Understanding Us: The Podcast

TRIGGER WARNING: this episode discusses topics such as child violence and trauma that might not be suitable for all listeners. Please take care of yourself if you choose to listen.I had a tough time naming this episode, simply because we discuss SO much. Sarah Jane is sooo generous with her story and time to discuss things like:healing from childhood trauma how the "fawn" (people pleasing) and "freeze" (shutting down) responses can often be over looked, and how to identify them how women are sometimes more prone to these trauma responses and whythe physiological effects of trauma on the body the stress response and what's happening in the body when we aren't able to fully relax after a stressful situation Sarah Jane Kirley is an Australian who is currently in school for naturopathy. She has struggled with physical manifestations of stress and trauma first hand, and is hoping to support women going through similar experiences. She is an advocate for those who have dealt with medical gaslighting. If you enjoyed this episode, please share on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com !As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well.

This conversation with Leslie Kim hits home in so many ways for me. Leslie comes on the pod today to talk about her experience in a high-intensity work environment, which led her down a path of getting really into climbing. Leslie got injured, and had to completely redefine her relationship to climbing. This episode is chalk-full of discussion around what defines us, how to build a sturdy identity, and what it means to be enough.More about Leslie:Leslie is a graphic designer, artist, and creative entrepreneur.Here are some fun facts:She worked 19 different jobs before starting a "real" careerShe creates food & beverage packaging. Her graphic design work can be found on chocolate boxes, beer labels, and most famously, Taco Bell's hot sauce packets.In 2014, She founded Dynamite Starfish. She always wanted to create a radical space for rock climbing misfits, so she did!She is a practitioner of a combat martial art called Budo TaijutsuShe is working on her biggest design project yet: designing a sustainable life for herselfHow you can connect with Leslie:  Same Human Being newsletter (Stories & insights every Thursday): https://lesliesamkim.substack.com/Website (Design & Illustration) : www.lesliesamkim.comDynamite Starfish (Rock climbing t-shirts & gifts): www.dynamitestarfish.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com !As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well.

We take it back to my Integrative Health roots today with Latham Turner, a man who is on a mission to support neurodivergent children and their families to live a more intentional life through healthy, nutrient dense foods. Latham was working in Silicon Valley when his son got kicked out of his third daycare in a year. He decided to leave his job and move his family to Bozeman Montana to live a more intentional life. His son was diagnosed with autism, which started Latham's path towards food as medicine. We go on a couple fun tangents along the way, but this conversation is chalk-full of good information not just for neurodivergent folks, but for anyone interesting in learning more about living more intentionally and using food as medicine. If you'd like to reach out to Latham, he would love to talk with you. You can do so through: Email: lhturner06@gmail.com Personal SubstackUniquely Substack Uniquely Website If you enjoyed this episode, please share on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com !As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well.

Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm so excited to share this conversation with you.  Sarah and I met recently through an online writing course (shoutout WOP). I posted a call to be interviewed for Understanding Us to a group of over 500 people, and as fate would have it, Sarah took the bait!  I'm so grateful she did because her journey is pretty incredible. In this podcast we discuss autoimmune disease, navigating a broken system, saying no to others in order to say yes to yourself, and how to trust yourself in a world of misinformation about health and healing. Sarah is a self-proclaimed cycle breaker. She moves past the status quo and the “it’s always been done this way” mindset to discover new ways of thinking, living, being, and doing. Sarah writes about topics like self-improvement, career and leadership, and startup culture. Sarah is a marketer by day and enjoys helping companies build marketing practices that help them grow. You can find her in Colorado, often cooking up her next great meal, spending time with her husband, or making sure her dog and cat don't destroy each other. You can connect with Sarah through her Twitter and Substack. If you enjoyed this episode, please share on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com !As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well.

Join me this week as I sit down with my business coach Robyn to discuss how she balances running a business and motherhood. I've been wanting to have Robyn onto the pod for a while now, and I'm so excited she was able to share so much of her wisdom with us!Robyn is a global business strategist, a certified life coach and feminine embodiment coach (certification underway). 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. She is a mother to a five year old daughter, wife to a pilot, she has studied, lived and worked all around the world (South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Hawaii, Berlin, Vanuatu to name a few…) and she currently calls British Columbia Canada home. 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.With a decade of experience, she has helped build hundreds of profitable businesses - at various stages of growth - with the sole intention of reminding her clients that they can build an incredible life and business, their way.Ways to connect with Robyn: Website: www.robyngooding.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/robyn.gooding/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDjQmTHr0PU7tTqc8tn1rtQPodcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1687531If you enjoyed this episode, please share on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com !As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well

Today we have Cindy Ryan on the show, who beautifully shares her experience with chronic pain from getting shingles in her mouth and face. We discuss the loneliness that often comes with a "silent" injury, and Cindy graciously shares her own journey to acceptance and redefining normal. In the episode, she mentions that she has tried over 150 different modalities (!?!?!). Here are a few that she found the most helpful:Craniosacral Physiotherapy Dry Needling and IMS done by a physiotherapist Acupuncture Naturopathy Here's a message from Cindy:My name is Cindy Ryan, an intuitive guide and Reiki Master based in North Vancouver, BC. I am humbled to be able to help  humans to find their uplifting, honest inner voice. Working together, we connect back to the inner tools and techniques to achieve an open, balanced life!I am the first to admit that when one commits to the journey of themselves- it will be beautiful but it won’t be all rainbows.  The one thing that is a guarantee, you will be safe when you choose yourself.  Shadow work is a large part of understanding true commitment to oneself.  I have done this in unique ways in my life. In this decade,  I have now completed my master level in reiki.  I have had the joy of working with clients worldwide and with each session, I feel I learn more as well. I have trained with three mentors to open my own psychic abilities and now channel and mentor others. I am always guided in this work and when I am called to do further training I listen.  I am an emotion code practitioner as well as detachment therapy and layer this into my practice along with the theory of energy code work which I have trained in. For close to 20 years, I was working with children and families in the government sector as a Licensing Officer.  I see how my skill set in investigation training, policy writing and child and youth care work floods in beautifully to work I do now.To learn more about Cindy's offerings, check out her website here. You can follow her on instagram here.If you enjoyed this episode, please share on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com !As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well.

Hello my friends! I learned so much on this episode and can't wait to share Jess's story. Jess shares her experience with pregnancy, childbirth, and the identity shifts she experienced after her child was born. She touches on the cliche yet crucial adage, "it takes a village," and how waiting until she was older to have a child helped her to lead from the heart rather than from her ego. There is so much information, opinions, and fear-mongering out there when it comes to childbirth. Jess and I explore the fear, guilt, and shame that is so prevalent in the mothering world, and how she coped with all the "what-ifs," and "should haves." Jess is so generous to share some advice for anyone considering having a child, whether you are the one giving birth or a supportive partner in the process. The midwife's name and book that Jess shares in this episode is Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. RECONNECT: JOURNEY BACK TO SELF is back and begins again the week of October 10th. I am so excited to invite in the next cohort of beautiful humans to join me on this 12-week journey. This course is designed to support those struggling with burnout, anxiety, and an overall feeling of "meh" to support them back into their joy, presence, and overall wellbeing. There's only 7 spots available for this next cohort, so make sure to book a 20-minute free call with me if you're feeling the call :) If you enjoyed this episode, please share on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com !As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well. 

This week I sit down with my dear friend Julie Viellieu. Julie shares her experience of how LSD found her and supported her with profound healing and presence. I also share, for the first time with the B.well community, my own journey with psilocybin.  We discuss the powers of these medicines, and the importance of integration. Julie shares her wisdom on the healing journey. I'm so excited to hear your feedback on this one!  You can follow her on instagram here. If you are interested in learning more about psychedelics, I urge you to check out some of thee resources below. I've curated a diverse list of resources (including some critiques of the budding movement in psychedelics for therapeutic purposes): MAPS is leading the research on many different substances. Check out their website, read the research they provide, and donate if you feel called to support the movement. MAPS Canada also has some great research to share. Cover Story: Power Trip  This podcast is a great investigative piece into some of the more problematic practices of psychedelic healing, and the potential for harm and traumatization when taken advantage of by unethical practitioners and healers.The Science of Psilocybin and its use to relieve suffering TedTalkHow to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan, which was also recently turned into a netflix mini series that I highly recommend!mushroomreferences.com for a lot of research articles on mushrooms Julie and I talked about how there are many ways to connect back to your SELF. If you are interested in non-psychedelic ways, check out my upcoming Presence Practice, beginning September 20th. Join the dozens of people who have found more ease and calm in their life by just 5-minute practices!If you enjoyed this episode, please share on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com !As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well. 

Hello my friends!! It's a true honor to sit down with my friend Julianna today to talk about her experience as a neurodivergent person and the challenges she's had to overcome in the workplace. She shares words of advice for neurodivergent's on how to overcome people not believing in your abilities. She also sheds light on things that neurotypical people can do to better understand their neurodivergent friends, co-workers, and family members to better support them and their needs. Julianna was so kind to share a few resources for those wanting to learn more, or gain more support: Autism BC: https://www.autismbc.ca/ - some great resources, support and events people can attend in person or virtually in some regions for children, parents, caregivers, adults, etc. Pacific Autism Family Network: https://pacificautismfamily.com/ - The Pacific Autism Family Network (PAFN) supports individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families (children and adults)Autism Community Training - Saw this manual as something to review but also some other great things such as education videos: https://www.actcommunity.ca/information/autism-manual-for-bc/, https://www.actcommunity.ca/education/videos/Support the people in your community by sharing on social media or to a friend who might resonate with today's topic . For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you and be well. 

In this week's episode, I sit down with UK-based Rehila Hamid, who shares her story of  living in the UK as a Pakistani woman and her experience with racialized trauma. We dive deep into what it feels like to be disconnected from Self, and Rehila shares what she does to support connection, peace, and rest.  It was such an honor to have Rehila share her story, and I can't wait for you to learn from her!To learn more about racialized trauma and how it's experienced in the body, I highly recommend My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem. It focuses on the American experience of black, white, and police bodies, but is a thorough and accessible book on intergenerational, racialized trauma. Resmaa gives specific exercises to use to support safety in the body.  Please share this episode on your social media feeds. For daily content to support you on your journey, follow me on instagram @elizab.well, or check out my website www.elizabwell.com.  If you want to be a guest on the podcast, reach out and email me at hello@elizabwell.com As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

We have a VERY special guest today...none other than one of my best friends in the whole wide world, Jackie Chapin. Jackie was crushing the corporate world when she suffered from a serious ski accident that took her months to recover from. Jackie discusses that first week of trying to reconcile what had just happened, to what months-long recovery looked like, to how the accident has forever changed her relationship to Self. She shares how she coped with no longer being able to perform at the level she was used to, and what finding the humility to accept her own humanity in the process looked like. If you or someone you know has suffered a serious brain injury, this one is for you. I hope it helps you find peace and understanding. Please share this episode on your social media feeds. For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

Hello friends!! Join me and my dear friend Christine Shepherd today on the pod to talk about Christine's journey through acceptance. Even when our bodies are screaming at us that we need a change, our minds will try and justify and keep us in our same old patterns for as long as it can. Christine talks about how hard it was to uproot her entire life of what she thought she "should" do, to ultimately pursue what her heart needed and wanted. Now Christine is living a full life on the beautiful Salt Spring Island in BC. I hope you enjoy this conversation, and I hope it inspires you to accept the signs that are pointing you in the right direction. Below are some of the resources we discuss in this episode:Holotropic BreathworkAmy Rachelle - https://amyrachelle.com/The "healer" I saw in London - http://www.josephinemcgrail.com/ Christine Arylo - https://christinearylo.com/Path of Self Love - https://pathofselflove.org/about/Rewilding Podcast Ella Grace @rewildingpodcastChristine studies with the Institute of Shamanic Medicine - https://www.shamanicmedicine.ca/ Christine's website - livepowwafully.comChristine's insta @christine.shepsPlease share this episode on your social media feeds. For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

Hi friends! Eliza here. It's just me today talking about the future of this podcast. I'm so excited to announce a bit of a reframe of the podcast, and how things will look moving forward. Of course it will be same ol' me, sharing and educating if and when possible, but I hope to create a library of people's stories that can help in a couple different ways: 1. Ensure that you don't feel alone in your human experience. The best way to connect with others is through stories. Listening to stories that resonate with you and that help make you feel a little less lonely. And also potentially sharing your own story as a way to support others in their journeys. So Understanding Us is really about building connections with Self and others, through our individual and collective stories. 2. Support you in understanding your own human experience. Maybe something has been going on and you're feeling stuck and not quite sure what direction to go in. Maybe you're feeling anxiety or struggling with your mental health in some way and don't know how to get out of the funk. My hope is that the stories you'll hear on this podcast will be a wealth of knowledge for you to pull from when dealing with your own challenges and setbacks. You are never alone. And you ARE capable. That's what this podcast is about. I talk a bit about how I came to this new format, as well as I share one of my stories that led me to this very moment as an individual and as a practitioner. It's one of my most poignant "why" stories, and I hope it provides solace to anyone who needs it.I'm always here if you need me. xo,Eliza Please share this episode on your social media feeds. For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

I sit down with my friend Lisa Matthews to discuss Highly Sensitive People. Lisa tells us about her journey from nurse practitioner to craniosacral and flower essence extraordinaire (don't worry, she'll explain what all that means), I share a few stories about my own recent epiphanies around sensitivity, and Lisa shares how we can begin to honor our sensitivity on a day to day, moment to moment basis. I've been so excited to share this episode with you all, and can't wait to hear how it resonates with you! Lisa Matthews supports Highly Sensitive People who are building a spacious, calm, and intuitively-led life. She’s a Registered Craniosacral Therapist, a Flower Essence Practitioner, and regularly holds circles and workshops. Lisa is the host of the Highly Sensitive Soul Podcast, and has been in the healing arts for over a decade with a background as a Registered Nurse.   Connect with Lisa Matthews at Combination Healing. Tune into the Highly Sensitive Soul PodcastFor daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

In this conversation, Melissa and I dive into the nervous system, and how embracing loneliness is the only way to truly self-regulate. We talk about the prevalence of burnout in the post-pandemic world and how we can support ourselves in these tumultuous times. Melissa shares stories from her own personal journey and inspires us to trust our intuition and body.  Melissa Nkomo is a certified mindfulness and somatic practitioner. Her own practices of self-exploration, self-regulation, and self-keeping are the soils from which the seeds she’s planted sprout. She is the founder of Kunye, a multi-disciplinary wellness agency dedicated to nurturing physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Kunye offers digital and in-person classes at their new studio The Well, wellness experiences, and personal care products that inspire mindful living and embody their philosophy of Slow Wellness.Visit www.kunye.co to learn more about Melissa's offerings, as well as follow Kunye on Instagram! For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

Hi Team! Join me this week to talk about the stickiness of unstucking yourself. I talk about the universality of feeling "stuck," how it's experienced in the nervous system, and the importance of finding safety in discomfort in the process of unstucking yourself. I also go into my own story of feeling stuck, which I'm sure so many of you will be able to relate to. I also show off my knowledge of high school physics...so buckle up for that!! I'm really excited to hear your thoughts on this one.  For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

Have you been hearing a lot about your "divine feminine" and healing your womb space? This conversation is for you! Kim and I sit down to discuss what many practitioners are missing when they talk about stepping into your divine feminine, and the importance of defining your own healing path. Kim is a breathwork facilitator, womb wisdom medicine woman, cacao journeyer and coach who helps women move out of their heads and reconnect to their bodies and wombs to know themselves on a deeper level. Your body is talking; are you listening? Before working in this field, Kim spent close to a decade working in the corporate events world, resulting in complete burnout and a life-changing career shift. After years of living in and from her head, she realised the only way to heal mentally, physically and spiritually, to transform anxiety and relationships with both herself and those closest to her was to start listening to the very thing her had ignored, her body. Bringing together a unique blend of healing modalities, Kim uses these to help you live from your womb space, a way of life we have forgotten but are meant to live by. Reconnect with your womb, reconnect to your power, wisdom, and life source ... RECONNECT TO YOUR SELF.Can't wait for you to listen to the wisdom Kim shares with us! Kim's available for one to one womb healing and connection,  ritual/ ceremony creation and breathwork sessions. You can reach her at kim@kimberleybarnardcoaching.com or https://www.instagram.com/sacred.womban/For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

Hi all! I'm back this week with a new episode all about self-compassion. Self-compassion is one of those buzz words in the wellness space that can feel elusive and unattainable. In this episode, we get into what self-compassion IS and ISN'T, the research around self-compassion, and guidance on how you can begin your daily practice. To see more of the research on self-compassion, visit https://self-compassion.org/ for guided meditations, practices, and more! We dive deep into self-compassion work in my 12-week course Reconnect. If you're struggling with being kind to yourself, you can join the waitlist for the next cohort, starting June 2022! More information here. For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode briefly talks about childhood sexual abuse. Please be mindful of when and where you listen to this episode. Erin Caitlin Sweeney (they/she) is a politicized healer, lover of movement & dance, educator, storyteller, and group facilitator. They were raised in the woods on Susquehannock land, spent most of their adult life in New York City and Oakland, CA, and recently returned to the land that raised them, currently known as Lancaster, PA. Erin is a queer white person whose ancestral roots tie them to Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and France. They support white folks in building relationships of reciprocity with their ancestors and the land, while examining how white-bodied supremacy shows up in themselves and their lineages, with the intention of healing and repair. Erin believes that when we look inward with accountability, honesty, and compassion we can bring healing to ourselves, our ancestors, and show up rooted for collective liberation. In this conversation, Erin and I discuss what ancestral healing is, the importance of reciprocity, and how systems of oppression have kept white folx entrenched in shame, ultimately perpetuating the very systems we know to be wrong and unjust. Erin offers us a unique perspective on how we can heal from our collective trauma by going beyond our whiteness, and reconnecting back to our ancestral roots, culture, and traditions. If you are interested in diving deeper into this work with Erin, she offers 1:1 work, as well as an upcoming 6-month series called "Ancestral Stories." You can learn more here, or follow her on instagram @erincaitinsweeney  For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!

Do you find yourself constantly at war with your period? You are not alone. Many menstruating bodies have experienced shame and frustration around their cycle. However, one of the most empowering things we can do is to surrender to our body's natural rhythms  and cycles. In fact, it is imperative to our health and well-being that we do. In this episode, I will dive into the four different phases of the menstrual cycle and offer 4 different tips and exercises you can use during each phase to support your natural energy levels and needs. If you are a non-menstruating body or don't get your period because of birth control, I still invite you to listen to this episode! We are cyclical beings; we live in many different cycles. There will always be a season for rest, and a season for productivity. How can you begin to get curious around life's natural cycles so you can begin to live in deeper alignment to your body's natural energy resources? Curious about more resources? I definitely recommend checking out Alisa Vitti's work. Her books "In the Flo" and "Women Code" are great reads to learn more about this incredibly supportive way of living!For daily content to support you on your journey, follow Eliza on instagram @elizab.well, or check out her website www.elizabwell.com. As always, it would be so appreciated if you rated and reviewed this podcast.  Thank you!