Dr Sarah Jane on Trauma, Transformation and Trusting the Body

This week, I’m joined by Dr Sarah Jane - Holistic chiropractor & Counsellor, founder of Spinal Energetics, and one of the most fascinating voices I’ve encountered at the intersection of science, somatics and the unseen.What struck me most about Sarah isn’t just the work she does - it’s the life she’s lived to arrive there.From a traumatic car accident and chronic pain… to an abusive relationship that left her body holding what her mind couldn’t process, to years of fibromyalgia, miscarriages, and navigating her mother’s sudden brain injury - her story is layered, complex, and deeply human.And it’s this lived experience that led her to a radical realisation:that healing isn’t just cognitive - it’s physical, emotional, and deeply embodied.In this conversation, we explore what happens when the body “keeps score”, why talk therapy alone isn’t always enough, and how creating safety in the nervous system can begin to shift even the deepest patterns.Sarah opens up about the concept of bracing - the unconscious tension so many of us carry - and why the goal isn’t to eliminate it, but to retrain it. As she beautifully explains, healing isn’t about never feeling pain again, it’s about changing your relationship to it.We also talk about grief that has no clear ending - miscarriages, identity loss, and what she calls “ambiguous grief” - and why our culture still struggles to hold space for it.Her book "Your Spine Holds the Answer" launches in July. A guide to holistic healing, the emotional roots of pain, and Spinal EnergeticsIn this episode, you’ll learn:Why your body can hold onto trauma long after your mind has processed it– The difference between understanding healing and actually embodying it– How “bracing” shows up in everyday life (and how to soften it)– Why emotional pain often lingers longer than physical pain– The rituals and practices that helped Sarah rebuild herself, piece by pieceThis is a conversation about resilience — but not the glossy kind.The real kind. The quiet kind. The kind that asks you to sit with yourself, and slowly, gently, come home.Find Sarah’s Sacred Six below:William Whitecloud's Secrets of Natural Success: Five Steps to Unlocking Your Genius: https://www.amazon.com.au/Secrets-Natural-Success-William-Whitecloud/dp/0987634313Funday’s Sour Lollies: https://www.fundaysweets.com/collections/sour-lollies?srsltid=AfmBOop8ed7g9mRYGa8TL972MHk9Vk8YKuJTr3MsuVwjczFB__xUBkjANatural Hand Sanitiser: https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/306677LMNT Electrolytes: https://amzn.asia/d/0bUT24fm Metagenics Parex: https://www.metagenics.com.au/products/parex-50-tablets?srsltid=AfmBOop4BzJgQD-1bO5BNCU7uR3uP7dezaw5KrNhm69d3MbS9EC8GJBP LaptopIf this episode resonated, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review or share it with someone who might need it.👉 Head to beauticate.com/vodcast to watch or listen to the full episode🫶 A special thank you to Pulsetto, our season sponsor. Use BEAUTICATE for 15% off at pulsetto.tech00:00 Intro00:47 Meet Dr Sarah Jane & the philosophy behind Spinal Energetics03:20 How the body stores emotional trauma08:09 The car accident that changed everything10:19 Abuse, emotional pain & psychogenic seizures15:03 Why talk therapy wasn’t enough18:57 The body keeps score: releasing trauma somatically21:05 Childhood abandonment & meeting her father for the first time24:16 EMDR, psychotherapy & healing modalities26:11 Why healing doesn’t mean never feeling pain again27:50 Bracing, hyper vigilance & nervous system safety30:50 Miscarriage, fertility grief & surrogacy33:28 Her mother’s sudden brain illness & caregiving36:17 Living with ambiguous grief & loss40:11 Meditation, yoga & Vipassana42:14 Ancient healing wisdom & Buddhism46:32 Ritual, grief & what modern culture is missing48:13 Trauma, purpose & post-traumatic growth51:05 Healing work in India & helping chi