In this episode of Soft Human Voice, Jessica sits down with author and intuitive storyteller Rebecca Berry for an open and heartfelt conversation about listening beyond the noise of culture and conditioning. Together they explore intuition, embodied awareness, creative guidance, and the delicate balance between imagination and grounded reality.

The conversation moves through personal stories of grief, creativity, and spiritual practice, reflecting on how kindness, truth, and presence often emerge when we learn to listen more deeply to ourselves and to life itself. At its heart, this episode is an invitation to soften, become curious, and remember the voice that speaks through intuition, body, and experience.

About Rebecca BerryRebecca Berry is the author of Later at the Bar and Recipes for a Beautiful Life. She is an intuitive reader and live storyteller whose work has appeared on The Moth and TEDx, and in publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Tin House, and One Story. Her work explores storytelling, intuition, and the relationship between creativity and the unseen world. Learn more about Rebecca at rebeccabarry@substack.com.

About Jessica ShepherdJessica Shepherd is an astrologer, intuitive guide, and author of five books including A Love Alchemist’s Notebook. She is the host of the Soft Human Voice podcast and writes the companion Substack newsletter Soft Human Words, where she shares reflections on intuition, creativity, and embodied practices including qigong. Learn more at jessicashepherd@substack.com.

CreditsHost: Jessica ShepherdGuest: Rebecca BarryProduced and Edited by: Noah TetznerPodcast Theme: Soft Human Voice by Jessica ShepherdLearn more: jessicashepherd.net | Soft Human Words on Substack

In this episode, Jessica speaks with naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist, and medical astrologer Kira Sutherland about using astrology as a practical lens for understanding health, stress, and self-care.

They explore how the body reflects emotional and energetic patterns, why symptoms can be understood as meaningful signals, and how small shifts in nourishment, routine, and attention can support long-term wellbeing. Kira shares how she blends natural medicine with astrology in a grounded, ethical way that avoids fear or prediction and instead supports clarity, alignment, and choice.

This episode is for anyone curious about listening more closely to the body and responding with care.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome + introductions03:00 Kira’s path into medical astrology07:00 Jessica’s health origin story10:00 Reading the chart for health14:00 Ethics and why prediction is avoided18:00 Transits as activators22:00 The nodal axis and alignment25:00 Self-care and the body’s signals29:00 Why change is hard33:00 Food as a gateway to healing36:00 Emotions, digestion, and the Moon39:00 Modern food culture and imbalance42:00 Weight, medication, and compassion45:00 Honoring individual differences

About

Kira Sutherland is an Australian naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist, and medical astrologer with over 25 years of clinical experience. She teaches and consults internationally, blending astrology and natural medicine to support physical and emotional wellbeing through practical, ethical, and individualized care.

Jessica Shepherd is an astrologer, intuitive guide, and author of five books, including A Love Alchemist’s Notebook. She is the host of Soft Human Voice and the companion newsletter Soft Human Words, exploring sensitivity, embodiment, and self-trust through reflective conversation and practice.

Instead of adding something to your list, this episode is meant to take something off your plate.

During the holidays, many of us are holding more — more people, more emotions, more expectations — while still trying to make everything feel smooth and magical. Sensitive bodies feel this deeply.

In this short, grounding episode, I offer a simple recentering practice you can return to whenever you need a breather. It’s designed for those quiet moments — a few minutes alone, a pause between gatherings, or a chance to come back into your body (the guided practice begins at 8:00).

May this Soft Nudge support your nervous system, your energy, and your ability to receive your own presence this season.

Happy Holidays,

Jessica