Holistic Life Navigation

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-bookLuis 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-groupYou can learn more about Maureen Gallagher here: https://maureengallagherphd.com/You can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, Camille's Embodying My Cycles & Rhythms 6-month group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/cycles-and-rhythms-slow-group You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-bookLuis 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 register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, Camille's Embodying My Cycles & Rhythms 6-month group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/cycles-and-rhythms-slow-group You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

PRE-ORDER the upcoming book now: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-bookMeet 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/213926You can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, Camille's Embodying My Cycles & Rhythms 6-month group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/cycles-and-rhythms-slow-group You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

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-bookYou can join the waitlist to register for the next Embodied Nutrition group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/slow-practice-nutrition-groupYou can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

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 register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

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-addictionYou can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, Camille's Embodying My Cycles & Rhythms 6-month group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/cycles-and-rhythms-slow-group You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

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 register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

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 register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, Camille's Embodying My Cycles & Rhythms 6-month group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/cycles-and-rhythms-slow-group You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

Do YOU know any gay men in long term relationships who aren’t hooking up on sex apps? Al Romano, Naveed Heydari, Tim Paula, and Rio Allen 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? Are you a gay, straight, or queer man, wanting to free yourself from social conditioning? Join the conversation in our six month Embodied Masculinity Slow Group starting January 6th 2026, and let’s talk about how liberation feels in our bodies.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 RelationshipsYou can purchase the Embodied Masculinity webinar here: https://hln.thinkific.com/courses/embodied-masculinity----You can learn more about, and connect with, the men on this panel through the following links:Al Romao: Instagam @alromaoNaveed Heydari: Instagram @naveedheydari Naveedheydari.com https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-boys-to-men-a-journey-through-masculinity/id1783346682Tim Pauly: Instagram @in.the.service.of.life & @hewhoisgratefulwww.intheserviceoflife.com Río Allen: https://youtube.com/@rioallen-ra https://www.rioallen.com/You can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, Camille's Embodying My Cycles & Rhythms 6-month group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/cycles-and-rhythms-slow-group You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

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 @intimatelyhumanYou can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/nutrition-for-your-kids You can read more about, and register for, Camille's Embodying My Cycles & Rhythms 6-month group here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/cycles-and-rhythms-slow-group You can read more about, and register for, the retreat at Blue Spirit Costa Rica here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/blue-spirit----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com