The Dragonfly Connection Amber Cook

Wow! This is a great episode for EVERYONE right now, no matter what!
In these ever shifting, intense, emotionally charged times; it is still possible to live our yummiest, most fulfilled, joyful lives. If you're thinking this is a nutty concept, then this episode and all that Ambers guest Danet Palmer has to offer is what you need right now. Danet is so inspirational and joy-filled - there's no way you're going to end this episode not feeling more joyful and inspired yourself. 
Danét Palmer is the author of "Baptized by Love: How I Found Present Joy and Never Let it Go". This memoir is a story of forgiveness, redemption, and the restoration of self-love and abundant joy — a resounding promise that no matter the heartbreak, violence, or trauma you’ve experienced, you can use your pain to uncover a life of present joy. 
She’s also the author of "Coffee with the Divine: A Yummy Guide to Daily Miracles" and host of “The Yummy Way Podcast.” Much of her adult life was spent as a psycho-spiritual mentor and metaphysical minister, coaching others to live true, authentic lives. After listening, you'll definitely want to connect with Danet at her website The Yummy Way.com. There you will find all of her beautiful offerings. 
Join us in the Dragonfly Connection Facebook Group to let us know what you thought. You can even tag Danet with questions.

Do you seem more sensitive than most people or have been accused of being too sensitive most of your life?
Or maybe you just want to know how to communicate more effectively with the highly sensitive people in your life?
Then this episode is for you! In it, Amber and Tammy chat about the traits of highly sensitive people or HSP's, our challenges and our super powers, and she gives a ton of great advice on how we can thrive in this world that seems like it's not meant for us. 
Tammy Goen is a self love and happiness coach for us Highly Sensitive People. As an HSP she knows firsthand what it’s like to feel misunderstood, unaccepted, overwhelmed and needing to be fixed. She’s felt the shame and struggled in relationships and felt totally incapable of dealing with the atrocities of life. And in spite of it all she has learned how to thrive… how to love herself and embrace (and enjoy) her sensitivities and all that life has to offer.
Using her degree in Counseling Psychology, her certifications in EFT/Tapping, HeartMath meditations, other meditation and mindfulness practices and energy healing techniques she helps others do the same. 
Tammy has a ton of great offers and even free resources available on her website.
coachtammygoen.com
She even has a Guide for Highly Sensitives to communicate with non-HSPs!
Get the guide here.
And, as with most of my podcast guests, Tammy is available to connect with personally in Ambers Facebook group "The Dragonfly Connection". Hop on in, and tag her in a question or comment. If you're not already a part of it. It's free! 

Todays guest is Vanessa Perry, a career mental health therapist turned intuitive holistic counselor. Vanessa believes that our troubles are rooted and treated beyond just the mind, and helps others explore non-traditional practices for healing and empowerment. She believes that abundance and soul-led living is achievable for everyone, and  thrives on the work of co-creating this with her clients.
In this conversation, she and Amber chat all about spirituality, intuition and neurodivergence....in this case, ADHD. Vanessa has an awesome take on things like ADHD. It's a really great theory! Once you listen, please let Amber know what you think. You can post a comment in our Facebook Group, The Dragonfly Connection or leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. If you have any questions for Vanessa, you can ask her directly in that group too. 
Vanessa is also a podcast host and offers a ton of great resources on her website. All the ways to connect with her and listen to her podcast are below.
www.vanessaperry.net or on Instagram at @sea.stars.psych.

"We're all healing beings."
Todays guest, Anna Marie Frank is a doctor of Traditional Naturopathy, brain health professional, certified mindset life-guide coach, and lover of life! She is an author, podcast host, and an employee wellness consultant. Her mission is to end mental health stigmas and help all people upgrade their brains and biology through lifestyle choices. 
She believes that our neural pathways can be rewired through using holistic modalities to work on the physical and energetic level. In this episode Anna Marie shares how she healed her own brain after years of depression and challenges with dyslexia and ADHD. 
And, if all of that isn't enough, she is also the author of the self improvement book, “Stop Bullying Yourself! For greater health, wealth, happiness, and success".
There are so many great tips in this episode! 
Connect with Anna Marie on Instagram @HappyWholeYou
Find out more at her website: www.happywholeyou.com
Check out her amazing podcast HERE. 

This is Ambers 100th podcast episode and the topic was formed from a PTSD flashback she had the night before recording. 
Amber uses PTSD and CPTSD interchangeably, but there is a difference. The main difference between the two is PTSD usually occurs after a single traumatic event, while CPTSD is associated with repeated trauma. Amber has CPTSD. 
In this episode Amber shares her experience with PTSD and the lessons learned from this latest flashback - her first one in almost a year.  One of her biggest lessons this time was how PTSD has affected her relationship with food and her struggles with maintaining a healthy weight.
Amber talks a little bit about EMDR experience in which she calls a miracle treatment for trauma. If you're unfamiliar with what EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is, it's a psychotherapy treatment that enables you to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that come with trauma. Here's an EMDR website that describes it. www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr
Here's the link to the NIH study and article she mentioned: The Weight of Traumatic Stress: A Prospective Study of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Weight Status in Women.
If you'd like to do your own research, just Google "weight gain and PTSD", or "weight gain and trauma". There are a ton of studies and theories. Most come down to healing the pain that the trauma (or traumas) created and stored in your mind and body. It can't be buried, ignored, or swept under the rug. That pain will surface in all kinds of ways and will create things in your mind and your body that will hold you back in life. It may not hold you back completely, but it will prevent you from living a fully experienced life. 
Excess weight and the (seemingly) impossibility of losing it may not be how unhealed trauma shows up for you, instead it may be one of the following....
Anxiety or panic attacks that occur in what would be considered normal situations
A feeling of shame; an innate feeling that you are bad, worthless, or without importance
Suffering from chronic or ongoing depression
Practicing avoidance of people, places, or things that may be related to the traumatic event; this also can include an avoidance of unpleasant emotions
Flashbacks, nightmares, and body memories regarding the traumatic event
Addiction and eating disorders in an attempt to escape or numb negative emotions
Sleeping issues, including trouble going to sleep or staying asleep
Suffering from feelings of detachment, or feeling "dead inside"
Dissociation to disconnect in situations and conversations
Hypervigilance - a constant feeling of being on guardSuicidal thoughts or actions
Uncontrollable anger
Self-harm, cutting, and mutilation
Not being able to tolerate conflicts
Unexplained or irrational fears of people, places, or things
Amber has personally experienced 14 of these at different times in her life and along her healing journey. And, now today, due to her deep healing work, out of that 14, she only still experience 5 of them on occasion. If she can do it, so can you!
So now it's your turn for some self reflection. Get yourself a piece of paper or your journal, write down the following questions, and answer them. If you're working with a professional healer, coach, or therapist, you're highly encouraged to share the answers with them. 
Do you recognize any of the symptoms or experiences in that list of 15 above in yourself?
Where are you stuck in life - what area(s)? Health, Career, Relationships, or general Fulfillment? Be specific!
What kind of support do you need? From what or who? What does that look like?
Have you found tools that help you? If so, what are they and why aren't you using them? If you are using them, why aren't they working?
How do you celebrate your wins? Is it something that you feel benefits you - like if it effects your health negatively, you might want to find another way to celebrate?
Why do you start treatments/programs/plans meant to benef

Ambers guest, Steve Q. Wiltshire has made fitness, health & mindset a priority for 3 decades! Shortly after winning the Mr. Oregon Body Building Competition, Steve developed an autoimmune disease that originated from a serious gut complication that took a huge toll on his overall health, his life, and his career. 
Up until then Steve followed what he perceived as experts in fitness regarding what was "healthy", like radical meal plans and supplements containing harsh chemicals. But, eighteen long months after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and more, which he talks about in this episode, Steve healed himself through alternative and holistic healing methods. Now he doesn't just look healthy, he IS healthy from the inside out. And, it's evident through his boundless energy and outlook on life!
Now it's Steve's mission to help others reclaim their health & power...and love themselves no matter where they're at! Steve is an inspiring Speaker, Author, Mindset Coach and the founder of Body Temple Health & Wellness. His company also has it's own, all natural, chemical free supplement line! The links to follow are included below. 
Also included is his complimentary ‘15 Day Kickstart Gut Detox Plan’. Like Steve says, "The Gut is the engine and the brain of the body." After listening to this episode you should definitely check out his free detox program and all his other great resources to help you on your healing journey. 
If you're part of The Dragonfly Connection Community on Facebook you can also connect with Steve and other podcast guests in there. 
Grab the complimentary detox program at bodytemplellc.com/kickstart
Check out all the resources his company offers (including chemical-free supplements) at www.bodytemplellc.com