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Your body's keeping secrets from you. Not because it wants to hide things, but because you've been taught to ignore, shove down, and repress experiences, thoughts, and feelings you haven't had the time or resources to handle. That knot in your stomach when you say yes but mean no? Your body remembers. The exhaustion you can't explain? Your body is screaming. The anxiety that shows up for "no reason"? Your body has reasons - you're just not listening.

In this Big Stuff summer series episode, host Danielle Colley explores the concept that our bodies don't just keep the score of trauma - they keep the story. Drawing from Bessel van der Kolk's groundbreaking work and somatic psychologist Ailey Jolie's research on women's nervous systems, Danielle weaves together three powerful stories of bodies that refused to be ignored any longer.

Carolyn's hair fell out in clumps, forcing her to redefine identity beyond appearance in an industry obsessed with looks. Danielle shares her own crash at 47 - perimenopause stripping away the coping mechanisms that had hidden undiagnosed ADHD for decades. And Preston O'Brien's body held childhood sexual abuse and decades of shame until he learned that healing wasn't about stopping behaviours - it was about learning to feel again.

This isn't about fixing your body. It's about finally hearing what it's been trying to tell you.

Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction - Your Body's Keeping Secrets
• [03:40] Carolyn Ozkoseoglu - When Your Hair Falls Out in Clumps
• [08:25] Autoimmune Diseases and the Stress Connection
• [11:30] The Betrayal of Changing Bodies (Pregnancy, Aging, Illness)
• [15:20] Danielle's Panic Attack - Body Keeping Score After Mum's Death
• [18:45] The Crash at 47 - Not Wanting to Get Out of Bed
• [22:30] Perimenopause Unmasking ADHD After 47 Years
• [26:15] Preston O'Brien - Pinky the Teddy Bear and Childhood Trauma
• [30:40] How the Body Stores Trauma (Whiskey, Tobacco, Sensory Memories)
• [34:20] Women's Bodies Keep the Story, Not Just the Score
• [37:50] Learning to Listen - What Is Your Body Trying to Tell You?

Total Episode Time: 41:15

Guests Featured:

• Carolyn Ozkoseoglu (Alopecia journey)
• ⁠Preston O'Brien⁠ (⁠The Triumphant Man⁠ -Men's mental health advocate, trauma survivor)

Resources Mentioned:

• "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk
• Ailey Jolie (British somatic psychologist on women's nervous systems)
• ACE Test (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
• The Chocolate Bar Life by Danielle Colley

Connect: If your body has been screaming and you've been ignoring it, reach out to a trusted friend, or seek professional advice to get a plan for next steps. 

Contact Danielle to learn about the work she does and see if it's right for you. 

[email protected]

or ⁠@iamdaniellecolle⁠y