Healing and Growing, Hand in Hand

Lisa Duez is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, and the founder of Turning Point Counseling and Consulting—a thriving, trauma-informed group practice serving the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. With over 20 years of experience in the mental health field, Lisa blends clinical expertise with bold, compassionate leadership. She's writing a book on leadership in mental...

Garrett Wood, NBC‑HWC, is a clinical hypnotherapist, executive functioning specialist, and founder of Gnosis Therapy. He works with high‑achieving, high‑masking executives, founders, and entrepreneurs who want sustainable high performance without trading health, wealth, or relationships. Over 18 years he developed the A3 Framework, Assess, Accommodate, Align, which maps capacity across sensory pro...

What happens when betrayal doesn’t just break your heart… but shatters your identity? In this episode of Healing and Growing Hand in Hand, we are joined by Lora Cheadle — former attorney, author, and betrayal recovery expert — for a powerful conversation about betrayal trauma, infidelity, healing after betrayal, and the ripple effect trauma has on intimate relationships and families. Laura shares...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re overreacting, constantly on edge, or stuck in survival mode… this episode will change how you see yourself. In this conversation, we dive deep into nervous system regulation, trapped emotions, and why your reactions aren’t actually the problem. About Jessy: Jessy Pearson-Cheney is a certified Emotion Code Practitioner and nervous system guide who helps women release...

Ron Souers is an ADHD advocate, podcast host, and author dedicated to empowering adults with ADHD to embrace their differences and unlock their true potential. He’s the voice behind “Don’t Mind Me, I Have ADHD,” a podcast that dives into the experiences of living with ADHD and depression. - and is the author of The Self Discovery Journal for Adults with ADHD. As a consultant, Ron works with busine...

In this episode, Danielle Bernock, a Relationship Repair Specialist, discusses the subtle yet profound impact of "childhood emotional neglect recovery." She highlights how "child neglect" is often an absence, a missing element, rather than an overt event, making it particularly difficult to recognize compared to abuse. Understanding "emotional neglect in childhood" is...

Why can’t trauma survivors sleep — even when they’re exhausted? In this Experts Explain Trauma episode, Lisa Tickel sits down with Dr. Iden to unpack what’s really happening in the brain and body when rest doesn’t come easily. They explore how trauma rewires your body’s threat detection system, why the nervous system can’t “switch off,” and what to do when your brain starts racing the moment your...

Why do I feel worse now than before I even started healing? In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, Lisa Tickel and Dr. Tammy Oluyori unpack why greater self-awareness can sometimes feel like things are getting worse—when in reality, it’s a sign of progress. They explore how awareness magnifies what’s already there, why stories we tell ourselves can intensify pain, and how noticing unhealthy pa...

Who am I… after years of manipulation and devaluation? In this Experts Explain Trauma conversation, Lisa Tickel and Tim Fletcher explore what it really takes to rebuild identity after narcissistic abuse. You’ll hear how shame and gaslighting shrink the self, why compassion (not self-blame) is step one, and the steady practices that help you re-discover preferences, voice, and boundaries—at your ow...

In this episode of Healing and Growing Hand in Hand, host Lisa Tickel is joined by Dr. John Connolly, the founder of Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT), to explore a radically different approach to trauma healing. Dr. Connolly explains why healing does not need to be painful, slow, or retraumatizing—and how Rapid Resolution Therapy helps people resolve deep emotional suffering quickly, gently, and eff...

What if “self-sabotage” isn’t sabotage at all — but a signal? In this powerful conversation, we are joined by trauma-informed eating expert Dr. Jessica Neukam-Helms and we unpack why progress with food can feel unsafe, why your nervous system resists change, and how to replace shame with curiosity and compassion. If you’ve ever felt stuck in cycles of binge eating or emotional eating, this episode...

Can you learn secure attachment if love never felt safe growing up? In this conversation, Lisa and attachment specialist Bev Mitelman, M.A. explore how real-life experiences, gentle self-awareness, and practice can reshape patterns that once came from survival. If you’ve always felt “too much,” “not enough,” or stuck replaying the same relationship dynamics, this episode offers a clear, hopeful pa...

Am I actually healing—or just surviving differently? In this Experts Explain Trauma episode, Lisa Tickel and Dr. Tammy Oluyori dive into one of the most common (and confusing) questions people ask in recovery. They explore the difference between survival mode and true healing, why mapping your nervous system matters, and how living in alignment with your values becomes the clearest sign that you’r...

How do you prepare for the smear campaign and guilt tactics after you set boundaries—or walk away—from a narcissist? In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, Tim Fletcher unpacks why boundary-setting triggers retaliation, how “confusion tactics” keep you hooked, and the mindset shifts that help you stay grounded. Expect practical principles for preserving your sanity, protecting your story, and...

How do you tell emotional hunger from physical hunger—especially if you’ve never known the difference? In this Experts Explain Trauma episode, Lisa Tickel talks with Dr. Jessica Neukam-Helms about why many of us lose touch with hunger/fullness cues and how trauma, stress, and dieting complicate what we feel. You’ll hear a simple way to start noticing patterns—without shame—and what tends to distin...

How do I stop beating myself up when I slip back into old patterns? In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, Lisa Tickel and Dr. Tammy Oluyori talk about why self-criticism is so common in healing—and why compassion is the real key to moving forward. Together, they discuss how old adaptations return when we’re under stress, why relapse is a normal part of recovery, and how compassion can be deve...

How does art therapy help heal trauma when talk therapy isn’t enough? In this episode of Healing and Growing Hand in Hand, host Lisa Tickel sits down with board-certified art therapist Tracey Saia to explore how art therapy accesses parts of the brain trauma lives in—beyond words. Tracy explains how trauma is stored in the nonverbal parts of the brain and why traditional talk therapy can sometimes...

How does gaslighting actually break a person down — and why is it so effective in narcissistic abuse? In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, Lisa Tickel talks with Tim Fletcher about the mechanics of gaslighting: how it erodes identity, trains people to doubt themselves, and creates the perfect environment for control. Tim connects the patterns of childhood conditioning to adult relationships,...

JOIN THE HEALING COMMUNITY HERE: https://womenshealingcommunity.carrd.co/ What’s one small step you can take to stop using food as your only comfort—without adding more shame? In this Experts Explain Trauma episode, Lisa Tickel and Dr. Jessica Neukam-Helms explore why emotional eating is often misunderstood—and how shifting your perspective can open the door to new, compassionate options. If you’v...

Why does healing sometimes feel like going backwards? In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, Lisa Tickel and Dr. Tammy unpack the messy middle of healing—the stage where progress feels unclear, old patterns resurface, and grief shows up in unexpected ways. They explore why grief is central to recovery, how healing shifts relationships, and why adjusting expectations is key to moving forward wi...

What’s the difference between narcissistic traits and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)? And why does that distinction matter for healing? In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, Lisa Tickel sits down with trauma recovery expert Tim Fletcher to break down one of the most misunderstood topics in mental health today: narcissism. What part of this conversation stood out most to you? Share in...

JOIN THE HEALING COMMUNITY HERE: https://womenshealingcommunity.carrd.co/ Is your body holding onto weight as a trauma response? In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, psychologist Dr. Jessica Neukam-Helms joins Lisa to unpack a question many trauma survivors ask: “Could my weight struggles actually be my body’s way of protecting me?” If you’ve dealt with emotional eating, binge eating, or lon...

Why did I fight so hard to keep a toxic relationship alive—when everything in me knew it was hurting me? In this episode on Experts Explain Trauma, Dr. Nadine Macaluso (Dr. Nae) helps us unpack the emotional, cultural, spiritual, and physiological reasons many survivors cling to abusive relationships—often long after they know they should leave. This episode dives into the hard truth: love, addict...

In this discussion, Rick Alan Ross explains how individuals can be manipulated into creating cults and working for free due to the absence of laws against brainwashing. We also touch upon emerging laws against coercive control in abusive relationships, highlighting the legal and psychological aspects of such situations. We explore the dynamics of manipulation and emotional abuse within these conte...

Why do survivors sometimes feel sympathy for their abuser—even after deep harm? In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, UK-based counselling psychologist Dr. Tammy Oluyori unpacks this complex trauma response. She explains how people-pleasing, dissociation, fawning, and worthiness wounds can cause survivors to disconnect from their own pain and focus instead on the suffering of those who hurt t...