Julie Schanno’s journey from conventional nurse practitioner to multidimensional healing guide is nothing short of extraordinary. With decades of experience in labor and delivery, internal medicine, and spiritual psychology, Julie now supports others by integrating bottom-up healing, nervous system regulation, and quantum biology. In this interview with Meredith Oke on the QBC Podcast, Julie shares her personal and professional evolution — from witnessing trauma in the medical system to discovering the power of embodied healing through somatic practices and ancient spiritual wisdom.

This article unpacks her story, framework, and tools so you can better understand the connection between body, belief, biology, and being.

What is Bottom-Up Healing and Why It Matters

Julie Schanno defines bottom-up healing as working with the body’s innate intelligence — starting from sensation and cellular awareness rather than thoughts or cognitive frameworks. Unlike top-down approaches (which rely on analyzing behavior, beliefs, and emotions), bottom-up work involves tuning into the body’s sensory language to release stored trauma and survival energy.

“Bottom-up work is allowing the body to teach us what’s happening. It’s not conceptual — it’s experienced,” says Julie.

She shares that many people, including herself, initially come into healing through the mind — engaging in therapy, spiritual practices, or mindfulness — only to hit a wall when the body’s unresolved trauma resurfaces.

That’s when the deeper healing begins.

Challenges and Common Misconceptions in Healing Work

One of the biggest misconceptions Julie debunks is the idea that spiritual or cognitive growth alone is enough. Many high-achieving individuals get stuck in cycles of reactivity, fatigue, or emotional overwhelm — not because they haven’t done “enough” healing, but because they haven’t integrated it somatically.

“Spiritual practices can actually be dissociative if the survival energy underneath hasn’t been addressed,” she says.

Julie emphasizes that you can’t bypass the body. Expansion without nervous system capacity can backfire, leading to burnout or spiritual bypassing.

Another challenge she sees is people clinging to healing frameworks too rigidly — like food rules, daily routines, or spiritual dogma — which are often attempts to create safety but can become limiting.

Actionable Strategies & Expert Advice from Julie Schanno

Julie’s method centers around a trinity of biological systems that need to work together for integration and true healing:

1. Nervous System Capacity (The Conductor)

• Understand your autonomic states (sympathetic, dorsal vagal, ventral vagal).
  
• Build safety slowly through somatic practices like Smart Body, Smart Mind (Irene Lyon’s work).
  
• Cultivate resilience over reactivity.
  

2. Mitochondrial Voltage (The Musicians)

• Support mitochondrial health with light-based circadian practices:
  
  • Morning sunlight exposure
    
  • Avoid artificial light at night
    
  • Align with natural sleep/wake cycles
    
• Consider gentle mitochondrial support through bioenergetics, only when nervous system regulation is in place.
  

3. Fluid Fascia System (The Acoustics)

• The body’s fluid system is the medium for consciousness and must be healthy for integration.
  
• Practices like Continuum Movement help you interface with your biology, emotions, and spiritual self through movement and sound.
  
• This system enables the biological anchoring of expanded states and trauma release.
  

“Survival energy just wants to complete itself. When we slow down to feel, we allow that process to happen,” Julie explains.

Real-Life Case Study: Julie’s Own Awakening

Julie’s shift began when she moved to a remote island in Alaska. For the first time, her nervous system felt safe. This embodied sense of safety opened her perceptual lens, leading her to explore fields of consciousness, energy medicine, and spiritual downloads she hadn’t previously understood.

She trained at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing — a four-year program integrating energy healing, spiritual psychology, and developmental trauma. Her travels to sacred sites around the world (Egypt, Nepal, France, Ireland) further deepened her insight into the interconnectedness of body, land, and spirit.

And yet, even after years of spiritual practice, she experienced physical symptoms and nervous system instability — until she was guided to bottom-up work.

“You can expand no further without integrating this through your nervous system,” she recalls as the turning point.

This led her to Irene Lyon’s courses, Continuum Movement, and ultimately her synthesis of quantum biology.

FAQs Inspired by Audience Curiosity

What is survival energy and why does it matter?

Survival energy is the unconscious operating system rooted in early trauma and stress. It governs fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses. If unaddressed, it colors how we perceive reality, make decisions, and engage with others.

Can spiritual practices be harmful?

If they’re used to escape rather than integrate, yes. Without nervous system safety, spiritual practices can become dissociative or reinforcing of trauma.

How do I start bottom-up healing?

• Begin by learning to sense into your body without judgment.
  
• Explore modalities like Continuum Movement, Somatic Experiencing, or Irene Lyon’s Smart Body, Smart Mind.
  
• Create moments of stillness to let the body guide.
  

What is the relationship between mitochondria and trauma?

Mitochondria supply the energy for every process in the body — including healing. Without enough voltage, you might feel calm but lack vitality. But voltage without regulation can feel like anxiety or overwhelm. Both must be balanced.

Conclusion: True Healing is a Devotional Path

Julie Schanno reminds us that healing isn’t a destination — it’s a devotional path. And the body is the sacred temple through which we walk that path.

“Our body holds both the imprint of survival and the blueprint of who we are,” she says.

By tending to the nervous system, supporting mitochondria, and connecting with the fluid system, we can integrate trauma, awaken our spiritual potential, and live fully in the present moment.Whether you’re navigating chronic illness, spiritual awakening, or emotional overwhelm, Julie’s message is clear: You are not broken. Your biology is your ally. And the wisdom lives inside you.

Next steps:

Listen to the full episode “What Labor and Delivery Nursing Taught Julie Schanno About Anchoring Consciousness in the Body”. For more from Julie, visit https://www.livetruenature.co/.

Engage with other podcast listeners & find practitioners who work through the quantum biologic lens by joining our free community.

If you’re a health and wellness practitioner and want to apply this science to your practice, explore the  Applied Quantum Biology Certification with the Institute of Applied Quantum Biology.