What if your holiday stress wasn't about what's happening now—but about what your nervous system remembers?
In this episode, co-hosts Elisabeth Kristof and Jennifer Wallace unpack the neuroscience of the holidays, exploring how sensory cues like songs, smells, or family dynamics can reactivate old emotional patterns stored in the body. Together, they explain how neurotags—the networks of neurons linking memory, emotion, and physical response—shape our experience of the season and why this time of year can trigger emotional flashbacks or overwhelm.
You'll learn how to recognize when the past is replaying through your nervous system, how cycles like circadian and seasonal rhythms affect capacity, and why rest is a biological need—not a luxury. The conversation moves from emotional regulation and boundaries to post-traumatic growth, exploring how slowing down and honoring natural rhythms can transform holiday survival into healing and integration.
This episode offers neuroscience-backed practices to help you reclaim presence, build new associations with safety, and rewrite your nervous system's holiday story.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Seasonal mismatch & why holidays strain the nervous system
2:43 – What are neurotags and how they shape holiday reactions
6:39 – Emotional flashbacks: the body's real-time state shifts
10:20 – Orientation and regulation tools for holiday triggers
12:26 – Boundaries as nervous system protection
18:19 – Honoring natural cycles: seasonal, menstrual, and circadian rhythms
27:30 – Post-traumatic growth through rest, reflection, and integration
Key Takeaways:
Neurotags explain why certain holiday cues can trigger powerful emotional and physical responses.
Emotional flashbacks are not regressions—they're real-time nervous system shifts that can be regulated through awareness and sensory grounding.
Setting boundaries is a form of nervous system protection, not disconnection.
Seasonal, menstrual, and circadian rhythms all affect capacity—rest is a biological requirement for resilience.
Post-traumatic growth happens in the pauses—through rest, orientation, and compassionate self-boundaries.
Resources Mentioned:
Boundary Rewire Course: boundaryrewire.com – Repattern your nervous system for safer, more authentic boundaries.
Rewire Trial: rewiretrial.com – Learn neurosomatic tools to regulate and rewire your system.
BrainBased.com – Explore applied neurology and somatic tools for behavior change and resilience.
Neurosomatic Intelligence Coaching Certification – neurosomaticintelligence.com
If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to Trauma Rewired wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review to help more people discover trauma-informed education grounded in neuroscience.
For deeper support this season, explore Boundary Rewire—a 5-module neurosomatic course designed to help you repattern stress responses and create boundaries that feel safe, natural, and grounded in authenticity. It's just $27 through the end of the year.
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We invite guests onto the podcast. Please note that we don't verify the accuracy of their statements. Our organization does not endorse third-party content and the views of our guests do not necessarily represent the views of our organization. We talk about general neuro-science and nervous system health, but you are unique. These are conversations for a wide audience. They are general recommendations and you are always advised to seek personal care for your unique outputs, trauma and needs.
We are not doctors or licensed medical professionals. We are certified neuro-somatic practitioners and nervous system health/embodiment coaches. We are not your doctor or medical professional and do not know you and your unique nervous system. This podcast is not a replacement for working with a professional. The BrainBased.com site and RewireTrial.com is a membership site for general nervous system health, somatic processing and stress processing. It is not a substitute for medical care or the appropriate solution for anyone in mental health crisis.
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