Content Warning: This episode includes mention of child sexual assault.

In this episode of Just Like Nana, host Amie (Elizabeth) Penny Sayler is joined by Dr. Peter Levine to discuss how trauma lives in the body and, more importantly, how the trauma cycle can be completed to restore a sense of inner peace.

They unpack the signs– persistent physical symptoms, repetitive relationship patterns, feeling disconnected from your own life– that point to the roots of your struggles, which are not just in your mind but etched into your physiology as intergenerational trauma. If any of this sounds familiar to you, this conversation will give you the guidance to take the next step in seeking support and releasing that held trauma.

About Dr. Peter Levine

Peter A Levine, Ph.D., is the developer of Somatic Experiencing® (SE™), a naturalistic and neurobiological approach to healing trauma, which he has developed over the past 50 years. He holds a doctorate in Biophysics from UC Berkeley and a doctorate in Psychology from International University. He is the Founder and President of the Ergos Institute of Somatic Education and the Founder and Advisor for Somatic Experiencing International, where his work has been taught to over 30,000 healers in over 42 countries. He recently finished his Autobiography, An Autobiography of Trauma, A Healing Journey, and is the author of several best-selling books on trauma, including Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma; In an Unspoken Voice, How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness; and Trauma and Memory, Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• 80% of the information flowing through your vagus nerve is sensory, explaining why trauma is a visceral, bodily experience rather than just a “brain disease.”
• Trauma often manifests as chronic pain or tension and healing occurs by slowly and safely completing these defensive responses that were frozen in time.
• Trauma isn't just personal; it can be an "energetic pattern" passed down through generations.
• Recognizing our ancestral webs can help us resolve issues that seem to have no clear origin in our lives.
• Reconnecting with the body often requires the presence of a "connected, empathetic other" to help discharge stored energy safely.

Connect with Dr. Peter Levine

• Somatic Experiencing Website: https://www.somaticexperiencing.com/ or https://traumahealing.org/
• An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey is available at: Ergos Institute, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Amazon UK, Inner Traditio

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Theme music by Carter Penny.