Heal with Grace

Grace Secker
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Heal With Grace is a podcast that invites listeners into the world of holistic healing. Hosted by Grace Secker, a trained holistic psychotherapist, yoga therapist, and nervous system coach, each episode delves into the interconnected realms of mental, physical, and spiritual health. The podcast offers a unique blend of personal stories, professional insights, and practical tools for healing.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    115. Your Brain Is Creating Real, Severe Pain ; A Doctor Explains Why and How to Stop It with Dr. Rebecca Kennedy

    In this episode, Grace sits down with Dr. Rebecca Kennedy, a family medicine physician with over 20 years of clinical experience and founder of Resilience Health Care in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Kennedy spent 15 years at Kaiser Permanente where she led the Long COVID specialty group, treating some of the most severe cases in the entire Northwest region. After witnessing how profoundly the neuroplastic model transformed her patients' lives — and after developing her own severe neuroplastic symptoms — she left Kaiser in 2023 to focus exclusively on this work. Together, they explore why so many people with long COVID, MCAS, POTS, and ME/CFS aren't getting better with conventional treatments, what the research actually shows about spike proteins and inflammation markers, and why the brain's threat response may be the unifying explanation that finally makes everything make sense. Dr. Kennedy shares why the placebo and nocebo effects are far more powerful than most people realize, why long COVID may be better understood as a post-pandemic syndrome, and what it takes to move beyond surface-level nervous system tools into the deeper emotional work that creates lasting change. Covered in this episode:  ✨ Dr. Kennedy's journey from Kaiser Permanente to founding Resilience Health Care — and her own experience with severe neuroplastic pain and fatigue  ✨ Why spike proteins, cytokine changes, and abnormal blood tests may not be driving your symptoms the way you've been told  ✨ The real science behind the placebo and nocebo effect — and what vaccine trial data reveals about the brain's role in side effects  ✨ Why most people with long COVID are middle-aged women who were previously healthy — and what that tells us  ✨ How MCAS, POTS, and ME/CFS diagnoses can unintentionally keep people stuck in fear and body-focused treatment  ✨ The critical difference between nervous system regulation tools and the deeper emotional processing that actually turns off the signal  ✨ Why stopping body-based treatments entirely can sometimes be the missing piece  ✨ How to accept a neuroplastic diagnosis when everything you've been told points to something structural Connect with Dr. Rebecca Kennedy: Website Instagram Facebook Resources from Grace: Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system now Work with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to's Download the FreeMe app for chronic fatigue FREE Nervous System Tracking Workbook Connect with Grace Connect on Instagram Check out my website

    53 min

  2. 3 MAR

    114. How to Know If Your Symptoms Are Caused By Your Nervous System

    Are you "doing all the right things" — the medications, the supplements, the diets, the protocols — and still not getting better? What if your symptoms aren't caused by something structurally wrong in your body, but by a nervous system stuck in danger mode? In this solo episode, Grace walks you through exactly what neuroplastic symptoms are, how they show up in real life, and shares an 8-point checklist so you can start to determine whether your symptoms might be nervous system–based. She covers conditions like chronic pain, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, POTS, IBS, long COVID, chronic dizziness, MCAS, and more — explaining why these very real symptoms can still be rooted in the brain and nervous system. If your symptoms lack clear physical evidence, move around your body, haven't responded to conventional treatments, or you've got a history of being highly driven, perfectionistic, or hard on yourself — this episode is for you. In this episode, you'll learn:  ‣ What the nervous system actually is and how it creates real physical symptoms  ‣ What makes neuroplastic symptoms different from structural problems  ‣ The 8-point checklist to determine if your symptoms might be nervous system–based  ‣ Why personality traits like perfectionism and people-pleasing are connected to chronic symptoms  ‣ Why this is actually good news — and what you can do about it If your symptoms are neuroplastic, recovery is 100% possible. Grace has seen it in her own life and in the lives of countless clients. Your body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do — it just needs the right tools to learn that it's safe again. Resource mentioned: Episode 40: "When they can't find anything wrong!" with Dr. David Clarke Resources from Grace: Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system now Work with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to's Download the FreeMe app for chronic fatigue FREE Nervous System Tracking Workbook Connect with Grace Connect on Instagram Check out my website

    22 min

  3. 24 FEB

    113. How You Can Heal From Chronic Dizziness with Dr. Yonit Arthur

    Grace sits down with Dr. Yonit Arthur ("Dr. Yo"), audiologist, vestibular specialist, and creator of The Steady Coach, to explore why chronic dizziness is often a nervous system issue—and why that's actually hopeful news for recovery. Dr. Yo shares how conditions like PPPD, vestibular migraine, MDDS, and medically unexplained dizziness are rooted in brain-generated symptoms rather than structural damage, making them fully reversible through mind-body approaches. The conversation covers why dizziness creates such intense fear and anxiety (even in people who've never experienced anxiety before), how the brain's threat response keeps symptoms alive, and why traditional vestibular rehabilitation often falls short. Dr. Yo explains the role of movement exposure, thought pattern work, and stress reduction in retraining the brain's balance system. She emphasizes that recovery is possible regardless of how long symptoms have persisted, and shares practical guidance on addressing the intrusive thoughts and health anxiety that commonly accompany chronic dizziness. Grace and Dr. Yo discuss the importance of separating symptom reassurance from anxiety reassurance, why therapists need specialized training to support clients with these symptoms, and how the vestibular field is finally beginning to shift toward acknowledging stress and nervous system involvement in chronic dizziness. Connect with Dr. Yonit: - Dr. Yonit Arthur's YouTube channel: The Steady Coach - Free comprehensive chronic dizziness course  - Instagram: @therealsteadycoach - Anxiety resources mentioned: DARE (D-A-R-E), Disordered podcast by Drew Linsalata, The Anxiety Guy, Anxiety RX by Russ Kennedy Resources from Grace: Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system now Work with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to's Download the FreeMe app for chronic fatigue FREE Nervous System Tracking Workbook Connect with Grace Connect on Instagram Check out my website

    48 min

  4. 17 FEB

    112. When Your Symptoms are Still Running the Show

    You've been doing the work—learning about mind-body healing, practicing the tools, maybe even seeing progress. So why do your symptoms still feel like they're quietly calling the shots? In this solo episode, Grace digs into one of the most common (and most frustrating) phases of healing: when symptoms linger in the background, still influencing your decisions, still getting checked on, still shaping your days—even when the fear isn't as loud as it used to be. She explores why the nervous system holds onto symptoms long after you've started healing, how vigilance disguises itself as responsibility, and the role that identity and secondary gains play in keeping you stuck. Grace also shares from her own healing journey—including the moment a mentor called her out on a pattern she couldn't see herself—and walks through what it actually looks like to loosen your symptoms' grip without dismissing your experience. In this episode, Grace covers: ✨ The different phases of the mind-body healing journey—and where you might be getting stuck ✨ How symptom monitoring quietly becomes a full-time job your nervous system won't quit ✨ Why your symptoms may have become part of your identity (and what to do about it) ✨ Secondary gains: what your symptoms might be doing for you on a subconscious level ✨ How to replace what symptoms provide—rest, permission, predictability—with something more authentic ✨ Practical ways to start loosening the pattern and orienting toward safety and connection Whether you're in a flare, stuck in a cycle of subtle symptom-checking, or wondering why healing feels like it's stalled—this episode is one to save, revisit, and let sink in. Resources from Grace: Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system now Work with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to's Download the FreeMe app for chronic fatigue FREE Nervous System Tracking Workbook Connect with Grace Connect on Instagram Check out my website

    23 min

  5. 10 FEB

    111. How Stress Creates Inflammation with Christa Biegler

    In this episode, Grace sits down with Christa Biegler, RD—an award-winning dietitian, root cause nutritionist, and host of The Less Stressed Life Podcast—to explore the powerful connection between stress, inflammation, and chronic symptoms. Christa shares her own healing journey through multiple health crises, including severe skin breakouts and burnout, and how these experiences transformed her approach to working with clients. Together, they unpack the "health triad"—the intersection of nutrition/chemical factors, structural/environmental elements, and emotional/energetic components—and why addressing all three is essential for lasting healing. In this episode, they discuss: The root causes of inflammation and why it's actually a secondary signal, not the core issueHow stress chemistry directly impacts the gut, immune system, and skin healthWhy food sensitivities are often symptoms of deeper imbalances—not the root causeThe connection between restrictive diets, fear, and worsening symptomsA grounded, non-fear-based approach to mold and environmental toxinsHow unconscious stress (relationships, jobs, living situations) manifests physicallyThe shift from "fix me" to self-empowerment in the healing journeyWhy nervous system regulation work accelerates physiological healingThis conversation bridges the gap between functional nutrition and mind-body healing, offering a holistic perspective on why your body isn't betraying you—it's trying to communicate with you. About Christa Biegler Christa Biegler, RD, LN is an award-winning registered dietitian, root cause nutritionist, and the owner of Less Stressed Life Nutrition. She helps people resolve food sensitivities, inflammation, and eczema without unnecessary restriction, endless supplementation, or costly testing. She is also the author of The Eczema Relief Diet & Cookbook and host of The Less Stressed Life Podcast. Connect with Christa: Website: christabiegler.comInstagram: @anti.inflammatory.nutritionistPodcast: The Less Stressed LifeResources from Grace: Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system now Work with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to's Download the FreeMe app for chronic fatigue FREE Nervous System Tracking Workbook Connect with Grace Connect on Instagram Check out my website

    37 min

  6. 3 FEB

    110. What Recovery Actually Looks Like from Nervous System Based Pain & Illness

    There's a myth that recovery means waking up one day and never having symptoms again—that once the nervous system is "healed," pain and discomfort just stop. But holding onto that belief can actually keep the body stuck in vigilance mode. In this episode, Grace explores what recovery really looks like after years of chronic symptoms. She shares her own recent experience with a painful neck flare-up and how she moved through it without spiraling or letting it derail her life. This is the honest, grounded version of healing that often goes unspoken. Grace discusses why the expectation of perfect healing creates more pressure in the body, how time-based goals can work against progress, and what it means when care becomes intuitive rather than rigid. She offers a powerful reframe: recovery isn't the absence of sensation—it's the absence of fear. The goal isn't protecting yourself from life, but building the capacity to fully live it. Resources from Grace: Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system now Work with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to's Download the FreeMe app for chronic fatigue FREE Nervous System Tracking Workbook Connect with Grace Connect on Instagram Check out my website

    22 min

  7. 27 JAN

    109. How to Recover from ME/CFS with Rebecca Tolin

    Rebecca Tolin recovered from 13 years of ME/CFS after seeing 50 practitioners and trying everything from anti-viral IVs to 30 supplements a day. In this episode, she shares what finally worked—and why the nervous system holds the key to lasting relief. Grace and Rebecca explore how chronic fatigue develops in the brain and body, why chasing diagnoses like Epstein-Barr, mold, and Lyme often keeps people stuck, and what it actually takes to reclaim your life after years of debilitating symptoms. In this episode: ✨ How ME/CFS and post-viral syndromes become learned patterns in the brain ✨ Why fear and the medical journey itself can perpetuate symptoms ✨ The difference between pacing (which keeps you stuck) and graded exposure (which helps you heal) ✨ Rebecca's "safe zone strategy" for challenging yourself without overwhelming your system ✨ How to use the symptom timeline to uncover emotional roots ✨ What recovery actually looks like—and why symptoms can become wise messengers Rebecca Tolin is a mind-body coach who helps people with CFS, long COVID, and other neuroplastic conditions reclaim well-being, self-compassion, and inner wisdom. She's the creator of the Be Your Own Medicine course, blending neuroscience with somatic meditation, emotional awareness, brain training, and nervous system regulation.  Connect with Rebecca:  Website: www.rebeccatolin.com  Newsletter: www.rebeccatolin.com/newsletter  Try a free somatic meditation: www.rebeccatolin.com/blog  YouTube: Rebecca Tolin Youtube Email inquiries: course@rebeccatolin.com Resources from Grace: Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system now Work with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to's Download the FreeMe app for chronic fatigue FREE Nervous System Tracking Workbook Connect with Grace Connect on Instagram Check out my website

    43 min

  8. 20 JAN

    108. How I Quietly Dysregulated My Own Nervous System

    In this episode, Grace gets honest about something she's been quietly navigating—how being online as a business owner and content creator has kept her nervous system in subtle but constant activation. Not major symptoms, just a low hum of hypervigilance she couldn't ignore anymore. She shares what she noticed in her own body, why the habit of reaching for your phone might be keeping your system from settling, and how to start pausing before the scroll. Grace also talks about the difference between consuming content and letting content consume you—and why she's started writing on Substack as a slower, deeper space for this work. This isn't about demonizing social media. It's about getting curious about the ways our modern world keeps us in low-grade activation, and what we can do about it. Resources from Grace: Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system now Work with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to's Download the FreeMe app for chronic fatigue FREE Nervous System Tracking Workbook Connect with Grace Connect on Instagram Check out my website

    23 min
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About

Heal With Grace is a podcast that invites listeners into the world of holistic healing. Hosted by Grace Secker, a trained holistic psychotherapist, yoga therapist, and nervous system coach, each episode delves into the interconnected realms of mental, physical, and spiritual health. The podcast offers a unique blend of personal stories, professional insights, and practical tools for healing.

Information

  • Creator
    Grace Secker
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    114
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Heal with Grace
  • Show Website
    Heal with Grace

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