Humans Are Dope | Mental Health, Trauma Healing & Personal Growth
Deana Panza | Licensed Therapist & Mental Health Coach
39 episodes
8 months ago
Most of us move through life reacting—stressed, overwhelmed, and disconnected—without ever realizing why. But what if the key to feeling more grounded, resilient, and in control isn’t about “doing more” but about understanding how your nervous system actually works? In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and powerhouse educator, Danielle Brunson. With decades of experience in education, wellness, and trauma-informed practices, she’s on a mission to bring real, accessible healing ...
All content for Humans Are Dope | Mental Health, Trauma Healing & Personal Growth is the property of Deana Panza | Licensed Therapist & Mental Health Coach and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Most of us move through life reacting—stressed, overwhelmed, and disconnected—without ever realizing why. But what if the key to feeling more grounded, resilient, and in control isn’t about “doing more” but about understanding how your nervous system actually works? In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and powerhouse educator, Danielle Brunson. With decades of experience in education, wellness, and trauma-informed practices, she’s on a mission to bring real, accessible healing ...
Most of us move through life reacting—stressed, overwhelmed, and disconnected—without ever realizing why. But what if the key to feeling more grounded, resilient, and in control isn’t about “doing more” but about understanding how your nervous system actually works? In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and powerhouse educator, Danielle Brunson. With decades of experience in education, wellness, and trauma-informed practices, she’s on a mission to bring real, accessible healing ...
What does it take to truly tune into yourself and trust your inner voice? In this episode, I sit down with Katie Leasor—a certified yoga therapist, sound healing practitioner in training, and former college athlete turned mindfulness advocate. We dive into the transformative power of slowing down, reconnecting with your body, and embracing the healing journey that begins within.Katie opens up about her personal story of overcoming emotional challenges, finding inner peace, and transformi...
Ever feel your blood pressure rise when plans suddenly change? You're not alone. I’d like to share a personal story about my own frustration when my carefully planned Friday night got completely derailed. This seemingly simple situation allows us to explore why last-minute changes can trigger such intense emotions, and what your response to uncertainty might be telling you about your nervous system.We’ll also cover how our need for consistency runs far deeper than we realize. Whethe...
How often do you let the world see the real you? Let’s revist the very first episode of Humans Are Dope—the one where I wrestled with my own vulnerability and authenticity. Together, we’ll dive into what it means to truly embrace who you are, even when society’s expectations or self-doubt make it feel impossible. I’ll share personal stories, insights from my journey as a therapist, and the profound realization that the path to self-compassion and growth starts with showing up as your im...
Ever felt like breaking cycles in your family feels impossible? Or wondered how trauma impacts the way you show up as a parent? In this replay of our most-played episode of the year, I sat down with Amber Trejo—a licensed marriage and family therapist and trauma specialist—to explore the beautiful, messy, and transformative journey of cycle-breaking. Amber opens up about her own experiences with complex childhood trauma, how she discovered somatic healing, and how her parenting jour...
Have you ever wondered how to truly connect with your authentic self and understand the different parts of your inner world? Let’s dive into the concept of Self-energy through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. In this episode, I break down the eight critical characteristics of Self-energy - and explore how these elements help us differentiate between our authentic self and the protective parts that developed as survival mechanisms.Throughout the episode, I provide practi...
TW: Mention of suicideThis week, I sat down with Elyce Mandich, a licensed therapist who turned her experience of losing her mother to suicide at age ten into a powerful mission of healing and connection. We dive into the complex landscape of grief, mental health, and the importance of creating spaces where difficult conversations can happen. Elyce shares her journey from child welfare to private practice, revealing how personal experiences can shape our professional paths and our understandi...
Have you ever felt like healing is a solitary journey that you have to navigate alone?Join me in this episode as I dive deep into the transformative power of healing in community. Drawing from scientific research and personal experiences, I explore how our fundamental human need for connection can amplify our healing process. I share insights from the "audience effect" - a fascinating scientific phenomenon that demonstrates how our experiences become more powerful when shared with others of o...
Curious how creativity and play can be powerful tools in healing childhood trauma? In this deeply intimate conversation, therapist Megan Walsh and I dive into understanding our inner child, breaking generational cycles, and embracing imperfection. Through her personal story of discovering music therapy and her professional insights, Megan shares how creative expression can unlock healing in ways traditional therapy sometimes cannot.Megan is a holistic trauma therapist and coach with expe...
Are you dreading the upcoming holiday season due to family drama, social obligations, and high expectations? In this episode, we explore strategies to help you take back control and create the holiday experience you truly desire. Learn how to set boundaries, prioritize self-care, and navigate challenging relationships - all while maintaining your sanity and joy. If you're looking to find more peace, ease, and playfulness this holiday season, this episode is a must-listen.Topics We Cover ...
Have you ever wondered how much your own emotions impact your parenting? In this episode, I sit down with Chelsea Clifton, a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in helping parents understand and manage their own emotional responses to create a healthy environment for their kids. We discuss the importance of inner child work, breaking generational cycles, and finding balance in parenting while maintaining personal boundaries.Chelsea shares advice on regulating your emot...
Have you ever stopped to question where your judgments truly come from? In this episode, I dive deep into the world of personal judgment, exploring how our primal survival instincts have transformed into modern-day mental patterns that often disconnect us from our authentic selves. I'll challenge you to examine those persistent "shoulds" and "supposed tos" that secretly dictate your life, revealing how these ingrained judgments—inherited from family, society, and personal expectatio...
How do we balance growth and self-acceptance while navigating anxiety, depression, and the constant pressure to have it all figured out? In this episode, I sit down with Gianna LaLota, LMHC a New York-based therapist and speaker, who shares her deeply personal journey through anxiety and depression during her teenage years. Despite having what looked like a "perfect life" on paper, Gianna opens up about her struggle to find ground and the transformative power of therapy, yoga, and intern...
In this conversation, I explore the complexities of people pleasing, highlighting its roots as a defense mechanism that often stems from early relational experiences. I discuss how people pleasing can inhibit connections and lead to emotional detachment in our most important relationships. The conversation emphasizes the importance of self-connection and open communication in repairing relationships and addressing emotional needs.I discuss: Where people pleasing comes from What we loose out o...
Vinny Welsby (they/them) is a fat activist and diversity, equity and inclusion leader. They are a world-leading expert on dismantling anti-fat bias and diet culture, a TEDx speaker, podcast host and best-selling author. Vinny is trans-non-binary and is dedicated to shifting how society views fat and queer bodies through education and compassion.In this conversation, I sit down with Vinnie Welsby to chat about unlearning anti-fat bias. Vinnie shares their personal journey of discovering body p...
In this conversation, I emphasize the importance of taking pauses in our daily lives and during significant life transitions. I discuss how modern society's urgency can lead to a lack of presence and connection with ourselves. By incorporating small pauses, we can enhance our emotional well-being and celebrate our achievements, allowing for a more grounded and fulfilling experience in life.I discuss: A simple way to improve quality of life. Urgency and survival mode. The importance of consis...
In this episode, we discuss the power of somatic work in finding and maintaining healthy partnerships. Lauren shares her personal journey of discovering somatic experiencing and how it transformed her relationships and overall well-being. We discuss the importance of understanding the language of the nervous system and how it can help individuals break free from patterns and create lasting change. We discuss: Lauren’s personal journey with somatically healing and breaking her patterns. S...
In this episode, I discuss the impact of chronic stress on the body, particularly its effects on the nervous system.I emphasize the importance of balancing the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and introduces a practical tool to help transition from a state of stress to relaxation.I explain how modern life often keeps us in a state of stress without allowing our bodies to process the tension and energy, leading to chronic stress and unbalanced nervous systems.I discuss: The impa...
Lauren Auer is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois and the owner of Steadfast Counseling, specializing in comprehensive trauma care. With extensive training in EMDR and certification in Brainspotting, she offers a holistic approach to healing, addressing the body, mind, and nervous system.In this conversation, Lauren shares about her work and specialization in trauma therapy, including religious trauma. She shares her journey of how she got started in trauma therapy.We disc...
This episode is must listen if you or someone you know is on a healing journey or has experienced any type of trauma.In this conversation I explore the importance of reclaiming your power of choice in your healing journey after you experience trauma.I discuss: Key factors that make something traumatic. How trauma often strips away our ability to choose. Society’s role in keeping us disconnected from ourselves in our healing. The role of experimentation and exploration in figuring out what fee...
Humans Are Dope | Mental Health, Trauma Healing & Personal Growth
Most of us move through life reacting—stressed, overwhelmed, and disconnected—without ever realizing why. But what if the key to feeling more grounded, resilient, and in control isn’t about “doing more” but about understanding how your nervous system actually works? In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and powerhouse educator, Danielle Brunson. With decades of experience in education, wellness, and trauma-informed practices, she’s on a mission to bring real, accessible healing ...
