There are so many different types of therapy—and finding the right one for you can feel overwhelming. In this episode, Holly, Kelly, and Emma are joined by somatic therapist, educator, and embodiment guide Molly Bienstock for a powerful conversation about somatic therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), body-based healing, and how to better understand the language of your internal parts.

We explore:

• What somatic therapy is and how it differs from traditional talk therapy
• How IFS and parts work helps us connect
• Why curiosity over judgment is a powerful healing tool
• The connection between trauma, the nervous system, and body responses
• How somatic therapy mirrors shamanic and ancestral wisdom

Plus, Molly shares their deeply personal journey of healing after a traumatic injury and how that experience shaped their work in Somatics, embodiment, and therapeutic support. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in deepening their connection to the body, building internal safety, and exploring healing through the lens of Somatics and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Topics Covered:

• What is Somatic Therapy?
• Understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS) and “parts work”
• Connecting with the Self and reparenting wounded parts
• Trauma and body-based responses
• Reframing judgment into curiosity
• Boundary-setting and “spicy containers” for your inner parts
• Orienting Practices for grounding and safety
• Humor, boundaries, and curiosity in healing work
• Daily ways to tune into your body’s language

Connect with Our Guest: Molly Bienstock (Magic with Molly) @rabbischmooly

Resources:

• Creative Wellness E-Workbook – Use code KEEPCREATING for 15% off
• Waves of Creativity Retreat in Costa Rica – Nov 9–14, 2025
• Episode 74: Shamanism & Animism
• Episode 115: Creative Wellness
• @artofloving

Support the show

Join the ~*Dream Team*~ to support the podcast!

Get the 28 Day Creative Wellness Challenge E-Workbook- Use the code KEEPCREATING for 15% off!

Work 1:1 with Holly through mentorship & coaching

Join the FREE *Creative Wellness Collective* to continue the conversations we have on the podcast with fellow listeners!

Give the gift that keeps on giving-- Custom Meditations!

Follow @howthewiseonegrows and @hollyzajur on Instagram for more and check out more offerings online.

Episode sponsored by Connect Wellness. Connect Wellness empowers people with tools to connect with themselves, others, and the present moment.

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In this follow-up to our most popular episode on the decision to have kids or remain childfree, we expand the conversation to explore the culture, politics, and personal experience of care with award-winning journalist and author Elissa Strauss.

Elissa is the author of When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others and a writer for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Glamour, and more. In this episode, she shares deep insights into why care is undervalued in society—from parenting and caregiving to the structural changes needed to support those who provide care.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

✅ What care really means (beyond parenthood and childfree choices)

✅ How culture and politics shape our views on caregiving

✅ Why care work is undervalued—and how we can change that

✅ The emotional and financial toll of caregiving

✅ How we can build a society that truly supports caregivers

About Our Guest: Elissa Strauss

Elissa Strauss is a journalist, essayist, and opinion writer covering parenthood, caregiving, feminism, and social change. She has contributed to The New York Times, The Atlantic, Glamour, Slate, and was a CNN contributing writer. Her book, When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others, examines the transformative power of care and why we must rethink how we support caregivers in modern society.

📖 Get her book here

🧡 Support care advocacy: Caring Across Generations

Related Episodes:

🎧 Episode 102: The Decision to Have Kids or Remain Childfree with Keltie Maguire (Part 1)

Support the Show & Stay Connected

📸 Follow on Instagram: @howthewiseonegrows @hollyzajur

🌿 Join the Community

⭐ Leave a Review (It helps so much!)

🔗 Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Fair play Method— Eve Rodsky

Support the show

Join the ~*Dream Team*~ to support the podcast!

Get the 28 Day Creative Wellness Challenge E-Workbook- Use the code KEEPCREATING for 15% off!

Work 1:1 with Holly through mentorship & coaching

Join the FREE *Creative Wellness Collective* to continue the conversations we have on the podcast with fellow listeners!

Give the gift that keeps on giving-- Custom Meditations!

Follow @howthewiseonegrows and @hollyzajur on Instagram for more and check out more offerings online.

Episode sponsored by Connect Wellness. Connect Wellness empowers people with tools to connect with themselves, others, and the present moment.

Be wise-- sign up to be the first to know what's next!

What is creative wellness? How do creativity and wellness intersect, and why is this so important—especially now? In this episode of How the Wise One Grows, Holly Zajur and Kelly Eberle sit down with guest Preston Slaughter to explore how creative wellness is a powerful tool for healing, resilience, and reimagining the world we need today.

In a world that often feels overwhelming, we discuss:

• What is creativity, and when did it first show up in our lives?
• What blocks creativity? Unpacking perfectionism, societal expectations, & fear
• What is creative wellness? How creativity supports mental, emotional, & physical well-being
• Why creative wellness is a necessary antidote to today’s challenges
• The impact of play, imagination, and intuition in reclaiming creative expression
• How creativity extends beyond art—into how we build our lives and communities
• Our upcoming Creative Wellness Retreat in Costa Rica!

Creative wellness isn’t just about making art—it’s about living creatively, embracing play, and using imagination as a tool for growth. In this episode, we talk about how creative expression can help process emotions, cultivate resilience, and reimagine new possibilities—whether through movement, storytelling, mindfulness, or daily rituals. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not creative”—this episode is for you. 🎧

Join Us in Costa Rica for the Creative Wellness Retreat!

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, November 9-14, 2025

• Daily yoga, meditation, and movement
• Hands-on creative workshops (ceramics, watercolor, collage, and more!)
• Connection with nature, yourself, and a like-minded community
• Space to rest, explore, and reignite your creative spark
• No experience necessary—everyone is creative!
• Early Bird Pricing Ends March 31st!

🔗 Sign up & bring a friend for a special buddy discount: Waves of Creativity retreat in Costa Rica

🎧 Listen Now & Reignite Your Creative Spark!

28 Day Creative Wellness Challenge E-Workbook- Use the code KEEPCREATING for 15% off!

Waves of Creativity retreat in Costa Rica

Songwriting course with Brian Eno

@howthewiseonegrows |

Support the show

Join the ~*Dream Team*~ to support the podcast!

Get the 28 Day Creative Wellness Challenge E-Workbook- Use the code KEEPCREATING for 15% off!

Work 1:1 with Holly through mentorship & coaching

Join the FREE *Creative Wellness Collective* to continue the conversations we have on the podcast with fellow listeners!

Give the gift that keeps on giving-- Custom Meditations!

Follow @howthewiseonegrows and @hollyzajur on Instagram for more and check out more offerings online.

Episode sponsored by Connect Wellness. Connect Wellness empowers people with tools to connect with themselves, others, and the present moment.

Be wise-- sign up to be the first to know what's next!