Episode 9 - Kim Barthel- Relationships matter in developing resilience. "The only person you can change is yourself" practice self care as a way to help others.

Today it is my great pleasure to be speaking with Kim Barthel, Occupational Therapist, from Canada. Kim is a much-loved teacher, speaker and mentor to many. Kim has a gift for connecting diverse ideas, neuroscience and people in the service of supporting resiliency and health worldwide. Kim weaves the neurobiology of interpersonal relationships with sensory-motor neural systems to widen our understanding of the human spirit and healing. Kim has extensive experience working with individuals and communities across multiple settings such as First Nations People, children and adults who have experienced trauma, children on the autism spectrum and with sensory processing difficulties. She has worked with people who have experienced natural disasters, who live in war zones, and refugee camps.

In this interview, Kim shares her knowledge of the brain-body connection in helping people with trauma. That, when we are in a defensive state the access to our cortex, the “thinking” brain for self-talk, reasoning and listening, is inhibited or offline impacting impulsive or reactive responses but also impacting the ability to learn. Something many kids may be struggling with right now with schooling shifting to online platforms. 

Helping loved ones, friends, clients and our society overall, starts with working on ourselves. Porges speaks about Neuroception, the subconscious cues of safety we send and receive. The micro-movements in body language, facial gesture and vocal inflection all indicate what state our nervous system is in…..parasympathetic-calm or sympathetic- activated. Each Nervous system impacts each other. Kim explains that creating change starts with ourselves.

Please listen for more about"

• Cues of Safety- Safety as "Body felt"
• Relationships and resilience
• Healing by giving
• SSP as a body approach
• Steps in healing

For more information about Kim  and to learn about speaking engagements and workshops please see her website https://www.kimbarthel.ca/

Please see Kim's Book- "Conversations with a Rattlesnake" - The Book
Can be purchased through her website as well as other popular carriers

As powerful advocates for mental health, NHL legend Theo Fleury and world-renowned therapist Kim Barthel team up in the national best-seller Conversations with a Rattlesnake. The book is a raw and honest conversation, loaded with personal insights and cutting-edge information regarding healing from trauma and abuse.

Fleury calls Barthel the “Wayne Gretzky of therapy”, and within their emotionally-safe relationship, he bares his soul so that others can learn from his mistakes, triumphs and new learning. Fleury’s story will inspire not only those overcoming their own trauma, but friends, parents, teachers, coaches, therapists, and health practitioners-anyone who is in the critical position of supporting someone who needs to share their own story.

Co-author Kim Barthel, provides an in-depth explanation of early childhood attachment and addiction that tie into the reasoning behind our behaviours, and the science of how our brains work. Barthel explains how understanding groundbreaking scientific and psychological research can eliminate the unnecessary and damaging shame that so often accompanies abuse and trauma. Her dialogue with Fleury illuminates self-awareness, mindfulness and the power of relationships.

Fleury’s life experiences and Barthel’s informed interpretation combine to provide a unique look at the healing process that is easy to read, entertaining and transformation