Nature of Wellness ™️ Podcast

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. If you heard Volume 1 of this amazing episode, you'll know the 2025 Annual Wellness Summit was held in August in beautiful Austin, Texas.  Attendees heard from so many amazing speakers and industry leaders about different ways to bolster wellness in ourselves and those we serve. Mark had another opportunity to sit down and chat with many of t...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. The 2025 Annual Wellness Summit was held in August in beautiful Austin, Texas.  Attendees heard from industry leaders about strategies, latest trends, and best practices to advance health and wellness for themselves, their workplaces, and communities, and those they serve. Mark had another opportunity to gather with hundreds of wellness profession...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. American Essayist, lecturer, minister, and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Life is a journey, not a destination." It is always tough to let go of a season of this podcast. These are some of our absolute favorite times. I always find strength and comfort in the above quote. Letting go of a season only reinforces the importance of foc...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Few clichés have had as profound an impact on human development as the phrase “You are what you eat.” Our dietary choices have a significant impact on our overall health and wellness, shaping the composition and function of our bodies.  The foods we eat supply the nutrients our bodies need to maintain brain, muscle, bone, nerves, skin, blood circu...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. According to 2025 data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 billion people are living with mental health disorders.  US survey data collected in March and April 2025 indicate a substantial portion of adults experienced a mental health crisis in the past year, with many facing barriers to accessing help.  The US is experienc...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. It is hard to argue that changes to our environment are real. Regardless of political affiliation, geographical location, or level of education, it is easy to see that the planet is changing.  These changes can lead to health and wellness challenges, including mental and emotional concerns. Climate anxiety is a prevalent and growing concern, parti...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Humans and forests have always had a deeply interdependent and harmonious relationship.  Humans depend on forests for vital resources like food, building materials, and oxygen.  Forests benefit when human actions maintain the health and biodiversity of their environment.  While vital for the overall health of the planet, time in a forest has been...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Humans have always found solace, support, and shared experience in our relationship with stories. Storytelling is deeply rooted in the human experience and has always played a critical role in our social, spiritual, and evolutionary development. The earliest form of human communication, storytelling, is a building block in how we learn, remember,...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Wellness is a term that is far too often misunderstood and misrepresented.  Prioritizing our levels of wellness enhances quality of life, reduces the risk of chronic conditions, increases our levels of joy and life satisfaction, and boosts resilience. Worksite wellness refers to the overall physical, mental, and emotional health of employees withi...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. The written word has played a significant role in human growth and development.    The first written language is believed to have emerged in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) around 3200 BCE, serving as a form of record-keeping. Writing continues to be crucial for societies and individuals, as a foundational source of communicating ideas and feelings...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Music has always been an essential part of the human experience, with archaeological evidence suggesting it dates back to at least 40,000 years ago.  With health and wellness benefits such as emotional expression, stress relief, mood enhancement, increased creativity, and enhanced cognitive function, it is easy to see why humans have always felt c...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. One thing I know for sure is that humans deal with many things. Our headlines are filled with economic insecurity, technological advancements, environmental struggles, geopolitical issues, and social division.  Sometimes, life feels fast, cluttered, and noisy. We struggle to connect with our communities and crave presence and peace.  We seek resou...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Food is one of the foundational components of human existence that unites us all. Whether food is part of our social and cultural interactions, part of our recreation or hobbies,  or to simply survive… we need it to be at our best. We all eat. But do you know where your food comes from? Humans began farming independently in various world regions a...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Humans crave information, an essential component of our daily lives.  The need for quality information is at the center of our personal growth, healthcare needs, environmental conditions, and economic development.  Sharing accurate data is critical for building trust, effective decision-making, and encouraging collaboration.  Accurate information...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Since humans have gathered, nature and community health have always been intrinsically linked, with nature providing countless benefits to human well-being and community resilience.  Communities actively participating in nature conservation and restoration efforts experience environmental and social benefits.  Time spent in the natural world offer...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Nature has always had a way of showing unconditional love and support. The natural world has never withheld its abundance, welcoming us to share its many benefits.  Research has shown that time spent in nature has positive effects on our overall health and wellness throughout the many phases of our development.  In college students, time in nature...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Although we find ourselves in a time of division and struggle; there are universal human experiences that we all share.     Grief impacts everyone, regardless of geography, socio-economic status, race, gender, identity, or level of education.    Grief is a natural human response to any type of loss or significant life change.    Grief can be compl...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Few things are more critical to human existence than water. We need water to survive and can only live for a few days without it. Clean water is vital to a healthy environment, economic development, and, most importantly…human health and wellness.  Essential for basic needs such as drinking, playing a crucial role in bodily functions, and maintain...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Nature has always been a rich source of inspiration for artists and a central theme in many famous works. Interactions with the natural world have created some of our most beloved masterpieces for thousands of years. Each artist experiences nature differently, reflecting these unique experiences in their artwork. Nature-based art can be in any med...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Trees are vital to our world for many reasons. They cool the air, stabilize the soils, provide food and habitat for wildlife, and help to increase our Natural Killer (NK) Cells, which help us combat different diseases.  Trees also clean our air and act as the planet's "lungs," absorbing billions of tons of carbon dioxide annually. ...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Human beings are known for many things. Our love for sharing information in the form of stories is as old as our species itself.  The ability to tell stories is as old as the words themselves. They are hardwired into our biology. Our studies of the first humans showed evidence of sharing narratives. It is the first form of education and entertainm...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. One of the greatest measures of our quality of life is our ability to have proactive control of our health and well-being.  Sometimes we all need a bit of support along our journey to living well. Occupational Therapy is often associated with workplace health issues such as returning to work after an injury or improving worksite ergonomic systems....

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. Happy Holidays!!! The new year brings new chances to set and achieve goals, explore and prioritize aspects of our lives, and declare resolutions for lifestyle changes. The most common goals each year focus on health and well-being, with many falling under the umbrella of "getting in shape" or "losing weight." According to a Sta...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. WE ARE BACK!!!  The holiday season is a time for family, faith, food, giving, and stress. It is a wonderful time of year for experiencing a wide range of emotions. Emotions are a natural part of the human experience. These complex reactions that involve feelings, behaviors, and physiological changes impact almost every aspect of our existence.  Th...

We'd love to hear from you about this episode. One of the most common challenges I hear from both patients and providers is that the health and wellness fields "operate in silos."  When teams, departments, organizations, or individual providers work together, we can create the strongest and safest care systems.  But how do we bridge the gap? How do we "come together?" Welco...