What would it look like to befriend your nervous system—to meet your responses with curiosity and discover what helps you feel more grounded?

In this episode of Trauma Meets Recovery, Dr. Mark McNear welcomes clinical psychologist Dr. Kaitlin Harkess for a hopeful conversation about anxiety, overwhelm, and reconnecting with the body.

Dr. Kaitlin Harkess explores how trauma can shape our physical responses, why body awareness sometimes feels uncomfortable, and how we can begin gently. Together, they discuss the window of tolerance, the role of movement, and why a practice that helps one person—or helps us one day—may not be what we need another time.

You’ll also hear an introduction to “notice, name, and tame” and a guided paired-breathing practice that brings breath and movement together.

At the heart of the conversation is an encouraging reminder: noticing is meaningful progress, and needing a different approach doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

Dr. Kaitlin N. Harkess, PhD, is the author of The Somatic Workbook for Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety Management, host of the Wisdom for Wellbeing podcast, and founder of the holistic therapy practice Wisdom for Wellbeing.

Connect with Dr. Kaitlin Harkess:
https://drkaitlin.com
Instagram: @drkaitlin

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This episode is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized mental health or medical care.

In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Mark McNear sits down with J.S. Park, MDiv, BCC — hospital chaplain, author, and grief & trauma educator — for a conversation about identity, family, culture, grief, and the stories we carry.

J.S. reflects on growing up between cultures, losing connection to parts of his Korean language and identity after a painful childhood experience, and the ways therapy has helped him recognize what he once considered “normal.” He also shares why healing can be lifelong work while still being possible. mark-joon-01 mark-joon-01

Together, they explore family dynamics, grief, intergenerational trauma and treasure, and what it means to reconnect with parts of ourselves that may have become harder to reach.

J.S. also shares insight from his work as a hospital chaplain and his upcoming book, We Are Made of Us: Uncovering Our Hidden Family Dynamics, Rewriting Our Stories, and Returning to Ourselves, releasing October 20. J S Park Promo

Whether you’re navigating family history, identity, grief, or simply trying to better understand your own story, this conversation offers a reminder that healing does not require erasing where you came from.

Connect with J.S. Park:
Website: jspark3000.com
Instagram & Threads: @JSPark3000
Facebook: J.S. Park J S Park Promo

Connect with Trauma Meets Recovery:
https://traumameetsrecovery.com

Follow us on Social Media:
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https://drmarkmcnear.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, medical advice, or crisis support. If this topic feels activating, please pause, take care of yourself, and reach out to a trusted professional or support system.

Be kind and gentle with yourself.

A new season. New voices. More opportunities for connection, understanding, and hope.

As Trauma Meets Recovery begins its second season, Joe Schweighardt, LPC, joins Dr. Mark McNear for a special conversation reflecting on the journey so far and looking ahead to what’s next.

Together, they revisit the lessons and meaningful moments of Season 1, explore why healing is an ongoing journey rather than a destination, and discuss the importance of compassion, connection, and finding hope along the way.

Dr. Mark McNear also shares personal reflections on his own recovery and the encouragement he’s received from listeners and guests.

With new voices, diverse perspectives, and more conversations ahead, Season 2 continues the mission of creating a space where stories of trauma meet stories of recovery.

Whether you’re returning or discovering us for the first time, welcome.

Be kind and gentle with yourself.

Visit traumameetsrecovery.com to explore previous episodes and connect with us.

Connect with Trauma Meets Recovery:
https://traumameetsrecovery.com

Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook & Instagram: @traumameetsrecoverypodcast

Learn more about Dr. Mark McNear
https://drmarkmcnear.com/

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, medical advice, or crisis support. If this topic feels activating, please pause, take care of yourself, and reach out to a trusted professional or support system.

How can we become a safer, more compassionate presence for ourselves—especially when old wounds, shame, or protective patterns still shape how we respond?

In the Season 1 finale of Trauma Meets Recovery, Dr. Mark McNear welcomes therapist, author, and The Best of You Podcast host Dr. Alison Cook for a hopeful conversation about healing from within.

Drawing from her new book, The Secure Soul, Dr. Alison explores the wounds created not only by what happened to us, but also by the comfort, attention, or emotional presence that may have been missing. She explains how these experiences can follow us into adulthood through people-pleasing, perfectionism, overfunctioning, emotional numbing, and a harsh inner critic.

Together, they discuss:

• Wounds of absence and the pain of feeling unseen
• Attachment and the importance of a secure base
• Understanding protective parts without labeling them as bad
• Responding to hurt with curiosity instead of shame
• The “Recognize and Return” practice
• Creating greater safety within yourself
• The relationship we have with ourselves, others, and God
• How self-compassion can strengthen our capacity to love others

Healing is not about rejecting or eliminating parts of yourself. It begins by understanding what those parts have been trying to protect—and meeting your inner world with curiosity, compassion, and loving presence.

“Your inner life is worth tending. It’s worth knowing.”
— Dr. Alison Cook

🌐 Learn more about Dr. Alison Cook:
https://www.dralisoncook.com

📖 Explore The Secure Soul:
https://thesecuresoulbook.com

🌐 Connect with Trauma Meets Recovery:
https://traumameetsrecovery.com

Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook & Instagram: @traumameetsrecoverypodcast

🌐 Learn more about Dr. Mark McNear
https://drmarkmcnear.com/

#TraumaMeetsRecovery #DrAlisonCook #TheSecureSoul

If this conversation encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with someone who may need this reminder:

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, medical advice, or crisis support. If this topic feels activating, please pause, take care of yourself, and reach out to a trusted professional or support system.

Subscribe to Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast for real stories of trauma, healing, and hope.

What if healing is not another demand to correct yourself - but an invitation to connect with yourself differently?

In this episode of Trauma Meets Recovery, Dr. Mark McNear sits down with Andy Carlson, a trauma-informed coach, group facilitator, LIFT Online Learning Facilitator + Coach, and co-host of the Time with Tim Fletcher podcast.

Andy shares a candid perspective on growing up with constant correction, the nervous-system responses that can remain long after the original experiences, and the shift he describes as “connect instead of correct.” The conversation also explores humiliation trauma, shame, discomfort, self-compassion, internal safety, and why joy can begin to appear more often when we stop forcing ourselves to chase it.

In this conversation:
- how chronic correction can shape self-perception and nervous-system responses
- the difference Andy sees between shame and humiliation trauma
- learning to notice pain without immediately shutting down or running away
- replacing self-rejection with curiosity and connection
- rebuilding agency, boundaries, compassion, and room for joy

Healing is not about denying what happened. It is about discovering that what happened does not have to determine every next step.

If this conversation encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with someone who may need this reminder:

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, medical advice, or crisis support. If this topic feels activating, please pause, take care of yourself, and reach out to a trusted professional or support system.

🌐 Learn more about Andy Carlson:

Andy Carlson is a trauma-informed coach, group facilitator, and co-host of the Time with Tim Fletcher podcast. His work focuses on helping people understand trauma, rebuild internal safety, and grow skills in boundaries, agency, and self-compassion.

Andy's team profile: https://www.timfletcher.ca/our-team
Time with Tim Fletcher Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TimeWithTimPodcast
Tim Fletcher Co.: https://www.timfletcher.ca


🌐 Learn more about The Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast:
www.traumameetsrecovery.com

Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook & Instagram: @traumameetsrecoverypodcast

🌐 Learn more about Dr. Mark McNear
https://drmarkmcnear.com/

Subscribe to Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast for real stories of trauma, healing, and hope.

Can learning to play again become part of healing?

Many people think of trauma recovery as processing painful memories—but what if healing also includes rediscovering joy, trust, connection, and the freedom to simply be alive?

In this episode of The Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast, Dr. Mark McNear sits down with Sam Jolman, LPC, therapist, author, and speaker, for a thoughtful conversation about the surprising role that play can have in trauma recovery.

Together they explore how betrayal and trauma can change the way we experience relationships, healthy risk, and joy, why shame often keeps us from trying new things, and how healing can gently expand our ability to trust ourselves and others again. Rather than pushing through fear, Sam encourages listeners to honor their own nervous system, take meaningful but manageable risks, and discover that recovery is not just about surviving—it is also about learning to live fully.

In this episode:

• Why trauma often makes play feel difficult
• The connection between betrayal, shame, and trust
• How healthy risk expands our "window of tolerance"
• Why healing happens through safe relationships
• Reclaiming joy after trauma
• Practical ways to begin practicing play again
• Encouragement for anyone who feels stuck in survival mode

If this conversation encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with someone who may need this reminder:

Healing isn't only about recovering from what happened. It's also about rediscovering the parts of yourself that trauma tried to steal.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, medical advice, or crisis support. If this topic feels activating, please pause, take care of yourself, and reach out to a trusted professional or support system.

🌐 Learn more about Sam Jolman, LPC:

Author of The Sex Talk You Never Got

https://samjolman.com

🌐 Learn more about The Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast:
www.traumameetsrecovery.com

Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook & Instagram: @traumameetsrecoverypodcast

🌐 Learn more about Dr. Mark McNear
https://drmarkmcnear.com/

Subscribe to Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast for real stories of trauma, healing, and hope.

Why can the body continue to feel unsafe—even after the danger has passed?

In this episode of Trauma Meets Recovery, Dr. Mark McNear speaks with Dr. Aimie Apigian, a double board-certified physician, trauma expert, and bestselling author of The Biology of Trauma, about the connection between unresolved trauma, the nervous system, and physical health.

Dr. Aimie Apigian explains that trauma is not only about what happened. It is also about whether an experience overwhelmed the body’s ability to respond, recover, and return to safety.

This conversation explores how stored trauma may affect:

-The nervous system and emotional regulation
-Energy, metabolism, and chronic fatigue
-Digestion, inflammation, and immune function
-Disconnection, shutdown, and feeling stuck
-The body’s ability to experience safety and repair

Dr. Aimie Apigian also explains five common patterns of stored trauma: disconnection, disruption, depletion, dysregulation, and disease.

You’ll hear why insight and talk therapy may not always be enough on their own—and why healing may involve working with the mind, the body’s somatic responses, and the underlying biology.

The episode also includes simple practices that may help the nervous system experience greater safety, including gentle movement, creating physical space, humming, and vibration.

Your body is not broken. It may be responding in ways it once learned were necessary for survival.

#TraumaHealing #DrAimieApigian #BiologyOfTrauma #NervousSystemHealing #SomaticHealing #TraumaRecovery


Subscribe to Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast for real stories of trauma, healing, and hope.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, medical advice, or crisis support. If this topic feels activating, please pause, take care of yourself, and reach out to a trusted professional or support system.

🌐 Learn more about Dr. Aimie Apigian:
BiologyofTrauma.com:
Instagram :@draimie
Facebook: @aimie.apigian
YouTube: @DrAimieApigian

🌐 Learn more about The Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast:
www.traumameetsrecovery.com

Follow us on Social Media:

Facebook & Instagram: @traumameetsrecoverypodcast

🌐 Learn more about Dr. Mark McNear

https://drmarkmcnear.com/

In this episode of Trauma Meets Recovery, Tim Smith shares his story of surviving childhood abduction and reclaiming his life after trauma.

Tim’s story is not only about what happened to him, but about what it took to reclaim his life afterward. From fragmented memories and early trauma to the long road of healing, identity, and recovery, this conversation offers a meaningful look at how trauma can shape a life — and how hope can still be found on the other side.

Joining the conversation for this episode is guest host Joe Schweighardt, bringing thoughtful presence and support to this important discussion.

This episode is a reminder that recovery is not about pretending the past did not happen. It is about finding the courage to face what was lost, rebuild what was broken, and step into life with renewed strength.

In this episode, we discuss:
Childhood abduction and its lasting impact
Fragmented memories and trauma survival
The process of reclaiming identity
Family wounds, resilience, and recovery
Finding hope after painful early experiences

Subscribe to Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast for real stories of trauma, healing, and hope.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, medical advice, or crisis support. If this topic feels activating, please pause, take care of yourself, and reach out to a trusted professional or support system.

Learn more about Tim Smith:
Instagram: @tim.smith.writes
www.faultlinememoir.com

Learn more about The Trauma Meets Recovery Podcast:
www.traumameetsrecovery.com

Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook & Instagram: @traumameetsrecoverypodcast

Learn more about Dr. Mark McNear
https://drmarkmcnear.com/