Science has proven that plants release natural chemicals that can improve immune function, mood + stress levels.  Crystal Berkenes shares what Nature Therapy is and how she combines it with music for health + what to expect from forest bathing.You may know from experience that being in nature feels therapeutic, but did you know there is actual scientific evidence that spending time in nature can affect you at a cellular level by helping your immune system and nervous system?Taking a walk in nature is not the same as taking a walk down a city street.  There are natural chemicals released by plants that actually have a positive impact on your physical well-being.Enter Nature Therapy.  Also called Forest Bathing or Shinrin-Yoku, it’s inspired by a Japanese practice of spending time in nature that “enhances health, wellness and happiness” according to the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides.   In today’s episode I’m talking with Certified Nature Therapy Guide Crystal Berkenes who is also a Music Therapist and combines the 2 practices to create an experience for participants that can actually be health-changing.  Grab the show notes at www.cairnyogawellness.com/podcast37.Highlights:{9:15}   What is Music Therapy{13:28} What is Forest/Nature Therapy{14:49} Lasting Effect of Nature Therapy{17:18} Nature Therapy How-to{18:22} Nature Therapy Guide Training{23:40} What to Expect on a Guided Nature Walk{26:51} Music Therapy in Nature{32:51} Wild Tending in Nature{35:50} Length of a Nature Therapy Session{39:42} Dr. Suzanne Bartlett HackenmillerConnect with nature through your own version of a nature therapy walk or by simply heading outdoors and walk barefoot in the grass, practicing a technique called Earthing. Then share what your experience here is in our Cultivating Health Harmony and Happiness Community.  I want to know what you did and if you noticed any differences emotionally or mentally, or perhaps if your sleep was different on the night or nights following your nature therapy. Resources:Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and ProgramsThe Outdoor Adventurer's Guide to Forest Bathing: Using Shinrin-Yoku to Hike, Bike, Paddle, and Climb Your Way to Health and Happiness - Dr. Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller*Join the Podcast New Season Launch TeamMountain MeditationGuest Links:Crystal Berkenes  |  musictherapycab@gmail.com  |  @crystal.berkenesOther Episodes like this one:#30: Herbal Medicine with Spiritus Vitae BotanicalsJoin our community here.Rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here.Follow us:Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest*This is an affiliate link, which means I get a small compensation, at no expense to you, if you choose to purchase from this link.

Health Harmony & Happiness with Cathy

#37: Using Nature and Music Therapy for Health

We all have different communication styles that we tend to gravitate towards, and even though we may be speaking the same language, sometimes our needs, wants and desires get lost in translation when it comes to our relationships. Katie Rössler gives tips on how to overcome this communication breakdown and instead build positive connections.We discuss healthy arguing strategies as well as how to get back into the flow of communicating with your spouse or partner.  Life is always happening around us, and it takes patience and practice to remember to be present for your spouse. And when this intentionality is in place, you can begin to create healthy habits around communicating more effectively while having fun with it.Katie and I talk perceived gender roles + how those perceptions come into play with creating communication barriers. Learn how to bring your family together to overcome these barriers so that everyone is on the same page.  Katie shares her outline for a successful family meeting and what a good age is to invite your kids to be a part of those family meetings.  She also introduces us to the concept of the Chief Household Officer and what that means in terms of running a home.Grab the show notes and resources at www.cairnyogawellness.com/podcast36.Highlights:{4:51}   Katie’s background with communication{6:16}   Healthy Arguing{11:08} Physiological responses to arguing{12:29} Arguing style, actions and boundaries{13:52} Improving communication + helping it flow{17:52} Practicing humility in marriage{18:38} Healthy communication habits in relationships{23:30} Accountability for giving and receiving love{27:35} Gender roles + household responsibilities{31:58} The unintentional career hierarchy perception{35:25} The Family Meeting{42:48} The Chief Household OfficerResources:All of Katie’s resources can be found here:Positive Connections ResourcesWe mentioned this book in our discussion:  The 5 Love LanguagesHere are some other resources for communicating about shared responsibilities in the home: Tools for Communicating Shared ResponsibilitiesGuest Links:Katie Rössler  |  www.positiveconnections.com  | Positive-Connections.com (mid-summer 2020)Follow Katie on Social:Facebook:  @thechiefhouseholdofficerclub  @positiveconnectionsforcouples Instagram:  @thechiefhouseholdofficerclub @positiveconnectionsforcouplesJoin our community here and share: What is the 1 thing you want to be intentional about focusing on in creating healthy communication habits in your home?Rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here.Follow us:Facebook | 

#36: Cultivating Healthy Communication in Relationships

Loneliness is a signal or indicator that something in life needs to change--it’s a feeling, which can make it hard to detect. And if not addressed, it can potentially have negative health side effects in the way of chronic illness and decreased lifespan.  Loneliness actually affects nearly half the U.S. population NOT during a pandemic, so I can imagine that right now these numbers are indeed heightened.  I’m speaking with Amie Zarling today, a Clinical Psychologist and assistant professor at Iowa State University who has done extensive work on social connectedness and how to seek out authentic relationships.Grab the show notes and all resource links here.Highlights:{5:34} Loneliness in the U.S. {6:42} Loneliness Defined{7:56} Social Connectedness{9:44} Identifying Loneliness or Social Disconnection{11:18}  Interventions for Loneliness{13:26} Cultivating Authentic Relationships{17:43} Levels of Connectedness{19:42} How Mindfulness Fits In{32:18} Loneliness During Social DistancingMore Episodes Like This one:#20: Your Attitude Creates Your Mindset, Chris GordonJoin our community here.Rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here.Follow us:Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

#35: Loneliness and Your Health

In honor of Mother's Day, I'm sharing a compilation of reflective blog posts I wrote after my first child was born.  Some of my parenting philosophies have changed, but these personal essays reveal the emotional struggle of a new mom with a colicky baby.  My son, who is my firstborn, was a challenging baby to say the least. We spent hours soothing him.  And it was during this time that I began a little blog called Counting My LITTLE Blessings.  It was a way for me to deal with the emotions I was experiencing being a new mom and navigating postpartum with a fussy baby and a husband who was away for work much of the time.  Since writing these posts, I have grown so much and learned so much as a mother and person.  I have no doubt changed over the past 6 years and continue to do so.  And now a mama of 3 littles, life sure is different.  We are still in the weeds, as all mamas and daddy’s are when you’re kids are young and so dependent on you, but the advice and perspectives I share in these posts are worth revisiting as we approach Mother’s Day.If you are a mom to someone, keep doing what you’re doing.  You’re making a difference in a child’s life, no matter how hard it can be at times.  Inspire those around you and they, too, will inspire others.Highlights:{3:20}    12 Weeks  Counting My LITTLE Blessings blog post published March 23, 2014{17:07}  3 Realities  Counting My LITTLE Blessings blog post published April 6, 2014{28:58}  Dear Huck  Counting My LITTLE Blessings blog post published May 11, 2014{30:39}  Encouragement for MamasJoin our community here.Rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here. Follow us: Facebook | Instagram | PinterestMore Episodes Like This:#10:  Choosing a VBAC#7: My Tips for Balancing Work + Family#1: My Journey to Adamantine® Yoga

#34: A Tribute to Mamas

Water quality goes much beyond just our drinking water; it’s also the source of recreation for many, so keeping it clean means it will be safe for your family to boat, swim and play near as you reconnect with nature this Spring and Summer.  Ingrid Gronstal of the Iowa Environmental Council and I continue our discussion of where water pollution comes from and how each one of us can be a part of contributing to safer waterways.  Ingrid shares the 3 main sources of water pollution and her thoughts on how waterways could be an avenue for resiliency in the state after disasters such as COVID-19.  By creating spaces near water to encourage people to get out into nature, be active, shop or socialize, it increases the likelihood that water would be seen more as a resource to be valued and taken care of while encouraging economic growth.She emphasizes that it is a joint effort and that farmers also need the support to continue agriculture practices as it is such a large part of our economy in Iowa, so it’s important to have programs in place that also encourage farmers to care for the land that impacts the waterways. Highlights: {5:55}    How nutrient pollution affects recreational waters{8:21}    Why the water is toxic when algae blooms occur{10:31}  Bacteria in the water{11:15}  Algae blooms and your pets{12:45} How much of the water is affected by algae blooms{14:36} Measures to prevent this pollution{17:04} Benefits of conservation practices for the land{17:46} Water as a resource to create resiliency as a state{21:50} Creating farm programs that also support the message of water as a resource{23:30} How you can help create more recreational waterwaysI want to know what your favorite spring or summer activity is on or near the water--join the conversation here!Guest Links:Ingrid Gronstal   |   Water Program Director Iowa Environmental Council  |  www.iaenvironment.orgOther Episodes like this one:#32: Earth Day + What’s in Your Water (Part 1)#31: Sustainable Minimalism with Stephanie Seferian#30: Herbal Medicine with Spiritus Vitae Botanicals#29: Creating Less Waste in Your EnvironmentRate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here.  Follow us: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

#33: What's in Your {Recreational} Water? (Part 2)

Today is Earth Day, and access to clean and safe drinking water is not a concern that should only be reserved for speaking of 3rd World Countries.  Believe it or not it’s also an issue that impacts neighbors in our own back yards no matter where you are in the United States.  In today's episode Ingrid Gronstal, Iowa Environmental Council, and I talk about water pollution, why it concerns you no matter where you live and how you can be a part of creating access to cleaner water right where you live.  Ingrid gives some actionable steps we can take to ensure we are doing our part in contributing to safe drinking water wherever we live.This is the first in a 2-part series on water quality and cultivating safe waterways.  Plus find out a tradition that my family does on Earth Day that you can easily share with your family to make a difference for our planet.Get the show notes here (cairnyogawellness.com/podcast32).Highlights:{3:18}    My Family’s Earth Day tradition{8:38}    What the Iowa Environmental Council does{11:48} Responding to trash dumping in your environment{14:08} How to use your voice to make a difference{16:00} Water pollution + it’s impact downstream(20:31) How drinking water is affected by pollution{25:27} What constitutes clean drinking water{30:20} The source of your water matters{33:35} Community-based solutions for safe drinking water{36:10} Ensuring safe water in your own home{42:22} Contributing to safe drinking water in your communityMore Episodes Like This:#29: Creating Less Waste in Your Environment#30: Herbal Medicine with Spiritus Vitae Botanicals#31: Sustainable Minimalism with Stephanie Seferian Guest Links:Ingrid Gronstal   |   Water Program Director Iowa Environmental CouncilJoin our community here.Rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here.  Follow us: Facebook | Instagram

#32: Earth Day + What's in Your Water?

Get rid of a single-use mindset and begin to consider that reducing the amount of stuff you live with or deem necessary at this point in life means that you’ll be living a more sustainable lifestyle and having less of an impact on the environment around you. Which in the long run means your children and their children will have a planet to care for as well.  Today I sit down with Stephanie Seferian of the Sustainable Minimalists Podcast.  Stephanie is an expert in sustainability, zerowaste and minimalism.  She offers simple strategies to reduce clutter and live more intentionally in an effort to save our planet.  And by offering these insights, she encourages opportunities to more fully enjoy the simple joys that life brings. An eco-friendly lifestyle brings with it the simplicity of living with less stuff, which in turn, creates more space to invite opportunities to cultivate health, harmony and happiness with your family.  It is something my family strives to do and is continually learning how to do.  But when we teach our children at a young age how to do these things, it become second nature for them and there’s no question as to whether or not to do them. The hope is that there is education behind why we do them so as to inspire others to take baby steps and implement similar changes in their own lifestyle so that our planet can continue to thrive.Highlights:{2:18}    Minimalism and the environment{5:36}    Why Stephanie chose a minimalist lifestyle{9:50}    How Stephanie defines minimalism{11:02} What is sustainability{13:32} Making conscious purchases{14:38} Purchasing necessities + repurposing and reusing{17:29} The single-use mindset{21:40} Swapping soap{22:33} Creating a more eco-friendly lifestyle{26:53} First steps to living more sustainably{28:06} Swaps for zero-waste livingResources From the Episode:The only yoga mat I recommend: Manduka ProMore episodes like this:#29: Creating Less Waste in Your EnvironmentGuest Links:Stephanie Seferian    |     The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast     |     MamaMinimalist.comMy Guest Appearance on The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast:Episode 117: Slow homes, Climate Change & CoronavirusJoin our community here.Rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here.  Follow us: Facebook | Instagram

#31: Sustainable Minimalism with Stephanie Seferian

For Nicole Saville herbs are far more than just for cooking; as the owner of Spiritus Vitae Botanicals, herbs are for both medicine and giving back to the land.  They are, in essence, the "Spirit of Life." By taking care of the land through chemical-free farming practices, the land can take care of us through its bounty.Herbal medicine is where herbs, used as food, cross over and begin to heal the body.  It's all about the intention in how the herbs are being used. Find out how to begin integrating more herbs into your lifestyle and some of the most beneficial herbs for stress, anxiety and immunity.Highlights:{4:18}    Spiritus Vitae mission{7:52}    Herbal medicine defined{9:41}    Why herbal medicine{10:34} Herbal medicine + Adamantine® Yoga{13:45} Giving back to the land{17:00} Giving back to our own bodies{18:43} Chemical-free farming{19:40} 3 herbs in highest demand{20:53} Herbs for immune support{23:30} Herb for stress{24:44} Beginner’s guide to herbs{26:48} What is Fire Cider?{30:04} Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar{31:34} Syrups + herbal medicine{45:03} Beginning to incorporate herbs into your lifestyleVisit the show notes page here.More episodes like this:Here’s the link to the Blue Gate Farm episode we talk about.And find the link to Kelly Hanlin McCormick’s episode on anxiety and Adamantine® Yoga here.Guest Link:Nicole Saville     |     Spiritus Vitae Botanicals     |     https://www.spiritusvitaebotanicals.com Join our community here.Rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here. Follow us: Facebook | Instagram

#30: Herbal Medicine with Spiritus Vitae Botanicals

With being around your home a bit more these days, we are inevitably creating more waste at home, but there are some things you can do to reduce the waste that goes to the landfill.  Today I share with you what my family does to live more eco-friendly and reduce the amount of waste we are putting back into the environment.  Your environmental or ecological footprint is a measure of how much you are impacting the environment based on how many resources you use or take from the environment and the amount of non-renewable waste you are putting back into the environment.  So by consciously making choices that reduce or eliminate some of this non-renewable waste, you are giving back to the environment to preserve the one planet we have and its resources.  The start of April brings with it the anticipation of Earth Day towards the end of the month and encourages us to begin to shift our focus toward our own environmental impact and new growth.  There’s a few simple steps you can take in your own home to create less waste and give back to the planet.  Get the show notes here.Highlights:{4:10}     Creating a more sustainable environment{5:58}     Basic recycling{9:22}     Traditional materials to recycle{10:46}    Why glitter is ruing the planet{12:40}    How to make recycling easy{13:10}     Composting to reduce waste{15:11}     Combating waste with cloth diapers{18:08}    Zero waste bagsResources mentioned in this episode:Outdoor Compost BinKitchen Compost PailReusable Food Storage Bags Variety PackReusable Food Storage Bags Extra LargeLalabye Baby Cloth DiapersJoin our community here.Follow us:Facebook | Instagram

#29: Creating Less Waste in Your Environment

Connection is necessary now more than ever.  At a time when we are being told to physically isolate from others, that connection is crucial; not only with others, but also with God.  And this energetic connection that we have with people can transcend social distancing.  Yet remaining connected while social distancing involves also managing the energy you give and receive from others. On an energetic or spiritual level we are human, but we are also divinely connected by some greater force--God, spirit, universal energy--whatever you call it, living in both capacities as fully human and fully divine can take some conscious awareness and effort to find a balance between the 2.This relationship between being both fully human and experiencing life as we do--joy, sorrow, pain, peace--and being fully divine--created by God and connected to everything--is what my guest, Melissa Harris, and I talk about in this week's episode.Learn a simple practice you can do to help you avoid taking on someone else's energy that could negatively impact you.  A visualization technique that allows you to filter both the energy you give and receive.Get show notes, highlights and resources from today's episode at www.CairnYogaWellness.com/Podcast28.Leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.  

#28: Spiritual Connectedness with Melissa Harris

Our hormones play a critical role in how we feel; from sleep to temperature regulation to clarity, if they are out of balance you won't feel your best.  Dr. Valerie Bonnett uses functional medicine to treat patients so that your whole self is feeling its best rather than masking other symptoms.This week I talk with Dr. Valerie Bonnett about balancing hormones in all stages of life, particularly mid-life and beyond.  She shares how taking a tissue-level test is the ideal way to measure hormones in your body and some indicators as to what an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone and testosterone in your body may look like. For a list of these indicators, visit the show notes page.Connect with Dr. Valerie BonnettVisit www.CairnYogaWellness.com/Pocast27 for show notes and highlights from the episode.

#27: Balancing Hormones with Dr. Valerie Bonnett

Tuning into your creative self can help you enjoy life more and even be more productive. Listen as I share my experience with The Artist's Way and how the tools it suggests can help you get back to knowing your inner child a.k.a. your higher self. Find out the 2 methods that you can easily implement into your life that can help you gain clarity on what you want in life and open yourself to receiving that which the universe puts in your life to help you reach your dreams.Get show notes and highlights from the episode at www.CairnYogaWellness.com/Podcast26.

#26: Tapping into Your Creative Self

Being a member of a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program has changed the way my family purchases produce. It has allowed us to go on a food adventure to discover not only new foods, but also how to prepare a variety of fruits and vegetables.  Join me for a look at how Blue Gate Farm, a Certified Naturally Grown farm in South-Central Iowa, produces chemical-free products through members of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and the Des Moines Farmer's Market.Jill Beebout and Sean Skeehan own Blue Gate Farm and are passionate about sharing locally-grown, chemical-free produce with customers.  Hear why they traded their careers in the theater industry, left the city and moved back to Iowa to try their hand at farming.  Farming that is done primarily by hand.Get show highlights, notes and a link to take advantage of the Blue Gate Farm CSA discount at www.CairnYogaWellness.com/Podcast25.

#25: A Food Adventure with Blue Gate Farm

When it comes to fitness, mobility work or stretching is often the first thing people tend to neglect, but it is one of the things that can have the greatest impact on how you feel. Repetitive movements from traditional fitness and activities of daily living cause limitations and restrictions in the body that yoga can begin to undo. More-so if it is an intentional yoga practice that will enhance who you are as a person. Find out what the transition to adding an intentional yoga practice into your self-care plan might look like and some tips to making this happen. Adamantine® Yoga and walking are my primary tools for maintaining health in my life right now, and honestly, I don’t anticipate that shifting much.  The benefits I’ve experienced since fully transitioning to this lifestyle have helped me feel better than before, even as I’ve aged, and have prompted personal development within me that has enhanced qualities that only contribute to me becoming a better version of myself.

#24: From Working Out to Yoga - How I Transitioned My Life

Your gym is the environment, your machine is the body.  Farmer Gym specializes in online strength and conditioning training that requires little to no equipment for your body {and mind} to grow strong.  Jason Harle, an Iowa native, speaks to how the qualities of integrity and consistency that are learned on the farm are 2 of the primary beliefs his gym has for helping individuals do the work to get results with their workouts. Farmer Gym takes core elements that are learned through the grit of working on a farm which builds strong character through hard work and translates them into workout programs that build these same qualities mentally and physically. Integrity is the “grit” and determination to show up in life FOR life and consistency is what makes the results happen.Get show notes and connect with Jason at www.CairnYogaWellness.com/Podcast23.

#23: Farmer Gym - Do Work. Finish the Rep. Grow Strong.

I’m Cathy Struecker, a wife and mama of 3, Adamantine® Yoga teacher, Clinical Health Coach, yoga studio entrepreneur and personal trainer who also loves to connect others with ways to enhance health, harmony and happiness in life. From learning to slow down and be still to living sustainably, I give you tools that help you discover what works for living and feeling your best no matter what season of life you are in. Join me as I reveal what has worked for me on my path toward more conscious living and talk with other experts about their own personal take on what creates health, harmony and happiness. Through my journey with yoga, anxiety, parenting, entrepreneurship and living simply, I bring you various perspectives that will help you navigate self-care, work-life balance, mindfulness, spirituality and much more.

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Health Harmony & Happiness with Cathy

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