Kumbay'all: The Whole Woman's Resource

Episode 55

What to Eat Before You Get Pregnant with Caitlin Samson, MSACN, MS

Are you thinking of starting or expanding your family? Then you won’t want to miss today’s episode! 

Our guest is Caitlin Samson, MSACN, MS - a clinical nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and homebirth mom of three, who will teach you why it’s important to think about healthy nutrition habits before you even start trying to get pregnant. She gives useful tips and actionable advice to help you eat and avoid the foods that’ll support you and your baby!

In Kumbay’all episode 55 Caitlin discusses:

• How soon before your pregnancy you can start working on your nutrition

• Why nutrition is important during this preconception phase

• How to be flexible to help yourself make lasting changes and meet your nutrition goals

• If preconception nutrition is important for women only, or if it matters for men too 

• What foods are beneficial before and during pregnancy

• What foods to avoid before pregnancy or if you’re trying to conceive

• If detoxing is safe to do before you try to get pregnant

• Some of the issues that she sees in her nutrition counseling practice 

• How your nutrition can help you and your baby during your pregnancy and afterwards

About Caitlin:

Caitlin Samson, MSACN, MS is a Clinical Nutritionist and Exercise Physiologist with more than 10 years of experience helping clients get healthy and stay healthy. As a nine-time marathoner and homebirth mom of three Caitlin understands how important nutrition is for optimal performance as well as motherhood! Caitlin’s background is in medical research, health coaching, personal training, and nutritional counseling. Caitlin takes a holistic, individualized approach to her client’s health, and some of her interests include chronic illness, digestive wellness, Lyme disease, fatigue, anxiety and depression, children's health, and preconception nutrition.

This is Caitlin’s second time on the Kumbay’all podcast - she was one of our first guests, on episode 5! You can listen to that episode and learn more about Caitlin’s story and what she recommends to prevent disease and live our best life possible. 

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

True Food and Wellness - Caitlin’s practice in Smyrna, GA

Suja Juice - Caitlin is a fan of this low-sugar green juice for her family

MyPlate - guideline that can help you visualize how to get a balanced meal

FedUp - documentary that discusses the harm of sugar

Kumbay’all episode 5 - hear Caitlin’s first interview with Amanda

Progressive Pelvic Education - check out Amanda’s current course offerings and get on the wait list for her homebirth prep course!

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Episode 54

Conscious Connection with Carrie Contey, PhD

Are you struggling with conscious parenting, despite your best intentions?

Are you unsure of how to stay connected with your children and to other loved ones (including yourself) when stress and frustration get high?

Today’s guest gives practical ways to implement conscious parenting and shares fundamental concepts of brain development that will help you understand yourself and your children better.

This is a replay of one of our favorite episodes - episode 16. It’s so good we had to share it again!

In Kumbay’all episode 54 you’ll learn:

• How our knowledge of child development and neurobiology has changed, and what this means for how we approach parenting

• Carrie’s suggestions for common struggles parents face

• Tips for handling a meltdown

• Aspects of attachment theory, prenatal and perinatal psychology, and interpersonal neurobiology that can help shape your parenting approach

• Why self-care is a necessity and not a luxury

• Different types of self-care and how to learn which ones are most important to you

This episode is packed with actionable advice and great information, we hope you enjoy!

About Carrie:

Carrie Contey, PhD is an internationally-recognized coach, author, speaker, and educator. Her work offers a new perspective on human development, parenting and family life. She guides, supports, and inspires her clients to live with wide-open and courageous hearts so they can approach family life with skill and spaciousness. Carrie received her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis on prenatal and perinatal psychology and is masterful at synthesizing and articulating the science, psychology, and spirituality of humanhood. She is the creator of Evolve, a year-long "personal growth through parenting" program which ran from 2011-2017. She is also the co-founder of the Slow Family Living movement and the co-author of CALMS: A Guide To Soothing Your Baby. Carrie has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, NPR, CBS radio and in many publications including Time, Parenting, Huffington Post, and The Boston Globe.

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

CarrieContey.com - learn more about Carrie and how you can work with her

Progressive Pelvic Education - check out Amanda’s current course offerings and get on the wait list for her homebirth prep course!

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Episode 53

How to Have Your Best Year Ever - with Bethany Baker, CHPC

Bethany Baker, a Certified High Performance Coach through the High Performance Institute, joins Amanda in today’s episode to share her formula for how to have your best year ever! 

In Kumbay’all episode 53 you’ll learn:

• The steps to follow to have your best year ever

• What’s more valuable than money

• How to get yourself motivated

• How to help yourself when you’re feeling down or things get tough

• How to ensure that the work gets done

• How to check in with yourself throughout the day

• Insights into the tips & tricks that Bethany shares with her clients

This episode is packed with actionable advice and great information, you’ll want to listen with your pen and paper ready so you can take notes!

About Bethany:

Bethany Baker is a productivity and self development junkie and a worldschooling adventure mom who’s currently over-landing the Americas with her husband and two daughters. She’s passionate about coaching fellow moms, teaching them the tools they need to live the full and balanced life they seek, challenging them about what they believe is possible for themselves, and then helping them realize their full potential.

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

Best Year Ever - download Bethany’s How to Have Your Best Year Ever formula and New Year Prep guide she mentions in today’s episode

Be Your Best With Bethany - learn about Bethany’s offerings and how you can work with her

Progressive Pelvic Education - check out Amanda’s current course offerings and get on the wait list for her homebirth prep course!

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Click here to watch today’s episode on YouTube!

Episode 52

Holiday Break & Exciting Things Coming in 2023!

Today is our last episode of 2022, it’s incredible to think that this year is almost over!

Kumbay’all will take a break for the holidays and will return in January 2023. 

Listen to this quick solo episode with Amanda for some timely year-end reminders and to learn about some of the exciting new things she has planned for 2023!

• Amanda’s signature homebirth course - what she did that helped her patients have smooth childbirths and helped Amanda go from a 30-hour labor with her first child to a 10-hour labor with her second child!

• Exciting new guests, including her own High Performance Coach to help you get the year started off right! You won’t want to miss our new episodes in January for an AMAZING start to the New Year and to help you have your best year ever!

We hope you have a wonderful finish to 2022 and a great start to 2023!

About Amanda:

Amanda Shipley, PT, DPT, MTC is a pelvic physical therapist in Atlanta, GA with more than 15 years of experience helping patients prevent and heal pelvic floor issues. Her mission is to change the standard of care so that pelvic physical therapy is a part of a complete wellness strategy that incorporates preventative care, like going to the dentist. Dr. Shipley believes in a holistic approach and focuses on treating the whole person and not just their symptoms. After having two unmedicated homebirths, Dr. Shipley is especially passionate about helping birthing people have as smooth a childbirth as possible. She believes that everyone would benefit from seeing a pelvic physical therapist during pregnancy. By supporting birthing people at this pivotal time in their life, we’re not only supporting their bodies and immediate families, but we’re also helping our communities. Dr. Shipley sees patients at her practice, Renew Pelvic Health, and is the creator and host of the podcast Kumbay'all: The Whole Woman's Resource. She also founded Progressive Pelvic Education with her twin sister, as a way to realize her dream of making pelvic health education more accessible via online courses at progressivepelviceducation.com.

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

Progressive Pelvic Education - check out Amanda’s current course offerings and get on the wait list for her homebirth prep course!

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Episode 51

How to Know Yourself Better with Lauren Ivy

Why is it important to know yourself? How can this knowledge help you in life?

Today’s episode dives into this topic in an empowering way! Listen in for more details and to learn how knowing more about who you are and what brings you joy can be a powerful way to:

• Love yourself

• Reduce self-criticism and judgement

• Live a more authentic, fulfilling, and joyful life

In Kumbay’all episode 51 Amanda has a great conversation with Lauren Ivy about the power of getting to know yourself better, including topics like:

• Human design and how it can help you

• Things to consider if you’re evaluating making a change in your life

• The power of the pause

• How to tap into your body for wisdom

• Lauren’s meditation practice (after 20 years of experimenting!)

• How to journal to expand awareness

About Lauren:

Lauren Ivy is an Empowerment & Authenticity Coach and is the owner of Open to Alchemy. She helps clients feel more free and fulfilled using a variety of self-discovery modalities including Human Design, Energy Alignment and Intuitive Guidance. She helps clients get the clarity they need with identifying their gifts, what brings them joy, and how they can align with their purpose and step into the truest, fullest possibility for themselves. Lauren is also the host of the Open to Alchemy podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

Open to Alchemy - learn more about Lauren and how to work with her

Open to Alchemy Podcast - check out Lauren’s podcast on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts)

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Progressive Pelvic Education - online courses on pelvic health

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Check out the video podcast for this episode on YouTube!

Episode 50

How to Use Art to Relieve Stress and Grief with Melissa Kemper Westbrook

Would you describe yourself as artistic?

Whether you think you’re creative or not, you can use art as an outlet for difficult emotions.

Today’s guest is a self-taught artist who used watercolor painting as a way to help herself through an especially challenging time in her life. We think you’ll find her reflections and insights helpful!

In Kumbay’all episode 50 Amanda talks with Melissa Kemper Westbrook about her artistic journey, including topics such as:

• How she got started with watercolors and how she learned to paint

• How she used art to get herself through some very difficult times in her life

• How her background as an educator influenced her work as an artist

• Her advice for ‘inartistic’ people who would like to start creating art

About Melissa:

Melissa Kemper Westbrook is a long-time resident of Atlanta, where she spent the first 15 years of her career teaching highschool English, drama, and yearbook. Just weeks before the pandemic began, Melissa gave birth to her youngest child. Since then, she has been home with her four boys while her husband works full time and finishes his doctoral dissertation. 

To help her cope with the stresses of pandemic parenting, Melissa started painting in between diaper changes, skinned knees, and grilled cheeses. The death of Melissa’s beloved father in November 2020 was devastating, and she uses her art and poetry to express her grief and gratitude for him. 

In the summer of 2021 Melissa started working in earnest towards a creative career and is now selling her prints, taking commissions, leading creativity workshops, and continuing to work on her novel. You can see more of her work and follow her creative process on Instagram and her website.

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

M. Kemper Westbrook - see more of Melissa’s work

@m.kemper.westbrook - follow Melissa’s creative process on Instagram

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Progressive Pelvic Education - online courses on pelvic health

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Click here to check out today’s episode on YouTube!

Episode 49

Holiday Preparation Tips from Professional Organizer Gigi Miller

Who doesn’t want to be more prepared for the holidays?  

Listen to today's episode for insights and tips to increase your calm and decrease your stress this holiday season!

In Kumbay’all episode 49 Amanda talks with professional organizer Gigi Miller about how to prepare for the holidays, including topics such as:

• What things people struggle with around the holidays in particular

• Why it’s good to start thinking about preparing for the holidays early

• What things families can do to prepare for an organized and calm holiday season 

• Some of Gigi’s favorite holiday-related organizational tips

About Gigi:

Gigi Miller is the founder of Vision Organizing in Atlanta, GA. Since 2008 she has offered individuals, families and companies of all sizes organization and productivity solutions that are simple, sustainable, and effective for long-term success and visible results. Her services include residential organizing, personal productivity, business organizing, and training workshops.

Gigi is dedicated to helping clients clear the physical and mental clutter to create space for what they genuinely care about and live lives aligned with their core values. Her philosophy is based on simplifying spaces, prioritizing time, and creating boundaries in work and life. Gigi’s clients include executives on Wall Street, top-tier health systems, legal firms, educational institutions, and corporations.

Gigi is a member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) and served on the board of the Georgia Chapter as Vice President, Marketing Director, and Director of Professional Development. Gigi holds a NAPO Specialist Certificate in Workplace Productivity, Certificate in Coaching Essentials from the Certified Organizer Coach Training Program and continues her education through NAPO classes and annual conferences. In addition, Gigi is a founding member of The Lola, an Atlanta-based women’s workspace that supports local non-profit organizations, companies founded by women, and its members. 

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

Vision Organizing - learn more about how Gigi can help you or your company

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Progressive Pelvic Education - online courses on pelvic health

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Click here to check out today’s episode on YouTube!

Episode 48

How to Combat Holiday Stress by Staying Connected to Yourself - with Bree Hibbs-Kenny

How much of your life do you live in an overwhelmed state? 

Are you already beginning to get nervous for the extra stress of the upcoming holidays? 

If you tend to feel anxious, overwhelmed, or stressed, and are already getting worried about the holidays - today’s episode is a must-listen! 

In Kumbay’all episode 48 Amanda has a wonderful conversation with trauma-sensitive movement specialist Bree Hibbs-Kenny, where they discuss:

• The signs to look for to let you know that your body is getting anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed

• Why it’s important to check in with these feelings and manage our stress

• What you can do to help combat holiday stress

• How having an embodiment practice can make a difference in your stress level

About Bree:

As a ballet-trained performance artist, Bree Hibbs-Kenny has been teaching both adults and children to connect with their own bodies through dance, theater, and yoga for more than 16 years. Bree has been passionate about embodiment – helping people connect with and be inside their own body – throughout her career.

Bree was first introduced to yoga 20 years ago, but it wasn’t until she suffered an ischemic stroke in 2013 and her world was turned upside down that she realized how transformative yoga could be. She practiced yoga during her recovery because she hoped that a ‘bottom up’ approach of taking care of her body first would help the other areas of her life.

Not only did her yoga practice help her recover from the stroke and accompanying depression, it ignited her desire to study trauma and movement. Through the yogic experience, Bree uncovered that her physical body has a direct connection with her nervous system and psychological well-being. Now her primary focus is helping people with embodiment and empowerment through movement sessions.

Bree received her 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher certification in 2018. Shortly afterwards she trained with The Center for Trauma and Embodiment at Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts and completed her Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator certification there. She completed the Mama Tree Prenatal Yoga Training and (as of Oct 2022) is currently working to complete the Somatic Stress Release™ certificate. Bree offers movement sessions for the overwhelmed body both virtually and in-person at Renew Pelvic Health in Atlanta, GA. 

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

Renew Pelvic Health - schedule a session with Bree or learn more about her offerings

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Progressive Pelvic Education - online courses on pelvic health

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube!

Episode 47

How Do You Know If You’re Seeing a Real Pelvic Physical Therapist?

It’s surprising how frequently we hear of patients who thought they were getting pelvic physical therapy when they weren’t.

How do you know if you’re seeing a real pelvic physical therapist and getting true pelvic physical therapy? And why does that matter?

Listen to Kumbay’all episode 47 to learn why you should care about who you see for pelvic physical therapy and how you can tell if you’re seeing a real pelvic physical therapist.

In this episode Amanda discusses topics such as:

• How are pelvic physical therapists different from orthopedic physical therapists?

• What are some red flags to look for when seeking pelvic physical therapy?

• At what times and life stages would you want to see a pelvic physical therapist? 

• What are three questions you can ask to make sure you’re seeing a true pelvic physical therapist?

About Amanda:

Amanda Shipley, PT, DPT, MTC is a pelvic physical therapist in Atlanta, GA with more than 15 years of experience helping patients prevent and heal pelvic floor issues. Her mission is to change the standard of care so that pelvic physical therapy is a part of a complete wellness strategy, like going to the dentist. Dr. Shipley believes in a holistic approach and focuses on treating the whole person and not just their symptoms. After having two unmedicated homebirths, Dr. Shipley is especially passionate about helping birthing people have as smooth a childbirth as possible. She believes that everyone would benefit from seeing a pelvic physical therapist during pregnancy. Dr. Shipley sees patients at her practice, Renew Pelvic Health, and creates online courses in pelvic health through Progressive Pelvic Education. In addition, she is the creator and host of the podcast Kumbay'all: The Whole Woman's Resource.

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Progressive Pelvic Education - online courses on pelvic health

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube!

Episode 46

Gender and Sexuality with Heather Edwards, PT, CSC (she/they)

We get questions about gender and sexuality all the time. In Kumbay’all episode 46 Amanda interviews @heatheredwardscreations - pelvic physical therapist, sex counselor, sex educator, artist, author, and founder of adult sex ed event programs - about several different topics related to sexuality and sexual wellbeing.

Heather creates art, books, events, education, and conversation for smashing some patriarchy with nonbinary crotch and pleasure enthusiasm, and she is a wealth of knowledge!

In their conversation, Amanda and Heather cover topics such as:

• The difference between sex counselors, sex therapists, and sex educators, and when you might want to see each type of professional

• Some of the sexual health issues that Heather helps with in her pelvic physical therapy practice

• How Heather first became interested in trans pelvic health

• A review of terminology describing sex and gender expression, including cis, trans, binary, and intersex

• How sex is actually assigned at birth

• What we can learn from the structure of BDSM

We hope you’ll find this episode to be enlightening and enjoyable! 

This is an excerpt from episode 18, so you can also listen to that original discussion for even more information about Heather’s background as well as her program, Vino & Vulvas.

About Heather:

Heather Edwards, PT, CSC (she/they) has been a pelvic physical therapist since 2003 and is an AASECT certified Sexuality Counselor as well as a Sex Educator. They achieved their dual certificate at the University of Michigan Sexual Health Certificate Program. They founded Vino & Vulvas in 2015 and it quickly became their favorite thing to do. They have presented at APTA’s CSM, AASECT (sex therapy, counseling, and education), Teen PEP (comprehensive sex ed in schools), InterConnect (intersex advocacy), SE OB/GYN, and transgender conferences and teaches for Pelvic Global Academy on the topic of Trans-Inclusive Sexual & Pelvic Health. As the COO of Pelvic Guru, LLC, they create and curate collections of illustrations and handouts that are provided to interdisciplinary pelvic health providers. They have a series of courses that address specific sexual psychosocial aspects of medical care called Clinical Blindspots. They provide community sex education live and online as Vino & Vulvas and Bubbles & Bubbly. In addition to education and clinical work, Heather is an artist, illustrator, and author of the coloring book series "Coloring Books for the Crotch Enthusiast" an illustrated story about a nonbinary vulva, “Finding VaJoyJoy”, and most recently of a novel, June Full Moon. Her latest is erotica that is pelvic-health informed, consent-focused, and models emotionally intelligent dialogue as a new platform for her sex education work. As an advocate for promoting the inclusion of all minorities into sexual health, especially those who have been historically faced with many barriers to care, they have teamed up with Dr. Uchenna Ossai and Pelvic Global Academy to create the Pelvic Health Sex Counseling Certificate (www.pelvicsexcounseling.com).

If you enjoyed this episode please share it, leave a review, and subscribe to the podcast. We love hearing from you and we appreciate your support!

[email protected] - Let us know what you thought of this episode!

Heather Edwards Creations - Heather’s website

Heather Edwards Creations Linktree - additional info and products from Heather

Episode 18 - original discussion with Heather - includes even more sexual health links!

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

@renewpelvichealth on Instagram or Facebook

Progressive Pelvic Education - online courses on pelvic health

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

You can also watch this episode on YouTube!