Ep 2: Rewriting Your Story: How Your Brain Transforms

The Second Initiation: Healing Through Vulnerability

In this deeply personal episode, Sarah Brassard shares her experience with a recent respiratory infection that became a powerful catalyst for healing old grief. Speaking with vulnerability even through her recovery, Sarah connects this physical illness to a similar respiratory infection she experienced 32 years ago—what she calls her "first initiation" into self-discovery.

Episode Highlights:

• Sarah reflects on recording the previous episode about her bronchial pneumonia at age 32, only to experience similar respiratory symptoms hours later
• The connection between physical ailments and stored emotional pain, particularly grief from losing her parents at ages 13 and 16
• How Sarah recognized this illness as "old grief coming through my physical body"
• The importance of prioritizing self-care by clearing her calendar and allowing herself to be vulnerable
• The science of neuroplasticity and how reframing our stories physically rewires our brains
• The shift from seeing experiences as "happening to me" to "happening for me."

Key Quote:

"I am courageous as I move closer to the way I was made." - Inspired by poet David Whyte

Guided Practice:

Sarah leads listeners through a "Story Shift" exercise:

• Recall a challenging experience from your past
• Notice how your body feels when recalling this experience
• Ask yourself: "What if this experience wasn't happening to me, but for me?"
• Consider what gifts it brought, what strengths you developed, and how it prepared you for something important later
• Notice the subtle shifts in your body as you reframe the experience

Science Behind the Practice:

Sarah references neuroscientist Dr. Maya Reinhardt's research on how reframing our narratives can:

• Improve vagal tone and heart rate variability
• Strengthen immune function
• Decrease stress hormones
• Help the nervous system understand that we're safe

Weekly Invitation:

Choose one story you tell about yourself—perhaps something labeled as a failure or disappointment:

• Write it down exactly as you currently tell it
• Write a second version focusing on what you gained, learned, and how you grew
• Read both versions aloud and notice how your body responds to each

Connect with Sarah:

• Sarah’s Book – Inside: A Guide to the Resources Within
• A gentle companion for your healing journey. Explore the book
• Stay in Touch: Receive Sarah’s notes from the heart, upcoming offerings, and soulful reflections. Subscribe to the newsletter
• Connect on Instagram: @sarahbrassard

Thank you for holding space for today's story.

May it remind you that you’re never alone in your healing.

🌸 Until next time, stay close.