The Brain & Body Podcast with Allegra Foxlie

Welcome to the Brain and Body Podcast, where we discuss a holistic approach to healing and health.  I'm Allegra Foxlie. I'm a trauma-informed body worker. I help people recover from post-traumatic stress disorder and a variety of other psychophysical conditions by getting them to connect to their bodies through conscious and subconscious movement.  I'm also the author of HTR Hormone Tension Release, which is a book I wrote to help women regulate their hormones and get back to optimal health. Dr. Candace Pert, PhD famously once said, "your body is your subconscious mind",  for true healing and optimal health to happen, it's vital we see the brain, body, and soul as a unit.  I don't like the term mental health, by its very nature, it disembodies us, separating the mind from the body, which is exactly what trauma does.  The brain controls the body, but the state of your body can have a positive or negative impact on brain health function and behaviour.  Obviously, my background is the body. Putting the body first is possibly the easiest and most empowering thing a person can do. However, we need to work on the brain and soul, and this can involve a number of different healing therapies from the East and West, technologies,  naturopathy, pharmacology, lifestyle adaptations, et cetera. So what can you expect from this podcast? This podcast will feature leading experts and authors from different healing domains, as well as friends, clients, and people who suffer from the specific condition we're discussing.  We will talk about the interconnection between biology, psychology, and socioenvironmental factors that can and do impact the brain and body. We're going to delve deep into a topic. Let's use post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD as an example.  This is a huge subject, so will involve multiple episodes on all aspects related to it.  The aim is to give you a solid overview where you'll be able to understand the causes, its impact on the brain, the body, et cetera, giving you information on how it's typically diagnosed, the relevant questions to ask your medical doctor, psychiatrist, et cetera, the different treatments available, offering different perspectives on the subject matter, ranging from ancient Eastern wisdom to Western neurophysiology, and traumatology, which will hopefully give you a supermodel for healing and or managing the condition. It needs to be noted that if you are currently suffering from any unwanted symptoms, I recommend getting a diagnosis from a qualified medical doctor in the first instance.  I cannot take responsibility for any adverse effects you may experience from trying a treatment that is discussed in any of the topics on this show. I cannot be held responsible for your health. It is your responsibility to heal and to take ownership of your healing. Please do comment against this introduction and suggest topics you'd like to learn about as well as potential guests you'd like me to invite on the show.  You may well have questions regarding each episode, so please do ask them in the comment section against the specific show. Your feedback is invaluable and all comments slash questions will be read, taken into account, and hopefully answered. Finally, I have a massive favour to ask. Please, would you like and subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube? It would be amazing if you would recommend and share this podcast with anyone who you feel will benefit from listening to it.  By doing so, I'll be able to grow the show, get the right guests on board, and make it even better. If you want to follow me on social media, I tend to post the most on my Instagram account. My username is @allegrafoxlie, so feel free to follow me on it. Thank you for listening, and thank you for your support. 

This episode details what you can expect to hear in future episodes of this podcast. Essentially, this podcast will feature leading experts, and authors from different healing domains, as well as friends, clients and people who suffer from the specific condition we’re discussing. We will talk about the interconnection between biology, psychology and socioenvironmental factors that can and do impact the brain and body. We’re going to delve deep into a topic. Using post-tra...

In this episode, I’m going to give you an overview touching upon physiology, some sex-based cognitive differences between the male and female brains, and how our genes and our environment play a fundamental role in developing our neurobiology, brain function, emotions, personality, perception, beliefs and behaviour. I talk about how beliefs, perception and what we think, have the power to change our physiology, affecting our physical health for better or worse. I detail the brain’...

This podcast episode brings together insights on how Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) can address birth trauma, facilitate emotional and physical healing, and potentially improve childbirth experiences. Host Allegra, is a trauma-informed body worker, and her guest Richmond Heath, Head of TRE Australia, discuss the broad impacts of birth trauma on babies, parents, and healthcare professionals, highlighting both physiological and behavioral consequences. The conversation explores Ri...

In this podcast episode, Allegra, a trauma-informed bodyworker, discusses the connections between trauma, the nervous system, and various disorders including PTSD and PMDD. She and Dr. Ghazala Azizi-Scott, Clinical Director at the Marion Gluck Clinic, delve into the complexities of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) including its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment approaches. They highlight the importance of addressing underlying causes, such as hormone imbalances and trauma, through inte...

In this episode, trauma-informed body worker Allegra and Victoria Hardy, known as Ginge Unhinged, explore the intricate links between trauma, chronic pain conditions like endometriosis and adenomyosis, and menopause. Allegra shares perspectives from her book 'HTR: Hormone Tension Release' and emphasizes the impact of adverse childhood experiences on women's health. Victoria recounts her personal journey with surgical menopause, discussing early medical interventions, chronic pai...

Exploring ADHD, Nutrition, and Neurodevelopment: An Interview with Dr. Rachel V. Gow In this episode, Dr. Rachel V. Gow, a distinguished neuroscientist and neuropsychologist and the author of the highly acclaimed book “Smart Foods for ADHD and Brain Health", discusses her extensive research and personal journey focusing on the impact of nutrition on brain development and behaviour. Dr. Gow shares her experiences as a mother to a child with ADHD, her groundbreaking work on how diet influence...

This is Part 1 of Understanding Narcissism between Allegra Foxlie, a trauma-informed bodyworker, and Elizabeth Shaw, the author of "A Narcissist Handbook" and many other books on narcissism, to discuss the impacts of emotional abuse and narcissistic behaviour on mental and physical well-being. This is a must for anyone who believes they or their friends are being abused. Elizabeth Shaw explains the nature of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and differentiates it from general narcissistic t...

In this episode, Allegra, a trauma-informed bodyworker, speaks with Briony Davies, a passionate mental health advocate who has lived with bipolar disorder since 2013. Briony, who transformed her personal experiences into a source of strength and empowerment, discusses the complexities of bipolar disorder, including its different types, the challenges in getting an accurate diagnosis, and the disorder's intersection with neurodivergence and trauma. The conversation covers th...

Allegra, a trauma-informed bodyworker, hosts Mark Walsh, a pioneer in embodiment and trauma recovery, on her podcast. They discuss the alarming suicide rates among men under 40 in the UK, and Mark's innovative approaches to addressing this issue. Mark shares his experiences, including his work in war zones and his development of the "Feral Philosophy" to help young men with their mental and physical health. Mark's latest Book: The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques eBook Mark's company: ...

In this episode, Allegra Foxlie, a trauma-informed bodyworker, speaks with Dr. Hector Rodriguez, a psychiatrist based in Miami who specializes in analyzing SPECT scans to understand the unique brain patterns associated with trauma and mental health conditions. Dr. Rodriguez, who previously worked as a fashion photographer, discusses his journey into psychiatry and his current work with Dr. Daniel Amen, a pioneer in brain health and imaging. The conversation covers several key areas: 1. ...