Wellness Wins

If you’ve noticed brain fog or other cognitive changes during perimenopause or menopause, this conversation will feel especially validating. Certified menopause coaching specialist Angela White explains the research behind what’s happening in the brain, offers supportive strategies for staying well, and leaves us with a powerful reminder of the wisdom and strength available to us in this season of...

As a high schooler, Carah McCloud's path was set: She would continue her career as a talented gymnast as she headed to college. But a heartbreaking interruption came in the form of a concussion that left her with neck complications. Then, just as she was beginning to find relief, she suffered a second concussion. Carah vulnerably shares the difficulties of that period of life. Her story is one...

The human brain is arguably one of the most fascinating parts of our anatomy. This season, we'll hear from folks who've experienced brain health challenges and explore research-based ways we can support our own brain health. Thanks for tuning in!

Struggling with clutter that's affecting your well-being? Missi McKown knows the feeling—and how to fix it. After tackling her own organization challenges, she turned her passion into Clear Spaces Organizing, helping Twin Cities homeowners reclaim their spaces. From decluttering home offices to organizing kitchens and pantries, Missi and her team have transformed countless homes and lives. One...

"When we're worried 24/7 about how we look or what we weigh, that's just stealing joy from day to day." Dana Robinson speaks from experience. She went through a tough transition after college, where she was a Division I athlete. Leaving this highly competitive environment, she found her focus on diet and exercise becoming borderline unhealthy. Fortunately, she found support from...

Emily Camp began to have hearing changes, nausea, and neck pain in high school. She was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis type 2, which causes benign tumors to grow on the hearing and balance nerves in the brain. As she entered college to pursue her dream of becoming a physical therapist, her doctors told her she'd need to have the growths removed, and this proces...

Nurse Natalie Lu of The Reflective Collective explains how art and creative journaling are good for our brains, mental health, and longevity. She also shares prompts you can use to kick off your own creative journaling practice, and she has created a calendar that serves as a beautiful guide for those who want to participate in a creative, supportive community all year long. The video version of t...

It took a painfully long time for doctors to determine Navy veteran Brandi Privitera's diagnosis. And then, when she went looking for resources on how to manage this condition, she was dismayed to find a lack -- of information, of ways to connect with others, and of research funding for fibro. She turned her frustration into action: starting a blog, BeingFibroMom.com, then turning to advocacy...

Certified Forest Therapy Guide Mel Schneider describes the experiential practice of forest bathing and how it can help us reconnect with nature. Want to set up a guided walk with Mel? Check out her website: Wild Wanders Forest Therapy Walks: https://www.wildwandersmn.com/ . She also works with companies that want to set up a guided walk for their employees. You can find her on Instagram at www.ins...

Rachel is not new to the busy lifestyle of a mom. She has four young children, including a daughter with Prader-Willi syndrome, and she and her husband work hard to keep everything in balance in their home life. Their strategies change as their family grows and their needs shift. She shares the lessons she's learned in how to maintain self-care and manage everyone's schedules in a way that...

Accepting her diagnosis of diabetes took RN Patricia Daiker some time, and it included acknowledging grief -- she would never again be the person who didn't have to monitor her glucose numbers. But with self-compassion and allowing herself to process that grief, she began to thrive again. In this episode, she shares how that transition happened. Now Patricia helps other diabetic folks understa...

It started with fatigue, then her legs felt a little funny. A few weeks later, Lora Swoape was hospitalized with a Guillain-Barre syndrome diagnosis. This rare but debilitating neurological condition would leave her paralyzed for some time. Fortunately, the syndrome is regressing, and she's working on walking independently again. It's been a long, difficult road, but she keeps looking forw...

Miriam Mbugua suffered horrible stomach pain and other digestive issues throughout her adolescence. As she got older, she began to learn ways to improve her gut health and thus her overall wellbeing. Now Miriam is a gut health coach helping other folks improve their gut health (she helped me improve my acid reflux). Her coaching emphasizes self-compassion and taking small steps, and it's custo...

Erin Etheridge suddenly became a single mom of four in 2015 when her husband, Kenneth, died in a motorcycle accident. Ian Cox has a similar story of loss. His wife, Steffany, died in 2020, after a battle with breast cancer. Ian was suddenly a grieving single dad with three young boys. But their stories don't end there. A few years ago, their mutual circles brought them into each other's sp...

Bridget Berns had the external trappings that might indicate a happy life: A great job, a husband, a home close to her family. But mental health struggles plagued her, and after some time, she found herself alone and deeply depressed. In this candid interview, she shares her journey through mental health challenges to a state of happiness, joy and well-being. Bridget now helps other women take cha...

Twin Cities RN Natalie Lu has been working on her wellness game for some time, and six months into the Covid-19 pandemic, she recognized she needed to lean into those practices to sustain her. Hear how creative journaling, meditative movement, and the Japanese art of Kintsugi (putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold) have helped her care for herself, and how she's fostering commu...

Health and wellness coach Beth Jennings is a pro at maintaining healthy habits while traveling. Whether it be a job that took her cross country or living in Antarctica where she worked as a physical therapist, Beth has learned how to stay well wherever life takes her. Hear her tips and tricks in this episode of Wellness Wins. To learn more about her health coaching services for travelers, go to be...

Do you struggle like I do to make healthy choices while on the road? I recruited health and wellness coach Beth Jennings to help me out. She's learned by doing, traveling cross-country countless times, as well as living in less-than-hospitable Antarctica. Join us as she shares simple and doable tips to keep yourself well on the road. Find out more about Beth Jennings and her coaching service f...

Janelle and CJ are nurses and educators. They love what they do. But sometimes even people who love their jobs need a little inspiration. Hear about how these women spearheaded a delightful movement called "Fun Fridays," which has sparked joy and fun and connection in their workplace. Send this podcast to your work bestie. Maybe you will want to start your own "Fun Fridays" movement together in yo...

Journalist-turned-animal welfare worker Kate Kompas is the interviewee in this discussion on self care, self compassion and preventing workplace burnout. Kate works for the Tri-County Humane Society in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She has a unique perspective working in the animal welfare space, which -- while rewarding -- can also be taxing for those tasked with caring for these vulnerable creatures. He...

40-year-old Elijah, a chef at a Minnesota hospital, didn't feel quite right after his shift. He stopped at the employee health services clinic - a decision that likely saved his life. Elijah recalls how he went from cooking for hospital patients one minute to being wheeled to the ER the next, and what recovery has been like as a busy husband and dad of two young boys. Wellness Wins is a podcas...