Hidden Keys of Intimacy That Deepen Connection w/ Elenor Daneshvar, Psy.D.

What You Can Actually Do About ICE Right Now w/ Taylor Smith (Part 2)

You care about what’s happening but you don’t know what to do. You’re paying attention, maybe even feeling overwhelmed, unsure if anything you do would actually make a difference. In this episode of The Moon Collective Sanctuary Podcast, Dr. Lydia Luna, Ph.D. and humanitarian and American activist, Taylor Smith, continue the conversation as we shift from awareness into action. This is where things get real. Because for a lot of people, it’s not that they don’t care. It’s that they feel stuck, unsure where to start, or like what they do won’t actually matter. Together, they: * Break down why your everyday choices have more impact than you think * Share how small actions like where you spend your money can directly influence systems * Talk about what it actually looks like to show up in your community * Explore how collective action leads to real change, even when it doesn’t feel like it * Unpack why so many people stay in inaction, even when they care deeply This episode isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about realizing that doing nothing is still a choice and that small actions still count, even when they don’t feel like enough. Because this isn’t as far removed from your life as it might feel. So if you’ve been wondering where to start, this is it. To Watch the Show click HERE [http://www.youtube.com/@MoonCollectiveSanctuary]  Visit mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] to explore our upcoming gatherings and private healing offerings.  Connect with Taylor: Instagram: @the_real_tay_smith [https://www.instagram.com/the_real_tay_smith/?hl=en] Substack - https://taylor01t.substack.com/ [https://taylor01t.substack.com/] Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/therealtaysmith.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/therealtaysmith.bsky.social] For More Information or to Get Involved: Make A Ruckus - https://linktr.ee/makearuckus [https://linktr.ee/makearuckus] The General Strike US - https://generalstrikeus.com/ [https://generalstrikeus.com/] Citizen’s Impeachment - https://citizensimpeachment.com/ [https://citizensimpeachment.com/] Chapter Markers 00:30 Why awareness alone isn’t enough 02:00 Why this affects more people than you think 04:00 Why people feel stuck even when they care 06:30 Why people feel stuck and overwhelmed and unsure where to start 07:00 How your money creates impact 08:30 Why boycotting works 10:00 Real examples of collective action 11:30 You don’t have to be loud to show up 12:30 Why local action matters 14:00 What happens when people don’t show up 16:30 Why your role matters right now 17:00 What rapid response looks like 19:00 How community creates safety 20:30 Small actions you can take today 21:30 What to do if you witness a raid 22:30 The role of a general strike 23:00 Reclaiming your power Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2514937/support] Connect with Dr. Lydia Luna, PhD: Website: www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] Youtube: www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary] IG: @lydialunaphd [https://www.instagram.com/lydialunaphd] & @mooncollectivesanctuary [https://www.instagram.com/mooncollectivesanctuary] Facebook: www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary]

What’s Really Happening Inside ICE Detention Centers w/ Taylor Smith (Part 1)

What if what’s happening inside ICE detention centers right now is just the beginning and most people are still looking away? This is a developing topic, and information continues to evolve. In this episode of The Moon Collective Sanctuary Podcast, Dr. Lydia Luna sits down with humanitarian and activist, Taylor Smith, to unpack what is being reported and discussed inside ICE detention centers across the United States.  It can feel overwhelming to keep up with everything happening right now. Most people either tune it out, avoid it, or assume it doesn’t impact them. But as Taylor shares, this is not just about immigration. It is about systems, power, and what happens when transparency disappears. This conversation reflects Taylor’s frontline experience, research, and perspective as an activist working directly in these spaces. From the expansion of detention centers to the conditions inside them, this conversation explores what is being reported, what is raising concern right now, and why it matters. It also raises a bigger question if this is happening to one group now, what happens next? This episode is intended to raise awareness and encourage critical thinking based on current reporting and lived experience. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Taylor. In Part 2, we explore what actions can be taken and where people still have power. To Watch the Show click HERE [http://www.youtube.com/@MoonCollectiveSanctuary]  Visit mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] to explore our upcoming gatherings and private healing offerings.  Connect with Taylor Smith: Instagram: @the_real_tay_smith [https://www.instagram.com/the_real_tay_smith/?hl=en] Substack: https://taylor01t.substack.com [https://taylor01t.substack.com/] For More Information or to Get Involved: Make A Ruckus: https://linktr.ee/makearuckus [https://linktr.ee/makearuckus] The General Strike US: https://generalstrikeus.com [https://generalstrikeus.com/] Citizen’s Impeachment: https://citizensimpeachment.com [https://citizensimpeachment.com/] Chapter Markers: 05:15 Why this topic feels overwhelming right now 06:30 What ICE is doing with warehouses 08:00 The reported $38B funding and what it means 09:30 Conditions inside detention centers 11:00 The “Blue Butterfly Zone” explained 12:15 Real stories from inside detention centers 14:00 The role private prisons may play and financial incentives 15:30 Due process and how detainment is happening 18:00 Psychological conditions inside facilities 20:00 Why this feels like a larger systemic shift 21:30 Are these centers really temporary? 23:00 What happens after detainment 25:00 Misinformation and lack of transparency 27:00 Who is actually being targeted 29:00 Why this impacts more than one group 31:00 How systems expand over time 32:30 Where people still have power Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2514937/support] Connect with Dr. Lydia Luna, PhD: Website: www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] Youtube: www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary] IG: @lydialunaphd [https://www.instagram.com/lydialunaphd] & @mooncollectivesanctuary [https://www.instagram.com/mooncollectivesanctuary] Facebook: www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary]

Holistic Healing & Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Always Enough w/ Briana Damavandi, LCSW

Healing isn’t just about understanding your story. It’s about how your body holds it. In this episode of The Moon Collective Sanctuary Podcast, host Dr. Lydia Luna, Ph.D., is joined by Briana Damavandi, LCSW, for a conversation about trauma, holistic healing, and why talk therapy alone isn’t always enough for lasting change. Together, they: * Explore how trauma lives in the nervous system * Examine why intellectual insight doesn’t automatically lead to healing * Discuss how somatic and body-based approaches help bridge the gap between knowing and feeling better.  Briana shares her journey into holistic mental health, including her work with EMDR, trauma-informed yoga, and nervous system regulation, and how her own experiences shaped the way she practices as a therapist. They also explore what it means to be a therapist doing deeply relational work, including how clinicians regulate their own nervous systems, navigate emotional attunement, and create boundaries that support sustainable, ethical care. The conversation expands into the growing influence of AI, social media, life coaches, and quick-fix healing culture, offering a grounded perspective on why discernment, training, and human connection matter more than ever in mental health spaces. This episode is an open and honest reflection on modern therapy, the healing industry, and the importance of slowing down, listening to the body, and choosing support that honors the full human experience. To Watch the Show click HERE [http://www.youtube.com/@MoonCollectiveSanctuary]  Visit mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] to explore our upcoming gatherings and private healing offerings.  Connect with Briana Website: www.theholisticemdrtherapist.com [https://www.theholisticemdrtherapist.com/] Instagram: @the.holistic.emdr.therapist [https://www.instagram.com/the.holistic.emdr.therapist/] Chapter Markers 01:10 Briana’s path into holistic trauma work 03:30 What holistic healing really means 05:55 Why trauma lives in the body 08:40 When talk therapy isn’t enough 11:50 Nervous system regulation and healing 14:30 Community, connection, and post-pandemic shifts 17:10 AI, therapy, and ethical concerns 21:30 The therapist’s nervous system and self-regulation 25:40 Burnout, boundaries, and sustainability 29:20 Discernment in the healing industry Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2514937/support] Connect with Dr. Lydia Luna, PhD: Website: www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] Youtube: www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary] IG: @lydialunaphd [https://www.instagram.com/lydialunaphd] & @mooncollectivesanctuary [https://www.instagram.com/mooncollectivesanctuary] Facebook: www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary]

Hidden Keys of Intimacy That Deepen Connection w/ Elenor Daneshvar, Psy.D.

Intimacy doesn’t disappear overnight, it erodes quietly through unspoken resentment, emotional overload, and forgotten play. In this episode of The Moon Collective Sanctuary Podcast, host Dr. Lydia Luna, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist and founder of The Moon Collective Sanctuary, welcomes Dr. Elenor Daneshvar back to the podcast for a deep, honest conversation about the hidden keys of intimacy, play, partnership, and pleasure. Together, they explore why intimacy is rarely about what happens in the bedroom and far more about what happens throughout the day. From emotional repair after rupture to the invisible labor many women carry, this conversation sheds light on why desire often fades and how it can be restored. Elenor and Lydia break down how resentment, emotional disconnection, and rigid routines quietly extinguish intimacy, and why curiosity, novelty, and shared joy are essential for deepening long-term connection. The conversation also examines the role of partnership, “we” language, and emotional investment as foundations for pleasure. The episode also reframes foreplay as an all-day experience shaped by emotional safety, presence, and energetic connection, rather than something confined to the bedroom. This episode is an invitation to rethink intimacy as a sacred, living energy that thrives on repair, presence, and intentional connection, not performance or pressure. To Watch the Show click HERE [http://www.youtube.com/@MoonCollectiveSanctuary]  Visit mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] to explore our upcoming gatherings and private healing offerings.  Connect with Elenor Website: https://oneneuro.com/elenorbdaneshvar/ [https://oneneuro.com/elenorbdaneshvar/] Instagram: @womens_mental_health [https://www.instagram.com/womens_mental_health/?hl=en] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenor-daneshvar-psy-d-330ba414/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenor-daneshvar-psy-d-330ba414/] Chapter Markers 01:10 What intimacy really means (beyond sex) 03:10 Why intimacy fades over time 06:35 Resentment, rupture, and unspoken disconnection 08:05 Repair as the key to deeper connection 10:20 “I see you”: validation and emotional repair 12:15 When repair strengthens vs. weakens relationships 14:55 When to work through rupture vs. when to leave 18:55 Why play and novelty are essential for intimacy 22:45 Shared experiences and creating freshness together 26:40 Partnership, “we” language, and alignment 28:40 Invisible emotional labor and why women feel depleted 31:05 Emotional investment as a foundation for desire 33:15 Flirting as a daily practice 35:30 Energy, safety, and the sacral connection 38:10 Foreplay as an all-day experience 40:15 Creating intimacy through presence, not pressure Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2514937/support] Connect with Dr. Lydia Luna, PhD: Website: www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] Youtube: www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary] IG: @lydialunaphd [https://www.instagram.com/lydialunaphd] & @mooncollectivesanctuary [https://www.instagram.com/mooncollectivesanctuary] Facebook: www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary]

Get to Know Lydia: Choosing Curiosity Over Fear

This episode is an invitation to slow down, soften, and meet Lydia through the moments that shaped her. In this special “Get to Know Lydia” episode of The Moon Collective Sanctuary Podcast, the roles are reversed as host Lydia Luna, Ph.D. is interviewed by her nephew and podcast producer, Milo Solis, Jr. Together, they explore the moments, questions, and turning points that shaped Lydia’s path, both personally and professionally. Lydia reflects on her early experiences of emotional uncertainty, loss, and instability, and how music, curiosity, and inner listening became quiet lifelines during difficult seasons. She shares openly about the times when life felt overwhelming, when meaning felt distant, and how choosing curiosity, rather than fear, became a way forward. The conversation also touches on spiritual inquiry, embodiment, creativity, and the importance of honoring natural rhythms, including intuition and cyclical energy. Lydia speaks to the power of slowing down, listening to your body, and allowing life to unfold without forcing answers. She also shares about a profound spiritual healing experience that helped her reframe grief, purpose, and her understanding of life itself. This episode is not about having it all figured out. It’s about staying open. It’s about allowing curiosity to guide you when certainty isn’t available and trusting that even in the unknown, something meaningful can emerge. To Watch the Show click HERE [http://www.youtube.com/@MoonCollectiveSanctuary]  Visit mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] to explore our upcoming gatherings and private healing offerings.  Important Note: This episode includes a personal discussion of plant medicine and ayahuasca shared from lived experience. This conversation is not intended as medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation of ayahuasca or any psychedelic substances. Ayahuasca is illegal in many jurisdictions and may pose serious physical and psychological risks, particularly for individuals with certain medical or mental health conditions. Listeners are encouraged to consult qualified medical and mental health professionals and to consider legal, medical, and personal factors before engaging in any such experiences. Chapter Markers * 01:00 Introducing Milo & flipping the interview * 02:05 The message Lydia needed at age 12 * 04:05 When life stopped feeling stable * 07:00 The breaking point and starting over * 09:45 Choosing curiosity over despair * 11:15 Creating purpose after loss * 12:40 Spiritual awakening, grief, and Ayahuasca * 19:30 Music, vibration, and healing * 22:10 Moon cycles, intuition, and self-trust * 28:00 What Lydia hopes listeners feel after this episode * 30:55 Final reflections and closing Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2514937/support] Connect with Dr. Lydia Luna, PhD: Website: www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com [http://www.mooncollectivesanctuary.com/] Youtube: www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuary] IG: @lydialunaphd [https://www.instagram.com/lydialunaphd] & @mooncollectivesanctuary [https://www.instagram.com/mooncollectivesanctuary] Facebook: www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary [http://www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary]