What if the very thing helping you “hold it all together” was also quietly pulling you apart?In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Belinda sits down with Georgie Irvine — a wife, mother, coach, and founder of Thrivalist Sobriety — to share a story that many live, but few speak out loud.From teenage parties to nightly wine while folding laundry, Georgie’s relationship with alcohol was hidden behind high-functioning success, a loving family, and a life that looked “normal” on the outside. She was running a business, staying fit, ticking all the boxes — and she was present for her family… or so she believed. But it wasn’t until the fog lifted that she realised what true presence actually felt like.Under the surface, she was quietly unravelling — caught in a cycle of blackouts, anxiety, shame, and fear of what life without alcohol might look like.This conversation isn’t about labels or judgement. It’s a gentle mirror. An invitation to pause, ask deeper questions, and consider what might be possible if we stop numbing the hard parts.We dive into:A tender but honest look at the societal norms around alcohol and what we lose when we disconnect to cope.The quiet warning signs Georgie couldn’t ignore, and the turning point that changed everything.How success on the outside doesn’t always match what’s happening within and why alcohol dependency often hides in plain sight.Why the label “alcoholic” never resonated and how shame keeps so many from speaking up.How being fully present shifted her relationship with herself, her children, and her marriage.The role exercise played and how reconnecting with her body supported her healing and transformation.What she wishes every sober-curious woman could hear right now.Whether alcohol plays a big role in your life or you’ve ever quietly questioned your relationship with it, this episode offers a safe space to reflect.Connect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au (sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes & insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonauConnect with Georgie:Website: https://www.thrivalistsobriety.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivalistsobriety
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39:11
The Body Remembers What the Mind Forgets
Have you ever cried over something small and felt, deep down, it wasn’t really about that moment? Or felt your heart race, your shoulders tense, or your stomach twist — without understanding why?In today’s powerful solo episode, Belinda explores the profound truth that many of us intuitively sense but haven’t had the words to articulate: the body remembers what the mind forgets.She unpacks how trauma — especially from childhood or overwhelming events — can be stored in the body as sensations, symptoms, or patterns, even when our mind has no clear memory.This episode weaves neuroscience, personal storytelling, and deep emotional insight into a compassionate guide for anyone navigating triggers, unexplained reactions, or a healing journey.Whether you’ve struggled with chronic symptoms, emotional outbursts, or disconnection from your past, this conversation offers permission, perspective, and practical steps to begin healing — not through force, but through curiosity, compassion, and the body’s wisdom.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:What it really means when your body “remembers” something your mind doesn’tWhy dissociation is a protective mechanism, not a flawThe difference between explicit (conscious) and implicit (body-based) memoryHow trauma is stored in the nervous system — and why it can show up years laterThe connection between physical symptoms and unresolved emotional experiencesBelinda’s own story of a memory that resurfaced after 40 yearsHow physical symptoms can be rooted in unresolved emotional traumaSteps to start listening to what your body is trying to tell youResources Mentioned:The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der KolkYou Can Heal Your Life by Louise HayConnect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au (sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes & insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau
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18:27
Nervous System Expert Breaks Down Trauma, Regulation & Real Healing
In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Beyond The Surface, Belinda sits down with Jessica Maguire — physiotherapist turned nervous system educator, trauma-informed practitioner, TEDx speaker, and founder of the Vagus Nerve Program and the Nervous System Certification Course.Jessica opens up about her profound journey through grief, including the devastating loss of both her brothers, and how trauma shaped her life’s work. Together, Belinda and Jessica explore what real healing looks like — and why it must start in the body, not the mind.Whether you’re new to nervous system work or deeply immersed in the healing space, this episode is packed with insights, science, and soul.What We Cover:Jessica’s personal story of trauma, grief, and nervous system collapseWhy trauma can’t be “thought” away — and the body’s central role in healingThe role of the Vagus Nerve in emotional resilience, stress, and healthUnderstanding the four primary stress responses: fight, flight, freeze & fawnThe difference between stress and chronic stressHow functional freeze and perfectionism often mask deeper traumaWhy nervous system flexibility matters more than staying “calm”What bottom-up vs. top-down healing really meansThe importance of co-regulation in parentingPractical tools to improve vagal tone and regulate in real-timeConnect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonauConnect with Jessica:Website: www.jessicamaguire.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/repairing_the_nervous_systemFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/repairingthenervoussystem/
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48:49
Swapping Tools: From Construction to Conscious Living
Once a carpenter, Matty Rainbow now helps people build something even more meaningful — their inner world. In this soulful and honest conversation, Belinda sits down with Matty — a Sound Healer, Reiki Master, Kinesiologist, and co-founder of Sound Healing Australia — to explore what it really means to rewrite your story.Matty grew up surrounded by alcohol and drug abuse, physical violence, and racism, and followed the generational path into construction. But deep down, he sensed he was meant for something more. His transformation from tradie to healer didn’t happen overnight — it unfolded through awakening, healing, and a willingness to break patterns that no longer served him.In this episode, we explore:Matty’s early life growing up around alcohol, drugs, violence, and racismStepping into construction — and how masculinity and generational expectations shaped his identityLiving a double life: tradie by day, spiritual seeker by nightHow healing his back pain through kinesiology opened his mind to new possibilitiesWhy sitting in silence didn’t work for him — and how sound became his gateway to meditationThe unexpected love story — how a former tradie with a tough Aussie upbringing met his partner Seriya who was raised by a yogi, surrounded by shamans, and lived between Byron Bay and India.How removing alcohol increased his awareness and transformed his inner world and relationshipsDaily practices and rituals that help him be less reactive and more presentConscious parenting and how sound and vibration are part of his daughters’ everyday livesWhether you’re navigating your own transition, questioning who you are beyond the roles you’ve inherited, or simply curious about sound healing — this episode will speak to you.Connect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau/Connect with Matty:Website: https://www.soundhealingaustralia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundhealingaustralia/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sacredsoundhealingaustralia/
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43:14
Bedtime Meditation: Let Go & Drift Into Rest
The day is done. There’s nothing left to do. No one needs anything from you right now. You’ve done enough. Now, it’s time to let go of the day and drift into rest.This short, simple and powerful guided meditation will help you unwind, release any lingering tension, and prepare your body and mind for a peaceful night’s sleep. With gentle breathwork, calming body movements, and moments of reflection, you’ll be guided into a restful state, ready to embrace the stillness of the night.In this episode, we’ll:Release tension in the body and jaw from the dayUse conscious breathing techniques to activate the Vagus Nerve and signal safety to the nervous systemIntroduce calming words—to bring relaxation and tranquilityCultivate gratitude for the little things that bring warmth and comfortGently guide you into stillness and restful sleepLet go. Rest. You are enough. You did enough. Now it’s time to surrender to peaceful sleep.Let's Connect:. Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau/
Beyond The Surface unravels the layers with thought-provoking conversations and uncomfortable truths, covering topics like inner child healing, breaking generational patterns, trauma, nervous system regulation, limiting beliefs, conscious parenting, relationships, healthy living, and more.
Hosted by internationally recognized retreat leader Belinda Anderson, who has run retreats in Australia, Bali, and Fiji for over a decade, this podcast inspires you to heal, grow, and thrive.
New Zealand