Episode 143: Fear From Breast Cancer: How Two Mothers Reject 'Normal' & Find Freedom with Dirci Souza and Melanie

Listen to Episode 143 with Dirci Souza and Melanie →

When "Return to Normal" Is the Problem

After treatment, Dirci was told by her oncologist to go back to her life as "normal" like before. But as she steps into the cancer support groups around her, everyone is in fear of remission and recurrence statistics constantly.

Melanie received the diagnosis of breast cancer and felt the fear of whether treatment would get it all. And decided now was the best time for nervous system healing. Not later after treatment ended but during treatment itself.

She finds herself on the radiation table using her somatic tools. And finding a calm and a freedom that surprises the nurses.

Many people receive cancer diagnoses without anyone explaining how stress matters. How stress, trauma, and nervous system dysregulation create the biological conditions where disease can be welcomed into the body.

For practitioners supporting clients through cancer treatment and for individuals navigating healing, understanding the connection between stored trauma and physical health changes everything. Changes everything about experiencing freedom from the fear that accompanies diagnosis, even after successful treatment ends and you're declared cancer-free.

This episode shares two stories about breast cancer and the nervous system regulation work that became essential to their ability to find freedom during and after treatment.

You'll hear from Dirci, a mother of twins who developed breast cancer during the pandemic after years of overwhelm. And Melanie, whose postpartum anxiety and childhood hypervigilance preceded her diagnosis clearly.

Both women went where their oncologists said wouldn't make a difference. Yet addressing their nervous system dysregulation became the missing foundational piece for their emotional health and experience through cancer treatment.

The Problem With Normal

"Normal" was what made them sick in the first place. Daily overwhelm, hypervigilance, and pushing through exhaustion every day. Traditional cancer support groups focused on recurrence statistics and survival rates. Keeping people in fear states instead of supporting healing.

Dirci's Story: When Life Was "Just Life"

Her sister died unexpectedly creating profound loss and grief. Daily therapy sessions for her twins created constant emotional strain. Never enough hours in the day, always rushing, always stressed. This was her "normal" way of living every single day.

Two years after these accumulated stressors, breast cancer diagnosis came. The connection between overwhelm and illness is clear when you look.

"I knew that the way my life was happening was what put me into cancer. So I needed to find help."

The Moment Everything Clicked

Listening to one of my interviews about trauma biology changed everything. "Until then, I had no idea about trauma at all. Didn't cross my mind. Trauma. Am I traumatized? For me it was just life happening."

"What I was going through and I needed to be brave. I was surviving." She didn't recognize it as trauma then. Suddenly understanding her body's story and the connection between overwhelm and illness.

From Information to Embodiment

The 21 Day Journey took understanding from head to body completely. From knowing intellectually to experiencing in her body daily. Created awareness of her nervous system states throughout the day.

Actually being present instead of just getting through each day. This was the transformation she needed to heal properly.

The Transformation Others Noticed

People commented that she looked better after treatment than before diagnosis. Not just physically, but energetically and emotionally more alive.

You'd expect cancer treatment to diminish you and drain energy. But addressing nervous system dysregulation healed her in deeper ways. This reveals what was really making her sick all along. The dysregulation beneath the surface, not just the cancer itself.

Melanie's Story: Using Anxiety as Fuel

After having children, intense anxiety developed that wouldn't let her relax. Episodes of rage that seemed to come from nowhere overwhelmed her. Constant scanning for danger, always on alert, exhausting baseline state.

Years of this pattern before breast cancer diagnosis came. Creating the biological conditions where disease could develop over time.

"I used anxiety to fuel myself to keep going forward. So I would keep doing whatever it is I needed. That's the energy I ran on every single day."

Rage as Control

Anger became a way to pause or control overwhelming situations around her. Creating space through intensity when nothing else worked. Not pathology but survival strategy that made sense in context.

But maintaining this pattern created chronic dysregulation in her body. Eventually led to illness manifesting after years of this pattern.

Peace on the Radiation Table

"I could not have imagined remaining so calm and centered going through cancer treatment like I did."

"I could put my hand over my heart right there on the radiation table during radiation treatment itself. That was one of my favorite moments through the whole cancer journey I experienced with my body."

Finding peace in the middle of cancer treatment shows the power of nervous system regulation work done beforehand.

Tools That Don't Wear Out

Both women still use these tools years later after completing treatment. Still finding them effective in their daily lives. Unlike other modalities that lose effectiveness over time with repeated use.

Because they work with biology and your nervous system's natural capacity. Years later, still relevant and powerful for creating regulation.

Healing the Next Generation

When you regulate, your children's nervous systems co-regulate with yours naturally. Breaking intergenerational trauma biology from passing to next generation. Your healing becomes their healing through co-regulation happening naturally.

The most powerful gift you can give to your children.

When Normal Created Illness

Daily overwhelm and hypervigilance, pushing through exhaustion every day constantly. This was their "normal" that created the conditions for illness. Created the conditions in their bodies where disease could develop.

Can't return to what made you sick in the first place. Must create new normal through nervous system healing work.

The Two Trauma Patterns Combined

Dirci's story shows how these patterns combined over years. Sister's death and unexpected crises came as too much too fast. Constant strain with twins' therapy was too little recovery for too long.

These patterns combined created chronic nervous system dysregulation in her body. Manifested as breast cancer two years later showing the timeline connection.

Cancer Communities Can Create More Fear

Constantly discussing who might relapse and recurrence statistics keeps fear alive. Numbers and percentages about death instead of supporting life and healing. These groups kept both women in fear states instead of healing.

"I don't want to have fear, I just want to support my body. I would rather be working towards finding a path to feel joy. To feel joy and feel alive than to take a path that brings along the fear."

Trauma healing communities offered a path toward joy and aliveness instead. Hope rather than fear as the foundation for healing.

Where Oncologists Don't Go

"Stress management won't affect your cancer." This is the standard medical view. Yet addressing nervous system dysregulation became the missing foundational piece for their emotional health and quality of life through treatment.

The Remarkable Insight

Both women looked better after cancer treatment than before diagnosis. You'd expect to look worse and depleted from chemo and radiation. But they looked and felt better, more alive, more present.

Because they finally addressed underlying nervous system dysregulation beneath the surface. Not just the cancer itself but what created conditions for it.

This Episode Is For: 

✓ People diagnosed with cancer seeking more than medical treatment

✓ Cancer survivors told to "return to normal"

✓ Anyone recognizing their stress preceded illness

✓ Practitioners supporting clients through cancer

✓ Parents wanting to break intergenerational trauma

✓ People using anxiety as fuel to function

✓ Anyone in cancer support groups living in fear

✓ Those ready to choose joy over fear

What You'll Learn

Listen to Dirci and Melanie's stories of developing breast cancer after years of nervous system dysregulation accumulated over time creating conditions. Learn how sister's death, twins' therapy sessions, and daily overwhelm preceded diagnosis. Why oncologists saying "return to normal" felt wrong since normal created illness. How the two trauma patterns combined over years to manifest as cancer. Why traditional cancer support groups kept them in fear while trauma healing offered joy. How Melanie used the heart hold on the radiation table finding peace. Why both women looked better after cancer treatment than before diagnosis. How healing your nervous system heals the next generation through co-regulation naturally. And why the tools from nervous system regulation work don't wear out.

Normal created illness—healing requires creating new normal, not returning to old.

Listen to Episode 143 with Dirci Souza and Melanie →

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information shared reflects my clinical expertise and research, but every person's biology and healing journey is unique. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers before making changes to your treatment plan or starting new interventions. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact emergency services or a crisis helpline immediately.

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode. What resonated with you? What questions came up?

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