Kim recently had the pleasure of joining Heather Boyd on The Baby Sleep Connection Podcast for a conversation that wandered through so many of the ideas closest to her heart: how relationships, connection, and co-regulation shape us neurologically, socially, and emotionally.

Kim joined Malia on The Science of Reading Formula podcast for a conversation about what's really happening underneath challenging classroom behaviour. Together they unpack how trauma and stress show up in the nervous system, why "meltdowns" and defiance are often protective strategies rather than defiance, and how teachers who stay regulated themselves can become an anchor for dysregulated students. It's a practical, compassionate reframe — moving from "what's wrong with you?" to "what happened to you?" — with real takeaways for anyone working with kids.

We live in a world that rarely stops. Between the relentless pace of modern demands and the constant stream of news and noise through our devices, many of us arrive at the end of the day feeling more like we've survived than lived. We long for connection — with our children, our partners, ourselves — but our bodies are stuck in a hum of protection that makes that connection feel just out of reach.

Kim Barthel, along with Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Relationship Restoration Guide Leah Dawang, explores exactly this in a newly published piece for Psychotherapy Networker: Retuning a Dysregulated World.

Perimenopause is not simply a hormonal transition. It is an invitation to better understand the remarkable relationship between our bodies, brains, and lived experiences. Join me and my colleague/friend Yumiko Kakutani for what we hope is an enlightening conversation directly relevant to some, and indirectly relevant to all. 

Across cultures and generations, humans have always found ways to express what is happening inside of them, and we still do. Sometimes we do this through words, but often through creating. Whether it is drawing, writing, moving, singing, or arranging objects from nature, we are naturally wired to make meaning through creativity.

There is a word for this: poiesis (pronounced poy-EE-siss). It means bringing something from the inside into form, and originates from Greek. Even if we have never heard the term, most of us have experienced it. It might look like doodling when we feel overwhelmed, playing music to shift our mood, or going for a walk and collecting things that simply feel meaningful.

This conversation digs into the neuroscience of the vestibular system, interoception, bilateral stimulation, and why movement is far more than muscles. Kim and Leana share concrete tools — from saddle stools at home to pickle juice to the long gaze — and explore why the relational environment may ultimately matter even more than the physical one.

In acknowledging World Autism Month this April, Relationship Matters is offering 20% discounts (that can be added to existing discounts) on our two key courses related to Autism. To sign up for our courses: "AUTISM MATTERS" and "Treating Movement Challenges in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: NDT for ASD", register with the WAM20 coupon code in the month of April (OFFER STARTS APRIL 1 and ENDS APRIL 30th!).

In Kim's latest video interview with Kaya Lyons, OT from Australia, they dive into a soulful conversation about resilience, the power of storytelling, and the profound lessons the natural world, specifically water, has to offer our emotional well-being.

Kim doesn't sugarcoat it: the obsession with comfort is quietly sabotaging your healing. Decades working with trauma, resilience, and the nervous system have shown her one brutal truth: real growth rarely feels safe.

In this episode of Therapy Chat, Laura and Kim explored the role of the vestibular system, the Vagus Nerve, and the importance of co-regulation in therapy. Kim shares insights from her extensive experience in Occupational Therapy and discusses the impact of developmental trauma on individuals. The conversation highlights the significance of sound healing and the need for a nuanced, layered and holistic approach to understanding our relationships to Self and others, and the role of the vestibular system in our survival and connection.

When we think of the vestibular system, we often associate it with balance, coordination, and movement. But this tiny system tucked within the inner ear does far more than prevent us from falling—it plays a profound role in how we see, how we feel where we are in space, and how we make sense of motion in our everyday experience.

In this episode of How to Be WiSE, host Shubneet sits down with Kim for a powerful conversation on self-compassion, burnout, and the neuroscience of stress. With over 35 years of experience in trauma-informed care, Kim shares her insights into how high performing students can protect their well-being while still pursuing excellence.

At Relationship Matters, we often explore the complex interplay between body, brain, and behaviour in the context of healing, connection, and regulation. One surprising player in this dynamic system is a hormone produced not by the brain or glands, but by the bones themselves. Osteocalcin is a bone-derived hormone with powerful effects on the nervous system, metabolism, and stress response, key elements that shape our capacity to be present in relationship.

Kim recently sat down with OTs Jen Trzeciak and Dr Áine O'Dea from the Irish Occupational Therapy Podcast, a show that brings you the most up to date information, insights and chat from Occupational Therapy (OT) services across Ireland. This podcast has something for everyone interested in health and wellbeing.