How To Soothe Stress and Trauma Through Meditation with Neathery Falchuk | #25

The Conjuring Up Courage logo, a photo of Neathery, and the words, "How To Soothe Stress and Trauma Through Meditation with Neathery Falchuk Episode #25"

Click here to access a written transcript of this episode.

If you think that meditation and mindfulness are trendy wellness fads not worth pursuing, psychotherapist Neathery Falchuk might just change your mind. And don't worry—I also questioned the usefulness of these tools before we recorded this episode!

Neathery and I talked about the effects of stress and trauma in the body, how meditation helps us integrate our brains, and the many different forms mindfulness can take in our lives. If you feel chronically overstressed and/or have a trauma history, meditation and mindfulness could be game-changers for you.

We discussed:

  • How Neathery knew from a young age that they wanted to be a helping professional, which led them to social work and being a therapist.
  • Defining stress, both negative and positive.
  • The many health consequences of stress in the body.
  • How ongoing oppression creates traumatic stress.
  • The high number of individuals that have experienced some kind of trauma in their lives.
  • The necessity of trauma-informed care.
  • Known trauma responses, including fight, flight, faint, freeze, and fawn.
  • The importance of an integrated brain.
  • Mindfulness and meditation's effect on the brain and in other areas of our lives.
  • The importance of learning to be in the present, non-judgmentally.
  • How meditation can help us flow with our feelings.
  • Neathery's tips for how to get started with meditation if you're new to it.
  • Rest as another tool for dealing with stress in all of its many forms.
  • How Neathery defines health and wellness for themself at this moment in their life, including really scaling back and tending to their needs after the loss of their brother earlier this year.

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Neathery smiles for the camera. She has short, very curly hair, and she wears glasses and a black shirt.

Neathery Falchuk (they/them) is a clinical social worker, certified group psychotherapist, board-approved supervisor, and owner of a group private practice in Austin, Texas. With strong roots in Health at Every Size and social justice, they specialize in eating disorders, body image, LGBTQ+, trauma, and substance use. Neathery strongly believes in the healing power of relationships and takes a relational and attachment-based approach to their work. When not working, Neathery enjoys yoga and meditation, being outdoors, listening to live music, checking out the best coffee shops in town, starting and never finishing books, and showing pictures of their dogs to strangers. You can find Neathery on their website and Instagram.

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