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***Note - this is a NEW podcast series The Matriarchal Collective. Please follow the new channel for more episodes like this! What does it mean to become a Matriarch in a culture that has largely forgotten how to initiate women through the stages of their lives? In this first conversation of The Matriarchal Collective, I sit down with Brazilian-born writer and thinker Adriana Forte for a wide-ranging exploration of women's cyclical minds, perimenopause and menopause, modernity, motherhood, grief, community, and the return of the Matriarch. Adriana is currently preparing her book The Matriarch and the Machine: Breaking the Spell of Modernity in Women and the World. Rather than releasing it as a finished work from a single authoritative voice, she is inviting women into the process. Beginning this fall, she’ll release the book chapter by chapter through C-Lab, sharing unfinished material and inviting readers to grapple with the ideas, add their own lived experiences, and help shape what she calls the “Spell-breakers notes.” As Adriana explains in our conversation, if the Matriarch is collective, she wants the book itself to be touched by the collective too. 01:41 — What does it mean to be a Matriarch?05:50 — The Matriarch as a counterbalance to modernity10:55 — Perimenopause, menopause & the changing female mind15:17 — Cycle dysphoria: cyclical bodies in a linear culture24:01 — Grieving fertility, aging & the loss of elder models29:19 — “Waking up from the middle” without rites of passage32:10 — Why we need women, community & loving challenge37:13 — A different model of leadership: collaborative & mycelial42:14 — The Matriarch and the Machine, HRT & choices in context49:02 — Releasing the book collectively + the return of the MatriarchAnd this conversation is only the beginning. The Matriarchal Collective is a growing space for women exploring the thresholds of midlife, the wisdom of our changing bodies, and what becomes possible when we navigate these transitions together. Join the conversation on Instagram: The Matriarchal Collective on Instagram We're looking to connect with more incredible woman to be interviewed on The Matriarchal Collective podcast - message me at [email protected] - thank you! IG @matriarchalcollective - for more inspiration!

In this episode, Megan and Mercy Kostucki explore the revolutionary potential of personalized music created through AI, designed to support emotional healing, self-discovery, and new identities. Discover how sound and metaphors can bypass the mental mind to connect deeply with your emotional and somatic systems. You'll learn: How custom music serves as a powerful coaching and healing toolThe science behind sound perception: faster than light and its impact on the bodyPractical applications: from emotional breakthroughs to wedding ritualsThe role of metaphors as Trojan horses into the subconsciousThe emotional and transformation potential of creating songs for specific memories and desiresEthical use of AI: tools for empowerment rather than purely entertainment Connect with Mercy here! Sonic Rewrite — Personalized AI music creationSonic Union Studio — Wedding and event-focused custom musicMercedes-Nam Kostiuki on Spotify — Find her music on SpotifyLinkedIn - Mercedes Nam Kostiuki

Tuning into your desires, wants and needs is the path to self-love. In this episode you'll hear the 4 step process to follow these desires to a more loving relationship with yourself! - Self-Awareness - Self-Acceptance - Self-Worth - Self-Care Want to continue this conversation and learn how to love yourself THROUGH and with your desires? Let's talk! Grab 20 minutes on my calendar (free): https://calendly.com/meganbhatia/20min

In this episode, Megan invites you to turn your daydreams into daily reality. Learn how to identify the feelings behind your dreams—like freedom, rest, or joy—and start generating them right now, even in small ways. Discover how to become a better partner to yourself, set healthy boundaries, and create a life that feels more alive and aligned. 💫 Free 20-minute clarity call: Uncover what your daydreams are really telling you. Have a situation you'd like support with? Send a DM to @lovingchallengers on IG

Through the lens of Context, Contrast, and Continuum, I introduce a new mental model—one that honors nuance, invites integration, and transcends the binary habits that shape much of our perception. I like to call it the evolution of yin and yang symbol and it's very useful in everyday life. What do you think of the episode? Let's talk about it! Reach out on IG @lovingchallengers or send me a message [email protected] Learn more about the Loving Challengers Community click here!

Changes are coming in fast now!!! Are you feeling it too? There are a lot of examples in nature that I lean on in this episode...maybe you can relate? - Metamorphosis- Cell walls/boundaries- Paradox of sovereign beings that are also dependent on the world around themIf any of this helps YOU to find yourself, or create an empowering narrative for your life...well, fantastic!!! If you find a desire to actually TALK about some of these topics, you can schedule a call with me here: https://calendly.com/meganbhatia/20minIG: @lovingchallengers I host women's sharing circles where you get to show up and lean into your intuitive wisdom and POWER! More information here: https://thelovingchallenger.myflodesk.com/lcc

This is one of my FAVORITE topics these days because the skill-set of emotional intelligence, and trusting your "knowing" is going to be your internal guidance system in a world that is changing incredibly fast!!! Your body knows what you need...and what you don't need...and that's going to guide you day to day to create a life where you can thrive. This episodes contains practices, AND it's really just the tip of the iceberg on this topic! If you want a deeper dive...let's connect! DM on IG @lovingchallengers or email [email protected] Set up a free 20 minute call and we can talk more about this! https://calendly.com/meganbhatia/20min Show notes: Podcast: The Power of Partnership with Riane Eisler

Yep - it's that time of year again! Even if you're excited and enjoy the Holiday season, it can definitely be more stressful than your usual schedule. I will personally be heading back to the States for the Holidays and will be following my own advice, lol! 5 Ways to support yourself through the Holidays... 1) Carve out solo time 2) Be responsible for your nervous system 3) Use boundaries 4) More compassion, less comparison 5) Create moments of JOY! Feeling stressed and want support? Set up a FREE 20 minute connection call with me! Get on my schedule here. I promise you will leave with at least 1 practical skill that you can use during the Holidays...and after, to create more loving relationships with yourself and others. IG @lovingchallengers I am here to Lovingly Challenging you to step into your own personal power and create a life you love through... - one-on-one coaching - Weekly community calls - 6 Month Self-Love Journey

Hello loves! Sharing some reflections just after my 45th bday... Mission: My purpose is to support more people to connect with their inner truth, and live a life aligned with their inner knowing (if this resonates with you, there's a truth that your body recognizes...it's already IN you!) Mushrooms: I share about my solo journey and the information that came up...and why/how I love holding space for people to develop their own relationship with this beautiful, consciousness-altering life form. Menopause: We need to talk about this phase of life more!!! I'm currently peri-menopausal and I believe it's a rite of passage and a part of why I am making certain changes in my life now. If any of this resonates with you - please message me directly to schedule a free one-on-one call ([email protected]). I'll be opening up another Loving Challengers group soon and would love for you to find your soul-sister community as you continue on your unique journey of self-discovery, personal empowerment, and interconnection with the life around you! Connect with me on IG: @thelovingchallenger @lovingchallengers

What are personal boundaries? How do you actually use boundaries? What is the risk of NOT understanding/using boundaries? Interested in going deeper into the topic of Boundaires? Join Megan for a FREE group call on Thursday, October 10th. DM @lovingchallegers on IG for the call link or use this link to set up a free call for 20 minutes of coaching.

Anita Dickinson is a lifelong Meditation/Yoga/Primal Movement Practicer and Teacher as well as a Criminal Justice and Family Law Attorney. She's interested in nothing less than systemic, wondrous world-wide change, currently focusing on guiding safe and immersive Nature-Meditation retreats for “Westerner’s.” And, when not practicing law/meditation, you’ll find her endeavoring to be a conscientious farmer and land steward in rural Utah with her fabulous domestic-partner & hubby of 30yrs. Anita has been a close friend of mine for the last few years and I've learned SO MUCH from her about meditation and I'm beyond excited to share this conversation with you! Major themes: (approx min markers) 4 - Micro-hit practices: Taking meditation off the mat 10 - Metabolizing the Present moment: The power of awareness 19 - The limitation of the Guru model in Meditation 23 - Practical techniques for meditating in different situations 32 - Finding your own path in meditation 34 - Incorporating Movement and self-love in meditation 38 - Breaking free from Traditional meditation models 41 - Bringing Present moment awareness to daily life 45 - The importance of self-compassion and self-awareness in daily life 57 - Awakening your inner Buddha: Everyone has the capacity Connect with Anita here to learn about her retreats and meditation classes here: www.enterzenhere.com or IG - @enter_zen_here

Lea Dawn is an attachment and relationship "thera-coach", international speaker, writer, and workshop facilitator, who specializes in anxious attachment relationship issues, attachment theory, relational trauma, and complex PTSD. She is certified in Neuro-Fit and a graduate of the IFS Circle, Terry Real’s Relational Life Therapy (RLT Level 1), and ISTA Level 1. Lea’s ultimate mission is to compassionately help people learn the skills they were never taught by parents or schools to create and sustain securely attached, fulfilling, and empowered relationships. This was such a fun, inspiring and informational conversation and I'm so excited to share it with you! 4:20 Lea’s Journey and Mission  10:50 - Understanding the Nervous system  24:00 - Victim Consciousness and Power Literacy  30:25 - Taking Accountability and Healing  36:00 - The Healing Power of Holding Space 43:20 - Understanding and Navigating Inner Conflict  50:00 - Reclaiming Personal Power  Secure Love Atlas visual Connect with Lea here: www.LeaDawnLove.com IG: @lea.dawn.love ---------------- The Loving Challengers podcast is dedicated to bringing you new tools and frameworks to challenge the status quo so you can create your own way of relating, loving, working and living. @lovingchallengers FREE 20 minute call with Megan Bhatia - click here

Learn how to step out of drama, and truly empower yourself, using Karpman's Drama Triangle Framework. From victim to creator, persecutor to challenger and hero to coach...there is always a way to transform powerlessness into empowerment. I have used this tool almost every day since I learned it, and my clients end up saying the same thing. It does take a while to master the role switches, so feel free to reach out for additional support! Here's the link to schedule a free 20 minute connection call with Megan! More about how to master the role changes with these short episodes: Victim to Creator Villain to Challenger Hero to Coach Connect with Megan on IG - @LovingChallengers @TheLovingChallenger

Tonya Webster (www.establishingher.com) shares her wisdom about the 4 archetypes of the menstrual cycle: Maiden, Mother, Enchantress & Crone...and how to go with your flow, literally! Some of the topics we cover are: - The Crone: Grounded in Body, Connected in Spirit - The Maiden: Empowered and Energized - The Mother: Nurturing and Collaborating - The Enchantress: Subconscious Reflection & Shadow Work - Supporting Girls in this Rite of Passage - Grieving & Embracing the Aging Process - The Establishing Her Program & Community - The Power of the Crone - a New Paradigm of Aging You can learn more about Tonya's Establishing Her program at www.establishingher.com and IG: @establishing_her ******************************** The Loving Challengers Community is for women who are disrupting the status quo in the way they live, love, work, relate, parent, and more! Set up a free 20 minute call to learn more about the community and see if it's a good fit for you! IG @lovingchallengers "I started working with Megan a couple of months ago with the initial intention of wanting guidance, coaching, and support as I seek to start my own business. Shortly after, I joined the Loving Challengers women’s group and these two offerings combined have given me more than I ever knew I needed. Through 1:1 coaching, I am gaining valuable and embodied insights to trust myself and take the steps necessary to start my own business, but even more to create a more liberated life. The group is a container that helps me feel deeply seen and held and brave. The two combined are allowing me to take risks, trust my intuition, and know in my bones that the life I want to create is possible." - Alice K.

If you do not make room in yourself or your relationships for "no", you can't trust the "yes" to be authentic. Are you listening to your "no" or are you running over it? How can you make room and listen to your "no"...and then speak it? ******************************** The Loving Challengers Community is for women who are disrupting the status quo in the way they live, love, work, relate, parent, and more! Set up a ⁠free 20 minute call⁠ to learn more about the community and see if it's a good fit for you! IG @lovingchallengers "I started working with Megan a couple of months ago with the initial intention of wanting guidance, coaching, and support as I seek to start my own business. Shortly after, I joined the Loving Challengers women’s group and these two offerings combined have given me more than I ever knew I needed. Through 1:1 coaching, I am gaining valuable and embodied insights to trust myself and take the steps necessary to start my own business, but even more to create a more liberated life. The group is a container that helps me feel deeply seen and held and brave. The two combined are allowing me to take risks, trust my intuition, and know in my bones that the life I want to create is possible." - Alice K.