Kaleidoscope of Possibilities

EP 118 – Healing Traumatic Imprints in The Body with Carla Shohet

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To watch the video of this podcast, please go to: https://youtu.be/HnKzDLlBV3g?si=vT3xfQZDR9z5Unez

 

Have you ever felt like you're stuck in a loop of managing symptoms, constantly battling anxiety or chronic pain without ever getting to the root of the problem?

Have you been told to "get over" your past, only to feel like your body holds a different story?

 

In this episode of Kaleidoscope of Possibilities, Dr. Adriana Popescu explores why traditional talk therapy and a "mindset-only" approach often fall short in healing trauma. She's joined by Carla Shohet, a psychologist with 25 years of experience, and together they dive into the crucial shift from cognitive-based talk therapy to body-based somatic practices for healing trauma.

Carla shares her personal journey of discovering she was carrying unaddressed trauma from narcissistic abuse, and how her professional training in psychology hadn't prepared her to deal with the physiological imprint of trauma. This realization led her to develop her integrative approach, which focuses on reconnecting with the body and restoring nervous system health.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling stuck on their healing path and seeking a new, more profound way forward.

 

In this episode:

  • Carla’s road to becoming an integrative trauma psychologist, nervous system health practitioner, and creator of the THANARA Healing Program and the NTN Pathway method.
  • Trauma lives in the body, not just the mind, and you can't truly separate psychology from physiology.
  • The conventional approach of talk therapy for trauma can sometimes leave individuals feeling more traumatized because it doesn't address the energy held in the body.
  • The education about the nervous system as our "operating system" should be taught from a young age because it is foundational to both mental and physical well-being.
  • Chronic stress and unprocessed trauma can make you physically ill, leading to a "worn-out nervous system" and conditions like IBS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and other chronic pain.
  • The "NTN Pathway" stands for "Now, Then, Next" and is Carla's sequenced model for healing, which prioritizes building nervous system capacity before engaging in trauma therapies.
  • Trauma-informed practices are crucial, as powerful healing modalities like yoga, meditation, and even EMDR can be retraumatizing if done without an understanding of the nervous system and a client's capacity.

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    Resources mentioned in this episode:

    • Carla’s Website: https://carlashohet.com/
    • Carla's Program: THANARA Healing Program: https://carlashohet.com/thanara-waitlist
    • Carla's Podcast: Time to Unlearn: https://timetounlearnpodcast.com/
    • Healing Modalities: IFS, Somatic Experiencing, Feldenkrais, Brainspotting, Hypnotherapy, TRE (Trauma Release Exercises), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Polyvagal Theory
    • Mentioned Experts: Dan Siegel, Deb Dana

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      About Carla:

      Carla Shohet is an Integrative Trauma Psychologist, nervous system health practitioner, and the creator of the THANARA healing program and the NTN Pathway Method. With a 25-year background in psychology and somatic therapy, Carla helps individuals and professionals heal from complex trauma, chronic pain, and narcissistic abuse by reconnecting to safety in the body and restoring nervous system health. Her work blends cutting-edge neuroscience with deeply compassionate, body-based practices, drawing from modalities like IFS, Somatic Experiencing, Feldenkrais, Brainspotting, Hypnotherapy, and more. Carla also hosts the podcast Time to Unlearn, where she shares education, hope, and healing with a global audience.

       

      “Trauma can be something really small... And it can be an accumulation of chronic stress through life... And that literally burns the engine.” – Carla

       

      Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopeofpossibilitiespodcast/)

       

      About your host:

      Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, author, speaker and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide. She is the author of the book, What If You're Not As F***d Up As You Think You Are?

      For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit: https://adrianapopescu.org/

      To find the book please visit: https://whatifyourenot.com/

      To learn about her trauma treatment center Firebird Healing, please visit the website: https://www.firebird-healing.com/

       

      You can also follow her on social media:

      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/

      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en

      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793

      Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dradrianapopescu

      Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCflL0zScRAZI3mEnzb6viVA

      TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dradrianapopescu?

      Medium: https://medium.com/@dradrianapopescu

       

      Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions.

      This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.

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      Kaleidoscope of PossibilitiesBy Dr. Adriana Popescu
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