The Underlying Answers

What happens when one part of our body becomes something we manage, avoid, or simply stop feeling connected to?

In this raw, empowering, and deeply personal episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy sits down with Kelly Dean, MPT, licensed physical therapist and founder of "The Tummy Team", for a conversation about pelvic-floor function, incontinence, core strength, trauma—and the importance of staying connected to our bodies as a whole.

Kelly begins with the anatomy, explaining what the pelvic floor actually is, how it works with the rest of the core, and why common doesn't necessarily mean normal when it comes to pelvic-floor dysfunction.

Then the conversation gets personal.

Cindy openly shares her own experience with incontinence and the physical circumstances that contributed to it—including years of spending significant amounts of time in bed while healing and the repeated physical stress of frequent, forceful sneezing. Using Cindy's experience as a real-life example, Kelly offers practical anatomical insights into positioning, movement, strengthening, and rebuilding healthy pelvic-floor function.

But as the conversation continues, another layer begins to emerge.

Kelly discusses the ways trauma and protective responses can affect our relationship with the pelvic floor and emphasizes the importance of remaining connected to the whole body. In that moment, Cindy recognizes something she hadn't fully understood before: after years of working to reconnect with her body, "her pelvic floor was still an area from which she felt disconnected."

That realization leads to an unexpected emotional and physical release during the recording.

Rather than moving past it, Cindy and Kelly allow the moment to become part of the conversation—an authentic example of what can surface when awareness returns to an area of the body we've struggled to connect with.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What the pelvic floor actually is and how it works with the core
• Why pelvic-floor dysfunction and incontinence don't necessarily have to be accepted as inevitable
• How prolonged inactivity and repeated physical stress can affect pelvic-floor strength and function
• Practical anatomical insights for supporting and strengthening the pelvic floor
• How trauma and protective responses may influence our connection with the pelvic floor
• Why pelvic-floor health involves much more than simply doing Kegels
• The importance of maintaining connection and awareness throughout the whole body
• What Cindy discovered about her own disconnection during the conversation

This episode is about pelvic-floor health, but it's also about something much bigger: "reconnection."

Our bodies function as a whole, yet there can be places within them we've stopped noticing, trusting, feeling, or fully inhabiting. Sometimes deeper understanding begins simply by bringing our awareness back to the places we've unintentionally left behind.

Connect with Kelly Dean and The Tummy Team:
FB and Instagram: The Tummy Team

If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to invite you to join the Restore the Design™ Community—a place to continue exploring the deeper connections between the body, mind, spirit, and the human experience. Together, we're asking better questions, discovering new perspectives, and learning what it means to reconnect with the body's innate design.

You can learn more and join us at www.theunderlyinganswers.com/community

What shapes the way we learn to respond when life becomes difficult?

In this episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy sits down with Jay Setchell for a conversation about resilience, determination, and one man’s experience of learning to keep moving forward through adversity.

Jay’s motto is simple: “It’s always too soon to quit.”

Behind those words is a lifetime of experiences that shaped the way he approaches hardship. Raised within a family culture where perseverance, responsibility, discipline, and continuing through difficult circumstances were deeply ingrained, Jay developed an extraordinary capacity to push forward—even through years of significant physical trauma.

Rather than presenting one definition of resilience, this conversation offers an opportunity to explore how our environments and experiences can shape the ways we adapt.

For Jay, grit and determination became powerful internal resources.

Together, Cindy and Jay explore where those qualities may have come from, how childhood and family culture can influence the way we respond to adversity, and how adaptations developed over a lifetime can become so familiar that we may not even recognize them as adaptations.

The conversation also explores Jay’s experience of living in a body whose physical abilities have changed over time. Jay prefers the term “differently abled,” reflecting his personal belief that physical limitations do not have to define what he believes is possible for his life.

His perspective also opens a broader conversation about the assumptions we make when someone’s physical experience differs from our own—and the humanity that exists beneath those differences.

Grief, fear, worry, hope, love, frustration, determination, and the desire to belong are not experiences reserved for one kind of body or one kind of life.

They are part of being human.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• How Jay’s upbringing helped shape his relationship with hard work, perseverance, and adversity
• Why grit, determination, and discipline became important resources in his life
• How Jay continued navigating years of physical trauma and changing physical abilities
• How we can adapt to circumstances over time without consciously realizing it
• Why Jay chooses to describe himself as differently abled
• How assumptions about physical ability can shape the way we see other people
• What Jay’s story can teach us about the many different ways human beings learn to adapt

This conversation isn’t intended to define the “right” way to respond to hardship.

It is an exploration of one person’s adaptation—how a particular life, family culture, set of experiences, and series of challenges helped shape the way Jay learned to meet the world.

And perhaps that is one of the most interesting things about adaptation:

The same circumstances do not shape every person in the same way.

Understanding someone’s response begins with becoming curious about what made that response make sense for them.

Connect with Jay Setchell:

Instagram
You can find his book on Amazon: "The Strength Within You"

What if grief isn't something we're meant to "move on" from—but something we learn to carry?

In this deeply moving episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy sits down with Katie Rizzo, author of "The Trimesters of Grief", to explore the profound ways loss reshapes our lives, our bodies, and our hearts. After losing her son to addiction, Katie shares the wisdom that emerged through her own journey and the understanding that grief is not a problem to solve, but an experience to navigate with compassion.

Together, they explore how grief is experienced differently by every person, how it can be felt throughout the body, and why healing doesn't require leaving our grief behind. One of the conversation's most powerful moments comes as Katie compares grief to pregnancy—revealing how loss, like new life, unfolds in seasons that transform us from the inside out.

They also discuss one of the most hopeful truths about grief: that joy and sorrow are not opposites. They can exist together, allowing us to continue loving those we've lost while still embracing the beauty that remains in our lives.

This heartfelt conversation offers comfort, understanding, and hope for anyone navigating loss, while reminding us that our bodies often carry emotions our hearts are still learning to understand.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why grief is experienced differently by every person
• How grief can manifest physically within the body
• Katie's powerful "Trimesters of Grief" perspective on loss
• Why grief and joy can coexist
• How compassion and curiosity can support the grieving process
• Hope for navigating life after profound loss
  

Whether you're grieving the loss of a loved one, supporting someone through grief, or seeking a deeper understanding of how loss shapes the human experience, this conversation offers gentle wisdom, heartfelt encouragement, and the reminder that healing doesn't mean forgetting—it means learning to carry love forward.

Connect with Katie Rizzo:
wwwkatierizzo.com

If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to invite you to join the Restore the Design™ Community—a place to continue exploring the deeper connections between the body, mind, spirit, and the human experience. Together, we're asking better questions, discovering new perspectives, and learning what it means to reconnect with the body's innate design.

You can learn more and join us at www.theunderlyinganswers.com/community

Can someone be deeply rooted in their faith while also exploring the science of frequency medicine?

In this episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy sits down with Rob Rene, founder of Exodus Strong, for a thoughtful conversation about one of the most misunderstood topics in natural health: frequencies. Together, they explore why frequency-based therapies are often met with skepticism—particularly within Christian communities—and why discernment, curiosity, and truth matter more than fear.

Rob shares the remarkable story of how he originally set out to prove a friend wrong about frequency healing. Instead, his own research and personal experience led him to a very different conclusion, strengthening his belief that science and faith don't have to exist in opposition.

The conversation also explores Rob's four foundational pillars of health—Light, Frequencies, Fuel, and Faith—and how each contributes to supporting the body's natural design.

Rather than asking listeners to simply accept a new perspective, this episode invites us to ask different questions, examine our assumptions, and consider whether science and faith may reveal complementary truths about how our bodies were designed to heal.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Rob's journey from skeptic to advocate of frequency-based healing
• Why frequency medicine is often misunderstood within faith communities
• How discernment differs from fear when exploring new ideas
• The four pillars of health: Light, Frequencies, Fuel, and Faith
• Why supporting the body involves more than addressing symptoms
• How science and faith can work together to deepen our understanding of healing

Whether you're curious about frequency medicine, wrestling with questions of faith and health, or simply interested in exploring healing through a broader lens, this conversation offers an invitation to think critically, remain open, and pursue truth with both wisdom and humility.

Connect with Rob Rene:
www.exodusstrong.com

If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to invite you to join the Restore the Design™ Community—a place to continue exploring the deeper connections between the body, mind, spirit, and the human experience. Together, we're asking better questions, discovering new perspectives, and learning what it means to reconnect with the body's innate design.

You can learn more and join us at www.theunderlyinganswers.com/community

What does it take to rebuild your health after life's biggest challenges?

In this episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy talks with Dennis Henson about his journey from multiple strokes to living an active, healthy life at 78. They explore how small, consistent daily habits, supporting the body's systems, and making intentional choices can lead to lasting wellness.

In this episode:

• Dennis's recovery journey
• The power of daily habits
• Simple lifestyle changes for better health
• Why consistency matters
• Hope for improving health at any age

If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to invite you to join the Restore the Design™ Community—a place to continue exploring the deeper connections between the body, mind, spirit, and the human experience. Together, we're asking better questions, discovering new perspectives, and learning what it means to reconnect with the body's innate design.

You can learn more and join us at Community - The Underlying Answers.

What if your mouth is communicating far more about your health than you've ever realized?

In this episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy sits down with functional dentist Dr. Yasmin Chubbi to explore a different way of thinking about oral health—one that looks beyond teeth and gums to understand how the mouth influences the entire body.

Together, they discuss what makes functional dentistry different from traditional dentistry and the benefits of viewing oral health as part of a whole-body system, rather than in isolation. From chronic inflammation and infections to breathing patterns, sleep apnea, and the body's energetic meridian system, Dr. Chubbi explains how seemingly local issues within the mouth can have far-reaching effects throughout the body.

This conversation offers a fascinating introduction to the interconnected nature of human health and highlights why understanding the body as a whole often reveals answers that isolated approaches can miss.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What functional dentistry is and how it differs from traditional dental care
• Why oral health plays a much larger role in overall wellness than most people realize
• How infections and chronic inflammation in the mouth can influence the rest of the body
• The relationship between the mouth, meridians, and whole-body function
• How breathing patterns, jaw development, and oral health may contribute to sleep apnea and other health concerns
• Why viewing the body as an interconnected system changes the questions we ask about health

Whether you're interested in holistic health, chronic illness, or simply curious about how the mouth connects to the rest of the body, this episode offers a compelling look at one of the most overlooked pieces of whole-person health.

Connect with Dr. Yasmin Chebbi:
Instagram: @the_flossery

If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to invite you to join the Restore the Design™ Community—a place to continue exploring the deeper connections between the body, mind, spirit, and the human experience. Together, we're asking better questions, discovering new perspectives, and learning what it means to reconnect with the body's innate design.

You can learn more and join us at www.theunderlyinganswers.com/community

When Being Strong Becomes Too Heavy.

What if the exhaustion you're feeling isn't coming from everything you're doing—but from who you've believed you needed to be?

In this episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy sits down with life coach and HR executive Lori Pugh for an honest conversation about the hidden patterns that leave so many people overwhelmed, anxious, and emotionally exhausted.

Together, they explore how the pressure to be responsible, capable, dependable, and everything to everyone can quietly become part of our identity. While these qualities are often celebrated, they can also lead us to carry burdens we were never meant to bear, leaving us disconnected from ourselves, our peace, and the life we truly want to live.

Rather than offering quick fixes for burnout, Lori invites listeners to look beneath the surface—to understand where these patterns begin, why they persist, and what becomes possible when we finally release the need to hold everything together.

If you've ever found yourself constantly striving, overthinking, or wondering why life still feels overwhelming despite doing everything "right," this conversation offers a compassionate invitation to reconnect with yourself and discover a different way of living.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What often lies beneath overwhelm, burnout, and anxiety
• How responsibility can quietly become part of our identity
• The hidden cost of always being the dependable one
• Why so many people struggle to experience lasting peace and balance
• Letting go of the pressure to fix everything and everyone
• Reconnecting with authenticity, faith, and your true sense of self
• What changes when you finally choose yourself

To learn more about Lori Pugh and her work, visit:

Lori Pugh | Life Coaching

If today's conversation resonated with you, we'd love to continue exploring these ideas together.

Join our free Restore the Design community, where we dive deeper into the connections between the body, mind, healing, and what it means to live in alignment with how we were designed.

Community - The Underlying Answers

Healing Through the Eyes of a Neuroscientist: Where Science, Spirituality, and Consciousness Meet

What if healing isn't about choosing between science and spirituality—but discovering how they were always meant to work together?

In this episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy sits down with neuroscientist Dr. Cindy Sholes for an open and thought-provoking conversation that challenges the traditional boundaries of healing. Together, they explore how neuroscience, consciousness, spirituality, and integrative healing practices each contribute valuable pieces to understanding the human experience.

Rather than viewing Western medicine, Eastern practices, and consciousness as competing approaches, they discuss how fear, personal experiences, and deeply held beliefs can unknowingly create barriers that prevent us from embracing a more complete model of healing.

The conversation also explores why lasting healing often requires looking beyond symptoms to identify the originating events, patterns, and beliefs that continue to shape our health. By understanding what lies beneath the surface, we can begin moving from simply managing symptoms to addressing the deeper causes that influence how we think, feel, and function.

Whether you're grounded in science, drawn to spirituality, or simply curious about how these worlds can complement one another, this episode offers an invitation to rethink what's possible when we stop asking which approach is right—and begin asking how they can work together.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why science and spirituality don't have to exist on opposite sides of healing
• The role of consciousness in creating lasting transformation
• Finding the originating event instead of chasing symptoms
• How beliefs can become protective patterns that quietly keep us stuck
• Fear as a barrier to receiving healing from unexpected places
• Why integrating Western medicine, Eastern practices, and consciousness creates a more complete healing model
• Learning to trust the wisdom and intelligence of the body

To learn more about Dr. Cindy Sholes and her work, visit:

Emotions Matter. Master Yours. - Dr. Cindy Sholes

If today's conversation resonated with you, we'd love to continue exploring these ideas together.

Join our free Restore the Design community, where we dive deeper into the connections between science, consciousness, the nervous system, healing, and what it means to live in alignment with how we were designed.

Community - The Underlying Answers

What does self-care actually look like when you're overwhelmed, exhausted, caring for others, and barely making it through the day?

In this episode, Cindy sits down with Rebe Goebel, trauma-informed somatic healer, author, advocate, and mother of two neurodivergent teens, for a refreshingly honest conversation about what it means to care for yourself when life doesn't slow down.

Together, they explore the human side of stress, caregiving, nervous system regulation, and the moments when emotions feel so intense that "the scream wants to come out of your mouth." Rather than focusing on self-care as something that only happens on vacation, at a spa, or during a retreat, Rebe shares practical strategies that can be integrated into everyday life—even in the middle of chaos.

Throughout the conversation, Rebe offers simple yet powerful tools for staying present, habit-stacking supportive practices, and learning to prioritize your own well-being while continuing to show up for the people who depend on you.

This episode is a reminder that healing doesn't always happen in grand gestures. Sometimes it begins with a single pause, a deeper breath, or a moment of choosing yourself in the middle of a difficult day.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Practical self-care for real life—not ideal life
• Nervous system regulation during stressful moments
• Why pauses are more powerful than most people realize
• Habit stacking and creating sustainable, supportive practices
• Caregiving without completely losing yourself
• Responding instead of reacting during difficult moments
• The relationship between presence, resilience, and healing

Connect with Rebe Goebel:
www.rebegoebel.com
Rebe Goebel | Author (@rebegoebel) • Instagram profile

Join our free community, Restore the Design, where we explore the deeper connections between the body, nervous system, healing, and what it means to live in alignment with how we were designed to function.

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So many women have been taught to approach health, healing, and body change through pressure, restriction, self-criticism, and force — believing that if they could just try harder, control themselves more, or finally “fix” themselves, lasting change would come.

But what if that pressure is actually part of what keeps people stuck?

In this episode of The Underlying Answers Podcast, Cindy sits down with Mindset & Embodiment Coach Jami Fassett to explore the deeper patterns behind nervous system safety, self-trust, body image, emotional healing, and sustainable transformation.

After spending 27 years trapped in the all-or-nothing dieting cycle, Jami experienced a radical shift that changed everything: learning to lead with joy, self-partnership, and safety instead of pressure and punishment. Now, after maintaining a 70-pound weight loss for eight years, she helps women create supportive, sustainable change without fighting themselves in the process.

Together, Cindy and Jami explore:
• Why pressure-driven healing often backfires
• The nervous system’s role in lasting change
• What self-criticism does to the body over time
• Why joy and safety matter in the healing process
• Rebuilding trust with the body after years of control and criticism
• The difference between forcing change and supporting transformation

This conversation is a powerful reminder that healing may not come from learning how to push harder — but from finally learning how to work with yourself instead of against yourself.

Join our free Restore the Design community for deeper conversations around healing, body awareness, nervous system regulation, innate intelligence of the body, and personal transformation:
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Follow Jami:
https://www.jamifassett.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/jamifassett/ 

If this episode resonated, join Jami for From Pressure to Partnership Live, a free interactive monthly workshop series where you can explore creating sustainable health change through self-trust, partnership, and joy instead of pressure and perfectionism. Register at https://www.jamifassett.com/events.