In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Dr. Erika Yourdan, a licensed therapist and counselor, where they discuss how to use systemic thinking and nature-based healing to bridge the gap between your past and your present, helping you claim your rightful place as a cycle breaker. 

Together they explore the feeling of psychological homelessness, where the fractures in our family history leave us feeling disconnected from our roots and our sense of belonging. 

About Dr. Erika Yourdan

Dr. Erika Yourdan is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, addiction counselor, and certified EMDR practitioner based in Abilene, Texas. As a systemic thinker, Dr. Yourdan specializes in looking beyond individual symptoms to uncover the complex web of relational and ancestral transmissions that shape our lives.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Understand Psychological Homelessness: Recognize that the feeling of not fitting in often stems from a lack of emotional or ancestral safety. Healing begins when we acknowledge this displacement and start building an internal sense of home.
• The Power of Relational Transmission: Learn how trauma isn't just an event, but a vibe or way of relating that is passed down through generations. By identifying these systemic patterns, you can stop the copy-paste of trauma in your own life.
• Regulate Your Nervous System with Eco-Therapy: Discover how connecting with nature—whether through a hike or simply sitting with a tree—can help ground your felt senses and provide the safety your brain needs to process difficult family histories.
• The Logic of Safety: Move beyond the just do it scared mentality. Dr. Yourdan explains how to logic your way into safety by reminding your brain that the current environment is secure, allowing you to take steps forward, sideways, or even back with grace.
• Embrace Your Role as a Cycle Breaker: Accept your calling as a disruptor or transitional character. You don't have to heal generations of wounds in one day; even a single, small step is enough to start changing the story for your descendants.

Resources Mentioned

• What is Polyvagal Theory?
• Dr. Laurel Thorton

Connect with Dr. Erika Yourdan

https://thesumofyoucounseling.com/

Connect with the Show

• Website: justlikenana.com
• Share Your Story: If you have a family story or trauma you’re exploring, reach out via our website for a chance to be interviewed.

Connect with Just Like Nana's Website.

A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

Theme music by Carter Penny.