Dr. Brian Alman, Del Mar, CA (2026)

01/04/2026

Why Insight Alone Doesn’t Create Change

Many leaders discover this the hard way.

Most people were never taught how to feel safe—only how to perform.

After decades of working with thousands of people—and collaborating on solutions rooted in the ACE Study—I’ve learned something that surprises many intelligent, self-aware adults:

Insight is not what changes us.
Safety is.

People don’t stay stuck because they “don’t get it.”
They stay stuck because their nervous system is still protecting them.

When stress rises, the body doesn’t ask:
“What do I understand?”

It asks:
“Am I safe right now?”

This is why advice often fails.
Why willpower collapses under pressure.
Why people repeat patterns they’ve already analyzed to death.

In trauma-informed work, we see this clearly:

Adverse experiences don’t just live in memory.
They live in breath, posture, reflex, tone, timing.

No amount of insight works
if the nervous system still feels unsafe.

What actually creates change is something far simpler—and far deeper:

Presence.
Compassion.
Being genuinely met.

When people feel met—not fixed, not rushed, not judged

Defenses relax.
Shame loosens.
The body becomes willing to reorganize.

That’s not philosophy.
That’s decades of observation.

Healing doesn’t begin with force.

It begins with connection.

Potential Reflection Moments:

Where in your life do you feel most met—
and where do you feel analyzed, rushed, or pressured to change?

Most people don’t fail because they lack insight.
They stall because their nervous system never feels safe enough to change.

Where in your life do you feel genuinely met—not analyzed or pushed?

Dr. Brian Alman
www.enlightn.me
www.TrueSage.com

01/03/2026

HOW WE HEAL 🧠✨

For years, people misunderstood the ACE Study.

They thought it meant:
“Bad childhood = broken adult.”

That was never the message.

The real finding was far more hopeful:

Adverse experiences are not destiny.

They are counterbalanced by positive experiences — at any age.

🟥 ACEs are helped by 🟩 PCEs
🟥 AAEs are helped by 🟦 PAEs

This is neuroscience, not motivation.

The nervous system is experience-dependent.

It wires itself around:
• What happens often
• What feels safe
• What happens most recently

In real life:

• A childhood shaped by chaos
→ is helped by consistency and care

• A nervous system trained to stay alert
→ is helped by safety and connection

• Survival patterns
→ can become wisdom and resilience

Healing doesn’t mean erasing the past.

It means adding new experiences that tell your brain:

You’re safe now.
You matter.
You don’t have to do this alone.

Positive experiences are not “extras.”
They are how the brain changes.

And they work — even later in life.

You are not broken.
You adapted.

And adaptation can change.

ACE Study
From Trauma to Enlightenment (2026)
True Sage® | enlightn™
www.enlightn.me

01/02/2026

MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THIS

Why Smart, Successful People Still React on Autopilot

THE COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS

There is a deeper mind we all share.

Beneath memory and habit
live ancient survival patterns—recognized by the nervous system, not learned.

This is why:
• Trauma follows patterns
• Stories move us instantly
• Healing looks similar across cultures

This is why insight alone doesn’t create change.
Integration does.

In ACE-informed work, we see this clearly:

You’re not broken.
Your nervous system adapted.

Healing begins with awareness, compassion, and personalized support.

That’s wisdom remembering itself.

Which archetype feels most active in your life right now?

HealingJourney enlightn

01/02/2026

New Year’s Resolution Reality Check

A quick self-assessment on your likelihood of success

Instructions:
Answer honestly based on how things feel right now, not how you wish they were.

0 = Not true
1 = Slightly true
2 = Mostly true
3 = Very true

1️⃣ My resolution is connected to what I would love to integrate into my daily life it—not just what I want to change.

☐ 0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3

2️⃣ When I get stressed or tired, I have a plan for how I will respond—rather than relying on willpower.

☐ 0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3

3️⃣ I understand how my emotions and inner critic typically react to pressure

(e.g., push harder, shut down, avoid, over-control, people-please).

☐ 0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3

4️⃣ My resolution includes self-compassion—not just should(s) and control(s).

☐ 0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3

5️⃣ I’m building safety and consistency first, instead of demanding perfection.

☐ 0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3

🔢 Scoring

Add your total score (0–15).

🧠 What Your Score Suggests

0–4 | High Risk of Burnout

Your resolution is likely being driven by pressure, guilt, or “shoulds.”

What helps most:
Shift from trying harder to understanding your patterns.

Change starts with support safety, not self-criticism.

5–8 | Motivated but Vulnerable

You care—and that matters—but stress may derail consistency.

What helps most:
Anticipate setbacks and design support before they happen.
Plan for nervous-system reality, not ideal conditions.

9–12 | Strong Foundation

Your resolution is grounded in awareness and self-respect.

What helps most:
Keep it small. Keep it kind.
Consistency beats intensity every time.

13–15 | High Likelihood of Success

Your goal is aligned with how change actually works.

What helps most:
Protect your progress by honoring rest, flexibility, and integration—not just outcomes.

Why This Matters

Most resolutions don’t fail because people lack discipline.

They fail because the whole you wasn’t included in the plan.

When we work with our patterns instead of against them, change becomes sustainable—and surprisingly human.

•
•
•
•
•

01/01/2026

The Top 3 New Year “Resolutions” from the ACE Study

From decades of work by Dr. Vincent J. Felitti & Dr. Brian Alman

After more than 25 years working with the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, one truth stands out:

Lasting change doesn’t come from willpower alone.

It comes from understanding, safety, and compassion.

If the ACE Study were to offer New Year resolutions—not slogans, but real ones—they would look like this:

1️⃣ Stop blaming yourself for stress reactions

What many people call “weakness,” “lack of discipline,” or “self-sabotage” is often the nervous system doing what it learned to do early in life—to survive.

The first resolution is not “try harder.”
It’s understand your reactions with kindness.

Insight reduces shame.
And shame is one of the biggest drivers of stress-related illness.

2️⃣ Build safety before demanding change

The ACE Study showed us something profound:

Healing doesn’t happen when people feel judged or pressured.

It happens when they feel safe enough to tell the truth—to themselves and others.

Before goals.
Before habits.
Before discipline.

Safety comes first—emotionally, physically, relationally.

When safety increases, emotional resilience follows naturally.

3️⃣ Always follow your self-criticism with your inner encouragement (and have your own back).

One of the damaging legacies of early adversity is a harsh inner voice.

A powerful resolution is this:
Stop fighting yourself.

Start working with your mind, emotions, body, and relationships.

Your symptoms are not enemies.

They are also signals.

When people learn to also listen and not just battle, something remarkable happens:

Your whole (holistic) system relaxes—and healing becomes possible.

This year doesn’t require expectations of perfection.

It requires understanding how humans actually heal and resolve challenges.

If you could adopt just one of these this year, which one feels most important right now?

ACE Study
From Dr. Vincent J. Felitti & Dr. Brian Alman
www.enlightn.me

12/31/2025

The Inner Wisdom (Last Row) Connection Assessment

Purpose:
This short assessment helps you notice how often you are connecting with your Unconscious, always-present, friendly, caring, compassionate inner wisdom — the part of you that observes without judgment and supports healing naturally.

Instructions:
For each statement, choose the number that best reflects your usual experience.

Scoring Scale
• 0 = Almost never
• 1 = Occasionally
• 2 = Often
• 3 = Almost always

⸻

1️⃣ When something stressful happens, I can step back and observe my thoughts and feelings without attacking myself.

0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐

⸻

2️⃣ I notice a calm, steady presence inside me that feels older, wiser, and kinder than my reactive thoughts.

0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐

⸻

3️⃣ When I make a mistake or feel discomfort in my body, my first inner response is curiosity or care rather than criticism or urgency.

0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐

⸻

4️⃣ I can sense guidance from within through feelings, images, or quiet knowing — not just through thinking.

0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐

⸻

5️⃣ Even when parts of me feel anxious, sad, or overwhelmed, I can stay connected to a compassionate inner observer that feels safe and supportive.

0 ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐

⸻

Scoring

Add your total score:
Maximum = 15

12/31/2025

THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND: Your Inner Wisdom, Inner Doctor, Trustworthy Brilliance, and Unconditional Self-Acceptance

The unconscious represents the vast, hidden depths of the mind that influence our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

It holds unseen forces and buried memories that quietly shape our reality and impact present-day experiences — often outside of awareness.

This part of the mind is your ultimate protection and authentic self.

It is your greatest ally.

It regulates the body’s deepest intelligence:
• Breathing
• Emotions
• Immune response
• Inner wisdom & intuition

This is your calm power —
your built-in system for protection, healing, and balance.

Many symptoms are not attacks.

They are signals.

They are attempts to help.

The unconscious invites you to explore its mysteries — bringing to light the hidden aspects of yourself that hold the key to greater self-awareness, integration, and transformation.

Much of what we feel and do arises from unconscious patterns formed to support us.

Awareness brings options. .

Healing happens by acknowledging and integrating what was once repressed — not by fighting it.

Inner Self-Care Practice — The Inner Doctor

1️⃣ Place one hand over your heart or belly
2️⃣ Ask silently: “What are you trying to help me with?”
3️⃣ Notice sensations, images, words, or feelings
4️⃣ Say: “Thank you for taking care of me for all these years.”

When the unconscious feels heard, your whole system can relaxe.

Then? Healing may begin — naturally.

Enlightenment isn’t escaping yourself.

It’s accepting yourself — completely.

“The unconscious mind is very intelligent and is always on the side of the individual.”
— Milton H. Erickson, MD

“The unconscious is the part of the psyche that contains all experiences, memories, impulses, and potentials that are not currently conscious, yet actively influence thoughts, emotions, behavior, and the course of one’s life.”
— Carl Jung, Doctor that was a bridge between medicine, psychology, and meaning

Painting by Kevin Anderson for the TrueSage Oracle Cards now on Amazon.

MindBodyIntelligence

12/31/2025

The 15th Row Check-In

Are You in the Subconscious Inner Critic Seat?

When stress shows up, many of us unconsciously move into what I call the 15th row of the theater —
the Inner Critic, Perfectionist, Overachiever, continually comparing others to yourself or Pessimist trying to protect us.

Use these five questions to notice where you are right now.

How to Answer

For each statement, choose what feels most true:
• 0 = Rarely
• 1 = Sometimes
• 2 = Often
• 3 = Almost Always

⸻

1️⃣ Under stress, my mind becomes more judgmental than curious.

(About myself, others, or outcomes.)

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

⸻

2️⃣ I feel responsible for preventing mistakes, disappointment, or failure — even when it costs me rest or ease.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

⸻

3️⃣ I notice an internal voice that critiques, corrects, or “pushes” me to do better — keep up with others — even when I’m already doing enough.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

⸻

4️⃣ When something feels uncertain, my first response is control, planning, fixing, or bracing — not trusting or allowing.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

⸻

5️⃣ It’s hard for me to simply observe an experience without improving it, judging it, or preparing for what could go wrong.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

⸻

🔍 Your Reflection (Not a Diagnosis)

0–4
You’re likely sitting closer to the back rows — observing with perspective and flexibility.

5–9
You may move in and out of the 15th row under stress — awareness is already present.

10–15
You’re likely spending significant time in the 15th row — your Inner Critic is working hard to protect you.

✨ Important:
This doesn’t mean anything is “wrong.”
It means your subconscious learned that staying alert once helped you survive.

⸻

🎬 Next Gentle Step (Optional Practice)

Instead of arguing with the Inner Critic, try this:

“I see you.
You don’t have to work so hard right now.”

Then imagine moving your seat back one row —
not to escape, but to soften perspective.

The subconscious learns through experience, not force.

Drbrianalman

12/30/2025

The SUBCONSCIOUS MIND
Habit, Memory & Emotional Learning

For more than two decades, our pioneering work alongside the original ACE Study has shown something essential about human behavior:

From Dr. Felitti, Dr. Alman, the adverse childhood experiences study (ACE), TrueSage.com, and enlightn mobile app.

Educational and Experimental Technique from the ACE PCE Solution mobile app, www.enlightn.me, for employers, universities, healthcare organizations and nonprofits:

https://vimeo.com/1037609972

Most of what drives us under stress is not conscious choice—
it’s subconscious learning.

The subconscious mind stores:
• Emotional memories
• Habits and conditioned reactions
• Beliefs formed early in life
• Stress responses learned for survival

This is why insight alone doesn’t create lasting change.

When stress rises, the subconscious takes over—
running old programs designed to protect us, even when they’re no longer helpful.

You don’t change the subconscious by force.
You help it evolve through understanding, openness, release, and experience.

In the Movie Technique I’ve taught for decades, the subconscious often shows up as the Inner Critic—
sitting in the 15th row, right in the middle of the theater.

This is the judging, controlling, never-satisfied part of us that learned to stay alert because, at one time, it had to.

A simple practice: Memory Reframe
1. Recall a mild stressful memory
2. Imagine watching it from a distance, like from the 15th row perspective and watching the movie of your life
3. Encourage the inner critic to feel free to express everything
4. Enjoy letting go of judgement, pessimism, comparing, and perfectionistic comments

This teaches the subconscious something new:
The memory is no longer dangerous.

The subconscious learns through experience—not logic

Healing happens when freedom replaces attempts to control, fix and get rid of….

Reflection:
What old program do you notice running when you’re under stress?

12/30/2025

Conscious Mind.

This can help people notice when they’re over-identified with conscious self-focus (thinking, narrating, monitoring) rather than present awareness.

No shame. No diagnosis. Just noticing.

The Conscious Mind Check-In

Are You Stuck in Over-Identification with the Conscious Mind?

The conscious mind is a powerful tool.

But when it’s overloaded, attention can collapse inward — creating tension, self-monitoring, and mental fatigue.

Use these five questions to notice where your awareness is spending most of its time.

How to Answer

For each statement, choose what feels most true:
• 0 = Rarely
• 1 = Sometimes
• 2 = Often
• 3 = Almost Always

1️⃣ I spend a lot of time thinking about myself — how I’m doing, how I’m feeling, or how I’m coming across.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

2️⃣ I notice my inner dialogue uses “I” frequently — narrating, analyzing, or explaining my experience as it happens.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

3️⃣ In conversations, I often feel pulled to talk about my own thoughts, experiences, or reactions rather than simply listening.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

4️⃣ I’m preoccupied with how I look, sound, feel, or am being perceived — even in ordinary moments.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

5️⃣ It’s difficult for me to rest in direct experience without thinking about it, labeling it, or trying to understand it.

⬜ 0 ⬜ 1 ⬜ 2 ⬜ 3

Reflection (Not a Judgment)

0–4
Your conscious mind is functioning as a tool — awareness is spacious and flexible.

5–9
You may shift into self-focused awareness under stress — noticing this is already presence.

10–15
Your conscious mind may be overloaded — working hard to manage, monitor, and make sense of experience.

This doesn’t mean you’re “too self-focused.”
It means awareness has narrowed — usually in response to pressure or uncertainty.

Gentle Re-Orientation (Optional Practice)

Instead of analyzing more, try this:

Name three things you can see,
two things you can hear,
one thing you can feel in your body —
without commentary.

This helps awareness widen instead of making it about yourself.

Awareness isn’t about fixing yourself.

It’s about observing and listening without judgment.

12/29/2025

THE CONSCIOUS MIND
Awareness Is a Choice

Stress makes us react fast.
That’s biology—not failure.

The conscious mind is where awareness lives.
It notices thoughts.
Feels the body.
Creates choice.

When it’s overloaded → life feels rushed.
When it’s present → clarity returns.

Try this: The 3-Question Pause
Pause for 10 seconds and ask:
1️⃣ What am I noticing right now?
2️⃣ What do I feel in my body?
3️⃣ What response would actually help?

✨ Awareness creates space
✨ Space creates choice
✨ Choice creates calm (sometimes immediately)

The conscious mind is where intention and responsibility begin—one moment at a time.
Not everything you are… but often where change starts.

👇 Comment one word that describes how present you feel right now.
Painting from True Sage Oracle Cards at Amazon by Kevin Anderson and Dr. Brian Alman.

12/28/2025

You Are Not Meant to Live in One State of Consciousness

Most people think growth means choosing one state:
• Be positive
• Be spiritual
• Be productive
• Be healed

But the nervous system doesn’t work that way.

Enjoy listening to Dr. Felitti discuss his childhood experience (with a critical 3rd grade teacher) and his professional experiences (turning problems into resources) with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

https://vimeo.com/886719431

According to trauma science — and lived experience —
health comes from flexibility, not fixation.

You don’t heal by staying calm all the time.

You heal by being able to move between states safely.

That’s the difference between:
❌ Suppression
❌ Spiritual bypass
❌ “High-vibration pressure”

and
✅ Integration

A healthy human mind can access multiple states of consciousness —
without getting stuck in any of them.

• Thinking
• Feeling
• Remembering
• Imagining
• Resting
• Creating
• Connecting

The problem isn’t that you shift states.

The problem is when one state takes over and the others go silent.

ACE research shows us something critical:

The nervous system heals when it feels permission, not pressure.

And that permission sounds like this:

🟢 “All parts of me are allowed.”
🟢 “Nothing needs to be eliminated.”
🟢 “I don’t have to escape myself to evolve.”

This is what integration feels like in the body:
✨ Less bracing
✨ More presence
✨ Natural clarity
✨ Quiet confidence
✨ A sense of being home in yourself

Not because you reached a higher state —
but because you stopped rejecting the lower ones.

That’s not weakness.

That’s regulation.

That’s inner resilience.

That’s enlightenment —
as unconditional acceptance, lived.

Dr. Brian Alman

01/04/2026

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