Ep2: Overcome Hidden Trauma: Achieve Mental Health & Emotional Freedom

Jack: Our special guest today is Natalie Jordy. Since 18, she has worked in the healthcare field as a CNA and a registered nurse in the critical care and trauma units. She has struggled with burnout, depression, and PTSD. And for those of you that don't know, that's post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a mental health condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. With her nursing career, she has witnessed things that most of us cannot imagine, not just once, but over and over again. Through those experiences and working on herself, she has come out stronger. She found her own healing, and now she helps others through her coaching practice, True Alignment Academy, where she teaches effective methods to clear the events, influences, and people that hold us back from living our most freeing and best life. Natalie, I am thrilled you're here. Welcome to the show.

Natalie: Thank you so much, Jack. I'm so excited to be here.

Jack: The honor and privilege are all mine. Let's go back a little because I want to give people a taste of what led you to leave the nursing field and start True Alignment Academy. What were the defining moments for you?

Natalie: I've been in nursing forever. Looking back, I realized I had been burnt out after three years but continued. When Covid hit, I was working in the critical care units, and for one month straight, I lost every single patient I had. I was on a travel contract. After one more travel contract and losing more patients, I looked around and kept asking my colleagues if they were as exhausted as me. They looked like zombies. I thought, I've got to do something to help us. I felt like I could make a bigger impact by helping those in healthcare. So, I walked out of the hospital at the end of my last travel contract and swore I would never go back to bedside nursing. I knew I could make an impact on those working in healthcare and for those who care for others. I feel like I've healed more people intensely and given more people back their health through my business than in my entire nursing career.

Jack: Covid affected everyone differently, but I can't imagine being on the front lines, especially in the units you worked in. You saw the struggles and physical problems people were having. What did you do to deal with the burnout and depression you experienced? How did you cope with it?

Natalie: Not very well, I'll be honest. The body and mind do what they need to keep us alive, whether that's healthy or unhealthy. I didn't know how to process emotions, which is something I teach everyone because no one has taught us how to process what we see, the emotions that come up, or how to set boundaries and disconnect healthily. I buried the trauma and emotions, becoming super disassociated, almost as if I was standing outside my body watching myself. When you bury it all, it festers, causing disease and sickness, and comes out like a pressure cooker, leading to depression and anxiety. I tried therapy, medications, multiple diagnoses, EMDR, coaching programs, anything I could get my hands on. When it didn't work, I thought I was broken. When I found the process I currently use, I realized we’re not broken. We just don't know how to use our brains or regulate our nervous systems. Everything stemmed from trauma, complicated by childhood trauma and my career.

Jack: Processing emotions we've built up over the years isn't taught. How do you help clients achieve breakthroughs and feel better about themselves?

Natalie: Everything starts with us and our relationship with ourselves. We need to create safety within ourselves. My process is 100% effective if clients are willing to do the work. It's safe and allows them to heal deeply without re-traumatizing. We don't dwell on the trauma but heal the person and the emotions associated with it. It rewires the brain and changes lives forever.

Jack: When you were going through this process yourself, what surprised you about what you were able to achieve? And what surprises your clients?

Natalie: For me, the safety and ability to heal myself were surprising. I didn't have a voice or confidence before. I realized I am worthy and good enough. Clients are often surprised by how they can heal themselves and create safety within. They learn to process emotions and change their truths.

Jack: You mentioned you didn’t care if you lived or died and had suicidal thoughts. Did this last for a long time?

Natalie: It was recurring throughout my life. My whole life was driven by a belief system from childhood that I deserved to be punished. It led to self-sabotage and hopelessness. I isolated myself and was silently suffering, trying to help others while needing help myself.

Jack: How can others create a safe space for themselves in their relationships?

Natalie: We need to feel seen, heard, known, and understood. Start by doing this for yourself. Acknowledge your emotions, create trust, and spend time getting to know yourself. Fulfill promises to yourself to build trust.

Jack: How can someone recognize trauma in their life, especially if it’s not obvious?

Natalie: Trauma isn’t always a big event. It’s when an event couples with a deep emotion, leading to a decision about oneself. This creates a lens through which reality is viewed. Recognizing patterns and triggers can help identify underlying trauma.

Jack: How do people find the courage to work through their feelings and get unstuck in their lives?

Natalie: It comes from willingness and asking if the pain is bad enough. Reflect on what it’s costing you to stay in a toxic situation. Decide if you want more and are ready for change. The drive to move forward can come from wanting something different or not wanting to deal with the same pain again.

Jack: Are you genuinely happy in your relationships? Take inventory of your relationships and determine if you're happy. Lean into your partner and understand their struggles are not a reflection of you.

Natalie: Absolutely. Happiness and alignment in relationships, career, and wealth come from within. Address any trauma or belief systems that drive negative behaviors and create a foundation of safety and trust within yourself.

Jack: What tips would you give someone starting their emotional or mental health journey?

Natalie: Start journaling to get to know yourself. Write down your thoughts and emotions to bring subconscious awareness. Gain awareness of your behaviors and patterns. Be curious and give yourself grace. Surround yourself with supportive people who are on a similar journey.

Jack: Thank you, Natalie, for joining us and sharing your incredible insights. We’ll drop your website and Facebook group in the show notes for those interested in connecting with you.

Natalie: Thank you, Jack. It’s been an honor.

Jack: Thank you for tuning in to Mindset Reinvented. Join us next week for more insights. Take care and be well.