32. Understanding Nervous System Responses: Why You React the Way You Do

38. The Body Remembers: How Tapping, Safety, and Somatic Healing Help Us Move Forward with Mitch Gainey

What if the symptoms you're trying to "fix" are actually your nervous system's best attempt to protect you? In this powerful conversation, Leanna sits down with Australian counselor, facilitator, and evidence-based EFT trainer Mitch Gainey to explore the profound connection between trauma, the nervous system, and the body's innate capacity to heal. Together, they unpack why traditional talk therapy isn't always enough, how unresolved experiences can become "stuck" in the body, and why creating safety is often the first step toward lasting change. Mitch shares his journey working with youth experiencing homelessness, refugees, trauma survivors, and helping professionals, and how those experiences led him to discover the transformative power of Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), commonly known as tapping. Whether you're a parent, helping professional, or someone navigating your own healing journey, this episode offers a compassionate reminder: there is nothing wrong with you. Your nervous system has been doing its best to help you survive and healing begins when we learn to listen. In this episode, you'll learn: * What Clinical EFT (tapping) is and how it differs from social media tapping practices * How trauma gets "stuck" in the body and why symptoms often make sense * The connection between nervous system regulation, safety, and healing * Why increasing your capacity is more important than eliminating activation * How tapping can help process anxiety, fear, grief, anger, and unresolved experiences * The importance of learning to tolerate joy, connection, and feeling fully alive * Why compassion—not shame—is essential for lasting transformation If you've ever wondered why you keep getting pulled back into the same patterns, emotions, or survival responses, this conversation will help you understand what your body may be trying to tell you and how to begin listening differently. About Mitch Gainey:  Mitch Gainey is an Australian counsellor, facilitator, and trainer specialising in Evidence Based EFT, Focusing, somatic practice, and trauma-informed change. His work helps therapists, coaches, and helping professionals understand the body as an intelligent living process, not just a set of symptoms to manage. With a background in youth homelessness, refugee support, executive facilitation, and practitioner training, Mitch brings both depth and practicality to the healing space. He teaches Evidence Based EFT as a body-based method for creating enough safety to process emotion, trauma, stress, and stuck patterns without overwhelm. Mitch’s work is influenced by Eugene Gendlin’s Focusing, Internal Family Systems, Somatic Experiencing, and contemplative traditions of deep listening. He is especially interested in how tapping, presence, and somatic awareness can help people stop fighting themselves and begin listening to what the body is trying to carry forward. Connect with Mitch: Website: https://www.mitchgainey.com/ [https://www.mitchgainey.com/] 💬 Have a Question You’d Like Answered on the Podcast? If you have a question around the nervous system, healing relationships, or generational patterns, you’re invited to submit it anonymously using the link below. There’s also an optional box you can check if you’d like to be considered for a short audio coaching conversation on a future episode. 👉 Submit your question [https://forms.gle/L7uKcEh1AneQtxKz7] Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna [https://www.instagram.com/aligningwithleanna] Website → leannahunt.com [https://www.leannahunt.com] Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

37. The Body Doesn't Keep the Score? A New Perspective on Trauma, Healing, and Nervous System Patterns

What if the patterns you've spent years trying to change aren't flaws in your personality but predictions made by your nervous system? In this thought-provoking episode, Leanna explores a controversial paper that has sparked widespread discussion in the trauma and nervous system world: The Body Does Not Keep the Score. While the title may sound contradictory to everything we've learned about trauma, the conversation opens the door to a deeper understanding of how healing actually happens. Leanna shares her personal experience with EFT tapping, explores the concept of predictive coding, and examines how survival responses like fight, flight, freeze, and fawn may be less about who we are and more about what our nervous system learned was necessary for safety. Through a generational lens, you'll discover how nervous systems learn patterns through relationships, attachment, and repetition and why many of the traits we identify as "just who I am" may actually be adaptive responses passed down through generations. In this episode, you'll learn: * Why the phrase "The Body Doesn't Keep the Score" may not mean what you think it does * How predictive coding influences trauma responses and nervous system patterns * The connection between fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and learned predictions of danger * How generational trauma shapes the way nervous systems develop * Why nervous system flexibility—not perfection—is the true goal of healing * The difference between viewing symptoms as problems versus messages * How flow states, creativity, nature, movement, and connection support healing * How the Four N Framework (Notice, Name, Nurture, Navigate) helps create new nervous system pathways Whether you've struggled with anxiety, people-pleasing, overworking, hyper-independence, or feeling stuck in patterns you can't seem to change, this episode offers a compassionate reframe: You are not broken. Your nervous system learned to protect you. And with safety, awareness, and practice, those predictions can change. Because healing isn't about becoming someone different—it's about creating enough flexibility that the past no longer has to dictate your future. Sources for Episode: Kotler S, Mannino M, Fox G and Friston K (2026) The body does not keep the score: trauma, predictive coding, and the restoration of metastability. Front. Syst. Neurosci. 20:1812957. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2026.1812957 Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-hope-circuit/202605/the-body-doesnt-keep-the-score [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-hope-circuit/202605/the-body-doesnt-keep-the-score] 💬 Have a Question You’d Like Answered on the Podcast? If you have a question around the nervous system, healing relationships, or generational patterns, you’re invited to submit it anonymously using the link below. There’s also an optional box you can check if you’d like to be considered for a short audio coaching conversation on a future episode. 👉 Submit your question [https://forms.gle/L7uKcEh1AneQtxKz7] Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna [https://www.instagram.com/aligningwithleanna] Website → leannahunt.com [https://www.leannahunt.com] Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

36. When Connection Feels Safer Than Authenticity: Understanding the Appease Response

Why is it so hard to say no, disappoint someone, or put your own needs first? In this episode of the NeuroHeir Podcast, we're continuing our exploration of the nervous system's survival responses by diving into the often-overlooked appease response—sometimes called the fawn response. While fight, flight, and freeze tend to be easier to recognize, appeasement is often praised and rewarded, making it one of the most difficult patterns to identify in ourselves. Using beloved films like Runaway Bride, Barbie, and Encanto, Leanna explores what happens when the nervous system learns that staying connected feels safer than being authentic. You'll learn how people-pleasing, perfectionism, chronic caretaking, conflict avoidance, and self-abandonment can all be rooted in a nervous system strategy designed to protect connection and belonging. In this episode, you'll learn: * What the appease (fawn) response is and why it develops * How people-pleasing and self-abandonment can become automatic survival strategies * The connection between appeasement, attachment, and nervous system regulation * Why appease is often the most socially rewarded survival response * How these patterns can be passed down through generations * The physical, emotional, and relational signs of chronic appeasement * Somatic practices to rebuild self-trust and authentic self-connection * How to stay connected to others without abandoning yourself Whether you've always been the peacemaker, the helper, the overachiever, or the person everyone depends on, this episode offers a compassionate framework for understanding your patterns and beginning the journey back to yourself. Because healing isn't about caring less—it’s about learning that connection doesn't have to cost you your voice, your truth, or your authenticity. 🌿 Somatic Tools For Appease 🌿 Tactile Anchoring Cross your arms over your chest or place a hand on your heart and another on your stomach. Appease energy often pulls awareness outward toward everyone else.  This practice helps gently anchor you back into your own body and nervous system. 🌿 The Micro-Pause Before automatically saying “yes,” practice pausing for 3 seconds. Take one slow breath and ask yourself: * What do I actually feel? * What is my capacity right now? * What do I genuinely want? Small pauses help interrupt automatic people-pleasing patterns. 🌿 Orienting Inward Instead Of Outward Notice what is happening inside your body before scanning everyone else. Ask yourself: * What emotions are here? * What sensations am I noticing? * Do I feel open, contracted, tense, tired, anxious, resentful, or overwhelmed? Appease healing often involves reconnecting with your own internal cues. 🌿 Grounding Through The Feet Push your feet firmly into the floor. Notice the support underneath you and allow your posture to gently expand. Appease patterns often physically shrink the body. Grounding helps create more stability, embodiment, and presence. 🌿 Boundary Breathwork Take a slow inhale and imagine gathering your energy back toward yourself. As you exhale, gently press your hands outward with a steady breath. This can help the nervous system begin learning:  “I am allowed to take up space too.” 🌿 Voice & Throat Work Appease often lives in the throat, jaw, and voice. Try: * gentle humming * jaw massage * low vocal tones * practicing small “no’s” in safe spaces * saying: “Let me think about that.” This helps rebuild nervous system safety around self-expression. 🌿 Noticing Preferences Practice noticing what you actually like. Food. Music. Rest. Pace. Activities. Boundaries. Self-trust is often rebuilt through small moments of preference and choice. (Yes… very Runaway Bride egg scene energy 😂) 🌿 Practicing Small No’s Healing appease patterns does not require huge confrontations. Start small: * “I can’t tonight.” * “I need some rest.” * “That doesn’t work for me.” * “I need a little time before I answer.” The nervous system learns through repetition. 🌿 Mirror Work & Posture Expansion Practice taking up physical space: * standing taller * relaxing the shoulders * soft eye contact in the mirror * allowing your body to remain open Physical expansion can help support emotional expansion too. 🌿 Safe Anger & Emotional Expression Many people in appease suppress anger for years. Healing may involve gently reconnecting with: * frustration * disappointment * truth * boundaries * honest emotion Not explosive anger—authentic emotion. 🌿 Co-Regulation With Safe People Appease healing often happens in safe relationships. People who allow you to: * have needs * disagree * say no * be imperfect * remain connected without self-abandonment Sometimes the nervous system needs repeated experiences of:  “I can be fully myself here and still be loved.” 🌿 Reflection Questions * When do I notice myself prioritizing someone else’s comfort over my own needs? * What happens in my body when someone is upset or disappointed with me? * Where did I first learn that keeping the peace felt safer than expressing myself honestly? * What emotions feel hardest for me to express in relationships? * What preferences, needs, or desires have I disconnected from over time? * What would it look like to stay connected to myself while still staying connected to others? * What is one small boundary, honest response, or act of self-trust I can practice this week? * What happens when I pause long enough to ask:  “What do I actually want?” 💬 Have a Question You’d Like Answered on the Podcast? If you have a question around the nervous system, healing relationships, or generational patterns, you’re invited to submit it anonymously using the link below. There’s also an optional box you can check if you’d like to be considered for a short audio coaching conversation on a future episode. 👉 Submit your question [https://forms.gle/L7uKcEh1AneQtxKz7] Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna [https://www.instagram.com/aligningwithleanna] Website → leannahunt.com [https://www.leannahunt.com] Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

35. Understanding the Freeze Response: When Your Nervous System Shuts Down

What if the reason you feel stuck, numb, disconnected, or unable to move forward isn't laziness at all? In this episode of The NeuroHeir Podcast, we're continuing our Nervous System Through Movies series by exploring the freeze response through the lens of Disney's Frozen. While Elsa's story is often viewed as one of hiding her powers, it also offers a powerful picture of what happens when the nervous system learns to survive through shutdown, isolation, and emotional containment. Leanna breaks down what freeze actually is, why it's often misunderstood, and how it can show up in everyday life as procrastination, exhaustion, brain fog, emotional disconnection, withdrawal, or feeling completely stuck. You'll learn how freeze differs from fight and flight, why there is often hidden stress underneath shutdown, and how these patterns can be connected to both personal experiences and generational survival strategies. Through nervous system science, personal stories, and practical somatic tools, this episode offers a compassionate reframe for anyone who has ever wondered: "What's wrong with me?" The answer may be simpler than you think. In This Episode, You'll Learn: * What the freeze response actually is and why it develops * How Elsa's story in Frozen reflects nervous system shutdown * Why freeze is often mistaken for laziness, apathy, or lack of motivation * The connection between anxiety, overwhelm, and functional freeze * How stored survival energy remains underneath shutdown * The role of generational trauma and inherited survival patterns * Why shame keeps freeze stuck and compassion helps create movement * Practical somatic tools to help gently reconnect with your body * How the Four N's Framework (Notice, Name, Nurture, Navigate) can support healing If you've ever felt disconnected from yourself, emotionally numb, exhausted, or unable to move forward despite wanting to, this episode will help you understand what's happening beneath the surface and remind you that your nervous system may be protecting you, not working against you. Remember: Freeze is not proof that you're broken. It's often proof that your body has been carrying more than it was meant to hold alone. Somatic Tools for Freeze Freeze often needs something very different than fight or flight. Instead of intensity or activation, freeze often responds best to: * warmth * gentleness * safety * small movement * sensory support * co-regulation * slow reconnection The goal is not to force yourself out of freeze. The goal is to help the nervous system slowly experience enough safety and support to reconnect again, one small step at a time. Tools to Support Freeze States Small Movement Freeze often responds better to tiny movement than overwhelming activation.   Try: * wiggling your fingers or toes * rolling your shoulders * gentle stretching * small body movements Warmth & Comfort Warmth can help communicate safety to the nervous system. Try: * a blanket * warm tea * a heating pad * sunlight * a warm shower Gentle Rhythmic Movement Rhythm can help the body feel safer reconnecting.  Try: * gentle rocking * slow swaying * slow walking * calming repetitive movement Humming or Soft Singing Vibration can help stimulate the vagus nerve and support regulation.   Try: * humming * soft singing * calming music Orienting Slowly Freeze can narrow awareness inward. Orienting helps reconnect to present safety.  Try slowly looking around and noticing: * colors * textures * light * shapes * supportive objects in the room Butterfly Hug & Bilateral Support Bilateral stimulation can support grounding and reconnection. Try: * butterfly tapping * bilateral music * slow cross-body movement Grounding Through Texture & Pressure Sensory input can help the body reconnect to the present moment.   Try: * a weighted blanket * holding a soft pillow * hands on your heart * bare feet on the floor * noticing comforting textures Hydration & Nourishment Freeze can disconnect us from basic body needs.  Small acts of care matter. Try: * taking a sip of water * eating a small snack * offering your body something nourishing Sometimes healing begins with reminding the body:  “I’m here.”  “I matter.”  “My body deserves support.” Safe Connection Freeze often heals in safe connection.  Support may include: * a trusted person * a regulated voice * a calming presence * co-regulation and emotional safety Sometimes the nervous system needs help borrowing safety before reconnecting on its own. Reflection Questions * When do I notice myself shutting down? * What does freeze feel like in my body? * What situations make me feel emotionally disconnected or numb? * What tends to happen right before I withdraw, collapse, or go quiet? * What helps me feel even slightly more present, connected, or safe? 💬 Have a Question You’d Like Answered on the Podcast? If you have a question around the nervous system, healing relationships, or generational patterns, you’re invited to submit it anonymously using the link below. There’s also an optional box you can check if you’d like to be considered for a short audio coaching conversation on a future episode. 👉 Submit your question [https://forms.gle/L7uKcEh1AneQtxKz7] Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna [https://www.instagram.com/aligningwithleanna] Website → leannahunt.com [https://www.leannahunt.com] Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

34. The Flight Response: Why Your Nervous System Can’t Slow Down

Have you ever felt like you can’t slow down? Like your brain is always making lists, your body feels restless, and even when you sit down to rest… you still feel "on"? In this episode of NeuroHeir, we’re diving into the flight nervous system response and uncovering what happens when your body learns survival through constant movement. Because flight isn’t always running away physically—it can look like overworking, overthinking, staying busy, perfectionism, or constantly trying to stay one step ahead. Leanna shares personal stories, nervous system science, generational patterns, and practical somatic tools to help you better understand the difference between ambition and survival energy and how healing may not mean stopping altogether, but learning that you no longer have to keep running. In this episode, we cover: * What the flight response actually is (and why it's different from fight) * Signs you may be living in chronic flight mode * Why busyness and productivity can become forms of protection * The connection between overworking, perfectionism, and survival patterns * How flight responses can be shaped by family history and generational experiences * Somatic tools to help regulate a constantly activated nervous system * Using the Four N's framework: Notice, Name, Nurture, and Navigate * Reflection questions to help you understand your own patterns If slowing down feels uncomfortable or even unsafe, this episode is for you. Because healing isn't about losing your drive. It's about teaching your nervous system that safety doesn't have to be earned through exhaustion. 💬 Have a Question You’d Like Answered on the Podcast? If you have a question around the nervous system, healing relationships, or generational patterns, you’re invited to submit it anonymously using the link below. There’s also an optional box you can check if you’d like to be considered for a short audio coaching conversation on a future episode. 👉 Submit your question [https://forms.gle/L7uKcEh1AneQtxKz7] Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna [https://www.instagram.com/aligningwithleanna] Website → leannahunt.com [https://www.leannahunt.com] Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.