Lori Chortkoff Hops

From Depression to Discovery: The Story Behind Timelight In this episode of The Fourth Wave in Therapy, Peta interviewed Bryan Hubbard about his therapeutic method Timelight, which he developed after overcoming chronic depression. Bryan shared his personal journey, including early childhood trauma and a decade-long struggle with depression, and explained how this led him to explore the energetic and spiritual dimensions of trauma. He described Timelight as a process that addresses the energetic release at the point of trauma, rather than just its manifestations like depression or anxiety. Bryan discussed the concept of time as an energy created by trauma, and how this shifts the understanding of identity and healing. He also outlined the "three selves" model of the psyche, which includes the present self, past selves (psychological, narrative, and knowledge), and the potential center. The conversation touched on the ACEs study, the impact of trauma on health, and the potential for deeper healing by working at the energetic level. Bryan encouraged therapists to consider Timelight as a complementary approach to deepen their trauma work, and mentioned his books and website for further learning.

This interview with Lynne McTaggart explored her pioneering research on quantum energy fields and intention-based healing. McTaggart explained her concept of "The Field" - a quantum energy field where subatomic particles exchange information and energy, demonstrating how this field can be harnessed for healing through group intention experiments. She detailed her work conducting 42 experiments, including studies showing significant results in plant growth and reductions in violence in war-torn areas, with 38 experiments showing positive effects. Lynne discussed her "Power of Eight" methodology, where small groups of 6-12 people focus intention on specific outcomes, sharing examples of remarkable healings including cases of blindness and genetic liver disease. The conversation also covered her upcoming course "Think Yourself Young" which focuses on cellular rejuvenation through mental processes and community engagement, challenging cultural attitudes toward aging, particularly for women. https://www.evidencebasedeft.com/lynne-mctaggart 

Peta interviewed Suzanne Zacharia, a complementary therapist and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) trainer, about her journey into EFT and her professional work. Suzanne shared how she discovered EFT after a serious illness (COPD) at university led her to explore alternative therapies, starting with hypnotherapy before finding EFT more effective. She discussed her personal transformation, including running her first half marathon in 2011, and how EFT helped her address both physical symptoms and trauma, including medical trauma from undiagnosed conditions. Suzanne also mentioned her work as founder of Energy Healers Organization and director of Energy Practitioners Association, where she is helping to develop formal EFT qualifications both in the UK and South Africa. Suzanne explained how EFT became a recognized occupational qualification in South Africa, requiring 60 hours of personal practice before practitioners can work with clients, and discussed her current efforts to establish similar qualifications in the UK through collaboration with health departments.

This podcast episode featured Dr Peta interviewing Dr. Siri Erickson, a certified menopause doula and clinical EFT practitioner who developed the Meno EFT method. They discussed the biological changes during perimenopause, including hormone fluctuations that can lead to anxiety, sleep issues, and other symptoms, with Siri explaining how declining progesterone and erratic estrogen levels impact the brain and nervous system. Siri shared her personal journey through perimenopause and how she discovered EFT as an effective tool for managing anxiety and other symptoms. They explored how EFT creates a safe space for addressing emotional challenges during menopause, with Siri noting that the method combines somatic experiences with compassionate conversation to help clients develop self-compassion. The conversation covered common misconceptions about menopause, including the belief that estrogen deficiency is problematic when hormone sensitivity to fluctuations is often the real issue. They discussed the importance of considering both psychological and biological factors when addressing menopause symptoms, with Siri emphasizing the need for integrated approaches that include medical testing for issues like iron deficiency. The episode concluded with information about Siri's upcoming Meno EFT online course, which will provide structured guidance for applying EFT techniques to menopause-related challenges.

This podcast episode featured Dr. Mitchell Abrams (Mitch), a Canadian radiologist and founder of NextGen Health, discussing his journey from traditional medicine to embracing compassion and heart coherence practices. Dr. Abrams explained how his own heart condition and experience in India led him to discover ancient wisdom about energy and consciousness that was missing from Western medical approaches. He detailed the five elements of compassion (awareness, embodiment, common humanity, action, and relief) and described heart coherence as a measurable state where the heart and brain synchronize, creating optimal brain function and allowing prefrontal cortex control over the limbic system. The conversation covered practical applications of these concepts, including how heart coherence can be cultivated through specific breathing techniques and the "laser protocol" (lock on, synchronize, and radiate), with measurable tools like the HeartMath Global Coherence app available for tracking progress. Dr. Abrams shared his vision for creating global heart coherence networks and expressed optimism about a potential future renaissance driven by music, art, science, and technology that could transform human understanding and connection.

This podcast episode featured Dr Peta interviewing Dr. Emma Leigh Senyard, a clinical psychologist who shared her personal journey with chronic illness and how she incorporated mind-body approaches to heal. Emma described developing medical symptoms after having her first daughter in 2021, which led to a diagnosis of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and heart condition, followed by a challenging recovery process involving various treatments and alternative therapies. Through her journey, Emma discovered the benefits of meditation, vagus nerve exercises, and fourth-wave therapy approaches like EFT Tapping, Inner Child work, EMDR and Internal Family Systems, which helped regulate her nervous system and improve her physical symptoms. She now integrates these mind-body approaches in her private practice, working with teenagers and adults and focusing on nervous system regulation, while also advocating for better integration between medical and psychological approaches to address the mind-body connection.

This podcast episode features Dr. Eben Alexander discussing his near-death experience (NDE) in 2008, when he was in a week-long coma from a deadly E. coli bacterial meningitis infection. During his NDE, Alexander described ascending through multiple spiritual realms, including a Gateway Valley with thousands of souls dancing and a core realm filled with divine love, where he encountered a beautiful guardian angel and experienced life reviews. He explained how his scientific background as a neurosurgeon transformed after the experience, leading him to reject materialism and embrace a view that consciousness is primary in the universe rather than being created by the brain. Dr Alexander discussed his recovery process, including his return to work within three months and his subsequent career shift from neurosurgery to sharing his experiences about consciousness and spirituality with the world. He also covered his work with binaural beat meditation using Sacred Acoustics, past life memories and reincarnation research at the University of Virginia, and how near-death experiences demonstrate the reality of an eternal soul and universal love.

This podcast episode featured Dr. Alice Lee, a holistic and integrative psychiatrist practicing in Stamford, Connecticut, discussing her journey into energy psychology and medicine. Dr. Lee explained how she first encountered Thought Field Therapy (TFT) in 2003 through Mark Botnick, which led her to develop criteria-based energy testing techniques that go beyond traditional muscle testing. She described how energy testing can provide real-time feedback about patient responses to interventions, including the impact of psychiatric medication withdrawal on digestion and nutrient absorption. Dr. Lee shared her experience helping patients safely withdraw from psychiatric medications using integrated approaches combining energy medicine, functional medicine, and energy testing. The conversation explored how energy testing could potentially enhance other energy psychology modalities like EFT by providing objective assessment tools beyond subjective distress scales. Dr. Lee expressed hope for the future of holistic psychiatry, including destigmatizing mental illness and moving beyond symptom-based labeling toward addressing underlying causes of mental health issues.

This episode of "Fourth Wave in Therapy" featured an interview with Yves Wauthier-Freymann, creator of the Self-Emotional Balancing method, discussing his journey from personal trauma to developing an integrated approach to treating complex trauma and attachment disorders. Yves shares his background in psychotherapy and energy psychology, including training with various modalities like EFT, REMAP, and Internal Family Systems, leading him to develop a comprehensive approach that combines somatic stimulation, primitive reflex integration, and compassion-based techniques. He explained how his method addresses both the physical body memories and the mental control mechanisms that can block healing in traditional talk therapy, emphasising the importance of heart connection and self-compassion in repairing attachment disorders. The conversation highlights Yves’ belief that effective trauma treatment requires practitioners to understand multiple modalities and adapt them systematically to individual needs, with a focus on body-mind integration and the role of love and compassion in healing.

This episode of "The Fourth Wave in Therapy" featured a conversation between Peta and Dr. Amy Apigian, a double board-certified physician in preventative and addiction medicine and leading voice in trauma biology. Dr. Apigian shared how her personal experience with grief and chronic fatigue syndrome in 2014 led her to discover the connection between trauma and physical health, prompting her to develop a body-based approach to healing trauma. She explained her three-energy levels theory (calm and alive, high energy, and low energy) and how the nervous system shifts between these states in response to perceived danger, using the metaphor of a turtle retreating into its shell during overwhelming situations. Dr. Apigian discussed the importance of allowing time for physiological recovery and challenged the cultural emphasis on resilience, defining true strength as the ability to feel and process emotions rather than pushing through difficulties. She outlined her approach of "precision nervous system healing" which integrates mind, body, and biology assessment to create personalized healing plans, and expressed frustration with the medical field's slow adoption of trauma-informed care despite early research on adverse childhood experiences.