Mystic Dog Mama

As the solstice approaches, I wanted to offer something a little different.In this reflective episode, I explore the themes of nourishment, intuition, creativity, and the Wild Woman archetype inspired by Women Who Run With the Wolves. Together, we'll consider what this seasonal threshold might be asking of us, what wants to emerge, and how our dogs can help guide us back to presence, connection, and our own inner knowing.A gentle invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and remember your light.This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery, creator of books, notebooks, and stationery to help you become all you aspire to be! If you are looking for a safe space to explore and embrace your Wild Woman self, the moon magic and shadow work journals and workbooks might be a useful support for you. You can take a peek at them on our Aspirationery instagram account https://instagram.com/aspirationery✨ Free Resource: Mystic Dog Mama Nourishment Starter KitIf today's episode resonated with you, I'd love to gift you a free copy of my Mystic Dog Mama Nourishment Starter Kit. Inside, you'll discover simple ways to begin supporting your dog's wellbeing through the lens of nourishment - exploring the idea that true health is about so much more than what's in the bowl. It's an invitation to bring more curiosity, connection, and intention into life with your dog. https://mysticdogmama.comConnect with me!Website: https://mysticdogmama.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmamaDisclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

Our dogs have a way of ushering us into the exact lessons we need.In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist and resilience specialist Dr Kate Lund to talk about what happens when the life we imagined falls apart — and how we build something meaningful on the other side.Dr Kate shares the story of her childhood diagnosis of hydrocephalus, the many hospitalisations that followed, and how her dog Peanut helped her cultivate courage, hope, and orientation toward possibility. Those early experiences inspired her life’s work supporting paediatric patients and families navigating illness, trauma, and profound change.We discuss why resilience is not toughness, positivity, or spiritual bypassing. It’s the set of skills, supports, and perspectives that help us optimise within the reality we are living.You’ll hear:✨ What resilience actually means in real life✨ Why we must move through difficulty, not around it✨ How strengthening our own resilience changes the way we show up for our dogs✨ The surprising ways dogs demonstrate resilience every day✨ How Dr Kate supported her own children through the terror of a lost puppy✨ How that experience led her to partner with her therapy dog Wally serving families at a children’s hospital in Seattle✨ Practical ways to build confidence and agency in kids and dogs✨ What it means to “find a new normal”✨ Why dogs so often arrive exactly when we need them mostI also share how Lucky has continually invited me to become more resilient — especially in the moments I doubted myself most — and how recognising his resilience changed our relationship.If you’ve ever wondered how to stay open-hearted while the ground beneath you shifts… this conversation is for you!.Connect with Dr Kate Lund: https://www.katelundspeaks.com/Connect with me!Website: https://mysticdogmama.comInstagram: https://instagram.comCome join my free Facebook group, FETCH First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlightDisclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

Dog waste is one of those everyday realities most of us would prefer not to think about. We bag it, bin it, and move on. But what if the way we currently deal with dog poo is part of a bigger environmental and cultural problem? And what if it could be approached differently?In this episode, I’m joined by Cllr Gill Thomas, a local councillor in Stroud and for litter and clean environment who is exploring an early-stage, experimental initiative to rethink how dog waste is handled - including the possibility of composting it safely and responsibly.Gill brings a background in the creative arts into her work in local politics, and that perspective shapes how she approaches complex, often uncomfortable issues. Rather than defaulting to enforcement or blame, she’s asking questions about responsibility, systems, and what becomes possible when curiosity leads the way.In our conversation, we explore:Why dog waste is more than just a nuisance - and its real impact on the environmentHow creative problem-solving can open new pathways in governanceWhat it means to take initiative without having all the answersThe early conversations Gill is having with scientists and researchersWhy pilot projects matter, and how local experiments can inspire wider changeThis isn’t a polished solution or a finished programme. It’s a live inquiry into how we care for shared spaces, how we relate to waste, and what regeneration can look like at a very local, very human scale.If you’re interested in conscious dog guardianship, environmental responsibility, and how meaningful change often starts with the things we’d rather not see - then this episode is for you.To connect with Cllr Gill Thomas:facebook.com/cllrgillthomasEmail: cllr.gill.thomas@stroud.gov.ukConnect with me!Website: https://mysticdogmama.comInstagram: https://instagram.comCome join my free Facebook group, FETCH First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlightDisclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

In this rich and soulful conversation, I’m joined by Anja Žekelj, founder of Wigglebeat, to explore what it really means to heal our dogs, and ourselves, when we move beyond fixing, forcing, or striving for perfection.Anja shares her journey of working with dogs and the evolution of her Herbal Ball Therapy, a gentle, deeply intuitive modality that supports the nervous system, circulation, and emotional well-being of dogs - especially those who are sensitive, aging, or navigating recovery.But this conversation goes far beyond any single therapy.Together, we talk about:What it looks like to follow intuition and inner guidance when caring for our dogs, and how to tell the difference between fear and true knowingThe challenges and shadows of the holistic dog world, including pressure, comparison, and the subtle belief that we should be able to “do it all right”Why healing is not the same as fixing, and how acceptance can be one of the most loving and confronting acts of careThe emotional complexity of supporting a dog through change, decline, or uncertaintyAnja’s deeply personal experience of caring for her senior dog after a stroke, and what that journey has taught her about presence, grief, trust, and letting goIf you’ve ever felt caught between your heart, your intuition, and the overwhelming noise of “shoulds” in the holistic space, then this episode is for you.To connect with Anja and learn more about her work, including her upcoming Herbal Ball Therapy workshop, visit her website:https://wigglebeat.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/wigglebeatConnect with me!Website: https://mysticdogmama.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmamaCome join my free Facebook group, FETCH First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlightDisclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by all the things you “should” be doing to live a low-tox life, for yourself or for your dog, this conversation is going to feel like a deep exhale.I’m joined by Alexx Stuart, founder of Low Tox Life and someone who has spent over a decade exploring what it really means to reduce our toxic load - physically, emotionally, environmentally, and spiritually. Alexx has interviewed more than 450 leading voices in health and wellbeing, but what I love most about her approach is how permission-giving and grounded she is. This isn’t about perfection. It isn’t about throwing everything out or hitting some imaginary benchmark of purity.It’s about presence.It’s about starting exactly where you are.In this episode, we explore:Alexx’s personal health journey and how it led her to found Low Tox LifeThe most impactful first steps for reducing toxin load for you and your dogWhy “start where you’re at” is the foundation of sustainable changeThe emotional and mental toxins that often go overlookedHow to navigate the destabilisation that can happen when your worldview shiftsThe surprising patterns Alexx has noticed after interviewing more than 450 health and wellbeing expertsHow supporting your dog’s health can become a doorway into deeper self-awarenessSimple, practical, non-overwhelming changes you can make todayIf this episode resonated, please share it with a fellow dog mama who’s craving a simpler, gentler, more conscious approach to supporting her and her dog’s wellbeing.Connect with Alexx Stuart:https://lowtoxlife.comhttps://instagram.com/lowtoxlifeConnect with me:https://mysticdogmama.comInstagram: https://instagram.comCome join my free Facebook group, FETCH First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlightDisclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.