The Alchemical Woman

Angela Nikita Cara
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Sexuality

Welcome to The Alchemical Woman, a podcast for the curious, the wild-hearted, and the wise. This is a space dedicated to the marriage of depth psychology and embodied wisdom. Join host Angela Cara and her guests—seasoned psychotherapists, researchers, and somatic practitioners—as we dismantle the stories that keep us small and explore what it truly means to be whole. We navigate dreams, desire, and the art of coming home to yourself.

Episodes

  1. Oct 19

    The Wisdom of Returning: Psychedelics, Consciousness & the Sacred with Bill Richards

    What can psychedelic experiences reveal about consciousness, healing, and the deeper dimensions of being human? And how do we bring what we discover in these extraordinary states into the ordinary rhythms of our lives? In this episode of The Alchemical Woman, I’m joined by Bill Richards, a clinical psychologist who brings a rare blend of intellectual rigour and reverence for mystery, and whose work in psychedelic research spans more than six decades!! Together, we explore the healing potential of non-ordinary states, the nature of mystical experience, and the challenge of integrating profound inner experiences into lasting change. We discuss the role of the therapeutic relationship, the symbolic imagery that can emerge during psychedelic journeys, and the importance of allowing experiences to unfold without rushing to interpret them. Our conversation also ventures into the sacred dimensions of consciousness, the interplay of masculine and feminine principles, and the relationship between personal transformation and the mystery of being alive. When he shares the Zen ox-herding metaphor, it offers a lens through which to understand the journey of awakening: not as an escape from ordinary life, but as a return to it with greater presence, humility, and compassion. A good reminder that the deepest insights are not simply those that take us beyond the ordinary, but those that transform how we live within it. At its heart, this is a conversation about what becomes possible when we approach the psyche with curiosity, reverence, and care ... and how we might carry the insights from expanded states, childbirth, meditation (or even spontaneous visions) into the complexity of everyday life.

  2. Sep 10

    Dreams, Eros & the Wisdom of the Unconscious — with Lisa Marchiano

    What if your dreams aren’t random stories your mind creates at night—but a conversation with something deeper? In this episode of The Alchemical Woman, I’m joined by Jungian analyst and author Lisa Marchiano for a conversation about dreams, fairy tales, the feminine, Eros, initiation, and awe. Referring to the work of Iain McGilchrist, Lisa explores how our ways of knowing can become overly analytical and information-driven, and what dreams might offer that an algorithm cannot. We talk about how the unconscious speaks through images, metaphor, and deeply personal symbols. We explore the psychological meaning of the stepmother archetype, what fairy tales can reveal about the parts of ourselves we might otherwise banish, and how we can cultivate a deeper relationship with our inner lives. Lisa also shares her beautiful understanding of Vasilisa the Beautiful and the little doll who listens first, helps Vasilisa attune to what she feels, and only then offers guidance, a powerful image of intuition, self-soothing, and the wisdom that can emerge when we learn to listen inwardly. Along the way, we talk about motherhood, therapy, outlaw energies, and creating space for the psyche to speak.

  3. Jun 19

    Descent, Desire, and Erotic Aliveness with Carly Mountain

    What if the erotic is about far more than sex? In this conversation, I sit down with psychosexual somatic therapist and author Carly Mountain to explore erotic aliveness, embodiment, desire, and the transformative power of descent. Drawing on mythology, depth psychology, and her work with women, Carly shares insights from the myth of Inanna and the underworld journey, inviting us to consider how periods of loss, uncertainty, and disconnection can become pathways to deeper selfhood. Together, we explore what the erotic really is, why so many women become disconnected from desire, the relationship between sexuality and vitality, and how body wisdom can guide us toward a more authentic life. We also discuss shame, pleasure, self-expression, and the ways that descent, whether through heartbreak, transition, or crisis, can become an initiation into greater wholeness. This conversation is for anyone interested in sexuality, depth psychology, mythology, embodiment, and the journey of coming home to themselves.

  4. Apr 3

    A Place to Begin: Mindfulness and Intimacy with Maci Daye

    In dialogue with Maci Daye, we explore a different way of approaching intimacy—one rooted in embodiment, attention, and gentle curiosity. This episode introduces her perspective on moving out of pressure and into awareness, helping individuals and couples reconnect with their bodies, clarify desire, and cultivate intimacy that feels chosen, rather than performed.

  5. Mar 10

    Where Desire Meets Wisdom: Decolonizing Sex Therapy

    In this episode, we wander into a conversation about desire as something alive — something that moves through our bodies the way wind moves through trees, or water finds its path down a mountain. My guest, Estefanía Simich Muñoz, speaks beautifully about the wisdom of the natural world — about learning from plants, from the land, and even from the experience of falling in love with a mountain. Together we explore how intimacy, power, and spirit can unfold when we listen more closely — to the body, to the earth, and to the quiet intelligence that lives beneath our everyday awareness. Along the way, we touch on how reconnecting with land and traditional wisdom can shift — and even decolonize — the practice of sex therapy. So settle in, and join us for a conversation that moves between psyche, eros, and the living world around us.

  6. 12/31/2025

    Becoming Cliterate: Closing the Orgasm Gap with Dr. Laurie Mintz

    Most women don’t orgasm consistently — and it’s not because their bodies are broken. It’s because our culture favours sexual scripts and expectations for sex that are built around the male body, and because we live in a world where sexual education somehow leaves out talking about the clitoris?! In this episode, I speak with Lori Mintz, author of Becoming Cliterate, about the orgasm gap and how women can reclaim sexual confidence, desire, and pleasure. We explore the social and psychological barriers to orgasm, and why understanding your body — and what you need to reach orgasm — is central to sexual empowerment.

  7. 12/03/2025

    Reclaiming the Aphrodite Within: Sex, Soul & the Journey to Erotic Wholeness

    What does it mean to come home to your erotic self? In this episode, Angela Cara sits down with Chelsea Wakefield to explore how sexuality, embodiment, and psyche intertwine in our healing and wholeness. Drawing from Jungian depth psychology and the archetype of Aphrodite, we dive into how erotic energy can become a sacred guide—especially for those recovering from trauma, shame, or disconnection from the body. Together, we explore: How to reconnect with the Aphrodite archetype when you feel shut down or numb. The role of erotic energy in personal and relational healing. Common misconceptions about sexual wholeness and how therapy can help unravel them. The tension between conscious sexual identity and the unconscious erotic patterns that shape our relationships. How archetypal and somatic awareness can reignite intimacy and awaken the “emerging sexual self” within long-term partnerships. Surprising insights from decades of practice at the intersection of spirituality, psychology, and sexuality. This conversation is an invitation to honour desire as a form of inner wisdom—to see the erotic not as something to manage or fix, but as a living force calling us toward deeper authenticity, intimacy, and vitality.

  8. 11/18/2025

    From Silence to Aliveness: Alisa Krieger on Shame and Desire

    What happens when a psychologist breaks her own silence about sex, marriage, and desire? In this episode, Angela Cara speaks with Alisa Krieger, psychologist, author, and memoirist, about her bold decision to merge the personal and the professional in her book where she explores her erotic reawakening. This conversation traces the arc from numbness to embodiment, asking what it means to tell the truth through the body—and what risks and revelations arise when a therapist steps out from behind the clinical veil. This conversation delves into: The ethics and risks of self-disclosure in therapy and writing. How therapeutic neutrality evolves when the healer becomes the storyteller. The body’s subtle ways of “speaking” again after sexual shutdown. Pleasure as medicine, and the cultural shame that so often silences it. The intersection of shame, desire, and identity for women in long-term relationships. Redefining sexuality beyond heteronormative and performative models. How to discern between dormant desire and asexual identity. And what the metaphor of the Sex Goddess reveals about truth, embodiment, and feminine power. With radical honesty and psychological depth, Alisa invites us to reconsider what it means to be both healer and human—to listen to the wisdom of the body, to embrace desire as truth-telling, and to reclaim the full spectrum of erotic aliveness that belongs to us all.

  9. 10/17/2025

    In Touch: Embodiment, Sex, and Culture with Natasia Fuksman

    What does it mean to truly be in touch — with our bodies, our desires, our heritage, and each other? In this powerful and deeply resonant conversation, Natasia Fuksman and Angela Cara sit down together to explore the intersections of embodiment, sexuality, and culture. Together, they dive into how cultural narratives shape our relationship with pleasure and intimacy, the role of the body in healing trauma, and what it takes to reclaim agency in a disembodied world. Expect honest dialogue and thoughtful reflections on connecting with your body and your truth. Whether you're curious about sex therapy, navigating identity, or seeking a more embodied life, this episode is for you.

  10. 08/09/2025

    From Tension to Trust: Paula Leech on Healing Sexual Anxiety

    In this opening episode of Wise Body Sex Therapy, we sit down with sex therapist and author Paula Leech to explore how sexual anxiety shows up in the body — and how embodied practices can guide us back to trust, connection, and body-based pleasure. Paula shares insights from her work on anxiety in sex, offering a compassionate, grounded approach to healing. Whether you’re a therapist, a curious listener, or someone navigating intimacy challenges, this conversation invites you into a deeper relationship with your wise body.

  • 10 Episodes

About

Welcome to The Alchemical Woman, a podcast for the curious, the wild-hearted, and the wise. This is a space dedicated to the marriage of depth psychology and embodied wisdom. Join host Angela Cara and her guests—seasoned psychotherapists, researchers, and somatic practitioners—as we dismantle the stories that keep us small and explore what it truly means to be whole. We navigate dreams, desire, and the art of coming home to yourself.

Information

  • Creator
    Angela Nikita Cara
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Angela Nikita Cara
  • Show Website
    The Alchemical Woman