"Why do I keep attracting toxic friends?" - Clinical psychologist and energy healer on self-love and toxic friendships

"Why do I keep attracting toxic friends?" - Clinical psychologist and energy healer on self-love and toxic friendships

Why do you keep ending up in friendships that drain you? In this conversation, clinical psychologist, hypnotherapist and bestselling author Eilat Aviram breaks down the difference between a friend who is having a bad day and a friend who is actually toxic for your nervous system. Eilat introduces her concept of self-loving decision-making and walks Sadaf through the exact body cues that signal an unsafe relationship, the chilling study that shows how predators pick their victims, the bear vs snake types of narcissist, and the one boundary test that quietly reveals whether someone in your life can be trusted. If you have ever moved cities and struggled to find your people, if you have ever been called “sensitive” for naming something that hurt, or if you suspect you might be the toxic friend, this episode gives you both the language and the scripts. What you will learn •      Why a toxic friendship is one you keep walking away from feeling smaller, consistently •      The 'pamphlet' people hand you when you first meet — and why we ignore it •      What a real clinical narcissist looks like, and the bear vs snake test •      A study showing how psychopaths identify empaths in under a minute (and what protected the ones who weren't picked) •      How over-giving can turn a perfectly good friendship into a poisonous one •      The single sneaky test that reveals whether someone in your life is actually safe •      The exact words to use when you've been hurt but didn't have the words in the moment •      Why 'if I loved myself, what would I choose to do now?' is the most useful question you can carry in your pocket Memorable quotes •      “Is it toxic, or is it a tonic?” •      “People come with a pamphlet. We read it, then we completely ignore it.” •      “Watch how someone treats children, waiters, dogs — anyone they think is less than them.” •      “You are 100% responsible for your 50% of the relationship.” •      “You can make good relationships toxic if you keep giving.” •      “Discomfort is your system telling you to listen. Don't override it.” •      “If I loved myself, what would I choose to do now?” •      “There is only one world expert on you, and that is you.” •      “Catastrophic capitalism benefits from us not valuing ourselves.” About Eilat Aviram Eilat Aviram is a clinical psychologist, hypnotherapist, energy healing teacher and bestselling author whose work on self-loving decision-making has helped thousands of people reconnect with their inner truth. She runs CPD-accredited courses for healthcare practitioners and has worked with clients for almost 30 years. * (00:00) - Intro * (01:40) - Why do we stay in toxic relationships? * (02:55) - What’s the point of a friendship? * (04:25) - Is it really toxic or am I just triggered? * (06:58) - Is the friendship fixable? * (10:01) - What if I’m the toxic one? * (11:13) - What your nervous system knows before you do * (15:07) - People come with a pamphlet * (17:17) - How psychopaths choose their victims * (19:32) - Victims ignore the warning signs * (22:25) - How to make self loving choices in relationships * (23:29) - Conflicting Needs: when you love someone who drains you * (25:22) - How you can turn a good friendship toxic * (29:06) - The friendship tango - reversing a toxic dynamic * (30:07) - The boundary test in a friendship * (34:08) - Why a friend becomes toxic or mean * (35:05) - Two types of narcissists: the bear and the snake * (36:47) - Why did I befriend toxic people? * (37:56) - The metaphysical perspective on toxic friendships (Energy Vampires) * (42:57) - Subtle toxicity and reclaiming your power * (44:48) - Discomfort is a gift * (48:03) - Practical scripts for dealing with toxicity * (53:03) - Toxic friends are teachers * (54:50) - Eilat’s childhood and journey to self-love * (58:35) - Capitalism doesn’t want you to love yourself * (59:39) - Outro Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZg5NTDAt8s] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/c0890610/transcript]

How Breathwork Rewires the Nervous System (Burnout, Anxiety & Stress) - Dr. Ela Manga

What if burnout, anxiety, and chronic stress are not mental problems but nervous system patterns? In this podcast conversation, Dr. Ela Manga explains how breathwork rewires the nervous system, regulates stress responses, and restores safety in the body. Drawing from neuroscience, medicine, and somatic healing, this podcast explores why so many people are stuck in fight-or-flight and how conscious breathing can support real, long-term healing. ABOUT THE GUEST: DR. ELA MANGA is a medical doctor, breathwork practitioner, and founder of Breathwork Africa. With a background in conventional medicine and years of experience in conscious breathing and nervous system work, she bridges science, embodiment, and healing in a grounded, accessible way. Her work focuses on: a. Breathwork and nervous system regulation b. Trauma informed healing c. Autonomic nervous system health d. Emotional and somatic awareness Learn more about Dr. Ela Manga: https://www.breathworkafrica.co.za/ela-bio https://www.drelamanga.com/ Throughout the Podcast, Dr. Ela Manga breaks down: 1. How the autonomic nervous system responds to stress 2. Why burnout is a state of nervous system overdrive 3. The connection between breath, the vagus nerve, and emotional safety 4. Why anxiety is not one emotion, but a physiological pattern 5. How breathwork can support trauma healing and when it can be harmful 6. The difference between regulating the nervous system and suppressing symptoms WHAT THIS PODCAST COVERS: 1. How breathwork affects the nervous system 2. Burnout and chronic stress from a biological lens 3. Anxiety as a nervous system response 4. Trauma-informed breathwork 5. Healing through body-based regulation If you enjoy neuroscience podcasts, healing podcasts, and in-depth conversations about the mind-body connection, this episode is for you. This is a slow, reflective conversation designed for deep listening. Take your time. Let the insights land. And if something resonates, revisit it. If you found value in this podcast, consider subscribing for more long-form conversations on breathwork, nervous system health, and healing. Follow us on: Alt Life Podcast Instagram: @altlifeZA  Tiktok: @altlife.podcast  KEYWORDS THIS VIDEO COVERS: breathwork podcast podcast 2026 dr ela manga breathwork nervous system podcast nervous system podcast healing podcast breathwork nervous system nervous system regulation burnout nervous system anxiety nervous system stress addiction vagus nerve breathwork emotional regulation breathwork trauma and breathwork how to regulate nervous system breathwork podcast neuroscience podcast trauma healing podcast autonomic nervous system healing how breathwork works #podcast  #breathwork  #breathworkcoach  #nervoussystem  #nervoussystemregulation  #anxietymanagement  #vagusnerve  #emotionalregulation  #neuroscience  #autonomicnervoussystem

The Truth about Intuition, Sensitivity, Energy Anatomy and Spiritual Awakening| Medical Intuitive Reveals All with Colin Mathews (Podcast Ep6)

What if your body is already telling you everything you need to know? In this powerful episode of Alt Life, I sit down with Colin Matthews, a medical intuitive who helps people decode the messages stored in their bodies. Colin explains why most people confuse trauma responses with intuition, how your body reflects your inner beliefs, and why entrepreneurs burn out when they don’t listen to their spiritual will.  This conversation is for anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or spiritually disconnected — and ready to understand their pain from a whole new dimension. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 01. How to know if your intuition is real 02. The difference between thoughts vs inner knowing 03. Why emotional pain manifests in the body 04. Why sensitive people struggle — and how to thrive 05. How trauma blocks clarity and energy 06. What your shoulder, jaw, or stomach pain might mean 07. Why entrepreneurship is actually a spiritual journey 08. The purpose of the Dark Night of the Soul 09. How to make soul-aligned decisions (even in chaos) About the Guest: Colin Matthews is an Intuitive Counsellor, certified Medical Intuitive, and mentor to empaths and highly intuitive beings. He founded and ran a community of yoga studios in the Toronto area, where he immersed himself in studying embodied awareness—observing how people hold energetic patterns in their bodies and how these can be transformed. A former kindergarten teacher, Colin also had the rare privilege of supporting humans at the very start of their life journey. Blending grounded presence with spiritual insight, Colin bridges the worlds of embodied wisdom and practical transformation. His path has been shaped by early trauma, a near-fatal car accident, and an ongoing journey of physical and emotional healing, which led him to study integrative trauma treatment and energy anatomy. Colin is currently completing his Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology with the aim of integrating intuitive counsel into the framework of psychotherapy. He is an experienced Nonviolent Communicator, a devoted homesteader, and a skilled woodworker. Whether guiding someone through a dark night of the soul or helping entrepreneurs discern authenticity and spirituality in their journey, Colin brings deep listening, humility, and a commitment to inner truth. His work resonates with those navigating the edge between healing and awakening, structure and spirit. Learn more: https://colinmatthews.ca/ Who Should Watch This Podcast Video: 01. Anyone who wants to understand the emotional root cause of their physical condition 02. Anyone looking to access their inner voice and intuition 03. Anyone struggling through a Dark Night of the Soul  04. Anyone who wants to harness their sensitivity to serve them  05. Anyone who wants to understand how their body is speaking to them  06. Anyone going through a spiritual awakening  07. Entrepreneurs who want to understand the spiritual side of entrepreneurship  08. Anyone who is skeptical of intuitive arts and spirituality  Keywords This Video Covers: energy healing, energy healer, healing, self healing, trauma healing, trauma recovery, inner healing, podcast, self development podcast, female podcast, healing energy, how to heal yourself, intuitive healer,  Dark Night of the Soul, Medical Intuition, Spiritual Entrepreneurship,  Energy Anatomy, Dr Joe Dispenza Retreat

Energy Healer Reveals: Healing Begins When You Stop Being the Victim

Ever wonder if your pain lives deeper than your body?  Could it be trapped in your energy field, silently shaping your life? In this episode of our podcast, we sit down with a gifted intuitive energy healer to explore how energy healing can unlock emotional wounds, dissolve trauma, and initiate real inner peace. From confronting anger as frozen pain to understanding how your aura reflects your emotional story, this conversation is more than just spiritual talk—it’s a grounded, vulnerable journey into self-healing and forgiveness. Whether you’re on a healing journey, recovering from trauma, or simply seeking deeper emotional clarity, this episode offers a mirror to your inner world—and the tools to begin rewriting it. About the Guest: Lou Bougnon is an energy healer, author, and speaker who has worked with thousands of people worldwide to release trauma, rebalance their energy field, and reconnect to their higher self. Her approach blends ancient healing, spiritual wisdom, and deep intuitive insight. She doesn’t advertise — her work spreads purely by word of mouth. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 1. What an energy healer truly does and how energy healing channels divine intelligence through intention 2. How playing the victim blocks your ability to begin the self-healing process 3. Why acknowledging your role in pain is the first step in real emotional healing 4. How unresolved trauma and emotional blocks manifest as patterns of illness in the body 5. The link between trauma healing and reconnecting with your soul after dissociation 6. Why inner healing starts with recognizing the part of you that wants to be whole 7. How anger is frozen pain, and how to begin emotional release using energy healing techniques 8. The hidden truth that your aura holds your anger, and how to cleanse it through healing energy 9. How deep forgiveness can dissolve years of stored pain and accelerate your healing journey 10. What role past lives and parallel lives play in the trauma recovery process 11. The real meaning of forgiveness and how it contributes to lasting spiritual healing 12. How to begin the journey of forgiving yourself using simple yet powerful self-healing practices 13. What it means to channel healing messages and how intuition becomes a guide 14. How intuitive healers carry others’ pain and why protecting your energy field matters This podcast episode is a deep, soul-touching conversation wrapped in vulnerability, truth, and healing energy. It weaves through the invisible spaces where our emotional wounds hide—our words, our auras, and the stories we keep repeating. Instead of pushing quick fixes or spiritual clichés, this conversation invites you to slow down and feel. It invites you to sit with your pain, explore your anger, and discover how healing truly begins—not when someone fixes you, but when you start seeing yourself without filters. The energy of this dialogue gently holds your hand as it guides you through the landscape of forgiveness, not as something owed to others, but as something you gift yourself. It reminds you that your past doesn’t define your healing, and your pain can become your teacher if you’re ready to listen. There’s no checklist, no step-by-step formula—just an open door to deeper awareness, a softer heart, and a clearer connection to the part of you that never needed fixing. Who Should Watch This Podcast Video: 1. Anyone on a healing journey seeking emotional or trauma recovery 2. Those struggling with forgiveness, especially self-forgiveness 3. Individuals feeling “stuck” in pain, anger, or repeating emotional patterns 4. Spiritual seekers curious about energy healing and intuitive healing 5. People exploring how to heal from trauma through non-traditional methods 6. Viewers seeking deep, soulful self-development podcast content 6. Women navigating emotional overwhelm looking for guidance through inner healing Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon so you never miss a conversation. Keywords This Video Covers: energy healing, energy healer, healing, self healing, trauma healing, healing journey, healing trauma, intuitive healer, energy healing podcast, how to forgive yourself, emotional healing journey, how to deal with anger, how to heal from trauma, forgiveness, trauma recovery, inner healing, podcast, self development podcast, female podcast, healing energy, how to heal yourself, how to heal with energy, how does energy healing work, how to do energy healing on yourself, Hashtags: HashTags -  #podcastshow #energyhealing #energyhealer #podcast #healing #healingjourney #healingenergy #healingsoul #selfhealing #traumahealing #forgiveyourself  #forgiveness  #traumarecovery

Transform Loneliness to Greatness: Healing Through Shadow Work, Solitude, and Connection w/ Dr. Shiv Dawson

Are you struggling with loneliness or feeling disconnected from yourself and others? In this transformative episode, we sit down with Dr. Shiv Dawson, South Africa's first integrative psychiatrist, to explore the neurobiology of loneliness, the power of shadow work, and the role of the root chakra in grounding us to the earth. Discover how self-connection and emotional healing can help you move from isolation to empowerment. Dr. Dawson shares practical grounding practices, insights into holistic healing, and spiritual perspectives to help you reconnect with yourself and others. Join us as we unpack the difference between loneliness and solitude, the importance of inner work, and why meaningful human connection is key to mental and spiritual well-being. * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:01) - Exploring the Epidemic of Loneliness * (03:00) - The Toxicity of Loneliness * (05:14) - Loneliness, Social Isolation & Solitude * (08:54) - Understanding Loneliness from a Nuerobiological Perspective * (11:37) - Loneliness is Contagious * (13:11) - Loneliness and Disconnection * (14:51) - The Role of Self-Connection and Spirituality * (18:59) - Loneliness and Depression * (26:06) - Spiritual Perspective on Loneliness * (31:41) - Navigating Relationships and Personal Boundaries * (38:10) - Loneliness, Addiction and Rejection * (41:29) - Embracing Solitude and Shadow Work * (46:21) - Exploring Shadow-Work * (52:15) - Exploring Self Rejection * (54:31) - Embracing Solitude and Inner Dialogue * (59:55) - Loneliness and Negative Thoughts * (01:08:34) - Shiv's Journey to Holistic Practice * (01:16:54) - Acknowledging Loneliness * (01:19:56) - Shiv's Current Work * (01:25:13) - Spiritual Bypassing * (01:29:51) - David Whyte's Poem Follow us on: Instagram: @altlifeZA Tiktok: @altlife.podcast Dr. Shiv Dawson's bio: Name: Dr. Shiv Dawson Transformational Psychiatrist About: Siobhan, or Dr Shiv, is a Transformational Psychiatrist who inspires leaders, communities of influence and impact-driven individuals. She supports them to heal gracefully and evolve into their next level of success through functional medicine, biohacking optimisation, and spiritual evolution. With 20 years of experience, Dr Shiv pursues mental wellness and vitality for her clients, bridging the gap between science and mysticism. Her vision is for humanity to achieve a purposeful and enlightened way of living. Credentials: MBChB (Medical Degree UCT) MRCPsych (Psychiatry Specialisation London) Internship Training Oxford Deanery Integrative Medicine Diploma (Cape Town 2014) Functional Medicine AFMCP ( Cape Town 2014) Functional Medicine (Institute Functional Medicine USA); Personal Performance Certificate in Life Coaching (Coaching Academy London 2008) Advanced Diploma in Hypnotherapy Austin Technique London 2003 Member of IMMH www.immh.org Member of SASIM www.integrativemedicine.co.za Member of Inategy Ascension Business school www.leighjane.woodgate.com Entheogenic (psychedelic) facilitation. Initiation with Cathy Coyle. Breathwork & sound healing Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/bd438d5b/transcript]