It's been such a fascinating process for me to explore the birth world!   I've learned the difference between midwives, birth assistants and doulas and each of their special roles in helping with labor.  Now, in this conversation with Salt Lake City-based doula and music therapist Beth Hardy, I learned the value of a music-based doula to help us create our optimal birth experience. 
 
Listen in and hear how Beth uses her unique talents to create specialized birthing soundtracks, why a personalized song can do wonders for infant bonding and what music helped her through her own challenging yet beautiful birth.  
 
Not pregnant or interested in birth?  We talk about how much music can help hold us through any big life transition and why important for all of us to use the awesome power of music to help us change. 
 
To learn more about Beth's work, please visit her website .  Also, check out the beautiful song by Deva Premal that helped Beth through her birth here 

How Music Helps Us Birth Something New with Music Therapist and Doula Beth Hardy

Transform your health, work and life through simple self​ care practices.

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In this fourth episode of our "Self-Care as Magic" series, I speak with sexual educator and sensual self-care teacher Reba Thomas, aka Reba the Diva. Together, we discuss what it means to live a life that's emergent with magic and share ways that our sensual self-care is a form of magic in and of itself. Deeper, Reba coaches me through some of my own blocks to pleasure in real-time and helps me uncover a few important root fears. If you've ever struggled to receive pleasure, you'll want to listen to this! 
 
We also discuss...
- What it means to be a "magical" person.
- Why following our spiritual path can simply mean being open to experiencing magic.
- Ways that authentic anti-racist work is a much-needed form of magic.
- And much more!
 
I hope you enjoy this episode and bask in Reba's radiance! You can learn more about Reba's work on her website and on Instagram. 
 
Also, I explain in the introduction, I'm going to take a break from the podcast while I deal with some family medical issues this winter. However, I don't feel anywhere near done with this conversation about self-care as magic, so please expect some exciting new episodes as we get closer to spring!

Sensual Self-Care as Magic with Sexual Educator Reba Thomas

Welcome to our third episode in the self-care and magic series! Together we've been exploring the unique and often overlooked place magic has in our self-care and our lives. In this episode, I talked to my wildly talented and magical friend Sarita Rhodes. (We've known each other since I was 15 and in overalls!) Sarita is a dance scientist, choreographer, and movement lover. During our conversation, Sarita shares her magical journey of becoming herself and what it takes to live an uncharted creative life. We also talk about why she finds so much magic in dance, in motherhood, and just in simple day-to-day living.

We also discuss:

- How our attitudes about abundance influence our experience of magic. 
- Why it's so easy to overlook the everyday magic of living in our modern world.  
- Why having an imagery practice is so important for self-care thriving.

And much more! 

Listen and be inspired! I always am when I talk with Sarita. You can learn more about Sarita's work at http://www.saritalou.com and follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/saritalou/

Dancing With Magic with Dance Scientist Sarita Rhodes

We're back with the second episode in my new series on self-care as magic! In this one, I speak with folk healing artist Richael Faithful (pronouns they/them) about how to live a magical existence within the very real realities of our modern world. Richael shares about their own journey with magic--through their childhood connection to nature through their current practice of the African diasporic tradition of conjure. Further, we discuss why embracing magic is the self-care technology that can help us evolve through the current world crises and relearn what it means to live in a community. 
 
We also speak about: 
- How to handle the tension between magical and scientific approaches (they're not as different as you may think!).
- Why it may be important to choose a magical self-care practice connected to your own background and ancestry. 
- Why learning how to help others through moments of grief may be one of the ultimate magical self-care practices. 
- And much more! 
 
I hope you enjoy listening to this conversation as much as I enjoyed having it with Richael! Please listen and let me know if you have any thoughts or questions. 
 
You can learn more about Richael's work at https://www.richaelfaithful.com

Thoughts on Healing with Magic with Folk Healing Artist Richael Faithful

Hello podcast listeners, I've missed you! After more than 10 months, I'm back with a new podcast. Actually, I'm back with a whole new podcast series! 

Over December and January, I'll be exploring the relationship between magic and reality in our self-care, our lives, and our world. Finding the right balance of these two extremes has completely transformed my life. Now I believe this balance could be helpful for our world, especially as we enter into what looks like another tough year of life. 
 
As part of this magic + reality series, I have amazing guests lined up with lots of self-care goodness to share! Expect to meet some of my favorite magical realists over the next few episodes of the show. 
 
In this episode, however, it's just me! I share my thoughts on why truly becoming an adult means finding the sweet spot between magic and reality and offer three super boring self-care practices that will give you an amazing amount of magical energy. Listen to learn more! 

 
Are you intrigued by how this relationship between magic and reality can fuel your self-care in 2021? If so, please sign up for my Sensational New Year's Self-Care Jubilee workshop on January 1st from 2:30 to 4 pm ET. I'll share my favorite life-affirming self-care with you and also include lots of surprises, a touch of mystery, and a special guest or two. One hundred percent of the money will go to pay BIPOC teachers within my self-care community who hold the space for the BIPOC members.  
 
Also, please consider buying my book "selfcarefully" for your loved ones this holiday season. It's a great option for anyone who's had a tough year or could just use more of the life-giving energy of self-care in their lives. Get your copy here!

I’m Back! And Thoughts on Magic and Reality

Feeling your feelings seems like a pretty simple concept, right? But if so, why do so few of us know how to really do it? Perhaps we need to go back to the basics, or as Rachel Kaplan of the Healing Feelings Sh*t Show podcast puts it, do some emotional potty training. Rachel has dedicated herself to helping others learn to feel their feelings and have fun in the process of self-exploration. 

In our conversation, we discuss: why it can be so hard to access our feeling within our current society, the connections between our emotional blocks and our physical blocks (ie, the sh*t), the tools that can help you process hard-to-feel feelings, and so much more! 
 
To stay in touch with Rachel's work, please check out the healingfeelingshitshow.com or search for the Healing Feeling Sh*t Show wherever you find podcasts.

How Music Helps Us Birth Something New with Music Therapist and Doula Beth Hardy

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