How Thinking Impacts Health with Dr Christina Bjorndal, ND
Release Date: 03/13/2025
Khonmadi: Feeling the Heartbeat of Mother Earth, with Dr Ruby Gibson
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes, Produced by J’aime Rothbard. In this magical conversation, Dr. Ruby shares the launch of The Khonmadi Project, which was inspired by a dream. She has since discovered that Khonmadi is known to different indigenous cultures worldwide, as a term that relates to healing Mother Earth. Dr. Ruby also shares her personal and professional journey, which began at age 13. Learning about the emotional roots of physical pain, led her from massage therapy to somatic healing, and the creation of Somatic Archaeologyⓒ which considers the body a "walking library" of...
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Healing the Trauma of the Heart with Tiph Fedor
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. The spiritual journey and process of trauma healing are presented as aligned experiences that unfold together as we progress through healing into wholeness. This conversation begins with Tiph’s healing journey. A highly sensitive, empathetic child, growing up in a family where emotions were suppressed was a painful experience that led her to heroin addiction— described as a "magic bullet," it numbed Tiph’s emotions but made her life a ‘grim’ period of survival. She goes on to share how she overcame her addiction, and the...
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Finding Chronic Pain Relief in Parts Work with Terry Baranski
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Compassionate Inquiry® (CI) both aim to reconnect individuals with their core Self. Learn how understanding parts' reality' roles, and feeling into the somatic flow of Self facilitates healing. In this conversation, Terry illuminates the IFS approach, including the nature of Self, how our how parts manifest chronic pain and why addressing these internal conflicts is essential for healing. Having been trained in both CI and IFS, Terry adeptly distinguishes the two approaches’ areas of...
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Claiming Your Power in Perimenopause with Inés Zabalaga
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes & J’aime Rothbard. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. In this social-myth-busting expose, perimenopause is presented as a force that both transforms and empowers women' s relationships with their bodies, self-worth, sexuality and desirability. In this fluid conversation, three women explore multiple perspectives and experiences of menopause and trauma. Inés invites listeners to use their menopause experiences to redefine their relationships with their bodies, to reclaim pleasure, sensuality and sexuality. Their experiences contradict the outdated belief that...
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Gift with Shawn Ginwright - 2 minute listen
The Gifts of Trauma
This week's gift comes by way of Dr Shawn Ginwritght, who weighs in on how we can become solid influences for young people emerging though the challenges we as a culture and global community face in these times. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode or a gift, as over the next few months our guests have created some beautiful gifts for us to share with you! Our wish is that you may use these simple practices to deepen your integration of what was shared by Shawn Ginwright on The Gifts of Trauma Podcast. Dr G's Books:
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Moving from “What’s Wrong?” To “What’s Right?” with Dr Shawn Ginwright
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J'aime Rothbard. Young peoples' transformational stories advocate for an expansion of the current Trauma-Informed approach to include the Healing-Centered focus on empowerment, agency & holistic well-being. In this paradigm shifting conversation, Shawn shares stories of young people who transformed their lives through community support and aspirational goals. Their experiences demonstrate how being recognized as agents in their own healing process, empowered young people to dream and envision futures beyond their trauma. To support this...
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Gift Episode with Sat Dharam Kaur
The Gifts of Trauma
Sat Dharam Kaur offers these simple practices you can use to help you connect with your body and create a space in which you can deepen your experience of your own bodily, nature and spiritual connection, through presence, truth, love and divinity. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode or a gift, as over the next few months our guests have created some beautiful gifts for us to share with you! Our wish is that you may use these simple practices to deepen your integration of what was shared by Sat Dharam on The Gifts of Trauma Podcast.
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I’m All I Wanted to Be. Now What? With Sat Dharam Kaur
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J’aime Rothbard. This conversation opens with Sat Dharam sharing her realization that her original life goals have been achieved, and asking herself, “What’s next?” She goes on to look forward and explore the possibilities. A therapist’s state is known to influence the client's experience and expand the potential for healing. That’s why Compassionate Inquiry® brings empathetic presence into therapeutic contexts. But if current psychological and spiritual understandings were expanded to include environmental consciousness and creative expression,...
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What Happens in Women’s Circles with Tanya Lynn
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted and Produced by J’aime Rothbard In this lively conversation, Tanya reveals why women gather in Circles and the personal growth that can happen when they do. She shares her long Circling history and what recently motivated her to train in Somatic Experiencing and integrate it into her Circle Work. Tanya also demystifies: - Sisterhood - The Mother Wound, Sister Wound and Witch Wounds - The Role of Circles - The Roles of Perimenopause and Menopause - The Wild Woman - The Council of Queens - The Grandmother Clan Join us to learn what happens in Woman’s Circles. You might...
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Longing to Belong with Cristina Bâra
The Gifts of Trauma
Hosted and Produced by J’aime Rothbard The gentle conversation flows from Cristina’s personal journey to her professional role within the Compassionate Inquiry® organization to the approach’s impact on individual and group development. She highlights how Compassionate Inquiry® groups foster a sense of community and mutual support by inviting individuals to explore their emotions and experiences in the safe facilitated spaces that are essential for meaningful personal exploration. Cristina also explains: - Why the self-discovery and healing path often require us to experience our...
info_outlineInterview by Rosemary Davies-Janes. Produced by J'aime Rothbard.
This lively information- and insight-packed conversation explores our mind-body-spirit connection from a holistic health perspective, and delves into the science of psychoneuroimmunology.
Dr Chris shares her personal journey, from the top of the corporate ladder to the rock bottom of severe mental health challenges and attempted suicide, to her extensive explorations of both Western medical and holistic approaches to mental and physical wholeness. This led her to decide, at the age of 33, to become a naturopathic doctor, able to heal herself and others.
Our guest also shares many practical resources, approaches and exercises we can use to help us reduce our stress levels, improve our nervous system regulation, digestion and overall health.
Dr Chris explains biological and emotional complexities in easy-to-understand ways, such as:
- How what we think releases neuropeptide cascades that (positively or negatively) influence our hormone production and overall well-being
- Why the state of our nervous system is crucial to our body's ability to digest food
- Her approach to healing that integrates mind, body, and spirit
- Why we need to shift from pure thinking to noticing how our thoughts impact our body
Overall, this conversation emphasizes the interconnectedness of thoughts, emotions, and physical health, and advocates for a compassionate and holistic approach to physical and mental well-being.
About Dr Christina Bjorndal, ND
Having overcome many mental health challenges, herself, when striving to address patients’ mental health concerns, Dr. Chris draws on her lived experience with anxiety, bulimia, bipolar disorder type 1, (6x psychosis survivor) cancer, depression (3x suicide survivor), and her clinical training in naturopathic and mind-body medicine.
A gifted in-demand inspirational speaker, teacher and podcast guest, Dr Chris is recognized as a top ND to follow by two independent organizations. Her book, Beyond the Label: 10 Steps to Improve Your Mental Health with Naturopathic Medicine is a comprehensive guide to mental health. She also offers courses for individuals and clinicians.
Her books, courses and Mind, Body, Soul Retreat guide people to wholeness through a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual approach to health.
Dr Chris lives in Edmonton, Alberta and enjoys exploring nature with her husband, son and dog. A former athlete & Ironman competitor, she loves hiking, biking, skiing, walking, running and swimming. When she isn’t outside, you’ll find her reading —she typically has three books on the go!
Promotional Link: If you are curious about Compassionate Inquiry® and want to learn more about training in this approach, for your own self development or for your work with your coaching or therapy clients, please explore the Compassionate Inquiry® Professional Training Program. Registrations close March 30, 2025.
Resources:
Website:
Dr Chris’ Professional Website
Related Links:
Dr Chris’ Tool For Managing The Mind
Books:
The Essential Diet: Eating for Mental Health
From Shadows to Light: A Whole Human Approach to Mental Health
Moving Beyond – A Journal into Self-Discovery
Molecules of Emotion
Courses:
Individual Integrative Mental Health Program
Clinician Integrative Mental Health
Compassionate Inquiry Training
Retreat:
Quotes:
“Compassionate Inquiry® taught me to pay attention to what was going on with my patient and
also what was going on within me while I was with my patient. That attention shift was pivotal to
my internal spiritual growth and healing. - Dr Christina Bjorndal, ND
As we heal ourselves, the opportunity to expand our empathic presence is available to us. It is
in this expansion, the capacity to hold the space between two hearts, that healing happens. It
has been a gift to me to learn this process and to deepen and extend my ability to be loving in
the moment with others. Fundamentally, I believe love is medicine. - Dr Christina Bjorndal, ND
“Something amazing happens when we surrender and just love. We melt into another world, a realm of power already within us. The world changes when we change. The world softens when we soften. The world loves us when we choose to love the world. Surrender means the decision to stop fighting the world, and to start loving it instead. It is a gentle liberation from pain. But liberation isn’t about breaking out of anything; ‘it’s a gentle melting into who we really are.’ We let down our armour…” - Marianne Williamson
“Stop trying to heal yourself, fix yourself, even awaken yourself. Let go of letting go. Stop trying to fast-forward the movie of your life, chasing futures that never seem to arrive. Instead, bow deeply to yourself as you actually are. Your pain, your sorrow, your doubts, your deepest longing, your fearful thoughts...are not mistakes, and they aren't asking to be healed. They are asking to be held. Here, now, lightly, in the loving arms of present awareness.” - Jeff Foster
Social Media:
Facebook: Dr. Christina Bjorndal
YouTube: Christina Bjorndal
Instagram: drchrisbjorndal