The Aligned Interior

Hypnotherapist Brian Mahoney explains what hypnotherapy actually is, not the stage-show version, and how working with the deeper, subconscious mind can help with stress, anxiety, fear, habits, and the long-standing patterns that keep people stuck.

In this episode we explore the power of hypnotherapy with Brian Mahoney, a Boston-based hypnotherapist and coach with over 22 years of experience and more than 25,000 client hours. Brian's work is practical and solutions oriented, focused on getting to the core of an issue by engaging the deeper parts of the mind so people can create lasting change. He's also my hypnotherapist, so this is a candid, first-person conversation, with real examples of what sessions are actually like, what can surface, and how emotional pain points get worked through in a grounded way.

Timestamps: 

• (2:00) You've studied with a lot of leaders in the field and different methods, how do you define hypnotherapy? 
• (5:40) Do you feel hypnotherapy gets to the core of an issue? 
• (8:35 )  Favorite hypnotherapy modalities
• (11:23) Brian and I describe a first hand experience of a hypnotherapy session 
• (19:40) Apps versus working with a live hypnotherapist
• (23:47) We chat about what viewing a recording of a hypnotherapy session would look like 
• (27:00) What made me have a physical reaction during my session from a hypnotherapist's perspective? 
• (32:54) Could you explain how sensory input interacts with the subconscious? 
• (35:47) Sensory design and the deeper mind
• (38:32) Hypnotherapy for everyday life
• (40:56) Thought patterns, limiting beliefs and your shadow side 
• (42:10) Confronting and integrating shadow self
• (46:06) I'd love it if you could share one of the most challenging as well as favorite experiences you've had as a hypnotherapist? What a client was navigating and the results they achieved? 
• (49:51) Stress, anxiety, fears, and self-reinforcing trances
• (53:38) What can everyday listeners learn from how high performers and athletes use mental training? 
• (58:32) Past life experiences and symbolic imagery in hypnosis
• (01:03:02) After decades in the field, what has hypnotherapy taught you about human potential? 
• (01:06:59) Fear of death 
• (01:08:04) How can hypnotherapy support mental and emotional health in daily life? 
• (01:12:27) If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the way people think about hypnotherapy, what would it be? 

In this episode:

• What hypnotherapy really is, and why you're always in control (not "under" anyone's control).
• How the subconscious drives problems the conscious mind can't logic its way out of (the spider phobia example).
• "Getting the rock out of the glass": why resolving the core lowers the whole water level.
• Why naming the real emotion under "anxiety" - anger, fear, sadness - is where the work begins.
• The role of a non-judgmental witness, and how reframing creates release.
• Mental rehearsal the way elite performers use it (the Michael Phelps story), and why you still have to get off the couch.
• A daily life takeaway: feeling an emotion instead of pushing it away is often all it needs.

Guest: Brian Mahoney is a Boston-based hypnotherapist and coach with over 22 years of experience and more than 25,000 client hours. His approach is pragmatic and solutions-focused. Helping clients connect with the part of the mind driving a problem so they can resolve it and create lasting change, drawing on hypnosis, NLP, and a range of modalities tailored to each individual.

Resources 

• ⁠Brian Mahoney ⁠
• ⁠Bessel Van Der Kolk ⁠
• ⁠David Spiegel ⁠:  ⁠Reverie App⁠

Prefer to watch? The full video episode is on YouTube, @thealignedinterior.

🎶 Music by: 

TELL YOUR STORY by ikson™

🛑 Disclaimer:

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information only and does not constitute medical or mental health advice. 
• The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 
• Use of the information provided is at the listener’s own risk.

Asterian astrology creator Jade Sol Luna returns to step inside his own eccentric home and show how a space can become a living reflection of your true self, your energy, and your spiritual path.

This conversation will resonate most with our spiritually-minded listeners, but we invite everyone to listen with an open mind and take what resonates.

This is a second conversation with Jade. In Part 1, "Your Home Has a Birth Chart," we covered the foundations of how Asterian astrology informs home design. Here, Asterian astrologer and host Sonya Randell sits down with her teacher to go deeper and more personal. Exploring how your birth chart (or "Karma Report") translates into the layout, lighting, objects, and atmosphere of a home that supports your alignment, well-being, and growth.

We talk about Jade's own home in Joshua Tree, an eccentric house full of masks, relics, and meaning, and how it embodies his philosophy of Aghora: that a home should hold the whole of who you are, light and shadow alike.

Timestamps: 

• (0:00) Introduction 
• (2:26) What makes Asterian Astrology unique?
• (4:55) How Sun, Moon, and Rising signs shape your energy
• (11:00) Training others and passing Asterian Astrology forward
• (13:35) Experiencing the Astrological Home Reading firsthand
• (15:50) Did you notice any shifts in how you related to your space afterward? 
• (18:08) How matching your home to your inner essence supports alignment 
• (26:10) Jade's personal process when choosing a new home
• (30:27) Practical ways to connect your home design to your birth chart
• (37:23) How Jade would like to see people begin integrating Asterian Astrology into their environments
• (39:48) The connection portal and expression of spirit through your home design. The value of working with an expert to accelerate alignment. 
• (50:30) One change Jade would make about how people interact with astrology

In this episode:

• Inside Jade's eccentric Joshua Tree home, masks, relics, and an altar room.
• Why he collects the "haunted" objects nobody else wants, and the philosophy behind it.
• How your home can mirror your inner nature, light and shadow alike.
• Why aligning your space matters most when you're living somewhere you'd rather not.
• Simple, subtle ways to reflect your chart in a home.
• The home as a living altar, a space for connecting with your spiritual self.

Guest: Jade Sol Luna is the creator of Asterian Astrology, a system that reconstructs ancient Hindu astrology within a Greco-Roman framework. With over 30 years of experience, he has taught and lectured on astrology around the world.

📚 Resources

• Jade Sol Luna - Asterian Astrology
• Jade Sol Luna - Asterian Astrology Readings

• ⁠Sonya Randell – Astrological Home Reading & Interior Design Services
• The Aligned Interior - Residential, Commercial, and Hospitality Design Services

Prefer to watch? The full video episode is on YouTube @thealignedinterior.

🎶 Music: “TELL YOUR STORY” by ikson™ | ⁠Link ⁠

🛑 Disclaimer

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information only and does not constitute medical, mental health, or astrological advice.
• The content is not a substitute for professional guidance.
• Use of the information provided is at the listener’s own risk.

Indoor environmental quality specialist John C. Banta explains how mold really affects your home and your health. How it grows, why it's so stubborn to remove, and the practical, non-chemical way to find it, prevent it, and clean it safely.

This conversation continues a thread from our earlier building-biology episode with architect Paula Baker-Laporte of EcoNest. John co-authored Prescriptions for a Healthy House with Paula, and here he goes deep on the mold and water-damage side of a healthy home.

Prefer to listen? You're in the right place. This episode is presented as audio (on YouTube it's shown with images).

In this episode we explore mold, water damage, and healthy homes with John C. Banta, an indoor environmental quality specialist with over 35 years in building science, environmental health, and mold remediation. We get into the science of how mold grows, why dead mold is just as much of a problem as live mold, the health conditions linked to exposure, and exactly how to clean and remediate effectively. Plus what renters, buyers, and designers should look for.

Timestamps:  

• (2:05) John’s background & how he started in indoor air quality and mold.
• (5:20) What sets his approach apart from others in the field.
• (7:48) How common are mold issues in homes and buildings.
• (11:28) Under-appreciated health impacts of mold.
• (14:30) Collaborating with doctors.
• (17:23) Construction and remodeling mistakes that encourage mold.
• (22:01) “Building better” to prevent mold in practice.
• (25:40) Linking hidden mold exposure to chronic symptoms.
• (30:24) Most common causes of mold in homes.
• (33:00) How material choices affect mold vulnerability.
• (42:00) What renters and buyers should look for to spot mold risks.
• (48:07) Steps for effective mold cleaning.
• (01:05:20) Practical home precautions to prevent mold.
• (01:11:40) Key chapters or sections to focus on in the book.
• (01:14:17) Ideal changes in building design or regulation.
• (01:15:36) One shift listeners should make about their homes and health.

In this episode:

• Why killing mold isn't enough - the spores, fragments, and toxins must be physically removed.
• Why dead, dried-out mold can be just as harmful as active growth (and why "no musty smell" doesn't mean no problem).
• How tighter, paper-and-cardboard lined modern homes became perfect food for mold.
• The symptoms that get written off - fatigue, migraines, allergies, brain fog, chronic inflammation.
• Why ~24% of people are genetically predisposed to mold sensitivity.
• The right way to clean: HEPA vacuum first, then damp-wipe with detergent (why vinegar fails on mold's lipid coating).
• What renters and homebuyers should look for before they move in.
• Treat your home like a pet. Learn what's normal so you notice when something's wrong.

Guest: John C. Banta is an indoor environmental quality specialist with over 35 years of experience in building science, environmental health, and mold remediation. He has investigated water damage, trained remediation crews, and specialized for over a decade in medically important investigations and remediation for clients referred by their physicians. He co-authored the pioneering Prescriptions for a Healthy House (now in its 4th edition) with Paula Baker-Laporte, and is the author of Mold Controlled: A Guide to Finding, Fixing, Preventing and Getting Help with Mold Problems.

📚 Resources:⁠

• John C Banta’s  Website
• Mold Controlled, A Guide to Finding, Fixing, Preventing and Getting Help with Mold Problems

Prefer to watch? The full episode (presented with images) is on YouTube @thealignedinterior.

🎶 Music by: TELL YOUR STORY by ikson™ | ⁠Link⁠

🛑 Disclaimer 

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information only and does not constitute medical or mental health advice.
•  The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 
• Use of the information provided is at the listener’s own risk.
  

Renowned sound expert Julian Treasure explains how sound shapes far more than we realize, our nervous system, our health, our relationships, and our experience of every space we're in, and why we've forgotten how to truly listen.

In his second appearance on The Aligned Interior, Julian returns to explore the profound role sound plays in our environments, our bodies, and our lives. Inspired by his new book Sound Affects, we explore how sound, vibration, and frequency shape our well-being. From the rooms we design to the cities and bodies we inhabit, and how sound affects us socially, our learning, focus, nervous system regulation, and healing.

Timestamps:

• (0:00) Introduction

• (2:35) About Julian & His New Book. The inspiration behind Sound Affects
• (7:10) The History of Sound in Humanity. Speaking, listening & the evolution of noise
• (17:21) Sound & The Nervous System. Exploring the impact of everyday noise on well-being and how to create spaces that support nervous system regulation
• (25:15) Sound, Multisensory Design & Superadditivity. How sound design can amplify emotional and sensory impact
• (37:37) Sound, Vibration & Frequency. From cellular biology to cosmic resonance, we explore how sound shapes life at every scale and the potential it holds for healing and design
• (49:38) Sound, Plants & Biophilia. Exploring plant communication and how biophilic design fosters greater wellbeing
• (56:10) Sound in Sacred Spaces, Cultures & Traditions. Wisdom for modern sound design
• (1:00:42) Julian’s Favorite Sound + Sound Resources (see below for links and free trial info)
• (1:02:34) Final Reflections & Outro

In this episode:

• Why listening is declining, and what that's costing us socially and emotionally.
• The wonder of sound: snapping shrimp, singing cells, and the sound of a black hole.
• How chronic noise raises your risk of heart attack and stroke (and what to do about it).
• "Move, block, or accept": Julian's practical fix for a noisy environment.
• That plants make and respond to sound, and what that means for biophilic design.
• Why silence and tranquility are essential for restoration.

Guest: Julian Treasure is a leading voice in sound, communication, and acoustic design. He is the author of Sound Business, How to Be Heard, and his newest book, Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Well-Being, and Our Planet. His TED talks on sound have reached over 150 million views, and his work continues to shape how we design for, and with, the ears.

📚 Resources:

• Julian Treasure

• Sound Affects – Julian's new book

• How To Be Heard

• Sound Business

• WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for Europe

• MyNoise

• The Listening Society – Free 30 Day Trial 🤗

Prefer to watch? The full video episode is on YouTube — @thealignedinterior.

🎶 Music by: TELL YOUR STORY by ikson™ | Link

🛑 Disclaimer:

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information only and does not constitute medical or mental health advice.
• The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
• Use of the information provided is at the listener’s own risk.

Neuroaesthetics expert Dr. Oshin Vartanian explains how interior design shapes your brain, supporting emotional processing, creativity, and well-being, often beneath conscious awareness.

This is Part 2 of a two-part series on neuroaesthetics. In Part 1, Dr. Vartanian explained how our brains respond to design elements like curves, contrast, and high ceilings, and why those preferences are rooted in neuroscience and evolution. Here in Part 2, we go deeper into the nervous system, creativity, and emotional regulation.

Together we unpack how subtle design choices, from natural elements to multisensory design, engage the brain in ways most people never notice: exposure therapy through design, brain homeostasis, and why the spaces we choose may be more connected to our nervous system than we realize.

⏱️ Timestamps: 

• (0:00) Introduction 
• (2:22) What mental and emotional health benefits can we gain by incorporating nature into our interior environments? 
• (6:53) Neuroaesthetics vs. environmental psychology: what’s the difference?
• (10:27) Neurological mechanisms that foster connection, belonging, and unity through natural elements
• (15:45) Cathedrals, multisensory design, and how sacred spaces affect the brain
• (17:22) What’s the sweet spot for multisensory design load on the brain and nervous system?
• (24:07) Design elements that support creativity + Dr. Vartanian’s personal story of rediscovering focus in a nostalgic space
• (26:34) Pleasure versus joy in neuroaesthetics 
• (30:00) Portable EEGs, VR, and studying real-time brain response to space 
• (32:17) How design supports emotional processing and homeostasis 
• (35:12) Therapeutic spaces, fear rooms, and emotional alchemy
• (39:35) Meaning-making in art, design and aesthetics  
• (41:24) Interior environments and personal development 
• (42:28) Common design mistakes & understanding the end user 
• (45:48) Flexible design features: ceiling height and cognition 
• (47:39) The future of neuroaesthetic research and unanswered questions 
• (49:52) How reward systems process beauty and space 
• (51:15) Where to learn more: IAEA, APA Division 10, and ANFA. See resources below for direct links! 
• (54:12) Closing and outro 

In this episode:

• How "fear rooms" and exposure therapy style design can help us move through difficult emotions.
• How natural materials and multisensory design quietly shape your emotional and creative states.
• The surprising ways your brain seeks balance through the environments you choose.
• Why a higher ceiling makes you think more abstractly (and when a lower one helps).
• Why personalization matters more than design trends.
• The new tools researchers use to study how design affects the brain over time.

Guest: Dr. Oshin Vartanian is a leading voice in neuroaesthetics, a Professor at the University of Toronto, and President of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA). His research bridges psychology, neuroscience, and aesthetics, shaping how we understand the power of space on human cognition and emotion.

Resources: ⁠

• Dr. Oshin Vartanian – University of Toronto ⁠
• International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA) ⁠
• American Psychological Association – Division 10 
• ⁠Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) ⁠

Prefer to watch? The full video episode is on YouTube @thealignedinterior.

⁠🎶 Music by: TELL YOUR STORY by ikson™ Link: https://ikson.com/tell-your-story 

🛑 Disclaimer:

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information only and does not constitute medical or mental health advice. 
• The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 
• The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk.

Neuroaesthetics expert Dr. Oshin Vartanian explains how your brain responds to the spaces around you, why curves feel safe, why high ceilings free your thinking, and why so much of your reaction to a room is happening in the oldest, most primal parts of your brain.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series on neuroaesthetics. Here we cover the foundations - the primal brain, evolution, and the design features your brain reacts to before you're even aware of it. In Part 2, Dr. Vartanian goes deeper into the nervous system, creativity, emotional regulation, and therapeutic design.

In this episode we explore the neuroscience of the built environment with Dr. Oshin Vartanian. We get into how the brain computes beauty, why our preferences are rooted in survival, and what that means for designing homes that genuinely support how we think and feel.

⏱️ Timestamps

• (0:00) Introduction
• (2:06) What is neuroaesthetics, and what led you to becoming a leading voice in the field?
• (3:50) Primal brain reactions to the built environment
• (6:37) Evolution, instinct, and space design
• (09:17) Why our brains prefer curvature
• (11:22) Spaces that lower stress and cortisol
• (25:58) Designing for transcendence: height and scale
• (30:05) What makes sacred spaces feel meaningful?
• (33:36) Creating flow and creative cognition through space
• (41:30) Nature and neuroaesthetic health benefits
• (48:48) Hierarchy of needs and interior design
• (53:08) Age, preferences, and designing public spaces

In this episode:

• Why your preference for a beautiful space is driven by the brain's ancient reward circuitry.
• "Prospect and refuge": why we're drawn to spaces that let us see out while feeling protected.
• Why even newborns and great apes prefer curves, and why angles can read as threat.
• The study showing the same talk raises cortisol more in an enclosed room than an open one.
• How high ceilings invite mind-wandering and more abstract, creative thought.
• Why natural contrast and complexity register in your brain before you consciously notice.
• Why there's no universal "right" design, individual history always shapes the response.

Guest: Dr. Oshin Vartanian is a leading voice in neuroaesthetics, a Professor at the University of Toronto, and President of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA). His research uses brain imaging to study how design, curvature, ceiling height, openness, contrast, shapes human cognition, emotion, and wellbeing, bridging psychology, neuroscience, and architecture.

🔗 Resources:

• Dr. Oshin Vartanian – University of Toronto
• International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA)
• Empirical Studies of the Arts – Journal
• Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts – Journal
• Neuroaesthetics (Baywood Publishing)
• Neuroscience of Creativity (MIT Press)
• Neuroscience of Decision Making (Psychology Press)
• The Cambridge Handbook of the Neuroscience of Creativity (Cambridge)
• The Oxford Handbook of Empirical Aesthetics (Oxford)

Prefer to watch? The full episode (presented with images) is on YouTube @thealignedinterior.

🎶 Music by: TELL YOUR STORY by ikson™

Link: https://ikson.com/tell-your-story

🛑 Disclaimer

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information only and does not constitute medical or mental health advice.
• The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
• The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk.

Sound therapist Sara Auster explains how sound baths and the simple act of deep listening can calm your nervous system, reduce stress, and bring you into the present, and how to bring a little of that practice into your own home.

This conversation will resonate most with our spiritually-minded listeners, but we invite everyone to listen with an open mind and take what resonates.

In this episode we explore the healing power of sound with Sara Auster, a world-renowned sound therapist, meditation teacher, and creator of the Pause app. We break down the basics of sound bathing and sound therapy, how these practices can reduce stress, deepen self-awareness, and support emotional healing, and Sara shares her signature approach, the Auster Sound Method.

Timestamps:

• (0:00) Introduction. 
• (1:44) I’d love it if we started off with you telling us a little bit about yourself and what led you to becoming a world renown sound therapist and mediation teacher. 
• (4:16) How would you describe a sound bath? 
• (5:00) When you are accessing the mind, what role does psychoacoustics play in sound bathing? 
• (6:36) What are some wellbeing benefits (mind, body & spirit) of sound bathing? 
• (7:45) Would you walk us through one of your sound bathing sessions? 
• (17:00) Do you have any recommendations on how people can incorporate the healing benefits of the sound bathing in their home? 
• (18:53) A discussion on using the sounds around your home as a self development tool.
• (27:00) How would you describe using sound bathing and sound therapy as a self development practice? 
• (30:00) Animals instinctually release traumatic or stressful experiences through tremors or shaking. Is there a link here to sound healing? For example a deer shaking after shock or the vibration of a cat’s purr. 
• (33:00) Where would you like to see people invest more research around the healing benefits of sound? 
• (39:10) What role does sound healing play with intuition? 
• (45:10) I’d love it if you can share a little about your app PAUSE.
• (47:30) I’d love it if you could speak to the sounds of singing bowls and what makes them so healing as well as what advice you have for people who are looking to buy singing bowls? 
• (49:47) Is there a connection between the sounds produced with signing bowls and layers of consciousness?
• (51:18) Do you think that sound healing happens at a cellular level? 
• (52:47) Closing thoughts and outro 

In this episode:

• What sound bathing and sound therapy really are.
• Why a sound bath is "like taking the elevator" compared to meditation's stairs.
• How sound shifts you into a parasympathetic, rest-and-digest state.
• A simple reframe for unwanted sounds like sirens ("help is on the way").
• Using a singing bowl as a daily ritual to mark calm and presence.
• "How you listen is how you live": listening as a path to awareness.

Guest: Sara Auster is a world-renowned sound therapist, meditation teacher, and author, and the creator of the Pause app. She has developed mindfulness curriculum for the World Health Organization and FDA-approved sound baths as a complementary option for people living with migraines, and has created sound experiences for companies including Apple, Google, Spotify, and MoMA.

Resources: 

• Auster Sound
• About Sarah Auster
• PAUSE App
• Sounds Of Healing by Mitchell L. Gaynor MD 

Prefer to watch? The full video episode is on YouTube @thealignedinterior.

Disclaimer:

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other health care services, including giving medical advice. 
• The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 
• The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk

Architect and building biologist Paula Baker-Laporte and architect Andrea Allen Sis of EcoNest explain what actually makes a home healthy, from the materials and finishes you choose to indoor air quality, and the simple changes that make the biggest difference.

In this episode we explore healthy homes and building biology with Paula Baker-Laporte and Andrea Allen Sis of EcoNest Architecture. Paula is an architect and building biologist and the author of Prescriptions for a Healthy House, now in its fourth edition. Andrea is an architect and partner at EcoNest specializing in healthy building materials.

In this episode we explore design practices, recommendations and resources for the healthiest products (materials, finishes, appliances, etc) to consider to improve the health of your home.

Timestamps:

• (2:25) What led you both to becoming leading experts and advocates for healthy homes? 
• (7:26) How would you define a healthy home? 
• (8:43) Why should people be concerned about their indoor environmental quality? 
• (11:01) What are some health conditions that arise from being in indoor environments that have health hazards? 
• (13:50) What are your recommended DOs for remodeling? 
• (15:35) What are some easy ways someone can improve the health of their home?
• (16:54) How do you design air quality for an existing home? 
• (21:29) How much more will it cost to build a healthy home?
• (27:00) What are the healthiest materials and finishes for home? 
• (31:35) What are you seeing in the industry with healthier spaces? 
• (34:57) What advice do you have for people when selecting furnishings? 
• (36:16) Is there anything that we can do when we are dwelling in spaces that we are temporarily renting to safeguard ourselves against health hazards? 
• (38:00) What are some things you recommend to people to keep in mind for home appliances? 
• (43:00) What is electromagnetic radiation and how do you recommend designing your home with it in mind? 
• (45:47) How do you recommend someone approach evaluating and designing their water system to ensure they are getting healthy water? 
• (48:25) What are some healthy materials and finishes that you have chosen for your homes? 
• (1:01:13) If you could snap your fingers and instantly get rid of one home health hazard globally what would it be? 

In this episode:

• The "third skin": why your home is an interface between you and the environment.
• The lowest-cost wins: change your cleaning products, open windows, HEPA-filter your vacuum.
• VOCs, SVOCs, and endocrine disruptors, what they are and where they hide.
• Why a safe, low-EMF bedroom matters most (you heal at night).
• The antimicrobial backlash and why "kills germs" finishes can backfire.
• How to choose healthier flooring, countertops, and appliances.

Guests: Paula Baker-Laporte is the founder of EcoNest, an architect, building biologist, and educator. After a building triggered severe chemical sensitivity in the 1980s, she dedicated her career to healthier building and wrote Prescriptions for a Healthy House: A Practical Guide for Architects, Builders, and Homeowners, now in its fourth edition. Andrea Allen Sis is an architect, educator, and partner at EcoNest, where she serves as research specialist for healthy building materials. She is dedicated to making healthy, nurturing spaces accessible to everyone and to bringing building without harmful substances into mainstream design and construction.

Resources: 

• EcoNest Architecture, Healthy Home Design & Consulting

Prefer to watch? The full video episode is on YouTube @thealignedinterior

Disclaimer:

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other health care services, including giving medical advice. 
• The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 
• The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk

Harvard physician and forest therapy guide Dr. Susan Abookire explains the science of why time in nature heals us, from cortisol and the nervous system to immune health, and simple ways to bring those benefits into your home.

This is Part 2 of a two-part series on forest bathing. In Part 1, forest therapy pioneer Amos Clifford explores what the practice is and how it reconnects us with the natural world.

In this episode we explore the health science of time in nature with Dr. Susan Abookire, a physician and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and a certified forest therapy guide who brings the benefits of nature into clinical medicine.

Timestamps:

• (0:00) Introduction 
• (2:00) What is your background and what let you to becoming a forest therapy guide and spearheading the integration of this form of therapy into the medical system? 
• (6:17) Could you speak to some of the health benefits of forest bathing from a medical perspective? 
• (8:50) Discussion around the nervous system states.
• (12:45) The restoration benefits of time in nature.
• (18:38) Can you walk us through one of your forest bathing sessions that you offer?
• (26:26) Where do you offer your forest therapy sessions?
• (30:40) How you can use forest bathing to open up and receive guidance.
• (34:30) Why is it important for women to be mindful of cortisol levels when it comes to hormone fluctuations (monthly perimenopause, menopause, etc)?
• (38:25) How do you as a doctor and forest therapy guide think someone can use their home to induce similar benefits of forest bathing?
• (44:00) What do you do in your home that connects you to the forest?
• (51:56) How do you introduce someone who is new to forest bathing?
• (58:10) How often do you recommend people spend time in nature to for health and wellbeing benefits?
• (1:00:04) A discussion on the immune system benefits of time in nature
• (1:05:39) If you could snap your fingers and imbue everyone with one piece of knowledge or understanding about forest therapy and/or trees, what would it be?

In this episode:

• How nature shifts you from "fight or flight" into the body's healing state.
• Why a window onto green space sped up patients' recover.
• The immune boost from phytoncides, the aromatic compounds trees release.
• How much time in nature you actually need (the 120-minutes-a-week guideline).
• Simple ways to bring nature home: plants, natural light, a sit spot, found objects.

Guest: Dr. Susan Abookire is a physician and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School with over 20 years in healthcare leadership, including as a chief medical officer. She founded and led the award-winning quality and patient safety program at Mount Auburn Hospital, and trained for a decade as an electrical and aviation-systems engineer before medicine, a systems-design lens she now brings to nature, health, and forest therapy. She is a certified forest therapy guide and teaches nationally and internationally.

Prefer to watch? The full video episode is on YouTube @thealignedinterior.

Resources: 

• Association of Nature & Forest Therapy
• Dr. Susan Abookire, Harvard Medical School

Songs by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™Link: https://ikson.com/tell-your-story

Disclaimer:

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other health care services, including giving medical advice. 
• The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 
• The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk

Forest therapy pioneer Amos Clifford explains what forest bathing really is, how a simple, slow walk in nature can reconnect us with the living world, and why the forest itself can be a kind of therapist.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series on forest bathing. In Part 2, Harvard physician Dr. Susan Abookire explores the medical science of time in nature and how to bring its benefits into your home.

In this episode we explore forest bathing and our relationship with nature with Amos Clifford, founder and CEO of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and author of Your Guide to Forest Bathing.

Timestamps:

• (0:00) Introduction 
• (1:28) What is your background and what lead you to become a leading global advocate for forest bathing? 
• (7:01) What is forest bathing? And what is its origin? 
• (13:35) How does forest therapy relate to spirituality? 
• (22:00) An exploration of the perspective problem
• (28:10) An exploration of the sentience of stones 
• (37:10) If we are mimicking the forest bathing experience in a virtual space, what excites you most about that and are there any guiding principles there that you can apply to your home? 
• (40:36) If you could snap your fingers and imbue everyone in the world with one piece of knowledge or understanding about forests or forest bathing, what would you want them to know? 

In this episode:

• Why forest bathing is "more about being here than getting there".
• The "standard sequence" and the simple practice of a sit spot.
• How a slow walk opens a relational, sensory connection to nature.
• Why the forest, not the guide, does the healing.
• The origins of shinrin-yoku in 1980s Japan.

Guest: Amos Clifford is the founder and CEO of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and the author of Your Guide to Forest Bathing. Drawing on a varied career as a psychotherapist, wilderness guide, and Zen practitioner, he has trained over 2,500 forest therapy guides across 66 countries.

Prefer to watch? The full video episode is on YouTube @thealignedinterior.

Resources: 

• Association of Nature & Forest Therapy
• Your Guide To Forest Bathing by Amos Clifford found on Amazon + other distributers. 

Songs by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™ Link:  ⁠⁠https://ikson.com/tell-your-story⁠⁠ 

Disclaimer:

• The Aligned Interior Podcast is for general information purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other health care services, including giving medical advice. 
• The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 
• The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk.