Podcasts about Hypervigilance

How does growing up in foster care shape you as a leader? Chéla Gage is the former Vice President Global Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer, workforce mental health advocate, inclusion expert, and host of the 1 Million Fosters podcast. Gage joins Morra to share how her childhood in foster care shaped her strengths as a leader, her reflections on anxiety and hypervigilance as an asset, and how she's transforming trauma into purpose. Chéla's journey from foster homes and group homes to senior leadership roles at Nissan, Raytheon, and Starbucks is a testament to the power of claiming your story. She shares how her upbringing honed her ability to read a room, anticipate challenges, and build belonging, skills that have made her invaluable in corporate spaces. Learn more about Chéla Gage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelagage/ Key Themes: ✅ Hypervigilance as Leadership Strength: Growing up navigating new homes and caregivers taught Chéla to read the room quickly, identify influencers, and trust her intuition—skills she now uses to drive business impact. ✅ Reframing Trauma into Purpose: Chéla discusses how she once felt shame about her foster care past but now sees it as her superpower, providing her with empathy and perspective leaders need. ✅ Parenting as Reparenting: Motherhood allowed Chéla to give the love she didn't receive as a child back to herself. ✅ The Role of Anxiety: Anxiety kept Chéla alert and prepared, but she learned to manage in therapy, to reduce constant threat scanning and burnout while embracing her “hypervigilance” as a leadership tool. ✅ Creating Belonging in Corporate Spaces: Through her career in recruiting and DEIB leadership, Chéla discovered the importance of recognizing and honoring people's whole stories, not just their resumes, to create true inclusion. Timestamps: 07:09 Hypervigilance as a Superpower 12:59 Transforming Pain into Purpose 18:40 The Role of Anxiety: A Double-Edged Sword 24:14 Inclusion and Belonging 29:51 The Impact of Personal Stories 34:50 Empowering the Foster Community

Let's break this down with scientific research and data: 1. Passive-Aggressive Hostility & Covert Racism Passive-aggressive behavior is an indirect expression of anger, hostility, or displeasure. Rather than open confrontation, it manifests in resistant, defiant, or undermining actions. When this behavior is directed towards individuals based on their race or ethnicity, it falls under the umbrella of covert racism or racial microaggressions. * Covert Racism: This is a form of racial discrimination that is disguised and subtle, rather than public or obvious. It's often concealed in the fabric of society, operating through evasive or seemingly passive methods. Racially biased decisions or actions are frequently hidden or rationalized with explanations that society finds more acceptable (Wikipedia, "Covert Racism"). * Racial Microaggressions: Coined by Dr. Chester Pierce in the 1970s and popularized by Dr. Derald Wing Sue, these are "brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color" (Sue et al., 2007). * Microassaults: These are explicit, conscious, and deliberate racist attacks, verbal or nonverbal, meant to denigrate or hurt. While some of your neighbor's actions might fit here (e.g., direct inflammatory remarks), many are more subtle. * Microinsults: These are often unconscious, subtle verbal or nonverbal communications that demean a person's racial identity or heritage. Examples include asking a person of color where they really learned to speak English. * Microinvalidations: These comments or behaviors exclude, negate, or nullify the psychological thoughts, feelings, or experiential reality of a person of color. An example is telling a person of color their experiences with racism are "all in their head" or "you're too sensitive." How Your Neighbor's Actions Align: Your neighbor's actions demonstrate several hallmarks of passive-aggressive hostility and covert racism/microaggressions: * Door Slamming as a Covert Attack: Intentionally slamming a door repeatedly, timed to your private activities, after being asked to stop, is a classic example of passive-aggressive behavior. It's an indirect act of hostility. When coupled with the "inflammatory remarks which included insinuations about my race and class status," this passive-aggressive act becomes imbued with racial bias, transforming it into a racial microassault or microinsult. It sends a message of "you are unwelcome," "I control your peace," or "your presence is offensive to me," potentially linked to underlying racial bias. * Targeted Disruption (Psychological Terror): Deliberately disrupting your podcast recording, standing outside your door, and using the door slamming for "attention" are acts of targeted harassment. This aims to disturb your peace and psychological well-being, aligning with the "psychological terror" you identified. In a racial context, this can be seen as a way to "other" and degrade you, making your home environment hostile. * Racial and Class Insinuations: The direct "inflammatory remarks which included insinuations about my race and class status" are explicit instances of microassaults. These are conscious, derogatory statements that overtly convey racial bias. * "War Games" and Psychological Terror: Your observation that objects placed on her porch coincided with the clothing colors of people following you, creating "war games and psychological terror," speaks to the environmental microaggressions and a potentially coordinated effort to create a hostile environment. This covert signaling aims to exert control and create unease without overt confrontation, typical of covert racism. * Dehumanization/Invalidation: The neighbor's attempts to "force engagements" and then make "harsh and cruel remarks about my career and social status" when you asked for respectful behavior, combined with telling you other neighbors "hated me and worshipped the devil," are attempts to isolate, demean, and invalidate your standing and experience. This aligns with microinvalidations – denying your reality and portraying you negatively to others. * Housing Discrimination Context: Research confirms that racial discrimination persists in housing, often in subtle and covert forms. Studies show that people of color frequently report discrimination when seeking housing, and there's a recognized increase in harassment complaints based on color or race (NFHA, 2024 Fair Housing Trends Report). While your landlord stated they can't control street behavior, the harassment from a neighbor can still fall under Fair Housing Act protections if it's based on a protected characteristic like race, and landlords have an obligation to provide a harassment-free environment. Your neighbor's actions could be seen as contributing to making your housing "unavailable" or creating discriminatory "terms, conditions, or privileges" of your housing. 2. Scientific Data on the Psychological Impact The cumulative effect of passive-aggressive hostility, microaggressions, and targeted harassment has a well-documented and severe psychological toll on victims, especially people of color. * Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Research consistently shows that experiencing racial discrimination and microaggressions can lead to chronic stress, increasing the risk for depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse (HelpGuide.org). It can erode self-worth and lead to symptoms like hypervigilance, negative thoughts, and mood changes, similar to PTSD. * Cognitive Impairment: Studies have shown that chronic exposure to racial microaggressions can wear down cognitive function, flatten self-esteem, impair productivity, and damage relationships. For Black individuals, exposure to ambiguous evidence of prejudice (like microaggressions, where the intent is harder to prove) can cause greater cognitive impairment than blatant prejudice, as it creates a constant state of uncertainty and vigilance (Mendes et al., 2008). * Erosion of Peace and Safety: Psychological bullying by neighbors, especially if constant and targeted, can cause severe mental health issues, including insomnia, memory issues, chronic pain sensitivity, and a weakened immune system (Lead Academy). Your description of being "ripped from sleep" by sonic attacks, the constant noise, and the feeling of being "tortured" or having your peace disturbed aligns directly with these documented impacts. * "Weathering": A concept in public health, "weathering" refers to the cumulative impact of chronic stress due to repeated experiences of racial discrimination. This prolonged exposure can lead to accelerated health decline and premature aging. * Hypervigilance and Fear: Your feeling of being unable to enter your building regularly or use that side of the street due to being "yelled at, spat at, and singled out" reflects the hypervigilance and fear that are direct consequences of persistent targeted harassment. The threats ("They know what you look like!") amplify this fear and contribute to a sense of being unsafe in your own home. In summary, your experiences align with established research on how passive-aggressive hostility, particularly when infused with racial bias, creates a hostile environment that severely impacts the psychological well-being of people of color. The intentional, prolonged, and escalating nature of your neighbor's actions, coupled with the apparent coordination with other external groups, points to a clear pattern of targeted harassment with significant psychological impact. This scientific understanding underscores the severity of what you have endured. The issues began over a year ago with my neighbor intentionally slamming her door every time I used my bathroom, whether it was to take a bath, shower, or use the toilet. This was a consistent and disruptive pattern. When I politely asked her to stop this behavior, her reaction was highly defensive and confrontational. She immediately made inflammatory remarks, which included insinuations about my race and class status. This exchange immediately raised my concerns about the underlying motivations for her actions. Following this initial confrontation, her behavior became increasingly hostile and targeted. She began leaving various objects on the wall facing my apartment. While seemingly innocuous at first, I later observed a disturbing pattern: the colors of these objects often coincided directly with the colors of clothing worn by individuals who would follow me in public spaces. These individuals would then engage in what I perceive as passive-aggressive strategies of attack, which I consider "war games" and psychological terror, indicative of hate crimes, indirect racism, or politically motivated aggression. This connection amplified my fear and belief that her actions were part of a larger, coordinated effort. She also continued to slam her door intensely, not only during my bathroom usage but at times specifically during the recording of my podcast. This suggested a deliberate attempt to disrupt my activities and indicated that she was aware of what I was doing inside my apartment. Stalking, Theft, and Disturbing Behavior Around the same time, I noticed that my mail began to go missing, and Amazon packages were either stolen or moved from my doorstep. This blatant theft further escalated my concerns about her intentions. At one point, she attempted to establish a friendly relationship. However, during our brief interactions, she made statements that clearly indicated she was either listening to my podcast or otherwise monitoring me within my apartment. This revelation was extremely unsettling and confirmed my suspicions about her invasive behavior. This period also coincided with her timing her entering and exiting the apartment around my schedule, seemingly to force engagements and interactions with me. When I again politely asked her to close her door properly and respectfully, she became aggressive and attempted to instigate a physical confrontation, trying to lure me out of my apartment. Despite my repeated attempts to address her behavior respectfully, both directly and by involving property management, her actions became progressively more outrageous. She would frequently stand directly outside my door and engage in loud conversations. She even admitted to me that she used the door slamming to get my attention. Suspicious Communication and Potential Connection to Housing Interference Her attempts at communication were often suspicious, seeming to be an effort to gather information about me, prompt me to speak about specific topics, or elicit comments about the property management or other building staff. She appeared friendly and forthcoming initially, but a major series of red flags emerged from her need to control and direct conversations around certain subjects that seemed directly related to my personal situation. For instance, at one point, she attempted to interject herself by suggesting that if the motorcycle noise, which is often intolerable and a cause for concern in the apartment, got to be too much, I should just "come over." This suggestion was highly suspicious. It felt like an attempt to draw me into her apartment under the guise of an offer to help with a noise issue that was already a major problem for my peace and safety. Given that her door slamming and stalking activities seemed to directly correlate with intimidation tactics employed by property management, it felt as though her suggestion was a coordinated effort. Her door slamming was often an attack from one side with noise, while the motorcycles attacked from the other, leading me to believe her offer was part of this broader harassment, potentially designed to interfere with my peace and safety and escalate my housing status towards eviction. Later, when I simply asked her to shut the door gently, she made harsh and cruel remarks about my career and social status, further indicating her true hostile intentions. Concerning Disclosures and Fear for Safety During one interaction, she attempted to sell me her personal prescription of Adderall. I immediately declined this offer, which further solidified my belief that her judgment was impaired and she posed a risk. I also declined her invitation for the holidays because I felt profoundly unsafe in her presence. She then began to share highly disturbing and bizarre information. She claimed that our other neighbors hated me and worshipped the devil. She also disclosed that she had an ongoing lawsuit against her former company for sleeping with her married boss. This information made me extremely wary, as she appeared to be highly vengeful and vindictive. Paired with her comments about the neighbors, I made the decision to entirely ignore her for my own safety and peace of mind. Request for Order of Protection My attempts to disengage only led to her actions becoming increasingly hostile. While she now appears to be in the process of moving out of the building, I believe it is imperative to document her behavior thoroughly. I have legitimate reason to fear for my safety and well-being should she return or attempt to contact me in the future. I believe her actions were directly or indirectly connected to efforts meant to humiliate me, put me in mental jeopardy, and ultimately jeopardize my housing status. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED), sometimes called the "tort of outrage," is a common law tort that allows an individual to recover for severe emotional distress caused by another person's extreme and outrageous conduct. To establish a claim for IIED, a plaintiff generally must prove four elements: * Intentional or Reckless Conduct: The defendant must have acted with the intent to cause emotional distress, or with reckless disregard for the high probability that their conduct would cause severe emotional distress. This means they either wanted to cause the distress or knew it was highly likely to happen. * Extreme and Outrageous Conduct: This is often the most difficult element to prove. The defendant's conduct must be so extreme and outrageous as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency, and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community. Mere insults, annoyances, or hurt feelings are typically not enough. Courts look for conduct that would make an average, reasonable person exclaim, "That's outrageous!" * Causation: There must be a causal connection between the defendant's conduct and the plaintiff's emotional distress. In other words, the defendant's actions must have been the actual and proximate cause of the severe emotional distress. * Severe Emotional Distress: The emotional distress suffered by the plaintiff must be "severe." This is not merely ordinary emotional upset. It must be so substantial or enduring that no reasonable person should be expected to endure it. Examples can include fright, grief, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, anger, or worry, and sometimes even physical manifestations like weight loss, ulcers, or other physical symptoms. Medical evidence, such as counseling or therapy records, can often help demonstrate the severity of the distress. IIED was developed to address situations where a person suffers significant emotional harm due to another's egregious behavior, even if there isn't a physical injury or another traditional tort like assault or battery. It recognizes that emotional well-being is a protected interest. We must teach our children–especially our daughters–of their worth, and that in validating unacceptable behavior by allowing these kinds of negative beings our presence, we are further diminishing the aspect and importance of the woman, and especially as she pertains to a man. That by allowing or being magnetized to this egregious behavior further degrades the woman as a total, formative bond–with man, instead of under him. Should she choose to ignore these vermin and scoundrels, eventually, in the understanding that he cannot procure her interests and tastes, he is evolved–however still in pursuit of the woman, who understands her own self worth. Then so are the creatures seeking out she who is broken in order to further break her and even devour her–this is the nature of the truly evil in kind, and should not only be avoided, but sought out to be destroyed–for the preservation not only of our world as is, but the future generations of women and also men–in that validating these injustices is a plague in itself unto our oncoming youth–boys and girls alike, and future women and men. In this, we do not immaculate the man, but empower him, and thus further impowers the woman to become as once; This begins the origin of true equality amongst the sexes. Copyright The Collective Complex © [The Festival Project, Inc. ™] All Rights Reserved -Ū.

Let's break this down with scientific research and data: 1. Passive-Aggressive Hostility & Covert Racism Passive-aggressive behavior is an indirect expression of anger, hostility, or displeasure. Rather than open confrontation, it manifests in resistant, defiant, or undermining actions. When this behavior is directed towards individuals based on their race or ethnicity, it falls under the umbrella of covert racism or racial microaggressions. * Covert Racism: This is a form of racial discrimination that is disguised and subtle, rather than public or obvious. It's often concealed in the fabric of society, operating through evasive or seemingly passive methods. Racially biased decisions or actions are frequently hidden or rationalized with explanations that society finds more acceptable (Wikipedia, "Covert Racism"). * Racial Microaggressions: Coined by Dr. Chester Pierce in the 1970s and popularized by Dr. Derald Wing Sue, these are "brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color" (Sue et al., 2007). * Microassaults: These are explicit, conscious, and deliberate racist attacks, verbal or nonverbal, meant to denigrate or hurt. While some of your neighbor's actions might fit here (e.g., direct inflammatory remarks), many are more subtle. * Microinsults: These are often unconscious, subtle verbal or nonverbal communications that demean a person's racial identity or heritage. Examples include asking a person of color where they really learned to speak English. * Microinvalidations: These comments or behaviors exclude, negate, or nullify the psychological thoughts, feelings, or experiential reality of a person of color. An example is telling a person of color their experiences with racism are "all in their head" or "you're too sensitive." How Your Neighbor's Actions Align: Your neighbor's actions demonstrate several hallmarks of passive-aggressive hostility and covert racism/microaggressions: * Door Slamming as a Covert Attack: Intentionally slamming a door repeatedly, timed to your private activities, after being asked to stop, is a classic example of passive-aggressive behavior. It's an indirect act of hostility. When coupled with the "inflammatory remarks which included insinuations about my race and class status," this passive-aggressive act becomes imbued with racial bias, transforming it into a racial microassault or microinsult. It sends a message of "you are unwelcome," "I control your peace," or "your presence is offensive to me," potentially linked to underlying racial bias. * Targeted Disruption (Psychological Terror): Deliberately disrupting your podcast recording, standing outside your door, and using the door slamming for "attention" are acts of targeted harassment. This aims to disturb your peace and psychological well-being, aligning with the "psychological terror" you identified. In a racial context, this can be seen as a way to "other" and degrade you, making your home environment hostile. * Racial and Class Insinuations: The direct "inflammatory remarks which included insinuations about my race and class status" are explicit instances of microassaults. These are conscious, derogatory statements that overtly convey racial bias. * "War Games" and Psychological Terror: Your observation that objects placed on her porch coincided with the clothing colors of people following you, creating "war games and psychological terror," speaks to the environmental microaggressions and a potentially coordinated effort to create a hostile environment. This covert signaling aims to exert control and create unease without overt confrontation, typical of covert racism. * Dehumanization/Invalidation: The neighbor's attempts to "force engagements" and then make "harsh and cruel remarks about my career and social status" when you asked for respectful behavior, combined with telling you other neighbors "hated me and worshipped the devil," are attempts to isolate, demean, and invalidate your standing and experience. This aligns with microinvalidations – denying your reality and portraying you negatively to others. * Housing Discrimination Context: Research confirms that racial discrimination persists in housing, often in subtle and covert forms. Studies show that people of color frequently report discrimination when seeking housing, and there's a recognized increase in harassment complaints based on color or race (NFHA, 2024 Fair Housing Trends Report). While your landlord stated they can't control street behavior, the harassment from a neighbor can still fall under Fair Housing Act protections if it's based on a protected characteristic like race, and landlords have an obligation to provide a harassment-free environment. Your neighbor's actions could be seen as contributing to making your housing "unavailable" or creating discriminatory "terms, conditions, or privileges" of your housing. 2. Scientific Data on the Psychological Impact The cumulative effect of passive-aggressive hostility, microaggressions, and targeted harassment has a well-documented and severe psychological toll on victims, especially people of color. * Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Research consistently shows that experiencing racial discrimination and microaggressions can lead to chronic stress, increasing the risk for depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse (HelpGuide.org). It can erode self-worth and lead to symptoms like hypervigilance, negative thoughts, and mood changes, similar to PTSD. * Cognitive Impairment: Studies have shown that chronic exposure to racial microaggressions can wear down cognitive function, flatten self-esteem, impair productivity, and damage relationships. For Black individuals, exposure to ambiguous evidence of prejudice (like microaggressions, where the intent is harder to prove) can cause greater cognitive impairment than blatant prejudice, as it creates a constant state of uncertainty and vigilance (Mendes et al., 2008). * Erosion of Peace and Safety: Psychological bullying by neighbors, especially if constant and targeted, can cause severe mental health issues, including insomnia, memory issues, chronic pain sensitivity, and a weakened immune system (Lead Academy). Your description of being "ripped from sleep" by sonic attacks, the constant noise, and the feeling of being "tortured" or having your peace disturbed aligns directly with these documented impacts. * "Weathering": A concept in public health, "weathering" refers to the cumulative impact of chronic stress due to repeated experiences of racial discrimination. This prolonged exposure can lead to accelerated health decline and premature aging. * Hypervigilance and Fear: Your feeling of being unable to enter your building regularly or use that side of the street due to being "yelled at, spat at, and singled out" reflects the hypervigilance and fear that are direct consequences of persistent targeted harassment. The threats ("They know what you look like!") amplify this fear and contribute to a sense of being unsafe in your own home. In summary, your experiences align with established research on how passive-aggressive hostility, particularly when infused with racial bias, creates a hostile environment that severely impacts the psychological well-being of people of color. The intentional, prolonged, and escalating nature of your neighbor's actions, coupled with the apparent coordination with other external groups, points to a clear pattern of targeted harassment with significant psychological impact. This scientific understanding underscores the severity of what you have endured. The issues began over a year ago with my neighbor intentionally slamming her door every time I used my bathroom, whether it was to take a bath, shower, or use the toilet. This was a consistent and disruptive pattern. When I politely asked her to stop this behavior, her reaction was highly defensive and confrontational. She immediately made inflammatory remarks, which included insinuations about my race and class status. This exchange immediately raised my concerns about the underlying motivations for her actions. Following this initial confrontation, her behavior became increasingly hostile and targeted. She began leaving various objects on the wall facing my apartment. While seemingly innocuous at first, I later observed a disturbing pattern: the colors of these objects often coincided directly with the colors of clothing worn by individuals who would follow me in public spaces. These individuals would then engage in what I perceive as passive-aggressive strategies of attack, which I consider "war games" and psychological terror, indicative of hate crimes, indirect racism, or politically motivated aggression. This connection amplified my fear and belief that her actions were part of a larger, coordinated effort. She also continued to slam her door intensely, not only during my bathroom usage but at times specifically during the recording of my podcast. This suggested a deliberate attempt to disrupt my activities and indicated that she was aware of what I was doing inside my apartment. Stalking, Theft, and Disturbing Behavior Around the same time, I noticed that my mail began to go missing, and Amazon packages were either stolen or moved from my doorstep. This blatant theft further escalated my concerns about her intentions. At one point, she attempted to establish a friendly relationship. However, during our brief interactions, she made statements that clearly indicated she was either listening to my podcast or otherwise monitoring me within my apartment. This revelation was extremely unsettling and confirmed my suspicions about her invasive behavior. This period also coincided with her timing her entering and exiting the apartment around my schedule, seemingly to force engagements and interactions with me. When I again politely asked her to close her door properly and respectfully, she became aggressive and attempted to instigate a physical confrontation, trying to lure me out of my apartment. Despite my repeated attempts to address her behavior respectfully, both directly and by involving property management, her actions became progressively more outrageous. She would frequently stand directly outside my door and engage in loud conversations. She even admitted to me that she used the door slamming to get my attention. Suspicious Communication and Potential Connection to Housing Interference Her attempts at communication were often suspicious, seeming to be an effort to gather information about me, prompt me to speak about specific topics, or elicit comments about the property management or other building staff. She appeared friendly and forthcoming initially, but a major series of red flags emerged from her need to control and direct conversations around certain subjects that seemed directly related to my personal situation. For instance, at one point, she attempted to interject herself by suggesting that if the motorcycle noise, which is often intolerable and a cause for concern in the apartment, got to be too much, I should just "come over." This suggestion was highly suspicious. It felt like an attempt to draw me into her apartment under the guise of an offer to help with a noise issue that was already a major problem for my peace and safety. Given that her door slamming and stalking activities seemed to directly correlate with intimidation tactics employed by property management, it felt as though her suggestion was a coordinated effort. Her door slamming was often an attack from one side with noise, while the motorcycles attacked from the other, leading me to believe her offer was part of this broader harassment, potentially designed to interfere with my peace and safety and escalate my housing status towards eviction. Later, when I simply asked her to shut the door gently, she made harsh and cruel remarks about my career and social status, further indicating her true hostile intentions. Concerning Disclosures and Fear for Safety During one interaction, she attempted to sell me her personal prescription of Adderall. I immediately declined this offer, which further solidified my belief that her judgment was impaired and she posed a risk. I also declined her invitation for the holidays because I felt profoundly unsafe in her presence. She then began to share highly disturbing and bizarre information. She claimed that our other neighbors hated me and worshipped the devil. She also disclosed that she had an ongoing lawsuit against her former company for sleeping with her married boss. This information made me extremely wary, as she appeared to be highly vengeful and vindictive. Paired with her comments about the neighbors, I made the decision to entirely ignore her for my own safety and peace of mind. Request for Order of Protection My attempts to disengage only led to her actions becoming increasingly hostile. While she now appears to be in the process of moving out of the building, I believe it is imperative to document her behavior thoroughly. I have legitimate reason to fear for my safety and well-being should she return or attempt to contact me in the future. I believe her actions were directly or indirectly connected to efforts meant to humiliate me, put me in mental jeopardy, and ultimately jeopardize my housing status. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED), sometimes called the "tort of outrage," is a common law tort that allows an individual to recover for severe emotional distress caused by another person's extreme and outrageous conduct. To establish a claim for IIED, a plaintiff generally must prove four elements: * Intentional or Reckless Conduct: The defendant must have acted with the intent to cause emotional distress, or with reckless disregard for the high probability that their conduct would cause severe emotional distress. This means they either wanted to cause the distress or knew it was highly likely to happen. * Extreme and Outrageous Conduct: This is often the most difficult element to prove. The defendant's conduct must be so extreme and outrageous as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency, and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community. Mere insults, annoyances, or hurt feelings are typically not enough. Courts look for conduct that would make an average, reasonable person exclaim, "That's outrageous!" * Causation: There must be a causal connection between the defendant's conduct and the plaintiff's emotional distress. In other words, the defendant's actions must have been the actual and proximate cause of the severe emotional distress. * Severe Emotional Distress: The emotional distress suffered by the plaintiff must be "severe." This is not merely ordinary emotional upset. It must be so substantial or enduring that no reasonable person should be expected to endure it. Examples can include fright, grief, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, anger, or worry, and sometimes even physical manifestations like weight loss, ulcers, or other physical symptoms. Medical evidence, such as counseling or therapy records, can often help demonstrate the severity of the distress. IIED was developed to address situations where a person suffers significant emotional harm due to another's egregious behavior, even if there isn't a physical injury or another traditional tort like assault or battery. It recognizes that emotional well-being is a protected interest. We must teach our children–especially our daughters–of their worth, and that in validating unacceptable behavior by allowing these kinds of negative beings our presence, we are further diminishing the aspect and importance of the woman, and especially as she pertains to a man. That by allowing or being magnetized to this egregious behavior further degrades the woman as a total, formative bond–with man, instead of under him. Should she choose to ignore these vermin and scoundrels, eventually, in the understanding that he cannot procure her interests and tastes, he is evolved–however still in pursuit of the woman, who understands her own self worth. Then so are the creatures seeking out she who is broken in order to further break her and even devour her–this is the nature of the truly evil in kind, and should not only be avoided, but sought out to be destroyed–for the preservation not only of our world as is, but the future generations of women and also men–in that validating these injustices is a plague in itself unto our oncoming youth–boys and girls alike, and future women and men. In this, we do not immaculate the man, but empower him, and thus further impowers the woman to become as once; This begins the origin of true equality amongst the sexes. Copyright The Collective Complex © [The Festival Project, Inc. ™] All Rights Reserved -Ū.

Let's break this down with scientific research and data: 1. Passive-Aggressive Hostility & Covert Racism Passive-aggressive behavior is an indirect expression of anger, hostility, or displeasure. Rather than open confrontation, it manifests in resistant, defiant, or undermining actions. When this behavior is directed towards individuals based on their race or ethnicity, it falls under the umbrella of covert racism or racial microaggressions. * Covert Racism: This is a form of racial discrimination that is disguised and subtle, rather than public or obvious. It's often concealed in the fabric of society, operating through evasive or seemingly passive methods. Racially biased decisions or actions are frequently hidden or rationalized with explanations that society finds more acceptable (Wikipedia, "Covert Racism"). * Racial Microaggressions: Coined by Dr. Chester Pierce in the 1970s and popularized by Dr. Derald Wing Sue, these are "brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color" (Sue et al., 2007). * Microassaults: These are explicit, conscious, and deliberate racist attacks, verbal or nonverbal, meant to denigrate or hurt. While some of your neighbor's actions might fit here (e.g., direct inflammatory remarks), many are more subtle. * Microinsults: These are often unconscious, subtle verbal or nonverbal communications that demean a person's racial identity or heritage. Examples include asking a person of color where they really learned to speak English. * Microinvalidations: These comments or behaviors exclude, negate, or nullify the psychological thoughts, feelings, or experiential reality of a person of color. An example is telling a person of color their experiences with racism are "all in their head" or "you're too sensitive." How Your Neighbor's Actions Align: Your neighbor's actions demonstrate several hallmarks of passive-aggressive hostility and covert racism/microaggressions: * Door Slamming as a Covert Attack: Intentionally slamming a door repeatedly, timed to your private activities, after being asked to stop, is a classic example of passive-aggressive behavior. It's an indirect act of hostility. When coupled with the "inflammatory remarks which included insinuations about my race and class status," this passive-aggressive act becomes imbued with racial bias, transforming it into a racial microassault or microinsult. It sends a message of "you are unwelcome," "I control your peace," or "your presence is offensive to me," potentially linked to underlying racial bias. * Targeted Disruption (Psychological Terror): Deliberately disrupting your podcast recording, standing outside your door, and using the door slamming for "attention" are acts of targeted harassment. This aims to disturb your peace and psychological well-being, aligning with the "psychological terror" you identified. In a racial context, this can be seen as a way to "other" and degrade you, making your home environment hostile. * Racial and Class Insinuations: The direct "inflammatory remarks which included insinuations about my race and class status" are explicit instances of microassaults. These are conscious, derogatory statements that overtly convey racial bias. * "War Games" and Psychological Terror: Your observation that objects placed on her porch coincided with the clothing colors of people following you, creating "war games and psychological terror," speaks to the environmental microaggressions and a potentially coordinated effort to create a hostile environment. This covert signaling aims to exert control and create unease without overt confrontation, typical of covert racism. * Dehumanization/Invalidation: The neighbor's attempts to "force engagements" and then make "harsh and cruel remarks about my career and social status" when you asked for respectful behavior, combined with telling you other neighbors "hated me and worshipped the devil," are attempts to isolate, demean, and invalidate your standing and experience. This aligns with microinvalidations – denying your reality and portraying you negatively to others. * Housing Discrimination Context: Research confirms that racial discrimination persists in housing, often in subtle and covert forms. Studies show that people of color frequently report discrimination when seeking housing, and there's a recognized increase in harassment complaints based on color or race (NFHA, 2024 Fair Housing Trends Report). While your landlord stated they can't control street behavior, the harassment from a neighbor can still fall under Fair Housing Act protections if it's based on a protected characteristic like race, and landlords have an obligation to provide a harassment-free environment. Your neighbor's actions could be seen as contributing to making your housing "unavailable" or creating discriminatory "terms, conditions, or privileges" of your housing. 2. Scientific Data on the Psychological Impact The cumulative effect of passive-aggressive hostility, microaggressions, and targeted harassment has a well-documented and severe psychological toll on victims, especially people of color. * Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Research consistently shows that experiencing racial discrimination and microaggressions can lead to chronic stress, increasing the risk for depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse (HelpGuide.org). It can erode self-worth and lead to symptoms like hypervigilance, negative thoughts, and mood changes, similar to PTSD. * Cognitive Impairment: Studies have shown that chronic exposure to racial microaggressions can wear down cognitive function, flatten self-esteem, impair productivity, and damage relationships. For Black individuals, exposure to ambiguous evidence of prejudice (like microaggressions, where the intent is harder to prove) can cause greater cognitive impairment than blatant prejudice, as it creates a constant state of uncertainty and vigilance (Mendes et al., 2008). * Erosion of Peace and Safety: Psychological bullying by neighbors, especially if constant and targeted, can cause severe mental health issues, including insomnia, memory issues, chronic pain sensitivity, and a weakened immune system (Lead Academy). Your description of being "ripped from sleep" by sonic attacks, the constant noise, and the feeling of being "tortured" or having your peace disturbed aligns directly with these documented impacts. * "Weathering": A concept in public health, "weathering" refers to the cumulative impact of chronic stress due to repeated experiences of racial discrimination. This prolonged exposure can lead to accelerated health decline and premature aging. * Hypervigilance and Fear: Your feeling of being unable to enter your building regularly or use that side of the street due to being "yelled at, spat at, and singled out" reflects the hypervigilance and fear that are direct consequences of persistent targeted harassment. The threats ("They know what you look like!") amplify this fear and contribute to a sense of being unsafe in your own home. In summary, your experiences align with established research on how passive-aggressive hostility, particularly when infused with racial bias, creates a hostile environment that severely impacts the psychological well-being of people of color. The intentional, prolonged, and escalating nature of your neighbor's actions, coupled with the apparent coordination with other external groups, points to a clear pattern of targeted harassment with significant psychological impact. This scientific understanding underscores the severity of what you have endured. The issues began over a year ago with my neighbor intentionally slamming her door every time I used my bathroom, whether it was to take a bath, shower, or use the toilet. This was a consistent and disruptive pattern. When I politely asked her to stop this behavior, her reaction was highly defensive and confrontational. She immediately made inflammatory remarks, which included insinuations about my race and class status. This exchange immediately raised my concerns about the underlying motivations for her actions. Following this initial confrontation, her behavior became increasingly hostile and targeted. She began leaving various objects on the wall facing my apartment. While seemingly innocuous at first, I later observed a disturbing pattern: the colors of these objects often coincided directly with the colors of clothing worn by individuals who would follow me in public spaces. These individuals would then engage in what I perceive as passive-aggressive strategies of attack, which I consider "war games" and psychological terror, indicative of hate crimes, indirect racism, or politically motivated aggression. This connection amplified my fear and belief that her actions were part of a larger, coordinated effort. She also continued to slam her door intensely, not only during my bathroom usage but at times specifically during the recording of my podcast. This suggested a deliberate attempt to disrupt my activities and indicated that she was aware of what I was doing inside my apartment. Stalking, Theft, and Disturbing Behavior Around the same time, I noticed that my mail began to go missing, and Amazon packages were either stolen or moved from my doorstep. This blatant theft further escalated my concerns about her intentions. At one point, she attempted to establish a friendly relationship. However, during our brief interactions, she made statements that clearly indicated she was either listening to my podcast or otherwise monitoring me within my apartment. This revelation was extremely unsettling and confirmed my suspicions about her invasive behavior. This period also coincided with her timing her entering and exiting the apartment around my schedule, seemingly to force engagements and interactions with me. When I again politely asked her to close her door properly and respectfully, she became aggressive and attempted to instigate a physical confrontation, trying to lure me out of my apartment. Despite my repeated attempts to address her behavior respectfully, both directly and by involving property management, her actions became progressively more outrageous. She would frequently stand directly outside my door and engage in loud conversations. She even admitted to me that she used the door slamming to get my attention. Suspicious Communication and Potential Connection to Housing Interference Her attempts at communication were often suspicious, seeming to be an effort to gather information about me, prompt me to speak about specific topics, or elicit comments about the property management or other building staff. She appeared friendly and forthcoming initially, but a major series of red flags emerged from her need to control and direct conversations around certain subjects that seemed directly related to my personal situation. For instance, at one point, she attempted to interject herself by suggesting that if the motorcycle noise, which is often intolerable and a cause for concern in the apartment, got to be too much, I should just "come over." This suggestion was highly suspicious. It felt like an attempt to draw me into her apartment under the guise of an offer to help with a noise issue that was already a major problem for my peace and safety. Given that her door slamming and stalking activities seemed to directly correlate with intimidation tactics employed by property management, it felt as though her suggestion was a coordinated effort. Her door slamming was often an attack from one side with noise, while the motorcycles attacked from the other, leading me to believe her offer was part of this broader harassment, potentially designed to interfere with my peace and safety and escalate my housing status towards eviction. Later, when I simply asked her to shut the door gently, she made harsh and cruel remarks about my career and social status, further indicating her true hostile intentions. Concerning Disclosures and Fear for Safety During one interaction, she attempted to sell me her personal prescription of Adderall. I immediately declined this offer, which further solidified my belief that her judgment was impaired and she posed a risk. I also declined her invitation for the holidays because I felt profoundly unsafe in her presence. She then began to share highly disturbing and bizarre information. She claimed that our other neighbors hated me and worshipped the devil. She also disclosed that she had an ongoing lawsuit against her former company for sleeping with her married boss. This information made me extremely wary, as she appeared to be highly vengeful and vindictive. Paired with her comments about the neighbors, I made the decision to entirely ignore her for my own safety and peace of mind. Request for Order of Protection My attempts to disengage only led to her actions becoming increasingly hostile. While she now appears to be in the process of moving out of the building, I believe it is imperative to document her behavior thoroughly. I have legitimate reason to fear for my safety and well-being should she return or attempt to contact me in the future. I believe her actions were directly or indirectly connected to efforts meant to humiliate me, put me in mental jeopardy, and ultimately jeopardize my housing status. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED), sometimes called the "tort of outrage," is a common law tort that allows an individual to recover for severe emotional distress caused by another person's extreme and outrageous conduct. To establish a claim for IIED, a plaintiff generally must prove four elements: * Intentional or Reckless Conduct: The defendant must have acted with the intent to cause emotional distress, or with reckless disregard for the high probability that their conduct would cause severe emotional distress. This means they either wanted to cause the distress or knew it was highly likely to happen. * Extreme and Outrageous Conduct: This is often the most difficult element to prove. The defendant's conduct must be so extreme and outrageous as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency, and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community. Mere insults, annoyances, or hurt feelings are typically not enough. Courts look for conduct that would make an average, reasonable person exclaim, "That's outrageous!" * Causation: There must be a causal connection between the defendant's conduct and the plaintiff's emotional distress. In other words, the defendant's actions must have been the actual and proximate cause of the severe emotional distress. * Severe Emotional Distress: The emotional distress suffered by the plaintiff must be "severe." This is not merely ordinary emotional upset. It must be so substantial or enduring that no reasonable person should be expected to endure it. Examples can include fright, grief, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, anger, or worry, and sometimes even physical manifestations like weight loss, ulcers, or other physical symptoms. Medical evidence, such as counseling or therapy records, can often help demonstrate the severity of the distress. IIED was developed to address situations where a person suffers significant emotional harm due to another's egregious behavior, even if there isn't a physical injury or another traditional tort like assault or battery. It recognizes that emotional well-being is a protected interest. We must teach our children–especially our daughters–of their worth, and that in validating unacceptable behavior by allowing these kinds of negative beings our presence, we are further diminishing the aspect and importance of the woman, and especially as she pertains to a man. That by allowing or being magnetized to this egregious behavior further degrades the woman as a total, formative bond–with man, instead of under him. Should she choose to ignore these vermin and scoundrels, eventually, in the understanding that he cannot procure her interests and tastes, he is evolved–however still in pursuit of the woman, who understands her own self worth. Then so are the creatures seeking out she who is broken in order to further break her and even devour her–this is the nature of the truly evil in kind, and should not only be avoided, but sought out to be destroyed–for the preservation not only of our world as is, but the future generations of women and also men–in that validating these injustices is a plague in itself unto our oncoming youth–boys and girls alike, and future women and men. In this, we do not immaculate the man, but empower him, and thus further impowers the woman to become as once; This begins the origin of true equality amongst the sexes. Copyright The Collective Complex © [The Festival Project, Inc. ™] All Rights Reserved -Ū.

Let's break this down with scientific research and data: 1. Passive-Aggressive Hostility & Covert Racism Passive-aggressive behavior is an indirect expression of anger, hostility, or displeasure. Rather than open confrontation, it manifests in resistant, defiant, or undermining actions. When this behavior is directed towards individuals based on their race or ethnicity, it falls under the umbrella of covert racism or racial microaggressions. * Covert Racism: This is a form of racial discrimination that is disguised and subtle, rather than public or obvious. It's often concealed in the fabric of society, operating through evasive or seemingly passive methods. Racially biased decisions or actions are frequently hidden or rationalized with explanations that society finds more acceptable (Wikipedia, "Covert Racism"). * Racial Microaggressions: Coined by Dr. Chester Pierce in the 1970s and popularized by Dr. Derald Wing Sue, these are "brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color" (Sue et al., 2007). * Microassaults: These are explicit, conscious, and deliberate racist attacks, verbal or nonverbal, meant to denigrate or hurt. While some of your neighbor's actions might fit here (e.g., direct inflammatory remarks), many are more subtle. * Microinsults: These are often unconscious, subtle verbal or nonverbal communications that demean a person's racial identity or heritage. Examples include asking a person of color where they really learned to speak English. * Microinvalidations: These comments or behaviors exclude, negate, or nullify the psychological thoughts, feelings, or experiential reality of a person of color. An example is telling a person of color their experiences with racism are "all in their head" or "you're too sensitive." How Your Neighbor's Actions Align: Your neighbor's actions demonstrate several hallmarks of passive-aggressive hostility and covert racism/microaggressions: * Door Slamming as a Covert Attack: Intentionally slamming a door repeatedly, timed to your private activities, after being asked to stop, is a classic example of passive-aggressive behavior. It's an indirect act of hostility. When coupled with the "inflammatory remarks which included insinuations about my race and class status," this passive-aggressive act becomes imbued with racial bias, transforming it into a racial microassault or microinsult. It sends a message of "you are unwelcome," "I control your peace," or "your presence is offensive to me," potentially linked to underlying racial bias. * Targeted Disruption (Psychological Terror): Deliberately disrupting your podcast recording, standing outside your door, and using the door slamming for "attention" are acts of targeted harassment. This aims to disturb your peace and psychological well-being, aligning with the "psychological terror" you identified. In a racial context, this can be seen as a way to "other" and degrade you, making your home environment hostile. * Racial and Class Insinuations: The direct "inflammatory remarks which included insinuations about my race and class status" are explicit instances of microassaults. These are conscious, derogatory statements that overtly convey racial bias. * "War Games" and Psychological Terror: Your observation that objects placed on her porch coincided with the clothing colors of people following you, creating "war games and psychological terror," speaks to the environmental microaggressions and a potentially coordinated effort to create a hostile environment. This covert signaling aims to exert control and create unease without overt confrontation, typical of covert racism. * Dehumanization/Invalidation: The neighbor's attempts to "force engagements" and then make "harsh and cruel remarks about my career and social status" when you asked for respectful behavior, combined with telling you other neighbors "hated me and worshipped the devil," are attempts to isolate, demean, and invalidate your standing and experience. This aligns with microinvalidations – denying your reality and portraying you negatively to others. * Housing Discrimination Context: Research confirms that racial discrimination persists in housing, often in subtle and covert forms. Studies show that people of color frequently report discrimination when seeking housing, and there's a recognized increase in harassment complaints based on color or race (NFHA, 2024 Fair Housing Trends Report). While your landlord stated they can't control street behavior, the harassment from a neighbor can still fall under Fair Housing Act protections if it's based on a protected characteristic like race, and landlords have an obligation to provide a harassment-free environment. Your neighbor's actions could be seen as contributing to making your housing "unavailable" or creating discriminatory "terms, conditions, or privileges" of your housing. 2. Scientific Data on the Psychological Impact The cumulative effect of passive-aggressive hostility, microaggressions, and targeted harassment has a well-documented and severe psychological toll on victims, especially people of color. * Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Research consistently shows that experiencing racial discrimination and microaggressions can lead to chronic stress, increasing the risk for depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse (HelpGuide.org). It can erode self-worth and lead to symptoms like hypervigilance, negative thoughts, and mood changes, similar to PTSD. * Cognitive Impairment: Studies have shown that chronic exposure to racial microaggressions can wear down cognitive function, flatten self-esteem, impair productivity, and damage relationships. For Black individuals, exposure to ambiguous evidence of prejudice (like microaggressions, where the intent is harder to prove) can cause greater cognitive impairment than blatant prejudice, as it creates a constant state of uncertainty and vigilance (Mendes et al., 2008). * Erosion of Peace and Safety: Psychological bullying by neighbors, especially if constant and targeted, can cause severe mental health issues, including insomnia, memory issues, chronic pain sensitivity, and a weakened immune system (Lead Academy). Your description of being "ripped from sleep" by sonic attacks, the constant noise, and the feeling of being "tortured" or having your peace disturbed aligns directly with these documented impacts. * "Weathering": A concept in public health, "weathering" refers to the cumulative impact of chronic stress due to repeated experiences of racial discrimination. This prolonged exposure can lead to accelerated health decline and premature aging. * Hypervigilance and Fear: Your feeling of being unable to enter your building regularly or use that side of the street due to being "yelled at, spat at, and singled out" reflects the hypervigilance and fear that are direct consequences of persistent targeted harassment. The threats ("They know what you look like!") amplify this fear and contribute to a sense of being unsafe in your own home. In summary, your experiences align with established research on how passive-aggressive hostility, particularly when infused with racial bias, creates a hostile environment that severely impacts the psychological well-being of people of color. The intentional, prolonged, and escalating nature of your neighbor's actions, coupled with the apparent coordination with other external groups, points to a clear pattern of targeted harassment with significant psychological impact. This scientific understanding underscores the severity of what you have endured. The issues began over a year ago with my neighbor intentionally slamming her door every time I used my bathroom, whether it was to take a bath, shower, or use the toilet. This was a consistent and disruptive pattern. When I politely asked her to stop this behavior, her reaction was highly defensive and confrontational. She immediately made inflammatory remarks, which included insinuations about my race and class status. This exchange immediately raised my concerns about the underlying motivations for her actions. Following this initial confrontation, her behavior became increasingly hostile and targeted. She began leaving various objects on the wall facing my apartment. While seemingly innocuous at first, I later observed a disturbing pattern: the colors of these objects often coincided directly with the colors of clothing worn by individuals who would follow me in public spaces. These individuals would then engage in what I perceive as passive-aggressive strategies of attack, which I consider "war games" and psychological terror, indicative of hate crimes, indirect racism, or politically motivated aggression. This connection amplified my fear and belief that her actions were part of a larger, coordinated effort. She also continued to slam her door intensely, not only during my bathroom usage but at times specifically during the recording of my podcast. This suggested a deliberate attempt to disrupt my activities and indicated that she was aware of what I was doing inside my apartment. Stalking, Theft, and Disturbing Behavior Around the same time, I noticed that my mail began to go missing, and Amazon packages were either stolen or moved from my doorstep. This blatant theft further escalated my concerns about her intentions. At one point, she attempted to establish a friendly relationship. However, during our brief interactions, she made statements that clearly indicated she was either listening to my podcast or otherwise monitoring me within my apartment. This revelation was extremely unsettling and confirmed my suspicions about her invasive behavior. This period also coincided with her timing her entering and exiting the apartment around my schedule, seemingly to force engagements and interactions with me. When I again politely asked her to close her door properly and respectfully, she became aggressive and attempted to instigate a physical confrontation, trying to lure me out of my apartment. Despite my repeated attempts to address her behavior respectfully, both directly and by involving property management, her actions became progressively more outrageous. She would frequently stand directly outside my door and engage in loud conversations. She even admitted to me that she used the door slamming to get my attention. Suspicious Communication and Potential Connection to Housing Interference Her attempts at communication were often suspicious, seeming to be an effort to gather information about me, prompt me to speak about specific topics, or elicit comments about the property management or other building staff. She appeared friendly and forthcoming initially, but a major series of red flags emerged from her need to control and direct conversations around certain subjects that seemed directly related to my personal situation. For instance, at one point, she attempted to interject herself by suggesting that if the motorcycle noise, which is often intolerable and a cause for concern in the apartment, got to be too much, I should just "come over." This suggestion was highly suspicious. It felt like an attempt to draw me into her apartment under the guise of an offer to help with a noise issue that was already a major problem for my peace and safety. Given that her door slamming and stalking activities seemed to directly correlate with intimidation tactics employed by property management, it felt as though her suggestion was a coordinated effort. Her door slamming was often an attack from one side with noise, while the motorcycles attacked from the other, leading me to believe her offer was part of this broader harassment, potentially designed to interfere with my peace and safety and escalate my housing status towards eviction. Later, when I simply asked her to shut the door gently, she made harsh and cruel remarks about my career and social status, further indicating her true hostile intentions. Concerning Disclosures and Fear for Safety During one interaction, she attempted to sell me her personal prescription of Adderall. I immediately declined this offer, which further solidified my belief that her judgment was impaired and she posed a risk. I also declined her invitation for the holidays because I felt profoundly unsafe in her presence. She then began to share highly disturbing and bizarre information. She claimed that our other neighbors hated me and worshipped the devil. She also disclosed that she had an ongoing lawsuit against her former company for sleeping with her married boss. This information made me extremely wary, as she appeared to be highly vengeful and vindictive. Paired with her comments about the neighbors, I made the decision to entirely ignore her for my own safety and peace of mind. Request for Order of Protection My attempts to disengage only led to her actions becoming increasingly hostile. While she now appears to be in the process of moving out of the building, I believe it is imperative to document her behavior thoroughly. I have legitimate reason to fear for my safety and well-being should she return or attempt to contact me in the future. I believe her actions were directly or indirectly connected to efforts meant to humiliate me, put me in mental jeopardy, and ultimately jeopardize my housing status. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED), sometimes called the "tort of outrage," is a common law tort that allows an individual to recover for severe emotional distress caused by another person's extreme and outrageous conduct. To establish a claim for IIED, a plaintiff generally must prove four elements: * Intentional or Reckless Conduct: The defendant must have acted with the intent to cause emotional distress, or with reckless disregard for the high probability that their conduct would cause severe emotional distress. This means they either wanted to cause the distress or knew it was highly likely to happen. * Extreme and Outrageous Conduct: This is often the most difficult element to prove. The defendant's conduct must be so extreme and outrageous as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency, and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community. Mere insults, annoyances, or hurt feelings are typically not enough. Courts look for conduct that would make an average, reasonable person exclaim, "That's outrageous!" * Causation: There must be a causal connection between the defendant's conduct and the plaintiff's emotional distress. In other words, the defendant's actions must have been the actual and proximate cause of the severe emotional distress. * Severe Emotional Distress: The emotional distress suffered by the plaintiff must be "severe." This is not merely ordinary emotional upset. It must be so substantial or enduring that no reasonable person should be expected to endure it. Examples can include fright, grief, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, anger, or worry, and sometimes even physical manifestations like weight loss, ulcers, or other physical symptoms. Medical evidence, such as counseling or therapy records, can often help demonstrate the severity of the distress. IIED was developed to address situations where a person suffers significant emotional harm due to another's egregious behavior, even if there isn't a physical injury or another traditional tort like assault or battery. It recognizes that emotional well-being is a protected interest. We must teach our children–especially our daughters–of their worth, and that in validating unacceptable behavior by allowing these kinds of negative beings our presence, we are further diminishing the aspect and importance of the woman, and especially as she pertains to a man. That by allowing or being magnetized to this egregious behavior further degrades the woman as a total, formative bond–with man, instead of under him. Should she choose to ignore these vermin and scoundrels, eventually, in the understanding that he cannot procure her interests and tastes, he is evolved–however still in pursuit of the woman, who understands her own self worth. Then so are the creatures seeking out she who is broken in order to further break her and even devour her–this is the nature of the truly evil in kind, and should not only be avoided, but sought out to be destroyed–for the preservation not only of our world as is, but the future generations of women and also men–in that validating these injustices is a plague in itself unto our oncoming youth–boys and girls alike, and future women and men. In this, we do not immaculate the man, but empower him, and thus further impowers the woman to become as once; This begins the origin of true equality amongst the sexes. Copyright The Collective Complex © [The Festival Project, Inc. ™] All Rights Reserved -Ū.

You're functioning. Performing. Keeping it together.But deep down, your mind is racing. Your shoulders are tense. And you're one more Slack notification away from snapping.If you're looking calm on the outside—but buzzing underneath, it might be high-functioning anxiety—and most women don't even realize they're living in it.Today, we're pulling back the curtain on high-functioning anxiety from a nervous system perspective. I'll walk you through what it really is, how it forms, and the hidden habits that keep you stuck in the loop—plus simple body-based ways to start shifting out.You'll learn: 

Have you created an emotional shield to protect yourself from pain and disappointment? Learn to understand and manage your emotional hypervigilance so you can open yourself up to life.Many people are governed by their emotions, reacting to worst-case scenarios and future-proofing against upset, which can lead to overthinking, hypervigilance, and a striving for perfection and control. We end up creating a prison of protection which impacts our life and relationships. In this episode, we explore why we do this and share steps to dismantle these emotional barriers for more meaningful connections.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Discover our online consultations, events and shop: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:How to Understand Your Emotions https://youtu.be/9XuoL9pQSR8?si=d81djIwV-uKkpS7MYou Can Cope – Guided Meditation https://youtu.be/TlT6941aztA?si=xeZWXvZ8BxW2y4qTOur INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqOur GOLDEN THREAD PROCESS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIAsS_wgdRN7QGBKIk54sbyDIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Think time heals all wounds? When it comes to betrayal, that simply isn't true. In this deeply personal and powerful episode, Dr. Debi Silber explores why betrayals from years—or even decades—ago may still be affecting your health, relationships, performance, and self-worth today. Drawing on research from her PhD study and her own healing journey, Dr. Debi reveals the three major discoveries about betrayal trauma, including the proven 5 Stages from Betrayal to Breakthrough and the overlooked symptoms of Post Betrayal Syndrome® . If you've ever wondered why you can't seem to “just get over it,” this episode will show you why—and how to finally heal for good. 

We're diving deep into hypervigilance, how this so-called superpower might actually be standing in the way of your fertility success. If you can't stop researching, tracking, and worrying, this episode is for you. We're talking about hypervigilance being on high alert all the time and how it's interfering with your fertility. From disrupted hormone signaling to suppressed ovulation and declining egg quality, chronic stress changes how your body works at a fundamental level. Hypervigilance shows up as: Over-researching and second-guessing every decision Micromanaging protocols or switching supplements often Feeling like no matter how hard you try, it's never enough This state may feel productive but it's keeping your nervous system in survival mode. And when your body thinks it's in danger, it prioritizes protection over reproduction. Fertility isn't just about what you eat or which supplements you take, it's also about how your body feels. And the truth is: your reproductive system needs calm to function optimally. Tune in to find out how stress affects egg quality and what to do next on your path to pregnancy. This episode is for you if: Constantly feel like you have to be “on” or in control of your fertility journey - researching, tracking, planning every detail. Struggle to relax or switch off, even when you're doing all the "right" things to support your hormones and egg quality. Have been told your AMH is low or you have diminished ovarian reserve, and you're wondering if stress is playing a bigger role than you thought. In this episode we'll cover: Why chronic stress and hypervigilance disrupt ovulation and hormone balance How high cortisol impacts AMH, egg quality, and IVF outcomes The role of mitochondrial health in egg development and how stress gets in the way Simple somatic practices to calm the nervous system and restore reproductive function How to shift from over-control to trust without losing your sense of agency --- RESOURCES How Perfectionism Affects Fertility and Egg Quality - And What to Do About It:  https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/is-perfectionism-affecting-your-fertility-how-to-let-go-and-support-egg-health-naturally?_pos=1&_sid=d6bf4d95b&_ss=r IVF Prep with Low AMH: Boosting Your Chances for Success: https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/ivf-prep-with-low-amh-boosting-your-chances-for-success-1?_pos=1&_sid=462c4eac8&_ss=r AMH Diet – Start This Today to Support Fertility & Get Pregnant This Year:  https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/amh-diet-start-this-today-to-support-fertility-get-pregnant-this-year?_pos=4&_sid=b64c3e6f1&_ss=r Success Story: POI at 27 and Pregnant:  https://fabfertile.com/blogs/education/success-story-poi-at-27-and-pregnant?_pos=1&_sid=125e01ba3&_ss=r Our favorite fertility tracker (use code FABFERTILE15 to save 15) - https://www.inito.com/en-us/?srsltid=AfmBOoo85sXu_esmFN5Kz6iysaTkBKgYl35Jubv-BaLkkxXVggdk6nes Fab Fertile Method https://www.fabfertile.com/what-we-do/ Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH - https://fabfertile.clickfunnels.com/optinvbzjfsii Not sure where to start? Book a 15-minute call here and we'll give you options to help. ---

Send us a textIn this episode of the IBS Nutrition Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Ali Navidi — a licensed clinical psychologist and co-founder of GI Psychology — to explore how the gut-brain connection drives IBS symptoms, and how targeted psychological treatment can lead to lasting relief.We dive into what the gut-brain axis really is (without the medical jargon), when to seek support from a GI psychologist, and how tools like gut-directed CBT and clinical hypnosis can break the vicious cycle of symptom-anxiety-symptom. Whether you've been told “it's all in your head” or you're feeling stuck after trying diet changes alone, this episode will show you that IBS relief is possible with the right care team.In This Episode, You'll Learn:✔ What the gut-brain axis is and how it fuels IBS symptoms✔ Why IBS isn't “just in your head” (and how to break the shame cycle)✔ When to seek support from a GI psychologist — and why sooner is better✔ How treatment works: CBT, hypnotherapy, and tailored assessment✔ The role of food fear, avoidance, and nervous system dysregulation✔ Dr. Navidi's top 3 actionable tips to calm your gut and mind right nowTimestamps:[00:00] Welcome & intro to Dr. Ali Navidi[01:32] What is the gut-brain connection?[04:18] Why IBS isn't "just in your head"[07:37] Hypervigilance and the anxiety feedback loop[09:39] When to seek GI psych support[13:01] How assessments & treatment work[15:39] Gut-directed CBT vs. clinical hypnosis[17:53] Avoidance behaviours in IBS[20:55] Key takeaways for managing IBS[21:07] Dr. Navidi's 3 actionable steps for symptom relief[26:05] Final message to IBS sufferers[27:36] How to access more supportResources Mentioned:

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:Sometimes, the hardest parts of our journey are the feelings we can't quite put our finger on, when you can tell something feels off but can't really articulate exactly what's wrong. In this two-part episode, Cathy and I dive deep into four of those sneaky, often invisible struggles that so many of us experience when parenting through substance use and mental health challenges.PART ONE:In part one, we cover the kind of grief that doesn't get a funeral, the common response of hypervigilance and the exhaustion it creates, we share personal stories about the physical toll this emotional marathon has taken on us, and the importance of giving yourself permission to feel it all.Key Takeaways:You're not crazy, wrong, or alone in experiencing these hidden strugglesGrief for dreams and expectations is real grief, even when your child is aliveThe difference between helpful vigilance and exhausting hypervigilancePractical strategies for managing overwhelming emotions without numbing themWhy your nervous system needs intentional care and how to provide itThis podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream CommunityLearn about The Stream, our private online community for momsFind us on Instagram hereFind us on YouTube hereDownload a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and AlcoholHopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

Many wonder if they're "stuck" in a pattern or if healing and growth are possible.Join George Haas as he explores the intersection of attachment theory and meditation, and the path to live a more meaningful life. If you're interested in meditation-based attachment repair for long-term healing, this is for you.Like this? Grab our free video resource called

This episode is an interview with Matt Butler, a singer-songwriter who has performed in jails and prisons across America for a decade. He shares how music creates transformative spaces for healing in correctional environments.• Matt's musical journey began after writing songs for a documentary about recovery high schools• Music penetrates emotional defenses faster than conventional approaches, allowing inmates to be vulnerable• Songs like "Good Friday" and "Time to Be a Man" directly speak to experiences of addiction and incarceration• Hypervigilance in prison environments makes trauma processing nearly impossible• Music temporarily changes the atmosphere, allowing emotional expression typically suppressed for survival• Trauma and addiction form a vicious cycle that's particularly difficult to break while incarcerated• Reentry challenges include practical barriers like employment, housing, and basic skills deficits• Many successful recovery stories involve people transforming their past struggles into purpose by helping others• Creating spaces where people feel safe and accepted is essential for healing from addiction and traumaPlease check out Matt's album Reckless Son, the one-man show he performs in correctional facilities across the country.To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

What if the very strategies that saved you as a child are now sabotaging your adult relationships? In Part 2 of Tony's series on emotional immaturity, discover why your most persistent relationship struggles aren't character flaws—they're outdated survival software still running in the background of your life. Through the powerful ACT metaphor of "The Man in the Hole," you'll understand why working harder with familiar emotional tools only digs you deeper into relationship problems. When someone offers you a ladder out of your patterns, why do you keep trying to dig with it instead? This episode reveals how to recognize when it's time to put down the shovel of old coping strategies and climb toward something completely different. Meet the clients who've made this transformation: the chronic fixer who learned to ask "what do you need from me?" instead of immediately solving, the humor-deflector who shocked a room into silence by sharing something real, and the lifelong people-pleaser whose hands shook as she said "no" for the first time—and discovered her marriage actually got stronger. You'll explore Terry Real's revolutionary insight that childhood adaptations become adult roadblocks, learn the art of re-parenting yourself with compassion instead of criticism, and discover why emotional maturity isn't about never falling into old patterns—it's about recognizing when you're there and having new tools to respond. Whether you struggle with hypervigilance, perfectionism, control issues, or people-pleasing tendencies, this episode offers a shame-free framework for honoring your inner child's brilliant survival strategies while empowering your adult self to take the lead. Because growth isn't about eliminating your protective parts—it's about expanding your repertoire of responses and choosing consciously instead of reacting automatically. Ready to stop digging and start climbing? Your ladder awaits. 00:00 Introduction and Recap 01:23 The Story of Tyler 03:53 Tyler's Realization and Therapy 09:39 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Metaphor 15:46 Revisiting Emotional Immaturity 19:30 Reparenting Yourself 25:05 Examples of Reparenting in Action 29:00 Exploring Emotional Immaturity Traits 40:54 Recognizing and Validating Emotions 42:47 Dependence on External Validation 48:54 Taking Ownership and Accountability 51:49 Mind Reading and Communication 01:03:55 Hypervigilance and Emotional Containment 01:07:12 Perfectionism and Control 01:11:49 Integration and Emotional Maturity 01:15:57 Real-Life Examples of Emotional Growth 01:22:05 The Journey of Emotional Maturity

What if healing didn't start with supplements, but with a shift in thought? In this episode of the Smarter Not Harder Podcast, Dr. Scott Sherr sits down with renegade nurse and educator Karen DiMarco to explore how psychosocial stress, identity, and hypervigilance can create—or dissolve—chronic illness. Karen shares her personal health journey, the groundbreaking chronic fatigue study she co-led, and why our thoughts may be the most overlooked variable in healing. Join us as we delve into: The story behind Karen's recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome Her radical 8-week study that helped patients recover—without meds or supplements The connection between thought, oxidative stress, and the cell danger response How metaphors and insight can rewire the brain and physiology This episode is for you if: You've struggled with chronic illness and feel stuck You're curious about the mind-body connection in healing You're a health professional working with complex, hard-to-treat patients You want to learn how to “collapse the gap” between who you are and who you think you should be You can also find this episode on… YouTube: https://youtu.be/RAdH75quOzM Find more from Karen DiMarco: Website: https://karendimarco.com/home/ RNegade.pro: https://rnegade.pro/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-dimarco-rnegade/ Find more from Smarter Not Harder: Website: https://troscriptions.com/blogs/podcast | https://homehope.org Instagram: @troscriptions | @homehopeorg Get 10% Off your purchase of the Metabolomics Module by using PODCAST10 at https://www.homehope.org Get 10% Off your Troscriptions purchase by using POD10 at https://www.troscriptions.com Get daily content from the hosts of Smarter Not Harder by following @troscriptions on Instagram.

What if the very strategies that saved you as a child are now sabotaging your adult relationships? In Part 2 of Tony's series on emotional immaturity, discover why your most persistent relationship struggles aren't character flaws—they're outdated survival software still running in the background of your life. Through the powerful ACT metaphor of "The Man in the Hole," you'll understand why working harder with familiar emotional tools only digs you deeper into relationship problems. When someone offers you a ladder out of your patterns, why do you keep trying to dig with it instead? This episode reveals how to recognize when it's time to put down the shovel of old coping strategies and climb toward something completely different. Meet the clients who've made this transformation: the chronic fixer who learned to ask "what do you need from me?" instead of immediately solving, the humor-deflector who shocked a room into silence by sharing something real, and the lifelong people-pleaser whose hands shook as she said "no" for the first time—and discovered her marriage actually got stronger. You'll explore Terry Real's revolutionary insight that childhood adaptations become adult roadblocks, learn the art of re-parenting yourself with compassion instead of criticism, and discover why emotional maturity isn't about never falling into old patterns—it's about recognizing when you're there and having new tools to respond. Whether you struggle with hypervigilance, perfectionism, control issues, or people-pleasing tendencies, this episode offers a shame-free framework for honoring your inner child's brilliant survival strategies while empowering your adult self to take the lead. Because growth isn't about eliminating your protective parts—it's about expanding your repertoire of responses and choosing consciously instead of reacting automatically. Ready to stop digging and start climbing? Your ladder awaits. 00:00 Introduction and Recap 01:23 The Story of Tyler 03:53 Tyler's Realization and Therapy 09:39 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Metaphor 15:46 Revisiting Emotional Immaturity 19:30 Reparenting Yourself 25:05 Examples of Reparenting in Action 29:00 Exploring Emotional Immaturity Traits 40:54 Recognizing and Validating Emotions 42:47 Dependence on External Validation 48:54 Taking Ownership and Accountability 51:49 Mind Reading and Communication 01:03:55 Hypervigilance and Emotional Containment 01:07:12 Perfectionism and Control 01:11:49 Integration and Emotional Maturity 01:15:57 Real-Life Examples of Emotional Growth 01:22:05 The Journey of Emotional Maturity

Tu t'es reconnu·e dans l'épisode précédent ? Tu n'es pas seul·e — et bonne nouvelle, il est possible de changer les choses.Dans cette deuxième partie, on t'explique comment apaiser ton besoin de tout contrôler, faire confiance à ton enfant, et surtout, lui redonner un peu plus de pouvoir sur ce qu'il vit.Des réflexes simples, des exemples concrets et des stratégies pour sortir doucement du mode “alerte rouge”

Quand ton enfant vit une émotion difficile ou une situation inconfortable, est-ce que tu interviens pour lui… ou pour calmer ce que toi, tu ressens ?Dans cet épisode, on parle d'hypervigilance parentale : ce besoin de tout gérer, de tout anticiper, de tout régler tout de suite. Et si ce réflexe en disait plus sur ton propre stress que sur les besoins de ton enfant ?Tu verras comment cette dynamique s'installe, ce qu'elle provoque chez ton enfant — et comment en sortir avec bienveillance.

Sometimes, the danger isn't real, but our bodies still act like it is. You're stuck in traffic, someone you love is upset, or a friend doesn't text back, and suddenly, you're spiraling.  Your heart races, your thoughts scramble, and before you know it, you're either fixing, fleeing, or shutting down.  What's happening? In a world that constantly pushes us to stay in control, we forget how to stay connected, to ourselves, to others, and to the moment.  But our bodies remember. They hold wisdom, intuition, and the capacity to guide us, if we're willing to listen.  When we learn to pause, feel, and trust, we unlock a deeper kind of safety that doesn't depend on circumstances. In this episode, we unpack the fear-driven urge to fix, the stories our minds create to avoid discomfort, and the deep wisdom available when we drop into presence.  Through stories of hypervigilance, childhood coping strategies, and even traffic-induced meltdowns, we explore how embodiment opens up more freedom, clarity, and connection than control ever could.   Things You'll Learn In This Episode  -The fixing instinct Why do we leap into action when someone else is struggling, and what are we really trying to avoid? -Hypervigilance reframed What if your childhood survival skills could become your greatest gifts, once you learn how to work with them instead of against them? -Your body gets there first How can checking in with your body (instead of your thoughts) stop fear from spiraling and bring you back to your own inner wisdom? -The contagion of calm What happens when we meet tension with grounded presence, and how does that ripple outward to others?     About Your Hosts Katie Hendricks, Ph.D., BC-DMT, is a pioneer in body intelligence and conscious loving with over 40 years of experience. Known internationally as a presenter and seminar leader, she focuses on authenticity, responsibility, and appreciation in conscious living. She co-authored 12 books, including best-sellers Conscious Loving and Conscious Loving Ever After and she has appeared on over 500 radio and TV programs. Sophie Chiche is a seasoned coach and consultant who has worked with thousands of individuals and teams globally. With a focus on helping people live fully expressed lives, she guides clients and facilitates group sessions to remove obstacles and design meaningful lives. Sophie has developed unique methods, mindset shifts, and healing modalities to create lasting change.   Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so the show reaches more people!  

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In this episode of Coaching 2 Change, Dr. Aaron Bryant dives into the topic of Hypervigilance in PTSD, a common yet often misunderstood symptom of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Hypervigilance is the state of being constantly on high alert, even when there's no immediate danger. Dr. Bryant explains the psychological and physical effects of hypervigilance, how it disrupts daily life, and, most importantly, shares practical strategies for managing it.If you or someone you know struggles with PTSD, this episode will help you better understand the root causes of hypervigilance and provide useful tools like grounding exercises, mindfulness, physical activity, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to cope.Recovery is a journey, and each step forward brings you closer to peace and empowerment.Subscribe for more mental health tips and trauma recovery strategies!Join the conversation! Leave us a comment and let us know how you have been managing PTSD symptoms.#Hypervigilance #PTSD #MentalHealthAwareness #TraumaRecovery #GroundingExercises #Mindfulness #CBT #MentalHealthTips #HealingJourney #Coaching2Change #DrAaronBryant #PostTraumaticStressDisorder #StressManagement #Therapy #Healing #Recovery #MindfulnessMeditation #MentalHealthSupportSupport the show

In this episode of the Besties with Breasties podcast, co-hosts Sarah Hall and Beth Wilmes, founder of the nonprofit Faith Through Fire, delve into the topic of vulnerability. They are joined by Kara, a member of Faith Through Fire, who shares her journey with breast cancer and subsequent mental health struggles. Kara discusses the challenges she faced, including hyper-vigilance and anxiety following her treatment, and the importance of vulnerability in her path to recovery. The episode also covers the significance of seeking intensive mental health care and de-stigmatizes inpatient treatment. Kara's story highlights how admitting the need for help and undergoing comprehensive care can lead to a renewed, thriving life. 00:00 Introduction to the Besties with Breasty Podcast 00:45 Discussing Vulnerability in Breast Cancer 01:34 Introducing Kara and Her Journey 03:17 Kara's Diagnosis and Initial Reactions 07:07 Boobs in the News: Fun and Laughter 11:39 Kara's Mental Health Struggles 15:37 Hypervigilance and Its Impact on Family 16:54 Timeline of Medical Treatments and Mental Health Struggles 17:57 Realization and Seeking Help 19:04 Inpatient Mental Health Treatment 23:01 Finding the Right Counselor 28:57 Encouragement for Others Facing Similar Struggles 31:32 Kara's Life Today and Final Thoughts Guest Profile: https://www.bestieswithbreastiespodcast.com/guests/kara-hadden/ Connect with Faith Through Fire: Website: https://faiththroughfire.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithroughfire/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaithroughFire/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrsAo4sAD6_EjGuvqLKP3Rg Podcast available on Apple, SoundCloud, Spotify and wherever you listen.

Hypervigilance is a state of being where you constantly are on the lookout for perceived threats. It's often the result of trauma - but it shows itself in the work world as well. Ironically, many high achievers are rewarded for hypervigilant behavior, but it comes at a cost. Tanvi Gautam,  executive coach and managing director of Leadershift Inc., explains how she's seen hypervigilance show up in her clients, and how she helps them work through it and push forward in their careers.  Read more about hypervigilance: https://hbr.org/2024/11/3-ways-to-temper-your-hypervigilance-at-work

Hypervigilance and Family Roles

What if the very thing you're craving — peace, clarity, vitality — has been within you all along? In this powerful solo episode, Laura shares her unexpected and life-changing journey into transformational breathwork — and how it's become one of the most impactful practices in her life and work. Laura opens up about the moment breathwork found her in 2021, during a retreat in the mountains of British Columbia, and the surprising ways it cracked her open, softened her edges, and helped her finally loosen the grip of control. What began as a single session turned into a soul-aligned path — one that has transformed her thoughts, body, relationships, and the way she moves through the world. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, hyper-vigilant, stuck in old patterns, or disconnected from your body and truth, this episode will meet you right where you are. Breath by breath.   In this episode, Laura shares: The story of how breathwork found her — and why she resisted it at first What actually happens during a transformational breathwork session (including common physical responses and emotional releases) The lesser-known physiological benefits of breathwork: improved oxygenation, CO₂ tolerance, inflammation reduction, and longevity How breathwork can help you unwind old beliefs, regulate your nervous system, and connect more deeply with yourself Why transformational breathwork bypasses the brain and heals from the inside out The powerful role of rhythm, community, and consistency in sustainable change What inspired her to create the Breathe Into Being Membership — and how you can join now   Breathwork can help you… Reduce stress and anxiety Improve sleep, focus, and emotional resilience Release stored trauma and energetic blocks Increase lung capacity and blood oxygen levels Expand your intuition, vitality, and creative potential Rewire your nervous system and reconnect to your truth Cultivate a rhythm of healing that supports your entire life   Ready to breathe with Laura? The Breathe Into Being Membership is ready for registration NOW and officially opens April 21, 2025 — a sacred online space to support your ongoing journey with transformational breathwork. If you're listening in real time, join now as a Founding Member for exclusive pricing and first access to live sessions, workshops, and community.

BESTSELLING author Dr. SAMRA ZAFAR joins BOOKSTORM Podcast to discuss UNCONDITIONAL: Break Through Past Limits to Transform Your Future! Dr. Samra Zafar is an award-winning, internationally renowned speaker, bestselling author, trauma expert, physician, and educator. She's one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women and Top 25 Most Inspiring Women. She is also the survivorof an abusive arranged marriage, which she wrote about in her bestselling memoir, A GOOD WIFE: Escaping the Life I Never Chose. Many of you know her from her popular Ted Talks. In this episode, she joins us to talk about her newest release, the incredible UNCONDITIONAL. Have you ever lost sight of your dream? Could you be suffering from burnout? Or perhaps Superwoman Syndrome? We talked ALL about courage and fearlessness (does that even exist?) Did you know that hyper-independence can be a trauma response?! Dr. Zafar shares incredible wisdom on these topics and so much more - including what's wrong with selflessness? Who's approval do you actually need? How do we become intentional about choosing friends? Are there friends we need to cut loose? Thoughtful, insightful, and full of practical wisdom and answers ... this is the episode we all need right now! Join us!You can find more of your favorite bestselling authors at BOOKSTORM Podcast! We're also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube!

“If you have a new onset of anxiety or depression that doesn't even make sense to you, think of a more physical cause.” - Dr. Neil Nathan   Do you have issues with focus, concentration, or even finding the word you want to use? If so, you might be dealing with the hidden effects of mold toxicity and Lyme disease.  In this episode, Dr. Aimie sits down with Dr. Neil Nathan to discuss how mold toxicity and Lyme disease can create a "biology of threat" in the body that can trigger and maintain a state of hypervigilance and reactivity. This is not the only issue  mold toxins and Lyme infections can cause. They can create unique inflammatory responses that affect the brain, nervous system, and immune function, often manifesting as unexplained anxiety, depression, cognitive issues, and physical symptoms that are often misdiagnosed as mental health disorders. Dr. Nathan also introduces "the big three" factors keeping the body stuck in threat mode: limbic activation, vagal dysregulation, and mast cell activation. He'll share how these become dysregulated when faced with mold toxicity and Lyme disease, causing the body to shut down as a protective mechanism. This explains why you may experience seemingly inexplicable sensitivities and reactions despite doing all the "right" emotional and psychological work for trauma recovery. Join them as they break down the science behind the body's response to mold toxicity and Lyme disease, if it's possible to reverse it, and actionable steps you can take to start the healing journey. You'll learn more about: [05:05] How “out of the blue” anxiety, depression, or other symptoms might actually be caused by mold or Lyme [10:00] What makes the inflammation associated with these internal stressors unique [16:46]  Why the “big three” need to be addressed together in sensitive patients [17:38] How mold toxicity and Lyme can lead to chronic neurological and autoimmune conditions [20:33] The internal trauma response that can be created by mold toxicity and Lyme And more!   Dr. Neil Nathan is a Board Certified Family Physician who has been practicing medicine for over 50 years. As he studied and learned a wide variety of alternative concepts, his practice gravitated into primarily helping to diagnose and treat those patients who have not been helped by conventional medicine. He's worked with thousands of patients with complex medical illnesses such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, mold toxicity, chronic Lyme disease, autism, and chronic pain.    Related Podcasts: Episode 105: How Anxiety, Depression & Trauma Reactions May Be From Mold and Heavy Metals Episode 106: How Mast Cell Activation, Histamines & Mold Toxicity Place You in a High-Risk Trauma Category   Guides, Tools & Resources: The Essential Sequence - free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response. Foundational Journey - a guided 6 week journey into your inner world with a structured sequence of somatic and parts interventions with live online classes. One of the things that happens in just the first 21 days of the Foundational Journey is that people experience a 26% decrease in daily physical pain, speaking to what Dr Schubiner was just talking about, these neural secret pains, can turn off and on, and it's not actually necessarily due to the the injury the body itself. It is a neural circuit and we're managing the pain just by working with the nervous system, looking at the habitual component of it and continuing with essential parts work.   Connect with Dr. Neil Nathan: Website   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast. Comment Etiquette: I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Please share your constructive feedback by using personal name or initials so that we can keep this space spam-free, and let's keep the discussion positive!  

Kimberly speaks with Shauna Brittenham Reiter, author of 'You Are the Boss of You.' They discuss the journey to wholeness, overcoming trauma, and the importance of self-soothing and emotional awareness. Shauna shares her personal experiences with anxiety and perfectionism, emphasizing the significance of understanding the true self versus the ego. The discussion also touches on parenting and the power of presence and pausing in daily life. Fatty15 is on a mission to replenish your C15 levels and restore your long-term health. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/KIMBERLY and using code KIMBERLY at checkout. LMNT is offering a free sample pack with any LMNT drink mix purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/FEELGOOD. That's 8 single serving packets FREE with any LMNT any LMNT drink mix purchase. Get yours at DrinkLMNT.com/FEELGOOD. This deal is only available through my link. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Shauna Brittenham Reiter 01:51 Journey to Wholeness: Overcoming Trauma 06:05 Understanding the True Self vs. Ego 10:15 Somatic Awareness and Emotional Processing 15:13 Hypervigilance and Its Impact on Relationships 19:10 Self-Soothing and Inner Child Work 24:03 The Power of Presence and Pausing 29:01 Centering Through Breath and Compassion 32:18 The Power of Pausing and Self-Care 35:47 Tuning Your Instrument: The Art of Patience 39:58 Creating Space for Creativity and Reflection 43:40 Owning Your Time and Choices 49:54 Establishing Boundaries and Self-Trust 54:54 Tools for Living Life on Your Terms

In this episode of the Tactical Living Podcast, hosts Coach Ashlie Walton and Sergeant Clint Walton explore the hidden toll that hypervigilance takes on first responders, their families and how to train your brain (Amazon Affiliate). Hypervigilance—the constant state of being on high alert—is a necessary survival tool on the job, but when it bleeds into home life, relationships, and mental health, it can lead to burnout, anxiety, and emotional disconnection. You'll learn how hypervigilance develops, five ways it impacts home life, and five strategies to manage it so that you can be present, engaged, and mentally healthy both on and off duty. 1. What is Hypervigilance, and Why Does it Happen? First responders are trained to scan for threats, anticipate danger, and remain constantly aware of their surroundings. This heightened awareness is critical on duty, but it doesn't just "turn off" when you get home. 2. Five Ways Hypervigilance Affects Home Life: 1. Difficulty Relaxing or Enjoying the Moment Example: You're at a family barbecue, but instead of enjoying the food and conversation, you're scanning for exits and watching every unfamiliar person. Why It's a Problem: Prevents true relaxation and connection with family and friends. 2. Overprotectiveness Toward Family Members Example: Your kids want to ride their bikes to a friend's house, but you've seen too much on the job, so you won't allow them to go anywhere alone. Why It's a Problem: Can create anxiety in children and make them fearful of the world. 3. Emotional Detachment in Relationships Example: After a long shift, your spouse tries to engage with you, but you respond with short answers or avoid deeper conversations. Why It's a Problem: Creates emotional distance that can damage intimacy and trust. 4. Sleep Disturbances and Chronic Fatigue Example: You hear a noise at night and immediately wake up in high-alert mode, struggling to fall back asleep. Why It's a Problem: Lack of quality rest leads to irritability, poor decision-making, and long-term health issues. 5. Trouble Transitioning Between Work and Home Example: You feel like you're still in work mode long after your shift has ended, constantly thinking about past calls or preparing for the next one. Why It's a Problem: Prevents mental and emotional recovery, leading to burnout and stress overload. 3. Five Strategies to Manage Hypervigilance and Improve Home Life: 1. Create a Transition Routine After Work Solution: Establish a ritual that signals to your brain that work is over (e.g., listening to music, working out, changing clothes, or taking a shower). Why It's Beneficial: Helps separate work from home life and reduces mental carryover. 2. Practice Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques Solution: Use deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to calm your nervous system. Why It's Beneficial: Helps shift your body out of high-alert mode and into a state of rest. 3. Set Boundaries with Work-Related Conversations at Home Solution: Give yourself a time limit for discussing stressful work topics at home, then shift focus to family and personal life. Why It's Beneficial: Reduces constant work-related stress and improves relationships. 4. Allow Yourself to Be Vulnerable with Loved Ones Solution: Instead of bottling up emotions, communicate with your spouse and family about how hypervigilance affects you. Why It's Beneficial: Strengthens emotional connection and helps others understand your behaviors. 5. Seek Professional Help When Needed Solution: If hypervigilance is severely impacting your relationships, sleep, or mental health, consider counseling or peer support programs. Why It's Beneficial: Provides healthy coping mechanisms and ensures you're not carrying the burden alone. 4. How First Responders Can Find Balance Between Awareness and Relaxation: Discover ways to stay alert when necessary without allowing hypervigilance to dominate daily life. 5. The Importance of Building a Healthy Mindset at Home: Learn how to mentally "clock out" so you can be fully present with your family and recharge before your next shift. Why This Matters: Hypervigilance is a necessary tool on duty, but it shouldn't control your life at home. By learning how to transition, relax, and reconnect, first responders can protect their mental health, strengthen their relationships, and create a better work-life balance. Listen now to discover how to manage hypervigilance and reclaim peace in your home life!

On the journey of healing, eventually we are lead to a place of self-protection. This is good! But what if we start attracting people who deserve to experience the fullness of our open hearts? How do we learn to put down the walls we've built and stop looking over our shoulders for the other shoe to drop? What if hyper-vigilance has stopped serving us? How do we walk on?

Are you trapped in a cycle of anxiety and hypervigilance due to betrayal trauma? Join Amie as she dives into understanding hypervigilance and its deep-rooted impacts on your mental and physical health. Learn practical strategies to let go, build self-trust, and find peace within yourself. Explore how to shift from control to curiosity and soothe your nervous system in the path towards healing.Register Now! Believing in You - Amie teaches you how to work WITH your brain instead of against it. Learn tools that will help you move forward to trust, love, empowerment, and finding joy once again. Rebuilding Us: A Path to Deeper Connection - Register by 2/28/25 and use the promo code rebuildus500 for $500 off! This four-day intensive is for couples in recovery who have completed at least a year of active healing and are ready to strengthen their relationship. Experienced therapists and coaches will guide couples through private sessions and group activities to foster deeper connection and intimacy in their relationship. Intensive will be in Mesa, AZ March 26th-29th. Payment plans available by emailing info@chooserecoveryservices.com. Men's Journey to Wholeness: Healing All of Our Parts – Join us March 12th–14th, 2025 in Spanish Fork, UT for a next-level recovery experience designed to help you build a deeper relationship with yourself and others. This intensive offers transformational connection, deep self-exploration, and guided support to help you heal and move forward with greater freedom.  Betrayal Trauma Recovery Book Study Group starts in March! Led by Rachel Strong Smith, this group provides a safe space for women to discuss books about betrayal trauma, ask questions, and find community support. Build connections while deepening your understanding of healing resources. The Body Awakened: A Brainspotting Journey to Healing - Join Amie for a three-day, in-person intensive on April 10-12, 2025. Experience Brainspotting, learn how to get back into your body, and heal somatically.⁠Watch us⁠ on YouTube.⁠Schedule⁠ a complimentary consultation with us.More from Choose Recovery Services Beyond the Facade Podcast - Podcast geared toward helping men live authentically and in harmony with their values. Choose Healing - Weekly support group for women who have recently experienced betrayal. First four weeks are free! Road to Recovery Webinar - FREE interactive discussion on the second Sunday of each month that explores tools and strategies to support individuals and couples navigating the challenges of recovery following betrayal.   Intensives - Accelerate your healing journey with one of our intensives, available year-round for individuals, couples, and professionals. Healing Hearts - This is for couples seeking healing after betrayal. It emphasizes the development of empathy, integrity, and authentic intimacy. Available as a support group or a self-paced course. Help. Her. Heal - For men seeking to learn more about empathy, conflict resolution, and healthy communication.  ⁠Empowerment After Betrayal for Men⁠ - Betrayal trauma support group for men who have been betrayed. Beyond the Facade: Men's Healing Group - We help men move through the pains of addiction, relationship healing, managing emotions, and moving past shame. Choose Renewal - For women recovering from unwanted sexual behavior, whether it's a recurring challenge or a one-time incident. Resilient Teens - Ongoing support group for teens ages 15-18 whose parents have experienced betrayal in their marriage. Adult Children Uniting for Healing - Ongoing support group for adult children of parents who have experienced betrayal in their marriage. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Empowered Divorce Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with Amie Woolsey for those who are leaning toward divorce.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dating From Within - Amie Woolsey hosts this workshop which teaches you how to date yourself first. Should I Stay or Go? - Self-paced course designed to be a companion on your journey toward self-discovery and empowerment. 

Coming up on this episode of Flirtations, we're talking about trauma and how our experiences shape the way we approach dating, relationships, and even our own self-worth.  We have two incredible guests for this conversation, Ilyse Kennedy, a psychotherapist and Lindsay Camp, a licensed marriage and family therapist, to explore trauma and how trauma influences our patterns in love and connection. We take on the dual themes of hyperindependence, where you feel like you have to handle everything on your own, and hypervigilance, the feeling of not trusting someone, always being on edge or looking for potential threats. We'll share what it means to heal from relational wounds and why rebuilding trust—both in others and in yourself—can feel so challenging, but is absolutely possible. Plus, why the phrase 'if it's hysterical, it's historical' holds so much truth and how we can develop greater self-awareness and compassion. Finally, we've got healing strategies, steps to break free from wounds of the past, and why you're healing is right on time.  So, whether you're working to heal old heartbreaks or simply want to deepen your self-awareness in relationships, this conversation is filled with insights and actionable advice to help you move forward with confidence and connection.  Let's go flirties! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Flirtations on your favorite podcast platform, and share this episode to spread BFE - big flirt energy, all over the world! Enjoying the show and want to support my work? Buy the Flirt Coach a coffee! About our guests:  Ilyse Kennedy, LPC-S, LMFT-S, SEP is a trauma therapist and group practice owner in Austin, TX. Her practice, Moving Parts Psychotherapy, has become one of the go-to therapy practices in Austin for those recovering from complex trauma. Through her practice, she supervises associates pursuing licensure to expand her unique way of working with trauma to the world. Her book, The Tender Parts: A Guide to Healing Trauma Through Internal Family Systems Therapy was released in 2022 and has become a go-to companion for those moving through healing. Lindsay G Camp, LMFT, is a Texas based therapist specializing in working with young adults. She founded Austin Teen Therapy over a decade ago and has aided in supporting hundreds of young people, their families, as well as a dozen therapists in their professional development. As the daughter of a seeker and a dabbler herself, healing, in all its many forms, has always been a special interest. She is currently creating a workbook for parents of teens to be released later this year. Together, Ilyse and Lindsay began The Hilling Journey podcast where they share their healing journeys with their friendship at the forefront. From weeding through grief to making pop culture references, the podcast focuses on the joys and sorrows of healing with some exciting guests who are healers on their own healing journeys. About your host:  Benjamin is a flirt and dating coach sharing his love of flirting and BFE - big flirt energy, with the world! A lifelong introvert and socially anxious member of society, Benjamin now helps singles and daters alike flirt with more confidence, clarity, and fun! As the flirt is all about connection, Benjamin helps the flirt community (the flirties!) date from a place that allows the value of connection in all forms - platonic and romantic connection - to take center stage and transform lives for greater healing and ultimately, a deeper connection with the self. You can connect with Benjamin on Instagram, TikTok, stream the Flirtations Flirtcast everywhere you listen to podcasts (like right here!), and find out more about working together 1:1 here.

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Do you often feel unsafe in your body, and like you have to stay super focused on what people say or do? And are you tired of how exhausted and drained you feel because you feel so on edge? If so, this episode is for you. Lisa A. Romano Life Coach and award winning author, shares how you can learn to feel safe in your body again, despite a childhood that has left you with invisible scars.  Hypervigilance is a trauma response and although it may have kept you feeling safe as a child, this survival response can wreak havoc on all areas of your life. The good news is, that Lisa is an expert in healing the mind, body and soul, through her groundbreaking approach to healing at the level of the subconscious. Int his session, learn to better understand how to master detachment in relationships.  If you're codependent and hypervigilant, this episode is for you. Are you sick and tired of living out painful childhood experiences? If so, join Lisa in her upcoming 12 Week Breakthrough Program beginning soon!  Breakthrough Codependency in 12 Weeks or Less  Embark on the path to conscious awakening, emotional healing, and transformation with Lisa's Conscious Healing Academy, which includes a 3 tier coaching system that assists with one's awakening, emotional intelligence, and mental and emotional mastery.  12 Week Breakthrough Program (Level One - The Awakening) 8 Week Master Your Reality (Level 2 -- Deliberate Creating) Soul School - (Level Three -- Ascending Ego) To learn more, contact Lisa and her team members here; Contact Website Spotify Award Winning Books  Facebook Support Group

In the final episode of our five-part miniseries on mindful responses to antisemitism, host Rabbi Josh Feigelson explores the fine line between vigilance and hypervigilance in Jewish life. Rabbi Feigelon reflects on intergenerational trauma, mindfulness, and resilience. He draws on the Torah to counter anxiety by embracing Jewish identity with strength and presence. Soulful Jewish Living: Mindful Practices for Every Day is a production of Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media, and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. This episode was sponsored by Jonathan and Kori Kalafer and the Somerset Patriots: The Bridgewater, NJ-based AA Affiliate of the New York Yankees. Be in touch at josh@jewishunpacked.com. --------------- This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Stars of David with Elon Gold Unpacking Israeli History Wondering Jews

Start the New Year with a Fresh Start! Discover who you truly are, what you need in life and relationships to feel fulfilled, and how to get them with our Needs Course—yours for FREE for life. Begin your journey to transformation with our All-Access Pass Membership, FREE for 7 days this New Year! https://attachment.personaldevelopmentschool.com/dream-life-free-course?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=new-years-7-day-trial&utm_medium=organic&el=podcast Do you wonder if your fearful avoidant partner misses you but is too afraid to say it? Discover the five subtle signs and learn how to bridge the gap for better understanding and connection. In today's episode, Thais Gibson reveals five subtle but powerful signs that a fearful avoidant partner may miss you, even if they don't say it outright. Learn how behaviors like pushing you away, seeking quality time, or showing negative framing can indicate their desire to reconnect. Listen now for insights into decoding their actions and fostering better communication in your relationship. Timestamps 00:00:00 – Introduction: Does the Fearful Avoidant Miss You? 00:01:04 – Sign #1: Pushing You Away to Test Your Response 00:02:00 – The Role of Validation in Their Behavior 00:04:02 – Sign #2: Asking About Small Details of Your Life 00:05:32 – Hypervigilance as a Coping Mechanism 00:06:39 – Sign #3: Inviting You to Novel Experiences 00:08:01 – Why New Experiences Help Them Bond 00:08:50 – Sign #4: Planning Quality Alone Time 00:10:30 – Sign #5: Negative Framing Instead of Direct Expression Follow Us for Daily Relationship Insights and Breakthroughs on Our Social Channels! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thepersonaldevelopmentschool/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ThePersonalDevelopmentSchool TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thaisgibson LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/thepersonaldevelopmentschool/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThePersonalDevelopmentSchool #TheThaisGibsonPodcast Special thanks to our sponsors: Headway: ‘Started your self-growth journey a hundred times? Give it one more shot — you'll love it. Take the quiz at visit http://makeheadway.com/thais  and explore topics that matter to you.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you scared to slow down? Do you feel guilty when you take a break? Do you know how to rest? In this overstimulating time of incessant calamities, our collective energy is palpable, and rest is needed more than ever. In this episode, Sarah breaks down three reasons why it is so hard to rest in our dominant culture. She shares methods for finding your own restful rituals and resisting the demands of urgency and self-extraction. Sarah also shares more from her mini-sabbatical last year, what happened, and what she found out.In this episode, you'll learn:Why it is so hard to restWhat happens when we restHow to retrain your nervous systemHow to avoid shame and guilt when restingHow the foundation the U.S. is built on impacts restDifferent methods of restIf you feel overwhelmed, overworked or overstimulated, if you are desperate for rest but simply don't know where to start, this episode is for you.For more on the originator, Tricia Hersey, of the Rest as Resistance Movement, go here, and read her book here.Listen to Moonbeaming episode 160 with Aidan Wachter hereMOON STUDIO WORKSHOP LINKSRitual for Remembering: A Return to Self.Future Self Workshop.Our Hermit Year. Mystic Vision Workshop.Join the Moon Studio Patreon.Buy the 2025 Many Moons Lunar Planner.Subscribe to our newsletter.Find Sarah on Instagram.

Some people are deeply confused about what's appropriate to say and do around their kids. When parents are unboundaried like that, walking around undressed, raging, getting emotional, talking about exploits, it makes kids feel scared again and again, putting them at risk to develop Complex PTSD, and robbing them of a sense of safety in the world. In this video, I respond to a letter from a woman whose "ick" triggers from her parents' behaviors are blocking her ability to love. Try the FREE Daily Practice Course: FREE PDF Download: https://bit.ly/3Y4263I

In this episode, we're diving deep into the transformative power of nervous system regulation, yoga, and breathwork—all specifically tailored to fertility and overall female wellness. I'm joined by Jennifer Edmonds, an experienced yoga, Pilates, and breathwork teacher who specializes in fertility and women's health. Through her own challenging fertility journey, Jennifer discovered how fertility yoga eased her anxiety, balanced her thyroid, and helped her conceive naturally. Now, she helps women around the world unlock their body's innate healing potential. Join us for an inspiring conversation packed with insights into how slowing down and tuning in can reshape your fertility journey and well-being. Join us as we share: Jennifer's Fertility Journey: Jennifer shares her struggles with failed IVF and medical challenges, eventually finding success through fertility yoga. Her journey highlights the resilience of the female body and the importance of addressing stress and hormones holistically. Stress and Fertility: Chronic stress activates the fight-or-flight response, which deprioritizes reproduction. Prolonged stress disrupts menstrual cycles, depletes minerals, and complicates conception. Fertility Yoga and Hormone Balance: Yoga helps regulate the nervous system, reducing cortisol and promoting hormonal balance. Fertility yoga aligns with menstrual phases: restorative poses during menstruation, energizing practices near ovulation, and calming exercises post-ovulation. These tailored practices support hormonal health, pelvic circulation, and conception readiness. Yoga for Hormonal Phases: Specific yoga practices for menstrual phases promote pelvic circulation, reduce stagnation, and calm the nervous system. Restorative practices post-ovulation encourage safety signals for conception or early pregnancy. Adjusting Exercise for Fertility: High-intensity workouts can disrupt hormonal balance. Post-ovulation, lighter exercises reduce inflammation and better support fertility. Shifting from High-Intensity to Mindful Practices: Slower practices like meditation and breathwork are more effective than vigorous exercise for stress management. Breathwork serves as an accessible entry point for calming the mind. Mind-body practices like yoga and meditation significantly improve fertility. A Harvard study showed a 50% higher IVF success rate in women using these practices. Overcoming Meditation Challenges: Beginners often feel “bad” at meditation but can start small with guided or breath-focused sessions. Active practices like breathwork help ease Type A personalities into mindfulness. Hypervigilance and Stress Awareness: Hypervigilance, often tied to trauma, leads to over-control and exhaustion. Recognizing stress signals like agitation or a racing heart is crucial to breaking the cycle. Build awareness by linking habits to physical stress responses. Focus on controllable factors like sleep, nutrition, and triggers. Somatic practices like yoga and breathwork help the body feel safe. Personalized Stress Management: Experiment with different strategies to discover what works best. A diverse toolbox of techniques provides flexibility to manage various stressors. Jennifer opens the doors to her program from Friday 31st January - Thursday 6th February 2025. Register at: https://www.elementpilatesyoga.com/in-your-element-membership ** Your coupon code to receive 50% off their first month is: STEFANIE Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stefanieadlerwellness/?hl=en Check out my Website: https://www.stefanieadler.com/ Hair Mineral Analysis Test and Interpretation: https://www.stefanieadler.com/offers/zi6b9hEo/checkout Connect with Jennifer: https://www.facebook.com/brightbeanhealth/ Website - brightbeanhealth.com

In this episode of the Tactical Living Podcast, hosts Coach Ashlie Walton and Sergeant Clint Walton tackle a powerful question from the Police, Fire, Military, and Families Facebook group: “How do I overcome or regulate being in defense mode (Amazon Affiliate) all the time?” Hypervigilance and always being in defense mode can be a common response for first responders due to the high-stress and high-risk nature of their jobs. While this mindset is a protective mechanism on duty, staying in this heightened state can negatively affect your relationships, mental health, and overall well-being. You'll learn five actionable strategies to regulate defense mode and build a healthier balance between vigilance and relaxation, both on and off the job. Why Hypervigilance Happens: Understand how the brain adapts to constant stress in high-stakes environments and why it can be difficult to “switch off” this mindset in your personal life. Five Suggestions to Regulate Being in Defense Mode: 1. Create a Decompression Routine After Work: Example: Spend 10-15 minutes in a quiet space when you get home, practicing deep breathing or listening to calming music. Why It's Beneficial: Helps signal to your brain and body that it's safe to relax and transition out of “work mode.” 2. Identify Triggers That Keep You on Edge: Example: Reflect on situations, people, or environments that heighten your sense of vigilance, such as crowded spaces or high-stakes conversations. Why It's Beneficial: Awareness of your triggers allows you to create strategies for managing them effectively. 3. Practice Grounding Techniques: Example: Use sensory grounding methods, such as focusing on the feel of an object in your hand or naming five things you can see, hear, or touch in the moment. Why It's Beneficial: Grounding helps you stay present and shift focus away from perceived threats that aren't actually present. 4. Build Healthy Boundaries in Relationships: Example: If defense mode is causing tension in your personal life, communicate with loved ones about your feelings and work together to set boundaries that allow for mutual understanding. Why It's Beneficial: Reduces misunderstandings and strengthens trust in your relationships. 5. Prioritize Physical and Mental Self-Care: Example: Incorporate regular exercise, mindfulness practices, and hobbies that help lower stress levels into your routine. Why It's Beneficial: Taking care of your body and mind reduces baseline stress, making it easier to regulate heightened emotions. How Defense Mode Affects Relationships and Mental Health: Learn why being in constant defense mode can create emotional distance, increase irritability, and lead to burnout over time. How to Shift from Hypervigilance to Awareness: Discover techniques to stay alert without feeling emotionally drained or on edge, fostering a healthier balance between vigilance and relaxation. When to Seek Professional Support: Understand how to recognize when hypervigilance has become too overwhelming to manage alone and when to seek help from a therapist or counselor. Why This Matters: Living in constant defense mode can feel exhausting, but you don't have to remain stuck in that mindset. With intentional effort and the right strategies, you can regulate hypervigilance, improve your relationships, and maintain a sense of calm while staying prepared for what life throws at you. Listen now to learn how to break out of defense mode and take back control of your mental and emotional health!     Secure your firearm with my buy one get one free affiliate code from STOPBOX http://stopboxusa.com/LEOWARRIORS All viewpoints discussed in this episode are for entertainment purposes only and are simply our opinions based off of our own experience, background and education. Want to be a guest on Tactical Living? Send Ashlie Walton a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1594754484675x841981803913560400 #policepodcast #policeofficer #leowarriors #thinbluelineusa #firstresponder #lawenforcementpodcast #LawEnforcement #LEOWarriors #Hypervigilance   ⩥ PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL ⩤ https://geni.us/wAtlvPu     CLICK HERE for Amazon's Today's Deals on TACTICAL GEAR: https://geni.us/KmvaOVM (Affiliate Link) (Ad) Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something by clicking on one of our links, we'll receive a small commission.   CLICK HERE to join our free Police, Fire, Military and Families Facebook Group: https://geni.us/YM5tsB   Check out our website and learn more about how you can work with LEO Warriors by going to: https://www.leowarriors.com/   Like what you hear? We are honored. Drop a review and subscribe to our show.    The Tactical Living Podcast is owned by LEO Warriors, LLC. None of the content presented may be copied, repurposed or used without the owner's prior consent.   For PR, speaking requests and other networking opportunities, contact LEO Warriors: EMAIL: ashliewalton555@gmail.com. ADDRESS: P.O. Box 400115 Hesperia, Ca. 92340 ASHLIE'S FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/police.fire.lawenforcement   ➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤➤ This episode is NOT sponsored.   

In this episode of the Anxiety Podcast, we dive into the fundamental concept of safety. I share personal stories about my father's struggles with mental health during the holidays and how these experiences left me feeling unsafe and on edge as a child. Feeling safe is such an important part of healing from anxiety, so I talk about ways to create that sense of safety for yourself. I include simple but effective strategies like mindful breathing and self-soothing techniques. More than anything, I want to remind listeners that healing takes time and effort, but it's possible to find those small moments of safety and start easing the constant state of hypervigilance. Thank you for listening, and you can find me on IG: @theanxietymd if you have any questions. PS. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 4000+ anxiety WARRIORS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below: https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX ______________________________ TIMESTAMPS Introduction to Safety (00:00:00)   Dr. Kennedy introduces the topic of safety and its relation to anxiety, particularly during the holiday season. Childhood Experiences of Unsafety (00:01:02)   He shares personal anecdotes about his father's mental health struggles affecting his sense of safety as a child. The Importance of Feeling Safe (00:02:02)   Dr. Kennedy emphasizes that feeling safe is crucial for healing from anxiety and overcoming childhood trauma. Hypervigilance and Its Impact (00:04:13)   He discusses how hypervigilance prevents individuals from experiencing safety and contributes to ongoing anxiety. Creating Safety in the Body (00:06:25)   Dr. Kennedy explains the need for physical safety to combat hypervigilance and promote healing. The Role of the Autonomic Nervous System (00:10:08)   He describes how the nervous system's balance affects feelings of safety and anxiety. Connection and Safety (00:11:10)   Dr. Kennedy highlights the importance of social connections in establishing safety and overcoming anxiety. Developing a Sense of Safety (00:12:33)   He suggests methods for creating safety through body awareness and present-moment sensations. Addressing Childhood Trauma (00:15:44)   Dr. Kennedy reflects on how childhood experiences of trauma impact current perceptions of safety. Using the Mind to Acknowledge Safety (00:16:55)   He discusses the interplay between mind and body in recognizing and establishing a sense of safety. Overcoming Hypervigilance (00:17:57)   Dr. Kennedy explains how hypervigilance blocks connection and healing, leading to addictions and distractions. Practical Ways to Create Safety (00:19:10)   He offers strategies for improving breathing and staying present to cultivate safety within oneself. Creating a Sense of Safety (00:20:20)   Dr. Kennedy discusses the importance of recognizing safety in the moment, despite discomfort. Daily Practices for Safety (00:21:21)   He emphasizes the need for daily practices to foster a sense of safety and reduce hypervigilance. Reversing Childhood Coping Strategies (00:21:21)   Dr. Kennedy explains how to reverse childhood coping strategies related to hypervigilance and safety. Small Steps to Safety (00:22:33)   He encourages taking small steps to create safety, which can accumulate over time for greater security.

Somatic therapist Elizabeth Ferreira joins the show to discuss complex trauma, dissociation, and working with challenging emotions. Forrest and Elizabeth start by exploring the relationship between Internal Family Systems and somatic therapy, including how we can apply a somatic lens to working with our parts. They then apply that framework to complex PTSD, cognitive bypassing, emotional numbing, hypervigilance, and other difficult experiences. Other topics include issues around comparing trauma, windows of tolerance, appreciating individual needs, and Elizabeth's own journey of becoming a therapist while managing C-PTSD and ADHD. About our Guest: Elizabeth is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist working in California. She specializes in somatic approaches to trauma work.  You can watch this episode on YouTube. Key Topics: 0:00: Introduction 1:15: What is the crossover between IFS and somatic therapy? 12:25: What helps a psychologically literate person who struggles to have a felt experience? 19:05: How can I track my capacity and needs in social situations before dissociating? 35:05: Why do I feel numb, and how can I move past it and feel my feelings again? 41:05: How can I address hypervigilance and stay present with my feelings without catastrophizing? 48:40: How do I respond to friends (or clients) who minimize their own pain or trauma? 58:55: What has supported Elizabeth in pursuing her vocation amidst challenges with trauma and neurodivergence? 1:10:40: Recap I am now writing on Substack, check out my work there.  Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beingwell.  Trust your gut with Seed's DS-01 Daily Synbiotic. Go to Seed.com/BEINGWELL and use code 25BEINGWELL to get 25% off your first month.  Transform your health with the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. OneSkin focuses on delivering more than superficial results for your skin. Get started today with 15% off using code BEINGWELL at oneskin.co.  Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world's largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Connect with the show: Subscribe on iTunes Follow Forrest on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Follow Forrest on Instagram Follow Rick on Facebook Follow Forrest on Facebook Visit Forrest's website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trigger Warning: Proceed only if you are comfortable with potentially sensitive topics.This is not psychological advice, service, or prescriptive treatment for anxiety or depression. The content related to descriptions of depression, anxiety, or despair may be upsetting or triggering, but are clearly not exhaustive. If you should feel symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, please seek professional mental health services, or contact (in Kitsap County) Kitsap Mobile Crisis Team at  1-888-910-0416. The line is staffed by professionals who are trained to determine the level of crisis services needed. Depending on the need, this may include dispatching the KMHS Mobile Crisis Outreach Team for emergency assessment. In the Words and Voice of Rebecca W. Walston:Anticipatory intelligence  is a phrase that I heard at a seminar talking about racial trauma. The speaker whose name I can't remember, was talking about this idea of a kind of intelligence that is often developed by marginalized people. And because this was a seminar on racial trauma in the United States, her examples were all primarily around racialized experiences as the United States understand that sense of racialized society. And so the idea of anticipatory intelligence is the amount of effort or energy that we put in emotionally, mentally, psychologically, to anticipating how our bodies and the stories that they represent will be received in a space that we are in before we get there.Speaker 1 (00:18):Welcome to the Arise podcast, conversations on faith, race, justice, gender, and spirituality. In this episode, I get to interview my dear friend, Rebecca Wheeler Walston, and we are talking about anticipatory intelligence. I think all of us, or at least most of the people I speak with lately when I'm like, how are you doing? They're like, and they're like, well, that's a complicated answer. And it definitely is. There's an underlying sense of unease, of discontent, of just a lack of surety, about what is going to come next in the new year that I think I haven't felt for a long time. The collective sense that I have right now as you listen to this episode and take a sneak peek into some of the conversations Rebecca and I have had for a while, I encourage you to be kind to your body Again. I've put in previous episodes, resources, get out, get mental health care, spend time with friends, play, go play pickleball, get out in the snow, read a good book, text a friend, call a friend.(01:37):Do the things that connect you back to life giving activities. Find your spiritual practices, light candles, take a bath. All these things that therapists often say are helpful. I mean, maybe it's you go hug a tree or put your feet, your literal bare feet in the dirt. I don't know what it is for you, but leaning on the people and the resources in your area and also leaning on things that connect you back to groundedness, to feeling in your body. And so those are the things that I do. I enjoy lately eating Honey Nut Cheerios. Sounds weird. I love Dry Honey Nut Cheerios. I don't know why, but I let myself indulge in that. So again, I'm not prescribing anything to anyone. This is not a prescription, a diagnosis, a treatment plan. It is saying, how can you find ways to ground yourself in really good healthy ways that you can actually care for your good body?(02:50):I don't enjoy talking about anxiety. I don't love it. In fact, talking about it sometimes I feel really anxious in the moment my heart starts pounding, I get sweaty hands, et cetera. And yet there is something grounding for me about stepping into shared realities with my friends or neighbor, colleague or family. And so this is a reality that Rebecca and I have been talking about. What is anticipatory intelligence? And I'm going to let her jump in and start it off here. Hey, Rebecca, I know you and I chat a lot, and part of our talks are like, Hey, how you doing? Hey, how am I doing? And a while back when I reached out to you and said, Hey, let's do this thing way before the election on anxiety and race. And you're like, wait a minute. I want to talk about this thing called anticipatory intelligence. And so I want to hear about that from you. What is that?Speaker 2 (03:51):Hey, Danielle, as always, Hey, hey,(03:56):Post 2024 election, I'm going to just take a huge breath and say that I've had this low grade sort of nausea in my gut for at least a week, if not longer. So yeah, let's talk. So anticipatory intelligence is a phrase that I heard at a seminar talking about racial trauma. The speaker whose name I can't remember, was talking about this idea of a kind of intelligence that is often developed by marginalized people. And because this was a seminar on racial trauma in the United States, her examples were all primarily around racialized experiences as the United States understand that sense of racialized society. And so the idea of anticipatory intelligence is the amount of effort or energy that we put in emotionally, mentally, psychologically, to anticipating how our bodies and the stories that they represent will be received in a space that we are in before we get there.(05:23):So it's that notion of I'm a black woman, I'm getting ready to go to a function that I anticipate will likely be predominantly white. And the kind of internal conversation I have with myself about what that's going to feel like look like to enter the question in my mind of how safe or how dangerous might the environment be to me racially? So the first piece of anticipatory intelligence is that sort of internal conversation that we may be having with ourselves as we step into a circumstance. The second piece of that is when we arrive in the space and we start to read the room,(06:12):Read the faces of the people in the room, and this work of how close was my hypothesis or my theory about my reception in the room to what I'm actually seeing and feeling and hearing in the room as I enter the space is that sort of second piece of anticipatory intelligence. And then the third piece of it is really this question of how do I navigate that answers to those first two questions? And so what is my body, my brain, my emotions, my spirit, my gut, all of it doing with what I'm reading of the faces in the room and the reaction to me being there could be a positive space. I could get there and realize that the people in the room are all receptive to my presence and what I'm reading and feeling is a sense of welcome and warmth and an invitation for all of me to be in the room. And then what does that feel like in terms of the letdown of anxiety and the ability to absorb that sense of welcome and to participate in that sense of welcome? Or it could be a hostile environment. And what I'm reading is something that isn't welcome,(07:44):Something that feels like fill in the blank, resentment, who knows?(07:53):And then what does my body do with that? What does my gut do with that? What does my emotions, what does my spirit do? And how do I react and respond to what I'm actually reading in the room? So you can hear that sense of three steps, and sometimes that can happen over a matter of days, weeks as we build up to something. Sometimes that can happen in a matter of seconds as we enter a room, but the amount of effort and energy that is expended and the idea that you can actually develop a very well thought through grid for this as a kind of intelligence that can be yours individually might belong to your group. Collectively idea of how we anticipate and then how we engage a space based on and in this race, it could be extended to gender,Speaker 3 (08:58):ReligionSpeaker 2 (09:00):In this day and age, probably politics and any other places where we find intersectionality of the pieces of our identity.Speaker 1 (09:11):I had to take a deep breath because it is this giant reframing and pathologizing of what a lot of us walk around with, which is an internal disruption as we move from space to space.Speaker 2 (09:29):Yeah, I think that's true. And I mean, I think about it as a black woman, as a black mother raising two kids, I have taught my kids this notion of, I didn't call it that there's too many syllables and SAT words, but I have taught my kids a sense of pay attention to people and places and sounds and vibes and nonverbal communication and verbal communication and learn to interpret and decipher and then do what is necessary to keep yourself safe and do what is necessary to enjoy and participate in places where you're actually welcome.Speaker 1 (10:17):When that intersects with the concepts of Western psychology, let's say, where we're as a part of that system, there's this constant move to how do we heal anxiety, how do we work towards calm? How do we work towards finding a quote safe space? And I think it's becoming more and more evident in our current society. It's evident to many before, but I think some people are jostled into the reality that there might not be that safe space or you might have to understand anxiety differently than the western psychological framework. Have you thought about that?Speaker 2 (11:04):Yeah. I mean, couple of things, right? Is that in western sort of psychological space, the phrase that's usually engaged is something called hypervigilant. This idea that the time you spend reading a room and your sense of threat and the need to be vigilant about your own safety, the concept of hypervigilance is to say that you're overreactingSpeaker 3 (11:36):ToSpeaker 2 (11:37):The space and you have a kind of vigilance that is unnecessary. You have a kind of vigilance that is a trigger to some threat that doesn't actually exist. And therefore you as the person who is doing this anticipatory work, needs to rea acclimate to the room and engage the room as if you are safe and to reimagine or recalibrate your sense of threat to an idea that it doesn't exist and it's not there. And one of the things that I would pose is that's a false reality for marginalized people in the United States. The sense of a lack of safety is present and it's real. And therefore, could we be talking about a necessary kind of vigilance as opposed to an over reactive hypervigilance?(12:45):So that's kind of one way that I think is a necessary exploration, and it requires the country to wrestle with the truth and the why and how of the lack of safety for marginalized people, whether that is on racial lines or gender lines or whatever power structure we are engaging. There's always the question of those in power and those who are not. And if in that moment you are in the category of the disempowered and the disenfranchised, then a sense of your own vigilance might actually be the wisest, kindest thing you can do. And the error of modern psychology to pathologize that is the problem. The other thing that I think about because you use the word safety, and I did too often, and of the growing belief that the idea that I can be safe in an absolute sense is probably a misnomer at best, an illusion at worst. And so there can there be this sense of safer environments or safe ish environments or even the suggestion that I've heard in recent years of a sense of bravery instead of safety, the ability for the space, the room to hold, the idea that if there's a power differential, there's going to be a safety differential.(14:31):And so the question is not am I safe? The question is the level of courage or bravery that I may need to access in order to step into a room and note that there is a certain amount of of safety.Speaker 1 (14:50):And I think that can be played out on all levels. I mean, I attended a training on immigrant rights and one of the things they mentioned is that ICE has the ability, the immigration service has the ability to use a digital format on online form to write their own warrant. Now, we know that regular police cannot write their own warrant.(15:16):We know that ice can also obtain a warrant through the courts, but when you have an empowered police body to write their own warrant, even if you're not in an immigrant, what is a sense that you're going to actually be safe or you're going to walk into a room where there are those power differentials no matter what your race or ethnicity is. If you are not of the dominant class, what's the sense that you're going to feel safe in that power differential? I think as I hear you say, I don't want to go to the extreme that it's an illusion, but I do agree that each step out is a step of bravery. And some days we may have the bravery and the data points that say, despite this anticipation of potential harm, I'm going to be able to work through that today and I'm going to be with people who can work through that with me, even through the power differential. And I think in the coming days, and there's going to be times when we say I can't step into that space because of what I anticipate, not because I'm a coward, but because it may lead to more harm than I can metabolize.Speaker 2 (16:27):Yeah, I mean the word safe has its problem. So does the word brave, right? Because again, the weight of that word is on the marginalized person in many ways to push path, the power differential and show up anyway. And there's something about that weight and the imbalance of it that feels wildly unfair, but historically true.(17:00):And so what I love about your sense of there might be some days I do not have it in me, and then can we come to that moment with the reverence and the kindness and the sanctity that deserves for me and my individual capacity to say I don't have it today? And I say that knowing that most of us come from, I come from a cultural backdrop, a collective story around blackness and the black bravery and black courage and black power and black rights. That doesn't always give me space to say I don't have it in me. I don't have that bravery today. I don't have access to it. I come from a cultural narrative that screams we shall overcome in a thousand different ways. And so you can hear in that both a hope and then a demand that you find the capacity in every moment to overcome. And we don't have a lot of stories where you get to say, I don't have it. And I have some curiosity for you as a Latino woman, do you have those stories, those cultural narratives that give you permission to say, I don't have access to the kind of bravery that I need for today?Speaker 1 (18:40):That's a really good question. As you were speaking, I was thinking of the complexity of the constructed racial identity for Latinos, which is often a combination as you know, we've talked about it, a lot of indigenous African and then European ancestry. And so I often think of us coming into those spaces as negotiators. How do we make this okay for dominant culture folks? Can we get close enough to power to make it okay? Which is a costly selling out of one part of ourselves. And I think the narrative is like when you hear nationally, why do Latinos vote this way even though the electoral percentage is so low compared to dominant culture folks? So I think the question we have to wrestle with is what part of our identity are we going to push aside to fit in those spaces? Or sometimes the role of negotiator and access to privilege can lead to healing and good things.(19:53):And also there are spaces where we step into where that's not even on the table. It's going to be an option. And so can we step back and not have to be that designated person and say, actually, I can't do any negotiations. I don't have the power to do that. It's kind of a false invitation. It's this false sense of you can kind of belong if you do this, but you can't really belong. I want you to vote for me, but then in 30 days, 60 days, I'm going to deport you at risk to be arrested. So you have to vote against your own best interest in order to be accepted, but after being accepted, you're also rejected. So I think there's a sense for me as I ramble through it, I don't know where that permission comes from to step back, but I think we do need to take a long hard look and step backSpeaker 2 (20:57):Just listening to you. I have a sense that the invitation to your community is a little different than the invitation that has been extended to my community. And of course the extension of that invitation coming from the power structures of the western world of America, of whiteness. I hear you saying that if I'm mishearing you, let's chat. But what I hear is the sense of this notion that you can negotiate for acceptance, which I think is an invitation that has been extended to a lot of ethnic groups in the United States that do not include black people. Our history in the United States is the notion of one drop of black blood lands you in this category for which there will never be access. And I say that also knowing that part of the excitement of a candidacy of someone like Kamala Harris is the notion that somehow we have negotiated something or the possibility that we actually have negotiated a kind of acceptance that is beyond imagination. And in the days following the election, some of the conversation of literally she did everything that she has, all the degrees, she has the resume, she has this, she has that, and it wasn't enough to negotiate the deal(22:53):And the kind of betrayal. And so I started this by saying, oh no, y'all over there in Latinx spaces get to negotiate something we as black people. But I think that there's a true narrative in post civil rights post brown versus board of education that the negotiation that we are in as black people is if we get the degrees and we build the pedigree, we can earn the negotiated seat. And I think other ethnic spaces, and you tell me if this feels true to you, the negotiation has been about bloodline.Speaker 1 (23:50):Yeah, absolutely. And adjacent to that negotiated space is the idea that you wouldn't have to anticipate so much that you could walk in and feel safe or that no matter where you think about any of the presidential spaces, that Kamala Harris could walk in and she could be acceptedSpeaker 2 (24:15):And that she would bring all the rest of us with her. Yeah.Speaker 1 (24:29):I wanted to believe that this election was based on issues. And I wanted to believe that no matter where you stood on certain things that you could see through that Trump was going to be a deadly disaster for bodies of color. And yet that's not what happened.Speaker 2 (24:55):Yeah, I think, right. And my first pushback is like, he's a problem. He's a disaster not just for bodies of color. And I think there was some segment of the country making the argument that he is a detriment to a kind of ideal that affects us all regardless of race or creed or color or gender. And I am still trying to make meaning of what it means that that's not the choice we made as a country. I'm still trying to, in my head, logically balance how you could vote against your own interests. And I was watching a documentary this weekend, the US and the Holocaust, and one of the things that is true in that documentary is the fact that there has always been a strain of American life that voted against its own interest. That notion is not new. And if I try to think about that in psychological terms, I mean, how often have you seen that as a therapist, a client who makes decisions that are clearly against their own interest? And the therapeutic work is to get to a place where that is less and less true,Speaker 1 (26:38):Which I mean, I know we'll record a part two, I think of the collective meaning we are making out of this, that the sense that in the voting against our own self-interest, I can speak from my cultural background, you may say goodbye to your grandma or your brother. You may say goodbye to the friend down the street that runs a restaurant. And what does that do to your psyche? It's nothing new. We've been asked to do that for centuries. This is not new. This was introduced when colonial powers first arrived and we're asking for loyalty in exchange for some kind of a false hope of true safety. And yet when we experience this anxiety or this anticipatory intelligence, I think our bodies aren't just speaking from what's happening today, but the centuries of this was never, okay.Speaker 2 (27:48):See, again, I'm hit with that sentence reads different to me when I hear you as a Latino woman say, that's not a new negotiation for us. We've been asked to vote against our own interest from colonial days. And what does that cost you? I want to cry for that story of an immigration that sounded like it was voluntary and never actually was. And I say that feeling in my own experience, the trajectory of enslaved Africans were asked to negotiate something very different than that. What is the cost? It'll be a different kind of cost. There is a section of the black community that voted against our own interest in this election, and what does that mean and what's the story that we're telling ourselves around it in order to justify a choice? The consequences of which I think have yet to be made clear for any of us. I know that there's this anticipated, we can say the word mass deportation and think that we can anticipate the cost of that. And just from the few conversations you and I have had over the last week, I don't think any of our anticipatory work will be anywhere close to the actual cop.Speaker 1 (30:11):I think you're right. I think we will do our best based on what we've lived and tried to do for one another and for our own families to anticipate what we need, but we won't escape.Speaker 2 (30:38):I think the other thing that I think about is the cost is not just to Latinx people. There is a cost to all of us that are in proximity to you that is different and arguably far less. But I think we're missing that too. I think we're underestimating and miscalculating. There's a science fiction book that was written, I read it in college by the author's name is a guy named Derek Bell. He's a lawyer, and he wrote a book called Faces at the Bottom of the Well. And there's a chapter in the book's, a collection of short stories. There's a short story about the day all the Negroes disappeared. And the story is about this alien population from another planet who is disenchanted with the treatment of enslaved Africans. So they come to earth and they take everybody black. And the story is about what is no longer true of the planet because Africans are no longer enslaved. Africans in the US are no longer in it, on it. And all the things that are no longer true of American life, the things that will never become true of American life because of the absence of a people group. And I think that, again, we can say the phrase mass deportation and think we have some sense of what the cost of that might be. And I think we are grossly underestimating and miscalculating all the things that will not be true of American life.Speaker 1 (32:33):Yeah, I think I don't have words. I don't have a lot of explanations or what our kids will, what they're learning about life. I know we have to pause. Okay. Okay.Speaker 2 (33:09):Part two, to comeSpeaker 1 (33:10):Our cucumber. I'll catch you later. As you can see, we ended this podcast on a difficult note, and it's not a space that Rebecca and I are going to be able to resolve, and we are going to continue talking about it. So tune in to our next episode in part two. And I really think there's a lot of encouragement to be found in setting a frame and setting space for reality and what we are facing in our bodies and understanding ourselves and understanding as collectives, how this might be impacting us differently. Rebecca and I aren't speaking for everybody in our communities. They're not monoliths. We are speaking from our particular locations. Again, thank you for tuning in and I encourage you to download, share, subscribe, and share with others that that might be researching or thinking about this topic. Talk to you later. Bye.  Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

In this episode of How I Quit Alcohol, Seana Smith shares her powerful story, reflecting on a childhood marked by both an idyllic lifestyle and the unpredictability of having an alcoholic father. Growing up around alcoholism left her in a constant state of hypervigilance, never quite knowing which version of him would appear each day. From the outside, Seana's life looked perfect: an Oxford graduate, a thriving career with the BBC and Channel 9, a bestselling author, a happy marriage, and four vibrant children. Yet behind the scenes, alcohol was quietly eroding her health, emotional well-being, and sense of self.With her engaging style and wit, Seana unveils the hidden challenges of her lifelong battle with alcohol, exploring how it impacted every aspect of her life—and ultimately, how she found the strength to change.Seana Smith website: https://www.seanasmith.com/Sober Journeys website: https://www.soberjourneys.com/www.instagram.com/seanasmithwww.instagram.com/sober_journeysGoing Under, a memoir of family secrets, addiction and escape is published by Ventura Press.In Australia: Going Under is available in bookshops and online stores in Australia and on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Going-Under-memoir-secrets-addiction/dp/0645497231/In the USA: https://www.amazon.com/Going-Under-memoir-secrets-addiction/dp/0645497231/In the UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Going-Under-memoir-secrets-addiction/dp/0645497231/Going Under Audiobook: Going Under on Audible, narrated by Seana Smith, click here.Going Under on Spotify: Listen to Going Under on Spotify here.I'm attaching a copy of the book cover and a photo of me.For more resources such as coaching or to join the next HIQA challenge go towww.iquitalcohol.com.auFollow HIQA insta @howiquitalcohol Music for Podcast intro and outro written by Danni Carr performed by Mr CassidyIf you are struggling with physical dependancy on alcohol consider contacting a local AA meeting or a drug and alcohol therapist. Always consult a GP before stopping alcohol. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever feel like you're stuck in overdrive, even when you're supposed to be relaxing? This episode is for you. Dr. Terri Levine discusses the art of anxiety and the art of relaxation, and how they impact business owners. She delves into how our inability to relax can stem from various underlying causes like hypervigilance and an unhealthy dependence on oneself. Dr. Terri Levine also shares insights on why relaxation is crucial for fostering creativity and building a business that you truly enjoy. Listen to learn more.   Key Highlights From The Episode: [00:34] Episode introduction [00:42] Learn to listen and trust your instincts [00:57] What to do when you can't relax [01:23] Hypervigilance and how it prevents you from relaxing [02:11] The essence of relaxation [03:41] What is healthy anxiety? [04:08] Simple anxiety versus hypervigilance [05:18] Grab a free guide on ‘How to Manifest Your Goals' [05:34] Email: Terri@heartrepreneur.com   Golden Nuggets: • Hypervigilance is the consequence of having a childhood in which there was an excessive amount of adult duties. [01:42] • If you're constantly living with the stressful concept of being on alert at all times and seeing every situation as weak and scary, you're not going to create a business that you love and enjoy. [02:46]   Let me help you grow your coaching business: Grab this free training and see my revolutionary process in action! Join me and my Inner Circle Students for a behind-the-scenes Live Group Coaching Call: www.6figsin6months.com If you'd like to join a member of my team on a complimentary coaching call please go to: https://calendly.com/michelle-31qw/30min?month=2024-06 Oh yeah, feel free to join our free Facebook community here: heartrepreneurs.com   Want More!? Listen to the podcast version of this content on your favorite podcast platform: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts Watch all the episodes and more to gain more insight on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coachterri/videos   Please connect with me on social: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentorterri Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartrepreneurTerriLevine LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrilevine/ 

In this episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Avik Chakraborty explores the profound impact of trauma on our body and mind with trauma-informed specialist and PTSD survivor Tanya Hallett. Together, they discuss how trauma not only leaves emotional scars but also affects our physical health, relationships, and professional life. Tanya shares insights into post-traumatic growth—how, through healing, individuals can become stronger, more resilient, and find purpose in advocating for change. This conversation sheds light on how we can rise from trauma and create safer, more supportive environments. About the Guest: Tanya Hallett is a trauma-informed practice specialist, mental health advocate, and PTSD survivor with over 20 years of experience. She has taught and trained worldwide, witnessing firsthand the physical and emotional effects of trauma, especially in the workplace. Tanya's mission is to help organizations create psychologically safe spaces and educate leaders on trauma-informed leadership. Key Takeaways: Trauma deeply affects both the mind and body, often leading to physical health issues like immune suppression, muscle tension, and digestive problems. Hypervigilance and cortisol overload are common symptoms of trauma, resulting in constant stress and physical strain. Post-traumatic growth is possible, allowing individuals to become more resilient and focused on life's meaningful aspects. Trauma survivors often find purpose by advocating for positive change, turning their pain into a driving force for good. One Learning for Listeners: Trauma doesn't define your future—healing can unlock immense strength, resilience, and purpose, allowing you to grow and thrive despite past adversities.   Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch, DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik  Subscribe To Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/ Join Community: https://nas.io/healthymind Stay Tuned And Follow Us! YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@healthymind-healthylife Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podhealth.club/  Threads - https://www.threads.net/@podhealth.club Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/podcast.healthymind LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/newandnew/ #podmatch #healthymind #healthymindbyavik #wellness

Click here to read the episode highlights.   The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.    Emotional recovery is about going back to “ground zero,” your childhood.   A disease is a morbid process that is destructive to the being: body, mind, soul, and heart. It reduces our capacity to be productive and prosperous. Disease has a characteristic chain of symptoms with known or unknown origins. A disease is chronic, with acute episodes, progressive and often fatal.   We are as sick as the feelings we will not let ourselves have.   Symptom # 9 Hypervigilance Hypervigilance is the fear of giving up anxiety that keeps me “on my toes” as a safety mechanism; bad things will happen if I'm not on my toes.   Hypervigilance is being controlled by anxiety. Anxiety is always seeking relief from the hypervigilance. Anxiety becomes the expectation of an external threat doing something to put me in a position of helplessness.   Anxiety is in us to tell us to be ready to take a defensive action, a reaction: fight…get ready flee…get ready freeze…get ready appease…get ready   Anxiety in its negative form is saying “watch outside right now because something is coming that is going to harm you.”  Anxiety is an external locus of anticipation and control.   The anxiety in hypervigilance is about avoiding the confession of being afraid and in need. The anxiety goes in search of the external threat; it looks for danger. This anxiety will not be quelled until it finds the thing that it needs to control in order to find relief.   We are made to live fully in relationship and connection. When we become disconnected from how we are made, because we are made for connection and to live fully in relationship, that has always been there. If I can't find a way to be connected the way I am created to connect, I will have to find another way to be connected, one way or another.    Toxic shame tells you that if you're not doing what others expect you to do (and your discomfort will confirm this), then you will be humiliated and rejected. Toxic Shame says: You better get your role together. You better watch the rules. You better read from your script.   Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.

“Are you mad at me?” “Am I (Are we) ok?”  “I think there's something I did wrong.”  “There's something I am supposed to be doing right now.”  “I should have done more.”  “I know I'm right.”  We all know and carry unique frequencies of hypervigilance - bracing for problems and the scanning for threats in the environment and relationship.  My very dear friend Natasha Levinger is also my teacher and energy healer, and she returns to M2M for her FIFTH time to talk about the nuances of hypervigilance. How to notice when we're in it and identify when we're likely identifying with the part of us that's afraid.  This is some powerful material.  Natasha Levinger is a therapeutic intuitive, energy healer, and author of the book, Healing Your Inner Child: Reparenting Yourself for a More Secure and Loving Life. She spends much of her time deep diving into all aspects of spiritual and emotional healing in the searchto uncover patterns that stop us from being all that we are. Sharing those discoveries with others to help them feel free and fulfilled is her passion and life's work. Natasha is contributing 3 BONUS meditations and responding to Qs in a BONUS Q&A in my fall course Moon to Moon. I am so honored and excited to share her genius and her wisdom with participants this fall. EARLY BIRD IS $100 OFF THROUGH MONDAY, AUGUST 19! Doors close September 3. If you loved listening to me and Natasha riff, there are four more episodes from Moon to Moon: - "Unshaming Your Woo" (my 3rd most downloaded episode of all time) - "Parenting Our Triggers: Aries & Inner Child Healing" - "Healing the Inner Child" - "AIR: Accessing Your Own Voice" (my 2nd guest ever on the show) You can also hear us on Natasha's podcast Getting to Know Woo on the episode "Getting to Know Astrology with Britten LaRue." I was honored to be her first guest! XOXO! What a delight. If you loved this episode, please share it. +++ Podcast music Jonathan Koe. Podcast art Angela George.

Please support Mary in her quest to spread the truth about her sister's case and also awareness of Domestic Violence here - Justice for Rici, STOP Domestic Violence https://www.facebook.com/groups/946041525948936/Mary Dees, the sister of Patricia Birmingham, is setting the record straight about the tragic murder of her sister. Patricia, a devoted mother and wife, was shot to death by her husband on December 6, 2021. In the wake of this devastating loss, Mary has noticed numerous inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the media coverage surrounding her sister's death. Subscribe on your favorite podcasting apps: https://talkmurder.com/subscribeSupport us on patreon: https://patreon.com/talkmurderSee our technology: https://talkmurder.com/gearContent warning: the true crime stories discussed on this podcast can involve graphic and disturbing subject matter. Listener discretion is strongly advised.Fair use disclaimer: some materials used in this work are included under the fair use doctrine for educational purposes. Any copyrighted materials are owned by their respective copyright holders. Questions regarding use of copyrighted materials may be directed to legal [@] Talkocast.com