This Thing Called Movement

Meant to Move - The Importance of Intuition & Listening to Your Inner Voice May 31, 2022

Intuition can be a tricky subject, because while we understand the concept of intuition intellectually, figuring out how to listen to & follow that “inner voice” can feel incredibly vague and mysterious in real life.

But bridging this paradox of intuition is actually much simpler than we think...

Marie & Julia begin this episode by clarifying what intuition really is and provide neuropsychological research to explain why it’s valuable to our health on all levels (mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual). Yet despite it’s life-changing potential, so many of us go through life ignoring these “gut instincts” which can unfortunately result in serious mental and physical health conditions including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, burnout, and much more (hello paradox!).

To bridge this gap, they discuss practical steps we can take to begin recovering & cultivating our innate intuitive capacity (because we are all born with this ability), and share their own personal stories of how intuition has played an important role in their platonic & romantic relationships as well as their movement practices. Julia reveals her recent episode of overstimulation & burnout as a result of ignoring her body’s cues, and how she struggled to maintain her rhythm with her intuitive movement practice . Together they wrap up the episode reflecting on the nuances of Julia’s relationship with her body & her movement practice, and highlight how her intuition was working to guide her back into alignment (hint — “sticking with it” is not always the answer). Marie provides new insight on how to deepen our connection with our intuition, and a new practice to play with in the meantime.

You can join in on the guided movement practices & meditations on our YouTube channel here!

Visit our website to learn more about the show, to share your experiences in your movement & embodiment journey, and to submit any questions you would like answered! We'd love to hear from you!

https://juliaszpor.wixsite.com/meanttomove

MARIE JANICEK

Marie’s Instagram

Marie’s website

Evolna

This Thing Called Movement Podcast

JULIA SZPOR

Being Better Instagram

Being Better website

Being Better TikTok

Being Better podcast

Meant To Move is a special podcast collaboration dedicated to the power of movement and embodiment, co-created by Marie Janicek & Julia Szpor as part of the “Being Better” and “This Thing Called Movement” podcasts.

Meant to Move - Practicing Pleasure through Sensuality & Embodiment May 06, 2022

In our third installment of Meant To Move, Marie and Julia focus on the connection between embodiment and pleasure, and explore the obvious and not-so-obvious ways these aspects of our humanity are intimately linked.

To start, this conversation kicks off by digging into the central channel of our embodiment: our movement & exercise practices, why so many of us find these practices to be unpleasant and uncomfortable (physically, mentally, & emotionally), and how prioritizing the sensations of our body over what our bodies “look” like (not just aesthetically, but when we move as well) helps us begin to cultivate more pleasure.

In fact, when discussing how to cultivate pleasure in movement, Marie & Julia discuss how kids are some of their greatest role models. They are so beautifully proficient at prioritizing their enjoyment of every minute (or more honestly, every second) of their lives. And even in our adulthood, we can earn great rewards by nurturing our own inner child whenever we can.

And as you probably expected when first reading the title of this episode, they steer this topic of pleasure into the realm of sensuality and sexuality (because let’s be real — these are key players in the field here). Both of these factors are key elements to our wellbeing, yet historically have been left out of these discussions (thankfully the out-dated sense of taboo is loosening its grip). They share their own personal stories of learning to enjoy their own bodies, masturbation, orgasm, and healing the shame and trauma that so many of us feel in this space.

To bring us to the finish of this episode, Julia shares some recent insights and experiences in her movement journey, and Marie offers new ways to tune into a deeper sense of pleasure & play in our bodies and bring our embodiment practice to a new level.

You can join in on the guided movement practices & meditations on our YouTube channel here!

Visit our website to learn more about the show, to share your experiences in your movement & embodiment journey, and to submit any questions you would like answered! We'd love to hear from you!

https://juliaszpor.wixsite.com/meanttomove

MARIE JANICEK

Marie’s Instagram

Marie’s website

Evolna

This Thing Called Movement Podcast

JULIA SZPOR

Being Better Instagram

Being Better website

Being Better TikTok

Being Better podcast

Meant To Move is a special podcast collaboration dedicated to the power of movement and embodiment, co-created by Marie Janicek & Julia Szpor as part of the “Being Better” and “This Thing Called Movement” podcasts.

Reframing Our Understanding of Pain with Charlie Merrill Apr 29, 2022

One aspect of moving our bodies that I dare say 100% of people can relate to is negotiating the pitfalls of PAIN.

Experiencing pain in any form in our bodies, whether it’s acute or chronic, dull or sharp, expected or unexpected leads us into the territory of feeling disappointed by our bodies as they seemingly break down right under our nose. And well, let’s not beat around the bush here, the general consensus for most of us in this department is: pain means damage, and it's frustrating.

But... what if that assumption isn’t entirely correct?

Enter our guest for this episode: Charlie Merrill. As a licensed physical therapist and owner of Merrill Performance in Boulder, Colorado Charlie has devoted over 20 years of his life to developing a synthesized treatment of the mind and body to support people dealing with pain & injury in returning to a high level of performance, health, and vitality in their lives. Through his many years of study and experience, Charlie sees that pain and tissue damage do not always go hand in hand. In fact, having pain doesn't always mean there is something physically wrong.

His combination of traditional hands on manual therapy care with a novel mind-body approach enables him to treat a wide range of clients including some of the world’s best athletes. Outside of his clinic, Charlie is actively involved in clinical research, consults in health technology, and serves on the medical advisory board for "The Better Mind Center". And if that weren’t enough, Charlie co-created the course "Beyond Pain Education" with Dr Howard Schibiner, MD, and regularly creates content appearing on Podcasts, his channel on YouTube, and on social media to support people in pain.

Needless to say, I am honored to have been able to sit down with Charlie for this episode — he is a gem of a human with so much love for movement and the power it has to change our lives.

What we discuss

The breakdown of what actually happens in our bodies when we experience pain
Scientific evidence of why pain does not always mean tissue has been damaged in the body (and the surprising revelation that this evidence has been around for over 20 years)
Acute vs chronic pain, and understanding what these different types of pain mean
The strong correlation between pain & fear, and why this indicates that the brain is in charge of pain
Using the bio-psycho-social sphere of our organism (hello mind-body connection!) to interpret the messages our pain is trying to alert us to
Our brain can use physical pain to pull us out of feeling an intense emotion, especially when we don’t feel capable of being with some of our emotions
All pain is real - but the key is to understand that our pain does not always mean tissue damage, and often is an important message being relayed through the pain-fear response that some aspect of our lives that needs attention (bio-psycho-social sphere)
Acknowledging that we often find identity through movement, and allowing ourselves to see that how we move is intimately connected to how we see ourselves
The importance of focusing movement as a vehicle for pleasure, joy, and play
Tips to support us in changing our relationship to pain

Thank you so much for tuning in! And don’t forget to help spread the magic of movement by sharing with friends & loved ones, rating the show, and leaving us a review! Every bit of your attention and intention goes a long way in helping us continue to grow! 🌱

Meant to Move - Turning Anxiety into Confidence Apr 10, 2022

Welcome to the second episode of Meant To Move — a special podcast collaboration dedicated to the power of movement and embodiment — co-created by Marie Janicek & Julia Szpor as part of the “Being Better” and “This Thing Called Movement” podcasts.

Today Marie and Julia dig deep into the emotionally charged topic of: how to negotiate anxiety & insecurity surrounding our bodies & movement and exchange them for confidence and empowerment instead.

Together they flesh out some of the biggest pieces of this puzzle, like why movement often feels awkward (yes bodies are magical but they can also be weird), why so many of us are afraid of going to the gym (ugh please don’t look at me), and why moving in front of other people is so intimating (ahhh again please don’t look at me!).

And while deconstructing these very real challenges in relationship to our bodies and movement, they share their own personal stories in navigating these waters of anxiety and insecurity, how they made the transition to feeling more happy & confident, and add detailed scientific explanations for how movement actually helps us regulate anxieties and insecurities.

To wrap up, Julia shares her recent experiences (and exciting revelations!) with Marie’s recommended intuitive movement practices — how it felt, what was hard, what were the benefits, and what she would’ve done differently. Marie unravels the science behind Julia’s first two weeks of practice and gives and Julia (and all you listeners) a new set of recommendations to follow in trying out this episode’s practice.

You can join in on the guided movement practices & meditations on our YouTube channel here!

Visit our website to learn more about the show, to share your experiences in your movement & embodiment journey, and to submit any questions you would like answered! We'd love to hear from you!

https://juliaszpor.wixsite.com/meanttomove

MARIE JANICEK

Marie’s Instagram

Marie’s website

Evolna

This Thing Called Movement Podcast

JULIA SZPOR

Being Better Instagram

Being Better website

Being Better TikTok

Being Better podcast

Meant to Move - Healing Our Relationship with Our Bodies Mar 20, 2022

Welcome to Meant To Move, a special podcast series all about the power of movement and embodiment co-created by Marie Janicek & Julia Szpor as part of the “Being Better” and “This Thing Called Movement” podcasts.

In this series, Marie and Julia come together to discuss all things regarding movement, embodiment, intuition, and body image to help you reach your goals regarding physical health, mental health, athletic performance, spirituality, emotions and relationships. Marie steps in as the movement expert here help you become more in tune with your body, and Julia as the layperson going on this journey with you and help you avoid beginner mistakes.

In this first episode, Marie and Julia discuss some of the key reasons for why our relationship with our bodies can be difficult and often feel confusing. As we unravel these mysteries, Marie offers some practical guidance on developing a more sustainable and fulfilling movement practice.

You can join in on the guided movement practices & meditations on our YouTube channel here!

Visit our website to learn more about the show, to share your experiences in your movement & embodiment journey, and to submit any questions you would like answered! We'd love to hear from you!

https://juliaszpor.wixsite.com/meanttomove

MARIE JANICEK

Marie’s Instagram

Marie’s website

Evolna

This Thing Called Movement Podcast

JULIA SZPOR

Being Better Instagram

Being Better website

Being Better TikTok

Being Better podcast

Using Dance to create Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Energetic Harmony with Kristin Sudeikis Feb 11, 2022

There’s something incredibly magical about hearing success stories of entrepreneurs, but finding the ones where the road to success was centered on following the call of the heart and the subtle messages it sends are few and far between. Enter Kristin Sudeikis — choreographer, artistic director, and CEO/Creator of FORWARD__Space based in downtown NYC where music, dance, culture, fashion + meet n' move. In the wake of the pandemic, she’s been able to expand this magical combination through the FORWARD__Space Virtual Hub, now available in 102 countries.

As a lifelong dancer and lover of movement, Kristin has always been fueled by the intention and desire to bring people together to connect to themselves, the other and then the greater world around them. For her movement — and dance especially — provides space for us to be fully embodied and connected to the ever-present now. Along with all her responsibilities as a entrepreneur, Kristin continues to choreograph and teach nationally + internationally for stage, film, events, brand collaborations and video including (but not limited to) Ben Harper, Mumford & Sons, Ivy Park, NYFW, FKA Twigs x NIKE, Brooklyn Museum, and the OBAMA White House.

What we discuss

The importance of slowing down to hear the call of our heart, the call of our deep desires and potential evolutions, and the difference of stillness as a choice rather than an afterthought
Challenging the idea of “leave your problems at the door” — instead of leaving them at the door, bring it all in with you into your movement practice — bring your WHOLE self
Appreciating the storytelling aspect of dance , and understanding the opportunity it provides for us to engage in a poetic conversation of mind and body
The correlation between the mental health epidemic and the increasing disassociation from our bodies, and how the rise of technology has also moved us out of our bodies
Understanding the balance of structure and freedom in movement space, and the importance of accessing both of these elements in our movement practices
Emotions as energy in motion, and understanding the role movement plays in helping us connect with our emotional energies
Energetic Health and it’s ability to help us better understand the interconnected weave our of physical, mental, and emotional health
Kristin’s process in following her passion, and the importance of trusting in yourself, your vision, your dreams independently of what anyone else says or thinks

Resources

Marie’s website

IG @mariejanicek

Join Evolna's Intuitive Movement Virtual Studio with 14-Day Free Trial

Evolna website

IG @evolna_

In this episode

Miller Marley School of Dance

Martha Graham

Pina Bausch

Get in touch with Kristin

IG @forward__space

Forward__Space Website

IG @kristinsudeikisdance

Kristin’s Website

Thank you so much for taking the time to tune in! Please help us spread the love by leaving a rating, a review, and sharing with any of your loved ones you think would benefit from the messages in this episode!

Changing our Relationship to Productivity: How 'Slowing Down' Helps us 'Speed Up’ Feb 04, 2022

Sometimes, the best decision we can make for ourselves is to slow down, pause or stop. But in a world where “productivity” is a form of currency that we use to gauge and evaluate our worth, taking any of these actions can feel like death (and as you’ll discover in this episode, there’s actually a biological reason for that).

In this solo episode, Marie returns to the airwaves to shares her personal journey in making the radical choice to stop and slow down. She discusses the cultural, psychological, and biological factors that explain why these choices often feel so disorienting and uncomfortable, draws parallels to how the drive for productivity diminishes our capacity in both our movement practices as well as our life, and reframes our understanding of productivity through a more practical lens (hint: productivity isn’t all or nothing — it’s a spectrum!).

Thank you so much for tuning in with us today! To show your support, leave a rating and/or review, and spread the love by sharing with your communities, families, and friends!

To share your suggestions and inquiries for future episodes, or simply connect with Marie, feel free to reach out to marie@evolna.com .

Marie's Resources:

Using Movement as a Gateway to Unlock Hidden Potential with Matt Bernstein of ApeCo Movement Jul 16, 2021

Today we are excited to talk to Matt Bernstein, the founder of Ape Co Movement School, a movement school based in Colorado with locations in Denver and Boulder. Matt is a former professional firefighter and ski patroller, as well as a long time student of Ido Portal. He considers himself a life-long learner, playing as many instruments as he can, moving daily and finding as much ease as possible in the struggles of daily life. As a husband and father, he is deeply devoted to finding new ways to enhance the lives of not just his family and children, but to every human being who crosses his path.

What we talk about

The importance of meeting people where they are at when teaching or sharing information of any kind, and making things relatable and accessible.
How movement and its concepts are delivered is actually more important than the programming or movement content itself.
Understanding the long-game in our movement practices, and seeing them as a long term life quality investment rather than following the "quick-fix" and "magic pill" promises.
The richer your movement practice, the richer the benefits become — spanning beyond your physical prowess but especially influencing things like emotional and intellectual intelligence.
How movement teaches us how to reach beyond the status quo and go after the big dreams we once believed were not possible.
Understanding movement as a gateway to unlock what's hidden and unresolved in our psyche — and while it may not always be the medicine, it certainly opens us up to finding solutions to meet these lost parts of ourselves.
The expansion our internal landscape feeds directly into the expansion of our movement capacity, and vice versa.

Resources

Get in touch with Matt

apecomovement.com
IG @boulderbernstein @apeco_boulder @apeco_denver

Thank you for tuning in! Please leave a review and share with those you think would enjoy listening!

Inner Circle: Saleena Sidhu on How Evolna Transformed Her Relationship to Movement Jul 02, 2021

Welcome to a special new series of episodes on the This Thing Called Movement Podcast:

The Inner Circle

As much as we love listening to interviews from experts and professionals about movement and wellness, there is also something especially powerful and magical about hearing the story of how a non-movement/fitness professional made an incredible transformation in relationship to their body.

This new segment of the podcast features interviews with our Evolna community members who wanted to connect to movement and their bodies in a more authentic, integrated and powerful way.

—

Today’s episode features Saleena Sidhu: a long-time client of Marie Janicek and one of the first students of the Evolna Intuitive Movement practice.

Saleena lives in New York, NY where she is Vice President of Saratoga Medical. She is a wife, a mother of two, and even in the midst of the demanding lifestyle of a New Yorker juggling career, family, and social demands, she still has found time to prioritize and devote herself to her personal health and self-development through movement.

We are so in awe of Saleena’s story and the resonance of the many insights and pearls of wisdom shared in this episode, and hope it uplifts and inspires you within your own personal movement journey.

What we discuss

The arc of Saleena’s personal movement journey: how she began taking fitness classes in her mid-twenties with no prior fitness or athletic experience and the steps that lead her into the many rich and diverse movement practices she engages with today
Understanding fear as a natural part of the learning process
Assessing where you are at and how you feel is the essential first step in setting up your movement and exercise practices, and a powerful tool to use in daily life situations as well
The importance of more democratized movement education to empower people with the tools to better take care of themselves
How movement (and intuitive movement) has influenced how she shows up as a professional, a wife, and a mother
The life-lessons movement has taught her that have become instrumental in helping create more ease and flow in her day to day life

Evolna Resources

In this episode

Movement Methodologies:

Types of Movements:

Term Definitions:

Flow Movement and Sensuality's Role in Our Vitality with Marlo Fisken Jun 18, 2021

Marlo Fisken is a renowned movement professional, having taught over 22 years in more than 70 countries. She is most known for her innovative teaching methods and pole dance accolades, and was previously a professional dancer and model. Marlo began pole 15 years ago and is an international pole dance champion.

Marlo is also the creator of Flow Movement, which offers online learning opportunities, in-person workshops, and the Floor Flow Teacher Training (the first virtual training will be happening later this year -- wait list open now). Flow Movement exists to share the benefits of flow-state movement experiences with ALL people. The Flow Movement approach is known to stimulate imagination, sensuality, connection, naturally fluid movement, and playfulness.

Hailing from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Marlo is a Modern Dance graduate of the Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts and holds a B.S. in Anthropology and Public Relations from the University of Miami.

What we discuss

Marlo's movement journey and her recipe for success rooted in following her fascination, rather establishing goals.
The differences and overlap between sensuality and sexuality, and their presence in movement.
How bringing awareness to our genitalia during movement practice is uncommon, yet game changing (and not necessarily sexual).
Practices to begin connecting to genital awareness in movement.
How sensuality influences and benefits our health and well-being.
The connection between movement and sound vocalization.
Embracing being mediocre or bad at things to explore and learn new practices.

Evolna's Resources

In this episode

Get in touch with Marlo

How Emotions Shape the Body's Physiological Structure, with Embodiment Coach Emily Wishall Jun 04, 2021

In today's episode we dive into understanding the link between emotions and the body. Emily Wishall is a Certified Rolfer & Embodiment Coach based in Denver, Colorado, who is passionate about supporting women through the path from disliking their body to loving it. When you are not comfortable in your body, it affects everything — your confidence, career, relationships, you name it. Emily is publishing her first book this Fall 2021, Hating My Body Was My Greatest Gift (working title).

What We Discuss

How emotions influence the physiological structure of our body: our fascia, our tissues and our posture.
Changing Emily's relationship to movement from one that was punitive and focused on being skinny to one that was for joy, pleasure, and enjoyment.
The importance of authentically connecting with our emotions versus suppressing, avoiding, or bypassing them.
Why practicing embodiment is a game-changer in relationship to movement and your body.
Examples of simple physical practices to deepen our mind-body connection and practice embodiment.

Resources

Get in touch with Emily

www.wishallwellness.com: Join her newsletter & receive a free Find Peace In Your Body Now practice to stay in the loop.
Facebook
Instagram

Thank you for tuning in! Please leave a review and share with those you think would enjoy listening!

Healing through Dance/Movement Therapy May 21, 2021

Welcome back, friends! It's Mental Health Awareness Month and today we're shedding light on dance/movement therapy. We had the pleasure to interview Erica Hornthal, CEO of Chicago Dance Therapy, the premiere dance/movement therapy practice in the Midwest. She has 10+ years as a board-certified dance/movement therapist and licensed clinical professional counselor. Known as “The Therapist Who Moves You,” Erica has truly changed the way people see movement with regard to mental health. She has worked with thousands of patients aged 3-107 and is passionate about bringing awareness to the field of dance/movement therapy to mainstream culture.

What we discuss

Debunking dance/movement therapy and how it differs from other types of therapy, specifically talk therapy;
The mind-body connection vs. mind-body communication;
Being mindful of our relationship to exercise relative to our varying nervous system states;
Learning how to "invite the body in" — into the conversation with ourselves, into the self-reflective/awareness space;
How the need for our bodies to be "comfortable", "familiar", "safe" can actually keep us in unhealthy patterns, because we are unwilling to withstand discomfort in service of improving our well-being;
Moving our bodies is the bottom-up approach we need to address imbalances with our mental & emotional health;
Finally, Erica leads us through a few movement practices you can implement right away to tap into your mind-body connection and shift your energetic state!

Evolna resources

Evolna's digital movement studio is live! Try our 14-day free trial + 20% off any subscription (code EVOLNA20);
Evolna's website to learn more
Follow us on IG @evolna_
Our host's IG @mariejanicek

In this episode

Book: The Body Keeps The Score, by Bessel Van der Kolk
Rudolf Laban's Dimensional Scale

Get in touch with Erica

Thank you for tuning in! Please leave a review and share with those you think would enjoy listening :)

Incorporating Fluid Motion & Somatics to Optimize Health with Bobbie Ellis Mar 26, 2021

Our bodies are made up of 70% percent water, yet by and large we do not encourage movement practices that cultivate that natural fluidity. Bobbie Ellis joins us today for a very special episode in which we discuss the nexus of how fluid motion, sensation, and intuition all work together to create coherent alignment in our bodies and minds from the inside out.

Bobbie has spent the last 37 years of her life devoted to understanding and connecting with the wisdom of the body. She is an esteemed teacher of Continuum Yoga and one of the founding members of the Continuum Teachers Association, having shared her work through prestigious organizations such as Omega Institute, Kripalu Center and Esalen Institute. We hope you find this discussion as revelatory and nourishing as we did, so without further ado, let's tune in!

What We Discuss

Importance of embracing softening in the body and how it is crucial to supporting our health;
Links between our sensory perception and how they help foster our intuition;
How when we take time to connect with ourselves, we actually create positive changes in the world around us;
An accident that caused paralysis led her to the Continuum of Yoga, helping her heal and feel at home in her body;
Continuum of Yoga vs other forms of Yoga; its focus on the process of creativity and inquiry, rather than goals;
The process of teaching 70 to 90 year olds to continue to be flexible, mobile and inherently healthy;
Being hard vs soft-bodied, and its impact on our mental & emotional health;
Understanding how water in your body can be fluid or solidified, and how this affects your overall health and bodily aches and pains;
How practicing the state of safety and trust in our bodies via parasympathetic nervous system is critical to our wellbeing.

In this episode

HB Studio https://hbstudio.org/
Soma with Bobbie Ellis, Resources for Embodied Living https://www.somactr.com/
Continuum Teachers Association https://www.continuumteachers.com/
Dr Fabian Garcia, NY Physical Therapist focused on lymphatic system http://fabiangarciadpt.com/
Heart Math Institute https://www.heartmath.org/

Get in touch with Bobbie

Movement & meditation: www.somactr.com
For ceremonies, like weddings, memorial services, eulogies and baby blessing: www.meaningfulceremonies.net
Facebook : Soma with Bobbie Ellis
Youtube - Bobbie Ellis and/or The Continuum of Yoga

Get in touch with us at Evolna

Prioritizing Physical Autonomy and Efficient Training for Your Personal Needs with Ryan Hurst from GMB Fitness Mar 12, 2021

Hello Everyone! We are beyond honored to introduce today’s guest on the podcast, Ryan Hurst, Co-Founder and Head Coach at GMB Fitness. After a training accident ended his competitive gymnastics career, Ryan moved to Japan and competed in various martial arts until another injury made him reevaluate his priorities in life. Since then, Ryan has devoted his life to coaching others in strength and movement, but always lets his philosophy of “training for a healthy life” lead the way. He has lived in Osaka, Japan for the last 25 years, is a father to two young children, and the most important thing to him is to be able to play with them without pain or fear of injury. His mission is to show everyone that you can define your own fitness as a sustainable and enjoyable part of your life. He holds black belts in Kendo, Judo, and Shorinji Kempo, a purple belt in BJJ, and practiced 10 years as a competitive gymnast.

What we discuss

How Ryan's long history with gymnastics, martial arts and the outdoors shaped his mindset and work ethic;
His move to Japan as a student and dedication towards the practice of Kendo and Judo;
Meeting his business partners Andy Fossett and Jarlo Ilano, and the beginning of GMB Fitness;
The importance of making fitness simple, accessible and efficient for each person's personal needs;
Truly understanding the WHY behind your movement practice and how it helps streamline the path to results;
Prevalent myths of fitness and how they actually limit our health & well-being;
Significant benefits of being process-, rather than results-oriented in our movement practices.

Resources

In this episode

Get in touch with Ryan Hurst

Thank you for tuning in! Please leave a review and share with those you think would enjoy listening!

The Secret to Longevity Begins with Foot Health with Dr. Emily Splichal Feb 26, 2021

Hello Everyone, today we’re going to take a trip down south and dive deeply into the world of our feet! We had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Emily Splichal, Functional Podiatrist and Human Movement Specialist. Dr Emily is the Founder of EBFA Global, Creator of the Barefoot Training Specialist® Certification, Author of Barefoot Strong and CEO/Founder of Naboso Technology. With over 20 years in the fitness industry, Dr Splichal has dedicated her medical career towards studying postural alignment and human movement as it relates to barefoot science, foot to core integration and sensory integration.

What we discuss

The problem with today's segregation of podiatry from the rest of our physiological health and movement practice, and how functional podiatry addresses this issue;
Why feet are critical to our health and well-being;
How sensory stimulation works and why it's a major component to our foot health;
Advice on how to avoid excess stress on your body through your feet;
How foot type impacts your overall energy disposition;
For children, the importance of foot screens to curb childhood diabetes and obesity;
Why foot health is brain health, and how integrating it into your lifestyle is the secret to longevity.

Resources

In this episode

Barefoot Strong Book By Dr. Emily Splichal
What is interoception
Naboso Technology

Get in touch with Dr. Emily Splichal

Building a Positive Relationship with Your Body During Pregnancy with Quinn Tew Feb 12, 2021

Hello Everyone! We’re so excited to share today’s episode with you, featuring Quinn Tew. Quinn is a fitness, nutrition and mindset coach who specializes in women’s health and has worked in the industry for 14 years. She is devoted to helping women harness their overall strength and resilience by embracing the physiological power of the female body.

What we discuss

How participating in aesthetics competition in the fitness industry led to self-judgement and an unhealthy relationship with her body;
How pregnancy has shifted Quinn's relationship to her body by learning how to be more intuitive and listening to it;
Syncing nutrition with the baby's physiological development process helped decrease her morning sickness, made her feel strong and capable and eliminated the risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes;
The science of interoception and its impact on improving your relationship with your body;
Understanding the menstrual cycle and infradian rhythm to harness the power of the female body and improve women's competitive advantage
Why scientific studies have historically been damaging for women
The importance of optimizing rest and the REM cycle

Resources

Evolna’s On-Demand App: 30-day trial for only $1
Evolna's website
Newsletter
IG @evolna_
Facebook
Our host's IG @mariejanicek

In this episode

Get in touch with Quinn

IG @quinn.tew
Quinn.tew@gmail.com

Thank you for tuning in! Please leave a review and share with those you think would enjoy listening!

Art of Kettlebells & Simplicity in Movement with Jason C Brown Jan 29, 2021

Hello everyone! Today’s episode features long-time educator and fitness professional, Jason C. Brown. Jason is the founder of the Kettlebell Athletics certification program. He is passionate about humanizing our movement practices, namely simplifying them and adding more play and pleasure in the process.

Today we discuss the problems behind the fear and intimidation motivations promoted in the fitness industry; why they fundamentally fail; how pleasure and play within movement practices fundamentally impact our mental and physical wellbeing. We’re excited to share Jason’s experiences and insights with you all!

What we discuss

On the kettlebell, running the certification and the authentic, natural patterning it offers;
Problems that fitness is not addressing when it comes to health and well-being for the average person;
How the fitness industry uses fear and intimidation to promote its services, scaring people into moving;
Shifting from health metrics to more artistic, expressive forms of moving;
Finding more pleasure within movement, providing sustainability and productivity, finding movement practice that excites you and makes you want to come back to it ;
What happens in your brain happens in your body, what this means and how it impacts your longevity;
The importance of play and being in your body, rather than necessarily working out;
Considering movement a practice, rather than a workout;
Jason’s work focus shifting from kettlebells to bringing back depth and awareness to one’s movement practice and life;
Going back in time and practicing what turned us on and brought us joy in our childhood or adolescent years (is that cycling, basketball, running, etc?);
Why art is such an important component of our humanity, health and movement practice;
Specific lessons that movement has taught both Marie and Jason;
How simplicity is inherently complex and why this matters in movement.

Resources

In this episode

Get in touch with Jason

Thank you for tuning in! Please subscribe, leave a review and share!

Moving for Pleasure with Charlotte Mia Rose Jan 15, 2021

Hello Everyone! Today we are introducing a spicier subject on the podcast, pleasure and sexual wellness! We spoke to somatic sex educator, Charlotte Mia Rose, who is devoted to helping people find their path to a happier, healthier and more pleasureable sexuality. She and her partner Chris Maxwell Rose are the co-creators of Pleasure Mechanics, an online course platform teaching the techniques of sexual pleasure, as well as hosts of the Speaking of Sex podcast, which dives into erotic education.

Today we talk about how something as simple as touch is underestimated and neglected, yet critical to our well-being; how shame inhibits our sexual health and steps we can take to dismantle its hold on us; and the power of pleasure in improving not just our sex lives, but also our overall health & happiness. We’re honored to share Charlotte’s seasoned expertise with you all, so without further ado, let’s tune in!

More about Charlotte:

Charlotte Mia Rose co-created PleasureMechanics.com with her partner in love and life Chris Maxwell Rose in 2006, devoted to generating online resources about erotic pleasure, joy and connection. They combine their body based expertise with game-changing cultural insights that provide a unique path to a happier, healthier and more pleasurable sexuality. Their soulful and effective online courses teach the techniques of sexual pleasure to a global community of over 10,000 members, and their podcast Speaking Of Sex offers hundreds of hours of free erotic education to anyone ready to expand their capacity for pleasure, love, arousal and connection. You can find all of their offerings at PleasureMechanics.com

Connect with Charlotte:

PleasureMechanics.com

The Erotic Essentials Course

Instagram

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Evolna's website

Instagram: @evolna_

Facebook

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Body Neutrality & Sensation-Focused Movement with Helen Phelan Dec 25, 2020

We are so excited to share our interview with Helen Phelan! Helen is a certified pilates instructor, integrative health coach, and prenatal/postpartum corrective exercise specialist. She is a former professional dancer who struggled with body image and disordered eating for years- and when she became an instructor she was determined to find a way to share the empowering aspects of a movement practice without diet culture's toxicity, and her method and online studio, Helen Phelan Studio was born. Inspired by the intuitive eating movement, Helen's method is designed to enhance your self trust and intuition by creating workouts that connect you more deeply to yourself while challenging you physically and allowing space for self compassion. She's been featured in Huffington Post, Well and Good, Mind Body Green, InStyle Magazine and more.

In this episode we discussed body neutrality (what it means & how it benefits us), the politics inherent within health & wellness, and how sensation-focused movement practices support our mental & physical health. It was an incredibly powerful conversation offering so many lightbulb moments, and definitely one of our favorite episodes to date!

Where to find Helen:

Helen Phelan Studio

Start your free 10 day trial to HPS

5 Step Guide To Stop Using Exercise as Punishment And Learn To Love Your Practice

@helenvphelan on IG

Where to find us:

Evolna's website

Instagram: @evolna_

Facebook

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Innovating Physical Therapy with Dr. Kellen Scantlebury Dec 11, 2020

We’re thrilled to welcome today’s guest on the podcast, Dr. Kellen Scantlebury! Dr. Kellen is a certified strength and conditioning coach as well as a licensed doctor of physical therapy. He’s the founder and CEO of Fit Club, a NYC-based physical therapy and sports performance clinic. Dr. Kellen is incredibly passionate about movement and helping others reach their goals through manual therapy and prescriptive exercise.

What we discuss:

The pitfalls and shortcomings of traditional physical therapy;
Hybridization of training & physical therapy;
Why mindset is critical to our mental and physical health;
How Fit Club has adapted to online physical therapy, delivering even greater outcomes and improvements for their clientele during the pandemic.

Where to find Dr. Kellen and Fit Club:

Resources:

Evolna's website
Instagram: @evolna_
Facebook
Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Syncing Movement & Nutrition with Women's Infradian Rhythm featuring Claudia Germuga Nov 27, 2020

Claudia is a movement and breathwork facilitator based in Brooklyn, NY. She creates holistic movement programs designed to attend to our physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels of being, drawing from multiple certifications in health coaching, nutrition, meditation and breathwork combined with her expertise as a dancer and fitness instructor. Through her unique programming, Claudia encourages students to reclaim their individuality, honor their personal rhythms, and become mavericks of insight and creative power. Her experience includes a BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Lagree Method Certification; Megaformer Pilates and SLT instructor; and Holistic Health Coach, Academy Healing Nutrition.

In this episode we discuss:

How women’s infradian rhythm (and, consequently, menstrual cycle) impact exercise and nutrition;
How the fitness and nutrition industry are centered on male studies and the 24-hour circadian clock;
Specific examples for how women can sync their movement and exercise routines with their menstrual cycle to improve health and vitality;
How Claudia’s experience with the eating disorder orthorexia and using fitness as a cathartic and emotional regulation outlet shaped her personal and professional approach to movement.

Connect with Claudia:

Connect with us:

Instagram: @evolna_

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Microdosing Movement to Improve our Longevity with Dan Tatton & John Sinclair from Seven Movements Nov 13, 2020

Today’s guests are Dan Tatton and John Sinclair of Seven Movements, a health company utilizing the concept of microdosing movement as a long-term health intervention. Both Dan and John are elite performance and health coaches, authors and serial entrepreneurs.

They joined forces to found Seven Movements after Dan saw a problem in the fitness industry: it was leaving too many people behind. He was seeing a "successful" new exercise program or studio opening every week, yet, long-term population health indicators were all on the decline. He wanted to create a program that would help make it more convenient and simple for people to reach their exercise targets and focus on their long term health while creating healthy exercise behaviors. Dan connected with the best mind in exercise he knew, John Sinclair, and together they created Seven Movements.

John Sinclair is a Canadian health coach with over 20 years of experience, currently based in Florida. He is a performance coach for professional athletes and teams; international consultant for companies like Nike, VIPR PRO, HyperIce, IoM, SKLZ, 24HR Fitness, and Zumba; consultant for the Government of Singapore in the Health and Sport ministries; and performance coach for professional athletes and teams.

Dan Tatton is also a Canadian health coach with over 16 years of experience, who has co-founded multiple companies including Seven Movements, GRIT Performance, and Seven Days Healthy. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta with a Bachelor’s Degree in both Education and Physical Education. Dan puts a focus on long term health outcomes and introducing fitness and health to those who are struggling most. He is obsessed with making healthy behaviors, simple, long-lasting, and effective.

In this episode we discuss:

What microdosing movement means and why it matters;
How popularized fitness and exercise are actually reducing our lifespan and longevity;
The gaps between health, fitness, and medicine, debunking many of our assumptions and beliefs around exercise;
Relevant scientific evidence and practical advice to help steer our choices in healthier directions.

Resources:

Seven Movements Website

Seven Movements Facebook

Seven Movements Instagram

Scientific study citing long-term health outcome of sitting time vs exercising once per day

Connect with us:

Evolna's website

Instagram: @evolna_

Facebook

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Power of Music on Mental Health with Jamie Pabst, Founder & CEO of Spiritune Oct 23, 2020

Jamie Pabst is the Founder & CEO of Spiritune, a music-based app that utilizes principles of neuroscience and music therapy to reimagine music for health outcomes such as stress reduction, emotional regulation, productivity and performance. Jamie has always been fascinated by sound’s healing potential and devotes herself to helping others receive its many benefits. She also DJs and produces events to highlight the powerful connections between music and health.

What we discussed in today's interview:

How noise pollution affects us and how music functions as an antidote to restore balance to our brains and bodies
Jamie’s personal self-care journey in motherhood and quarantine
Mental health, debunking its stigma and the changing landscape on becoming more accessible for all

Jamie is a brilliant visionary, a curious intellectual, and deeply thoughtful and warm human being. I’m honored to have her as a guest sharing her insights with you all!

Connect with Jamie & Spiritune:

Connect with us:

Evolna's Instagram: @evolna_

Evolna's Facebook

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Cultivating Compassion, Resilience & Connection with Shweta Bhatt Oct 09, 2020

Shweta Bhatt is a personal transitions coach helping others navigate significant life changes. After 6 years of working in finance with Fortune 100 executives and billion dollar budgets, Shweta realized her true calling was in helping people find more compassion, connection, and resilience within themselves as they navigate significant life changes. She uses her innate magic of storytelling alongside the personality science of human design to help others find clarity within chaos, and it was such a pleasure to connect with her in our conversation here.

We discussed her pillars of compassion, resilience, and connection- her discovery of them and how she utilizes them in her day to day life, along with how discomfort functions as internal alchemy to help us forge our inner power, and finally, we focussed on the potency of the phrase “i’m here”, and how this gentle reminder can quickly help us connect to ourselves, our bodies, and the present moment as is. You can deeply feel Shweta’s love of the process of transformation in every word, and we are so fortunate to share her soothing guidance with you all!

Connect with Shweta:

Instagram: @beadsofshwet

Connect with us:

Instagram: @evolna_

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Balancing Masculine vs Feminine Energy in Movement with Paul Newell Sep 25, 2020

Paul Newell is a Life Movement Practitioner, Guide and Mentor, as well as a Men’s Wellness Facilitator. By combining his experience in Corporate America with the fitness/wellness industry and energetic awareness, Paul works with individuals and communities to enhance fulfillment and connection. As he practices presence, he applies multiple disciplines to engage learners to tap into their unique greatness and passion. His guidance and encouragement has others transcend their stories and traumas to align to their purpose and contribution.

He’s incredibly passionate about paying attention to the details of how we relate to everything in life. Much like me, Paul spends a lot of time researching energy, practices and philosophy around spirituality, making his own inner work a consistent priority.

We talked about how his recent double hip replacement surgery reshaped his awareness of movement basics (like walking and breathing); the dynamic interplay between masculine and feminine energy and how to explore both within our movement practices; and the powerful importance of slowing down. This episode is rich with Paul’s integrated wisdom and we are thrilled to be able to share his insights with you all!

References:

Animal Flow

Yirser Ra Hotep- Kemetic Yoga

King Warrior Magician Lover (Book Reference)

Connect with Paul:

Instagram

Facebook

Juice Dreams Instagram

Connect with us:

Instagram: @evolna_

Join our Private Community Group

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Building Community through Movement & Vulnerability with Echoed Voices Sep 11, 2020

Echoed Voices is a Greenpoint, Brooklyn-based community organization that began with a simple idea to clean the neighborhood. It has quickly grown into a large community with a greater mission to inspire and connect individuals to themselves and their communities at large.

I sat down with its co-founders, Christina Émilie and Cristhian Chaparro, to discuss how Echoed Voices began during quarantine and quickly gained momentum, the importance of vulnerability and self-compassion to grow and come together as a community, and how movement plays a role in the process.

Christina Émilie considered New York home before moving from her hometown in Pittsburgh, PA. For her, the city called her in a non-negotiable way, to discover deeper meaning in her purpose. During a commissioned photo shoot in Africa for a mission-based brand, she was exposed to an environment that provoked her perspective and impact as a fashion photographer. This experience was the seed and start of the desire to move into humanitarian work. With the values and beliefs Echoed Voices has been created on, its goal is to impact and provide meaningful ways to connect to each other.

Cristhian Chaparro was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. He came to New York 10 years ago with the purpose to make a change, spent his time studying business and working in the service industry. Now he's invested in working on his organization, Echoed Voices. He sees this as an opportunity to connect people to themselves and to their communities.

Resources:

Connect with us:

Instagram: @evolna_

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Power of Simplicity & Service with Gary Stockdale Aug 28, 2020

Gary Stockdale is a kinesiologist, functional movement and aquatic specialist based in Thousand Oaks, California, who devotes his practice to changing the relationships people have with their bodies. Gary has developed a strong understanding of movement foundations, joint mobility, functional gait and running mechanics. I'm thrilled to be able to bring Gary back on here with us for a second conversation! We have linked his first episode below in case you haven’t tuned in.

We discussed the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on us as humans, as fitness professionals and on the world at large, and the heightened awareness we are all experiencing in body, mind and society as a result of the virus. We also dug into the power of simplicity, and the important distinction between self-sacrifice and service. Gary is wise, introspective and thoughtful with his words and practice, and we are excited to share this conversation with you!

Connect with Gary

Instagram: @gfunctional

Youtube Channel

Gary's Season 1 Interview on This Thing Called Movement

Connect with us

Evolna's website

Newsletter

Instagram: @evolna_

Facebook

Join our Private Community Group

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Moving through Energy & Black Creativity with Candace Tabbs Aug 14, 2020

Candace Tabbs is a dancer and fitness professional whom Marie met studying Dance at Barnard College, Columbia University. Marie later got to know her work more deeply teaching together at Liberated Movement in NYC. Candace is soulful, wise, and has a beautiful way of helping people feel safe and supported in her presence.

Given their similar backgrounds, Marie and Candace explore how the coronavirus pandemic has shifted their relationship to movement both personally and for the people they work with. The strong surge of the Black Lives Movement is examined in-depth, considering the tough questions on how to eradicate the insidious threads of racism through education, kind listening, and celebration of black ingenuity and creativity. Above all, the interview explores just how interwoven self-care, rest, and joy are into resisting oppression and creating positive change.

Connect with Candace

Personal Instagram: @i_candance

Fitness Instagram: @candacet_fitness

Connect with us

Instagram: @evolna_

Join our Private Community Group

Marie's Instagram: @mariejanicek

Interview References

Liberated Movement dance classes

Robert Battle, Choreographer:

https://www.alvinailey.org/alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater/robert-battle

https://youtu.be/e7pEV9eyYyE

On Rest as Resistance, The Nap Ministry

Black Joy Video, Bbygrl by Thomeography

JK Rowling’s Harvard Commencement Speech

Preparing for the Unpredictable with Annie Vo Jul 12, 2019

Annie Vo is a highly accredited fitness professional and a true veteran in the field. She has taken on many leadership roles during her career, including business founder and owner, Senior Instructor of RKC and Team Leader for PCC, and also services clients through her private personal training business in NYC. She is also studying for a master’s degree in Experimental Psychology. I have the deepest respect for Annie; she is such a devout professional in her work and is so authentically committed to honing her craft in as many facets and possible, and I am honored that she devoted her time to record with me and share her story here.

In this episode we discussed Annie’s induction into fitness, her relationships with different fitness modalities, specifically weight lifting and kettlebells, and most uniquely a recent unexpected and unfortunate attack she suffered this past year in NYC. This gave us both a very different lens to explore and unpack her movement history, how movement has influenced her life, and got us talking about the complexities of confrontation and aggression in social situations. One of my favorite takeaways was Annie’s explanation of how to manage our time, focus, and effort, and how these resources are always being shifted into different parts of our lives depending on the choices we make in allocating them.

To connect further with Annie and to learn more her work, you can contact her through her website or Dragon Door, both of which are listed below:

www.annievo.com

www.dragondoor.com

Lastly- be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Unsustainable Nature of the Fitness Industry with Jason Hamera May 24, 2019

Jason Hamera is the Director of Education for Procedos, a training system based on increasing variability within movement patterns. He is highly intelligent, studiously thoughtful in all the choices he makes, and takes on his role as a leader in the fitness industry with great integrity and humility. His passion regarding the value of education and understanding how to improve the ways we share, teach, and expand knowledge is contagious, and I am thrilled to share Jason’s brilliance with you all in the conversation we created here.

We discussed the importance of honoring both sides of the spectrum of movement and exercise, understanding the relevance of both, and developing the sensitivity to shift along the scale between the two to reinforce one another. We also spoke of the distinction between the subjective experience of the professional/practitioner, versus objective observables within movement and exercise. And finally, my favorite point Jason honed in on is the difference between instruction and education, and how education is the self-sustaining model that the fitness industry is currently missing. These are just a few of the many topics covered here, and I hope you all enjoy tuning into this episode as much as I did recording it.

To connect further with Jason and to learn more his work, you can check out his Instagram or contact him directly through the email addresses listed below:

Instagram:

@jason_hamera

Email:

jason@procedos.com

Jason.hamera@gmail.com

Lastly- be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Moving with Meaning with Marissa Hamera May 17, 2019

Marissa Hamera is a holistic health coach and Master Trainer for Procedos. Similarly to myself, Marissa also hails from a professional dance background and found her way into fitness through her recovery from a series of injuries sustained during her dance career. She is incredibly thoughtful in her expertise, generous in her service to others, and holds a distinctively warm and welcoming presence for everyone she interacts with.

I loved digging into some of the nuances of Marissa’s experiences in dance, specifically her connection to Graham technique, what drew her to it, and how it shaped her understanding of the world and herself. We discussed the importance of diversity of movement practices, and how cultivating that diversity of movement ultimately supports all of the movement practices you are engaging with. And finally, one of the cornerstones of our conversation here was the importance of small scale changes and movement initiatives, and expanding on how there is no such thing as insignificant effort when it comes to movement and taking care of your body. I am so grateful to Marissa for devoting her time to recording with me and sharing her experiences and insight with all of us- this was such a fun conversation to have and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

To connect further with Marissa and learn more about her work, you can find her through her Instagram and website listed below:

IG:

@marissahamera

Email:

Marissa.hamera@gmail.com

Lastly- be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Exploring the Movement of Consciousness with Miriam Van Groen May 03, 2019

Miriam van Groen is a fascinating human being, on the leading edge of facilitating some incredible and unconventional work. She specializes in Guided Tripping, an intentional practice that uses psychedelic substances as tools for opening awareness and creating fluid integration between blocked aspects of our consciousness. She observes and guides movement on an entirely different level, looking at the movement of thoughts, feelings, memory, of our consciousness as a whole, and how that ripples into the rest of our lives as a result. Psychedelics facilitate a high level of access to our bodies and felt sense, that can create a blueprint for that connection to continue in day-to-day life. Naturally, I was incredibly drawn to Miriam and her work, especially given the foundational premise of intentionality around the substances, the space, and the experience itself.

We created an incredibly rich dialogue together, exploring the interwoven nature of consciousness, the mind, the body, and the psyche. A few of my favorite topics we covered included understanding the default mode network we operate from and how to rewire it, the importance of being able to show up in work, relationships, and in life as your whole self, and how minor shifts in framing perspective create huge changes in how you relate to your world and experiences, specifically shifting from controlling and fixing to exploring and allowing curiosity to lead. There really were so may incredible threads we touched on, and I am so grateful Miriam took the time out of her incredibly busy work and travel schedule to meet with me and share her insights.

To connect further with Miriam and learn more about her work, you can find her through her website listed below:

www.guidedtripping.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/guidedtripping/

Lastly- be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Nature & Culture of Climbing with Ara Morton Apr 26, 2019

Ara is an incredible climbing instructor and coach. I had the pleasure of meeting him this past fall and sharing movement practices, life stories, and exchanging so many different ideas about the relevance of movement in our lives. Ara has a particularly unique relationship with movement in the sense that climbing was a modality that took him completely by surprise, and resulted in his entire life become transformed by it and becoming more entrenched in it. He is incredibly impassioned by the wide variety of life skills and principles climbing demonstrates, and how the practice of climbing itself lends to assimilating many important life lessons.

We discussed the distinction of process over product, and how the very nature and culture of climbing is all centered around the never ending opportunities for growth and challenging oneself. Another important topic was the importance of facing both fear and failure, and how encountering both of these components with regularity allows us to be more adaptable and confident in life. And finally, we got to dig into the value of movement as a vehicle of healing, on a wide variety of spectrums. This episode was so much fun and we expanded so many different topics and concepts here- I hope you all find as much enjoyment listening to this conversation as I had in creating it!

To connect further with Ara and to learn more about his work at Beta Climbing and Fitness, you can check out their Instagram page or their website listed below:

Beta Climbing and Fitness:

https://www.betarocks.com/

@betarocks

Lastly- be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Living Inside of Your Authenticity with Tim Brainard Apr 19, 2019

Timothy is a trailblazer, completely upending the way we not only see the world around us, but most importantly how we choose to live in it. His invention and development of WholeSystem Human is a unique integration of the various methodologies and practices that Tim has put to use in his life in order to find his authenticity and live within it elegantly. His various services and offerings within WholeSystem Human allow him to facilitate the same experience for every one of his clients with a sensitivity and profound understanding of human experience and feeling I have rarely seen. Not only have I had the incredible pleasure of being able to be in consistent conversation with his intuitive brilliance, but I’ve also been on the receiving end of his Mirror Sessions and other offerings and was blown away by the clarity and integration his time and focus delivered to me.

We had perhaps one of the most stimulating conversations I’ve had in my lifetime in the course of this episode. The major thread that lead us through it all was our exploration of words and their power; both as vessels of meaning that shift in context of conversation and time, and also in their ability to be containers for larger ideas and concepts, some of which by nature cannot be defined. Relationship ended up becoming a keystone topic of this conversation, and we extrapolated the many different ways relationship shows up in almost every aspect of our lives. And finally, perhaps my favorite part of this conversation was Tim’s discovery of sensitivity as the greatest gift movement has offered him. I cannot begin to lay out all the incredible wisdom and enthusiasm that permeates this whole episode, but I am thrilled that Tim and I were able to capture our excitement on all these topics and share it through this recording.

To connect further with Tim and to learn more his work, you can check out his website or his Facebook profile listed below:

www.wholesystemhuman.com

Facebook: WholeSystem Human

https://www.facebook.com/wholesystemhuman/

Facebook: Timothy Brainard

https://www.facebook.com/timothyrbrainard

Lastly- be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Building Resilience through Variability with John Sinclair Apr 12, 2019

John is a highly accomplished sport and health engineer, educator, and businessman, devoted to helping people maximize not only sport specific performance optimization, but also in increasing life-span and longevity through health-oriented movement practices. For John, his principle focus in all of his work is health; how to promote better health in the body, what movement practices allow for health to flourish, and the various perspective shifts we can begin to make as a society to bring ourselves back into alignment with health. He is one of the most intelligent and impassioned people I know, and I am so grateful that he took the time to share his experiences and insight with us in this episode.

Our conversation lead us into some of the glaring discrepancies between the fitness industry and what being healthy actually looks and feels like, we discussed the relevance of relationship to movement, and how important it is for us to make decisions regarding our movement practice based on what we do or don’t like, and finally, how movement is always valuable for our bodies and our health, no matter how seemingly insignificant or inconsequential we may judge it to be. This was an incredibly profound and important conversation, one that brilliantly illustrated some of the gaps between the health we believe we are achieving in practices promoted by fitness at large and highlighting what true health actually looks like. John’s expertise and advice is always highly relevant, informative, and actionable; and I hope you walk away from this episode as inspired as I was recording it.

To connect further with John and learn more his work, you can check out his Instagram or head over to the website of his company My Take Seven listed below:

@authentichealthcoach

www.mytakeseven.com

Be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

The Journey Towards Mastery with Alisha Smith Apr 05, 2019

Alisha Smith is a highly-esteemed fitness professional, having worked across a multitude of roles and positions during her 15 years in the field. Currently, she is co-director of Integral, an aerial arts and movement studio in Sydney Australia, while also serving as a Master Instructor for Animal Flow. I am so excited to share this episode featuring Alisha, as she is such a thoughtful individual with so much passion for her craft, always seeking to gain more understanding in how she can be of even better service to her community and the world at large. It’s rare to meet someone who takes such serious consideration of utilizing their passion to help others make significant life changes, and Alisha is one of those special people out there.

We discussed the value of the learning process, and how coming into practices as a novice and how being on the journey of developing your mastery is such a rich place to live in and experience, the importance of listening to our bodies and being willing to receive all the information that is being held there, and one of my favorite topics, the importance of tuning into your own curiosity and interests in order to help spark and fuel your movement journey. I enjoyed every moment of this conversation and am so grateful to Alisha for generously sharing her experiences, her passion, and her love for movement with us all!

To connect further with Alisha, you can head over to her business website and Instagram account, or follow her on her personal IG listed below:

www.integralaerial.com

@integralaerial

@itsalishasmith

Be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Embracing Vulnerability in Movement with Jessica McCarthy Mar 29, 2019

Jessica McCarthy is a dancer, healer, teacher, and so much more. Her work centers around holistic integration using movement, plant medicine, and reconnecting back to ourselves through ancient rituals of our ancestors. Jess and I had so many commonalities we discovered in this episode, including our mutual love of nature, tree-hugging, and dancing freely outdoors. She has such a deep sensorial and emotional connection to movement, the earth, and how these two powerful forces can create massive shifts when paired together. You can’t help but feel a grounded sense of safety and nourishment when hearing Jess speak- and that energy effortlessly flows through her work as well.

Some of the topics we unpacked included the concept of vulnerability, and how to navigate it when it comes up in our movement practices, the relevance of nature in reconnecting to our bodies and our humanity, and the power of sound. This was an exciting conversation for me to have as we uncovered new connecting threads between movement and life, and I hope you all enjoy listening to this episode as much as I did recording it!

To connect further with Jess directly, you can head over to her website and Instagram account listed below:

www.luminousarchitecture.com

@luminousarchitecture

Be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Enhancing Cognitive Functions via Movement with Ryan Glatt Mar 22, 2019

Ryan is a Brain Health Coach and Psychometrist working for the Pacific Brain Health Center. If you are unfamiliar with the concept of a brain health coach and don’t know what a psychometrist is, it’s because Ryan is at the forefront of an entirely new approach to training, movement, and exercise. Rather than working with movement to create change in the body, Ryan’s research and work application is centered around how to create cognitive changes in the brain as a result of how we move our bodies. In other words, the movement protocols you engage with make targeted changes to how your brain works and improve specific cognitive functions. This has big implications for how we relate to and understand movement as a practice.

We had a fascinating conversation dissecting some of the intricacies of Ryan’s work and experience, looking into what lead him into the unique and highly relevant field he is in now, the wide array of impact different movement strategies have on the many aspects of cognitive function, and how we can begin to reorganize our understanding of movement so we can use it not just for the health of our bodies, but also our brains. I loved digging into some of the science of brain health and it’s connection to movement, and Ryan brilliantly showcased the value of movement as a medium that goes far beyond expanding physical prowess. I hope you all enjoy this episode as much as I did recording it, and walk away a little more inspired and excited to get moving!

To connect further with Ryan and learn more his work, you can check out his website or his Instagram profile listed below:

www.ryanglatt.com

@glatt.somatiq

If you want to learn more about the Online Cognitive Training Course Ryan has created for health professionals, head over to the following link:

https://somatiq.co/course-landing-page/

And finally, for the Cognitive Kali referenced in the episode, you can find it here:

https://www.cognitivekali.com/

Be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Finding Authenticity & Joy with Matthew Tolstoy Mar 15, 2019

Matthew holds many different titles: he is a doctor of Chinese medicine and acupuncture, a hypnotherapist, as well as a Strength Coach for the NYC Ballet. In addition to being an incredibly versatile and accomplished professional in the medical, rehabilitative, and performance realms, Matt is also a deep thinker. I am so honored that he gave his time to share his experiences and understanding of movement on this episode- we got to unpack so many fascinating connections to movement and how it creates shifts in our lives.

A few stand-out moments of our conversation included; how the voice is a vessel to gauge a person’s sense of authenticity and comfort within themselves, the relative youth of the fitness and rehabilitation industries and the difficulties that these fields navigate as a result, the importance of relational experience in movement and rehabilitative practices, and finally, allowing the freedom for joy to come through in movement and in life. I loved every moment of this conversation and hope you all enjoy listening in to our musings and banter recorded here.

To connect further with Matt and learn more his work, you can check out his website or find him on Instagram as listed below:

www.matthewtolstoy.com

@matttolstoy

Be sure to share this episode with friends if you enjoyed listening, and of course please leave us a review if you liked what you heard!

Transformational Movement Experiences Through Community with Jules Bakshi Mar 08, 2019

Jules Bakshi is a dancer, choreographer, holistic personal trainer, and a newly minted business owner. Her new movement/dance/fitness studio, GOOD MOVE, will be opening in Williamsburg Brooklyn spring 2019, where she is weaving together the movement experiences and practices that have had the greatest transformative affect in her life. She seeks to not only deliver these mediums to the public in a welcoming and nourishing manner, but also to create a supportive community that helps everyone step into the best version of themselves.

Jules is an incredibly intelligent, talented, and intuitive woman. She lives her life with fierce conviction in service to her friends, her family, and her clientele, and I am so honored that she came onto the podcast to share her journey and experiences surrounding movement. I hope you all enjoy the conversation we created here as we unpacked our mutual love for movement together.

To connect further with Jules directly or to visit GOOD MOVE, you can head over to the following websites and Instagram accounts listed below:

Jules Bakshi

@juiceboxshi

www.bodyelectricnyc.com

www.hotbitchnyc.com

GOOD MOVE

@goodmoveny

www.goodmovenyc.com

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Using Movement to Create Positive Change with Gary Stockdale Mar 01, 2019

Gary is a functional movement specialist who devotes his work and practice to changing the relationships people have with their bodies. His perspective goes so much deeper than just the anatomy and biomechanics of what’s limiting someone in their ability to experience their full capacity for athleticism and performance; he sees the connection between all things. He asks us to investigate the reflective nature of our relationships with others and what that shows us about our relationship with ourselves, how our emotions and feelings in a given situation affect our ability to authentically be present, and much more. Given all of our common passions and interests, Gary and I were able to expand on some really exciting principles in our conversation here and I am thrilled to share it with you all!

To connect further with Gary and learn more his work, you can check out his Instagram handle or his YouTube channel listed below:

@gfunctional

www.youtube.com/channel/UCepoTdRjAubxJjI2YIvPJGQ

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Feminine Embodiment with Mia Goedecke Feb 22, 2019

Mia is an incredibly empathetic soul who is so deeply rooted in her passion for movement and its ability to transform our lives. As a personal trainer and enlightenment coach, Mia’s work centers on helping women get in touch with their femininity through their movement practices, and being able to embrace it deeper in their day to day as a result. Her experience lead to some fascinating discussions including the importance of connecting to both masculine and feminine energy, the gift of allowing yourself to be as fully present in the feeling of movement itself, and also the importance of slowing movement down to build heightened self-awareness. I am so grateful to Mia for sharing her connection to movement with us on this episode, and hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

To connect further with Mia and learn more about her work, you can head over to her website or her Instagram account.

www.miagoedecke.com

@miagoedecke

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Opening the Mind through Movement with Elizabeth Chitty Sandoval Feb 15, 2019

Elizabeth Chitty Sandoval is one of the wisest and most deeply empathetic people I’ve encountered. Her sensitivity to the many ways our bodies communicate with us allow her to draw incredibly sophisticated connections between movement and how it influences our lives. She works as a craniosacral therapist and structural integration specialist, and also holds the title of Director of the Colorado School of Energy Studies in Boulder, Colorado. Elizabeth's life and work are focused on how to create clearer perspective around the signals our body is giving us all the time, and how to listen more closely to those signals in order to reap the benefits of that innate intelligence. I loved every moment of this conversation with Elizabeth and hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

To connect further with Elizabeth and learn more about her work, you can head over to her website or her Instagram account.

www.biodynamicsinmotion.com

@biodynamicsinmotion

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Exploration in Movement Artistry with Choreographer & Producer Tony Testa Feb 08, 2019

Tony Testa is a standout choreographer, director, and producer in the dance industry. His deep respect and appreciation for dance as an art form is truly mesmerizing, and with that he continues to be an active observer, philosopher, and lifelong student of the medium as his work with movement expands. I am so grateful that Tony took the time to chat with me in this episode, and that through our conversation together you will have the pleasure of experiencing the intersection of movement, art, and dance, through his eyes. So much of what was shared here has inspired me in my own life, and I am thrilled to offer these kernels of wisdom to you all as well.

To connect further with Tony and learn more about his work, you can head over to his website or search his name through Youtube and Vimeo.

www.tonytestaofficial.com

Vimeo and Youtube: search Tony Testa

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Interconnected Nature of Dance & Life with Choreographic Duo Shaina & Bryan Baira Feb 01, 2019

Shaina Branfman Baira and Bryan Strimpel Baira are a choreographic and teaching duo with a unique perspective on the medium of dance. For them, dance and life are in fact the same thing. They approach their work in dance as a multifaceted form of research to shape deeper understandings and better inform the decisions we make as human beings relating to ourselves, others, and the greater whole. Together, the three of us unpacked many hidden connections of how movement and life are always influenced by one another, making this a particularly rich and stimulating conversation, and I am thrilled to be sharing it with you all.

To connect further with Shaina and Bryan and learn more about their work, you can head over to their Instagram account or to their website listed below.

@mvmntphlsphy

www.baira.co

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The Archetypes of Movement with Matthew Retallack Jan 25, 2019

Matthew Retallack is one of the sharpest and most deeply focused fitness professionals I have met in my lifetime. His background working as an osteopath and a personal trainer coupled with his interests in mixed martial arts yoga create his incredibly unique perspective on movement and its connection to the body and our life. One of the standout elements of how Matthew discusses movement is his ability to tie it into almost anything he relates to, which made this conversation incredibly exciting as we jumped into some really interesting tangents along the way.

To connect further with Matthew and learn more about his work, you can head over to his Instagram account and drop him a line there.

@mretmovement

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Building Confidence through Movement with Venus Lau Jan 18, 2019

Venus Lau is an incredibly passionate and accredited Personal Trainer and based out of L.A. One of the distinguishing elements that Venus brings to the table in her movement work is her emphasis on connecting Mind, Body, and most importantly, FUN! She brings so much humor and joy into her online presence, her programs, and all the various communities she engages with, helping make fitness and exercise accessible and fun for everyone. I am so honored to be able to share our conversation with you all, and hope you enjoy listening in as we unpack Venus’ many perspectives and experiences with movement.

To connect further with Venus and learn more about her work, you can head over to her website, her Instagram account or check out her movement program, Strength and Flow!

www.venusfit.com

@venus2bfab

Strength and Flow Program

https://venusfit.teachable.com/

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Trusting the Body's Wisdom with Chandler Stevens Jan 11, 2019

Chandler Stevens is an incredible movement coach whose work centers around how embodiment translates into the rest of our lives. Through his self-created practice of Ecosomatics, he helps his clients feel at home in their bodies so they can show up as the greatest version of themselves in all areas of their lives. He thinks deeply about big and small questions, and creates beautifully open environments and opportunities for people to begin to discover and integrate with their whole selves. I am so thrilled Chandler took the time to record this episode, as we share many common passions and interests and got to unpack many of them through our conversation together.

To connect further with Chandler and learn more about his work, you can head over to his website, his Instagram account, or Facebook:

www.chandlerstevens.com

@chandlerthemover

FB: Chandler Stevens

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Allowing Curiosity to Lead with Yoo-Sun Park Jan 04, 2019

Yoo-Sun is a woman who wears many hats and has worked in several industries. A professional violinist, a SLT Master Instructor, and last but certainly not least, she is an entrepreneur. I had the pleasure of meeting her during her co-creation and development of a whole new kind of social media platform, DIEMlife. Her passion for helping people achieve their hopes and dreams runs deeply through every element of her work and her life, and I am so honored that we were able to record so much of Yoo-Sun’s wisdom through experience in this episode.

To connect further with Yoo-Sun and learn more about her work, you can head over to her personal Instagram account or check out DIEMlife on IG or through it’s website.

@_yoosunpark_

@diemlife

www.diem.life

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Leaning into Exploration with Kate Galliett Dec 28, 2018

Kate Galliett is one of the most accomplished and seasoned movement coaches in the fitness industry. She wholeheartedly focuses on helping people realize the unlimited potential of their bodies as well as their overall movement capacity. Along with instilling a vibrant sense of exploration and curiosity within her coaching programs, Kate herself continues to expand her own growth through exploring new interests and curiosities as they come her way. I am so grateful I was able to speak with Kate in this episode, and I hope you all enjoy our conversation as much as I did!

To connect further with Kate and learn more about her work, you can head over to her website, or to her Facebook group, as well as her Instagram accounts:

www.fitforreallife.com

@theunbreakablebody

@kategalliett

Move Well Essentials Facebook Group

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Release Through Creativity with Nick Konow Dec 21, 2018

Nick Konow is a very unique kind of movement teacher. He is primarily interested in debunking everything you know about movement, creativity, art, and even the world in order to show you something unseen or hidden within yourself. Along with interrogating the mainstream, Nick is deeply passionate about being honest and real with people and delivering far past the realms of a traditional movement coach. I am so excited to share this recording of our conversation together as we unpacked many aspects of movement that inspire and excite us.

To connect further with Nick and learn more his work, you can check out his website with his various offerings or follow his Instagram handle listed below:

@worldmvmt

www.graceinmvmnt.com

nick@graceinmvmnt.com

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Cultivating Body Love & Appreciation for Movement with Casey Tom Dec 14, 2018

Casey Tom is well established in many roles throughout the fitness industry, yet most well-known for nutrition coaching. Casey is one of the most bright, sunny, and passionate people I know in the world. Her big heart and love for everyone she meets creates a sense of warmth, compassion, and success.

Casey and I discussed her movement journey, specifically a severe brain injury she sustained in young adulthood that changed her life forever. This pivotal moment has left her with an incredibly deep sense of gratitude and respect for the human body and our ability to move with it. We also dug into the connections movement has created for Casey in her life, helping her to create family and close relationships of many kinds. And perhaps my favorite topic, the importance of meeting your movement urges and desires when they arise.

To connect further with Casey, you can find her on Instagram and through her website and email (some have changed from the initial recording- see below).

@caseytomnutrition

www.icanutritioncoaching.com

casey@icannutritionalcoaching.com

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Interweaving Spirituality & Physicality Through Yoga with Magi Pierce Dec 06, 2018

Magi Pierce is a wonderfully accomplished, thoughtful, and devoted yoga instructor and educator in NYC. She has been teaching for over a decade, and expertly weaves together the spirituality, physicality, and deeper connection that yoga offers. As a student in her classes Magi has opened many new windows and perspectives for how to connect to my own body through movement, and as she continues to grow and evolve her practice, her classes, and her workshops do as well. I am honored to know her and am so grateful to share her insight with you all in this episode. Namaste!

To connect with Magi or take class with her, head over to her website or follow her on Instagram.

@magipierce

www.magipierce.com

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Animal Flow & Creating Love Story Through Movement with Mike Fitch Nov 29, 2018

Mike Fitch is an incredible professional in the fitness community. He is best known for his creation and development of Animal Flow and The Bodyweight Athlete, and even in the midst of his success he remains humble and curious as he continues to expand on and develop his own personal relationship to movement. I am so honored to know Mike and to be able to share his story and insights with you in this episode.

To connect further with Mike and learn more his work, you can check out his websites offering his programs or follow the Instagram handles listed below:

@mikebgt

@animalflowofficial

www.animalflow.com

www.bodyweightathlete.com

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