June 19, 2025 • 20 mins
What if a single moment could completely rewrite the direction of your life?
For Dr. Liz Blanding, that moment came in the form of a devastating car accident. One second, she was a thriving real estate agent, next, she was being told she might never walk again after hydroplaning into a tree. But Dr. Liz refused to accept that prognosis as her truth. Instead, she began a deep, personal healing journey that would eventually lead her to become a trauma recovery coach.
Along the way, she discovered that trauma isn’t just an emotional wound, it lives in the body, shapes the mind, and touches the spirit and soul. Her path of recovery revealed trauma that began as early as the womb and helped her make sense of how complex PTSD had long influenced her sense of reality. She likens trauma to a “kaleidoscope,” a lens that distorts how we see ourselves, others, and the world, where even the smallest trigger can feel overwhelming.
In a powerful, transparent conversation, Dr. Liz explains how our culture is evolving beyond the outdated “just get over it” mindset. She shares a crucial insight: trauma may not be your fault, but healing is your responsibility. This empowering belief shifts people from feeling powerless to stepping into their own agency.
Today, Dr. Liz supports others through online programs focused on trauma-informed leadership, military PTSD recovery, and healing for domestic violence survivors. Her peer-to-peer approach, grounded in personal experience, is both relatable and transformative. And through it all, music, passed down from her jazz musician father, has remained a core part of her healing process.
Her story is living proof that even in our most shattered seasons, wholeness is still possible.
Explore her journey and resources at oasiswellnessctrS.com.
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Profile link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-blanding-470333253
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Page link: https://www.facebook.com/oasiswellnesscentersandacademy
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey everybody, this is Ryan Van Ornam and we are
back with another edition ofScaling Up Success podcast,
powered by Synergist.
Synergist is your scalableoperations company that helps
you grow your business at afraction of the cost.
Check it out at synergistcom.
And today I have Dr LizBlanding.
(00:24):
How are you today, ma'am?
I am doing well.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I'm excited to be here.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Oh, I'm so, so, so excited to hear, hear your story
.
I know, I know about you, I'veI've had conversations with you,
I got your book behind me hereand I'm just, I'm just eager to
jump into this thing today.
So shall we?
Yes, we shall, all right.
So, first of all, let's, let'stell the audience, like you know
(00:50):
, a little bit about your originstory when did you come from
and like you know, like, how,how did you get into being a
trauma recovery coach?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Wow, Okay, so it's actually been my life story.
I had no idea the effects thattrauma had on me, or that it was
even a thing actually, until Iwas going about life being busy
and I was in a car accident.
And in the car accident is whenI actually is sort of a.
(01:24):
I mean it's a long story, butin order to make the story a
little bit shorter, I'll giveyou a little bit about it.
So in the car accident at thattime I was a busy mom in real
estate, had no idea aboutnaturopathic medicine or any of
those things, and I was hit, washydroplaned into and ended up
(01:46):
on the top of the hill in a tree.
And yeah, that was, wow, what aday.
I said it was a new birthday,because at the time when
something like that is happeningto you, you don't realize that
it's actually.
Sometimes you hit a tree, butit's helping you to turn your
life around into the directionand the purpose in which you
were actually designed.
(02:07):
You may not see it at that time, which I didn't see it at that
time, but fast forwarding, as Iwent through two years of what I
call dating my doctors theysaid okay, this is the bottom
line.
You've gone through all typesof therapies and you know, if
you don't get double kneereplacement surgery, you are
going to be in a wheelchair forthe rest of your life.
Now I'm a single divorced momsaying no way.
(02:29):
I had a daughter in college andtwins at home.
There's no way, this is mydestiny.
So I just I went to work, Istarted learning about
naturopathic medicine, I learnedabout the different herbs and I
started learning.
And as I started learning, Ifound a new passion.
But what I found is that itwasn't just the accident
physically, it waspsychologically.
(02:51):
It was, I'll say, mind, body,spirit and soul.
And as you start to heal, yourealize that there's deeper
levels of recovery.
And so jumping into traumarecovery was because I was
really trying to find help formyself.
I was trying to find supportfor myself.
And once I got into traumarecovery was because I was
really trying to find help formyself.
I was trying to find supportfor myself.
And once I got into traumarecovery and start peeling off
all these layers of onion, Isaid, oh my gosh, this with with
(03:14):
the CDC stating that 70 to 80%of our population have suffered
trauma.
Then I jumped in to find mypurpose.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Man, that is a great.
I jumped in to find my purpose.
Man, that is an incrediblestory and it shows your resolve.
It shows your.
You know, like your, yourperseverance to overcome so many
, so many obstacles.
And I'm sure you know, likethere's there's so many more.
You know more layers to thatstory as well.
(03:44):
We just thank you so much forsharing that and being so open.
We appreciate you.
Thank you Absolutely.
So, like one of the things, howdid?
How did you stay motivatedduring those tough times to
continue to build something?
You know that maybe you didn'teven know where it was going at
that time or how you're going toget there, but you stayed
(04:04):
motivated.
You stayed pushing through.
Like, where does that come from?
Where does that drive come from?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
You know, it was two things.
It was my faith in God, becauseI believed that he said I can
do all things to Christ.
That strengthens me and that Iheld on to.
And then I looked at theselittle children.
Right, I had twins at home anda daughter in college and I just
I kept their faces in front ofme Like they were my motivating
factor.
(04:30):
You know that.
You know they are my gifts, soI have to be here for my gifts.
And that's what I kept tellingmy doctors this is not my
destiny.
And they kept telling me overand over again if you don't
accept where you are, you're notgonna get better.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Man, that's a bad date.
You said you were dating thosedoctors and they just kept
trying to throw the haterade onyou and you just kept fighting
through it.
Man, I love that about you andit shows that you have no quit
and it shows that you're goingto find a way to get where you
want to be.
So props to you on that.
That's incredible and you arein a living example of you know
(05:14):
overcoming every single setbackand thriving in that way of
moving forward.
Amazing, amazing.
Thank you, absolutely so.
As you've been growing out yourcoaching side of the business,
you know, like, where is thistaking you?
(05:37):
Have you seen like theseunforeseen, like pretty cool
opportunities that have camealong along the way?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Absolutely Well, I guess one of the things too.
As you know, as I started myrecovery journey, other people
asked what was I doing?
Because they saw a glow, theysaw me start to, you know, wake
up and feel.
You know feel good and move andall these other things.
So, as I started to, as I wentinto the coaching part of it
being able to see other peoplesucceed in their, in their like,
(06:07):
understanding what trauma isall about because most of us
don't even know or we're noteven aware that we're living
life through this kaleidoscope.
You know how, when you were akid and we looked at the
kaleidoscopes and everything waskind of shattered.
Well, that's what trauma lookslike.
Right, we're looking at itthrough that trauma lens.
So as I started to walk and moreand more people are getting
interested in weight, as Istarted unfolding the classes
(06:30):
and the courses and sharing itwith other people, I started to
see them wake up from theirtrauma and it's kind of like I
say you know the movie the Wizwith Diana Ross and Michael
Jackson.
They're in this little parlorand when the Wicked Witch goes
away, which is the trauma, theyall start peeling off this mask
and they say, oh, can you feel abrighter day and those.
That's what's happening aswe're starting to push this
(06:52):
message.
More and more people arestarting to become aware that
not only personal traumarecovery is important, but also
trauma recovery in leadership.
So I'm noticing more churchesare now seeking how do we help
our people to understand andbecome better trauma-informed
leaders?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
I found something very interesting.
What you're talking about andit goes back to a study that I
heard about was that even oursurroundings can take in the
negativity and the trauma thatwe have, and what they did is
they would have people, peoplelike they had a bottles of water
(07:32):
in two different places.
Okay, one one was like saidnegative energy, was screamed at
it was talked down to asberated like you're yelling up
these, these bottles of water.
And then the other one wasgiven you know, positive energy,
positive music, you know thiskind of stuff.
On the backside of it all, andboth when they froze, they found
(07:55):
that the negative water bottlesactually froze in jagged and
much more like sporadic type ofpatterns, and the positive
energy water bottles, those oneswere frozen and they were just
beautiful in the way that itactually, you know, froze and
you can actually see it under amicroscope.
(08:17):
It was incredible, just thepower that we have with our
emotional mindset as well.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Absolutely, Absolutely.
I love what you just saidbecause it's so true as far as
the positive energy you know andjust being able to tell
yourself, like I believe, had Ilistened and heard that this is
your destiny, I would not havebeen able to do all of the
things that I've been able toaccomplish and still so many
more things to accomplish, somany more people to make aware
(08:47):
of what's happening with trauma.
And trauma does affect younegatively.
It puts that fear in your, inyour system, down to your cells.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Man, that and it's it's so crazy.
When you get down to thecellular level, you're actually
almost poisoning yourself withnegativity and, um, you know, I,
I just find that just a afascinating understanding of how
the human body works and howyou can actually repair your own
, and you're a living examplebecause of it.
(09:16):
So you know, um, absolutely, Ilove that, I love that.
So, um, as a trauma coach, canyou explain you know how, like,
you help people because you,you're a living example of it,
but how help people overcomethat trauma bond that they may
(09:37):
have with certain aspects oftheir own life and their own
experiences?
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Right.
Well, becoming aware of it isone thing, because we can keep
operating in the same habit overand, over and over again, and
if we're expecting a differentresult, you know of course
that's insanity over and overagain.
And if we're expecting adifferent result, you know of
course that's insanity.
So I help them by helping themto go back to, like the roots of
where this trauma began.
And oftentimes, like I said,we're not even aware.
(10:02):
But when you look at a healthytree and you look at an
unhealthy tree and then we godown to the to the roots of it,
and then we start to peel off,you know how?
How do you operate?
Do you operate in fear Iseverything.
You're always waiting for thenext shoe to drop.
And the reason I think I can beso successful, have been
successful with helping myclients or my students, is
(10:24):
because it's peer to peer.
So when they understand, and byme being so transparent and it
didn't happen overnight for me.
It took a long time, many, manyyears for me to be able to be
open and transparent and talkabout some of the devastating
traumas that I went through,starting in the womb.
And when you talk about woundtrauma that's deep, but then you
start realizing, when you starttalking about your story, how
(10:46):
many people suffered woundtrauma where their mind, body,
spirit and soul didn't cometogether like everybody else's,
so they didn't really get afighting chance from the womb.
And then, as you go through,like for me, it was complex PTSD
.
So it was trauma after traumaafter trauma after trauma,
unresolved, because if you don'tknow it's there, or if your
parents don't know it's thereand you continue and you walk
(11:09):
through life.
You're going to keep walkingthrough life and life is going
to happen, but it's going toaffect you differently.
So I help people to reallyunderstand and I think that's
the difference in coaching andhave nothing against therapy,
because sometimes we needtherapy, coaching, psychiatrists
, we need all of it.
The coaching is a very, veryintegral part, especially when
you are working with somebodypeer to peer, when you can
(11:29):
really say I understand.
Working with somebody peer topeer, when you, when you, when
you can really say I understand.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
I love that.
I love that.
So, as, as you're growing out,this, you know, like um, like,
um Do you feel like our socialenvironment in the last like 10
years or so has really been moreaccepting of this?
You know, like you know, when Iwas growing up, it was pretty
(11:56):
much just like swallow it, pushit all down, suppress it all.
Do you feel like this is comingmore open and prevalent as an
opportunity for people to gethelp?
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Absolutely, I do Absolutely.
I think, more so now becausepeople are starting to say
enough is enough and it's justtoo much.
And I think, as we are startingto push the message of becoming
aware and then also of becomingtrauma informed, because
oftentimes our leaders don'tunderstand the trauma, so they
(12:33):
either hide from it or theydon't address it.
So then they inadvertentlyre-traumatize a person that's
looking for safety, because whattrauma does?
It takes away our sense ofsafety.
So if you're taking away thatsense of safety but you're
coming into an environment wherepeople are not aware, then
they're going to do things thatare going to cause you to feel
(12:55):
unsafe.
So I think, with the need andthe desire for us to feel more
safe, for us to you know, justdifferent things are becoming
more acceptable for us to talkabout it.
And then when you hear, likemyself, my voice saying look,
this is what trauma looks like.
You know, and oftentimes this isa one, one huge point the
optics of a person does notdetermine how he'll hold or how,
(13:19):
how, how they are on the inside, right, so they can be walking
around all made up and, you know, tie up to the neck and still
have all this trauma on theinside and they go home lonely
and silent, suffering becausethey haven't heard a voice that
says no, there is help.
You know you're you're.
You're broken, but you can berepaired.
(13:39):
Something broke inside of you.
Trauma happened.
Trauma is not your fault.
Recovery is your responsibility.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Right, right, I mean.
A lot of times it could, likeyou said, it was in the womb.
It could have been as a child,like you know it's.
It's so difficult to understandwhere a lot of this stuff may
be coming from, but it's, youknow, and you can't in the way I
can.
You can't say woe is me.
(14:07):
You have to be able to, like,engage it and be able to move
forward from it.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Absolutely, absolutely, and you said it, and
it coming out of denial, right?
Because oftentimes we deny it,we swallow it.
We swallow it, like you saidbefore, and because trauma is
progressive, it's like old,rotten food just sitting inside
of you and then somethinghappens, something minor, where
somebody maybe cut you off inthe grocery store with their
basket and all of a sudden youjust went into a rage and you
(14:38):
have no idea why.
Because you're acting out ofcharacter, because that trauma
was so progressive it did not goaway.
No matter how much we deny itor swallow, it doesn't go away.
But one day it erupts and thereyou have a situation.
So I think, yes, um, once webecome aware of it, then we can
start taking the necessary stepsto do something about it man,
(14:59):
when you, when you, when yourage out and you're on the
baking aisle, in in the safeway,that's when you need.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
that's when you need, that's when you need Dr Liz's
help.
You're like we have a cleanupon aisle six because of a rage
monster.
We definitely need your help.
Absolutely For sure, for sure, Ilove that, I love that.
So, um, as people are, you know, like how is this something
(15:26):
that?
Do you find that it takes timefor people to come and open up
to you?
Or is it like that there do youfeel like that there are some
people that just come in, likeare, are an open book, like how
you know, is it OK to to likedoes it take time to build that
relationship and foster when,when you're working through
coaching with your clients?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
relationship and foster when you're working
through coaching with yourclients.
It does.
It takes time for that.
But also, I say, everybody'sjourney to recovery is just as
different and unique as theirfingerprint.
So somebody might be at a pointof I'm just exhausted, I need
help, and then they'll start toopen up and they'll right away.
And then some people they haveto build that because there's no
(16:08):
sense of safety, so there's nosafe people.
So, and because I've been hurttime and time again, then
talking to you about it, whywould I tell you this?
You know what I'm saying,especially for families that
have been taught you keep yourstuff at home.
You keep your stuff at home.
You deal with it.
You know what have you, andthat's where I came from.
You don't talk about your stuff.
So imagine what my family waslike when I got out here and
(16:29):
started talking about my stuff.
They're like what are you doing?
Frantically, like, stop it.
You know you can't do this.
But I say, if you keep it in,you get sick, you get sicker
because it's still there, itdoesn't go away.
So, yeah, and both sides havepeople that are they'll come and
they'll come in the class andthey'll talk right away, and
then you have some that'll comein the class and it'll be nine
(16:50):
weeks.
We have a 12-week program, sonine weeks, then you'll see the
light start coming on.
But then they'll say, wow, Ididn't know that was a trauma.
I suffered trauma from thewound too, or some situation
where they can identify.
And that's why I love doing thegroup sessions, because we
provide a safe space.
And so my voice they may nothear my voice, but they'll hear
(17:10):
your voice or they'll hearsomebody else's voice, and then
they'll connect.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Talk about your services.
Are they online?
Are they in person?
You know, how do you, how doyou, how does how does one get
help with you?
Speaker 2 (17:22):
OK, so there are several programs and the
programs are online.
There are several programs andthe programs are online and I
will do an in-person session fora group that may want to do a
group session or what have youon an individual basis, but the
majority of my classes areonline.
They're from nine to 12 weeks.
We have special classes fortrauma informed leadership where
the leadership comes in, andoftentimes the leaders find that
(17:45):
they have unresolved traumathat they didn't even know it
was there, and oftentimes theleaders find that they have
unresolved trauma that theydidn't even know it was there.
So we also have a 12-weekprogram for individuals that are
facing trauma and want torecover, and then also for folks
that are in the military, thatwant to work through PTSD or
some type of situation.
We have a 12-week program forthem and then a 12-week program
(18:08):
for those that have gone throughdomestic violence.
So we do everything that I canfor the different segments when
people come and they say well, Ihave this challenge.
Okay, we don't have a class foryou, but let's create it.
I'm a creator.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
You know, last thing, that I love talking to you.
I love hearing about thissubject because so many people
deal with trauma in differentways and I feel like you're a
beacon of light to be able tohelp people in that regard.
But let's shift gears a littlebit.
So I've always commented onthis when I talk to you but
(18:39):
where do you get your hat stylefrom?
Because your hat game is onpoint, my friend.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Well, that came from my dad.
My dad was a jazz blues man anduh, yeah, he, he, and so it
just, it's just me paying,paying my homage and respect to
him.
Plus, I love, he taught memusic, so music, and you know,
and so I was.
I I was gonna laugh and say no,I was my dad's girl son,
because I would sit there withhim and do his crossword puzzles
and everything.
So, yeah, yeah he was my hero.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
I love that.
I love that and it's kind of,like you said, paying homage to
your dad as you go along as well.
Does music play a large role intrauma recovery?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Absolutely, absolutely, without a doubt, and
I promise you, if you saw me inmy car rolling on, I mean I'm
listening to some gospel, I'mlistening to some jazz, but I'm
dancing, I'm having a danceparty at the lights because you
have to be able to get it up andout, you know, and even like
soothing music to go to sleep,by just creating those safe
spaces for ourselves, becausetrauma also, it divides you from
(19:45):
being, from taking care ofyourself, because you become a
people pleaser seeking out thatsafety.
So music and water and anythingcalming to calm, you all play a
part in your recovery.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Oh, that's fantastic.
So I think that's a wonderfulplace to kind of put a nice
little bow on this.
Dr Liz, if people areinterested in your services, how
can they get ahold of you?
You?
Speaker 2 (20:10):
can get ahold of me at info at oasiswellnessctrscom
is the email and the website isoasiswellnessctrscom.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Awesome, Dr Liz.
It's been an outstandingconversation.
You're a phenomenal person andI just appreciate your time so
very much.
Thank you so much for coming onour podcast today.
Appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Thank you so much, ryan.
I appreciate you for theopportunity.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Thank, you Awesome.
Well, once again, this is RyanVan Oram signing off for the
Scaling Up Success podcast,powered by Synergist.
Thank you so much for tuning intoday and having a wonderful
conversation to listen to withDr Liz Blanding.
Thank you so much and have awonderful time.
Hey everybody, this is Ryan Van Ornam and we are
back with another edition ofScaling Up Success podcast,
powered by Synergist.
Synergist is your scalableoperations company that helps
you grow your business at afraction of the cost.
Check it out at synergistcom.
And today I have Dr LizBlanding.
(00:24):
How are you today, ma'am?
I am doing well.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I'm excited to be here.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Oh, I'm so, so, so excited to hear, hear your story
.
I know, I know about you, I'veI've had conversations with you,
I got your book behind me hereand I'm just, I'm just eager to
jump into this thing today.
So shall we?
Yes, we shall, all right.
So, first of all, let's, let'stell the audience, like you know
(00:50):
, a little bit about your originstory when did you come from
and like you know, like, how,how did you get into being a
trauma recovery coach?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Wow, Okay, so it's actually been my life story.
I had no idea the effects thattrauma had on me, or that it was
even a thing actually, until Iwas going about life being busy
and I was in a car accident.
And in the car accident is whenI actually is sort of a.
(01:24):
I mean it's a long story, butin order to make the story a
little bit shorter, I'll giveyou a little bit about it.
So in the car accident at thattime I was a busy mom in real
estate, had no idea aboutnaturopathic medicine or any of
those things, and I was hit, washydroplaned into and ended up
(01:46):
on the top of the hill in a tree.
And yeah, that was, wow, what aday.
I said it was a new birthday,because at the time when
something like that is happeningto you, you don't realize that
it's actually.
Sometimes you hit a tree, butit's helping you to turn your
life around into the directionand the purpose in which you
were actually designed.
(02:07):
You may not see it at that time, which I didn't see it at that
time, but fast forwarding, as Iwent through two years of what I
call dating my doctors theysaid okay, this is the bottom
line.
You've gone through all typesof therapies and you know, if
you don't get double kneereplacement surgery, you are
going to be in a wheelchair forthe rest of your life.
Now I'm a single divorced momsaying no way.
(02:29):
I had a daughter in college andtwins at home.
There's no way, this is mydestiny.
So I just I went to work, Istarted learning about
naturopathic medicine, I learnedabout the different herbs and I
started learning.
And as I started learning, Ifound a new passion.
But what I found is that itwasn't just the accident
physically, it waspsychologically.
(02:51):
It was, I'll say, mind, body,spirit and soul.
And as you start to heal, yourealize that there's deeper
levels of recovery.
And so jumping into traumarecovery was because I was
really trying to find help formyself.
I was trying to find supportfor myself.
And once I got into traumarecovery was because I was
really trying to find help formyself.
I was trying to find supportfor myself.
And once I got into traumarecovery and start peeling off
all these layers of onion, Isaid, oh my gosh, this with with
(03:14):
the CDC stating that 70 to 80%of our population have suffered
trauma.
Then I jumped in to find mypurpose.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Man, that is a great.
I jumped in to find my purpose.
Man, that is an incrediblestory and it shows your resolve.
It shows your.
You know, like your, yourperseverance to overcome so many
, so many obstacles.
And I'm sure you know, likethere's there's so many more.
You know more layers to thatstory as well.
(03:44):
We just thank you so much forsharing that and being so open.
We appreciate you.
Thank you Absolutely.
So, like one of the things, howdid?
How did you stay motivatedduring those tough times to
continue to build something?
You know that maybe you didn'teven know where it was going at
that time or how you're going toget there, but you stayed
(04:04):
motivated.
You stayed pushing through.
Like, where does that come from?
Where does that drive come from?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
You know, it was two things.
It was my faith in God, becauseI believed that he said I can
do all things to Christ.
That strengthens me and that Iheld on to.
And then I looked at theselittle children.
Right, I had twins at home anda daughter in college and I just
I kept their faces in front ofme Like they were my motivating
factor.
(04:30):
You know that.
You know they are my gifts, soI have to be here for my gifts.
And that's what I kept tellingmy doctors this is not my
destiny.
And they kept telling me overand over again if you don't
accept where you are, you're notgonna get better.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Man, that's a bad date.
You said you were dating thosedoctors and they just kept
trying to throw the haterade onyou and you just kept fighting
through it.
Man, I love that about you andit shows that you have no quit
and it shows that you're goingto find a way to get where you
want to be.
So props to you on that.
That's incredible and you arein a living example of you know
(05:14):
overcoming every single setbackand thriving in that way of
moving forward.
Amazing, amazing.
Thank you, absolutely so.
As you've been growing out yourcoaching side of the business,
you know, like, where is thistaking you?
(05:37):
Have you seen like theseunforeseen, like pretty cool
opportunities that have camealong along the way?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Absolutely Well, I guess one of the things too.
As you know, as I started myrecovery journey, other people
asked what was I doing?
Because they saw a glow, theysaw me start to, you know, wake
up and feel.
You know feel good and move andall these other things.
So, as I started to, as I wentinto the coaching part of it
being able to see other peoplesucceed in their, in their like,
(06:07):
understanding what trauma isall about because most of us
don't even know or we're noteven aware that we're living
life through this kaleidoscope.
You know how, when you were akid and we looked at the
kaleidoscopes and everything waskind of shattered.
Well, that's what trauma lookslike.
Right, we're looking at itthrough that trauma lens.
So as I started to walk and moreand more people are getting
interested in weight, as Istarted unfolding the classes
(06:30):
and the courses and sharing itwith other people, I started to
see them wake up from theirtrauma and it's kind of like I
say you know the movie the Wizwith Diana Ross and Michael
Jackson.
They're in this little parlorand when the Wicked Witch goes
away, which is the trauma, theyall start peeling off this mask
and they say, oh, can you feel abrighter day and those.
That's what's happening aswe're starting to push this
(06:52):
message.
More and more people arestarting to become aware that
not only personal traumarecovery is important, but also
trauma recovery in leadership.
So I'm noticing more churchesare now seeking how do we help
our people to understand andbecome better trauma-informed
leaders?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
I found something very interesting.
What you're talking about andit goes back to a study that I
heard about was that even oursurroundings can take in the
negativity and the trauma thatwe have, and what they did is
they would have people, peoplelike they had a bottles of water
(07:32):
in two different places.
Okay, one one was like saidnegative energy, was screamed at
it was talked down to asberated like you're yelling up
these, these bottles of water.
And then the other one wasgiven you know, positive energy,
positive music, you know thiskind of stuff.
On the backside of it all, andboth when they froze, they found
(07:55):
that the negative water bottlesactually froze in jagged and
much more like sporadic type ofpatterns, and the positive
energy water bottles, those oneswere frozen and they were just
beautiful in the way that itactually, you know, froze and
you can actually see it under amicroscope.
(08:17):
It was incredible, just thepower that we have with our
emotional mindset as well.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Absolutely, Absolutely.
I love what you just saidbecause it's so true as far as
the positive energy you know andjust being able to tell
yourself, like I believe, had Ilistened and heard that this is
your destiny, I would not havebeen able to do all of the
things that I've been able toaccomplish and still so many
more things to accomplish, somany more people to make aware
(08:47):
of what's happening with trauma.
And trauma does affect younegatively.
It puts that fear in your, inyour system, down to your cells.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Man, that and it's it's so crazy.
When you get down to thecellular level, you're actually
almost poisoning yourself withnegativity and, um, you know, I,
I just find that just a afascinating understanding of how
the human body works and howyou can actually repair your own
, and you're a living examplebecause of it.
(09:16):
So you know, um, absolutely, Ilove that, I love that.
So, um, as a trauma coach, canyou explain you know how, like,
you help people because you,you're a living example of it,
but how help people overcomethat trauma bond that they may
(09:37):
have with certain aspects oftheir own life and their own
experiences?
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Right.
Well, becoming aware of it isone thing, because we can keep
operating in the same habit overand, over and over again, and
if we're expecting a differentresult, you know of course
that's insanity over and overagain.
And if we're expecting adifferent result, you know of
course that's insanity.
So I help them by helping themto go back to, like the roots of
where this trauma began.
And oftentimes, like I said,we're not even aware.
(10:02):
But when you look at a healthytree and you look at an
unhealthy tree and then we godown to the to the roots of it,
and then we start to peel off,you know how?
How do you operate?
Do you operate in fear Iseverything.
You're always waiting for thenext shoe to drop.
And the reason I think I can beso successful, have been
successful with helping myclients or my students, is
(10:24):
because it's peer to peer.
So when they understand, and byme being so transparent and it
didn't happen overnight for me.
It took a long time, many, manyyears for me to be able to be
open and transparent and talkabout some of the devastating
traumas that I went through,starting in the womb.
And when you talk about woundtrauma that's deep, but then you
start realizing, when you starttalking about your story, how
(10:46):
many people suffered woundtrauma where their mind, body,
spirit and soul didn't cometogether like everybody else's,
so they didn't really get afighting chance from the womb.
And then, as you go through,like for me, it was complex PTSD
.
So it was trauma after traumaafter trauma after trauma,
unresolved, because if you don'tknow it's there, or if your
parents don't know it's thereand you continue and you walk
(11:09):
through life.
You're going to keep walkingthrough life and life is going
to happen, but it's going toaffect you differently.
So I help people to reallyunderstand and I think that's
the difference in coaching andhave nothing against therapy,
because sometimes we needtherapy, coaching, psychiatrists
, we need all of it.
The coaching is a very, veryintegral part, especially when
you are working with somebodypeer to peer, when you can
(11:29):
really say I understand.
Working with somebody peer topeer, when you, when you, when
you can really say I understand.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
I love that.
I love that.
So, as, as you're growing out,this, you know, like um, like,
um Do you feel like our socialenvironment in the last like 10
years or so has really been moreaccepting of this?
You know, like you know, when Iwas growing up, it was pretty
(11:56):
much just like swallow it, pushit all down, suppress it all.
Do you feel like this is comingmore open and prevalent as an
opportunity for people to gethelp?
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Absolutely, I do Absolutely.
I think, more so now becausepeople are starting to say
enough is enough and it's justtoo much.
And I think, as we are startingto push the message of becoming
aware and then also of becomingtrauma informed, because
oftentimes our leaders don'tunderstand the trauma, so they
(12:33):
either hide from it or theydon't address it.
So then they inadvertentlyre-traumatize a person that's
looking for safety, because whattrauma does?
It takes away our sense ofsafety.
So if you're taking away thatsense of safety but you're
coming into an environment wherepeople are not aware, then
they're going to do things thatare going to cause you to feel
(12:55):
unsafe.
So I think, with the need andthe desire for us to feel more
safe, for us to you know, justdifferent things are becoming
more acceptable for us to talkabout it.
And then when you hear, likemyself, my voice saying look,
this is what trauma looks like.
You know, and oftentimes this isa one, one huge point the
optics of a person does notdetermine how he'll hold or how,
(13:19):
how, how they are on the inside, right, so they can be walking
around all made up and, you know, tie up to the neck and still
have all this trauma on theinside and they go home lonely
and silent, suffering becausethey haven't heard a voice that
says no, there is help.
You know you're you're.
You're broken, but you can berepaired.
(13:39):
Something broke inside of you.
Trauma happened.
Trauma is not your fault.
Recovery is your responsibility.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Right, right, I mean.
A lot of times it could, likeyou said, it was in the womb.
It could have been as a child,like you know it's.
It's so difficult to understandwhere a lot of this stuff may
be coming from, but it's, youknow, and you can't in the way I
can.
You can't say woe is me.
(14:07):
You have to be able to, like,engage it and be able to move
forward from it.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Absolutely, absolutely, and you said it, and
it coming out of denial, right?
Because oftentimes we deny it,we swallow it.
We swallow it, like you saidbefore, and because trauma is
progressive, it's like old,rotten food just sitting inside
of you and then somethinghappens, something minor, where
somebody maybe cut you off inthe grocery store with their
basket and all of a sudden youjust went into a rage and you
(14:38):
have no idea why.
Because you're acting out ofcharacter, because that trauma
was so progressive it did not goaway.
No matter how much we deny itor swallow, it doesn't go away.
But one day it erupts and thereyou have a situation.
So I think, yes, um, once webecome aware of it, then we can
start taking the necessary stepsto do something about it man,
(14:59):
when you, when you, when yourage out and you're on the
baking aisle, in in the safeway,that's when you need.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
that's when you need, that's when you need Dr Liz's
help.
You're like we have a cleanupon aisle six because of a rage
monster.
We definitely need your help.
Absolutely For sure, for sure, Ilove that, I love that.
So, um, as people are, you know, like how is this something
(15:26):
that?
Do you find that it takes timefor people to come and open up
to you?
Or is it like that there do youfeel like that there are some
people that just come in, likeare, are an open book, like how
you know, is it OK to to likedoes it take time to build that
relationship and foster when,when you're working through
coaching with your clients?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
relationship and foster when you're working
through coaching with yourclients.
It does.
It takes time for that.
But also, I say, everybody'sjourney to recovery is just as
different and unique as theirfingerprint.
So somebody might be at a pointof I'm just exhausted, I need
help, and then they'll start toopen up and they'll right away.
And then some people they haveto build that because there's no
(16:08):
sense of safety, so there's nosafe people.
So, and because I've been hurttime and time again, then
talking to you about it, whywould I tell you this?
You know what I'm saying,especially for families that
have been taught you keep yourstuff at home.
You keep your stuff at home.
You deal with it.
You know what have you, andthat's where I came from.
You don't talk about your stuff.
So imagine what my family waslike when I got out here and
(16:29):
started talking about my stuff.
They're like what are you doing?
Frantically, like, stop it.
You know you can't do this.
But I say, if you keep it in,you get sick, you get sicker
because it's still there, itdoesn't go away.
So, yeah, and both sides havepeople that are they'll come and
they'll come in the class andthey'll talk right away, and
then you have some that'll comein the class and it'll be nine
(16:50):
weeks.
We have a 12-week program, sonine weeks, then you'll see the
light start coming on.
But then they'll say, wow, Ididn't know that was a trauma.
I suffered trauma from thewound too, or some situation
where they can identify.
And that's why I love doing thegroup sessions, because we
provide a safe space.
And so my voice they may nothear my voice, but they'll hear
(17:10):
your voice or they'll hearsomebody else's voice, and then
they'll connect.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Talk about your services.
Are they online?
Are they in person?
You know, how do you, how doyou, how does how does one get
help with you?
Speaker 2 (17:22):
OK, so there are several programs and the
programs are online.
There are several programs andthe programs are online and I
will do an in-person session fora group that may want to do a
group session or what have youon an individual basis, but the
majority of my classes areonline.
They're from nine to 12 weeks.
We have special classes fortrauma informed leadership where
the leadership comes in, andoftentimes the leaders find that
(17:45):
they have unresolved traumathat they didn't even know it
was there, and oftentimes theleaders find that they have
unresolved trauma that theydidn't even know it was there.
So we also have a 12-weekprogram for individuals that are
facing trauma and want torecover, and then also for folks
that are in the military, thatwant to work through PTSD or
some type of situation.
We have a 12-week program forthem and then a 12-week program
(18:08):
for those that have gone throughdomestic violence.
So we do everything that I canfor the different segments when
people come and they say well, Ihave this challenge.
Okay, we don't have a class foryou, but let's create it.
I'm a creator.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
You know, last thing, that I love talking to you.
I love hearing about thissubject because so many people
deal with trauma in differentways and I feel like you're a
beacon of light to be able tohelp people in that regard.
But let's shift gears a littlebit.
So I've always commented onthis when I talk to you but
(18:39):
where do you get your hat stylefrom?
Because your hat game is onpoint, my friend.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Well, that came from my dad.
My dad was a jazz blues man anduh, yeah, he, he, and so it
just, it's just me paying,paying my homage and respect to
him.
Plus, I love, he taught memusic, so music, and you know,
and so I was.
I I was gonna laugh and say no,I was my dad's girl son,
because I would sit there withhim and do his crossword puzzles
and everything.
So, yeah, yeah he was my hero.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
I love that.
I love that and it's kind of,like you said, paying homage to
your dad as you go along as well.
Does music play a large role intrauma recovery?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Absolutely, absolutely, without a doubt, and
I promise you, if you saw me inmy car rolling on, I mean I'm
listening to some gospel, I'mlistening to some jazz, but I'm
dancing, I'm having a danceparty at the lights because you
have to be able to get it up andout, you know, and even like
soothing music to go to sleep,by just creating those safe
spaces for ourselves, becausetrauma also, it divides you from
(19:45):
being, from taking care ofyourself, because you become a
people pleaser seeking out thatsafety.
So music and water and anythingcalming to calm, you all play a
part in your recovery.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Oh, that's fantastic.
So I think that's a wonderfulplace to kind of put a nice
little bow on this.
Dr Liz, if people areinterested in your services, how
can they get ahold of you?
You?
Speaker 2 (20:10):
can get ahold of me at info at oasiswellnessctrscom
is the email and the website isoasiswellnessctrscom.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Awesome, Dr Liz.
It's been an outstandingconversation.
You're a phenomenal person andI just appreciate your time so
very much.
Thank you so much for coming onour podcast today.
Appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Thank you so much, ryan.
I appreciate you for theopportunity.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Thank, you Awesome.
Well, once again, this is RyanVan Oram signing off for the
Scaling Up Success podcast,powered by Synergist.
Thank you so much for tuning intoday and having a wonderful
conversation to listen to withDr Liz Blanding.
Thank you so much and have awonderful time.
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