In this episode of Breaking Free from Within, host Prairie Francia explores the power of identity shift in recovery. Instead of focusing only on what you’re resisting, identity-based recovery asks you to step into who you want to become.

Identity is the story we tell ourselves about who we are. According to Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, identity formation is central to human growth (Erikson, 1968). But addiction often hijacks identity, leading people to internalize labels like “I’m broken” or “I’m just an addict.” These narratives fuel shame and disconnection.

Research shows that identity-based habits are far more sustainable than behavior-focused ones (Clear, 2018). Neuroscience also confirms that when we act in alignment with our desired identity, the prefrontal cortex — responsible for long-term decision-making — strengthens its pathways for self-regulation (Heatherton, 2011). In short: every identity-aligned choice literally rewires the brain.

Listeners will be guided through a reflective exercise: “Who do you want to be 90 days from now?” This visualization practice helps you embody your future self, making values-driven choices feel natural and empowering.

For treatment providers, Prairie highlights how the Empowered Recovery Curriculum equips facilitators with scripts, group prompts, and worksheets to help clients shift from focusing on avoidance to anchoring in new identities. Research in Identity-Based Motivation Theory supports this approach, showing that aligning behavior with identity increases motivation and resilience (Oyserman, 2009).

Resources

• 21-Day Breaking Free Challenge → alignmentwithprairieyana.com/21day
• 28-Day Clean Body Reboot → alignmentwithprairieyana.com/cleanbodyreboot
• Empowered Recovery Course → alignmentwithprairieyana.com/recoverycourse

Empowered Recovery Curriculum (for practitioners) →[email protected]

• OutSourse Doers Referral: https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/outsourced-doers-referral
• Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and Crisis. Norton.
• Oyserman, D. (2009). Identity-based motivation: Implications for action-readiness, procedural-readiness, and consumer behavior. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 19(3), 250–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2009.06.001
• Oyserman, D., Elmore, K., & Smith, G. (2012). Self, self-concept, and identity. In M. R. Leary & J. P. Tangney (Eds.), Handbook of Self and Identity (2nd ed., pp. 69–104). Guilford Press.
• Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits. Avery. https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits

Heatherton, T. F. (2011). Neuroscience of self and self-regulation. Annual Review of Psychology, 62, 363–390.https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.121208.131616

What do you truly stand for? In this episode of Breaking Free from Within, host Prairie Francia explores how values-based recovery helps individuals and treatment providers anchor decisions in what matters most.

Values are the compass that guide our lives — qualities like honesty, family, freedom, or health. According to Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1977), values are shaped early through modeling and parental influence. But in the chaos of addiction, people-pleasing, or survival mode, values often get buried.

Prairie paints a vivid picture: a parent who values family and honesty finds themselves lying to cover up their drinking and missing their child’s soccer games. This disconnect, research shows, leads to shame and further disconnection (Miller & C’de Baca, 2001). But values never disappear — they can be reclaimed.

From a neuroscience perspective, clarifying values strengthens the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s executive control center responsible for decision-making. Studies in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience show that reflecting on personal values activates self-control networks, making it easier to resist short-term cravings (Harris et al., 2009).

Listeners are guided through a Motivational Interviewing visualization: “If I were living fully in alignment with my top three values, what would my day look like?” This practice turns values from abstract words into embodied action.

For practitioners and treatment centers, Prairie introduces the Empowered Recovery Curriculum, which provides values card-sort exercises, group reflections, and structured tools for integrating values into recovery work.

Whether you’re uncovering your personal “why” or helping clients reconnect to theirs, this episode reminds us that values aren’t about perfection — they’re about direction. Each choice in alignment with your values rewires the brain, restores integrity, and leads you back to a life that feels authentic and free.

References Mentioned:

👉 For individuals: explore your “why” with the

21-Day Breaking Free Challenge, reset your health with the

28-Day Clean Body Reboot, or sustain transformation through the

Empowered Recovery Course.

👉 For practitioners and treatment centers: the Empowered Recovery Curriculum equips your team with evidence-based, values-centered tools to support client transformation.

CONTACT: [email protected]

Outsource Doers: Get referred

In this Episode:

Episode 28: Cravings and the Brain: Beyond Food and Substance

Why do cravings feel so powerful — whether it’s for chocolate, alcohol, or even your phone? In this episode of Breaking Free from Within, host Prairie Francia dives into the neuroscience of cravings and explains why they often have less to do with desire and more to do with emotional avoidance.

Cravings activate the brain’s reward pathway, flooding it with dopamine in anticipation of relief (Volkow & Morales, 2015). In fact, research shows that the anticipation of a reward can be stronger than the reward itself (Berridge & Robinson, 2016). This is why cravings can feel overwhelming and why indulging doesn’t always satisfy.

Prairie also explores the psychology behind cravings as forms of experiential avoidance (Hayes et al., 1996). Stress, loneliness, boredom, or grief often hide beneath the surface. The craving is not the problem — it’s the signal pointing to an unmet need.

Listeners will be guided through a simple reflective listening exercise: the next time a craving arises, pause and ask, “What need might this craving be pointing to?” This shift from resistance to curiosity creates space for empowered choices.

For practitioners, Prairie highlights how the Empowered Recovery Curriculum equips treatment centers, outpatient programs, and recovery coaches with tools to reframe cravings, reduce shame, and build sustainable recovery strategies.

Resources Mentioned

🌱 21-Day Breaking Free Challenge – Practice awareness and new responses:

www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/21-day-breaking-free-challenge

🌱 28-Day Clean Body Reboot – Reset your body and remove physical triggers:

www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/the-clean-body-reboot

🌱 Empowered Recovery Course – Learn to decode cravings and rewire for lasting change:

www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/the-clean-body-reboot

📚 Empowered Recovery Curriculum (for practitioners) – A complete program for treatment centers and outpatient settings: [email protected]

💻 Build your recovery or wellness business with VA support: Outsourced Doers Referral Link

References

• Volkow, N.D., & Morales, M. (2015). The Brain on Drugs: From Reward to Addiction. Cell, 162(4), 712–725.
• Berridge, K.C., & Robinson, T.E. (2016). Liking, wanting, and the incentive-sensitization theory of addiction. American Psychologist, 71(8), 670–679.
• Doidge, N. (2007). The Brain That Changes Itself. Viking.
• Hayes, S. C., Wilson, K. G., Gifford, E. V., Follette, V. M., & Strosahl, K. D. (1996). Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(6), 1152–1168.

✨ Ready to break free from cravings? Tune in, reflect deeply, and take your next step toward alignment and empowered living.

In this episode of Breaking Free from Within, host Prairie Francia explores the habit loop—a powerful framework that explains why we repeat the same behaviors even when we want to change. Drawing from neuroscience, recovery coaching, and motivational interviewing, Prairie breaks down the cycle of cue → craving → response → reward and shows how we can begin to shift it.

Listeners will learn how everyday triggers—whether stress, boredom, or emotional pain—set off cravings that lead to automatic responses. Using examples from both substance recovery and everyday habits like overeating or scrolling, Prairie illustrates how the brain’s dopamine system reinforces these loops over time (Volkow & Morales, 2015; Duhigg, 2012).

Through guided motivational interviewing prompts, you’ll reflect on your top three triggers and explore one new way to respond this week. For practitioners and helping professionals, Prairie also shares how the Empowered Recovery Curriculum offers ready-to-teach tools for group and individual work, helping clients reframe behaviors as patterns to rewire rather than moral failings.

To support your journey:

– The 21-Day Breaking Free Challenge gives you a starting point to experiment with new choices.

– The 28-Day Clean Body Reboot helps remove physical triggers like sugar, alcohol, and inflammation.

– The Empowered Recovery Course provides a complete framework for lasting change in sobriety, relationships, and aligned living.

-Get Referred to OutSource Doers

Whether you’re navigating recovery yourself or guiding others, this episode will remind you that habits aren’t destiny—they’re loops we can break, rebuild, and transform.

References

• Duhigg, Charles. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. (2012) — https://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/
• Volkow, N.D., & Morales, M. (2015). The Brain on Drugs: From Reward to Addiction. Cell, 162(4), 712–725 — https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.07.046
• Hebb, D. O. The Organization of Behavior. (1949) — foundational neuroscience text.

Doidge, Norman. The Brain That Changes Itself. (2007) —https://normandoidge.com

In Episode 1 of Season 3, Rewiring Your Brain: The Science of Change, Prairie Francia blends cutting-edge neuroscience with energetic alignment practices to show how habits are formed—and can be remade. You’ll learn how dopamine anticipation drives behavior, why neuroplasticity holds the key to transformation, and how to practically apply those insights in recovery. Tune in for built-in reflection moments, a motivational interviewing prompt, and a preview of the Empowered Recovery Course, 21-Day Breaking Free Challenge, and 28-Day Clean Body Reboot—your guided pathways to healing.

Bonus Resources Mentioned:

• Empowered Recovery Course – a self-paced, trauma-informed online recovery coaching program for lasting healing.
• 21‑Day Breaking Free Challenge – daily rituals and mindset prompts designed to help you shift back into clarity and conscious choice.
• 28‑Day Clean Body Reboot – a holistic detox plan combining nourishing meal guides, gentle movement, and daily practices to reset body and mind.

• Outsource Doers Referrals -Want to Hire a VA Too? I’ll Personally Refer You.

References

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – Recovery and Recovery Support.

Retrieved from: https://www.samhsa.gov/recovery

2. Volkow, N. D. – National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction.

Retrieved from: https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction

3. Merzenich, M. M. – Neuroplasticity Research and Brain Adaptation.

University of California, San Francisco.

Retrieved from: https://www.theresearchnetwork.com/merzenich-neuroplasticity

4. Schultz, W. (2015). Neuronal Reward and Decision Signals: From Theories to Data.

Physiological Reviews, 95(3), 853–951.

Retrieved from: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physrev.00023.2014

5. American Psychiatric Association – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Retrieved from: https://psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm

6. University of New South Wales – Extinction and Replacement Learning in Addiction Recovery.

Retrieved from: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom

7. Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. – Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change.

New York: The Guilford Press.

In this episode, Prairie Francia breaks down what your cravings are really trying to tell you—and how to respond with self-awareness and aligned action. Drawing from her expertise as a health coach, SUD counselor, and energy mentor, Prairie reveals the dual nature of cravings: some are biological cries for nutrients, and others are emotional attempts to fill an internal void.

She explains how gut imbalances like Candida can hijack your thoughts, how the dopamine system fuels compulsive behavior, and how energetic misalignment impacts what you consume. Prairie also shares her own journey of numbing through food and alcohol—and how the Clean Body Reboot helped her realign her health, motivation, and life path.

This episode is packed with science-backed wisdom, energetic insight, and compassionate guidance for anyone ready to heal from the inside out.

🎧 Listen now to understand:

• How nutrient deficiencies drive powerful cravings
• Why emotional avoidance disguises itself as hunger
• What your body is really asking for when it wants sugar, carbs, or alcohol
• How the Clean Body Reboot can help you break patterns and return to your true self

Get "The Ultimate Guide to Clean Eating" free.

✨ Visit alignmentwithprairieyana.com to join now

www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com

OutSource Doers: Get Your Doer Today! Referral Link

https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/outsourced-doers-referral

21-Day Breaking Free Challenge

https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/21-day-breaking-free-challenge

Sugar, grains, alcohol, and inflammatory oils might be the reason you feel stuck, swollen, or fatigued—even if you’re trying to eat “healthy.” In this episode, Prairie Francia breaks down the science behind modern inflammation, the importance of gut and lymphatic health, and how your body type plays a role in how you metabolize these substances. Learn the truth about hidden ingredients, sugar addiction, and the dangers of normalizing inflammation. It’s time to reset—lovingly and powerfully—with the Clean Body Reboot.

📌 RESOURCES & LINKS

✨ Download your FREE Clean Eating Worksheet in the adjoining article to this episode

https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/blog-1/inflammation-emotional-eating-food-substance

✨ Join the the Clean Body Reboot

https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/the-clean-body-reboot

DM “REBOOT” to Prairie on Instagram @alignment_with_prairieyana

✨ Explore the Empowered Recovery Course

https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/

✨ Hire a Virtual Assistant through Outsourced Doers (Prairie’s referral link)

https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/outsourced-doers-referral

✨ Follow Prairie on Instagram

https://instagram.com/alignment_with_prairieyana

References:

1. Sugar and Immune Dysfunction (Frontiers in Immunology): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2019.00307/full
2. Gut Microbiome Disruption by Sugar: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31809242/
3. High Fructose Corn Syrup and Metabolic Dysfunction (AJCN): https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/88/6/1733S/4649021
4. Seed Oils, Omega-6s, and Inflammation (Nutrients Journal): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468859/
5. Alcohol, Cortisol, and Mental Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6679472/
6. Brown, A.J.P., et al. (2014). Stress adaptation in a pathogenic fungus. Trends in Microbiology, 22(12), 657–665. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2014.09.002

Discover the root causes of chronic inflammation, why gut health and the lymphatic system matter more than you think, and how the 28-Day Clean Body Reboot helps you reduce bloating, balance hormones, and release emotional eating patterns—naturally.

Mentioned Links:

Clean Body Reboot: https://mailchi.mp/37301ad7c79a/the-clean-body-reboot-28-days-to-restore-your-energy-shed-inflammation-and-awaken-your-power

21 Day Breaking Free Challenge: https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/21-day-breaking-free-challenge

Outsourced Dooers Referral: https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/outsourced-doers-referral

"What's My Aligned Sobriety Path?" Quiz: https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/my-sobriety-quiz

Empowered Recovery Course: https://www.alignmentwithprairieyana.com/empowered-recovery-course-online-coaching

Your body holds stories—some you’re conscious of, and others live quietly in your organs, waiting to be heard and released.

In this episode of Breaking Free From Within, host Prairie Francia explores the energetic language of your organs, blending ancient wisdom with modern science to illuminate how emotional energy—like grief, fear, anger, and shame—gets stored in the liver, lungs, kidneys, gut, and more.

You’ll learn:

• Organ-emotion maps from Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda
• How the heart’s electromagnetic field affects intuition + coherence
• Scientific evidence behind gut-brain and somatic trauma responses
• Five powerful breath + touch rituals to clear energetic blocks
• Why healing the body’s energy centers restores alignment and unlocks your power to manifest

This episode is for anyone ready to feel lighter, more connected, and fully present in their body again.

Because true manifestation begins when your vessel is clear.

✨ Plus, an invitation to Prairie’s free Clean Body Reboot Workshop on July 15th. Don’t miss it.

💫 Join the Free Workshop: Reset Your Body, Reignite Your Energy — July 15, 2025

→https://mailchi.mp/6235076802b2/free-workshop

🧘‍♀️ Ready to align your body and energy? Join the waitlist for the Clean Body Reboot starting August 1.

→ alignmentwithprairieyana.com/clean-body-reboot

→ PDF Worksheet

Cited Sources + Inspirations:

• Traditional Chinese Medicine: The Web That Has No Weaver by Ted Kaptchuk; TCM organ-emotion correspondence teachings
• Ayurveda: Prakriti by Dr. Robert Svoboda; doshic theory of organ-mind connection
• HeartMath Institute: Research on heart rate variability and electromagnetic field coherence https://www.heartmath.org
• Somatic Psychology: Peter Levine’s Waking the Tiger (trauma in the body)
• Biofield Science: Beverly Rubik’s work on subtle energy and biophysics

Reiki + Energy Healing Traditions: Chakra-organ associations and vibrational release practices

The Body Pillar: Reclaiming Energy, Releasing Inflammation, and Realigning with the Clean Body Reboot

Summary:

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Prairie Francia opens up about her own journey through inflammation, emotional eating, alcohol dependence, and energetic disconnection—and how her 28-day Clean Body Reboot became the catalyst that helped her reclaim her vitality and focus.

As a Certified Health Coach, SUD Counselor, and Energetic Alignment Mentor, Prairie teaches the Body Pillar of alignment—how physical health is the foundation of clarity, confidence, and energetic freedom.

You’ll learn:

• Why calorie reduction (done right) promotes detox and fat burning
• How gut health impacts your mood, cravings, and mental clarity
• The truth about sugar, alcohol, and inflammation—and how to break the cycle
• Why movement doesn’t have to be extreme to be effective
• The importance of lymphatic support and energetic release
• How structure and group support make transformation sustainablePlus, Prairie introduces her Clean Body Reboot—a 28-day system for clearing inflammation, reconnecting to your body, and coming back into full alignment.

📝 Join the waitlist to get access to the free Clean Body Reboot Blueprint, meal plans, group support, and lifetime access to the full challenge.

🎧 Listen now and take the first step toward reclaiming your energy.

• Join the Clean Body Reboot Waitlist & Download the Clean Body Reboot Blueprint
• Follow Prairie on Instagram: @alignment_with_PrairieYana