The Science of Feeling Safe: Gentle Practices to Regulate Chronic Stress with Ann Diment

"We are the experts in our well-being and our own bodies, and it's important for us to advocate for ourselves. We're not defined by our past. Our past is gone. It's in the past, and the beliefs we formed about ourselves based on what we've been told by other people or experienced in the past aren't necessarily true." —Ann Diment Some seasons of life push us past our limits, and the body keeps score long before we understand why. Many of us try to outwork the chaos, yet the real shift begins when we finally question the version of resilience we were taught to admire. There is a quieter kind of strength that lets us breathe again and rebuild without losing ourselves. Anne Diment learned this after years in science, health and safety, caregiving, chronic burnout, and a late ADHD diagnosis that reframed her entire story. Her work now blends coaching, EFT tapping, and creative practices to help people unlearn survival mode and create space for healing that feels humane and sustainable. Press play for a grounded conversation that meets our whole humanity, not just our symptoms. In this episode, we explore: • burnout that hides in plain sight • late diagnosis and the emotional impact of reframing a lifetime • ADHD, menopause, and the biology that shapes daily capacity • creative practices that regulate the nervous system • EFT tapping for stress, hypervigilance, and chronic pain • safety, acceptance, and the beliefs that keep us stuck • the pressure of productivity and the truth about energy budgeting • purpose, identity, and the healing power of creative community Connect with Donna: Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedonnapiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper Episode Highlights: 03:08 Meet Ann: An Unexpected Career Pivot 09:19 Ne Burnout, Inequities in Healthcare, and the ADHD Discovery 14:57 How EFT Tapping Works 23:43 Medical Gaslighting and Weight-Centric Bias in Healthcare 31:00 How Stress Quietly Destroys Health- Global Research Insights 37:35 Energy Budgeting and the Invisible Load of Neurodivergent Households 47:45 Purpose, Identity, and Chronic Illness 55:49 Turning the Tables on Burnout Resources: Get Ann's bestselling book 'Turning the Tables on Burnout": https://worksafeandwell.co.uk/turning-the-tables-on-burnout-book/ Redefine resilience, create calm, and beat burnout: https://www.resilience-rebel.com/ Want to talk about how Ann can support you? Book a Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/3wrxrRJIh7CAVnPq7Tc3 All of Ann's Creative links: https://linktr.ee/anndimentartist Buy Art Card and Prints: https://lovefromtheartist.com/Artists/glastonbury/ann-diment Listen to the Creating Resilience Podcast: https://anchor.fm/ann-diment-changemaker Podcast guests can apply at: https://forms.gle/Ec72aQ7wKFs8LWac6 X: Burnout isn't a personal failure—it's your body asking for a softer way forward. Listen in as Donna and Turning the Tables on Burnout author, Ann Diment, unpack safety, acceptance, menopause, ADHD, and the healing power of creativity. #DearBodyImListening #MCAS #Lymphedema #Lipedema #ChronicIllness #ResilienceReDefined #EFTTapping #MentalHealthMatters #BurnoutRecovery #NervousSystemHealing #TraumaInformedLiving #NeurodivergentWomen #HealingJourney #ADHDWomen #MenopauseSupport Quotes: 05:53 "I thought, I'm done— I'm done with the hustle, done with the traveling, the stress." —Ann Diment 06:45 "I could see the benefits of expressing yourself through the creative arts—music, arts, poetry, dance—all these things that help people regulate themselves and express themselves in a safe way." —Ann Diment 11:30 "Our sense of safety can fool us, because you might feel safe, but that could be codependency, and that isn't really healthy." —Ann Diment 12:00 "The damage caused by adverse childhood experiences, trauma can reduce your life expectancy by about 20 years because of this toxic stress that manifests in your body." —Ann Diment 12:37 "I didn't realize that I was in that hyper-vigilant state from a very young age. So to keep myself safe, before I was aware all this, there'd be people pleasing, there'd be avoidance of conflict, there'd be putting your own needs last— that is a tick box for a burnout." —Ann Diment 18:39 "I do come from a prevalence that everything my body does, even though it has all these things I don't always want, is doing everything to protect me. We create safety to survive." —Donna Piper 26:08 "There is no medical research on specifically women and girls until 2017— that's eight years ago, so all the DSM diagnostic criteria are based on men and boys." —Ann Diment 32:16 "Stress kills around three-quarters of a million people globally, which means that lost years of quality living are due to chronic illness...