62. Latine Herbalism: Modern Curanderismo, Healing Plants and Folk Traditions with Josie Castañeda Morales
Release Date: 10/22/2025
72. Stop the Hustle: Why "Doing Less" is Your New Success Strategy
Modern Latina in Midlife
Are you wearing your "busy-ness" like a badge of honor? I’ve been there, running on caffeine and fumes, trying to squeeze a smoothie into a two-minute gap between meetings, and feeling like if there’s a white space on my calendar, I must fill it. But here’s the truth I had to learn the hard way: we are not built to be in a perpetual harvest. Just like the earth, we need seasons to rest and recalibrate. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why the traditional 24-hour "hustle" culture is actually designed for masculine energy, and why we, as modern Latinas, need to reclaim...
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71. What the Ocean Taught Me About Fear: Unfiltered Notes from Belize
Modern Latina in Midlife
What if the thing you’re avoiding is exactly where your next breakthrough is hiding? In this special "on-location" episode, I’m taking you with me to the docks of San Pedro, Belize. This wasn't originally intended to be a podcast episode; it started as a raw voice note to myself. But as I sat by the water—watching a stingray break the surface and processing a powerful day of snorkeling the world’s second-largest barrier reef—I realized the lessons I was uncovering were too important not to share. I’m a beach lover, but I’ve always been afraid of the ocean. In this episode, I...
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70. How I Read 18 Books While Training for Mt. Whitney (And the 9 That Changed Me)
Modern Latina in Midlife
For years, "read more books" was a permanent fixture on my New Year’s intention list. This year, I finally cracked the code. By joining two book clubs and utilizing audiobooks while training to hike Mt. Whitney, I hit a personal record: 18 books in one year. In this episode, I’m not just sharing a list; I’m sharing the 9 specific books that fundamentally shifted my perspective on boundaries, money, creativity, and the soul. If you are looking to curate your 2026 reading list for maximum growth and healing, this episode is your roadmap. Resources: Start Your Reading Journey: . Listen to...
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69. Why I Don’t Set Goals in January (The Science Behind Wintering)
Modern Latina in Midlife
In this episode of Modern Latina in Midlife, I’m sharing why I don’t jump into “New Year energy” in January and why slowing down during this season has been one of the most supportive practices for my body, mind, and nervous system. For years, I noticed a clear pattern: after the holidays, my energy drops and my system naturally wants rest, reflection, and simplicity. I used to think this was just personal or tied to my March birthday. Recently, I’ve learned this rhythm aligns with a concept called wintering, popularized by Wintering. In this episode, we cover: What “wintering”...
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68. New Year Vibes: Chakra & Energy Clearing for 2026
Modern Latina in Midlife
In this guided meditation episode, I lead you through a deep energy clearing and chakra balancing practice to help release negative and stagnant energy from the past year and gently welcome 2026. I begin with extended grounding to calm the nervous system and clear your energy field, then guide you through each chakra, explaining how it affects areas of life such as safety, emotions, confidence, relationships, communication, intuition, and perspective. This meditation is designed to support reflection and energetic reset during the winter season, without pressure to set goals or force momentum,...
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67. 10 Lessons from 10 Years in Business
Modern Latina in Midlife
Something powerful is happening. And it’s being led by women. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to be a woman in business in 2025—the growth, the resilience, the truth behind the numbers, and the inner work no one talks about. Women now own nearly 4 in 10 U.S. businesses, with Women of Color leading one of the fastest-growing entrepreneurial movements in history. And still… the journey isn’t easy. Funding gaps. Burnout. Self-doubt. The pressure to do it “right.” I share the stats that matter and then I go deeper. Into what I’ve learned from 10...
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66. Behind the Scenes: How to Move Through Deep Emotions in 3 Steps
Modern Latina in Midlife
This week on Modern Latina in Midlife, I’m pulling back the curtain in a way I honestly haven’t before. I hit record in the middle of a really emotional moment — no filters, no perfect lighting, no polished script — just me, feeling everything. And in sharing it, my hope is that you remember you don’t have to hold it all together either. Inside this episode, I walk you through how I moved from overwhelm to clarity, from “why is this happening?” to “oh… this is what it’s trying to teach me.” These are the tools that have changed my life over the last decade, and I’m...
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65. The 10-Minute Shift That Will Change Your Entire Day (starting now!)
Modern Latina in Midlife
In today’s episode, I’m sharing a simple little moment that completely shifted my energy in under 10 minutes. On the morning of 11/11 — a day all about alignment and intention — I woke up tired, foggy, and fully ready to stay in my PJs all day. But during my journaling and meditation, I received one clear nudge: go for a walk as the version of me who already has what I'm manifesting. So I listened. I got dressed. I stepped outside. And everything changed. In this short episode, I walk you through how one inspired action raised my frequency, reconnected me to gratitude, reminded me...
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64. Simplify Your Podcast Launch: The 3 Essential Steps to Get Started
Modern Latina in Midlife
If you’ve had that little whisper telling you it might be time to start a podcast… this episode is your confirmation. Today, I’m breaking down the exact 3 steps you need to build the foundation for a soul-led podcast, one that feels aligned, intentional, and totally doable (because it is). Think of this as your cozy, encouraging pep talk to finally stop overthinking and start sharing the message that’s been tugging at your heart. Whether you're craving deeper connection with your audience, dreaming of bigger impact, or simply wanting a creative outlet that feels like you… this...
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63. Champagne Charlas: The Biggest Surprise About Becoming an Empty Nester
Modern Latina in Midlife
In this Champagne Charlas episode of Modern Latina in Midlife, I’m sitting down with my dear friend and intuitive healer, Kimberly Katherine, to talk honestly about what it’s really like to become an empty nester. We’re only a few weeks in, week five & six, and already it’s brought up waves of unexpected grief, pride, identity shifts, and those “out of nowhere” tears that feel a lot like loss. We share how we’re navigating quiet houses, kids getting sick far away from home, and that helpless feeling of not being able to swoop in and fix it like we used to, whether they’re...
info_outlineNote: the connection was poor, so the sound suffered a little.
In this episode, I sit down with herbalist, author, and modern-day curandera Josie Castañeda Morales to discuss the world of ancestral healing—exploring how herbalism, ceremony, and connecting with your heart can help you return to your roots and bring more balance, intuition, and peace into your modern life.
Josie shares her journey from the fast-paced fashion world in NYC to becoming a yerbera (herbalist) and healer in Miami—blending traditional curanderismo with modern wellness. We talk about sun and moon energies, the role of ritual, and why meditation and listening to the heart are essential in a world that often pulls us away from ourselves.
If you’re curious about herbalism, decolonizing your wellness practice, or simply longing to reconnect with your roots, this conversation will invite you to slow down, listen inward, and honor the wisdom of your lineage.
Episode Highlights:
- Josie’s path from fashion designer to healer—and choosing a “spiral life” over a “linear life”
- Meditation as the gateway to intuition, clarity, and daily alignment
- What curanderismo and modern Latine herbalism look like today
- Heart connection, boundaries, and trusting our inner knowing
- Sun vs. Moon energy: supporting digestion (Sun) and the nervous system (Moon)
- Rituals as a bridge between the physical and subtle body
- Decolonizing wellness by honoring abuela wisdom and family recipes
- Gentle first steps to reconnect with your ancestral healing
- Following your heart to leave an unfulfilling job and create a purpose-driven business or healing practice
Books Mentioned in the Episode:
- Josie’s book: Latin Herbalism: A Beginner’s Guide to Modern Curanderismo, Healing Plants, and Folk Traditions of the Americas
- CURANDERO HISPANIC ETHNO-PSYCHOTHERAPY & CURANDERISMO: TREATING HISPANIC MENTAL HEALTH IN THE 21ST CENTURY by Antonio Noe Zavaleta Ph.D
Connect with Josie:
Website: https://www.curanderaremedies.com/
And @curanderaremedies on Instagram
Call to Action:
If this episode resonated, share it with a sister, your mom, or an amiga who’s craving a deeper connection to her roots. And let me know your favorite takeaway—I love hearing how these conversations land for you.
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Where To Find Me:
Instagram: @modernlatinainmidlife
Email: sonia@soniasdesk.com