In this episode of Rewriting the Illness Story, Paula sits down with three guests—Casey Kavanaugh, Diana Vagianos, and Ginger Rogers—to explore the profound personal transformations they experienced through the Avatar® course.

Together, they share candid stories about overcoming limiting beliefs, releasing lifelong conditioning, and discovering what becomes possible when we take responsibility for our thoughts, emotions, and experiences. From healing relationships and shifting family dynamics to transforming careers, businesses, and even physical health challenges, this conversation offers an honest look at the journey from unconscious patterns to conscious creation.

The discussion explores how deeply held beliefs—often formed in childhood and operating beneath our awareness—can shape every aspect of our lives until we learn to identify and transform them. The guests also discuss the power of personal responsibility, emotional freedom, compassion, self-awareness, and living with greater intention.

Whether you're interested in personal growth, consciousness exploration, healing, mindset transformation, or simply curious about the Avatar experience, this episode offers powerful insights into what can happen when we challenge the stories we've been living and begin creating new possibilities.

In This Episode:

• What the Avatar course is and how each guest discovered it
• Identifying and transforming limiting beliefs
• The impact of childhood conditioning and indoctrination
• Moving from reaction to conscious response
• Creating healthier relationships and family dynamics
• How consciousness affects healing and personal growth
• Letting go of fear, blame, and victimhood
• Finding greater freedom, peace, and self-trust
• The connection between awareness and conscious creation
• Real-life stories of transformation through Avatar

Connect with Our Guests:

Casey Kavanaugh – Portland, Oregon

Diana Vagionos – Colorado, https://diannavagianosarmentrout.substack.com/ http://www.frontrangehomeopathy.com.  http://[email protected]       720-446-8139

Ginger Rogers – Atlanta, Georgia, www.gingerrogerswellness.com
770-940-3909

Keywords:

Avatar Course, Consciousness, Limiting Beliefs, Personal Growth, Self-Healing, Mindset Transformation, Conscious Creation, Emotional Healing, Spiritual Growth, Personal Responsibility, Self-Awareness, Transformation Stories, Rewriting the Illness Story Podcast, Manifestation, Healing Journey, Human Potential, Empowerment, Belief Systems, Conscious Living, Inner Freedom. 

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g

In this powerful episode of Rewriting the Illness Story, Paula sits down with Manu Khullar, an IFS Level 3 trauma-informed healing practitioner whose life was transformed by personal crisis, profound healing work, a life-threatening open-heart surgery and near death experiences (NDE).

After spending more than 30 years in the corporate technology world, Manu experienced a devastating breakdown that led him on a quest to understand trauma, chronic stress, emotional pain, and the mind-body connection. His search for answers took him through numerous healing modalities, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Body Mirroring Systems, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Biofield Tuning, energy healing, and trauma recovery practices.

Together, Paula and Manu explore how unresolved childhood experiences shape our nervous systems, relationships, self-worth, and physical health. They discuss the connection between trauma and chronic illness, the role of the inner child in healing, and why many people remain stuck in survival mode without realizing it.

Manu also shares the remarkable story of his near-death experience during emergency open-heart surgery and how surrender, trust, and inner healing transformed not only his recovery but his entire perspective on life.

If you've struggled with trauma, chronic pain, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or feeling disconnected from yourself, this conversation offers hope, insight, and practical wisdom for your healing journey.

In This Episode:

• What Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is and how it works
• How childhood trauma shapes adult behavior and health
• The connection between trauma, chronic pain, anxiety, and illness
• Understanding the body's messages and symptoms
• Biofield Tuning and the body's energetic field
• NLP and how language reveals subconscious patterns
• The difference between learning and true healing
• Spiritual bypassing and why healing requires deeper work
• How to move from survival mode into self-leadership
• Manu's near-death experience and open-heart surgery recovery
• Building self-compassion and creating lasting transformation

About Manu Khullar

Manu Khullar is an IFS Level 3 trained trauma-informed healing practitioner dedicated to helping people navigate fear, trauma, illness, and life's most difficult transitions. Drawing from decades of personal healing and professional experience, he combines Internal Family Systems, Biofield Tuning, NLP, and other transformative approaches to help clients reconnect with their authentic selves and create lasting change.

Connect with Manu

Website: GiveLifeToLive.com

#InternalFamilySystems #IFS #TraumaHealing #ChronicPain #MindBodyConnection #AnxietyHealing #BiofieldTuning #NLP #InnerChildHealing #TraumaRecovery #NervousSystemHealing #EmotionalHealing #ChronicIllness #SelfCompassion #HealingJourney #RewritingTheIllnessStory 

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g

In this episode of Rewriting the Illness Story, I’m sharing a deeply personal conversation about the beliefs I inherited growing up, how religious conditioning shaped my relationship with myself, and the perfectionism that followed. These were the stories I carried for years: that I needed to be better, do more, fix myself, and earn love.

I explore how messages around religion, body image, shame, pleasure, and self-worth influenced the way I saw my body and my chronic illness journey. For a long time, I believed my pain meant I was doing something wrong. I thought if I could find the perfect answer, diet, practice, or solution, I could finally heal.

But healing didn’t come through becoming more perfect.

It came through learning to accept myself.

We talk about:

✨ Religious conditioning and how childhood beliefs shape identity
✨ Perfectionism, chronic illness, and the belief that we are “not enough”
✨ Body shame, pleasure, and disconnecting from our own wisdom
✨ Moving from self-fixing to self-acceptance
✨ Shadow work and understanding difficult emotions
✨ Learning to trust yourself and your own unique path
✨ How belief systems influence healing and self-worth
✨ The role the Avatar Course played in my journey toward authenticity and responsibility

This episode is not about rejecting faith. It’s about questioning inherited beliefs, exploring what still resonates, and creating space for a more loving relationship with ourselves.

If you’ve ever felt like you needed to earn love, become someone else, or fix yourself before you could finally feel worthy, this conversation is for you.

Resources Mentioned:
• Avatar Course: www.theavatarcourse.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

• Email: [email protected]

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who may need to hear it and leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps more people find Rewriting the Illness Story.

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g

Can unresolved trauma contribute to chronic illness? In this episode, Paula sits down with Dr. Anna Hodshire — atmospheric chemist, STEM mentor, professor, and host of the STEMdentity podcast — to discuss the powerful connection between IBS, stress, trauma, perfectionism, burnout, and nervous system healing. 

After the traumatic loss of her father as a teenager, Anna began developing chronic digestive issues, anxiety, and symptoms later labeled as IBS. Like many people struggling with chronic illness, she found herself frustrated with the medical system and searching for deeper answers beyond medications and temporary fixes.

Together, Paula and Anna explore:

• IBS and the mind-body connection
• Trauma stored in the body
• Nervous system dysregulation
• EMDR therapy and parts work
• Hypnotherapy for IBS
• Burnout and perfectionism in STEM careers
• Chronic stress and inflammation
• Somatic healing and emotional regulation
• Self-worth, overachievement, and identity
• Learning to trust yourself and your body again

Anna also shares how healing her relationship with herself transformed not only her physical health, but also her career path and sense of purpose. Through therapy, nervous system work, mindset shifts, and self-awareness, she learned how to stop living in survival mode and begin creating a life that actually felt aligned.

If you struggle with IBS, chronic illness, anxiety, perfectionism, burnout, or feeling disconnected from yourself, this episode offers a compassionate and empowering perspective on healing from the inside out.

Topics Discussed:

• IBS symptoms and chronic digestive issues
• Trauma and chronic illness
• Stress-related illness
• Healing the nervous system
• EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• High-achiever burnout
• Women in STEM
• Emotional healing and self-compassion
• Mindset shifts for healing
• Personal growth and self-discovery

Connect with Dr. Anna Hodshire

 https://calendly.com/annahodshire/intro-work-audit-call

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stemdentity?igsh=dzRsbTNwd2Nsejk1

Podcast: STEMdentity https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stemdentity/id1856075481

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need this conversation today.

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g

📝 Episode Title

Near Death Experience, Chronic Illness & Somatic Healing with Dawn Christensen

✨ Episode Description

What if illness wasn’t your body failing—but your body speaking?

In this deeply moving episode of Rewriting the Illness Story, Paula sits down with somatic healing practitioner Dawn Christensen to explore a powerful journey through trauma, chronic illness, and spiritual awakening.

After surviving a near-fatal car accident at 19, Dawn experienced a profound near death experience that reshaped her entire life. From years of intense physical recovery to being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and later navigating long COVID, her path has been anything but linear.

Through it all, Dawn discovered something life-changing: the body is not the enemy—it’s the messenger.

This conversation dives into somatic healing, nervous system regulation, creativity, and what it truly means to rebuild a relationship with your body rooted in safety, trust, and inner guidance.

If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body, stuck in chronic illness, or searching for deeper meaning in your healing journey—this episode will meet you exactly where you are.

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• What a near death experience can reveal about purpose and healing
• How chronic illness can become a doorway to transformation
• Understanding Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and its impact
• The connection between trauma, the nervous system, and physical symptoms
• Why “the body is the messenger” (and how to start listening)
• How somatic healing creates safety in the body
• The role of creativity and expression in healing
• Navigating long COVID and rebuilding from the inside out
• Letting go of hustle culture and reconnecting with your truth

🌿 Key Takeaways

• Healing is not linear—it’s layered and deeply personal
• Your body is always communicating, not betraying you
• Safety in the nervous system is the foundation for real healing
• You don’t need to earn your worth—you already have a seat at the table
• Slowing down and listening inward is where transformation begins

💬 Memorable Quotes

• “The body is not the enemy. The body is the messenger.”
• “Healing is not linear.”
• “You already have a seat at the table—there’s nothing to earn.”
• “We’re not broken—we’ve just been disconnected.”

👤 About the Guest

Dawn Christensen is a somatic healing practitioner, expressive arts counselor, and writer whose work is rooted in lived experience. After surviving a near-fatal accident, navigating chronic illness, and healing through long COVID, she now supports others in reconnecting with their bodies through nervous system regulation, creativity, and deep self-trust. 

🔗 Connect with Dawn

• Substack: New Dawn Healing Arts  https://substack.com/@dawnchristensen
• Facebook: Dawn Christensen
• New Book https://www.etsy.com/shop/ANewDawnHealingArts?dd_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller 

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g

In this raw and honest mini episode of Rewriting the Illness Story, Paula shares what it really looks like when healing doesn’t go as planned.

After a week of physical pain, GI issues, and unexpected insomnia, she opens up about something rarely talked about in the mindfulness and coaching space—the emotional spiral that can follow when nothing seems to be working.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated, or like you’re doing everything “right” but still struggling, this episode is for you.

Paula dives into:

• Why healing is not linear (even when it feels like it should be)
• The hidden pressure of toxic positivity and comparison
• How control and overthinking keep us stuck in cycles of burnout
• What to do when you start spiraling mentally and emotionally
• The power of allowing your feelings without judgment
• How to shift out of a negative spiral and reconnect with yourself
• Finding joy in the middle of pain—not someday, but today

This episode is a reminder that you are not broken, you are not failing, and you don’t need to have everything figured out to move forward.

Healing isn’t about perfection—it’s about learning to meet yourself where you are and choosing differently, one moment at a time.

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g

What if your illness isn’t just something to fix… but something trying to guide you?

In this episode of Rewriting the Illness Story, I sit down with coach Shelly Groom to talk about her journey through anxiety, fibromyalgia, and chronic illness—and how it ultimately led her back to herself.

Shelly shares what it was like to go from panic attacks and ER visits to years of debilitating symptoms, being dismissed by doctors, and searching for answers that never seemed to come. Through time, self-discovery, and small but powerful shifts, she began to move out of survival mode and into healing, purpose, and alignment.

This conversation explores the emotional and physical toll of invisible illness, the frustration of not being believed, and the powerful role mindset, awareness, and self-compassion can play in the healing journey.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, unseen, or overwhelmed by your health, this episode will remind you—you’re not alone, and there is another way forward.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Living with anxiety, fibromyalgia, and chronic illness
• The experience of being dismissed or misdiagnosed
• How stress, burnout, and life circumstances impact the body
• The mind-body connection and shifting out of “sick identity”
• Small, manageable steps that support healing
• The importance of validation, support, and being seen
• How purpose and alignment can shift your health and energy
• Practices like gratitude, grace, rest, and mindfulness

Connect with Shelly Groom:
Website: https://www.thecoachingtree.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.coachingtree?igsh=bmFpb3BvNHZteXNw

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life Paperback – April 23, 2013
by Jen Sincero

https://amzn.to/4vtCn5V

If this episode resonated with you:
Follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear this.

Keywords:
chronic illness, fibromyalgia, anxiety, invisible illness, healing journey, mind body connection, emotional healing, burnout recovery, holistic healing, self healing, personal growth, spiritual healing, women’s health

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g

What if the thing you believe is “wrong” with you… is actually what’s trying to lead you back to yourself?

In this very first episode of Rewriting the Illness Story, I share my personal journey through chronic illness, years of misdiagnosis, and ultimately, a spiritual awakening that changed everything.

For over a decade, I struggled with debilitating pelvic pain, inflammation, and symptoms no one could fully explain. I tried everything—traditional medicine, alternative therapies, diets, surgeries—only to feel dismissed, unheard, and disconnected from my own body.

But what if illness isn’t just something to fix?

In this episode, I open up about:
• The emotional and physical toll of being misdiagnosed
• Living with invisible illness and feeling unheard
• The connection between suppressed emotions and chronic pain
• How conditioning, perfectionism, and fear shaped my experience
• The shift from fighting my body to finally listening to it
• How spirituality and self-awareness became a turning point in my healing

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like no one could explain what they’re going through… or like their body is working against them.

You are not alone—and your story isn’t over.

Topics covered:
chronic illness, invisible illness, pelvic pain, Tarlov cysts, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, misdiagnosis, medical gaslighting, mind-body connection, emotional healing, spiritual awakening, self-trust, trauma and illness, holistic healing

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek guidance from qualified professionals for your mental and physical health.

You can find me at:

https://www.instagram.com/rewritingtheillnessstory?igsh=MWEzZDc2bWFyaXpyZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

OR 

[email protected]

Music: Island Glow by Dirk Dealer

Book with Meditation: You Are Not your Pain Book by Danny Penman and Vidyamala Burch (on Amazon).   https://amzn.to/3PIT118

Cathy Heller https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/bT7E7mYq6rPBaJ9g