The Calming Ground Podcast

Have you ever struggled with tuning into the wisdom of your own inner voice? In this episode, psychotherapist Allison Bruce talks about the importance of listening to the wisdom of our bodies. Allison talks about the “demand culture” that we live in that is focused more on achieving and producing rather than the quality of our “be-ing”. She talks about the importance of staying with the process of...

Have you ever wanted to speak up, but never ended up finding the right words or the confidence to do it? Joan Stenzler is a motivational speaker, communication specialist, holistic psychotherapist, and women’s empowerment coach. In this episode, Joan shares her own background and insight into when to use our voices to speak our truths, and the power of the words we choose. Key Takeaways: Prior to...

Have you ever felt the brain fog and emotional rollercoaster of sleep deprivation?  In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun explores the fascinating subject of sleep with Dr. Catherine Darley. Dr. Darley is an internationally recognized expert in the use of natural behavior and lifestyle medicine for the treatment of sleep disorders. She provides interesting information about sleep, as well as acti...

In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun explores the science behind self-messaging and affirmation. She talks about the physiological and psychological benefits. Elizabeth also interviews Leslie Wood, who was a teacher for 4 years, a school counselor for 15 years, and currently also works in a part-time private practice setting. Leslie is an online course realtor and coach helping teachers level up thei...

In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun interviews Harvey Laguerre, a stay-at-home dad and Men’s Life and Success Coach. Harvey discusses the importance of men’s vulnerability and creating safe spaces for men to express their inner thoughts and feelings and to be supported by other men. Key Takeaways: Men are suffering from the lack of permission in our society to express their vulnerability and have sa...

In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun dives into exploring the power of our inner voice (and the inner critic that often accompanies it). Elizabeth talks about the ways our inner voice can impact the way we see and experience ourselves, make our choices, and evaluate our life. Elizabeth offers a five-step exercise to help you offer yourself compassion, understanding, a refreshing and new way to approa...

Shari Lillico is a best-selling author, speaker, coach, and intuitive healer. In this interview, Shari talks about her journey from feeling completely lost as an empty-nester to feeling confident and filled with joy and purpose. Specifically, in this conversation Shari shares the powerful and life-changing impact committing to noticing and connecting with 3 statements of gratitude and self-love af...

Have you ever wished you could calm yourself down when you feel guilt come over you, but just can’t quite figure out how? In this episode, Elizabeth offers two simple steps to begin to ease feelings of guilt when they arise. Elizabeth also explores the ways guilt can present itself and typically the reasons that feelings of guilt appear in the first place. Lastly, she suggests the possibility that...

Dr. Fred Moss is a psychiatrist, mental health advocate, keynote speaker, expert witness, author, and mental health coach. In this conversation, he normalized mental discomfort, strong emotions, and feelings of imbalance as a part of being human and emphasizes the importance of human connection as a way of navigating and regaining balance. Dr. Fred talks about the damage that shutting people off d...

Have you or anyone you know experienced a coercive relationship? Jennifer Parker, therapist and author of the book Coercive Relationships: Find the Answers you Seek , shared her knowledge and insight with The Calming Ground Podcast. In this episode, Jennifer offers a deeper understanding of coercive control and the importance and power of recognizing, acknowledging, and naming this relationship dy...

Do you ever find yourself longing to feel more freedom and acceptance in your life? Behavioral health coach and owner of Alchemy Coaching, as well as the host of the Pragmatic Alchemy podcast, Courtney Edwards came on the show to talk about finding greater internal balance and freedom. Courtney blends her background in psychology and counseling with the practical framework of coaching to help folk...

Have you ever felt pressure to “fit in” in a yoga or pilates class? Ivory Howard shares the importance of inclusivity and welcoming diversity in physical fitness. Ivory Howard is a certified yoga and pilates instructor with a Master of Public Health and an advanced training in plant-based nutrition. Ivory understands that everyone's relationship with health and wellness is different, and she seeks...

Have you ever felt afraid of letting go of the “shoulds” of perfectionism? Donna O’Shea shares that perfectionism has played a huge role in her life. She discusses how she was raised to be a “good girl” and it has been a tremendous process in her adult life to unravel the perfectionism and the fear of not being perfect. Donna talks about self-criticism and self-sabotage that has been present in he...

Have you ever felt that you wanted to hide your imperfections? In this episode, Anne Vainio, Alopecia Empowerment & Life Purpose Coach tells of her courageous path from burn-out and debilitating shame from being diagnosed with alopecia and permanently losing all of her hair, to courageously sharing her imperfections with the world, and finding a connection to life and others she thought was no...

Have you ever wondered if you’re a perfectionist? In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun, psychotherapist and mindfulness coach, explores perfectionism as a spectrum and notices how many of us might find ourselves resonating with that spectrum. In this episode, Elizabeth explores self-compassion as an antidote to perfectionism. And the ways in which meeting our perfectionism with vulnerability can actu...

Have you ever struggled with never quite feeling good enough? In this episode, Tina Kocol, author of The Perfectionism Journal: Guided Prompts and Mindfulness Practices to Reduce Anxiety and Find Calm and psychotherapist and founder of Philly EMDR and Green Circle Collective, engaged in a conversation about perfectionism. In this conversation, Tina highlights both the strengths and the struggles i...

This episode focuses on the many benefits of forest bathing on physical and mental health. In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun interviews several people who have participated in forest bathing experiences: Margy Davis-Mintun, Garth Mintun, and Marc Joslyn. Elizabeth also interviews her husband Scott, who has guided several forest bathing walks with her. This episode focuses on the value of forest ba...

Are you someone who struggles with burnout and can’t quite get that work-life balance you so long for? Health and life coach Jessica Seddon specializes in empowering her clients to make changes to improve their lifestyles to regain their energy and help them feel more fully alive. In this conversation, Jessica talked about her journey from burnout to balance and how she found and deepened her conn...

Have you ever wondered what the ancient Chinese practice of Qigong is really all about? In this podcast episode, Elizabeth Mintun, a psychotherapist and mindfulness coach, reflects on her journey from a life of stress to one of peace and vitality through her encounter with the ancient Chinese practice of Qigong. Elizabeth explains that the word “Qi” in Chinese means “energy” or “aliveness” and “Go...

Have you ever tried acupuncture or wondered how it works? Acupuncturist Tessa Olson explains how acupuncture enhances vitality. Tessa has a Masters degree in Oriental Medicine specializing in acupuncture and Chinese herbs and is a practicing acupuncturist in Columbus, Ohio at Renewal Acupuncture. In this conversation, Tessa talks about her childhood filled with illness and her encounter with acupu...

Have you ever wondered how to bring greater vitality into your life? What if rituals offer a sacred space to pause and invite greater energy into your daily life? Jean Sutton is a retired counselor and minister. Jean used the power of ritual both in the Presbyterian Church as a minister and then in counseling to offer greater dimension, depth, and acknowledgement for her clients’ healing in their...

In this podcast episode, Elizabeth Mintun, a psychotherapist and mindfulness coach, discusses the natural human need to feel “in control”. Elizabeth shares her personal struggle with her relationship with control and the anxiety that created for her. She addresses the natural human instinct to look for ways to find security, stability, and to manage fear; the illusion of control offers the idea th...

We have all heard of overwhelm, but what actually is it and what can we do about it? In this podcast episode, Elizabeth Mintun, a psychotherapist and mindfulness coach, defines and explains overwhelm. She identifies several categories of overwhelm: mental, physical, sensory, time, responsibility, and emotional. Elizabeth talks about the continuum of overwhelm: from circumstantial and occasional to...

Have you ever wondered how to find peace and joy in the midst of life's chaos? What if the key to unlocking these feelings lies within you? Cari Beyerstedt will help us take the first steps to answering these questions. Cari is a Registered Nurse since 2004, transitioned from a 17-year career in Ob/Gyn to focus on holistic integrative healing practices. Following her personal journey through postp...

Have you ever wondered what self-care truly means beyond the buzzwords? In this podcast episode, Elizabeth Mintun, a psychotherapistand mindfulness coach, analyzes the essence of self-care. She explores the notion that self-care extends far beyond spa treatments and vacations, emphasizing the significance of daily, sustainable practices. Elizabeth discusses the power of our thoughts and how our br...