Rachel’s Podcast Profile

Hi, I'm Rachel Posner — yoga therapist, somatic educator, counselor, and quiet adventurer. For over twenty years I've been sitting with people as they find their way from stress and disconnection to calm and connection. I help people regulate their nervous systems so that they can drop into their own bodies, listen deeply and learn to respond to what they’re discovering inside.

Even after two decades of this work, I still procrastinate. Not long ago I sat down to write and nothing was flowing, so I cleaned out my refrigerator, invented a few stressors out of thin air, and did everything except the thing in front of me. When I finally settled in and got curious instead of critical, I found a younger part of me who was scared the work wasn't smart enough or original enough — and once I recognized her, thanked her, and reassured her, I could get to work. That loop — noticing, listening, working with what's actually there instead of pushing through it — is the whole model. It's called the Somatic Spiral, and it's the throughline under everything I teach.

The Somatic Spiral is a five-pillar framework for nervous system regulation and self-inquiry: nervous system regulation, self-compassion, deep listening, somatic parts work, and deep imagery. The name comes from spiral patterns in nature — a chambered nautilus doesn't outgrow its shell and start over, it adds a new chamber as it grows. We return to the same five pillars again and again, each time with a little more depth and space. That's the shape of real capacity-building, and it's a much more honest model than the idea that we "arrive" somewhere once and we're done.

As a yoga therapist and instructor, I've been developing and teaching mind/body and trauma-sensitive practices for over 20 years, and I’m an experienced speaker and podcast guest. I'd love to support your audience and your podcast. 

Here are some of the topics I like to explore:

  • The Somatic Spiral itself — what a five-pillar, return-to-it-often framework offers that a one-time "breakthrough" model doesn't

  • Nervous system regulation and polyvagal theory: how to recognize fight, flight, or freeze in yourself (hint: most people are there far more than they realize) and what actually helps in the moment

  • Why self-compassion isn't just an add-on — it's often the missing ingredient that makes healing and integration possible.

  • Deep listening: why we each default to one or two channels — sensation, thought, emotion, or imagery — and what opens up when we pay attention to all four.

  • Somatic parts work: what it looks like to be in dialogue with different parts of yourself, and why it’s essential to understanding ourselves and our behaviors

  • Deep imagery — why the body and psyche often speak in metaphor, and how inviting imagination into the conversation gets us past what cognition alone can offer

  • The difference between stressors and stress, and why finding the real root matters more than managing symptoms

  • The difference between empathy and compassion — and why empathy alone can lead to burnout

  • Why there's no one-size-fits-all approach to a well-regulated nervous system, and what a personalized toolbox actually looks like

There's no single formula for this work, which is exactly the point — we each need a toolbox built for our own body, mind, and brain, not someone else's. I'd love to help your listeners find their way into theirs.

If this resonates, I'd love to talk about how we might shape a conversation for your audience — click to send a note.

If I can answer any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

Looking forward to connecting,

Rachel