The Inner Shift Podcast

In the Capital of Canada, Ottawa, there is an amazing program to decrease loneliness for seniors ,which is directly correlated to poor physical health outcomes, in addition to mental health. The Good Companions Centre  does everything from the "grocery bus" to supplying warm meals to fuelling relationships, in addition to computer coaching and arts. It's all designed to increase enga...

Regular contributor Laurel Gillespie recently raised money to help fight cancer by posting a sexy photo of herself taken the night before she lost her breasts to cancer. The Canadian business leader (not-for-profit) talks with Amy and Kimothy about showing strength by recognizing when we can't be strong...and how to learn from that by helping others. We also talk about why only 5% of CEOs of m...

On this episode, the CEO of the Dementia Society of Ottawa – serving Ottawa and Renfrew County (Canada), Monique Doolittle-Romas joins us to talk about the explosion of cases in an aging population and what caregivers need to know…while including those recently diagnosed. We start with the diagnosis, or simply concerns about a loved one doing new things like “putting the TV remote in the fridge” (...

Elaine Lindsay just celebrated her 70th birthday and talks to Amy + Kimothy about age being just a phucking number. She was deep into the internet at its infancy, as an entrepreneur/expert, and feels zero bias toward her age group, or the next gen (or a few other gens).  Sporting her bright blue/turquoise hair, Elaine explains that it’s about talent and respect. SHE sets the tone in her life. It’s...

Eugenia Mancini Horan was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and given just days to live. The six year cancer-free survivor wrote the book  The Dead Girl’s Guide to Terminal Cancer .  She talks about the role misogyny, anxiety, and women’s mental health played in her diagnosis …and her highly confusing medical health journey. This is an uncensored survivor’s perspective on cancer, immunotherapy,...

Talk about “giving a piece of yourself”!  Public Relations Expert Heather Badenoch, Owner of Village PR, knows a thing or two about that. Not only does she adopt and rehabilitate rescue dogs, but Heather gave part of her liver to save a perfect stranger who was under the age of 18. Her liver quickly grew back to its pre-surgery size. Now Heather spends her time as a national champion for donation...

firsthandOur resident money expert talks about holiday spending plans. However, we start this hour with her personal experience with a Facebook/Instagram ban – for no good reason - and what that can do to people who rely on FB for Business. Janet Gray is an advice-only financial planner who experienced, first hand, the stress around fighting for her own Facebook/Instagram. In the end, she did NOT...

On this episode, we speak to an expert accountant who has her MBA, her own businesses and decades of experience helping entrepreneurs get (and stay) on their feet. The failure rate of entrepreneurial ventures is staggering, and less than 20% of businesses are owned by women. They face big challenges, often balancing children and aging parents. Much of the failure rate of all small businesses can b...

On this episode we talk to Hazel Smith who is a podcaster, corporate manager, single gal and general badass. What could 3 women with 4 (combined) ex-husbands have to talk about? Her podcast, rebrandpending , goes into depth on a lot of these topics, but we try to cram it all into our hour show, and have a few good belly laughs along the way. Grab and coffee and just hang out with us if you’re look...

On this show we meet a very brave woman who is going to help everyone better understand eating disorders. Katie Leonard first started showing symptoms of anorexia nervosa when she was just 12 years old.  What began as a desire to lose weight for a wedding quickly became a life-threatening battle until she was 19 years old.   It included years of treatment at a children’s hospital, including a situ...

Susan Marsh is an unapologetic advocate, champion for Indigenous culture and marketing expert. That’s how she met Kimothy, working together on a major sporting event. Susan is married to an Indigenous man and has two children. She is a regular contributor to this podcast and she’s willing to do a deep drive with us about the importance of “roots”. As an adopted person she is actively, now, looking...

When we get a medical diagnosis for a loved one with memory challenges, the first question often asked is now what? Debbie Heitto is the First Link Care Navigator for the Alzheimer Society Serving Ottawa and Renfrew County . She is, most often, the first person you, or your loved ones, will see. She talks to us about knowledge being power and there is a lot to learn, from services to the path ahea...

When Amy and Kimothy decided to do a weekly show on mental health, they jumped in with expert guests to learn about everything from menopause to dementia, sex to grief. But, on this episode, it's just them...They are talking about their own experiences and what lead them to this point. As children a lot of their "today" issues were cast in stone because of trauma, bullying and imposs...

On this episode, healing trauma with sound, safe places and connection with women. Kerry Reinhard of Resonant Bliss joins Amy and Kimothy to talk about abuse and sobriety, as well as healing with sound to release trauma. The practitioner, who practices what she preaches, helps women release pain deep in their bodies which is often, she says, the cost of being “the strong one”. Kerry takes us throu...

When Kimothy saw a post by Nicky Beauclaire on her Facebook page she just knew she had to invite her to be on the show. It was a raw invitation and so very brave. Nicky wrote that she had just been released from short-term psychiatric care and wanted to see if anyone wanted to have coffee with her. So, we did…on camera. The lonely plea for companionship was one Amy and Kimothy had not heard in the...

On this episode we’re talking about the 1 in 3 families who will deal with dementia…and the cost to governments/taxpayers for not doing a better job at managing that! We have a world leader on this topic with us on this episode. Dr Saskia Sivananthan, based in Toronto, consults with senior health experts from around the world, offering the benefits of years of experience in the field. She even liv...

It’s “Back to School” season, and if you feel like you’re paying for things almost daily …you probably are! From school supplies to sports and lessons, it’s an expensive month. Add to that financial pressure another, almost daily, stress…the unknowns about the economy. It’s in the news constantly and planning for the impact is tough. To give you tips and tricks to survive this period of time, and...

The Inner Shift Podcast’s resident expert on everything from profound grief and loss to self-esteem in girls returns to the show to talk about some really tough stuff.  Margaret Dennis of EVOLV Coaching was exhausted when she arrived to the podcast after spending a week running a self-esteem summer camp for girls!  We learn about how building up girls early on can set them up for success in relati...

MPP Lisa Macleod did the “unthinkable”. She talked about being a member of provincial (Ontario) parliament while having a mental health challenge. Diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, we’re going to talk today about how we SAY we support mental health – but do we really?? We need to do way more than “Let’s Talk”....let’s DO… Since leaving government, Lisa has travelled with something she’s going to t...

You’ve likely tasted her work …if you’ve ever been to Equator Coffee…. This entrepreneur, who bet the entire family on her vision, together with her husband – is an entrepreneur, cancer survivor and adventurer…and is living her life to the absolute fullest, despite some tough set-backs.  Amber Hall is simply an inspiration, and  just finished designing/building a house in Costa Rica, a long way fr...

At the heart of every storm, there can still be strength, and Elaine Lindsay is living proof. Elaine is a survivor, to be sure, but she is also an entrepreneur, and while she has tried to stay alive… at one time she didn’t want to do so. Elaine has suffered unimaginable grief, loss and medical complications after a horrific car crash. Her story will rock you….and if this triggers you we strongly e...

Sue McGarvie is a sex educator…and while we’re having flashbacks to Grade 9 sex education class, it isn’t that! Sue has been a radio show host, entrepreneur, sex travel organizer and general champion for, well, sex. In the early 1990s, Kimothy met Sue – who was already on radio doing a series called “Sex in the 90s”...ya, Kim’s THAT old. The highlight of the tour of the “underground” was when Kimo...

Dina Bell-Laroche is a death doula, educator, author and educator. So, on this episode, we talk about mental health as it pertains to losing a loved one…or about how to start saying goodbye to your person. Dina has spoken around North America on the topic, as it pertains to everything from workplace culture to intimate family dynamics. As a trained thanatologist (ya, we had to look up the word, to...

On this episode, we go to Tennessee! Kesley Rogers is a counsellor with Denney Counselling who discovered, through the near loss of a friend, the difficulties facing farmers – and particularly multi-generational farming families. It was something Amy and Kimothy had literally, had never heard about, despite having farmers in their original families.  This episode speaks to many things, including b...

On this week’s episode, we talk to Heather Desjardins, who talks about the whopping number of children who learn differently, and what that means to the family dynamic. This one hits pretty close to home for our hosts. “Work harder” isn’t going to cut it. Parents need to learn to work creatively. Your own mental health and that of your child DEPENDS on it! Learn tips and tricks to help you get the...