NeuroHeir℠ Podcast: Somatic and Generational Healing Tools for Parents, Therapists, and Cycle Breakers

Leanna Hunt | Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor + Certified Performance Coach
  • 5.0 (22)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Did you know you inherit a nervous system shaped by the generations before you? Most of us don’t. Without realizing it, we end up repeating patterns, carrying silence, and holding burdens that were never ours to carry. The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is for cycle breakers…young adults, parents, and those in helping roles like teachers, coaches, healers, and therapists…who are ready to understand their nervous system through a generational lens, release what no longer serves, and consciously create the legacy they want to pass on. This podcast will answer questions such as: - Why does inherited trauma affect my body, not just my mind? - How do I regulate my nervous system when I feel anxious, overwhelmed, or shut down? - What does it really mean to “break cycles” without disowning my family? - How can I help my kids feel safe and regulated when I’m still learning this myself - What somatic practices can I use in real time to reset and reconnect? Inside each episode, you’ll find nervous system education explained through a generational lens, somatic practices you can use right away (including my signature 4N framework: Notice, Name, Nurture, Navigate), research on generational trauma and resilience, and real-life stories through guest conversations and live coaching. I’m Leanna Hunt, an Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor and certified performance coach trained in somatic-based modalities. I use these approaches every day to help clients regulate their nervous systems, release inherited patterns, and reconnect with who they really are. Subscribe today and take your first step toward becoming a NeuroHeir℠, because you may not have chosen what you inherited, but you can choose what comes next.

  1. 2D AGO

    17. Nervous System Healing Through Grief: Learning to Move Beyond Survival

    In this deeply personal, unscripted episode of NeuroHeir, Leanna records from a hotel room in Cozumel on the one-year anniversary of her father’s passing — reflecting on timing, grief, nervous system resilience, and what it really means to move beyond survival. After a whirlwind 24-hour journey just to arrive, Leanna shares how nervous system regulation made it possible to navigate stress, uncertainty, and loss without shutting down. This episode weaves together personal storytelling, intergenerational trauma research, and gentle somatic awareness to explore how silence, protection, and survival patterns get passed down and how awareness can begin to shift them. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, honor where you are, and begin listening to what your body has been communicating all along. It also marks the start of a deeper series focused on the window of tolerance and Leanna’s four-part framework: Notice, Name, Nurture, Navigate. In this episode, we explore: Why noticing is the true starting point of nervous system healingHow grief, timing, and unexpected disruption reveal nervous system capacityThe difference between surviving and thriving and how many of us are stuck in survival without realizing itHow silence can be both a protective strategy and a source of ongoing anxietyWhy vulnerability with yourself is the doorway to deeper connection with othersWhat it looks like to expand your window of tolerance without avoiding emotionA gentle somatic noticing practice you can return to anytime you need grounding 💬 Have a Question You’d Like Answered on the Podcast? If you have a question around the nervous system, healing relationships, or generational patterns, you’re invited to submit it anonymously using the link below. There’s also an optional box you can check if you’d like to be considered for a short audio coaching conversation on a future episode. 👉 Submit your question Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna Website → leannahunt.com Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

    26 min

  2. JAN 28

    16. Why Forcing Change Doesn’t Last (and How to Stay With the Growth You’re Making)

    By the end of January, many people begin questioning themselves — why motivation feels harder, why consistency slips, or why the changes they were excited about already feel fragile.  In this episode of The NeuroHeir Podcast, Leanna Hunt offers a compassionate reframe: what if nothing has gone wrong, and what you’re noticing is simply how your nervous system actually works? If you’re trying to stay with the changes you’re making while honoring your limits, your relationships, and your body’s cues, this episode offers a grounded, sustainable path forward. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why willpower fails under pressure and what your nervous system actually needs firstHow baseline frequency and acclimation shape sustainable changeThe difference between growth and self-abandonment (and how to tell when you’re crossing that line)Four NeuroHeir orienting points for staying with change without burning bridgesHow to integrate growth at a pace that supports safety, connection, and follow-through💬 Have a Question You’d Like Answered on the Podcast? If you have a question around the nervous system, healing relationships, or generational patterns, you’re invited to submit it anonymously using the link below. There’s also an optional box you can check if you’d like to be considered for a short audio coaching conversation on a future episode. 👉 Submit your question Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna Website → leannahunt.com Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

    23 min

  3. JAN 21

    15. Why Willpower Isn’t Enough: Somatic Practices for Sustainable Change

    What if sustainable change has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with safety? In this episode of The NeuroHeir Podcast, Leanna explores why so many cycles of burnout, over-functioning, and “starting over” aren’t personal failures, but nervous system patterns rooted in familiarity and survival. You’ll learn: Why your nervous system resists change even positive changeHow “visiting” a new way of being is part of acclimation, not failureThe difference between forcing growth and stabilizing a new frequencyWhy expansion can feel lonely before it feels freeingHow healing one nervous system sends an invitation (not a demand) to others​​References Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2648 Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman. https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780716728504/self-efficacy Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice. Jason Aronson. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1978-24329-000 Lieberman, M. D., Crockett, M. J., Tom, S. M., Pfeifer, J. H., & Way, B. M. (2011). Self-affirmation reduces neural responses to threat. Psychological Science, 22(1), 94–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610390389 McEwen, B. S. (1998). Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators. New England Journal of Medicine, 338(3), 171–179. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199801153380307 McEwen, B. S., & Stellar, E. (1993). Stress and the individual: Mechanisms leading to disease. Archives of Internal Medicine, 153(18), 2093–2101. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1993.00410180039004 Porges, S. W. (2009). The polyvagal theory: New insights into adaptive reactions of the autonomic nervous system. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, 76(Suppl 2), S86–S90. https://doi.org/10.3949/ccjm.76.s2.17 Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company. https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393707007 Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna Website → leannahunt.com Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

    22 min

  4. JAN 14

    14. Human Design and Nervous System Regulation: From Survival to Self-Trust

    What if the patterns you’re trying to heal didn’t start with you and weren’t meant to end in survival, but in choice? In this powerful conversation, Leanna sits down with Dr. Karen Curry Parker, founder of Quantum Human Design, to explore how human design, the nervous system, and generational trauma intersect and how awareness can become a pathway to freedom rather than another label to carry. Together, they unpack why so many cycle breakers feel disconnected from their bodies, trapped in people-pleasing or appeasement patterns, and stuck in survival mode without understanding why. Dr. Parker offers a compassionate, grounded explanation of how micro-traumas, silence, and unspoken family dynamics live in the nervous system and how human design can help us reconnect with our bodies as a compass for decision-making. In this episode, you’ll explore: What human design really is and why it’s not meant to be a labelHow trauma and misalignment show up in the nervous systemThe connection between people-pleasing, appeasement, and emotional empathyWhy silence in families isn’t neutral and how it impacts the bodyHow to break generational cycles without losing compassion or self-trustThe difference between survival and true self-connectionWhat it means to live as a quantum human rooted in choice, not reactionYou may not have chosen what you inherited but you can choose what comes next. 🎧 Listen in if you’re ready to reclaim your body, your voice, and your place in the lineage. Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna Website → leannahunt.com Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

    47 min

  5. JAN 7

    13. Why Willpower Fails: Your Nervous System Is Running the Show

    We’re only one week into the new year, and for so many of us, the excitement of a fresh start is already tangled with overwhelm, fading motivation, and that old familiar shame spiral: “Why can’t I keep this up?” In this episode, Leanna unpacks the truth behind why willpower always seems to crumble long before our goals do and why it has nothing to do with discipline, character, or commitment. Instead, you’ll learn how your nervous system, your beliefs, and the pressure you inherited from previous generations shape your capacity more than any planner or resolution ever could. Through compassionate storytelling, research-backed insight, and her signature Four N’s Framework (Notice, Name, Nurture, Navigate), Leanna guides you toward a gentler, more sustainable way to begin again this year—one rooted in regulation, not pressure. If you’re ready to set goals your body can actually hold, this episode will feel like an exhale you didn’t know you needed. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why motivation drops sharply after the first few days of JanuaryHow stress literally shuts down the part of your brain responsible for willpowerThe beliefs that quietly sabotage your goals and how to rewrite themWhy small goals are not “easy”… they’re regulatingHow to use the Four N’s to shift from shame into safetyA new way to create goals your nervous system can sustainably supportHow generational patterns around pressure, survival, and worthiness influence your capacity today If you’re craving a more compassionate, nervous-system-informed way to grow this year, this episode will help you release the pressure and rebuild from a grounded, empowered place. You are not behind. You’re beginning. Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna Website → leannahunt.com Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

    21 min

  6. 12/31/2025

    12. The Warrior and the Higher Self: A New Year Integration Meditation

    As we stand at the threshold of a brand new year, this final episode of 2025 invites you into something deeper than resolutions or reinvention — a gentle homecoming to yourself. Throughout Season One of the NeuroHeir Podcast, we've explored silence, safety, family systems, nervous system healing, and how to consciously interrupt generational patterns. Today, we close the year with integration, softness, and a remembered sense of who you are becoming. Inside this episode, I guide you through Meeting the Warrior and the Higher Self — a grounding New Year’s meditation designed to help you lay down what’s been heavy, honor what’s protected you, and reconnect with the version of you who leads with wisdom, intuition, and alignment. This is a practice you can return to anytime your nervous system needs spaciousness or a reminder of your wholeness. In This Episode, You’ll Experience: A guided somatic meditation to release the pressure of “becoming”An embodied meeting with your Warrior Self — the part of you that has carried so much for so longA connection with your Higher Self — the calm, aligned, deeply-rooted version of youA visualization for closing one season and stepping consciously into the nextSpace to name what you’re ready to let go of and what you’re ready to welcomeA reminder that legacy repair happens in small, regulated moments of choice As we move into 2026 together, remember: you don’t have to become someone new. You’re simply returning home to yourself — breath by breath, moment by moment. If you’re craving deeper guidance, somatic support, and a community of fellow cycle-breakers, the NeuroHeir Membership opens February 2026. Inside, we practice these tools together. Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna Website → leannahunt.com Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

    17 min

  7. 12/17/2025

    11. Coming Home to Yourself: A Gentle Guide to Nervous System Regulation During the Holidays

    The holidays are here and while the season is filled with light and celebration, many of us also feel the familiar weight of exhaustion, pressure, and the quiet belief that rest has to be earned.  In this grounding and emotional episode, Leanna shares her own story of pushing past her limits for years, mistaking her body’s signals as weakness instead of the deep wisdom they were. She opens up about chronic fatigue, burnout, and the nervous system patterns that made slowing down feel impossible. You’ll learn why rest can feel unsafe when your body has been living in survival mode, how stress chemistry reshapes your energy and emotions, and what the research says about the biology of repair. Leanna also guides you through a gentle, real-time Four-N Reflection—Notice, Name, Nurture, Navigate—to help your body soften, settle, and find safety again before the year comes to a close. In this episode, you’ll explore: Why burnout around the holidays is so common (and not a personal failure)The physiology of “wired but tired,” inflammation, and chronic exhaustionHow your nervous system sends early warnings before a full crashWhy rest can feel unsafe and the science behind that responseA step-by-step guided Four-N practice to help regulate in real timeHow your individual repair becomes legacy repair for future generations If you’re moving into the holidays feeling overwhelmed, overstretched, or simply tired to your bones—this episode will help your body exhale. Take a breath. You don’t have to earn your pause. Your repair begins here. Research Integrity Disclaimer This podcast draws upon evidence-based frameworks in neuroscience, attachment theory, and trauma-informed practice.  Leanna’s reflections and the 4Ns Framework are original interpretations informed by this body of research and her clinical and coaching experience.  While every effort is made to represent research accurately, the ideas shared reflect Leanna’s professional understanding and may include her own evolving interpretations.  All information is intended for educational and reflective purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or medical treatment. Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna Website → leannahunt.com Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

    22 min

  8. 12/10/2025

    10. Young Adults and Inherited Pressure: Learning to Belong Without Burning Out

    This week, Leanna turns toward the next generation, the young adults navigating identity, independence, and inherited patterns of pressure. Through the lens of nervous-system science and generational healing, she explores how belonging is a body state, not a performance. You’ll hear how family dynamics, cultural expectations, and even our biology (Yehuda et al., 2016) shape the way we seek connection, and how the 4Ns framework (Notice, Name, Nurture, Navigate) can help you shift from avoidance into authentic repair. Whether you’re a parent learning to reconnect or a young adult setting new boundaries, this conversation will help you discover how healing can become a bridge instead of a wall.  In This Episode, You’ll Hear: Why so many young adults are turning toward “no contact” and what might be happening in their nervous systemsHow therapy culture sometimes emphasizes boundaries without regulationWhat Brainspotting and Polyvagal Theory teach us about attunement and co-regulation (Corrigan & Grand, 2013; Porges, 2011)The difference between avoidance and healing, told through a hypothetical vignetteHow inherited perfectionism and generational pressure shape belongingA guided 4Ns practice to reconnect with your body and younger selfWhat it really means to Become a NeuroHeir™ meeting what you inherited with awareness and compassion Referenced Research Yehuda, R., Daskalakis, N. P., Bierer, L. M., et al. (2016). Holocaust exposure induced intergenerational effects on FKBP5 methylation. Biological Psychiatry, 80(5), 372–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.08.005Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and Society. W. W. Norton.Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory. W. W. Norton.Corrigan, F. M., & Grand, D. (2013). Brainspotting: An overview, review, and commentary. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 17(3), 8–17.Schwartz, R. (2021). No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model. Sounds True. Research Integrity Disclaimer This podcast draws upon evidence-based frameworks in neuroscience, attachment theory, and trauma-informed practice. Leanna’s reflections and the 4Ns Framework are original interpretations informed by this body of research and her clinical and coaching experience. While every effort is made to represent research accurately, the ideas shared reflect Leanna’s professional understanding and may include her own evolving interpretations. All information is intended for educational and reflective purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or medical treatment. Connect with me: Instagram → @aligningwithleanna Website → leannahunt.com Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. The tools and practices I share are for educational and coaching purposes only. Every nervous system is unique, and what we discuss on this podcast should not replace your own individual therapeutic work or professional support. The focus of this podcast is my coaching work, which centers on education, nervous system practices, and generational healing tools designed to support—not replace—your personal journey with a qualified provider. If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing overwhelming emotions, please seek support from a licensed professional in your area. You don’t have to do this work alone.

    20 min
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Did you know you inherit a nervous system shaped by the generations before you? Most of us don’t. Without realizing it, we end up repeating patterns, carrying silence, and holding burdens that were never ours to carry. The NeuroHeir℠ Podcast is for cycle breakers…young adults, parents, and those in helping roles like teachers, coaches, healers, and therapists…who are ready to understand their nervous system through a generational lens, release what no longer serves, and consciously create the legacy they want to pass on. This podcast will answer questions such as: - Why does inherited trauma affect my body, not just my mind? - How do I regulate my nervous system when I feel anxious, overwhelmed, or shut down? - What does it really mean to “break cycles” without disowning my family? - How can I help my kids feel safe and regulated when I’m still learning this myself - What somatic practices can I use in real time to reset and reconnect? Inside each episode, you’ll find nervous system education explained through a generational lens, somatic practices you can use right away (including my signature 4N framework: Notice, Name, Nurture, Navigate), research on generational trauma and resilience, and real-life stories through guest conversations and live coaching. I’m Leanna Hunt, an Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor and certified performance coach trained in somatic-based modalities. I use these approaches every day to help clients regulate their nervous systems, release inherited patterns, and reconnect with who they really are. Subscribe today and take your first step toward becoming a NeuroHeir℠, because you may not have chosen what you inherited, but you can choose what comes next.

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