About this episode

Maria Morukian interviews Melanie Smith about her journey from pharmacy to holistic wellness and the importance of inclusivity in healing spaces.

In this live and in-person episode of Culture Stew , Maria sits down with the dynamic Melanie Smith, founder of Moves with Melanie , a health and wellness company based in Silver Spring, Maryland. With a powerful blend of pharmacy expertise, fitness instruction, and integrative nutrition coaching, Melanie shares her personal and professional journey one that took her from a military childhood to pharmacy school to a life changing pivot into holistic wellness. Maria and Melanie explore: How growing up as a "military brat" shaped Melanie's go for it mindset The realities of burnout in the healthcare system and the bold decision to walk away Why her retreats offer a rare mix of structure and radical freedom for women How imposter syndrome and racialized beauty standards show up in the wellness space The power of building inclusive, body-positive, and evidence-informed spaces for healing Melanie brings humor, honesty, and a no nonsense approach to helping others thrive emotionally, spiritually, and physically. This episode is a must listen for anyone navigating burnout, craving more authenticity in wellness, or searching for a place where they truly belong. Learn more about Melanie's…

Topics covered

• wellness
• holistic health
• burnout
• body positivity
• integrative nutrition

Keywords

• military childhood
• healthcare burnout
• women's retreats
• imposter syndrome
• racialized beauty standards

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