S3E5 Menopause Symptoms Explained: The Nervous System & Stress Response No One Talks About

S3E5 Menopause Symptoms Explained: The Nervous System & Stress Response No One Talks About

Menopause symptoms are often treated as a hormone problem, but what if the nervous system and stress response play a much bigger role than we realize? In this conversation, Denise Elysa speaks with hormonehealth and stress resilience coach Sharon Pendlington about how the nervous system, stress, and the fight-or-flight response influence the menopause transition and many of the symptoms women experience during perimenopause and menopause. Together they explore a more empowered perspective onmenopause; one that moves beyond fixing a hormone imbalance and instead looks at how chronic stress, nervous system dysregulation, and modern lifestyle pressures affect women’s bodies during midlife. You’ll learn how menopause and the stress responseare deeply connected, why many menopause symptoms are messages from the body, and how practices that support nervous system regulation for menopause can help women navigate this transition with greater awareness, resilience, and self-trust. In this episode we explore: ·        The connection between menopause and stress response ·        How the fight or flight response affects menopause symptoms ·        Why nervous system regulation for menopause matters ·        Early perimenopause symptoms and hormone shifts ·        Somatic healing and embodiment practices ·        How chronic stress impacts the menopause transition ·        Why menopause symptoms are often misunderstoodas only a hormone imbalance ·        Tools for building resilience during the menopausetransition ·        Meditation, mindfulness and somatic therapy formenopause support Extended version inside EmbodiedSoul Community where we go deeper into: • exploration of repressed anger, boundary setting,and symptoms as healing responses • How incomplete stress responses can live in the body andsurface as heat, rashes, hot flashes, and sleep disruption • More on childhood survival patterns like control,perfectionism, blame, and worth tied to productivity • A full guided embodiment practice for checking in withbody, breath, and capacity • Denise’s personal reflections on workaholism, self-worth,illness, and learning to rest • Expanded discussion of cycle syncing, perimenopauseunpredictability, and adrenal-hormone support • Deeper conversation on libido, trauma, freeze states,pleasure, and pelvic safety • More on burnout warning signs, chronic illness overlap,and early perimenopause cues Meet the Host: Denise Elysa is a practitioner and teacher of multiplemodalities including somatic inquiry, intuitive energy healing, past life regression, oracle card reading and meditation. Blending somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition and grounded spirituality, she helps people who feel disconnected or chronically unwell reconnect with themselves, increase their capacity and awaken their inner healer, without requiring medical validation or overwhelming routines. Connect with Denise [https://deniseelysa.com/link-tree/]⁠ Meet the Guest: Sharon Pendlington is a certified hormone health and stressresilience coach with over a decade of experience helping women navigate perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Her work focuses on helping women understand the connection between hormones, the nervous system, and stress, and supporting them in building sustainable nervous system regulation. Want to know your Perimenopause Archetype? Take this 3-minute Quiz [https://mailchi.mp/sharonpendlington/whats-your-perimenopause-archetype] www.sharonpendlington.com [http://www.sharonpendlington.com/]

S3E4 Summer Solstice 2026: Inner Seasons, the Self Healing Journey, and Choosing a Practitioner You Can Trust

In this solo episode of Coming Home to Ourselves, Denise Elysa explores what the summer solstice (the longest day of the year) is energetically asking of us, and why slowing down at the peak of light might be one of the most important things we can do. She walks through the significance of inner seasons, the relationship between the solstice and manifestation, and how this moment in the cycle of the year offers a natural checkpoint for any self healing journey. Denise also shares a significant personal health update: as of spring 2026, she has slowly and safely titrated off all medication for mast cell activation symptoms, coming down from eight pills a day to none, after years of ongoing somatic therapy and energy healing work. She is clear that this is her personal story, not medical advice, and speaks honestly about the role medication plays in creating the safety required to do this kind of work at all. The episode moves into something Denise says she is seeing with increasing urgency: the importance of safety and discernment when choosing a somatic practitioner, intuitive energy healer, or any practitioner working in the largely unregulated wellness space. She names green flags and red flags clearly, including what to look for, what concerns her, and why practitioners who do not teach their clients discernment are a specific kind of red flag. She also speaks to how some practitioners are framing neurodivergence in ways she finds dehumanizing, and where she stands on that. The episode closes with a reflection on acknowledgment: the practice of pausing to genuinely register how far you have come, not just where you still have to go. Denise Elysa is an intuitive energy healer, somatic practitioner, past life regression practitioner, oracle card reader, intuitive guide, podcast host, and writer living with complex chronic illness. She has recovered from or is in recovery from over 30 different diagnoses. Her work blends somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition, and grounded spirituality. She is contracted to two Internal Medicine Specialists at the BC-CLMF to co-facilitate group sessions for patients living with complex chronic diseases, and supports individuals through her signature 1:1 program, the Bridge to Embodiment, and the EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa community. Resources referenced in this episode: Embodied Manifesting Blog Post [https://deniseelysa.com/embodied-manifestation-nervous-system/] Summer Solstice Blog Post [https://deniseelysa.com/summer-solstice-nervous-system-healing/] (releasing June 9th) The Seasonal Pause [https://deniseelysa.com/seasonal-pause-equinox-solstice/] How to Choose a Somatic Practitioner Blog Post – coming in July EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa Community [https://deniseelysa.com/embodied-soul-app/] Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:33 Welcome: What This Episode Covers 03:22 Reflective Questions to Connect with the Summer Solstice Energy in Your Own Life 10:07 The Summer Solstice Ritual: Manifestation, Inner Seasons, and the Seasonal Pause 23:51 Personal Health Update: the Self Healing Journey, Mast Cell Activation Symptoms, Somatic Training, and What's New in the Practice 35:40 Choosing a Somatic Practitioner or Intuitive Energy Healer: What to Look For, Green Flags, Red Flags, and Working Alongside Medical Support 52:55 Neurodivergence, Neurodivergent Symptoms, and Safety in Spiritual Healing Spaces 58:26 Oracle Card Reading for the Summer Solstice 01:05:22 Taking Your Power Back: Acknowledging How Far You Have Come on Your Self Healing Journey 01:10:19 Invitation to the Seasonal Pause Summer Solstice Ceremony and Closing Coming Home to Ourselves releases the first Sunday of every month on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music.

S3E3 Navigating the Year of the Fire Horse: Insights and Strategies

In this conversation, Denise Elysa interviews Jillian Rothschild Scholar, a master of Feng Shui, about the Year of the Fire Horse in Chinese astrology. Jillian explains the energetic dynamics of this year, emphasizing decisive action and transformation. They delve into Chinese metaphysics, 2026 Chinese Zodiac, personal charts, and the three lucks in Feng Shui. Jillian introduces the Flying Stars system, which helps navigate the energies in living spaces. The conversation highlights the implications of double fire energy and the need for intentional, conscious choices in a fast-paced world, particularly in managing stress and prioritizing rest. Denise and Jillian explore the significance of self-validation, the impact of zodiac signs on personal and professional life, and the importance of Feng Shui in navigating the challenges of the Fire Horse Year. They discuss the necessity of rewiring the nervous system for health, the opportunities that arise from challenges, and the value of forming supportive alliances in both personal life and business. The conversation emphasizes the importance of emotional well-being and making choices that feel good, while also providing practical advice on Feng Shui adjustments and selecting a Feng Shui specialist. Key Takeaways + Topics: - 2026 as Year of the Fire Horse, significant for its dynamic energy - Bold moves and decisive actions - Aligning your environment with your goals - Understanding personal charts - The three lucks: heaven luck, human luck, and earth luck - The Flying Stars system: identify beneficial and challenging energies in your space - Double fire energy: both creativity and destruction - Prioritizing rest and hydration - The necessity of intention and conscious choice - Awareness of the energies in your environment as empowerment in decision making - Chronic stress can lead to severe health issues - Rewiring the nervous system is essential for recovery - Clashes in zodiac signs Extended episode available for those of you who wish to take a deeper dive into the nervous system, potential clashes between the Rat and the Horse as well as special factors for the Ox and Rooster Chinese Zodiacs, and more. You can access the extended version inside the EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa Community [https://deniseelysa.com/embodied-soul-app/]  Meet the Host: Denise Elysa is a practitioner and teacher of multiple modalities including somatic inquiry, intuitive energy healing, past life regression, oracle card reading and meditation. Blending somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition and grounded spirituality, she helps people who feel disconnected or chronically unwell reconnect with themselves, increase their capacity and awaken their inner healer, without requiring medical validation or overwhelming routines. How is Denise’s work different than others? - Over 13 years of experience in professionally supporting people with their health + wellbeing - Lived experience navigating complex chronic illness, autoimmune diseases, Lyme disease and co-infections, chronic pain conditions, trauma, disability, neurodivergence + nervous system healing - Contracted to Internal Medicine Specialists to co-facilitate offerings to their patients living with complex chronic diseases such as ME/CFS, Fibro, LC, MCAS, POTS, Chronic Pain, hEDS, + co-occurring conditions - Acknowledged by the TTIA as meeting all criteria for each of their courses and is a member in good standing with the BCTTNS Connect [https://deniseelysa.com/link-tree/⁠⁠] Meet the Guest:  Jillian is a Master of Feng Shui with over 15 years of experience, and a Red Ribbon Professional with the International Feng Shui Guild since 2010, she helps ambitious individuals find clarity and confidence through classical Chinese divination systems including Feng Shui, BaZi, Qi Men Dun Jia and the Yijing. Jillian translates ancient wisdom into practical solutions for modern life, working with clients worldwide from her base in Pheonix Arizona. BaZi Calculator [https://fsinmotion.com/bazi-calculator/] Eight Mansions Toolkit [https://fsinmotion.com/eight-mansions-toolkit/]

S3E2 Is This Really Mine? Ancestral Healing & Conscious Parenting

What if the patterns you keep repeating aren’t actuallyyours? In this episode, Denise talks with family constellation practitioner Blanka Molnar about how family generational trauma and inherited trauma can live in your body and impact your nervous system and health. They explore why big life changes like moving, leaving relationships, or changing careers sometimes don’t bring the lasting change one may be looking for, when trying to escape or recreate their lives. You’ll learn how trauma can be passed down through generations, how it may show up in your relationships, health, and sense of self, and how intergenerational patterns and Family Constellation Therapy may support root-cause healing, and can gently help break these cycles.   Meet the Host: Denise Denise Elysa is a practitioner and teacher of multiplemodalities including somatic inquiry, intuitive energy healing, past life regression, oracle card reading and meditation. Blending somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition and grounded spirituality, she helps people who feel disconnected or chronically unwellreconnect with themselves, increase their capacity and awaken their inner healer, without requiring medical validation or overwhelming routines. How is Denise’s work different from others? * Over 13 years of experience in professionally supporting people with their health and wellbeing * Lived experience navigating complex chronic illness, autoimmune diseases, chronic pain conditions, trauma, disability, lyme disease and co-infections, neurodivergence and nervous system healing * Contracted to Internal Medicine Specialists to co-facilitate offerings to their patients living with complex chronic diseases such as ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Post-Viral Illness, LC, MCAS, POTS, Chronic Pain, hEDS and other co-occurring conditions * Foundation of her energy healing work is based in Therapeutic Touch® and acknowledged by the Therapeutic Touch International Association as meeting all criteria for each of their courses and is a member in good standing with the BCTTNS Connect with Denise: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Socials: https://deniseelysa.com/link-tree/⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUpKN2xoYU1kSWhrZllKQXVpcWJzamYzNjlsd3xBQ3Jtc0ttQldnTUV5eTdJRGNDY29hUVlnUTJXT0tHRU5jcHJMbnFGdkhLNTBxcVVMME5SRjNDbEhscWp3RTYtTGtob3RPZ1UtbVNkY1EwX3JoSWRvZkNfS3ZyVHpfcnU2UldHZFpFLWlkcERSUlc1WkdhM3I4NA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fdeniseelysa.com%2Flink-tree%2F%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0&v=7a70yZxJhgE] ⁠⁠⁠ Website: https://deniseelysa.com/ [https://deniseelysa.com/] Work with Denise: https://deniseelysa.com/work-with-denise/ [https://deniseelysa.com/work-with-denise/] EmbodiedSoul Community: https://deniseelysa.com/embodied-soul-app/ [https://deniseelysa.com/embodied-soul-app/]   Meet the Guest: Blanka Blanka Molnar works with parents who want a closer, healthier relationship with their children. She helps parents explore intergenerational patterns through Family Constellation Therapy and other approaches to support deeper connection, healing, cycle breaking and growth. Connect with Blanka: Webpage: https://awarenest.net [https://awarenest.net/] TriggerLog: https://awarenest.net/resources/downloads-and-printables/ [https://awarenest.net/resources/downloads-and-printables/] E-book: https://awarenest.net/product/ebook-growing-you-growing-me/ [https://awarenest.net/product/ebook-growing-you-growing-me/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blanka_awarenest [https://www.instagram.com/blanka_awarenest] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BlankaMolnar_Awarenest [https://www.youtube.com/@BlankaMolnar_Awarenest]   Chapters 00:00 Blanca's Journey to Healing Multi-Generational Trauma 00:33 Meet Blanka Molnar + What Family Constellations Are 02:32 Why You Can't Outrun Patterns Stored in the Body 05:32 Why We Change: Pain, Identity Shifts, and the MessyMiddle 09:24 What Opens Up on the Other Side: Joy, Relationships,Alignment 12:19 Anti-Guru Healing: Empowerment vs Dependency 15:28 Family Constellation Therapy Explained (GenerationalTrauma + Root Causes) 21:08 What Constellations Can Support (Health, Money, Work,ADHD, Collective Trauma) 21:27 Success Stories in Family Constellation 23:48 Conscious Parenting: Kids Mirror Your Nervous System 24:06 Conscious Parenting and Its Challenges 30:33 Somatic Parenting Tools: Regulation, Repair, andModeling 41:18 Practical Tool + Where to Find Blanka (Trigger Log +Book) 44:43 Coming Home to Ourselves Season 3 Outro.mp4   #FamilyConstellationTherapy #GenerationalTrauma #InheritedTrauma#AncestralHealing #NervousSystemHealing #TraumaRecovery #RootCauseHealing #ConsciousParenting

S3E1 Spring Equinox 2026: Nervous System Capacity, Energy Clearing & New Beginnings

Spring Equinox invites us to connect with the growth that has been happening within and around us, beneath the surface, often in the depths and darkness. In this episode, Denise welcomes Season 3 of Coming Home to Ourselves with an embodied reflection on growth, resilience, and nervous system capacity. Drawing on education + lived experience blended with somatic wisdom + intuitive insight, she explores winter + early spring as a germination phase; inner change, healing + recalibration occur beneath the surface, even when it appears that nothing is happening externally. This episode offers space for integration + recalibration + a moment to honor and celebrate your own growth + expansion even if it doesn’t appear to match societal expectations. Explored through reflections on somatic healing + energetics, the body, energy system and nervous system must be supported together in harmony in order to hold growth without collapse. Offers gentle guidance + a Spring Equinox Oracle Card Reading in themes of: • increasing nervous system capacity without forcing or rushing • clearing old energy, patterns, beliefs, and energetic “weeds” that no longer serve • making space for new beginnings that are aligned with who you are now • clarity, energetic “cleaning house”, self-worth, moving forward from the present vs the past • honoring small wins, slow expansion, and sustainable growth • navigating the liminal “void” and dark night of the soul with support and awareness • energy healing, manifestation, self-compassion and reconnection with your inner light You’ll hear reflections on: • healing in community and why ceremony matters • balancing inner expansion with outer growth • accessibility in healing work • the role of authenticity, frequency, and integrity in creative and spiritual work An invitation to come home to yourself, release what’s ready to be let go of + step into spring with intention, compassion, + clarity. ✨ Announcement: Denise also introduces EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa, a new online community and app designed to make somatic, energetic, and nervous system-informed healing more accessible through live events, seasonal ceremonies, guided practices, guest conversations, and community connection. Meet the Host: Denise Elysa is a practitioner and teacher of multiple modalities including somatic inquiry, intuitive energy healing, past life regression, oracle card reading and meditation. Blending somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition and grounded spirituality, she helps people who feel disconnected or chronically unwell reconnect with themselves, increase their capacity and awaken their inner healer, without requiring medical validation or overwhelming routines. How is Denise’s work different from others? • Over 13 years of experience in professionally supporting people with their health and wellbeing • Lived experience navigating complex chronic illness, pain, trauma, disability, neurodivergence and nervous system healing • Contracted to Internal Med Specialists to co-facilitate for patients living with complex chronic diseases such as ME/CFS, Fibro, LC, MCAS, POTS, Chronic Pain, hEDS, + co-occurring conditions • Acknowledged by the TTIA as meeting all criteria for each of their courses and is a member in good standing with the BCTTNS Connect: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/link-tree/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠