Sacred Illness™

What if your body remembers more than your mind ever could? In this powerful conversation, I’m joined by Audrey Burke — a somatic experiencing practitioner, transforming touch practitioner, and licensed massage therapist based in Durham, NC. Audrey shares her deeply personal journey through confusing diagnoses, chronic digestive symptoms, amenorrhea, and mysterious illness flares — and how they ultimately led her to the world of somatic work and touch therapy. Together we explore how trauma stories live in the body long before we can speak them, and why touch is often the missing piece in nervous system healing. 🌿 What You’ll Discover: ✨ Why talk therapy isn’t always enough (and when touch becomes crucial)✨ Audrey’s story of IBS, mold illness, and learning to listen to her body✨ How developmental trauma shapes our physical symptoms — even before birth✨ The delicate balance of self-compassion, boundaries, and discernment✨ Why you don’t need to "know the story" cognitively to heal somatically✨ The importance of ancestral trauma and epigenetic influences on illness✨ Reclaiming intuitive eating after years of food fear and hyper-control✨ The dance between internal vs. external locus of control on the healing path Whether you're just starting your healing journey or deep in the work of reclaiming your body’s wisdom, this episode is a reminder that healing is not about fixing — it’s about listening. ⏳ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro + guest welcome02:00 Audrey’s story: Italy, IBS, and searching for answers10:00 Trying everything: diets, yoga, Vipassana, and beyond17:00 Finally finding somatic experiencing and touch therapy24:00 How visceral work transformed her relationship with food27:00 The unexpected medicine in mold illness32:00 Ancestral trauma and inherited patterns39:00 Food trauma, intuitive eating, and rebuilding trust with the body43:00 Boundaries, people-pleasing, and embodying discernment50:00 Navigating a world that doesn’t feel safe54:00 Who Audrey’s illness invited her to become57:00 Closing reflections and ways to connect with Audrey 🔮 Connect with Audrey: → Website: https://www.restorativepresence.com/ [https://www.restorativepresence.com/]→ [https://www.restorativepresence.com/] Instagram: @somaticswithaudrey [https://www.instagram.com/somaticswithaudrey] 💫 Join the Sacred Illness™ Membership:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness [https://www.restorativepresence.com/]💸 [https://www.restorativepresence.com/] Use code PODCAST for 20% off your first month → Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.restorativepresence.com/] → Follow on Substack:https://drerinhayford.substack.com [https://www.restorativepresence.com/] 🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkwww.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [https://www.restorativepresence.com/] Get full access to Sacred Illness™ at sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

What if pain isn’t just physical—but perceptual? In this off-the-cuff solo episode, I share a deeply personal story that changed everything I thought I knew about suffering, healing, and what’s possible for the body. From a nearly pain-free childbirth (yes, really) to a powerful client breakthrough around chronic pain, this episode is a living case study in the power of narrative and perception to reshape what we believe is “inevitable.” This is a conversation about story medicine—and how your body listens to the stories you’ve been told. What You’ll Discover: ✨ Why “pain is inevitable” is a cultural script, not a biological truth✨ How my second birth experience (using Hypnobabies) was 99.9% pain-free✨ What my patient’s resistance to healing taught me about collective beliefs✨ The link between trauma, identity, and nervous system feedback loops✨ How stories shape biology—and why your environment must reflect your possibility✨ Why “support groups” can reinforce illness—and how to create spaces that open new timelines Whether you're navigating Crohn’s, chronic pain, emotional survival patterns or beyond—this is a reminder that what you've been told isn't the whole story. ⏳ Timestamps: 00:00 Off-the-cuff inspiration + intro02:00 Working with trauma: story, survival, and the nervous system04:00 Pain and birth: my first traumatic delivery06:00 Discovering Hypnobabies and preparing for a new possibility08:00 A pain-free labor? Yes. And here’s what shifted13:00 Resistance, story, and how the body protects itself from pain16:00 When narrative dictates outcome18:00 Why “support groups” can backfire21:00 Childhood programming and your inherited pain beliefs23:00 Rewriting the story: hope, healing, and neuroplasticity24:00 Cured by Jeffrey Rediger: what spontaneous healings have in common26:00 Sacred Illness™ and the power of perception to transform suffering 🔮 Mentioned in this episode: → Hypnobabies Childbirth Education: https://www.hypnobabies.com → 📖 Cured by Dr. Jeffrey Rediger 💫 Join the Sacred Illness™ Membership:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness]💸 Use code PODCAST for 20% off your first month → Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] → Inspired by this content? You can support my work by buying me a coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/drerin [http://www.buymeacoffee.com/drerin] Subscribe to my Substack to stay informed about my latest posts, musings, teachings, transmissions and more on all things Sacred Illness™. 🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkwww.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [http://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] Get full access to Sacred Illness™ at sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

🔥 What if your desire isn’t the problem—but the path? 🔥 Welcome to Episode 41 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast. In this solo transmission, I unpack the deep link between longing, healing, and evolution. We’re told desire is a distraction. That suffering must be eliminated. That symptoms are obstacles. But what if illness is the sacred interrupter—and desire is the fuel that leads us through it? This episode explores what it really means to evolve, why your desires will never be satisfied (and why that’s a good thing), and how to stop missing your life in the pursuit of healing.   What You’ll Discover: 🌿 Why desire keeps you stuck in the search—and how to step off the hamster wheel 🌿 How illness is designed to interrupt the misaligned life 🌿 The two-part path of real healing: awareness + integration 🌿 How to identify subconscious beliefs that keep you sick (like “I’m not enough”) 🌿 The subtle trap of “what’s next?” and how it sabotages transformation 🌿 Why cultivating presence is the antidote to insatiable longing 🌿 How to work with your desire as sacred momentum—not a destination   This episode is both a personal reflection and a wake-up call. If you’ve ever wondered why the healing journey feels like an endless search that never bears results... this one's for you.   ⏳ Timestamps: 00:00 Podcast update + new solo episodes 01:00 Illness as a sacred disruption 03:00 Personal story: desire and disappointment 05:00 The meaning of life? 07:00 Facing your shadows as the path to healing 10:00 Why Western medicine reflects our fear of suffering 12:00 Desire on the healing journey: when pursuit becomes addiction 14:00 The necessity of stillness after seeking 16:00 The healing work: living what you've learned 19:00 How desire tricks us into missing our arrival 22:00 Holding presence and desire together 24:00 Recap + invitation into deeper work   🔮 Mentioned in this episode: → Apply to be a guest on the podcast: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] → Join the Sacred Illness™ Membership and alchemize your wounds into purpose: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/sacred-illness] 💸 Use code PODCAST for 20% off your first month → Follow my transmissions + reflections on Substack: https://sacredillness.substack.com [https://sacredillness.substack.com]   🎶 Music by: Instructions for Living a Life by Savfk www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [http://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] Get full access to Sacred Illness™ at sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

What if your chronic disease symptoms aren't just physical—but the result of a nervous system stuck in survival mode? For episode 40 of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, I am sharing an interview I had the honor of recording with ⁨@lizziieedunn⁩ on her MEN1 Mosaic podcast! From Lizzie's Notes: "In this deeply personal and thought-shifting conversation, I speak with Dr Erin Hayford, a naturopathic doctor and somatic practitioner who has lived on both sides of the healing journey. From being bed bound with Crohn’s disease to exploring what it really means to feel safe in your body, this episode dives into why trauma, people-pleasing, and misalignment with self can all play a role in how chronic illness expresses—and what can actually help. Key takeaways: How nervous system dysregulation affects chronic illness The emotional root of symptoms (even in genetic conditions) Why food fear and over-restriction might be doing more harm than good  A simple technique to reconnect with your body and calm your system" Stay tuned for a future episode where I will have Lizzie as a guest and we'll get to learn more about her own journey with chronic illness. Enjoy! ____ Follow Lizzie and her chronic illness healing journey and find resources for MEN1 @lizziieedunn on YouTube! ____ If this message resonates with you, consider supporting my work and helping me continue to share these teachings. You can buy me a coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/drerin [http://www.buymeacoffee.com/drerin] Your generosity keeps this sacred work flowing. Grateful to have you on this journey! ____ 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™ Membership, 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. Use coupon code PODCAST to save 20% off of the first month of your membership! ____ Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did your healing journey help you understand a deeper meaning and purpose of your symptoms? 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 #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness #shadowwork #suffering #transformation #healingjourney Get full access to Sacred Illness™ at sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In this episode of the Sacred Illness™ Podcast, Dr. Erin Hayford interviews Daniëlle from the Netherlands, currently living in Bali, about her transformative healing journey after a severe bicycle accident. Daniëlle shares her story of overcoming depression, dealing with post-concussion syndrome, and how she found a new way to relate to herself and her body through breath work, somatic experiencing, and intuitive movement.    This conversation dives deep into the intelligence of the body, the importance of listening to our inner voice, and how suffering invites us to break old patterns and discover a more profound connection to life.    Join us for an inspiring discussion on navigating the complexities of healing and living a more authentic, embodied life.  Enjoy!   00:00 Introduction to Body Awareness and Healing  00:17 The Warrior Spirit and Realization  02:11 Daniëlle's Bicycle Accident and Initial Struggles  04:18 The Long Road to Recovery  09:09 Exploring New Healing Modalities  15:24 The Gift of Silence and Letting Go  24:07 The Grief of Letting Go  25:36 Healing as a Spiral 27:06 Journey to Bali  30:45 Intuitive Healing  33:11 The Intelligence of the Body  43:54 Embracing Suffering  46:22 Final Reflections  ____ Follow Daniëlle on Instagram to stay up to date with her journey and offerings @danielleneomi  ____ 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™ Membership, 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. Use coupon code PODCAST to save 20% off of the first month of your membership! ____ Are you someone who has or has had a chronic illness or chronic symptoms? Did your healing journey help you understand a deeper meaning and purpose of your symptoms? 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 #healingjourney #mindbodyconnection #alternativemedicine #sacredillness #drerinhayford #polyvagaltheory #chronicpain #biofeedback #mindbodymedicine #somaticexperiencing #pots #mcas #autoimmunedisease #ibs #sibo #fibromyalgia #mysteryillness #shadowwork #suffering #transformation #healingjourney Get full access to Sacred Illness™ at sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]