Episode 46: Hurdle2Hope®️ Stories: Meet Trish Gent Living with Anxiety
Nov 21, 2024
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In this episode of Wellbeing Interrupted, I sit down with Trish Gent, an integrative life coach, Kundalini yoga instructor, and registered nurse. Trish shares her journey of living with anxiety, navigating infertility, and finding healing through holistic modalities. Her story offers hope and practical insights for anyone seeking a more balanced and authentic way of living.
Living with Anxiety and High-Stress Environments
Trish reflects on her experience with anxiety, which she once believed was simply part of her personality. Working in critical care and management roles as a registered nurse amplified the challenges, leaving her feeling emotionally and physically depleted. Over time, she realised these feelings were tied to an unregulated nervous system and the pressures of a high-demand work environment.
Now working as a district nurse, Trish has found a way to balance her passion for helping others with a lifestyle that supports her own wellbeing.
Infertility and Emotional Challenges
A pivotal chapter in Trish’s journey involved navigating infertility. She candidly discusses the emotional toll of fertility treatments and the decision not to pursue IVF. This period forced her to process feelings of loss and reframe her expectations for the future, leading to a deeper understanding of herself and her needs.
Trish’s openness about infertility provides hope and connection to listeners facing similar challenges, encouraging them to explore self-compassion as they navigate their own paths.
Discovering Kundalini Yoga for Anxiety and Healing
Trish’s first experience with Kundalini yoga was transformative. She found the practice provided a profound sense of calm and clarity she hadn’t experienced before. This introduction to yoga became a cornerstone of her healing, offering tools to regulate her nervous system and create a stronger mind-body connection.
Her perspective as both a nurse and yoga instructor highlights the value of Kundalini yoga as a holistic approach to managing anxiety and supporting overall well-being.
Nervous System Regulation for Mental Health
Trish emphasises the importance of understanding the body’s nervous system responses, such as fight, flight, or freeze, in addressing anxiety. She explains how small, intentional practices tailored to individual needs can bring greater balance and resilience over time.
By incorporating nervous system regulation into her coaching work, Trish helps her clients move beyond reactive patterns and embrace a more centred and peaceful life.
Transitioning to a More Balanced Life
Leaving high-pressure management roles was a key step in Trish’s journey. Today, her work as a district nurse allows her to continue supporting others while maintaining a lifestyle that prioritises her health and well-being. She also splits her time between coaching, teaching Kundalini yoga, and personal growth.
Her ability to redefine her career and find purpose in new ways demonstrates the possibilities that come with embracing change.
Inspiring Others to Embrace Healing
Trish encourages listeners to release the societal expectation that healing requires perfection. Instead, she advocates for finding joy and authenticity in the present moment. Her story highlights the power of self-awareness and holistic practices in fostering a fulfilling and balanced life.
Final Thoughts
Trish Gent’s story reminds us that healing is not about achieving perfection but about cultivating balance and joy. Tune in to Episode 46 of Wellbeing Interrupted to hear Trish’s insights on managing anxiety and embracing a fulfilling life through Kundalini yoga and nervous system regulation.
Show Resources
Follow Trish Gent on Instagram: @coach_trishgent
Visit her podcast: The Wellness Empowerment Project
Explore her free resource: Kundalini to Calm Anxiety
Wellbeing Interrupted Episodes
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Episode 36 Living with Illness: Navigating the Grief of Not Having Children
Transcript Episode 46: Hurdle2Hope®️ Stories Meet Trish Gent Living with Anxiety
[00:00:00] Teisha Rose: Hey there, Teisha here and welcome to episode 46 of Wellbeing Interrupted. It's been a busy few days here. We left, left Daisy Hill to go to the big city, um, only, you know, a couple of hours away but feels like such a different world now I'm living on this hundred acres of land. But I had such a great time.
[00:00:24] I presented a couple of sessions at the MindBodySpirit Festival and I loved it so much, I felt like I was back to where I really want to be, and if you've listened to episode 45, jot that down if you haven't, um, I talk about how my career originally was in training and development, how that stopped because of it.
[00:00:50] MS, because I was really struggling with relapses in my 20s, but how this really felt like this weekend, a full circle moment, as I was back in the city of Melbourne at the, um, Melbourne Exhibition Convention Centre, so really big spot to have this massive festival and not far from where I used to live in a City Melbourne, where I used to work in a City Melbourne, but this time I was presenting all about transforming health.
[00:01:24] and the three mindset shifts I've used to instigate my own healing. So I'll share more about that later. Um, and hopefully the sound on this is okay, because I went to record the intro of of this podcast interview. Fortunately, I did the interview last week, so I just need to do the intro at the moment.
[00:01:48] But I couldn't find my Blue Yeti microphone. I think it's in our shipping container and Andrew's not around with the key. So I'm talking into my phone. So hopefully it's okay. So as I mentioned today, I have An amazing guest, Trish Gent. Trish is sharing her own Hurdle2Hope story. She's an integrative life coach.
[00:02:14] She helps those living in stress and anxiety to stop rushing through life, and she has over two decades of experience as a registered nurse. And she masterfully blends evidence-based science with powerful spiritual practices to create a holistic approach that harmonizes the body and mind. So Trisha's proven methodology empowers her clients to reclaim their confidence, to trust instincts and to take charge of their lives with crystal clear direction Trisha's story is One that I think so many of you will relate to, living with anxiety, the impact that has on your career, on all aspects of your life.
[00:03:11] But what I love is that she then takes it further and shares her insights on how to Work through anxiety and have an impact on the quality of your life. So listen to that and at the end I'll share again all her links and some other insights and information as well. Enjoy. Welcome to Wellbeing Interrupted, the podcast dedicated to exploring the transformative power of a healing mindset.
[00:03:49] I'm Teisha Rose, your host and the founder of Hurdle2Hope. If you're on a quest to not just survive but thrive after a life changing diagnosis, then you're definitely in the right place. Living with MS and now stage 4 breast cancer has taught me a vital lesson. In the face of a life changing illness, our mindset is everything.
[00:04:16] Each week I'll share insights, tips and strategies to help you build a happier, healthier, more balanced life. So let's begin your journey from Hurdle2Hope starting right now.
[00:04:32] So welcome Trish, really excited to have you as part of the Hurdle2Hope series, I guess, on Wellbeing Interrupted. Thank you for joining us. Oh, thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. And can I just ask, and we'll, you know, get to know you a whole lot more, but just to start with, what was it that I guess sort of inspired you to want to share your story with other people?
[00:05:00] And where are we listening to you from? Because you don't have an Australian accent. Lockheed.
[00:05:06] Trish Gent: No, no. Um, you are getting me over in the United States. I am in New Jersey on the East Coast. Um, currently at this point in time, but I've lived previously in New York and Maryland and spent some time in Virginia as well.
[00:05:22] So I'm very much an East Coast girl.
[00:05:24] Teisha Rose: Yeah,
[00:05:25] Trish Gent: that's amazing. Yeah. And what inspired me? Um, I think that's a really great question. I think that's, The biggest piece that inspired me was the fact that I thought areas of my life, and especially like living with anxiety, was normal and a fixed trait. And I think That's really what inspired me to, um, kind of start talking and sharing my story a lot more because, you know, I feel like I'm, I'm a relatively, like, normal person.
[00:06:03] I'm a smart person. Um, you know, I read, I, I pay attention. Um, I'm a nurse and I really believed that the, uh, anxiety that I had was, um, Most of my life was a personality trait and I really didn't think that I would be able to release it. Um, and I thought it was just something I could manage. And then when I, you know, went through my journey and I realized that, oh my gosh, my life without anxiety is so different.
[00:06:34] Um, the world has completely opened up. I was like, wow, like, I feel like this is something that needs to be, needs to be talked about.
[00:06:43] Teisha Rose: Yeah, absolutely, because so many people experience anxiety and I had never really thought of it like that. But, you know, people are like you probably are thinking like it is a personality trait, you know, that this is my lot in life.
[00:07:01] Trish Gent: Yeah, I did. I really thought it was my lot, my lot in life. Um, and it really wasn't even labelled as anxiety originally. It was more labelled as, you know, I was very type A. I'm a perfectionist. Um, you know, Oh, my mom's a big worrier. You know, I actually still remember she would say, well, someone has to worry.
[00:07:21] Um, you know, like everyone has to take a role. Yeah. Doing something like that. Yeah. And, um, And as I got older, you know, I was still this like perfectionist. I was still, uh, you know, I was always busy. I even remember my mom saying I was happy. I was happiest when I was really busy. Um, and. Now, knowing what I know now, I realized that really my perfectionism was, um, a flight response in the nervous system that I was living in.
[00:07:53] Um, and, you know, they're not personality traits, you know, we have, you know, um, I call them anxiety archetypes and I see the anxiety archetypes are, uh, a reflection of the state that our nervous system is, is living in. And, You know, our state of the nervous system and our past experiences tend to shape our perception of life.
[00:08:21] So if you're starting to, you know, if your body's not feeling safe, i. e. you're in a dysregulated state, And then you tie up some poor past experiences in it. The way you view the world and you, the way you view your circumstances is very different than when you're coming from a place of, of security and safety.
[00:08:44] And the 1 thing I just wanted to mention too is I said living in stress and anxiety. And the reason I'm saying that is that. You know, we have these states in our nervous system. We have that fight and flight. We have the shutdown. We have freeze. We have disassociation. And our body is so smart. And those states are there to protect us.
[00:09:08] and they have meaning, they have value. What happens, though, is that we're supposed to be able to fluctuate in and out and come back to that ventral, that connected state. So we're supposed to be able to move in and out, you know, when necessary, right? Something happens, we want to be able to get away from it.
[00:09:26] Something happens continuously, you know, you may end up in an immobilised state, but you're supposed to be able to come back. back to, to safety, to centre, to connectedness. And over time, if we're living in this dysregulated state for a long period of time, you're not experiencing that regulation. It's like you're just on this go, go, go, go, go functioning.
[00:09:51] Yeah. To the point where you're, you kind of poop out. So, um, Um, I'm even kind of looking back and viewing my own experience a little differently where, you know, we talk about burnout, you know, especially in nursing, we talk a lot about burnout, and I see like burnout is really like when you're in that immobilised state in your nervous system, like you've just, you've, you've pooped out, you can only go for so long, and your body went to the third line of defence, which is the dorsal immobilisation state.
[00:10:22] So I just wanted to clarify, it's not. These states are not wrong. It is not bad to experience anxiety or stress. That is a normal thing to do. It's when we start living in these states for a long period of time.
[00:10:37] Teisha Rose: Yes. Yeah. And really interesting. A couple of things there. You talk about perfectionism. And I know I'm living with MS and I know early on, a lot of that was to do with my perfectionism.
[00:10:51] Like I'm very different now. Um, so I think a lot of people, when you're chatting chronic illness and especially MS, lots of highly driven women, Have MS. And I think there's a lot of that perfectionism there. So that was really interesting for me to identify and then break that down. Um, and the other thing you mentioned in as well, so nursing.
[00:11:14] So that was a core part of your life. So that was, so I guess, share with us, um, what that was, you know, what your career in nursing was like and how did that, I guess, how'd you cope with that? Living with anxiety as well, or did that feed your anxiety or, you know, what comes next? Oh,
[00:11:35] Trish Gent: that's such a great question.
[00:11:36] Um, so originally, um, and I guess this isn't a surprise looking back, but I was in critical care and I loved critical care. Uh, I loved the sickest of the sick, uh, medical critical care, multi trauma critical care. Um, And when I actually went into clinical research for a period of time, and after that, I was getting my master's and I ended up in endoscopy.
[00:12:03] And from there, I just started kind of working my way up the leadership ladder. And then I got into management and I was working in management. Overseeing a pretty large endoscopy department, and then a couple of units in the perioperative area in the pre op and semi surgery areas as well. And this is really where I started to kind of realize something was off.
[00:12:32] You know, my first management job, I expected to be in stress and anxiety, right? It was a very big job, and there was a lot of change. It wasn't the most stable unit walking into it. But then I switched to another management job, and it was at a place that I worked at previously. Actually, my. The two bosses above me, I both worked with before, and I knew.
[00:12:57] So I essentially, like, transferred to another hospital, a similar position, a wider scope, and I knew the leadership team, and I knew other people that were there. So it was actually a very smooth transition, and I'm there for a while. It was a smooth transition. We're making changes, and I realized, I was like, you know what?
[00:13:24] I'm clearly proficient in this. Why am I not able to be relaxed? Why am I not more calm? Um, if anything, it was the opposite. I was still probably working, you know, 60 plus hours a week. Um, to the point where I, I would leave the house 6 a. m. There were times where my husband would call me at 7 p. m. And he's like, are you coming home tonight?
[00:13:50] And I'm like, no, no, I'm walking to my car now. And, um, the reality is, is that I was, the weekends I was done. I had no energy to like, go run around and do things or hang out with anyone. It was like, I was like, Barely functioning, I was, you know, I was doing the bare minimum of social interaction. And, um, I mean, if I wasn't married, I probably would have been even more isolated, to be honest with you.
[00:14:24] So, you know, truthfully, I think. To answer the other piece of your question, I feel like nursing almost, like, fed it in a way. I was always in these high stress environments. And the other thing is, um, to kind of circle back and tie this back into the nervous system, you know, when you are in a dysregulated state, um, and you're feeling that anxiety, your, your body's And your body's doing this anyway, right?
[00:14:54] But it's doing it a heightened way, always searching and scanning, you know, for what is wrong in the world, because it's always trying to keep you safe, right? So we think of, um, we talk about fight and flight and the dorsal states. We tend to think of the, um, autonomic states, the piece of the, you know, the things we can't control.
[00:15:16] However, our nervous system also has a sensory system component. Right? So, it's also our senses, you know, sight, hearing, sound, but also, um, our proprioception, our, our way of balancing and feeling our body in space. Intraception, are we able to read what our body's telling us internally? Like, hunger is a great example of intraception.
[00:15:39] But those are all sensory components that are also part of our nervous system. So we are, our bodies are constantly scanning the environments around us. So as a nurse, one of the things, especially when you're in critical care, and I know in other areas too, a big thing that we're taught to do is to anticipate.
[00:16:04] We are taught to anticipate, you know, you're supposed to know what that doctor is going to want or need before they ask for it. So, you know, if an emergency is happening or something's going on and they're saying we need this med, you already have that med in hand because, you know, seconds matter at this point.
[00:16:24] Teisha Rose: Yeah.
[00:16:24] Trish Gent: So I almost think being in the environment where you are taught to be constantly anticipating and planning, right, and it's for the betterment of the patients, of course, but you're being taught that, I really think kind of perpetuate the way our nervous system is functioning. And then you do that over time.
[00:16:45] And yes, even though I was in, um, management, Like everything else, what's going on in the environment? Is everyone very much kind of like high stress, you know? Are we all trying to meet these deadlines? We all have time points. We need to look to look at and look in. So yeah, I think it's definitely a combination.
[00:17:09] You could almost argue that I specifically went into the higher stress environments. because I already was living with that anxiety. Because it was able to keep me busy, busy, busy and going, going, going. So I would actually have an opportunity to sit and think.
[00:17:29] Teisha Rose: Yeah, that's amazing. Sorry, I'm just sitting here listening to you thinking, wow, like I think everyone listening will be able to, even if you're not a nurse or we're all living in such stressful environments.
[00:17:42] And living now on a hundred acres of land, I think I walk out the door and I breathe, you know, door of the caravan and I breathe. And whereas I'm not even thinking of, Oh, the traffic outside or this or that, like I'm just still in my mind. So thinking of it, like you were saying, that anticipation, that's, yeah, you might realize how much your body is going through.
[00:18:06] And I think I worked as a social worker. I got. Um, it wasn't for me because it was so full on. Like it was so, when you're dealing with MS at that stage as well as social work, it is that, um, state that you're in and you can't, yeah, it's hard. So that was, sorry, I was, I was just. Sitting back listening, because I thought that's great.
[00:18:28] That's, um, that's really applies to so many of us who are in a state of anxiety. So, and I guess we then continue on with your story. Um, you were then nursing, so you're not nursing now or? I actually am doing home health right now. Okay. So was there a bit of a change of, um, pathways? Like when did it come to a head for you?
[00:18:53] Oh, sure. Okay. This anxiety is too much. You know, I need to make some changes in my life to align my wellbeing. So what was that moment for you?
[00:19:06] Trish Gent: Sure. Um, I would say that it probably isn't a moment, but more of like a little bit of a journey. Yes. Yes. Oh, is that my second management job? And, you know, this is where I'm starting to kind of realize like, okay, something's not right.
[00:19:19] You know, uh, I'm dry heaving, dry heaving in the mornings, even though I'm doing well at work. And, you know, at this point, I'm like, okay, like everything looks okay on the outside, but on the inside, something's just not right. Um, and I would have to share that during this time as well, my husband and I were going through our infertility journey.
[00:19:42] So this was something that was actually going on since I started my first management job. That's when, you know, we were, you know, trying IUI and we made a decision not to do IVF just because the IUI really impacted me physically and mentally and emotionally. And I think my just didn't want to see me go through that.
[00:20:10] Again, after we tried a couple of times. So we, you know, took a pause and then by the time the second management job came around, we actually decided to start an adoption process. And so, you know, there was a lot going on with that. And, um, and actually we, that was really not successful despite the work that we did towards it.
[00:20:34] And we actually switched to another adoption agency at one point. So I just wanted to share that because. That was another piece that was going on during this time. Of course, all of my friends were getting pregnant. Everyone likes to give their own inputs and, you know, things that, you know, people, people try to help, right?
[00:20:54] They do try to help, but they're, they're giving you suggestions that, you know, you've already know, you've already done. Um, and what was a point in point for me was I realized, and I still remember, I was sitting in bed one day. And I remembered thinking, wow, if I got pregnant tomorrow, it wouldn't fix how I feel right now.
[00:21:21] Teisha Rose: Yeah.
[00:21:22] Trish Gent: Yeah, and I think I realized at that point because we were dealing with it for so long in the beginning It's like well once I get pregnant this will all be fine
[00:21:32] Teisha Rose: Yeah,
[00:21:32] Trish Gent: and they got to the point where it was almost like the damage has been done. That's you know, if We got what we wanted. I don't even know if I'd be able to enjoy it I don't know if I'd be able to trust it and that was a really big like, okay
[00:21:54] I didn't really know what to think of it at the time. I just knew that that that was That meant that everything that we've dealt with and the state that I was in, it was probably bigger than I realized. Yeah. Because I never had a problem I couldn't fix before. Like, I'm a problem solver. I love solving problems, you know, and as a nurse, A big thing with nurses, you're, you're an advocate.
[00:22:21] So I always would be the one of like, help someone with their problems. Like, let's solve it. You know, mentor my staff members. You know, I had two nurses I was working with that they started taking the, you know, going through their masters, you know, I was able to promote people. Um, and then it was like, oh my gosh, this is one thing I've never been able to fix.
[00:22:40] I've never been able to do.
[00:22:42] Teisha Rose: Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. And, uh, there's lots that you've said there and people who have been listening to my podcast know that we've gone through, uh, you know, not everyone's journey is different, but we had to make the decision not to have children. And it is, the absolute grief of that is really hard when you are dealing with anxiety, when you're dealing with health conditions.
[00:23:07] It's tough. So yeah, I'm not surprised, but I also think, and it's really similar to me, that you sat back and often we just assume that's going to be our path and we just automatically have children. And that's not saying that's wrong, but when you're forced to unpack that and really work out how that will fit in your life and whether that's the right decision, for you as a partnership.
[00:23:35] That's really hard, but it's very empowering making those decisions as well. Yeah, I mean, that
[00:23:43] Trish Gent: took a hot minute to get to. Um, a couple of years after that bed moment, I think I actually got to that moment.
[00:23:51] Teisha Rose: Um,
[00:23:51] Trish Gent: but I'm willing to stay.
[00:23:52] Teisha Rose: Yeah, the Greek is unbearable, like, and it still is, like I would say, you know, whatever years on, it still hits you at different times.
[00:24:02] Trish Gent: Yeah. And, um, I thought at this, because you mentioned it as well, I think it's important to note that, you know, there are, um, there's a social worker actually out there who wrote this book and, you know, God, I can't remember her name right now, but it's called The Anxiety of Grief. And it's a really good book, but what they talk about in it is that, you know, we have this misconception about those five stages of grief, um, that they're just flat across the board.
[00:24:29] And that's not true. Those five stages of grief were supposed to be for the person who's going through the dying process. And the person who is witnessing it And having grief may not have the same process. And the whole piece of that is talking about the anxiety portion of grief, and that you can have a little anxiety and depression during that time.
[00:24:51] So I just wanted to state that, um, because I don't think we always associate anxiety with grief. Yeah, and, you know, which really kind of goes back to like, you know, looking at, you know, I said, you know, our nervous system and how we respond and relate to the world is not just how our nervous system is functioning, but also past experiences.
[00:25:13] And this is why we have to kind of unpack and work with, you know, um, our mind and our body. to kind of dive into the past as well as regulate ourselves in the present moment.
[00:25:25] Teisha Rose: Yeah, absolutely. And I think sometimes it gets scary looking at the past and all, but we learn so much from that. Is that been your experience as well?
[00:25:36] Oh yeah, completely,
[00:25:39] Trish Gent: completely. And, um, I actually kind of to the point where if something comes up, I like seeing how it connects You know, I mean, I just, you know, like I said, I'm a problem solver, right? So I love, I love putting like, it's like a puzzle, you know, so things kind of come up from the past and you're like, oh, I see how this all fits now.
[00:26:00] Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, if you, if you're able to come to it from this new place of neutrality, right? And again, this is going back, if we can get ourselves into this regulated state, that connected state. And in that state is where we can have that, that neutrality, right? So we can view these areas of our lives and not do this like self flagellation of being like, oh, why did I do this?
[00:26:27] Or why this? You actually can now look at it and be like, okay, I did this because this is the person I was at this point in time.
[00:26:33] Teisha Rose: Yeah. Yeah. That's really interesting. And that's good. You're right. Then you're not blaming yourself. It's like, that's the reason for it. And it's not anyone's fault or, yeah, I like, I like that.
[00:26:45] And so then, and I was reading, so then, where does then your interest in, so I'm piecing all the pieces to the puzzle. I can totally go
[00:26:56] Trish Gent: back
[00:26:56] Teisha Rose: and let you finish that.
[00:26:57] Trish Gent: Yes, it keeps going. It keeps going. So after my, as I'm going through the infertility journey, um, and I'm, I'm realizing I do need to change something.
[00:27:07] So my 1st thought was, you know, I'm such a type A person. I'm so, you know. You know, do, do, do, even my workouts, right? I was like doing spin classes or weights and I'm like, you know what? Maybe I need to do more of these like tight bb's, relaxing things. Let me just try it. So, um, at the time I kept trying, they had, you know, Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra had these like meditations, these guide meditations that came out.
[00:27:32] So, yeah. And so like me and I think some other people I worked with were, were trying to, were doing them. And, um, I also was trying to do some yoga at home and it was like a little app and it was, you know, just something simple. And I was like, you know, I'm gonna do it for 30 minutes a day. Well, what I was realizing is that, um, I was able to do the yoga fine, but at the end they had a five minute yoga nidra and the first minute and a half they would go through your head to your toes.
[00:28:02] And then after that, it was silence for three and a half minutes. And that silence was deafening. Um, I struggled with lying there. Uh, the thoughts in my head were things like, oh my god, you're wasting so much time right now. You could get all this done. And I would be picking up my phone being like, and this is why I know the time, the time points, right?
[00:28:23] Because I was picking up my phone like, how long is this? How long is this? Oh my gosh. And sometimes I could not even lay there that long and I would just get up. Um, and even when I was doing the guided meditations, gosh, I did it one night and I even remember my husband being like, he was like, you weren't meditating.
[00:28:42] He goes, I could literally see your brain moving the whole entire time. And I'm like, you know what, but I did it. So it was still very much like I was doing it, like, check. I did it. Check. But it wasn't really having the effect that everyone like claims to have. Yeah, at least for me. So one day, um, I was going through MindBodyGreen and it said something about elevating your frequency.
[00:29:09] And I'm like, elevating my frequency? That's interesting. You know, maybe that's what I need to do. Like maybe it's so difficult for me to bring myself down to relax. Like maybe I just need to elevate my frequency more and I'll, you know, and that will help. Um, and I'm saying this because, you know, I was, I was, I was not just, you know, stress and anxiety and, you know, overthinking the perfectionism, but really this was like, I was exhausted.
[00:29:34] Like, I felt like I was living. I think I used to joke and say, like, I'm like my lady of perpetual exhaustion. Like, I would have joke and say that. So anyway, uh, I brought it up, and it actually was, um, a woman, uh, called Gurujiket, and she starts talking about Kundalini Yoga, and I guess it was an event, they were asking her questions about it, and she was saying that it was, she was saying that it was a science and a technology, um, And she goes into talking about how it regulates the nervous system and the glandular system.
[00:30:07] And I'm like, that's interesting. And as a nurse, I found that absolutely fascinating. And I'm like, Ooh, okay. I've never heard someone talk about any form of yoga like this before. And the yoga was Kundalini yoga. And so, um, she's talking about it and then She's like, they're like, they get into a whole practice.
[00:30:26] So I actually am sitting on my bed and I'm like, do I go to a yoga mat and do this? And I'm like, no, I'm, I'm, you know, I was like in the, the field of doing it. So I just did it on my bed and I did the practice. They actually had this meditation afterwards. And afterwards, I actually felt the sense of like peace and calm.
[00:30:46] And I was like, whoa, I'm like, this is what I've been looking for. And I think at the time, I couldn't even find the word. It just, I felt different. And it was almost like I had a little bit of more energy. And I had a little bit of relaxation, a little bit of calmness. And I was just like, whoa, this, this is it.
[00:31:04] This is what I'm looking for. So at that point, I'm like, I need to dive into this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. I just started experimenting with it, like just doing free stuff online, um, and you know, just to kind of bridge the story, my husband had a major medical illness, we ended up moving, I ended up going to the third job that was a replica of the other two jobs, and at this point, yeah, I know, I, I go into this job and I'm like, I know it's not a good fit.
[00:31:38] I know it right away, my heart and my bones. Um, but we moved, I was close to my family, everyone was so excited we were here, and I felt like I had to stay, and I was miserable. So, but one thing I did do is I actually signed up for teacher training. And I remember signing up for teacher training and being like, this is crazy.
[00:32:02] I am not a yoga person. I don't have a yoga body. Um, what am I going to, I'm not going to teach yoga. This is like wild. And then the other part of me is like, I know I need to do this. And at the very least, I wanted to learn more about this. And I did it. So long, long, long, well, I say long story short, but COVID happened.
[00:32:31] Still at the job. Uh, at this point, I also was in the middle of teacher training. Um, I was looking to actually make moves and leave, but then COVID happened and obviously could not do it during that time. Um, so teacher training ends, COVID is still going on. And then, um, after the first round of COVID, they let some people go and I was one of those people and it was actually a release.
[00:33:02] I actually like, actually even said to my family, I was like, If, if I don't get let go, I'm, I'm, you know, I'm putting in my notice, like, I have no backup plan, nothing, but I can't do this anymore. Um, and after that happened, I was like, okay, now, now, what, what do I want to do? And. I had no desire to go back into management and I really struggled with even going back to nursing.
[00:33:37] So over time, I do what I do best. I learn. I'm a learner and just dove into, um, you know, because teacher training just kind of teaches you the basics. So that's, you know, but I, I need to know more, right? So after teacher training, Um, you know, a couple things really happened. I eventually decided to go back to nursing and I went to home health, um, and mostly because I felt like I had to heal my relationship with the profession.
[00:34:12] Teisha Rose: Yeah, that's good.
[00:34:13] Trish Gent: And I also wanted to see, you know, Was it the profession? Is it me? Is it the system? And I think that's one thing I learned. It's the system more than anything. Um, and at the same time, I was like, you know what? I can have a more well rounded life. My life was always very singular, right? It was work and a little bit of home and that was it.
[00:34:39] Yeah. And you know, since then, it's been more of a balanced life. It's, you know, I can, you know, I can work as a nurse. I can continue to learn and grow. I, you know, I still, I do actually teach yoga weekly at a local studio. Um, you know, I've really learned so much more about the nervous system and why kundalini yoga is, was effective for me, and, and how it could be more effective actually, um, for people.
[00:35:10] Because I was just doing tons of yoga, you know, I was just doing tons and tons of yoga, um, but at the end of the day, like, if I had to go back, I would, I would not just do tons and tons of yoga, um, we'd actually have a very much you know, narrow, narrow, narrower approach to, to make changes a lot more quickly.
[00:35:27] Um, but yes, and then I have that and then I'm, you know, I'm doing a podcast. So I just have more of a balanced life, well rounded life now that I never had before.
[00:35:38] Teisha Rose: Yeah, that's great. And do you feel in your body different? Oh,
[00:35:44] Trish Gent: 100%.
[00:35:45] Teisha Rose: Yeah. Yeah. How so? How so? You know, give us some insight into how you feel differently.
[00:35:52] Trish Gent: Yeah. I would say the first thing I want to note is that I don't have this desire or need to control things anymore. So, when you are living in anxiety, you already have a decreased perception of control. So you don't feel like you have control over everything, which is why you feel like you try to control everything around you.
[00:36:13] And now that I've, you know, I would say I live in a nice regulated state most of the time. I'm calmer. Um, I'm more relaxed. Um, I, you know, I'm able to tolerate stressful events a lot more easily. I don't, like I said, feel the need to control things anymore. Um, and, you know, I'm able to see things a lot more objectively without, like I said, the self flagellation.
[00:36:43] And I'm not running towards some goal. Like, before it was like, I need to hurry up and get here. Now I'm like, I need to hurry up and get here so all these problems would be solved. And yes, there's things and goals I want to get to, but I'm actually, like, enjoying the journey. I'm enjoying the process. Um, I'm not thinking, like, I need to hurry up and get here so I don't have to do all this anymore.
[00:37:08] Teisha Rose: That's a really interesting way of thinking about it because I think that's what we do. We set goals and it's a rush, rush, rush to achieve and then what? And then what? Yeah.
[00:37:16] Trish Gent: You know, then you said another goal, and then you just keep on this like hamster wheel. Yeah. And that was one of the big thoughts that I had when I was on a second management job.
[00:37:25] I remember like, having a conversation with a friend and I'm like, Is this it? Like the rest of my life, I'm just gonna keep going up this ladder. Yeah.
[00:37:34] Teisha Rose: Yeah. Yeah. It's. I think, I talk about, and I don't, like I, as I said, I live with MS, I live with stage four cancer, and the gift of those conditions is that it stops you from living on automatic pilot.
[00:37:52] You know, it puts your life in perspective and makes you still have dreams. But not being, you know, still enjoying the moments as well. Um, so I think, you know, I'm, I'm happy to return the gift now. I don't need them now. I've learned my lesson. I got, I learned the lesson. Thank you. Yeah, you can have them back now.
[00:38:12] But I just think for all of us, that's so powerful. What you're saying is that we do need to enjoy the process. We need to be in the present. You know, we need to get off that hamster wheel.
[00:38:25] Trish Gent: Yes, and another thing that is different, I would say, as well, and part of my, my, I would say, the process, right, of moving yourself out of living in these, in these states is that once Your body becomes regulated.
[00:38:41] Um, one thing I noticed is how my mind actually was almost like egging me on. Like, I remember a situation happened and my body felt calm and I didn't feel the need to react or do anything. But my mind that you consult your ego, your inner critic was like, you usually fly off the handle right now. And I'm like, yes, but I don't feel the need to do that.
[00:39:02] Because, you know, your, your mind, your ego, like it's, Your brain uses so much energy, I think it's something like 7800 calories a day. So it doesn't want to like waste a lot of energy. So it loves, you know, it wants to keep you safe and it wants, you know, things to be efficient. Well, what's safe and what's efficient?
[00:39:22] Any habit, anything that you have been doing unconsciously or subconsciously for a long time, it does have to exclude a lot of energy and it knows it's safe because it's done it before. It doesn't matter if it's smoking 10 packs of cigarettes or running 10 miles. According to your ego, that is safe.
[00:39:38] Whether it's healthy or not, if you've done it before and it's almost subconscious at this point, it is deep safe. So the first thing was is actually noticing the difference between my mind and my body and that was just a wild experience. And then once that shifted out, I actually then was able to experience anxiety in a transient state.
[00:40:02] And that was interesting.
[00:40:04] Teisha Rose: Yeah, yeah.
[00:40:05] Trish Gent: Um, and there's maybe two times that I've really experienced anxiety in a transient state in the last maybe like two years. Yeah. Probably. Because I think I have a very good capacity, you know, the, you know, the good capacity for, for it now. Yeah. Um, But it was interesting because I was actually able to feel the shift in my body.
[00:40:27] Teisha Rose: I,
[00:40:28] Trish Gent: you know, tried to change it with my brain and, you know, knew right away, like, yes, that's not working. So the top down approach that using my brain to regulate my body isn't going to work. So then I knew that, okay, I need to start now doing practices and getting myself into my body and shifting myself, you know, back to that state.
[00:40:45] Um, so that was a wild experience, but also being doing, realizing that, knowing it. and knowing what to do helped me to move through those situations a lot more smoother with a lot more trust.
[00:41:00] Teisha Rose: Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. I think you're such a wealth of information, Trish, and I love that. Um, because, and yeah, you just, you definitely have an, a calming energy, which is, which is good.
[00:41:14] I'm feeling nice and relaxed doing this interview. So it's, it's radiating it. Um, yeah. And what I love is that we do, if we're dealing with an illness or, you know, mental illness, whatever it is, we need to keep learning and growing. And that's what you're doing, you know, you're finding out so much information and applying it to yourself.
[00:41:37] But then what I love as well is that you're helping others, um, in, yeah, sharing what you have learned. So, So, in terms of people um, sort of, you know, connecting with you and getting access to some of your, some of your knowledge, um, can we talk about that because I think people will be listening and thinking, wow, um, you know, I want to learn more about the nervous system.
[00:42:03] Learn more about, I keep forgetting the name. What's the name of the yoga again? It's Oh,
[00:42:08] Trish Gent: Kundalini.
[00:42:10] Teisha Rose: Kundalini. Um, yeah, so I want to learn about that as well. So just, um, yeah, share with us how we can get inside your world a bit.
[00:42:20] Trish Gent: Sure. So, um, I am on Instagram. Um, my name on Instagram is at Coach underscore Trish, T R I S H, Gent, G E N T.
[00:42:33] Uh, I also have a podcast called the Wellness Empowerment Project that I co host with, um, another, uh, nurse manager colleague that we met when we met and she's not a manager anymore, but we, uh, We actually have lots of conversations about exploring different holistic practices to help others on their own health and wellness journey.
[00:42:57] And another great way is I actually have a gift for any of the listeners called Kundalini to Calm Anxiety. So I share with you some of the initial practices that I did with myself, um, and I coach you through them, uh, through your inbox for the first five days.
[00:43:14] Teisha Rose: Sounds great. I'll sign up to that. So we'll put everything in the show notes, um, because I just think so many of us are living with anxiety and it's paralysing for so many people.
[00:43:27] Um, so to actually try and start working through that and having a different outlook on life because a life without that, I'm assuming would be a whole lot better.
[00:43:41] Trish Gent: Oh, a hundred percent. Uh, you are more powerful than you think. And I think that's the 1 thing I wish I knew. Um, These things that we think are fixed, a lot of them aren't fixed.
[00:43:55] A lot of things that, you know, we have the power to change our perceptions. We have our power to change our personality. Um, We just don't realize it because we're not necessarily taught on how to move through and how to, you know, how to regulate our emotions, how, you know, how to move through these things.
[00:44:16] Um, but you know, our, you know, our brain and our body, you know, we can actually diligently, if you are able to identify the state that you're in, in the nervous system, and because we, you can go in and out of all of them. We all have one that we kind of tend to You know, gravitate towards, right? For safety, right?
[00:44:36] We tend to gravitate towards one, but if you can start to implement the specific nervous system practices for the state that you're in, and you do that consistently, you can bring yourself into regulation in like
[00:44:49] Teisha Rose: 6 to 8 weeks. That's amazing and what a great practice to be in because there's always going to be triggers.
[00:44:56] You don't know what else is going to happen in life, but if you can have confidence looking forward, if you know that you can do things like regulating, you know, what state you're in. So, yeah, amazing. I've loved this chat, Trish. Um, so much. You're just a wealth of information and I'm sure we'll connect some more down the track because as I've said before, with guests, I don't want to just have guests on once and then we never know what's happened.
[00:45:25] Um, so Trish, so yeah, as you continue to learn and grow, and if you've got more things to share with us, then we'd love to have you back on because anxiety is such a, um, a massive obstacle for many people and if they can use some of what you've learnt to apply to their life and actually, you know, live better, then that's, that's fantastic.
[00:45:52] Trish Gent: Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure and yes, I would love to come back and talk with you again. Excellent. Thanks, Trish.
[00:46:03] Teisha Rose: Okay, so hopefully you got lots out of that episode. I certainly did. I mean, I haven't been diagnosed with anxiety, but the reality is of living with MS, especially early on when it was really aggressive. Then dealing with a stage 4 diagnosis of cancer. Feelings of anxiety certainly were present. I'll put in the show notes how you can connect with Trish, but she mentioned on Instagram her Is that her tag?
[00:46:35] But her account is Coach underscore Trish Gent. I'll put that link in the show notes. I'll also put in her show notes something I've just signed up to as well, her Kundalini Yoga to Calm Anxiety. She has a freebie there, so have a look at that. I'm downloading it because I think, as I said, Trish is such a wealth of information.
[00:47:02] So, yeah, I want to tap into some of that and apply that to my own life. Also, if you're new to Wellbeing Interrupted, welcome, um, thank you for joining us. A couple of episodes which I think will help, I guess, link some of what we were talking about today. In this episode, I talk about my own grief, navigating our decision.
[00:47:29] of not having children. If you go to episode 36, I share the grief of Surrounding our decision of not having children. Also, I've done a couple of episodes on mental health. In episode 24, I spoke to Georgia and Amanda going loco, which is the name of their podcast. I love this chat. Georgia lives with bipolar 1.
[00:47:58] Amanda lives with significant depression. So their insights in navigating that were incredible. Then in episode 33, I love this episode, it was talking to Jackie Dernon and Jackie spoke about the future of mental health and integrating traditional alternative therapies and neuro-technologies. She again was a wealth of information, so have a listen to that as well.
[00:48:32] And one final thing before you go. I'm so excited about what's going to happen in 2025. There's so many projects I'm working on. But to start with, I'd love you to visit Hurdle2Hope. com, remember with the number 2, forward slash transform. On here, I've re recorded my presentation. at the MindBodySpirit Festival.
[00:49:00] This is all about how you can transform your health, how you can start healing. Straight away, if you follow three mindset shifts, and these mindset shifts are exactly what I've used in living with or since I've been diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer. This is what I learned from my younger self in living with MS.
[00:49:24] I'm applying it to my life now, but I want to share it with you as well. So visit Hurdle2Hope. com forward slash transform and let me know what you think about what I share. Have a good week and I really look forward to chatting to you next week.
