410: Betsy Polatin on How to Release Your Hidden Trauma and Be Free

 “The system is geared for wellbeing. When given the right conditions, we naturally move toward it.”

What if true healing isn’t found by reliving the past, but by reconnecting with the unshakable support that’s been holding you all along?

In this episode of Soul Talk, I sit down with internationally acclaimed movement and breathing specialist Betsy Polatin for a deeply transformative exploration of trauma, embodiment, and the body’s innate capacity to heal.

Betsy, celebrated author of Humanual: An Epic Journey to Your Expanded Self, has spent decades guiding performers, musicians, actors, and everyday people toward greater freedom and ease. Drawing from the Alexander Technique, somatic education, and breath awareness, she reveals a life-changing truth: the body remembers what the mind forgets, and you don’t have to recall the story of your trauma to be free from it.

We dive into how unprocessed experiences silently shape the way you breathe, move, and respond to life; why healthy anger is essential while stored rage keeps you stuck; and how subtle shifts in awareness can unlock decades of tension. Betsy also leads a simple but powerful grounding practice you can use anytime to feel the unwavering presence of support beneath you, even amid life’s storms.

This is not just a conversation about trauma; it’s a reminder that your system is built for well-being. Transformation doesn’t have to be forced or dramatic. With the right awareness, your body knows exactly how to return to balance, release what no longer serves, and expand into a more grounded, spacious way of being.

If you’ve ever felt weighed down by patterns you can’t explain or longed to feel more at home in your body, this episode offers both the understanding and the tools to begin that shift. Listen now and rediscover the grounded, unshakable self that has been within you all along.

Timestamps: 

• (00:02:15) - How Betsy’s journey from dance to somatic education began.
• (00:09:09) - What trauma is and how to know if you have it.
• (00:14:04) - The violinist's story: uncovering hidden trauma without knowing it.
• (00:26:12) - Guided grounding and support awareness exercise.
• (00:33:45) - Understanding anger: healthy vs. stored rage.
• (00:43:58) - Why Betsy doesn’t teach “belly breathing” and the truth about lung function.
• (00:53:09) - Advice for parents: raising healthy kids by working on yourself.
• (00:56:26) -   Betsy’s three life wisdoms to pass on to the next generation.

Some Questions I Ask:

• How did you know you wanted to do this work?
• Is it possible to be human and not have any trauma?
• Do you need to remember your trauma to heal it?
• How much does telling your story matter in healing?
• What’s the difference between natural release and forced posture or movement?
• What role does breath play in healing, and how should we breathe?
• How can parents raise healthy children in today’s world?

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• How trauma shows up in the body, even if you don’t remember it.
•  The two main types of trauma and how they affect us differently.
• Why awareness can naturally shift your body without force.
• A simple grounding exercise to feel supported anytime.
• The difference between healthy anger and stored rage.
• Why “belly breathing” isn’t anatomically correct, and what to do instead.
• Why working on yourself is the most powerful gift you can give your children.

 

 LINKS

BETSY POLATIN’S URL:   https://www.betsypolatin.com

BETSY POLATIN’S UPCOMING EVENT: Trauma in the Public Eye – An in-person workshop with Betsy Polatin and Peter Levine in Los Angeles, November 7–9, 2025.

Get in Touch:

• Email me at [email protected]
• Visit my website: www.kuteblackson.com

Resources with Kute Blackson:

Kute’s Life-changing Path to Abundance & Miracles: https://www.8levelsofgratitude.com

 

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