Before this training, I was the person who always rushed through courses, I just wanted to learn quickly and have them done. Not always even complete them. I even thought I could do this program in just a few days!
And what can I say? I started in November, soon 6 months ago, and I still have a few lessons to work through.
Never in my life have I experienced something this groundbreaking and transformational. Irene — you are amazing, and I’m forever grateful for having you as my teacher.
Today I know the urgent feeling of needing to have it done immediately was a signal of a dysregulated nervous system.
I came across your work when I was searching for more information about the nervous system and felt a strong calling to learn more about the vagus nerve and be able to serve my clients on a deeper level. I could never have imagined that this would give me so many answers, answers I somehow knew were out there when other “gurus” were speaking about what they knew was the truth, and I didn’t agree…(what you call spiritual bypassing and was so spot on when I heard you explain that.)
I’m a nurse, trained as a coach and run my own business and thought I had a pretty good idea of the nervous system and stress-related illness (my heart topic), but I realize it only scratched the surface.
These are my wins so far:
- I now know that the cause of my IBD (ulcerative colitis) and my burnout come from stored survival stress and that l’ve been living in a functional freeze state all my life (due to terrible events and trauma).
- The ADHD diagnosis I got after the burnout, which felt like a relief at the point, I now know comes from my childhood, alcoholic father (now sober) and yelling mother.
- I’m a more present parent for my kids, and my first priority right now is to create a more safe foundation for my daughters (10 yo and 12 yo). In their early years, when I was sick and much in the hospital, and then, a few years later burned out, I haven’t been the mother they needed. So every moment I have left with them under the same roof, I will do my best to help them heal from their traumas and build capacity for a greater future. My soon to be 4 year old grew up with me as a more conscious parent, but of course, helping him become a safe young man and supporting him in capacity building is also important for me.
- I even went to therapy once to get help to be a better mother and not judge myself for being a bad mother for being so ill. At that point I hated myself for yelling too much at my daughters and sounding exactly like my own mother, and I wanted help with that. The therapist said that I’m doing everything right and that I should continue yelling, that it will help them build resilience. I didn’t believe her, thank God.
- My home. I now understand that there’s nothing wrong with me for wanting to have things organized and tidy. And that I want to have a home that is harmonious and looks beautiful.
- My overall health. I move my body the way I feel and I eat what I want. I’ve tried so many diets (all the tips from the time when I was very ill with ulcerative colitis) and so many exercises. When I finally stopped stressing about all this, I now feel so much healthier.
- Another thing. I can enjoy wine and champagne much more these days. Before I was always afraid I would enjoy it too much so I would become an alcoholic like my father. I think that mindset even made me drink more and more irresponsibly before. Now, I can pour a glass of wine just because I want to – not because it’s been a rough day or week or because I deserve it.
- The tinnitus I’ve had come and go for a few years is now gone. I started to acknowledge it, listen to it, and not judge it…and now I haven’t heard the crackling sound for months 🙂
I’m so happy to have found you and your work Irene.
Healing & Gratitude from Finland!
Xx Sandra