Best Violet Minds Podcasts (2025)

1
Childhood Experiences, Spiritual Narratives and Hope 44:39

Play Pause

6h ago44:39

44:39

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! The shortest days of the year can sharpen our sense of what’s sacred. We lean into that seasonal stillness to tease apart religion as a set of rules and spirituality as a living, breathing experience, then explore how stories shape who we become. Our guest, spiritual guide and facilitator Kristen Swan, shares h…

1
From Chaos To Calm: Attachment, Trauma, And Choosing Healthy Love 27:41

2d ago27:41

27:41

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Ever notice how a quiet room can make your heart race when you’re used to slammed doors and sharp words? We dig into why peace can feel unsafe if you grew up around chaos and how that early conditioning shapes what your nervous system calls “normal.” With Dr. Rebecca Payne, a California-based psychologist who s…

1
Expect The Expected: Navigating Hurtful Family Dynamics 6:36

3d ago6:36

6:36

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Holiday gatherings can feel like a pressure cooker when old dynamics collide with high hopes. We open up about the quiet bargain many of us make—if we do more, maybe they’ll hurt us less—and why that bargain drains joy. Instead, we walk through a practical, compassionate shift: expect the expected. When someone…

1
Podcast 65: The Little Death - Navigating Menopause 42:57

7d ago42:57

42:57

Menopause is not a moment. It’s a season. For many of us, it’s a long one. In today’s episode, we talk about the emotions that can show up when fertility ends, how family dynamics can shift, and why empathy for yourself is not optional. We also share tools that helped us through the changes, from simple supports to bigger interventions, plus resour…

1
Dating After Divorce: How to Trust Yourself to Move On 47:09

7d ago47:09

47:09

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! The hardest part of divorce isn’t signing papers; it’s deciding who you want to be next. Mary sits down with divorce recovery coach Leah Mazur to trace a path from abandonment wounds and serial monogamy to boundaries, standards, and a calmer nervous system. Together we break the old script that says your worth …

1
Reinventing Midlife: Sobriety, Solo Travel, And Self-Trust 40:46

9d ago40:46

40:46

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the anxiety you feel is the exact compass you need? That’s the spark behind this conversation with Tina Coleman—a woman who turned a career-ending car accident, profound grief, and a tangle of old coping habits into a bold new chapter of sobriety, solo travel, and life abroad after 50. We get honest abo…

1
From Resolutions To Meaning: Rethinking The Holiday Season 10:02

10d ago10:02

10:02

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! We share a candid year-end reflection on editing, expectations, and why resolutions often miss the point. The focus shifts to simpler holidays, learning from loss, and investing time in memories, relationships, and small practices that bring meaning. • reframing failure as learning and space gained • choosing s…

1
Somatic Therapies: Trauma, Attachment and Family Systems 49:18

16d ago49:18

49:18

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Confrontation doesn’t have to be a fight; it can be the moment everything gets clearer. That idea becomes our entry point into a grounded, hope-filled conversation with trauma therapist Carolyn Kobylinski, LPC-S, who believes therapy should make you feel different. We trace her path through bipolar II, eating d…

1
Digital Minimalism For Sanity, Focus, And Real-Life Connection 51:16

18d ago51:16

51:16

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the quiet you crave is on the other side of a few simple phone boundaries? We sit down with strategist and community builder Kelsey Green to unpack digital minimalism as a values-first way to use technology without letting it use you. From the rise of anxiety and scattered attention to the illusion of c…

1
Break Free from Anxiety and People-Pleasing 40:03

23d ago40:03

40:03

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the real path to power isn’t armor, but undressing the layers that never belonged to you in the first place? Mary sits down with Nedjma Belaid—modern priestess, mentor, former pharmacist, and clinical hypnotherapist—to trace the journey from people pleasing and anxiety to a grounded, luminous self that …

1
Navigating High-Conflict Divorce 52:18

25d ago52:18

52:18

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What happens when divorce stops being a private rupture and becomes a public war? We sit down with Lisa Johnson—co-founder of Been There Got Out, high-conflict divorce strategist, and certified domestic violence advocate—to unpack the real mechanics of legal abuse, coercive control, and the quiet power of strat…

1
CALM For The Holidays: Reclaim Joy This Season 19:00

26d ago19:00

19:00

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! The holiday lights flip on and suddenly your pulse spikes. Between crowded calendars, complicated family dynamics, and the ache of people we miss, the season can feel less like a spark of joy and more like a storm front. We built this mini to offer a calmer way through: a clear, compassionate framework called C…

1
From Summits To Valleys: Grit, Grief, And Finding Strength 38:44

1M ago38:44

38:44

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the view you want is earned one painful step, one quiet choice, and one stubborn breath at a time? We sit down with author and endurance athlete Dianette Wells to trace the arc from a spontaneous Mount Whitney climb to seven summits, multi-day eco challenges, and the mindset that makes impossible goals …

1
From IVF To Empowerment: Rewriting The Path To Parenthood 35:16

1M ago35:16

35:16

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the story you were handed about motherhood—find a partner, marry, then try for kids—was never the only way? We sit down with author and coach Cheri Bergeron to unpack how she pursued a corporate career, watched the clock get louder, and then chose a different path: IVF with donor eggs, navigating loss, …

1
No More People-Pleasing: Why We Stop Being "Nice" and Start Being Authentic 17:46

1M ago17:46

17:46

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the sudden urge to stop performing isn’t a phase, but a feature of a changing brain? We dive into the science and lived experience of “aging out of pretending,” exploring how midlife hormone shifts and synaptic pruning reshape the mental load of people pleasing. The result isn’t rudeness; it’s a recalib…

1
#23: Master Hypnotist Mike Mandel (50 Years) on Ego States, Parts Work, and the Architecture of Mind. 1:34:12

1M ago1:34:12

1:34:12

Send us a text Mike Mandel is a world-leading hypnotist with over 50 years of professional experience. He's performed nearly 5,000 stage shows, trained over 10,000 students at his Toronto hypnosis academy, and co-hosts the Brain Software podcast. Our conversation bridges hypnosis, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, pain management, and meaning-…

1
Practical Mindfulness with Crone Sally: Mindfulness / 5-Senses Grounding Practice 7:12

1M ago7:12

7:12

Sally guides a short mindfulness practice using the five senses—simple, grounding, and doable anywhere. This reset helps calm fight-or-flight, quiet racing thoughts, and bring you back into your body. Practice includes: • Deep breathing • Five things you see • Four things you feel • Three things you hear • Two things you smell • One thing you taste…

1
Choose Yourself, Expand Your Life 42:40

1M ago42:40

42:40

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if shrinking isn’t your personality—it’s your programming? We sit down with author Candice Shepherd to unpack the hidden codes that keep so many of us stuck in people pleasing, perfectionism, and pretending to be fine. From the moment her marriage hit a crossroads to the day she chose her truth over approv…

1
Turning Tragedy and Trauma into Purpose: Step Into Your Miracle 36:11

1M ago36:11

36:11

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the life you built—career, identity, confidence—vanished overnight? Mary sits down with Shannon Michelle, a former LA interior designer whose world changed after a near-fatal motorcycle crash and, later, a breast cancer diagnosis. The story that follows isn’t about superhuman grit; it’s about ordinary p…

1
Intentional Holidays: Traditions, Boundaries, And What Really Matters 5:44

1M ago5:44

5:44

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! The calendar is racing, the daylight is fading, and the pressure to do it all is loud. After returning from a trip to visit a 99‑year‑old father‑in‑law, we sit down for a short, heartfelt reflection on how to navigate the holiday rush with intention. If your plans include hosting, caregiving, tight timelines, o…

1
Energy & Wealth: Abundance Beyond Dollars 52:11

1M ago52:11

52:11

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if prosperity isn’t a number, but the safety and support you can count on? Mary sits down with holistic wealth coach, writer, and speaker Morgan Blackman to rethink money through the lens of energy, values, and community. We move past the spreadsheet to explore how gratitude, alignment, and resourcefulness…

1
Why Chasing “The Right Guy” Keeps You Stuck And How To Build The Partnership You Deserve 41:31

2M ago41:31

41:31

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if “finding the right guy” is the very thing keeping you stuck? We open up about how self-sufficiency without vulnerability can mask red flags, and why the path to a steady, equal partnership begins with radical honesty about your needs. Licensed social worker and relationship coach Chaya Garcia joins Mary…

1
Belonging: Finding the Zone Where You Thrive 7:36

2M ago7:36

7:36

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! A simple move can surface a big truth: belonging shapes everything. We share why we left a very rural home for a small city and unpack how that decision revealed a practical framework for fit and flourishing. Drawing on plant wisdom from my forthcoming book, Nature Knows: Growing and Thriving Through the Wisdom…

1
Podcast 64: Oracle on the Table: Theresa Varela on Graciella, Mystery & Everyday Practice 44:02

2M ago44:02

44:02

Author and spiritualist Theresa Varela joins Two Crones and a Microphone to share a live oracle-card reading and explore how our gifts, ancestors, and inner guidance help us walk with courage and compassion. Podcast homepage: https://twocronesandamicrophone.com Theresa Varela official site: https://www.theresavarela.com Blog / monthly oracle messag…

1
From Complaints to Confidence: Keys to Positive Mindset 36:26

2M ago36:26

36:26

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! The quiet voice in our head can be a coach or a critic—and most days, it’s the critic with a megaphone. Mary sits down with Cheryl Fischer, host of the Mind Your Midlife Podcast and a certified life and mindset coach, to unpack how subtle habits like constant complaining, reflexive apologies, and comparison kee…

1
Empowered Women: Bridging Divides through Connection & Interracial Sisterhood 58:00

2M ago58:00

58:00

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the shortest path from fear to trust is a conversation you’ve been avoiding? Mary sits down with anti-racism educator and Interracial Sisterhood Coalition founder Karen Fleshman to explore how intentional, story-driven friendship across race can heal divides, strengthen workplaces, and change what power…

1
Bubbly Water and City Life: Exploring What You Never Thought You'd Want 9:25

2M ago9:25

9:25

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the thing you’ve sworn off is the door you need to walk through next? That’s the spark behind a candid reflection on moving from quiet country life to a small city with more diversity, more community, and more ways to serve. I share how an unexpected love of bubbly water on a trip to Germany softened a …

1
Rescuing Yourself: Breaking the Firstborn Daughter Cycle 49:12

2M ago49:12

49:12

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What happens when your entire identity is built around taking care of others? For Adaku Mbagwu, the journey from family provider to self-discovery required hitting rock bottom before she could rebuild her life on her own terms. Born in Nigeria and moving to London at age six, Adaku witnessed her family's financ…

1
Wisdom Wednesday Long Form: From War to Weaving: Living the Shift to the Violet Ray 13:57

2M ago13:57

13:57

The world feels locked in the red ray—force, threat, intimidation. Our mentor, Oh Shinnáh, taught that a shift is underway toward the violet ray—compassion, balance, repair. The goal isn’t to erase strength. It is to transmute it. In this week’s Wisdom Wednesday we name the teaching, honor the line of wild, wise women who kept it alive—from Hildega…

1
You're Already Whole: Healing from Shame and Perfectionism 54:56

2M ago54:56

54:56

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What happens when generations of emotional suppression collide with childhood trauma? For therapist Malisa Hepner, it created the perfect storm of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and eventual burnout that forced her to completely reimagine her approach to healing. Born to parents struggling with addiction and r…

1
Unconventional Gratitude: How Setbacks Fuel Growth and Connection 6:57

2M ago6:57

6:57

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Gratitude gets tossed around like a seasonal slogan, but the real magic happens when you follow the thread from a hard moment to an unexpected opening. I share how a rough exit from school counseling set off a chain reaction that led to higher education roles, new mentors, a brush with doctoral study, and event…

1
Podcast 63: The Queen Years: Perimenopause | Continued Conversation with Jennifer Ragonese 38:52

2M ago38:52

38:52

With guest Jen Ragonese, we name the whack-a-mole of symptoms, talk frankly about desire and dryness, and share what helps in the messy middle—movement, herbal supports, and finding a clinician who listens. Watch and share your questions or what’s helped you. Tell us what you think! We love to hear from you! Support the show Remember, wisdom knows …

1
Designing Your Joyful Life: Your Strengths are the Key to Your Happiness 54:32

2M ago54:32

54:32

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Do you ever find yourself wondering if constant overwhelm is just the price of womanhood? If checking all the boxes of success should leave you feeling this depleted? You're not alone. In this illuminating conversation with Dr. Wendy O'Connor, a Stanford-trained positive psychologist and success coach, we unpac…

1
Addiction, Horses and Healing: Transforming Recovery 46:19

2M ago46:19

46:19

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Nancy McKay's recovery journey began like many women's stories – social drinking that gradually intensified until it became a way to cope with trauma. After her father's suicide when she was 50, Nancy's drinking shifted dramatically from social lubricant to emotional anesthetic. Two years later, following her o…

1
Radical Acceptance: Acknowledge the Reality to Move Toward Peace 6:44

2M ago6:44

6:44

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Ever notice how much energy goes into arguing with reality? We fixate on how someone should behave, how a conversation should have gone, or how we should feel, and the struggle only deepens the pain. Today we share a grounded approach to radical acceptance—acknowledging what’s true without endorsing it—so you c…

1
Redefining Wealth for Women: It's Much More Than a Budget 55:34

2M ago55:34

55:34

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if your confidence with money had nothing to do with math—and everything to do with meaning? We sit down with AJ Bishop-Andrews, founder of FEROZ and author of the forthcoming Rich Like Her, to unpack why so many high-achieving women still feel uneasy pricing their work, negotiating pay, or asking direct q…

1
From Love Bombing to Liberation: One Woman's Journey to Self-Worth 37:43

2M ago37:43

37:43

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What makes a strong, intelligent woman stay in an abusive relationship? Nikki Allen's answer might surprise you. The author of "Loved You Hated You" joins Mary to share how vulnerability after losing her mother and moving to a new city without support made her susceptible to an abusive partner she never imagine…

1
Finding Solutions with The Miracle Question 7:18

3M ago7:18

7:18

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What if the fix you’re craving starts with a scene, not a plan? We explore a simple, powerful tool from solution-focused therapy—the miracle question—that helps you picture the version of your life where the problem is gone, then trace gentle, practical steps back to today. Instead of circling what’s wrong, we …

1
Podcast 62: Harvesting Change: Lessons from the Three Sisters 39:23

3M ago39:23

39:23

Corn, beans, and squash—the ancient “Three Sisters”—show us how harmony grows from diversity. Join the Crones as they explore Taos Pueblo’s living wisdom, share stories from Oh Shinnáh, and reflect on how we can build community like the Three Sisters do: side by side, rooted in care. Listen to learn: – What the Three Sisters planting method teaches…

1
Tarot Cards in the Doctor's Bag: Healing Beyond Science 55:09

3M ago55:09

55:09

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Have you ever felt the powerful pull of something unexplainable, something that science alone couldn't quite capture? That's the fascinating territory we explore with Dr. Sue McCreadie, a holistic pediatrician who has expanded her practice in surprising ways to help women navigate their midlife transitions. Dr.…

1
Call It What It Is: Control is Abuse, Not Love 34:34

3M ago34:34

34:34

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Control rarely arrives kicking down the door—it slips in dressed as care. That’s the thread we pull with author and advocate Amanda Scott, whose 17-year marriage looked stable from the outside but ran on a quiet currency of emotional and financial abuse. We explore how intense attention, constant check-ins, and…

1
Unapologetic Seeds: How Plants Teach Us to Be Ourselves 7:45

3M ago7:45

7:45

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! A bright orange wildflower taught us something bold about being human. Jewelweed doesn’t ask permission to exist—it launches its seeds with gusto, outcompetes invaders, and even soothes poison ivy. That unapologetic presence became our lens for talking about essential nature, the blend of genetics, environment,…

1
Not Everyone's a Narcissist: Redefining Relationship Red Flags 49:15

3M ago49:15

49:15

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Have we weaponized mental health terminology to the point of meaninglessness? Shannon Petrovich, therapist and author specializing in narcissistic relationships, joins us to untangle what truly constitutes toxic behavior versus simply unhealthy dynamics. "Anyone with whom they had a difficult relationship was b…

1
Wisdom Wednesday Long Form on Fire Cider: Intention for Strength in the Dark Season 14:24

3M ago14:24

14:24

This week’s Wisdom Wednesday is a little different — we’ve brewed up a special extended long-form reflection: Fire Cider: Intention for Strength in the Dark Season. We also wanted to make sure that our podcast listeners could enjoy our Wisdom Wednesday posts a few more times than usual! Join Linda Shreve as she walks us through the recipe, the ritu…

1
Mental Health Self-Diagnosis: The Dangers of TikTok and A.I. 18:05

3M ago18:05

18:05

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Mental health information from social media and AI can be misleading and potentially harmful. While increased acceptance of mental health issues is positive, self-diagnosis through TikTok or AI often leads to misinformation and misunderstanding of complex conditions. • Over 50% of mental health information on T…

1
#22: Healing Beyond Words - Joanne Twombly on 30 + Years of Treating Complex Trauma With Hypnosis, EMDR, IFS, and Deep Brain Reorienting. 1:16:54

3M ago1:16:54

1:16:54

Send us a text Joanne Twombly, LCSW and author of Trauma Informed Internal Family Systems, has been treating complex trauma and dissociative disorders for over 30 years. In this conversation, she explores how right-brain modalities such as EMDR, hypnosis, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) can sometimes heal what words cannot. We also discuss the ev…

1
Breaking Her Silence: A Cover-Up, the Truth, and Taking Power Back 1:09:50

3M ago1:09:50

1:09:50

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! What happens when a therapist trained to maintain professional distance decides to share her most vulnerable truths? Kristin Louise Duncombe's story will leave you speechless. Growing up across continents as a foreign service "brat," Kristin developed a unique perspective as a third culture kid—someone shaped b…

1
Dropping Your Leaves: Finding Grace in Life’s Downshifts 7:21

3M ago7:21

7:21

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Have you ever noticed how we admire trees for shedding their leaves each autumn, yet criticize ourselves when we need to slow down? This thought-provoking mini-episode explores the parallel between nature's cycles and our own rhythms of energy and rest. Starting with a simple self-reflection on how you're feeli…

1
Podcast 61: Luminous Roots, Wild Courage: Teaching as Activism 31:34

3M ago31:34

31:34

Reading opens doors; calm helps kids walk through them. Reading specialist Jen Ragonese shares why literacy is “the key to everything,” how a one-minute breath and “luminous roots” steady students before high-stakes tests, and what high expectations look like in underserved classrooms. This episode sits inside our Season 4 frame—Seeking the Wild Wo…

1
Reclaiming Your Inner Compass: How Women Access Their Natural Intuition 44:49

3M ago44:49

44:49

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Have you ever had that unmistakable gut feeling about someone you just met? That inner shiver that can't be explained but somehow turns out to be right? In this illuminating conversation, Mary Rothwell welcomes Anna Quigley, known as the "intuitive Yoda," to explore how women can reclaim their natural intuitive…