Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing

What role do parks play in the health of a community? For many of us, parks are places to walk, play, or spend time outdoors. But what if they're also part of the infrastructure that helps communities become healthier, more connected, and more resilient? In this episode of ROOTED, I sit down with Martin Sampson, CEO of the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, to explore how parks and recreation contribute to wellbeing in ways that are often overlooked. We discuss why access to nature is more than a quality-of-life issue, the importance of investing upstream in prevention rather than waiting to respond to illness and crisis, and how parks create opportunities for connection, belonging, and resilience. Martin also shares the vision behind Everyone Outdoors Together, a growing movement inviting people to step outside, connect with nature, and experience the simple act of being outdoors as a shared community experience. Throughout our conversation, I found myself returning to a question that has shaped much of my own work: What conditions help people thrive? As we explored everything from public health and equitable access to advocacy and community design, it became clear that parks are not simply amenities—they are places where people gather, heal, connect, and remember that we are part of the living world. Perhaps creating healthier communities begins long before someone walks into a doctor's office. Perhaps it begins by creating places where people can step outside together. Resources Mentioned Everyone Outdoors Together Canadian Parks and Recreation Association Park Prescriptions (PaRx) Outdoor Play Canada GenWell CanActive Insights Connect with Martin Sampson Canadian Parks and Recreation Association: https://cpra.ca/ Everyone Outdoors Together: https://everyoneoutdoorstogether.ca/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-sampson-qwa-middlewood/ Connect with ROOTED Visit ROOTED online for episode notes, reflections, and additional resources: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

What if nature isn't somewhere we go, but something we live within? In this conversation, I sit down with Nevin Harper—counselor, professor, outdoor educator, and co-author of Nature-Based Therapy and Kids These Days—to explore how the environments we inhabit shape our wellbeing, relationships, and sense of belonging. Growing up in northern Canada, Nevin experienced nature not as a destination, but as the backdrop of everyday life. Forests, wildlife, long winters, and wide-open landscapes were simply part of being human. It wasn't until he left home that he realized many people experience nature very differently. Together, we explore nature-based counseling, the role of outdoor experiences in human development, why environments matter, and how nature can support connection, reflection, and healing. We also discuss Nevin's work with young people, the stories adults tell about "kids these days," and the powerful influence of the worlds we create for future generations. Throughout the conversation, one idea continues to surface: our relationship with nature is deeply shaped by the environments we grow up in—and by the environments we choose to create. If you've ever wondered what it means to live in relationship with nature rather than simply visit it, this conversation offers a thoughtful place to begin. Connect with Nevin Harper Website: https://www.nevinharper.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nevinharper Connect with Susan Bailey Website: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmorganbailey

What if nature isn't simply good for us—but foundational to human health and wellbeing? In this episode of ROOTED, I sit down with naturopathic doctor and NatureQuant advisor Dr. Owen Wiseman to explore the growing evidence connecting nature exposure to better physical health, mental wellbeing, resilience, and quality of life. But this conversation goes beyond individual health habits. Together, we explore how cities, healthcare systems, schools, workplaces, and communities are shaped by access to nature—and what happens when generations become disconnected from the natural world. Owen introduces concepts like environmental generational amnesia and shifting baseline syndrome, explains how nature prescriptions are being integrated into healthcare in Canada, and makes a compelling case for viewing nature not as a luxury, but as essential infrastructure. If we are nature, what are the consequences of designing lives and systems that keep us apart from it? This conversation invites us to think differently about health, wellbeing, and the role nature plays in helping both people and communities thrive. Resources Mentioned NatureQuant NatureDose App PARX – Canada's Nature Prescription Program Shifting Baseline Syndrome Environmental Generational Amnesia Connect with Dr. Owen Wiseman Website: https://www.owenwiseman.com NatureQuant: https://naturequant.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owen-wiseman/ Connect with Rooted Visit Rooted online for episode notes, reflections, and additional resources: https://www.rootedsoulliving.com/rooted-podcast Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

After getting sober in her twenties, Breezy Nowlan found herself navigating the often-complicated world of recovery housing. That experience led her to create Taste Recovery, a platform that helps people find safe and supportive sober living options across the United States. But as the platform grew, something still felt missing. In this episode of Rooted, Breezy shares the question from her father that changed the course of her work: What do you love to do? The answer led her outdoors and eventually inspired Camp Sober Fest—a unique recovery community experience that combines camp activities, connection, personal growth, and belonging. Together, we explore the role of community in recovery, why environment matters, what happens when people feel safe enough to be themselves, and the courage it takes to create something that doesn't yet exist. While nature isn't the central focus of this conversation, it quietly supports the experiences Breezy has created—offering space for connection, play, challenge, and transformation. In this episode, you'll hear: How Taste Recovery began from Breezy's own recovery journey What sober living is and why it matters The story behind Camp Sober Fest Why belonging is such an important part of healing How play, challenge, and shared experiences build connection The simple question that helped Breezy discover her purpose Connect with Breezy Nowlan Taste Recovery: https://www.tasterecovery.com Camp Sober Fest: https://www.campsoberfest.com Instagram: @taste.recovery Connect with Rooted Website: www.rootedsoulliving.com Instagram: @susanmorganbailey If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow, rate, and review Rooted. It helps more people discover conversations about nature, wellbeing, connection, and living more fully rooted lives.

Modern life makes it easy to assume that access to nature is simply about proximity. A nearby park. A trail down the road. A place to go. But what if access is more complicated than that? In this conversation, I sit down with public health researcher Jen Roberts to explore the intersection of nature, equity, and belonging. Together, we look at how our environments—both built and natural—shape not only our ability to be outside, but whether we feel like those spaces are actually for us. Jen shares how her work in active living and public health led her into the nature space, and how that work expanded to include a deeper question: who has access to nature, and who feels welcome once they get there? We also explore the story of Buffalo's historic parkways—once designed for connection and movement—and how their removal reshaped both land and community. This conversation invites a wider lens. Because access to nature isn't always as simple as it seems—and sometimes, the deeper question is whether we feel like we belong there at all. Walk with us. This conversation is part of Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing — an exploration of how connecting with nature helps us feel more whole in the lives we're actually living. For episode transcripts, resources, and additional reflections, visit the ROOTED podcast blog at www.rootedsoulliving.com.

What happens when you step out of the environment that shaped you — and into one that reveals you? In this conversation, I sit down with Cory, a leadership coach based in rural Japan, whose work brings individuals and teams into nature not as an escape, but as a catalyst for clarity. After years in Tokyo's corporate world, Cory found himself living and working in the mountains of Minakami — a place of shifting rivers, deep seasonal rhythms, and what he describes as a quiet "homecoming." What emerged wasn't just a lifestyle change, but a different way of working with leaders. We explore how nature acts as a co-facilitator in leadership development, why many of us "armor up" to function in modern environments, and what becomes possible when that armor starts to loosen. This conversation also holds an important tension: not everyone is meant to leave their life behind. The real work may be learning how to live more fully where you already are. If you've ever felt the pull of nature — or wondered what it might reveal about who you are — this episode offers a grounded place to begin. This conversation is part of Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing — an exploration of how connecting with nature helps us feel more whole in the lives we're actually living. For episode transcripts, resources, and additional reflections, visit the ROOTED podcast blog at www.rootedsoulliving.com.

Jessica DeAngelo joins me for a conversation about what happens when we step outside, move our bodies, and give ourselves space to think differently. After a pivotal moment with her young daughter, Jessica began a simple experiment: 30 minutes a day in nature, without technology. What followed wasn't a quick fix, but a shift — from scattered attention to clearer thinking, from constant input to something more grounded. In this episode, we explore how movement and time outdoors support creativity, why stepping away from screens can help us refocus on what actually matters, and how a consistent, accessible practice in nature can change the way we show up in both our work and our lives. This conversation is for anyone who feels mentally full, stretched thin, or stuck — and is curious what might open up with a little more space, movement, and time outside.

Nature is often treated as a luxury — something we visit when we have time. But public health researcher Jay Maddock has spent years studying something different: what actually happens in the body when we spend time outside. In this conversation, Jay shares the research behind what many of us intuitively feel. Within minutes of stepping outside, blood pressure drops, mood improves, and our nervous system begins to reset. Over longer periods, time in nature may even strengthen immune function. Jay's work sits at the intersection of public health, behavioral science, and environmental psychology. From leading the Center for Health and Nature at Texas A&M to helping launch the Nature and Health Alliance, he is helping build the research infrastructure behind what many people already sense: nature isn't an escape from life — it's part of how human health works. Susan and Jay explore micro-doses of nature, weekend "macro doses," nature prescriptions in healthcare systems, and why the biggest shift often comes simply from moving from no nature to some nature. The conversation is both scientific and practical — a reminder that even small moments outside can have meaningful effects on how we feel and function. In our conversation we explore: • Why even 10 minutes outside can shift how we feel • The idea of "micro-doses" and "macro-doses" of nature • Research linking greener neighborhoods with better mental health • The growing movement of nature prescriptions in healthcare • How nature can help restore attention and reduce burnout One of the most important insights Jay shares is simple: The greatest benefit from nature often comes from moving from no exposure to some exposure. Small moments outside may matter more than we think.

What if you've never been a "nature person" - but nature is exactly what you need? Claudia Kraut spent decades in organizational health and wellbeing, just like Susan. She called herself an "interior gal" - someone who only went outside when she was made to. Then at 50, she tried something new: a trail run. It changed everything. In this conversation, Susan and Claudia explore how there are so many ways to connect with nature, and you can start exactly where you are. Maybe it's an app that helps you find trails nearby. Maybe it's a few minutes of fresh air on your lunch break. Maybe eventually it's a trail run, or a daily sit spot, or just noticing the seasons shifting outside your window. You don't have to become someone you're not. You just have to start where you can. Claudia shares her lived experience of bringing more nature into her life - how she does it, why it matters, what changed for her. Susan and Claudia talk about the research showing nature's impact on wellbeing, but more importantly, they explore the practical, accessible ways people can begin connecting with nature right now. They also discuss how technology can help rather than hinder our connection to what's real, how organizations can integrate nature into workplace wellbeing strategies, and why nature isn't just essential to wellbeing - it's foundational. If you've been curious about nature but weren't sure where to start, or if you think "I'm just not a nature person," this conversation is for you.

Micah Mortali, founder of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership, introduces the concept of rewilding—not as running off to live in the woods, but as reclaiming lost connections with our natural habitat. In this conversation, Micah shares the idea of nature as "the green mirror"—a counterbalance to the black mirrors of our phones. When we look into the green mirror, we see who we actually are, not a curated artificial version. Susan and Micah explore how rewilding addresses root causes of disconnection, why simply being outside shifts our nervous system in ways no app can replicate, and the accessible practices anyone can use to begin—no wilderness required. This conversation will help you see rewilding not as something extreme, but as remembering what's been there all along. Learn more about Micah's work at Kripalu.org and find his book "Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature."

Welcome to Rooted: A Podcast About Nature & Wellbeing. If you've been following along, you might notice something's different—we have a new name. What started as The Growth Collective has evolved into Rooted. In this episode: Why the shift from Growth Collective to Rooted happened The Camino revelation: we ARE nature, not separate from it What "rooted" actually means and why it matters now Where the podcast is headed and what's staying the same This isn't just a rebrand. It's a deepening—a recognition that this work is about remembering our essential connection to the natural world and reclaiming wholeness, grounding, and renewal. The conversations aren't changing. We're still exploring nature connection, wellbeing, and what it means to thrive as natural beings in an increasingly artificial world. Same curiosity, same peer-level dialogues, same commitment to root causes over surface solutions. If you've been here from the beginning—thank you for walking with me. If you're just discovering this podcast—welcome. Next episode: I'll share the full foundation of what Rooted is about—the frameworks, the invitation, and why this work matters now.

Dr. Marcus Collins is back on the podcast to talk about his new book For the Culture: the power behind what we buy, what we do, and who we want to be. Listen in a Marcus highlights why it's essential to be clear on what you stand for as an organization and the importance of being intentional about building culture; why we buy the things including why we buy including the idea that showing up to a job every day is a worthwhile endeavor beyond a paycheck; and, the power of the too often neglected role of storytelling in the workplace to motivate. Connect with Marcus Collins Email: marcus@marctothec.com Website: www.marctothec.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marctothec/ Connect with Susan Morgan Bailey Email: Susan.Bailey@marshmma.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/