Unravel with Elaine Clark

29- How Creativity Shapes Us with Menaka Raman-Wilms

In this episode, I’m joined by author and podcast host Menaka Raman-Wilms for a thoughtful conversation about creativity, writing, loneliness, and the long process of bringing a story to life. Together, we explore the inspiration behind her novel The Rooftop Garden, how her time in Berlin shaped the book, and what it takes to stay connected to a creative project over many years. Menaka also shares how writing fiction can help us make sense of the world, process complex emotions, and look beneath the headlines to the human stories underneath. In this episode, we unravel:  ✍️ The creative journey behind The Rooftop Garden 🌿 How nature, cities, and Berlin inspired the novel 🧠 Why writing can help us process complex emotions 📖 What it takes to keep going with a long creative project 💭 How loneliness shows up in the book and in modern life 🌎 The human stories behind climate anxiety and extremism ✨ Why creativity can shape us as much as we shape it Stay Connected  🌿 Follow the show: @elaineclark_  📩 Email: info@elaineclark.ca 🎧 Subscribe on Apple, Spotify & iHeartRadio  🌐 Explore more at www.elaineclark.ca [http://www.elaineclark.ca]

28- Why We Feel So Empty in the Age of Connection with John Vervaeke

In this episode, I’m joined by cognitive scientist, author, and professor John Vervaeke for a profound conversation about the modern meaning crisis, mindfulness, flow states, loneliness, and the deep human longing for connection. Together, we explore why so many people feel empty in the age of constant stimulation and digital connection, and how practices like mindfulness, contemplation, and self-awareness can help us reconnect to what is truly meaningful. John also shares insights from cognitive science, philosophy, and psychology to help us better understand consciousness, self-deception, intuition, wisdom, and the patterns shaping modern life. In this episode, we unravel: 🧠 What the “meaning crisis” really is 📱 Why social media can leave us feeling more disconnected 🌱 The difference between pleasure, happiness, and meaning 🫁 How mindfulness helps us become aware of unconscious patterns ⚡ What flow states are and why they feel so meaningful 🔄 Why insight and transformation require cognitive flexibility 💭 The relationship between self-awareness and human connection ✨ How wisdom is cultivated through relationship, presence, and practice Stay Connected 🌿 Follow the show: @elaineclark_ 📩 Email: info@elaineclark.ca 🎧 Subscribe on Apple, Spotify & iHeartRadio 🌐 Explore more at www.elaineclark.ca

27- Why Nature Calms Your Nervous System with Elaine Clark

Maybe your nervous system is not asking for more discipline right now. Maybe it is asking for a different relationship to life. In this episode, I explore the connection between the nervous system and nature, and why time in natural environments may support stress recovery, emotional regulation, and a greater sense of inner settling. Drawing from both personal reflection and research, I speak about rumination, restoration, awe, and the quiet ways the body can begin to soften when it feels less overexposed and more rooted. This is an episode about healing, environment, and remembering that regulation is not just psychological — it is physiological too.  In this episode, you’ll learn: *  How nature may support the nervous system in shifting out of chronic activation  *  What research suggests about rumination, stress recovery, and time spent in natural settings  *  Why awe, slowness, and sensory contact with the natural world can feel regulating  *  How to begin noticing which environments help your body soften and settle  *  Why regulation is not laziness, and rest is not disengagement  Referenced Research & Resources Antonelli, M., Barbieri, G., & Donelli, D. (2019). Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Biometeorology, 63(8), 1117–1134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-019-01717-x Kobayashi, H., Song, C., Ikei, H., Park, B. J., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2019). Combined effect of walking and forest environment on salivary cortisol concentration. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 376. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00376 Park, B. J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2010). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): Evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9 Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., Hahn, K. S., Daily, G. C., & Gross, J. J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567–8572. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1510459112 Ulrich, R. S., Simons, R. F., Losito, B. D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M. A., & Zelson, M. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11(3), 201–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(05)80184-7 Stay Connected 🌿 Follow the show: @elaineclark_ 📩 Email: info@elaineclark.ca 🎧 Subscribe on Apple, Spotify & iHeartRadio  🌐 Explore more: www.elaineclark.ca [http://www.elaineclark.ca]

26- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and the Mind-Body Connection with Dr. Romith Naug

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Romith Naug, a dually board-certified family physician practicing psychotherapy and hospital medicine, for a thoughtful conversation about cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and the power of reshaping our inner world.  Together, we explore how thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical sensations are deeply interconnected, and how CBT can help us become more aware of the patterns that shape our lives. He also shares his own adapted CBT model, offering a practical and compassionate framework for understanding emotional spirals, building awareness, and creating meaningful change.  In this episode, we unravel: 🧠 What cognitive behavioural therapy is and how it works 🔄 The relationship between thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical reactions🌱 How awareness can interrupt negative thought spirals 💭 Why thoughts are not always facts 🫁 The connection between breath, mindfulness, and emotional regulation ⚡ The difference between false resilience and true resilience 🛠️ How CBT can help build agency, flexibility, and self-understanding ✨ Why small shifts in perspective can create meaningful change Stay Connected 🌿 Follow the show: @elaineclark_ 📩 Email: ⁠info@elaineclark.ca⁠ 🎧 Subscribe on Apple, Spotify & iHeartRadio 🌐 Explore more at ⁠www.elaineclark.ca [http://www.elaineclark.ca]

25- Genetics and Mental Health with Dr. Robyn Murphy

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Robyn Murphy, a naturopathic doctor and scientific advisor for DNA Labs Canada, for a fascinating conversation about the intersection of genetics and mental health.  Dr. Murphy has worked alongside medical geneticists to develop lifestyle genetic panels and is deeply passionate about translating complex genetic research into practical tools that can support people’s health. Together, we explore the long-standing debate of nature versus nurture, the emerging science of epigenetics, and how our genes may influence everything from stress sensitivity to neurotransmitter function. We also discuss how lifestyle, environment, and daily habits interact with our genetic blueprint—and why your genes are not your destiny. We dive into the concept of “genetic scars,” how experiences can shape gene expression across generations, and how genetic testing is beginning to inform more personalized approaches to mental health treatment. This conversation blends science with empowering insights that can help us better understand our bodies, our brains, and the choices that shape our health. In this episode, we unravel: 🧬 The difference between genetics, gene expression, and epigenetics  ⚖️ The debate of nature vs. nurture in shaping health and personality  🧠 How genes may influence stress sensitivity, depression, and anxiety  💡 The role of dopamine, serotonin, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in mental health  🌿 Why lifestyle choices can influence how genes are expressed  🔬 What genetic testing can reveal about mental health and medication response  💊 How pharmacogenomics may help personalize mental health treatment  🌱 Why understanding your genetics can be empowering rather than limiting 🎧 Stay Connected  🌿 Follow the show: @elaineclark_  📩 Email: info@elaineclark.ca 🎧 Subscribe on Apple, Spotify & iHeartRadio  🌐 Explore more at www.elaineclark.ca