Written by Emma G, Empowerment Coach and Singer-Songwriter Emma G is an award-winning singer/songwriter, 2x TEDx speaker, and empowerment coach specializing in trauma-aware voicework, mental health advocacy, and music-led healing. She is the author of "Mental Health Sounds Like This" and founder of Emma G Music LLC. Emma G is a singer, songwriter, TEDx speaker, and author of Mental Health Sounds Like This – A Creative Blueprint for Healing, Mindfulness, and Self Discovery through Music. Beyond her work as an empowerment through songwriting and singing coach for teenagers. She delivers stress management, de-escalation, and empowerment training for corporate teams, educators, journalists, NGOs, and healthcare workers using music, storytelling, and honest conversation as the tools for transformation. Most stress management advice sounds the same. Here's what actually works, especially for people in high-pressure roles who've already tried the obvious stuff. What is stress management, and why does it keep failing us? Most people who find themselves googling stress management tools are not beginners. They have tried the breathing exercises. They have downloaded the meditation app. They have been told to take a walk, drink more water, and get more sleep. Yet they still feel stressed. Here is the thing. Stress management does not fail because you are doing it wrong. It fails because you have been given a single tool and told it should work for everyone. It will not. It cannot. Stress is not a one size fits all experience. Chronic stress, long term stress, the kind that accumulates in high pressure roles, whether you are a journalist covering conflict, an educator managing thirty students, a healthcare worker processing daily trauma, or a corporate leader carrying the weight of your team, looks different in every body, every mind, and every life. Which means managing it effectively requires something different too. What I have found through years of delivering stress management and de escalation training to professionals across multiple industries is that the people who struggle most are not the ones who have not tried. They are the ones who were only ever given one or two tools and told that was enough. It is not. What you need is an arsenal. Here are seven stress management tools that most people have not fully explored, and why each one works: 1. Music: The nervous system shortcut Music has been used across cultures and throughout history as a tool for emotional processing, community healing, and mental well being. This is not anecdotal, it is backed by decades of neuroscience research showing that music directly affects the brain's stress response, reduces cortisol levels, and can shift mood faster than almost any other intervention. When we experience stress, our nervous system activates. Music, particularly music we have an emotional connection to, can interrupt that activation and begin moving us toward a calmer physiological state. It works whether you are listening, humming, or actively creating something. This is why music sits at the center of the work I do. I have been a professional performing artist for over two decades, and what I know, both from experience and from the science, is that music is not just entertainment. It is a genuine mental health tool. One that gives people a language for what they are feeling when words have not arrived yet. If you feel stressed and cannot articulate why, try this. Put on music that matches your emotional state first, not music that contradicts it. Let it meet you where you are. Then find something that moves you somewhere else. You are, after all, the lead character in your life. Make sure that you are the one in charge of the soundtrack. 2. Laughter: The tool that makes everyone uncomfortable and works anyway Stay with me on this one. Laughter in the context of serious, high stakes work feels wrong. Like you are not taking the weight of the situation seriously enough. But cultures across the world, historically and today, have used laughter as a collective tool for processing systemic hardship, historical trauma, and community wide stress. There is a reason for that. Physiologically, laughter reduces cortisol, releases physical tension held in the body, and interrupts the stress response cycle at a neurological level. Here is the part most people do not think about. Laughter also activates the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the primary muscle of respiration, the engine behind every breath you take, and the same muscle that singers and performers train deliberately for breath control, vocal power, and physical presence. When you laugh fully, your diaphragm contracts and releases in rapid succession. It is an involuntary workout for one of the body’s most important stress regulating muscles. Why does that matter? Because diaphragmatic engagement directly stimulates the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the autonomic nervous system, and the one most responsible for shifting you out of fight or flight and into rest and recovery. This is why singers and performers often report a natural capacity for emotional regulation. Not because they are wired differently, but because years of breath and voice training have essentially been nervous system training all along. They have been working that muscle without necessarily knowing it. Laughter does the same thing, faster and more accessible than almost any other tool. It requires no training, no equipment, and no particular belief system. Just the willingness to let it happen. It is not about making light of difficult things. It is about giving your nervous system a genuine moment of relief so you can return to those difficult things with more capacity, more clarity, and more humanity. In my training sessions, laughter is almost always the tool that raises eyebrows first, and the one people mention most often afterward. The discomfort of it is, in many ways, the point. If it feels left of field, that is because it is working on a different part of you than the tools you are used to. Your diaphragm? It is grateful. Even if the rest of you needs a moment to catch up. 3. Breathwork and humming: Two different keys to the same door We know deep breathing helps with stress. What fewer people realize is that humming works through an entirely different physiological mechanism, which is exactly what makes combining them so powerful. Deep diaphragmatic breathing, particularly with a longer exhale than inhale, signals to your autonomic nervous system that a threat has passed. It activates the parasympathetic response, the direct counterbalance to fight or flight. For most people managing chronic stress, that switch rarely gets flipped. The low grade activation just becomes the background noise of daily life. Humming does something different. The vibration travels through your sinus cavities and nasal passages, significantly increasing nitric oxide production, a molecule that dilates blood vessels and enhances vagal tone. The vagus nerve is the primary communication highway between your brain and your body. Strong vagal tone means faster recovery from stress, better emotional regulation, and less likelihood of getting stuck in those chronic stress cycles. So while diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the vagus nerve mechanically, through movement and pressure, humming stimulates it acoustically, through vibration. Two different pathways leading to the same destination, a calmer, more regulated nervous system. This is also why singing has been used across cultures for centuries as a communal healing tool. It is not just emotional or spiritual, it is physiological. When you sing, you engage diaphragmatic breath, extended exhale, and sustained vocal vibration simultaneously. You are running all three mechanisms at once. You do not need to be a singer to access any of this. You just need ninety seconds and your own voice. Try this. Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for eight while humming softly. Repeat three to five times. Notice what shifts, not just in your mind, but in your body. That is your nervous system responding. That is the switch flipping. Read more here from NIH. 4. Movement: Getting the stress out of your body It sounds bizarre, but stress creates physical energy. Hormones flood your system, your muscles tense, your heart rate increases, and if that energy has nowhere to go, it stays stuck in your body long after the stressful situation has passed. Movement is one of the most effective ways to discharge that physical energy and support your body's return to baseline. Exercise reduces stress hormones, improves mood, supports better sleep, and builds the kind of long term physical resilience that helps you cope with future stressful situations more effectively. This does not have to mean the gym. It means finding movement that works for your body, walking, dancing, martial arts, yoga, or swimming. The form matters less than the consistency. What matters is that you are giving the physical symptoms of stress somewhere to go, rather than letting them accumulate over time and affect your physical health in ways that are much harder to address later. For more information on this, check out season three’s episode of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This featuring fitness and wellness expert Laurent Amzallag. 5. Cognitive reframing: Changing the story you are telling yourself Your mind is constantly narrating your experience. The story it tells about a stressful situation, whether it frames it as a threat or a challenge, as evidence of your failure or an opportunity to grow, has a direct impact on how much stress you actually experience and how effectively you manage it. Cognitive reframing is the practice of consciously examining that narrative and asking, is this the only way to see this? Is this story helping me, or making things harder? Classic glass half full versus half empty. Choosing half full, however, is not toxic positivity. It is not pretending difficult things are not difficult. It is developing the mental awareness to notice when your thinking is amplifying your stress response rather than helping you navigate it, and choosing deliberately to redirect. For people in high pressure roles who deal with stressful situations regularly, cognitive reframing is one of the most powerful long term tools available. It takes practice. But over time it fundamentally changes your relationship with adversity, shifting you from someone who feels overwhelmed by difficult situations to someone who has genuine agency within them. 6. Meditation and mindfulness: But only if it works for you I have to be very clear in every stress management and resiliency workshop I deliver. Meditation does not work for everyone, and that is completely fine. For some people, a regular meditation practice is genuinely life changing. It builds the capacity to be present, to observe what is happening internally without being swept away by it, and to respond intentionally to stressful situations rather than simply react to them. For people managing chronic stress, that capacity for presence can be the difference between functioning and flourishing. For others, sitting in silence with their thoughts feels less like relief and more like torture, so forcing yourself to meditate when it does not suit your nervous system or your personality is unlikely to reduce stress. It is more likely to add to it. The point of including it here is not to tell you that you should meditate. It is to say, if you have not found a form of mindfulness that works for you yet, keep looking. It might be walking meditation. It might be journaling. It might be the focused presence that comes from playing music or writing a song. Mindfulness is a capacity, not a technique. Find the technique that helps you access it. 7. Creative expression: The tool that does everything at once This is the one that tends to surprise people most, and the one I am most passionate about, because it is where my own experience and my professional methodology meet. Creative expression, songwriting, writing, art, and movement, does something that most stress management tools do not. It gives your internal experience a form outside of yourself. It takes what is happening emotionally and makes it tangible, visible, expressible. For people who feel stressed but cannot articulate exactly why, or who have been carrying the weight of difficult experiences for a long time without a way to process them, creativity offers a pathway that pure cognitive or physical approaches miss. Songwriting in particular is something I use extensively in my work, both in one on one coaching and in group training settings. When someone writes a song about what they are going through, even a simple one, and especially an imperfect one, something shifts. The experience moves from something that is happening to them to something they have expressed and therefore, in some meaningful way, have agency over. This is not abstract. I have watched it happen in boardrooms, in treatment centers, in libraries across New Zealand, and on stages in Washington D.C. Creative expression is one of the most underused and most powerful tools available for managing long term stress, and it is significantly more accessible than most people think. The most important thing to remember No single tool on this list will solve everything. That is not the point. The point is awareness. The awareness that you have more options than you may have thought. The awareness that when things feel out of control, when the stress is high and the capacity feels low, you have something to reach for. The more tools you have available, the more equipped you are to handle whatever life throws at you. The more you practice reaching for them, the more natural it becomes, until managing your stress is not something you have to think about consciously, but something you do instinctively, because you have built that capacity over time. That awareness of how much control you actually have, even when things feel completely out of control is the whole point of everything I do. Ready to go deeper? If this resonates with you, if you lead a team, work in a high pressure environment, or support people who do, I deliver keynote presentations and stress management and de escalation training that bring these tools to life in a practical, memorable, and genuinely human way. You can also explore these ideas further in my book Mental Health Sounds Like This, an Amazon bestseller that combines neuroscience, personal story, and practical exercises to help you build a sustainable approach to mental well being. Or start for free, join my weekly Music and Mental Health empowerment calls on Tuesday nights at 7.30pm EST over on Zoom and experience the work first hand. Your next step does not have to be a big one. But it needs to be taken. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Emma G Emma G, Empowerment Coach and Singer-Songwriter Emma G is an award-winning singer/songwriter, 2x TEDx speaker, and empowerment coach who helps teens and adults transform pain into power through trauma-informed voice work and songwriting. After surviving 10 brain surgeries due to hydrocephalus, she discovered the healing potential of music and self-expression. Her book and album, Mental Health Sounds Like This, offer a neuroscience-backed, culturally grounded approach to emotional wellness. She’s the founder of Emma G Music LLC and has been featured by FOX, WUSA9, The Washington Post, CBS, CBC, and more. Her mission? To save the world, one song at a time.

Written by Veronica Safoa Owusu, Executive Recalibration Coach & Thinking Partner Veronica Safoa Owusu is the founder of V-Power Coaching, and an Executive Recalibration Coach & Thinking Partner with over 30 years’ experience supporting leaders, CEOs and directors to expand their thinking field, align with mission, lead with presence and make trustworthy decisions in high-stakes environments. In August 2012, Knight Capital lost over $460 million in less than an hour due to a trading software failure. Years earlier, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster revealed how communication breakdowns, pressure, and flawed decision-making can converge into irreversible outcomes, raising a deeper question about where decisions are truly formed. In August 2012, Knight Capital, one of Wall Street’s major trading firms at the time, lost more than $460 million in approximately 45 minutes after a trading software incident and failures in risk controls. Let that land for a moment. Less than an hour. A system. A deployment. A failure of oversight. A chain of assumptions, and almost half a billion dollars was gone. How about this. In January 1986, NASA lost the Space Shuttle Challenger and its seven member crew. The Rogers Commission later described the decision to launch as flawed and highlighted serious concerns around communication, O ring risk, temperature, and management decision making. We can call these technical failures, organisational failures. We can analyze the formalities, the warnings, the culture, the communication breakdowns, and the pressure surrounding the decisions. Yes, all of that matters, but I want us to go a little deeper. Because behind every decision, there is a thinking field. In that field there are some unfavorable conditions. A field of pressure. A field of assumptions. A field of fear. A field of urgency. A field of identity. A field of culture. A field of presence, or the absence of it. This is where I believe the decision really begins, in that Thinking Field. Where decisions really begin Most of us have been trained to think decisions happen in boardrooms, meeting rooms, crisis rooms, courtrooms, or around kitchen tables when life gets real. Yes, physically, decisions may happen there. But let’s pause. Take a breath with me here. What if the real decision is not born in the room? What if the real decision is born in the condition of the people entering the room? Because a leader can walk into a boardroom with data, experience, strategy, power, and authority. But if they are walking in with fear, pressure, ego, exhaustion, unspoken resentment, a need to prove themselves, or a culture that does not allow truth to be spoken, then the decision is already being shaped before the meeting even begins. This is what I call The Gold Dust Thinking Field™. It is the invisible field from which decisions are formed before they are spoken, approved, justified, or acted upon. Once we see that, we cannot unsee it. A decision is rarely just a decision. It is the visible result of an invisible field. Before the decision. Your mind may want to rush ahead here. It may say, "But decisions are about facts. Decisions are about analysis. Decisions are about strategy. Decisions are about the best option available." Of course, facts matter. Analysis matters. Strategy matters. Experience matters. But let’s not pretend that facts enter a neutral field. They do not. Facts are interpreted through a rendering system in the mind. Signals are given meaning through an individual’s perceptual grid. Data is filtered through multiple lenses, and perception is shaped and rendered into a mind move that plays within the field we are in. This is why two intelligent leaders can look at the same situation and come to completely different conclusions. One sees risk. Another sees opportunity. One hears challenge. Another hears disrespect. One sees delay. Another sees necessary discernment. One sees a difficult employee. Another sees a system that has failed to create clarity. Same signal. Different field. Different story. Different decision. Signal and story This is one of the simplest ways I explain it. There is the signal, and then there is the story we attach to the signal. An employee misses a deadline. That is the signal. The story might be, "They are lazy. They do not respect me. They are not committed. They are overwhelmed. They were never clear on the expectation. They are afraid to ask for help. This is a performance issue. This is a leadership issue. This is a culture issue." Do you see it? The signal may be the same. But the story changes depending on the field. The story often determines the decision. So before we ask, What should I do, we may need to ask, "What story am I creating from this signal?" That question alone can interrupt a reactive decision. It creates space, and that space matters. Because when the gap between signal and story becomes too narrow, we collapse into conclusion. When we collapse into conclusion, we often call it clarity. But sometimes it is not clarity. Sometimes it is just a fast story. When pressure contracts Let’s be honest, pressure can make us feel powerful. It can make us feel urgent, focused, important, needed, and serious. There is a part of the ego that likes pressure because pressure can create the illusion of significance. But let’s pause here too. Does pressure always produce better thinking? Or does it sometimes contract the field? When the thinking field contracts, perception narrows. When perception narrows, options disappear. When options disappear, decisions become binary. This or that. Stay or leave. Fire or keep. Push or pause. Speak or stay silent. Win or lose. Us or them. When we are inside that contracted field, it can feel very real. The mind will defend it. That is what the mind does. It protects what it has come to believe. It protects the story. It protects the identity attached to the story. It protects the ego from feeling wrong, exposed, uncertain, or unsafe. But here is the recalibration. We are not our beliefs. The ego may be attached to the belief, but we are the presence that can observe the belief. We are the presence that can notice the fear without becoming the fear. We are the presence that can notice the pressure without becoming the pressure. We are the presence that can notice the story without collapsing into the story. That is where leadership begins to change. Not only in the outer action, but in the inner field from which the action emerges. A leadership example Imagine a CEO walking into a senior leadership meeting. On the outside, everything looks professional. The agenda is ready. The numbers are prepared. The strategy is on the table. But internally, there is pressure. The board is asking questions. Targets are not being met. Confidence feels fragile. The CEO may not say it out loud, but somewhere inside there may be a fear, "What if they start doubting me?" Now, a senior leader raises a concern about the current strategy. That is the signal. But in a contracted thinking field, the CEO may not hear concern. They may hear resistance. They may hear disloyalty. They may hear attack. They may hear, You are not good enough. So what happens? Instead of becoming curious, they defend. Instead of opening the conversation, they close it. Instead of asking, What are you seeing that I may not be seeing, they push harder for agreement. The meeting may still end with a decision. The CEO may still appear confident. The strategy may still move forward. But the decision was shaped by fear before it was shaped by clarity. This is how trust quietly erodes. Not always through shouting. Not always through obvious conflict. Sometimes trust erodes when people realize there is no space for truth in the field. Beyond the boardroom This is not only about executives. It is about being human. Someone you love becomes quiet. That is the signal. But the rendered story depends on the field. If your field is contracted by past rejection, the story may become, "They are pulling away." If your field is contracted by fear, the story may become, "I am not safe." If your field is contracted by pride, the story may become, "I will withdraw first." If your field is contracted by old wounds, the story may become, "This always happens to me." Before you know it, the silence between two people becomes filled with assumptions neither of them has examined. This is why decisions can be so costly. Sometimes the decision is not made from what is actually happening. It is made from the story our nervous system, ego, and past experiences have rendered around what is happening. So again, let’s pause. What if the problem is not only the decision? What if the problem is the unexamined field the decision is coming from? Four thinking field distortions There are many things that distort the thinking field, but four show up often in leadership and life. 1. Pressure narrows perception Pressure makes speed feel like strength. It makes stillness feel irresponsible. It makes reflection feel like delay. But a rushed mind is not always a clear mind. Sometimes pressure does not help us decide better. Sometimes it only helps us decide faster. Faster is not always wiser. 2. Fear protects itself Fear makes the field self protective. Fear of failure. Fear of being exposed. Fear of disappointing people. Fear of losing status. Fear of losing control. Fear of being misunderstood. Fear of losing reputation. When fear is leading, clarity becomes difficult to access. Not because clarity is absent. But because fear is louder. 3. Identity becomes defensive This one is subtle. Some decisions are hard because they threaten who we believe ourselves to be. A founder may struggle to release a failing idea because the idea has become part of their identity. A leader may struggle to apologies because they believe authority means always appearing certain. A high achiever may struggle to rest because their identity has been built around capacity. A parent may struggle to listen because they believe being questioned means being disrespected. When identity feels threatened, the field becomes defensive. Defensive field rarely creates trustworthy decisions. 4. Culture blocks truth Sometimes the field is not only personal. It is cultural. What is rewarded here. What is punished here. Who is allowed to speak. Who has learned to stay silent. What truth has become inconvenient. What question is everyone avoiding. In many organizations, poor decisions are not made because nobody knew better. They are made because the field did not allow truth to travel. That is a sentence worth sitting with. The thinking field did not allow truth to travel. Presence is not soft Now, let’s recalibrate something. Presence is often misunderstood. People hear presence and think it means being calm, spiritual, passive, or slow. But that is not what I mean. Presence is not passivity. Presence is not weakness. Presence is not avoiding action. Presence is the inner condition that allows you to notice what is happening without being immediately consumed by it. Presence gives you access to the gap between signal and story. In that gap, you can ask better questions. What is actually happening here. What story am I attaching to it. What pressure is influencing me. What am I afraid of. What am I defending. What assumption am I treating as truth. What has become invisible to me. What would I see if I were not trying to prove, protect, rush, or control. That is not soft. That is leadership maturity. That is decision quality work. The recalibration process In my Gold Dust Thinking Field™ work, I often describe the movement like this: Signal → Story → Reset → Re-render → Re-anchor → Respond → Reflect A signal comes in. A story is formed. You pause. You reset. You examine the story. You re render it from a wider field. You re anchor in presence, mission, values, and truth. Then you respond. Not react. Respond. Afterwards, you reflect. Because every decision leaves evidence. It shows us the field we were in. It reveals what was clear, what was contracted, what was protected, and what may need to be recalibrated next time. Better questions matter A contracted field asks, "What should I do?" An expanded field asks, "Who do I need to be in this moment, and what becomes possible from that state?" A contracted field asks, "How do I get them to agree?" An expanded field asks, "What am I assuming here? What do I not know about them? What needs to be true for them to agree?" A contracted field asks, "How do I stop this discomfort?" An expanded field asks, "What is this discomfort trying to reveal?" A contracted field asks, "Should I fire this person or keep them?" An expanded field asks, "What is the real signal here. What story have I attached to this person. What support, clarity, or accountability has been missing. What decision protects dignity, standards, and mission. What could be my role in this?" Do you feel the difference? The decision may still be difficult. The answer may still require courage. You may still need to say no, let someone go, change direction, or have a hard conversation. But now, the field is cleaner. Less distortion. Less murk. Less fog. Clarity now has space to emerge, and a cleaner field creates more trustworthy decisions. Examine the field So the next time you are facing a significant decision, try not to rush straight to, "What should I do?" Start here, "What field am I deciding from?" Am I deciding from fear or presence. Urgency or clarity. Ego or mission. Pressure or discernment. Protection or truth. A contracted field or an expanded one. Because decisions do not begin at the point of decision. They begin in the thinking field, and when the thinking field expands, the quality of what becomes possible expands with it. So let’s take one more breath. Not to delay the decision. But to return to the field from which a clearer decision can emerge. Final reflection What is one decision in your personal life or leadership right now where the thinking field may need to expand before the decision becomes clear. If you are navigating a high stakes decision or leadership season, you can begin with the Executive Thinking Field Diagnostic, a reflective tool designed to help high stakes decision makers and leaders notice the inner conditions shaping their clarity, presence, and response. Would you like to receive the Executive Thinking Field Diagnostic. Feel free to DM me. Follow me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Veronica Safoa Owusu Veronica Safoa Owusu, Executive Recalibration Coach & Thinking Partner Veronica Safoa Owusu is the founder of V-Power Coaching, an Executive Recalibration Coach & Thinking Partner, and President of Educational Communities Worldwide (EduCom). With over 30 years’ experience across education, coaching and leadership development, she helps leaders, CEOs and directors expand their thinking field, restore presence and make trustworthy decisions in high-stakes environments. Through her Gold-Dust Thinking Field™ framework, Veronica supports high-stakes leaders to move from reactive pressure to responsive leadership. Her mission is to create spaces where clarity returns, presence deepens and leaders can make decisions aligned with impact, mission and integrity. References: Dolfing, H. (2026, April 17). Case study 4: The $440 million software error at Knight Capital. Henrico Dolfing. v1ch5. (n.d.-a).

Written by Dr. Irene Sanchez-Celis Castro, Mentor & Healer Womb medicine doctor, spiritual mentor, and creator of Radiance the Podcast, Dr. Irene Sanchez-Celis, helps women awaken the magic in their bodies and embody the sacred through cyclical living, Chinese medicine, and feminine alchemy. There is a point in chronic conditions where more information stops creating change. Patients understand their diagnosis, they know their triggers, and they’ve tried multiple approaches, and yet the symptoms remain. From both a Western medical and Chinese medicine perspective, this is where we begin to recognize a different kind of pattern, not just biochemical or structural, but neurological and subconscious patterns that are not being accessed through conscious effort alone. The body is not just physical As a Western trained medical doctor and a Chinese medicine practitioner, I’ve come to understand that the body is not just a physical structure. It is a living system shaped by physiology, emotional experience, and subconscious patterning. Many chronic conditions are not just “problems” in the body. They are patterns that have been reinforced over time. Patterns of tension. Patterns of protection. Patterns of response. Most of these patterns are not conscious. Why insight alone is not enough Many women I work with have already done therapy. They understand their patterns. They can articulate their story. They know where things come from. Yet, their body continues to respond in the same way. This is because insight happens at the level of the conscious mind. But chronic symptoms are often driven by the subconscious and the nervous system. The body does not change because we understand it. It changes when it experiences something different. What hypnosis actually does Hypnosis is often misunderstood. It is not about losing control. It is not about being “put under.” It is a state of focused awareness where the nervous system becomes more receptive and less defensive. In this state, we can access subconscious beliefs, stored emotional responses, deeply ingrained physiological patterns. This is where change becomes possible. Not by forcing the body to shift. But by working with the system that created the pattern in the first place. Chronic conditions as learned patterns When we look at chronic conditions through this lens, something important becomes clear. The body is not malfunctioning. It is adapting. For example, chronic pelvic pain may be linked to long held tension or protective responses in the body, hormonal imbalances can be influenced by ongoing stress patterns in the nervous system, and fatigue may reflect deeper depletion and a system that has learned to conserve energy. Over time, these responses become automatic. They are no longer conscious choices. They are learned patterns in the body mind system. Hypnosis allows us to interrupt and reorganize these patterns. Bridging mind and body In my work, hypnosis is not used in isolation. It is integrated with acupuncture, body based awareness, and nervous system regulation. From a Chinese medicine perspective, we might say that stagnation begins to move. From a Western perspective, we see shifts in autonomic nervous system regulation, stress response, and emotional processing. From a lived experience perspective, women often report something simpler. They feel different in their bodies. More relaxed. More connected. Less reactive. More at ease. From that place, change becomes possible. A different approach to healing What if chronic conditions are not just something to fix, but something to understand? What if the body is not working against you, but expressing patterns that have never been fully resolved? Hypnosis offers a way to access those deeper layers. Not through force. Not through analysis alone. But through direct experience. When the body experiences something new, it begins to reorganize. This is where real change happens. Final thoughts Healing chronic conditions often requires more than protocols, medications, or even lifestyle changes. It requires working with the full system, the body, the nervous system, and the subconscious. Hypnosis is one of the tools that allows us to access that level. Not as a replacement for medicine, but as a powerful complement to it. Because true healing does not happen in parts. It happens when the system begins to work as a whole. Explore this work further If you’re navigating a chronic condition and feel like something is still missing, you’re not alone and it may be time to approach your healing from a different angle. You can book a free connection call to explore how integrating hypnosis, Chinese medicine, and a body based approach can support your healing journey. Learn more here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Irene Sanchez-Celis Castro Dr. Irene Sanchez-Celis Castro, Mentor & Healer Dr. Irene Sanchez-Celis is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, ontogonic hypnotherapist, and creator of Radiance: The Podcast. Known as a spiritual hacker embodied in feminine wisdom, she guides women through womb healing, tantric and shamanic arts, and cyclical embodiment. Irene's online programs blend Chinese medicine, somatic therapy, and sacred sexuality to help women reclaim their pleasure, power, and purpose. Her mission is to awaken the body as a sacred portal for soul remembrance and feminine leadership.

Written by Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor, Speaker, Podcast Host, Education Consultant Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and children’s literature specialist. Founder of Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning and host of the Adventures in Learning podcast, she helps organizations use play-based learning to foster collaboration, creativity, and empathetic problem-solving. They say we don’t truly start growing up until we start looking in. This past year, as I celebrated my 55th birthday, I found myself in a season of deep reflection. Inspired by "heart conversations" with some of the strongest women I know, Gayle Forman (whose original post inspired this one), Alicia D Williams, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Bernadette Chi, Lynn Coles, Kristie Green, and Dr. Ellen Albertson, as well as the quiet, steady love of my husband, Barry, and our daughters, Miranda and Ella, I decided to take stock. Putting this list together was a rare opportunity to pause and see exactly where I am right now on the path. In this first part, I’m exploring the "seeds", the internal shifts, the messy feelings, and the scientific method of living a joyful life. If you created a list of 55 things you’ve learned, what would be on it? What’s similar on our lists, and what would you add from the richness of your own experiences? Here are the first 25 things I’ve learned about tending the garden of the self You Control Your Inner Peace. There are so many things you don't control, who is going to buy your house, what the madman in the White House is spewing, why your neighbor feels the need to fly a hateful flag, but you do control your reaction to those things. Your inner peace is your own. Feel Your Feelings. You don't stop caring. Don't let yourself get numb to the horrors and joys of the world around you. Stuffing emotions doesn't work. They just come back to bite you later. So you may as well acknowledge and make peace with the messy, often contradictory feelings that inform who you are. Manage Your Feelings. While you can and should feel your feelings, you also have to find ways to manage them and keep them from controlling you, see control your inner peace. That looks different for everyone. For me, it involves meditation, journaling, yoga, nature walks, daily exercise, calling friends and loved ones. It may look different for you. Find strategies that work for you, and use them. Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help. This one is big. I’m the oldest daughter of an oldest daughter. For a long time, I thought I had to do everything myself. We need connection and we all need the advice and counsel of others wiser than ourselves. There's no shame in therapy, counseling, or picking up the phone to call a friend. When You're Wrong, Admit It and Move On. I hate being wrong, and this may be the only time I publicly admit this. But there have been many times I've messed up. The best thing to do in those cases is admit it, learn from it, and seek forgiveness if necessary, and grant it to yourself. Then move on and do better next time. Shampoo. Rinse. Repeat. So much of life follows this cycle. Try something. Fail or succeed. Learn from it. Try again or move on. Repeat. Live Life Like You're Practicing the Scientific Method. In case you need a refresher from your childhood, the scientific method is basically observe, form a question or hypothesis, research, run tests and collect data, reflect and revisit your idea, and try again. This applies equally well to a playful and joyful life. Make time to: Observe and wonder. It’s so important to literally stop and smell the roses. Let yourself really see and wonder at the small miracles happening around you. Get Curious. Go down rabbit holes. What is that funny orange fungus on the tree that looks like an elf’s ear? Why do gentoo penguins sound like donkeys? What are the benefits of play? Dig Deep and Investigate. Go beyond TikTok and memes. Spend time reading, exploring, taking deep dives to learn more about the things that interest you. Listen to podcasts. Read articles or books. Talk to experts, you’d be surprised at how willing people are to share what they know with you. Try Something New. Use your research and observations to give you the guts to try something new. Maybe it’s going to a Science on Tap gathering sponsored by your local museum. Or volunteering with the Food Bank. Or taking a once in a lifetime trip to South Africa to explore conservation with other authors and illustrators. Get Messy. Trying new things isn’t easy or clean. You’re going to be a beginner. You’re not going to be immediately good at something. But you won’t know until you try, so roll up your sleeves and dive in. Learn from Your Successes and Failures. It’s easier to learn from success and sweep failure under the rug. But failure is a huge part of learning. If you mess up once and never try again, what are you keeping yourself from experiencing? What gift are you hiding from the world? Failure is feedback. It tells us what we still need to learn. Let it inform your next steps just as much as you let success fuel you. What did you learn from the experience and what can you try next? Refine and Revise. Use your experiences to help you refine and revise your ideas. That first mug you made in pottery? Lopsided, yes, but has the beginnings of good form? What can you do to make it better next time? You struggled with loading shelves at the food pantry, but you loved the people? What other roles could you try out to gain the camaraderie but work to use your skills? Try Again. Use the experiences, the data, the reflections, to shape your next attempt. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Use what you know to plan your next attempt. Say YES, especially when you're scared. When you are offered a chance to do something outside your comfort zone, do it. The worst that happens is you fall down or vow never to do it again. But so often, this is the growth zone, the chance to break free and discover something new. Keep your passport current. Always be ready for the next adventure. When you think you know everything, think again. Don't allow yourself to be stuck in certainty. Be open to the possibility that there's more to learn, another perspective to take. Put away the phone. This one is hard for me. Phones are addictive. But, for your own happiness, unlock the apps that limit your time on social media for a start. Work towards being able to truly put it away. What can you do without your phone? Spend time in nature or at a museum. Curl up with a book. Be truly present with family and friends. Enjoy the real, honest to goodness connection of just being in the present moment. Call your loved ones. Here's where the phone does good. Use it to connect, to call those who are far from you. Check in on your parents, your kids, your loved ones. Use the video feature if it makes you happy. Don't forget to write. Support the US Postal Service and send a note to let someone know how special they are to you. Texts and emails are lovely, but there's still something magical about getting physical mail, and the stamps are so cute. Buy local. Support your local coffee shop, book store, artist, farmer's market. Get to know the people in your community who create and sustain. Give them your business, not the big box stores. Plant a garden. Even in the city, you can grow a plant. There's something magical about watching tiny shoots sprout from a garden plot, a pot, a window box, a raised bed. Nothing beats the taste of home grown strawberries or tomatoes. Put out birdseed. Get to know your bird neighbors. Observe the cardinals, sparrows, robins, finches, even the scampy squirrels. Get to know your personal birds. Take time to watch them while you drink your morning coffee or tea. Learn them, name them, begin to connect to the world around you. Find the fireflies. Nothing is more magical than finding the first fireflies of summer. Take time to walk, to watch, to bask in their soft twinkly glows. Make walking a daily part of your life. I need trees, and nature. Find time to walk by yourself in gratitude. Touch the bark, observe the nests, feel the difference in temperature as you enter the shadows, listen for the birds, smell the air, it changes depending on the season. Find a place you can walk in week after week. Spend time noticing, really noticing, how this one place changes. It might be walking around the block in your city. It could be the local botanical garden or park. It might be a favorite nearby trail. Do this for a year. It's worth it. Read widely. Seek out stories that transport you into other cultures and perspectives. As a white woman, there are a number of books that reflect me, even if it didn't feel like that as a child. My heroines were Anne of Green Gables, Betsy Ray, Jo March, Sarah Crewe, Mary Lennox, Elizabeth Darcy, Anne Frank and Laura Ingalls. There were a few others who shifted my point of view, Peter in Peter's Chair, Max in Wild Things, Aslan, Charlotte and Wilbur. As an adult and educator, I know what I missed by not experiencing other cultures and points of view. My own privilege was locked in place early on and it has taken years to chip away at that. Reading books by diverse authors and illustrators, engaging fully, learning from them, sharing them with students and teachers, amplifying them on the podcast, these are all ways that I am seeking to grow, to cultivate empathy, to be curious and humble about the things I don't know. Each story that transports or offers a window is another treasure on the journey to discovering myself and my sense of purpose. Hug like you mean it. I’ve always loved hugs, but COVID taught me not to take them for granted ever again. Offer up hugs and put your whole heart and presence into them when the offer is accepted. You can have an entire conversation without saying a word. Dogs are forever friends, but cats will steal your heart. Take time daily to appreciate the love and companionship and antics of your furry friends. Dance in the grocery aisle if you feel like it. No one cares if you bop to the beat or off the beat while pushing your grocery cart down the aisle. Don't worry about what others think. If you feel like dancing, dance. That goes for anything else that brings you joy. Don't worry about what other people think. Lean into your joy and your unique ability to find and spread that joy. You can't change your sleep preferences, but try to wake up to see the occasional sunrise on the beach, totally worth it, or stay up late to see the Northern Lights. Don't just do something. Sit there. This one came from Thich Nhat Hanh and it took me years to learn this. Action and transformation doesn't just come from doing and busyness. My best decisions come when I give them space to breathe. The same can be said for how I move and live and act in the world. Actions need to be informed by contemplation and reflection. We have to stop, breathe, take time to just observe and be. Even if it's a moment of breathe in, two, three, four, breathe out, two, three, four, take that moment to create space. Don't just sit there, do something. It's also not enough to sit on the sidelines and hope things change. You have to be willing to speak up, stand up, take action. But you don't have to do everything and you don't have to do it alone. What comes next? That’s the first 25. In the next part, we’ll explore more ways to be the superhero in your own life, and to carry the joy of a life well-lived as a beacon of hope for a weary world. While you’re waiting for part two, please check out the Adventures in Learning podcast for more stories of hope, empathy, action, and joy. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor, Speaker, Podcast Host, Education Consultant Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and podcast host who believes better learning, and better leadership, start with play. With more than 30 years of experience spanning classrooms, museums, and universities, she helps organizations create environments where curiosity sparks collaboration, creativity fuels critical thinking, and empathy drives problem-solving. Her work blends children’s literature, play-based STEAM learning, and real-world leadership to show what’s possible when we commit to learning and leading through play.

Written by Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor, Speaker, Podcast Host, Education Consultant Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and children’s literature specialist. Founder of Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning and host of the Adventures in Learning podcast, she helps organizations use play-based learning to foster collaboration, creativity, and empathetic problem-solving. If the first half of my "55 Lessons" was about the "soil" of the self, finding inner peace and learning through failure and success, this second half is about what we grow when we reach toward the light. We don’t live in isolation. What we do and how we grow connects us to the people and the planet around us. In Part 2, we move from the personal to the community. These reflections are about being the "helper," embracing the Italian concept of abbastanza (enoughness), and learning that we don’t need to save the entire world to leave our little corner of it better than we found it. These lessons focus on how we carry the joy of a life well lived as a beacon of hope for a weary world. Here are the remaining reflections on how to be the superhero in your own life and a good neighbor to the world You're never too old to play. Play is a great conductor of joy and connection. You don't have to be "good" at it to have fun. Throw a silent disco for yourself, sing loudly in the car, do a jigsaw puzzle, paint with watercolors, build with Legos, break out the board games, try a new sport or class, grab coffee with a friend, read your way through the kids' section at the library, travel, play the drums. Whatever it takes to experiment, to laugh, to connect, to have fun, to remind yourself that you are not alone. You are the superhero in your own life. Be who you want to be. Do the work to make a difference in the lives of those around you. Stand up for what's right. Be empathetic and kind. Live a life worth having. Lean into your bright colors or your favored pastels. Find your superpowers and embrace them. Celebrate what brings you joy, what gives you power, what helps you live creatively and with intention. You have one life. Don't wait for a superhero to come save you. Be your own superhero. But you don't have to be the superhero in everyone's lives. While embracing your inner superhero, recognize that your life, your costume choices, your superpowers may not be for everyone, and that's okay. Let them find their own inner superhero and look for ways to collaborate. Maybe you won't save the entire world, maybe you will, but you can leave your corner of it better than you found it. Leave things better than you found them. When we went hiking when I was little, we always picked up trash we found along the way and threw it out. I remember my parents would say, "Leave things better than you found them." That applies to hiking trails, but it also applies to making beds or putting away dishes. It can even apply to the places we work, the organizations we volunteer with, our friends and families, our planet. It doesn't take a ton of effort to be considerate. What can you do to leave something better than you found it? Treat the planet as if you are borrowing it from your grandchildren. One of the reasons I eat vegetarian, mostly vegan, is because I want to reduce my impact on the planet. It's a small choice that has a big ripple effect in terms of resources. It's also the reason I've generally stopped buying new clothes and focus on thrifting and consignment. It's also a reason I've cut my own consumption and am focusing on shopping local and small. But it's also why I'm upping my activism, speaking up, standing up against tyranny. It's not enough to live for yourself or to think I'm fine, the future doesn't matter. Every choice we make has an impact. I want mine to be a continuation where there is fresh water, blue skies, thriving plants, majestic forests, clean air, and where animals and people coexist in a kinder, more empathetic world. I want baby rhinos and braying penguins and spitting iguanas to share space with children who embrace possibilities. I want a world of abbastanza, or enoughness. More isn't always more. Abbastanza is enough. We are conditioned to think you always need more, that bigger, better, faster, braver, richer is the answer. It isn't. Embrace abbastanza, the Italian word for enough. What is enough? That answer is different for everyone. Mine is love, shelter, food, friends, freedom, thought, reading, speaking, gathering, exploring, traveling. Know what your abbastanza is. Who you are when you are hurt or sick says more about you than who you are when everything is going right. Pain brings out the best and worst in us, whether it's an unexpected broken arm from a skiing fall, long term Covid, the flu or a cough, or a cancer diagnosis. How do you respond to pain and challenge? Do you curl in on yourself and hide away from the world? Do you curse and rail against the world? Do you ask for help? Do you do the little things day after day to help get just a little stronger? Do you remain in gratitude and keep seeking joy, even when it's tough? I’ve had many opportunities to study and learn about this in recent weeks as my dad is going through a ton of issues with his heart. I’ve been impressed with his sense of humor and his ability to still tell a good story, but I’ve been even more impressed with his willingness to accept help, to learn to ask for help, to smile and ask about the people on the team who are helping him even when he’s feeling pain. What's the next best thing? This is a game I play with myself when I feel overwhelmed by lists and projects. What's the next best thing to do? It may be getting up from the computer to go brew tea. Do it. Then ask the question again and again. Microsteps matter. When you are stressed or confused or procrastinating or stuck, it can feel really hard, even paralyzing, to move out of that quicksand. Small steps matter. One step. Then another. Ask what's the next best thing, and do that. If it's not the next best thing, at least you took a step. You can always go back to Shampoo, Rinse, Repeat. Love your neighbor. This one is pretty central to life, and there are variations of this in nearly every global religion. Love and look after your neighbor. It doesn't say love the neighbors that look or act like you. Be empathetic, compassionate, kind. Do things that help, shoveling snow, dropping off treats or books, hosting dinners, watching pets, saying hello, being present and interested. When danger draws near or neighbors need help, be there, volunteering, protesting, donating. In an age of ice, be the salt that melts hearts, the sand that gives support and stability. Practice Empathy and Engagement. The golden rule says do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But there's more to it than just treating people like you want to be treated. It's not a one size fits all situation. Practice empathy, taking a real interest in others, listening, asking questions, paying close attention to their stories and their humanity. That empathy is your guide for engagement, for knowing how to connect, for not needing to be the superhero, but rather an ally and friend. Find the helpers. Look for the helpers in your community, the activists, the educators, the museum workers and librarians, the volunteers, the artists, actors, and musicians, the organizers, the people providing help, nourishment, and community. They are the spiritual backbone of the community, and they will help you too, if and when you need them. Be the helpers. Join the helpers working in your community. Learn who they are. Support their work. Give time to aid their mission. Volunteer. Write letters. Make calls. Stand up for the things you believe in and speak out. Helping doesn’t just happen in groups. You can also be a helper, good neighbor, and friend to those around you. Vote in every election. Register to vote. Pay attention to what's going on, especially to local and state politics. Vote in every single election. It matters. Count your blessings. I used to do this at night, now I try to take time to tick off five things I’m grateful for in the mornings as well, and sometimes when I need a reminder during the day too. There are days when it's easy and days where the five things are harder to remember. But gratitude is a gateway to joy. Pay attention to details and don't make assumptions. Sometimes two things look a lot alike but have very different properties. You want to know what you're dealing with so you can make smart decisions. Lemon juice and lime juice bottles, and cinnamon and chilli spice jars come immediately to mind. If you don't stop to carefully read the labels, you might wind up with lime juice in your tea or chilli powder in your coffee. It's not bad exactly, but it might not be what you were hoping for. Zam-Buk is a miracle cure. When I was in South Africa, the photographer Chantelle gave me Zam-Buk, the "real makoya," to help heal a torn fingernail. I've since used it on bruises, cuts, chapped lips, and it's amazing. Maybe it really is a miracle cure, and maybe it only works because I believe it will. Find things worthy of your trust and belief. When you do, embrace them, and stay open to changing your mind or altering your opinions if new and better information comes along. Print your pictures. If you take a photo that brings you joy, print it and put it on your wall or carry it in your journal. Let your memories live and remind you of their stories. Post it notes are the best. Mantras, quotes, reminders, post it notes are a great vehicle for prompting our brains to connect to the things that help us grow. Get a library card, and use it. The public library is such a wonderful invention. Spend time browsing the shelves, check out a book that surprises or intrigues you, go to a public library event just for fun. Learn a company recipe or two. It's always a good idea to have a few things you make really well that you can do last minute. Pick a soup, a main dish, a side, and a dessert. Learn how to make them well. That way you're always ready for a potluck or unexpected company. Bonus points if you can adapt one of your favorite recipes from your childhood. Don't pass up a chance to go to a farm market, local art show, or cultural event in town. Be open to trying new things, to supporting local artists, to finding the connections that come from food, music, theater, and art. Seek out mentors and guides. You don't have to do it alone. Find people with wisdom and stories and a willingness to share. Most people who are making a difference in the world want to leave things better than they found them. They want to help the next generation. But sometimes you have to ask. Be a good listener, and don't forget to say thank you for their time and energy. Follow up with them. Learn from them. Build relationships over time. Be a mentor and guide. You also have experiences, stories, and wisdom to share. Be generous with those who are seeking. Offer them the kind of friendship and support you want. Help water the seeds of possibilities and joy in others. It's a rich garden. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now. You have no control over the past or the future. But you do have control and agency in the present moment. Plant trees of hope, compassion, mercy, change, action. Plant seeds of joy and love. Be a crazy gardener for a wild and beautiful future that you can imagine but may never live to see. Don't wait for someday to do the things you dream about doing. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. If you want to go to Ireland, figure out how to go to Ireland. If you want to write a book, write the book. If you want to learn to ski, take a lesson. If it's something that tugs at your heart, find a way to make it happen. Say I love you. Now and often. There's enough hatred and sorrow in the world. Don't be stingy with your love. Smile at the stranger. Call the people you care about. Leave messages. Send notes. Text. And be love. Take a chance. Invite someone who intrigues you to coffee. Apply for the job that scares you. Go on that solo trip you've been dreaming of. Take the dance class that feels next level challenging. Approach the potential podcast guest who seems "out of reach." The very worst thing that happens is a no. The best? Well, you won't know unless you take a chance. Find your joy. Sing loudly in the car. Belly laugh with your sister. Dance in the puddles. Hike the hills. Hold your loved ones close. Stay curious and spend an hour watching a spider build its web. Walk on the beach. Talk to the neighbors. Smile at a stranger. Celebrate the things that light you up and bring magic into your world. Love yourself. Love your messy, complicated, rainbow bright soul. You are a work in progress. You'll make mistakes. You'll take windy, twisty roads. You'll find friends and traveling companions in unusual places who will journey with you for a time. You'll travel through breathtaking vistas and struggle through valleys. Every journey, every friend, every love, every breath, is a step towards finding your deepest, truest, most beautiful nature. You are a divine gift of the Universe. Never forget that. What seeds are you planting? If you created a list of 55 things you’ve learned through living, what would be on it? What’s similar on our lists, and what would you add from the richness of your own experiences? How can you carry the joy of a life well lived to be a beacon of hope for a weary world? While you’re waiting for part two, please check out the Adventures in Learning podcast for more stories of hope, empathy, action, and joy. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor, Speaker, Podcast Host, Education Consultant Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and podcast host who believes better learning, and better leadership, start with play. With more than 30 years of experience spanning classrooms, museums, and universities, she helps organizations create environments where curiosity sparks collaboration, creativity fuels critical thinking, and empathy drives problem-solving. Her work blends children’s literature, play-based STEAM learning, and real-world leadership to show what’s possible when we commit to learning and leading through play.

Written by Regina Eastman, Integrative Therapist/Doctorate of Ministry (c) Regina Eastman is an inspiration in the field of Wholeness. She is the founder of Ariel Grace Integrative Therapies and holds a Master of Arts in Applied Psychology. She is a Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and a Body and Energy Worker. Building on my previous writing about vulnerability as a superpower, I want to explore the deeper vulnerability that comes with confronting the shadow self. This process involves engaging with repressed aspects of ourselves through embodiment, requiring immense courage. By embracing this vulnerability, we can unlock healing and personal growth. What is the shadow? We all live with a shadow, most often without realizing it. It resides within the unconscious mind and is held within the body. We may remain unaware of our shadow Selves until we intentionally begin to work through the darkness that lies within. The shadow is a wounded dimension of the self that exists behind the scenes. It consists of the hidden or repressed parts of us that shape unconscious beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors. It can also include aspects of our wholeness that we have unknowingly given away, that have been taken from us, or that we have surrendered. The shadow is expressed through unresolved trauma, our deepest fears and insecurities, and patterns shaped by ancestral trauma, prenatal and intrauterine experiences, and the birth process. Though it may feel counterintuitive to approach the shadow, it can become an ally when befriended. When we connect with the shadow, it offers us gifts of healing and wholeness. Misinformation and clarity of the shadow self The shadow is often described simply as the part of ourselves we do not like, but that definition falls short. What we consciously dislike about ourselves is often related to the ego. The shadow goes deeper. It lives beneath unwanted traits and drives the thoughts, feelings, and actions attached to them. Trying to eliminate an undesirable trait without exploring its deeper roots does not reach the shadow itself. Transformation becomes possible when we approach the shadow with curiosity, non-judgment, and a willingness to befriend what is hidden within us. The shadow includes what is unknown, hidden, and repressed. It may hold dark emotions such as envy, anger, guilt, rage, and shame, but it also carries untapped creativity, joy, and childlike spontaneity. When unexamined, the shadow can manifest through abuse, addiction, aggression, anxiety, depression, codependency, chronic lying, self-sabotage, resentment, procrastination, chronic life drama, and victimization. It can also color our perceptions, leading us to project darkness onto others and the world, creating isolation and disconnection from self, others, and life. What does the shadow hold for us? The shadow reveals repressed aspects of our psyche, along with subjective experiences and ancestral patterns that await our attention and transformation. Within its darkness lies our light, our liberation. This is sometimes referred to as the golden shadow. As we integrate the shadow, we deepen our emotional intelligence. We begin to live more fully through the wisdom of the body, where emotions are experienced. This integration can cultivate various qualities, including empathy, compassion, creativity, healthy boundaries, discernment, empowerment, trust, intuitive responsiveness, self-regulation, self-awareness, and agency. An example of shadow coming into light A woman in her early thirties, whom we will call Grace, began experiencing intense agitation that manifested as both fight and flight responses. Rationally, she could not understand why an ordinary television commercial, one that began with a single child crying and built to a chorus of many children crying, provoked such intense distress in her body. It also caused anger in her tone and behavior to the point that she needed to leave the room or turn off the television to feel relief. She sought support because she wanted to “get rid of” the behavior. Through a series of body-based sessions, Grace began connecting with her shadow through her felt sense, or soma, where body and mind meet. She became aware of deeply held rigidity, anger, vigilance, and fear. Her shadow revealed that, beginning in infancy, she had felt unsafe around a certain branch of relatives who were part of her early environment. Before explicit memory formed, her body had already registered danger. She later connected her experience with stories told by her family about how she would scream for hours when those relatives were present or holding her. As she grew older, Grace also remembered harmful and uncaring family behavior, always feeling “creepy” around them and eventually choosing to disengage. While distancing herself protected her in the present, the unresolved trauma remained suspended within her. It expressed itself through the shadow in painful and dysfunctional ways. The crying babies in the commercial became the clue that activated what had never been fully processed. With curiosity, trauma-informed support, and growing trust in herself and the therapeutic relationship, Grace began to transform the acid-like anger and surge of fight-or-flight activation. She came to appreciate the wisdom of her nervous system, which had done what only an infant could do to communicate distress, a cry. She developed compassion for herself for having expressed that distress without resolution, and for her parents, who had done their best to soothe her. Through this integration, Grace came to feel tenderness toward children and their need for attentiveness. She became gentle and protective in her presence with them, seeing them as precious souls worthy of validation and care. She also came to forgive her relatives, understanding that they, too, were wounded, and that forgiveness was part of freeing herself from the past. Eventually, she reported that the once-activating commercial no longer caused distress. She shared this with a smile, a sign of liberation. Approaches to access the shadow People like Grace, who want to “get rid of” difficult feelings or behaviors, benefit first from support with a professionally trained, trauma-informed practitioner. Such support can help them understand the importance of befriending the maladaptive trait, accessing the feeling beneath it, and integrating what is revealed. Grace’s work included Somatic Experiencing to process bodily held memories and Therapeutic Breathwork to access expanded states of consciousness. Other approaches to shadow work through the body, and nonordinary states include mandala art, meditation, hypnosis, journaling, trance states induced by rhythmic drumming, dance, chanting, singing, and Indigenous and shamanic practices involving entheogens. shadow work is not something to approach alone. Professional guidance can help contain, support, and integrate the emotional material that arises. For more information on the shadow, I have included an article from the Society of Analytical Psychology and research from the National Library of Medicine. You may also find more information about me and my offerings in the realm of shadow work here. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more info! Read more from Regina Eastman Regina Eastman, Integrative Therapist/Doctorate of Ministry (c) Regina Eastman offers the weaving and evolution of her life experiences and academic achievements as a work of sacred service. From early childhood, her connection with nature from both the seen and unseen perspectives, in relationship with her curiosity and sensitivities, Regina has come to the stages of wisdom. Presently, with her candidacy for a Doctorate of Ministry in Engaged Wisdom, these wisdoms are ripe to be shared. She is the founder of Ariel Grace Integrative Therapies, where she invites and supports you in embodying yourself as conscious wisdom, through the physical, emotional, heart, energetic, spiritual, intuitive, and conscious and unconscious dimensions of Self.

Written by Akanksshaa (Akanksha Kulkarni), Consciousness Leader & Ascension Guide | Host: Multidimensional Soul Podcast | NBC-HWC | Chopra-Certified Well-Being Coach , Meditation & Health Teacher | Bestselling Author | Keynote Speaker | Reiki Master Akanksshaa helps individuals & organizations align purpose, rewire mind, raise vibration, enrich well-being to live a life of abundance and freedom. In the world of strategy, numbers, and performance metrics, we often forget one profound truth: Your business is not just a system. It is a living, breathing, energetic entity. Like any living system, it communicates. But the question is, are you listening? Everything is energy, including your business Decades ago, Albert Einstein stated, “Everything is energy, and that’s all there is to it.” While this idea has been widely accepted in physics, its application in business remains largely underexplored. Your business is not just a legal entity, A revenue-generating machine, a structure of products, systems, revenue streams, and processes & operations. It is a living field of energy, intention, relationships, and momentum. The more I work with entrepreneurs, the clearer it becomes that every business has its own soul and energetic architecture. It speaks constantly through friction, ease, attraction, resistance, burnout, creativity, profit, and stagnation. The only question is whether the founder is listening. It is an energetic architecture composed of: Human consciousness Emotional states Financial flow Intentions and decisions Every interaction, every decision, every delay carries an energetic signature. Albert Einstein’s work changed how we understand matter and energy, and many people have drawn inspiration from his view that energy and matter are deeply connected. In business, that idea becomes a powerful metaphor that what we see on the surface is usually the result of something subtler underneath. Revenue, team performance, customer loyalty, and even visibility are often reflections of the unseen energy shaping the business from within. The invisible architecture of business When you zoom out, your business operates across two layers: The visible layer: This includes the components that are immediately apparent and measurable, such as strategy, marketing, sales funnels, financials, and operations. These are the elements most entrepreneurs focus on because they are easy to track, analyze, and optimize. The invisible layer: This layer is less tangible but just as important. It consists of the beliefs of the founder, emotional patterns and energy dynamics within the team, and the energy of fear, scarcity, or expansion. It also includes the alignment (or misalignment) with your purpose, as well as your intuition and inner knowing. While these elements are harder to measure, they profoundly influence the overall direction and success of your business. Most entrepreneurs obsess over the visible layer. But breakthroughs? They almost always come from shifts in the invisible one. Everything in business is energy If everything is energy, then your business is not separate from the frequency of the people building it. The founder’s beliefs, emotions, decisions, and self-image become part of the company’s operating field. The team’s morale affects the customer experience. The customer’s trust affects sales. The way money is held, spent, and received affects expansion. Nothing operates in isolation. This is why two businesses with nearly identical strategies can produce completely different results. One feels magnetic, fluid, and alive. The other feels heavy, fragmented, and constantly in reaction mode. On the surface, the difference may look like marketing or execution. But underneath, the difference is often energetic coherence. Businesses that thrive usually have clarity, emotional steadiness, aligned leadership, and a strong sense of purpose. People, money, and momentum are energetic assets One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is treating business components as purely mechanical. People are not just resources. Money is not just a number. Ideas are not just tasks. Each one carries energy. People bring their own emotional patterns, expectations, skill sets, and values into the business. A disengaged team can quietly drain momentum, while an inspired team can multiply it. Money also has an energetic dimension, not in a mystical sense alone, but in the very real way founders relate to receiving, pricing, investing, saving, and circulating resources. If money is treated with fear, guilt, or control, the business often mirrors that tension. If it is handled with respect, strategy, and flow, it tends to support growth more naturally. Money is energy in motion. When money flows easily, it often reflects: Trust Clarity Alignment Value exchange When it feels blocked, delayed, or inconsistent, it may indicate: Internal resistance Misalignment in offers Fear-based decisions Energetic leakage This is where traditional business advice often falls short. It tells you what to do, but not what to feel, shift, or align internally. Momentum is also energetic. Some businesses move because the right actions are in place, but others move because the founder has created a field of trust, clarity, and conviction. People feel it. Clients sense it. Opportunities respond to it. Your business is always communicating with you A business communicates through patterns. If you pay attention, it will show you where the problem areas are before they become crises. Intuition is not about replacing logic, it is about reading the deeper intelligence underneath the facts. In practice, this means noticing what keeps recurring. For example, if leads keep coming in but never converting, the issue may not be visibility. It may be mismatched messaging, misaligned pricing, unclear positioning, or a lack of trust in the offer. If the team keeps dropping the ball, the problem may not be competence alone. It may be unclear roles, weak communication, or a culture that has become energetically overloaded. If revenue is growing but the founder feels depleted, the business may be expanding in ways that are not sustainable. Intuition often reveals the real question before the mind can fully explain it. That is why many entrepreneurs sense something is “off” long before the data confirms it. The key is to pause and ask: What is this business trying to tell me? Where is the energy leaking? What is repeatedly asking for attention? One of the most overlooked truths is that your business is constantly sending you signals. These signals manifest in various ways, often in the form of repeated challenges. You might notice the same type of clients repeatedly entering your sphere, or find yourself hitting the same revenue plateaus that feel difficult to break. Similarly, you may experience the same outcomes from each product launch, regardless of your efforts. Emotional patterns also serve as clear signals from your business. Procrastination, burnout, avoidance, and overwhelm are all signs that something deeper needs attention. These emotional responses are your business’s way of communicating that a shift may be necessary. Additionally, external feedback plays a crucial role in the messages your business is sending. Low engagement, despite high interest, can indicate a disconnect in your messaging or offerings. If your conversions remain low despite apparent interest, it may be time to reassess your strategy. Client dissatisfaction is another sign that there’s a gap between expectations and reality. These aren’t just “problems,” they are valuable messages. Each one is an opportunity for growth and insight, guiding you to realign and move forward in a more focused and purposeful way. The business is rarely silent. It speaks in patterns. It speaks in results. It speaks in how people feel while working inside it. The challenge is not access to information. It is the willingness to interpret what the information means. The language of intuition in business Entrepreneurs often say, “I had a gut feeling, but I ignored it.” That “gut feeling” is not random, it is your intuitive intelligence in action. This intelligence serves as a direct interface between your consciousness, your business field, and the collective energy you are operating in. When you begin to tune in, you'll notice the subtle signals it sends. You might feel a pull toward changing your offer, sensing that something in your approach no longer fits. It could be a nudge to collaborate with someone, an intuitive push guiding you toward partnerships that align with your values and goals. Alternatively, you may experience discomfort with a strategy that “should” work but doesn’t feel quite right. Finally, sudden clarity about what’s not aligned may surface, offering insight into areas of your business that need realignment. These aren’t distractions, they are valuable guidance. Your intuition is helping you navigate the complex landscape of entrepreneurship, offering direction and insight when you choose to listen. Science meets spiritual intelligence This is not "woo." Modern fields such as neuroscience, quantum physics, and behavioral psychology are increasingly validating the profound connection between our inner states and our external experiences. These disciplines reveal that our thoughts significantly influence the outcomes we achieve. What we think shapes the paths we take, often determining the results we experience in both our personal and professional lives. Additionally, emotional states play a pivotal role in the decisions we make. Our feelings guide our choices, influencing how we react to situations and what actions we take. The impact of our emotions is not just limited to our personal lives, it extends to our decision-making processes in all areas, from career choices to relationships. Perception also plays a crucial part in shaping our reality. The way we perceive the world around us directly impacts how we experience it. A shift in perspective can transform challenges into opportunities and redefine what is possible. Your inner state is not separate from your external results, in fact, it is the very foundation of them. The connection between your thoughts, emotions, and perceptions determines the reality you live in, proving that what happens inside your mind influences the world around you. Entrepreneurs do not need to choose between strategy and intuition, or between science and spirituality. In fact, the most effective leaders integrate both. Strategy gives structure. Intuition gives direction. Science helps us measure. Spiritual awareness helps us perceive. This is why the future of entrepreneurship belongs to leaders who can hold both the tangible and the subtle. They know how to read data, but they also know how to read energy. They understand systems, but they also understand people. They make decisions with logic, but they also listen for inner coherence. That combination creates businesses that are not only profitable but also sustainable and meaningful. The future of conscious business The next era of entrepreneurship is not solely about scaling faster, it’s about building with consciousness. It's about creating companies that are aligned internally, not just impressive externally. This shift recognizes that people bring energy into the business, money moves energy, and every decision carries its own energy. We are entering an era where success is no longer defined solely by revenue, scale, or market dominance. Instead, success is now measured by alignment, sustainability, conscious leadership, and energetic integrity. These elements are becoming the true markers of a thriving, purpose-driven business. When a business is aligned, things begin to feel cleaner. Communication improves. Clients resonate more deeply. Teams operate with greater ease. Revenue becomes more stable because the foundation is stronger. You stop asking only, “How do I grow this?” and start asking, “How do I make this truer?” That shift changes everything. A business built in alignment does not just generate profit. It becomes a reflection of the founder’s clarity, courage, and capacity to listen. Often, that is where the real growth begins. The entrepreneurs who will thrive are those who can: Integrate logic and intuition Balance strategy with awareness Build from alignment, not force Your business is not against you. It is not broken. It is not random. It is intelligent. It is responsive, and most importantly, it is speaking to you every single day. The moment you begin to listen, everything starts to shift. If you’re ready to go deeper into understanding the energetic patterns within your business and receive intuitive clarity on your next aligned steps, you can explore 1:1 Akashic channeling sessions with me. You can explore my work through: 1:1 Akashic channeling and coaching sessions Testimonials and Praise My YouTube talk show & podcast, Multidimensional Soul. Thought leadership and reflections on LinkedIn Follow Akanksshaa on Instagram for more info! Read more from Akanksshaa (Akanksha Kulkarni) Akanksshaa (Akanksha Kulkarni), Consciousness Leader & Ascension Guide | Host: Multidimensional Soul Podcast | NBC-HWC | Chopra-Certified Well-Being Coach , Meditation & Health Teacher | Bestselling Author | Keynote Speaker | Reiki Master Akanksshaa helps individuals & organizations align purpose, rewire mind, raise vibration, enrich well-being to live a life of abundance and freedom. Akanksshaa has extensive diverse experience, in coaching/training/ mentoring/ leading/ strategic planning/ program management & innovation (includes 20+ of corporate experience in IT & Finance areas). She has received several awards in the corporate world. She has done MBA from one of the top B schools in India. She is currently pursuing PhD in Education Psychology. She combines neuroscience, positive psychology, and spirituality-based eclectic techniques in her programs. She believes in an intuitive, meaningful, playful yet structured approach. She has been a corporate facilitator for senior leaders. She has coached senior / exec corporate leaders in her exclusive coaching programs. She has thousands of students across all ages in her several online programs.

Written by Lara Cawthra, Paediatric Chiropractor and MNRI Core Specialist Lara Cawthra is a Paediatric Chiropractor and MNRI® Core Specialist who supports infants and children with gentle, neurologically focused care. She’s passionate about helping kids build strong foundations for movement, learning, and regulation while empowering parents every step of the way. As parents, we often think of learning as something that happens at a desk through books, language, and structured lessons. Learning actually begins much deeper in the body. Before a child can comfortably focus, communicate, or engage with the world, their brain needs a reliable map of where their body is in space. That map is built through movement. Let’s look at how movement helps “rewire” the brain, why posture and balance are foundational, and what this means for supporting children in their development. The brain-body connection The brain is not just a thinking organ, it is also a movement organ. Every action a child takes, from reaching for a toy to sitting upright, requires coordination between the brain and body. These repeated movements build and strengthen neural pathways, a process known as neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and adapt through experience. For children with learning differences, including autistic children, differences in sensory processing and motor coordination are common. This can affect how the brain interprets signals from the body, making it harder to develop a clear sense of position, movement, and control. Movement, when used intentionally, becomes a powerful tool to support this development. Understanding body awareness (proprioception) Body awareness, also known as proprioception, is the sense that helps us perceive the position and movement of our body parts without the need to look. This sense allows a child to perform everyday actions with ease, such as sitting upright without slumping, using the appropriate amount of force when holding objects, moving smoothly and confidently, and coordinating both sides of the body. When proprioception is underdeveloped, children may struggle with physical coordination. They might appear clumsy, avoid movement, or, conversely, seek out intense physical input, such as crashing into things or jumping. This behavior is not necessarily a sign of misbehavior—it is the brain’s way of trying to gather the sensory input it needs to better understand body positioning and movement. Building and strengthening proprioception helps children gain better control over their bodies and enhances overall motor skills. Why posture comes first Posture serves as the foundation for nearly every learning activity. When a child maintains stable posture, the brain can focus its energy on thinking and processing information, rather than constantly working to keep the body upright. This allows for better attention, learning, and overall performance. However, when posture is weak or unstable, it can lead to a variety of challenges. For example, sitting still becomes an effort, as the body struggles to maintain balance. This can result in a loss of attention, as the child becomes distracted by their body's instability. Fine motor skills, such as writing or using utensils, can also be more difficult, as the body isn't adequately supported. In some cases, breathing and regulation may be affected, further disrupting the child's ability to focus and engage. Good posture relies on core strength and the integration of various sensory systems, particularly the vestibular system (which controls balance) and proprioception (the sense of body position). For autistic children, improving posture isn't just about "sitting up straight," it’s about strengthening the foundational systems that help the body maintain an upright position naturally and effortlessly. By focusing on these underlying systems, posture improvement can become a natural part of the child's physical development. The role of balance (vestibular system) The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, plays a crucial role in detecting movement, gravity, and head position. It is essential for balance and coordination, eye tracking (which is important for reading), spatial orientation, and emotional regulation. When the vestibular system is not functioning optimally, whether under- or over-responsive, it can affect a child’s ability to engage in everyday activities. With an underresponsive vestibular system, they will have poor body awareness and coordination, therefore difficulty with balance, beam walking or riding a bicycle. They have low muscle tone and tend to slouch in an upright posture. Children with an overresponsive vestibular system (vestibular hypersensitivity) have the opposite profile, their brain "over-registers" movement signals, making ordinary motion feel threatening or overwhelming. They tend to have a stiffer posture, and difficult to move the head from the body. Importantly, balance is not just a physical aspect, it directly influences a child's attention, behavior, and readiness for learning. Strengthening the vestibular system is critical for supporting a child’s overall development and well-being. Why posture and balance are the starting point Think of learning as building a house. Cognitive skills, such as reading, writing, and problem-solving, are the upper floors of this structure. However, posture and balance act as the crucial foundation. Without a stable base, the brain has to work harder just to manage the body. This extra effort takes away valuable resources that could otherwise be used for higher-level learning tasks. Additionally, sensory input can become overwhelming or confusing without proper balance, making it harder for a child to focus and engage with the material. Instead of learning becoming an enjoyable and rewarding experience, it may feel frustrating and challenging. By strengthening posture and balance, you're not delaying academic progress. In fact, you're making learning more accessible by ensuring the brain can focus on the important tasks, such as reading and problem-solving, without the distraction of managing an unstable base. Movement as a tool for rewiring Intentional movement plays a vital role in organizing the brain. By engaging in repetitive, rhythmical, and varied movements, new neural connections are created, enhancing communication between different brain regions. The following types of movement can be particularly beneficial: 1. Core and postural activities Engaging in activities like crawling, climbing, and animal walks helps strengthen the core muscles and improve posture. Sitting on unstable surfaces, such as a therapy ball, further challenges the body’s balance, while hanging or pulling activities encourage stability and control. 2. Balance-based movement Balance activities, such as walking on uneven surfaces, using balance beams or stepping stones, and swinging (both linear and gentle rotational movements), enhance coordination and spatial awareness. These movements support the development of the vestibular system, which is crucial for balance and emotional regulation. 3. Proprioceptive input (“heavy work”) Proprioceptive input activities, including pushing, pulling, carrying, jumping, and safely crashing into cushions, stimulate the body’s sensory system and improve body awareness. Resistance activities, like carrying weighted objects, also provide valuable input that helps regulate sensory processing. 4. Cross-body movements Activities that cross the body’s midline, such as reaching across the body, dancing, skipping, and crawling patterns, are especially effective in fostering coordination and neural development. These movements enhance the brain's ability to integrate information from both sides of the body, boosting motor skills and cognitive function. Engaging in these activities helps the brain build a clearer internal map of the body, ultimately improving coordination, regulation, and readiness to learn. What this means for parents If your child struggles with focus, coordination, or sitting still, it may not be due to a lack of effort or ability. Instead, their nervous system might need additional support to organize sensory input. To help your child navigate these challenges, here are some effective strategies: Start by prioritizing movement before seated tasks. This approach can help them regulate their sensory input and prepare their body and mind for learning. Additionally, break learning into active segments, allowing your child to stay engaged and focused without overwhelming them with long periods of sitting. It’s also essential to observe your child’s sensory preferences. Do they seek out movement, or do they avoid it? Understanding their needs will help you tailor activities to support their development. Create safe opportunities for physical exploration, allowing your child to experience movement in ways that feel natural and enjoyable for them. Finally, collaborate with professionals trained in biomechanics, body alignment, and neurodevelopment. These experts can guide you in understanding your child’s unique needs and create personalized strategies. Ensure that your practitioner is well-versed in child development, as children are not just smaller versions of adults. They should also have knowledge of how the brain and body develop over time, particularly from birth. Above all, it’s important to view movement not as a break from learning but as an essential component of the learning process. By making movement a priority, you can help your child build a strong foundation for growth and success. Final thoughts Rewiring the brain does not happen through pressure or repetition alone, it happens through meaningful, embodied experiences. For children with learning differences, autistic children, movement is often the gateway to connection, regulation, and learning. By starting with posture and balance, you are giving your child something powerful: a stable foundation from which everything else can grow. As a well-rounded Holistic Health Care Professional, Lara is able to put the elements of posture, nutrition, and neurology together so that a tailor-made programme can be designed for your child. Helping your child to reach their full potential. Join the free community with Lara at Rebalance - Holistic Child Health for discussion and education about primitive reflexes, child development, posture, balance and gut health. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lara Cawthra Lara Cawthra, Paediatric Chiropractor and MNRI Core Specialist Lara Cawthra is a Paediatric Chiropractor and MNRI® Core Specialist who loves helping kids grow, move, and thrive. She works with babies, children, and their families, using gentle tonal chiropractic care and MNRI® techniques to support healthy neurological development. Lara has a particular interest in supporting children with developmental delays, sensory challenges, and neurodivergent needs, always focusing on what each child needs to feel safe, regulated, and confident in their body. Known for her warm, down-to-earth approach, Lara is passionate about empowering parents with knowledge and practical tools so they feel supported every step of the way. References: Ayres, A. J. (2005). Sensory Integration and the Child. Western Psychological Services. Bundy, A. C., Lane, S. J., & Murray, E. A. (2002). Sensory Integration: Theory and Practice. F.A. Davis. Shumway-Cook, A., & Woollacott, M. H. (2017). Motor Control: Translating Research into Clinical Practice. Wolters Kluwer. Hadders-Algra, M. (2010). Variation and variability: Key words in human motor development. Physical Therapy, 90(12), 1823–1837. Pfeiffer, B., et al. (2011). Effectiveness of sensory integration interventions in children with autism spectrum disorders: A pilot study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65(1), 76–85. Leisman, G., Moustafa, A. A., & Shafir, T. (2016). Thinking, walking, talking: Integratory motor and cognitive brain function. Frontiers in Public Health, 4, 94.

Written by Jenny Nechvatal, Early Childhood Consultant and Author Jenny Nechvatal is widely recognised for her expertise in early childhood education and disability advocacy. She is the founder of Innovative Disability Solutions, author of the 2024 publication Embracing Disability in Early Childhood, and a consultant helping early childhood services incorporate inclusive practices into their programs. When I completed my Early Childhood degree in 1989, disability and inclusion were covered in a single semester of a three‑year program, a broad overview at best, with a few suggestions for engaging children with disabilities in play. Fast forward more than three decades, and the picture hasn’t changed as much as it should. When I later worked as Head of Department at a TAFE, there was still no dedicated subject on disability and inclusion. Students asked questions constantly, but reliable, structured training was scarce. The training gap in practice This gap is not just an academic concern, it’s a practical crisis playing out daily in early childhood services. I hear it repeatedly when I deliver workshops: educators have many questions about supporting children with disabilities and their families. They want concrete strategies, deeper knowledge about a disability a child is living with, and guidance they can apply immediately in their rooms. These are not peripheral requests. They are core to educators’ ability to provide quality care and to cultivate genuine inclusion. Pressure on services and educators Directors and early childhood leaders are noticing that children diagnosed with autism and ADHD are bringing new opportunities for growth and learning to services. Over the past five years, many have observed shifts in children’s presentations that invite creativity, adaptation, and professional growth. Educators are working hard to respond and to build inclusive environments, but they need more structured support, resources, and professional development to fully harness these strengths. With targeted guidance and collaboration, services can enhance educator wellbeing and enrich learning experiences for every child. Why training must reflect reality The question then becomes obvious: why, when children with disabilities are routinely attending mainstream early childhood services, is this not reflected in educator training? The assumption that mainstream settings are unlikely to include children with disabilities is outdated. We are shortchanging educators, families, and children by failing to embed robust disability and inclusion training for teachers and educators. Evidence that works Research supports what educators report in practice. Studies show that “teacher training positively influences educators’ attitudes, beliefs, and classroom practices related to inclusion”.[1] When teachers engage in focused professional learning, their perceptions of disability shift, and they adopt more inclusive approaches to children and family partnerships. What inclusion really means These changes in educator knowledge and mindset matter because inclusion is about more than access. “Inclusion refers to an approach to practice where all children and families are accepted and served within a program and where each child and family experiences a sense of belonging and is supported to participate fully in all aspects of the program or service.”[2] It’s about the child being seen and understood, about their strengths being recognised and built upon. Families need to feel confident that their child will be supported and valued when enrolled. Without training, services risk marginalising children not deliberately, but through a lack of understanding and practical skill. Questions raised by training gaps Training gaps raise urgent questions for services and communities. First, are families of children with disabilities confident in enrolling their child in mainstream early childhood programs? Families need assurance that their child will be supported in a way that meets their unique needs and respects their expertise as caregivers. Additionally, do families feel that their child’s needs are being fully met? It’s essential that early childhood programs not only acknowledge these needs but also work collaboratively with families to ensure comprehensive support. Lastly, do children with disabilities feel seen and supported in these programs? It’s crucial that these children feel valued and included, as neglecting their needs can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion. Addressing these questions is fundamental to creating inclusive and supportive environments for all children. How educators develop their understanding How do educators form their understanding of disability and inclusion? For many, perceptions are shaped by a mixture of personal experience, ad hoc professional development, and on‑the‑job learning. Research by D. Koller and colleagues (Toronto Metropolitan University) found that educators come to their roles with varied lived experiences of inclusion. Crucially, when teachers engage in structured training, their attitudes and practices evolve: they reframe their role, develop new strategies, and strengthen partnerships with families. ‘It isn’t the same for everyone: Early childhood educators’ lived experiences with cultivating social inclusion’. A personal perspective I speak about this from dual perspectives. As a parent of two children living with a disability, I wanted learning environments where my children were valued and understood. As an early childhood professional prior to being the parent of children living with a disability, I needed the tools and confidence to move from thinking “this is difficult” to recognising each child’s strengths and planning intentional, inclusive approaches. Both lenses make clear: training is essential. Practical changes needed, what needs to change? University and TAFE programs should integrate comprehensive, evidence-based content on disability and inclusion throughout their courses. Rather than being an optional or token subject, these topics should be sustained and woven into all aspects of the training curriculum. This will ensure that educators are equipped with a deep, continuous understanding of inclusive education, making it a core part of their professional development. In addition, courses should incorporate practical strategies, real-world case studies, and mentored field placements focused on inclusive practice. This hands-on approach will allow students to gain valuable experience and apply their knowledge in real educational settings, helping them to develop the skills necessary for fostering inclusive environments. To further support educators, services should prioritize accessible, in-service workshops that provide actionable tools for addressing the diverse needs and behaviors of students. These workshops should be designed to empower educators with the knowledge and confidence to adapt their teaching methods to ensure all students are supported. Lastly, mentorship programs and communities of practice should be actively supported to foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. By connecting educators with experienced colleagues, they can share insights, learn from one another, and reflect on their practices, ultimately improving their ability to create inclusive learning environments. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jenny Nechvatal Jenny Nechvatal, Early Childhood Consultant and Author Jenny brings a unique dual perspective on disability and inclusion, combining insights from her 30-year career in Early Childhood and parenting two children living with a disability, with a special focus on autism. She is dedicated to upskilling teams and transforming attitudes to create more inclusive, understanding environments. Through her book and workshops, Jenny helps educators see disability in a new light, fostering positive change in early childhood settings and schools. References: [1] (Gardner‑Neblett et al., 2021; Kwon et al., 2017; Schaub & Lütolf, 2024; Yu & Park, 2020, 2022) [2] (College of Early Childhood Educators, 2017, p. 24) Further resources: For those interested in the conversation, ECE Quality Ireland hosts Paula Walsh and Sabine Govern, who discuss these issues in depth on their podcast episode here. Koller, D., Matthiesen, A., Oulton, A., & Murphy, E. (January 17, 2025). "It isn’t the same for everyone": Early childhood educators' lived experiences with cultivating social inclusion. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, DOI: 10.1080/109001027.2025.2450794. Inclusion is more than policy language, it’s a practice that requires knowledge, confidence, and commitment. If we want early childhood services where every child belongs and thrives, we must invest in the training that makes inclusion real, before educators enter the workforce and continuously thereafter.

Written by Christina Giordano, Marketing & Manifesting Consultant Christina Giordano is the founder of the movement Soul'd™, an approach to marketing and manifesting with nothing but the essence that is you. Many people today are doing more inner work than ever before. They understand their patterns. They recognize what no longer feels right. They feel clearer about what they want and what direction their life is moving. Yet, even after gaining clarity, they still feel stuck. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I know what’s right for me, so why isn’t anything changing yet?” know that you’re not alone, and there’s a reason for that experience. Alignment creates insight, but insight alone doesn’t always create movement until it becomes coherent. Often what’s missing isn’t more clarity or even more courage. It’s coherence. Why clarity doesn’t always create change Behavioral research consistently shows that insight alone rarely produces lasting change. The nervous system plays a central role in whether new decisions actually become new actions. According to research behind Polyvagal Theory, developed by neuroscientist Stephen Porges, our nervous system continuously evaluates whether situations feel safe enough for engagement and forward movement. So, when change still registers as uncertainty (even positive change), our system naturally slows momentum while it adjusts. But this isn’t resistance. It’s regulation. Your nervous system is designed to prioritize stability before expansion. Until it feels safe moving in a new direction, progress often happens more gradually than expected. Understanding this changes how we interpret the space between clarity and results. Instead of assuming something is wrong, we can begin recognizing that integration is still happening. Coherence: The missing bridge between alignment and movement In my work, I explore the relationship between alignment, nervous system capacity, and sustainable visibility. I’ve seen that people often experience lasting momentum only after their internal clarity and physiological readiness begin moving together. This is true coherence, when what you know, how you move, and what your nervous system is ready to support begin moving in the same direction. While alignment helps you recognize what’s true, coherence helps you live from that truth consistently. Many people assume they’re stuck because they need more motivation or clarity. But often what they’re actually waiting for is coherence, the moment when their internal understanding and their nervous system readiness begin reinforcing each other instead of working at different speeds. Inevitably, when they move from insight into coherence, their choices start requiring less effort. This can look like visibility becoming easier, decisions feeling clearer, momentum beginning to build more naturally instead of being forced. Through my work, I’ve consistently seen this. People experience a new kind of momentum, because their identity has stabilized in coherence rather than insight alone. Why readiness matters more than motivation when you’re moving into coherence Research in behavior change also shows that motivation alone rarely creates sustainable action. According to behavior scientist BJ Fogg, lasting change happens when behavior becomes easier, not just more important. This helps explain why people often feel aligned but still don’t experience movement right away. Their direction is correct, but their system just hasn’t fully reorganized around it yet. Readiness tends to increase as people begin making decisions that match what they already know is true and allow their nervous system to adjust to that direction over time. As internal clarity and lived experience begin reinforcing each other, action starts to feel simpler and more natural instead of effortful. Signs your system is still integrating change If your life feels slower than expected after a period of clarity, you may actually be in a healthy transition phase that is moving you towards readiness. Some common signs include: You’re making more honest decisions, even when they’re uncomfortable You feel less urgency to prove yourself You’re questioning patterns that used to feel automatic You’re noticing where pressure used to guide your choices. These are all early signals that change is already underway. How to support your system while momentum builds If you’re in this phase, the most helpful next step isn’t pushing harder. It’s supporting integration. Three simple ways to do that include: Let clarity settle before acting on every insight immediately. Not every realization requires immediate movement. Some insights need time to stabilize before they become sustainable decisions. Notice where urgency is shaping your timeline. Pressure often creates the illusion that something should already be happening, but growth rarely follows comparison based timing. Pay attention to consistency instead of speed. Reliable progress usually begins with small shifts repeated over time, not dramatic breakthroughs. When clarity and nervous system readiness begin working together, momentum starts to feel different. It’s much less forced and far more stable and sustainable. If alignment helps you recognize what’s true, coherence is what allows your life to reorganize around it. Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Christina Giordano Christina Giordano, Marketing & Manifesting Consultant For over 15 years, Christina Giordano has helped soulpreneurs build their businesses with alignment and authenticity, leading the way. In 2020, she channeled her own methods of self-discovery, which act as soulful (yet practical) roadmaps for entrepreneurs to market and manifest with nothing but their essence. These methods are The Marketing Methods - The L.I.F.E. Method, The S.O.U.L. Method, and The L.O.V.E. Method, and The Manifesting Methods - The D.E.B.I.T. Method, The C.R.E.D.I.T. Method, and The R.O.S.E. Method. The methods represent the movement Christina has founded and trademarked as “Soul’d,” which empowers big-hearted business owners to show up, be seen, and shine in the way that is uniquely and wholeheartedly you. References: Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W.W. Norton & Company. Fogg, B. J. (2019). Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Stanford Behavior Design Lab. (n.d.). The Fogg Behavior Model. Verywell Mind Editorial Team. (n.d.). What Is Polyvagal Theory?

Written by Jenna McDonough, Emotional Regulation Specialist Jenna McDonough is a trauma-sensitive emotional regulation specialist who supports adults and children through meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, somatic resets, and sound healing. She is the creator of the PEACEFUL: Mindful Moments for Every Age app and author of Kind Kids. Her mission is to make emotional well-being accessible to all. Every parent, teacher, and caregiver has experienced it. A child melts down over something seemingly small. A sibling argument escalates quickly. A student shuts down during a lesson. In these moments, the instinct is often to correct the behavior immediately. These responses are well intentioned, but they often don’t work. Not because children are being defiant, but because they are dysregulated. “Calm down” “Stop crying” “That’s not a big deal” Understanding what children truly need during dysregulation can transform how we respond and how they learn to regulate themselves. Dysregulation is a nervous system response When children become overwhelmed, their nervous system shifts into a stress response. Their brains move away from logical thinking and into survival mode. In this state, reasoning, problem solving, and listening become much more difficult. This is why lecturing, correcting, or demanding immediate calm rarely helps. The child is not choosing to be upset, their body is reacting. What they need first is not correction. They need regulation. Connection before correction One of the most powerful tools during dysregulation is connection. When a child feels seen and supported, their nervous system begins to settle. Connection can look like a calm presence, a soft tone of voice, sitting beside them, a simple acknowledgment of their feelings. Statements such as “I see you’re really upset.” “That felt frustrating.” “I’m here with you.” These responses signal safety. Safety allows the nervous system to shift out of stress mode and back toward calm. Only after this shift can children begin to think clearly again. The role of coregulation Children learn emotional regulation through coregulation. This means they borrow calm from the regulated adult around them. When adults remain grounded, the child’s breathing slows. Muscle tension reduces. Emotional intensity decreases. The brain re engages. Over time, repeated coregulation helps children internalize these skills and regulate independently. Why breathing helps Breathing is one of the simplest ways to support regulation. Slow, intentional breaths activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes calm and relaxation. Inviting a child to breathe with you can be more effective than instructing them to calm down. Examples include “Let’s take a slow breath together.”, “Smell the flower, blow out the candle.”, “Let’s count three breaths.” This shifts focus from behavior to body awareness. Avoiding escalation When dysregulated children are met with urgency, raised voices, or punishment, their nervous system often becomes more activated. This can escalate the situation rather than resolve it. A calm response helps prevent escalation and models emotional regulation in action. This doesn’t mean ignoring behavior. It means addressing regulation first, then guiding reflection once calm is restored. Reflection after regulation Once a child is calm, this becomes the ideal moment for learning. Gentle reflection helps children understand their emotions and build awareness, “What were you feeling?”, “Where did you feel it in your body?”, “What could we try next time?” This step builds emotional intelligence and problem solving skills. Everyday opportunities for regulation Dysregulation happens in everyday situations, transitions, sibling disagreements, homework frustration, social challenges, fatigue or hunger. Each moment becomes an opportunity to practice coregulation, breathing, and reflection. Over time, these repeated experiences strengthen a child’s ability to regulate independently. The long term impact When children receive support during dysregulation, they learn emotions are manageable, they are safe expressing feelings, they can return to calm, they have tools to handle challenges. These skills extend into friendships, school, and eventually adulthood. A gentle shift Instead of asking, “How do I stop this behavior?” we can begin asking, “What does this child need right now?” Often, the answer is simple: Calm presence Connection Breath Support When we meet dysregulation with understanding, we don’t just resolve the moment. We teach lifelong skills. Because what children need most when they are dysregulated isn’t control. It’s connection. If you're interested in learning more about how emotional regulation supports long term resilience, you may also enjoy my article, How to Manage Your Emotions, A Guide to Nervous System Regulation with Simple Habits, which explores practical ways to build regulation skills for both children and adults. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jenna McDonough Jenna McDonough, Emotional Regulation Specialist Jenna McDonough is a meditation and mindfulness teacher, children’s book author, and emotional regulation specialist dedicated to helping people of all ages live more peaceful and present lives. She supports adults and children in recognizing, understanding, and moving through their emotions with meditation, mindfulness, somatic resets, breathwork, and sound and energy healing, all offered through a trauma-sensitive approach that ensures safe and empowering experiences. She is the founder of the PEACEFUL: Mindful Moments for Every Age App and the author of Kind Kids: The Adventures of Hurley, Pearl, and the Pink Soldiers of Kindness, and the creator of meditation and healing arts courses designed to foster emotional intelligence, resilience, and compassion.

Written by Michael Donaldson, Nutrition Researcher & Health Coach Dr. Michael Donaldson is a nutrition researcher and health coach specializing in type 2 diabetes reversal. As founder of End Diabetes Now and Research Director at Hallelujah Diet, he empowers people to transform their health through evidence-based, plant-centered nutrition. Berberine isn’t just a traditional herbal compound, clinical evidence shows it can match metformin’s blood‑sugar‑lowering effects while also improving lipids and inflammation with a generally gentler side‑effect profile. As research expands beyond glucose control into metabolic health, PCOS and longevity, it’s easy to see why many are calling it “Nature’s Metformin.” What is berberine, and why is it called “nature’s metformin”? Berberine is a bright yellow alkaloid extracted from the roots and bark of several plants, including goldenseal, barberry, Oregon grape, and Coptis chinensis, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. In the early 2000s, Western researchers began looking at berberine in earnest. Early trials showed it could lower blood glucose as effectively as metformin. That comparison stuck, and the nickname “Nature’s Metformin” followed suit. The comparison is based on head-to-head clinical trials, not a marketing slogan. The growing body of research has revealed that berberine does more than just regulate blood sugar. It can help the body manage blood glucose, improve fat metabolism, and reduce inflammation simultaneously. These effects are systemic, benefiting the whole body. That’s what makes berberine interesting to me, and possibly to you too, even if you don’t have diabetes. How berberine works, briefly Berberine and metformin activate many of the same cellular pathways, especially AMPK, the body’s master energy sensor. When AMPK is activated, cells take up more glucose from the blood, the liver reduces its glucose output, fat metabolism improves, and inflammation is reduced. Berberine also improves the gut microbiome, which positively affects the body’s metabolism of fat and sugar. Most of the mechanisms of action for berberine are similar to those of metformin, but the most important thing isn’t the mechanism. It’s the results that people get when they take it. Blood sugar control: What the clinical trials show There have not been many trials directly comparing metformin and berberine. The most well-known one was published in 2008 by Yin and colleagues. In adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, berberine at 500 mg three times daily matched metformin at the same dose across three months. Hemoglobin A1c fell from 9.5% to 7.5%. Fasting blood glucose dropped from 10.6 to 6.9 mmol/L. Post-meal glucose fell from 19.8 to 11.1 mmol/L. On lipids, berberine outperformed metformin, reducing total cholesterol and triglycerides more substantially. This one trial alone is enough to nickname berberine “Nature’s Metformin.” But there’s more, much more. One of the largest and most rigorous berberine trials to date is the PREMOTE study, published in 2020 by Zhang, Gu, and colleagues. This multicenter randomized controlled trial included 409 newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes across 20 centers in China. Berberine alone reduced A1c by approximately 1% over 12 weeks, an amount that most people would be pleased with from a drug or supplement. The study also identified a specific gut microbiome mechanism underlying berberine’s blood sugar effects, in addition to what we already knew about activating AMPK. A 2023 randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial by Panigrahi and Mohanty tested berberine specifically in people with prediabetes, a population often overlooked in supplement research. After 12 weeks on 500 mg three times daily, fasting plasma glucose fell from 6.75 to 5.33 mmol/L, and A1c dropped from 6.4% to 5.43%, bringing both markers below the prediabetic threshold. Two-hour oral glucose tolerance also improved significantly. No liver or kidney toxicity was detected. These results are great news for people with prediabetes, as it gives them a powerful way to get the beneficial effects of something like metformin, without waiting for a diabetes diagnosis. Research continues to push berberine forward. A 2025 phase 2 clinical trial by Ji and colleagues tested a novel ionic compound pairing berberine with a bile acid in 113 patients with type 2 diabetes. The trial found that A1c dropped 0.7% more than placebo over 12 weeks, with a 97% completion rate. Phase 3 trials are underway. Cholesterol, lipids, and inflammation: A broad metabolic footprint Berberine’s effects on the lipid panel have been among the most consistent findings across the clinical literature. A 2024 meta-analysis by Wang and colleagues pooled 50 randomized controlled trials involving 4,150 participants and found that berberine alone significantly reduced LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, with even larger effects when combined with standard glucose-lowering medications. For people who can’t or don’t want to take statins, this is an effective alternative. Berberine can also be taken alongside standard diabetic or cardiovascular therapy. Other trials have added texture to the lipid picture. Zhao and colleagues at the University of Hong Kong found that berberine reduced total cholesterol in men with hyperlipidemia and, unexpectedly, did not lower testosterone and may have modestly increased it, an advantage over metformin, which is well-known to blunt testosterone. A 2026 trial by Lei and colleagues in 337 individuals with fatty liver disease found that berberine did not reduce visceral fat (an honest null finding), but did significantly reduce LDL, apolipoprotein B, and the inflammatory marker CRP, with an excellent six-month safety profile. Berberine for PCOS: Body composition, hormones, and cardiovascular risk Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects about one in ten women of reproductive age, causing irregular periods, excess androgens, acne, and fertility problems, all driven in large part by insulin resistance. Metformin is frequently prescribed off-label for PCOS. A 2022 three-arm randomized controlled trial by Panigrahi and colleagues in India enrolled 129 women aged 15 to 40 and compared berberine, metformin, and myoinositol head-to-head over three months, with no changes required to diet or exercise. All three treatments worked. Body weight fell by approximately 4 kg in both the berberine and metformin groups. But berberine stood out in several areas specific to PCOS. Waist circumference decreased by 4 cm in the berberine group, compared with 2 cm in the other groups. As central fat is a key driver of insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk, this distinction is important. Berberine produced the greatest increase in sex hormone binding globulin, which reduces the amount of free testosterone circulating in the blood, and the largest drop in free androgen index overall. On the lipid side, berberine reduced total cholesterol by 13%, LDL by 17%, and raised HDL by 5%. Myoinositol led on insulin sensitivity, metformin performed better on triglycerides specifically. The honest picture is that all three have complementary strengths, but berberine’s benefit profile was the broadest across body composition, hormonal markers, and lipids. Three women in the metformin group dropped out due to gastrointestinal side effects. None dropped out of the berberine group. Where berberine goes beyond metformin: Unique clinical applications Metformin has been prescribed to hundreds of millions of people for decades, and doctors know what it works well for. What makes berberine’s emerging research profile particularly interesting is that clinical trials have now documented meaningful benefits in conditions for which metformin has never been seriously studied. Two novel findings stand out. Colorectal adenoma prevention Colorectal polyps, called adenomas, are the precursors to colorectal cancer. Once removed during colonoscopy, they frequently recur. A multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial published in 2020 by Chen, Gao, and colleagues enrolled 1,108 patients who had just undergone complete polypectomy across seven hospital centers in China. Participants received 0.3 g of berberine twice daily or a placebo for two years. Adenoma recurrence occurred in 36% of the berberine group versus 47% of the placebo group, a statistically significant relative risk reduction of 23%. The most common side effect was mild constipation in 1% of berberine participants. No serious adverse events were reported. [9] This is a good result for taking berberine for two years, but there’s more. A six-year extended follow-up of those same patients by Tan, Zou, and colleagues at the same institution found that the protective effect of berberine persisted for at least six years after treatment had stopped. Adenoma recurrence was 34.7% in the berberine group versus 52.1% in the placebo group. The rate of any new colorectal neoplasm was also about 8% lower in those who had received berberine. This is not a surrogate biomarker finding. This is actual tumor prevention sustained years beyond the treatment period in a large multicenter trial. It seems to me that it would be best not to stop taking berberine if you’ve had adenomas removed and want to reduce the risk of adenoma recurrence or even colon cancer. [10] Post-surgical atrial fibrillation Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery is one of the most common and serious post-operative complications, occurring in roughly 30 to 40% of coronary artery bypass patients. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial by Zhang and colleagues enrolled 200 bypass surgery patients. Those receiving berberine experienced postoperative atrial fibrillation in 20% of cases versus 35% in the placebo group, a hazard ratio of 0.50, meaning the risk was cut in half. Berberine also significantly reduced circulating CRP and interleukin-6, inflammatory markers elevated after surgery that drive arrhythmia risk. [11] Better absorption at lower doses: Newer formulations Berberine HCl has poor oral bioavailability. Less than 1% makes it into systemic circulation, which is why 1,500 milligrams a day are necessary to get results, and why all of that berberine sitting in the GI tract causes discomfort in many people. One emerging solution is to bind berberine to a phospholipid to form a berberine phytosome, which dramatically improves absorption across the gut wall. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial by Rondanelli and colleagues enrolled 49 overweight adults with impaired fasting glucose and tested berberine phytosome at 550 mg per tablet, twice daily. Each 550 mg tablet is standardized to 28–34% berberine, delivering about 180 mg of actual berberine per tablet, or 360 mg per day, a 75% reduction from the 1,500 mg daily dose used in older trials, yet with comparable clinical results. After 60 days, the supplemented group showed significant improvements in fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, visceral adipose tissue, and fat mass compared to placebo, with no adverse events. [12] A separate phytosome trial in women with PCOS using the same dose confirmed strong reproductive and metabolic benefits. Seventy percent of women in the berberine group resumed regular menstruation, compared with 16% in controls, and 60% had normalization of ovarian anatomy, compared with 13%. Acne and hirsutism also improved significantly, tolerability was excellent, and a number of women who had been trying for years to conceive became pregnant. [13] The phytosome formulation produces roughly 9 to 10 times greater plasma exposure than an equivalent dose of standard berberine, which explains how a 75% lower berberine dose achieves equivalent or better results. Another promising form is dihydroberberine, the reduced uncharged form of berberine, which crosses the gut wall more efficiently and converts back to berberine inside cells. A 2021 crossover trial found that 100 mg of dihydroberberine achieved significantly higher plasma berberine concentrations than 500 mg of standard berberine. [14] Larger efficacy trials are still needed, but the absorption advantage is well-established in early data. How strong is the evidence? An honest assessment A comprehensive analysis using Consensus, an AI-powered scientific research platform searching over 170 million papers, including PubMed, found 43 studies directly addressing whether berberine is effective for metabolic syndrome and lipid profiles in humans. Fifty-six percent answered clearly yes, supported by large, high-quality RCTs and meta-analyses. Forty-two percent answered “possibly,” flagging methodological limitations including small sample sizes, short intervention periods, and primarily Chinese study populations. Zero percent concluded that berberine does not work. The methodological limitations that led to 42% issuing a “possible” verdict are not a reason to dismiss berberine. The existing trials are real, peer-reviewed, and published in respected journals. The evidence all points in the same direction, even if some of the trials are small. What is missing is the kind of large, long-term, multi-site trial that only happens with a lot of financial incentive to fund it. Berberine is just a plant compound that can’t be patented. There’s not a lot of money to be made from selling berberine, so there’s no financial incentive to run those trials. That’s a reflection of market economics, not of the science. What the evidence does support, clearly and consistently, is that berberine is a serious supplement with a genuine and growing clinical record. The effects on blood sugar, lipids, and inflammation are real. The colorectal adenoma data are remarkable. The post-surgical atrial fibrillation finding is striking. The safety profile across hundreds of trials is reassuring, with side effects typically limited to mild gastrointestinal symptoms and no evidence of liver or kidney toxicity at standard doses. Berberine as a metabolic longevity tool Berberine and metformin are generally thought of as tools to help with malfunctioning metabolism. But these tools could also be leveraged as longevity tools. Personally, that’s more my interest in berberine. I’m not going to take a drug to live longer, but I would consider using berberine, available without a prescription. The longevity research community likes metformin as an anti-aging drug. It activates AMPK, has caloric restriction mimetic properties, and observational data suggest diabetics on metformin live longer than matched non-diabetic populations not taking the drug. The TAME trial (Targeting Aging with Metformin), led by Dr. Nir Barzilai, is currently enrolling 3,000 people aged 65 to 79 to formally test this. Well, why not berberine? Berberine activates the same AMPK and mTOR pathways that sit at the center of virtually every serious longevity intervention, from caloric restriction and intermittent fasting to rapamycin. Animal studies have shown lifespan extension in C. elegans, Drosophila, and mice through antioxidant network activation, reduced cellular senescence, and improved mitochondrial function. No completed human longevity trial exists for berberine yet, and it would be overstating the case to claim otherwise. What berberine does have is an impressive set of surrogate biomarkers. Chronically elevated blood glucose accelerates the formation of advanced glycation end-products, cross-linked proteins and fats that stiffen arteries, cloud lenses, and damage kidneys and nerves over decades. Lower glucose and A1c slow that process, even at levels within the “normal” range. Better lipid profiles reduce cardiovascular risk. Lower CRP and inflammatory cytokine levels reduce chronic inflammation that drives most age-related diseases. Berberine moves all of these in the right direction, consistently, across a wide range of populations. You don’t have to be diabetic to benefit from berberine. For anyone who wants to keep their metabolic biology running well into later life, that is a compelling argument. Practical guidance: Who should consider berberine and how Standard berberine hydrochloride is typically dosed at 500 mg three times daily with meals. Berberine phytosome is effective at approximately 360 mg of actual berberine per day (delivered as two 550 mg phytosome tablets), a much lower true berberine dose with better tolerability. Dihydroberberine is typically used at 100 to 200 milligrams twice daily. If you have tried standard berberine and struggled with digestive side effects, the phytosome formulation or dihydroberberine is worth discussing with your healthcare provider. Berberine is most relevant for: People with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes Women with PCOS People with metabolic syndrome People who have had colorectal polyps removed Health-conscious adults who want to optimize metabolism for longevity There are a few safety notes. Berberine can meaningfully lower blood glucose, so anyone taking glucose-lowering medications, including metformin, sulfonylureas, or insulin, should monitor for hypoglycemia with their provider. Berberine also interacts with some medications processed by cytochrome P450 liver enzymes, so a medication review before starting is worthwhile. Avoid during pregnancy, as it has not been thoroughly tested in this state. Since quality varies significantly across manufacturers, sourcing from a reputable, third-party tested product matters. As with all metabolic interventions, berberine is a tool, not a cure. For people with type 2 diabetes, the most powerful intervention available remains the lifestyle changes that reduce fat in the liver and pancreas below the personal fat threshold that triggers metabolic dysfunction. You can use berberine while you work on those lifestyle changes, and it may be valuable as a long-term supplement. The foundation is a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, along with adequate protein, staying active throughout the day, including resistance exercise, reducing stress, and getting good sleep. If you are working to reverse type 2 diabetes and want personalized guidance on lifestyle, nutrition, and evidence-based supplements like berberine, visit EndDiabetesNow.co to learn more about 1:1 coaching with Dr. Michael Donaldson. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Michael Donaldson Michael Donaldson, Nutrition Researcher & Health Coach Dr. Michael Donaldson, Ph.D., is a leading voice in plant-based nutrition and lifestyle transformation. With a doctorate from Cornell University and more than two decades of research at Hallelujah Diet, he has helped thousands understand how food can restore health and vitality. Through his coaching platform End Diabetes Now, he guides clients in reversing type 2 diabetes naturally and sustainably. A scientist, entrepreneur, and educator, Dr. Donaldson also founded True Wealth Health Products and formulated Ora-Shield, an organic oral-care blend. His work bridges science, faith, and practical wisdom to help people achieve lasting wellness and purpose. References: [1] Yin, J., Xing, H., & Ye, J. (2008). Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, 57(5), 712–717. [2] Zhang, Y., Gu, Y., Ren, H., et al. (2020). Gut microbiome-related effects of berberine and probiotics on type 2 diabetes (the PREMOTE study). Nature Communications, 11(1), 5015. [3] Panigrahi, A., & Mohanty, S. (2023). Efficacy and safety of HIMABERB® Berberine on glycemic control in patients with prediabetes: double-blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized pilot trial. BMC Endocrine Disorders, 23(1), 190. [4] Ji, L., Ma, J., Ma, Y., et al. (2025). Berberine ursodeoxycholate for the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 8(3), e2462185. [5] Wang, J., Bi, C., Xi, H., & Wei, F. (2024). Effects of administering berberine alone or in combination on type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15, 1455534. [6] Zhao, J. V., Yeung, W.-F., Chan, Y.-H., et al. (2021). Effect of berberine on cardiovascular disease risk factors: a mechanistic randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 13(8), 2550. [7] Lei, L., Wang, B., Zhao, L., et al. (2026). Berberine and adiposity in diabetes-free individuals with obesity and MASLD: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 9(1), e2554152. [8] Panigrahi, N., Verma, R., & Jadaun, P. (2022). Study on the effect of berberine, myoinositol, and metformin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a prospective randomised study. Cureus, 14, e21781. [9] Chen, Y.-X., Gao, Q.-Y., Zou, T.-H., et al. (2020). Berberine versus placebo for the prevention of recurrence of colorectal adenoma: a multicentre, double-blinded, randomised controlled study. Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 5(3), 267–275. [10] Tan, Y.-J., Zou, T.-H., Yu, K., et al. (2025). Berberine for preventing colorectal adenoma recurrence and neoplasm occurrence: 6-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial. Cell Reports Medicine, 6(9), 102293. [11] Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Jiang, H., et al. (2022). Preventive effect of berberine on postoperative atrial fibrillation. Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 15(10), e011160. [12] Rondanelli, M., Gasparri, C., Petrangolini, G., et al. (2023). Berberine phospholipid exerts a positive effect on the glycemic profile of overweight subjects with impaired fasting blood glucose (IFG): a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 27(14), 6718–6727. [13] Di Pierro, F., Sultana, R., Eusaph, A. Z., et al. (2023). Effect of berberine phytosome on reproductive, dermatologic, and metabolic characteristics in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a controlled, randomized, multi-centric, open-label clinical trial (NCT05480670). Frontiers in Pharmacology, 14, 1269605. [14] Moon, J. M., Ratliff, K. M., Hagele, A. M., et al. (2021). Absorption kinetics of berberine and dihydroberberine and their impact on glycemia: a randomized, controlled, crossover pilot trial. Nutrients, 14(1), 124.