EMBODY with Michelle Major

Michelle is pressing pause on the podcast for a short time due to work commitments and an important work project that needs a final push to get over the line!

Please remember to like & subscribe so you don't miss the episodes when we return in a couple of months time.

We look forward to sharing the next stage of our journey with you all very soon.

Thanks for all your continued support. 

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

In this episode, Michelle, is joined by Joanne Callan.  Joanne is a Holistic Therapist and Well Being Coach and a Relax Kids Coach in 2020 Joanne founded Changing Cycles a Social Enterprise that is focused on “creating a world where the cyclical nature of women is understood, integrated and respected throughout our society.”

We chat about:

• The cyclical nature of the female body
• Social norms V's biological norms
• How our culture shapes how we view our body
• The healing nature of cycles 
• Reducing shame & stigma
• The link between self-care and cycles 
• The wellness world and patriarchy 

You can contact Joanne on one of her social media platforms:


https://www.instagram.com/try.thealternative?igsh=bnNpdmdrYzM0c2Q4&utm_source=qr

https://www.instagram.com/try.thealternative?igsh=bnNpdmdrYzM0c2Q4&utm_source=qr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-callan-195a3623?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

https://www.facebook.com/trythealternative

https://www.facebook.com/changingcyclescommunity

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

In this weeks episode, Michelle, shares her views on the female empowerment culture we see played out on social media platforms.

Michelle shares:

• Why the female empowerment culture is not trauma-informed 
• The link between patriarchy, capitalism, and narcissism
• The harm caused by the promotion of privilege
• The difference between cultural norms V's biological norms 
• Why our nervous system hasn't evolved at the same rate as technology 
• The focus on image V's what's on the inside 
• Why we are more than a story and narrative 
• The power and agency of shifting the focus to our skills, qualifications, trainings & professional practice 
• How to integrate an embodied lens into female empowerment 
• How our nervous system influences what we share and how we share it

We must work together to create a new culture, a new narrative, a new world.

Be brave!

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

On this weeks episode, Michelle, shares her reflections on prioritising commitments after a busy work schedule meant this weeks podcast was a day later than usual. 

Michelle shares:

• The importance of checking in with the body before forcing ourselves to power through in order to please other people
• Extra commitments mean extra choices and options
• How to discern between these choices and options 
• Why our culture and society encourage us to power through and push through
• When fear of letting others down comes at an expense to our own wellbeing
• Welcoming in extra support and resources

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

On this weeks episode, Michelle, is joined my Matt Kovatchis & Mike David.  Matt and David are co-hosts of 'Men in the Arena' Podcast and are based across the pond in Chicago.

We chat about:

• Mens mental health
• The healing process 
• Sexuality 
• The true meaning of success
• Toxic masculinity
• Becoming more connected and authentic 
• Discerning what to share publicly  
• Cancel culture
• Support in crisis 

Resources:

You can listen to their podcast here.

You can follow them on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/menintheareana_

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

In this episode, Michelle, shares her views on self-love in a culture that promotes toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing.   When we are operating from an ego perspective acts of self-love can actually lead us to display traits of narcissism.  

Michelle shares:

• The difference between ego self-love and genuine self-love
• Alternative language for self-love  
• Self-love and the nervous system
• Self-love in our culture and society 
• Privilege and self-love
• A trauma-informed practice perspective of self-love 
• Why toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing are coping strategies for trauma
• Inviting more  curiosity & compassion into your life

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

In this episode, Michelle, shares how her spiritual journey lead her to becoming a strict vegetarian in 2005.  For 17-years, Michelle, refrained from eating any fish, chicken or meat.  Then, after discovering somatics and becoming more connected to her own body, Michelle, for the first time in almost two decades, began to get cravings for meat again.

Michelle shares:

• What motivated and influenced her decision to become a vegetarian in 2005
• Why vegetarianism is promoted and encouraged in the spiritual and wellness world
• The nuance of the nervous system and a trauma-informed practice  
• What influenced the decision to eat meat again after almost two decades of vegetarianism 
• Titration and the body
• The power of listening to our body without judgement 

Disclaimer:

Please note this is Michelle's lived experience and is no way encouraging anyone into any type of eating choice.  As a Somatic Experiencing Trauma Practitioner Michelle is pro-choice and believes that we all have the innate capacity to tune into our own body and notice what is best for us. 

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

In this episode, Michelle, is joined by Music Therapist, Louise Kelly.   Louise is also a single mum to a wonderful 17-year old son.

Louise is a highly experienced Music Therapist with 24 years experience working as a HCPC Registered Music Therapist, 17 of those devoted to children and young people specifically.  Louise is passionate about sharing a “whole body” approach to mental health and wellbeing.

This passion has led to an exciting collaboration with fellow Music Therapist Karen Diamond and the creation of Resilient Rhythms. To date Resilient Rhythms has reached over 3000 children and young people throughout Ireland and is expanding to training and equipping staff to use some of our activities and techniques within the classroom. I am adamant in my belief that early intervention is key to equipping children with the tools they need to understand and regulate their own mental and physical health.

We chat about:

• What inspired Louise to become a Music Therapist 
• The excitement and freedom of being in a band and going on tour
• Louise's passion for supporting children and young people
• The benefits of music 
• The development of Resilient Rhythms 
• The challenges with funding 
• Why we need our government to get back to Stormont 

We have a good laugh throughout this conversation and Louise very generously shares some of the tools and techniques she shares in her Resilient Rhythms programme.

You can learn more about Louise's work at:
https://resilientrhythms.co.uk/

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

In this weeks episode, Michelle, explores the complexity of regulation and why some practices that promote regulation aren't always regulating!

Michelle talks about:

• Somatics and what this word  really means 
• Why the wellness world's focus on down-regulation isn't always what the nervous system needs
• Why looking calm and relaxed isn't always the inner experience
• Regulation is not about stopping something from happening but is about allowing a full expression of what makes us deeply human
• Sometimes regulation is moving towards the thing that we would think we need to stop
• Dysregulation holds a lot of wisdom and without it we can't become regulated
• When we befriend our nervous system we become our own master, guru, and the outside noise becomes quieter as we become more connected, whole and able to discern what's good for us and what's not good for us

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx

In this weeks episode I am joined by Irish Broadcaster, Writer and Author, Barbara Scully.

During this conversation we discuss Barbara's brilliant book, her life experiences and what inspired her to write her first book.

We chat about:

• Being a single mother in Ireland in the 80's - the judgement, discrimination and harm caused by patriarchy 
• Victim blaming women & young girls 
• The importance of language and words
• The pressures of culture and society to look young
• Why the beauty industry keeps us distracted, disconnected & busy fixated on how we look rather than how we feel
• The power of creativity, freedom, and wisdom as we get older 
• The importance of humour, laughter, nature & our pets

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

If you'd like to explore how my Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy can support you, please get in touch to book a free consultation.

Registration has now opened for our trauma-informed Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training in March. Click here to learn more and register.

Warmly,

Michelle xx