've just chosen the role The coping mechanisms we didn't recognize: Dr. Aimie's realization that she would start craving numbing foods a full week before family events, recognizing now that overeating specific foods was her way of avoiding the uncomfortable feelings of misalignment and unspoken expectations Titrating our presence—the hotel room strategy: Dr. Aimie's practical approach to family—not disappearing completely, but also not showing up in ways that leave us angry, resentful, and needing weeks to recover. Finding "what is enough" by getting her own hotel to reset her energy and maintain who she is without sabotaging the healing she's done "I'm not going, and I don't owe an explanation": Jalon's boundary of simply not attending when his body tells him rest is needed, recognizing it only has to make sense to him—and the powerful reframe: "I don't want the next gathering of the family to be everybody at my funeral" Boundaries expose, they don't create: Understanding that healthy boundaries will expose the conflict that was already underlying—the dysfunction was always there, we're just no longer pretending it isn't Our healing will change our relationships. That's not a warning, it's a guarantee. The question isn't whether our family will be uncomfortable with the new us—they will be. The question is: what boundaries will we set so we can stay true to ourselves without completely disconnecting from the people we love? This episode doesn't give us easy answers because there aren't any. But it gives us permission to get our own hotel room, to say "I'm not coming," and to recognize that choosing ourselves isn't selfish when the alternative is betraying everything we've worked so hard to heal.

What if your sugar cravings, need to clean, urge to call a friend, or desire to put on a movie while working aren't just procrastination—but your nervous system desperately trying to help you avoid drowning in emotions that feel too intense to face? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie gets vulnerable about discovering a new level of chronic functional freeze in herself—sharing the exact moment she found herself staring at chocolate muffins on a grocery app, salivating, recognizing her body was scrambling to decrease the intensity of overwhelm. This episode reveals something critical about stored trauma: what looks like busyness or distraction is actually your biology's attempt to create distance when stress feels bigger than your capacity. And recognizing these patterns is the first step to having choice instead of falling into them unconsciously. In this episode you'll hear more about: The capacity equation: Why overwhelm and freeze kick in when the stress you're experiencing feels so much bigger than your current capacity—it's not a choice, it's your body going into protection mode to keep you from drowning The chocolate muffin moment: Dr. Aimie's raw account of craving chocolate muffins while on a carnivore diet, recognizing her nervous system was reaching for sugar to numb panic—and the biology of why sugar and gluten bind opiate receptors just like Vicodin to decrease emotional pain The pattern of disconnection: How chronic functional freeze shows up as avoidance of emotions through creating distance—sugar cravings first, then calling friends to focus on them instead of you, then cleaning and organizing anything to avoid sitting still with the stress Why high performers miss their freeze: How being productive and getting stuff done can mask storage trauma in your body—you look fine to everyone else while struggling internally with focus, efficiency, and feeling stuck trying to push through The distraction cascade: What happens when your nervous system can't get the chocolate muffins—it moves through the list: call a friend (focus on their needs), clean something (create busy work), put on a movie (split your attention), go to bed early (escape it all) The biology of avoidance behaviors: Understanding that reaching for distractions isn't weakness or poor discipline—it's your nervous system literally scrambling for anything that will decrease intensity so you don't feel like you're drowning in your inner emotions Why it looks healthy but isn't: How going to bed early, cleaning, and helping friends can appear like self-care and productivity when they're actually signs of freeze response—trying to run away and create distance from what feels too big From no choice to real choice: How recognizing these patterns as messages from your body creates space for different decisions—before awareness, you were falling into chocolate muffins and distractions; after awareness, you can see what your body really needs (to know you're going to be okay) The growth edge opportunity: Why being at your edge in overwhelm isn't doom and gloom—it's actually your opportunity to expand capacity so you can hold more stress without going into freeze, transforming your relationship with the freeze response entirely The patterns of pain and protection: Where to find the full framework in Chapter 9 of The Biology of Trauma, including disconnection, perfectionism, push-through philosophy, chronic fatigue, and autoimmunity as predictable patterns of stored trauma Your busyness isn't always about being busy. Sometimes it's your nervous system trying to save you from drowning. But here's the truth: when you can recognize the chocolate muffin craving, the urge to clean, the need to focus on someone else, or the desire to split your attention with a movie as messages from your body—not failures or weaknesses—you gain choice. You can ask, "What do I really need right now? What is my body trying to tell me?" That recognition is powerful. That's what transforms freeze from something that controls you into something you move through, knowing you'll be okay and that this edge is actually your growth edge.

This week, trauma expert Dr. Aimie Apigian is here to change how we understand trauma. She shares how becoming a foster parent led her into trauma healing—and y'all, her story is powerful. Dr. Aimie explains the difference between stress and trauma, reveals how our bodies hold onto past experiences, and offers practical steps for us to start releasing them. Get ready for real talk, actionable tools, and hope—this episode is for all of us ready to heal from the inside out.In this episode:How becoming a foster parent shaped Dr. Amie's path to becoming a trauma expertThe three qualities shaped by trauma responsesHow the body recognizes and stores traumaCommon patterns of stored trauma in the bodyActionable steps to begin healing trauma in the bodyHere is my favorite quote from this episode:"The body does not allow us to leave our past in the past." - Dr. Aimie ApigianExperience Bible Life Guides: Forgiven and Free — a 21-day Bible-based journey to emotional freedom, available free at https://try.biblelifeguides.com/products/forgiven-free-with-kim-gravelTake the Quiz: Which Maribelle and the Manger character are you? Find out here: https://bit.ly/4pxUqF8If you want your questions answered then leave a comment or call me and leave me a voicemail at 404-913-6460There is BONUS CONTENT in our free newsletter so make sure to subscribe at https://www.kimgravelshow.comNEW! Order Kim's Holiday Children's BookEmbark on a magical adventure with five friends as they journey together to witness the birth of Jesus! It's a heartwarming holiday tale your whole family will love.Kim's brand-new storybook Maribelle and the Manger is available now: https://maribelleandthemanger.com/?utm_source=lwya.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=pre-order-kim-s-new-book&_bhlid=075a4287c5257cbe2d43cc23e857262cc9cf39cdConnect with Dr. Aimie Apigian:InstagramLinkedInYouTubeWebsitePodcast: The Biology of TraumaBook: The Biology of TraumaConnect with Me:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠New episodes of The Kim Gravel Show drop every Wednesday at 6pm EST.Support our show by supporting our Sponsors:Aura FramesThe holidays are almost here, and Aura Frames is the gift that brings memories to life. Aura is a digital photo frame with unlimited storage that can be updated instantly from any phone, anywhere. It's an easy way to share moments, keep traditions alive, and feel connected every day. You can't wrap togetherness, but you can frame it.For a limited time, visit https://on.auraframes.com/KIM and get $45 off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frame with promo code KIM at checkout. This exclusive Black Friday/Cyber Monday offer is their best of the year—order before it ends!HERSMenopause can bring hot flashes, fatigue, brain fog, and other challenging symptoms—but getting help doesn't have to be hard. HERS now offers menopause care through their trusted online health platform. Complete a simple medical intake, and if eligible, a licensed provider creates a personalized treatment plan with access to FDA-approved options. Many women start feeling relief in 4–6 weeks, with better sleep, fewer hot flashes, and improved overall well-being.Visit https://www.forhers.com/kim to get a personalized plan. Not available in all 50 states. Perimenopause & Menopause by Hers includes hormonal health support, educational resources, digital tools, and prescription options, if appropriate. See website for full details, important safety information, and restrictions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Discover how trauma lives in the body—and how the vagus nerve, nervous system shutdown, and somatic healing explain why stillness can feel unsafe. Through the Biology of Trauma® lens, Dr. Aimie shares the trauma response sequence and the Essential Sequence needed to heal stored trauma without overwhelm. If we've ever felt like we can't stop moving—like sitting still feels unsafe—this episode helps us understand why. I share Jess's story, a 45-year-old marketing director whose chronic busyness protected her from an 8-year-old's stored terror. When her 17-year-old daughter said, "Mom, we never really got to be together," Jess knew something had to change. We'll explore how nervous system dysregulation shows up as high-functioning exhaustion, emotional disconnection, and perfectionism. We'll see how trauma becomes biology—and why our body holds on until it feels safe enough to let go.   In this episode you'll learn: [00:00] Why a "good childhood" doesn't guarantee a nervous system free of trauma [02:15] How Jess's busyness, weight gain, and exhaustion were signs of stored trauma [06:40] Why stillness feels unsafe when the body equates pausing with overwhelm [09:10] Thinking vs feeling: how living in your head blocks somatic trauma healing [12:45] The real definition of trauma: overwhelm inside the body, not just events [16:05] Startle → stress → freeze → shutdown: the trauma response sequence in the nervous system [18:40] How the vagus nerve turns overwhelm into a whole-body shutdown response [21:20] Overwhelm as biology: fatigue, gut issues, emotional eating, and chronic anxiety [24:05] Why somatic work can retraumatize you if you don't feel safe first [26:30] The essential safety sequence: safety → support → growth into calm aliveness [28:15] How Jess used the Foundational Journey to break the cycle with her daughter   Main Takeaways: Trauma Happens Inside the Body: Trauma isn't defined by events—it's what happens inside of us when overwhelm outpaces our capacity to cope. Overwhelm Is Trauma Biology: When the size of the problems we face feels bigger than our resources, our nervous system shifts from stress into trauma—leading to freeze, shutdown, and hopelessness. Chronic Busyness and Perfectionism Can Be Functional Freeze: What looks like overachieving may actually be a protective response. Our body may be using busyness to avoid stored pain. The Vagus Nerve Makes Trauma Physical: It carries the signal of shutdown throughout our system—leading to fatigue, gut issues, disconnection, and a loss of aliveness. We Must Follow the Same Path Out That We Took In: Skipping straight to calm never works. True healing follows this path: Safety → Support → Expansion. Healing Breaks Generational Patterns: Jess's journey shows what becomes possible when we regulate our nervous system and choose presence over protection.   Notable Quotes: "Trauma isn't what happened to us—it's what happened inside of us". "Busyness kept me safe. It kept me from drowning in emotions I couldn't process". "We have to follow the same path that our body took." "Our body holds its truth. Our mind tells us what it wants us to hear." "Safety first, then Support, then Expansion. You cannot skip the sequence." "Our body needs safety to come out of shutdown. Until we create that, it will stay closed."   Episode Takeaway: Trauma isn't about what happened—it's about what overwhelmed our nervous system and pushed it into survival mode. Chronic busyness, perfectionism, and emotional disconnection are often signs our body is still trying to protect us. But when we follow the Essential Sequence—Safety, then Support, then Expansion—we can safely access and resolve what our body has been holding. Healing becomes possible when our body finally knows it's safe to feel, to rest, and to be present.   Resources/Guides: Take the Attachment Pain Quiz: Discover your attachment patterns and how they show up in your nervous system Attachment Trauma Healing Roadmap: Get your personalized roadmap for healing attachment wounds Foundational Journey - If you are ready to create your inner safety and shift your nervous system, join me and my team for this 6 week journey of practical somatic and mind-body inner child practices. Lay your foundation to do the deeper work safely and is the pre-requisite for becoming a Biology of Trauma® professional.    Related Episodes: Episode 36: How to Integrate Somatic and Parts Work Part 2: Mind-Body Dialog Questions with Dr. Aimie Apigian Episode 37: How to Integrate Somatic and Parts Work Part 2: Mind-Body Dialog Questions with Dr. Aimie Apigian   Your host: Dr. Aimie Apigian, double board-certified physician (Preventive/Addiction Medicine) with master's degrees in biochemistry and public health, and author of the national bestselling book "The Biology of Trauma" (foreword by Gabor Maté) that transforms our understanding of how the body experiences and holds trauma. After foster-adopting a child during medical school sparked her journey, she desperately sought for answers that would only continue as she developed chronic health issues. Through her practitioner training, podcast, YouTube channel, and international speaking, she bridges functional medicine, attachment and trauma therapy, facilitating accelerated repair of trauma's impact on the mind, body and biology. Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. Comment Etiquette: I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please share and use your name or initials so that we can keep this space spam-free and the discussion positive

What if the reason you keep saying "I'm fine" isn't about denial or stubbornness—but about your nervous system being programmed to avoid looking at problems because looking feels too dangerous? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian explores the powerful story Dr. Tom O'Bryan shared about Ray—a beloved janitor who said "I'm fine" for three years until the day he finally agreed to testing, pulled over on his way home, and died. This tragic story reveals something critical about trauma: avoidance isn't just psychological, it's a biological survival response. And it's creating a dangerous feedback loop where the very act of avoiding health problems generates more cellular damage through oxidative stress. This episode unpacks why trauma makes us afraid to look at our health, how this avoidance creates the exact biology that makes our problems worse, and most importantly—how to break free from the "I'm fine syndrome" through baby steps and biology repair. In this episode you'll hear more about: The "I'm fine syndrome": How Ray's story illustrates the deadly cost of health avoidance, and why so many people refuse testing even when symptoms are clear—it's not about money or time, it's about fear The first step of trauma: Understanding that avoidance is actually Step 1 of the body's instinctual trauma response (the startle), where blocking our threat assessment tells our body danger is real and escalates the survival response The oxidative damage cascade: Dr. Tom's powerful mousetrap analogy—976,000 mousetraps on a football field, one ping pong ball creating a cascade reaction of "pop, pop, pop"—exactly what's happening inside your cells when you avoid addressing health problems The avoidance-damage feedback loop: How saying "I'm fine" while avoiding health assessments creates more oxidative stress, which damages cells and DNA, which creates more danger signals, which makes you want to avoid even more—a vicious cycle driving disease development Why glyphosate matters for your future family: The shocking research showing 74% of men at fertility centers have glyphosate in their blood, with 300% higher levels in their semen, causing oxidative damage to sperm DNA that leads to 40% increased miscarriage rates and contributes to the autism epidemic (1 in 12 boys in California) The trauma-toxin connection: How stored trauma and toxic chemicals create the same biology—both generate oxidative stress that damages your mitochondria, immune system, and DNA, which is why trauma and toxins always go together as "sisters" or "best friends" Base hits win the ball game: Dr. Tom's strategy for men (and everyone) who feel overwhelmed—allocate one hour per week to learn about ONE health topic, make ONE change, and watch how baby steps transform your health in six months without trying to hit home runs The essential supplements for oxidative stress: What Dr. Tom takes when flying (GS packs with 22 nutrients) and what Dr. Aimie uses (vitamin C, NAC, and injectable NAD) to combat radiation exposure and cellular damage from travel and daily life The Total Tox Burden and Oxidative Stress Profile: The two tests everyone should know about to assess their cellular damage and toxic load before trying to start a family—and why being proactive prevents a lifetime of grief Why "I'm fine" is actually "I'm frozen": Understanding that health avoidance is your nervous system's way of protecting you from feeling powerless, but recognizing this pattern is the first step to building the courage to look and take action The three phases of safe detoxification: Why you must resource your body first, open drainage pathways second, and only then use active binders—jumping straight to celery juice or fasting can actually retraumatize your system The antioxidant repair toolkit: Starting with the fundamentals (vitamin C at 1,000mg, selenium at 200mcg, NAC at 2,000mg daily) plus lifestyle tools like red-light therapy, outdoor morning walks, colorful fruits and vegetables, and optimizing sleep in complete darkness The energy to leave toxic relationships: Why people can't leave toxic environments until they have the biological energy to do so—supporting the body's detoxification and energy production creates the capacity to clear out emotional toxins too 77% and 1 in 12: The devastating statistics that should wake us up—77% of military-age Americans are ineligible to serve due to obesity or cognitive decline, and 1 in 12 boys in California are diagnosed on the autism spectrum by age four, both driven by our toxic environment and the biology of trauma Your body isn't broken—it's trying to protect you from the pain of looking at what feels dangerous. But here's the truth: every moment you avoid looking at your health while saying "I'm fine," you're accumulating more oxidative damage. You're literally rusting from the inside. The good news? You don't have to take the whole mountain in one step. Baby steps—or as Dr. Tom says, base hits—win the ball game. Start with one hour a week. Start with basic antioxidant support. Start with getting curious instead of afraid. Your body has been waiting for you to look with compassion instead of fear.

Our bodies hold onto trauma, toxins, and pain for biological reasons—not willpower. Dr. Aimie Apigian shares her bathtub breaking point and the 3-phase Biology of Trauma® framework that changed everything: how to prepare, open channels, and safely release what our nervous systems have been protecting us from. After her third collarbone break in a 2017 car accident, Dr. Aimie found herself back in depression, chronic fatigue, and developing chronic pain—despite years of therapy and functional medicine work. Crying in a bathtub, she realized her body wasn't broken; it was scared to let go. This episode reveals her discovery of the hidden connection between emotional toxins, psychological toxins, and biochemical toxins—and why our nervous systems hold on to all three. You'll learn the exact six-step process that moves through preparation, opening drainage pathways, and active release, plus why forcing detoxification before our bodies feel safe makes symptoms worse, not better. This framework bridges somatic healing, nervous system regulation, and functional medicine for both individuals struggling with stored trauma and practitioners helping clients who feel stuck. Whether we're dealing with chronic pain, autoimmunity, insomnia, or anxiety that won't shift, or we're therapists or health professionals seeking trauma-informed approaches, this episode explains how to create a biology of letting go. Dr. Aimie shows us how to work with our bodies' protective wisdom instead of fighting against it—so we can finally experience the freedom, authenticity, and healing our nervous systems have been waiting to feel safe enough to allow. In this episode you'll learn: [03:32] Why Your Body Holds On: The relationship with the past that serves survival and the parts that aren't ready to let go [07:00] The Body Trauma Loop: Nervous system pattern of looping between stress and overwhelm that keeps you stuck holding on [12:37] Holding On to Regrets: How regret creates bracing and collapse in the body and why it's one of the hardest things to release [14:58] When Life Didn't Go as Supposed: The deep sadness of holding on to how things were meant to be instead of what is [19:21] The Biggest Myth About Letting Go: Why letting go isn't a decision you make but a biology your body needs to feel safe enough to create [20:33] Three Types of Toxins We Hold: Emotional toxins, psychological toxins, and biochemical toxins all accumulate the same way in your body [23:32] Why Bodies Hold Biochemical Toxins: When you have a biology of holding on emotionally, you also hold mold, metals, parasites, and environmental toxins [28:00] Three Phases of Letting Go: Preparation, opening channels, and deep cleaning—why skipping preparation makes everything worse [31:52] What Happens When You Detox Wrong: Fatigue, mood issues, sleep problems, and brain fog all worsen when deep cleaning happens without open channels [34:11] The Six-Week Process: Creating safety, building support, working with breath, pacing the release, feeling emotions, and active detoxification [38:45] Opening Drainage Pathways: Why poop, pee, and sweat matter for letting go and how constipation keeps trauma stuck [41:00] Always Do Phases One and Two: Why you should always be resourced with open channels even when not actively detoxifying Main Takeaways: Letting Go is Biology, Not Decision: Your body holds on because it doesn't believe letting go is safe yet, not because you lack willpower or haven't decided to move forward with your mind Emotional and Biochemical Toxins Connect: When you hold emotional toxins from regrets and psychological toxins from limiting beliefs, your biology also holds biochemical toxins like mold, heavy metals, and parasites The Body Trauma Loop Keeps You Stuck: Nervous systems that loop between stress and overwhelm without reaching calm aliveness create a biology of holding on rather than releasing Deep Cleaning Without Preparation Retraumatizes: Doing intensive trauma work or detoxification before opening your channels and creating safety brings pain to the surface without allowing it to leave, making symptoms worse Regrets Create Bracing and Collapse: Holding on to regrets shows up as simultaneous bracing in shoulders and collapse in chest and heart, demonstrating how past pain lives in present body Dysregulation Multiplied by Time Becomes Chronic Conditions: Twenty years of nervous system dysregulation creates autoimmunity, chronic pain, and long-haul syndromes through accumulated toxin burden that body won't release Three Phases Must Follow Sequence: Preparation creates safety, opening channels allows ventilation, and deep cleaning releases what's ready—skipping steps or reversing order causes more harm than healing Always Resource and Keep Channels Open: Even when not actively detoxifying, you should always be doing phases one and two to prevent accumulation and stay ready for life's hard experiences Notable Quotes: "If it makes you sick 20 years later, that wasn't stress—that was trauma. You see childhood through adult eyes now, but that's not how you lived it." "Trauma becomes our biology. Then our biology blocks our healing, joy, and authenticity."  "The more emotional toxins we hold, the more biochemical toxins our body holds—mold, plastics, heavy metals, parasites." "Deep cleaning without release retraumatizes us. We surface the trauma but don't let it leave. It makes things worse."  "Once we recognize we're holding on, the choice becomes clear: stay small and safe, or let go safely and live freely."  Episode Takeaway: Letting go isn't about willpower—it's biology our nervous system needs to feel safe to create. When we hold emotional toxins, our body creates a biology of holding on. That same biology holds biochemical toxins: mold, heavy metals, parasites. Our bodies don't distinguish between toxic emotions and toxic chemicals. Both require the same three-phase process to release safely. Preparation creates safety so our nervous system considers letting go. Opening channels provides ventilation so what surfaces can actually leave. Deep cleaning happens last because without preparation, pain surfaces with nowhere to go. This is why intensive trauma work or aggressive detox makes fatigue, mood, and pain worse. The key insight: always do phases one and two, even when not actively detoxifying. Keep our drainage pathways open to prevent accumulation. When we're emotionally or physically constipated, toxins build up instead of moving through. Letting go becomes a way of being—creating a biology that releases rather than holds on. Resources/Guides: Visit biologyoftrauma.com for more resources on the Biology of Trauma® framework The Biology of Trauma book - Available now everywhere books are sold. Get your copy Foundational Journey - If you are ready to create your inner safety and shift your nervous system, join me and my team for this 6 week journey of practical somatic and mind-body inner child practices. Lay your foundation to do the deeper work safely and is the pre-requisite for becoming a Biology of Trauma® professional.  Related Episodes: Episode 1: What Professionals Need to Know About the Chronic Freeze Response with Dr. Peter Levine Episode 57: ACEs: How the Body Holds and Hides Pain with Dr. Vincent Felitti   our host: Dr. Aimie Apigian, double board-certified physician (Preventive/Addiction Medicine) with master's degrees in biochemistry and public health, and author of the national bestselling book "The Biology of Trauma" (foreword by Gabor Maté) that transforms our understanding of how the body experiences and holds trauma. After foster-adopting a child during medical school sparked her journey, she desperately sought for answers that would only continue as she developed chronic health issues. Through her practitioner training, podcast, YouTube channel, and international speaking, she bridges functional medicine, attachment and trauma therapy, facilitating accelerated repair of trauma's impact on the mind, body and biology. Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. Comment Etiquette: I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please share and use your name or initials so that we can keep this space spam-free and the discussion positive

What if the reason connection feels so hard isn't about willpower or awareness—but about your brain literally not getting the dopamine reward that makes relationships feel joyful and worth pursuing? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian dives into groundbreaking 2009 research that revealed something shocking: mothers with insecure attachment showed almost no dopamine response to their own babies' faces—whether smiling or crying. This isn't about not loving their children; it's about their brains not experiencing the biological reward that makes caregiving feel naturally joyful. This episode explores why attachment rupture and addiction are so deeply connected (hint: they're both about dopamine), how your attachment style literally changes your brain's reward response to connection, and most importantly—what you can do about it at the biological level. In this episode you'll hear more about: The dopamine discovery: How the 2009 brain imaging study revealed that insecurely attached mothers showed almost no dopamine response to their own babies, while securely attached mothers had robust reward center activation Why connection feels hard: Understanding that dopamine is the "meaning-making" neurotransmitter that says "this is good, do this again"—and without it, authentic connection doesn't bring the same sense of joy or motivation The attachment-addiction link: Why addictions are fundamentally about managing dopamine, and how attachment rupture creates the same dopamine dysregulation that drives addictive patterns The blunted response reality: What it actually means when a mother doesn't get the dopamine hit from her baby's face—she's fighting her own biology to find joy in caregiving, making everything feel harder than it should The ripple effect beyond parenting: How insecure attachment creates a blunted dopamine response to ALL authentic relationships, not just with children—affecting your capacity for joy in connection throughout your life The neurotransmitter soup: How dopamine interfaces with oxytocin (the bonding neurotransmitter and stress reducer), serotonin, endorphins, and GABA to create the biology of attachment Why talking isn't enough: The critical understanding that we must repair attachment at the biology level, not just through awareness—otherwise we're literally fighting against our own neurotransmitter systems Dr. Aimie's personal biology: Her vulnerable sharing about being born with undermethylation, creating naturally lower serotonin and dopamine activity from birth, making her nervous system less available for bonding The practical repair toolkit: How to support dopamine production through tyrosine (the amino acid building block for dopamine) and DL-Phenylalanine (the gentler option for sensitive systems) The cofactor support: Why B6 and magnesium are essential nutrients your body needs to actually make dopamine from these building blocks The root cause approach: How supporting undermethylation with SAM-e helped Dr. Aimie change her epigenetics and eventually get off two mood medications by addressing the biology underneath The biochemical imbalances: Why the same three biochemical imbalances show up in both stored trauma and attachment insecurities—and how to assess your own biology Your attachment style isn't just psychological—it's biological. When we understand that insecure attachment creates measurable changes in neurotransmitter responses, we can stop blaming ourselves for why connection feels so hard and start addressing the root cause. The good news? Your biology can change.

I am delighted to have Dr. Aimie Apigian with me today to explore why stress reduction techniques may not work for you if you have unresolved trauma. Finding Your Sense of Safety • Notice when your body and mind feel safe and calm • Identify environments or situations that allow you to feel safe • Start small: Focus on moments that feel manageable, not overwhelming Bio: Dr. Aimie Apigian Dr. Aimie Apigian is a double-board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine, with Master's degrees in Biochemistry, Public Health, and specialized training in Functional Medicine.  Dr. Aimie's unique integration of multiple modalities from medicine to neuroscience to therapy modalities, has helped thousands of people and practitioners around the world to be in their best health and their best authentic selves.  Her recent book, The Biology of Trauma, is groundbreaking, exploring the science of how the body experiences trauma, why it holds on, and what it needs for healing. The book is endorsed by Dr. Gabor Maté, a renowned expert in trauma and addiction, who has written the foreword. In this episode: How habits like “people-pleasing” or “fixing others” are used as survival strategies The nervous system's role in directing how the body reacts to stress Why stress management alone is not enough to heal chronic trauma How early life trauma impacts people's health, relationships, and fertility   The five universal steps of the body's trauma response How to develop an internal sense of safety  How to build resilience Ways to avoid retraumatization and support lasting healing  Links and Resources: Guest Social Media Links: The Biology of Trauma (Book)   The Biology of Trauma Podcast Dr. Aimie Apigian on LinkedIn              Dr. Aimie Apigian on Instagram                              Dr. Apigian on YouTube     Relative Links for This Show: Your Longevity Blueprint Omega 3s – 60 capsules Your Longevity Blueprint 5HTP – 90 capsules  Your Longevity Blueprint Adrenal Calm – 60 capsules    Use code CREATINE to get 10% off Creatine Follow Your Longevity Blueprint  On Instagram| Facebook| Twitter| YouTube | LinkedIn Get your copy of the Your Longevity Blueprint book and claim your bonuses here Find Dr. Stephanie Gray and Your Longevity Blueprint online   Follow Dr. Stephanie Gray  On Facebook| Instagram| Youtube | Twitter | LinkedIn Integrative Health and Hormone Clinic Podcast production by Team Podcast

Send us a textThis week on the Less Stressed Life, we're unpacking The Biology of Trauma with Dr. Aimie Apigian to reveal how your cells, not just your mind, hold stress and why your body can't heal when it doesn't feel safe.Dr. Aimie shares her personal crash-and-rebuild story and explains how stress becomes biology through the “cell danger response.” We talk about high achiever burnout, unconscious stress, and simple ways to create a sense of safety so your body can finally repair.If you've ever pushed through exhaustion or wondered why your symptoms linger even after doing everything right, this episode gives you language, awareness, and practical tools to help your body exhale.

I talked with Dr. Aimie Apigian, author of the Biology of Trauma, about how trauma impacts the body and nervous system, and how that can create challenges in recovery. She explains how trauma healing creates more safety in the body and nervous system, which gives you more access to your decision-making abilities, and therefore supports recovery. Dr. Aimie shares insights from her medical expertise and personal experience, and also discusses how a trauma-informed approach helped her overcome her own binge eating issue. If you tend to binge during times of high anxiety or dysregulation—even when you know it won't help—this episode is for you. Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet Learn more about Dr. Aimie Apigian: Get the book: The Biology of Trauma BiologyofTrauma.com 5 Day Nervous System Reset Brain over Binge resources: Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo. Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

Did you know that by the time you reach midlife, your nervous system has been storing trauma responses for decades - even if you can't identify a single "traumatic" event? What if the chronic back pain, autoimmune issues, and stubborn weight gain plaguing so many midlife women aren't just random health problems, but your nervous system's way of expressing stored survival responses from years past? In this insightful conversation, Dr. Aimie Apigian reveals how seemingly normal childhood experiences - from crying yourself to sleep as a baby in the 1970s to being a latchkey kid - can create lasting biological changes that show up as health issues decades later through stored trauma in your nervous system. We dive into the science behind trauma, its long-term biological effects, and the importance of addressing trauma at different levels – mind, body, and biology and how accumulative, often unrecognized trauma can impact our health, aging, emotional regulation, and relationships.  Discover why your nervous system might still be stuck in survival mode, keeping you vulnerable to injuries, illnesses, and that constant underlying anxiety. Dr. Aimie explains the science behind why some people seem immune to health issues while others collect diagnoses, and most importantly, what nervous system healing can actually do about stored trauma.   Catch the full episode on YOUTUBE HERE: https://bit.ly/MidlifeConversationsYouTube    Learn More About Dr. Aimie Apigian:    Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/draimie   Website ➜  https://biologyoftrauma.com/  Thank you to our show sponsors! BIOPTIMIZERS: Get the Enzymes & Probiotics & Gut Support I use daily at  https://bioptimizers.com/nataliejill   QUALIA: Experience the science of feeling younger—go to http://qualialife.com/nataliejill for up to 50% off your purchase of Qualia Senolytic and use code NATALIEJILL for an additional 15% Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com   Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit   For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/  Disclaimer: Information provided in the Midlife Conversations podcast is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Do not use the information provided in this podcast for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before making any changes to your current regimen.  Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

What if your physical health issues actually stem from childhood trauma? Whether you're struggling with chronic fatigue, digestive issues, or autoimmune conditions, healing from your past might actually heal your body. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Aimie Apigian, physician, trauma expert, and author of The Biology of Trauma. Dr. Aimie explains how trauma doesn't just affect your emotions—it impacts your physical health too. Fortunately, you can heal from the inside out by addressing the mind-body connection. Some of the things we talk about are: How trauma gets stored in the body and shows up as physical symptoms Why traditional approaches to trauma recovery might not be effective Why so many medical professionals don't ask about trauma The surprising role of safety in the recovery process Why small, consistent steps are the key to rewiring your nervous system How to create daily practices that help you feel safe and grounded By the end of the episode, you'll have actionable strategies to start healing your body and mind as you grow mentally stronger. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mentally Stronger Premium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for exclusive content like bonus episodes, signed books, and 30-day challenges that will keep you growing stronger. Links & Resources Aces Test BiologyofTrauma.com Biology of Trauma Connect with the Show Buy a copy of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on Instagram — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AmyMorinAuthor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit my website — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmyMorinLCSW.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sponsors Cowboy Colostrum — Get 25% Off @CowboyColostrum with code STRONGER at ⁠cowboycolostrum.com⁠. #CowboyColostrumPod HoneyLove — Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠honeylove.com/STRONGER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #honeylovepod CocoaVia — Get 20% off with code Amy2025 at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cocoavia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. OneSkin — Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STRONGER at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.oneskin.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Quince — Go to ⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/stronger⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! ZocDoc — Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zocdoc.com/STRONGER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today! Shopify — Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shopify.com/mentallystronger⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Life Kit — Listen to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Life Kit podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from NPR. Mentally Strong App — Take your mental strength to the next level. Sign up at ⁠⁠⁠AmyMorinLCSW.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So many women in midlife are running on fumes—stretched thin, burned out, and downplaying what they've experienced just to make it through the day. But all that stress can show up in your physical body, affecting your biology at a cellular level.  That's why in this episode, I'm sitting down with trauma and biology expert Dr. Aimie Apigian to uncover how unprocessed trauma can manifest in the form of physical symptoms.  Dr. Aimie shares how overtime, those hidden shifts can alter your immune system and even set the stage for disease years later.  The good news? Healing doesn't have to be complicated!  Dr. Aimie introduces simple practices that can help you shift your inner state in seconds and learn to process your trauma with care.  Tune in here to explore how reconnecting with your biology can help you feel more alive than ever!  Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH Aimie Apigian is a double board-certified physician in preventive and addiction medicine. She has masters in biochemistry and public health and specialized training in Psychosomatic Medicine, Functional Medicine, and Mental Health Nutrition. Dr. Aimie is a functional medicine physician with specialized training in neuro-autoimmunity, nutrition, and genetics for addictions, mental health, mood, and behavioral disorders. She has extensive training in trauma therapy, which has formed her knowledge and services in trauma, attachment, and addiction medicine, focusing on trauma at a cellular level.  IN THIS EPISODE How the body biologically absorbs experiences of trauma  Recognizing adaptations and better managing reactions The importance of finding safety in the whole body  How your lifestyle affects your emotions  Why effective healing from trauma takes time and work   Stress biology vs. trauma biology All about Dr. Aimie's new book: The Biology of Trauma  QUOTES “Anything that overwhelms our capacity to respond becomes a trauma for our body. And those changes impact us down to the cellular level– the immune system level. They are what become our diseases often decades later.” “The greatest impact on their life was me teaching them a few simple somatic self-practices that could shift their inner state to one safe enough within seconds.” “It really shifted my perspective to know how much more alive I could be– I don't even know the possibilities because I've never lived that. I've never been that. I've never been that version of myself. And it keeps me in a place of curiosity, it keeps me in a place of learning.”RESOURCES MENTIONED

Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH, is a trainer, speaker and physician, double board-certified in preventive and addiction medicine with masters degrees in biochemistry and public health. Beyond her conventional medical and surgical training, Dr. Aimie has training in Psychosomatic Medicine, Functional Medicine, and Mental Health Nutrition. Her extensive training in trauma therapies, including the Instinctual Trauma Response Model, Somatic Experiencing, NeuroAffective Touch, and Relational Trauma Repair with Psychodrama, have formed her knowledge and services in attachment, trauma, and addictions, focusing on trauma at a cellular level. Her original inspiration came from her experience as a foster-adoptive mom during medical school.  Dr. Aimie is also the host of the Biology of Trauma® Podcast. She has been featured on The Trauma Therapist Project, Therapy in a Nutshell, The Healing Trauma Podcast, and more. You can find her on YouTube, Instagram or her website.