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 Your nervous system can’t heal on leftovers of attention. In this thoughtful conversation, firefighter Hayne Griffin shares what it means to care for your well-being while carrying the demands of a high-stress profession. Together, we explore presence, resilience, and the practices that help us show up with a clear head, an open heart, and a little more peace. 

We talk about hobbies as real recovery, not “time off.” Hayne shares how mountain biking and rock climbing force him into the present moment in a way that feels like moving meditation, and why watercolor painting can be its own kind of reset when the weather or the season calls for something quieter. Along the way, we connect the dots between burnout, rest, breathwork (including box breathing), and the surprising power of doing one thing that fully holds your focus, whether that’s a trail ride, a yoga practice, a puzzle, or time in the garden.

We also go deeper on connection and digital wellness. Hayne explains how shared activities can build trust and vulnerability, especially for men, and he offers a metaphor you’ll probably steal: your phone can be a wood stove or a couch. Used with intention, it brings warmth and connection; used without boundaries, it can burn down the peace you’re trying to build.

To close, we reflect on pain and resilience, drawing from Hayne’s spiritual background and the idea that suffering can become a teacher when we stop running from it. If you’re looking for practical self-care, a healthier relationship with social media, and hobbies for mental health that actually work, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review so more people can find Create Harmony.

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A good meal can be more than dinner. It can be a doorway into curiosity, a weekly reset button, and sometimes the safest place to tell the truth. We sit down with Denise Baker, a gifted home chef with a deep love of global cuisine, to talk about how a simple cooking plan grew into a month-by-month journey through more than 20 countries and cultures. Denise shares how her family cooked one country at a time, learned the rhythms and history behind the food, and even turned those months into community potlucks that welcomed dozens of people around the table.

Then we move from the kitchen into a Friday night Sabbath practice that has shaped their family for years. Denise explains why they chose Friday, how lighting candles and saying a blessing changes the tone of the whole weekend, and what it looks like to build a Shabbat-inspired rhythm with music, liturgy, bread, and meaningful table questions. If you’ve been craving slow living, intentional rest, or a faith-rooted practice that feels practical instead of abstract, this conversation offers a grounded roadmap.

We also go somewhere tender and necessary: mental health. Denise speaks honestly about supporting a daughter with bipolar disorder, the uncertainty of diagnosis, the stigma families carry in silence, and why therapy and boundaries matter for caregivers too. You’ll hear what shifted when trust in psychiatric care finally took root and why hope can be realistic, not naïve.

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Your life can look “right” on paper and still feel wrong in your body. Sally Burlington sits down with author Tara Mae Temple to unpack the moment when career success, productivity, begins to collide with intuition, stress signals, and a deep need for change. Tara shares how obstacles at work and a health scare became the wake-up call that helped her stop, listen, and begin a healing journey grounded in faith, self-trust, and daily rhythm.

We get practical fast. Tara walks us through peace practices you can actually do when life is busy: a mindfulness walking practice that uses your senses and a simple affirmation (“May I be healthy, may I be happy, and may I be free from suffering”), a five-minute visualization to pull you out of fear and fight-or-flight, and guided meditation approaches that make stillness feel more accessible. We also talk about why healing is not a destination, how to come back to your practices after you miss a day, and how these tools can calm the nervous system and retrain attention away from rumination.

Tara also shares what’s inside her book, Life Hacks for Healing and Harmony, including chapters on anxiety, grief, identity shifts, ego, fear, and self-limiting beliefs, plus journaling prompts to help you process what you’re carrying right now. If you’re craving a slower pace and a more peaceful inner life, this conversation gives you a steady place to start. Subscribe for more peacemaking conversations, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review with the practice you’re trying first.

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Shopping sounds simple until you remember how personal it is. What you put on your body can amplify insecurity or it can help you feel steady, confident, and seen. This week, we talk with Christie Johnson, the founder of Purpose Boutique, a retail brand built on a bold idea: how you shop can change a life. With every purchase, a percentage is donated to fight human trafficking and to support foster children and foster families through preventative care, turning everyday spending into ethical shopping with real-world impact.

We also talk about what makes Purpose feel different the moment you walk in the door. Christie shares how her team approaches styling as relationship, not judgment. Instead of “cool girl” energy, they hire and train around values like humility, positivity, and playfulness so customers feel disarmed and supported. We dig into why in-person shopping experiences still matter in an online world, and why human connection and great customer service are the competitive edge that AI can’t replace.

Then the conversation gets deeply practical about leadership and mental wellness. Christie opens up about a her first panic attack after back-to-back store launches, what it taught her about living in fight-or-flight, and how she’s learning to regulate her nervous system through rest, walking, sunlight, massage, and therapy tools like EMDR and internal family systems. If you’ve ever wondered how to grow something meaningful without burning out, you’ll leave with a clearer picture of pacing, community, and sustainable ambition.

If this resonates, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, share the episode with a friend who needs a calmer rhythm, and leave a review to help more people find Create Harmony.

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A coffee shop can be more than a caffeine stop. We sit with Cody and Johnny, the founders of Unhinged Coffee, to hear how two people with demanding corporate careers made a fast, fearless pivot into the Raleigh coffee scene and built something that feels like a true third space. Cody shares the personal roots of the idea, including how coffee became a way to stay close to his dad, and how that meaning shaped the heart of the brand.

We talk about what makes Unhinged Coffee different: a mission anchored in mental health advocacy, a refusal to treat wellness like a buzzword, and a tagline that lands with honesty, “Sip Through The Struggle.” Cody and Johnny open up about anxiety, ADHD, therapy, stigma, and why accessibility matters. Coffee is the vehicle, but community is the point, from clinician and nonprofit partnerships to events designed to help people feel safe, seen, and steady.

You’ll also hear the behind-the-scenes growth story: starting with a coffee cart and pop-ups, operating out of borrowed spaces, then taking the leap into a brick-and-mortar shop with warm murals, thoughtful design, and the unforgettable Unhinged Wall where sticky notes turn into threads of anonymous support. We get into what’s next too: expanding hours, building out a patio and alleyway markets, adding limited beer and wine and THC beverages without becoming a bar, and long-term dreams of roasting their own beans. If you care about small business building, community over competition, and how coffee culture can support mental wellness, this one is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway.

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We sit down with Amanda Rigby to trace how The Well Mental and Spiritual Care grows from a late-night COVID-season burden into a real, local pathway toward healing and wholeness. We break down what The Well actually offers, how to choose between therapy, spiritual direction, and life coaching, and why lowering stigma often starts with a simple first step.  
• The midnight phone call that sparks The Well’s founding vision during COVID lockdown isolation  
• Barriers to mental health care even in privileged spaces, from insurance issues to full therapist caseloads  
• The Well’s mission of accessible and affordable mental and spiritual care for church and community  
• A “constellation of care” model, combining clinical therapy with relational supports  
• Community classes that lower stigma, including couples enrichment, aging as spiritual practice, yoga nidra, and support groups  
• Clear distinctions between therapy and counseling, spiritual direction as companionship, and life coaching for calling and purpose  
• Big dreams to replicate the model in other churches while honoring what each community already has  
• Practical ways to connect, share the story, and help others find support in the Raleigh area  

You can check that out at mycreateharmony.com if you want more information on how to do that.

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Your body might be smarter than your overthinking. We’re joined by Karley Kimbro, a yoga teacher and sound healer, for a conversation that starts with movement and ends with a bigger question: what does it look like to live in alignment with yourself when the world keeps pushing you into speed, stress, and self doubt?

Karley tells the story of finding yoga, going through teacher training during the pandemic, and feeling the “cosmic nudge” to leave a cushy corporate HR job to teach wellness full time. Along the way, we talk about accessible yoga for beginners, the intimidation factor of studios, and why yoga is more than flexibility or perfect poses. For Karley, yoga means union, and that opens the door to breathwork, meditation, sound healing, and even tarot as real tools for connection and self understanding.

We also break down what a sound bath actually is, how instruments like crystal singing bowls and chimes can support nervous system regulation, and why a sensory practice can help you rediscover calm when your brain is trained toward agitation by constant devices. Then we shift into retreats, softness as strength, and the sober curious journey including how to rethink sobriety without shame or labels.

If you’re craving a more intentional rhythm, better mental wellness, and practices you can actually stick with, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a deep breath, and leave a review so more listeners can find us.

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We welcome Megan as our new teammate and share the real story of how Create Harmony grows from solo work into a true partnership built on intention, creativity, and connection. We talk about slowing down the noise, building confidence to share our work, and the bigger vision of helping people feel less agitated in daily life. 

• how Create Harmony evolves from workshops to guided meditations to a long-running podcast 
• why we know it’s time to add a teammate and what changes when we do 
• Megan’s career path through finance and tech startups plus layoffs and motherhood during COVID 
• what draws Megan to mental wellness work through yoga, reflection, and meaning 
• learning to talk about our work with more confidence and clarity 
• the long-term vision of helping people slow down and feel more connected 
• what we want to try next with guests, partnerships, and local pop-up events in Raleigh 

come back next week we've got more great stuff planned. 

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Today, we welcome our first guest on the podcast.  We feature Amy Cook of Petal and Pink Mental Wellness Boutique.  She shares all sorts of good info about what the store has to offer as well as details about how it came to be.  You will definitely find it interesting to hear about how it got it's name.  Check it out!  

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Joy isn’t something we have to chase down or earn. It’s already here, tucked into the ordinary: a butterfly outside the window, the first sip of coffee, a gentle breeze on a dog walk, the smell of dinner on the stove, the relief of a soft bed at night. When the world feels noisy, I’ve learned that the real “trick” is attention. The more we practice noticing, the more joy we actually experience.

I’m Sally Burlington, and I’m getting practical about how journaling helps me do that noticing. My journaling isn’t pages of polished writing. It’s a way to sort my brain, quiet the mental clutter, and make intentional decisions about what I want to focus on. I share why I lean into bullet points and lists, why I use planners as journaling tools (not for calendar management), and how monthly prompts plus a month-in-review can anchor gratitude, progress, and reflection.

We also talk about quarterly resets and why goals set during the holiday season sometimes stop resonating by spring. I explain how I adapt rigid planner pages with sticker paper so my journal meets me where I am, plus a simple practice I call “journal mining” to flip back through old entries and spot themes you might be missing.

And yes, I offer a confession: I bought a wellness journal to support habits like strength training, whole foods, protein, sleep, and meditation and then didn’t open it for an entire quarter. That moment turns into a bigger takeaway about introspection, seasons, and asking whether a goal or tool truly fits your life right now. If this helps you breathe easier and refocus, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find Create Harmony.

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