Gathering Gold

At one time or another, we all find ourselves in relational situations that leave us with the question: when did I agree to this way of doing things?  We are born into societies, cultures, and families that imprint upon us unspoken agreements. As we grow and strive for greater connection, authenticity, and wellbeing, there will inevitably come a time when we find that the way we have been doing th...

What’s the difference between being alone, feeling lonely, and experiencing solitude? Victoria and Sheryl explore the nourishing power of time spent alone, the internal and external barriers that keep us from it, and how solitude helps us reconnect with ourselves, our creativity, and the people we love. References: The Anger Workbook  by Les Carter, PhD, and Frank Minirth, MD Rainer Maria Rilke qu...

Disappointment might be one of the first ways that we experience innocence lost. We hope, we expect, we desire, and then--we are let down. It doesn't happen. The ice cream cone smashes on the pavement. It rains, and we can't play outside. Some disappointments sting like skinned knees. Other disappointments run deep like wounds, turn into scar tissue: the career or relationship that never went the...

Sheryl and Victoria uncover layers of nuance within the experience of being a seer, a seeker, and a highly sensitive person: these traits can be beautiful compasses pointing us towards depth, meaning, and connection, but they also have their shadow sides. Seeing can shift into blaming, seeking into endless rumination, and sensitivity into controlling behavior. In today's episode, Sheryl and Victor...

“I’m afraid of living a small life. Of not living up to my potential. Of never being great.” We hear this often: people wondering whether their life is enough—whether they are enough— and whether they will have regrets in the future about how they chose to lead their “one wild and precious life” (to quote Mary Oliver). In today’s episode, we unpack the paradoxes bound up in considering whether a l...

Why do we keep searching for the one thing that will finally make us feel complete? Inspired by David Whyte's essay Unrequited Love, Sheryl and Victoria explore the universal experience of longing, and why it is especially familiar to highly sensitive people. Together, they reflect on the ache for perfect connection, the inevitability of disappointment, and the cultural messages that tell us we ar...

In this solo episode, inspired by a Patreon community member, Victoria reflects on what it means to be a "lazy hard worker"—someone who swings between periods of doing "nothing" and burning the candle at both ends. Through personal reflections, she explores the difference between moving slowly and being truly stuck, the fears that can fuel procrastination and perfectionism, and how understanding o...

Four years ago, we shared an episode on dream work and the gifts that emerge from remembering, recording, and reflecting on our dreams in solitude. Today, we're returning to the subject—this time exploring the power of sharing dreams within a trusted community. What unique wisdom can emerge when we invite others to reflect on our dreams—and when we do the same for theirs? How can dream work expand...

Sheryl and Victoria reflect on their experiences of Sheryl's first-ever in-person retreat: Another Way. For five days, nestled in a Colorado valley, the retreatants engaged in dream work and rituals; practiced council ; moved mindfully; and connected to creativity. Inside a circle of compassion and wisdom, tears and laughter flowed with ease. A web of deep, healing connection was woven--invisible...

Sheryl and Victoria share a favorite bonus conversation from the Patreon library ("Dear Highly Sensitive Parent") and current reflections on why it still resonates so deeply--especially now. Sheryl shares some of her most potent, painful, and life-changing experiences in early motherhood and the practices that held and grounded her in the toughest moments. And, she and Victoria discuss Sheryl's fi...

Sheryl and Victoria unpack how children—and adults—can become pigeonholed as “the smart one,” “the athlete,” “the good girl,” or “the creative one,” and what happens when those identities start to feel limiting. Through personal stories about parenting, childhood passions, sibling dynamics, and evolving career paths, they reflect on the importance of allowing young people the freedom to grow, pivo...

In today's episode, we are exploring the emotional intensity of the middle school years, reflecting on both the pain and the “gold” of this stage—revisiting experiences of loneliness and self-consciousness alongside connection, self-discovery, and courage. We discuss how shifting attention from family to peers can deepen feelings of rejection, while also opening the door to more meaningful friends...

When the topic of spiritual practice comes up, what comes to mind? Going to a religious service? Connecting with nature? Meditating? There are so many ways to connect of a sense of something bigger than ourselves. There is one vital pathways that is sometimes overlooked: Connecting with each other. In today's episode, we're exploring how connecting with other people -- both real and imaginal, in o...

"I don't like change." Many highly sensitive souls have uttered these words at one time or another. Perhaps we've said them recently, as we watched neighbors move away, or babies grow into toddlers, or winter slip into spring. Maybe we haven't dared speak them aloud since childhood, decades ago, when someone rolled their eyes in response and told us to buck up. In today's episode, we are exploring...

Note: We've decided to take a pause on the topic of romantasy, but we may come back to it down the road :) In this special episode, we are sharing our recent webinar with Daev Finn, an artist, psychotherapist, and Sheryl's loving husband.  After years working as a visual effects artist, Daev realized it was time for a change, and he made the transition to become a psychotherapist. Here, he reflect...

"Be glad of your human heart....Pity those who don't feel anything at all.” What if the meteoric rise of the romantasy genre isn’t about fae courts and dragon riders—but about our deepest and most human longings? Romantasy has taken the publishing world by storm. While some dismiss these stories as escapist fantasy, we believe their deeper power lies in how they illuminate the human heart. In this...

In today's episode, we dip a toe into the icy waters of body shame: the waters that take our breath away, that make us run for cover. How do we anchor our bodies in the warmth of true safety, of acceptance that frees us to open up to life and all it has to offer? Sheryl explores themes of body shame, body love, and so much more in her course Sacred Sexuality. Registration for the next round closes...

In this month of January, the beginning of the New Year, some of us may be looking at our current habits and patterns, returning to practices that have fallen away, reinvigorating activities that have lost luster, and exploring new ways of caring for and connecting with our selves. Journaling might be one of those practices that you are thinking about engaging with -- or perhaps feel like you shou...

As Sheryl and Victoria lean into the rhythm of the holiday season, resting and connecting with family at the end of the year, we invite you to return to our most-listened to episode of 2025. * * * “Energy moves in waves. Waves move in patterns. Patterns move in rhythms. A human being is just that, energy, waves, patterns, rhythms. Nothing more. Nothing less. A dance.” --Gabrielle. Roth Our heartbe...

In this solo episode, Sheryl explores the potency of the present moment. With personal reflections and poetry, Sheryl illuminates how much depends upon noticing, holding, and imprinting in our soul the extraordinary mystery, love, joy, and pain in the moments we wish we could extend for a bit longer, live over again, remember all of our days. References: Gathering Gold episode "How to Slow Down Ti...

At this time of year, it can start to feel like time is speeding up. The holidays are here already? It's almost the end of 2025? Didn't the year just begin?! In a culture that begins celebrating Christmas before trick-or-treaters have even begun knocking on doors, this sense of rush and speed is amplified at every turn. In today's episode, we are exploring the question: how do we slow down time? H...

In today's episode, Sheryl and Victoria unpack an idea explored in Sheryl's upcoming course Open Your Heart: A 30-Day Course to Feel More Love and Attraction for Your Partner : a pattern of criticizing and micromanaging your partner is a surefire way to close your heart and add bricks to a wall between you. Sheryl and Victoria name the historical, cultural, and societal influences behind the word...

**Today, we are practicing what we preach: slowing down and giving ourselves a little break by re-airing this episode from last year. We hope you enjoy, and we are sending you well wishes for rest, rejuvenation, and tending to your own rhythms and self-care in this season of rooting!** Meaning making. Connecting to breath. Aligning with nature. So many actions, big and small, can help us dig a lit...

In today’s episode, we are slowing down and opening our hearts to the beauty and loss abundant in autumn, a season that can so poignantly reflect and hold our own grief. Sheryl shares reflections about the passage of time, her sons growing up, and the passing of her beloved soul cat Tashi. Victoria shares her recent experience of learning about the death of a friend she had lost touch with.  How d...

We pick up where we left off in our last episode to discuss a few myths about relationships, unpacking commonly-held beliefs and prescriptions regarding our romantic/sexual lives, our choices about whether we want to be parents, and experiences of parenthood. By pulling apart the threads of these myths, we hope to encourage a greater sense of acceptance, compassion, and celebration of ourselves an...