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Sara welcomes Scott McRae, a spiritual director, pastor, chaplain, and co-founder of Sojourners Institute in Minneapolis, for a conversation that will gently shift the way you see yourself and your inner life. With over 30 years of experience guiding people through life's most profound moments, Scott brings warmth, wisdom, and a refreshingly grounded perspective to the spiritual journey.

Together, Sara and Scott unpack his Sacred Map of Clarity, a framework that illuminates three inner journeys we all travel: the ego, the soul, and the spirit. Rather than dismissing the ego, Scott invites us to see it as a doorway, the place where the deeper journey often begins.

Whether you're new to inner work or have been on this path for years, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are. 

You'll come away with:

• A richer understanding of what spiritual direction is and how it works
• A new way of seeing your ego — not as an obstacle, but as a teacher
• Language for the spiritual longings you may have felt but struggled to name
• Insight into the three distinct journeys of ego, soul, and spirit
• A deeper trust in the quiet, wise voice already living within you

Scott is one of 11 remarkable guides in Your Wise Year, Sara's year-long program for living with more wisdom, intention, and wholeness. Visit yourwiseselfwithsara.com/yourwiseyear to learn more.

This conversation was truly a gift to me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and please leave a positive comment if you feel moved to do so.

Resources

Your Wise Year Program

Sojourners Institute or Scott McRae

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In this episode of Your Wise Self with Sara, I sit down with Dr. Mark Sherwood and Dr. Michelle Sherwood, the Real Longevity Doctors and co-founders of the Functional Medical Institute in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Together they've helped over 25,000 patients reverse chronic disease and reclaim their health through a whole-person, root-cause approach.

We go somewhere brand new on the show today - peptides. If you've been hearing that word and wondering what it actually means, this conversation is for you.

We cover:

• What peptides are and how they work as signaling molecules in the body
• Specific peptides for sleep, muscle retention, mitochondrial health, skin, hair, and more
• How peptides differ from hormone replacement therapy
• Bio regulators — the tiny oral peptides that may help preserve organ function and reverse biological aging
• The truth about GLP-1s (yes, Ozempic is a peptide!) and how to use them wisely
• Why you can't "peptide away" a bad foundation — and what to build first
• Their upcoming book Authentic Longevity (coming June 2026)
• We also cover red light therapy! 

Whether you're navigating perimenopause, dealing with fatigue and brain fog, or simply wanting to live younger, stronger, and longer - this episode will open your eyes to what's possible.

🔗 Find Dr. Mark & Dr. Michelle: sherwoodtv.com

📖 Peptides Unlocked — available on Amazon

🎬 The Prayer List — Dr. Michelle's life story film

📘 Authentic Longevity — coming June 2026 at authenticlongevity.com

⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode discusses peptides, some of which may be unapproved or illegal in certain jurisdictions. Nothing shared is medical or legal advice — always consult a licensed professional before using any substance.

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What if the Enneagram wasn't just a personality tool, but a map back to your truest self?

In this episode of Your Wise Self, Sara welcomes Rev. Nhien Vuong, founder of Evolving Enneagram and author of Enneagram of the Soul: A 40-Day Spiritual Companion for the Nine Types, for a rich, contemplative conversation about awakening, self-compassion, and what it really means to come home to yourself.

Nhien shares how she first discovered the Enneagram during a major life transition, how her legal career gave way to a deeper spiritual calling, and why she believes the Enneagram is far more than a personality label...it's an invitation to surrender to something greater.

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why the Enneagram is a spiritual map, not just a personality system
• The three contemplative postures: silence, solitude, and stillness
• What "functional atheism" means and how your Enneagram type shapes your relationship to the divine
• How Enneagram of the Soul guides you through 40 days of self-compassion and inner awakening
• Nhien's upcoming Enneagram meditation album (with binaural beats!) coming this fall
• How the Your Wise Year community and ongoing practice support lasting transformation

Whether you're an Enneagram beginner or a seasoned explorer, this episode is a gentle invitation to stop fixing yourself — and start loving yourself into being.

🔗 Connect with Nhien:

• Website: www.EvolvingEnneagram.com
• Book: Enneagram of the Soul — available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible, and Kindle
• Upcoming Contemplative Practices & Enneagram Groups launching April 20th
• Certification Program launching October 16, 2026

💛 Your Wise Year masterclass with Nhien is coming May 6th! It's not too late to join — all sessions are recorded. https://www.yourwiseselfwithsara.com/your-wise-year 

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Join Sara as she welcomes back Sarah Fleming, LMSW, for a profound conversation about how our homes and nervous systems are deeply connected. With 20 years of experience integrating EFT tapping, feng shui, expressive arts, and traditional therapy, Sarah shares practical tools for creating spaces that truly support your wellbeing.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How clutter and your environment directly affect cortisol levels and nervous system regulation
• The neuroscience behind why decluttering feels so hard (executive function, dopamine, and decision fatigue)
• Practical first steps to create a healing haven in your home
• A guided EFT tapping practice to release overwhelm and invite peace
• Why perfectionism keeps us stuck and how to move forward with compassion
• The powerful connection between hormonal shifts (perimenopause) and our relationship with our spaces

Key Takeaways:

✨ Open a window or light a candle to get energy moving when you feel stuck

✨ Less is more—simplify to reduce what you have to care for

✨ Your home is not a reflection of your morality; there are real physiological reasons for feeling overwhelmed

✨ Trust your intuition about what needs to change in your space

Sarah also shares her beautiful practice with equine therapy and rehabbing her rescue German Shepherd, reminding us that healing happens in relationship—with ourselves, our homes, and the beings around us.

Connect with Sarah Fleming:

• Therapy: SarahFlemingCounseling.com
• Home Consultations: EttieRoHouse.com

Join Your Wise Year:

Ready to dive deeper? Sarah's masterclass, "The Home That Heals," is available inside Your Wise Year. Learn more at: 

https://www.yourwiseselfwithsara.com/your-wise-year

Stay Connected with Sara Klute Behn 

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Insomnia, teeth grinding, excess weight, brain fog, cravings...Simply not feeling yourself? Sure, hormones are playing a role in the very similar perimenopause symptoms, but what if it was also something else? Something no one ever taught you about?

In this eye-opening conversation, Sara welcomes Kim Rogers, owner of Rogers Hood Apothecary, for an honest discussion about parasites, heavy metals, candida, and mold—and why this critical information is missing from women's health education.

Kim's story is extraordinary: A healthcare professional with two degrees who ran 25 colleges, endured 13 surgeries and a hysterectomy at 29, and nearly died at 41 when her organs began shutting down. When Western medicine couldn't help her, she became her own advocate—and discovered that parasites were at the root of her unexplained symptoms.

What You'll Learn:

• Why parasites aren't just a "developing country" problem—they're everywhere
• The shocking connection between parasites and perimenopause symptoms
•  How biofilm prevents your body from absorbing supplements and medications
• Why grinding your teeth and insomnia are red flags
• The full moon connection to parasite activity and optimal cleansing times
• What other countries know that Americans don't—and why they deworm regularly
• Kim's journey from 10.5M viral TikTok views to helping thousands heal
• The role of functional mushrooms in nervous system and immune support
• How to safely cleanse parasites, heavy metals, candida, and mold

Also featuring Melissa Raffone, aesthetician and health coach, who shares her incredible transformation from lifelong IBS and hormonal chaos to vibrant health through herbal cleansing protocols.

🌙 🎯 READY TO START (OR CONTINUE) YOUR HEALING JOURNEY?

Join our FREE Group Detox Q&A on March 11 at 6 PM CST to:

• ✨ Get all your questions answered about parasite cleansing
• ✨ Learn if this protocol is right for YOUR body
• ✨ Meet others starting this journey
• ✨ Hear directly from certified health coaches Sara and Melissa
• ✨ Decide if you want to join the group cleanse starting March 30th

The Release & Restore Group Detox is for all people (not just women).

👉 SIGN UP HERE, simply click on March 11th on the calendar and sign up! 

Connect with Kim Rogers:

Kim's Story

What's Eating U Podcast

Shop Rogers Hood Apothecary

⚠️ This content is for educational purposes. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any cleansing protocol.

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If you're in midlife and feeling frustrated with unexplained weight gain, energy crashes, brain fog, or confusing lab results, you're not alone. In this episode, we're diving deep into insulin resistance in perimenopause: what it is, why it happens, and most importantly, what actually helps.

I'm joined by Aaron McDonough, PharmD, a functional health pharmacist and owner of Towncrest Pharmacy. Aaron specializes in personalized care, including lab-informed supplementation and compounded hormones, and he has a gift for explaining complex physiology in a way that feels empowering instead of overwhelming.

In this conversation, we explore:
 • What insulin resistance really means in plain language
 • How hormonal shifts in perimenopause contribute to metabolic changes
 • Why belly fat, fatigue, and cravings are connected to insulin resistance
 • The domino effect: how insulin resistance impacts cortisol, sleep, inflammation, and more
 • Which labs can help you understand what's happening in your body (hint: fasting insulin is key!)
 • Practical, modifiable lifestyle changes: movement, nutrition, sleep, and stress management

This isn't a personal failure; it's a physiological shift that deserves informed, compassionate support. Whether you're experiencing symptoms now or want to understand what's happening in your body, this episode will help you make sense of it all. 

Resources mentioned:
 • Town Crest Pharmacy
• Your Wise Year
• Connect with Sara

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What if everything you've been searching for externally is already available to you internally?

In this episode, Sara sits down with coach, mediator, and guide Scarlett Lunning to explore what it means to live from the inside out. With over two decades of experience helping people navigate conflict, transition, and personal growth, Scarlett shares powerful insights about:

✨ Why we are not our thoughts—and how this understanding changes everything
✨ The three principles of mind, thought, and consciousness
✨ How to create space between yourself and your thinking
✨ What it looks like to align with your true self beneath the noise
✨ Simple practices for finding peace in the midst of life's challenges

Scarlett's upcoming masterclass, "We Are What We Seek" (March 4th), is part of Your Wise Year—a year-long offering designed to help you reconnect with your inner wisdom and live more aligned. (Link to join is below - everything is recorded, so you can jump in anytime.)

Whether you're feeling restless, overwhelmed, or simply searching for something deeper, this conversation offers gentle reminders that happiness isn't somewhere out there—it's already within you.

Key Takeaways:

• We create our own suffering through our thoughts
• Forgiveness (of self and others) is essential for inner peace
• Living from the inside out means honoring your body's wisdom
• Small moments of joy are always available when we slow down and notice

Connect with Scarlett:
Join the Your Wise Year Masterclasses (a full year of support!)

Lunning Coaching Website

Scarlett Lunning on Facebook

Please follow, share, and rate this podcast to help me continue to expand and reach more people. Thank you!

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In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Bree Baker, assistant professor of kinesiology and director of the Musculoskeletal Adaptations to Aging and eXercise (MAAX) Lab, to explore what the research really says about muscle, movement, and longevity — and how everyday people can apply it without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated.

This conversation is especially for anyone who:

• Wants to stay strong, mobile, and independent as they age
• Feels unsure where to start with movement or strength training
• Is tired, under-fueled, or struggling with sleep
• Has been told “this is just part of getting older” and knows there must be more

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why muscle health is essential for aging well
• How and why muscle changes as we age — and what we can do about it
• Simple, realistic ways to start moving at any age
• What strength training really means (and what it doesn’t)
• How muscle supports hormones, metabolism, and inflammation
• The impact of under-fueling, sleep, and stress on aging bodies
• The role of calcium and Vitamin D in bone and muscle health
• Common myths about aging, exercise, and injury prevention

One of the biggest takeaways:

Muscle isn’t about aesthetics — it’s about function, confidence, and freedom.
 And movement doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.

This episode is an invitation to rethink aging not as decline, but as a season where intentional movement, nourishment, and care matter more than ever.

✨ Whether you’re already active or just beginning, you’ll walk away feeling informed, encouraged, and empowered to support your body, from exactly where it is.

Resources: 

Contact Dr. Bree Baker

Research and MAAX Lab

Stay Strong Stay Healthy Program

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In this episode of Your Wise Self with Sara, I sit down with health coach Melissa Raffone for a grounded and insightful conversation about gut health, intuition, and what it really means to listen to your body.

We reflect on our favorite moments from the "Your Wise Year Retreat," covering topics such as energy flow, the Enneagram, EFT tapping, and more. 

The retreat recording is available for purchase. 

✨ Plus, get a preview of Melissa’s upcoming February 4th masterclass, where she’ll dive deeper into nourishing wisely, calming the mind, and supporting natural detox.

Sign up for masterclasses (live and recorded).

🎧 Listen in and reconnect with your inner wisdom.

🎥 Your Wise Year retreat recording is still available + upcoming masterclasses — use code ALIGN11 for 11% off. 

https://www.yourwiseselfwithsara.com/your-wise-year 

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If you’re in midlife and feel like you’re doing everything “right” — eating well, moving your body, trying to manage stress — yet still feel stuck, exhausted, or disconnected, this episode is for you.

In this heartfelt and extra-special episode of Your Wise Self with Sara, I sit down with Amy Wheeler, PhD, Professor and Chair of Yoga Therapy at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Amy’s work, wisdom, and presence have deeply influenced my own journey as a yoga therapist and health coach, making this conversation especially meaningful for me to share with you.

Together, we explore a truth many midlife women need to hear: lasting behavior change doesn’t begin with discipline or willpower — it begins with nervous system regulation. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why perimenopause can make everything feel harder — and why your body isn’t broken, it’s adapting
• The difference between rest and true nervous system regulation
• How decades of dysregulation often surface in midlife
• Why prioritizing yourself isn’t selfish — it’s essential
• Simple, compassionate practices to help you feel safe and supported in your body again

This conversation brought me so much clarity and affirmation, and it reflects the heart of Your Wise Self with Sara — returning to yourself, honoring your body’s wisdom, and learning to live with greater ease and trust.

You’re doing enough.
 You’re not behind.
 Your presence is your gift.

Contact Amy Wheeler:

www.TheOptimalState.com

 School of Integrative Health at NDMU 

Master of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU

NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals 

Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU

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