— Welcome to A quest Of Well-Being podcast where we explore the intricate connections between our minds, bodies, and the food we eat. In today's episode, we're diving into the transformative insights from Galina Denzel's powerful book, Peace with Self, Peace with Food: A Trauma Healing Approach for Emotional Eating.

If you've ever found yourself reaching for food during moments of stress or emotional turmoil, you're not alone. Emotional eating is a common struggle for many, often stemming from unresolved traumas. That's why we're here to discuss how identifying these patterns is the first step toward healing.

Galina Denzel emphasizes the importance of self-compassion on our journey to overcoming emotional eating. She guides us through mindfulness practices to help recognize our triggers and cultivate a more conscious relationship with food.

We'll also explore practical trauma healing techniques that Denzel presents, aimed at fostering a supportive environment for personal growth. With the right tools and awareness, we can create lasting change and find peace within ourselves—both mentally and physically.

So grab your favorite cup of tea, settle in, and join us as we unpack the wisdom of Peace with Self, Peace with Food and discover how to nourish our bodies and souls.

Valeria interviews Galina Denzel — She is the author of "Peace with Self, Peace with Food: A Trauma Healing Approach for Emotional Eating."

Galina is also the creator of the Peace with Food Transformation Group method, an intensive small group program that helps people resolve emotional eating by working directly with the body and the nervous system imprints from the past.

For 25 years, Galina battled her own complex relationship with food, trying every diet, nutrition plan, and therapeutic approach available - nothing worked. It wasn't until her training as a somatic practitioner working with trauma that she experienced an unexpected shift. Through learning to care for her nervous system, her decades-long food struggles dissolved. This led her to create a method that addresses the neurobiological roots of emotional eating rather than just the behaviors on the surface.

As a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), NeuroAffective Relational Model Practitioner (NARM-P), and Somatic Practice Practitioner, Galina combines somatic exploration, movement, breath, art, and the power of human connection to help people come home to themselves.

Based in Colorado, Galina teaches workshops, leads small transformation groups and retreats, and has worked with thousands of students worldwide. Her approach is grounded in compassion, neuroscience, and the deep belief that our bodies already know how to heal - they just need the right support.

To learn more about Galina Denzel and her work, please visit: https://purebelonging.com/

— The richest aspects of the journey aren't the big spiritual experiences. They're where the mystery meets each moment of our daily lives. Experiencing deep healing and insight there doesn't require practicing harder or longer. It just requires that we prioritize presence. Our practice comes alive when we prioritize presence above the deeply ingrained urges to self-protect. As each fear challenges us, we reassure ourselves that even if (or when) it came to pass, it could never take our connection to life itself. We will always have a home in awareness. No one and nothing can take that truth. In this way, we can grieve our worst-case scenarios now. We can soothe our gravest insecurities. And then live the day we already had planned to live—or the one we dream of—but from this fearless and connected place.

Valeria interviews Justin Michelson — He is the author of "Path to Peace: Healing from Stress, Pain, and Trauma."

Justin Michelson is a meditation teacher, author, and wilderness guide. Through his root teacher Rodney Smith, and Rodney's teacher Ajahn Buddhadasa, Justin carries on the lineage of the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism. His unique style blends nature-based practice, emotional healing, and traditional Dharma teachings. He currently lives with his partner outside of Eugene, Oregon in a rural intentional community where, in addition to teaching and writing, he owns and operates Native Foods Nursery, a native edible plant nursery.

To learn more about Justin Michelson and his work, please visit: https://www.justinmichelsondharma.com/

— This episode explores the transformative journey of embodiment and nondual realization. These practices, when integrated into daily life, foster a deeper sense of wholeness and oneness. The journey is continuous, with senses becoming more refined, love and compassion more accessible, and the body finding greater balance and relaxation. Challenges like pain and emotional turbulence are natural, but resilience grows, enabling a return to comfort and safety. Embodiment is a gradual process, requiring consistent, mindful practice. This personal journey involves exploring inner depths and attuning to the surrounding world. It emphasizes that each individual is their own teacher, encouraged to approach the process with gentleness, patience, and love.

Valeria interviews Judith Blackstone, PhD — She is the is the founder of the Realization Process, a method of embodied psychological and relational healing and nondual spiritual awakening.

Judith teaches workshops and teacher certification trainings world-wide and online. She was a psychotherapist in private practice for thirty-five years and before that, a professional dancer. The Realization Process includes practices for stabilizing in nondual realization, as well as a method of recovering from trauma called Healing Ground, and a method of embodied movement called Stillness Moving. She is the author of several books, including Trauma and the Unbound Body: the Healing Power of Fundamental Consciousness, The Fullness of the Ground: A Guide to Embodied Spiritual Awakening; The Enlightenment Process, and Belonging Here: a Guide for the Spiritually Sensitive Person. Her latest book is The Embodiment Workbook for Women: Feel Centered, Grounded and More Fully Alive.

To learn more about and her work, please visit: https://realizationprocess.org/