Wellness in Asheville: Eat Well. Move Well. Be Well.

27 - Mindful Hypnosis for Sleep, Stress & Perimenopause with Dr. Liz Slonena

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2502255/fan_mail/new] Introduction to Dr. Liz Slonena and Mindful Hypnosis In this episode of the Wellness in Asheville Podcast, host Travis Richardson sits down with Dr. Liz Slonena — clinical psychologist, award-winning hypnotherapist, and co-creator of Mindful Hypnosis. Her science-backed method blends mindfulness and clinical hypnosis to help people access deep healing through their own mind. Her guided meditations have reached millions on Insight Timer, Aura, and YouTube. Travis opens the conversation with something many of us have quietly wondered: is there a way to access the profound mental states that plant medicine and psychedelics offer — without any substances at all? Dr. Liz answers with a resounding yes. And the science backs her up. This conversation covers why trance is already a natural part of your daily life, how microdosing mindfulness is more practical than any retreat, and why perimenopause and ADHD are more connected than most women realize. Dr. Liz also reveals what a real mindful hypnosis session looks and feels like — and why trust is the single most important ingredient for it to work. Key Takeaways: * Trance is a natural brain state — and mindful hypnosis harnesses it intentionally for healing * Microdosing mindfulness embeds calm into everyday tasks without a formal practice * Clinical hypnosis significantly reduces hot flashes and perimenopause symptoms * The estrogen-dopamine connection explains why ADHD symptoms often spike during perimenopause * Emerging research from Baylor University shows hypnosis can mimic mystical and psychedelic experiences * Sleep improves when hypnotic suggestions bypass unconscious habits and rewire the brain for rest Timestamps: 00:00 | Travis intro; altered states and your mind's built-in power 01:26 | Meet Dr. Liz Slonena; her journey into mindful hypnosis 04:37 | Anxiety, panic attacks, and the breath paradox 07:30 | Befriending your body and quieting the inner critic 12:01 | What trance really is; debunking hypnosis myths 15:30 | Microdosing mindfulness in everyday tasks 18:48 | Mindful hypnosis for sleep and chronic insomnia 26:05 | Perimenopause, ADHD, and the estrogen-dopamine link 28:39 | How hypnosis lowers cortisol and supports hormone balance 33:05 | Tripping without drugs: hypnosis as a psychedelic alternative 35:48 | Inside a mindful hypnosis session start to finish 40:53 | The Mindful Hypnosis Sangha: 8-week community program 44:07 | Free gift bundle and how to connect with Dr. Liz 45:08 | Favorite Asheville spot: Big Bradley Falls near Saluda Episode Links: * Be Well Asheville — bewellasheville.com * Be Well Asheville Podcast Archive — bewellasheville.com/podcast * Season 2 Hub — bewellasheville.com/podcast-season-2/ * Dr. Liz Slonena — drlizlistens.com * Free Gift Bundle (Sleep Meditation + 7-Day Joy Challenge) — drlizlistens.com * Mindful Hypnosis Sangha — drlizlistens.com * Dr. Liz on YouTube, Instagram & Insight Timer — @dr.liz.listens * Follow Be Well Asheville — @bewellasheville This episode is brought to you by the 9th annual Love, Shine, Play Yoga Festival, happening July 23rd through 26th in Asheville, North Carolina. Join world-class teachers, inspiring workshops, live music, and a heart-centered community in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you’re deepening your practice or just starting, it’s the perfect summer experience to reconnect and recharge. Get your tickets at loveshineplay.com The Wellness in Asheville podcast is produced by Be Well Asheville, your local news source covering health + wellness news + events in Asheville. Get the latest at bewellasheville.com [https://bewellasheville.com/] or follow @bewellasheville [https://www.instagram.com/bewellasheville/].

26 - Classical Chinese Medicine | Longevity with Josephine Spilka

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2502255/fan_mail/new] Season 2, Episode 26: Classical Chinese Medicine | Longevity with Josephine Spilka Introduction to Josephine Spilka and Classical Chinese Medicine In this episode of the Be Well Asheville Podcast, host Travis Richardson sits down with Josephine Spilka — a classical Chinese medicine practitioner with more than 30 years of experience in Asheville, NC. Josephine shares how she works at the deepest level of the body — jing, or essence — to support people navigating cancer diagnoses, autoimmune conditions, and their own personal evolution. Together, they explore the profound differences between classical and traditional Chinese medicine, how yin and yang govern the aging process, and why the body's deepest intelligence — when properly engaged — holds the key to longevity. This conversation will shift the way you think about health, healing, and what it truly means to feel at home in yourself. Key Takeaways: * Classical Chinese medicine draws on texts over 4,000 years old and works with five distinct channel systems — making it far more precise and personalized than TCM. * Jing (essence) is the body's deepest layer — present in every cell — and working with it opens better choices, greater clarity, and a stronger sense of self. * Yin declines naturally throughout life. Cultivating stillness, not just activity, is one of the most overlooked strategies for protecting longevity. * Cancer is understood as a process at the level of the essence. Epigenetic research confirms that returning cells to a healthy environment can restore healthy functioning. * Essential oils carry the jing of plants and immediately open the senses — making them powerful tools for self-cultivation and essence-level healing. * Josephine's retreat model (1–18 days) creates the environmental shift that allows real, lasting change — something the habitual home environment rarely permits. Timestamps: * 00:00 | Intro and Josephine's 30-year practice overview * 01:30 | What is essence (jing) in Chinese medicine * 03:00 | Classical vs. traditional Chinese medicine explained * 07:00 | Precision of classical diagnosis and treatment * 11:00 | Jing as blueprint: feeling at home in yourself * 14:00 | Yin, yang, and how aging depletes essence * 17:00 | Cancer as a process at the essence level * 21:00 | Epigenetics: restoring cells through environment * 22:00 | Meditation and Guan Yin compassion practices * 27:00 | What modern research could learn from Chinese medicine * 31:00 | Essential oils: concentrated jing of the plants * 35:00 | Retreat model and Blueprint for Change consult * 39:00 | Conditions treated: cancer, autoimmune, and more * 42:00 | Design and Destiny class and the future * 45:00 | Midlife energy tip and how to connect Episode Links: * Be Well Asheville [https://bewellasheville.com] * Be Well Asheville Podcast Archive [https://bewellasheville.com/podcast] * Josephine Spilka — Classical Chinese Medicine [https://www.josephinespilka.com/] * Instagram: @retreatswithjosephine [https://instagram.com/retreatswithjosephine] | @thenectarofplants [https://instagram.com/thenectarofplants] * YouTube: @essencepresence [https://youtube.com/@essencepresence] Special Offer: * Season 1 Wellness Discounts [https://bewellasheville.com/asheville-wellness-discounts/ ] (Asheville Salt Cave, Stillpoint Wellness & many more) This episode is brought to you by the 9th annual Love, Shine, Play Yoga Festival, happening July 23rd through 26th in Asheville, North Carolina. Join world-class teachers, inspiring workshops, live music, and a heart-centered community in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you’re deepening your practice or just starting, it’s the perfect summer experience to reconnect and recharge. Get your tickets at loveshineplay.com The Wellness in Asheville podcast is produced by Be Well Asheville, your local news source covering health + wellness news + events in Asheville. Get the latest at bewellasheville.com [https://bewellasheville.com/] or follow @bewellasheville [https://www.instagram.com/bewellasheville/].

25 - Brain Health & Alzheimer's Prevention with Dr. Cynthia Libert

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2502255/fan_mail/new] Introduction to Dr. Cynthia Libert and Cognitive Decline Prevention in Asheville In this episode, host Travis Richardson sits down with Dr. Cynthia Libert, a board-certified family physician, functional medicine practitioner, and cognitive decline prevention specialist in Asheville, NC. Together, they explore how to protect your brain, prevent Alzheimer's disease, and age powerfully from the inside out. Dr. Libert trained at Loyola University of Chicago, completed her residency in Asheville, and discovered Dr. Dale Bredesen's groundbreaking Alzheimer's prevention framework in 2016 — a moment that transformed her practice. Today, she helps people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s take proactive control of their brain health before symptoms appear. Key Takeaways: * Why Alzheimer's has five distinct root-cause subtypes — not one * What "Type 3 Diabetes" means and how insulin resistance drives cognitive decline * Why midlife (ages 40–45) is your most critical prevention window * How hormones, muscle mass, and gut health protect your brain * What epigenetics means and how daily choices switch genes on and off * Why community, faith, and purpose are evidence-based brain health strategies Timestamps: * 00:00 | Welcome & Introduction * 01:15 | Dr. Libert's origin story * 04:30 | Lifestyle medicine in rural Georgia * 08:00 | Discovering the Bredesen Protocol * 11:00 | The five subtypes of Alzheimer's * 14:45 | Functional testing & 2.5-hour consult * 17:30 | Fasting mimicking diet & new research * 20:00 | What is Type 3 Diabetes? * 24:30 | Blood sugar management strategies * 29:20 | The three pillars of Dr. Libert's practice * 33:30 | Midlife window & the cognoscopy * 38:25 | Hormones, menopause & brain health * 42:50 | Strength training as a longevity tool * 44:15 | Rethink Aging platform & membership * 49:30 | Rapid-fire: foods, Sabbath & books * 54:30 | Final words: there is always hope Episode Links: * Be Well Asheville [https://bewellasheville.com] * Be Well Asheville Podcast Archive [https://bewellasheville.com/podcast] * Dr Cynthia Libert (Main Website) [https://www.caringforthebody.org/] * Rethink Aging with Dr. Libert — YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@CynthiaLibertMD] * The End of Alzheimer's by Dr. Dale Bredesen [https://www.amazon.com/End-Alzheimers-First-Program-Prevent/dp/0735216207] * Breath by James Nestor [https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath] * The Longevity Nutrient by Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson [https://www.amazon.com/Longevity-Nutrient-Unexpected-Holds-Healthy/dp/B0DLCMTLDQ/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Z0GKqQZejVx0ArzgmdGII6uOSh_uykTtldOjTzh902x8HxpGowyknq3_WYK_NrAbP7K803IykTJZoat0cbLDg8Y_XgzEs5v3ddYiIQ3Ddf1p6-eW4E5DOx3hF0J2KP98mRprFTD3T5UZxa5wAL6Afr1VlR92UPJORc2NRvifOxC0NmnvzOyrG32uUUYzHL9g7BEwR83EPJI4tIyNyc1HpPyqMzWlfU43Y08SBEajDAQ.RtEJLAIQOJWq7xCkzryuZ1bDi5f-Zb8prj-NudqVziI&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+Longevity+Nutrient+by+Dr.+Stephanie+Venn-Watson&qid=1777810819&sr=8-1] This episode is brought to you by the 9th annual Love, Shine, Play Yoga Festival, happening July 23rd through 26th in Asheville, North Carolina. Join world-class teachers, inspiring workshops, live music, and a heart-centered community in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you’re deepening your practice or just starting, it’s the perfect summer experience to reconnect and recharge. Get your tickets at loveshineplay.com The Wellness in Asheville podcast is produced by Be Well Asheville, your local news source covering health + wellness news + events in Asheville. Get the latest at bewellasheville.com [https://bewellasheville.com/] or follow @bewellasheville [https://www.instagram.com/bewellasheville/].

24 - Unlocking the Secrets of Horse Whispering w/ Anna Twinney

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2502255/fan_mail/new]  Guest Name - Anna Twinney Summary: Explore the profound connection between humans and horses through body language, telepathy, and energetic resonance. Anna Twinney shares insights on horse whispering, trauma healing, and the transformative power of animal communication. Keywords Horse whispering, animal communication, body language, telepathy, trauma healing, energetic resonance, spiritual connection, horse training, emotional awareness, healing with horses Key Topics: * Horse whispering and body language * Telepathic connection with animals * Healing trauma through horses * The role of energetic resonance in communication * The importance of the sacred pause in interactions Titles Unlocking the Secrets of Horse Whispering: Body Language, Telepathy & Energy The Magic of Horses: Healing, Connection & Communication Sound Bites "Horses read 93% body language, only 7% spoken." "Horses see beyond words, into the soul." "Horses reflect our truth and help us heal." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Horse Whispering and Healing 02:00 Understanding Horse Whispering: Body Language and Emotion 10:14 The Trifactor of Truth: Body Language, Telepathy, and Energy 13:31 The Unique Connection Between Humans and Horses 16:57 Horses as Healers: Impact on Trauma and Vulnerability 21:48 Emotional Connection with Horses 26:19 The Sacred Pause in Horsemanship 32:08 Anna's Journey from Police to Horse Whisperer 37:00 Holistic Approaches and Upcoming Events 43:24 intro and outro.wav Resources / Show Notes Anna Twinney's Website - https://annatwinney.com [https://annatwinney.com] Equine Warrior Foundation - https://equinewarrior.org [https://equinewarrior.org] Instagram - https://instagram.com/annatwinney [https://instagram.com/annatwinney] Be Well Asheville Platform - https://bewellasheville.com Be Well Asheville Meetup (Wellness pros) - http://meetup.com/asheville-health-wellness-networking [http://meetup.com/asheville-health-wellness-networking] Be Well Asheville Collective (Wellness pros) - https://bewellasheville.com/be-well-asheville-wellness-collective [https://bewellasheville.com/be-well-asheville-wellness-collective] This episode is brought to you by the 9th annual Love, Shine, Play Yoga Festival, happening July 23rd through 26th in Asheville, North Carolina. Join world-class teachers, inspiring workshops, live music, and a heart-centered community in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you’re deepening your practice or just starting, it’s the perfect summer experience to reconnect and recharge. Get your tickets at loveshineplay.com The Wellness in Asheville podcast is produced by Be Well Asheville, your local news source covering health + wellness news + events in Asheville. Get the latest at bewellasheville.com [https://bewellasheville.com/] or follow @bewellasheville [https://www.instagram.com/bewellasheville/].

23 - From Burnout to Balance with Kyra Cavanaugh

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2502255/fan_mail/new] Season 1, Episode 23: From Burnout to Balance with Kyra Cavanaugh Introduction to Kyra Cavanaugh and Energy Management In this episode of the Wellness in Asheville Podcast, host Travis Richardson is joined by Kyra Cavanaugh, an energy coach, Qigong teacher, and well-being consultant. We delve into the pervasive issue of burnout in our post-pandemic world and explore how to manage our energy to live a more aligned and fulfilling life.  Kyra shares her personal journey from being a self-proclaimed workaholic to discovering the power of energy management through Qigong and Taoist traditions. We discuss the science behind why we are energetic beings, the importance of self-awareness, and practical steps to shift from a state of constant doing to a state of being. This conversation covers the cultural pressures that lead to burnout, the difference between rest and recovery, and how to create a work environment that fosters well-being.  Kyra explains how to identify and manage energy drains, the benefits of practices like Qigong, and the importance of self-compassion in the healing process. We also touch on the unique challenges faced by individuals and teams in corporate settings and how to cultivate a culture of trust and autonomy. Key Takeaways: •The concept of managing your energy, not just your time, and how to apply it in daily life. •How to recognize the signs of burnout and the importance of self-awareness and compassion. •The difference between mindset shifts and taking action to address burnout. •Practical techniques for energy management, including Qigong, mindfulness, and setting boundaries. •How to create a supportive work environment that prevents burnout and promotes well-being. •The importance of finding what energizes you personally, whether it's a quiet hobby or an active pursuit. Timestamps: •00:00 - 01:39 | Introduction to Kyra Cavanaugh and the topic of burnout. •01:39 - 07:17 | What is energy management and why is it important? •07:17 - 12:32 | The importance of 'how' you do something over 'what' you do. •02:32 - 17:34 | Practical steps to take when you're feeling burnt out. •17:34 - 22:21 | Why is it so hard for us to rest? •22:21 - 28:15 | Coaching teams to prevent burnout in a corporate setting. •28:15 - 31:05 | How different personality types experience energy drain. •31:05 - 35:01 | Kira's personal wellness routine •35:01 - 44:04 | What is Qigong and how can it help with energy management? •44:04 - 49:22 | The importance of feeling safe in your body and taking the first step on your healing journey. •49:22 - 56:04 | Rapid-fire questions and how to connect with Kira. Episode Links: •15BE.com [https://15BE.com] •freeryourself.world [http://freeyourself.world] •Free Yourself World YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@freeyourselfworld] •Asheville Community Yoga [https://ashevillecommunityyoga.com/] The Wellness in Asheville podcast is produced by Be Well Asheville, your local news source covering health + wellness news + events in Asheville. Get the latest at bewellasheville.com [https://bewellasheville.com/] or follow @bewellasheville [https://www.instagram.com/bewellasheville/].