A Quest for Well-Being
This is a podcast inspired by love in the quest for Well-Being. The episodes feature informative, inspirational, healing, and insightful conversations on the fields of mental, emotional, and spiritual health. This is a platform of collaboration created for the exploration of fundamental truths, enlightening ideas, and insights about holistic health. The aspiration is to awaken new ways of thinking toward a new way of living and new ways of being. Through the lens of awareness and healing, we explore such topics as trauma, addiction, co-dependency, fear, depression, anxiety, learning, and self-love, among others. The intention is to inspire healthy changes and promote awareness. I am grateful for having the opportunity to collaborate with many AMAZING human beings!!! Much appreciation for the guests and supporters of this podcast! Podcast Song “Almost August” by Dan Lebowitz http://www.lebomusic.com/
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A Deeper Story Of Your Soul & Its Essential Nature
10/30/2025
A Deeper Story Of Your Soul & Its Essential Nature
— What if reality isn’t material at all—but a shared dream, woven by infinite, eternal minds? In James book, The Dream of Matter, he explores the radical idea that our brains are not just organs of survival, but reflections of the soul’s deeper activity. If that’s true, then the existence of the soul is not only real, but measurable—visible in the patterns of thought, the rhythms of brainwaves, and the coherence or incoherence of our lives. This is more than spiritual speculation. By decoding the mathematics behind mind and matter, the book offers a structured, rational approach to consciousness—showing how personal growth, mental health, and even the future of civilization depends on the same principle: the evolution of mind toward coherence. Mental health, in this light, is not a private luxury but social infrastructure. When minds fracture, families, institutions, and nations fracture with them. Drawing on neuroscience, ontological mathematics, and systems theory, The Dream of Matter reveals how the soul can be approached as rigorously as any science—and why recovering it is essential for both individual well-being and collective survival. From the intimate journey of self-actualization to the emergence of a new social logic, this is a vision of coherence as both healing practice and civilizational compass. Valeria interviews James Croall — He is the author of “The Dream Of Matter: Neuroscience And Decoding The Mathematics Of The Soul.” James is a former Silicon Valley cybersecurity leader turned neurotherapy practitioner and the author of the upcoming book The Dream of Matter: Neuroscience and Decoding the Mathematics of the Soul. After years of grappling with attention issues, burnout, and daytime fatigue, James discovered neurotherapy—an experience that profoundly reshaped his brain, his performance, and ultimately, his path. He now specializes in quantitative EEG (QEEG brain mapping), neurostimulation, and applied neurofeedback training. James holds certification as a QEEG technician and is trained in neurofeedback approaches that help clients build healthier brain patterns over time. Drawing from both systems engineering and cutting-edge neuroscience, he helps people manage and overcome symptoms related to focus, stress, mood, and trauma—without relying on medication or traditional talk therapy. His mission is to raise awareness of these science-backed tools, which remain surprisingly unknown to the general public despite their potential to change lives. The Dream of Matter grew out of a convergence between James’s technical background, his transformation through neurotherapy, and a lifelong spiritual search for meaning and coherence. The book explores the deep structure of consciousness—arguing that the soul is real, governed by the same elegant mathematics that underlies the physical world, and may even be measurable. To learn more about James Croall and his work, please visit: and
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Soul-Centered Healing: A Path to Spiritual Alignment
10/27/2025
Soul-Centered Healing: A Path to Spiritual Alignment
— What if the greatest challenges in life were actually opportunities for profound spiritual growth? Many of us are navigating a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, searching for our true purpose and a sense of inner peace. In this episode, Bernice Cruz, a spiritual mentor and teacher who has walked that path herself, shares her incredible journey of healing and transformation, offering guidance and inspiration for remembering who you are and living in alignment with your soul's calling. Valeria interviews Bernice Cruz — She is a multi-dimensional holistic mentor and practitioner dedicated to guiding individuals on transformative journeys of healing, self-discovery, and spiritual awakening. With a deep commitment to helping others reconnect with their higher consciousness and the wisdom of the heart, Bernice empowers clients to access greater clarity, purpose, and inner alignment. Her integrative approach blends intuitive insight with grounded mentorship, creating a safe and expansive space for personal evolution. To learn more about Bernice Cruz and her work, please visit:
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From Worry to Wonder: Emotional Growth and Resilience
10/11/2025
From Worry to Wonder: Emotional Growth and Resilience
— In a world that often feels increasingly fast-paced and uncertain, it's no surprise that anxiety has become a prevalent challenge, especially for our children. From academic pressures to social anxieties to the constant barrage of information from screens, young people today face a unique set of stressors that can significantly impact their well-being. But what if we could equip them with the tools, the understanding, and the resilience to navigate these challenges not with fear, but with courage, self-compassion, and a sense of hope? That's the mission behind "Benny's Adventure: Overcoming Anxiety," a beautifully written and thoughtfully crafted book by Paloma Scott. More than just a story, it's a gentle guide, a roadmap for young readers to understand their anxieties, identify their triggers, and develop practical coping mechanisms that empower them to take control of their inner world. Through the relatable journey of Benny, a young character who faces his own fears with the help of a wise friend and some simple yet effective techniques, children learn that anxiety doesn't have to be a barrier to living a full and joyful life. Paloma Scott talk about her inspiring book, the importance of addressing anxiety in childhood, and the power of storytelling to connect with young readers on a deeply emotional level. Valeria interviews Paloma Scott — She is the author of “Benny's Adventure Overcoming Anxiety.” Paloma Scott is a dynamic and compassionate Registered Psychologist. Paloma empowers her clients with warmth and care, ensuring they feel truly valued. She specializes in counseling children and adults with ADHD and ASD, helping them develop crucial emotional regulation skills and strategies. Other specialties include complex cases of PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression. Additionally, Paloma supports clients recovering from motor vehicle accidents, guiding them through trauma and helping them on their road to recovery. With Paloma, you’re not just supported—you’re understood and empowered to thrive. To learn more about Paloma Scott and her work, please visit: Sign up for Paloma’s Private Practice Start Up course here:
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Is Your Soul Happy With The Way You’ve Been Trying To Lose Weight?
10/08/2025
Is Your Soul Happy With The Way You’ve Been Trying To Lose Weight?
— You’ve spent countless years living a life filtered through a number on the scale and exhaustive energy trying to control that number. Every fight you have with yourself pulls precious energy away from your dreams. You get that restrictive eating and excessive exercise are not going to work for you personally. You even recognize these approaches are triggering you and making the problem worse, but you just don’t know where to turn anymore. When you realize who you are and what you have to offer the world matters, your life will expand, and your body will slim naturally. This is what Kathrine means when she says: Bigger Life. Smaller Body.™ WHO are you beyond a number on the scale? What would happen if you were to know yourself so deeply, that no person or situation could ever dictate how you feel about yourself? You would love yourself, love your life and love your body. Many smart, caring and competent people struggle with weight issues. Do you struggle with your relationships with food, movement or your body? And has this led to resistance, self-sabotage, food addiction, or binge eating issues? The longer these go on, the more entrenched they become. Are you finding these issues increasingly resistant to change, no matter what you’ve tried? Is this making you doubt your sense of self-worth and hold yourself back in life? You CAN live your bigger life now and every day while enjoying more Soulful relationships with food, movement and your body – really satisfying relationships that have a sense of choice, energy, freedom and joy to them. Valeria interviews Kathrine Brown — She is Master-Level Weight Loss & Wellness Coach, Founder of Conscious Weight Loss. At the leading edge of health and wellness coaching for over 22 years, with about 13,000 hours of weight loss specific coaching experience. Kathrine Brown (Coach Kath) is the developer of the leading edge Conscious Weight Loss® coaching process, author of the Wisdom Bites™ blog and co-host of the Conscious Weight Loss Podcast. She is a weight loss expert from the perspectives of personal growth, spiritual evolution and unconditional love. Through her process, she has helped thousands around the world live bigger lives in smaller bodies. Kathrine has been teaching her innovative approach since 2002, specializing in working with those struggling with resistance, self-sabotage, food addiction and binge eating. On this, she speaks from deep personal experience. A master-level coach and world-class communicator, she has the creativity and insight to effect profound, lasting change. Her pioneering work draws upon the latest findings from the fields of coaching, psychology and addiction, as well as wisdom traditions. Her powerful bridging of the practical and the spiritual is redefining the way the world approaches weight loss. She was the first and is still the only weight loss expert teaching such an innovative and insightful approach. She still eats French fries occasionally but no longer drives while under their influence. To learn more about Kathrine Brown and enjoy a FREE LIVE ONLINE TRAINING:
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How to Get Your Kids to Listen—The First Time You Ask
10/02/2025
How to Get Your Kids to Listen—The First Time You Ask
— Stress-Free, High-Quality Living with Your Kids - Parenting is a full-time job, but common challenges like sleep problems, defiance, lack of cooperation, and tantrums can drain the joy from family life. The good news is: it's time to find effective solutions, a strong support system, and dedicated accountability measures to get on the path to a high quality of life. The journey is possible. Big challenges or little ones… expert guidance is available to help you create the positive parenting experience you’ve always dreamed of. Eliminate second-guessing and confidently implement strategies that foster connection and strengthen your bond with your children – all without yelling, punishment, anger, or guilt. Discover simple, proven plans that have helped thousands of parents achieve lasting results. Valeria interviews Tia Slightham — is the parenting coach high-achieving moms call when they’re done with yelling, guilt, and power struggles—and ready to lead with calm, confident authority at home. She is the founder of Tia Slightham – Parenting Solutions and creator of the Parenting With Purpose Method, a proven 12-week framework that helps overwhelmed parents transform chaos into connection—without punishments, bribes, or burnout. With a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, certifications in Positive Discipline, and over 20 years of experience working with children and families, Tia has supported thousands of families worldwide through her coaching, workshops, speaking engagements, and social platforms. Her 7-figure coaching brand has impacted over a million people, with a loyal audience of 800K+ across social media. As a bestselling author, marathon runner, and mom of two incredible teens, Tia brings real-life wisdom, empathy, and strategy to every conversation. To learn more about Tia Slightham and her work, please visit:
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Simply Self-Wonderful: To Love Yourself Is Absolutely Essential
09/25/2025
Simply Self-Wonderful: To Love Yourself Is Absolutely Essential
— The longest relationship you will have in your life is the one with yourself! You want to feel Simply Self-Wonderful, perhaps not all the time but at least most of the time and to know ways to get back to being Simply Self-Wonderful so you can live the life you want and create for yourself. The Simply Self-Wonderful Card Deck and The Simply Self-Wonderful Inner Workout Book came out of that yearning in Judy. Wanting to feel loved, accepted, and worthy of love. And try as she might, something always blocked her – herself! That’s why the Self word is repeated in every attribute (card). And that’s why there is a hyphen between the attribute and the Self. They are connected and inseparable if you want to truly love yourself and flourish in life. Self-love isn’t always easy. There’s no Self-Love destination. It’s an ongoing journey you take with yourself. And self-love doesn’t demand perfection either. Just trying to take one step at a time is more than enough. You’ve got this! Valeria interviews Judy Slater — She is a transformational leader, spiritual guide, and creative visionary committed to integrating spirituality, healing, and the arts. An ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) with over 40 years of experience, Judy blends her expertise in Co-Active leadership, adaptive change, and energy healing to help individuals and organizations navigate an evolving world. She holds certifications in Intuition Medicine®, Trauma Wellness Techniques, and Spirituality, Health, and Medicine, equipping her to guide clients through growth, resilience, and self-discovery. Judy is passionate about reimagining leadership, helping individuals embrace innovation while staying grounded in purpose. Whether coaching individuals or leading group training, she empowers leaders to cultivate clarity, courage, and transformation. A lifelong learner and adventurer, she finds inspiration in art, travel, and nature. Through her work, Judy invites others to embrace their own leadership journey, ignite their purpose and impact and flourish in life. To learn more about Judy Slater and her work, please
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Unlocking Potential: The Intersection of Mental Health & Spirituality
09/25/2025
Unlocking Potential: The Intersection of Mental Health & Spirituality
— Many people draw on spiritual beliefs, practices, and communities as sources of meaning, resilience, and connection. Mental health care increasingly recognizes that spirituality — understood broadly as how people find purpose, belonging, and transcendence — can interact with psychological well‑being. When integrated respectfully and ethically, attention to spiritual life can enhance assessment, deepen treatment, and help people unlock personal potential. This interview introduces key ideas, evidence, practical approaches, and cautions for clinicians, caregivers, and anyone curious about the intersection of mental health and spirituality. Valeria interviews Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC — He is the Co-Founder of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, specializing in integrative mental health and psychedelic therapy education. He also co-hosts the Higher Practice Podcast for Optimal Mental Health and co-founded the Integrative Psychiatry Centers, a clinic transforming mental healthcare with innovative treatments. With over 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist and coach, Keith’s mental health journey began after a near-suicide at 19 following a psilocybin experience. Now a successful entrepreneur, he’s dedicated to teaching methods that help eradicate mental illness and unlock potential. To learn more about Keith Kurlander and his work, please visit:
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Living In Alignment With Your Soul’s Purpose
09/23/2025
Living In Alignment With Your Soul’s Purpose
— There was a time when you just knew. Who you were. What you loved. Why you were here. Before the world became noisy— Before expectations, doubts, and responsibilities crept in— There was a version of you who remembered your purpose. Who saw magic in the everyday. Who felt connected to something greater. That part of you isn’t gone. It’s simply been waiting for you to come back. Your Path, Your Pace — But You’re Not Alone When you’re ready to transcend your spiritual plateau, Dr. Kelly Edmonds offers a container that meets your deepest longing and helps you rise. Valeria interviews Dr. Kelly Edmonds — She is a spiritual mentor and intuitive healer who guides people through the early stages of spiritual awakening, when things often feel confusing, overwhelming, or uncertain. With over three decades of experience, she helps people clear energetic blocks, reconnect with their inner truth, and begin living in alignment with their Soul’s purpose. Her work blends intuitive guidance, sacred energy practices, and deep ancestral healing, all with a grounded, non-performative approach that resonates with people who want something real, not performative or fast-tracked. To learn more about Dr. Kelly Edmonds and her work, please visit:
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Why People Cheat, How To Heal: Betrayal, Addiction & Rebuilding Trust
09/08/2025
Why People Cheat, How To Heal: Betrayal, Addiction & Rebuilding Trust
— Today we’re diving deep into betrayal, infidelity, and the emotional aftermath. Why do people cheat—even when they love their partner? What drives repeated cheating or secret behavior? And most importantly, how can couples heal after trust is broken? Valeria interviews Nicola Beer, a relationship and trauma therapist with over 20 years of experience helping couples and individuals navigate infidelity recovery. Nicola believes that cheating is often a coping mechanism—sometimes even an addiction—and that full recovery is absolutely possible when both people are committed. Today she’ll walk us through what really happens emotionally, psychologically, and relationally after betrayal—and how to heal from it. Nicola Beer is also a psychedelic retreat facilitator. She blends sacred plant medicine (primarily Huachuma/San Pedro), somatic therapy, and conscious relationship work to help individuals and couples heal emotional wounds, release stored pain, and reconnect to their inner truth. Nicola runs private healing retreats in Southeast Asia and hosts two podcast shows: Healing with Psychedelics and Relationship Revival. Her work focuses on turning trauma into transformation—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Podcast Healing with Psychedelics. To learn more about Nicola Beer and her work, please visit: https://nicolabeer.com/ and https://plantmedicinepower.com/ Also, check out Nicola’s amazing offerings: — Affair recovery masterclass — Affair recovery pack
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The Neuroscience Of Anxiety
09/08/2025
The Neuroscience Of Anxiety
— All bodily sensations, including those visceral feelings from your chest and stomach, are relayed back to the brain through the pathways via the spinal cord. Your already anxious and highly alert brain then processes these signals at both conscious and unconscious levels. The insula is a part of the brain specifically involved in conscious awareness of your emotions, pain and bodily sensations. The prefrontal cortex also engages in self-awareness, especially by labeling and naming these physical sensations, like feeling tightness or pain in your stomach, and attributing cognitive value to them, like “this is fine and will go away” or “this is terrible, and I am dying.” These physical sensations can sometimes create a loop of increasing anxiety as they make the brain feel more scared of the situation because of the turmoil it senses in the body. Although the feelings of fear and anxiety start in your brain, you also feel them in your body because your brain alters your bodily functions. Emotions take place in both your body and your brain, but you become aware of their existence with your brain. — by Arash Javanbakht, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Wayne State University Valeria interviews Dr. Megan Plotkowski on the topic of The Neuroscience Of Anxiety — Dr. Megan is an EMDR-trained Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who brings a rare fusion of scientific precision, emotional depth, and intuitive clarity to her clinical work. She holds a PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry with an emphasis in neuroscience, as well as a master’s degree in clinical psychology—bridging the world of hard science with the complexities of human experience. Megan currently works in both private practice and community mental health, specializing in clients who feel overwhelmed, emotionally stuck, or disconnected—particularly those navigating anger, anxiety, addiction, trauma, or complex family dynamics. Before entering the field of psychotherapy, Megan worked as a research scientist at Amgen and UCLA, contributing to groundbreaking studies in molecular genetics and neural protein structure and function. She also taught at UCLA. Her academic background continues to inform a therapy style rooted in evidence-based practice, intellectual rigor, and deep compassion. In recent years, Megan has also come to recognize and trust a deep intuitive knowing that emerges both in her personal life and in the therapy room. This awareness led her to develop a dual-wisdom model of therapy that honors both the analytical and the unseen—a framework that bridges neuroscience and symbolism, logic and lived experience, insight and mystery. Whether drawing from hard science, depth psychology, or intuition, Megan’s work is grounded in the belief that healing often begins where the visible ends—and that true transformation happens when the unspoken is finally brought into the light. To learn more about Megan Plotkowski and her work, please visit:
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The Art of Living Your Best Life Through the Codes of Creation
08/28/2025
The Art of Living Your Best Life Through the Codes of Creation
— The Art of Living Your Best Life Through the Codes of Creation: The seen and the unseen worlds can be a fascinating journey in living your best life. The world seen is perceptible through the five senses, while the unseen world can’t be experienced by our senses because it transcends the 3D world. The Balinese believe the seen world (Sekala) and the unseen world (Niskala) are interconnected and that everything in the physical world is because of its counterpart in the unseen world. Everything is energy and therefore has frequencies and wave patterns. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. The 3D world of matter consists of wider, slower frequency waves visible to the human eye. We receive and perceive this information through our sensory body. If we take a slow frequency wave and shift it to the speed of light, we move from the 3D world of matter to the fourth and fifth dimensions of higher frequency. Essentially, life exists at varying frequencies, with higher frequencies being superior. Angels and light workers operate in higher frequency fields. To be seen, they must lower their frequency pattern. We can learn to work with frequency patterns in everyday life, so they automatically resonate with our environment, body, mind, and spirit, promoting healing, harmony and balance. This is the art of living your best life and deepening your connection with the universe. Valeria interviews Mary-Jane Kasliner — She is the author of “Mother Nature, A Bridge to Conscious Living.” Mary Jane Kasliner has dedicated her life to helping others improve their health and well- being. She started her professional life as a Respiratory Therapist and Dental Hygienist before she shifted her path into Metaphysics in 2002. For the past 23 years, Mary Jane has helped people improve their lives through various techniques, including yoga, pranayama, astrology, feng shui, and her signature program, The Art of Living Your Best Life Through Codes of Creation. Her approach is simple: to unify and amplify energy frequency patterns of the three-tier temples we all have. The Law of Resonance is a major player in the amplification process. Utilizing sacred form in movement, quantum-level mindset models, meditations, the power of nature’s bit language, signs, and symbols has profound implications on how we experience life. Mary Jane knows this firsthand when she turned her life around after a divorce that left her with her home in foreclosure and a two-year-old child to raise. Mary Jane is the author of nine books, two online coaching programs, and DIY Power of Attraction in Design. She has been a guest speaker on the Steve Adubato TV show and Lasting Lifestyles. Mary Jane’s soul’s mission is to help others live life from their highest self, which creates a holographic effect that impacts the world. To learn more about Mary-Jane Kasliner and her work, please visit: / and
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From Vision to Results: Leadership Transformation
08/28/2025
From Vision to Results: Leadership Transformation
— You can create an amazing life! Do you have an incessant urge to become more of who you truly are? to start a new chapter of life? Are you getting, a quiet nudge to fulfill a dream? Now is the time, no matter your age or stage! Linda wrote the book “Envision Your Extraordinary Life: Living Happy, Joyous and Free” with the purpose to take you on a journey to create an extraordinary life worth living. Her firm conviction is that we all have the power to create an amazing life. Whatever your age or stage of life, Linda’s hope is that you will envision, realize, and enjoy a life that is beyond your wildest expectations; a vision that will move you on your life path to be happy, joyous, and free. You deserve it! Her book will guide you step by step with tools, guided imageries, inspiring stories, and action steps to help you create your unique and extraordinary life. Valeria interviews Linda Hogan — She is the author of “Envision Your Extraordinary Life: Living Happy, Joyous And Free.” Linda Hogan is a visionary coach, organizational change leader, business improvement expert, and author dedicated to empowering individuals and Fortune 100 companies to achieve breakthrough results. Holding an M.S. in Management & Organizational Development and recognized as a Certified Performance Technologist, Linda leverages her expertise and a proven transformation process to help you create the life you envision—whether through visionary planning, executive leadership growth, or high-performance team building. Linda’s expertise spans: • Visionary planning to craft a compelling future • High-performance team building for outstanding organizational results • Executive leadership programs to accelerate your professional growth • Business improvement strategies for lasting impact • Women’s group coaching for connection, support, and transformation As the author of "Envision Your Extraordinary Life," Linda inspires clients to tap into their full potential and live with clarity, passion, and purpose. If you’re ready to take action and design the extraordinary life you deserve, Linda Hogan will guide you every step of the way. Outside of her professional life, Linda finds joy in traveling the world with her amazing husband, Bill, sharing laughter with her daughters, Sarah and Anna, and friends, attending the theater, and keeping active through running. She is deeply grateful for her life exactly as it is. To learn more about Linda Hogan and her work, please visit:
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How Anxiety Interferes With Being Successful Academically & In Life
08/10/2025
How Anxiety Interferes With Being Successful Academically & In Life
— Over the past 7 years or so, Sheryl Roessler has seen a huge uptick in students with anxiety (sometimes mixed with depression). She has always had clients who deal with anxiety, but our world has changed dramatically. Sheryl first saw indications of this with the broad use of cell phones and social media –TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and in the past, Facebook. It began with feelings of missing out or seeing people who looked a certain way and wanting to be like them. As the outside world has become closer to us, and news travels faster, events that would not have been known are now binging on their cellphones all hours of the day. The teens and young adults have lived through school shootings, lockdown drills, a pandemic, climate change issues, hearing people spouting hateful ideas and thoughts such as racism, anti-Semitism, anti-LGBTQ trans rhetoric, and now, a war in Ukraine. The pandemic only heightened student’s fears and anxiety on top of losing a normal part of their school life during lockdown. They basically lost 14 months academically, socially, and emotionally. It is most important that students are given a safe place to land. Hopefully, that is at home, but as academics have been impacted, home sometimes becomes a place where an emphasis is on schoolwork and test taking and everything else takes second place. Valeria interviews Sheryl Roessler, M.A. — She is an educational therapist who started North Shore Educational Therapy to bridge the gap between tutoring and therapy. Sheryl earned her undergraduate degree in Special Education and earned a master’s degree in counseling. With decades of experience as a special education teacher and counselor in Chicago’s North Shore, Sheryl has developed educational and therapeutic resources for students with issues that impact self-confidence and academic success. With her unique approach, Sheryl is equipped with the tools to help struggling students succeed in their academic endeavors. Sheryl bases her services in Chicago’s North Shore suburbs, but sees clients virtually all over the country, and often internationally. Sheryl works with the student to become more accountable and self-confident, while also giving guidance and support to the parents. Not everyone gets to live their dream. Sheryl is living hers by helping her clients achieve theirs. This is where her heart lies. To learn more about Sheryl Roessler and her work, please visit:
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CMI: Critical Memory Integration — A New Approach To Trauma
08/10/2025
CMI: Critical Memory Integration — A New Approach To Trauma
— Critical Memory Integration (CMI™) is an experiential psychotherapy that uses memory reconsolidation to help individuals integrate even the most distressing of experiences into their existing mental framework. Unlike conventional therapies, CMI™ facilitates integration through direct experience rather than conversation or explanation, resulting in a more efficient process. The person is guided to tune into signals of bodily sensations and emotions, uncovering the root causes of patterns and responses. The process fosters deeper connections to capacities for growth and adaptiveness, leading to a renewed sense of self, and sustainable change. Valeria interviews Estefana Johnson — She Is A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Trauma Therapist And The Director Of Clinical Training At ARISE Alliance, Is Leading The launch of a Powerful New Therapy Model Called Critical Memory Integration (CMI™) She began her career in 2001 as a Behavioral Health Technician, briefly stepping away in 2005 to teach in Japan. Her diverse background spans multiple roles and settings, including residential treatment for at-risk youth and medical social work, giving her a well-rounded perspective on mental health care. As the Director of Clinical Training for ARISE Alliance Institute, Estefana Johnson oversees the professional development and training of clinicians on Critical Memory Integration (CMI™). Her role involves designing and implementing comprehensive training curricula for mental health professionals to enhance clinical skills, particularly in trauma-focused care, PTSD treatment, and therapeutic interventions. Estefana also develops and delivers trauma-informed programming tailored to the needs of at-risk populations, bringing these services directly into community-based settings to ensure accessible, responsive care where it’s needed most. She is currently a practicing clinician and Dosing Session Monitor at Lighthouse Psychiatry and TMS in Gilbert, Arizona, contributing both to clinical care and research trials exploring the therapeutic use of psychedelics. Estefana’s work in community mental health, coupled with her personal experiences as a first-generation child of immigrants, has deeply influenced her therapeutic approach. Passionate about supporting foster and adoptive children, Estefana serves as Lead Volunteer, Board Member, and Clinical Director for ASA Now, a nonprofit organization that provides critical assistance, support, and advocacy for foster and adoptive children and their families. Her role with ASA extends to Shade Tree Academy, a therapeutic school designed for children impacted by foster care and adoption who have not thrived in traditional school settings. There, she provides trauma-informed staff training and has contributed to program development to support healing-centered education. With a commitment to education, advocacy, and compassionate care, Johnson continues to make a lasting impact in the mental health field and in the communities she serves. To learn more about Estefana Johnson and her work, please visit:
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Healing Through Connection: Awakening the Joy of Being
08/03/2025
Healing Through Connection: Awakening the Joy of Being
— “The inner journey is a mystery, so we lean into the exploration with a sense of experimentation, of playfulness, of openness, trusting we have the answers inside of us.” Valeria interviews Dr. Loi — She is a somatic psychologist, coach ("midlife midwife"), mother, workshop presenter, guided meditation leader and Ecstatic Dance facilitator. Dr. Loi integrates her years of clinical training with her movement and awareness-based practices, grounding them into connection with the earth to facilitate a deeper understanding of presence, embodiment and reverence. Dr. Loi has a background in the non-profit world (founding the single parent resource network in Austin Tx), has worked in radio, co-produced newspapers and music festivals, and owned an event production company. Her clinical work began in 2005 when she began graduate school as a single mother (after an almost 10 year break from school). She has worked with pre-school aged victims of trauma and neglect, in low income clinics that offered depth therapy, in a college counseling center, with couples, those mandated to attend domestic violence batterer groups. Her CRP was entitled, “The Role of Empathy in the Domestic Violence Treatment of Male Batterers” through a feminist theory lens and she graduated in 2011. She was licensed in 2014 after 3 years of postdoctoral training in a private practice neuropsychology clinic where she offered neurocognitive assessments and treatment after TBI (traumatic brain injury). Dr. Loi currently is in private practice seeing individuals and couples throughout California for therapy and intensives, via teletherapy and in person with a collaborative, holistic approach. She incorporates Somatic, Ketamine-Assisted-Psychotherapy, mindfulness, parts therapy, CBT, neuropsychology, Brainspotting (certified), and energy psychology grounded in a psychodynamic, depth-oriented framework. She specializes in affect regulation (anger management/anxiety reduction), integrating transformational experiences, prenatal/postpartum, parenting issues, midlife and menopause with a focus on empowering clients and encouraging their connection to themselves, others and the earth. She occasionally offers workshops and trainings, and hosts Ecstatic Dance Sebastopol (since 2014), often offering the closing sound baths and meditations. Through her own journey of healing from physical and emotional over-sensitivities, she learned how to manage these overwhelming states and teaches this to others. More recently, after a TBI forced her to stop "business as usual" she created a program to assist women in midlife learn to slow down and reconnect to their inner wisdom. Dr. Loi educates and empowers her clients with practical strategies and guides them to a place of greater coherence and vibrancy. She believes that we are born wise and can re-learn how to live with ease and pleasure. She offers these clinical, spiritual and heart-based practices to assist humans in healing, reconnecting and awakening to the joy of being. To learn more about Dr. Loi and her work, please visit:
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The Deep Resilience Of The Human Spirit
08/03/2025
The Deep Resilience Of The Human Spirit
Patrick’s book, Tears Run Dry: A Story of Courage in the Face of Poverty, Tribalism and Racism is a gripping memoir that chronicle Dr. Kalenzi’s extraordinary journey from war-torn Uganda to achieving the American dream. More than a personal story, this powerful book represents the global struggles of refugees, the silent strength of immigrants, and the deep resilience of the human spirit. With wisdom, vulnerability, and hope, Patrick shares the life lessons, cultural insights, and defining moments that shaped his path—from surviving systemic injustice to becoming a community leader and healer. Valeria interviews Patrick Kalenzi — He is the author of “Tears Run Dry: A Story of Courage in the face of Poverty, Tribalism and Racism.” To learn more about Patrick Kalenzi and his work, please visit:
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10 Health Benefits For Trusting Your Intuition
06/10/2025
10 Health Benefits For Trusting Your Intuition
— How do you feel when you hear the word “psychic”? Spine-chilling goose-bumps or a thrilling allure? A burning desire to discover more or an impulse to run? Fascination or fear? We all have intuition, perhaps even psychic ability. So why don’t we use it? Fear of the unknown, fear of losing control, fear of meeting our dark side or the fear instilled in humankind during the Spanish Inquisition that still sits in our cellular memory and hold power over out otherwise unlimited minds? Natasha Rosewood brings the word “psychic” out of the witch’s closet and into the light of the New Age. “Now, more than ever in out history, the planet needs all of us to acknowledge our power by paying attention to our inner voices. But first we need to embrace and trust our intuition.” Valeria interviews Natasha J. Rosewood — She is the Author, Quantum Healer, Intuitive Coach, TV Host, Spirit Medium, Past Life Regressionist and GhostBuster. A long time ago, in a far away land—England—Natasha Rosewood worked as a flight attendant, during which time her life also took off into the metaphysical world of palmistry and other divine knowledge. But it was when she moved to Canada in 1983, that she evolved from palmist to Intuitive Spiritual Healer, and then Past Life Regressionist, Ghostbuster, Quantum Healer, Author, Screenwriter as well as radio and TV Host. In her dedicated healing practice of many years, she has empowered thousands of people to remember who they really are and to find their joy. All five of her beloved enlightening, comedic and poignant books: Aaagh I Think I’m Psychic, (And You Can Be Too) Aaagh, I Thought You Were Dead, (And Other Psychic Adventures) Ghostly- Mostly True Stories, Flight of Your Life - Confessions of a 1970’s Air Hostess and The Longest Flight of Your Life -Confessions of a 1980’s Air Stewardess are intended to inspire the knowing intuitive inside each one of us and remind us all of humanity’s unlimited potential to create, laugh and, of course, love, especially The Self. To learn more about Natasha J. Rosewood and her work, please visit:
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Transforming Fears Into a Life of Freedom & Happiness
06/10/2025
Transforming Fears Into a Life of Freedom & Happiness
— Do you ever feel like you're juggling a million things, constantly reacting to life's demands, and struggling to find peace? In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get lost in thoughts, emotions, and external pressures, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. But what if there were a simpler way to navigate the chaos? What if you could access calm and clarity, not by adding more to your to-do list, but by reconnecting with the wisdom within? The key is to shift from resisting life to embracing it. This means listening to your body's wisdom, honoring your emotions, acknowledging your thoughts, and releasing the limiting beliefs of the ego. And, surprisingly, this path can be easier than the struggle of resistance. Valeria interviews Manal El-Ramly — She is the author of “Transcending Anxiety: From Fear to Freedom: Transforming Unacknowledged Fears Into a Life of Freedom and Happiness.” Manal El-Ramly empowers self-discovery, inner peace and alignment. With the mind of an engineer and the heart of a spiritual guide, Manal El-Ramly created the Mattain Method and founded Mattain LLC— a self-growth company dedicated to helping individuals evolve beyond life’s struggles and discover their inner truth. Manal’s work is featured on Insight Timer, in OM Yoga & Lifestyle Magazine, and she is also a TEDx speaker. Her book, Transcending Anxiety, is now available. Manal is actively building her social media platform, engaging with potential readers, and she is a member of the Hay House Writers’ Community. To learn more about Manal El-Ramly and her work, please visit: and TEDX:
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Choose Holistic Healing and Self-love
06/10/2025
Choose Holistic Healing and Self-love
— “In the gentle ebb and flow of life, we often seek to make a difference in the lives of others, hoping to touch them with a spark of our spirit. But sometimes, in the midst of giving, we find ourselves on an unexpected journey of receiving. Over the past month, a beautiful realization has blossomed in my heart: as I've reached out to heal others, I’ve been healing myself in profound ways. Energy healing, a cornerstone of my life’s work, has always been a path of connection for me—connecting to the divine energy of the universe, to the unique vibrancy of each client, and to the deep, often unspoken layers of emotional and spiritual experience. Recently, I've seen an increase in clients seeking solace and healing in the therapies I offer. With each session, as I channel energy and intention towards their healing, I’ve noticed a mirror-like reflection of healing light that shines back on me. It’s a curious and marvelous phenomenon—the healer healing thyself through the act of healing others. This personal evolution has profoundly impacted my closest relationships, particularly with my husband. The more I engage in healing others, the more I find that the heart wall I built around myself is crumbling. Similarly, the connection with my children grows richer each day. As I align more with the universe and the energy flows through me, I notice a beautiful increase in the love and joy we share. Reflecting on this, I'm struck by the profound truth that our capacity to help others heal is intrinsically linked to our own healing. In every moment of connection, we are not just facilitators of healing; we are participants in a grand, intertwining dance of rejuvenation.” ~ Lucia Valeria interviews Lucia Nicolini — She is a Holistic Health Practitioner. Lucia's journey in holistic healing began with her foundational training in Reiki and Craniosacral Therapy. Over the years, she expanded her expertise to include the Emotion Code, Body Code, and Belief Code, mastering the art of releasing trapped emotions, correcting imbalances, and shifting limiting beliefs. Recently, she has embraced the transformative power of hypnosis, creating her signature Pleasure Awakening Hypnosis sessions. Combining hypnosis with gentle hip movements inspired by yoga and Reiki energy work, Lucia offers a unique, holistic approach to healing that empowers women to connect with their sensuality, release trauma, and embrace joy and abundance. To learn more about Lucia Nicolini and her work, please visit: and
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What I Have Learned About Living By Facing Dying
05/24/2025
What I Have Learned About Living By Facing Dying
— Every year, 18 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer. If you, or your loved one, is one of them, you know exactly how overwhelming, scary, and confusing it is to navigate the journey through diagnosis, treatment, prognoses, and all their accompanying emotions. Entrepreneur, business leader, IRONMAN triathlete, and five-time cancer survivor Bill C. Potts has waged a 20-year battle against the disease. In his valuable patient and caregiver guide, he shares his personal cancer story, and those of others, outlining everything you need to know to take on this fight. With empathy and honesty, Potts explains exactly what to expect, and shares lessons and important tips you can put into action all the way from diagnosis, to treatment, to remission, to cure—and how to face setbacks on your road to recovery. You’ll learn how to advocate for yourself, how to pick and manage your care team, and how to care for yourself emotionally and mentally. You’ll find out how to make your treatment days more comfortable, manage side effects, and understand test results. You’ll also find important information on diet, exercise, wellness, and staying active, as well as insights on how treatment and disease affects your immune system. With special sections for people wanting to support a loved one with cancer, facing and making peace with death, and recalibrating your priorities to get the most out of the life you have now, you’ll gain the knowledge and tools you need to manage this journey—from someone who is walking the path alongside you. Valeria interviews Bill Potts — He is the author of “Up for the Fight: How to Advocate for Yourself as You Battle Cancer—from a Five-Time Survivor.” Bill C Potts has been married to his human for 32 years and is the father of 3 kids, including twin girls. His sweet dog Pippa is by his side often! He and his wife Kim are entrepreneurs and owned a Massage Envy and European Wax Center. Bill was a C-level marketer with a fun and rewarding career. This included work at Fortune 500 companies, a start-up technology company, and the company behind the IRONMAN triathlon brand. Bill owned a Marketing Agency later in his career. His career highlight was working as the Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer of Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which was made famous by the two Dolphin Tale movies. Bill and Winter, the dolphin, had a great relationship. Bill even played hide and seek each morning with Hope, the dolphin. Bill loves to exercise, is an IRONMAN athlete, and plays tennis many times weekly. Bill is also the author of a book like “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” – but for cancer patients. Bill is one of the world’s leading experts on cancer – from the patient’s perspective, as he has beaten cancer five times, with number six in progress. He is very proud of his book “Up for the Fight. How to Advocate for Yourself as You Battle Cancer – from a Five-Time Survivor.” The book is changing and saving lives. Guiding cancer patients and their families has become his life’s purpose. He is busy doing it. To learn more about Bill Potts and his work, please visit:
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Well-Being Post Natural Disaster
05/24/2025
Well-Being Post Natural Disaster
— It has been our personal walk along the trail of life through challenges to our health and well-being that have cultivated and developed the programs and services we offer. What matters most has become self-evident. Being well, living well, and doing well are the areas in which Sol Sanctuary has evolved its focus. We know from personal experience what carries us through and what creates lasting health, well-being, and supports a quality of life that is meaningful and fulfilling. When we choose to practice ways of being that improve the quality of life in our day to day, then we are able to inspire and ignite hope and possibility for others. If we can do it, if our family can weather it and cultivate more healthy relationships, so can you and yours. It is our collective dream now, a dream that belongs to the community that continues to grow and gather. We each are able to provide a safe harbor for others as they travel the difficulties and triumphs of life’s road. Valeria interviews Jen Jacobs — She is a humanitarian, visionary, coach, author, mother, and grandmother. As co-founder of Sol Sanctuary, a charitable organization, and a co-founder of Everyday Seven, a community of educators, practitioners and coaches, Jen’s life is devoted to improving the well-being of our human life and elevating our experience of human connectedness, which is a crucial component to how well we feel in our everyday life. She currently offers a workbook series that invites us to look at our life experiences as purposeful, and that each experience brings an opportunity for growth and remembrance of who we truly are. Her expertise is getting to the heart of the matter, assisting clients in developing authentic relationships with themselves as well as tools that create healthy relationship patterns with others. Jen’s focus is to foster and cultivate the development of individuals, families, and communities into regenerative relationships that create and sustain a symbiotic way of life for all. She has worked with Dr. Deepak Chopra and the late Dr. David Simon of the Chopra Center; the late Dr. Jeremy Geffen, oncologist and author of The Seven Levels of Healing; Spiritual and Emotional Wellness Committee, post wildfire community care; Camp Fire Collaborative, post wildfire community support; Choice Humanitarian, an international poverty alleviation organization; executives with Keller Williams Real Estate; The Mike Ferry Organization; Bruce Cryer, former CEO of Heartmath Institute; and Gary Malkin, founder of Wisdom of the World. To learn more about Jen Jacobs and her work, please visit
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Connecting to the Power of the Great Mother
05/07/2025
Connecting to the Power of the Great Mother
— We are not here on Earth to be alone, but to be part of a living community, a web of life in which all is sacred. Ceremonies and rituals are powerful tools that promote and sustain healthy changes as we move though life's passages. They help you release old patterns, call in healing energies, bring empowerment to new intentions, honor rites of passage, and connect you with a deeper sense of support and guidance from Spirit in your life. Sandra work with you to create ceremonies that best support your intentions, and to honor your life transitions in a meaningful and sacred way. As a non-denominational ordained Minister of the Foundation of the Sacred Stream and Shamanic Practitioner, Sandra works with clients from diverse cultural traditions, spiritual beliefs and practices. Valeria interviews Sandra Lloyd — She is Urban Shaman, Shamanic Hypnotherapist, Spiritual Midwife, Modern Alchemist, Ceremonialist, Badass Cosmic Mother, Shamanic Healer and Speaker. As a Certified Hypnotherapist through the Foundation of the Sacred Stream in Berkeley, CA, Sandra has received expert training in Depth Hypnosis, Shamanism, Buddhist Psychology, Energy Medicine and Hypnotherapy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology. Sandra's path of healing service has been informed by two separate diagnoses and recoveries from cancer, as well her work since 2004 providing hands-on, unconditional support and advocacy for pregnant and birthing women navigating the complexities of the initiation of birth and passage into motherhood. Energetically "holding space" in the birth environment, and grounded in her connection with spiritual allies, she has been privileged to assist the safe and empowering passages of hundreds of new lives into this world. In the summer of 2014, Sandra journeyed to Peru to join an expedition with Alberto Villoldo and Marcela Lobos of the Four Winds Society. Taking part in daily teachings and ceremonies, led by renowned medicine men and women, deepened her understanding of the ancient teachings of shamanism and of the Q'ero. She received the Munay-Ki rites of initiation directly from these master shamans and lineage keepers in ancient places of power in Peru's Sacred Valley. Since 2016, Sandra has continued her training in shamanic practices designed for spiritual evolution and healing with don Oscar Miro-Quesada, respected kamasqa curandero and altomisayoq adept from Peru, founder of the Heart of the Healer Mystery School and originator of the Pachekuti Mesa Tradition of cross-cultural shamanism. As a Shamanic Practitioner, Depth Hypnosis therapist, Ceremonialist and Birthkeeper, Sandra Lloyd/Urban Shaman brings ancient healing practices to guide her clients in addressing challenges that arise in relation to fertility, reproductive choice, pregnancy, miscarriage, labor, birth and the powerful initiation of Motherhood. She offers contemporary applications of shamanic practices (altered states/shamanic journey, regression, soul retrieval, power retrieval, removal of energetic interference) for releasing old patterns, uncovering and healing core woundings/trauma, and (re)connecting to one's authentic self. To learn more about Sandra Lloyd and her work, please visit:
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The World Of Adoption: The Challenges, The Joy, & The Lessons
05/06/2025
The World Of Adoption: The Challenges, The Joy, & The Lessons
— Charlyn Spiering has been along the adoption and foster parenting path many times with a variety of organizations and in several capacities. Since beginning her journey, she has learned a lot from her own mistakes and the experiences of adoptees and first mothers that have allowed her insight into their lives. Together we can look at the realities of what adoption and foster care is like today and see where you might fit in. As a coach, Charlyn walks alongside you and help you understand the process and the responsibility we have as adoptive and foster parents to the children and first families we interact with. Valeria interviews Charlyn Spiering — She is an adoptive parent, a former foster parent, and a former foster care volunteer. In the last couple of years, Charlyn has been actively podcasting and writing about many topics from all sides of adoption and foster care. She has talked to adoptive parents and foster parents, but also adoptees, birth mothers, and others. Charlyn doesn’t just interview people about their personal stories, but she also gets their ideas to improve adoption and foster care. One goal of this strategy is to encourage creative conversations about how to make these institutions better for everyone involved. This has truly broadened her understanding of how the systems we have in place and the support we lack affect people within this community and beyond. Charlyn can only do so much to change the structure we have, but she feels she is in a unique position to work with individuals who have been touched by foster care or adoption, helping them build confidence and reach their goals. Most recently, Charlyn has become a professional life coach offering services to people touched by adoption or foster care. She thinks it is important when helping people within adoption and foster care move toward their desires that the person they work with understands common issues they may face and can compassionately help them find a way through. To learn more about Charlyn Spiering and her work, please visit:
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Personal Oracles: Guiding Us To Live In Spiritual
& Physical
Harmony
With
All Of Life
04/24/2025
Personal Oracles: Guiding Us To Live In Spiritual
& Physical
Harmony
With
All Of Life
Personal
oracles
have
been
around
for
as
long
as
people
have
inhabited
this
planet.
Almost
every
religion
and
culture
throughout
history
has
embraced
its
own
oracle
stories
and
practices.
The
ancient
Babylonians,
for
example,
looked
to
the
clouds
for
oracle
messages.
Called
Nephomancy,
cloud
gazing
is
one
of
the
oldest
and
most
widely
used
forms
of
divination
in
the
world.
The
Druids
used
it
extensively
but
called
it
Neladoracht.
Also
in
the
western
world
were
the
ancient
Greeks,
who
still
retain
a
reputation
for
being
oracle
aficionados.
For
them,
oracles
were
wellsprings
of
divination
and
prophecy
available
to
all
citizens,
from
the
common
worker
to
kings,
philosophers,
and
religious
leaders.
Oracles
addressed
personal
issues,
politics,
philosophy,
religions,
law,
social
mores—no
topic
was
taboo.
This
understanding
of
the
relationships
that
bind
together
natural
forces
and
all
forms
of
life
has
been
fundamental
to
their
ability
to
live
for
millennia
in
spiritual
and
physical
harmony
with
the
land.
Valeria interviews Ann Bolinger McQuade — She is the author of “Everyday Oracles: Decoding The Divine Messages That Are All Around Us.” Ann Bolinger-McQuade is a regular contributor to magazines, a popular workshop facilitator and radio talk show guest. Ann shares her curiosity and passion for discovering the hidden obvious and encourages us to tune into the guidance and support that surrounds us all. Bolinger-Mcquade’s perspective of the world as alive, nurturing and filled with personal oracles springs naturally from her Native American ancestry. As a child growing up in Kansas she was intrigued with the idea of having Native American ancestors, but never considered her heritage relevant to her life. Her ancestral imprints began to emerge when a series of personal events that were triggered by her breast cancer diagnosis sent her hurling onto what she describes as an invisible moving sidewalk. (Imagine the people carriers in airports.) She believes that at certain times we all land on such a sidewalk, designed to carry us to a specific destination. This particular sidewalk transported her to a place where oracles that were hiding in plain sight seemed to magically appear at precisely the right time. Ann coined the term personal oracles to describe those mysterious messages that guide and often comfort us, and in so doing illuminate an interconnected world that is tuned in and available to us at all times. Ann makes her home in Tucson and Taos with the love of her life --- her husband Kenneth --- and her dog Pandora and a cat named Moon Boy. For the many blessings in her life she gives thanks. To learn more about Ann Bolinger McQuade and her work, please visit:
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Profound Ritual: The Transformative Power of Fire Walking
04/24/2025
Profound Ritual: The Transformative Power of Fire Walking
— “Believe it or not, we have all fire walked before. Every single one of us. We have all gone through difficult times, life transitions, radical change. Fire transforms. If we remember each of our life’s big challenges and the resulting change, then we all know fire, we’ve all walked through fire. The question is, was it done with intention or not? Was it a ceremony in your life or an utter mess? Community fire walking gives us an opportunity to re-wire some of those past transitions and to embrace a broader perspective. It allows each of us another chance to go through the fire, this time with clear intention and support, to make it to the other side.” Valeria interviews Jen Hudziec — She is the author of “Ancestral Healing: A Guided Journal for Observations, Reflections, and Connections With Your Ancestors.” Jennifer Hudziec is a Ritualist. Her whole life has been shaped by the transformative powers of ritual. As a child she was raised Roman Catholic but was an animist at heart spending all her waking hours outdoors communing with the natural world. Jen departed institutionalized religion when she was 18 and began a lifetime of exploring various spiritual paths. The common thread in each of these paths was ritual. It was through ritual, initiations, and rites of passage that she transformed her life and found her true calling as a Ritualist. As a Ritualist, Jen holds a safe and tender space for ancestral healing, spiritual mentorship, and rites of passage including death & dying support. She also has a passion for teaching and passing on what she has gleaned from all her experiences and training. She is truly dedicated to being able to meet people where they are and therefore provide a spectrum of offerings from free online rituals to group work, and private sessions. To learn more about Jen Hudziec and her work, please visit: https://jenhudziec.com/fire-walks-jen-hudziec-ancient-pathways-1 and
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From Fear To Love: Manifestation, Flow & Emotional Well-Being
03/25/2025
From Fear To Love: Manifestation, Flow & Emotional Well-Being
— “I believe that each human being has a UNIQUE GIFT to offer to the WORLD. I found mine and I made it my mission to support you to discover it, to develop it, to own it and share this gift with the world”. ~ Flora Valeria interviews Flora Bami! She is an award-winning ICF PCC Integral Coach and Holistic Wellbeing expert, trained in happiness, mental health, mindfulness, NLP, mental fitness, yin yoga and yoga Nidra. She has over 16 years of international corporate experience in Finance, Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion, and Wellbeing across big multinational organizations. Flora is an optimist, passionate about people’s growth and on a mission to have positive impact on our world. She is a motivational speaker, writer and often guest speaker on podcasts. Her mission is to support you in reaching your potential, improving your well-being, and boosting your happiness through my ‘’from fear to love’’ holistic coaching framework. To learn more about Flora Bami and her work, please visit:
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The Artist Within: Love Is All We Leave Behind
03/25/2025
The Artist Within: Love Is All We Leave Behind
— Tuned In is an inspiring story of one man's relentless pursuit of a dream, and a revealing testimony to the power of music in all our lives. The unique confluence of Jim Wilson's two careers - piano technician/confidant to the stars and a globally successful recording artist - has led to extraordinary experiences with some of the world's most exalted music legends: singing Beatle songs with Paul McCartney, limo rides with Elton John, road trips with Carole King, and horseback riding with Dan Fogelberg. But beyond this everyman's unique telling of intimate celebrity tales, Tuned In is an inspiring story of one man's relentless pursuit of a dream, and a revealing testimony to the power of music in all our lives. Emerging from a troubled childhood in a broken West Texas home, a young man moves to Los Angeles to pursue fame and fortune as a singer-songwriter. He soon strays from his mission when his piano tuning sideline blossoms into a career as piano technician to the entertainment industry's biggest names. His help in the development of the world's first MIDI-adapter for acoustic piano leads to him sharing adventures, sessions, meals, and laughs with dozens of his childhood heroes. His front row seat provides him with a rare and fascinating view into their creative processes. But when his world is shattered by his dearest friend's sudden and untimely death, he is forced to question the true meaning of success. He returns to his heart's purpose, takes a leap into the unknown, and sets out on a solo career, recording and performing his signature style of piano-featured instrumentals. Valeria interviews Jim Wilson — He is an Acclaimed Composer and Performer — the author of TUNED IN: Memoirs Of A Piano Man: Behind The Scenes With Music Legends And Finding The Artist Within. Jim Wilson could have simply dismissed himself as a competent piano tuner-technician, even an exceptional one. But he was, and is, so much more. From a broken home in Amarillo, Texas to a multi-award-winning recording artist, Jim Wilson’s journey is a captivating tale of showbiz glamour, personal tragedy, self-discovery, and dogged determination. And, as is typical of Jim Wilson, he’s turned out to be a pretty good wordsmith. Tuned-In: Memoirs of a Piano Man is a page-turner and a life-changer. It’s a self-help book in the form of an autobiography. It is entertaining, revealing and full of lessons for musicians, fans, and all readers. Jim Wilson’s life direction was set when he was given a guitar at age 7, then began composing songs at age 9. Soon after moving from West Texas to LA in his early 20’s, he gained a reputation as a respected piano technician, catering to the highest echelon of the music industry. Jim helped develop the first MIDI-adapter for acoustic piano in the 80’s, which became an instant hit with artists and studios around the world. It was the shocking, untimely death of his closest friend that forced Jim to question the whole purpose of his life. With the love and support of his musical heroes — most significantly his friend and mentor, Dan Fogelberg — Jim set out on a solo career, composing, recording and performing his signature style of piano-featured instrumentals. Four of Jim’s ten recordings have hit the Billboard Top-20, he’s had two PBS specials, and his music has been streamed over 75 million times by fans around the globe. He was recently made a “Lifetime Member” of the Recording Academy. He enjoys scuba diving, skiing, pilot lessons, and mountain biking. Tuned In is Jim’s first book. To learn more about Jim Wilson and his work, please visit: https://jimwilsonmusic.com/
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Coming Across A Beautiful Flower: AI & What Is To Be Human
03/25/2025
Coming Across A Beautiful Flower: AI & What Is To Be Human
— “We are far more compelling and powerful as a species than we realize. Embracing the elements that make us uniquely human gives us awareness, wisdom, and compassion. It teaches us to love, and to lead, which is exactly what is required to live in an AI world. When AI confronts and conquers us at the singular point of intelligence, it’s actually doing us a favor. It’s saying to us: You’re more than this. Just as we can clearly comprehend that we are not a gorilla, our evolutionary cousin, and appreciate all that differentiates us from the magnificent animal, so too can AI, in all the ways it’s seemingly similar to us, help us see all the ways we stand apart, untouchable. So, let’s not idolize AI, because AI is just a mirror. If we place it on a pedestal, we will be following an empty guru. The next step is to re-recognize ourselves by getting in touch with our interior worlds. There, we can clearly see that our inherent value and worth does not come from our intellect, something our Information Age has convinced us of. Then, we can easily remember the radiant human staring back at us, already equipped with a heart, body, spirit, and soul capable of changing the world.” Valeria interviews Lela Tuhtan — She is a CTI-trained coach, writer, and facilitator who helps individuals and teams unlock purpose, creativity, and self-mastery. With a background in psychology, education, and the arts, she integrates diverse disciplines into transformative coaching programs that empower clients to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. Based in San Francisco, Lela is the creator of Shift the Way You Lead™ and serves as a key leader at Noria, an executive coaching collective focused on leadership development. To learn more about Lela Tuhtan and her work, please visit: https://lelagrace.co/
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Transformative Listening: The Way We’re Designed To Heal
03/04/2025
Transformative Listening: The Way We’re Designed To Heal
— A big part of why we haven’t designed a better world yet is that we haven’t designed a better inner world. The truth is, all of us carry pain we haven’t fully processed. Some of us have been deeply mistreated by the system. Others have more privilege, more resources—access to therapy, meditation retreats, time for self-reflection. But regardless of where we fall on the spectrum, every single one of us carries unresolved wounds. Your thoughts are shaped by the pain you haven’t yet faced. If you’ve tried everything to change your circumstances and still feel stuck, here’s why: Your nervous system is wired to protect you from pain. It’s not going to let you just "think a different thought" if that thought contradicts the survival strategies you developed to avoid overwhelming pain in childhood. And those strategies? They live deep in the body. We have to face the pain — we need to actually discharge it from the body. Pain doesn’t just sit in our minds. It’s stored in our nervous systems, locked away in patterns of tension, contraction, and avoidance. And to unlock the full power of our minds—to become the creative, limitless beings we truly are—we have to physically release that stored pain. Transformative Listening is the way we’re designed to heal. It’s through connection. All of our wounding happened in the absence of loving connection. As infants, we were completely vulnerable. We needed caregivers who could attune to us, hold us, soothe us. And where that didn’t happen? We developed compensatory strategies—numbing, shutting down, staying small. But the good news? We can heal. We just need someone to be present with us while we do it. Valeria interviews Ilya Parizhsky — He is a licensed psychotherapist and the creator of Transformative Listening. Ilya helps leaders, innovators, and change-makers form structured partnerships that transform setbacks and pain into fuel for growth, resilience, and transformation - enabling them to face challenges head-on and emerge stronger. He emphasizes the importance of connection and closeness in this process, creating a space where individuals develop advanced emotional engagement skills - both for themselves and in their interactions with others. These skills facilitate deep healing and transformative breakthroughs. Through this immersive, experiential approach, Ilya guides individuals in harnessing the energy of pain and turning it into vitality, resilience, and well-being. His work empowers people to break free from emotional stagnation, cultivate powerful relationships, and expand beyond their perceived limits. To learn more about Ilya Parizhsky and his work, please visit:
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From Victim To Alchemist: Connection, Well-Being & Resilience
01/07/2025
From Victim To Alchemist: Connection, Well-Being & Resilience
— “Healing begins with connection... connection to ourselves and connection to others. The relationship we have with ourselves is the most important relationship we will ever have. When we are more connected to ourselves and our emotions, we are able to cultivate more confidence, a healthier inner dialogue, and a better relationship with our bodies and food. Being in community and connecting with others is powerful medicine. There is something deeply healing about sitting in circle with others, witnessing each other in our own individual processes and allowing ourselves to be seen and take up space. You will have the opportunity to connect and share, however, it is never required.” Valeria interviews Miriam Jacobson — She is a triple board-certified Functional Medicine Dietitian and Breathwork Facilitator. With 15+ years of experience helping people improve their physical and mental well-being through food, mindset, lifestyle, breathwork, and somatic treatment, so they can feel more alive in their bodies. The founder of Every Body Bliss, Miriam’s holistic healing approach challenges current medical narratives by examining physiological, biochemical, social, and emotional factors to resolve underlying ‘mystery symptoms’ of poor digestion, fatigue, and mood imbalances. To learn more about Miriam Jacobson and her work, please visit:
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