Healing Is A Choice: Choose Life with Lauren Starnes
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In this powerful episode of 'Wednesdays With Watson,' host Amy Watson reconnects with her longtime friend and healing partner, Lauren Starnes, to explore the transformative journey of trauma recovery and nervous system regulation. The conversation centers on a pivotal moment in 2021 when Lauren, then a physician's assistant in psychiatry, delivered a life-altering message to Amy: if she didn’t begin prioritizing her physical body and nervous system, she would die. That raw, compassionate confrontation—delivered with a mix of truth, kindness, and medical authority—became the catalyst for Amy’s healing journey. Lauren shares how her unique blend of medical training, trauma expertise, and innate ability to co-regulate nervous systems allows her to help others move beyond the mind-focused narratives of trauma and into embodied healing. The episode emphasizes that healing is not just about processing the past, but about making conscious, daily choices to live in alignment with one’s body, mind, and purpose. Both women reflect on their calling, the importance of co-regulation, and the profound freedom that comes from choosing life over survival.
Healing begins with a conscious choice to prioritize your body and nervous system, not just your mind.
Trauma is stored in the body, and true recovery requires embodiment—listening to your body’s wisdom before revisiting the story.
Co-regulation with a skilled practitioner like Lauren Starnes can be as powerful as medication, offering a safe space to regulate and reconnect.
Your body is a faithful servant—it holds onto pain until you’re ready to process it, and giving it its 'turn' is an act of deep compassion.
The most transformative healing happens when you move from 'I survived' to 'I am worthy of peace and life.'
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Life-or-Death Conversation That Changed Everything
“If you keep doing what you're doing, which was a whole lot of nothing... you will die.”
Why the Body Holds Trauma and How to Listen to It
“When that traumatic event happened, your body said, I got you. I'm going to hold on to this until you're safe. But one day it'll be my turn.”
From Medical Expertise to Nervous System Translator
Lauren reflects on her journey from PA school to psychiatry, and how her unique blend of medical training and emotional intelligence led her to create a new model of care—one that bridges the gap between mind and body.
The Power of Co-Regulation and Being Seen
“When I walk into a room, nothing else in that room matters. And then oddly, and it's so interesting... people get to tap into a part of themselves they don't get from just being out there in the world.”
Healing Is a Choice—Not a Feeling
“Do you want to get well? Jesus said to the man, get up, go in the water. You are healed. But he asked that really important question. Do you want to get well?”
“You are seen. You are known. You are heard. You are loved. And you are so, so valued.”
“If you keep doing what you're doing, which was a whole lot of nothing... you will die.”
“Do you want to get well? Jesus said to the man, get up, go in the water. You are healed. But he asked that really important question. Do you want to get well?”
Host
Guest
Amy Watson
person
Lauren Starnes
person
psychiatry
other
When the Body Talks
other
physician's assistant
other
other
nervous system specialist
other
Dr. Dan Siegel
person
PA school
organization
Pools of Bethesda
place
Get the full intelligence
Search transcripts, export clips, track mentions, and explore all topics from “Healing Is A Choice: Choose Life with Lauren Starnes” inside PodZeus.
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