Beyond The Surface Podcast

Content warning: This episode discusses addiction, mental health struggles, and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or support line in your area. In Australia, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.Labelled “the fat kid” growing up, Darcy never felt like he belonged. Food became his first coping mechanism, followed by drugs at a young age in a search for acceptance. By his teens, he’d been expelled from three schools, was living on the streets, and deeply involved in crime and addiction.After years of struggling including a suicide attempt, jail became the turning point that forced Darcy to face reality. While incarcerated, he built discipline through routine, training, meditation, and journaling. A promise to his terminally ill mother became the foundation of his sobriety.Now, eight years sober, Darcy works as a personal trainer and coach, helping others from his lived experience.This episode is proof that no matter how far you fall, the choices you make next can save you.Podcast Sponsor:Evolution Botanicals: real, natural support for your health. From functional mushrooms for focus, energy and immunity, to traditional herbs that nourish and  support your nervous system.  Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.Connect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonauConnect with Darcy:Website: https://drcfit.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drc.fit.pt/

We’re born breathing, yet many of us breathe in a way that keeps the body stuck in stress.In this episode, Belinda explores why how you breathe matters, and how your breath directly affects the nervous system, emotional regulation, and the body’s ability to feel safe.You’ll learn why shallow, fast breathing keeps the body in survival mode, the benefits of nasal breathing and tongue position, the role of the diaphragm in nervous system balance, how humming and gentle breath holds stimulate the vagus nerve, and why CO₂ tolerance matters for anxiety, breathlessness, and resilience.You’ll also be guided through a simple, practical breathing practice you can use anytime to calm your nervous system and reconnect with your body.This episode is educational, grounded, and designed to be revisited.Podcast Sponsor:Evolution Botanicals: real, natural support for your health. From functional mushrooms for focus, energy and immunity, to traditional herbs that nourish and  support your nervous system.  Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.Connect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

As we head into the New Year, there’s a message everywhere: New Year. New You. It sounds motivating, but for most people, it doesn’t last.Only 8% of people actually succeed with their New Year’s resolutions. And it’s not because they’re lazy, unmotivated, or incapable. It’s because resolutions are built on hope, not on habits, and real change requires much more than motivation.In this episode, Belinda unpacks why resolutions fail, what’s really happening in your nervous system when change feels hard, and what actually creates sustainable, long-term transformation.This is not about hype, pressure, or reinventing yourself overnight. It’s about understanding the patterns underneath your behaviour, and learning how to work with your body, not against it.By the end of this episode, you’ll feel grounded, clear, and resourced, not fired up for a week, but supported for real change that lasts.Podcast Sponsor:Evolution Botanicals: real, natural support for your health. From functional mushrooms for focus, energy and immunity, to traditional herbs that nourish and  support your nervous system.  Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.Connect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

Who you spend time with shapes everything, your habits, your choices, your stress, your growth, and your sense of self. In this episode, Belinda explains why your nervous system mirrors the people and environments around you, not because you’re weak, but because this is how humans are wired.You’ll learn why some people feel regulating and expansive, while others leave you dysregulated, drained, or stuck in old patterns, and how your childhood experiences shape what feels “normal,” even when it isn’t healthy. Belinda shares practical ways to choose people and spaces that support your growth, regulate your nervous system, and help you create lasting change.If you’ve ever wondered why you feel like a different version of yourself around certain people, or why growth and change can feel hard in familiar environments, this episode will give you clarity, validation, and tools to start choosing people and environments that truly nourish you and move you forward.Podcast Sponsor:Evolution Botanicals: real, natural support for your health. From functional mushrooms for focus, energy and immunity, to traditional herbs that nourish and  support your nervous system.  Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.Connect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

In this episode, Belinda speaks honestly about something many people quietly struggle with: Christmas isn’t always joyful, magical, or easy. For some, it’s a season of connection and celebration, but for others, it brings pressure, obligation, old family roles, and a nervous system that goes into survival mode.If the holidays feel heavy or emotionally complicated for you, this episode will help you feel less alone and more grounded in choosing what’s true, peaceful, and healthy for you this Christmas, even if it looks different to what others expect.What You’ll Learn:Why Christmas activates old patterns, childhood roles, and family woundsHow obligation, guilt, and expectations shape holiday stressWhy “family is everything” only applies when it’s healthyHow your nervous system responds to family dynamics before your mind doesThe difference between connection and survivalWhy grief, guilt, or relief may surface this time of yearHow to honour your own family unit and set boundaries without guiltPractical somatic tools to stay grounded and regulated through the holidaysA supportive, validating episode for anyone navigating family dynamics, emotional triggers, or the weight of tradition this time of year.Podcast Sponsor:Evolution Botanicals: real, natural support for your health. From functional mushrooms for focus, energy and immunity, to traditional herbs that nourish and  support your nervous system.  Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.Connect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau