Heal Addiction and Trauma with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model™

Holly Lowery-Davis joins host Jan Winhall and the FSPM Institute on Embodied Dialogues for a grounded, practical conversation about building the sturdy foundation needed to heal trauma and attachment wounds. Deep, body-level healing begins with feeling safe enough to stay with our embodied experience — and that sense of felt safety is something we can actively learn to create. Holly, a certified body-oriented coach, somatic practitioner, group facilitator, and mental-health educator, shares why a well-stocked resource kit matters and how to build one by meeting and matching your nervous system while tending to the different needs of your parts. Learn immediately usable ideas to support every domain of experience: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, energetic, and relational. Together Jan and Holly explore the power of deep felt sense work, rooted in Gene Gendlin's Focusing and Felt Sensing methodology. They discuss why healing attachment, addiction, and trauma isn’t something we think our way through; it’s something we restore in the body. For that to happen we must learn to intentionally and reliably resource ourselves to build the felt safety needed to do the deep work of healing. Reach Holly at hollylowery.com or on insta: @hollylowerydavis. Get her free somatic toolkit at https://www.somacoachholly.com/feelings-toolkit. Get free resources and learn more about the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model at FSPMinstitute.com.

Jan Winhall welcomes Felt Sense Polyvagal Model facilitators Claudia Goetzelmann, Robert Ragucci, and Ragna Reiske along with facilitators-in-training Jacqui Jebian Garcia and Meredith Alger to explore the framework "7 F’s", based on her Felt Sense Polyvagal Model. Unlike traditional top-down, linear nervous system models, this model offers a bottom-up approach with circular patterns that reflect embodied right brain processing, the part of the brain that holds our body map. They'll share how the 7 F’s are being applied in clinical practice, coaching, and personal healing work. You’ll learn how to apply this revolutionary mapping of the nervous system using felt sensing as a marker for safety and offer details about how you can join our passionate community of certified FSPM Facilitators.

Guest Julianne Del Cano Kennard and host Jan Winhall explore the spiritual alchemy of trauma, the process by which pain, when consciously met, becomes a catalyst for transformation. Julianne will share about her upcoming book and the Wholality® framework to explain how the patterns and blocks within our human experience are not problems to fix, but signals pointing toward what wants to be healed and harmonized. Through embodied awareness and intentional, integrative practices, we can transform not only our relationship with ourselves, but with those closest to us; awakening the deep spiritual intelligence at the heart of being human. To learn more about Julianne’s work, visit https://innateevolution.com/about-us/ or https://www.youtube.com/@InnateEvolution. During the podcast, Julianne shared access a free FULLY accredited course, plus cultivation practices and downloadables ‘How To Navigate Life’s Challenges & Difficulties With More Peace Of Mind’ by following this link: https://funnels.passion.io/f/free1.

Katy Dickson, Author of "The Tree & Me, A Polyvagal Poem" (a finalist in the 2025 National Indie Excellence Awards, Children's inspirational/motivational) will join Jan Winhall on July 24, 2025 on the live, interactive Embodied Dialogues Podcast. Katy will be sharing both professional and lived experience insights and reflections as an Occupational Therapist, deeply rooted embodied, trauma-informed practice. We'll talk about her personal healing journey—how it reconnected her with a long-held love of language, wordsmithery and poetry and how that path gave life to "The Tree and Me: A Polyvagal Poem". Katy will share how that piece moved from a seed of an idea to publication, and the beautiful web of connection, support and synchronicity that followed. Katy will close with a reading of the poem with the talented illustrators behind "The Tree & Me," Regan and Alexis Desautels Cruz, and reflect on what’s next—dreams, hopes, and where this path may continue to lead. Formerly the founder of Attune, her own private practice supporting nervous system regulation through embodied approaches, Katy currently works as Principal OT at a private interdisciplinary Pediatric company, Words First Ltd., which places therapists in schools across London and beyond. Part of this role is to lead on a trauma-informed strategy in educational settings. Katy is also an Associate at Hemispheres, where she guides children and young people through Dr. Stephen Porges’ Safe & Sound Protocol. Beyond her professional roles, Katy lives in South East London, is a mother, and someone who carries trauma in her own system.

Domestic abuse and other relational traumas can remain unacknowledged and unrecognized by those experiencing them for a multitude of reasons and our minds and physiology can perform spectacular contortions in order to adapt and help us survive such experiences. Join us for a conversation exploring why unsafe relationship dynamics can often remain unacknowledged and unrecognized by individuals experiencing them and the role of safety and connection in sudden realizations regarding relational trauma. We explore the complex issue of domestic abuse (whether within romantic or family relationships), the concepts of unthought knowns and betrayal blindness, alongside investigating what Polyvagal Theory perspectives can tell us about the crucial role of safety and connection in healing from relational trauma and in building powerful new experiences with self, others and the world. Dr. Jemma Harris Bawden’s work and interests center around the transformative power of connection and belonging. Jemma is interested in the ways that we can harness the power of connection, whether in the coaching space, wider professions, or in our everyday lives, in order to foster reconnection, mental health and wellbeing. She has a professional background in trauma, belonging, motivation, coaching and the positive, social and health subdisciplines of psychology. Jemma has lived experience of the cascade of effects of domestic abuse and relational trauma, and works to raise awareness around understanding these complex topics through consideration of issues of normalization, safety, connection, physiological states, and nervous system regulation and coregulation. Jemma lives in Essex, UK, with her husband and 9 year old son. She is a Chartered Psychologist (research and teaching), a lecturer, trainer, and coach. She holds a PhD in psychology, is a graduate of The Polyvagal Institute and has been involved in the UK Higher Education sector since 2004. She is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and has published her research within international, peer-reviewed journals. She is currently teaching with The Open University, writes for publication in book and journal article form, and engages in lecturing and training with organizations and institutions including Animas Centre for Coaching and the University of Cambridge. She also runs her own coaching practice where she provides one to one coaching with individuals driven towards advocacy, change, social impact and purpose-led activities due to their own or vicarious difficult experiences. Learn more about her at: https://www.drjemmaharrisbawden.co.uk or on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jemma-harris-bawden-3bba1328b

Jan Winhall of Embodied Dialogues Podcast welcomes guest Sean Inderbitzen, author of Autism in Polyvagal Terms: New Possibilities and Interventions for a thought-provoking dialogue on how polyvagal theory intersects with neurodiversity, with a particular focus on autism. Sean Inderbitzen is a seasoned interpersonal neurobiologists and Jan Winhall is the creator of Felt Sense Polyvagal Theory. Together, they explore the key characteristics often associated with being autistic, including: 1. Rigid and restrictive patterns of interest and behavior 2. Challenges in responding to social overtures Sean offers a fresh perspective through the lens of a neural exercise framework and will provide practical tips to foster deeper connections and reduce feelings of “stuckness.” The goal is to enhance quality of life by activating the ventral vagal system—the part of the nervous system that supports safety, connection, and flexibility. In this regulated state, individuals may experience the spontaneous emergence of more meaningful relationships and greater adaptability. The neural exercise framework incorporates techniques from established traditions such as: -Sensorimotor psychotherapy -Social work pedagogy -Motivational interviewing -Safety cultivation practices --Mindfulness approaches -Biofeedback methods About Sean Inderbitzen Sean M. Inderbitzen, DSW, LCSW, is an autistic psychotherapist and researcher through Mayo Clinic Health System. He regularly trains healthcare professionals to be more confident when working with people on the spectrum. He is the author of Autism in Polyvagal Terms: New Possibilities and Interventions, published by W. W. Norton. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-seaninderbitzen/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inderbitzen.consulting/ About Jan Winhall Jan Winhall, M.S.W. P.I.F.O.T. is an author, teacher and seasoned trauma and addiction psychotherapist. She is an Educational Partner and Course Developer with the Polyvagal Institute where she offers a training program based on her book Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model, Routledge 2021. Completion of all three levels leads students to become Felt Sense Polyvagal Model Facilitators. Her new book, 20 Embodied Practices for Healing Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model, Norton, 2025, is a manual that guides therapists and anyone wanting to heal from trauma and addiction through somatic practices. She is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Toronto and a Certifying Co-Ordinator with the International Focusing Institute. Jan is Co-Director of the Borden Street Clinic where she supervises graduate students. She enjoys teaching all over the world.

"Somatic Practices: Doorway to Embodiment and Trauma Healing" with Kristen Toth *** About the free Embodied Dialogue Series and how to register and join us live: https://janwinhall.com/product/free-monthly-meetup/ This event's page: https://janwinhall.com/media/eds-kristen-toth/ *** In today’s episode, we come together in a spirit of community, reflection, and deep connection as we explore the world of somatic practices with my wonderful guest, Kristen Toth. This episode is a special one. We begin with some heartfelt sharing, honoring the profound legacy of my beloved focusing teacher, Mary Armstrong, and reflecting on how our teachers carry wisdom through our bodies and our work. From there, Kristen and I delve into how body-based practices move beyond tools and techniques, and into real relationship with our bodies—honoring their natural wisdom and unique language. Together, we discuss the importance of compassion, the power of co-regulation, and how somatic practices can help us heal from trauma and addiction, not by fixing ourselves, but by tuning in and honoring our lived experience. Kristen even guides us through a gentle, hands-on practice that you can try along with us. We open the floor for questions and heartfelt stories from our participants about what it means to trust the wisdom of the body, to cope with loss, and to find support in community and partnership. Whether you’re new to somatics or continuing your healing journey, there’s a lot in this conversation to inspire and nurture you. So settle in, breathe deeply, and join us for this rich and compassionate dialogue. Chapter Overview 00:00 Honoring Lineage and Somatic Grief Jan opens with a heartfelt tribute to her teacher, Mary Armstrong, and guides the group in a grounding practice focused on gratitude for lineage and embodied presence. Exploring the emotional connection between somatic practice, grief, and honoring our mentors. 05:40 Shifting Paradigms: From Mechanistic to Relational Somatics Jan and Kristen discuss the Western approach to the body, emphasizing the transformative power of listening to the body’s innate wisdom versus seeing it as a machine to control or fix. Challenging traditional models and underscoring the necessity of a compassionate, relationship-based somatic approach. 12:10 The Language of the Body & Felt Sense Jan and Kristen dive into how the body communicates—through sensation, movement, imagery, and metaphor—discussing Gendlin’s concept of “felt sense” and the revolutionary nature of self-knowing. Empowering listeners to trust their embodied experiences and challenge external authority. 19:20 Starting Simple: Practical Somatic Exercises Kristen leads a gentle hand-rubbing practice, demonstrating how small, accessible movements can help cultivate awareness, safety, and resource within the body. Introducing concrete somatic tools to ease into more profound self-connection. 26:42 Normalizing Individual Somatic Responses Jan and Kristen address why somatic practices don’t always work instantly, and the importance of honoring personal nervous system responses and recognizing the need for patience, repetition, and self-compassion. De-pathologizing trauma survival strategies and helping listeners understand their unique journeys. 32:02 Natural Somatic Practices and Attunement The discussion highlights how people often somatically regulate themselves without formal instruction, and how formal practices can build body awareness and trust, deepening the relationship with self. Encouraging both natural and guided somatic exploration as valid paths to healing. 44:13 Co-Regulation, Community, and the Power of Group Practice Participants share lived experiences of healing through community, focusing partnerships, and the significance of co-regulation. Emphasizing that somatic transformation is amplified in supportive groups and partnerships. 01:02:45 Free Somatic Practice Class Online Connect with Kristen Toth here: Website: https://ourembodiedhealing.com/ Community: https://ourembodiedhealing.circle.so/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourembodiedhealing Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ourembodiedhealing.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristenmarietoth *** About the free Embodied Dialogue Series and how to register and join us live: https://janwinhall.com/product/free-monthly-meetup/ *** #polyvagal #polyvagaltheory #trauma #traumahealing #traumainformed #somatic #somaticexperiencing #focusing #feltsensepolyvagalmodel #addiction #addictionrecovery #feltsense #embodiment #traumaresponse #neuroaffectivetouch #sensorimotorpsychotherapy #embodiment #traumaresponse #interpersonalneurobiology #janwinhall #therapeuticpresence #deeplistening #coregulation #therapy, #safety #emotionalregulation #attachment #recovery #authenticity #somatics #emotionalconnection #traumatherapy #somatichealing #therapistlife #HealingJourney

‘Ask Us Anything’ with Stephen Porges, Ph.D. *** About the free Embodied Dialogue Series and how to register and join us live: https://janwinhall.com/product/free-monthly-meetup/ This event's page: https://janwinhall.com/media/eds-stephen-porges/ *** Welcome to an Exclusive Dialogue How fortunate are we to have one hour with Dr. Stephen Porges, the esteemed creator of the Polyvagal Theory? This session is particularly special as we celebrate the release of three groundbreaking Polyvagal books this winter: * Twenty Embodied Practices for Healing Trauma and Addiction by Jan Winhall https://janwinhall.com/20-embodied-practices/ * Somatic-Oriented Therapies https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324052722?promo=SOT20 * Polyvagal Perspectives: Interventions, Practices, and Strategies https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324053408 Also coming up are the Community Practice Groups which are based on Jan's new book mentioned above: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/items/community-practice-groups Register to attend a free Author Talk and Info Session about this offering: https://events.zoom.us/ev/AlvHAppAU2EEytE9hhOhlgLTTlw_dk_mFP4Zm2LQ1RNlzggtVyv7~AnoYBhKMeJMEnyruwB0dXfLFlrkMfZQ1WZfE9qa2xmdGjQ4LZ0pjpCvzwg One of the many qualities I admire about Steve Porges is his unwavering commitment to accessibility. As I become busier with a public lifestyle, I find myself challenged by the desire to reach out and the need to contain. Steve’s ability to stay connected, respond to emails, listen deeply, and maintain a safe presence amidst his growing popularity is truly inspiring. Steve starts with opening up about his personal musings on cats and the unique ways they co-regulate with humans, offering insights that might just change the way you view your feline friends. We dive deep into the profound concepts of safety in the body and the transformative nature of feeling truly secure. Among many other things we touch upon the significance of feedback loops in therapy and life, and how interoception—the awareness of our bodily states—plays a crucial role in healing trauma and addiction. It's a dialogue brimming with warmth, insight, and a little humor, inviting you to pause, reflect, and embrace the wisdom shared. Through Steve’s stories and reflections, I hope your understanding of polyvagal theory and its practical applications expands. Chapter Overview 00:00 Nonverbal Communication in Music 03:30 Cat's Early Morning Routine 08:53 Understanding Embodiment Through Interoception 11:13 "Evaluating Reactions Mindfully" 13:32 Polyvagal Theory and Emotions 18:29 Reflecting on Bold Paradigm Shifts 23:22 "Balancing Accessibility and Self-Time" 26:47 Evolving Academic Models Post-Pandemic 29:14 Impact of ACEs on Individuals 31:28 "Integrating Neuroscience and Subconscious Therapy" 37:03 Academic Crisis: Research Structure Doomed 40:32 Innovative Music Experience for Neurodivergent 43:07 Developing Scalable Health Products 46:06 Trust and Motivation in Leadership 49:47 Neglected Behavioral Solutions in Autism 53:04 Critique of Autism Research Focus 56:13 Autism Diagnosis and Hope *** About the free Embodied Dialogue Series and how to register and join us live: https://janwinhall.com/product/free-monthly-meetup/ *** #polyvagal #polyvagaltheory #trauma #traumahealing #traumainformed #somatic #somaticexperiencing #focusing #feltsensepolyvagalmodel #addiction #addictionrecovery #feltsense #embodiment #traumaresponse #neuroaffectivetouch #sensorimotorpsychotherapy #embodiment #traumaresponse #interpersonalneurobiology #janwinhall #therapeuticpresence #deeplistening #coregulation #therapy, #safety #emotionalregulation #attachment #recovery #authenticity #somatics #emotionalconnection #traumatherapy #somatichealing #therapistlife #HealingJourney