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I read a post this morning from someone in Slovenia who said we are "underreacting" here in the United States. In some cases, this may be true.

But I also see a lot of people highly reacting to the immense onslaught of too much-ness that we're navigating right now.

And in that reacting, it could be actively doing things, but it may also look like reactively numbing or shutting down completely.

Because let's be honest, too much-ness is often... overwhelming. Maybe we're not underreacting, maybe we're overwhelmed.

And if so, that makes a LOT of sense.

Can we normalize not feeling regulated right now? Like, how can we expect ourselves to be okay, really?

But -- simultaneously, somehow, miraculously, nature continues. The sun shines, the moon returns. The earth is always here for us.

That said, overwhelm is real, and exploring tools to help us understand our own personal relationship to it is what this week's guest, Sherene Cauley, brings.

She researched overwhelm, and then created this beautiful image that she calls the Talisman against overwhelm.

Such a creative way to bring interactive practice that encourages self-reflection into our daily lives.

If you're in the murky muck right now and want to explore a creative path to deeper self-awareness and navigating overwhelm, this conversation is perfect for you.

Resources:

• Grab a spot on the Natural Contraception waitlist (opens feb 8th 2026)
• Today's shownotes: Check out the Talisman of Overwhelm image + Sherene's links
• Episode 197: Somatic practices for healing childhood wounds using IFS with Kristen Stake
• Episode 209: Sacred Rage with Andrea Thompson
• Episode 210: How to build capacity and resilience

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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Many of us are feeling the wobbliness of the world right now. It's not easy to know what to say, how to engage with our daily lives, or really what's going to happen.

And while that can feel destabilizing (obvs), it can also be a really good time to consider our own personal resilience -- to honor that, listen within, and build towards greater capacity. This is not the same for every person.

So how can you explore this for yourself? And what practices and herbs could be supportive to help you build capacity in stressful times?

That's what I explore in this week's episode.

Tune in to hear about how stress can mess with your hormones, one way to map your current stress response landscape (inspired by Deb Dana), and some practices and herbs that might be able to support you to prevent burnout and instead build your reserves and capacity for a longer term resilience.

Honestly, herbs and practices like this don't change the systems, structures, relationships, etc that are underlying and causing chronic issues.

But these practices CAN help you listen to your own body and build foundations of personalized wellbeing amidst these topsy turvy times.

Resources:

• Track Your Cycle Free Guide
• Waitlist for Natural Contraception the Herbal Way
• Today's shownotes: Foundations for building capacity
• Episode 17: How stress messes with your hormones
• Episode 68: Herbal spotlight on Milky Oats
• Episode 171: Somatic Experiencing for healing trauma w Emma Schurink
• Book: Anchored by Deb Dana

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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How do you relate to the fierce intensity that is rage? So many of us are socialized to dim this part of ourselves, to tuck it inside, that it is NOT welcome in the world.

For women and female-bodied folks, it is common to be labeled "hormonal" or "hysterical." And what does that typically mean? Anger, irritation, rage...

This is so deeply embedded in our cultural ways of knowing that the word "hysterical" actually comes from the root word "hyster-" which connotes womb/uterus.

Hysteria was a common diagnosis in the 19th century that referred to irritability, impulsiveness, tendency to "cause trouble" among other things. This idea that those qualities of energy are something to literally diagnose says a lot about how poorly embraced they were.

So, where is it then that we are allowed to express this innate part of ourselves? Perhaps in our homes or intimate relationships, maybe in certain forms of work, but almost nowhere in a publicly accepted way.

Today's guest, bodyworker and ritual facilitator Andrea Thompson shares about her journey to embracing her own Sacred Rage and how she came to facilitate spaces for others to express their rage, too.

She also speaks about her own personal fertility and perimenopause journey which is profoundly interwoven with her work around rage and ritual.

This conversation is overflowing with embodied wisdom and inspiration. I hope you love it!

Resources:

• Grab a spot on the Natural Contraception (Feb 2026) waitlist
• Today's shownotes: Get links to Andrea's offerings
• Episode 184: Ancestral womb lineage healing w Jillian Twisla
• Episode 135: How grief can help us feel alive w Siobhan Asgharzadeh

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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How can the wheel of the year support your inherent wellbeing?

Not just seasonal connection, but actually feeling into the qualities the season offers and intentionally working with some of that energy to enhance your life...

Today's conversation with Corinna Wood explores this topic as she describes the Wise Woman's Needs Wheel she developed at a time in her life when she was walking through immense transformation.

One of the things I found especially interesting was the timing of this, where she was deeply reflecting and growing out of her repeated relationship patterns during her perimenopausal years too.

And just hearing how much she grew and a whole new world opened up to her in this time, there is something so hopeful in that.

Even after decades of herbalism and wise woman seasonal lifestyle, this exploration of her inner landscape was a deeper healing than she'd been able to access before.

She shares her story, a bit on her personal history and how both the Needs Wheel and becoming aware of her underlying beliefs landed her in a solid healthy relationship dynamic for the first time in her life.

So much in here, I'm excited for you to hear it!

Resources:

• Download your copy of Corinna's Wise Woman's Needs Wheel
• Check out Corinna's free workshop Jan 18, 2026: 8 Seasons of the Wise Woman Path
• Explore Corinna's yearlong mentorship: The Wise Woman Path
• Learn more on her website: Corinna Wood
• Today's shownotes: Wise Woman Needs Wheel with Corinna Wood
• Episode 158: Midwinter herbalism - getting creative with broths and teas
• Free guided visualization: Womb Embodiment and Clearing Meditation

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

Support the show

Click here to send me a quick message :)

What if your cycle was a storyteller? An oracle? A guide to help you more deeply understand what your body is telling you?

This is exactly what your cycle is, whether you're in your peal fertility years, have irregular cycles, hormonal imbalances, are perimenopausal or beyond.

And while for some people, hormonal birth control is an important ally, for others they were put on the pill to "regulate" their hormonal imbalance before they really got a chance to understand what else might be underlying the imbalance.

In today's medley episode, you'll hear a little about hormonal birth control and its effect on the body from Gabrielle Jansen.

Then I share about the origins of the phrase "your cycle is a vital sign" and more on how you can begin paying attention to what your cycle is telling you.

And finally I introduce the importance of getting curious about your irregular cycle if that's something happening for you. While it can be very normal to have irregular cycles in your early post-menarche years and perimenopausal years, no matter when you're experiencing them it can be helpful to pay extra attention to get a sense of what else they might be telling you, too.

Whatever signs and symptoms you may be experiencing, this episode is a little glimpse into your cycle as an oracle, and each of the full episodes are a deeper dive into these topics, which I recommend listening to if any of these topics piques your interest.

Resources:

• Free live class, Jan 13th 2pm eastern (recording avail): What's Your Menstrual Cycle Telling You?
• Free guide: Track Your Cycle using FAM - get started
• Today's show notes: Your cycle is an oracle
• Episode 23: Your body on birth control w Gabrielle Jansen
• Episode 38: Your cycle is a vital sign
• Episode 66: What is your irregular cycle telling you?

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

Support the show

Click here to send me a quick message :)

What is arousal and how is it related to your vagus nerve, past trauma or feeling unsafe, your stress levels, or even your body just being built differently?

In today's medley episode we explore all of these concepts.

In this liminal time out of time that is "holiday season" there is often an overstimulation happening, but also an invitation to slow down.

I heard recently that this time of the year is when a large percentage of babies are conceived and I wonder how much that relates to this reflective inner quieting that allows the rest of life to sort of fall away and couples to feel more connected, and perhaps a little more in their pleasure bodies, than in other times of the year.

Maybe we can get a little curious about what contributes to this? How does taking time off of work, rest and reflection, the invitation to celebrate and feel hopeful impact our nervous systems and our capacity for pleasure?

Just some meandering questions for you to ponder with me if you'd like.

But if you want to get a little nerdy with me - learn about the vagus nerve, the organ that is your cervix and what pleasure potential lies there, and som reflective perspectives from occupational therapist Laura Rowan on what might be getting in the way of or enhancing your pleasure, this episode is perfect for you.

Resources:

• Free classsss Jan 13th! Sign up: What is your cycle telling you??
• Today's shownotes: Nervous system impact on arousal, orgasm + pleasure
• Episode 64: How the vagus nerve impacts arousal & pelvic organs
• Episode 87: From pain to pleasure w Laura Rowan
• Episode 98: Reclaim your cervix!

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

Support the show

Click here to send me a quick message :)

What can it look like, even in the fullness of the holiday season, to orient to restorative practices for deep wintertime wellbeing?

What if we treated this time as the transitional rite of passage that it is along the sun's path of rebirth into the new wheel of the year?

In this week's medley episode, you'll hear about practices from Ayurvedic, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western herbalism paradigms so you can consider what approach appeals most to you.

First, Ashlee Sakaishi Wilkin shares about the concept of rites of passage and how to tend the sacred window of this time (which can certainly be applied seasonally to deep winter as well which is Vata season).

Then I share about herbal bitters and how they can support both your digestion and your mood, a perfect compliment to this time of year -- holiday season foods and stressors.

And finally Jade Alicandro shares about the deep mineral nourishment of replenishing broths as food as medicine, and some key herbs you may want to include.

It's not about doing everything, but choosing perhaps one small thing you can do to align with the power of the winter solstice season as we cultivate the foundations for the incoming wheel of the year and return of the light!

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Restorative practices for deep winter wellbeing
• Free guide: 10 key herbs for hormonal health
• Episode 44: Bitters and hormonal balance
• Episode 45: Embodying winter w Jade Alicandro
• Episode 49: How to create a sacred window w Ashlee Sakaishi Wilkin

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

Support the show

Click here to send me a quick message :)

So many of us live with some form of chronic or acute pain. We get used to it, we look for ways to relieve it, we may find some things that work - temporarily or long term.

Sometimes that's movement practices, sometimes it's bodywork, sometimes it's structural adjustments, etc.

But more often than not, we're not actually looking to the root of the pain.

And unfortunately if it's connective tissue or bone-based, it can often be exacerbated in transitional times like postpartum or perimenopause / post-menopause.

After many years of offering Structural Integration style bodywork, Mia Esquivel found that for both her own post-menopausal body and for her clients, she wasn't seeing the relief she knew could be possible.

So she started seeking solutions outside of her bodywork box and came upon something called "Applied Neurology" and it has been a GAME CHANGER for herself and her clients.

Listen in to hear all about it (and a little on her perimenopause and post-menopause story - hint: you might never guess that foot pain could be related to hormonal shifts!).

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to Mia's offerings
• Free guide: 10 Key Herbs for Your Hormonal Health
• Episode 110: Healing chronic pelvic pain w Julia Dyer
• Episode 169: From a year of debilitating endo pain to feeling well w Mary Lauren Fraser

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you. ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

Support the show