…But you can survive and thrive in hardship. You don’t need to be afraid of hard things. You can handle them.

In this Episode:

-Two Truths:

-1) In life, you are not in control. You have to surrender and allow.

-2) But, in life, you do have some control.

-These truths seem contradictory, but they’re both true at the same time.

-Let’s use 2026 as an invitation to take control over our mindsets.

-This year, let’s learn to rewrite our relationship to fear and rewrite our relationship to threat. That we have control over. And that heals chronic pain.

-And, in this episode, you’ll get to hear the story behind my cowboy hat.

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Journal Prompt Recommendation: “Even though I ___, I want ___.”

–

Find Sean:

Visit My Website to Learn More or to Request a Consultation for Therapy

Click Here to Ask a Question on the Podcast

–

Sean’s Free Email List: Join the List for Free Updates and Advice

–

…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mindbody healing.

Take a peek behind the scenes of Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain. If you enjoy the podcast, this’ll be fun. It’s the end of the year, most people are just chillin’, so let’s chill too. And it’ll also be educational. Join in for a good time.

In this episode:

-The process of recording a podcast when you have a TMS personality like me.

-Mind-body reactions I've experienced while recording.

-A clip from my first practice recording :)

-This podcast is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.

-Letting go of "myself," and letting my "self" take over.

-Influences who have impacted the podcast.

-Ratings and reviews. And...if you're reading this, it's time for you to add your rating and write your review. So, scroll over to them stars and do your thing.

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Find Me:

Visit My Website to: Request a Consultation for Individual Therapy

Click Here to: Ask a Question on the Podcast

Free Email Updates: Join the List for Free Updates and Advice

–

Resources from the episode:

bell hooks in Conversation with Gloria Steinem

bell hooks in Conversation with Chirlane McCray

bell hooks in Conversation with Cornel West

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…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mindbody healing.

For those who celebrate, it’s that time of year. We’re dealing with the combo of holiday childhood nostalgia …and trauma.

Where does your chronic pain come from? And your chronic symptoms? It’s not your old injury. It’s not your undetectable embedded infection. It’s your trauma—and the patterns of self-abandonment your trauma caused.

In this episode:

-Nostalgia from my childhood Christmases.

-The complex dynamics of interpersonal trauma.

-Trauma isn’t what you’ve been through, it’s how it impacted you.

-A core impact of trauma: it leaves you more oriented towards self-abandonment than self-attunement.

-Self-abandonment causes emotional repression and chronic pain.

-Self-attunement is the work of healing from trauma.

-Self-attunement is the work of healing from chronic pain.

-Today, we get deep into self-attunement.

-…and the profound connection between self-attunement and healing chronic pain.

–

Find Sean:

Visit My Website to: Request a Consultation for Therapy

Click Here to: Ask a Question on the Podcast

–

Sean’s Free Email List: Join the List for Free Updates and Advice

–

…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mindbody healing.

Nora’s been where you’ve been–in the depths of despair over her symptoms. She had severe back pain, terrible IBS, and truly all-consuming insomnia. Now, she’s fully recovered from all of the above. Listen to her amazing story for inspiration and for guidance.

Nora’s the co-founder and developer of a mindbody recovery app called Nervana. (Nervana, like nervous system meets nirvana.) Good, right? Nervana is brand new, it’s informed by the latest research, and it uses state-of-the-art technology to deliver mindbody healing to you. You can be one of the first to try Nervana, Search Nervana in the App Store or find Nervana online at trynervana.com. Use code SEAN50 for $50 off.

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Try Nervana:

Search Nervana in the App Store

Find Nervana Online: trynervana.com

Use code SEAN50 for $50 off at checkout

–

Find Sean:

Visit My Website to: Request a Consultation for Therapy

Click Here to: Ask a Question on the Podcast

–

Sean’s Free Email List: Join the List for Free Updates and Advice

–

Resources mentioned in today’s episode:

Waking Up App (for Meditation and Mindfulness)

Curable App

TMS Wiki

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…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mindbody healing.

Most discussions about breaking intergenerational trauma cycles are discussions about parenting. Awesome. That's great. And... what if you don't have children? What will you pass on? Does your healing matter to anyone aside from yourself? Join us for a conversation about breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma when you're gay and/or when you don't have children.

In this episode:

• A vision I had in a dream (...yeah)
• Some personal examples of intergenerational trauma
• Breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma
• A discussion of the unique energy that you carry in your being
• The universal human need to be seen and known
• An invitation for you to explore how you can help heal intergenerational trauma simply by putting your energy out into the world
• An invitation to ask yourself: Will my healing matter to anyone aside from me?

–

Find Sean:

Visit my website to: Request a Consultation for Therapy

Click here to: Ask a Question on the Podcast

Free Email Updates: Join the List for Free Updates and Advice

–

…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mind-body healing.

Amy Yarin’s had over 30 different diagnoses. Back pain, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, tinnitus, idiopathic hypersomnia, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, car accident, an extra rib, opioid addiction.... She was bed-bound with “24-hour 1500/10 pain.”

And now she’s doing great! Isn’t that wild? If you doubt the power of mind-body work, this episode is for you. Join us for Amy’s astounding TMS recovery story. This is a modern-day miracle.

–

Find Sean:

Visit my website to: Request a consultation for individual therapy

Click here to: Ask a question on the podcast

–

Resources from today’s episode:

YouTube | Gigi Cockell / Dan Buglio Interview

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…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mind-body healing.

Freedom from pain. We all talk about it. We all want it. But… what does freedom really mean? What does freedom mean to you?

In this episode:

• A few mind-body client testimonials
• The importance of “freedom” as a value
• Cultural associations with the term “freedom”
• Confusion about the meaning of “freedom”
• The co-opting of the term “freedom”
• The tendency we have, as people who’ve suffered from chronic pain, to ignore our inner guidance and, instead, take cues from the external world. But external cues don’t always apply to our inner selves.
• An invitation to tune in to yourself to ask, “What does freedom mean to you?”

Mentioned in this episode:

• WNYC | The Brian Lehrer Show
• Anat Shenker-Osorio
• Words to Win By Podcast
• Nina Simone: I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free

–

Find Sean:

Visit my website to: Request a consultation for individual therapy

Click here to: Ask a question on the podcast

–

…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mind-body healing.

Caryn Sherbet, LMSW (they/she) is a trans nonbinary therapist who specializes in OCD, chronic pain, and sexual trauma. Often, they work at the intersection of all three. Caryn talks about how patterns of avoidance tie all three together. They talk about the need to move away from "fixing" and "controlling" in order to heal. They talk about learning to tolerate existentially intolerable phenomena. They talk about making sacrifices in order to be true to yourself and true to your body. And they talk about how healing does not happen easily for everyone. Healing, sometimes, is a long, deep project, especially for people living with a lot of trauma and with a lot of fear. We talk about managing expectations in Pain Reprocessing Therapy.

Caryn highlights the difficulties the trans community faces when it comes to feeling “safe.”

And let me say: we, as a society, need to do better. We need to create the possibility of safety for all people. That includes trans people. On that front, we have a lot of work to do.

This is a great conversation. Join us.

Also, in this episode, Caryn and I discuss various therapies, most of which are referred to by acronyms. So – if you’re interested, or if you’re confused – here’s a list of the therapies we mention:

PRT: Pain Reprocessing Therapy

CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy

IFS: Internal Family Systems Therapy

ERP: Exposure and Response Prevention (treatment for OCD)

ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

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Find Caryn:

Website: www.carynsherbettherapy.com

Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/caryn-sherbet-new-york-ny/1043122

–

Find Sean:

Visit my website: Request a consultation for individual therapy

Click here to: Ask a question on the podcast

–

Other Resources from Today’s Episode:

Kristina Armenakis: www.kristinaarmenakis.com

B. F. Skinner and Extinction in Psychology

Triska Psychotherapy: www.triskapsychotherapy.com

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…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mind-body healing.

Don't forget your daily practice :) Healing pain is a journey. Often, it’s a journey with many steps. What steps are you taking? Here are some excellent ideas – tried and true suggestions – for you.

–

Find Sean:

Visit my website to: Request a consultation for individual therapy

Click here to: Ask a question on the podcast

–

…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mindbody healing.

Shame is an emotion, not a thought, not a belief. Shame is something to feel. The feeling of shame kicks off negative thoughts and beliefs...but what if you just treated your shame as an emotion? Then you could feel it... and let it move out.

Today, Ellen Ronka teaches us how to train out of chronic shame using the same Pain Reprocessing Therapy techniques we already know. We can feel it rather than fear it. We can feel it without "believing" the story behind it. For example, you don't need to believe the "story" that your knee hurts because there's something structurally wrong with it. We know your knee actually hurts because of psychological conditioning. What if you're feeling shame because your brain is just familiar with that neural network? Not because you "did something wrong"? When you see this truth, then you can let go of attachment to the negative thoughts, allow yourself to feel the feeling of shame, and let the feeling pass through you. This is deep work. Join us to learn how your shame undergirds your pain and symptoms, and to learn how to allow and then release shame.

This is Part 2 of the conversation. I’d recommend you start with Part 1 and then join us here for Part 2.

–

Find Ellen:

Chronic to Cured Coaching Program: www.chronictocured.com

–

Find Sean:

Visit my website to: Request a consultation for individual therapy

Click here to: Ask a question on the podcast

–

…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow for future episodes, rate, leave a written review, and share it with someone who needs it. Your endorsement helps more people like you find the profound power of mind-body healing.