The Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast

Thomas Pals and Ruth Lorensson
  • 5.0 (16)
  • ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Hosted by Tom Pals and Ruth Lorensson, the Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast (AHA Podcast) explores how activating the brain engages the body’s interoceptive awareness and natural homeostatic processes, helping restore nervous system balance and support healing from stress.Grounded in neuroscience and the body’s innate intelligence, each episode offers practical strategies, scientific insights, and real conversations to help you build whole-person wellness—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Join Tom and Ruth as they unpack the science behind Autonomic Homeostasis Activation™, share tools for self-regulation, and invite you into a living systems approach to wellness that empowers resilience, freedom, and everyday well-being.

  1. DEC 13

    The Brain Has a Mind of Its Own: The Oldest Way to Solve Problems

    Send us a text Season 4 begins with a foundational conversation on the wisdom of the brain and how it shapes problem solving, emotional regulation, and personal growth. Ruth and Tom explore the crucial difference between the mind and the brain, and why stress, trauma, and learned patterns can distort our thinking. Introducing AHA Problem Solving, this episode shows how calming the nervous system allows the brain’s natural intelligence to generate clarity, insight, and genuine “aha” moments—especially around health anxiety, relationships, and life decisions. The discussion also touches on neuroscience, homeostasis, and what artificial intelligence reveals about human cognition under stress. Key Takeaways: • The brain and mind are not the same • Stress impairs decision-making • The brain holds innate wisdom • Regulation restores clarity Support the show Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Facebook Instagram Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com Support us We appreciate you!

    43 min

  2. NOV 15

    Maslow's Last Lesson: Transcendence

    Send us a text In this illuminating episode of the Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast, Tom Pals and Ruth Lorensson explore the rarely discussed—but profoundly important—final stage of Maslow’s thinking: transcendence. Most people know Maslow for the “hierarchy of needs” pyramid, but as Tom reveals, Maslow never created a pyramid at all. And he certainly never stopped at self-actualization. At the end of his career, Maslow emphasized something deeper: a movement beyond the self into a state of connection, meaning, creativity, and belonging. Together, Tom and Ruth unpack: Why Maslow’s hierarchy was never meant to be a pyramidHow transcendence connects “me” to “we” and restores our sense of belongingWhy love, awe, creativity, and community are essential components of wellnessHow “us and them” thinking blocks transcendence and fragments our humanityWhy every organism in nature thrives through interdependence—and what humans can relearn from thatA practical way to check if your needs are being met or if you’re stuck in fight-or-flightTranscendence isn’t mystical or unreachable. It’s the human experience of rising above survival, reconnecting to the larger web of life, and rediscovering the joy of being part of something bigger. If you’re seeking deeper meaning, grounded wisdom, and a more holistic understanding of what it means to thrive, this episode offers a powerful and refreshing perspective. Support the show Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Facebook Instagram Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com Support us We appreciate you!

    37 min

  3. NOV 2

    Self-Actualization — The Me-We of Wellness

    Send us a text In this special birthday episode, Tom and Ruth explore what it really means to thrive as a whole human being. Building on their series about the fundamentals of wellness and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, they dive into the top of the hierarchy—self-actualization—and why it’s never just about “me.” Together they unpack how homeostasis—that dynamic state of balance in body, mind, and spirit—is both personal and collective. Drawing on insights from neuroscience, somatic practice, and ecology, Tom explains how true wellness emerges when our physiological, emotional, and relational needs are met within connection—not isolation. From the wisdom of Kurt Goldstein and Abraham Maslow to the biology of “many little lives” within us, this conversation reframes self-actualization as thriving through interconnectedness. 💫 Highlights: Why wellness is homeostasis—and what that looks like in everyday lifeHow the me-we perspective transforms the way we pursue growthThe hidden sixth layer of Maslow’s hierarchy—transcendencePractical steps for activating the body’s natural capacity to restore balanceJoin Ruth and Tom as they celebrate wisdom, connection, and the lifelong journey from surviving to thriving. Support the show Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Facebook Instagram Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com Support us We appreciate you!

    37 min

  4. OCT 19

    The Heart of Esteem: Seeing Ourselves and Others Clearly

    Send us a text In this episode of the Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast, Tom Pals and Ruth Lorensson continue their exploration of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs through the lens of wellness and trauma-informed wholeness. Focusing on esteem, they unpack what it truly means to “appraise” value—both in ourselves and in others—and how unmet needs and trauma can distort our perception of worth and significance. Through rich conversation and powerful metaphors—like Tom’s image of humans as uncut diamonds—they reveal how esteem isn’t about hierarchy or status, but about mutual recognition of inherent worth. Together, they examine how physiological, safety, and belonging needs act as catalysts for healthy esteem, and how unmet needs can keep us stuck in cycles of comparison, defensiveness, or exclusion. Listeners will come away with deeper insight into: The roots of esteem as appraisal rather than judgmentHow trauma and unmet needs shape our ability to value ourselves and othersThe difference between worth, significance, and accomplishmentHow to move from sympathetic fight-or-flight into parasympathetic homeostasisPractical reflection prompts for fostering self-worth and mutual significanceJoin Ruth and Tom as they guide listeners toward restoring homeostasis of esteem, a crucial step in the broader journey toward self-actualization and holistic wellness. 🎧 Listen now and rediscover your worth as an uncut diamond in a world learning to see again. Support the show Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Facebook Instagram Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com Support us We appreciate you!

    35 min

  5. OCT 6

    Change as Life: How the Brain Navigates Transformation

    Send us a text In this episode of the Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast, hosts Tom Pals and Ruth Lorensson explore the profound connection between change, homeostasis, and wellness. They unpack why change isn’t something to resist but to embrace—because homeostasis itself is change, the constant dynamic adjustment that keeps us alive and well. Drawing on neuroscience, Tom explains how the brain perceives change through the amygdala, either as a threat (activating the sympathetic fight-or-flight response) or as an opportunity (activating the parasympathetic rest-recover-digest state). Together, Tom and Ruth explore how our perception of change determines our experience of it—whether we spiral into anxiety and frustration or move toward growth, restoration, and resilience. Listeners will learn the difference between wanting change and wanting to change, and how cultivating a mindset of beneficial anticipation—seeing change as life-giving—creates space for healing, adaptability, and sustainable wellness. 💡 Key Themes: Homeostasis as a living, dynamic processThe neurobiology of change and emotional regulationHow perception shapes our stress or peace responseThe power of beneficial anticipation over negative anticipationWhy embracing change is central to true wellness✨ “Change is not the enemy of wellness—it’s the evidence of life.” 🔗 Learn more at autonomichealing.org  or connect with Tom at innerworkings.org . Support the show Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Facebook Instagram Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com Support us We appreciate you!

    33 min

  6. SEP 13

    Beyond Stress: Finding Real Love and Belonging

    Send us a text In this episode of the Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast, Tom Pals and Ruth Lorensson continue their Fundamentals of Wellness series with a deep dive into the third level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: love and belonging. Together they explore the universal ache for connection, community, and healing felt across society today and ask an essential question: what kind of love and belonging truly nurtures wellness and mental health? Drawing a distinction between the “tsunami of stress” and “rational intimacy,” Tom and Ruth unpack how certain relationships, communities, and affiliations may appear loving and inclusive, yet actually perpetuate stress, trauma, insecurity, and disconnection. In contrast, they describe how authentic love and belonging cultivates safety, security, contentment, and mutual growth — the true foundation for self-actualization, resilience, and wholeness. Listeners will learn how to recognize the signs of false belonging, how to choose pathways that foster genuine wellness, relational health, and homeostasis, and why this choice is central to becoming our truest, healthiest selves. If you’ve ever wondered whether the spaces you belong to are building you up or holding you back, this episode offers clarity, encouragement, and practical insights for personal growth and sustainable wellness. Support the show Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Facebook Instagram Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com Support us We appreciate you!

    29 min

  7. AUG 24

    AHA Therapy: Changing the Conversation within the Body

    Send us a text In this thought-provoking episode of the Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast, Ruth Lorensson and Thomas Pals welcome back Scott Turner, renowned physiologist and expert on homeostasis, cognition, and superorganisms, for a deep dive into the science and mystery behind Autonomic Homeostasis Activation (AHA). Together, they explore the fascinating intersection of interoception, homeostasis, and the autonomic nervous system, unpacking how AHA may help reframe conditions like PTSD, anxiety, depression, Crohn’s disease, and autoimmune disorders. Scott shares insights from his research on termite colonies, superorganisms, and the many little lives within the body, showing how persistent homeostatic states—whether healthy or unhealthy—can be shifted through new conversations at the cellular and cognitive level. Listeners will discover: What AHA (Autonomic Homeostasis Activation) really is and how it works.Why combining homeostasis activation with interoceptive awareness produces powerful outcomes.How disease and wellness can be understood as conversations within the body.Parallels between biological cognition, consciousness, and collective intelligence.Why anecdotal evidence and case studies are vital in exploring emerging therapies.This conversation bridges science, wellness, and biomimicry, offering a hopeful lens on healing, resilience, and the neurobiological roots of human thriving. Support the show Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Facebook Instagram Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com Support us We appreciate you!

    44 min

  8. AUG 10

    Purposeful Homeostasis: Agency, Adaptation, and the Many Little Lives Within Us

    Send us a text In this thought-provoking conversation, Ruth Lorensson and Thomas Pals welcome back Scott Turner, author of Purpose and Desire, to explore the fascinating intersections of niche construction theory, homeostasis, and human wellness. Together, they unpack how living systems—down to the cellular level—act with agency, intentionally shaping and being shaped by their environments. From Walter Cannon’s classic definition of homeostasis to Aristotle’s ideas on purposefulness, the discussion bridges evolutionary biology, biophysics, and wellness science. Scott Turner explains why adaptation is more than mechanistic feedback loops—it’s about purposeful striving at every level, from microbiomes to ecosystems. The trio dives deep into the “many little lives” metaphor, revealing how cellular conversations influence our overall health, vitality, and resilience—and how disruption in those conversations can lead to illness, cancer, and even addiction. Key topics include: The agency of living systems and its role in adaptation and wellnessHow niche construction theory challenges modern DarwinismWhy homeostasis is misunderstood and how it truly operatesThe parallels between ecosystem health and human healthThe role of interoception in restoring balance and fostering well-beingWhether you’re a wellness professional, leader, or simply curious about the science of thriving, this episode offers a fresh lens on what it means to be well—and how to consciously participate in the adaptive conversations that sustain life. Support the show Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Facebook Instagram Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com Support us We appreciate you!

    39 min
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5
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16 Ratings

About

Hosted by Tom Pals and Ruth Lorensson, the Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast (AHA Podcast) explores how activating the brain engages the body’s interoceptive awareness and natural homeostatic processes, helping restore nervous system balance and support healing from stress.Grounded in neuroscience and the body’s innate intelligence, each episode offers practical strategies, scientific insights, and real conversations to help you build whole-person wellness—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Join Tom and Ruth as they unpack the science behind Autonomic Homeostasis Activation™, share tools for self-regulation, and invite you into a living systems approach to wellness that empowers resilience, freedom, and everyday well-being.

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