Kara Strauss is a Jewish, atheist, pelvic floor physical therapist that works to see other people’s humanity and advocate for her own. 

In this interview, Kara discusses identity, marginalization, consent-based practice, her history with anxiety, and the importance of family and community.  If you are interested in learning more about Kara or working with her, please see Instagram: @karastrauss_dpt and her website.

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

*Please note that the opinions and experiences of those interviewed in this podcast are not necessarily the opinions and experiences of the interviewer. One of the intents of this podcast is to interview a variety of people with a variety of experiences and opinions.*

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line.

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.  Thank you to Pexels for the associated armadillo photo used in some promotional spaces, by Jean Paul Montanaro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-armadillo-17367652/

Bryana Sergott is a trans, disabled veteran, a student, and a friend.

In this interview, Bryana discusses the pedestal of identities, carving our own paths, and the importance of self-love and immersion in other cultures.

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

*Please note that the opinions and experiences of those interviewed in this podcast are not necessarily the opinions and experiences of the interviewer. One of the intents of this podcast is to interview a variety of people with a variety of experiences and opinions.*

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line.

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.

J Currie is a life coach, meditation instructor, author, and founder of Awake Oneness Tribe Listeners can find more information about J here

In this interview, J discusses identity, spirituality, some of the challenges of masculinity, building community, and the importance of deeply listening to one another.

Resources mentioned in this episode are the Awake Oneness Festival (https://www.awakeonenesstribe.org/onenessfest and Ram Dass’ discussion of the golden thread of righteousness

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

*Please note that the opinions and experiences of those interviewed in this podcast are not necessarily the opinions and experiences of the interviewer. One of the intents of this podcast is to interview a variety of people with a variety of experiences and opinions.*

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line.

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.

In this brief episode, Allison reviews the intent of this podcast as an intermission, speaking more in depth about holding similarity AND difference with dignity, changing language, and the importance of self-definition.

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.

Kyla is a naturalist, mother of two, wife of 20 years, organic gardener, food enthusiast, and lifelong learner who grew up in the southern suburbs of Chicago and now lives in the southwestern suburbs. She currently works for a conservation organization creating and supporting programs that connect people with nature and the environment and she's studied communications, business, finance, sociology, real estate, edible wild plants, and ecological gardening. Kyla considers herself a "realistic optimist" and always aims and hopes for the best outcomes, while also setting realistic expectations about the chances of those outcomes coming to fruition and the likely obstacles that'll be encountered. In addition to her personal goals of one day living a self-sustaining lifestyle off the land and raising her children to be self-sufficient, empathetic, kind, resilient, and critically thinking humans, she has a professional goal of getting as many people as she can to fall in love with nature as possible. Kyla also wholeheartedly believes that prioritizing fun and joy is an important part of self-care.

In this episode, Kyla explores her identities, the meaning behind them, the under-representation of certain populations in outdoor spaces, spirituality and faith, as well as using love as a guide.

Resources mentioned in this podcast include the books Caste , The 1619 Project, and Serviceberry

The soft literature piece Allison wrote about nature can be found on Patreon here

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

*Please note that the opinions and experiences of those interviewed in this podcast are not necessarily the opinions and experiences of the interviewer. One of the intents of this podcast is to interview a variety of people with a variety of experiences and opinions.*

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.

Content warning: discussion of suicide and the prevention of sexual harm/violence

Patty is a cancer survivor, an artist, and a person of faith that actively works to build bridges and love all people, particularly those that are marginalized.

In this episode, Patty discusses her journey with cancer, what life has taught her as a person that directly faced mortality, the loss of an important friend, the significance of friendship, and making sure people in her proximity feel loved and connected.

Patty’s presence brought the host, Allison, to tears, processing the depth and meaning of Patty’s words. Listeners will likely have an emotional experience; have tissues handy.

Resources mentioned include the book The Artist’s Way , an article by the author Clarissa Pinkola Estes , Into the Body of the World by Eve Ensler, and the book the Other Significant Others. If you are looking for additional spaces to discuss and explore mortality, please consider supporting Death Cafes – Allison hosts a café once a month and more info can be found on EventBrite

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

*Please note that the opinions and experiences of those interviewed in this podcast are not necessarily the opinions and experiences of the interviewer. One of the intents of this podcast is to interview a variety of people with a variety of experiences and opinions.*

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.

Content Warning: discussion of suicide.

Andy Weiss’ son died by suicide in 2012. He is a Jewish elder and activist working to prevent suicide and support suicide survivors.; he currently assists as a TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) mentor and care group facilitator. Andy discusses what he has learned from his grief as a suicide survivor as well as how to support suicide survivors. Andy also explores meaning, aging, and marginalization, while reminding us all that love is the answer.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, there are groups that can help, including the Trevor Project, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Association of Suicidology, Suicide Prevention Services America , and/or the 988 mental health line.

To read the letter by Ram Dass, referenced by Andy, see https://www.ramdass.org/a-letter-to-rachel/

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

*Please note that the opinions and experiences of those interviewed in this podcast are not necessarily the opinions and experiences of the interviewer. One of the intents of this podcast is to interview a variety of people with a variety of experiences and opinions.*

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.

Allaina Humphreys is an activist and graphic designer living in the western suburbs of Chicago. She is a quadriplegic and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, both of which shape her activism and professional life. She speaks on topics including disability, advocacy, parenting, and finding meaning in life.

To learn more about Allaina, explore her portfolio and her work with Bolingbrook Pride, United Spinal, the Accessible Community Task Force, and the Bolingbrook Arts Council.

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

*Please note that the opinions and experiences of those interviewed in this podcast are not necessarily the opinions and experiences of the interviewer. One of the intents of this podcast is to interview a variety of people with a variety of experiences and opinions*

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.

Beverly Trafton is a woman of trans experience, living in the western suburbs of Chicago. In this podcast, she discusses more about her multitudes and how she works to make the world a kinder place. She is a licensed electrologist and owns her own business, Transcendent Electrolysis, where she is open to serving all but centers her care for trans and gender diverse folk.

For transcripts of this show, please email [email protected] with ‘Transcripts’ in the subject line.

*Please note that the opinions and experiences of those interviewed in this podcast are not necessarily the opinions and experiences of the interviewer. One of the intents of this podcast is to interview a variety of people with a variety of experiences and opinions *

If you are interested in participating in a future podcast, which involves thoughtful, caring, and connecting conversations to encourage proximity and a sense of interconnection, please email [email protected] with ‘Participate’ in the subject line.

To learn more about Ignite Well-being, in the suburbs of Chicago, and/or the host, Allison, please see their website, Patreon, or Substack page. Deepest bow to the paid supporters on Patreon, who make this work more financially sustainable.

Thank you to Pixabay and SergePavkinMusic for the song used in the podcast.