Written by Matijas Slivnik, Naturopath, Therapist, Musician Matijas Slivnik is a naturopath specializing in burnout, hormonal balance, and chronic fatigue. He combines natural medicine, energy healing, and healing sounds to help clients restore body and mind, delivering lasting results with over 12 years of experience. When people think about stress, they often imagine a busy mind, endless worries, and emotional overwhelm. Yet, according to many holistic health practitioners, stress is far more than a psychological experience. It is a response involving the entire body and affects nearly every system within it. A naturopath working with individuals experiencing burnout, chronic fatigue, digestive challenges, hormonal imbalances, and persistent muscle pain observes the same pattern repeatedly. Many people focus on managing their thoughts, but few realize that the nervous system itself may be struggling to recover. This hidden imbalance is becoming one of the most significant health challenges of modern life. Why the nervous system matters more than most people realize The nervous system functions as the body's central communication network. It constantly monitors the environment, processes information, and determines whether the body should be in a state of action or recovery. In ideal circumstances, people move naturally between periods of activity and rest. The body responds to challenges when necessary and then returns to a state of balance. The problem is that modern life rarely allows this cycle to be completed. Emails arrive at all hours. Notifications demand attention. Work responsibilities extend beyond traditional office hours. Family obligations, financial concerns, and constant exposure to information create a state of ongoing stimulation. As a result, many individuals remain physiologically activated for far longer than the human body was designed to tolerate. Stress is not only in the mind One of the most common misconceptions about stress is that it exists primarily as a mental or emotional issue. In reality, the body experiences stress through measurable physiological responses. The heart rate increases. Stress hormones are released. Digestion slows down. Muscles tighten. Sleep quality may decline. Energy production becomes less efficient, and recovery mechanisms become compromised. Even when a person appears calm on the outside, the nervous system may still be operating in a state of heightened alertness. This is why many people report symptoms that seem unrelated but often share the same underlying contributor. These may include: Persistent fatigue Difficulty concentrating Digestive discomfort Hormonal fluctuations Frequent muscle tension Sleep disturbances Increased irritability Anxiety and emotional overwhelm Reduced resilience to everyday challenges In many cases, these symptoms are not isolated problems. They may reflect a nervous system that has been under pressure for an extended period. The modern epidemic of constant activation Human biology evolved in an environment where stress was generally temporary. A threat would appear, the body would respond, and once the danger had passed, recovery could begin. Today's stressors are different. Instead of facing occasional challenges, many people experience a low level of stress continuously throughout the day. The body often cannot distinguish between a physical threat and a stressful email, an upcoming deadline, financial uncertainty, or a list of responsibilities that never seems to end. Over time, this constant activation may contribute to what many people describe as feeling "stuck in survival mode." They continue functioning, working, and meeting their responsibilities, but internally, they feel depleted. This is often the stage when individuals begin seeking answers because they sense that something is not right, despite appearing healthy on paper. Why normal test results do not always mean optimal health Many people become frustrated when medical examinations show no major abnormalities, yet they continue to experience exhaustion, poor sleep, brain fog, digestive complaints, or ongoing discomfort. This situation is becoming increasingly common. While medical testing plays a critical role in diagnosing disease, many functional imbalances can develop long before measurable pathology appears. From a naturopathic perspective, symptoms are often viewed as signals rather than isolated problems. The goal is not simply to suppress symptoms but to understand why the body is struggling to maintain balance. Factors such as chronic stress exposure, poor recovery, inadequate nutrition, disrupted sleep, digestive dysfunction, and emotional overload may all contribute to an individual's overall state. The connection between the nervous system and other health concerns One reason nervous system regulation is receiving growing attention is its influence on multiple body systems. Digestion: The digestive system functions most efficiently when the body feels safe and relaxed. When stress becomes chronic, many people experience bloating, digestive discomfort, altered bowel habits, and reduced digestive efficiency. Hormonal balance: The body prioritizes survival over optimization in the long term. When stress remains elevated for extended periods, hormonal balance may be affected, influencing energy levels, mood, metabolism, and overall well-being. Chronic fatigue: Many individuals experiencing persistent fatigue are not necessarily lacking motivation. Instead, their bodies may be allocating significant resources to managing prolonged physiological stress. Muscle pain and tension: Stress frequently manifests physically. Tight shoulders, neck discomfort, jaw tension, headaches, and generalized muscle pain may all be linked to prolonged nervous system activation. Supporting the body's natural ability to recover The encouraging news is that the nervous system remains adaptable throughout life. The body possesses remarkable regenerative capabilities when given appropriate support and sufficient opportunities for recovery. Within his naturopathic practice and the PraNaturas Method, the focus extends beyond individual symptoms and considers the person as a whole. Areas often explored include: Nutritional quality Digestive health Sleep optimization Stress management Breathing practices Physical movement Emotional well-being Recovery and regeneration strategies Relaxation techniques using sound Rather than forcing the body to work harder, the goal is to create conditions that support its natural ability to restore balance. Sometimes healing begins with slowing down Modern culture often promotes the belief that more effort is the answer to every challenge, including more productivity, stimulation, achievement, and pressure. Yet many individuals struggling with burnout and chronic stress discover that what they truly need is not more effort but more recovery. The nervous system was designed to alternate between engagement and restoration. Without restoration, even the strongest individuals eventually begin to feel the consequences. This is why learning to regulate stress extends beyond mindset alone. It involves supporting the entire body and recognizing that true well-being depends not only on how people think but also on how safely and effectively their nervous systems can function. The growing health crisis in modern society may not simply be a crisis of stress. It may be a crisis of recovery, and understanding that difference could be one of the most important steps toward lasting health, resilience, and vitality. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Matijas Slivnik Matijas Slivnik, Naturopath, Therapist, Musician Matijas Slivnik is a naturopath specializing in burnout, hormonal balance, and chronic fatigue. With over 12 years of experience, he combines natural medicine, energy healing, and psychotherapeutic modalities to support holistic health. As an experienced musician, he uses music and healing sounds to enhance healing. Matijas is the founder of PraNaturas, helping clients restore energy and balance naturally.

Written by Susan F. Moody, Intuitive Business, Life, and Success Coach As a Life Mastery Certified Coach®, Susan integrates spirituality with practicality, guiding women to discover their unique Soul Goal™ and chart a personal path to success and happiness. Unlock your inner wisdom, align your heart with your mind, and uncover actionable steps that resonate with your authentic self. I’ve always loved The Wizard of Oz, especially the Cowardly Lion. His famous question always makes me smile: “What have they got that I don’t got?” The answer? “Courage!” Isn’t that how it feels sometimes? We get these great ideas, ones that light us up, excite us, and make us think, This could really be something. For a moment, we feel energized and inspired. Then, it’s time to actually do something about it. That’s when self-doubt quietly creeps in. Who are you to do this? What if people don’t get it? What if they think you’re being too much or not enough? Suddenly, all that excitement gets tangled up with fear. Old stories resurface. Past experiences try to hitch a ride on your new idea. Before you know it, you’re hesitating instead of moving forward. But here’s the truth: You don’t need more courage. You already have it. You just need to let that brave part of yourself take the reins. When fear tries to take over Fear has a way of showing up right when you’re about to grow. When you have a new idea, you may feel excited at first, but then the questions begin: Is this realistic? Am I qualified? Will anyone care? When it’s time to be visible, sharing your voice, your work, or your vision can feel vulnerable. The fear of being misunderstood or judged suddenly feels very real. When the past shows up uninvited, old doubts, past failures, or limiting beliefs may try to convince you that this time won’t be any different. These thoughts can feel convincing, but they are not the truth. They are simply fear trying to keep you in the familiar. Simple ways to let your brave self lead Courage isn’t about eliminating fear. It’s about moving forward anyway. Here are a few ways to step back into your power and take the reins. 1. Call out the inner doubt: That voice in your head? It’s not always right. In fact, it often speaks from old fears, not current reality. Action step: When you hear, “Who are you to do this?” respond with, “I’m someone who is willing to try.” Let that be enough. 2. Separate the past from the present: Just because something didn’t work before doesn’t mean it won’t work now. You’re not the same person you were then. Action step: Remind yourself, “That was then. This is now.” Give your current self a chance to show up differently. 3. Take one brave step: You don’t have to do everything at once. Courage builds with action, one step at a time. Action step: Identify one small action you can take today toward your idea. Send the message. Share the thought. Start the draft. Momentum begins with movement. 4. Stop waiting to feel “ready”: Feeling ready is often a myth. Most of the time, confidence comes after you begin, not before. Action step: Instead of asking, “Am I ready?” ask, “Am I willing?” Willingness is where courage lives. 5. Claim your power: There comes a moment when you have to decide that your dreams matter more than your doubts. Action step: Say this out loud: “I’ve got this.” Even if your voice shakes a little, say it anyway. The wise woman says You don’t need permission. You don’t need perfection. You certainly don’t need to wait until fear disappears. What you need is already within you, the brave part of yourself that knows there’s more for you, believes in your ideas, and is ready to step forward even when it feels uncomfortable. So, when doubt shows up, and it will, acknowledge it, then gently move it aside. Let courage take the lead. Let your voice be heard. Let your ideas come to life. Because, at the end of the day, the question isn’t, “What have they got that I don’t got?” The answer is simple: Nothing. You’ve got this. Now it’s time to take the reins and prove it to yourself. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Susan F. Moody Susan F. Moody, Intuitive Business, Life, and Success Coach Susan F. Moody, Wise Woman, is dedicated to empowering women to tap into their own inner wisdom and discover the power of intentional living. Along her personal journey, Susan became a wisdom seeker looking for ways to connect with the divine for inspiration and guidance. She started working with the I Ching, angel cards, wisdom cards, runes, and pendulum work over 20 years ago and now offers these spiritual insight tools as an option to her clients. She has also developed a tangible technique, the Soul Goal™ finder, to help clients answer the contemplative question “Why am I here?”

Matilda Wayte is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist and Rehabilitation Consultant with postgraduate qualifications in Neurological Rehabilitation and Mental Health, and Neuroscience. A former elite gymnast turned clinician, she brings a rare combination of scientific expertise and lived experience to her work – including her own recovery from a traumatic brain injury. In this interview, Matilda speaks candidly about the moment her professional understanding of trauma became deeply personal, what her own recovery taught her that no textbook could, and why she believes the most powerful shift in healing begins when people stop asking what is wrong with them and start asking what happened to them. Matilda Wayte, Neuroscientist Your work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, rehabilitation, and lived experience. How did those paths come together for you? Growing up as a semi-elite gymnast gave me an early, embodied education in the mind-body connection, I just didn't have the language for it yet. I watched mental and emotional stress translate directly into physical performance, in myself and in teammates, long before I understood why. Add to that a childhood shadowed by mental health struggles in my family, and I was quietly gathering data on the nervous system before I ever set foot in a university. My great-grandmother had a stroke when I was a baby. I'm told she was often the only one who could calm me. I've thought about that a lot. Whether it's memory or meaning-making, I don't know, but I suspect my pull toward neuroplasticity started somewhere in that wordless early relationship. The intersection became undeniable when I sustained my own traumatic brain injury. I had spent years working with people who had this exact injury. I was qualified, experienced, and well-informed. Nothing prepared me for what it actually felt like to lose access to my own cognition. No textbook prepares you for that. That's when professional understanding became something altogether more human. Was there a moment when your professional understanding of trauma became deeply personal? There wasn't just one moment; there were several, arriving in waves I wasn't ready for. I had spent years working with people navigating trauma – neurological injury, chronic pain, PTSD and I genuinely believed my clinical training gave me real insight into what they were experiencing. I was compassionate, I was thorough, and I thought that was enough. Then my own life started collecting things that couldn't be processed from behind a lanyard. A traumatic brain injury caused by an assault. Losses that don't fit neatly into a clinical framework. I discovered very quickly that knowing the neuroscience of trauma and living inside it are two entirely different experiences. What struck me most was the shame. Even as a clinician who understood the neurobiological underpinnings of trauma responses, I still felt broken. That told me something important – that information alone doesn't heal. It's a starting point, not a destination. That realisation quietly restructured everything about how I approach this work. After years of helping others recover from neurological injuries, what was it like to experience a traumatic brain injury yourself? Disorienting in ways I still find difficult to fully articulate, and I say that as someone who makes their living articulating things. The cruelest part of a traumatic brain injury is that the very organ you're relying on to understand what's happening to you is the one that's been injured. I would reach for words and find gaps. I would lose the thread of a thought mid-sentence. I would look at something familiar and feel strangely estranged from it. Underneath all of that was this quiet, terrifying question: Is this permanent? I had asked my clients variants of that question for years. I had reassured them with evidence, with neuroplasticity research, with clinical optimism. Sitting on the other side of it, I understood – really understood – why reassurance alone doesn't land. You need someone who can hold the uncertainty with you, not just hand you a brochure about recovery timelines. That experience fundamentally changed how I sit with people. The clinical knowledge didn't disappear – but it found its proper place, in service of something more honest. What did your own recovery teach you that no textbook or clinical training ever could? That healing is not linear, and saying so in a textbook is very different from living it. I knew the research. I could teach the stages of neurological recovery in my sleep. What I didn't know, couldn't know rather, was how profoundly identity is wrapped up in cognitive function. When your memory falters, when your processing slows, when fatigue arrives without warning and takes everything with it, it isn't just your brain that's affected. It's your sense of who you are. Recovery also taught me the immense weight of being believed. There were moments in my own experience where the invisible nature of my injury meant it was questioned – by systems, and sometimes by people who should have known better. Part of that comes down to how we assess brain injury in Australia. A standard CT or MRI can look completely unremarkable after a TBI and yet the person in front of you is cognitively devastated. We have neuroimaging technology (fMRI, PET, SPECT) that can detect functional changes, metabolic disruption, the actual living consequences of injury. We use an ECG to look at the electrical activity of the heart without a second thought. The brain is made entirely of neuronal connections, it is fundamentally electrical in nature, and yet we're still reaching for the same blunt structural imaging tools and telling people they look fine. I experienced that firsthand. It is a particular kind of gaslighting, even when it's unintentional. Perhaps most importantly – recovery taught me that the nervous system responds to safety before it responds to strategy. You cannot cognitively rehabilitate someone who doesn't feel safe enough to try. You cannot make someone feel safe when the system charged with helping them keeps telling them there's nothing to see. Through your work with everyone from neurological patients to Vietnam veterans living with PTSD, what patterns of healing have you seen across very different experiences of trauma? Across every population I've worked with – acquired brain injury, stroke, PTSD, chronic pain, complex trauma – one pattern holds: healing happens in relationship. Not just therapeutic relationship, though that matters enormously. I mean the relationship a person has with their own body, their own story, and their own sense of whether recovery is even possible. The neurological term for this is self-efficacy. The human term is hope and it's not soft or incidental. It's physiological. It changes the trajectory of recovery. I've also noticed that the people who struggle most aren't always those with the most severe presentations. Often, the greatest obstacle is a story someone has been handed – by a diagnosis, a prognosis, a system – that leaves no room for change. Neuroplasticity is real, but it requires a nervous system that believes change is possible. That belief doesn't come from information alone. It comes from being witnessed, from having your experience validated, and from small repeated experiences of something being different from what it was. That's what I've tried to offer, regardless of the diagnosis in front of me. What do you wish more people understood about the connection between trauma, the nervous system, and physical health? That the body is not separate from the story. That our diagnostic systems are not yet honest about that. We have this inherited cultural habit of splitting the physical from the psychological – as if they occupy different floors of the same building and rarely run into each other. Science has known for decades that this is wrong. Trauma lives in the nervous system. It changes inflammatory responses, alters gene expression, disrupts sleep architecture, and dysregulates the very systems that govern how we experience pain and stress. This isn't metaphor. This is biology. Yet our clinical tools haven't kept up with that understanding. In Australia, we are still largely relying on CT and standard MRI to assess neurological injury and brain-based conditions – imaging that shows us structure, not function. What I wish people understood is that a clear scan does not mean a healthy brain, and a system that tells you otherwise is working at the limits of its own toolbox. Unexplained symptoms are often not unexplained at all. They are the body communicating clearly in a language we have chosen not to invest in reading properly. That is a systemic failure, not a personal one. How do you translate complex neuroscience into insights that genuinely help people make sense of their own experiences? I start with the person, not the concept. The neuroscience has to earn its place in the room. If someone is sitting across from me – or reading something I've written and they're exhausted, confused, or quietly ashamed of what their body and mind are doing, they don't need a lecture. They need a frame. Something that makes their experience make sense without making them feel like a case study. So I look for the human story inside the mechanism. Polyvagal theory becomes the reason your body froze when you wanted to fight. Neuroplasticity becomes the reason the thing that feels permanent might not be. The nocebo effect becomes the reason the words your doctor used are still living in your nervous system years later. I've found that when people genuinely understand what's happening in their own biology, something shifts. The self-criticism softens. The confusion becomes curiosity. That shift – from what's wrong with me to this makes sense given what I've been through – is, in my experience, genuinely therapeutic. Sometimes more so than any specific intervention. You have spoken about moving toward something more real and honest in your work. What does that shift look like for you? It looks like stopping the performance of having it together. For a long time, the professional identity I wore was built on competence and composure. That's not inauthentic – I am those things – but it was incomplete. It left out the parts that made me a better clinician and a more useful human; the lived experience, the hard seasons, the fact that I have sat in the rooms I ask my clients to enter. The shift has meant letting my story be part of the work rather than something I manage carefully around it. It's meant writing and speaking in a voice that doesn't sanitise difficulty. It's meant saying I've been there when I have, instead of maintaining a professional distance that serves nobody. There's a particular kind of trust that opens up when someone realises you're not speaking from a textbook. I've watched it happen – in clinical rooms, in audiences, in the comments of a post that was more honest than polished. That trust is where the real work begins. Everything I'm building now is pointed at creating more of that. What message would you give to someone who is still trying to understand their own story and find a path toward healing? You don't have to understand all of it before you're allowed to move forward. That's something I wish someone had said to me earlier. There's a tendency, especially in people who are thoughtful, who've done the reading, who take their healing seriously, to believe that clarity has to come before movement. You need to have the full picture before you're allowed to start walking. The nervous system doesn't work that way. Healing is not a problem to solve. It's something that happens in the living of a life – in small moments of safety, of connection, of choosing, again and again, to stay curious about yourself rather than judgmental. Your story makes sense. Whatever your body is doing, whatever patterns you keep finding yourself in – they were adaptive once. They were protection. They can change. Not because you force them to, but because you slowly, patiently, create the conditions where something different becomes possible. You are not broken. You are a nervous system that has been doing its job. That job description can be updated. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Matilda Wayte

Written by Lee Suet Fong Wendy, Holistic Healer and Trauma-Informed Coach Wendy Lee is a Holistic Healer and Trauma-Informed Coach from Hong Kong, now based in Italy. She is the founder of KusalaFlow® and specializes in nervous system regulation, energy medicine, and emotional healing through Spinal Flow® Technique, breathwork, and Compassionate Inquiry. Physical pain should always be taken seriously. But what happens when medical tests show nothing and the pain still returns? Sometimes, the missing question is not only, “What is happening in my body?” but also, “What is my body responding to?” The first clue came from my own body I first understood this through my own experience. One day, I developed persistent stomach pain. It came and went for two days and became uncomfortable enough that I started to worry. I wondered whether I had eaten something wrong or whether something was happening inside my intestines. Because the pain was real and was not going away, I went to the emergency department. They ran tests and gave me an IV. The pain settled while I was there. The doctor said everything was normal and sent me home. But when I returned home, the pain came back. That was when I noticed something important. The pain was not constant in exactly the same way. It appeared, eased, and then returned. I tried essential oil to soothe the area. It helped, but the pain remained. Later, I began reading, which is something I love. After a while, I realized the pain had disappeared. Then my attention returned to my stomach. I wondered, “Do I still have pain?” Slowly, I began to feel it returning. I went back to my book. Once I was absorbed in reading, the pain faded again. That moment changed something for me. Instead of asking only, “How do I stop this pain?” I began asking, “What might my body be responding to right now?” What the body notices before the mind does When I looked more closely at what was happening around me, I realized that something in my environment was creating stress in my body. No one was intentionally doing anything wrong, but part of me did not feel fully at ease. My conscious mind did not immediately understand the reaction, yet my body was already responding. I did not want to blame another person or the situation. I wanted to understand why I felt unsettled when there was no immediate physical danger. As I reflected more deeply, I began connecting the reaction to much earlier patterns in my life. These were old lessons my nervous system had learned about staying safe, belonging, being accepted, and adapting to other people. The present situation was not the original cause. It touched an older protective pattern learned long ago. My mind needed time to catch up, but my body had already responded. Why pain can change with attention We often assume we must consciously understand a situation before it affects us. But the body can react before the mind has found the words. The nervous system is constantly receiving information from our surroundings. It notices tone, closeness, unpredictability, pressure, and whether we feel free to choose how we respond. Many of these reactions happen automatically. The mind may say everything is fine because it cannot see a clear danger. Meanwhile, the body may already recognize something familiar from the past. This does not mean the body is irrational. It may simply be responding according to what it once learned was necessary for protection. Pain is real, even when tests are normal Pain is real. It is not imagined, and it should never be dismissed. Pain may be due to injury, illness, inflammation, digestion, hormones, posture, or nerve irritation. Sudden, severe, or worsening pain should always be checked by a medical professional. Looking at the nervous system should never replace appropriate medical care. However, sometimes pain continues even when medical investigations do not reveal a clear explanation. It may fluctuate, change with circumstances, or become stronger during periods of stress. That does not make the pain fake. The nervous system is part of the body and plays a key role in how sensations are experienced. Sometimes the pain itself is not the only useful information. The pattern surrounding it may also matter. What influences pain? Pain rarely comes from one simple factor. Physical health, sleep, stress, movement, attention, past experiences, emotions, and environment all influence how pain is experienced. Pain may feel worse when someone is exhausted, afraid, under pressure, or focused on the area. It can soften when they feel supported or absorbed in an activity. This does not mean distraction cures pain. Reading did not remove my pain, but it showed me that the sensation could change depending on my attention and nervous system response. That change gave me valuable information. It encouraged me to explore the relationship between my attention, emotions, environment, and physical experience. Can the body remember? Yes, the body can remember, even when the conscious mind does not clearly understand the reaction. Not every memory appears as a clear story. Some experiences are consciously recalled through words, images, events, and timelines. Others are carried through implicit memory. These can show up as automatic reactions, emotions, physical sensations, pain, or protective behavior before the conscious mind is aware of them. A woman may notice discomfort when she needs to say no, when she feels criticized, or when she does not feel fully free to choose. Her stomach may become painful when she feels pressured or unsettled, just as my own stomach pain appeared before my conscious mind understood what my body was reacting to. Her body may recognize something familiar from the past while her conscious mind says, “This situation is fine,” or creates another explanation for what is happening. Sometimes the mind can mislead us, not because it is trying to harm us, but because it is trying to explain the present using the information available. It may minimize the stress, identify the wrong cause, or tell us that we are overreacting. The body, however, may already be responding to an older pattern involving rejection, pressure, loneliness, danger, or lack of choice. Healing does not require forcing the past into a perfect story. The purpose is not to prove that one exact event caused a symptom. The purpose is to notice what the body may be responding to now and what helps it feel more supported. This does not mean the body is broken. It may mean the body is still trying to protect us with a response that once made sense. Safety before analysis When pain appears, of course I want to understand what may be causing it. But before I search for an explanation, I first help myself settle so I can respond without panic. I slow my breathing and gently allow my exhale to become longer than my inhale. I do not force the breath or try to breathe as deeply as possible. I simply let the longer exhale create more calm and steadiness. Then I place my hand gently over the painful area. Instead of treating that part of my body as a problem, I offer it warmth, care, and a sense of safety. I breathe gently toward the area and notice whether the level of pain changes, even slightly. If the sensation begins to soften, I remain there a little longer. I give my body time to receive the experience of being supported rather than feared, judged, or forced to change. The purpose is not to make the pain disappear immediately. It is to create a different relationship with the pain signal. For some people, this feeling of care and safety may provide comfort even when they do not yet understand what triggered the pain. Each time we meet the sensation with steadiness instead of fear, we offer the nervous system a different experience. Over time, this may help build a new association with the pain signal. Bringing the pattern into awareness Only after my body feels more settled do I reflect on what may have triggered the reaction. I may ask myself: What was happening before the pain appeared? Did something make me feel pressured, unsettled, or without choice? Was there an emotion, need, or boundary I had not recognized? Sometimes the connection becomes clear. At other times, it does not. We do not need to force an answer or create a story simply because we want an explanation. For some people, offering the body comfort and a sense of safety may be enough in that moment. However, when an unconscious pattern gradually becomes conscious, we gain more choice in how we respond to it. Recognizing the deeper trigger can help us understand what the body may be trying to protect us from. We can then begin addressing the emotion, belief, need, boundary, or present situation underneath the reaction instead of focusing only on the symptom. Bringing the unconscious into conscious awareness does not mean blaming the past for everything. It means recognizing a pattern that was previously directing our reactions without our understanding. Once we can see the pattern, we have a better chance of changing our relationship with it. Understanding is not enough Understanding a pattern can be deeply helpful. It can explain why we react in certain ways and help us recognize that our responses developed for a reason. But intellectual understanding does not always change an automatic physical response immediately. A person may understand that the present is different from the past, yet still feel a familiar reaction arising. This is why healing may also require an embodied experience. The body may need supportive touch, movement, rest, connection, clearer boundaries, or a greater sense of choice. It does not only need to be told that the present is safer. It needs opportunities to experience that difference. Rebuilding body trust Imagine a relationship in which one person is constantly criticized, pressured, and treated as a problem that needs to be fixed. Every conversation begins with: “Why are you like this?” “Why are you still struggling?” “Why can’t you change faster?” That relationship would not feel safe. The same can happen in our relationship with the body. When we approach the body only with frustration, judgment, or the demand that symptoms disappear, we may become even more disconnected from it. If we focus only on what is wrong, we may overlook the protective response underneath. Trust needs to be rebuilt. The body needs to feel that we are not here to attack, shame, or force it. We are here to listen, understand, and offer support. This does not mean accepting pain without seeking help. It means working with the body rather than treating it as the enemy. How the ReTune Pathway supports this work This is the foundation of my ReTune Pathway® framework, a whole-person approach that gently uncovers protective patterns, supports the nervous system, and fosters lasting change through three stages. You can download the free ReTune Pathway roadmap here. The three stages are: Foundation: Understanding patterns from the past that influence present stress or pain. Active Healing: Releasing stored tension and building resilience in the body. Integration: Maintaining progress and embodying new, healthier responses for the future. The ReTune Pathway does not assume that all pain comes from emotions or past experiences. Instead, it looks at the body, nervous system, emotional patterns, breath, and present environment together. It includes supportive practices such as Compassion Renewal, Spinal Flow, breathwork, and self-reflection. Compassion Renewal involves exploring emotional stress, beliefs, memories, and protective patterns that may influence how the body responds today. It focuses on reconnecting with yourself through kindness and support, creating new pathways for healing and ease. Spinal Flow uses gentle touch on specific areas along the spine, called access points, to help the body release tension, increase awareness in the nervous system, and support calm and ease. Breathwork and self-reflection are used alongside these practices to help you tune in, recognize patterns, and respond more compassionately to your body’s signals. As you move through these steps, the approach gently helps you understand what your body might be responding to now and introduces ways to create a greater sense of ease and choice. The past may help reveal where a protective pattern began. The present gives the body an opportunity to respond differently. The future may begin to change when old protection no longer controls the present in the same way. As the nervous system becomes more supported, we may feel more able to make choices, express our needs, establish boundaries, and live with greater ease in the body. The body is communicating My stomach pain taught me something important. The body may react before the conscious mind understands what is happening. Pain should always be taken seriously, but when appropriate medical checks are reassuring, it may also help to explore the wider pattern. Before searching for an explanation, begin by offering the body support. Slow the breath without forcing it. Let the exhale become slightly longer. Place a hand gently over the uncomfortable area and notice whether the sensation changes when it is met with care rather than fear. Gentle movement, grounding, and simple self-care can also help the body experience calm and support from more than one direction. The trigger may not become clear immediately. That does not mean the practice has failed. Creating a sense of safety may itself begin changing the relationship with the pain signal. When the body settles, what was previously unconscious may gradually become easier to recognize. These steps are not about blaming the mind for physical pain. They are about listening to the whole person. Through the ReTune Pathway, I bring together Compassion Renewal, Spinal Flow, and breathwork to support the body, nervous system, and emotional world together. Healing may begin when we stop treating the body as the enemy and start becoming curious about what it has been trying to communicate. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lee Suet Fong Wendy Lee Suet Fong Wendy, Holistic Healer and Trauma-Informed Coach Wendy Lee is a Holistic Healer, Trauma-Informed Coach, and the founder of KusalaFlow®, a healing studio based in Italy devoted to energy medicine, nervous system regulation, and trauma-informed care. Born in Hong Kong, Wendy draws from an integrative healing toolkit that includes Spinal Flow® Technique, breathwork, sound healing, Compassionate Inquiry, and Star Magic remote healing. She helps clients release emotional, physical, and energetic pain, supporting them to reconnect with their true selves and awaken the innate intelligence within.

Written by Michelle Gines, Founder of Purpose Publishing Michelle “MG” Gines is a strategist, publisher, and executive advisor who helps leaders transform ideas into books, brands, and platforms. She brings two decades of digital strategy and purpose-driven leadership to authors, entrepreneurs, and organizations ready to elevate their impact. There is a question I find myself asking more often than ever before. Not, "Can I help this person?" But, "Are they ready?" Over the years, I've learned there is a profound difference between wanting life to change and being ready to change with it. As leaders, we often assume the next breakthrough comes from finding the right strategy, the right coach, or the right opportunity. Yet the greatest transformations I've witnessed didn't begin with better information. They began with a different posture. Readiness changes everything. What does it mean to be ready? Readiness isn't measured by experience, credentials, or confidence. Some of the most accomplished people I meet still question whether they're qualified for what comes next. Others have every external marker of success, yet remain stuck because they are waiting for certainty before taking the next step. Real readiness looks different. It is the quiet decision to become teachable again. It is the willingness to tell yourself the truth, even when that truth is uncomfortable. It is choosing responsibility over excuses and action over endless preparation. Readiness is less about what you know. It is about who you are willing to become. Interestingly, research on feedback and learning points in the same direction. A qualitative study published in Advances in Health Sciences Education found that people who successfully grow from feedback share three characteristics. They are ready, willing, and able. Readiness is not simply possessing knowledge. It is the emotional and psychological capacity to receive feedback without becoming defensive, find meaning in it, and translate it into action. That is why I don't spend my time convincing people they need what I offer. My role is to guide those who already recognize that the next chapter requires something different. The first question: Am I still teachable? Leadership has a way of rewarding expertise. Over time, expertise can quietly become certainty, and certainty can close the door to growth. The most effective leaders I've worked with never lose their curiosity. They don't confuse experience with having all the answers. Instead, they remain open to perspectives that stretch them, challenge assumptions, and invite them to think differently. There is a simple question worth sitting with. When was the last time you allowed new wisdom to reshape old thinking? That question isn't about intelligence. It is about posture. Humility has always been the admission price for growth. That posture is supported by research. Studies on intellectual humility have found that people who acknowledge they don't know everything are more likely to embrace challenges, persist after setbacks, and engage in behaviors that lead to mastery. In other words, humility doesn't weaken learning. It accelerates it. The second question: Am I owning my next chapter? Every successful leader has a story they could tell about disappointment, missed opportunities, or circumstances that were beyond their control. Those stories matter. They shape us. But they are not meant to define us. There comes a moment when every transition asks us to stop rehearsing what happened and start deciding what happens next. Ownership is not pretending life has been fair. It is recognizing that your future is still yours to steward. That is where momentum begins. Ask yourself where your energy has been going. Are you investing it in explaining why things have not changed, or in becoming the person who can create change? The answer often reveals more than the question. The third question: Am I prepared to do the work? We live in a time where access to information has never been greater. Books. Podcasts. Courses. Conferences. The challenge is rarely a lack of knowledge. More often, it is the gap between what we know and what we consistently practice. Ideas are inspiring. Implementation is transformative. We often overestimate the value of another strategy and underestimate the power of consistent action. Leadership research has shown that a leader's belief in their capacity to develop predicts whether they actually engage in development. Intention matters, but implementation is what creates growth. Every meaningful legacy is built through ordinary decisions repeated over time. Writing the book. Having the difficult conversation. Making the phone call. Blocking time on the calendar. Returning to the work when the excitement has faded. The next chapter is rarely unlocked by another idea. It is unlocked by faithful execution. The fourth question: Am I seeking transformation or validation? This may be the most revealing question of all. Sometimes we seek guidance because we genuinely want to grow. Other times, if we are honest, we are looking for someone to confirm what we have already decided. Transformation asks more of us than affirmation ever will. It invites us to release old identities, outdated narratives, and comfortable patterns that no longer serve the future we say we want. Growth rarely begins with agreement. It begins with surrender, and the best mentors don't create dependence. They cultivate discernment. The fifth question: Am I willing to face the truth? Every significant transition begins with honesty. Not performance. Not perfection. Honesty. There are moments when we instinctively avoid the questions we already know how to answer. We stay busy instead of reflective. We blame timing instead of fear. We convince ourselves that another certification, another connection, or another opportunity will finally make us ready. Yet beneath the surface, we often know what needs to happen next. Truth is not meant to shame us. Truth sets direction. Without it, every strategy becomes an attempt to solve the wrong problem. Growth is not simply about receiving feedback. It is about choosing what to do with it. Executive coaches and their mentees have found that people with a growth-oriented mindset are more likely to revise their work, engage with difficult feedback, and improve their performance over time, especially when they choose to participate in the learning process rather than having it imposed upon them. Why does this matter for leaders in transition? Many of the leaders I serve are not starting over. They are starting differently. They have built successful careers, led organizations, influenced teams, and accumulated wisdom that cannot be measured on a résumé. Yet they find themselves asking deeper questions. What is this season really for? How do I ensure my experience becomes more than a collection of accomplishments? How do I leave something that outlives my title? These are not questions of capability. They are questions of readiness. The next chapter often asks us to lead with greater intention than ambition. To value significance over visibility. To pursue alignment instead of applause. That kind of leadership cannot be manufactured. It must be cultivated. Perhaps that's why the leaders who continue to grow aren't necessarily the most talented. They remain the most teachable. Research continues to affirm what great leaders have long understood. Sustainable growth begins with a willingness to learn before it becomes visible in achievement. An invitation If these questions have stirred something within you, don't rush to answer them. Sit with them. Let them reveal what is already true. You may discover that what you've been searching for is not another strategy. You may simply be recognizing that you are ready for the work you have been preparing for all along. If that is where you find yourself, you don't need someone to convince you. You need someone who knows how to walk beside you. The leaders I enjoy working with don't come to me because they need convincing. They come because something inside them has already shifted. They've stopped asking, "Can I do this?" They've started asking, "Who do I need to become?" That's the moment real transformation begins. If these questions have helped you recognize that you're ready for your next chapter, I'd be honored to walk alongside you. Book a strategy call. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Michelle Gines Michelle Gines, Founder of Purpose Publishing Michelle 'MG' Gines is an author, publisher, and executive strategist known for helping leaders turn their expertise into books, businesses, and platforms that create lasting influence. As the founder of Purpose Publishing and Expertise Unleashed, she has guided hundreds of authors from idea to implementation, building pathways that amplify both message and momentum. She also serves as a corporate digital strategies leader in the healthcare payer space, where she designs experiences for millions across the U.S. MG blends clarity, compassion, and conviction with a faith-forward perspective that inspires transformation and purposeful growth. Her work equips high-achieving professionals to unlock their voice, elevate their brilliance, and lead.

Written by Ida Fanelli, Aesthetician, Reflexologist & IPL & Dolphin MPS Technician Ida is a certified aesthetician (graduate of Marvel School of Beauty), offering home-based services since 1994. Ida provides various holistic services. She graduated from Zanqara’s Skin Care’s Dermatician course in 1994, which required her to understand homeopathic remedies. In Part 1, we talked about how Botox works by freezing facial muscles. Now, let's look at some side effects that people often miss. Botox does more than smooth wrinkles; it can also change how your brain deals with emotions and how your nervous system functions. Even though the cosmetic industry focuses on safety, more patients and researchers are starting to worry about the long-term effects on the mind and brain. The face-to-brain connection Typical cosmetic doses of Botox don't enter your brain or cross the protective "blood-brain barrier." Still, they can change brain activity because of the face-to-brain connection. When you freeze your forehead muscles, you interrupt the communication between your face and nervous system. This affects how you express emotions and how your brain interprets others' emotions. By altering how the nervous system processes facial expressions, Botox can indirectly affect key emotional regions, including the amygdala, fusiform gyrus, and the vagus nerve. This can have a big impact on empathy, mood, and long-term brain health. How the brain changes without facial movement You might wonder: if Botox stays in the face, how do brain scans show changes after an injection? Brain scientists have found two main reasons: The Domino Effect, also called neural plasticity, means your brain can adapt easily. When you freeze a muscle, your brain stops getting movement signals from that area of your face. With this sudden lack of input, the brain has to adjust its internal maps. This can lower activity in the amygdala, which is the brain's emotional center, and in the areas that help you recognize faces. The Backdoor Route, also known as axonal transport, happens when small amounts of the toxin travel within nerve fibres rather than through the bloodstream. In lab studies, scientists saw that the toxin can sometimes move backward from the injection site toward the nervous system. Because of these changes, people who get Botox may notice it takes them a little longer to naturally read or match other people's facial expressions. Sympathy and depression: A two-way street This face-to-brain connection works both ways. We naturally mimic others' subtle facial expressions to understand their feelings. If you can't mimic these expressions, your ability to feel empathy and recognize emotions may decrease a bit. However, this effect can also help with depression. When you freeze the muscles you use to frown, your face stops sending "sad" or "stressed" signals to your brain. This can calm an overactive emotional center and boost your mood by blocking negative expressions. This idea of "faking it until your brain makes it" is why practices like Smiling Yoga work so well. Laughter Yoga uses the same face-to-brain loop: even if your laugh is forced or playful, the act of smiling and laughing sends "happy" signals to your brain. Your brain notices the movement and releases feel-good hormones, for example, dopamine and endorphins. This shows that changing your facial expression can quickly change your body chemistry. The downside of this loop shows up in professional acting. Actors who play difficult or deeply troubled characters regularly struggle to let go of those feelings after filming. Since they have to keep up angry or sad expressions for hours, their faces keep sending "threat" signals to their brains. This can cause their bodies to experience real strain and emotional exhaustion, even though it's just acting. How this affects your relationships and children's learning When this loop is interrupted by freezing facial muscles, it affects more than just you. It also changes how you interact with loved ones. Our brains read other people’s emotions through a process called facial mirroring, which happens without us thinking about it. When someone you care about shows worry or happiness, your face quickly copies their tiny expression. Your facial muscles send signals to your brain, which helps you understand their feelings – like "they are hurting" or "they are happy." This is the basic foundation of human empathy. When Botox stops this mirroring process, communication can change in two subtle ways: Damped Empathy: When your face can't mirror others' expressions, your brain loses its quick way of understanding them. You can still figure out their feelings logically, but that instant, deep emotional response is a bit slower or less intense. The "Static Face" Disconnect: We depend on facial feedback when we communicate. If a loved one shares something personal and looks to your face for comfort, a frozen or blank expression can be misunderstood as coldness, boredom, or disapproval, even if you are paying close attention. The impact on developing children This disconnect becomes even more critical when it comes to parenting. For infants and toddlers, a parent's face is an important tool for learning. Long before they understand words, babies rely entirely on reading their caregiver's facial micro-expressions to learn what emotions mean and to understand whether they are safe or in danger. Babies develop their own empathy and social skills by mimicking their parents' facial expressions. Famous psychological studies, like Dr. Edward Tronick’s "Still Face" experiment, show that when a mother presents a completely frozen, unreadable face, an infant quickly becomes confused, stressed, and emotionally upset. When Botox is used correctly, it usually just softens facial movement instead of freezing it completely. Still, it can numb these muscles a lot, reducing the emotional messages a child receives. Children need to see real expressions, like raised eyebrows for surprise or crinkled eyes for a true smile, to learn about emotions. In the end, our faces are meant to move freely together. Keeping facial expressions natural helps our relationships and our children stay connected, intuitive, and truly empathetic. Brain mapping and your hands In your brain, the areas that control your face and hands are right next to each other. When your facial muscles are frozen, your brain misses its usual signals and starts to adjust its internal map. Brain scans show that freezing facial muscles can cause small, brief changes in how the brain processes touch in your hands. Scientists are still studying what happens after many years of use, but some worry that constant freezing could make it harder for the brain to adjust and recover from injuries. The Nervous System and Stress Even though cosmetic Botox is only injected into the face, it can still affect your whole nervous system's stress levels. Your brain's emotional center is closely connected to the vagus nerve, which helps your body relax. When your "vagal tone" is high, you relax easily; when it's low, you feel more stressed. By blocking your ability to make stressed or tense facial expressions, Botox lowers the "threat" signals your body sends, creating a short-lived sense of calm. Cumulative risks We still don't know exactly what happens to the nervous system after many years of regular Botox use. While the short-term benefits for wrinkles and mood are clear, independent scientists want to learn more about the long-term effects. Blocking these nerve pathways constantly might change how our brains adapt and heal as we get older. As more people start these treatments at younger ages, independent research on long-term safety is more important than ever. Part 2: Unregulated contexts and scientific studies The danger of "botox parties" Besides these hidden health risks, there's a worrying trend of "Botox parties," where people treat injections like a casual social event. Drinking alcohol at these parties makes it impossible to give proper medical consent, thins your blood (which can cause more bruising), and makes it hard to keep things sanitary and sterile. Getting injections in a noisy living room instead of a medical clinic increases the risk of infections, needle misplacement, and uneven results. The 2015 NerLab research gives us another reason to be cautious. In 2015, Australian scientists used powerful microscopes to watch how Botox molecules act in the lab. When they exposed animal nerve cells to very high doses, they saw the toxin move backward along nerve fibres. Some of it even reached nearby, untreated nerves. While this mostly happens at much higher doses than those used in cosmetic treatments, it shows that the toxin can travel along nerve pathways toward the spine, similar to how the tetanus virus moves. Part 3: Holistic alternatives and skincare Integration Topical and Laser Alternatives If you want to avoid toxins, there are excellent needle-free options. Advanced skin peptides like Argireline and Syn-Ake work like "topical Botox" by gently relaxing the small muscle movements that cause fine lines. Bakuchiol is a plant-based alternative to retinol that accelerates cell renewal and boosts collagen production without irritating sensitive skin. For deeper lifting, Fractional CO2 Lasers remove fine lines, and Ultherapy uses mild sound waves to heat the skin and trigger your body's natural lifting process. Microcurrent, face yoga, and Gua Sha Microcurrent therapies use safe, low-level electrical currents to gently activate and retrain your facial muscles. Instead of freezing the nerves, this technology boosts cellular energy and blood flow, which naturally tones the face. You can also try Face Yoga to lift sagging skin, or use Gua Sha and jade rollers. Moving a smooth gemstone tool over a natural face oil, such as jojoba or rosehip, helps drain excess fluid, relax muscles, and quickly reduce puffiness. Botanical skincare ingredients To nourish your skin from the outside, choose well-made, blended products instead of single-ingredient serums, which can spoil or irritate your skin more easily. Look for these powerful natural ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid & Aloe Vera: For deep hydration that instantly plumps the skin. Rosehip Oil & Vitamin C: Filled with natural vitamins to fade dark spots and build collagen. Green Tea & CoQ10: Strong antioxidants that protect your skin matrix from sun damage. Gotu Kola & Ashwagandha: Healing herbs that lower skin stress and improve circulation. Diet, lifestyle, and longevity Real anti-aging starts inside your body. Eating healthy fats, such as avocados and flaxseeds, helps protect your skin's moisture barrier. Foods that boost collagen, like bone broth, berries, and leafy greens, give your body what it needs to repair skin. Reducing stress with deep breathing and getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night helps your cells heal naturally. How to start your routine: For an instant glow and less puffiness, start with Gua Sha, a manual facial massage, and a peptide serum. For deep skin repair: Focus on a nutrient-packed diet, plenty of water, and healing mushrooms like Chaga. For long-term facial lifting, consider professional facial acupuncture or microcurrent treatments. Conclusion and support networks While the beauty industry often presents neurotoxins as a risk-free lifestyle choice, online support groups tell a different story. Thousands of people use these groups to share their experiences with lasting health problems after getting injections for wrinkles, migraines, or TMJ. From a holistic perspective, ancient medicine teaches that important energy pathways run through our faces. Numbing these nerves completely can upset our physical balance. Choosing natural lifestyle habits, clean skincare, and muscle-toning therapies helps you age gracefully without losing your natural expressions or hurting your nervous system. If you have had negative effects from these treatments, remember you are not alone. Groups like Tox Safety work with volunteers and local support to help thousands of people connect, share what they've learned, and find resources to heal. Always talk to a qualified, trusted medical provider if you have unexpected or lasting symptoms. Visit my website for more info! Read more from Ida Fanelli Ida Fanelli, Aesthetician, Reflexologist & IPL & Dolphin MPS Technician Ida is a dedicated wellness professional and certified aesthetician (Marvel School of Beauty), providing personalized, home-based services since 1994. A certified reflexologist since 1993 (D'Arcy Lane Institute), she has integrated energy therapies and Ion Cleanse foot wellness sessions since 1998. In 2012, she became a certified Sharplight IPL Technician for skin rejuvenation and pigmentation correction, and in 2019 earned a specialized certification from the Center for Pain and Stress Research, using the Dolphin Neurostim system for Microcurrent Point Stimulation to support scar tissue release, skin rejuvenation, and pigmentation lightening. Ida is deeply committed to continuing education in complementary health to provide accessible, high-quality care. She also brings 12 years of experience as a hospital laboratory technologist in Microbiology and Biochemistry to her meticulous practice. Medical & Safety Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.While Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) is widely used for cosmetic enhancements, it is a potent medical treatment that carries inherent risks, potential complications, and side effects. The side effects and adverse reactions discussed in this article are for awareness purposes and do not represent an exhaustive list, nor do they guarantee that any individual will experience them.Always consult with a qualified, licensed healthcare professional – such as a board-certified dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or medical specialist – to discuss your specific health history, potential risks, and whether Botox is safe for you. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical attention because of something you have read here. References: Botox Versus Fillers: What's the Difference? Three Long-Term Effects of Botox Long-Term Effects of Botox Botox Causes Permanent Skin Damage and Aging PMC Article: Neurotoxin Use Botox Injections in Forehead Can Change How Brains Process Emotions How Facial Botox Changes Your Brain Are There Long-Term Health Risks to Using Botox? Botox and Mental Health Long-Term Effects of Botox PMC Article: Botox Neurotoxicology An Owner’s Guide to the Vagus Nerve Botox: A Chinese Medicine Perspective Ageless Grace: Training Events in Canada PMC Article: Botulinum Toxin Injections Are Botox Parties Safe? Botox Use Has Become So Frequent That Youth Chasers Are Developing Immunity Botox Injections in Forehead Can Change How Brains Process Emotions The Impact of Botox on Vision 7 Easy Ways to Make Botox Last Longer Zinc for Botox Effects PMC Article: Botox Mechanisms Phytase Supplementation The Role of Toxin-Based Therapeutics The Neuroscience of Botox and Its Impact The Neuroscience of Botox and Its Impact PMC Article: Botox and Bone Loss PMC Article: Botox and Bone Loss How Bad Is Botox? Higher Doses of Botox May Lead to Bone Loss Botox Injections Cause Bone Loss in the Jaw

Written by Ida Fanelli, Aesthetician, Reflexologist & IPL & Dolphin MPS Technician Ida is a certified aesthetician (graduate of Marvel School of Beauty), offering home-based services since 1994. Ida provides various holistic services. She graduated from Zanqara’s Skin Care’s Dermatician course in 1994, which required her to understand homeopathic remedies. A holistic guide for every stage of life. Our skin is the body’s largest organ and one of its most remarkable protectors. In childhood, it is thin, renews itself quickly, heals rapidly, and has a naturally strong barrier. But as we approach the pre-teen years, changes begin to surface. From about age 10 into the teen years, hormone changes make oil glands more active. This can clog pores and often cause blemishes. At this age, gentle cleansing, sun protection, and basic hydration matter most. Try to avoid harsh treatments that might harm the skin barrier. Because our skin continues to evolve, skincare is never one-size-fits-all. Processes like cell turnover, collagen production, and oil secretion gradually slow with age, and the skin’s needs change at every stage. When it comes to skincare, timing matters as much as the products you choose. From the hormonal shifts of adolescence, to the busy, stress-filled 30s and 40s, and into the graceful aging process of the 50s and beyond, supporting skin with the proper routine at the right time can prevent premature damage and promote long-term radiance. A genuinely holistic approach to skincare goes beyond creams and serums. It integrates nutrition, lifestyle, natural remedies, and mindful choices, all of which play an essential role in supporting skin from the inside out. In this guide, we’ll explore how skin evolves, the best age to begin different routines, ingredients to be cautious of, and safe, effective, age-appropriate practices that nurture confidence and well-being at every stage of life. Young skin vs. Adult skin: How it changes with age Children's skin is thinner and more absorbent than adult skin. Both the epidermis (outer layer) and dermis (deeper layer) are less dense, making young skin more sensitive to external factors. The acid mantle, a thin protective film of oils and sweat, helps shield the skin from bacteria, allergens, and irritants. In children, the acid mantle is still developing, which increases susceptibility to irritation from harsh cleansers, fragrances, and potent active ingredients. Because young skin absorbs ingredients quickly, it hydrates easily, but actives like retinoids, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid can penetrate too deeply, irritating the skin. On the positive side, rapid cell turnover, about every 14 days, allows cuts, scrapes, and pimples to heal quickly. However, melanin production is less responsive, making children more prone to sunburn than tanning. Daily sunscreen from an early age is therefore essential. Hormonal changes: Age 10 vs. age 15 Around age 10 (sometimes earlier in girls, later in boys), children enter early puberty. In the brain, the hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland to produce hormones such as luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). At this stage, oil glands remain balanced, cell turnover is rapid, and skin generally heals quickly. Breakouts are minimal, though the first physical changes, breast development in girls and growth changes in boys, may appear. Hormones are beginning to stir, but not yet at the intensity that causes major skin issues. At age 15 By age 15, most teens are in mid to late puberty, and hormone surges make oil glands more active. More oil means pores clog more easily, leading to breakouts. Cell turnover slows to about 21-28 days, so dead skin cells stay on the surface longer, and imperfections are easier to see than in childhood. Physical changes such as menstrual cycles, growth spurts, voice deepening, and muscle development are all tied to these heightened hormone levels. Cortisol and stress impact Cortisol, the body's 'built-in alarm clock,' peaks in the morning to wake children and drops at night to promote sleep. Stress from school, friendships, or family pressures, as well as diet, can disrupt this rhythm. Changes in cortisol and insulin levels can worsen breakouts and redness. When cortisol is out of balance, it can also affect sleep, mood, and how you feel overall. Hormones change during big life events. For teens, these shifts can affect body image and self-esteem, so taking care of your skin can help you feel more confident. Understanding how stress hormones affect the skin can guide us toward healthy habits that protect the skin barrier. Eye skin is more prone to irritation due to a thinner epidermis & dermis. The epidermis may be as thin as 0.3-0.5 mm in children and 0.5-1 mm in adults, and allows substances to penetrate more easily into deeper layers. The dermis underneath is also less dense, with fewer collagen and elastin fibres. Less structural support means less protection against friction, chemicals, and environmental stressors. It has a higher permeability. The caveat is that it's better for healthy ingredients and more concerned about harsh ingredients that can penetrate too quickly, causing redness, burning, or inflammation. This area has fewer protective oil glands, resulting in a reduced natural oil barrier. Fewer sweat glands lead to lower fluid retention, causing the skin to dry out faster and react more strongly to irritants. Its rich blood supply is close to the surface, making it more prone to irritation, inflammation, and swelling, such as puffiness, redness, and dark circles. It has a thin fat layer that makes the skin less cushioned, so rubbing and pulling can cause damage more easily. The above reasons explain why we see problems with the usage of actives in the adult and children's eye area. The skin decelerates as we age. Children under 12 have rapid skin cell turnover every 14 days, balanced oil glands, and intense hydration from natural hyaluronic acid. During the teen years, oil production increases, cell renewal slows slightly, and "blemishes" become more common. From the 20s onward, collagen and elastin decline by about 1% per year, cell turnover slows to 28-35 days, and fine lines may begin to appear. Understanding these natural changes helps avoid both under- and over-treating the skin. Respecting skin at every stage, from fast-healing childhood skin to hormone-driven teen skin and the gradual slowing of adulthood, preserves health and prevents long-term damage. Children, cosmetics, and early habits Research shows that children under 12 often use skincare products not because they need them, but because they are mimicking their parents or experimenting. However, the products they reach for aren't always safe for young skin. It's similar to mistaking medicine for candy; products may look harmless but can cause irritation or long-term harm. Children may inadvertently use adult-oriented products, increasing the risk of irritation, inflammation, or sun sensitivity. North America doesn't tightly regulate cosmetic labelling, so terms like hypoallergenic or natural lack strict definitions, and anti-aging creams are often sold as cosmetics to bypass rigorous safety testing. This lack of regulation means that what looks harmless may actually be harmful to young skin. It's essential to be cautious and attentive to the products children use. Barrier disruption The skin barrier is a thin, protective layer that prevents moisture loss and shields the skin from environmental irritants, including bacteria and allergens. During teenage years, when the skin is still developing, it's essential to be cautious when using potent actives. These products can compromise the skin's barrier, leading to dryness, irritation, and inflammation. Sun sensitivity Retinoids and chemical exfoliants such as glycolic and salicylic acid increase photosensitivity. Without proper sun protection, teens risk sunburn, pigmentation changes, and long-term UV damage. Delayed healing and scarring Damaged skin barriers heal more slowly, meaning that minor pimples or abrasions may leave marks or scars. Over-aggressive exfoliation can exacerbate this effect, particularly during hormone-driven breakout phases. Psychological impact Flaws in the skin's appearance promote anxiety and reduce self-esteem. Irritation, redness, or breakouts may flare up and affect body image. By supporting our skin with gentle routines and a good diet, we can increase our confidence, knowing that we are taking the best care of it. Why teens should be cautious with potent actives Some dermatologists advise teens to avoid skincare products with excessive active ingredients, such as retinoids, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and harsh detergents, because they can damage the skin's protective barrier, leading to dryness, peeling, irritation, and even worsening breakouts. Instead, they recommend a simple routine with a gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and sun protection to protect developing skin and support a healthy barrier. Risks and dangers of benzoyl peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is used to help dye hair and for disinfection. It contains an unstable form of oxygen. Benzoyl peroxide contains a similar form of oxygen. Depending on where you live, ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are heavily regulated. In countries like Canada and the United States, they are classified as Over-the-Counter Drugs or Natural Health Products rather than regular cosmetics due to their physiological potency. While these ingredients can help clear skin, they are not risk-free. Especially for kids and teens with sensitive skin. Using them with a cosmetic niacinamide formula may help improve skin clarity and support the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Why: This alerts international readers that these are medical-grade active ingredients in North America, highlighting their strength without alienating readers in Europe or Asia, where classification systems differ. Like glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide increases photosensitivity, raising the risk of sunburn and pigmentation changes if sun protection isn’t used. Overuse can weaken the skin’s protective barrier, making it more prone to irritation, infections, or rebound oiliness. Like hydrogen peroxide, it can bleach fabrics, hair, and even eyebrows if not applied carefully. In children under 12, the skin is thinner and more vulnerable, so use benzoyl peroxide with medical guidance. Even for teens, starting with the lowest concentration (2.5-5%) and gradually increasing the frequency helps minimize irritation. Many dermatology and skincare articles emphasize that while benzoyl peroxide is effective, its drying and irritating nature is one of its most significant limitations. Experts frequently publish strategies to counteract these effects, which also serve as a reminder of the dangers. Pairing it with niacinamide improves skin clarity and reduces irritation. Niacinamide helps to calm the appearance of redness and strengthen the skin's barrier. The glycolic acid trend While glycolic acid can be effective in controlled, professional treatments, it carries risks for teens. Misuse it at high concentrations or without dermatological guidance, and glycolic acid can cause complications, including peeling, pigmentation changes, and, in rare cases, scarring. Risks increase for deeper chemical peels in individuals with darker skin tones, both after treatment and when the client fails to use sun protection. Paradoxical acne flare-ups While marketers promote the excessive use of strong glycolic acid to combat wrinkles and blemishes, such use can trigger rebound breakouts. Stripping the skin of its natural oils can stimulate overproduction of sebum, further clogging pores and sometimes worsening the very problem teens are trying to treat. This same effect occurs when we place alcohol on a pimple; the skin responds to dryness by producing even more oil. The retinol trend Retinol, a lab-made vitamin A derivative, was initially developed for severe breakouts. Today, it is marketed as an anti-aging ingredient, even for preteens. Social media and cosmetic brands have normalized its use among young audiences, creating pressure to adopt adult routines early. Retailers report children under 12 asking for retinol despite warnings about potential harm. Retinol should never be used by children unless prescribed by a dermatologist for medical skin concerns. Risks include: Topical irritation and surface redness Increased sun sensitivity Moisture barrier disruption Severe dryness around the delicate eye area Prolonged surface recovery time Dermatologists' and surgeons' concerns: Dermatologists sometimes prescribe stronger vitamin A-based treatments such as tretinoin or adapalene for severe teenage acne, but always under strict medical supervision. Typically, these are introduced around age 12, with younger children only treated in exceptional cases and under close monitoring. Experts consistently caution that young skin is too fragile for potent actives. Plastic surgeons also warn that repeated barrier damage in childhood from ingredients like retinol, glycolic acid, and BHAs can have long-term consequences for skin health. As a result, such treatments should be reserved for adults seeking anti-aging benefits or for adolescents with severe acne under professional care. High-concentration chemical peels and potent AHA formulations, in particular, should be avoided altogether in developing skin. Global and legislative action in the United States In the United States, Bill AB 2491 attempted to ban vitamin A derivatives, AHAs, and vitamin C for children under 13 years old; it did not pass legislation in 2024. Canada: The Canadian Dermatology Association advises parents to look for products bearing its approved safety symbol. These measures underscore the seriousness of protecting developing skin, but parental guidance remains essential. Sweden, a major pharmacy chain, restricted retinol, chemical exfoliants, and enzyme exfoliants such as papain and bromelain for children under 15. Some cosmetic brands and retailers that produce anti-aging products include "Keep Out of Reach of Children" warnings on the label. Recommended safe skincare for the following ages Children under 12 should use a gentle cleanser, a light moisturizer, and a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily. Tweens ages 12 to 14 can add an oil-free moisturizer, a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen authorized by your local regulatory body (such as looking for an NPN or DIN in Canada, or an active drug facts panel in the US), and a targeted clarifying treatment if needed." Why: Keeps the Canadian context intact as an example but expands the language so readers globally understand they need to look for locally regulated, safety-tested sun protection. Why professional guidance matters Around the world, primary care and family doctors typically receive limited clinical training in cosmetic dermatology. A nurse practitioner once shared that patients constantly ask for skincare recommendations, yet clinical staff often lack the specialized knowledge to guide them. For a personalized and safe plan, it’s best to speak with a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Licensed Esthetician, or a Naturopathic Dermatologist. (especially for ingredient awareness). Holistic dermatology focuses on treating the body as a whole and on implementing lifestyle changes to improve the treatment and prognosis of skin disease. Why: Generalizes the reality of medical training regarding skincare, making the anecdote relatable to anyone reading from the UK, the US, Europe, or beyond. Building a teen-friendly skincare routine Instead of harsh actives, dermatologists recommend a simple, balanced approach. Teens ages 15 to 19 should wash their face twice a day with a gentle, non-stripping foaming cleanser, use a non-comedogenic sunscreen, apply a light moisturizer, and use spot treatments as needed. Proper stress management and nutrition help keep breakouts at bay. Avoid excessive retinoids, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid. Labels generally advise against using potent actives such as retinol, glycolic acid, or benzoyl peroxide until around the age of 12. This guideline ties to the hormonal changes that occur during puberty, which significantly affect skin behaviour and care needs. Since puberty begins at different ages for each child, these age labels serve as a general benchmark, encouraging parents and caregivers to wait until after puberty has started before introducing more potent active ingredients. Pro tip: Layer wisely For best results, avoid mixing products from different skincare lines. Each line is formulated to work synergistically, and combining them can disrupt balance or increase the risk of irritation. When layering products, give your skin adequate time between steps, especially with active ingredients like vitamin C, exfoliating acids, or retinol alternatives. This pause helps prevent unwanted chemical interactions and ensures each product delivers its intended benefits. Also, remember that certain ingredients are best used at specific times of day; for example, some lose effectiveness in sunlight or may even cause sensitivity when worn during the day. Light moisturizing: Support the barrier with a fragrance-free moisturizer Daily sun protection: Wear broad-rimmed hats and use broad-spectrum SPF 30+ to prevent UV damage and post-blemish marks. Spot treatments (if needed): Choose products with lower active concentrations under professional guidance. Healthy lifestyle: Adequate sleep, balanced diet, stress management, and hydration all directly influence skin health. This kind of care supports healing, prevents long-term damage, and helps teens feel more confident. For 20s+: Focus on prevention and targeted treatments. Introduce retinol or vitamin C only if needed, ideally under professional guidance. Holistic alternatives to retinol If you're looking for retinol-like results without irritation, there are gentler, holistic options to consider. Plant-based retinoids such as bakuchiol mimic many of retinol's skin-renewing benefits, like smoothing fine lines and improving tone, without the harsh side effects. You can also nourish your skin from within by eating foods rich in vitamin A, including carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens, which naturally support healthy skin. For exfoliation, enzyme-based treatments provide a safe and effective alternative. They gently dissolve dead skin cells and have been trusted for over 20 years, without the redness, dryness, or sensitivity that chemical exfoliants can cause. Lifestyle habits for lifelong skin health A healthy diet rich in antioxidant-rich foods supports collagen production and repair. Get lots of beauty sleep. Circadian rhythms regulate melatonin, which supports skin repair and barrier health. Poor sleep accelerates aging and dullness. Breathing, meditation, or reflexology can help restore balance and reduce inflammation. Exercise enhances oxygen and nutrient delivery to skin cells. Limit exposure to smoke, pollution, and blue light from screens, which can contribute to pigmentation changes and collagen breakdown. Support the skin's natural function rather than forcing it with aggressive actives. Gentle care, sun protection, and nourishment come first. Early prevention protects skin, reducing trauma and long-term costs. Global skincare wisdom Asian skincare uses rice water, green tea, ginseng, multi-step routines, and a holistic approach to balance. African skincare uses shea butter, baobab, argan oil, and climate-conscious, community-based traditions. Indigenous skincare uses aloe vera, tea tree, and coconut oil, honouring ancestral knowledge and plant-based healing. Across cultures, the focus is gentle, nourishing care that respects skin's natural balance, a core principle in holistic skincare. Conclusion Healthy skin is about balance: protecting it when it is strong and supporting it as natural processes slow. For children and teens, simplicity is safest: gentle cleansing, light moisturizing, and daily sunscreen. They should avoid potent actives like retinoids, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid until skin renewal naturally slows, or use them under medical supervision for persistent breakouts. Hormonal and emotional changes in adolescence rapidly influence skin health. Around age 10, skin is resilient, transparent, and quick to heal. By age 15, surges in testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, and insulin often trigger oiliness, clogged pores, and breakouts. While potent actives may seem like quick fixes, overuse can damage the skin barrier, increase sun sensitivity, delay healing, and even worsen the appearance of blemishes. This gentler approach may seem "less popular," but research confirms its importance. I've shared this evidence in my Brainz Magazine article "Synthetic vs. Natural Retinoids – Beauty Without Compromising Your Health," in my guide "Exfoliation: A Guide to AHA's, BHA's, and Enzymes for Youthful, Healthy Skin," And “Exfoliation: A Guide for Youthful Healthy Skin”, healthy skin focus on a simple, barrier-supporting routine. It's safer and more effective for long-term skin health. By balancing the skin with gentle care and stress management, teens can navigate these years with clearer skin and greater confidence, building habits that will serve them well into adulthood. Premature use of skincare in children is sometimes unnecessary. Unless you have an abnormal skin condition, skincare isn't a race; remember, those who cross the start line too early get disqualified. It's a lifelong partnership with your body's largest organ. Respect it, protect it, and let it thrive at every stage. With growing awareness, expect cosmetic brands to increasingly prioritize safer, age-appropriate products for young skin, helping the next generation embrace beauty without compromise. To every child or teen: your natural skin shows your growth and change. Self-confidence is your best asset. To keep skin strong, hydrated, and supported in its barrier function, I use and recommend the cosmetic routines from Zanqara Skin Care. Educational purposes only: The information provided in this guide is for educational, informational, and inspirational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the personal guidance of a board-certified dermatologist, qualified healthcare provider, or licensed skin specialist with any questions you may have regarding a specific skin condition or severe breakouts. Individual skin differences Skin type, genetics, hormone levels, and environmental factors vary greatly from person to person. A routine or holistic practice that works safely and effectively for one individual – or within a specific age demographic – may cause adverse reactions, irritation, or barrier disruption in another. Ingredient and Product Safety While this guide highlights the potential risks of potent active ingredients (such as retinoids, glycolic acid, and benzoyl peroxide) for developing skin, introducing new skincare products should be approached with caution. It is highly recommended to perform a patch test before applying any new product to the face or body. If severe irritation, redness, burning, or signs of an allergic reaction occur, discontinue use immediately and consult a medical professional. Visit my website for more info! Read more from Ida Fanelli Ida Fanelli, Aesthetician, Reflexologist & IPL & Dolphin MPS Technician Ida is a dedicated wellness professional and certified aesthetician (Marvel School of Beauty), providing personalized, home-based services since 1994. A certified reflexologist since 1993 (D'Arcy Lane Institute), she has integrated energy therapies and Ion Cleanse foot wellness sessions since 1998. In 2012, she became a certified Sharplight IPL Technician for skin rejuvenation and pigmentation correction, and in 2019 earned a specialized certification from the Center for Pain and Stress Research, using the Dolphin Neurostim system for Microcurrent Point Stimulation to support scar tissue release, skin rejuvenation, and pigmentation lightening. Ida is deeply committed to continuing education in complementary health to provide accessible, high-quality care. She also brings 12 years of experience as a hospital laboratory technologist in Microbiology and Biochemistry to her meticulous practice.

Written by Faraday Fearnside, Coach, Mentor and Educator Faraday is a coach, mentor, educator, and aspiring writer, fascinated by how trauma shapes human potential, believing that lasting change becomes possible when we work with the mind and body together. Through her coaching and practice, she helps people understand why they think, feel, and behave as they do. Whether you see it as the divine timing of the universe or simply the natural unfolding of life, there is a gentle and comforting wisdom in recognising that not everything can be forced. We cannot make a flower bloom before its season, nor can we rush the sun to rise. Our own growth follows a similar rhythm. We often compare our journey to someone else's and wonder why they seem to be moving faster, healing sooner or reaching their goals before we do. But every life unfolds in its own time. Just as no two trees grow at the same pace, no two people heal or transform in the same way. The timing of life is rarely something we can control. It is something we need to trust, but rarely do! What matters is not how quickly we get there, but that we continue moving forward at the pace that is right for us. Trusting the timing does not mean doing nothing, it means continuing to take each step while accepting that some things cannot be hurried. Often, the lessons we learn along the way become just as important as the destination itself. When we rush, we can miss the significant moments along the way that contribute to our growth. I must admit, learning to trust the timing of my own journey has been one of the hardest parts of my recovery from trauma. There were many moments when I questioned why things were taking so long. At times, I became frustrated and felt angry that I couldn't move forward faster or understand why some patterns seemed so difficult to change, or why they kept pulling me back. Some journeys take longer for a reason Some journeys seem longer than others, not because we are failing, but because they are asking something different of us. One person's journey may be shorter because they have different experiences, resources or challenges, while another may take longer because there is more to process, more to unlearn or deeper wounds to heal. My own healing journey has been unfolding for the last 12 years, and I am still taking steps towards my growth and recovery every single day. My wounds ran deep, and many layers needed healing. It meant facing difficult truths, peeling back each layer of trauma and, at times, being willing to rip the plaster off so I could truly begin to heal. My healing was never going to be a quick fix, despite what my ego told me. Perhaps the story of the tortoise and the hare reminds us of this. The hare was faster, but he was also distracted by his own confidence and the need to prove himself. Sound familiar? The tortoise did not rush, compare himself or worry about how far ahead the hare was. He simply kept moving forward, one steady step at a time. Healing and personal growth are much the same. We can become so focused on how quickly others appear to be progressing that we forget to honour our own journey. Progress is not measured by who you can beat to the finish line, but by your willingness to keep showing up, taking each step and trusting the pace that is right for you. Time is the greatest gift we can give ourselves As the saying goes, time is a great healer. But it is not time that heals you, it is your willingness to give yourself the time to heal. When we give ourselves time, we are telling ourselves that we are worthy of healing, growth and compassion. When we give our time to someone else without expecting anything in return, we are telling them they are worthy too. Few gifts are more valuable than giving someone the time, presence and space to simply be. The moments we devote to our own journey and healing allow us to grow in the way we need to, moving towards our goals with greater ease and flow rather than stress and anxiety. Time is one of the most beautiful gifts we can give. Living by clock time, healing by natural time As human beings, we are governed by clock time, working to deadlines, targets and goals, and rushing from one day to the next. Yet life itself is not governed by the clock. Nature, healing and transformation all unfold in their own time. Life and nature gently ebb and flow. They know no time, they simply are. When we want to create change in our lives, we often expect it to happen instantly. We want the gratification and a hit of dopamine to propel us forward. We try to rush a process that cannot be hurried. When we do this, we often notice how many obstacles or delays suddenly appear in our way. If we succeed quickly, we may find that the change does not last because the foundations are not strong. Lasting change needs stability and a solid foundation, just as a new home needs a strong foundation so that it does not collapse. We need that too. We are all headed to the same place eventually, so why rush to get there? The wisdom of the oak tree A tree grows as it needs to. Nature does what it needs to do for a seed to flourish and transform. An acorn will become an oak tree. It has a purpose, yet it does not panic or rush to get there. It simply takes the time it needs to grow into a strong and magnificent tree. First, it creates a solid foundation. Its roots grow deep into the earth, anchoring and nourishing it. Then, with the passing of time and the changing of the seasons, the acorn becomes a sapling, breaking through the soil before slowly maturing into a mighty oak, its roots firmly planted in the ground. Mother Nature never rushes this process. She allows the tree to grow at its own pace, taking from the earth exactly what it needs to flourish. There is no hurry, no pressure, no race and no competition with the neighbouring trees. There is trust in the natural process of growth. There is trust in the timing. As we grow from babies into children, through our teenage years and into adulthood, the process takes time. We cannot rush our physical growth or make our arms and legs grow any faster. Like the oak tree, we cannot force this natural process. We must simply allow ourselves to grow and develop as we are supposed to, in the time we need, moving through each stage of life and learning as we go. When did we stop trusting the process? So, when we become adults, why do we suddenly stop trusting the process? Why do we feel the need to rush through life, desperate to get somewhere else? When we want to change, perhaps by quitting an unhealthy habit or losing weight, our ego thinks it can reach its goal in a week or even less. When the change does not come quickly, we want to quit. We stop. Our ego sets us up to fail and keeps us in old, familiar patterns by trying to sabotage our efforts, quietly whispering in our ear that it is not safe, that we will not make it or that we are just not good enough! It tries to protect us from experiencing shame, failure or setbacks again. We get frustrated and start to make judgements about ourselves, especially when others appear to succeed while we do not. We feel like we have failed, which simply reinforces the very habits we are trying to change, such as working too hard, drinking, smoking or eating ten pieces of cake a day. We then try to force ourselves to quit again, or we believe that self criticism and force will get us through and help us succeed. So the cycle continues. We stay stuck in a pattern of procrastination and self sabotage! The ego wins, keeping us where we are! The power of small steps Lasting change happens one small step at a time. It is not always easy, and there will be moments when you become discouraged and want to give up. This is part of the process. It really is! We, and our social media feeds, focus so much on the quantum leap of change that we overlook the power of small, consistent actions. It is those incremental steps that create the biggest and most lasting changes. All we can do is take one thing at a time and work on it. You take one thought, one habit, one behaviour, one action, one drawer, and one goal. You simply focus on each next step rather than the whole journey. It is like the ripple effect of a pebble dropped into water. The moment it touches the surface, the ripples begin to spread outwards. In the same way, every small step we take creates change that reaches far beyond that single action, influencing other areas of our lives in ways we may never have expected. When you decide to quit junk food, the benefits rarely stop there. You may lose weight, have more energy, think more clearly and become more productive. That increased energy and focus can help you achieve more each day, creating a ripple effect that moves you closer to your goals. Change rarely happens overnight. But with patience, consistency and one small step at a time, remarkable transformation is possible. Change requires readiness and safety Change takes commitment and readiness that you may not yet have. That is 'ok'. It cannot be forced if your system is not ready yet. Safety is a key factor in healing and change. Your system has to feel safe. Maybe it is not your time just yet, or maybe you need to build a little more safety in your nervous system. You are far more likely to fail or fall back into old habits and patterns if you are not ready or willing to commit the time you need. You may also require support and professional help to tackle some of the issues that arise. Finding the right person to support you takes time, energy, and a pace that suits you and your nervous system. If you want to begin healing old wounds or change the direction of your life, it will require not only clock time but also physical and energetic time. There is no instant cure or magic pill that can redirect your life onto the right path. Healing takes time. Transformation takes time. Recovery takes time. We cannot rush the process. Our journey will take as long as it needs to, and trying to force it will only take us further from where we truly want to be. It really does. I pushed, forced, and rushed my healing when I first started my journey. I was in survival mode, panicking my way into healing and trying to get it done as soon as I could. I just wanted to get on with my life and feel strong, healthy, and well. I just wanted to feel part of life. But rushing slowed me down, created resistance, and, at times, made me more emotional and physically unwell. When I started to slow down, pause, and take my time, my healing sped up. If you want to break habits or behaviours, or introduce new ones, you need to practise them consistently for weeks or even months. Even then, sometimes you will still slip back into old ways and familiar patterns. You may default back in times of fear, stress, or uncertainty. Change has not been a simple or easy process for me. Some of my emotional and behavioural patterns have taken years to release because the trauma they were rooted in ran so deep. My nervous system was deeply dysregulated, and my patterns had become automatic and deeply ingrained through years of repetition. But they kept me safe, so why would I want to let them go? If change were that easy, we would have far less stress, abuse, addiction, depression, and ill health in the world. There would be less division, less hate, and less fear. People would be happier and more secure in who they are, and change, positive, beautiful change, would be happening on a global scale. War would become peace, and people would stop passing their trauma on to one another. Give yourself time to become who you were meant to be Before you commit to making a change, ask yourself: Is this really what I want? Am I ready to make these changes in my life? If not, what can I do? Am I ready to face the parts of myself that need healing? Can I trust that my journey is unfolding at the pace it needs to? Am I ready and willing to give myself the time, patience, and commitment this journey deserves? Can I trust that slow progress is still progress? Is there anything stopping or blocking me? Because healing is not a race. Growth is not a competition. The destination will still be there tomorrow. The greatest gift you can give yourself is the time to become the person you were always meant to be. Take it slowly. Be the tortoise, not the hare. Sometimes, the slowest journeys create the deepest transformations and have the greatest impact on the world. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Faraday Fearnside Faraday Fearnside, Coach, Mentor and Educator Faraday is a coach, mentor, educator, and aspiring writer with a deep interest in trauma healing and human potential. Drawing on her lived experience of PTSD recovery, her coaching, workshops, and writing offer compassionate support and practical tools to help others navigate growth, healing, and self-discovery. Using an integrative approach that combines coaching, somatic practices, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), and breathwork, Faraday helps people reconnect with themselves, release what no longer serves them, and build lives that are authentic, abundant, and fulfilling. When she's not working, you'll usually find her exploring trauma healing and the complexities of being human in this big, beautiful world.

Written by Shiree Ann Tomlinson, Guest Writer In 2014, my husband's accident changed everything overnight. Within days, I became his caregiver, his translator to doctors and family, and the only steady thing in our household. What I didn't see coming was how much of myself I would lose while trying to save him. What happens to a woman when she becomes someone's everything Before the accident, I had a life that felt like mine. I was raising two sons, working full time, paying the bills, and showing up for my marriage the way any wife would. Then in a single afternoon, my husband went from partner to patient, and I went from wife to caregiver, case manager, and emotional shock absorber for everyone around us. Nobody hands you a manual for this. You just start doing what needs to be done. I explained his condition to doctors who didn't have time to listen. I explained it again to family members who wanted updates. I explained it to friends who meant well but didn't know what to say. Every conversation asked the same: how is he doing? Almost nobody asked how I was doing, including me. The body keeps score even when you don't notice I didn't recognize it at the time, but my body had moved into a permanent state of fight or flight. There was no real off switch. I was managing his medications and his moods, managing our finances, managing two boys who needed a present mother, and managing a job that didn't pause for any of it. My nervous system stayed on high alert for months, then years, and I mistook that constant hum of urgency for strength. A recent umbrella review of caregiver mental health research found significantly elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and burden among informal caregivers compared to the general population. I lived every one of those statistics without ever putting a name to what was happening in my own body. I just called it being a good wife. Related article: Getting Beyond Caregiver Burnout When helping him meant losing myself I became determined to get my husband better, no matter what it took. I researched vitamins, holistic treatments, meditation, tapping, and food changes – anything that might speed up his healing. That search became my first real education in what is now called biohacking, long before I had a word for it. But somewhere in pouring everything into his recovery, I stopped pouring anything into mine. I gained weight. I drank with him because it felt easier than sitting alone with what I was feeling. I ate the same foods he did, even when I knew better. My own health became something I would deal with later, and later kept getting pushed back further. The isolation crept in slowly rather than all at once. We stopped going to church. My friends stopped calling because I never had time at all. One by one, I lost every friend I had, not through any dramatic falling out, but through absence after absence, until there was no one left. A family gathering I used to look forward to became one more thing to explain and manage. Piece by piece, the life that used to be mine got smaller, until most of what remained was built around him. Related article: The Hidden Dilemma – The Connection Between People-Pleasing And Identity What the nervous system actually needs to heal I spent years thinking healing was something you pushed for, something you earned through effort and research and sheer will. What I did not understand yet was that my body was running on a different set of rules entirely. A system stuck in survival mode cannot be reasoned with. It does not respond to willpower or good intentions. It responds to safety, repeated over and over, until the body finally believes it. This is the piece I missed for years. I was doing everything right on paper, researching every treatment for my husband, tracking every appointment, staying strong for my sons, and my body never once got the message that the emergency had passed. The alarm does not know the difference between a genuine crisis and a decade of low-grade vigilance. It just keeps running. Biohacking became my way back into my own body, not as a trend, but as a language for communicating safety to a system that had forgotten what safety felt like. Breath work, food that stabilized rather than spiked, meditation, tapping, and small daily rituals were not luxuries. They were the actual mechanism of healing, working underneath every other decision I made. Once I understood that, everything else started to make more sense, why willpower alone had never been enough, why exhaustion kept returning no matter how much I slept, and why the smallest consistent habits eventually did more than any single dramatic change ever could. Related article: What Is Nervous System Dysregulation? 7 Effective Ways To Reset And Restore Balance Recognizing the signs of self-loss before it costs you everything Looking back, there were signs I could not see clearly at the time because I was too deep inside them. If you are in a season of caregiving, whether for a spouse, a parent, or a child, or you are simply carrying a high-pressure role that asks everything of you, some of these may sound familiar. Nobody asks how you are doing anymore, and eventually, neither do you. Every conversation becomes about the person you are caring for. Their appointments, their moods, their progress. Somewhere along the way, your own answer to that question stops mattering, even to yourself. Your health moves permanently to later. You tell yourself you will start working out, go back to the doctor, back to eating properly, once things settle down. Things do not settle down. Later becomes a place you never actually arrive. You start absorbing the habits of the person you care for, good or bad. Their sleep schedule becomes yours. Their coping mechanisms become yours. It does not feel like losing yourself in the moment. It feels like solidarity, like showing up. The things that made you feel like you quietly disappear. A hobby, a Sunday routine, a place you belonged to. None of it ends in one dramatic moment. It erodes a little at a time until you look up and realize it is simply gone. You are doing everything right on paper and still feel invisible. You are holding the family together, keeping the job, keeping the peace, and somewhere underneath all of it, you are wondering where you went. None of this makes a woman weak. It makes her human, and it makes the pattern worth naming so it can be interrupted. Related article: Why So Many Women Between 45 and 60 Feel Invisible and How to Find Their Way Back Finding your way back to yourself I did not have a roadmap for getting myself back, so I built one out of necessity. It started small. A vitamin regimen just for me, separate from his. A few minutes of meditation before the house woke up. Naming out loud, even just to myself, that I was exhausted and scared and allowed to say so. Reconnecting with one friend at a time instead of trying to rebuild an entire social life at once. The nervous system that had been running on alert for years needed more than willpower to settle. It needed consistent, small signals of safety repeated over time, food that supported my body instead of numbing it, movement, rest, and boundaries I had never allowed myself before. None of it was instant. All of it mattered. Related article: Empowering Women Leaders To Overcome Burnout And Reclaim Their Energy That process, and the belief patterns I had to untangle along the way, became the foundation for my upcoming book, The Secret to the Secret of Healing and Manifestation: Discovering Your Path to Freedom from Limiting Beliefs. I now coach women who are standing exactly where I once stood, capable and exhausted, needed by everyone and unseen by most. You cannot pour from an empty cup If you recognize yourself in any part of this story, the first step is simply admitting it. You do not have to wait for a full breakdown to justify taking care of yourself. You are allowed to ask for help while you are still standing. If you are ready to start finding your way back to yourself, I invite you to book a free clarity call with me, follow along as I share more of this journey ahead of the release of The Secret to the Secret of Healing and Manifestation. Visit my website for more info! Shiree Ann Tomlinson, Guest Writer Shiree Ann Tomlinson is a certified life and health coach and the founder of Rise to Reset Coaching, where she helps professional women navigate stress, burnout, and identity loss through a biohacking-informed approach. Her coaching journey began after her husband's accident in 2014, when she discovered the power of holistic healing tools while balancing full-time work and raising two sons. Shiree is the author of the forthcoming book The Secret to the Secret of Healing and Manifestation: Discovering Your Path to Freedom from Limiting Beliefs, and she helps women recognize when they've stopped showing up for themselves and guides them back to it, one honest step at a time.

Inner Harmony CMH, a Canadian, trauma-informed, virtual-first counselling practice founded and led by Ava Marie Somers, its sole practitioner, has launched The Clarity Thread on June 1, 2026, a new monthly publication available at The Clarity Thread. Created to bring language and deeper understanding to the emotional and relational truths that often live beneath the surface of our lives, the publication features original, clinically informed reflections exploring grief, identity, emotional safety, faith, boundaries, and the complicated work of becoming fully ourselves. The Clarity Thread aims to cultivate a community of thoughtful readers, people who pause long enough to think, question what is often taken for granted, and value writing that gives language to what can be difficult to name. Although Inner Harmony's counselling services are currently limited to Canada, the publication extends beyond those borders and is available to readers internationally at no cost. "Writing has become another way for me to use a gift I have spent more than 25 years developing, not only through my work as a therapist, but through my own experience of being human," said Somers. "I am not standing outside the questions I write about. I, too, have known grief and loss, wrestled with uncertainty, and lived in many of the spaces between what was and what comes next. When I sit down to write, I feel as alive as I do in the therapy room. I created The Clarity Thread to extend meaningful reflection beyond individual sessions and offer something deeper than the mental-health content people often encounter while scrolling, including for those who may not have consistent access to therapy. My hope is to cultivate a community of readers who pause long enough to think and who value language, depth, and a more honest understanding of what it means to be human." The title The Clarity Thread reflects both the publication's purpose and the way each issue unfolds. Clarity is one of the three core principles guiding the work of Inner Harmony CMH, alongside Connection and Congruence, and speaks to what can become possible when confusing or difficult experiences are given language, context, and greater coherence. Each issue takes up one thread at a time, following an idea, question, or human experience that belongs to a much larger tapestry. Alongside its central reflection, readers may encounter a personal note from Ava, a practical insight or gentle invitation to carry with them, and evolving features such as the "Word of the Month," which has begun to take shape during the publication's first year. Together, these elements create a layered reading experience intended to leave readers with something to consider, something to feel, and perhaps one thread of their own lives seen more clearly. Readers can explore current and previous issues of The Clarity Thread on the Inner Harmony CMH website and subscribe to receive future issues directly. Readers who find something meaningful are invited to share the publication with someone else who may value a place to pause, reflect, and think more deeply. About Inner Harmony CMH Inner Harmony Center for Mental Health, Incorporated (Inner Harmony CMH) is a Canadian, trauma-informed, virtual-first counselling practice founded and led by Ava Marie Somers, MACP, CCC, its sole practitioner. The practice serves adults, primarily those aged 20 and older, through individual, couples, and group therapy. Group offerings include both longer-term programs and shorter themed cycles, with closed membership, small group sizes, and an emphasis on safety, consistency, and meaningful connection. Across all services, the work is guided by three core principles such as Clarity, Connection, and Congruence. Inner Harmony supports people in making sense of difficult experiences, reconnecting with themselves and their relationships, and pursuing change that feels authentic and personally meaningful. Its guiding phrase is, Unstuck. Clarity. Harmony. Media contact Ava Marie Somers, MACP, CCC Founder and Sole Practitioner Inner Harmony CMH Phone: 403-915-6190 Email: hello@innharmonycmh.ca

Written by Erica Moseley, Global Speaker Erica Moseley is a global speaker trained through the Les Brown Academy. She empowers youth and families with tech career workshops, mentorship, housing advocacy, and mental health resources, engaging schools, nonprofits, corporations, and government officials worldwide. There is a silence people fear more than any other, the silence of a body on life support, of a person written off as "gone." I have stood inside that silence. Not as a witness. As the one fighting to breathe inside it. Everyone faces rejection, yet we rarely discuss how it can quietly shake our confidence. Whether it is a missed chance, a turned-down application, a partnership that falls through, or a dream delayed, these moments can make us doubt ourselves. The truth is that rejection does not define your value. Instead, it invites you to rise and grow. Through my journey in technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, fashion, and community impact, I have discovered that true success is born from the courage to persevere, not from sidestepping challenges. When I felt unseen, those moments became fuel for my confidence. Every “no” became a lesson in preparation, persistence, and unwavering belief in my purpose. My personal motivational coach, Les Brown, says, “You have greatness within you.” Rejection does not take that away. In fact, your greatness grows when you keep moving forward. Understanding why rejection hurts Rejection reaches beyond our goals and can touch our sense of self. When we tie our worth to results, a missed opportunity can trick us into doubting our abilities. Often, rejection is simply about timing, circumstances, or fit, not a measure of your talent or potential. Research on resilience and personal growth shows that setbacks can become opportunities for learning and development when we approach them with the right mindset. Resources from the Greater Good Science Center explore how resilience can help individuals adapt and grow through challenges. How to turn rejection into opportunity Change your perspective from failure to growth: The first step is changing the meaning we give to rejection. Instead of asking, “Why wasn’t I chosen?” ask, “What is this experience teaching me?” Every rejection can provide valuable information. It may show you where to improve, what skills to develop, or what new direction to explore. Maya Angelou’s words remind us, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” The way we think shapes how we rise to meet challenges. Build confidence through consistent action: Confidence is not built by avoiding failure, but by trusting in your ability to bounce back each time. Building confidence requires recognizing your accomplishments, continuing to learn, celebrating small victories, and taking action even when you feel uncertain. Lisa Nichols often speaks about the power of owning your voice and your story. Your experiences are not weaknesses, they can become your greatest source of strength. Keep showing up when opportunities are competitive: Breaking into competitive fields demands relentless persistence. Whether your path is in technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, or the arts, you will face moments that test your resolve. From my own journey, I have learned that preparation is the key that unlocks new opportunities. Continue expanding your knowledge, building relationships, seeking mentors, improving your skills, and creating opportunities instead of waiting for them. Use challenges as leadership training: Every challenge develops qualities that leaders need. Difficult experiences can teach resilience, empathy, adaptability, problem-solving, and courage. Leadership grows not just from achievements, but from the moments when you choose to press on as the path gets tough. Create your own opportunities: Sometimes, the opportunity you seek has not yet been created. This gives you the power to create it. Building your personal brand, sharing your expertise, developing partnerships, and serving your community can open doors you never expected. Your purpose does not require permission. Stop comparing your timeline: Everyone’s journey unfolds at a different pace. Social media often displays only the highlight reel, hiding the rejection, preparation, lessons, and growth that take place behind the curtain. Keep your eyes on your own journey, not on someone else’s clock. Define success on your own terms: Success is not only about recognition, titles, or achievements. It can also mean growing through challenges, helping others, building something meaningful, staying authentic, and living with purpose. The greatest success is growing into the person you are meant to be. Your story is still being written Rejection may appear in your story, but it does not get to write your final chapter. The setbacks you face today could become the very lessons that light the way for someone else tomorrow. Every “no” you hear is preparing you for an even greater “yes” ahead. Keep growing. Keep believing in yourself. Rejection does not define you. Resilience is your true strength. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info. Read more from Erica Moseley Erica Moseley, Global Speaker Erica Moseley is a global speaker trained through the Les Brown Academy, tech mentor, author, and star of the documentary COVID-19 Homeless Outreach Awareness. She has spoken at colleges, nonprofits, corporations, and government forums worldwide. Erica focuses on youth empowerment, workforce development, and creating pathways into tech careers through mentorship and AI education. Her mission is to equip the next generation with the tools, confidence, and blueprint to thrive in an evolving, technology-driven world References and resources: Learn more about resilience, leadership, and personal growth through the following resources. Harvard Business Review offers insights into leadership and career development. The Greater Good Science Center provides research on resilience and well being. Brené Brown shares research on courage, vulnerability, and leadership. Les Brown offers motivational and personal development resources.

Written by Lisa Gaines, Leadership Wellbeing Coach Lisa Gaines is a leadership and welbeing coach, empowering mid-life women leaders to redefine success, break through barriers, and thrive. Drawing on her expertise in neuroscience and emotional intelligence, Lisa supports her clients with navigating change, finding renewed purpose, and creating sustainable growth in both work and life. Do you like hearing the sound of your own voice, or do you hate it? “I hate hearing my own voice” is a comment I hear regularly when mentoring coaches as they listen to recordings of their coaching sessions being played back. Personally, I’ve always enjoyed talking and expressing myself, sometimes a bit too much. At a workplace karaoke party years ago, a colleague prompted me, “Lisa, you need to give other people a chance on the microphone.” Full transparency, there was champagne involved, and that’s partly to blame, but how embarrassing to realise I was hogging the mic that much! That moment, and many others like it, taught me something I carry into my work as a coach and facilitator, the importance of sharing the airtime. Do you notice how awful it feels when one person dominates a conversation, speaking at everyone else without pause? It’s not just unproductive, it can feel distressing and draining, and it can make others want to disengage. When someone doesn’t recognise the importance of sharing the space, the opportunity for real dialogue and connection is lost. A mentor once gave me a simple tool that I still use today, WAIT, Why Am I Talking? It’s a great reminder that whether you’re someone who talks too much, like I sometimes can, or someone who talks too little because you hate hearing the sound of your own voice, the magic happens when we hear from everyone. But there’s another reason many midlife women go quiet in meetings, and it has nothing to do with confidence or capability. I recently heard a colleague, a veteran professional with 40 years of experience under her belt, say that she doesn’t speak up in meetings anymore because she can’t trust herself to finish a sentence. Brain fog and difficulty with word recall can make even the most seasoned leader freeze in the middle of a thought, and that fear of losing the thread keeps brilliant women from contributing. How sad that we don’t normalise not remembering the right words in the moment for women in midlife. It’s something I incorporate into every group that has at least one other midlife woman in it. We have great fun with it and don’t attach it to our worth. Here’s a hack I use myself, I tell my brain, “It will come back to me in a moment.” Why does this work? Our brains are wonderful servants. If we get frustrated and say out loud or internally, “Why can’t I remember?” or “Damn, I can’t remember,” our minds get stuck on that thought. But if we take the pressure off and simply say, “It will come back to me in a moment,” the word often returns much more quickly. Don’t just take my word for it, try it for yourself the next time your words go missing in the middle of a sentence. Sharing airtime isn’t only about individual awareness, though. It’s also part of the facilitator’s role. This role can and should be rotated within a team, and the facilitator’s task is to ensure every voice is heard in meetings, not just those of the extroverts. That might be as simple as saying, “Let’s hear from some of the voices we haven’t heard from yet,” or asking individuals directly for their input. It’s important that the facilitator sets these expectations at the outset. This reduces the likelihood of anyone taking offence during the meeting, and over time, sharing the airtime becomes a cultural norm rather than an occasional intervention. A good facilitator creates the conditions for balance, so no one has to fight for space. Then there are the leaders who are so passionate and have so much to give that they can’t help but do most of the talking, most of the time. They pour out ideas, solutions, and enthusiasm, and then can’t understand why their team is disengaged. It takes awareness to recognise that we are hogging the mic, especially when our intentions are good. But when we remember to "WAIT" and see our team become more involved in the conversation, coming up with brilliant solutions of their own and becoming more autonomous, we get to experience those proud moments of recognising that we are growing our people. They become better contributors because we have learned some self restraint. Here are a few ways to create more balanced conversations If you’re naturally talkative, pause and remember to "WAIT" before jumping in. If you’re quieter, look for moments to share or ask a question to contribute. If you’ve lost your words in the middle of a sentence, tell yourself that they will come back to you in a moment, and give yourself permission to pause. If you’re facilitating or hosting, invite quieter voices in with an open question, and consider rotating who holds that role. Ultimately, conversations are richer when every voice is heard. As a team coach, I’ve seen it time and again, the best performing, most engaged teams have leaders who elicit contributions from their team rather than download everything onto them. This is what I aspire to develop with every leader and team member I work with. What about you? Will you incorporate more "WAIT", or something else? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lisa Gaines Lisa Gaines, Leadership Wellbeing Coach Lisa Gaines is a leadership and wellbeing coach devoted to helping mid-life women leaders reconnect with themselves, overcome roadblocks or burnout, and thrive. With over 15 years of experience and drawing on her expertise in neuroscience and emotional intelligence, Lisa supports her clients through meaningful transitions in work and life. Her coaching style is nurturing, insightful, and practical, and empowers clients to overcome their barriers and step into new chapters with clarity, courage, and balance. Lisa is passionate about supporting women to step up, stand tall, and create sustainable success on their own terms.