Content Warning: This episode contains the depiction of traumatic events, including violence, sexual assault, and self-harm.
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Can you really heal shame and trauma that live deep in your body? In this raw and inspiring episode of Hol+, Dr. Taz MD sits down with globally sought-after trauma specialist and performance coach Annalie Howling to uncover the hidden ways shame sabotages your health, relationships, and potential, and how you can finally release it.
From perfectionism to people-pleasing to physical symptoms, shame shapes our lives in ways most of us don’t realize. Annalie shares her personal healing journey, from childhood abuse and self-harm to deep freedom, and offers actionable tools to help YOU reclaim your power.
You’ll learn why shame is never your fault, how it lodges in the body, and why it often underlies anxiety, gut issues, chronic stress, and even physical pain. Plus: how EMDR, somatic work, and simple daily practices can free you to live unapologetically.
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In this episode, you’ll discover:
- How shame gets trapped in the body and drives disease
- The 5 trauma responses (and why "fawn" is most linked to shame)
- How perfectionism and fake control are trauma adaptations
- The link between shame, self-criticism, and chronic anxiety
- How to rewire your nervous system and reclaim self-compassion
- Why breathwork, EMDR, yoga, and embodied practices can heal deep wounds
- How to break generational shame cycles and parent without passing it on
If you’ve ever felt “not good enough,” stuck, disconnected, or like no amount of wellness routines can fix how you feel, this episode is a must-watch.
Topics Covered:
- The biology of shame and trauma responses
- How shame fuels perfectionism and anxiety
- Somatic practices to heal shame
- The power of EMDR in trauma release
- Parenting without passing down shame
- How to start building radical self-compassion
- Reclaiming your voice and living unapologetically
About Annalie Howling
Annalie Howling is a globally sought-after performance coach, trauma specialist, and author of Unapologetic: Unshackle Your Shame. Reclaim Your Power.
With over two decades of experience, Annalie has worked with leaders in business, Olympians, Hollywood, members of the Armed Forces, including ex-UK Special Forces, and private clients navigating transitions and challenges. But her work goes deeper than performance, it addresses the universal weight that underpins so much of human struggle: shame.
Annalie’s groundbreaking methods stem not only from her professional expertise but from her personal transformation. It wasn’t until she addressed her own unhealed trauma and liberated herself from shame that she began to live authentically and freely.
Now, Annalie’s mission is to help others break free from the shame that holds them back.
Through her work and her book, she shares valuable insights on navigating divorce, single parenting, overcoming childhood trauma and abuse, healing from toxic relationships, dealing with narcissistic partners, recovering from workplace toxicity, and releasing family trauma.
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Stay Connected
Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe
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Learn more about Annalie Howling at:
https://annaliehowling.com/
Host & Production Team
Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Lead Producer: Lauren Feighan; Editors: Jeremiah Schultz and Patrick Edwards)
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+
Timestamps:
00:00 Shame Is a Felt Sense, Not a Thought
03:15 Meet Annalie Howling + Why Shame Matters
05:50 Why Perfectionism Fuels Shame
10:04 Annalie’s Story: Violence, Childhood Trauma, and Self-Harm
17:11 The Turning Point: EMDR and Trauma Healing
22:20 Physical Symptoms of Shame (Gut, Skin, Burnout)
29:23 The 5 Trauma Responses Explained (Fight, Flight, Freeze, Flop, Fawn)
34:05 How Shame Fuels Anxiety and Life Avoidance
42:32 A Self-Compassion Exercise to Heal Shame
55:54 Other Somatic Tools to Heal Shame
