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If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to Light Work, a soft place to land in what could otherwise be a hard moment. We’re two sisters walking the path of healing together. In this space, we share honest conversations about the practices that have helped us reconnect with presence and a deeper sense of meaning in our daily lives. This episode is the third part of our multi-part series on healing modalities and today we’re diving into herbal support for periods, perimenopause and beyond. Plant allies for those who move through the world with (and without) a uterus. Jen, who is currently completing her herbalism certification, takes us through some of the plants she reaches for to support the bodies, brains and nervous systems navigating the hormonal tidal wave that is life. We talk brain fog, energy, cramps, sleep, rumination, nervous tension and the particular chaos that can come with perimenopause. Along the way, Jen introduces us to Schisandra, Motherwort, Passionflower, Skullcap, Stinging Nettle Leaf and her beloved Cramp Bark, including how she uses them, when she reaches for them and some important cautions to consider. We also somehow determine what each plant would wear to prom, because apparently that is useful botanical information. We finish with a simpler herbal toolkit for teens and younger menstruators, including ginger, chamomile, peppermint and nettle leaf, plus an important reminder that severe pain, unusual symptoms or anything that feels concerning deserves proper medical attention. As always, none of the information presented here is meant to replace medical advice. Herbs are powerful, they can interact with medications and what works for one body may not work for another. Do your research, start gently and talk to a qualified healthcare professional when appropriate. You don’t need to be a seeker, a healer or anything in particular to be here, just curious, open or tiring under the weight of what can often feel like unending chaos. As always, love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to Light Work — a soft place to land in what could otherwise be a hard moment.  We’re two sisters walking the path of healing together. In this space, we share honest conversations about the practices that have helped us reconnect with presence and a deeper sense of meaning in our daily lives. This episode is the second part of our multi-part series on healing modalities, beginning with something beautifully simple and profoundly accessible: meditation — or presence practice, if structure isn’t your thing. Today we’re continuing our conversation about what meditation can look like in real life, how it can be easily accessed in ordinary moments that don’t take you away or require you to plan or “make time” for it. We touch on why embodied presence practice touches deeply into the feminine (not female, but feminine) and why structured, hierarchical, masculine (not male, but masculine) practices like silent, seated meditation often feel so removed from daily life and unachievable.  Our aim is to gently bring presence practice back to where it lives — in the breath, the body, the senses, and the everyday moments we’re already moving through. Whether you’re drawn to noticing your breath, feeling the aliveness within your body, spending time in nature or finding presence while washing your hands or eating, we hope this conversation encourages you to explore what feels natural and kind for you. You don’t need to be a seeker, a healer, or anything in particular to be here — just curious, open, or tiring under the weight of what feels like unending chaos. As always, love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to Light Work — a soft place to land in what might otherwise be a hard day.  We wanted to offer up a short, unguided drumming meditation as another way to rest the thinking mind and allow the body and nervous system to lead. The buffalo drum has deep roots in Indigenous and shamanic traditions across many cultures. This offering is shared with respect for those lineages, without claim to title or ancestry, and with gratitude for the wisdom carried through rhythm, frequency, and vibration. The drum is played at a rhythm of 3–4 beats per second, a tempo that can gently guide the brain into a theta state. This is a slower, dreamlike brainwave often associated with deep relaxation, meditation, creativity, and inner imagery. Through a natural process called entrainment, your nervous system will begin to match the drum’s rhythm, allowing your body to relax and your mind to loosen its grip. This kind of meditation practice can be especially supportive for those who find guided meditation distracting or effortful. Rather than following words or instructions, the vibration of the drum offers a direct, somatic invitation. It’s a call to the most ancient, instinctive parts of ourselves that remember how to rest and recalibrate. You don’t need to visualise, journey, or “do” anything. Simply allow the sound to move through you - it might  feel grounded and heavy, spacious, emotional, or simply calming. All responses are right. We invite you to meet this practice with curiosity rather than judgement, and to return to it whenever you’re seeking a different way to unwind, release, and gently reset. We recommend listening while sitting or lying down in a safe, comfortable space. This practice is not intended to be used while driving or doing anything that requires your full attention. After listening, move slowly and give yourself a little time to re-enter your day. Make as much space as possible for hydration and good nutrition to support your body. Love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to Light Work — a soft place to land in what might otherwise be a hard day. We wanted to offer up a short embodied presence practice for moments that feel heavy, loud, or disconnected. Making time in your day to pause & connect back in is a beautiful way to be present. In this practice, we focus on the body and the breath first and then notice the subtle aliveness that’s always present in us beneath thought, tension, and distraction. Whether you’re new to mindfulness, a returning practitioner, or just in need of a moment of steadiness, this practice is here to meet you. You don’t need to feel calm, be spiritual, or have any intention other than a willingness to pause and listen inward. Come back whenever you need space, softness, or a reminder that presence is always available. After listening, move slowly and give yourself a little time to re-enter your day. Make as much space as possible for hydration and good nutrition to support your body. Love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to Light Work — a soft place to land in what could otherwise be a very hard day.  We’re two sisters walking the path of healing together. In this space, we share honest conversations about the practices that have helped us reconnect with presence and a deeper sense of meaning in our daily lives. This episode opens our multi-part series on healing modalities, beginning with something beautifully simple and profoundly accessible: meditation — or presence practice, if structure isn’t your thing. We talk about what meditation actually looks like in real life, how it shows up in ordinary moments, and why so many of us feel we’re “doing it wrong” before we’ve even begun. We explore the myths and expectations that can make meditation feel distant or unreachable, and gently bring it back to where it lives — in the breath, the body, the senses, and the everyday moments we’re already moving through. Whether you’re drawn to noticing your breath, feeling the aliveness within your body, spending time in nature or finding presence while washing your hands or eating, we hope this conversation encourages you to explore what feels natural and kind for you. You don’t need to be a seeker, a healer, or anything in particular to be here — just curious, open, or tiring under the weight of what feels like unending chaos. As always, love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome back to you - and to us! We're returning to our regularly scheduled podcasting (sort of) and we're so excited to take you along on our amazing journey of exploring different healing modalities and ways to bring lightness, and Light Work, into all of our lives. We're looking forward to sharing the future with you - it's going to be a beautiful ride... Lisa & Jen xo

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to season 5 of the Dear Patriarchy Podcast -  we're back, baby! Season 5 is the beginning of our evolution of the Dear Patriarchy offering. A year and a half ago, we stepped away to start healing and we're bringing back what we've learned and want to continue the healing journey with you. Our first conversation is with the incredible Kat Courtney, founder of Plant Medicine People, who has been involved in the plant medicine and shamanism communities for the last 2 decades. She is a loving source of wisdom and this episode is an outpouring of her knowledge, gained through 20+ years of experience in ceremonial healing. In this episode, we discuss what plant medicine actually is, specifically focusing on ayahuasca, and discuss Kat's journey with this beautiful medicine. Kat deep dives into her experiences of finding patriarchy within plant medicine & shamanism communities, and gives us a guideline of how to find safe retreat spaces, including things to look out for and red flags to be aware of. She shares her decades-long experience of sitting in, and holding, ceremony space and how plant medicine can not only heal, but also offer support and wisdom in helping you find purpose in the work that you're most passionate about. Towards the end of the episode, she offers up a powerful process for transmuting anger into purpose which we hope will help you as profoundly as it has helped us. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode once you've listened - share with us on Instagram or at [email protected] If you want more Kat Courtney in your life (because of course you do!), find her here: Discover the Plant Medicine People communityDive into excellent articles by Kat here & hereRead Kat's fantastic book "Plant Medicine Mystery School Volume I"Connect on Instagram with Kat here and with Plant Medicine People hereRetreat scholarship information

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to the ninth episode of series 4, where we’re focusing on the educators, activists, and influencers who inspire and guide us. In this week’s episode, Lisa chats to the fabulous Nila Varman, host of the Nila Extract, an award winning radio show and educational platform that amplifies the voices of those from minority ethnic communities, dispels stereotypes and navigates socially pressing issues that are not spoken about enough. Nila has won many awards for her work, including a Diana award, Frontline 50 award, and SRA & BBC Award for Best Student Radio Presenter.  We dive right into how Nila’s journey into activism was accelerated by the surge in global awareness of social justice issues at the start of the pandemic. Nila shares how, as a “British Tamil gal”, clearly seeing the everyday racism directed towards Tamil and South Indian communities, as well as occurring inside them, made her eager to speak out about its impact as well as other “taboo” topics. Nila is a passionate creative and speaks beautifully about how her work affects her own life and the lives of those around her. She talked about the constant pressure to create and how she finds balance on platforms that demand continuous content production. Listening to Nila, it’s impossible to miss the joy that infuses her work which, a lot of the time, is focused on heavy, hard issues. Nila consistently brings lightness to these important conversations, an invaluable skill which sets her apart as a truly joyful activist. You can find Nila & her award winning work here: - Nila’s website  - Find Nila on Instagram at @the_nila_extract and on TikTok at @thenilaextract - Listen to The Nila Extract podcast, available on all major streaming platforms! -  Continue the conversation by picking up our book Dear Patriarchy: The Gaslit Women's Guide to the (Corporate) World International ordersNorth American orders- Please check out our "Feminism 101" suggested reading list here if you're at a loose end for a great read from an incredible female author. - Find out more about Nubefy, the amazing artists behind the graphics we use, here.

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to the eighth episode of series 4, where we’re focusing on the educators, activists, and influencers who inspire and guide us. In honor of Beltane (roll on summer!), this week’s episode is a re-release of our amazing conversation with Shifra Nerenberg (she/ her), owner of Spiral Intuitive & an intersectional feminist based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.  With more than 20 years experience as an Intuitive Advisor, Shifra guides clients all over the world in connecting with their own powerful inner wisdom. Shifra does her best to increase the kindness & hope in our world. Her work is centered around helping intuitive folk trust themselves & shine their individual lights, spreading more of the bright light needed in the world.  We talked with Shifra about the importance of connecting back to our bodies and grounding ourselves so that we can connect to our communities and work against capitalism and oppressive systems of control, which work best when we are isolated and alienated from each other. We discussed how knowing yourself and leaning into your intuition is an important tool to battle patriarchy, systemic racism, heteronormativity, ableism, and xenophobia.  We end by working through Shifra’s techniques and strategies to keep from getting stuck in heaviness while remaining rooted in your power and plugging back in to your community with love. - All things Shifra: Find her on Instagram: @spiralintuitiveSpiral Intuitive Website-  Continue the conversation by picking up our book Dear Patriarchy: The Gaslit Women's Guide to the (Corporate) World International ordersNorth American orders- Please check out our "Feminism 101" suggested reading list here if you're at a loose end for a great read from an incredible female author. - Find out more about Nubefy, the amazing artists behind the graphics we use, here.

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to the seventh episode of series 4, where we’re focusing on the educators, activists, and influencers who inspire and guide us. Due to the unprecedented onslaught of anti-trans legislation and the steep rise in anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in the United States of America, we’re re-releasing our last episode in the hopes that it will spread some much needed truth about trans youth and the support they require.  In this episode we speak to the incredible Joshua Jernigan, a trans rights activist and philanthropist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Josh started the GEN (Gender Education Network) organization which helps transgender and gender diverse kids aged 12 and younger. As you’ll hear in the episode, Josh is a born educator and is deeply passionate about ensuring every child has a safe and loving home to nurture their growing identities. In this episode, we’re breaking down myths about the experiences of trans youth: What does gender affirming care REALLY look like for kids 12 and younger? What can adults actually do to actively support trans youth? Josh also dives into where he sees parents of gender diverse kids get tripped up or stuck when trying to educate themselves and support their kids as well as giving advice to parents and family members of gender diverse kids in order to help them survive and thrive.  We talk about the importance of trans kids having a consistent affirming, loving adult presence in their lives and how we all have it in us to be that person. With the rise of anti-trans policies being brought forward in the United States, the UK, and around the world, Josh shares his hopes for the future: That we all be cycle breakers for our children and parent our children in ways which are right for them, ignoring what doesn't fit or is outdated and dangerous. We hope this educational episode sparks your activism - trans and gender diverse kids need your voice! How you can find Josh & GEN: Gender Education Network website (donation link at the top of the page!)GEN on Facebook - Josh mentions the Gender Spectrum website during our conversation which is a fabulous resource for parents, educators, therapists, WHOEVER, to learn more about how to support the health & wellbeing of gender diverse children & teens. -  Continue the conversation by picking up our book Dear Patriarchy: The Gaslit Women's Guide to the (Corporate) World International ordersNorth American orders- Please check out our "Feminism 101" suggested reading list here if you're at a loose end for a great read from an incredible female author. - Find out more about Nubefy, the amazing artists behind the graphics we use, here.

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to the sixth episode of series 4, where we’re focusing on the educators, activists, and influencers who inspire and guide us. In this week’s episode, we’re hosting the incredible Joshua Jernigan, a trans rights activist and philanthropist living in Charlotte, North Carolina. Josh started the GEN (Gender Education Network) organization which helps transgender and gender diverse kids aged 12 and younger. Josh is a born educator and is deeply passionate about ensuring every child has a safe and loving home to nurture their growing identities. In this episode, we cover big topics: What does gender affirming care look like for kids 12 and younger? What do parents of gender diverse kids get tripped up by or stuck on when trying to educate themselves and support their kids? Josh expertly breaks these topics down and gives advice to parents and family members of gender diverse kids and also what gender diverse kids need in order to survive and thrive. We talked about the importance of trans kids having a consistent affirming, loving adult presence in their lives and how we all have it in us to be that person. With the rise of anti-trans policies being brought forward in the United States, the UK, and around the world, Josh shares his hopes for the future: That we all be cycle breakers for our children and parent our children in ways which are right for them, ignoring what doesn't fit or is outdated and dangerous. We hope this educational episode sparks your activism - trans and gender diverse kids need your voice! How you can find Josh & GEN: Gender Education Network website (donation link at the top of the page!)GEN on Facebook - Josh mentions the Gender Spectrum website during our conversation which is a fabulous resource for parents, educators, therapists, WHOEVER, to learn more about how to support the health & wellbeing of gender diverse children & teens. -  Continue the conversation by picking up our book Dear Patriarchy: The Gaslit Women's Guide to the (Corporate) World International ordersNorth American orders-  Check out our website AND our new feminist merch collection Dear Patriarchy Podcast Website- Please check out our "Feminism 101" suggested reading list here if you're at a loose end for a great read from an incredible female author. - Find out more about Nubefy, the amazing artists behind the graphics we use, here.

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to the fifth episode of series 4, where we’re focusing on the educators, activists, and influencers who inspire and guide us. In this week’s episode, we’re hosting Jessica Olzak and Shannon Collins, creators and co-hosts of Rainbow Connections from the Abington library, a program designed to give youngsters a safe space in which to discuss LGBTQ+ themed books and topics. We started our love fest by chatting with them about the origins of their ground-breaking youth program: How & why they set it up, the challenges they faced, and how you, too, could get a program going in your community. We spoke with Shannon about their Youthphoria program and how they use photography as activism. We discussed how they keep their cups full while doing their important work, the statistics for LGBTQ+ youth & how just one affirming adult in the life of an LGBTQ+ child is a game changer.  We hope you love the episode as much as we do: It’s an emotional & gratitude-filled journey.  Abington Library website Rainbow Connections Next EventRainbow Connections LGBTQ+ ResourcesLink to the Rainbow Connections Webinar via the PLA Jessica Olzak contact - [email protected] Collins contact - [email protected] Youthphoria website Rainbow Connections Guests include: 03/2022 - Vanessa & JR Ford, authors of Calvin05/2022 - Lily Freeman, teen trans activist and creator of the IG campaign, @projectuncensored07/2022 - Lindz Amer, CEO of Queer Kid StuffIG:  @lindzamerQueer Kid Stuff website08/2022 - Amy Schneider, 40-time Jeopardy champion and writerTwitter: @Jeopardamy10/2022 - C.K. Malone, author of A Costume for CharlyTwitter: @CKMalone211/2022--Kyle Lukoff, authorKyle's website11/2022--Gavin Grimm, trans activistTwitter: @GavinGrimmVA -  Pick up our new book here: International ordersNorth American orders-  Check out our website to pick up our new book or via our IG: @dearpatriarchypod

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to the fourth episode of series 4, where we’ve been focusing on the educators, activists, and influencers who inspire and guide us. However, because this week is Trans Awareness Week, we're taking a short break from hosting guests to focus on the trans community and how cis people can be better supporters and allies. We're using information from the excellent Schuyler Bailar, the Human Rights Campaign, and PFLAG to guide this conversation and we've linked back to all of these educators & organizations (and more) below.  We start off by running through Schuyler Bailar's "cheat sheet" about how to re-frame the language you use when talking about, or interacting with, transgender people. We then move through a list of disinformation, anti-trans tropes and rhetoric that many people believe to be true, and dispel the myths around each item.  We discuss the importance of moving away from the patriarchal gender binary and how we can support each other, and the trans, non-binary and LGBTQ+ community in general by leaving behind harmful and false heteronormative gender expectations. If you learned something from this episode, please share with those you know and love who may need more education on this important topic. Have the hard conversations, spread love, and reach out to the communities that need your support. - Schuyler Bailar: Find Schuyler (and his Trans Awareness Week Cheat Sheet) on IG: @pinkmantaraySchuyler's website- Human Rights Campaign Myths & Facts: Battling Disinformation About Transgender RightsBe an Ally: Support Trans Equality- Trevor Project A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender & Non-Binary Young PeopleAdditional Transgender, Non-Binary & LGBTQ+ Resources: PFLAG websiteMarsha P. Johnson Institute websiteWe mentioned Alok V. Menon in the episode as well who is an excellent gender educator and author - find them on IG @alokvmenon-  Continue the conversation by picking up our book Dear Patriarchy: The Gaslit Women's Guide to the (Corporate) World International ordersNorth American orders-  Check out our website AND our new feminist merch collection Dear Patriarchy Podcast Website- Please check out our "Feminism 101" suggested reading list here if you're at a loose end for a great read from an incredible female author. - Find out more about Nubefy, the amazing artists behind the graphics we use, here.

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to the third episode of series 4, where we’re focusing on the educators, activists, and influencers who inspire and guide us. In this week’s episode, we’re hosting Shifra Nerenberg (she/ her), owner of Spiral Intuitive & a lifelong feminist based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. With more than 20 years experience as an Intuitive Advisor, she guides clients all over the world in connecting with their own powerful inner wisdom.  Shifra does her best to increase the kindness & hope in our world. Her work is centered around helping intuitive folk trust themselves & shine their individual lights, spreading more of the bright light needed in the world.  We talked with Shifra about the importance of connecting back to our bodies and grounding ourselves so that we can connect to our communities and work against capitalism and oppressive systems of control, which work best when we are isolated and alienated from each other. We discussed how knowing yourself and leaning into your intuition is an important tool to battle patriarchy, systemic racism, heteronormativity, ableism, and xenophobia.  We end by working through Shifra’s techniques and strategies to keep from getting stuck in heaviness while remaining rooted in your power and plugging back in to your community with love. AND - the best way to use that power and help your community is to VOTE!! We’re looking at you USA!! If you’re struggling with getting info on where to cast your vote, who to support and where you stand on measures, please check out the following resources: - You better vote b🐱tch: VoteSaveAmerica WebsiteBallot Ready Website - All things Shifra: Find her on Instagram: @spiralintuitiveSpiral Intuitive Website-  Continue the conversation by picking up our book Dear Patriarchy: The Gaslit Women's Guide to the (Corporate) World International ordersNorth American orders-  Check out our website AND our new feminist merch collection Dear Patriarchy Podcast Website- Please check out our "Feminism 101" suggested reading list here if you're at a loose end for a great read from an incredible female author. - Find out more about Nubefy, the amazing artists behind the graphics we use, here.

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to the second episode of series 4 where we’re focusing on the educators, activists and influencers who inspire and guide us. In this week’s episode, we’re hosting Gonzy, the fabulous owner of sustainable, feminist British brand Sasspatch. Gonzy's designs uplift you while keeping you grounded, and she specialises in Sassy Positivity: Sweet designs mixed with savage honesty.  We talk about the struggle to balance motherhood with paid (and unpaid) work, how all parents need to get therapy, preferably before becoming parents, and how important equity is in everything we do. Gonzy is a passionate intersectional feminist, proponent of slow fashion and speaks beautifully on how much both matter to her and to the company ethos of Sasspatch. Gonzy closes our short (but very sweet) conversation with the perfect words: The good stuff is always worth waiting for. - All things Sasspatch: Find her on Instagram: @sasspatchworldSasspatch Website-  Continue the conversation by picking up our book Dear Patriarchy: The Gaslit Women's Guide to the (Corporate) World International ordersNorth American orders-  Check out our website AND our new feminist merch collection Dear Patriarchy Podcast Website- Please check out our "Feminism 101" suggested reading list here if you're at a loose end for a great read from an incredible female author. - Find out more about Nubefy, the amazing artists behind the graphics we use, here.