Stuck Not Broken

Latest Episodes:

Season 2: Full Audiobook - Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

After seven years and nearly 300 episodes, I'm trying something I don't think anyone else is doing: giving you all of my Polyvagal Theory knowledge, directly. And free.

Season 2 of the Stuck Not Broken podcast is different from the regular show. It's the full audiobook of my first book, Stuck Not Broken: Book 1 - Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm, read chapter by chapter, right here in the feed. No book to buy. No course. Just the whole thing.

If you've ever wanted to actually understand your nervous system, what it's doing and why, this is the place to start. By the end of the audiobook, you'll have written a new, simple self-narrative and be ready for the next phase of your unstucking journey. No quick fixes. No hacks. No gimmicks.

👉 New here?

Find your stuck state, and your starting place: https://www.stucknotbroken.com/stuck

Or go straight to what's best for you:

👉Start free in the community: https://www.stucknotbroken.com/join?invitation_token=25c72b8c15987838a4a6bcc54b1bd652d520420c-d23357d7-4381-4003-be61-c1f4f0bb538d

📘 Prefer to read, or want to support the show?: https://www.stucknotbroken.com/books

🎧Practice on your own, free, no account, no card: https://app.stucknotbroken.com/?start=practice&src=podcast

👥Prefer company? Move through it alongside others in the Unstucking Academy. $39/month, cancel anytime: https://www.stucknotbroken.com/unstuckingacademy

This and other content produced by Justin Sunseri (“JustinLMFT”) (i.e; podcast, YouTube, Instagram, etc.) is not therapy, not intended to be therapy or be a replacement for therapy. Nothing in this creates or indicates a therapeutic relationship. Please consult with your therapist or seek for one in your area if you are experiencing mental health symptoms. Nothing should be construed to be specific life advice; it is for educational and entertainment purposes only.

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast! When you do, you will immediately get the next episode as soon as it's available. What's better than having the next episode of SNB ready and waiting for you? (Nothing, that's what.)

Challenging Your Paradigm: The Shift in Thinking Before the Science Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

"That's bulls***." That was my honest first reaction, back in 2018, to the work I now build my entire career around.

In this episode of the Stuck Not Broken audiobook, I invite you to challenge your paradigm:

How I came to Polyvagal Theory, and nearly dismissed it
What a paradigm is, and why you need a new one before the science can land
The urge most of us feel to skip ahead to the fix, and why there isn't one to skip to

👉 New here?

Find your stuck state, and your starting place: https://www.stucknotbroken.com/stuck

Or go straight to what's best for you:

👉Start free in the community: https://www.stucknotbroken.com/join?invitation_token=25c72b8c15987838a4a6bcc54b1bd652d520420c-d23357d7-4381-4003-be61-c1f4f0bb538d

📘 Prefer to read, or want to support the show?: https://www.stucknotbroken.com/books

🎧Practice on your own, free, no account, no card: https://app.stucknotbroken.com/?start=practice&src=podcast

👥Prefer company? Move through it alongside others in the Unstucking Academy. $39/month, cancel anytime: https://www.stucknotbroken.com/unstuckingacademy

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

What Is a "Gentle Rebel"? A Conversation on Creativity and Sensitivity with Andy Mort May 21, 2026

Show notes

What does it mean to be a "gentle rebel" — and how does creativity fit in? In this episode, I talk with Andy Mort of The Haven community about rebellion as openness rather than aggression, why highly sensitive people often need space and safety to access their creative voice, and how creativity is less about the finished product and more about the ongoing process of becoming yourself. We get into the difference between self-soothing and self-expression, the role of constraints in creative work, why unsolicited criticism rarely helps, and how to take a small, honest first step toward reconnecting with what moves you. If you've ever felt like the "should" of creativity has crowded out the joy of it, this one's for you.

📱 Ready to practice self-regulation? Try the Stuck Not Broken app for free - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/app?src=podcast

🌸 Not sure which stuck state you're in? Recognize where you're at and join the free community here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/stuck?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=stuck-page

🤩 Ready to go deeper? Explore resources at every price point here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/how-i-can-help-you?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=how-i-can-help

🙂 Don't know the Polyvagal Theory? Catch up here - https://player.captivate.fm/collection/cce134e7-1550-4d33-8e56-738d344c63b0

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

You're Meditating Wrong (Here's How) May 12, 2026

Show notes

If you've ever sat down to meditate and felt like you were failing at it, this episode is for you. In this special episode, I read a section from my new book, Stuck Not Broken Book Three, on why most people are meditating wrong — and what to do instead. We'll get into:

What meditation actually is through a nervous system lens
Why "clearing your mind" misses the point entirely
How rejecting the present moment sabotages your practice
Why quality matters far more than quantity
What realistic, incremental progress looks like

Meditation isn't about forcing your thoughts to stop or sitting still for 30 minutes. It's about connecting with your internal experience of the present moment — whatever it brings.

📘 Get Stuck Not Broken Book Three (and books one and two): https://stucknotbroken.com/books

📱 Ready to practice self-regulation? Try the Stuck Not Broken app for free - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/app?src=podcast

🤩 Ready to go deeper? Explore resources at every price point here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/how-i-can-help-you?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=how-i-can-help

🙂 Don't know the Polyvagal Theory? Catch up here - https://player.captivate.fm/collection/cce134e7-1550-4d33-8e56-738d344c63b0

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

Stoicism & Your Nervous System: How to Practice Amor Fati (Loving Your Fate) with Erick Cloward Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Justin Sunseri sits down with Erick Cloward, host of the Stoic Coffee Break podcast, for a deep dive into the Stoic practice of Amor Fati, or "loving your fate." Learn how to connect ancient Stoic wisdom with modern nervous system science. Erick and Justin discuss how to use principles from Stoicism and Polyvagal Theory to practice self-regulation, manage anxiety, and build emotional strength.

Discover how to stop fighting reality and instead find power in accepting what is. This conversation explores how to embrace your emotions, turn obstacles into opportunities, and live a more virtuous, regulated life.

➡️ Learn more from Erick Cloward:

Stoic Coffee Break Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StoicCoffee
"Stoicism 101" Book: https://www.amazon.com/Stoicism-101-Epictetus-Essential-Philosophy/dp/1507223579
Build an Unbreakable Mind Program: https://stoic.coffee/unbreakable/

📱 Ready to practice self-regulation? Try the Stuck Not Broken app for free - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/app?src=podcast

🤩 Ready to go deeper? Explore resources at every price point here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/how-i-can-help-you?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=how-i-can-help

🙂 Don't know the Polyvagal Theory? Catch up here - https://player.captivate.fm/collection/cce134e7-1550-4d33-8e56-738d344c63b0

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

The Polyvagal Bandwagon Is Dying (And I Love It) Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

The Polyvagal Theory has transformed how we understand the nervous system—but somewhere along the way, it became a wellness industry bandwagon. In this episode, I'm breaking down how a legitimate scientific framework got diluted into oversimplified soundbites, and why that matters for your actual healing.

📱 Ready to practice self-regulation? Try the Stuck Not Broken app for free - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/app?src=podcast

🤩 Ready to go deeper? Explore resources at every price point here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/how-i-can-help-you?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=how-i-can-help

🙂 Don't know the Polyvagal Theory? Catch up here - https://player.captivate.fm/collection/cce134e7-1550-4d33-8e56-738d344c63b0

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

You Can't Love Someone Out of Shutdown: the Partner's Guide to Love & Self-Regulation Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

When your partner is in shutdown, you're not just watching it happen—you're in it too. This episode is for the partners who feel like they're losing their person, who don't understand what's happening, and who wonder if they're making it worse. In this episode, I break down:

What shutdown actually looks like (and why it's not a choice)
What you CAN'T control (and why that matters)
4 concrete ways to influence the situation without trying to fix them
The myth of co-regulation and what it actually means
How to regulate yourself so you can show up differently
Why healthy boundaries aren't selfish—they're essential
What your real job is as a partner in shutdown

The invisible pain on both sides is real. You're not failing. You're not weak. And you're not alone.

📱 Ready to practice self-regulation? Try the Stuck Not Broken app for free - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/app?src=podcast

🤩 Ready to go deeper? Explore resources at every price point here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/how-i-can-help-you?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=how-i-can-help

🙂 Don't know the Polyvagal Theory? Catch up here - https://player.captivate.fm/collection/cce134e7-1550-4d33-8e56-738d344c63b0

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

Does EMDR Actually Work? (What the Research Says) Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

EMDR is everywhere — but do you know what's actually helpful? Or if it is at all?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) has become one of the most talked-about trauma treatments around. But most people — and, honestly, many therapists — reduce it to one image: a finger waving in someone's face. That shorthand is costing people clarity about what's actually working.

In this episode, Justin Sunseri breaks down what EMDR really is beyond the eye movements, what the research actually says about its effectiveness, and — more importantly — what the science says is doing the heavy lifting when it works.

In this episode:

The 8-phase structure of EMDR (and where bilateral stimulation actually shows up)
What happens when you compare EMDR to other trauma therapies
4 common factors that explain most of therapy's results — across every modality
What dismantling studies reveal about eye movements specifically
The "Toe Curling" thought experiment that puts it all in perspective
Why the research has real weaknesses — and what that means for you
What to actually look for in a therapist or healing approach

📱 Ready to practice self-regulation? Try the Stuck Not Broken app for free - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/app?src=podcast

🤩 Ready to go deeper? Explore resources at every price point here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/how-i-can-help-you?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=how-i-can-help

🙂 Don't know the Polyvagal Theory? Catch up here - https://player.captivate.fm/collection/cce134e7-1550-4d33-8e56-738d344c63b0

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

Links to research:

APA and EMDR - https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/ptsd.pdf
WHO and EMDR - https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/treatment-care/mental-health-gap-action-programme/evidence-centre/conditions-related-to-stress/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-%28ptsd%29--psychological-interventions---children-and-adolescents
VA on EMDR and limits of study - https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/txessentials/emdr_pro.asp; https://www.healthquality.va.gov/HEALTHQUALITY/guidelines/MH/ptsd/VA-DoD-CPG-PTSD-Full-CPG-Edited-111624-V5-81825.pdf
Meta-analysis of EMDR - https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-006X.69.2.305
Ten Things to Remember About Common Factor Theory - https://societyforpsychotherapy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Laska-and-Wampold-2014-1.pdf
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing: part 1 – theory, procedure and use in PTSD - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-advances/article/eye-movement-desensitisation-and-reprocessing-part-1-theory-procedure-and-use-in-ptsd/025D573300054876F5B2096F42C983D4
A Review of EMDR Literature - https://www.nausstherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/emdr-article.pdf
A meta-analysis of the contribution of eye movements in processing emotional memories - https://emdrmagazine.nl/EM2013-2/A%20meta-analysis%20of%20the%20contribution%20of%20eye%20movements%20in%20processing%20emotional%20memories%20(Lee%20&%20Cuypers,%202013).pdf
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for mental health problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis - https://www.research.unipd.it/retrieve/ff4c348a-80f5-47b4-9b7c-2e831918ed05/Eye%20movement%20desensitization%20and%20reprocessing%20for%20mental%20health%20problems%20a%20systematic%20review%20and%20meta-analysis.pdf
On EMDR: Measuring the working memory taxation of various types of eye (non-)movement conditions - https://repub.eur.nl/pub/118641/Repub_118641_O-A.pdf

No, the Polyvagal Theory is NOT Dead: Here's What Critics (and Influencers) Aren't Understanding. Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

A paper co-authored by 39 scientists called the Polyvagal Theory "untenable" — and now psychology influencers are announcing the Theory is "dead." But is it?

I'm Justin Sunseri, therapist and member of the Polyvagal Institute's Editorial Board. That means I review work for Polyvagal Theory accuracy. So let me actually look at the claims.

In this episode, I break down Paul Grossman's paper "Why the Polyvagal Theory Is Untenable." We need to objectively check whether his criticisms accurately represent what the theory actually says. Because if they don't, the counterarguments are moot.

Links mentioned:

Grossman's paper: https://www.clinicalneuropsychiatry.org/download/why-the-polyvagal-theory-is-untenable-an-international-expert-evaluation-of-the-polyvagal-theory-and-commentary-upon-porges-s-w-2025-polyvagal-theory-current-status-clinical-applications-and/
Porges' "The Vagal Paradox": https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38108034/
Grossman's ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/post/After_30_years_of_polyvagal_hypotheses_is_there_any_direct_evidence_for_the_first_3_premises_that_form_the_foundation_of_the_polyvagal_conjectures
Porges' response(s) to Grossman: https://www.clinicalneuropsychiatry.org/download/when-a-critique-becomes-untenable-a-scholarly-response-to-grossman-et-al-s-evaluation-of-polyvagal-theory/
Google NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google.com

📱 Ready to practice self-regulation? Try the Stuck Not Broken app for free - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/app?src=podcast

🤩 Ready to go deeper? Explore resources at every price point here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/how-i-can-help-you?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=how-i-can-help

🙂 Don't know the Polyvagal Theory? Catch up here - https://player.captivate.fm/collection/cce134e7-1550-4d33-8e56-738d344c63b0

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

Five Common Self-Help Habits That Accidentally Keep Your Nervous System Sensitized and Stuck Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

Is your self-help routine actually making things worse?

The self-help industry has one answer for everything: do more. More habits, more discipline, more effort. But for a nervous system that's already overwhelmed — stuck in sympathetic flight/fight, freeze overdrive, or dorsal shutdown — more doing can mean more frustration, more overwhelm, and more defeat.

In this episode, I break down 5 common self-help habits that may be working against you if you don't yet have the nervous system capacity for them.

Capacity Builder Live (live meditation sessions) → https://www.stucknotbroken.com/c/calendar/?topics=182524 Unstucking Academy → https://www.stucknotbroken.com/unstuckingacademy Previous episode on trauma narrative → https://youtu.be/pvJNSJ8q1aM

📱 Ready to practice self-regulation? Try the Stuck Not Broken app for free - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/app?src=podcast

🤩 Ready to go deeper? Explore resources at every price point here - https://www.stucknotbroken.com/how-i-can-help-you?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=how-i-can-help

🙂 Don't know the Polyvagal Theory? Catch up here - https://player.captivate.fm/collection/cce134e7-1550-4d33-8e56-738d344c63b0

Justin Sunseri is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist registered in the State of California (#99147).

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