Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles.

In this deeply moving conversation, Rachel Zehden shares how profound loss became a calling to help others heal. A certified somatic attachment practitioner and life coach, Rachel opens up about losing her father suddenly and her mother to suicide while she was pregnant—then transforming that pain into purpose.

We dive into somatic healing, how the body holds trauma, and what “high-functioning depression” really looks like. Rachel explains how generational trauma is passed down, why awareness is the first step to change, and how to rewrite the stories we inherit. If you’ve ever felt trapped in old fears or family patterns, this episode offers tools to release, rebuild, and move forward.

· [02:35] Rachel’s early path: from marketing to music to children’s books

· [09:35] The loss of her father and how writing helped her heal

· [18:35] Mother’s suicide during pregnancy: shock, grief, and seeking purpose

· [28:35] Discovering somatic healing and training on a suicide prevention hotline

· [38:35] High-functioning depression and why signs are often missed

· [47:35] Generational trauma, epigenetics, and reprogramming the nervous system

· [56:35] Somatic tools to calm anxiety and rewrite your story

· [65:35] Rachel’s programs: one-on-one coaching, group work, and workshops

· [73:35] Final message of hope and resources for anyone struggling

🌿 Connect with Rachel Zehden:

· Website & programs: https://rewindwithrachel.com

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rewindwithrachel

· Email: rachel@rewindwithrachel.com

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

• Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
• Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
• Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast
• 
  

💬 Rate & Review

· Loved this episode? Please consider leaving a 5-star review and sharing it with a friend!

If you or someone you know is struggling, you are never alone. In the U.S., call or text 988 anytime for confidential support.

#TheBeautyInTheMess #RachelZehden #HealingJourney #SomaticHealing #HighFunctioningDepression #RewriteYourStory #GenerationalTrauma #MentalHealthAwareness #TraumaRecovery #BreakTheCycle

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Three unexpected phone calls. A verse in James that would not let go. A cargo van full of winter boots. That’s how April Jurgensen knew she had been called to act. As founder and executive director of The Boaz Project, April has spent more than 25 years serving orphans by strengthening caregivers and supporting whole homes instead of individual sponsorships. In this conversation, she shares the origin story, the power of trauma-informed care, the challenges of carrying heartbreaking stories, and why this work ministers to both children and the heart of God.

• · [00:03:05] Welcome and April’s origin story begins
• · [00:04:05] The 2020/60 Minutes calls and James 1:27
• · [00:08:05] First supply trip to Russia and the “cargo van” moment
• · [00:12:05] Building a trustworthy model and launching Boaz
• · [00:14:05] What makes Boaz different: caregivers and whole-home support
• · [00:17:05] Why no individual child sponsorships and the attachment cycle
• · [00:21:05] Guarding against unhealthy attachment while still loving kids
• · [00:23:05] Handling hard days, logic vs emotion, and therapy tools
• · [00:25:05] The hospital wing story and “feeling God’s heart”
• · [00:34:05] Suffering, justice, and ministering to God by loving orphans
• · [00:37:05] Nervous-system care: vagus, tapping, somatic work
• · [00:40:05] Common misconceptions and why Boaz works outside the US
• · [00:42:05] Culture-first partnerships and trauma training
• · [00:45:05] Legal realities and why most orphans are not adoptable
• · [00:48:05] How to help: prayer list, Orphan Advocate Training, trips, giving
• · [00:49:05] Boaz meaning and mission
• · [00:51:05] The future: growth across nations
• · [00:52:05] Finding your own calling
• · [00:53:05] Final word: God’s adopting love

🌿 Connect with April Jurgensen:

• Learn More: https://boazproject.org/
• Free Orphan Advocate Training (self-paced online)
• Books: The Orphan’s Abba and When God is Your Father

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

• Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
• Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
• Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

💬 Rate & Review

· Loved this episode? Please consider leaving a 5-star review and sharing it with a friend!

#TheBeautyInTheMess #BoazProject #OrphanCare #TraumaInformedCare #FaithInAction #AprilJurgensen

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina, Harvard-trained, double board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, says skincare is whole-body care. What you eat, how you sleep, and how you manage stress show up on your skin as much as any cream. Hydration is important for overall health, but water alone won’t moisturize skin. “Clean beauty” is mostly marketing, and preservatives are necessary to prevent mold and bacteria. Stick with tested brands, be consistent, and avoid hopping from product to product.

Perimenopause brings dryness and collagen loss; sleep and lifestyle matter, and HRT or topical estrogen may help. Red light therapy and exosomes show promise but require consistency and caution. Beware of “instant firming” creams; true laxity often needs surgical solutions. Most importantly, match the tool to the job and choose providers with skill and integrity.

• 03:05 Food, drink, and whole-body care for skin
• 04:05 Hydration myths vs. moisturizers
• 05:05 “Clean beauty” marketing, what matters instead
• 08:05 Why preservatives exist and how to vet brands
• 09:05 Trusted everyday brands and what she uses
• 10:05 Biggest mistakes: inconsistency and product hopping
• 12:05 Product Loyalty; irritation = stop
• 13:05 Real timelines: acne, retinoids, collagen changes
• 14:05 Makeup questions and where derms fit
• 15:05 New preservatives, sensitivity, and reactions
• 17:05 Physical exfoliators and brushes: when to pass
• 18:05 Eczema 101: barrier repair and when to see a derm
• 20:05 Perimenopause skin changes; options to discuss with your doctor
• 23:05 Sleep, stress, habits, and skin repair
• 25:05 Red light therapy: what it can and can’t do at home
• 27:05 Stem cells vs. exosomes, hype vs. early promise
• 31:05 “Instant firming” claims and what’s real
• 32:05 Procedures: results depend on the operator
• 35:05 Strategy: improve complexion first; what peels do
• 36:05 Laxity and when surgery is the answer
• 37:05 How facelifts evolved; natural results
• 39:05 Why Dr. Mina started The Skin Real
• 45:05 Her path from dance to dermatology; acne empathy
• 48:05 Final message: cancel the noise, care from the inside out
• 49:05 Free habits guide and how to follow Dr. Mina

🌿 Connect with Dr. Mina:

• Podcast: https://theskinreal.com/

· YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLggCqJEOBz0NUIcMeJDIaw

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drminaskin

· Free Habits Guide: https://hi.theskinreal.com/habits

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

• Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
• Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
• Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

💬 Rate & Review

· Loved this episode? Please consider leaving a 5-star review and sharing it with a friend!

#Skincare #Dermatology #SkinHealth #Eczema #Perimenopause #RedLightTherapy #Exosomes #ChemicalPeel #Facelift #EvidenceBased #Dr.MaryAliceMina #TheBeautyInTheMess

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