With special guest host Stephen Jenkinson, Kimberly and Stephen consult with three engaged couples and an unmarried woman to wonder aloud about the institution of marriage.  Stephen describes his experience, when he was asked to marry several couples, how he did his homework.  What does it mean to approach matrimony as something other than a predictable, foreseen conclusion?  Are weddings overly performative?   Is it possible for a wedding to feel authentic?  Kimberly describes what she learned from having a wedding in the working terreiros culture of Bahia, Brazil.  Stephen describes why a ceremony has no audience - it only has witnesses and participants. Stephen and Kimberly contend with how contemporary couples, longing for ceremony in their matrimony, strive for integrity in their union.

In this episode, you hear reflections on Kimberly’s wedding, just weeks out from the event in Salvador, Brazil. With guest host/podcast producer/cousin, Jackson Kroopf, you will hear Kimberly sit with all of the proceedings: from spiritual preparation to rehearsal to ceremony to celebration. What does it mean to be married in the traditions of a spouse’s culture? Who is a wedding for? What role do children play in their parent’s ceremony? How do we understand the relationship between matrimony and contemporary weddings? In this open hearted conversation, you will hear family reckon, reflect, and bask, in real time, on their expanding family.

In this episode, Kimberly and Bodhi discuss his work as a death doula at Doorway Into Light, Hawaii’s only nonprofit green funeral home and educational resource center, The Death Store. They discuss what green burials and ocean burials are and how they are more generous and sustainable to the planet than modern burial practices. They also discuss how dominant culture fears death, responds to death, and death traditions across cultures. In light of all of the ways that people, and even babies, die, Bodhi asks us to deeply reflect on the question, “What is a full life?” P.S. His nonprofit is still taking donations for those displaced by the Maui fires; find the link below to donate!   Bio Bodhi is an ordained interfaith minister and teacher in the Sufi lineage of Sufi Sam and Hazrat Inayat Khan. He is the founder and executive director of Doorway Into Light, a nonprofit organization on Maui, which provides conscious and compassionate care for the dying, their families and the grieving, and has been offering community presentations and trainings since 2006 in the fields of awakened living and dying and the care of the dying. Bodhi is a bereavement counselor and educator; a hospice volunteer; a home funeral guide; a teacher and trainer of death doulas; a speaker and workshop leader and a ceremonial guide. He hosts a weekly streaming radio show, ‘Death Tracks’, on a Maui station. Bodhi guides memorials and funerals and leads grief rituals. He facilitates grief support groups for teenagers. He has trained hundreds of doctors, nurses, hospice staff, social workers, ministers, chaplains, therapists, artists and lay people in the spiritual, psychological, emotional and logistical care of the dying and the care of the dead, and for 4 years has taken dozens through a certification program to be death doulas. Bodhi has written a column called “Ask the Death Professor” for a local Maui magazine. He is a notary public, a coffin maker and a Reiki practitioner. Bodhi and his wife Leilah lead spiritual retreats in Hawaii and around the world.For many years Bodhi collaborated with Ram Dass, a neighbor and friend, who served on Doorway Into Light’s Board of Directors. Bodhi is continuing the work Ram Dass helped birth, in the fields of conscious dying in America.   What He Shares: –Death doula work –Green burials and ocean burials –Running a nonprofit funeral home and resource center –What you do (literally) when someone dies –Legalities of keeping a body with you –Generational stories of death What You’ll Hear: –How he was led to death work and spiritual counseling –Working with Ram Das –Starting the death doula movement and a ministry of death –Running a non-profit funeral home –Culture pushing away death –Green burials –Hazards of embalming –Biodegradable graves –Death and burial as another practice removed from traditions –Cultural differences around death and burial –Ocean body burial –Being with bodies after death –Generational stories after death –Lingering with the body to witness death –Healthy life includes its death –Mothers of stillborns fighting for baby body –Giving families time and space with death beyond laws –Outlaw moves –Medical rules around bodies and placentas –Navigating baby and child death –What is a full life? –Entitlement around death –Death doula trainings –Facing Death, Nourishing Life course –Showing up for life and death   Resources Website: https://www.doorwayintolight.org/ IG: @thedeathstoremaui  

In this episode, Kimberly and Dr. Elliot Berlin discuss his informed pregnancy focused chiropractic work. He explains noticing a rise in out of hospital births post-pandemic as well as an increase in hospital restrictions and inductions in hospital births. He discusses various causes of breech positions, his chiropractic approaches to breech babies before birth, as well as the long history of cesareans and how VBACs became stigmatized in recent decades. The common thread through this whole conversation is providing education and information for pregnant people to make the best informed decisions for themselves and their birth.   Bio Dr. Elliot Berlin is an award-winning pregnancy-focused chiropractor, childbirth educator, and labor doula. His innovative techniques for prenatal wellness care address tight and painful muscles and tendons utilizing specific massage techniques based on soft tissue releases. He combines this with traditional chiropractic adjustments to restore motion to restricted joints. Dr. Berlin notably works with several hundred breech babies each year, most of whom turn into the ideal pre-birth position once normal function is restored to the mother's low back and pelvis. He is also the host of Informed Pregnancy Podcast, an award winning pregnancy focused chiropractor.   What He Shares: –Differences in births post-pandemic –Chiropractic approaches to breech babies –History of cesareans –Informed VBACs –Mind-Body health for fertility   What You’ll Hear: –Pregnancies post-pandemic –Rise in out of hospital births –Increase in restrictions and interventions in hospitals –Guiding clients in making best choices for birth –Training for breech births –Using Webster technique to reposition breech babies –Structural reasons for breech positionings –Functional issues of mother posture –Minimizing ultrasounds –Looking at baby position at 32 weeks –Chiropractic care outside of pregnancy –Approaches to releases and maintenance –History of cesareans –Myths around VBACs –How VBAC information is portrayed  –Uterine ruptures –Insurance policies and cesareans –Induction drugs causing uterine ruptures in 1980s –VBAC Facts website –Using modern technology to improve childbirth –Downsides to how interventions are applied –What led Dr. Berlin to his work –Mind-body practices leading to natural fertility after years of treatments –Informed Pregnancy podcast –Informedpregnancy.tv streaming app   Resources Website: informedpregnancy.com/informedpregnancy.tv IG: @doctorberlin  

In this conversation, journalist Allison Yarrow and Kimberly discuss Allison's new book “Birth Control: The Insidious Power of Men Over Motherhood.” They go in depth about the culture and systems of perinatal birth care. They explore Allison’s extensive research around the differences between home birth care and hospital birth care, and go into depth about their personal experiences with each scenario. They wonder how future generations will approach their birth, as well as the deep impact of race on varying birth experience. With all of the information out there, they ask how do you prepare for birth?   Bio Allisoni Yarrow is a journalist for nearly two decades (in newsrooms like NBC News, Newsweek and The Daily Beast, and Vice), a national magazine finalist, the author of 90s Bitch (finalist for the Los Angeles Press Club Book Award), and she has written about the shortcomings of the perinatal experience in America for the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, Vox, Harper's Bazaar, and Insider. Her new book Birth Control: The Insidious Power of Men Over Motherhood, which is out July 18 and arose out of my TED Talk. With the recent news that maternal mortality has risen 40 percent to the highest level in our lifetime, this subject couldn't be more important. The book draws on extensive reporting, interviews, an original survey of 1300 birthing people and mothers, and my own personal experiences, to document how women are controlled, traumatized, injured, and even killed, because of traditionalist practices of medical professionals and hospitals during pregnancy, labor, childbirth, and after.    What You’ll Hear How birth procedures and techniques were not developed by science by traditions? The overriding of midwives knowledge by doctors. How has birth become such a profitable medical field? Why C-sections are so prominent despite their limited need? How does home birth care differ from hospital care? What kind of mother culture do we need around birth trauma? The pressure to educate onesellf in the perinatal experience. What role does agency play in the birth experience? What needs to change about the system of birth? How will future generations experience birth care? Our bodies perceive surgery as interruption. The importance of sex education to the birth experience. The racial dimensions of birth culture.   Links www.allisonyarrow.com Instagram: @aliyarrow  

In this episode, podcast producer Jackson Kroopf interviews Kimberly about her upcoming course "Activate Your Inner Jaguar - Feminine Sexuality and Spirituality" that begins October 17th. Kimberly describes the nine year evolution of the course, tracing its foundations and considering the ways her ongoing somatic and spiritual work continues to serve different generations of women from maiden to crone. She opens up about her own experiences that have informed her evolving relationship to the intersection of sexuality and spirituality. She also describes what the experience of taking the class entails, particularly around issues of privacy, shame, and the concrete practices she offers class participants. You will hear about some of the class' guest lecturers including pelvic priestess and author of "Women's Anatomy of Arousal," Sheri Winston, and sex educator and writer of "Taking Back the Speculum" Pamela Samuelson. As the carrier of many womens' stories, Kimberly describes the way combining personal stories and somatic tools can address many things women are most curious about related to sex and self-actualizing an erotic practice for each participant.   You can learn more or sign up for the nine-week intensive course here: https://kimberlyannjohnson.com/alive/

In this episode, Kimberly and Perdita discuss Perdita’s latest book “Take Back the Magic,” which was inspired by the death of her father, their ambivalent relationship, and ongoing relationship to him now that he's passed. Perdita shares her experience of communicating with the dead for over thirty years and guides us in how we can do the same. They also discuss the history behind why we fear the dead and the suppression of communicating with the dead by organized religion. She shares how the dead are connected and long for the erotic and how we can return to the inner wisdom and rituals of ancestors that pre-date religion and political systems. She describes the crucial role of the this communication with dead to her key relationships with the living: as a mother, wife, and community member.   Bio Perdita Finn is the co-founder, with her husband Clark Strand, of the non-denominational international fellowship The Way of the Rose, which inspired their book "The Way of the Rose: The Radical Path of the Divine Feminine Hidden in the Rosary." For many years she supported her family writing books for children and educators like the "Time Flyers" series for Scholastic Books, "My Little Pony," and many others. She has been a ghostwriter, a book doctor, a copy editor and a writing teacher, but these days she is happy to be working primarily on her own books. She has a lively substack, "Take Back the Magic," where readers can get sneak peeks into what she's working on right now. Finn now teaches popular workshops on Collaborating with the Other Side, in which participants are empowered to activate the magic in their own lives with the help of their ancestors. She is the author of "Take Back the Magic: Conversations with the Unseen World" and lives with her family in the moss-filled shadows of the Catskill Mountains.   What She Shares: –Writing “Take Back the Magic” –Why we fear the dead  –Cycles of life, death, and rebirth –How to commune with the dead  –Eros and the dead   What You’ll Hear: –Darkness and dark matter as origin of life –Circles of entanglement and belonging –Use of letters in “Take Back the Magic” –Relationship with father and his death –Cultural fears of the dead –Long history of suppression of speaking with dead –Understanding how dead communicate –Alchemizing experiences with past monsters –Finding safety of ancestors –Starting small with communication –Assigning worries to those on the other side –Honoring the dead –Perdita and husband’s spiritual backgrounds –Spiritual experiences through birth –Spiritual community outside of empire –History of rosary –Erotic nature of the dead –Experiencing eternal return of dead and living –Trusting the long story of your soul –Everything dies and everything is reborn –Not every prayer is answered in every lifetime –What is the prayer we would carry with us beyond this lifetime? –We are all each others’ mothers   Resources Website: wayoftherose.org takebackthemagic.com IG: @perditafinn   

In this episode, podcast producer Jackson Kroopf interviews Kimberly about her upcoming free class "Erotic Seasons: Connect to Your Sensual Flow Through the Stages of Womanhood," which begins October 10th at 9:00am PST. We discuss Kimberly's inspiration for the class, and her evolving thoughts on the archetypes of the mother, maiden, virgin, crone. The class explores what it means to develop a mature sensual identity. Go on a journey through the seasons of womanhood and how those might impact your erotic energy (hint: it’s not all downhill). Shine a warm salt lamp light, not strobe lights, on some tender places that could use attention and give you clues about your unique erotic path. Discover your next proximal step to bridging the gap between your sensuality and spirituality. You can sign up for the free class at: https://kimberlyannjohnson.com/erotic-seasons/        

In this episode, Kimberly and Atira discuss her work as an advocate against sex-trafficking in South East Asia, how she combines art therapy and somatic practices to help survivors heal and repair, and the trauma-informed programs she offers for practitioners of plant medicine ceremonies. She describes how her own experience being an Asian woman facing compacted oppressions led her to her work. She also describes how even in some of the darkest places, she is able to see beauty and light in community and relationships.    Bio Atira is a senior yoga and meditation teacher (500 E-RYT), art therapist (M.A. Expressive Art Therapy & Grad Dip. Transpersonal Art Therapy), a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), a somatic trauma specialist in sexual abuse recovery and trauma educator, TED speaker and #1 best-selling author. I’m currently completing my Ph.D. studies in Expressive Art Therapies. CEO of Art to Healing and Yoga for Freedom. She is also an Expressive Art Therapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Yoga Teacher, Counsellor & Coach, public speaker and author on women's health, sacred activism and leadership. You can find more about Art to Healing and her upcoming programs Somatic Plant Medicine and Integration program and a Trauma Informed Plant Medicine Facilitation program.   What She Shares: –Intergenerational trauma in the body –Somatic applications for recovery from sex trafficking –Plant medicine and trauma, catharsis and integration –Upcoming program dates for facilitators   What You’ll Hear: –Work supporting sex trafficked survivors –Atira’s ancestry and upbringing as an Asian woman –History of oppression of Asian female bodies –Witnessing child sex trafficking firsthand –Expressive art therapy to address complex trauma in the anti-trafficking org –Familial and religious trauma and cultural responsibility –Cervical cancer diagnosis at 26 years –Reclaiming sexual and sensual innocence -Developing a non-profit Art to Healing and train the trainer for survivors –Program in Cambodia and Nepal –Culture and place in non-profit work –First SE training for sex traffic survivors in 2019 with research –Gap in trauma-informed facilitators of ceremonies and psychedelics –Myth of catharsis and real integration –Creating app for sex trafficking for assistance, awareness, and education –Looking for tech & app development support –Upcoming Somatic Plant Medicine and Integration program –Trauma Informed Plant Medicine Facilitation program –Master classes available on differences of plant medicines –Exploring goals, resources, and intentions around using plant medicines –Staying well in midst of so much intensity and suffering Resources Website: https://www.arttohealing.org/ IG: @arttohealing  

Summary In this episode, Kimberly and Khadija reflect on their recent mutual aid efforts in the wake of fires in Maui. Khadija shares what she has witnessed in her community and the tremendous impact of donations that have directly reached her neighbors. They reflect on destination travel and the impact of tourism on both the land and the people of Hawaii. Khadija describes what led her to invite Kimberly and Stephen Jenkinson to Reckon on the island this coming November. They wonder together about the ethics of retreats, tourism, and what it means to be an “under-the-scene” worker.    To learn more about Maui Reckoning with Kimberly Ann Johnson and Stephen Jenkinson, hosted by Khadija Striegel, go here. This is a gathering for the Maui ‘ohana. You can contribute to the event by making a donation here. Bio Khadija is an herbalist, bonesetter and farmer born, raised, and living in Maui. She’s in graduate school studying Hawaiian language and culture. Khadija works with a non-profit caring for the native plant gardens at a Heiau, an ancient Hawaiian place of prayer. She offers Lomi Lomi body work to her community, in addition to tinctures and remedies under the title Family Traditions Maui.   What You’ll Hear: There are not only stories as a result of the fires in Maui - there are still ongoing lives and lived experiences. The variety of extremes that co-exist in Maui - of destination weddings, vacations, and those walking heavy with grief. These fires aren’t an isolated incident. They are part of a broader timeline of things that have taken place on Maui. The donation effort of money and herbs and medicine are no small thing. This community is making an impact. There are still areas of the island that do not have safe water. Opening care packages with kids after a disaster. Development and tourism on the island has directly impacted the land in a way that doesn’t feed the land, water, and people. The fires are inextricably linked to this. Lahaina as a special gathering place, whose streams lack water as a direct result of hotels and vacation homes and visitor rentals Land stewardship is actually simple. An act of love. Loving something not just for ourselves. Loving something by letting it be. The parallels of tourism and addiction. The addiction of going anywhere, doing anything, wherever I want. Whose job is it to teach the culture of a place? And to what audience? There is a longing to belong for many people. Many people find it in Hawaii. But at what cost? The difficulty of land and home ownership for native Hawaiians. Retreats in Hawaii. The infrequency of native Hawaiians leading sacred nature experiences? The power of a voice that doesn’t  say simply “it’s all okay” when it’s clearly not “all okay. What does it mean to be under-the-scene workers? Not behind-the-scene but under-the-scene? Reckoning in November is to offer something to the residents of Maui.   Resources   Maui Reckoning, with Kimberly Ann Johnson and Stephen Jenkinson, hosted by Khadija Striegel, for the Maui ‘ohana   You are welcome to contribute to the event. Please send your donation via PayPal to Khadija here with the note “Maui Reckoning Donation”.   If you would like to send herbs and materials directly to Khadija to support the community in Maui, find Khadija’s letter and list here.    You can connect with Khadija via khadija@familytraditionsmaui.com   

Summary In this episode, Kimberly and Rachel discuss how Rachel discovered copywriting and turned it into a business. When many entrepreneurs feel uncomfortable with marketing and social media expectations around business, Rachel provides thoughtful solutions to authentically representing one’s own business, making meaningful professional relationships, and regulating our nervous systems while marketing. They also discuss how to use social media as a tool, using discernment when posting content, as well as the pluses and minuses of Artificial Intelligence. Last, they discuss remembering humility and humor both in social media and business, as well as our everyday lives.   Bio Rachel Allen is the owner of Bolt from the Blue, a copywriting and marketing business that provides clients with services to best communicate their message to their audiences. Bolt from the Blue also offers a variety of trainings and workshops for professionals. Check out all that they provide in the link below.   What She Shares: –Marketing and consent –AI’s capabilities and limits –Bringing authenticity into sales –Remembering humanity and relationship in marketing –Genuine social media content –Building our world on and offline   What You’ll Hear: –How Rachel began copywriting –Body and mind in conflict –Marketing and consent –Reframing predator/prey mentality in marketing –AI and human creativity –AI cannot create –Using AI for ideation and brainstorming –No intellectual property rights over AI generated writing –Current market trends in online business –Thinking of clients as real human beings –All copy is sales copy –Bringing authenticity into sales –Sales as generative not conversion therapy –Relationship physics and marketing –Quality over quantity in marketing everytime  –Being genuinely interested in relationships with people  –Referrals over endless content posting –Being comfortable with ourselves as individuals before others –Find ways you’re comfortable connecting with people –Understanding own nervous system state and moving from there –Posting content that feels good to you  –Mistaking transparency for authenticity –Sharing “minimum viable truths” in posting content –Figuring out your genuine “YES” –Remembering our social media algorithms as silos –Buy in with novelty and stay in with empathy –Hormones, marketing and empathy –Feeling connected and really good, closing the hormonal loops –Being responsible for consequences and outcome –Building in live interactions amongst digital work –Grounding in relationships in real time –Staying humble and using humor –Finding humanity and building world we want   Resources Website: https://www.boltfromthebluecopywriting.com/ IG: @backfromthebluecopywriting   

Summary In this episode, Kimberly and Marysia discuss the origins of School of the Sacred Wild, plants as medicine, and entrepreneurship. Marysia shares about how her family and heritage influenced her journey to plants, how plants provide somatic, restorative experiences, and how she navigates single-parenting and running a business. Registration is now open for a new course at the School of the Sacred Wild starting September 12th.   Bio Marysia Miernowska is a teacher, author, Earth activist, green witch, folk herbalist and healer rooted in the Wise Woman Tradition of Healing. Born in Poland, she carries with her a lineage of European folk herbalism. Marysia honors plants as sentient beings, elders, healers and teachers. As a Plant Spirit Communicator, Marysia channels messages from the Earth spirits and guides students to connect with plant spirits through meditation and through their bodies, to receive guidance and learn about the constituents, energetics and properties of plants. Registration is now open for the School of the Sacred Wild and can be accessed through the link below.   What She Shares: –School of the Sacred Wild –Somatic experiences with plants –Benefits of motherhood and entrepreneurship –Aligning life seasons with cycles of nature   What You’ll Hear: –Embodying love and vastness –Creating container of safety and new culture of no judgment –Inviting in ancient plants –Plants offer flavor of love  –Interacting somatically with plants  –Creating intimacy with the natural world –New learning experience engaging with plants –Origin of School of Sacred Wild –Grandparents in Warsaw during WWII –Grew up in Poland during 1980s –Raised with responsibility to fight for justice –Symbols of Black Madonna and Isis –Mother as cosmic fertile void –Power issues in alternative medicine communities –Finding wild weeds from childhood in Vermont –Depleted by modern living –Restored with plant medicine –Learning to do business and being self-employed –Making earth medicine accessible to all people –Working with abundant, wild, and free plants –Making courses accessible, sliding scale, and scholarships –Single-parenting and business –Having fire from mothering to channel into business –Balancing motherhood with business –Aligning with the currents of nature and our bodies –Mother archetype is time of production and hard work –Working hard in summer to have a nourishing bounty in fall –Turning to plants and earth for healing support –Prayer to change culture  –Learning through body’s challenges around needs  –Digging and uprooting ancestral patterns of martyrdom  –Wild plants encourage wildness in ourselves –Registration now open for School of the Sacred Wild   Resources Website: https://www.schoolofthesacredwild.com/ IG: @marysia_miernowska  

Summary In this episode, Kimberly and Uma discuss the controversial updated edition of her book “Yoni Shakti” which Kimberly has used all throughout her writing and classes. Uma describes the legal battle she faced from the yoga industry when she wrote about all kinds of abuses happening in certain yoga schools. They discuss how yoga technologies which stabilize and help us understand our nervous systems have been co-opted by commercialization, creating much harm for practitioners, and taking away our intuition. They share how perimenopausal and menopausal women have a role to play in speaking out against systems of oppression and abuse as well as how intergenerational circles can enable all of us to make change against failing systems and create liberation for all.   Bio Uma Dinsmore-Tuli PhD is a yoga therapist, yoga teacher trainer and retreat leader with special expertise in women's health, including birth, pre-and post-natal yoga, and yoga for positive menstrual health and fertility. She works internationally, sharing yoga retreats, trainings and empowerments that support the natural arising of prana shakti: the power of life. She trains specialist teachers in Total Yoga Nidra and Yoni Shakti Well Woman Yoga Therapy for menstrual and menopausal health, pregnancy, birth, and postnatal recovery. She is co-founder of the Yoga Nidra Network and has developed Total Yoga Nidra, Wild Nidra, Yoni Nidra and Nidra Shakti: radical creative and intuitive approaches to sharing yoga nidra. You can follow Uma’s writings and offerings on her website linked below.   What She Shares: –The cancel campaign against “Yoni Shakti” –Revealing abuses in the yoga industrial complex –Discernment, intuition, and nervous system technologies –Power of crones speaking truth –Yoga for liberation   What You’ll Hear: –Cancel campaign against “Yoni Shakti” –Revealing multiple abuses and investigations in yoga schools –Censoring of yoga school abuses in first edition –Uma sued for “defamation” of a guru already in investigation –”Yoni Shakti” back in print –Toxicity of the Yoga Industrial Complex –Turning to yoga after sexual boundary ruptures –Yoga technologies and nervous system repairs –Politicizing and patriarchal overtaking of yoga –Powerful birth initiations –Discipline and discernment versus control –Entering ethical arrangements with trust, agreement, and discernment –Cultivating intuition and understanding nervous systems –Eradicating individual intuition through prioritizing certain knowledge –Moving beyond legality and consent as baselines for human interaction –Educating potential yogis on abuses of power –Yoga schools and structures not fit for purpose anymore –Deciphering stressful events through perimenopause –Navigating climacteric menopause –Uncontrollable rage speaking on behalf of those without voices –Role of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women to speak up –Intergenerational groups of women –Fierceness and integrity of crones –Commercialized and colonized yoga trying to have maidens forever –What are you willing to risk?   Resources Website: https://umadinsmoretuli.com/ IG: @umadinsmoretuli   

In this episode, Katie and Kimberly discuss their evolving relationship to trauma and spiritual  work. After serving clients one-on-one for over 20 years, they consider the importance of community and creativity to healing. In the wake of so many people sharing their trauma stories online, they consider the tools we need for spiritual fortification to find resolution. They introduce Katie’s upcoming 4-week course “Source Regulation: Connect to Source Energy through Your Fluid Nervous System,” which begins July 12th.   Bio Katie Dove is a somatic therapist, intuitive guide, healer, and mystic with over two decades of experience working with individuals and groups. She is a keeper of ancient wisdom, exploring new paths for the preservation of human nature through connection to mother nature. Her methods weave a mixture of experiences she has collected over time, modalities she has personally cultivated, and extensive studies in transpersonal psychology and craniosacral therapy. With exploration in voice, touch, sound and movement, she guides her clients and students to investigate habits, freedom of choice, expressiveness, and the wealth of sensory information within and around them. Her upcoming course “Inhabit the Heart” is a four week journey into deep relationship with self and soul.   What You’ll Hear —Combining Trauma and the Spiritual Path —Healing and Trauma Re-negotiation   —From Trauma Therapist to Resilience Coach  to a Release of All Titles —Beyond Individual Repair:  —Repairing the Continuum of Self, Soul And Source —Sharing your trauma on Social Media and then what? —The value of short, sweet, simple ceremonies —Seeing people who have experienced trauma in their wholeness —How sexual boundary rupture differs from other kinds of trauma —The conflation of worth and virginity —The connection between rupture and creation —Psyche vs. Soul —The value of Source Regulation and Regeneration through the fluid system —The power of spiritual assistance and fortification in trauma repair   Website https://www.katiedove.love/source-regulation IG: @divineportals

In this episode, Christine and Kimberly discuss contemporary relationships to consent and ask what is ethical sex? They consider the complexities of sex positivity, navigating sexual conversations with your children, as well as coming to terms with what we want and what we owe each other.   Bio Christine Emba is the author of “Rethinking Sex: A Provocation,” as well as an opinion columnist for the Washington Post focusing on "ideas and society.”   What you’ll hear: –In a sex positive culture why are people still having bad, unwanted sex? –Where is our sexual culture in this moment? –Is consent a high enough bar? –Are your politics making your sex better? –The value of “willing the good onto the other –How has our sexual and romantic culture changed over time? –Developing trust with someone. –What do you want from a sexual encounter? –Parenting in the age of cell phones, accessible cannabis, and internet porn –The value of boundaries in parenting –The way we talk about parenting girls –The crisis of masculinity with a lack of rites and role models –The pitfalls of gentle parenting –The intersection of dating apps and corporate interests –The value of making healthy, moral judgements –The pendulum swing of normalized kink –What we want and what we owe each other    

In this episode, Kimberly and Greer discuss her upcoming book “The Nurture Revolution: Grow Your Baby’s Brain and Transform Their Mental Health Through the Art of Nurtured Parenting.” Greer discusses combining her work as a doula, neuroscientist, and sleep specialist after completing research on infant sleep. She proposes “nurtured parenting” as a revolution that tends to the complex emotions and stressors of both parents and infants. With tending to these needs and co-regulation, parents can help babies develop better stress responses in their brains.   Bio Greer Kirshenbaum PhD is an Author, Neuroscientist, Doula, Infant and Family Sleep Specialist and Mother. She trained at the University of Toronto, Columbia University, New York University and Yale University. Greer has combined her academic training with her experience as a doula and mother to lead The Nurture Revolution. A movement to nurture our babies’ brains to revolutionize mental health and impact larger systems in our world. Greer wants families and perinatal practitioners to understand how early caregiving experience can boost mental wellness and diminish depression, anxiety, and addiction in adulthood by shaping babies’ brains through simple intuitive enriching experiences in pregnancy, birth and infancy. Her book is called The Nurture Revolution: Grow Your Baby’s Brain and Transform Their Mental Health Through the Art of Nurtured Parenting. See the link to her website below.   What She Shares: –Connecting doula work, parenting, and neuroscience –Nurtured parenting tending to infant and parental emotions –Developing brain growth in babies –Demystifying infant sleep and high needs’ babies –Emotional co-regulation during infancy   What You’ll Hear: –How infanthood led her to doula and neuroscience –Fascinated by early life experience and neuroscience –Wanting to take research into the public –Attachment parenting as good foundation for nurtured parenting –Nurtured parenting tuning to both parent and infant emotional needs –Nurtured presence and empathy for parent and baby –Emotional co-regulation at center of parenting practices –Uniqueness of infant brain –Baby borrows parent’s brain in places their brain hasn’t developed –Stress responses and systems in parent brain –Baby detects parent responses through their senses –Increasing oxytocin and lowering stress response in baby’s brain –Co-regulation in first 3 years builds areas of brain to handle stress –Major life moments and stress responses –Becoming parent changes brain chemistry similar to infancy –Brain areas become tuned to be more aware and empathetic of babies –Brain shifts during perimenopause –Being near babies also changes brain areas –Cultural changes causing less experience with babies pre-parenting –Issues with attachment parenting –Demystifying infant sleep –Understanding what is biologically normal for babies –Cultural expectations are off for infant sleep needs –Babies develop sleep on their own and can be supported –Infant sleep like a river and physiological process –Night-waking, sleeping nearby, closeness –Circadian rhythm, sleep pressure, stress, daily movement –Babies don’t need sleep training or sleeping alone –Sleep in same bed or room for 6 mo to 1 year –Babies need to sense safety of parents –Optimal circadian input –Opportunities for light, movement, and sensory input –Time in nature and green space helpful for sleep –Normal features of infant sleep –Stress reactivity and sensitivity is genetic and experiential –”High needs” infant sleep –Intergenerational experiences and epigenetics –Experiences in ancestry, pregnancy, and birth contribute to temperament –Identifying needs for intense crying –Emotional contagion and mirroring –Addressing parental burnout  –Infant emotions and physiological responses –Anticipating infant stressors and verbalization –Parenting with empathy and compassion to grow brain   Resources Website:  www.nurture-neuroscience.com IG: @nurture_neuroscience_parenting  

In this episode, Kimberly and Sophie explore the nuances of being public entrepreneurs and authors. They wonder aloud together about the various roles of knowledge, expertise, and experience and discuss issues such as psychedelics for women, the complexities of social media, the need for eldership, disability and sickness as an altered state, as well as healing practices outside of a hyper-fixated and individualistic framework. The common threads connecting their questions center around identities as facilitators and writers, the need for connection to community and lineages, and managing the challenges of social media and identity politics in a hyper-individualistic culture. Ultimately, they land on the beauty that comes from maturation, wisdom, and growth over time that cannot be done by a quick-fix nor in isolation.   Bio Sophie Strand is a writer based in the Hudson Valley who focuses on the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and ecology. Her first book of essays “The Flowering Wand: Lunar Kings, Lichenized Lovers, Transpecies Magicians, and Rhizomatic Harpists Heal the Masculine” was published last year in 2022 from Inner Traditions. Her books of poetry include “Love Song to a Blue God,” “Those Other Flowers to Come” and “The Approach.” Her poems and essays have been published by Art PAPERS, The Dark Mountain Project, Poetry.org, Unearthed, Braided Way, Creatrix, Your Impossible Voice, The Doris, Persephone’s Daughters, and Entropy. She has recently finished a work of historical fiction, “The Madonna Secret,” that offers an eco-feminist revision of the gospels, and will be released this summer.  She is currently researching her next epic, a mythopoetic exploration of ecology and queerness in the medieval legend of Tristan and Isolde. What She Shares: –Cultural band-aids for deeper wounds –Public and private identities –Demonizing and idolizing figures –Impact of social media and identity politics –Elderhood, wisdom, and changing perspectives   What You’ll Hear: –Problematizing psychedelics  –Gendered experiences with psychedelics –Harder for women to recover after psychedelics –Cultural band-aids on wounds –Sophie addresses disabled writer label –Publishing editorial choices and confinement –Public identities and social media –Collective energy demonizing or idolizing figures –Navigating social media pressures and intuition as entrepreneurs –Is the medicine of these times insignificance? –Story of Joan of Arc –No saviors, no heroes –Creating money and wanting to be insignificant –Tensions between community, authority, and parasocial diffusion –Bodily impact of social media –Problematizing gatekeeping of knowledge and lived experiences –Risk-averseness and obsession with safety  –Safety as limited capacity to survive –Hyperfixation and hyper-individualism of healing –Impact of identity politics on youth –Maturity, wisdom, and changing perspectives –Discerning between privacy, secrecy, and transparency –Using discretion when writing memoir –Difference between rot and fermentation   Resources Website: https://sophiestrand.com/ IG: @cosmogyny  

In this episode, guest host and podcast producer Jackson Kroopf interviews Kimberly and Stephen Jenkinson about their ongoing event series Reckoning: Birth and Death Among Us. They discuss the role of witness in their work as birth and death workers, the politics of feelings in a culture where pop psychology has become a religion, and dive deeply into their relationship to matrimony. In anticipation of their final event this summer, “Reckon and Wonder: Grief, Elderhood and Spirit Work,” taking place this June 29th-July 2nd, 2023 at the Orphan Wisdom school in Ontario, they reflect on the difference between recording and live events and the unique impact that their convergence has revealed in their respective relationships to the oral tradition.   What You’ll Here Reflections on witness from retired birth and death workers The value of disillusionment The power of loneliness The proliferation of self pathologizing The complex politics of feelings The religion of western psychology Adolescents grabbing for pop psychology labels The respect in not offering solutions The eagerness to escape from pain while grieving Is love dead? Blessing not as approval but the emergence of something new Marriage as both celebration and loss Matrimony between cultures An only child and single parent inviting in a new husband Building an escape route as you enter a union The no-go zone of contemporary western marriage 15 minute weddings, 15 minute funerals, 15 minute births The cultural casualties of uniformity Being healthy enough to tend to home and neighbor   Bio Stephen Jenkinson is a cultural worker, teacher, author, musician and ceremonialist. He is the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School, founded in 2010 with his wife Nathalie Roy. He has Master’s degrees from Harvard University (Theology) and the University of Toronto (Social Work). Since co-founding the Nights of Grief and Mystery project with singer/ songwriter Gregory Hoskins in 2015, he has toured this musical / tent show revival / storytelling ceremony across North America, U.K. and Europe and Australia and New Zealand. They released their Nights of Grief & Mystery album in 2017 and at the end of 2020, they released two new records; Dark Roads and Rough Gods. Stephen is the author of Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble (2018), the award-winning Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul (2015), Homecoming: The Haiku Sessions (a live teaching from 2013), How it All Could Be: A workbook for dying people and those who love them (2009), Angel and Executioner: Grief and the Love of Life – (a live teaching from 2009), and Money and The Soul’s Desires: A Meditation (2002). Most recently, Stephen published Reckoning (2022) with Kimberly Ann Johnson.   Links Reckon & Wonder: Grief, Elderhood, Spirit Work ~ A weekend at Orphan Wisdom, Ontario  

In this episode, Kimberly and Keli discuss the future of women’s health. During this recorded live event from Kimberly’s living room, we learn about the extensive health benefits of vaginal steaming and how the shortcomings in gynecological training reflect contemporary cultural politics around women’s bodies. They discuss how to bridge the knowledge gaps found in western medicine’s approach to gynecological health when it comes to menstrual cycles, birth, postpartum, and menopause. They discuss their role in pushing the science forward with their collaborative vaginal steam study. They go in depth about healthy periods, uterine cleanses, the fertility industry, and the importance of new language that evolves Women's health. This conversation helps us understand how tending to gynecological care holistically is a way to tend to our own bodies, to tend to future generations, and to build mother culture.   Bio Keli Garza has a Masters degree in International Development graduating cum laude with a focus in nonprofit management and human rights. Keli is the owner of Steamy Chick and the founder of the Peristeam Hydrotherapy Institute. Through her company she raises awareness on the benefits of vaginal steaming, makes supplies accessible, conducts research and trains practitioners. Keli is the author of the Vaginal Steam World Map, Pelvic Steam Testimonial Database, Fourth Trimester Vaginal Steam Study and Steamy Chick blog. Some of her notable work includes executive producing the Hot & Steamy Podcast, creating the annual #steamyaugust Vaginal Steam Awareness Month and an upcoming documentary film with the working title STEAM. With over 20 years experience in the nonprofit field, Keli also serves as the founder and president of the Bahia Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to artistic, cultural, physical, educational and financial community wellness as well as the founder of the Good Gynecology Project.   What She Shares: –Steaming impact on postpartum, infertility, and for all cycles –Centering cycles and uterus for overall health –Inadequate medical care for women –Creating mother culture   What You’ll Hear: –Need for physiological care postpartum –Using better language to create stronger mother culture –Vaginal Steam documentary –Gaps in women’s health –Training practitioners for vaginal steaming –History of vaginal steaming in U.S. –Significant blood pressure levels lowered after steaming –Steaming for preeclampsia, birth injuries, and postpartum care –Lack of conversations around postpartum recovery –Disconnect between possibilities of postpartum issues and medical solutions –Fertility in relation to overall health –Destigmatizing steaming  –Morality and ideology versus physiology –Infertility industry –Tending to postpartum care before crisis –No structural space for cycles in work, education, and healthcare –No definition for miscarriage recovery or infertility –Women’s physiology as cyclical not just deviant men –Menstrual leave policies for workplace –Period is a uterine cleanse –Cramps are uterus contracting to clear out residue –Healthy periods begin and end with fresh red blood –Lack of consideration in health of uterus during IVF –Using periods for postpartum practice –Female brain and female nervous system –Understanding phases and cycles post menopause –Importance of endocrine system for overall health –Viewing the body as a whole not separate parts –Purposes of the uterus other than reproduction  –Reproductive system as health –Centering, understanding, and defining the uterus and care –Other applications for steaming after assault and infection –Facilitator steaming training –Building mother culture - Menstrual health as a vital sign - Definition of Postpartum Recovery - Uterus is more than a Reproductive Organ - Physiological Feminism (different from choice feminism) - Female systems are more sensitive and resilient than male systems - Stop normalizing pain with s*x the first time (instead of “it’s gonna hurt” “it shouldn’t hurt.”) - Build MotherCulture   Resources Website: www.steamychick.com IG: @steamychick  www.fourthtrimestervaginalsteamstudy.com  

In this episode, Kimberly and Katie discuss the roles of student, teacher, mentor, elder, and friend. They discuss their experiences in each of those roles but how many conflate them. In an age of constant information, many want to consume, but few commit themselves to the devoted path of long-term learning. They also discuss different teaching styles, finding elders versus mentors, and their experiences of being teachers and students. Katie highlights the value of being in circle with others as a commitment to learning and growth.    Bio Katie Dove is a somatic therapist, intuitive guide, healer, and mystic with over two decades of experience working with individuals and groups. She is a keeper of ancient wisdom, exploring new paths for the preservation of human nature through connection to mother nature. Her methods weave a mixture of experiences she has collected over time, modalities she has personally cultivated, and extensive studies in transpersonal psychology and craniosacral therapy. With exploration in voice, touch, sound and movement, she guides her clients and students to investigate habits, freedom of choice, expressiveness, and the wealth of sensory information within and around them. Her upcoming course “Inhabit the Heart” is a four week journey into deep relationship with self and soul. What She Shares: –Roles of student, teacher, mentor, and elder –Path of deep inquiry and devotion –Reciprocity between teacher and student –Learning and embodying versus consuming –Important of circle and communal spaces   What You’ll Hear: –What it means to be a student –Katie’s relationships with teachers and students –Teachers versus mentors –Worth in long-term relationships with teachers and mentors –Being curious and humble to receive teachings –Path of deep inquiry –Understanding real devotion and repetition –Experiencing similar teachings with different transmissions –Maturing beyond teacher pedestals and accepting human limitations –Valuing different ways of wisdom teachings –Story-tellers as original teachers –Awareness of different teaching styles –Valuing shared wisdom and intuitive knowledge of teachers –Embodying as internalizing information –Greatest teachers embody their teachings –Consuming information versus embodied knowing and wisdom –Repeating classes and exploring foundational aspects of the heart and embodiment –Fundamental difference between therapist role and teacher role –Safe spaces blocking real learning and growth –Remaining in long-term practices and observation spaces –Public role of apprenticeship and as a learner –Reaching mastery through devotion of a certain path –Reciprocity of learning between student and mentor –Learning through relationship of mentorship and eldering –Differences between friendship and mentorship –Being a good student before being a good elder –Defining what you’re about and what you’re not as a student and teacher –Elderhood finds you –Work itself as a teacher, mentors and elder just reflecting lessons –Circles and communities that are teaching and holding us –Hours spent in devotion in circle –Learning versus consuming –Valuing elders who have longer life experience –Calling in right students and right teachers –Knowing what seat you’re taking in which circle –INHABIT THE HEART: A 4 week journey into Deep Relationship with Self and Soul   Resources Website: https://www.katiedove.love/  

In this episode, Kimberly and Jamie discuss his book “Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, Sex and Death In a World That's Lost Its Mind.” Jamie gives an anthropological perspective of human history across millennia to trace how we ended up today with economic, climate, technological, mental health, and other crises. He discusses how all of our social media and culture wars are missing the mark on the actual crises to our planet, and if we don’t address it, it will destroy us all. His solution for processing this grief is by making intentional choices toward hope, and moving from hyper-individualism of our times to supportive, intergenerational communities.    Bio Jamie Wheal is the author of “Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, Sex and Death In a World That's Lost Its Mind” and the global bestseller “Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work” and the founder of the Flow Genome Project, an international organization dedicated to the research and training of human performance. His work and ideas have been covered in The New York Times, Financial Times, Wired, Entrepreneur, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Inc., and TED. He has spoken at Stanford University, MIT, the Harvard Club, Imperial College, Singularity University, the U.S. Naval War College and Special Operations Command, Sandhurst Royal Military Academy, the Bohemian Club, and the United Nations. He lives high in the Rocky Mountains in an off-grid cabin with his partner, Julie; two children, Lucas and Emma; and their golden retrievers, Aslan and Calliope. When not writing, he can be found mountain biking, kitesurfing, and backcountry skiing. What He Shares: –Increase of fossil fuels and global population –Finding radical, authentic hope –Antidotes and strategies for building community through crises   What You’ll Hear: –Finding meaning in global crises –Rapture ideologies –”The Great Fact” of increase of human population –Environmental impact of human population increase –Crisis is population increase with eroding resources –Global impact increasing food insecurity, housing shortages, and migration –Migration increasing political tensions and culture wars –Finding authentic, radical hope during global crises –Grief as central to finding mature, radical, useful hope –Deep responsibility and service to others –Human experience of privilege and responsibility –Building resilient communities and cultures on behalf of hope –Finding transcendent courage to move forward to progress –Breaking away from hyper-individualism –Returning to rituals of initiation –Authentic resurfacing of traditions of lineage without appropriation  –Ways to dispel and dispense micro-PTSD –Highest cultural unrest as release valve during quarantine –Having tools on a regular basis to help us level-set nervous systems and defrag –Addressing conflict, reparation, and restitution with elders –Accessing awe and tapping into experiences of meta-physical –Inter-generational awareness –Gratitude on behalf of ancestors and service on behalf of descendents –Deep, rooted presence  –Taking risks to find community –Camp Omega for more   Resources Website: https://www.flowgenomeproject.com/ IG: @flowgenome  

Summary In this episode, Kimberly and Ash, one of Kimberly’s business strategists, discuss all things related to women in business and entrepreneurship. Ash acknowledges the historical gaps in financial literacy and opportunities for business that women have only in recent decades begun to access. They discuss common challenges for women in business, such as over-personalization and under-selling, as well as advantages such as creating strong strategies for collaboration and equity in ways that are sustainable to us as individuals and to our families. Ash offers wise advice for creating and expanding businesses as women and for women audiences. She offers Ignite, a 9-week online program for women looking for expertise in creating and expanding their businesses.   Bio Ash Robinson, a returning podcast guest, is a woman, daughter, and mother of two. As an entrepreneur for most of her career, she spent most of her time creating and building, not consulting. She bootstrapped two of her own startups; raised over $12M in funding; had a successful exit to a public company right before the 2008 recession and has been consulting through bon·fire since 2013. Her passion and research in neuroscience, cognition, behavior change, and culture inform both the tools and approach used in bon·fire. She believes we have to build the world we want to belong to. The Ignite program for women interested in creating and/or expanding current businesses begins at the end of March. Find out more about it through the link below.   What She Shares: –Gaps in womens’ opportunities for finance and business –Challenges of women in business –Handling over-giving, access, and pricing –Collaboration, intuition, and partnership –Ignite program for women in business starts end of March   What You’ll Hear: –Honoring the gaps women have had in financial education and business –Under-resourcing ourselves as women entrepreneurs –Over-personalizing business failures –Over-complicating client needs –Lacking clarity on business strategy and plan –Distinguishing between needing personal or business resources –Factoring in childcare for women in professional work –How to know when to hire an assistant –Focusing on business structure issues over personal –Service and/or product market-fit –Articulating your service in easy language –Power of our stories as women –Pricing issues hardest in business –Formula for pricing –Most women entrepreneurs are under-priced –Creating more wealth to create more opportunities for under-serviced populations –Inner capacities and outer structures –Interrogating inner-world beliefs around making money –Over-giving models in tensions with access –Feeling depleted with over-serving is unsustainable –Scholarships and trade as ten percent of business –Moving to strategy instead of overwhelm –Cost basis impacted by inflation –Unique skills women have in business and market  –Collaboration, intuition, and partnership –Running businesses supportive of our families not depleting –Building capacity for women in places they haven’t had it –IGNITE: A series of frameworks to create, organize, and harness businesses –IGNITE: 9 week program beginning end of March   Resources Website: http://bon-fire.co/ignite  

In this episode, Kimberly announces the opening of the first ever MotherCircle Facilitator training. She is interviewed by Jessica Connolly, a circle facilitator working with Kimberly to bring this 8 year long vision into the world. Kimberly shares about how the current structures do not support the deep longing we have to mother and be mothered in real community, and how concentric circles of mothers supporting mothers in this way creates a pathway of wisdom and support that impacts generations The MotherCircle Facilitator training equips women to create, strengthen and lead circles of mothers in their in person or online communities. Participants will learn the facilitation skills to lead groups in circle, as well as receive certification and a comprehensive 8 week curriculum to use for paid or unpaid offerings. We begin May 3rd. The 9 week MotherCircle Facilitator training is now open for enrollment at a one time founders rate until March 12th. Who the MotherCircle Facilitator training is for: Birthworkers- Midwives, birth and postpartum doulas, OBGYNs, Lactation consultants L&D nurses Childbirth educators Prenatal and postpartum yoga teachers Women’s circle leaders Somatic therapists Mothers who want to build community and gather around meaningful topics and motherhood wisdom Mothers who want to create a paid Mother Circle offering as a stand alone business or within their current business At the end of this training, you will: Have greater confidence to lead groups both in person and online Have training in the facilitation skills you’ll need to hold a group environment while tending to the individuals within it Understand the components of ceremony and know how to facilitate a ceremonial experience Understand the difference between teaching and facilitation Know how to contain a group when things get off track Know the foundational principles of the arc of the motherhood journey Receive an 8 week holistic mother centric curriculum that you can use personally or professionally Be ready and have a plan to lead your first MotherCircle Go to www.mothercircle.com to become part of the MotherCircle Facilitatorfounding community!

In this episode, Kimerbly and Juna discuss our relationship to anger, especially as people pleasers. While we are often conditioned to resist or dismiss anger, Juna describes anger as being an ally for our ultimate healing and the charge for our life force energy. Juna explains her relationship to anger which often made her uncomfortable as she spent much of her life pleasing people at the expense of her own mind, body, and vitality. She learned how anger can show us parts of ourselves that need tended to as well as move us deeper into connection with others. Her upcoming course on anger and people pleasing begins March 5th!   Bio Juna Mustad is a friend and recurring podcast guest. Juna is an iIntuitive counselor, somatic experience practitioner, life and relationship coach, and support team member for Kimberly of all things somatic. For 13 years, Juna has been offering intuitive coaching sessions for individuals and groups. Her upcoming course, “The People Pleasers’ Guide to Anger” is a six-week online course for cultivating a healthier relationship with anger, boundaries, and your innate power. What She Shares: –Juna’s relationship to anger and people pleasing –Destigmatizing anger and fight responses –People pleasing as survival –Reconnecting to our bodies’ desire through anger –”The People Pleaser’s Guide to Anger” online course   What You’ll Hear: –Jana’s TedTalk on anger and people pleasing –Anger as an ally for healing –Anger as a pesky, creative spark and connecting with life force –Visceral fight responses leading to transformation –People pleasing same as fawning –Internal Family Systems and multiple selves –Distancing core self from other selves in fawning –People pleasing and gender/racial dynamics –Effects of people pleasing like illness, distortions, addiction, etc. –Destigmatizing fight responses and anger –Using play, humor, and safety in accessing anger –Multitudes of responses to anger –Using play to release charge –Destigmatizing people pleasing as a coping skill –People pleasing as a survival tactic –When people pleasing becomes dominant way of being –Creating capacity for relating better –Primal power and instinct is outside of people pleasing –Leaving ourselves to create connection through others –Leaving a psycho-abusive relationship –Anger needs action –Reconnecting to body and desire –Speaking to our anger instead of from our anger –Holding others’ anger with our own –Fight response as our inner protector –Dismissing anger blocks flow of life force energy –People pleasing to make others feel safe over ourselves –Cultural differences around confrontation –Adolescence and people pleasing/social nervous systems –Six-week online course beginning March 5th   Resources Website: https://www.junamustad.com/ IG: @juna.mustad  

In this episode, Kimberly and Racha discuss Gather Grounded Midwifery, a midwifery practice and birth home created by Racha. They also discuss Racha’s generational influence to midwifery care, how she ended up in Virginia as a California native, and how the pandemic impacted midwives in particular. They also discuss the rich and complicated history of Black midwifery and how it tends to entire communities. The link to contribute to Gather Grounded Midwifery to help this Black owned birthing home provide the resources and services can be found below!   Bio Racha Tahani Lawler Queen is a Black homebirth mama, wife, and midwife of 20 years. She is the CEO and owner of Gather Grounded Midwifery, a Black-owned and operated birthing home and center in the Musqueam Territory / Richmond, Virginia. Opening this Spring 2023, Gather Grounded Midwifery is a safe and welcoming place where Black, Brown, Indigenous, and queer families are prioritized. The birthing home features two birthing suites, where our very own can receive pregnancy, birth and postpartum care in a unique retreat space, nestled in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Gather Grounded Midwifery has a goal to provide families with a sacred place to receive prenatal care, labor amongst 100-year-old pine trees, birth in and out of water, and receive postpartum care that's in alignment with their individual, Ancestral and spiritual practices. We will also support and partner with Black businesses that prioritize the healing and protection of Black birthers and families. Find the GoFundMe link below to contribute to this important space. What She Shares: –Impact of pandemic on midwives and home births –How and why Racha relocated to Richmond, Virginia from LA to create a birthing home –Black midwifery history and community care –The impact of a birthing home on a community   What You’ll Hear: –How Racha from CA ended up in Richmond, Virginia –Midwifery services and birthing home in Virginia for Black and Brown families –Taking a break from birth work to grow –Racist real estate practices while finding birth home –Impact of pandemic on midwives  –Background in environmental health and safety and disaster preparedness –Hospital turning away home-birth transfers during pandemic –Advocating for community midwives –EMTs refusing to service –Midwives and birth workers quitting after pandemic-induced trauma –Black Farm Studio House in LA county, non-profit –Non-profit relocated to Richmond –Importance of midwifery in community care –Making midwife ancestors and grandmothers proud –Eradication of Black midwifery in previous centuries –Midwives regaining acknowledgement as intimate healthcare profession –Legacy of great, great grandmother was town midwife –Providing safe care in homes during pandemic –Midwifery as more than prenatal visits –Providing care during so many unknowns –Wider possibilities for midwives in Virginia –Birthing home honors Black midwives elder for rest and care –Prioritizing Black and Brown birth –Birth home will be opening by March –GoFundMe: ”Support a Black-owned Operating Birthing Home” –Crowd-funding for $50,000 for an operating home   Resources Website: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-a-black-owned-operated-birthing-home IG: @gathergroundedmidwifery  

In this episode, Kimberly and Esi discuss how to lean into discomfort during difficult conversations. Esi explains her background growing up in a Black middle-class family in Los Angeles, how she came to her current work and offerings, and her four years of somatic experiencing school. During that program, Esi learned how to stay in her body as a Black woman with mostly white individuals, especially surrounding discussions of race and racism. Through the years, she learned the importance of non-shaming, curiosity, and having truthful conversations through difficult topics and uncomfortable experiences. She offers a nuanced perspective and radical medicine in a time when most are quick to cancel or dismiss. Her Human Slop course begins February 19th.   Bio Esi Wildcat is a Somatic Practitioner and Ceremonialist, an Ordained Priestess of Isis, a Shakta initiate and yogini in the lineage of Sri Vidya, certified holistic health practitioner, and interdisciplinary healing artist with over 20 years of expertise. As a bridge builder to the New Earth, she is making waves in the cultural somatic realm and is injecting the social justice sphere with much needed humanness and nuance. Esi seeks to highlight the extraordinary in the ordinary – and how the power of presence in our lives can transform not only how we relate to ourselves, but the world around us. Her upcoming offering, Human Slop: A Radical Aliveness Worldworking Dojo, starts February 19th. What She Shares: –Esi’s upbringing and call to her work –Somatic experiencing school and feminine chaos –Avoiding cultural scripts and bypassing –Radical aliveness and magic of being human –Human Slop circle coming February 19th What You’ll Hear: –Cultivating awe and wonder everyday –Deep connection to unseen world –Attended Radical Aliveness Institute –Learning to be with the feminine (chaos) –Mentor’s nuanced perspective on systems of oppression –Subversive work recognizing beauty –Sanitization and carefulness of somatic experiencing programs –Decision to not be trauma-informed as a practitioner –Working towards real racial integration in community –Being in reality of tensions  –Accessing and thriving from own life force and vitality –Deconditioning from being the “good girl” –Pain and tensions around race and difference –Systemic influence in personal contexts –Telling truth of socialization around race and class –Spiritual bypassing versus holding multiplicities –Addressing rage, anger, and collapse –Subversiveness in being alive and feeling instead of running away –Learning to stay and increasing capacity for conflict and disappointment –Remembering to human and holding grief –Living in a traumatized culture and a loss of soul –Ripples for culture making and the magic of being human –Human Slop: A Radical Aliveness Worldworking Dojo –Upcoming program starts February 19th   Resources Website: https://wildholyhuman.com/ IG: @wildholyhuman  

In this episode, Kimberly and Dr. Molly discuss psychedelics, biohacking, and frontiers for the future of modern medicine. Dr. Molly’s background in medicine and innovation has led her to advocate for the supportive use of psychedelics, understanding biohacking for female biology, and the importance of bonding hormones and building safety and connection in western medicine. They discuss the benefits and risks of psychedelics, who should and shouldn’t use psychedelics, problems with male-centered psychedelic circles, as well as the male-centered biohacking world. They also discuss the importance of understanding sexuality and hormones, from an evolutionary perspective as well as in regular medicinal care. Dr. Molly offers a vision of an evolving and innovative healthcare system which centers non-traditional medicines, safety, connection, and the female experience.    Bio Dr. Molly Maloof is on the frontier of personalized medicine, medical technology, health optimization, and scientifically-based wellness endeavors. Since 2012, she has also worked as an advisor or consultant to more than 40 companies in the digital health, consumer health, and biotechnology industries needing help with clinical strategy, product development, clinical research and scientific marketing. Dr. Molly challenges healthcare practitioners as well as industry influencers to re-think health and healthcare in order to reduce costs, improve patient outcomes, and improve the human condition. Her upcoming book “The Spark Factor” comes out January 31st and is available for pre-sale purchase. What She Shares: –Risks and benefits of psychedelics - Biohacking for women –Frontiers for modern medicine to expand –Safety, connection, and love as fundamental for health What You’ll Hear: –Dream of being a doctor as a child –Works in tech and medicine –Creating a new system of building health in the body –Boom of psychedelics during 2020 mental health crisis –Healing sexual trauma with psychedelics –Transforming trauma to bliss and empowerment –On ketamine and ayahuasca –Not discounting modern medicine for evidence-based results –Understanding dominant nervous system structures and connective tissue –Male-centered culture, power-dynamics, and containers in psychedelic circles –Neurobiological impact of experiences like birth and sex –Psychedelic experiences without psychedelics –Moving towards innovation but preventing harm –Development of oxytocin in evolution for connection –Oxytocin as bonding hormone  –Lack of emotional intelligence knowledge and hormones in modern medicine –Sex drive is fundamental to human biology driving towards connection –Importance of safety when experiencing large amounts of oxytocin –Needing safety, trust, and love in every aspect of modern medicine –Upcoming book as treatise on mitochondrial health –Metabolism, energy, and mitochondria creating charge –Gathering electrons through food and environment –Exercise as best anti-aging practice –Different kinds of stress and hormesis  –Understanding why women biohacking need to be careful and discerning –New book breaks down biohacking, personalizing nutrition, and exercise for women   Resources Website: drmolly.co IG: @drmolly.co  

In this episode, Kimberly and Katie discuss Katie’s work as a somatic therapist, intuitive guide, and healer. She explains how she came to her craniosacral and healing work as a young child. She discusses chakras as the portals between our nervous systems and our spiritual connection, as well as the importance of grounding, alignment, and the heart space. They discuss heartbreak and grief as utterly human, and how the internet serves as the nervous system for the collective. Katie offers hope for maintaining our connection, regulation, and containment during difficult times.   Bio Katie Dove is a somatic therapist, intuitive guide, healer, and mystic with over two decades of experience working with individuals and groups. She is a keeper of ancient wisdom, exploring new paths for the preservation of human nature through connection to mother nature. Her methods weave a mixture of experiences she has collected over time, modalities she has personally cultivated, and extensive studies in transpersonal psychology and craniosacral therapy. With exploration in voice, touch, sound, and movement, she guides her clients and students to investigate habits, freedom of choice, expressiveness, and the wealth of sensory information within and around them. What She Shares: –Katie’s journey as a healing practitioner –Chakras as nervous system regulators –Grounding, aligning, and vulnerability –Internet as a collective nervous system –Mothering from the heart space –Upcoming in person and online classes What You’ll Hear: –Initiation into healing journey at three years old –Felt light sensation passing through sister’s body into own hands –Raised Catholic and trying to make senses of experiences –Developed ability to sense into the body –Experienced trauma and initiation into shadow work –Mapping unseen terrain of the body, psyche, and soul –Began massage school and followed craniosacral teachers –A gift funneled through framework of somatic work –Holding circles and living principles of community –Psycho-structural balancing –Facilitating alignment with Source –Conscious relationship with Source through somatic and transpersonal psychology –Chakras as intermediary between nervous system to ethereal  –Flow state as full relationship and trust to that which moves us –Self-regulating and Source –Not living in heart is not living in relationship to Source –Grief as a portal to Source –Acknowledging the collective heart right now –Entering through the heart space instead of the mind –Develop our relationship to the Vertical –Grounding into Earth and finding individual pathway to the Vertical –Myth of aloneness causing devastation –Source regulation means being in our power –Deeply rooted vertically to connect horizontally to world around us –Chakras supported by consistent, vertical rooting –Nervous system can remain grounded –Spiritual bypassing occurs with no substance or rootedness –Cannot bypass our own hearts and connection to One Heart –Better to have broken heart than an uninhabited heart –Brokenheartedness makes us humble, curious, and driven –Experiencing heartbreak when becoming pregnant –Gift of expansion through motherhood –Connection to the planet is connection to the Greater Heart –Stewarding our bodies and Mother Nature –Internet as a collective nervous system –Turning to internet as a responsibility to coregulate in online world –Grounding online world back vertically –Individualism is not goal at this edge of human evolution –Walking the edge is revolution –The unnegotiable open heart –ROLFing for the chakras class –Upcoming online classes on source regulation, grounding techniques, and containment   Resources Website: https://www.katiedove.love/

In this episode, Kimberly interviews Donna Jackson Nakawaza about her latest book “Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media.” Donna’s book explains recent research behind the increase of significant mental health issues among girls and young women. Whereas neuroscience research only ever examined male brains and bodies, this book overviews recent research on females and how feelings of unsafety, threat, high expectations, and algorithms on social media heavily contribute to this increase. They unpack the ways in which the female brain stress responses are connected to immunity and overall well-being, as well as the myriad stressors young girls in particular face today. Last, they discuss strategies for parents to create a sense of connection, attunement, and safety with their children to mitigate these environmental and cultural stressors.   Bio Donna Jackson Nakazawa is an award-winning journalist and internationally-recognized speaker whose work explores the intersection of neuroscience, immunology, and human emotion. Her mission is to translate emerging science in ways that help those with chronic conditions find healing. Her writing has been published in Wired, The Boston Globe, Stat, The Washington Post, Health Affairs, Aeon, More, Parenting, AARP Magazine, Glamour, and elsewhere. For her reporting on health-science, Donna received the AESKU lifetime achievement award and the National Health Information Award. She has appeared on The Today Show, National Public Radio, NBC News, and ABC News. Her latest book, “Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media” (Random House/Harmony, 2022) is available for order wherever books are sold. What She Shares: –Increasing rates of major depression in girls –Female biology as super-powers  –Girls experiencing cognitive dissonance and perpetual unsafety –Social media impact on adolescence and maturity –Parenting strategies for connection, attunement, and safety   What You’ll Hear: –1 out of 3 girls exhibit major depression –Recent increasing rates of major depression in girls –Suffering from guilt, fatigue, unworthiness, hopelessness –Suicide rate rising 51% among girls –Only recently NIH requested neuroscience on female brains –Significant differences in way stress impacts female body and brain –Lack of research on trans and non-binary individuals –Need to hear and know science to galvanize change –Female sex differences used against women throughout history –Unmitigated chronic stress and sense of unsafety –X&Y chromosome differences regarding immunity –X chromosomes provide extra protection in placenta –Male babies more likely to have health issues –Vulnerability of immunity shifts with increasing estrogen during puberty –Estrogen master-regulator in body of neurons  –Women 3-5x more likely to have auto-immune diseases –Estrogen evolutionary advantage but flips with stressors in environment –Social and emotional stress –Estrogen increases stress response versus testosterone –Girls born 1995 or later demonstrate major drop in mental health –Trends of social media algorithms connect to mental health decline –Social media mimicking tribes but generating negative activity and isolation –High activity and high emotion in social media –Social media activates dopamine (reward circuitry) repeatedly –High health-risk behaviors from other teens of images on social media –Big emotions overtime turns off ‘be careful’ filters for teens –Prioritizing deep connections with real world individuals vs. digital –Girls more likely to be criticized on social media for appearance –More sexualized increase of girls with social media –Over-medicating adolescents  –Girls caught in a state of cognitive dissonance between gendered sexist messages –Lowering puberty ages throughout history –Removal of in-between years of maturity, growth, self-interests –Hierarchical valuative list of benchmarks for girls to achieve –How can girls develop senses of selves in this culture –Recreating connection, attachment, and bio-synchronicity with our children –Being grounded and regulated to offer sense of safety for our children –Brains rewiring before adolescence (used to happen later) –Brains remodel on sense of unsafety before puberty –Creating connection, mattering, and belonging that is bigger than the world –Children flourish in safety and connection with parents –Parents to talk less and listen more –Younger generation needs adult help more than ever to articulate feelings –Wondering aloud with our children to develop their interior selves   Resources Website: https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/ IG: @donnajacksonnakazawa   And you can sign up for the upcoming MotherCircle Waiting List here: https://kimberlyannjohnson.com/mothercircle/

In this episode, Kimberly and Virginia discuss the astrological significance of this past decade and the decade to come. They discuss how the increase of technology impacts culture, our nervous systems, and the ways in which we understand and interact relationally. They discuss what it’s like to be entrepreneurs who are creating content on social media, using discernment with social media use, and parenting during the increase of tech, AI, and social media. They also discuss how to return to our humanness, embodied practices for grounding, and finding ancestral practices that have stood the test of time.   Bio Virginia Rosenberg is an Intuitive Astrologer and Movement Artist. Her passion is natural healing of self and society. Virginia believes that we are made to heal, and that healing is a matter of becoming more conscious of and connected to ourselves, each other, and the more-than-human-Worlds. She teaches astrology, qi gong, and various forms of dance, leading retreats, classes, and workshops. Her writings on astrology, spirituality, and society have gone viral and are used as teaching tools in meditation and study groups. Virginia has been interviewed and featured on numerous publications and podcasts. She is Resident Astrologer for the global Qoya movement. Her educational background includes post-colonial and women’s/gender studies, cultural anthropology, journalism, documentary filmmaking, Taoist philosophy and internal martial arts, myriad forms of dance, spiritual alchemy, ritual, ceremony, and energy work. What She Shares: –Increase of tech –Upcoming planet shifts –Navigating humanness in social media –Astrological significance of next decade   What You’ll Hear: –Evolution of sharing on social media –Making social media less personal as an entrepreneur –Speaking to collective story through personal observations –Kimberly shares experience with social media and audience –Increase of focused technology in next decade –Pluto moving through Aquarius next year –AI and astrology –Making peace with artificial intelligence –Identifying reference points for relating with others –Existentialism and motherhood –Human connection with the increase of technology –Falling out of relevancy with culture –Changing currencies in upcoming reconfiguration of society –Our role in changing of society –Being more mindful and intentional around technology use –Our perception and relationship to what’s happening with tech –Finding our center points –Parenting with increase of tech –Commenting on social media as knee-jerk reactions –Viewpoints outside of acceptable milieu –Absence of humanity in relating –How psychology on social media disrupts –Specific identities and tension of expectations to be for all identities –Understanding and teaching discernment –Times of high stakes –Using nervous systems and intuition as guides during these times –Planets that role and correspond with the nervous system –Collective versus individual nervous systems –Using location as a center-point  –Movement as centering nervous system –Using martial arts and embodied meditation for centering and anchoring –Connecting across ideologies –Offering astrology calendar for upcoming year –Teaches depth-foundations training in astrology   Resources Website: https://virginiarosenberg.com/ IG: @virginiarosenberg

In this episode, Kimberly and Heidi discuss all things astrological. Heidi shares how she came to her work in astrology, how she incorporates astrology into her mothering, and how we can all benefit from understanding our own signs and signs’ energies. They discuss how embodiment connects to astrology, balancing motherhood with work and creative projects, as well as Heidi’s upcoming book which can be accessed through her link below. Heidi even reads some of Kimberly’s chart which connects to sex, power, and safety. Bio Heidi Rose Robbins has been a professional astrologer for 25 years, helping thousands of clients all over the globe live with more authenticity and clarity. She hosts two podcasts, THE RADIANCE PROJECT, featuring poetry, astrology, and good company, and CHART YOUR CAREER, with co-host Ellen Fondiler. Twice a year, she leads Radiant Life Retreats, for people wishing to take a deeper dive into her work. Heidi has written two books of poetry, This Beckoning Ceaseless Beauty and Wild Compassion, and has been a featured poet at two TedX events. She was also recently a guest on Glennon Doyle’s You Can Do Hard Things podcast. Last year, her 12-book series The Zodiac Love Letters, was published by One Idea Press, and her new book, Everyday Radiance--based on her daily Instagram offerings--will be published by Chronicle in January. Heidi grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, learning the zodiac with her A,B, C’s, and calls herself “a poet with a map of the heavens in her pocket.” What She Shares: –Heidi’s work with astrology + astrological embodiment Radiant Life retreats –Embracing the energies of our signs –Motherhood and astrology –New book called Everyday Radiance   What You’ll Hear: –Learning astrology from a young age –Background in theater contributes to workshops and retreats –Embodying signs and energies –Teachers including somatic backgrounds in trainings and workshops –Theater providing powerful embodied experience –Building community and holding space over time –Non-linear paths of healing and growth –Positive reparative experiences with embodiment –Ritual and embodiment –Rising sign as our gift to the world –Expanding and embracing the energies of our signs –Our charts as watercolors, messy and gorgeous –Kimberly’s chart is read –Heidi’s experience working with her father in astrology and art –Heidi’s experience with Sofia Diaz –Role of spiritual teachers versus psychologist –Finding people with your rising sign as embodied teachers –Motherhood and astrology –Mothering as a way to encourage fullness of our children –Importance of children seeing mothers in our fullness –Importance of retreat time away from mothering –Kimberly’s experiencing teaching yoga while mothering –Raising children with chosen family and community –Inner-conflicts around creating with children –Evolution of Heidi’s creative process while mothering –New book coming Everyday Radiance as a daily astrological read –Book available for pre-order –Heidi reads poem of hers on father’s death   Resources Website: heidirose.com IG: @heidiroserobbins 

In this episode, Kimberly and Ralph discuss commonalities between their work regarding somatics, psychotherapy, and spiritual traditions. Ralph describes his journey of seeking from mainstream religion to various spiritual traditions and how his time in rehab propelled his work in psychotherapy, teaching, and writing his books. In addition, he describes his journey regarding gender and sexuality and how that correlated with his neurodivergence. In addition, he describes Internal Family Systems, our four selves, and his niche work of combining psychotherapy and meditation. Towards the end of the conversation, they share their reactions to receiving negative reviews and the arduous process of writing and publishing a book.   Bio Ralph is the author of two internationally published books about trauma recovery, meditation, and the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of psychotherapy. He is personally mentored by Richard Schwartz, founder and developer of IFS. He is a psychotherapist in private practice and a seasoned meditation teacher known for his radically open and humorous teaching style. His most recent book, Don't Tell Me to Relax: Emotional Resilience in the Age of Rage, Feels, and Freak Outs was named one of the “Best Books of 2020” by Mindful Magazine.   What He Shares: –Ralph’s journey with addiction, spiritual practice, + becoming a psychotherapist –Gender identity, sexuality, and neurodivergence –Multiple selves & Internal Family Systems –Nervous system responses to criticism   What You’ll Hear: –Evolution of his yoga practice –Raised Southern Baptist, experienced early childhood traumas, turned to Hare Krishnas –Experienced suicidal ideation until reading Ram Das –Traveled with Amma  –Turned to spirituality as an attempt to continue high –Experience of drug addiction alongside spirituality –Encountered deep spiritual practice in rehabilitation center –Began mindfulness based practice through Buddhist teachers in 2005 –Began teaching meditation at yoga studio –Seeing the humanity of Buddhist practices –Also discovered psychotherapy in rehab –Healing traumas of previous wounding and insecure attachments –Sexuality journey of “neuroqueer” –Journey around gender and sexuality distinctly –Experienced violent bullying in high school because of gender –Embracing the term “genderqueer”  –Influence from Bikini Kill and Riot grrrl –Internal Family Systems Therapy and parts work –Internal conflicts and internal dialogues –Multiplicity and multiple selves offers us map of our psyche –IFS and somatics and meditation- Ralph’s niche –No one therapy heals all of us –Pandemic and upheaval of socio-political upheaval –Collective inability to metabolize impact of pandemic –Process of writing first book, dealing with lack of confidence –Confronting demonization of cognition (monkey mind) in spiritual circles –Experiences after publishing first books –Risks of writing and publishing –Reading bad reviews of work –Criticism triggering sympathetic nervous system responses –Shambala as an ethical publishing company –Protecting our own energy –Meditation, movement, breath work, diet, 80-20 lifestyle –Self energy in IFS have to be in compassion and holding space –Embracing all of life’s experiences  –Being effective for others through burnout –How the term “neuroqueer” connecting spectrums of queerness and neurodivergence –Labels as stigmatizing and liberating –Upcoming course on mindfulness, somatics, IFS, and more  –”Unstuck How to Heal every part of you” starts Dec 2nd   Resources Website: https://ralphdelarosa.com/ IG: @ralphdelarosa

In this episode, Kimberly talks with Elizabeth Marglin, Niki Dewart, co-authors of “The Wild and Sacred Feminine Deck,” and Jenny  Kostekci-Shaw, artist of the deck. They discuss how the deck came to fruition, its roots and connection to motherhood, and the publishing process of the deck. They also discuss the rich meaning behind wildness, the sacred feminine, and embodiment, as well as their individual creating processes while mothering. At the end of their episode, they pull a card for the collective with a powerful message of traversing through these difficult times.    Bio Elizabeth Marglin, M.A. is the coauthor of The Mother's Wisdom Deck with Niki Dewart. Elizabeth is a journalist and writing coach who writes for publications such as Yoga Journal and Spirituality & Health. Marglin lives in Colorado. Niki Dewart writes books, designs sacred spaces, and leads rituals and retreats that nurture the feminine soul. Jenny Kostecki-Shaw is a national award-winning author and illustrator, a homesteader, and a mother. What They Share: –Motherhood and “The Wild and Sacred Feminine Deck” –Wild, Elemental, Archetypal and Divine suits in the deck –Wildness, embodiment, and Spirit –Creative processing while mothering –Reading of a card for the collective   What You’ll Hear: –The Wild and Sacred Feminine Deck –Wanting to create a deck for mothers –Publishing process with Shambhala –Expanding deck from mother’s wisdom to all aspects of the feminine –Meaning behind the title “Wild and Sacred Feminine” –Decision on four suits and feminine within each –Wild, Elemental, Archetypal, and Divine –Jenny’s process of artwork for the deck –Meaning behind 52 cards in the deck –Multicultural approach to card selection –Using ritual to create deck –Importance of Inanna –Elizabeth and Niki’s reactions to Jenny’s artwork –Embodying the Shapeshifter and fluidity –Incorporating the Wolf into the deck –Jenny surprised by her own artwork –Mothering and the creative process –Creating space away to write and create –Wanting to offer other mothers shorter readings –Creating the deck at the beginning of the pandemic –Weaving pandemic, spiritual life, and mothering into the deck –Jenny’s creative process while mothering –Facing struggle trying to find art in early motherhood –Kimberly’s process getting Fourth Trimester cards published –Writing the How to Use guide –Kimberly’s use of decks –Using decks intermittently or frequently –Co-authoring the deck and collaborating with art –Building meaning through collaboration versus individually –Deck to bring us into soul wholeness –Message of embodiment and spirit to matter through the feminine –Drawing a card from “The Wild and Sacred Feminine” deck  –Collective question around our relationship to the earth and traversing these times –Reading of the card   Resources Website: https://www.shambhala.com/the-wild-and-sacred-feminine-deck.html

In this episode, Kimberly and Deborah discuss friendships, desire, and healthy attachments. Deborah explains her experience with having a large capacity for many friendships and how her clients often discuss issues around finding and keeping lasting friendships. They discuss how our original wounds seek out repair in patterns that often appear in friendships, as well as how the pandemic changed many relationships and friendships. Deborah debunks the myth that healing, love, and growth happen individually to assert that we are wired from birth for secure attachment, love, and attention. Friendship can be an opportunity to help us acknowledge past wounds, seek out ways for resolution, and grow as more whole and healed beings.   Bio Deborah Clare Bragg is a somatic psychotherapist, yoga teacher, doula, and practitioner of feminine arts. She graduated from Naropa University with a masters in somatic psychotherapy. Alongside her therapy work, she teaches yoga at Love is Juniper and is hosting an upcoming Friendship Workshop which starts on November 17th and can be accessed through the link on the website below. In this episode, Kimberly and Deborah discuss friendships, desire, and healthy attachments. Deborah explains her experience with having a large capacity for many friendships and how her clients often discuss issues around finding and keeping lasting friendships. They discuss how our original wounds seek out repair in patterns that often appear in friendships, as well as how the pandemic changed many relationships and friendships. Deborah debunks the myth that healing, love, and growth happen individually to assert that we are wired from birth for secure attachment, love, and attention. Friendship can be an opportunity to help us acknowledge past wounds, seek out ways for resolution, and grow as more whole and healed beings.   Bio Deborah Clare Bragg is a somatic psychotherapist, yoga teacher, doula, and practitioner of feminine arts. She graduated from Naropa University with a masters in somatic psychotherapy. Alongside her therapy work, she teaches yoga at Love is Juniper and is hosting an upcoming Friendship Workshop which starts on November 17th and can be accessed through the link on the website below. What She Shares: –Why it’s hard for women to make friends –Tending to original wounds and repairs –Attachment styles in friendship –Impact of pandemic on friendship –Secure attachment and community –Deb’s upcoming Friendship Workshop   What You’ll Hear: –Hesitancy around discussing friendship –Attending to previous ruptures in friendships from adolescence –Pains leading to narratives around female friendships –Knowing our capacity for friendship –Honoring desire and vulnerability  –Making bids and invitations –Tolerance for rejection –Discerning when friendship is worth conflict or not –Patterns of conflict avoidance –Including and excluding –Alchemy variations in different groups –Different attachment styles in friendship –Repetition and compulsion –Original wounds searching for repair in patterns –Impact of pandemic on friendships –Experiencing major life changes and friendships –Debunking myth of loving self before loving others –Interconnection and healthy attachment –Feeling safe as children and in friendships  –Sickness individualization –Picking community that reflect love and value –Taking stock of people in our lives –Breakout rooms and flight responses –Rejection and secure attachment –Friendship Workshop starts November 17th   Resources Website: https://www.loveisjuniper.com/ IG: @loveisjuniper

In this episode, Kimberly welcomes back her daughter Cece to the podcast. Cece first appeared on the podcast in 2019 when she was in 6th grade. She shares what has changed in her and Kimberly’s lives since then. Together, they discuss Cece’s perspective on issues important to her peers and teenagers in general such as sex, intimacy, mental health, climate change, and more. Cece explains that much of her and her peer’s frustrations are with older generations who cannot empathize with adolescence experiences today. Cece suggests for parents and older generations to provide specific information regarding these major issues to have non-defensive, open-hearted conversations. She also provides some comical tidbits of what it’s like being Kimberly’s daughter.   Bio Cece, Kimberly’s daughter, is a 15 year old biracial highschooler, who shares her perspectives on Kimberly as a mother, Kimberly’s work on sex, birth, and trauma, and other important topics that her peers are discussing. She is a guitarist and has enjoyed playing in a band since she last appeared on the podcast. What She Shares: –Cece’s evolution since her first podcast episode –Teens’ perspectives on sex –Technology’s influence on teen girls’ mental health –Intergenerational conversations on complex issues, including climate change –Pandemic’s impact on teens   What You’ll Hear: –Cece’s first podcast episode in 2019 –Moved to NYC, Moved back to California, started high school  –Cece’s interest in guitar and writing music –Cece’s perspective on having Kimberly as a mom –Parents discussing sex –Remaining neutral in conversations around sex with teenagers –Cece’s experience of over-exposure of Kimberly’s work –Teenage girls’ perspectives on porn –Cece’s friends turning to her for information on sex –Teens turning to social media for intimacy and dating –Rejecting labels of sexual identities –Social media impacting teen girls negatively –Social media and comparison –Teenage girls using social media to tear each other down –Experimenting with removing social media –Higher rates of depression and anxiety in teen girls –Disconnect of understanding from older generations to teens now –Generations without technology –Expressing anger towards older generations for contributing to climate change –Having difficult conversations without getting defensive –Adolescence during threats of nuclear warfare, climate change, artificial intelligence –Having specific conversations around complex issues –Feelings of impending doom culturally contributing to mental health issues –Accepting and enjoying solitude without spiraling –Cece’s reaction to Kimberly’s work with Stephen Jenkinson –Pandemic’s impact on Cece and peers –People who didn’t transition well back into socializing

In this episode, Kimberly and Ali discuss how food intersects with physiology and psychology. Specifically, they discuss how to identify our physical and emotional needs, how to send safety signals to our bodies, and how to unpack some of the deeper impacts of socialization and culture around eating and body image. Similar to our nervous system signals, our bodies and minds send signals when dealing with chronic stress and unconscious stories around our behaviors that often motivate our food choices. Ali works with women to help them unpack issues around diet culture, body image, and eating for satisfaction and nutrition.   Bio Ali Shapiro is an MSOD, CHHC, holistic nutritionist, cancer survivor, and host of the podcast “Insatiable.” Her work is at the intersection of physiology and psychology as she helps women unravel their relationships with body image, food, and movement in order to ultimately build a sense of safety and satisfaction. She offers the Truce with Food Coaching program as well as individual client sessions and speaking engagements.   What She Shares: –Uncoupling body image from normal human emotions –Physical and emotional safety signals –Identifying physiological and psychological needs –Emotional immune system –Food for healing and health –Truce with Food program   What You’ll Hear: –Issues with body image/positivity marketed to women –Socialization and religious culture influencing body image –Prioritizing safety signals –Unpacking individualization and systemic issues surrounding food –Weight and health –Physical and emotional safety signals –Identifying foods and movement right for our individual bodies –Prioritizing sun and sleep especially through aging –Re-establishing relationship with our bodies with food experiments –Identifying which foods make body feel safe and satisfied –Intrinsic motivation versus shame-based motivation around health –Emotional safety –Emotional immune system run down by chronic stress –Anticipating deprivation and/or restricting with food –No baseline of neutrality and satiation –Translating the body’s signals –Intuition based on patterns, difficult with lifetime of dieting/overeating/undereating –Highly processed foods hijacked intuitive understanding –Practicing intuition with three meals a day for physiological and psychological benefits –Rejecting commercialized brand names of diets –Restriction with food in relation to aging, stress, parenting, etc. –Processed foods on a continuum –Amount of attention to give eating can be overwhelming –Undoing binary thinking around foods –Emotional health in relation to food, exercise, diet –Emotional immune systems made up of stories –Intersection of physiology and psychology –Family, peers, religion, work influences to emotional health –Overriding body’s signals to “deserve” to eat –Seeking belonging on deepest level –Food one of our first senses of safety and comfort –Understanding insulin resistance, blood sugar levels, and stress –Turning to sugar for nurturance and comfort –Reducing stress and balancing blood sugar results in less sugar intake –Sleep-deprivation contributing to higher sugar intake –Nervous system predisposes towards certain tolerances with foods –Identifying physical and psychological needs for health and sense of safety –Basic human habits declining with modernization and individualization –Food and community   Resources Website: https://alishapiro.com/ IG: @alimshapiro

Summary In this episode, Kimberly and Sara discuss how they met through yoga, how they approach their businesses, and how they navigate moving through biological seasons such as premenopause and menopause. While culture wants women to continue pushing towards growth, Kimberly and Sara explain the importance of honoring their own limitations and energy levels especially as entrepreneurs. They also discuss Sara’s approach to her online yoga teacher trainings for women.   Bio Sara Avant Stover is a teacher of feminine spirituality, bestselling author, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Practitioner. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Columbia University’s all-women’s Barnard College, she had a cancer scare, moved to Thailand, and embarked on a decade-long healing and spiritual odyssey throughout Asia. Since then, Sara’s gone on to uplift the lives of tens of thousands of women worldwide. The creator of the world’s first Women’s Yoga Teacher Training, she specializes in supporting women to navigate challenging life transitions and heal from trauma, in service of living with more ease, wholeness, and fulfillment. Sara has also been featured in Yoga Journal, the Huffington Post, Newsweek, Natural Health, and on ABC, NBC, and CBS. She lives in Boulder, CO, and online at SaraAvantStover.com What She Shares: –Kimberly and Sara’s yoga teaching experiences together –Sara’s The Way of the Happy Woman: Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training for Women –Accepting limitations and different capacities in business –Navigating biological seasons and accepting life’s paths What You’ll Hear: –How Kimberly and Sara met –Sara’s experiences hosting yoga teacher trainings –Discovering love and capacity for leadership –Developed women’s yoga teacher training –Transitioning to online teacher trainings –Reasons for focusing on women in trainings –Having sensibility and sensitivity while working with range of people –Processing emotions in community during trainings –Sara’s experience dismantling and rebuilding business –Business practices valuing simplicity, cohesion, and sustainability –Navigating behind-the-scenes business challenges –Business expectations and assumptions for coaches –Marketing in the self-help, coaching, yoga worlds –Regret in business and entrepreneurship –Limitations and the feminine –Feminism, fertility, aging, and biology –Accepting limitations around bearing children –Childlessness and singleness in US culture –Ideology trumping biology in many circumstances –Technology and IVF not guarantees –Specific practices for pregnancy, postpartum, menstruation, perimenopause, postmenopause –Internal Family Systems therapy –IFS therapy part of teacher training –Range of experiences, ages, etc. in trainings –Intergenerational and international training –Women learning through modeling and others’ stories –Setting up life and business to prepare for menopause –Sara’s YTT starting early October –Honoring Zoom fatigue during online training   Resources Website: https://www.womensyogateachertraining.com/ https://www.saraavantstover.com/ IG: @saraaventstover

In this episode, Kimberly and Barbara discuss Barbara’s iconic career as a dancer and performer in the 1960s, her work as a founder and President of Naropa University, and her pedagogy which combined dance and performance with mindboby practices and various spiritual traditions. She also discussed the early days of Naropa University which symbolized the creative and expansive, alternative movements that were happening culturally at the time. Barbara then shares her reflections on aging, sickness, and internalized ageism as well as creative ways for aging people to live and embrace the end of life.   Bio Barbara Dilley (Lloyd) (born 1938) is an American dancer, performance artist, improvisor, choreographer and educator, best known for her work as a prominent member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and The Grand Union, from 1969 to 1976. She has taught movement and dance at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, since 1974, developing a pedagogy that emphasizes what she calls “embodied awareness,” an approach that combines dance and movement studies with meditation, “mind training” and improvisational composition. She served as the president of Naropa University from 1985 to 1993.   What She Shares: —Early career as a dancer —Performing as a young mother —First President of Naropa University —Origins of Mind-Body practices in 60s and 70s —Ageism in spiritual and New Age communities —Kindness through sickness, aging, and death   What You’ll Hear: —Being the “first” in various fields —First President of Naropa University —Transition from ballet into modern dance —Pregnancy and mothering while performing —Shadow-side of touring the world as a young mother —Modern dancing in India in the 1960s —Strain on family life while  touring —Leaving marriage and family during 60s —Personal drive to pursue performing career —Cultural environment of new thoughts, opportunities, creativity, avant-garde world —Origins of Movement Studies work  —Improvisation performance technique styles emerging —Began teaching at Naropa in 1974 —Created dance program at Naropa and leaving NYC —Teaching alongside Ram Dass and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche —Contemplative Education from East and West at Naropa —Incorporating Mind-Body practices into Dance courses —Spiritual appointment of serving as President at Naropa —Transitioning to retirement from writing and teaching —Feeling emotionally and physically drained leading to health issues —Learning through aging and cultural ageism —Working through cultural imprints around aging —Feeling in competition with younger self —Ageism in spiritual and New Age communities —Kindness through aging which is inevitable —Accepting inevitability of aging and death instead of turning away —”Spiritual materialism” —Becoming invisible as an aging woman —No cultural appreciation for elders —Holistic understanding of human journey including aging and death —Multicultural and multigenerational living instead of nuclear families —Finding small community to discuss sickness, old age, and death —Stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death

In this collection of testimonials, Jaguar course alumni speak about how the Jaguar work and community have supported their journey of healing trauma and widening their capacity to actively and presently engage with life. As Kimberly and her team prepare for the next round of Jaguar, this testimony speaks beautifully to the type of experience you might find in the upcoming 4-week course "Activate Your Inner Jaguar Foundations." In this episode, you meet three dynamic Jaguar women: Audrey Holst, Tori Miller, and Nicole Siegel. Each of these women talks about specific before and after experiences that intersected with their Jaguar work. Here is some of what you will hear in this episode: Audrey: Jaguar shows up as full-life shifts We can’t think our way to something different Jaguar work is approachable and doable when taken in as small bites on a regular basis Her dominant story in the past, “Nothing bothers me” she realizes now, is more about resignation The accumulation of reclamations of space and time is hugely important to her The embodiment of panic is shifting when she rock-climbs. When in moments of stress, staying conscious and present is increasing The bigger piece of this work is enjoying the things that she wants to enjoy in her life more fully   Tori: The Jaguar community aspect has been so important to her After cancer treatment, Tori found herself struggling to be around others. Jaguar work helped her to re-engage with important people in her life With innovative Jaguar practices she continues to notice new things in her body, after having ignored it for so long, due to chronic pain Having Ehlers-Danlos has caused proprioception issues. Jaguar work has helped Tori rediscover a new grounding in her body Tori loves how Kimberly talks about healthy sympathetic charge, even adrenaline responses.  When she accepted this in her system, it calmed down more quickly, leaving behind a constant state of fight or flight Tori is more hopeful about her health and that her own body can help with her healing Dancing never felt good with Ehlers-Danlos: balance issues, pain, coordination, self-consciousness. Now she dances all of the time, even in public   To sign up for the Foundation Edition of Activate Your Inner Jaguar that begins September 6th, or to read more about the course and about what other women are saying about Activate your Inner Jaguar, go to https://kimberlyannjohnson.com/sessions/.

In this episode, Kimberly and Catherine discuss their personal experiences of perimenopause and menopause. Catherine shares how her identity as a holistic health practitioner and educator initially conflicted against her need for allopathic medical treatment or HRT, hormone replacement therapy, which has been life-changing through her experience of menopause. Together, they discuss symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and how menopause changes pelvic health, business, sex, and relationships. Menopause serves as a season that invites us inward while disrupting areas in our lives that need shifted. They also discuss how today’s generation of menopausal women are disrupting the narratives around this life-changing initiation.   Bio Catherine Hale is a UK-based practitioner and educator. She is trained in Sexological Body Work, Tantra, Sexual Shamanism and supports clients collectively and individually around trauma, sex, pelvic health, nervous system regulation, money, business, and more. Recently, she has publicly shared her menopausal journey as a practitioner which has helped her further support her community. She offers coaching, courses, and more on her website below. What She Shares: –Symptoms of perimenopause and menopause –Using Hormone Replacement Therapy –Radical self-care and self-love –Navigating business, sex, and relationships through menopause   What You’ll Hear: –Identifying perimenopause –Irregular cycle, change in length of cycle, hot flashes, etc. –Feeling like cognitive function dissipated during hot flashes –Debilitating hot flashes during nighttime –Difficulty as a sex, tantra, women’s health practitioner but not finding solutions –Menopausal underwear –Identity as a practitioner, belief about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) –Strong identification against HRT created sense of belonging in community –Sense of being a failure using HRT –Becoming humbled by menopause journey and HRT –Change in newer data showing not as strong link between cancer and HRT –Spiritual healer identity –Synthetic hormones versus bio-identical hormones –Dutch test to identify hormones –Radical self-care and fully caretaking of body in business –Changing relationship with business through menopause –Prioritizing body and self more fully in business –New levels of needs and organization through and post menopause –Finding new sources of energy and needs for rest –Menopause and relationships –Menopause gives blueprint for who you’re moving towards –Fear in some men around women’s power during menopause –Gap in communities for men to be supported during partners’ menopause –Vaginal and libido changes  –Creating closer relationship to vulva and internal felt senses for vaginal tissue –Misinformation in tantra trainings around sexuality and menopause –Intimacy, sexual, and spiritual communities ignoring menopausal bodies –Catherine’s offerings around nervous system, trauma, money, and more   Resources Website: https://catherinehale.co.uk/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/catherinehaleuk/

Celebrating the release of their new book Reckoning, Kimberly Ann Johnson and Stephen Jenkinson grapple with the key themes of their convergence: grief, heartbreak, culture work, elderhood, and the prevalent myth of individualism in this Me First era we find ourselves in. Three times as many people listened to their 2021 conversations (Episodes 135 and 136) than any other talk, which led to a five conversations series, an exchange of letters, and now Reckoning.   To order the book - hardback, paperback, or audiobook - go to: www.orphanwisdomschool.com/reckoning   Bullet points won't do this episode justice, so buckle in for the two-hour ride that is more in the spirit of the original conversations than about the book itself.

In this episode, Kimberly and Jen discuss financial planning and making financial decisions such as investing, budgeting, managing debt, saving for emergency funds and retirement. With recent inflation and a possible upcoming recession in addition to ethics of equity, many feel overwhelmed by their personal finances moving them into a state of freeze. Jen provides practical steps towards mapping out a budget, paying off high-interest debt, and creating savings. Jen also discusses how she works with clients individually and her upcoming 12 week financial planning program for entrepreneurs.   Bio Jen Mayer is a Brooklyn-based mother of two, financial counselor, and former doula with a vast background in the wellness industry. She currently works with clients by offering non-judgemental financial counseling such as paying down debt, planning for retirement, in addition to other major life changes such as starting a business or having a child. Jen can be contacted through her Instagram and website linked below.   What She Shares: –Inflation and the current US market –Overwhelming debt –Saving, investing and emergency funds –Shame and freeze around finances –Profit Foundations 12 week financial planning course   What You’ll Hear: –Transition from doula work and agency to finance –Personal finance counselor and coach –Debt management, financial foundations, retirement, savings, and more –Non-judgemental support, shame around finance –Advocacy in finance –Offered free counseling sessions –Financial trauma and shame –Navigating ideals around money and real-world contexts –Retirement needs within the US –Anti-capitalism and individual preferences and comfort around money –Investing, owning and other decisions around money –Emergency funds for 3-6 months living expenses –Distinction between savings and hoarding –Saving with a plan instead of hoarding –Cash losing value from inflation –Stock market depreciating  –Possible upcoming recession  –Uncertainty around current economy –Investments waiting for financial rebound –High interest debt over 6-7% –Opportunity for investments –Paying off debt as rates go up –Ambivalence around entrepreneurship  –Fixed expenses, variable expenses, debt and savings –More leeway in increasing income versus cutting spending –Managing massive amounts of debt –Nervous system responses to debt –Aggressive strategies for more financial freedom –Debt as morally neutral –Having witnessing and accountability to personal finances –Getting a personal banker and an advisor –Understanding different roles of financial professionals –Profit Foundations: 12 week financial program –Self-employment finances –Program for personal finances, business projections, tax strategy and retirement –Benefits of one-to-one sessions versus group program –Investing and saving while paying off debt –High interest and low interest debt –Investment growth and debt compounds –Invest in traditional retirement account to lower student loan debt –Women having personal accounts while married and partnered Resources Website:www.fullyfundedx40weeks.com  IG: @fullyfundedx40weeks @jennyleighmayer 

In this episode, Kimberly and Alicia discuss connective tissue, states of the nervous system, dealing with chronic pain, and more. They discuss the complexities of fascia, differences between genetics and epigenetics, understanding individual dominant nervous system states, and body/mind mapping. Understanding the differences between physiological stress versus emotional stress as well as the importance of consciously and specifically paying attention to pain can help us begin to understand how to manage it better.   Bio Alicia has over 35 years of experience in the fitness industry and holds a B.S. in Exercise Science and Sports Studies. A longtime movement enthusiast, Alicia has studied, practiced, and taught many different types of movement throughout her career. She is the Founder of the Fajardo Method of Holistic Biomechanics which teaches movement education and motor re-patterning in conjunction with nervous system awareness. She teaches various kinds of classes and has an upcoming workshop which can be accessed by the link below. What She Shares: –Composition of Fascia –Ehlers-Danlos syndrome –Genetics versus epigenetics –Place and grid cells –Working with chronic pain –Physiological versus emotional stress   What You’ll Hear: –Syndrome longer lasting consequences affect autoimmune system –Ehlers-Danlos syndrome as connective tissue disorder can go through all layers of tissues –Can occur in muscular, joint, organ, vascular system(s) –Attacks in different ways for different people –Different types of testing to determine syndrome –Perceptual experiences of symptoms –Fascia made up of collagen, elastin, glycoproteins and protoglycans –Ground substance in fascia –Dominant state of nervous system determines ground substance –Body weight distribution dependent upon dominant state of nervous system –Nervous system state determines mineral absorption and digestion –Hypermobility and developing support for joints –Getting valve system to move –Creating dominant parasympathetic motor patterns versus sympathetic motor reflex –Genetics versus epigenetics –Genetic has dominant or receptive expression from parents’ genes –Genetic expression has to do with mutation of a gene –Epigenetics deals with genetic expression –Epigenetics internal or external environment can potentially change gene expression –EDS can be both genetic or epigenetic –Many mental health issues connected to hyper-sympathetic nervous system –Emotional stress versus physiological stress –Physiological stress is sympathetic nervous system –Emotional stress causing conflict to conscious and unconscious brain firing off sympathetic nervous system –Vagus nerve and adaptability to sympathetic and parasympathetic –Trigeminal nerve largest nerve in body, controls brain and senses –All nerves have roles in either sympathetic or parasympathetic states –Paying attention to bodily sensations doesn’t create brain map –Paying attention to external environment to communicate safety to brain –Proprioception and greater movement orientation –Brain map –Sensation and location awareness –More movement and dynamic and parasympathetic –Exercises for mapping –Keeping awareness between two points on body –Different stages of states and conservation of energy –Emotional Anatomy by Stanley Keleman –Observing and being very specific about what’s happening in body with EDS –Bodies constantly changing –Avoiding labels when understanding pain –Losing body’s adaptability when labeling –Attachment to diagnoses and labeling –Symptoms dependent on nervous system states difficult to diagnose and treat from medical perspective –Adapting sympathetic activation to be appropriate to environment –Brain assessing environment to determine appropriate state –Physiological responding to environment instead of emotional state –Teaches various classes and upcoming workshops   Resources Website: https://fajardomethodmovement.com/

In this collection of testimonials, Jaguar course alumni speak about how the Jaguar work and community have supported their journey of healing trauma and widening their capacity to actively and presently engage with life. As Kimberly and her team prepare for the next round of Jaguar, this testimony speaks beautifully to the type of experience you might find in the upcoming 6-week course "Activate Your Inner Jaguar - Somatic Healing Through Movement." To sign up for the Movement Edition of Activate Your Inner Jaguar that begins July 12, or to read more about the course and about what other women are saying about Activate your Inner Jaguar go to kimberlyannjohnson.com/jaguar-moves. Bios Kimberly Chan Ko is from Southern California. Mother of a  2 year old girl and 8 year old puppy son, She is an Ophthalmologist who now enjoys teaching physicians how to start ketamine infusion clinics and content marketing. We will hear about Kimberly’s discovery of how societal programming and cultural pressures influenced many of her life desisicions — ones that were based out of fear.  Her newly discovered sense of grounding and assertiveness has affected her decision making, which now comes more from her gut and is less about people pleasing.   Nadia was born and raised in Russia, and lived her adult years in the US, Costa Rica and Thailand. She is currently improvising her way out of a dark period of deconstruction into a more aligned, authentic version of self. On this journey that's happening through the body, Nadia found in Kimberly's work the kind of help and trustworthiness she's been looking for. Bianca Alana Bauer daughter of Silvia Veronica is a single parent of 2 and craft salon owner in Wichita Kansas. Bianca describes a transformational hair cut inspired by orientation work in Jaguar!  I hope you will enjoy indulging in her vivid descriptions of finding new-found pleasure with cooking in her kitchen, as much as I did.  It is a true sensory experience. 

In this episode, Kimberly and Kate discuss navigating the physical, spiritual, and lifestyle changes of perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. They discuss the negative associations with perimenopause and menopause based on culture that condition us to view of these life cycles unfavorably. They also discuss parenting during these stages, tending to symptoms with curiosity and kindness, and using the pulls inward to bloom into seasons of second springs and second summers of life. Perimenopause and menopause can be powerful times of tending to ourselves more kindly, reintegrating and healing ourselves from previous life stages, and harnessing the power of intuition and discernment. Bio Kate Codrington is a menstrual and menopause mentor, speaker, workshop facilitator, writer, podcaster and former therapist for nearly 30 years. She is also an artist currently weaving textiles, words, story and stitch. Her first book Second Spring: the self-care guide to menopause is published by HarperCollins and she also has a variety of offerings such as yoga nidra, online classes, and more. What She Shares: —Identifying the perimenopause phase —Cultural anxieties around menopause —Defining perimenopause and menopause —Parenting while transitioning —Tending to extreme symptoms —Superpowers of menopause    What You’ll Hear: —Peri-menopause  —Cultural anxieties surrounding peri-menopause —Gaining weight and losing elasticity during perimenopause —Facing mortality through menopause —Peri-menopause time to examine and let go to life that doesn’t serve us —Shedding before moving into new phase of life —Culture making menopausal women invisible contributing to anxiety  —Healthcare uninformed generally around menopause —Perimenopause defined as “around menopause” —Symptoms are changes in menstruation from what is normal —More desire to be alone —Health costs to amount of working leading up to menopause —Perimenopause time ranges between months to many years —Negative connotations associated with “postpartum” and “menopause” —Interfering versus accepting peri-menopause and menopause —Parenting during perimenopause —Stages of menopause in relation to seasons and cycles —Oxytocin encouraging sociality in direct conflict with need to withdraw during menopause —Guilt over feelings of needing alone time while parenting  —Enormous call of turning inward  —Meeting conflict of needing alone time while parenting —Differences of rhythms and slowness within family systems —Changes in relationship to sex during peri-menopause and menopause —Embracing physical changes in vaginal tissue —Staying close to pleasure, safety, and kindness sexually —Endless variations of sexuality and meeting the moment —Post-menopause as “another country” —Reconnecting and reintegrating with former teenage self  —Disorientation during losing cycles of menstruation —Ritual, journaling, honoring loss and grief  —Being tender and sweet with ourselves moment by moment —Call for attention and kindness —Severe symptoms calling for attention and kindness for treatment —Menopausal super-powers of discernment, intuition, and spirituality —Second spring and second summer of life postmenopause   Resources Website: https://www.katecodrington.co.uk/ IG: @kate_codrington

In this conversation, Kimberly and Ishita wonder together about non-dualism, embodiment, culture, ancestral heritage, and more. They discuss Ishita’s approach to non-dualism which holds both consciousness of energy while being connected to the body in the present moment. While many spiritual teachings dismiss the body, the body holds wisdom and energy, particularly through the nervous system. Ishita proposes that the nervous system is energy at its core, and we understand the energetic layers and boundaries of our nervous systems, energies, and others’. They also discuss spiritual teachings, cultural differences between India and the U.S., and varying cultural practices as evidence of universal principles.   Bio Ishita Sharma serves as a mentor, mirror and activator to those who wish to better our world. She helps them embody their truest purpose while rising beyond ego-centric paradigms through her work of Come to Center. Ishita has coached leaders from Google, Harvard, MIT, Silicon Valley startups and multinationals. Clients come to her to grow and heal through their deepest challenges and longings while held in their perfect wholeness. They include seekers and scientists, therapists and coaches, visionaries and creatives, CEOs and incarcerated youth.   What She Shares: —Non-duality and embodiment —Holding space for vulnerability and grief —Energy of the nervous system  —Culture and ancestral lineages    What You’ll Hear: --Holding space for others in grief and anger --Showing up naked and vulnerable --Recognition of one’s own suffering --Being honest and curious in the journey --Showing up vulnerable for ourselves and the moment --Non-dual awareness without spiritual bypassing --Growing up in India compared to living in the West --Dissociation, non-awakened states very problematic --Confusion around what awakening is --Many turn to spirituality to turn from trauma sometimes creating conflict --Energetics connecting with nervous system --Field to field interaction --Energy to energy interaction --Nervous system is electrical impulses --How to get with what is --Holding both particularities and universalities --Most of us lost in our ordinary minds (thoughts, emotions, physicality) --Holding messiness of being human --Body holding information versus being untrustworthy in spiritual circles --Dangers of speaking about truths that can only be experienced to be known --Masculine-focused spirituality bypassing wisdom of the body --Rejection of boundaries which should be honored (personal, interpersonal, physicality, etc) --Being in sync with what is not resisting --Over-valuing teachers and spiritual leaders --Lack of secure attachment in US culture --Lack of community, base to sit on, foundation in US culture as opposed to other cultures --Universe is here to support me not antagonize me --Lack of co-regulation in US culture --Ancestral influences in culture that lacks knowledge of ancestry --Void and absence over generations present in us now --Principles of universe across time and culture --Owning what we are ancestrally before learning others --Murmurations --Basics course for embodied meditation   Resources Website: https://cometocenter.com/

In this episode, Kimberly and Devi discuss healing trauma, embodiment, and various sexual and non-sexual healing spiritual traditions. Devi describes her background from stripping in Detroit to a spiritual journey of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism as well as various other spiritual practices and her current work of holistic sexual healing. Together, they discuss how some spiritual traditions are needed in various life stages but actually dissociate us from our bodies and pain. They discuss how trauma can be processed, healed, and repaired through Tantra practices and ultimately serve others through that wisdom and healing.   Bio Devi Ward Erickson is the Founder of The Institute of Authentic Tantra Education – the first and only government accredited professional training institute using the Tibetan Five Element Tantric practices for holistic sexual healing. She is also an ACS Certified Sexologist, Certified Tantric Healer, Certified Reiki Practitioner, Certified Meditation Instructor, and accomplished practitioner of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism. She specializes in using Authentic Tantra® and “pleasure as medicine” to awaken more joy, more pleasure, more connection, more love in every area of life. What She Shares: —Growing up as a biracial woman —Journey from stripping to becoming a monk —Tibetan Tantra practices —Sexual and non-sexual practices for healing trauma —Repairing trauma cellularly through Tantra   What You’ll Hear: –Neo-tantra, adaptation and appropriation ancient spiritual science from India thousands of years ago –Tantra originally a system of healing rooted in Africa then travelled to India –Devi shares her background as a biracial woman experiencing racial trauma and violence –Survivor of childhood domestic violence and other traumas –Tantra as path of healing and reclamation of humanity –Authentic tantra vs. neo-tantra –Regulate nervous systems through tantra, meditation, breath, and awareness –Tantra tool-kit for healing trauma with benefits of sexual pleasure –First practice of tantra is mindfulness, creating presence of body –Stigma and glorification of sex work –Serious suicide attempt as rock bottom –Devoted self to spiritual studies, herbal medicine, reiki, meditation, crystal healing, etc. –Moved to NC, took vows to become monk in Ishaya Order –Observing celibacy as part of vows –Sexuality during spiritual and yoga trainings –Describes addiction to dissociative form of meditation  –Turned to Tibetan five element tantra after experiencing health issue –”Running the elements” meditation practice as a powerful experience –Non-sexual and sexual Tibetan five element tantra  –Had to confront trauma directly for first time –Healing trauma through meditative sexual practices –Genital healing massage techniques –Boundaries in sexological body work and sexual healing traditions –Couples to be sexual healers for each other- sex with intention, focus and purpose –Intergenerational trauma, collective trauma –Creating spaciousness in body and mind to repair cells and trauma –Holding multiple truths with nervous system awareness and tantra practices –Greater capacity to hold apparent, contradictory opposites and serving others   Resources Website: https://deviwardtantra.com/ IG: @deviwardtantra

In this episode, Kimberly and Day discuss rituals and reflections for life-altering experiences. Our culture does not hold much space for processing how threshold events change us such as birth, postpartum, death, and all forms of comings and goings in our lives. Day describes what led him to his work of “Morning Altars” and newest book “Hello, Goodbye” which was a series of life-changing moments that he calls “wreckage” and how he pieced together rituals to acknowledge those experiences and their influence. Together, they discuss how to create rituals for all kinds of life moments, especially those which impact us deeply.   Bio Day Schildkret is an internationally known artist, teacher, and author. His two books “Morning Altars: A 7-Step Practice to Nourish Your Spirit Through Nature, Art, and Ritual” and “Hello. Goodbye: 75 Rituals for Times of Loss, Celebration, and Change” help readers connect with art, nature, and ritual. His work has been featured on NBC, CBS, as well as BuzzFeed, Vice, Well+Good, and more. What He Shares: –Personal roots behind “Morning Altars” work, when his mother forgot his name –Creating beauty in wreckage - Marking transitions  - He’s looking for a husband, if you know anyone! –Ritual, acknowledgement, and witnessing life’s impactful events   What You’ll Hear: –Morning Altars came from early fascination with decorating nature –Morning Altars came after break-up with partner and father’s death –Low-stakes creativity and ritual in nature –”Being wrecked” and not turning away from the endings of things –”Wreckage” deeply connected to grief and loss and turning towards it –Continuing to live while walking in the world with wreckage –Wonderment and not taking life for granted –Making meaning with life, grief, art, relationships –Experience with mother’s dementia –Transforming grief and wreckage into something beautiful –Lit candles thinking of friends and family who loved mother –Creating ritual in pain –Art is putting pieces back together to make something meaningful –”Hello, Goodbye” newest book –Rituals for endings and beginnings –Ritual doesn’t lead to answers or solutions –Handing over dream of having a child to friends through ritual –Understanding comings and goings from nervous system perspective –Unacknowledgement of threshold experiences in culture –Unwillingness to slow down and reflect especially in difficult experiences –Rituals help us reorient to what is new and changing –Marking endings and witnessing to new beginnings –Crucial aspect of being witnessed and held during threshold experiences –Ritual allowing expression of feeling and witnessing from others –Loss of ritual in culture, ancestry, and families –”Hello, Goodbye” is a cookbook to awaken capacity to make ritual   Resources Website: https://www.morningaltars.com/ IG: @morningaltars

In this testimonial episode, Jaguar course alumni Jessika and Joanna share about their experiences of being part of the Jaguar community. These testimonies speak beautifully to the type of experience you might find in the upcoming 4 week course “Jaguars Uncaged – The Anatomy of Feminine Spirituality". Learn more here.

In this testimonial episode, Jaguar course alumni Kaisa speaks about how growing her knowledge and felt sense experience of the nervous sytem has affected her life, healing, and lens of the world. As Kimberly and her team prepare for the next round of Jaguar, this testimony speaks beautifully to the type of experience you might find in the upcoming 4 week course "Jaguars Uncaged – The Anatomy of Feminine Spirituality". Learn more here.

In this testimonial episode, Jaguar course alumni Michelle speaks about how the Jaguar work and community have supported her journey of healing trauma and widening her capacity to actively and presently engage with life. As Kimberly and her team prepare for the next round of Jaguar, this testimony speaks beautifully to the type of experience you might find in the upcoming 4 week course "Jaguars Uncaged – The Anatomy of Feminine Spirituality". Learn more here.  

In this episode, Kimberly and Melissa discuss Melissa’s several books, including "Girlhood" and "Body Work". They discuss writing personal experiences and its impact on close relationships, as well as mother/daughter dynamics, writing as a medium for processing shame and trauma, and cultural responses to women’s stories of coming of age, consent, trauma, sex work, and more.    Bio Melissa Febos is an author and an assistant professor at the University of Iowa, Nonfiction writing program. She is author of four books, including the nationally bestselling essay collection, “GIRLHOOD,” which is a LAMBDA Literary Award finalist and won the National Book Critics Circle Award in criticism. “GIRLHOOD” was named a notable book of 2021 by NPR, Time, The Washington Post, and others. Her craft book, “BODY WORK” (2022), was also a national bestseller and an Indie Next Pick. What She Shares: –Experiences writing books about self, sex, and traumas –Family responses to writing –Cultural responses to stories of sex, shame, etc. –Writing as part of reparative process –Newest book Body Work   What You’ll Hear: –Power of story-telling –Openness of media and culture for book like Girlhood –Bringing topics of sex and affirmative consent on national television –Experiences of stalker and associated traumas –Doing the difficult work for self and relationships –Experience of cuddle parties and consent –Awareness and consent as a life’s work –Process of writing and remembering –Love and tenderness for past selves –Mother’s experience of reading book about harm and adolescence –Complexities of trauma for girls, women, and mothers –Difficulties of traumatic experiences for mothers and daughters –Mothers’ experiences knowing details of daughters’ trauma –Process of writing narrative fueling healing with privacy before publishing –Taking time necessary for writing –Victim-blaming regarding sexual assault –Quick to suppress personal desires in relation to others’ –Conflicts in female friendships building resiliency and love –Social conditioning for girls to please others over selves –Bodies, aspirations, talents as an “affront to femininity” –Experience becoming a sex worker –Internal conflicts due to second-wave feminism –Feeling safe exploring parts of sexual self through dominatrix work –Backlash from community after publishing experience in sex work –New book Body Work   Resources Website: https://www.melissafebos.com/ IG: @melissafebos 

In this episode, Kimberly and Gil discuss human anatomy and Gil’s years of dissection projects and publications. Gil offers a wealth of information he has learned about the body through his dissection work and how his reverence for the human form fuels his projects. Specifically, they discuss various aspects of fascia, nerve trees, adipose tissue, and more, as well as how culture both politicizes the body and dispossesses various aspects of it, perhaps leading to a larger spiritual issue and evolution of our time.   Bio Gil Hedley, Ph.D., earned a doctorate in theological ethics from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, and also became a Certified Rolfer at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, CO. His combined interests and training has supported his personal exploration of the human body to develop an integral approach to the study of human anatomy. Through hands-on human dissections courses in the laboratory and lecture presentations, he has encouraged thousands of fellow "somanauts" to appreciate, explore and embody the wonders of human form. He has published a number of books, created online access through livestream courses to the wonders of the dissection process, and produced The Integral Anatomy Series, a set of four feature-length videos documenting my whole body, layer-by-layer approach through on-camera dissection. His current project, Anatomy from A to Z, is a comprehensive and inspiring year-long exploration of two forms through the Integral Anatomy lens. What He Shares: –Dissection and anatomy projects –Complexities of nerves and fascia –Differences between male and female forms –Difference between natural tears and incisions –Spiritual components of dissection work –Dispossession and politicization of the body in culture   What You’ll Hear: –Explains Anatomy from A-Z Project –Comprehensive archive of human body recorded –Dissected bones, muscles, tissues, and vasculature on camera –Shares experience dissecting cadaver –Traumatic experience over dissection work and had to adjust emotionally –Intentionally making body connection through dissection work –Connection with families of donors of bodies for project –Learned accidents, traumas, various issues, and emotional experience regarding donors –Nerves are structural, have physical context (not abstract) –”Underdog fascia” and multilayered fascia –Native connective tissue density –IT band structures –Emotional components associated with superficial fascia –Female form has denser, deep fascia and thicker, superficial fascia generally –Dispossession of fat as suppression of feminine in our culture –Culture has problematized and medicalized birth disrupting the process –Traumatized doctors try to control birth to avoid ongoing trauma related to death –Psychological pall thrown over women give impression not capable of birthing –Tears in birth assist with natural process –Episiotomies damage nerves in ways that natural tears do not –Increase in tears and severity in connection with culture –Oversimplification of tissues and meanings such as vagus nerve –How he came to dissect genitals –Took years of dissecting to find erectile tissues of clitoris –Wants to film nerve system dissection, process important –Vaginal work with reverence –From PTSD to helping others process anatomy work –Group processing and shared experiences assisting in dissection work –Energetic relationship to forms –Experiencing the whole form –Self-acceptance and rejection of cultural standards –Politicization of bodies and spiritual problem in identity politics   Resources Website: gilhedley.com

In this testimonial episode, Jaguar course alumni Kyra Lehman speaks about her experience as a dancer, mother, filmmaker and with disability. As Kimberly and her team prepare for the next round of the course, this testimony speaks beautifully to the type of experience you might find in the upcoming Activate Your Inner Jaguar course.

In this episode, Stan, and Kara discuss their new co-authored book “Baby Bomb: A Relationship Survival Guide for New Parents.” Many couples experience new challenges in their relationship after the birth of a new baby and need tools and support for navigating these common issues. They discuss “primitives” and “ambassadors” as terms for people in relationship, maintaining presence and attention during sex, and the importance of committing to shared values as a relationship buoy during the postpartum period where both parents, and especially the birthing partner, are pushed to new edges.    Bio Dr. Stan and Kara Hoppe, M.A. co-authored Baby Bomb: A Relationship Survival Guide for New Parents. Baby Bomb is based on the premise that successful partnering is the first step for couples to become successful parents. Kara Hoppe has an M.A. in Clinical psychology, and is a feminist, mother, and teacher. Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT is a teacher, clinician, researcher, and developer of the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy® (PACT). Stan has written dozens of academic articles and six bestselling books. What They Share  --Primitives vs. Ambassadors in relationships --Managing stress during the postpartum period --Nurturing relationship while nurturing baby --Sexual re-negotiations postpartum --Witnessing and tending to after a new baby   What You’ll Hear --How a baby changes a relationship and maintaining it --”Primitives” run show when stress is present and operate on more primitive instincts --What keeps us behaving properly is a shared idea of why we do what we do --Tendencies under stress to act and react automatically instead of pausing and reflecting --Pro-self vs. pro-relationship --Primitive as lower-brain functions and ambassadors as part of brain that correct errors, predict, plan, mediate impulses and emotion --Helping couples create shared space where both people can be themselves with safety and security --Both partners push and agree to limits and boundaries --Acknowledging and starting dialogue when one is feeling neglected or disconnected --Nurturing couple relationships as priority along with parenting --Using inclusive language to mitigate difficult conversations in relationship --Stress and transition of new child on relationship --Working preventatively on relationships --Any physical contact is meaningful for a stressed relationship postpartum --Sex renegotiations in relationship after a child --Presence, attention, curiosity with the partner enhances love-making and relationship satisfaction --Grieving process of loss of two-person couplehood versus becoming parents --Readjust to reality of emotions, body, libido changing after a baby --Witnessing individual and partner developmental changes as one would with the baby --Libido as life force energy and emotional energy --Libidinal energy is a concern for parenting and in partnerships --First 18 months of development critical and consistent contact for right-brain --Equality can’t mean sameness in postpartum; Birthing person needs more care postpartum --Partner offering care, comfort, and resources to birthing partner --Being okay with feeling vulnerable and being needy postpartum --Biologically mother regulates baby and partner regulates mother --Pair-bond to raise baby together with both parents --Attachment orientation differences in couples therapy --Gender stereotypes in sexual desire and couples therapy --”Bids” in postpartum where one seeks out connection from partner  --Purpose over feeling and principles that protect us from whimsy of our feelings --Importance of humility and acknowledging wrong-doing in partnerships and families --Relationships as practice   Resources Website: https://www.karahoppe.com/baby-bomb-book IG: @karahoppe @drstantatkin

In this episode, Kimberly and Kate discuss regenerative cooking, the GAPS (Gut And Psychological/Physiological Syndrome) diet, and healing through building and regenerative foods. Kate explains the origin of the GAPS diet and its impact on children with autism, as well as what foods the GAPS diet uses, They also discuss how regenerative cooking is important for vaginal health and other women’s health issues and experiences, ancestral lineages of meat and plant nutrition, and how to introduce probiotic foods into your diet. Kate is teaching a free upcoming class as well as offering a new course starting in March.   Bio Kate Pope is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and founder of Regenerative Cooking School. Regenerative Cooking School teaches people the foundations of therapeutic cooking providing recipes, cooking instructions, 1:1 sessions, group coaching, and classes. The GAPS Diet, or GAPS Nutritional Protocol rebuilds a damaged gut using animal fats and proteins, homemade probiotic foods, seasonal fruits and vegetables, nourishing liquids and a variety of lifestyle-based detoxification methods so that you can heal the root cause of your disease. What They Share  –What the GAPS diet is –How to implement GAPS diet –Women’s health and the gut –Kate’s upcoming cooking class   What You’ll Hear –GAPS protocol –GAPS syndrome address Gut AND Psychology/Physiology Syndrome –Use food to rebuild gut lining, homemade fermented foods to rebalance microflora in gut –Microbiome working healthily improved cognition in children with autism –Different approaches to implementing diet for children (cold turkey & gradual) –Women’s health issues –Autoimmune problems, bacterial overgrowth, vaginal issues, etc. –Vaginal infections related to gut microbiome –Antibiotics wipe out beneficial flora and create environment for candida  –Important to use probiotic foods when taking antibiotics –Candida (yeast) needs to be consumed to balance microbiome of vagina and gut –Elimination diets vs. rebuilding through GAPS protocol –Meat stock, organ meats, egg yolks, etc. to repair gut lining with homemade probiotic foods –GAPS timeline should be 3 months to 2 years to implement consistently –Sourcing locally and knowing farmer’s feeding –Ethical concerns around eating meat –Vegan diets never existed ancestrally  –Closer to equator lineages tend to eat more plants –Can source meat ethically  –Building foods (meat and meat products) vs. cleansing foods (plants) –Kate shares feeling sad and connecting to diet –Eating raw egg yolks (yogurt, kefir, raw milk) –Kate eats half cup of fat a day, 6-8 egg yolks, 32 oz kefir, ghee –GAPS diet slow and steady bringing in powerful, healing foods –Slowly introducing probiotics and probiotic food depending on how one reacts individually –Introduce new foods slowly for 5 days then introduce more –Kate’s offerings Resources Website: www.regenerativecookingschool.com IG: @thewildnutritionist

In this episode, Kimberly and Octavia discuss Octavia’s upcoming book “Pause, Rest, Be: Stillness Practices for Courage During Times of Change.” Octavia describes her relationship to rest, stillness, and restoration, and the circumstances in her life that led her to honoring the importance of rest. They discuss how many of us assume fast-paced lives and are often confronted with our own challenges around rest during early postpartum. They also discuss how meaningful rest is deeply restorative and invites us to understand our most authentic selves.   Bio Octavia Raheem is an author, yoga teacher, and proud mother and wife. She has received national attention for her work training yoga teachers and diversifying the yoga industry and has been featured in Yoga Journal, Mantra Magazine, and more. She is the author of “Gather” and her upcoming book “Pause Rest Be: Stillness Practices for Courage During Times of Change.” She is committed to being well-rested and free. What She Shares: –Importance of modeling rest for family –What meaningful rest is –How Octavia developed relationship to rest –How upcoming book discusses prioritizing rest during pandemic   What You’ll Hear: –Being mothers, authors, running businesses –Describes modeling rest practices for son and family –Rest is fuel –Restorative practices –Living with the pause –Learned importance of taking better care of self through motherhood –Finding rest during the never-ending “to do” list –Former public school teacher, Cross-Fitter, power yoga practitioner, yoga teacher –Describes experiencing condition and hospitalization from overworking, dehydration, and overworking muscles –Describes worrying in hospital over working and responsibilities –Nurse introduced her to rest, stillness, and pausing –Devotion to rest was conceived in the hospital –How postpartum experience forces us to slow down and question our relationship to rest –Rest as a lover –Discovering authentic self in a place asking nothing from me –Simple rest practice: sit for one minute, notice, and feel –Book describes rest situated during pandemic –Reading of excerpt from upcoming book –An invitation into the pause –Power of transmission through words to rest and pause –Accessing rest in a plethora of ways –Describes beginning book about “endings,” writing in June 2020 –Endings always before beginnings and becoming –Collective and communal honorings of endings   Resources Website: https://octaviaraheem.com/ IG: @octaviaraheem

In this episode, Kimberly and Bethany discuss “The Lost Daughter” (2021) which follows Leda (Olivia Colman), a middle-aged woman on holiday in Greece as she recalls her experiences as a wife, professor, and mother. The film has received much critical and popular attention, but particularly caught the attention of Bethany Saltman, researcher of attachment, for its complex and nuanced perspective into Leda’s experience as a mother. Together, Kimberly and Bethany analyze the film from their backgrounds in attachment, somatic experiencing, and nervous system perspectives. Bethany and Kimberly discuss the film on a live Zoom call.   Bio Bethany Saltman is a longtime researcher, writer, Zen student, and author of “Strange Situation: A Mother’s Journey into the Science of Attachment,” a book that explains the research and theories behind attachment in addition to describing Bethany’s own complex relationship with parenting. Additionally, “The Lost Daughter,” directed by Maggie Gyllenhall, is the visual adaptation of the novel written by Elena Ferrante, premiered on Netflix on December 31, 2021 with Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris, and more. What She Shares: –Why Bethany and Kimberly wanted to discuss the film –How the film portrays motherhood and humanness in its complexity  –Conflict, messiness, and resisting binaries in womanhood and motherhood –Symbolism of various aspects of the film   What You’ll Hear: –Bethany’s background and interest in the film –Split between staying connected to self and child –Desire and motherhood –How film relates to human experience –Physicalness of motherhood portrayed in the film –Leda and young mother’s fascination with each other –Physical differences between younger Leda and older Leda –Who is the lost daughter? –Differences between fathers and mothers leaving children –What makes us feel found versus lost? –Why Leda takes the doll –All characters searching to be found –Containment of feeling found –Pendulum between lost and found/attached and contained –Doll as a compulsion, wish fulfillment, trying to go deep into meanness –Crippled by shame causing a dorsal reflex –Layering of sexuality between Leda and Nina –Symbolism of the snake, doll, and worm –Generational attachment is unbreakable (despite pain, trauma, etc) –Ending of Leda being dead or alive –What makes Leda “alive, actually” –Daughter calling Leda after bad haircut demonstrates attachment –Resisting cultural urge to label Leda as good/bad –Village-mindedness versus isolated parenting –Trauma within the film, flashbacks within films as constricting –Trauma as a catch-all for stress, meaningful experiences, etc. –Puritanical demand for everything to be good and if not it is traumatic/wrong –Leaving space for messiness, complexity, contradictions, and ambivalence in human experience –Leda not as a traumatized human, just as a human –Trauma narrative has become another cliche or attempt to understand difficulty and complexity –Assumptions of lack of resilience in cultural understandings   Resources Website: bethanysaltman.com IG: @bethany_saltman

In this episode Kimberly and Marisa discuss vocalizing, breathing, and various similarities between singing and somatics. Marisa shares her evolution as a singer and how somatics, embodiment, and understanding her nervous system was fundamental to embracing her natural sound. They also describe how they began working with each other, how creating sound is an embodied practice, and various ways to create our own authentic sound both mechanically and metaphorically.   Bio Marisa Michelson is a composer, vocal coach and accomplished award winner at the nexus of theatre, experimental music, opera, new music, and improvisation. She is the Director and Founder of Constellation Chor, has taught various renowned workshops, earned her B.F.A. from NYU in Musical Theater, and is a former yoga instructor. Marisa is currently working on her upcoming book “Free: The Embodied Metaphysics of Singing” as well as various workshops that combine vocalizing and nervous system healing.    What She Shares: –Her background in singing and performing –Similarities between singing and somatic experiencing –Bodily mechanics and spiritual metaphors of vocalizing –Voice pitch and gender/authority  –How our sounds are ancestral   What You’ll Hear: –Language similarities between somatic experiencing, embodiment, and vocalizing/singing –Kimberly and Marisa discuss their lessons together –Background in singing, music, and theatre –Coming home to self before performing as a break from tradition in singing/performing –Singing as a genuine way of connecting with self and embodied practice –Paradigm shift while working with singers and composing music after new embodied practice –Founding and codifying music and somatics –Differences in voice pitch in relation to gender and authority –Bodily experience of owning and accepting one’s own voice –Practice of valuing what comes out authentically and is internal not changing for external –Various breathing practices prioritize particular ways to breathe but depends on flexibility and context –Having presence and self-awareness with whatever emotions come in singing, speaking, living –Element of control in breathing doesn’t allow free relationship to own voice and sound –Authentic expression –Practice “letting go” of breath instead of controlling –Infinite ways for diaphragm to move with sound –Touch and gentle tapping in breath-work for more subtle movement of diaphragm –Magic in the letting go and surrendering of breath and less of controlling in big inhaling of the breath –Existing in a gentler space through breath –Ancestral sounds and imitation versus authenticity –Lack of ritual and ceremony in community in hyper-individualistic culture –Bringing attention to the body and honoring the body –Infinite human sounds existing in our bodies –Our bodies and sounds are ancestral –Artists Marisa enjoys –Music genres as cultures –Upcoming classes and workshops on voice and nervous system   Resources Website: https://www.marisamichelsonvocalstudio.com/

In this episode, Kimberly and Kathleen discuss connections between birth, trauma, and breastfeeding. As a researcher and writer on these subjects, Kathleen describes much of her research that centers around birth-related trauma, how trauma affects breastfeeding, as well as secondary trauma experienced by providers and birth workers. They discuss the importance of oxytocin as an antidote to stress, particularly during the early postpartum period. In addition, they discuss how many mothers, care providers, and birth workers experience secondary trauma within labor and delivery units and the importance of more substantial support and postpartum care for mothers.   Bio Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and the Owner and Editor-in-Chief of Praeclarus Press, a small press specializing in women's health. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Psychological Trauma and was Founding Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Lactation. She is Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Health and Trauma Psychology, Past President of the APA Division of Trauma Psychology, and the chair-elect of APA’s Publications and Communications Board. Dr. Kendall-Tackett specializes in women's-health research including breastfeeding, depression, trauma, and health psychology, and has won many awards for her work including the 2019 President’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Trauma Psychology from the American Psychological Association. Dr. Kendall-Tackett has authored more than 470 articles or chapters and is author or editor of 40 books.   What She Shares: --Breastfeeding after trauma --Need for more adequate breastfeeding and postpartum care and support --Increasing oxytocin amidst stress and trauma --Mothers’ mental health --Secondary trauma experienced by providers and professionals --Plans and hope for future generations in birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding support   What You’ll Hear: --Connections between trauma and breastfeeding --Birth trauma impacts two key hormones in breastfeeding --Important to honor mother’s wishes around breastfeeding --Seeing trauma as opportunity for extra breastfeeding support instead of limiting it --Being careful not to put negative expectations on breastfeeding after trauma --In 80s started identifying birth trauma as factor of postpartum depression --Trauma and context when identifying women’s mental health --Uptick in preterm births related to anxiety, stress, and depression --Fish oil/DHA in reducing risk of preterm birth --Three part stress system: Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal glands --Inflammatory response system also connected to mental health and preterm birth --Oxytocin as a stress fighter which is why breastfeeding is beneficial for mother --Supporting women’s decisions and goals for breastfeeding --Tending to our bodies to feel hormonal surges and differences of baby/partner touch --Understaffed lactation consultants in hospital causing lack of support --Study shows epidurals related to lower rates of exclusively breastfeeding --Study of epidurals related to more depression despite other common factors --Postpartum hemorrhage, postpartum surgery, and epidurals all linked to postpartum depression --Needs to be competency checking in with women postpartum much earlier around breastfeeding and mental health --Lack of adequate pelvic floor health --Secondary trauma happens to providers when witnessing trauma --Secondary trauma vs. professional burn-out --Obstetricians and nurse midwives secondary trauma almost always associated with baby --Labor and Delivery nurses note when providers do something or cause unnecessary harm to mothers and babies --”Moral injury” occurs when forced to participate or witnessed something you knew what wrong --”Acts of omission” (failing to stop harm) causing secondary trauma with birth practitioners --Nurses and doulas reporting witnessing harm done they wish they stopped but couldn’t --25-35% rates of secondary trauma in providers in US compared to other countries --Sanctuary trauma and institutional betrayal trauma to victims of trauma --Getting used to low-level, chronic stress and effects postpartum --Oxytocin to repair trauma --Oxytocin builders: touching a pet, infant massage, skin to skin on chest, being warm, warm bath, wanted touch, positive social interaction, etc. --Bigger goal of breastfeeding is connecting mother with baby --Importance of supporting mental health of providers --Care-providers knowing where they’re vulnerable to avoid secondary trauma --Positive ways to turn off hyper-active stress responses (omega 3s, exercise, cognitive therapy and mindfulness) --Hope for moving forward in repairing traumas and systems and reclamation of birth and postpartum --Early intervention as hope against spiraling from trauma and mental illness   Resources Website: https://www.kathleenkendall-tackett.com/ Book: https://stores.praeclaruspress.com/breastfeeding-doesnt-need-to-suck-how-to-nurture-your-baby-and-your-mental-health-by-kathleen-kendall-tackett/?showHidden=true

In this episode, Kimberly and Gina discuss Gina’s latest book, a memoir titled Blow Your House Down. Gina shares the emotions she experienced while writing a book that explores her experiences of caregiving to her parents, becoming a mother to three children, having an extra-marital affair, surviving breast cancer, and more. In this conversation, Kimberly and Gina unpack how these common stories are unfavorably received in society but also how our painful stories offer a sense of community and understanding. They also discuss various common experiences of women that are culturally taboo such as anger, eroticism, illness, and affairs and the importance of sharing our stories.   Bio Gina Frangello recently released her first memoir Burn Your House Down: A Story of Family, Feminism and Treason to critical acclaim after years of fiction- Every Kind of Wanting, A Life in Men, Slut Lullabies, and My Sister's Continent-- short fiction, essays, book reviews, and journalism have been published in Ploughshares, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, HuffPost, Fence, Five Chapters, Prairie Schooner, Chicago Reader, and many other publications. She recently founded Circe Consulting, teaches editing and writing, and lives with her family in the Chicago area.   What She Shares: --Divorce, death of parents, cancer diagnosis, extra-marital affair --Writing as both re-traumatizing and healing --Women’s anger as culturally taboo  --Themes of marriage, motherhood, caretaking, and illness --Stories of eroticism for all women not just young    What You’ll Hear: --Describes “The Story of A” --Leaving marriage, father died, diagnosed with breast cancer, having an extra-marital affair --Discusses different literary techniques used to tell life’s story --Describes giving herself permission to be vulnerable in memoir --Complexity of being both victim and having agency --Author’s choice of only including family members as stories intersect with hers --Discusses experience of writing about hardest moments in her life --Trained as a therapist --Experienced catharsis and emotional impact after readers’ feedback about memoir --The “I” as a lens that opens out to more than just writer’s story --Book as hybrid of memoir and cultural criticism --Historical look at condition of women in a larger sense --Motherhood and sexuality --Women demonized for anger throughout history --Focus on full range of emotions (anger, fear, compassion, love, desire, etc.) --Anger as a viable emotion part of human experience --Anger overly normalized in men and overly demonized in women --Moving beyond reductive casualties or binaries of good/bad --Reality is more complicated than cultural systems accept --Our choices are often driven by more than just good/bad and are complex --Discusses experience in affair, divorce, and marrying again --Describes story wouldn’t have been different if she did not marry man who had an affair with --Pushes back against critiques of story as reinforcing heteronormative marraige norms, redemption after an affair --Resists a “clean reduction of a woman” amidst messiness of life --Different possible outcomes at different stages of her story --Resists fairytale-esque assumptions about her life --Discusses care-taking of mentally ill parent, being a partner to someone with mental health issues, growing up in poverty and around violence, a woman’s experience with medical industrial complex --Overlaps of being a woman, mother, wife, lover, daughter, friend, etc. --Explosion of acceptability of writing sexuality by younger women in literary world --Older women not as acceptable to discuss sexuality or bodies of women who are mothers --Importance of including eroticism of older women, disabled women, mothers, etc. --Fetishization of younger women’s sexuality and consequences Resources Website: https://www.ginafrangello.org/ www.circeconsulting.net IG: @ginafrangello

In this round table episode, three Jaguar course alumni speak about their unique experiences participating in this deep and transformative course. As Kimberly and her team prepare for the next round of the course, these testimonies speak beautifully to the type of experience you might find in the upcoming: Jaguar Wholeness in Fractured Times: A Real World Understanding of the Nervous System and Feminine Sexuality.

In this episode, Kimberly and Richard discuss yoga, spiritual teachings, finding balance within, honoring lineages and history, and community-focused practices versus individualized ones. They discuss the impact of the pandemic on various communities such as the yoga community, acknowledging our shadow selves, and turning our individual yoga and spiritual practices to tangible ways to support and better communities and our world. This episode is rich with Richard’s wisdom and understandings of various yogic, Hindu, and Buddhist teachings and principles, his experiences traveling and learning about these lineages, and philosophies for balancing our inner and outer selves to ultimately benefit others.   Bio Richard Freeman has been practicing yoga since 1968. He has taught yoga and trained yogas all over the world. His work joins together a vast array of teachings and perspectives, in keeping with the richness of this ancient tradition. You can find more information on Richard’s teachings on his website.   What He Shares:  --Impact of pandemic --Fracturing in yoga communities --Acknowledging and finding balance between our shadow and light selves --Understanding histories and lineages in ancient traditions and practices --Teacher/student power-issues in yoga --Contributing to social good through individual practice   What You’ll Hear: --Fracturing in yoga community over pandemic --Predispositions toward polarity and fundamentalism --Opposing groups coming together over common enemy --Dealing with unknown and uncomfortable not knowing regarding pandemic --Finding common ground when understand the “other” --Pratipaksha the other wing, bhavana (contemplate the other wing) --Different obstacles where one wing is associated with heavy emotions and cause suffering, contemplate opposite wing of emotion --Practice which visualizes the other in order to cultivate empathy and understanding --Applicable for serious and miniscule problems --Mind slips anything into ego-centered --Not hurting others or yourself --Shadow sides can be projected out or not recognized within oneself --Acknowledging not suppressing shadow potential of own minds --Many yoga/spiritual practices avoid this intellectual honesty --Feel negative emotions in context with other social support to hold and observe --Embody it in a way that doesn’t destroy you or others --Discerning intuition, multiple realities, and fundamentalism --Being open to feedback --Balancing and feeling the middle path physically and intellectually --Experimenting physical practice with intellectual/interior life --Impact of social media on brain/mind/energetic system overall --Some social media beneficial in yoga world  --Ego/mind are creative and can be used for good or destruction --Social media fast-paced, scary, and mind-blowing --Done in context of ancient historical traditions of insight done slowly over thousands of years --Benefits of social media for community --Convenience and pace of convenience are part of issues regarding community, climate, etc. --Describes time in India through Middle East and Europe during 1970s --Similarities in people of different religions and traditions --Importance of understanding history in religious traditions around the world --Appropriation versus appreciation through understanding history, honoring lineage, and humility --Dynamic of teacher/student relationship in yoga --Discerning teachers, practices, and other aspects of yoga within commodification --Finding the true Teacher (Beloved) in the heart --Many teachers are attracted to power of being the expert --Good teacher encourages you to stay open minded --Epidemic of problem teachers in yoga and spiritual traditions --Hindu teachings on discernment principles --Two-wing image, supportive of each-other, because of intelligence as one --Patterns of immediate sensation giving birth to story lines and labels --Under-pinnings of practice individual work not necessarily impacting the collective --Practicing for self-improvement or for community improvement --Conceding comfort for tangible benefit of other people --Individual practice branching out to ever-expanding environments --Chant together    Resources Website: https://www.richardfreemanyoga.com/

In this episode, Kimberly and Jayson discuss solving relationship conflict through tools and practices Jayson has developed through his work. They talk about healthy relationships maintaining a comfortable baseline where all issues are addressed and resolved. Jayson describes practical ways that include listening, validating, and taking ownership of issues as skills to create long-lasting and satisfying relationships both romantic and platonic, as well as the difference between healthy relationships and codependent ones. Through using the skills Jayson describes, we can shift culture in how we relate to and validate each other.   Bio Jayson Gaddis is a relationship expert, coach, founder of the Relationship School, host of The Relationship School podcast, has an M.A. in psychology, and is a dad of two. His work includes effective coaching and provides practical tools and skills that everyone can use to impact their relationships. Jayson’s new book “Getting to Zero” can be pre-ordered through his website linked below.   What They Share  --Finding a partner willing to grow and be mutually invested --Healthy versus codependent relationships --Tools for solving heated conflicts from “Getting to Zero” --Addressing uncomfortable conversations   What You’ll Hear --Monogamy as a spiritual path for personal growth --Ask what you believe you’re wired for (one intimate partner or more) --Stereotypes of non-commital hetero men --Identify who you are and what you really want deeply --Two types of people (willing and unwilling) --Willingness is a spectrum, identify a willing person --Usually pain inspires movement and growth --Misinterpreting others’ attachment styles causes conflict --Two willing people understand attachment styles of other as a journey --Codependency doesn’t have mutual exchange --Healthy attachment is mutual effort and engagement --Many relationships have codependent element where only one person does emotional labor --New book “Getting To Zero” highlights method of working and repairing through conflict in relationship --Failed attempts of conflict resolution dealt with quick apologies and time without meaningful repair --Creating a clear, clean vibe within relationship leaving nothing unaddressed --Created School and goes into schools to work with adolescents in relational literacy --LUFU (Listening to the other Until you Feel Understood) --Validate partner’s feelings, claim ownership in partner’s issue --”That makes sense” as a validating response --One at a time, most resourced person listens first, if partner feels heard --Conflict resolution is a practice which takes time and effort --Need to relearn how to listen and speak to others while under stress --Nester-meditation (Number, Emotion, Sensation, Thought, Resource) during stress --Discomfort threshold and being okay with discomfort, shame, guilt, anger, etc. --Overly bearing emotional work for relationship undermines partner’s growth and enables them to stay stuck --Resentment signals going past responsibility in emotional work of relationship --Community to help us see our patterns --Identify healthy discomfort versus unhealthy discomfort --Understanding inner conflict and outer conflict and how they impact each other --Knowing when to bring up unresolved issues with friends and romantic relationships --High-stakes relationships with mutual investment needs truth-telling --Lead with vulnerability in difficult conversations --Becoming a competent relational leader with time and practice to handle adversity and discomfort --”Stand for three” (self, partner, and relationship) necessary for lasting relationships   Resources Website: jaysongaddis.com IG: @therelationshipschool 

In this episode, Kimberly and John discuss his newest book “The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit” which explains the differences between bullshitting, lying, and deciphering the truth. John explains many different facets of how humans are susceptible to bullshit and lying, especially from someone close or familiar to us, as well as how to have a productive conversation with someone who makes biased claims posing as truth.    Bio John V. Petrocelli is an experimental social psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Wake Forest University. His research examines the causes and consequences of BS and BSing in the way of better understanding and improving BS detection and disposal. Petrocelli’s research contributions also include attitudes and persuasion and the intersections of counterfactual thinking with learning, memory and decision making. His research has appeared in the top journals of his field including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Petrocelli also serves an Associate Editor of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.   What He Shares: —Difference between bullshitting and lying —How cross-field research is most credible —Questions to ask when someone makes a claim —Humility in seeking the truth —Seeking truth amid echo chambers and polarization    What You’ll Hear: —Difference between bullshit and lying —Liar interested in truth in order to tell a successful lie —BSer doesn’t care about truth, could state truth but BSer wouldn’t know it —Liar doesn’t believe what they’re communicating and knows they’re lying —BSer does believe in what they say —We assume BS has no harm or effects and that we cant detect it (false) --Those most confident in detecting BS are most duped by it (research shows) —Those who have strongest beliefs about something can be often most clueless about the evidence & truth --Research behind MMR vaccine and debunked link to autism —Cross-discipline agreements trend as most credible —Confirmation bias is only caring about what appears to be evidence or explanation that confirms our pre-existing beliefs or hypothesis —Preferences va attitudes —Own personal/professional experiences inform our beliefs —Data collection regarding experiences is messy and random --Information we get from personal and professional experience is often counterintuitive and not necessarily data we want to count —When people obtain good information, research shows tends to suggest people are pretty reasonable in inferences they make from information presented —-Major problem treating anecdotal, small data points of interest as much weight as we would give data on a mass scale —How do we know when something is credible? How do we tell inside of ourselves? How do we tell outside of ourselves? —Data shows only need to hear BS one time, mind tends to signal truth i —Mind signals truth is felt familiar (heard before) easily confuse familiarity with truth —Interpersonal BS (people we care about, communicate with frequently) is most potent --People we don’t communicate with is somewhat potent —Who are they? What do they know? How do they know that claim? What is their agenda? —Calling BS and being challenged on our beliefs is rare to occur especially when it’s easy to be locked into our echo chambers —Living in era where vehicles for expression, making recordings and content leads us exposed to many things an equalizer and messiness of truth and reality —Cultural ideas coming to forefront of there is no truth, everything is relative —“Gullability” (when are cues that suggest person isn’t interested in truth) —We feel obligated to have opinions on things at an expanded magnitude from previous times —Passively receiving information vs. actively sorting through information for truth —BSers use abstract explanations/heady values and reasons and less hardcore genuine evidence —HOW do you know this is true? HOW do you think this claim might be wrong? —Listening and communicating to win or prove we’re right doesn’t get us as far  —Having intellectual humility  —Tribalism we see today resembles cults —Spade for other ways of knowing, mystery, and magic —What can’t be studied or measured (“love”)   Resources Website: https://psychology.wfu.edu/about-the-department/faculty-and-staff/john-petrocelli/

In this episode, Kimberly and Stan discuss attachment theory, styles of learned attachment, and ways to maintain healthy relationships. They discuss attachment theory regarding parent-child relationships as well as romantic partners, differences between codependence and interdependent relationships, and how to work towards mutually beneficial relationships even during conflict. Tatkin believes that with proper understanding and/or coaching, all humans can sustain loving and beneficial relationships despite conflict.   Bio Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, is a clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy®. Tatkin has written many books based on his attachment and relationship work such as Wired for Love and most recently Baby Bomb. Tatkin created the PACT Institute in 2010 with his wife, Tracey Boldemann-Tatkin, PhD, to train mental health professionals to think and work through a psychobiological lens in their clinical practice.   What He Shares:  --Definition of Attachment theory --Attachment styles (Islands, Waves, and Anchors) --Co-Dependence vs. Interdependence --Single and step parenting --Handling conflict   What You’ll Hear: --Attachment theory is felt sense of safety and security of infant and primary caregiver --Secure and insecure reactions of infant, child, adult --Island, Wave, and Anchors as learned attachment behaviors --Island preoccupied with independence and autonomy --Wave encouraged to stay dependent --Co-dependence as one-way street --Interdependence as two autonomous beings in agreement of stakeholders in relationship --Healthy relationships always being two-person system, not individual  --Couples as co-architects creating culture around them --Thinking big picture in a relationship --Importance of vetting before a relationship --Focus on perfect relationship: safety & security, love & affection, admiration & growth --Relationship/children hierarchy --Single parents moving to relationships --Evolution of pair-bonding in herds --Interrupting stress patterns during conflict to remember benefits of other person --Put something in place to remind each other to keep from harming each other --Humans wired for threat, have to work through emphasizing love and benefits for individuals involved Resources website www.thepactinstitute.com IG: @drstantatkin

In this episode, Kimberly and Amanda discuss language, cultism, and community. Amanda explains aspects of her book “Cultish” to describe how religious principles still permeate much of our secular culture, how groups such as fitness brands and start-ups use language similar to cults, and how we can give ourselves and each other more flexibility in how we use language, identify with groups, and hold disagreements. Ultimately, they discuss how language is based on context, evolves over time, and requires a genuine understanding as we use it to communicate with each other.   Bio Amanda Montell is a writer, language scholar, and podcast host from Baltimore. She is the author of two critically acclaimed books: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, an indie bestseller about the language of "cults" from Scientology to SoulCycle and Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language. Amanda's books have earned praise from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Time Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and Kirkus Reviews, among others, and Amanda is currently developing Wordslut for television with FX Studios, serving as creator, writer, and executive producer. Amanda is also the creator and co-host of the comedy-cult podcast, Sounds Like A Cult. As a reporter and essayist, Amanda's writing has been featured in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, DAME Magazine, The Rumpus, and Who What Wear, where she formerly served as the Features & Beauty Editor. She holds a degree in linguistics from NYU and lives in Los Angeles with her partner, plants, and pets.   What She Shares: --How religious principles still exist in secular culture --Aspects of cults that can be harmless and harmful --How social media is cultish --Finding space in the grey areas    What You’ll Hea:r --American protestant principles infiltrates culture through finding meaning, community, transformation --Fitness brands like SoulCycle and CrossFit act as religions in a secular society --Cult definitions vary despite sensationalized media portrayals --Most cults have not been linked to criminal activity --Everyone is susceptible to cultish influence --Language clues us to cultish groups or communities --Protestant ethic deeply embedded in ideas of meritocracy and cleansing self of badness found in culture --Many cults of 60s and 70s use Evangelical concepts appropriated with Eastern religious language --Obsession with word art is similar to Protestant shift from images to text  --Buzz words from psychology, feminist politics, etc. used as codes in various communities --”Thought terminating cliches” as expressions that are easily remembered and shut down any questioning --Semantic stop-signs in conspiritualist circles --Intuition vs. facts --Admitting when we’re wrong and overwhelmed by information --No spaces culturally exist for grey areas of life --Evolving language and incredibly challenging time of reckoning what language feels inclusive and accurate --Cults aren’t always necessarily as extreme as Jonestown but can be exploitative, abusive, and trauma-inducing --Mainstream groups that function as certain dangers and exploitation --”Cult” definition is varied and nuanced --Language is dependent on context --Social media cultivating cultism in ourselves, our interests, our beliefs, etc. --Being able to recognize our full humanity outside of groups and communities   Resources Website: http://amandamontell.com/ IG: @amanda_montell

In this episode, Kimberly and Eliza discuss intergenerational relationships, mother-daughter healing, and navigating parent-child dynamics during the preteen and teenage years in order to cultivate more conscious, self-loving, and resilient children. Eliza discusses how she began this work, alongside her mother, Sil Reynolds, as a teenager. They discuss the need for parents to have intergenerational support while parenting and for teens, holding space for rapid developmental changes and intensity through the teen years, and pushing back on negative cultural stereotypes of preteens and teens in order to raise more empowered youth.   Bio Eliza Reynolds is a best-selling author, speaker, and professional mentor. She’s the coauthor, with her mom, Sil, of Mothering and Daughtering: Keeping Your Bond Strong Through the Teen Years. For almost 15 years, Eliza has been facilitating sold-out workshops for thousands of mothers and their preteen and teen daughters, and now offers online and in-person mentorship programs teaching emotional intelligence, embodiment, body literacy, and more for big-hearted preteen and teen girls at Badass Girls. What They Share  --Need for intergenerational support for parents and children --How cultural stereotypes of teen girls impact them --Commonalities between teens and toddlers development --Mature mentorship --Healthy resistance and how to hold space for it from preteens and teens   What You’ll Hear --Describes writing book and teaching with mother at 15 --”Full body yes” to teach and facilitate --Dominant culture “mom bashing” from teens and culture --Sil always looking for mentors, intergenerational village for Eliza --Cultural degradation of teenage girls --Not normalizing parents feeling overwhelmed and isolated --False, harmful narrative that teen parenting is only hardship --Preteens and teens need intergenerational village of support --Parents can’t bridge intergenerational gap with teens without the village --Underestimate fracturing of extended family, place, and impact on parent-child --Healthy mentorship and positive power dynamics --”Daughtering” as being active in relationship with your parent --Growing between healthy independence and healthy dependence --Negative stories/stereotypes we tell teen girls about themselves often come true --Sil would never trash talk Eliza to other people --Teenage girls as fiercely loyal, loving, kind, radically inclusive with support --Mothers need other mother/mentor support in community raising preteens and teens together --Children surrounded by peers in toxic mom-bashing culture  --Dual shift parents getting parenting in community and mentorship and daughter getting healthy peer community and mentorship --Teens starve for mentorship and want to be in stable and grounded community mirrors back their magic --Badass Girls Academy supports parents and daughters --Pushing through the resistance as parents --Commonalities in parenting, attachment, and rapid development in toddlers and teens --Preteen and teen “tantrums” because of brain development, psyche, hormones, etc. remembering they are not adults yet --Being safe harbor and adult through teen tantrums --Empowering young people to have more conscious relationships to make home easier and less conflict --Building skill-set to consciously communicate through practicing with mentors, scripts, body-centering techniques, etc. --Holding boundaries and containment around preteens and teens --Safety still really important with this age group --Working with healthy resistance as parents, pushing up ways against similarities and differences as parent --Feel safety with parents to express themselves and not taking it personally as parents --Helping teens navigate resistance and intensity --Holding true space for their ‘no’ in order to hold true space for their ‘yes’ --Badass Academy is program private app and community curated by professional mentors all online, monthly themes, being more invested in radical responsibility of respecting and loving yourself   Resources Website: https://badassgirls.me/ IG: @eliza.feelings

In the second of two episodes, Kimberly and Stephen discuss the roles of parents, grandparents and godparents in raising children. They attend to what might be some of the consequence of this gross fracturing of a sense of commons in the surge of conspiracy theories. And they wander through the territory of elderhood, grief, and awakening in a hope-free world.      What You'll Here: —The role of parenting —Grandparenting is not elder hood —Elderhood or grandparenting or godparenting —Opioids- the longing after beauty- “anesthetic” —Seeking not after approval but for blessing —If you choose to choose the world or you, give them to the world —Parents are in charge of custodial duties- the janitors —Closeness and intimacy belies the suspicion of distance —What was everyone on about before there was a vaccine —Euthanasia is consistent with death-phobia  —A personal truth? and the I-focus —Conception of God, the serenity prayer —Crisis- the imagined possibilities are frayed and are no more —There’s a clarity comes with crisis that obliges you that’s not available when you are feeling fine —Grief and brokenheartedness in a culture that believes in wholeness only —Fundamental addiction to self-determination —Consequence of this gross fracturing of a sense of commons will last far longer than the conspiracy itself —Heartbreak is how you cleanse yourself of prejudices, you do not rid yourself of them —Origin of our capacity for gratitude —Labor on behalf of a better day without hope —We don’t need people who have an answer for everything —A healthy respect for the unknown  —Meaning of the word “Awake”- of the web of consequence that fanned out from everything you did and did not do, and you did and did not say —What is the sound upon awakening that we make?

In this first of two episodes, Kimberly and Stephen look at what happens when we normalize these uniquely troubled times, as well as how we got here. Together they wonder about grief, parenting, elderhood, me-first culture and conspiracies in times of crisis. Stephen places emphasis on how relationship to history informs our present circumstance and meaning making. What do we gain by normalizing times such as these? Where does health come from? How do we reckon with our me-first world in a time so desperate for community and culture?   What You’ll Hear --Plague is not an easy thing to normalize, 1919 is the last time --Spirit work is a response to troubles of the times, not freedom from the troubles of the times --How wisdom is distinguished from prejudice --Our spirit work is our response to the world, not our feeling tone about the world --A puritan about your own fundamentalism --The last thing a conspiracy theorist does is imagine that their conspiracy is conspiratorial --Mania of challenging everything rarely gets challenged --Culture orchestrated around appealing to and buying and selling to 17 year olds- inherited from the 60s --What do our kids do with what we’ve given to them --Etymology of the word Fate- from the Latin word from the verb “to speak” What the Gods had said.” --Now that the Gods have spoken, what shall you do- what are the obligations? --Origin of the concept of “bucket list” --Skillfulness or ability to be good, “good” is not a temperature of your character or indwelling possession  --Where does your health come from? --What happens if we imagine that the differences between us are problems to solve? --You are incapable of generating the meaning of your life --The meaning of your life is assembled when you die, what a village minded person owns their neighbors --You don’t get to know your legacy, it’s not yours, it’s the consequence of your death --Your act of dying is your last act of citizenship --The word “therapeo” to cure, you require a malady --Preoccupation with self is the principle malady of the times --What’s the source of the enthronement of the self and social media --Elderhood as a check-and-balance on the regime of self-absorption --What will happen if you don’t know how to die? --Death as a great act of humanity and its fullest incarnation or an insult to humanity --Willingness to work is a casualty of the “me first” movement --The moral quandary of having children --Inclusivity is a blowing apart of the capacity to distinguish, inclusivity shames discernment --Culture work versus personal work --Dominant culture of North American founded by flight risks, people on the run, casualties --"The world" doesn't exist, place does Resources Website: www.orphanwisdom.com

In this episode, Kimberly and Gay discuss his revolutionary term “upper limit problem,” which describes when a person’s capacity for feeling positive emotions is immediately followed by conflict or a dip. They also discuss how Gay discovered this phenomena and his life’s work regarding relationship building, aligning oneself with pure consciousness, and his passion for helping people discover their “genius” or true creativity. Gay discusses his experience being a thought leader of transformational psychology early in academia and mainstream culture and his thoughts on being an elder in today’s society.     Gay Hendricks is a psychologist, author of forty books (including “The Big Leap” and “Conscious Loving”), teacher, and therapist on all things regarding relationships and body-mind transformation. He received his PhD from Stanford University in Counseling Psychology and taught for twenty years at University of Colorado. With his wife, Dr. Kathleen Hendricks, he founded The Hendricks Institute where they coach teachers and conduct workshops on relationships and wellness. They have been featured in a number of radio and television shows as well as many conferences and seminars.     What He Shares: --Gay’s personal awakening in mid 20s --The Upper Limit Problem --The Genius Zone --Embracing all emotions and opening towards pure consciousness --Relationships for mutual healing --Discovering your true genius and creativity     What You’ll Hear: --Describes beginning of academic career from PhD studies to professorship --Negative fantasy that caused worry despite feeling good and being successful --Growing up overweight and body image issues with dieting --Turning point moment of pure consciousness recognized blocking of negative emotions with food --Opening significant new territory within ourselves is major life event --Upper limit problem occurs when intense feelings of goodness are followed by intense feelings of not feeling good (reached upper limit) --Upper limit problem in relationship --Societal upper limit problem from 60s-70s --Expanding with fear instead of contracting with it --Pay-off is living in peaceful flow of positive energy within relationships --Steady relationship, not a lot of ups and downs --Zero-criticism relationships --Criticism as attack on your being instead of actions --Become masters of fear and moving through waves of fear --Staying open to the collective with hearts open not closed towards others’ suffering --Sitting in pleasure without spiritual by-passing, using pleasure to heal trauma --New book describing extension of upper limit problem --How to feel flow and connection all the time --Creativity important in relationships for individuals to grow “your genius” --Everybody has same desire inside to bring forth their “genius,” their true creativity --Finding genius in relationship --Pre-order copy of upcoming book --Being an elder in our culture --Planning for what you want in older age --Choosing creativity instead of stagnation; Choosing integrity instead of despair --Experience being a thought leader and academic in New Age time from 1960s-70s to now --Leaving his legacy Resources Website https://hendricks.com/ IG: @hendricks.gay

In this episode, Kimberly and Lisa discuss the lymph system and all its facets. Lisa describes what the lymph system is, what lymph drainage massage is and feels like, and the benefits of lymph massage for total well-being. They also discuss the importance of communication and safety in bodywork and how to perform self-massage on your lymph system. Kimberly and Lisa are going to host an upcoming workshop on lymph massage and listeners can check out Lisa’s new book, "The Book of Lymph" and website below for more resources.    Bio Lisa Levitt Gainsley is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist, Manual Lymphatic Drainage practitioner, Author, Educator, and Speaker. Her work has appeared in GOOP, ELLE, The Hollywood Reporter, Healthline and more. She has worked at UCLA Medical Center and been in private practice for 20 years. She holds a double certification in Lymphedema Therapy and is a member of the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) and National Lymphedema Network (NLN). Lisa leads workshops across the country and has pioneered the field of Lymphatic self-massage and just published her book “The Lymphatic Message.” What She Shares: --What is the lymph system? --Lymph drainage massage --Health benefits of lymph massage --Importance of communication in bodywork   What You’ll Hear --Lymphatic system is circulatory system, part of immune system --Role picks up waste products of body and absorbs waste --Lymph hard to see and dissect making it slow to scientific discourse --Improve lymphatic health to quell inflammation and affect mood and nervous system --Understanding lymph system can unlock cures possibly to certain diseases such as MS, cancer, etc. --Lymph system moves 6-12x per minute, slow rhythm and layers of lymph --Lymph massage changes lymph and the nervous system --Lymphatic massage is highlighted for different benefits around the world (aesthetic, immune-boosting, etc.) --Pregnancy causes inflammation and swelling but natural process of body --Shift from mindset of weight-gain during pregnancy to natural, intrinsic movement and clearing of waste in support of body --Lymph has patterns of drainage, understand locations of lymph nodes for self-massage --Self-care as self-massage rooted in physiology and clearing waste --Book contains 3-5 minute self-care practices  --Different approaches for self-touch --Laying hands flat to grab fluid and move up and let go --Lymph stroke similar to how one touches baby for nourishing touch --Negotiating how and where we accept or request touch --Body-workers needing to communicate type of treatment and touch --Three-layer touch (motherly, gripping, lightly) for lymphatic massage similar to baby sleep training --Communicating through touch what feels safe and secure --Importance of interpersonal communication during bodywork --Importance of relationship with practitioner and client --Proactive towards health with lymphatic massage --Lymphatic massage as community engagement and ways of connecting --Digital course, pre-recorded tutorials and monthly lives to practice on own and in community --Kimberly and Lisa to have workshop together --Cancer and lymph massage --Palliative care and lymph massage   Resources Website: https://www.thelymphaticmessage.com/ IG: @thelymphaticmessage 

In this episode, Kimberly and Joanna discuss Joanna’s upbringing and personal history that ultimately birthed the artwork of The Fourth Trimester Journal. Joanna describes her experience as a Black adolescent growing up in Sweden, her identity as a mother and artist, her participation in Mother Jaguar and MotherCircle, and how she processes experience through her artwork. In addition to Joanna’s insights learned from Mother Circle, they discuss the racial politics of Sweden, performative anti-racism, and making meaningful change on individual and structural levels. They also discuss the importance of Black art, its contributions to the world, and how that influenced the creation and publishing of The Fourth Trimester Journal.   Bio Joanna Johnson is a self-taught artist and illustrator, social worker by trade and single mom from Sweden with roots from both Sweden and Sierra Leone, West Africa. She is also a beloved member of the Jaguar community and the featured artist and illustrator for the newly released The Fourth Trimester Journal. This summer, Joanna was one of only 12 students to be selected the first time she applied for the highly competitive art school, Östra Grevie. She hopes to move into freelance work and can be supported for her art school tuition in the link provided below.    What Joanna Shares: --Growing up Black in Sweden and history father’s place of origin, Sierra Leone --Brief history of recent racism in Sweden and impact on Joanna --Using art to process personal transformation through motherhood and postpartum --Birth of the art in The Fourth Trimester Journal --Support Joanna’s art school tuition   What You’ll Hear: --Joanna describes journey joining Kimberly’s MotherCircle course and community --Journaled through Images --Artistic style of drawing and upbringing --Discusses African diaspora in relation to upbringing and parents --History of Freetown in Sierra Leone, father’s hometown, and Creole heritage --Awakening process during adolescence reading Black history --Sweden’s history and participation in Slave Trade --Identifying as Black, political choice of choosing identity --Experiencing racism being Black in Sweden --Rise of Neo-Nazis in Swedens in 1990s, murders of people of color and effect on Joanna --Blackness as joy, whiteness as violence --Unique experiences of being biracial and disconnection from ancestral countries --Beginning of The Fourth Trimester Journal and Joanna’s artwork --Joanna’s birth experience and finding MotherCircle --Using artwork to process fourth trimester after actual postpartum period with child --Importance of rest and nourishment --Integration of postpartum processing --Joanna’s experience with MotherCircle that provided safety and nourishment to process difficult birth and postpartum --The Fourth Trimester Journal publishing behind the scenes and negotiations --Performativity of anti-racism while racist disceprancies in culture remain unchanged --Politics of art in relation to imperialism, colonization, and cultural values --Art as essential --Examining predominantly white spaces in “white bubbles” to interrogate racism --Examining whiteness broadly as set standard of norms, expectations, aesthetics, etc. --Tokenization of Black people in various spaces without real change and as an artist --The Fourth Trimester Journal as anti-racist work as gaze of a Black woman --Creating a new vision of motherhood as a Black woman as a political act --Crowd-sourcing Joanna’s art school tuition as recognition of Black art’s contribution to the world --Appropriation of Black art, styles as modern colonization, symbolic of actual mining from Africa   Resources Website https://www.gofundme.com/f/black-joy-resilience-send-joanna-to-design-sc   https://www.shambhala.com/the-fourth-trimester-journal.html   IG: @joannajohnson_art

In this episode, Kimberly and Kathleen discuss branding, identity, entrepreneurship, and privilege. Kathleen explains how her branding business came to be and her philosophy for how to brand oneself authentically. Kathleen describes her business, Braid Creative, and the Braid Method. Kimberly and Kathleen also discuss how to have difficult conversations around race, privilege, and capitalism as white women and entrepreneurs. Kathleen shares her expertise around branding and marketing to discuss tips of branding authentically as well as her perspective of recent politics through a marketing lens.    Bio Kathleen Shannon is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Braid Creative, a branding agency for entrepreneurs, small businesses and organizations. She is the author of “Being Boss: Take Control of Your Work and Live Life On Your Own Terms” and created the Braid Method, a formula for personal business branding.   What They Share  —The branding Braid Method —How to brand authentically —Navigating work and parenting responsibilities during COVID-19 —Interrogating privilege as a white woman entrepreneur    What You’ll Hear —Describes founding branding agency with sister —Started blogging about life as freelancer —Forms repeatable methods for branding —Articulating preferred forms of working style —Branding for Kimberly’s work —Creative processes in the in-between moments —Trusting in collaboration with others during creative process —Being vulnerable to criticism and feedback —Became life-coach certified to be a entrepreneur —Branding authentically to self —Presenting aspirational self to dream clients —Cohesiveness and authenticity in branding —Working and schooling from home during COVID-19 —Running business with working mothers —Navigating daily life with work schedules, school, and other responsibilities —Money narratives in relation to white and class privilege —Dismantling capitalism within places of power —Anti-racism and branding work —Marketing and politics —White women holding unpolished conversations together regarding power and racism —Lifetime commitment to equity and progress as white women —Imperfection and discomfort in difficult conversations regarding power and privilege   Resources website: braidcreative.com IG: @andkathleen 

In this episode, Kimberly and Lily discuss issues with conventional nutritional guidelines for pregnancy, which foods provide needed nutrients during pregnancy, and the importance of proper nourishment postpartum. Lily’s research on how food affects pregnancy culminates in her most recent book “Real Food for Pregnancy” which provides evidence-based data on best foods with the most health benefits, meal plans, and nutrient breakdowns for pregnancy and postpartum. Lily and Kimberly also discuss the commonalities between “Real Food for Pregnancy” and Kimberly’s “The Fourth Trimester” which both emphasize the importance of preparation and nourishment for postpartum.    Bio Lily Nicholas is a registered dietician and nutritionist, certified diabetes educator, and has built her career researching real food for pregnancy and gestational diabetes. Her work includes prenatal nutrition public policy, consulting, research, writing, and clinical practice. Her best-selling books “Real Food for Gestational Diabetes” and “Real Food for Pregnancy” combine evidence-based and traditional information regarding prenatal nutrition. She also offers nutritional trainings for professionals.   What They Share —Why mainstream dietary advice is misguided —Which foods and nutrients are essential for pregnancy  —Health issues with vegetarian and vegan diets during pregnancy  —Food preparation and cooking tips —Importance of nourishment postpartum   What You’ll Hear —Prenatal nutrition guidelines are outdated —Conventional nutrition advice for past forty years is unchanged —Conventional nutritional advice as dogma with consequences in practice and public policy —”Play it safe” approach for prenatal nutrition out of caution —Focus on what can’t eat versus what can eat to optimize baby’s health —Focus on macronutrients (fats, carbs, protein) and ratios is problematic —Guidelines create deficiency in micronutrients and minerals —Under-estimated amount of protein needed in pregnancy by 73% —Deprivation, rigidity, fear around weight gain is common because of conventional guidelines —Focus on taking away instead of making space for more (food, money, nutrients, etc.) —Carbs need fat and protein for balanced blood sugar levels —Unbalanced blood sugar extremes causes feeling out of willpower physiologically —Body tells this information very clearly —Kimberly describes deficiency from being vegetarian for years —Blood sugar management as vegetarian is challenging —More plant-based diets harder to manage and recover after pregnancy and birth —Postpartum challenges due to vegetarianism (pelvic floor health, breastmilk production, blood sugar levels) —Nutrients in animal foods easiest to get for optimal health —Research shows fully vegan diets create nutrient deficiencies without supplementation —Some nutrients may not be well-absorbed in vegan diet and create deficiency in baby’s health —Nutrients need to be present and in synergy for optimal health (DHA and choline, for example) that even supplementation can’t mimic —Recommends real whole food sources for optimal health in pregnancy and —Experiencing mental health challenges on a vegetarian diet —Shifting from cultural norms to making food preparation valuable —Finding ways to make food prep and cook less time consuming —”Real Food Instant Pot Recipes” —”Lazy Meal Planning” on Lily’s blog —Time for food prep and cooking for optimal health as self-care —Cook in bulk, use leftovers, repurpose leftovers, batch cooking —Differences in prenatal and postpartum —Emphasize protein, don’t fear fat, higher quality carbs, less white flour carbs, produce and vegetables —Greater emphasis on eating more and water intake during postpartum ——Mental health as addressing physiological needs especially postpartum —Preparation for postpartum essential to health —Ask for help postpartum —First book chapter available for free  —Trainings for professionals in nutrition   Resources Website: lilynicholdsrdn.com IG: @lilynicholsrdn

In this episode, Kimberly and Hala discuss the nervous system’s role in self-regulation and social justice activism. Healing must happen individually and collectively by understanding and regulating the nervous system, establishing and maintaining heart-centered relationships, and working with each other towards liberation. They discuss how to move beyond one’s privilege towards discomfort in order to enact change for the greater good and why trauma-informed spaces are necessary for social justice activists and allies. Hala also describes the process of writing her book “Peace from Anxiety” and why it was written for this time.   Bio Hala is a yoga teacher, somatic counselor, trauma therapist, social justice activist, author, mother, and co-founder of Off the Mat and Collective Resilience Yoga. “Peace from Anxiety: Get Grounded, Build Resilience and Stay Connected Amidst Chaos” is Hala’s latest book which combines somatic experiencing with social justice through an intersectional lens of privilege and power-dynamics.     What They Share  —How and why “Peace from Anxiety” was written by Hala —Importance of Critical Consciousness in Somatic Experiencing and healing —Moving from fight-flight response to tend-befriend with social awareness and love for the other     What You’ll Hear —Inception of first book as culmination of Hala’s teachings from past twenty years —Book discusses anxiety and using somatic experiencing to cope —Critical consciousness as awareness of socio-political context  —Well-being includes equity and justice for everyone not just most privileged —Healing can be individualized but have to expand compassion for others —Move towards uncomfortable edges towards unfamiliar and discomfort —Use self-regulation and healing to move towards discomfort —Work is to turn towards one another —How to move towards discomfort for privileged people —Love people who are targeted in the world —Change happens relationally through love not intellectually —Change begins with heart and the body —Tending to recent cultural reckonings regarding racism —Creating trauma-informed spaces for healing and a bridge —Addressing nervous system in social justice activism —Understanding trauma and nervous system as we move towards liberation —Hala returns to process of writing book which includes tips, tools, and practices Resources Website: www.halakhouri.com IG: @halayoga, @offthemat, @collectiveresilienceyoga

In this episode, Kimberly and Haize discuss Haize’s Get Rooted with Haize Doula Training, Haize’s experience as a doula and mentor, and birth work in relation to relationships, energy, and community-building. Haize describes her experience as a spiritual mentor and doula for birthing families and how her new doula training curriculum came to be. She also discusses how COVID-19 has impacted pregnant and birthing people, causing even more isolation and health risk factors. The pandemic in addition to Haize’s lifelong experiences have re-energized Haize in her trainings to focus on holding space, relationships, and community for birth workers, birthing families, and the community at large.     Bio Haize Hawk is a certified doula, student midwife, spiritual counselor and community leader, mother, and offers full-spectrum doula care. She recently created and runs doula trainings based on her decades of experience in holding birth as spiritual, a rite of passage, and initiation for families. Get Rooted the Haize Way is Haize’s doula training that began as a pregnant people’s class and has developed into a full curriculum and certification for doulas and birth workers.   What They Share  --Get Rooted with Haize Doula Training philosophy --Importance of birth workers supporting one another --Importance of birth workers supporting families energetically --Impact of COVID-19 on pregnant and birthing people   What You’ll Hear --Started group coaching for pregnant mothers --Developed class as a doula training --Doulas needing certification for hospitals during COVID-19 --Creating curriculum and certification for doula training --Curriculum includes spiritual ancestry, masculine/feminine, herbology, nutrition, homeopathy and more --Cohorts building community with each other --Trainees doing inner work on themselves to prepare for birth work --Understand importance of birth workers --Importance of relationships between midwives, pediatricians, hospitals, doulas and all birth workers and support --Birth workers showing solidarity for each other --Protecting energy as birth workers --Power-with vs. power-over --Pregnant and birthing during COVID-19 increase in high risk factors --Birth as a spiritual transformation to individual and family --Maintains morning and evening routines as boundaries for time and access --Turns to community for support and nourishment --Self-replenishment as service for community --Love as foundation of everything --Recommendations to hold energy not place-holders --Doula support as mutual energetic reciprocity  --Business of relationships, space-holding as energy in doula work --Returning to origins of birth with relationships and space-holding   Resources IG: @iamhaizehawkrosen

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces.   Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world.   These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).

In this episode, Kimberly and Livia discuss Livia’s latest book “The Somatic Therapy Workbook” and how it came to be during a difficult marital separation. Livia shares how writing her book was an anchor in the midst of relationship chaos, all while mothering and how to co-regulate with children at developmentally appropriate ages. Livia walks us through her ultimate decision to separate from her ex-partner as healthy self-preservation, as well as the difficulties of doing so within a family unit.      Bio Livia Shapiro is a mother, long time yoga practitioner and teacher, somatic psychotherapist and author. Livia writes on the intersection of yoga, somatics, and psychology. She is the author of “The Somatic Therapy Workbook: stress-relieving exercises for strengthening the mind-body connection and sparking emotional and physical healing.” Her article “Yoga-Based Body Psychotherapy” is published in the International Journal of Body Psychotherapy and is a tool for weaving yoga and psychotherapy into a seamless psychotherapeutic model. As a Somatic Psychotherapist Livia works holistically, helping women reorient and repair their nervous systems to live more vibrantly and powerfully.     What They Share  — Betrayal and infidelity in a marriage while mothering — How to co-regulate with children verbally and physically during crises — Separating and single parenting/co-parenting — Living with actual reality vs. desired reality — Preserving Oneself as ultimate act of Mothering     What You’ll Hear — Livia shares writing “The Somatic Therapy Workbook” during a life crisis — Dealing with difficult pregnancy physically and emotionally — Experiencing miscarriage as grace — Livia’s “Fully incarnate” soul into body as a woman, therapist, mother, human — Blighted ovum miscarriage — Break-up of relationship with ex-partner and daughter’s father — Family secrets and developmentally appropriate honesty with children  — Boundaries, privacy, and protection with children — Betrayal and shock during marital crisis and mothering — Repairing after marital arguments in front of children — Spousal separation while parenting — Giving children language during difficult times — Single parenting — Co-regulation as acknowledging difficult emotions for children — Confirming realities instead of hiding for children — Lack of confirmation leading to cultism, narcissism, binary thinking — Growing up without honest conversations between parents and children — Teaching verbal and bodily ways to shake out a tense situation — Sharing space both individually and together with children — Needing individual and emotional space from children — Healing, repairing, and recalibrating from infidelity — Infidelity as a power struggle — Self-preservation within a family dynamic — Discovery trauma occurs when told of betrayal — Grieving future sibling loss with same parents as a result of separation — Difficulty accepting potentially new parents in child’s life after separation — Family in-tact doesn’t necessitate individual being in-tact — Kimberly’s desire for marriage and leaving relationship with child’s father and Brazil — Being first person in lineage to divorce — Evaluating relationship difficulty vs. needing to leave traumatic situation — Leaving unhealthy environments as necessity and self-preservation — Accepting what is true and not what wished was true — Claiming self as mother, wife (ex-wife), author — Need for Applied Psychology for all body-workers and somatic professionals — Yoga teachers as somatic practitioners — “The Somatic Therapy Workbook” for all practitioners (yoga, birth, therapists) — “The Somatic Therapy Workbook” complimenting and pairing with “Call of the Wild”     Resources Website: http://ecstaticunfoldment.com/ IG: @liviashapiro Email: lgsyoga@gmail.com

In this episode, Kimberly and Marisa Meltzer discuss body image within diet culture and the politics of food. Marisa discusses her latest book, This Is Big: How the Founder of Weight Watchers Changed the World -- and Me, which describes her relationship with food, her body, and dieiting. Feminist politics complicate how many women experience body image and dieting; additionally, food is largely cultural which further complicates how women navigate eating, weight, and their bodies within an ever-changing landscape. Kimberly and Marisa both discuss their personal experiences with their bodies and aversions to diet culture.     Bio Marisa Meltzer is a journalist based in NYC. She has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, The Guardian, New York Magazine, Vogue, and more. She has authored How Sassy Changed My Life and Girl Power: The Nineties Revolution Music, as well as her latest book This Is Big which discusses her personal relationship with weight, the founder of Weight Watchers, and diet culture.   What They Share  -Personal experience regarding body image, weight, and diets -Researching Weight Watchers for This Is Big -Diet culture and food within U.S. versus other countries -Feminist conflicts with diets and weight   What You’ll Hear -Marisa was put on a diet at age 4 -Familial relationships with one’s body and food -Experience while writing latest book This Is Big -COVID-19 pandemic influencing our relationship with weight and food -Researching Founder of Weight Watchers -Experience with Weight Watchers -Kimberly describes experience with weight -Feminism influencing weight politics -“Fat” as a descriptor not value judgment  -Food in community vs. food individually  -Excess of choice in food, diets, and lifestyles -Compulsive eating behavior versus normal eating -Impulses, needs, desires, and satiation -Cultural approaches to food -Approach to food as rebellious act -Relationship with parents after latest book   Resources Website: https://www.marisameltzer.com/ IG: @marisameltzer

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces.   Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world.   These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).

In this episode, Kimberly and Joan discuss how to develop resiliency and gracefulness in stressful times. Joan describes the mind-body connection when experiencing stress as well as how to embody bravery through connecting with others, music, nature, exercise, and more. Resilience and bravery are learned characteristics which require embodied acts to cultivate within oneself as part of living an authentic life.   Bio New York Times best-selling author,Dr. Joan Borysenko, is a world-renowned expert in stress management and mind-body medicine. Her training as a psychologist and cell biologist combined with her grace, sense of humor and ability to combine the latest neuroscience with mindfulness and personal stories, have made her a popular teacher worldwide. Enjoy this excerpt from her book, It's Not the End of the World: Developing Resilience in Times of Change.     What They Share  -Transforming stress to resiliency as a rite of passage -Mind-Body connection during stress -Socializing, nature, music, exercise and more for moving beyond stress -Embodied acts of bravery     What You’ll Hear -Transformation occurs as a rite of passage -Phases of handling stress for transformation -Learnable skills to develop more resilience -Bodies and importance of community -Tend and befriend as a stress response -Connection to other people, inner lives, and nature -Naming fear causes neo-cortex to release hormones to calm it down -Reframing fear by claiming bravery  -Mind-Body as a field and its inception -Experience of being a woman at Harvard Medical School -Trauma as most severe type of stress -Trauma healed through body not mind -Stress is somatically-based and must be released through body -Writing spiritual memoir as legacy left for generations -Positive psychology versus spiritual by-passing -Creating bravery circuits through small, embodied acts -Holding onto goodness as resources in desperate times     Resources Website: https://www.joanborysenko.com/about-joan/    

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces. Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world. These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).

In this episode, Sheri and Kimberly discuss female anatomy and arousal. Sheri shares that breathing, sound, and engagement of pelvic floor muscles enhance altered states of pleasure, similar to the experience of birth. Sheri shares the importance of how understanding female anatomy enhances arousal and the sexual experience in both child-bearing and post-menopausal years.    Bio Sheri Winston is a wholistic sexuality teacher, award-winning author, and medical professional. Her celebrated books Women’s Anatomy of Arousal: Secret Maps to Buried Pleasure and Succulent SexCraft: Your Hands-On Guide to Erotic Play and Practice share her medical knowledge in relation to sexuality. Additionally, her Wholistic Sexuality™ curriculum has over 50 classes covering subjects such as orgasmic abundance for men and women, integral genital anatomy, expanded arousal, sex and relationship skills, and holistic sexual and women’s reproductive health.   What They Share  Similarities between birth and sex Female anatomy during arousal Pleasure-driven sex Post-menopause sex   What You’ll Hear Path from midwife to sex educator Birth and sex are integrated Breath, sound, pelvic floor movement all contribute to both birth and sex  Same energy takes to have sex is same energy in birth Healing trauma in pregnancy/childbearing years Importance of support in pregnancy and parenting Birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding as altered states Breastfeeding as an antidepressant Humans learned distrust of pleasure, appetites, and body knowledge, especially girls and women Female reproductive anatomy  Female arousal anatomy largely ignored in medicine Uterus involvement during orgasm Women have network of structures of erectile tissue  Knowing all of the parts of erectile tissue and teaching partners Pleasure-drive as reproductive evolutionary asset Erogenous matrix of structures encourages conception and birth Clitoris as jewel of the crown of pleasure network Touch and contact to feel connected and safe Create safety & connection for sexual arousal for women Most female arousal takes 30-45 minutes for full arousal Most heterosexual couples do 12 minutes of sexual activity Premature penetration limits female arousal Expanding amount of time of orgasms Sex as journey of pleasure Fear and anxiety are antidote to arousal and pleasure  Labor disruptions inhibiting altered state Menopause, aging, and libido Sheri’s struggle post-menopause with libido Unilateral partner sex Frequency vs. quality sex Importance of time and space for desire and arousal Taking pressure off of long-term partnerships for sex   Resources Website: https://intimateartscenter.com/about/sheri-winston/ 

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces. Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world. These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).

An excerpt from the Jaguar Mother 2021 course, Metzli discusses the postpartum experience according to the Mexican Indigenous tradition in which she was raised. She describes the baño pos-parto (postpartum ceremony) as a rite of passage from birth to motherhood, where women are cared for by the community with sobada (massage), rebozo (binding), herbs, baths, and other spiritual rituals. Postpartum is a sacred time not only for the baby but for the mother as well.   Bio Metztli Lopez Torres is a sobadora, doula, childbirth and lactation educator, anthropologist, feminist, mom, sister, daughter, friend, advocate of women's rights and environmentalist. Growing up in Mexico, she learned traditional ways of healing for pregnancy and postpartum, and after completing her bachelor and master degrees, began providing services during all stages of women's lives through her company Luna Mama.   What They Share  Metzli’s personal postpartum experiences for each of her babies Details of bano-post parto (postpartum ceremony) for healing Food, bodywork, and spiritual rituals for postpartum healing What You’ll Hear Being a teen mom led Metzli to work with pregnancy Metzli learned from community midwives, inter-generational teaching of midwifery and postpartum care Sobada, a style of Mexican massage learned from midwives Role of sobadora and midwives in Mexican culture Midwives considered sacred and highly respected in the community Cuarentena (first 40 days after delivery) considered a sacred time, woman needs to be taken care of Baño pos-parto as an indigenous tradition from Aztecs Temescal as a type of sweat lodge during postpartum Heat/Cold aspects of Mexican traditional medicine (drinks, food, body, etc.) Returning heat back to body after pregnancy and birth Metzli’s first postpartum experience in U.S. after Mexico Conversation with husband to plan for postpartum experience while in U.S. Recommends no household chores in early postpartum, plan for finances, explain significance of postpartum time for mother and baby Postpartum ceremony Metzli does includes sobada, herbal bath with spiritual rituals, massage breasts, sweat lodge Women can do bano posparto anytime for healing Use herbs, bath, discuss birth stories to heal, ask spirit of herbs to help heal wounds from births Connection between body and spirit for healing Belly binding Healing done in community with other women Describes postpartum experience while baby was in NICU Acceptance of difficult pregnancy, birth, infancy period Gap in culture of community and postpartum care   Resources website https://www.lunamama.net/form__map IG: @lunamama_services

Kimberly and Alisa discuss female biohacking as an under-researched field, leaving many women feeling that they aren’t meeting society’s demands. While culture largely operates according to the 24-hour cycle (circadian), the 28-day cycle (infradian) significantly impacts women’s energy, productivity, and overall health. Alisa demonstrates the importance of women understanding their menstrual cycles in relation to food, fitness, and time management to sustain optimal health and vitality.   Bio Alisa Vitti is a woman’s hormone and functional nutrition expert and founder of FLO Living Hormone Center in Manhattan. A graduate from Johns Hopkins and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, she is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, and Harper’s Bazaar. She is the author of the best-selling books WomanCode and In the Flo and the creator of MyFLO, the #1 paid period app on iTunes and the first and only period tracking and cycle syncing app. Her work helps women understand the biochemistry of their menstrual cycles in order to sustain efficiency, well-being, and overall health.   What They Share  Differences of hormonal cycles for males and females Prioritizing menstrual cycle’s phases with life activities Benefits of female orgasm   What You’ll Hear Circadian, infradian, and ultradian rhythms Culture prioritizes male hormonal rhythms Male/Female brain patterns Male/Female hormonal patterns Phases of menstrual cycle which align best with responsibilities and activities Food and fitness for menstrual cycle patterns Intermittent fasting differences for men and women Reproductive education as an empowering conversation Framing first period as a scientific super-power Female orgasm as the “best biohack”

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces. Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world. These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).

Welcome to Jaguar Bites: new solo episodes where I break down big nervous system concepts into bite-sized pieces. Jaguar Bites are meant to clarify some of the major ideas and misconceptions in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sex education, as well as the birth world. These podcast episodes are for you. They are also for anyone who you don't think will take a course or read a book; but who you really want to hear about how trauma works, how we heal from it, how the body is involved, and why it matters so much (especially right now in the world).

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is a researcher and professor best known as the originator of the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral, mental, and health problems related to traumatic experiences. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation (Norton, 2011), as well as several other books on Polyvagal Theory. Stephen is also the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™, which currently is used by more than 2000 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, and to improve language processing, state regulation, and spontaneous social engagement.   What He Shares: Why he wears glasses for virtual meetings Why we’re still able to co-regulate when we’re all wearing masks The intersection of sex hormones and polyvagal theory   What You’ll Hear: The subtle cues our bodies respond to during virtual contact Landing in the co-regulatory aspects of online work or classes How your openness and intention to connect impacts people you’re interacting with The importance of the orbital muscles in non-verbal communication How beauty standards impact our accessibility of interpersonal regulation Cultural interpretation of facial muscles How our nervous system responds to various perceived threats, including cultural and religious teachings Locating your resources for settling Co-regulating with the natural world The importance of in-person community for parents and children Oxytocin’s role in co-regulation between mother and baby Fawning vs appeasement The evolutionary value of appeasement Differentiating between an objective event and how it actually registered in your nervous system. Understanding the autonomic nature of both openness and defensive responses Being a good student of your body Being a ‘good enough’ co-regulator The power of authentic connections Reducing social distance, even while physically distance is important

In Jaguar Bites, Kimberly draws from her new book "Call of the Wild" to break down some big nervous concepts into bite-sized pieces. The bites clarify some of the major ideas in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, sexual education, and the birth world.  In this bite, Kimberly talks about how yoga and meditation impacts the nervous system is not always obvious or straightforward.

Elizabeth Lesser is the author of several bestselling books, including Cassandra Speaks: When Women are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes; Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow and Marrow: Love, Loss & What Matters Most. She is the cofounder of Omega Institute, recognized internationally for its workshops and conferences in wellness, spirituality, creativity, and social change. She has given two popular TED talks, and is one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, a collection of a hundred leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity.  

The Skill of Culture Building, The Making of Tribe, Spiritual Colonialism, and Grief Practice with Matthew Stillman.   We dive into the big questions of where we are at in this point in time- what is community? How do we make it? Are we right to want tribe, and if so, what does that really mean? We also touch on the deepest parts of our connection from Earth and place, and how that can come to bear with "medicine," Ayahuasca and spiritual colonialism.   What Matt Shares:  -How the city you are from is different than the place you are from -Origin of the word “tribe" - tribe is much more than an affinity -How race + culture intersect, and the origin of culture -The history of Ayahuasca and spiritual colonialism -The need for grief practice    

Luisa Muhr joins me to talk about her work in Family Constellations Therapy, including intergenerational trauma resulting from the holocaust as well as racial trauma within the United States. We talk about the importance of community space in a therapy setting, why working within an energy field is so effective, and staying somatically engaged while online.  What She Shares: What Family Constellations is and how it works The importance of honoring our ancestors and those in our systems How working with the impact of the Holocaust has shaped her work in the world   What You’ll Hear: Working within an energy field Unwinding old patterns through ancestry work The difference between drama therapy and Family Systems Who is included in our family systems The importance of speaking a story out of secrecy The value of processing within community  How working with archetypes can help us process and heal Restoring appropriate predator energy Creating space for healing intergenerational social traumas Weaving Family Constellations into your own work Processing beyond the overt narrative The importance of ritual in healing Connecting into the energy field even when separated by geographical distance Identifying what you need Using technology to continue our somatic practices in community The difference between the outer relationship and narrative, and the internal experience Centering yourself in your own healing work How your healing impacts your children   Resources Website: www.familyconstellationsnyc.com  Website: www.luisamuhr.com IG: @familyconstellations.nyc   Luisa Muhr is a New-York-based artist and healer, specializing in Family & Systemic Constellations. As the descendant of her great-grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, Constellation work has always played an integral part in Luisa’s life. She provides group workshops and one-on-one sessions.

Liz Koch rejoins me for a third interview, this time to discuss whiteness and colonization in the body. We explore how those pieces show up in the physical body and sensory systems, why it matters, and the importance of physical movement in anti-racism. What Liz Shares:  The interconnection between how we use our bodies and our racialization of bodies Racialized movement patterns  Recognizing racialized nervous system responses How the idealized body in fitness is not only white, but also male, and how that impacts female fitness What You’ll Hear: Noticing how performative behaviors re-iterate a frozen spine Changing our view to see Body as Process, rather than Body as Object Valuing the expressivity of the human body Re-assessing the idealized human body to include expression Developing your sense of self through knowing primal responses Examining your ancestral relationship with colonization Using movement patterns to re-enforce or interrupt white body supremacy Engaging with your psoas to feel more grounded  Letting go of control as decolonization Becoming available for genuine responses rather than socialized reactions Questioning what whiteness looks like in the white female body Tracking subtle whiteness Healing ancestral trauma through owning your Eros Decolonization as an ecological imperative Participating in society as a community member, not as an individual Re-membering into culture and community and out of strategy The more animal you are, the more human you become Animal body as coherence Pre-empting anti-racial work through movement and the sensory system If your body can’t move, you can’t feel your instincts   Resources:  https://coreawareness.com/ IG: @stalkingwildpsoas   Liz Koch is an international teacher and author with 42 years of experience, focusing on kinesthetic intelligence and somatic awareness. She is the author of “The Psoas Book,” “Unraveling Scoliosis,” and “Stalking Wild Psoas: Embodying Your Core Intelligence.”

-Story of the Apollo/ Artemis birth -The role of twins in mythology- two sides of a coin -Artemis is the goddess of childbirth, when she is born, she immediately midwife’s her brother’s birth -Artemis- Moon Goddess, darkness, untamed;  Apollo- Sun God, bright, civilized -How are these archetypes helpful in birth preparation? -Ordered culture over wild nature -In an Appolonian setting (hospital,) how do you bring Artemis? -Kimberly’s birth experience and handing over power in Apollonian way to midwife -Pandemic popped the Apollonian illusion of control and tossed us into Artemisian realm -Children are Artemisian -How do we compromise the Artemisian in Apollonian structure in spite of our ideals? -Parents beating themselves up in pandemic for kids falling behind -The blurring of public and private -Did birth move you to be more Apollonian or Artemisian? -The grief and loss through the pandemic   Dr. Britta Bushnell (she/her) is a wife and mother, author of Transformed by Birth, veteran childbirth educator, celebrated speaker, mythologist, and specialist in childbirth, relationship, and parenting. For over 20 years, Dr. Bushnell has worked with individuals and couples as they prepare for the life-changing experience of giving birth. Her work with parents has been enriched by her doctoral work in mythology and psychology, her years spent as former co-owner of Birthing From Within, as well as her dedicated study of solution-focused brief therapy, storytelling, sustaining sexual vibrancy, and helping romantic partnerships thrive even during parenthood.

What Clelia Shares: Her journey with money coming from generational wealth Accepted gender roles within her community and her work with Mama Gena and Barbara Stanny  Turning point in her journey about her role as a woman came with having an abortion How she came to terms with money, wanting to enter the “marble hall of the daddies,” and getting there What You’ll Learn: What gender roles look like in communities with generational wealth System of dependence in humanitarian aid paralleled system of dependence of being wealthy and feeling that you will be taken care of Women are outside of the worlds of money + commerce Revenue - costs = profits Assuming she would have a non-accretive job, and a virtuous, non-threatening in dating Thinking business school was a “world of benevolent daddies” Business school is 75% male, 25% female (the one professional school that remains disproportionately male) What business school is really like The shift to be motivated by money and power Interviewing women in business, and if they’d left, why had they left? Shifting structures and logistics in keeping women in workforce, but there is something much more profound than “solving” the logistical problems Generations and stages of feminism in business, the metaphor of a building Few models for feminine leadership Codeshifting women do in corporate jobs Online businesses are operating outside of the core systems of power that exist (real estate, technology, finance) The US is not a true capitalist country, it is a corporatist country  We give corporations (not people ) welfare, with bailouts Market-based system, where both people come as empowered transactors What about reparations- how do we level things so people are empowered transactors? How do we level set the system? What rich people really do or think- are they Democrats or Republicans? Economy managed on merits, based on financial outcomes 2500 years of white supremacist patriarchy that we’ve lived in, and we are in a transition Developing a vocabulary of collective questioning Being a channel and gauging with her intuition when deciding whether to invest Why it’s taboo to state your sex within business, even if that may be informing your communication style Does she look for female-run companies to invest in? Masculine as triangle, feminine as a circle

  Kate White is an advanced bodyworker, perinatal educator, and somatic trauma resolution professional. She developed much of her work following the pregnancies and births of her own two children. She is the Founding Director of Education for the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and helps administer an online program for parents and professionals who work with parents, runs a private practice, and offers her own seminars through the Center for Prenatal and Perinatal Programs.  What Kate Shares:  What prenatal and perinatal psychology are How these fields developed Personal stories about helping clients with difficult birth stories The process of repair   What You’ll Hear: The importance of including pre- and peri-natal psychology in the gestalt of psychology How neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and attachment play into perinatal psychology The impact of fetal experiences on the adult body- FOADs Understanding that most experiences are repair-able Incorporating mindful exercises around boundaries, differentiation, and connection to help your baby feel secure The importance of restoring intuition Why sleep is foundational to a healthy mother-baby dyad, and why sleep training may be detrimental Bodywork to support babies with tongue tie How Pitocin impacts the birthing pattern The importance of slowing the narrative to resolve traumatic imprints How Supported Attachment can help babies process birth trauma Completing birth impulses Learning how to hear what babies are saying Supporting older children in repairing birth trauma

James Nestor, author of “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art” joins me to speak on all the ways facial structure, nutrition, eating habits, and industrialization have impacted humans’ ability to breathe, why it matters, and ways we can get back to the basics. What James Shares:  Details of his years-long research into breath How he increased his facial bone density and expanded his airways When the paperback edition is released there will be new material! His creative process for writing   What You’ll Hear: Reclaiming breath as your own human right The environmental and morphological challenges to breathing well The theory of dis-evolution in the human species How the industrialized diet has impacted face shape and breath efficacy How facial bones differ from other bones in the body How chewing raw food helps kids breathe better Redefining ‘healthy’ food to include chewability How chewing impacts the nervous system The importance of breastfeeding for long term airway health The potential connection between industrialization and tongue ties Helping your kids build helpful breathing habits  The connection between ADHD and breathing The data behind breathwork Why data and anecdotal evidence are both important for changing our minds The connection between the nose and the vagina

What You'll Hear:  Definitions of sex + gender +intersex Sex is a functional category defined by the gametes you reproduce. Males produce sperm; females produce eggs. Sex is binary Gender is the social and cultural attributes and rules based on their sex Intersex is a mismatch between phenotype and genotype, or when sex based on observation is not obvious How common is intersex? Ambiguous genitalia is about 1 in 5000. (The origin of misinformation of intersex as 1 in 200, as common as redheads) Evidence of intersex increasing Explanatory power and unifying systems of evolution and astrology Is evolutionary biology equivalent to Darwinism? How evolutionary biology helps us understand female sexuality. How humans differ from animals- brain size, large energetically expensive brain related to the placenta, walk on two legs, intense social nature Are humans monogamous? Or Non-monogamous? Sex for pleasure, social reasons or reproduction Possible immunological benefit to monogamy- preeclampsia study as an example Female as coy, shy strategy waiting for males to come to them. Darwin in Victorian England. Female in estrus are aggressive and search out mates Strip clubs tips change based on where a woman is during her cycle! Role of homogenous spaces, same sex as well as same gender places Females produce a larger gamete, by definition females invest more heavily in reproduction and take on more risk, which presents asymmetry in the sexes. Why doesn’t the male get to decide about abortion Role of homogenous spaces, same sex, same gender places Controversy of Vancouvers women’s center that is female only Body, felt sense of sex. Our perception of sex is adaptive for coding for “female” and “male” for saefty Preferred gender pronouns and Using respectful pronouns Birth and gender Learning about sexuality through 1st person experience, kids coming to explorations through different avenues. Reductionist biology- we are pieces and parts and can just dismantle and take them apart Human pregnancy is much more expensive and risky than any other species Testosterone has a negative influence on fertility Fertility as an industry, and its impact on women Aquarian battle of the old and new. Futuristic and technological androgynous planet We felt controlled by reproduction and now we want control over it, rather than surrendering to our body Menopause is rare, grandmother investment

What Dwight Shares: Is this the worst, most contentious election in history? What should we do with our emotions during this time? Why is he spending his retirement working as a Mayor of a small town? How to decide where to donate, where to give money or time The historical role of the Supreme Court?   What You Will Hear: Historical contention during elections Do emotions belong in politics? Most people agree more than they disagree, when we get beyond labels Orienting to blue within politics How to deal with overwhelm when there is so much suffering Acknowledging what is actually possible What to do when you get into the rabbit hole What about homeless people living in Del Mar? What happened with that? Does your vote matter? Small donations matter because candidates need money but they count the people that contribute Democratic National Committee distributes money to the other causes (Senator and Representative candidates What happens if the Senate goes 6-3? What do you think about extending the number of seats? Supreme Court traditionally was conservative and in favor of corporations and business, against the individual The Warren Court changed the court, and we may be going back to pre Warren Court. Echo chambers of news sources and listening to news on both sides. No common source of information any more Learning how to relate beyond labels The US is partially socialist Should we have hope? Progress is sometimes minimizing backsliding Are the debates important? Does this format work? Trump exemplifying an unhealthy fight response in debate- and how we see authority We’ve trained ourselves to expect a game show, not a debate Why running a country is not like run a business

What Bethany Shares: Bethany discusses her new book, “Strange Situation”, and why understanding attachment is so helpful Her personal journey as a mother and the re-evaluation and renegotiation of her own narrative Bethany gives her thoughts on modern attachment parenting   What You’ll Hear: Bethany tells us about her book, “Strange Situation: A Mother’s Journey into the Science of Attachment” The difference between research and me-search  Classical Attachment and Modern Attachment Styles Bethany’s journey of renegotiating her past and her narrative through the lens of Mary Ainsworth’s research and writings The power of leaving your kids alone Attachment parenting Dr. Sears is public enemy #1 Reflective functioning/ mentalization The struggle to understand the world as a third being when raising your child How being your best and worst self can ultimately benefit your child The secret window of time Being comfortable is key to comforting your child Why attachment is nothing to be afraid of, because we can always move ourselves into more security   Summary:  Bethany Saltman joins the Magamama podcast once again, this time to discuss her new book “Strange Situation: A Mother’s Journey into the Science of Attachment. We talk about how insecurities can devastate your ability to function as an independent adult, and Bethany shares her own story of how she’s overcome these difficulties.    Bio:  Bethany Saltman humbly describes herself as a long-time Zen student who lives in a small town in the Catskills with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. Moreover, she is a renowned author, researcher, and editor whose work can be found in publications such as New Yorker, New York Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, Parents. Bethany has spent years studying the many emotions we feel that make us human. Amongst those emotions, attachment is one that stuck with Bethany, leading her to write her first book “Strange Situation: A Mother’s Journey into the Science of Attachment”.    Resources: https://www.bethanysaltman.com/strange-situation Twitter - @BethanySaltman

What Shannon Shares: How astrological cycles affect our everyday lives Directing our understanding of astrology into personal growth The significance of Mars in retrograde and what we can expect in the coming months What You’ll Hear: 2020 forward from an astrological standpoint What is a retrograde? What does Mars represent? How do our actions, as well as the actions of others, exemplify the current solar alignment? Innovation, positivity, and renewal during times of social and political strife Is Mars encouraging us to behave more passionately? Being aware of how you’re directing your own personal energy What astrology can tell us about other generations How Pluto returns map onto what we name generations- Boomers, GenX, Millennials and GenZ  What can we expect in the coming months? Where does money and economic structure factor into astrology? The importance of writing down our dreams   Summary:  Shannon Aganza re-joins the Magamama Podcast to talk about retrograde, generational behaviors, and what we can expect to see unfold astrologically over the coming months. It’s been a while since Shannon was last on the podcast, so we had plenty to discuss regarding what has happened both politically and socially this year.   Bio:  Shannon Aganza is an astrologer, a pundit, and a counselor for many based out of San Diego. Shannon has spent over 20 years within the field of astrology, searching and helping others to understand how we are shaped by the universe around us. Shannon specializes in astrological readings, moon circles, and spiritual hygiene amongst many beneficial services.   Resources: https://fourmoonsspa.com/shannon-aganza/

What Pam Shares: The importance of understanding our bodies and why self-exploration is crucial Feminism as it relates to social empowerment and education Embodied sex education- Take Back the Speculum   What You’ll Hear: What feminism is right now How to overcome being disempowered sexually Understanding what sex positivity really means  “Take Back the Speculum” How understanding your body can change your life Self-pelvic mapping Menstrual extraction- what is it and who does it? 2nd wave of Feminism Depictions of clitoral anatomy in textbooks Sex education in schools, and the switch from reproductive education to whole human education The importance of touch, and learning to cope during quarantine Finding joy in the opportunities this pandemic has provided   Summary: Pam Samuelson, a close friend and educator/bodyworker at Embodywork, joins us to talk about feminism, understanding your sexual body, and how to make the steps towards knowing yourself more intimately. Pam discusses the importance of carrying on the feminist conversations started by the founders of the movement, and how we as a whole can improve the status quo.   Bio: Pam Samuelson is a practitioner and advocate of somatic therapy, exploratory bodywork, and meditation. Founder of Embodywork, Pam finds joy in helping others understand their bodies and teaching that transformation is possible if you know how to find it. Pam is an outspoken advocate for female empowerment, still actively in conversations with some of the leaders of feminist movements dating back to the 60’s.   Resources: https://embodyworkla.com/

What Matthew Shares: The impetus to ensure the information we intake pertaining to disease is factual Understanding the conflation between science and hope Why hope and hopeless are two sides of the same coin Why being “hope-free” is an important skill to learn What You’ll Hear: Germ Theory versus Terrain Theory Why have masks become political? Impact of Coronavirus  The danger in the political divide of mask wearers Politicization of Coronavirus amongst society and academia Republicans and New Age spiritual Nazis Racial impacts of how we frame these conversations The problem of hope Vaccinations in this context Relationship to death and to children How our world viewpoint effects pandemic response Is it ok to speak metaphorically about the disease? To personify it? Matthew Stillman has spent years studying both Eastern and Western spiritual practices. Currently working as a creative approach consultant in New York, Matt applies the skills he’s learned over his many years of seeking to help others overcome the obstacles they face.  Though his ability to listen to others and have nuanced conversation, Stillman has become a liaison amongst academics and the spiritual world. Bio: Matthew Stillman is a writer, consultant, and co-founder of Primal Derma. Matt has worked one-on-one with thousands of people to help them understand, transform, shift, and sometimes solve their problems. From poverty to religion, Stillman has contributed to a wide range of projects with the goal of raising awareness and understanding towards these issues and practices.   Resources: https://primalderma.com/ https://stillmansays.com/ Twitter - @stillmansays

What She Shares: The historical foundations of the consolidation of whiteness Collective Healing vs. Personal Healing-- How Are They Related-- are they automatic? The timeline of the emergence of the new wave of identity politics and its impact   What You’ll Hear: The role of collective and individual healing in race relations Beginning of “whiteness” as a concept How whiteness has manifested into what is seen throughout the world today Societal role of immigrants within early America How other groups view whiteness Acknowledging white privilege Differentiating between white guilt and white privilege, and how to use it for change Understanding why identity politics are so strong today The role of white people within minority studies How to turn understanding and solidarity into change How racism is institutionalized and indoctrinated The power shift of White = Good to White = Bad   Resources: How Jews Became White Folks by Karen Brodkin Sacks The Possessive Investment in Whiteness by George Lipsitz

Alicia Fajardo is the owner of Transformations Studio in Portland, Oregon and creator of The Fajardo Method of Holistic Biomechanics®. This modality focuses on nervous system health and biomechanics, which include body structure, alignment, and healthy, supported movement.   Because biomechanics are dictated by the nervous system state, understanding basic nervous system function and how the nervous system responds to stress is necessary for understanding the modality.    What you'll hear:   - The influences and modalities that helped Alicia create her method, Holistic Biomechanics  - What is motor learning? - How Alicia played with motor learning to influence her brain and help her body heal something that nothing else would - Understanding mirror neurons - How our biomechanics influence our thoughts - An example from a client session - The original design of yoga and how it impacts us today - optimal location of the diaphragm - What is the valve system - The Valve System and how yoga influences it- digestion, rate of activity, ANS functions - Yoga is designed to slow the valve system, to abate hunger and bodily needs for long periods of time. - What speeds up the Valve System? - How Kimberly went against the grain to address her prolapse with compression - People’s first instincts are often the best - How the Valve System relates to fascia - Fascia and immunity - How diet and nutrition affect nerve regeneration - Positive impacts of cholesterol  - CBD, THC and the nervous system- neurotoxicity - How synthetically engineered CBD and THC differs from the organic, wild marijuana plant - Alcohol also affects the fascia and the nervous system, but in a very different way; what can be metabolized - The regenerative process and the typical rate of recovery for the myelination of nerves   Find more at www.transformationspdx.com.  

In this roundtable episode, Jaguar alumni Meryl Yecies speaks about her experience with Jaguar and interviews 3 women who recently participated in the most recent Jaguar offering Jaguar in the Time of Cholera a course created to provide somatic tools and support during the quarantine.. Tune in to hear from Meryl, Leilani, Alissa, and Chessa as they share their unique experiences with the jaguar work.

Three women share their stories of how Activate Your Inner Jaguar changed their lives, business, sex, and relationships. 

What Sarah Shares:     Her own history with an auto-immune disease and how she healed herself through dietary changes     Pleasure as the antidote to stress     Working from her creative center     How to expand your meal repertoire What You’ll Hear:     How our food cravings are often not what our bodies need     Being attentive to what you might be needing from the foods you crave     Understanding that food allergies are not static     Changing your health by reducing stress     Building in ways to slow down your day     Finding a shopping and cooking system that supports you and your needs     Having flexibility in your diet to support your body’s current needs     Increasing the quality of the foods you eat to reduce inflammatory responses     Understanding that losing weight is not always about exercising more and eating less     Basing your dietary choices on how you feel, not how you look     Why removing sugars is so important for solving health mysteries     Checking in with your diet as you age and change     Why meat consumption can be important for menstruating and postpartum individuals     Cleaning your diet by removing chemicals     Learning more about health effects of alternative sugars common in ‘health’ foods     Finding dietary balance with kids     Using batch cooking to keep your weekly food options open     Understanding how some cravings show you where you may be deficient     Using cleansing properly     Thinking of food as nourishment rather than numbers and nutrition     Making decisions from wanting to feel good not necessarily to feel good     Accepting and enjoying your body

What She Shares: How the birth of her three children set her on her path Discovering ways to connect to your pleasurable sensations Practicing one minute of self-pleasure as a meditation   What You’ll Hear: Healing birth trauma and changing the narrative Listening to the body and hearing its message Reclaiming your connection with your body through birth Being present and available for the ecstasy of birth Letting go of the checklist mentality and having a full system experience Opening yourself to pleasure to consciously use it during birth Expanding your capacity to hold energy through mindful self pleasure Integrating trauma as much as possible before birth Working to expand pleasurable sensation in the body Practicing pleasure in a calm and relaxed state so that it is available in charged situations Sourcing energy from a distant source when you feel stuck Doulas as energy holders in birth spaces Taking care of yourself through connection to your body How presence and connecting to Source is helpful in the first 6 weeks of postpartum Knowing that birth workers are as important to moms as moms are to babies Finding ways to build pleasure and support into your system Learning to rest when you need

 What Rachelle Shares: Stepping into our next maturation level as adults How our experiences being gestated and born impact us through life Why the physiological birth requires safety and protection   What You’ll Hear: Returning to personal authority and innate wisdom The long-ranging impacts of gestation and birth on an infant Creating healthy, high-functioning adults in the future by prioritizing the care and health of mothers Making decisions during pregnancy and birth to support your child’s capacity in life Aligning ourselves with Thriving Life Principles instead of Death Principles Understanding how separating a mother and baby at birth may impact the baby’s attachment patternings Knowing how the use of Pitocin during birth effects postpartum depression rates Attending to our family’s health and wellness by respecting our physiology Working through fear so that we can align with Thriving Life Understanding that intense experiences are not automatically traumatic Heading the radical call to re-center our power and authority as women Connecting to our food and water sources Birthing in safe and protected environments Protecting the hormonal blueprint of labor and birth The difference between a mental idea of safety and a physical understanding of safety Why interacting while wearing masks feels incoherent to our systems How the imprinting of being born impacts us in every single decision we make Bringing implicit patterns into conscious awareness to begin changing them Looking at this choice point of humanity through the 7 Fires Prophecy ·  Remembering the essentials of being human

What She Shares: Why psoas is a central part of birth Shifting from concept to physical movement in your tissues Psoas as innate expression Being coherent with nature Beginning your journey home to yourself What You’ll Hear: Consciously maintaining our agency throughout the birth continuum Separating cultural conditioning from our animal-ness Trusting the animal body’s knowledge of birth Unlocking your physical organism How ancestral trauma appears in different bodies Learning to shape shift to prepare for birth Why a supple, hydrated, expressive psoas is important for knowing oneself Trusting your own power Understanding the power dynamics between insurance companies, OBs, and birthing women Why your birthing experience affects your rite of passage into motherhood Examining appeasement and fawning responses Why it can feel so exhausting to try to maintain coherence with our animal bodies The difficulty of actively defending ourselves during birth The difference between controlling ourselves and expressing ourselves Finding your biological intelligence in your core The nervous systems as expression Why investing in your birth experience is a radical and loving act Making birth choices that support the earth and the human species How your birth experience affects your infant’s nervous system How a sedentary lifestyle impacts a developing fetus Separating consciousness from the nervous system Psoas as "muscle of the soul" Landing into your bones and embracing the fetal curl  

  What Shannon Shares: Using astrology to survey time and cycles Why astrologers have been looking towards 2020 for many years What it means to see Jupiter and Saturn come together in Aquarius for the first time in 600 years     What You’ll Hear: Examining planetary transits that have not culminated for hundreds of years Breaking down old structures so that we can build new ones that are suitable for our current society Why the United States is experiencing an even bigger shift than other nations Why Saturn’s time in Capricorn has helped us address outdated systems How Saturn’s transition into Aquarius supports individuals and societies in innovation Expecting introspection and realizations during the next 3 months. Why July 1- Dec 16 will be an important time for productive building Understanding how planets move through the signs by examining the sun’s movement Transitioning from a state of ‘undoing’ to ‘creating’ Looking forward to positive things coming as 2020 moves into 2021 Why we’re being called to undo old patterns around parenting and relating Using the energy of Cancer to relax and go within during this time of discomfort The various planetary ways we can see that stability is being disrupted physically and energetically Moving into a new economic system Committing the time and focus to come inward so you may soften the transition Using Venus in retrograde this spring to figure out what it is we want Saturn and Jupiter coming together in an air sign is supporting innovation and communication Viewing Mars retrograde in Aries this fall as a productive fever Astrologically moving from solid infrastructure to electrical infrastructure Developing comfort in verbal communication Being creative and deliberate with how you create social structures in an era of increased online presence The north node in Cancer supports us in coming into our authentic inner selves The necessity of being clear in ourselves before we start adding to the collective conversation

Jane Clapp’s approach is to weave her diverse training in holistic and mindful strength and movement coaching with trauma-informed mindfulness and nervous system regulation interventions, transforming emotional and physical overwhelm into embodied strength, mobility, and vitality. What Jane Shares:     How personal necessity inspired her on her path     Discovering coherence in her system when she became a mother     Why she helps people move into sympathetic arousal in order to relax     Ways to access your vitality   What You’ll Hear:     Seeing ourselves as more than just has happened to us     Finding healthy attachment responses within yourself     Experiencing active responses to challenges during birth     Looking at differences in maternal care between countries through a realistic lens     Defining healthy maternal leave     How the structure of parental leave can affect long term parenting dynamics     Developing a deeper understanding of our sexuality within motherhood     Why moving into full vibrancy requires an understanding of healthy sexuality     Why accessing your vital life force energy is necessary for sexual and creative energy     Using movement interventions to come out of shut-down     Adjusting the rhythm of your life to match your biology     Traveling through stress and activation cycles in order to settle and relax     Building movement into your life for     Coming into healthy sympathetic states to create repair     Understanding that whatever you’re dealing with is broader and bigger than just you     Tapping into your healthy aggression     The nuances of health and balance

Find out the possibilities of what can grow and change in you, your life and your relationships as a result of the Activate Your Inner Jaguar class. In a roundtable format, women share about the unexpected transformations they experienced in their lives from the content, the spaceholding, and the group container or people coming together in a process of rewilding and deeper humanness. 

Dr. Zhaleh Boyd Philips is an intuitive healer, a Certified Vaginal Steam Practitioner, and a co-host of the Hot Steamy Podcast. She’s also a doctor in sociology specializing in human sex trafficking. Zhaleh was the magic behind all of the write-ups and graphics behind the Fourth Trimester Vaginal Steam study and has developed a vaginal steaming course specifically for empaths. What Zhaleh Shares:     Her personal history with sex trafficking and how it shaped her path     Realizing she couldn’t be in anti-trafficking work forever     Becoming a joy junky     Receiving information from her ancestors and how it’s guided her What You’ll Hear:     The complexity and difficulties of working with law enforcement     Finding accessible ways to support trafficking victims     How sex trafficking is different in different communities     The need for balance within your interests and time commitments to avoid burnout     Developing tools as an empathy to reclaim your body from other people’s emotions     Safeguarding your health by knowing your own limits     Being in service to yourself as much as you are to other people      Re-connecting with joy and going on a trauma-fast     Vaginal steaming for healing from trafficking, assault, and trauma     How connecting in with the ancestors allowed her to get a fuller picture around clients     Communicating with organs and finding trapped emotions     Receiving sufficient financial exchange for your energetic output     The five dimensions of existing in our physical forms     Finding ways to support yourself beyond your physical body     How caring for an empath differs     Steaming for empaths   

What Kim Shares:     How she used the beauty of imagery to stay in the heaviness of her memoir     How studying archetypes helped her art make sense to herself     Navigating major transitions by being with the tensions     Her experiences with miscarriage   What You’ll Hear:     Examining all the parts of who we are and who we’re expected to be     Feeling the tension of duality without buckling     Allowing a new creative solution to come forth from tension or difficulty     Using your personal practice to get through difficult times     Relating to work that you’ve released into the world     Allowing the true emotional experience to surface     Having space for the rich emotional experiences of life     Tending radical simplification in your life     Titrating your work to promote stabilization of the nervous system     Prioritizing your sense of self over external accomplishment     Resourcing yourself so that you’re able to navigate the tension of duality     Holding yourself through each new phase     Why having a felt container is important in opening     Exploring the line between personal and professional life in the era of social media     Stretching your capacity for joy and connection     Choosing love, sensuality, pleasure, sex, and fun during the conception journey

Ash Robinson bootstrapped two of her own startups; raised over $12M in funding; sold to a public company right before the recession and consulted with hundreds of business owners and executives- most of whom were women. Ash started a company called Purpose to Profit specifically for women entrepreneurs to more effectively lead sustainable and wealth-creating businesses. Now she consults for non-profits, corporations, and entrepreneurs, especially when they are at critical junctures or need people solutions. What Ash Shares: Where she got her experience and foundation in business How she navigated business and new motherhood Re-creating business with a model that works for women What You’ll Hear: Creating safety for freelancers during the fourth trimester Allowing your postpartum experience, without needing it to be ‘perfect’ Culturally ingrained postpartum care How providing parental leave supports companies in the long term. Why working with your nervous system is important in building your business Why developing your business from a human-centric model might be what you need Offering your work to the world even when you’ve experienced failure Re-orienting around work after birth Building a career while raising young children Noticing what you want to be acknowledged for Doing better by slowing down Structuring your business to be authentic to yourself Noticed if difficulties arise from a business structure issue or for a personal reason Distinguishing between yourself and your business Determining what you’re good at in your own business Recognizing the resources available within your relationships Expanding women’s power through financial earning

Michel Odent, MD, is a French obstetrician trained as a general surgeon known for his tireless research on how environmental factors present during pregnancy and birth affect babies, children, and our communities. He is the founder of the  Primal Health Research Centre and authored the first articles on the initiation of lactation and the use of birthing pools. He has authored 15 books and continues to publish cutting edge research.  What He Shares: Why birth is an important subject not only for birth workers, but for all people interested in the future of our species. Why the period of birth is a critical period in a person’s life The inability to study the long-term, non-specific affect of modern pregnancy and birth practices Exploring the changes in Homo sapiens resulting from birthing practices What You’ll Hear: How birthing hormones affect our biological programing Understanding the needs of a laboring person Why the microbiome of a newborn baby affects a their lifelong health How the future of our species is being modified based on birth environments Discovering the correlation between birth choices and children’s behavior Developing appropriate questions around new pregnancy and birth practices Improving research ability to answer unknowns The difficulty of understanding the long term risk factors of birthing choices Prioritizing the development of new research questions Why pregnancy is not the best time to educate yourself on these issues Expanding our view beyond the individual choices to the medical establishment Becoming bilingual in the languages of intuitive knowledge and scientific research Exploring how making birth a social event altered the fetal ejection reflex How technological advancements have altered birth  

What She Shares: The relationship between slavery and modern medicine Learning to read between the lines of the medical literature produced during slavery The emotional strain of researching archives of enslaved people Her own gynecological experience as a black woman What You’ll Hear: The racist background of gynecology and obstetrics How the presumption that Black bodies feel less pain is founded in slavery Understanding that the first men practicing gynecological surgeries were interested in protecting an economic system Recognizing the Mothers of gynecology while respecting their privacy Having an embodied since of history and homeland Examining the legacy of anti-blackness and xenophobia in medicine How nonviolent direct action helped fan the popularity of her book Using education to dismantle the anti-black medical system Attending to the maternal health of Indigenous women How race and class still affect how a person is treated in a medical office Allowing the present to be a part of historical studies Considering that stress responses signify a healthy, coherent system Understanding that black women face higher maternal health risks because of institutionalized anti-blackness, not because of their race Deirdre Cooper Owens is a griot, and a teacher who performs may functions in her community, especially in this 21 st century. Her practice is rooted in the West African and Gullah traditions of gathering and telling stories. She’s an award-winning historian and popular public speaker as well as a Professor in the History of Medicine and Director of Humanities in Medicine Program at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Dr. Cooper Owens is the author of "Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology."

What She Shares:     How her own postpartum story inspired her to learn and teach postpartum care     The history of the school and about its founder, Ysha Oakes     The layout of the Ayurvedic Doula program from the School for Sacred Window Studies What You’ll Hear:     The lineage of the School for Sacred Window Studies     Preventing postpartum mood disorders with appropriate care for mothers     Why it’s important to have a postpartum care provider who personalizes care     Prioritizing comfort and peace during the fourth trimester     How doula training has expanded outside of DONA certification     Getting clear on the services you provide as a postpartum doula     How having a care provider for a new mom affects the mother-baby relationship and nervous system regulation     Why Ayurvedic postpartum bodywork is helpful in reducing PMADs     Finding your boundaries after birth     The value of hiring a postpartum care provider with training and expertise     Understanding how food can impact a person’s postpartum experience and healing     Taking care of yourself as a postpartum care provider to avoid burnout     Approaching the fourth trimester holistically and not as a form of crisis management     Investing in postpartum support     The professional and social benefits of a group practice     Balancing your personal responsibilities with caring for others as a doula     The potential effects of hiring a doula for just a few hours a week     Moving the cultural dialogue on postpartum through scientific research

Cleo Stiller is a multiple award-winning journalist who is a self-identified “relationship non-expert.” She is obsessed with exploring stories about health, gender, and technology among millenials.  She recently authored the book “Modern Manhood: Complications Conversations on Being a Good Man Today.”  What She Shares:     Writing a book on manhood as a woman     Untangling socialized gender     The process of interviewing men anonymously post #metoo on how they really feel   What You’ll Hear:     Bringing conversations around sexuality and consent out into the open     Making room for nuance in complicated topics     Understanding that we all are learning about sex and boundaries together due to a lack of foundational education     Finding true learning within the grey areas     The societal reasons why men feel isolated     Undoing the toxic binary that holds both men and women back     Creating authentic space for men to get in touch with their emotions     How vocabulary changes can allow men to participate in emotional work     Examining the cultural and physiological differences between genders     The Appeal to Nature Fallacy     Expanding our interactions beyond gender expectations     Learning how to be really clear with your expectations and desires     Why gender equality does not exist       Being ok with your own needs and dynamics     Valuing men for their own capacities     Mindfully raising boys     Getting more of what we want in relationship through explicit communication

Jennifer Block is an award winning journalist, an advocate for women’s health care, and the author of books including “Pushed: the Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care” and “Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Care Needs a Feminist Revolution.” She writes frequently about health, gender, and conflict of interest in medicine. What She Shares:     Insight into the recent Madison Breech Birth Conference     Working for 5 years to get publishers to take her first book seriously     Why viewing birth through a human rights lens is so important     How feminism’s relationship with the medical establishment has changed  What You’ll Hear:     How the lack of professional birth education creates ‘birth refugees’     How practitioners organized the Madison Breech Birth Conference to take education back into their own hands     The importance of human rights in birth     Taking an active role in your birth and changing the trauma response     The correspondence of the rise in maternal mortality and the rise in c-sections     The discrepancy of C-section rates between different communities     Translating birth research into the birth room practices     Understanding the actual birth potential of a breech baby     Holding your power during birth     Examining the health effects of hormonal birth control     Separating politics from health care choices     Knowing that choosing to end your cycle is not a physiologically ‘neutral’ choice     The benefits of monthly hormone cycling     Taking a long-term view of fertility     Undoing the “father-doctor-god” complex and believing in your own knowledge and power     The intersection of race and health care

Jenelle Marie Pierce is the Executive Director of The STI Project, the founder of the Herpes Activist Network, and is the spokesperson for Positive Singles.  As an STI + Sexual Health Educator and content creator, Jenelle is dismantling STI stigma through awareness, education, and acceptance. What She Shares:     The definitions of STI and STD, and how they differ     Safe sex vs safer sex     How many sexually active people contract STIs in their lifetime     Her own journey with untangling STI stigma  What You’ll Hear:     Understanding that you are not alone with an STI diagnosis     The majority of people living with STIs are unaware of their status     Untangling the stigma around genital herpes     Understanding that STI stigma originated with stigma around sex     How different cultures view herpes     Removing the differentiation between HSV1 and HSV2     Examining your own views on promiscuity and what it means to be ‘good’     Understanding the impacts of a positive STI status and learning to communicate about it     Identifying the reasons why we engage in sex so we can have full agency over our choices     Determining how and when to disclose your STI status     How having an STI can increase the authenticity of relational communication     Giving yourself time and space to determine if you want to move forward in a sexual relationship with a positive partner     Remembering to embrace the pleasure of sex     Holding personal agency in sexual decisions     Finding an STI educator that fits your needs and style

Three women share how the Activate Your Inner Jaguar course changed their lives.  magamama.com/jaguar

What She Shares:     What is Jing, how it is developed, and how it affects us     The Three Golden Opportunities available to menstruating people     Kris’s personal journey as a mother of two children with autism, the effect it had on her health, and how she restored her wellness     What You’ll Hear:     Building on the Jing or Essence you’re born with     Matching ancient Eastern philosophies with modern research     Recognizing the key times in a menstruating person’s life when they can positively affect how their health manifests     Menstrual blood as the physical manifestation of Jing loss, and safeguarding your energy and Essence     Menstruation as a vital sign of your health     Allowing variation within the menstrual cycle based on life events and stressors     Approaching your health from a felt sense     Positively influencing your health through Jing restoration during menstruation and postpartum     Stopping “Doing,” and embracing Rest     Approaching healing practices through the lens of energy management     Strengthening your health in your late 30’s to build reserves for menopause     Removing the negative cultural connotation around ‘perimenopause’ and ‘postpartum’     Using the three Golden Opportunities to fortify your health     Harvesting your newly allocated energy in menopause     Embracing aging     Looking at your health from a broader perspective     Prioritizing the foundational parts of our health such as sleep, nutrition, and community     Teaching our daughters about the magic and wisdom available in knowing their menstrual cycles     Developing an intimate relationship with yourself

Jennifer Lang recently published an open letter as an OB-GYN who supports women who seek alternative, holistic, and awakened care. She has authored two books, “Consent: The New Rules for Sex Education” and “The Whole 9 Months: A Week-by-week Pregnancy Nutrition Guide.” Jennifer Today she speaks on her journey from ‘surgical cowboy’ to an advocate for bodily autonomy, discovering embodiment through birth, empowering low income communities to screen for and treat cervical cancer, and supporting women in building personal agency within a medical system. Bio:  Jennifer Lang is a gynecological oncologist, the author of two books, the mother of three children, and a passionate force for women’s health and wellbeing. She has served women in a hospital setting, founded a non-profit to reduce cervical cancer rates, and is creating a tech start-up to assist young people in recognizing when they are too incapacitated to consent. “We don’t have to turn over our bodily autonomy every time we walk into a doctor’s office and get up on an exam table. In fact, we should not, ever.”  “We have to remember that doctors are just people, with all their perversions, fallacies, all of it. They’re just people. We can never just put our bodies and our lives, blindly and unquestioningly, into someone else’s hands.”  Resources: https://consentthebook.com and @drjenniferlang on IG What She Shares:     Her pathway through medical school and into a more connected, embodied form of care eventually leaving her surgery practice     How her nonprofit, Cure Cervical Cancer, empowers low-income communities to prevent cervical cancer   Her path as a wife, mother, and now through an expansion in her family and coming out to her family   What You’ll Hear:     Becoming intimately educated in birth through living it     Choosing homebirth after working as a hospital OB-GYN     The challenges of maintaining your own health as a med student and practicing doctor     Finding ways to bring embodied learning and reverence into anatomy education     Experiencing paradigm shift through daily HypnoBirthing meditations     From planning for a hospital birth to having a blissed-out water birth     Recognizing the need for quiet, dark, supported birth and offering this in a surgical setting     Understanding the developmental timeline of HPV to cervical cancer     Preventing cervical cancer through extremely low cost means, without surgery     Finding comfort and power while finding your cervix     Knowing that you are the expert on your own body     Working with other practitioners to offer patients a full spectrum of care     Supporting patients in their empowered medical choices     Working towards a single payer medical system in order to offer patients true comprehensive care     Choosing to leave a medical practice because of the environmental toxins it produces     Addressing the root cause of disease rather than treating personal symptoms     Recognizing personal experiences within a medical opinion     The transition from being re-awakened and exiting the old paradigm     Moving through fear of change in order to live fully in your awakening     Being a fully embodied parent as a way to support your children     Developing a tech tool to assist teens in recognizing when they may be too incapacitated to consent     Knowing your desires, limits, and boundaries, and being able to honor those during intimate encounters  

Keli Garza, Steamy Chick, and Kimberly Johnson, Magamama discuss the results of The Fourth Trimester Vaginal Steam Study results.  We are defining what postpartum recovery looks like. In this podcast we will walk you through the study design- what we did, how we did it, what the results are and what we think the groundbreaking implications of those results mean for future postpartum health and future studies.   

Cece joins us fresh out of her 6 th grade Sex Education curriculum and offers insight and feedback on ways to make the process more comfortable, effective, and accurate. We also talk about the challenges of body image and learning to embrace both our flaws and strengths. Cece opens up about her experience as a bi-racial individual navigating school, life, and the current political climate. What She Shares: The good, the bad, and the lovely of having a sex educator for a mom What Sex Ed is like in a modern 6 th grade classroom What it’s like being the student with accurate information Her journey with body image Growing up bi-racially with a white mother What You’ll Hear: Making sex education more comfortable through authentic connection Calling for curriculum updates that meet kids at their level Learning about puberty from a 1980’s film Untangling the bits of truth from the ball of misinformation in sex ed curriculum Sex ed still does not cover the days in a woman’s cycle when she’s actually fertile The lack of discussion around period products  

Steve Hoskinson was one of my Somatic Experiencing teachers and has since gone on to found Organic Intelligence. He hosts The End of Trauma podcast and has made democratizing nervous system information his mission. What Steve Shares:      Seeing our humanness through the map of complexity science      The importance of joy and pleasure in growth      Information on his End of Trauma course      The difference between Somatic Experiencing and Organic Intelligence  What You’ll Hear:      Discerning between ‘natural’ and ‘moral’ in our decision making      Being empowered in your choices through knowledge      Understanding that your physical body may perceive experiences differently than your thinking brain      Respecting your intensity thresholds at any given time      Using Complexity Science to understand the three phases of complex systems, such as our nervous system      The nature of our biology requires us to build resiliency through pleasure and safety      Orienting to your surroundings catalyzes self-organization of the nervous system      Self-growth through the pleasure of engagement, safety, trust, and positive feedback      Recognizing the intelligence already present in your being      Noticing if you’re being driven forward through internal impulses or external pressure      Ending trauma through returning to biological synchrony      SIBAMing your thought process to obtain more insight      Reframing ‘trauma’ as ‘un-integrated resource’ and knowing that your system wants to self-regulate      Increasing your ‘bandwidth’ to comfortably and safely hold more feeling and information      Finding trauma resolution through orienting to pleasure      Our systems grow through orienting to our environments and experiencing pleasure      The nature of humanity is compassion and connection      The importance of understanding systems processes through nature and embodiment      Moving beyond ‘self development’ and finding real growth through pleasure and joy      Moving your attention and awareness to the present moment of your external environment  

Katie Silcox is a yoga instructor and Ayurveda instructor who studied with world renowned teachers and became disillusioned by some of what she experienced in the yoga world.  Her experiences allowed her to become more discerning and offer her students safety and freedom in their own practice. What Katie Shares: When the yoga she was doing wasn’t working anymore [9:25] She wanted to break up with yoga the same month she was featured on the cover of Yoga Journal [11:08] How she learned balance the horizontal vs. vertical relationships of teacher to student by holding space and owning leadership [18:25] Yoga as having your worldview superimposed through a yoga practice [22:00] Shakti needs a structure for which to flow [24:00] How to trust your body to naturally go where it wants to be [33:38] Her current form of practice [34:20] What happens when women abdicate power to a male authority [39:06] What You'll Hear: First level of Polyvagal theory: belonging and safety vs. herd mentality The Me Too movement in the yoga world “Waking the Tiger” and how somatic experiencing resets the nervous system The stages of Chaos The role of the “core” in yoga and cultural perception Conversation about the cultural and internal patriarch What it looks like to truly inhabit and incarnate our body Katie is the New York Times Best-Selling author of the book Healthy, Happy, Sexy - Ayurveda Wisdom for Modern Women and Founder and CEO of Shakti School. Holding a Master’s Degree in the Ayurveda Sciences, Katie is an internationally-recognized teacher, mentor to women and inspirer of hearts and minds. Together we talk about our paths as young female yoga teachers, how to navigate the yoga world, and what the nervous system has to do with it. 

Summary:.  Levina and Caleb have been journaling together about their sex life for nearly a year. They quickly discovered that creating this intimate and authentic space allowed them to learn more about themselves and each other, both within and outside of sex. They’ve been able to unearth and heal old dynamics, foster curiosity and communication, and continue building an electric sex life.  Resources: https://asexjournal.com  @asexjournal What They Share:      Their dating history and how they created their sex journal      How journaling allowed them to uncover new knowledge about themselves      How journaling has impacted other couples What You’ll Hear:      Journaling and documenting in times of joy and connection      Building a space to curious and communicative with both yourself and your partner      Creating space in your partnership for ongoing conversations and evolution      Recognizing that shared experiences can be different for each person      Building a foundation of understanding and communication to enable creativity      Allowing someone else’s experience to not be a personal reflection on you      Assessing what level of safety and trust you may require when deciding to sex journal together      Starting the path of self-discovery wherever you are      Relationships can continue to deepen and grow when there’s genuine connection      Developing great sex by practicing communication      Unearthing and healing relationship dynamics      Delving into the curiosity, learning, and pleasure of sex      Being less busy so that you can connect with both yourself and a potential partner      Prioritizing an erotic component in your life is important for full-life satisfaction      Sex is where we get to step out of urgency and into life-force connection      The importance of engaging in relationship in order to expand self growth      Consciously choosing your languaging around relationship and sex to foster the experience you want      Creating long-term resilience in your sex life through exploration and variety      Finding comfort and joy in all the parts of being human  

Sabia Wade began her birth work with incarcerated people. A full spectrum doula, she is an educator, doula trainer and activist. She says there's no separating activism and birthwork and wants all people to have access to care. She is the founder of For the Village, a non-profit setting out to address disparities in birth and provide community for birthworkers. 

What Gia Shares:      How her positive experience receiving sex education from her parents informed her path      Differences between sensuality and sexuality      What's essential for parents to know       Her favorite part of her book  What You’ll Hear:      Defining your reality through language      Approaching sex through sense-based experiences      Building relationships on the foundation of friendship      Teaching youth about the pleasures of sex so that they are able to be more at home and embodied in their sexual relationships      Doing self work around sexuality and shame to raise healthier kids      The importance of prioritizing your own erotic life      Modeling pleasure for your kids      Giving kids tools, information, and practice around consent and touch      The difference between be taught how to say ‘no’ and learning to negotiate preferences      The importance of entering sexual encounters with goal as the primary intention      Supporting your children by maintaining familial and community relationships as the grow Learning to pleasure map your own body

Five very different women share their experiences in MotherCircle: a monthlong dive into the physical, emotional, psychological, relational, sexual and spiritual shifts of becoming a mother. 

What Azita Shares:      Her own experience with trauma and how it shaped her personal and professional path      How she received support to leave her abuser and begin treatment for her trauma      How motherhood uprooted her sense of control      Her fertility and birth journey What You’ll Hear:      Understanding that relational abuse and trauma can take many different forms   Finding the permission to be kind and compassionate to yourself   Listening to the body’s experience to finally find healing   Becoming an active participant in your healing   Giving grief time and space, without allowing it to take over forever   Navigating recovery while mothering   Softening into self compassion for mothering   The importance of pausing and allowing inner wisdom to speak   Navigating sexual trauma while trying to become pregnant      The difference between processing trauma somatically and intellectually      Finding time and space to process while caring for a child      Allowing your spiritual practice to evolve as life evolves      The community that comes together for you may not be who you expect      Truly embodying the idea that community support during parenting is a necessity, not a luxury      Getting reacquainted with your body after birth      The power of witnessing for healing      Allowing our children to live their experiences  

What Kendra Shares:      Her realization that there is no mythical ‘daddy’ figure that she missed out on      The parts of single parenting that work really well for her      The parts of her pregnancies that brought forward wisdom What You’ll Hear:      Allowing the relationships in your life to be what they are, without searching for perfection      When we relate to others as whole human being with histories, bodies, and experiences, we can approach relationships more fully      Allowing the people in our lives to shine in their strengths      Honoring what you’re really good at, while also expanding into new areas and roles      Examining how to embody our power as women      Holding the role of teacher while also continuing to empower others on their own inner authority      Sometimes opening ourselves to our own inner wisdom takes removing the obligation to follow it      The authentic power that can come from following your inner wisdom rather than social conditioning      Taking your own wellbeing into account when making familial decisions      Finding ways to resource yourself and your parenting      Unshaming your sexuality and showing up for your own pleasure      Embracing humanity in its fullness      Improving your relationship with other genders through strengthening your own healthy masculine and feminine Knowing that you belong

What She Shares:      The history of women and psychiatry      How some medical research data is currently being safely collected on pregnant women      Her intention for her new book to be a preventative guidebook to reduce postpartum depression      How her new podcast is intended for maternal health and support What You’ll Hear:      How the scare around Thalidomide affected research into women’s mental health for decades to come.      Opening research to include women’s health finally showed that men and women’s health needs often differ      The laws that aimed to reduce gender and racial discrimination in medical research      A brief discussion on the FDA approved medication for postpartum depression      Embarking on research into the causes of and prevention of postpartum depression      Making preparations and front loading investments to avoid PPMADs      Addressing diseases through the a bio-psycho-social model and a preventative lens      Being aware of a biological predisposition towards depression      Accessing information about postpartum care from multiple angles      Finding camaraderie with other women and their stories in Alexandra’s podcast      Lovingly examining your own personhood and how it interacts with your new role as a mother      Bringing motherhood and traditional feminism together      Prioritizing those things you really want, including motherhood

Rachelle Garcia Seliga, founder of Innate Traditions,  http://www.innatetraditions.com/ancestral-grief/, shares: What is ancestral grief and how is it showing up postpartum Defining and finding community support as if your life depends on it, because it does How she found her life partner New forms, new paradigms, and new models in partnership and business Her personal story of financial health and transformation, how financial need and breadwinning has not allowed her to hide, and insisted she give her gifts.  

Five women share their stories about what changed for them after taking the Forging a Feminine Path course.    All of the women mention that understanding women's arousal was groundbreaking for them.   Molly Coeling (pronounced Cooling) was able to claim her sexuality for herself, and claim the essence of who she is, through the course. She also found that the course helped her with communication all over the board -- with her mother, with people across party lines.   Amy Daniels talks about how the course helped her land back in her body, and helped her work through shame instead of repressing it. Her capacity for pleasure increased, she was able to slow down and create ritual to create more pleasure in her life and honor her body.   Maggie Gelineau was able to honor her stories, and be able to share herself more fully with her husband. The course strengthened her relationship. She had an amazing OBGYN appt after the women's arousal class -- she was able to have a healing, present and compassionate experience there, where she felt her own agency.   Sarah G talks about how the course informed her work as a pelvic floor PT -- she uses the wheel of consent in her work now, as well as informing women of the power of pleasure.    Sarah B shares how she discovered her own self-pleasure and ecstasy with herself through the course. She found the compassion and vulnerability of the group rich and rewarding.

It's possible to heal prolapse and not just "manage the symptoms." Prolapse is an increasingly common outcome of birth and postpartum practices. To work with prolapse, you need to understand the contributing factors. In this episode, Kimberly breaks down how to figure out what's contributing to your prolapse and how to deal with it. 

Jenna Furnari works as an Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula in the greater Los Angeles area. She offers phone consultations for families living elsewhere.  Jenna hosts an online course to train other doulas, and also offers in-person trainings on Abhyanga, a grounding and gentle bodywork. “The first six weeks after birth really are the foundation behind the way she’s going to show up as a human being, as a mother, as a woman.” “Birth is going to take everything and beyond that out of her. I know that you want to provide this child with every opportunity in the world; and, in order to do that, you and your partner really need to be on the same page at being strong and healthy. In order to get to that really strong and healthy place, she needs to have the care and support to get her there. She’s on going to be able to do it on her own.” Resources: www.jennafurnari.com What She Shares: ·      How she became a postpartum-specific Ayurvedic practitioner ·      How her care services are structured ·      How mothers’ experiences differ when they receive Ayurvedic postpartum care ·      Details on both her online and in-person trainings   What You’ll Hear: ·      The importance and specificity of food provided during postpartum care ·      The what and why of postpartum bodywork ·      The timeline of maternal care ·      What she teaches mamas for infant massage ·      Understanding how much work your body is required to perform after birth ·      Creating vitality and resistance to illness during the postpartum ·      Creating mind-body awareness and strength through journaling, proper nutrition, and bodywork ·      The importance of maintaining a connection to Source to be an effective doula ·      Financially prioritizing postpartum care ·      Disseminating information to a mother’s partner and care team in so that she receives the best care possible ·    Balancing vata during the postpartum through warmth, nutrition, rest, and grounding bodywork ·      Building support systems and practical ways to ensure new mothers receive the physiological care they require ·      Prioritizing sleep, food, and proper herbs as an investment to long-term health ·      The power of postpartum care to heal physical and emotional birth trauma

What She Shares:      How the birth of her son was a psycho-spiritual death experience      The rich depth of her postpartum experiences      Practicing as a Zen Monk AND parenting      About her new course “Write to the Heart of Motherhood” What You’ll Hear:      Recognizing when you need to surrender, and when you need to stand in your strength      Expanding your boundaries to build resiliency      Feeling the pain of childbirth as power      Pushing yourself out of love, not punishment      Birth and postpartum as a rite of passage, and incorporating afterward      Re-integrating with society at a new level after a rite of passage      Sharing your learning with your community      Viewing the interruptions of life as life itself      Committing to what resources you      Allowing space for creativity and inspiration to come organically      Finding ways to interrupt your habits and inner critic      Harvesting what is already happening in your mothering Brooke McNamara is a professor at Naropa University, the author of “Feed Your Vow: Poems for Falling into Fullness”, and creates dance theater performances through her company Eunice Embodiment. She’s a poet, a performer, a zen monk, mother of two, a movement educator, and a mindfulness coach.

What Dr. Claudia Shares:      Why the title of her book is actually backwards      Her “aha!” moment when she was studying hormones      The difference between sex hormones and stress hormones      How our spiritual and emotional choices reverberate through our physical bodies What You’ll Hear:      Understanding that your hormones don’t become imbalanced in a vacuum      How Western and Eastern medicines support each other to better understand our hormones      Viewing hormonal functions through the lens of duality      Hormones govern extremes in the body      Understanding why imbalances between sex and stress hormones occur      Learning how to decrease stress hormones through lifestyle changes      Striving for the sweet spot of balance between yin and yang      Learning your own body to understand when it needs more rest versus stimulation      Why women in their late 30’s and beyond require more rest      Becoming hormonally rearranged in menopause      Learning to balance external stressors to support your health      Determining what your version of ‘having it all’ is, and subtracting what you don’t need      The interweaving effects of emotion, thought, biology, action, and spirituality on our hormonal balance      Embracing the medicine of subtraction and internal wisdom to find balance      Why saying no takes so much courage      Further resources for learning about hormone balancing and preparing for pregnancy      Respecting the hormonal differences between male and female bodied people

What Christine Shares:      Her activism centered around the bodylessness present in our culture      Translating your physical experience to your social interactions      How embracing inquiry and challenges can support your well being      How her understanding of the immune system impacted how she runs her psychotherapy practice What You’ll Hear:      Incorporating somatic work in your daily life for nervous system health      Coming to a practice from pressure, pleasure, or inquiry, and how those may affect your practice      How a practice changes when you come with some form of self-regulation      Integrating mental and physical processes      Respecting the 12 different systems in the body as inherently important in their own right      Learning to listen to all systems in the body so that you get a fuller picture of your self and your health      Approaching the body from a community organizing standpoint with a non-hierarchical approach      Creating space for range and nuance rather than a stark dichotomy      Approaching your body from a lens of curiosity rather than control      Using physical, mental, and cognitive challenges to promote optimal health      The immune system learns and becomes toned when it faces challenges      The universe of experiences available when you learn to really be in your body      The connection between being bodyful and social awareness and ethics      Understanding your body from both a physical sense and a poetic sense      Using your sense of power to relax into the unknown or uncontrollable  

What Lisa Shares:      Her journey to understanding female fertility more fully after receiving incorrect information in school      How to determine when you’re actually fertile      The biology of the menstrual cycle and how different birth controls alter this      The importance of male fertility in conception and how to boost male fertility What You’ll Hear:      The recent expansion of scientific literature to more fully include the female body      Learning about the biology and physiology of the female body and basing health decisions on science      The hormonal cycle is intertwined with the rest of your biology      Embracing your body through the lens of pleasure rather than fear      Developing personal agency around your fertility decisions      The difference between the rhythm method and fertility awareness      The importance of familiarizing yourself with cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and cervical positioning      The difference between pre-ovulatory and post-ovulatory mucus      When practiced *properly,* the efficacy of fertility awareness is up to 99.4%      The importance of learning and practicing the method, especially when coming off the pill      Understanding the importance of male fertility for natural conception      Average count and mobility of sperm has declined in the last century, and ways to improve sperm health      Why you might lose your period and the importance of balancing health in order to bring it back      Why the menstrual cycle is an important vital sign about your health      How vaginal steaming might interact with fertility awareness      The long-term health implications of hormonal birth control      Being familiar enough with your cycle to notice when more systemic issues are at play      How stress affects your menstrual cycle      How relating to your body in this way can empower you

What Bari Shares:      Her journey into perimenopause      Learning to lose her shame around money      Living through the ebbs and flows of income      The phases she guides you through in her year-long money school What You’ll Hear:      Responding to the body’s needs through intuitive eating and nourishing movement      Respecting the natural ebbs and flows of energy      Allowing yourself to expand your financial goals and comfort      Moving beyond your current money ceilings      Riding the wave of change in life      Allowing for financial lulls in order to attend to other important needs      Applying the principle of ebbs and flows to money      Balancing parenting with earning, and understanding your worth      Allowing parenting young children to be the transition it is      Working through money koans      Feelings of fight, flight, and freeze during financial stress      Defining your version of financial sustainability      Including future financial needs in your vision      The importance of money healing and understanding your patterns      Learning to be exceptionally loving during your process of money healing      Respecting and cherishing your own pacing

What He Shares:      Some of the golden rules of healthy relating      The important ingredients to a flourishing relationship      How to reduce drama in your relationship, regardless of structure      His shift from ‘doing’ to ‘being’ What You’ll Hear:      Moving into authenticity and vulnerability to allow a genuine unfolding within a relationship      Discerning when to be vulnerable and when to respect your communication boundaries      Finding the living sweet spot of authenticity, vulnerability, and being transparent within each relationship      Having ruthless self-awareness toward yourself and your conditioning      Following the truth of your heart in your relationship structure      Discovering alignment, or not, with your partner      Ways to proceed with changes in your relationship dynamic      Celebrating your partner in their fullness      Healing your attachment styles, wounding, and imprints to have less drama in a relationship      Expanding beyond the paradigm of dichotomy      Showing up from a deeper conscious commitment to self, to source, and to each other      Finding full comfort in who you are and what you want      Living the fully embodied wholeness that you’re here to live      Loosening your scripts while maintaining togetherness      Finding a way to embody and transmit an experience of safety for you partner      Being based in love and integrity, not in impulses of conditioning      Recognizing the energetic shift post MeToo, and embracing the role of initiator as a woman      Meeting your partner at their emotional and communication belt levels

Brigit is a licensed massage therapist, craniosacral practitioner, a trauma resolution therapist, and believes deeply in the magic of life and the wild wisdom of the body. She especially loves to work with people on boundary repair and stabilization. What She Shares:      Sensing your own boundaries for invasions and working towards repair      Working with imprints from our own conception and birth to find systemic healing      Embracing your family dynamic to foster personal expansion      Offering safe attachment with others through secure attachment with one’s self What You’ll Hear:      Discovering what in your system is an imprint from trauma or overwhelming experiences      Your individual blueprint and its potential for growth      Healing imprints so that you can flourish      Physical imprints from our own births and how they continue to manifest      How relational ruptures with your parent can imprint into your core      Honoring lost infants to help create closure and healing for other children      Re-wilding ourselves to build resilience to traumatic experiences      Embracing the spirit and magic of life for a better sense of embodiment      Building capacity in order to witness and sequence through relationship ruptures      Using intellectual knowledge to find comfort in your body’s flow      Recognizing the return of the divine feminine and reclaiming your power of creating      Finding a practitioner that can show up for your animal body      Living life at a pace that is digestible in the moment and creating conditions for presence      When an injury is multifaceted, including sexual abuse by a faith leader, it is important for the repair to also be multifaceted      Staying open to see what’s already healthy, working, and stable

What She Shares:      Her varied birth and postpartum experiences      Learning about nourishing food from her family      Becoming a single mom of three and reweaving herself What You’ll Hear:      The importance of practicing receiving and recognizing when we’re depleted      Ways to slow down and reflect on your feelings so they don’t accumulate and overwhelm      Approaching life from a point of maintaining vitality and attending to yourself      Embracing the simplicity of care      Respecting the true pace of the body and nervous system to truly be resourced      How different postpartum experiences affect your health      Caring for yourself during your menstrual cycle can help fortify your health      Finding her medicine and following it      Reconfiguring the meaning of ‘family’      Embracing passions outside of our jobs to bring fulfillment      Recognizing that we cannot attend to every need or desire      Allowing space and flow in postpartum, and knowing that re-opening takes time and patience      All our stories are unique, but many of the feelings are similar

What He Shares: How he came into the path of intentional, sexual healing What a session in NeuroAffective Touch looks like Discovering your own preferences and those of your partner through Full Body Active Consent Working with his own mother to repair rupture in her nervous system How pleasure factors into his work What You’ll Hear: How the lack of sovereignty in our body as an adolescent shows up in our adult embodiment The opportunity to repair ruptures with male authority figure through working with male practitioners Integrating unsequenced emotions somatically Bodies often become guarded when an outside agenda is opposed on them, and ways to put the body back in charge Listening to the body to inform a loving, effective way forward The importance of pausing and finding the information there Resolving trauma so that we can reclaim the body’s sovereignty Respecting the body’s intelligence Addressing listlessness by integrating our emotional landscape Freeing unsequenced emotion through bodywork Changing patterns in real-time through emotional repair The power of what can shift in your life when things shift somatically in your body Downloading a new software in your body Changing our embodiment, creativity, and confidence through sexual energy De-armoring the body to release stored emotion and to access greater life force Following the body’s lead to safely use catharsis alongside titration work. Finding a practitioner that can aid you in translating the body’s needs

Dan Doty is the founder of Evryman, a father, and a husband. He’s constantly delving into new depths with himself, his wife, and the men in his life. Dan has found incredible liberation through his work helping men connect with each other.   What he shares:      The core mission of Evryman      His ongoing process of opening and exploration, and the feelings that arise      Changes he sees every day in men who develop awareness of others and the self      The power of the simplicity of what he offers      His journey learning to support a partner with a history of sexual trauma What you’ll hear:      How to effectively invite your partner on your journey of personal growth      Addressing the fear that embracing something deeper or more connective will ‘feminize’ men      The deep importance of recognizing both the external and internal perspective of being human      How learning to be aware can lead to increased satisfaction and fulfillment, and bring connection into life      The importance of slowing down      The powerful experience of being a part of a men’s group and feeling safe      Relational communication skills take practice, and it’s ok to be clumsy when you start      The need for reparative work to have healthy, forward thinking interactions      Learning to trust others and yourself through connection      Supporting a partner with a history of sexual trauma      Working towards cultural healing by stepping out of the paradigm of duality      The ebbs and flows of sexuality      The healing that happened for Dan’s partner after Kimberly’s Jaguar course      Steps to build your own support system      Acknowledging the deep work it takes to have a healthy relationship      The journey into fatherhood requires support and care      The need for physical contact and support, especially when raising children

What Holly Shares:      Untangling hormonal birth control from feminism      Why she was on the pill as a teen even before she was sexually active      The positive effects the pill had for her      The mental health affects the pill had on her      Her journey discovering who she was without hormonal birth control What You’ll Hear:      The cultural marriage between feminism and the pill       The pushback she received against her writing criticizing synthetic hormones       How feminism has changed in the last 10 years       Various forms of feminism and what they mean for women       How the pill has become our cultural right of passage       How hormonal birth control helped manage her painful periods       Letting go of fear and embracing your teen’s sexuality      Teen pregnancy vs. side effects of hormonal birth control       The paranoia, depression, and obsessive compulsive behavior she developed while on the pill      Rediscovering her emotional landscape post synthetic hormones      The dearth of critical examination of the pill’s side effects       Side effects of the pill including reduced senses, lactation, and suicidal thoughts       Why so many women are suffering from anhedonia and are unable to experience inherent pleasure in life       Questioning how synthetic hormones affect our birthing, our parenting, and attachment       Reclaiming the power of your own emotions, sense of self, and libido       How synthetic hormones affect your attraction to other people       Getting support for your own journey leaving hormonal birth control       Learning about fertility awareness within the context of feminism      Imagining a future of feminist fertility awareness plus somatic consent practice       Embracing men and boys in the feminist fertility movement       How coming off of the pill can be part of a social movement 

What She Shares:      Why she believe the psoas should be considered an organ of perception      How the psoas is connected to our emotional states and our nervous system      How to find resiliency and tone the nervous system through movement and play What You’ll Hear:      Why the psoas, more than any other structure, is expressive and doesn’t fit in a biomechanical box      How the psoas relates to our sense of safety and full thriving      How a full body orgasm relates to the psoas      Why feeling safe is essential to reaching orgasmic potential      Why cathartic work is not as useful as integration and nourishment      Why it’s important to create space for the psoas rather than trying to stretch it      The psoas should not be classified as a muscle, but rather an organ of perception      How the psoas is like the body’s emotional GPS system      What “Core Integrity” means to Liz and its importance      Why turning towards yourself supports your agency      What are our O-rings and why being acquainted with ALL your sphincters is important for holistic health      How aging and drying are different      A baby follows the mother’s psoas during birth; how chemical intervention during birth can disorient the baby      Valuing birth and women can positively affect health in later life      How our cultures affects our Core Integrity      The biological way of being human and trusting our animal selves      Having a disrupted gut may affect gut feelings and intuition      Rhythm in your life will help to balance the nervous system

What She Shares: The history of eating placenta Why single CDC case-studies on eating placenta aren’t as trustworthy as are own experiences How her own postpartum period was affected by returning to work after two weeks, being alone with her baby after Day 9, and living with undiagnosed Hashimoto’s How integrated postpartum care would be a dream for new moms How her agency, Baby Caravan, matches women to birth doulas, postpartum doulas, and back-to-work coaching services   What You’ll Hear: Placenta encapsulation: Chinese medicine history and modern-day uses The connection between homeopathy, cannibalism and eating placenta The recent CDC case-study and its implications on eating placenta Jennifer’s experience with postpartum and how her plan shifted when her son was born late: she returned to work after two weeks, and how that affected her How do freelancers arrange postpartum so that we have what we need? The hard reality check of being on her own from Day 9 of postpartum Her diagnosis of Hashimoto's, and how she remained undiagnosed for 18 months Postpartum blood work from a functional medicine doctor is so important! What Jennifer is seeing in the birth world right now, and what we can do better in terms of supporting each other and women of color Woodhull Hospital in NYC as an example of integrated birth care with a 13% C-Section rate (the current rate in NYC is 30-50%) The complete absence of postpartum care, and the average woman going back to work in 12-21 days: this predisposes us for infection and disease Jennifer’s postpartum agency, Baby Caravan, and how they help women who are preparing in advance---and in crisis Jennifer’s postpartum plan for her current pregnancy: an aggressive savings plan, taking one month off before her due date/three months off after, having her in-laws come to rent an apartment down the street for a month so they can do laundry/cook for her (which she requested!), nutritional support like the API diet, bloodwork, and living in a “plush nest”---and the curveballs she and her husband have already faced in planning What to look for in a birth doula and/or a postpartum doula Jennifer’s agency, Baby Caravan, which provides holistic support for families in and around NYC, from pregnancy through returning to work postpartum http://www.babycaravan.com/

EP48: Kimberly Seals Allers on How Medicine, Big Business and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding What She Shares: How her book, The Big Letdown, explores the connections between medicine, big business and feminism and their effects on breastfeeding women today. How the environment we are currently in sets us up for failure. The importance of using our power as consumers to start dialogues with our care providers about breastfeeding and lactation. Taking morality and guilt out of the current debate on breastfeeding and birth. The ways feminism has let mothers down. The importance of re-centering mothers in the fight for reproductive justice and freedom.  What You’ll Hear: How the field of pediatric medicine arose in conjunction with the development of infant formula. How this original alliance has shaped the pediatric field and its relationship to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and lactating management are not taught in medical school. The lack of holistic care for women after birth: “Women are broken down into the sum of their parts.” How we only deal with the body when it’s diseased, while there’s very little support for its normal biological functions. These natural functions are embodied and unable to be monetized. What’s the economic incentive to support them? Our increasingly isolated lives contribute to this loss and to the stress that negatively impacts a woman’s milk supply. There are some cultures where this disruption never happens. We have to examine the systems we’re living in and how they set us up for failure. The importance of creating a dialogue with pediatricians and holding them accountable for having training that comes from an unbiased source. What is “Choice Feminism”? Parsing out the moral language in the current debate over what is natural in birth and breastfeeding. “The guilt is not about you. It’s the system that let you down.” How this “blame and shame” conversation divides and distracts people from the larger issues. Cultural acceptance, public support, and encouragement from pediatricians can help women overcome obstacles to breastfeeding. The high cost of our feminist inheritance of “doing it all” and being “equal” to men. We have to see the work of mothering as just as or even more important than our productive work. Play the long game: investing in your health at this time can benefit you for the rest of your life. We can’t evaluate our individual actions without also considering the systems in place around us. The importance of including motherhood in the conversation around reproductive rights. Kimberly Seals Aller’s upcoming webinar offerings. Free: Upcoming webinar on Ethics and Supporting African-American Communities with Breastfeeding http://www.kimberlysealsallers.com/getting-it-right-ethics-engaging-african-american-communities-for-breastfeeding-support-live-webinar-on-october-23rd/  

  Kim Anami is a sex and relationship coach, vaginal weightlifter, surfer and mom. With decades worth of experience in Tantra, Taoism, Osho and Transpersonal psychology, she has helped countless women and men heal and maximize their innate sexual nature.  What Kim Shares: How our sexual, emotional and psychological blocks show up in the birth experience The importance of removing these blocks in order to have an empowering birth Orgasmic birth; what it means and how to create the best conditions for having one Preparing for birth with sex; what can orgasms, exploratory sex, and even female ejaculation teach us about giving birth What You’ll Hear: Why Kim created her new course on birth “The same blocks that show up in birth…are the ones that show up in bed.” Is natural home-birth something that can be taught? How the dominant cultural messages about birth negatively effect women’s birth experiences The importance of doing “due diligence” and educating ourselves Birth injuries are being normalized Women are being deprived of a crucial initiation into greater power and embodiment through giving birth Why emotional, spiritual and psychological blocks must be cleared in order to create an orgasmic birth The history of organized and concerted efforts by gynecologists to discredit home-birth “This requires a counter-cultural look.” Every hormonal release during labor is perfectly orchestrated to create a healthy birth The “cascade of interventions” and how it effects labor and birth Oxytocin is a shy hormone! Why a woman needs to be in a safe, private, intimate environment to have a successful birth Why women have lost confidence in their ability to give birth “If we trust our bodies, our bodies will tell us what to do.” What does orgasmic birth mean? The differences between clitoral, g-spot and cervical orgasms and how this relates to birth Why women need to address their emotional and psychological healing even and especially when they are pregnant The false ideas behind low libido Protection vs. Growth in a relationship “The point when people pass over from pain to pleasure is when they feel fully open, they can trust, they feel safe.” Preparing for birth with sex Kim’s idea of “demon hunting” The importance of birth being empowering instead of demoralizing The difficulty of trying to optimize the birth experience when our day to day lives are over-productive and highly stressful The danger of overriding our body’s signals The need to create ample time and space before and after birth to maximize the potential benefits for both mom and baby Partnership postpartum; an opportunity for “the maturation of what sex is.” Kim’s perspective on the use of jade eggs How unresolved distance in the relationship becomes the perfect excuse to not be sexual after birth Learning how to push The connection between female ejaculation and the fetal ejection reflex Why the phrase “tight vagina” is a misnomer Why care givers often default to directed pushing during labor Inductions disrupt the natural production of the hormones that create the fetal ejection reflex Learning how to trust ourselves and our instincts; “there’s a lot more that can go right than go wrong.” Deprogramming and reprogramming during pregnancy Why we must fiercely protect our pleasure, our choices for our births, and our sexual health Sex and birth are opportunities to create the healing our planet needs Using sex and birth to self actualize, to become our deepest, truest selves www/bit.ly/sexymamasalon

In this special episode of the Magamama podcast, my right-hand woman Lynn Wolfbrandt interviews four women who have taken my course Activate Your Inner Jaguar. They share their experiences in the course, from decreased social anxiety, increased intuition and inner knowing, a more comfortable mindset around chronic illness, more congruence between what they desire and what they experience, and a newfound ability to shift from freeze during sex to a more fulfilling intimate relationship with their partner. We also interviewed the partner of one participant, to hear from him around what changed for him during the course. He experienced a profound shift in relationship and intimacy due to his wife’s experience in Jaguar. Thank you to Alysse and Dan Doty, Susie Connerley, Stephanie Sandleben and Dorie Silverman for your intimate shares. The next round of Activate Your Inner Jaguar begins Tuesday, October 9th. Register at magamama.com/jaguar

Jaiya, a sexological body-worker, educator, and prolific author, discusses the Erotic Blueprint types and the role that they play in our relationships. In this episode, Jaiya shares how own blueprint has shifted throughout her life and details the different characteristics of each of the five blueprint types. What You'll Hear: What inspired her work on postpartum health How her sexuality shifted after becoming a mom What the Erotic Blueprints are and why they’re important How she helps individuals understand, feed, and heal their blueprints through the Erotic Blueprint Breakthrough Course What She Shares: The pelvic floor trauma she endured while giving birth to her son  Pressure within the sex-positive community for postpartum sex  “We have multiple sexualities.”  Men and postpartum sexuality What led to her first session with Dr. Ellen Heed  How her Erotic Blueprint changed after having her son  What she learned from her surveys with postpartum women  Talking about sex in contemporary society The difference between her and her partner’s sexuality postpartum  Finally having sex for pleasure The five Erotic Blueprints  Why boundaries are so difficult for Energetics The Sensual’s “superpower”  Not understanding our partner’s Erotic Blueprint can lead to “consent coercion”  Culture and Sexuals’ Erotic Blueprint  Your Erotic Blueprint only shows you where you’re limited  Psychological vs. Sensation-Based  How the Kink Realm helped her find her voice and heal  Erotic Blueprints give us a language to understand our ever-changing sexual maps  Shape-Shifters, erotic sophistication, and capacity for pleasure  Where you can find out more about the Erotic Blueprints and how to find out your own type  Her Erotic Blueprint Breakthrough Course How our sexuality as a culture is changing  https://missjaiya.com/  

Bethany Saltman drafted the nation's first "affirmative consent" policy at Antioch College in the 90s. That means she's been having the #metoo conversion and talking about the politics of pleasure for a good long time. She is now at work on a book about attachment- rejecting or revising the work that has been popularized and categorized as "attachment styles." Recorded right before the Kavanagh confirmation, we talk about the behavior during the hearings- body language and attachment style.  

In this episode, “Mindfulness mama mentor” Hunter Clarke-Fields talks about the importance of practicing mindfulness in parenting and how she helps stressed-out moms become more grounded in their daily lives. Hunter also shares about her life as an artist and the role that painting played in own pregnancy and entry into motherhood. Hunter Clarke-Fields is a yoga teacher, “mindfulness mama mentor,” podcaster, mama, and artist who teaches mothers how to implement mindfulness into their parenting. Her Mindful Parenting course helps mamas understand and transform their stress and become more grounded and centered as parents. What You'll Hear: All the different hats she balances in her professional and personal lives How she evolved from an art teacher to a mindfulness mentor What parents learn in the Mindful Parenting course What She Shares: What inspired her to begin painting [03:10] How she learned how to paint [04:00] Pregnancy, Predator vs. prey, and painting [6:41] Female bodies vs. male bodies in art [13:30] Gender norms and kids today [14:15] Technology and parenting [20:30] Breaking bad parenting habits [26:15] “...living what you want your kids to learn” [32:27] The role of painting during her pregnancy and entry to motherhood [34:57] Our actions are influenced by our instincts [36:28] We don’t choose the triggers to our anger [39:20] Bringing mindfulness into parenting [41:10] How her second child differed from her first [43:48] What’s involved in her Mindful Parenting Course [45:47] Her upcoming book [51:20] Where you can find her online [55:10]

In this episode, we talk to astrologer Shannon Aganza for a deeper understanding of astrology: both in your own birth chart, and in the current transits (specifically Mars and Venus retrograde). Often we think that astrology is just our sun sign, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. All of the planets—Mars, Venus, Saturn, Mercury, etc—were in a certain sign and house of your chart when you were born. Shannon will tell you how to find Venus and Mars in your own chart, and what that means for you in terms of love, intimacy and sex. Normally, people view astrology as other-worldly, but actually, it can be used as a map of the physical body as well. In this podcast, we’ll look at that in regards to relationship and sexuality. What You’ll Hear The astrological map of the body: each sign and its corresponding body part How these body parts can unlock a key to a different kind of ertocism How to interpret Mars and Venus in your own chart, and how to find them The current Venus retrograde (October 7 - November 15), an invitation to look more deeply at our internal relationship to love What to do during a Venus retrograde: major cleanup! It’s not a time to start a relationship, but the people who appear might be there to teach you something What this Venus retro means for your relationships and breakups She explains the nuances of the planets & their “exalted” placement Juicy astrological tidbits about the meaning of the sun in your chart, the moon, and more!

What Kimberly Shares Her work with sexuality, birth, and the postpartum time How these often misunderstood parts of our lives can lead to our healing and our soul work Practical tools to start exploring these topics in your own life today What You’ll Hear: Kimberly’s perspective on what helps heal us the most The importance of reestablishing connection and trust The fears that can come up around healing and living a life without feeling your trauma Kimberly describes her unique, multifaceted approach to helping women How often the pelvis and genitals go unattended while the rest of our body is cared for How Kimberly models how a great interaction can happen – slowly, narrated, explicitly consensual, and much more Kimberly’s three rules for intimacy How sharing your sexual “code” can build trust What are your absolute no’s and your absolute yes’s? “If meeting someone is A, kissing them is B and D, and penetration is R…what happens between D and R?” Most people are looking for “great sex” but don’t realize that this typical lack in creative, internally generated sexual inquiry is keeping them in their routines Rachael shares a few of her own yes’s and no’s “The reason we come to connection is to heal, that’s the repair.” What Kimberly wished the world knew about the postpartum window The “42 days for 42 years” rule that exists in many cultures and the important standards it sets for postpartum care How Kimberly’s rules for intimacy relate to the postpartum time How the window of time after birth is an entry point into our soul work, and every birth story has wisdom to offer Kimberly’s definition of a physiological birth “If we reclaim birth, as women, the world will change.” The body that comes with you into birth affects the way you give birth – your physical injury history, sexual history, family history, etc How practicing exploratory sex can prepare your body for birth How and why Kimberly and Rachael are cultivating the “108 women” in the world Kimberly shares some of the events, mentors, and teachers in her life that shaped her road toward full sexual expression “It takes the smallest step.” Start simple, start small. How do you know what to ask for? How do you explore your own interoception? Think of a simple checklist of things you like and want to feel Even when it’s heavy, bring some light and joy into your healing process!

“The way to save the world is more embodiment.” “Love all of your body just the way it is.” What You’ll Hear: How somatic experiencing can help us connect to our core self The pervasiveness of “sexuality trauma” in our society The pushback against sexuality in the United States and how it has affected practitioners’ training Ariel’s unique journey to somatic experiencing and what she has learned from over 40 years of being involved in the healing arts What Ariel Shares: Sexuality trauma and its connection to disembodiment and cultural shame (2:28) Infertility and disembodiment (5:00) Why being sex-positive doesn’t necessarily mean being embodied  (5:58) “Our definition of trauma is so narrow.” (7:30) Birth as a somatic experience (9:40) We are out of touch with our organic, primitive selves (11:08) The role of fear in disembodiment (13:23) The relational aspect of trauma work (20:33) “Sexological body work...everybody needs it!” (23:10) Why is sexuality missing in somatic experience training? (24:00) The pushback against sexuality in the U.S. (31:55) How the collective influences our personal experiences of sexual trauma (38:55) Can trauma and pleasure coexist? (41:10) Somatic experiencing as a guided meditation (46:15) Sexuality work is important for men too! (47:08) The balance between self-responsibility and societal change (52:10) Self-acceptance to change the world (54:38) Her new book (56:49)

Marcia Lopez is the owner of Women's True Healing. Marcia is an accomplished healer serving the Los Angeles communities since 2005. https://www.womenstruehealing.com/ Marcia uses the old ways in new ways and has been achieving extraordinary results in female reproductive health dysfunction, infertility, and sexual trauma recovery. She blends her expansive knowledge and initiations with her own healing/recovery journey to create a space that is safe, profound, healing, and empowering. What You’ll Hear: How our social and political environments influence our personal health and healing The importance of healing our relationship to our wombs Her personal journey to healing and embodiment and how it has influenced her work What Marcia Shares: The intersection of personal healing and collective healing (3:15) We first experience life in-utero (4:44) We are inherently connected to our ancestors (5:40) How she knew she needed to heal her relationship with her reproductive system (7:18) What practices she implemented in her healing journey (10:50) Forgiveness is an important part of healing (13:40) Forgiving vs. Forgiveness (18:03) What she learned from her tantra studies (21:33) Sexual energy and sexuality in tantra (24:23) Finding your own way as a student (26:10) The importance of feeling safe and honoring your boundaries (30:48) How politics influence our individual health (37:54) We need to teach people how to take care of themselves (41:16) Financial health is important too! (46:21) Her favorite resources for financial health (49:50) “Fierceness is something that we lose as humans.” (54:15) What she wants all women to know (56:08) Where you can find her work online (57:29)

What Racha Shares: -her personal story as a black midwife in the United States, her pilgrimage to South Africa and initiation into becoming a Sangoma -her insights about the systemic racism within health care -the challenges women of colour are facing on their path to becoming midwives -the sacrifices and decisions she has made to make her career work as a single mother -the need for ‘passing the baton’ and creating a ‘seat at the table’ for black women to affect change within midwifery and beyond What You’ll Hear: -her pilgrimage to South Africa and her initiation into becoming a Sangoma (healer) -her journey as a rite of passage -the revelation she had after returning from black majority population in South Africa to a white majority in the U.S -the shift in the clients who are now hiring her and the connections they are making -the current state of black midwifery & systemic racism in health care -the barriers of becoming a midwife in America as a black woman -meeting the needs of her community with worst birth/health statistics -her commitment to taking on black student midwives & why she doesn’t charge for preceptorship -people in power need to relinquish some of their power for real change -reparations & midwifery -racism in midwifery (particularly in the Southern states) and how midwifery is still illegal in the some states -why Racha uses her privilege to speak up for apprentice and beginner midwives -why she chooses to be licensed -the lack of support and abuse women of color are facing during their apprenticeships as midwives -single mothering and the importance of leaning on your community -building awareness, strategizing for change outside of social media and how to continue the conversation

  What You’ll Hear: The inspiration for Molly’s memoir Her exploration of postpartum rage The connection between storytelling and healing Anger in our culture today, how it connects to the postpartum period and what it can teach us about ourselves What Molly Shares: The provocative title of Molly’s book and why she chose it (2:00) How Molly’s journey through birth and early motherhood inspired the book (3:45) Her exploration of and questions about rage (5:45) Childbirth as a portal to access hidden, unconscious psychic material (6:20) Even a little bit of anger is extremely threatening for many women to express (7:12) We are all dealing with anger (8:07) The necessity of questioning the integrity of the family unit in order to move forward with creative work (10:10) Molly’s relationship to her mother and how this appears in her book (10:40) Kimberly’s unique relationship with her midwife (13:20) Why Kimberly had to tell her story and the importance of knowing it’s not the only story (14:19) The struggle to gain the capacity to deal with anger without misdirecting it (17:20) “What do we do with this anger that’s really ours to work through that doesn’t need to land on another person?” (17:50) The current cultural experience of anger (18:20) How childbirth disrupts the ideal of gender equality (18:48) The need to adjust expectations, which may not happen until the embodied experience makes it happen (19:58) The tendency to train ourselves out of our innate biological intelligence (20:45) Couples today are trying to rescript a lot of engrained ideas of family and it’s complicated (21:43) A new emerging archetype of womanhood (20:51) “How do we give people permission to talk about the real experience without it becoming the race to the noble victim position?” Molly’s process in finding the balance between sharing both positive and negative truths (23:50) The “meeting of the minds” between the generations of mothers (25:07) The different challenges and benefits between this new generation of mothers and the last (26:40) What lower expectations look like to Molly (30:07) How the embodied experience of birth will never be shared and the tension this creates (31:20) Where in Molly’s path of recovery she started writing her book (33:39) Her practice of taking notes (34:35) She wrote the first draft in 12 days (34:40) What her writing is doing now (36:23) Kimberly shares the concept of pendulation from Somatic Experiencing (37:17) Rage is the fullest expression of the sympathetic nervous system (40:43) The physical feeling Molly experienced after she finished writing her book (42:08) “The telling of the story is not what’s healing, it’s how we tell the story and if the body is a part of that.” (44:00) How do we shake the narrative in order to create space for something new? (44:47) Kimberly and Molly’s workshop on somatics, writing, and womanhood (47:07) Who is the workshop for? (49:17) If Molly had a megaphone she would share…(50:38) Healthy rage and aggression can go into the creative process and action (52:29)

EP36: Christiane Pelmas on Menopause, Sexuality, and an Emerging Archetype of Womanhood What Christiane Shares: - her personal experiences with her cycle, abortion, perimenopause and menopause—and the intelligence of these initiations - how her experience with menopause informed major decisions in her life including her living arrangement with her partner, her pace, her work in the world - the potential for whole listening, erotic sex, generative power and a QUEEN existence from our menopausal years and its deep purpose globally What You Will Hear: - Christiane shares her own menstrual and perimenopausal cycle and the significance of discussing in our culture, her relationship to her cycle - Kimberly shares about aging and the wishing she had known the wisdom of her cycle earlier - Realizing the empowering and embodying experience of birth and breastfeeding more deeply once reaching perimenopause - Giving bleeding the respect it deserves, the products we use to disguise menstruation, and what this says to our youth - How this lack of respect affects women today regarding fertility, inability to reach orgasm, painful periods - Why Kimberly challenges modern Postpartum Depression, her own personal story of “Russian Roulette’’ when it came to having a child - The blindspot around birth control and our daughters (including those who are ‘sex positive’ or in wellness profession) - What Christiane comes across in her practice, the messaging around perimenopause and menopause - Christiane shares her personal story with abortion, fertility and birth/postpartum experiences, and menopause - Description of menopausal rite of passage and initiatory shift from Christiane’s experience and perspective, sending children out into the world and circulating Kundalini, orgasmic experience, fire and warriorship that is born when bleeding stops and it’s offering to the world - Christiane challenges the mainstream advice of moving into quiet, self care hibernation and calls women at this time the ‘warrior class’ and potential ‘enemies of the state’ meant to bring necessary change toward the feminine - Why regardless if a woman stays in her relationship the old must die and what looks like ‘falling apart’ is actually refinement and a new expression of self - How even holistic doctors are treating menopause (much like pregnancy) as a series of symptoms rather than of initiatory experiences - Christiane’s experience with Holistic and Functional Medicine care and bioidentical hormones during a difficult last year and despite great results to cease care and listen to an internal voice saying “this is not for you” - The small yet ‘radical’ lifestyle changes she made to accommodate her body - The vast potential of pleasure beyond clitorial stimulation available to women before during and after menopause, the ridiculousness of the word ‘foreplay’, the potential to enjoy sex beyond menopause and the exploration - The ‘cougar’ metaphor Christiane’s and Kimberly’s perspective - “Is sex better now?” - How we’ve learned to silence our longing, or made wrong our dissatisfaction is actually the most important information to listen to especially during menopausal years - Christiane shares about the importance of ‘whole listening’ and how and where to resource this and the courage to act on it, our place historically as a female population - The inspiration for her podcast OneWoman Radio References: https://www.christianepelmas.com/ https://www.onewoman.org/ http://www.susunweed.com/WiseWomanHerbals.htm#meno

What You’ll Hear: The relationship between holistic health and optimal fertility What’s missing from the current medical approach Dr. Zagone’s unique, holistic work combining environmental, physical and emotional components How the fertility journey can be a process of internal growth and maturity Success stories from her practice What Dr. Zagone Shares: Her definition of fertility (1:56) What’s missing from the current conversation about fertility (3:40) How cultivating health is cultivating fertility (4:39) Kimberly’s “foundation of okay-ness” and how it relates to fertility (6:45) Self-responsibility vs. self-care (7:56) Physiological stress and its effect on fertility (9:28) We have a built in compass for how our fertility is doing (11:40) “How much of our biology are we willing to push against?” (12:45) Age and fertility (14:20) What traditionally defines an infertility diagnosis (14:50) How genetics and epigenetics play a role (16:00) How we make a “problem” out of fertility (16:54) The role of environmental toxins in shifting rates of fertility (18:15) The importance of talking about sex with her couples (21:45) Tapping into what is really true in the moment, finding the creative power which is the fertility (23:20) Why it’s important to work with the couple as a unit. Fertility is a team sport! (25:46) The holistic components to fertility that Dr. Zagone examines with each couple (27:38) “If the baby is meant to come it will come.” (30:00) What goes on in the forest!? (31:45) It’s important that all women understand postpartum health, whether they have kids or not, because we have all experienced some kind of loss (37:15) How the fertility journey helps women and couples cultivate the skills that will help them in parenthood (39:30) Her success rate with women under 40 (45:00) How the medical model focuses on managing symptoms instead of total healing (46:28) The importance of honoring the body and the emotions in the same context (47:20) The importance of working on your relationship (51:45) The first two questions Dr. Zagone asks her couples (53:55) Where you can find her work online (54:43)   http://www.theholisticfertilitymethod.com/

Jaguar Round Table- Five women share what changed for them from Activate your Inner Jaguar - Sex is better - Stopped picking skin on their hands (a longtime habit that had been addressed many different ways) - Learning to how to stay present with what feels good during sex (instead of what doesn't) - How to learn what her system needs and to ASK for it- changing her relationship - Sexual intimacy more open and with more possibilities - Learned better boundaries and said "no" and the person accepted it! - How to deal with introversion when you need to be social      

Nicole Coffelt, PhD is a Licensed Psychologist, a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, provocateur and shamanic artist. Nikki has had the opportunity to travel and experience many diverse cultures including her own ancestral American Indian roots and brings this experience and wisdom to her healing work. Nikki has extensively worked through her own addictions and trauma and offers the gift of her capacity to transmute pain and suffering into healing energy. Nikki is the sole owner of a private psychotherapy practice in San Francisco and the artist of Emboldened Expressions:: fine art by + for the Unapologetically Savage.What She Shares: phD and post doctoral fellow at Stanford University Medical Center by 28 her personal journey with addictions and how this has contributed to her work and art a new perspective on addictions and the gifts that can come from them with embodied guidance her identification as a 'two spirit' and gender discussion her experience with ancient wisdom and what she describes as 'primal reclamation' her upcoming exhibition in Australia and a spoken word piece   What You'll Hear: Nikki shares her journey to a PhD in Psychology at Stanford, getting sober and the “soul fracturing” experience of academia the ‘headiness’ of psychology, her initial goal for education and the disconnect between academia and practice her shift from academia to art, a diagnosis of Complex PTSD and how this label led her to Somatic Experiencing and embodied healing high achievers and trauma, compensation and the lack of whole person healing in our current culture how Nikki’s therapist’s observations led her to deep reflection on her relationships and sexuality Nikki opens up about her addictions and recovery process that included her study of nature, meditation, shamanism and Somatic Experiencing substances as entities and our apprenticeship with them to receive messages/lessons lack of elder guidance and how it leads to compulsion Nikki shares an Alan Watts quote about psychedelic drugs cultural shaming and stigma when it comes to addictions Kimberly shares Somatic Experiencing perspective on addiction, self regulation, self blame and will power the charge of the word CHOOSE when it comes to addictions and the misunderstanding in cognitive behavioral therapy Cohesion and congruence between fight or flight limbic system and the neocortex as it pertains to choice The trauma Nikki experienced within the spiritual community due to a lack of trauma training and the power of her SE training and her art EGO strength definition and how it relates to SE and healing work with clients Kimberly and Nikki discuss Steve Hoskinson’s 3 Phases   Nikki and Kimberly discuss how sharing her story is ‘breaking the rules’ as a psychologist, the importance of  transparency and embodiment in a care provider and the ‘we-ness’ of Somatic Experiencing Nikki’s identification as a ‘two spirit’, the definition and spiritual role of a two-spirit in tribal culture and the history of violence towards them the current violence against transgender and non binary individuals, the biological and social function of binary and non binary and the colonial construction of ‘man’ and ‘woman’ Kimberly asks Nikki to comment on the implications of widening the gender scope and how it plays out in her own life gender fluidity, sexuality, healing trauma  and the full circle of healing Nikki shares her personal experience around her sexuality the grey area, the #METOO movement, the loss of nuanced understanding and polarization regarding race, gender and sexuality, the pressure for surgery, Nikki’s support and concern for surgery Nikki talks ancient wisdom, the power of art, soul retrieval, ancestral healing and her journey back to Australia Martin Prechtel and the ‘shimmering amnesiacs’ What Nikki recommends to get in touch with a non neocortical existence Nikki’s move from the city and her introduction with nature in Australia, estrangement from the land and rites of passage Nikki’s upcoming art exhibition at The Other Art Fair in Australia Melbourne powerful spoken word!  To purchase an original, custom print, merchandise or watch some live painting videos: www.emboldenedexpressions.com References:Nikki's website - https://www.risedown.comGabor Mate - In the Realm of Hungry GhostsSteve Hoskinson - https://organicintelligence.orgAlan Watts - “If you get the message, hang up the phone. For psychedelic drugs are simply instruments, like microscopes, telescopes, and telephones. The biologist does not sit with eye permanently glued to the microscope, he goes away and works on what he has seen.”Eduardo Duran - http://soulhealing16.com/Animus Valley Institute - https://animas.org/The Other Art Fair, Melbourne Australia, August 2-5 @ The Facility, http://melbourne.theotherartfair.com/                 

  Ale Duarte is a somatic educator who travels around the world offering training to professionals who work in the fields of psychology, education and body-oriented therapy. What Ale Shares: How he came to work with children combining his experience teaching physical education, Rolfing, and Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy. Examples of Ale’s work with children and their families. The importance of using simple solutions, play, and seeing the world through the child’s eyes. The challenges facing parents in a digital age. How boundaries and protection have changed in a virtual world. Ale’s definitions of trauma and self regulation as they relate to children’s nervous systems. What You'll Hear: Ale’s background teaching physical education and psychomotor skills in Brazil. (2:30) How he moved from teaching to Rolfing and then Somatic Experiencing. (5:20) How he came to combine his many skills to help children in Thailand after the 2008 Tsunami (8:55) How he used games, play and interaction to help children release their trauma. (11:15) Ale’s definition of trauma and the spectrum of trauma. (16:30) How even small events, such as a forgotten gift or a broken agreement, can’t create significant disruption in the nervous system of a child. (18:00) Children are simple, it is often adults who overcomplicate the situation. (22:50) How the parents style of play affects the child’s own ability to play, an important way for children to regulate their systems. (25:30) Ale’s definition of self regulation. (30:35) The important difference between exhausting a child’s energy and helping them digest their energy. (32:05) His perspective on the increase in diagnoses of ADD, autism, etc., in children today. (32:50) How children’s naturally curious nature can be viewed as a problem in schools or in medicine. (35:00) The importance of creating an open dialogue with teachers and doctors, who are not always right. (37:30) Boundaries, protection, and the new challenges facing parents on the digital age. (38:30) The importance of checking on the parents, not just the child. (43:30) His sessions include working with the parents and the children together. (45:30) What adults in general are missing when dealing with children. (47:45) Let children make mistakes. (49:00) Insight, without interference, opens up new channels of creativity and energy for a child. (51:30) The role of touch in Ale’s sessions. (54:20) Countries where there is great work happening with children. (1:03:13) Don’t think everything is urgent! (1:05:30) The mistake of viewing “doing nothing” as being lazy. (1:07:40) Some kids need close proximity and one-on-one attention to connect the dots. (1:12:50) The importance of having patience when children say, “I don’t know” or “I can’t”. (1:14:45) Learn about Ale’s workshop, Tune into Children. (1:19:20) Children are always trying to release their trauma. (1:21:00) Ale Duarte is a somatic educator who travels around the world offering training to professionals who work in the fields of psychology, education and body-oriented therapy. His specialty is experience in child trauma, and the inherent ability of a child’s body to recover from trauma impact, through highly tuned somatic consciousness within the therapeutic relation. As part of his professional career, Ale provided logistic support to professionals in areas of natural disasters and conflicts in many countries, such as the tsunami in Asia in 2005, Hurricane Katrina in 2006, the earthquake in China in 2008, the tsunami in Japan in 2011, and the civil conflicts in Sri Lanka and Syria.

“People don’t know they have the permission to mourn [a miscarriage] the same way they would for someone who had lived longer." Eileen Rosete is the founder of Our Sacred Women and a Marriage and Family Therapist. She is the mother of one daughter and has experienced two losses, which I was honored to be a part of. This episode is about honoring all kinds of births- how to do that and what that process is like. Eileen has an enormous heart of service and is infiltrating the fashion world with her message “Women Are Sacred.” What Eileen Shares: Her journey from working as a healer to owning her own business. Her company, Our Sacred Women, and its important mission in today’s world. Her two miscarriages and her intuitive, holistic approach to healing herself afterwards. How our culture does not acknowledge this event like it does with other kinds of loss. Advice to those who have had or are going through a loss.   What You’ll Hear – Eileen Rosete Eileen shares her journey from working as a healer and a clinician to a business owner. (2:10) Her background in volunteering at a crisis hotline and domestic violence shelter, teaching yoga, practicing marriage and family therapy, and most recently the creating her business Our Sacred Women. (2:30) How giving birth to her daughter brought clarity to the mission of her company. (7:30) Her conviction to “create something that would restore women to a place of reverence in our culture.” (8:05) The gems of wisdom from her birth experience that Eileen wants women to know. (9:10) What Eileen did to prepare for her birth that worked. (10:50) How she learned different tools to work with her empathic sensitivity and how this served her during her pregnancy. (12:13) How motherhood changes the nature of the work a woman is available for and how this can bring balance and integrity. (14:42) How she recognized the need for the message “Women are Sacred” to be digestible and found that through her own personal aesthetic. (18:13) Eileen’s experiences with her miscarriages and recovery. (24:05)   Her intuitive ceremonies for her babies. (27:16) How long it took to feel healed and ready to welcome another pregnancy. (28:30) How grieving time and the postpartum time both thin the veil between the spirit and material world. How Eileen felt able to feel at peace with and for the spirit of her babies. (29:35) How often miscarriage is treated as too tragic to deal with directly and how Eileen stayed fully present to her experiences. (30:30) People don’t know that they have the permission to mourn this the same way as they would for someone who had lived longer. (32:46) How Eileen is hopeful for a cultural shift that will lead to this loss being revered as much as any other.  (33:50) Her experience as a Filipino-American and how those cultural traditions served her during her postpartum time. (37:35) How Eileen felt during her grieving from her miscarriages. (42:33) The importance difference between Eileen’s approach to her losses and the cultural conditioning around loss. (43:00) Suggestions for self care during and after a loss. (46:58) How touching yourself in a healing way can help you stay connected to and compassionate towards your body. (48:30) Advice for those with friends who may be experiencing a loss. (50:55) Every culture needs people who don’t work to support those who are working. (54:00) If Eileen had a megaphone she would say…(54:39)

Ellen Heed and Kimberly Johnson, co-founders of STREAM School for Postpartum Care talk about what's missing in the dialogue about sex postpartum, the biological realities of the postpartum time, and how these affect libido.  “Postpartum can be an initiation into deeper sexual potential.” What Ellen Shares What she is hearing from postpartum women in her office. How attachment, or lack thereof, between parents affects the dynamics of the family and the health of the child. What’s missing in the dialogue around sex postpartum. Biological realities of the postpartum time and how these affect libido. The need for a redefinition of a woman’s sexual self after birth. How sex can improve after the birth of a child. The four domains of pelvic health and how these affect libido, sexual function, and a woman’s overall feeling of physical wellbeing. What You’ll Hear What Ellen and Kimberly are hearing from postpartum women (1:30) The need for a new sexual definition and the challenge of finding it (2:30) Why we should care about this issue (4:11) The importance of occupying your own pleasure and not losing oneself entirely to mothering (4:45) The difference between managing child rearing in an extended family network vs. staying isolated in a parent-parent bubble (5:30) How family dynamics are reorganized after the birth of a child into a pyramid (8:00) The importance of maintaining the bond between parents instead of only with the baby (9:26) How only bonding with the baby can put too much pressure on the baby’s system (10:00) “There is no equality, biologically, when it comes to birth and parenting.” (10:48) The cultural confusion around “all things being equal,” and the false democratization in family dynamics (11:00) Kimberly shares an example from her own life when the natural family hierarchy was out of balance (13:00) Children need domination and appropriate hierarchy to feel safe (14:50) Children need the circuit between their parents to be complete in order to ground themselves (16:15) What Ellen and Kim are NOT hearing in the dialogue around postpartum sex (17:00) Breastfeeding as an example of hormonal competitive inhibition – how prolactin subdues estrogen and consequently sexual desire in favor of lactation (17:45) How neurotransmitters are also preferentially releasing dopamine in contact with the child instead of the partner (19:00) The importance of redefining the sexual self in the postpartum period (19:30) The difference between “hot sex” and “warm sex” (19:49) How the pleasure response in the brain that once was triggered by the partner becomes subsumed by the bond with the baby (20:20) How scientists resist applying research on maternal behavior in animals to humans (21:40) How birth trauma effects the mothers nervous systems ability to move smoothly from bonding with the baby back to bonding with their partner (24:14) How much chemical information comes off of our bodies (25:40) The difference between hormones and pheromones (26:36) How women put pressure on themselves to return to sex after the birth in spite of these biological changes (28:04) The importance of acknowledging the biochemical realities in the postpartum period, particularly in breastfeeding (29:00) Couples need to have the full conversation about how birth and breastfeeding is going to change the sexuality between them (31:08) Women need to redefine their sexual identity...who they are as sexual beings that grow and change after the birth of a child (31:24) How women put too much pressure on themselves to return to a sexual norm that will never exist again (32:05) Good news! Sex can be better after birth (32:19) Laura Gutman’s concept of the feminization of sex (32:53) Changing old sexual patterns after birth (33:38) The importance of communicating about sex (35:00) What men want in the postpartum period (35:29) What’s possible in sex due to the physiological changes from birth; increased capacity for arousal, engorgement, ejaculation, etc (37:08) The postpartum period can be an initiation into a deeper level of sexual potential (38:15) The four domains of pelvic health and how they effect sex postpartum (38:55) Examples of how scar tissue can effect sexual function and the functions of the pelvic organs (39:10) Ways the pelvic bones, organs, and muscles can be misplaced after birth and how this effects sexual function and pleasure (43:10) What the new ACOG guidelines about postpartum care don’t include (44:45) The importance of readjusting the psoas muscle postpartum (45:50) The long history of reorganizing pelvic bones and organs in several massage traditions (46:50) How biochemistry effects sex postpartum (47:48) Proper nutrition specific to the postpartum body (48:10) The effect of this increased nutrition on the breastfeeding child (48:50) The challenges facing vegetarians and vegans when healing postpartum (50:10) Pain in the introitus and its connection to the emotional body (51:03) Emotion is the fourth domain of pelvic health (52:05) “The narrative of the birth may be one way and what the body has to say about it may be completely different.” (52:45) The incidence of pelvic floor dysfunction after a mechanical delivery (53:35) The importance of physical contact with appropriate tracking when working with the pelvic floor (54:24) How quickly the tissue can change when it’s given a chance to speak for itself (55:00) Sometimes recovery takes a long time and sometimes it doesn’t (55:50) How possible it is to address these domains of pelvic health without surgery (56:28)

“Birth is normal and it is biologically meant to work, it can feel incredible and you can have an incredible postpartum; but it takes a level of curiosity, courage and willingness to take responsibility for yourself that we have been hypnotized not to do.” Emilee Saldaya founder of the Free Birth Society boldly challenges the conventional birth process and refers to the ‘amnesia’ modern women embody when it comes to biological natural birth.  She discusses why birth is a feminist issue, why Free Birth has become more popular, her own birth and postpartum process and the reverence it deserves and why it’s a mother’s right to forego choosing a doctor or midwife to preserve her birth experience. What You’ll Hear: -Emilee’s journey attending births, the trauma she witnessed and how it influenced her birth preparation -How abuse, trauma and lack of consent are normalized in birth setting -What does the term ‘birthing in captivity’ mean? -The difference between an unmedicated birth and natural birth -Unnecessary surgical births and doctor’s incentives -The connection between birth and feminism -Emilee’s ethical dilemma with doulas and midwives in the system and her decision to attend and have a Free Birth -How she defines her role in supporting women in a Free Birth as well as more definitions and range of Free Birthing -The connection midwifery has to government and how women worldwide are Free Birthing in secret due to lack of support ie; VBAC -The lack of awareness around the autonomy of our body and the lack of consent we’re accustomed to in medical setting -Women centered humanized birth, maturation process, forgoing the good girl way and taking responsibility for our birth experience -Emilee’s move to Maui for her birth and postpartum period and snippets of her birth story and postpartum time -Birth as a Rite of Passage, being ‘selfish’, planning and prioritizing your birth experience -Emilee challenges current midwifery, discusses licensing and regulation and the traditional birth attendant -How Emilee’s birth outcome would have looked had she been in midwifery or OB care vs what she had -Kimberly’s opinion of midwives -What Emilee wishes everyone would know about birth, resources about Free Birthing and how to advocate to family and friends -Emilee distinguishes between power and empowerment -The amnesia of birthing and working through it collectively

“If you actually understood what a woman has been through: the conception journey, pregnancy, birth, the whole process—what’s happening demands full respect and a deep care. To imagine that people would just snap back into their size 0 jeans and walk out, it begs disbelief. There’s no respect for what’s arisen. And in the yoga world, we’ve fed right into that.” Uma Dinsmore-Tuli is a yoga teacher, a yoga teacher trainer, and wrote the tome Yoni Shakti: A Woman’s Guide to Power and Freedom through Yoga and Tantra, which connects feminism, blood rites, and yoga.   What You’ll Learn: The postpartum woman just did the biggest stretch there is - Birth What yoga IS appropriate for postpartum women About the yoga patriarchy About why it matters to be a woman and what stage of life you are in for yoga practice.   What You’ll Hear: -She needs stability nurture and a real sense of being mothered -Postpartum period is 5 years. -Deep inner work of breath and awareness to the pelvic floor and breastfeeding -Stability practices, using the closing practices of yoga in a community, grassroots environment. -When the advice “take care of yourself” is all you get when you go to a group yoga class doesn’t meet a woman’s needs -What is the yoga patriarchy? -The feelings of exclusion in the yoga sangha -The yoga can subtly welcome the whole range of our life as humans -Postpartum is messy, dirty, tiring and grumpy, and the extraordinary capacity that yoga has to help us through this. -Anchara mauna- Inner silence, tuning to the present moment, while breastfeeding and tuning in to the senses. -The Fourth Trimester- whole process of healing is being overlooked -You can’t tell how healed a woman is after having a baby — “All those ladies that look so great in bikinis, you don’t know what’s in their underwear” -Postpartum energy is present after miscarriages, stillborns, and near-death experiences -The goddess of the Fourth Trimester -Postpartum care is not a mental health issue: it’s a body issue -Even if you don’t have a traumatic birth, birth is still a heartbreaking, heart-opening experience -The yoga world hasn’t helped with judgments around birth -Birth images: to hire a photographer, or not -If you have great postpartum care, you’ll metabolize the birth experience, no matter how it went -Even the most gentle birth is a powerful experience and needs healing at a cellular level -- you are in shock during the fourth trimester -You are a new woman after birth -- you need the presence of wise women, to help you make the best choices for your healing -New mothers need everything new babies need -Learning to be okay in the not knowing, and learning to rest: menstruation, birth, postpartum, and menopause -Repair is always possible

Amy Jo Goddard, author of bestseller Lesbian Secrets for Men and Woman on Fire hails from a Military Dad and Recovering-Catholic-Proudly-Sandra-Dee-Mom; she had no other choice but to become a sex educator just to sail the shaky waters of human experience and help her family survive.  She is an activist and that has taken many forms, including a gynecological teaching assistant, ising her body to teach pelvic exams, taking on the medical community re: power and consent in her film, At Your Cervix, to change the practice of on-consensual pelvic exams on anesthetized women, and now with her conference, Sex, Power and Leadership.   What You’ll Hear: -Amy’s feminist awakening and her definition of feminism - How can we use our power to uplift voices and people who are marginalized - What has evolved in sex education since the 80s? - How activism has changed with the internet - How can parents do better at educating their children about sex? - How doing your own work around sex and shame can help your kids - Using sexual archetypes and rituals to understand who we are - Amy’s experience as gynecological assistant, and how she used her own body to teach pelvic and breast exams - Unethical ways that OBGYN students are taught pelvic exams - Gynecological trauma and how it occurs, and how it can affect our sexual identities - Trauma in the medical industry, and how to rehumanize patients - Amy’s Sex, Power and Leadership Online Conference 4/30-5/6 - Where does it fit in to the current cultural narrative? Who should watch? - Creating sustainable change after #metoo - The importance of including people of color and non-binary people in the conversation about sex and her conference - How do I do my personal work on myself in order to feel empowered in all things, AND what is the collective work that needs to be done to uplevel and become a space of empowerment for people? - Censorship online, and online power structures - Creating more equity and justice in what we produce and share - Taking on the medical community in her film At Your Cervix - The conference is open to everyone, and will help people figure out what’s next in the conversation around sex and power. It’s an opportunity for all of us to look at sex, power and leadership. https://cc100.isrefer.com/go/SPL18/kann/

This episode breaks down: what is Sexological Bodywork? What kind of people need Sexological Bodywork? Who would be a good fit to take this training.  Deej & Uma are international Sexological Bodywork teachers and teacher trainers. I traveled to Australia for them to be my guides and I cannot recommend this training, and them as teachers highly enough.  This year, they’ll be teaching the program in LA, a huge opportunity for those of us in the US! Take a look at their website to learn more about the program: www.issaustralia.com   What they share: What is sexological bodywork, and how can it help you How their friendship has evolved over the past 20 years of working together Their sexological bodywork training, and how they teach How cultural sexual histories affect trainings across the world What it’s like to witness people coming more alive & more embodied How sexological bodywork bridges the gap between therapy, physical therapy, doctors, & sex therapy Looking at “symptoms” through a positive lens -- seeing them instead as doorways The profession of sexological bodywork: the training is for anyone who is enthusiastic about learning, who wants to explore the body with curiosity, and those who want to go deeper into personal development What you’ll hear:  (besides my incredibly sick voice) How Deej & Uma became sexological bodyworkers Why they don’t use the words “energy,” “masculine,” or “feminine” during their trainings How they hold space in sexbod trainings for all different kinds of practitioners (from yoga teachers to doctors) The curriculum: learning through experimentation, and shaping the brain and nervous system so that we can have more choice, awareness, and pleasure The differences between cultures, when teaching in Australia, England, & beyond Uma’s experience with a client who didn’t have an erection with a partner for over 20 years, and the daily practices that changed his life Using breath, movement, awareness, and touch to decrease anxiety & increase pleasure Deej’s passion for teaching and increasing erotic embodiment skills Sexological bodywork bridges the gap between professions Kimberly’s experience in sexbod training, with coming into contact with sex work & how that changed her biases Intentionally using different words to reconfigure how we think about the body’s signals, doorways, and opportunities (instead of pathologizing or calling the signals symptoms) If you’re at a session, there is an immense amount of health in your system. We’re missing eroticism and emotion in the professional field, and that’s where sexbod comes in Who makes an ideal sexbod student Immersing in erotic embodiment, and how that changes students     http://instituteofsomaticsexology.com/

  Centehua shares her personal journey with her body image-- of becoming a mother at 19, taking on her mother and grandmothers' assessment of her body, and deciding to get a mommy makeover. She takes us through her journey of deciding to remove the implants at 40 as a ritual of self-love and self-reclamation. She does so without general anesthetic so that she can be fully present in the reclamation, and minimize the trauma to her system.      What Centi Shares: -How she shifted from being trained out of her body’s wisdom (by parents/culture), to living her embodied wisdom -Her journey with an eating disorder and her body -When she had a mommy makeover and what happens when you ignore your intuition & body wisdom -The fascinating and important story of how she chose to stay conscious during her breast implant removal -How important men are, and healing the masculine and feminine after #metoo -Women must embody mother consciousness & compassion to heal the planet   What You’ll Hear: -A deep connection to our bodies helps us heal and to be objective -Sexual trauma and ballet contributing to body shame -How her love for her new baby shifted her health -Her disempowering birth experiences as a young woman -Her mother and grandmother’s idea of physical beauty, and how it affected her -Why she ignored her intuition and had plastic surgery after she had two children -The real consequences of plastic surgery -Taking out her breast implants and her personal work around that decision: rituals, prayers and forgiveness -She chose to do have her implants removed with only local anesthesia: nothing to alter her consciousness -How the surgery showed her the intelligence of her body -Why she chose to be conscious during the removal of her implants “If you look good, sex will be good.” -- nothing could be further from the truth Encouraging women to support the men who are showing up & doing their best The importance of being in our feminine as we heal trauma on the planet Patriarchy AND matriarchy are unhealthy: finding a new way Rising above shame and blame and embodying compassion to heal relationships and the planet Why it’s so important to providing a space for women & men to feel connected and have a dialogue   “We are swimming in magic: it’s so tangible and simple. You can just look outside and connect to the lifeforce that we share with the tree, with the grass: just to remember that we are alive. There is so much beauty in this world.”

This episode is a whole lot of fun. I hope that those of you with book dreams still have them by the end of it, because I hysterically laugh talking about so many parts of the my book writing process, that kind of play out like a blooper roll. But Joelle is a master. She knows how to escavate the soul of a book and make you a better writer in the process. If you want to write a book, my number one piece of advice is find an incredibly editor and stay with them from start to finish. This episode is like pulling back the curtain of the whole process from idea to publication. What Joelle Shares: The story of how Kimberly and Joelle met and how Joelle’s role in The Fourth Trimester (spoiler alert: she edited my book proposal which got me a publisher) The most successful writers that Joelle works with are the ones who understand where their book fits in their system and their world What you need to write your first book Why you need a book proposal for yourself and to be able to sell your book- your proposal is your road map What You’ll Hear: When Kimberly tells Joelle to leave her job (6:33) Joelle decides to leave her job at a textbook publishing company (7:30) The process of writing a book proposal and editing A LOT (9:40) Dumpster analogy (10:30) Joelle comes to Rio from New York to walk Kimberly through final steps of completing the book proposal (11:20) How you situate a book in a market and why you need to (15:40) When you are not a writer and you are writing a book (16:15) Knowing how your book fits in the world and your world (17:25) False beliefs about what happens when you write a book and how publishing works (18:35) Monopolization of publishing in the big 5 (25:40) What you need to write a book and the investment (27:45) The dream coming true of writing a book (31:40) Getting out of the coma of individual suffering (33:05) Developing an idea, expressing yourself, and taking the reader on a journey (36:10) Birth of an author (36:20) Romantic relationship with your editor (39:50) Joelle’s loyalty is always to the book and what the book wants to be (40:25) The idea has to be in place and the idea has to be true, and then the structure happens (41:30) Why do you need a book proposal (43:30) What a book proposal includes- its purpose for the author and its purpose for an agent or publisher (45:30) The “Who You Slept With” part of the book proposal (48:30) Writing a proposal that someone wants to buy (52:20) Use your drive to make a difference in the world through your book Joelle’s favorite book project, Happier Now

EP: Magamama talks about natural birth, gender roles, and exploratory sex with Carlos Marin Jr. In this episode, I share: My birth story and soul calling to write The Fourth Trimester;  the realities of postpartum care today Information for men postpartum, role of the masculine in birth, and why we’re not optimizing our biology How to reframe sex postpartum; why childbirth is the one thing that makes us reconsider the way we’re doing sex Why birth is also a death and other thoughts on rites of passage Thoughts on losing control and increasing your capacity to hold charge   Natural birth vs. hospital birth and how to choose the right care providers Tid-bits on exploratory sex, the connection between birth and sex, and sexological bodywork   You will hear: Is my pelvis going to split in two? And more from my birth story (2:52) Is postpartum depression related to a lack of information? (5:24) What’s missing from the 6-week postpartum visit (6:29) Information for men postpartum (8:09) Reframing the conversation about sex (8:55) It’s okay to not want penetrative sex and other ways to connect (9:10) Childbirth is one thing that makes us consider the way we’re doing sex (9:27) What is a rite of passage? How does it differ in other cultures? (12:11) One of the hallmarks of a rite of passage is a death (13:39) A man’s role in birth is to protect the birth space (21:13) How do you approach prenatal education? (26:25) The two doctors in North County San Diego for natural birth (27:20) Realizing natural births are as safe as hospital births (28:13) How do you prepare someone to lose control? (30:12) Exploratory sex is awesome preparation for birth (31:12) Many women don’t get to lose control during a hospital birth (34:08) Go to the doulas and the midwives to find natural birth doctors (36:00) Find a care provider who believes in women and natural childbirth = activist (36:50) How Carlos dealt with seeing his wife in “pain” during childbirth (38:08) History of birth, witch trials; patriarchy (40:26) On hospitals and creating a birthing environment (45:13) What is a doula? (47:17) The Fourth Trimester (Dec. 26) and why people should read (51:30) My vision that all women can reclaim full sexual expression (59:40) What does postpartum mean to you? (1:00:21) How do birth and sex relate? (1:01:25) What do you do as a sexological bodyworker? (1:09:29) Two doctors in North County San Diego for natural birth: Dr. Capetanakis at Scripps Encinitas; Dr. Cobb at Pomerado

“We blame the victim, and medicate her as the only offering.” Dr. Kelly Brogan is a board-certified non-prescribing psychiatrist. She is the author of NYT Bestseller, A Mind of Your Own. (Get your copy ASAP). She is revolutionizing the way that we view mental health and how people heal. She is a pioneer and a trailblazer and this interview is full of the fire that propels her. I was honored that she shared her own experience of childbirth and motherhood, and why she didn't think she was "mom material."  What You'll Hear: Kelly went into medicine to serve women The best births are natural births, according to the evidence Her postpartum period was a reckoning, which allowed her to wake up and honor herself We blame the victim, when it comes to postpartum The worst things that happen to us are moments of psycho-spiritual initiation Her tremendous masculine energy, her need to fight for others, and how she wasn’t sure she was mom material   What Kelly Shares: Why women are prescribed antidepressants at double the rate of men (1:34) How she woke up to holistic medicine & spirituality (3:10) Why she had a natural birth (4:00) Her postpartum journey with Hashimoto’s (4:50) The biological reasons autoimmune diseases begin expressing during postpartum (6:49) And the other reasons: postpartum is a reckoning and an opportunity (10:07) Postpartum is a psycho-spiritual awakening (11:33) Restructuring yourself and tapering off psych meds (14:14) What are you stuffing that caused you to go on medication? (16:00) We don’t hold space for fear, and that’s exactly where we need to go (16:25) We meet our true selves in natural childbirth (17:00) Why Kelly didn’t think she was mom material (18:15) Natural home births are the truth (21:10) We need to live what we talk about, to be great practitioners (24:10) The history-making results of Kelly’s program, the Vital Mind Reset (26:25)

What Ellen Shares: Her exploration of feminism and motherhood Her new understanding of career after motherhood How the cultural standards of having to do it all, alone, sets mothers up for burnout How burnout and health issues allowed her learn how to receive help and collaborate with community Her desire to add motherhood, bodies, and intuition to the feminist conversation; plus giving women the permission and agency to do what’s right for them What You’ll Hear: How Ellen’s work shifted when she became a mother (2:30) How her feminism has shifted with motherhood (4:24) How motherhood has been seen as an oppressive institution (5:50) Is feminism about everything other than motherhood? (6:20) Feelings of disempowerment/invisibility after becoming a mother (7:53) Who am I/what is my value in the world now that I’m a mother? (8:40) The plan vs. the reality, after having a baby (9:53) “I thought I would have a child and keep going in the same direction” (11:37) Andrea O’Reilly’s books on feminism & motherhood (13:21) Motherhood as an institution or mothering as a female experience (15:13) The hormonal differences between men and women as it relates to work (17:18) Burn-out and depletion in mothers (18:02) Self-care as rebellion (23:05) Prioritizing when you’re in a sprint (25:25) Balancing desires & motherhood (30:52) Self-worth & mothering (32:30) Creating a home life where everyone feels nourished (34:00) The hard work of mothering that goes unnoticed (34:48) American values of individuation (36:43) Over-valuing independence has a cost (38:45) How much can I do in collaboration? (39:40) The stress of being overly self-reliant (42:35) Attachment styles and sex (44:17) What’s missing from feminism now (46:40) How do we give women the support to choose what’s right for them? (48:06) Throwing out the word feminism (51:10) Unrealistic expectations in postpartum & motherhood (54:00) Being present for a child is an enormous gift (55:20)   Find her here: http://ellenboeder.com/ https://relationshipschool.net/

Ellen and Kimberly Share: The inside scoop on Exiting the Shame Matrix course and why comes first in STREAM training Lots of great information about the four domains of pelvic health: the biochemical pelvis, the biomechanical pelvis, the all important scar tissue domain, and the emotional pelvis Most importantly, what the shame matrix is, how it affects access to life as a whole, and why freeing yourself from it is *essential* before helping others with their sexuality Your right to self pleasure and thoughts on radical sexual autonomy and patriarchal culture All about the next Radical Bodywork module and reclaiming the erotic as love of life The differences between touching from eros and giving erotic massage and all the things that come up in pelvic touchwork from arousal to longing to transference The role of assessment in navigating boundaries and connected relational exchange STREAM training news and how to get involved if working with sexuality is your calling   What You’ll Hear:   What is the full scope of STREAM? What does it stand for? (1:40) What are the essential four parts of health? Ellen breaks it down (2:49) What it means to unpack shame and why there’s potential for transformation in the genitals (7:34) Why is Exiting the Shame Matrix the first module of this training? Hint: Shame affects access to life as a whole (9:32) A right to self pleasure and how we explored it in the course (12:07) Thoughts on privacy, secrecy, and self pleasure (12:37) When it comes to genitals, men wanna be bigger and women wanna be less (13:37) What is sacred deconditioning? Why taking back authority is key (14:30) Owning your own sexuality is CONFRONTING in practice (16:45) We must exit our own shame matrix and be really clear of who we are as sexual beings before helping others with their sexuality (19:05) Authentic eros vs. shamed based eros. The power of clearing the sexual shadow (21:50) It's time to own our sexual autonomy and how this relates to #metoo (23:10) Why undoing shame is powerful in groups (23:26) Activating Inner Jaguar Course as titrated step into the shame matrix. Be seen in a space with other people (26:00) Next module (in Feb 2018) is Radical Bodywork: Bone Holding, Body Reading & Touch with Eros (28:30) Why radical touch? Literally means touching the root - your essential erotic self (28:50) The difference between touching from eros and erotic massage (33:30) Kimberly shares what a client may experience with pelvic touch (34:40) How is arousal held in pelvic touchwork? (36:11) Is genital touch a transference disaster? How do you create good boundaries? Ellen explains the importance of assessment (37:27) This is about training your hands for accurate perception, which can only be done if you're free and clear of your own pelvic floor tension (44:06) The emotional pelvis (45:34) “No one says cute little anus…” (thoughts on genital amnesia coupled with shame) (46:41) The genital hole is a kind of trauma (50:37) Second STREAM training in 2018 and how to learn more. Calling those with a calling to work with sexuality in their body-based practices (51:30)   Upcoming STREAM trainings, including Radical Bodywork https://www.scartissueremediation.com/events   Activate Your Inner Jaguar: Embodied Consent & Boundaries https://www.facebook.com/events/161288511184711/

EP18: Sil Reynolds on Mothering and Daughtering “Better” (Not Easier) with More Connection and Support You are really in for a huge treat in meeting Sil Reynolds. She and I have connected intermittently over the years. Although our contacts have been brief, she has given me gems that have stuck with me over time. At a time when I felt deeply insecure about mothering and especially single mothering, she told me, a child needs ONE person to securely attach to. And she is a person you listen to and trust when she speaks. She is a wise elder, a former women’s health nurse practitioner, a coach and teacher of women and mothers and an author, together with her stellar daughter, Eliza Reynolds, of the book Mothering and Daughtering. What Sil Shares: Why it’s our job to stay at the center of our daughter’s world How mothering and daughtering can get better (not easier) during the teen years - meaning more connected, deeper, and closer. And how conflict is an opportunity for deeper connection. Her choice to mother more consciously than her mother and the process of “growing up,” confronting undernourished places internally Her thoughts on rites of passage, attachment, dependence, and interdependence The Feminine rising in men and women = we need each other The wisdom of slowing down, connecting with other women, and creating creative containers Perspectives on mothering today. Is it really harder? How we deal with raising kids in a digital age What You’ll Hear: On becoming the mother of a daughter (6:23) As a mother, it’s our job to stay at the center of our daughter’s world and not believe peers will be a better influence (7:20) It can get better in the teen years. Better doesn’t necessarily mean it feels better…(8:12) Sil on “growing up” as a mother and finding mentors and guides (9:18) Life and death cycles and rites of passage (10:58) The story of Vasilisa: An old way of relating as a mother and daughter is dying and a new way is being born (13:04) Mothering is raising your daughter to become herself (14:15) Attachment objects; vulnerable attachment requests at any age (15:35) What kind of rituals can we provide to honor rites of passage today? (17:42) On mothering and daughtering, interdependence, and attachment (20:04) Describe Feminism (with a capital F) (21:19) Feminine rising in men and women says, “Bring it on need!” (24:00) When the tears come in the circle, there’s the oracle. Let your feelings catch up with you. (26:31) Sil sharing Marion Woodman’s quote (27:29) The antidote to so many things these days is slowing down, curing the “too much, too fast, too soon” to reveal a whole other level of understanding (28:33) Is mothering harder today than it ever was? (30:02) Motherhood is exhausting because we don’t get enough help. We don’t have the natural supports we’ve always had (31:38) Don’t miss this quote! (32:40) Attachment parenting doesn’t stop in adolescence. We need to be just as involved in a different way (34:04) Examples of missing containers in our culture: sisterhood, mothering circles, etc. (34:57) On “rupture and repair” and why conflict and communication are important (38:14) How do we deal with technology and mothering? (40:25) Perspectives on raising children in a digital age through the attachment lens (42:36) On setting limits with children (47:30) Attachment doesn’t replace limits (48:02) When you’re in right relationship with your child, there’s a natural hierarchy (48:18) “If you have your child’s heart, no discipline is necessary” (48:50) About Mothering and Daughtering mothering courses and upcoming events (49:04) https://motheringanddaughtering.com Video Blog on Tech Boundaries with Deborah McNamara: https://motheringanddaughtering.com/setting-real-tech-boundaries-kid/ Hold onto Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neuf, Ph.D. and Gabor Mate, MD https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/120863/hold-on-to-your-kids-by-gordon-neufeld-phd-and-gabor-mate-md/9780307361967/

EP 18: Bern Mendez on Finding the Love You Want Bern Mendez from YourGreatLifeTV helps women find their soulmates, and it works! He believes in big epic love and helps women get there. I love inviting wonderful men on the podcast. Bern’s heart is as big as the world. I hope you love the conversation as much as I loved having it. I am proud to call Bern a dear friend. What Bern Shares: Why he works with women (hint: women will save the planet) How standards work: differentiating between what would be nice to have, vs what you need There IS sacrifice in love His view of sex on the first date How to find a good guy (yes, they’re out there, and you can find one if you get uncomfortable/do the work) What You’ll Hear: Why he works with women & not men (3:28) What is women’s #1 relationship problem? (5:30) Should women lower their standards? (6:55) What happens when we raise our own standards for how we show up in the world (8:40) Why haven’t you met The One? (11:40) How to remove obstacles to your feminine energy (14:00) It’s important to work with the body for lasting change (17:40) What can happen when you have sex on the first date: your heart & vagina vs your mind (19:15) Is it the woman’s job to say “let’s wait?” (25:50) Where are the decent guys? (29:30) The 5% rule (31:45) Navigating online dating (32:15) Look within to find a good guy (32:59) Go places where there are men (34:12) One of Bern’s success stories (39:30) Who gets a love coach? (42:40) You can change, no matter where you are (44:24)

Ellen Heed on the Four Domains of Pelvic Health- Biomechanics, Biochemistry, Trauma/Emotions and Scar Tissue What Ellen Shares: How to assess the origins of pain in the body, and the four domains of health Your unconscious mind lives in your body! How castor oil and self-massage can to help heal your scar tissue How those with elastic connective tissue are drawn toward yoga and veganism … and how that can contribute to tears and injuries during birth How diet (especially eating animal products) influences healing The differences between collagenous and elastic people Her February Touch Skills workshop with Kimberly, where you can learn to feel the difference between emotional tension, biochemical tension & scar tissue in the pelvis What You’ll Hear: The four domains of health - biochemical (inflammation), emotional (tension stuck in the body), biomechanical (posture, ergonomics, constitution), and scar tissue (1:06) Painful sex origins (1:38) Scars affect our physiology (6:10) Birth has a potential of scar tissue, which can cause pelvic/sexual pain (6:35) One domain of health affects another (7:51) The difference between scars and adhesions (9:24) Chronic emotional upset causes inflammation (9:45) Is your problem scar tissue? (13:02) Scar tissue as a cause of bad posture, and a result of it (15:29) Connecting pain, trauma, and biomechanics with scar tissue (17:28) Connective tissue characteristics: are you chewing gum or a superball? (19:54) Using collagen products to supplement after birth (22:18) Case study: how veganism might influence healing after a pelvic floor tear (22:35) Can your body heal well, without eating meat? (24:28) Our relationship to the world based on our connective tissue (27:00) People who are more collagenous are more extroverted, shoot from the hip, and move toward diarrhea under stress, and do very well on a plant based diet; people who are more elastin are more introverted, take a long time to make decisions, move toward constipation under stress, and tend to build a weak type of scar tissue, unless they have animal protein in their diets (28:40) How do we know when tension is emotional? (34:40) How important it is to have tools in all four domains of health (37:35) Assessment is everything (38:18) 39:25 - 39:47 Audio problem You can feel the difference between emotional tension, biochemical tension & scar tissue (39:48) Touch skills workshop with Ellen and Kimberly - learn how to feel these differences (41:49)

EP16: Deborah Claire Bagg on Same Sex Fertility and the Vulnerability of the First Year of Motherhood Today I have a guest who is going to charm you like you haven’t been charmed quite yet. She has the best accent and a very warm heart. Deborah Claire Bagg is the owner and founder of the yoga studio, LoveisJuniper in Brooklyn- which is a yoga center, flower shop and has treatment spaces. Deborah is a yoga teacher, yoga teacher trainer, doula, somatic therapist and new mom. I met her online- but we had a lot of worlds in common as she went to Naropa and I lived in Boulder for five years. She came for a session when I was working in Brooklyn and then immediately invited me to teach at her new space that opened this year. She is a wise woman, and has immersed herself in the feminine arts. We are going to talk about the journey of same sex fertility, the road to starting a non-traditional family and the vulnerability of the first year of motherhood.  What Deborah Shares: The wild and epic road of same sex fertility, especially when you find yourself there unexpectedly How yoga practice impacts birth The vulnerability of being a new mother Gems of postpartum wisdom for the journey What You’ll Hear: Becoming a same-sex mother by surprise (2:16) Opening a yoga center with a 4-month-old baby (5:00) Preference for a known donor (6:50) The actual “how” of getting pregnant (12:40) Her journey with a miscarriage (14:50) Well woman care with midwives (15:30) Headstanding to get pregnant (18:40) What is fertility beyond sperm and egg? (21:00) IUI at home (22:00) Pregnancy- ecstatic misery (25:50) Asking for reassurance (30:00) Deborah’s birth chant (33:35) The surprises of postpartum (36:00) Her old self fed her new self (38:30) In woman-centered yoga practice, motherhood not included (39:00) In any big change in life you have to go through all the seasons (42:00) Audio glitch (45:30) Postpartum time= a lifetime inside of seconds Lessons learned from postpartum from the inside (48:00) It’s difficult to mother when you don’t have a connection to your body (50:00) All that was born from her journey to motherhood to one year (52:00) Tap into the wider field before crisis. Grander field of wisdom that is waiting. (54:40) www.loveisjuniper.com www.deborahbagg.com

**Trigger Warning** We cover sexual assault in this episode, and we go into deep grief space as Erin lost her sister in a brutal way. In this episode, we talk about breathwork as a therapeutic modality that bypasses the mind, the role of emotions, and dealing with grief. We ended up in some deep archetypal shizzle. The story of Erin's family, her mother and her sister has so many miraculous and redemptive elements for them as souls and family, but for us all. This episode took me to a place I wasn’t planning to go, and I think it is very rich. We laughed and cried a lot.  EP15: Erin Telford on Breathwork, the Role of Emotions, Grief & Redemption What You’ll Hear: Why Erin chooses Breathwork as her main healing modality. The archetypal journey of Erin’s sister (and their family) as a belly dancer and Zapatista activist in Mexico, and her mother’s response. Erin’s journey of leaving her wordly life in NYC and setting out on the road- first stop Joshua Tree Breaking the threads of aloneness How working with emotions allows for deep healing and getting to the root of things. What Erin Shares: What is Breathwork? (2:45) Emotional health as a corner (9:30) First part of Erin’s story about her sister (9:40) Dealing with significant loss and grief (11:00) Erin’s family story (14:00) including her mom getting pregnant, after the Dalcon shield, with her sister. Her sister’s story (16:10)  (Audio problem from 19:10-19:25) Her mother’s response to her sister’s murder in Mexico (20:20) Her mother’s model of grieving and how it has healed their family (25:45) Giving up the supportive structures of life to move into true surrender (27:45) Working at Prada (32:30) and getting sick Lama Tsultrim Allione (35:30) Emotions—are they a liability? Safety in mental practices. When are you really doing the Work? (38:00) The role of DIY self-healing (40:30) Role and purpose of emotions (42:00) Kimberly doubts about doing things alone and confesses she doesn’t like practicing yoga alone ;) (44:55) Dissolving stigma (48:20) Life as a single woman with no children at 42 & 43 (49:30) Putting lots of energy into work and healing practice, but personal life was not supportive enough, because there was not the right thread of personal community (51:40) The giving/receiving balance (52:30) Creating the rite of passage and sisterhood for her birthday (55:00) STAND on the EARTH (58:38)      

EP14: Ellen Heed on STREAM School of Pelvic and Sexual Health, Sexological Bodywork, and True Health Today you will meet Ellen Heed- my mentor, the person who helped me heal my own birth injury and who paved the way for the new model of health that is culminating in our work in the STREAM school. We have taught STREAM together in England and 2018 is the first year we will bring this new radical model of pelvic and sexual health care to the US. Ellen is a Visionary Craniosacral practitioner and teacher and has taught anatomy and physiology all over the world for the past twenty years.  You are in a for a treat. Get ready to get your mindbodysoul rocked.  “Our hegemony over our own sexuality is a private matter and we have the option of taking private responsibility for that in a community peer-based support environment, which is what my vision is for STREAM to provide.” In this episode, Ellen Heed shares:  The importance of a peer model in healing modalities and relationship What contributes to healing, not management. What is Sexological Bodywork? What is STREAM- Scar Tissue Remediation Education & Management? Who is qualified to do STREAM work and provide this kind of care? You will hear: Ellen’s first experience with postpartum pain (1:40) What contributed to radical healing in that first case study (3:50) Psychoemotional release with scar tissue resolution from a “perfect birth” (5:20) Can we still heal from birth years out? In my case, 2 ½ years post-birth (10:00) Who is scar tissue remediation for, in addition to new mothers? (12:55) Scar is a physical artifact of trauma. (15:30) Peer support models of health care (20:00) Audio gap at 23 minutes for 20 sec. Mapping as a ritual of initiation (25:30) Deep and broad overarching model of health (28:20) Absence of connective tissue as a living contributor to health (32:25) Stakeholdership is inherent in the healing process (39:30) What is Sexological Bodywork? (43:00) Who becomes a Sexological Bodyworker? (47:00) What is STREAM- Scar Tissue Remediation Education and Management (49:20) Who are good STREAM candidates? (54:45) What is a Private Membership Agreement (PMA)? (55:20) The Shame Matrix of the genitals (59:00) Future vision: that people in transitions of all kinds have access to mapping, and to somatic sexual and pelvic health care.

  Spirituality and sexuality can be the same thing when trauma moves out of the way. In this episode, Jessica shares her personal story of being raised by beautiful and terrible wolves, and how she arrived at this path of being a spiritual teacher and filmmaker. What Jessica shares: How being raised by beautiful and terrible wolves shaped Jessica’s path, when she was on her own at 14 Where and how she gets the “audas” and takes authority from her experience to write a book and teach without degrees and not follow the “path” Her approached to embodied spiritual and sexual counseling What happens when you stop drinking through sex How she is able to be an actress, teacher, and an author- to do it all What You’ll Hear: When meditation causes everything you thought you wanted to fall away (8:40) How she was a sex educator since she was a kid (9:50) Her experience with and reverence for Somatic Experiencing (13:10) Post spiritual awakenings and how sexuality changed (14:30) Self-worth and sex, recognizing and going into her own personal trauma (15:30) Spiritual sex was available after unwinding the trauma (18:10) Material, emotional and mental material related to trauma and then orienting to everyday pleasure (22:00) Embodied counseling (24:00) How she manages being multi-passionate (27:00) Exploring the shadow (30:00) Sober sex- what to do when you have relied on substance to have good sex (33:30) All for casual sex when it’s conscious (36:05) Meditation was the foundation that allowed her to welcome in other modalities (39:00) Sex-positive, Tantra, OMing community (41:00) What is a sex party? (42:30) Cos play (43:40) Storytelling and non-dual reality (47:00) Jessica’s unique brand of self-love (54:00) Deep enjoyment is deep service

This interview is not about offering answers, a strategy or a plan but more how to navigate deep change by embracing the unknown, dancing with mystery and meeting one-self in a tender transparent integrity every step of the way.  At the beginning of 2017, Jessica's business and marriage were falling apart, she was sinking into debt and found herself facing an identity crisis in both her personal and professional lives. She made a radical decision to embrace her resistance, step into her deepest fears, and set forth to intentionally fall apart in a wholesome way. Kimberly meets Jessica somewhere on her journey in this interview. She's rebuilding her marriage, and navigating how she "does business" from a place that's generative, collaborative and restorative. Jessica Durivage, the creator of Where is My Guru – an award winning podcast and online school for personal development and spiritual transformation has been a bridge builder for the health and wellness communities and conscious media for over 15 years. Where is My Guru has presented at SXSW, Hanuman Festival, and created the groundbreaking Sex, God & Yoga online conference for women. Currently, Jessica works with clients and small business supporting them in navigating change, building bridges, and transcending and creating new cultures that meet the business and the individuals who interact with it in an honest and wholesome way.    In this episode Jessica shares: Why Jessica dissolved her business The issues Jessica encountered with a thriving business but a failing marriage, a sick father and in debt How we know what enough is for us as working women and parents Placing value on skillset within your passion How to allow space for yourself from breakdown to breakthrough   What you’ll hear: “Where’s my Guru” Jessica’s passion project (3:00) The assumptions made by people on social media when your business is virtual- it’s not often what it looks like (10:00) Jessica becoming transparent and finding her truth (17:00) How we feel that we must be a “task master robot” (20:00) Conditioning from wholeness and placing value on our skillset (25:00) Slowing down, letting go and leaving room for the unknown to allow things to come (32:00) Approaching your “to do” list in a different way (38:00)

This podcast we discuss attachment theory and the nervous system. We talk about navigating relationships as new moms and as partners, co-dependence vs. interdependence and how mom, partner and baby’s needs can all be met allowing everyone’s cup to be full.   In this episode Ellen shares: How attachment affects our nervous systems and relationships with our children and our partners. The reality of coming from an adulthood of independence into motherhood The challenges of preparing for the unknown The kind of family we can create where everyone can get there needs met How to preserve a great relationship and couple primacy What You’ll Hear: Attachment theory 101 (2:00) What is regulation of affect emotions and feelings (4:30) How are we showing regulation of affect (7:30) Will these feelings effect my children – who’s regulating the regulator? (10:00) The unique role of single parenting and co-regulation (13:30) Coming into parenthood from an adulthood of self-reliance and independence (16:00) It’s not personal failure (18:00) Co-dependence vs. Interdependence (19:00) Separations and reunions (26:00) How to help ease transitions (28:00) Asking for help (32:00) What can you do ahead of time to continue marital satisfaction before baby (35:00) The couple bubble (40:00) I feel disconnected from my partner, is it too late to start? (45:00) What do you want to shout from your megaphone? (53:00)   Ellen Boeder, MA, LPC has been a licensed psychotherapist since 2003, primarily working with women in a range of healing contexts. Her experience includes working with teenage girls in residential treatment, helping women recover from eating disorders, and facilitating women moving through trauma, addiction, mood, and relationship crises. She has a strong background in yoga and meditation, and her graduate training in Transpersonal Psychology also deeply inform her work. Since becoming a wife and a mother to two children (now 6 and 8 years old) she works primarily with couples. Ellen is trained in PACT, a therapeutic modality founded by Stan Tatkin, PsyD., that synthesizes attachment theory, neuroscience, affect regulation models to support couples in creating an enduring and nourishing relationship through secure functioning. Ellen is on faculty for The Relationship School, founded by her husband, Jayson Gaddis, and she also writes a blog on motherhood and relationship. With warmth and eloquence, Ellen brings her lived experience as a woman, wife, and mother into her understanding as a clinician.   Find Ellen: www.ellenboeder.com www.rearrangedbymotherhood.com www.thepactinstitute.com www.relationshipschool.net

Jennifer Laurin is the creator and founder of Shunya Gates Temple and a Certified Tantra Counselor. A yoga practitioner and meditator, she is at work on a book entitled Unconditional Family, based on her own experience of maintaining family while dissolving marriage. In this episode, Jennifer shares: What Tantra is Why both men and women need to take the pressure off the cock Is erectile dysfunction actually sexual maturity? How to dissolve marriage without losing family What You’ll Hear: Definition of Tantra (2:02) Introduction of the ‘Song of Mahamudra’ - Tilopa's Mahamudra Teaching to Naropa. (4:30) What is offered in Tantric Counseling sessions. (7:00) Making decisions from our own unique Yes (10:30) Taking pressure off the cock (15:20) Kimberly’s experience with a partner who had erectile dysfunction (18:30) Myth busting about male arousal (20:00) If not cock, what? (23:00) Message to women about taking the pressure off the cock. (28:00) Men need foreplay too! (32:00) “Erectile dysfunction” or sexual maturity? (39:00) Alternative way to look at relationship transitions (49:00) Definition of right relationship (50:00) Family as an active living network of people who continue to know each other and support each other. (55:00) Give yourself permission to chart your own path. (61:00)

Tema Mercado is a Xicana mother of five children, wife and licensed midwife. I asked her to be on the Magamama podcast because I have had the privilege of watching her practice midwifery. I wanted to ask her about her dual practice in Tijuana and San Diego, to hear about how the birth center project in Tijuana is going, and also to talk about cultural appropriation in the birth community. I wanted to open dialogue for her concerns and desires for how we use the ancient technology in modern times, while being respectful.   In this episode Tema shares: The differences between doulas, homebirth midwives, and certified nurse midwives How she found creative ways to provide health care to Haitian migrants in Mexico Thoughts on using ancient technology in modern culture Tema shares what adequate postpartum care looks like   What you’ll hear: The realization of what Tema witnessed daily as a rape advocate and midwife (3:45) What midwives take on that doulas don’t (8:00) The three different types of midwives (13:00) The “Casa de La Salud” birth center (16:00) Tema’s main goals of helping the Haitian migrants (20:00) Getting creative to provide prenatal care for Haitian migrants (25:00) The paradigm shift in Mexican birth culture throughout the years (30:00) The hypocrisy of the ancient technology being used today (37:00) Tema shares how she creates her postpartum practices and courses for new moms (43:00) Casa de la Salud birth center in Tijuana and the need for midwives in Mexico (50:00)   To contribute to the Birth Center: https://www.youcaring.com/biancatemamercado-949385?fb_action_ids=10155176992783068&fb_action_types=youcaringcom%3Adonate To contribute to the Amazon wish list: http://www.lamatrizbirth.com/parteras-fronterizas/

In this episode, Juna and Kimberly talk about intuition. What exactly is intuition? How do you tap into it? What is its role in therapy? As a practitioner, how do you capitalize on your intuition, and also develop accurate discernment? Juna shares some of her gems and insights from her upcoming book, A Good Girl’s Guide to Anger, and much more. Juna Mustad is a Life and Relationship coach, an Intuitive, and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner focused on helping people create healthy relationships, expand emotional awareness, and embrace their full potential. She combines her visionary gifts with body-centered therapy to help both individuals and couples, as well as organizations around the world.  What You’ll Hear: How Juna learned how to use and develop her natural intuition What happens when you receive a reading (tarot, astrology, energy work) that doesn’t resonate with your inner knowing? How to feel emotions and connecting to the body, with intuition The role of intuition and how to use it as a practitioner (therapist, massage therapist) Where anger goes  In this episode: What does intuition mean to you? (3:50) As a practitioner, how do you use your own intuitive gifts and still help someone develop their inner knowing? (7:40) HOW Juna teaches practitioners to develop their intuition (13:30) How intuitions show up in Kimberly’s sessions (15:42) How to tell the difference between an intuitive impulse versus ego or desire or fear (18:30) The phase of life when Juna was doing the exact opposite of her intuition (28:00) Do we REALLLLY choose our parents? (32:15) Why it’s necessary to occupy a predator role for women (36:30) The making of a good girl (37:35) Approval and connection versus authenticity (39:00) What happens when anger awakens in the good girl (40:50) Anger as a doorway to power (43:30) Aggression versus anger (47:30) What to do with anger when it arises (49:30) Boundaries with love (53:40) If anger is here, there is trespass happening. Links between anger and boundaries. (1:00:00) www.junamustad.com

This podcast we talk about how Maggie giving birth to her two children radically changed her life and her career for the better. We talk about the personal changes within that drew her to find the support she was looking for and her approach to healthy exercise during pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Maggie Rintala is a personal trainer,nutrition coach and movement specialist dancer, mother of 2, lover of the outdoors, a wise wild woman a truly one-of-a kind person who lives life on her own terms. She has a unique point of view about the things that we throw in to the category of fitness and exercise. She started her love of movement with ballet in a little town in Northwest Arkansas. Maggie attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and received a degree with honors specializing in education and dance performance. After moving to San Diego, Maggie danced professionally and taught all over San Diego County and the US. After settling down with marriage and children Maggie had the experience of chronic pain, weight gain and an autoimmune disease. These gifts brought her back to her roots of integrated authentic movement and whole nourishing foods as a daily way of life. Maggie believes that we are all meant to move and we can be our own best guides into how to move forward. Her personal training is rooted in developmental movement philosophy, moving from the core and listening to our own wisdom. Her extensive training with Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, Precision Nutrition, and Primal Movement, as well as her love of daily learning make her uniquely qualified to help anyone move forward.   Maggie talks about: Her own challenging postpartum recovery with chronic pain and an autoimmune disease Being fit meant being able to be my children A dynamic approach to what “fit” means   What You’ll Hear: Maggie talks about her life changing experiences giving birth and in life (1:30) How did the change you found in yourself develop into personal training? (4:00) Finding a different way to access what you need (6:00) What are you fit for? (7:20) How did you recover? (8:00) Listening to YOURSELF and what is a good enough recovery for you (8:40) Transformational journey of motherhood- who I am and who I am becoming (13:30) How do you feel about healthy exercise and pregnancy? (15:00) When your husband asked, “is it really that bad?” (21:30) The ideal postpartum recovery (23:10) What is your approach to movement postpartum? (25:00) What is abdominal synergy? Is it the Core? (27:00) What is DNS and how does it work? (30:00) Rolfing, Feldenkrais and DNS- approaches to developmental movement (33:00) Was DNS a part of your recovery process? (36:00) If you could give a new mom a piece of advice what would it be? (40:00) From where you have been to where you are now how does that look? (43:00)   https://www.facebook.com/MaggieRintalaFitness/  maggierintala@gmail.com  

When we recorded this episode she is 1 day shy of 40 weeks! Her daughter, Goldy Wolf, was born three days after we talked. McLean McGown is a mother, wife, Postpartum Doula, Yoga & Pilates teacher, Nutritionist, Buddhist and yoga practitioner living in Los Angeles. Through her own pregnancy and birth experiences, McLean started learning about the birth world and happened upon a career that she never saw coming. Becoming a postpartum doula led her to her truest passion- to support women during one of their most vulnerable times in life and bear witness to their rite of passage into motherhood.  “It takes a village to raise a mother, not just a child”  In this episode, McLean shares: What a postpartum doula is Her personal struggle after the birth of her first daughter Feminine model of working Why breastfeeding is so hard How it’s normal to hate your husband How McLean went from "one-and-done" to a second baby  What You’ll Hear: Difference between lactation educator/counselor and lactation consultant (1:45) What is the postpartum period- how long is it? (7:50) What is a postpartum doula (8:40) How does it work hiring a postpartum doula? (17:30) A day in the life of a postpartum visit (18:00) Financial planning for birth- prioritizing (26:00) Her first postpartum birth experience--driving 2 days postpartum (31:00) Your version of a 40 day lie-in (32:30) What no one tells you (40:40) When you hate your husband… (44:40) What our moms experienced (50:25) How to deal with the last days of pregnancy (52:30) How she went from hashtagging #oneanddone to two (54:00) Her own postpartum plan second time around (57:40)

This podcast is a steamy one. I met Keli at a vagina steaming workshop and was immediately captivated by her wealth of knowledge, background in quantitative analysis, and grassroots approach to women's health. This podcast is all about vagina steaming, and how it can treat almost every gynecological issue. I know the term “vagina steaming” is not a term many have heard so we will discuss here what it is, how it works, what “the perfect period” actually looks like and my own personal success story with steaming.  About Keli Garza: Keli, aka Steamy Chick, holds a Masters degree in International Development graduating cum laude. A social science researcher by academic training, Keli has spent the past several years doing women's health research and has founded a new field of discipline called Peristeam Hydrotherapy. Having recorded over seven hundred peristeam case studies, Keli holds the only known research database of its kind. Keli has worked to develop vaginal steam treatment protocols which are now becoming the industry standard. Her approach is unique in that she tailors treatment based on different menstrual patterns and that she works with an Oriental Medicine Doctor who prescribes specific herbs in the formulas.   In this episode Keli shares: About vaginal steaming Why it’s so effective The multi-cultural development of vaginal steaming Postpartum Care and Steaming Yeast Infections and Steaming Multi-cultural elements of steaming and postpartum care Fertility successes with steaming What you’ll hear: Her first experience with vaginal steaming Vaginal steaming can treat just about every gynecological disorder (6:00) What a perfect period looks like (8:00) The benefits of steam (11:00) Patterns, treatments and results (16:30) Cross cultural vagina practices (20:00) Postpartum care (28:00) Allow yourself to heal yourself (39:00) Know healthcare rights (45:00) Knowing your body and body empowerment (50:00) Keli shares personal stories about fertility and vaginal steaming (58:00) Find Keli at www.Steamychick.com

In this Magamama episode, Kristen Hauser we talk about the choices she made in her recent birth experience and why she trusted her instinct to choose this route; how it truly takes a village and how important the healing experience is. We also discuss Chinese medicine and postpartum care. She also shares her own unexpected difficulty with breastfeeding after an ecstatic birth experience. Kristin is a Licensed Acupuncturist, herbalist, birth doula, sex educator and yoga teacher. She offers holistic healthcare and mentoring for women at various stages of life to understand and partner with their fertility cycle, improve their hormonal health and own their unique, intuitive expression. She is passionate about guiding women through the transformational period surrounding childbirth and supporting women to revive the sacred connection between the heart and the womb. Kristin Hauser is devoted to helping women awaken to their inner resources, embodied wisdom and creative potential. Weaving ancient wisdom and modern understanding, she helps women address physical health challenges, while integrating deeper layers for spiritual growth and emotional well-being. Her work is inspired by years of self-inquiry, rigorous study and practice. She has traversed many common women's health challenges and traveled to various corners of the world as an avid seeker of new ways of being wild, embodied and wise. Kristin believes that together we can shift the paradigm around women’s health care, feminine sexuality and empowered expression. In this episode Kristin shares: About how the fertlized egg was influenced by experiences and nutrition prior to conception primarily in the three months leading up to it, and why conscious conception is important Birthing out of the medical model She shares her personal birth experience How Chinese medicine views birth Hiring a Doula postpartum What you’ll hear: Conscious conception - (2:30) Trusting your own decisions - Midwives, Doulas, Western Medicine and personal preference (7:30) Kristen shares her personal birth experience – (12:00) Feelings and transitions after labor (24:00) Life force energy and Chi (29:00) Recovering jing and chi in Chinese medicine (35:00) Opportunity to reset and rebuild and creating something new in your constitution (38:00) The first 40 days postpartum (40:00) You can never have enough support (52:00) The breastfeeding journey (56:00) Compassionate decisions for you, family and baby (1:00.00)   Find Kristin here: Websites: www.healingiswithin.us, www.wombmedicine.com FB page: https://www.facebook.com/healingiswithinus/ Instagram @kristinhauser

Magamama interviews Layla Centorrino-- a teacher and practitioner for over thirty years including work such as transformational bodywork, counselor, yoga, colon hydrotherapy, shamanism, energy medicine, and psychic clairvoyance.  She is the owner of The Artemis Woman. She is the creator of Conscious Coupling and Uncoupling process, creator and doula of conscious baby-making. Layla Centorrino is a seasoned wise-woman guide who tracks and accesses information and understanding, helps open blocked channels, heals unseen wounds, and clears or leverages epigenetic and ancestral influences.  As an Artemis Woman, she honors and embraces the deeper mysteries and cycles as a natural part of her intuitive brilliance, wisdom and connection.  Her work illuminates and empowers you to navigate life’s transformational transitions with ease. It cultivates lasting alignment with your internal rhythm, compass and divine callings so you can live life on your terms.  In her decades of personal training, cultivation, private practice and group work she has gathered an amazing magical bag of tools and modalities on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and energetic.  She holds a sacred container for your safety and growth.  She remains conscious of your and with you as you work together, whether it is within a group setting or a long-term relationship as your private mentor.  The presence and support she brings serves as a reminder and reflection of your greatness.   What You'll Hear: Are the energetic systems of men and women distinct? (1:00) What happens on an energetic level when women become mothers? (2:00) How does my energy now look after childbirth- what happens to the energy system when birth interventions happen? (4:00) How to understand the difference between the root chakra and pelvis, and how they work together (5:00) Preparing your psyche for the baby to be outside of you (9:00) How do you prepare your home, your relationship, finances, and food for the transition of your psyche to become a mother? (11:20) Allowing yourself to close the chakras and re-setting in a new place (20:00) How long does the postpartum experience last on an energetic level? (31:00) Why staying connected energetically is so important to babies’ health (33:00) What can women as new moms do for themselves to reseal their energy and create sovereignty? (39:00) Connect with Layla Centorrino at www.theartemiswoman.com

EP2: Tobin Zivon on Relationship and Intimacy Games Tobin Zivon is a longtime friend and soul ally of mine. He is also an accomplished spiritual teacher and counselor, and a man I trust to share the masculine perspective with the Magamama community.  He authored the Art of Mindful Living: You Can’t Stop the Waves, But You Can Learn To Surf, and has been teaching groups, couples and individuals for over 18 years. His brilliance shines most brightly when working with men, women and couples in the realms of love, intimacy and sacred sexuality. For over two-and-a-half decades, Tobin has been wholeheartedly dedicated to spiritual awakening and to serving others in the flowering of their highest potential. His extensive training includes 6 years in a Zen Center, 12 years in the Ridhwan School (under the direction of AH Almaas), a three-year apprenticeship one of the most transpersonal psychotherapists in America, five years with Adyashanti, and a teacher training program with the South African Tantra teacher Shakti Malan. This episode is for those of you who are in a rut, who are bored with the sex you are having, who feel like things have become boring or routine. You love your partner. It may have been great at some point, or maybe you married someone that you never had amazing chemistry with, but you are just not sure how to get things more spicy and interesting. I have to say that as deep and wise as Tobin is, these kind of intimacy hacks might be his untapped specialty. What You’ll Hear: What do you do when you’re not having the sex that you want to have? (3:30) Separate requests from judgment or shaming (7:00) What happens if you don’t know what you want? (19:00) Organismic field of present desire (24:00) “Small audio problem (26:30)” Great lovers know how to ask great questions (27:00) Habitual patterns and playfulness and curiosity (29:00) What does a man really need from a woman? (33:00) www.Tobinzivon.com

In this inaugural episode of the Magamama podcast, Kimberly Ann Johnson is joined by Christiane Pelmas who shares her wisdom as a psychotherapist, Sexological Bodyworker, wise woman, author and mother. She tells me just before the episode that she is not interested in being interviewed. She's interested in co-created conversation. Nevertheless, she is a truth teller and culture maker.  She elucidates the difference between codependence and interdependence, and how care-taking can be a form of violence. She describes herself as an "essentialist" and how she sees gendering as a coexisting part of that. She talks about the forgotten role of mother as a soul guide.  What you’ll hear: The difference of co dependence and interdependence (1:30) How do you feel that difference between codependence or interdependence (6:30) Compulsory discomfort! (12:00) Culture and codependence (15:00) Masculine vs. feminine, modern culture and essentials (26:30) Thoughts and personal vision on modern culture and the impact on mothering (41:00) Worrying about children and emotional intelligence (45:00) A different role for mothers which is not taught in this culture – Soul Guide (50:00) Her website is www.TheReWilding.com You can find her books here: Women’s Wisdom Guidebook & Card Deck Trauma, A Practical Guide to Working with Body and Soul Somatic Sexwork Anthology