Embodied Dialogues for Healing Trauma and Addiction

Jan Winhall
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A living conversation at the intersection of trauma healing, addiction recovery, and nervous system science. Hosted by Jan Winhall, creator of the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model™ and FSPM Institute, this podcast invites therapists, coaches, and embodied practitioners from around the world into deep dialogue about what it means to heal. Each episode explores somatic wisdom, polyvagal-informed practices, Focusing, and the felt sense as a doorway into resilience and connection. More than an interview, Embodied Dialogues is an experiential space—where nervous system science meets the art of being human. To join the live audience, visit https://www.fspminstitute/free-resources#edp

Episodes

  1. 12/17/2025

    Brain Partnership: Research-Backed Trauma Healing and Resilience Building with Dr. Kate Truitt

    In this powerful episode of Embodied Dialogues, Jan Winhall sits down with clinical psychologist, applied neuroscientist, author, and creator of groundbreaking neuroplasticity-based healing practices, Dr. Kate Truitt. Focuing on healing trauma through brain science & embodied practice, together they explore the meeting place of trauma, the nervous system, the amygdala (“Amy”), and the deep human longing for connection. Dr. Truitt shares her personal story of surviving a devastating loss, tragic accident, living as a “shaky being” and how vulnerability, embodiment, and science intertwine in real healing. She introduces a research-supported micro-practice that helps rewire the brain toward resilience, safety, and self-compassion. Jan highlights the profound overlap with Eugene Gendlin’s Felt Sense work and polyvagal-informed somatic processing, showing just how deeply our bodies hold wise, adaptive intelligence. This episode includes: How the amygdala learns survival patterns and how to teach it new ones Why shame dissolves when we understand the nervous system and find curiosity The neuroscience of resilience, empowerment, and belonging • A guided practice to build new neural pathways toward courage, joy, and safety The role of micro-practices in trauma recovery, addiction healing, eating disorders, dissociation, and chronic stress A gentle conversation about being human, messy, vulnerable... and still deeply capable of growth How brain science and polyvagal-informed somatics beautifully support one another Whether you’re a therapist, coach, healer, or someone on your own recovery journey, this episode offers a unique blend of science, compassion, and embodied wisdom you won’t want to miss. Listen in to learn practical tools you can start using today - and to feel the co-regulating, heartfelt presence between two leaders in the field of trauma-informed healing.

    1h 1m

  2. 12/04/2025

    Mindfulness Meets Felt Sense & Focusing with guest Jeff Warren

    Jeff Warren joins Jan Winhall for a candid conversation about meditation, trauma, and the wisdom of the body. Jeff shares how living with ADHD, bipolar disorder, and deep shame led him to seek support, and how working with Jan through focusing and felt sense practices helped him stabilize and heal. He explains how meditation builds concentration, clarity, and equanimity, while felt sensing allows a more direct relationship with the body and unresolved emotional material. They discuss the risks of spiritual bypassing, the importance of relational support in trauma healing, and how “fresh frozen” trauma can surface during mindfulness practices. Jan brings in polyvagal theory to reframe shame and shutdown as protective, adaptive responses rather than personal failures. Jeff also offers practical examples of regulating his nervous system in real time, especially in challenging parenting moments. The conversation highlights the value of compassion, curiosity, and embodied presence as foundations for lasting healing and genuine connection.

    1h 12m

  3. 11/07/2025

    How to Build a Somatic Resource Kit for Your Nervous System — Tools to Heal Trauma & Attachment

    Holly Lowery-Davis joins host Jan Winhall and the FSPM Institute on Embodied Dialogues for a grounded, practical conversation about building the sturdy foundation needed to heal trauma and attachment wounds. Deep, body-level healing begins with feeling safe enough to stay with our embodied experience - and that sense of felt safety is something we can actively learn to create. Holly, a certified body-oriented coach, somatic practitioner, group facilitator, and mental-health educator, shares why a well-stocked resource kit matters and how to build one by meeting and matching your nervous system while tending to the different needs of your parts. Learn immediately usable ideas to support every domain of experience: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, energetic, and relational. Together Jan and Holly explore the power of deep felt sense work, rooted in Gene Gendlin's Focusing and Felt Sensing methodology. They discuss why healing attachment, addiction, and trauma isn’t something we think our way through; it’s something we restore in the body. For that to happen we must learn to intentionally and reliably resource ourselves to build the felt safety needed to do the deep work of healing. Reach Holly at hollylowery.com or on insta: @hollylowerydavis. Get her free somatic toolkit at https://www.somacoachholly.com/feelings-toolkit. Get free resources and learn more about the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model at https://www.FSPMinstitute.com

    58 min

  4. 10/27/2025

    Balancing Children’s Gut Microbiome: Supporting the Nervous System and Healing Trauma

    Research now shows seemingly unrelated factors like food, sensory input, digestive health, lack of exercise, and diminished parental availability can influence children’s brain development both in function AND form. BG Mancini, is a Neurodevelopmental Specialist, Advanced Certified in Functional Medicine, licensed since 2013 as an Acupuncture Physician and Primary Care Provider. She is the founder of The Brain & Gut Institute and creator of The Family Nervous System® that helps families understand that healing is never just one person in the living organism we call a family and requires connection to self and each other. She talks with Jan Winhall about how we can help heal a child's gut using the microbiome mashup, air purifiers, and nervous system education. And that this will improve the overall mental and physical health of the entire family. Knowing what contributes to the early developmental signs of inflammation and what these truly look like in the body and brain can make everyone (including parents and clinicians) an aide for a child and family to find the right resources, and majorly alter outcomes. About BG BG Mancini, is a Neurodevelopmental Specialist, Advanced Certified in Functional Medicine, and AP/PCP. She is the founder of The Brain Gut Institute and creator of The Family Nervous System®. With 27 years of practice, she works with children & families to unlock their unique potential through biomedical, nervous system & neurodevelopmental practices. Through educating therapists and clinicians about the underlying factors driving children’s behavior, she advocates for holistic support, emphasizing the impact of internal and external microtraumas on physiology, and its impact on behavior. She highlights the importance of including Interoception, Proprioception, Neuroception, Sensory Processing, Interhemispheric Movement, and Nutrition in any conversation about children’s mental health. Visit: https://braingutinstitute.com/

    54 min

  5. 10/23/2025

    Trauma to Poetry: How Embodied Healing Unlocks Creative Writing

    Katy Dickson, Author of "The Tree & Me, A Polyvagal Poem" (a finalist in the 2025 National Indie Excellence Awards, Children's inspirational/motivational) joins Jan Winhall on July 24, 2025 on the live, interactive Embodied Dialogues Podcast. After a short grounding practice from Jan, Katy shares both professional and lived experience insights and reflections as an Occupational Therapist, deeply rooted embodied, trauma-informed practice. Conversation flows into her personal healing journey and how it reconnected her with a long-held love of language, wordsmithery and poetry, which gave life to "The Tree and Me: A Polyvagal Poem". Katy shares how that piece moved from a seed of an idea to publication, and the beautiful web of connection, support and synchronicity that followed. Katy gives a reading of the poem with one of the talented illustrators behind "The Tree & Me," Regan Desautels, and reflect on what’s next—dreams, hopes, and where this path may continue to lead. Formerly the founder of Attune, her own private practice supporting nervous system regulation through embodied approaches, Katy currently works as Principal OT at a private interdisciplinary Pediatric company, Words First Ltd., which places therapists in schools across London and beyond. Part of this role is to lead on a trauma-informed strategy in educational settings. Katy is also an Associate at Hemispheres, where she guides children and young people through Dr. Stephen Porges’ Safe & Sound Protocol. Beyond her professional roles, Katy lives in South East London, is a mother, and someone who carries trauma in her own system. Learn more about Katy at https://www.instagram.com/thetreeandme_/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-dickson-5629022b/

    57 min

  6. 10/19/2025

    Dr. Stephen Porges on Polyvagal Theory in Nonverbal Communications, Pets & Co-Regulation, Neurodivergence, and More

    Welcome to a 1-hour exclusive Embodied Dialogue in 2025 with Dr. Stephen Porges, the esteemed creator of the Polyvagal Theory. One of the many qualities I admire about Dr. Porges is his unwavering commitment to accessibility. As I become busier with a public lifestyle, I find myself challenged by the desire to reach out and the need to contain. Steve’s ability to stay connected, respond to emails, listen deeply, and maintain a safe presence amidst his growing popularity is truly inspiring. Steve starts with opening up about his personal musings on cats and the unique ways they co-regulate with humans, offering insights that might just change the way you view your feline friends. We dive deep into the profound concepts of safety in the body and the transformative nature of feeling truly secure. Among many other things we touch upon the significance of feedback loops in therapy and life, and how interoception—the awareness of our bodily states—plays a crucial role in healing trauma and addiction.  It's a dialogue brimming with warmth, insight, and a little humor, inviting you to pause, reflect, and embrace the wisdom shared. Through Steve’s stories and reflections, I hope your understanding of polyvagal theory and its practical applications expands. Chapter Overview 00:00 Nonverbal Communication in Music 03:30 Cat's Early Morning Routine 08:53 Understanding Embodiment Through Interoception 11:13 "Evaluating Reactions Mindfully" 13:32 Polyvagal Theory and Emotions 18:29 Reflecting on Bold Paradigm Shifts 23:22 "Balancing Accessibility and Self-Time" 26:47 Evolving Academic Models Post-Pandemic 29:14 Impact of ACEs on Individuals 31:28 "Integrating Neuroscience and Subconscious Therapy" 37:03 Academic Crisis: Research Structure Doomed 40:32 Innovative Music Experience for Neurodivergent 43:07 Developing Scalable Health Products 46:06 Trust and Motivation in Leadership 49:47 Neglected Behavioral Solutions in Autism 53:04 Critique of Autism Research Focus 56:13 Autism Diagnosis and Hope This session is particularly special as we celebrate the release of three groundbreaking Polyvagal books this winter: * Twenty Embodied Practices for Healing Trauma and Addiction by Jan Winhall https://janwinhall.com/20-embodied-practices/ * Somatic-Oriented Therapies https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324052722?promo=SOT20 * Polyvagal Perspectives: Interventions, Practices, and Strategies https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324053408

    57 min

  7. 10/19/2025

    Nightmares: Treating with Polyvagal Theory & Felt Sense of the Body with Dr. Leslie Ellis

    Nightmares are robustly linked with trauma and many other forms of psychological injury, including a 4x greater risk of suicide. Yet they are vastly under-treated — which is a shame because nightmare treatment is simple, effective and evidence based. Guest Dr. Leslie Ellis shares: how polyvagal theory helps us to understand why we or our clients have nightmares how the body holds nightmares in the nervous system how to use nightmares to diagnose and track clinical progress how to help those who suffer from disturbed dreaming Dr. Ellis is a leading expert in the use of experiential and somatic approaches in psychotherapy, in particular for working with dreams, nightmares and the effects of trauma. She is the author of A Clinician’s Guide to Dream Therapy. As adjunct faculty at Adler University, she taught clinical skills and trauma treatment. She is a Certifying Coordinator and past president of The International Focusing Institute, and former vice president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams. Website: https://drleslieellis.com/ Request her article she mentioned during the show here: https://drleslieellis.com/pre-pub-solving-the-nightmare-mystery/

    55 min

  8. 10/18/2025

    Polyvagal Meets 12 Steps

    Jan Winhall with Patrick McA, Elizabeth Moitoza, Robert Ragucci, Ann Dowsett Johnston Join us in this special 2-hour edition of the Embodied Dialogue Series for an enlightening exploration of how Polyvagal Theory and Twelve-step Programs can intersect to enhance addiction treatment. Since the 1930s, Twelve-step Programs have been a cornerstone in helping millions overcome addictive behaviors through accessible, global support groups rooted in the concept of a ‘higher power.’ Founded by Bill Wilson and Bob Smith, these programs view addiction as a brain disease and emphasize community and spiritual connection. Polyvagal Theory, introduced by neuroscientist Stephen Porges in 1994, offers a fresh perspective by framing addictions as adaptive survival strategies linked to the autonomic nervous system’s regulation of emotional states. This approach highlights how trauma influences our nervous system responses, providing new insights into why individuals might engage in addictive behaviors. In this event, we will discuss how these differing views can inform one another. What can the Twelve Steps learn from Polyvagal Theory’s focus on physiological triggers and trauma? How can Polyvagal-informed approaches benefit from the long-standing community and spiritual support of Twelve-step Programs? Join us as we delve into these questions and work together to reshape the conversation around addiction treatment, emphasizing safety and emotional regulation in recovery. https://janwinhall.com

    2h 2m

  9. 10/02/2025

    Dr. Stephen Porges Ask Me Anything

    Polyvagal Theorist Dr. Stephen Porges joins Jan Winhall in February 2022 with a live audience to address questions about how the nervous system interprets safety and threat and how it's felt in the body.

    1h 1m

  10. 10/02/2025

    Spiritual Alchemy for Trauma: Embodied Healing & Pathways to Wholeness

    Guest Julianne Del Cano Kennard and host Jan Winhall explore the spiritual alchemy of trauma, the process by which pain, when consciously met, becomes a catalyst for transformation. Julianne will share about her upcoming book and the Wholality® framework to explain how the patterns and blocks within our human experience are not problems to fix, but signals pointing toward what wants to be healed and harmonized.

    53 min

  11. 10/02/2025

    Autism in Polyvagal Terms: Neural Exercises to Cultivate Safety for the Neurodiverse

    Jan Winhall hosts guest Sean Inderbitzen, author of Autism in Polyvagal Terms, for a rich dialogue on the intersection of polyvagal theory and neurodiversity, especially autism. They share a neural-exercise framework with practical tips to deepen connection, ease “stuckness,” and enhance quality of life by activating the ventral vagal system for greater safety, flexibility, and meaningful relationships.

    51 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

A living conversation at the intersection of trauma healing, addiction recovery, and nervous system science. Hosted by Jan Winhall, creator of the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model™ and FSPM Institute, this podcast invites therapists, coaches, and embodied practitioners from around the world into deep dialogue about what it means to heal. Each episode explores somatic wisdom, polyvagal-informed practices, Focusing, and the felt sense as a doorway into resilience and connection. More than an interview, Embodied Dialogues is an experiential space—where nervous system science meets the art of being human. To join the live audience, visit https://www.fspminstitute/free-resources#edp

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