Holistic Life Navigation

[Ep. 357] Microdosing A Kit Kat Bar (Give Me A Goddamn Break)

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Today's podcast is an audio version of today's email.⁠
⁠
Not a part of the HLN newsletter? You can join here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/join-my-newsletter

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 356] One Or Two Parents Cannot Replace The Village

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0400

One of the biggest losses of the modern era is the loss of the village. Without the village we parent in isolation and use screens with our child(ren) to give us a break. But this plunges our kid(s) into their own isolation: isolation breeding isolation, and parental burnout.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 355] This Is Why Parenting Sucks - & It Doesn't Have To

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0400

What does wanting our kids to like us have to do with a kid’s sense of being too much to handle?

Drop in to find out in this tiny taste of the upcoming 6-month Embodied Parenting Slow Group, starting October 6th:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/parenting-group

The live webinar has passed, but you can watch the replay here: https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/embodied-parenting-webinar

Do you want your kid to like you?
Do you reflexively back track?
Do you freeze, acquiesce or fawn with your kid?

Join us as we navigate this messy beautiful journey of parenthood together.

Email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com if you have any questions.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 354] Screens: The New Drug Everyone Is Dealing Kids

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Screen addiction in kids, and the isolation it fosters, is the most insidious parenting issue today. Kids and adults disassociate both lose themselves in the screen — the big difference is that many of us developed without the prevalence of screens, while our kids don't have that privilege.

Kids now retreat to their rooms, alone, orienting to TikTok and influencers, not their family or elders. Depression rates increase because we have taken away their connection to themselves, their family, nature, and their in-person community. As a result the bliss of boredom is missing from their lives, as is the resulting creativity.

A parent’s job is to create a container for children. If devices and social media make that container, parents are handing over their roll to the whims of algorithms. Devices, used judiciously, can be a tool, but used in isolation in lieu of human connection, screen use can be devastating.

Luis drops his top piece of advice around screens, his favorite resource in the books Hunt, Gather, Parent and Dopamine Kids by Michaeleen Doucleff. (You can listen to the interview with Luis and Michaeleen here.)

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 353] "I Don't Believe Minors Should Transition"... An Honest & Respectful Disagreement Between Myself & Psychologist Mackenzie Steiner

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Luis and Psychologist Mackenzie Steiner dive deep into their own truths about minors surgically transitioning, who *actually* is trans, de-transition rates, how gender dysphoria shows up in the brain, and gender affirming care options for children.

They share wisdom and stories from their own individual experiences with gender dysphoria, and how they navigated the experience. Each opted for surgery as adults. The real gold is their respectful disagreement on if kids should be given gender affirming surgical procedures. In the end each still holds their same beliefs, but with a deeper understanding of why the other holds their opposing belief.

You can read more about Mackenzie and her work here: https://naturesmosaictherapy.com/

You can listen to related episodes here:

[Ep. 225] "My Body Is Female, I'm Not": Using Somatics To Explore Gender w/ Quinn Silverleaf

[Ep. 261] "Ayahuasca Told Me To De-Transition" Born Female, Living As Male, Then Back To Female w/ Maddie Durbin

[Ep. 346] Kids + Dysphoria: It Doesn't Always Mean They're Trans

[Ep. 347] Let's Talk About Dysphoria In Kids

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 352] How To Connect With Your Kids When They're Shutdown (Parallel Co-Regulation)

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Neurodivergent kids or teenagers often come home overwhelmed just from spending the day masking, or surviving the hormonal shifts. Directly engaging them often results in frustration. They need to rebuild their capacity from the day before they are resourced enough to engage with us. Let them disconnect and resource before initiating Parallel Co-Regulation. The goal of Parallel Co-Regulation is at least 15 minutes, no phone, no mining them for information, just doing a shared task together.

Learn the practice and the nuance in our 6th month Embodied Slow Group starting October 6th. Find out more at
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/parenting-group

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 351] Transform Your Child's Behavior and Moods With This Snack

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Stimulating foods loaded in sugar and carbs are everywhere, and especially advertised to our children. These foods cause spikes and dips in glucose which result in an adrenal response. This transforms nervous systems and brain chemistry, negatively impacting dopamine levels. Sometimes we call the result a tantrum, shutting down, or an inability to concentrate.

We can change so much about a kid’s, or our own, lifestyle, but without a balanced diet the brain chemicals needed to focus and connect are simply not available.

Luis drops his favorite balancing food options and his four favorite snacks to resource our kids, or ourselves. Chocolate is featured in one option. This is balance at its yummiest.

You can watch the episode where Luis presents his glucose chart here: https://youtu.be/Y0YNZgXO1PE

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 350] Embodied Parenting: Teens, Single Parenting, and Sleep Deprivation

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Luis gives us question-and-answer style examples of his upcoming six month Embodied Parenting Slow Group, starting October 6th.

https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/parenting-group

Parents ask how to single parent, or co-parent with a sick partner, how to parent while sleep deprived without doing the "cry it out" method, and how to parent rebellious teens and siblings. And a big one: how do you regulate once in crisis mode?

Capacity is key! Luis discusses nuances of each topic, and he gives a pendulation practice to help build capacity. Balancing foods are also paramount in helping support our nervous systems to have capacity. Check out you local library or buy your own copy of Food Therapy: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 349] You Need Capacity To Connect, Not Love

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Today's podcast is an audio version of today's email.⁠
⁠
Not a part of the HLN newsletter? You can join here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/join-my-newsletter

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 348] It's Been 11 Years & This Is What Parenting Has Taught Me

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Parenthood is brutal and brilliant, like drinking Ayahuasca for over a decade. Our upcoming six-month Embodied Parenting program starts October 6th, but it won't provide you with answers, nor a guide book. Instead, we'll dive deep into accessing and learning our bodies instincts and intuition to discover our own unique truth.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter, and for Embodied Parenting practices and resources: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/join-my-newsletter

Ready to dive into to the six month journey of Embodied Parenting? Learn more here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/parenting-group

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 347] Let's Talk About Dysphoria In Kids

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Today's podcast is an audio version of today's email.⁠
⁠
Not a part of the HLN newsletter? You can join here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/join-my-newsletter
⁠

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 346] Kids + Dysphoria: It Doesn't Always Mean They're Trans

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

We, or our children, can be gender non-conforming, or have body dysphoria and not be trans. There is nothing wrong with bodies in puberty (which is an inherently dysphoric experience): the problem is with our culture, families and society not having rites of passage, and not knowing how to support and hold space for teenage bodies as they mature.

Dive into this podcast, and for a more in-depth exploration, join us for our six-month Embodied Parenting Slow Group, starting Tuesday October 6th. (There will be a live bonus session specifically about this topic offered to Embodied Parenting slow group attendees.)

For more of our podcasts related to dysphoria, discussions about the trans experience, and de-transitioning, check out podcast episodes: 169, 261, 262, and 280.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 345] "We Think Gentle Parenting Is Cheesy"... How The HLN Team Parents

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Marika, Evan, Camille and Luis talk about their experiences as parents on today’s podcast. Marika came to embodiment and studied somatics after her son became an adult, while Evan trained in somatics before becoming a parent to his one year old. So the team discusses embodied parenting from a full spectrum of perspectives and experiences.

They discuss how embodiment has changed their parenting. As well as which parenting experience has triggered the biggest trauma response for each of them. And they spread out, with humor, why they think gentle parenting is (Brie) cheesy.

A question we can ask ourselves relating to children, or our own inner child is, are we parenting from an urgent stress response of fear and overwhelm, or from a place of safety? Are we enmeshed with our child or empathetic towards our child? They discuss the value of giving ourselves permission to take space, interrupting the trauma response.

Curious to learn more? Check out our 6 Month Embodied Parenting Slow Group starting October 6th 2026. https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/parenting-group

What we teach in Embodied Parenting is not enough to counter the modern nuclear family dynamic of one or two parents doing all the parenting in isolation. We all need a web of support. You can connect with other participants in the slow group and build co-regulating spaces and relationships to support yourself on your parenting journey.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 344] Come See Me In London Before I Get Sick Of Talking About Food

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:00:00 -0400

Luis drops a brief announcement about his upcoming visit to the U.K.!

You can read more about the upcoming events below:

8/29: Alternatives Workshop

09/06 - 09/02: Broughton Sanctuary Retreat

or send us an email at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 343] Why Being Seen Is So Hard (It's Supposed To Be)

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Today's podcast is an audio version of the mid-month newsletter.

Not a part of the HLN newsletter? You can join here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/join-my-newsletter

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 342] I'm Quitting My Live 7-Week Course...For Good

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Marika, Camille, Evan and Luis reminisce about the 7 week course, how it started, and what their individual entry points were: Marika’s was admin in the very early days, Camille’s was the famous ant crawling on Luis as he taught, and Evan, as a long time musician friend, started in podcast production. Each recounts their experience of the 7 week course.

The course was the first offering HLN ever offered, and after teaching it so many times, the time has come that it's ready to evolve into a more robust self led course. So, while the live course chapter is ending, it’s just the beginning of a more accessible program.

The podcast was recorded with a live audience of Community Members, who share their experiences of the course, and being in HLN spaces.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 341] GLP-1s, Obesity, & Emotions

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Luis and Camille riff on GLP-1s. They are not a silver bullet, nor do they teach you how to relate to food, but they can be a great temporary auto regulator and bridge while a new food relationship is built.

In an era of overfed and undernourished people, Luis and Camille talk about how to get nutritional needs met. Resmaa Menakem speaks about culture vs strategy. Diet culture is a strategy. Our six month Embodied Nutrition Slow group, starting July 7, slowly and sustainably shifts the culture of how you relate to your body and what you consume.

https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-group

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 340] Are You Being Traumatized By Your Food?

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Stress is a short term experience that results in elevated adrenaline that often manifests with higher blood pressure, increased heart rate, muscle tension and anxiety. Certain foods can increase our fight-or-flight stress hormones, putting our body on a hormonal rollercoaster, while other foods can increase our capacity for peace.

Luis’ book, Food Therapy, has more of the philosophy and practices around how the body is a barometer for what to eat. Look for his bestselling book in libraries, bookstores, and as an audiobook:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

If you want more in person structure around the philosophy and how to eat relationally, join our Embodied Nutrition Slow Group starting July 7th 2026.
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-group

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 339] Did This Woman Find The Cure For Chronic Pain? It's Not What You Think w/ Nicole Sachs

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Luis and Nicole Sachs dig into the depths of pain. She believes pain is caused by fear, and the meaning we assign to the pain, keeping the nervous system in fight or freeze. If we think something is wrong with us, a stress response results, because we become our own threat.

Nicole lived in her own cage of pain, fear and shame until she found Dr. Sarno’s work. He believes back pain is due to bottled up rage that is not societally acceptable. His work prompted Nicole to pause when the pain arose and ask herself if she was angry, and what was angering her. But she didn’t limit herself to anger. She played with it, and explored emotions. The pain dissipated with her practice. A reoccurrence of the pain in the early years of motherhood shook her to the core and led her to work with Dr. Sarno in person.

In her journey she developed Journal Speak, built on Dr. Sarno’s foundation. Her formula is Journal Speak + science + the dissolution of shame = freedom. Tune in to hear more of her process and journey, plus how to start your own Journal Speak practice.

You can find Nicole and her work here:
https://www.yourbreakawake.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 338] How Nutrition Increases Your Capacity To Be Seen & Metabolize Stress

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Feeling anxious? Your body might need to down-regulate.

Feeling depressed? Your body might need to up-regulate.

This modulation of finding balance can be achieved in two ways, through a simple supportive practice Luis offers, and through food. Food affects our biology 24 hours a day. What we eat can activate us into a fight-or-flight response, effectively inducing stress. Or, we can consciously alchemize our food to support our body to be in a place of balance. No shame either way.

Eating to balance the nervous system helps the body build capacity to be seen. Luis recommends a snack practice to experiment with and see how your body responds.

Here are a few ways to learn more:

Luis's book Food Therapy, find it at your local bookstore, library, or as an audiobook: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book
The next six month Embodied Nutrition Slow Group, starting July 7
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-group

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 337] How Blood Sugar Is Affecting Your Mental Health

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

PSA: psychiatry does not have any case reports of diseases that are validated! This shortcoming of the DSM is why Luis dropped out of psychology and instead chose holistic psychology. As Luis sees it, behavior is not a fixed identity.

There is no biochemical data proving “mental disease”. What we can track is neurotransmitters, like seratonin. 50-90% of these are made in the gut. Cue nutrition. Food is a shortcut to influencing change in the brain’s biochemistry.

Carbs influence glucose, which plays an active role in our mood. If you would like to track your glucose consider getting a glucose monitor like hellolingo.com for two weeks to gather data. Notice what you eat, how you feel, your activities, and your mood, all relative to the continuous glucose monitor’s data. If you would like to see Luis’ hellolingo.com glucose charts, tune in to the YouTube video version of this podcast.

If you are curious about using nutrition to support your mental health, check out our 6 month Embodied Nutrition Slow group, starting July 7th 2026,:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-group

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 336] How To Lose 125 Pounds & Lower Your Stress Naturally

Sun, 24 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

He lost 10 pounds in a month. She lost 125 pounds in 4.5 years.

Why? Because they didn’t focus on the weight. Camille and Luis focused on tending to their nervous systems so that their bodies could shift from fat storage mode to fat burning mode.

Camille credits her shift to focusing on ease, energy, and flow. She also focused on reducing her adrenaline overload, then she worked on reducing her insulin. She changed her relationship to food: instead of dieting and shame she learned how to tend to her adrenals.

Luis noted that his body didn’t actually want breakfast, so he focused on intermittent fasting, at his body’s request.

The liberation is in enjoying what you choose to eat because you want it, not because you crave it.

Join Luis and Camille for the next Embodied Nutrition Slow Group starting July 7th 2026. Click here for the details: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-group

In the Slow Group Camille and Luis will discuss building a conscious awareness about the impact food has on the body. And they will help resource participants to explore how they want to be in relationship with food to cultivate the life they want to live.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 335] Dopamine Kids: The 4 Ingredients For Addiction w/ Michaeleen Doucleff

Sun, 03 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Michaeleen Doucleff joins Luis for an effervescent meeting of minds in this joyful podcast. A reporter and an author with a Ph.D. in biochemistry, Michaeleen’s knowledge base is vast and fascinating. In 2021 she published Hunt Gather Parent, and in March 2026 she published Dopamine Kids. Luis credits her work as changing his family’s life because of fundamental parenting shifts she shares that they implemented.

Michaeleen learned from indigenous families to include kids into the family ecosystem happenings instead of building a family schedule ladened with play dates and extracurriculars.

At the center of the dopamine discussion are screens and processed foods that crank up our dopamine, but not our pleasure. Kids and adults actually get addicted to the WANTING. Limiting our kids, and our own, time with dopamine magnets does not deprive us of pleasure, instead it allows us to reclaim pleasure.

Can we feel the difference between wanting and pleasure in our own bodies? Can we teach that difference to the next generation?

You can sign up for Michaeleen’s newsletter at MichaeleenDoucleff.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 334] How To Enjoy Your Peace When Others Are Suffering

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Camille Leak, Grey Doolin, and Luis chat about protecting their peace amidst dysregulated political times. With the privilege of their safety, they are attuning to what is true for them and where their agency lies.

So many are glued to screens, attuning to someone else’s story and suffering, bypassing the okay-ness of their own reality. This attunement to suffering doesn’t always resource them to mobilize, but instead oftentimes to collapse.

Camille notes U.S. politics are edging closer to her boundary, and she is open to considering moving, but from a place of agency, not trigger.

Another consideration is that if hopelessness. In the face of destruction, such as war, how is it that we can hold our own hopelessness when we culturally haven’t been taught how to do so?

Ultimately, a question we can all ask ourselves is: what is truly ours to respond to?

Learn more about Camille and her offerings:

Website: https://www.realtalkbravespaces.com/

IG: @camille.leak

Learn more about Grey and their offerings:

Website: https://greydoolin.com/

IG: @grey_doolin

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 333] You're Allowed To Change Your Mind: The Forbidden Art Of Canceling

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Join Luis for a quick chat about the taboo art of cancelling plans. Once loath to cancel, Luis revels in the deliciousness of cancelling when his body needs to.

Most of us live from our desire, or conditioned desire, and push our bodies past capacity to keep our schedules intact. But true integrity lies in our alignment to our body’s capacity, and therefore in our ability to hold space for ourselves to cancel.

Drop in for a practice to discern if something is in alignment for you, and learn Luis’ latest public cancellation around his book release. Luis has capacity for your disappointment.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 331] "Had I Listened To Her, I Wouldn't Even Be Doing This" - Healing The Inner Child w/ Dr. Nicole LePera (The Holistic Psychologist)

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Luis welcomes back Nicole LePera to the podcast to chat about her new book, "Reparenting the Inner Child."

They discuss what it's like being real and messy in the public eye, and the role the fawn response plays in that experience. They explore how the inner child shows up in daily life, how tending to one's capacity expands the work outside of the session or practice space, and how to reparent without merging with the inner child and regressing. They also discuss humanizing others without bypassing themselves — or their own needs — in the process.

You can order Nicole's book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250393135/reparentingtheinnerchild/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 330] Stress Demands More Nutrients

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Neuronutritionist Timothy Frie joins Luis today. Tim learned early in his studies that the neural pathways of appetite and food-seeking are the ones most impacted by stress, and that stress increases nutrient demand. He connects the threads for us on how he followed this curiosity, healed his body and disordered eating patterns, to how he now teaching practitioners Neuronutrition.

Neuronutrition is the intersection of neuroscience, neurobiology, neuro-psychology and somatic psychology. Somatic psychology is at neuronutrition’s core, allowing us reconnect to our bodies innate wisdom. From there we can ask, and answer, “what does my body need?”

The question of food is not what is disease causing, but instead what is health promoting?

You can read more about Timothy and his work here: https://www.timfrie.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 329] What Being Goth & Recent Imposter Syndrome Taught Me About Belonging

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Kickin’ it old school, Luis does a solo meander around the topic of belonging. Videoless podcasting, as he is today, allows his vision the enjoyable option to focus on whatever it wants, like the ant walking on a nearby plant. (Fun HLN fact, Camille decided she wanted to learn from Luis when she saw his reaction to a bug walking on him in a presentation.)

Luis recorded this podcast while teaching at the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium. Before getting on stage, Luis found himself unexpectedly shaken. He tended the sensation, allowing it to show him a part of himself that was shrinking. This part was protecting him from not belonging to the group of licensed mental health workers he was teaching.

"Belonging" in modern times means conforming societally in a relationship of extraction and consumption. Whereas, ancestrally, there was a wisdom and a reciprocity to conforming and belonging. Belonging meant a connection to earth, land and ancestors.

In these modern times Luis’ goal is finding safety in not belonging. He prefers belonging to himself, and from that place of safety building his own misfit tribe of weirdos.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 328] How Screens, Processed Food & Burnout Are Driving Your Freeze Response

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Dopamine, amino acids, hopelessness, and beans! Let's dive in with Luis and Camille as they explore burnout and freeze alongside ADHD.

If we get our dopamine from ultra processed foods, devoid of micronutrients, lacking L-Tyrosine, we do not replenish the building blocks to make more dopamine. We find ourselves hopeless, unmotivated, exhausted, and overwhelmed. Frozen.

Whether we are diagnosed neurodivergent or not, ultra processed foods, and screens, can put us into a state of freeze and burnout. Our next 6 month Slow Group, starting April 7th, will be focusing on counteracting these symptoms and nourishing bodies holding ADHD, as well as freeze and burnout. We may not have the ADHD diagnosis but we may have the experience of ADHD symptoms.

We are not trying to fix ourselves. We are learning to relate to ourselves and to the ADHD/burnout symptoms. We also learn to relate to screen usage and nutrition because it can either enhance or reduce our capacity.

Luis closes the episode with a beautiful and simple practice that can help us navigate burnout.

Email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com if you have any questions.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 327] Exhaustion Is A Boundary: Are You Breaking It?

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

"How do I stimulate myself to get through life without burning out and getting sick?" Today Luis explores this question, sharing what he wrote in a recent newsletter. He also discusses other upcoming offerings, where you can learn more in a nuanced, somatic environment.

You can watch the replay of the webinar here: https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/food-therapy-focus-without-burnout

Haven't joined the newsletter yet? You can do so here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/join-my-newsletter

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 326] Embodying ADHD: Creating A Life That Fascinates You (Part 3/3)

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Throwback to when Camille’s weekends contained 16 bottles of wine, and a day contained 80 cigarettes for Luis. Wine and cigarettes respectively calmed and stimulated their neurodivergent brains into surviving.

They no longer need wine or cigarettes because they live in alignment with their interests and capacity: part of the process was learning to live lives that fascinated them. In month 6 of the ADHD slow group, we dive into how to cultivate a fascinating life for ourselves.

A fascinating life isn’t a life of luxury, it’s learning to notice what lights us up, and following that interest. It can be as simple as buying rhinestone pens instead of plain black pens. It can be taking out books from the library on our latest hobby curiosity.

Our neurodivergent baseline is low dopamine. Modern lifestyles deplete our dopamine further. We need a life so interesting to us it makes us want to get out of bed in the morning, effectively making life the stimulant.

They also talk about month 5 of the course, which is all about being in relationship with someone who is neurodivergent or overwhelmed. For example, Camille needed silly shows after a day of cognitive heady interactions. Her husband needed cognitive shows after a day teaching young children. Their solution was game shows giving Camille an element of play, and her husband cognitive stimulation.

To learn more about how to support ADHD join us tomorrow, March 16 for our free webinar:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/march-food-therapy-event

This slow group is suitable for people who are neurodivergent, want to relate to people who are neurodivergent, or are suffering from burnout and chronic freeze. If you have questions please email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 325] Embodying ADHD: Navigating Overwhelm, Capacity, & Relationships (Part 2/3)

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

We aren’t gonna tell you how to fix ADD/ADHD. (Spoiler alert, you or your loved one don’t need fixing.) We are, however, going to teach our 6-month group on how to relate to ADHD, in yourself or in someone else. The actual problem is a societal standard our brain wasn’t designed for.

In this podcast we are talking about months 3 & 4 of the slow group curriculum. We will explore navigating overwhelm, and our capacity versus our desire. Modern society rewards our working beyond our capacity, forcing many of us to burnout and collapse. No wonder it’s even more difficult to not fit the standard productivity mold that shames so many patterns of ADHD brain types.

The slow group will learn how to assess, then tend to, capacity. Instead of living from desire, an inherently dominating pattern, we can start to honor the ebb and flow of our capacity. An important element is finding our unique motivators, based in pleasure and interest, as willpower does not provide the dopamine to motivate an ADHD brain.

Also discussed will be relationships, from the perspective of the person with ADHD, or from the perspective of being in relationship with the person with ADHD.

Camille and Luis talk about how they navigate their family relationships when different brains need different systems from each other to thrive.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 324] Embodying ADHD: Dopamine Deficiency, Functional Freeze, & Stimulants (Part 1/3)

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0500

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

At the age of nine Luis was diagnosed with ADHD. He never medicated with pharmaceuticals: instead his drugs of choice were coffee, cigarettes, and a stimulating diet. Over the years Luis has learned how to reduce the stimulants needed to keep him engaged.

ADD/ADHD is when there is not enough dopamine getting to the brain, usually because of low levels of brain and gut, or vagus nerve inflammation. People in this situation are sometimes referred to as “bored”, “lazy”, or "depressed", as a body collapses in to functional freeze.

Camille and Luis discuss the upcoming 6-month ADHD Slow Group starting April 7th. It begins with learning to relate to the ADHD nervous system, overcouplings and judgments about ADHD behaviors, animism of the body, overwhelm, dopamine, relationships and finally cultivating a fascinating life. They will also teach how to leverage balancing foods, and how to consciously use stimulants.

The gift of ADHD is a low capacity for bullsh*t, or as Luis calls it RITC, a Radical Inability To Conform. Instead of seeing it as a disorder, we see it as the dopamine deficiency that it is, so that we can learn to relate to in a healthier way.

To learn more register here for the free Food Therapy webinar on March 16th: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/march-food-therapy-event

and register for the slow group by March 19th for 10% off: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-adhd

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 323] Embodying ADHD: My Story Of Being Unmedicated & Thriving

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

In this replay episode, we explore ADHD or RITC -- a Radical Inability To Conform.

Luis shares with us his own childhood experiences with ADHD, Tourette's syndrome, and nervous ticks. Often people are prescribed medications to suppress these conditions but Luis questions what would it mean to allow ourselves to relate to them as expressions?

Luis begins to reframe the idea of ADHD; pivoting from "I can't focus" to "I have attention for what interests me." He also explains how guilt or shame resulting from an ADHD expression, i.e. a lack of attention to something you "should" be doing, can propel someone into a state of freeze, reinforcing the notion that they "can't" do something.

So whether we have ADHD or not, he invites us into a practice to explore the spectrum of tasks we have to do or should do and how can we interweave them with activities that genuinely interest us and rejuvenate us, thus giving us more capacity for doing the "have-to" tasks.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 322] Biochemist Explains How Chronic Stress Fuels 99% Of All Our Diseases

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Our favorite biochemist, Karen Hurd, joins us again to discuss how stress fuels disease. Chronic levels of stress, be it from food, relationships, physical exertion, thought patterns, or the environment, all tax the adrenal glands. Karen tells us how and why this happens. With taxed adrenals we are left feeling burnt out and reach for coffee and stimulants, forcing us to push past our bodies need to rest. Luis and Karen talk about cultural conditioning around resting in the age of a DO MORE culture. They also address cancer, viruses, and chronic fatigue.

We always love exploring the science with Karen behind why our bodies do what they do!

You can read more about Karen's work, and register for her courses, here: https://karen-r.mylearnworlds.com/pages/home

You can listen to previous episodes with Karen Hurd here:

[Ep. 256] How Stress Affects Your Hormones, Digestion, & What To Eat About It w/ Karen Hurd

[Ep. 218] The Biology Of Your Emotions & How Food Helps w/ Karen Hurd

[Ep. 8] Healing Your Body With Beans | Karen Hurd

[Bonus Episode] The Sugar-To-Adrenaline Pipeline

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 321] How Stress & Trauma Affect Female Hormones & Sexuality

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Kymber Maulden joins us on the podcast today. Fertility isn't just for women who want to be mothers, it is a sign of health in menstruating females. Trauma stresses and rapidly oxidizes the body, causing it to need even more nutrients and therefore be in metabolic debt. This draws on resources contributing to low progesterone and elevated testosterone, which may lead to PCOS and infertility.

Luis and Kymber discuss actionable steps to start healing hormonal health, such as tracking cycles and what to note, glucose tracking, HTMA testing, and a consistent macro nutrient intake which signals the body that it is safe.

They also talk about the birth control pill, and open sex culture. The open sex culture and sexual revolution are based on a male model of sexuality that requires women to disconnect from their instincts, bypass what actually turns them on, and is often branded as empowered feminism. There is a difference between erotic energy and hypersexuality as a trauma response.

How can women find balance in their femininity if they are avoiding their instincts?

You can read more about Kymber here: https://www.kymbermaulden.com/

You can register for the Recovering From Sexual Fawning HLN video course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/recovering-from-sexual-fawning

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 320] Let's Talk About The New Food Pyramid

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

The new Food Pyramid is released in the United States, turning the old one on its point. Regardless of how you feel about the administration it is released under, the focus has shifted from carbs and demonizing fats to centering protein, vegetables, nuts, beans and healthy fats. Camille reminds us that it is a guideline, not a hard and fast rule, because diverse bodies have diverse needs. And, she reminds us, science is always evolving, and should be questioned, so this will not be the last food pyramid.

Luis is excited about the shift because so many illnesses, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, anxiety and cognitive decline can be traced to excess glucose, a byproduct of all those refined cards we were told to eat in the old mythology (funded by cigarette companies). All those ultra processed foods leave us with less macro-nutrients, therefore less nourished, and with less GLP1 in the body telling us when are a satiated. At first glance eating a balanced whole foods diet might seem more expensive, but considering long term health consequences and quality of life impacts, the balanced approach is economical.

Gleefully, beans hold rank in the new pyramid. Luis and Camille indulge some excitement over this point. They also discuss grass-fed versus mass produced meat, what they think of the inclusion of dairy, and the proportions that are recommended.

Dive in to geek out with Luis and Camille as they explore this new dietary recommendation.

You can view the updated Food Pyramid PDF here: https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 319] The Self, Star Wars, and Savoring Depression

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Luis and Camille banter as they dive into the concept of the Self in somatics. Along the way Luis offers 3 practices to work with finding the Self as witness. This witnessing allows us to be with a sensation or state and feel it rather than avoid it. It also helps us dis-identify from the state. From there we can experience something unpleasant and be with it rather than fix it. From this place of witnessing, Luis finds that others cannot shame or embarrass him. This realization brings responsibility, as others can no longer be blamed for his state.

Practicing somatics, they discuss, connects them to spirit, which reminds them, as these things do, of Darth Vader and Yoda. Many religions require us to detach from the body to find God, whereas with somatics it's connecting to the body that allows them to connect to spirit.

Camille dips in to her practice of savoring depression, a state that cyclically visits her in the dark of winter. She notes that if she identifies with it, fights or resists it, it will be prolonged. Whereas if she savors it, and practices sinking into it she can actually find pleasure in the experience.

You can register for Camille's upcoming 6-month program, "Embodying My Cycles & Rhythms", here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/cycles-and-rhythms-slow-group

You can learn more about Maureen Gallagher here: https://maureengallagherphd.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 318] How Nourishing Foods Helped Her Feel Like A Woman Again w/ Tasha Blank

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Luis and Tasha talk about beauty standards, eating disorders and their role in Tasha's life. She used food as a way to control her appearance and fit into beauty standards. Her hormones tanked. Out of desperation she began the complicated journey of taking control of her own health. In 2020-2021 she found herself within the nuance of liminal space. She felt non-binary, identity-less. In 2022 she suffered long-COVID and learned that her body needed to shift out of veganism into eating animal products. 6 weeks later her body felt like a woman again. She reconnected to herself in a way her Maiden body had never experienced. She realized how disconnected she had been and revels in it's new connection.

She uses her newfound life force energy to reintroduce people to their power through dance, likely with the same grace and openness that she shares her life with us here. She DJ's parties, teaches workshops, and she teaches facilitators. Embodied DJing, facilitating initiatory experiences, is the modern form of ancient medicine, creating the heartbeat of the crowd. Let's shake it out together!

You can read more about Tasha, and work with her, through these links:

https://www.tashablank.com/
https://www.phdj.dance/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 317] Meet Linda Erman: The Woman Who Initiated Me Into Somatics

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

Meet Linda Erman, Luis' Somatic Godmother, Art Therapist and Somatic Experiencing practitioner. About a decade ago Luis decided to go back to school for psychology. Instead of school his own body's resurgence of symptoms led him to Linda and her Somatic work. Linda herself found SE in her 50s. SE carefully tended her body, titrating into the trauma it held. Her changed biology was the proof she needed.

As a therapist Linda's practice helps clients titrate into creativity so that their energy can be expressed. Freeing the body from the splinters of trauma. Check out her PDF to start working with her practices today.

Somatics makes therapy work.

You can read more about Linda, and work with her, here:

https://hudsonvalleytraumahelp.wordpress.com/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/creative-somatic-therapy-linda-erman-lcat-sep-new-paltz-ny/213926

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 316] LECTURE EXCERPT: The Correlation Between Visceral Fat, Inflammation, and Trauma

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Curious about how Luis teaches? Here is your window into a nutritional teaching about stored trauma, visceral fat, and inflammation.

Stored trauma in the body sets off a chain reaction resulting in elevated insulin, putting the body into fat storage mode. Visceral fat becomes an endocrine organ producing protein molecules called cytokines that create an inflammatory response. This process primes the body for carb consumption. Often food is either avoided, or binging is chosen, stressing the body out further. Stored trauma also creates excess adrenaline that gets filtered through the liver. The metabolites go into the bile resulting in acidic bile that inflames the gut lining. In times of stress many of us turn towards processed foods, and those also contribute to an inflamed gut lining. Chronic inflammation in the gut usually leads to auto immune diseases, chronic illness and weight issues.

Interested in learning more? Pre-order Luis' upcoming book Food Therapy here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book

You can join the waitlist to register for the next Embodied Nutrition group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-group

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 315] Cracking The Code For Weight Loss: Insulin, Calories, and Stress

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500

3 Oreos and 1/2 an Avocado join Luis on the podcast today. Their calories are the same, but how each affects our glucose levels is very different. Refined carbs spike glucose, which increases insulin, and puts us into fat storage mode.

Another factor to weight is stress and trauma, especially when in functional freeze, where we produce adrenaline, but do not burn it off with movement.

Join us live on January 13th 2026 at 10am EST as we take a deeper dive into this topic together.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 314] Food Therapy: How Nutrition Impacts Addiction & Recovery (Webinar Replay)

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Today's episode is a replay of the recent free Food Therapy session.

Recovery is different from abstinence, though both are important as you heal from addiction. Abstinence is the avoiding of an addictive substance, while recovery is the balancing of your body from years of addiction. For example, some people go from cocaine to coffee so the same activating patterns of addiction are playing out with a new substance. This free session focuses on the somatic psychology behind addiction (a desperation for safety) as well as the biochemistry that causes us to become addicted. Whether it's food, legal or illegal drugs, television, media, work, porn, sex, or money we welcome anyone here who is in recovery, wants to be, or supports people in recovery to learn the important role that food plays in helping the body become balanced and less dependent on addictive substances and behaviors.

Get free lifetime access on our Thinkific portal:

https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/food-therapy-addiction

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 313] The Connection Between Weight Gain & Trauma

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Quick and dirty, Luis outlines the science between insulin and fat storage. It's not the least amount of calories that is the golden ticket, instead, it's the least amount of glucose spike. He teaches us which foods, and the ideal combination of those foods, that results in the least amount of glucose release, so that the body goes into fat burning mode instead of fat storage mode.

An important factor in the equation is addressing emotions and unmet needs that drive food cravings so we can learn to meet our own needs rather than bypassing them with foods that either depresses or stimulate our bodies.

So grab a snack and be ready to take notes, this little gem is jam packed with info.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 312] How This Blue Collar Carpenter Became An Embodied Man w/ Colin Safranek

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Colin is our fourth and final small group facilitator for the Embodied Masculinity program starting January 6th 2026. His journey to somatics, and Luis, started with a nail gun, and the pain resulting from repetitive use. He realized he was holding tension around accuracy in physical labor, and relationally around important topics. Somatics helped show him how to hold his body through work and relationships in a way that was easeful, not painful.

Luis invites Colin to share what he loves about being a facilitator in the Embodied Masculinity slow group. Colin relishes the opportunity to witness men testing the container of the group, sharing what is vulnerable and often long hidden. These shares resonate with others and a tenderness in the group emerges.

If you have questions for Colin about his one on one coaching work, or about the Embodied Masculinity Slow Group you can reach out to him at https://colinsafranek.com/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 311] How S*x Apps Affect The Gay Community And Men

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Al Romano, Tim Paula, Rio Allen, and Naveed join Luis for a collaborative conversation about sex apps in the gay community, and what men really want.

Men are conditioned to discover their sexuality as boys, isolated with porn. And yet, all bodies want security, touch ,and connection. Corporations prey upon this conditioning and need with sex apps that dehumanize and objectify men, gamifying their arousal and isolation with quick dissociated hook-ups.

Where did gay men meet before Covid? Gay bars. Where are they meeting now? Gay sex apps. How can we intentionally create spaces beyond the talons of corporate predation, objectification and addictive patterns?

You can listen to some related podcast episodes here:

Is Porn Use A Form Of Sexual Trauma?

Share This With A Man You Know: How P*rn Affects Their Relationships

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 310] "They Called Me Gay Just For Singing" Why Men Shut Down & Isolate w/ Steven Rasovsky

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

2025 and it's still fringe as f*ck for men to do somatic work. Why? Because men are conditioned to suppress the parts of themselves that are tender and vulnerable with dissociation and porn. Join Luis and his friend Steven as they discuss masculinity and the upcoming 6 month Embodied Masculinity Slow group, starting January sixth.

Steven reminisces about singing with a friend when he was 11 years old, when a parent commented, "You are gay, aren't you?" Singing with a friend was "not masculine enough" and something to be repressed. But with somatic work, work that is inherently feminine in it's inward focus, men are able to soften and reclaim their masculinity. When they learn to let themselves, and a group, hold them they take the pressure off of the females in their lives from doing all of the emotional labor for them.

As an Embodied Masculinity small group facilitator Steven gives us a peak into one of his favorite moments, and two practices, from past Embodied Masculinity Slow groups. This inspires Luis to guide an impromptu somatic practice. Slowing down and softening creates more space and capacity to drop defensiveness, allowing the body to begin releasing conditioning and therefore integrating new experiences of masculinity.

You can connect with Steven through his website: intimatelyhuman.com and find him on Instagram @intimatelyhuman

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 309] Share This With A Man You Know: How P*rn Affects Their Relationships

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Our boys, too often, grow up using porn as a formulaic way to self soothe. They experience the dopamine rush, stimulation and sexual gratification in isolation. There is no touch or feedback in return, no boundaries to navigate, just dissociative pleasure.This stress loop, repeated chronically in a young body becomes a developmental trauma. The pattern spills into future relationships, where they find themselves numbed out and disconnected from themselves and their partners.

Join Luis for this podcast, the upcoming webinar, the 6 month Embodied Masculinity Slow Group, or for all three! Luis and his all male team will guide a group of men, in a community container, to explore embodying their emotions while undoing conditioning.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 308] "He Called Me A F*ggot For Wearing Striped Socks"... How One Man Reclaimed His Masculinity From Toxic Modeling w/ Atarah Valentine

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Atarah Valentine joins Luis on the podcast today. They warm up talking about how we can practice self hatred, and we can practice gratitude. It's all a practice. What choices and practices have adapted you to be the person you are?

Men, Atarah saw, hurt women. He did not want to hurt women. As a result he practiced hating masculinity. He evoked feminine energy emulating his grandmother who wanted to fix everything for everyone. Another woman he emulated was his mother who married abusive men attempting to fix them.

"Real men wear white socks" he was told, but Atarah is not the white socks wearing type. So he shrank, "apologized with [his] shoulders", and stayed small, not wanting to take up space. Until the age of 40 when he decided to embrace his power and begin training.

Training, and his platonic relationship with his male trainer, helped heal his relationship to masculinity in himself and with men. The masculine parts he had been rejecting were ultimately the parts that freed him.

What do you do to balance the masculine and feminine energies in yourself?

You can read more about Atarah, and work with him, here: https://theseedlevel.teachable.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 307] Mystic Nomad: A Woman’s Wild Journey to True Connection w/ Annette Knopp

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Annette Knopp - meditation teacher, somatic educator, nature mystic, and author - to discuss her newly released book Mystic Nomad: A Woman's Wild Journey to True Connection.

In her book, Annette shares the personal experiences that shaped who she is as a person, and then how these events developed her way of teaching and showing up in the world. Part memoir, part modality teaching, she wrote the book with the intention of sharing her story as a way to support others.

Luis reads his favorite excepts from the book, and invites Annette to share her reflections on each section. Together they discuss the ways in which the personal can be universal, and how sharing of deep and highly personal experiences is an act of generosity.

You can order the book here: https://www.annetteknopp.com/book

You can read more about Annette and her work here: https://www.annetteknopp.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 306] When Men Don't Have To Hold It All Themselves w/ Zach Kalatsky

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Meet Zach Kalatsky, a mentor for the Embodied Masculinity 6 months slow group, as well as a member of the HLN retreat team. He joins Luis today for a chat about their experience as friends, and as part of a team that holds the all male slow group members.

So many men identify as being fatherless sons, sons of men who could not connect and support their boys the ways they needed. The result is a lingering and deep sense of never being supportively held by men in their life. Part of the shift and practice of the men's group is realizing, "I can be held". A foundational reason this is possible is the group's sense of collaboration, not competition.

You can read more about Zach, and connect with him, here:

https://www.theforesthaven.com

https://www.instagram.com/feelherenow

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 305] Why Men Don't Practice Somatics

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Somatics is naturally an inward focused practice involving the noticing of internal feelings and sensations, something that sociatally, in America at least, only women are "allowed" to notice. Men often feel like they need to be loud and dominant, focusing their energy outward lest they seem weak, whereas women can be fluid, sensuous and internally focused. However, it's when men learn to relate to their own feminine energy, getting comfortable going inward, that they can securely unfurl into their masculinity. Our 6 month Embodied Masculinity Slow Group is only for men who want to learn somatics supported in a community, led by Luis.

Have any questions about the Embodied Masculinity Slow Group? Feel free to drop it in the comments below.

How do you relate to your masculine and feminine energy?

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 303] How I Stopped Hating Men

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Join Luis as he gets vulnerable about his history with dysphoria around masculinity. His DNA is coded to express as female, yet he has male sex organs that produce testosterone. Feminine attributes made him the target of male abuse, and as a result he learned to reject his masculinity (associated with abuser energy) and femininity (associated with victim energy), both felt dangerous. The abuse and bullying he endured in school led to intense internalized shame and self hatred. Luis learned to relate to both his own masculinity and femininity before he could shift his relationships, especially with straight men.

His friends Zach and Steve held space with him for healing by providing safe, non-sexual, masculine friendships. This process and practice also shifted his relationships as a father and as a husband. If you are a male curious about embodying your own masculinity, join us for our next 6 month Embodying Masculinity Slow Group in which Luis and the team will teach men how to reclaim their masculinity from: porn, dominance, conditioning, and the cinematic drag kings of the 80's and 90's.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 302] Radical Rehumanizing: How To Dislike Someone With An Open Heart

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

In the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Luis invites Camille Leak and Gray Doolin into a raw conversation about the somatics of dehumanization. Together, they explore what happens in the body when we dislike someone so deeply that we strip away their humanity, and how to stay open-hearted even in disagreement.

The team discusses how somatic awareness has helped them recognize that feelings like disappointment, disgust, or dislike don’t have to lead to dehumanization. By staying embodied, they’ve learned to hold both truths at once — acknowledging discomfort while still seeing the inherent goodness in others.

You can also get lifetime access to the free webinar edit of this recording on our Thinkific platform here: https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/radical-rehumanizing

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 301] Sovereign Love: Finding Safety In Yourself, THEN Your Partner w/ Dené Logan

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis welcomes his friend and colleague Dené Logan - group facilitator, therapist, and author - to the podcast.

They discuss her concept of Sovereign Love, and dive deep into the nuance of relationships and the way we show up to them.and the culturally imposed ideas of what a love, and relationships, look like.

They explore:

Culturally dominant ideas of what love and relationships should look like
Masculine and feminine energies
Co-dependent and enmeshed relationships
Conflict avoidance
The fawn response in relationships

You can purchase Dené's book here: https://denelogan.com/book

You can read more about Dené and her offerings here: https://denelogan.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 300] Hate Speech: Can Words Really Hurt Us?

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Luis and Camille dive into the complexities of free speech, exploring the difference between what is truly dangerous and what is simply triggering. They discuss how words can hurt when our sense of self isn’t yet established, and how building the inner witness allows us to pause, discern, and let go of what doesn’t belong to us.

Together they unpack the distinction between harm and danger, the power of harmful rhetoric, and the importance of developing the capacity to hold both truths: words can hurt and they don’t have to define us. Camille also guides a somatic practice to help you embody this discernment.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Food Therapy: Supporting ADHD With Nutrition (Webinar Replay)

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a replay of the recent free Food Therapy session.

Most treatments for ADHD rely on stimulants that create dopamine spikes, helping us push through tasks that otherwise feel painfully boring. While these can help in the short term, they don’t address the deeper needs of the body. As someone who was diagnosed with ADHD at age 9 and has been working for over 15 years as a nutritionist and somatic therapist, Luis will teach how to use nutrition to restore your nervous system and even create more sustainable dopamine for focus and to get things done. He will also speak to his own journey of bringing Tourette’s and nervous tics into remission through balancing diet and somatic techniques, and how those lessons can be applied to ADHD.

Get free lifetime access on our Thinkific portal:
https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/food-therapy-adhd

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 299] The Connection Between Processed Foods & Trauma

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Why do we crave junk food when we’re stressed? In this episode, Luis explores how trauma and chronic stress deplete the body, driving us toward processed foods for quick hits of serotonin and temporary relief. He explains the three categories of foods—stimulants, depressants, and balancers—how each affects our emotional state, and why balancing foods are essential for true regulation.

Luis also shares his top three nutrition tips for nervous system balance and reads an excerpt from his upcoming book Food Therapy.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 298] Unfawning, Risking Conflict, & Channeling Anger w/ Dr. Ingrid Clayton

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis welcomes back Dr. Ingrid Clayton for a deep dive into fawning.

Both share their personal experiences with fawning, both historical and present, and how their relationship with this trauma response has evolved over time.

They discuss:

how conflict and authenticity feels risky, and fawning helps to avoid it
stepping into authenticity
increasing capacity for discomfort and relating to activation
finding safety in the self, and building a relationship with the self
how fawning breaks boundaries while also keeping you safe

Dr. Ingrid discusses her new book on fawning, and how writing it has been transformative.

You can visit Ingrid's website here: https://www.ingridclayton.com/

You can buy her book, "Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves – and How to Find Our Way Back", here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/779579/fawning-by-dr-ingrid-clayton/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 297] The Biology Of Trauma [THE BOOK] w/ Dr. Aimie Apigian

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

What if your body wasn’t broken, but brilliantly designed to survive?

In today’s episode, Luis speaks with Dr. Aimie Apigian — medical doctor, biochemist, and foster parent — about her new book The Biology of Trauma. After her foster son told her he was going to kill her, Dr. Apigian’s search for answers revealed that trauma is rooted in biology, not weakness.

Tune in as they discuss how trauma rewires the nervous system, why connection and standard attachment strategies often fail for trauma survivors, and how chronic stress becomes disease.

Read more about Dr. Aimie and her work here: https://biologyoftrauma.com/

Purchase her book: https://book.biologyoftrauma.com/home

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 296] Pendulation: The Practice That Saved My Life

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis teaches about pendulation, a term coined by Peter Levine, and taught through Somatic Experiencing. Luis shares about his understanding of "active" pendulation, how to not bypass, and how the practice changed his life. At the end of the episode, Luis takes us through a guided pendulation practice so you can experience firsthand what he's teaching about.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 295] Humanizing Charlie Kirk: Using Somatics & Technology To Expand Our Hearts

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis discusses his practice of humanizing those he disagrees with, and how the killing of Charlie Kirk, and the response to it, inspired him to share his reaction.

When one of the people who had abused him died, Luis thought he'd feel relief, but instead found grief and love underneath the fear he'd been trapped in. His own self-inquiry made him decide that it hurt him more to hate his abuser than it did to humanize him.

From this realization Luis began his personal radical rehumanizing practice. He discusses what humanizing isn't, how we can dehumanize ourselves, and how we can relate to the sensations and emotions that arise when we dehumanize ourselves or others.

You can listen to the episode Luis recorded with Daryl Davis here:

[Ep. 199] How A Black Man Humanized KKK Leaders & Changed Their Minds w/ Daryl Davis

and read more about him on his website.

You can sign up for the HLN newsletter here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/join-my-newsletter

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 294] Trauma Healing 101: Learn How To Combine Nutrition + Somatics In Just 7-Weeks

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Most of us were alone during our most traumatic experiences—and then left alone to try to heal from them. In this episode, Luis explores why isolation is at the root of so much trauma, how unexpressed survival responses can stay stuck in the body for decades, and why healing requires connection. He shares why group work is so powerful, how somatic practices and whole-food nutrition work together, and what it means to witness your body rather than become it.

Explore the 7-Week Course

Learn more about Inner Relationship Focusing with Maureen Gallagher PhD

Watch Luis Teach about Freeze

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 293] How To Eat For ADHD

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Luis has lived the ADHD diagnosis, along with tics, tourrettes, binge eating, self-hatred and suicidal ideation. All of this stress does a number on the gut lining, which leads to brain inflammation and brain fog. Luis began to notice that all of his symptoms would shapeshift depending upon what food he had eaten. Eventually this practice taught him how to eat for a nutrient deficient brain, while somatics taught him how to be a conscious witness. The combination of nutrition and somatics allowed the stress hormones to reduce and his gut lining to heal.

Join Luis as he shares his favorite way to increase gut biodiversity and sustainably get dopamine. Get the webinar for free here: https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/food-therapy-adhd

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 292] Treating ADHD By Making Life More Exciting

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Do you have ADHD? Has anyone ever asked you what kind of food you eat and if your life excites you?

Luis had self-medicated his ADHD with sugar, caffeine, and cigarettes because stimulants boost dopamine. This can help with short term productivity, but these substances also stimulate the heart, nervous system, and adrenals, eventually leading to burnout.

What if we learned how to use dopamine deficiency as a compass to find what truly lights us up?

Want to learn more about how to eat for ADHD? Get the webinar for free here: https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/food-therapy-adhd

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 291] What If ADHD Was Actually About Your Gut?

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Luis explores the correlation between ADHD, dopamine, and the gut. He explains how certain foods can change and shift your microbiome, which then can improve your dopamine levels and lower brain inflammation.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 290] F*ck Your Table: The Practice Of Belonging To Yourself

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Have you ever heard the reference to, "a seat at the table"? As in, "everyone deserves a seat at the table"? Camille and Luis riff on how they feel about "the table". They. Don't. Need. Your. Table. Luis wasn't allowed into spaces to spread his work because of how he looked, so he built his own HLN-shaped table.

If we are constantly searching for a table to belong to we are always in a co-dependent state (that most of us were modeled as children). Fawning and controlling might get us a temporary seat, but at what cost to our nervous systems?

Co-regulation through connection leads to truly belonging to oneself, not needing the proverbial table. When we truly belong to ourselves we can relate to others as they are, rather than as we want or expect them to be. We can love people and not have to (co-dependently) need them. Healthy relationships are made of clear communication, boundaries, desires, and preferences. From that place of clarity we can choose what part of ourselves we want to make decisions from.

Even if you can't feel it yet, you exist, and therefore you belong.

You can find the podcasts Luis mentioned in the episode here:

[Ep. 49] The Spiritual & Somatic Practice of Decolonizing Ourselves | Dr. Amber McZeal

[Ep. 271] Live Seasonally: Prevent Burnout w/ Camille Leak

Into Healing with Mira Kaddoura

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 289] The Avoidant-Anxious Duo: A Match Made In Hell or Heaven?

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Let's explore attachment styles. Luis has learned from personal experience that avoidant attachment types are simply bodies overwhelmed by a connection that feels overly needy, like a burden, and as a result they over-identify with independence.

Anxious attachment types seek safety outside of themselves, and often end up seeking that safety in an avoidant partner. So anxious types and avoidant types often end up partnered. The overwhelmed avoidant's behavior "proves" to the anxious type their need to grasp for safety, while that same grasping "proves" to the avoidant type that they need to run. A match, my friends, made in hell.

Do you find yourself in an anxious and avoidant relationship pattern, or have you had these patterns in past relationships? In the upcoming 6-month Embodied Relationships slow group, Luis will teach the difference between a trigger and a need, how to fawn less, and how to identify and state preferences.

With somatic tools, an avoidant and anxious couple can learn to connect from a soft place and even become a match made in heaven.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 288] Let's Dive Deep Into The Origins Of Avoidant Attachment Styles

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Join a crow, a fawn, and Luis on a morning walk to chat about the avoidant attachment style. There is a myth that avoidant attachment style folks are narcissistic psychopaths. He challenges this through the lens of somatics, seeing the avoidant attachment style as a habit in bodies that don't have capacity for connection. Their lack of capacity for their own feelings makes connection feel repressive work. So they push connection away. Instead of processing the feelings they often soothe the big feelings they don't have capacity for with porn, cheating, and addictions.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 287] Spirituality, Animism, & Parts Work w/ Dick Schwartz

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Today Luis chats with Dick Schwartz, developer of Internal Family Systems (I.F.S.). Dick started his career as a family therapist. Upon asking the question, "why isn't family therapy working?" he began to develop what has become I.F.S. He learned from being in the field, and from making mistakes, how to tend to the parts of us that are usually frozen in the past. Dick found that when we talk to the inner critic with compassion, the deep healing work unfolds.

Luis asks if Dick's work sprang from a spiritual or clinical place, and how he feels about it now. They discuss their views of "self sabotage", and they delve into the intersection of psychedelics and I.F.S.

The cherry on top of this black bean brownie is the journey Dick guides Luis on to tend to his own inner critic. If you follow alongside Luis on your own journey, please drop us a comment below and let us know what, or who, you find.

You can read more about Dick Schwartz, and the IRF Institute, here: https://ifs-institute.com/about-us/richard-c-schwartz-phd

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 286] How To Navigate Conflict Somatically

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis discusses navigating conflict through a somatic lens. As he speaks about conflict, he does not mean abuse or threat, but disagreement, disappoint and frustration.

Luis teaches about his "Tending To Rupture" method, and how he's been able to apply it to his client work, as well as his personal life. He discusses how the physiology of trauma response creates the conditions that make conflicts so difficult to resolve.

Luis offers practical tips and guided practices to help you navigate uncomfortable situations and conversations with more calm, more embodiment, and more openness.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 285] Teeming With Life: The Role Regenerative Farming Plays In The Land & Our Communities w/ Will Harris

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis speaks with Will Harris, a farmer, cattleman, and owner of White Oak Pastures. Will shares his personal story of how he inherited his family farm, and how he transitioned the farm from an industrial model to a regenerative one.

When taking an industrial approach to farming, Will had caused desertification on parts of his land from the use of chemicals and monocultural farming. His cattle were taking hormones and pharmaceuticals to make them produce more. Over time, he began to see that the focus of industrial farming is all about killing things, like pests and weeds. Knowing that every organism has a role in it's ecosystem, he decided to begin to make the transition to a more sustainable and Earth-focused approach.

You can learn more about White Oak Pastures here: https://whiteoakpastures.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 284] Interrupting Teenage Isolation w/ Trevor Spring (Part II)

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Trevor is back for a second podcast episode with Luis to discuss parenting in the age of social media and screen prevalence. The hard first question is, what social media and screen patterns do the parents model? Do parents use their own free time to disassociate and isolate with the screen? Do parents use the screen as a babysitter for their child/ren, so that they have time to resource themselves? When parents live an authentic, meaningful and satisfied life, they can connect to their child with playfulness and curiosity.

Trevor explains how to help break a child's screen pattern through what he calls wedging change. He gives several free, easy, and accessible ways to connect with children, and it's not through talking. Remember, perfection is not the goal, connection is. You do not need to figure out how to do this in isolation!

Rooted Futures information:

Website:
https://rootedfutures.org/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/rootedfuturesmentoring?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 283] Supporting Boys Through Puberty w/ Trevor Spring (Part I)

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Trevor Spring joins Luis for a tender discussion about masculinity, and how to tend our boys. Many boys and men have grown up, or are growing up, in isolation around their emotions and sexuality, with little to no physical or emotional attunement from caregivers and mentors. Porn becomes the de facto teacher prompting a chemistry shift in a frozen, dissociated body. Sexuality is learned with and from a screen, not body to body in a relationship of reciprocity. This pattern reinforces misattunement with self and partners, disconnection breeding disconnection. It also develops a habit of reliance on technology to regulate in a space where secrecy, thrill and taboo are needed as a turn on.

This is not a matter of goodness, badness, or self discipline. What do we want outside of the porn narrative? What does this animal body actually enjoy? How can we nourish and soften into a place of self love and love-ability? How can we connect to our feelings in a healthy way? If one can find connection and nourishment through self-relating, and partnerships, porn loses it's power.

For those of you navigating raising boys Trevor also offers wisdom and advice on where to begin making changes.

You can read and learn more about Rooted Futures through the links below:

Website:
https://rootedfutures.org/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/rootedfuturesmentoring?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 282] Interrupting Your Teen Boy's Isolation w/ Parallel Co-Regulation

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis continues the short series on male puberty by exploring parallel co-regulation, which is similar to parallel play -- meaning they're playing near or next to each other -- and how important it is for teenage boys.

During puberty, many boys lose access to their feelings while stuck in a body overwhelmed by testosterone and transformation at every level. An increase in sensation added to a decrease in capacity for sensation leads to inevitable shut down and isolation.

Luis dives into how parents and caregivers can interrupt this isolation through inviting parallel co-regulation in simple ways: Your teen does the dishes while you make dinner. Bring them to the store to help grocery shop. Read separate books together in the living room. What other ways can you think of to bring "parallel play"/parallel co-regulation into your home?

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 281] The Difference Between Raising "Gentle Boys" & EMBODIED Ones

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis dives into the developmental trauma of boys -- a continuation of Episode 279: This Is Why I Think P*rnography Is Traumatizing For Developing Boys -- and how they are generally unsupported through puberty.

There's a lot of discourse around "toxic males" and problematic men in our society, but not a lot of somatic discussion around how to support young boys in a new way so they can walk a different path: a more embodied one.

Luis encourages community building for parents, which is something that's been lost from parenting in isolation, and offers ideas for meeting young male aggression in a way that works for them.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 280] This Is Why I Disagree With Gender-Affirming Treatment For Minors (And It's PRO-Trans)

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Join Luis as he riffs about gender-affirming surgery, hormone therapy, and puberty blockers for minors. He looks to Marci Bowers, the first transgender female gynecologist and surgeon, who makes the case for not giving minors puberty blockers and hormone therapy.

Children can safely explore who they are through temporary means, such as: make-up, fashion, roles, gender and stereotypes. The teenage years are inherently dysphoric, lets support kids to flow through these years with as much ease as possible. Once an adult their body can transition with much greater success.

Being born fringe has the burden and privilege of suffering. Instead of erasing suffering let's consider supporting our children with tools to navigate the darkness. What has supported you through seasons of dysphoria? Drop us a comment below!

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 279] This Is Why I Think P*rnography Is Traumatizing For Developing Boys

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis begins a conversation about male puberty that will continue into another two videos to explore what they face when testosterone begins to transform their bodies, minds, and chemistry.

Because of this sudden biological change, p*rnography can be a developmental traumatizing experience for boys that leaves them further isolated from their bodies and emotions.

For parental support and mentoring for boys, check out Trevor Spring's program: https://www.trevorspring.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 278] What Does Stress Have To Do With Skin Health?

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis discusses how our skin health is affected by our hormones, and by our liver health. Everything from acne, rashes, eczema, and psoriasis can be caused by impurities coming out through your skin when your liver is overtaxed.

The focus is usually on sex hormones, but stress hormones can also tax your liver, which then can trigger flare ups.

We can work with chronic stress externally, as well as internally by removing foods from our diets that can trigger an adrenal response. Luis suggests three things you can do to reduce or eliminate glucose spikes.

You can watch more related videos through the links below:

[Bonus Episode] How Sugar Leads To Adrenaline Spikes (More Stress)

[Ep. 189] The Sugar & Trauma Healing Connection w/ Florence Christophers

[Bonus Episode] THIS Snack Helps With Sugar Addiction

[Ep. 246] How Carbs Are Turning On Your Trauma Response

[Bonus Episode] Why We Binge On Carbs

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 277] The Secret Ingredient For Balanced Glucose? Movement

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis discusses the connection between movement and glucose.

Movement and modern, industrialized food now lack a reciprocity. Movement is required for gathering and processing food; movement that many of us no longer need to perform in order to access calorically dense food.

Refined foods can often cause a glucose spike, which is followed by an insulin response, and then an adrenal response. When muscles are engaged after eating, it helps with your glucose storage, and can minimize your insulin response.

Luis suggests some tips on how to integrate exercise sustainably into your life.

Youn can find the article Luis references here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38629807/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 276] How Protein Affects Your Mood

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis discusses protein: how it affects mood, the nervous system, and the brain, and why it's so important to understand.

Proteins are a combination of amino acids, and dopamine and serotonin rely on them. Refined foods can temporarily fill the dopamine need caused by low amino acid intake, but ensuring you have enough protein is necessary for sustained balance. And sometimes the body's need for protein can change, depending on life circumstances.

Luis talks about both plant and animal protein, and some ideas to ensure you're receiving enough amino acids regardless of your dietary choices.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 275] Converting Cravings Into Whole Food Options

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis teaches how our processed food cravings can be a compass towards whole food options.

Luis gives clear step-by-step conversion choices which can help support our unmet nutrition needs, and discusses how to relate to our unmet relational and emotional needs that may arise when we stop repressing them with food.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 274] Marginalization Without Victim Mentality & Grieving The Queer Community w/ Camille & Grey Doolin

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis and Camille welcome back Grey Doolin to discuss marginalization and victim mentality. Join them for an open-hearted conversation, with a bit of throwing shade.

They explore:

· seeking safety from outside
· the way counterculture and mainstream culture interact
· honoring the knowledge of community elders
· separating others' judgements from internal self-worth
· building resilience and resources
· capacity for disagreement

[Ep. 262] Trans People Don't NEED To Belong: The Freedom Of Being An Outcast w/ Grey Doolin

[Ep. 22] The Roots Of The Transgender Movement & Other Tales w/ Chelsea Goodwin & Dr. Rusty Moore

You can learn more about Grey, and work with them, at: https://greydoolin.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 273] Understand Your Cravings With This 5 Minute Practice

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis teaches one of his favorite practices, called "Interrupting Your Cravings."

Cravings aren't about having impulse issues: they're deep unmet needs in the body that we seek to get met through eating. One of those needs is nutritional, and the other is emotional.

Luis guides us through a practice to help put a pause in our cravings to help uncover what information the body has to share with us.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 272] Healthy At Any Size?

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis explores the way that the body stores fat, rather than the identity that can arise from it. Even though there are negative health impacts from too much fat being stored, the process is a natural, biological, animal instinct for survival, is a healthy response to the ingestion of refined carbs and sugars.

Learning which foods affect insulin can help to shift the body from fat storage to fat usage mode. But beyond just food, stress and trauma play a role: both cause adrenaline, which also causes glucose spikes, and tells the body to store sugars as fat.

You can find the replay of the workshop "Weight Gain, Loss, & Balance" here: https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/food-therapy-weight

You can read more about the Embodied Nutrition group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-group

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 271] Live Seasonally: Prevent Burnout w/ Camille Leak

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Hello sunshine! How do you enter a new day? Do you slowly stretch into it, or do you immediately plug in to dopamine via technology and screens? Join Camille and Luis as they discuss how living seasonally and cyclically can be supportive and resourcing to our bodies.

At one time everyone lived in tandem with the seasons. Caffeine and electricity allowed our ancestors to break their own boundaries and nature's boundaries (of seasons, light, and temperature). This evolved into the dissociative "go go go crash" cycle, causing us to ignore the fatigue and exhaustion. Culturally this looks like overreach, personally it looks like burnout. Contributing to this mindset is the overcoupling of depression with the minimalism and stillness of winter. However, Fall and Winter are not about death, but about energy conservation in preparation for the productive seasons of Spring and Summer. Join us as we harness the energy of the sun on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 12pm EDT for a webinar where we sink more in to this juicy topic.

When is your season of wintering in a year, month, and day?

When is your season of rebirth and productivity in a year, month, and day?

You can register for the webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/living-seasonally-cyclically-how-i-recovered-from-burnout

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 270] Do These 3 Things To Help Your Body Recover From Stress

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis teaches 3 simple, free things that can help your body better manage stress and trauma recovery. Watch to learn the suggestions, and how they can support you.

You can also watch the video he mentions here: https://youtu.be/7xglDqF52mg

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 269] This Practice Can Change So Much

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis takes us through a brief self-inquiry practice to help us get in touch with the ways we use food to modulate our emotions and sensations.

He reviews the way he organizes kinds of foods, and the way these food categories affect our nervous system and adrenals. Take moment to notice what foods you consume and crave, and you may find what your underlying state is.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 268] Embodied Nutrition: How My Traumas & Eating Disorders Created Food Therapy

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's podcast, Luis discusses his personal journey with trauma and nutrition, and how the two together have an impeccable ability to help people recover from stress and trauma.

Luis shares his full personal story of childhood abuse, and how food was the only thing that could suppress and repress his pain. His personal experiences drew him towards a psychology degree, which he abandoned because of his dislike of the DSM and it's diagnostic rigidity. Simultaneously, he was working at a health food store, and began to see how much could be changed, both in himself and others, through dietary changes. When he began studying somatic psychology, Luis discovered the missing piece he had been searching for: how trauma is what prevents people from sticking to specific diets that could help people recover from certain health conditions.

Certain foods and eating habits can allow us to tolerate the intolerable, and can become a dependence in order for us to relax, sleep, work, and more. In the Embodied Nutrition group, Luis teaches how foods can stimulate, depress, or balance the nervous system, and how to relate to the emotions and sensations arise when we practice "food sobriety."

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 267] Why You Can't Stay On Your Diet

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Food helps us tolerate the intolerable. Processed foods can provoke a state change within us (such as joy, comfort, energized, numbed out), which produces an adrenaline response. If we eliminate processed foods, and experience food sobriety, we no longer have food manipulating our body chemistry. We become more awake to life. ⁠
⁠
In our 6 month nutrition group we teach you how to titrate food changes, and we provide somatic practices to help hold the resulting sensations. We teach you not be perfect with food, because food metabolizes quicker than shame. Instead we learn how to relate to food.

[Ep. 236] Understanding How Your Diet Is Triggering Your Stress Response

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 266] My 3 Favorite Snacks For Your Adrenals

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Snack time at Holistic Life Navigation. Drop in for a quick podcast bite full of info and tasty treats.

Do you ever experience anxiety or panic attacks? In these moments glucose fluctuates and the blood stream is flooded with adrenaline, resulting in an internal crisis. Once flooded with adrenaline we can experience hyper vigilance, muscle tension, increased heart rate, and anxiety. Balance happens when the body is not dominated by adrenaline. Wild spikes in adrenaline can be avoided with balanced glucose levels. Tune in for Luis' three favorite snacks to help achieve balanced glucose levels. Rest assured, chocolate can be part of the mix!

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 265] Embodied Performing: How To Actually ENJOY Feeling Seen

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

How does it feel to express yourself in front of others? Are you at ease? Excited? Tense? Frozen? Is stress keeping you from having a voice and expressing yourself because being seen feels dangerous?

Luis uncoupled his own performing from a traumatic experience in childhood. This shift allowed him to move from burning out after performing to loving the gooeyness of performing, which he now feels ease around. He shares his two favorite practices for supporting the body through the process.

Want more support in learning how to be an Embodied Performer? Join us August 15-17 in Brooklyn New York. Luis and co-host Weena Pauly-Tarr look forward to performing with you! https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-embodied-performer

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 264] The "Empath" Is A Trauma Response

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Do you think of yourself as an empath? Do you feel a flower blooming as deeply as you feel a war-torn country's pain?

Empathy itself is a bridge of understanding, non-binary and fluid. This is flexible empathy that can pendulate between embodying others joy and their suffering.

Often when someone is referred to as an empath it is someone who reflexively seeks and feels painful stories because that is what feels familiar. Their body and mind are practiced at accessing pain and bypassing joy and beauty, because joy, pleasure, and beauty, feels unsafe in their soft open vulnerability.

As with all trauma responses, Luis reminds us that our trauma response is not our identity, it is just something our body is doing. He guides us through a practice to help gauge what our capacity is to hold beauty and pain. Remember, it's a practice! There is no right answer.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 263] A.I. For Creatives: How Can It Make Us More Human? w/ Holly Howard

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Remember when toll booths were replaced by EzPass? Did you wonder how you would find your way to the closest restaurant or gas station without the interpersonal connection of the toll booth worker? Likewise are you skeptical about A.I.? Join Luis and Holly as they chat about how A.I. can support your creativity, allowing you to do more of what you love.

With the help of A.I. Holly Howard does private consulting and business growth training, as she writes her first book. We may be great at the service we offer, but if we are a solo/small business and not good at, or bogged down by, admin work, how do we tend that part of the business? Luis used A.I. to research for his upcoming book, Food Therapy, freeing up hours he could have spent researching on his own.

Holly shares how she bounces work ideas off of A.I. She also has A.I. write transcripts and job descriptions for her, building her capacity for the part of her business that she loves doing. All this reduces her mental workload. The key to using A.I. is clearly communicating your needs to the program. If you use A.I. with unsatisfactory results, consider how you communicate. Luis and Holly also discuss dopamine and the difference between algorithms and the social engagement hits of Instagram versus the control you have over A.I.

If we go in to the conversation around A.I. grounded, we can help integrate A.I. safely and ethically.

You can read more about Holly's work at https://www.askhollyhow.com/

You can join the waitlist for her upcoming book here: https://www.askhollyhow.com/the-book

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 262] Trans People Don't NEED To Belong: The Freedom Of Being An Outcast w/ Grey Doolin

Sun, 25 May 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Two fringe misfits walk into a Zoom room and.....

Join Grey Doolin and Luis for a joyful, lit up conversation about the spirituality of sex dysphoria. Grey shares how their trans identity is a gift not a destination, and how it's not about shutting parts of yourself off, it's about bringing all of yourself along for the ride. An important part of this realization dawned when their therapist asked if they wanted top surgery because society hates female bodies, or because top surgery was aligned for them?

Luis and Grey wonder, which part of a person thinks it will die without the hormones and surgical intervention? That is the part that needs tending. They question the standard procedural process of affirming care and envision the benefits of slowing it down to the speed of the body. This slowing down has led Grey to practicing belonging in a natural way, remembering their own belovedness and divinity, and learning to hold complexity.

In Grey's words, "Everything in your life is an invitation, EVERYTHING." Regardless of your gender, sex, or identity this invitation holds true.

You can learn more about Grey, and work with them, at: https://greydoolin.com/

[Ep. 261] "Ayahuasca Told Me To De-Transition" Born Female, Living As Male, Then Back To Female w/ Maddie Durbin

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 261] "Ayahuasca Told Me To De-Transition" Born Female, Living As Male, Then Back To Female w/ Maddie Durbin

Sun, 18 May 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Maddie Durbin joins Luis for a tender exploration of her experience becoming Max, and de-transitioning back to Maddie. At 19 Maddie was looking for freedom from the pain of the human condition, she turned to transitioning as an escape. She went by Max for 6 years and took testosterone for 5 of those years, growing a full beard and undergoing a double mastectomy along the way. However, she was still unhappy, depressed and unfulfilled. In 2022 Max decided to begin a healing journey. In that journey Max found acceptance for herself that led her back to Maddie.

Maddie was told she couldn't be herself, to the point where she thought she literally had to change who she was. She treated herself how others had treated her, banishing herself to a metaphorical closet for 7 years. Maddie came out of the closet when she felt safe enough to come out as her true self.

Children need support through the dysphoric process of puberty. A beginning solution for each of us to dismantle the labels, find acceptance for who we are, and make decisions rooted in authenticity.

You can learn more about Maddie on her website: https://maddiedurbin.com/

You can listen to her podcast, "The Bridge", here: https://maddiedurbin.com/the-bridge-podcast/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 260] "The Forest Enhances Who Your Are": How To Be a Conscious Colonizer w/ Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin

Sun, 11 May 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, is a farmer, systems developer, agronomist, and business manager who runs an ecosystem. He joins Luis for a fascinating conversation ranging from the Indigenous intellect to hazelnuts.

We are a reflection of the earth, all yearning for connection. To understand the earth we need to look within and ask, do we dominate, or relate? Reginaldo tells the story of his chickens and his hazelnuts and the reciprocal ecosystem he has developed and tends. It is a system of economic transaction seen from a holistic regenerative framework, rather than an extractive linear mentality.

How can we harvest in a way that stewards, regenerates and serves?

You can read more about Reginaldo's work here:

https://treerangefarms.com/

https://www.regenagalliance.org/

https://www.regenpoultry.com/

https://www.salvatierrafarms.com/

https://www.salvatierrafarms.com/store-2/p/book

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 259] Adrenaline & Cortisol + The Link Between Weight Gain & Hormonal Problems w/ Karen Hurd

Sun, 04 May 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Our favorite biochemist, Karen Hurd, joins us again to discuss the difference between adrenaline and cortisol.

Adrenaline gives us strength to fight or run, while cortisol reduces inflammation. These hormones are released simultaneously. We are meant to experience short bursts of adrenaline and cortisol in emergency situations, not prolonged baths in them all day every day while we sit at a desk, immobile.

Luis and Karen discuss estrogen production after menopause, exercise and chronic pain, high testosterone in female bodies, and estrogen in male bodies.

Stress is an endocrine disorder. If your diet is nourishing and balanced, but you are still stressed, consider your lifestyle, purpose and perception. Something has to shift when the mentality isn't connecting to biology in a way that is balanced.

You can read more about Karen's work, and register for her courses, here: https://karen-r.mylearnworlds.com/pages/home

[Ep. 256] How Stress Affects Your Hormones, Digestion, & What To Eat About It w/ Karen Hurd

[Ep. 218] The Biology Of Your Emotions & How Food Helps w/ Karen Hurd

[Ep. 8] Healing Your Body With Beans | Karen Hurd

[Bonus Episode] The Sugar-To-Adrenaline Pipeline

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 258] What Ghana Can Teach About Relationships, Politics, and Privilege

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Luis and his friend Steve Rasovsky have an openhearted chat about Steve's recent trip to Ghana. The Ghanaian people shared their dance, joy, community and presence with Steve. In that environment he was able to melt into presence alongside them. Being referred to with familial pronouns, with all the physical contact, and living next door to the people who were part of the towns commerce, all allowed Steve to feel safe enough to access this presence. Feeling his heart expand, his spine loosening, and his laughter and smile shifting, gave Steve a taste for life, allowing tension to leave his body, and for him to feel held.

Returning home to the Czech Republic he noticed a shift into a head to head connection between people that lacked eye contact. He also noted the urgency and scarcity of a winter climate. Urgency inevitably ends up leading to control. He ponders if he is celebrated or even safe there.

They use Steve's experience to explore the question of what is privilege? In Ghana they have the privilege of connection, joy, community and time to just be. It is a relational privilege. Whereas privilege in the USA is about material consumption, choice and convenience.

You can read more about Steven's work, and connect, here: https://www.intimatelyhuman.com/

You can listen to the previous interview with Steven here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/278649/episodes/10218388

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 257] 3 Common Habits That Keep You Awake At Night

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Luis tucks in for a bedtime conversation about three evening routines that can optimize sleep. Sleep is the body's ritual of repair: these 3 practices will help tend the body to do it's repair work. Think digestion, light, and sensation. Best part is, this podcast comes with a late night snack!

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 256] How Stress Affects Your Hormones, Digestion, & What To Eat About It w/ Karen Hurd

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Chronic stress and PTSD are a hormonal imbalance issue, and if one hormone is out of balance, all hormones are out of balance. These hormones, in or out of balance, control every chemical reaction in the body.

Join Luis and Karen Hurd (biochemist, nutritionist and frequent guest), as they explore the science behind what happens in the body with long-term adrenaline output. Elevated adrenaline has a cascade effect on the rest of the hormones, affecting digestion, thyroid health, and melatonin production, as well as issues with weight loss and weight gain.

Karen leaves us with her top 3 simple steps to help tend to our adrenals.

You can read more about Karen's work, and register for her courses, here: https://karen-r.mylearnworlds.com/pages/home

[Ep. 8] Healing Your Body With Beans | Karen Hurd

[Ep. 255] Can You Recover From Trauma While Drinking Coffee?

[Ep. 239] Beans: Superfood or Super Toxic? These Studies Will Amaze You

[Bonus Episode] The Sugar-To-Adrenaline Pipeline

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 255] Can You Recover From Trauma While Drinking Coffee?

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Blood pressure is rising, heart rate is increasing, neurotransmitters are firing, muscles are tense and your nervous system is activated. Is it due to stress, or caffeine?

Join Luis as he considers these questions around caffeine:

1) How are you using it? Maybe caffeine is a medicine to energize when in a new time zone, or to help lift one out of a depression or functional freeze. Caffeine could also be adding stress on top of an already stressed out body.

2) What form of caffeine are you consuming? Are you consuming caffeine isolate, chocolate, green tea, or coffee? Each form interacts differently in the body.

3) How is it affecting your body? When do you consume caffeine relative to a meal? Does it keep you up at night?

What arises in your body around caffeine? How do you use caffeine?

You can find the links to related webinars here:

Freeze, Procrastination, & Self-Sabotage

Cravings, Destigmatized

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 254] Spatial Alchemy: Designing Your Home To Change Your Body & Life w/ Olga Naiman

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Sit in on this juicy conversation between Luis and interior designer Olga Naiman. They discuss creating rituals and spaces that can code our environment for what it is we seek more of in life. If we learn the somatics of what it is we want to feel, we can build it in to our home.

First see your home with the eyes of a stranger. Feeling lonely? Look around for what carries a sense of loneliness. Release the items that are antithetical to your desires. Really want a hug instead of loneliness? Maybe find a perfectly cozy chair that feels like a cradled hug. An important part of the process is building pleasure hits of dopamine in to our home. Pleasure is the antidote to trauma. Lets turn our homes into medicine.

You can read more about Olga's work, and order the book, here: https://www.thespatialalchemy.com/the-book

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 253] What Your Posture Says About Your Trauma

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

In today's podcast Luis discusses how trauma is stored in the body's posture. When being seen feels dangerous the body goes into a freeze or shame posture of hiding to protect itself. What are the automatic, baseline postures that your body holds itself in based on historic trauma, stress, or abuse? These patterns of tension are the body's way of being prepared for something bad or harmful. Luis gives us a somatic practice to assess our body's capacity for trusting non-threat in our environment. What our body tells us is neither good nor bad: it's simply information that can teach us where we are braced for threat.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 252] Money Trauma: Debt Don't Bother Me, Overcharging People, & Being White Trash At Heart

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis and Camille discuss money, money trauma, and the ways in which we may have inherited or learned about relating to money.

They explore:

· The relationship we have with money, rather than the money itself
· Not finding safety in money, and the reality of needing money
· The difference between how much money we have vs. the meaning we assign it
· Exploring money solutions that lie outside the binary
· Attuning somatically to the present moment ("Feeling The Now") and how the practice can help us clarify our relationship with money

They conclude the podcast with a lightning round, answering questions that were sent in through email.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 251] This 2 Minute Practice Can Alleviate Anxiety - & It's Free!

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Don't wait until you are feeling anxious to practice this one! Jump right in where you are and practice pendulating. Luis teaches us how to feel where we are now, and where we feel anxiety in our bodies.

We are not our anxiety, a part of us feels anxious. What does the rest of us feel? Using this tool Luis is able access the parts of himself that are not anxious and that have capacity, so that he can walk into life more embodied.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 250] Eating Unprocessed Foods Is A Vote For The Land

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Click for story-time with Luis as he reads a favorite chapter that was cut from his soon to be published book, FOOD THERAPY (April 2026). He posits that processed food is disassociated from the land. Often GMO crops are altered to survive glyphosate, wrecking bio-diversity, increasing chemicals, and providing reduced nutrients. Two pounds of GMO altered soy beans contained 9mg of glyphosate. No wonder 81% of the US population has recent glyphosate exposure, an exposure that increases our risk of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Cheap processed foods create conflict in the earth and disease in our bodies.

Rather than depleting the soil and our bodies, organic crops, such as beans, add nitrogen back into the soil increasing biodiversity. Eating locally grown crops and animals is a symbiotic relationship that gives Luis purpose: to honor those nutrient dense plants and animals that feed and nourish his body. For him eating is a ritual prayer of gratitude to the earth. Eating close to the land allows his body to feel more, to tap in to aliveness, in all of it's discomforts.

But what if you are feeling low? It's the body's way of asking to be held. As his friend Asha Frost says, "Feeling low? Go lower." Let the land hold you by eating balancing foods that connect one to the land in a relationship of reciprocity. What we eat isn't just about us, it's a vote for the land.

[Ep. 119] The Myth of Normal w/ Daniel Maté

[Ep. 188] Feeling Low? Get Lower - Navigating Chronic Pain, Illness, & Generational Trauma w/ Asha Frost

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 249] My 3 Favorite Teas For Female Hormones

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis shares his favorite herbs, specifically for supporting PMS or menopause.

Building on the previous episode about herbs for liver, he explains how the liver is helpful for women's hormones. He teaches how to make the "triple root infusion", as well as when and how much to drink. He also includes two other herbs that can help with alleviating symptoms from a cycle, PMS, or menopause. These herbs help by addressing nervous system health, adrenal health, blood health, digestive health, hormonal balance, and blood sugar levels.

Everyone's body is different, so please consult an herbalist and/or doctor with any questions, especially if you're pregnant or planning to be.

You can find the episode about herbs for liver health here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/278649/episodes/16838021

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 248] Stress Affects Your Liver...These Herbs Can Help!

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis discussing the importance of liver health for full body and metabolic health, as well as it's relationship to recovering from stress and trauma.

He explains what role the liver plays, and what dietary choices can change the liver's ability to function. He then talks about two herbs to help support liver, what they do, and how to make an herbal infusion.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 247] Somatic Empathy: How To Not Get Stuck In The Doom Scroll

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Walk with Luis on a cold day as he chats about doom scrolling and horror. If someone has high somatic empathy, when they watch horror on a screen, it creates an adrenal response as if the horror is happening to them. Bodies brace for the impact of impending doom, but instead of impact, they move on with their lives in to the world, still braced. How does one interact with their life and community if they are braced for someone else's reality? What neighborhood needs are bypassed if one is living detached from their own space and place?

Luis offers several questions to contemplate as we consider our own relationship to horror and somatic empathy. If the horror isn't happening to us, we have the privileged of choosing to feel, or not feel, horror in our own body.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 246] How Carbs Are Turning On Your Trauma Response

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Feeling overwhelmed? Most of us turn to carbs, which results in a hit of dopamine that turns on our adrenaline response. The faster a carb turns into glucose, the sooner we experience a low blood sugar induced adrenaline response. Historically we had to work hard to get that spike of dopamine and glucose, but our animal bodies have not evolved to keep up with machines and the processed foods they produce. Now we sit at desks and cars, consuming much higher levels of refined carbs. This leaves us, and the land, depleted.

Luis wonders, how much of your diet is refined grains, and how much of your diet is whole grains? How does your body store trauma as fat? Why do you crave what you crave?

Curious about how to work with this idea in your body? Luis outlines an Appetizer For Your Stress Response, along with a simple dessert recipe and a somatic practice.

If we eat to be balanced, that is where health emerges.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 245] This Might Be Why You're Waking Up At Night & How To Fix It

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Ever wake up in a panic, with a dry mouth and a nightmare? Join Luis for this bed time snack sized podcast. Your nighttime woes might be a glucose spike cascading into an adrenaline rush. Luis outlines the physiology of what happens in our bodies, along with yummy, practical solutions to experiment with. Give it a try, and notice how you feel.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 244] I Was Wrong: Protein, Veganism, & The Mysteries Of Nutrition

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Sitting in Costa Rica, by driftwood and the sea, Luis contemplates the mysteries of nutrition. Having studied the dense and "boring" side of nutrition, his fear of being wrong was triggered when he was called out on social media. This experience prompted his beach-side musings on efficient and non-efficient proteins, how individuals process carbohydrates, and his historic obsession with being right.

Do we eat to suppress and comfort, or to feel, recover, and nourish? We can turn to nutrition text books for facts to find out, but there is also the indigenous research of tuning in to the wisdom of the body. Our body can help us decipher the wisdom of our cravings. When we are under stress, and likely to have cravings, our bodies need protein to turn amino acids into neurotransmitters that help balance our mental health. Luis had a stressful double day and he craved a big fat salty chocolate chip cookie... tune in to see where the wisdom of the craving took him.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 243] The Most Accessible & Affordable Stress-Reducer Is...A Pillow?!

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Ever feel anxious, panicked, or like a "floating head" detached from your body? When in these states we can lose our instinct to tend to our body. For example, we might not realize we need to eat, pee, or take a deeper breath.

Maybe you need a pillow, one of Luis' favorite strategies for being with stress and trauma. The humble, and often accessible, pillow technique is explained, as is the back up for when you don't have access to a pillow. Using a pillow can help stimulate the parasympathetic response and bring blood flow back into the body, resourcing the body, and perhaps allowing us to respond from a more resourced place. Remember, it's a practice.

Listen to the episode about postprandial blood flow here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/278649/episodes/16437452

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 242] Chocolate Dependence, Divorce, & What I Learned

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Luis reads us a chapter of his upcoming book "Food Therapy" (2026). In it he discusses how eating is relational. Our body receives the being of a plant or animal and digests it, breaking it down into chemicals that relate to our bodies' chemicals. In this unconscious alchemy food becomes our bodies. We often use this shift to change our chemistry and avoid feeling.

Luis worked with three wives, all who said if they gave up chocolate they would get divorced. They helped him realize that food can be broken down into three categories: depressants, stimulants, and balancers. Understanding these categories became Luis' compass, what he calls the Quiet Diet, used to navigate his own recovery from binge eating. When we embody how foods affect us we become a conscious alchemist, sober to how we actually feel. Food is a potent medicine that can shift our inner ecology and build our capacity to heal from stress and trauma. Have you noticed, how does your body relate to food?

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 241] Why We Scarf Down Food To Shapeshift

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Large amounts of refined foods have the power to elicit big hormonal responses in our bodies. If we have a subconscious desire to shape shift to a new state, we often go to food to make that change for us. Depressed? We might reach for foods that make us feel more alive. Wound up and anxious at the end of a long day? We might reach for foods that depress us enough to fall asleep.

What we eat, and how much of it we eat, has the potential to release opioids, serotonin and dopamine into our system, facilitating that shift for us. It is the state the food puts us in that we are addicted to, not the food itself. Luis asks, what need is the food meeting and what is the state change I am after? He offers a practice around binge eating to help us relate to our animal bodies and start to release shame. Join Luis and explore how we can relate to ourselves in ways other than with food.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 240] Those B*tches Appropriated Us! DEI, Decolonization, and Wokeness

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Camille and Luis enjoy a playful conversation about the trendiness of terms including DEI, decolonization, woke-ness, Queer, witch, and liberal. Trends are cut off from the deep rooted culture of the thing itself, and therefore come and go. Luis reveals how the appropriation of these words into trends feels in his body and why.

They discuss intent and impact before conversation flows to decolonizing versus re-indigenizing. A question forms, are we dominating or relating to our body, the land, and others? True healing, whether in the DEI or decolonizing realms, takes time and space to go deeper and root. The speedy passing of trends does not allow for this rooted healing to occur.

Discussion includes exploring inclusion as holding space for each person to have their own opinions, knowing we will not all agree. Consensus and rules, or mandates, do not equate to inclusion. They acknowledge the roots of the term Liberal as "Big Tent", as an inclusive place that holds many perspectives.

Essentially, is something a dissociative trend, or is it culture, deeply rooted and healing?

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 239] Beans: Superfood or Super Toxic? These Studies Will Amaze You

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Are beans an anti-nutrient due to their phytic acid content, or are they a superfood? Come investigate what is really behind the phytic acid scare around beans. How much phytic acid IS in a 1/2 cup serving of cooked beans anyhow? Luis does the math and gives us tips on how to reduce phytic acid, why it's worth the trouble, and how a little bit can be a benefit to our health. Beans contain protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins, and can help detoxify the gut. Learn how this pre-biotic powerhouse affects toxins, stress metabolites, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. Luis also offers suggestions on how to titrate this sustainable superfood into your every day diet.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 238] LA Wildfire, Palestine, & Israel: How Relinquishing Ownership Is At The Center Of Each

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Ownership is the question explored in this epic podcast where Luis interviews Unique Hammond, Zeena Ismail, and Hadar Cohen to share their distinctive perspectives of being forced out of their home/land. The inspiration for the podcast arose from the ashes of the LA wildfire where Unique's home was burnt to the ground as nature evicted her. Forced from their homelands, Zeena Ismail is a Palestinian living in Jordan and Hadar Cohen is a Arab Jew living in the United States.

Luis' queries if it is more painful when nature takes your home, compared to your home being taken by humans and war? All were forced to leave their homes, and there is a wisdom in their leaving. Unique notes that when you fight with reality, reality wins 100% of the time. Indeed, we may leave our land, but the land is carried in our bones, and never leaves us. Zeena shares her experience of learning to belong to a new land and welcoming it's wisdom. As the author Robin Wall Kimmerer says, she became indigenous to (a new) place. The added layer of identity is weighed. Identity, as Hadar sees it, is just a lens, not eyesight itself. Can we release the bind and binary of identity?

Ultimately we can claim, colonize, and extract from a place, or we can belong to a place. As Hadar asks, if you belong to the land why do you need to control it? Would there even be war if we did not have ownership? A universal question emerges, do we grasp at what was, or can we allow transformation to occur?

You can visit Unique Hammond's website here: https://www.youregreat.com/

You can visit Zeena Ismail's website here: https://www.zeenaismail.com/

You can visit Hadar Cohen's websites here: https://www.hadarcohen.me/ www.malchut.one

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 237] My Nuanced Take On Trump's 2 Gender Policy

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0500

"As of today it will henceforth be official policy of the United States Government that there are only two genders, male and female." - Donald Trump

Luis explores how this policy effects transgender, transsexual, non-binary and intersex folks. He discusses the fluidity of gender, whereas sex is biology assigned at birth. Luis reads this policy as a statement of two sexes, which Nature assigns. A lot of confusion enters the discussion at large when sex and gender are confused for each other. Gender is flowing and we choose how we identify. He notes that there has been a movement to make the fringe trendy and commodify it, but in so doing the deep culture of the fringe is lost. Have a listen and tell us how you feel about this new policy, and lets discuss it in the comments below.

[Bonus Episode] Navigating Dysphoria

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 236] Understanding How Your Diet Is Triggering Your Stress Response

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 20:00:00 -0500

Let's explore the often ignored connection between nutrition and trauma. Luis breaks foods down into three categories: stimulants, depressants, and balancers.

When we eat sugar there is a spike in blood sugar levels, triggering a spike in insulin, leading to a drop in glucose, resulting in an adrenaline spike. You heard that? Your body is having a stress response, and you haven't even heard today's news yet! You've only eaten breakfast. Luis offers suggestions on how to leverage the balancers to still enjoy the stimulants and depressants. We may not be able to reduce the external stressors, but we can reduce the inner stressors.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 235] Exploring Identity Politics: Do Black & Brown People Even Like The Term POC?

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Luis shares part of his family story before weaving rich voices and interviews to explore the use and meaning of the phrase People of Color, or POC. Many questions and facets are explored: Do we take on ideas to belong? Does the phrase POC other specific groups in a condescending way? What is the story, meaning, or belief we have about the label POC? Does 'marginalized' mean oppressed? What are the somatics of group identity? How can we uncouple negative associations with the term POC? Lastly, what story do I tell about you, and does that story make you equal, lower or better than me?

In the spirit of Maya Angelou, Marika reminds us to learn about people rather than learning to label them. May we be curious and allow people to show us who they are. After all, race is a fake construct, and identity is less connecting than place.

You can watch the extended interviews clips here: Maya Angelou, Morgan Freeman, Raven-Symoné, and Africa Brooke.

You can also listen to podcasts with Africa and Camille below:

[Ep. 193] Getting Sober Helped Me Stop Self-Censoring w/ Africa Brooke

[Ep. 219] Not Everything Is A Microaggression: Is This The New DEI? w/ Camille Leak

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 234] Is Misgendering A Form Of Progress?

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Luis shares part of his intersex journey as he explores the idea of misgendering as progress. Join him as he discusses the difference between sex and gender, harm and difference in the context of free speech. He believes we all have a responsibility to orient to, and find safety in, ourselves. The more comfortable Luis is in himself, the less offend-able he has become. Feel free to be part of the discussion by leaving a comment below.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 233] Cognitive Dissonance: Using It To Your Advantage

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Thanks to a listener request, Camille and Luis discuss cognitive dissonance through the lens of somatics and parts work. Cognitive dissonance, the friction between held and opposing beliefs, can result in an uncomfortable tension. The discomfort caused by this tension is usually avoided, or even "erased".

Alternatively, leaning in to the tension can be an opportunity for growth, or, an indicator of boundaries. Luis uses the example of the cognitive dissonance he experienced around being vegan, and how leaning in to the messy and painful process often results in transformation.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] The Sugar-To-Adrenaline Pipeline

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Join Luis as he explores the effects of sugar, starch and refined carbohydrates on the body. Journey from the first bite to blood glucose levels spiking, all the way to the body's resulting stress response. Learn the balancing nutritional recommendations to employ before eating sugar, starch and refined carbohydrates to help mitigate the effects of adrenaline in the body.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 232] My Post About Trans People Triggered Her... So We Recorded A Podcast About It w/ Kai Cheng Thom

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode Luis is joined by Kai Cheng Thom: somatic therapist, depth psychologist, and author. Back in August, Luis put up a post on social media sharing both his personal experiences and opinions about gender dysphoria, body dysmorphia, and youth in the trans community. The post received a lot of attention, and started a conversation with Kai that continues here.

They discuss:

relating through difference
the relationship between the body and ideology
our projections of a person vs. their authentic self
the importance and impact of language
the importance of self-reflection, flexibility, and compassion

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Why Food Comforts Us & How To Interrupt The Pattern

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Luis teaches us about his latest obsession: postprandial bloodflow. He talks about what it is, how affects it, and why it matters. He explains how it relates to comfort foods, emotional eating, and binge eating. The video ends with a somatic practice to explore how we related to food and comfort.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 231] Elegy For An Elephant: Transforming The Grief From Suicide Into Art w/ Ryan Abramowitz

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode Luis welcomes Ryan Abramowitz, author and artist of the book "Elegy For An Elephant", and Melissa McConnell, who introduced Ryan's book to Luis, to have a group discussion about the grief of losing a loved one to suicide, and how powerful artistic expression can be.

Ryan discusses the process of creating and releasing the book, and how the way it has shifted things for him in his process. He talks about making new relationships with the trauma and grief, practicing releasing lingering guilt, the timelessness of love, and the value in connecting with nature.

You can read more about the book, and order it, here: www.narrativesofnature.com 18% of profits from books sold are donated to Lifeline, Movember and Support after Suicide Services.

You can visit Melissa's website here: www.thehoneybeetemple.com
She is currently working on a book about the expressive arts and somatics.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 230] My Ancestors Didn't Have Time To Be Traumatized, But I Do

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis shares his reflections on his ancestry, and the experience of his ancestors juxtaposed against his present experience. He discusses the differences between cultures, and the practice of understanding and accepting ancestors. Luis speaks about how intergenerational wisdom and intergenerational trauma are both accessible to us, and how the relationship of movement, activity, and hard work can act as a salve to stress, stagnation, and overthinking. The episode ends with a guided somatic practice.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 229] How Fawning Affects Your Sex Life (A Mini-Course)

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis talks about how fawning affects your sex life, and what you can do about it. He discusses:

what fawning is, and why we do it
the relationship between fawning and sex
the longterm impact of prolonged sexual fawning
why sexual fawning can occur with or without abuse

[Ep. 2] Fawning: The Most Overlooked Trauma Response
[Ep. 133] Fawning Made Me Sick w/ Martha Beck
[Bonus Episode] Trauma Rewired Podcast Replay: Fawning & Sexual Fawning

You can find the links to the webinar and mini-course below:

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 228] It's Official: My Book Proposal Has Been Accepted!

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis sits down for a casual conversation to connect with everyone, and share what's alive and present for him. He discusses:

co-dependency
capacity and desire
his upcoming book
integrity & fawning
personal rupture & repair work
narcissism

You can find the links to some of the podcast episodes Luis mentioned here:

[Ep. 5] Racism Recovery Part 1: Healing Racism Through The Lens Of Trauma | April Harter (Therapist & Racism Recovery Coach)

[Ep. 6] Racism Recovery Part 2: Healing Racism Through The Lens Of Trauma | April Harter (Therapist & Racism Recovery Coach)

[Ep. 16] Narcissism Comes From Unprocessed Trauma | April Harter (LCSW)

[Ep. 36] Racism May Be A Form Of Narcissism | April Harter (Therapist & Racism/Narcissism Recovery Coach)

[Bonus Episode] Shaming People Into Accountability Is A Form Of Narcissism w/ April Harter

[Ep. 76] Navigating Capacity & Desire: How To "Stop Self-Sabotaging" w/ Luis Mojica

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 227] The Relief Of Mystery, Aliens, and Humanizing The Other w/ Chion Wolf

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis is joined by fellow podcast host Chion Wolf, and they share an interesting and meandering conversation. While moving from topics including atheism, the existence of extraterrestrials, and manifestation, they highlight the deep and beautiful themes of being humbled, living with curiosity, and relating to difference.

You can listen to Chion's podcast, "Audacious with Chion Wolf," here: https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf

You can listen to Luis' interview on "Audacious" here: https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2024-08-09/trauma-stays-in-our-bodies-luis-mojica-offers-ways-to-release-it

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 226] Navigating Co-Dependency & Narcissism

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis shares more about his personal experience with social media, and how he approaches responses and comments that have anger or upset. He shares how you can incorporate this approach into your life if you have a public presence, or in any relational situation with strong disagreement.

He discusses the role of fawning, co-dysregulation, co-dependence, and shame, and how these responses are often innocent, unconscious, and reflexive.

You can find Luis' YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@holisticlifenavigation

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 225] "My Body Is Female, I'm Not": Using Somatics To Explore Gender w/ Quinn Silverleaf

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis meets with Quinn Silverleaf, and they explore sexuality, sex, and gender through a somatic lens. They share their own unique lived experiences and viewpoints.

They discuss:

· ideology vs. somatic experience
· integrating parts
· the role context plays within our culture
· separating male and female from masculinity and femininity
· congruency with internal experience and external appearance

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 224] How Am I Using My Freedom?

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis explores what it means to be free. Freedom is messy, and full of mistakes and hypocrisy. In the United States, the diversity of people, thought, and lifestyle creates a tapestry that can be either settling or activating to our bodies and nervous systems.

Through personal and ancestral story, he discusses the role of agency, working with the discomfort of difference, and the practice of humanizing everyone.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 223] Navigating Screens: How To Release Stress From Media

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0500

In today’s episode, Luis explores somatic empathy and pendulation - swinging between two different sensations or experiences. He explains why we need to develop the skillset to regulate our somatic empathy to stay present while taking in media.

When you watch someone in pain, this can create the sensation of "I feel pain your pain." Luis shares steps we can take to tend to that sensation so that we can acknowledge our sense of safety so that our response can be one of compassion.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Is Binge Watching Too Much For Your Body?

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0500

How are screens - televisions, smartphones, iPads, and more - impacting our bodies? In today’s episode, Luis breaks down how our bodies react to the news, social media feeds, and other forms of online media.

Today’s society has access to more experiences than ever before. Whether we know it or not, our bodies react to these experiences - whether painful, terrifying, or upsetting, and we lose the sense of our current reality. Luis breaks down this "somatic empathy" and shares a practice for how to manage it when we become overwhelmed by too much information.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 222] How A Pet Rat & Punk Rock Turned My Wife Into An Herbalist w/ Aemen Bell

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0500

In today’s episode, Luis sits down for a casual chat with herbalist Aemen Bell, who is also his wife. From sharing how she healed her lung condition as a teenager to spilling the tea on one of their first dates, Luis and Aemen touch on everything about food, herbs, and relating to the land.

Join the couple as they speak about her origins with herbal medicine and the joy she finds being a beacon for her clients. Enjoy this casual chat with plenty of jokes and comforting stories.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] The Origin Of Our Freeze Responses

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Do you know what the freeze response is? In today’s episode, Luis explains how this natural tension in the body happens when we’re scared, threatened, or nervous. He does so by looking at videos from the animal kingdom.

When we need it, the freeze response is helpful. It can protect us from a physical threat. But, when it results in fatigue or procrastination, it’s not so useful. It’s through somatic work that we can learn how to decipher whether or not we are threatened and feel safe in our here and now.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 221] Dissociation: Could It Be Useful? w/ The HLN Team

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 03:00:00 -0500

Today’s episode is a casual conversation with the Holistic Life Navigation Team: Luis, Camille, Evan, and Marika. The team shares their personal experiences about dissociation and what happens during that trance-like state when we ‘zone out’.

Looking at dissociation through a somatic lens, the team shares what happens to the body when we dissociate and how to attune to the sensation and give our body what we need.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] What Can A Possum Teach Us About Social Conflict?

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode, Luis shares what a possum protecting itself from a coyote can teach us about the ‘freeze and collapse’ response. While it is essential to survival, our bodies can turn on that same response even when there’s not a life-threatening event happening.

Allowing nature to be our teacher, Luis looks at the event through the lens of overcoupling disagreement with life-threatening danger. He shares three simple tools we can all practice to help the body feel safe where it is.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 220] If You Can Ruminate, You're Safe - Navigating Remembered, Expected, & Actual Threat

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode, Luis and Camille discuss how our bodies interpret threats and how to decipher the somatic reality of whether or not it’s happening to us now.

When we think of something happening to us in the future and the past, the same biochemistry is triggered as if the experience is happening in real time. Luis and Camille share why this happens and how to attune our bodies to a feeling of safety.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Eat These 4 Things For Stress

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0400

What foods can I eat to help me move through a stressful situation in a more tolerable way? In today’s episode, this is the exact question Luis answers for listeners seeking a way to use food to help them regulate their nervous system.

Luis shares how foods directly affect our mental health and nervous system. He also shares how to use food to support our emotional and mental health and the exact foods to eat throughout the day to balance our bodies.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 219] Not Everything Is A Microaggression: Is This The New DEI? w/ Camille Leak

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

In today’s conversation, Luis and Camille Leak reflect on past experiences to chat about privilege, marginalization, diversity, and inclusion. Breaking down what these terms mean and what it looks like when someone experiences them, Camille also shares how to cultivate support and understanding from both sides.

Breaking down tough terms, Camille also talks about how microaggression differs from bias, and how she helps people handle uncomfortable moments to form better relationships, from co-workers to friends.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] How Stress & Trauma Connect With Binge Eating

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Why do I binge eat? In today’s episode, Luis explores the connection between stress, trauma, and binge eating to help us understand why this behavior presents itself.

Sharing his personal story about trauma, Luis breaks down the physiology of prolonged stress and how bingeing offers a temporary feeling of security. He takes us through a 5-minute exercise, he then shares how to learn what’s behind the craving.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 218] The Biology Of Your Emotions & How Food Helps w/ Karen Hurd

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode, Karen Hurd explains the physics of neurotransmitters and chemical releases, and how the foods we eat alter the chemicals in our brains. From breaking down what happens when our bodies feel “hangry” to “I’m going to take over the world,” Karen and Luis share how foods impact our emotions.

Every thought and movement in our bodies is governed by hormones. Karen shares how balanced nutrition balances our hormones and helps our bodies and minds to function better.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Is Porn Use A Form Of Sexual Trauma?

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode, Luis talks about the somatic exploration of how porn affects our bodies physically and mentally.

Luis breaks down how the somatic experience and the physiology behind porn use are similar to the thrill of drug use. He addresses how compulsive porn use at a young age can impact men’s development later in life, and their ability to relate to both themselves and their partners.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 217] That's SO Virgo: How We Limit Ourselves With Our Zodiac Identities w/ Britten LaRue

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

In today’s video, astrologer and author Britten LaRue is back on the podcast to talk about authenticity, transformation, and not over-identifying with your sign.

Discussing emergence astrology, she shares how astrology can guide us without restricting us as we change and evolve to whatever comes up in life. She offers tips on how to be open to contradiction to be our most 'authentic selves'.

You can read about, and register for, Cave Space here: https://brittenlarue.com/course/cave-space/

You can visit Britten's website here: https://brittenlarue.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Why Your Solar Plexus Is Tight & How To Release It

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode, Luis answers a listener’s question- “Why do we sometimes feel tightness in our solar plexus?” Luis breaks down the mechanics of this natural response and what we can do about it.

Using the “Voo” technique, Luis guides listeners on how to release stored tension and regain a sense of calm.

Peter Levine, PhD. “Voo” technique https://www.nicabm.com/reducing-overwhelming-feelings-of-despair-with-peter-levine/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 216] Navigating The Taboo Topic Of Suicide w/ Luis & Camille

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

In today’s video, Luis and Camille speak about suicidal ideation, and how to talk about this charged topic with love and support.

Sharing their experiences from both sides of the fence, they talk about how connection, and removing stigmas, can help us find the safety we need to speak about this tough topic. They offer tips on how to support yourself and those around you when speaking about suicide.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Q&A: My Food Budget & Coming Out Of Veganism

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis responds to some questions he received on YouTube videos that required more nuanced answers.

Are there other topics you'd like to hear Luis speak to, or specific questions you have? You can head over to Luis' YouTube channel and leave your comment there.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 215] We'll Be Okay Regardless Of Who Is President w/ the HLN Team

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, the HLN team talks about how they find regulation during presidential election seasons.

They discuss:

· their unique histories with politics and elections
· expected & actual threat
· divisiveness and identity
· urgency & agency
· the role that social media plays

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] This Simple Snack Can Help You With Sugar Addiction

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

On today's video, Luis shares about a snack that can help satisfy the emotional and pleasure needs that may come up when you're craving sweets like candies or pastries.

He discusses how to combine the foods, what ingredients to check for, and why the snack is helpful.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 214] Community Somatics Replay August 2024

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

This is a replay of the most recent Community Somatics event. Luis takes us through a variety of topics and practices as he invites us to drop in, play with the philosophy and techniques of somatic work, and see what we learn.

Community Somatics are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] This Meal Can Lower Your Stress For The Entire Day

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's video, Luis shares about a specific breakfast that can help prevent anxiety, lower stress levels, and contribute to a better night's sleep.

He discusses intermittent fasting, skipping breakfast, and the best time to eat breakfast. He then gives specifics on how to eat his recommended breakfast meal, and gives an option that is tailored to suit vegans, as well as one for vegetarians and omnivores.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 213] A Homeless Transwoman Teaches Me How She Transcends Victim Consciousness

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis starts with a story of a recent trip: one that leads to an interview he recorded while sitting on a stoop in NYC. Kelly Ann, whose spiritual name is Learning, is a homeless transwoman who shares her honest, wise, and sometimes controversial experiences and viewpoints. Her interview is intermingled with Luis' own viewpoints and reflections.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 212] Could Curiosity Be The Most Important Ingredient For The American Dream? w/ Mónica Guzmán

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis speaks with Mónica Guzmán about political divisiveness, identity, and somatics.

They discuss:
· building capacity for difference by spending time with and practicing being with those who disagree
· curiosity vs. fear
· the role of social media in divisiveness
· practicing flexibility of both the nervous system and thought
· the physiology of stress and disagreement
· the complex story of political and morale views people have

You can visit Mónica's website here: https://www.moniguzman.com/

You can learn more about Braver Angels here: https://braverangels.org/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 211] From Pizza to Tennis: Recovering From Binging By Finding Joy Outside Of Food w/ Michelle Petties

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis is joined by Michelle Petties: author, writer, speaker, and processed food addict in recovery.

They discuss:

fluidity of identity
overcouplings and food
shifting from "emotional eating" to food relationships
the role of narratives and the conscious and unconscious mind
food addiction and capacity
food as healing and eating to be nourished

You can watch Michelle's Tedx Talk here: https://youtu.be/WJLr53XlIV4?si=DtvbxKj_7H-ilUG5

You can learn more about Michelle, and order her book, here: https://michellepetties.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 210] Beyond The Feed: Marketing OFF Social Media w/ Holly Howard

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis speaks with Holly Howard, business coach and entrepreneur, about how she made the decision to leave social media, and how she teaches others to do the same.

They discuss:

how people share and speak differently in-person vs. online
performative allyship
how social media amplifies misinformation
how an over-focus on social justice affects people's businesses
how social media has caused an increase in divisiveness and reactionary behavior
the fine real between what's real and isn't on social media
the ways social media has shifted over the past decade

You can read more about Holly's program Beyond the Feed here (registration is currently open, and closes on September 20, 2024): https://www.askhollyhow.com/programs/beyond-the-feed

You can find the link to the "Honestly Podcast" episode Luis mentioned here: https://www.honestlypod.com/podcast/episode/1b1ee3ce/smartphones-rewired-childhood-heres-how-to-fix-it

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 209] I Voted For A Republican - As A Liberal

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis talks about a life-changing moment when everything he believed in and identified with started to fall apart and transform.

He discusses fluidity, "truth" as a somatic experience, uncoupling of bias, and tells the story of his friends and their mind-opening experience that led to voting for a Republican.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 208] Psychedelics, Deprivation, & Looking Like Jesus w/ Otto Maier

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis welcomes Otto Maier, certified Psychedelic Integration Guide, Jungian coach, and ceremony facilitator.

They explore:

releasing attachment to identity
others' projections of identity, and the relationship with validation
navigating the transmutation of identity from psychedelics
the role of spirituality, love, and trust in psychedelic and somatic frameworks

You can learn more about Otto and his work here: https://www.soulpsyche.org/
You can find the Tandava Retreats website here: https://www.tandavaretreats.com/
You can learn about the education platform here: https://five-meo.education/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 207] The Connection Between Blood Sugar & Addiction Recovery

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a recorded portion of the most recent Addiction Circle.

Luis discusses the relationship between blood sugar balance, and addiction recovery and capacity for stress. He shares his perspective on addiction, and explains how nutrition can support your nervous system and adrenals.

You can view the list of upcoming free Addiction Circles here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 206] The Israel-Palestine Conflict: Why We're Not Taking Sides

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a HLN team episode (minus Marika, because she was sick).

Luis, Camille, and Evan discuss their reflections on the conflict, grounded in the somatic experience of what it brings up in us, rather than having a debate.

The HLN team explores:

The urgency of needing to know "what side" someone is on
The ways social media plays a role in spreading dysregulation
Space, container, and capacity
The importance of the practice of pendulation while discussing big topics

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 205] Death, Drug Abuse, & The Divine w/ Jaguar Mary X

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a replay of a radio interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

They had Luis on their program, Midday Medicine Journey. It's a live, public radio out of Kingston, NY. You can find the entire episode here.

For more information about Jaguar Mary X, visit:
https://www.kaliartproject.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 204] I'm Consenting To Non-Consent

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's podcast episode, Luis discusses consent, his relationship with it, and how his relationship with nature informs his experience.

He explores disconnecting from a viewpoint of human-supremacy to honor an ecocentric, nature-based perspective, as well as honoring the balance between our own personal agency and helplessness.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 203] Community Somatics Replay June 2024

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Today’s episode is a replay of the most recent Community Somatics. Luis takes us through a variety of topics and practices, as well as a demo, as he invites us to drop in, play with the philosophy and techniques of somatic work, and see what we learn.

Community Somatics are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 202] Flowers For Fentanyl Addicts: How My Migraine Turned Into A Masterclass

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a unique and generous invitation into Luis's innermost thoughts, body, and spirit.

Luis shares with us the experiences and learnings that came to him on a recent trip for professional development.

He learned a lot...just not in the places he assumed he would.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 201] Oppressor Empathy: "I'm Just So Bored Of Hate" w/ the HLN Team

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a HLN team episode -- minus Marika, because it is her birthday!

Luis, Camille, and Evan discuss what it means to have curiosity about oppressors.

The HLN team explores:

How it feels in the body to be judgmental vs. having curiosity for oppressors
Why having curiosity for oppressors is very triggering to people
The difference between having curiosity and condoning
Their experiences with radicalization
Why when we are dehumanized, we can reflexively dehumanize another

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 200] American Gladiator Teaches Me About Becoming Vulnerable w/ Dan Clark

Sun, 26 May 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Dan Clark, a former professional athlete, television personality, author, actor, and producer. Dan is well known for his role as gladiator Nitro on the TV show American Gladiators.

Luis and Dan have a beautiful conversation about the tension between masculinity and vulnerability.

Luis and Dan discuss:

His time on American Gladiators
Why Dan was in so much pain during the height of his fame
How the advice "big boys don't cry" impacted his life and how he grieved his brother's death
What it is to be non-sexually intimate with another man
Dan's journey to authenticity and integrity

You can learn about Dan and his work at: https://www.dannitroclark.net/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 199] How A Black Man Humanized KKK Leaders & Changed Their Minds w/ Daryl Davis

Sun, 19 May 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Daryl Davis whose efforts to fight racism by engaging members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) resulted in over 200 klansmen leaving and denouncing the KKK.

Luis and Daryl have an intriguing discussion about his experience with, and curiosity about, racism.

Luis and Daryl discuss:

Daryl's first direct encounter with racism and the question that experience spurred in him
Why Daryl takes racism seriously, but not personally
His first encounter with a KKK member
Why he isn't triggered by racist slurs and stereotypes
Why his intent is never to convince or convert a klansmen

You can learn about Daryl's work at: https://www.daryldavis.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 198] I'm Off Instagram & I'm LOVING It w/ Luis Mojica

Sun, 12 May 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis shares with us his Instagram journey, and why he has now chosen to step away from it.

Luis explores:

What first motivated him to go on IG
What IG was able to provide him and others
Why IG is not his job
The uncoupling work around being seen he was able to do during his time on IG
After receiving that medicine, why mystery, the obscure, and going deep is now calling him

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 197] My Sister's Death Helped Me Come Alive w/ Stefanie Joseph

Sun, 05 May 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Stefanie Joseph, a soma intuitive coach deeply committed to empowering individuals on their path of self-discovery and healing.

Luis and Stefanie honestly and tenderly explore the nuances of life and death.

Luis and Stefanie discuss:

Her losing her job while taking the HLN Course
Her sister's sudden illness and subsequent death
Being with a body as consciousness comes-and-goes
Why death is not the end
How the experience with her sister evolved her professional practice
What "moving grief" means

You can learn about Stefanie's work at: https://stefaniejoseph.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 196] Why I'm No Longer Vegan w/ Luis Mojica & the HLN Team

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, the HLN Team talks about veganism. Luis recently shifted away from a purely vegan diet, and the HLN Team discusses their own personal experiences with diet, as well as with the associated identity that can come from dietary choices.

They discuss:

why Luis is no longer vegan
centering what works for the animal body
how veganism can be both a diet, as well as an identity and a political perspective
having flexibility to change, and to be honest, in group social situations
navigating identity and expectations

You can listen to the podcast episode Luis references here:
[Ep. 155] When Identity Starts To Constrict You w/ Anne Connor

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation's offerings, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 195] Trauma, Mysticism, & The Birth Of Somatic Experiencing w/ Dr. Peter Levine

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis is joined by Peter A. Levine, PhD: psychotherapist, author, and creator of Somatic Experiencing.

They discuss:

How their personal histories have shaped their lives and work
The importance of titration
The mystical and shamanic aspects of SE
The deep mystery inherent in trauma healing work
The teachers and moments that combined and synthesized to inform Peter's teachings

You can read more about Peter, and purchase his books, and explore programs here: https://www.somaticexperiencing.com/

You can visit Somatic Experiencing International's website here: https://traumahealing.org/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 194] "Navigating Big Sensations, Expansion, & Shame" | Community Somatics Replay April 2024

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Community Somatics are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 193] The Third Perspective: Self-Censoring, Addiction, and Freedom with Africa Brooke

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Africa Brooke, a developmental coach who works with hyper-visible people and author of The Third Perspective: Brave Expression in the Age of Intolerance.

Luis and Africa have a riveting exchange where they share their experiences with the biology of belonging, the high of shaming or humiliating, and fawning.

Luis and Africa discuss:

Identity of oppression
Repression of our power, expression, and curiosity due to fear
Holding multiple truths simultaneously
Call-Out & Cancel Culture
Humanizing our "opponents"

You can learn more about Africa's work at: https://africabrooke.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 192] Understanding Attachment Styles Through The Somatic Lens w/ the HLN Team

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, the HLN Team talks attachment styles, taking a perspective based in somatics rather than one of pathology.

They discuss:

how attachment style isn't fixed, but is relational and environmental
how identifying our styles can be helpful for pattern recognition, but can be difficult if they become identity
how to relate to attachment styles and habits
what secure attachment means
agency vs. urgency

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 191] How to BE The Love You Seek: Ownership, Love, & Security w/ Dr. Nicole LePera (The Holistic Psychologist)

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Dr. Nicole LePera, better known as @The.Holistic.Psychologist. Dr. Nicole is a therapist who created the SelfHealers Circle to allow people to go on their own journey and create who they want to become.

Dr. Nicole shares with us her new book, How to be the Love You Seek, as well how her approach to relationships has evolved over time.

Luis and Nicole discuss:

How to interrupt reflexive patterns
Distinguishing between "This relationship is not for me" vs "I don't have the capacity for this relationship [right now]."
Why trauma doesn't like unpredictability and how we can mistake familiarity for comfort or safety
Why "true love" isn't undying loyalty; we can accept people exactly as they are AND maintain boundaries
Coming to distinguish the difference between peace and contentment vs being tired or bored in the body
How "immaturity" is an entitlement of regulation from our partner which is carried over from childhood when attachment and co-regulation needs were unmet
Nontraditional relationships, expanded relationship & throuples
Her personal evolution of her relationship with herself and her partners

You can learn more about Nicoles's work at: https://theholisticpsychologist.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 190] Greed, And How We All Have The Potential For It w/ Jaguar Mary X

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a replay of a radio interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 189] The Sugar & Trauma Healing Connection w/ Florence Christophers

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a replay from the Kick Sugar Summit, where Luis discusses his personal history with binge eating and sugar over-consumption, the effect sugar has on the body and nervous system, and the transformational medicine of somatics and self-relating.

You can learn more about the Kick Sugar Summit here: https://www.kicksugarsummit.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 188] Feeling Low? Get Lower - Navigating Chronic Pain, Illness, & Generational Trauma w/ Asha Frost

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, we are visited by friend of the show, Asha Frost. Asha is an energy healer, visionary, spiritual teacher, and mentor.

Asha shares how her practice of "going lower" has supported her in navigating chronic pain, illness, and generational trauma.

Luis and Asha discuss:

how pain and illness are the medicine
bypassing vs. relating to the state
how illness and pain can be expressions of internalized and suppressed trauma
carrying & releasing generational trauma
experiencing freedom in pain

You can learn more about Asha's work at: https://ashafrost.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 187] "How To Be With Big Sensations" | Community Somatics Replay Jan 2024

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Community Somatics are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here:

https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 186] A Braver Way Podcast Replay: "How Do You Handle Being Politically Triggered?"

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Today's episode is a replay of A Braver Way podcast recording, where Luis joined Mónica Guzmán to discuss the relationship between political disagreement and trauma response.

Mónica talks to Luis about what he's learned from his clients about how we physically react to intense political disagreement… and what we can do about it. Luis sheds light on what happens to us when we feel “triggered” by something someone says, and the two share tips and bold ideas on everything from how you can feel more secure in tough conversations to where that all-important line might be between what’s painful and what’s harmful.

You can listen to other episodes of A Braver Way podcast here: https://braverangels.org/abraverway/

You can learn more about Braver Angels and their mission here: https://braverangels.org/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Mid-Day Medicine Journey Series: Integrating Our Parts w/ Jaguar Mary X

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0500

This is a bonus episode which features an interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

They had Luis on their program called Midday Medicine Journey. It's a live, public radio out of Kingston, NY. You can find the entire episode here.

For more information about Jaguar Mary X, visit:
https://www.kaliartproject.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 185] REPOST Fawning Made Me Sick w/ Martha Beck

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0500

It's almost exactly the one year anniversary since we released this episode! Martha's interview with Luis is one of our most listened to podcast episodes, so we decided to re-share it in case you haven't heard it, or if you wanted to revisit the wisdom within it.

---

In this episode, Luis is joined by Martha Beck, a Harvard-trained sociologist, world-renowned coach and New York Times bestselling author. Martha wrote The Way of Integrity which Luis lovingly refers to as "The Guide on How to Stop Fawning."

Martha and Luis engage in a dynamic conversation about trauma response of fawning, how fawning impacted their lives, and how it felt to release that trauma response. They explore why the body hates to lie, i.e. the physical manifestations that occur in our bodies when we suppress our truths and desires as well as why we often times lose our integrity not because we are bad but because we are trying so hard to be good.

Martha also shares with us what she learns from her integrity cleanses, i.e. abstaining from lying for a year, and what it was like to coach Oprah through a somatic practice of understanding a fawn response.

For more information on Martha's work, visit: https://marthabeck.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 184] Why We Like Getting Sick w/ The HLN Team

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, the HLN Team talks about getting sick, and how embodiment can change the way we experience being sick.

They discuss:

prioritizing the body through rest
how sickness increases our sensitivity to our own capacity
sickness and the inability to bypass
how symptoms are the way the body communicates
the wisdom of slowing down
tending to capacity with rest

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation's offerings, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 183] Marketing Is Just About Connection w/ Natalie Ross

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Natalie Ross, a marketing coach and self-described "witchy weirdo who loves helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs put themselves out there with confidence." Natalie shares how somatic experiencing changed her life, how she learned to market within a somatic framework, and how she helps clients learn to do the same.

They discuss:

trauma as initiation, and the reclaiming of ourselves
how the practice of somatic experiencing is endless and lifelong
reimagining marketing through the lens of somatics: not a tactic or a strategy
how marketing is something we all already always do
transactional vs. relational marketing
how relational trauma affects marketing, both the creating and receiving

You can learn more about Natalie's work at: natalie.net

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Community Somatics | Dec 5 2023

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Today’s bonus episode is a replay of the most recent Community Somatics. Luis takes us through a variety of topics and practices, as well as a demo, as he invites us to drop in, play with the philosophy and techniques of somatic work, and see what we learn.

Community Somatics are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here:

https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

For more information on Karen Hurd's work, visit: http://www.karenhurd.com/

Check out some of our previous episodes with Karen:

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 182] Pop Words That Trigger w/ The HLN Team & Thayer Case

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, the HLN Team is joined by Thayer Case, and they highlight, with a little humor, some psychology terms that have entered into the world of pop culture and been misunderstood. They discuss "triggered," "safety," "gaslighting," and "narcissism." They also discuss fragility and preciousness, the binary nature of language, and the value of specificity.

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation's offerings, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read about Thayer, and Maverick Psychotherapy Group, here: https://maverickpsychotherapygroup.com/thayer-case

You can find Thayer on IG: @thayer_kyusan_case & @traumanerds

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 181] The Retreat Experience

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis is joined by the HLN team (Camille Leak, Marika Malaea, and Evan Adams), retreat co-facilitators Zach Kalatsky and Holly Kiefer, and retreat participants Ansley, Shana, and David, to share their experiences at HLN retreats.

They discuss what to expect at HLN retreats, ranging from itinerary to inner experience. These retreats are a great way to practice somatics in-person and in community space, which can facilitate deep and transformational healing.

Sign up for the newsletter for emails about early bird pricing for the next retreat at Menla in upstate NY from June 12th-16th 2024: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

If you'd like to learn more about Zach's work, click here: https://www.theforesthaven.com/

If you'd like to learn more about Holly's work, you can follow her on Instagram: @holly_ag_

If you'd like to learn more about Camille's work, click here: https://www.realtalkbravespaces.com/

If you'd like to learn more about Evan's work, click here: https://www.emeraldlightsoundhealing.com

You can also find Ansley (@ansleydalbo), Shana (@consciousnectar) and David (healing_the_dgrosh) on Instagram.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 180] Medical Trauma, Boundaries, & Agency w/ The HLN Team

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, the HLN Team talks about medical trauma, including their personal experiences, and how prevalent it is.

They discuss:

the necessity of boundary breaks during medical procedures
how embodiment practices can in preparing
transactional vs. relational medical experiences
how clients and medical practitioners can be supported by diet
how overcouplings can be triggered in exams and procedures
how shame can be present in and after exams

You can find the webinar on medical trauma here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/store/p/healing-medical-trauma-what-to-do-before-after-webinar

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation's offerings, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 179] Relating To Grief Through Myths w/ Lindsay Christinee

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500

On today's podcast, Luis welcomes his friend Lindsay Christinee: environmental activist, entrepreneur, and author. After her father's passing, Lindsay began to deeply realize that, in western society, we aren't taught how to grieve. Lindsay shares about her cathartic experience of reading and writing about death and grieving.

They discuss:

how her passion - writing - helped her transmute grief
how different cultures and religions relate to death and grieving
how unaddressed grief can show up in different ways
learning to slow down
how myth can aid in self-relating
the medicine of transmutation and shape shifting

You can purchase Lindsay's book, "Myths of the Underworld," here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Myths-of-the-Underworld/Lindsay-Christinee/9781646045549

You can also register for the in-person event:

Maha Rose in Brooklyn, NY: https://www.maharose.com/relating-to-grief

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 178] Finding Safety Inside Prison w/ Eldra Jackson III

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode Luis is joined by writer and speaker Eldra Jackson III. Luis had seen Eldra in The Work, and was deeply moved by the documentary. At the time of filming, Eldra was serving a life-sentence in prison; he is now the co-executive director of Inside Circle, the non-profit who hosts the men's groups shown in the documentary.

As a survivor of childhood trauma, Eldra had developed an internalized story that said that to thrive you must become a predator, in order to not become a victim again. This led to decisions and a lifestyle that ended in a conviction for illegal activities. Forced to continue bypassing his emotions, he went from from hiding fear, sadness, and grief, and moved directly into a survival response for a life in prison.

During this time he was invited to join the men's group, where he began developing a different relationship with pain, so that he could grow, and show up for other people.

Luis and Eldra discuss self-relating and self-parenting, transmuting trauma, and the medicine that lives right besides pain.

You can learn more about Inside Circle here: https://insidecircle.org/

You can watch The Work here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B077GGWH8P/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 177] How To Live WITH Trauma w/ Britt Piper

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode Luis speaks with Britt Piper, sexual violence survivor and educator.

Britt shares about how she was sexually assaulted in college by a “good samaritan” who offered to help her with a flat tire. The event left her traumatized, and the emotional exhaustion of the trial, and repetitively rescheduled hearings, were re-traumatizing. She had expected to feel better after he was jailed, but nothing was “healed” or “went back to normal” afterwards.

Her own coping mechanisms and emotional dysregulation landed her in a jail cell six months later. When she went before the judge, she was imparted wisdom that triggered a moment of clarity: "you need to learn to live *with* your trauma." Rather than something to "get over" or avoid, her emotions, and the experience, became something for her to learn to relate with.

Over time, she has continued to grow her capacity, both for her emotions and her work. She has continued to speak publicly, and has also become a trauma-informed coach and practitioner.

For more information about Brittany and her work, visit: http://brittanypiper.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 176] How Respecting Artificial Intelligence Benefits Us w/ Blake Lemoine

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500

On today’s episode, Luis is joined by Blake Lemoine, software engineer and AI researcher, to discuss artificial intelligence and our relationship with it.

Topics of their conversation include:

· defining AI, and how the definition changes based on perspective
· what "intelligence" is, and the meaning and history of the word
· reasoning, kinds of intelligence, sentience, and animism
· ethics, biases, and AI

Blake highlights how showing care and respect to AI is important because it is a relationship and habitual, and conversely how approaching AI from a dominating perspective can be harmful to us as people and as a society.

You can follow Blake Lemoine on X: @cajundiscordian

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Somatic Drop-In Replay | Oct 3 2023

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 175] Epigenentics: Inherited Fate or Unconscious Habits? w/ Karen Hurd

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Karen Hurd joins Luis to discuss epigenetics: the study of how our behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way our genes work.

They parse apart the difference between DNA and genetic makeup, and the way the DNA translates, due to the foods we eat and the habits we practice. Karen highlights how sugar, caffeine, and perfumes and fragrances are so ubiquitous, and have the biggest impacts.

For more information on Karen's work, visit: http://www.karenhurd.com/

Check out some of our previous episodes with Karen:

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] The Top 3 Reasons We Get Depressed During The Holidays w/ Karen Hurd

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Karen Hurd joins Luis to discuss the top three reasons (from a biochemistry perspective), why we get depressed, activated, and dysregulated during the holiday season.

They are:
1) chemical & natural fragrances
2) refined carbohydrates
3) sugars

They parse each apart, and dive deeply into the way that the body responds to these highly concentrated substances. Karen even shares her recipe for potato-less mashed potatoes and gluten-free no-sugar pumpkin-less pumpkin pie!

For more information on Karen's work, visit: http://www.karenhurd.com/

Check out some of our previous episodes with Karen:

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 174] Navigating Victim Identity w/ the HLN Team

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, the HLN Team discusses victim identity through the lens of somatics, and riff off an Instagram post Luis posted earlier in the year on the topic.

They discuss:

· living from the expectation of threat
· the internal biology of oppression
· the constriction that can come from over-identifying
· overcouplings and how we carry the stories in our bodies
· parts work, and how it applies to identity
· how capacity relates to self-identity
· co-regulation and co-dysregulation

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation's offerings, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Exploring Rest, Capacity, & Bypassing w/ Jaguar Mary X

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 08:00:00 -0500

This is a bonus episode which features an interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] What Is Manifesting? w/ Nisha Mody & James-Olivia

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:00:00 -0500

(Today's episode is a replay of a previously released episode.)

We welcome back friends of HLN, James-Olivia and Nisha Mody!

Nisha, James-Olivia, and Luis have a beautiful, existential conversation about a word that is all too easily thrown around -- manifesting.

They first explore what it means to decolonize manifestation, i.e. to go from being in domination of to relationship with, and then explore a myriad of topics including:

the literal definition of manifesting: to make apparent
spiritual bypassing
earning vs. manifesting
making apparent what is already present vs. seeking external validation or sources of safety
why we may not want to manifest certain things about ourselves

For more information on Nisha's work, visit: https://www.nishaland.com/

For more information on James-Olivia's work, visit: https://inquisitivehuman.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 173] Finding Safety In The Songs Of Tori Amos

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Inspired by his lost love of online message boards, Luis put out a call for Tori Amos fans to come together and discuss how her music has impacted their lives.

They agree that the magic of Tori comes from both her as a person and her music:

· the music that navigates both ends of the spectrum, from anger and angst to beauty and dreamlike reverie, all within one song

· the lyrics that are both emotional and rebellious , often combining the sacred and profane in one line

· the way she brings rawness, authenticity, and the body to the piano
· the holistic expression of her self that she brings to the music

You can watch the to piano shopping interview Luis' mentions here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTvyXMhoDuw

You can find Amiss Tori on social media: @amiss_tori

You can connect with Tori Amos' work on her website: https://toriamos.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Staying Embodied Through Global Crisis w/ Luis Mojica, Daniel Maté, & Camille Leak

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:00:00 -0500

Today's episode is a replay of the "Staying Embodied Through Global Crisis" event that Luis co-hosted with Camille Leak and Daniel Maté.

They discuss:

hows somatic practices can help us navigate unpleasant and activating sensations that arise during global crisis
the difference between offering support, and the ability to control a situation
attuning to the present
the impacts of social media & technology on our bodies

You can learn more about Daniel's work here: https://www.walkwithdaniel.com/

You can learn more about Camille's work here: https://www.realtalkbravespaces.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 171] Embodied Entrepreneur: How To Not Burn Out

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 07:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, Luis is joined by HLN co-teacher Camille Leak, and Rebecca Dollard and Janell Flores Bolte, graduates of the most recent Embodied Practitioner slow groups, to share their experiences in the container.

They discuss:

what's been internalized by the idea of the "right" way to run a business
working with capacity vs. desire within a business
the wisdom of slowness
being held as a practitioner who holds space for others
charging the rate you need to support your practice and capacity

You can find the podcast episode Luis referenced here: [Ep. 76] Navigating Capacity & Desire: How To "Stop Self-Sabotaging" w/ Luis Mojica

The next Embodied Practitioner slow group starts in January 2024, and is a 6 month container to dive deeply into the nuance of the topics explored in this episode. To learn more, join the waitlist, and apply, click here.

You can learn more about Camille's work here: https://www.realtalkbravespaces.com/

You can learn more about Rebecca's work here: https://www.the-motherhood-mentor.com/

You can learn more about Janell's work here: https://www.janellfloresbolte.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep 170] Embodying Masculinity: How To Relate So We Don't Dominate

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Zach and Steven, his co-facilitators, and graduates of the most recent Embodied Masculinity slow group, to share about their experiences around masculinity, sexuality, emotions, social conditioning and more.

They discuss:

talking about puberty with other men, through a somatic lens
the loneliness of puberty
regaining the ability to be with other men in an emotional way
unshaming, and moving through stuck places with mentorship, respect, and understanding
uncoupling masculine nature from self-hatred
overcouplings with power and domination
nourishing the feminine and masculine energies together
uncoupling masculine from man and feminine from woman

The next Embodied Masculinity slow group starts in January 2024, and is a 6 month container to dive deeply into the nuance of the topics explored in this episode, in a group men's space. To learn more, join the waitlist, and apply, click here.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Navigating Dysphoria

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode Luis talks about navigating gender dysphoria without an urgency model. He speaks directly from his experience of gender dysphoria as an intersex person.

Some of the topics he discusses are:

how gender dysphoria doesn’t always go away, but we can change our relationship with it
how gender dysphoria is a spiritual experience
tending to the rupture of how the mind sees and treats the body
some of the additional roots of gender dysphoria: cancer, medical treatment for certain illness, puberty, and aging
social constructs and gender roles

Luis brings his usual curiosity and nuance to the way we experience our bodies, from an animistic and somatic perspective.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 169] Dysphoria Doesn’t Always Mean You’re Trans w/ Buck Angel

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis speaks with Buck Angel: human rights activist, speaker, and innovator.

Buck shares his story of growing up biologically female, the ensuing internalized body dysmorphia, and the external transphobia and homophobia. He talks about the wisdom of suffering, and how he was able to use pleasure as a doorway to healing.

Buck's unique life experience taught him how to build capacity to love the body you have, even when it's one you dislike. He shares his story so it can be a resource for people who are trans, people who work with trans youth, or any person who experiences body dysmorphia.

For more information about Buck, visit: https://buckangel.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 168] Navigating Body Shame

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis discusses the many forms body shame can take, and how prevalent it is. Luis shares about his own experience, as well as highlighting recurring themes of body shame that he witnessed while working in private practice.

Some of the topics include:

the noticing of differences between bodies vs judgement
the relationship between your conscious mind and your spirit
how we internalize others judgements
that our bodies are not fixed states

The episode concludes with a somatic practice.

You can register for the upcoming six week course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course-sign-up

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 167] Embodied Thinking: Feeling How Thoughts Unfurl From The Body w/ Kat Kruse

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis is joined by Kat Kruse, a somatic coach, writer, and practicer of Embodied Thinking.

Their conversation began when Luis had said that “our thoughts [are] the most impersonal and unoriginal things,” during a Holistic Life Navigation meeting, and Kat immediately disagreed.

Kat shares how conceptualizing the mind as an alienating, mean thinking machine is part of the problem, and what reinforces the negative concept of the mind.

They discuss:

inherited thoughts vs. the personal intimate experience of thought
the process of embodying thoughts
how concepts have somatic consequences
the role of the mind in the creative process

For more information on Kat's work, visit: https://www.katrinkruse.com/en/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Trauma Rewired Podcast Replay: Fawning & Sexual Fawning

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Today's podcast episode is a replay from the “Trauma Rewired” podcast. Hosts Jennifer and Elisabeth discuss the following topics with Luis:

Fawn response from a neurosomatic perspective
Shame as a protective mechanism and how to reframe it
How to become self-aware of your fawning
Differentiating between sexual fawning and arousal
Finding compassion during healing

You can listen to more episodes of the Trauma Rewired podcast here:
https://illuminatedwithjennifer.libsyn.com/

You can register for The Somatic Experience here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-somatic-experience

You can join the waitlist for the upcoming six-week course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 166] Navigating The Stereotypes Of Privilege

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today’s episode, the HLN team talks privilege, and brings nuance to the complex topic.

The discuss:

privilege vs. privileges
the assumptions behind privilege and marginalization
bringing curiosity to the experience
orienting to ourselves first
how context impacts marginalization, and how it can be fluid
how shame and guilt are unhelpful to everyone
how performative allyship is a form of fawning

The process of making the unconscious conscious, as with all somatic practices, applies to noticing our privileges and marginalizations as well.

You can register for The Somatic Experience here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-somatic-experience

You can join the waitlist for the upcoming six-week course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Songwriting & Transmuting Trauma w/ Heavybird (Evan Glenn Adams)

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis is joined by musician, producer, and sound healing practitioner Evan Glenn Adams. They discuss Evan's solo music project Heavybird (@heavybirdmusic), and his newest album, "a lit candle in an empty room." The album was written during the pandemic as a way to understand and process his personal experience, with the hope of it connecting with other's experiences as well.

They discuss:

using songwriting as a way to navigate and process trauma
the ways music has affected their lives
music as a communal experience
the differences between performing shows and offering sound healings

You can find Heavybird's music here: https://heavybird.bandcamp.com/

You can register for The Somatic Experience here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-somatic-experience

You can join the waitlist for the upcoming six-week course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 165] How Chemical Fragrances Are Causing Your Anxiety (& Other Hormonal Issues) w/ Karen Hurd

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis and Karen discuss how perfume and other chemical fragrances effect our bodies. Since they can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, many of us are constantly bathed in them: either in our home, our workplace, or out in the world.

In this episode, we cover the ways that the body reacts. Perfumes and other synthetic fragrances:

Stimulate a physiological hormonal response
Can change the expression of DNA, and turn on and off genes
Are more damaging and pervasive to the human body than microplastics (which often get more attention)
Can worsen symptoms of illnesses caused by high estrogen levels

Luis and Karen also review some simple-to-implement suggestions on how to get started on the journey of detoxifying your body and home.

For more information on Karen's work, visit: http://www.karenhurd.com/

Check out some of our previous episodes with Karen:

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] She Watched Her Daughter Nearly Die & Didn't Get Traumatized w/ Camille Leak

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis follows up with Camille about her experience with Khadija in the NICU and how her body was, and is, responding. Camille shows us firsthand what it looks like to use somatic embodiment practices to prevent serious overwhelm and potential traumatization.

They discuss the following practices and topics:

· choosing what to attune to vs. bypassing and toxic positivity

· orienting to the present, and using the present as a resource

· pendulating during intense experiences

· how sitting with sensation and tracking the charge can uncover story

· tending to sensation after the moment of rupture

Camille talks about the difference between being calm, and being present and embodied, and how they’re not always the same thing. She also highlights how nutrition can be supportive to the nervous system during emotionally intense times, specifically by avoiding sugar and caffeine.

You can learn more about Camille's work here: https://www.realtalkbravespaces.com/

You can register for The Somatic Experience here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-somatic-experience

You can join the waitlist for the upcoming six-week course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 164] Navigating Panic Attacks

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today’s episode, Luis discusses an often-requested topic: navigating panic attacks.

Luis shares his personal experience with panic attacks, starting at the age of sixteen, that lead to multiple hospitalizations, and tests that yielded no clear results. By learning a somatic approach, Luis has been able to prevent them before they happen, through understanding that panic attacks are an electrical charge that overtakes the body's systems.

Luis discusses how daily embodied practices can help prevent or alleviate panic attacks, as we learn to notice our own body's signs of a fear response .

The episode concludes with Luis guiding us through a somatic practice.

You can register for "The Somatic Experience" here:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-somatic-experience

You can learn more about the six week course, and sign up for the waitlist, here:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Mid-Day Medicine Series: Parenting, Family, & Somatics w/ Jaguar Mary X

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

This is a bonus episode which features an interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 163] Identity Is Such A Drag: Letting Ourselves Compost w/ Sophie Strand

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis speaks with Sophie Strand, self-described writer, compost heap, and neo-troubadour animist.

Together they explore identity as a strategy: sometimes useful, sometimes not, but never the truth. Often when there is low capacity for ambiguity, the identity is the strategy born from that, fueled by desire for stability.

Luis and Sophie discuss:

· not getting trapped in the idea of self, and leaving openness for fluidity and change

· the mythical and animistic experience of nature and trauma

· the restricting idea of “normativity”

· the atomized self vs the communal experience of life

· shifting focus from destructive to constructive behaviors, from isolation to relation

You can learn more about Sophie's work here:
https://sophiestrand.com/

You can learn more about the six week course, and sign up for the waitlist, here:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Tori Amos, Musical Shamanism, & Conscious Self-Destruction w/ Noah Michelson

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis has a conversation with Noah Michelson, editor at HuffPost Personal, over their shared love of Tori Amos, and the way her music has helped them explore their own traumas.

Tori Amos shares so honestly (both through her music and her personality), and they discuss how it has a way of making others feel seen, and how it can be life saving to experience.

The also explore topics including:

art and transmutation of painful experiences
how musicians can awaken partswork intuitively
the animism and manifestation of art
the ability to hold multiple meanings at the same time
how you can titrate your own experience with music and art
the wisdom and gift of trial-by-fire, and living in gratitude

You can read Noah's article about Tori Amos here:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tori-amos-fans-tour_n_6466702de4b06749be12705e

You can register for the waitlist for Luis' next six week course here:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 162] Navigating Anger & Rage

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis explores how we often overcouple anger with rage, violence, oppression, and harm, and how it doesn’t always have to equate.

He discusses:

the relationship between boundaries, anger, and rage
the difference between stress and trauma
how rage is a thwarted fight response, repressed by a freeze or fawn response
the relation between anger and fight response
how rage is often released during incongruent events

The episode ends with a somatic exercise on how to release anger, and how to feel anger without identifying with it.

You can learn more about the six week course, and sign up for the waitlist, here:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can join the next Addiction Circle here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/samadhi-addiction-circle

For more information about HLN's offerings, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Somatic Drop-In Replay | Aug 15 2023

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Today’s bonus episode is a recording of the most recent Somatic Drop-In. Luis takes us through a variety of topics and practices as he invites us to drop in, play with the philosophy and techniques of somatic work, and see what we learn.

This Somatic Drop-In focused on overwhelm, and the relationship between overwhelm, boundaries, and capacity. Luis invites participants to share, and together he and Camille riff on related topics, including the nuance of whether it's safe to express a boundary, or whether it’s safer to suppress a boundary and express it later. Luis also leads the group through an SE practice called the "walk up exercise."

You can also watch the replay on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/m7jm3CE7Jwo

These Somatic Drop-Ins are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can join the Library Membership here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/membership-library

You can join the waitlist for Luis' upcoming six week course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 161] Holding Grief with Gratitude w/ Carolyn Carter

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0400

We welcome back friend of the show, Carolyn Waiters Carter, a human development professional, poet, and somatic relational coach. Carolyn generously shares with us a story of grief, grace, grit and gratitude. She feels called to to share her grief journey after her beautiful beloved only daughter China transitioned in November 2021 from a long heroic journey with kidney disease, autoimmune disease, and a rare cancer at the age 41.

She shares the alchemic sacred wisdom and divine mercy that is held in darkness of grief and pain of suffering. She shares the dance of grief and gratitude, as a witness and companion with her daughter as she transitioned from this life to the next.

We first explore the terrain of relational reciprocity between cycles of life and death and the ways in which Carolyn and her daughter supported and held each other through their collective grief and shared victories.

She and Luis discuss the connection between love and grief, how she is in fact still in relationship with her daughter but in a different way, and the sense of deep gratitude and sacred privilege of being with, and holding her daughter China from her first and last breath in the body.

To learn more about Carolyn and her offerings, visit: https://human-element.net/about/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Mid-Day Medicine Series: Change & Acceptance w/ Jaguar Mary X

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0400

This is a bonus episode which features an interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 160] Navigating Sexual Turn On: Pleasure or Overwhelm?

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis explores the sensations and stories behind our kinks, sexual desires, and turn-ons.

Luis discusses the complicated relationship that can occur between overwhelm, fear, and turn-on. He invites us to explore the following question: "do I experience relief, openness, tenderness, and a deeper connection to myself and the other from sexual experiences, or does the thrill, the fear response, the stress and trauma response that these sexual fetishes and kinks bring up exhaust, disconnect, or shame me?"

This inquiry is followed by a demo with Carolyn Elliot, which is a replay from an impromptu session on an episode of Carolyn's podcast.

You can purchase Luis' recent webinar, "Sexual Fetish, Fawning, & Trauma" here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/store/p/sexual-fetish-fawning-trauma

You can listen to the full podcast episode with Luis and Carolyn Elliot here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/alchemicaljourney/episodes/Queer-Magickian-Jesus-with-Luis-Mojica-e25iv29/a-a9vvb75

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] "Soul & Psyche" Replay

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Today’s podcast episode is a repost from the “Soul & Psyche” podcast, where Luis and Otto Maier discuss topics that include art as therapy, the mystical experience, animism, and more. Otto is a trained and Certified Psychedelic Integration guide, Jungian Coach, Ceremony facilitator, Kambo practitioner, and Breathwork facilitator for retreat centers around the world.

You can listen to the “Soul & Psyche” podcast here.

You can learn more about Otto's work here: https://www.soulpsyche.org/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 159] The Body Prayer: Somatics & Christianity w/ Anita Grace Brown

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Anita Brown, a grooveologist, yoga teacher, and writer. Luis and Anita have a fascinating conversation about the sole of somatics within Christianity.

Both Luis and Anita were raised within the Catholic tradition and they discuss the impact of those experiences, the concept of embodied praying, and how religious pluralism shows up in their lives. Also, Anita shares with us how the integration of yoga as well as other Hindu and Buddhist teachings supported her exploration of Christianity.

For more information on Anita's work, visit: https://www.grooveology.org/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can register for the next Somatic Drop-In here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/somatic-drop-ins

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 158] Navigating The Somatics Of Lying (How To Build Capacity For Honesty)

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis discusses the somatics of lying. In his own words:“lying is what I do when I don’t have the capacity for how you may respond to my truth.”

Some of the topics he covers include:

lying as a strategy to give us space
understanding (thinking) vs. experience (somatic)
exploring what lying really is, how we experience it, and what are our stories around it
lying and fawning

The process of releasing lying is twofold: once we build capacity for our own truth, we then have to develop capacity for how someone responds, or could respond, to our truth.

Luis then takes us through a guided exercise around real and perceived threat.

For more information about HLN's offerings, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can register for the next Somatic Drop-In here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/somatic-drop-ins

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 157] Capacity Is What Creates Success w/ Simone Grace Seol

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Simone Grace Seol, a life coach and business mentor. Simone explains why business can and has to be relational in order for it to be sustainable.

Although it can be counterintuitive, Luis and Simone discuss why slowing down and building a relationship with the body and the nervous system actually provides people with the capacity to make money over the long term. They share how they've observed, both personally and professionally, how bypassing the needs and the capacity of the body initially ultimately leads to burnout which many people misinterpret as self-sabotage.

They also discuss the difference between capitalism and materialism as well as how capitalism can be a catalyst for change.

For more information on Simone's work, visit: https://www.simonegraceseol.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can register for the next Somatic Drop-In here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/somatic-drop-ins

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 156] The HLN Team Talks About Cancel Culture

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, the HLN Team discusses cancel culture.

From the perspective of the person or organization being "cancelled", cancelling can only exist if you aren’t in your integrity or authenticity. Cancelling is often rooted in the fawn response, especially from the corporate perspective. In order to be "on the right side of history", organizations will often flip their messaging to reflect whatever feels safest for them.

From the perspective of the group pushing for cancellation, mob mentality and the desire to be “correct” can be very prevalent. Personal narrative often gets the backseat to societal narrative, and the nuance involved in all subjects is lost.

The conversation then shifts into identity, fluidity, and why dropping the need to self-identify for other’s sake can be a healthy response.

For more information about HLN programming and services, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Navigating Self-Sabotage with IRF w/ Maureen Gallagher

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Today's podcast episode is a replay from the special session Maureen Gallagher offered during the Spring 2023 six week course. Maureen discusses her own personal experiences, how she uses IRF, and then takes us through a demo with Victoria.

You can learn more about Victoria Platt here: https://www.ielevateme.com/

You can learn more about Maureen Gallagher, and her available courses, here: https://embodyingpsychotherapy.com/

You can learn more about Luis' six week course, and sign up for the course waitlist, here:
https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 155] When Identity Starts To Constrict You w/ Anne Connor

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Anne Connor, a trauma-informed educator, energy healer and certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP).

However, being an SEP is not all that Anne and Luis have in common.

In this episode that both share how the identity constructs of "Wicca" and "Witch" once served them but then there came a time where they began to experience incongruence and constriction surrounding those identities and terms.

They discuss why identity constructs can be both helpful and unhelpful, what it means to let an identity dissipate vs reject it, and how you can begin to notice when an identity construct no longer serves you.

For more information on Anne's work, visit: https://taprootaccesscoaching.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can register for the upcoming webinar, "Sexual Fetish, Fawning, and Trauma," here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/healing-from-sexual-trauma

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Somatic Drop-In Replay | June 06 2023

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

These Somatic Drop-Ins are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 154] Pleasure Eating: The Somatics Of Binging & Recovery w/ Lacou Flipse

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Lacou Flipse, a binge eating recovery coach and creator of the Pleasure Eating Process. Luis and Lacou discuss their shared history of binge eating, and how somatic awareness builds our capacity to bring attention to the feelings that are underneath the urge to binge.

Lacou shares how much confusion and shame she once experienced around binge eating recovery, and how hard it was to talk about her story. However, through the practice of becoming embodied, she explains how we can feel how binge eating is no longer pleasurable, and instead turn eating into a prideful and honoring ritual. By working with our emotions and learning to feel satiated before we get to a meal, or “coming to food fed”, we can bring the feeling of regulation, so we can truly experience the pleasure of a meal.

Luis then leads Lacou through a somatic inquiry demo about the regulation of doing the work you love, and the dysregulation that can occur around marketing it.

Both agree that the journey of recovery can be really pleasurable, and how releasing the idea of what recovery is “supposed to” look like is incredibly freeing.

For more information on Lacou's work, visit: https://www.enlightenedmunch.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Mid-Day Medicine Series: The Sweetness Of Death w/ Jaguar Mary X

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

This is a bonus episode which features an interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

They had Luis on their program called Midday Medicine Journey. It's a live, public radio out of Kingston, NY. You can find the entire episode, and others, by visiting them here.

For more information about Jaguar Mary X, visit:
https://www.kaliartproject.com/

You can register for the upcoming webinar, "Sexual Fetish, Fawning, and Trauma," here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/healing-from-sexual-trauma

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 153] The Medicine Of Becoming Stoppable w/ Paul Simard (Sacred Sons)

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Paul Simard, Executive Coordinator at
Sacred Sons. Drawing upon ancient wisdom and modern technologies of human development, Sacred Sons utilizes the power of ceremony, ritual, and intentional spaces to deepen into authentic brotherhood and catalyze growth in men in order to teach healthy masculinity.

Paul shares with us his own life events that lead him to begin questioning what it means to be a man, eventually guiding him into men's healing work.

Paul and Luis also discuss self-help vs. self-reflection, vulnerability vs. openness, and why being unstoppable -- i.e. never making time to pause and bypassing one's capacity -- has been extremely detrimental for men.

For more information on Sacred Sons, visit: https://www.sacredsons.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can register for the upcoming webinar, "Sexual Fetish, Fawning, and Trauma," here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/healing-from-sexual-trauma

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Healing Sexual Trauma (A Free Email Series)

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In today's episode, Luis introduces some of the topics he's planning to cover during the free, three week email series he's offering, titled "Healing From Sexual Trauma."

You can sign up here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/healing-from-sexual-trauma

Sexual trauma can be caused by an array of experiences: if an event or events cause an overwhelm related to the charge of sexuality, it could potentially be a traumatizing experience.

Luis discusses:

the potential origins of sexual trauma
how sexual fawning can be traumatizing, even with a "safe" partner
how pleasure can become overcoupled with shame, embarrassment, disgust, fear, or panic
the origins of our kinks and fetishes

The beauty of somatics is that we don’t need to know cognitively what is happening, or what happened, to heal from a traumatizing experience.

If you missed the email series and live webinar, the replay will be posted for purchase here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/shop

For more information, please visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 152] Navigating Sickness As A Request Instead Of A Punishment

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Sickness isn’t a punishment being done to you, but a request coming from inside of you.

In this episode, Luis explores a reframing of sickness, and how symptoms are the way that the body speaks to us without words. Symptoms are the messenger, and not the problem. They are the body's way of expressing something that is in perfect accordance with what it’s connecting or in relationship with.

Luis then leads us through a guided exercise of noticing, feeling, and bringing curiosity and nonjudgmental awareness to a specific illness and syndrome, followed by a gentle inquiry into what it may bring up for us.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can sign up for the free, three week emails series, "Healing From Sexual Trauma," here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/healing-from-sexual-trauma

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] How To Liberate What Was Frozen In The Body w/ Jaguar Mary X (Midday Medicine Journey)

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

This is a bonus episode which features an interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

They had Luis on their program called Midday Medicine Journey. It's a live, public radio out of Kingston, NY. You can find the entire episode, and others, by visiting them here.

In this episode, Luis leads a somatic experiencing demo with Jaguar Mary X around a traumatizing event they experienced, and they discusses the way the trauma response works.

For more information about Jaguar Mary X, visit:
https://www.kaliartproject.com/

For more information about Emerald Light Sound Healing, visit:
https://www.emeraldlightsoundhealing.com/

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 151] Releasing Identity & Belonging Inside of Ourselves w/ Inge Sengelmann

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Inge Sengelmann, a somatic resilience educator and integrative mind-body healer. Luis and Inge have a interesting conversation about the role of identity and belonging.

They discuss how their experiences as White-passing, multi-cultural individuals has impacted them, as well as what it means to find a sense of belonging inside your body rather than in external groups, the difference between grasping at and exploring a sense of self, and why being present is critical to forming a healthy sense of self.

For more information on Inge's work, visit: https://embodyyourlife.org/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can sign up for the free, three week emails series, "Healing From Sexual Trauma," here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/healing-from-sexual-trauma

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Overcouplings & Prejudice: Accepting Your Bias Can Prevent Racism (The HLN Team w/ Special Guest Simone Grace Seol)

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, the HLN team is joined by Simone Grace Seol, and they discuss overcouplings as they relate to race and prejudice.

Simone had posted on Instagram about the phrase “I don’t see color", and Luis was curious to explore the statement through the lens of somatics.

They discuss:

the difference between your mind’s reactions and the body’s reactions
the difference between innocence vs hiding behind innocence, and using it as a blindspot
how somatics can destigmatize the work of uncoupling biases

The only way to feel and recognize someone else’s trauma (caused through systemic repression) is to build capacity for one’s own trauma. When you realize bias is something your body is doing, and not something you're intentionally doing it, it takes away the shame, so you can explore with curiosity.

To learn more about Simone's work, you can follow her on Instagram (@simone.grace.seol)

You can sign up for the free, three week emails series, "Healing From Sexual Trauma," here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/healing-from-sexual-trauma

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 150] A Somatic Approach To Money w/ HLN Team

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

We welcome back the HLN team for another raucous conversation! In this episode, the HLN team explores the constriction many entrepreneurs experience around setting and raising their rates.

They each share their own background and overcouplings with money and how it has impacted their ability to set their rates.

They also discuss how money helps feed capacity for their work, the difference between cost and value, why people aren't entitled to their time, and the role of agency on both setting their rates and shifting their lifestyles if/when necessary.

For more information about HLN programming and services, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can sign up for the free, three week emails series, "Healing From Sexual Trauma," here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/healing-from-sexual-trauma

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Navigating Liberating Sexual Trauma

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In today's episode, Luis discusses sexual fawning, fetishes, sexual trauma, and the notion of liberating them from our bodies so that we can experience vitality.

Inspired by the feedback from a recent Instagram post, Luis decided to record a podcast episode, and to create an email series and webinar.

You can sign up for the free, three week emails series, "Healing From Sexual Trauma," here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/healing-from-sexual-trauma. The first email goes out July 2nd, so be sure to sign up before then. If you're already on the mailing list, you'll automatically receive this email series.

To learn more, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 148] Navigating Why It's So Hard To Be Present

Sun, 28 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

It can seem like it is or should be so simple but it much more elusive than we think: being present.

In this episode, Luis explores why many of us avoid the highly sensational experience of being present -- low capacity. And while we often think having a low capacity for sensations means we avoid the "negative" sensations, it actually keeps us from experiencing the "positive" sensations as well.

Luis reviews a multitude of behaviors we all employ to help us bypass, distract us from, or manage sensations as well as guides us through two short but impactful practices: 1) a practice to help become aware of our current capacity for sensations and 2) a practice to support the body in expanding its capacity for sensation.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Somatic Drop-In Replay | April 25 2023

Wed, 24 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Noticing constriction and expansion within the body, and pendulating
Practicing developing "the witnesser"
Community intentions and shares, and a brief demo around numbness

These Somatic Drop-Ins are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 147] What Is Manifesting? w/ Nisha Mody & James-Olivia

Sun, 21 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

We welcome back friends of HLN, James-Olivia and Nisha Mody!

Nisha, James-Olivia, and Luis have a beautiful, existential conversation about a word that is all too easily thrown around -- manifesting.

They first explore what it means to decolonize manifestation, i.e. to go from being in domination of to relationship with, and then explore a myriad of topics including:

the literal definition of manifesting: to make apparent
spiritual bypassing
earning vs. manifesting
making apparent what is already present vs. seeking external validation or sources of safety
why we may not want to manifest certain things about ourselves

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 146] Navigating Whiteness: Honoring Indigenous Europe

Sun, 14 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Inspired by an article written by Lyla June, Reclaiming our Indigenous European Roots, Luis explores the dangers of denying and disowning our Whiteness.

He first discusses why an overcoupling of Whiteness with "bad" can actually lead to fawning or performative allyship, i.e. behaviors that in reality do not support those who may be experiencing racism.

But he further explores what many of us have not only gained but also lost in assimilating to the American White ideal and similarly, how only associating the parts of our lineage that may align with "Whiteness" with evil or destruction can eclipse a lineage that also may have aspects of beauty and connection.

Luis also reads for us Reclaiming our Indigenous European Rootsin its entirety.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Fawning Series Q&A Replay

Wed, 10 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a replay of the Q&A from the fawning email series that Luis sent out in March.

You can also listen to the podcast episode on fawning here, as well as purchase a webinar Luis did on fawning.

Luis is also planning to develop a self-led course around fawning. When he does, it will be mentioned through the newsletter.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 145] Divine Masculinity: Playing with Our Inner Fire w/ Ean Wood

Sun, 07 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Ean Wood, a writer, coach and facilitator of men's healing work. Luis and Ean explore what it means to be in balance with our masculinity and femininity.

Whether you are a man, woman, non-binary, transgender, cisgender, intersex, queer, straight, etc., this episode is for you. Luis and Ean discuss the non-binary qualities of masculine and feminine energies.

They also share their own experience with the impact of testosterone on the human body and how many people are flooded with sensations yet left with out a form of initiation or passing of gentle wisdom as to how to navigate the flood of sensations.

For more information on Ean's work, visit: https://www.eanwood.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Relational Commerce: Indigenous Wisdom For Modern Creators w/ Asha Frost

Wed, 03 May 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis speaks with Asha Frost about the release of her oracle deck, while bringing in transparency around the full spectrum of emotions and experiences with its release.

Typically, whenever someone releases some offering or creation, we talk about it in a very stimulated and excited way. Rarely do we talk about how it can overwhelm the body, or how easy it is to burn ourselves out, despite going through a positive experience.

Asha shares how she was in a freeze response for six months after her first book was published, and how she brought that experience and awareness to the release of her oracle deck.

They discuss:

the capacity to witness one’s own truth, the capacity for that truth to be witnessed by others, and the capacity to sustain it over time
re-indigenizing how we relate with our bodies
capacity vs desire
learning to live and work within capitalism from a standpoint of embodiment and relational energy

You can learn more about Asha's work, and order her oracle deck here: https://ashafrost.com/the-sacred-medicine-oracle/

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 144] Navigating Trauma as an Art Form

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis shares with us his perspective and personal experience as to why trauma and art are similar.

Like trauma, art is not the event itself but the expression. And "art" is simply how the body brings things from the unconscious to the conscious, i.e. anything we birth into existence. It can range from what we conventional think of as art, like painting a picture or writing a poem, to something more unconventional like building a toilet or how we may raise our children.

To further illustrate this, Luis takes us into his studio and walks us through his own creation process as a musician.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Letting Your Business Blossom from the Body w/ Helena Grant

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Today’s episode is a replay of an interview Luis did with Helena T.M. Grant (@hgrantstyle) for the “Torchbearer Summit.”

They discuss:

how to let your business blossom from the body, rather than just the mind
honoring our capacity, both on a personal and business level
the somatic difference between capacity and desire

You can learn more about Helena and her offerings here: https://hgrantstyle.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 143] Trauma & Psychedelics w/ Dr. Will Siu

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Dr. Will Siu, a psychiatrist who provides psychotherapy and medication management using a holistic and integrative approach. Luis and Will discuss the use of psychedelics.

Will first shares with us his own life journey and the various events that brought him to psychedelics. Luis and Will discuss why the use of psychedelics are not sufficient or necessary alone for healing but how they can support healing in conjunction with a learned and empathic healer.

They also both explore how the physical experience of the body -- with our with out Psychedelics -- is more important that the mental story. As Will shares with his clients, "You are going going to feel your way out of this, not think you way out."

For more information on Will's work, visit: https://www.willsiumd.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Releasing Suffering: How My Course Taught Haley To Feel Safe In Herself

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Today's podcast episode is a repost from the “Live Wire Love Story” podcast, where Haley discusses her experience of taking the six week course, “Finding Safety in Yourself”.

You can follow along with Haley at @livewirelovestory on Instagram, and listen to her other podcast episodes on Spotify here.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 142] Navigating ADHD

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we explore ADHD or RITC -- a Radical Inability To Conform.

Luis shares with us his own childhood experiences with ADHD, Tourette's syndrome, and nervous ticks. Often people are prescribed medications to suppress these conditions but Luis questions what would it mean to allow ourselves to relate to them as expressions?

Luis begins to reframe the idea of ADHD; pivoting from "I can't focus" to "I have attention for what interests me." He also explains how guilt or shame resulting from an ADHD expression, i.e. a lack of attention to something you "should" be doing, can propel someone into a state of freeze, reinforcing the notion that they "can't" do something.

So whether we have ADHD or not, he invites us into a practice to explore the spectrum of tasks we have to do or should do and how can we interweave them with activities that genuinely interest us and rejuvenate us, thus giving us more capacity for doing the "have-to" tasks.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] How Mold Created My 6-Week Course

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis shares his story of how a mold infestation propelled him out of his private practice, and into creating a podcast and his course.

Luis and his family were suddenly and immediately forced to move because the infestation was such a health hazard. It was not only their living space they had to leave behind, but almost all of their belongings, and the room Luis' used as an office for private clients.

Over the next few years Luis continued to build his capacity to be seen, and that work allowed him to grow outwards, just as the mold itself had.

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 141] Manifesting Is About The Now w/ Daníel Colón

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Daníel Colón, a multidisciplinary artist, content creator, and spiritual student. Luis and Daníel have a joyous conversation about why manifesting doesn't have to be about future desires but is really about reveling in the joy of the moment.

Daníel shares with us his journey or surviving a near-death experience, playing with various identities, moving back to his motherland, and witnessing the generational trauma within his family.

He and Luis also muse of the magic of being of mixed or in-between identities and how it can serve as a bridge as well as the difference between nurturing "negative" emotions, like anger, and identifying with them.

For more information on Daníel 's work, visit: https://www.colormecrazy.world/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 140] Navigating How Everything Happens For Us, Not To Us

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we explore how rather than using the notion of "everything happens for us, not to us," as a form of bypassing, we can instead use it as a form of self-inquiry to get curious about the agency or benefits that remain even when things don't go according to plan.

Luis shares with us his personal experience of implementing this practice when first lamenting his lack of mainstream, commercial success in his musical career. When he asked the question -- not stated the affirmation -- "how does this work for me?" some beautiful insights and opportunities emerged.

Luis also guides us through a brief somatic practice that can help us being to notice how unexpected or challenging events may in fact serve us.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 139] How Releasing Hope Can Help w/ Dr. Ingrid Clayton

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Dr. Ingrid Clayton, a clinical psychologist and author. Her most recent book is Believing Me: Healing from Narcissistic Abuse and Complex Trauma, a memoir of her personal healing journey.

Ingrid generously shares with us a bit about her own healing journey and how even as a clinical psychologist it was very difficult for her to relate to her own trauma. She explains to Luis how gaslighting was a large part of her trauma experience as a child and how as an adult a key part of her healing has been releasing hope -- hope that certain people would see, hear and believe her. She and Luis discuss how releasing hope, projections, or expectation of others actually allows for more choice and agency in relationship dynamics.

Luis and Ingrid also discuss why it is so important to acknowledge and incorporate joy and laughter into trauma healing as well as the detrimental impact of maintaining the wall between "healer" and client to all parties involved.

For more information on Dr. Ingrid Clayton's work, visit: https://www.ingridclayton.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 138] Navigating Grief: What We Lost & What We Gained

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis invites us to challenge, question and explore the commonly held overcoupling that death equals loss.

Luis explains why grief is often the charge from attuning only to what we have lost which is usually oriented in the past. How can we also begin to attune to what we have gained, i.e. the present?

Similarly, bypassing is when we only orient to what we gain. But with holistic integration, we begin the practice to be able hold both the loss and the gain.

Luis guides us through a brief practice exploring capacity for death and explains how this work is related to all types of death, not just the death of the body. For example, the death of a plan, the death of a relationship, the death of an expectation, and so on.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Navigating Fawning, The Most Overlooked Trauma Response

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Today's bonus episode is a replay of Episode 2. Fawning is often overlooked as a trauma response, and even more so, misunderstood.

This episode is about Fawning - what I call "The Fourth F" after fight, flight & freeze in response to threat. Fawning is mistaken for "politeness" and "having manners", but it's actually a learned threat response. We fawn so that we can dissolve the physical discomfort held in our own bodies when we disappoint someone with our truth. This episode explains why we do it, what happens, and how to begin healing this body mechanism.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Exploring Our Multi-Cultural Heritage w/ Yaya Erin Rivera from Rio Cosmico

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0400

On today's episode, Luis & Yaya discuss what it was like growing up mixed race in the United States, and explore the medicine of being mixed. They discuss intergenerational trauma, and the stories get passed down through the body and through gestures.

Yaya shares her life experiences, relational traumas, and how she navigates the burn-out that comes from being a self-employed practitioner. Taking time to slow down, prioritize, listen to the land, and practice self-care are her healing salves.

You can learn more about Yaya's work here:
http://www.activeculturefamily.com/about-acf

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 137] Building Capacity For Life Through Nutrition w/ Unique Hammond

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we welcome back Unique Hammond! She and Luis discuss the impact of nutrition on their personal healing journeys and the impact it has on the healing journeys of their clients. And you probably guessed -- we are gonna explore beans.

Unique and Luis explore how nutrition actually provides the capacity for healing, i.e. why in the absence of nutrition, it can be extremely difficult for a body to receive and implement different healing tools.

Unique specifically shares with us how nutrition allows here to develop the capacity to slow down, pause and question rather than reflexivley react.

For more information on Unique's work, visit: https://www.youregreat.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

To sign up for the fawning email series, please visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/fawning-series

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Finding Safety After Shocking News w/ Camille Leak

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0500

“Things come when they’re supposed to come.”

Luis is joined by Camille as she shares how she has been processing the high likelihood of her baby having heart issues and Down syndrome.

The news triggered a freeze response, but rather than developing into a shock trauma, Camille returned to the information in a safe space, and used the "Tracking The Charge" exercise, and pendulation, to navigate the sensations and ideas that arose.

They discuss the ways in which spirituality and somatic practices can support each other, and how being present can help release attachment and future expectations. Camille shares how the ongoing practice of somatic exercises have allowed her to increase her capacity, and how each of her children has taught her something about herself, and pushed her to meet her edge.

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 136] Navigating How My Capacity Runs My Business

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In the episode, Luis shares how awareness of our capacity can support us in business, whether we are entrepreneurs or employees.

Capacity is simply the space inside of us to tolerate sensation. Many of us have been born into cultures, communities and families where we are taught to bypass our body's capacity for the sake of work for various reasons.

However, bypassing our capacity can only work for so long before it leads to burnout. So how do we begin to unlearn the practice of bypassing our capacity? We begin to integrate a practice of checking in with our capacity and playing with it.

Luis shares how checking in and playing with his capacity has helped him design and continue to evolve his business. He also guides us through a brief practice of noticing our current capacity.

Related podcast episode: Navigating Capacity & Desire: How To "Stop Self-Sabotaging" -- https://www.buzzsprout.com/278649/9801817

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

To sign up for the fawning email series, please visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/fawning-series

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 135] I Didn't Have The Capacity For The Expectations I Created w/ Music Carolyn

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis is joined by Music Carolyn, a recording artist and veteran music business professional, who describes her music as R & Chill, vacation soul, and meditation jazz.

Music Carolyn tells us her story of how she came to realize she had all these internalized expectations of herself -- how much money she should make, how big her house should be, what her marriage should be, what she should provide as a mother, etc -- and that in order to save herself, it meant others around her would get less. She and Luis also explore what it means to get in touch with our authentic desires vs. what we should want, i.e. what is real vs. what is expected.

Music Carolyn generously shares with us an original song, "The One", that illustrates her healing journey and what it means to have released her internalized expectations.

For more information on Music Carolyn's work, visit: https://www.musiccarolyn.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

To sign up for the fawning email series, please visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/fawning-series

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 134] Navigating How To Listen To The Body And NOT Follow It

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Luis is often asked, "How can I believe my body?" In this episode, he shares with us the difference between following the body and relating to the body.

Luis guides us through a practice where we tease apart three critical yet distinct parts of ourselves: the mind, the body, and the witnesser. Very few of us are taught to experience these separately.

However, when we can tap into all three parts separately, the conscious self becomes the parent of the mind and body. Which allows us to relate to the sensations, rather than reflectively acquiescing to trauma responses, by pausing to explore the meaning or root of the sensation.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

To sign up for the fawning email series, please visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/fawning-series

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Somatic Drop-In Replay | Feb 07 2023

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Today’s bonus episode is a recording of the first Somatic Drop-In. Luis takes us through a variety of topics and practices as he invites us to drop in, play with the philosophy and techniques of somatic work, and see what we learn.

Noticing constriction, expansion, and numbness in the body
"Feeling The Now" exercise
Community shares, and a brief demo

These Somatic Drop-Ins are bi-monthly, public, pay-what-you-want offerings. You can view the upcoming schedule to attend one live here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events-1

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 133] Fawning Made Me Sick w/ Martha Beck

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis is joined by Marth Beck, a Harvard-trained sociologist, world-renowned coach and New York Times bestselling author. Martha wrote The Way of Integrity which Luis lovingly refers to as "The Guide on How to Stop Fawning."

Martha and Luis engage in a dynamic conversation about trauma response of fawning, how fawning impacted their lives, and how it felt to release that trauma response. They explore why the body hates to lie, i.e. the physical manifestations that occur in our bodies when we suppress our truths and desires as well as why we often times lose our integrity not because we are bad but because we are trying so hard to be good.

Martha also shares with us what she learns from her integrity cleanses, i.e. abstaining from lying for a year, and what it was like to coach Oprah through a somatic practice of understanding a fawn response.

For more information on Martha's work, visit: https://marthabeck.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 132] Navigating How Comfort Can Interrupt Humility

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis shares how modern comforts and convenience can actually distract us from moments of peace and gratitude.

Luis invites us to explore our trauma ego -- the trauma ego needs to find threat even when none is actually present.

As such, even when we have a roof over our heads, food in our refrigerators, running water, etc., the traumatized nervous system won't allow us to orient to that comfort or peace which can manifest as our bodies having incongruent or distorted reactions to situations.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 131] Transforming Traumas & Behaviors Through Self-Relating w/ Maureen Gallagher

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we welcome back one of Luis's teachers, Maureen Gallagher, a Licensed Psychologist (NY, NJ), Somatic Experiencing Faculty Member, and Inner Relationship Focusing Trainer

Maureen and Luis dive deep into Inner Relationship Focusing (IRF), sharing how it has been an integral part to their Somatic Experiencing practices. They explore what it means to have a relationship with various parts of you, in the same way you would with another being.

They also explain how IRF helps us connect the "I" we consciously identify with and the other needs or motivations we may have in our body, allowing us to begin to release feelings of shame or guilt and instead pivot to curiosity of these seemingly "out of control" habits and behaviors.

Maureen leads us through a brief IRF practice as well as shares details about her IRF course offerings.

For more information on Maureen's work, visit: https://embodyingpsychotherapy.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Music As The Teacher (Mid-Day Medicine Radio Replay)

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

This is a bonus episode which features an interview with Luis and Jaguar Mary X.

They had Luis on their program called Mid-Day Medicine Journey. It's a live, public radio out of Kingston, NY. You can find the entire episode, and others, by visiting them here.

In this episode, they interview Luis about his experiences growing up that led him into somatics and trauma healing work.

The accidental discovery of music as the catharsis for deep healing, personal mythology, and emerging from hate with love are just some of the topics.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] The Sweet Dark: Relating To Our Subconscious Through Touch w/ Jeana Brown

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we welcome back friend of the show, Jeana Brown founder of The Sweet Dark.

Jeana shares with us how self-touch and how bringing ritual to self-care or daily hygiene helps to bring us into better communicaiton and relationship with our bodies.

She and Luis explore why the intent of self-care and self-touch is not to erase surface-level tension in the body but instead use that tension as a signal or indication of something deeper happening in the body, i.e. coming into right relationship with the body by learning its language.

Jeana has generously offered HLN listeners a 20% discount on Tutti, and all-in-one botanical elixir that can be used anywhere you have skin or hair. The discount code is ritual23.

For more information on Jeana's work, visit: https://thesweetdark.com/ and on IG @the_sweetdark.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 130] Revelations From Honey I Shrunk The Kids w/ HLN Team

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

We welcome back the entire HLN team in this episode!

Luis, Marika, and Camille first explore their learnings from the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. In particular they share how this movie helped to spark their curiosity around things such as animism, human supremacy, and examining the world from different perspectives.

They further explore the idea of human supremacy and its relationship to trauma -- how many of us can come to believe that we are too good to experience trauma or we are above trauma and how that refusal or inability to relate to various events in our lives can actually produce traumatized nervous systems.

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Navigating How Somatics & Nutrition Can Heal Trauma

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode I share a replay from a webinar I did in which I talk about how my own trauma and chronic illness led me to this work.

It's taken me 17 years to understand and put into words what I went through.

It's also taken me 17 years to map out how to release stress & trauma with self-inquiry, nutrition, and somatics.

I teach it all in my 6-week course. Listen to this episode to learn more about it.

Registration is open until the 23rd.

Go here to register today: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course-sign-up.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 129] Being A Bridge Between Left & Right w/ Monica Guzman

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis is joined by Monica Guzman, author of “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times" and the director of digital storytelling at Braver Angels, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the partisan divide.

Monica and Luis engage in a very interesting conversation about navigating politics when it seems almost impossible to do so. Monica explores the polarity between judgment and curiosity as well as why we have come to equate disagreement with threat and how that dynamic has resulted in spaces where we judge each other more and engage with each other less.

Luis and Monica also share common experiences that have nurtured their capacity for curiosity even regarding politics: 1) having dual identities and 2)their parents voted for Donald Trump but they did not.

For more information on Monica's work, visit: https://braverangels.org/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Finding Safety Through Adderall, Beans & Embodiment w/ Paula Engebretson (ADHD Coach)

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Paula Engebretson joins Luis today in this interesting discussion between medication, holistic nutrition, and somatics.

We often get the question if you can do this work while taking meds. Paula teaches us that the answer is individual and, for her, was YES!

She explains how she lived with symptoms of ADHD and stress for decades before getting her official diagnosis, getting medicated, and then diving into our 6-week course where she learned how to navigate her mind, body, and business.

For more info on Paula, please visit: https://imbusybeingawesome.com/

To register for our 6-week course, which takes place on February 6th 2023, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/course-sign-up

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 128] Navigating How To Stop Comparing Yourself

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis explores why without overcouplings, comparisons are actually benign and without meaning -- they are just observations.

He shares his own experiences with comparisons and body image as well as explains what "your truth is my myth" means to him and how it became a practice in helping him have to capacity to be with differences.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 127] How Thoughts Create Our Lives w/ Byron Katie

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we welcome an incredible teacher of Luis, Byron Katie. She is a speaker and author who teaches a method of self-inquiry known as "The Work."

Byron and Luis muse on what it means to relate to the ego and to our thoughts rather than trying to beat the ego or suppress our thoughts, i.e. what it means to be in a place of curiosity rather than judgement. The Work was born directly out of Byron Katie’s experience and she shares with us the impact it has had on her life as well as for other students of The Work.

Also, we get to witness The Work in action! Byron guides Luis through The Work in relation to an intrusive thought he had right before the recording of this episode.

For more information on Byron's work, visit: https://thework.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 126] Navigating Releasing Trauma by Revering It

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis shares how changing his perspective of trauma changed his life and how we was able to relate to others. We often over-couple trauma with the event itself -- but trauma is how our bodies respond to that event.

When we come to see trauma as the force or reverberation that moves through our body, propelling us to survive threatening and/or overwhelming situations, we can pivot from viewing our trauma response as something shameful, that needs to be fixed to something beautiful for us to witness and relate to.

And in that witnessing and relating, we can allow for the previously stifled expression to begin to come through in wondrous ways.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Navigating Our Resistance To Rest (How To Winter)

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0500

This episode is an excerpt from our live session that took place last Tuesday.

Luis had designed a 3 week email series about the process of Wintering, which is when we let our bodies retreat from progress and nurture our capacity through rest.

In this live session we have 300+ people practicing, sharing, and weaving with us around this practice and subject.

We learn a lot about rest, our resistance to rest, and how to begin healing that.

We will be hosting a 3-week email series with a live session 4 times each year. Join the mailing list to experience the next one.

You can watch on YouTube.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 125] Re-Indigenizing in Ireland w/ Lorcan & Helen

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we welcome back Lorcan MacGiolla Bhrighde and Helen Henderson, collaborators on Indigenous Ireland.

In this episode, Luis, Lorcan, and Helen discuss what it means not just to decolonize, i.e. remove constructs of colonization, but to re-indigenize their lives, i.e. reintegrate elements of their indigeneity.

The three of them share how immersing themselves in indigenous languages and folklore has supported their journey to re-indigenizing.

Similarly, they share the impact of re-indigenizing in their lives such as an appreciation and awareness of the balance of femininity and masculinity, a greater sense of connection to humans and other-than-human beings, the ability to find beauty in death, expanding from just biological relationship to social relationships, and gleaning wisdom from the seasons as to how to best support their bodies.

For more information on Lorcan's and Helen's work, visit: https://www.indigenous.ie.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 124] Dance Therapy w/ Erica Hornthal

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis is joined by Erica Hornthal, known as "The Therapist Who Moves You", is a board-certified dance/movement therapist and licensed clinical professional counselor.

Luis and Erica explore the misconceptions of dance and dance therapy and Erica shares how she came to define "Dance Movement Therapy" based on her own experiences rather than what text books say.

They also discus how we can use movement and dance -- non-verbal communication and connection -- to support our mental health by allowing it to unlock stuck sensations, thoughts, beliefs, etc. that we may not be able to articulate with words. Similarly, they explain that is exactly why so many of us may avoid movement.

For more information on Erica's work, visit: https://www.ericahornthal.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 123] Politically Incorrect w/ Camille Leak

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis and Camille dig into the pros and cons of political correctness.

Camille shares why she personally does not strive to be politically correct but instead seeks to understand.

Luis and Camille also share their own experiences with safe spaces vs brave spaces, what it means to have a conversation vs. a debate, expanding capacity for conflict, and finding the beauty in rupture.

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 122] Science & Triggers w/ HLN Team

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0500

We welcome back the entire HLN team in an episode where Luis, Marika, and Camille explore several things that can trigger us including:

Attuning to joy and/or the now
Releasing the Story
Experimentation, Mystery & Ambiguity
Empathy & Understanding
Rupture

They share their own experiences with these triggers, what they witnessed in others, and their own practices for expanding their capacity to be with these triggers to the point they are no longer triggers.

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 121] Navigating Intrusive Thoughts

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Luis explores what it means to dis-identify with our thoughts and sensations. Many of us have come to believe, "I think, therefore I am." As such, we can become overwhelmed by the millions of thoughts that invade our by everyday.

But what would it mean to relate to a thought rather than to identify with it? Luis discusses the practice of witnessing our thoughts from a place of curiosity, rather than internalizing them from a place of judgement.

This is different from by passing or numbing in that we are not ignoring the thought or pretending that it isn't there. Instead, we can notice the thought and notice, "This thought is not me; it is something in me."

Luis guides us through a practice of noticing our thoughts, witnessing the multiple sensations in our body in response to that thought, and how to question the thought.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 120] When Doing the Wrong Thing is SO Right w/ HLN Team

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0500

We welcome back the entire HLN team as they explore what it means to break the rules.

In previous episodes, we've explored cultivating disobedience. In this episode, we hear from Luis, Marika, and Camille how they built the capacity to break the rules, i.e. do what they aren't "supposed to", and how doing so has impacted their lives.

They share with us how they released their story, others' expectations, the "should"s, and the "have to"s -- fundamentally, an ego death -- when it comes to their careers, familial obligations, social interactions, and more.

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 119] The Myth of Normal w/ Daniel Maté

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 16:00:00 -0500

Luis welcomes Daniel Mate to the podcast to speak about the book he co-authored with his dad, Gabor Mate, titled The Myth Of Normal.

They speak about:

how writing the book invited repair for Gabor's and Daniel's relationship
how Daniel practices uncoupling to have a good relationship with his father
how identity and behavior or two different things
how personality is often born from a traumatic imprint

For more on Daniel's work, please visit: https://www.walkwithdaniel.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Bonus Episode] Finding Safety in the Midst of Global Events

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 04:00:00 -0500

The episode is actually a recording of a live, virtual event Luis hosted for the HLN Membership and Course participants.

HLN members and students often ask "How can I feel safe, calm or peaceful in a word that is dangerous or where there are so many horrific things happening?"

In the wake of the US Supreme Court's over-turning of Roe v. Wade (as well as a recent shooting and the outbreak of war), Luis was asked to create a space to explore this dynamic.

In this recording, Luis walks us through the difference between acknowledgement and attunement as well as a practice that can help us relate to the part of our bodies that may be bracing on the wake or a political or social event while gently challenging us to notice whether we are bracing for a present threat or an anticipated threat.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 118] Creating Compassionate Prisons w/ Fritzi Horstman

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Fritzi Horstman, the Founder and Executive Director of Compassion Prison Project.

In this episode, Luis and Fritzi explore what a trauma-informed justice system might look like and why it is urgent to bring humanity and compassion to those living behind bars and these acts will help transform our society.

They discuss the connection between vulnerability and accountability, uncoupling behavior from identity, what it means to transform a body out of anti-social or criminal behavior, and the impact of trauma on prisoners, officers, and judges.

For more information on Fritzi's work, visit: https://compassionprisonproject.org/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 117] Navigating Pleasure as a Resource for Healing Trauma

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores why building capacity for pleaser is a critical yet often over-looked part of trauma-healing.

Pleasure, joy, peace, etc. are an excellent resource when trying to heal our trauma. They are the counter-vortex, i.e. they provide the resourcing our bodies need to be with sensations that are more constricting.

However, it can be very difficult and overwhelming for a traumatized nervous system to be with pleasure because it doesn't trust the openness -- it feels vulnerable and defenseless. Constriction feels safer and is familiar to a traumatized nervous system.

Luis guides us through practice to help us notice pleasure and then observe what our current capacity for pleaser is. He invites us to notice how do our bodies constrict around moments of pleasure, often with intrusive thoughts, and then how we can respond to the presence of those thoughts to little-by-little expand our capacity for pleasure.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 116] The HLN Team Talks About Media, Capacity, & Fried Chicken

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0400

We welcome back the entire HLN team in this freestyle episode!

Luis, Marika, and Camille explore a myriad of topics, including:

The role of media
Navigating Politics
Judgement vs. Curiosity
Capacity & Time
Death as a Teacher
Dissociation vs. Detachment

Also, we learn about yet another job Luis had in his past!

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 115] Navigating Feeling the Present Moment to Find Ease & Joy

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores why attuning to the present moment isn't about bypassing but rather it is about inviting everything in.

We can often bypass the beauty or calm of the present moment because our bodies are responding to a remembered past or an anticipated future. However, by allowing our bodies to feel the absence of threat, it actually provides our bodies the resourcing to respond to threat when it is actually happening.

Luis provide a practice to help us check-in and question when our bodies are reacting to a remembered threat, the current moment, or an anticipated threat. Also, even when experiencing threat or a "negative" situation, are there aspects of beauty, calm, or safety we can still attune to?

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 114] How Covid Became Our Teacher w/ Steve Rasovsky

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by his brother-friend, Steve Rasovsky. Both Luis and Steve have had COVID and found a lot of wisdom in their experience. Fundamentally, COVID offered them both an invitation into the slowness an authenticity of their bodies because their flight response was physically inaccessible.

Please note that neither Luis or Steve are medical practitioners and this episode isn't about the variants, vaccines, etc.

Instead, Luis and Steve share with us what they learned from COVID, what they were able to release as a result of the experience, and how they continue to integrate those learnings into their lives even after recuperating.

For more information on Steve's work, visit: https://theinnerapothecary.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 113] Navigating How To Heal Procrastination

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores why we often procrastinate and how procrastination is a form of freeze response.

We procrastinate, or go into freeze response, when our bodies experience overwhelm. However, rather than relating to that overwhelm, we often to to a place of judgement and shame: "Why am I so lazy?" "Why can't I get my life together?" "Why am I so irresponsible?" Luis also explores the stigma associate with rest and recuperation.

Luis shares a practice that helps us to instead stay in a place of curiosity about the procrastination by asking things like "What part of me is overwhelmed right now?" "Do I even want to do this?" or "What do I currently have the capacity for?" and how he has applied this practice in his life.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 112] James Olivia: Do I Have the Capacity to Not Know You?

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we welcome back James-Olivia!

This episode is a bit of an ADHD masterpiece where James-Olivia and Luis explore a plethora of topics, including:

Our attachment to stories about others
The freedom to both follow and break the rules and shift with time
Decolonizing Marriage & Individuating
How to be free around those who don't recognize their own freedom
Belonging & Spirituality
Why it can be so liberating to approach everyone -- whether they are close relatives/friends or complete strangers -- from the standpoint of "Who are you? I don't know you?"

For more information on James-Olivia's work, visit: https://inquisitivehuman.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 111] Navigating How to Keep My Boundaries While Releasing My Story about You

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores why we often feel compelled to justify or rationalize our boundaries with others by creating a negative story about them rather than just accepting our inner knowing or our body's response as enough.

This negative stories we create and repeat about others serves as the proof we need for our boundaries, but does it truly serve us? Does the story create peace or pain? Does the story provide safety or does it mobilize us in a threat response?

Luis shares a practice that helps to illustrate why we don't have to invite pain into our bodies to validate our boundaries.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 110] The Biology of Trauma w/ Dr. Aimie Apigian

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis is joined by Dr. Aimie Aigian, MD MS MPH. She is the leading medical expert on how life experiences get stored in the body and restoring the body to its best state of health through her signature model and methodology, The Biology of Trauma.

Dr. Aimie shares with us how she came to observe and personally experience that the mind and the body are all one, inter-related system. She discusses how traits at the cellular level contribute to what many perceive as purely "emotional responses".

Additionally, she and Luis discuss why nutrition can impact our capacity and ability to be present with our sensations and how there is power in that knowing.

For more information on Dr. Aimie's work, visit: https://www.traumahealingaccelerated.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 109] Navigating How I Can Love You & Not Be Nourished By You

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores how and why we often force ourselves to be with or doings for other people simply because we love them.

We often over-couple love with action, i.e. if we love someone, we should do things for them and if we don't do those things, our love is in question. With this overcoupling, love can move us to bypass our own boundaries which ultimately result in resentment towards the person we love. But what would it look like to uncouple love from action?

What if we are able to expand our capacity for contradictions, i.e. "I love you and I don't want to be around you right now"? What if we could trust in the love rather than having to constantly prove its existence? We could release the burden to always do something with or for others.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 108] Triggered but Beautiful w/ Marika Malaea

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we learn more abut Marika Malaea, the Operations Manager of Holistic Life Navigation.

Marika generously shares with us pieces of her own healing journey, including being adopted by a family of a different culture, the pressures and desire to conform to a Eurocentric standard of beauty, and how once she was able to be embodied, it actually did not feel good.

She also shares with us how somatics have changed her relationship with politics and social media as well as how she navigates responding to emails after Luis has triggered people (which is quite often - lol).

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 107] Navigating "Empath" as a Trauma Response

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores how being an empath can be a trauma response.

Very rarely do we think about being a empath through the lens of joy. Instead, empaths often describe how they are overwhelmed by the pain, hurt, and suffering of others.

Luis shares how recognizing and relating to a trauma response in conjunction with leveraging the practice of self-attunement can allow empaths to pendulate between the pain and joy they may experience from other bodies.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 106] Decolonizing Time: How We Relate to Place w/ Ixchel Lunar

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we welcome back Ixchel Lunar!

Ixchel and Luis discuss the role of time in their lives including how time is hyper local, what it means to attune to the rhythms and the cycles of the land, why we often judge ourselves and others for honoring the pace of their body, what they've learned from observing turtles and sloths, and how we allow time to be stolen from us.

They also revisit the idea of decolonization: what does it mean to relate to time as a being rather than dominating it as a resource?

For more information on Ixchel's work, visit: https://ixchel.love/home/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 105] Building Capacity For Healing w/ Eileen Knott

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we are joined by Eileen Knott. Eileen offers individual healing sessions for a variety of health concerns such as pain-both physical and emotional, nightmares, obsessive thoughts, grieving, feeling stuck, and addictions. Eileen was also a student of the Holistic Life Navigation course last year.

Eileen and Luis explore why healing in an ongoing, iterative process. Both share how and why "bad habits" persisted after having a magical or healing experience. They discuss how catharsis can actually be overwhelming for our bodies; however, time and embodiment practices allow our bodies to integrate that experience and learning.

For more information on Eileen's work, visit: https://relaxandexpand.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 104] Nourishing Our Bodies with Oatstraw w/ Aemen Bell

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Finally, she's back!! In this episode, Luis is joined by herbalist and astrologer Aemen Bell to discuss the many, many benefits of oatstraw.

Aemen and Luis discuss how oatstraw is neither a depressant or a stimulant but rather a nourishing herb that helps to bring us into our true nature. They also discuss the wisdom they've gleaned from oatstraw, what it means to have energy from a source of nourishment vs a source of stimulation, and why so many of us are terrified of going slow.

Additionally, Aemen walks us through the process of creating an oatstraw infusion.

For more information on Aemen's work, visit: http://www.artemisrisingherbs.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 103] Navigating Attunement: Feeling the Now Instead of Bypassing

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores how attuning to the now, i.e. remaining in our safe center even when ruptures may be happening around us, provides us the resourcing to deal with threat as it comes.

Threat is very really and exists all around us. But the question we have to ask ourselves is, is my body responding to remembered threat, anticipated threat, or threat that is actually in front of us right now?

Luis also discusses the critical distinction between acknowledging events around us vs orienting/attuning to them. How can we be an engaged participant of the world while also realizing the realities of our immediate situations?

Luis also provides a brief attunement practice -- an exercise to help our bodies begin to be aware of when our sensations are actually in response to anticipated or remembered threat rather than what we are currently experiencing.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 102] Healing Through Self-Relating w/ Maureen Gallagher

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we are joined by Maureen Gallagher, PhD. Maureen is a licensed psychologist, Somatic Experiencing faculty member, and Inner Relationship Focusing trainer. She is also a teacher of Luis.

Maureen and Luis explore what it means for us to relate to our body's and sensations vs identifying with them. They discuss how transitioning to a place of witness or observer of their bodies supported them in becoming a compassionate guide on their own healing journeys.

For more information on Maureen's work, visit: https://embodyingpsychotherapy.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 101] Navigating Numbness | Luis Mojica

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores how we can begin to move through numbness.

We can often describe numbness as not feeling anything at all but in reality, numbness is a sensation -- it is the sensation of the lack of sensation.

Numbness also carries with it a negative stigma; something that is wrong with us. However, numbness is our body's healthy response to overwhelm. It is our body's boundary to sensations that are too much for us, that we are not ready to feel just yet.

Luis shares with us a practice that can support us in relating to our numbness rather than bypassing it.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 100] My Team Talks About Running A Trauma Healing Business

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0400

This Holistic Life Navigation's 100th episode! To mark this occasion, we pull back the curtains and we meet the entire Holistic Life Navigation team.

Luis, Marika, and Camille share what brought them to trauma healing work, their perception of trauma healing as a business, and how their relationship with money has evolved over time.

We also get to know a bit more about their past lives -- Luis was a real estate agent and Camille worked in corporate America! They share what they learned from those experiences and how it informs their approach to Holistic Life Navigation.

For more information about Holistic Life Navigation, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 99] Navigating Co-Regulating With Nature | Luis Mojica

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores how we can find safety in nature when human relationships don't feel safe.

A byproduct of colonization is our tendency to view nature a resource we should dominate vs a relative we can relate to. Traumatized nervous systems can often find it difficult to r co-regulate with human beings -- but what about non-human beings? What other beings around might we regularly ignore that could offer us an opportunity for co-regulation?

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 98] Ungovernable: Connecting to the Freedom Inside of Me w/ Jaguar Mary X

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Jaguar Mary X is an artist who says "I believe that it is my role as an artist to activate and be part of a remembering of the transforming power of communal space. I agree with Nina’s Simone’s dictum that the mission of the artist is to 'respond to the times in which I find myself.'"

In this episode we explore their journey of becoming ungovernable, how they are challenging themselves, and the institutions they navigate.

Being ungovernable is akin to previous conversations we've had about decolonization. One critical question to ask is "How have we internalize colonization or self domination?" In this episode, Jaguar Mary X generously shares their own reflections on transitioning from unquestioningly accepting every opportunity that comes our way to diplomatically challenging expectations.

For more information on Jaguar Mary X's work, visit: https://www.kaliartproject.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 97] Navigating How Manifesting Can Be a Form of Bypassing | Luis Mojica

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores how manifesting can keep us from building the capacity to be with the present.

When focusing on what may come in the future, we are focusing on what we want rather than what we have. Manifesting isn't bad. But how can we also find ways to attune to the calm, joy, or beauty that is happening around us?

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 96] Self Attunement: The Story of Madam CJ Walker w/ A'Lelia Bundles

Sun, 22 May 2022 08:00:00 -0400

This episode is so deliciously wonderful. We had the honor to sit down and speak with A'Lelia Bundles, the great-great-granddaughter of Madam CJ Walker.

This episode is all about resiliency and intergenerational wisdom. A'Lelia generously shares what she learned about her lineage as she was writing her great-great-grandmother's biography.

We explore how a woman who was the very first person in her family born outside of slavery was able to navigate a society they didn't value her and go on to become the first self-made millionaire woman in the United States.

For more information on A'Lelia's work, visit: https://aleliabundles.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 95] Beans: How They Create Life & Heal Trauma (Debunking The Myths) w/ Karen Hurd

Sun, 15 May 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Out of all the things we explore on this podcast, who would've thought beans would be the most controversial? So we had to invite Karen Hurd, the Queen of Beans, back to the show to help sift through some of these bean myths.

In this episode, we cover the common concerns and fears people have about beans including:

Why do beans give me gas?
Don't beans have a lot of antinutrients?
Don't phytates and lectins stunt growth?
Should we avoid grains, nuts, and seeds in addition to beans?

Luis and Karen also discuss the lovely interconnection between science, ancestral wisdom and self inquiry.

For more information on Karen's work, visit: http://www.karenhurd.com/

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

Check out some of our previous episodes with Karen:

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 94] Navigating Overcouplings: Why We Overrreact | Luis Mojica

Sun, 08 May 2022 08:00:00 -0400

"You're not overreacting, you're overcoupled."

In this episode, Luis explores how we can begin the work of recognizing when our bodies are being reminded of a past traumatic experience and how we can uncouple that from situations where there is no threat present.

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 93] Somatic Psychology: Liberating Yourself From Sitting In A Chair w/ Aiyisha Castillo

Sun, 01 May 2022 08:00:00 -0400

"I'm not weird, I'm just from somewhere different."

Today's episode is all about honoring our "weird" -- the call to break from the norm, standard, or "right way".

Aiyisha Castillo is a Somatic Therapist, Intuitive Bodyworker and Yoga Teacher. She felt called to enter into the holistic field after returning from a 2 1/2 year trip to Africa. Her love for bodies and their innate wisdom is what guides her practice today.

In this episode, Aiyisha shares with us why and how she has eschewed many of the mandates placed upon therapists, including sitting in a chair during therapy sessions. We also explore how her calling to approach therapy differently impacts both her and her clients.

For more info on her work visit: https://aiyishacastillo.com/

For more info on Luis' work visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 92] Navigating How To Be Curious AND Have Boundaries | Luis Mojica

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis explores how we can affirm our bodies' boundaries while also exploring from a place of curiosity vs. judgement, i.e. how to turn judgment into curiosity to heal trauma.

Our brains work really hard to categorize things into "safe" and "threat" consistently. Not knowing is scary because it invites vulnerability. When we have a traumatized system, we sense threat in most places.

Judgment takes us from our needs, from our felt sense and we go into our mind to figure it out – to put an identity to it, to make it still or stagnant. Judgment is a fixed state but curiosity is the opposite of an adrenalized judgment state. What happens when we are curious in the same situation? What happens when we follow the question of “What’s next?”

For more information about Luis's work, please visit: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 91] Can Joy Exist With Pain? w/ Nisha Mody

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Nisha Mody is a 'healing hype girl"! What stands out about Nisha is her practice of noticing the joy along with pain. This practice of seeing joy as complex, nuanced, and juicy is so important.

It is very easy to mistake this practice for bypassing but Nisha shares with us how this is critically different. Bypassing is when we ignore the event or the impact of the event on us. However, a practice of noticing the joy along with pain allows us to be aware of pain but not constantly attune or relate to it.

For more information on Nisha's work, visit: https://www.nishaland.com/.

For more information on Luis' work, visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 90] Navigating Our Bodies As Our Ancestors | Luis Mojica

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

"The first alter of our ancestors is the body." This quote from Amber McZeal beautifully illustrates the connection between relating to our bodies, the land, and our lineage.

To move from colonization to decolonization, i.e. be in relationship with rather than dominance of, applies to our bodies just as it applies to land. When we're in relationship with our bodies, we're in relationship with the land and vice versa.

In this episode, Luis explores how, through ancestral healing work and exploring our lineage, we can reclaim beautiful knowledge and practices which can help us navigate overwhelm and anxiety.

For more info on Luis's work, please visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/. At the site you can also purchase the webinar about Decolonization of the Body.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 89] Building Capacity For Difference | Camille Leak

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is all about building capacity for difference: having the capacity to express our differences and having the capacity to receive the differences of others.

Camille Leak is a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Practitioner and the Community Manager for Holistic Life Navigation -- in these roles, she helps to facilitate uncomfortable conversations. She is also and a former student of my 6-week course. Her approach to navigating difference really stood out to me during the course and I wanted to learn more about her journey and subsequently choose to invite her to join the team!

In this episode, she shares a bit of her healing journey and how she maintains the capacity to explore things like bias, prejudice and discrimination on a regular basis. In particular, how leaning into curiosity helps us to work and communicate across difference. Camille's work focuses on honest discovery -- not saying the "right" thing or trying to change someone's mind.

For more info on Camille's work visit: https://www.realtalkbravespaces.com/; LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/camilleleak

For more info on Luis' work visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 88] Navigating: Do I Use My Energy To Change You Or Connect To Myself? | Luis Mojica

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode navigates whether we use our energy to change others or connect to ourselves.

Why do we so often devote our energy to changing, motivating, or even talking about others?

Releasing the need to change others in order to find safety in them, allows us the energy and space to begin to find safety in ourselves through self-relationship and embodiment.

For more information visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 87] The Sovereign Body: How Seeing Our Bodies As Independent Actually Help Us Connect To Them | Jeana & Friends

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is SO good.

I welcome past students and current members of my membership to talk about the topic of the sovereign body.

It's a strange idea at first: the body not being us. However, the more we practice it and notice it, the more obvious it becomes and the more helpful it becomes.

Why? Because we're able to actually relate to it as its own being, instead of a thing that's supposed to work for us or that we own.

Enjoy this episode with these gorgeous people who I can honestly call my teachers now.

For more info on my upcoming courses & membership visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can learn more about some of the guests and their work below:

Jeana Brown: www.gypsyroot.com; Instagram - @gypsy.root
Leena Chauhan: Instagram - @leenacharm
Colleen Duffy: Devil-Doll.com; Instagram - @DevilDoll_Official
Ixchel Lunar: https://ixchel.love/; Instagram - https://instagram.com/ixchel.love
Karen White: Instagram - @k.arenwhite

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 86] Navigating Freeze Response: How To Thaw & Move Out Of It | Luis Mojica

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Today's episode navigates how to thaw and move out of a freeze response.

In it, I attempt to release the stigma from freeze response as being unmotivated, lacking willpower, or lazy. Instead, we can actually honor the sophistication of the freeze response and understand that it needs help thawing.

Somatic embodiment and self-relationship allow us to help the freeze response thaw so that the body can begin moving, feeling, and releasing.

For more info visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 85] Loving Your Neurodivergence: Thriving With ADHD | Megan Kierstead

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Today's episode is all about honoring our nature. Not who we want to be or think we should be: but where we are in this moment and how we can nurture that to thrive.

Megan Kierstead is a coach for people with ADHD & neurodivergent expressions. In this episode she shares some helpful tools for being functional with a unique nervous system.

Specifically: your feeling of dysfunction are really caused from the friction of the world not being made for you.

This world is so diverse and vast. The majority create terms for the minority like disabled, psychotic, depressed, ADHD, etc. These terms become identities that can really create dysregulation within us about how we relate to ourselves.

Megan's work helps us see how beautifully unique we are and, once we start honoring that uniqueness, we find a whole new magical way to live.

For more info on her work visit: https://www.megankierstead.com/

For more info on Luis' work visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep 84] Navigating The Difference Between "Who Am I?" & "Where Am I?" | Luis Mojica

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Today's episode navigates the difference between the questions Who Am I? & Where Am I?

Releasing the need to "know" myself for the practice of being with whatever is in myself at that moment allows me to be relate to all parts of me.

Notice the difference in your body as you listen.

For more info visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 83] Trust Yourself With Money | Brigitt Thompson (Author)

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, I welcome back Brigitt Thompson.

We speak about money through the lens of somatics & trauma. How we value it, what we have overcoupled with it, and pieces of wisdom & personal experiences from Brigitt's book Trust Yourself With Money.

Take your time through this episode. Notice what comes up in your body to speak to you about your relationship to money and what you inherited through your family & culture.

These values may not be yours.

For more information, visit Brigitt's website: https://www.trustyourselfwithmoney.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 82] Navigating The Four F's Of Trauma Response: Fight, Flight, Freeze, & Fawn | Luis Mojica

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I speak about the four responses our bodies have to trauma: fight, fight, freeze, and fawn,

Each response serves the purpose to help you survive a potential life threat. We're all here because of these automatic responses.

Learning the nuance of each response helps us better recognize them when they're "turning on". Through this recognition, we create a relationship with them and then they're able to transform and release.

On Tuesday June 28th, 2022 I'll be hosting a live webinar that explores these 4 responses deeply and offers exercises and techniques for moving through them, rather being moved by them. You can register here for that. You'll get a reminder and a replay.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 81] Practicing Self-Inquiry To Relate Deeply With Your Body | James-Olivia Chu Hillman (Teacher & Facilitator)

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 08:00:00 -0500

I welcome my friend James-Olivia Chu Hillman back to my podcast to discuss their experience of practicing embodiment while also practicing self-inquiry.

One practice is of feeling, the other is of thinking. Both interact, relate, and deeply affect the other.

This is such a tender, deep, gorgeous conversation and I thank them for coming to it from where they truly were in the moment.

For more info on their work, you can visit:

Official Website
Instagram

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 80] Navigating Sexual Trauma w/ Luis Mojica

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Sexual trauma is not dependent on abuse. It simply means that an event was either threatening, or overwhelming, and it involved your sexual organs, sexuality, or your body/mind in a sexual context.

In this episode I discuss how experiences like medical trauma & sexual fawning can create sexual trauma - even when sexual assault and abuse are not present.

To join my webinar on Feb 1st about sexual trauma, please visit: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/. If you're seeing this after February 2nd, you can purchase the replay from my site.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 79] The Amazing Gift From Surviving Near Death Many Times | Robin Landsong (Trauma Healer & Teacher)

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Today I'm joined by an incredible woman named Robin Landsong. Her story is one of literal hell and miraculous survival. By age 8 she had already experienced such tremendous abuse and trauma. She found herself being the victim of an abduction and survived several near death experiences in Africa.

She was hiding in a tree, after escaping a harrowing situation, when a woman in the village began singing to her. She didn't understand the language, but she felt a sense of safety and vitality awakening inside of her.

She began healing, only to endure another decade of abuse and trauma until she left home and reconnected to healing her trauma for another 17 years until she developed her own form of trauma healing.

Join Robin for a free 60-minute class on Nurturing Your Nervous System. During the hour she will talk about different ways to nurture your nervous system, have an open Q&A session and work with three participants to show how Singing Medicine can become a part of your healing. Schedule here.

For more information, you can find Robin at one of these links below:

Her Website
Her Facebook Page
Her Instagram Page
Her YouTube Page

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 78] Trauma Talk w/ Karine Bell

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Today I'm joined by my friend Karine Bell. We tend to have these long, rolling conversations when we chat and this time, we chose to record it.

Karine is a trauma therapist and facilitator of Tending the Roots, an incredible virtual collective that holds space for working with somatic abolitionism, cultural trauma healing, and liberating ourselves from cycles of trauma.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 77] Navigating How Music Began To Heal My Trauma | Luis Mojica

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode I speak about the spontaneous healing that I began to experience from playing music as a teenager. Looking back, I can see how I was co-regulating and creating safety within myself. I describe it in this episode & offer a song of mine for your own nervous system to experience and relate to.

To sign up for my next 6-week course, please visit: http://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 76] Navigating Capacity & Desire: How To "Stop Self-Sabotaging" w/ Luis Mojica

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Sometimes we don't have the physical capacity to handle the things we desire. Relationships, money, jobs, even feeling joy - these seemingly beautiful experiences can overwhelm our nervous systems and bodies depending on our trauma histories & present-moment capacity.

This episode explores the difference between capacity and desire through 2 exercises that show you how your body responds to the things you think you want as well as how to tune into what your actual capacity is right now.

For more information on my work, please visit https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 75] Navigating How We Leave Our Bodies When We Grasp At The Mind | Luis Mojica

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I navigate how we lose our bodies when we grasp at the mind. I'm inspired by my friend & colleague James-Olivia Chu Hillman who wrote about this concept through their lens and experience. I share this here, as well as my own experience with this phenomenon.

To sign up for my next course, please visit: http://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 74] The Charrette Process: Finding Commonality With Those Who Oppose You | Bill Riddick (Therapist & Author)

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Bill Riddick is a therapist & facilitator of the Charrette Process. In 1971, he played a pivotal role in desegregating the school district in Durham, NC. During this particular charrette, he paired together a black civil rights activist with a white KKK leader. The result was profound.

What he teaches me in this episode is that conflict heals through understanding & respect. Sharing information, curiosity, expressing feelings, and learning about those who oppose you can actually transform conflict into relationship.

He is portrayed in the film The Best Of Enemies, which is how I learned about him. I hope you get as much from this interview as I did.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 73] Navigating The Roots Of Comfort Food | Luis Mojica

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I navigate the roots of comfort food. What drives our body's desire to eat heavy, emotionally satisfying foods? I was inspired to talk about this after I heard Rupaul & Michell Visage talking on What's The Tee about why kale doesn't comfort them like a fried sandwich does.

There's a biology behind our food habits and it relates to trauma. How adrenalized we are (or are not) affects which foods we move toward.

When we understand the roots to these cravings, we get in touch with the unconscious parts of ourselves that drive many of our behaviors. Once in touch with them, we can begin relating to them and connecting to them.

Our own connection to these parts creates a safety within us and then certain foods and substances become obsolete.

To sign up for my 6-week course, visit: http://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 72] Non-Violent Communication Through The Somatic Lens | Meenadchi (Holistic Practitioner)

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Meenadchi joins me today to discuss Non-Violent Communication. It's an incredible method designed by Marshall Rothenburg & it helps us identify our needs, emotions, and requests so we can be clear in our relationships.

I, personally, hit a wall with NVC because I didn't find it to be trauma-informed enough for me. This is where Meenadchi comes in. They teach and lead NVC workshops through the lens of somatic embodiment, trauma awareness, and decolonial culture.

In addition, they're the only practitioner I've ever met who holds sessions for expanding one's capacity for joy. Amazing!

You can buy their book, or sign up for a future workshop, by visiting https://www.traumainformednvc.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 71] Navigating The Difference Between Duty & Desire | Luis Mojica

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode I navigate the states of duty & desire. I talk about noticing which traditions and habits we've inherited and upheld from a sense of duty & which we've inherited and upheld from a sense of desire.

I also include a short exercise around feeling the now & noticing the difference between how now feels compared to the duty we're dreading.

To sign up for my next 6-week course, please visit http://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 70] The Biology Of Trauma & How Somatic Experiencing Helps | Dr. Abi Blakeslee

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Understanding that trauma is a biology, not a mindset, is what makes somatic therapy so unique and beautiful. Traditional talk therapies tend to focus on the events and identifying how we think and feel about them, but they don't ask us where we feel the events.

Trauma is not the event itself, it's the response to the event. I welcome Dr. Abi Blakeslee to my podcast to share her wisdom and insight around the biology of trauma and how that physical state of threat transforms into vitality through the practices of Somatic Experiencing.

For more information on Abi's work, please visit: https://www.abiblakeslee.com.
To work with a somatic therapist, visit: https://traumahealing.org/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 69] Navigating Depression | Luis Mojica

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I discuss the somatic experience of depression. Something we see as a fixed state may just be a part of us asking for a break, needing rest, and wanting to recover from overwhelm.

I discuss the practice of seeing sensations as beings inside of us. Getting to know them, asking them questions, and letting them show you how they want to be related to. This means there's nothing wrong with us and we're not flawed - we're just responding to things in a healthy way.

Notice what comes up with you and share it with a friend who may benefit from this practice.

Join my next course: www.holisticlifenavigation.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 68] Healing Cultural Trauma With Ice-Cream | Tapiwa Guzha (Microbiologist & Ice-Cream Maker)

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 08:00:00 -0500

This episode explores the many nuances and layers around cultural trauma. The reverberations of it. How colonialism works itself into our language, then our values, and then our realities.

This is a powerful discussion about a man who reflected on his own internalized racism and colonialism. He talks about how teenagers in Zimbabwe rebel against their own culture, in hopes to be more "Black American" and "civilized".

Tapi opened Tapi Tapi Ice Cream in Cape Town, South Africa to teach people, native and non-native to Africa, about indigenous African culture. He blends forgotten native foods & spices into ice cream. It has become a vehicle to reconnect people to their roots & to the roots of African culture.

For more information on Tapi, please visit: https://www.tapitapi.co.za/ and you can see his work on Instagram @_tapi_tapi

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep.67] Making Room Inside Of The Body To Heal Trauma | Brigitt Thompson (Author)

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Brigitt Thompson is a writer, author of Trust Yourself With Money, and a former student of my 6-week course. Her personal experiences that arose from the course were so inspiring to me that I wanted to have her on here to reflect back to me, and you, my own work in her own language.

What is most important to me is her statement: capacity feels like making room. This practice of making room is the foundation of my work. Making room for parts of us we judge, making room for desire, making room for our physical bodies to move and metabolize charge.

Making room is what happens inside of us as we regulate and experience a parasympathetic response. Making room is the precursor to feeling safety inside of the body and it's such a beautiful, easy way to explain this work which can be abstract and difficult to understand until you begin practicing it.

For more information on Brigitt, please visit https://www.trustyourselfwithmoney.com/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 66] Healing Collective & Cultural Trauma | Asha Frost (Indigenous Medicine Woman)

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 08:00:00 -0500

I'm joined by indigenous medicine woman Asha Frost. We explore the nuances of cultural trauma and how to heal that collectively. Asha comes with a unique and powerful sense of unconditional love. Her presence makes this work, amongst natives and non-natives, safe and powerful because she sees us all as relatives and, essentially, needing the same thing: connection to the self, land, and one another.

This conversation reminds me how the body is always connected. It's the mind that forgets, becomes distracted, or even represses natural expressions due to constructs and concepts.

We talk about the cultural trauma that indigenous peoples experienced and continue to experience and how, together, we can weave culture and create the capacity to hold the collective pain that our newfound, colonized countries were founded on and still hold so much of.

Asha also reminds me of how profound it is to not attach to concepts about other people. She says "I'm here for unity" and that's how our work intersects. We're here to practice decolonizing our psyches and bodies so that we can see individuals without projected constructs that would divide us.

For more information on Asha's work, please visit https://ashafrost.com/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 65] The Extended Mind: The Power Of Thinking Outside The Brain | Annie Murphy Paul (Author)

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 08:00:00 -0500

I'm joined my science researcher & author Annie Murphy Paul. We talk about how the mind is far more expansive than just the brain - or even the body. Her work intersects with my work to bring new language and data that supports what indigenous and body-focused cultures have always understood: the body relates to everything around it and the brain is only one piece of the equation.

This holistic understanding of how we relate, learn, and function is invaluable. Understanding this allows us to support our entire selves in learning and living. Our environments, our relationships to others, and our relationships ourselves are all interwoven, interdependent, and important resources that will help or hinder how we live and learn.

For more information on Annie's work, please visit:

https://anniemurphypaul.com/
https://twitter.com/anniemurphypaul

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 64] Somatic Education & Educational Trauma | Devie Rose (Holistic Coach & Teacher)

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Devie Rosie is my guest today. She works as a substitute teacher for Canada's public school system. She's also a breathwork facilitator who is, both, trauma-informed & has studied somatic psychology.

We speak about how learning is dependent on safety, connection, and capacity. Together, we chat about ideas and philosophies on why school can be so traumatic and how, one teacher at a time, we can create deeper co-regulation with students and support their nervous systems to learn and stay present.

You can visit Devie's website here.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 63] Letting Nature Teach Us How To Heal | Tess Whitehurst (Author & Facilitator)

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 08:00:00 -0400

I'm joined by Tess Whitehurst and we speak about how we learn to heal from watching nature and from being in the Earth.

I love this discussion because we try to understand, together, the difference between trauma response and reaction. How we use our imagination to create things, yet that same imagination can keep us in a fear response.

Tess shares her practice of valuing pain and seeing it as interconnected with joy & life. We both agree that staying open is what allows trauma & pain to release from our bodies.

You can listen to the Magic Monday Podcast here.
You can see more of Tess's work & books here.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 62] Transforming Your Genes With Food | Karen Hurd (Biochemist & Holistic Nutritionist)

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 08:00:00 -0400

There is a constant cycle of life & death occurring inside of our bodies at all times. Our DNA & how that DNA expresses can shapeshift at any time depending on our environments, mindsets, and food rituals. This is a blessing because the expressions that are not useful (illness & trauma responses) can also shapeshift into something new.

In this episode, I am joined by biochemist & holistic nutritionist Karen Hurd to teach us how food and chemicals interact with our genetic expressions.

For more information on Karen's work, please visit www.karenhurd.com.
To get on the waitlist for my future courses, please click here.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 61] Understanding Intergenerational Trauma | Mark Wolynn (Trauma Therapist & Author)

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0400

This week Luis is joined by a pioneer in intergenerational trauma and author of "It Didn't Start With You", Mark Wolynn.

They dive into language and the history of stored and inherited family trauma. They discuss how trauma unconsciously passes down through DNA and the expression of that through verbal and nonverbal trauma language. Mark also tells stories from his practice and talks about rewiring the brain through positive practices.

"Scientifically, when a trauma happens, it changes us. So literally it causes a chemical reaction in our DNA, and this changes how our genes function."

"We rarely make the link that our anxiety, our hyper-vigilance, our shutdown, our depression is connected to our parents and our grandparents. We just think we're wired this way, and that's what I keep running into, people just saying 'Well that's how I am, I'm wired this way.'"

For more information on Mark's work and his book, visit www.markwolynn.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 60] Energy Is Somatic | Natasha Levinger (Energy Healer)

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis speaks with Natasha Levinger - energy reader, healer, spiritual coach - about energy work, attunement, Spirit, grief, and more.

"What a spiritual experience it is to be in a body."

"Attunement is a beautiful thing. I was recently using it in an example of when we’re only attuning to others and not ourselves, that’s when it gets off balance. But attuning to people is also how we have empathy and how we connect and how we notice something’s off."

"I easily talk to people who aren’t in bodies anymore. I love doing that. When I was nine, I used to look at the obituaries and write down new friends to talk to. I’m very much not an Earth-based person, necessarily? But again, it’s maybe counterintuitive, but the more I got into my energy body in the present, the more I was able to be like, “Oh yeah, I can see why I want to be on Earth, I can see what’s special about Earth and what’s special about my body.”

"It’s the meaning that we attach to things that creates tension, or contraction, or makes us want to jump into someone else’s experience."

To follow Natasha's work or listen to her podcast, visit www.highestlighthealing.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 59] Family Constellation, Somatic Experiencing & Growing Up In An African Tribe | Euphrasia Nyaki (Somatic Therapist & Teacher)

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0400

Luis speaks with Euphrasia Nyaki about her upbringing in Tanzania, the journey to somatic experiencing, engaging the ancestors, family constellation in her practice, and more.

"I think those two pieces - the somatic experiencing with the intergenerational work - I feel like that's just the gold. I see so many people who...their bodies are still behaving like their ancestors', unbeknownst to them, because it's in there trying to express itself out, right? But it lacks context. So as you start filling in the context, there's this separation and it starts to heal itself, essentially."

"What we do with family constellation is to bring the invisible out of the subconscious mind."

"One thing you said that I really resonated with was how SE (somatic experiencing) gives you the ability to feel the present. It's not just being in the present, you feel what it's like to not have a past or a future."

To learn more about Euphrasia's work, visit www.somaticexperiencing.com/euphrasia-nyaki.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 58] Spiritual Integration Therapy: Using Everything Around You | Lynida Darbes

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0400

This episode Luis reconnects with his dear friend, Lynida Darbes, to talk about spiritual integration therapy -- which involves "an awareness of the process we go through of constantly being called on to integrate our emotions or psychological experience with our spiritual evolution."

"I think the falling off the cliff was pretty instantaneous, after all the pain. I think I either had to die or I had to do this “falling off the cliff.” And then... I was totally alive, just completely every tiny cell in my body was alive and turned on and open and full of love."

"I must have learned early on that it’s all about allowance, that’s the word. You 'allow' and it’s the level of willingness in you of allowance that determines how much you experience."

"That’s what I find true healing to be: when concept and ego kind of just dissipate and your body is dancing with what is. It’s magical. You don’t have to be cancer-free to heal. It’s more like your state of being versus your physical state."

"The feeling of whatever happens, it’s teaching me something. If I look at it the right way, it will teach me something."

To learn more about Lynida or to work with her: www.spiritualintegrationtherapy.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 57] Understanding Trauma Through The Lens of Somatic Experiencing | Luis Mojica & Helena Grant

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a recording from an interview Luis did with Helena Grant for the Divine Instruments global event this past April. He speaks about somatic therapy and food and how that relates to trauma healing.

"We're talking about trauma because it's the unconscious root of all of our imbalances. What's amazing about trauma when you start understanding it somatically versus psychologically is trauma has nothing to do with the event that you've been through. Trauma has everything to do with how the body responds to the event you've been through."

"The mind is so quick to go to feelings as ideas, feelings as experiences, feelings as meaning. Often when I ask someone, I'll say "What do you feel in that moment?" And they say "I feel like--" and whenever there's that word like, I know we're leaving the body."

"We learned that at birth, we screamed out of pain and we were able to nurse or drink from the bottle. So food is the first thing we experience in this human body on this planet of calming us down, and as we get more embodied with our trauma, we learn "Is this food going over my trauma, is it pushing it down, is my trauma choosing it? Or is my body choosing it to nourish?" And you start getting clear over what drives those decisions."

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 56] How Sugar Affects the Body | Karen Hurd (Biochemist & Holistic Nutritionist)

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode, Luis brings back biochemist and holistic nutritionist, Karen Hurd - from [Ep. 8 - Healing Your Body With Beans], [Ep. 19 - Caffeine & Adrenaline: How They Affect the Body], and [Ep. 34 - How Dairy Affects the Body] to talk about what sugar is actually doing in our bodies.

"Some things take a lot of time to break down and enter into the bloodstream. That is not so with sugar. Whenever we put in sugar, it's what we call saccharide. Its molecular construction is such that it takes very little digestive effort - basically none - for it to cross the barriers that allow it into the bloodstream."

"You produce insulin in response to the spike. So if you're going up really rapidly with your blood glucose levels, you're going to release a boatload of insulin to bring down your sugars just as rapidly. Insulin is very effective. It actually grabs these sugar molecules in your bloodstream and will convert them into something known as a triglyceride."

"Sugar is so addictive and satisfying on so many levels and I think because initially it's this concentration of life force because we're breaking down all these foods into the building block of the life, which is the glucose feeding our cells so they can function."

To follow Karen's work or take one of her courses, visit www.karenhurd.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 55] The Power of Inquiry: Showing Up To Yourself With Loving Curiosity | James-Olivia Chu Hillman (Facilitator & Teacher)

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis talks with James-Olivia Chu Hillman about self-inquiry, regulation vs. relation, attunement, somatic embodiment, blame, certainty, animism, Disobedience School and more.

"I believe the willingness to change is the willingness to live, and the willingness to witness others without judgment as they change is the willingness to love."

"What is my relationship with myself like and therefore all of my other relationships with everyone and everything? There's a thing that my dear friend Nic Strack who facilitates conversations with parents, and people who are self-parenting, re-parenting, preparing to parent: 'The relationship you have with yourself defines the relationship you have with your child.'"

"Magical I think is exactly the right word for it, for me. A thing that I've come to recently is that everything doesn't have to make sense... Let me be more specific: I don't have to make sense in order to regard myself. Which I get kind of emotional even just saying it because it's fairly new in the last few months for me to even have that idea as something I'm willing to commit to. Like oh yeah, you don't have to be logical, the math doesn't have to add up, the machinery doesn't have to run smoothly. Everything doesn't have to make sense, I don't have to make sense, and there's magic that's holding it all together. I don't have to do this myself."

To follow James-Olivia, you can find them on Instagram at @inquisitive_human or their website: www.inquisitivehuman.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 54] Healing Trauma and Decolonizing With Food | Luis Mojica

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis shares a pre-recorded workshop he led for Tending the Roots Festival, founded by Karine Bell, about the way we use our food and treat our bodies as a direct result of colonization, which includes a Q&A at the end.

"Part of the most effective way to getting to the trauma and healing the trauma is creating a body that is so well-nourished that it reflects safety in its biochemistry. That the foods it eats grounds and supports and strengthens rather than depresses or depletes or activates. Food is a powerful medicine and tool for healing trauma because food can create a safe body or an activated-slash-depressed body."

"What I do believe is that a lot of the things we call 'symptoms', and 'conditions', and 'problems' are unprocessed trauma responses that are stuck physiologically. So what's amazing about food - amazing and difficult and confusing - is it's, I mean, to say it's a necessity dilutes it. It's something that our bodies know, it's something our bodies need, it's something we depend on. 'It' being food, food being Earth."

"Decolonizing and colonizing is simply the difference between being in dominance over or being in relationship with. It's that simple. Now where it stems from is quite complex, we've seen that in our history, in our social constructs, in our criminal justice systems. We see how complex it's gotten. But at the root of it -- it's a mentality of: Is this here for me or is this here with me?"

Connect with Karine Bell's work at https://www.rootedandembodied.com and @karinebell on Instagram.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 53] Animistic Psychology: Relating to Other Than Humans | Daniel Foor (Psychotherapist & Teacher)

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis dives into animism with Daniel Foor, Ph.D., a teacher of Earth and ancestor reverence, and author of Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing.

"[Animism] is a way to refer to a set of values that basically says living humans are just one kind of person in a much wider field of kinship, community, and other kinds of people. Those other kinds of people include the ancestors, the plants, the animals, deities, nature spirits, planets... you name it."

"If we can’t see other people, we can’t really see them on a soul level, we’re not going to be as useful to them. And there’s going to be something that doesn’t quite click. Making a study of the different forms and patterns and expressions of the sacred is important if you’re going to be in a healing capacity, because you’ll be more able to see people accurately."

"Like any of the binaries we’re being asked to disrupt, there’s who we’ve been and there’s who we are now. And it’s not that we choose one over the other, but how do we bring all of what we are into the moment? And see the powers that are unifying, the earth that is beneath all of us, and the stars, the bigger frame that we’re being held in. It’s important to spend time resting in what’s unifying, as well."

To learn more about the Ancestral Lineage Healing online course, ancestor circles and the work of Daniel Foor, visit www.ancestralmedicine.org.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 52] Celebrating Juneteenth: The Practice of Self-Liberation | Lindsay Christine (Writer)

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Luis embarks on a new conversation with an old friend, Lindsay Christine, centered around Juneteenth.

Christine shares what it was like growing up as a Black woman in this country, from the way she was raised to the narrow messaging we are sold about African American stereotypes.

"My skin tone and the weight that it carries in America really doesn’t have anything to do with me. It is to do with our society and the way it’s been structured and the way that it’s been set up, but racism doesn’t have to do with how good I am as a person or what I’m like internally. I think I was able to develop a sense of self that was separate from the idea of what it means to be Black in America. I know it’s a part of me, I know by many standards it defines me, but it’s not all of me."

"The reality is there’s still work to do, but I’m not going to wait to be free until that work is done. I can be free in myself and they can catch up to me, and I’m going to keep doing the work."

"Everything I try to work towards and do in my life is to just spark positive change not just for me but for the next generation."

You can follow Lindsay Christine and sign up for the newsletter at her new project, The Wellness Feed, which is a hub for sustainable champions around the world.

You can also find her on Instagram at @the_wellnessfeed.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 51] The Spiritual Experiences From Practicing Embodiment | Joshua Sylvae (Somatic Psychologist)

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0400

"The mystical experience is, qualitatively, one of connection. Everyone who is able to expand enough will report this interesting experience of all is one." -Joshua Sylvae

In this episode, I speak with Joshua Sylvae about the spiritual experiences that arise from somatic practices of embodiment. The body is this incredible vessel for experience. Sensations, desires, movements, memories, images - so many things happening in our bones.

If we're not embodied, we miss all those incredible sensations. Embodiment, as we discuss, goes beyond a simple practice of stillness and peace. It helps us actually experience all the realms within and outside of us.

Joshua Sylvae is a Somatic Psychologist and one of my teachers. I was so thrilled to have him on here to lend his wisdom and heart to this discussion.

For more information on his work, please visit https://sylvae.net/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 50] Connecting To Indigenous Irish Roots | Lorcan Bhrighde (founder of Indigenous Ireland)

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0400

I found Lorcan after I was searching for resources regarding the indigenous, pagan ways of the Irish people. My mother is half Irish and, when I was 13, I found myself reconnecting to my Irish roots through Wicca.

Speaking with Lorcan was so lovely. He exemplifies the respectful balance of reconnecting to his indigenous roots while respecting the delicate nature of the word indigenous.

It's thought that only people of color are indigenous, but this is a stereotype that furthers racial constructs & divides. Indigenous means what land you originally belong to. Connecting to our own indigenous roots doesn't mean we have the indigenous experience, however it can help us understand how to co-create with the indigenous peoples of the lands we live on now through commonality of values that come naturally from connecting to the Earth.

This is because indigenous ways have several foundational practices in common. They are Earth-based, see everything as a relative, and are rooted in reciprocity. Connecting to your own indigenous bloodlines means you can access these traditions, rituals, and powerful ways of connecting so that you can relate to other indigenous peoples, as well as the lands you currently reside and travel on.

In short: you get to use your ancestral wisdom to relate better to everything around you.

For more information on Lorcan's work, please visit https://indigenous.ie/ or follow him on IG @indigenous.ie

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 49] The Spiritual & Somatic Practice of Decolonizing Ourselves | Dr. Amber McZeal (Psychotherapist & Teacher)

Fri, 28 May 2021 08:00:00 -0400

I welcome back Dr. Amber McZeal to speak with me about decolonizing the psyche through a spiritual, somatic, and philosophical lens. I first had Amber on back in September. It was Episode 14: Decolonizing The Psyche & I recommend listening to it first if you haven't yet. It will help you with the language and understanding to fully receive this episode.

For me, Amber is pure medicine. Her tone, her delivery, her essence, and her work. Just sitting virtually with her feels like something is shifting and softening in me. The fertile Earth in me is opening up to some new sprouts of growth that I didn't know were there.

After really meditating on her work and our discussion from last year, I started finding the colonizer in me and, from that experience, discovered some clarity around what colonizing even means.

I see colonizing as being in control of, dominating over, or opposing something's nature. I see de-colonizing as unlearning that so we can be in relationship with everything around us. This is what I've learned from indigenous elders and witches: everything is a relative.

In this episode we explore personal experiences & philosophies in this episode to create more clarity and understanding so that we can guide ourselves, and others, toward unlearning the conditioning we grew up in and reclaiming the original ecosystem of reciprocity, respect, and relationship.

For more info on Dr. Amber McZeal, please visit: https://decolonizingthepsyche.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 48] How Your Style Can Heal Your Shame | Stasia Savasuk (Style Coach & Teacher)

Fri, 21 May 2021 08:00:00 -0400

My wife showed me Stasia's Ted Talk in 2018 and I was instantly taken by her story. Like most people I have on my podcast, Stasia discovered, through trauma, a gift and a tool that she could apply to her life and teach others to aid in their healing journey. And that tool was style.

She found how much style impacts your psychology and emotional state. She first discovered this through her daughter, who was born with a myriad of medical issues and developmental conditions. Her daughter had low confidence and felt quite removed, but when she put on boy's clothing she felt alive and ran around the house saying "I feel outside how I feel inside!". And that was the moment for Stasia.

From there she developed the term "inner-outer congruency". It's the practice of developing the capacity to express your internal experience through your style. This is huge for trauma healing because we often feel threatened around being seen. The ability to use your closet and your clothing as medicine to call up pain and then transmute it into glorious style is a true magical practice that Stasia teaches now.

Have a listen, have a feel, and go back into the closet to see what's still waiting to come out.

To follow, or work with, Stasia you can visit her website at www.stasiasavasuk.com or her Instagram @stasiasavasuk.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 47] Abundance Through Transmutation | Dr. Carolyn Elliott (Author & Teacher)

Fri, 14 May 2021 08:00:00 -0400

I love speaking with Carolyn. She's such a kindred soul in the way that she welcomes the trash of life as equally nourishing as the treasures of life.

I find transmutation to be the exact work that I do. I'm teaching people how to feel a sensation that is threatening to the body and, rather than constrict against it, we expand into it which gives it more space to be free, move, teach us something, or simply dissipate.

We talk about how this practice and lifestyle is the epitome of abundance. Especially in terms of how much capacity do you have to receive. Receive what? Everything!

I will say that I went into some detail about my own sexual trauma history, so if you're feeling tender you may want to give yourself extra comfort before listening. I found it necessary to explain, through my own suffering, how transmutation was working me before I even knew what it was.

Have a listen, notice what you feel in your body, and see where this takes you.

BIO

Dr. Carolyn Elliott is the author of Existential Kink: A handbook of life-altering magic, and cult-favorite creativity book, Awaken Your Genius. She runs a 7-figure online business specializing in helping people achieve dramatic positive change in their lives through shadow integration practices and applied occult philosophy.

Carolyn is known for her uncanny and uncomfortable ability to trick really smart, high-achieving magical people into doing the things that they actually want to do. She’s the teacher of life-altering online courses, including WEALTH: the alchemical community where leaders come into their full power.

You can follow her on IG @carolynelliott_

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 46] Holistic Parenting: Creating Safety For Yourself So You Can Parent More Consciously | Anna (Coach & Step Mom)

Fri, 07 May 2021 08:00:00 -0400

I love working with parents because it gives us, as adults, the opportunity to revisit our own nervous systems and learn which parts haven't fully developed. Which parts still hurt from our own wounds with our parents? Our children give us the opportunity to get triggered into those sensations and they can become our greatest teachers.

We chat about how important it is for the parent to become embodied before we can even bring safety and regulation to our children. When we become embodied, we notice and feel our own capacity, our own triggers, and our own childhood wounds that can get easily projected onto our children.

BIO

Anna is a holistic parent coach. Her parenting approach embodies the truth that every person, including every child, is a whole being of mind, body, and spirit; and thus should be incorporated into parenting.

After going through a spiritual awakening and facing her own shadows, Anna became aware of the cycle of generational trauma she was caught in. She is now breaking this cycle as a step-parent, and is helping others see the role generational trauma plays in traditional parenting, and how in using a holistic, conscious approach, parents can break this cycle and give children what they didn't get from their parents and parent-figures.

She provides free content on her Instagram @the.holistic.parent and offers 1:1 coaching. She also has an online course that is financially accessible and is available world-wide, guiding healing amongst families in learning this new paradigm of raising children and breaking the cycle.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 45] Songs From The Land: Using Music To Awaken Ancestry & Decolonize The Body | Luis Mojica

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I speak about my upcoming album titled Songs From The Land & a special ancestral & somatic healing ritual that I'm offering to the public.

Through these 10 songs, my body awakened to many things. My relationship to the land & my body being the most profound. They took me through an 11 year journey of decolonizing which, for me, is removing the act of being in dominance over something and, instead, becoming in relationship with something. A journey I have only just begun.

This personal experience has inspired me to find a way to honor and produce this album, while weaving the wisdom of what these songs and this land I live on (Esopus territory in what we call Woodstock) has taught me.

I've created a special pre-order package for $100 which includes shipping. Each order will get you the signed 12" vinyl, a bundle of hand picked herbs for burning in our ritual, a 2-hour Zoom healing ritual, and a 25% donation to the Center for Native Peoples & the Environment.

I am limiting this to 100 packages so that I can afford to produce the album into vinyl and donate $2500 to this center that I very much believe in. Those of you who purchase it will receive the digital files of the songs shortly after, as well as a monthly email with videos from me to prompt you into doing the somatic work in preparation for our ritual, which will be held in October.

The ritual will be 2 hours long via Zoom and we will weave the wisdom from our bodies & our ancestors in a collective way to be witnessed, released, and shared.

I am so excited for this! To purchase one of the 100 packages, please visit my bandcamp page here.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 44] Llhamdella - "I'm Thankful For Everything" | Mira Kaddoura

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0400

I saw Mira's Ted Talk about "Why Not Me?" and I was instantly hooked. I'm so attracted to people who find a way to use everything that comes their way - everything - for their own healing, gratitude, and life.

I reached out to Mira because she lives by the Arabic word llhamdella, which means "I'm thankful for everything" and she means everything. Mira was born in Egypt and grew up during a war in Beirut, the capitol of Lebanon, where bombs were dropped. Her grandmother, who lived in Palestine, lost her home, yet they all continued to live by, and say, llhamdella.

What is the wisdom in radical gratitude? First, it keeps our biology healthy. Our physical bodies breathe deep, remain opened, and can transmute charge and stress quite easily through our bodies. This keeps the mind open, and it also keeps the body in a state of safety. Even when our outside world is very unsafe.

Mira is a beautiful example of how gratitude keeps us whole and allows us to be more abundant, generous, and open to life. She also reminds us how growing up with great co-regulators (parents in this case) make all the difference. This is why someone can see a scary movie when they're 4 and emerge with more trauma than Mira, who experienced actual violence.

There's so much wisdom and beauty in this episode. I'm very grateful for Mira sharing herself so that I can now share this with you.

Llhamdella.

BIO

Mira Kaddoura is founder of Red & Co., a female & minority owned boutique consultancy that helps brands make a larger, more meaningful impact on society. Red&Co. created “Made with Code,” one of Google’s most important initiatives to diversify the tech industry & Netflix’s lauded brand campaign, “Make Room,” that positioned Netflix as a champion of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Red & Co.'s clients also have included lululemon, New Belgium Brewing, adidas, Planned Parenthood, Diageo and most recently Babyganics.

Mira is an Egyptian-born Lebanese Palestinian fluent in Arabic, French and English. Her passions are her family, her mindful practices & learning to cook her mamas love-filled food. She sees nature as her greatest teacher. She’s most proud to be raising three multicultural, multiracial and multilingual daughters.

Her recent TEDx Talk “How women can change the world by asking ‘Why not me?’,” shares a lot of her thoughts on the world. In 2019, Mira was awarded Ad Age’s “Women to Watch" & Adweek’s “Creative 100” and Portland Advertising Federation’s “Ad Person of the Year”. Her work has also won Cannes Lions, TED’s Ads Worth Spreading, D&AD Pencils, Effies, Clios, Communications Arts and Webbys.

She is also known for her conceptual interactive art projects that challenge rigid cultural assumptions around feminism & biology as well as projects that highlight the media’s control on what we think is our individual Point of View. Her philanthropic efforts include, but are not limited to, sitting on the board of Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, Dubai Institute of Design & Innovation and 600 & Rising a non-profit & advocacy group whose mission is to dismantle systemic racism & advocate for Black talent in advertising and public relations.

You can follow her at @mirakaddoura on Instagram.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 43] The Wisdom From Being Multi-Ethnic | Carolyn Carter

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0400

This episode explores the pain & beauty of being different. I met Carolyn on IG and we had a good old fashioned phone call which was so connecting and gorgeous that I wanted to have her on my podcast.

Carolyn embodies my personal philosophy and belief system: allow your pain to teach you so that you can teach others. We focus on the topic of racial & cultural trauma, however anyone can relate to the experience of "something is wrong with me", but not all of us find freedom from that belief. When we do, skies the limit!

Carolyn reminds me that we walk with our ancestors and we carry many lands, stories, and strengths within our bones. When we heal our trauma, our bodies, our hearts, and our minds open so that we can fully receive these gifts of past and present.

BIO

Carolyn Waiters Carter has served 27 years in the fields of
Human Services, Non Profit Management, and Project
Management, including Decades of experience in Training and
Development, Program Design,, Community Economic, and
Workforce Development, Disaster Recovery, Housing
Revitalization, Youth Development, and Racial Healing,
Reconciliation and Equity.

Carolyn is currently using her intuitive ability, passion for healing,
personal development, beauty, justice, with her decades of
diverse experiences and skills, towards self mastery coaching,
self healing resourcing, ,focused towards supporting, nurturing
and facilitating people, communities, and organizations in
discovery and activation of their highest self.

Carolyn can be reached by phone at 504-505-5528 or email her at metamorphosis1@bellsouth.net. You can also follow her on IG @lunabloom4u

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 42] Processing Trauma Through Songwriting | Fredo Viola (Musician & Multi-Media Artist)

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0400

Music was the force that connected me back to myself. It was my Kintsugi - the Japanese art of putting broken bowls back together with gold. I was broken from trauma and the vibrations of music brought my back into my body and taught me capacity and, essentially, transmutation of energy.

On today's episode, I invited by dear friend Fredo Viola on to speak about using music to process trauma. He is an accomplished composer, singer, and performer who's newest album releases on April 9th, 2021. This particular album, titled My New Head, is truly about transmuting pain into beauty & I use it as a compass for this discussion.

You can purchase his album on vinyl, or digitally, at http://mynewhead.com.

BIO

Fredo Viola is a singer, composer and audio visual artist living in the United States. He studied film making at Tisch School fo the Arts and released his first full-length album with experimental videos to great acclaim in France and England in 2008. For more info about Fredo’s latest album, My New Head, go to http://mynewhead.com. More info about Fredo’s projects can be found at http://fredoviola.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 41] Connecting To My Ancestral Taino Roots | Irka Mateo (Taino Medicine Woman)

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0400

I was given a very unique name growing up: Luis Monroig Mojica III. I am the third generation of this name lineage and I never quite understood it until recently. Like a seed that sits dormant, waiting for nutrients. My name sat there out in the open waiting to be nourishing with curiosity and inquiry.

Growing up, I would often ask what my name meant. I was visibly white but my name and soul were not. My grandfather and father would always say "Spanish Indian". This never made any sense because he came from Puerto Rico. So I would say "Which tribe?" and no one would answer. It was like an unthinkable question was asked.

Then several years ago I received results from a DNA test that said I my Latino DNA came from Indigenous Puerto Rico & North Africa: Los Tainos y Los Guanches peoples. Amazing! So many confirmations came flooding in. My affinity for the tropics, my pagan nature, and my deeply profound connection to Native American culture.

Since then, I've been connecting with friends, elders, and scholars around these first peoples and learning more about them - my ancestors. This episode is part of that journey.

I welcome Akutu (Grandmother) Irka Mateo to tell me about her journey of reclaiming her indigenous Taino heritage in a world that claimed it had gone extinct. She shares that story, her own wisdom, traditions, and a very powerful medicine song.

Let this be a reminder to us all: we're all indigenous to somewhere. Your heritage can unlock some profound body wisdom and gift you with a compass to navigate yourself with. This does not create "tribalism" as a way to separate from one another. Instead, it shows us how alike we all our as we are all children of the same mother, Earth, and because of that we are all related.

BIO

Akutu Irka is a Taino medicine woman (bohutio), ceremonialist, singer-songwriter, and teacher. She practices animism and ancestors’ reverence in the tradition of Caribbean and South American indigenous spirituality. Guided by her compassionate spirit guides, Irka conducts the healing ceremonies through spontaneous sacred chanting and the playing of Taino ancestral instruments, such as the Mayowakan (drum), rattles, and playing Pre-Hispanic ceramic whistles – replicas of which she makes herself.

For more information on Irka, you can visit her at:

https://sacredtainohealing.com/
http://irkamateo.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 40] Tattoo My Body: A Pilgrimage To Reconnect With The Ancestors | Kai Bautista

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is about one woman's journey to reconnect with her indigenous roots. Like Kai says in this episode: our bodies are our ancestors. Our bodies carry their stories: traumas and triumphs. Oral traditions once passed down those stories so we had context of why our bodies do what they do and why we express certain behaviors and patterns.

Kai grew up in America seeing images of Filipino children living in poverty - the only representation she saw. Until, one day, she saw an image of a Filipina woman in a magazine who looked powerful, wise, and radiant. So she decided to go find her.

Kai embarked on a journey to the Philippines and traveled through the mountains to connect with this woman, get tattooed by her and begin the journey of reconnecting to her indigenous heritage to heal her own trauma & connect more deeply to the Earth.

BIO

Angelica “Kai” Bautista was born in 1979 on Tongva land post colonially renamed Los Angeles, California. She is the youngest daughter of Filipinx parents from Pampanga and Balanga, Philippines. Having roots from a land with a complex history of colonization and untold genocide by multiple nations including Spain, the US, and Japan, there was a wide disconnection from her identity. Kai found herself digging into her ancestry after reading about an elder named Whang Od Oggay, who was the last Mambatok (hand tap tattooer) from the Butbut tribe in the mountains of Luzon, Philippines. Prior to this, she had no idea that there were still indigenous tribes from her ancestral land.

Kai has backpacked and traveled extensively for the past 20 years and has naturally found herself with healers, priestesses, curanderas, and shamans within the mountains, jungles, lakes, coasts, etc. of the world. It was not until 2016 that she traveled back to her roots in the Philippines, as an adult, in order to get tattooed and meet her idol Whang Od Oggay in the mountain village of Buscalan.

Since then she went back to learn indigenous medicine and is now a Binabaylan (One who walks the path of the Babaylan). A Babaylan is a pre-colonial shaman, healer, mystic, and warrior. She is an energy worker and reiki vessel who understands the spectrum of life and death after four death and near death experiences. She is a shadow and root worker who delights in helping people move dense blockages within the psyche, spirit, emotional and physical body.

My personal IG is @Angelikai11 and my e-mail is KaiStillWild@gmail.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 39] The Wisdom From Miscarriages | Theresa Widmann (Health & Life Coach)

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0400

Trauma is when events so big, so scary, and so overwhelming cause a reaction in the body the breaks us off from ourselves. Trauma is an inevitable rupture we must all experience throughout our lives. When those ruptures repair, we are left with deep wisdom and insight into life. We are given new perceptions, have more resilience & capacity in our bodies, and often emerge with more gratitude for life - even the trauma.

My guest today shares how the journey of fertility and the desire to become a mother ended up teaching her so much about herself & her own unresolved traumas. For instance, realizing how poorly she mothered herself for most of her life and how this would become a priority before she could expect herself to mother someone else.

BIO

Theresa is a Health and Life Coach who loves helping others heal, dream and thrive. She's founder of Anahata, a community based organization centered on healing, and host of the radio show and podcast, "i want what SHE has." As long as she's practiced her self care for the day, she also makes time to organize the City of Kingston's Heal Well Focus Team, serve as a member of Ulster County's Restorative Justice Task Force and uplift as a member of the Girls' Inc. of Ulster and Dutchess Counties Advisory Committee. And she sends a big hug to all those wanting to be mamas. You can do it!

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 38] Using The Transgender Experience To Heal The Masculine | Vincent Frano (Artist)

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Healing intergenerational trauma is nuanced, unique, and personal. No two people will do it the same way. Vincent has found a pathway to ancestral, intergenerational, and cultural-collective trauma through the process of transitioning.

We speak about the spiritual experience of being transmasculine. The process, for Vincent, helped him balance his feminine and masculine energies into a place that's become more authentic, ambiguous, and free to be whatever feels natural.

I alway say that nature is androgynous. How could it not be? Our biologies are on thing, but the energies that move through our biologies are an entirely different creature. A creature that cannot be tamed, regardless of how hard we may try.

BIO

Vincent Frano is a primarily self-taught, queer artist. His works are autobiographical accounts from his daily life; where domesticity, nature, and science are all manifestations and reflections of spirituality. Frano’s work explores a series of visual languages that evolve with time. Each piece expresses his understanding of Life through an innate animistic view.

You can learn more about Vincent & his work by visiting: https://www.vincentfrano.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 37] How Trauma Affects Your Business | Holly Howard (Consultant)

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Today's episode welcomes Holly Howard who is a business consultant, music therapist, and founder of Ask Holly How. Her work is unorthodox, radical, and powerfully transformative. I wanted to have her on because she believes that one's business is an extension of their own psyche and body.

Holly speaks about the term "scarcity supremacy". She sees white supremacy as an extension of this - and I agree. In America, we can see it in our history everywhere. Our original flight response from Europe was steeped in threat and, I believe, that trauma response just got projected into slavery, classism, sexism, and any other kind of phobic othering that we've seen in the massive cultural & collective traumas throughout our history and present day.

Still, how do those trauma responses affect our businesses? How do we create a more bio-diverse experience in our business? From our employees & customer base to the our sourcing of materials - so much depends on how secure am I within myself?

Holly answers some of these questions and introduces her holistic, avant-garde business philosophies to us in this episode. Holly is not on social media, yet she has a very successful business. To learn from her, sign up for her newsletter at https://www.askhollyhow.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 35] Decolonizing Your Diet | Claudia Serrato (Culinary Anthropologist)

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Today's episode is probably my favorite of all time. I speak with Claudia Serrato who is, among many other things, a womb ecologist & indigenous culinary anthropologist.

We speak about reawakening our bodies with ancestral foods from our heritage, as well as wild foods ancient to the lands that we currently reside on.

We speak about decolonizing our bodies and minds through our diets. We also talk about decolonizing the taste buds of our children as they develop in the womb.

The foundation of our conversation is about honoring our land through food. We both agree that, through honoring our land, we become aware of our connection to all living things and we lose the social constructs of classism, racism, sexism, and any other concepts that separate us.

BIO

Claudia Serrato is a womb ecologist, indigenous culinary anthropologist, chef, professor, mother, & co-founder of Across Our Kitchen Tables. She is a Xicana woman living on Tongva land in what we call Los Angeles, CA.

To connect with Claudia, and stay updated about her important work, you can follow her on Instagram @xicana_indigena or by visiting https://www.instagram.com/xicana_indigena/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 34] How Dairy Affects The Body | Karen Hurd (Biochemist & Holistic Nutritionist)

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, I welcome back Karen Hurd to teach us about dairy & how it affects the body. Personally, I have linked all of my childhood illnesses to dairy. I had high cholesterol, was 50 pounds overweight, suffered from debilitating asthma, and had really painful cystic acne all over my face, neck and back.

Medications suppressed the symptoms for me, which offered some relief, but they did not go away until I removed dairy from my diet when I was around 18. I am 33 now and I have none of these conditions anymore. They've all completely reversed.

So I had Karen on to tell me what dairy was doing to my body and why so many of us will find relief from inflammation, auto-immune conditions, and chronic illness just by removing dairy from our diets.

For more information on Karen's work, visit her website at http://www.karenhurd.com/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 33] Vicarious Trauma | Luis Mojica & Guests

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I bring my colleagues back for a roundtable discussion about vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma is when your body experiences someone else's trauma. This can happen through media, witnessing horror in person, or while listening to someone recount a traumatic event. Vicarious trauma is especially common for therapists and medical professionals.

Some things we discuss are:

- The difference between somatic empathy & vicarious trauma.
- How to physically notice when you're becoming overwhelmed by a person or event.
- How we, as therapists, maintain our center while holding space for trauma.

If you're interested in working with, or contacting, any of the therapists from this discussion you can find their info below:

Linda Dukess: http://www.lindabernsteintherapy.com/
Alexis Katz: https://www.alexiskatzlcsw.com/
Laurie Robbins: http://www.robbinscounseling.com/
Daniel Schidlowsky: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/daniel-schidlowsky-kingston-ny/342788

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 32] Men Who Embraced The Feminine | Luis & Guests

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0500

On today's episode, I speak with three men (Michael, Danny, & Todd) about what it was like to grow up with the pressure of the masculine archetype. Through embracing the feminine, we found balance and restored our natural, authentic way. I wanted to record this special, 2 hour sacred conversation about our experiences in hopes to give others a reference of what it looks like when men come together, talk about their truest feelings and experiences, and create space that is receptive, loving, and healing.

So often, men are characterized and pigeon-holed into specific roles that limit our full selves. I've held space for many men in my practice and in men's circles and hear the same stories over and over again about the desire to be more feminine, more balanced, and engage in intimacy and affection with other men.

The father wound runs deep in most of us because they grew up without a compass for being an integrated man, and so we're left with society's story about men. The rockstar, the superhero, the knight in shining armor - cinematic drag kings depicting one aspect of maleness, masculinity, and power & magnifying as the normal standard of male.

So, as we come into our male bodies, we fall short in comparison and experience a ton of shame and competition. Our male peers, going through the same pressures, project their own pain onto the boys who are the most unusual, the most feminine, and the most vulnerable.

The healing comes from the non-binary. Not being masculine, or feminine. Instead, letting those words show up as energy that comes, that goes, and that shape shifts, rather than attaching these polarities to our identities and having to live up to one while we suppress the other.

BIOS

Michael Miller

Michael is a student of embodiment, singing, Kirtan, somatic coaching, shamanism, energy healing, and life. Through Bhakti and Vocal Coaching he supports others to discover their True Voice and live wild, passion-driven lives. Michael currently resides in Topanga, CA where he enjoys spending his free time in nature, singing, creating music, writing, and practicing Kung Fu. You can find out more about his Bhakti and Vocal coaching work at: https://www.michaelpatrickmiller.com/

Daniel Kerry

Daniel is a stay at home dad, a mentor for men in 12 step recovery, and a life coach. Currently, his focus is parenting but he is very open to hear from you if you'd like to reach him. You can do so by emailing him at danielseankerry@gmail.com .

Todd Nickens

Todd J. Nickens is a screenwriter, Director and graphic novelist. A Brooklyn native, Todd received his Master’s Degree in Media Studies from The New School. He was a 2016 quarterfinalist in the Cynosure Feature Competition for his screenplay Pump & Punishment. Todd is a member of Origins Films: a writer’s collective for artists of color. Todd is currently working on his latest screenplay, entitled: Heavy Metal: Isis, as well as developing his screenplay, Daku Ronin, into an animated feature film. You can contact him by emailing him at brooklyngaffer77@gmail.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 31] Letting The Body Show Us What It Remembers | Meghan Fisher

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Meghan Fisher is my guest on this very special episode. I found Meghan's work on Instagram and was immediately taken by it. She started a personal project of shadow expression & integration which she called Chronicles Of A Sasquatch. Images & videos of her in this sasquatch outfit followed with deep, meaningful, and confessional texts. I loved it and wanted her to come onto my podcast to talk about the process.

The first part of this episode is an interview with her about her shadow work and sasquatch expressions. The second part, is a somatic therapy session between her and I where her body takes us through the forgotten memories that its still holding onto, as well as how those stored moments are currently showing up in her life.

For more information on Meghan, you can visit her Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/meghanalexisrose/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 30] The Connection Between Infidelity & Childhood Trauma | Nicole Garvey

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0500

This interview came after my scheduled guest had to cancel last minute. I put out a call asking for others to write me their stories of transforming trauma into wisdom. Nicole was the first to write, and her story is a continuation of last week's story: addiction born from unprocessed childhood trauma & the desperation to find safety. This time, it's from a woman's perspective.

Nicole Garvey shares her story for the first time, ever, about how unprocessed sexual childhood trauma began expressing itself through multiple extramarital affairs. The thing we must always remember about trauma is that it gets stored in the body so, even when we forget it or intellectually identify it, the body continues to cycle and express itself similar to how it experienced trauma in the first place. This is the case with Nicole's experience.

Nicole's experience also teaches us that, once we integrate and release our trauma, we become empowered by it, more wise because of it, and so much more empathic & compassionate from it. She now has this gift from her experience to offer safe space, unconditional empathy, and guidance to those who cross paths with her or work with her as clients. How lucky for all of them, and how lucky for me to have gotten to sit down with her.

BIO

Nicole Garvey is a LPC-Associate living in East Texas with her husband and three children. She is passionate about guiding clients through the process of self-discovery by utilizing a bottom-up approach of befriending the body to heal the mind. Her personal journey has poised her to understand and treat the complexities of trauma, including but not limited to: sexual abuse, addiction, anxiety disorders, infidelity, motherhood, spiritual abuse, eating disorders, and PTSD. If her story has touched you and you would like to reach out to her, you can find here on Instagram @Nicole.Garvey.counseling .

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 29] Pornography Addiction & Trauma | Benjamin Obler (Author & Teacher)

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Today's episode explores the somatic experience behind pornography addiction. Like most addictions, porn addiction is a desperation to find predictable safety. It stems from a childhood, particularly during puberty, of developing without consistent co-regulation. For men, it can be the secret password to be accepted into the club of men.

I invite Benjamin Obler to this episode. Ben experienced pornography addiction that grew so powerful that it became a wedge between him and his wife - as well as a wedge between him and himself. I had the pleasure of working with Ben for a while. What inspired me about Ben was his very balanced masculinity. This is not a man who is toxic in his expression of manliness. He is well read, articulate, perfectly feminine, and balanced in being, both, tender and firm.

He breaks the stereotype for porn addicts. He brings a childhood history of trauma to the table, yet we only discussed a small fraction of it in this episode. Ben's experiences, male role models, and what he believed about himself growing up led him to not feel safe with other human beings. The fear of rejection, the freeze of fear, and the isolation of shame consumed him. Pornography was a realm he could exist in, safely, freely, and find predictable comfort and regulation.

It has very little to do with sex or sexuality and everything to do with trying to find safety and security. As someone with my own history of sex addiction, I understand this and I welcome you to this episode and ask you to join in with an open mind, open heart, and open body so you can feel what it brings up for you. Notice where you connect, where you get triggered, and where you get inspired.

BIO

Benjamin Obler is a writer, editor and teacher. He wrote the novel Javascotia, from Penguin Book UK. His short story “The White Man’s Incredulity Furrows His Brow” won the short fiction prize with Puerto Del Sol in 2015. His essays have appeared in the Guardian, Longreads, Electric Literature, and the Times of London. He teaches with Gotham Writers Workshop of New York City and other outlets.

Find him at:

https://www.aspiringwritersyndrome.com/

https://www.instagram.com/aspiringwritersyndrome/

https://aspiringwritersyndrome.medium.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 28] How To Die Well | Murphy Robinson & Jamie Waggoner

Fri, 25 Dec 2020 08:00:00 -0500

This is a beautiful episode, recorded on the day before Winter Solstice about the life-giving qualities of death. The inevitable transformation into the unknown that we all must experience. I spoke with Murphy Robinson & Jamie Waggoner who bring an insightful and unique conversation about death to the episode. We speak about how to die well, what death means to us, and the life force that is present even in death.

To work with Muphy & Jamie, or to see their offerings, please visit the following links:

Murphy's Website: http://www.mountainsongexpeditions.com/
Jamie's Website: https://www.jamiewaggoner.com/
Jamie's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmwaggoner
Jamie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pythiaofthepines/
Current Online Class: http://www.mountainsongexpeditions.com/wayoftheweaver.html

In this episode I refer to Episode 17: Using Grief To Transform Your Life w/ Loren Michelle. In that episode, Loren shares about how she changed her life and found a deeper life force and meaning through the grief from the sudden death of her son. I strongly recommend listening after you hear this episode.

The episode ends with my song "Black Magick" off of my upcoming album Songs From The Land. It captures the moment in my life when I first moved to Woodstock, NY. I met a Lakota & Cherokee two-Spirit man who gifted me a handful of Barred Owl feathers. I braided the feathers into my hair and this song came through me, all at once, about the sacred mountain (originally home to the Esopus tribe of the Lenape people) I lived and walked on. The song will be available on September 20th, 2021 when the record is released. You can sign up to be notified by email here, if you'd like.

BIOS

Murphy Robinson is a priestx, wilderness guide, activist, and a student of the sacred hunt. They have been casting circles since they were sixteen years old, and have taught both magic and wilderness skills across the US, and occasionally in Ireland and Sweden. They have pursued special study of spirit journeying, the Norse runes, archery as a magical practice, and meaningful rituals to honor the animals and plants who die to feed us. Their work often serves The Huntress and The Lord of the Dead. As a queer transmasculine priestx, they explore healthy and healing ways to reclaim the sacred masculine.

Jamie Waggoner is a priestess whose interests center around folk magic, mythology, oracular traditions, trance and ritual arts, and building sacred communities. She believes that magic is real, present all around us, and a profound tool for justice and transformation. Jamie trained as a priestess with the Sisterhood of Avalon for thirteen years, and now leads independent workshops and rituals across the United States. Jamie lives in Alabama, the ancestral homeland of the Mvskoke (Muscogee) people.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 27] Co-Regulating With The Moon & Other Forms of Planetary Healing | Britten LaRue

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Today's conversation is around the topic of healing through Astrology & the planets themselves. I was drawn to interview Britten because of her experience with finding safety with the Moon and then creating a workbook out of her experience for others to follow in her footsteps.

We chat about the Moon, co-regulation, healing through Astrology, and the androgyny that is nature & the universe.

About Britten

Britten LaRue is an intuitive life coach, writer, and teacher. Blending astrology, the tarot, somatic healing techniques, and deep self-inquiry, Britten helps clients deprogram from unhelpful conditioning and hear their own truth. With a long background in academia, Britten brings the rigor of her training to the wisdom of her life experience, including grief, trauma, addiction, motherhood, sexuality, and divorce.

To Work With Her

Visit https://brittenlarue.com or follow her on Instagram @brittenlarue.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 26] Healing Your Life With Wild Herbs | Lata Kennedy (Herbalist)

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Today's guest is wise woman herbalist Lata Kennedy. Lata grew up in India and left home when she was just 16 to escape from a traumatic environment. Becoming very poor, she quickly turned to the Earth's wild foods & medicines to find a sense of belonging, security, and a skill that she could use to offer in exchange for food.

Quickly, Lata began healing her body, healing her trauma, and creating a deep connection to the world around her through the use of wild herbs as medicine. She moved to NYC and opened a small herb shop called Flower Power, which is thriving 30 years later. She uses her shop to serve her community, educate people about herbs, and create a safe, magical space in a very crowded, industrial NYC to help people connect back to the Earth.

I am very grateful to Lata for being my wife's herbal teacher and mentor, and then my wife taught me. We get to continue the lineage of herbal healing through educating our daughter, and my wife's new herb shop Artemis Rising gets to serve our community in Woodstock, NY.

This is just one of many herb shops and healing centers that have been created from Lata's students. Every day people looking to heal themselves and connect to the land, stumbling into an old apothecary in the East Village and being changed for life. Like the mother dandelion, Lata's generosity & wisdom have spread all over the world.

For more information on Flower Power, please visit:

Website: https://flowerpower.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerpower_nyc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flowerpowerherbs

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 25] Water Is Life | Patric Mwalua (founder of Mwalua Wildlife Trust)

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode, I speak with Patric Mwalua who is the founder of the Mwalua Wildlife Trust. His organization was started with, as he says, "pennies in his pocket", when he began transporting water to endangered animals at the Tsavo Sanctuary in Kenya.

His Water is Life Truck is an ongoing supply of water to water points in the wildlife areas. The delivery of water with this truck can be essential to the survival of wildlife in times of drought and helps mitigate wildlife conflict with surrounding villages as it reduces the instances of animals destroying property in search of water.

His organization is involved in community projects that include planting trees to heal deforestation, building water catchment systems to store the rainwater when it comes, community gardens for the families in the area to create food security, & ongoing work to sustain the future of his community.

Patric and I spoke about the sacredness of water, how empathy gave birth to his organization, and reminded me about the true spirit of generosity.

Make A Donation
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mwtwaterfundforanimals?utm_term=Vq6ADgNdZ

Follow
https://www.instagram.com/mwaluawildlife/
https://www.facebook.com/mwaluawildlifetrust/

Official Website
https://www.mwaluawildlifetrust.org/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 24] ADHD May Be An Expression of Unprocessed Trauma | Shannon Myers (Holistic Counselor)

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 08:00:00 -0500

I, like many other children, was diagnosed in the 90s with ADHD, nervous ticks, & Tourette's Syndrome. The doctors wanted to put me on an anti-psychotic that would have had nearly catatonic effects. Lucky for me, my mother was a nurse and said "hell no!". So I began learning mindfulness, with the help of my mother, at the age of 9 and further managed and healed my diagnoses with whole food nutrition, herbal therapy, and somatic therapy for the unconscious trauma I was holding.

I invited Shannon Myers to chat with me about her work, her story, and how she assesses, treats, and works with ADHD. She visits and educates the entire family on their relationship dynamics, food habits, environment, and any lifestyle habits that would contribute to overwhelming the nervous system.

In addition, she assesses whether or not the individual is experiencing trauma or an actual brain imbalance. Most of the time, it's trauma that's misdiagnosed as something else. This means that we over medicate our systems when they really need to be nourished.

To work with Shannon, please visit her website https://theintegrativecounselor.com/ or follow her on Instagram @the.integrative.counselor.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 23] Co-Regulation | Luis Mojica & Guests

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 08:00:00 -0500

This episode finds me in another group discussion with my 3 colleagues about co-regulation. Co-regulation is the event of attuning to another system that makes you feel safe. Essentially meaning: my body feels safe with your body.

We talk about how co-regulation is the foundation for self-regulation, healthy relationships, and feeling safe with others in the world. For more information on my guests, please visit their links below.

Alexis Katz: https://www.alexiskatzlcsw.com/
Daniel Schidlowsky: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/daniel-schidlowsky-kingston-ny/342788
Laurie Robbins: http://www.robbinscounseling.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 22] The Roots Of The Transgender Movement & Other Tales | Chelsea Goodwin & Dr. Rusty Moore

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Today I interview Chelsea Goodwin & Rusty Moore. They are both little slices of history for the transgender movement. Both activists who founded Transy House in 1995 to give housing to transgender people who needed safe space. Transy House eventually closed in 2008.

I was happy to speak with them about their journeys in coming out, their recounts of trans and LGBTQI history, as well as a myriad of other realms, eccentricities, and landscapes living in Chelsea's mind.

To listen to Chelsea's radio show, In Goth We Trust, go to http://www.facebook.com/ingothwetrustshow.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 21] Trauma, The Empath, & Unconditional Empathy | Luis Mojica

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I speak about the difference between empathy & being an Empath. Being empathic means the lifelong practice of understanding everyone. Being and Empath is the experience of feeling everyone.

The untrained Empath, so to speak, is in a constant physical state of overwhelm. They may avoid people altogether. And this experience of physically feeling people's energies to the detriment of one's own body is a response to unprocessed trauma.

That trauma doesn't have to mean abuse or even childhood issues. It can mean birth trauma and trauma while developing in the womb, which I speak about in this episode.

Healing trauma and creating safety in the body sets up the necessary environment to practice unconditional empathy and allows the Empath to learn the difference between what's mine and what's yours.

I reference Mark Wolynn's book titled It Didn't Start With You, which poignantly explores the phenomenon of inter-generational trauma. You can find more on his work here: https://www.markwolynn.com/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 20] Eating For Calm | Unique Hammond (Holistic Nutritionist)

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0400

Unique Hammond is my guest on today's episode. She suffered for many years from Crohn's, which literally stripped all the joy from her life. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't eat, and couldn't even be touched because her skin was so sensitive.

Then, Karen Hurd's work found her and she implemented the Bean Protocol. Within weeks she began healing what had been many years of illness. She went on to learn how the way she was showing up to her life was throwing her body and mind out of balance.

The first step was healing her body, and the second was healing her mind. Unique is now a practicing holistic nutritionist, a bean protocol coach, and author of the book "Your Taste Buds Are Assholes".

For more information on her work, visit: www.youregreat.com or follow her on Instagram @uniquehammond.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 19] Caffeine & Adrenaline: How They Affect The Body | Karen Hurd

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0400

Today I have Karen Hurd back on the show to talk all about adrenaline. This unavoidable, absolutely vital hormone that we need to live. Our modern world and industrialized food system has made it very easy for us to overtax our adrenals and create more adrenaline.

And what does that mean for the body? Inflammation, digestive upset, anxiety, emotional imbalances & activating trauma responses are just a few things that will be set off by excess adrenaline.

Karen Hurd walks us through the biochemistry of adrenaline on the body and how we can begin helping our bodies heal & repair from all the stimulation.

For more information on Karen, as well as her courses, please visit www.karenhurd.com.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 18] How Lupus Was Her Greatest Teacher | Kounthea Richards (Coach)

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0400

Kounthea (Koon-tear) Richards is a coach, mother, and wise woman who was propelled into a major transformation in the midst of overwhelming illness & trauma.

A lupus diagnosis changed her life when she was in her early thirties. She was slowly becoming crippled, was hospitalized on several occasions, and suffered a miscarriage. She was beginning to realize that, despite her holistic way of living, her thinking and her feeling needed more work.

Unprocessed childhood trauma and 30 years of repressing her emotions are what Kounthea began to identify as the root of her deadly auto-immune disease. So she began feeling, began crying, and began working with her thinking.

And then something miraculous happened: she went into remission and has been ever since. I spoke with Kounthea about how her trauma and suffering led her to know and experience herself much more deeply.

To work with Kounthea, please visit: https://www.kounthearichards.com or follow her on Instagram @kounthea_richards.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 17] Using Grief To Transform Your Life | Loren Michelle

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0400

Grief is the somatic experience of overwhelming love & overwhelming loss hitting the body at once. This episode explores Loren Michelle's story of grief. A story that is radical, unusual, yet deeply moving & inspiring.

Her story is about the death of her son & acclaimed professional skateboarder Pablo Ramirez on April 23rd 2019. Loren was a client of mine at the time. Our work, which was originally about balancing her work/life identity, was quickly propelled into something much deeper: giving herself permission to do whatever the fuck she wanted to do.

To her surprise, it was adopting a lot of what her son did: skateboarding, graffiti, chopping off her hair and bleaching it, and selling her company. From the outside, some might think Loren was having a breakdown or regressing. However, she was and is more alive than ever before.

She went on to create the Pablo Ramirez Foundation which, as the website states, "promotes a positive lifestyle through skateboarding, music and art for kids and young adults. We are devoted to helping youth grow positively and with confidence, to create, to respect and to express themselves."

For more information, and to donate, please visit www.pabloramirez.org. You can also follow Loren on Instagram @mammasplifff.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep 15] Nature Divinations: Listening To The Earth For Healing | Gaiamore (Eco-Therapist)

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 19:00:00 -0400

Gail Morrison, aka Gaiamore, is an artist, eco-therapist and teacher of earth-based spiritual practices. I had her on to share her personal journey with us, how her journey to listen to her body when it was full of cancer led her to the Earth-based practices.

In this episode we discuss paganism, co-regulating in nature, and she leads me in a short but powerful divination session with a tree in NYC's Greenwich Village.

For more information on the Earth Deck, consultations, & readings please visit www.naturedivination.com.

Visit Gaiamore on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturedivination.

Email Gaiamore at: gaiamoore00@gmail.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep 14] Decolonizing The Psyche | Dr. Amber McZeal

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 08:00:00 -0400

Dr. Amber McZeal is a gift to the world. A writer, vocalist, sacred scholar, and activist she utilizes sound therapy and guided somatic imagery to engage the knowledge of the body. She is a pioneer, and inventor, of the process that she calls "Decolonizing The Psyche".

In this episode, we speak about how our psyches became colonized and how we can begin to decolonize them, returning to a sacred center of self that respects the "other" as different in expression, but same in Spirit.

We speak about race as a construct for division, a myth. Something to understand so we can unlearn it and redevelop our brains and bodies so that we can show up to our world with greater compassion and respect for our fellow human beings.

To quote Amber: "We humans have the same desires & needs, but different cultural manifestations".

Amber's work: https://decolonizingthepsyche.com/
Join Amber's Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/817992224926466
Read about Resmaa and his book: https://www.resmaa.com/
Join Karine Bell's "Somatic Abolitionism": https://www.rootedandembodied.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 13] Existential Kink: Getting Turned On By What Usually Turns You Off | Dr. Carolyn Elliott

Sat, 19 Sep 2020 18:00:00 -0400

Today's episode features Dr. Carolyn Elliott, creator & author of the transformative work that she calls "Existential Kink". It is a radical practice of shifting your energy of disgust into pure turn on.

Turn on, in this case, being quite expansive: genital turn on, happiness, full body light-up - essentially transforming a negative charge into a positive one. Transforming how the body experiences situations so that everything can actually work for you, not against you.

Carolyn discovered this work out of her own suffering. Addicted to heroin, poor, and in an abusive relationship she noticed how, unconsciously, her body and mind were loving the very things that she consciously claimed to hate or not want in her life anymore.

As a Somatic Therapist, I love her work. It is the essence of how I work with the body. Noticing where we hold and constrict around energy and, slowly, learning how to expand and move the energy to transform stress & trauma into vitality. I find Carolyn's work to be a compliment to trauma healing. It may not be for everyone, but those courageous enough to try it will have lots of fun and, possibly, faster results than just straight up talk therapy.

To take one of Carolyn's courses, visit: www.carolyngraceelliott.com.
To get her new book Existential Kink, visit: www.existentialkink.com

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 12] Judgement vs. Intuition | Natalie Ross

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 15:00:00 -0400

Today's episode is a discussion with Natalie Ross. She is the co-founder of the collective Earth Speak, which offers a beautiful virtual community that includes monthly meetings, videos, and podcasts that all serve as resources for connecting to yourself more holistically and with the Earth in mind.

I interviewed her after a quote I read of hers that said "Judgement is the death of intuition". Have a listen.

For more information on Natalie's collective, visit www.earthspeak.love.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 11] What Are Boundaries, Really? | Luis Mojica & Guests

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 20:00:00 -0400

We hear about how important it is to "have boundaries", but what does that even mean? We have to be able to feel our boundaries before we can ever express them. Can we have too many boundaries? What do boundaries have to do with racism? We explore it all in this episode where I am joined by 4 of my colleagues for a round table discussion about boundaries through the holistic lens of somatic therapy.

If you feel inclined to reach out to anyone at the "table", feel free to contact them below.

Linda Dukess: http://www.lindabernsteintherapy.com/
Alexis Katz: https://www.alexiskatzlcsw.com/
Laurie Robbins: http://www.robbinscounseling.com/
Daniel Schidlowsky: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/daniel-schidlowsky-kingston-ny/342788

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 10] Finding Safety In Yourself | Luis Mojica (Feat. A Sound Healing by Emerald Light Sound Healing)

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I discuss the somatic exercise of finding safety in the body. Safety is the opposite of threat, and threat is the root cause of all trauma.

Our bodies speak in sensations. Trauma & stress express themselves through constriction of the body. Where peace & safety express themselves through openness and relief in the body.

This episode walks explains how we can find the safety in ourselves & create a practice of building upon it. At about 14 minutes in, I begin an embodiment meditation. Around 28 minutes in, I feature an 8 minute sound healing that was composed by Evan Glenn Adams (Emerald Light Sound Healing) to help you deepen into your state of safety and regulation even further.

This work is the foundational practice of creating a regulated nervous system.

To hear more of Emerald Light Sound Healing's work, visit: http://www.emeraldlightsoundhealing.com/

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 9] Chronic Pain & Trauma | Dave Berger (Somatic Psychologist)

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I interview Dave Berger. He is one of my teachers and his work is deeply rooted in the physiology of trauma: how trauma shows up in the body. We speak about chronic pain, the need to relax around the constriction for healing, and how to become embodied so we can listen to our bodies before reacting to things and people.

For more information on Dave's work, visit https://www.daveberger.net/.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 8] Healing Your Body With Beans | Karen Hurd (Nutritionist & Biochemist)

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 07:00:00 -0400

Beans are the word! Karen Hurd is a strict whole food nutritionist that discovered the life-saving benefits of beans over 30 years ago when she used soluble fiber to save her 18 month old daughter's life. Her philosophies, education, and protocol have helped thousands and thousands of individuals heal from serious chronic disease, as well as boost the health of people living an already balanced life.

I interviewed her to find out the science behind beans, debunk some common myths that might keep you from eating them, and she generously gave use a foundation of where to begin in our healing journeys with food. I review it all at the end because it's so much information.

I have been on her protocol for about 6 weeks. It is the most accessible, simple, & inexpensive protocol I've ever been on, next to being macrobiotic. I lost 8 pounds, all of my bloating is gone, my skin looks beautiful, and my sense of clarity and sustained energy is quite unparalleled to where it's ever been before.

Karen still maintains her private practice and, because her waiting list is endless, she has dozens of affordable, pre-recorded courses on her website. Visit www.karenhurd.com to get started.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 7] Refuge Recovery: Healing Addiction Holistically | David McNamara (Recovery Coach)

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0400

Addiction is the result of not knowing how to find safety in yourself. So we go out into the world and find people, substances, and situations that make us feel safe. Then we become dependent on them. This is not a character flaw or a behavioral issue, it's a vulnerable experience as a result of childhood trauma. In this episode I am joined by David McNamara. David is a recovery coach, substance abuse counselor, filmmaker, Zen practitioner, & former cocaine addict.

David is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, which led to a somatic experience of being "weak" and "disempowered". Cocaine reversed that sensation, helping him feel alive and powerful and he became dependent on it for over 20 years until he discovered meditation and began working on his childhood trauma somatically. In 2019, he founded Samadhi; a holistic recovery center based in Kingston, NY for those suffering from substance abuse and related disorders and addictions. All services are completely free. What a blessing!

Anyone, anywhere in the world, can visit https://www.samadhiny.org and click on the "Calendar" tab. Right now, you can check out the site and discover endless resources from group work, to somatic therapy, to trauma-informed yoga. All for free, to help serve you in your journey to heal and be in touch with your whole, beautiful, and innocent self.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 4] Trauma Is Our Birthright: Understanding It & Healing It | Luis Mojica

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:00:00 -0400

Trauma is an internal event in response to a threat. It is vital for our survival. It's part of us and our lives and, as long we understand how to listen to it and use it, it doesn't have to run our lives. In this episode I explain what trauma is, how to tell when you're in a trauma response, & how we can release trauma from the body to restore vitality to our system and our lives.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 3] Healing With Herbs: Yarrow | Aemen Bell (Herbalist & Astrotherapist)

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 07:00:00 -0400

This episode was recorded in my back garden. You can hear the birds and occasional car as the Sun was setting over the mountains. I had the pleasure of interviewing my wife, Aemen Bell, about her own healing journey, her herbal philosophies, and the many healing benefits of Yarrow. Yarrow is a common herb that is most likely growing right by your yard around in early Summer. It is a powerful herb that can clean the blood, heal skin conditions, and even be a possible ally for helping to heal the Coronavirus. For more info on Aemen's work, you can visit www.artemisrisingherbs.com or follow her on Instagram at aemen_bell.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 2] Fawning: The Most Overlooked Trauma Response | Luis Mojica

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 19:00:00 -0400

This episode is about Fawning - what I call "The Fourth F" after fight, flight & freeze in response to threat, yet often the first one we use. Fawning is mistaken for "politeness" and "having manners", but it's actually a learned threat response. We fawn so that we can dissolve the physical discomfort held in our own bodies when we disappoint someone with our truth. This episode explains why we do it, what happens, and how to begin healing this body mechanism.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

[Ep. 1] How My Trauma Became My Teacher | Luis Mojica

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:00:00 -0400

My experience of trauma is a unique one. I was born with a hormonal condition and I developed breasts in the 5th grade. Here I was; a boy with breasts. I was sexually assaulted, viciously bullied, & absolutely hated myself and my body.

I coped with overeating, which led to a myriad of health complications. I had complex PTSD, Tourette Syndrome, high cholesterol, debilitating asthma, cystic acne, and I was 50 pounds overweight.

A strange and surprising awakening occurred when I began writing music - and my healing journey began. I discovered herbs, whole foods, vegan nutrition, somatic therapy, and self-inquiry. All of which, over the course of 14 years, would completely heal my physical chronic illnesses and my mental and emotional trauma and shame.

It's through that journey that I developed this unique holistic therapy that I call Holistic Life Navigation.

You can read more about, and register for, the Navigating Weight & Body Image With Somatics webinar here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/weight-and-body-image-webinar

You can register for November's Community Somatics here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/community-somatics-november

----

You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/

You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigation

Questions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com