Reclaiming Wellness

Reclaiming Wellness: Episode 1: Why We’re Here & What We’re Reclaiming

Reclaiming Wellness: Episode 1: Why We’re Here & What We’re Reclaiming What does wellness really mean—and who has it been built for? In our inaugural episode of Reclaiming Wellness, hosts Aaliyah Shivers and Natalie Benway-Correll introduce themselves and share the personal, ancestral, and political roots of this podcast. They explore how longing for belonging, healing, and connection has shaped our individual wellness journeys—and why reclaiming wellness must include conversations about ancestry, integrity, cultural appropriation, and collective care. In this episode, they explore: • Why wellness spaces must move beyond “love and light” to name harm, extraction, and oppression. • How ancestral connection, nature, ritual, and embodiment became entry points to healing and belonging. • The difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation—and how to build integrity in wellness practices. • Why reclaiming wellness is a calling-in, not a calling-out. • How slowing down, building relationship, and tending lineage can support sustainable healing. The vision for this podcast is to have messy, honest conversations that invite collective re-imagining for wellness!