Connection Matters Podcast

In this episode of Connection Matters, I’m joined by Aidan Young — musician, naturalist, mentor and son of nature connection pioneer Jon Young.

We explore what it really means to live a connected life, from Aidan’s unusual childhood immersed in wilderness awareness and unschooling, to the vibrant music community he later created for teenagers through monthly rock concerts and leadership programmes.

Our conversation moves beyond the idea that connection only happens in nature. We talk about the qualities that make any experience truly connective: presence, wonder, belonging, meaningful challenge, and being deeply met by others.

We also discuss the upcoming Nature Culture Connection Camp in Bedfordshire, the work of Connection First, and how ordinary people can bring more connection into their families, workplaces and communities without needing to become “experts”.

This episode is full of stories, reflections and practical inspiration for anyone longing for a more connected way of living

What makes an experience feel genuinely connective?

That question sits at the heart of this conversation with Aidan Young.

Aidan grew up surrounded by the world of wilderness awareness, mentoring and nature connection through the work of his father, Jon Young, whose books and teachings have deeply influenced my own path. But rather than simply inheriting a philosophy, Aidan has spent years exploring how those same principles can be lived through music, community, leadership and everyday relationships.

In this episode we talk about:

One of the things I loved most about this conversation is that it reminds us that connection is not a niche activity reserved for retreats or forests. It can be woven into how we teach, parent, create art, run businesses, welcome people into a room, and relate to the world around us.

If this episode resonates, I’d love to hear your reflections.

Connection First

We also talk about the nature culture camp happening in the UK 5th-11th August. Come and join us. 

Nature Connection Membership People Connection Programmes Tracking Our Roots in Nature (audio series) The 512 Project Nature Culture Connection Camp 5–11 August 2026, Clophill Centre, Bedfordshire Learn more about Leona and Connection Matters

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

Guest: Asa Baav — Love & Relationship Coach
Website: www.asabaav.com

In this episode Leona talks with Asa Baav about the hidden patterns that keep high-achieving women attracting unavailable love — and the inner work that changes everything.

They cover:

Read the full blog post here.

Connect with Asa:

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

Deborah Benham is a marine biologist, nature connection practitioner, and biomimicry educator based in Dorset, England. She works with Transition Network International supporting community-led action across 60+ countries and is co-creating the Living Systems Alliance—a collaboration bringing biomimicry, permaculture, and regenerative design to communities worldwide. Deborah lives in the UK's largest cohousing community and is passionate about helping people reconnect with nature, learn from living systems, and become positive keystone species in their ecosystems.

Deborah's Work & Resources:

• Becoming Ecological Citizens Framework: www.deborahbenham.com
• Restoring Your Ecological Awareness Course (Biomimicry Institute)
• Living Systems Alliance (launching 2025)

Organisations & Networks:

• Transition Network International: www.transitionnetwork.org
• Biomimicry Institute & Ask Nature Database: www.asknature.org
• Permaculture Association (UK): www.permaculture.org.uk
• Global Ecovillage Network: www.ecovillage.org
• Learn Biomimicry: Self-guided courses and educator resources

Books & Influences:

• Rob Hopkins' work on imagination and transition
• Dr Lila June: Indigenous perspectives on regenerative human presence
• Janine Benyus: Biomimicry pioneer and founder
• John Young: Deep Nature Connection and 8 Shields model

Research:

• Zelensky et al. (2023): "Nature Connection as a Pathway to Personal and Planetary Health" (open access)

Media & Inspiration:

• Fix the News Newsletter: Weekly global good news stories
• Nature Culture Camp: Annual nature connection gathering (UK)

Website: www.deborahbenham.com
Email: Available via website

Website: www.leonajohnson.life
Instagram: @connection.matters.leona
Free Life Compass Assessment

"I'm not depressed, I just haven't had any nature connection for the last few weeks." - Deborah Benham

"Nature doesn't have a bin. There is no waste. Everything becomes food for something else." - Deborah Benham

"We're not a plague. We're not a blight. We've just gone off course." - Deborah Benham

"That's how culture can arise from nature connection—not forced, not manufactured, but arising naturally when people have the opportunity to gather around the land they're stewarding together." - Deborah Benham

"What can I learn from nature today? Just open up your senses and really listen. Notice with curiosity. See what you come back with." - Deborah Benham

"We don't need to change everything. We just need to remember. And when we forget—because we will forget—we need to start again." - Leona Johnson

"Connection first. Design as nature. Do it together. That's how we create the culture that comes next." - Leona Johnson

Take Deborah's closing question on your next walk: What can I learn from nature today?

Then share what you discover—tag us on social media or leave a comment on the blog.

Want to go deeper?
🎁 Take the free Life Compass Assessment to see where you're thriving and where you're longing for more
🌿 Join us at Nature Quest Weekend for an immersive nature connection experience
💫 Explore the Life Compass Curriculum for 6 months of connected self-leadership

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

Deborah Benham is a marine biologist, nature connection practitioner, and biomimicry educator based in Dorset, England. She works with Transition Network International supporting community-led action across 60+ countries and is co-creating the Living Systems Alliance—a collaboration bringing biomimicry, permaculture, and regenerative design to communities worldwide. Deborah lives in the UK's largest cohousing community and is passionate about helping people reconnect with nature, learn from living systems, and become positive keystone species in their ecosystems.

Deborah's Work & Resources:

• Becoming Ecological Citizens Framework: www.deborahbenham.com
• Living Systems Alliance
• Restoring Your Ecological Awareness Course (Biomimicry Institute)- AskNature Learning: Restoring Your Ecological Awareness: How Deep Reconnection Can Guide Nature-Based Wisdom and Solutions, will be facilitated by Dr. Deborah Benham an ecologist, accredited Biomimicry Educator, and global leader in regenerative community design, with nearly 30 years of experience across conservation, education, and community resilience.
  
  Many people feel disconnected from nature and overwhelmed by the scale of the ecological, climate, and biodiversity crises. This course offers a different starting point: one rooted in deep nature reconnection as a source of empathy, belonging, and positive action.
  Through simple, applied practices, participants strengthen their sensory and observational skills and begin building meaningful relationships with local places, species, and ecosystems. In doing so, they learn how living systems work and how humans can become a positive, regenerative force within them.

Deborah has offered the Connection Matters Podcast Listeners a 20% discount code: COURSE20.

Course details:

• Thursdays, March 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th | 11-12:30pm PT
• Recordings available
• No biomimicry experience required
• Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/gNVBhcQs
• Code: COURSE20

Organisations & Networks:

• Transition Network International: www.transitionnetwork.org
• Biomimicry Institute & Ask Nature Database: www.asknature.org
• Permaculture Association (UK): www.permaculture.org.uk
• Global Ecovillage Network: www.ecovillage.org
• Learn Biomimicry: Self-guided courses and educator resources

Books & Influences:

• Rob Hopkins' work on imagination and transition
• Dr Lila June: Indigenous perspectives on regenerative human presence
• Janine Benyus: Biomimicry pioneer and founder
• John Young: Deep Nature Connection and 8 Shields model

Research:

• Zelensky et al. (2023): "Nature Connection as a Pathway to Personal and Planetary Health" (open access)

Media & Inspiration:

• Fix the News Newsletter: Weekly global good news stories
• Nature Culture Camp: Annual nature connection gathering (UK)

Website: www.deborahbenham.com

LinkedIn- Deborah Benham
Email: Available via website

Website: www.leonajohnson.life
Instagram: @connection.matters.leona
Free Life Compass Assessment

Take Deborah's closing question on your next walk: What can I learn from nature today?

Then share what you discover—tag us on social media or leave a comment on the blog.

Want to go deeper?
📖 Read the full blog post with three practices you can start today
🎁 Take the free Life Compass Assessment to see where you're thriving and where you're longing for more
🌿 Join us at Nature Quest Weekend for an immersive nature connection experience- email dircetly for info
💫 Explore the Life Compass Curriculum for 6 months of connected self-leadership

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

Jo Bell is a trauma-informed coach who works with women ready to stop editing themselves and enter a new era of living unfiltered. She is the creator of Rise, her signature group experience, where women move from overthinking, people-pleasing and self-doubt into a deep trust in themselves, emotional steadiness and a life that feels like it fits.

Key Topics Explored

• The protective origins of your inner critic – Discover why that critical voice developed and how childhood conditioning shapes your self-talk
• The science of rewiring your brain – Learn how neuroplasticity proves you can create new patterns of self-compassion at any age
• Self-compassion as self-leadership – Understand why the strongest leaders aren't the harshest critics, and how choosing yourself creates ripples of change
• From self-doubt to self-trust – Explore practical approaches to transform your relationship with yourself and live more authentically

Links

📖 Read the complete blog post with practical takeaways.

📥 Access Jo Bell's free Sel -Talk script book here.

See Jo's offerings on her website here. 

🌿 Join Designing A life Aligned with Your True North - FREE Masterclass with Leona Johnson

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

Over the past few weeks on the podcast, we’ve been talking about orienting. About wintering well. Slowing down. Consolidating.

That still matters.

But in this episode, I can feel a shift, and I wanted to follow it.

This conversation is about gathering.

Not the grand, impressive kind, but the small, ordinary, life-giving kind that quietly strengthens our web of connection before we need it to hold us.

In this episode, I explore:

Why so many people feel relationally under-nourished, even when they’re doing a lot of inner and personal growth work

How adult life leads to quiet drift rather than dramatic rupture, and why that matters

Simple, doable ways to create warmth, rhythm, and reliability in your relationships

A personal story about how my own world became narrower, and what helped widen it again

Why joy, laughter, and shared experience matter just as much as depth

Practical guidance on how to listen and reflect well in groups, without fixing, bypassing, or rushing to solve

At the heart of this episode is a simple truth:
we don’t strengthen our webs in crisis. We strengthen them before we need them.

This episode is accompanied by a longer written reflection, which you can read here:

If this episode resonates, you might also like to join me for a free live masterclass:

Designing a Life Aligned with Your True North
Wednesday 11th February
10.30am UK time
Free, live

This masterclass is for people who’ve done a lot of inner work, but whose lives still feel a bit off. Not because anything is wrong with you, but because growth doesn’t automatically tell us how to live.

We’ll explore a grounded, wholistic approach to healing and leadership that honours heart, mind, body, and spirit. You’ll experience a simple practice to reconnect with your inner compass, alongside real examples from my work with people navigating change and transition.

👉 Register for free here: 

Thank you for listening, and for the care you bring to how you live and relate.
And if this episode lands, consider sharing it with someone who might need it too.

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

It's mid-January, and somewhere between the first week and now, something shifted. Not collapse, not panic—just a low-grade fatigue and a wondering: "I thought this year would feel different by now."

In this episide; you'll hear about the three patterns that keep people stuck, the discipline of saying no to create meaningful yeses later, and practical ways to build rhythm before ambition.

This isn't about doing more. It's about inhabiting your life more fully.

In this episode:

• What consolidation actually means (and why we've forgotten it)
• The year I didn't know I was having—my journey through rupture to integration
• Why incomplete endings drain energy and how to end well
• Three practices for navigating January and February with intention
• Questions to help you discern where you're being called to consolidate

Links mentioned:

• Read the full blog post:
• Explore the Life Compass Curriculum:

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

January has a lot of opinions about how we're meant to begin the year — and most of them are loud, fast, and not especially kind to our nervous systems. But nature tells a very different story.

In this episode:

• Why January culture and January nature are telling us completely different things
• The relationship between winter and your nervous system
• Simple daily practices for letting nature guide your beginning (nothing fancy required)
• A powerful shift from "what do I want to make happen?" to "what wants me this season?"
• Why you're not behind — you're wintering

If you're longing for permission to begin this year differently — gently, in relationship with the season you're actually in — this episode is for you.

Mentioned in this episode: The Life Compass Curriculum & Community — now open for enrollment with special bonuses including a Spring Nature Quest weekend and a one-to-one deep dive. Details at connectionmatters.co.uk

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

In this episode, we explore:

• What orientation actually means (and why it works when resolutions don't)
• The three questions that help you orient your year: What am I releasing? What am I protecting? What am I committing to?
• Why choosing support before you're burnt out changes everything

Read the full blog post with complete insights and practices:

Mentioned in this episode:

• Opening the Year Ceremony - January 11th (online nature ceremony)
• Life Compass Curriculum - begins January again for the next cycle in January

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.

What if the crossing from one year to the next isn't meant to be rushed through with resolutions and champagne, but honoured as a sacred threshold where transformation actually happens?

In this special New Year's Eve episode, I'm inviting you into something different—a ceremonial journey to honour the Year of the Snake (2025) and welcome the Year of the Horse (2026). This isn't your typical podcast episode. This is a guided threshold experience for anyone who feels the weight of what this past year asked of them and is ready to step into the new year with intention, clarity, and authentic purpose.

We explore why liminal spaces are where real transformation happens, how to witness your year without judgement, and the power of release ceremonies to let go of what you're no longer meant to carry. I share insights about working with the snake's teaching of descent and shedding, and how the horse is now calling us to rise, reclaim our direction, and move with bold action towards what our spirits have been longing for.

Drawing from my decade of ceremonial training and work as an ecotherapist and life coach, this episode offers a complete threshold practice—from witnessing what was, to releasing what's done, to calling in what's ready to be born. Whether you're a heart-centred entrepreneur, nature connection practitioner, or simply someone seeking everyday spirituality and connected self-leadership, this ceremonial journey is for you.

Ready to go deeper? Read the full blog post for expanded insights, written practices, and a blessing for the crossing. Visit https://www.leonajohnson.life/resources for free downloads including the Purpose Foundations guide to support your journey into 2026.

Thank You for Listening!

I am so grateful to you for tuning into this episode of Connection Matters Podcast. This is my passion and where I share my hope for a better world. If you enjoyed what you heard, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast on your preferred platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of connection, healing and growth!

Stay Connected:

• Join the Community: Be part of our growing community by signing up for my newsletter here. You'll receive updates on new episodes, resources, and exclusive offers!
• Read the Blog for all the actionable tips, journal prompts and a deeper read of my thoughts and perspectives on connected self-leadership.
• Follow Me: Stay inspired and connected on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn , Pintrest
• Connect with Me: Have thoughts or questions about the episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach out at [email protected]. I always respond.
• Find out more about working with me here. 

Upcoming Events:

• Don't miss out on upcoming workshops, courses, or events! Stay informed by visiting the website here for more details for details.