Live Well. Be Wise

Kari Lyons Price
  • 5.0 (5)
  • MENTAL HEALTH

Deepening the well-being conversation---the podcast that finds the Gold in your stories of hardship and the connection to Wise action and lived Wellness! Hosted by Kari Lyons-Price & Dorrinda Carlson. Our Mission:Sharing stories that reconnect the divide within us and between us through the shared human experience. Sparking connection, inspiration and possibility that helps our community be a place where we can connect, learn and grow—together! Here's how it all began... "Hey Dorrinda, let's do lunch." "Ok, any special occasion?" "Nope, just wanna connect and feast in your presence." (oh and I also have an idea for a podcast?!) The brainstorm began and even though we both work in the mental health & wellness field, we quickly ruled out a Wellness podcast because of how overdone they already are. We felt they primarily skim the surface with a repeat loop of ''expert" advice, gimmicks and trends. We wanted to go deeper--much deeper.   What's the real story I wondered, "how do some people manage to be well amidst all kinds of hardship and others with every resource known to humankind, can't even catch the tail of what it means to be well." What is that thing within us that motivates us to be well--to find our wellness?  We're not talking about a health goal or a number, a state that is achieved.  We're talking about wellness as a state of mind; contentedness, balance, or an optimal state of being.  And then the VISION fully landed... At Live Well. Be Wise, we are on a mission to engage with people beneath the "doing" and the products, to find out how wellness is a living, breathing, personal thing that gets shaped through life itself!  Told directly to you by the individuals who have lived it. No experts, no products, and no judgment. Raw, powerful, real life stories told by everyday people about how they met the challenges and hardships of life and came out the other side.   At Live Well. Be Wise we answer the questions: how do we learn and grow through the storms of life? what is the wisdom process? how do we cultivate it on purpose?And...how does our wisdom process inform our wellness? Live Well. Be Wise is based in North Central Washington State and is explicitly a community-based podcast.  This is a place to hear the stories of your neighbors. To celebrate diversity in all ways and to bridge the divide between us; culturally, economically, politically and personally.  Through the shared human experience called, "story" we hope to connect each of us to one another. To recognize parts of ourselves in our neighbors story. And to allow this shared humanity to be an anchor for building connection, community and goodness, one day at a time. Reach out, share your story, be inspired to cultivate your own wisdom path through hard things. We are 100% in this together! Kari & Dorrinda  

  1. "It's Never Too Late"

    APR 28

    "It's Never Too Late"

    Send us Fan Mail Meet Naomie Peasley. She is a Survivor. A Teacher. And a beacon for Hope. She shows us how it’s possible to move from victimhood to accountability one day at a time.  In today’s episode we sit down with Naomie Peasley, a Colville Tribal member from the Okanogan Valley. She shares about her life growing up on the reservation, surviving abuse, poverty, generational trauma, and her own alcoholism. With a non-Native mom and a Tribal member father she tells what it was like to straddle both worlds. We talk about the unique struggles of a people who carry so much pain and trauma, knowing how and when to honor that pain and when to move forward with empowered choices to heal and prosper in healthy communities.  Her super power is eliminating excuses for people who need help but can’t quite seem to see, or walk the path, she now walks. Listeners this conversation is REAL. We talk about the colonization of the Native American people in our region. We talk about the abuse that happened in local boarding schools. We talk about the horrifying statistics of abuse, alcoholism and suicide for Tribal members.  Yes this may land hard, and maybe that's ok. Maybe we can offer our open hearts and minds to listen to the stories of our Native neighbors, like Naomie. To honor the people who's land we live on, who still live here, whose stories are ready to be heard. In the midst of this painful reality, trust me when I say, Naomie's story is one of hope. She is a passionate helper in our regional communities and her story will remind you of what potential lies in us all. You won’t want to miss her message —today. Bio: Naomie Peasley is a proud member of the Colville Confederated Tribes, and a member of the Sinixt Nation. Born and raised in Omak, Washington, she carries deep roots in her community and a lifelong commitment to giving back. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Lewis-Clark State College, Naomie returned home to serve the place that shaped her. Her professional journey has included roles such as managing the Okanogan County Fairgrounds and helping with fire recovery efforts there, as well as working for the Intertribal Agriculture Council to help Tribal producers navigate USDA programs.  Today, she serves as the Tribal Engagement Manager with Thriving Together NCW, where she works alongside the Tribe and partners to support efforts that support healthy communities. She also wears the volunteer hat for many different groups. Naomie stays actively involved in her community by coaching youth, referring basketball, volunteering on local boards, supporting youth events, and organizing gatherings that create connection, opportunity, and a sense of belonging. While her career and community involvement reflect her deep commitment to service, Naomie considers motherhood her most important role. She is a proud mom to two teenage daughters who attend Brewster High School and keep her busy year-round with sports and activities. Outside of work, their family cares for a 20-acre farm where they raise hay, horses, pigs, and lambs—staying grounded in the land and the values it represents. Naomie’s journey has not been without challenges. Having faced and overcome significant hardships, she now uses her experiences to uplift others. She is deeply committed to showing her children—and her community—that resilience, growth, and hope are always possible. Resources: 1. St. Mary's Mission: A news report on the Omak Catholic Indian Boarding School 2. Only 7 Seconds: Local non-profit addressing youth loneliness by encouraging and empowering individuals & partners to connect with others who matter in their lives.

    55 min

  2. APR 3

    Celebrating Year One--A Wisdom Round Up & Reflection!

    Send us Fan Mail Today Dorrinda and I sit down to give our thanks to each other, our listeners, and this community of incredible storytellers! To celebrate the first year of Live Well Be Wise. We reflect back on the year, and share what we're learning through hearing and sharing people's stories of healing through hardship. Additionally what we feel the wisdom process is shaping up to be. Of course we are not social scientists, we are curious humans who are having a conversation about what is bubbling up inside of us. (ps. don't hold us to anything we've said, we are not giving advice of any kind) We do a really fun "mash-up" of wisdom at the end of the episode, with a small nugget of wisdom from each of our Season-1'ers! Huge shout out to Chandra Villano, Ana Gonzalez, Scott Kreiter, Linda Congdon, Juan Pablo Suarez, Kelly Condefer, Blake Suzelis, Jaime Donegan, Briseldy Hernandez-Ramos, Zo Jaspers, Kim Fowler and Jamie Johnson. Please listener, let us know what you think, we want to hear how these stories are sparking something inside of you? If so, reach out, we'd love to hear from you! With gratitude, Kari & Dorrinda kari@meditatewenatchee.com

    35 min
  3. "What if Burnout Isn't Your Fault?"

    FEB 26

    "What if Burnout Isn't Your Fault?"

    Send us Fan Mail We sat down today with Jamie Johnson, a new friend and neighbor in the Upper Valley. She shared with us about how she came to leave the vocation that she loved, teaching. Suffering from overwhelm and demoralization, Jamie says she was no longer willing to be the face of success in an education system that was failing to give it’s students what they needed. We talk about how systems set us up to fail. How burnout isn’t as much of a personal cause as a systemic one. What is the cost of staying in a system and culture that doesn’t align with your values or allow for you to care for your most basic needs like taking a bathroom break? Hence the title of her book, “Teach and Still have Time to Pee.” We unpack the deeper threads of overwhelm, motivation and getting comfortable with allowing struggle, for ourselves and those we love and support.  Her business, is called, Kickass Teacher and she has been involved with education in various ways for over 25 years.  Bio in English:  Jamie Johnson is an overwhelm support coach and former bilingual elementary school teacher who spent years working in one of the highest-pressure school districts in the country. After experiencing demoralization inside a system that conflicted with her values, she joined the Peace Corps and discovered that educator overwhelm is a systemic issue, not a personal failure. Jamie has since founded Kickass Teacher, written Teach and Still Have Time to Pee, and directed museum education programs. Today, she helps high-capacity professionals untangle burnout, reclaim agency, and align work with integrity. She believes overwhelm is a signal of misalignment—and that when we get curious instead of critical, we can focus on what truly matters, creating a life rooted in freedom and balance. In Spanish:  Jamie Johnson es coach en manejo del agotamiento y fue maestra bilingüe de primaria durante varios años en uno de los distritos escolares de mayor presión en Estados Unidos. Tras enfrentar la desmoralización dentro de un sistema que no estaba alineado con sus valores, se unió al Peace Corps, donde descubrió que el desgaste profesional en la educación es un problema sistémico, no un fracaso personal. A lo largo de los años, fundó Kickass Teacher, escribió Teach and Still Have Time to Pee y dirigió programas educativos en un museo. Hoy acompaña a profesionales comprometidos y de alto desempeño a desenredar el burnout, recuperar su agencia y alinear su trabajo con su integridad. Cree que el agotamiento es una señal de desalineación y que, cuando elegimos la curiosidad en lugar de la autocrítica, podemos enfocarnos en lo que realmente importa y construir una vida con mayor libertad y equilibrio. Resources: 1. Jamie's Coaching Website: Coaching to overcome Overwork & Overwhelm 2. Kickass Teacher- her business 3. Teach and Still Have Time to Pee her book! 4. NCW Healing Arts -the new Collective where we met Jamie! Books she recommends: A) "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" B) "Demoralized: Why Teachers Leave the Profession They Love and How they Can Stay"

    48 min
  4. "Rise Up-- A Cancer Warriors Journey"

    JAN 29

    "Rise Up-- A Cancer Warriors Journey"

    Send us Fan Mail Welcome back friends for Season 2!  Dorrinda and I are profoundly grateful for your support (listening & sharing) and are thrilled to be back with a full year worth of episodes that aim to inspire hope, connect us across the divide, and foster learning & growth for ourselves and our communities. Today we kick off Season 2 with an incredible story as told by community member, Kim Fowler. She is a cancer warrior and now a survivor, in full remission from stage-3 metastatic breast cancer. Her journey is not just about the fight against cancer, but what was required to heal her life in multiple layers. Kim shares her fiercely won wisdom on the importance of community, what it means to be your own best advocate, when to ask questions and when to rest. She hides nothing and shares her heart in such a way that will warm your heart and give you hope if you too are living with cancer.  A fierce advocate, a compassionate ally and the “wig lady” at Cancer Support Community Central Washington, (formerly The Wellness Place of Wenatchee).  She is ready to be of service to those who now stand where she once stood.   Kim is an inspiration to us all and her “shine,” as she calls it, is truly the product of her life, cancer and all. She even says how grateful she is to have had cancer, "it's like the weirdest thing, but it changed my life inside out." She closes with saying how cancer has been a mind-altering, soul-altering journey. It helped her find a more meaningful way of living and being in relationship with her body-mind and heart.  Bio: Kim is 64 years-old and married to Mr. Wonderful, Kurt Fowler, her 2nd hubby, of 32 years. Her marriage is his, mine and ours on kids. Three kids from her first marriage, twins from his first and a boy and girl together. All together 5 girls, 2 boys and 13 grandchildren. Kim retired from JCPenneys Salon 4 1/2 years ago, where she was the salon manager. She was in the beauty business around 40 years. She loves to read, do yoga, listen to music and play with her grand-babies. Being in nature is always good medicine for Kim. She loves meeting new people, making friends and connecting with like minded people. Life is beautiful! Local Cancer Care Resources Recommended by Kim: 1. Cancer Support Community Central Washington (formerly The Wellness Place) 2. EASE - Exercise & Survivorship Education

    50 min
  5. "Cultivando Mis Raíces" "Cultivating My Roots"

    12/30/2025

    "Cultivando Mis Raíces" "Cultivating My Roots"

    Send us Fan Mail In episode-11 Briseldy Hernandez - Ramos tells us how growing up Latina in a white world had her constantly wondering what it meant to belong.  Facing the challenges of growing up in a migrant farm-working family, moving from school to school, in environments of racial bias and prejudice, she struggled to see herself in the spaces she found herself in. After years using heavy cosmetics to lighten her dark skin she says, “I had to learn what it was to really be me.”  She began writing in middle school, finding an outlet to express her raw feelings and experiences. It was here she could finally give words to what it was like to walk in her "worn out shoes."  Then she spent 3-years doing community organizing work, with Rural People's Voice. This, she says, helped her fully find her voice and uncover those parts of herself that had previously been hidden. She highlights how she learned to meet conflict with skills of active, intentional listening and personal vulnerability.  Briseldy shares her first published poem, "Minecraft Audios & I" and how she  brought together Minecraft audios and the insidious fear for Latino families in current times. Be inspired by this young woman. She models with grace and vulnerability, how we can all choose to grow through hardship on purpose. She plans to fight for social, racial and economic justice. Bio: Briseldy Herandez-Ramos is a 20-year-old senior at the University of Washington majoring in Law, Economics & Public Policy with a minor in Creative Writing. Briseldy is involved in over six cohorts, multiple political leadership councils, and holds a variety of leadership roles that push for racial, social and economic justice. This includes being a council member for Sage Leader’s Political Leadership Council, a social services intern at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, an Organizer at Rural People’s Voice, a field manager at Environment Washington, an active member for Washington State’s Public Health Association, being awarded the Seattle Poetry Fellowship and selected for the Washington Youth Arts Leadership program and finally, a published author. Briseldy has made a profound impact on the lives of many. Specifically, with in-depth canvassing experience at Rural People’s Voice, she helped stop the repeal of I-2109 and I-2117 (Capital Gains Tax and the Climate Commitment Act) that provided immense support for working families, students, and children. Focusing on creative nonfiction, she writes about immigrant injustices stemming from her own. Briseldy is deeply inspired by her brother, Kevin, who, alongside her, continues paving the way for those who once stood in fear. Resources: 1. Briseldy's poem "Minecraft Audios & I"  2. Rural People's Voice En el episodio 11, Briseldy Hernandez-Ramos nos cuenta cómo crecer como latina en un mundo blanco la llevó a preguntarse constantemente qué significaba pertenecer. Al enfrentarse a los desafíos de crecer en una familia de trabajadores agrícolas migrantes, cambiando de escuela, a menudo en entornos de prejuicios y prejuicios raciales, le costó reconocerse en los espacios en los que se encontraba. Tras años usando maquillaje intenso para aclarar su piel oscura, dice: "Tuve que aprender a ser realmente yo misma." Comenzó a escribir en la secundaria, encontrando una vía de escape para expresar sus sentimientos y experiencias más crudas. Fue allí donde finalmente pudo expresar con palabras lo que era caminar con sus "zapatos desgastados." Luego, pasó tres años trabajando en la organización comunitaria con Rural People's Voice. Esto, dice, la ayudó a encontrar su voz y a descubrir esas

    46 min
  6. "We Will Know a Tree by its Fruits"

    11/30/2025

    "We Will Know a Tree by its Fruits"

    Send us Fan Mail In episode 10, we sit down with community member Zoe Jaspers to talk about the very real intersection in his life between Christian faith and being transgender (someone whose gender is different than the gender they were assumed to be at birth).  Just as a trans-Atlantic journey crosses the Atlantic Ocean, the trans-gender journey crosses gender (from that assigned at birth). How can we navigate understanding in these waters with grace and curiosity instead of judgment and fear? With incredible depth and clarity, Zoe tells us the story of how he walked into the Christian faith and how it became the safe and supportive community that allowed him to explore his faithful journey through gender.   Zoe shows us what it means to be curious, even with fear, and move forward anyway. He shares... what it means to have lived as a woman but to never feel at home in his body as such.the difference between performing gender norms versus knowing with authenticity who you are.how femininity continues to play a role in his life as a man and how he embodies both.how he intentionally approached his medical transition and how hormone treatment has brought him clarity and peace of body, mind, and spirit. Zoe walks us through multiple pathways to understanding: in terms of Christian scripture and theology, as well as simply through his lived experience. He unpacks concepts around co-creation, resurrection, “knowing a tree by its fruits,” and more. If there is someone out there who can humbly be in service to connecting the people inside the trans experience and those outside of it--it is Zoe Jaspers. Please join us friends and neighbors, as we cross this bridge with compassion and understanding —together. Bio: Zoe Jaspers (he/they) serves as a Christian minister in the Wenatchee Valley, focused especially at the intersection of justice history, contemplative spirituality, and collective liberation. Outside of their work in direct ministry, Zoe loves reading on topics of all sorts (recent topics of note include speleology and mycology), learning various fibercrafts like knitting and embroidery, sipping iced coffee at the farmer’s market, and befriending all cats. Resources: 1. Sunnyslope Church: https://www.sunnyslopechurch.org/ 2. Interfaith Justice Coalition: interfaithncw@gmail.com

    54 min
  7. "This Is Your Day!"

    10/27/2025

    "This Is Your Day!"

    Send us Fan Mail Join us today for Episode-8 as we sit down with Jaime Donegan, a neighbor and creator in the Wenatchee Valley! His story begins and ends with this statement, "this is your day..." "How do we get off the hamster wheel of life, motivated solely by other people's demands, and return to our own rhythm and pace?"  Jaime tells us how to do just this! With purpose and passion Jaime shares how he came to his foundational truth --to live a life that he wanted to live, AND how it has helped him fulfill his life's mission. We talk about: how his first grade teacher helped him find his "voice"how significant loss took him on a 3-month grief trek in the Himalayasthe exact moment he decided to get out of "the race" and live for himselfAND...what it means to live a "home-free" lifeIf you have never met Jaime Donegan or been significantly inspired by someone else's unconventional and creative life, now is your chance.  AND if you are struggling with being the creator of your own life, he gives specific tips to start that journey of finding your own voice and living the life you deserve and desire. Enjoy! Bio: Jaime Donegan is a native of Indiana and a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington, IN and is the owner of Jaime Donegan Productions.  Jaime has directed Follies Variety Shows that are used as charity fundraisers for 41 years. He has produced shows in 38 states and has helped to raise over 18 million dollars for various charities and community projects. In addition to his own production company, Jaime has also been the CEO of Meridian Creative Artist Development Company in New York City and continues to work with all types of artists across the country by coaching them and helping them polish their performance skills.  In 2013, Jaime started the Hot August Nights summer theater series at the Numerica Performing Arts Center in Wenatchee, WA and is also co-creator/director of Holiday Spicier at the PAC.   When not directing theatrical productions Jaime can be found growing grapes, landscaping, making, drinking and pouring wine at Fielding Hills Winery on beautiful lake Chelan or traveling the world in search of adventure and incredible life experiences.     Finding balance in life is always the goal.

    46 min
  8. "Life is Happening For Me"

    09/27/2025

    "Life is Happening For Me"

    Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to heal at the deepest layers possible, question everything, leave integral parts of yourself behind, and come out the other side with a smile on your face, you must meet Blake Suzelis. His story of hardship begins at birth, when he is born with his intestines on the outside of his abdomen, a condition called gastroschisis. He has not only survived the prognosis given to his mother of 3-years old, but has gone on to become a mental health practitioner and now a doctor of Mindbody Medicine.  Through decades of physical challenges, cancer diagnoses and a 17-day coma while visiting Peru, Blake shares how he has found himself again and again— awakened. All of which have birthed his incredible 3-part healing system that he teaches through his work at Vital Evolution.  His story is one of profound grit, grace and healing. Blake is a clear teacher and role model of what it means to embody a growth mindset, to Live Lucky, and be committed to learning to Live Well and Be Wise. Bio: Dr. Blake Suzelis, PhD, Mindbody Medicine, is a holistic therapist, researcher, and cancer warrior whose work bridges science and spirituality to understand the innate ability to heal. After being born with a birth defect, diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and surviving near-death experiences, Blake devoted his life to understanding spontaneous remission — leading the first quantitative study on the mind-body-spirit role in cancer healing. He is the founder of Vital Evolution, the only Three-Phase holistic cancer retreat model in the U.S., where he guides individuals through a transformative mind-body-spirit healing approach combining neuroscience, epigenetics, spirituality, and lived wisdom. Resources: 1. 3- Part Healing Guide:  www.vitalevolution.com/healingguide 2. Blake's websites: www.vitalevolution.com; www.liveluckytherapy.com; www.blakesuzelis.com 3. Blake's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vital-evolution/id1637349654  4. Blake's Healing Retreat in East Wenatchee On October 25, 2025. https://www.vitalevolution.com/event-details-registration/awaken-your-bodys-healing-power-in-wa

    44 min
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5
out of 5
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About

Deepening the well-being conversation---the podcast that finds the Gold in your stories of hardship and the connection to Wise action and lived Wellness! Hosted by Kari Lyons-Price & Dorrinda Carlson. Our Mission:Sharing stories that reconnect the divide within us and between us through the shared human experience. Sparking connection, inspiration and possibility that helps our community be a place where we can connect, learn and grow—together! Here's how it all began... "Hey Dorrinda, let's do lunch." "Ok, any special occasion?" "Nope, just wanna connect and feast in your presence." (oh and I also have an idea for a podcast?!) The brainstorm began and even though we both work in the mental health & wellness field, we quickly ruled out a Wellness podcast because of how overdone they already are. We felt they primarily skim the surface with a repeat loop of ''expert" advice, gimmicks and trends. We wanted to go deeper--much deeper.   What's the real story I wondered, "how do some people manage to be well amidst all kinds of hardship and others with every resource known to humankind, can't even catch the tail of what it means to be well." What is that thing within us that motivates us to be well--to find our wellness?  We're not talking about a health goal or a number, a state that is achieved.  We're talking about wellness as a state of mind; contentedness, balance, or an optimal state of being.  And then the VISION fully landed... At Live Well. Be Wise, we are on a mission to engage with people beneath the "doing" and the products, to find out how wellness is a living, breathing, personal thing that gets shaped through life itself!  Told directly to you by the individuals who have lived it. No experts, no products, and no judgment. Raw, powerful, real life stories told by everyday people about how they met the challenges and hardships of life and came out the other side.   At Live Well. Be Wise we answer the questions: how do we learn and grow through the storms of life? what is the wisdom process? how do we cultivate it on purpose?And...how does our wisdom process inform our wellness? Live Well. Be Wise is based in North Central Washington State and is explicitly a community-based podcast.  This is a place to hear the stories of your neighbors. To celebrate diversity in all ways and to bridge the divide between us; culturally, economically, politically and personally.  Through the shared human experience called, "story" we hope to connect each of us to one another. To recognize parts of ourselves in our neighbors story. And to allow this shared humanity to be an anchor for building connection, community and goodness, one day at a time. Reach out, share your story, be inspired to cultivate your own wisdom path through hard things. We are 100% in this together! Kari & Dorrinda  

Information

  • Creator
    Kari Lyons Price
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Live Well. Be Wise
  • Show Website
    Live Well. Be Wise