The Vital Side Podcast

Themes: Energy Healing, Emotional & Spiritual Wellness, Brain Retraining, Self-Care, Personal Development    What kind of energetic vibrations are you sending out into the world that can be affecting your relationships, your career, and your emotional well being? Rewire is joined by Aleya Dao, an energy healer who helps others find empowerment and peace through getting in touch with their higher selves. Learn about how Aleya helps her clients through her healing practices that she has personally developed, her own journey to wellness and healthy regulation, and the intersection of the scientific and spiritual aspects of healing.  Aleya Dao has been an alternative healthcare practitioner for over 30 years. She is a Licensed Acupuncturist, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a sound healer, spiritual guide, Reiki Master, and a Craniosacral practitioner. She has over 2,000 meditations online and 9 sound healing albums. Aleya teaches all over the country, inspiring and guiding individuals in groups into greater degrees of empowerment, abundance, and health by using unique concepts she teaches in her best selling book. Aleya’s specialty is helping people release the root causes of their suffering to find greater peace, empowerment, and freedom.   Show Notes: -An intro to Aleya, and her path of becoming an energetic healer, starting with being a gifted child and how her life experiences helped her develop the system of healing she teaches/uses now -Empathy, states of awareness and spiritual enlightenment; how Aleya’s spiritual experiences affected her  -Seeing the body as a separate entity from yourself; why your relationship to your body is so important; what can happen if you aren’t communicating with it in a healthy way; Aleya gives examples of how to speak your body lovingly and explains how this brings balance to the different systems (nervous, endocrine, etc)  -How to arrive at the state of knowing that you are NOT your body, starting with a change in perspective; the importance of your own imagination in this process -”Everything is vibration”; holding energy & how this is related to disease, Aleya’s own personal experiences with autoimmune issues  -What happens to the body and the emotions when you enter into a different level of safety (using Cait’s recent marriage, and an early period in Aleya’s marriage, as examples); why a lot of emotions can surface when you’ve reached your safest state, specifically in relationships -The three stages of processing emotions; how to hold a safe container for your emotions -Being aware of our emotional reactions; every emotional wave emits vibrations which affects all aspects of our lives; making small shifts that eventually lead to huge differences    Resources: -Click here for a FREE MONTH of Aleya’s program “The 7 Cups of Consciousness” -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer  

Themes: Communication, Mental Health & Burnout, Workplace Wellness, Transformation How can our language affect the different areas of our lives like our careers, relationships, and emotional well-being? Cait takes us through an explanation of how the words we use create our world and how this applies to the world of business and leadership. How can we become more intentional with our language so that we are creating & manifesting the best possible outcomes?   Show Notes: -The importance of communication and the words that we choose to use; how our backgrounds & unique experiences affect the way we speak  -A conversation Cait had with a corporate client about using common phrase “customer-obsessed” in a sales/customer service context; how this type of language can affect the mental health of your team -The current reality & shifts in the modern workplace, especially for women -Getting to the root of stress and burnout; how language plays an important role -The importance of not only thinking about language in relation to customers, but also to your employees; how is your vernacular making them feel? How is it affecting their emotional and mental well being? -Getting curious about language in the context of all areas of your life - relationships, physical health, business/career, etc.   Resources: -Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco -Visit Cait’s Website -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside -Visit Lindsay’s Website   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer

Themes: Nervous System Regulation, Nervous System Retraining, Chronic Illness, Parenting How affected are children by chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation? Lori Weir, a Vital-Side facilitator and mom of 3, suggests a big truth in this new episode: that kids can only be as regulated as their parents are. Lori shares with us her and her kids journeys with chronic illnesses, how she learned to regulate her own nervous system, and how she guided her kids through regulation as well. Hear real stories, tips and tools for the nervous system regulation of children, from a mom who has gone through all of it herself.    Show Notes: -Lori’s story how getting started with nervous system retraining and Rewire; how she recognized her own dysregulation and began to heal it; the health issues of both herself and her children that led her to holistic healing methods and dedicating her last 5 years to helping her children heal  -Learning to reframe her children's emotional responses and look at them from the lens of nervous system health -Why Lori believes that a dysregulated nervous system could actually take the place of many overused “labels” that society puts on children; the influence of harmful societal norms of punishing/shaming children for their emotions; “In their most unlovable moments, that’s when they need the most love.” -The difference between Lori’s reaction now to emotional meltdowns with her children, and how regulation changed that  -An explanation of PANS and how it affected Lori’s children  -How Lori began modeling regulation to her children; starting with the “foundations” and then learning specific tools  -Story about how one of Lori’s children describes her emotional battery, describing dysregulation as “My ice is getting thin”; why this kind of awareness is important  -The importance of being open and honest about your own emotions with your children, and is a part of modeling regulation  -The explanation of how children are only as regulated as their parents  -Normalizing the need for nervous system regulation (for everyone, not just people who have chronic illnesses) and how easy it is to get started    Resources: -Read more about Lori and connect with her via Vital-Side here -Listen to Lori’s other Rewire episode here -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -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: Limbic System Retraining, Brain Retraining, Nervous System Regulation, Chronic Stress & Illness Is stress a trigger for your chronic pain? Or could it even be the main antagonizer of your physical symptoms? Lindsay explains the stress cycle, how stress hormones affect the body (even if you don’t suffer from chronic illness), and how limbic system retraining can move you out of flight or fight into rest and digest.    Show Notes: -What happens to the body when we are stressed; learning about the “trauma loop” or the cycle of stress -The limbic system, and what is responsible for in the body: learning memory, fear, regulating bodily functions, mood/ emotions, survival -The main agenda for our brains/bodies is to survive; how the survival response affects us  -Perceived danger vs. real danger; why the stress response is the same towards both -The physiology of the stress cycle; the loop the starts with the autonomic nervous system and ends with the release of cortisol/stress hormones; how staying in this cycle leads to limbic system impairment; the body's physical indicators of this impairment -Lindsays recommended formula for healing: a team of practitioners to address your physical body, nervous system regulation through brain/limbic system retraining, and eventually trauma processing -Limbic system regulation helps us to stay dynamic in life and move through stress without staying stuck in it   Resources: -Click here to schedule a one-on-one Q&A with Lindsay -Visit the Vital-Side Homepage here -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: Nervous System Health, Gut Health, Gut-Brain Connection/Axis, Brain Retraining, Functional Nutrition Could your gut-brain axis be affecting how well you are healing from chronic symptoms? In this episode, Cait & Lindsay have a conversation with functional nutritionist Lindsay Christensen about the connection between our guts and our brains- how important it really is, how to know if it’s compromised, and targeted ways to begin balancing it. Lindsay Christensen has a deep passion for helping clients reclaim their health. Lindsay has her B.S. in Biomedical Science, her M.S. in Human Nutrition, is a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS), and a Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist. At a young age, Lindsay began her own journey with complex illnesses, including Lyme disease and severe gut health challenges, which ultimately led her to discover the healing power of functional medicine and nutrition. In her functional nutrition practice, Ascent to Health, Lindsay helps clients with Lyme disease, mold illness, autoimmune diseases, and mast cell activation disorder (MCAS) reclaim their health using functional nutrition and lifestyle changes so they can live their lives to the fullest!   Show Notes: -An introduction to Lindsay: her personal experience with illnesses including lyme, mold illness, and mast cell activation syndrome; how brain retraining helped her when traditional treatments were not working; her path to functional nutrition -Lindsay’s transformation from being restricted to four foods to reframing food as freedom; why eliminating/restricting food has a time and place, but is only a temporary solution -What exactly the gut-brain axis is, how it works, and what it affects in the body -How brain retraining creates safety in your body, and therefore around food, which can help balance out your gut-brain axis; the physiological changes that happen during this process  -Some tangible tools of how you can start repairing your own gut-brain axis now -Discovering and focusing on your “why”; the life you want to live, and how you want your relationship with food to be   Resources: -Visit Lindsay Christensen’s website here -Follow Lindsay Christensen on Facebook here, and on Instagram here  -Click here to check out Lindsay Christensen’s Lyme Disease 101 course -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   Join our community: bit.ly/rewirethepodcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: bit.ly/rewiredisclaimer  

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