Yinspired

I'd love to hear from you! Please share your comments, questions, or thoughts at Yinspiredpod.com Do you have a pod of friends, soul family, or colleagues who love to go beyond the day-to-day chitter chatter of life and dive into the raw, messy, and complex parts of life, healing and medicine? If you do, please consider sharing your favorite Yinspired episode with your pod. Together, we can begin...

I’d love to hear from you. Please share your comments, questions, or thoughts at Yinspiredpod.com In this episode of Yinspired, Dr. Haunani Chong Drake, DACM, engages in a heartfelt conversation with Luna, a student of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. This conversation offers a candid look into the world of Acupuncture and Chinese medicine post graduate education and the personal growth it foster...

“Everyone has a gift to share.” “What groove are you creating? Does this groove feel in alignment with the ripples you want to leave in the World?” - Jen Lindgren This heart-to-heart conversation with Jen Lindgren, Training Director for Prison Yoga Project, reminds us of the importance of personal excavation for personal and collective healing, yoga as a tool for trauma recovery and emotional regu...

"To be an Acupuncturists is more than a career (for most people). It’s a way of life. It’s a way of seeing the world." - Dr. Yael Markowicz, DACM Dive into this heartfelt chat with Dr. Yael Markowicz, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and Licensed Acupuncturist, where healing meets self-love and community. Discover how Chinese Medicine offers timeless wisdom in chaotic times. and what it’...

“Belonging is an inner job. Consistency is the key to transformation” -Joshua Green, L.Ac. Summary In this episode, Joshua Green, Licensed Acupuncturists, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, and medical qi gong practitioner, takes us on a transformative journey from collegiate basketball to the world of Chinese medicine. From his early experiences with acupuncture on the court to his profound un...

Haunani sits down with the unstoppable Dr. Haley Parker, DAOM, L.Ac ., and Director for Community Outreach and Partnership for VUIM, for a raw, no‑filter dive into what it really takes to push acupuncture forward in a healthcare system that doesn’t always play nice. From “falling forward” in their careers to battling legislative roadblocks, building community from the ground up, and redefining bal...

If charging for your healing work feels hard, this episode will flip the script on value, confidence, and getting paid. In this Yinspired conversation, Linh Taylor, L.Ac., and I, crack open the messy, tangled relationship between money and being a healer in the 21st century. We explore why so many practitioners struggle to charge for their work, how pay disparities in the field can feel downright...

In this episode of Yinspired, Dr. Haunani Chong-Drake, DACM, engages in a heartfelt conversation with Lisa Tong, known as The Chinese Soup Lady. They explore the intersection of Chinese Medicine, cultural identity, and the creative process of healing through food. Lisa shares her journey from engineering and a corporate background, to embracing her authentic self as a Chinese Medicine practitioner...

Yinspiredpod.com Welcome to season 2 of Yinspired, where we explore the messy truths of medicine, healthcare, Chinese medicine, and healing in today’s world. Today’s episode is a solo episode where I reflect on the current energetic landscape of 2026. This episode invites us to reflect deeply, own our roles, honor cultural roots, and stand tall as healers and ambassadors of diverse medicines. Key...

Summary Pelvic health is so much more than anatomy—it’s a living dialogue between the physical body, our emotions, thoughts, spiritual journeys, and the deeper stories we carry. In this episode, Dr. Krystal Couture, DPT, L.Ac., reminds us that healing happens when we slow down, listen inward, connect with Spirit, and honor the wisdom of our bodies. From the emotional resonance of acupuncture point...

Summary Yinspired’s host, Dr. Haunani Chong-Drake, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, welcomes listeners to 2026, emphasizing the importance of aligning personal rhythms with the solar-lunar calendar. She encourages listeners to embrace the yin energy of winter as a time for rest and reflection rather than rushing into New Year’s resolutions. Dr. Haunani shares her insights on why New Yea...

Gather ‘round with Catie Oliveira an experienced yoga teacher, teacher trainer, and mom who has been a part of nearly every aspect of the growing Yoga culture in the U.S. for over 20 years. In today’s conversation, we delve into the profound essence of yoga beyond the mat and postures and how “yoga is training for life.” We explore how yoga serves as a deeply spiritual and holistic practice that t...

This casual conversation with Linh Taylor is exactly the conversation I dreamt of having when Yinspired was created. Linh and I had never met before, and when we hung up, it felt like I had known Linh for lifetimes. Our shared love for Chinese Medicine, the philosophy of Yin and Yang, and navigating healing journeys in cultures and systems not built for us created a natural bridge between our diff...

In this episode of Yinspired , Dr. Haunani Chong-Drake, DACM, welcomes Carolyn Sykes, an Acupuncturist from England, to discuss the power of yin in healing. They explore Carolyn’s journey into Chinese medicine, her unique practice of Shiatsu for horses, and the importance of intuition in healing. The conversation delves into the significance of living in harmony with the seasons, the five elements...

This episode enters a tender and brave space. This conversation holds the weight of love, grief, anger, and the quiet stories that often go unspoken. Our guest, Dr. Deb Davies, DACM, L.Ac ., and birth doula, shares how losing her first baby at birth led to where she is today in holistic perinatal care, specializing in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. Not only do we speak of loss and miscarriage,...

In part 2 with Dr. Cacky Mellor, PhD., she invites us into a nuanced conversation about EMBODIMENT —not as a fixed state, but as a dynamic continuum of lived experience. Together, we explore how dissociation, often misunderstood, can be a valid form of embodiment and how healing begins with accepting all aspects of our humanity. Dr. Mellor challenges the “fix-it” mentality of modern healthcare, ad...

In this week’s episode of Yinspired , Dr. Cacky Mellor,PhD, Somatic Movement Therapist and Educator, Somatic Experiencing© Practitioner, Registered Yoga Teacher (500hr), and non-denominational reverend, invites us into a conversation that honors the healing power of creativity, art, and the deep human need to belong. She reminds us that art isn’t just a product; it’s a sanctuary, an essential tool...

In this episode of Yinspired , Cortney Nadeau shares her journey from launching her first business at age 15 to becoming a trusted expert in medical billing and advocate for holistic healthcare providers. Drawing from decades of experience, she emphasizes that business is not just a logistical necessity—it’s a form of self-care and a foundation for creating safe, trustworthy spaces for patients. W...

In this episode of Yinspired , Dr. Haunani Chong-Drake, DACM, catches up with a longtime friend and colleague, Dr. Shamini Jain, PhD., exploring the intersections of creativity, healing, research, and consciousness. They discuss the importance of following one's creative desires, the fallacy of separateness in modern medicine, and how this belief creates hurdles in research, belonging, and the cou...

In this heartfelt episode of Yinspired , Dr. Chantal Davis, DACM—an acupuncturist with 15 years of experience in San Diego, California—shares her journey from frustration with conventional medicine to becoming a fierce advocate for women’s health through integrative care. Her story is rooted in mentorship, resilience, and a deep commitment to helping women navigate every stage of life with intenti...

Summary Gather ‘round. This week I chat with Dr. Kyrstal Couture, DPT, L.Ac .. Together, we ebb and flow between the rough waters of the current healthcare system when it comes to pelvic health support and the calm healing waters when we address the whole, including the Spirit. Bridging the gap between physical therapy and acupuncture for pain management to advocating for pelvic health for all bod...

Summary In this Yinspired episode, Elsa Martinez invites us into her world—where healing is personal, communal, and deeply rooted in culture. From honoring her Puerto Rican, Seneca, Black heritage to managing fibromyalgia with movement and energetic practices like Reiki and yoga, her story is a powerful reminder that wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all. She opens up about the intensity of Acupuncture...

It's a solo episode y'all! Host of Yinspired, Dr. Haunani Chong-Drake, DACM, L.Ac., explores the concept of cultural stewardship, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and respecting cultural practices that are not our own. She reflects on her personal journey with cultural practices, the significance of understanding one's place in sharing cultural knowledge, and the responsibility that comes...

Gather 'round. In this episode, we spotlight the incredible journey of Sherri Rucker—maternal health advocate, doula, and mom of 8, whose path through holistic healing practices has not only transformed her life but the lives of countless others. As a full-spectrum doula with Mama Sana Vibrant Woman in Austin, Texas, Sherri provides free, culturally rooted care to BIPOC women, centering reproducti...

Gather ‘round. Today, we’re having a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Surjana, DACM, L.Ac ., a fertility specialist for 20 years with an 87% success rate! That’s high…very high! Dr. Surjana shares her journey into Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, how she gets such high success rates, and the significance of her holistic, individualized approaches. This conversation emphasizes the necessity of open...