Podcasts about aimie apigian

 If you're dealing with a health issue, your underlying trauma might be the source, and this top doctor says if you don't address it, it will continue to manifest in different ways. The solution? Resetting your nervous system. Dr. Aimie Apigian, a double board certified physician with master's degrees in biochemistry and public health shares completely paradigm-shifting ideas about the science of how all of us are dealing with trauma that's impacting our bodies at a cellular level and exactly what we can do to change that.

Episode 122: Circling Back to the 12 Mis-steps This week, Staying Power welcomes back K'ai Roberts Fu, speaker and author of the newly-released “12 Mis-steps: How Twelve-Step Programs Trip Up Trauma Survivors." In a wide ranging conversation about the book and about her life since her last visit to the show (Episode 063), K'ai shares her journey to finishing and releasing the book, along with important insights about herself and about public and professional responses to her vocal critique of the harm twelve-step programs can inflict on trauma survivors. Her book, endorsed by prominent authors and experts including Dr. Aimie Apigian, Lance Dodes, Johann Hari, and Maia Szalavitz, is finding its audience, and for good reason – because it resonates with the experiences of many trauma survivors and the therapists seeking to help them. You can become part of that audience and join a conversation that is only going to get bigger… After listening to the conversation, hop over to Amazon and order your own copy – and you can even read an extended sample before doing so: https://a.co/d/00b0IqJI And to connect with K'ai yourself, be sure to follow her on social media: -Website: https://kairobertsfu.com/ -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kairobertsfuauthor12missteps/ -YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kairobertsfu/ Lastly, be sure to check out the fine work done by our sponsor, Pars Revive Renovation! https://parsrenovation.com/

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

➡️ Get the full show notes and episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Is Your Chocolate Holding Your Marriage Together?  |  With Luis Mojica  Three women walked into Luis Mojica's nutrition practice with the same chocolate habit. When he asked each one what would happen if they stopped, the answer was identical — "I'd leave my husband." That moment became the birthplace of food therapy. In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian and somatic nutritionist Luis Mojica break down the three unmet needs driving food choices — emotional, relational, and nutritional — and how stimulants, depressants, and balancing foods each shape the stress response. In This Episode You'll Learn: [00:00] Introduction to food-induced stress [02:30] Why Luis wrote Food Therapy — the gap he saw in the trauma and nutrition fields [03:54] Why food can create a stress response — not just numb one [04:54] Why does insulin trigger adrenaline — and what that means for chronic stress [05:20] How do stimulants, depressants, and balancing foods each affect the nervous system? [06:29] How a functional freeze pattern shows up in your food choices [07:54] Why coffee energy is really adrenaline in disguise [10:41] What are the three categories of unmet needs behind every food craving? [18:13] What question unlocks the real unmet need behind a food pattern? [20:34] What food addiction actually is through a nervous system lens [23:07] Why cold-turkey dietary changes can feel like a threat to the body [24:44] What "food sobriety" actually requires of the nervous system [27:37] Why weight after trauma has biological logic — and what releasing it feels like [28:56] The three answers Luis kept hearing when he asked women about chocolate [30:11] Inside Luis's book Food Therapy — who he wrote it for and the one question it all comes down to Resources/Guides: Food Therapy by Luis Mojica: Conscious Eating to Navigate Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma Luis Mojica's website — For more on somatic nutrition and reading your body's response to food Book: The Biology of Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Chapter 9 covers the patterns of stored trauma in our behaviors, and Chapter 15 covers the biochemistry of dysregulation explored in this episode Related Podcast Episodes: EP 164 — Your Best Shot: Weight, Metabolism & GLP-1 with Ashley Koff EP 163 — Growing Up with Addiction with Dr. Tian Dayton EP 153 — The Biology of Burnout: Why Pushing Through Stops Working EP 150 — Frozen in Success: The Biology of Staying Stuck in Survival EP 134 — The Biology of Overwhelm: Why Small Demands Feel Impossible EP 129 — Why You're Still in Survival Mode (Even After Years of Therapy)

➡️ Get the full show notes and episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - EP 170: What If Safety Is What Your Body Was Taught to Fear? You learned to assess the mood of a room before you walked into it. To listen to the sounds in the house before you got out of bed. To become whoever was needed — quickly, automatically, without being asked. Your nervous system built that skill before you had language for it. And it has been running ever since. In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian explains what growing up in an emotionally unsafe or narcissistic household actually does to the developing nervous system — why hypervigilance, people-pleasing, and the inability to fully rest are biological adaptations rather than personality traits, why genuine safety can feel more threatening than the chaos the body learned to navigate, and what it takes to teach a body that has never fully rested that it is now allowed to. This is the biology behind something many people have spent years trying to understand about themselves. Not what happened to them. What happened inside them — and what it will take to change it. In This Episode You'll Learn: [00:00] Why is it so hard to relax even when nothing is wrong — and what is actually happening in the body? [01:40] What is the biological definition of trauma — and why does the event matter far less than the body's response? [04:00] What does unpredictable parenting do to a child's developing nervous system? [06:04] Why do people-pleasing and overachieving become biological survival strategies — not personality traits? [07:28] What happens in the body during chronic hypervigilance? [08:43] When does relational stress start to register as a life threat — and why does this persist into adulthood? [11:00] How does dissociation develop as a biological coping mechanism — and why can't we selectively numb pain? [12:26] Why we cannot feel joy when we learn to numb pain? [17:00] Why is seeking safety not the same as finding it? [19:15] What is true safety? Why does true safety feel unsafe? [21:04] What is microdosing safety — and how does it reprogram a nervous system that has never fully rested? [23:42] Why is it important to create a cellular level biology of safety? [26:00] Why safety needs to be done in a structured way [31:31] Why not analyzing and feeling what we feel can be so challenging? Resources/Guides: Free Guide: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian — A 23-page quiz-based guide to help you recognize the patterns of stored trauma in your life, your relationships, and your physical health. Book: The Biology of Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Chapter 11 covers the biology of toxic and narcissistic parenting. Chapter 4 explains the Cell Danger Response and how the body encodes early experiences. Program: Foundational Journey® — A six-week online process working directly with the nervous system. Builds the biological foundation of safety that has to come first before anything else can hold. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 69 — How Attachment Shapes Our Biology and Behavior 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 Episode 146 — How Attachment Affects Us for Life: 6 Childhood Pains and How to Repair Episode 163 — Growing Up With Addiction Left a Trauma Your Body Still Carries Episode 167 — What Your Nervous System Learned Before You Could Speak

Today, I'm pulling together some of the most impactful conversations from the last three months on the Podcast. From breaking down the pitfalls of trendy weight loss drugs to uncovering silent heart health risks, and exploring how mitochondrial transplants and trauma healing are rewriting the story of resilience, these moments have truly shifted my perspective on what it means to pursue lasting wellness. Here are the full episodes: #401: Personalization Is EVERYTHING: The New Science of Weight Health, GLP-1s, and Building Lasting Longevity With Ashley Koff #414: Drop Dead Healthy? Why "Fit" Women & Men Still Have Fatal Heart Attacks! l Dr. Regina Druz #419: Origin Of Disease Is Hiding In Your Cells! Doctor Reveals How To Fix It Now l Dr. Natalie Yivgi-Ohana #421: Why You Can't Hack Longevity Until You Heal Hidden Stored Trauma! l Dr. Aimie Apigian #417: Feeling Depressed? Watch This First (It Might Not Be What You Think) l Dr. Cynthia Keller l Ep  Episode Timestamps: Welcome and quarterly recap intro ... 00:00:00 Longevity is about pattern recognition, not single breakthroughs ... 00:00:41 GLP-1s require personalization, not a one-size-fits-all approach ... 00:04:25 GLP-1 hormone assessment and individualized plans ... 00:06:03 Delayed/suppressed GLP-1 function needs lifestyle changes ... 00:08:04 GLP-1 agonists enable, but don't replace, foundational health tweaks ... 00:09:06 Heart health: sick fat disease, inflammation and cardiac risk ... 00:12:30 GLP-1 and GIP peptides have powerful anti-inflammatory effects ... 00:15:35 Menopause amplifies pre-existing heart/metabolic risks ... 00:18:22 Mitochondrial transplants: emerging therapy for rare diseases ... 00:24:04 Every disease linked to—or helped by—mitochondrial function ... 00:27:00 Trauma healing is phased; start with the gentle approach ... 00:31:21 Chronic survival state rewires the nervous system ... 00:40:02 Covid's gut impact can trigger mood issues, fixed with key nutrients ... 00:50:00 Our Amazing Sponsors: Mitopure Gummies by Timeline - These clinically researched gummies support mitophagy to help renew your mitochondria and boost cellular energy, giving you a stronger biological foundation for resilience—visit timeline.com/nat20 to get 20% off. Quantum Upgrade - Supports nervous system balance without wearables or apps—just effortless, 24/7 quantum energy streaming. With 21+ studies showing measurable improvements in stress and cellular function, it's easy to try for yourself. Visit quantumupgrade.io/NAT and use code NAT15 to start the free 15 day trial. Daily Gut Detox by Just Thrive Health – A gentle, science-backed detox powered by clinically proven immunoglobulins that bind and remove toxins while supporting your gut, immune system, and digestion—without harsh flushing or discomfort. Visit JustThriveHealth.com/NAT20 and use code NAT20 for 20% off your order, risk-free. Nat's Links: YouTube Channel Join My Membership Community Sign up for My Newsletter Instagram Dr. Bill Lawrence Episode

➡️ Get the full show notes and episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Is Your Body Still Running a Trauma Response? What if the anxiety that will not settle, the fatigue that sleep does not fix, and the chronic health conditions that appeared out of nowhere are not separate problems? What if they are the same pattern — the nervous system running a stored trauma response it was never able to complete? In this solo episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian walks through the biology of how trauma gets stored in the nervous system, why the event matters far less than what the body did with it, and what the body actually needs to begin to update. She covers the five physiological steps into a trauma response — from startle through shutdown — the four patterns stored trauma produces in daily life, what true resilience looks like in biological terms rather than the push-through performance most people were praised for as children, and the practical things that shift the biology: adrenaline discharge, magnesium, zinc, sleep, movement, and specific supplements that support what the nervous system is trying to do. In her study of somatic therapy participants, the group doing somatic exercises alone — before any supplementation — reduced depression by 30%. She also traces the origin of the ACE study — which began in Dr. Vincent Felitti's obesity clinic in San Diego when patients who were losing weight started dropping out, and shared that the overeating was not the problem. It was the solution. And what it was a solution to was the trauma the body had been holding long before the weight arrived. This episode is for anyone who has been managing symptoms for years and is ready to understand what the body has actually been holding — and what it needs. In This Episode You'll Learn: [00:00] Why do you keep struggling even when you have done so much to feel well? [03:28] What is the biological definition of trauma — and why does the event matter far less than the body's response? [05:09] How does the nervous system store a trauma response — and why does incomplete trauma physiology persist in the body? [09:53] What are the five physiological steps the body takes into a trauma response? [15:54] Why does carrying stored trauma cost so much energy? [17:54] What is the ACE study — where did it begin and what does it reveal about childhood and adult chronic illness? [26:00] What are the four patterns of stored trauma — and what is a survival strategy actually doing? [33:47] What is true resilience — and why does being praised for resilience sometimes mean the opposite? [40:37] What can you actually do about adrenaline — zinc, magnesium, movement, lentils, specific supplements? [45:29] What is the biological connection between stored trauma and disrupted sleep — and what drives it? Resources/Guides: Free Guide: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian A quiz-based guide to help you recognize the patterns of stored trauma in your life, your relationships, and your physical health. Book: The Biology of Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Chapter 1 covers the five physiological steps of the trauma response. Chapter 9 covers the four patterns of stored trauma. Chapter 12 covers the Biology of Trauma® framework and the essential sequence. Program: Foundational Journey®— A six-week online process working directly with the nervous system. Builds the biological foundation of safety that has to come first before anything else can hold. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 69 — How Attachment Shapes Our Biology and Behavior Episode 135 — The Hidden Difference Between Stress and Trauma In How The Body Keeps Score Episode 146 — How Attachment Affects Us for Life: 6 Childhood Pains and How to Repair

➡️ 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— What Does Overwhelm Have To Do With Chronic Pain? If you have chronic pain, you've probably been told that stress is making it worse. But here's what the biology actually shows: by the time your pain is flaring, you're past stress. You've crossed into overwhelm — and that changes everything about what your body can do. In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian — double board-certified physician and author of The Biology of Trauma®  — explains why chronic pain and chronic trauma follow the same biological pattern, and exactly how the body gets stuck in cycles that feel impossible to interrupt. Once the nervous system crosses the critical line of overwhelm, three survival strategies take over: dissociation, immobilization, and energy conservation. Healing goes offline. That's not a failure of your approach. That's a shift in operating mode — one where the body only has enough energy to survive. What determines whether a flare happens is neuroception — the nervous system's subconscious safety scan, running below conscious awareness at all times. When it reads threat, the physiology shifts. That shift is where chronic pain lives. What moves this pattern is building capacity through five specific nervous system skills — so the body spends more time below the line, where healing is actually possible. In This Episode You'll Learn: [00:00] Why chronic pain is an overwhelm problem — not a stress problem [01:34] How pain becomes chronic and why it follows the same biological pattern as trauma [03:06] Stress is not trauma and trauma is not stress [03:20] What the critical line of overwhelm is — and why the body stays braced long after the danger is gone [05:59] The Loop and what it does to the body's healing mechanisms [08:11] How adrenaline suppresses pain during stress — and what happens when it's removed in overwhelm [08:49] What microglia are and why they follow the same threshold pattern as the nervous system [09:30] The three survival strategies the body activates past the critical line — dissociation, freeze, and energy conservation [11:40] What neuroception is and why it controls whether a pain flare happens [13:42] Why capacity — not stress — determines where your critical line sits [15:10] The five nervous system skills that build capacity before the line is crossed - that every adult and every person with chronic pain needs to know — what each skill does and why it matters [17:44] Why we only go as fast as the slowest part of me feels safe to go [18:44] How to interrupt a chronic pain cycle before it crosses the line [20:52] The Three Rs framework — how to recognize, understand, and repair a chronic pain pattern [22:40] Key Takeaways And Guide Resources/Guides: Book: The Biology of Trauma®Book by Dr. Aimie Apigian— Chapter 1 covers the body's trauma response, the critical line of overwhelm, and the steps by which both trauma and pain become chronic. The Nervous System Journal is available at: biologyoftrauma.com/book Free Guide: A Guide For The Chronic Freeze Response — Learn what to do (and what to avoid) when your body gets stuck in freeze mode, including the survival strategies covered in this episode.

Happy Sunday! We are still celebrating six years of the  “And The Church Said” podcast!

Today, I'm joined by Dr. Aimie Apigian, an innovative leader in the biology of trauma, whose work bridges the worlds of science, medicine, and lived experience. In our conversation, Dr. Apigian opens up about her journey from conventional medicine—where symptom management was the norm—to uncovering the physiological roots of trauma and the crucial role our nervous system plays in resilience and healing. She shares how her own health struggles, her work with adopted children, and a relentless curiosity led her to re-examine everything she thought she knew about stress, autoimmunity, and capacity. The 7-Day Somatic Healing for Stored Emotions - https://traumahealingaccelerated.mykajabi.com/a/2148170319/wdrhGYaY 21-Day Journey, a daily live session program that helps participants understand how much trauma their body may be holding - https://traumahealingaccelerated.mykajabi.com/a/2147704575/wdrhGYaY Episode Timestamps: Introduction, host's mission, and episode theme ... 00:00:00 Science behind trauma, limits of traditional medicine, and autoimmune experiences ... 00:06:11 Attachment, symptom management, functional medicine, and healing journey ... 00:08:17 Mold exposure, state triggers, brain inflammation, and capacity blocks ... 00:14:22 Medical gaslighting, trauma validation, and biological capacity ... 00:18:25 Safety, resilience, and chronic survival state effects ... 00:19:32 Misconceptions about chronic stress—emergency brake and vagus nerve ... 00:22:27 Attachment patterns, autoimmunity, and shrinking world ... 00:28:47 Chronic survival loop, exhaustion, coping strategies, and shutdown ... 00:31:11 Moving to repair: phases of healing and gentle approaches ... 00:34:08 Somatic practices, art therapy, and different expressions of trauma ... 00:39:01 Shifts in sleep, digestion, anxiety, and felt safety ... 00:42:06 Tracking nervous system state: strategies and awareness ... 00:46:41 Therapy limitations: biology and somatic integration ... 00:48:42 Retraining vs. managing symptoms, stabilization, and healing ... 00:54:53 Capacity, resilience, lessons from centenarians, and longevity ... 01:00:06 Trauma's impact on mitochondria, telomeres, and generational health ... 01:06:27 Gut microbiome and trauma: two-way connection ... 01:08:03   Our Amazing Sponsors: Manukora Honey - rich, creamy Manuka honey packed with powerful bioactives, all in just one heaped teaspoon a day. Go to MANUKORA.com/NAT to save up to 31% plus $25 in free gifts with the Starter Kit.   Mitopure Longevity Gummies by Timeline — Clinically backed Urolithin A supports mitochondrial health to boost energy, recovery, and healthy aging, all in an easy daily gummy instead of another pill; go to timeline.com/nat20 for 20% off Mitopure Gummies.   Ozlo - use smart sound engineering and sleep detection to help you stay in deeper, more stable sleep all night. Create your ideal sleep environment anywhere: go to ozlosleep.com/nat and use code NAT to get $75 off.   Nat's Links:  YouTube Channel Join My Membership Community Sign up for My Newsletter  Instagram  Dr. Bill Lawrence Episode

➡️ 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

Happy Sunday! We are still celebrating six years of the  “And The Church Said” podcast!

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

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

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 

Longevity isn't just workouts, supplements, and recovery tools, it starts with nervous system health. In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian explains what trauma actually is (not a label, but a measurable physiological response), how the body shifts from stress into overwhelm, and why “pushing through” often turns into years of avoidance, numbing, and hidden internal strain.She breaks down the biology behind the trauma response, including the role of adrenaline, cortisol timing, and how mitochondrial capacity influences resilience. You'll also learn her practical, body-based approach to creating “safe enough” in real time, plus the three phases of healing: safety, support, and expansion, so you don't stay stuck avoiding triggers forever.In this conversation:Stress vs trauma response (and what changes physiologically)Why adrenaline drives the response and cortisol arrives laterHow the body stores trauma as patterns, not just memoriesThe 3 nervous system states and the thoughts they generateA simple somatic exercise to build safety in the bodyWhy devices/meds can be bridges, not the destinationUsing biomarkers + wearables without fooling yourselfWhy modern media can create vicarious traumaJoin the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women's health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you'll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-memberConnect with Kayla:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevityTwitter:https://x.com/femalelongevityWebsite:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@KaylaBarnesLentzSpotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.comLearn more about Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigianWebsite: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/Order her Book “The Biology of Trauma”: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/book

Trauma isn't just something that lives in our minds. It has a profound impact on our biology. In this episode, Dr. Ritamarie sits down with Dr. Aimie Apigian, a double board-certified physician and expert in trauma biology, to explore the hidden impact of trauma on metabolism, immunity, and the nervous system. Dr. Apigian explains how unresolved trauma can trigger physical symptoms, including chronic illness.You'll discover the biological processes that make trauma a root cause of illness, why the body keeps the score, and how trauma creates a feedback loop that keeps people stuck in their symptoms. Dr. Apigian shares actionable strategies for practitioners and self-healers to help break the trauma cycle, understand the body's response, and guide their clients toward healing.What's Inside This Episode?How unresolved trauma rewires your metabolism, immunity, and nervous systemThe "Body Trauma Loop": Why trauma keeps you in fight or flightHow childhood trauma shapes adult health, metabolism, and immunityThe 3-phase healing process: From safety to expansionWhy “little T” trauma can be just as damaging as “big T” traumaHow to recognize when trauma is the root cause of chronic symptomsResources and Links:Download the full transcript hereDownload our FREE Guide to Fasting for Health and LongevityJoin the Next-Level Health Practitioner Facebook group here for free resources and community supportVisit INEMethod.com for advanced practitioner training and tools to elevate your clinical skillsCheck out other podcast episodes hereGuest Resources and Links:Dr. Aimie Apigian's Website: biologyoftrauma.comDr. Aimie Apigian's Book - The Biology of Trauma: Get the book hereDr. Aimie Apigian's Podcast:...

We've been taught to avoid it — to hide it, shame it, or outwork it. But what if failure isn't the thing that destroys confidence… what if it's the thing that builds it? In this episode of This Is Woman's Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with Jane Chen, co-founder of Embrace Global and author of Like a Wave, We Break, to talk about what happens when success collapses — and why that moment might be the most honest, transformative chapter of your life. Jane shares the raw story of losing the company she poured a decade into, how her identity unraveled alongside it, and the healing journey that followed — from redefining resilience and self-worth to learning how to listen to her body, sit with discomfort, and rebuild from a place of authenticity instead of achievement. This conversation dives deep into: Why failure is a confidence builder, not a confidence killer How achievement can become a trauma response Separating your worth from your results, titles, and accolades Knowing when to keep pushing — and when it's time to stop The role of self-compassion, community, and psychological safety in leadership Why breaking isn't the end… it's often the beginning Because confidence isn't built by never falling apart. It's built by trusting yourself to rise again. This episode is a powerful reminder that failure, fear, and doubt aren't detours — they're part of the path. When we stop chasing perfection and start honoring what's real, we build the kind of confidence that actually lasts. Thank you to our sponsors! Sex is a skill. Beducated is where you learn it. Visit https://beducate.me/bg2602-womanswork and use code womanswork for 50% off the annual pass. Shopify has everything all in one place, making your life easier and your business operations smoother. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/tiww Connect with Jane Website: https://www.janemariechen.com Book: https://www.amazon.com/Like-Wave-We-Break-Falling/dp/0593582349 IG: https://www.instagram.com/janemarie.chen/?hl=en  LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janemariechen/ FB: www.facebook.com/janemariechen  Tiktok: @janemariechen TEDtalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_marie_chen_what_losing_everything_taught_me_about_resilience Related Podcast Episodes: The Biology Of Trauma - And How To Heal It with Dr. Aimie Apigian | 346 How To Listen When Your Parts Speak (IFS Therapy + Ancestral Wisdom) with Tamala Floyd | 376 Five Habits of Hope with Dr. Julia Garcia | 365 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform!

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:

Emotional trauma doesn't just live in your mind; it physically reshapes your biology, driving autoimmunity, fatigue, mysterious pain flares, and raising long-term disease risk. In this episode with Dr. Aimie Apigian, author of the runaway bestseller The Biology of Trauma, we uncover exactly how unprocessed emotional experiences (including the hidden epidemic of neglect) create a chronic freeze state in the nervous system that results in inflammation, toxin accumulation, and self-attack diseases. She explains why so many high-achieving women feel exhausted despite "doing everything right," and how perfectionism, shame, and buried insecurity are often trauma responses showing up as physical symptoms. We also talk about practical phases of nervous-system healing, starting with safety, so you don't retraumatize yourself trying to "fix" everything at once. This episode is for anyone tired of deciphering lab numbers while the real root stays invisible.   "If we're holding onto our trauma, it literally creates the conditions in which it invites different toxins that then make us sick." - Dr. Aimie Apigian   In This Episode: - Why trauma is the missing conversation in medicine - The body holds onto unresolved experiences - Emotional trauma and why neglect is the most common form - Defining neglect: why "too little for too long" is dangerous - Physical symptoms of emotional trauma - Three phases of safe trauma healing - How to heal from unconscious body-held trauma - Where to find The Biology of Trauma book   Products & Resources Mentioned: Biology of Trauma: Get your copy here: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/book Puori Grass-Fed Whey Protein: Get 32% off + free $25 shaker on first subscription with code WENDY at http://Puori.com/wendy  Tru Energy Skincare Facial Serum: Special listener offer at https://trytruenergy.com/wendy  Organifi Collagen: 20% off with code MYERSDETOX at https://organifi.com/myersdetox  Chef's Foundry P600 Ceramic Cookware: 50% off sitewide + extra 20% with code WENDY20 at https://chefsfoundry.com  Heavy Metals Quiz:Take it for free at https://heavymetalsquiz.com    About Dr. Aimie Apigian: Dr. Aimie Apigian is a preventive & addiction medicine physician with master's degrees in biochemistry and public health. She's the national bestselling author of The Biology of Trauma and creator of nervous-system healing courses and a practitioner certification program that bridges functional medicine, attachment theory, and trauma resolution. Her work focuses on how the body physiologically stores fear and overwhelm from the past — and how releasing it changes health outcomes. Learn more at https://biologyoftrauma.com    Disclaimer The Myers Detox Podcast was created and hosted by Dr. Wendy Myers. This podcast is for information purposes only. Statements and views expressed on this podcast are not medical advice. This podcast, including Wendy Myers and the producers, disclaims responsibility for any possible adverse effects from using the information contained herein. The opinions of guests are their own, and this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests. This podcast does not make any representations or warranties about guests' qualifications or credibility. Individuals on this podcast may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to herein. If you think you have a medical problem, consult a licensed physician.

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!

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!

Almost everyone alive has had some form of trauma. Whether it's obvious or hidden, big or small, trauma leaves a lasting imprint on our minds and bodies.In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Aimie Apigian, a double board-certified physician and leading voice in the biology of trauma.She decodes the dynamic relationship between our past trauma and our body - both our physical & psychic body and how trauma affects us physically.Can healing the trauma resolve our physical ailments? Are chronic illnesses caused or exacerbated by past trauma? At what point does the stress caused by trauma turn into overwhelm? Can we overcome the detrimental (and sometimes devastating) effects of trauma on our well-being? These are some of the pertinent questions we tackle in this episode.Please join us in this enlightening conversation.Key TakeawaysIntroduction (00:00)Understanding trauma and its prevalence (03:20)Identifying and addressing trauma patterns (08:37)The biology of trauma and its impact (13:45)Strategies for trauma recovery (22:27)Practical tools for trauma recovery (41:59)Additional Resources:✨ Get the Biology of Trauma Book here: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/book✨ Connect with Dr. Aimie Apigian: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/✨ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAimieApigian —✨ Learn more about how to live a long and pain-free life: https://joykongmd.com/ ✨ Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stemcelldrjoy/ ✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_joy_kong/ —Dr. Joy Kong is a regenerative medicine and anti-aging expert. Her podcast is part of her mission to reduce suffering and elevate happiness. Join us every week for the latest holistic health insights that will help you live a long and pain-free life.

Download my free guided meditation audio bundle here: https://www.thewellnessengineer.com/audio-bundle  In this episode of Wellness by Design, we have Part 2 with a compilation of eleven new 2025 guest responses to the question: "What's the ONE thing a person could do today that's going to begin to initiate healing in the body?" The range of responses is interesting and enlightening! In last week's episode, we shared Part 1, watch it here. ⏰ 01:55 - Episode #218 Anna Rahe ⏰ 02:55 - Episode #219 Steven Wright ⏰ 04:15 - Episode #221 Dr. David Hanscom ⏰ 05:55 - Episode #222 Dr. Sanda Moldovan ⏰ 07:19 - Episode #223 Dr. Aimie Apigian ⏰ 08:00 - Episode #225 Dr. Piper Gibson ⏰ 09:08 - Episode #227 James Barry ⏰ 11:28 - Episode #230 Pearly Montagu ⏰ 13:16 - Episode #231 Howard Schubiner ⏰ 13:51 - Episode #233 Dr. Myra Reed ⏰ 14:55 - Episode #234 Dr. Doni Wilson Listen to Wellness By Design on the go with these apps: Apple Podcasts Spotify iHeart Radio Subscribe, rate and review! Hi there! I am Jane Hogan, the Wellness Engineer, and the host of Wellness By Design. I spent 30 years designing foundations for buildings until the pain and inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis led me to hang up my hard hat and follow my heart. Now I blend my backgrounds in science and spirituality to teach people how to tap into the power of their mind, body and soul. I help them release pain naturally so they can become the best version of themselves.  Wellness By Design is a show dedicated to helping people achieve wellness not by reacting to the world around them but by intentionally designing a life based on what their own body needs. In this show we explore practices, methods and science that contribute to releasing pain and inflammation naturally. Learn more at https://thewellnessengineer.com Would you like to learn how to release pain by creating more peace and calm?  Download my free guided meditation audio bundle here: https://www.thewellnessengineer.com/audio-bundle  Connect with Jane:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaneHoganHealth/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewellnessengineer/    DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition before undertaking any diet, exercise, supplement, health program, or other procedure discussed in this podcast.  

In this deeply personal solo episode, Darin shares how to truly thrive through the holidays — not by white-knuckling your way through obligations, but by protecting your energy, honoring your body, and healing what's ready to be released. From food and supplements to trauma, forgiveness, boundaries, and future-self visualization, this episode is a roadmap for turning the holiday season into a period of restoration, clarity, and intentional creation.     What You'll Learn (Timecodes) [00:00] Welcome to SuperLife — sovereignty, possibility, and building a SuperLife together [00:32] Sponsor: EnergyBits — why spirulina and chlorella are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet [01:51] Thriving through the holidays — why this conversation goes deeper than food, fitness, and supplements [02:14] An honest check-in — are you enjoying the holidays or just trying to survive them? [03:10] Holiday triggers — why the season activates stress, old patterns, and family dynamics [03:41] The real goal — moving from white-knuckling to truly thriving [04:00] The power of questions — how inquiry opens intuition, clarity, and deeper listening [04:30] Defining the holidays — choosing love, connection, and generosity over pressure and obligation [05:28] Family roles and energetic boxes — outgrowing old identities while being around family [05:56] Energy economics — why obligation silently depletes your vitality [06:10] The thriving question — what would it take for your physical, emotional, and spiritual health to flourish? [06:28] A healing opportunity — addressing old wounds instead of pushing them down [06:56] Emotional release — why forgiveness heals you, not the other person [07:11] Permission to dream — using the holidays as a reset rather than a pause [07:25] Releasing judgment — letting go of pain without denying what you've lived through [07:40] Resilience and self-love — how self-love strengthens the nervous system [07:59] Nervous system capacity — why healing expands your ability to receive life [08:19] Presence over performance — why the holidays aren't about perfection [08:31] Practical strategies — eating well and maintaining discipline without waiting for January 1st [09:15] Environment design — why willpower alone doesn't work [09:30] Visualization as identity training — choosing who you want to be before the event [10:01] Darin's personal approach — sharing transparency rather than a prescription [10:09] Protecting energy — choosing not to go home for the holidays without guilt [10:57] Conscious boundaries — why clarity builds the future you want [11:49] Creating new traditions — why this is the most excited Darin has felt about the holidays [12:15] A year of rebuilding — closing a long cycle of challenge and stepping into what's next [13:03] Sponsor: Our Place Cookware — why non-toxic cookware matters for long-term health [15:39] Releasing early wounds — how unresolved birth trauma shows up as physical pain [16:38] Compassion and history — understanding family addiction and patterns without excusing them [17:36] Shedding the old — how excavation creates space for new love and opportunity [18:11] Building momentum — creating safety and love for the year ahead [18:51] Nourishment rhythms — simple, clean food as a reflection of inner clarity [19:31] Strength from pain — why strength equals resilience on every level [20:04] Darin's supplement stack — mitochondria, minerals, adaptogens, and hormone support [22:02] Nervous system regulation — NuCalm, meditation, and future-self visualization [23:09] Deep regulation tools — red light therapy, sauna, and creating stillness [25:02] Connection over content — replacing screen time with meaningful evening rituals [26:23] Future vision — integrating supplements, technology, and purpose-driven work [27:41] Creation as fuel — how intentional creation restores energy [27:57] Final holiday guidance — protect your energy, honor your body, and heal your heart [28:10] You are not alone — permission to build a life that feels good [28:45] Protecting attention — minimizing algorithmic noise to maintain intention [29:12] Leading from the heart — how one year of intention can change everything [29:30] Closing message — thriving, courage, and living your SuperLife [30:08] Join the SuperLife Patreon — where the deeper work continues [31:12] End of episode     Thank You to Our Sponsors: EnergyBits: Get 20% off your entire order by going to https://energybits.com/ and using code DARIN at checkout. Our Place: Toxic-free, durable cookware that supports healthy cooking. Go to their website at fromourplace.com/darin and get 35% off sitewide in their largest sale of the year.     Join the SuperLife Community Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions: Weekly voice notes Ingredient deep dives Wellness challenges Energy + consciousness tools Community accountability Extended episodes Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien     Find More from Darin Olien: Instagram: @darinolien Podcast: SuperLife Podcast Website: superlife.com Book: Fatal Conveniences     Key Takeaway The holidays don't have to drain you. They can restore you — if you choose intentionally, protect your energy, and lead from the heart.     Past Podcasts Addressing Trauma Dr. Jessica Stavale: Beyond the Muscle—How Fascia Can Free You from Chronic Pain Date: October 3, 2025 Focus: Explores how the fascia (connective tissue) acts as a "quantum interface" that stores unprocessed trauma and emotions, and how to release it through physical therapy and breath. Link: Listen on Apple Podcasts Stress Isn't the Enemy — It's the Message You've Been Ignoring Date: November 13, 2025 Focus: A solo episode where Darin discusses "hidden trauma" and how old wounds unconsciously drive our stress responses, offering tools like grounding and nature immersion to reset the nervous system. Link: Listen on Apple Podcasts Dr. Aimie Apigian: How Trauma Lives in the Body—and How to Finally Let It Go Date: August 1, 2025 Focus: Features Dr. Aimie Apigian, a biology of trauma expert, discussing the three layers of trauma repair (mind, body, biology) and why you cannot just "think" your way out of trauma responses. Link: Listen on Apple Podcasts Jeff Turner: How Music and Creativity Heal Trauma Date: June 27, 2025 Focus: An interview with freestyle artist Jeff Turner about his journey through the foster care system and how he used creativity and "flow state" to process deep emotional wounds and finding community. Link: Listen on Apple Podcasts Mastering Stress, Anxiety, and PTSD in a Chaotic World Date: January 23, 2025 Focus: Darin shares his personal experience with the California wildfires to discuss PTSD, resilience, and science-backed strategies for managing acute stress and anxiety. Link: Listen on Apple Podcasts Dr. Olivia Audrey: Why 7 Days Can Change Your Health Forever Date: January 17, 2025 Focus: Discusses the "circaseptan rhythm" (7-day biological cycle) and specifically touches on birth trauma as a foundational body memory that impacts healing cycles. Link: Listen on Apple Podcasts

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.

I'm one of millions of women specifically trying to parent themselves while parenting children… and it can be seriously exhausting. And when childhood trauma still comes back to haunt us in midlife and beyond, life can feel impossible.  That's why I've invited trauma expert Anna Runkle on for this powerful episode to help unpack why so many midlife women are still impacted by old trauma, and how that buried stress shows up in our bodies.  We dive into the hidden ways trauma can lead us to isolate, dysregulate our nervous system, and disrupt key hormones like cortisol, dopamine, and serotonin.  Anna and I break down how this cascade of stress and deregulation can spark inflammation, oxidative stress, blood-sugar swings, and even contribute to autoimmune issues that so many women face.  But most importantly, Anna shares simple, compassionate tools to help regulate your nervous system and finally begin healing the deeper patterns driving overwhelm in midlife.  Ready to feel more grounded in this season of life? Hit play and listen now! Anna Runkle Anna Runkle is the creator of the popular YouTube channel, blog, courses, and coaching programs that provide tools for adults to heal dysregulation and other common trauma symptoms, helping them feel better and change their lives. Anna's methods were developed through research, her mentoring of hundreds of individuals over the years, and her direct experience healing her own symptoms of early trauma. She's the author of Re-Regulated: Set Your Life Free from Childhood PTSD and the Trauma-Driven Behaviors That Keep You Stuck and Connectability: Heal the Hidden Ways You Isolate, Find Your People, and Feel (At Last) Like You Belong.  IN THIS EPISODE Understanding nervous system deregulation  How Anna learned to adapt after childhood trauma  Symptoms that can manifest from over-functioning  How to manage stressors and stay regulated day to day  Top ways we can start to regulate, especially when deregulated  How connection can be a huge tool for healing  Free resources and where you can find more from Anna!  QUOTES“All these weird symptoms that I had… It's neurological dysregulation. It's really normal. Everybody gets dysregulated sometimes, but those of us who are traumatized as kids are often more prone to it. It happens more easily. It's more intense. It's harder to get out of.” “Early trauma is very strongly correlated later in life with high rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, reproductive disorders, just about everything bad.” “Those three things– dysregulation, disconnection, and self-defeating behavior– those are the things that can just take you out and keep you stuck in trauma forever. So the good news is you can learn to reregulate.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Order Anna's Book: CONNECTABILITY: Heal the Hidden Ways You Isolate, Find Your People, And Feel (At Last) Like You Belong HERE Order Anna's other book: Re-Regulated: Set Your Life Free from Childhood PTSD and the Trauma-Driven Behaviors That Keep You Stuck HERE Anna's Website Anna Runkle on YouTube Anna Runkle on Instagram 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 #629: Unlocking Emotional Resilience with Awareness, Lifestyle and Tools to Regulate Your Stress Triggers with Dr. Drew Ramsey 685: End Emotional Outsourcing: Break Free from Codependency, Perfectionism & People-Pleasing with Beatriz Albina #308: What Is Trauma and How Does It Make Us Sick? with Dr. Elena Villanueva

Chinese medicine may help explain why stored trauma causes old patterns to resurface when we least expect it. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Lorne Brown, a leader in integrative reproductive health and Chinese medicine who brings 25 years of clinical experience to the conversation. We explore the concept of qi stagnation and how it aligns with chronic functional freeze. Dr. Brown explains why the body stores overwhelming experiences in layers as a survival mechanism, and why that strategy begins to unravel around midlife when our resources shift. If you're in perimenopause or menopause and noticing old symptoms or emotions stirring again, this conversation offers a new lens for understanding what the body is trying to communicate. In this episode you'll learn: [00:02:00] The Body's Layered Storage System: How Chinese medicine understands stored trauma as a three-layer defense mechanism designed to protect our vital organs [00:05:30] Why Around Age 40, Everything Changes: The body stops using resources to suppress stored energy and begins asking us to finally process it [00:08:00] Perimenopause as a Tipping Point: Why hormone fluctuations shrink our window of tolerance and reveal what we've been holding [00:11:32] The Second Spring: Chinese medicine's perspective on menopause as a spiritual awakening where resources redirect to the heart center [00:13:24] Qi Stagnation & Functional Freeze: The connection between stuck energy and chronic patterns of protection in the nervous system [00:17:00] The Radio Metaphor: How emotions are meant to move through us like a song, and what happens when we hit repeat [00:21:14] When Healed Trauma Returns: Why perimenopause can bring back symptoms and emotions we thought we'd resolved [00:28:40] Safety as the Foundation: Why Chinese medicine agrees that creating safety is the essential first step for allowing stagnation to move [00:34:44] Sound, Laser & Frequency Medicine: Tools that bypass the mind and work directly with the cells and nervous system [00:43:07] Notice, Accept, Choose Again: Dr. Brown's NAC process for metabolizing uncomfortable feelings and restoring flow Main Takeaways Emotions are the number one cause of disease in Chinese medicine. The classic Stored trauma is intelligent, not broken. The body stores overwhelming experiences to protect us. This isn't a fault—it's a brilliant survival mechanism that keeps strong emotions from reaching vital organs where serious disease develops. Around age 40, the body changes its strategy. Resources that once kept difficult experiences suppressed get redirected toward longevity. The body essentially says: "You're not four anymore. It's time to deal with this." Perimenopause reveals capacity gaps. Hormone fluctuations create internal stress. If our window of tolerance is already narrow, perimenopause shrinks it further—and stored patterns surface as symptoms. Qi stagnation is functional freeze. When we resist, suppress, or fight what we feel, energy gets stuck in tissues. When we allow feelings to move through us, we restore flow and health. Safety creates the conditions for release. Without felt safety, the body contracts and stagnation deepens. Creating safety—through breath, movement, acupuncture, sound—allows the system to finally let go. The healing journey is ongoing. If something still triggers a somatic response, there's more work to do. This isn't failure—it's an opportunity to clean up the system and restore flow. Notable Quotes "It's not always the situation that causes the experience inside. It's how you perceive it." "When we're children, we don't have the capacity to process and metabolize these strong emotions. But as we get older, the body eventually says, you need to deal with this." "It's in the name—emotion. Energy in motion. So emotions are you feeling the flow of qi in your body." "You have to feel it to heal it. And if you resist it, it persists." "I don't care if you've worked it a million times. If it still has a somatic response, that's your message from your body that you get to work it one million and one times." Episode Takeaway This conversation gave me language for something I've felt in my own body for years. Dr. Brown's explanation of why the body stores overwhelming experiences in layers—and why it eventually stops spending resources to keep them hidden—makes so much sense when I think about what happens around midlife. For so long, I resisted my own freeze response. I hated it. I didn't want to accept it or feel it. And yet it was always there, waiting for me. What I've come to understand, and what Dr. Brown articulates so beautifully through the lens of Chinese medicine, is that resistance creates stagnation. Fighting what we feel amplifies it. The invitation here isn't to dig up the past or analyze every event. It's simpler than that: when something surfaces, can we notice it without taking it personally? Can we let it move through rather than hitting repeat? Our body has been protecting us brilliantly. Now it's asking us to finally tend to what it's been holding. That's not a setback—that's partnership. Resources/Guides: Biology of Trauma book — Available now everywhere books are sold. Get your copy Foundational Journey — If you are ready to create 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. Connect with Dr. Lorne Brown at Acubalance.ca, LorneBrown.com, and the Conscious Fertility Podcast Related Podcast Episodes: My conversation on Dr. Lorne's Conscious Fertility Podcast, Episode 124: The Biology of Trauma: Your Issues Are Stuck in Your Tissues Episode 56: Hormones: A Portal Into Our Stored Trauma Episode 23: What is The Parasympathetic State and Why Does It Matter? Episode 74: Why Stored Traumas Become Syndromes & Somatic Solutions with Peter Levine   About the Guest: Dr. Lorne Brown is the founder of Acubalance Wellness Center, where he introduced IVF acupuncture to Vancouver clinics in 2002. Starting his career as a chartered accountant and CPA, he brings analytical precision to integrative reproductive and hormone health. A certified clinical hypnotherapist trained in multiple energy psychology modalities, Dr. Brown developed the NAC process (Notice, Accept, Choose Again) to help people metabolize stuck emotions and create nervous system safety. He is the author of The Acubalance Fertility Diet and The Acubalance Longevity Diet for Perimenopause and Menopause, and hosts the Conscious Fertility Podcast. 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

Many high-achieving people look successful on the outside while part of them remains frozen in childhood survival patterns. Through the Biology of Trauma® lens, I share how trauma disrupts the natural flow and movement of life—and the healing roadmap that takes us from stuck to truly alive. If we've ever wondered why we can reach every external goal and still feel disconnected from our own life, this episode explains why. I share Elena's story, a 45-year-old Chief Operating Officer whose autoimmune diagnosis revealed what her body had been holding for decades. When her thirteen-year-old daughter had thoughts of suicide—and felt she couldn't talk to her mom—Elena finally understood: a part of her had been frozen since before she could walk. We'll explore how nervous system dysregulation shows up as professional success masking emotional unavailability. We'll see how trauma stops our natural movement through life—and discover the six-step roadmap from survival to authenticity, belonging, and flow. In this episode you'll learn: [00:00] Why successful people can still be frozen in survival patterns from childhood [02:15] How Elena's birth trauma created a freeze response before she could walk [06:40] The moment her daughter's crisis revealed decades of emotional unavailability [09:10] Trauma defined: the biggest disruptor of movement in our life [12:45] Why everything inside us is movement—and what happens when trauma stops it [16:05] The healing destination: authenticity, belonging, and flow as what it means to be alive [19:50] Why state shifts matter more than neuroplasticity on your healing journey [24:05] How neuroplasticity wires in whatever state you're in—including overwhelm [26:30] The six-step roadmap: from "I am alive" to connection with others [28:15] How Elena broke the generational cycle with her daughters Main Takeaways: Trauma Is the Biggest Disruptor of Movement: Trauma isn't just an event—it's the shock that stops us. It disrupts movement at every level: physical, emotional, relational, and through our life stages. Successful and Frozen Can Coexist: High achievement doesn't mean our nervous system is regulated. Elena built an impressive career while part of her remained that terrified little girl, hiding and staying still to survive. State Shifts Come Before Neuroplasticity: Whatever state we're in is what neuroplasticity wires in. If we're frequently in stress and overwhelm, our brain builds pathways that make that pattern automatic. We must shift our state first. The Destination Is Authenticity, Belonging, and Flow: These three elements define what it means to be truly alive—free to be ourselves, grounded in connection, and moving with ease through life. You Can't Skip the Sequence: The roadmap follows a specific order: recognizing we're alive, choosing to live, shifting our state, being here, wanting to be here, deserving to be here, and finally connecting with others. Each step prepares us for the next. Healing Breaks Generational Patterns: When Elena addressed her frozen patterns, her daughters noticed changes they never expected. The "resting bitch face" disappeared. Presence replaced absence. Notable Quotes: "Trauma becomes the biggest disruptor of movement in our life." "I can still see myself as a little girl, hiding with my dolls, quiet, still and absolutely terrified." "Whatever state we are in is what neuroplasticity wires in." "Being in calm alive can actually become a habit. Imagine that." "Your body's decision to freeze wasn't a failure—it was survival. But you don't have to stay frozen." "My 12-year-old girl didn't realize that I had grown up and that I am alive—which means that she did it. She made it. We're alive." Episode Takeaway: Frozen doesn't mean broken. Elena's story reveals what happens when trauma stops our natural movement through life—not just physical movement, but emotional presence, relational connection, and our ability to truly arrive in the life we've built. Her freeze response began at birth, reinforced through childhood, and showed up decades later as professional success masking emotional unavailability. Her daughters felt it. Her body felt it. Her autoimmune diagnosis confirmed it. The healing roadmap offers a way forward. First, we help that frozen part recognize we're alive—that survival happened. Then we consciously choose to live, rather than simply existing because we had no choice. We learn to shift our state into calm and aliveness, practicing until it becomes our new default. And finally, we move through the deeper work: being here, wanting to be here, deserving to be here, and opening to genuine connection with others. Neuroplasticity works for or against us depending on our state. If overwhelm has become our habit, our brain has built pathways that take us there automatically. But when we build the habit of calm aliveness first, neuroplasticity starts working in our favor. The destination isn't perfection—it's authenticity, belonging, and flow. Movement is possible. Coming home to ourselves is possible. Resources/Guides: 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 9: What is One Thing the Freeze Response Needs for Healing? (Part 2) with Dr. Arielle Schwartz Episode 87: Stress & Freeze Response: How to Achieve & Sustain High Performance with Olympian Louise Tjernqvist Episode 142: Why Stress Isn't Trauma: How to Spot Overwhelm and Start Healing Your Nervous System 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.

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.

Why does groundbreaking research on mind-body medicine disappear without a trace? How do emotional factors create conditions for chronic illness and autoimmune disease decades later? What happens when a Harvard study shows severe PTSD doubles ovarian cancer risk—and the medical system simply ignores it? Dr. Gabor Maté joins me to discuss the writing process behind The Myth of Normal, his 19-week New York Times bestseller bringing together decades of research on trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and how emotional factors drive physical disease. We explore why mind-body unity—understood since Socrates 2,600 years ago—remains controversial in mainstream medicine despite overwhelming scientific evidence. Gabor addresses the most damaging misconception about his work: that he blames parents and patients. Whether we're trauma-informed practitioners, healing from chronic illness, or parents navigating guilt and shame, we'll understand why this conversation about mind-body medicine is finally reaching people—even when the medical system isn't ready.   In this episode you'll learn: [01:59] The Myth of Normal Journey: How 10 years of research and 20,000 articles became a 500-page synthesis of trauma biology [04:00] Writing for Critics Made Me Sick: Why trying to convince skeptics creates the very trauma biology we're studying [06:00] Harvard's 1939 Buried Truth: Soma Weiss's lecture on emotional factors equaling physical factors—and why it's still ignored [07:42] PTSD Doubles Ovarian Cancer Risk: Harvard study the average gynecologist never read—and what it means for trauma healing [09:40] People Are Ready, Systems Aren't: Why this trauma revolution is happening at the grassroots level first [13:53] New York Times Bestseller Doesn't Equal Happiness: The personal lesson about achievement and inner state [16:00] The Biggest Misconception: Addressing the damaging claim that Gabor blames parents and patients for illness [18:00] ADHD, Genes, and Environment: Why genetic sensitivity plus stressed parents creates attention dysregulation—without blame   Main Takeaways: Mind-Body Unity Isn't New Science: Socrates recognized 2,600 years ago that separating mind from body was medicine's fundamental error, and Harvard professor Soma Weiss lectured in 1939 that emotional factors equal physical factors in disease causation and healing. This isn't cutting-edge discovery—it's forgotten wisdom the medical system repeatedly buries. Scientific Evidence Disappears in the Bermuda Triangle: Hundreds of peer-reviewed studies demonstrate trauma's biological impact on chronic illness, autoimmune disease, and cancer risk, yet research doesn't change medicine when ideology creates blind spots. A Harvard study showed severe PTSD doubles ovarian cancer risk, but the average gynecologist never reads it. Empowerment, Not Blame, Changes Lives: Understanding that stress affects multiple sclerosis relapse risk or that the environment acts on ADHD genes doesn't blame patients or parents—it empowers them. Knowledge of how trauma creates conditions for illness provides agency to address root causes rather than remaining passive recipients of symptomatic care. Mitochondrial Dysfunction Extends the Mind-Body Framework: While The Myth of Normal covers mind-body unity comprehensively, Biology of Trauma® goes deeper to subcellular levels—showing how trauma affects mitochondria, cellular energy production, and the biology underneath symptoms.   Notable Quotes: "Socrates said 2,600 years ago in ancient Greece that the problem with the doctors today is they separate the mind from the body." "Emotional factors are at least as important in the causation of disease as physiological factors, and must be at least as important in the healing." (From the 1939 Harvard lecture) "You can have the same genes and have ADHD or not have ADHD. What makes the difference is how the environment acts on those genes." "Trauma is so ubiquitous in this culture and it's so poorly understood and addressed in the healing profession." "The change will happen at the level of people, not at the system. The people will demand the system change."   Episode Takeaway: What struck me most in this conversation with Gabor is how the desperate need to convince skeptical colleagues stems from our earliest attachment patterns where authority figures' opinions determined our safety. This is why writing to prove ourselves to critics creates the very nervous system dysregulation our trauma work addresses. Mind-body unity isn't revolutionary new science—it's 2,600 years of wisdom that mainstream medicine repeatedly buries. When Harvard published research in 1939 showing emotional factors equal physical factors in disease, and recent studies demonstrate severe PTSD doubles ovarian cancer risk, the medical system's silence isn't about lack of evidence but about ideological blind spots. The revolution happening now shows people are ready for this conversation even when systems aren't. As chronic illness increases, people seek understanding of how stored trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and emotional factors create conditions for autoimmune disease, cancer, and ADHD decades later. This isn't about blaming parents or patients—it's about empowering us with agency to address root causes. External achievement doesn't heal unresolved trauma, but the gratitude when we stop trying to convince critics and instead empower people with truth makes it worthwhile. We're catching a wave we're also generating. The system will change when people demand it.   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.  Check out Dr. Gabor Maté's book, The Myth of Normal.  Related Episodes: Episode 39: How Does Trauma Manifest in the Body with Gabor Maté Episode 66: Gabor Maté: The Biology Piece We Have Missed In Trauma & Depression (Part 1) Episode 67: Gabor Maté: Healing Trauma and Chronic Illness Through Connection (Part 2)   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.  

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

Flute 360 | Episode 350: "Flute Practice Hack — Get Off the Page and Reignite Your Creativity" Are you ready for a flute practice hack that will completely change how you approach your instrument? In this episode, Dr. Heidi Kay Begay shares how to get off the page and reignite your creativity—so your practice sessions feel inspired, effective, and fun again. If you've been playing the same passage over and over, expecting new results, this conversation is your permission slip to break the pattern. Heidi offers simple, refreshing flute practice tips that help you rediscover musical joy and overcome technical roadblocks.

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.

Many people struggle with anxiety, relationship patterns, or chronic health conditions without realizing these challenges stem from attachment trauma stored in the body. Attachment isn't just about relationship styles or emotional patterns—it lives in our nervous system, immune system, and cellular biology, creating survival mechanisms that formed before we could even walk. In this episode, I reveal how attachment trauma begins in utero and shapes three distinct childhood survival styles that show up in your life today. I share my own rocking chair moment with my adopted son Miguel, explaining how that experience led me to discover the three critical elements that create secure or insecure attachment: attunement, neurodevelopment, and biology. You'll learn about the six types of attachment pain—from "hold me" to "love me"—and discover why people-pleasing, perfectionism, chronic overwhelm, and even autoimmune conditions trace back to these early survival adaptations. Whether you're a professional working with attachment issues, someone recognizing your own patterns, or a parent wanting to break intergenerational cycles, this episode bridges conventional psychology with nervous system regulation and functional medicine. You'll understand why traditional talk therapy often hits a wall with attachment healing, and what becomes possible when you address the body's stored attachment pain across all three levels: mind, body, and biology. In this episode, you'll learn: [00:00:22] Why attachment trauma lives in your body's cells and immune system, not just your relationship patterns [00:05:11] Three critical elements that create secure or insecure attachment: attunement, neurodevelopment, and biology [00:10:32] Critical Element #1 - Attunement: The trust cycle and co-regulation through eye contact, touch, and need responsiveness [00:15:34] The Rope Test: discovering your primary childhood survival style in relationships when survival feels at stake [00:18:48] Critical Element #2 - Neurodevelopment: How tummy time and crawling gaps create anxiety, ADHD, and sensory issues [00:24:41] Critical Element #3 - Biology: Which neurotransmitters promote connection versus protection in your nervous system [00:27:49] Attachment Pain #1 - Hold Me: Early holding needs and global high intensity activation pattern [00:30:02] Attachment Pain #2 - Hear Me: When your needs weren't heard and you learned to rescue others while feeling empty [00:32:56] Attachment Pain #3 - Support Me: Movement support gaps that create "I can't" default thinking and overwhelm [00:35:22] Attachment Pain #4 - See Me & Attachment Pain #5 - Understand Me: Being different and unique, yet feeling drained when people don't understand you [00:37:05] Attachment Pain #6 - Love Me: Perfectionism, high inner anxiety, and the fear of being unlovable [00:40:35] The repair approach: addressing body, mind, and biology across all six attachment pain types Main Takeaways: Attachment Lives in Your Body, Your Mind: Attachment trauma isn't only about relationship patterns or emotional wounds—it's stored in your nervous system, immune system, digestive system, and cells. Your body holds muscle memory of childhood survival patterns that show up as chronic health conditions, hypervigilance, people-pleasing, and perfectionism decades later. Three Critical Elements Create Your Attachment Foundation: Attunement (co-regulation through touch and responsiveness), neurodevelopment (movement milestones like crawling), and biology (neurotransmitter balance) all determine whether you developed secure or insecure attachment. Gaps in any one of these elements create attachment pain that requires repair across all three levels. The Trust Cycle Builds Nervous System Security: When babies experience the repeated pattern of need-dysregulation-need met-regulation-connection, they develop inborn trust that "when I have a need, I'm going to be okay because they always come." Without enough repetitions of this trust cycle, the body stores the belief that survival depends on protection rather than connection. Your Childhood Survival Style Shows Up Today: The Rope Test reveals whether you pull people close, push them away, or feel confused in relationships when your survival feels threatened. These aren't conscious choices—they're stored patterns from how your young self had to survive. Whether pulling close or pushing away, both responses come from protection mode, not connection. Six Sequential Attachment Pains Create Distinct Patterns: Hold me (birth to months), hear me (first year), support me (second year), see me (age three), understand me (age four-five), and love me (age six-seven) represent sequential developmental stages. Each creates specific thoughts, feelings, physical symptoms, and coping mechanisms that can be identified and repaired. Chronic Illness Traces to Stored Attachment Pain: IBS and autoimmunity connect to "hold me" attachment pain, food issues and emotional eating link to "hear me" attachment pain, and back pain flare-ups and stomach ulcers signal "understand me" attachment insecurity. These aren't random—they're the body's downstream response to unresolved attachment trauma. Notable Quotes: "For him, survival meant protecting his heart." "There's an existential anxiety that is created when you don't know if you really exist." "You can have had great parents and still have these survival patterns from your childhood.  "Everything that I experience today is filtered through my attachment foundation."  "If I don't change my filter, I will continue to recreate the same pain for the rest of my life." Episode Takeaway: When my five-year-old adopted son told me he would kill me tomorrow while I held him like a baby, I realized his survival depended on protecting his heart—not connecting. That rocking chair moment launched six years of searching that revealed attachment isn't just psychological, it's biological. Your attachment foundation formed through three critical elements: attunement, neurodevelopment, and biology. Gaps create six sequential attachment pains that live in your nervous system and show up as chronic health conditions, relationship patterns, and survival responses today. True repair requires addressing all three levels simultaneously—mind, body, and biology—because everything you experience is filtered through your childhood attachment foundation. Resources/Guides: 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 69: How Attachment Shapes Our Biology and Behavior with Dr. Aimie Apigian Episode 128: How Attachment Trauma Drives Anxiety, Autoimmunity & Chronic Illness 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

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.

In this episode, we dive into Dr. Aimie Apigian's groundbreaking new book The Biology of Trauma to explore how trauma gets wired into your nervous system—and the science-backed tools to finally rewire it for healing and resilience.15 Daily Steps to Lose Weight and Prevent Disease PDF: https://bit.ly/46XTn8f - Get my FREE eBook now!Subscribe to The Genius Life on YouTube! - http://youtube.com/maxlugavereWatch my new documentary Little Empty Boxes - https://www.maxlugavere.com/filmThis episode is proudly sponsored by:Boost nutrient absorption with LivOn Labs. For a limited time, order one carton of Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C at LivOnLabs.com and get one carton of Lypo-Spheric B Complex Plus FREE—a $56 value—with code MAX25 at checkout!Shopify makes it easy to accept payments, manage orders, and build relationships with customers (cha-ching!). Get everything you need to sell in person and online at http://shopify.com/genius and get a one-dollar-per-month trial period!Fuel your health with Diestel Family Ranch's organic, regenerative turkey. It's lean and far from the dry turkey mom used to send you off to school with! Get 30% off your first order of $60 or more at diestelturkey.com with code MAX.Fatty15 provides C15:0, a naturally occurring fatty acid found in full-fat dairy that may support cellular health and longevity—get 15% off at http://fatty15.com/MAX with code MAX!

Episode Highlights with AimieWhy she started this line of study after she foster parented while in medical schoolAssumptions about trauma that turned out to be all wrongThe reason therapy might not be the solution, or certainly not the only oneHow trauma is connected to our physical health and why this matters so muchCreating inner safety… and why this sounds so simple but can be tough to actually doWhat trauma is in the body. And how do we actually make our bodies feel safe?Why creating safety isn't just in the mind and how to address this in the bodyHow to begin to recognize trauma in ourselves and in our childrenTrauma stored in the body will always trigger survival mechanisms that can be subtle coping mechanisms or patterns of disconnectionThe physical reactions that can be tied to trauma including skin reactions, digestive issues, immune system, brain inflammation, and moreWhat generational trauma is and how it supports the biological impact of trauma How oxidative stress impacts the body, even epigenetically What it means to complete a trauma response and why this is important When we have a trauma response, it means we felt powerless, alone, and trappedThe nervous system component of healing What ventral vagal/parasympathetic is and why it is helpful for healingResources Mentioned21 Day Journey programBiology of Trauma book Biology of Trauma 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

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.