Book Summary: *Boundaries for Your Soul* by Alison Cook and Kimberly Miller

This book introduces a five-step process to help us understand and manage the different “parts” of ourselves — especially those emotions or behaviors we struggle with. By focusing on, befriending, inviting, unburdening, and integrating these parts, we can experience deeper peace, spiritual alignment, and inner unity. Key concepts include connecting our hurting parts with compassion, inviting Jesus to guide them, and transforming inner critics or protectors into allies.

Five Steps Overview:

1. **Focus** - Identify and locate the emotion or part within you.

2. **Befriend** - Approach this part with curiosity and compassion.

3. **Invite** - Open your spirit and invite God to guide this part.

4. **Unburden** - Release any pain or burdens this part has been carrying.

5. **Integrate** - Allow this part to adopt a new, supportive role in your internal “family.”

Key Concepts:

- **Spirit-Led Self**: Leading all parts with courage and love, in alignment with God.

- **Befriending the Enemy Within**: Understanding challenging parts instead of rejecting them.

- **Role Reassignment**: Allowing previously conflicted parts to work together harmoniously.

- **Compassion for the Exiled Parts**: Comforting parts that feel neglected or misunderstood.

Thought-Provoking Questions to practice Part's Work as we discussed in the call:

What’s an emotion you’re experiencing right now? Or a behavior that you’ve identified that you want to change?

1. Focus

• Where do you sense the feeling physically?

• Is there a thought or image that comes to mind when you focus on it?

• How far away from you is it?

• What is an early memory of this feeling?

2. Befriend

• How do you feel toward this part of your soul?

• If you feel anything other than curiosity or compassion toward this emotion, notice that part of you and ask it

to step back.

• Returning to the part of you that’s experiencing the original emotion: Can you extend compassion to this part?

• Is there more it wants you to know?

• What is this part good at?

3. Invite

• Would this part like to invite Jesus to be near?

• If not, what are its fears and concerns? Can it tell those things to Jesus?

• Ask Jesus if he wants to say or do anything, or to give you

a specific gift.

4. Unburden

• What burden has this part been carrying?

• Does it have any fears about giving up that burden?

• Now, how does this part want to release its burden?

• Does this part want anything in exchange, such as peace,

security, or the assurance of love?

5. Integrate

• Check in with any part of you that didn’t like your original

emotion.

• What is that part good at?
• What does she want you to know?
• What’s the ultimate goal of your highest self?

• What new roles do these two parts want to play in your internal family going forward?

• Are these 2 parts willing to be on the same team in helping you achieve that goal?

• Is there anything that Jesus wants to tell these parts to encourage or reassure them?

• Thank them and God for showing up for you today.

• After you’ve completed the Five Steps, set an intention to

check back in with these parts.

These questions should help you create a meaningful parts work session. Give it a try!

To learn more and get a free 1:1 coaching call with Erin... go to www.healthyrealfood.com now.

Embracing Change: Transforming Your Life and Body

In this episode, registered nurse and health coach Erin Hart explores the powerful concept of past, present, and future selves, focusing on how these aspects shape the life you desire. Erin shares her personal journey of overcoming obesity through a sugar and flour free lifestyle, losing over 100 pounds and finding peace with food and her body. She discusses the importance of growth mindset, neuroplasticity, and healthy coping mechanisms. Erin provides practical exercises and motivational advice on how to start small, consistent changes today to become the future self you aspire to be, emphasizing that with faith and determination, change is possible.

00:00 Introduction: Can People Really Change?

00:18 Exploring Past, Present, and Future Selves

02:45 Erin Hart's Personal Transformation Journey

04:02 Lessons to My Younger Self

05:37 The Rule of Thirds and Embracing Challenges

07:32 Learning from the Past to Shape the Future

10:20 Practical Steps for Personal Growth

12:42 Conclusion: Embrace Your Future Self

To learn more and get a free 1:1 coaching call with Erin... go to www.healthyrealfood.com now.

Transform Your Eating Habits: Fuel Your Body with Real Food

In this episode, we're exploring the transformative power of nourishing your body with real food. You'll learn the importance of making mindful food choices that promote overall well-being. Changing your eating habits won't happen overnight, but with time and persistence, you'll discover a new appreciation for foods that make you feel amazing inside and out. Tune in for insights and resources on building a healthy relationship with real food, and don't forget to visit healthyrealfood.com for additional support and to sign up for a free one-on-one coaching call. Let's honor our bodies and enjoy the freedom that comes with health.

00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Mindful Eating

12:51 Transforming Your Taste Buds

13:07 Building a Healthy Relationship with Food

13:26 Conclusion: Embrace Real Food

Transform Your Health and Break Free from Food Addiction with Real Food

In this episode of the Healthy Real Food Monday Mindset, we explore the profound benefits of consuming real, unprocessed foods for lasting health and weight loss. The discussion emphasizes abandoning modern processed foods, filled with sugar and flour, in favor of simple, whole foods akin to those our ancestors ate. Through personal stories and client experiences, the host illustrates how real food can help overcome cravings, stabilize hormones, and provide sustained energy, leading to improved overall well-being. Listeners are encouraged to pursue progress over perfection, adopt a real food diet to achieve natural balance, reduce inflammation, and support weight loss without the need for calorie counting. A free one-on-one coaching call offer is extended to help viewers begin their journey towards a healthier life fueled by real food.

00:00 Introduction: The Secret to Lasting Health

00:30 The Power of Real Food

00:57 Personal Struggles and Persistence

03:00 Family History and Real Food

04:31 Modern Challenges and Real Food

05:02 Embracing Imperfection and Moving Forward

06:54 Finding Peace with Real Food

07:15 The Power of Real Whole Foods

07:58 The Dangers of Fake Foods

09:30 The Obesity Epidemic and Food Addiction

11:04 The Science Behind Real Food

12:48 Breaking Free from Food Addiction

13:52 The Journey to Health and Freedom

16:39 Support and Next Steps

Episode 168: Affirmation Magic - Transform Your Mindset for Weight Loss Success

In this episode of the Healthy Real Food Podcast, we explore the power of affirmations as a tool for mastering your mindset, essential for successful weight loss and life transformation. Following our series on Monday Mindset, we discuss how affirmations, alongside vision boards, can help rewire the subconscious and overcome self-doubt. Drawing inspiration from the host's own experiences, such as her mother's remarkable career success through mindset mastery, we learn how affirmations can shape a confident self-image aligned with personal goals. The episode provides actionable steps for creating effective affirmations, emphasizing positivity, specificity, and emotional engagement, while underscoring the importance of consistency and writing. It offers a free coaching call option for personalized guidance in creating affirmations that support a sugar- and flour-free lifestyle.

00:00 Introduction to the Healthy Real Food Podcast

00:31 Exploring the Power of Affirmations

02:14 Personal Story: The Influence of My Mom

03:29 How Affirmations Work

06:20 Creating Effective Affirmations

07:26 Daily Practice and Consistency

10:46 Overcoming Inner Critic and Self-Doubt

12:25 Conclusion and Free Coaching Offer

Unlocking the Power of Internal Family Systems for Lasting Weight Loss

In this episode of the Healthy Real Food Podcast, host Erin Hart discusses the Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapeutic model, introduced by Richard Schwartz, as a transformative tool for weight loss and improving one's relationship with food. The model views the self as a system of parts, each with its own roles and intentions, rather than a single, unified entity. Erin explores how understanding and working with these parts—protectors, firefighters, and exiles—can help overcome unhealthy eating behaviors, facilitate self-compassion, and foster peace with one's body. Erin encourages listeners to explore books like Boundaries for Your Soul and invites them to join the upcoming book club and Wednesday Wellness sessions for further discussion on this topic in a supportive, community environment.

00:00 Welcome to the Healthy Real Food Podcast

00:40 Introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)

01:43 Personal Journey and Client Success Story

03:36 Understanding Parts Work

05:43 Applying IFS to Weight Loss

07:34 Types of Parts in IFS

09:52 Practical Steps for Parts Work

12:03 Self-Compassion and Higher Self

15:41 Resources and Upcoming Events

17:35 Conclusion and Encouragement

Finding Peace with Food: Exploring Internal Family Systems and Parts Work

In this inspiring episode, Caitlin shares her personal journey towards achieving peace with food and overcoming binge eating. Through a candid interview, she discusses her challenges, past experiences with various diets like Weight Watchers and the South Beach diet, and her eventual discovery of internal family systems and parts work. Caitlin provides insights into how embracing and befriending different parts of herself transformed her relationship with food, leading to a healthier and happier life. This session offers a compelling look at the emotional and spiritual healing necessary for sustainable transformation, emphasizing the importance of self-love and acceptance in overcoming struggles with food and body image.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:42 Caitlin's Background and Early Struggles

02:40 The Messy Middle: Struggles and Attempts

08:16 Discovering Internal Family Systems

16:20 Transformative Journey and Healing

26:21 Practical Tips and Encouragement