Now and Zen

Hi Friends! 

My guest this week is a personal friend and an advocate for those in grief. I invited Babette, or Babs, to the show to share her incredibly impactful story of losing her child, then her husband, both in sudden, unimaginable ways that I personally don’t think I could have survived. 

Yet surviving is exactly what Babette has done. She explains, “I give myself to the world. That is what my purpose is.”

The goal of this episode is to bring some form of peace or solace to those who may be suffering from grief. 

When it comes to death and loss, Babette doesn’t have a word for her pain. She is still trying to figure that out. But her story makes her who she is today. Babs had to rebuild herself and she shares what helped her persevere after such tremendous loss.  

To Babs, there are no stages of grief–it is so much more complex than that. Babs openly dismisses the 5 Stages of Grief and describes grief instead as a journey. She explains, “There are no stages, there are only roads, and they are all different.” 

Babs encourages survivors to be a legacy for those you lost, because their life lives on through you. She reminds listeners “your life matters too.” Babs mantra is to “stay true to yourself” during your journey. What society says or wants in regards to how you should grieve needs to be let GO so you can heal. She offers guidance on how to embrace the darkness of grief. She also offers guidance on how we can be a support system for those who are in the grieving process. 

I hope you all have a really blessed month and thank you for listening! 

Namastayyyyy Amazing! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Babette Canacari Bio:

Babette is a Mom, Daughter, Sister, Friend, and Widow.

She is a survivor of a tragedy after her 12-Year-old Daughter died on June 19th, 2010 playing The Choking Game, she unintentionally took her life, then just 5 years later the suicide of her husband. Babette’s life passion and purpose has been helping others navigate the journey of grief, being a light when people are in the dark and turning tragedy into purpose. “My daughter lives through me to serve others.”

Shattering the silence on mental health, the stigma of suicide and teen risky behavior. Instilling hope and enhancing the quality of life of our Grieving families. Mental Health is real.

Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won't have a title until much later.~Bob Goff

Website: https://thehealinghomeretreat.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babs66/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Babscanacari

Email: [email protected]

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Hi Friends! 

Welcome to Season 2 of Now & Zen! I am beyond excited to kick off this season with Caitlin Thompson, neurologist and seasoned kambo practitioner. Caitlin explains to us why, “There is nothing else like kambo on the planet.” As someone who has personally suffered from chronic illness, Caitlin discovered the many healing benefits of kambo which ignited her passion to become a pioneering kambo researcher and practitioner.
Caitlin regularly travels to Peru to harvest kambo. She walks us through the ethical harvesting process of gathering kambo from the phyllomedusa bicolor, or giant leaf frogs, commonly found in Peru. 
Caitlin emphasizes one of the most potent rewards of being a kambo practitioner and experiencing kambo is to “help guide someone back to themselves.” Remember, YOU are the medicine. She describes kambo as an empowerment medicine that can help you get in tune with your own inner strength. 
Throughout this episode, Caitlin explains the amazing benefits of kambo for those suffering from autoimmune disease, chronic infection and any inflammatory affliction and also addiction, anxiety, depression and PTSD. Kambo is also used as a natural antibiotic. Caitlin also helps us understand those who may not benefit from kambo. Kambo is not recommended for individuals with heart conditions or may suffer contraindications. 
So much is being discovered on the benefits of kambo and Caitlin is at the forefront conducting her own research on the healing benefits of kambo. Thanks for listening and remember, YOU are the medicine! Use your common sense and make educated choices in your life. 
NamaSTAY AMAZING my friends! 

Caitlin Thompson, Neurobiologist/Kambo Practitioner/ Researcher/ Advocate/Instructor
Caitlin Thompson is a neurobiologist and seasoned Kambo practitioner, advocate and educator. She is an independent scientific researcher and UCSD School of Medicine research associate and is currently conducting the first human Kambo studies. Caitlin’s personal journey up against a chronic illness that encompassed Lyme disease and other autoimmune symptoms led her down an integrated path of entheogenic medicine and science, marrying the two passions to bridge the gap. This led her to develop specialized training for Kambo practitioners to work with clients afflicted with Lyme disease and autoimmune-related conditions. Her previous research focuses on psychedelics as a novel approach to autoimmune conditions and the microbiome effects of ayurvedic herbs. Caitlin works regularly with several indigenous communities in the Amazon to build reciprocal supportive relations and bring practitioners face to face with the Kambo frog, in addition to providing practitioner training programs within the US. 

https://medicinefrogkambo.com/
https://www.instagram.com/medicinefrogkambo/
https://linktr.ee/medicinefrogkambo
Kambo Finder: https://kambospecialist.com/
Kambo Practitioner Training: https://kambospecialist.com/

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Intro-3:40 What You Need to Know Right From the Start
3:40 Anjel’s Bio & Qualifications
5:05 The Trip

Hello Dear Friends! As you may or may not know listening around the world, the Now and Zen podcast is based out of Denver, Colorado, USA and we are currently living in a city that is right in the heart of decriminalization of psilocybin. Denver is at the epicenter of the current psychedelic renaissance and I am so happy to share the benefits of that with you today with guest Anjel Carbajal, who is dedicated to leading this renaissance here in Denver with high ethical and healing standards. 

Our current medical and mental health options are based on capitalism and profit. With these doors opening and outdated stigmas being removed, many are are turning to psilocybin as a safe means of healing when we have tried everything and yet still cannot find relief from anxiety, depression and suffering. There is simply no reason to suffer the way we do in western society with anxiety and depression. We are taught that if we feel these things we are “weak”, when in fact there are so many factors that are beyond our control causing us to sometimes not be ok. 

Join us as we discuss the many benefits and contraindications of psilocybin and what the process looks like working with a highly trained integration facilitator, and Folx!!! Please do your homework on who you may choose to work with! We are seeing so many random people “trip sit” and overcharge by astronomical amounts of money here in Denver with zero qualifications or training, who put others at risk by not discussing medical history nor pharmaceutical contraindications. This is also not conducive to long-term healing and transformation. 

We highlight the importance of finally realizing YOU are the medicine. Psilocybin is not a silver bullet but it does pack a LOT of silver. The importance of understanding YOU are the medicine is essential to true, transformational healing. We discuss the benefits of micro and macro dosing as a long-term, effective means of healing and personal transformation. Let’s take a trip together with Anjel! 

Anjel’s Bio: 
For a decade, Anjel worked in the field of education, removing systemic barriers to college for historically underserved communities in the Denver Metro area. As a first-generation, queer, Latinx from a low-income family, he understood the institutional oppression experienced by this population and dedicated his life to helping others achieve their post-secondary aspirations while providing personal support and mentorship. Anjel is certified in Psychedelic Integration Coaching, and Breathwork and Embodiment Facilitation. His passion for breathwork, bodywork, and psychedelic medicine began on his personal journey to wholeness, working to overcome crippling depression, anxiety, and complex PTSD. Using a variety of techniques to address the underlying physiological issues that keep us dysregulated and reactive, Anjel assists his clients to become the creative force behind their lives and create tangible change. Anjel’s hope is to be of service to the better world that is trying to be born, by using safe and effective modalities to facilitate transformation.

Anjel, Owner of Aliento Medicinal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliento.medicinals/

Contact: https://poplme.co/Hwvk45cw/share

Website: https://www.anjeljosecoaching.com/

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Hi Friends! Today we are talking about a REALLY important topic that so many of us know all too well: How to recognize and deal with a narcissist, or NARC. If you have not run into a NARC at work or at home, consider yourself lucky, because they are everywhere!

Here is the bottom line, if you are asking Google, “Am I with a narcissist?” you probably are, and if you are typing that into Google, my dear friend, you are being harmed. Make no mistake about it, not all domestic violence is narcissistic abuse, but narcissistic abuse is domestic violence.

Please know you are not alone! Millions of people perform this Google search every year, because narcissists are like a plague. They are everywhere! It is estimated that 1 in every 19 people has Narcissist Personality Disorder, or NPD. 

So many of you have asked me to cover this topic and I am so excited to have therapist and narcissist expert, and host of the Rising Beyond podcast dedicated to this topic, Sybil Cummin on the show to help us

1. Clearly identify a narcissist 
2. Learn safe, healthy ways to deal with a narcissist 
3. Free ourselves from a narcissist’s influence on our lives

In this episode, Sybil helps psychoeducate us because recognizing their behavior allows us to realize this is all about them, not us. She spills the tea on the narcissist’s weapons in their arsenal ranging from gaslighting, love bombing, isolating you, and basically making you feel like a POS every day. Surprising fact, narcissists actually have very fragile, thin little eggshell egos. They care a lot about their outward appearance and what others think, which is why there is often post separation abuse after you leave, which often comes in the form of a smear campaign against you. Sybil also highlights how the narcissist shifts abuse after you leave, especially if you share children. 

Sybil also shares the first thing she does to help her clients when dealing with a narcissist and it starts with educating yourself, which we are doing today - YAY! And sharing your story with your safe circle of humans, which can be extremely empowering and therapeutic. 

She is an expert on narcissism and is the founder of Rising Beyond Power and Control, a support community for survivors and is the creator and host of the Rising Beyond podcast, which I have been soaking up and it is GOOD, Folx! She also provides information in her podcast on how to deal with a narcissist in family court, etc. 

She earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her Master's degree in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education from the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado, as well as an Approved Clinical Supervisor nationally.

The Rising Beyond Podcast: www.risingbeyondpc.com

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 or Text START to 88788

Referenced book: The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout

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Hi Friends! Today we are talking about the Sober Curious movement, what it is and how you can explore your own relationship with alcohol to see if Sober is the New Sexy is a good fit for YOU!  If you, like myself, have spent far too many late nights holding your girlfriends hair back while they vomit up jet fuel (and vice versa) and are curious what life is like without, you know, the embarrassing drunk moments - the drunk texts - the stupid sh*& we do - the one night stands waking up with someone who looks totally different than what you pictured them to be the night before - the walk of shame - the dangerous situations we put ourselves and others in and not to mention the horrible “Hangxiety” we feel for days after drinking too much, know you are not alone!  I am so excited to introduce our guest today, Amanda Kuda and talk about what being sober curious means! This episode is a bit longer than our usual 30-minute episodes and for good reason - there is so much to UNlearn when it comes to the new social pressures & dynamics of drinking.

Amanda Kuda is a sober curious guru with a huge following for a reason. She has bigtime street cred. She’s been featured in Shape magazine, Thrive Global, the Chicago Tribune. She is the Author of Unbottled Potential (Avery/Penguin Random House) coming out in October of 2023. She is the creator and host of the popular podcast,  also called Unbottled Potential-it’s really damn good y'all check it out! Alcohol-free since 2017, she has personally coached hundreds of women on their sober journeys and true to my own heart, she is an educator, having taught thousands of students in alcohol free (AF) challenges & masterclasses. But enough from me, let’s hear from Amanda!

https://www.amandakuda.com/

https://www.instagram.com/amandakuda/

Dear Friends, If you find yourself in the dark area of drinking and wish to find a community to help you explore your relationship with alcohol, you are not alone! Here is the AA meeting finder and a link to Tempest/Monument:
https://alcoholicsanonymous.com/find-a-meeting/
https://jointempest.com/
https://joinmonument.com/
Blessings on your journey! 

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Dr. Ben Malcolm is unlike most pharmacists you will meet. Ben is a TRAILBLAZER! As a Psychopharmacology Consultant, Psychedelic Educator, and founder of https://www.spiritpharmacist.com, Ben’s name is popping up around the world when it comes to psychedelics and medication. Ben is a global change agent and I am honored to have him on Now and Zen! Ben envisions a society in which access to psychedelic drugs in a variety of safe and supported settings is available for purposes of psychospiritual well-being, personal development, ceremonial sacraments, and treatment of mental illness. His focus is on the intersection between psychiatric medications and psychedelic therapies. 

FRIENDS! Whether you are curious about tapering off antidepressants (with or without psychedelics or work as a therapist or psychedelic integrator, this episode is for you! In this episode we talk about the intersection of tapering off antidepressants with the aid of psychedelics, namely mushroom psilocybin. Depression, anxiety and suicide are at an epidemic rate and as a result we see antidepressant prescriptions on the rise in the U.S. Many of us take antidepressants for months, years, even a decade or more. Since psilocybin has been decriminalized here in Denver, Colorado, microdosing is becoming extremely popular, along with questions of how it intersects with tapering off of antidepressants. 

My greatest hope in sharing this episode is to help prevent any of you who may be curious about tapering off antidepressants to know there is education and AMAZING help available! You don’t have to go about it blindly and alone like I did! As someone who took the antidepressant, Lexapro, for over a decade after a traumatic event, I am coming out of the psychedelic closet  to share my personal experience tapering off Lexapro while microdosing with psilocybin.  Lexapro helped me cope, but I wanted to HEAL. It took me nearly a year & a lot of unanswered Q's to wean off Lexapro. If I had known Ben because I would have absolutely taken advantage of his consulting on tapering! 

In this episode, Ben and I chat about the following: 

• How psilocybin can help us break habitual patterns by activating change processes relating to our brain’s neuroplasticity 
• Why it is important to understand psychedelics are not a direct replacement for antidepressants
• Why psilocybin is considered one of the safest psychedelics 
• Withdrawal symptoms of antidepressants and how they can affect each of us differently
• How psilocybin can be used as an aid when tapering off antidepressant medication
• The relative physical safety of psilocybin compared to other psychedelics (ketamine, LSD, ayahuasca, MDMA, libogain.) 
• Important contraindication of psilocybin to consider
• The therapeutic potential of psychedelics in general
• The oppression of scientific inquiry stemming from prohibition of psychedelics and where we are today
• Ben’s CEU course for therapists, tapering antidepressant course, consulting services for you (and your clients) and how to gain lifelong access to his amazing resources on Spiritual Pharmacist

Dr. Malcolm’s website, consulting & courses:  https://www.spiritpharmacist.com Free guide on tapering antidepressants: https://www.spiritpharmacist.com/adtaper
Dr. Ben Malcolm's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spiritpharmacist/

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Brooke Jean is a licensed therapist and coach and creator of Brooke Jean unPERFECTED and the soon-to-be author of The unPERFECTED Mama. Brooke has a revolutionary vision to unPERFECT the world! Her therapy practice is dedicated to helping her clients shed the “shoulds” to find their true calling in life. She is also the most unPERFECT mom you will ever meet! 

Folx! If I could describe this episode in one word is it: EMPOWERING! 

And Men, we SEE you. Brooke talks openly about how "the universe will straight up kick us all in the balls". But seriously, I ask Brooke some really tough questions. Why aren’t we ok? Friends, I am trying to find as many answers as I can to this major question. I ask Brooke her perspective as to WHY we are losing so many men (far more than women) to suicide and overdoses at more alarming rates than ever, and just within the past 3 years alone?

I ask Brooke to explain the difference between talk and PTSD trauma therapy and to help us understand WHY trauma therapy is so important for those of us recovering from trauma. Brooke gives no BS guidance on how we can get help in a healthcare system that is "broken". Brooke also highlights how our brain, nervous system and body store trauma and ways we can heal. Brooke also gives us advice on how to be a genuine, loving unicorn parent. In this episode, Brooke helps us understand, “The most brutal transitions kickstart the most badass transitions” 

Thank you for listening and NAMA-Stayyyyyy AMAZING DEAR FRIENDS!
I Love you ALL. 
Connect with Brooke here:
https://www.brookejeanllc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/brookejeanunperfected

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WOWZA! Do we have a great episode for you this week as part one of our guest speaker, Level Up Your Life series to kick off the new year with a bang! Tune in to learn the secret sauce to manifesting more abundance, joy and prosperity in your life - HINT - according to our guest this week, Malvina Messler, it starts with self-love! 

Malvina, CEO and Founder of Life Unleashed with Malvina, helps us learn to Get UNstuck in our lives through the neuroscience of change. She reminds us, “Your life and your business will never outperform your mindset.” 

Malvina shares her incredible story of resilience growing up in communist Poland and overcoming her own personal challenges. As a highly successful coach, she reminds us coaching isn’t just for elite athletes or business moguls anymore, it’s for anyone who wants to be “the CEO of their own life”. 

In this episode you will learn all about the benefits of quantum coaching to level up your life. You will learn ways to actively engage in proactive pattern interrupt methods to create positive change in your life along with subconscious programming to avoid the “self help trap” - yes that’s REAL. To thank you all for tuning in, Malvina will share a free gift with you! Thanks for being here. I love you ALL & Nama-STAY AMAZING!!!
Links:
Malvina's Get-Unstuck Guide
Boss Babe Denver Events
Malvina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malvinamessler/
Malvina's website: https://www.malvinamessler.com/
Conscious Entrepreneur Book Club 

Dr Aimee: https://draimeecallahan.com/

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Hi Beautiful Friends!
Gratitude reminds us that all we really need is already inside of us. In this episode we talk about the neuroscience of joy we feel when we channel authentic gratitude in our lives. We talk about why it is ok to reject the saying, “Bloom where you are planted” as total BS. We also cover why it is ok to feel grateful for what you have & be fearless for what you want. 

Groups around the world from Buddhists to members of Alcoholics Anonymous actively engage in practicing gratitude because it grounds us in the present moment where true serenity and happiness exists. 

Gratitude also helps us combat our propensity to think negative thoughts; that damn amygdala again! You will learn the difference between forced gratitude (and why it doesn’t work) and the kind of gratitude that does actually help you feel more joy in your life.

By the end of this episode you will know why it is impossible to feel like sh&t when you feel gratitude and how you can experience an “attitude of gratitude” that can help you feel good, and when you feel good you can attract even more abundance into your life. 

I love you all and thank you for being here for this gratitude journey! 

Nama-STAY Amazing! 

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This episode is all about YOU. Did you know when people are asked “WHO ARE YOU?” the majority of us do not know how to even answer that question! Crazy, right?! Throughout our lives, society teaches us we are what we do, but my dear friends, we are so much more than what we do! Are you ready to discover your inner WHY, or “Sat Nam”, to fully live up to your authentic life’s purpose and activate your fullest potential?  Super! Because in this episode I guide you through an exercise to help you find your inner WHY. Whether we realize it or not, we all have an inner WHY that, when we tune into it, can help energize, motivate and guide us through life in a more authentic and joyful way. Thank you for showing up for this journey and Nama-STAY Amazing my dear friends! 

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