166: The Body Remembers: Somatic Movement, Trauma & Emotional Intelligence

What if the sensations you’ve been trying to “think your way out of” are actually asking to be moved?In this conversation, I’m joined by movement teacher Manu, who shares the missing link so many of us don’t receive in healing spaces: the body. Together we explore how trauma isn’t only a story in the mind — it can be a physical imprint in the tissues, the posture, the breath… the places we clench, brace, hold, or collapse.We dive into:What trauma actually is (and why it’s not only “big” events)Big T vs little t trauma — and how resourcing changes everythingHow the body stores incomplete survival responses (fight/flight/freeze)Why shaking, trembling, sound, tears and movement can be deeply normalThe truth about somatics (and why “anything body-based” isn’t necessarily somatic)How to build emotional intelligence through movement — without pushing or re-traumatizingThe power of baby steps: pendulating between collapse and opening, safelyWhy this is emotional hygiene — not another thing to “perform” or perfectIf you’re ready to stop judging your emotions, soften the armour, and learn how to meet yourself with compassionate curiosity from the inside… this one is for you.Manu MitevovaYogi, somatic mover, and trauma-informed teacher obsessed with the mind-body connection. Manu created the much-loved online course Hips Like Honey, helping more than 37k people get relief from tight hips, the holistic way. This year, she launched her new somatic membership, Kaya, guiding people to process their emotions through movement so they can regulate their nervous system and feel better. Connect with Manu on InstagramWebsite | KAYA AppAbout Your HostMonique Carmela is a somatic guide, feminine embodiment mentor, and space-holder for women devoted to healing, truth, and conscious relationships. Her work weaves nervous system regulation, inner child integration, embodiment practices, and devotional self-leadership to support women in coming home to themselves — not as a destination, but as a way of life.Through her programs, community, and this podcast, Monique supports women to soften, deepen, and thrive — rooted in safety, self-trust, and embodied truth.Website | Instagram | Devotional Woman FB Community