Episode 17: The Body Keeps the Score with Joanna Cook, LMSW

BIRTH LIKE A MAMMAL™

In episode 17 of The Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, Lindsay welcomes Joanna Cook, a Texas-based therapist and Mother, to discuss the profound impact of therapy on women struggling with birth trauma.
Joanna shares her journey from experiencing a traumatic birth to becoming a therapist specializing in nervous system regulation, somatic embodiment, and parts integration. She provides insight into her unique therapeutic approach that emphasizes safety and gentle reconnection and makes the significant point that no matter how deep your trauma is, there is always hope for healing.
Lindsay and Joanna also discuss the societal pressures and disconnections that contribute to trauma and stress the importance of personal empowerment in the healing process. This episode offers hope and guidance for those dealing with birth trauma and explores the upcoming birth trauma retreat in Texas.
Key Takeaways:
1. There is always hope for healing.
2. Our bodies physically store our trauma.
3. The nervous system is an integral part of healing from trauma.
4. Most mainstream therapists do not holistically understand trauma and often re-traumatize women seeking support.
Notable Quotes from Joanna

• "No matter how deep your trauma is, if you're breathing, you have hope for healing. If you're alive, there's hope to heal."
• "Our systems are incredibly wise, intelligent, resourceful..."
• "That was a really big moment for me to understand....I always have options. I can do what's best for my baby, and I can do what's best for me.

This episode's title is inspired by the book The Body Keeps the Score, a fantastic book explaining how emotional trauma affects our bodies physically. If you don't already own it, ​grab your copy now​.
Joanna Cook is a therapist and life coach focusing on nervous system regulation, somatic reconnection, and trauma integration. After going through her own traumatic birth experience, she experienced severe disconnection and dysregulation. Once she learned about the nervous system and began the healing process, she experienced the spark and joy of reconnection and hasn't looked back. It is her joy to help guide others back to their power and innate healing capacities.

Connect with Joanna:

​Facebook​ | ​Instagram​ | ​Substack​ | ​Website​ | ​Email​

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Music Credit:
Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9
Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US
Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions