Desire As Medicine Podcast

This episode focuses on the power of choice in our lives, exploring how our decisions shape our reality and emphasize personal empowerment. Listeners are encouraged to shift their perception of choice, recognizing that even not choosing is, in fact, a choice, and to embrace their agency in every choice. • The inevitability of choice and its role in personal empowerment  • Fear as a barrier to deci...

Discover how surrendering control can lead to a more fulfilling and peaceful life.  Brenda and Catherine introduce a simple yet powerful exercise that will help you focus your energy, time and attention on what truly matters by separating what you can control from what you can release to the universe.  Tired of letting anxiety and futile worries dictate your day? This episode will show you how to...

Unleash your power within by embracing your desires as we welcome Shane Kulman, a celebration expert and champion of creative self-expression. Shane shares her audacious philosophy of "F*ck Your Fears," encouraging everyone to overcome personal limitations for creative expansion. Shane's dynamic approach to life, underscored by her "10 Commandments," helps sensitive and cr...

Uncover how desire can become a transformative spiritual practice as we welcome our guest, Sarah Trudeau, a devoted mother, accomplished writer, and seasoned teacher with a rich background in Buddhist meditation and yoga. Listen as Sarah shares her insights on the "wave of desire" and how Elizabeth Gilbert's concept of the muse has informed her understanding of desire as a powerful...

As they welcome 2025, Brenda and Catherine explore their practice of choosing a word of the year as a guide. They each share and digest their words of the year from 2024 and how their words integrated and grew them over the past 12 months.  Through reflections on their past years and the themes of trust, softness, and commitment, Brenda and Catherine encourage listeners to embrace their desires an...

This episode is OUR GIFT to you... an extra episode that walks you through 6 powerful questions to close out 2024 well. AND …. We are on the hot seat ourselves, answering these same 6 questions about our own lives. It’s real, raw, and packed with insights to inspire your own reflection. Grab your journal, tune in, and join us for this heart-opening practice. Let’s make space for more of what you d...

Can embracing your deepest desires lead to a life of fulfillment and gratitude? Together with Brenda and Catherine, let's explore the transformative power of desire and gratitude in shaping who we aspire to become. Brenda shares the "havingness expander" practice by Regina Thomas Shower, a tool designed to open our hearts to receive and appreciate more in life. How to have more is t...

In this episode, we pull back the curtain of our own lives and share how we each created big change. We share how we shifted from conventional careers to entrepreneurs and lives led by desire. We highlight the initial discomfort of wanting something different.  By surrounding ourselves with inspiring people and remaining open to new ideas, we learn to listen to our inner voices and chart new cours...

What if you could transform your relationships by simply mastering the art of honest communication? In this episode, we tackle the often avoided territory of expressing emotions, sharing our personal journeys and struggles along the way.  Brenda opens up about how concealing her feelings bred resentment, and Catherine reveals her past limitation to a narrow emotional spectrum. Through our stories,...

Ever find yourself craving something as simple as dinner out with a friend, only to realize how complex the decision-making process actually is? Join us as we unravel the intricate layers of understanding and expressing desire.  We share a playful story about a dinner outing together that turned into a lesson on how our values, conditioning, and external influences shape even the smallest decision...

What happens when you unlock the power of understanding your deepest desires and communicate them clearly? Join us as we navigate through the provocative notion that men are perceived as dumb and women as angry. Through these discussions, we emphasize the crucial role of expressing desires to avoid frustration and create deeper fulfillment in relationships. Have you ever paused to consider what yo...

World-renowned scientist Steve Bodansky uncovers the secrets to a fulfilling life through the lens of pleasure. In this episode, we explore Steve's fascinating transition from a traditional scientific background to becoming a trailblazer in the study of pleasure and orgasm. With insights from his collaborative work with his late wife, Vera, who co-authored many of his 16 books with him, Steve...

Loving Without Interfering: a Meditation What if loving someone meant embracing their flaws rather than trying to fix them? Join us for a relaxing meditation, where we soften into the art of loving through breath and attention without the compulsion to change others. Open to the possibility of establishing healthy boundaries and honoring your needs while respecting the autonomy of those closest to...

Have you ever found yourself itching to intervene in someone else’s business - oops, journey, lol -  only to realize that stepping back could be the most loving act of all?  Join us as we unravel the art of accepting others just as they are. We begin by wrestling with the difficult concept of letting go, allowing loved ones to navigate their own paths—even when they're headed toward a metapho...

Is there a magic threshold where contentment meets ambition? Join us for a captivating exploration of the concept of "enough" as we unpack its complexities in our lives. This episode promises to challenge the way you view satisfaction and drive, helping you distinguish between the societal conditioning that holds you back and the personal calling that propels you forward. Through discuss...

Imagine reflecting on your past without a hint of judgment. In this episode, we invite you to explore self-love through a compassionate lens, urging us to accept imperfections as part of our growth journey. We share personal stories, wisdom and discuss the power of embracing discomfort to fuel transformation. Our conversation takes you through the intriguing idea of belly wisdom and the responsibi...

Here we go...Part 2 of our 3 part self-love series of digestion and takeaways. In this episode, we explore the courage it takes to show up for yourself, grounded in gratitude and openness. We discuss the transformative power of being fully present and allowing yourself to be seen by others. Prioritizing self-care isn't just a luxury; it's a necessity for living authentically. We explore...

The self love series has been so transformative that we had to pause, reflect and digest. The series was inspired by the episode with with Dr. Stephanie Bridwell when she shared her desire to have a deeper relationship with herself. We kick off our digestion with insights from Katie, who bravely shares her path to self-acceptance and the strength she's found in setting boundaries. Her story c...

Ever wondered how embracing all parts of yourself—good and bad—can transform your life? Join us as we sit down with Brenda's dear friend Peter Sweeney, a man whose open-hearted nature and dedication to personal growth has left a lasting impression on so many. Peter shares his profound insights on self-love, emphasizing the necessity of recognizing and loving every aspect of ourselves, even th...

Join us as we welcome our first male guest.  Ean Wood is a commercial fisherman, professional snowboarder, published writer, coach, and TEDx speaker, who shares his transformative journey of self-love with us. From childhood gatherings with his father and other men discussing their innermost feelings, to his extensive travels, Ean offers a compelling challenge to the rigid narratives of masculinit...

Imagine a world where societal norms no longer dictate how you should feel about your own body.  That's the transformative journey that our guest, Linda Barsa, a queer nudist and life coach, who's story is one of battling societal expectations and depression, discovering the liberating world of nudism, and ultimately finding an unshakable sense of self-love and purpose. Listen as Linda r...

What if the key to unlocking your deepest wisdom lies in your belly? Join us on this episode of Desire is Medicine as we welcome Elaine, an extraordinary somatic practitioner and writer whose journey spans dancing, choreography, and life as a Zen nun. Elaine shares her innovative approach to healing through conscious breathing, body awareness, and reflective writing. Catherine recounts her own  tr...

What if your true desires are the key to unlocking a more vibrant and fulfilling life?  Imagine embracing your desires with openness and curiosity, even in the face of fear and resistance.  Join us as we explore the transformative power of leaning into what you truly want, despite the natural inclination of our minds to protect us from potential disappointment and failure. We go through the comple...

Join us as we celebrate the culmination of an incredible first season, where Brenda and Catherine take you on a heartfelt journey from our humble Clubhouse beginnings to the full-fledged podcast you now know and love. This episode is a tribute to the trials, triumphs, and the commitment that made this dream a reality. We delve into the transformation of our sisterhood, the spontaneous mini toolbox...

Have you ever found yourself interacting with your inner critic, and punisher as if they were your only friends? In this episode we talk about those moments in time when you are questioning the decisions that shaped your life. Those questions really lead to nowhere as the past is long gone, yet we do get stuck there sometimes. Brenda and Catherine bring you into their world of reflection and disco...