Let's Get Curious with Replenishing Soul
Let's Get Curious, a podcast where moms care for each other, tackling the conversations no one likes to have. We share insights on self-care and navigate parenthood, especially for those raising neurodivergent children, creating a supportive community for all moms. Join Lori & Dorothy as they share their professional expertise as healthcare professionals along with their personal stories of mom struggles. We are moms supporting moms.
Let's Get Curious with Replenishing Soul
Episode #22: Polyvagal Wisdom for Birth, Postpartum, and Menopause with Chantal Traub
In this episode, we welcome back the incredible Chantal Traub—seasoned doula, women’s health educator, and author—who has dedicated her work to empowering women through life’s biggest transitions, from childbirth to menopause. You may remember her from episode 11, where she shared her journey of vision loss, navigating a meningioma, and moving through menopause. This time, Chantal returns to dive deeper into the Polyvagal Theory and how understanding the nervous system can transform women’s experiences through birth, postpartum, and beyond.
Chantal shares how meeting Dr. Stephen Porges, founder of the Polyvagal Theory, helped her put language to what she had long practiced intuitively—supporting women through subtle cues of safety, connection, and calm. She explains how the vagus nerve and our social engagement system influence everything from how we birth to how we heal, and how she applied these principles during the pandemic when in-person doula support wasn’t possible. By focusing on voice, tone, and presence—even over Zoom—Chantal continued to help women feel grounded and supported during their most vulnerable moments.
Through her personal reflections, Chantal opens up about living much of her life in a “fight or flight” state and how becoming aware of her own nervous system patterns reshaped her work and her well-being. She explores neuroception, our subconscious sense of safety or threat, and how it affects relationships, healing, and resilience. This conversation is both eye-opening and deeply practical—offering listeners a roadmap to regulation, safety, and self-awareness through every stage of womanhood.
SHOW NOTES:
Chantal Traub: Website for Birthing Classes, Courses and Menopause Coaching
Chantal's Social Media: Instagram
Unyte: Listening/Sound Therapy with Dr. Porges
Website for Dr. Steve Porges & Deb Dana
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: affiliate links
The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions
Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System using Polyvagal
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Disclaimer:
The information shared on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is based on the opinions and experience of Lori Dorothy and their guests. The content should not be used as a substitute for professional m