Can Negative Self-Talk Make You Sick? How Unreleased Stress and Emotions Lives in the Body

What horses, strength and emotional awareness can teach us about living fully

WHAT IF

the key to feeling better is not always doing more - but becoming more aware of what is happening inside your body and mind?

In this conversation, I speak with Nicki Pakkala, physiotherapist, equestrian, former British Olympic modern pentathlete, Team USA age-group triathlete, and Integrated BodyTalk practitioner.

Drawing from decades of her experience with elite athletes, horses, physical therapy, energy work, and helping people who have struggled for years, Nicki explains why lasting change often begins with a willingness to become a little uncomfortable.

- That may mean lifting weights when you would rather avoid them.

- Sitting with an emotion instead of trying to suppress it.

- Questioning the thoughts that keep creating conflict.

- Or finally deciding that you are done living with patterns that no longer serve you.

Nicki also demonstrates a simple technique to help decrease stress and calm the body, and shares why more training is not always better—even for high-performance athletes.

Together, we explore:

- What working with horses can teach us about awareness and presence