The Mindful Journey

In this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana talks with registered nurses turned holistic healers J'Nai Danielle Zugates and Stephanie Thorpe, co-founders of The Meraki Way / Meraki Functional Reset. They unpack how chronic stress, long COVID, autoimmune symptoms and emotional overload show up as inflammation, gut issues, exhaustion and so called mystery pain that standard tests often miss. D...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Yusuf sits down with endurance athlete, veteran and business professional Shaun Bemis to unpack what it actually means to “do hard things” in real life. No hustle porn, no motivational fluff. Just pragmatic truth. From combat zones to ultramarathons on Mount Kilimanjaro to training for his first Ironman while raising a family and building a business, Sh...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey with host Sana, author and survivor Amanda J Scott breaks down what it really takes to rebuild your life after 17 years of emotional and financial abuse. This is not a feel-good highlight reel. It is a grounded conversation about exhaustion, walking on eggshells, and the moment you admit to yourself. this is abuse. Amanda explains how self-care shifts from lu...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana unpacks how thoughts drive outcomes with integrative mind-body practitioner and NLP trainer Melissa Deally. We dig into unconscious filters. why 12 million bits per second get compressed into what we actually perceive. and how Timeline Therapy can clear stored negative emotions so new behaviors stick without relying on willpower. Expect a grounded take on mind-bod...

On The Mindful Journey, Sana sits down with Sean Blackwell to challenge the conventional lens on bipolar disorder. Sean argues that some acute episodes labeled “mania” or “psychosis” can function as spiritual emergencies—experiences that, when held in a safe container, catalyze trauma release and long-term integration. We unpack his retreat model, Bipolar Breathwork (inspired by holotropic methods...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana speaks with David Hunter (founder of Global Phytoplankton) about marine phytoplankton, cellular nourishment, and what it takes to shift public skepticism. We cover the origin story—from shellfish feed to human anecdotes—plus why simple inputs can matter in a world obsessed with complicated fixes. This is a grounded look at mitochondrial-ready nutri...

On The Mindful Journey, we examine whether targeted micronutrients can support mood, focus, and resilience—without overpromising. David Stephan (Truehope Canada) details his family’s path from crisis to a nutrition-first protocol, what changed, what didn’t, and where standard care still matters. We cover the brain–gut connection, bioavailability (chelation, mineral balance), timelines for noticing...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana digs into the gut–brain axis with Lola MacLean, a Functional Gut Health Consultant and Family Nurse Practitioner. We cover the enteric nervous system, vagus nerve, stress physiology, “leaky gut,” nutrient absorption, dysbiosis (including Candida), and why basics like sleep, movement, relationships, and simple mindfulness often outperform fads. Clear, actionable st...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana and practitioner-instructor Magic Barclay break down psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (PNEI)—how thoughts and emotions trigger nervous system responses, shift hormones, and shape immunity. From childhood and relational trauma to autoimmune flares like psoriasis, we unpack stress biology in plain language and share practical regulation tools you can use today, includ...

On The Mindful Journey, host Yusuf digs into how writer-turned-strategist Rachel Allen went from landing in Hong Kong with $200 and no work visa to building a 17-year career in copywriting and marketing strategy. Rachel breaks down the real decisions behind survival and growth: treating work as experiments, meeting luck halfway with risk, and shutting down a half-working agency model to return to...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana talks with Saw Myint, a CPA-qualified finance broker from Sydney who teaches practical mental-health care inspired by Buddha’s teachings and supported by science. We cover why forgiveness is strength, how to set limits with people who exploit kindness, and a no-ritual, live-as-you-go method for stress relief. Expect direct, applicable strategies for anxiety, resen...

On The Mindful Journey, Sana talks with Dr. Will Tuttle—author of the international bestseller The World Peace Diet, Zen practitioner, educator, and musician. Dr. Tuttle traces his path from walking across America in contemplative inquiry to monastic training in Korea, and later teaching, composing, and advocating compassionate, vegan living. We explore how mindfulness becomes a way of being, not...

In this episode of The Mindful Journey Podcast , host Sana sits down with Jennifer Edwards, a certified financial planner and expert in financial therapy, to explore the emotional layers behind our financial decisions. Money isn’t just about numbers—it reflects our fears, hopes, and self-worth. Jennifer shares insights into how childhood experiences shape our financial habits and how to develop a...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey with host Sana, author and speaker Laura Bratton explains how losing her sight as a teenager pushed her to redefine control, success, and presence. We unpack Type-A habits, anxiety, and the difference between “doing mindfulness” and “being mindful.” Laura shares practical, low-friction ways to integrate mindfulness into daily routines—lunch breaks, brushing t...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana sits down with behavioral scientist and five-time author Martin Lucas, founder of Gap in the Matrix. Martin unpacks why resilience and self-belief function like buildable “muscles,” how emotional intelligence is routinely ignored in business, and what he means by deterministic AI rooted in decision science and irrational mathematics. From letting g...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana sits down with movement educator Ellen Barrett to challenge the “grind” mindset and make a case for mindful movement—training where breath, pace, and presence guide effort. From 80s aerobics to Pilates and yoga, Ellen explains why workouts that regulate the nervous system, protect mobility, and leave you with more energy are the foundation for sustainable health a...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana sits down with Yoga with Veronique (Veronique Ory) to explore mindfulness where it matters most—off the mat. From NYC hustle culture and Hurricane Sandy to living with vitiligo, Veronique shares how breath, presence, and clear language (“I’m full” vs. “I’m busy”) shift nervous-system load and restore choice. We unpack grief without numbing, the difference between...

This episode of The Mindful Journey (host: Sana) explores healing after childhood sexual trauma, addiction to pain medication, miscarriage and infertility, and the long road from shame to sovereignty. Shannon Curtis—founder of Angel Goddess Healing and author of No More Monsters Under the Bed —shares how community, trauma-informed treatment, meditation, gratitude, and a spiritual lens helped her r...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey with host Sana, psychic medium and energy healer Shari Leigh Robertsshares how spirituality became her bridge from trauma to trust. We unpack the reality of healing—grief, nervous-system repair, energy boundaries, and rebuilding intuition—without the clichés. Expect practical, grounded steps alongside spiritual practices you can actually try. If you’ve felt d...

Feeling stuck in a loop of overwork, people-pleasing, or “I’ll be fine after one more push”? In this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana sits down with Dr. Karen Parker, creator of Quantum Human Design, to cut through vague self-help and get practical. We unpack how pain (burnout, disconnection, shame) is a signal—not a verdict—and how the Hero’s Journey plus your Human Design chart can help...

Strength isn’t about grinding harder; it’s about alignment. In this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana and guest Nick Kemp—founder of Ikigai Tribe and author of “Ikigai-kan: Feel a Life Worth Living”—cut through Western clichés on “mindset” and reframe strength through Japanese wisdom. We unpack why presence beats hustle, why roles matter more than goals, how journaling builds practical sel...

In this episode of The Mindful Journey Podcast , host Sana sits down with Ruth O’Meara, founder of Leafy Green Tours, to explore how nature, adventure, and mindful living can become powerful tools for healing. Ruth shares her journey from a decade in international sales to becoming a hiking guide and surf instructor, and how stepping outdoors can bring peace, perspective, and self-discovery. From...

In this episode of The Mindful Journey , host Sana sits down with Barbara Palmer, founder of BP Life Coaching Services, LLC, to explore what it truly means to heal from the inside out. Barbara shares her personal story of health wake-up calls, the power of listening to the body, and how imagination and energy play a vital role in transformation. From the surprising lessons of lab results to using...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey with host Sana, we dive into the transformative power of food as medicine with author and martial artist DK Kang. From growing up on traditional Korean food to experimenting with nutrition during training, DK shares how food shifted from being just fuel to becoming a foundation for healing and resilience. When his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, they t...

What if the calm you cultivate in yourself could ripple out to shift families, workplaces, and even the health of our planet? In this episode of The Mindful Journey with host Sana, guest Clara Schroeder explores how mindfulness practices rooted in nature can create both personal and collective resilience. Drawing from her lived experience as a meditator, eco-therapist, and author of Re-Nature , Cl...