🎙️ Episode 6 — Trauma and Relationships and their connection to mental health with Chris McLaren

In this incredibly vulnerable and essential episode of the ReeThink Podcast, host Rudi Adigbli speaks with his friend and guest, Chris McLaren, about his personal journey to overcome Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) and find sustainable mental health. Chris, a PhD in mechanical engineering and neurofeedback trainer, tried everything from talk therapy and psychedelics to hyperbaric chambers and ancient traditions.

This episode delves into the scientific and personal truth that unresolved trauma is stored physiologically, not just mentally, and explores the most effective Embodied Healing Modalities available today.

We explore:

• The Survival Trap: How a child's survival strategy (sacrificing authenticity for connection) becomes the adult pattern of depression and lack of self-connection.
  
• The Power of Release: Why traditional talk therapy fails to change patterns, and why movement, breathwork, and emotional release are required to resolve trauma stored in the Central Nervous System (CNS).
  
• The Healing Levers: A candid ranking of modalities, including Psychedelics, Hyperbaric Oxygenation, and the life-changing impact of Radical Honesty in transforming relationships and emotions.
  
• The Vagus Nerve Connection: The role of the Vagus Nerve in stress regulation and its potential as the key lever for mastering your body and mind.
  

This is a vital guide for anyone seeking to move beyond cognitive awareness to genuine physiological and emotional healing.

[00:00] Introduction & Chris's Dual Background (Engineering to Shamanism)

[02:51] The First Clue: Why Relationships Failed & The Unaware Suffering

[07:32] Trauma as a Weight: General Discomfort and Physical Ailments

[11:14] Gabor Maté’s Theory: Sacrificing Authenticity for Parental Connection

[15:23] Depression as Suppression: Pushing Down Feelings

[21:37] Ranking the Modalities: High-Tech vs. Ancient Traditions

[28:50] Tantra: Exposure and Real-Time Pattern Awareness

[32:36] Radical Honesty: The Tool That Releases Stuck Energy

[40:20] Healing in Connection: The Crucial Role of Relationships

[42:10] The Man Circle: Support, Vulnerability, and Healing Among Men

[53:13] Final Ranking & Advice for Starting the Healing Journey

Join the Journey:

👉 Read the full episode summary on my Substack: [Substack]

👉 Join The ReeShaper Circle to connect with others shaping the neurotech industry: [ReeShaper Circle]

#TraumaHealing #VagusNerve #MentalHealth #Neuroscience #EmbodiedTherapy #RadicalHonesty #Hyperbaric #Psychedelics #DigitalWellness #ACEs #CNS #ReeThink