Tag: mental health

Posted on in beliefs, bigpharma, biology, chemicals, chronichealth, demons, epistemology, exchristian, frequencymedicine, guthealth, health, history, holistic health, homeopathy, ideologies, industrialinfluence, informed, masspsychosis, materalism, metabolism, nervous system, neuroparasitology, neuroplasticity, neuroscience, nuance, parasites, podcast, polyvagaltheory, research, science, toxins, trauma, wellness, worldview

Social Miasm Theory: The Biology of a Sick Society

How Suppression Shapes Our Bodies, Minds, and the World We Live In

Hey hey, Welcome back! Today’s episode connects beautifully to something many of you resonated with in my earlier show, Science or Stagnation? The Risk of Unquestioned Paradigms. In that episode, we talked about scientism… not science itself, but the dogma that forms around certain scientific ideas.

Science or Stagnation? The Risk of Unquestioned Paradigms

That’s why voices like Rupert Sheldrake have always fascinated me. Sheldrake, for those unfamiliar, isn’t a fringe crank. He’s a Cambridge-trained biologist who dared to question what he calls the “ten dogmas of modern science”: that nature is mechanical, that the mind is only the brain, that the laws of nature are fixed, that free will is an illusion, and so on.

When he presented these questions in a TED Talk, it struck such a nerve that the talk was quietly taken down. And that raised an obvious question: If the ideas are so wrong… why not let them stand and fall on their own? Why censor them unless they hit something tender? All of this sets the stage for today’s conversation.

Because the theory we’re exploring, Social Miasm Theory, fits right inside that tension between mainstream assumptions and the alternative frameworks we often dismiss too quickly.

My friend Stephinity Salazar just published a fascinating piece of research arguing that suppression  (of toxins, trauma, emotion, and truth) is the root pattern underlying both chronic illness and our wider social dysfunction. It’s a theory that steps outside the materialist worldview and challenges the mechanistic lens we’ve all been taught to see through.

  • Dr. Stephinity Salazar
  • Hoop Camp Retreat
  • Yarmony Grass 2008

You don’t have to agree with everything…that’s not the goal here.

What I love is the chance to explore, to ask good questions, and to stay grounded while examining ideas that stretch our understanding.

This blog is your guide to the episode, so you can track the concepts, explore the references, and dive deeper while you listen.

So, with that, let’s dive into Social Miasm Theory: what it is, where it comes from, why it matters, and what it might reveal about the world we’re living in today.

What Are Miasms, Anyway?

To anchor our conversation, Stephinity starts by grounding the concept of “miasms” in its homeopathic roots. Historically, Samuel Hahnemann (founder of homeopathy) described three primary miasms:

  • Psora, linked to scabies or skin conditions
  • Syphilis, associated with destructive disease
  • Sycosis, with overgrowth and tissue proliferation

Since then, the theory has expanded. Many modern homeopaths now talk about five chronic miasms, adding:

These aren’t diseases…they’re patterns. A kind of “constitutional operating system.”

Stephinity’s work takes this a step further:
If individuals can have miasms, societies can too.

It’s an ambitious idea. And honestly? A compelling one when you consider what’s happening globally.

Why Social Miasm Theory Matters

Suppression doesn’t stay in the body. It echoes outward into culture, politics, ecosystems, and collective behavior.

She breaks suppression into four types:

  • Toxic suppression: chemicals, pollutants, EMFs, pathogens
  • Emotional suppression: trauma, grief, stress, unprocessed feelings
  • Psychological suppression: denial, cognitive dissonance, fear-driven attachment to ideology
  • Truth suppression: propaganda, censorship, disinformation, scientific dogma

When these forms of suppression accumulate, she argues, they create a “social miasm”: a pathological field that shapes everything from public health to political polarization.

Even if you don’t buy every mechanism she proposes, the metaphor works. And the patterns are hard to ignore.

Evidence, Epistemology, and Skeptics: What Counts as “Real”?

This is the part my skeptical listeners will perk up for.

In the interview, I asked her the question I knew many of you were thinking:
“How do you define evidence within this framework? What would you want skeptical listeners to understand before judging it?”

Stephinity argues that the modern scientific lens is too narrow. Not wrong—but incomplete. She sees value in:

  • case studies
  • pattern recognition
  • field effects
  • resonance models
  • historical cycles
  • experiential knowledge

Whether or not you agree, her challenge to mechanistic materialism echoes thinkers like Rupert Sheldrake, IONS researchers, and even physicists questioning entropic cosmology.

And she’s not claiming this replaces science. She’s asking what science misses when it refuses to look beyond the physical.

Suppression: What It Looks Like in Real Life

Stephinity’s paper covers how suppression shows up on multiple levels. Here are a few examples she explores:

  • Overuse of symptom-suppressive medications
  • Emotional avoidance that pushes trauma deeper
  • Social pressure to conform
  • Institutional censorship
  • Environmental toxins that overwhelm the microbiome
  • Radiation and electromagnetic exposures

She frames suppression as a terrain problem: when the body or society becomes too acidic, stressed, toxic, or disconnected, the miasm takes root.

This is where we start to cross into the biological, psychological, and social layers—which brings us to one of my favorite parts of her theory.

Neuroparasitology: When Parasites Change Behavior

The concept of a new branch of science of neuroparasitology. Study of the influence of parasites on the activity of the brain.

This is the section I teased in the podcast because it’s both wild and backed by real research.

Stephinity references studies showing that parasites can alter host behavior not just in insects or rodents, but potentially in humans too. Her paper cites examples like helminths, nematodes, mycotoxins, and other microorganisms (McAuliffe, 2016; Colaiacovo, 2021). These organisms are everywhere, not just in “developing countries” (Yu, 2010).

Researchers have documented parasites that:

  • influence mood
  • shift risk-taking
  • modify sexual attraction
  • impair impulse control
  • change social patterns

This is what Dawkins called the extended phenotype (1982): the parasite’s genes expressing themselves through the host’s behavior. Neuroparasitologists Hughes & Libersat (2019) and Johnson (2020) have shown how certain infections can shift personality traits in specific, predictable ways.

Stephinity ties this into terrain: parasites tend to thrive in acidic, low-oxygen, stressed, radiative environments (Clark, 1995; Tennant, 2013; Cerecedes, 2015). In her view, chronic suppression creates exactly that kind of internal ecosystem.

But there’s another layer here. One that isn’t biological at all.

This is where philosopher Daniel Dennett enters the chat.

In Breaking the Spell, Dennett describes “parasites of the mind”: ideas that spread not because they’re true, but because they’re incredibly good at hijacking human psychology. These mental parasites latch onto our cognitive wiring the same way biological one’s latch onto the nervous system. They survive by exploiting:

  • fear
  • moral impulses
  • tribal loyalty
  • the desire for certainty
  • social pressure
  • existential insecurity

According to Dennett, religious dogmas, conspiracy theories, and ideological extremes act like memetic parasites: they replicate by using us, encouraging us to host them and then pass them on.

In other words: not all parasites live in the gut. Some live in the mind.

And…..we even discussed how billionaire Les Wexner once publicly described having a “dybbuk spirit” a kind of parasitic entity in Jewish folklore known for influencing personality. Whether symbolic or literal, the analogy fits. 🫨😮

Her point is simple:
When the terrain is weak, something else will fill the space.

Whether that “something” is trauma, ideology, toxicity, or a literal parasite… the mechanism rhymes.

Collective Delusion and Mass Psychosis

Drawing on Jung and Dostoevsky, Stephinity explores the idea that societies can enter “psychic epidemics.”

You’ve seen this. We all have…

The last decade has been a masterclass in how fear, propaganda, and emotional suppression create predictable patterns:

  • polarization
  • tribal thinking
  • moral panics
  • ideological possession
  • scapegoating
  • censorship
  • intolerance of nuance

She argues these are symptoms of a cultural miasm—not failures of individual character.

Whether you lean left, right, or somewhere out in the wilderness, you’ve likely felt this rising tension. And it’s hard not to see how unresolved collective trauma feeds it.

COVID as a Catalyst: What the Pandemic Revealed

Another part of her paper dives into how the pandemic brought hidden patterns to the surface.

Some of her claims are controversial, especially around EMFs and environmental co-factors. In the episode, we unpack these with curiosity, not blind acceptance.

Her larger point is that COVID exposed:

  • institutional fragility
  • scientific gatekeeping
  • public distrust
  • trauma-based responses
  • authoritarian overreach
  • the psychological toll of suppression

Whether you agree with the specific mechanisms or not, the last decade made one thing undeniable: something in our social terrain is deeply dysregulated.

8. Healing Forward: What Do We Do With All This?

If suppression drives miasms, then healing means unsuppressing. Gently, not chaotically.

Stephinity suggests practices like:

  • emotional honesty
  • reconnecting with nature
  • releasing stored trauma
  • nutritional and detoxification support
  • reducing exposure to chronic stressors
  • restoring community and meaning
  • opening space for spiritual or intuitive insight

She’s not prescribing a protocol. She’s offering a map.

The destination is what the Greeks called sophrosyne: a state of balance between wisdom and sanity. Not blissful ignorance, not paranoid awakening. Just grounded clarity.

And I think we could all use a bit more of that.

Key Evidence and Arguments

  • Stephinity critiques materialist science, calling out what she terms “entropic cosmology.” She argues that by assuming nature is strictly mechanistic, mainstream science misses field-based phenomena, non-local consciousness, and deeper systemic patterns.
  • She draws on historical and homeopathic sources (Hahnemann, Kent) to build her theoretical foundation but also argues for newer forms of evidence: resonance, case studies, and pattern detection in social systems.
  • On the environmental front, she explores links between toxins, EMF / 5G, biotech, and chronic disease, not just as correlation, but as evidence of suppression dynamics.
  • Psychologically, she invokes mass delusion or collective repression (drawing from Jung, Dostoevsky) seeing societal crises as expressions of buried collective shadow.
  • Ultimately, her call to action isn’t just for individual healing, but for systemic awakening: more transparency, alternative medical paradigms, and restored connection with nature.

Why This Matters for You

Even if homeopathy isn’t your jam, Social Miasm Theory offers a metaphor (and potentially a map) for understanding how inner repression becomes external crisis. If this episode does anything, I hope it gives you permission to look a little closer and question the stuff we’re told not to touch.

📚 Want to Dig Deeper?

Stephinity’s website: YOUR BODY ELECTRIC YOUR BODY ELECTRIC | FULL SPECTRUM FREQUENCY MEDICINE Find her on Linkden , Instagram and Substack

Social Miasm Theory: Revisiting Chronic Illness from a Meta-Perspective of Suppression [truncated version, pre-JSE publishing]

Official published paper

Miasms

https://www.unifiedfield.info/

https://corbettreport.com/how-the-government-manufactured-covid-consent

Use of fear to control behavior in Covid crisis was ‘totalitarian’, admit scientists

Posted on in americanpolitics, coercivecontrol, manipulation, medicalconsequences, mental health, mentalhealth, mentalhealthindustry, nuance, politics, progressiveleft, socialjustice, therapy, therapyharm, trauma, trump

When “Helping the Homeless” Becomes a Trojan Horse

Why Trump’s new executive order deserves close scrutiny

President Trump signed an executive order on July 24, 2025, calling on states and cities to clear homeless encampments and expand involuntary psychiatric treatment, framed as a move to improve public safety and compassion

At first glance, it seems reasoned: address the homelessness crisis in many progressive cities, restore order, & help those with severe mental illness. But when I read it closely, and the language….phrases like “untreated mental illness,” “public nuisance,” and “at risk of harm”is vague enough, subjective enough, and feels ripe for misuse 😳

This goes beyond homelessness. It marks a shift toward normalizing forced institutionalization, a trend with deep roots in American psychiatric history.

We explored this dark legacy in a recent episode, Beneath the White Coats 🥼 and if you listened to that episode, you’ll know that

compulsory commitment isn’t new.

Historically, psychiatric institutions in the U.S. served not just medical needs but social control. Early 20th-century asylums housed the poor, the racially marginalized, and anyone deemed “unfit.”

The International Congress of Eugenics’ Logo 1921

The eugenics movement wasn’t a fringe ideology….it was supported by mainstream medical groups, state law, and psychiatry. Forced sterilization, indefinite confinement, and ambiguous diagnoses like “moral defectiveness” were justified under the guise of public health.

Now, an executive order gives local governments incentives (and of course funding 💰 is always tied to compliance) to loosen involuntary commitment laws and redirect funding to those enforcing anti-camping and drug-use ordinances instead of harm reduction programs

Once states rewrite their laws to align with the order’s push toward involuntary treatment and if “public nuisance” or “mental instability” are to be interpreted broadly…

Now, you don’t have to be homeless to be at risk. A public disturbance, a call from a neighbor, even a refusal to comply with treatment may trigger involuntary confinement.

Is it just me, or does this feel like history is repeating?

We’ve seen where badly defined psychiatric authority leads: disproportionate targeting, loss of civil rights, and institutionalization justified as compassion. Today’s executive order could enable a similar expansion of psychiatric control.

So.. what do you think? Is this just a homelessness policy? or is it another slippery slope?

Posted on in beliefs, biology, brainhealth, deconstruction, emotionalflashback, exchristian, goal setting, mental health, mindset, neuroscience, physiology, podcast, polyvagaltheory, resilence, self-help, selfcompassion, therapy, trauma, wellness

Your Body Is the Scoreboard

From Heart to Brain: The Neuroscience Behind Connection and Calm

Welcome back to Taste of Truth Tuesdays, where we maintain our curiosity, embrace skepticism, and never stop asking what’s really going on beneath the surface. Last week, I prepared you for this episode, so if you missed out, please check it out! It’s short and sweet.

The Deluded Brain: Why Control Feels Safe, Certainty Feels Holy, & Complexity Feels Threatening

Now, for today’s episode….

Let me ask you something:

Why does your body feel like it’s on high alert… even when nothing “bad” is happening?
Why do you either trust too quickly or not at all and end up anxious, burned out, and ashamed?
Why is it so damn hard to regulate your emotions, especially when you’re great at controlling everything else?

If those questions hit a little too close to home… this episode is for you.

Last season, we dove deep into complex trauma through Pete Walker’s From Surviving to Thriving, unpacking how childhood neglect, emotional abuse, and developmental trauma shape adult patterns.

And today? We’re going even deeper — through the lens of neuroscience.

Because what if these aren’t personality quirks or moral failings? What if your brain and body are actually doing their best to protect you, using adaptations wired by Complex PTSD?

My guest today is Cody Isabel | Neuroscience, a neuroscience researcher and writer whose work has become a game-changer in trauma conversations. He holds a degree in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience, has training in Internal Family Systems psychotherapy, and specializes in the emerging field of Psychoneuroimmunology — the study of how your thoughts, brain, and immune system interact.

His Substack article, “PTSD & Complex PTSD Are NOT the Same Thing,” has been one of the clearest, most validating reads on this topic I’ve found.

So, if you’ve ever felt stuck, shut down, reactive, misunderstood, or like your nervous system has a mind of its own…. stay with me.

Because today we’re not just talking trauma.
We’re talking nervous system intelligence.
We’re talking identity repair.
We’re talking real, embodied healing.

And before we get into that, I want to bring a few threads together from past episodes—because they’re all woven into this conversation.

Unraveling the Impact of Stress on Chronic Health with Theresa Piela

We’ve talked about fawning, the lesser-known trauma response that shows up as chronic people-pleasing, self-abandonment, and conflict avoidance—especially common in those who’ve survived high-control environments. In this episode with Theresa, we also explore the stress cycle. According to Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome, your body moves through three stages when facing ongoing stress: Alarm, Resistance, and eventually, Exhaustion. And fawning, while behavioral, can easily become your nervous system’s go-to tactic—especially during prolonged stress or in the presence of power dynamics that feel threatening.

We have talked about the Emotional Hijack and how trauma impacts the brain in this episode.

Emotional Hijacks & Nutritional Hacks: Unveiling the🧠Amygdala’s Secrets

We’ve also referenced the vagus nerve, but not specifically Polyvagal Theory—but today, we’re going deeper. Instead of seeing your stress responses as “malfunctions,” it reframes them as adaptive survival strategies. Your nervous system isn’t betraying you—it’s trying to protect you. It’s just working off old wiring.

Think of it like this:

Your nervous system is constantly scanning for cues of safety or threat—this is called neuroception. And based on what it detects, your body shifts into different states—each with a biological purpose.

The Polyvagal Chart breaks this down into three major states:

1. 🟢 Ventral Vagal – Social Engagement (Safety)

This is your “rest-and-connect” zone. You feel grounded, calm, curious, and open. You can be present with yourself and with others. Your body prioritizes digestion, immune function, and bonding hormones like oxytocin. You’re regulated.

This is the state we’re meant to live in most of the time—but trauma, chronic stress, or inconsistent caregiving can knock us out of it.

2. 🟡 Sympathetic – Fight or Flight (Danger)

When your system detects danger, it flips into high alert. Blood rushes to your limbs, your heart races, your digestion shuts down. You either fight (rage, irritation) or flee (anxiety, panic). This is survival mode. It’s not rational—it’s reactive.

And if that still doesn’t resolve the threat?

3. 🔴 Dorsal Vagal – Freeze (Life Threat)

This is the deepest shutdown. Your system says: “This is too much. I can’t.” You go numb. You collapse. You may dissociate, feel hopeless, or emotionally flatline. It’s not weakness—it’s your nervous system pulling the emergency brake to conserve energy and protect you.

Here’s what’s crucial to understand: these responses aren’t choices. They’re biological defaults. And many of us are stuck in loops of fight, flight, or freeze because our systems never got a chance to complete the stress cycle and return to safety.

So instead of shaming yourself for overreacting or shutting down, what if you asked:

“What is my nervous system trying to do for me right now?”
“What does it need to feel safe again?”

That shift—from judgment to curiosity—is the beginning of healing.

And we’ll connect this to another major thread—attachment systems, which we haven’t unpacked in depth yet, but absolutely need to.

Your attachment system is the biological and psychological mechanism that drives you to seek safety, closeness, and emotional connection—especially when you’re under stress. It develops in early childhood through repeated interactions with your caregivers, shaping how you regulate your emotions, perceive threats, and relate to others. If those caregivers were emotionally attuned, predictable, and responsive, you likely formed a secure attachment. But if they were inconsistent, neglectful, controlling, or chaotic… your attachment system learned to adapt in ways that may have kept you safe then—but cost you connection now.

In The Happiness Hypothesis, Jonathan Haidt points to a disturbing moment in psychological history that disrupted the natural development of secure attachment: the rise of behaviorism in the early 20th century.

John B. Watson, a founding figure of behaviorism, famously applied the same rigid, mechanistic principles he used on rats to raising human children. In his 1928 bestseller The Psychological Care of Infant and Child, he urged parents not to kiss their children, not to comfort them when they cried, and to withhold affection—believing emotional bonding would produce weak, dependent adults.

By the mid-20th century, attachment theory began to challenge these behaviorist claims. John Bowlby, in the 1950s, argued that infants form emotional bonds with caregivers as an innate survival mechanism—not merely as conditioned responses to rewards, as behaviorism suggested. His work, drawing from ethology, psychoanalysis, and control systems theory, moved beyond behaviorism’s narrow stimulus-response framework. Mary Ainsworth’s empirical research in the 1960s and ’70s, through her Strange Situation study, confirmed that attachment styles stem from caregiver sensitivity and infant security needs, rather than simple conditioning.

Yet, ironically, during the 1970s and ’80s, Christian parenting teachings—particularly those popularized by figures like Dobson—adopted and amplified the very behaviorist ideas that attachment research was already disproving. These teachings emphasized strict discipline and emotional control, often citing Scripture to justify practices rooted in outdated psychological theories rather than theology.

Let that sink in.

For decades, dominant parenting advice discouraged emotional responsiveness, treating affection not as a necessity but as a liability.

This wasn’t just bad advice—it was the psychological equivalent of nutritional starvation. Instead of missing vitamins, children missed attunement, safety, and connection. As attachment research has since shown, those early emotional experiences shape nervous system development, stress regulation, and whether someone grows up trusting or fearing closeness.

So, when we talk about stress responses like fawning… or chronic over-functioning… or emotional dysregulation… we’re often seeing the adult expression of a nervous system that never learned what safety feels like in the presence of other people.

And that’s why today’s conversation matters. Because healing isn’t just about rewiring thought patterns. It’s about rebuilding your felt sense of safety—in your body, in your relationships, and in your life.

And if you are anything like me and have found yourself wondering… why your nervous system reacts the way it does… or why regulating your emotions feels impossible even when you “know better” … this episode will connect the dots in ways that are both validating and eye-opening.

We’re talking trauma, identity, neuroplasticity, stress, survival, and what it really means to come home to yourself.

The topics we explore:

  • The critical differences between PTSD and Complex PTSD — and how each impacts the brain and body
  • Why CPTSD isn’t just a fear response, but a full-body survival adaptation that reshapes your identity
  • What it means to heal “from the bottom up,” and why insight alone isn’t enough
  • How books and language can validate our experience — without replacing the need for somatic work
  • The push-pull of relational safety: why CPTSD makes connection feel risky, even when we crave it
  • How trauma affects the Default Mode Network, and why healing often feels like rediscovering who you are

Whether you’re navigating relational triggers, spiritual disorientation, or the long road of recovery, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and a grounded path forward.

Please enjoy the interview!

Subscribe now on Substack!

LINKS:

Check out Cody’s work! About – The Mind, Brain, Body Digest

The Top 5 Childhood Core Wounds in Overachievers 🧠

No Bad Parts | IFS Institute | Schwartz

Transcending Trauma Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems Therapy

Posted on in bodyappreciation, bodyimage, brainhealth, dietculture, digestion, disorderedeating, eft, efttapping, emotionalflashback, exercise, fitness, fitnessjourney, goal setting, gratitude, guthealth, health, holistic health, hormones, masterthebasics, mental health, mentalhealth, metabolism, nervous system, neuroplasticity, nutritionalscience, physiology, podcast, resilence, science, self-help, selfcompassion, stress, stressresilence, tapping, trauma, vagus nerve, wellness

Untangling the Threads of Chronic Pain, Trauma, and Healing

How Emotional Trauma Contributes to Chronic Pain

If you had asked me a year ago why my body hurt so much—why my hips ached, my calves tightened with every step, or why even walking on the treadmill felt like a chore—I would have said it was from overtraining or poor posture. What I couldn’t articulate then was that my pain wasn’t just physical. It was a complex dance involving my nervous system, my fascia, and my body’s attempt to protect itself after years of unresolved trauma.

Our nervous system plays a fundamental role in chronic pain. When we experience physical or emotional trauma, our body reacts by creating a heightened state of alertness. Over time, these experiences are encoded in the nervous system as neurotags—clusters of physical, emotional, and cognitive memories that influence how we react to stress and pain. Chronic pain, I’ve learned, is often an echo of this activation. It’s not just about tight muscles or structural imbalances—it’s a survival mechanism trying to make sense of and respond to past trauma.

This is the story of how I’ve started to untangle it all, and how chronic pain, emotional wounds, and trauma are all intricately tied together in ways I never imagined.

The Connection Between Chronic Pain and Trauma

For years, I treated my body like a machine. During my bodybuilding days, I pushed through discomfort, ignored signs of overtraining, and celebrated soreness as a badge of honor. But what I didn’t understand then was how my nervous system was quietly keeping score.

Chronic pain, I’ve learned, isn’t just about tight muscles or structural imbalances—it’s a survival strategy. When we experience trauma, whether from overtraining, stress, or emotional wounds, our nervous system can get stuck in a heightened state of alertness. It’s like a smoke alarm that keeps going off, long after the fire has been extinguished.

Fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds every muscle and organ in our body, plays a fascinating role in this process. Fascia isn’t just structural—it’s sensory. It’s packed with nerve endings that communicate directly with the brain. When the body perceives danger (even subconsciously), the fascia can tighten, creating patterns of tension that mirror emotional or physical trauma. In my case, that tension showed up in my psoas muscles, my calves, and my lower back—all areas associated with safety and movement.

The more I explored these connections, the more I began to see that pain wasn’t random—it was a message from my body. And it was asking me to listen.

The Power of Neurotags: How Pain and Trauma Intersect

One of the most eye-opening concepts I’ve come across in my journey is the idea of neurotags—a term used to describe the brain’s way of organizing and processing sensory, emotional, and cognitive information. Neurotags are like maps of experiences that are built over time, creating an interconnected network of physical sensations, emotions, and thoughts that work together to form a response to stimuli.

Here’s the kicker: Chronic pain is often stored in these neurotags. When trauma occurs—whether physical, emotional, or psychological—it gets encoded in the nervous system as a pattern. These patterns are not just about the physical experience of pain, but also the emotions and thoughts tied to that experience.

When trauma is stored in the nervous system, it doesn’t just affect how we feel physically; it affects our entire emotional and cognitive landscape. For example, someone who has experienced physical trauma may also experience emotional flashbacks or cognitive distortions that are linked to that experience. These flashbacks are like sudden replays of past trauma, but they don’t just exist in the mind—they can show up physically in the body.

Neurotags, Emotional Flashbacks, and Chronic Pain

Think about it this way: When we experience a traumatic event, our nervous system reacts by encoding that event into a neurotag. This neurotag includes not only the physical sensations (like tightness, pain, or discomfort), but also the emotions (fear, anger, sadness) and cognitive patterns (thoughts like “I am unsafe” or “I am weak”).

Emotional flashbacks happen when the brain reactivates these neurotags, causing the body to respond as if the trauma is happening again. This is why someone with chronic pain may experience intense emotions that seem disproportionate to the physical sensations they’re feeling. The pain can trigger a flashback—a sudden, overwhelming re-experience of trauma that isn’t just mental but is felt deeply in the body.

In my case, the tension I experienced in my hips and lower back was a reflection of both the physical trauma of overtraining and the emotional trauma I had internalized from years of pushing myself too hard and ignoring my body’s signals. When my nervous system encountered stress, it activated these neurotags, making the tension and pain feel more intense and more pervasive. The more I resisted this pain or ignored the emotional connection to it, the worse it became.

How I’m Healing: Creating New Neurotags and Engaging the Vagus Nerve

Understanding neurotags has been revolutionary in how I approach my healing process. The key to healing, I’ve learned, is not simply “fixing” the physical pain but reprogramming the neurotags. This involves creating new patterns that support healing, safety, and relaxation.

One powerful way I’m rewiring my nervous system is by engaging the vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve that plays a critical role in regulating the parasympathetic nervous system. The vagus nerve is like the body’s “brakes,” helping to turn off the fight-or-flight response and return the body to a state of calm. When activated, it encourages relaxation, emotional regulation, and recovery—exactly what my body needs as I untangle the tension stored in my fascia and nervous system.

Here’s how I’m starting to rewire my system:

Reconnecting with Joyful Movement:
I’ve reintroduced activities that make me feel alive, like walking in the garden or playing with my pets. These moments remind me that movement isn’t just about strength—it’s about freedom. By incorporating joyful, non-stressful activities, I’m helping to reinforce new neurotags that associate movement with pleasure and ease.

Reclaiming Safety Through Movement:
Instead of high-intensity workouts, I’ve shifted to gentle, functional exercises that strengthen my core and glutes while supporting my nervous system. Slow, mindful movements like glute bridges, bird dogs, and pelvic tilts have become my new best friends. These exercises not only build strength but signal to my nervous system that it’s safe to move.

Releasing Fascia with Love:
I’ve embraced somatic practices like gentle rocking, diaphragmatic breathing, and fascia-focused stretches to help release tension. These practices aren’t just physical—they’re a way of telling my body, “You’re safe now.” They help reprogram the neurotags associated with stress and trauma by sending a message of relaxation and calm.

Vagus Nerve Activation:
To support my nervous system’s recovery, I’ve incorporated practices that stimulate the vagus nerve, such as slow, deep belly breathing and humming. Breathing deeply into my diaphragm (focusing on long exhales) has been especially helpful in calming my body and signaling to my nervous system that it’s okay to relax. By consciously engaging my vagus nerve, I’m helping shift from the fight-or-flight response into a restorative state.

Rewriting Emotional Patterns:
Rewiring my nervous system also means rewriting my emotional patterns. This involves acknowledging the emotional flashbacks that arise when pain triggers old neurotags and consciously choosing to respond with compassion and self-care. Instead of reacting with fear or frustration, I’m learning to pause, breathe, and remind myself that I’m safe now.

What Chronic Pain Has Taught Me

Chronic pain has been a tough teacher, but it’s taught me lessons I wouldn’t trade for anything:

  • Your body is always on your side. Pain is a signal, not a punishment.
  • Healing isn’t linear. Some days, progress looks like resting instead of pushing.
  • Movement is medicine, but only when done with intention and love.

I share this journey because I know I’m not alone. So many of us carry the weight of trauma—both emotional and physical—in our bodies. And while the road to healing isn’t easy, it’s worth it.

If you’re navigating chronic pain, I want you to know this: Your body isn’t broken, and you don’t have to fight it. With the right tools, patience, and self-compassion, you can create safety, release tension, and rediscover the joy of movement.

I’m still on this journey, and I’d love to hear about yours. What has chronic pain taught you? How are you learning to trust your body again? Let’s keep this conversation going—because healing happens when we feel safe enough to share.

Posted on in brainfog, brainhealth, carbs, challenges, chronichealth, coercivecontrol, commericalcults, conspiracies, cults, deconstruction, dietculture, fitness, goal setting, guthealth, health, holistic health, influencers, informed, manipulation, masterthebasics, mental health, mentalhealth, metabolism, mindset, misinformation, MLMS, mormoninfluencers, multilevelmarketing, nuance, nutrition, nutritionalscience, physiology, podcast, progressives, pseudoscience, scams, science, thyroid health, wellness

The Hidden Tactics of Big Food and Big Tobacco

A Christmas Lesson in Gaslighting

As we gather around our holiday tables, indulging in sweet treats and sipping warm drinks, there’s something deeply unsettling happening behind the scenes of what we consume every day. A recent study has revealed something I find all too familiar: intimidation tactics used by industries like Big Tobacco, ultra-processed food companies, and alcohol sectors to bully and silence researchers, whistleblowers, and anyone challenging their agenda.

These industries have a long history of using misinformation, manufactured doubt, and emotional manipulation to protect their profits—and it’s not just limited to public health campaigns. This plays out in everyday conversations, too. It’s a pattern that many of us have experienced firsthand, especially those who advocate for healthier lifestyles and more transparency in what we put in our bodies.

A Christmas Paradox: Big Food’s Gaslighting & the Anti-MLM Pushback

This tactic—used by Big Food to discredit critics—reminds me of the way people are shamed or bullied for questioning processed foods or advocating for healthier diets. If you’ve ever pointed out the risks of sugary snacks or fast food, you’ve probably been labeled an extremist, a health-obsessed “wellness warrior,” or worse, a “purity culture” advocate. I can’t help but feel this is just another form of gaslighting, where we’re told that it’s worse to worry about the ingredients in our food than it is to consume those ingredients, even if they are known to contribute to chronic health conditions.

Ironically, this kind of manipulation is the same strategy Big Tobacco used for decades to muddy the waters around the health risks of smoking. And now, ultra-processed food companies are doing the same thing—distracting us from the very real, documented consequences of a poor diet.

Why We Need to Trust Ourselves, Not the Experts

What frustrates me is how the anti-MLM community often jumps on wellness advocates who want to clean up their diets for health reasons. While I agree that MLMs are a breeding ground for manipulation, this should not mean we ignore the very real need to question the food industry’s stranglehold on our diets and health. It’s vital to recognize that not all experts have your best interests at heart. Many of the mainstream recommendations we’re told to follow come from organizations or industries with questionable motives—whether it’s Big Pharma, Big Food, or Big Tobacco. These same industries have a long history of misleading the public, and many of their experts are bought and paid for by corporate interests.

Wanting to improve your diet to manage or reverse chronic health conditions shouldn’t be dismissed as obsessive or extreme. It’s a rational, self-preserving choice that empowers you to take control of your health, even when the mainstream narrative tells you otherwise.

Unwrapping the Truth This Holiday Season

This holiday season, let’s unwrap a new perspective: critical thinking over consumerism, authenticity over convenience, and self-empowerment over external pressures. It’s time we stop letting industries dictate our health choices and start reclaiming agency in what we put into our bodies.

If you’ve ever been gaslighted for your food choices, or made to feel like you’re ‘too much’ for caring about your health, know you’re not alone. The more we learn about these intimidation tactics, the better equipped we’ll be to call them out.

As we approach the new year, let’s challenge the status quo—questioning not just what’s on our plates, but the motives of the systems that feed us.

Posted on in americandieteticassociation, americanpolitics, Bible, biblicalworldview, brainfog, brainhealth, challenges, coercivecontrol, commericalcults, conspiracies, cults, deconstruction, dietculture, exercise, faith, fitness, goal setting, gratitude, guthealth, health, holistic health, mentalhealth, metabolism, mindset, nervous system, neuroplasticity, nuance, nutrition, nutritionalscience, physiology, podcast, politics, progressives, scams, science, scripture, self-help, selfcompassion, serendipity, sleep, socialjustice, socialmedia, spiritualabuse, stress, stressresilence, theology, weightloss, wellness, worldview

Season 3 of Taste of Truth Tuesdays: Launching December 31st

We’re back! After a transformative and eye-opening second season, I’m excited to announce that Season 3 of Taste of Truth Tuesdays will kick off on December 31st. (Audio says Jan 7th, which was the original start date, I bumped it up a week.) This season promises to be packed with even more riveting conversations and insightful discussions. We’re diving into the complexities of spirituality, healing, activism, mental health, body image, and the power dynamics that shape our lives.

Here’s a sneak peek at the incredible guests you’ll hear from in the upcoming season:

Connie A. Baker: Spiritual and Religious Abuse

Connie A. Baker brings her expertise and personal experience to discuss the destructive impacts of spiritually abusive messages. These messages often erode our self-trust, leaving us vulnerable to further harm. In our conversation, we’ll explore the process of recovering from spiritual abuse and why it’s essential not to rush this journey. Connie will help us understand how survivors—especially those of us with a default setting of ‘push through’—can slow down and approach the healing process with patience. This wisdom is invaluable for true recovery, and I can’t wait for you to hear Connie’s insights.

Yasmine Mohammed: Escaping Radical Islam and Advocating for Women’s Rights

Yasmine Mohammed, a human rights activist and author of Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam, joins me to share her powerful story. After escaping a forced, abusive marriage to an Al-Qaeda operative, Yasmine became an advocate for women’s rights. Through her non-profit organization, Free Hearts, Free Minds, she works tirelessly to support individuals seeking freedom from oppressive environments. Her memoir and activism offer a deeply personal and courageous perspective on overcoming adversity and empowering women. Her journey is one of survival, strength, and defiance.

Leah Denton: Therapy Harm and Power Dynamics in Mental Health

Leah Denton, the brilliant host of Psycho/Therapy podcast, will bring her deep insights into the harm that can occur within the therapeutic space and pastoral counseling. Leah, a survivor of therapy harm herself, shines a light on the ethical and systemic flaws within the mental health industry. She amplifies the voices of those who’ve been silenced and challenges us to rethink the power dynamics that can influence our healing. Leah’s work is a powerful call to action for better, more ethical care in therapy and beyond.

The Wellbeing Doctors: Body Image and Social Media’s Impact on Mental Health

Dr. Hannah Jarman and Ms. Claudia Liu, the dynamic team behind The Wellbeing Doctors, will discuss the intersection of body image, disordered eating, and the profound impact that social media has on our mental health. In their research, they’ve uncovered how active engagement with peers on social media can immediately reduce body image satisfaction, particularly for women. Together, we’ll explore how we need to redefine both beauty and health in ways that promote our true well-being, beyond appearances.

Wellness with Jaqui: The Real Story Behind Nutrition Research

Jaqui is back to break down the often-confusing world of nutrition research. If you’ve ever been baffled by conflicting diet headlines, this episode is for you. Jaqui will help us understand why nutrition research can be so complex, and how ‘statistical significance’ might not always mean what we think it does. This episode will bring clarity to the world of nutrition science and challenge the headlines we often see.

Franklin O’Kanu: Bridging Science, Spirituality, and Practical Wisdom

Franklin O’Kanu, also known as The Alchemik Pharmacist, is the founder of Unorthodoxy, a Substack that explores the spiritual dimensions of modern life through a holistic lens. With a Doctorate in Pharmacy and a background that bridges Pentecostal Christianity, Eastern philosophies, quantum physics, and Jungian psychology, Franklin offers a truly unique perspective. We’ll dive into his journey—from challenging conventional views during the pandemic to crafting a plan rooted in spiritual and natural principles. Franklin’s exploration of science, spirituality, and practical wisdom is sure to offer deep insights and foster a deeper understanding of the world around us.

This season is going to be a wild ride, full of wisdom, courage, and deep dives into essential topics that will challenge and inspire you. Don’t miss out on the launch of Taste of Truth Tuesdays Season 3 on December 31st! Make sure you’re subscribed, so you never miss an episode.

Stay curious. Stay skeptical. And, as always, keep tuning in! 🎙️🔒

Posted on in brainhealth, challenges, deconstruction, dietculture, exercise, faith, fitness, goal setting, gratitude, health, holistic health, mental health, mentalhealth, mindset, nervous system, neuroplasticity, new years resolution, physiology, podcast, resilence, science, self-help, selfcompassion, stress, stressresilence, trauma, wellness, worldview

Overcoming Negativity: The Power of Gratitude

Thanksgiving marks a season of reflection, yet gratitude isn’t always easy to come by—especially after an election year, when cognitive overload and societal stress dominate our attention. This isn’t just a personal struggle; neuroscience suggests our brains are wired to focus on negativity, a phenomenon called negativity bias. This tendency, coupled with cultural norms emphasizing individual success and the relentless comparisons driven by social media, makes practicing gratitude a skill we must consciously develop.

In my work as a coach and host of Taste of Truth Tuesdays, I often explore how habits—like fitness, nutrition, or mindfulness—shape not just our bodies, but our minds. Gratitude operates the same way: it’s not a passive feeling, but an active practice. According to Dr. Monica Johnson, gratitude has the power to rewire your brain, reducing stress and boosting resilience. Here’s why it can be so hard—and how you can overcome those challenges.

Why Gratitude Feels So Hard

  • 1. Negativity Bias

Our brains are wired to prioritize threats and negative experiences over positive ones. This evolutionary survival mechanism can make it harder to notice or appreciate the good in our lives.

  • 2. High Expectations and Comparisons

Social media amplifies the pressure to compare our lives to others, often creating unrealistic standards. When our focus shifts to what we lack, gratitude takes a backseat.

  • 3. Cognitive Overload and Stress

Life moves fast, and our schedules are packed. Reflecting on what we’re thankful for requires slowing down—a luxury stress and busyness don’t easily allow.

  • 4. Cultural and Social Conditioning

In cultures that prize personal achievement and material success, gratitude can feel secondary. Celebrating milestones and accomplishments may overshadow smaller, everyday joys.

  • 5. Mental Health Challenges

Depression, anxiety, and trauma can make it difficult to recognize and appreciate the positives in life. These conditions often shift focus to worries, fears, or a sense of helplessness.

  • 6. Entitlement Mindset

When we feel entitled to certain comforts or successes, it diminishes our ability to see them as gifts, fostering dissatisfaction instead of gratitude.

  • 7. Lack of Practice

Gratitude is a skill, not just an attitude. Without consistent effort, it’s easy for this muscle to weaken.

The Science of Gratitude: Three Proven Strategies

Fortunately, research provides powerful tools to strengthen gratitude. These practices are straightforward, effective, and supported by science.

1. Gratitude Journaling

One of the simplest and most effective methods is keeping a gratitude journal. Regularly writing down three to five things you’re thankful for has been shown to boost emotional well-being and reduce stress.

As a gardener and homesteader, I’ve found parallels here: journaling is like planting seeds of positivity. With time, those seeds grow into a garden of resilience and contentment.

Why it works:

A study by Dr. Robert Emmons, a leading researcher on gratitude, found that journaling helps rewire the brain by reinforcing positive experiences. This practice shifts focus away from what’s missing in your life toward what’s already there.

How to do it:

  • Spend five minutes each evening listing specific things you’re grateful for.
  • Be detailed—rather than “I’m grateful for my family,” write, “I’m grateful for the family dinner we had tonight where everyone laughed together.”

2. Gratitude Letters or Visits

Writing a heartfelt letter to someone who has positively impacted your life is another effective practice. Even better? Deliver the letter in person or send it to them.

Why it works:

Research highlighted by Dr. Monica Johnson of The Savvy Psychologist shows that thanking someone you’ve never properly appreciated increases happiness immediately and for up to a month afterward. The act deepens relationships and reinforces a sense of connection.

How to do it:

  • Reflect on someone who has helped or supported you in a meaningful way.
  • Write a sincere letter describing what they did and why it mattered.
  • Deliver it, either in person, through a video call, or via mail.

For me, this practice reminds me of the people who’ve supported my journey—from launching my podcast to building a small homestead.

3. Mental Subtraction of Positive Events

Instead of focusing on what you’re grateful for, imagine your life without certain positive aspects. This “mental subtraction” technique can powerfully enhance your appreciation for what you have.

Why it works:

A study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology revealed that imagining life without key blessings intensifies gratitude by showing how much worse life could be. This perspective shift cultivates appreciation even for things we take for granted.

How to do it:

  • Think about a cherished relationship, opportunity, or moment in your life.
  • Reflect on how your life would be without it.
  • Let this realization deepen your gratitude for that aspect of your life.

I often reflect on what life would be like without the small joys I’ve cultivated—like watching our garden grow or exploring life with my 3 dogs. It’s a powerful way to deepen appreciation for the present.

Gratitude is a Skill Worth Building

Gratitude might not come naturally, but with consistent practice, it can become a cornerstone of emotional resilience and happiness. By journaling, expressing thanks to others, and practicing mental subtraction, you can train your brain to focus on the good—even amidst life’s challenges.

Gratitude isn’t just a feel-good emotion—it’s a powerful mental tool that rewires your brain for better health and happiness. Through neuroplasticity, gratitude practices such as journaling or simply expressing thanks, strengthen neural pathways linked to positive emotions and weaken those associated with stress or negativity. This results in reduced anxiety, lower cortisol (the stress hormone), and improved mood​​

But the benefits don’t stop at mental health. Gratitude is also linked to better heart health, stronger immune function, and improved sleep quality. By calming the nervous system, gratitude promotes relaxation and a sense of well-being. Plus, it enhances emotional intelligence, fostering empathy, compassion, and stronger social connections​

As Dr. Monica Johnson reminds us, gratitude is like a muscle: it grows stronger the more you use it. This Thanksgiving, and in the year ahead, let’s commit to cultivating gratitude as a daily habit. The rewards—a brighter perspective, deeper connections, and greater joy—are well worth the effort.

Gratitude isn’t about ignoring pain or hardship—it’s about recognizing the value in the journey. Whether you’re navigating personal struggles, cultural pressures, or simply a stressful holiday season, gratitude offers a way to stay curious, grounded, and resilient.

For more information on the 365 Easy Challenge for 2025, click here!

Which gratitude strategy will you try first? Let me know in the comments!

For a deeper exploration of the science of gratitude, you can check out these insightful resources:

Books:

  1. The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan – This book blends personal storytelling with scientific research on the power of gratitude in transforming daily life.
  2. Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert Emmons – Emmons, one of the leading researchers in the field, explores the science behind gratitude and how practicing it can improve physical and mental health.
  3. The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor – Achor discusses how happiness, including gratitude, can lead to success in work and life by creating a positive mindset.

Studies and Articles:

  1. Gratitude and Well-being (Greater Good Science Center) – A collection of studies demonstrating that gratitude can improve overall well-being, reduce stress, and enhance relationships​Greater Good.
  2. A study published in Psychology of Well-Being found that practicing gratitude regularly can help reduce negative emotions and promote a greater sense of life satisfaction​Greater Good.

TED Talks:

  1. “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown – Brown explores how embracing vulnerability, along with gratitude, leads to a deeper connection with others and personal well-being.
  2. “What’s So Funny About Gratitude?” by Robyn Stratton-Berkessel – In this talk, Stratton-Berkessel discusses the profound impact that asking about positive experiences can have on fostering gratitude in everyday life​ PositivePsychology.com.
  3. “The Secret to Happiness is Helping Others” by Mike Robbins – Robbins highlights how gratitude, especially when expressed towards others, can create a ripple effect of kindness and well-being​PositivePsychology.com.

These resources provide a rich blend of personal, scientific, and practical perspectives on how gratitude can enhance our lives.

Posted on in biblicalworldview, christianfaith, christianpatriarchy, chronichealth, coercivecontrol, conspiracies, cults, deconstruction, holistic health, mental health, mentalhealth, nervous system, neuroplasticity, self-help, selfcompassion, wellness

How Creative Expression Helps Overcome Trauma

When you grow up in a high-control environment—whether through religion, a rigid upbringing, or a spiritual path that preaches emotional suppression—it can feel like your natural human emotions are something to be ashamed of. I’ve lived it. In the high-control religion I was a part of, anger wasn’t just frowned upon; it was portrayed as sinful, a sign of personal failure or weakness. Through the lens of ACBC Biblical counseling (Nouthetic Counseling), anger was framed as something to be suppressed, manipulated out of existence with tactics like guilt, shame, and isolation. But here’s the truth: anger, like any other emotion, isn’t inherently wrong. It’s human. And when we lose access to it, we also lose access to parts of ourselves.

Anger, as Aristotle once put it, is a passion. When experienced and expressed for the right reasons and in the right way, it can even be virtuous. Yet, in so many spiritual environments, particularly the ones I encountered, emotions like anger were seen as dangerous, spiritually harmful, or outright sinful. Especially for women, who are often taught to prioritize harmony and remain calm at all costs, anger can become something we’re scared to touch. For men, anger might be more accepted, but vulnerability is not, creating its own emotional imbalance.

What happens when we suppress emotions like anger? We get stuck, often feeling disconnected from our bodies, from our creativity, and from any sense of playfulness. That’s why art and play become essential tools in healing from spiritual and religious trauma. They allow us to access and express emotions that were long buried, giving us the space to feel without fear. Art doesn’t just heal—it empowers. It gives back what was stolen. Let’s unpack why:

Why Art & Play Matter in Healing Trauma

Trauma—especially the kind stemming from spiritual or religious abuse—can leave you feeling stuck, numb, or like a stranger to your own creativity. High-control environments stifle our freedom to express, explore, or simply be. Art and play can feel like reclaiming those parts of us that were silenced, buried under the weight of shame, fear, or guilt.

“Wherever I look, I see the same themes: not being allowed to feel, to say what you feel, to trust your perceptions, to ask for what you need. This is how we remain imprisoned in our pain.” -Alice Miller

Engaging in creative expression—whether it’s painting, dancing, writing, or making music—gives us a way to process emotions that can be difficult, even impossible, to articulate. Trauma lodges itself deep in the body and subconscious, often beyond the reach of words. But through art, we can access those hidden parts and begin to heal them in ways that talking just doesn’t touch. It’s like tapping into a language the body understands.

Play, on the other hand, might feel like a foreign concept if you’ve been conditioned to take life way too seriously, to follow rules without question. But it’s through play that we reconnect with spontaneity, joy, and a sense of safety—things that high-control environments tend to strip away. Play is about reawakening that inner child, the part of you that knows how to explore and create without fear of judgment. It’s about taking back the joy you were told to suppress.

How Art & Play Help in Deconstructing Religious Trauma

When we start unraveling the teachings we once held as truth, it can feel like walking through a minefield. Shame, fear, and guilt are often deeply embedded in the narratives we were fed. Art becomes a tool for rebellion, a way to question, challenge, and rewrite those beliefs. By creating, we aren’t just making things; we’re making space for new perspectives. We’re loosening the grip that old doctrines had on us.

In high-control environments, the idea of play is usually dismissed as frivolous or even sinful. Reclaiming that sense of play is like finding a key to unlock the parts of yourself that were shut away. Playfulness, whether it’s dancing with wild abandon, hula hooping (yes, circus arts shoutout!), or exploring new hobbies, gives you back a sense of agency. It’s a way to create space for curiosity again, to embrace wonder without the burden of fear or shame. Think of it as giving yourself permission to live without someone else’s narrative hanging over you.

Scientific Backing for Creative Therapies

The science backs this up, too. Numerous studies have shown that creative therapies—like art, dance, and even movement-based play—can significantly reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. They work by helping the brain rewire itself through neuroplasticity. When you engage in creative activities, you’re not just distracting yourself—you’re helping your brain form new, healthier connections. You’re building resilience, reprogramming the way your brain responds to trauma.

Art and play ignite parts of the brain that foster emotional regulation and healing. This is where trauma lives, after all—deep within the nervous system. But creativity taps into a different part of the brain than verbal communication does, allowing survivors of trauma to express and release emotions they may not even know they’re holding onto.

By embracing art and play, you’re not just finding a distraction from your pain—you’re giving yourself a way to heal, to reclaim parts of yourself that were taken, and to reconnect with joy, creativity, and freedom. The beauty of it all? There’s no right or wrong way to do it. You’re creating your path forward. So, grab that paintbrush, dance it out, or pick up that pen and let your soul speak.

Resources for Healing Through Art and Play

Books:

  1. “Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors” by Janina Fisher
    This book dives into how trauma fragments a person’s sense of self, especially those recovering from spiritual abuse or high-control environments. Fisher provides practical tools, like body-based therapies and creative expressions, to help reintegrate those fragmented parts into a cohesive whole.
  2. “Trauma and Recovery” by Judith Herman
    Herman’s work is a cornerstone in understanding trauma and its long-term effects. She emphasizes the importance of survivors reclaiming their voices, and how creative expression—whether through writing, painting, or dance—plays a critical role in their recovery journey.
  3. “The Creative Cure” by Jacob Nordby
    Nordby explores how reconnecting with creativity can reignite your sense of self and joy. Especially for those who’ve had their emotional expression controlled or diminished by strict belief systems, this book offers a roadmap to reclaiming a more authentic, free version of yourself through creativity.
  4. “Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving” by Pete Walker
    This book focuses on healing the long-term effects of complex PTSD, which many individuals from high-control religious backgrounds experience. Walker highlights how therapeutic outlets like art, journaling, and other forms of play help survivors process their trauma and begin to thrive again.
  5. “Art Therapy Sourcebook” by Cathy Malchiodi
    Malchiodi is a pioneer in the field of art therapy. This book is a practical guide for anyone looking to explore art as a form of emotional expression and healing, especially in the context of trauma recovery. It offers hands-on approaches for integrating creative expression into your healing process.

Articles & Journals:

  1. American Art Therapy Association
    This site offers numerous research studies on the effectiveness of art therapy in healing trauma, especially for those recovering from spiritual abuse or restrictive environments. It provides a well-rounded view of the therapeutic benefits of engaging in creative arts.
  2. International Journal of Play Therapy
    A comprehensive journal that highlights the healing potential of play therapy for trauma survivors. It explores how play can foster emotional resilience and repair, allowing individuals to reconnect with parts of themselves that were silenced or controlled.
  3. “Creative Arts Therapies and Trauma: Scope and Impact”
    A review that outlines how various forms of creative expression—like music, drama, and visual arts—help trauma survivors heal. This article explains how these therapies leverage the brain’s neuroplasticity to create new, healthier emotional patterns.

Experts & Practitioners:

  1. Pat Ogden – Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
    Ogden’s work is at the intersection of movement and trauma recovery. She focuses on how trauma manifests in the body and uses techniques like creative movement and body-based therapies to help people heal from deep emotional wounds. Her book “Trauma and the Body” is a great resource for understanding this approach.
  2. Peter Levine – Somatic Experiencing
    Levine is renowned for his work on trauma recovery through the body. His book “Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma” offers insights into how movement and body-based expression can help survivors release trauma and regain a sense of safety and control.

Podcasts & Websites:

  1. Sounds True – Insights at the Edge Podcast
    Hosted by Tami Simon, this podcast often features interviews with leading experts in trauma and healing. Guests like Peter Levine and Pat Ogden discuss the importance of integrating creative practices like art and movement into trauma recovery.
  2. Healing Arts Radio (Online Radio Show)
    Focused on art therapy and trauma healing, this show features episodes on creative therapies and personal stories of recovery through art. It’s an inspiring resource for understanding how play and art can transform emotional wounds into creative empowerment.
  3. Institute for Creative Mindfulness
    This site provides resources and courses on expressive arts therapies for trauma survivors. It emphasizes how art and movement therapies foster resilience and healing by tapping into emotional expression and body awareness.
Posted on in Bible, biblicalworldview, christianfaith, christianpatriarchy, chronichealth, coercivecontrol, commericalcults, conspiracies, cults, deconstruction, faith, influencers, manipulation, mental health, mentalhealth, mindset, podcast, progressives, self-help, selfcompassion, socialjustice, socialmedia, spiritualabuse, stress, stressresilence, testimonies, theology, womenssuffrage, wordofgod, worldview

Understanding the Group Mind: A Double-Edged Sword

Navigating the waters of community can feel like a tightrope walk, especially for those of us who’ve been through the storm of spiritual abuse. This week on Taste of Truth Tuesdays, I’m excited to welcome a guest who dives deep into the concept of “Group Mind”—the idea that a collective can elevate individual voices, creating a harmonious collaboration. While this concept sounds beautiful on the surface, having walked the line between healthy and toxic communities myself, I can’t help but question: What happens when “Group Mind” becomes a vessel for manipulation rather than a source of strength?

The Allure of Community

Let’s face it: we all crave connection. From childhood friendships to spiritual gatherings, our lives are woven into a fabric of social interactions. In healthy communities, each thread—each individual—contributes to the larger tapestry. Group Mind can be empowering when everyone contributes their unique strengths. Think of a brainstorming session, where different ideas build on each other to create something innovative. But in controlling groups, individuality is suppressed, and members are pressured to conform, stifling creativity and critical thinking.

The Double-Edged Sword of Group Mind

Our guest shares their experience in an improv class, where the idea of Group Mind became both a revelation and a source of anxiety. It’s fascinating how the language of community can feel welcoming yet be weaponized against those who seek authenticity. This mirrors the complexities of modern social dynamics, especially in the age of social media, where radicalization can happen at lightning speed.

In Episode 5 of my podcast, we tackled the “crunchy hippie to alt-right pipeline,” but now it’s time to shine a light on the radicalization of the left—a topic often overlooked. Why did I go from progressive circles to mingling with Trump supporters and Christians? This shift was marked by a range of events and trends reflecting broader changes within progressive movements and their impact on American politics and culture.

The Irony of the Deconstruction Space

As I navigated the deconstruction space, I noticed something ironic: when the deconstruction movement defines a cult and unintentionally describes their own playbook, the irony is hard to miss. Many who now identify as progressive or left leaning have simply swapped one form of fundamentalism for another. They may have shed their evangelical past, but the same dogmatic, ‘us vs. them’ tactics remain. It’s like they never fully untangled themselves from the rigid mindset they claim to oppose.

Social justice has become their new ‘End Times,’ and the tribalism is painfully obvious. Conformity, consequences for stepping out of line, leaders who set the narrative… sound familiar? 🙃

🔍 “It’s not your enemies, it’s the system.” We often fall into the trap of seeing our political landscape as a battle between two sides—one fighting for democracy, the other autocracy. But this binary thinking misses the larger issue: who really has power in shaping policies? Research, like the 2014 study by Gilens and Page, reveals that economic elites and organized interest groups wield far more influence over government decisions than the average citizen or voter. This isn’t about a single party; it’s about a systemic challenge that transcends partisan lines. 🧠

Instead of feeding into divisive narratives, maybe it’s time to ask: Who benefits from keeping us divided? 🤔 Progressive politics can impose control using a power/victim binary that’s reductive and lacks nuance, leveraging the fear of being labeled an oppressor as a tool for compliance. Reflecting on my journey of deconstruction and exploring progressive spaces, I’ve noticed a concerning trend: the lack of nuance and the prevalence of an ‘us vs. them’ mentality.

Even within progressive Christianity, there’s pressure to conform to certain social norms and ethical behaviors. Disagreement is often met with resistance, and group identity politics can dominate discussions. As I listened to a friend lecture me about the systems of whiteness and how white people are part of the problem, I couldn’t help but feel a visceral response in my body. Wasn’t she aware of how she was marginalizing voices that do not align with CRT principles and fostering division rather than unity?

It’s one thing to leave behind a belief system, but if you’re still using the same control tactics, are you really free? Or are you just in another form of groupthink? Many who now identify as progressive or left-leaning have simply swapped one form of radicalism for another.

In navigating my journey, I’ve discovered that while community can be a source of strength, it can also be stifling. Let’s strive for more open dialogue where diverse perspectives are valued.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Seeking Authentic Community

This brings us back to the concept of Group Mind. While it has the potential to uplift and unite, we must critically assess the communities we choose to engage with. Are they empowering our individuality, or are they reinforcing a new set of dogmas?

As we explore these themes in this week’s podcast episode, I invite you to reflect on your own experiences with community—whether online or offline. Are you in a space that nurtures your authentic self, or have you found yourself caught in another web of control? Let’s challenge ourselves to seek genuine connections that celebrate our uniqueness, rather than merely conforming to the expectations of a collective.

Navigating Community Dynamics

One critical takeaway from my own experiences and the stories shared by others is the importance of asking ourselves the right questions. When evaluating any community—whether it’s a religious group, a social circle, or even an improv class—we should reflect on whether we’re being encouraged to grow into our full selves or if we’re being pressured to shrink into submission.

Key Questions to Consider:

  • Am I celebrated for my unique contributions, or do I feel like a cog in the machine?
  • Is my voice heard and valued, or am I met with silence (or worse) when I express dissent?
  • Does this community expand my horizons, or does it confine me to a narrow worldview?

The Importance of Individuality

One of the most powerful realizations is that a thriving community doesn’t demand the extinction of individualism; it nourishes it. Just as the author of the guest post observed in an improv competition, the true beauty of collaboration lies in the ability of individuals to bring their full selves to the table, enhancing the group dynamic rather than diminishing it.

In my journey, I’ve learned that safe communities are those that not only say, “Yes!” to your ideas but also invite you to share more, to dig deeper, and to embrace the weirdness that makes you unique. They celebrate individuality as an essential ingredient for collective success, transforming “Group Mind” from a potential source of control into a powerful tool for creativity and support.

The Path to Healing

For those of us recovering from spiritual abuse, the journey to find a healthy community can feel daunting. It requires us to sift through the rubble of past experiences, recognizing patterns that once suffocated our voices. But it also offers a chance for healing, a space where we can reclaim our identities and forge connections based on respect and authenticity.

Ultimately, the quest for community is about more than just belonging; it’s about finding spaces where we can be our true selves. It’s about navigating the complexities of connection with our eyes wide open, ready to discern the difference between a supportive group and one that seeks to control.

Conclusion

As we move through life, let’s remember that community can be a double-edged sword. For some of us, especially those healing from trauma or navigating complex PTSD, the journey may be best supported by solitary pursuits—like books, pets, and podcasts—before stepping into the vibrant chaos of group dynamics. We must be vigilant in recognizing when connection serves us and when it threatens to silence our individuality. Here’s to seeking out those communities that empower us, uplift us, and invite us to shine our light—together.

Posted on in carbs, chronichealth, eft, efttapping, exercise, fitness, holistic health, hormones, hypothyroidism, mental health, mentalhealth, mindset, nervous system, nutrition, nutritionalscience, physiology, podcast, resilence, self-help, sleep, socialmedia, stress, stressresilence, tapping, thyroid health, vagus nerve, wellness

Ways to support your body during stress

Feeling stressed? 😩 Chronic stress can drain your energy, disrupt your sleep, and even increase the risk of serious health issues like cancer. This week on the podcast, we are diving deep into how stress impacts your body—and sharing real tips to fight back! 👊🏼 💥

In this powerful episode, I sit down with holistic healing expert Theresa Piela, @livingrootswellness to explore the deep connection between chronic stress and health. Theresa shares her personal story of hitting rock bottom in 2019, when chronic illness nearly led to organ failure. We dive into the guilt and exhaustion that comes with being chronically ill in a toxic world, and how healing techniques like Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping can offer relief. 🌱✨

The Impact of Stress on the Body

Understanding Stress: Theresa breaks down the three stages of stress and how they manifest in our daily lives, leading to digestive issues and chronic illnesses. She sheds light on the silent havoc that prolonged stress wreaks on our gut health and overall bodily functions. Please review our earlier blog for more details!

Fuel & Nutrition: Supporting Your Body’s Adaptive Stress Response

Just as important as shifting your mindset is fueling your body with the right nutrients. A starved or inflamed system will struggle to adapt to stress, especially when trying to balance internal chaos. Proper nutrition is key to supporting the body’s stress response.

When the body isn’t fueled properly, persistent stress leads to harmful effects, such as blood sugar swings, hormonal dysregulation, and weakened immunity. To counteract this, we need to provide the body with the building blocks it needs to recover.

Here’s a high-level look at what your body requires for optimal function:

  • Proteins: Anti-inflammatory sources like grass-fed beef, broths, shellfish, and dairy.
  • Carbohydrates: Glucose and fructose from fruits, honey, maple syrup, and root vegetables.
  • Fats: Saturated fats are essential.
  • Vitamins & Minerals: Vitamin C, D, E, B1, B6, B12, calcium, magnesium, copper, sodium, potassium, selenium, and zinc.

I wanted to expand a BIT MORE on nutritional tips we may or may not have mentioned in this week’s discussion that are for sure helpful along your healing journey!

1️⃣Adrenal Elixirs-It’s a combination of sodium, potassium, and vitamin C—a perfect blend for your adrenals. Click here for recipes!

2️⃣Magnesium: During stressful times, your body burns through magnesium faster! Supplementing orally and using topical magnesium is helpful all the time, & increasing during times of stress can avoid future deficiency. Click here for a guide to Magnesium supplements!

3️⃣Boosting mineral-rich foods: Coconut water-rich in potassium. Potatoes, squash, fruit—also rich in
potassium, Brewer’s yeast-rich in potassium, B vitamins, and many more nutrients (if you can handle the taste!) Cacao powder-rich in magnesium, Citrus & vitamin C rich foods-support adrenals and copper balance.

4️⃣Consistent timing for meals & snacks with proteins carbs and fats to help support blood sugar. Meal tips here!

5️⃣Prioritize Daily Routines with your non-negotiables like: Reading, meditation, walks, eating, movement, winding down time. Stay consistent! Research shows that it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for someone to form a new habit. Let’s talk more about morning and bedtime routines!

Morning Routine:

☀️ Morning person or not, having a set routine can be beneficial. First, a good morning starts the night before-am I right? Be sure to prioritize getting to bed at a decent time to support incorporating the new routine. ⏰ A great morning routine is the one that works for you. Not everyone will be able to have a lengthy routine due to time constraints or family obligations and that’s okay.

Here are some ideas:

  • Don’t pick up your phone right away: Scrolling Instagram and reading emails can wait. When you reach for your phone right after you wake up, you put yourself directly into reactive mode. This can cause you to lose focus and get stressed before you’ve even made it out of bed.
  • Making your bed takes about two minutes and it gives you a quick, easy sense of accomplishment right off the bat. Plus, it makes your room look neat and tidy even if the rest of your space is messy.
  • Eat Something Even if you’re not a big breakfast person, getting some nutrients in your body can really turn on your brain. Having a balanced meal can go a long way toward improving your mood and energy levels right off the bat. Whatever constitutes breakfast for you, just get some food into your body.
  • Do something for yourself each morning. Even if you just have five minutes, you can stretch, do a quick meditation, journal or work on a crossword puzzle while you drink your morning coffee. (Catching up on social media can also count as self care if this activity truly brings you joy. )
  • Write—or review—your daily to-do list and calendar
    Check over what’s on deck for the day so you don’t run into any surprises. You might even block off ten minutes or so to look over emails and address any messages that need to be taken care of right away. 📧

Bedtime Routine:

Sleep is consistently the most underrated aspect of any health & wellness journey. Creating & maintaining a bedtime routine is the best way to prioritize a good night’s sleep.

  • It’s best to be consistent with the time- set an alarm or notification on your phone. It will be a help signal that it’s time to unplug and start your bedtime routine.
  • The circadian rhythm regulates the body’s temperature, lowering the thermostat to 65 degrees is a good temperature for sleep. The body will adapt to the lower room temperature and you will begin to feel drowsy. Turning off or lowering bright lights can help with the process. As we know with screen time, exposure to bright lights before bedtime affects the circadian rhythm.
  • Screens from TVs, smartphones and laptops emit blue light that stimulates the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm), keeping you buzzing long after it’s time to hibernate for the night. Sleep studies have shown that exposure to high amounts of blue light before bed can lower melatonin levels, resulting in sleeplessness and delayed REM sleep.
  • Journaling is good for mental health by reducing stress and helping you remember good ideas before sleep.
  • Using foam rolling and yoga for sleep will help relax your muscles and ground your mind before bed. They decelerate the mind and body, relieve tension and improve sleep quality.
  • Aromatherapy are used to help with stress management.
  • ❔HOW LONG should my bedtime routine be? About 30 to 60 minutes. This will give you enough time to unwind without feeling rushed.

Okay back to the final aspect of today’s post for supporting your body during stressful times:

6️⃣TOXINS – Specific chemicals called halogens (bromine, chlorine, and fluorine) compete with iodine and bind to thyroid receptors, preventing thyroid hormones from working properly. Filtering fluoride and chloride out of your drinking and bath/shower water helps those with thyroid dysfunction. More Information here

Research says about 90% of cancers are a result of a lifetime of dysfunction: stress, poor nutrition, toxin exposure, chronic hormone imbalance etc. It is estimated that it takes up to 10 years for cancer to develop in the body. Every day our environment and personal choices provide information to cells, in a constant feedback loop. Research has shown us many factors that cause cancer cell development—we can use this information to optimize our environments, nutrition, hormones, etc, create a healthy terrain, and mitigate cancer risk. The body is always responding to us, and healing is possible! One of my favorite resources is here! Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D.

In summary

Addressing intestinal permeability, blood sugar imbalances, and other stress-induced dysfunctions through proper nutrition will help rebuild resilience. For those with severe gut issues, a nutrient-dense, elimination-style diet—like carnivore plus easy-to-digest carbs—may be necessary short-term to restore balance. In the end, listening to your body is critical. Experiment with what makes you feel good, trust yourself, and remember: you know best.

By shifting your mindset and supporting your body with proper fuel, you can navigate life’s stressors with resilience and strength.

🎙️ Tune in now to learn how to take control of your stress before it takes control of you!

#TasteOfTruthTuesdays#StressRelief#EFT#BurnoutRecovery#AdrenalSupport#podcastersofinstagram#podcast#holistichealth#nutritionist#nutritiontips#stressrelief#stressmanagement#deconstruction#deconstructingfaith#healthjourney#magnesium#adrenals#thyroidhealing