Sacred Illness™

When Renee Spillane had a massage that left her feeling “alive” and “untouchable,” she didn’t know it would change the course of her life. She quit her stable job, trained as a massage therapist, and discovered that the real work wasn’t about fixing muscles—it was about listening to what the body was storing. This is a story about how grief, fear, and unprocessed emotions live in our tissues, and how a skilled practitioner can help bring them to the surface. It’s about learning to trust the wisdom in your body, honoring your own unique healing path, and discovering that sometimes the greatest gift you can receive is simply being seen.Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Renee Spillane, an energy healing massage therapist from Adelaide, South Australia, who specializes in working with women through all stages of womanhood—from pregnancy and motherhood to grief and beyond. Renee walks us through her unexpected journey into massage therapy, the profound personal experience of her son’s medical journey that taught her about grief, and how she learned to trust the intuitive information she receives while working with clients. We explore how physical symptoms often point to emotional roots, how different areas of the body hold different emotions, and why the most powerful healing happens when we bring awareness to what our bodies are storing. Renee shares stories from her practice—of women carrying fear in their hips, grief in their shoulders, and the resistance that comes when we’re not ready to hear the truth.What You’ll Discover* How a single memorable massage led Renee to completely change careers.* The difference between a “fix it” massage and an energetic, healing massage.* How grief can show up in the body—even when it’s not your own direct loss.* Why certain emotions live in specific areas of the body (fear in the hips, responsibility in the shoulders).* The importance of learning how to shift your own energy—and why it’s different for everyone.* How pregnancy, motherhood, and major life transitions show up physically.* Why some people resist emotional insights—and how to meet them with compassion.* The power of asking: “How’s life been lately?” instead of “What hurts?”* How trusting your body’s wisdom leads you onto your true path.* The freedom that comes from realizing you don’t have to have it all figured out.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast02:00 - Welcoming Renee from Adelaide, South Australia04:00 - The Massage That Changed Everything06:00 - Quitting Her Stable Job to Train as a Massage Therapist08:00 - The Personal Experience That Taught Her About Grief10:00 - Trusting Intuitive Information on the Table12:00 - The Panic Attack That Told Her to Leave a Job15:00 - How Physical Symptoms Point to Emotional Roots18:00 - Fear in the Hips, Responsibility in the Shoulders21:00 - The Postnatal Client Who Needed Social Connection24:00 - The Client Who Didn't Want Her Feet Touched27:00 - The Frozen Shoulder and Unexpressed Trauma30:00 - Why Some People Resist Emotional Insights33:00 - The Go-Kart Analogy: Hitting the Curb When You're Off Track36:00 - Grief as a Universal Experience39:00 - The Importance of Wording and Empowerment42:00 - Oracle Cards as a Gentle Confirmation45:00 - Respecting Everyone's Journey48:00 - Her Work, Website, and Social Media50:00 - Final Reflections and ClosingGuest Information & LinksConnect with Renee Spillane:* Website: balancingwomanhood.com.au* Instagram: @balancingwomanhood.renee💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community Use coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month.→ Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: click the link to learn more: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training→ Apply to get on the waitlist for the podcast: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Stacey spent her career inside healthcare. She knew the language, the protocols, the system… But when her body began to collapse, she was still dismissed, gaslit, and told to see a psychiatrist when imaging clearly showed she had a stroke. This is an episode on what it takes to keep going when no one believes you, about the exhaustion of advocating for yourself over and over, and about the courage it takes to keep going—even when you don’t have all the answers.Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Stacey Piedrahita, a former nurse and medical professional from North Carolina who has navigated a decade of health crises—from multiple autoimmune diagnoses to a severe electrical shock that left her with POTS, dysautonomia, mast cell disease, and a confirmed stroke. Stacey walks us through the painful reality of being a patient in a system she once worked within, the invalidation she faced from specialist after specialist, and the exhausting fight to be believed. We explore how the childhood programming that taught her to mask her pain and be “the strong one” showed up in her initial relationship with illness, and how getting sick has slowly forced her to unlearn that story. This is a raw account of someone still in the midst of the journey—learning to unmask, to ask for help, and to become the most authentic version of herself.What You’ll Discover* The reality of being dismissed by doctors—even when you have medical training yourself.* How the medical system follows a script and doesn’t have time to listen—and why that must change.* The back pain at 50 that put her on a different path forever.* The experience of being told “nothing is wrong” while her body was collapsing.* How an electrical shock from a fence led to POTS, dysautonomia, mast cell disease, and a stroke.* The moment a neurologist finally listened—and why it took three to get there.* The deep childhood programming of being “the strong one” and masking pain to survive.* Why illness is forcing her to stop hiding and start asking for help—even when it’s terrifying.* How radical acceptance, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and faith have become her foundation.* Who she is becoming: the most authentic version of herself—still in progress, still healing.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast02:00 - Welcoming Stacey from North Carolina04:00 - The First Crisis: Debilitating Back Pain at Age 5006:00 - Dismissed by Doctors: “Go See a Shrink”08:00 - The Cognitive Decline: Not Recognizing Her Own Daughter10:00 - A Career Inside Healthcare—And Still Not Being Believed12:00 - The Electrical Shock from a Fence—and What Followed14:00 - POTS, Dysautonomia, Mast Cell, and the Stroke16:00 - The Third Neurologist Who Finally Believed Her18:00 - Childhood Programming: “I’m the Strong One”20:00 - Learning to Ask for Help and Unmask22:00 - Radical Acceptance and Dialectical Behavior Therapy24:00 - Becoming the Most Authentic Version of Herself—Still in Progress26:00 - Her Books, Breathwork Classes, and SubstackGuest Information & LinksConnect with Stacey Piedrahita:* Website: tmsforacure.org → find her breathwork class, “Breath and Beyond with Stacey”, held every second and fourth Friday.* Substack: https://substack.com/@revstaceyrocks. Daily recovery essays, stories, and poetry.* Books: Available on Amazon* “Intuitive: Speaking Her Truth”* “Becoming the Manifesting Diva”* “Soulful Poems” (Two Volumes)* Soul Spells (Coming August 2026)* Book links:* https://a.co/d/0dIK32tF* https://a.co/d/0bLl24q1* Join Stacey’s Yoga Laughter class and online community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1az1W9Eiv1/Ready to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community Use coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month.→ Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: https://www.sacredillness.com→ Apply to get on the waitlist to be a podcast guest: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

When Teresa Hobbs was left bed-bound after a minor fender bender, she couldn’t be near a computer, read a book, or even receive a phone call without blacking out. Her world had shrunk to staring at the texture on her ceiling, searching for shapes to comfort her. This is a story about what happens when you stop fighting your symptoms and start listening to the mechanism behind them—when you realize that the brain can get stuck on a loop, perpetuating danger signals long after the threat is gone. It’s about learning to dance with panic, to accept the unacceptable, and to discover that healing isn’t about eliminating intensity—it’s about expanding your capacity to be with it.Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Teresa Hobbs, a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach, Pain Reprocessing Therapy Practitioner, and Safe and Sound Protocol Provider from Utah. Teresa walks us through her decades-long journey with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), from early warning signs in her twenties to a catastrophic nervous system crash in 2014 that left her bed-bound for years. We explore the shame of being told her illness was “in her head,” the relentless pursuit of fixing herself, and the pivotal moment when she learned to stop trying so hard. Teresa shares the neuroplastic understanding that chronic symptoms are often the brain’s stuck danger signals, and introduces practical tools like somatic tracking for rewiring. We discuss codependency, attachment, the window of tolerance, and why the most radical act of healing is often simply accepting yourself where you are—without judgment.What You’ll Discover* The fender bender that fractured her nervous system and left her bedbound for years.* Why her brain would black out from reading, phone calls, or even positive daydreams.* The painful experience of family members labeling her illness as “getting a payoff” or “all in her head.”* How trying too hard to heal—five hours of meditation a day, rigid protocols—actually impeded her recovery.* The liberating invitation: “You don’t have to work so hard to heal.”* Understanding neuroplastic symptoms: how the brain perpetuates danger signals long after the initial trigger.* Somatic tracking: meeting sensations with curiosity and non-judgment.* Why pain reprocessing therapy works best when symptoms are between a 1 and 5—and when to just take the medication.* The connection between codependency, attachment disruption, and chronic illness.* How learning to tolerate panic transformed her life—and gave her the courage to live fully.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast02:00 - Welcoming Teresa Hobbs from Utah04:00 - The Early Warning Signs: Fatigue in 200306:00 - The Fender Bender That Fractured Her Nervous System08:00 - Bedbound and Blacking Out: The Most Terrifying Period10:00 - Family Members Who Said It Was “All in Her Head”12:00 - The Fixing Mindset: Five Hours of Meditation a Day14:00 - “You Don’t Have to Work So Hard to Heal” — A Pivot Point16:00 - Moving Out of Her Parents’ House and Into Healing18:00 - Physical Stressors: Cavitation Surgery and Upper Cervical Chiropractic20:00 - The Last Piece: Panic and Learning to Stop Avoiding22:00 - Dancing with Panic: “I Dared It to Get as Big as It Needed to Get”25:00 - Codependency and Chronic Illness: “I’m Not Okay Unless You’re Okay”28:00 - Neuroplastic Symptoms: How the Brain Gets Stuck on Danger Signals30:00 - Pain Reprocessing Therapy and Somatic Tracking33:00 - The Safe and Sound Protocol: Training the Ear to Hear Safety35:00 - Expanding the Window of Tolerance: Healing as Capacity Building38:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Teresa to Become?40:00 - Teresa’s Coaching, Groups, and ResourcesGuest Information & LinksConnect with Teresa Hobbs:* Website: www.monarchintegrativecoaching.com* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@monarchintegrativestudio* Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monarchintegrativecoaching* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monarchintegrativestudio* Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@almostawakenedpodcast💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month.→ Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: click the link to get on the waitlist. Our first cohort begins September 2026, spots are limited.https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

When Kassondra Walters was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, she was told the standard protocol: eight rounds of IV chemo, radiation, and five years of hormone therapy. But something in her body said no. This is a story about what happens when you stop letting fear drive your decisions and start listening to the quiet, unwavering voice of intuition. It’s about the courage to walk a path no one else is walking, to trust that your body is your ally, not your enemy, and to discover that healing is not about following an algorithm—it’s about coming home to yourself.Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Kassondra Walters, an indigenous entrepreneur, yoga teacher, Reiki master, and survivor from Ontario, Canada. Kassondra walks us through her journey from a lifetime of autopilot and hypervigilance to the moment her body screamed for her attention with a lump in her breast. We explore her decision to decline conventional treatment after surgery, the fear and pushback she faced from the medical system, and the deep inner work that led her to trust her own knowing. Kassondra shares the pivotal moments—the cardinals that appeared after surgery, the acupuncturist who asked “What are you doing for Kassondra?”—that reset her compass. We discuss the emotional releases stored in the body, the power of returning to indigenous ways of knowing, and what it means to live with rather than just manage illness.🌿 What You’ll Discover* The moment her body screamed for attention—right before she was to step into her mission.* Why she went vegan, stopped drinking alcohol, and returned to hot yoga before she even had a diagnosis.* The surgery that felt like a rebirth—and the grief of family who didn’t show up.* The cardinal moment: how ancestors sent a sign that she would be okay.* Sitting with the oncologist: “What’s the percentage you’re reducing risk by?” and choosing to focus on the 70%.* The shift in treatment when she declined chemo—and the doctor whose tone changed.* The acupuncturist’s pivotal question: “You’ve done a lot for your cancer. What are you doing for Kassondra?”* Emotional releases stored in the body: craniosacral therapy, meridians, and the pain that came up at the breast cancer point.* Why she left the cancer care program—not because she’s cancer-free, but because she doesn’t want what they’re offering.* The ongoing teaching: falling off the wagon, meeting yourself with compassion, and returning to presence.⏳ Timestamps00:00 - Kassondra’s Opening: “I’m Grateful for My Illness”01:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast03:00 - Welcoming Kassondra Walters from Ontario, Canada05:00 - The Summer of 2022: When Her Body First Started Speaking08:00 - Two Terminations and a Mental Health Crisis10:00 - The Night Before: Finding the Lump12:00 - Fighting to Get Into the Medical System14:00 - The Diagnosis Call in the Bathroom16:00 - The Death Journey and “I’m Not Done”18:00 - Surgery as Rebirth and the Family Who Didn’t Call22:00 - The Cardinals: Ancestral Signs That She Would Be Okay25:00 - The Pathology: Microscopic Cells in One Lymph Node28:00 - Sitting with the Oncologist: “I Want to Focus on the 70%”32:00 - The Doctor Whose Tone Shifted35:00 - Discovering Radical Remission and Finding Hope38:00 - The Five Months Off: Creating a New Lifestyle42:00 - The Center for Health Innovation and Listening to Practitioners45:00 - The Acupuncturist’s Question: “What Are You Doing for Kassondra?”48:00 - Emotional Releases in Craniosacral Therapy52:00 - The Biopsy She Wished She Hadn’t Done55:00 - The Final Appointment: Rage, Powerlessness, and Walking Away58:00 - Living Chronic Faith: Choosing Joy and Connection01:02:00 - Falling Off the Wagon: Compassion and Returning to Presence01:05:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Kassondra to Become?💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Kassondra Walters:* Instagram: @alchemistelevating* Website: https://kdmanagementconsulting.ca* Upcoming Book (2026): This Business is My Ceremony (co-authored, for indigenous entrepreneurs)* Organizational Development Consulting: Supporting nonprofits, for-profits, and government organizations💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month.→ Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: click the link to get on the waitlist. https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training→ Apply to be a podcast guest: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

When Allison Hampton was diagnosed with lupus, Sjogren’s, fibromyalgia, and arthritis, she realized she had been speaking negatively about her body—saying it wasn’t on her team, that it was fighting her. But then came the revelation: her body had been compensating for her, running on a backup generator for years until she could figure out what was wrong. Even when she didn’t know what she needed, her body kept showing up. This is a story about reframing our relationship with illness, reclaiming our identity from our activity, and discovering that a chronically ill body is not a downgrade—it’s just different.Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Allison Hampton, a Christian speaker, playwright, author, and life coach from Indianapolis, Indiana. Allison walks us through her journey of receiving four chronic autoimmune diagnoses—lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, fibromyalgia, and arthritis—after two years of being dismissed by doctors. We explore the painful process of learning to trust herself again, the importance of firing doctors who won’t listen, and the sacred practice of managing wellness. Allison shares her revelation that “your body is your friend,” the power of grief and gratitude coexisting, and how she learned to stop associating her identity with her activity. We also discuss the creation of her nonprofit, Living Chronic Faith, which builds community for those navigating chronic illness and their support systems.🌿 What You’ll Discover* The two-year journey to diagnosis and the self-doubt that comes from being dismissed by doctors.* Why you are the expert on your body—and how to reclaim that authority.* The revelation that changed everything: “Your body is your friend, not your enemy.”* Why grief and gratitude can coexist—you don’t have to choose one or the other.* The danger of associating your identity with your activity, and what remains when activity falls away* How a tetanus shot triggered temporary paralysis and became a turning point in her healing.* The snowman vs. racetrack eight: adapting without losing the essence of the thing.* Why chronic illness requires a faith as chronic as the diagnosis (Living Chronic Faith).* How a late-night conversation with a grieving nurse revealed that even from a hospital bed, she could still help.* The power of community, virtual gatherings, and having things to look forward to.⏳ Timestamps00:00 - Allison’s Opening: “Your Body is Your Friend”01:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast03:00 - Welcoming Allison Hampton from Indianapolis05:00 - The Two-Year Journey: Being Dismissed by Doctors08:00 - Firing the Doctor and Reclaiming Self-Trust12:00 - The Lupus Support Group and the Physician Who Walked Both Sides15:00 - “My Baseline Pain is a Five” — Communicating Chronic Pain to Loved Ones18:00 - Boundaries, Spoons, and Power Save Mode22:00 - The Revelation: Your Body Has Been Faithful to You25:00 - Grief and Gratitude Can Coexist28:00 - The Tetanus Shot That Triggered Temporary Paralysis32:00 - The Snowman vs. The Racetrack: Learning to Adapt35:00 - Chronic Illness as Identity Theft — And How to Reclaim Yourself40:00 - The Hospital Room Conversation with a Grieving Nurse45:00 - Living Chronic Faith: The Nonprofit and Its Mission50:00 - Virtual Gatherings, Bingo, and Having Things to Look Forward To55:00 - The Sepsis and Respiratory Failure: Revisiting Square One58:00 - “Do the Thing” — Fill the Gap Only You Can Fill01:02:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Allison to Become?💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Allison Hampton:* Website: www.livingchronicfaith.com → for information on the community, workshops, and other resources* YouTube: Living Chronic Faith channel* Instagram: www.instagram.com/livingchronicfaith* Book: Chronic Faith (available now)💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month.→ Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: click the link to get on the waitlist.https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What happens when the very people meant to care for you tell you that you’re not experiencing what you know you’re experiencing?When Shayla’s body began to collapse—down 68 pounds, unable to speak, losing mobility—she was told by her doctor, “I have no reason you can’t work other than you saying you feel horrible.”Living with invisible illness means existing in two realities: the one your body knows to be true, and the one the world refuses to see.This is a story about what happens when you stop waiting to be believed and start believing yourself. When you cancel all your appointments, thank the doctors for their time, and choose to become the one who decodes your own body.Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Shayla, a chronic illness advocate from California, who has navigated a complex web of diagnoses including endometriosis, MCAS, histamine intolerance, autoimmune disease, and connective tissue symptoms.Shayla walks us through her rapid and profound healing journey—from being dismissed by the medical system to canceling all her appointments and diving deep into self-directed healing.We explore her discovery of fasting, embodiment practices, mirror affirmations, chakra work, and the rituals that became her medicine.Together, we examine the thread of not being seen or heard that followed her throughout her life, and how her body’s collapse became the ultimate wake-up call to devote herself to herself.Shayla introduces the concept of “self-data literacy”—reading your body like a map and becoming the master decoder of your own healing.🌿 What You’ll Discover* The painful reality of invisible illness: living in two realities while being told you’re not experiencing what you’re feeling.* How a childhood memory of putting her arm in ice water revealed early nervous system dissociation.* The moment Shayla canceled all her medical appointments and chose to pursue another avenue of care.* How a five-day fast reset her system and allowed inflammation to subside.* The power of mirror affirmations to rewire a neural pathway shaped by childhood silencing.* Why the root, sacral, and throat chakras were blocked—and how opening them shifted everything.* The Latin root of “cure” (cura) means “to care for, to give attention to”—not to eliminate.* How regulatory T cells and the FoxP3 gene connect to chronic illness, and why rituals naturally sedate the nervous system.* The intelligence of water and bringing intention to daily rituals like drinking tea.* Why healing doesn’t mean returning to who you were—it means becoming who you are now.⏳ Timestamps00:00 - Shayla’s Opening: The Hardest Pill to Swallow with Invisible Illness01:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcas03:00 - Welcoming Shayla from California05:00 - The Childhood Clue: Dissociation from Temperature at Age Fiv08:00 - The Assault, The Car Accident, and The Body’s Collapse12:00 - “You Are a Complex Case” — Being Dismissed by the Medical System15:00 - The Endometriosis Diagnosis and the Two-Month Wait for a Surgeon18:00 - The Turning Point: Canceling All Appointments and Going Inward20:00 - The Five-Day Fast That Reset Her System22:00 - Self-Data Literacy: Reading Your Body Like a Map25:00 - Mirror Affirmations and Rewiring Childhood Patterns28:00 - Chakras as Energetic Distribution Hubs: Root, Sacral, and Throat32:00 - The FoxP3 Gene and Regulatory T Cells: The Immunology Behind the Healing35:00 - Rituals as Medicine: Tea, Intention, and the Intelligence of Water38:00 - Living Without Autopilot: Why Illness Demands Active Participation42:00 - Where Shayla Is Now: Eating Freely, Living Simply, Staying Attuned45:00 - Light Weaver: Shayla’s Mission and How to Find Her💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Shayla (Light Weaver):* Instagram: @iamlightweaver* Coaching: Available through her Instagram and Facebook coaching page💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month.→ Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: click the link to get on the waitlist. https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training→ Apply to be a podcast guest: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack: https://drerinhayford.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

When Lyn Cole looked up at a small whiteboard in a chiropractor’s office and read the words “Pain is an emotion,” everything shifted.After more than two decades of severe chronic pain that left her 90% immobile and using a walker, she realized that her body wasn’t failing her—it was holding onto emotions she had never been able to express.This is a story about what happens when we stop suppressing and start listening, when we trade fear for curiosity, and when we discover that the path to healing is not a protocol to follow but a self to become.Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Lyn Cole, a longtime artist and teacher from Central Victoria, Australia, who has navigated health challenges her entire life—from severe childhood asthma to a 23-year journey with debilitating chronic lower back pain.Lyn walks us through her unique perspective, having been deeply immersed in both the conventional medical model and the world of natural healing since her late teens.We explore her discovery that “pain is a stuck emotion,” the tiny “sesame seed moments” that slowly built her hope, and how a gentle chiropractor using applied kinesiology became the catalyst for her healing.Together, we examine why the medical model’s early approach to “mindset” felt insulting, and how true healing requires us to process what we’ve pushed down—often through self-expression.Lyn shares how her lifelong love of art became not just a career but a container for others to heal, and why creativity—whether painting, baking, or gardening—can be the antidote to swallowed pain.🌿 What You’ll Discover* The profound realization that “pain is an emotion”—a stuck, unprocessed feeling we hold in the body.* Why fear-based choices keep us stuck in illness, and how to learn to trust intuition instead.* The difference between the medical model (which suppresses symptoms) and true healing (which addresses mind, body, and spirit).* How a tiny whiteboard quote became a light bulb moment after decades of suffering.* The power of “sesame seed moments”—tiny shifts that build hope and lead to transformation over time.* Why being forced into the medical model through insurance became an unexpected teacher.* How creativity and self-expression—through art, baking, gardening, or any hands-on activity—allow trapped emotions to surface and release.* The importance of safe spaces and being witnessed without judgment for healing to occur.* Why patience and baby steps are essential: Lyn was wheeled into a hydrotherapy pool for six months before she could walk again.* The simplest answer to “who has your illness invited you to become?” — Me.⏳ Timestamps00:00 - Lyn’s Opening Reflection: “Pain is an Emotion”01:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast03:00 - Welcoming Lyn Cole from Central Victoria, Australia05:00 - The Early Years: Asthma, Allergies, and Questioning “Why Me?”10:00 - Leaving Home at 17 and Discovering Natural Healing15:00 - The Shift: Developing Severe Lumbar Pain as a Single Mom of Four20:00 - Being Forced into the Medical Model and Insurance System25:00 - The Insulting Early Days of “Mindset” Pain Management30:00 - The Chiropractor Who Listened: Applied Kinesiology as a Catalyst35:00 - The Whiteboard Moment: “Pain is an Emotion”40:00 - Pain as Stuck Emotion: The Sesame Seed Analogy45:00 - Art as Healing: Creating a Safe Container for Others50:00 - From Art Teacher to Trauma-Informed Guide55:00 - The Power of Baby Steps: Six Months Floating in a Pool01:00:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Her to Become?01:02:00 - Lyn’s Daily Doodles and What’s Coming Next💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Lyn Cole:* Instagram: @the_studio_handmade* Daily Doodles and Thoughts: Posted daily on Instagram—a sketch or painting with a matching thought* In-person studio classes in Central Victoria, Australia (re-launching March 2026—follow on Instagram for announcements)💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST at checkout for 20% off your first month→ Want to learn how to do this work? Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner. Join the waitlist here: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What if the thing you’re trying to heal is actually here to heal you?When Shenal Arimilli was diagnosed with breast cancer, she did everything “right”—she changed her diet, eliminated toxins, and pursued every physical protocol imaginable.Yet the cancer kept returning.It wasn’t until she stopped seeing her illness as an enemy to be conquered and began hearing it as a sacred calling that her healing truly began.This is a story about moving from fighting the body to listening to the soul, and discovering that the most profound medicine lies not in what we take, but in who we become.Episode OverviewIn this episode, I sit down with Shenal Arimilli—a transformational expert with a background in quantum physics, neuroscience, and physiology, and a three-time cancer survivor.Shenal shares her 11-year journey through breast cancer, from exhaustive physical interventions to the deep spiritual unraveling that finally led to complete healing.We explore the paradigm-shifting realization that “I didn’t heal the cancer, the cancer healed me,” and what that means for anyone facing illness today.Together, we examine how symptoms—whether physical, emotional, relational, or financial—are all messengers calling us back to our greatness. Shenal introduces her “ice cube” metaphor for trapped trauma and emotion, her T-E-A framework (Thoughts, Emotions, Actions) for shifting energy, and the profound lesson that healing requires surrendering control and receiving—even when receiving looks like the very thing you once feared.🌿 What You’ll Discover✨ The pivotal quote that changed everything: “I didn’t heal the cancer, the cancer healed me.”✨ Why doing everything “right” physically isn’t always enough—and what’s missing when it isn’t.✨ The “ice cube” metaphor: how unprocessed trauma, emotions, and ancestral patterns become stuck energy in the body.✨ How to understand symptoms as messengers, not problems—whether they appear in the body, relationships, or finances.✨ The T-E-A framework: shifting Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions to create new neural pathways and energetic alignment.✨ Why asking “What if I’m healing?” is more powerful than forcing affirmations that don’t feel true.✨ The truth about genetics: being “energetically predisposed” versus “genetically predisposed.”✨ How Shenal made peace with chemotherapy—the very thing she once feared—and received it as light.✨ The question every listener must ask: “What needs are being met by this illness?”✨ Why the best guides are the ones who empower you to never give away your power.⏳ Timestamps03:00 - Welcoming Shenal Arimilli06:00 - The Diagnosis: Stage One Breast Cancer & The Physical Journey Begins10:00 - Doing Everything “Right”: Cleansing, Detoxing, and the Box of Supplements15:00 - The First Recurrence: When Physical Protocols Aren’t Enough20:00 - The Dark Decade: 11 Years of Deep Healing25:00 - The Ice Cube Metaphor: How Unprocessed Trauma Becomes Stuck in the Body30:00 - The Wishbone of Healing: Ancestral, Soul Level, and This Lifetime Energy35:00 - The 11-Year-Old Girl: How Fast Healing Can Happen When We’re Ready40:00 - The T-E-A Framework: Thoughts, Emotions, Actions45:00 - “What If I’m Healing?” vs. “I Am Healed”50:00 - The Voice on the Couch: “You Do the Simple, I Do the Complex”55:00 - Making Peace with Chemotherapy: Receiving the Very Thing You Once Feared01:00:00 - The Question: What Needs Are Being Met by This Illness?01:05:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Shenal to Become?01:10:00 - Never Give Away Your Power: The Healer Who Said She Would Die01:12:00 - Shenal’s Free Offerings & How to Connect💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Shenal Arimilli:* Website: www.shenalarimilli.com* Free Ebook: “Seven Keys to Reclaiming Your Power” available on her website* Infinite Power Circles - sign up for free community healing circles twice monthly - https://shenalarimilli.com/infinite-power-circle/* Social Media: Instagram @shenalarimilli, LinkedIn, YouTube* Upcoming Book (2026): Shift Your Energy: An Inner Journey to Transform Your Life from Cell to Soul (working title)💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: Join the Communityhttps://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: Join the waitlist: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:https://drerinhayford.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What happens when the “wellness girl” gets a cancer diagnosis at 36? Natalie Emmer shares how a rare salivary gland tumor dissolved her identity—and led her to a deeper spiritual calling, mediumship, and radical alignment.Episode OverviewIn this profound and intimate episode, Dr. Erin Hayford welcomes Natalie Emmer—a former holistic health coach, mother, and spiritual seeker—who was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma at age 36.Natalie’s story begins with a small nodule, ignored for years, that eventually demanded her attention during pregnancy. What followed was not just a medical journey, but a complete dismantling of her “wellness girl” identity.She explores the tension between holistic living and conventional treatment, her dive into energy healing and mediumship, and how cancer became a sacred portal to her soul’s purpose.This conversation is a powerful testament to illness as initiation—a call to listen, to trust, and to radically align with the truth of who you are.🌿 What You’ll Discover✨ How a “wellness girl” faced the ultimate identity crisis when diagnosed with cancer—and what she found on the other side.✨ The intuitive downloads Natalie received during pregnancy that urged her to take her health seriously.✨ Why she never spoke the word “cancer” out loud—and how our thoughts and words shape our reality.✨ The moment her holistic worldview expanded to include energy healing, Reiki, and unexpected mediumship.✨ How connecting with her spirit team and ancestors brought profound healing and clarity.✨ What “radical alignment” really means—beyond diet and career, into soul-level purpose.✨ The both/and approach: how Natalie navigated proton radiation while deepening her spiritual practice.✨ Why illness asks us one essential question: Did you take the next step toward knowing yourself?⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction: The Illusion of Wellness & A Cancer Diagnosis02:00 – Welcome Natalie: From Health Coach to Cancer Patient05:00 – The Nodule: Ignored Signals & Pregnancy Intuition10:00 – The Diagnosis: Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma & Identity Collapse15:00 – Searching for Answers: Holistic Research & Spiritual Opening20:00 – Reiki, Mediumship & Connecting with Spirit25:00 – Radical Alignment: What It Means to Live in Truth30:00 – The Decision to Do Radiation: Bridging Worlds35:00 – Grief, Surrender & Stepping into Power40:00 – Who Did Her Illness Invite Her to Become?43:00 – Where to Find Natalie & Final Thoughts💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Natalie Emmer:Website: natalieemmer.comInstagram: Natalie Emmer💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Join The Sacred Illness® Community:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse code PODCAST for 20% off your first month.→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this profound episode, Shelby Hanson—a speech-language pathologist, kidney transplant recipient, and nervous system coach—shares her harrowing and transformative journey through sudden kidney failure, a high-risk pregnancy while on the transplant list, and a transplanted kidney that took 49 mysterious days to “wake up.”After being asked by her nephrologist, “What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you getting better?” Shelby realized the healing she sought wasn’t going to come from the outside—it was in her own nervous system. We explore how a lifetime of people-pleasing, perfectionism, and hyper-independence kept her body in chronic fight-or-flight, and how learning to regulate her stress response, visualize healing, and truly receive care allowed her body to finally accept the gift of a new kidney.This is a story that bridges critical Western medicine with the essential, unseen work of somatic healing. It’s about how illness can become the ultimate teacher in boundary-setting, self-trust, and reclaiming your energy—and how sometimes, the body needs safety more than it needs another treatment.🌿 What You’ll Discover✨ How Shelby went from 100% to less than 20% kidney function in 18 months—with no clear explanation.✨ The shocking moment she discovered she was pregnant while on the kidney transplant list, and how her baby’s kidneys began filtering toxins from her blood.✨ Why her new kidney failed to function for 7 weeks post-transplant, and the pivotal moment that shifted everything.✨ How chronic people-pleasing and a “caretaker” identity wired her nervous system for stress, leaving no energy for healing.✨ The “accidental” discovery of nervous system regulation through an anti-inflammatory diet, and how it prepared her body to conceive.✨ Why visualizing her healed self and connecting to her future self were critical in activating her transplanted kidney.✨ How a decades-old hip pain vanished when she realized it was her nervous system’s way of protecting her from emotional pain.✨ The profound practice of learning to receive—from a kidney to everyday help—and why giving from a place of abundance requires it.✨ Why Shelby feels healthier in her 40s, post-transplant, than she did in her 30s, and how she now lives in a place of deep reciprocation and trust with her body.⏳ Timestamps00:00 - Shelby’s Opening: “What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you getting better?”01:25 - Dr. Erin’s Introduction & The Sacred Illness® Question02:17 - Welcoming Shelby Hanson: Speech Pathologist & Student of the Nervous System03:20 - The Story Begins: Military Life, Moving Across the World, and Early Symptoms05:00 - The Life Insurance Denial That Revealed Kidney Failure06:00 - Diagnosis, Transplant Listing, and the “Impossible” Pregnancy07:30 - How Her Baby’s Kidneys Filtered Her Blood08:00 - The Transplant Call & A “99% Sensitized” Body09:00 - Post-Transplant Crisis: A Kidney That Wouldn’t Work10:15 - The Doctor’s Question That Changed Everything11:00 - The Realization: “My Body Had Never Failed Me”12:00 - People-Pleasing, Anesthesia, and the Caretaker Identity13:00 - Discovering Nervous System Regulation & Joe Dispenza14:25 - Visualization, Prayer, and the 49-Day Turnaround18:00 - Shifting From Disease-Promoting to Healing States20:00 - Unlearning Emotional States & Connecting to Your Future Self24:00 - The Chronic Pain That Was a Nervous System Memory27:00 - Epigenetics, “Soft Diagnoses,” and Reversing Conditions30:00 - Learning to Receive: The Kidney as the Ultimate Gift32:00 - Life 7 Years Post-Transplant: Purpose, Movement, and Listening35:00 - “Your Body is Never Wrong”—Reallocating Energy, Not Losing It38:00 - Functional Freeze and Why Exhaustion Isn’t a Lack of Energy40:00 - Shelby’s Work: Helping Women Reclaim Their Energy43:00 - Free Gift & How to Connect With Shelby45:00 - The Aligned Self: Who Did Her Illness Invite Her to Become?47:00 - Closing: “Our Bodies Can Heal.”💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Shelby Hanson:* Instagram: @shelbylivingvibrantly* Facebook: Shelby Creates a Beautiful Life* Website & Coaching: Get Your Energy Back Coaching* Podcast Episode: Thriving with Kidney Disease – Apple Podcasts Link🎁 Free Gift for Listeners:“Get Your Energy Back Guide” – Shelby’s Top 3 Tips💫 Ready to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communitySave 20% off your first month with code PODCAST→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack: https://drerinhayford.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusicThis episode is a testament that healing is never just physical. It’s a nervous system conversation, a spiritual reckoning, and a homecoming to the self. Thank you for listening and for your ongoing support of this work! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

When Vivian Quintana was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, she faced the terrifying whirlwind of biopsies, mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation—but it was in the enforced stillness of “chemo brain” that her real healing began. In this raw and radiant conversation, Vivian shares how her illness became a sacred pause, forcing her to confront a lifetime of stored trauma, hypervigilance, and C-PTSD. Through inner child work, meditation, and a profound shift in perspective, she didn’t just survive—she transformed. Vivian’s story is a powerful testament to the idea that healing isn’t about curing the body alone, but about coming home to the self.Episode OverviewIn this episode, I sit down with Vivian Quintana, a breast cancer thriver who journeyed from a stage 2B–3 diagnosis through a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation into a life of deep presence and peace. Vivian reveals how the medical system had no explanation for her cancer—no genetic markers, no clear cause—which led her to uncover the emotional and energetic roots of her disease: childhood trauma, immigration stress, single motherhood, and relational patterns that kept her body in a state of hypervigilance. We explore how the pandemic, arriving just as she finished treatment, gave her the pause she needed to alchemize her pain into purpose. Vivian’s journey illustrates that true healing begins when we stop asking “Why me?” and start asking “What is this here to teach me?”🌿 What You’ll Discover✨ How a simple bump on the breast led to a life-altering diagnosis—and why Vivian chose a double mastectomy from the start.✨ The moment her doctors said, “We don’t know what caused this”—and how that became her invitation to look deeper.✨ The link between C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) and chronic illness—and how trauma lives in the body.✨ How “chemo brain” became an unexpected spiritual gateway, forcing Vivian into silence, presence, and energy awareness.✨ Why the pandemic felt like a synchronistic gift—a global pause that mirrored her personal reckoning.✨ The mindset shift from “victim” to “sovereign being”—and how Vivian visualized chemotherapy as a cleanse of stored emotional toxicity.✨ Practical tools for healing beyond medicine: meditation, inner child work, acupuncture, and somatic awareness.✨ How Vivian now lives without hypervigilance or fear—and what it means to see illness as a “blessing in the mess.”✨ Her heartfelt message to those with cancer: “You are the medicine. Advocate for yourself. Your mindset is your most powerful tool.”⏳ Timestamps00:51 – Welcoming Vivian Quintana02:00 – The Diagnosis: From a Bump to a Cancer Journey04:00 – Choosing a Double Mastectomy & Navigating Lymph Node Results05:00 – Chemotherapy, Radiation, and the “Red Devil”06:00 – The Spiritual Awakening: Inner Child Work & Meditation08:00 – The Role of C-PTSD & Trauma in Illness10:00 – How Chemo Brain Forced a “Stop” and Opened Spiritual Awareness12:00 – The Pandemic Pause: Synchronicity and Deeper Healing15:00 – Releasing Hypervigilance & Living Without Fear18:00 – Visualization as Medicine: Working WITH Treatment22:00 – The Hospital as a Penthouse: Shifting Perspective25:00 – Message to Those with Cancer: Advocacy & Mindset28:00 – Who Has Your Illness Invited You to Become?30:00 – Closing Gratitude & Invitation💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Vivian Quintana:Vivian is a breast cancer thriver, speaker, and testament to the power of trauma-informed healing. She shares her story to inspire others to find meaning and medicine within their own journeys.💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: Join the community https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your fist month!→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What if the fiercest, most healing thing you could do is to stop fighting? When Teresa Smith was told her rheumatoid arthritis was incurable, degenerative, and would require aggressive medication, a deep inner voice said no. This refusal launched her not into a harder battle, but into a profound surrender—from a life of high-achieving “yang” striving into the soft, receptive, and heart-led practice she calls Qi Flow. In this episode, we explore how releasing anger, fear, and the need for perfect control didn’t just manage her symptoms but led to a full remission, revealing that true healing begins not with a protocol, but with a homecoming to the self.Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Teresa Smith, a former yoga instructor from the UK who experienced a spontaneous remission from rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis after consciously rejecting a conventional pharmaceutical path. Teresa recounts her journey from being “yoga girl”—living a fast, achievement-oriented life—to being forced into stillness by debilitating pain. We trace her shift from fear-based searching and restrictive dieting into the creation of her own somatic practice. Together, we examine how healing required moving from a mindset of doing to a state of being, and how connecting to the “smile in the heart” can change the body’s chemical environment from one of stress to one of safety, enabling profound cellular repair.🌿 What You’ll Discover✨ The pivotal diagnosis moment and the inner voice that guided Teresa to reject a frightening prognosis.✨ Why fear-based protocols and strict diets ultimately failed to address the root of her illness.✨ The essential transition from masculine “yang” energy (striving, perfection) to feminine “yin” energy (softness, flow, receiving).✨ How Teresa developed “Qi Flow,” a practice blending gentle movement with heart awareness for somatic release.✨ The science behind emotions and healing: how chronic stress (cortisol) damages cells, while safety and love promote repair.✨ Forgiveness as a somatic release, not just an intellectual concept.✨ The core healing realization: shifting identity from “I am sick” to “I am love.”✨ How illness serves as an ultimate invitation to unlearn, soften, and come home to yourself.⏳ Timestamps01:30 - Welcoming Teresa Smith05:00 - The Diagnosis: Facing a “Degenerative” Prognosis10:00 - The Inner ‘No’: Rejecting the Conventional Path15:00 - The Pitfall of Fear-Based Protocols & Dieting20:00 - The Shift from ‘Yang’ Striving to ‘Yin’ Receiving25:00 - Creating ‘Qi Flow’: Movement from the Heart30:00 - The Science of Safety: Cortisol vs. Coherence35:00 - Forgiveness as Somatic Release40:00 - The Identity Shift: “I Am Love”45:00 - Illness as an Invitation to Come Home50:00 - Teresa’s Offerings and Final Reflections💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Teresa Smith:- Website: http://www.soulwavestudio.com - Instagram: @qi.flow.girl- Offerings: Online Qi Flow training and resources for people to slow down and reconnect.💫 Ready to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST at checkout for 20% off your first month!→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In a world that often pits holistic healing against conventional medicine, the bravest choice is often the one that honors the sacred message of your illness, even when it leads to surgery. This is a story of how a hysterectomy became the ultimate somatic release of a lifetime of swallowed emotions, inherited burdens, and the profound responsibility of being the “strong one.” Far from a failure, it is a testament that true healing is not about the protocol you follow, but the unwavering step you take toward your own truth, and surrendering to what unfolds from there.Episode OverviewIn this powerful and deeply personal episode, I welcome back Oriana Broderick—writer, artist, and former co-host of the Sacred Illness® Podcast—to share the culmination of her multi-year healing journey. Oriana unfolds her path from a childhood of emotional caretaking and trauma to a life of van-life freedom, which paradoxically unleashed a torrent of debilitating physical symptoms. We trace her search through countless supplements and holistic practices to the pivotal moment of confronting numerous uterine fibroids. This conversation bravely navigates the tension between holistic ideals and medical necessity, exploring how Oriana’s decision to have a hysterectomy became a sacred, somatic ritual to release not only her own stored grief and anger but the painful stories of the women in her lineage. We examine the radical self-trust required to make such a choice and how illness ultimately asks one question: did you take the next step toward knowing yourself?🌿 What You’ll Discover✨ How leaving a high-stress life for van life created the space for suppressed physical symptoms to finally surface.✨ The turning point from seeking external solutions in a “huge box of supplements” to seeking internal truth and somatic understanding.✨ Why the pressure to heal “naturally” can be as fear-based as the conventional medical system, and how to find your own sovereign path.✨ The profound realization that her fibroids were “bubbles of emotion” holding the anger, grief, and sadness of a lifetime—and a lineage—of silence.✨ How the universe tested her resolve by canceling her surgery, and why rescheduling it became the ultimate act of self-trust.✨ Why a hysterectomy can be a holistic, healing choice when approached as a conscious release and a reclaiming of personal space.✨ The essential reframe: “You can’t fail yourself… The whole point of this journey isn’t what you did or didn’t do… It’s about did I make that next step towards myself?”✨ Oriana’s message to her younger self—and to anyone in the depths of hopelessness: “It might get harder before it gets easier, but it gets easier, and it is so worth the journey.”⏳ Timestamps02:00 - Welcoming Back Oriana Broderick03:00 - The Foundation: Childhood Trauma and the Role of the “Pillar”06:00 - Van Life & The Unraveling: When Freedom Triggered a Physical Collapse10:00 - The Search for Answers: Doctors, Dismissal, and a Box of 50 Supplements15:00 - Finding Somatic Work and Learning to Trust Support20:00 - The Fibroid Diagnosis: Navigating Medical Options and External Opinions25:00 - The Pivotal Realization: Carrying a Lineage of Women’s Pain30:00 - The Surgery Cancelation as the Final Test of Self-Trust35:00 - The Hysterectomy as a Somatic Release & Experiencing Divine Support40:00 - Post-Op: The Journey Continues—Rebuilding Iron, Learning to Rest45:00 - The Core Philosophy: Your Body is Never Wrong, No Choice is a Failure50:00 - Would You Have Healed Had You Not Gotten Sick? Oriana’s Honest Answer55:00 - Ecstatic Dancing, Writing, and Becoming “A Woman Who Speaks Her Truth”01:00:00 - The True Purpose of Life & Illness: To Know Yourself Deeply01:05:00 - Oriana’s Message to Anyone Feeling Hopeless01:10:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Her to Become?💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Oriana Broderick:- Instagram (Personal & Writing): @whispersandrevelations- Instagram (Art & Jewelry): @rootandwing2025- Book: When The Soul Howls (Coming Soon!)💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month!→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What if a diagnosis was not a sentence to be carried out, but an invitation to come home to the most fractured parts of yourself?When Claire Hickson was advised to have a hysterectomy for a large uterine fibroid, she heard a different call—one that led her not into an operating room, but into the deepest chambers of her own story. In this deeply moving episode, we explore how a physical symptom in the womb can be the body’s sacred attempt to house a lost inner child, and how the journey to heal is ultimately a journey to reclaim, love, and rebirth the self.Claire Hickson is a yoga teacher, poet, and guide from the UK, who shares her multi-layered journey with a 10cm uterine fibroid. We traverse her path from medical diagnosis and the conventional push for a hysterectomy to the intuitive breadcrumbs that led her to holistic treatments, a profound creative awakening through poetry, and the pivotal body psychotherapy session that revealed the fibroid as a manifestation of a newborn trauma. Together, we examine the deep connection between the throat and the womb, how illness can awaken a medicinal voice, and what it means to become a “safe sanctuary” for yourself and others.🌿 What You’ll Discover✨ Why Claire chose to explore the message of her fibroid instead of opting for an immediate hysterectomy.✨ The pivotal role of community and guided meditation in creating a safe container for deep inner work and creative expression.✨ How a poetic awakening became the key to unlocking a suppressed voice and healing the throat-womb connection.✨ The moment in a body psychotherapy training that connected her physical symptoms to a pre-verbal trauma of abandonment.✨ Why Claire now sees her fibroid as symbolizing being “pregnant with myself” and the profound shift to re-mothering her inner child.✨ How the journey of healing is non-linear and requires trusting intuitive breadcrumbs, even when they don’t make logical sense.✨ The transformative power of using your voice—through speech, poetry, and now singing—as a core part of somatic healing.⏳ Timestamps01:00 - Welcoming Claire Hickson 02:40 - Claire’s Story: The Uterine Fibroid Diagnosis06:30 - The Conventional Path: Pressure for a Hysterectomy10:00 - The Pandemic Pause: Space for Meditation and Inner Seeking13:00 - The Creative Awakening: An Outpouring of Soulful Poetry16:00 - Following Intuition into Yoga Teacher Training19:00 - Choosing HIFU Treatment and Reclaiming Personal Authority25:00 - The Pivotal Realization: Connecting Fibroids to Newborn Trauma30:00 - The Practice of Re-mothering and Holding a Young Self35:00 - The Throat-Womb Connection: Voice as Medicine45:00 - Claire’s Oracle Poem: “Hey You”50:00 - The Next Layer: Singing as Somatic Healing55:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Her to Become?💫 Guest Information & LinksConnect with Claire Hickson:- Instagram: @claire_inlight- Website: https://instabook.io/landing/yogawithclaire- Book: In Light - Available on Amazon- YouTube: www.youtube.com/@claire_hickson 💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse coupon code PODCAST for 20% off→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:https://sacredillness.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this milestone episode, I sit down with Matt Rowe, a master neuroplastician and author of Belief to Heal, who overcame paralysis and a primary progressive multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Together, we traverse his incredible journey from elite athlete to a man facing a prognosis of a wheelchair, and into his current life as a guide who blends science and spirituality. This conversation is a deep exploration of how our thoughts, vibrating at specific frequencies, directly influence our biology. We examine the quantum concept that we are primarily energy, the practical steps to shift from a state of fear to a state of love, and how to cultivate a "knowing" that healing is not only possible but is your natural state of being.🌿 What You’ll Discover✨ The pivotal moments in Matt’s journey through paralysis and multiple sclerosis that shifted his path from ego to soul.✨ The scientific and energetic basis for how states like love and shame directly repair or dysregulate the body.✨ Why becoming a conscious observer of your thoughts is the first and most critical step to changing your health.✨ A practical framework for moving from a subconscious "habit" of negative thinking into the empowered 5% of your mind that can choose love.✨ How the principle of "Be, Do, Have" reverses the conventional approach to healing and life success.✨ Why seeing every challenge, thought, and symptom as a "teacher" reframes your entire healing journey from a struggle to an initiation.✨ The powerful journaling exercise to connect with your "Future Self" and let her story guide your present-moment choices.⏳ Timestamps00:00 - Introduction & A Reflection on 50 Episodes of Sacred Illness®06:00 - Introducing Matt Rowe and His Story07:30 - Matt’s First Invitation: Paralysis During Ironman Training10:00 - The Second Invitation: Frequent Strokes and an MS Diagnosis12:00 - MS as the Greatest Gift: The Shift from Ego to Unconditional Self-Love20:00 - The Science of Energy: How Your Thoughts Become Your Biology30:00 - How to Start Catching Your 95% Subconscious Thoughts35:00 - The Three Levels of Being: Soul, Mind, and Body44:00 - Navigating Fear and Setbacks on the Healing Path50:00 - The Mirror of the Universe and Releasing "Need"57:00 - The Power of Presence: Healing Only Happens Now01:04:00 - From Belief to Knowing: The Garden Analogy for Healing01:07:00 - Who is Illness Inviting Matt to Become?💫 Guest Information & LinksAbout Matt: Matt Rowe is a Master Neuro-Plastician, author of Belief to Heal, and dedicated guide in the field of mind-body transformation. After overcoming paralysis to complete an Ironman, Matt now teaches others how to harness the brain’s power to heal and thrive. Blending science and spirituality, he empowers individuals to rewire limiting beliefs and step into their highest potential. As a meditation and Reiki practitioner, Matt helps people reconnect with inner peace and natural healing energy. His mission is to inspire hope, resilience, and the belief that healing is not only possible—it’s a daily practice and choice.Connect with Matt Rowe:Instagram: @optimalbody_optimalmind Website: www.optimalbody-optimalmind.comMatt’s Coaching offer: https://www.mattrowecoaching.com/Book: Belief to HealEmail: [email protected]💫 Want to Go Deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:https://sacredillness.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What if healing isn’t about finding the right doctor, but learning to become an active participant in your own care?In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Tracy Shevell, a board-certified OBGYN and high-risk maternal-fetal medicine specialist who spent nearly two decades inside academic medicine before her own complex illness—and the pandemic—led her to reimagine what healing could look like.Tracy shares her story of moving from exhaustion and mystery illness to self-advocacy, trauma work, and spiritual integration. We discuss the systemic issues within medicine, how patriarchal models of care silence both patients and practitioners, and what it means for women to reclaim authority over their bodies and health.This conversation is both a critique of modern healthcare and an invitation to return to what’s deeply human in medicine: presence, curiosity, and compassion.What You’ll Learn✨ How Dr. Shevell’s own illness taught her to bridge western and holistic models of healing✨ The emotional and spiritual dimensions of women’s health that medicine often overlooks✨ Why trauma screening (ACEs) belongs in every medical intake✨ How to advocate for yourself without apology✨ Why “it’s just anxiety” is never an acceptable answer✨ The importance of boundaries, partnership, and choosing doctors who believe in your capacity to heal✨ How menopause and midlife can become opportunities for reinvention and sovereignty⏳ Timestamps00:00 Intro + welcome03:00 From high-risk OBGYN to patient and advocate07:00 The problem with patriarchal medicine10:00 Why trauma belongs in every health assessment14:00 Complex illness, misdiagnosis, and the “it’s just anxiety” trap17:00 Functional medicine, trauma work, and EMDR20:00 Spirituality, faith, and learning to listen to your body27:00 Re-entering medicine as a teacher of empowerment37:00 How to advocate for yourself with doctors42:00 Menopause and the reinvention of the self44:00 Dr. Shevell’s upcoming book Labor and Deliverance📚 Connect with Dr. Tracy ShevellWebsite: www.tracyshevellmd.comEmail: [email protected] @tracyshevellmdTikTok: @tracyshevellmdSubstack tracyshevell.substack.comBook (forthcoming, 2026): Labor and Deliverance – a blend of patient stories, personal narrative, and lessons on healing beyond medicine💫 Ready to go deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:https://sacredillness.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this powerful episode, I sit down with James Wright—author, father, speaker, and 11-year survivor of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)—who was originally given just 3 to 5 years to live. He refused to accept that prognosis and instead chose to see his illness as an invitation to reimagine what was possible for his life.Together we explore:→ How James’ mindset shaped his journey from day one→ The moment he chose not to accept his diagnosis as a life sentence→ The role of faith, mindset, and daily intention in his healing journey→ His commitment to modeling emotional resilience for his children→ The daily practices and lifestyle shifts that supported his energy and outlook→ How expectations can influence physiology→ The importance of purpose, connection, and inner belief→ What it means to live with illness, not in fear of it→ Why he believes illness came into his life for a reasonThis is one of the most inspiring conversations I’ve had on the podcast to date. Whether you’re navigating chronic illness, feeling stuck in your mindset, or just looking for a deeper reason to keep going—this episode will move you.Learn more about and connect with James:Website: authorjameslwright.comBook: Anchored to Hope: Reframing Life After a Terminal Diagnosis📚 Buy on AmazonEmail: [email protected] media:Instagram: @James2_gitllcTikTok: @james..wright15YouTube: @jameswright_GITLLCFacebook: facebook.com/authorjameswrightWant to go deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com(Join the Community and enjoy 20% off using the coupon code PODCAST)→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:https://sacredillness.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this raw and reflective episode, Dr. Kristin Wing, a naturopathic doctor and mother of two, shares her deeply personal journey through chronic skin issues, anticipatory grief, and the ongoing tension between self-sacrifice and reciprocity. We explore what it means to live in a body that keeps score—through psoriasis, alopecia, oral allergy syndrome, and more—and how those signals mirror unprocessed trauma, inherited stress patterns, and unmet relational needs.From the shock of her father’s glioblastoma diagnosis to the daily depletion of motherhood and caregiving, Dr. Wing speaks candidly about the years she spent “pouring her body and resources out”—and what it has taken to finally begin reclaiming herself. We touch on boundaries, attachment, nervous system hypervigilance, and how chronic skin conditions can be a metaphor for distorted energetic boundaries and a lack of reflection in our relationships.This episode is a conversation about the grief of not being met, the longing for true emotional intimacy, and the courage it takes to reorient your life around your needs and desires—not just your responsibilities.Topics we explore:The mind-body roots of chronic skin conditionsLiving in anticipation: When your nervous system never relaxesThe impact of parental illness, loss, and grief on the bodyThe exhaustion of one-sided relationshipsAttachment, boundaries, and how our skin reflects themThe importance of being mirrored and seenShifting from over-giving to relational reciprocityHealing through witnessing (and being witnessed)The power of naming your desires out loudWho is your illness inviting you to become?For Dr. Wing, the answer is clear: a woman with the capacity to savor beauty, live from desire, and stop guessing what others need in order to feel safe.🎧 Tune in and reflect: What is your body trying to tell you?🔗 Links:Want to go deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness™ Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:https://sacredillness.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkwww.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this fascinating solo episode, I dive into the research on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)—formerly called multiple personality disorder—and explore what it reveals about the mind-body connection. From shifts in allergies and eyesight to changes in pain thresholds and immune responses, DID shows us what happens when identity, story, and nervous system regulation rewire the body in real time.This episode is a stunning look at the nervous system’s role in chronic illness—through the lens of case studies that defy the rules of modern medicine.What You’ll Discover:✨ How one person can have different allergic reactions, vision, or pain depending on the persona they are embodying✨ Why cells don’t change—but signals do✨ The difference between the body’s fast clock and slow clock✨ How trauma imprints short-term patterns that become long-term physiology✨ What DID reveals about nervous system tone, stress, and identity✨ Why stories are the interface between brain, belief, and biology✨ How repeated states (like hypervigilance or safety) train the body over time✨ The hopeful truth: your body is wired—which means it can be rewiredTimestamps:00:00 Intro — the mind-body connection & DID02:00 Historical case studies of blindness, paralysis, and altered senses05:00 Modern studies on allergies, medications, and eyesight07:00 The fast clock vs. slow clock in illness10:00 Nervous system tone and symptom development12:00 States becoming traits — how repeated patterns change the body13:00 Cellular turnover and long-term healing potential14:00 Final reflections: DID as a mirror for all of usWant to go deeper?→ Begin your Sacred Illness™ Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:https://sacredillness.substack.com_______________________________________________________🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkwww.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What if illness isn’t random—or genetic—but a result of the messages your body has received over a lifetime?In this solo episode, I invite you into a radically simple framework that cuts through the noise of health advice, diagnoses, and symptom management.We explore the idea that the body is an input-output machine, with the nervous system as the primary control center. And if the inputs aren’t safe, aligned, or supportive… the outputs will eventually show up as symptoms, dysfunction, and disease.This episode is a call to simplify, not overcomplicate. It’s about tracing illness back to the earliest stories that shaped our physiology—and rewriting those stories to restore health from the inside out.🌿 What You’ll Discover:✨ Why the nervous system is the hub of all health✨ How “trauma” is anything that takes you away from your true self✨ Why childhood experiences become physiological programs✨ How stories like “I’m stupid” or “I don’t matter” become immune, endocrine, and gut responses✨ Why symptom flares aren’t random—they’re output✨ Why food, genetics, and lifestyle are secondary inputs✨ What it means to heal by making your life safe for your true self✨ The real reason your illness is here—and how to respond⏳ Timestamps:00:00 Intro – Health is not that complicated01:00 The body as input-output machine03:00 Why the nervous system is the central hub04:00 Inputs from childhood that shape our physiology06:00 Trauma as a story of unsafety08:00 How trauma makes our world smaller10:00 Downstream impacts on every body system14:00 Chronic illness as adaptation to unsafe inputs16:00 What safety really means for the body18:00 It's not about food—it’s about what your nervous system believes20:00 Rewriting the program22:00 Who is your illness inviting you to become?23:00 Final thoughts + upcoming group journey💫 Want to go deeper?→ Join the Sacred Illness™ Membershiphttps://www.aurorasomatic.com/communityUse code PODCAST to save 20% on your first month.→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Follow Dr. Erin on Substack:https://sacredillness.substack.com🎶 Music by: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfkwww.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this extraordinary episode, I sit down with UK-based creator, podcaster, and healer Lizzie Dunn, whose journey with the rare genetic condition MEN-1 defies all odds.At just 13 years old, Lizzie was diagnosed with MEN-1, a hereditary endocrine disorder her doctors said would require a lifetime of surgery and surveillance. But a quiet, stubborn voice inside her said something else:“What if it’s different for me?”Lizzie followed that voice, and the path it led her on included functional medicine, spirituality, deep emotional work, nervous system regulation, and something even more powerful: self-leadership. Her most recent labs now show symptom reversal—something her doctors have never seen.This conversation is a testament to what’s possible when we dare to imagine a new story—and become the leader of our own healing journey.🌿 What You’ll Discover:✨ Why MEN-1 (a rare genetic condition) doesn’t have to be a lifelong sentence✨ The inner voice that changed Lizzie’s trajectory forever✨ Her three-pillar healing framework: Build Your A-Team, Heal Yourself, Create Your Health✨ What it really means to reverse symptoms in a condition you’re told is “incurable”✨ How healing isn't about eliminating fear—it's about acting anyway✨ Why doctors often resist what works (and what to do about it)✨ The difference between comfort, familiarity, and actual health✨ Who your illness is inviting you to becomeWhether you’re navigating rare illness or everyday burnout, Lizzie’s journey will reawaken your belief in what’s possible.⏳ Timestamps:00:00 Intro + welcome02:00 What is MEN-1? Lizzie’s diagnosis at 1308:00 Early surgeries and the breaking point10:00 The inner voice that changed everything13:00 Symptom reversal and unexpected results17:00 The danger of defaulting to “what’s typical”23:00 Changing the prognosis by changing the story28:00 Why doctors may resist what they see working33:00 Lizzie’s 3-part healing framework39:00 Designing your health, not waiting for it45:00 Boundaries, discernment, and leading yourself53:00 Who her illness invited her to become58:00 Final reflections + how to connect with Lizzie🔮 Connect with Lizzie and learn about her work + offers:→ YouTube: @lizziieedunn → Instagram: @lizziieedunn🎧 Listen to her podcast: The MEN-1 Mosaic on her YouTube channel💫 Join the Sacred Illness™ Membership:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness💸 Use code PODCAST for 20% off your first month→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Follow on Substack:https://drerinhayford.substack.com→ Inspired by this content? You can support my work by buying me a coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/drerin🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkwww.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What if your body remembers more than your mind ever could?In this powerful conversation, I’m joined by Audrey Burke — a somatic experiencing practitioner, transforming touch practitioner, and licensed massage therapist based in Durham, NC.Audrey shares her deeply personal journey through confusing diagnoses, chronic digestive symptoms, amenorrhea, and mysterious illness flares — and how they ultimately led her to the world of somatic work and touch therapy.Together we explore how trauma stories live in the body long before we can speak them, and why touch is often the missing piece in nervous system healing.🌿 What You’ll Discover:✨ Why talk therapy isn’t always enough (and when touch becomes crucial)✨ Audrey’s story of IBS, mold illness, and learning to listen to her body✨ How developmental trauma shapes our physical symptoms — even before birth✨ The delicate balance of self-compassion, boundaries, and discernment✨ Why you don’t need to "know the story" cognitively to heal somatically✨ The importance of ancestral trauma and epigenetic influences on illness✨ Reclaiming intuitive eating after years of food fear and hyper-control✨ The dance between internal vs. external locus of control on the healing pathWhether you're just starting your healing journey or deep in the work of reclaiming your body’s wisdom, this episode is a reminder that healing is not about fixing — it’s about listening.⏳ Timestamps:00:00 Intro + guest welcome02:00 Audrey’s story: Italy, IBS, and searching for answers10:00 Trying everything: diets, yoga, Vipassana, and beyond17:00 Finally finding somatic experiencing and touch therapy24:00 How visceral work transformed her relationship with food27:00 The unexpected medicine in mold illness32:00 Ancestral trauma and inherited patterns39:00 Food trauma, intuitive eating, and rebuilding trust with the body43:00 Boundaries, people-pleasing, and embodying discernment50:00 Navigating a world that doesn’t feel safe54:00 Who Audrey’s illness invited her to become57:00 Closing reflections and ways to connect with Audrey🔮 Connect with Audrey:→ Website: https://www.restorativepresence.com/→ Instagram: @somaticswithaudrey💫 Join the Sacred Illness™ Membership:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness💸 Use code PODCAST for 20% off your first month→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Follow on Substack:https://drerinhayford.substack.com🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkwww.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What if pain isn’t just physical—but perceptual?In this off-the-cuff solo episode, I share a deeply personal story that changed everything I thought I knew about suffering, healing, and what’s possible for the body. From a nearly pain-free childbirth (yes, really) to a powerful client breakthrough around chronic pain, this episode is a living case study in the power of narrative and perception to reshape what we believe is “inevitable.”This is a conversation about story medicine—and how your body listens to the stories you’ve been told.What You’ll Discover:✨ Why “pain is inevitable” is a cultural script, not a biological truth✨ How my second birth experience (using Hypnobabies) was 99.9% pain-free✨ What my patient’s resistance to healing taught me about collective beliefs✨ The link between trauma, identity, and nervous system feedback loops✨ How stories shape biology—and why your environment must reflect your possibility✨ Why “support groups” can reinforce illness—and how to create spaces that open new timelinesWhether you're navigating Crohn’s, chronic pain, emotional survival patterns or beyond—this is a reminder that what you've been told isn't the whole story.⏳ Timestamps:00:00 Off-the-cuff inspiration + intro02:00 Working with trauma: story, survival, and the nervous system04:00 Pain and birth: my first traumatic delivery06:00 Discovering Hypnobabies and preparing for a new possibility08:00 A pain-free labor? Yes. And here’s what shifted13:00 Resistance, story, and how the body protects itself from pain16:00 When narrative dictates outcome18:00 Why “support groups” can backfire21:00 Childhood programming and your inherited pain beliefs23:00 Rewriting the story: hope, healing, and neuroplasticity24:00 Cured by Jeffrey Rediger: what spontaneous healings have in common26:00 Sacred Illness™ and the power of perception to transform suffering🔮 Mentioned in this episode:→ Hypnobabies Childbirth Education: https://www.hypnobabies.com→ 📖 Cured by Dr. Jeffrey Rediger💫 Join the Sacred Illness™ Membership:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community💸 Use code PODCAST for 20% off your first month→ Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest→ Inspired by this content? You can support my work by buying me a coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/drerinSubscribe to my Substack to stay informed about my latest posts, musings, teachings, transmissions and more on all things Sacred Illness™.🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkwww.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

🔥 What if your desire isn’t the problem—but the path? 🔥Welcome to Episode 41 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast. In this solo transmission, I unpack the deep link between longing, healing, and evolution.We’re told desire is a distraction. That suffering must be eliminated. That symptoms are obstacles.But what if illness is the sacred interrupter—and desire is the fuel that leads us through it?This episode explores what it really means to evolve, why your desires will never be satisfied (and why that’s a good thing), and how to stop missing your life in the pursuit of healing. What You’ll Discover:🌿 Why desire keeps you stuck in the search—and how to step off the hamster wheel🌿 How illness is designed to interrupt the misaligned life🌿 The two-part path of real healing: awareness + integration🌿 How to identify subconscious beliefs that keep you sick (like “I’m not enough”)🌿 The subtle trap of “what’s next?” and how it sabotages transformation 🌿 Why cultivating presence is the antidote to insatiable longing🌿 How to work with your desire as sacred momentum—not a destination This episode is both a personal reflection and a wake-up call. If you’ve ever wondered why the healing journey feels like an endless search that never bears results... this one's for you. ⏳ Timestamps:00:00 Podcast update + new solo episodes01:00 Illness as a sacred disruption03:00 Personal story: desire and disappointment05:00 The meaning of life?07:00 Facing your shadows as the path to healing10:00 Why Western medicine reflects our fear of suffering12:00 Desire on the healing journey: when pursuit becomes addiction14:00 The necessity of stillness after seeking16:00 The healing work: living what you've learned19:00 How desire tricks us into missing our arrival22:00 Holding presence and desire together24:00 Recap + invitation into deeper work 🔮 Mentioned in this episode:→ Apply to be a guest on the podcast: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest → Join the Sacred Illness™ Membership and alchemize your wounds into purpose: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness 💸 Use code PODCAST for 20% off your first month→ Follow my transmissions + reflections on Substack: https://sacredillness.substack.com  🎶 Music by: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

What if your chronic disease symptoms aren't just physical—but the result of a nervous system stuck in survival mode?For episode 40 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, I am sharing an interview I had the honor of recording with ⁨@lizziieedunn⁩ on her MEN1 Mosaic podcast!From Lizzie's Notes:"In this deeply personal and thought-shifting conversation, I speak with Dr Erin Hayford, a naturopathic doctor and somatic practitioner who has lived on both sides of the healing journey.From being bed bound with Crohn’s disease to exploring what it really means to feel safe in your body, this episode dives into why trauma, people-pleasing, and misalignment with self can all play a role in how chronic illness expresses—and what can actually help.Key takeaways:How nervous system dysregulation affects chronic illnessThe emotional root of symptoms (even in genetic conditions)Why food fear and over-restriction might be doing more harm than good A simple technique to reconnect with your body and calm your system"Stay tuned for a future episode where I will have Lizzie as a guest and we'll get to learn more about her own journey with chronic illness.Enjoy!____Follow Lizzie and her chronic illness healing journey and find resources for MEN1 @lizziieedunn on YouTube!____If this message resonates with you, consider supporting my work and helping me continue to share these teachings.You can buy me a coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/drerinYour generosity keeps this sacred work flowing. Grateful to have you on this journey!____Are you on a healing journey?Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Membership, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine.Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression.This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection. Join us today!Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information.Use coupon code PODCAST to save 20% off of the first month of your membership!____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms?Did your healing journey help you understand a deeper meaning and purpose of your symptoms?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #chronicillness #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness #shadowwork #suffering #transformation #healingjourney This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, Dr. Erin Hayford interviews Daniëlle from the Netherlands, currently living in Bali, about her transformative healing journey after a severe bicycle accident. Daniëlle shares her story of overcoming depression, dealing with post-concussion syndrome, and how she found a new way to relate to herself and her body through breath work, somatic experiencing, and intuitive movement.   This conversation dives deep into the intelligence of the body, the importance of listening to our inner voice, and how suffering invites us to break old patterns and discover a more profound connection to life.   Join us for an inspiring discussion on navigating the complexities of healing and living a more authentic, embodied life.  Enjoy! 00:00 Introduction to Body Awareness and Healing 00:17 The Warrior Spirit and Realization 02:11 Daniëlle's Bicycle Accident and Initial Struggles 04:18 The Long Road to Recovery 09:09 Exploring New Healing Modalities 15:24 The Gift of Silence and Letting Go 24:07 The Grief of Letting Go 25:36 Healing as a Spiral 27:06 Journey to Bali 30:45 Intuitive Healing 33:11 The Intelligence of the Body 43:54 Embracing Suffering 46:22 Final Reflections ____ Follow Daniëlle on Instagram to stay up to date with her journey and offerings @danielleneomi ____ Are you on a healing journey? Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists? If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Membership, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine. Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression. This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection. Join us today! Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness  for more information. Use coupon code PODCAST to save 20% off of the first month of your membership! ____ Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did your healing journey help you understand a deeper meaning and purpose of your symptoms?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast! Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____ Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic  #chronicillness #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness #shadowwork #suffering #transformation #healingjourney This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this deeply moving episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, I sit down with Robyn Watt, a former social worker from Ontario, Canada, who courageously shares her profound journey through a cancer diagnosis and recovery.Robyn's story begins with the shocking news of her aggressive, diffuse B-cell, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis and follows her through the physical and emotional trials of chemotherapy.With deep reflections on the symbolism of her illness and a moving ceremony to release her hair, Robyn illustrates how this life-altering experience became an invitation to truly align with herself.Join us as Robyn recounts her path from overwhelming stress and burnout to a renewed focus on self-care, nature, and inner peace. Her insights and resilience offer a powerful message of healing and transformation for anyone navigating their own health challenges. Enjoy! 00:00 The Day I Found Out I Had Cancer03:33 Robyn's Journey with Cancer04:18 Life Before the Diagnosis10:19 The Move to Ontario and Its Impact14:47 The Struggles of Single Parenting and Social Work19:58 The Cancer Diagnosis and Initial Reactions25:56 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Treatment38:20 Finding Meaning and Clarity Through Illness44:52 Embracing Life After Chemotherapy45:50 Facing the Fear of Recurrence46:36 The Joy of Remission47:33 The Importance of Self-Care48:49 Reflecting on the Journey50:23 The Deeper Meaning of Illness51:49 Living in Alignment with Self54:48 Finding Peace and Joy in Simple Things59:45 Navigating Systemic Challenges01:08:37 The Power of Nature and Gratitude01:14:42 Ceremony and Healing01:22:13 Final Reflections and Gratitude ____Follow Robyn on Instagram to stay up to date with her journey and offerings at @_wildsong ____Are you on a healing journey? Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Membership, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine.Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression.This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection. Join us today!Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information.Use coupon code PODCAST to save 20% off of the first month of your membership! ____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic  #chronicillness #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, host Dr. Erin Hayford welcomes Andrew, a civil and environmental engineer from the Atlanta area, to share his transformative journey of healing from chronic pelvic pain.Andrew, an avid cyclist, dives deep into his experience with mind-body medicine and how his dysregulated nervous system and inability to process emotions were at the root of his pain.Through engaging storytelling and practical insights, Andrew discusses the steps he took to radically shift his approach to pain, emphasizing pain science, nervous system regulation, and the importance of emotional exploration.This episode is a must-listen for anyone dealing with chronic pain, offering hope and actionable advice for reclaiming a joyful, fulfilling life.Enjoy! 00:00 Introduction to Chronic Pain and Nervous System01:53 Guest Introduction: Andrew's Story03:04 Andrew's Journey with Chronic Pelvic Pain03:48 Discovering Mind-Body Medicine08:20 Understanding Pain Science and TMS11:26 The Role of Stress and Nervous System Regulation19:39 Emotional Healing and Somatic Tracking26:58 Practical Advice for Managing Chronic Pain34:09 The Culture Shift and Safety in Medicine34:39 Personal Crisis and Turning Points35:44 Navigating Dark Moments and Finding Hope37:33 The Role of Social Media and New Perspectives38:33 Understanding Pain and the Nervous System42:23 Reevaluating Life and Exercise43:46 The Journey of Healing and Coaching48:10 The Importance of Trying Different Approaches56:57 Final Thoughts and Encouragement____Follow Andrew on Instagram to stay up to date with his journey!: @andrewmbcyclist____Are you on a healing journey? Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Membership, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine.Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression.This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection. Join us today!Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information.Use coupon code SACRED to save 20% off of the first month of your membership!____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic  #chronicillness #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Episode OverviewIn this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, Dr. Erin Hayford sits down with Mandy Neill from Seattle, Washington, who shares her compelling story of living with three autoimmune conditions focused in her gut.Mandy's multi-decade journey through chronic illness has brought her valuable insights and many shifts in perspective, particularly following her third diagnosis in the last year.Tune in as they delve into Mandy's health challenges, her explorations of alternative medicine, and her process of tuning into her body's wisdom. From naturopathy and Chinese medicine to somatic therapy and Qigong, Mandy opens up about the holistic practices that have significantly transformed her relationship with her body and illness.Don't miss this inspiring conversation packed with profound realizations and actionable insights for anyone navigating their own health journey. Enjoy! Timestamp Overview00:00 Welcome to the Sacred Illness Podcast02:12 Mandy's Early Health Struggles03:40 Navigating Multiple Autoimmune Diagnoses06:23 The Impact of Pregnancy and Parenting08:34 A Crisis Point and New Approaches10:37 The Third Autoimmune Diagnosis14:11 Exploring Alternative Healing Modalities22:40 The Role of Chinese Medicine and Qigong32:22 Living in the Mind: Ignoring the Body's Signals32:39 Discovering the Body's Intuition33:59 Integrating Mind and Body34:28 The Emotional Side of Healing35:54 Shifting Mindsets: From Broken to Responsive39:10 Daily Practices for Well-being42:15 Aligning with Your True Self52:34 Embracing Mystery and Possibility57:51 Final Thoughts and Reflections____About Our GuestFollow Mandy on Instagram to stay up to date with her journey!: @slow_down_to_savorResources:Book: "Brave New Medicine: A Doctor's Unconventional Path to Healing" by Cynthia Li, MD Reiki/ Qigong/ tai chi/ acupuncture as supportive healing modalitiesMandy's Qigong practitioner: Mimi Kuo-Deemer - check out Instagram, website, and YouTube for free and paid support____Join the MembershipAre you on a healing journey?Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Membership, a profound and transformative space that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine.Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression.This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection.Join us today! Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information.Use coupon code SACRED to save 20% off of the first month of your membership!____Be a Guest on the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms?Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic  #chronicillness #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this powerful episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, Dr. Erin Hayford sits down with Hayley Curtis, a Gene Keys guide hailing from Western Australia.Hayley shares her profound journey navigating chronic illness, chronic fatigue, and gut health symptoms. The conversation delves into how suffering has shaped Hayley's relationship with herself and her purpose.She discusses the pivotal role of the Gene Keys in transforming her perspective, leading her to view her chronic illness not as a blockage, but as a portal to her higher purpose.This episode invites listeners to question traditional beliefs about suffering, encouraging a mindset of embracing and learning from pain to transcend and heal authentically. 00:00 Introduction to Chronic Illness and Higher Purpose02:04 Welcome to the Sacred Illness™ Podcast02:39 Hayley's Journey with Chronic Illness10:52 The Turning Point: Embracing Inner Work23:43 Discovering the Gene Keys37:35 Starting with Curiosity 38:07 Challenging Victimhood39:11 The Gene Keys and Chronic Illness40:08 The Journey of Healing41:55 Finding Light in the Darkness43:12 Embracing Suffering50:41 The Balance of Contentment and Ambition01:00:08 Individual Change for Collective Healing01:05:00 Final Thoughts and Reflections Enjoy!____ Follow Hayley on Instagram to stay up to date with her journey and her offerings as a Gene Key Guide: @_hayleycurtis ____Are you on a healing journey? Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Membership, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine.Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression.This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection.Join us today! Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information. Use coupon code SACRED to save 20% off of the first month of your membership! ____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest  ____ Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #chronicillness #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, drawing from her personal experiences and professional insights, Dr. Erin discusses the importance of peeling back layers of personal conditioning and aligning with core values.She talks about the challenges of being a people pleaser, the struggle for genuine success, and how subconscious programming impacts our ability to truly thrive-and what to do to overcome these roadblocks to achieve the lives we desire and deserve.01:47 The Healing Journey and Self-Discovery04:21 Understanding Core Values and Authenticity05:47 Challenges of Being a People Pleaser08:39 The Importance of Being Seen10:34 Aligning with Your Authentic Self15:49 Subconscious Programming and Success26:41 Invitation to Join the Sacred Illness Membership27:28 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes Enjoy!____Are you on a healing journey? Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Membership, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine. Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression.This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection.Join us today! Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information.Use coupon code SACRED to save 20% off of the first month of your membership!____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest  ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #chronicillness #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, Dr. Erin explores the profound connection between illness and our authentic selves.She discusses how childhood programming and trauma can disconnect us from our true nature, leading to chronic stress and illness. The episode delves into the importance of the autonomic nervous system, the fight or flight response, and how subconscious programming affects our health.Dr. Erin emphasizes the power of rewiring neural pathways through consistent, dedicated practices to achieve genuine healing and alignment with our authentic selves.Enjoy!00:26 The Impact of Childhood on Authenticity01:49 Understanding Anger and Attachment07:33 The Role of the Autonomic Nervous System10:05 The Connection Between Trauma and Chronic Illness13:40 Rewiring the Nervous System for Healing15:59 The Importance of Consistency in Healing25:34 Empowerment Through Rewiring Pathways27:19 Join the Sacred Illness Community 29:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts____Are you on a healing journey? Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Community, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine. Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression.This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection. Join us today!Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information.____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - / @savfkmusic #chronicillness #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, Dr. Erin interviews Dr. Brad Lichtenstein about the concept of acceptance in the face of illness.They discuss how acceptance is often misunderstood as a passive process, the connection between the mind and body, and how attitudes and perspectives on illness can impact one's quality of life.Dr. Brad shares his personal journey and professional insights, particularly his work with patients in hospice care and chronic pain, emphasizing the importance of asking, 'How are you living with this?'.The conversation touches on the roles of resilience, societal expectations, and how to find peace by living in the present despite discomfort.Enjoy! Timestamp Overview:00:00 The Illusion of Immortality01:00 Understanding Acceptance01:18 The Practice of Acceptance02:18 Dr. Brad's Influence and Journey02:52 Mind-Body Medicine and Personal Aha Moments05:30 Dr. Brad's Background and Early Life07:12 Discovering Natural Foods and Whole Foods08:19 Journey to Naturopathic Medicine08:42 Profound Experiences in HIV Care09:37 Shifting Focus to Acceptance and Living10:58 Biofeedback and Chronic Illness11:54 The Concept of Acceptance in Practice12:20 Cultural Obsession with Perfection13:37 The Harm of Perfectionism and Biohacking13:49 Acceptance vs. Perfectionism13:58 The Practice of Acceptance Revisited14:48 Living with Chronic Illness17:56 The Importance of Relaxation and Breathing20:01 The Impact of Expectations on Health21:00 The Role of Acceptance in Pain Management21:35 Cultural Conditioning and Pain22:24 The Importance of Mantras and Affirmations22:54 Systemic Issues in Work Culture23:45 The Vicious Cycle of Worthiness and Productivity24:30 The Need for Systemic Change25:31 The Role of Ergonomics and Lifestyle26:31 The Impact of Chronic Stress27:00 The Relationship with News and Media28:04 Mindful Use of Resources28:33 The Spoon Theory and Energy Management29:13 Embracing Discomfort in Parenting32:00 Conditioned Responses and Relationships35:43 The Power of Acceptance39:58 Navigating Illness and Identity48:31 Mindfulness and Meditation Practices53:36 Final Reflections and Gratitude Resources mentioned:Dr, Brad's website: https://www.thebreathspace.com/  ____Are you on a healing journey?Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Community, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine.Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression.This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection.Join us today!Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information. ____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms?Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest  ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic  #chronicillness #gastrointestinalissues #anxiety #mindbodyconnection #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #spontaneousremission #chronicillness #chronicpain #healingjourney #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #acceptance This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Transforming Parenting Through Inner Child Work and Emotional Regulation  In this episode of the Sacred Illness Podcast, host Dr. Erin Hayford along with guest Kimberly Sleeth explore the profound connections between inner child work and modern parenting techniques.   They discuss the impact of unresolved childhood issues on parenting styles, the importance of addressing emotional needs, and strategies for nervous system regulation.   Through personal anecdotes, the conversation highlights the importance of creating a safe and loving environment for children, recognizing and managing emotional dysregulation, and embracing gentle parenting methods.   Enjoy!   00:00 Introduction to Parenting Challenges 01:23 Exploring Inner Child Work 03:38 Impact of Childhood on Parenting 06:18 Personal Parenting Experiences 20:00 Modern Parenting Pressures 28:52 Facing the Tantrum: A New Parenting Approach 29:03 The Modern Parenting Village: Challenges and Changes 30:25 The Dysregulation of Parenthood 32:33 Understanding the Fight or Flight Response 35:46 Co-Regulation: Helping Your Child Calm Down 41:27 Finding Personal Space as a Parent 47:39 Inner Child Work: Healing Through Parenting 50:30 Resources for Modern Parenting 53:23 The Importance of Community in Healing 54:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts ____ Resources mentioned:  "The Body Keeps the Score" - Bessel van der Kolk "How to Talk So Kids will Listen and Listen So Kids will Talk" and "Siblings without Rivalry" by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish Circle of Security: https://www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/ ____Are you a Wounded Healer?Are you someone who is walking your own path of healing and transformation, learning how to turn your struggles with illness into powerful tools for growth, wisdom, and service to others?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Community, a profound and transformative group that supports Wounded Healers in alchemizing your wounds into medicine.Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to get your gift out into the world in its fullest, most vibrant expression.This is your chance to transform illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection.Join us today!Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness for more information.____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic#parentingjourney #innerchildwork #mindbodyhealing #sacredillness #childhoodtrauma #parentingchallenges #gentleparenting #nervoussystemregulation #healingjourney #emotionalwellbeing #parentingsupport #communityhealing #parentalguidance #secureattachment #consciousparenting This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Join us in this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast as host Erin welcomes Ann Jarvis from Ottawa, Canada.Both Erin and Ann share their experiences living with Crohn's disease and their healing journeys that began with this diagnosis.Ann discusses her transformative path to healing, emphasizing the significance of surrender and faith. She opens up about her mystical experiences, the impact of early life events, and the importance of self-acceptance.Listen in to explore how autoimmune diseases can reflect deeply held beliefs and the profound healing that can come from embracing the notion of surrender.Enjoy! From the video: "It seems to me that the whole point of this human experiment is to reconcile, bring together the two, and that perhaps in the autoimmune soul, that is a more prescient issue." Key topics:00:00 Understanding Autoimmune Disease01:22 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest02:29 Ann's Early Struggles with Crohn's Disease03:53 Turning to Alternative Medicine05:42 Discovering Energy Healing09:01 The Power of Surrender13:09 COVID-19 and a New Flare-Up19:30 A Deeper Interpretation of Autoimmunity36:44 A Transcendent Experience with Crohn's38:27 The Meditative Journey40:40 A Miraculous Healing42:26 Exploring the Concept of Healing45:47 The Search for Belonging48:19 Connecting to the Self and the Divine58:50 The Importance of Authenticity01:06:55 Conclusion and Services Offered ____Work with Ann!Check out her website for 1:1 and other offerings: www.annjarvis.ca____Are you a Wounded Healer?Are you someone who is walking your own path of healing and transformation, learning how to turn your struggles with illness into powerful tools for growth, wisdom, and service to others?If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Community, a profound and transformative group that supports Wounded Healers in alchemizing your wounds into medicine.Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to get your gift out into the world in its fullest, most vibrant expression.This is your chance to transform illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection.Join us today! Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information.____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms?Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic  #autoimmunedisease #healingjourney #sacredillnesspodcast #crohnsdisease #surrender #selfacceptance #innerhealing #energyhealing #holistichealth #spiritualhealing #mindbodyconnection #healthandwellness #psychoneuroimmunology #empathy #selflove #belonging This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Episode 29 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!In this episode, we're delving into the intricate mind-body connection facilitated by yoga with the wonderful Diana May, a seasoned yoga instructor and Somatic Experience Practitioner in training.Together, we explore the journey of quieting the mind and unlocking healing through movement.We'll discuss the challenges posed by our competitive, cognitive-driven culture and how yoga offers a sanctuary for self-inquiry, compassion, and discovering joy in movement. We also discuss Diana's approach to yoga and how it helps people lean into the natural rhythms of their nervous systems, what pain and injury are really all about. and how it feels to be truly embodied.Listen to the end for details on upcoming online courses and retreats with Diana, designed to support those in pain. Whether you're new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, this episode promises valuable insights and encouragement to meet yourself where you are and find your path to well-being.Enjoy! From the video: "Yoga means connection or coming together. Oftentimes, it's talked about connecting the mind with the body and the body with the soul. It's a bringing together, coming together, which is really amazing if you work with anyone with trauma, because there's so much fragmentation that happens when you have a traumatic experience." Key topics:00:00 Definition and intent of yoga05:34 Diana's story to finding yoga and getting more in her body09:57 Disconnecting from the body, trauma's effects.14:37 Competition can distract from inner experience.17:01 Somatic work is flexible and individualized.25:52 Moderation in movement helps prevent more injury.28:31 Yoga facilitates mind-body connection, promotes balance.30:45 Help people with pain and trauma resolution.42:25 Imaging can lead to unnecessary treatment and increased pain45:19 Pain and injury can exist separately.50:13 Embracing fluidity and groundedness for easeful living.51:57 How to get started with yoga.55:06 Teaching yoga for pain and injury online. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information!____How to get in touch with Diana + see her upcoming events!: Website: www.dianamay.comInstagram: @dianamayyoga Yoga & The Nervous System Course: https://www.nest-yoga.com/programs-1/yogaandthenervoussystem Mentorship: Yoga for Injury Management, an educated approach to teaching people with injuries: https://www.dianamay.com/mentorship-1 ____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic#bodysignals #mindbodyhealing #yoga #chronicpain #healingjourney #chronicillness #pain #injury #authenticity #nervoussystemregulation #holistichealing #embodiment #somaticyoga #somaticwork #dysregulation #fightorflight #mindbodyconnection #emotionalregulation #sacredillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Episode 28 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!In this episode I am taking a break from my usual content to share with you my personal experience with Crohn's disease and the lessons I've learned about healing and wholeness.Because of a recent flare-up, I share my frustrations and the seemingly contradictory reality of being a doctor who is also struggling with illness.. and what I've learned as a result.Join me as I dissect the mind-body connection, revealing how addressing the root causes of my condition allowed me to achieve remission, only to face another wave of symptoms due to a dysregulated nervous system and new layers of unresolved childhood trauma.I will share candidly about the pressures of perfectionism, the importance of authenticity, and the need for transparency as part of my own healing work - and maybe in yours, too. I wrap up the episode by sharing what steps I am taking to put my illness back into remission... but more importantly, what my Sacred Illness has taught me once again as one of the most profound teachers in my life.Enjoy! From the video: "So then when I got sick, suddenly that pattern, that way of being in the world, that compensation was no longer working. I could not do it because the symptoms were so significant. And so, in a sense, my illness forced me to find a way to truly be ok again." Key topics:00:00 Diagnosis led to medication and potential surgery.04:17 Feeling not enough, seeking validation, illness cause.08:38 Denying emotions to keep peace led to illness.11:22 Balanced approach to disease management and healing.16:25 Embracing now, reflecting, finding relief, new motherhood.18:47 Modeling co-regulation for dysregulated child is exhausting.22:59 Definition of dysregulation.25:09 Illness is a call to reevaluate life.28:09 Mind-body connection crucial for effective healing.34:38 Immediate response to trigger feeds into activation.37:46 Explore bodily sensations to release stored emotions.41:19 Human vulnerability shared for personal connection.42:21 Recognize body's communication, seek alignment, find support. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information!____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #bodysignals #mindbodyhealing #crohnsdisease #flareup #healingjourney #chronicillness #healingjourney #childhoodtrauma #perfectionism #authenticity #nervoussystemregulation #holistichealing #naturopathicmedicine #lifestylefactors #somaticwork #dysregulation #fightorflight #spiritualbypassing #somaticlistening #mindbodyconnection #emotionalregulation #sacredillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Episode 27 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, where we dive deep into the transformative journey of healing through the lens of nervous system regulation.In this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Faegann Harlow, a former circus performer turned Somatic Experiencing Practitioner® and healer.Together we discuss the impact of authentic connections on our well-being and the necessary steps to shed performative roles and masks we might wear in order to find true safety and belonging.Faegann shares her personal journey of transitioning away from the limelight of the world of entertainment to focus on her nervous system's healing and internal well-being, despite the challenges and unknowns.We explore the heartbreak of letting go of relationships and roles that we love in order to progress in our healing work and how hard but necessary it is to lean into the unknown in order to accomplish deeper levels of health.We also explore the struggles and burnout we can face when seeking alternative therapies, and the foundational need to address the nervous system regardless of what other healing modalities you are utilizing.Through this conversation, Faegann and I hope to inspire a deeper relationship with yourself by wrapping up with a discussion on what self-love is really about and how it can look and feel when you find yourself on the other side of the healing journey.Join us as we walk through another profound healing experience that exemplifies the sacredness of illnesses and emphasizes authenticity, nervous system work, and the beauty of self-discovery.Let's dive in! Enjoy! From the video: "It is so worth the journey of learning yourself. It's true self intimacy to discover what those parts of yourself are that need to feel that level of safety and belonging." Key topics:00:00 Autoimmune symptoms and healing journey.05:50 Advocating for naturopath, changing environment for healing.07:21 Questioning self-worth, finding healing through alternative methods.12:38 Struggling with trauma and finding core identity.15:15 Slow healing requires letting go and courage.19:51 Performative need in relationships, growth, setting boundaries.23:30 Discovering true self and finding belonging.25:59 Letting go of relationships for self-authenticity.28:44 Exploring personal growth and self-discovery journey.32:52 Importance of nervous system for body healing.41:01 Effective tools for shifting and healing.47:49 Optimize treatment by prioritizing nervous system support.48:57 Flipping the approach from the conventional medicine paradigm.52:38 Embracing self-discovery and self-intimacy with love. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information!____Resources mentioned in podcast:Check out Faegann's website for more information on her offerings and how to work with her!https://www.medisoma.co/____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #co-regulation #selfregulation #chronicillness #nervoussystem #isolation #authenticconnections #performativeself #stressresponse #supportivecommunity #personalgrowth #healingjourney #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #naturopathicmedicine #trauma #limitingbeliefs #herbs #nutrition #spontaneousremission #autoimmunesymptoms #shadowwork #plantmedicine #Ayahuasca #bodywork #musculoskeletalconditions #touchtherapy #neuralbeats #sacredillness #socialdynamics #nervoussystemregulation #wellnessspace This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to episode 26 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!In this episode we continue our inspiring conversation with Kimberly Sleeth!Our conversation begins with Kimberly opening up about her struggles with imposter syndrome and lack of confidence, tracing the roots back to her childhood experiences and the impact of external influences on her self-perception.Together, we explore the complex interplay between nature and nurture, acknowledging the unique responses of individuals to similar upbringings.As we delve deeper into the topic of trauma, we recognize that it can arise from various non-abusive experiences and manifest differently in each person.Kimberly emphasizes the importance of being open and honest with her children about her emotions and the power of repair work in parenting. Throughout the episode, we discuss the shift from traditional parenting mindsets to a more open and understanding approach, breaking cycles of trauma and reparenting our inner child.We close out the episode with Kimberly again reflecting on her own transformative experience with her health, discussing the mental readiness and mindset shifts that were necessary to her somewhat miraculous healing.We also touch on the physiological impact of living in a constant state of survival and the challenges of dismissing one's own experiences in an attempt to conform to societal expectations.As always, we connect symptoms to underlying nervous system dysregulation, highlighting the necessity of addressing trauma as a pathway to healing.Enjoy! From the video: "As a child, my feelings weren't validated a lot. So even when I had a real feeling, something that I should actually be worried about or that was normal to be worried about, especially for a child, it was often dismissed. And so I learned not to trust myself and I learned that people did not want to deal with my feelings and emotions. I would often get loud, like crying, screaming, tantrums and things like that to just get my feelings validated. I think for [my healing process], validation has been the biggest thing." Key topics:03:48 Recognizing stress and its impact on health.08:39 Addressing anxiety's underlying causes.13:09 Childhood invalidated feelings, sought validation through behavior.17:08 Nature and nurture shape our sense of self.25:15 Embrace individual experiences for self-attunement and growth.26:06 Adapting parenting style, focusing on gentle parenting.31:57 Apologize, repair, and acknowledge life's challenges.34:55 Understanding childhood experiences and needs is crucial.38:06 Shifting takes time, be patient and understanding.41:31 Emphasizing lasting change, not just recovering from illness.43:45 Building skills to manage stress and emotions. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information! ____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest  ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic#chronicillness #breakdown #gastrointestinalissues #medicaldismissal #anxiety #mindbodyconnection #visualization #holisticpractices #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #herbalism #anxiety #mindsetshift #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #spontaneousremission #miraculoushealing #epsteinbarrvirus #ibs #impostersyndrome #authenticself #natureversusnurture #gentleparenting #trauma #repairwork #breakingcycles #reparentinginnerchild #chronicillness #mindbodymedicine #limitingbeliefs #physicalsymptoms #healingjourney #flareup #highlysensitiveperson #survivalmode #sacredillnessparadigm This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to episode 25 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!In this episode Dr. Erin is joined by an incredible guest who transformed lifelong chronic health issues into health and wholeness.Kimberly Sleeth, a devoted mother of five, faced extreme stress and chronic illnesses while homeschooling on a single income. Her journey took her through severe health crises, including urinary tract and kidney infections, IBS, profound fatigue and more.Despite being initially dismissed by medical professionals who attributed her symptoms to anxiety, Kimberly eventually took matters into her own hands. She delved into the world of natural health, nutrition, and herbalism, eventually finding a pathway to health through working on her mind-body connection: the link between being a highly sensitive person and her chronic physical symptoms, which led her to total resolution.In this episode, Kimberly shares her stories of overcoming severe burnout, emotional trauma, and the additional complexities brought on by perimenopause. She opens up about her breakthrough moments, thanks to learning about the nervous system and engaging in impactful programs (including our own Sacred Illness™ Program!) that helped her body heal from years of discomfort.Throughout her journey, Kimberly transformed her mindset, reclaimed her confidence, and now stands as a testament to the power of addressing the mind-body link as the foundation of health.Enjoy! From the video: "So were the doctors right? Was it 'all in my head?' Partially... but not for the reasons they said." Key topics:05:39 Life filled with trauma, anxiety, and stress.07:50 Chronic illness symptoms dismissed by doctors.10:27 Struggle to advocate for self amid health issues.13:52 EBV diagnosis led to self-research on symptoms.22:38 Overcame health issues through natural remedies and mind-body work.25:02 Severe burnout and health issues.28:22 Struggled with health, affected relationships, self-worth.30:14 Perimenopause, gut health, trauma.36:07 Overcoming anxiety and shifting mindset toward healing.38:08 The sacred illness paradigm explores self-healing capacity.41:17 Embracing self-advocacy and personal growth triumph. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information!____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #chronicillness #breakdown #gastrointestinalissues #rapidheartrate #medicaldismissal #anxiety #mindbodyconnection #visualization #holisticpractices #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #herbalism #severeburnout #emotionaltrauma #perimenopause #hormonalimbalance #emotionaldistress #overcominganxiety #mindsetshift #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #spontaneousremission #miraculoushealing #epsteinbarrvirus #ibs This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to episode 24 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!Here's part 2 to my interview with the inspirational Stacey Waterbury, who in the last episode shared her journey through the challenges and triumphs of living with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS).In this episode, Stacey shares the transformative power of trusting her intuition and acknowledging her emotions as one of the key paths to resolving her symptoms. She also highlights the profound impact our individual perception of safety has on health, and the debilitating effects of unresolved trauma.Together, Stacey and I discuss the importance of digging deeper into health issues beyond just surface symptoms, the pitfalls of spiritual bypassing, and the need for supportive healthcare providers. We discuss how common it is to receive a generic diagnosis like "anxiety" which can override one's intuition that something much deeper is going on in the body. We also explore the concept of the Window of Tolerance through Stacey's experience navigating her husband's health crisis and her personal battle with mast cell activation syndrome.Overall this conversation highlights how the healing journey is one of expanding our capacity for all of life - the good, the bad, and the ugly - so that we can stay embodied and present through it all.Join us for part two to this enlightening conversation that offers valuable insights and encouragement for anyone on their own healing journey.Enjoy! From the video: "Healing is not about never bumping up against discomfort ever again. It's not about never feeling stress ever again. It's about actually learning how to tolerate it." Key topics:00:00 Podcast guests share journey of relentless curiosity.05:45 Questions about underlying mental and emotional issues.08:08 Acknowledging pain, growth, and finding balance.10:05 Struggles with symptoms led to self-discovery.14:08 Consider inputs to nervous system for optimal health.22:59 Embracing feelings helps them naturally rise and fall.26:02 Overcoming challenges, EMDR therapy aids recovery.29:58 Understanding traumas, big and small, impacting coping.33:11 Healing involves learning to tolerate stress.44:47 Creating resources on nervous system regulation and mast cells.47:46 Relatable themes connect our diverse stories. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information!____Resources mentioned in this episode:Access Stacey's work here!: https://www.slwwellness.com/ And stay tuned for upcoming links to her future ebooks and other works!____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms?Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest ____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #nervoussystemresponse #perceiveddanger #physiologicalimpact #intuition #mindbodyconnection #sacredillnessparadigm #dysregulation #trauma #limitingbeliefs #rootcausesofillness #healingjourney #EMDRtherapy #nervoussystemregulation #vagusnerve #selfacknowledgment #vocalizingfeelings #facingemotions #traumarelease #spontaneousremissions #miraclecures #MCAS #anxietysymptoms #toxicpositivity #spiritualbypassing #survivalmode #medicaljourneys #healthcareproviders #mentalhealth #stresstolerance #chronicillness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to episode 23 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!Today we're diving into a profoundly inspirational story from Stacey Waterbury, who shares her journey through the challenges and triumphs of living with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). Stacey's story is one of resilience, personal transformation, and the healing power of the mind-body connection.Stacey will take us through her experiences of living with debilitating symptoms triggered by MCAS, including severe allergic reactions, dietary restrictions, and emotional turmoil. In her quest for healing, Stacey discovered that addressing trauma and fostering self-love were crucial, foundational elements for her recovery.Through therapy, including EMDR and EFT (aka tapping), she learned to calm her nervous system, embrace her emotions, and ultimately trust and love her body again.Throughout our conversation, Stacey highlights how chronic illness can invite us to unlock our innate self-healing capacities and ultimately guide us back to our authentic selves.Enjoy! From the video: "It has been over 18 months of feeling really good with the mast cell thing and what can I say is the one thing I did? I dealt with my trauma. I dealt with my nervous system. I went inside and did the shadow work, and met with my inner child..." Key topics:04:01 What is MCAS?06:57 Diagnosis of histamine intolerance required dietary changes.11:13 Life with MCAS.18:36 Therapy helped, but needing something more.20:43 Coping with loss and caring for family led to relapse.23:53 Struggling to balance work and family responsibilities.26:56 Facing trauma: the body keeps the score.33:36 Overcoming sickness, self-discovery, and healing journey.36:38 Accepting and loving oneself is a journey. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information! --------Resources mentioned in this episode:Access Stacey's work here!:https://www.slwwellness.com/And stay tuned for upcoming links to her future ebooks and other works. --------Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest  --------Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #SacredIllnessPodcast #MastCellActivationSyndrome #MCAS #DrErinHayford #StaceyWaterbury #SpontaneousRemissions #MiraculousHealing #ChronicIllnesses #MindBodyConnection #Trauma #NervousSystemDysregulation #SelfHealingCapacity #YellowJacketSting #AnaphylacticShock #HistamineIntolerance #LowHistamineDiet #EmotionalWellBeing #Therapy #SelfLove #Boundaries #SpiritualBypassing #Caregiving #ExtremeSymptoms #AutonomicNervousSystem #Grief #MentalHealthChallenges #DietaryRestrictions #EnvironmentalChanges #EMDRTherapy #Tapping #AddressingTrauma This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to episode 22 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, where we explore the mind-body intersection of trauma and chronic illness.In part two with our interview with Hannah Jenkins, she shares the complexities of navigating the healing journey and what she wishes she knew before going on this journey that she knows now that would have provided the hope needed to keep her going on some of the darker and more challenging aspects of her healing experience.Hannah also lays out the three stages of healing, and explains in detail why the physical symptoms often take longer to shift, providing the encouragement needed to those who are feeling stuck.We explore the impact of limiting beliefs, and discuss the necessity of slowing down, respecting the body's boundaries, and finding joy and growth in the midst of adversity.This episode is a rich tapestry of personal stories, expert insights, and heartfelt discussions that challenge the quick-fix mentality of Western medicine, advocating instead for a holistic approach to health and well-being. In it we aim to provide hope to those needing a guiding light in what can often otherwise be dark and confusing territory.Whether you're currently struggling with an illness, supporting a loved one, or simply curious about the Sacred Illness™ model, this episode offers valuable perspectives and practical advice to inspire your own healing journey.Tune in and discover why sometimes slowing down is the most powerful step forward. From the video: "It's not like you wake up one day and you're just all of a sudden better. It's slowly but surely you gain a little bit more capacity and confidence and physical capability... and then it just builds and builds and builds." Key topics:00:00 Being a hope rope for others.04:26 Striving for a balanced, intentional life and career.10:18 Embrace illness, find joy in authentic existence.14:02 Healing is non-linear, but instead a continuous upward spiral.18:52 Triggers cause physiological response; understand and break cycle.24:38 Healing is slow, gradual, not all suffering.28:14 Healing POTS symptoms, grateful for everyday activities.31:18 Slowing down helps you notice and feel.33:30 Embracing the world, a deeper connection within.39:14 Developing trust in challenging health and wellness.41:26 Seeking support crucial for building trust and understanding.43:58 Respecting individual journeys through challenging experiences.47:46 Exploring core beliefs and values.54:19 You are not alone. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information!________Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest________Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic #suppressedgrief #anxietysymptoms #panicattacks #reflux #postpartumrage #militarydeployment #isolation #adjustmenttolife #ElPaso #cancerconcerns #higharousalstate #traumaimpact #sacredillnessparadigm #mindbodyconnection #fightorflightstate #histamineintolerance #naturopathicdoctor #complexPTSD #nervoussystemregulation #traumatherapy #EMDR #mentalhealthcrisis #healthstruggles #nervoussystemhealing #chronicillness #COVID19symptoms #negativeinternalmonologue #narcissisticparent #childhoodtrauma #emotionalshutdown #toxicattachmentstyles This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to episode 21 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, where we explore the mind-body intersection of trauma and chronic illness.In this deeply moving episode, our host Dr. Erin Hayford sits down for part 1 with Hannah Jenkins, who courageously shares her journey through suppressed grief, anxiety, and a lost sense of self that culminated in profound physical symptoms that arose after moving back to the U.S. from Germany.Facing dismissive diagnoses and a healthy dose of medical gaslighting, Hannah's story illuminates the harsh realities of navigating mental and physical health struggles exacerbated by military deployment, COVID-19, and a lack of proper medical support.Together, Dr. Erin and Hannah delve into the importance of recognizing trauma as part of the healing process and the Sacred Illness™ paradigm that emphasizes self-healing and the mind-body connection.Listen as Hannah candidly unfolds her battles with medical uncertainty, the negative effects of a narcissistic parent, and the pivotal moment of understanding the role her nervous system plays in her illness, the importance of regulating it, and her ambitions to become a trauma-focused therapist.Hannah’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and hope. Her experiences underscore the necessity of seeking alternative treatments, trusting one’s instincts, and the potential for healing beyond the confines of Western medicine.Join us in this episode as we explore the depths of human vulnerability and the transformative power of addressing trauma head-on.Tune in next week for part 2 of our conversation. Enjoy! From the video: "It still doesn't take away the grief or the suffering that comes along with [being sick] or the anger or wishing I didn't have this, but I at least am like, oh, this makes complete sense now. I understand the connection between my traumatic past and my chronic symptoms." Key topics:04:56 Struggling to fit in after military moves.08:26 Testing positive for COVID the first time.11:30 Struggling through health setbacks, seeking alternative medicine.15:39 Living with narcissistic mother and ensuring identity crisis.19:14 Realized family dynamics after living abroad.22:30 Healing and new beginnings after difficult past.25:47 Healing uncovering pain, leading to self-discovery.28:45 Struggle with identity and overcoming ingrained beliefs.39:23 Validation and understanding are crucial for healing.41:58 Questioning the diagnosis and relentless pursuit of answers.48:23 Thinking outside the box to create change.53:28 Illness led to purpose, focus on health.54:14 Understanding nervous system, symptoms, self-care, prevention.____If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information!____Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic#suppressedgrief #anxietysymptoms #panicattacks #reflux #postpartumrage #militarydeployment #isolation #adjustmenttolife #ElPaso #cancerconcerns #higharousalstate #traumaimpact #sacredillnessparadigm #mindbodyconnection #fightorflightstate #histamineintolerance #naturopathicdoctor #complexPTSD #nervoussystemregulation #traumatherapy #EMDR #mentalhealthcrisis #healthstruggles #nervoussystemhealing #chronicillness #COVID19symptoms #negativeinternalmonologue #narcissisticparent #childhoodtrauma #emotionalshutdown #toxicattachmentstyles This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, where we delve into the transformative power of healing through the mind-body connection.In Episode 20, we journey with Stormie Carter as she shares her personal journey navigating chronic illnesses. Stormie explores with us the onset of her mysterious symptoms, the years of struggle between symptom emergence and diagnosis, to finally finding hope and healing.Together we discuss the profound impact somatic therapy and reconnecting to the body had on Stormie, as well as the resilient spirit required in overcoming debilitating conditions like narcolepsy, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).Stormie also sheds light on the complexities of navigating the healthcare system, the often inevitable requirement of self-advocacy, the struggle with addiction, and the transformative path towards recovery.While her journey is her own, her experiences are so common to all of us who have walked some form of a healing journey with chronic illness. Tune in to uncover the power our sacred illnesses have in shaping our lives and ultimately unlocking our innate capacity for self-healing.Enjoy! From the video: "If we ignore the mind body connection and are not exploring the ways in which our nervous system continues to be dysregulated or in a chronic state of activation and stress, any healing modality that we put into our body from the outside in is going to be less effective, if not effective at all." Key topics:00:00 Chronic symptoms since 17, traumatic childhood impact.07:37 Self-advocacy and challenges in the conventional medicine world.17:46 Diagnosis and treatments offered with narcolepsy.25:13 Autonomic nervous system connection to chronic illness.27:31 Positive changes after finding accessible alternative treatments.30:40 Trauma disconnects us from our bodies.38:53 Rapid symptom shift with somatic awareness discovery.41:21 Balancing self-care and supporting the underlying cause.47:24 The crucial needs to reconnect with our bodies.53:04 Aligning life, creating new path, giving hope. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Click here for more information! ----Be a Guest on the Podcast!Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply ----References from this episode:Book: "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk ----Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic  #POTS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #EDS #CFS #fatigue #apnea #chronicfatiguesyndrome #vintageclothes #homehealthnurse #dysautonomia #somatictherapy #mindbodyconnection #narcolepsy #bodymemories #chronicillness #mentalhealth #trauma #disconnectingfromthebody #healing #values #groupcoaching #nervoussystemdysregulation #wellbeing #medication #sacredillnessparadigm #selfhealingcapacity #symptomaticrelief #chronicillnesses #lifestylechanges #hope #advocacy #healthcaresystem #socialmedia #substanceabuse This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Episode 19 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!In this episode, we explore the inevitability of fear in the healing journey - how it shows up, why it shows up, and how it can keep us stuck in old ways of being that ultimately keep us sick.We discuss how our nervous systems are programmed for survival, which makes the unknown of the healing journey so terrifying - the nervous system prefers what is safe and familiar, and because of this it will continuously try to steer us off course.We also discuss ways to navigate these challenges using the Hero's Journey as a map of what to expect as you progress through the various stages of healing, along with the idea of a "Dark Night of the Soul" and more.If you are finding yourself stuck on your own healing journey, or continuously derailing after making progress, this is an episode you won't want to mis! Stay tuned to uncover how to tap into your own healing capabilities and shift towards a more empowered, self-aware way of being.And don't forget to share this episode and subscribe for more enlightening discussions!Enjoy! From the video: "If someone told you that you could be healed today, if you were willing to let go of things in your life, like jobs, relationships... are you willing to let go of those things if somebody told you you could be healed on the other side?" Key topics:00:00 Learning to accept and work with fear.05:39 Struggling with denial and fear of diagnosis.09:24 Treating symptoms, missing the deeper disease causes.19:16 Complex cycle of fear and growth in families.21:02 Initial excitement fades as work delves deeper.24:38 Struggles lead to growth and cycles of healing.27:19 Struggling with loss, rebuilding identity amidst pain.36:40 Navigating change and temptation in personal growth.37:38 Exploring how our past shapes our illness.46:32 Integration of new self before moving forward.50:04 Reassuring the nervous system to ensure safety.52:05 Examining fear can reveal illogical thoughts.56:34 Choose consciously, take control of your life. If you find the information shared here helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through a deep self-healing journey in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before. And right now, we are offering a 14-day free trial! Access all aspects of the program totally for free, see what you think. After that, membership is only $37 a month.Click here for more information!___Be a guest on the podcast!Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply!___Upcoming Somatic Retreat: Sacred RestorationI am honored to be part of this 7-day Somatic Experiencing® trauma-healing intensive in my beautiful home state of Maine!From August 27-September 3, you will be immersed in an abundance of potent, supportive, and grounding offerings including:Individual Somatic Experiencing® sessionsDaily movement practices (yoga, Tai Chi, dance)Daily guided trauma-informed meditation and grounding practicesHands-on treatments like craniosacral therapy and acupunctureArt therapySound healing sessionsAnd so much more!Add in the incredible farm-to-table meals (all inclusive), the community experience, a week on a beautiful farm and the 8-weeks(!) of follow up support you will receive following the event...You will connect with your innate self-healing capacity in deeply transformative ways likely never before experienced.Space is very limited! Click here to learn more and apply!___Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@savfkmusic#believinginoneself #deservingmore #marriage #career #darknightofthesoul #liminalspace #cocoonphase #challengingjourney #fearateverystep #newwaysofbeing #discomfort #actofsurrender #unknownspaces #nervoussystemresponses #deconstructingfears #worstcasescenarios #survival #herosjourney #befriendingfears #healingjourney #familiarhealingmodalities #deeperlevelofhealing #personalempowerment #sacredillnessparadigm #mindbodyconnection #dysregulation #trauma #alternativepathsforhealing #chronicsymptoms #spontaneousremissions #physiologicalbackgroundoffear This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Episode 18 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!Today, I'm honored to have Dr. Nikita Patel with on the show. Dr. Niki is a Naturopathic Doctor, Mind-Body Medicine Facilitator, and Energy Medicine Practitioner who specializes in providing heart-centered and trauma-informed healthcare for intuitive and energy-sensitive women experiencing anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, and beyond.In this episode, Dr. Niki shares her journey into the holistic medicine field and how this journey mirrored and deepened her own self-healing work and relationship with self. Influenced by her upbringing with Ayurvedic traditions and following transformative encounters with medical mediums, Dr. Niki's journey powerfully illustrates the profound impact of listening to our bodies and using symptoms as guides back to ourselves.We cover so many topics in this episode, including details of the healing modalities Dr. Niki utilizes, as well as more esoteric discussions of what it really means to be human and the idea of "slow-healing."And! As a bonus: Dr. Niki guides us through a heart-brain coherence meditation aimed at enhancing connection to positive emotions and inner peace at the very end of the episode - so stay tuned to the very end!Enjoy! From the video: "I see it in everyone that the physical symptoms have so much information about what's out of harmony, and that becomes our guiding force to help us become more of who we are, to be authentic and to live fully." Key topics:06:58 The journey of holistic healing and spirituality.15:38 Struggling with skin issues, stress, and identity.19:21 Discovery of deeper intuition through challenging journey.22:51 Healing journey: obstacles lead to growth.32:24 Frustrated by health mystery, diagnosed with autoimmunity.38:28 Understanding the slow healing process and trusting.43:39 Healthcare practitioners need to reprogram and evolve current mindset and approach.47:42 Grassroots change, authenticity, love, appreciation, evolution.53:14 Dr. Niki's Heart-Brain Coherence meditation If you find the information shared here helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Group Coaching Program where you will be guided through a deep self-healing journey in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.And right now, we are offering a 14-day free trial!Access all aspects of the program totally for free, see what you think. After that, membership is only $37 a month.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information!____Get in touch with Dr. Niki!Website: https://www.drnikitapatel.com/ On Dr. Niki's website you can learn all about her incredible offerings, subscribe to her newsletter, sign up for her FREE bi-weekly guided meditations, and access other supportive free resources.And for a limited time, you can also book a free discovery call to see if working 1:1 with Dr. Niki is right for you! Click here to schedule.Instagram: @authentically.nikkiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunshinedoctor____Be a guest on the podcast!Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest____Upcoming Retreat: Sacred RestorationI am honored to be part of this 7-day Somatic Experiencing® trauma-healing intensive in my beautiful home state of Maine!From August 27-September 3, you will be immersed in an abundance of potent, supportive, and grounding offerings including:Individual Somatic Experiencing® sessionsDaily movement practices (yoga, Tai Chi, dance)Daily guided trauma-informed meditation and grounding practicesHands-on treatments like craniosacral therapy and acupunctureArt therapySound healing sessionsAnd so much more!Add in the incredible farm-to-table meals (all inclusive), the community experience, a week on a beautiful farm and the 8-weeks(!) of follow up support you will receive following the event...You will connect with your innate self-healing capacity in deeply transformative ways likely never before experienced.Space is very limited! To learn more and apply, head on over to https://eightfoldpath.us/sacred-restoration-2024 I hope to see you there!____Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@savfkmusic#holistichealing #mindbodymedicine #chronicillness #naturopathicmedicine #meditation #traumahealing #emotionalhealing #anxiety #depression #chronicfatigue #physicalsymptoms #authenticity #freetrial #SacredIllnessprogram #retreat #ayurvedicmedicine #naturalremedies #rawvegandiet #energymedicine #emotionalfreedomtechniques #heartbraincoherence #foodsensitivity #autoimmunesyndrome #innerhealing #guidedmeditation #breathwork #emotionalrelease #hypnosistechniques #pastliferegression #shamanichealing This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Episode 17 of the Sacred Illness Podcast, a continuation of our Authentic Self miniseries!Today, hosts Dr. Erin and Oriana Broderick delve deeper into understanding various child archetypes and how they impact our adult lives.We’ll explore the complexities of the "yes person" and "hero worshiper" archetypes, as well as the "life of the party" and the "rescuer."We examine the fine line between selflessness and neglect of personal needs, and how these behaviors affect mental and physical health.Join us as we embrace radical honesty and uncover the ways in which childhood experiences shape our health and happiness - and how to get back on track. Enjoy! From the video: "The only way that she could get her needs met was to self sacrifice. There were so many places where she just didn't fit in... she didn't fit anywhere in society, so it made so much more sense to be the yes person, because how are you going to get seen and heard in the best possible way? Well, of course, to say yes to everyone and everything, no matter what." Key topics:00:00 Encouraging authentic roles and natural expressions.04:33 Balancing caretaking archetype and authentic self-worth.09:27 Identity, archetypes, shedding layers, vulnerability, and illness.10:27 Struggle to let go of rescuer role.15:33 Alcohol as a tool to cope with emotional discomfort.21:45 Difficult childhood and the resulting self-sacrificing behavior.33:18 Unappreciated yes person eventually gets overlooked.37:23 Embrace being human, including discomfort.45:00 Seeking balanced passion and grounded trust. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Group Coaching Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illlness-program for more information! Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@savfkmusic #yesperson #heroworshiper #selflessness #depression #mindbodyconnection #sacredillnessparadigm #groupcoaching #socialanxiety #personalgrowth #selfsacrifice #codependency #narcissisticparent #skepticism #trustissues #alternativehealthcare #spontaneousremissions #miraclecures #authenticself #childarchetypes #rescuerprotectorarchetype #healthyboundaries #caretakerrole #personalizedhealing #onesizefitsallapproach #empowermentinhealing #archetypesandpersonas #midwifepersona #lifeofthepartypersona #alcoholuse #relationshipdynamics This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Episode 16 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast!Today, we dive deep into the transformative practice of integrating our emotions with our physical experiences, exploring somatic methods designed to regulate and heal our nervous systems.Dr. Erin will share enlightening insights on various techniques such as the cornerstone somatic practice of "Voo" and the butterfly hug, and the concept of resourcing, which involves tapping into safe and supportive memories or sensations to foster calm.We’ll also expand on long-term strategies like grounding, yoga, and even swimming that aid in becoming comfortable with new emotional tools, turning temporary practices into life-long habits.The major emphasis of this episode is the reflection on the profound shift of realizing the true essence of life—to simply be alive without the constant pursuit of more. We discuss how societal pressures often skew our healing processes and how returning to simpler, more authentic life aspects can be profoundly grounding.We also open up about our personal journeys, sharing the challenges and triumphs of integrating new practices.Stay tuned as we unravel these transformative concepts, hoping to inspire and deepen your own relationship with life and wellbeing. Feel free to provide feedback and share your personal journey with us in the comments below! Now, let’s begin our exploration.. Enjoy! From the video: "[During the healing journey] all of these things start coming up. New symptoms, new emotions... and we think, 'I'm not doing enough,' and we start adding on more of this work. We're constantly searching for enoughness. But this is an opportunity to pause and look at those things and just be with them... or decide if you just need a break from the work. Because sometimes it's that too. When big things come up, sometimes we just need a little bit of a break." Key topics:03:05 Integration after breakthroughs, discussing possible pause points.07:08 Facing challenges expands our emotional capacity layers.10:06 Struggle with trauma response and integration practices.14:45 Signs you need to pause and integrate.19:00 Mindfulness essential for success amidst overwhelming feelings.26:17 Healing involves shedding old coping mechanisms gently.30:57 Struggling with integration; working towards personal growth.34:27 Constantly striving for more and the impact on healing.37:51 Redefining health beyond productivity and functionality.47:01 Somatic practices for grounding and integrating. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness Group Coaching Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out www.aurorasomatic.com for more information! Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@savfkmusic#somaticpractices #nervoussystemregulation #vutechnique #butterflyhug #containmenthold #resourcing #groundingexercises #journaling #yoga #swimming #emotionalintegration #visionstatement #limitingbeliefs #societalpressure #selfchange #spontaneousremissions #miraculoushealing #energywells #somaticexperiencing #sacredillnessparadigm #groupcoachingprogram #healthandproductivity #authenticityinhealing #embodimentpractices #windowoftolerance #mindfulness #emotionalinputmanagement #natureintegration #personaltransformation #copingmechanisms This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Episode 15 of the Sacred Illness Podcast!Today is a powerful episode where our first ever podcast guest, Kady Wilson, shares her transformative journey with chronic pain.Through Kady's story and self-healing journey, we get to see firsthand the powerful innate healing capacity that lies in each of us, as well as how trusting and following our intuition can guide us back to the health we seek.Kady discusses the pivotal moments of her journey, emphasizing the importance of reframing experiences and creating nourishing habits and practices for healing. She shares how, layer by layer, she was able to change her thinking about her pain, eventually seeing it as a profound, relentless gift that continues to guide her back to herself.Join us as we uncover the layers of healing, celebrate the small victories, and discuss the tools that have supported Kady’s path to wellness—including her impactful dopamine-boosting checklist. In sharing these experiences, we hope to inspire and empower you to embrace your own healing journey as a path to deeper self-awareness and renewal.Enjoy! From the video: "At first I remember that didn't feel right. Why would I be grateful for something that causes me so much annoyance? But the more that I was grateful for the fact that my body could communicate to me, the less it felt like a burden. And also just the experience that I've had... it brought me back to myself." Key topics:03:46 Struggling with diagnosis and treatment, avoiding immediate medication.08:25 Changed habits, created structure, and maintained consistency.13:50 Struggling with dissociation, the importance of support, connection.15:54 Navigating unknown terrains can feel out of control.23:08 Reframing depression as a transformative experience.27:43 Pushing forward despite challenges, seeking true path.34:40 Intuitive approach to body acceptance and healing.36:39 Healing as peeling back layers of onion.41:20 Finding safety to reduce unconscious tension and pain.44:49 Understanding mind-body connection offers valuable insights. If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Group Coaching Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before.Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program for more information! ----Be a Guest on the Podcast!Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way?If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast!Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest  ----References from this episode:Book: "Don't Believe Everything You Think: Why Your Thinking Is The Beginning & End Of Suffering" by Joseph Nguyen ----Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@savfkmusic  #chronicillness #selfhealing #personalgrowth #mindbodyconnection #sacredillnessparadigm #healingjourney #journaling #intuitivehealing #nervoussystem #chronicpainmanagement #safetyandhealing #breakthroughexperiences #supportduringhealing #dopamineboosting #wellness #mentalhealth #spiritualhealth #selfcare #mindsetshift #painperception #traumaimpact #restorativeyoga #unconscioustension #stressresponses #guestsharingexperiences #chronicstress #traumaandillness #internalhealing #mindbodymodalities #chronicillnessmanagement This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe