Good Neighbor Podcast: Frisco

EP 379: Trauma Tools, Nervous System Science, And Real-Life Healing With Dr. Rebecca Harvey

• Sophia Yvette

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What makes Dr. Rebecca Harvey with Total Wellness Consultants a good neighbor?

Dr. Rebecca Harvey believes that insight alone isn’t enough to heal trauma—the nervous system holds the keys to lasting change. In this episode, we trace her unexpected path from working inside federal and state prisons to building a thriving trauma-focused private practice. Along the way, Rebecca shares a core truth she’s learned through years of clinical work: understanding your past can open compassion, but regulation and safety in the body are what create real freedom.

Rebecca breaks down why so many high-functioning people still feel stuck despite years of talk therapy. She explains how trauma shows up as state, not just story, and how once-protective patterns like perfectionism, numbing, people-pleasing, and hypervigilance can quietly limit our ability to love, lead, and rest. We walk through practical tools she uses with clients—simple nervous system regulation strategies, parts-aware therapy, and integration practices that help transform insight into stable, embodied change.

We also explore her expanding work with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in Colorado, where legal frameworks now allow carefully supervised care. Rebecca outlines who may benefit, why preparation and integration matter more than the peak experience itself, and how this modality can catalyze progress when traditional approaches plateau. Along the way, we touch on the power of word-of-mouth referrals, the subtle social signals that reflect genuine healing, and the personal rituals—travel, fitness, and lifelong learning—that keep her grounded and effective.

If you’re ready to move beyond understanding why patterns exist and start changing how your body responds to life, this conversation offers a clear, humane path forward rooted in safety, compassion, and sustainable growth.

To learn more about Total Wellness Consultants go to:   https://www.totalwellnessconsultants.com/

Total Wellness Consultants
(714)679-6111

SPEAKER_00:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

SPEAKER_02:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a trauma-informed specialist? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Dr. Rebecca Harvey with Total Wellness Consultants. Dr. Rebecca Harvey, how are you today?

SPEAKER_01:

I'm so good, Sophia. Thank you so much for having me on today.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, it is lovely to have you on, and we are excited to learn all about you and your business. Can you start off by telling us just a little bit about your company?

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. So I'm the owner of Total Wellness Control Consultants and the Psychedelic Psychologist, and both of these are trauma-focused companies. So I specialize in helping individuals heal from historical trauma so they can improve their quality of life. Do this in a few different ways. Predominantly, I do this day-to-day with my therapy work. And then I'm also an integration-centered psychedelic psychotherapist.

SPEAKER_02:

Amazing. Now for today, let's keep the focus total wellness consultants. So getting into the background a little bit more, how did you originally get into this business?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, really good question. So my background actually, I began in forensic psychology. So I worked in federal and state prisons, both in Texas and in California. And I thought I would stay in that line of work, doing a lot of forensic testimony in court. And what I found was that the days I was leaving the prisons, having done therapy work for the inmates, I really felt just a greater sense of meaning and purpose. And so that caused me to pause and think maybe what I would rather do is actually serve people in that capacity. So that was a pretty then quick streamline into community psychotherapy.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow. Now, backstory on your backstory for a second. What made you wanted to get into the forensic field in the first place?

SPEAKER_01:

You know, I grew up being fascinated by all things forensic. So I would read all of the like serial killer novels and so forth, um, to much to my mother's chagrin. She she didn't love that I did this, but I was just fascinated by that deeper criminal psychology. I think in general, I was fascinated by psychology and just what made people tick, how people, how people got into the positions in life they were in, why they behaved the ways they did. So from a very young age, I was analyzing this, but also from an unfortunately young age, I was really fascinated by serial killers. And so this led me to want to study that once I was in school studying psychology.

SPEAKER_02:

Now, what is the most common myth or misconception when it comes to handling trauma?

SPEAKER_01:

I think the most common misperception is that we can heal trauma simply by understanding how it came to be. And the how it came to be part is super fascinating. But the only way that really helps is that it allows us to extend compassion to ourselves and eventually hopefully to whatever or whoever it was that contributed to the formation of that trauma. But the actual healing comes from deeper work that doesn't just so the insight doesn't suffice in in healing.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow. How fascinating. Do you have a couple tips in general when it comes to healing trauma?

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, I think I think it's important for people to recognize that trauma isn't just, you know, I served in the military and now I have PTSD. Trauma happens to us anytime our system doesn't feel safe. When our system doesn't feel safe, we have parts of us that come in to protect us. And there are a variety of creative ways our system adapts to defend us when we feel unsafe. So those then become patterns in our way of operating and functioning in life, in relationship. And sometimes those patterns are actually interrupting our health or our relationships from thriving. And so it's important to recognize that trauma shows up in a myriad of ways. And I think if we have that greater insight, then we can see how we can actually identify and address trauma. Trauma is stored in our nervous system. So it's really important to recognize that it's often a reflexive response. It's not always that we are consciously thinking, like, this thing happened and therefore I'm going to respond in this way. It's more so that it's stored in our nervous system. So at the first sign of our nervous system feeling unsafe, we have this automatic or reflexive response and we go into these patterned ways of responding that that often interrupt interrupt us from doing well in life.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow. Now that is truly fascinating. I always find pattern recognition important to understand. Now, switching gears for just a second here, we know marketing is the heart of every business. Who are some of your target clients that you're working with? And in terms of marketing today, how are you currently attracting them?

SPEAKER_01:

I work with high-functioning individuals typically who are just feeling a bit stuck in certain areas of life. So my my referrals generally come from word of mouth at this point. I'm very lucky. I stay quite busy and often have a wait list of people trying to get in. So I feel very blessed in that regard. And yes, typically it's word of mouth. I have a couple, maybe a handful of doctors who have had individuals that they work with who have done well working with me. So they have continued to send people my way. Um, and outside of that, it's typically clients who their friends and family say, like, wow, you know, you you seem so different. And then they're able to say, Yes, I've been working really hard in therapy. And then I receive referrals that way. So I'm quite lucky.

SPEAKER_02:

Long term, do you see word of mouth being something you'll keep doing ongoing to bring in more people?

SPEAKER_01:

I think word of mouth is actually the best type of referral. It's the best marketing I could possibly have because you know, people are obviously feeling good about their decision to work with me and they're speaking to that. And then also, how flattering is that that someone's approaching someone and saying, wow, you seem like you're doing a lot better. You seem happier, you seem more at ease, your life seems to be going well and being in flow. And then for them to be able to identify that this is the result of this deeper healing work they've done. So, so yes, I do hope word of mouth continues to be a great resource for my referral base.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, thank you for sharing that with us. Now, have you ever thought about doing your own podcast?

SPEAKER_01:

I actually have. I've been on several podcasts and I'm in the process of doing that, not for my day-to-day therapy work, but for that deeper psychedelic work I do. So I am in the process of launching one currently, yes.

SPEAKER_02:

Now, outside of work, what do you and your family like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, the primary things are probably travel and then health and fitness. So that I'm pausing here because most people don't think of health and fitness as like a fun and exciting hobby, but I am a bit of a fitness and nutrition enthusiast. So I really do enjoy learning about all things wellness. Um, I actually speak corporately about wellness, usually from a neuropsychologically based perspective, but my interest in wellness and health in general tends to inform that. So I really kind of geek out on all of that. And then travel is a really high priority for my family. So international and local travel, whenever we can fit it in, we pretty much do. And I think we really prioritize experience and adventure as a high value for our family.

SPEAKER_02:

Amazing. Well, the world is too big to just stay in one place your whole life.

SPEAKER_01:

For sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_02:

Now, please tell our listeners one thing they should remember about Total Wellness Consultants.

SPEAKER_01:

Total Wellness Consultants is here to support helping you find your balance in mind, body, and spirit. So if you're feeling stuck, if you're feeling that life's got you dragged down, or you're stuck in some patterns that you just can't seem to break out of, we're here to help. So reach out to us and together we'll find an appropriate plan to help you get to your best and highest goal.

SPEAKER_02:

One final question for you today. Now, since we are headed into the new year, Dr. Rebecca Harvey, what goals do you have for total wellness consultants in the coming year?

SPEAKER_01:

I think my goals for total wellness consultants are this branch off into psychedelic work. It's kind of like in the wild, wild west setting right now. Um, but I am a licensed psychologist in Colorado. So I'm I'm licensed in natural medicine there as well. So currently I'm looking to build that out and really extend what I can offer as a psychologist to those who maybe have done traditional therapy work and haven't been able to reach their goals with that modality and need something a little deeper. So that's the focus for 2026 is building that out. And of course, as I mentioned, um launching this podcast that's related to that work.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow. Well, definitely I feel like I could go into a whole part two with you today. But the last thing that our listeners need to know is where can they go to learn more about Total Wellness Consultants?

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, absolutely. So you can either go to totalwellnessconsultants.com or drreccaharvey.com, uh, drreebeccaharve.com. And in both of those places, you'll be able to find out a ton of information about the services we offer, and you can even do a deep dive on some of the specific modalities and see if they sound interesting to you.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, Dr. Harvey, I really appreciate you being on the show today. We wish you and your business the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you so much for having me here today, Sophia. Really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfrisco.com. That's gnpfrisco.com or call four six nine two two one nine three four five.