Episodes

  • Author, Erica Baccus Discusses “The Right to Die,” Conversations on Death and Illness, Grief, and Her Memoir, “A PROMISE KEPT: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love”

    Author, Erica Baccus Discusses “The Right to Die,” Conversations on Death and Illness, Grief, and Her Memoir, “A PROMISE KEPT: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love”
    Jun 17 2026
    Today we welcome ERICA BACCUS, a caregiver, widow, and lived-experience expert on end-of-life autonomy for dementia. Erica’s new memoir, A PROMISE KEPT: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love is a clear-eyed account of honoring her husband John’s self-determined end while navigating the legal maze that forced their hand. In this deeply moving memoir, Erica Baccus invites readers into their intimate journey—through the beauty of their shared life, the heartbreak of decline, and the courageous choice John made to say goodbye on his own terms through assisted suicide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Banafsheh Sayyad, Founder of Dance of Oneness Discusses Sacred Dance and Embodiment

    Banafsheh Sayyad, Founder of Dance of Oneness Discusses Sacred Dance and Embodiment
    Jun 10 2026
    On today’s episode Aly sits down with Banafsheh Sayyad. She is a master sacred dancer, spiritual teacher and founder of "Dance of Oneness." Born in Iran, Banafsheh comes from a lineage of pioneering performing artists. She boldly forged a career in dance despite resistance from her family and a patriarchal culture that considered dance shameful. Her spiritual quest began at a young age leading her around the world where she received her MFA in dance and choreography from UCLA. She is internationally known for her groundbreaking choreography, where she invokes the ancient roots of dance as devotion, prayer, and adoration. An innovator of Sufi dance previously only performed by men, she represents the timeless Divine Feminine inside a contemporary gypsy darvish, beckoning us to live with passion, wildness, and reverence. Today, she and Aly discuss her work and how dance can be an act of liberation and celebration. If you’d like to experience Banafsheh’s work she has an upcoming 7 week online course via the Shift Network. You can find out more information via www.danceofoneness.org. Banafsheh is hosting a Free Intro Event called Dancing the Sacred Geometry of the Rose during which I introduce the course. This airs Saturday, June 13th at 10am PT, and the replay is on Tuesday, June 16th at 12pm PT. https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/dsgrBS/banafsheh1/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Author and Sociologist, Leah Ruppanner, Talks Her New Book: "Drained: Reduce Your Mental Load to Do Less and Be More.”

    Author and Sociologist, Leah Ruppanner, Talks Her New Book: "Drained: Reduce Your Mental Load to Do Less and Be More.”
    Jun 3 2026
    Leah Ruppanner is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Melbourne and Founder of LightenLab.She is the author of the new book: Drained: Reduce Your Mental Load to Do Less and Be More and Motherlands: How States Push Mothers Out of Employment. She has a PhD in Sociology and has spent decades researching and publishing over 70 peer-reviewed articles on gender, work and family. Today we discuss: her new book Drained: Reduce Your Mental Load to Do Less and Be More. The term mental load has become more familiar in recent years, but the popular understanding of the concept often reduces it down to managing a list of household chores and logistics. In the book, Leah reveals that for women, mental load actually goes much deeper: It’s a complex form of emotional thinking that is invisible, boundaryless, and enduring. In Drained, she outlines the eight distinct types of mental load and highlights what makes them so uniquely heavy for women. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Dr. Howard Schubiner Talks Mind Body Syndrome, Healing from Chronic Pain, and How To: “Unlearn Your Pain.”

    Dr. Howard Schubiner Talks Mind Body Syndrome, Healing from Chronic Pain, and How To: “Unlearn Your Pain.”
    May 27 2026
    Dr. Howard Schubiner is an internist and pediatrician, who attained the rank of full Professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1999. He is an internist and the director of the Mind Body Medicine Center at Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan. Dr. Schubiner is a Clinical Professor at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and is a fellow in the American College of Physicians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has authored more than 100 publications in scientific journals and books, and lectures regionally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. Schubiner is the author of three books: Unlearn Your Pain, Unlearn Your Anxiety and Depression, and Hidden From View, written with Allan Abbass, MD, a Professor of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Today, we have a fascinating conversation on Mind Body Syndrome a condition where the brain generates very real physical pain or symptoms in response to unresolved emotional stress, trauma, or repressed feelings like anger and anxiety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    58 mins
  • Allison Taylor of Le Prunier on The Power of “Plum” as a Secret Beauty Ingredient

    Allison Taylor of Le Prunier on The Power of “Plum” as a Secret Beauty Ingredient
    May 20 2026
    Today on the podcast, Aly sits down with the founder of Le Prunier. Allison Taylor grew up immersed in their family’s organic plum farm. Together with her sisters Jacqueline and Elaine they founded Le Prunier. Inspired by their heritage and driven by innovation, they transformed the family legacy into Le Prunier—a groundbreaking skincare brand that harnesses the Power of Plum®. Together they blend tradition, sustainability, and science to redefine clean beauty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 mins
  • Dr. Betsy Dovec Discusses Bariatric Surgery, Myth Busts Preconceived Notions About the Field, Talks GLP-1 Medication, and Shares a Compassionate Approach to Care

    Dr. Betsy Dovec Discusses Bariatric Surgery, Myth Busts Preconceived Notions About the Field, Talks GLP-1 Medication, and Shares a Compassionate Approach to Care
    May 13 2026
    Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Dovec is a renowned Bariatric Surgeon with over a decade of experience, having performed 4,400+ successful Weight Loss Surgeries. She’s celebrated not only for her surgical expertise but also for her dynamic, compassionate presence in the bariatric community. She is a firm believer in the life-changing potential of bariatric surgery, helping individuals break free from chronic health conditions, regain confidence, and attain lifelong wellness. As the founder and CEO of BodyByBariatrics, Dr. Dovec has pioneered a leading surgical and medical obesity treatment program, gaining national recognition. Holding board certifications in general surgery and esteemed fellowships, she brings her expertise to patients worldwide through 100% virtual consultations and lifelong support. Dr. Dovec’s mission remains rooted in personalized care and sustainable results. Today we discuss myth busting around bariatric surgery, how far it’s come in the past few decades, the difference between societal pressures for women to fit into unhealthy beauty standards, and making empowered decisions for your health and body. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    56 mins
  • Author Geneen Roth Discusses Her New Book, ‘Love, Finally,’ the “Mother Wound” and Healing Our Inner Critical Voice

    Author Geneen Roth Discusses Her New Book, ‘Love, Finally,’ the “Mother Wound” and Healing Our Inner Critical Voice
    May 6 2026
    Geneen Roth is a #1 NYT bestselling author whose work focuses on the emotional patterns we absorb early in life and how they shape the way we treat ourselves as adults. Her newest book, Love, Finally explores the inner voice many people carry. It is the voice that forms in childhood and quietly influences our sense of worth, our relationships, and how safe we feel being fully ourselves. While Geneen often talks about the “mother voice” people internalize growing up, the idea is universal. Anyone who had a childhood likely carries some version of it. The conversation becomes a powerful exploration of self-compassion, emotional awareness, and what changes when people begin to question the voice they have been living with for years. Geneen has been writing and teaching about these themes for more than four decades and has appeared everywhere from Oprah to NPR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Erica Stein Spills the Astro Tea on Uranus in Gemini, Venus in Gemini, May Full Moons & Why She Hates Fear-Bait/Click Bait Astrology

    Erica Stein Spills the Astro Tea on Uranus in Gemini, Venus in Gemini, May Full Moons & Why She Hates Fear-Bait/Click Bait Astrology
    Apr 29 2026
    Today, Erica breaks down the latest astrology in the sky: Uranus in Gemini, Venus in Gemini, and the Full Moon in Scorpio on 5/1. She also rants on why she hates fear bait / click bait astrology — and why you should never believe anything negative about your chart online! It’s all alchemy baby. If you would like to work with Erica you can reach out at Erica@CourageousWellness.net and book a reading. To listen to previous astrology episode and check out her offerings visit: linktr.ee/wellnessastrology To learn more about Aly & Erica visit www.courageouswellness.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    35 mins