In this episode of Coming Home to Ourselves, Denise Elysa sits down with Liz Powell, Registered Dietitian and founder of Yaletown Nutrition, to explore what it actually takes to rebuild a healthy relationship with food, particularly for those navigating complex chronic illness, digestive conditions, or a long history with diet culture.

Liz and Denise trace the real roots of diet culture and why shame cannot coexist with any genuine health goal. The conversation covers what the research actually supports around elimination diets for conditions like MCAS, IBS, and chronic fatigue; the difference between mechanical eating and intuitive eating; and why a felt sense of safety in the body is foundational before either approach can fully take hold. They also move into somatic healing territory, exploring how food can become a nervous system trigger and how the brain-body connection shapes everything from cravings to digestive symptoms.

Liz Powell, RD, earned her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of British Columbia and founded Yaletown Nutrition in 2017. She is an anti-diet, weight-inclusive practitioner with additional training in eating disorders, intuitive eating, digestive health, and body image, supporting clients in building sustainable, positive relationships with food.

Connect with Liz: https://yaletownnutrition.com/

Denise Elysa is an intuitive energy healer, somatic practitioner, podcast host, and writer living with and working with guests who live with complex chronic illness, both within the medical system and private practice. Her work blends somatic inquiry, nervous system-informed education, intuition, and grounded spirituality to support people in reconnecting with their bodies and awakening their own inner healer.

Connect with Denise: https://deniseelysa.com/

The full, unfiltered recording of this conversation is available inside the EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa community: deniseelysa.com/embodied-soul-app/

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:33 Liz Powell, Registered Dietitian and Founder of Yaletown Nutrition

02:10 What Weight-Inclusive, Anti-Diet Practice Actually Means

05:42 Shame, Body Disconnection, and the Somatic Nervous System Lens

17:03 Diet Culture, Women's Bodies, and the Politics of Staying Small

22:03 What the Research Actually Says About Calories In, Calories Out

26:33 Complex Chronic Illness and the Pressure to Diet Your Way to Recovery

36:23 Somatic Healing: Why Safety in the Body Is the Foundation

40:35 MCAS, the Amygdala-Mast Cell Cycle, and Eating Without Fear

46:51 How Restriction Cycles Worsen Digestive Symptoms and the Brain-Body Connection

01:00:04 Audience Question: What Is Your Body Really Asking for When You Crave Sugar

01:04:59 Intuitive Eating Principles: The 10-Principle Framework Explained

01:13:08 Combining Mechanical Eating, Intuitive Nutrition, and Mindful Eating in Practice

01:24:11 How to Work with Liz Powell at Yaletown Nutrition

Menopause symptoms are often treated as a hormone problem, but what if the nervous system and stress response play a much bigger role than we realize?

In this conversation, Denise Elysa speaks with hormonehealth and stress resilience coach Sharon Pendlington about how the nervous system, stress, and the fight-or-flight response influence the menopause transition and many of the symptoms women experience during perimenopause and menopause.

Together they explore a more empowered perspective onmenopause; one that moves beyond fixing a hormone imbalance and instead looks at how chronic stress, nervous system dysregulation, and modern lifestyle pressures affect women’s bodies during midlife.

You’ll learn how menopause and the stress responseare deeply connected, why many menopause symptoms are messages from the body, and how practices that support nervous system regulation for menopause can help women navigate this transition with greater awareness, resilience, and self-trust.

In this episode we explore:

·        The connection between menopause and stress response

·        How the fight or flight response affects menopause symptoms

·        Why nervous system regulation for menopause matters

·        Early perimenopause symptoms and hormone shifts

·        Somatic healing and embodiment practices

·        How chronic stress impacts the menopause transition

·        Why menopause symptoms are often misunderstoodas only a hormone imbalance

·        Tools for building resilience during the menopausetransition

·        Meditation, mindfulness and somatic therapy formenopause support

Extended version inside EmbodiedSoul Community where we go deeper into:

• exploration of repressed anger, boundary setting,and symptoms as healing responses

• How incomplete stress responses can live in the body andsurface as heat, rashes, hot flashes, and sleep disruption

• More on childhood survival patterns like control,perfectionism, blame, and worth tied to productivity

• A full guided embodiment practice for checking in withbody, breath, and capacity

• Denise’s personal reflections on workaholism, self-worth,illness, and learning to rest

• Expanded discussion of cycle syncing, perimenopauseunpredictability, and adrenal-hormone support

• Deeper conversation on libido, trauma, freeze states,pleasure, and pelvic safety

• More on burnout warning signs, chronic illness overlap,and early perimenopause cues

Meet the Host:

Denise Elysa is a practitioner and teacher of multiplemodalities including somatic inquiry, intuitive energy healing, past life regression, oracle card reading and meditation. Blending somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition and grounded spirituality, she helps people who feel disconnected or chronically unwell reconnect with themselves, increase their capacity and awaken their inner healer, without requiring medical validation or overwhelming routines.

Connect with Denise⁠

Meet the Guest:

Sharon Pendlington is a certified hormone health and stressresilience coach with over a decade of experience helping women navigate perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Her work focuses on helping women understand the connection between hormones, the nervous system, and stress, and supporting them in building sustainable nervous system regulation.

Want to know your Perimenopause Archetype? Take this 3-minute Quiz

www.sharonpendlington.com

In this solo episode of Coming Home to Ourselves, Denise Elysa explores what the summer solstice (the longest day of the year) is energetically asking of us, and why slowing down at the peak of light might be one of the most important things we can do. She walks through the significance of inner seasons, the relationship between the solstice and manifestation, and how this moment in the cycle of the year offers a natural checkpoint for any self healing journey.

Denise also shares a significant personal health update: as of spring 2026, she has slowly and safely titrated off all medication for mast cell activation symptoms, coming down from eight pills a day to none, after years of ongoing somatic therapy and energy healing work. She is clear that this is her personal story, not medical advice, and speaks honestly about the role medication plays in creating the safety required to do this kind of work at all.

The episode moves into something Denise says she is seeing with increasing urgency: the importance of safety and discernment when choosing a somatic practitioner, intuitive energy healer, or any practitioner working in the largely unregulated wellness space. She names green flags and red flags clearly, including what to look for, what concerns her, and why practitioners who do not teach their clients discernment are a specific kind of red flag. She also speaks to how some practitioners are framing neurodivergence in ways she finds dehumanizing, and where she stands on that.

The episode closes with a reflection on acknowledgment: the practice of pausing to genuinely register how far you have come, not just where you still have to go.

Denise Elysa is an intuitive energy healer, somatic practitioner, past life regression practitioner, oracle card reader, intuitive guide, podcast host, and writer living with complex chronic illness. She has recovered from or is in recovery from over 30 different diagnoses. Her work blends somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition, and grounded spirituality. She is contracted to two Internal Medicine Specialists at the BC-CLMF to co-facilitate group sessions for patients living with complex chronic diseases, and supports individuals through her signature 1:1 program, the Bridge to Embodiment, and the EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa community.

Resources referenced in this episode:

Embodied Manifesting Blog Post

Summer Solstice Blog Post (releasing June 9th)

The Seasonal Pause

How to Choose a Somatic Practitioner Blog Post – coming in July

EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa Community

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:33 Welcome: What This Episode Covers

03:22 Reflective Questions to Connect with the Summer Solstice Energy in Your Own Life

10:07 The Summer Solstice Ritual: Manifestation, Inner Seasons, and the Seasonal Pause

23:51 Personal Health Update: the Self Healing Journey, Mast Cell Activation Symptoms, Somatic Training, and What's New in the Practice

35:40 Choosing a Somatic Practitioner or Intuitive Energy Healer: What to Look For, Green Flags, Red Flags, and Working Alongside Medical Support

52:55 Neurodivergence, Neurodivergent Symptoms, and Safety in Spiritual Healing Spaces

58:26 Oracle Card Reading for the Summer Solstice

01:05:22 Taking Your Power Back: Acknowledging How Far You Have Come on Your Self Healing Journey

01:10:19 Invitation to the Seasonal Pause Summer Solstice Ceremony and Closing

Coming Home to Ourselves releases the first Sunday of every month on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music.

In this conversation, Denise Elysa interviews Jillian Rothschild Scholar, a master of Feng Shui, about the Year of the Fire Horse in Chinese astrology. Jillian explains the energetic dynamics of this year, emphasizing decisive action and transformation. They delve into Chinese metaphysics, 2026 Chinese Zodiac, personal charts, and the three lucks in Feng Shui. Jillian introduces the Flying Stars system, which helps navigate the energies in living spaces. The conversation highlights the implications of double fire energy and the need for intentional, conscious choices in a fast-paced world, particularly in managing stress and prioritizing rest. Denise and Jillian explore the significance of self-validation, the impact of zodiac signs on personal and professional life, and the importance of Feng Shui in navigating the challenges of the Fire Horse Year. They discuss the necessity of rewiring the nervous system for health, the opportunities that arise from challenges, and the value of forming supportive alliances in both personal life and business. The conversation emphasizes the importance of emotional well-being and making choices that feel good, while also providing practical advice on Feng Shui adjustments and selecting a Feng Shui specialist.

Key Takeaways + Topics:

- 2026 as Year of the Fire Horse, significant for its dynamic energy

- Bold moves and decisive actions

- Aligning your environment with your goals

- Understanding personal charts

- The three lucks: heaven luck, human luck, and earth luck

- The Flying Stars system: identify beneficial and challenging energies in your space

- Double fire energy: both creativity and destruction

- Prioritizing rest and hydration

- The necessity of intention and conscious choice

- Awareness of the energies in your environment as empowerment in decision making

- Chronic stress can lead to severe health issues

- Rewiring the nervous system is essential for recovery

- Clashes in zodiac signs

Extended episode available for those of you who wish to take a deeper dive into the nervous system, potential clashes between the Rat and the Horse as well as special factors for the Ox and Rooster Chinese Zodiacs, and more. You can access the extended version inside the EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa Community 

Meet the Host:

Denise Elysa is a practitioner and teacher of multiple modalities including somatic inquiry, intuitive energy healing, past life regression, oracle card reading and meditation. Blending somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition and grounded spirituality, she helps people who feel disconnected or chronically unwell reconnect with themselves, increase their capacity and awaken their inner healer, without requiring medical validation or overwhelming routines.

How is Denise’s work different than others?

- Over 13 years of experience in professionally supporting people with their health + wellbeing

- Lived experience navigating complex chronic illness, autoimmune diseases, Lyme disease and co-infections, chronic pain conditions, trauma, disability, neurodivergence + nervous system healing

- Contracted to Internal Medicine Specialists to co-facilitate offerings to their patients living with complex chronic diseases such as ME/CFS, Fibro, LC, MCAS, POTS, Chronic Pain, hEDS, + co-occurring conditions

- Acknowledged by the TTIA as meeting all criteria for each of their courses and is a member in good standing with the BCTTNS

Connect

Meet the Guest: 

Jillian is a Master of Feng Shui with over 15 years of experience, and a Red Ribbon Professional with the International Feng Shui Guild since 2010, she helps ambitious individuals find clarity and confidence through classical Chinese divination systems including Feng Shui, BaZi, Qi Men Dun Jia and the Yijing. Jillian translates ancient wisdom into practical solutions for modern life, working with clients worldwide from her base in Pheonix Arizona.

BaZi Calculator

Eight Mansions Toolkit

What if the patterns you keep repeating aren’t actuallyyours?
In this episode, Denise talks with family constellation practitioner Blanka Molnar about how family generational trauma and inherited trauma can live in your body and impact your nervous system and health.

They explore why big life changes like moving, leaving relationships, or changing careers sometimes don’t bring the lasting change one may be looking for, when trying to escape or recreate their lives.

You’ll learn how trauma can be passed down through generations, how it may show up in your relationships, health, and sense of self, and how intergenerational patterns and Family Constellation Therapy may support root-cause healing, and can gently help break these cycles.

Meet the Host: Denise

Denise Elysa is a practitioner and teacher of multiplemodalities including somatic inquiry, intuitive energy healing, past life regression, oracle card reading and meditation. Blending somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition and grounded spirituality, she helps people who feel disconnected or chronically unwellreconnect with themselves, increase their capacity and awaken their inner healer, without requiring medical validation or overwhelming routines.

How is Denise’s work different from others?

• Over 13 years of experience in professionally supporting people with their health and wellbeing
• Lived experience navigating complex chronic illness, autoimmune diseases, chronic pain conditions, trauma, disability, lyme disease and co-infections, neurodivergence and nervous system healing
• Contracted to Internal Medicine Specialists to co-facilitate offerings to their patients living with complex chronic diseases such as ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Post-Viral Illness, LC, MCAS, POTS, Chronic Pain, hEDS and other co-occurring conditions
• Foundation of her energy healing work is based in Therapeutic Touch® and acknowledged by the Therapeutic Touch International Association as meeting all criteria for each of their courses and is a member in good standing with the BCTTNS

Connect with Denise: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Socials: https://deniseelysa.com/link-tree/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

Website: https://deniseelysa.com/

Work with Denise: https://deniseelysa.com/work-with-denise/

EmbodiedSoul Community: https://deniseelysa.com/embodied-soul-app/

Meet the Guest: Blanka
Blanka Molnar works with parents who want a closer, healthier relationship with their children. She helps parents explore intergenerational patterns through Family Constellation Therapy and other approaches to support deeper connection, healing, cycle breaking and growth.

Connect with Blanka:

Webpage: https://awarenest.net

TriggerLog: https://awarenest.net/resources/downloads-and-printables/

E-book: https://awarenest.net/product/ebook-growing-you-growing-me/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blanka_awarenest

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BlankaMolnar_Awarenest

Chapters

00:00 Blanca's Journey to Healing Multi-Generational Trauma

00:33 Meet Blanka Molnar + What Family Constellations Are

02:32 Why You Can't Outrun Patterns Stored in the Body

05:32 Why We Change: Pain, Identity Shifts, and the MessyMiddle

09:24 What Opens Up on the Other Side: Joy, Relationships,Alignment

12:19 Anti-Guru Healing: Empowerment vs Dependency

15:28 Family Constellation Therapy Explained (GenerationalTrauma + Root Causes)

21:08 What Constellations Can Support (Health, Money, Work,ADHD, Collective Trauma)

21:27 Success Stories in Family Constellation

23:48 Conscious Parenting: Kids Mirror Your Nervous System

24:06 Conscious Parenting and Its Challenges

30:33 Somatic Parenting Tools: Regulation, Repair, andModeling

41:18 Practical Tool + Where to Find Blanka (Trigger Log +Book)

44:43 Coming Home to Ourselves Season 3 Outro.mp4

#FamilyConstellationTherapy #GenerationalTrauma #InheritedTrauma#AncestralHealing #NervousSystemHealing #TraumaRecovery #RootCauseHealing #ConsciousParenting

Spring Equinox invites us to connect with the growth that has been happening within and around us, beneath the surface, often in the depths and darkness.

In this episode, Denise welcomes Season 3 of Coming Home to Ourselves with an embodied reflection on growth, resilience, and nervous system capacity. Drawing on education + lived experience blended with somatic wisdom + intuitive insight, she explores winter + early spring as a germination phase; inner change, healing + recalibration occur beneath the surface, even when it appears that nothing is happening externally.

This episode offers space for integration + recalibration + a moment to honor and celebrate your own growth + expansion even if it doesn’t appear to match societal expectations. Explored through reflections on somatic healing + energetics, the body, energy system and nervous system must be supported together in harmony in order to hold growth without collapse.

Offers gentle guidance + a Spring Equinox Oracle Card Reading in themes of:

• increasing nervous system capacity without forcing or rushing

• clearing old energy, patterns, beliefs, and energetic “weeds” that no longer serve

• making space for new beginnings that are aligned with who you are now

• clarity, energetic “cleaning house”, self-worth, moving forward from the present vs the past

• honoring small wins, slow expansion, and sustainable growth

• navigating the liminal “void” and dark night of the soul with support and awareness

• energy healing, manifestation, self-compassion and reconnection with your inner light

You’ll hear reflections on:

• healing in community and why ceremony matters

• balancing inner expansion with outer growth

• accessibility in healing work

• the role of authenticity, frequency, and integrity in creative and spiritual work

An invitation to come home to yourself, release what’s ready to be let go of + step into spring with intention, compassion, + clarity.

✨ Announcement: Denise also introduces EmbodiedSoul with Denise Elysa, a new online community and app designed to make somatic, energetic, and nervous system-informed healing more accessible through live events, seasonal ceremonies, guided practices, guest conversations, and community connection.

Meet the Host: Denise Elysa is a practitioner and teacher of multiple modalities including somatic inquiry, intuitive energy healing, past life regression, oracle card reading and meditation. Blending somatic inquiry, somatic parts work, nervous-system informed education, intuition and grounded spirituality, she helps people who feel disconnected or chronically unwell reconnect with themselves, increase their capacity and awaken their inner healer, without requiring medical validation or overwhelming routines.

How is Denise’s work different from others?

• Over 13 years of experience in professionally supporting people with their health and wellbeing

• Lived experience navigating complex chronic illness, pain, trauma, disability, neurodivergence and nervous system healing

• Contracted to Internal Med Specialists to co-facilitate for patients living with complex chronic diseases such as ME/CFS, Fibro, LC, MCAS, POTS, Chronic Pain, hEDS, + co-occurring conditions

• Acknowledged by the TTIA as meeting all criteria for each of their courses and is a member in good standing with the BCTTNS

Connect: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/link-tree/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

This conversation felt like permission.

In this episode, Renae Fieck and I explore what it means tolive and create in rhythm with our feminine nature — through the lenses offeminine wealth energetics, cycle syncing, health, and the deep connectionbetween safety and our creative power.

Renae shares her personal journey from burnout toempowerment, highlighting how understanding the biological differences betweenmen and women can completely shift the way we approach productivity, rest, andwell-being. We dive into somatic healing, the phases of the menstrual cycle,and how aligning our work and lives with our body’s natural rhythms opens us togreater ease, abundance, and flow.

Our conversation also touches on the dance between thefeminine and masculine — how both energies support each other in creatingsafety, structure, and expansion. We explore the protective role of men insociety, the challenges women face with conditions like endometriosis, and theeffects of hormonal treatments.

Together, we reflect on how honoring the menstrual cycle canbe an act of empowerment — not just for ourselves, but for the next generation— through education, awareness, and modeling what it looks like to listen toand trust our bodies.

This episode is a reminder of the power of self-permission,the medicine of stillness, and the importance of embodying the balance we wishto see in our homes, our businesses, and our world.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Feminine Leadership and Cycle Syncing

02:08 Renae's Journey: From Occupational Therapy to Coaching

06:08 Understanding the Biological Differences Between Menand Women

11:15 The Impact of Societal Conditioning on Women'sProductivity

14:43 Navigating Personal Challenges and Emotional Numbing

19:12 The Importance of Somatic Awareness and EmotionalProcessing

21:10 Aligning Life with Body's Natural Rhythms

24:45 Practical Steps to Track and Understand Your Cycle

30:36 Embracing the Luteal Phase

35:49 Understanding the Menstrual Cycle Phases

41:44 The Rhythm of Life: Seasons and Cycles

47:40 Feminine Wealth Energetics: The Power of Being

55:46 Safety and the Balance of Masculine and Feminine

57:03 The Protective Role of Men in Society

58:03 Trauma and Its Impact on Women

58:56 Endometriosis and Women's Health Challenges

01:01:26 The Medical Approach to Women's Health

01:02:25 Cyclical Living and Women's Empowerment

01:05:19 Empowering the Next Generation of Girls

01:07:59 Normalizing Conversations Around Menstruation

01:09:49 Strategies for Overcoming Burnout

01:12:44 Listening to Your Body's Signals

01:15:54 The Feather, Brick, and Bus Analogy

01:19:11 Creating Safety in the Body

01:22:31 Navigating Autonomic Challenges in Parenting

01:24:51 Finding Safety in Discomfort

01:29:04 Integrating Mindfulness into Daily Life

01:32:54 Modeling Emotional Awareness for Children

01:36:40 Empowering the Next Generation throughSelf-Connection

01:48:19 Closing

Connect with Denise:

Socials: ⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/link-tree/⁠⁠⁠Enter to win: ⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/newsletter/⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.deniseelysa.com/⁠⁠⁠Blog: ⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/blog/⁠⁠⁠Groups: www.deniseelysa.com/groups1:1 Intuitive + Somatic Work:https://deniseelysa.com/11-intuitive-energy-balancing/

1:1 Past Life Regressions: https://deniseelysa.com/11-past-life-regressions/Groups: https://deniseelysa.com/groups/Meditations, Workshops, Ceremonies: ⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/shop/ 

Connect with Renae:

https://www.youtube.com/@RenaeFieck
https://www.instagram.com/renaefieck/
renaefieck.com
www.renaefieck.com/freebook

Get a discount on the Natural Cycles app Denise uses:

20% off your annual subscription, plus a free thermometer https://www.naturalcycles.com/refer-a-friend?name=RGVuaXNl&code=referralid20&referral=b99af1353afa4e1e9aedb47f1498e049

[ cycle, health, productivity, somatic, wealth energetics, burnout, menstrual, empowerment, endometriosis, hormones, burnout, parenting ]

In this conversation, Denise and Eileen explore the significance of boredom and unproductive time in fostering creativity and mental well-being. They discuss the societal pressures of hyper-independence and the martyr archetype, which often lead to burnout and emotional labor. The importance of scheduling downtime, embracing community support, and recognizing the need for rest are emphasized as essential components for a balanced life. In this conversation, Eileen and Denise explore the complexities of navigating relationships, the importance of setting boundaries, and the impact of personal growth on connections. They discuss the cyclical nature of life and how attuning to these cycles can enhance self-awareness and well-being. The discussion delves into the significance of understanding inner seasons, celebrating new beginnings, and fostering community connections as essential elements of personal and spiritual growth.

Chapters

00:00 The Importance of Boredom and Unproductive Time

13:31 Navigating Screen Time and Creativity

20:08 The Comparison Trap in the Digital Age

26:14 Navigating Creativity and Comparison

29:42 The Importance of Unproductive Time

32:35 Self-Worth and Productivity

36:03 Burnout and Health Challenges

40:50 The Urgency Trap

45:24 Community and Hyper-Independence

51:08 The Martyr Archetype and Emotional Labor

53:03 Navigating Relationships and Boundaries

55:08 The Journey of Personal Growth and Isolation

59:04 Attuning to Cyclical Nature and Seasons

01:00:30 The Importance of Rest and Reflection

01:18:07 Understanding Inner Seasons and Their Significance

01:24:14 Embracing Seasonal Transitions

01:33:52 The Energies of Spring and Summer

01:42:40 Autumn's Reflection and Community

01:50:40 The Importance of Community and Connection

01:54:00 Closing Thoughts and Future Endeavors

01:54:09 Closing

Connect with Denise:

IG, FB, BlueSky, YouTube, TikTok, Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/link-tree/⁠

⁠⁠⁠Enter to win: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.deniseelysa.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Groups: ⁠www.deniseelysa.com/groups⁠

1:1 Intuitive Work: ⁠https://deniseelysa.com/11-intuitive-energy-balancing/ ⁠

1:1 Past Life Regressions: ⁠https://deniseelysa.com/11-past-life-regressions/ ⁠Meditations, Workshops, Ceremonies and more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://deniseelysa.com/shop/⁠ ⁠

Connect with Eileen:

FREE E-Book: ⁠https://www.myluminouslife.ca/awaken-to-the-magic-within⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.myluminouslife.ca⁠

IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/iameileenmarch⁠

FB: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/myluminouslifecoaching⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenmarch⁠

YT: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheWooCuriousPodcast⁠

Insight Timer: ⁠https://www.insighttimer.com/iameileenmarch

[boredom, unproductive time, creativity, self-worth, hyper-independence, emotional labor, parenting, community, boundaries, mental health, relationships, boundaries, personal growth, cyclical nature, inner seasons, community, self-awareness, spiritual growth, mentorship, wellness]

BC Government has passed a new policy that dramatically restricts access to virtual group medical care, imposing 20-person caps that make many virtual clinics across BC financially and clinically non-viable – effectively forcing them to shut down and cutting off what is, for many patients, their only access to safe, effective, and informed life-saving medical care.

Denise Elysa is joined by Dr. Ric Arseneau and Dr. Jane McKay, Internal Medicine Specialists and Co-Directors of the BC Centre for Long COVID, ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia (BC-CLMF), to discuss what this means for their 6000+ patients, the clinicians who treat them, and the healthcare system as a whole.

We explore:

Why virtual group medical care is essential, not optional

How complex chronic disease patients are routinely dismissed, misdiagnosed, or psychiatrized

The devastating equity impacts for rural patients, low-income + those who are bed/house-bound

Why cutting this care will increase ER visits, ambulances, disability, and healthcare costs

New data shows this clinic saves the BC healthcare system money

Ethical implications including patients considering MAiD due to loss of care

CTA:

Contact your MLA

Share the episode+the short-form content

Follow Denise on IG+YT: turn on notifications for short-form content.

Connect with Lifeline BC to get involved and help.MNP’S SROI report: BC-CLMF saves the BC health care system roughly $1.2M per year

00:00 Introduction to the BC Center for Long COVID, ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia

00:50 Why This Conversation Matters: Patients’ Lives Are at Risk

02:42 What Is the BC Centre for Long COVID, ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia?

06:27 Why Most Patients Are Misdiagnosed or Psychiatrized for Years

08:33 Why Group Medical Care Works Better Than Traditional Appointments

12:01 Core Group: Teaching Patients How to Self-Manage Lifelong Illness

14:33 Why “Pacing” Fails Without Addressing Real-Life Barriers

16:46 New BC Policy Change: Capping Virtual Group Medical Visits

17:29 “This Is Blatant Discrimination”: Disability & Virtual Care Access

19:49 Why Cutting Virtual Care Hurts Women, Disabled & Low-Income Patients

21:56 MAiD, Poverty & the Ethics of Removing Essential Care

23:12 The Impact of Policy Changes on Patients

25:03 Why Bed-Bound Patients Cannot Access In-Person Care

26:57 Independent Report: This Clinic Saves the BC Health System Money

28:48 How the Clinic Frees Up ERs, GPs & Specialists

31:09 Why GPs Are Not Equipped to Manage These Conditions Alone

32:59 Being Fired by Doctors: A Common Patient Experience

36:10 Media Soundbites vs Reality: How Nuance Gets Lost

37:32 Why Groups Are Necessary for Sustainable Care

39:20 How Group Visits Reduce Unnecessary Tests & Specialist Referrals

40:49 Fast Access to Care Saves Lives

44:56 Why “Fiscal Responsibility” Is Misinformation

49:09 Real Outcomes: Symptom Improvement, Remission & Return to Work

54:25 Why One-Year Care Models Fail Chronic Illness Patients

57:28 What Will Happen If This Policy Goes Through

01:03:08 Why This Policy Threatens Chronic Pain Clinics Across BC

01:05:52 Why Greedy-Doctor Narratives Make No Sense

01:10:18 Chronic Stress Makes These Illnesses Worse

01:13:10 Why Smaller Group Caps Mean No Care at All

01:14:50 Training the Next Generation of Long COVID Doctors

01:20:53 Fear-Based Policy and the Impact on the Sickest Patients

01:25:13 Patient-Led Advocacy & Lifeline BC

01:31:39 Patient Safety Risks Without Coordinated Care

01:35:22 Psychiatric Labels as a “Passport to Poor Care”

01:41:27 What Patient-Centered, Informed Consent Really Looks Like

01:45:45 Integrating Medical, Somatic & Holistic Care

01:49:24 “Lazy, Crazy, Faking It”: Breaking Harmful Myths

01:53:36 If It’s Not Psychological, What Is It?

01:58:27 Why These Are Not Diagnoses of Exclusion

02:00:18 One Media Misconception Doctors Want Corrected

02:01:58 What Every MLA Needs to Understand About These Patients

02:09:50 Final Message to the Ministry of Health: Put Patients First

02:20:30 Closing

https://www.deniseelysa.com/

In this Winter Solstice solo episode, Denise invites youinto the quiet magic of your inner winter — the season of slowing down, resting, and listening beneath the surface of your life. She shares a personal story of technology glitches, power outages, and plans unraveling, and how these moments can become unexpected portals into spaciousness rather than spirals of panic and control.

From there, we explore:• Honouring your nervous system’s natural rhythms in winter

• The difference between pushing through vs. responding to life as an invitation

• The “void” as a potent cocoon space rather than a sign that something is wrong

• How tiny 1% shifts in how you meet yourself can change your entire trajectory

• Reclaiming your inner magic by embracing all of your seasons – not just your “spring and summer” self

Denise also offers a gentle card reading and a guidedself-inquiry process to help you reflect on:• What you’re ready to release before spring

• What seeds of desire are quietly asking to be planted

• Which parts of you are longing to come home and be held, rather than judged or abandoned

This episode is a soft invitation to step out of productivity-as-worth, sink into the deeper rest your body might be craving,and remember that so much is happening beneath the surface… even when it looks like nothing is moving at all.

Chapters 

00:00 Embracing the Winter Solstice

09:48 The Invitation to Rest and Reflect

13:00 Understanding the Cycles of Nature

17:47 Winter Solstice Card Reading

18:42 Reclaiming Your Inner Magic

28:23 Navigating the Void of Inner Winter

35:00 Self-Inquiry for Growth and Clarity

45:10 Outro

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[ Winter Solstice, self-reflection, inner wintering, slowingdown, self-inquiry, embracing stillness, personal growth, reclaiming magic, navigating discomfort, curiosity ]