This is the final episode for Authentic Wellness Season One. I hope with my whole heart that this series has been informative and received well by many. When I intitally had the idea to create a podcast in 2022, never in my wildest dreams would I think to have produced a whole series of episodes within such a short time with so much detail and time put into each one. I wanted nothing but the best for survivors of CPTSD who have endured prolonged pain and hunger for hope. 
I want this series to be a small beginning for a door to healing, a start of a journey, and an empowering force for people who challenge the stereotypical methods of healing. We are all so incredibly different and it would never be fair for someone to only provide them with just one option to thrive. 
With this final episode the message is brief, simple, and a bit broad. However, this was done with the purpose of not letting survivors and victims of abuse feel like my suggestions are the only route to healing. If my trauma has taught me anything it is to follow my gut, to seek my truth, and to not engage in things I am weary of. It all comes with regaining that control and moving at your own pace to heal. It is your timeline. No one else has a say in your story narrative. 
So until my next season I wish all my listeners the best in everything. I hope you all continue to live Authentically Well. 

This episode is one I would consider a bonus episode. When looking at my drafts I chose to use this recording in order to spread awareness on an alarming subject that deteriorates mental health at all stages of life.  As someone with CPTSD, loneliness and lack of support were the two areas that significantly shaped my outcome and ability to learn emotional regulation. In this episode I share vulnerable areas that shaped me and provide an explanation as to why loneliness is such a profound factor in many peoples lives. What can be done about this and how can we target current behaviors that resulted from chronic loneliness in childhood? Tune in to learn more! 

There are critical moments in a person's life that changes their whole perception on healthcare and the way the person will make choices going forward. In this slightly controversial episode we look at the big debate between Big Pharma and alternative/ natural medicine. I shed a light on the corruption brought about by the pharmaceutical industry and how it can impact the lives of individuals who have struggled to obtain quality health to manage chronic disease. Join me as I share my personal story on my decision to switch to alternative and holistic healing, while pinpointing root causes of previous health mistakes made and how I chose to move forward with my new outlook of healing. 

https://drsebiscellfood.com/

Astin JA. Why Patients Use Alternative Medicine: Results of a National Study. JAMA. 1998;279(19):1548–1553. doi:10.1001/jama.279.19.1548

Bad Pharma: How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patients. By Ben Goldacre. Faber & Faber, 2013. 456 pages. Paperback. 

From what we've learned in previous episodes it is no question that our childhood can be a determining factor in the direction our health will take. Join me in this episode for a discussion on how our experiences as children can impact our longterm health. How my health was forever changed as a result of what I lived through at a young age. How my current battle with an autoimmune disorder can be traced to patterns from childhood and adverse childhood experiences. In this episode we dive deeper into the connection between thyroid and hormone health over time and how inflammation can be the root cause to many illnesses becoming present in adulthood. 

https://childmind.org/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/

This week we come across a topic so relevant to many individuals. Whether or not you struggle with your mental health, coping is an unconscious action that aids human survival. Who are we if we cannot cope? Join me on this discussion on how coping mechanisms help victims of childhood trauma survive and manage adversity. This short episode sheds light on real behaviors that travel with us as we age and develop. The study of CPTSD is rooted on these small but very significant topics that can reveal so much about human behavior and how our minds work to support us. Let's embrace this concept of coping with acceptance and open-mindedness.

Algorani EB, Gupta V. Coping Mechanisms. [Updated 2023 Apr 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559031/

Here is the fourth episode of Authentic Wellness. Definitely the episode that started it all! Tune in to hear the origins of why this podcast exists. Why a small assignment and small interest in the brain transformed my whole healing journey and ignited a desire in me to educate people on the complexities that trauma can have on development. 

Resources:

https://www.dbsalliance.org/

○Aas, M., Dieset, I., Mørch, R., Steen, N. E., Hope, S., Reponen, E. J., Laskemoen, J. F., Ueland, T., Aukrust, P., Melle, I., Agartz, I., & Andreassen, O. A. (2019). Reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor is associated with childhood trauma experiences and number of depressive episodes in severe mental disorders. Schizophrenia Research, 205, 45–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2018.08.007

○Danese, A., & van Harmelen, A.-L. (2017). The hidden wounds of childhood trauma. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 8(sup7), 137584–3. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2017.1375840

○Jones, C. W., Esteves, K. C., Gray, S. A. ., Clarke, T. N., Callerame, K., Theall, K. P., & Drury, S. S. (2019). The transgenerational transmission of maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): Insights from placental aging and infant autonomic nervous system reactivity. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 106, 20–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.03.022

○Kim, S., Kim, J. S., Jin, M. J., Im, C.-H., & Lee, S.-H. (2018). Dysfunctional frontal lobe activity during inhibitory tasks in individuals with childhood trauma: An event-related potential study. NeuroImage Clinical, 17, 935–942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2017.12.034

○Kuzminskaite, E., Vinkers, C. H., Elzinga, B. M., Wardenaar, K. J., Giltay, E. J., & Penninx, B. W. J. . (2020). Childhood trauma and dysregulation of multiple biological stress systems in adulthood: Results from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Psychoneuroendocrinology, 121, 104835–104835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104835

○Meyer, P.-W., Müller, L. E., Zastrow, A., Schmidinger, I., Bohus, M., Herpertz, S. C., & Bertsch, K. (2016). Heart rate variability in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder or borderline personality disorder: relationship to early life maltreatment. Journal of Neural Transmission, 123(9), 1107–1118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1584-8

○O’Hare, C., McCrory, C., O’Leary, N., O’Brien, H., & Kenny, R. A. (2017). Childhood trauma and lifetime syncope burden among older adults. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 97, 63–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.03.019

In this episode of Authentic Wellness I focus on the concept of childhood trauma within the schools. Essentially, what does it mean to have trauma from being in any education system? How are American education systems setting minority students up to fail and how does early academic setback impact an individuals education career? These questions and more are brought about when discussing CPTSD and ones schooling ordeals. There is also discussion on how we can work towards aiding current students and change the way schools and teachers work with students coming from dysfunctional homes. 

https://www.nea.org/

Jeynes, W. H. (2015). A Meta-Analysis on the Factors That Best Reduce the Achievement Gap. Education and Urban Society, 47(5), 523-554. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013124514529155

In this episode I am discussing the ins and outs of The ACE Score. ACE standing for “Adverse Childhood Experiences.” We cannot talk about Complex trauma without recognizing this world renowned study that revealed so much about one of the worlds greatest health epidemics. Tune in to learn more about the ACE score and what has become of it decades after the original study. 

Literature, Resources and References from the episode:

Burke Harris, N. (2018). The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-term Effects of Childhood Adversity. United States: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

https://stopabusecampaign.org

https://centerforyouthwellness.org

https://burkefoundation.org/what-drives-us/adverse-childhood-experiences-aces/

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/about.html

https://www.ted.com/speakers/nadine_burke_harris_1

Welcome to my first episode in this new series titled Authentic Wellness. In this episode I go into a deeper explanation on defining the ins and outs of CPTSD and share my story that lead to my diagnosis.