The Wired for Well-Being Podcast
Wired for Well-Being is a podcast devoted to viewing our lives through a nervous system perspective—so we can better understand what’s really happening inside us and how to shift it.
Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein, a clinical psychologist with over 40 years of experience treating trauma, dissociation, chronic pain, and chronic illness, the podcast takes you beyond theory and into real-life application. Each episode includes listener questions about the struggles we all face—relationships, healing journeys, fear, overwhelm, or anger—and offers fresh insights from the science of the nervous system.
With warmth and clarity, Jeffrey unpacks what’s going on beneath the surface: why certain situations trigger us, how old patterns linger in the body, and what it actually takes to move toward healing and connection.
Joined by producer and friend Steve Lessard, Jeffrey brings compassion, practical tools, and decades of clinical wisdom to every conversation. The goal is simple but profound: to help you stop seeing yourself as broken, and instead discover how you are inherently wired for well-being, resilience, and deeper connection.
Listen on:
Episodes
Saturday Oct 18, 2025
Saturday Oct 18, 2025
In this episode of Wired for Well-Being, Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein explores how our nervous system shapes the way we feel, act, and heal—and what it means to become an ally to it rather than an adversary. Every day, our nervous system quietly directs our emotions and choices, often without our awareness. But when we learn how to listen, we discover that states like fear, anger, or overwhelm are not signs of weakness, but vital messages that can guide us toward healing and balance.
Jeffrey answers two powerful listener questions. The first explores the difference between top-down and bottom-up processing: should we try to manage our nervous system states with our thinking mind, or allow the body’s messages to guide us? You’ll learn how curiosity and awareness can shift us out of being hijacked by our states and into a place of regulation and choice.
The second caller shares about navigating fear and overwhelm in a long healing journey. Jeffrey reframes these experiences as signals from the nervous system, pointing toward the need for self-care, boundaries, and sustainable routines. Rather than interpreting overwhelm as failure, listeners will discover how to see it as feedback—and how this shift opens the door to compassion and empowerment.
In this episode, you’ll learn:Why the nervous system reacts the way it does, and how trauma can make it more sensitive.
The difference between top-down (thought-driven) and bottom-up (body-driven) processing.
Practical tools to move from fight, flight, or shutdown into regulation and choice.
How fear and overwhelm can become guides toward greater balance, not obstacles.
Why curiosity is one of the most powerful tools for nervous system healing.
With warmth and clarity, Jeffrey shows that by understanding our nervous system, we can stop blaming ourselves and begin to create real, sustainable change.
Do you have a question you'd like to ask? If so, leave a voicemail at 866-357-5156. If you're unable to reach that number, you can record a voice memo and email it to hello@drjeffreyrutstein.com.
To learn more and receive a free gift, visit: drjeffreyrutstein.com/links
The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not intended as professional mental health advice. Always consult qualified healthcare providers for medical concerns.
Saturday Oct 11, 2025
Saturday Oct 11, 2025
In this first episode of The Wired for Well-Being Podcast, Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein explores how our nervous system shapes relationships—and how it can also be a path to healing. Relationships can bring joy, love, and connection, but they can just as easily stir conflict, confusion, or even emotional pain.
Through two powerful listener questions, Jeffrey unpacks the nervous system’s role in both leaving a painful relationship and entering new ones. You’ll learn: • How experiences like narcissistic abuse can linger in the nervous system—and how to begin restoring trust in yourself. • Practical tools for regulation, grounding, and self-care that help you heal after relational trauma. • What it means to listen to your body’s signals when navigating new friendships or intimacy. • How to discern whether someone feels truly safe, using the nervous system’s built-in “neuroception.”
Whether you’re healing from a difficult past or seeking a deeper, more authentic connection, this episode offers a compassionate perspective and practical steps to help you move forward.
Do you have a question you'd like to ask? If so, leave a voicemail at 866-357-5156. If you're unable to reach that number, you can record a voice memo and email it to hello@drjeffreyrutstein.com.
To learn more and receive a free gift, visit: drjeffreyrutstein.com/links
The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not intended as professional mental health advice. Always consult qualified healthcare providers for medical concerns.
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Wired for Well-Being is a new weekly podcast with Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein, designed to help you unlock the healing power of your own nervous system. Each week, Dr. Rutstein answers real questions and shares simple, life-changing tools so you can shift from stress to ease, and from disconnection to lasting well-being.
Visit www.drjeffreyrutstien.com for more information
Do you have a question you'd like to ask? If so, leave a voicemail at 866-357-5156. If you're unable to reach that number, you can record a voice memo and email it to hello@drjeffreyrutstein.com.
The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not intended as professional mental health advice. Always consult qualified healthcare providers for medical concerns.