Health and Wellness

March 10, 2026

#125. Why Moms Need to Trust Their Intuition: Somatic Wisdom and Nervous System Regulation with Jen Aks

So many mothers are taught to ignore their intuition—but your body is constantly giving you information. In this episode, I sit down with somatic practitioner Jennifer Aks to explore the connection between intuition, the nervous system, and what she calls your “body set”—the physical and emotional signals that guide your decisions. Jennifer shares how reconnecting with the body’s wisdom can rebuild confidence, regulate the nervous system, and help women move through emotional blocks. You’ll also learn about the “power of gesture,” a simple somatic practice that helps translate inner knowing into action so you can lead your life—and motherhood—with greater clarity and alignment.
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About this episode

What You'll Learn: 

  • What “body set” means and how the body communicates important information
  • Why intuition is a form of intelligence that many women have been conditioned to ignore
  • How somatic practices can regulate the nervous system and release stored emotion
  • The concept of the “power of gesture” and how physical movement supports emotional processing
  • Why curiosity—not judgment—is key when navigating inner conflict
  • How identifying core values can help guide decisions and leadership in motherhood
  • Practical ways to reconnect with your intuition and body wisdom

    • About Jen Aks: 

    Jen Aks is an embodied leadership coach, TEDx speaker, and author of Your Body is Speaking. She's the founder of The Power of Gesture®, a science-based somatic practice that reconnects people to three intelligence systems—emotional, somatic, and kinesthetic— to calm the nervous system and access the body's innate wisdom. With more than 30 years of experience as a dance educator and somatic practitioner, she guides leaders, creatives, and individuals worldwide to stop searching outside themselves for answers and instead trust the clarity, confidence, and self-direction that already lives within.

    The Power of Gesture® is Jen Aks’ body-based leadership and communication approach, with the 3 E’s at its core. The work uses intentional, repeatable gestures to help people access their body’s intelligence, regulate emotional responses, and move through fear, self-doubt, and overwhelm. Through this practice, individuals shift through the 3 E’s: becoming Embodied by grounding in the body, Empowered by reconnecting to agency and choice, and Elevated by showing up with clarity, confidence, and presence. Rather than fixing language or mindset alone, The Power of Gesture® aligns physical movement with emotional and cognitive awareness, allowing leaders, creatives, and teams to communicate more authentically and lead from a place that feels real, grounded, and impactful.

    Shownotes

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    Interested in tuning in to other The Well Nourished Mama episodes around the topic of Somatic Therapy & Healing? 
    🎧 Take a listen to Episode 77 → Body First Healing: Using Somatic Therapy to Regulate Your Emotions
    🎧 Listen in to Episode 58 → Nourish Your Nervous System: How Nutrition Supports Trauma Healing

    Learn more about Jen's bodyset practice with The Power of Gesture here and keep up with all of her new class launches and practice guides at jenaks.com

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    Transcript

    Hey I'm Brooke!

    I'm a perinatal holistic nutritionist here to help make your motherhood journey joyful and stress-free. Here you'll find recipes to nourish your body throughout all of pregnancy and postpartum, as well as educational articles and resources to empower you as you heal your body and raise a family.

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    Trying to ConceivePregnancyLabor + BirthPostpartumLactationMotherhoodMarriageNutritionPersonal Life

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