Education

Holistic Nurse Academy Podcast

The Holistic Nurse Academy trains medical professionals to bridge Eastern and Western medicine. Through modalities like essential oils, sound healing, and acupressure, nurses become empowered “option givers”. The curriculum emphasizes “healing presence”—prioritizing authentic connection and responsible energy—to significantly reduce patient pain and anxiety. This approach aims to restore the “human touch” to healthcare while combating nurse burnout through community and self-care.

Latest Episodes:

Massage Is Medicine: Structural Integration, Craniosacral & Chronic Pain Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

This is a recorded conversation with Trinity Sy Wayman Austin, LMT, on integrating massage therapy with Eastern and Western healing for nurses and healthcare professionals. The discussion covers the underutilized potential of massage therapy in patient healing, the interconnectedness of the body through fascia, and effective strategies for managing chronic pain. Holly Taylor, a registered nurse and board-certified holistic nurse with 15 years of experience, leads the conversation, highlighting the importance of bridging Eastern and Western medical approaches. Trinity Austin, an LMT specializing in structural integration, cranial sacral therapy, and myofascial release, shares her expertise in understanding and alleviating chronic pain, demonstrating how these modalities offer non-invasive solutions.

Are you looking to expand your toolkit for patient care beyond conventional treatments? This conversation empowers you as a nurse to explore effective, non-pharmacological interventions, understand the deep impact of therapeutic touch, and recognize massage therapy as a crucial link in holistic patient management. Discover how skilled massage therapists like Trinity Austin can address persistent pain, promote relaxation, and complement traditional medical care, enabling you to become an even more comprehensive option-giver for your patients.

What you will learn:

This knowledge equips nurses to serve as powerful option-givers, educating patients about diverse paths to healing. You can apply these insights when discussing non-pharmacological pain relief with patients recovering from surgery, those struggling with chronic conditions like back pain or headaches that traditional medicine hasn't fully addressed, or individuals experiencing high stress and anxiety who need nervous system support. By understanding the profound benefits of therapeutic touch, you can help rebuild trust in a healthcare system that sometimes leaves patients feeling unheard or without options.

Listen now to deepen your understanding of these powerful healing modalities and empower yourself to offer more comprehensive, patient-centered care.

Your Healer's Heart: Deciding to Stay, Leave, or Reinvent — From a Place of Regulation Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

This is a recorded conversation with Dr. Lorre Laws, a nurse scientist, nurse coach, and expert on nurse trauma, focusing on the redefinition of burnout and strategies for nervous system regulation among nurses and healthcare professionals. Dr. Laws shares her extensive journey in nursing, advocating for a paradigm shift from labeling nurses as "burnt out" to recognizing their experiences as nurse-specific trauma and PTSD. The discussion elaborates on the types of avoidable trauma in nursing and the profound physiological impact of chronic stress and lack of support on nurses' nervous systems and mitochondria. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of polyvagal theory and the cell danger response as critical frameworks for nurse well-being and the importance of reclaiming professional sovereignty.

If you've felt the weight of the nursing profession, struggling with exhaustion, cynicism, or emotional detachment, this conversation offers a powerful shift in perspective. Dr. Lorre Laws challenges the conventional burnout narrative, revealing its true nature as nurse-specific trauma. This discussion validates your experiences and offers a path to reclaiming your healer's heart.

What you will learn:

Differentiate burnout from nurse-specific trauma: Understand why the term "burnout" is a misnomer and how the symptoms nurses experience frequently align with PTSD.
Identify types of avoidable nurse trauma: Recognize how historical trauma, workplace violence, system-induced trauma (e.g., HR tactics against advocates), and second victim trauma (blame for adverse events) impact nurses.
Understand physiological impact of trauma: Learn how chronic stress impacts the nervous system (polyvagal theory) and mitochondria (cell danger response), explaining persistent fatigue and difficulty regulating emotions.
Reclaim nervous system regulation: Discover how to shift out of survival mode (sympathetic overdrive or dorsal vagal collapse) into ventrovagal tone for optimal decision-making and well-being.
Strategic career decision-making: Make informed choices about staying in your role, leaving the profession, or reinventing your nursing career from a place of inner safety and regulation, rather than reactivity.
Empowerment through sovereignty: Learn to reclaim your professional autonomy and resist systemic pressures that perpetuate dysregulation within the nursing profession.

This understanding directly informs how nurses approach their own well-being and advocate for systemic change. It equips nurses to recognize the profound physiological and psychological toll of their work, moving beyond superficial coping strategies to root cause healing. This knowledge is crucial for nurses who feel trapped in toxic work environments, those considering leaving the profession due to emotional exhaustion, or even new graduates struggling with the harsh realities of practice. By reclaiming nervous system health, nurses can model resilience and self-advocacy for their peers and empower patients to understand the mind-body connection in their own healing journeys, for example, in cases of chronic pain, stress-related illnesses, or post-trauma recovery.

Tune in to this vital conversation to validate your experiences and gain tools to foster your own healing and professional longevity.

While You Were Under Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

This is a recorded conversation with Larkin Mercer, author of "While You Were Under," discussing advocacy, moral injury, and systemic issues in nursing for nurses and healthcare professionals. This conversation specifically covers her personal experiences as an OR nurse and challenges she faced when advocating for patient safety. Listeners will understand the systemic nature of advocacy challenges, the impact of administrative decisions on clinical practice, and the importance of self-advocacy for healthcare professionals. Mercer brings nearly 20 years of nursing experience across various specialties, including Med-Surg, ER, OB, Chemo, Discharge Planning, and OR.

Have you ever felt silenced when advocating for patient safety or questioned the evolving culture in healthcare? This conversation with author Larkin Mercer offers a candid look into the systemic challenges nurses face, highlighting the crucial need for advocacy and self-preservation in a demanding environment.

In this conversation, you will learn:

Understanding Systemic Issues: Explore how healthcare systems often prioritize business models over patient and staff safety, leading to moral injury.
Navigating HR Dynamics: Learn why Human Resources primarily serves the employer's interests and how nurses can protect themselves legally.
Effective Advocacy Strategies: Gain insights into how to effectively speak up for patients and challenge non-standard practices, even when facing resistance.
Recognizing Moral Injury: Differentiate between burnout and moral injury, understanding the deep personal cost of compromising ethical standards in practice.
Protecting Your Professional Livelihood: Discover essential strategies for documenting concerns and identifying external resources when internal systems fail to address critical issues.
Cultivating Self-Advocacy: Understand the importance of setting personal boundaries and fostering self-care to prevent professional and personal depletion in demanding roles.

This discussion equips nurses with a critical lens to evaluate the environments they work in and provides practical considerations for navigating complex ethical dilemmas. Nurses become better patient advocates by understanding the systemic pressures that can compromise care, enabling them to educate patients about their rights to ask questions, seek second opinions, and trust their instincts regarding their treatment plans. This knowledge is particularly valuable when caring for patients undergoing complex surgeries, individuals in vulnerable states, or those facing difficult diagnostic journeys where clear communication and informed consent are paramount.

Tune in to hear Larkin Mercer's powerful story and empower yourself with the knowledge needed to advocate effectively for both patients and yourself in today's healthcare landscape.

Your Labs Are Normal, But You Still Feel Crummy: A Neural Wellness Approach to Root Cause Healing Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

This is a recorded conversation with Jessica Endicott, a neural wellness practitioner, yoga instructor, and Doctor of Behavioral Health candidate, on a holistic approach to root cause healing for nurses and healthcare professionals. The discussion explores strategies for patients experiencing chronic symptoms despite normal lab results, emphasizing the brain's capacity to heal through integrated methods. Clinicians will understand how to identify physiological and biochemical imbalances, including nutrient deficiencies and genetic predispositions, that contribute to mental health and physical well-being. Endicott draws on her training in functional nutrition and amino acid therapy, alongside her personal experience, to highlight alternative healing paths.

Have you or your patients ever felt "crummy" despite having normal lab results, leaving you frustrated with conventional answers? This conversation empowers you to explore neural wellness as a pathway to root cause healing, offering an integrative perspective on mental and physical well-being. Learn how to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medicine, moving beyond mere symptom management to support profound, lasting recovery.

In this conversation, you will learn to:

Identify Root Causes of Chronic Symptoms: Understand how to interpret physical and emotional symptoms as signals for deeper imbalances related to diet, toxic exposures, pathogens, and physiological factors.
Apply Ortho Molecular Medicine Principles: Discover how targeted amino acid therapy, vitamins, and minerals can support brain function and alleviate symptoms like anxiety, low motivation, and brain fog.
Recognize Genetic and Biochemical Influences: Explore the impact of genetic variations (e.g., MTHFR, COMT) and common deficiencies (iron, thyroid, hormones) on neural wellness and emotional regulation.
Implement Effective Sleep and Nutrition Strategies: Advise patients on optimal sleep hygiene and critical nutritional practices, including protein intake and hydration, to support brain health and stable mood.
Facilitate Emotional Processing: Guide patients through techniques for acknowledging and moving through challenging emotions like grief and anger, fostering healing rather than repression.
Integrate Holistic Addiction Recovery Support: Understand how nutritional and amino acid therapy protocols can support individuals safely withdrawing from substances by repairing brain chemistry and reducing side effects.

This content directly informs your practice, empowering you as an option-giver to guide patients beyond conventional medical boundaries. You can use this knowledge to support patients presenting with chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, or unexplained physical symptoms despite "normal" lab results. Consider offering these perspectives to individuals struggling with adrenal fatigue, sleep dysregulation due to shift work, or those seeking complementary strategies during addiction recovery to address underlying physiological and emotional needs.

Listen now to gain a deeper understanding of neural wellness and equip yourself with actionable strategies to support patients seeking true root cause healing. This conversation offers a profound look at overcoming personal and systemic challenges in healthcare.

Practical & Root-Cause Wellness: Beating Postnatal Depletion Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

This is a recorded conversation with Brook Gabler, Functional Diagnostic Nutritional Practitioner and Neurolinguistic Programming Practitioner, on practical and root-cause wellness for nurses and healthcare professionals. The discussion explores Brook Gabler's personal journey through chronic pain and postpartum depression, leading to her integration of functional lab testing, nervous system healing, and body-based practices. Clinicians will understand how to identify root causes of postnatal depletion, hormone imbalances, gut issues, acne, and burnout by combining diagnostic insights with mental and emotional well-being strategies. The conversation highlights the significance of individualized mineral support and neural rewiring techniques in supporting maternal health.

As a nurse, do you encounter patients whose symptoms defy conventional diagnoses, leaving them in an "unknown space" between wellness and disease? This conversation offers you a powerful framework to bridge that gap, empowering you to become a more comprehensive option-giver for mothers struggling with symptoms of postnatal depletion and chronic health issues.

What you will learn:

Integrating Eastern and Western approaches: Understand how to combine conventional medical support (e.g., medication for PPD) with complementary modalities like Reiki for a more comprehensive patient care strategy.
Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN-P) principles: Discover how non-diagnostic functional lab testing (HTMA, GI Map, food sensitivity) can identify root causes of chronic symptoms like acne, painful periods, gut issues, and burnout.
Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) techniques: Learn about brain rewiring and identity shifting to interrupt negative thought loops, address upper limiting beliefs, and foster resilience in patients.
Postnatal depletion awareness: Gain insights into the cascading effects of postnatal depletion on hormone balance, mood, and mineral levels (e.g., calcium's role in parasympathetic nervous system function).
Nervous system regulation strategies: Practice simple, effective techniques for self-regulation, such as environmental scanning and conscious breathwork, that you can immediately share with patients.
Creativity as a healing modality: Explore the profound connection between creativity, play, and nervous system safety, understanding how these elements support resilience and transformative healing for patients.

This conversation equips you, the nurse, with expanded knowledge to serve as an expert option-giver. You can apply these insights when supporting mothers presenting with postnatal depletion, chronic fatigue, anxiety, postpartum rage, or unexplained physical symptoms that may not fully resolve with conventional care. Understanding the interplay of functional testing, nervous system healing, and mindset work allows you to educate patients on diverse pathways to wellness, guiding them toward a more personalized and empowering healing journey beyond conventional symptom management. This knowledge is particularly valuable for nurses working with new mothers, women in perimenopause, or those experiencing chronic stress who are seeking to reconnect with their body's innate wisdom.

Listen now to broaden your understanding of practical and root-cause wellness, empowering you to offer more profound support and guidance to your patients. This conversation will inspire you to integrate innovative approaches into your practice, fostering deeper healing and resilience.

Somatic Healing, Pelvic Health, and Reclaiming Pleasure Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

This module introduces Dr. Bonniejane Monson, a distinguished pelvic health physical therapist and somatic practitioner, whose work skillfully blends clinical precision with embodied wisdom. The course delves into the intricate connection between physical pelvic floor dysfunction and its emotional roots, offering a holistic path to healing and well-being. Participants explore Dr. Monson's unique methodology that moves beyond traditional physical therapy to address the deeper, often unacknowledged, aspects of pelvic health.Dr. Monson's journey from a conventional physical therapy background to a somatic approach was sparked by personal experience with birth trauma and a recognition that managing symptoms was often merely "putting a band-aid on" deeper issues. This led her to seek alternatives, ultimately developing a practice that facilitates profound, lasting change. Her innovative company, Wholesome Already, focuses on guiding women to reclaim their bodies as a source of inner power, pleasure, and creative life force, drawing them back into relationship with the erotic as a deep generative intelligence.Her somatic work integrates various powerful modalities to unlock healing, encompassing:* Neurokinetic Therapy (NKT), an outside-the-box orthopedic approach.* Proprioceptive Deep Tendon Reflex (P-D-T-R), which focuses on neurological connections to emotion and organs, often using eye motion similar to EMDR.* Cellular Release Therapy (Hypnotherapy), a trauma-clearing technique that dialogs with the subconscious for rapid change in safe conditions.* Barral work (Neural and Visceral Manipulation), which provides an anatomical understanding and sensitivity to the body's subtle layers, revealing emotional connections and stories held within tissues.* Training in NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) and SE (Somatic Experiencing).The somatic process involves slowing down conversations to reflect clients back into their bodies, guiding them to observe sensations and nervous system states rather than getting lost in their "story." This helps in rewiring the brain and shifting energetic perspectives. A crucial aspect is energetic boundary work, teaching clients to feel and repair their sense of self-sovereignty, particularly vital for individuals with a history of difficult sexual experiences or medical violations. This cultivates a sacred space where vulnerability is honored.Integrating the somatic and functional, Dr. Monson utilizes muscle and pattern testing to identify specific areas needing assistance. Manual hands-on work on the table is a co-creative process, with ongoing discussion between practitioner and client about observed physical and emotional shifts. Dr. Monson acts as a facilitator, guiding clients to build trust within themselves and connect with their inner knowing or wisdom.This module also provides valuable insights for both patients and clinicians. For patients, it emphasizes that chronic pelvic pain or pain with sex, while common, is not normal, and that effective, deeper healing is possible. For healthcare providers, it highlights the importance of co-treating and collaborative care with pelvic health physical therapists. Key referral indicators include post-birth recovery, persistent pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction. The overarching theme for clinicians is the necessity of integrity and self-awareness of one's own nervous system state, fostering an environment of choice and genuine trust rather than fear-based directives.

Beyond the Chart: When Traditional Medicine Fails the Patient May 31, 2026

Show notes

This is a recorded conversation with Cori Sartori on the growing mistrust of traditional Western medicine and the importance of rebuilding trust with patients. The conversation explores how healthcare practitioners can improve the patient experience by holding space for patients' individual circumstances and fostering open communication. It highlights the need for a shift in how healthcare professionals approach conversations with patients to create a more human-centered approach. Holly, a registered nurse and board-certified holistic nurse, introduces the conversation.

As a nurse, are you witnessing a growing disconnect between patients and traditional Western medicine? This conversation offers insights into bridging that gap by fostering trust and understanding in your interactions with patients.

What you will learn:

The patient experience: Understand the increasing level of mistrust some patients have toward traditional Western medicine.
The human-centered approach: Discover the significance of acknowledging patients' life situations and holding space for their experiences.
Communication skills: Explore how adjusting communication styles can improve patient trust and build stronger relationships.
Rebuilding trust: Learn about specific steps practitioners can take to rebuild trust with patients who feel unheard or misunderstood.
The importance of empathy: Recognize how empathy plays a crucial role in creating a positive patient experience.

This conversation equips you with practical strategies to enhance patient care in your daily practice. By understanding the patient's perspective and communicating with empathy, you can offer a more holistic and supportive approach. This is particularly beneficial when working with patients who are skeptical of conventional treatments, those managing chronic conditions, or individuals seeking alternative therapies alongside traditional medicine.

Listen now to discover how you can start fostering a more trusting and collaborative relationship with your patients, ultimately improving their overall healthcare experience.

Beyond the Burnout: How Nurse Coaching Reclaims the Clinician Within May 15, 2026

Show notes

This is a recorded conversation with Amanda Greening, a registered nurse and certified life coach, on strategies to combat burnout and reclaim professional identity for nurses and healthcare professionals. The conversation explores the unique challenges faced by nurses in high-acuity settings, the importance of setting personal boundaries, and techniques for aligning personal values with professional roles. Amanda draws upon her 15 years of nursing experience, including work in the newborn ICU and leadership positions, alongside her expertise in life coaching, to offer practical guidance. She emphasizes the need for nurses to disconnect from work-related stress and prioritize self-care to achieve a sustainable work-life balance.

Are you feeling depleted and disconnected from your passion for nursing? This podcast offers a lifeline, providing actionable steps to rediscover your identity beyond the demands of the healthcare system and reignite your love for the profession.

What you will learn:

Personal Values Identification: Learn how to identify and prioritize your personal values, distinguishing them from professional expectations, to create a more fulfilling life both inside and outside of work.
Boundary Setting Strategies: Discover practical strategies for setting and maintaining healthy boundaries in the workplace to prevent overcommitment and protect your personal time and energy.
Moral Injury Mitigation: Understand the concept of moral injury in nursing and learn techniques to address feelings of guilt, shame, and frustration stemming from compromised values and ethical dilemmas.
Work-Life Integration Techniques: Implement effective techniques for separating work from personal life, creating rituals to leave work at the workplace, and transitioning into a more present and engaged home life.
People-Pleasing Patterns Recognition: Recognize and challenge people-pleasing tendencies that lead to burnout, learning to say "no" without guilt and prioritizing your own needs.
Energy Management and Self-Care: Develop a personalized self-care plan that aligns with your values and schedule, incorporating simple yet effective strategies to replenish your energy and well-being.

Ready to take control of your nursing career and reclaim your well-being? Listen now to discover how nurse coaching can help you create a more balanced, energized, and sustainable life.

A Conversation with Dr. Aubrey Madsen: What is a Chiropractor Anyway? Apr 12, 2026

Show notes

This is a recorded conversation with Dr. Aubrey Madsen about chiropractic care and its relevance to holistic health. It explores the history, practice, and misconceptions surrounding chiropractic, offering valuable insights for nurses and healthcare professionals. Understanding chiropractic principles and its place in integrative care can broaden a clinician's perspective and improve patient referrals and collaborative treatment approaches.

A Conversation with Cassandra Riding about Ketamine Healing Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

Are you encountering patients curious about ketamine therapy and unsure how to guide them? This conversation with Cassandra Riding equips nurses and healthcare professionals with a foundational understanding of ketamine-assisted therapy, its potential benefits, and crucial considerations for patient safety and appropriate referrals. This isn't about advocating for or against ketamine, but about empowering you to have informed, evidence-based discussions with your patients.

This recording features a conversation between the Holistic Nurse Academy and Cassandra Riding, a clinical mental health counselor and founder of Soul Pathways Wellness. Cassandra provides a comprehensive overview of ketamine therapy, drawing from her clinical experience and training through the Integrative Psychiatric Institute. She shares her personal experiences with the treatment alongside patient anecdotes to illustrate the potential for neuroplasticity, symptom reduction in treatment-resistant depression, and addressing underlying trauma.

Key topics covered include:

Understanding the legality and mechanisms of ketamine therapy: Differentiating it from traditional SSRIs and explaining its FDA-approved use.
Exploring different administration methods (troches, IM, IV) and their effects: Gaining insights into dosage considerations and patient preferences.
Identifying environmental and therapeutic supports for safe and effective ketamine therapy: Recognizing the importance of trauma-informed therapists, preparation sessions, and creating a safe setting ("set and setting").
Recognizing red flags when choosing a ketamine therapy provider: Evaluating the therapeutic versus medical model, and the level of support offered.
Practical considerations for nurses and healthcare professionals: including how to answer questions that patients ask when seeking information on ketamine.

Ultimately, this conversation helps you understand how ketamine impacts neuroplasticity and how this affects symptom reduction, which enables you to offer informed options to your patients. Discover now how ketamine-assisted therapy can rewire the brain, and gain the practical knowledge to support your patients in exploring this evolving treatment option. Listen now and confidently navigate the complex landscape of ketamine therapy.