Can I Strip For You?

In this very close and special episode, Ayla puts Ian into the hot seat as he celebrates his 2 years of sobriety.  She asks some burning questions on the process he has walked and the challenges and successes along the way.  They also announced that a short break in podcast schedule is upon us.  Remember pausing and taking a break is a good thing.  With new life upon us we celebrate and savour the...

In this episode Ayla and Ian explore the real process of healing.  They discuss how healing is a nonlinear state of exploration which requires serious focus and patience.  Explore this topic with us and see where you sit in your own healing journey. 

Human programming dictates that in order for the survival of the species we need to reproduce. Becoming a parent is not only life changing but bestows responsibility upon us for a new life and the development of that life. Ayla and Ian discuss how generations of teaching are now under the microscope. Current parents are finding the broken patterns and ineffective teachings of tradition, close-mind...

The 5 C’s of Mental Health - Ever asked the question “What are key focus points that can help maintain good mental health?” Ayla and Ian explore the 5 C’s of mental health as discussed on 247dct.org.  They peel back the relevance of these key areas in their own lives and discuss how and why it continues to be important in their own healing journeys.  Take a listen and see how these areas apply to...

Ever been asked this question before? “Do you really need that? Or do you just want it?” Ayla and Ian explore this age-old question when it comes to communicating.  Ayla opens the pages of the book entitled “Nonviolent Communication” by Marshall Rosenburg and shares how this has opened her eyes to the power of language and how we use it everyday.  Are we asking for what we need? Follow along in th...

This week’s episode aims to challenge stigma, stereotypes, and mental programming of modern-day men.  Ayla and Ian discuss the ever-growing concern around men's mental health, especially focusing on the need for connection and community amongst our North American male-identifying population. Tune in as they discuss how empowering men to step into uncomfortable conversations of vulnerability an...

 Referencing an impactful video from @kill.the.ego displaying a bear in Romania freed from captivity yet continuing to pace cage-like circles in the wild, Ayla and Ian expand on last week's episode entitled Prison Break.  Resonating powerfully with our two hosts, this visual representation demonstrates how extended years of trauma can keep us locked in a perpetual cage - much like poor Ina was...

This week's discussion begins with the hard hitting quote from @poetryrise - “The hardest prison to leave is the one I built to feel safe.” Ayla and Ian dive into how this resonates with each of their unique pasts and experiences.  They discuss how the past helps to construct this prison of the mind, which can be both frightening and restrictive, often keeping us from our true potential. Join...

We are very excited to have a special guest join us this week in the CISFY Podcast Studio.  Jonathan Bacon is a Social Service Worker and Addiction Counsellor currently working as a Community Outreach Worker with Support House Halton.  He has a background in developmental support work as a DSW.  He shares with us his first-hand experience in the field and how it links closely with our authenticity...

Welcome to 2025, fam! Ayla and Ian recount some of the poignant moments of the holiday season, sharing their takeaway experiences and learnings. Tune in and join in the excitement for what this ‘new beginning’ of 2025 holds for CISFY Podcast!

“Hey, wanna join my (insert MLM here)?” This week on CISFY Ayla and Ian share their own experiences with toxic positivity, shining a bright spotlight on how always ‘faking it until you make it’ can actually feed the drive for addictive behaviour. Referencing the book “Hey Hun - Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing” by Emily Lynn Paulson, Ayla talks about the...

For some of us, this time of year can be a challenge to navigate.  Ayla and Ian are here to commiserate with you - and to give a unique and humorous outlook on what helps them get through the pressure and expectations of Christmastime.  Listen in to find out what works for them; maybe you’ll find that empowering yourself to have a fun holiday season isn’t as hard as you might think.

As any long-time listener to this podcast knows by now, Ian and Ayla are always touting the benefits of therapy. But what does this process actually look like? Where do you find a therapist? How do you know what type of therapy to look for (wait, there's more than one kind of therapy?!)  What does a relationship with your therapist look like? Tune in this week for answers to these poignant questio...

Who among us has not suffered from the pitfalls of an overactive mind? Does the word “anxiety” come to mind? Ian and Ayla discuss the ways overthinking has affected their lives, and some strategies to navigate this interesting response to what Brian @AwakeningWithBrian calls a nervous system response to your environment. We empower you to choose a way out of your own head and back into your body w...

 As a way of honouring the work and effort put into Can I Strip For You Podcast so far, Ian and Ayla look back to when they first began their journey as podcasters together. From a quote that captures the essence of the podcast and its purpose to the moments and episodes they love both, these two revisit the memorable parts of their journey that stand out to them, helping to renew their commitment...

In today’s fast-paced life, do you ever wish you just had a moment to think?  Well, CISFY Podcast has some great news -  you totally do! According to us, practicing pausing is a great big green flag in self awareness.  In this episode, Ayla and Ian explore why the ability to pause is important in both a verbal and mental context.  We think pausing empowers us to make the best decision when it come...

The subject of Spirituality is often considered to be a sensitive one, making it a challenge to discuss -  even among friends. Ayla and Ian share how finding their own Spirituality helps to provide a solid foundation for continued growth. We encourage you to keep an open mind and hold space for what we believe is a critical part of any healing journey. We have complete faith that this episode will...

We dive into this interesting yet extremely challenging topic that both Ayla and Ian hold so dear. They talk about their current understanding, practices and challenges around this important ownership of emotions. Join us in finding the similarities that resonate with your current understanding of this topic and hopefully it can help guide your next steps to emotional freedom

As we all know, life is full of challenges. It's how we react and respond to the struggles we experience that defines who we are. The ultimate test of character comes when discomfort and difficulty surrounds us. What coping strategies do we fall back on? Have we ever stood back and asked: “are these strategies actually causing more harm than good?” Ayla and Ian get vulnerable about personal experi...

Celebrate this 20th episode benchmark with us! We are grateful for having you be part of our authentic journey. We explore how gratitude is such an important and missing piece of everyday life in such a chaotic world. It is so easy to find ourselves in such a negativity spiral but with mindset shifting, integrating gratitude can be a game changer. We are grateful you are here to share these moment...

Is your voice simply a way to communicate? Or does it hold untapped powers that we are only just beginning to understand? In this episode, we explore how using your voice allows for both external and internal communication. Ayla dives into her hours of training and gives us an understanding of how to use the sound of your own voice both as a way to communicate more effectively with others, and as...

Ever feel like things just never go right? Tired, nervous or just feeling like something bad is going to happen? That's just life right? Wrong! As humans we accept the reality unfolding in front of us but often ignore the subtle more universal messages that we are receiving. Ayla and Ian explore some concepts of how the universe taps you on the shoulder and whispers that you are on the wrong path....

Connection is one of humanity's greatest desires and needs. With this our journey of finding, building and growing relationships becomes a very intricate part of our lives. Together Ayla and Ian explore relationships from their life experiences. The good, the bad and the ugly but more importantly what they have learned during their time on this earth. Grow, learn and draw those parallels with...

With so many distractions, expectations, and corporate misinformation in today’s fast-paced world, it’s no wonder we feel more disconnected from our authentic selves than ever.  As we read through a deck of Instagram slides from @lifebyalissa, we dig into our personal experiences with self-abandonment and explore what this subject means to us.