In this episode of Chitty Chats with Stacy, I’m taking you inside one of the most powerful professional experiences I’ve had in years—the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium.

After four days immersed in learning from leaders like Dr. Bruce Perry, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, and Dr. Dan Siegel, I walked away with insights that don’t just apply to clinicians—they apply to all of us.

We’re talking about:

• The connection between trauma and what you consume (yes, even food)
• Why some of your habits may actually be protecting your nervous system
• The truth about ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and why this is a public health issue
• What therapists get wrong—and what actually helps people heal
• How dissociation shows up in everyday life
• Why relationships—not techniques—are the real drivers of change
• The hidden cost of over-functioning and burnout
• Two powerful questions to ask yourself:
  • What am I tolerating?
  • Where am I over-functioning?

This episode is both personal and professional—pulling back the curtain on what I’m learning, how I’m applying it, and what it means for you.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, clinician, veteran, or just someone doing the work of becoming more aware—this conversation is for you.

Key Takeaway:
You don’t need to be in therapy to have healing experiences—but you do need to understand your nervous system.

Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast?

📩 Email me at: stacy@gobeyou.org

What does it really mean to teach in rural America?

In this episode of Chitty Chats with Stacy, Stacy shares reflections from her recent travels to small communities in Montana and Colorado and dives into the unique realities of rural education. In many rural schools, educators wear multiple hats—teacher, coach, counselor, mentor, and sometimes the only consistent support system a child has.

With limited resources and fewer specialists available, rural educators often have to rely on their own understanding of child development, nervous system regulation, and trauma-informed practices to support students.

Stacy explores:

• Why understanding brain development is critical for educators today
• How stress cycles impact student behavior and learning
• Why many of today’s children are arriving at school with developmental delays
• The importance of educators understanding their own nervous systems
• How rural schools can creatively support students even with limited resources
• Why involving the community and parents matters more than ever

Rural schools face challenges that many people don’t fully understand—but they also have unique opportunities to build connection, creativity, and resilience.

Whether you are an educator, parent, or community member, this episode offers insights into how we can better support kids and the adults who show up for them every day.

If you live or work in rural America, this conversation is for you.

Last week, Stacy hit a wall.

In this deeply honest episode of Chitty Chats with Stacy, Stacy shares what happens when even someone who spends a career helping others through trauma reaches their own breaking point.

Between global conflict, disturbing news cycles, and the emotional weight many people are carrying right now, Stacy found herself overwhelmed with anger, grief, and exhaustion. As a trauma therapist who has spent over two decades working with survivors of violence, abuse, and loss, she reflects on a hard truth:

Humans were never designed to absorb endless streams of traumatic information.

In this conversation, Stacy explores the idea of collective trauma—how constant exposure to painful news and social media can overwhelm our nervous systems and stretch our internal “rubber band” to the point of snapping.

She also talks about:

• Why the modern news cycle is overwhelming our nervous systems
• The emotional load many women are carrying right now
• Why believing and supporting survivors matters
• The role men can play in changing harmful cultural norms
• How empathic adults and children may be absorbing the emotional energy of the world

Most importantly, Stacy shares what helped her find her footing again: stepping away from the noise, returning to the basics of regulation, and remembering that caring for yourself is not weakness—it’s necessary.

If the world has felt heavy lately, this episode is a reminder that you’re not alone—and it’s okay to step back and take care of your nervous system.