The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection

We Can’t Heal Alone: Trauma, Relationship, and Collective Healing with Thomas Hübl

Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of our guest’s personal experience of the 2026 war in Israel and Iran. It also references war, abuse, domestic violence, concentration camps, and trauma responses related to 9/11. Please use your discretion when deciding whether or not to listen. —————— Preorder Thomas Hübl‘s newest book Attuned [https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781649634726/attuned/] Preorder Laurence Heller’s newest book Healing Shame and Guilt [https://www.northatlanticbooks.com/shop/healing-shame-and-guilt/] —————— Trauma is more broadly and culturally seen, discussed, and understood today than it has ever been. Yet, it’s often still widely understood as something personal—something that belongs to an individual’s experience. What might become available to all of us, though, when we begin to recognize how deeply trauma is shaped—even held—by the relational and collective contexts we live in? In this episode of The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection, host Iris McAlpin Garrett sits down with collective trauma expert and teacher Dr. Thomas Hübl and NARM founder Dr. Laurence Heller to explore the intersection of individual and collective trauma and the role of relationships in how trauma is carried, lived out, and healed. This episode offers a grounded and wide-ranging conversation on how we are both impacted and supported by our relationships, and what it means to stay connected to ourselves and each other while working with individual and collective trauma. Join us as we explore the role of triggers and protective patterns as entry points for our process, how personal pain is always a part of the larger field we live in, and how spirituality often plays an important role in healing both individual and collective trauma. 🎧 The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection is created and produced by the NARM Training Institute. 🎬 Post-production, editing, and audio mixing/mastering by Tim Skipper (IG: @timmyskip). —————— About Thomas Hübl: Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma. He is the author of the new book Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World, and Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. Thomas has served as an advisor and guest faculty for universities and organizations, as a coach for CEOs and organizational leaders, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University. You can find Thomas Hübl at https://thomashuebl.com [https://thomashuebl.com] or on social media… IG: @thomashuebl [https://www.instagram.com/thomashuebl/] FB: https://www.facebook.com/Thomas.Huebl.Sangha/ [https://www.facebook.com/Thomas.Huebl.Sangha/] LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashuebl/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashuebl/] YouTube: @thomashuebl [https://www.youtube.com/@thomashuebl] —————— About Laurence Heller: Laurence Heller, PhD, is the creator of the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®), founder of the NARM Training Institute, international trainer, and co-author of Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image and the Capacity for Relationship, now published in fifteen different languages. Dr. Heller has a PhD in clinical psychology and has conducted NARM trainings and case consultations for thousands of therapists throughout the United States and Europe. He is the co-author of the new book Healing Shame and Guilt, available now wherever books are sold. You can find Larry and the NARM Training Institute at https://narmtraining.com/ [https://narmtraining.com/], https://drlaurenceheller.com/ [https://drlaurenceheller.com/], or on social media… LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/narm-training-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/narm-training-institute] YouTube: @NARMTrainingInstitute [https://www.youtube.com/narmtraininginstitute] https://www.linkedin.com/company/narm-training-instituteIG:  @narmtraininginstitute [https://www.instagram.com/narmtraininginstitute/] FB: https://www.facebook.com/NARMTraining [https://www.facebook.com/NARMTraining] —————— Special Thanks To the NARM Training Institute team—Lindsey Smith, Olga Piontkowski, Emily Scott, and Tue Kjær—for invaluable production support, and to Tim Skipper for his outstanding post-production, editing, and creative work.

Healing Shame and Guilt: A Conversation with Co-authors Dr. Laurence Heller and Stephan K. Niederwieser

Preorder Healing Shame and Guilt [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/804584/healing-shame-and-guilt-by-laurence-heller-phd-and-stephan-k-niederweiser/], coming from North Atlantic Books on May 12. What if what we take to be our shame actually has nothing to do with us? In this episode of The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection, host Iris McAlpin Garrett sits down with NARM® founder Dr. Laurence Heller and NARM Teacher Stephan Niederwieser to discuss their upcoming book, Healing Shame and Guilt, releasing on May 12. Larry and Stephan explore how this book came into being, why they felt compelled to write it now, and what they hope readers will take from it. They reflect on how chronic shame and guilt develop, how these patterns shape us, and why simply understanding our history isn’t enough to create lasting change. 🎧 The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection is created and produced by the NARM Training Institute. 🎬 Post-production, editing, and audio mixing/mastering by Tim Skipper (IG: @timmyskip). About Stephan: Stephan Niederwieser has been working as a psychotherapist for over three decades. His work is guided by a quiet fascination with how human beings become who they believe themselves to be—and how, even after early adversity, they can return to a natural sense of trust, dignity, and authentic self-expression. His therapeutic training began with Haikomi in the late 1980s, followed by advanced training in trauma-oriented modalities including Somatic Experiencing and the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), which today forms the core of his clinical work. Stephan is a NARM Teacher and offers training and consultation to therapists internationally. Stephan lives with his partner in Berlin and is deeply inspired by travel, nature, and cross-cultural connection. You can find Stephan on his website [https://stephan-niederwieser.de/] or on social media… 👥 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551023936009] ▶️ YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@stephankonradniederwieser507] About Larry: Laurence Heller, PhD is the creator of the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®), founder of the NARM Training Institute, international trainer, and co-author of Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image and the Capacity for Relationship, now published in fifteen different languages. Dr. Heller has a PhD in clinical psychology and has conducted NARM trainings and case consultations for thousands of therapists throughout the United States and Europe. You can find Larry [https://drlaurenceheller.com/] and the NARM Training Institute [https://narmtraining.com/] on social media... ▶️ YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/narmtraininginstitute] 💼 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/narm-training-institute/] 👥 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/NARMTraining] 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/narmtraininginstitute/] Special Thanks To the NARM Training Institute team—Lindsey Smith, Olga Piontkowski, Emily Scott, and Tue Kjær—for invaluable production support, and to Tim Skipper for his outstanding post-production, editing, and creative work.

What Happens When We're Connected: Ralf Marzen & Maya Vaughan on Healing Through Relationships

What happens when we’re securely connected? In this episode of The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection, host Iris McAlpin Garrett sits down with two longtime friends and NARM practitioners—Ralf Marzen and Maya Vaughan—to explore why connection is central to healing, and what gets in the way. Drawing from both clinical practice and lived experience, Ralf and Maya reflect on the deep human longing for connection, the survival strategies that pull us away from ourselves and others, and how the therapeutic relationship can become a powerful space for reconnection. Together they explore themes around embodiment, authenticity, rupture and repair, shame as a strategy of disconnection, and the role of agency in healing developmental trauma. This wide-ranging conversation also touches on the realities of modern relationships: why conflict is essential for intimacy, how misattunements can actually deepen trust, and why young people today may need new pathways toward connection in an increasingly digital world. With warmth, humor, and candor, Ralf and Maya offer a grounded and hopeful look at what becomes possible when we return to ourselves—and each other. 🎧 The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection is created and produced by the NARM Training Institute. 🎬 Post-production, editing, and audio mixing/mastering by Tim Skipper (IG: @timmyskip). About Maya: Maya Vaughan is a relationship coach and a NARM therapist. She is also the Director of the Trauma Training Institute UK where she collaborates with Ralf Marzen, who is the lead NARM trainer for NARM trainings in the UK.   Maya integrates NARM and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy to support emotional safety, self-awareness, and authentic connection in her work with individuals and couples. Maya is also an Associate Member of the British Emotionally Focused Therapy Centre, the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy, and the Complementary Medical Association. Drawing on her professional expertise and her own relational healing journey, Maya brings compassion, clarity, and depth to her work. She lives in north London with her husband of 20 years and her three daughters. You can find Maya on her website at mayavaughan.com [http://mayavaughan.com] or on social media… LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-vaughan About Ralf: Ralf Marzen is a psychologist, trauma therapist, and seminar leader with 25 years of experience working with individuals and groups. He is a NARM teacher and currently teaches NARM trainings in the US, Spain, Germany, the UK and Turkey. Beyond his trauma therapy practice, Ralf serves as the director of the StillPoint Centre for WellBeing in London and the Mudita School of Thai Yoga Massage. Drawing on both his extensive professional training and a lifelong passion for the journey of healing and awakening, Ralf brings sensitivity, compassion, and clarity to his work. Collaborating with Maya, Ralf is the lead trainer for NARM professional courses offered by the Trauma Training Institute, UK. You can find Ralf on his website at https://www.embodied-trauma-healing.com/ [https://www.embodied-trauma-healing.com/]. You can find both Ralf and Maya at the Trauma Training Institute UK at traumatraininginstitute.co.uk [http://traumatraininginstitute.co.uk]. Special Thanks To the NARM Training Institute team—Lindsey Smith, Olga Piontkowski, Emily Scott, and Tue Kjær—for invaluable production support, and to Tim Skipper for his outstanding post-production, editing, and creative work.

Healing Beyond Medicine: Dr. Lissa Rankin on Trauma, Spirituality, and Healing

Content Warning: This episode mentions the existence of both suicidal ideation and sex. Please use your discretion when deciding whether or not to watch/listen. What does real healing require? In this episode of The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection, host Iris McAlpin Garrett sits down with physician, researcher, and bestselling author Dr. Lissa Rankin and NARM founder Dr. Laurence Heller to explore the intersection of spirituality and healing from the effects of developmental trauma. Drawing on her experience as both a physician and an IFS educator, Lissa shares her story of leaving a successful career in OB-GYN medicine after facing profound moral injury, eventually leading her to study with pioneers in mind-body-spirit medicine. Together with Larry, she unpacks the complexities of spiritual bypassing, the allure of bliss-seeking, and the danger of premature transcendence. The conversation explores the nuanced intersections of medicine, psychotherapy, and spirituality—asking an important question: How do we know when we're healed, or when we may be trying to convince ourselves that our healing work is done? 🎧 The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection is created and produced by the NARM Training Institute. 🎬 Post-production, editing, and audio mixing/mastering by Tim Skipper (IG: @timmyskip). About Lissa: Lissa Rankin, MD, is an OB/GYN physician, author of seven books, founder of the Whole Health Medicine Institute and the non-profit Heal At Last, and an encaustic artist who researches radical remission, trauma-informed medicine, and spiritual healing. She teaches memoir writing for therapeutic purposes, in addition to being an educator of Internal Family Systems (IFS). Lissa is currently co-writing her eighth book with Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Jeffrey Rediger about the link between relational trauma and medical illness, focusing on how healthy boundaries and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy can help reverse diseases related to nervous system dysregulation caused by traumatizing relationships. She thrives on daily hikes in nature, dancing, singing, writing, DJ’ing music whenever she can, playing with her dog Gaia, and healthy gourmet cooking. You can find Lissa on her website at https://lissarankin.com/ [https://lissarankin.com/] or on social media… IG: @LissaRankin FB: facebook.com/lissarankin/ [http://facebook.com/lissarankin/] Youtube: youtube.com/user/LissaRankin [http://youtube.com/user/LissaRankin]  About Larry: Laurence Heller, PhD is the creator of the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®), founder of the NARM Training Institute, international trainer, and co-author of Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image and the Capacity for Relationship, now published in fifteen different languages. Dr. Heller has a PhD in clinical psychology and has conducted NARM trainings and case consultations for thousands of therapists throughout the United States and Europe. His new book Healing Shame and Guilt is set to be published in May 2026. You can find Larry and the NARM Training Institute at https://narmtraining.com/ [https://narmtraining.com/], at https://drlaurenceheller.com/ [https://drlaurenceheller.com/] or on social media... LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/narm-training-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/narm-training-institute/]FB: https://www.facebook.com/NARMTraining [https://www.facebook.com/NARMTraining] Special Thanks To the NARM Training Institute team—Lindsey Smith, Olga Piontkowski, Emily Scott, and Tue Kjær—for invaluable production support, and to Tim Skipper for his outstanding post-production, editing, and creative work.

Surviving Narcissism: Dr. Nadine Macaluso on Trauma Bonds and Healing

In this inaugural episode of The Aliveness Project: Conversations on Connection, we’re joined by Dr. Nadine Macaluso—therapist, author, and trauma bond expert—and Dr. Laurence Heller, the creator of the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®). Together, they sit down with NARM Master Therapist and podcast host Iris McAlpin Garrett for a candid and layered conversation about narcissism, trauma bonds, and the role of early relational trauma in shaping both sides of these painful dynamics. Drawing from personal and professional experience, Nadine shares powerful reflections on how trauma bonds form and why they can be so difficult to break. Larry offers insights from a NARM perspective, exploring how the Trust Survival Style often underlies these dynamics and how early disconnection impacts a person’s ability to trust themselves and others. Together, the conversation brings a deeper level of understanding to the complexities of narcissistic relationships and developmental trauma. Whether you're a clinician, a helping professional, or someone navigating the aftermath of a trauma bond, this episode invites reflection, curiosity, and hope for meaningful reconnection—with yourself and with others. About Nadine: Dr. Nadine Macaluso (Dr. Nae) is a therapist, writer, and industry expert in narcissistic abuse, trauma bonds, and complex PTSD. At 22, she married Jordan Belfort—the infamous “Wolf of Wall Street”—believing love could save him. After years in a trauma bond, she left at 30, beginning a journey of deep self-reflection and healing. This led her to pursue a PhD in counseling and somatic psychology, launching a career dedicated to helping others break free from abusive relationships. Through her private practice, Dr. Nae has supported countless women navigating toxic dynamics, drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience. She is the author of Run Like Hell: A Therapist’s Guide to Recognizing, Escaping, and Healing from Trauma Bonds. A mother of five (plus two dogs), a cancer survivor, and a devoted advocate for survivors, Dr. Nae continues to educate and empower those impacted by relational trauma. You can find Dr. Nae on her website at https://drnae.com/ [https://drnae.com/] or on social media… Instagram: @therealdrnadine TikTok: @drnaelmft Facebook: @drnaelmft Youtube: @TheRealDrNadine About Larry: Dr. Laurence Heller is the creator of the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), founder of the NARM Training Institute, international trainer, and co-author of Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image and the Capacity for Relationship, now published in fifteen different languages. Dr. Heller has a PhD in clinical psychology and has conducted NARM trainings and case consultations for thousands of therapists throughout the United States and Europe. His new book on the NARM perspective on shame is set to be published in March 2026. You can find Larry and the NARM Training Institute at https://narmtraining.com/ [https://narmtraining.com/], at https://drlaurenceheller.com/ [https://drlaurenceheller.com/], or on social media... LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/narm-training-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/narm-training-institute/]Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NARMTraining [https://www.facebook.com/NARMTraining] Special thanks to the NARM Training Institute team—Lindsey Smith, Olga Piontkowski, Emily Scott, and Tue Kjær—for their invaluable production support.