Lily talks with author, mom, coach, and paraplegic athlete, Ryan Rae Harbuck. After a car accident left her paralyzed from the ribcage down at 16, Ryan returned to her love of swimming to chase a Paralympic dream. Ryan talks with Lily about her travels and adventures as a young woman in a wheel chair, the quiet promise she made to herself in the midst of some of her darkest days, and the surprise pot of gold that waited for her at the end of that rainbow. She also shares about her writing process, which began as a way to work through her toughest memories, and turned into her Memoir, When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair, and about her journey, through uncharted and often stormy waters, to becoming a mother. Find out more about Ryan's story and her book at https://www.ryanraeharbuck.com/ Support the show

Lily talks with Eric Rooney about how he transitioned from his days of briefcase carrying and corporate living in San Francisco to...well…what he does today. Which is a little tough to pin down really - he’s a farmer and a florist and a landscaper, but he also works in death and dying, in service to the elderly and terminally ill, in grief support, in advocacy and education regarding greener options after death, and in advocacy for Medical Aid in Dying. Eric's non-profit organization, Regeneration Earth, will launch at the end of this month (February 2023). Check it out at https://www.regenerationearth.org/Learn more about Half Moon Farm at https://www.halfmoonfarm.co/"We're all just walking each other home." ~ Ram DassSupport the show

Lily talks with author Heather Mateus Sappenfield about how she followed her life-long dream to be a professional writer. Heather shares about the inspiration for her characters, how she has dug deep in herself to learn how to stay in a scene beyond the point when it is tidy and comfortable, and the ways that her pursuits as an adventure athlete, including her experience cycling across america with a relay team, have prepared her for the challenges of this career. She also urges us to recognize what we really want and need and believe versus our social conditioning. Heather is the author of The River Between Hearts, Lyrics for Rockstars, Life at the Speed of Us, and The View from Who I Was, as well as numerous articles in publications such as Writer’s Chronicle, Writer’s Digest, and other writing journals and outdoor magazinesFind out more about Heather's Work at https://heathermateussappenfield.com/Support the show

Lily talks with CC Haug about her journey to founding Good Judy Garage, a mechanic shop that promises excellent service and a safe space to customers. CC is a mechanical engineer and master mechanic with over 25 years of experience. She feared that coming out as trans would threaten her livelihood and her place in the industry, so she built the kind of workplace and the kind of business she wished existed. Fundraiser for Club Q Victims organized by Good Judy and Faith HaugSupport the show

Lily continues her conversation with Cat James about the many twists and turns, adventures, and surprises that have marked her path towards becoming a tattoo artist. Cat shares about a sudden moment of clarity that led her to painful realizations and challenging conversations, but also to an honest and life-affirming path forward.You can see Cat's work at www.oldsolnewtricks.com or on social media @oldsolnewtricks. Support the show

Lily talks with Cat James about the origins of her career as a tattoo artist and her upcoming  event (artisan market meets party meets concert), the Old Sol Fiesta on December 3rd in Denver, CO. To find out more about Cat's work and for Old Sol Fiesta, visit www.oldsolnewtricks.com or follow her on social media @oldsolnewtricks. Support the show

Lily talks with lifestyle and nutrition coach, activist, community builder,  and all around delightful human, Carolyn Taylor-Harris about her path the wellness and the teaching she has to offer. To find out more about Carolyn's work, visit www.sanitasoulwellness.com or follow on Social Media @sanitasoulMentioned in this conversation, weight loss, healing, wellness, Abraham Hicks, Adrienne Maree Brown and her book Pleasure Activism, Morgan Harper Nichols, Human DesignSupport the show

Lily talks with Leadership Coach, Carissa Karban, about how the ruptures and shifts in her life allowed her to break out of a path of checking boxes. Carissa leads Lily in a coaching session to dig into the layers of mindsets and beliefs that are holding her back and to energize the path forward. https://www.carissakarban.com/Support the show

Lily connects with TJ Rivers, founder and owner of Venturhaus, a design studio focused on off-grid and mobile living. Their conversation spans climbing, van life, gender, sexual orientation, relationship structures, communal living, skateboarding, learning differences, the narrow measures of the public school system, overcoming major obstacles and setbacks, entrepreneurship, and paving our own way. Find out more about TJ's work at https://venturhaus.comSupport the show

Lily connects with Author and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Kelly Ryan about her path to healing from trauma and addiction and how she and her sister came to write a memoir together. https://kellyandkaren.com/Support the show

Lily talks with Death Doula, Eleonora Cross, about her path to becoming a Death Doula, what this role is, and the communities she aims to serve. Eleonora discusses her identity as a queer, polyamorous person and a pagan, and what these parts of her identity bring to her life.Find out more about Eleonora's work at https://www.thelittledeathwitch.com/ Support the show

Lily connects with Autumn and Ike in their home in Del Norte, Colorado. Autumn is in graduate school to be a counselor and shares about how she decided to take this path and what it means to her, AND how she balances her work and studies with adventure and creativity. Ike manages a small organic farm in the Foothills of the San Luis Valley with his two partners, does landscaping work, and helps to put on tons of community events like the local farmers market, an annual music festival, harvest festival and bike race. Support the show

Lily talks with her dear Aunt, Wendy Berger, about the winding path that led Wendy to her career as a therapist.Wendy shares about the deep pain she experienced in her adolescence, her time spent in a cult and how she got out and began to make sense of that season of her life,  and how she began to recognize her profound intuition and build a career around that gift. This conversation centers on our spiritual relationship to our lives and the events that impact us. Lily takes the opportunity to dig into some of the big questions and ideas that have been on her mind and seeks Wendy's guidance. Link the full poem, Famous by Naomi Shihab Nye, which Lily shares a segment of in the episode intro: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47993/famousA few clarifications:Allan Werthan is  Wendy's brother/Lily's dad (and, of course, the star of S1Ep1 of the Open Exploration Podcast!)Allen Berger is Wendy's husband/Lily's uncle.Lily's mom, Vanessa, died in 2019 after a 10 year battle with MSA (a degenerative neurological dissorder).Lily refers to her experience in Mexico - she taught in Mexico from 2016-2017 on a Fulbright grant. Support the show

Lily talks with Principal Scott Bain of the Jefferson County Open School about their non-traditional approach to education that centers student-led learning and education through travel, adventure, and the pursuit of big goals. Scott also shares about the path that led him from discontentment as a student, to years spent working as a river guide and ski instructor, to becoming an educator himself and finding a home and a sense of purpose in non-traditional education. To learn more about the Jefferson County Open School, check out https://jcos.jeffcopublicschools.org/Another great resource is the book Lives of Passion, School of Hope: How One Public School Ignites a Lifelong Love of Learning  by Rick Posner, which explores the Open School model and the lives of JCOS alumni. Support the show

Lily talks with acrobat and performer Bethel Lindsley about her experiences in the circus community around the world and her choice to set down roots and create Circus Foundry with her partner, Anthony. Bethel shares about her childhood trauma and how she began to recognize and heal its long-term impacts in her life. With Circus Foundry, she now tells stories  of humanity, healing, and compassion through contemporary circus, and coaches circus students at Apex Denver. Aside from an immense workload, Bethel's  life as a founder/owner/performer/coach/entrepreneur is characterized by bone-deep passion, intentional community , and purpose.Find out more at https://www.circusfoundry.com/ Support the show

Lily talks with her dear friend, Sophie Feffer (better known as Feff), about her decision to leave a job that was crushing her in search of greener pastures. From her experience in harm reduction and safe needle-exchange, Feff offers insight into the drug problem in the United States and the impacts of policy on real people, and shares about the heartbreak of becoming disillusioned and burned out from working in a system ill-equipped to support professionals like herself or the communities they aim to serve.  Check out these resources mentioned in the conversation: Book: Drug Use for Grownups by Dr. Carl L HartNaloxone access and information in Colorado: http://stoptheclockcolorado.org/Resources for people who use drugs and/or uninsured beyond Colorado: https://nextdistro.org/naloxoneSupport the show

Lily talks with Rabbi Jamie Arnold about how he found his path, why he built his life around spirituality and Judaism, and his profound experiences of mysticism and connection. Support the show

Lily talks with Kelissa Hieber, owner and head brewer of Goldspot Brewing in Denver, Co, about how she has connected her love of craft brewing with her passion for social justice and community. Kelissa shares about the dangerous and intense parts of the brewing process, her experience as a queer female in a male dominated industry, and how she is using her position to change the industry and give back. Find out more about new brews and events at www.goldspotbrewing.comSupport the show

Lily talks with Actor and Musician Jacob Gibson about his choice to live a creative life, the opportunity to transform our fear into energy towards our goals, and the insights that come from art. Support the show

Lily talks with Mary Greenwood, a Chaplain who has supported hundreds of families through death and grief. Mary shares about her initial urge to resist the call towards this work,  her constantly-expanding sense of spirituality, and how  awe can be a guide. See Mary's work at www.shanti-spiritual.comBooks mentioned in the episode: Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, Dan Harris; Meditation for the Love of It, Sally KemptonSupport the show