Hosted by Dr. Sarah Hensley, Specialized Social Psychologist, Attachment Theory Expert, and Founder & CEO of The Dating Decoder with Co-host Raina Butcher, Owner/CEO of Joyful Consulting, LLC.  Welcome to "The Love Doc Podcast" where Host Dr. Sarah Hensley and her co-host Raina Butcher dive deep into the intricacies of love, attraction, attachment, relationships, and self-awareness. Dr. Hensley brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to help listeners navigate the complexities of modern romance. In each episode, Dr. Hensley tackles burning questions about love, relationships, and the mind’s complexities, drawing from her psychological research, real-life experiences, and her own individual expertise, to provide insightful perspectives and practical advice. Episode 19: "Nervous System Regulation with expert guest Dana Doswell." In this powerful episode, Dr. Hensley welcomes special guest Dana Doswell, a nervous system expert and mentor. Dr. Hensley begins by sharing how much she’s learned from Dana’s expertise in nervous system regulation, expressing deep gratitude for the transformative knowledge that has not only enhanced her personal life but also strengthened her professional practice. Dana takes us back to the beginning of her journey, explaining how she first became aware of her own low-level nervous system dysregulation. Like many high-functioning, successful individuals, Dana describes how she went through life ignoring the signals her body was sending her—until a complete nervous system collapse forced her to seek help. She candidly discusses how traditional talk therapy only provided short-term relief, leading her to explore deeper interventions. Her search led her to discover polyvagal theory, which became a turning point in her healing journey. Dana delves into how she realized the disorganization of her nervous system and how somatic work—integrating the body into the healing process—became essential. This discovery ignited her passion for studying evolution, psychology, neuroscience, and somatic healing, which she applied directly to her own life with profound results. Dr. Hensley then shares her parallel journey, explaining how her personal experiences similarly inspired her to dive into spiritual, somatic, and nervous system healing, eventually shaping her work to help others heal. Dana highlights one of the most profound lessons she learned in her studies: the impact of shame on the nervous system. She discusses in detail how shame, particularly within the context of religion and basic bodily functions, deeply affects our bodies and behavior. Dana emphasizes the need to acknowledge our basic physiological needs and accept our "animalistic" nature, a fundamental step in healing an overtaxed nervous system that’s often overlooked. She further explores the concept of "functional freeze," a state many high-functioning people find themselves in. Because high performers often attach their self-worth to their productivity and intelligence, they struggle with feelings of failure when they try to rest, triggering nervous system dysregulation. The conversation then turns to the topic of retraumatization and the role that rumination plays in nervous system imbalance. Dana provides practical, step-by-step guidance on how to address rumination from a somatic perspective, offering techniques to locate and resource the feelings in different parts of the body. Dana concludes by sharing that the best way to understand and regulate your nervous system is through relationships—whether that’s with a partner, yourself, or even objects in your environment. She explains how every relationship has a "flavor," and that flavor influences how your nervous system responds. Dr. Hensley wraps up the episode by highlighting that the key to nervous system regulation is to deshame your experiences. Both women express their gratitude for the conversation, and Dr. Hensley shares ways for listeners to connect w