Wild River

Welcome back to the Wild River Podcast! After nearly a year away, I felt called to bring you a special conversation with my close friend and powerful intuitive, Helena Herndon. Helena is a psychic, past-life astrologer, and Zen Human Design reader who blends these systems into a deeply holistic and soul-centered practice. In this episode, we dive into a topic we’ve discussed privately for over a year: magnetism, dating, and the conscious, often uncomfortable path of healing how we relate to men and relationships.

We unpack:

• Why owning your desires is foundational to attracting aligned love

• How unconscious beliefs and past wounds shape dating patterns

• What it really means to be “magnetic” (hint: it’s not about looks)

• The energetic shifts that invite in high-quality, trustworthy men

• How to build self-trust, safety, and joy in your body—before a partner arrives

• Tangible practices to cultivate radiance and feminine embodiment

• Why resentment, over-giving, and control often block the intimacy we crave

• The power of deciding you're worthy of the kind of love you desire

This episode is for anyone—any gender or orientation—who wants to date more consciously, with greater ease, empowerment, and authenticity. Whether you’re calling in your person, healing after toxic dynamics, or refining your own relationship patterns, this conversation is full of honest insight and practical wisdom.

About Helena HerndonHelena is a psychic intuitive and educator who blends astrology, Zen human design, and past-life readings into powerful 1:1 sessions. She specializes in masculine/feminine energy dynamics, sexual healing, and relational empowerment. With a decade of professional and spiritual training—from trauma-conscious yoga to instructional design to evolutionary astrology—Helena brings deep presence, soul clarity, and real-world teaching skills to every session.

💫 Learn more, book a session with Helena, or buy her "Healing Your Relationship to Men" workbook: https://www.helenaherndon.com/sessions 📸 Follow her on Instagram: ⁠@helenaherndon⁠

Work with Sam

I am returning to running Wild River full-time, after nearly 6 months of serving a very small community while I worked through health issues. I am so glad to be back and feeling great! I am offering relationship coaching. My ⁠website⁠ will be updated by late May 2025 with new offerings. In the meantime, follow me at @wildriver

In this special episode, Sam invites her uncle, Mike Pfotenhauer, founder and head designer of Osprey Packs (until his recent retirement), to discuss the role of creativity in his life and in Osprey Packs.

Osprey Packs is a world class outdoor backpack company headquartered in Cortez, Colorado. It is known for its innovative design, sustainability values, and high quality products. Mike founded Osprey in 1974. Osprey’s backpacks can be found in nearly every country, airport, and trail. 

Mike Pfotenhauer is an artist and creative, though he might not use those words to describe himself. He approached his business with an extreme emphasis on creativity and his personal freedom of creative expression. 

In this podcast, Mike discusses how creativity allows him to get lost and find the path again, what creativity offers you as a person, the importance of being connected to the material items around you, finding an inner sense of freedom through creativity, balancing business demands and creativity flow, and what self-expression offers you in your life. 

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WORK WITH SAM: Book a Clarity Call with Sam, her signature 90 minute session, or check out her coaching offerings for ongoing support. 

CONTACT SAM: Get in touch with Sam by emailing her at [email protected] or messaging her on Instagram at @wildriver 

In this series, Sam explores how she found safety in sexual expression.  Five years ago, she felt disconnected from her own sexuality and body, numb, pressured by expectation, sexually closed and wondering if she just wasn’t a sexual person.  Now, she feels so alive and expressive, empowered, and joyful in her sexual expression.  In this series, she breaks down some of the tools, practices, and mindset shifts that helped her make this truly incredible transformation. 

This episode is all about loving and connecting with your body.  If you want to feel confident and expressive with sexuality, cultivating sincere self love and a strong connection with your body is essential.  

In this episode, Sam discusses:

You are invited to make this series conversational!  Call in to the podcast at 206-590-1030 and leave a question or DM Sam on Instagram @wildriver with your thoughts and reflections.  Sex can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to!  Let’s remove some of the shame and stigma around sexual insecurities to facilitate an empowering and educational conversation. 

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER:  Join the Wild River Newsletter and get personal updates, helpful resources, and information about Sam’s work.  Join the Newsletter here. 

LEAVE A MESSAGE for the show!  Call 206-590-1030 and leave a 30 second voice message with any question, comment, or story about the Wild River podcast.  Sam will play messages on future episodes and respond to them!  Click here for more info.  

WORK WITH SAM: Book a Clarity Call with Sam, her signature 75 minute session, or check out Sunbeam Coaching for ongoing support. 

CONTACT SAM: Get in touch with Sam by emailing her at [email protected] or messaging her on Instagram at @wildriver 

In this new series, Sam explores how she found safety in sexual expression.  Five years ago, she felt disconnected from her own sexuality and body, numb, pressured by expectation, sexually closed and wondering if she just wasn’t a sexual person.  Now, she feels so alive and expressive, empowered, and joyful in her sexual expression.  In this series, she breaks down some of the tools, practices, and mindset shifts that helped her make this truly incredible transformation. 

In this episode, Sam discusses how essential it is to be honest with yourself and what you want to feel empowered sexually.  If you don’t feel comfortable saying “no” to anything or anyone that doesn’t feel right, than you won’t trust your yes either.  To feel truly empowered sexually, you need to know how you are feeling and be able to articulate it.  Because if you can’t trust yourself to articulate what you want or need, there will be a part of you that always feels on-guard because you won’t know if you are safe.  In this episode, Sam also discusses using discernment when selecting partners, navigating people pleasing and disappointment, and how to expand your ability to know what you are feeling.

You are invited to make this series conversational.  Call in to the podcast (number below) and leave a question or DM Sam on Instagram @wildriver with your thoughts and reflections.  Sex can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to!  Let’s remove some of the shame and stigma around sexual insecurities to facilitate an empowering and educational conversation. 

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER:  Join the Wild River Newsletter and get personal updates, helpful resources, and information about Sam’s work.  Join the Newsletter here. 

LEAVE A MESSAGE for the show!  Call 206-590-1030 and leave a 30 second voice message with any question, comment, or story about the Wild River podcast.  Sam will play messages on future episodes and respond to them!  Click here for more info.  

WORK WITH SAM: Book a Clarity Call with Sam, her signature 75 minute session, or check out Sunbeam Coaching for ongoing support. 

CONTACT SAM: Get in touch with Sam by emailing her at [email protected] or messaging her on Instagram at @wildriver 

In this new series, Spirituality 101, Sam explores foundational concepts of spirituality and mysticism.  Though this content is great for folks having a spiritual or psychic awakening (whether it be your first or one of many), this series is supportive and engaging for anyone on a spiritual path.  Just because it is foundational does not mean it is elementary. 

We live in an energy universe.  Each of us are made of energy and vibrate at a specific frequency.  That internal frequency influences our external reality.  Though it is not by any means the only factor influencing our lives, your vibration is something you have control over, and a way to influence and shift your lived experience.  

In this episode, Sam explores ways to raise your vibration and increase your magnetism.  There are many ways to do this.  Sam argues that the most effective ways relate to embodiment, feeling and expressing your spectrum of emotions, and living out of the heart.  Connecting sincerely with yourself, your body, and your emotions, and allowing love to flow through you, for yourself and for others, allows you to radically shift and heighten your vibrational frequency.

Interested in the Spirituality 101 Course?  Join the newsletter (see below) and follow along on Instagram @wildriver to stay up to date on the launch date.

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER:  Join the Wild River Newsletter and get personal updates, helpful resources, and information about Sam’s work.  Join the Newsletter here. 

LEAVE A MESSAGE for the show!  Call 206-590-1030 and leave a 30 second voice message with any question, comment, or story about the Wild River podcast.  Sam will play messages on future episodes and respond to them!  Click here for more info.  

WORK WITH SAM: Book a Clarity Call with Sam, her signature 75 minute session, or check out Sunbeam Coaching for ongoing support. 

CONTACT SAM: Get in touch with Sam by emailing her at [email protected] or messaging her on Instagram at @wildriver 

Play and discipline - although seemingly opposites - go hand and hand. You can better achieve play through allowing some joyful discipline in your life, and you can better achieve your goals by applying discipline when you are also allowing play.

In today's episode, Sam explores what discipline based in values and joy looks like (versus the old model of head-down grit at all costs). She makes a case for the benefit of joyful discipline for facilitating more play in your life, as it creates the safety and structure that makes relaxing into play feel good and supported. She discusses the importance of removing self-worth from the equation of play and discipline. Sam also suggests that play is the fastest way of achieving your goals and allows you to apply discipline towards your goals more effectively.

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER:  Join the Wild River Newsletter and get personal updates, helpful resources, and information about Sam’s work.  Join the Newsletter here. 

LEAVE A MESSAGE for the show!  Call 206-590-1030 and leave a 30 second voice message with any question, comment, or story about the Wild River podcast.  Sam will play messages on future episodes and respond to them!  Click here for more info.  

WORK WITH SAM: Book a Clarity Call with Sam, her signature 75 minute session, or check out Sunbeam Coaching for ongoing support. 

CONTACT SAM: Get in touch with Sam by emailing her at [email protected] or messaging her on Instagram at @wildriver 

Family and old friend dynamics can be challenging! Especially as you continue to grow and evolve and others' perceptions of you don't keep up. In this episode, Sam channels her Spirit Guides for a message to the listeners about how to stay in your heart and stay authentic during this holiday season. She also shares some practical guidance to stay connected to yourself.

Sam discusses:

- The importance of acknowledging family dynamics and your role in them

- Taking comments less personally

- Managing your energy

- Allowing yourself to be seen by your family

- Dealing with difficult emotions like frustration and anger

Sam also discusses two new upcoming WORKSHOPS. Learn about them here! Note that Sam says the energy healing will take place December 18, but it has been rescheduled for WEDNESDAY, December 20!

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER:  Join the Wild River Newsletter and get personal updates, helpful resources, and information about Sam’s work.  Join the Newsletter here. 

LEAVE A MESSAGE for the show!  Call 206-590-1030 and leave a 30 second voice message with any question, comment, or story about the Wild River podcast.  Sam will play messages on future episodes and respond to them!  Click here for more info.  

WORK WITH SAM: Book a Clarity Call with Sam, her signature 75 minute session, or check out Sunbeam Coaching for ongoing support. 

CONTACT SAM: Get in touch with Sam by emailing her at [email protected] or messaging her on Instagram at @wildriver 

Transformation is inevitable. It is part of being alive. But there is a special power to stepping into transformation - with choice and surrender - and fully allowing it to take you wherever you need to go next. Transformation asks you to surrender aspects of your identity, life, and sense of self to upgrade to a more authentic version of yourself.

In this episode, Sam interviews Libby Christenson, leadership coach, about transformation. Libby has walked through several transformations in her life - sobriety, career shifts, relationship endings, health crisis, and maturation in her identity - and has gained a lot of wisdom from those experiences. She also professionally supports others in massive transformations.

Sam and Libby discuss:

- How transformation brings up resistance, and the importance of surrendering to the unknown

- How to navigate painful transformations and find ease and joy in them

- The magic that awaits you on the other side of big transformations

- Choosing yourself and authenticity during big life changes

- Developing confidence and a sense of safety despite outer turmoil and instability

- Practical tools for navigating transformation

WORK WITH LIBBY: Libby is a phenomenal coach. (Sam worked with her in 2022 and had a phenomenal experience.) To learn more about Libby, check out her website or her Instagram @libbychristenson

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER:  Join the Wild River Newsletter and get personal updates, helpful resources, and information about Sam’s work.  Join the Newsletter here. 

LEAVE A MESSAGE for the show!  Call 206-590-1030 and leave a 30 second voice message with any question, comment, or story about the Wild River podcast.  Sam will play messages on future episodes and respond to them!  Click here for more info.  

WORK WITH SAM: Book a Clarity Call with Sam, her signature 75 minute session, or check out Sunbeam Coaching for ongoing support. 

CONTACT SAM: Get in touch with Sam by emailing her at [email protected] or messaging her on Instagram at @wildriver