Learn more about Body in Balance Wellness Center
Website: https://www.bodyinbalancechiropractic.com/

Have you ever thought, “I don’t feel like myself anymore”?
Maybe you feel foggy. Disconnected. Like you’re just going through the motions.

In this episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah Hahn D.C., explains why emotional numbness is not a personal failure — it’s a protective nervous system response.

Drawing on polyvagal theory, Dr. Leah Hahn D.C., walks through the three major nervous system states:

• Ventral Vagal (Safety + Connection)
• Sympathetic (Fight-or-Flight Stress Mode)
• Dorsal Vagal (Shutdown + Numbness)

You’ll learn why chronic stress, trauma, burnout, high-achiever performance culture, and long-term caretaking can push the nervous system into a dorsal vagal state — where numbness becomes a survival strategy.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why numbness is not depression — it’s nervous system conservation
• How chronic stress shifts the body from mobilization to shutdown
• The “ladder of the nervous system” explained simply
• Why numbness feels like fog, emptiness, or emotional flatness
• How unresolved trauma keeps stress physiology active
• What ventral vagal regulation actually looks like in the body
• Why the spine is the interface for nervous system states
• How Network Spinal supports nervous system reorganization

If you’ve felt disconnected from joy, relationships, or even your own emotions — this episode will help you understand what’s happening physiologically.

And more importantly:
It will give you hope.

You are not broken.
You are patterned.
And patterns can change.

Timestamps:

00:00 Feeling Numb Again

00:38 Why Numbness Happens

01:49 Signs of Shutdown

02:53 Stress Trauma Burnout

04:26 Pushing Through Costs

06:16 Numbness in Healing

07:06 Polyvagal Ladder Explained

07:45 Ventral Vagal Safety

12:07 Sponsor Break

12:47 Sympathetic Fight Flight

15:48 Dorsal Vagal Numbness

18:00 Coming Out of Numbness

18:40 Wrap Up and Invitation

Learn more about Body in Balance Wellness Center
Website: https://www.bodyinbalancechiropractic.com/

What happens when someone has done years of therapy, personal growth, and spiritual work — but still feels stuck?

In this episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah Hahn DC., sits down with Dr. Scott Hahn DC, to share the powerful healing journeys of two former clients — Chris and Katie — who both struggled with chronic stress, trauma history, anxiety, and nervous system dysregulation.

Both women had already been “doing the work.”
Both had insight.
Both were self-aware.

But something was still missing.

Through Network Spinal care, they began addressing the physical imprint of trauma stored in the spine and nervous system — the structural and neurological patterns that kept them locked in fight-or-flight.

Chris presented with:

• High anxiety and chronic stress
• A history of emotional and physical trauma
• Multiple head injuries and a reverse cervical curve
• Alcohol use as a stress coping mechanism

As her nervous system began to regulate, she:

• Reduced alcohol dependence
• Changed careers
• Deepened her relationships
• Discovered new passions
• Returned to school
• Developed greater emotional awareness and adaptability
  

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction: Overcoming the Funk

00:38 Meet Chris: A Journey from Trauma to Transformation

02:31 Chris's Healing Process: From Stress to Peace

05:02 Chris's Lifestyle Changes and New Passions

06:20 The Role of Network Care in Chris's Recovery

09:10 Sponsor Break: Body and Balance Wellness Center

09:49 Meet Katie: Another Inspiring Story of Healing

11:42 Katie's Emotional Releases and Breakthroughs

14:00 Katie's Continued Growth and Community Impact

14:48 The Bigger Mission: Mind-Body Connection and Community Health

17:04 Conclusion: Embrace Your Healing Journey

Katie’s story was equally profound. With a history of severe trauma and family mental health challenges, she felt trapped in fear, anger, and self-doubt. Even with spiritual mentorship, progress would surge — then backslide.

Within weeks of beginning care, she experienced significant emotional releases and, about a month into care, reported feeling love for the first time in her life.

As her nervous system became more adaptable, she:

• Developed grounding skills
• Improved emotional regulation
• Reduced negative thought spirals
• Created community support for other women
• Shifted from survival to purpose

If you’ve ever felt like something is still missing in your healing journey, this episode offers hope — and a reminder:

You are not broken. You are patterned. And patterns can change.

Learn more about Body in Balance Wellness Center
Website: https://www.bodyinbalancechiropractic.com/

Have you been curious about Network Spinal care, but you’re still asking yourself: Is this really for me right now?

In this episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah Hahn D.C., chiropractor and functional wellness doctor at Body in Balance Wellness Center in Golden, CO, shares five powerful signs your nervous system is ready for deeper healing.

Dr. Leah explains that readiness isn’t about having the perfect schedule, the perfect mindset, or the perfect life circumstances. Healing requires something far more important: willingness, safety, and participation.

If you’ve tried everything and nothing seems to last… if you feel stuck in stress physiology… or if deep down you sense something is missing, your body may be giving you a clear signal: it’s time to address nervous system patterning at the root.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why readiness matters more than perfection
• The #1 sign you’re ready: you’ve tried everything, but nothing lasts
• How chronic stress and trauma can keep the body stuck in survival mode
• Why “band-aid solutions” don’t create long-term nervous system healing
• What it means to crave reconnection with your body, emotions, and relationships
• How to start care (consultation, nervous system testing, and personalized plan)
  

If even one of these signs resonates, you don’t need to wait until symptoms get worse. Your body may already be telling you: you’re ready.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Network Spinal Care

00:37 Evaluating Your Readiness for Network Spinal Care

02:12 Five Signs You're Ready for Network Spinal Care

02:26 Sign 1: You've Tried Everything but Nothing Lasts

05:33 Sign 2: Feeling Stuck in Stress or Survival Mode

07:44 Sign 3: Tired of Bandaid Solutions

09:45 Sign 4: Craving Reconnection

12:42 Sign 5: Your Body is Asking for More

14:32 The Next Steps to Begin Network Spinal Care

15:48 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Learn more about Body in Balance Wellness Center
Website: https://www.bodyinbalancechiropractic.com/

Starting nervous system-based chiropractic care can feel exciting — and sometimes a little intimidating, especially if you’ve never experienced Network Spinal before.

In this solo episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah Hahn D.C., of Body in Balance Wellness Center in Golden, CO shares how to prepare your mind and body for this healing journey — not through perfection, but through presence, curiosity, and nervous system safety.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why preparation matters — and why healing is an active process
• How breath and awareness support nervous system regulation
• Why parasympathetic healing responses can feel like sleepiness, hunger, or emotion
• The importance of hydration and rest after an adjustment
• How to create calm before and after care for better integration
• Lifestyle foundations that support Network Spinal healing (nutrition, movement, omega-3s)

Timestamp:
00:00 Introduction to Nervous System-Based Care

00:41 The Importance of Preparation

01:14 Engaging Actively in the Healing Process

04:20 Understanding Individual Responses

08:01 Hydration and Rest for Optimal Healing

09:39 Creating a Calm Environment

11:38 Nutrition and Movement for Healing

13:52 Tactical Takeaways and Conclusion

If you’re beginning your healing journey and want to feel more confident, grounded, and supported, this episode is your roadmap.

Your spine does more than hold you upright. It protects your nervous system and serves as a main communication highway between your brain and the rest of your body. And in this episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah Hahn D.C., explains something most people have never been taught: your spine also plays a powerful role in how you process emotions and heal.

Dr. Leah Hahn, DC, explores how stress and emotional overwhelm can create protective muscle bracing around the spine, shaping posture and creating tension patterns over time. She connects this to the research of neuroscientist Dr. Candace Pert and the “molecules of emotion,” explaining why emotions aren’t just “in your head”—they have biochemical and muscular components that the body can store, especially around the spine.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why the spine is a nervous system communication channel (not just “posture”)
• How emotions shape posture, breath, and muscle tone
• Why stress can create long-term spinal and fascial tension patterns
• The Candace Pert connection: emotions as biochemical messengers throughout the body
• How Network Spinal supports regulation, adaptability, and emotional release
• Practical strategies to support emotional healing through the spine (posture, movement, breath, joy, epsom salt)

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the Spine's Role in Healing

00:44 Understanding the Spine and Nervous System Connection

01:30 Emotional Impact on the Spine

02:30 Trapped Emotions and Their Physical Manifestations

05:25 Healing Through Nervous System-Based Chiropractic Care

13:04 Case Study: Overcoming Chronic Issues

14:57 Practical Tips for Emotional Healing

18:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Booking your first visit can feel like a big step—especially if you’ve never experienced nervous system-based chiropractic before. In this solo episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah Hahn D.C., walks you through exactly what happens when you come to Body in Balance Wellness Center in Golden, CO—so you can feel informed, confident, and at ease.

You’ll learn what the first appointment includes (and why we typically don’t adjust on day one), what we measure in your nervous system exam, and how we create a care plan that’s personalized to your goals—without pressure, scare tactics, or confusing jargon.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to schedule your first visit + what we ask on that first call
• What happens during the consultation, history, and goal-setting conversation
• The nervous system exam: HRV, surface EMG, spinal thermography, and when X-rays may be recommended
• Why we usually don’t adjust on the first visit—and how the Report of Findings works
• What the first gentle Network Spinal session feels like (fully clothed, light contacts, no force)
• How to support your nervous system after a session and why “familiar movement” matters

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Nervous System-Based Chiropractic

00:38 Scheduling Your First Appointment

01:13 Consultation and Exam Process

02:21 Understanding the Nervous System Tests

04:25 Report of Findings and Personalized Care Plan

05:14 Beginning the Healing Process

06:55 Creating a Healing Environment

07:39 Patient Success Story

09:59 Different Types of Chiropractic Care

11:15 Tactical Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Learn more about Body in Balance Wellness Center
Website: https://www.bodyinbalancechiropractic.com/

When Pain Speaks — What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You

Sometimes the wake-up call comes as pain — the kind you can’t push through, stretch out, or numb away.

For Ellie, it started as severe lower back pain that threatened her career, her relationships, and her sense of self.

In this powerful episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah and Dr. Scott Hahn D.C. of Body in Balance Wellness Center in Golden, CO, explores how pain often signals more than just physical dysfunction — it’s the body’s way of asking for attention, safety, and truth.

Ellie’s story unfolds from physical suffering to emotional clarity. Beneath her back pain were years of unprocessed family trauma and emotional strain that her body had been carrying for decades. Through gentle, nervous system-based chiropractic care (Network Spinal), Ellie not only released tension and pain but also rebuilt her relationships and rediscovered joy in her life and work.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why chronic pain is often rooted in emotional and nervous system dysregulation
• The connection between family trauma, tension patterns, and pain
• How breath reveals safety and healing in the body
• The power of creating safety and coherence in the nervous system
• How true resilience means growing beyond pain — not returning to who you were before it

Pain doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your body is ready for transformation.

Learn more about Body in Balance Wellness Center
Website: https://www.bodyinbalancechiropractic.com/
FREE Guide [5 Simple Ways to Help Your Nervous System Feel Safe Again]: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/LejHoOM/starthealing

If you’ve ever said to yourself, “I’m so lazy — why can’t I just get it together?” stop right there.

Because chances are, you’re not lazy at all — you’re dysregulated.

In this powerful episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah Hahn D.C., of Body in Balance Wellness Center in Golden, CO, breaks down the truth behind “laziness” — and reveals how fatigue, procrastination, and emotional shutdown are often signs of a nervous system stuck in survival mode.

Dr. Hahn explains the science of freeze and dorsal vagal responses, where the body shuts down energy, digestion, and motivation in order to conserve resources and feel safe. What looks like “laziness” is actually your nervous system protecting you from overwhelm.

You’ll also learn how to gently restore regulation through breathwork, co-regulation, connection, and nervous system-based care, creating a path from burnout to balance.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why “laziness” is often a sign of chronic stress and nervous system shutdown
• How the dorsal vagal response creates fatigue and emotional numbness
• Why connection and co-regulation are essential to healing
• How gentle chiropractic and somatic care help reactivate safety in the body
• Simple daily resets to shift from survival to restoration

If you’ve ever judged yourself for being tired or unmotivated, this episode will help you see your body with compassion — and remind you that you’re not broken. You’re patterned. And patterns can change.

Learn more about Body in Balance Wellness Center
Website: https://www.bodyinbalancechiropractic.com/
FREE Guide [5 Simple Ways to Help Your Nervous System Feel Safe Again]: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/LejHoOM/starthealing