Know Your Ancestors

#28: Knowing our genealogy and what happened in our ancestors' lives is key in understanding our own generational trauma. It becomes not just a theory or idea, but a real experience and powerful tool to explore. In this episode I talk a bit about epigenetics and how to apply that to our ancestral connections and how my online course helps to further this conversation. Get my online course now...

#27: After recording a podcast meant for today, I looked at the news and saw what's happening in Gaza right now and felt I needed to record something different. So here it is. My hope for a better world. And how I believe that knowing the stories and experiences of our ancestors can help bring change. Consider the lives and experiences of your ancestors and how they have affected you. Sign up...

#26: Isaac Freeze is my 2x great grandfather. In 1883, he came to Calgary from NB and started one of the first general stores in the city. Last week I mapped out some of his residences and store lots and tried to visit them. Everything has been torn down, and with the addresses being a little different, it was a bit of a struggle. Watch or listen to hear about him and his adventurous life and lear...

#25: Cheryl Cardall is a mental health advocate, educator, and parenting coach. I loved chatting with about her work and perspective as a mother of 5. Parenting and mental health definitely tie into the conversation of generational patterns and the effects our ancestors lives have on us. After chatting a bit, I shared the story of Cheryl's great great grandmother with her. She was a strong wom...

#24: Census are the best records for beginners to find who want to start learning how to research their ancestors. I love them because they are relatively easy to find, are available for free online, and provide so much information about your ancestor. You just need to actually look at the record and get all the clues. Watch to see how to find census records and what kind of information you can ge...

#23: What if you could actually know who your ancestors were? Not just their names and when/where they were born, but what trauma they may have experienced, what trials they went through, and what joys they felt. You can! My new online course: Know Your Ancestor is here and you can get instant access to work through all 10 video modules at your own pace. Listen to hear more about why I created thi...

#22: Johnny Depp had a pretty rough childhood, a lot as a result of his mother's behaviour. This led me to research his maternal ancestry to see if there was any signs of trauma or experiences that may have caused this sort of behaviour. See what I was able to find out and if there is actual proof of Johnny Depp's claim to Native American roots. Watch on YouTube HERE Want to be the first t...

#21: There are definitely more than 3 reasons to know your ancestors, but these are three that I've been thinking about lately and are maybe reasons you've never considered. 1. Feel connected to something bigger 2. Understand family patterns 3. Challenge limiting beliefs Which one do you need most right now? Want to be the first to know when my course: Know Your Ancestor opens up? Get on t...

#20: Do you ever wonder how to know if you really have found the right record for your ancestor? In this BTS episode, I share how I found some more clues about Crystal's great grandfather to be able to *more* confidently say that the obituary the family has for him is correct. Watch and get some tips for how you can do the same. Want help with your family tree? Join my VIP Membership. Either c...

#19: Crystal Haitsma is a parenting and life coach. Join me as I chat with her about homeschooling her 4 children while circumventing the globe and working online. Then, watch as I share a bit about her paternal family history. Why did her great grandfather change his name? What happened to his mother? These are just some of the mysteries we'll be diving into! Follow Crystal on Instagram: @the...

Watch on YouTube #18: Join me in this captivating episode as we explore the Italian ancestral roots of Taylor Swift. Hosted by me, Megan Hillyer, the episode unfolds the intriguing story of Taylor's great-great-great-grandfather, Charles Carmine Antonio Baldi, who embarked on a remarkable journey from a small village in Italy to becoming a successful entrepreneur in Philadelphia. Discover the...

#17 - Do you want to start building your family tree and learning more about your ancestors? Here are the four steps: 1. Choose where you want to store your tree 2. Look at what's already known 3. Research 4. Educate yourself Listen for an explanation of each step and how you can start building your family tree. Want help with your family tree? Join my VIP Membership. Either commit to 3 months...

#16 - Every wondered what epigenetics is and how it's affecting your family tree? Listen up to a quick summary of epigenetics, thoughts on philosophies from Alfred Adler, and how I feel about trauma and how it can be passed on and what you can do about it. Podcast episode about epigenetics that I referred to - Everything Epigenetics: Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance with Dr. Michael Skinne...

#15: It turns out, there's more to the story! Molly was hoping to know more about how her great-grandmother passed away because she knew that her death was hard on her grandfather Emanuel. Well---the angels both on this side and the other pulled through, with Maryland Vital Records being made available for free online just over this past weekend! Seriously incredible. Listen to "the rest...

#14: After her mother received her Ancestry DNA results, Molly discovered that she had a grandfather that she never knew. Her biological grandfather was Emanuel Horn (Hirschhorn), an attorney from Baltimore, Maryland who had passed away years earlier. It was so fun to explore some of Molly's biological family tree and show her where Emanuel's family originally came from in this episode....

#13: I get a little personal here, but that's because getting to know your ancestors is powerful stuff! Want me to make a little reel on Instagram about one of your ancestors? Listen to this episode and then fill out this Google form and stay tuned on Instagram to see if yours gets picked! How connected are you to your ancestors? Take the quiz HERE . Want to learn more about your own ancestor...

#12 - I'm trying something new! Because the researched episodes take so long to do, I'm going to start recording additional episodes in between. This episode is a Behind The Scenes explanation of how I put together the story of Sarah's 2x great grandparents. I share tips for you if you have a fully researched tree like Sarah and explain how you can fill out the story of your ancesto...

#11 - Did they fall in love on the boat? Or maybe as they walked across the plains to Utah? We may never know the intricacies of Sarah Allred's 2X great grandparents courtship, but watch (or listen) as we dive into some of their story. Theirs was a life of loss, sacrifice, and faith that they endured well. Watch on YouTube HERE Guest Sarah Allred is a business and marketing expert who actuall...

#10: Watch on YouTube HERE . In this episode with Cristy Duce, we dive deep into one branch of her family tree to discover the roots of some major trauma. It turns out it didn't all start with her great-grandfather. His father, and his father before him all endured lives of loss and instability. Listen as we uncover a new piece of the puzzle to build a fuller understanding that allowed compas...

#9: NEW - Get $50 off your Ancestral Story Weaving Session using code "PODCAST" here ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Watch the podcast on YouTube here In this captivating podcast episode, Megan sits down with Torie Feldman from Sacred Ancestry to embark on an illuminating journey through the tapestry of Torie's family history. Torie&apo...

#8: Some people's heritage is truly heartbreaking. That is the case for David Vaskevitch. His family endured horrible hardships during WW2 as Jews in Germany. David's mother specifically endured a lot, but was able to live a very full life well into her 90s. Listen as I share what our genealogist, Kaye Prince-Hollenberg , was able to uncover about David's Jewish heritage. David is t...

#7: Eliza Hall always knew she was adopted because her wonderful parents spoke openly about it. A few years ago Eliza took an Ancestry DNA test and connected with a couple family members, but couldn't quite figure out who her biological parents were. Thanks to Nancy Landini from IGGnite DNA , we were able to share with Eliza who her biological mother is and who her likely biological father is...

#6: Relatives who only spoke in rhyme and others who staged a rebellion against the "land-grabbers!" Those are just a few of the stories that I shared with Brittany Jepsen from The House That Lars Built in this episode. Her grandmother has a very rich Irish heritage and it was so fun to see all that Will and Miles were able to find out about her family.   Follow Brittany @houselarsbuilt...

#5: Often we hear about the good parts of our ancestors' lives: the joys, successes, and proud moments. But what about the hard? In this episode, I shared a small portion of Grayce Andersen's family tree with her that was filled with heart ache and hardships (abandoned for 3 months as a child?!), but also a lot of strength and determination. Listen to the end to hear a quick tip about ho...

Want to be a guest on the podcast? (Or win $100 instead?) - Leave a rating and review on iTunes and then comment on the giveaway post on Facebook or Instagram by May 15th for a chance to win! #4: Maggie Clapp has a cool Instagram account where she shares old home in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. So, obviously we needed to share pictures of her ancestor's homes with her along with their his...