SPILL THE (GREEN) TEA: How to talk about sustainability without getting called out

In this episode, Katie speaks with Sarah Hakewill, a Coastal Coach, Culture & Change Strategist, and Londoner turned seaside dweller, about the power of cold water, community, and the sea as a space for reimagining our lives.

“Being in the water is one of the only times my neurodivergent brain powers down. It’s like being transported to another universe.” - Sarah Hakewill

After 40+ years in London, Sarah moved to Margate during a time of personal upheaval and discovered the life-changing magic of daily tidal pool swims. Her journey from burnout to blue health led her to train as a certified Blue Health Coach in 2024 and combine 20+ years of culture change work with nature-based facilitation. Through her work, Sarah helps people and purpose-led businesses reconnect with what matters — through strategic retreats, coaching, and community-building by the sea.

We cover:

- How the stillness of the sea created space for healing and self-connection

- Why midlife can be the perfect time to rewild yourself and ask what truly matters

- The concept of “Naturehood” and building thriving ecosystems of people, purpose, and place

- Blue health and “blue mind” as an antidote to burnout and digital overload

- The power of tidal pools, cold water, and coastal community

- Creative clarity, beginner’s mind, and noticing everyday magic

- Making purpose-led work feel joyful, hopeful, and grounded in nature

More from Sarah:

Website: https://seaofpurpose.com/

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry: Brackish

Resources mentioned:

Exeter University Research about coastal space being more accessible for people in lower socio-economic groups: https://news-archive.exeter.ac.uk/featurednews/title_754908_en.html#:~:text=Coastal%20living%20benefits%20mental%20health,those%20more%20than%2050km%20away.

Blue Mind by Wallace J Nichols (affiliate link)

Going Coastal Blue (Blue Health Coach Training)

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more here

In this episode, Katie speaks with Lucy Beckley, a writer, poet, and creative writing facilitator based in Cornwall, about creativity, motherhood, and defiant hope. 

“We don’t always get what we’re expecting when we pay attention. But often, we find something just as beautiful.” - Lucy Beckley

Lucy holds an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing from Cambridge University. Her poetry has been shortlisted for multiple awards, including the Benjamin Zephaniah Future Writers Competition, and she runs workshops, retreats, and creative spaces that invite others into the joy and magic of writing.

We cover:

- How becoming a mother sparked Lucy’s decision to take her writing more seriously

- Why writing often happens "in the seams" of daily life and how to honour that

- Creating space to write as a form of resistance and healing

- The powerful practice of metaphorically “emptying your pockets” before writing

- How co-writing sessions and creative communities can combat the loneliness of writing

- Lucy’s Small Acts of Attention cards and the magic of playful prompts

- Embracing liminal spaces, the present moment, and the everyday poetry of life

- The role of writers in cultivating “defiant hope” in a noisy world

This conversation with Lucy is a gentle reminder that creativity doesn’t require grand gestures or perfect conditions; it thrives in the small moments, the quiet observations, and the spaces we carve out for ourselves.

Whether you’re writing in the margins of your day, capturing ‘flapping thought ribbons’, or simply noticing the light through your window, you’re engaging in a deeply human, hopeful act. Lucy’s words invite us to slow down, pay attention, and honour the magic in what might otherwise go unseen. In a world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming, this kind of intentional noticing and the creative expression that flows from it is a radical, defiant kind of hope.

More from Lucy:

Website: www.lucybeckley.com

Instagram: @lucybeckley

LinkedIn: Lucy Beckley | LinkedIn

X: Profile / X

Substack: https://lucybeckley.substack.com/

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry: https://brackishbykatietreggiden.substack.com/t/poetry

Resources mentioned:

Books:

Small Acts of Attention Cards – a creative prompt tool for writers of all levels:

Professional Writing MA

Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing

Anaïs Nin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana%C3%AFs_Nin and Bio — The Anaïs Nin Foundation

Trying with Emma Barnett

On Connection by Kae Tempest (this is an affiliate link)

Matrescence by Lucy Jones (this is an affiliate link)

Everyday Wonder by Sophie Howarth (this is an affiliate link)

Instructions for Life by Mary Oliver, Poet

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more here

In this episode, Katie speaks with Sas Petherick, a self-belief coach, writer, speaker, and podcast host whose work explores the connection between self-doubt, self-trust, and meaningful living.  

“Every small thing you do to create the world you want to live in has epic ripple effects that you may not see.” – Sas Petherick

Sas believes that healing our self-doubt is one of the most important contributions we can make to ourselves, our families, our work, and the world. She holds a Master's degree from Oxford, and their research on self-doubt was published in the International Journal of Coaching and Mentoring. She has developed an evidence-based, trauma-informed, ICF-accredited coaching methodology for cultivating self-belief.

Over the past decade, she’s supported hundreds of women navigating self-doubt in their personal and professional lives. Their top 1% rated podcast, Courage & Spice, has over half a million downloads, and she’s worked with high-profile organisations like BBC Worldwide and Pinterest. Now living by the beach in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, with their partner Ash and pooch Bodhi, Sas spends their time imagining a post-capitalist world, exploring consciousness, and listening to obscure UFO podcasts. Sophie’s work spans theatre, film, and audio, and she is passionate about amplifying voices from both marginalised human and more-than-human communities. She is the founder of Teatro Vivo and SHH Productions, and currently serves as Creative Director at CHANGE Festival.

“You’re going to experience failure and rejection anyway, why not do it while doing something you actually care about?” - Sas Petherick

We cover:

- The personal and collective cost of self-doubt and how to recognise its disguises

- Sas’s own journey from City burnout to self-belief coaching and sobriety

- Why exquisite self-care is a radical act of defiance against capitalism

- Reframing success through the lens of meaning, joy, and compassion

- What it means to live a brave life and why discomfort is not the enemy

- The connection between midlife, the inner wild, and returning to nature

- The power of small actions and ripple effects in a world of despair

“Taking exquisite care of yourself is not indulgent. It’s an act of rebellion.” - Sas Petherick

This episode is an invitation to pause, to ask better questions of ourselves, and to cultivate self-trust as an anchor through uncertainty. Whether you’re in a season of burnout, transition, or craving more meaning in your work and life, Sas’s insights offer a grounded, hopeful compass for what’s next.

More from Sas:

Website: https://www.saspetherick.com

Instagram: @saspetherick

Substack & Podcast: Courage & Spice

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry: Brackish

Resources mentioned:

Books:

Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown (this is an affiliate link)

Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit (this is an affiliate link)

If Women Rose Rooted by Sharon Blackie

All Fours by Miranda July (this is an affiliate link)

The Middle Passage by James Hollis (this is an affiliate link)

Falling Upward by Richar Rohr (this is an affiliate link)

Substack

Things to do when you feel s**t, To Reality With Love by Nora Popova

Joeli Caparco & The Crumb, Brackish with Katite Treggiden

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more here

In this episode, Katie speaks with Sophie Austin, a multidisciplinary director, writer and producer, about how storytelling can become an act of regeneration, resistance, and community building.

Sophie’s work spans theatre, film, and audio, and she is passionate about amplifying voices from both marginalised human and more-than-human communities. She is the founder of Teatro Vivo and SHH Productions, and currently serves as Creative Director at CHANGE Festival.

“I want to find the people I trust in the long grass. That’s where I choose to make my work.” - Sophie Austin

In this conversation, Sophie she reflects on what it means to live and create at “the edge”—of comfort, of fear, and of systems—and how reconnecting with wonder can unlock new ways of seeing, sensing, and showing up in the world.

You’ll hear how Sophie’s storytelling was transformed through motherhood, why she invites people to walk with her in the dark, and how improvisation, play, and community shape every project she leads. From her collaborative writing desk in the Oxford Botanic Gardens to her powerful film Climate Criminals, Sophie shares how she brings people together to co-create stories of hope and courage, even in the face of crisis.

We cover:

- How Sophie went from running immersive theatre in supermarkets and high streets to storytelling for environmental and social justice

- Why she describes herself as a “wild storyteller” and what walking in darkness can teach us

- The power of saying “yes, and…” and how it opens doors to deeper creative collaboration

- Her interactive public art project What Happens Next and what it taught her about community

- The behind-the-scenes story of Climate Criminals, the people it centres, and why its process mattered more than the product

- Why the values of curiosity, creativity, bravery, and trust are essential for living and leading in uncertain times

More from Sophie:

Website: https://www.sophiejaneaustin.com/

Instagram: @sophiejanesnaps

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiejanedoes/

Teatro Vivo

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry: Brackish

Resources mentioned:

https://youtu.be/pjkHtXRpyI4

CHANGE Festival

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more here

In this episode, Katie speaks with Alex Dunkley - a writer, musician, and independent funeral celebrant – about creativity, courage, and the quiet power of ritual.

Alex weaves all three aspects of her work in and alongside each other kaleidoscopically, and identifies as being AuDHD. Her work invites stories into the room—whether that's through song, ceremony, or the written word—exploring how narrative can hold space for grief, joy, and everything in between. She’s deeply fascinated by the stories of our land and the songs they inspire. When not leading community choirs or sitting in a library researching rituals, you’ll find her on the coast path, filling her pockets with stones and listening to birdsong on the wind.

“We need to live intentionally to really be active in the way we are in the world.” – Alex Dunkley

In this conversation, we explore the liminal – those tender in-between places – and how creativity and ritual help us to navigate them. Alex shares her journey from orchestras in London to community choirs in Cornwall, to her soul-stirring work as a celebrant. We talk about the ritual space between death and funeral, and the need for more honesty and intention in how we grieve and remember.

We cover:

Alex’s journey through music, community work, and into celebrancy

Why she believes ritual doesn’t need to be grand – just intentional

The deep significance of the time between someone dying and their funeral

Her experience writing beside a sacred fugu and the creative awakening it sparked

The tension between logic and belief – and what happens when you choose to trust your own experience

🎙️ Plus: Alex performs Shapeshifter, a haunting and poetic piece written in the fugu itself – a moment of myth, memory, and music that will stay with you long after listening.

This episode is rich with story, personal reflection, and a kind of grounded magic. If you’ve ever struggled to claim a creative identity, yearned for more connection to the seasons or the land, or wondered how to make sense of the unexplainable, this one’s for you.

More from Alex:

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

Website: www.soulfulceremonies.co.uk

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry: Brackish

Resources mentioned:

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Moth Tales Open Mic Night (Falmouth)

Dyski, Creative residential workshops in Cornwall with a focus on immersive, experimental & place-based learning

The Writers’ Block, the writing centre in Cornwall, a place to write and a unique approach to developing confidence and skills in writing for everyone.

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more and pre-order

In this episode, Katie speaks with Juliet Bennett, to explore how wild swimming, coaching, and nature combine to create powerful, transformative experiences. From the clarity of lake water to coaching on windswept beaches, Juliet shares her journey into blue health, her love for cold water immersion, and how outdoor coaching is opening up new ways for people to find purpose, hope, and connection.

"I added the word 'broken' to my brand because I needed people to know that there was space for them, however they arrived." – Amy Wilson

What we cover:

- Juliet’s first magical evening river swim

- Why lake swimming is her non-negotiable weekly ritual

- How volunteering as a water safety guide helped sharpen Juliet’s intuition

- What “blue health coaching” is and how it changes the coaching dynamic

- Real stories of coaching breakthroughs using natural landscapes

- The link between hope, purpose, and taking action in uncertain times

If you’re craving more meaning and connection in your life, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on the power of nature to ground us, shift our thinking, and bring us back to what matters.

More from Juliet:

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-bennett-01918995/

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry:

Brackish

Resources mentioned:

Coaching Outdoors conference: https://www.henley.ac.uk/events/coaching-outdoors-live-2

Guardian Article: The Guardian view on rising sea levels: adaptation has never been more urgent

A Poem For Every Night of The Year by Allie Esiri

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more and pre-order

In this episode, Katie Treggiden speaks with Amy Wilson. Amy is an artistic and adventurous soul, wielding the epic powers of creativity daily at her studio, Acorn. She is passionate about creating brands, stories, and art in the world that shift paradigms and expand perspectives. Amy advocates for childlike play, the power of the imagination, Mother Earth, and the future - among other things! She is abstract, imperfect, free, and wildly creative.

"I added the word 'broken' to my brand because I needed people to know that there was space for them, however they arrived." – Amy Wilson

What we cover:

- Our shared experience of the challenges and joys of different seasons, and how the natural world impacts moods and energy levels.

- Amy’s journey of transitioning from corporate design work to embracing her identity as an artist and creative. She discusses the importance of looking to nature as a source of inspiration and wisdom.

- The concept of "front-end dreamers" - those who are pioneering new ideas and solutions, and the bravery and resilience required to forge that path.

- The importance of choosing hope, even when it's challenging, hope is an active choice, not just a passive state.

- We share strategies for maintaining hope in the face of adversity.

- We reflect on the humbling experience of connecting with nature and the larger cosmic forces at play, and how that perspective can ground and inspire their creative work.

"I think for a long time, I thought that the answer was to just be more clever, or to work harder or to find a better solution. But actually, I think now the answer is to feel more." – Amy Wilson

More from Amy:

Website: https://www.acornacorn.com/

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry:

Brackish

Resources mentioned:

Art is the Highest Form of Hope

Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit

The BioLeadership Fellowship

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more and pre-order

 In this episode, Katie Treggiden speaks with Kirsty Tanner, a Scottish multi-disciplinary artist, designer and maker, living in Liverpool. She runs design studio Tom Pigeon alongside her personal practice working across paint, textiles and collage. Kirsty's childhood in rural Scotland meets her love of Modernist design and Brutalist architecture, combining abstract expressions of nature with strong architectural line and negative space. Kirsty has worked on collaborative collections with clients including Tate Modern, The Barbican, V&A and Team GB. When not in the studio Kirsty can usually be found in the garden, at a flea market or in the sea! 

“I love my brain. It goes in all these different directions. I'm not going to beat myself up about it anymore. This is just the way I am.”

“I crave being by the water... There is something special about the way you see the land when you're in the water. There's a sense of isolation, a disconnection that I absolutely love.”

“My own creativity is giving me joy and hope. The new relationship is exciting. There are possibilities.”

"Curiosity is the antidote to hopelessness."

What we cover:

– Kirsty discusses her childhood growing up in a small town in rural Scotland

– What led Kirsty to start exploring painting and the draw to have your hands in nature

– The Call of the Wild, when mid-life is cracking you wide open – we reflect on the challenges and opportunities of navigating midlife transitions, including coming to terms with neurodivergent traits, and the creative strengths that a non-linear thinking style can drive

– The importance of self-compassion and finding ways to reconnect with nature and creativity.

– The power of artist residencies - carving out time and immersing yourself in unfamiliar spaces and locations

– Strategies for finding hope and optimism in difficult times, including the power of small daily pleasures.

More from Kirsty:

Website:  https://www.kirstytanner.com/ and https://www.tompigeon.com/

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

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

Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/tompigeonstudio/

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry: https://brackishbykatietreggiden.substack.com/

Resources mentioned:

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Wyl Menmuir – multi award winning author based in Cornwall

Bio-Leadership Fellowship

Cards for Life by Thomas Mansfield / Pale Blue https://paleblueperspective.com/cards-for-life

The Lengths / @thelengths_studio – Where Kirsty did her residency in the Highlands 

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more and pre-order

In this episode, Katie Treggiden speaks with Joanne Lamb, an Irish artist based in London, who creates delicate woven vessels inspired by nature and the Celtic Wheel of the Year.

"I want each of the baskets to tell a story, they are imbued with a sense of time and place for me. The power of telling stories helps us connect with nature, event the earliest humans have done that." – Joanne Lamb

What we cover:

* Joanne's artistic process and how she creates delicate vessels that look "grown rather than made"

* Reconnecting with Irish heritage and Celtic traditions after growing up disconnected from them

* Using the Celtic Wheel of the Year as a framework for deepening connections to nature

* The importance of storytelling and "creating a new path through old wisdom"

* How art can help us notice and appreciate seasonal changes

* Finding hope through creativity and community during challenging times

More from Joanne:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannelambstudio

* Website: https://www.joannelambstudio.co.uk/

* Exhibit: "Constructed" at Gallery 57 in West Sussex

* Workshop: Woven textiles & expressive basketry workshop, April 2025

More from Katie:

* Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

* Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

* Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

* Nature-inspired poetry:

Resources mentioned:

* Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

* Slow Seasons by Rosie Steer

* Works by Mary Oliver

* Works by Nan Shepherd

* Gaia by James Lovelock

* Deep Work by Cal Newport

* Flowers, Flora in Contemporary Art at Saatchi Gallery, 12 Feb - 5 May 2025

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

In this episode of Brackish, Katie speaks with Agnes Becker, artist, science communicator, and creator of We Are Stardust, about bridging the gap between art and science, connecting with nature, and finding freedom in creative expression.

Brackish is a term used to describe water that is a mixture of saltwater and freshwater, for example, where a river meets the sea.

I first encountered it sitting in a boat in just such water and it immediately became one of my favourite words. I am fascinated by intersections, liminal and littoral spaces, overlaps and interconnections, and I want to use this space to explore all of those things – the ideas that don’t fit into neat boxes.

So, I’ll be exploring those things here – the places where craft meets nature, where the rules don’t apply and ‘shoulds’ start to fall away. From occasional ‘salty’ language to refusing to adhere to feminine standards of beauty or behaviour, I am leaning into my brackish era – and I’m doing it here with some brilliant women and non-binary folks who are doing the same.

Key Topics

* Agnes shares her journey from a career in science communication to creating art that blends science and nature, emphasising the importance of awe and wonder

* The evolution of Agnes’ work from precise scientific illustrations to co-creating with nature including her recent river art collection and shift toward more experimental, nature-based creative processes

* They discuss their shared passion for nature and the importance of reconnecting with the natural world along with exploring the concept of "The Call of the Wild" and the benefits of nature connection, including reduced stress and increased compassion.

* The value of getting to know individual species deeply (such as blackbirds and their nesting habits) and the importance of noticing subtle seasonal changes

* How nature connection can help shift perspective away from human-centric thinking

Highlights

The Call of the Wild

"I distinctly remember this one meeting where we were meeting with a funder... sitting in a basement where there was no natural light at all... I had a really clear vision of being in the woods; a pine forest. I can still see it right now, and I was carrying logs. I was wearing some long linen clothes. I could almost smell the wood smoke in that moment... that was the beginning... that was this call of the wild that I talk about a lot of my work, this Call of the Wild being like, nudge, nudge nudge. This isn't quite right for you, you need to be looking elsewhere."

Nature Connection & Wonder

"Instead of just walking past by and saying, ‘yeah, there's a nice bird, singing a lovely song that's good’. Start asking; ‘I wonder where its nest is. I wonder where its mate is. I wonder if it's laid any eggs...’ suddenly the whole world opens... Curiosity opens things up, rather than closes things down."

Seasonal Awareness

"It's really helpful to mark these times so that you can root yourself into the season, not suddenly find yourself in the middle of summer and all of this time and Spring has just passed you by... we're at this time where it's still winter... but there are little stirrings of life. You've got your snowdrops coming up... the catkins are starting to drop. There's little signs of new beginnings and new life."

Connect with Agnes

* Website: wearestardust.uk

* Instagram: @wearestardustuk

* Free Wild & Imperfect Workshop

* Substack: Your Wildly Enchanted Life

Connect with Katie:

* Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Books & resources we mentioned:

If Women Rose Rooted by Sharon Blackie

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (this is an affiliate link)

The Emerald Podcast with Joshua Schrei

Awe by Dacher Keltner (this is an affiliate link)

Drawing Correspondence's Watermark course – April 2025

Artists: Jo Lewis & Lucy Willow

The world of Stonehenge - Past exhibit at The British Museum, London

Check out my full Bookshop.org podcast reading list to find links to all the books mentioned throughout Season 6 of Brackish.

Useful Links:

Try out a nature-informed coaching tool - Find a spot in a blue (or green) space where you can spend some time without being interrupted and try out this ‘four directions meditation’ to reflect on the sustainability journey you’re on and try out a nature-informed tool at the same time.

Spread the Word:

Please share Brackish with wild abandon – and show us some love by following, subscribing or leaving a review. All that good stuff tells the ‘algorithm Gods’ to show the podcast to more people, and that can only be a good thing, right?

Dive deeper:

You can find the poem I shared on this episode along with other poems, nature-connection prompts, and short personal essays on her Substack.

Brackish is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

About Katie Treggiden:

I’m Katie Treggiden (she/they). I am a spoken word poet, a craft, nature and sustainability writer, a certified Blue Health Coach™ and the author of Brackish here on Substack. I grew up in Cornwall and as a child, I took for granted that you could catch mackerel for the barbeque from a day boat, find grasshoppers between molehills on the lawn, and watch bats catching insects at dusk. When I returned in 2017, it was not the county I remembered. There were no longer enough mackerel for it to be worth taking a boat out fishing, and as for the grasshoppers, molehills and bats? Nowhere to be seen. In fact, the Living Planet Report published by the WWF in 2024 estimates a 73% loss in biodiversity in roughly the time I’ve been alive. That stat, and the lack of meaningful action to reverse it, breaks my heart daily.

But Baba Dioum said,

In the end, we will conserve only what we love;

we will love only what we understand.”

So I am a storyteller. If I can help people to understand and connect with nature through my poems, short stories, books and Blue Health Coaching™, perhaps we can reverse that decline.

I am also a woman in my middle years who is feeling ‘the call of the wild’ so strongly that it sometimes feels selfish to honour it. But this work is not just about the planet, because if ‘we are nature healing herself,’ we need to heal ourselves too.