Sacred Illness™

In this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, Dr. Erin interviews Dr. Brad Lichtenstein about the concept of acceptance in the face of illness. They discuss how acceptance is often misunderstood as a passive process, the connection between the mind and body, and how attitudes and perspectives on illness can impact one's quality of life. Dr. Brad shares his personal journey and professional insights, particularly his work with patients in hospice care and chronic pain, emphasizing the importance of asking, 'How are you living with this?'. The conversation touches on the roles of resilience, societal expectations, and how to find peace by living in the present despite discomfort. Enjoy!   Timestamp Overview: 00:00 The Illusion of Immortality 01:00 Understanding Acceptance 01:18 The Practice of Acceptance 02:18 Dr. Brad's Influence and Journey 02:52 Mind-Body Medicine and Personal Aha Moments 05:30 Dr. Brad's Background and Early Life 07:12 Discovering Natural Foods and Whole Foods 08:19 Journey to Naturopathic Medicine 08:42 Profound Experiences in HIV Care 09:37 Shifting Focus to Acceptance and Living 10:58 Biofeedback and Chronic Illness 11:54 The Concept of Acceptance in Practice 12:20 Cultural Obsession with Perfection 13:37 The Harm of Perfectionism and Biohacking 13:49 Acceptance vs. Perfectionism 13:58 The Practice of Acceptance Revisited 14:48 Living with Chronic Illness 17:56 The Importance of Relaxation and Breathing 20:01 The Impact of Expectations on Health 21:00 The Role of Acceptance in Pain Management 21:35 Cultural Conditioning and Pain 22:24 The Importance of Mantras and Affirmations 22:54 Systemic Issues in Work Culture 23:45 The Vicious Cycle of Worthiness and Productivity 24:30 The Need for Systemic Change 25:31 The Role of Ergonomics and Lifestyle 26:31 The Impact of Chronic Stress 27:00 The Relationship with News and Media 28:04 Mindful Use of Resources 28:33 The Spoon Theory and Energy Management 29:13 Embracing Discomfort in Parenting 32:00 Conditioned Responses and Relationships 35:43 The Power of Acceptance 39:58 Navigating Illness and Identity 48:31 Mindfulness and Meditation Practices 53:36 Final Reflections and Gratitude   Resources mentioned: Dr, Brad's website: https://www.thebreathspace.com/ [https://www.thebreathspace.com/]    ____ Are you on a healing journey? Are you feeling suck, unsure of the next step, or wondering if a next step even exists? If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Community, a profound and transformative group that supports you in alchemizing your wounds into medicine. Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to exist in the world in your fullest, most vibrant expression. This is a space dedicated to transforming illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection. Join us today! Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness] for more information.   ____ Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast! Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest]    ____ Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [http://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic]    #chronicillness #gastrointestinalissues #anxiety #mindbodyconnection #naturalhealth #complementarymedicine #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #spontaneousremission #chronicillness #chronicpain #healingjourney #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #acceptance

Transforming Parenting Through Inner Child Work and Emotional Regulation   In this episode of the Sacred Illness Podcast, host Dr. Erin Hayford along with guest Kimberly Sleeth explore the profound connections between inner child work and modern parenting techniques.    They discuss the impact of unresolved childhood issues on parenting styles, the importance of addressing emotional needs, and strategies for nervous system regulation.    Through personal anecdotes, the conversation highlights the importance of creating a safe and loving environment for children, recognizing and managing emotional dysregulation, and embracing gentle parenting methods.    Enjoy!     00:00 Introduction to Parenting Challenges  01:23 Exploring Inner Child Work  03:38 Impact of Childhood on Parenting  06:18 Personal Parenting Experiences  20:00 Modern Parenting Pressures  28:52 Facing the Tantrum: A New Parenting Approach  29:03 The Modern Parenting Village: Challenges and Changes  30:25 The Dysregulation of Parenthood  32:33 Understanding the Fight or Flight Response  35:46 Co-Regulation: Helping Your Child Calm Down  41:27 Finding Personal Space as a Parent  47:39 Inner Child Work: Healing Through Parenting  50:30 Resources for Modern Parenting  53:23 The Importance of Community in Healing  54:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts ____ Resources mentioned:   "The Body Keeps the Score" - Bessel van der Kolk  "How to Talk So Kids will Listen and Listen So Kids will Talk" and "Siblings without Rivalry" by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish  Circle of Security: https://www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/ [https://www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/] ____ Are you a Wounded Healer? Are you someone who is walking your own path of healing and transformation, learning how to turn your struggles with illness into powerful tools for growth, wisdom, and service to others? If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Community, a profound and transformative group that supports Wounded Healers in alchemizing your wounds into medicine. Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to get your gift out into the world in its fullest, most vibrant expression. This is your chance to transform illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection. Join us today! Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness] for more information. ____ Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast! Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] ____ Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [http://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] #parentingjourney #innerchildwork #mindbodyhealing #sacredillness #childhoodtrauma #parentingchallenges #gentleparenting #nervoussystemregulation #healingjourney #emotionalwellbeing #parentingsupport #communityhealing #parentalguidance #secureattachment #consciousparenting

Join us in this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast as host Erin welcomes Ann Jarvis from Ottawa, Canada. Both Erin and Ann share their experiences living with Crohn's disease and their healing journeys that began with this diagnosis. Ann discusses her transformative path to healing, emphasizing the significance of surrender and faith. She opens up about her mystical experiences, the impact of early life events, and the importance of self-acceptance. Listen in to explore how autoimmune diseases can reflect deeply held beliefs and the profound healing that can come from embracing the notion of surrender. Enjoy!   From the video: "It seems to me that the whole point of this human experiment is to reconcile, bring together the two, and that perhaps in the autoimmune soul, that is a more prescient issue."   Key topics: 00:00 Understanding Autoimmune Disease 01:22 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 02:29 Ann's Early Struggles with Crohn's Disease 03:53 Turning to Alternative Medicine 05:42 Discovering Energy Healing 09:01 The Power of Surrender 13:09 COVID-19 and a New Flare-Up 19:30 A Deeper Interpretation of Autoimmunity 36:44 A Transcendent Experience with Crohn's 38:27 The Meditative Journey 40:40 A Miraculous Healing 42:26 Exploring the Concept of Healing 45:47 The Search for Belonging 48:19 Connecting to the Self and the Divine 58:50 The Importance of Authenticity 01:06:55 Conclusion and Services Offered   ____ Work with Ann! Check out her website for 1:1 and other offerings: www.annjarvis.ca [http://www.annjarvis.ca] ____ Are you a Wounded Healer? Are you someone who is walking your own path of healing and transformation, learning how to turn your struggles with illness into powerful tools for growth, wisdom, and service to others? If so, you are invited to join the Sacred Illness™ Community, a profound and transformative group that supports Wounded Healers in alchemizing your wounds into medicine. Inside, you'll find all the tools you need to reconnect with your deepest purpose, find all of the roadblocks standing between you and your most authentic health, and the confidence to get your gift out into the world in its fullest, most vibrant expression. This is your chance to transform illness into a sacred path of growth, meaning, and connection. Join us today! Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program] for more information. ____ Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast! Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] ____ Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [http://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic]   #autoimmunedisease #healingjourney #sacredillnesspodcast #crohnsdisease #surrender #selfacceptance #innerhealing #energyhealing #holistichealth #spiritualhealing #mindbodyconnection #healthandwellness #psychoneuroimmunology #empathy #selflove #belonging

Welcome to Episode 29 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast! In this episode, we're delving into the intricate mind-body connection facilitated by yoga with the wonderful Diana May, a seasoned yoga instructor and Somatic Experience Practitioner in training. Together, we explore the journey of quieting the mind and unlocking healing through movement. We'll discuss the challenges posed by our competitive, cognitive-driven culture and how yoga offers a sanctuary for self-inquiry, compassion, and discovering joy in movement. We also discuss Diana's approach to yoga and how it helps people lean into the natural rhythms of their nervous systems, what pain and injury are really all about. and how it feels to be truly embodied. Listen to the end for details on upcoming online courses and retreats with Diana, designed to support those in pain. Whether you're new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, this episode promises valuable insights and encouragement to meet yourself where you are and find your path to well-being. Enjoy!   From the video: "Yoga means connection or coming together. Oftentimes, it's talked about connecting the mind with the body and the body with the soul. It's a bringing together, coming together, which is really amazing if you work with anyone with trauma, because there's so much fragmentation that happens when you have a traumatic experience."   Key topics: 00:00 Definition and intent of yoga 05:34 Diana's story to finding yoga and getting more in her body 09:57 Disconnecting from the body, trauma's effects. 14:37 Competition can distract from inner experience. 17:01 Somatic work is flexible and individualized. 25:52 Moderation in movement helps prevent more injury. 28:31 Yoga facilitates mind-body connection, promotes balance. 30:45 Help people with pain and trauma resolution. 42:25 Imaging can lead to unnecessary treatment and increased pain 45:19 Pain and injury can exist separately. 50:13 Embracing fluidity and groundedness for easeful living. 51:57 How to get started with yoga. 55:06 Teaching yoga for pain and injury online.   If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before. Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program] for more information! ____ How to get in touch with Diana + see her upcoming events!:   Website: www.dianamay.com [http://www.dianamay.com ] Instagram: @dianamayyoga   Yoga & The Nervous System Course: https://www.nest-yoga.com/programs-1/yogaandthenervoussystem [https://www.nest-yoga.com/programs-1/yogaandthenervoussystem]  Mentorship: Yoga for Injury Management, an educated approach to teaching people with injuries: https://www.dianamay.com/mentorship-1 [https://www.dianamay.com/mentorship-1]  ____ Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast! Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest]  ____ Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [http://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] #bodysignals #mindbodyhealing #yoga #chronicpain #healingjourney #chronicillness #pain #injury #authenticity #nervoussystemregulation #holistichealing #embodiment #somaticyoga #somaticwork #dysregulation #fightorflight #mindbodyconnection #emotionalregulation #sacredillness

Welcome to Episode 28 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast! In this episode I am taking a break from my usual content to share with you my personal experience with Crohn's disease and the lessons I've learned about healing and wholeness. Because of a recent flare-up, I share my frustrations and the seemingly contradictory reality of being a doctor who is also struggling with illness.. and what I've learned as a result. Join me as I dissect the mind-body connection, revealing how addressing the root causes of my condition allowed me to achieve remission, only to face another wave of symptoms due to a dysregulated nervous system and new layers of unresolved childhood trauma. I will share candidly about the pressures of perfectionism, the importance of authenticity, and the need for transparency as part of my own healing work - and maybe in yours, too. I wrap up the episode by sharing what steps I am taking to put my illness back into remission... but more importantly, what my Sacred Illness has taught me once again as one of the most profound teachers in my life. Enjoy!   From the video: "So then when I got sick, suddenly that pattern, that way of being in the world, that compensation was no longer working. I could not do it because the symptoms were so significant. And so, in a sense, my illness forced me to find a way to truly be ok again."   Key topics: 00:00 Diagnosis led to medication and potential surgery. 04:17 Feeling not enough, seeking validation, illness cause. 08:38 Denying emotions to keep peace led to illness. 11:22 Balanced approach to disease management and healing. 16:25 Embracing now, reflecting, finding relief, new motherhood. 18:47 Modeling co-regulation for dysregulated child is exhausting. 22:59 Definition of dysregulation. 25:09 Illness is a call to reevaluate life. 28:09 Mind-body connection crucial for effective healing. 34:38 Immediate response to trigger feeds into activation. 37:46 Explore bodily sensations to release stored emotions. 41:19 Human vulnerability shared for personal connection. 42:21 Recognize body's communication, seek alignment, find support.   If you find the information contained in this podcast helpful or inspiring, you are invited to join Dr. Erin and the Sacred Illness™ Program where you will be guided through this exact process, tailored to fit your individual needs, in order to achieve sustainable health and deep healing like never before. Check out https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness-program] for more information! ____ Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did you work with any type of mind-body medicine modality to lessen/ heal/ or alleviate your symptoms in any way? If so, we'd love to have you as a guest on the podcast! Click here to apply: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] ____ Music used: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [http://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic]   #bodysignals #mindbodyhealing #crohnsdisease #flareup #healingjourney #chronicillness #healingjourney #childhoodtrauma #perfectionism #authenticity #nervoussystemregulation #holistichealing #naturopathicmedicine #lifestylefactors #somaticwork #dysregulation #fightorflight #spiritualbypassing #somaticlistening #mindbodyconnection #emotionalregulation #sacredillness