"I find joy in women finding freedom."

In this Wild Woman Spotlight episode, Sarah sits down with Tamarack Verrall, a lifelong activist who has been part of the women's movement in Canada since the 1960s. She has led women's circles across the country, worked with the Elizabeth Fry Society in the Prison for Women, and found a global sisterhood through World Pulse.

In this episode, Sarah and Tamarack discuss:

About Tamarack Verrall

Tamarack Verrall has been in the women's movement in Canada since the late 1960s. From her teenage years, her purpose has been to speak out about what is being done to women and to work for change. Working against violence against women became her life work.

She has led women's circles in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, and across Canada,  including in the Prison for Women with the Elizabeth Fry Society. She joined World Pulse in 2014 and calls it "a dream come true"  a global sisterhood of 80,000 women from 227 countries.

Connect with Tamarack Verrall

Connect with all guests and past episodes at:
 sarahdiop.com (visit the Wild Women page)

Resources & Links

Awaken Your Wild Woman Workbook

The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop – Patreon

Follow Sarah on Instagram

Join the Newsletter

World Pulse – A global sisterhood of 80,000 women from 227 countries

Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Connect & Subscribe

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Spotify

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✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review. It helps other wild women find their way here.

✨ Share: Know a woman who needs to find her circle? Send her this episode.

"Fall doesn't have to mean losing everything we loved about summer. It can mean choosing what we want to keep."

Welcome back, wild women. After a summer of rest, play, and being with family, Sarah returns feeling refreshed and ready to ease into this new season with you.

In this September touchstone episode, Sarah guides you through:

If you're ready to transition into fall with intention and joy, this episode is your invitation.

September 2026 Astrology Highlights

The Arc of September

 Virgo New Moon (September 11) – A practical reset. Get organized. Create systems and routines that support you and your family. One small, repairable intention at a time.

 Autumn Equinox / Libra Season (September 23) – Balance, relationships, and harmony. Find equilibrium as the seasons change. Libra whispers: Don't forget to enjoy the beauty of this season.

 Aries Full Moon (September 26) – Courage, independence, and bold action. Put yourself first – with intuition, not force. The tension between "me" and "we" asks: Where have you been over-accommodating others? Where have you lost yourself?

Health Tip: Move Your Body

Spending the summer outside hiking, swimming, and riding her bike was pure joy for Sarah. Now that fall is coming, she wants to keep that momentum going.

Movement is medicine. Study after study shows that physical activity:

Sarah is going back to her sunrise yoga and Pilates practice, but also wants to keep hiking, biking, and maybe even jogging in the forest. She also reached out to an old friend to join a dance class with her once a week – something that has brought her joy since she started ballet at 3 years old.

Your invitation: Choose some of the activities that brought you joy this summer, or pick up something you left behind. Schedule it into your routine now, before life gets too busy.

Ritual: Releasing What You Don't Want to Carry -Inspired by The Crone Zone by Nina Bargiel.

Nina's philosophy is Knowledge, Wisdom, and Fuck It.

What you'll need:

The Ritual:

Collective Tarot & Ancestor Reading

Current Situation – Three of Cups: A celebration. Emotional fulfillment and promise. The initiation to deeper levels of your heart's experience. Taking your slice of cake and bringing joy into your daily routine.

Ancestor – Lord: Take charge with authority. Don't be afraid to use your voice. If your kindness has been taken for granted, it's time to change that.

Action – Six of Pentacles: Money or self-worth is to be shared. You may be called upon to offer generosity – or you may be the recipient of others' generosity. Your faith in life is regained.

Ancestor – Winter: Take care of your needs. Move beyond fears and limitations. Ask yourself what you need to do to feel supported and alive. You may uncover something from your past that you've buried deep.

Outcome – The Tower: The breaking down of existing forms. Transition is coming, whether you're ready or not. The Tower asks where you may have been constricted by a false persona and it's time to break free.

Ancestor – Earth Mother: Feel loved and comforted. Allow yourself to be cherished. If you've felt overwhelmed or ungrounded, Earth Mother is here to root you and help you regain your strength.

Resources & Links

The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop Website

Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss

The Crone Zone by Nina Bargiel

Awaken Your Wild Woman: A Guided Journey to Reclaim Your Intuition, Creativity, and Sovereign Soul by Sarah Diop

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review.

✨ Share: Know a woman who needs permission to release what she's carrying and set intentions for fall? Send her this episode.

You have to take the first slice of cake for yourself."

Welcome, wild women, to our summer touchstone. I'm taking a break from the podcast for July and August, and I'll be back with you on September 1st. But before I go, I wanted to leave you with something to carry through these warm, sun-drenched months.

This summer, we're talking about passion projects, creativity, and doing something just for the pleasure of it.

In this episode:

If you've been waiting for permission to take a slice for yourself, this episode is your invitation.

The Arc of Summer

 Cancer New Moon (July 14) – Get grounded. Tend to your emotional foundations.

☀️ Leo Season (July 20) – Play, create, follow your heart.

 Pisces Lunar Eclipse (August 28) – Release what's holding you back from joy.

Summer Ritual: The Pleasure List

Instead of a formal ritual, I'm inviting you to do something simpler.

Sit down. Daydream. Make a list.

Ask yourself:

Don't edit yourself. Write everything down – even the "silly" things.

Then, once a week this summer, pick something from that list and do it. Not because you "should." But because you deserve pleasure. Because joy is not a reward, it’s a right.

Health Tip: Sun Exposure & Farmers Markets

The Benefits of Sun Exposure

The Melanoma in Southern Sweden (MISS) Cohort Study, led by Dr. Pelle Lindqvist and published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, tracked nearly 30,000 women over 20 years. It found that women who avoided sun exposure had a life expectancy 0.6 to 2.1 years shorter than those with the highest sun exposure.

Sunlight helps us produce vitamin D, regulates our circadian rhythm, and supports our mood. It's not something to fear, it’s something to respect.

Natural ways to prevent burning:

Seek shade during peak hours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

Cover up with lightweight clothing and a hat

Build up exposure gradually

Use natural sunscreens free from harmful chemicals

Traditional sunblock is still better than burning. Use what works for you, just don't hide from the sun entirely.

The Pleasure of Farmers Markets

There is nothing quite like biting into a vine-ripened tomato or a sun-warmed peach picked that morning. Local, fresh produce is not only delicious, it's nutrient-rich, less processed, and absolutely bursting with flavour.

Make it a pleasure to nourish yourself. Visit your local farmers market. Talk to the farmers. Choose what looks beautiful to you. And savour every bite.

Collective Tarot & Ancestor Reading

Current Situation

The Empress: An earthly phase of life. The birth of a creative child or artistic offspring. This requires patience and nurturing. A card of abundance – you are birthing something.

Ancestor – Winter: Take care of your needs. Move beyond fears and limitations. Ask yourself what you need to do to feel supported and alive. You may uncover something from your past that you've buried deep.

Action

Ace of Swords: Out of conflict, a new creative viewpoint will emerge. Mental powers are awakening. The old order is threatened, but resolution is possible.

Ancestor - Shaolin Master: Be graceful in movement and action. Slow and steady. Flow like water. A gentler approach will be more fruitful.

Outcome

Two of Cups: The beginning of a relationship – or a reconciliation. This could be a new relationship with yourself and your life.

Ancestor – Elder: Healing through lineage. Great healing is unfolding. You have the capacity to move beyond the limitations placed upon you. The freedom you claim heals your entire family constellation.

Connect with all guests and past episodes at:
 sarahdeop.com (visit the Wild Women page)

Resources & Links

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:

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✨ Share: Know a woman who needs permission to take a slice for herself? Send her this episode.

Writing, Entrepreneurship & Carving Out Space for Creativity

“You can be a strong woman and still deserve a strong romantic interest in your life. You can have both.”

In this Wild Woman Spotlight episode, Sarah sits down with Lori Zoss,  founder of Growth Owl, former TV and nonprofit executive turned entrepreneur, and author of her debut fiction novel, Under Caution, a romantic suspense.

Lori shares her journey from the corporate boardroom to self-publishing her first romance novel, all while running a successful business. She opens up about finding balance, building discipline, and carving out space for creativity when life is already full.

In this episode:

Connect with Lori Zoss

Connect with all guests and past episodes at:
 sarahdiop.com (visit the Wild Women page)

Resources & Links

Awaken Your Wild Woman Workbook

The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop – Patreon

Follow Sarah on Instagram

Join the Newsletter

The 4% Fix by Karma Brown

Stephen King On Writing

Save the Cat by Jessica Brody

Masterclass -Margaret Atwood

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

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✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review. It helps other wild women find their way here.

✨ Share: Know a woman who needs permission to make time for her creative passions? Send her this episode.

The birch is the first tree to grow after winter. The pioneer. The one that moves into barren land and says, "I'll go first."

After her conversation with astrologer Lise Gibson (Episode 6), Sarah fell down a rabbit hole, starting with an Instagram post about Celtic tree astrology and landing in the wisdom of the birch.

In this episode of The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop, Sarah guides you through:

If you've ever felt called to sit with a tree, slow down to forest time, or release what isn't yours to carry, this episode is your June touchstone.

Tree Ritual: Honouring the Trees

This ritual is personal to Sarah, inspired by a healing journey with a shaman who taught her to build a sweat lodge. Before cutting any tree, they would offer a part of themselves at the base and thank the tree for its offering.

What you'll need:

The Ritual:

Health Tip: Forest Bathing

What Sarah just described, going to a tree, slowing down, engaging your senses is actually a recognized medical therapy called forest bathing. In Japan, it's known as Shinrin-yoku, "taking in the forest atmosphere." It's not hiking or exercise. It's a slow, sensory immersion in a forest environment.

Why doctors prescribe it:

How to practice:
Find a wooded spot. Leave your phone behind. Walk slowly. Engage your senses. Even 20 minutes helps, but two hours is ideal.

Connect with all guests and past episodes at:
 sarahdeop.com (visit the Wild Women page)

Resources & Links

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:

✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review.

✨ Share: Know a woman who needs to be held by the forest? Send her this episode.

Astrology Basics and Getting to Know Yourself Through the Stars

"I'm not a psychic. I'm an astrologer. I can tell you what the energy is going to be like during different times of the year for you based on when you were born."

In this Wild Woman Spotlight episode, Sarah sits down with Lise Gibson, an astrologer who has been reading Sarah's chart for over 20 years. Lise predicted every single one of Sarah's pregnancies (all surprises!) and has been a trusted guide through life's ups and downs.

Together, they explore the basics of astrology and how understanding your chart can lead to self-acceptance and self-fulfillment.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Lise also shares why she loves helping people, especially young adults, understand themselves so they don't hit midlife wondering, "What have I been doing?"

Connect with Lise Gibson

Connect with all guests and past episodes at:
 sarahdiop.com (visit the Wild Women page)

Resources & Links

Watch the YouTube Video Episode to see what a chart looks like

Awaken Your Wild Woman Workbook

The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop – Patreon

Follow Sarah on Instagram

Join the Newsletter

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review. It helps other wild women find their way here.

✨ Share: Know a woman who's curious about astrology or wants to understand herself on a deeper level? Send her this episode.

You are not a collection of compartments. You are a whole, wild, integrated being.

This month's theme was born from my conversation with Edith Wolek, our Wild Woman Spotlight guest. Edith and I talked about how women often compartmentalize their lives: I'm a mother over here, a businesswoman over there, a friend somewhere else. But the truth is, you are all of it. All at once. And when you show up as your whole self, unapologetically, authentically, integrated…that’s when the magic happens.

In this May touchstone episode of The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop, Sarah guides you through:

If you're ready to stop living in pieces and start living as a whole, integrated Wild Woman, this episode is your May touchstone.

Connect with Edith Wolek

Connect with all guests and past episodes at:
 sarahdeop.com (visit the Wild Women page)

Resources & Links

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. Please consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement routine.

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:

✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review.

✨ Share: Know a woman who needs permission to stop compartmentalizing and start living as her whole self? Send her this episode.

Branding, Visibility & Women Supporting Women

In this Wild Woman Spotlight episode, Sarah sits down with Edith Wolek to talk about women in leadership, authentic personal branding and the power of women supporting women. Edith shares her personal journey from overcoming a lifetime fear of public speaking to becoming a CEO, mentor, and the founder of the Women of Expansion and Impact international networking group.

Together, they explore:

Edith also shares details about her 12-week She Leads: Brand Mastery program and her 90-minute Brand Impact Mastery session for women who need clarity on their next step.

Connect with Edith Wolek

Connect with all guests and past episodes at:
 sarahdeop.com (visit the Wild Women page)

Studies Referenced in This Episode

During the episode, Sarah mentions research showing that women often feel they need to do more than their male counterparts to achieve equal footing at work. Here are two studies supporting that statement:

1. Nelson, L. (2025). Taking the time: Gender and labor in academic peer review. American Sociological Review, 90(2), 215–241.

This study found that women performed significantly more uncompensated, low‑promotability work than men (including 40% more error comments and 50% more reassuring comments) because they felt it was necessary to be viewed as equally competent.

2. Cha, Y., & Weeden, K. A. (2014). Overwork and the slow convergence in the gender gap in wages. American Sociological Review, 79(3), 457–484.

This research shows that women work equally long hours as men but receive lower rewards, leading women to believe they must outwork their male colleagues just to maintain equal standing.

Why This Matters

As Sarah and Edith discuss, understanding these workplace dynamics is essential for creating authentic, visible, and empowered personal brands especially for women who have been taught to shrink. The research confirms that working harder is not enough; systemic change and mutual support among women are critical.

Resources & Links

Awaken Your Wild Woman Workbook

Taking a Leap by Edith Wolek

The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop – Patreon

Follow Sarah on Instagram

Join the Newsletter

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review. It helps other wild women find their way here.

✨ Share: Know a woman who needs support and a safe space to be seen? Send her this episode.

"It's not your fault."

Those four words, the first line of Tamu Thomas's book Women Who Work Too Much became the invitation for this month's touchstone. If the system was never built for us to thrive, if we've been running on empty because we were told that's what it means to be a worthy woman, then maybe the only way forward is to reframe.

In this episode of The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop, Sarah guides you through:

The theme of reframing inspired by the Tamu Thomas conversation

April 2026 astrology including Mars in Aries, Venus in Taurus, Taurus season, and Uranus entering Gemini

April moon dates: Full Moon in Libra (April 1) and New Moon in Aries (April 17)

A house blessing ritual using cinnamon and salt, a Gaelic blessing to invite prosperity, cleansing, and sacredness into your home

A morning ritual for better sleep, waiting 60–90 minutes for coffee, morning sunlight, and cold shower to optimize your circadian rhythm

A collective tarot & ancestor reading to carry with you through the month

If you're ready to reframe what success looks like, what rest means, and how you start your day, this episode is your April touchstone.

House Blessing Ritual: Cinnamon & Salt

Spring is a time of clearing out the old and inviting in the new. This simple ritual blesses your home with prosperity (cinnamon) and cleansing (salt).

What you'll need:

The Ritual:

Gaelic House Blessing
(Blow more mixture between each line)

"Bless this house and all that dwell within."
"Bless each door that opens wide to stranger or kin."
"May peace and joy be found under its roof."
"Bless each place of rest."
"Bless each window pane that lets the starlight in."
"May it be a safe haven from the storms of life."
"Bless this house with warmth and light."
"May love and kindness thrive within its walls."
"Bless this house and all that dwell within."

Resources & Links

Awaken Your Wild Woman Workbook

Women Who Work Too Much by Tamu Thomas

Tamu Thomas Interview (Episode 2)

The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop – Patreon

Follow Sarah on Instagram

Join the Newsletter

Link for Gaelic House Blessing source 

Link for Cinnamon and Salt Ritual Source

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review. It helps other wild women find their way here.

✨ Share: Know a woman who needs permission to reframe, to rest, to let go, to rewrite the story? Send her this episode.

Reclaiming Your Nervous System, Redefining Success & Breaking Free from Toxic Productivity

"It's not your fault."

That's the first line of the first chapter of Tamu Thomas's groundbreaking book, Women Who Work Too Much: Break Free from Toxic Productivity and Find Your Joy . And in this powerful conversation, Tamu invites us to exhale, soften, and finally ask ourselves: What if I'm not broken, what if the system is?

Tamu Thomas is a transformational somatic leadership coach, former social worker, and author whose work sits at the intersection of nervous system regulation, social justice, and women's liberation. Her message is both a balm and a wake-up call: our value is not in what we do, but in who we already are.

In this soul-stirring episode of The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop, Tamu and Sarah explore:

If you've ever found yourself googling productivity hacks when what you really need is rest… if you've ever dismissed your body's signals and pushed through anyway… if you've ever felt like you're running on empty but can't figure out how to stop, this episode is for you.

Key Themes We Explore

✨ It's Not Your Fault – The personal development industry often implies we're broken. Tamu flips the script: you're over-functioning because the system wasn't built for you to thrive.

✨ Waxing and Waning Like the Moon – Women's energy ebbs and flows with their cycles. We've been taught to judge ourselves by our ovulation-phase selves—and it's destroying us.

✨ The Autonomic Ladder – A simplified guide to your nervous system: ventral (connection + safety), sympathetic (motivation + ambition), dorsal (collapse + rest). We travel up and down this ladder all day—and that's normal.

✨ Toxic Productivity vs. Natural Productivity – Pushing through at all costs vs. flowing with your energy. One leads to burnout. The other leads to joy.

✨ Redefining Success – Success isn't one size fits all. For one woman, it was a six-figure business. For another, it was a part-time bakery job that let her pick up her kids from school. Both are valid. Both are powerful.

✨ The Nectar of Capitalism – Toxic positivity keeps us divided, distracted, and buying solutions to problems that require collective care.

Connect with Tamu Thomas

Website: www.livethreesixty.com 

Instagram: @tamu.thomas 

TikTok: @tamu_thomas

Book: Women Who Work Too Much – Available at Hay House and all major booksellers

WOMEN WHO WORK TOO MUCH

WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

PODCAST

Resources & Links

Buy Women Who Work Too Much: https://www.womenwhoworktoomuch.co/ OR Amazon

Tamu's Website: www.livethreesixty.com 

Awaken Your Wild Woman Workbook

The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop – Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheWildWomanwithSarahDiop 

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarah.wild.woman 

If You Loved This Episode, You Might Also Enjoy

Burnout by Emily & Amelia Nagoski – on completing the stress cycle

The 4% Fix by Karma Brown – on finding one hour a day for yourself

Episode 1: The Year of the Fire Horse + March 2026 Forecast

Connect & Subscribe

✨ Subscribe to The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop on:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Amazon

✨ Rate & Review: If this episode stirred something in you, please consider leaving a rating and review. It helps other wild women find their way here.

✨ Share: Know a woman who works too hard, gives too much, and forgets herself in the process? Send her this episode. It might be the wake-up call her nervous system has been waiting for.

Credits

Host: Sarah Diop
Guest: Tamu Thomas
Producer: Sarah Diop
Music: Sarah Diop
Artwork: Sarah Diop

The Wild Woman with Sarah Diop is a proud evolution from Book Interrupted. Learn more at sarahdiop.com