The Vital Side Podcast

Themes: Nervous System Health, Entrepreneurship, Well-being, Career, Success What are the signs that your nervous system health could be impacting your business? In this episode, Cait goes in depth into four different signs that point to dysregulation in the area of  our careers and/or business. Nervous system dysregulation is not uncommon, but is often overlooked in the business world. Learn how to gauge your own nervous systems’ health, and to figure out if you need to add more regulation tools into your everyday life.  Show Notes: -Cait’s experience with the dysregulation she has witnessed in her clients, and why she thinks the nervous system is the “future of work” -Sign number one of dysregulation: When everything feels urgent, and you constantly feel rushed or in a hurry; the importance of self-compassion when you start noticing these signs  -Number two: Procrastination; the nervous system being in “freeze” mode -Number three: Talking very fast and feeling frequently out of breath; standing witness to how this might be making others (like clients and/or prospective clients) feel; the nervous system being in “overdrive” mode  -Regulation is not about perfection…dysregulation is common and normal, but not talked about as much as it should when it comes to our businesses and careers. Regulation is about being aware of the state of your nervous system, and finding tools to positively change the state of it when necessary.  -Number four: When you are doing everything right strategically, and your mindset is in a good space, but things still don’t feel right.  -The importance of self-compassion and grace if you recognize these signs in yourself  -A breathing technique that can help you regulate better  -Why nervous system regulation in regards to your career is so important    Resources: -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website  Click to listen to other episodes of Rewire about the nervous system: 3. “The Importance of Regulation the Nervous System” 26. “Increase Your Sales & Wealth through a Regulated Nervous System with Laura Larios” 27. “Intimacy and the Dysregulated Nervous System with Katherine Smailis 36. "Connecting With Your Nervous System to Grow Your Business With Cait Ross" 47. “The Power of Plants on Your Nervous System & Overall Wellbeing with Maria Failla” 51. “The Difference Between Mindset Work & Nervous System Regulation with Cait & Lindsay” 55. “Regulating your Nervous System While Traveling: A Quick How-To Guide With Cait Ross” 59. “Regulate Your Nervous System while Parenting with Dr. Alex Mosley” 68. “The Correlation Between Women's Health & the Nervous System with Jema Lee” 75. “Regulate Your Nervous System with Sexual Intimacy with Dr. Peter Craig”   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer

Themes: Brain Retraining, Nervous System Regulation Are you wondering what brain retraining actually looks like, and where you can start? In this episode, Lindsay guides Rewire listeners through a “state changer,” an exercise specifically designed to change the state of your brain and thus begin or contribute to the process of brain retraining. For this episode, find a comfortable spot and put on your headphones to walk through the exercise with Lindsay’s guidance!    Show Notes: -What brain retraining is, and a glimpse into what the process can look like with Vital-side protocols and tools  -Examples of brain retraining; visualization, movement, breathing and more -A guided brain retraining protocol by Lindsay; “The Warrior Inside of Us”   Resources:  -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Click here to join Regulation Station. Use Code “PODCAST20” at checkout to get 20$ off your first month.   -Click here more information about “Reset” (as mentioned in this episode) -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer  

Themes: Generational Trauma, Trauma Healing, Self compassion,  Forgiveness, Family dynamics, Parenting, the Refugee/Immigrant experience What does your ancestors’ grief and trauma have to do with your own healing? Selma Bacevac, a psychotherapist who specializes in intergenerational trauma, joins Cait & Lindsay to help us unpack this nuanced question and ignite a deeper conversation. Learn about Selma’s early life story growing up during a time of war; how this impacted her; and how the lessons she learned & now teaches others can be applied to all of our healing journeys.  Selma Bacevac is a Bosnian-American woman who has a powerful story of overcoming adversity and who has also dedicated her life to helping others do the same. As a former refugee and mother of two, Selma has a deep understanding of the challenges women face; and she uses her experiences to support her clients - specializing in healing generational and early childhood trauma. Selma's unique perspective and compassionate approach have helped countless women reclaim their power and heal from past traumas. Her story is one of resilience, dedication, and the power of the human spirit to overcome even the toughest of challenges.   Show Notes: -Selma’s experience living through a time of war in former Yugoslavia, and becoming a refugee; how the trauma from this experiences shaped her future by stoking her interest in psychology and her desire to help others heal; her desire to better understand how parent-child relationships are affected by trauma from war/being refugees -Generational trauma; as she went through her family tree, Selma began to realize how many attachments she was holding onto as she learned more about how generational trauma works -Big T and little t trauma: either one can be held in your body as generational trauma  -Selma’s definition of what resiliency really is, and how it can either serve you or limit you  -Trauma is not about what happened to you, it’s about what happened inside of you when you experienced the event or stressor  -Why comparing your trauma to someone else’s is invalidating and limiting -Defining intergenerational trauma and how it gets passed down -The significance of being able to break these cycles; how uncovering and working through intergenerational trauma is so powerful -Real solutions that can help you work through intergenerational trauma: forgiveness, self compassion, somatic work, community connections, inner child work    Resources: -Visit Selma’s website here -Click here to follow Selma on Instagram -Click here to check out the children’s book Selma wrote -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here  -Click here more information about “Reset” (as mentioned in this episode) -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer  

Themes: Personal Relationships, Sex and Intimacy, Nervous System Regulation, Emotional Intelligence, Romantic Connection, Deconditioning Do you experience blocks in intimacy with your partner(s)? Have you reached a space where you feel safe in your body, or do you crave to feel more relaxed during intimacy? Lindsay and Cait are joined by couples therapist Dr. Peter Craig to talk about the correlation between a regulated nervous system and a fulfilling sex life, and how to find more connection with your intimate partner(s).  Dr. Peter Craig prides himself in being a warm and empathic therapist who is trained in modern psychology models. He specializes in connection, authenticity, reducing stress and relationships. Peter has studied Dr. Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing approach to therapy and trained in experiential mindfulness with Dr. Tori Olds, both of which he incorporates into his work. Peter is a TEDx speaker on men’s growth, plays guitar and sings for his band Dharma Collective, and is the author of 3 books on poetry, which aim to inspire.    Show Notes: -An intro to Peter and his path to becoming a couples/sex therapist -The disconnection we have from our bodies in society today and the reasons behind it; how somatic work helps us get reconnected;  the courage it takes to dive into this type of work  -”Savoring” as a neuroscientific concept; how creating a culture of savoring helps you reconnect to your own body -Advice on how to slow down, savor and experience sensation more richly, especially if you struggle with a keyed up nervous system; some examples being body massage, swimming, activities that focus on the right side of your brain (creative things like music, writing, drawing, etc)  -The starting point of being more intentional around intimacy: Taking sex off the table  -Intentional sexuality: retaining a strong sense of self and individuality, so that you and your partner(s) are always experiencing new things about each other  -Becoming more connected with your partner(s); different types of intimacy other than sexual  -The “3 Minute Game”: a game Peter suggests to his clients to help facilitate safe and open communication around intimacy, and something anyone can try with their own partner(s); the empowerment this game can create not only in the relationship but in the individuals’ lives as well -Discussing the “quality of connection” and how increasing this can create more safety in relationships -The importance of having an attitude of curiosity and non-judgement towards your partner(s) -Deconditioning harmful ideas around masculinity    Resources: -Watch Peter’s Ted talk here -Learn more about Peter and his practice here -Follow Peter on IG here -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here  -Click here more information about “Reset” (as mentioned in this episode) -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer  

Themes: Travel, Personal Development & Growth, Brain Retraining, Core Values, Nervous System Regulation, Freedom   What are your core values? How do you ensure that your core values remain at the center of the way you are living your life? In this episode, Lindsay describes how her core value of freedom influenced her to embark on a year-long journey of travel. Learn about how to get reacquainted with (or introduced to) your own core values, and how to continuously apply them to your life.    Show Notes: -Info on Vital Side’s newest Brain Retraining Program, “Reset” -The importance of being aware of your own core values in life -Tools and methods to get realigned and acquainted with your own personal core values  -Connecting with freedom, a core value of Lindsay’s , and how wanting more freedom turned into what Lindsay is doing now: traveling with her husband and dog in an airstream around the US for an entire year  -Learning the language of your own body  -How Lindsay still uses the daily regulation tools that she teaches in Vital Side, and the ways in which they have shifted for her  -Giving yourself permission to do things differently and make changes in your life, both big and small -Connecting with your inner child and how this relates to nervous system regulation and brain retraining -Stay tuned to the podcast for updates on Lindsay’s adventures!   Resources: -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here  -Click here more information about “Reset” (as mentioned in this episode) -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer  

Themes: Enneagram, Self Discovery, Self Identity, Personal Growth, Leadership Development, Career & Workplace Advancement, Professional Growth Have you ever taken a personality test and the results just don’t quite seem to fit? Have you ever struggled to understand and relate to others around you? In this episode of Rewire, Cait and Lindsay are joined by Enneagram expert Amanda Workman, who talks through the intricacies of the Enneagram of Personality. She discusses the real life applications of knowing your Enneagram type and using that knowledge to help you dive deeper into your own personal growth, along with gaining a better understanding of others. Amanda also takes us through how she uses her knowledge of the Enneagram to change the dynamics of workplace environments for the better. Amanda Workman is an international consultant, corporate trainer and facilitator who is happiest when on an airplane heading towards her next adventure. Her mission is to support and empower global managers and leaders within the ever-changing global workforce. Her consulting company brings a unique perspective to leadership competencies, team interaction, and self-awareness to support people in reaching personal & personal success and fulfillment. Show Notes: -Amanda’s first encounter of the Enneagram in college, and how she shifted her studies to incorporate it  -What Enneagram is, its origins, and why it's such a powerful tool in self identity and personal growth  -The inner work that comes along with diving into your Enneagram type -The most important part of Enneagram; learning the motivation behind behavior  -A description of the nine Enneagram types, specifically what the driving force is for each one  -The groups or “triads” within the nine types  -How to start leveraging the knowledge you gain when you find out your own type, and even the types of people close to you; questions you can start asking yourself, and resources to turn to  -The spirituality of the Enneagram  -Some personal examples from Amanda of her behavior and motivations as a type 2 -How Enneagram can be used to communicate more effectively in personal and professional settings  -The importance of first gaining self awareness before trying to understand others  -Amanda’s advice on where to start if you are wanting to learn about your Enneagram type  -Get 20% off a one-on-one typing session with Amanda through the end of this month if you mention Rewire!   Resources: -Click here to visit Amanda’s website -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer

Themes: Food Sensitivities, Brain Retraining, Chronic Illness & Inflammation, Gut Health, Reframing Limiting Beliefs, Nervous System Regulation, Mind-Body Connection, Safetyism   Do food sensitivities limit the joy and freedom you currently feel in your life? Have you struggled to understand why you experience them in the first place? In this episode, Lindsay not only takes us into the science behind food sensitivities, but also dives deeper into how they are directly tied into the stress response of our brains, or the “gut-brain reaction.” She also shares some tools that you can start using today if you experience food sensitivities.    Show Notes: -Not all food sensitivity tests are created equal- how they differ and what they can tell you about how your body is responding to certain foods   -The Everly test and the IgG immune response -Why your body starts to see foods as “dangerous” -Shifting from immediately starting elimination diets into instead starting with the “why”; Why is my body giving an inflammatory response to these foods? -Explaining the bodys’ chronic stress response to food sensitivities, or the “gut-brain reaction” -The correlation between stress chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline, and your bodys’ inflammatory response to certain foods -Dropping the beliefs of diet culture and practitioners that don’t address your “why” -Starting to look at food as freedom -Questions to ask yourself to help you reflect on how food makes you feel and affects your life; When you think about eating food, what does that allow you in your life? What does food represent for you? How can you use food to allow you more freedom in your life? -Addressing your bodys’ perceived “threats” starting with your outward environment and then looking inward -Simple ways you can start today to help you reframe your mindset around food to make your body feel safe even with “dangerous” foods    Resources: -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer

Have you considered the impact that stress might be having on your body? And how it impacts your work, your health & personal relationships? This week, Cait and Lindsay are joined by “Stress Strategist” Michele Johnson where they talk about how we can become more resilient through the lens of mental fitness.   Known as “The Stress Strategist,” Michele Johnson is a Duke Trained Physician Associate, CEO of The Pain Free PA Consulting Firm, ICF Certified Life Coach, Positive Intelligence Coach & International Best-Selling Author. Her holistic experiences in China & Cuba inform her unique approach to empowering high performing leaders and teams to foster resilience in times of stress and overwhelm through authentic connection and mental fitness.    Her firm’s framework and training & coaching services have helped Fortune 500, non-profit and healthcare industry leaders reclaim healthcare dollars, execute effective wellness strategies, and weather immense changes and challenges gracefully.  Her biggest passion is to truly hear and understand leaders – which is what allows her to take speaking events, trainings & workshops to the next level …and to support building happier and healthier company culture inside of organizations.   Show Notes: -Michele’s journey of 21 years healing from chronic pain and fibromyalgia -Words Michele lives by: “You can always pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and start again” -Michele saw high-achieving executives and leaders struggle with stress, maintaining work-life balance, and chronic issues and symptoms of their own -Using positive intelligence as an operating system – combines emotional intelligence with nervous system rewiring -Identify parts of the brain that are wired for survival and those that are wired for authenticity and thriving -The importance of starting with mental fitness & nervous system rewiring in the workplace (where most people spend most of their time) -Workplace trends in wellbeing: 1) people are realizing they have choice 2) people are leaving their jobs to pursue their passions 3) people are overwhelmed and overworked 4) there is still a skills gap among leaders (i.e. emotional intelligence, mental fitness) -Take 5 - hold out your hand and trace your fingers when you’re looking for a moment of reprieve & need to support yourself -Getting people to experience what it feels like to have a cohesive team is the first step to understanding mental fitness in your company -The importance of meeting people where they are to drive engagement in the workplace when it comes to wellbeing initiatives -The Value Shift: creating resilient people in the workplace drives creative risk taking, problem solving, innovation and bigger impact -“We can’t think our way into solutions when we’re stressed.” -Building mental fitness inside of teams: 1) know where you are right now to know where you want to go 2) get insights from other leaders in same & different industries 3) attend think tanks and roundtables, such as ones hosted by Michele and her firm -“Separate yourself from the identity of what you’re going through.”   Resources: -Click here to visit Michele’s website -Contact Michele at michele@thepainfreepa.com -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer

Some of us have experienced hitting a spot in our healing journey where it seems like we are doing all the work, but there is still a piece missing. In this episode, Cait discusses how sometimes, this missing piece is held trauma that wasn’t even ours in the first place. Going into detail about her experiences with plant medicine, Cait describes how shedding this trauma can be instrumental in the healing process, and in bettering your everyday life. ***Disclaimer*** Cait is not a licensed medical doctor or healthcare professional. The information about plant medicine given in the episode is based purely on her own experience and opinions and is not meant to be medical advice. Cait does not claim that plant medicine is a cure for any symptoms or conditions.   Show Notes: -The science behind ancestral/held trauma  -Types of plant medicines: “teacher” vs. “ally” and how they benefit the user in different ways  -Cait’s first experience with plant medicine, taken with her partner and lead by a facilitator  -The importance of setting intentions with this type of practice, and Cait’s intentions before her first experience  -Cait’s second solo experience with plant medicine; how it differed and how it led her to realize she was holding onto ancestral trauma -The grief Cait found she was storing in her body from her grandmother, and how her body released it during this plant medicine experience  -How to know if you are holding unprocessed trauma, picked up from others around you or passed down ancestrally  -Other ways & tools to help you process and let go of these traumas besides plant medicine    Resources: -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer  

In the health and wellness world, it can be easy to get lost in the overload of information that exists about food- and even easier to get pulled into limiting beliefs surrounding what we eat. In this episode, Lindsay and Cait are joined by Whitney Aronoff, a personal chef who helps challenge these limiting beliefs and helps her clients replace “diet culture” with intuitive eating practices- such as getting acquainted with the vibrations of what we consume, trusting our gut, eating with the seasons, appreciating the pleasure of eating, and more.  Whitney Aronoff is a Health Supportive Personal Chef in Laguna Beach, California. She is passionate about wellness, the vibration of food, and supporting others in living their best life. As a personal chef she prepares custom meals and dinner parties for her clients, and shares her seasonal recipes on Starseed Kitchen. Knowing that a healthy diet is just one layer of being well, in 2021 she launched the podcast High Vibration Living With Chef Whitney Aronoff. She interviews experts on healthy eating, cooking, wellness, beauty, travel and spirituality to help others find the modalities and tips to help them feel their best.  Chef Whitney believes the healthiest meal you can eat is the one you make at home, and she aims to invite people into their kitchen, feeling empowered to make healthy choices for themselves and their loved ones and to experience high vibration living. Show Notes: -Whitney’s personal journey from leaving a corporate job in PR to attending culinary school and eventually starting the business she owns today  -Learning to appreciate the joy behind eating, and experiencing pleasure in food  -The connection between food and the brain; using what you eat as fuel to steer your mind and life in the direction you desire -The “balance test”; an example of how to choose food intuitively no matter where you are -Trusting the wisdom of your own body, and learning how to listen when it is telling you what it needs  -Whitney’s experiences with self-awareness around food, and tuning out the opinions of others (and toxic societal messages as a whole) when it comes to how she nourishes herself  -How food can be grounding and the nervous system component of  the digestive process  -Discussing the energy of eating; a different definition of “comfort food” -Finding the balance of nourishing yourself in a healthy way that works for you, while letting go of the need to be rigid about your eating practices  -Limiting beliefs and mindfulness around food -The energetic connection between the emotions that you are currently feeling, and the food/drink you are currently craving  -Leaning into eating from an intuitive place    Resources: -Whitney's personal Instagram: @whitneyaronoff -Whitney's company Instagram: @starseedkitchen -Whitney's website: https://starseedkitchen.com/ -Eric Braverman Books -Louis Hayes: “You Can Heal Your Life” -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Sign up for the Rewire: The Vital-Side Membership -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer