What if your emotions were not the problem, but the pathway to healing?

In this powerful conversation, Melissa sits down with licensed psychologist and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist Dr. Audrey Davidheiser to explore how trauma healing, faith, and emotional health are deeply connected.

Dr. Audrey breaks down Internal Family Systems in a simple, accessible way, explaining how we all have "parts" within us and why that does not mean we are broken. She shares how the IFS concept of the Self aligns with a Christian understanding of God-given wisdom, calm, compassion, and healing power that remains untouched by trauma.

Together, Melissa and Dr. Audrey discuss:

• Why emotions are not your enemy and what happens when you suppress them

• How trauma survivors often stay stuck in their head and avoid deeper healing

• The role of protector parts, nervous system regulation, and somatic awareness

• Common misconceptions about IFS, therapy, and faith-based healing

• How IFS can support grief, religious trauma, and emotional healing

• Practical ways to begin listening to your emotions with curiosity instead of judgment

This episode is especially for women who feel overwhelmed, disconnected from their emotions, or unsure how faith and therapy can work together. If you have ever felt like you were "too much," "too sensitive," or broken, this conversation will remind you that healing is already built into how God designed you.

Mind-Body Healing Workshop: https://holistichealthbymelissa.com/MindBodyHealingWorkshop
Interested in working with me? https://holistichealthbymelissa.com/discovery-information-form

Connect with Dr Audrey:
https://aimforbreakthrough.com
https://Facebook.com/DrAudreyD
https://www.instagram.com/draudreyd/
https://draudreyd.substack.com/
Buy her book- Grieving Wholeheartedly: Bringing Healing to Every Part of Your Soul https://amzn.to/46gPdd8

What happens inside your body when you witness violence, even if it did not happen to you?

In this solo episode, Melissa breaks down trauma in a deeply personal and educational way after being unexpectedly triggered by graphic footage of the Bondi Beach shooting. Drawing from her own experience surviving a school shooting at age 15 and over 20 years of trauma and somatic work, she explains why exposure to violence through our phones can activate the nervous system just as powerfully as real-life danger.

You will learn why trauma is not the event itself but what happens inside your body as a result of the event, how past experiences and nervous system capacity shape your response, and why chronic exposure to distressing content fuels anxiety, inflammation, and physical symptoms. Melissa also explains the mind-body connection in trauma healing and why regulation is not a destination but a practice you return to again and again.

This episode includes a short somatic breathing and body-based practice to help you begin regulating your nervous system in real time.

If you struggle with anxiety, trauma responses, emotional overwhelm, or chronic stress and symptoms, this episode will help you understand your body with more compassion and give you tools to support healing.

If you want to join the 3-day Mind-Body Healing Workshop, sign up here: https://holistichealthbymelissa.com/MindBodyHealingWorkshop

Want to join The Freedom Collective group program or 1:1 Rooted-Rewired-Restored? Submit your application here: https://holistichealthbymelissa.com/discovery-information-form

Follow me on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/holistichealthbymelissa/
https://www.facebook.com/HolisticNurseMelissa

Welcome back to Holistic Health with Melissa, where faith, science, and whole-person healing come together for women ready to step out of survival mode and into the freedom Jesus intended.

Today, I'm joined by the incredible Tina Smith — licensed social worker, psychotherapist, certified EMDR therapist and consultant, author, and founder of both a thriving counseling practice and a nonprofit providing subsidized long-term care. Tina is also the heart behind Sword and Grace, a coaching space helping women leaders reclaim their voice, heal old wounds, and stand strong in their calling.

In this powerful conversation, we unpack:

• how neuroscience affirms scripture and reveals God's design for healing
• the truth about EMDR and why it is not New Age, witchcraft, or hypnosis
• why trauma gets stored in the nervous system and how the body holds the score
• the misconception that "just pray harder" is the solution to trauma
• why Christians often fear somatic work and how understanding the body actually deepens faith
• how God uses relationship, safety, and connection as part of the healing process
• the shame Christians carry when healing doesn't come the way they expected
• practical ways to understand triggers, stress responses, and God's design for emotional restoration

If you've ever wondered how faith fits with trauma therapy, EMDR, the nervous system, or somatic healing, this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

You were created to heal — and today's conversation will show you how.

To connect with Tina:
Coaching for Women at www.swordandgrace.org
Purchase Book at https://a.co/d/2LbEkZ7

To join the next free 3-day Mind-Body Healing Workshop: https://holistichealthbymelissa.com/MindBodyHealingWorkshop

Ready to heal anxiety using science, scripture, and somatic work — without pills or protocols? Apply for a free clarity call: https://holistichealthbymelissa.com/discovery-information-form