Healing Anxiety, Depression, & Grief Through Acupuncture: Stephanie's Story | Healing Heroines

In the newest installment of our Healing Heroine series, Chandler sits down with Stephanie, a wife, mother, yoga teacher, and Reiki master. Stephanie reflects on her profound journey that began with infant loss and led her to a spiritual awakening. Alongside her is Acupuncturist and Hero Jacques Depardieu, an expert in East Asian Medicine and a core figure in Stephanie’s healing.

Stephanie opens up about her fertility struggles, the loss of her child, and her experience with years of debilitating depression. Her search for relief eventually led her to yoga, Reiki, and ultimately - acupuncture.

Together, Stephanie and Jacques explore how reconnecting spiritually, reframing beliefs, and how learning to trust intuition transformed her sense of self, motherhood, and daily life.  

What You Will Learn

• [00:06:20] How years of loss, infertility treatments, and medical trauma built into unresolved grief and anxiety.
• [00:08:48] What it felt like when panic attacks began taking over daily life and becoming overwhelming.
• [00:10:31] How discovering yoga and meditation revealed the mind-body-spirit connection she had been missing.
• [00:11:47] Why her body rejected certain treatments and pushed her toward deeper answers.
• [00:20:37] What felt different the first time she met Jacques and why his approach stood apart from other acupuncturists.
• [00:24:51] How acupuncture helped her reconnect with her intuition and experience moments of peace in her own body.
• [00:39:09] The importance of energetically supporting her children by leading with love rather than fear.
• [00:49:00] How reframing her beliefs helps her navigate harder days and stay grounded in her spiritual growth.

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Jacques Depardieu

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Chandler Stroud

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Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast.

Transcript

[00:00:00] Chandler Stroud: Hey guys, it's Chandler and welcome to the Healing Heroes. 

[00:00:04] Jacques Depardieu: I promise you,

[00:00:08] Chandler Stroud: I'm Chandler Stroud, an executive wife and busy mom of two who after years of living with anxiety health struggles and an unshakeable feeling like I should be happier, made a profound discovery that changed everything. Join me on a journey where unexpected paths lead to healing and more happiness. On this show, we will explore unconventional ways to unlock more joy in your own life.

[00:00:38] With the help of my very own healers and trusted advisors, the healing heroes.

[00:00:49] Hey everyone. Welcome back to the show. I'm your host Chandler, and today we're featuring another Healing Heroine episode, a format where I interview one of my very own. Heroes alongside a client that they've helped heal through hardship, loss, or deep personal change. Today's conversation is going to illuminate what becomes possible when a woman gives herself permission to seek deeper answers.

[00:01:19] Spiritually, emotionally and physically, and discovers acupuncture as a path to reclaiming her peace, her purpose, and her wholeness. You're gonna hear from Stephanie, a wife and mom of four, a certified yoga teacher, a certified reiki master, and now having lived in Greenwich, Connecticut for over 40 years, calls herself an empty nester.

[00:01:44] Entering an entirely new chapter of life. She's now a Fora travel advisor and part of Jacques Everyday Vitality Office team. Her story includes grief. Medical trauma, anxiety, depression, and a lifelong spiritual search that ultimately led her to healing in ways that she never expected. Also, joining us today is Hero Jacques, who specializes in East Asian medicine and acupuncture in particular, and who has been a big.

[00:02:16] Part of Stephanie's journey. Jacques is not only an expert practitioner, but someone who brings depth intuition and compassion to his work, and we'll get to hear his perspective on how he's supported Stephanie through such a transformative chapter in her life. Before we dive in, here's a bit more about Jacques for new listeners.

[00:02:37] Jacques de Parilla is nationally board certified in acupuncture and traditional Chinese pharmacology and has been practicing for over 25 years. He has a master's in Oriental medicine and has been a Qigong practitioner and teacher for over 30 years. He's his self. Described advocate of the human spirit having treated thousands of individuals for a wide array of conditions.

[00:03:04] He understands the role spirit, creativity, and spontaneity play in health and recovery. Stephanie Jacques, I am so thrilled to have you here today. Thank you so much, both of you, for your time and willingness to share your experience together. Thank you. Thank you. 

[00:03:22] Stephanie: Happy to be here. 

[00:03:23] Jacques Depardieu: Absolutely. It's great 

[00:03:25] Chandler Stroud: to see you all.

[00:03:26] Love having you back again. Jacques and welcome, Stephanie. I'm so excited for this conversation. I know you and I have seen each other in Jacques's office at Everyday Vitality. So many times over the last couple years, but doing this project together in particular, I so enjoyed our conversations that led to this interview and now having this dedicated time today is just really special.

[00:03:49] So thank you for being here. It's been a joy just hearing more about your journey and the things that you've tried and done in your life to feel better and find deeper meaning in the everyday. And I'm excited for our listeners to get a glimpse into that. 

[00:04:04] Stephanie: Thank you so much. Yeah, it's a pleasure to be here and I agree with you.

[00:04:07] It's been so nice to get to talk to you on a deeper level. Really nice. Thanks, Stephanie. 

[00:04:12] Chandler Stroud: All right, so we always start these conversations with some light warmup questions, so I'm gonna turn it over to you, Jacques, and first ask, what is something outside of your work lately that has brought you unexpected joy?

[00:04:26] Jacques Depardieu: I would say building a large deck over the weekend for a hot tub, which I just acquired. So I basically built a 16 by eight foot deck by myself and and then I put a hot tub on it and I rocked out and jumped in that thing last night, about 10 o'clock when I finished. That is so cool. What a reward.

[00:04:50] It is a good project. So I feel I'm feeling good about that because I was I was solo. I didn't think I was gonna be solo on the build, but I just worked out that way. Wow. How long did it take you? It took me four hours to get everything as, as far as like all the framing for the lower sections of it, and then another four hours to put the, to get the deck on top.

[00:05:16] And then the hot tub. That wasn't too difficult, but it was nearby. So, but anyway, that was, I, I I was joyful because I was sitting in my hot tub last night at 10 o'clock. Love 

[00:05:26] Chandler Stroud: it. Yeah, love it. That sounds just awesome. Well, congratulations on finishing that project. That's very impressive. Thank you.

[00:05:33] Stephanie. Now that you're settling into this empty nest chapter, what's one thing that's been bringing you energy or excitement lately? 

[00:05:41] Stephanie: Yeah, self-discovery, more spiritual discovery, career discovery, just like the excitement, the energy of what's out there, and that there, there's, there's so much yet to learn and do.

[00:05:52] It's, it's exciting. So, yeah. Cool 

[00:05:55] Chandler Stroud: new chapter. I love that you're bringing like this childlike awe like spirit of wonder energy to this next chapter, and I love that for you. It's so cool. Yeah. Thank you. That 

[00:06:06] Jacques Depardieu: was it. 

[00:06:07] Chandler Stroud: Oh, love that. Well, thanks for sharing guys. Before we get into your experiences with Jacques, Stephanie, can you just quickly walk us through your story, what led you to being here with us today?

[00:06:20] In your own words? Again, to the degree that you're comfortable sharing with listeners. 

[00:06:24] Stephanie: Sure. Absolutely. So going back to when my husband and I were ready to start having children, we were like, thought it was gonna be very straightforward. Let's do this. After a year of trying it was not went to get fertility help.

[00:06:39] Fortunately, that did then happen, and then 15 weeks into my pregnancy, started having some bleeding and went to the doctor and found out that things were not going well and that that. This pregnancy was not gonna make it to term. So went home, went on bedrest at 20 weeks, delivered and obviously lost that baby.

[00:07:01] So, very heartbroken, but went back to wanting to get pregnant again. Did it a second time. And again, with fertility. Found out I was pregnant with twins, so that was exciting. At the time, Chris was in business school, so we were living in South Bend, Indiana. We moved back to Connecticut when he graduated, went to my first doctor's appointment with a high risk doctor to find out that I was in labor at 15 weeks.

[00:07:27] Went from the appointment to the hospital, spent 10 weeks in the hospital delivered at 25 weeks, delivered the twins, which were then transported to New York City to a nicu. And then one of the twins passed away at two weeks old from an infection. So. Was in the thick of. Everything going on. Then worrying about my daughter, who fortunately is amazing in 27 now, but just being very focused on her and not really processing all that was going on, and just hoping to get her home.

[00:07:57] So fortunately, got her home at three pounds, three months later, and yeah, and she was doing well a year later was like I have this hole in my heart, like I'm ready to get pregnant again. Like I need to fill the sadness that I have. So then. Got pregnant two more times. Had my son and my daughter, and then thought, okay, now it's a year later, let's get pregnant again.

[00:08:21] And just like really not taking a step back and appreciating everything I'd been through and, and not processing it at all. And so went back to my fertility doctor to get pregnant again. Wasn't working, was upping medication. And then. I started basically having a nervous breakdown. Like my, I, I just, things were not going well, and it started out as panic attacks, taking trips to the hospital, going to the hospital, being told you're healthy.

[00:08:48] There's nothing wrong. I didn't know what a panic attack was at that point, and then that spiraled into, I. What it is, panic over how am I taking care of three children, how I, I couldn't, I didn't know when it was gonna happen. So that moved into depression, anxiety, and getting to the point of where I really wasn't able to function anymore.

[00:09:07] Like I had my parents come in to help. Chris was helping me after work every day and. At that point, I didn't know where to turn, and I'd always, I'd grown up Catholic. I'd always gone to church. I, in the back of my mind, which will lead into, I think, further down on this conversation, I'd always had an interest in spirituality.

[00:09:26] I'd always had questions about like, why are we here? Is there God? Like, what is the meaning of life? Like, what is our purpose? Why are we doing everything we're doing, you know, trying to get to these goals for what reason? So I'd always had. So I'd always had some religion in my life. I was going to church praying like regularly, like please gimme some answers.

[00:09:48] I, I, I was in such despair, so depressed, and I'd also like sidebar grown up always being athletic and active and a dancer and things that, that had always helped me. So I, I was like, you know what? I'm gonna try yoga. Maybe that will like be, help me. You know, bring me some peace. Help me get rid of some of this anxiety.

[00:10:09] So that is when my spiritual journey started in a, in a new direction. Did the yoga learned through yoga that there's a mind, body, spirit connection also there, there's meditation. Did that, and I actually should back up a little. In that process, when it got really dark, I did go to Western doctors. I did, I went and I went to therapists.

[00:10:31] I got medications and those were not helping me. And that actually made me more anxious and depressed because I thought, my God, if this is not helping me, like there's no hope, like there's, how am I getting out of this? So that almost made it worse, which is like, I feel like on a very deep level, my body was somehow rejecting it.

[00:10:51] It was like, no, you need to seek answers. This is not your answer. So. That's when I went back, I was like, okay, yoga, meditation, doing that. And then through that I learned about other healing modalities and, and that's when I learned about reiki and acupuncture. So that is what brought me to acupuncture in the first place.

[00:11:09] Like I. That desperate search for healing from the depression and anxiety that I was going through, which obviously there was so much behind it, so much spiritually behind it in the loss that I had suffered and not recognizing that and, and getting the answers I needed. So that is what brought me to acupuncture.

[00:11:27] Chandler Stroud: How many years ago was that, would you say? 

[00:11:30] Stephanie: I would say like 19 years ago probably. Yeah. And I did so with that piece when I learned it, I got to acupuncture through. I trying the infertility and it not working and thinking there's like, there's something wrong with my body, like my reproductive system, my hormones, all that kind of stuff.

[00:11:49] So then I, that's when I got to acupuncture. So that was like, yeah, like 19 years ago. And, and it did heal that. And I do have a fourth child because of that. So that's when I started learning, wait, acupuncture really works. It, it, so that was like step one. And now it's a whole new level being with Jacque, like a whole new level of what acupuncture can do for you.

[00:12:08] So. 

[00:12:09] Chandler Stroud: Yeah, I bet. Well, first off, I just wanna say thank you so much for sharing all of that. I am just in awe of how you navigated those years and the strength that you brought to. Where you are now. I mean, you really had to listen into your intuition to know that there was something else out there for you, and that you explored that path further and found things like the Reiki and the acupuncture and the yoga.

[00:12:40] I think a lot of women would've just assumed that this is what. Medicine is telling me to do, I'm gonna keep taking these medications and I just like, I really wanna commend you for being okay and open-minded that there was something out there different for you and more right for you. Because I look at you and I think Wow.

[00:13:01] Like look how far you've come. And I just, yeah. I'm just thank grateful for you sharing all of that. So thank you and I'm impressed by. How you leaned into what was right for you and not what everyone else was telling you to do? 

[00:13:16] Stephanie: No, thank you so much. And I'm so grateful for this opportunity because I, I do believe in it so deeply and it's just, it's like a, it's like a path out that.

[00:13:26] That is you, you, it just, you have so much opportunity to grow. So thank you for like, giving me this opportunity and, and hopefully for being able to share that with others, that there is hope and there's, there's a positive outcome. 

[00:13:39] Chandler Stroud: Yeah, I think that's right. And I, I mean, I would also say like I. We are not anti-modern medicine on this show, like I am very pro medication.

[00:13:47] I just think it's not always the best solution. Like you have to listen to your intuition and know, is this really helping me or is it holding me back in some way or making it harder? And I think you just kind of have to know yourself and be willing to go deep and kind of listen to that inner voice in those situations, which.

[00:14:07] Is sometimes really hard to do when you're in the thick of it, which is why I just am really impressed that you listened and got quiet and went to church and were curious enough to find other things that did work for you when you found the medication wasn't like that's, that in itself is a really hard step, so just kudos to you for doing that.

[00:14:28] You faced tremendous grief. I can't imagine. How were you making sense of everything at that time when you were going through that darker period in between? 

[00:14:38] Stephanie: I don't think I was, I think I was oblivious to it and I just, I. I was just trying to fill the space with taking care of my children and never having a down moment and, and, and not thinking about it.

[00:14:52] I really wasn't able to make sense of it. I was angry and just what I said. I was just trying to keep myself busy 24 7. I literally couldn't be alone without breaking down, so I would just just focus on everything else but myself. 

[00:15:09] Chandler Stroud: Yeah. Was, was there a moment where you realized you needed something different than what you were doing, or from how you were already coping day to day?

[00:15:19] Or was that kind of like a slow realization that you came to 

[00:15:23] Stephanie: having never had that experience before in my life, like when it first started happening with the panic and the depression, I. Thought I could just battle my way out of it. And then, and then going down trying medication stuff, it was like a slow process.

[00:15:38] But I think, yeah, at the point at which I hit rock bottom where I just was barely functioning, like I said earlier, just grocery shopping, getting my kids dressed, like eating became overwhelming for me. And I had to have outside. People helping me just to get through the day. It's always at my core that I had to take care of my children and my family, and I, I wasn't capable of doing that, and so I just had to find other avenues.

[00:16:02] It, it just wasn't sustainable, so Yeah. 

[00:16:05] Chandler Stroud: Right. I. I'm interested. I'm more curious than anything because spirituality was such a big piece of how you tell your story. I think both from your Catholic upbringing, but also even your early yoga training and that that was sort of the first step for you. How did your spirituality and curiosity in that space support your journey in kind of making that transformation earlier on?

[00:16:32] Stephanie: Yeah, I mean, I think. It's all of it. I think that's what was the inner driver for me. That's what really pushed me to get help and healing. It's just, it, it was this inner calling. There was something, and like you said, listening to it, but I just, it's always been in the back of my mind. It's sort of always been there as to what those answers, like those spiritual answers of what.

[00:16:51] Life is about, and, and, and going to that yoga, like learning that you have control over that to some degree that you, that you have an inner voice that you can heal yourself. How miraculous we are that. It, you're not relying on outside help that, that we have, that power through your spirit was, was huge to me.

[00:17:12] I mean, it gave me my life back. It gave me an opportunity. I was like, I can heal, I can do this. And it's, it's a, it's a long road. I'm not gonna lie. It's not an easy fix. It's, and it's always evolving. So but that was, that, that was the whole component of my healing, I feel like, was my spirituality and the background and my desire to, to know more so.

[00:17:31] You 

[00:17:31] Chandler Stroud: may have just answered this, but I'm gonna ask anyway. If you look back now, what do you think your younger self, in the thick of that suffering needed to hear or believe the most? 

[00:17:42] Stephanie: That it was gonna end? Well, that it, when you're in it, it was hard. It was. There was desperation there. And if I could just my now self tell that person like, you are gonna get through it and come out better on the other side, you're, you're on the right path.

[00:17:58] And that doesn't mean it's an easy path. It doesn't mean that it's still not gonna hurt. And it's, it's not, it's not gonna be growing pains, but, but have faith and just. Just keep going. And, and I feel that now with, I mean, Jacques and I talk about this all the time with like whether you're starting what with what you're doing with anything.

[00:18:17] It's like you, you wish you could be that person five years down the road and it's, oh, this made sense And that made sense. And, and that the, the, the suffering or the disappointments, the letdowns like it, it was all worth it because it pushed me. To become the person I'm now with, with so much more peace and and happiness and answers in my life that I think we're always there and it it, those, my life experiences pushed me to find those answers, even though.

[00:18:43] It was incredibly painful going through it. So yeah, just to be able to tell myself, just believe, have faith and, and, and keep going. There's, there's light at the end of the tunnel. 

[00:18:53] Chandler Stroud: Beautifully said. Thanks for sharing that. I know when you first started acupuncture, and I'm curious to hear, you know. What first drew you to acupuncture?

[00:19:03] Was it, you know, reaching the end of your rope? Was it this sense of just overall curiosity or maybe something else? Because I know you found acupuncture with somebody else before you eventually started working with Jacques, correct? 

[00:19:15] Stephanie: Yes. So yeah, it was desperation. It was like, I'm, I'm gonna die. Like, I felt like I was either gonna take my own life or I was going to just, I didn't know how, what was next and.

[00:19:28] As I mentioned for me, I was looking at it as a physical. Situation initially, because I'd done all the fertility stuff and I was having these panic attacks and I wasn't able to sleep. And I thought, oh, this is all like physical stuff, so I'm gonna go to acupuncture. 'cause if you look online, it can help with insomnia, it can help with anxiety, you know?

[00:19:47] So I was like, oh, that's acupuncture. And I chose an infertility acupuncturist because I thought it was my hormones. That I had taken all this medication and it was making me feel this upset. I didn't know initially it was like on a much deeper level, like I had healing to do. And so that is how I got to acupuncture in the first place, and that was my first acupuncturist.

[00:20:07] And then once I. Got pregnant on my own through him not going back to my infertility doctor. I didn't really go to him anymore. And then I found another acupuncturist just because I was enjoying it now and I still wasn't, I still wasn't great. I was just, I was better. But then it wasn't until I went to that acupuncturist until just a conversation with a friend in town that they had told me about Jacques, and were like, there's this amazing man and Darien, you have to go see him.

[00:20:32] And I was like, I love it. I'm in. Sign me up. So that's how I got to Jacques. 

[00:20:37] Chandler Stroud: Love that story. When you started working with Jacques, what felt different about his approach or presence than the other acupuncturists you had worked with previously? 

[00:20:47] Stephanie: It's, it's incomparable. Like he's so special. It's so beyond any experience I've had with any other acupuncturist or other.

[00:20:56] Holistic healer. It's it's a completely different level. It's from the minute you get in there. I mean, he cares about the person a hundred percent and every aspect of the person. And you have his undivided attention when you're with him, and he's so medically intuitive and. Spiritually intuitive, emotionally intuitive that it's the whole package and it, it's like nothing I've experienced with anybody else.

[00:21:19] And it's just, it, it comes from his heart. And when you're in there, it's, it's not just a physical healing, it's says, oh, you have, you know, you, you hurt your shoulder, or you, you. I don't you, you have shingles, you, you, whatever you're going through. Oh, I have infertility problems. It's the whole person and it's treating the whole person, which previous acupuncturist, I felt like it was more treating the symptoms of whatever I was coming in and telling them, and the intuitiveness that he has, like stuff that he had shared with me.

[00:21:43] So even after that. This is a lot of information, but like I was still struggling with wanting to have more children because I don't think I was fully understanding the pain that I had gone through and that I hadn't really looked at in the face. And he really explained to me, and I went to him a bunch about what I was seeking, what was really behind that, and like the fact that I had these four beautiful children, I had so much love.

[00:22:10] In my life and so much love to offer and that, what was I seeking? What was I looking for? Rather than just being like, oh, you're in here and you wanna get pregnant again. I can treat you for that. Or, oh, you have insomnia. I can treat you for that. It was really like getting to the core of what was going on that I was seeking that.

[00:22:26] Unconditional love, whatever it was that I was seeking, and he's done it with all my children. It, it's, it's phenomenal. He's done it. He did it one time with my youngest when she was like four or five years old, came in and said to me, he, so I was, he was treating one of my other children. So we were there and he took Noelle's pulse and he said, be careful with this woman because she feels like she's not getting enough attention.

[00:22:45] And she's going to use that in a bad way if you don't start. And it was like a light bulb moment for me, and it totally turned that around because it is hard with your fourth kid and the other three are busy. And she's like, and I, it was like, and that was in 30 seconds of being with her and just, just sitting with her, with his eyes closed up, taking her pulse and just saying, that's what's happening.

[00:23:04] And that was such a gift to me. And he is done that with all my children in different ways and just helped me as a mother. It. It's like, I don't know how to describe it. It's amazing. So yes, that is Jacques. So special. So special. Thank you 

[00:23:18] Chandler Stroud: for saying all of that. And I co-sign everything you just said. My experience was similar.

[00:23:23] All of my experiences have been, and for what it's worth, Jacques, I have talked to other women who have seen you and I think the most articulate way. Outside of what Stephanie just described, that women talk about this special gift you have is that you have an ability to feel someone's pulse and articulate exactly how they're feeling, even when they can't.

[00:23:52] And that's pretty magical. So I love hearing you reinforce that, Stephanie, and the actionable insights that it brings, like the way you could reparent and engage with Noelle differently. Just knowing that piece of information like could change the course and trajectory of your entire relationship together.

[00:24:13] I mean, it's wild. It's so, so great. Literally 

[00:24:16] Stephanie: it has with my children, just knowing. Yeah. And knowing when he is with me, what, what I'm experiencing. Like you said, like knowing stuff I don't know about myself and then being able to apply that to myself and my family. It's like invaluable. It's, it's unreal.

[00:24:30] And like I think the other piece with Jacques is that. Giving you the tools to help yourself when you're not there. Not just saying like, oh, I'm the doctor. I'm gonna come in, I'm gonna put these needles in. I'm going to, you know, redo your energy, your, your chi, any, whatever it is, but giving you the tools to understand that you have that power to do it yourself too.

[00:24:51] And to, to break down your belief system and say you don't have to die to be reborn. Like you can have a rebirth through your belief system, through you can have another chapter in this lifetime. You don't have to get sick. You don't have to go to the depths of depression to. To be reborn. It's, it's a thing, and you can do that.

[00:25:10] And, and we all have the power in ourselves to do that, which is what he encourages and tries to teach. So it's, it's empowering you to heal, not just thinking he's the person who can do all the healing. So. 

[00:25:22] Chandler Stroud: Amazing. I love that message more. Thanks for sharing that, Stephanie. Thank you. How has acupuncture helped you reconnect spiritually, not just physically or emotionally, but in terms of understanding your life story with more clarity?

[00:25:36] Stephanie: I, I feel like it's defined at all at this point. Like I feel like I wouldn't be the person I am right now without it. I mean, it's taught me to go within and to seek answers within, and that I have the ability to do that and that I can change. My experience and I have choices and, and it also has taught me.

[00:25:54] It is just so incredible to go in there. And again, as Jacques will say, there's no medicine on these needles to just go in there and get a treatment and within my own body say, wow, I'm at such a, a place of peace now. Like I have calm in my mind and in my body and, and. I don't know if you've had this experience, but I know, and I can, it, it's funny with my children when they get it, sometimes I had to encourage 'em.

[00:26:16] Now they're old enough, they go on their own, but like back in the day, and they would come home and they would be in the best moods and they'd be so kind to everyone, and they'd come home and they sit on the floor with the dogs and then they're like, mom, can I help you with something? It's like they don't even know what's happening to them.

[00:26:28] And that's, that's like spirit, that's their a spirit alive. And that's like through their treatment they become a happier, more joyful person. So yeah. 

[00:26:38] Chandler Stroud: That's love that. 

[00:26:39] Stephanie: That's what it's taught me about spirit. It's amazing. 

[00:26:43] Chandler Stroud: Yeah, it is amazing. Jacque, I have to ask you now, after hearing all of that and thinking about the first time you met Stephanie, what stood out to you about where she was in her life and what she needed at that time?

[00:27:00] Jacques Depardieu: So thank you for your kind words. So I would say when I first met Stephanie. I she's a kind, caring human being and she has a lot of love in her. And in her particular case, it was just her finding her way back to what is naturally her source, which is she has an identity for herself, particularly as a, as a mother, as a family member.

[00:27:31] And so just try to help support her. To come to realize that for herself experientially, I think that anyone who goes through some form of trauma similar to that, not everybody makes their way out sooner or later. They may or may not, but the effects of it after a decade or two can generally be seen in somebody's physical or mental health.

[00:27:57] It's a testament to her personal resiliency. Her personal interpretation of all the beliefs that she grew up with and using them in a way that served her. And like you said before, it's, you know, using your intellect. Absolutely. You know, what we would consider like allopathic medicine tests, you know, the fertility treatments and also the miraculous gifts of what we have of this wonderful being.

[00:28:28] Who, your daughter, the oldest who. You know, through technology and our abilities is alive and well, right? Yes, absolutely. So on the other side is that we are the living miracles that she lived and survived because of her own miraculous energy, and that you made it through to this moment. Everything that brought us here, if we can see it as something of a learning experience, we can be transformed.

[00:29:00] I just try to help people become self-realized in whatever that means for them, in whatever their framework of belief that they're operating from and use it to their benefit. So Christianity. My opinion is an incredibly powerful framework because a lot of the beliefs associated with it teach love, resiliency, strength, courage.

[00:29:28] But it's important that that is not just understood as something that's outside of us that we have to ask for and get. It's an awakening within us, and I think. If people really study Christianity, they would actually understand, most likely if we're talking about the teachings of Christ, that he basically was trying to assist people to awaken that within themselves.

[00:29:56] And basically if we do that, we naturally connect to. Our own miraculous abilities, our own resiliency. Right. Even when, you know, I'm not gonna go into the Bible stuff, but basically we have the potential for miraculous experiences, but to activate those is very personal. And whichever framework, it doesn't have to be Christianity, can be whatever.

[00:30:21] Judaism could be, allopathic medicine could be whatever. That's not the point. The point is, is that we have a framework that has. The positive aspects of it is that there is a potential that I can change. That's the belief. You know, like you said to Stephanie before, like you want to tell your younger self, what do you wanna tell your younger self that you got this, that you gonna get through this?

[00:30:48] That's, that's you, you have that can, you have to have hope, you have to have faith. I mean, one way or another, and in almost, in a crazy way, you have to expect it. I expect there's a difference, right? I hope I get better. I expect I'm gonna get better, right? That's like more, I mean, honestly, like 85% of what I struggle with in the office is helping people get to the place where they expect.

[00:31:18] The result because the beliefs that they have are coming in and what they've been told is that they don't believe they can get better. That's what they've been told. You know, I have this, I have that. So, you know, in Stephanie's particular case it was, it was to help her experience for herself. Her reconnection to her own heart and heartache and make her way through it, you know?

[00:31:49] Chandler Stroud: So I do. And beautifully said. Just to build on what you were just saying, Jacques, in your practice, how do you help your patients move from this state of just surviving into truly healing? Hmm. Especially maybe someone is spiritually open and intuitive as Stephanie. 

[00:32:09] Jacques Depardieu: It's just becoming aware that we are, you know, our cells, our organs, our tissues are always lovingly and joyfully growing For us, keeping us alive, I believe there's a real strong over-identification with what we consider our thoughts and feelings as our identity, which can really start to distort how we experience our lives, because then our beliefs that we have about.

[00:32:38] Our life circumstances instantaneously impact our physical experience of living. Right? So that's what like a panic attack is, or depression. You know, for many people it's not, they're lacking food or electricity or water, it's that the way they're experiencing their daily life is like either completely overwhelming or hopeless.

[00:33:04] And that comes from a belief that's personal. To each person and people, if they become aware that there's something behind that, that like our life is meaningful and that we can connect to this, for lack of a better term, inner knowing self, that for even an hour, whatever, you know, you have acupuncture and then you're like, I feel better.

[00:33:34] You can even have that negative thought about like the work, you know, a job lost or whatever, and be like, it's not even bothering me right now. That's the beginning of becoming self-realized, to realize that we kind of influence our daily lives by the way that we have the thoughts and feelings. The kind of beliefs we have about our life, our large circumstances, and the desires we have.

[00:34:02] And when we become aware that we can change those beliefs, that we can change our thoughts, we can change our feelings, that we can change the beliefs that we have about. You know, our life and our life circumstances, then actually life changes when we experience the joy of being alive. We share that within ourselves and within everyone around us, and you know, if we're lucky enough to have, you know, a situation where we can share that, whether it's our family or loved ones, it just grows.

[00:34:33] Chandler Stroud: Yeah. 

[00:34:34] Jacques Depardieu: Yeah, it does. 

[00:34:34] Chandler Stroud: Well, I have been hogging the mic and I have plenty of other questions I wanna ask you too. But before we get there, I wanna make sure, Jacques, that I hand it over to you to ask Stephanie any questions you might have for her. 

[00:34:48] Jacques Depardieu: I would say I don't really have any questions except just really amazing that there's a certain aspect of our intuitive nature that is not supported enough in each individual, doesn't matter, male, female, or whatever that missing component.

[00:35:06] Can be highly destructive in the kind of life and lifestyles we live because they're so focused on being kind of linear and logical and rational. Because then for a lot of people it causes conflict, like intuition and intellect should be married together. They shouldn't be fighting each other. So I think Stephanie's come to realize that and she's been practicing it, you know, more.

[00:35:34] And I'm trying to aspire to do the same thing as well. 

[00:35:37] Stephanie: That is the gift of Jacques right there. Just explained it. Yep. Well, helping guiding others to find their intuition, to find their answers and their strength. 

[00:35:50] Chandler Stroud: Yeah. Yeah. Also said beautifully. That was my experience as well. To reconnect with my intuition on that table and in those conversations, and once I started hearing it, I learned how to access it more readily and for longer durations of time.

[00:36:04] And once you hear that and trust it is the second step. Once you finally learn and are brave enough to trust and go in that direction, it's miraculous what can unfold both. Internally, but then externally as you take a look at the circumstances of your life. So I love that you're saying that, and I, it's funny, Jacques, I was gonna ask you, you know, from your vantage point, what was the most profound shift you've witnessed in Stephanie over the last 16 or so years?

[00:36:32] You guys have been working together, and please share if there's anything different you haven't had a chance to say, but I kind of feel like your last answer really touched on that. 

[00:36:41] Jacques Depardieu: Yeah, I would say it's to make this shift. Of communication where you're telling yourself and you're telling your child, it doesn't even have to be verbal, but you got this.

[00:36:59] I know you're gonna make your way through this. Just like what Stephanie said about telling herself, you're gonna make your way through this. It may be hard, you're gonna go through ups and downs, you know, but you're gonna make your way through and outta this versus like. You'll never make your way out of this.

[00:37:13] This is gonna ruin your life. This is bad for you. That, that, that subtle difference is really important. And I think more so now than ever to communicate with our significant others, with our loved ones. That just for ourselves, that we know we have to be able to. We're, every day we're gonna have challenge and change.

[00:37:39] And I think being alive is, struggle is not a negative word, but it, it, to be alive is to struggle. And that's okay. But that's like, but the resiliency, that's the whole idea of vitality is like, there's nothing better than feeling joyfully alive. I mean, there's nothing better. Right? And like, so. So if we can help our loved ones and our family members have that same understanding, but we send them that message like, okay, you're gonna make your way through this.

[00:38:11] When they, when you do that telepathically, it's communicated to them that you trust that they're gonna make their way out. So you cut the problem in half already, but if they don't trust themselves and you don't trust that they're gonna go through. Generally speaking, it's turbulence and it usually creates conflict.

[00:38:31] So that's, and if you 

[00:38:32] Chandler Stroud: don't trust yourself, how are they going to trust you? If, I mean, you know, when someone's lying to you, you feel that usually, right? 

[00:38:43] Stephanie: Yeah. But it's, and. And again, Jacques said that we, she, so he and I have been talking about it and like I've been working on it. And it's amazing to see it happen.

[00:38:52] And even if you're saying one thing to your child that, that you got this, or it's okay if, if you're not feeling that energetically, it's, it's like they just, what you said, Chandler, like someone's lying. Like they feel it. They know that you don't believe it. You're like, it's okay. You don't have to go to this college.

[00:39:09] It's fine. But when you're invested in it and it feels like. A failure to you that your child is not gonna get into the school that you dream of. They feel that you, you can say whatever you want and it's, it's. It is so beautiful. It's the, the opposite. Like it makes me emotional. Like when you're willing to let that go and just love your child and just say, I love you just for who you are and it's okay.

[00:39:32] And are you gonna struggle? Of course, like whether it's your kids younger, like socially or you know, athletically, academically, whatever it is, it's okay and they can find their way, but you have to on a very deep, energetic level, just give them love and just believe in 'em and know. What Jacque said, they're gonna be okay on the other side.

[00:39:50] They're gonna, when they have that, that love and that foundation and that connection, they're gonna be okay. And it doesn't mean it's gonna be easy, but it works. It's, it's pretty phenomenal when you start trying it. And that's yet another thing Jacques has taught me that I've really been working on the past year or so.

[00:40:06] And it's, I'm seeing it come to fruition and it's really beautiful. So yeah, 

[00:40:11] Chandler Stroud: that is exactly what I keep trying to explain to women also, that like, you can't. Just say the right thing. You have to put your love, heart, energy behind the thing you're saying. And there are lots of different ways to get there and do that and get to that energetic place, right?

[00:40:30] But like without that trust and love behind the words, they don't land the same way. And I think what you're seeing is so important for women to hear, so important for women to hear. Can 

[00:40:44] Stephanie: make all, all the difference. I agree with you. It, it doesn't land when it's not heartfelt and when it's it, they're second guessing, do, does my parent really believe that?

[00:40:53] Does my loved one really believe that? Then it doesn't, it's not impactful. Mm-hmm. But it's just, it's, it. It's so inspiring to see how connected you are on a spiritual level to your children. Like you know what they, what they feel, and when you take care of yourself and you feel that about yourself and you feel empowered or self-love, confident, when you lead by that example on.

[00:41:18] Energetic level it, they feel it, it resonates with them. And they're like, okay, that's, that's it. Look what they're, you know, it's like, it's like the old when you could tell your kids like, oh, don't smoke, and then you go let up a cigarette. Like, what, what's the message you're giving there? But when you teach them that, I can believe in myself and, and.

[00:41:36] I can, I can go against the grain if I need to, you know, which we, we touched on a little with just going down a path of healing that isn't traditional necessarily. And, and it was the case when I started that it was very woo woo. And people were like, what? Reiki, what are you doing? Like acupuncture? What?

[00:41:51] You know, 19 years ago, they were like, what is that? And believing yourself, but whatever path you're choosing, I mean, and our kids today, the like. Who knows where the future's going. You know, there's so many opportunities. They don't have to go down a straight path of like, Nope, this is the steps. They, there's just opportunity in teaching them that, that they can carve their own way, find their own path.

[00:42:10] It, it's like empowering to them and, and to you at the same time. So, 

[00:42:14] Chandler Stroud: yes, and what you're touching on is so important and something that we've even talked about on the show many times before about how, when you change your energy. That both internally and the energy you bring to all your relationships that has a cascading effect, a ripple effect outward, that changes the people around you.

[00:42:34] It does. It rubs off on your children, your spouse, your friends. I mean, it really impacts everything and that is why doing this work for yourself is so important. It is not a selfish act, right? Like whatever you need to hear and believe to. Really turn the focus inward on yourself. Do that thing, whether it's, I deserve some self-care, I'm gonna prioritize myself for a while, or maybe it is as simple as like, my kids are struggling.

[00:43:03] Like the best way I can help them is to help me. Because then you're not only more equipped to help them, but you might be surprised at how they start to shift and change by you helping yourself. Right. I just, I think there's so much there. And I know we've talked before, you and I, and then also Jacques in your office about how a.

[00:43:23] Many times we don't realize that energetic connection we have with our kids. Almost like we're carrying our kids' emotions in our own physical bodies. Right. I know that's something that we've touched on before. I'm curious to hear from you guys. Why do you believe this mother child energetic connection is such a missed opportunity?

[00:43:43] Both for individual women, but even if we think larger as we look at like a societal lens. And how could understanding it help parents support both themselves and their kids? That's 

[00:43:56] Jacques Depardieu: an essential realization for us to be first and foremost a human being. We are all individual, but we're all connected, and each one of us is naturally inclined with intrinsic values to care.

[00:44:18] For ourselves and to care for each other. And people have been educated to distort the idea of what's instinctual and this idea of self preservation or self preservation of my stuff or my family. But, you know, too many. I, I don't really, I still haven't gotten none. Instagram TikTok, but people show me these videos of like, these, like, you know leopard cubs Saving a Rabbit, or, you know, there's all these incredible, you know, animal videos are showing them not quote unquote going against, you know, they're going against their instinct, right?

[00:45:00] What does that mean? Because naturally. Animals do not fight to the death, and they don't kill each other ever for any random reason. Unfortunately, you know, they, they consume each other for survival, so to speak, but not survival in some crazy way. And nature has its own ma magical balance. Now, as humans, thank goodness we've evolved.

[00:45:28] Hopefully to realize that we don't even need to become engaged in any stuff like that. That through communication and cooperation, just like we do in a family, just like we do in a community, you know, there's more cooperation happening in on this planet than not right now. But if we really understand that intrinsically within ourselves.

[00:45:54] There's this natural inclination for love. There's this natural inclination to help and we support that. Then the, the thoughts and feelings that are not in line with that kind of fall to the side. It's what we focus on and it's not easy, but it's work and it's also a choice. Everybody here can would definitely be, would call, call anybody out who says, our kids never got under our skin, or Our parent never got under our skin, or whatever.

[00:46:25] But we make our way through those things, right? Or our neighbor never got under our skin, or whatever. But there's something that guides us through that. And I think that that's the part that's not really well supported. And if we do shift and change for ourselves, that type of. Understanding. Within ourselves that you know, we're gonna find our way to love again.

[00:46:53] Then our family members see us living that and choosing that, and then they start to emulate that. And then we have a fam, a loving family. And then hopefully we could have a loving community if we. If we start to navigate through that, regardless of whatever beliefs, it doesn't matter what religion or lack of it or whatever, that doesn't matter.

[00:47:14] What I'm talking about is this natural inclination, which I do believe, and you know, I'm people say they'll argue with that, but I believe that that's the case in, in all human beings, if it's supported, if it's awakened within them. Stephanie, you have anything to add to that? 

[00:47:33] Stephanie: Only in that. With everything you said, it is the awareness, it's awakening it, which like what you're doing right now is helping people to do that.

[00:47:41] By having this podcast, by letting people know that's actually a thing. Like you have this inner information and everything Dr. Just said about the connection and the love that we intrinsically have inside of ourselves, and it's just a lack of awareness. I just, I feel like I have conversations all the time with, with friends, family, other moms, and.

[00:48:02] They want to do, they want to do the right thing and they wanna take care of their children, but they're just. Unaware of what's behind it and their behavior and that they're just, if they just leaned in on the love and the, the nurturing, the kindness that they have, rather than their fears of their child's successes and what they're succeeding and failing at, and how their life is gonna turn out badly if they don't check all these boxes.

[00:48:25] And I think it's just literally the awareness of it that we have this gift and with. People like you and doing podcasts like this, it, it's just opening the world up to that. And, and the more we do that, it's, it's. Gonna become a thing. So that's all I have to add. Let's, awesome. Yes, Stephanie, 

[00:48:42] Chandler Stroud: let's hope.

[00:48:43] How does life feel different now, emotionally, spiritually, as you think about your day to day compared to those earlier years? 

[00:48:50] Stephanie: Yeah, it feels like a different life. It's like I'm a different person and the coping mechanisms, I have the ability to like change my beliefs when I know they're going down a bad path.

[00:49:00] Do I still need. Jacques, do I still need other modalities? Do I still like a yoga class to reconnect to my body and my breath? And of course, that's what we all are. That's like, it's maintenance, just like brushing your teeth and you know, eating nutritious food. So it's, it's, it's hard. It's part of my routine.

[00:49:16] But it's, it's hard to compare where I was before and, and. I'm getting answers to those questions that I needed even before my whole trauma that I'm so grateful that I did. So it's just, it's, it's such a, a bigger sense of peace and awareness and understanding of where, what my goals are, what my purpose is in terms of.

[00:49:39] My spiritual growth, loving myself, believing in myself, and that, as Jacque said, like life has joy in it. Like there is joy, there can be joy in the every day. And I didn't have that before. Every day was like a, not even in my kids, just in life when I was even younger, just, you know, getting task done, just succeeding at what I was doing and, and not seeing, not being present.

[00:50:01] So, yeah, it's, it's. 180. It's different life. 

[00:50:06] Chandler Stroud: Love hearing that. On your harder days now, when challenges arise, what tools or insights from acupuncture do you lean on the most or maybe even rephrased or thought of said differently? Are there even tools outside of acupuncture? I know you mentioned yoga that you also lean on to kind of maintain that peace and spiritual connection.

[00:50:27] Stephanie: I'm responding to my beliefs and like the structure that I have. And is that true? Is that right? Is that necessary? So just having that ability to, to take a step back and look at my thoughts and look at what's going on and what, what is behind it or what. What needs to be fixed and what doesn't need to be fixed.

[00:50:46] And, and truthfully just nature too. Like that's a piece of it. Like, you know, to, to reconnect to that on harder days, like walking the dogs or going to Todd's point, or just being outside and appreciating that my thoughts have been reframed so that I have that ability. I can, I can use those tools to sort of switch gears and.

[00:51:05] You know, and again, it's not that it's not perfect and it's not that I don't hard, so hard days are hard days. You have to have them and that's what pushes you to the next level to like seek a little more and, and decide what's the next step and how can I evolve further? And just being a kind, loving person and having a happy life.

[00:51:22] So, but yeah, nature and sort of evaluating my thoughts. And are they true 

[00:51:30] Chandler Stroud: Jacques? For someone brand new to acupuncture or East Asian medicine, what's one gentle first step to explore that space without overwhelm? 

[00:51:40] Jacques Depardieu: All healing is personal and it's experiential, and it really doesn't. It can matter what modality, but generally the modality is just.

[00:51:51] Becoming aware that our body's always healing itself. Our, basically our body's always healing itself. If it wasn't, we would be in trouble. Now, there is an aspect that exists within our body that we call our mind. And that for some reason has decided to have its own identity. And it, not only that, but it, it basically rules the roost, right?

[00:52:17] Because I can move my fingers around, right? So I'm telling my body, Hey, I wanna move my fingers. Now, I believe that if you go to acupuncture, if you go to whatever it is you're going to know first and foremost that. The acupuncture's there to assist you. To assist you in activating your healing potentials, whether that be on a physical level, a mental level, or an emotional level.

[00:52:49] Whatever you're going in for, however. Regardless, you cannot just have acupuncture and get a physical result. You cannot have acupuncture and just get a mental or emotional result. You cannot have acupuncture and have just a spiritual result. They all exist simultaneously at all times, at every moment point of our existence.

[00:53:13] They're inseparable. And the more we become aware of that. The more it's going to impact our health regardless of what we're going for. So if you know that's, that was the like intro into first realizing it's your experience. Now, when you go someplace, let's say since we're. Brought up acupuncture. Meet with the person, connect with them.

[00:53:40] If you don't really feel a good vibe or connection, they're not there to fix something that's wrong with you. They're there to help you realize what that issue. Is and how that issue is trying to assist you to have some form of realization in this life so that you can free yourself from it, and that you can make it something that helps you instead of hinders you.

[00:54:05] And then they should be able to assist you to experience a sense of movement through that pain, through that. Emotionality through that mental difficulty and also assist you to support you with choices that you might be making on a daily basis that impact that health issue. Right. So whether it's the guy who tapes his ankle up because he's gonna finish that marathon, even if he has to cut his ankle off instead of, you know, just being like, you know, you need to heal your ankle, you can run next year.

[00:54:48] Right. But the, the willfulness is, needs to be addressed. And not to tell them what to do, but to them to realize for themselves, like, what, what are you trying to prove? And that goes for anything, whether it's an eating disorder or you know, migraines. It's giving the person the opportunity to realize that whatever it is that they're doing in their life, where they just will themselves through these, these situations how they can undo that belief and then focus on healing.

[00:55:22] Chandler Stroud: Stephanie Shock. Thank you both for being here today for your honesty, your openness, and your just willingness to share your journey and expertise with us. I really greatly appreciate it. This has been such a joy to spend this time with you. 

[00:55:41] Jacques Depardieu: Thank you so much for initiating this and for creating the opportunity for this to happen.

[00:55:48] And I feel very blessed and honored and greatly appreciate the both of you. I. 

[00:55:55] Stephanie: Absolutely. Thank you so much. I am so grateful for this. As I said, when we started it, it was it. It made me think really hard about a lot of this, and I'm so grateful for you for asking me to do this and I hope we can help other people.

[00:56:08] It was such a nice time together. I. 

[00:56:11] Chandler Stroud: Oh, I'm sure it will. Stephanie, your story is so inspiring and you bring such a unique perspective to this conversation and healing and what's possible. So I guarantee someone out there is hearing this right now and feeling better in their own life or in their own pain, knowing that.

[00:56:31] There is a way out and things can be different for them. So thank you for being here to offer that person and maybe multiple people listening that experience today. And to our listeners, thank you for being here. If today's conversation resonated, please share it with a friend and don't forget to subscribe.

[00:56:49] You can meet all of our heroes@healingheroespodcast.com to sign up for our monthly newsletter and submit ideas for future episodes. Thanks again for listening, everyone, and remember, be curious, be courageous, and be kind to yourself. You've got this.