The Open Exploration Podcast Lily Werthan

Lily talks with author, mom, coach, and paraplegic athlete, Ryan Rae Harbuck.

After a car accident left her paralyzed from the ribcage down at 16, Ryan returned to her love of swimming to chase a Paralympic dream.

Ryan talks with Lily about her travels and adventures as a young woman in a wheel chair, the quiet promise she made to herself in the midst of some of her darkest days, and the surprise pot of gold that waited for her at the end of that rainbow. She also shares about her writing process, which began as a way to work through her toughest memories, and turned into her Memoir, When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair, and about her journey, through uncharted and often stormy waters, to becoming a mother. 
Find out more about Ryan's story and her book at https://www.ryanraeharbuck.com/ 
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Lily talks with Eric Rooney about how he transitioned from his days of briefcase carrying and corporate living in San Francisco to...well…what he does today. Which is a little tough to pin down really - he’s a farmer and a florist and a landscaper, but he also works in death and dying, in service to the elderly and terminally ill, in grief support, in advocacy and education regarding greener options after death, and in advocacy for Medical Aid in Dying. 

Eric's non-profit organization, Regeneration Earth, will launch at the end of this month (February 2023). Check it out at https://www.regenerationearth.org/

Learn more about Half Moon Farm at https://www.halfmoonfarm.co/



"We're all just walking each other home." ~ Ram Dass


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Lily talks with author Heather Mateus Sappenfield about how she followed her life-long dream to be a professional writer. 

Heather shares about the inspiration for her characters, how she has dug deep in herself to learn how to stay in a scene beyond the point when it is tidy and comfortable, and the ways that her pursuits as an adventure athlete, including her experience cycling across america with a relay team, have prepared her for the challenges of this career. She also urges us to recognize what we really want and need and believe versus our social conditioning. 
Heather is the author of The River Between Hearts, Lyrics for Rockstars, Life at the Speed of Us, and The View from Who I Was, as well as numerous articles in publications such as Writer’s Chronicle, Writer’s Digest, and other writing journals and outdoor magazines

Find out more about Heather's Work at https://heathermateussappenfield.com/
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Lily talks with CC Haug about her journey to founding Good Judy Garage, a mechanic shop that promises excellent service and a safe space to customers.

CC is a mechanical engineer and master mechanic with over 25 years of experience. She feared that coming out as trans would threaten her livelihood and her place in the industry, so she built the kind of workplace and the kind of business she wished existed.

Fundraiser for Club Q Victims organized by Good Judy and Faith Haug
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Lily continues her conversation with Cat James about the many twists and turns, adventures, and surprises that have marked her path towards becoming a tattoo artist. Cat shares about a sudden moment of clarity that led her to painful realizations and challenging conversations, but also to an honest and life-affirming path forward.

You can see Cat's work at www.oldsolnewtricks.com or on social media @oldsolnewtricks. 
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Lily talks with Cat James about the origins of her career as a tattoo artist and her upcoming  event (artisan market meets party meets concert), the Old Sol Fiesta on December 3rd in Denver, CO. 

To find out more about Cat's work and for Old Sol Fiesta, visit www.oldsolnewtricks.com or follow her on social media @oldsolnewtricks. 



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