Toxic Silence

What if the patterns you’ve spent your life trying to “fix” are actually doorways back to who you truly are?In this episode, I’m joined by Human Design expert, master coach, and host of the globally recognised Human Design Podcast, Emma Dunwoody. Known for making Human Design and the Gene Keys practical, accessible, and deeply transformative, Emma bridges ancient wisdom systems with modern psychology to help people live in alignment with their authentic nature.Together, we explore how conditioning shapes our emotional responses, decision-making, and sense of self — and how systems like Human Design and the Gene Keys can support a return to inner authority, clarity, and embodied truth.This is a grounded, spacious conversation about healing beyond self-improvement, and learning to trust the intelligence already living within the body.In this episode, we explore:What Human Design really is — and how it differs from personality typingHow the Gene Keys reveal the path from shadow to gift through awareness and compassionThe impact of conditioning on our nervous system, emotions, and life choicesWhy embodiment is essential for real transformationHow to make aligned decisions without overthinkingMoving out of “who you were shaped to be” and into authentic self-expressionPractical ways to begin living your design in everyday lifeAbout Emma DunwoodyEmma Dunwoody is a Human Design expert, master coach, author, and the host of the Human Design Podcast. She is the creator of Transformational Human Design, an approach that weaves Human Design, the Gene Keys, and modern psychology to support emotional healing, aligned decision-making, and purpose-led living.Resources & LinksThe Human Design Podcast: https://www.emmadunwoody.com/the-human-design-podcastLearn more about Emma’s work: https://www.emmadunwoody.com/Toxic Silence Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UsNwZQP74SbTAsin5aXr9?si=aghjj7ybRK6QqrEt35dHPw Follow Toxic Silence on Social MediaInsta https://www.instagram.com/janellapurcell2 FB https://www.facebook.com/JanellaPurcell

In this episode, we dive into the real world of hypnotherapy — far from stage tricks or swinging watches, and back to its ancient roots in the healing temples of Egypt and Greece. Modern hypnotherapy, shaped by Mesmer, Braid and Erickson, blends psychology, neuroscience and the art of working safely with the subconscious.Hypnotherapy isn’t about losing control — it’s about reclaiming it.By guiding us into a natural, focused state of awareness, it opens the doorway to the subconscious, where trauma imprints, fear patterns and old conditioning often live. From here, gentle suggestion, imagery and deep relaxation help the brain form new pathways, release old stories and restore emotional freedom.We explore:What hypnotherapy truly is (and isn’t)How it supports trauma healingWhy the subconscious is key to lasting changeThe science of re-patterning protective responsesReconnecting with the original, authentic self beneath conditioningThis conversation is about integration, nervous system repair and reshaping your life from truth, not trauma.BA Psych, Dip LS HypLucas Olmos is a trauma-informed Clinical Hypnotherapist and co-founder of Awakening Purpose, where he helps clients across the world release subconscious imprints, rewire protective patterns and return to who they really are.Links:Website: https://awakeningpurpose.com.au/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@awakening_purposeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/awakening_purpose?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Guest: Lucas Olmos

Healing doesn’t always require effort — sometimes it begins in stillness. A simple gesture, a soft breath, the willingness to bring awareness to the places we’ve abandoned. In this episode of Toxic Silence, we’re exploring the body’s most ancient language — the quiet gestures, shapes, and postures through which emotion speaks when words fall away. This is the essence of Kriya, of Mudra, of movement as medicine.So many of us carry the residue of unspoken experience — the tension in a jaw that never got to shout, the collapsed chest of someone who learned to stay small, the throat that still fears being heard. Our bodies remember what our minds try to forget.When we shape our hands into a Mudra, when we sit and breathe into a posture, we’re not forcing anything open. We’re creating space — a quiet invitation for energy to circulate again, for emotion to move, for life to return to the places that have gone numb.My guest today is Rachel Zinman, an internationally renowned yoga teacher, author, and musician based in Byron Bay. With over 35 years of teaching experience, Rachel’s love of mudras — sacred gestures that restore balance and calm — infuses her work with depth, stillness, and grace. Through her classes, writing, and music, she guides others to experience yoga as a living path toward harmony and awareness.instagram.com/rachelyogiYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@RachelZinmanYogaWebsite: https://rachelzinmanyoga.com/Toxic Silence Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UsNwZQP74SbTAsin5aXr9?si=8N7qlTIgTGSKhHBDrIoGtg

Today I’m joined by Kim Williams, founder of the Frequency Lab in Newtown, Sydney. Kim is an experienced wellness entrepreneur, aromatherapist, and sound medicine practitioner whose work bridges ancient healing and modern innovation.In this conversation, we explore the language of frequency — how rhythm, resonance, and light entrain the body toward coherence, release stored emotion, and help us return to our natural state of balance.Links: Website: https://frequencylab.com.au/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/frequency_lab_sydney?igsh=MTN5czdycmo1MjdrYQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Today we’re diving into a profound conversation about the body as a vessel of memory, energy, and truth — and the spine as a living archive of both our pain and our potential.My guest is Dr Olivia Whan, a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine who also works in the quantum field through Spinal Energetics and trauma-informed Kundalini Activation. Olivia weaves these modalities into a practice that clears inherited density, awakens dormant energy, and restores coherence to the body, mind, and spirit.This episode — Clearing Ancestral Tar: Energy, Epigenetics & Voice Liberation — explores what Olivia calls the “energetic tar” that sits on the spine: the residue of trauma, outdated beliefs, and ancestral weight that can dim our light and silence our truth. We’ll look at how these patterns are passed through epigenetics, how they shape our nervous system, and how they manifest as dis-ease or self-suppression.We’ll also explore how healing within the quantum field invites light into the dense body — and why density must first transform before true illumination can occur. We discuss why talk therapy or manifestations alone often cannot reach these layers, and how energy-based work can access and release what language cannot.Together we’ll ask:What happens when we begin to peel back these energetic layers?How does clearing the spine create space for sovereignty, self-expression, and authenticity?How do energy practices like Spinal Energetics and Kundalini Activation open the pathways for that transformation?We’ll touch on the dance between the divine feminine and masculine in healing, the importance of safety and consent when working with trauma, and the courage it takes to embody light through density.What I love about Olivia’s work is that it reminds us that healing is never passive — it’s an act of choice. Clearing this “tar” requires willingness, presence, and the responsibility of shaping our own energy. When we do, the rewards are extraordinary: a voice freed from fear, a body alive with vitality, and a spirit moving in harmony with truth.This is an episode about healing at the deepest root — about remembering that your spine is not just bone and tissue, but a channel of light, a map of memory, and a gateway to sovereignty.So take a breath, soften your shoulders, and open your heart. You’re about to hear from the extraordinary Dr Olivia Whan, as we journey into the clearing of ancestral tar and the liberation of the voice.Dr Olivia Whan is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine who works at the intersection of energy, emotion, and embodiment. Alongside her clinical practice, she weaves Spinal Energetics, Kundalini Activation, and Specialised Kinesiology into a unique approach that helps dissolve stored trauma and awaken the body’s innate intelligence.Deeply passionate about women’s health and fertility, Olivia sees herself as a bridge between worlds — a conduit helping new souls enter the world with harmony and grace.Her current work explores a potent blend of energy medicines designed to collapse dis-ease structures at their vibrational root, allowing the body to return to its natural blueprint of vitality and coherence.Resources:https://bangalowwitchdoctor.com.auhttps://byronenergetics.com.au@byron_energeticsHow Online Sessions Work: https://rebeccajaxholistichealing.mykajabi.com/jax-energetics-1Elliott Saxby: https://elliottsaxby.com/https://www.alignwithmiri.com/Toxic Silence Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UsNwZQP74SbTAsin5aXr9

In this season of Toxic Silence, we’ve been exploring how silence can wound us—how unspoken truths, unmet needs, and lost attunement create toxic patterns in our lives. Today’s conversation takes us straight into the heart of that theme.When we talk about lost attunement, we’re really talking about one of the earliest forms of toxic silence: the silence of a parent who doesn’t respond, mirror, or truly see us. That silence says: your feelings don’t matter, your voice doesn’t matter, you don’t matter. And it leaves a lasting legacy.For boys, this may show up as hyper-toughness or emotional collapse, carrying unprocessed feelings into adult relationships—sometimes as passivity, resentment, or a split between façade and hidden shame. For girls, it can look like over-performance, constant giving, or waiting for rescue, fantasy, or validation.Underneath it all lies the same deep longing: a desire to repair the original wound of emotional abandonment. Often, we unconsciously recreate these dynamics in relationships, perpetuating cycles of silence, avoidance, and unspoken pain.Our guest today is Hawatea Bryson, a powerful therapist and friend who works deeply with couples on these themes. She explores what she calls silent relationships—how lost attunement shows up between partners, keeps us stuck, and what it takes to finally find repair.In this episode, we discuss:How silence becomes toxic in relationshipsThe different ways men and women carry the legacy of lost attunementHow to move from being silenced to reclaiming your authentic voiceBecause silence shapes us—but when it’s met, named, and transformed, it can also set us free.www.natureknows.co

Join us as we journey into the heart of Australia’s landscape—its scent, its medicine, its memory—through the lens of flower essences. Our guest is Ian White, founder of Australian Bush Flower Essences, whose work has helped countless people connect with the healing wisdom of native plants.If you’ve ever wondered why a walk in the bush can shift your mood, or why a single flower can feel like a key in moments of stress, grief, or transition—this conversation is for you. Ian has spent decades observing the shapes, timings, and habitats of native flowers and translating their patterns into remedies that support emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.Flower essences don’t force; they invite, gently nudging us back toward balance. In this episode, we explore:How Ian first felt called to work with native flowersThe Doctrine of Signatures—a language of colour, geometry, and resiliencePractical uses for essences that support communication, confidence, and authentic expressionWays these remedies empower both children and adultsStories from the field: moments of calm, breakthroughs, and emotional releaseFor newcomers: flower essences are infusions of water in relationship with a flower’s energy, taken as drops under the tongue. Subtle, non-toxic, and surprisingly catalytic, they’re like emotional hygiene for a noisy age.Make yourself a tea, breathe, and let the bush whisper.About Ian WhiteIan is a fifth-generation Australian herbalist with over 45 years’ experience as a naturopath. Founder of Australian Bush Flower Essences, he has developed 71 Bush Essences, authored five books, and runs workshops in over 30 countries, sharing the healing wisdom of Australian plants worldwide.Learn more: ausflowers.com.au

The ancient Mayan and Incan civilisations were the first to record various theories of consciousness. Since then many different definitions have sprouted up in various spiritual, psychological, medical, and moral texts in both Eastern and Western cultures. The ancient Mayans were among the first to suggest an organised sense of each level of consciousness, it’s purpose and relationship to humanity. Then about 150 years ago, Sigmund Freud, speaking to consciousness and what in the dickens it might be - suggested that psychological processes are flows of psychological energy in a complex brain. Complex is right! So then this would mean that our behaviour, our habits and actions are all essentially influenced and controlled by psychological energy, that is, our beliefs and patterns. On top of that, specific patterns, real or imagined, will be reinforced by emotional experiences, conditioning, and even psychedelic drugs. Throughout human evolution the ability to process patterns became increasingly sophisticated as the parts of our brains involved in the processing of images - the cerebral cortex, particularly the prefrontal cortex - started to expand. Recognising our patterns allows us to predict and expect what is coming. The process of pattern recognition involves matching the information received, with the information already stored in the brain. I first embarked formally on this road to self-discovery a few decades ago in my early 20’s, to start the long process to unpack my stuff. (No, we didn’t have EMDR back then.) Kinesiology was the modality where the yellow brick road took me first. When I first met Kim O'Brien for kinesiology - to start looking at some of my negative patterning, the things that were getting me unstuck, well, really ruining and ruling my life, Kim was using the Enneagram and other systems to unpack this stuff, and today we're going to hear where she has gone in this field of Patterning since then. Kim O’Brien started as a kinesiologist, then studied Applied Physiology which are both disciplines that look for, and aim to correct patterns in the body. Over several years of intense work in this area it became obvious to her that patterns manifest everywhere and the most challenging ones - which can prevent healing at all levels - are the ones buried in the subconscious. Welcome to the podcast Kim. Its a pleasure to have yo here as my guest. I'd like to start by asking - are you still using the Enneagram as a tool, and are there any new methods or systems that you're now using in clinic, and in your own life. Books Kim referred to in the interview: The Beat of Life by Dr Reinhard Friedl Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master Kim can be reached here - kimpatriciaobrien@gmail.com Click here for the 'Toxic Silence' Playlist.

The word 'Yoga' is derived from the Sanskrit root 'Yuj', meaning 'to unite; ’to join' or 'to yoke’. So yoga means union, but we don’t see a lot of uniting going on with trikanasana these days do we? Have we lost the point of yoga, or have we never found unity to be the point? As per Yogic scriptures, the authentic practice of Yoga leads to the union of Individual consciousness - The Self, with that of Universal Consciousness - also referred to as God. The desired outcome is to achieve perfect harmony between the mind and body, humans and nature, heaven and earth. In other words - it all becomes whole again. And Wholeness is in fact the true meaning of healing - to ‘return to wholeness’. So, back to the word ‘yoke’ and unity. In Hinduism yoga leads to oneness with all that is, non-duality, Self-realisation. Yet, how many of us are really, truly surrendering to the union of Mind, Body and Soul, irrespective of our spiritual or religious leanings. From what we see at an average yoga class, and there are many, I think perhaps the Soul has been mostly left out of the trilogy. For those cultures and religions devoted to and practicing the true art of yoga, it must be very frustrating to see what’s been going on here in the west with this ancient and sacred practice over the past 50 or so years. “Om shanti shanti shanti” are often chanted during yoga classes as a call to peace. In the Buddhist and Hindu traditions, the word “shanti” repeated three times represents peace in body, speech and mind. Here today to help us to find peace in body, speech and mind, by using ancient practices appropriate for most of us today is Brad Hays. Brad has been a dedicated student and practitioner of Ayurveda, Yoga and Tantra for more than three decades. He has devoted over 4000 hours to formal training in acclaimed institutions and with highly recognised teachers in the US and Australia. His website says his mission and passion lies in imparting the most relevant, powerful, and practical life skills from the ancient Vedic Sciences of Ayurveda, and Tantra Yoga. His niche is making these powerful, ancient, esoteric teachings highly accessible to modern life and real situations. Brad says these 5000-year-old Vedic Sciences continue to change his life for the better – and intends for us to experience the same.

A single moment can last forever in our memory, yet research has shown us that perhaps our memories are less than accurate. Which begs the question - if the average person has approximately 60,000 thoughts per day, and 75% of these thoughts are negative, and 95% are repetitive - what would happen if we consciously changed or ‘reprogrammed’ our traumatic memories? It’s a traditional Lakota belief (these are the Sioux people of North American Indian tribes of the Midwest) that our healing reaches both forward and backward for seven generations. If you’re one of the billions of human that feel no matter the efforts you have gone through to shake off your trauma, it still feels like a traumatised child is living inside of you - then you’e going to love this interview with Prof. Felicity Grace. Enter Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor (PBSP), created in 1961 by Albert Pesso and Diane Boyden-Pesso - it’s one of the most advanced therapeutic system available to us for emotional re-education or reprogramming. It’s been repeatedly said - If you want to really learn how to work on family of origin issues, and how to use body information in your therapy, go straight to PBSP. My Guest Dr Felicity Grace works as a Mental Health Social Worker in private practice, as well as facilitating the Australian training in PBSP Psychomotor. Leading her to this work as a popular therapist and teacher were undergraduate studies in law, economics and government, a PhD in politics and financial security for women, as well as a Bachelor of Social Work, and studies in Feminist Theory, Gender Studies and Queer Theory. Dr Felicity has trained in many different forms of therapy and counselling including Holistic, Art, Mind-Body psychotherapies, couples, Family Constellations, and Interpersonal Therapy. At the time of recording, Felicity is about to become Australia’a first fully qualified practitioner of Pesso-Boyden System of Psychomotor (PBSP) artofhappiness.com.au

Psychologist Carl Jung called the energies that reside within us archetypes, and one of the primary archetypes we all possess is that of the Inner Child. The inner child is the part in our psyche that retains its innocence, creativity, and sense of wonder and awe - irrespective of our actual biological age. The Wounded IC feels that in the deepest parts of their being, there is something terribly wrong with them. In this episode we’ll discuss what it looks like to be an adult who in childhood was silenced, leaving a huge gaping wound in the psyche, often masterfully repressed by us as adults – yet its impacts are deep AND far-reaching. Most of us will likely have been shaped and moulded to some extent, but here we’re taking about when this kind of abuse is extreme and is now controlling your adult Self, most of the time. These adults feel confused, guilty even about their true purpose, and on an even deeper level - who they actually are. This particular wound makes us question our instincts, by not listening to our gut feelings / our own inner guide - and then our entire being. It destroys our self-confidence, eventually leading us to sometimes abandoning our own Inner Child, to varying degrees. As children when our wings are clipped we can’t fly, so it’s kind of hard to get off the ground to fully take flight to discover who we are. This episode is not about blame, but how to heal to WIC once we’ve recognised the pattern in ourselves. Hāweatea Bryson is a Māori healing practitioner, Psychotherapist, Nature-based therapist, and Rite of Passage guide. Committed to the resurgence of rites of passage, she co-leads global trainings in rites of passage and eco-therapy. She is the founder of Nature Knows, specializing in trauma, transition, and transformation. This includes early childhood or adult trauma, existential crisis, spiritual emergency, family and relationship counseling. Ngāi Tahu & Waitaha are her tribes. www.natureknows.co IG: @nature_knows

Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and direct your attention to your neck area, especially around the base of your throat. How does it feel? Does it feel like there’s something stuck in there? Or is it swollen or painful? So now imagine speaking your truth, an absolute free- flow of your self- expression. Expression without fear is liberating, right? And a bit scary too, for sure. So does expressing our truth need always to be verbal, as in the spoken word? Do we have to get it off our chest! It seems not… Vishuddha, the Sanskrit word for ‘pure’- here is referring to the Throat Chakra - the 5th of 7 chakras in an ancient Hindu system. It’s function - I speak. It’s of course so relevant to this podcast Toxic Silence - as the throat chakra is the gateway for clear and truthful communication. It demands we stay true to oneself, to articulate thoughts and feelings with honesty, authenticity and integrity. It represents expression of our truth without fear of judgment or punishment. When it’s out of whack however, it can show up as throat and neck-related problems and blocked creativity. Gossiping - yep, another huge imbalance in this chakra. So let’s dive in and discover more about the Gateway for Authentic Communication - with Kinesiologist and Transformational Coach Joanne Farrell. After over 2 decades working as a solicitor specialising in medical law, she quit the law to answer her call to help others discover why they were getting sick in the first place, and to guide them to their own True North, to help them improve their lives from the inside out. She is a committed seeker and has spent decades training with energy healers, masters, and shamans around the globe. Joanne practises from her hometown of Byron Bay, in person and on-line; and also at many retreats internationally. Joanne has kindly shared with us a pdf of the chakras, so please enjoy. Visit Joanne: The 7 Chakras | http://www.joanne-farrell.com/

The interaction between the mind and body was first put forward in the west about 500 years ago by the French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes. Descartes believed that the mind was non-physical and permeated the entire body - interacting via the pineal gland, (also known as the ‘third eye’). And indeed we now know that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is stimulated via the Vagus Nerve through its different fibres, kind of like octopii tentacles- to release cortisol by the adrenal glands. Um… this last piece of information has already sent my mind into a new place of wonder and a thousand questions - so imagine how we’re all going to be feeling after an hour with Dr. Camilla? The pineal gland/ third eye bursting wide open I imagine. Vagus is the latin word for wandering, due to its meandering nature, as it travels from the brainstem down to the abdomen, reaching into most of the body, including our throat, lungs, heart, stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, and gut (both the large and small intestines), and is the largest organ in the body’s autonomic nervous system. It has also been described as the Home of the Soul, or SOUL NERVE. My guest today Dr Camilla Cameron is the only Japanese Acupuncturist in Australia who is also trained in non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation. Dr. Camilla is the founding Director of Happy Healthy Clinic, an allied health clinic based in Brisbane. She has 23 years experience as a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, coupled with 6 years expertise in vagus nerve stimulation. With a remarkable track record, Camilla has administered over 30,000 Japanese Acupuncture treatments and 9,000 Vagus Nerve Stimulation Treatments. Camilla truly believes VNS is the missing link in many patients’ health recovery. VNS has become her ultimate passion, and has developed a comprehensive at-home VNS system, which has been utilised by over 500 patients worldwide. Camilla is one of Australia's most experienced & respected natural Women's Health experts. Visit Dr Camilla's website: happyhealthyclinic.com.au/vns-home-program/ Click here for the Toxic Silence playlist.