If you’ve ever felt like you’re “too much,” too sensitive, or quietly carrying parts of yourself that long to be expressed - this conversation may feel like a remembering.

What if healing isn’t about fixing what’s wrong with you - but remembering what has always been true?

In this deeply soulful conversation, I’m joined by Nicole Barton - healer, archetypal guide, and founder of the Archetypal Apothecary - to explore the concept of Wellness 3.0 and what becomes possible when we stop seeing ourselves as broken.

Together, we journey into the world of archetypes, sensitivity, homeopathy, shadow work, and the symbolic power of the witch - not as a label, but as an invitation to reclaim the parts of ourselves we’ve learned to hide.

Nicole shares her own path through chronic fatigue, burnout, and healing, and how those experiences became a doorway into understanding that our wounds often hold the medicine we are here to offer.

This conversation explores what it means to come back into the body, to create safety within ourselves, and to reconnect with our own wildness - especially in a world that often teaches us to suppress it.

And because this is Mystic Dog Mama, we also explore the mirror our dogs provide: how they reflect the parts of ourselves that feel too sensitive, too emotional, too much - and how healing ourselves can deepen the way we relate to them.

In this episode, we explore:

• What Wellness 3.0 really means - and why healing isn’t about being fixed
• How sensitivity can become a gift rather than something to overcome
• The archetype of the witch as a symbol of healing, intuition, and reclamation
• Nicole’s personal journey through chronic fatigue, homeopathy, and archetypal healing
• The connection between wounds, shadow work, and discovering your gifts
• How our dogs often mirror the parts of us we’ve learned to suppress
• What it means to reclaim your own inner medicine

Connect with Nicole Barton

Website: www.nicolebarton.co.uk

Secret Witch Show Podcast - www.secretwitch.co.uk 

Instagram: https:instagram.com/iamnicolebarton

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

What if illness wasn’t the enemy?

What if symptoms weren’t signs that the body had failed, but invitations into a deeper conversation?

In this deeply rich episode, I’m joined by Dr. Erin Hayford of Aurora Somatic Medicine and the host of the Sacred Illness podcast to explore a radically different understanding of disease, healing, and the intelligence of the body.

Drawing from her own experience with Crohn’s disease and her work in naturopathic and mind-body medicine, Dr Erin invites us into a new paradigm - one where illness is not simply something to fix or overcome, but something that holds meaning, wisdom, and even transformation.

Together, we explore what it means to listen to symptoms as messengers, to understand disease as part of a healing process, and to cultivate a relationship with the body rooted in curiosity rather than fear.

This conversation is both grounding and expansive. It is an invitation to consider that healing is not always about cure, but about becoming.

And because this is Mystic Dog Mama, we also explore how our dogs’ illnesses can become mirrors and initiations of their own -  inviting us into deeper awareness, responsibility, and relationship.

In This Episode, We Explore:

* Why illness may not be your body failing you - but your body trying to communicate

* The concept of “Sacred Illness” and how symptoms can hold meaning

* The innate healing intelligence of nature and the human body

* What dis-ease may be asking you to become

* Why healing is a verb - not a destination

* The paradox of not wanting illness, while also recognising its gifts

* How our dogs’ symptoms and illnesses can become invitations for our own growth

* What happens when healing doesn’t look the way we expected

* How curiosity, trust, and acceptance can change our relationship with illness

This Episode Is For You If…

* You’ve ever felt betrayed or confused by illness - your own or your dog’s

* You’re navigating chronic symptoms and longing for a deeper understanding

* You feel called toward a more holistic, mind-body-soul approach to healing

* You want to move beyond fear and into a more trusting relationship with the body

* You believe healing may be about more than symptom management

* You’re ready to explore what illness might be asking of you

Connect with Dr. Erin Hayford

Aurora Somatic Medicine: https://www.aurorasomatic.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/drerinhayford

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

Cancer in dogs is one of the most confronting diagnoses a guardian can face.

It often arrives suddenly, bringing fear, urgency, and a sense that decisions need to be made immediately - before there is even space to fully understand what is happening.

In this episode, I’m joined by integrative veterinarian Dr. Judy Jasek for a grounded, holistic exploration of cancer in dogs - what’s really behind it, and what we can do to support our dogs in a more informed, conscious way.

We begin with the basics: what cancer actually is in the body, and how it develops within the wider internal environment of a dog’s system.

From there, we explore the deeper terrain - how toxicity, chronic inflammation, stagnation, and gut health may all play a role in the conditions that allow disease to develop.

We also discuss the importance of species-appropriate nutrition, and how everyday lifestyle and environmental factors can either support or challenge long-term health.

For guardians navigating a diagnosis, we talk about how to approach decision-making in a way that stays centred on your dog’s overall wellbeing—not just the disease itself.

This includes:

• What to consider when exploring treatment options
• Key questions to ask your veterinarian
• How to stay grounded when faced with overwhelming information

We also open a conversation that is often left unspoken in clinical settings: the emotional and energetic dimension of caring for a sick dog.

Our dogs are deeply attuned to us. They feel our states, respond to our nervous systems, and move with our emotional reality. Understanding this adds another layer of awareness - not blame, but responsibility and presence.

At the heart of this episode is a simple but powerful reframe:

Health is not something we force into being.
It is the body’s natural state when it is supported.

And when we begin to understand more about what is really behind cancer, we don’t lose power - we gain clarity about where our influence actually lies.

This conversation is for any dog guardian who wants to move beyond fear, and into a more informed, connected, and grounded relationship with their dog’s health.

Connect & Share

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow dog mama who might need to hear it 💛
And I’d love to hear your reflections. Come say hello on Instagram https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama and let me know what landed for you.

Don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.

Connect with Dr Judy Jasek:

https://ahavet.com/

https://www.instagram.com/animal.healing.arts/

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

What if your dog’s anxiety, fear, or reactivity isn’t something to fix, but something to listen to?

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode I am joined by expert dog trainer, behaviour consultant, and certified trauma professional, Dr. Laura Donaldson, to explore Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) - also known as tapping - and its potential to support deep emotional healing in both humans and dogs.

Blending science, somatics, and the unseen bond between species, this conversation invites you to consider a different approach to behaviour - one rooted not in control or correction, but in nervous system regulation, safety, and connection.

Together, we explore what’s really happening beneath the surface of common behavioural challenges, and why so many dogs (and their guardians) remain stuck despite doing “everything right.”

You’ll learn how tapping on acupressure points can influence the body’s stress response, how trauma is stored and processed in the nervous system, and why emerging research around memory reconsolidation is shifting the way we understand healing.

Through the lens of surrogate tapping, we explore the how working on your own emotional state can create meaningful shifts in your dog - not through force, but through the deep, often invisible connection you share.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• What Clinical EFT (tapping) is and how it works
• The science: neurobiology, stress response & memory reconsolidation
• How dogs experience trauma and emotional stress
• Why some behavioural issues don’t resolve with training alone
• Surrogate tapping: can working on yourself help your dog?
• The human–dog emotional connection (mirror neurons, resonance & beyond)
• Consent, safety, and ethical considerations in healing work with dogs
• Moving beyond “fixing” into true co-regulation and relationship

At its heart, this is a conversation about relationship, and about learning to meet your dog not as a problem to solve, but as a sentient being with their own nervous system, their own story, and their own path.

And perhaps, as a mirror, guide, or invitation into your own healing, too.

If you’ve ever felt that your dog is reflecting something back to you, if you’re curious about the connection between your emotional world and theirs, or if you’re searching for a more compassionate, holistic way to support your dog - this episode will open something up in you.

Connect & Share

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow dog mama who might need to hear it 💛
And I’d love to hear your reflections. Come say hello on Instagram @mysticdogmama and let me know what landed for you.

Don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.

To learn more and connect with Dr Laura Donaldson:

https://fourpawsfourdirections.com

Enrollment link for Emotional Freedom Techniques: Clinical Tapping for You and Your Dog webinar:

https://laura-s-school-1f3f.thinkific.com/enroll/3725201?price_id=4676486

Discount Coupon: podcast50

(for 50% off the price of webinar tuition)

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Tom Lonsdale - veterinary surgeon, long-time advocate for raw meaty bones, and author of the new book, Spin Doctors.

This conversation invites us to step back from the noise, the labels, and the often polarised debates around dog food—and instead, to look more closely at the foundations those conversations are built upon.

Because this isn’t about kibble versus raw. It’s about understanding the animal in front of us… and the systems that have shaped how we care for them.

We explore what it means to feed a dog in alignment with their biology as a facultative carnivore, and how modern feeding practices compare to that reality. From feeding trials and the origins of “balanced and complete,” to the rise of ultra-processed diets, and the growing conversation around vegan dog food, BARF, Prey Model Raw, etc—this episode gently but courageously questions the narratives many of us have inherited.

We also speak about trust, how it is formed and outsources - and what it might look like to begin reclaiming it—not through fear or perfectionism, but through curiosity, observation, and discernment.

At its heart, this conversation is not just about food. It’s about power, conditioning, and the quiet invitation to see more clearly.

A question to sit with:

What assumptions have I made about how to feed my dog—and where did they come from?

If this episode resonated:

Share it with a fellow dog mama who’s been quietly questioning what’s in the bowl.
And if you feel called, leave a review - it helps more people find these conversations.

Learn more about Dr Tom Lonsdale and his books:

https://www.thepetfoodcon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thepetfoodcon

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

Walking our dogs has become one of those unquestioned “shoulds” of dog guardianship.

But what if it’s not always the most supportive choice?

In this conversation with dog trainer and behaviour consultant, Niki French, we gently challenge the idea that going for a walk is always the best thing for our dogs—and explore what it really means to meet the needs of the dog in front of us.

We dive into ACE Free Work, developed by Sarah Fisher - a practice that might look simple on the surface, but offers something profound underneath:

A way for our dogs to be, rather than perform.

Through thoughtfully designed setups using everyday objects, ACE Free Work allows dogs to:

• Move at their own pace
• Make choices without pressure
• Process their environment
• Regulate their nervous system
• Communicate in ways we often miss in more structured settings

We explore how this work can be especially supportive for:

• Dogs who find walks overwhelming or dysregulating
• Dogs recovering from surgery or injury
• Guardians who want to better understand behaviour beyond labels

We also talk about the intention behind Don’t Walk Your Dog Day happening on April 2nd - a gentle disruption of the idea that going for a walk is always the answer. Because sometimes, the behaviour we’re trying to “fix” is actually a message. And sometimes, the most supportive thing we can do
is create space to listen.

This episode is an invitation to shift from doing to noticing, from controlling to collaborating, and from assumption to curiosity.

To connect with Niki:

https://puptalk.co.uk

Instagram https://instagram.com/puptalk101

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

Are flea, tick, and worm treatments actually necessary for dogs—or have we just been told they are?

If you’ve ever felt uneasy about routine parasite prevention, this episode will help you take a more informed, conscious approach.

I’m joined by holistic veterinarian Dr Lise Hansen to explore how we can move beyond fear-based, one-size-fits-all flea, tick, and worm treatments… and instead consider what’s truly right for our individual dogs.

This episode is released on World Rethink Flea and Tick Prevention Day—a day created to raise awareness around the routine use of chemical parasite treatments, and their potential impact on our dogs, our ecosystems, and ourselves.

Because true prevention isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing what’s right for your dog.

🐾 In this episode, we cover:

• Flea, tick, and worm prevention for dogs
• The risks and realities of routine chemical treatments
• How to assess your dog’s individual parasite risk
• When treatments might be necessary (and how to approach them consciously)
• What to do if you find a tick on your dog
• Why exposure doesn’t always lead to illness
• Natural and holistic approaches to parasite prevention
• What “true prevention” really means

🌿 A more conscious way forward

I also share how I use my F.E.T.C.H. framework - Fresh food, Energetics, Targeted care, Curiosity, and Holistic health - to support dogs from the ground up, whether or not chemical treatments are part of the picture.

🤍 Continue the conversation

If this resonates and you’d like support in taking a more conscious, grounded approach to your dog’s care, you’re so welcome to join us inside my free Facebook community: FETCH First Light https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

To connect with Dr Lise Hansen: https://alternative-vet.co.uk/

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

When behaviour begins in the body

When a dog struggles with anxiety, impulsivity, or reactivity, the conversation almost always starts with training.

But what if behaviour doesn’t only begin with what we see on the outside? What if part of the story begins inside the body - in the gut, the nervous system, and the nutrients that shape them both?

In this episode, I’m joined by fellow canine nutrition consultant and behaviour professional Sam van Eggermond for a fascinating conversation exploring the emerging connections between nutrition, the gut microbiome, and behaviour in dogs.

Sam’s journey into this work began in shelters and rescue environments, supporting dogs with complex behavioural challenges. Over time, she started noticing patterns. Many of the dogs struggling most with anxiety, impulsivity, or reactivity were also dealing with digestive issues, sensitivities, or diets that simply weren’t supporting their physiology.

Those observations sparked a deeper investigation into nutrition and the gut microbiome - as well as a critical look at some of the research shaping behaviour advice today.

In this conversation, Sam brings both curiosity and nuance to a rapidly evolving field. Together, we explore how behaviour might sometimes be a biological signal as much as a training challenge, and why supporting the body can be an important part of supporting the mind.

In this episode we explore

• Sam’s early work in shelters and rescues, and how it shaped her approach to behaviour and nutrition
  • The patterns she began noticing between digestive health and behavioural challenges
  • How nutrition and the gut microbiome may influence stress, mood, and emotional regulation in dogs
  • Why some studies on diet and behaviour deserve closer scrutiny
  • Questions guardians can begin asking when their dog is struggling with anxiety or reactivity
  • The vision behind the UK Centre for Canine Reactivity and Aggression dedicated to supporting dogs with complex behaviours, and the guardians who love them

To learn more and connect with Sam:

https://www.ukccra.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/ukcaninereactivity/

https://www.instagram.com/feedingcaninebehaviour/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576355878714

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

Around 80% of the world’s dogs are free-roaming, living in streets, villages, and communities alongside people rather than inside homes. Yet much of what we believe about dog welfare, safety, and rescue comes from a Western model of dog ownership.

In this episode, I’m joined by Vanessa of Spicy Dogs, a certified canine behaviour consultant based in Sri Lanka who helps adopters of village and street dogs understand behaviour through the lenses of ethology, trauma awareness, and co-regulation — building trust rather than control.

Together we explore the complexity of street dog lives, the tensions that arise when Western rescue impulses meet different cultural realities, and the deeper question: what actually makes a good life for a dog?

In this episode we discuss:

• What daily life looks like for street and village dogs
• Why the narrative of constant suffering can miss the richness of their lives
• How language and labels shape the way we see “street dogs”
• When rescue helps — and when it can unintentionally cause harm
• What can change when dogs are removed from their cultural and ecological context
• How different cultures understand dog welfare
• What street dogs might teach us about living alongside dogs rather than controlling them

This is a thoughtful, sometimes uncomfortable conversation that invites us to loosen our grip on what we think dogs should be - and see them through a wider cultural and ecological lens.

To connect with Vanessa:

https://instagram.com/spicydogsbehaviour

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

What if the future of dog care isn’t about better obedience…but about deeper safety?

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Dr Laura Donaldson and Annie Phenix to explore their new course, Transformation and Healing: New Paradigms for You and Your Dog - and the larger shift happening in the world of canine care.

We begin by honouring the late Sarah Fisher, whose work invited us to learn from our dogs rather than simply lead or manage them. Her legacy threads through this entire conversation.

This episode challenges the long-held paradigm of compliance in our relationships with dogs. Instead of focusing on obedience and suppression of behaviour, we explore what becomes possible when we centre:

• Deep safety
• Emotional wellbeing
• Agency
• Resilience
• Trust
• Social support

We discuss what it means to become trauma-informed in our approach, and why that shift is transformative, not additive.

We explore:

✨ Why compliance has shaped traditional dog training - and why it’s time to question it✨ Dogs as somatic beings (and how we’ve forgotten that we are too)✨ The intelligence and wisdom of all life forms - and dismantling the “humans at the top” worldview✨ Getting curious about behaviour instead of correcting it✨ The links between pain, nutrition, and behaviour✨ The power of a collaborative care team (vet, behaviour professional, nutrition consultant)✨ Becoming your dog’s advocate - and how that often becomes the path to advocating for yourself

We also speak to something many of us feel but rarely name:

Your dog may be your greatest teacher.Your “difficult” dog may be your healer in disguise.

At the heart of this conversation is love - the kind that truly witnesses. The kind that listens. The kind that believes healing is possible.

Because we can heal from trauma.And so can our dogs.

And how embodied, courageous kindness is what moves us forward.

If you’ve ever felt there must be another way to be with your dog, then this episode is for you.

Join Dr Laura’s and Annie’s course, Transformation & Healing: New Paradigms for Our Lives With Dogs, here:

⁠https://laura-s-school-1f3f.thinkific.com/courses/transformationhealing?fbclid=IwY2xjawQAV3lleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETJqQzdOVUcyOXdIeVdqeDlqc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHg6HnXe2NeStkigpItMingJ2som3QK1q4b0pJ6ON7I0dCHT2xJ_SBOkZojfb_aem_x3TJVAo1bWFCVqDgbLRE4Q⁠

Join Annie’s free group The Canine Trauma Clinic here: 

⁠https://community.caninetraumaclinic.com/invitation?code=G6686B⁠

Connect with me!

Website: ⁠https://mysticdogmama.com⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com⁠/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection ⁠https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight⁠

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.