The Science and Soul of Living Well

In this episode, I have a rich conversation with Becca Clegg (@beccaclegglpc), an inspiring author, psychotherapist, embodiment teacher, consultant, & speaker, about listening to & learning from your body's wisdom.

Becca & I talk about what it means to live in an "embodied" way & why embodiment is so important. We also offer specific examples of how to recognize when you are veering toward disembodiment. Throughout our conversation...

In today's episode, I speak with Ameya Duprey (@ShaktiCare), board certified Ayurvedic practitioner, massage therapist and Ayurvedic postpartum doula about 5 key pillars of Ayurvedic wisdom ("eat, heat, sleep, love, and repeat") that can guide postpartum care that truly nurtures the birthing parent in the immediate aftermath of birth and for many years beyond.

Ayurveda is a rich and complex holistic preventative medicine system ori...

In today's episode, I share some pearls of wisdom from Ayurveda, a rich and complex holistic preventative medicine system originating in India over 5,000 years ago. One translation of the word "Ayurveda" means "the science of life."

Ayurveda can deepen your understanding of your unique mental and physical constitution in ways that can help you cultivate and craft your life in ways that promotes recalibration in times of stress, tra...

In today's episode, I briefly review what "high sensitivity" means. I also discuss different kinds of boundaries and containers that can help you thrive as an HSP. I also share examples of common barriers that many HSPs face in cultivating lifestyles that support boundaries and containers. I also offer some concrete tips and actionable strategies for for setting and maintaining boundaries as an HSP, including 1) ways to stay balanc...

In today's episode, I describe the trait of high sensitivity and share some key research that is helpful in understanding high sensitivity. I also discuss how cultural values, families of origin, life experiences and relationships shape our perceptions of high sensitivity. The judgment and criticism that highly sensitive people (HSPs) often face from others can result in an internalization of these harmful messages and profound sel...

In today's episode, I focus on actionable ways that you can break the cycle of perfectionism and shift perfectionistic tendencies. I highlight various principles that I think are important to keep in mind as you go on this journey, as well as some helpful strategies and tips that I have found to be useful in addressing perfectionism in my own life and in the lives of the clients with whom I work. I start off by sharing a definition...

This week's episode is the second episode in a three-part series on perfectionism. This episode is intended to give you an opportunity to dive more deeply into different domains of your life (e.g., physical appearance, physical fitness, profession, hobbies/vocation, parenting/mentorship, relationships, sexual life, physical environment, vulnerability, relationship to time and space, relationship to success, self-worth/beliefs) and ...

In this first episode of a 3-part series on perfectionism, I define perfectionism and outline three key dimensions: 1) 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮, which involves requiring perfection of yourself, 2) 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳-𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮 which involves requiring perfection of other people, and 3) 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮, which involves believing that...

In this episode, I speak with Kira Willey (@kirawilley), an award-winning children’s music artist, author, kids’ yoga & mindfulness expert, TEDx speaker, & creator of Rockin’ Yoga school programs (read more about Kira below). Kira is an incredibly inspiring & passionate gem of a human, & she has dedicated herself so wholeheartedly to sharing the wisdom of "the 3 M's" (mindfulness, movement, & music) & their benefits for children & ...

In this episode, I speak with Jesse Brisendine (@jessebrisendine), a best-selling author, award-winning speaker, and world-renowned expert who, in his words, works with individuals and organizations to "move beyond their limitations, unlock their greatness, & build their Camelot." We highlight different kinds of supports that can help us navigate immense heartache when someone we love dearly dies. We discuss personalized rituals an...

In this episode, I speak with Kristjana Hillberg (@kristjana_hillberg), founder of Your Freelance Friend and host of the Red Door Podcast, about growing up in a system of religion that did not resonate with her. Through heartfelt and inspiring anecdotes about her personal journey, Kris shares how she stayed connected to her intuition throughout many difficult life experiences, which led to an ultimate realization that spirituality ...

In this episode, I speak with Isabelle Havers, an intuition coach who helps women make themselves their own priority by learning how to cultivate more joy & ease in their lives.  We talk about the pressures many of us face in workplace settings to overwork and over-perform in ways that lead to burnout and a disconnection from what we truly want and need emotionally, physically & spiritually. We talk about the principles of masculin...

In this episode, I share a variety of concrete, actionable tools from evidence-based psychology and other Eastern and Western healing traditions that can help you respond more effectively and holistically to self-criticism in different domains of your life. I cover a variety of strategies including mindfulness-based approaches (e.g., RAIN meditation, mindful self-compassion, cognitive defusion, visualization, metta, and connection ...

In this episode, I emphasize how essential it is to understand your relationship to self-criticism & the ways in which it shows up in your life. From this foundation of insight, you can then enhance your ability to respond to self-criticism more effectively, particularly with a compassionate stance, so that it becomes a less dominant force. I begin by offering examples of the multitude of influences that can cultivate & perpetuate ...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Lori Brotto (@ubcshr), Registered Psychologist, Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of British Columbia, Executive Director of the Women’s Health Research Institute, leading international expert on the topic of sexuality, & author of the powerful book "Better Sex Through Mindfulness" (https://greystonebooks.com/products/better-sex-through-mindfulness).   Dr. ...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Jennifer J. Freyd, the Founder and President of the Center for Institutional Courage, Inc (https://www.institutionalcourage.org/), keynote speaker, author, and professor emerit of psychology with over 30 years of experience researching people and their relationships with institutions.)

Dr. Freyd emphasizes how it is in our nature as human beings to be sensitive to betrayal because experiencing betr...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Robyn Walser, a warm-hearted soul with so much wisdom to share, about ways we can change our relationship to painful life experiences in order to move more freely in our lives. We talk about how living life with vitality, rather than focusing primarily on getting rid of certain symptoms, can help us meet painful emotions like anxiety and grief without shame and self-blame. We also discuss how mindf...

In this episode, I highlight different dynamics in our families of origin and ways they contribute to the development of certain patterns that help us survive and/or get our needs met, yet also can cause problems in our lives in adulthood (e.g., in terms of relationships, sense of self, responses to our emotions and ways of expressing them, etc.). Specifically, I focus on specific patterns and tendencies that can emerge from our fa...

In this episode, I speak with Laura Lu (@themindhealthspot) about patriarchy and capitalism and the ways in which we are all affected by these systems as well as concrete actions we can take to heal from their harmful effects. We highlight several core problems that we have observed in ourselves, loved ones, clients, and communities stemming from these systems and share possible tools and strategies to not only promote individual a...