SHE Talks

I wanted to record a conversation that I've been having privately with many women in my 1-1 IFS sessions over the past couple of years-- about dating (especially if we're in our late thirties and beyond). I'm sharing what my process was like being single for several years, starting in my late thirties: learning how to date, navigating the ups and downs of online dating, and the process of becoming a more mature, discerning woman along the way. While this will most benefit you if you're dating, you may also hear things in here that can impact your current intimate relationship or other connections in your life. And, if you know of another woman that needs to hear this, please pass this along to her. Enjoy! Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Free Healing Guide: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/7obstacles

What would it look and sound like for you to be more honest on the page– and in your life? How can writing help you to bypass your Inner Critic and access more of your essence? These are some of the questions Laurie Wagner teaches us how to answer through the practice of Wild Writing. In today's conversation, she not only talks us through how Wild Writing can help us to live more real, connected lives, but she also leads us through a practice so we can experience it together here in real time. So grab a notebook and a pen, and enjoy our conversation! Laurie's website: www.27powers.org 7 Obstacles Healing Guide: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/7obstacles Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com

"I've been trying to work through the same issues for so long. " This is something I've said to myself in the past, and that many women I work with say, too. If unresolved wounds, painful loops you can't break free of, and feelings of unworthiness are things you're experiencing, this is exactly the tricky territory I am helping to guide women like you to the other side of in my upcoming IFS & Feminine Spirituality course, Becoming Whole. If you're a therapist, coach, healer, or woman on her own healing journey and are wanting to reach deeper layers in yourself to reach new levels in your outer life, I invite you to join us. Enrollment for this 5-week Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Feminine Spirituality course ends this Thursday, February 2. To learn more and join us, head to: www.BecomingWholeIFS.com

Today I'm sharing an excerpt from a talk I gave last month in my IFS sangha, Women's House of Wisdom. In it, I share a mindset we can all take on at the start of a new year to help us get unstuck and gain momentum toward our dreams and intentions. This has helped me write books, move to new places, and even start this podcast! May it help you move closer to what you're wanting to this year, too. Free IFS & Feminine Spirituality Masterclass: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/masterclass Becoming Whole: www.becomingwholeifs.com Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com

Next week I'm offering a brand-new, free, Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Feminine Spirituality masterclass. It's called a Woman's Path to Peace: 5 Steps to Healing Unresolved Wounds, Unwanted Behaviors & Lingering Feelings of Shame & Unworthiness. If you're a woman on a healing journey (at any stage), you're invited. I'd love to see you there! Join us: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/masterclass

Welcome to 2023! Over the past few years, it's become an annual tradition to invite an astrologer to join us here in the month of January, to both look back at the previous year's astrology and to look ahead to the new one. Today I'm inviting the psychological astrologer and author of the new book "Map to Your Soul", Jennifer Freed, Ph.D. We speak about her unique approach to astrology, as well as what went down in the heavens in 2022 and what's to come for us in 2023 (it's inspiring. Jennifer is a burst of joy and wisdom. Enjoy! Jennifer Freed's website: www.jenniferfreed.com Becoming Whole waitlist: www.becomingwholeifs.com Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's IG: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara's FB: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter

For the last episode of the year, I'm taking you behind the scenes of my 2022 year-end review. I share a key practice I do, as well as some revelations about what has passed and how I'll move forward in 2023. Throughout the month of December on my podcast, I'm doing a holiday giveaway, in partnership with Shambhala Publications. Enter to win one of two beautiful "Wild and Sacred Feminine" card decks (it's gorgeous!).  To enter: 1) Leave me a review on Apple Podcasts. 2) Comment on the Instagram post related to this podcast episode (@saraavantstover) Then, I'll announce the two winners in January! Women's Solstice Retreat: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/solsticeretreat Women's New Year's Retreat:https://www.dralamountain.org/program/ymnrw123-replenishing-revisioning-for-2023-a-yoga-meditation-nature-retreat-for-women Join the Becoming Whole waitlist: www.becomingwholeifs.com Subscribe to Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com

As I support more and more women with Internal Family Systems (IFS), both in 1-1 and group work, one of the most common questions I get is: how do I stay connected with this work, and with my parts, in between our sessions? In response to this, one of the books I most often recommend to help do this is written by today's guest. Michelle Glass is a Certified Level 3 IFS Practitioner and author of the Daily Parts Meditation Practice™: A Journey of Embodied Integration for Clients and Therapists. She first came to IFS to help her heal from a childhood of abuse and complex PTSD and she now uses it to support many others. In our conversation today, Michelle and I speak about: - What her personal journey with IFS was like when she was healing from childhood abuse and complex PTSD - Ways that a daily parts meditation practice can support us in our healing journeys - What her process was like of writing her book - And, Michelle also leads us through an in-depth parts meditation, which I know many of you will want to bookmark and return to again and again. If you're curious about IFS, want to learn some more potent and practical tools to connect with the various parts of yourself more regularly, and are needing an infusion of some new wisdom and inspiration into your healing journey, my conversation with Michelle will give you all of these. Enjoy! Michelle's website: www.thelistenerllc.com MIchelle's DPMP Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/670447663138656/?mibextid=HsNCOg Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Free healing guide: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/7obstacles Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

In this dharma talk, an excerpt from one I gave the other week in my online IFS & Feminine Spirituality community, Women's House of Wisdom, I share the three essential things every woman needs in her life. Free healing guide: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/7obstacles Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Subscribe to my newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter

Something special is coming for 2022 Cyber Monday! Tune in to hear all about it. Subscribe to Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Connect on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover

This month's guest, Daniel Foor, has been a companion on my healing journey over the past several years, through his teachings. His work on ancestral healing has been especially impactful for me, making him one of the teachers I most refer my own students to when they're in need of excavating this layer in their own healing journeys. Daniel is a teacher and practitioner of practical animism who specializes in ancestral and family healing and in helping folks learn to relate well with the rest of life. He is a doctor of psychology, marriage and family therapist, founder and director at Ancestral Medicine, and author of Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing. Daniel is a life-long student of earth-honoring traditions and an initiate in West African Orisha traditions in the lineage of Olúwo Fálolú Adésànyà Awoyadé of Òdè Rẹ́mọ. His recent ancestors are settler-colonialists to North America from England, Germany, and Ireland, and he now lives with his wife and two daughters in Andalusia near the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Granada, Spain. In our conversation we talk about: - The ways that western healing and psychotherapy traditions limit our process by solely focusing on the individual - Why opening up the ancestral real (including our blood ancestors and beyond) can really accelerate and catalyze so much in our own healing and experience of wellness - What made daniel pack up his family of 4 and move them from the U.S. to Spain recently, as well as how that transition is going for them - Why grief is a sacred practice, and how we can embrace it as such. - As well as the Next steps we can all take to begin to feel more connected to our ancestors, the land we live on, and life at large I really value Daniel's teachings and it warms my heart to be able to share them with you today. Enjoy. Daniel's website: www.ancestralmedicine.org Daniel on IG: www.instagram.com/danielfoor Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Free healing guide: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/7obstacles Sara on IG: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on FB: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Subscribe to Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter

This is an excerpt from a dharma talk I gave during an online retreat called "Creating a Beautiful Life in Hard Times"(hosted by Shambhala Mountain Center in August 2021. In it, I share a few perspectives we can all try on to help us orient to our lives– when they're feeling unpredictable, or even if the things we're experiencing are unwanted. May this be of benefit! Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

I'm happy to welcome our guest Toko-pa Turner– a woman whose presence and work I deeply admire. Blending the mystical tradition of Sufism in which she was raised with a Jungian approach to dreamwork, Toko-pa founded the Dream School in 2001 from which thousands of students have since graduated. She is the author of the award-winning book, Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home, which explores the themes of exile and the search for belonging. Sometimes called a Midwife of the Psyche, Toko-pa's work focuses on restoring the feminine, reconciling paradox, and facilitating grief & ritual practice. As I mentioned, in our conversation today we speak about the medicine of the equinox and the autumn season, living with autoimmune illness and creating necessary boundaries and structures in ones life to support this, dreamwork and simple steps we can all take to begin more actively relating to our inner, hidden dimensions, and how we can cultivate the skill of belonging in an increasingly lonely and disconnected world. Toko-pa is a fount of wisdom, and I'm honored to have her with us today. Enjoy. Toko-pa's website: www.toko-pa.com Toko-pa on Instagram: www.instagram.com/tokopa Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

Today I have two more wonderful women from our community to introduce you to: Cynthia and Jadi. Both women were part of last year's 200-hour online Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training– and they're both in very different seasons of life, with very different levels of yoga and teaching experience. Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: wwww.womensyogateachertraining.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter Sara on FB: www.Facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Sara on IG: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover

Today I'm once again highlighting the voices of a couple of women in our community. Meet Ann and Paige, two women who participated in last year's online 200-hour yoga alliance women's yoga & meditation teacher training. You'll hear from them why they decided to say “yes” to joining the training, specific aspects that they loved about it and that are sticking with them to support them in their lives today, and what they would say to any of you listening who may also be considering joining us… Because, that's right, regular registration for this year's training opens tomorrow, September 12, but only for 10 days. Learn more and join us at www.womensyogateachertraining.com Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

A colleague recommended Kaira Jewel Lingo's book to me earlier this year: We Were Made for These Times: Skillfully Moving through Change, Loss and Disruption, and I have been wanting to have her on the podcast for a while to explore her work with meditation, Buddhism & social justice. Kaira Jewel is a dharma teacher who spent 15 years as a monastic in Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village. Today we speak about what led her to step away from monastic life-- and what that tumultuous transition was like, ways she integrates the dharma and social justice, things she misses most about monastic life, how to work with strong emotions and the uncertainty of the unknown, and what's next on her horizon. Kaira has a strong, gentle, clear presence, and I hope what we speak about today is of benefit to you. Kaira Jewel Lingo: www.kairajewel.com Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.womensyogateachertraining.com Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#subscribe Sara on IG: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on FB: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

While I'm on vacation for these last few weeks of summer, rather than sharing my usual, monthly dharma talk here on the podcast, I'm sharing a conversation I had last summer with Sue Van Raes on her podcast, "Satiate." Sue is a functional nutritionist and founder of Boulder Nutrition and she invited me in for a conversation about my journey with women's yoga and meditation– and at large. Enjoy! Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.womensyogateachertraining.com Sue's website: www.boundernutrition.com Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara on IG: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on FB: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

Today I'm welcoming Kimberly Ann Johnson & Stephen Jenkinson to speak about the new book they co-authored, Reckoning, which came out today. Our conversation about the times we're living in, and the culture that got us here, it's rich, nuanced, and, as Stephen says at the end, bottomless. May it spark new curiosity, insight, and reflection. Buy Reckoning: www.orphanwisdom.com Stephen's website: www.orphanwisdom.com Kimberly's website: www.kimberlyannjohnson.com IFS Women's Circle: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/ifscircle Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara on IG: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on FB: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

Today I'm doing something I haven't done before here on the podcast: inviting a couple of women from our community for a conversation. Today you'll here from Kathleen Browning and Reise Eiseman-Sanchez Tanner. Both of these women are alumna from last year's 200-hour women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training, which was the first time I offered this program both online and in the 200-hour format. Enjoy! Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.womensyogateachertraining.com Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

Some of us have experienced it. Some of us are getting closer. For others, it still seems way out in the distance. Menopause. It's time for us all to have a deeper conversation about it. To guide us into this, I've invited Susan Willson, a Certified Nurse Midwife with 45 years of experience guiding all phases of women's health. Her new book Making Sense of Menopause: Harnessing the Power and Potency of your Wisdom years helps us to positively reframe this powerful time of our lives. Please note– this is not just a book or a conversation for women in or past menopause. It's for women of ALL ages. The more we get in touch with the season of life we're in, the more gracefully we will be able to navigate the biggest transition we'll face before our deaths– that of menopause. Susan and I discuss why the cultural narrative about menopause being something we need to “fix” is so dangerous, how this time in a woman's life is a real crossroads, why understanding early transitions in our lives as women will better help us navigate menopause, the (huge!) role stress plays in all of this, mid-life course corrections, and the archetype of the wise woman. It's a rich conversation that I hope will illuminate some new things for you about your own journey and the arc of a woman's life at large. Enjoy! Susan's website: www.makingsenseofmenopause.com Abortion Healing Kit: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/abortionkit Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.womensyogateachertraining.com Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

Today I'm sharing an excerpt of a dharma talk I gave on the final morning of my retreat at Shambhala Mountain Center this May. In it, I share practical ways to integrate these teachings and perspectives into your daily life– in ways that are both enjoyable and sustainable. May this be of benefit! Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.womensyogateachertraining.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

As the second part in our series on Internal Family Systems, I've invited Certified IFS Therapist and the Assistant Trainer, Crystal Jones, to join us. Crystal and I speak about her upcoming summer sabbatical (which I find very inspiring and sense you will too), what it's like to be the second BIPOC individual in a leadership role within the Internal Family Systems Institute, how she wants to use that role to serve and amplify more voices of those like her, and what it looks and feels like when we aim to embody all of our parts. Crystal's joy and open-heartedness are infectious. I know you'll enjoy our connection as much as I did! Crystal's website: www.lifesourcecounselingcenter.com Abortion Healing Kit: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/abortionkit Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.womensyogateachertraining.com Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

Over the next couple of months, I'm offering a focus on Internal Family Systems (or IFS) here on the podcast. IFS is a cutting-edge psychotherapeutic model that's sweeping the world right now– if you haven't noticed! More than being a very effective, gentle, and transformative model of therapy (that's been both life-changing for me and my clients), it's also a paradigm of living. IFS gives us the tools and framework to shift from living a fear-led life to an inspiration-led life. This month and next month's interviews will feature some leaders in the IFS community. Now, as the first of this 2-part series, I'm welcoming Chris Burris, an IFS senior lead trainer. Chris and I speak about the IFS model at large, and more specifically about how to transform more extreme parts like our inner critics and perfectionists into allies (rather than going to war with them). Chris also leads us through an IFS meditation to help us get more in touch with the parts of ourselves that are most dominant right now and shares some inspiring and practical ways he uses IFS for daily self-care. May this conversation be of benefit!

In this dharma talk, an excerpt of one I offered in my online feminine spiritual practice community, Women's House of Wisdom, in the spring of 2020, I speak on the importance of calling on the archetype of the Divine Mother at this time in history, as well as practical ways to do that. We touch on ancestor reverence, devotion, cultivating self-trust and spiritual authority, and more. On this Mother's Day, may this remind us of the mother within us all, and She who loves and cares for us all, always. France retreat: www.womensinsightretreat.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#subscribe Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

One of the themes I've worked with a lot in both my personal life, as well as in my private practice over the years is healing from narcissistic abuse and codepenency. And, the flip side, on cultivating a secure, healthy relationship (first with oneself, and then, ultimately, with an intimate partner). To help go deeper into this exploration as a larger community, I've invited to join us today Carista Luminare, who has been nicknamed “The Narcissism Whisperer.” Carista Luminare, Ph.D., has more than 40 years experience as a counselor, consultant and educator to individuals, couples and families. In her private counseling practice, she integrates her lifelong research on how our early bonding patterns profoundly impact our self-identity and adult relationship dynamics. She uses her unique attachment approach to rewire relationships from insecure to secure love and well-being. Carista and I speak about: -The four main attachment styles, which she calls LoveStyles - How to heal your attachment style to become secure, if you had a traumatic or wounding experience in childhood - Why narcissism needs to be explored as a spectrum, and how low-level narcissism can be healed (while more extreme levels cannot) - Ways to recover from codependency and to reclaim your voice and sovereignty in an intimate relationship - How to apply these pro-relational tools outside of intimate relationships -And much more If you're wanting to experience healthy, secure relationships– romantically and otherwise, you'll receive a lot from Carista's wisdom today. Enjoy! Carista's websites: www.confusedaboutlove.com & www.healingnarcissismandcodependency.com France retreat: www.womensinsightretreat.com Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Subscribe to Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter

Here we are on the equinox, welcoming the season of rebirth in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition to introducing a new name and look to the podcast today, I'm also introducing you to Miranda Macpherson, a true modern-day embodiment of the divine feminine. Miranda's an author, teacher with the Shift Network, kirtan musician and singer, and spiritual guide who shares a holistic approach to spiritual surrender and non-dual realization based on the practice of Ego Relaxation. She's the "real deal"– bringing three decades of teaching experience in what truly works to liberate unnecessary suffering and gain traction on the path of awakening. In our conversation today we explore everything from major(positive)life shifts Miranda has made during the pandemic, key practices that have been sustaining her during this time, what a feminine approach to non-dual spirituality looks and feels like, how she approached menopause, ways to cultivate more trust in life (especially amidst all that's erupting in the world right now), and much more. I know you'll receive so much from Miranda's wisdom today. Enjoy. Miranda's website: www.mirandamacpherson.com Miranda's new mantra album: https://mirandamacpherson.com/streams-of-grace-album/ Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter France retreat: https://www.womensyogateachertraining.com/annualretreat Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

Today, I want to speak about something that I get asked about a lot– and that's how to cultivate a regular (ideally daily) spiritual practice. And, in turn, how to overcome resistance to this when it inevitably arises. With the increasing levels of uncertainty we're facing in our world, grounding more deeply into ourselves through daily practice is more essential now than ever. We not only need it personally but also to help us show up in more skillful, open-hearted ways collectively. In this talk, I share nine things you can focus on to help you start, or enhance, your practice. May this be of benefit! Women's House of Wisdom & the Wisdom Circle: www.WomensHouseofWisdom.com Annual Women's Insight Retreat in France: www.WomensInsightRetreat.com Becoming Whole in 2022 (Free Workshop): www.BecomingWholeIFS.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor Join Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe

In time for Valentine's Day, today's conversation is aimed to help us all have more fulfilling, connected relationships– by turning towards conflict (rather than running in the other direction!). Plus, today I'm welcoming our first male guest (during the interview I share why I'm shifting towards having mixed genders on the podcast from now on). Jayson Gaddis, a fellow Boulderite whom I've known for many years, is an author and relationship export and coach. He's joining us to speak about his new book, “Getting to Zero: How to Work Through Conflict in Your High-Stakes Relationships.” We talk about the one thing that has been helping him the most throughout the pandemic, ways to navigate a recent fall-out I had with a friend recently, what the price tag of avoiding conflict is, a few essential skills you can start incorporating right away, and more. May our conversation be of benefit! Jayson's website: www.jaysongaddis.com Jayson on Instagram: www.instagram.com/jaysongaddis Jason on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jaysongaddisfanpage Women's House of Wisdom & the Wisdom Circle: www.WomensHouseofWisdom.com Annual Women's Insight Retreat in France: www.WomensInsightRetreat.com Becoming Whole in 2022 (Free Workshop): www.BeconingWholeIFS.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor Join Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe

Welcome to the 100th episode of the podcast! In celebration of this, I answer your questions-- on everything from spotting red flags (to avoid destructive relationships), my favorite skincare products, the books I gift most often, the daily rhythms and practices that help me feel my best, and more. Thank you for listening during these first 100 episodes, and, if you're new here, welcome. Enjoy! Women's House of Wisdom & The Wisdom Circle: www.WomensHouseofWisdom.com Free Workshop: www.BecomingWholeIFS.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor

Hello friends: Welcome to 2022. I'm inviting on the podcast as the first guest of the New Year, a long-time friend and colleague, Heidi Rose Robbins. Heidi and I met about 14-ish years ago while attending a retreat with our shared teacher, Sofia Diaz, at the Mount Madonna Retreat Center just outside of Santa Cruz, California. We've stayed in touch since then, and I have always appreciated Heidi's poetic way of living, her compassionate and concise astrology readings, and her heart-full presence. In today's conversation, we speak about what to keep an eye out for in terms of the astrology for 2022, as well as a review of what came to pass in 2021. We talk about the rituals and practices that have been helping Heidi and me the most during the pandemic, and about some big, brave shifts she's making in her life this year to better fulfilling her intention of deeper listening and spaciousness. Enjoy our conversation! Women's House of Wisdom & The Wisdom Circle: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#wisdomcircle France Retreat: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#francertreat Heidi's website: www.heidiroserobbins.com Heidi's Instagram: www.instagram.com/heidiroserobbins Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara's Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter

It feels fitting, for the last episode of 2021, to invite my own long-time mentor, Sarah Powers onto the podcast. I first met Sarah serendipitously, while assisting her Yin/Yang Yoga Teacher Training at Kripalu about twenty years ago. Since then, I've continued to study and mentor with Sarah– she's been a tremendous influence on not only my teachings but also who I am as a woman. Today, we're speaking about Sarah's new (gorgeous) book "Lit from Within," which just came out last month. Teeming with wisdom and practices, it's one of those books that any serious yoga and meditation practitioner is going to want to have in her practice library. Sarah and I speak about what's practices have been most supportive for her during the pandemic, how she begins (most) days, what she feels is the key ingredient to having a successful relationship (she's been with her husband for four decades), and much more. I know you'll be as inspired by Sarah and this conversation as I was. Enjoy! Sarah's website: www.sarahpowersinsightyoga Women's House of Wisdom & the Wisdom Circle: www.saraavantstover.com/#wisdomlist Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Join Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter

Within these increasingly complex and uncertain times, we need to navigate our lives from a greater and higher place than our five senses. Rather, to best navigate three-dimensional living, we need to soar to new heights. Today's dharma talk is an excerpt of one I gave at an in-person retreat I led this past October at Shambhala Mountain Center. In it, I tell a story of an eagle, a snake, and the power of divine communication in our everyday lives. May this be of benefit! Solstice Retreat: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/solsticeretreat February Retreat: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/febretreat Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

For all who celebrated, I hope you had a nourishing Thanksgiving. And, I also want to acknowledge that this can be a (very) triggering time of year– for many people,  on many levels. Especially for those who are single and/or childless (not by choice). Mass media touts this as a time of family and togetherness. We can often feel excluded, forgotten, and not understood by family and friends who DO have children and partners.  And, we can even be discriminated against in the workplace–expected to work over the holidays so that those who have children can have that time off.  If this stretch of time until New Year's is hard for you, I've recorded a podcast episode, sharing some tips I've found helpful over the years. Above all, we need to raise awareness that many struggle– and are alone– at this time of year (for so many reasons).  If you know someone who falls into these categories, listen in to learn how to support them. And, if you're alone and/or struggling over the holidays this year, my heart is with you and I hope this episode offers some solace and support. IFS Therapy Group for Women: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/ifs-group Women's Solstice Retreat: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/solsticeretreat Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Subscribe to Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter

Today I'm sharing the recording of a tried-and-true practice I led several years ago during a retreat at Shambhala Mountain Center. In it, I lead an exercise called "The Four-Part Check-In." Those of you who have been studying with me for a long time will be very familiar with this, and it's also a practice I include in both of my books. I'm sharing it here today because I find it to be a foundational practice for us as women. It supports us in quickly assessing how we're doing at the levels of body, heart, mind, and spirit– and what we most need to care for ourselves each day. We do this so well for others and are often very lousy at doing this for ourselves! May this guided practice help to shift this, so you can live each day more skillfully and connected to yourself. Enjoy! IFS Virtual Therapy Group for Women: www.womensyogateachertrainign.com/ifs-group Solstice Retreat: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/solsticeretreat Sara's website: www.saraavantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

Happy October! Today's conversation is fitting for this season, as it prepares us for the deep rest of winter. Tracee Stanley is a teacher and author inspired by more than 20 years of study in the traditions of the Himalayan Masters and Sri Vidya Tantra. Her new book, Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity follows the focus of her teachings: yoga nidra, meditation, self-inquiry, nature as a teacher, and ancestor reverance. In our conversation we explore what's resourcing Tracee the most at this stage of the pandemic, how and why yoga nidra has been so transformational for both her and her students, yoga nidra's roots as a goddess practice, how ancestral healing and race-related stress can be supported by this practice of sacred rest, and much more. Enjoy! Tracee's website: www.traceeyoga.com Tracee's book: www.radiantrest.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter Instagram: www.Instagram.com/saraavantstover Facebook: www.Facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Abortion Healing Circle: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/abortioncircle Oct. 22-24 Retreat: www.ShambhalaMountain.org

This past week, we crossed the threshold into a new season. In honor of this, today I'm sharing an excerpt of a talk I gave last week in a retreat that welcomed the Autumn equinox. In it, I share suggestions for how to align with the energetics and lessons of this season. May it be of benefit! Abortion Healing Circle: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/septretreat My website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Instagram: www.Instagram.com/saraavantstover Facebook: www.Facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor Subscribe to my newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#newsletter

Here we are, on Labor Day weekend in the U.S. The last unofficial weekend of summer. It's fitting that today we also have the last episode in our summer series on women's yoga and meditation. I've been sharing this series in celebration of a more feminine approach to spirituality-- one that I highlight in my upcoming online women's yoga and meditation teacher training. We have a wonderful circle of women forming. Registration is open for another week (www.womensyogateachertraining.com). We're speaking today with Susan Aposhyan, a fellow Boulderite who's been an inspiration and support to me for many years now. Susan's been teaching meditation, embodiment, and psychological wellness for decades. She published Natural Intelligence: Body-Mind Integration and Human Development and Body-Mind Psychotherapy: Principles, Techniques, and Practical Applications. She's joining us today to speak about her new book, Heart Open, Body Awake: Four Steps to Embodied Spirituality. It's a beautiful book, that's really about the path of the heart. Susan leads us through some exercises and shares more about this path in our conversation. I know you'll enjoy it. LINKS: www.WomensYogaTeacherTraining.com Women's Equinox Retreat: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/septretreat Susan's website: www.susanaposhyan.com My website: www.SaraAvantStover.com My newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter My Instagram: www.Instagram.com/saraavantstover My Facebook: www.Facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

With just about another month left of summer here in the northern hemisphere, the special series here on the podcast on “women in yoga and meditation” continues. I'm sharing this series in celebration of the creation of my online, 200-hour women's yoga & meditation teacher training that starts at the end of September. Registration is open for a few more weeks! Today, as part of this series, I'm sharing the replay from a webinar-- called “Embody Your Dharma”-- that I did last week with my long-time yogini sister, Myka McLaughlin, who's the founder of WINC-Women in Community-- an organization that helps women grow their businesses while staying steeped in sacred feminine culture. The gathering was so sweet and nourishing, that I wanted to share it with our wider community, too. Myka and I met 18 (!) years ago while studying intensively with a wise and radical teacher of feminine embodiment, Sofia Diaz. We both speak very candidly about how our spiritual lineages and feminine embodiment practices inform our “dharmas,” or callings. Plus, there were lots of great questions from the women on the call about how to integrate the two in practical, sustainable ways. Specifically, we discuss: -How embodiment can help you discover & magnify your calling or dharma -Ways to integrate your spiritual practice with your work -Why devotion is essential to building your business -What it takes to stay the course through all of life's ebbs and flows If you are interested in embodiment, yoga, or an integrated approach to building your business, I know you'll get so much out of this conversation. And, if you enjoy what Myka has to share, she's offering a free Revenue Revolution Summit on September 1-2, with best-in-class business training for women creatives in business. If you want to start or grow a profitable and soul-centered business, you'll get a lot out of this training! You can join for free here: https://womenincommunity.com/summit-2109/?oprid=404&ref=23133 Enjoy our conversation! Women's YTT: www.womensyogateachertraining.com Equinox Retreat: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/septretreat WINC's Revenue Revolution Free Summit: https://womenincommunity.com/summit-2109/?oprid=404&ref=23133 Website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe Instagram: www.Instagram.com/saraavantstover Facebook: www.Facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

I don't know how it got to be August already! I'm feeling the summer wind-down starting to happen, but, here on the podcast, we're still enjoying a special summer series on Women's Yoga & Meditation. I share this series to give you a taste of my 200-hour online women's yoga & meditation teacher training (which also happens to be the world's first women's yoga teacher training!), taking place online this year for the first time. And, as our next guest in this series, today we're welcoming Constanza Eliana Chinea, a Brown Latinx anti-racism educator, producer, and certified Yoga instructor. She began teaching and consulting after noticing a need for diversity and representation in the wellness industry. She now teaches Yoga teachers/practitioners and wellness entrepreneurs how to decolonize their practices, create equity for teachers of color, and build inclusive spaces in the community. There's a wealth of information in this conversation for all of us who want to begin to shed light on our blind spots and bring more inclusivity into our practices and communities. Please enjoy this conversation with Constanza Eliana! Constanza Eliana's website: www.EmbodyInclusivity Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com www.WomensYogaTeacherTraining.com Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Constanza Eliana on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/constanza.eliana Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor Subscribe to Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe

Over the next several weeks, I'm sharing a special summer series here on the podcast on the topic of Women's Yoga & Meditation. In it, I'll feature interviews with interesting women in the field, as well as replays of well-loved dharma talks I've given on these topics over the years. I'll share stories from my own life and practice. Hard-won insights and life-changing lessons from my own mentors, answering the most common struggles you asked about when I inquired: “what's holding you back in your yoga and meditation practice and teaching?” Today's episode is all about the mysterious path of women's yoga. In it, I speak about my humble (unexpected) beginnings, the core differences between masculine and feminine approaches to yoga, and how you can trust the zigs and zags of your own journey, too. If you enjoy this episode, please consider joining me for my upcoming 200-hour Yoga Alliance Women's Yoga & MeditationTeacher Training. Happening 100% online this year, it's now open for registration (with early bird discounts until August 12). At this unconventional gathering, I'll share the under-the-hood techniques and principles I've used in my own yoga & meditation for two decades — and taught to thousands of women, worldwide. Whether you're aching to support other women or just deepen your own practice, you'll find the feminine heart of yoga and meditation there. www.WomensYogaTeacherTraining.com Women's Summer of Celebration: www.womensyogateachertraining.com/summer Sara's website: www.saravantstover.com Sara's newsletter: www.saraavantstover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraavantstover Sara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

This month I'm starting a special, summer series here on the podcast, where I'm featuring interviews and talks about the path of women's yoga & meditation. I'm sharing these in celebration of my soon-to-open (later this month!) online, 200-hour Yoga Alliance Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Trainiing. To start this series out, I'm sharing an interview with Angela Farmer, one of my yogini-heroines for the past two decades. A luminary in her field, she's studied with some of the world's greatest spiritual masters: B.K.S Iyengar, Patabhi Jois, H.H. the Dalai Lama, and more. But it wasn't until she stepped out of all traditions and dropped into the yoga of listening closely to her own body that she finally found what she was looking for– the experience of feeling at home in herself. This intimate conversation with Angela, which I recorded several years ago, truly feels like sitting at the feet of a wise, female elder. She shares with tremendous honesty and clarity how she has arrived at this place in her life of truly accepting and loving herself as she is, while helping others to do the same. You'll likely want to take some notes while listening to this, as there are so many rich nuggets to remember. Enjoy! Angela's website: www.Angela-Victor.com Women's Summer of Celebration: www.WomensYogaTeacherTraining.com/Summer Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.WomensYogaTeacherTraining.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor

Summer is officially here in the northern hemisphere. Huzzah! Bike rides, swimming, hikes, picnics: this is the season of pleasure. Yet, living in a (mostly) pleasure-adverse culture–- and emerging from the underworld of the pandemic-- can make feeling good feel hard at times. Today I'm sharing an excerpt of a dharma talk I gave a couple of months ago during an online course I taught called "The Book of SHE Club." In this course, we covered one chapter of my second book (The Book of SHE) per week. I gave this particular talk when we covered chapter ten, “Turning on Your Brights.” Since The Book of SHE outlines the 13 stages of the heroine's journey-- or a woman's path to turning crisis into opportunity-- This chapter was the first chapter in the “ascent” portion of the heroine's journey. I felt like this was a relevant talk to share right now given that we're in the midst of a collective ascent. We're coming out of the descent of the pandemic and adjusting our eyes to the light and our senses to more joy and pleasure. And, on that note, later this summer I'm hosting a free, online gathering to support us all in coming together to cultivate more pleasure, more connection, and more fun in our lives. It's called “Women's Summer of Celebration,” and it spans over 5 weeks, from July 21 to August 18. We'll meet for 45 minutes via Zoom each Wednesday during that time. And, each week, a new guest teacher will join us to lead us through experiences from creative writing to sensual dance to devotional music therapy and more. You can join us (for free) at www. WomensYogaTeacherTraining.com/Summer. I'd love to see you there to celebrate with you this season! And, for now, enjoy this dharma talk on "Opening to More Pleasure." Women's Summer of Celebration: www.WomensYogaTeacherTraining.com/Summer Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Subscribe to Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor

Today I have another important conversation to share with you. It's for women who are childless(not by choice), women who are childfree (childless by choice), and for women who DO have children, so you can better understand and empathize with women who do not. In her mid-forties, after years of trying to get pregnant, Jody Day found herself still childless– and overcome with grief and unsure how life could go on. Now, at the age of 56, Jody has found genuine happiness and embraced her life of involuntary childlessness by transforming her own suffering into service to other childless women. The British founder of Gateway Women, a global friendship and support network for childless women with a social reach of over 2-million, Jody is the author of "Living the Life Unexpected: How to Find Hope, Meaning and a Fulfilling Future Without Children." Chosen as one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2013, she's a global thought leader on female involuntary childlessness, integrative psychotherapist, TEDx speaker, and more. We speak about the problem with living in a pronatalist culture (especially when most people don't realize that we do), the fetishization of motherhood, the unconscious bias many hold towards childless women (and the historical roots of this), and how we can come together as women to begin to bridge the divide between those of us who have children and those of us who do not. Whether you have children, don't have children (but want/wanted them), don't want children, or still want children, this conversation is an important one to listen to and contemplate deeply. Please also share this with those who need to hear it. Enjoy! Jody Day's website: www.Gateway-Women.com Jody's upcoming "Reignite" Weekend: www.gateway-women.com/event-directory/ Jody on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/GatewayWomen Jody on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/GatewayWomenUK Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#teachertraininglist Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor

This May marks the 10-year anniversary of the publication of my first book, The Way of the Happy Woman. One of the ways I'm celebrating is to share two episodes here on the podcast, where I reflect on the ten things I've learned since then. Those of you who have been part of this community during this time know that I've been on quite a journey. A journey of tremendous heartbreak, healing, and transformation. In every sense, I've had to learn at the deepest level what I've been teaching and writing about. As a result, I'm a very different person than I was ten years ago. And, at the same time, I'm still very much– and even more of– myself. It was hard to distill all I've learned into just ten things, but I did my best! I hope you enjoy part two of this conversation. Online 200-Hour Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#teachertraininglist Changing with Grace: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#change Website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter Instagram: www.Instagram.com/saraavantstover Facebook: www.Facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

This May marks the 10-year anniversary of the publication of my first book, The Way of the Happy Woman. One of the ways I'm celebrating is to share two episodes here on the podcast, where I reflect on the ten things I've learned over this past decade. Those of you who have been part of this community during this time know that I've been on quite a journey. A journey of tremendous heartbreak, healing, and transformation. In every sense, I've had to learn at the deepest level what I've been teaching and writing about. As a result, I'm a very different person than I was ten years ago. And, at the same time, I'm still very much– and even more of– myself. It was hard to distill all I've learned into just ten things, but I did my best! I hope you enjoy part one of this conversation. Online 200-Hour Women's Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#teachertraininglist Changing with Grace: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#change Website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter Instagram: www.Instagram.com/saraavantstover Facebook: www.Facebook.com/saraavantstoverauthor

One of the (many) shadow sides of living in a patriarchal world is the idealization of motherhood. Women are expected to be– and to want to be– intrinsically all-loving, all-nurturing mothers, regardless of our circumstances or individual dispositions. The inevitable failure to live up to this ideal leads to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and wonderings of "what's wrong with me?". My conversation today with author, scholar, and speaker, Daniela F. Sieff, Ph.D., serves as a salve for these feelings. Through her studies of "The Death Mother" archetype (which she first discovered through working with the Jungian analyst Marian Woodman), Daniela helps to normalize these darker feelings that women can have towards their children- ranging anywhere from ambivalence to disgust. Daniela and I also speak about the impact this archetype has on those who are at the receiving end of it. This conversation will particularly interest you if you were adopted, felt unwanted/neglected/or unloved by your mother or caregiver, grew up with a mother who was physically or emotionally abusive or absent, if you’re struggling with cancer, an addiction, eating disorder, or autoimmune disease, or if you have had an abortion, given a child up for adoption, or have felt ambivalent, or even resentful about being a mother at times. It’s time to dispel the myth of the all-loving mother and to bring this shadow side of motherhood to the surface so we can give women the support and resources they need when they're struggling. Daniela's website: www.DanielaSieff.com Daniela's newsletter: https://sieff.pro/subscribe Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor Changing with Grace: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#change

For this month’s meditation, I’m sharing one that I led a little bit ago in an online course I’ve been teaching this winter and spring called The Book of SHE Club (which, you guessed it is a book club for my second book, The Book of SHE). This is a meditation I led during the week when we unpacked the chapter on Unlocking the Magic in your SHE Cycles (your SHE Cycle is also your moon cycle). I lead an activation of a woman’s subtle energy body, for, as, with so many other areas of life, we’re often taught about our subtle energy anatomy through a male lens. This one lets you tap into your energy body in a more feminine and accurate way than you may have been taught through other yoga and meditation traditions. I hope you find this supportive. The Holy Mother Retreat: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#communityretreats Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Subscribe to the newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor

Today I’m welcoming Kimberly Ann Johnson onto the podcast to talk about her new book, “Call of the Wild: How we Heal Trauma, Awaken our Power, and Use it for Good." Kimberly’s a somatic experiencing practitioner, sexological bodyworker, birth doula, and single mother. Her new book combines all of these modalities, and more, to create a groundbreaking, accessible, comprehensive, and– above all– feminist approach to healing trauma. She believes that we women are stuck in a cycle of trauma, both collectively and individually, and presents for us a path to break it. Enjoy! Kimberly's website & book: www.KimberlyAnnJohnson.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com The Deep Rest Retreat: https://bit.ly/2XWyfwM Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor

Today, I want to talk about something that I haven’t spoken much about yet here on the podcast: health. Taking care of my health is my #1 priority in life. I know that, without my health, everything else suffers. Throughout my adult life so far, I’ve tried everything under the sun in terms of health protocols. When I was younger, some of these things worked well for me, but in recent years, they only seemed to make some inflammatory/autoimmune symptoms I have worse. Things changed when I learned of Unique Hammond. An LA-based holistic nutritionist, Bean Protocol coach, and author, Unique has been on quite a health journey. Ten years ago she was suffering from debilitating Crohn’s disease, which stripped her 5'7” frame down to 90 pounds, with countless trips to the bathroom each day. Today, at age 45, Unique is a radiant vision of health. Knowing Unique, seeing her, hearing her story, and how she lives her life, expands my vision of what's possible on my own health journey, especially as I approach my mid-forties, too. In today's conversation, Unique shares what the turning point was for her on her healing journey: The Bean Protocol. When I first heard about The Bean Protocol, it sounded very weird, to be honest. But as I learned more of the science behind it, as well as Unique's story (and those of others she’s working), I was intrigued. I've been on The Bean Protocol ever since, and, in my conversation with Unique, we speak more about all of this in-depth. If you're suffering from hormonal imbalances, adrenal fatigue, inflammation, autoimmune symptoms, mystery illnesses, liver imbalances, gut or skin issues, mood disorders, or are simply wanting to learn how to use food as medicine to grow older with more grace and ease (including how to reverse the growth of gray hair, naturally), you'll walk away from today's conversation with new information and perspectives for your own healing journey. Unique's website: www.YoureGreat.com Unique on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/UniqueHammond Karen Hurd: www.KarenHurd.com Lacy Phillips/Expanded Podcast: www.ToBeMagnetic.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Women's Wisdom Sangha: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#sangha Newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor

Over the years, when I work one-on-one with women, they often share that something they want for their lives, and to gain from working together, is to establish a solid, daily meditation practice. I love that they want this for themselves and that they see the value in this. Because if you’re to pick one daily ritual to implement that will have the biggest impact on every area of your life, that is without a doubt a daily, meditation practice. To help support you with this, I’m going to start sharing some guided meditations here on the podcast. Today’s is one from a virtual retreat I led in my online spiritual practice community, Women’s House of Wisdom. In it, we take refuge in our belly centers– known in many spiritual traditions as our “true home.” It’s the seat of our intuition, our wisdom, our highest selves. May today’s guided meditation be of benefit. The Deep Rest Retreat: https://bit.ly/2XWyfwM Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com Newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#subscribe Women's House of Wisdom: www.WomensHouseofWisdom.com Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor

In honor of tomorrow being the first day of Women's History Month (how did it get to be March already?!), I want to give voice to something that has afflicted nearly every woman I know at some point in her life, in some form. It's something we started grappling with when our bodies started growing from girl to woman. It's something our sisters, mothers, and grandmothers often suffered from. It's something that stays with us in subtle, yet pernicious ways. It's something that we deny, judge, and hate – but also secretly love. Above all, it's something we stay silent about. I want to talk today about our eating disorders. In the opening chapter of my second book, The Book of SHE, I recounted the story of an intense, and startling, bulimia relapse I had eleven years ago when I was overcome with self-doubt and inner criticism while writing my first book. Upon reading my story, many women reached out sharing "I, too, was bulimic in high school and sometimes have relapses as an adult. I've done so much spiritual and psychological work and these episodes seem to come out the blue. How did heal from this?" The road to healing from eating disorders is long and complex, involving deep psychological, biological, and spiritual support. What I've learned on my healing journey is so much more than I can share in a single podcast. In short, the overall attitude I found most transformative was to see my eating disorder as a friend with whom I'm in a lifelong relationship (whether or not it's active). Today on the podcast I'm sharing more about this perspective shift, as well as the therapeutic healing modality I've found most effective for healing not only eating disorders, but also all sorts of other traumas and fragmentations. This modality is called IFS (or Internal Family Systems), and it's something I've been a client of for many years, wrote about in The Book of SHE, and which I also use with my mentoring clients. Rather than demonizing and pathologizing our eating disorders (and addictions- both soft and hard), IFS teaches us how to turn towards them and befriend them. Mary Kruger– a Certified IFS Therapist and Lead Trainer who specializes in addiction, eating disorders, and trauma– is joining us today to speak about this revolutionary way to approach these things. May this conversation be of benefit. Mary's website: www.mpkruger.com IFS website: www.ifs-institute.com Sara's website: www.SaraAvantStover.com The Book of SHE: www.indiebound.org/book/9781608682898 Women's House of Wisdom: www.WomensHouseofWisdom.com Sara on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SaraAvantStover Sara on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SaraAvantStoverAuthor Subscribe to Sara's newsletter: www.SaraAvantStover.com/#newsletter