Do you ever find that insecurity about your body and appearance prevents you from connecting the way you want in relationships? Are you ever consumed by people pleasing to the extent you lose your voice while dating or having sex? This is a very common experience for many folks, particularly women. In today’s episode we have with us therapist Nicole Mathieson, who is an expert on the “beauty load” and how to heal low self esteem and body shame within relationships.  Nicole and I, located on completely different sides of the world, have long been internet friends, and truth be told colleague crushes!  We could truly talk for hours, and it only made sense to record another convo together after I was on her podcast last year. Enjoy!   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSSED:  How to deal with physical insecurity and doubts about our attractiveness What is “beauty load” and how it shows up in dating and long term relationships The steps to open up sexual intimacy after recognizing it’s been unsatisfying for a long time within a relationship  What does self advocacy mean and how it’s tied to self esteem How people pleasing impacts our relationships and what you can do to shift it The connection between women’s voices and sense of attractiveness  How breakups affect our self esteem. Nicole’s step by step process to heal low self esteem and self worth How our body image affects our capacity to feel pleasure   Special announcement!  My poetry book, Love in my Hands, is now published and available for purchase!  Head on over to kenzieeason.com/book to get your copy!   Connect with Nicole: Instagram: @nicole.mathieson Website: www.nicolemathieson.com   About Nicole Mathieson: Nicole Mathieson is a counsellor and author who has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing, speaking, podcasts and her work as a counsellor. Her relatable and big-hearted wisdom sees her explore personal and intimate topics that many others dare not speak about. Nicole believes that we have so much power to change relationship dynamics once we understand ourselves and our partnership better. In her upcoming book, The Beauty Load, Nicole explores how the way we feel about our bodies affects our relationship confidence and capacity for intimacy. Nicole’s aim is to help individuals and couples develop their confidence and relationship skills so that they can create the relationships they have always wanted.   Connect with Mackenzie  Instagram: @_honeyintheheart_   Website: kenzieeason.com Complimentary 1:1 Session: kenzieeason.com/compsession Book | Love in My Hands:  kenzieeason.com/book  

Honey in the Heart | Relationships, Emotions, Intimacy

027 | Healing Insecurity & Body Shame in Relationships with Nicole Mathieson

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT Since it’s the holiday season, when stress, expectations, and family dynamics can make it extra challenging to navigate matters of the heart - I’m offering 10 complimentary 1:1 breakthrough sessions during the first three weeks of December.  These are real, true 60 minute sessions with my grounded feedback and perspective on how you can personally mend your heart and turn relationship trials and tribulations into transformation. Folks leave these sessions feeling more clear, self connected, and empowered, with new tools and healing action steps to implement afterward.   These usually book up quickly, so if you’re feeling the call, head to  kenzieeason.com/compsession to get yours reserved.  __________________________________________   Have you ever suddenly felt like music was the exact medicine you needed during a heartbreak? Ever noticed how honest, raw, and cracked up open you feel in the midst of a breakup? It's well know that heartbreak has been the catalyst for some of the best music albums to date (have you listened to Adele's new album WOW). In today’s episode we have musician and songwriter Juan Holladay with us as he spells out his process of harnessing heartbreak and relationship lessons for creativity. If you’ve ever wondered how to channel your breakups into art, or how to use music as a process to support your healing and love life, check out this episode.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSSED:  Juan’s family lineage and his personal journey with creativity, music, and finding his voice The gift his ex girlfriend gave him during a breakup that shifted his whole song writing process The power and medicine of songwriting and music during heartbreak How music creation has assisted in his decision making in matters of the heart Two categories of songwriting  How to step into creativity and songwriting when you’re raw, heartbroken, and in the midst of darkness or a breakup.   Connect with Juan: Prophecy (featuring The Ones & SmudgeCamp) by Juan Holladay: https://youtu.be/CsKy6t6egbA What I Really Want (featuring Sebastian Campaign & Laine Lewis) by Juan Holladay: https://youtu.be/weE72-7Ql5I 'Beauty Sleep' 5-song EP by Juan Holladay: Beauty Sleep | Juan Holladay | Super Solar Records Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0KWRJTgUot2juwI0k8sYIP?si=xcx7RMlhQ3WgO7_m-V4JFw Apple Music: https://myurls.co/juanholladay/links/5f71fe9221404c0047127ec5/click Instagram: @juan_holladay    About Juan Holladay: Hailing from the desert southwest, Juan Holladay is a singer-songwriter whose voice and guitar work features on Emerica's 'This Is Skateboarding', Disney+'s 'Encore!', Secret Agent 23 Skidoo's Grammy award winning children's album 'Infinity Plus One', and more. In 2006, he relocated from Tucson to Asheville and formed a psychedelic Soul/R&B band called the Secret B-Sides. Since then, he has come into a more lo-fi, down tempo, sample based sound with the release of new solo material and video content. The nature of Juan's art is candid and personal, reflecting heavy collaboration with Asheville's creative community.   Connect with Mackenzie  Instagram: @_honeyintheheart_   Website: www.kenzieeason.com Complimentary 1:1 Session: kenzieeason.com/compsession   Subscribe to the Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/honey-in-the-heart-relationships-emotions-intimacy/id1291634385 

026 | Harnessing Heartbreak to Create Art with Juan Holladay

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT  Since it’s the holiday season, when stress, expectations, and family dynamics can make it extra challenging to navigate matters of the heart -  I’m offering 10 complimentary 1:1 breakthrough sessions during the first three weeks of December.  These are real, true 60 minute sessions with my grounded feedback and perspective on how you can personally mend your heart and turn relationship trials and tribulations into transformation. Folks leave these sessions feeling more clear, self connected, and empowered, with new tools and healing action steps to implement afterward.  These usually book up quickly, so if you’re feeling the call, head to  kenzieeason.com/compsession to get yours reserved.  Claim your complimentary 1:1 session by clicking HERE   _____________________________________________________ Intimacy is something everyone craves, yet is also something that confuses or terrifies many of us. How do we actually connect sexually, emotionally, spiritually with our partners - especially if we have sexual trauma, feel the passionate fade, or are navigating past hurst - even infidelity. In today’s episode I have with us an expert on just that! Sadé is a gifted and very knowledgeable therapist who works with folks in this very area. Join us in this earnest and tender conversation about the spectrum of connection and healing.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSSED:  Sade’s story of coming into her work of sex therapy and couples therapy The different levels and types of trauma that people experience Importance of choosing safe partners and what that actually means The steps to begin the journey of healing from sexual trauma How media and culture suppresses our sexual fulfillment The difference and transition between initial dating passionate stage and mature companionship love stage of relationship, and how sexual trauma can hide in both Importance of knowing your own pleasure, turn ons, and desires independent of your partner What is purity culture and how it affects sexuality  Common challenges women have with their sexuality How to deal with having a different sex drive than your partner How to begin healing when there has been infidelity or cheating in a relationship Common relationship healing myths  The power of sex and redemption Steps of healing if there is abuse in the relationship   Connect with Sadé: Instagram  @myintimacytherapist Podcast  My Intimacy Therapist Podcast Website myintimacytherapist.com   About Sadé Ferrier Sadé Ferrier is a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Georgia, and certified sex therapist through the Institute of Sexual Wholeness. She specializes in counseling couples through affair recovery, sexual dysfunctions, and communication issues. The uniqueness of her approach is its emphasis on deconstructing shameful aspects of Purity Culture and  helping couples construct a satisfying version of emotional, spiritual and sexual intimacy. As a first-generation Jamaican-American, she finds great pride in interpreting life and relationships from a multicultural perspective.   Connect with Mackenzie  Instagram: @_honeyintheheart_   Website: www.kenzieeason.com Book Your Complimentary 1:1 Session: kenzieeason.com/compsession   Subscribe to the Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/honey-in-the-heart-relationships-emotions-intimacy/id1291634385 

025 | Recovery from Infidelity & Sexual Trauma with Sadé Ferrier

Are you going through a break up or rocky time in your relationship? Is your love life SO not where you want it to be? This can be such a challenging time, but to have it happening during the holidays? Ouch.  It amps up intensity and heart ache. All the emphasis on togetherness, special memories, and being merry and bright can make it painfully apparent the lack of that special someone in your life. Or at least the lack of it feeling really good with that special someone.  Don’t worry, I’ve got you.  There is a way to make it through this holiday season without suffering and feeling totally collapsed. In this episode I’ve compiled my top 11 tips so you can navigate this time of year of family, travel, and stress with grace and your heart still in tact (even if it feels torn apart).   Stay in Touch with Mackenzie Website: www.kenzieeason.com Instagram: @_honeyintheheart_ Become an Insider Sign Up to Receive Monthly Love Letters from Mackenzie https://www.kenzieeason.com/lovelettersignup About Mackenzie Mackenzie wants to live in a world where tears are celebrated and hugs are held just a little longer.A world where all women know their inherent worth, trust themselves, and are empowered by their loving self-connection and thriving relationships. As a love coach, she’s most known for her emotional genius, intuition, and the capacity to create a warm and truly loving space for others to dive deep. Kenzie specializes in helping women understand their emotional pain, cultivate clear communication, and reclaim their power in the face of fear or manipulation. When’s she’s not giving 1:1 coaching sessions, offering online courses, or recording interviews for her podcast Honey in the Heart, you can find her playing mermaid in the ocean, eating acai bowls, and binge watching episodes of her favorite show, Queer Eye. She is incredibly grateful to call Maui her home.

024 | Heartbreak Holiday Survival Guide

I’ve been eyeing Jeff Brown on social media for quite some time now. Each of his poignant pieces would reverberate through me with a powerful ,”Yes, Amen, and Hallelujah!” Jeff has a powerful way of articulating the nuances and intricacies of grounded spirituality and love. His teachings are direct and deep, calling out the BS and painful shortcomings of new age culture and spiritual relationships.  Given my history with spiritual gaslighting and my passion for the realness, I knew Jeff was the perfect first guest for Honey in the Heart!  Jeff covers a lot of ground in this episode, particularly the importance of “Enrealment” in relationship. If you are craving some insights and guidance on how to have a thriving relationship - to yourself, god, and your partner - that includes ALL of yourself (not just the love and light), this is an episode you don’t want to miss!   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSSED:    What the term “Enrealment” means in both intangible and tangible terms. How typical spiritual constructs are based on patriarchal systems and bypassing The danger and dysfunction of “Twin Flames” How gurus can get away with terrible behavior, misconduct, and painful personal lives The importance of being in your physical and emotional body to have a healthy, nontoxic relationships How relationships help us excavate our trauma and past pain Steps to get grounded if you notice you’re dissociated and bypassing in your relationship Why support is essential to understanding how relationships can be a portal to divinity  How yoga is often used for spiritual bypassing and dissociation from the f*cked up humanness The difference between soulmates and woundmates - and why it’s important to tell the difference Qualities essential to have a relationship based on grounded spirituality / enrealment How tantra and sex can be used to escape and disassociate  Why suicides are happening more and more in new age communities What’s required to actually have a grounded love experience Connect with Jeff: Website: https://jeffbrown.co/ Instagram: @jeffbrownsoulshaping Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SOULSHAPING/   Become an Insider: Sign Up to Receive Monthly Love Letters from Mackenzie https://www.kenzieeason.com/lovelettersignup   Subscribe to the Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/honey-in-the-heart-relationships-emotions-intimacy/id1291634385   About Jeff Brown: A former criminal lawyer and psychotherapist, Jeff Brown is the author of 6 popular books: Soulshaping, Ascending with Both Feet on the Ground, Love It Forward, An Uncommon Bond, Spiritual Graffiti and Grounded Spirituality. He is also the producer and primary journeyer in the award-winning spiritual documentary, Karmageddon, which also stars Ram Dass, Seane Corn, Deva Premal and Miten. After writing a series of inspirations for ABC’S ‘Good Morning America’ in 2010, and appearing on Fox News.com and dozens of radio shows, Brown wrote the viral blog ‘Apologies to the Divine Feminine (from a warrior in transition)’ that autumn, catapulting him to a greater degree of notoriety, particularly in social media. Jeff’s new terms and short writings became a phenomenon some years ago, and continue to be shared by seekers and growers worldwide. His quotes have been shared in social media by Alanis Morrissette, Fergie, Chrissy Metz, and many other well-known figures. Most beautifully, they have touched and benefited millions of souls. This gratifies him deeply. In April, 2018, Jeff was invited to Ottawa by Sophie Grégoire Trudeau–gender equality activist and the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau–to film a conversation about emotional healing and inclusivity. She had been sharing Jeff’s words in speeches and social media posts for some time. Excerpts from that powerful dialogue are viewable on Sophie’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Jeff is also the founder of Soulshaping Institute and Enrealment Press. He lives in Canada with his wife, poet Susan Frybort

021 | Woundmates, Twin Flames, and Spiritual Bypassing in Relationships, with Jeff Brown

Have you ever felt beyond frustrated that your partner wasn’t living into their potential or wasn’t showing up in the way you needed in your relationship?    Have you or your partner ever closed down, shut down, or emotionally punished as a way to try to make him/her change?    This maddening dynamic is SO common in relationships. It can show up at different times and for different reasons, but the tension and pain loop is the same.    The good news is that you don’t have to stay in this painful tension pattern! It can be transformed! My guest today, Tobin Zivon, who has worked with thousands of couples, explains why the frustration cycle happens and shares the deep process to unwind, heal, and shake loose from it.   Tobin has been a practicing intimacy & relationship coach for over two decades and has so much wisdom to share. He also happens to be my partner :) This is our VERY FIRST episode together where I pick his brain on this area of his expertise and share some insights from my own process.    In this episode we discussed:    The love loop and enhancement cycle that’s possible in relationship The most common challenges and frustrations the feminine face in relationship What to do with the grief and disappointment when your partner isn’t showing up the way you want/need/ know is possible Why closure, anger, frustration, and shut down don’t work as tactics to change your partner or create the shifts you crave in your relationship What causes the common punishing / gripping contraction in the feminine  How to discern if the relationship is worth staying in The ways fantasy and being overly focused on potential can hurt your love life Common challenges and frustrations the masculine face in relationship The shadow that commonly arises for the masculine in relationship What causes the masculine to hide and check out in partnership   The Men’s Mastery Mentorship starts Oct 2019. Email TobinZivon@gmail.com to apply   CONNECT WITH TOBIN Website: www.tobinzivon.com Instagram: @tobinzivon Facebook: Tobin Zivon Couples Course (opens October 17th)  www.relationship-mastery-secrets.com ABOUT TOBIN  Tobin Zivon has been a love, intimacy and relationship coach for over two decades.  Tobin is the  author of The Art of Mindful Living and the upcoming book The Art of Awakened Relationship, Tobin helps groups, couples and individuals blossom to their highest potential. His brilliance shines most brightly in the realms of love, intimacy and sacred sexuality.  Tobin has been lovingly nicknamed the “Couples Whisperer”, and has worked with thousands of individuals and couples to help them break through stuck patterns and painful dynamics into a new, more fulfilling and connected life of love and sexual satisfaction. Having studied under some of the most well known tantra teachers, therapists, and spiritual leaders, Tobin has a deep and vital approach to relationships that brings your awakening directly into your relationship, and your relationship directly into your awakening. His extensive training includes 6 years in a Zen Center, 12 years in the Ridhwan School (under the direction of AH Almaas), a three-year apprenticeship with one of the foremost transpersonal psychotherapists in America, five years with Adyashanti, and a teacher-training program with the South African Tantra teacher Shakti Malan. Tobin offers private sessions to individual & couples, along with online relationship courses and mentorships for men. You can learn more at  www.TOBINZIVON.com BECOME AN INSIDER Sign Up to Receive Monthly Love Letters from Mackenzie https://www.kenzieeason.com/lovelettersignup   HAVE A QUESTION? DM Mackenzie on Instagram @_honeyintheheart_  

023 | Transforming Frustration & Repetitive Tension in Relationships, with Tobin Zivon

In my practice recently there has been a theme: women confused why they are suddenly closed off, guarded, and shut down to their partner despite things going really great in their relationship. Can you relate?    Maybe you just had an amazing  romantic weekend, and now that you’re back home you’re being snippy and sharp. Or perhaps your new relationship has been soaring, going deeper, and better than any other relationship, and suddenly you feel your walls up. Or maybe it’s when you are toward the end of an intimate and very lengthy conversation, and you just start to lose it for no apparent reason.    It’s like an invisible switch gets pressed, and you are no longer the open, loving, available person you just were. It’s perplexing and frustrating to say the least. This is a common phenomena dealing with Intimacy Thresholds. In today’s show I’ll be laying out why it happens and what you can do about.   IN THIS EPISODE I DISCUSS:   The commons ways that the effects of intimacy thresholds being crossed can show up in your life and relationship Why contraction in relationship is actually healthy and normal The Love Plunger Intimacy threshold definition Why the walls, defenses, and reactivity come online after an intimacy threshold has been crossed What to do when you realize your intimacy threshold has been crossed   Stay in Touch with Mackenzie Website: www.kenzieeason.com Instagram: @_honeyintheheart_   Become an Insider Sign Up to Receive Monthly Love Letters from Mackenzie https://www.kenzieeason.com/lovelettersignup   About Mackenzie Mackenzie wants to live in a world where tears are celebrated and hugs are held just a little longer. A world where all women know their inherent worth, trust themselves, and are empowered by their loving self-connection and thriving relationships. As a love and relationship coach, she’s most known for her emotional genius, intuition, and the capacity to create a warm and truly loving space for others to dive deep. Kenzie specializes in helping women work their emotional pain, cultivate clear communication, and reclaim their power in the face of fear or manipulation. When’s she’s not giving 1-1 coaching sessions, offering online courses, or recording interviews for her podcast Honey in the Heart, you can find her playing mermaid in the ocean, eating acai bowls, and binge watching episodes of her favorite show, Queer Eye. She is incredibly grateful to call Maui her home.

022 | Intimacy Thresholds: Why You're Guarded Even Though Things are Going Great, with Mackenzie Eason

Today’s episode is all about going from fighting to delighting. This is a portion of a free webinar I did for my people a couple of months ago, and it was so valuable I’m sharing a bit of it with y’all today. (click HERE if you want to get on my insider list to be invited to future free webinars)   Having good communication in your relationship honestly changes everything. Because of this, it’s one of my most favorite things to teach.  There are nuances and intricacies to communication; it is wayyyyy more than just saying what’s on your mind. What I share in today’s episode are the foundational tools so you can get out of, and stay out of, dramatic fights in your relationship.   In this episode I’ll be sharing four (but it’s really more like ten) of my top essential communication tools that help you get out of those frustrating and noneffective conversations (or fights) and get into clarity and harmony with your boo - even when you have hurt feelings or conflicting viewpoints.    IN THIS EPISODE I DISCUSS:   Why communication is so important and often so tricky in relationships How conflict can be a good thing Tool #1: Power of the Pause Tool #2: Repair + Take Aways Tool #3: Consider Your Timing + Assumptions + Make Agreements Tools #4: Self Responsibility    Stay in Touch with Mackenzie Website: www.kenzieeason.com Instagram: @_honeyintheheart_   Become an Insider Sign Up to Receive Monthly Love Letters from Mackenzie https://www.kenzieeason.com/lovelettersignup   About Mackenzie Mackenzie wants to live in a world where tears are celebrated and hugs are held just a little longer. A world where all women know their inherent worth, trust themselves, and are empowered by their loving self-connection and thriving relationships. As a love and relationship coach, she’s most known for her emotional genius, intuition, and the capacity to create a warm and truly loving space for others to dive deep. Kenzie specializes in helping women work their emotional pain, cultivate clear communication, and reclaim their power in the face of fear or manipulation. When’s she’s not giving 1:1 coaching sessions, offering online courses, or recording interviews for her podcast Honey in the Heart, you can find her playing mermaid in the ocean, eating acai bowls, and binge watching episodes of her favorite show, Queer Eye. She is incredibly grateful to call Maui her home.  

020 | From Fighting to Delighting: Powerful Communication Tools, with Mackenzie Eason

You may have noticed that the podcast has a new name, look, and feel. With bursting love I introduce to you the podcast in its new, reborn form, Honey in the Heart!  So much has changed and shifted since I began this podcast two years ago as Embodied Empowered Engaged. Personally and professionally, I’ve grown big time, and it felt timely to have the podcast reflect these shifts. In this very first episode as Honey in the Heart, I’m sharing with you vulnerable details from my past, pieces of my journey healing from one very toxic relationship, and how I’ve reclaimed my power and refined gifts along the way. I also dish out an update on my work life, home life, and what you can expect from the show moving forward. I’m layin’ it all out in this one, I hope you enjoy!    Stay in Touch with Mackenzie Website: www.KenzieEason.com Instagram: @_honeyintheheart_   Become an Insider Sign Up to Receive Monthly Love Letters from Mackenzie https://www.kenzieeason.com/lovelettersignup     About Mackenzie Mackenzie wants to live in a world where tears are celebrated and hugs are held just a little longer. A world where all women know their inherent worth, trust themselves, and are empowered by their loving self-connection and thriving relationships. As a love and relationship coach, she’s most known for her emotional genius, intuition, and the capacity to create a warm and truly loving space for others to dive deep. Kenzie specializes in helping women work their emotional pain, cultivate clear communication, and reclaim their power in the face of fear or manipulation. When’s she’s not giving 1-1 coaching sessions, offering online courses, or recording interviews for her podcast Honey in the Heart, you can find her playing mermaid in the ocean, eating acai bowls, and binge watching episodes of her favorite show, Queer Eye. She is incredibly grateful to call Maui her home.   Show Links Courageous Living Life Certification  Alana Helbig 

019 | Rebirth & Reclamation from Relationship Rite of Passage, with Mackenzie Eason

Become a contributing member of the podcast +   My period used to be painful with gnarly cramps and very heavy bleeding. When I went the gyno, I was quickly put on birth control pills. Before long my body had become insensitive to the birth control hormones, resulting in a month long period, and then a time of trying various birth control pills with higher levels of hormones. That resulted in me feeling totally f*cking  crazy, out of balance, and eventually stopping birth control. It took some time for my cycle and hormones come back into some sort of regularity. The pain and discomfort was still there, but I was told that it was normal, “That’s just the burden of being a woman”.   After talking to many friends, I discovered that my story of painful periods wasn’t unique. Many of us, including myself, had started to accept the pain and normalize it.   It wasn’t until I discovered vaginal steaming that my periods began to shift it become pain free. Infections decreased and my period was no longer met with dread. Steaming also felt incredibly nourishing, comforting, and empowering.    I knew I wanted to have a vaginal steaming expert on the show, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect woman to share with us than the one and only Steamy Chick, Keli Garza.   In this episode, Keli shares the science of steaming, along with incredible case studies and research on vaginal steaming. We touch on the perfect period, women’s healthcare, and the powerful process of reclaiming the authority of our own bodies.  I left our conversation with my jaw dropped and seriously ready to get steamy!   If you have ever had a period or know someone who has - you should DEFINITELY listen to this episode :)   We discussed:   How Keli secretly discovered vaginal steaming postpartum and surprisingly found her way to studying it and sharing it with women How Gwyneth Paltrow helped launch Kelli into becoming Steamy Chick Several “medical miracles” that happen from steaming The Power of steaming and how it actually works to help cleanse and bring the uterus and vagina into optimal health - even from extreme pain and health issues How to practice vaginal steaming at home The healthy period and the myth that painful, dysfunctional periods are normal Research challenges and the depth of the problem in women’s health History of Gynecology and it's limitations The worldwide roots of vaginal steaming  Vaginal steaming for postpartum healing   Resources Website:  www.steamychick.com Instagram: @steamychick   About Keli Keli Garza has a Masters degree in International Development graduating cum laude. Garza is the owner of Steamy Chick the largest distributor of vaginal steam supplies in the United States. To further vaginal steam education Garza founded a branch of her company called the Peristeam Hydrotherapy Institute to train practitioners in the use of vaginal steam for menstrual and reproductive health and to further research on the gynecological benefits reported by hundreds of customer case studies. Garza is at the forefront of professionalizing vaginal steam into an alternative medicine field known as peristeam hydrotherapy.

018 | Vaginal Steaming & Healthy Periods, with Keli Garza

I noticed several years ago that I had an aversion to pleasure. Like many women, I had put my sexuality and general ability to welcome things that truly felt good, over “there” in a little box, disconnected from the rest of my life. I knew pleasure was important, but I down played its existence. It was easier that way. It made it so I didn’t have to confront layers of discomfort and shame. Eventually that caught up to me. That little box over there wasn’t meant to be separate, it was an essential part of me being ALIVE as an embodied woman. I began opening the box and it changed my freaking life. And not just my sex life, every area of my life Eva Clay is a true embodiment of the power of pleasure, and I knew I had to have her on the podcast. The woman exudes the juiciness of being alive and including it all - and has the science and mastery to back it. She has the uncanny ability to make it all okay, while warmly inviting you into the realms of yum in your life. If you find yourself on the journey of opening your capacity for pleasure and discovering your innate erotic life, this episode is for you! In this episode we discussed: + Eva’s personal awakening that happened when she lost her own libido after being a clinical sex therapist for years. + Her wake up call that later lead her from a sexual revolution to a year of celibacy + The integration of scientific clinical sexuality and spiritual tantric sexuality + The limitations of the diagnostic problem model for sexuality + How your libido can get blocked and frozen + How the patriarchal culture affects how we relate to our own sexuality as women + What is Erotic Intelligence + The neuroscience of pleasure and arousal + How to connect to your erotic nature if it feels totally shut down + Sex Magic - how to use your erotic life to tap the unconscious for healing and manifestation + Working with shame “In your erotic life, in your sexual life - make nothing wrong and love all of it.”   RESOURCES Website: www.evaclay.com Insta: @evaclay ABOUT EVA Eva Clay, MSW, LCSW is an acclaimed sexologist, psychotherapist and professional troublemaker whose mission is to illuminate the ménage-a-trois of soul, sex and science. She's helped thousands of people unlock their innate potential for pleasure, and as a former professor of neuroscience, she bodaciously reminds us that smart is sexy. Her work is an elegant marriage of the profound and the playful, and she offers sexual intelligence courses and coaching. When she’s not teaching, you’ll find her making mayhem on a dance floor. See www.EvaClay.com +++ SHARE THE MEDICINE WITH YOUR SISTERS +++ If you were served by this episode, please share with your tribe, subscribe, and leave a rating or review by clicking HERE Subscribe on Apple Podcasts   +++ BECOME A PODCAST PATRON+++ You can now become a supporting member of the podcast! You can contribute to each episode as little as $1, and each tier of support include some pretty saaweeeet benefits. Learn more and become part of the embodied empowered engaged fam at www.patreon.com/embodiedempoweredengaged      

017 | Erotic Intelligence, with Eva Clay

Become a contributing member of the podcast +   There is a myth out there that once you start doing personal growth or spiritual work, you become perfect, with zero challenges or hard emotions. There is also a myth that if you do enough positive affirmations, you will stop feeling pain and have the absolute life of your dreams. The truth is that it’s messy, and our humanness continues. The key is how we relate to it, how we show up with more love and less suffering.   Naomi Love has been on the healing path for over two decades and comes with a wealth of wisdom regarding the reality of what it really looks like to grow and step more into our wholeness. (hint: it’s not all rainbows and perfection) Our conversation was a breath of fresh air, as she spoke into the powerful subtleties of finding true empowerment, embodying love, and healing our emotional wounds + codependency. If you could use a good dose of real talk in the midst of only-love-and-light-new-age sparkles, this episode is for you!   In this episode we discussed:   Naomi’s hardships and initiations from her childhood and young adulthood - including kidnapping and abuse - that delivered her on her healing path What initiations are and how we can meet them well to support us in waking the F up Healing the common childhood normalization of being deficient in love The importance of the breakdown and phases of contraction Giving your authority away and how it happens in a healing setting The Wise Womb Medicine Path Personal Self Responsibility Spiritual Bypassing and honoring our sacred needs Transactional Relating + Codependency Communication in Relationships How we often emotionally blackmail ourselves The common mask that healers wear   “We are all equally as f*cked up as we are amazing. If we can own all of that aspect of ourselves and actually start to show it, the messy side, then maybe we can start to dissolve those perfect pictures of projection so that people feel that when they give us their authority, that we don’t actually take it.” Resources:   WEBSITES www.naomilove.org www.wisewombmedicinepath.com   INSTAGRAM @Naomi_la.love @wisewombmedicine @wisewombway   FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/wombshamaness About Naomi Naomi Love is a Wisdom Keeper.  She has been in the healing arts for over 25 years and has worked with over sixty thousand clients, and trained over fifty practitioners through her Living School, Wise Womb Medicine Path™. Naomi is a Ceremonialist and Facilitator. She is Master Body Worker, Certified Clinical Herbalist, Certified Clinical Nutritional Therapist, Flower Essence Practitioner, Aromatherapist, Shamanic Practitioner, Womb Whisperer, Evolutionary Alchemist, Yoga Instructor, Birth & Postpartum Doula, Medium and Channel, Tao Tantric Priestess, Sacred Feminine Facilitator, Medicine Maker, Intimacy & Relationship Coach. Naomi weaves her twenty plus years of education masterfully with her life experiences, and is able to track the unseen realms to support the people she holds space for, to return home, to the truth of themselves, to the remembrance of why you are here. Naomi truly meets you, in loving presence and from there, anything is possible. SHARE THE MEDICINE WITH YOUR SISTERS +++ If you were served by this episode, please share with your tribe, subscribe, and leave a rating or review by clicking HERE Subscribe on Apple Podcasts   BECOME A PODCAST PATRON+++ You can now become a supporting member of the podcast! You can contribute to each episode as little as $1, and each tier of support include some pretty saaweeeet benefits. Learn more and become part of the embodied empowered engaged fam at www.patreon.com/embodiedempoweredengaged

016 | Tending to Emotional Wounds & Claiming Personal Authority, with Naomi Love

Have you ever found yourself moving toward the holiday cookie plate right after a not so great interaction with your family? Or found yourself being really harsh and mean toward yourself when you take a glance in the mirror (especially after said triggering holiday season)?   Ummmm hand raised big time over here! Most of us have done this, and it doesn’t feel so great. Emotional eating and harshness toward ourselves in so common during this time of year, the intersection of high stress holidays, post holiday remorse,  and aspiring new year resolutions.   I couldn’t think of a better woman to come speak to this phenomena than Valerie Tookes. Valerie Tookes was my lead coach during my Courageous Living Coach Certification, and has a deep presence that speaks to the core. The way she leads her holistic life coaching practice is no different.   In today’s episode, Valerie shares with us her own journey with food, emotions, and health - including  the powerful ripple effect of coming into a (truly loving) relationship with your body.   In this episode we discussed:   Valerie’s personal past struggles using food to mask emotions and what was missing in her life, and how she found her way to becoming a health coach Why “shoulds” and diets don’t actually work in the long run The different ways emotional eating can show up and Valerie’s own turning point. How depriving yourself almost always leads to an eventual rebound effect. What to do when you notice yourself in the midst of emotional eating. How to communicate with your body The one central key for transforming your health and sustaining wellness. The radial shift that happens and ripple effect that happens when you start a truly loving relationship with your body. How to deal with the critical voice inside Resources: Website: www.herholistichealth.com Instagram: @heartsdesire About Valerie Valerie Tookes, founder of Her Holistic Health, is a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach who believes that trusting your body’s deepest wisdom, equals true health. Her work is devoted to helping women transform their world by changing the way that they see their body. When she’s not coaching in her private practice, you can find her working; as a Health and Wellness Coach with The Women’s Vitality Center; as a Lead Coach with the Courageous Living Coach Training Program; and as the Senior Finance and Operations Manager at Grants for the Arts. A graduate of Florida State University, University of Oregon, California Institute for Integral Studies ,and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, she happily lives in Oakland California.   SHARE THE MEDICINE WITH YOUR SISTERS +++ If you were served by this episode, please share with your tribe, subscribe, and leave a rating or review by clicking HERE Subscribe on Apple Podcasts   BECOME A PODCAST PATRON+++ You can now become a supporting member of the podcast! You can contribute to each episode as little as $1, and each tier of support include some pretty saaweeeet benefits. Learn more and become part of the embodied empowered engaged fam at www.patreon.com/embodiedempoweredengaged

015 | Emotional Eating & Loving Your Body, with Valerie Tookes

Become a contributing member of the podcast + For so long, I was living with the sneaky, yet all pervading belief that I was unworthy. Sometimes it was obvious, and other times it would be the subtle root of so many behaviors. It was amazing to me all the different areas of my life this feeling of unworthiness touched. Relationships, Work, Money, Health. I was also amazed by how strong its effect was, even though I intellectually and spiritually understood that I was worthy of love and all the good things. So many women have this same experience. As little girls, we can interpret life’s challenges, trauma, and cultural messages to mean that we aren’t worth much. It can be like a fog that washes over. For me, it was, and continues to be, a set of feelings that need my attention and care.  I knew this was such an important topic to discuss, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to chat with than Madison Hedlund. Madison has a huge heart, and certain authentic spunk that makes you know that she is real, and that she GETS IT. Madison shares her incredible journey and the intricacies of how to embody your worth and stop people pleasing.   We discussed:   Madison’s interest in connection, God, and truth from a very young age The journey Madison went through as she overcame her trauma and after affects from mental health issues and prison time within her family The stability she found in church, and the later deconstruction and rebirth of her faith The importance of somatic therapy while healing trauma The power of identity and what is actually underneath it all The difference between understanding self worth and actually embodying it People pleasing, “earning” love, and codependency The problem with demanding respect First steps for living your worth and first signs that you may not be Why you aren’t bad or broken The importance of enjoying the process   “If we strip down our beliefs, our emotions, and our thoughts (all of which are ever changing), what you get down to is the soul. The essence of who we are is worthy. If I’m not identified with the things that are changing, the only constant is the worthiness.”   Resources: Website: www.madisonhedlund.co Instagram: @madisonhedlund   Download Madison's FREE journal guide to get started on your path. Info on working 1-on-1 with Madison   About Madison Madison is an international award winning life coach and speaker who helps women own their story, step out of fear and shame and come alive to their most vibrant, confident selves. Known for her soulful spirit both online and in person, she brings authenticity, power, and creativity into all she does. Whether she is working one on one with clients, facilitating a workshop, or speaking to a large group, it is Madison's deepest desire to see women step up to their very best and truly come alive.    SHARE THE MEDICINE WITH YOUR SISTERS +++ If you were served by this episode, please share with your tribe, subscribe, and leave a rating or review by clicking HERE Subscribe on Apple Podcasts    BECOME A PODCAST PATRON+++ You can now become a supporting member of the podcast! You can contribute to each episode as little as $1, and each tier of support include some pretty saaweeeet benefits. Learn more and become part of the embodied empowered engaged fam at www.patreon.com/embodiedempoweredengaged  

014 | Self Worth Embodied, with Madison Hedlund

Become a contributing member of the podcast +   There are so many different parts of ourselves, so many different varied experiences, it can be challenging to piece it all together and find inner coherence -  not to mention understand how to share all of ourselves in relationship. Today’s guest, Acacia Land is an expert at just that. She has certain way of speaking to our emotions, traumas, attachment styles, and parenting in a way that is deep, compassionate, and also filled with science that just makes sense!   I hope you enjoy this deep diving episode as we explore how to tend to ourselves and our relationships with the heart as our central hub.   We discussed:   Acacia’s personal journey with seeing energies, experiencing trauma, bypassing via meditation, and the embodiment that came with birth and motherhood Our Inner community - what it is and how to tend to it What separating from a recent 9 year relationship has taught her about safety, grief, and trauma How to reparent yourself Why “Just let it go” doesn’t really work Attachment styles and wounding The science of the nervous system and the role it plays in how to we love and relate The Polyvagal Theory The gut brain and the heart brain Keys for creating safety and healthy care taking  in relationship Resources: Website: acacialand.co Instagram: @acacia_land Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acacia.land About Acacia: Acacia has been an intuitive counselor and teacher for over 19 years and has been trained in a diversity of empowering practices. She holds a strong value in the education that is awakening and empowering to one’s soul purpose lead by the heart.   Since birth she has known that the sensitive, intuitive, feminine, fierce, mystery inside of us needs a place to be expressed and brought back into a balance, honor and integrity with the masculine from inside out.   Her journey hasn’t always been easy. Hardships and challenges have been there to soften the edges. They have helped her understand how to embody true love and compassion, which life has given and continues to give many opportunities for her to practice.   Acacia has been trained and licensed to teach; including Full Sensory Perception, Prema Birthing, Access Consciousness, Heart Circles, Positive Discipline, and  The Art of Feminine Presence. She is also HeartMath™ Institute trained as both a 1 on 1 Coach and licensed Resilience Advantage Trainer just to name a few. She continues to educate herself on on neurobiology, trauma work, inner child work etc.   +++ SHARE THE MEDICINE WITH YOUR SISTERS +++ If you were served by this episode, please share with your tribe, subscribe, and leave a rating or review by clicking HERE Subscribe on Apple Podcasts   +++ BECOME A PODCAST PATRON+++ You can now become a supporting member of the podcast! You can contribute to each episode as little as $1, and each tier of support include some pretty saaweeeet benefits. Learn more and become part of the embodied empowered engaged fam at www.patreon.com/embodiedempoweredengaged

013 | Attachment Styles & Reparenting Yourself, with Acacia Land

Learn insights and practical tools to navigate one of the more challenging, yet fulfilling areas of life: relationships. Join love and relationship coach, Mackenzie Eason, along with inspiring guest experts, as they transparently share how to deal with all matters of the heart. With real talk and a healthy dose of humor, Honey in Heart provides listeners with grounded guidance on emotions, communication, intimacy, and self love.

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Honey in the Heart | Relationships, Emotions, Intimacy

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