The Rachel Sellers Podcast

One of the ways we’ve made progress in the field of trauma is by recognizing that it’s not just the big stuff that “counts.” The mental health field now uses two categories to describe and label trauma: "Big T" and "Little t". In this episode, Rachel shares issues surrounding these distinctions, including how it perpetuates a narrow definition of trauma and fails to take into account how personal trauma truly is. Rachel talks about several factors that influence how trauma impacts a person, challenging these categories and naming the validity of any kind of trauma. 

Mainstream culture has adopted an extremely narrow-minded view and understanding of trauma, and we desperately need a paradigm shift. So in this episode, I talk about what trauma is, with hopes of expanding your understanding of the word. I define trauma as what happens in our bodies when we experience something overwhelming. I explain what exactly this means especially as it relates to our emotions and physical sensations. 

In this episode, Rachel defines and explores diet-culture, a system of beliefs that have idealized thinness at all costs and oppresses people who don't live up to this ideal. Rachel discusses what this has to do with eating disorders and why she's passionate about the anti-diet message. 

In this episode, Rachel discusses the role of dissociation and attachment in the development of eating disorders. Rachel highlights how eating disorders function to meet several core human needs and how important it is to address that in treatment. 

In this episode, Rachel dives into one of her favorite topics to speak and teach on-- the intersection of trauma and eating disorders. Rachel talks specifically about two factors that explain the relationship between trauma and ED's including coping with emotion and nervous system dysregulation and the need for power and control. She offers insight into the nature of trauma, revisiting several topics from Season 1 of the podcast on the Polyvagal Theory.

It's time to debunk some myths to help break down stigma! In this episode, Rachel addresses 5 common myths that people have about eating disorders. These myths include: eating disorders are about wanting to be skinny, eating disorders only affect rich, white, cisgender, females; eating disorders have a "look"; eating disorders are a choice; and lastly, people binge eat because they lack "willpower." Rachel offers information to counter these myths in order to help listeners gain a more accurate understanding of the nature of eating disorders. 

Rachel is kicking off Season 2 by providing an overview of the various types of eating disorders as well as what causes them. She begins to debunk several myths about eating disorders, a theme that will continue throughout the entirety of this season. Rachel also offers a preview of the various topics she'll cover in Season 2, including the underlying trauma and nervous system dysregulation that underly most eating disorders. 

This episode concludes Season 1! In it, Rachel gives a brief summary of the season, reviewing all three nervous system responses and characteristics of each state. She also offers simple tools for self-regulation and how to spend more time in your Ventral state. She talks briefly about the plans for Season 2-- a season dedicated to educating people about eating disorders/disordered eating. 

In this episode, Rachel explains the Polyvagal Ladder, a tool that can be used to better understand the nervous system. She explains how it can be used for self-regulation and why that's important. She expounds on this topic, using other metaphors to help listeners understand their various nervous system states and how to recognize a state shift. She frequently references the work of Deb Dana, therapist and Polyvagal master, who coined the concept of the Polyvagal Ladder. 

In this episode, Rachel dives into how the Polyvagal Theory offers a paradigm shift to the mental health field. She breaks down four specific ways that this theory and recent neuroscience research findings support an embodied approach to healing mental health disorders. She also explains the concept of "faulty neuroception" and how this is at the root of many mental health struggles. 

In this episode, Rachel explains the Polyvagal Theory-- a theory explaining how our nervous systems respond to cues of safety and danger. She also explains why she's starting the podcast with this theory. 

Welcome to the Rachel Sellers Podcast! In this episode, Rachel shares a little bit about herself, her goals for the podcast, and what you can expect for Season 1.