EP21 - When the Body Says No - Chronic Conversations with Katherine Rose
In this episode of Chronic Conversations, we dive deep into the world of boundaries, not as walls that push people away, but as essential tools for self-love and health. Our guest, Elizabeth Harrison, explains how boundaries are a way of communicating how we need to be loved and how they are intrinsically linked to our nervous system and physical well-being. We explore the challenges women face in setting limits due to social and religious conditioning, the impact of early attachment styles on adult relationships, and how chronic illness can sometimes be the body’s way of forcing a "no" when the mind isn't ready to set one.
Host Bio
Hosted by Katherine Rose, Certified Integrative Health Practitioner, Personal Trainer, founder of Reclaimable, future published author, and someone who knows firsthand what it's like to be exhausted, dismissed, and unheard in her own health journey.
This is the go-to space for women who are navigating chronic symptoms like brain fog, burnout, autoimmunity, or hormone chaos. You've done everything right, but still don't feel right.
Social Media Handle: @reclaim.able
Website: www.reclaim-able.com
Connect with Host Katherine:
If you’re navigating midlife health and feel like you’ve hit a wall, know this: it’s not “in your head,” it’s not “just stress,” and you don’t need to just work out more or eat less.
Guest Bio
As a therapist, Elizabeth is dedicated to restoring balance and wholeness in her client’s lives. She uses a collaborative approach that empowers her clients to connect with the source of strength and wisdom within themselves
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a dual masters in Divinity from Duke Divinity School and Social Work from UNC School of Social Work. Elizabeth’s expertise in evidence-based practices including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (Level I of III) and Internal Family Systems (IFS).
Episode’s Main Topics
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Defining Boundaries: Shifting the perspective from "walls" to "how we tell people to love us."
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The Struggle for Women: How socialization, especially in Southern and Christian cultures, often discourages women from having "inconvenient" limits.
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Generational Cycle Breaking: How millennials are redefining parenting and relationship dynamics by listening to their needs and their children’s voices.
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Attachment Patterns: A breakdown of secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment and how they dictate our comfort with boundaries.
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The Window of Tolerance: Understanding how the nervous system regulates (or dysregulates) through fight, flight, or collapse.
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Chronic Illness and the Body’s "No": Discussing how overriding our needs can lead to physical fallout, including autoimmune flares and chronic fatigue.
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Co-regulation vs. Self-regulation: The importance of community and physical presence in healing the nervous system.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
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Elizabeth’s Website: https://www.eharrisonlcsw.com/
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Program: The CAYA Collective (Come As You Are) – A space for women navigating chronic health challenges.
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Book: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson.
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Literature: Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA) resources.
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Concept: The "Window of Tolerance" by Dr. Dan Siegel.
If you’ve felt dismissed or misunderstood in your health journey, come join a community that truly "gets it." Learn more about the CAYA Collective and find the support you need to understand your body without the overwhelm.