Humans Are Dope | Mental Health, Trauma Healing & Personal Growth

In this episode, I explore the question of when, in their healing process, someone is ready to start connecting with others. It discusses the process of reconnecting with oneself and building a foundation of self-trust, self-compassion, and more to take with you in your connections with others.

I discuss the:

• Survival responses of fight, flight, freeze and how they relate to connection
• Idea that one must reach a certain level of healing before connecting with others.
• Natural need for connection and belonging that all humans have.
• Importance of reconnecting with oneself and building a foundation of self-trust and self-compassion.
• Value in Listening to one's body and using relationships as mirrors for self-reflection.
• Readiness for connection is a day-by-day process, and maintaining a strong relationship with oneself is essential.
• And more

Let's connect:

Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠TikTok⁠

Email: [email protected]

Website: ⁠deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.

Jenna Werner is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Happy Strong Healthy, a weight neutral, behavior focused, health first private practice that uses mindful eating, behavior change management and intuitive eating to help clients heal their relationship with food, fitness, body and self. Jenna is also the co-host of the What the Actual Fork podcast, a platform that uses research, experience and fun to help all humans realize that they are made for so much more than chasing a smaller body.

In this episode, Jenna discusses the challenges of navigating health and wellness in a society filled with misinformation and societal pressures. Jenna shares her own experience with disordered eating and the impact it had on her mental and physical health along with her knowledge as a registered dietician. 

We discuss:

• The way society prioritized disordered relationships with our food and bodies.
• How caring about your health is different from obsessing over it.
• Individualized care being crucial in health and wellness.
• The misinformation and opinions that get presented as facts about food, diet, and exercise.
• The importance of seeking support from true healthcare professionals and loved ones.
• The importance of addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of well-being alongside physical health.
• How societal pressures and the influence of media make it difficult to have a healthy relationship with food and your body.
• And more

Jenna’s resource links:

https://www.happystronghealthyrd.com/

https://www.happystronghealthyrd.com/insurance

https://www.instagram.com/happystronghealthy.rd/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-actual-fork-podcast/id1505223001

Let's connect:

Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠TikTok⁠

Email: [email protected]

Website: ⁠deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.

In this episode, I talk all about the amazing capabilities of our bodies and nervous systems to push through tough experiences and protect us without us needing to consciously do anything. I share personal examples of how my body instinctively responded to challenging situations to help with understanding the discussion and our bodies.

I discuss:

• Our bodies and nervous systems are amazing and hardwired for survival.
• Compartmentalizing emotions to focus on external demands.
• Safety and emotional processing.
• The importance of intentionally creating safety and space for connecting with ourselves and our experiences. 
• Compassion for ourselves and understanding our body's responses is important.
• And more

Let's connect:

Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠TikTok⁠

Email: [email protected]

Website: ⁠deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.

Amber Trejo is a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified clinical trauma professional who specializes in complex childhood trauma and the family system. She is the founder and CEO of Holding Hearts Counseling in Indianapolis. She is also a wife and mama to 3 wild boys on her own journey to heal from childhood trauma and break generational cycles of trauma and abuse.

In this episode, Amber shares her journey of becoming a therapist and incorporating somatic work into her practice and her own healing. Her story showcases the power of healing and growth after trauma.

We discuss:

• Important aspects of healing complex trauma
• The role of accountability in breaking the cycle of trauma and abuse
• The importance of incorporating somatic work in trauma therapy
• Practicing self-compassion and allowing for imperfections
• Challenging unrealistic expectations
• Honoring authenticity in yourself and others

Amber’s resource links:

• ⁠Website
• Instagram

Let's connect:

Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠TikTok⁠

Email: [email protected]

Website: ⁠deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.

In this episode, I dive into the difference between letting a traumatic experience go and integrating it into who we are. I explore the process of rewiring our responses and reactions to challenging experiences. 

I discuss

• Taking back your power to choose how things impact who you are and the way that you view the world and people in it.
• Rewiring our responses and reactions to challenging experiences.
• The importance of creating a sense of safety within ourselves for the healing process.
• The value in fostering a relationship with the parts of ourselves that we want to rid ourselves of.
• Self-compassion is essential throughout the healing journey and the process of change.

Let's connect:

Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠TikTok⁠

Email: [email protected]

Website: ⁠deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.

Kelli Boucher is a certified health and wellness coach, a certified Wim Hof Method instructor, a lifelong athlete, and a mom of two. It’s her mission to help others remember the interconnectedness of humans and nature, and overcome individual conditioning to live consciously and walk in alignment with who we were meant to be.

In this episode, Kelli shares her journey into wellness, including her experience with leaning on substances, childhood programing, and postpartum depression and anxiety. She explains how she discovered the power of cold exposure and the Wim Hof Method and how they have helped her. Kelli emphasizes the value of embracing struggle and choosing one's own path. 

We discuss

• Trusting yourself, your body and your process are essential in the healing process
• The power of responding over reacting
• How the Wim Hof Method can help in building mind-body connection and resilience
• Self betrayal and personal empowerment
• Separating yourself from your ego and fears
• And more

Kelli’s links:

https://www.kelliboucher.com

https://www.instagram.com/_kelliboucher/

https://www.wimhofmethod.com/instructors/kelli-boucher-2

Let's connect:

Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠TikTok⁠

Email: [email protected]

Website: ⁠deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.

In this episode, I guide you through a practice of connecting with yourself, checking in with their stress levels, and accessing more comfort. Together, we utilize our own body as a way to access more comfort and ease in our state of being. I also discuss how to you connect more deeply with the world around you and the people in it.

I discuss:

• A guided practice to notice your stress levels and gauge your current state of being.
• A guided practice for accessing more comfort inside of yourself.
• What our stressed parts need to step to momentarily step to the side.
• The key to connecting more deeply with others.

Follow along on Instagram + TikTok

Email: [email protected]

Website: deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.

Michelle Goodloe is a licensed clinical social worker, private practice therapist and workshop facilitator dedicated to helping others develop healthier relationships with themselves and with others.

Burnout has been around for centuries, but people are really only just beginning to recognize and combat it. In this episode, Michelle Goodloe, shares her personal journey with burnout and her challenges with setting boundaries as a professional giver and mother. She emphasizes the need to recognize the societal factors that contribute to burnout, the importance of a support, and prioritizing yourself. We chat about the collective state of burnout experienced by many during the pandemic and the need for healing and support. 

We cover:

• How Michelle helps individuals and communities combat burnout. 
• How to recognize the signs of burnout and societal factors that might be contributing to it.
• Defining your boundaries and your own sense of enough.
• Tips for communicating what you need.
• And more.

Michelle's resource links:

• Self-care journals
• Website
• Free newsletter
• Instagram
• Threads
• Pinterest
• X

Let's connect:

Follow along on Instagram + TikTok

Email: [email protected]

Website: deanapanza.com

In the very first episode, I share what it was like to find my voice in this podcast and other areas of my life, feeling pressures to conform to the expectations of different roles, and what I hope to create with this whole podcast series.

I discuss:

• The importance of authenticity in our relationships with ourselves and others.
• The key to creating a safe space for yourself and others to be authentic.
• How childhood experiences can shape our ability to express our authentic selves.
• The theory of authenticity vs attachment.

Follow along on Instagram + TikTok

Email: [email protected]

Website: deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.