Full Circle: Finding Your Way Home Gillian McMichael

For some people, coming out as LGBTQ is easy – they’re comfortable with their identity and sexuality, and may have a supportive network. And sometimes it’s downright messy – they’re older, married with kids, or simply unable to accept their truth. Whatever the case may be - coming out can be difficult, confusing and painful. My next guest is Melisa Raney - a mother and advocate for coming out. At 36, Melisa slowly began to question her sexuality. The problem was, she was in a heterosexual marriage, raising their two young children. Today, she is making, what she calls, her ‘mess’ her message: sharing her experience to guide others through the difficult process of coming out later in life.

In this week’s episode, we are exploring the healing practices of Ayahuasca and other plant-based medicines that allow us to heal from within and discover our authentic selves. I am joined by Sara Verre, a Transpersonal Psychology Coach, Yoga & Meditation Teacher, Breath-work Facilitator and Energy Practitioner. She is also a Plant Ritual Facilitator at ‘Behold Retreats’, where she helps individuals heal trauma and find purpose. During our chat, we discuss the benefits of plant-based medicine, Sara’s experiences with Ayahuasca and the odyssey one can expect from trying this psychedelic.

What happens when the life you imagined for yourself is suddenly out of reach? This week’s guest is Joe Powell-Main, Wales’ first professional ballet dancer with a disability. An injury early on in his dance career changed the way he would perform ballet forever. But being in a wheelchair didn’t change his love for dance and he has used his disability to enable and inspire others in the ballet and dance world.

What I learned in this episode is that no matter where life takes you, there is joy in embracing a life that is unexpected. And that when curveballs hit, it’s normal to feel anger, fear, or sadness - but with the right mindset, facing your new circumstances can bring you one step closer to discovering your purpose.

The saying ‘I’m losing my mind’ couldn’t be truer for my next guest. This week I am speaking with Barbara K. Lipska, a Neuroscientist who was diagnosed in 2015 with metastatic melanoma in her brain’s frontal lobe. As the cancer progressed and was treated, she experienced behavioural and cognitive symptoms connected to a range of mental disorders, including dementia and her professional specialty, schizophrenia. Gradually, after a course of immunotherapy, Barbara returned to normal functioning and amazingly recalled her experience – even writing a memoir entitled ‘The Neuroscientist who Lost her Mind: My Tale of Madness And Recovery’. A tale like no other— I am honoured to speak with Barbara about returning home to her true self after her brush with insanity.

Why do we dream? And do our dreams have hidden meaning? These are some of the common questions that I am happy to have answered on this week’s episode of the Full Circle podcast. I am joined by Ian Wallace, a dream psychologist and best-selling author, who answers the most asked questions about dreaming and shares what recurring dreams and nightmares truly mean in our waking lives. By understanding why we create unique dream content, we invariably discover who we really are, what we really need, and what we really believe.

Speaking openly about sex and desire is easier said than done for most. But what happens when you are unable to communicate with your partner about what excites you in the bedroom? Miriam Solis is a certified Sex Coach and Clinical Sexologist. She helps couples bring playfulness into the bedroom along with a new-found appreciation for meaningful sex again. She now helps individuals change their sexual environment and encourages them to speak up about what they want in a relationship and help make sex a little less ‘meh’! Whether your libido needs awakening, or you want to confidently communicate your desires in a relationship, this episode is for you.