Simona Irwin shares her recovery and transformation story from severe dysautonomia, very severe insomnia, and complex PTSD. She provides insights for how PTSD can show up in complex chronic illness. She provides a template for working with all types of chronic symptoms. TIMESTAMPS below:
TIMESTAMPS:
0:01 Intro
1:13 Life before her perfect storm.
2:26 The final straw, what was compounding, and what was there from childhood.
2:58 Initial symptoms after medication.
4:13 What were her key symptoms as this didn't go away. Her heart rate at night was THIS high. I acknowledge overlap with ME/CFS.
6:03 Did she know this was her nervous system? Her health crisis 20 years prior. Her experience getting tests this time.
6:51 This is what her naturopathic doctor told her. WOW.
8:45 However, she still did this and this.
9:08 The FIRST brain retraining program she started with, DNRS. What helped. What DIDN'T.
12:46 The DARE response method, a game changer at the time.
15:50 The analogy she used for her symptoms / extreme sensitivities when describing it to others
17:17 Discovering Dr. Cathleen King & Primal Trust. The way it made her feel. She didn't want to go back.
19:03 More details on her self exploration & primal trust journey.
20:02 Key epiphanies from Primal Trust
21:42 Disclaimer - not meant to be self blame. These are automatic responses.
23:56 What this work does. Working with natural responses.
24:39 Recap and timeline
25:09 How PTSD and complex PTSD can show up in chronic complex illness journey
25:42 Simona goes into trauma from childhood and ACE scores
27:22 Someone without trauma may have dealt with the reaction like this. But this is how her nervous system related to it.
29:03 How the nervous system plays a huge role. Her opinion and experience on trauma and chronic illness. (Note: Nothing is medical advice. I invite all types of guests with different views.)
30:26 Realizing her brain was doing this. The 3 steps she took to address symptoms (a unique approach different than traditional brain retraining). How the tanglement of trauma and chronic illness started to unravel.
32:08 Liz recaps what Simona says.
32:24 Fear vs true intuition
34:01 Discovering the good intentions of protector 'parts'.
34:58 What are 'parts' and how can we work with them. A different and inclusive approach to brain retraining.
38:27 The difference between brain retraining and ignoring body to push through. The analogy Simona uses.
39:37 Choosing values over symptoms, while not pushing past limits. What that actually looked like for Simona.
41:36 At the end of the day, we don't want this.
42:08 Self compassion for the symptom of chronic fatigue (we both realize ME/CFS is way more than fatigue, but this was just an example). Simona makes a really powerful statement. Why I think this is so powerful.
43:43 Sometimes it's not good. Sometimes were in it. Honoring that. Where we can empower ourselves.
44:43 The benefit of community
45:45 I talk about how my audience primarily is recovering from ME/CFS, POTS, PEM, chronic fatigue syndrome. And ask for advise for people dealing with these conditions, based on her experiences.
46:10 Simona promise a template/algorithm that is applicable to all these conditions for bringing our nervous system to a new state. Such powerful wisdom.
49:38 The second piece Simona encourages people to explore.
50:22 Tools parents can start applying today going through complex chronic illness, PTSD, etc.
54:26 How Simona is helping others
55:58 Simona's POWERFUL final words of wisdom.
57:41 Parting words and goodbyes
OVERVIEW:
Simona Irwin was an executive in the organic food industry and busy mom when a reaction to a medication triggered very severe insomnia, severe dyautonomia (autonomic nervous system dysfunction), severe sensitivities, and a reemergence of complex PTSD (C-PTSD) stemming from childhood. She is now a coach and mentor in Primal Trust, a trauma-informed nervous system regulation program created by Dr. Cathleen King.
Reach Simona:
turningtowards
Primal Trust:
www.cathleenking.com/membership/?ref=41525-Heal-with-Liz
Follow Liz on Instagram:
healwithlizc
For more inspiring health recovery stories and more:
healwithliz.com
Disclaimer: Nothing on this channel is medical advice. I am aware not everyone with chronic illness has childhood trauma. I invited Simona on my channel because I hadn't yet done a deep dive on C-PTSD, and I'm so glad I did because her wisdom is truly extraordinary. I really feel this interview has powerful epiphanies for anyone experiencing nervous system dysregulation.
**New: Lifestyle & Nervous System Programs Guide by Heal With Liz & Lindsay Vine**
healwithliz.com/programs-guide (A detailed, independent review of Primal Trust - new Level 1 and Levels 2 & 3, DNRS, Gupta, and 22 other lifestyle & nervous system regulation programs.)