Rewild Wellness with Lea Pickard Lea Pickard

Are you wondering how to unlock your authentic self?
Amber Lilyestrom is a transformational branding strategist and business coach, author and speaker. She has been featured by Forbes, Entrepreneur and Working Mother Magazine. She is the host of The Amber Lilyestrom Show podcast, which has over 100,000 monthly downloads. and the creator of the Ignite Your Soul Summit, an annual live event in Portsmouth, NH.
In this episode, we dive straight into what it means to find and embrace connection. For Amber, a connection starts with open-heartedness. When a connection feels the best, it’s where we put down our shields, our fears, and our worries about being judged. Then, we can allow ourselves to be vulnerable. Amber had to learn how to use her voice and find courage from deep within to become vulnerable.
Then, Amber explains how we can teach our children to be vulnerable in a safe environment. It’s all about being a role model for our children and showing them what vulnerability looks like. Later, we jump into the importance of loving the connection between our body and mind. Amber reveals the details behind her eating disorder and what it took to love her body and her mind again.
Tune in as we go in-depth about finding a more feminine experience with our bodies, why freedom is a choice that we all have, and how Covid is the perfect excuse to change our circumstances.
In This Episode:
About Amber Lilyestrom [ 2:40 ] What connection means to Amber [ 5:00 ] How to learn about our vulnerabilities [ 7:25 ] Helping our children learn about vulnerability in a safe environment [ 11:40 ] How we can use our connection between body and mind [ 22:00 ] The ways we can move into a more feminine experience with our bodies [ 32:55 ] Why freedom is a choice that we all have [ 48:10 ] What it means to live life from the inside out [ 53:20 ]  
Quotes:
“You can’t be courageous if you’re not willing to be vulnerable.” “Show up in your vulnerability, in your truth, and own that.” “If I can’t feel my feelings in front of my child, what am I trying to protect her from?” “Our lives are unfolding for us.” “If you are not happy with your circumstances, then this is an opportunity to change them.” Links Mentioned: 
Amber’s Website: https://www.amberlilyestrom.com Follow Amber on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberlilyestrom/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lea.pickard Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lea.pickard

Do you deeply understand your body and your physiology?
Dr. Rishma Walji is a licensed and registered Naturopathic Doctor and Acupuncturist. She has an undergraduate degree from McGill University in physiology and a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Toronto. Rishma did two post-doctoral fellowships at McMaster University, one in health and aging and one in pregnancy and pediatrics. All that means is that she has a unique balance of scientific, evidence-based knowledge and natural, holistic healing experience. What Rishma has learned is that there are options. There are steps you can take, once you learn how things work.
In this episode, we dive straight into what it means to be a Naturopathic Doctor. This type of Doctor will look at lifestyle changes, herbal medicines, vitamins, and nutrients. Also, they will try to put together the root cause of why a patient may be seeing issues. For example, if someone has a headache every day, you need to understand why you are getting that headache. Eventually, a Naturopathic Doctor will get to the root cause of your issues.
Typically, Dr. Rishma will see women who are having issues with their period. Whenever a woman has these issues, it means their body is telling them something is not going well. It’s not normal for us to be having excessive symptoms. Western culture believes that our body is broken once a month; we start to think our period symptoms are just typical. Therefore, women don’t try and make their symptoms better. Dr. Rishma tells us that these symptoms are not normal, and we can do something about them!
Later, Dr. Rishma reveals what every woman needs to know about hormones. Plus, we speak about the importance of understanding our bodies and how traumatic experiences will imprint on our psyche.
In This Episode:
About Dr. Rishma Walji and what Naturopathic Doctors do [ 2:25 ] What common symptoms Dr. Rishma will help women with [ 8:30 ] About the different pieces + seasons of our cycles [ 13:05 ] What we need to know about our hormones [ 19:00 ] How Dr. Rishma will measure a hormone imbalance [ 28:15 ] The inspiration behind Dr. Rishma’s career [ 34:00 ] The importance of understanding our bodies [ 38:25 ] How traumatic experiences will imprint on our psyches [ 47:50 ]  
Quotes:
“Understanding your body is the most powerful way to address any issue.” “Your body is talking to you.” “We don’t learn how to understand our body symptoms.” “The cycle is just as important as your blood pressure and just as important as your heart rate.” “We have such a negative connotation to the cycle; I don’t want my daughters growing up thinking they are less than because they are women.” Links Mentioned: 
Dr. Rishma’s Website: https://rishmawalji.com Follow Dr. Rishma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rishmawalji/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lea.pickard Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lea.pickard

Have you thought about the products in your home that could be making you sick?
Kelly is proof that switching to a pure, natural lifestyle is powerful even for those who consider themselves healthy. She’s experienced how much our everyday choices impact our quality of life and is passionate about helping others see and feel the connection. She lives in Jackson, Mississippi with her husband and two daughters.
I was lucky enough to sit on my bedroom floor and have a conversation with Kelly. We talk about why Branch Basics started and why it matters to eliminate toxins in your home. Kelly and her friends worked crazy hard to create natural cleaning supplies that are both effective and safe.
When you have a symptom, you need to think about what you did differently that day. For instance, did you go to the nail salon? It might be the chemicals that you inhaled there. When you start thinking about things this way, you can uncover toxins that you are sensitive to in and around your home.
Living in a home that is free of toxins will completely change your life. You will notice the difference. Getting healthy is so much more than exercising and looking at nutrition labels. Instead, getting healthy includes removing things from your home that are secretly making you sick!
Plus, in this episode, we talk about life in general. Kelly is so grounded and passionate about creating a better world through Branch Basics. You are absolutely going to love this episode; trust me!
In This Episode:
About Kelly Love [ 2:05 ] What it’s like to live in a home that is free of toxins [ 11:20 ] Any fragrance can have thousands of chemicals [ 18:50 ] Why people should no longer suffer [ 27:00 ] How Branch Basics has changed over the years [ 29:50 ] The type of products that Kelly recommends [ 43:15 ] What is lighting Kelly up right now [ 54:00 ]  
Quotes:
“Toss the toxins!” “What we eat can literally turn on and off our genes.” “It’s empowering to know that we have control over our homes.” “We can make our homes safe havens.” “You have to be your own advocate; you can’t rely on the fact that it’s on a store’s shelf.” Links Mentioned: 
Branch Basics: https://branchbasics.com Branch Basics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchbasics Branch Basics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchBasics/ Branch Basics on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCohnjXwA7RthgdfMMV6Y3Ag Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lea.pickard Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lea.pickard

What is your first step on the path to forgiveness?
Sara has experienced many traumas and shifts in her own life, most recently ending her marriage of 20 years to her best friend and husband after finding out that he was gay. Sara’s own personal healing journey was accomplished through her passion for hiking, climbing, paddling and running. Physically discharging the trauma and pain, she was able to attain clarity, emotional strength and resiliency in order to forgive her husband. Forgiveness became the foundation that enabled her to build a healthy interpersonal relationship with her ex-husband and keep her family intact.
In this episode, Sara dives deep into the inspiration for her new book, Walk Through This. On Sara’s path to forgiveness, she just put one foot in front of the other; that is how Sara has survived today. We all create our own trail in life; sometimes, we get diverted in ways that we don’t expect. However, it’s all about taking the steps forward and enjoying the journey because our destination is never-ending. That way, you can find true joy every single day. 
Later, Sara speaks about how she healed her deepest traumas. In order to feel rebirth, we have to feel all of the feelings. Also, Sara explains how she found the healing power of nature. Through the process of experiencing nature, Sara realized that all you have to do is listen. It’s time to be in a place of acceptance and surrender on your forgiveness journey. Nature will shift how our brain operates, so get out there and enjoy the beauty. Plus, Sara explains the best way to find your inner freedom and peace. 
Tune in as we talk about nature-deficit disorder, how to experience nature when you’re not “outdoorsy,” and the ways we can start to forgive ourselves.
In This Episode:
About Sara Schulting-Kranz [ 2:25 ] Why we need to feel everything in order to heal [ 19:45 ] How Sara found the healing power of nature [ 24:40 ] The connection between listening, surrender, and forgiveness [ 29:50 ] About the steps you can take to forgive [ 34:20 ] What to know about nature-deficit disorder [ 45:00 ] Why nature is for everyone [ 52:00 ] The importance of enjoying the journey out in nature [ 55:00 ] The ways we can work on forgiving ourselves [ 68:30 ]  
Quotes:
“We have to walk through all the anger and the pain in order to get to the side of freedom and peace.” “Forgive yourself first.” “Release all your pain and breathe through it.” “We feel most alive in the wild.” “Trauma is stored in our cells.” Links Mentioned: 
Sara’s Website: https://www.saraschultingkranz.com Get Walk Through This: https://www.saraschultingkranz.com/walk-through-this/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lea.pickard Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lea.pickard

How do you prioritize and simplify the health you need to live the extraordinary life of your dreams?
Melanie Stevens Sutherland is a graduate of McMaster University and brings 16 years of experience as a senior physiotherapist to Body Co. She has enjoyed a long tenure working with active populations at prestigious sport medicine clinics. Past clients include Provincial, National and Olympic level athletes as well as members of the National Football League, the Canadian Football League, the Ontario Hockey League, the American Hockey League, the National Lacrosse League and Major League Soccer.
In this episode, Melanie and I bond over our approach to understanding the body. Melanie has loads of wisdom that she shares in our conversation. First, Melanie explains the components of functional movement. You are not able to strengthen your body unless you know how you want to use it. Instead, it’s all about how we do the movements that we do. During the pandemic, everyone is sitting for extended periods of time. However, the sitting environment most likely is not supporting your productivity. How you sit will have a massive impact on how well you can function and your resistance to stress.
Plus, Melanie discusses how to find healthy movement that you just don’t hear other people talking about. For instance, humans were never designed to sit on a toilet. Instead, we need to put our feet up on a stool to have less strain on the digestive system. Also, Melanie says we should be checking the toilet every time that we use it. For example, if your poop doesn’t look right, something is going on in your body. Tune in as we chat about the importance of learning how to breathe, how we can improve our pelvic health, and Melanie reveals what could potentially be irritating our pelvic floor.
In This Episode:
About Melanie Stevens Sutherland and what it’s like to be a physiotherapist [ 1:05 ] The components of functional movement [ 8:40 ] How our bathroom movements + breathing will impact our health [ 11:05 ] Ways to improve our pelvic health [ 16:15 ] Why it requires a team to address health for women [ 24:00 ] Other ways we can improve our pelvic health [ 26:00 ] What are pelvic floor irritants [ 36:10 ] How our pandemic patterns are affecting our overall health [ 43:40 ] Why Melanie doesn’t believe in balance [ 46:20 ] The importance of our intuitive feelings + connecting with the body [ 51:50 ] What is lighting Melanie up right now [ 57:40 ]  
Quotes:
“We create strong, confident bodies that allow people to have the health that they need.” “We treat mind, body, and environment.” “How we go to the bathroom is an indicator of the stress and strain that we put on our pelvic floor.” “Digestion is hugely important to the pelvic floor.” “We have moved away from the natural state of our body. So, we have shifted away from the optimal way our body should be operating.” Links Mentioned: 
Body co.: https://bodycotoronto.com Body co. on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodycotoronto/ Body co. on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bodycotoronto Body co. on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bodycotoronto Body co. Collective Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BodyCoCollective Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lea.pickard Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lea.pickard

Megan Clapton on Suffering, Mindfulness, and Self-Love
Are you ready for the transformative effects of mindful self-compassion?
Dr. Megan Sones Clapton is a licensed professional counselor and Mindful Therapy founder in Ridgeland, Mississippi. A Jackson native, Dr. Clapton holds B.A.s in Philosophy and Art History from the College of Charleston, a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from The Citadel, and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Mississippi College.
For over 13 years, she has worked in hospitals, non-profits, schools, and private practice, in addition to being involved in many professional organizations, including the American Counseling Association, the Mississippi Counseling Association, the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling, and the Association for Humanistic Counseling.
In this episode, Dr. Megan blew me away! We talk about how to transform our suffering rather than living in suffering; either way, we suffer. We are currently in a period of collective trauma, and it’s time to figure out what to do and how to do it. Dr. Megan gives loads of tips, ideas, and strategies to become vulnerable and have self-compassion. Let’s give ourselves grace and remind ourselves that we need love each other.
Eventually, we will be on the other side of the pandemic. Maybe it’s time that we stop saying things will get back to “normal.” Is there ever going to be normal again? What does normal even look like anymore? Tune in as we talk about the problems with using this language to speak about Covid. It’s a robust conversation that will help us come back to ourselves and be a little more present in our daily lives – enjoy!
In This Episode:
About Dr. Megan Sones Clapton [ 1:10 ] Why we need mindfulness in our lives [ 4:20 ] Strategies to practice meditation [ 7:20 ] The importance of observing our thoughts [ 10:15 ] Megan talks about what it feels like to not be herself [ 15:35 ] Why we shouldn’t go back to “normal” after the pandemic [ 24:20 ] How we can collectively heal and transform [ 33:45 ] It’s time that we lean into stillness + discomfort [ 46:20 ] All about the importance of self-compassion [ 56:00 ] Remember: we are all doing a good job! [ 68:00 ]  
Quotes:
“The longest relationship we will have is with ourselves.” “Give yourself a hug!” “We can control our moment to moment reaction.” “Mindfulness is a practice; you have to practice it for a reason.” “I can make the suffering meaningful.” Links Mentioned: 
Mindful Therapy: https://www.mindfultherapyms.com Mindful Therapy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfultherapy/ Mindful Therapy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindfultherapyms/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lea.pickard Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lea.pickard