SensuAlchemy School Podcast with Kate Leiper

In today’s solo episode, I’m going to share with you 5 powerful ways you can buck the system and revolutionize your approach to showing up and being of service as a woman leader. If you feel like your work, creativity, and leadership has its own distinct flavour and it doesn’t fit into the typical box our society would prefer it to, then let this episode reassure you that your uniqueness and willingness to lean into leadership differently is absolutely what our world needs right now. This episode dives into: + What happens when we step down as expert (even if we have valid expertise) + The mask we’re taught to wear in positions of leadership and influence and why taking it off is essential to dismantling damaging power structures + The reminder that brings me endless relief (and that you’ll want to put on a sticky note) because it will change your approaching to teaching, coaching and leadership forever + The unconscious relational patterns we’re caught in that are actually self dishonouring + The key unlearning we need to take our personal power back as feminine leaders  + The best way to open channels of connection and collaboration with other likeminded women + My invitation to you to check out my Luminess Creative Leadership Mastermind (enrolling now!)  _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Learn more about Luminess - The Embodied Pleasure Pilgrimage SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper    We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

When was the last time you let yourself play, dress up, and express your full sensual self freely and without judgment? I believe that many of us are so hungry for these kinds of experiences… particularly if we’ve become disconnected from parts of ourselves that along the way, we decided were frivolous, silly, too much or over indulgent. Today on the podcast, I have such a joyful conversation to share with you. I sat down with the gorgeously sensual and creative Laura Jane Foley and she was every bit as captivating as she is on Instagram! Laura Jane is founder of Belle Empire Boutique & Events in Tunbridge Wells, England. She is a Feminine Embodiment and Sensuality guide using the modalities of Glamour Magick and Dance immersions to help heal the disconnect within Women. Her varied work and offerings assist women to rebirth into a state of empowerment, embodied pleasure and authentic expression so that they can infuse their life with self acceptance, love and magic. Laura and I delve into: + How in really feeling the disappointment and sadness that her intimate partnerships haven’t brought her the pleasure and fulfillment she’s craved, Laura has become committed to “feeding” herself these things instead + Laura’s belief that we’re completely responsible for our own pleasure in life, and that the “work” is maintaining our own joy without expecting others to fill that space + Laura’s personal experience of disconnecting to her body in new motherhood and the ways and practices that she devoted to in order to maintain her own unique sense of self + How sensuality and glamour featured in Laura’s life (even in early motherhood) and how her self-expression in this time challenged other mothers around her + The difference between putting energy into your appearance for “the benefit of others” under the patriarchal gaze as opposed to expressing yourself in ways that feel sensual and alive purely for yourself + How the art of burlesque challenges all the cultural expectations we hold about women and celebrates the fullness of every woman exactly as she is + How Laura teaches women to unlock the parts of themselves that have been oppressed and suppressed and embody their “Burlesque Persona” + Why Laura created her brick and mortar store “Belle Empire” in Tunbridge Wells, UK and how she revels in seeing women learn, play and grow into themselves in this gorgeously evocative space _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Follow Laura Jane Learn more about Laura Jane's work at www.theartofwoman.co.uk  Register for the EMBOLDEN 2-day onlive event SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

When our world as we know it crumbles, the last thing most of us would ever consider is that such a catastrophe might lead us to exactly the life we’re meant to be living. Today’s guest on the SensuAlchemy School podcast has one epic story to tell. From surviving a devastating career tragedy, to awakening to her full powerful expression and helping countless women take back their pleasure and by consequence their self-worth, Amy Towle is beyond inspiring. Amy Towle is the founder of Temple Of She, a space for the Willing. As a Yoni Massage Practitioner and trainer, Certified Intuitive Guide and Registered Midwife, Amy has over a decade of experience working with women in powerful, yet vulnerable self-exploration. Amy loves to push the envelope, get deep and dirty into the taboos of our world. She holds your hand as you push through the edge of your comfort zone. Today Amy and explore: The heavy acknowledgement of losses that often have to come before the lightness of freedom and beauty How to peel back the beliefs and value stories that we carry that keep us from getting our needs met - particularly around pleasure and sensuality The push/pull of shame and embracing that can happen during the process of liberating ourselves from social taboo  Coming to grips with how we contribute to our own disembodiment - and the payoff we receive from staying numb and unhappy Amy’s incredible story of major loss when she was involved in a modern day witch hunt as a midwife, and the amazing redirection her life took when she surrendered to her own personal evolution Amy’s sexual awakening in the midst of it all, that lead to an entirely new relationship to her body, her pleasure and her contribution to the world Amy’s exceptional Yoni Massage Practitioner training and why it’s the Gold Standard of trainings out there What it looks like when a woman deeply embodies her own self-worth and what it means for both Amy and Kate to demonstrating leading in incongruence and with integrity _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Follow Amy Towle on Instagram Learn more about The Temple of She Register for Kate’s EMBOLDEN 2-day onlive event SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

Do you crave more wonder, creativity, radiance and sensuality in your life?  If your whole body answered a resounding yes in longing to this question, then you’re not alone. For most of us, the obligations and expectations long upheld by the modern over-culture make it really challenging to prioritise and devote to a more embodied life, connected to our truest knowing and deepest desires. My guest today and her incredible body of work, opened my heart and mind to an entirely new way of being 6 years ago. Jenna Ward is a leading Feminine Embodiment Coach & Embodiment Teacher living between Australia & Holland. She works with hundreds of coaches and women to deepen their feminine gifts, inhabit their bodies more fully & coach in embodied ways. Jenna and I dive into: + How Jenna is currently navigating her hunger for aliveness amidst the fast pace of life and a second pregnancy + What it means for Jenna to live in devotion to creativity and aliveness and why this is a muscle we can learn to continually flex in small ways each day + Confronting the void of confusion and longing when we find ourselves at the top of our game with everything we “thought’ we wanted + Jenna’s thoughts around our culture’s preoccupation with healing and how it won’t ever lead us to feeling the way we truly desire + How we can’t genuinely access our sensuality or creativity unless we’re willing to meet with the discomfort that stands in the way + When we stamp out our creative passions in favour of “making lots of money” and how this can really mess our overall sense of fulfillment in life + Why Jenna’s always willing to put everything she values on the table and consider whether it stays or goes if she’s not feeling in alignment with her deepest desires + The essential phases of making important decisions to ensure it’s a fully embodied yes or no before any action is taken + And SO much more! _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Follow Jenna Ward on Instagram Learn more about The School of Embodied Arts Register for the EMBOLDEN 2-day onlive event SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper    We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

Somebody posed the question to me recently, they asked - if I just go on, pushing my grief aside like I always have, will that actually hurt me? If I know it’s there, but I don’t choose to “work on it”, will there be a difference in my life? They said - Because I’m not about to feel all that pain for fun. I need to know there’s a reason to do it. Today, I’m going to shed some light on what the real costs are when it comes to our willingness to acknowledge, process and make space for the impact of our losses. I’ll also speak to some of the costs of moving towards your grief and heartache - because there is a price you might pay for taking that route as well. If this episode speaks to you, then maybe GriefWeavers - my 4 week course for women - is the perfect experience for you to begin to come home to yourself after loss. You can check it out below. _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: GriefWeavers - 4 week sacred circle SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper    We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

So much of what we believe to be normal as women, particularly in relation to pregnancy, birth and postpartum - and particularly when it comes to the capability of our body and the pain and challenges that arise after babies, is pretty darn concerning.  We’re often so accustomed to hiding our physical or emotional challenges to do with our female anatomy and reproductive system, because of how much shame we might carry or because of cultural stigma we’ve internalised about how women’s bodies should be and should function, so today’s conversation is going to bring this to light.   My wonderful guest today, Prudence Todd is the Founder of Your Womanhood and is deeply passionate about women’s experience of womanhood, birth and beyond.   As a previous Midwife and now Holistic Pelvic Care Practitioner and Restorative Pilates Instructor, Prudence helps women heal their heart and body after birth trauma with her online and in person healing sessions. She specialises in guiding women to reconnect with their bodies, access their intuitive wisdom and medicine within and in turn heal pelvic floor trauma and dysfunction.   We cover so much terrain in today’s conversation. From Prue’s take on sexual wellness and the fact we’ve both lost siblings, I have no doubt that there’ll be something for you today. So sit back and enjoy my chat with Prudence Todd.   Today, Kate and Prudence explore: + Prue’s experience of leaving mainstream midwifery behind and carving out her dream work helping women heal their hearts, bodies and minds in motherhood + Prue’s own history of antenatal and postnatal depression + The grief women contend with when their childbirth experience doesn’t go the way they hoped + The ways the systems meant to support women in pregnancy, birth and postpartum fail us and how we can advocate for ourselves with knowledge and compassion + How we’ve been cultured to feel ashamed when our bodies don’t work the way we want or expect them to (and why keeping our injuries or conditions secret can do major harm as we age) + The body as medicine - how Prue supports her client’s holistically to regain pelvic health and wellness + My own process of forging a healing connection with her cervix after surgery (and a terrible unintended pun to listen out for!) + We also find common ground with their stories of sibling loss, and how this heartbreak has changed the way we interact with life.   This conversation with Prue was so nourishing for me. Even if you’re not a biological mother, if you inhabit a body you’ll be comforted by the humanity of her personal journey and messages of deep self-compassion.  _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Follow Prudence on Instagram Join the Your Womanhood Facebook Group Register for Kate’s next round of GriefWeavers (start date August 15) SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

Today, my courageous guest Ella Cotterell, shares her story of going no-contact with her father after growing up experiencing cycles of narcissistic abuse and finally reaching a point where she was ready to free herself. It has been one full year of grieving for Ella, and in our conversation you’ll hear what it’s been like for her to choose herself, the pain and possibilities of the grief portal, and the beautiful new explorations Ella is making with a sense of deep self love and trust. Today, Kate and Ella explore: + What life is like for Ella, one year one from making the decision to go no-contact with her Father and freeing herself from the cycles of a narcissistic relationship + The incident of verbal abuse and narcissistic rage that preceded Ella’s lightbulb moment leading to choose herself, instead of continuing to play the role of “fixer” + The critical steps that built up a sense of resilience, trust and understanding that the relationship was not something that she could fix (and that she wasn’t the problem) + How to identify the gaslighting cycle in relationship with someone with narcissistic tendencies, how it messes with your sense of self-trust and how to learn to back yourself + What it looked like for Ella to succumb to her grief at the loss of her relationship with her Father and how she prioritised her wellbeing during the most acute period + How Ella is navigating a new found sense of curiosity and the exploration of desires that didn’t previously feel safe to emerge + The love and longing that Ella is finally feeling able to access on the other side of grief and loss + The relational healing that Ella experienced with others, that never would have happened if she hadn’t gone no-contact with her Dad. + Ella’s essential guidance for victims and survivors of narcissistic abuse to move towards safety and future thriving Disclaimer: Please care for yourself while listening to this episode if the content of our discussion hits close to home. _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Ella’s website Follow Ella on Instagram Dr Ramani on Instagram SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

This episode with Emily Athena is pure gold. Emily is a somatic sex educator, coach, and the founder of EroSpark Movement, somatic sensual movement to ignite your aliveness. Drawing on her extensive background in dance, somatics, and comprehensive sex education, she supports people to release stress and shame, rediscover pleasure, and confidently embody their unique erotic essence. I’ve personally experienced Emily’s work and I really love her take on women’s so-called Libido issues (spoiler alert - women usually don’t have a libido issue - but I’ll let you listen to this episode for more around that). Today, Kate and Emily delve into: How the heartbreak of suffering a back injury during her dance career lead Emily to her incredible work with movement, pleasure and sexuality The myth of low libido that many women have accepted as true (and what is more likely to be happening in your relationship to sex and pleasure) How can we learn the language of our pleasure body to find ourselves again Emily’s passion for democratising pleasure and holding a wider lens of pleasure actually is What it means to access pleasure in ways that feel safe and resourced after a history of trauma and loss Some simple practices to begin to invite pleasure into your feeling body after a period of numbness Some of the positives and the challenges that might occur when women come back to life through reawakening their pleasure (particularly when in relationship with men) How men too are indoctrinated by cultural sexual scripts and how Emily supports them to see their participation in women’s disempowerment and untangle from the matrix Emily’s message of loving compassion for those moving through identity shifts, sexual awakening and relationship challenges right now _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Emily Athena’s website and her Erospark Movement Membership Follow Emily Athena on Instagram SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper    We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

I believe the more we speak openly about what happens to women in mid-life, the better. More specifically, what happens when our lives as we know them fall apart, initiating us into the deep, dark depths of feminine mystery and metamorphosis. My guest today, Carly Mountain knows this descent into the feminine underworld well. A psychotherapist, psychosexual somatic therapist, women’s initiatory guide, breathworker and writer, Carly’s work has evolved over twenty years of working with sacred practice and space holding; culminating in her new book Descent & Rising ~ Women’s Stories & the Embodiment of the Inanna Myth. This conversation with Carly really impacted me. She speaks so powerfully about what it means for a woman to choose herself, her truth and what sparks joy and aliveness, even if it’s the most terrifying thing you can do. Today, Kate and Carly explore:  + What it actually means to “follow your truth” and the risky implications of doing so + The slow cycle of blossoming and shrinking on the path to self-growth and expansion  + The myth of Inanna and the journey of her descent and rising as the core initiation of the feminine + How important it is to be willing to make mistakes and learn from them + Why it’s important for us to respect the unique pace and rhythm of our body and nervous system when we rise after major loss or change + Urgency as a trauma response - when to pause and resource yourself before acting from an old wound + The sheer relief available to us when we find the safe communities and support on our descent and rise + So much stunning poetry that Carly shares to compliment our conversation - The Cure by Albert Huffstickler & Questro Muro by Anita Barrows _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Carly’s website can be explored here Buy Carly’s book: Descent & Rising ~ Women’s Stories & the Embodiment of the Inanna Myth. Follow Carly Mountain on Instagram SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

I invited 3 very special women and past clients to speak with me on today’s episode about their own “fork in the road” moments. You know the ones, the moment that comes where you feel, so clearly and powerfully, that you can no longer live the way that you’ve been living. For these women, Romina Lee, Lauren Prideaux and Christina Curcurato, a major factor in their evolution of self has been shifting and strengthening their relationship with grief. Learning to trust their embodied wisdom around grief has helped them break painful cycles of wounding and self-betrayal for themselves and their children. Today they share their personal stories, describing how they’ve learned to weave their grief into creative feminine magic. In this juicy roundtable conversation, we dive into: + What it’s actually like to reawaken a deep, trusting connection to your body and when it was that each of them realised "coming home” to themselves had to become non-negotiable + What they each lost and what they each gained in their own processes of embodied reclamation (people, places, beliefs, behaviours, communities, desires, dreams that had to go in order to make way for the new) + How they’ve learned to reconcile a new relationship to their grief as they’ve personally grown and evolved (and why this matters) + Wise words of comfort and encouragement for the woman who feels disconnected from herself and stuck in a holding pattern as a result of a major loss or change or revelation +Specifically;  - Romina speaks about her personal reclamation regarding her intimate relationships and walking her talk as an embodied woman,  - Lauren shares her profound evolution as a cycle breaking mother of two - Christina talks about her health crises as a catalyst for change and motivation to reconnect to her creativity. Today I also announce that enrolment is again open for GriefWeavers - my 4 week course for women wanting to tend to their grief and return to aliveness through connection to source, soma and psyche. We start June 6th and you can get all the information at kateleiper.com/griefweavers  _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Learn more and enroll in GriefWeavers - Kate’s 4 Week Embodiment Course starting June 6th Follow Lauren Prideaux, Romina Lee and Christina Curcurato  SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

Despite the fact that both of us have been practitioners of embodiment for some time, today’s guest Mary Lofgren and I get super honest about our own struggles. We also acknowledge how refreshing it is to be reminded that everyone suffers with loss and absolutely none of us have our shit together. Mary Lofgren is a certified feminine embodiment coach and the creator of Come To Your Senses: a podcast and global community of truth seekers and soulful savants who seek to live artfully and embodied. Today, Kate and Mary go deep on: + Mary’s sense of loss over what she thought her life would be in her 40’s and reconciling living into “what actually is” + The question of our culture’s obsession with mental health pathology and whether much of what we struggle with as humans is down to our unacknowledged, unprocessed grief. + Mary’s deeply vulnerably share of a relationship breakdown that now she perceives differently, through the lens of grief and longing + How putting pressure on ourselves to grieve “right” or be “fully embodied” in grief can actually create more angst and what might be more helpful instead + What it looks like to channel grief and bring about relief through beauty and creativity + Some of the regrets that both Mary and Kate have, about what they prioritised in the early stages of grief - particularly in relation to boundaries + The healing balm of honest conversations with women who speak to the reality of having loads of training, tools and knowledge and STILL not having it all figured out + Plus so many other giggle-worthy moments like Mary’s suggestion for a SensuAlchemy School dating App, the “suckle medicine” we both love about each other’s work and how neither of us have any idea how to be human sometimes _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Mary Lofgren’s School of Sensual Living and her Free Guided Drop In Follow Mary on Instagram here Register for GLIMMER Kate’s 3 day online event SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can als be found on Spotify.

At just 25 years old, Elle experienced the sudden and shocking death of someone incredibly close to her and this forever changed the trajectory of her life. Elle shares so much wisdom around what it's like to choose the path of apprentice to grief and how aliveness can be found in the most unexpected places and the most incredible ways. Today, Kate and Elle weave together a conversation around; + Elle’s current relationship with loss and desire as she reconciles a new identity and chapter in her life after ending a long-term relationship + How at 25 years old, the sudden death of someone Elle loved dearly shaped her into the woman she is today and lead her to be an “apprentice to grief”. + Why it’s essential for Elle to welcome her grief when it knocks - even if it’s uncomfortable for those around her + Kate and Elle share stories about what it might look like to involve our dead in meaningful occasions and why it matters for healing + The power of embracing symbols as a path to honouring loss _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Find Elle Sweetman’s work and offerings here Follow Elle Sweetman on Instagram SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper    We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

We can learn so much about ourselves through exploring the myths and stories of our ancestors. Even more than that, when we can connect to the archetypal wisdom and power in these stories by engaging with them through a whole body experience, a whole new world of possibilities can open to us. Today on the SensuAlchemy School podcast, I’m beyond thrilled to Welcome Jen Murphy to chat about her incredible work at the Celtic School of Embodiment. Jen takes us on a compelling journey into how she’s personally informed by her experiences of grief and supported by pleasure, and how she helps others gain access to their wholeness through the mythical body. Today, Kate and Jen go deep on: + The grief of disconnection from our lineage - what Jen calls the ghost of loss around not knowing who we truly are + Understanding the body as “a place” holding ancestral memory and how Jen invites stories of her ancestors into her embodied practice as a way to come home to herself + Jen’s personal family story of loss and how it has influenced her leadership + The Irish myth of the Banshee as symbolic of how terrified we are of our own wild grief + The captivating story of Mis, that reveals the powerful transformations available to us when we can welcome pleasure as an antidote to grief (you don’t want to miss this story!) _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Learn more about Jen Murphy and the Celtic School of Embodiment here Check out Jen’s instagram here THE HOLY ACHE - Women’s Embodied Aliveness Retreat  SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can also be found on Spotify.

According to today’s guest, the way we experience our menstrual cycle speaks to our relationship to our bodies, to our caregivers & the way we may have been guided & supported - or not. All kinds of wounding that we’ve experienced in our life can and will play out in the menstrual cycle. I’m speaking with Charlotte Pointeaux, wild feminine cycle coach. We go to the depths in this chat - and get clear on what we gain as women when we learn to live in reverence to the cyclical nature of our body.  Today, Kate and Charlotte discuss: + How has understanding her menstrual cycle impacted how Charlotte connects to the grief she carries? + How she (and so many of us) have internalised the deep imprint that our bodies aren’t to be trusted  + Why she is a devotee to the spiritual aspects of the menstrual cycle and how this work has changed her life + Becoming aware of the woundings that arise during our menstrual cycle and knowing how to support ourselves through them + The tension of holding desire to create and express with the pressures of mothering in ovulation + Her commitment to reclaiming ceremony and rites of passage and why this is a big deal for girls and women _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Learn more about Charlotte Pointeaux here Listen to Charlotte’s Podcast here Check out Charlotte’s Instagram here SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can als be found on Spotify.

Meet Robyn Gooding, an Embodied business Strategist who’s approach to supporting women changed dramatically once she found herself navigating a painful fertility journey and devastating miscarriage. Robyn shares openly and honestly about her dance with grief and the ways she’s learned to find gratitude in the struggle. She also speaks to her uniquely beautiful way to support her clients to reject prescribed shoulds of the coaching industry and towards an approach to business that feels embodied and aligned to who they are and the season of life they're in. Robyn is a global business strategist, a certified life coach and currently certifying as a feminine embodiment coach. She works with feminine visionaries who are daring to rebel against rigid business practices and rather lean into their own intuition and wisdom, whilst also being supported by world class business strategy. Her work is devoted to the economic mobility of women, who desire to no longer choose between parenthood and purpose outside of the home. She works with coaches, healers, holistic practitioners and service providers in the personal development and wellness space. Today, Kate and Robyn discuss: + What loss and longing are alive in Robyn right now as a Mother, Partner and Business owner + How her flavour of Embodied Business Strategy differs from traditional business coaching + What major grief was the catalyst for Robyn to do away with pouring energy into vanity metrics in her business and towards pleasure over pressure + What Robyn’s emotionally challenging fertility journey has taught her about the way she wants to show up in service to her family and her clients + How Robyn dances between Grief and Gratitude on a daily basis (and how these rituals of devotion have changed her life) + How Robyn supports her clients to move away from following prescribed shoulds of the industry and towards an approach to business that feels embodied and aligned to who they are and the season of life they're in _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Find more on Robyn Gooding and her work here Listen to Robyn’s Podcast - The Profitable Way Follow Robyn on Instagram SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper    We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can als be found on Spotify.

I’m 40 in a couple of weeks and today I wanted to share something a bit different. I’ve realised that where I’ve absolutely accrued wisdom in the past 40 years of my life, with every new evolution of self that emerges, the more questions I have about who I am and the life I want to live. So, I’m stepping into midlife knowing that I know nothing for sure and *trying* to be totally ok with it.  I want to share less wisdom and more intention. Today’s episode is a loving pledge to the 80 year old future me; about the woman I’m becoming, the work I’m devoted to and the ripple effects I hope to make. I invite you to feel into what lands for you and maybe you might want to try this reflection and intention exercise! Enjoy x _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper    We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can als be found on Spotify.

There’s something all too-much women have in common, and that’s the discomfort they create for patriarchy. Today on the podcast, if you relate or you have a too-much woman in your life that you love, I want to share with you how and why it’s time we celebrate what it means to be too much and begin to see how the health of humanity and the planet requires us to take up space as leaders of this new frontier. There’s a lot to be said for women playing an integral part in the healing of these ancient wounds to the feminine body and psyche. It’s us that ultimately need to get super real about how we might be keeping the stigma of the too-much woman alive in society by buying into pre-conditioned, outdated ideas that were designed to keep women controlled and quiet and obliging to the patriarchal objectives. Here’s what I cover this week: + Who is the too-much woman and why have we been taught to despise her? + Why women claiming the fullness of their expression is a major threat to patriarchy (and why this is good news for everyone) + The 3 major themes that qualify a woman as “too much” in a society that seeks to tame her + The steps can we take towards owning and celebrating our too-muchness and supporting others to take up space in theirs _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Apply now for Luminess 2023: The Lair of Becoming - WE START FEB 27TH! SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can als be found on Spotify.

I believe that the more we pour energy into making ourselves “smarter” “better” and “more” to meet the social success narrative, we actually move further away from joy. After slogging my ass off at Uni for 8 years and then working clinically as a Psychotherapist, I began to recognise that I could no longer ignore the ways we’re imprisoned by cultural norms, the politics dictating women's bodies and the roles we’re conditioned to play. It became clear that the career path I was on felt so limited in light of the vision I held for women, myself included. That was the beginning of my journey into a more embodied approach to working with women and the path of creative feminine leadership. Today, I want to share how you can find the confidence to deepen and expand into your leadership - even in a culture that would rather you stay in your box - in ways that feel more aligned and magnetic. Here’s what I cover this week: + The insidious messages we receive from childhood that squash our natural curiosity and sense of self + The formula our culture enforces when it comes to achieving “success” and how this is both limiting and harming us + When I decided to really serve the empowerment of women instead of perpetuate the societal narratives that reject feminine wisdom (and how my work began to thrive) + Introducing the 9 Enigmatic Bodies: Devotional embodied gateways to go from numb to flourishing + How to deepen your own Creative Feminine Leadership through the 9 Enigmatic Bodies inside the Luminess Lair of Becoming (apply to join us here) _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Luminess 2023: The Lair of Becoming - WE START FEB 27TH! SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Hello, Goodbye by Day Schildkret Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper   We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can als be found on Spotify.

Welcome to 2023, sensual sorceresses… As we move into Season 2 of the SensuAlchemy School podcast, it feels fitting to begin with a tale of a Celtic shapeshifting underworld goddess and take a moment to imagine - through our sense of loss and longing - what this year may hold for us as women, leaders and creative beings. Are you on the precipice of a personal rebirth? Has a significant loss led you to the gates of the underworld? If yes, then this episode is for you. Here’s what I cover this week: + What many of us fear most about surrendering to grief in the process of personal rebirth + The myth of Celtic Goddess Cerridwen, and her tale of devastation, revenge, surrender and inspiration + How to pay attention to what your initiation into the underworld is here to teach you + Why your creative, service-oriented work will always feel “like there’s something missing” until you let the underworld have its way with you + Updated enrolment details for the 9 month Creative Feminine Leadership experience, the Luminess Lair of Becoming (kateleiper.com/luminess) _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Luminess 2023: The Lair of Becoming Celtic Goddess Cerridwen  SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can als be found on Spotify.

Today, Kate shares some of the unexpected ways that grief and pleasure has reshaped her personally this year, in the hopes that maybe there’s something here for you, too. In this episode Kate brings all the spicy details about what went down in 2022 for her, namely: + Why her cervix became Queen and her ultimate guidance system + How she understands the role of regret on the path to embodied healing and expansion + What life practices are now non-negotiable and why grief and pleasure made them so + What it means to prioritise being over doing according to the SensuAlchemy School philosophy + The one question to ask yourself each day to welcome all of life’s complex unfoldings in a fresh and transformative way _________________________________________________ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Luminess 2023: The Lair of Becoming (register for the waitlist now for $1000 off the enrolment price) Stephen Jenkinson in conversation with Kimberly Ann Johnson  SensuAlchemy School of Embodied Grief & Pleasure (The school) Leave a podcast review on iTunes here Thought or reflection to share? Leave a comment on Instagram here __________________________________________________ Find Kate on the following platforms: Website: http://kateleiper.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.leiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekateleiper    We hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. Please subscribe so you’ll be updated when new episodes drop! Also, if you have a few moments to leave some feedback, we’d be so grateful. Simply click on “ratings and reviews” then “write a review” on iTunes to get started. Your reviews are so helpful in ensuring this podcast hits the spot in just the right way. We’d also love it if you could share the podcast with anyone you think might enjoy these episodes. SensuAlchemy School podcast can als be found on Spotify.