Healing Happens in Order — Safety Comes First

If you’ve been trying to heal — doing all the tests, chasing protocols, supplementing diligently — and yet feel stuck, reactive, or like nothing is working, you’re not imagining it. Your body is responding exactly as it should: with survival, not repair. The missing piece? Safety.

Most healing approaches assume: “Do the right thing hard enough, and the body will follow.” But biology doesn’t work that way. Healing unfolds in an order dictated by the nervous system — by safety — not by protocol intensity.

Here’s how it really happens:

1. Safety First

Before you detox, supplement, or chase labs, the nervous system has to feel secure.

This isn’t just a feeling — it’s biological. When the peripheral nervous system is flooded from chronic stress, too many interventions, or trying to “do everything at once,” the body shifts into hypervigilance. Digestion stalls, absorption falters, blood sugar swings, and even “good” interventions feel like a...

I’ve been sitting with something that feels important to name, because I don’t think most people realize what they’ve actually been missing — or why so many of us have felt stuck, hesitant, or quietly exhausted on our healing journeys.

For a long time, I thought I was the problem. I wanted support. I sought it out. I read the books, learned the language, followed the advice. And yet, again and again, I couldn’t bring myself to fully step into the help that was offered. Something in me stayed braced. Watching. Calculating. Holding back.

It wasn’t a lack of commitment.

It wasn’t laziness.

And it wasn’t an unwillingness to do the work.

It was discernment in a body that didn’t have the capacity to tolerate one more experience of being rushed, overridden, or asked to perform wellness.

It was because the support itself didn’t feel safe enough to enter.

Most wellness and healing models assume a level of capacity that many people simply don’t have — especially after years of stress, env...

Why the word/term “dysregulated” isn’t helping anymore

I want to name something gently, because language matters — especially in healing spaces.

The word “dysregulated” is starting to lose its usefulness.

It’s become a blunt instrument.

A catch-all.

A label people try to fit themselves into — often at the expense of nuance, context, and dignity.

At this point, “dysregulated” is being used to mean:

-stressed

-tired

-overwhelmed

-reactive

-burned out

-traumatized

-behind

-“not healed enough”

That’s… almost everyone.

When a word means everything, it ends up meaning nothing.

And worse — it can quietly turn into a judgment.

I see people scanning themselves constantly:

→ Am I dysregulated right now?

→ Is this a sign I’m not healed?

→ What do I need to fix next?

That question alone can put the nervous system into more stress.

Here’s what I want to offer instead:

Most people aren’t “broken".

[Another problematic over-used term, but we'll address that one in a minute].

A...

Healing isn’t always a straight line. Many of us have moved through acute crises, exhaustion, or illness, only to find ourselves in a quieter, less obvious phase — functional but not fully restored. This is what I call the Slow Rebuild Phase, and it’s one of the most important, yet least talked-about stages of recovery.

Listen to the full episode:

• Spotify 

• Apple Podcasts 

• YouTube
  
  

During this phase, your body is doing two things at once: repairing and protecting. Your cells, gut, hormones, and nervous system are recalibrating after prolonged stress or survival-mode living. Even if you can work, move, and care for others, there’s a subtle hum under the surface — micro-flares, fatigue, digestive irregularities, emotional sensitivity — signaling your system is still cautious.

Why this phase feels confusing
Many people think that feeling “better but not fully better” is a sign of failure. In reality:

• Your metabolism is pacing itself, conserving energy for repair.

...

HairTissue Mineral Analysis Case Study: Uncovering Hidden Vagus Nerve Patterns

In this detailed case study demonstration, I analyze how specific mineral patterns revealed through hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) directly impact vagus nerve function and can explain persistent, complex health challenges that don't respond to standard protocols.

What You'll Discover in This Video:

I walk through a real client case showing the connection between mineral imbalances and chronic symptoms, particularly focusing on:

- How a "Fast Four" pattern (depleted calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium) creates a sympathetic dominant state that undermines vagus nerve function

- The critical relationship between copper metabolism, molybdenum, and proper neurotransmitter signaling

- Why elevated sulfur-to-copper ratios can significantly impair detoxification after mold exposure

- The direct correlation between mineral imbalances and menstrual cycle irregularities

- How tracking speci...

The Vagus Nerve Connection: Beyond Simple Exercises

Highlights from my latest podcast episode exploring the functional approach to vagus nerve health

*Listen to the episode on the Rewilded Wellness podcast, available on: 

iTunes HERE 
Spotify HERE
On YouTube HERE 

While there's a lot of buzz about vagus nerve exercises lately - from cold plunges to humming - this podcast episode explores a deeper perspective. What if those simple exercises are only scratching the surface? What if your mineral patterns, gut dysbiosis, mold exposure, or even physical misalignments are blocking your vagal function?

Let's dive into the functional testing approaches that can reveal why your vagus nerve might be struggling, and what you can do about it.

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis: The Mineral Connection

Your vagus nerve functions like your body's electrical system, and minerals are the conductors. Here's what we look for on an HTMA:

- Calcium/Magnesium Ratio: When calcium dominates excessively ov...

Episode #224: Minerals & Your Nervous System [+last episode of A JOY TO BE ME]

Listen on iTunes HERE
Listen on Spotify HERE
YouTube HERE

Rewilded Wellness: A New Chapter in Health and Healing

Welcome, to what marks both an end and a beginning. This is my final episode of "A Joy To Be Me", I will be transitioning to a new name and a renewed focus: "Rewilded Wellness."

A Journey Through Time and Transformation

It feels like a lifetime ago when I launched "A Joy To Be Me" in February 2020, just before the world changed with COVID-19 lockdowns. For those who've been with me since my first podcast, "The Vibrant Health Podcast," you know this journey has been years in the making.

The past five years have been transformative, leading me to pivot and stake my claim in a new territory of wellness. Two years ago, with episode 160, "The fundamentals for human health are so sexy," I began shifting the podcast's direction. Now, I'm fully embracing this evolution with the new name, "Rewilded ...