What really happens in your brain during an ayahuasca ceremony? I’m talking with Dr. Jeff McNairy, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Rhythmia Life Advancement Center in Costa Rica, about the science, the spiritual side, and how plant medicine can support deep healing, if it’s right for you.

Psychedelic therapy isn’t for everyone, and I get that. But when the soulful, spiritual side of healing meets actual neuroscience, I’m all in. At the end of the day, it’s about your health, your healing, and knowing all of the options available to you. Plant medicine is something I’ve been exploring, and it’s been profoundly helpful in my own growth. That’s why I’m bringing you this conversation with Dr. Jeff.

We get into how trauma gets stored in the body, what’s really going on in your brain during ayahuasca, and why it’s not a cure-all (and not for everyone). 

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

How untreated trauma gets stored in the amygdala and shows up as anxiety and why our “push through it” culture makes it worse (7:38)

Dr. Jeff’s path from running rehab and psychiatric programs in LA to working with plant medicine in Costa Rica (16:19)

Why ayahuasca isn’t for everyone, what to consider before trying it, and how to know if you feel “called” (22:14)

The neurochemistry of ayahuasca: what DMT does in your brain and how it can help release trauma (27:31)

Common results Dr. Jeff sees at Rhythmia: from reduced anxiety and depression to long-term emotional shifts (49:26)

My own “double reaction” during ceremony and Dr. Jeff’s take on what was happening physically and spiritually (56:56)

Resources from this episode:✨Interested in a future Rythmia Ayahuasca retreat with me? Drop a DM on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email support[at]andreaowen.com with the subject line “AYA Interested” to be added to the interest list!

My Ketamine Therapy Journey secret podcast seriesRythmia Retreat

Andrea on Instagram @heyandreaowen

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I know, I know, I’ve been talking about grief a decent amount lately, and this week’s episode brings yet another angle—one we don’t talk about nearly enough. This is about the kind of grief that sneaks in long after the breakup papers are signed and the dust has settled. The grief that only makes itself known once you’ve created enough distance, or when—surprise!—you fall in love again and finally feel safe enough to feel.

And this doesn’t just happen after a marriage ends and someone falls in love again. It can happen in our friendships, relationships with family, even jobs or careers. 

In this episode, I’m sharing the surprising grief that surfaced two and a half years after leaving a long relationship. This isn’t the obvious “heartbreak grief” that hits you right after the end. This is the grief that comes from looking in the review mirror. From realizing how much you self-abandoned, finally feeling seen and loved, and grieving all the versions of yourself that didn’t get that.

We’re also looking at what it really means to “grow apart” in a relationship, why you can’t prescribe someone else’s evolution (aka “how can I get my partner to be into personal growth more?”), and how love (new or long-term) can become an amplifier for healing if you let it.

If you’ve ever asked, “How do I get my significant other  on board with my personal growth and their own?” or “Why does this new relationship feel so tender and terrifying at the same time?”—this one’s for you.

Why “growing apart” is more than a vague excuse—and how to tell when it’s actually happening

The quiet grief that follows clarity and hindsight

How self-abandonment can masquerade as “keeping the peace”

The sneaky ways we shrink to feel loved (and how that resentment creeps in)

What happens when new love cracks you wide open in the best (and hardest) ways

Why some grief only shows up after you feel safe

How love can either be a bypass or an amplifier; and why the difference matters

Interested in my next group program? It’s deep, intimate, and designed for this kind of layered, soul-level work. It's still in development (she doesn’t even have a name yet, but currently referring to it as “The Deep Work” 👀), but if you're curious, send me a message and I’ll personally reach out with more details when I have them soon. 

Resources from this episode

Leaving People Behind podcast episode

DM me on Instagram @heyandreaowen and tell me what resonated most from this episode.

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s episode is all about spiritual deconstruction, what it is, why it happens, and what comes after. I’m joined by Brittney Hartley, an atheist spiritual director with a Master’s in Theology who has created a captivated following with her content. I love how Brittany talks about this topic with honesty, clarity, and depth. I wanted to bring this topic to the podcast because so much of what I teach is about deconstructing beliefs that no longer work for us and figuring out what does actually work for you. Religion is often one of those things. From both my personal experience and what I know so many of you have gone through, I think you’re going to love this conversation with Brittney.

Here’s what really hit me in our conversation: spiritual deconstruction isn’t just about walking away from religion. It’s about rebuilding a sense of meaning that actually aligns with who you are, not who you were told to be. Brittney shares what helped her through the unlearning process, how religious trauma shows up in sneaky ways (especially for women), and why reclaiming your intuition and identity is deeply spiritual work.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

Brittney’s spiritual deconstruction story from Mormonism to theology school to becoming an Atheist Spiritual Director (5:40)

Personality traits more likely to lead to deconstruction (spoiler: empathy, curiosity, and authenticity play a big role) (13:27)

The sneakier signs of spiritual trauma for women raised in patriarchal religions (15:33)

Anchors and practices that helped Brittney rebuild her identity, including discovering core values (20:34)

The biggest culprit of religious trauma for women (28:35)

Resources from this episode:

Interested in doing deeper work within a group setting and with me? Drop a DM on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email support[at]andreaowen.com with the note “Interested in your deeper work” and I’ll send you more details.

Britt’s website

Britt’s book, No Nonsense Spirituality

Britt on Instagram @nononsensespirituality

The Heroine’s Journey, Maureen Murdock

Deconstruction, Dogma, and Spiritual Beliefs with David Hayward

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grief isn’t just for death and divorce, but can and is often woven into the everyday tapestry of our lives. It can be quiet, sneaky, and many times overlooked. In this solo episode, I’m talking about the grief we don’t always see: the loss of old dreams, former versions of ourselves, identities, even ambition. And how if we don’t acknowledge it, it finds a way to show up.

Whether you’ve been triggered by someone on Instagram or you’re navigating life after a major loss, my hope is that this episode will meet you where you are, with curiosity, compassion, and the reminder that our healing starts when we’re willing to name what we’ve lost.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

Why grief is more than just sadness and how it can manifest as anger, disconnection, or “What’s wrong with me?”

How to recognize the invisible griefs in your life, from motherhood shifts to identity changes

The power of curiosity to disrupt autopilot thinking and uncover deeper truths

What a triggered Instagram spiral taught me about grieving old versions of myself

How grief is especially necessary right now in our collective moment and why we need to make space for it

Journaling questions from this episode:

How did this topic of grief land for you?

What if you could let yourself name what you lost?

Where might grief be quietly shaping your decisions or energy? Is it speaking for your inner critic?

Resources from this episode:

Andrea on Instagram

Devotion 1:1 Program

Podcast episode on feeling alive and whole

My Ketamine Therapy Journey secret podcast series

Interested in a future Rythmia Ayahuasca retreat with me? Drop a DM on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email support[at]andreaowen.com with the subject line “AYA Interested” to be added to the interest list!

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, I’m thrilled to welcome back Erin Claire Jones to talk about her new book How do you choose? a human design guide to what’s best for you at work, in love, and in life. I geek out on anything that helps us better understand ourselves, like astrology, personality assessments, and of course, Human Design. So you know this conversation lit me up. Not just because I love the mystical-meets-practical vibe of Human Design, but because Erin dropped so many truths around self-trust, letting go of old patterns, and finally owning what fuels you.

Here’s my biggest takeaway from our conversation: Human design can be a real tool for self-acceptance. It helps you look at parts of yourself you may have spent years trying to fix, and instead help you love the hell out of them.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

What human design actually is (6:27)

A breakdown of the five energy types and what they reveal about how you move through the world (7:56)

What your design might say about your patterns in relationships (15:51)

Why decision-making is at the heart of human design and how to stop overthinking and start trusting your body (16:51)

The importance of knowing and understanding your Human Design authority (26:05)

The connection between your Human Design and your career path (33:51)

Resources:

Interested in private coaching with me? Email support(at)andreaowen.com or DM me on Instagram @heyandreaowen

Devotion: A 6-Month Private Coaching Experience

Look Up Your Human Design Blueprint

Get Your Custom Human Design Blueprint Guide - Use the code NOISE for a 10% discount

Erin’s book, How do you choose?Erin on Instagram @erinclairejones

Human Design Coaching Certification - Use the code NOISE for a 10% discount

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if healing isn’t a single moment or a fireworks-style breakthrough? What if sometimes healing is a long quiet burn - a long sunrise?

In this solo episode, I’m sharing what it’s been like to be in the middle of the most gutting transition of my life. I’ve been through change before, but this one has stretched across years. It’s shed versions of myself I’ve lovingly, but slowly, let go of.

And the truth is: there is no pressure to rush your transition, or what I’m calling a “sunrise”. It’s not a race. It’s a return to who you are at your core.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

That “I thought I’d be done by now” feeling and the myth of arrival

The metaphor of the longest sunrise and why your healing doesn’t need to look like a montage

How ignoring your intuition in the past might still hold insight for today, and what changes when you believe your intuition now

Letting go of the need for dramatic transformation and embracing slow, steady shifts

If you’re deep inside your own transition, wondering when clarity will arrive, this is your reminder: you’re not behind. You’re just in the sunrise.

Resources:

Public Facebook post

Andrea on Instagram

Devotion: A 6-month private coaching experience

My Ayahuasca Experience

My Ketamine Therapy Journey secret podcast series

✨Interested in a future Rythmia Ayahuasca retreat with me? Drop a DM on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email support[at]andreaowen.com with the subject line “AYA Interested” to be added to the interest list!

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking all about anxiety, ketamine therapy, and how this treatment is helping high-functioning women finally feel emotional relief. You don’t need to stay in a perpetual state of anxiety - there are resources out there that can truly help.

In addition to therapy and other healing modalities, ketamine therapy has been a game-changer for me in managing anxiety. So I invited Dr. Kristin Arden from Mindbloom and Stephanie Trunzo the CEO of MERGE for a roundtable discussion on what ketamine therapy really is, how it works in the brain, and why it’s worth considering; especially if you’re a high-functioning woman navigating anxiety and overwhelm.

We dig into what actually happens during treatment, the emotional rewiring that takes place, and how to know when it's working. If you’ve tried everything and still feel stuck, I hope this conversation opens the door to a new kind of healing.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

Why so many high-functioning women struggle with anxiety (6:13)

What actually happens in the brain during a ketamine therapy session (10:11)

The stigma around ketamine and how it’s being used safely and effectively today (19:40)

What emotional rewiring really means and how to know it’s working (27:38)

Resources:

Devotion: A 6-Month Private Coaching Experience

My Ketamine Therapy Journey secret podcast series

Andrea on Instagram @heyandreaowen

Mindbloom Ketamine Therapy

Episode 600: Advice and Insights About Ketamine Therapy with Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Kristin Arden

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:https://andreaowen.com/podcast/684

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“You don’t just do Ayahuasca, you carry her with you forever.”

The time is here, I’m ready to share more about my experience participating in an Ayahuasca ceremony. This episode isn’t a step-by-step rundown of every moment of my four nights in Costa Rica at Rythmia Retreat– I’ll save that for the private podcast series. In this episode, I am giving you the “quick and dirty”: what this medicine actually is, why I felt called to it, and how it changed me.

Let me be clear: this is sacred. Not a wellness trend. Not a party drug. Not something you DIY with a dude named Chad who ordered a vine online. This is indigenous medicine, with a deep history and lineage that deserves reverence, not appropriation.

I chose Rythmia specifically because of their relationship with respected indigenous leaders like Taita Juanito, a Colombian shaman who led one of the most profound nights of my entire experience. They do it right: sacred space, trained facilitators, traditional songs and prayers, deep intention-setting. 

Ayahuasca is a full-body, full-soul, spiritual experience. Not recreational or for kicks. It's for healing, and if you feel the quiet pull toward it, there might be something there for you. And if you don’t? That’s okay, too. This path isn’t for everyone, and it’s not supposed to be. There are so many other transformative modalities to support your healing. Listen to that voice, she knows what’s right for you.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

What Ayahuasca actually is, and the powerful compound it shares with the brain during birth and death

The sacredness of honoring the cultures and lineages that carry this medicine (*see below for more cultural context)

Why some people feel called to sit with this medicine (and how you’ll know if that’s you)

What happens in ceremony, like, yes, the purging, but also the healing

Why this isn’t a magic bullet, but a powerful tool for release, rebirth, and reconnection

Want more details? I’ll be breaking down each ceremony: including the wild fourth night where I thought I was gonna die over in my free private Ketamine Therapy podcast series. Head to andreaowen.com/journey for access.

*Now for some more cultural context: cultures and lineages who have used Ayahuasca for generations:

Shipibo-Conibo (Peru): Known for their healing songs, icaros, and intricate patterns that come from ayahuasca visions

Asháninka (Peru and Brazil): Use ayahuasca as part of spiritual practice and plant dietas

Kofan and Siona (Colombia): Taita Juanito (facilitator I experienced at Rythmia) is from this lineage

Huni Kuin (Brazil): Use ayahuasca (called nixi pae) in collective healing rituals

Tukano and Yawanawá peoples (Brazil/Colombia): Deep ceremonial history with plant medicines, including ayahuasca

Resources:

Devotion: A 6-Month Private Coaching Experience

My Ketamine Therapy Journey secret podcast series

Rythmia Retreat

Andrea on Instagram @heyandreaowen

Episode 666: 365 Happy Bedtime Mantras with Shannon Kaiser

✨Interested in a future Rythmia Ayahuasca retreat with me? Drop a DM on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email support[at]andreaowen.com with the subject line “AYA Interested” to be added to the interest list!

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by:We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, I’m joined by Alanna Kaivalya, PhD,  author of The Way of the Satisfied Woman, expert on mythology, psychology, and spiritual empowerment. Alanna was someone I could’ve talked to for hours. From the second I learned her book title, I knew I had questions. She brings insight on what it actually looks like to live a fully embodied, empowered life as a woman, and how we can unlearn the conditioning that tells us we need to overfunction, overgive, and override our truth in order to be loved.

Throughout our conversation, Alanna breaks down the truth about self-abandonment, why so many strong women end up in relationships that drain them, and how reclaiming our feminine energy is the key to living a life that actually feels satisfying. 

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

Why women tend to overgive in their lives and relationships and how to recognize self-abandonment when it's happening (4:49)

How dropping the “mask of masculinity” led Alanna to reclaim her energy and live more authentically (15:57)

Why strong, capable women often find themselves in unhealthy relationships and how to shift the dynamic or walk away (21:13)

The interplay between masculine and feminine energies in a relationship, and how it looks when it actually works (34:24)

Resources:

Devotion: A 6-Month Private Coaching Experience

Andrea on Instagram @heyandreaowen

Alanna’s Resources to Becoming a Satisfied Woman

Alanna’s website

Alanna’s book, The Way of the Satisfied Woman

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

https://andreaowen.com/podcast/682

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I had a powerful conversation with a client this morning that led me here: the topic of guilt, and more specifically, what it looks like when guilt keeps us from choosing ourselves.

This client shared that radical self-acceptance, for her, meant removing guilt when I make decisions based on what I want. This is so common. Especially for women. We are deeply conditioned to believe that putting ourselves first is selfish, that our value lies in how much we give, how selfless we are, how much we sacrifice.

So in this episode, I’m breaking down what guilt actually is (and what it isn’t), why we often believe getting rid of it completely is the goal (hint: it’s not), and how we can begin to untangle our conditioning from the truth. In addition, I talk about practicing a little self-awareness when guilt shows up.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

Guilt is woven into the tapestry of our social conditioning as girls and women

The differences between guilt, shame, humiliation, and embarrassment and why that matters

Guilt is about behavior: about making a mistake and making amends, not about who you are as a person

Why we often feel guilty for putting ourselves first, even when we’ve made no mistake

This episode featured two reflective questions which I’ll leave here for reference:

How often have you said no to yourself out of fear of feeling guilty? 

When guilt shows up, ask: Is this truly something I need to make amends for? Or is this just my conditioning?”

Remember, you get to choose what’s true for you, even when guilt tries to argue otherwise.

Resources:

Rythmia Retreat

✨Interested in a future Rythmia Ayahuasca retreat with me? Drop a DM on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email support[at]andreaowen.com with the subject line “AYA Interested” to be added to the interest list!

Devotion: A 6-Month Private Coaching Experience

Make Some Noise 

Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

https://andreaowen.com/podcast/681

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices