Desire As Medicine Podcast

Have you ever noticed how the same desire can be received completely differently, simply based on how you say it? The way we communicate our needs and desires shape the quality of our relationships more than we realize.

In this intimate and insightful episode, we unpack the subtle (and powerful) role of syntax, tone, and word choice in expressing desire. Whether you’re navigating romantic connection, friendship, or family dynamics, ...

Have you ever asked for something that felt totally reasonable, only to be met with resistance, rejection or discomfort? It can feel disorienting, even painful.

In this episode, we explore how to ask for what you want in relationships without attachment, resentment, or collapse. Through stories of diamond earrings, perfume, and simple affection, we reveal the subtle difference between demanding and cleanly desiring.

When we love our ...

What happens when you ask for something you deeply desire, and it’s met with rejection?

In this episode, Brenda and Catherine explore the art of asking for what we want while staying rooted in self-worth, even when the answer is “no.” Through honest personal stories—from diamond earrings to a fridge full of Pellegrino—they unpack how to hold desire cleanly, without attachment to the outcome.

This is not about getting what you want—it...

What happens when life feels like an all-you-can-eat buffet of desires? When every opportunity feels irresistible and you want it all—right now?

In this episode, Brenda and Catherine dive into the emotional terrain of competing desires and the tough choices we must make when we can't have everything at once. They explore what it means to move through life’s “candy store” with discernment, drawing from personal stories and hard-...

We all want freedom but are our go-to comforts actually keeping us stuck? In this revealing episode, Brenda and Catherine explore the fine line between real freedom and sophisticated forms of avoidance.

From Netflix binges to spontaneous vacations, they examine how common pleasures can sometimes act as distractions from discomfort. Through honest personal stories, they uncover how facing limitations, rather than escaping them, build...

What does it mean to love without losing yourself?

Freedom isn't about avoiding responsibility, it's about staying rooted in yourself while loving others fully. When we overextend in small, constant ways, always saying yes, always accommodating, we slowly drift into self-abandonment and codependency.

True freedom begins when we trust others to navigate their own journey. Seeing each person as a divine being capable of growt...

What does it really mean to be free? Is it doing whatever you want—or something else?

In this episode, we explore the difference between true freedom and false freedom. Many of us chase a version of freedom that actually leaves us feeling more stuck—mistaking impulsivity, people-pleasing, and structure-free living for liberation, when they’re really subtle forms of escape.

True freedom arises when we make conscious choices aligned wi...

When we’re young, freedom feels like staying up late, eating candy for dinner, and having no one tell us what to do. But as we grow up, that surface-level idea of freedom gets challenged. True freedom, is not about indulging in everything, it’s about having genuine choice and the ability to act from our values, not our wounds.

Brenda and Catherine explore their personal paths to authentic freedom. Brenda opens up about breaking free...

Ever wonder why some people see kindness everywhere while others only notice rejection? It’s not the world that’s different, it’s our perception. Brenda and Catherine explore how our brains filter reality based on our beliefs, often without us realizing it.

Using Tony Robbins’ “red car” experiment as a jumping-off point, they speak to how 95% of our brain activity happens unconsciously. These mental filters shape everything from our...

Brenda and Catherine explore how that anxious inner hum - the persistent urge to do something – might actually be an invitation into stillness, not more action.

Brenda shares how her former need for order and perfectionism once kept her from being present with her kids. A pandemic moment of realizing “the dishes don’t have to be done today” shifted everything. Constant motion, she reflects, is often a way to avoid discomfort and dee...

The profound difference between solitary self-discovery and maintaining authenticity in relationships is the heart of this week's conversation. We dive deep into what it means to be "a monk on the mountain versus a monk in the city" – exploring how much easier it is to feel connected to our highest self when alone than when navigating the complexities of human connection.

Relationships serve as our most powe...

This episode explores the beautiful complexity of women’s friendships, challenging the myth that deep connection happens effortlessly.

Catherine & Brenda share personal stories about how our own relationship grew through intentional investment - what we call “coins in the fountain.” True sisterhood takes time, vulnerability, and the courage to navigate discomfort. Many of us were never taught how to build lasting, soul-nourishin...

Have you ever considered that all your relationships don't need to serve the same purpose? In this episode, we explore friendships, and dive into seven categories of connection that enrich our lives in different ways. 

We decided to reference ~ Lane Moore's book "You Will Find Your People," we unpacked how soul friendships, chosen family, long-distance connections, situational bonds, trauma-bonded relationships, ...

Ready to experience what might be waiting on the other side of being busy?  Take a deep breath and join us on this exploration of presence as a radical act of self-care.

The phrase "slow down" is often repeated in personal development circles, but what does it actually mean to slow down in a world where moving from thing to thing is a normal way of life in the western world. 

Slowing down might sound simple, but for many of...

What happens when we surround ourselves with women who genuinely back our dreams? Our window of possibility expands beyond anything we could imagine alone. 

In this soul-stirring conversation, Brenda and Catherine explore how witnessing others achieve what seems impossible fundamentally rewires what we believe is possible for ourselves.

Brenda shares a life-altering story about hosting a celebration in hospice for her dying...

Brenda and Catherine pull back the curtain and explore their own sisterhood and the transformative power of truth-telling in female friendships. They share how their relationship began with an act of honesty and vulnerability, setting the stage for an authentic connection that transcends conventional women's relationships.

Episode Highlights:
• How Catherine was mentoring Brenda's daughter and it led to momen...

What does your ideal sisterhood look like?  In this episode, we imagine a world where sisterhood is a powerful tool for empowerment and support. This episode explores the often overlooked yet profound dynamics of female connections, encouraging a shift from surface-level interactions to deep, meaningful relationships. We share our personal experiences and discuss how vulnerability can enhance the bonds we share with other women, al...

Have you ever struggled with allowing yourself to feel your feelings? Are you someone who gets very involved in the "story"? Where the facts get blurred because the story is so loud. Are you willing to feel the fullness of your emotions?  And perhaps let others see you in your tears and snot?

Emotions are the core of our human experience, yet many of us struggle with openly feeling and expressing them. This unique episode ...

Ever wonder why receiving feedback (aka honesty) can feel horrendous? 

In this conversation, we unravel the art of receptivity in relationships, revealing how to transform unwelcome criticism into opportunities for growth. 

Join us as we share our personal stories and practical tips for handling criticism, feedback and honesty with grace and openness. Brenda's reflections on parenting illuminate the power of non-reactivity in ma...