What If Nothing Is Wrong With You? Understanding Threat, Ease, and the Nervous System

What if your biggest problem… isn’t actually a problem at all? In this enlightening conversation, Harmony and Russell welcome back longtime friend, acupuncturist, and author Dr. Jagdeep Johal. Together, they explore how unresolved threat—not personality flaws or psychological issues—drives our sense of suffering.

Dr. Johal discusses his new book, Ease: Unwinding the Biology of Threat, which reframes trauma, burnout, and stress through the lens of the nervous system. From the body's threat-response system to the illusions of the left brain, this episode offers a paradigm shift: healing isn’t about fixing yourself—it’s about remembering your capacity for ease.

In this episode, you'll hear:
- Why trauma isn’t always a “big” event—it can be the accumulation of everyday stress
- How the nervous system registers threat even when we’re not consciously aware of it
- The three phases every cell moves through: Threat, Motion, and Ease
- Why the left brain constantly lies to us—and what happens when we quiet it
- The “threat bucket” metaphor and how our bodies store unresolved tension
- The difference between actual safety and perceived safety
- How acupuncture, spinal energetics, and spontaneous movement restore ease
- Why doing *nothing* might be the most healing thing of all
- How Dr. Johal’s long COVID experience shaped his understanding of illness and healing
- What dogs, trees, and artists can teach us about true ease

Guest Bio:
Dr. Jagdeep Johal is an acupuncturist, teacher, and author who integrates Chinese medicine, somatic healing, and Buddhist philosophy. For over two decades, he’s helped clients reconnect with the intelligence of the body and restore nervous system regulation. His latest book, Ease: Unwinding the Biology of Threat, offers a refreshing, practical, and poetic exploration of trauma, healing, and selfhood. You can find him at www.drjagjohal.com.

Links & Resources:
- Dr. Jagdeep Johal’s website: www.drjagjohal.com
- Purchase Ease on Amazon or listen on Audible
- Learn about Harmony’s spinal energetics sessions: www.harmonyslater.com/spinal-energetics

Call to Action:
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