Biophilic Solutions: Nature Has the Answers

Serenbe Media Network
  • 4.9 (74)
  • Nature
  • Updated Biweekly

Have you ever noticed how DNA’s spiraling structure mirrors the shape of seashells and flowers? How our circulatory system branches like tree roots? Nature doesn’t just surround us—we are nature. Our bodies, minds, and societies are woven into its rhythms, yet in today’s modern world, we’ve severed that bond, and the consequences ripple through our environment, politics, culture, and even spirituality. Every other week,  host Monica Olsen sits down with leading experts to explore the profound connections between planetary health and human well-being. Through these conversations, they uncover how nature influences everything—from the way we design our cities to the way we govern, heal, and find meaning in our lives. As we face climate change, biodiversity loss, and deep societal shifts, rediscovering our place in the natural world isn’t just necessary—it’s transformative. Join us on this biophilic journey. Follow and listen today, because nature holds the answers.

  1. 1d ago

    Designing Places That Help Us Thrive with Oliver Heath & Vanessa Champion

    Research suggests we spend close to 90% of our lives indoors. While we all need more time outside, there's another part of the solution: designing the places where we live and work to better support our health and wellbeing. In this episode, Monica Olsen sits down with two of the UK's leading voices in biophilic design: Oliver Heath, an expert in regenerative and wellbeing-led design for the built environment, and Dr. Vanessa Champion, founder of the Journal of Biophilic Design and host of the podcast of the same name. Together, they explore how thoughtfully designed spaces can improve our physical and mental wellbeing, the formative project that first inspired Oliver to connect nature with health, why diverse minds need diverse spaces, the exciting innovations emerging in fields like biomimicry, and the growing body of evidence demonstrating the value of biophilic design. Whether you're an architect, designer, developer, or simply curious about creating healthier places, this conversation offers an inspiring look at how nature can transform the built environment—and the people who inhabit it. Show Notes Oliver Heath DesignJournal of Biophilic DesignJournal of Biophilic Design PodcastOliver Heath Design: Case StudiesDesign a Healthy Home: 100 Ways To Transform Your Space For Physical and Mental Wellbeing by Oliver Heath Biophilic design, regenerative design, nature-inspired design, wellbeing, healthy buildings, healthy spaces, built environment, sustainable design, architecture, interior design, biomimicry, biophilia, wellness design, environmental psychology, human-centered design, natural materials, natural light, biodiversity, placemaking, Oliver Heath, Vanessa Champion, Journal of Biophilic Design, design innovation, resilient communities, wellbeing-led design, people and planet Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.   #NatureHasTheAnswers

    Designing Places That Help Us Thrive with Oliver Heath & Vanessa Champion

  2. Jul 14

    Nature Has The Answers: Solutions That Changed Everything

    After five seasons of Biophilic Solutions, which ideas have stood the test of time? In this special compilation episode, Monica Olsen revisits some of the most impactful conversations from the podcast to uncover the common thread connecting the most powerful solutions to today's biggest challenges. From climate scientist Tim Lenton's hopeful vision of positive tipping points to Helena Norberg-Hodge's call for localization, economist Edward B. Barbier's rethinking of nature's economic value, ecologist Douglas Tallamy's practical approach to restoring biodiversity, urban planner Jeff Speck's vision for walkable communities, environmental justice leader Jacqueline Patterson's unexpected perspective on systems change, and Tracey Osborne's insights on Indigenous stewardship, each conversation offers a different piece of a larger puzzle. Together, they reveal that the most transformative solutions rarely solve just one problem. Like healthy ecosystems, they create ripple effects—strengthening communities, restoring nature, improving health, and building resilience all at once. Show Notes: Tim Lenton on Positive Tipping PointsHelena Norberg-Hodge on the Power of LocalizationEdward B. Barbier on Shifting to a Green EconomyDoug Tallamy on Keystone Species and Ecosystem RestorationJeff Speck on Walkable CitiesJacqueline Patterson on the Impact of  Environmental InjusticeTracey Osborne on Indigenous Leadership and Climate Justice Dive deeper by visiting Biophilic Solutions on Bookshop  Biophilia, biophilic design, nature-based solutions, positive tipping points, sustainability, climate resilience, biodiversity, conservation, regenerative communities, localization, natural capital, environmental economics, walkability, urban planning, placemaking, Indigenous stewardship, systems change, environmental justice, community resilience, ecological restoration, wellness, nature connection, climate solutions, resilience, regenerative living Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.   #NatureHasTheAnswers

    Nature Has The Answers: Solutions That Changed Everything

  3. Jun 30

    Ancestral Habits: Learning From Our Deep History

    What can our evolutionary past teach us about living healthier, more connected lives today? In this episode, Monica sits down with Andie Edwards, creator of the popular Instagram account Ancestral Habits, to explore how hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution continue to shape our bodies, minds, and relationship with the natural world. Together, they discuss evolutionary mismatch, our biological need for nature, the importance of honoring natural rhythms, and what it means to apply ancestral wisdom in a modern world. They also explore the responsibility of communicating science on social media and Andie's perspective on artificial intelligence. It's a fascinating conversation about using our deep history not to return to the past, but to build a healthier, more aligned future. Show Notes Ancestral Habits WebsiteAncestral Habits on Instagram Ancestral Habits on Substack Ancestral Habits at Home (PDF)biophilia, nature connection, human evolution, ancestral health, ancestral habits, anthropology, evolutionary mismatch, evolutionary biology, human behavior, natural rhythms, circadian rhythms, modern life, well-being, mental health, physical health, environmental psychology, science communication, social media, artificial intelligence, AI, biology, evolutionary medicine, ecology, resilience, holistic health, outdoor living, health and wellness, connection, sustainability Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.   #NatureHasTheAnswers

    Ancestral Habits: Learning From Our Deep History

  4. Jun 16

    Where Place Meets Spirit: A Conversation with Phill Tabb

    How do the places we inhabit shape our sense of meaning, connection, and well-being? In this episode, Monica sits down with architect, author, and placemaker Dr. Phill Tabb for a wide-ranging conversation on the relationship between place, spirituality, and human flourishing. Together, they explore how thoughtful design, biophilia, ritual, awe, and sensory experience can help create environments that support deeper connections to ourselves, to one another, and to the natural world. The conversation also examines the role of mythology, storytelling, and creative practices in shaping our experience of place. From the symbolism embedded in communities and cities to the power of observation, sketching, and reflection, Phill shares insights drawn from decades of research and practice. Whether you're interested in design, wellness, spirituality, or the human need for belonging, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of how place influences the way we live, feel, and connect. Show Notes Wellness Architecture and Urban DesignSpiritual Wellness and the Built EnvironmentPlacemaking Through Myths, Experience and DrawingThin Places, Sacred Architecture, and Biophilic Patterns with Dr. Phill TabbPlace Drawing as a Sacred Practice by Phillip TabbAs Serenbe exhibition will show, architect Phill Tabb’s art always starts with nature (ARTS ATL)Biophilia, placemaking, spiritual wellness, thin places, architecture, wellness design, nature connection, awe, ritual, human flourishing, sense of place, mythology, storytelling, community design, biophilic design, creativity, drawing, journaling, mindfulness, well-being, environmental psychology, sacred spaces, intentional living, place attachment, connection to nature, personal growth, reflective practice, healthy communities, design for wellness, meaning and purpose Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.   #NatureHasTheAnswers

    Where Place Meets Spirit: A Conversation with Phill Tabb

  5. Jun 2

    Earth’s Generous Alchemy with Lindsay Branham & Florence Williams

    In this episode, we explore a question that feels more urgent than ever: what if healing ourselves and healing the planet are deeply interconnected? Monica is joined by author Lindsay Branham, whose book Heartwood: The Wisdom and Healing Kinship of Trees chronicles her personal journey through chronic illness and toward a deeper relationship with the natural world. Guest co-host Florence Williams, bestselling author of The Nature Fix, also brings her expertise on nature, health, and well-being to this wide-ranging conversation. Together, they explore the story behind Heartwood and the experiences that led Lindsay from a career as a war journalist and Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker to an exploration of ecology, spirituality, and embodied healing. The conversation delves into interoception – sometimes called our “eighth sense” – and how tuning into the body’s internal signals may help us reconnect with ourselves and the living world around us. From chronic illness and nervous system regulation to reciprocal healing, belonging, and even erotic ecology, this episode examines why so many of us are searching for deeper connection in an increasingly disconnected world and what nature may have to teach us about finding it. If you’re interested in the intersection of science, spirituality, and healing, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Show Notes Heartwood: The Healing Wisdom & Kinship of Trees by Lindsay BranhamHeartwood InstituteLindsay Branham on SubstackFlorence Williams The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams Key Words: biophilia, biophilic design, nature connection, healing, planetary health, human health, ecology, spirituality, interoception, nervous system regulation, forest healing, nature therapy, forest bathing, ecological connection, mindfulness, embodiment, emotional well-being, Florence Williams, Lindsay Branham, Heartwood, The Nature Fix, Biophilic Solutions, sustainability, conservation, healing through nature, wild places, environmental psychology, holistic health, connection, natural world, regenerative living, personal transformation, neuroscience, nature and well-being, eco-spirituality, environmental stewardship, intentional living Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.   #NatureHasTheAnswers

    Earth’s Generous Alchemy with Lindsay Branham & Florence Williams

  6. May 19

    Building Bridges for the Wild with Beth Pratt & Tim Beatley

    On this episode of Biophilic Solutions, Monica Olsen is joined by wildlife conservationist and author Beth Pratt alongside special guest co-host Tim Beatley for a conversation about urban wildlife, national parks, and the future of conservation in our cities. As California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation, Beth shares the story behind the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Los Angeles, the cultural impact of mountain lion P-22, and how storytelling can inspire people to reconnect with the natural world. The conversation also explores Beth’s work as the author of Yosemite Wildlife and When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors, as well as Tim’s vision for creating biophilic cities that make room for both people and biodiversity. Together, they discuss wildlife crossings, urban ecology, public lands, and why fostering connection with nature may be one of the most important challenges (and opportunities) of our time. Show Notes Yosemite WildlifeWhen Mountain Lions Are NeighborsThe Wallis Annenberg Wildlife CrossingBiophilic CitiesBeth Pratt WebsiteKey Words: biophilic design, biophilic cities, urban wildlife, wildlife conservation, Beth Pratt, Tim Beatley, P-22, mountain lions, wildlife crossings, Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, urban ecology, biodiversity, conservation, Yosemite National Park, national parks, nature connection, ecological design, habitat connectivity, coexistence, rewilding cities, biodiversity corridors, conservation storytelling, environmentalism, public lands, sustainable cities, climate resilience, nature and cities, human-nature connection, wildlife advocacy, environmental podcast Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.   #NatureHasTheAnswers

    Building Bridges for the Wild with Beth Pratt & Tim Beatley

  7. May 5

    History, Memory, and the Fight for Environmental Justice with The Corridor's Jaha Nailah Avery

    Cancer Alley, an 85-mile stretch along the Mississippi River in Louisiana, has become shorthand for one of the most urgent environmental justice crises in the United States. Lined with more than a hundred petrochemical plants, it’s often talked about in terms of statistics and headlines. But in the new podcast The Corridor, those abstractions start to fall away, revealing something much more human: the lived experiences, histories, and deep-rooted connections of the communities who call this region home. In this episode of Biophilic Solutions, we’re joined by Jaha Nailah Avery, a journalist and storyteller from Asheville, North Carolina. Trained in constitutional and civil rights law at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she moved from the tech world to journalism, with work featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Architectural Digest. Her work centers on documenting and preserving Black history, from interviewing Jim Crow survivors in her book Those Who Saw the Sun to her latest project producing and hosting The Corridor. In our conversation, she shares how a single article about Cancer Alley sparked a bigger question – how did we get here? – and set her on a path to trace the connections between slavery, land use, and modern-day environmental harm. We talk about the legacy of plantation country and the role that oral storytelling plays in preserving history and preventing its erasure.  What emerges is a far more nuanced picture that holds both injustice and resilience, hardship and community. It’s a conversation about why listening matters, and what becomes possible when we truly hear the stories that shape a place. Show Notes The CorridorI Heard by Jaha Nailah AveryThose Who Saw The Sun by Jaha Nailah Avery and Steffi WalthallJaha Nailah Avery on Instagram Louisiana’s Cancer Alley (Human Rights Watch) Cancer Alley, environmental justice, biophilic design, place-based storytelling, landscape and memory, oral history, Black history preservation, petrochemical industry, Mississippi River corridor, Louisiana communities, land use and legacy, industrial pollution, community resilience, environmental health, storytelling and justice, historical memory, plantation history, civil rights, environmental storytelling, human-centered narratives, cultural preservation, climate and community, listening and empathy, social impact, public health and environment Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.   #NatureHasTheAnswers

    History, Memory, and the Fight for Environmental Justice with The Corridor's Jaha Nailah Avery

  8. Apr 21

    Charting Our Path Forward with Dr. Katharine Wilkinson

    Climate change can feel overwhelming, especially for those already deeply attuned to the natural world. Alongside that awareness often comes anxiety, grief, and a lingering question: how do we move from overwhelm to action? In this episode, we’re joined by climate leader and author Dr. Katharine Wilkinson to explore her fantastic new book Climate Wayfinding. In it, Katharine offers a hopeful framework for navigating climate emotions and finding a sense of purpose. Co-host Steve Nygren brings his perspective as the founder of Serenbe and longtime advocate for biophilic living. Together, we discuss turning concern into agency, the importance of art and beauty, and how we can begin charting a more hopeful path forward one step at a time. Show Notes Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call HomeClimate Wayfinding WebsiteAll We Can Save: Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate CrisisDrawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common SenseSteve Nygren on SubstackSerenbe climate change, climate crisis, climate anxiety, eco-anxiety, hope, resilience, agency, action, climate action, sustainability, biophilia, nature connection, community, regenerative living, emotional resilience, environmental stewardship, storytelling, climate leadership, intergenerational collaboration, purpose, optimism, healing, mindfulness, environmental awareness, adaptation Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.   #NatureHasTheAnswers

    Charting Our Path Forward with Dr. Katharine Wilkinson
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Have you ever noticed how DNA’s spiraling structure mirrors the shape of seashells and flowers? How our circulatory system branches like tree roots? Nature doesn’t just surround us—we are nature. Our bodies, minds, and societies are woven into its rhythms, yet in today’s modern world, we’ve severed that bond, and the consequences ripple through our environment, politics, culture, and even spirituality. Every other week,  host Monica Olsen sits down with leading experts to explore the profound connections between planetary health and human well-being. Through these conversations, they uncover how nature influences everything—from the way we design our cities to the way we govern, heal, and find meaning in our lives. As we face climate change, biodiversity loss, and deep societal shifts, rediscovering our place in the natural world isn’t just necessary—it’s transformative. Join us on this biophilic journey. Follow and listen today, because nature holds the answers.

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