Living with a chronic illness, disability, medical condition, or special need can feel incredibly isolating—but finding people who understand your experience can change everything.

In this episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn talks with Kevin and Henry, co-founders of WeFayo, a free online community designed to connect people facing medical conditions, disabilities, chronic health challenges, and special needs, along with their families, friends, caregivers, and supporters.

Kevin and Henry share the deeply personal experiences that inspired WeFayo and explain how the platform is helping people find community, resources, encouragement, employment opportunities, assistive technology, advocacy support, and practical tools without requiring users to disclose extensive personal or medical information.

The conversation also explores something much bigger: what can happen when we stop expecting everyone to function the same way. From neurodivergent employees whose unique strengths can make them exceptional at certain jobs to entrepreneurs with disabilities building businesses of their own, this episode challenges the idea that different automatically means limited.

You’ll also hear about WeFayo’s specialized AI tools, communication resources, Blue Envelope program for interactions with first responders, child advocacy support, workplace resources, virtual communities, and inspiring stories from people creating meaningful lives while navigating significant challenges.

Whether you’re living with a chronic condition yourself, caring for someone you love, employing someone with different needs, or simply trying to better understand another person’s experience, this conversation is a reminder that belonging matters.

Learn more and explore the free community at WeFayo.com.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

Many people assume self-harm is simply "attention-seeking" or that it only happens to teenagers from troubled homes. The reality is far more complex.

In this powerful episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn sits down with therapist, author, and DBT specialist Katie K. May to explore what self-harm really is, why it happens, and how parents, caregivers, friends, and professionals can respond in ways that create connection instead of shame.

Together, they also share something deeply personal: both of them struggled with self-harm as teenagers. Their conversation offers hope that healing is possible and that understanding the "why" behind the behavior is often the first step toward lasting change.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why self-harm is often an attempt to regulate overwhelming emotions rather than a desire to die
• The difference between self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and other self-destructive behaviors
• What it means to be a "big feeler" or biologically sensitive person
• Common misconceptions that keep parents and loved ones from offering effective support
• Why validation is one of the most powerful tools for helping someone who is struggling
• How emotional regulation in parents and caregivers influences teenagers
• Warning signs that may indicate someone needs additional support
• How to help a friend who may be self-harming
• Why repair matters more than perfection in parenting
• How unhealthy coping strategies can continue into adulthood if the underlying pain is never addressed
• The role of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in treating self-harm and emotional dysregulation
• Why creativity, empathy, and emotional depth can become incredible strengths when paired with healthy coping skills

Whether you're a parent, educator, therapist, teenager, or someone who has quietly carried these experiences yourself, this conversation offers practical guidance, compassion, and hope.

Connect with Katie K. May

Website: katiekmay.com

Explore Katie's books, therapy resources, clinician training, and additional support through her website.

If you or someone you love is struggling with self-harm:

You do not have to face it alone. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength, not weakness. A qualified mental health professional—especially one trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)—can help you build healthier ways to manage overwhelming emotions and begin healing.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

Fertility support can be expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally overwhelming—but what if more individualized guidance could become accessible at a much lower cost?

In this episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn speaks with fertility expert and Conceivable founder Kirsten Karchmer about a new approach to fertility support that combines decades of clinical experience, personalized health data, and AI-powered guidance.

Kirsten draws from her work as a fertility acupuncturist who treated more than 10,000 patients experiencing infertility, PCOS, endometriosis, and recurrent pregnancy loss. She explains why she believes fertility care should look beyond isolated hormone levels and ovulation dates to consider the full picture of a person’s health—including energy, sleep, digestion, stress, menstrual patterns, nutrition, and daily habits.

Together, they discuss:

• Why fertility treatment remains financially inaccessible for many families
• The limitations of relying solely on ovulation trackers and hormone monitors
• How menstrual cycles, bleeding patterns, temperature, energy, digestion, and stress may offer useful health information
• Why identifying underlying patterns may be more helpful than addressing one symptom at a time
• The role of sleep, nutrition, blood sugar, stress resilience, and heart rate variability in overall wellness
• How personalized AI tools may make fertility education and support more affordable
• The importance of privacy when sharing sensitive health information with technology
• Why male fertility should also be part of the conversation
• The emotional impact of infertility, miscarriage, IVF, and recurrent pregnancy loss
• How everyday habits can support health before pregnancy, during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond

Kirsten also introduces Conceivable, an AI-supported women’s health platform designed to provide personalized guidance, education, supplement recommendations, and ongoing support based on each user’s individual patterns and goals.

This conversation is also a reminder that fertility does not exist in isolation. The habits that support reproductive wellness—sleeping well, eating nourishing foods, managing stress, improving digestion, and paying attention to your body—can continue to support health throughout every season of life.

Connect with Kirsten Karchmer and Conceivable

Website: conceivab.com

TikTok: @yourfertilityexpert and @conceivablefertility

Please verify that you are following Kirsten’s official accounts, as impersonator accounts may reuse her content.

Important Health Note

This episode includes personal experiences, professional opinions, and discussion of fertility, supplements, menstrual health, thyroid function, miscarriage, and pregnancy. It is for general educational purposes and should not replace individualized medical care. Do not begin, stop, or change medications or supplements based solely on this conversation. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions related to fertility treatment, pregnancy, abnormal bleeding, thyroid health, miscarriage, or other medical concerns.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

How often do you find yourself moving through the day on autopilot?

Autopilot isn't always a bad thing. It can reduce mental load, help us build healthy habits, and make everyday tasks feel effortless. But when autopilot begins to disconnect us from our relationships, our health, our purpose, or ourselves, it may be time to pause and take back the driver's seat.

In this solo episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn explores how to recognize when you're living on autopilot and offers reflective coaching questions to help you reconnect with what matters most.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The benefits—and hidden costs—of living on autopilot
• How stress, overwhelm, and burnout can leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves
• Why noticing friction in your life is often the first step toward meaningful change
• Simple ways to become more present throughout your day
• How mindfulness, body awareness, breathing, and nature can help regulate your nervous system
• Why optimization is about small, intentional improvements rather than perfection
• Questions to help you identify what needs your attention right now
• How delegation, boundaries, and daily self-care can create more space for what truly matters

Autumn also invites you to reflect on where you may be operating on autopilot—not with judgment, but with curiosity.

What feels out of alignment?

What is creating unnecessary friction?

What is one small change that could help you feel more present, connected, and intentional?

Sometimes the biggest transformation doesn't come from doing more. It comes from slowing down long enough to notice what your life has been trying to tell you.

If you've been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or like you're simply going through the motions, this episode offers a gentle invitation to pause, reflect, and begin creating a life that feels more like your own.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

Your skin is not separate from the rest of your health. Stress, sleep, hormones, nutrition, skincare products, haircare, laundry detergent, and the microorganisms living on your skin can all influence how it looks and feels.

In this episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn speaks with Dr. Mireille “Mimi” Vega, a biotechnology PhD, cosmetic chemist, Skin-to-Soul Science Simplifier, and founder and CEO of VGAM Biome.

Dr. Mimi explains the difference between the gut microbiome and the skin microbiome, how the skin’s natural ecosystem helps protect us, and why aggressive cleansing or complicated skincare routines may sometimes make acne, dryness, irritation, or sensitivity worse.

Together, they discuss:

- How the skin microbiome supports the skin barrier and local immune health
- The connections between skin, stress, sleep, hormones, nutrition, and inflammation
- Why acne, eczema, dermatitis, rosacea, and other changes may offer clues about what your body needs
- How hair products, detergents, sunscreen, and other everyday products can affect your skin
- Why cleansing too frequently may strip protective oils and disrupt the microbiome
- The importance of hydration, oils, salts, pH, prebiotics, and postbiotics
- Why skincare needs may change throughout the menstrual cycle, across seasons, and while traveling
- How nutrition supports collagen production and healthy aging from within
- Why Dr. Mimi prefers a simplified, adaptable approach instead of treating every skin concern with a separate product

Dr. Mimi also shares how her daughter’s skin struggles inspired her to question conventional skincare and develop a microbiome-based system that allows people to adjust the balance of hydration and oils according to what their skin needs each day.

The goal is not to fight or control your skin. It is to understand its natural intelligence and create an environment where it can function well.

Connect with Dr. Mireille Vega

Explore her skincare philosophy and products at:

toloveyourskin.com

Learn more from Dr. Mimi at:

drmimi.ca

Instagram: @dr.mimichemistry

LinkedIn: Dr. Mireille Vega, PhD

Her upcoming book, currently titled The Skin Solution Is You, will explore the connections between skincare, nutrition, lifestyle, and whole-body wellness.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

What if better sleep did not require a new mattress, expensive pillows, or a complete lifestyle overhaul?

In this solo episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn shares practical ways to improve sleep by paying attention to your body, sleep position, bedroom environment, and evening habits.

After continuing to experience neck and shoulder pain following a car accident, Autumn began experimenting with sleep alignment, pillow placement, and body support. She used photographs of her usual sleeping position and AI to help identify where her body may need more support—and found that simple adjustments using pillows and a rolled blanket improved her comfort.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- How pain and body alignment may interrupt sleep
- How to evaluate your sleeping position using photos
- Ways to use AI as a starting point for pillow placement
- How light, temperature, sound, screens, pets, and air quality may affect sleep
- Why alcohol, meal timing, hydration, and exercise can influence rest
- How menstrual cycles, perimenopause, stress, and pain may change your sleep needs
- Why focusing too intensely on sleep can sometimes make it harder to fall asleep

The goal is not to create a perfect bedtime routine. It is to become curious about what helps your body feel safe, supported, and comfortable enough to rest.

Choose one thing to adjust tonight, notice how you feel in the morning, and build from there.

Resources Mentioned

- Why We Sleep by Dr. Matthew Walker
- EMDR and trauma-informed therapy
- AI tools for reviewing sleep-position photographs

Connect With Wellness in Every Season

Podcast sponsorships: wellnessineveryseason.com/podcast/sponsor

Become a listener wellness guest: wellnessineveryseason.com/listenerwellnessguest

Important Note

AI feedback cannot diagnose pain, sleep disorders, injuries, or spinal conditions. Persistent pain, numbness, weakness, breathing interruptions, loud snoring, suspected sleep apnea, or ongoing sleep problems should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

What happens when the determination that helped you build a successful career cannot guarantee the family you dreamed of creating?

In this episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn speaks with Dr. Marline C. Duroseau—fertility advocate and coach, author, TEDx speaker, leadership executive, resilience expert, and founder of MCD Business Enterprise. Drawing from her own infertility journey and doctoral research on women leaders navigating infertility, Dr. Mar explores the painful intersection of ambition, reproductive health, stress, grief, identity, and workplace expectations.

Together, they discuss why telling women to “just relax” is rarely helpful, how fertility struggles can affect concentration and performance at work, and why many women feel forced to choose between career growth and family-building. Dr. Mar also shares how high-achieving women often continue performing at extraordinary levels while privately carrying medical appointments, pregnancy loss, hormonal changes, emotional exhaustion, and uncertainty.

This conversation offers space to reconsider success, create a Plan B without viewing it as failure, listen more closely to your body and intuition, and separate your true desires from cultural, religious, workplace, and family expectations.

Dr. Mar also discusses motherhood beyond pregnancy, asking for support, emotional regulation, workplace flexibility, and why women do not need to prove their strength by carrying everything alone.

Connect with Dr. Mar at mcdbe.com, follow @mcdbe and @ladymarduro on Instagram, find her on LinkedIn and YouTube, and watch her TEDx talk, The Secret Battle Behind Powerful Women Leaders.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

Bone Loss Prevention Through Strength Training

Strength training is not just about changing how your body looks—it is about protecting your ability to move, balance, recover, and live independently as you age.

In this episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn explores bone-loss prevention, longevity, and why weight-bearing movement becomes increasingly important for women in midlife and beyond. She shares her own experience rebuilding strength after a car accident, navigating pain flare-ups, returning to exercise gradually, and learning how to listen to her body without giving up on long-term goals.

This conversation also looks at the emotional side of exercise. Knowing that you “should” work out is not always enough. Autumn walks through the stages of change, common barriers to movement, all-or-nothing thinking, and practical ways to begin before conditions feel perfect.

You will hear ideas for adding strength and bone-supporting movement through weightlifting, barre, yoga, body-weight exercises, walking, jumping, lunges, and other accessible options. Autumn also discusses lifting heavier while maintaining safe form, finding supportive gym environments, asking for help, adjusting workouts around pain or fatigue, and creating backup plans when life disrupts your routine.

The goal is not perfection or pushing through pain. It is building sustainable habits that support posture, muscle mass, balance, bone strength, confidence, sleep, stress regulation, and long-term independence.

Start with what you have, notice what your body needs, and take the next realistic step.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

Most adults do not talk about poop—unless they are talking about their children. Yet your bowel movements can provide valuable information about your digestion, hydration, gut health, nutrition, stress levels, and overall well-being.

Are you pooping often enough? What does healthy poop actually look like? Is it normal to go only a few times a week? What can constipation, diarrhea, undigested food, changes in color, or difficulty going tell you about what may be happening inside your body?

In this episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn sits down with Katie Kirklin, a licensed registered nurse and certified functional nutritional counselor, to have an open, practical conversation about poop, digestion, and the many factors that influence gut health.

Katie shares how her own experiences with digestive concerns, anxiety, disordered eating, and other health challenges led her from conventional nursing into functional nutrition. Together, Autumn and Katie explore why symptoms can be viewed as information from the body—and why improving health often involves looking beneath the surface rather than focusing on one symptom in isolation.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- What healthy poop may look like, including frequency, color, consistency, and ease of passing
- Why bowel movements can serve as a daily source of information about your health
- Why being constipated may be common without necessarily being optimal
- How hydration and electrolytes can affect digestion and bowel regularity
- Signs that you may be drinking too much water without replacing enough electrolytes
- How magnesium, fiber, and whole foods may support healthy bowel movements
- The difference between naturally occurring fiber in whole foods and added fiber in processed foods
- How eating a variety of colorful plant foods can support a diverse gut microbiome
- Why chewing thoroughly may improve digestion and nutrient absorption
- What it means to “chew your liquids and drink your solids”
- How stress and the nervous system can contribute to constipation, urgency, or diarrhea
- Why slowing down before meals may support the body’s “rest and digest” response
- How sleep supports digestion, hormone processing, detoxification, and overall wellness
- Why protein, healthy fat, and fiber can help create a more balanced breakfast
- How to build a more blood-sugar-supportive smoothie
- Why some people experience digestive discomfort after drinking whey protein
- Simple ways to increase food variety without making meal planning more complicated
- Why frozen fruits and vegetables can be nutritious, practical options
- How small, consistent lifestyle changes can work together to support long-term health

Katie also shares her approach to creating balanced meals without relying on complicated recipes. Rather than preparing an entirely different meal every night, she keeps nourishing ingredients available—such as vegetables, proteins, whole grains, greens, beans, nuts, and seeds—and combines them into simple bowls and meals throughout the week.

One of the biggest reminders from this conversation is that health rarely changes because of one “magic” food, supplement, or habit. Sleep, stress, hydration, nourishment, movement, digestion, relationships, and the nervous system are interconnected. Small changes may not feel dramatic on their own, but together they can create a healthier internal environment that better supports the body.

Your symptoms are information. Your digestion is information. Even your poop can act like a free daily health report.

You do not have to change everything at once. Choose one supportive habit from this episode, practice it consistently, pay attention to how your body responds, and build from there.

Connect with Katie Kirklin

Visit Katie’s website to learn more about functional nutrition and one-on-one coaching:

🌐 katiekirklin.com

Follow Katie on Instagram:

📱 @katiekirklinnutrition

Katie can also be found on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Important Health Note

Changes in bowel habits can have many causes. New, persistent, severe, or unexplained digestive symptoms—including blood in the stool, black or tarry stool, significant abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, persistent constipation, or ongoing diarrhea—should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.

The information shared in this episode is intended for general education and wellness purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical care, diagnosis, or treatment.

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings." 

Why does it suddenly feel like everything that used to work... doesn't?

If you've entered your 40s or 50s and noticed weight gain, stubborn belly fat, poor sleep, brain fog, hot flashes, or low energy, you're not imagining it. Perimenopause and menopause bring significant hormonal changes that affect far more than your menstrual cycle—and many women are left trying the same dieting strategies that worked in their 20s and 30s with little success.

In this episode of Wellness in Every Season, Autumn sits down with Debbie Harris, founder of the 30 to Life Solution, bestselling author, certified hypnotist, and health coach, to discuss why midlife weight loss is different and how women can shift from dieting to creating a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

Together they explore practical strategies for supporting hormonal health, improving your relationship with food, and building habits that support long-term wellness rather than quick fixes.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- Why weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is so common
- Why traditional dieting often becomes less effective after 40
- The connection between stress, cortisol, sleep, and belly fat
- How food sensitivities can change during midlife
- Why improving sleep may be one of the most important health changes you can make
- The role of hydration, added sugar, movement, and stress management
- How to identify trigger foods and build a healthier relationship with eating
- Why exercise recommendations may need to change during menopause
- The importance of individualized nutrition instead of one-size-fits-all diet plans
- Questions to ask your healthcare provider about menopause symptoms and treatment options

Whether your goal is to release excess weight, improve your energy, sleep better, or simply feel more like yourself again, this episode offers practical ideas to help you navigate this stage of life with greater confidence.

Connect with Debbie Harris

🌐 Website: https://30tolife.org/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbielee211/

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DebbieHarrisDietingSucks

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fordebbielee/

📘 Facebook:
- https://www.facebook.com/fordebbielee/
- https://www.facebook.com/30tolifesolution/

𝕏 X: https://x.com/DebbieLHarris

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@debbieharris4262

Special Offer

Debbie is offering listeners 50% off the first month of her Balanced Warrior Community Membership. Your first month is just $19 (regularly $39/month), giving you access to coaching, accountability, and support as you work toward better health, reduced menopause symptoms, and lasting peace with food.

Resources Mentioned

- Dieting Sucks for Women Over 40 – 30 to Life: The Ultimate Weight Loss and Hormone Balancing Formula
- WOmenopause – Real Talk, Real Stories, Real Women
- Learn more about the 30 to Life Solution at https://30tolife.org

For more wellness tips and exclusive content, join my newsletter! Sign up now at https://wellness-in-every-season.kit.com/5-days-to-mastering-mornings-and-evenings receive a free 5-day guide called "Awaken and Unwind: 5 Days to Mastering Life's Mornings and Evenings."