Growing Tall Poppies

From Trauma to Healing: Rebalancing Body and Soul with Functional Diagnostics & Human Design

• Dr Natalie Green • Season 2 • Episode 73

Share episode

Send us a Message to connect

In this episode of the Growing Tall Poppies Podcast, host Dr. Nat Green engages with Hope Pedraza, a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and host of the Hopeful and Wholesome podcast. 

Hope discusses her multifaceted approach to healing from trauma, integrating functional labs, human design, clinical hypnotherapy, and NLP. She shares her personal journey through divorce, religious trauma, and major life changes, emphasizing the importance of body awareness and resilience in post-traumatic growth. 

Tune in to discover how understanding and listening to your body can lead to deeper self-awareness, healing, and thriving after trauma.

Are you ready to move from surviving trauma to thriving in your life? In this transformative episode of Growing Tall Poppies, learn about how to heal from trauma, optimize your energy, and reconnect with your body’s wisdom.

Hope reveals her signature approach, blending functional labs, Human Design embodiment, and subconscious reprogramming, to help high-performing, spiritually curious women overcome burnout, reclaim their energy, and scale their lives with clarity and confidence.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How trauma shows up in your body and nervous system — and why listening to your body is the first step toward healing
  • The role of Human Design in understanding your unique energy blueprint and making aligned decisions
  • Practical ways to tune into your body through body scans and energy check-ins
  • Why energy leaks can be the hidden source of physical symptoms and how to uncover them
  • Strategies to strengthen resilience, optimism, and your inner guidance system
  • Hope’s “Energy Leak Locator Quiz” to identify where your energy is leaking and how to rebalance it

Whether you’re navigating post-trauma growth, chronic stress, or burnout, this episode will give you actionable insights and tools to reconnect with your body, soul, and purpose.

Connect with Hope

Website:-  

facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Podcast

✨ Resources from this episode:

Take the FREE Energy Leak Locator quiz to find out where your energy is leaking and how to fix it: https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/67f804c78eec070015ad4d2e

If you’ve ever felt burned out, disconnected, or stuck after trauma, this episode will help you start listening to your body, reclaim your energy, and move forward with purpose.

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

Dr Nat Green:

Welcome to the Growing Tall Poppies Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Nat Green, and I'm so excited to have you join me as we discuss what it means to navigate your way through post-traumatic growth and not just survive, but to thrive after trauma. Through our podcast, we will explore ways for you to create a life filled with greater purpose, self-awareness, and a deep inner peace. Through integrating the many years of knowledge and professional experience, as well as the wisdom of those who have experienced trauma firsthand. We'll combine psychology accelerated approaches. Coaching and personal experience to assist you, to learn, to grow and to thrive. I hope to empower you to create deeper awareness and understanding and stronger connections with yourself and with others, whilst also paving the way for those who have experienced trauma and adversity to reduce their suffering and become the very best versions of themselves. In order to thrive. Thank you so much for joining me on today's episode. I'm super excited and grateful today to bring you our next guest on the Growing Tall Poppies podcast. It's my absolute pleasure to welcome an amazing lady. She has experienced some trauma and adversity throughout her life and has agreed to come and chat to us today about both her personal and professional experience and share her wisdom with us. So let me start by welcoming Hope Pedraza. Hope is a functional diagnostic, nutrition practitioner, human design guide, clinical hypnotherapist, and host of the Hopeful and Wholesome podcast. And let me tell you, it is an amazing podcast. I've been binge listening to it lately. I love it. And she helps high performing, spiritually curious women optimize their energy, rebalance their nervous system, and reconnect with their body's wisdom. So they can scale their business and their life without burnout. Her signature method blends, functional labs, human design, embodiment, and subconscious reprogramming to create sustainable radiance from the inside out. So welcome, Hope. It's so great to have you here.

Hope Pedraza:

Thank you. I'm so excited to be here and chat with you.

Dr Nat Green:

Alright, so you've got a wealth of experience and knowledge and information to share with us today. I am super excited. Could we start with you giving us a bit of a brief introduction of who you are and what you are doing in the world now?

Hope Pedraza:

Yeah, for sure. So I am as a human. I am, I'm a mom. I have two littles. I am a wife, I have husband, I'm a business owner and an entrepreneur. I have a brick and mortar Pilates and fitness studio here. I'm in the States and I'm in South Texas. And then I also have my online business where, as you mentioned, I'm a functional practitioner. The work that I do as a functional practitioner is for me, I, I just relish over anything of where science meets soul. And for me, that's the work that I do with my clients is, you know, yes, I'll run the functional labs and we'll do the functional work and we'll talk about nutrition and minerals and labs and all those things. But I am a firm believer that everything physical happening on the body has an energetic or emotional root cause. And so. As you mentioned in my bio, I tie in things like human design and hypnotherapy and NLP and these subconscious modalities for us to really get to the root cause, and this is my, the evolution of my businesses has been kind of in, in step with my own personal evolution as I've used these tools with myself and recognizing like, oh, okay, it's not just enough to think about my diet or how much I'm working out. Like right, there's all these deep root layers. So yeah, I've just been, especially over the past man, over the past probably five years, I feel like for a lot of people, I know it's true for a lot of people, COVID was like this portal of just like really intense change and in a lot of different ways. And so I feel like it was like that for me. And the past few years especially, have just been a time of like growth and spiritual awakening and healing and all the things. Oh,

Dr Nat Green:

you're speaking my language in multiple layers there as you introduced all these things. And as you know, I, I love NLP. That's, that's my preferred modality, and I just think that we get so much. Movement with our clients when we're doing the accelerated processes using NLP in a healthy and helpful way. We know that there's some people that have used it not so well and that's given it a bad wrap a lot of the time. But the functional medicine stuff and looking at people as a whole is so important.'cause a lot of our listeners, as I was saying to you before we started. Present with invisible illnesses, chronic health conditions, autoimmune disorders, and. I love that you are able to really see the person as a whole and get to the root cause. So tell us a bit more about that work that you do.'cause I love

Hope Pedraza:

Yeah, yeah. No, I love it too. And I mean, as I said, it is just the how I got. The work that I'm doing now has just been this constant evolution. So when I, when I first started my brick and mortar studio, my business, I wanted to create this one stop shop. You can get everything you want in one place. And so, you know, we have Pilates and fitness and meditation, yoga, you know, all the things. And so I started with just basic nutrition coaching and women. I was working. Only women at the time, and they were coming to me for basic things, right? It's what most of'em are like, oh, I wanna drop 10 pounds or something like that. But when I'm, I was having conversations with these women, this is kind of when at some point a light bulb went off where I'm thinking, okay, what's really going on in your body? Requires a deeper conversation than just talking about calories and macros because that was kinda the extent of it. And so I'm recognizing you. There's gut issues, there's hormone issues, there's thyroid issues. Like I was, I was recognized. There's all these deeper things. So that sent me down the path to become a functional practitioner. And you know, I did a lot of work on myself and I went through a period of really bad adrenal burnout, so help heal my body. But then I was recognizing, okay, well these specific things keep flaring up. And what's up with that? And so this is when I recognized, okay, like there's some energetic things in my body. There's like emotional things I was holding onto and mm-hmm. And you talk about this a lot on your show, like we hold on to a lot of these emotions that, that are experienced during, you know, our trauma Big T or little t And that was the part that I hadn't addressed yet. And so I, this is when I kind of put all these other pieces together and I, I brought in some more modalities and did some more certifications and trainings and all that. And I think that. You know, the, the people that come to work with me, they've been to other practitioners a lot of times, other functional practitioners. Mm. They've maybe gone the conventional medical route, but it's either they, they can't get the relief that they're really looking for. They haven't got, like, they can feel some relief, but it's like, well, I know that there's, there's an optimal available for me that I'm not able to get to. Right. It's like just outta reach. Yeah. And a lot of times they haven't had results at all. It's like, oh, like they give me a diagnosis and they just wanna gimme a bunch of stuff, but they're not really helping me heal. Like I don't want a bandaid solution. Right?

Dr Nat Green:

Mm-hmm.

Hope Pedraza:

And so for me, this is where all of this work comes in and diving into the energetic body and helping them understand themselves, that that's the big, a really big piece for me. Is, I want every person who I work with to really understand their body.'cause it's one thing for somebody to just tell you, oh, do this. And they, you know, they give you a, a protocol like, you know, go do this and take these things. I want you to actually understand what's going on. Here's what's going on in your physical body. Here's how your energetic body is designed to function. Here is why there's a disconnect and why you're experiencing these things. So you have, like, you're equipping yourself and with the tools. So now you're resourced. And so now when you have a flare up or whatever, you have the tools to help, but it all comes down to really understanding yourself at that energetic level and understanding. The role that emotions play in our physical health.

Dr Nat Green:

Yes. I love that so much. Oh, I can so relate because I have autoimmune conditions. I think I'm gonna book in for a session or two or 10. You'll go off. I think you're a year's worth of work for me Nat

Hope Pedraza:

I am happy to take it.

Dr Nat Green:

I'll be booking in, I think. I just know that I, you know, the autoimmune conditions and I. Went down, you know, what's going on, what's going on. I've done the healing, I've done the emotional stuff, but there's more, but mm-hmm. Yeah. Anyway, enough. Enough about me. I could just think. There are so many of our listeners who have the same things. They reach out and they say, I've got this condition and I've seen this doctor and an integrative doctor and this specialist, and, and they're not getting the answers. So I love that you are looking deeper at that energetic. Process within our body, because that often gets missed. Mm-hmm. Particularly in, you know, our normal medical model that we have here. Right. Right.'cause yeah. Functional practitioners are so few and far between here. Certainly accessible ones.

Hope Pedraza:

Sure. Yeah. For sure. Yeah, I mean, I, I think that's the, that is the big piece that's missing because. It's one thing to, that's, that's the thing with root cause, like we talk about root cause and a lot of times we can look at it from a strictly functional perspective and say, okay, the root cause is us, you know, doing these functional labs and then we can see, you know, what's happened in your body to make your thyroid act this way. Or you know, why your autoimmune things happen this way. But for me, it's one thing to say, oh, your cortisol is doing this, your hormones are doing this, your gut's doing this. Well, what's happening energetically, that's making your cortisol do that. Exactly What is programmed energetically to make your gut do that. Like that's, that's the deeper root cause that, that I wanna get down to the bottom of,

Dr Nat Green:

I love it. I think people are gonna be knocking down your door. Yeah. So as we know, the guests that I get on here. Have experienced trauma or adversity in their life. And so we talk a little bit about that and I'm happy for you to share as much or as little as you like. So I'm just wondering if you could give us an overview of what has happened for you in your life that led you to wanting to get to your root cause?

Hope Pedraza:

Yeah, yeah. No, that's a great question. Uh, I, there's so much sure where to start. I feel like the past, like. Probably 10 years. The last decade has probably been the most, like when the most has happened, and it has been the most transformational. But then, but then there's these other pieces too that tie into, you know, things that I've dealt with. So in the past 10 years. I mean, I've gone through divorce, I've gone through bankruptcy, I've gone through lawsuits. I've gone through watching my dad die. I watched my dad's health decline and literally watching him die, like I've been through, uh, having kids and, you know, life transitions and all. Like, there's so much that has happened in the past decade and. All of that has shaped, you know, my energetic emotional landscape and of things that I've had to work through. And then I think that the other piece that was kind of before that was, and, and I didn't recognize this, I was working with, um, like a spiritual business coach. I think it was like right when COVID hit, so probably around 2020 when a lot of this started hitting me, recognizing that there was a lot of, you've told me talk, I'm, I dunno if you've talked deeply about this, but about religious trauma and how that has shaped who I am and now granted I wasn't, I know there's levels to that too. Like I wasn't in a cult. I guess that's might be debatable for some people, but the, but just the. The teachings that were ingrained in me from, I mean, from birth, that affected and shaped my sense of self and my self-worth. Mm-hmm. My confidence, my value, my self is like all of those things. And there's so many people, I mean, that's still, honestly, that's still a work in progress for me. Like there's layers, like you were talking about layers. There's layers of these things that come up and I'm, you know, now I, I feel like I've. You know, I've grown so much where I can be a little bit more curious about it. Like, huh, that's interesting. Mm-hmm. Like, why am I getting triggered by that thing? Or like, why is that thing bothering me? And this other layer comes out? And so it's, it's just, there's so much to unpack there, but, but I think that that kind of being tucked under the surface and then dealing with all those other traumas over the past decade has just really, yeah. Been part of my healing journey.

Dr Nat Green:

Hmm. Thank you for being so open and sharing that. So again, so many layers and a lot of that, like someone would hear that and go, oh my God, you know, one of those is bad enough, but to have multiple layers. But it's interesting that as those layers have peeled away and you've worked through those, that underlying layer that may have shaped all of that has shown itself now. So yeah. I think those things are really important, that when we go through trauma, it's not a one and done and the layers show themselves when we're ready. Mm-hmm. To see them, to feel them, to process them. Yeah, that's exactly it. So it's interesting though, that your journey took you to, you were way ahead of the game in trying to get to the root cause and uncover that and do the healing. So you were healing yourself as you found out more. Mm-hmm. To then be able to deal with the underlying thing. And I think, you know, religion plays a part in, in a lot of people's lives at varying levels, and some people are so anti because of what they've gone through.

Hope Pedraza:

Right. Exactly. Exactly.

Dr Nat Green:

Yeah. It shapes so much of who we are and our values. So when you look back, what were the biggest turning points for you with your traumas, do you think?

Hope Pedraza:

I think I, I really think that my divorce was kind of the catalyst for. Everything else And that, that one happened probably, yeah, that one happened first because all the other things happened after that. So my divorce, yeah, my divorce happened in 2012 and that was, I mean, that was like, I. Like earth shattering for me, because again, growing up in very conservative religion, the worst possible thing you could do was get divorced. Like, oh, you're for sure going to hell now. Like you got divorced. Yeah. So it was, I mean, there was so much shame and guilt attached to that and so much like, you know, I also type a perfectionist is like, well, I'm a failure. Like I'm a total failure. And even though. Not saying I'd not played a part in any of the divorce, but like he, there was infidelity and there was a whole thing. So I think that was probably the breaking point for me. And I had a friend at the time. And it's funny to think about how people come into your life for a brief moment and then they're gone because at some point we lost touch and I, I have no idea where she is, but it was, it's like the universe just puts people where they need to be at the right time, you know? So I had this friend at the time, and I mean, I was just devastated and like, I don't know what to do with myself and I don't know what to do. You know, you when you grow up. I grew up in the south. The United States, so it's called the Bible Belt. And you, you follow the order of things and you go to school and you get married and you have kids and you, right? And so now it's like, well, what am I gonna do now? Like the timeline is all messed up. And so I had a friend at the time and she told me, she said, you, I understand. Like there's a grieving process that has to happen here. She's like, but you have completely your identity. Is so tied up in that marriage what we used to be, that you have completely lost your sense of self. Yeah. She's like, the reason you're so devastated is because you don't even know who you are outside of. That. Yes. And I was so harsh and so I was so offended at the time, but then recognizing like she was absolutely right. I, that identity was tied up and, and I didn't know who I was and had my own opinions and beliefs about Right. It was so that, that was a huge moment for me and I think that was such a, the beginning of such a huge amount of growth of me. Discovering myself maybe for the first time, like what I liked and didn't like and what I believe my beliefs and my values about things, and recognizing that I was allowed to have own opinions about things that didn't have to align with, you know, how it was raised and right. So, yeah, I would say that was really the portal for the rest of it.

Dr Nat Green:

Yeah. Which makes complete sense because your whole identity had been shattered. A hundred percent. Yeah. Yeah. And a hundred percent, as you said, everything, the way you were raised, everything about who you were and who you were believed to be safe, people was gone. Yeah. Yeah. So in one, you know, quick moment, it's like, bang, who am I now? And I've lost everything. Exactly. So I completely get it. Your identity shifted and had to shift, or you would've been stuck in the distress attached to that trauma? Yeah, yeah, for sure. Wow. So when you look back at that, how do you think you have changed and your identity has changed as a result of that because of what you've been through?

Hope Pedraza:

I Mean, I am a hundred percent totally a different person than I was back then in, in a lot of different ways. And you know, like you were saying, how, these traumas kind of shape you and it, it can kind of prepare you for the next thing. And so, you know, I, I've dealt with a lot over the past since then, right? My, my dad got super sick and, you know, there's that whole thing and watched my dad die and then bankruptcy lawsuits, all these things. So I do feel like there was. By basically being forced into this self-discovery journey by default. Like, well, now I have to figure out who I am because I clearly didn't know before this. That really prepared, paved the path for me for this, the, the last, you know, however many years of, of growth that I've had. And so I think that. Understanding myself. And again, this is multilayered'cause I think the other thing that happened, so this, there's still, I mean this is like kind of a trauma thing too. I grew up, as mentioned, I was type A perfectionist. I had disordered eating behavior for a very long time. Mm-hmm. And so kind of at this. When the divorce happened and all this growth was happening at the same time, I was, I, I kind of used that to help heal my body image and my, that kind of stuff. So this is all happening at the same time. So there was this sense of this new found sense of self-worth and confidence and self-awareness. That kind of came up from this, and that really kind of led me into, I mean, it led me into the work that it, I, I don't know. I mean, I don't know. You never know what would've happened, but I just think about like what I'm doing now. And me like having the courage to quit my job. I mean, I had like a regular, like I use air quotes here, like a real job. Yeah. Right before I decided to be a business owner. And so I think about that, like maybe I wouldn't have had the courage to quit my job that had benefits and insurance and all the things right. To go do that. So it's, yeah, it allowed me to, to like, I, I, I think too, and this is really the past few years, has really been a huge piece of the, uh, a huge area of growth for me, but really listening to my intuition. Like that was a really big piece for me too, and really tuning into that and, and, and learning that about myself.'cause I think I had, well I know I did. I don't think I know that I had pushed that away for so long because of the religious thing yeah. You live this way and you think this way and you do things this way. Mm-hmm. And so you kind of quiet your own. Right. Your inner, inner voice, inner compass and yeah. So that's, that's been a big breakthrough for me too. Hmm.

Dr Nat Green:

Yes. Thank you for sharing that. So as you look at all the things and all the layers that have peeled away, do you think there's any specific qualities or personal attributes that you have seen as being key for moving from trauma into posttraumatic growth in yourself and in other people? People that you work with? Mm-hmm.

Hope Pedraza:

Yeah, I think, I think there's a couple things. I think that. There's, there's a resiliency I think that's required. Mm-hmm. And I, that one, I think there, it's like a combination of nature and nurture.'cause I, I, I often think about that. Is it nature versus nurture? I think it's a combination of those, the resiliency. I do think that some people. And I mean, I, I believe in like old souls and past lives, so I do think that sometimes that's just our soul contract that we're meant to go through through certain things. And some people have lived lives where they've been able to go through more things so they can handle things in a different way.

Dr Nat Green:

Mm-hmm.

Hope Pedraza:

So, so I do think that's, there's some nature versus and nurture that is well there, but I think there's a sense of resiliency. And I think the other thing is, what's the word I'm looking for? This sense of. Optimism is the word that's coming in. I don't know if that's exactly the word that I wanna use, but, but that's what I'm gonna go with. But it's this sense of optimism that there is more available, like there is more available. And I think that's the mindset that I've always taken. And now granted, I probably wouldn't have had this mindset before this, but with my own growth and spiritual growth and all that, I. I have these desires in my soul, right? I talk a lot about purpose on my show. I have these desires in my soul, and I believe that they would not be there if they weren't meant for me, like God, universe, whatever, would not have put them there if they weren't meant for me. And so I have to believe that there's more available and that there is more to come. And so I think that's the mindset that I've taken through. All of the things.

Dr Nat Green:

Mm-hmm.

Hope Pedraza:

And, um, like the COVID times is really hard for me. That's where it kind of, there's a lot going on with bankruptcy and lawsuits on this stuff, and that was just kind of my, and I was sick and pregnant at the time. It was just like perfect time to be pregnant. But that was kind of my mindset to get me through that, where I have this fire in my soul to do this thing. I have this, so I know it's meant for me. So I just have to keep believing. That just, if I keep taking one step after another that I'm on the right path, I'm gonna, I'm gonna get there.

Dr Nat Green:

Love that. So how do you like, you know that you've got that fire in your soul and when you talked about it, you lit up and I could see that and, and when you've talked about all the things that you've done as you've explored this, I'm just wondering how do you know you are connecting with your purpose and how do you stay on track?

Hope Pedraza:

Hmm. I think for me, for me, really, it's just. It's how I feel in my body. And this has been also been a work in progress. You know, we talked on my show, we talked about, you know, how people kind of disconnect the body from the mind and we stay up in the mind a lot. And that's been a really big area of growth since, you know, in that post-traumatic growth for me is, is really tuning into my body. And, it's also the intuition thing, right? I, I can recognize. The difference between, most of the time, I don't wanna say it perfect, but for the majority of the time mm-hmm. I can recognize the difference between fear and intuition. Right. Am I making this decision outta fear or is it my intuition? And, and I can feel in my body, I've done so much somatic work to, to get into my body and listen to my body. And so for me, that's what it is. It's just, it's how does it feel in my body when I'm making a decision, when I'm deciding to do something I know in my body, if it's a. Lift. If it's a lightness, if it's an expansion, expansive feeling in the body, then I know I'm going in the right path. If it's a restriction, a contraction constriction, a heaviness, then I know it's not. So it's, for me, it's just tuning into my body and letting that lead the way.

Dr Nat Green:

Yes. And, and as we know, a lot of people when they've been through trauma, struggle to tune in with their body. Mm-hmm. A disconnect because. They're not who they used to be. So they're not really familiar with the fact that they're feeling these new things or they've shut down their capacity to feel and they're not in tune with their gut. So what would be one way that you help someone you work with to tune in with themselves?

Hope Pedraza:

Yeah, I think it, it is tricky and I think for me. Especially after my divorce, and that was such like an earth shattering moment for me. I, I didn't know how to tune into my body because, because then I'm like, I doubted myself like, well, I clearly made the wrong decision, so how do I ever trust myself again? Like this wasn't right. And so I, I think there's a couple parts of that. I think first of all, there's the perspective of. Like, I don't believe, I don't really believe that God or the universe tests us, but I do think that there are initiations that happen because we ask for more and it requires an initiation for us to get, like, to be able to get to that next level for more. So I think having that perspective where it doesn't necessarily mean you made the wrong decision, it's like, okay, this is, this is kind of, I mean, I guess you could say it's a test. I don't, I don't see it that way, but this is a moment. Where you're able to, um, like put on display your resiliency and your, like all of these things that, these, these tools that you have, right? And so you're able to, to, to move past it in that way. So I think there's that piece. I think the other piece is going directly back to your question is to help people get into their body. And you, you mentioned this a practice that you use in talking about a body scan. And I, I think I, I pretty much do something similar where. Um, you know, I, I use hypnosis in my practice, and so if you, you know, we can get into the hypnotic state and talk to the subconscious mind, then we can get into the body and it's just, it's just allowing people to feel sensations in their body. And it's, it's, it's a body scan. It's a, it's a tuning in. It's a, and you know, I, I work with human design. When I talk about authority, which is how you make decisions, all of these are body-based, and that's a big, that's a big way too. So I, I help them understand what their authority is, how they best make decisions, and then we use that like, okay, how do we tune into this specific part of the body where you're designed to make decisions and how we can we. Feel that, and it just takes practice. It takes practice to turn off your mind.'cause that's what happens first.'cause your mind wants to get all in it and like start getting into the this. Like, no, let's turn the mind off. So that's a big part of it. And then can you just feel your body? And I have the, the first thing, if my clients are coming to me, and this is like a completely foreign concept, which isn't always the case. I have some clients who are very in tune with their body and they can, you know. Mm-hmm. But some of my clients. Like a foreign concept. So I have, okay. Can you just take three times during the day, sometime in the morning, like maybe right when you wake up sometime in the middle of the day and then sometime in the evening and just do a quick check-in. Check with your body, quick body scan. How, how do I feel? Does anything, is there pain, sharpness, tension, whatever, like, but doing that at three different parts of the day allows them to, A, they're taking the time to do it and actually have that, like making it a practice to an enter their body and listen. Mm-hmm. But a lot of times too. You might feel great in the morning, but feel terrible in the evening, but you're like, but then you'll tell me like, oh no, I feel great. When you're doing these check-ins, you recognize, oh, there's parts there where I don't feel great and, and you're building that practice of tuning into your body. So just those quick little check-ins. It sounds so simplistic, and it is, I mean, it's very simple, but just starting that practice, you're making yourself tune into your body, listen to your body, and you start to build that relationship with yourself.

Dr Nat Green:

Mm.

Hope Pedraza:

Where you can, your, now your, your body and your mind can start to talk to each other.

Dr Nat Green:

Oh, I love that so much. Because you're right. How often do you know we see a client and how are you? I'm good. And how is your day, my good day was great because they've taken that one little bit where it was okay. Mm-hmm. And they think that's what they've gotta tell you. Yep. Not about. The other parts that were shit and really weren't great that exactly that they've forgotten about or they've skimmed over because then it changed. So I think that, and being able to then keep track of that and share that as well helps you get a better picture mm-hmm. Of what's really been going on for them for the day. So I love that. And I know. I've done a bit on human design, but not a huge amount. So I'd love you to tell us a little bit more about that.'cause I know it's your love and passion.

Hope Pedraza:

Yeah, I do. I love human design and it's been such, this, that really been such a crucial tool for me and the post-traumatic growth process. Um, so human design is essentially your energetic blueprint, your soul's energetic blueprint. So it's how your energy is designed to operate. And it puts together some ancient teachings like the, the chakra system, which I'm sure a lot of people are familiar with, the chakra system. Mm-hmm. Astrology, the Cabo Tree of Life, ITing. And it puts it together with some modern day sciences, like quantum mechanics and quantum physics and neuroscience, and it puts it together into this chart. Mm-hmm.

Dr Nat Green:

And

Hope Pedraza:

so, as I mentioned before, I love anything at the, the intersection of science and soul, and human design is like, I mean, that's. That's the essence of it. Perfect, isn't it? Yeah. And yes. Yes. And, and there's like, you can get really sciencey, but like there's this whole part about neutrinos, which are these subatomic particles that can, uh, affect our DNA. So like there's this whole sciencey part of it, but that sciencey part aside, just looking at it. At base level, it helps you understand your energy. And so it's how you're designed to make decisions, how you're designed to respond to the world around you and, and other people. Um, I can see things like how you're designed to digest food and information around you and energy around you. Wow. It's how your energy is flowing through your different energy centers, so how it affects your different organs in the body or different organ systems. And so there's so much to look at and for me it was such a. Crucial healing tool because it helped me understand me at a really deep level.

Dr Nat Green:

Hmm.

Hope Pedraza:

And it gave me, it was super validating, first of all, like seeing it and recognizing there was a lot of pieces that I've tried to, you know, shove aside or push down or argue away. Like, no, that's not me, where I can see it now. Like, oh, this, I'm, I'm designed to operate this way. Like this is me. People might have heard this before, people call like, oh, you know, it's such a, it's a permission slip. And that's really what it felt like for me because there are so many parts of me that I, I did feel like I was trying to change or shove aside or fight it down or whatever. And. I could see now, like, no, I was divinely designed this way. This is how I'm designed to operate. And so that, it just really allowed me to see me at that level and to be able to live my life more authentically and true to me. And, and that's, I mean, that's how it's helped me moving forward as well. And just understanding my energy and how it's designed to operate and how I'm designed to be here on this planet.

Dr Nat Green:

I really love how you've. Layered on all the amazing, the functional stuff that you do into that as well. I've not heard that done with human design, so that is really of interest. I remember doing the human design many years ago with one of my mentors. And I was like, oh, really? Is that what I

Hope Pedraza:

am? Oh, I don't wanna be that. Yeah. That is also a valid response, a manifesting generator. I'm like, no, that sounded like it was the one you didn't wanna be. And then when I looked at it, I was like, oh yeah, okay. Yes, I guess so. Yeah. Yes,

Dr Nat Green:

yes.

Hope Pedraza:

Yep. Yep. You know, and that's such a common response. I've had people ask that before. Um, I did a workshop here locally at a, like a women's. Entrepreneur group, uh mm-hmm. Earlier this year. And somebody asked that question'cause she was like, I'm looking at this and I really feel like I'm this other one. And I love that. I love that question because it is such a perfect invitation for you to see where your conditioning is. Where have you been conditioned to believe that that one is actually you when it's not? Yeah. So it's such a, a really great place. For growth, because then we can kind of untangle those pieces and see like, oh, I've been conditioned to operate in this way. It's actually not how I'm designed to operate. So yeah, I love that.

Dr Nat Green:

Yes, it's interesting. It's certainly an eye-opener, but I think such a valuable tool. Mm-hmm. And. People are talking about it more and more, and I know it's been around for ages, but I love the way that you are looking at using that thank you, at a deeper level, and I think you have so much value to offer. So one more thing. So do you think there's any one thing that would help our listeners as they navigate moving from post-trauma? Into post-traumatic growth. What would be that one thing that you could teach them or, or share with them that would be most helpful?

Hope Pedraza:

I think I've kind of mentioned this before, but I think it's worth reiterating'cause I, I think we really underestimate the power of listening to our body. Yes. And I think it is such. A, a powerful tool that all of us have access to.'cause we're all living in a body, but we're not taught. Yeah, we're just not taught. It's not something we're taught. And I, I mean, again, as simple as like, not the sexy answer like people wanna hear, but it as simple as it as it sounds like our bodies are so. Incredibly designed, like we have everything we need to heal ourselves within us, like that. We are just such powerful beings and we are energetic beings and people can see energy as woo or whatever, but you cannot deny the fact that we are energetic beings. I mean, there's equipment now that can measure our energetic field, our aura, like there's scientific, uh, technique or, uh, equipment you can use to measure this. So we know that. So we have. So much power available to us within our bodies, and we're just, so many of us are just not tapped into that. And so I think that that would be my, my one thing is if you're gonna spend your time and energy doing anything, it's just listening to your body and listening to the I call, I talk to my clients about learning the language of your body. Because your, your body is sending you signs and signals all the time. Sometimes it's a little whispers, sometimes it's shouting and yelling at you, but there is a language of your body and only you know that language.'cause that's, that happens to so many of my clients where they've gone, especially going the convention medical route. They're gaslit, they're dismissed. Mm-hmm. They're told, you know, it's all in your head where you're, you know what's happening in your body better than any doc. Don't care how smart a doctor or whatever. You know your body better than anybody. So yeah, that would be, I feel like that's the most important thing, is just learning the language of your body and listening to it.

Dr Nat Green:

That is the best gold nugget. That is absolutely brilliant because exactly. We all are alive in a body. Mm-hmm. So no one knows us better than ourselves. Mm-hmm. And you're so right. And, and we might have a quick chat about this about, and you would see it. I see it a lot and I've been through it myself and it's been a conversation on recent episodes about being gas lit. That how many times do the people that come to see us, how many times have they been told it's in their head? Many times have they, they keep going back and going back and going back through that normal medical route. And it's that whole, no one's getting me the answers, but I know something's wrong. Mm-hmm. Exactly. Yeah. So how do you help people when they're showing up like that?

Hope Pedraza:

Yeah. Yeah. And. It's a tough, I mean, I would honestly, I would say 99 of my percent of my clients are in that place. Like, and that's why they're coming to me.'cause they're like, I've tried everything else. Mm-hmm. I have literally tried everything else and I still can't find the answers. And it, it is a hard place to be.'cause I know there's a lot of skepticism involved and like, how are you gonna be any different? But I think that, you know, I, I I don't, how do I say this? I don't, I try to bring the point across that I don't, I don't wanna work with people who are seeing me as their savior. Like I'm not trying to be a savior for you and saving the day. Right. I want to just be a guide to help you understand you. And that's, that's the path to healing. Just, I just wanna help you understand you. And so that's really the approach I take with my clients. And it's probably not gonna be a quick fix.'cause I mean, I'm not in about quick fixes because quick fixes never last. So it's not gonna be a quick thing. It's gonna be a process. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. So we have to keep that in mind. The healing process is never linear, right? So there's certain expectations I wanna put out upfront, but the fact is, if you are on the path, you're on the journey, you've made a decision that. Something is off and I wanna figure out what it is and fix it, then you're gonna get there eventually. Like you've already made the decision. Yeah. And so it, it really comes down to having that commitment, having that intention, and then, and then I think it's just trying something out of the box and new, which for a lot of my clients is the work that I do. It's something I've never tried before, but I do think that it is, it's not just the fact that what they're doing, what I do is. Different than most practitioners, but it is that energetic, emotional piece.'cause that's usually the piece that hasn't been addressed. Mm. And so it's, it's putting the right pieces together for you to start seeing changes and healing happening in the body too.

Dr Nat Green:

Mm. I really love that approach and that you're open and honest. And because, as you said. You know, you're their last resort a lot of the time. They've tried everything else, and I think being able to say, well, how's that worked for you so far? Right, exactly. Given them hope that you can give them something they haven't tried. Right. They're at that point where they've been gaslit so much, they've tried so many things, they will do anything pretty much. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Which is a great place to be in lots of ways, but also. Places them at risk of, well, it didn't work straight away. Right? You didn't fix me. Right? So giving that realistic expectation that it's a process.

Hope Pedraza:

Yeah.

Dr Nat Green:

As everything in our healings a process, as you said, a couple of steps forward and 10 steps back. Mm-hmm. But it's perseverance. And the resilience. Yes. And that willingness to change. I love that so much. So as we move to wrapping up this conversation, where can our listeners who I know are gonna wanna find you, find you online and connect with you?

Hope Pedraza:

So I'm on Instagram at theHopePedraza. I'm most active on Instagram. I'm on Facebook as well, but most active on Instagram. And then my website is hopefulandwholesome.com. I have a podcast by the same name, hopeful and Wholesome. And uh, yeah, so you can find me there. I also have a YouTube channel. You can find me, I Hope Pedraza on YouTube as well.

Dr Nat Green:

Excellent, and I'll put all of those links in the show notes. And I know that you've also got a quiz, so well, I'll put that in there. Did you wanna let our listeners know about your amazing

Hope Pedraza:

quiz? Yes. So I have the energy leak locator quiz, which I love, and I know you talk a lot about archetypes so that I have some little archetypes built into the quiz here. But basically it's a quiz to show you where your energy is leaking. So is it, uh, is it an emotional, energetic, I talk about minerals. I do a lot of mineral bouncing. So we talk about mineral. So I'm putting all the pieces together in the quiz. But for you to really uncover. Where your energy is leaking. I am a firm believer that it's the energy leaks, right? That's what's causing our physical, uh, symptoms. And so it gives you a good picture of where your energy is leaking, what patterns and beliefs are playing out in your subconscious that are leading to these energy leaks, and then sends you a little, um, tool to help you start to reprogram some of that.

Dr Nat Green:

Fantastic. And I know our listeners and myself love a good tool, so Oh yeah. Thank you so much. I'll definitely put that in the show notes as well. And I always like to end the show with one question. Just wanted to ask, what do you think your younger self would think of what you are doing now and what you've achieved? Hmm. I like that

Hope Pedraza:

question. That's a good one. I. I think my younger self would be really amazed at the level of tenacity and resilience that I've showed over the years. I feel emotional talking about that. Um, I think that, and I think she'd be really proud that I was able to overcome so much and, you know. I often feel sometimes, you know, talk about, my things that I've experienced in my life and I think, oh, people have, you know, so many people have been through so many worse things, blah, blah, blah. But, but I think, I think my younger self would recognize like all the things that I've been through and be really proud that I was able to grow and move past it and not hold on to resentment or. Hmm. Anger or any of those things that I was able to, to walk myself through it and grow stronger and continue to move towards my dreams and my goals.

Dr Nat Green:

Oh, how special. That's beautiful. And I got goosebumps as you said that. Oh, thank you. That's a message. Absolutely. And I think you are spot on. Look how far you've come and how much growth you've done and what you are now paying forward and helping other people with. So you're definitely on purpose. Mm-hmm. And have connected science and soul perfectly. So thank you so much for coming on and, and sharing your knowledge and wisdom and your story with us. Thank you, Nat. Thanks so much for having me. My pleasure. I talk to you soon. Bye for now. Thank you for joining me in this episode of Growing Tall Poppies. It is my deepest hope that today's episode may have inspired and empowered you to step fully into your post-traumatic growth, so that you can have absolute clarity around who you are, what matters the most to you, and to assist you to release your negative emotions. And regulate your nervous system so you can fully thrive. New episodes are published every Tuesday, and I hope you'll continue to join us as we explore both the strategies and the personal qualities required to fully live a life of post-traumatic growth and to thrive. So if it feels aligned to you and really resonates, then I invite you to hit subscribe and it would mean the world to us. If you could share this episode with others who you feel may benefit too, you may also find me on Instagram at Growing Tall Poppies and Facebook, Dr. Natalie Green. Remember, every moment is an opportunity to look for the lessons and to learn and increase your ability to live the life you desire and deserve. So for now, stay connected. Stay inspired. Stand tall like the tall poppy you are, and keep shining your light brightly in the world. Bye for.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Dr Natalie Green

Host