In this deeply vulnerable and empowering episode, I sit down with author, speaker, and somatic practitioner, Laurie James, to unpack her remarkable journey from decades of nervous system dysregulation to deep, body-based healing.

Laurie's story begins in childhood, where she endured the pain of adoption complexities, sibling abuse, and growing up in a home where she never felt truly safe. These early experiences planted the seeds of hypervigilance, self-worth struggles, and an ongoing search for belonging.

Fast forward to adulthood, Laurie faced multiple betrayals in her marriage—one that shook her to her core when her then-husband violated her deepest boundary by contacting her birth mother against her wishes, and another that emerged as a major financial betrayal impacting their family. Layered with years of caregiving for her aging parents, the stress built silently in her body until it erupted as a severe health crisis.

Laurie shares openly how chronic stress and unresolved trauma manifested physically—gut issues, anxiety, sleep disruption—and how years of talk therapy alone couldn't release what was stored in her body. The turning point came when she discovered somatic experiencing—a therapeutic approach that helps release trauma from the nervous system through gentle body awareness practices.

In our conversation, Laurie explains:

• Why trauma lives in the body and can cause chronic dysregulation for decades

• The physical symptoms and health issues that can stem from betrayal and unresolved trauma

• How somatic experiencing works and why it was the missing piece in her healing

• Practical examples of self-regulation tools you can try right now

• How to build a personalized nervous system regulation toolkit

• The importance of curiosity, presence, and "nourishing" difficult emotions rather than avoiding them

If you've ever wondered why you can't "think" your way out of anxiety, hypervigilance, or betrayal pain—this episode will give you a new perspective and hope. Lourie's story is proof that even after decades of dysregulation, it is possible to find safety, stability, and healing in your own body again.

Resources: Laurie James: https://www.laurieejames.com The 5 Stages from Betrayal to Breakthrough: https://thepbtinstitute.com/reclaim/ PBT Certification Info: https://thepbtinstitute.com/get-certified