The Mindful Journey

In this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana breaks down the truth behind mindful leadership in the trades. This isn’t about soft talk. It’s about clarity, presence, accountability, and emotional intelligence that keeps teams stable when pressure spikes. Guest Traci Austin, founder of Elevated Talent Consulting, unpacks why leaders struggle with self-awareness, why empathy without accountability backfires, and how mindful lead...

This episode of The Mindful Journey cuts through the noise around self-healing. We talk strategy. We talk alignment. We talk about why you keep circling the same patterns even after doing all the “right” things. Alexander Dunlop and Viki Scudiery break down the Source Cards system, explaining how a simple 52-card deck can function like a data-driven blueprint for your emotional patterns, relationships, and life lessons. This conver...

In this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana talks with registered nurses turned holistic healers J'Nai Danielle Zugates and Stephanie Thorpe, co-founders of The Meraki Way / Meraki Functional Reset. They unpack how chronic stress, long COVID, autoimmune symptoms and emotional overload show up as inflammation, gut issues, exhaustion and so called mystery pain that standard tests often miss.

Drawing on functional testing, nervo...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Yusuf sits down with endurance athlete, veteran and business professional Shaun Bemis to unpack what it actually means to “do hard things” in real life. No hustle porn, no motivational fluff. Just pragmatic truth.

From combat zones to ultramarathons on Mount Kilimanjaro to training for his first Ironman while raising a family and building a business, Shaun breaks down how to align your t...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey with host Sana, author and survivor Amanda J Scott breaks down what it really takes to rebuild your life after 17 years of emotional and financial abuse. This is not a feel-good highlight reel. It is a grounded conversation about exhaustion, walking on eggshells, and the moment you admit to yourself. this is abuse.

Amanda explains how self-care shifts from luxury to lifeline. From walks ...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana unpacks how thoughts drive outcomes with integrative mind-body practitioner and NLP trainer Melissa Deally. We dig into unconscious filters. why 12 million bits per second get compressed into what we actually perceive. and how Timeline Therapy can clear stored negative emotions so new behaviors stick without relying on willpower. Expect a grounded take on mind-body healing. from clearing limiting d...

On The Mindful Journey, Sana sits down with Sean Blackwell to challenge the conventional lens on bipolar disorder. Sean argues that some acute episodes labeled “mania” or “psychosis” can function as spiritual emergencies—experiences that, when held in a safe container, catalyze trauma release and long-term integration. We unpack his retreat model, Bipolar Breathwork (inspired by holotropic methods), the role of kundalini/...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana speaks with David Hunter (founder of Global Phytoplankton) about marine phytoplankton, cellular nourishment, and what it takes to shift public skepticism. We cover the origin story—from shellfish feed to human anecdotes—plus why simple inputs can matter in a world obsessed with complicated fixes. This is a grounded look at mitochondrial-ready nutrition, habits (sugar, ultra-processe...

On The Mindful Journey, we examine whether targeted micronutrients can support mood, focus, and resilience—without overpromising. David Stephan (Truehope Canada) details his family’s path from crisis to a nutrition-first protocol, what changed, what didn’t, and where standard care still matters. We cover the brain–gut connection, bioavailability (chelation, mineral balance), timelines for noticing changes, and ethical marketing in ...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana digs into the gut–brain axis with Lola MacLean, a Functional Gut Health Consultant and Family Nurse Practitioner. We cover the enteric nervous system, vagus nerve, stress physiology, “leaky gut,” nutrient absorption, dysbiosis (including Candida), and why basics like sleep, movement, relationships, and simple mindfulness often outperform fads. Clear, actionable steps for high-achieving women who ar...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana and practitioner-instructor Magic Barclay break down psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (PNEI)—how thoughts and emotions trigger nervous system responses, shift hormones, and shape immunity. From childhood and relational trauma to autoimmune flares like psoriasis, we unpack stress biology in plain language and share practical regulation tools you can use today, including scent-based anchoring, r...

On The Mindful Journey, host Yusuf digs into how writer-turned-strategist Rachel Allen went from landing in Hong Kong with $200 and no work visa to building a 17-year career in copywriting and marketing strategy. Rachel breaks down the real decisions behind survival and growth: treating work as experiments, meeting luck halfway with risk, and shutting down a half-working agency model to return to high-impact solo strategy. T...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana talks with Saw Myint, a CPA-qualified finance broker from Sydney who teaches practical mental-health care inspired by Buddha’s teachings and supported by science. We cover why forgiveness is strength, how to set limits with people who exploit kindness, and a no-ritual, live-as-you-go method for stress relief. Expect direct, applicable strategies for anxiety, resentment, and everyday triggers...

On The Mindful Journey, Sana talks with Dr. Will Tuttle—author of the international bestseller The World Peace Diet, Zen practitioner, educator, and musician. Dr. Tuttle traces his path from walking across America in contemplative inquiry to monastic training in Korea, and later teaching, composing, and advocating compassionate, vegan living. We explore how mindfulness becomes a way of being, not a task; why a consistent mor...

In this episode of The Mindful Journey Podcast, host Sana sits down with Jennifer Edwards, a certified financial planner and expert in financial therapy, to explore the emotional layers behind our financial decisions. Money isn’t just about numbers—it reflects our fears, hopes, and self-worth. Jennifer shares insights into how childhood experiences shape our financial habits and how to develop a mindful approach to spending, saving...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey with host Sana, author and speaker Laura Bratton explains how losing her sight as a teenager pushed her to redefine control, success, and presence. We unpack Type-A habits, anxiety, and the difference between “doing mindfulness” and “being mindful.” Laura shares practical, low-friction ways to integrate mindfulness into daily routines—lunch breaks, brushing teeth, attending a child’s ga...

On this episode of The Mindful Journey, host Sana sits down with behavioral scientist and five-time author Martin Lucas, founder of Gap in the Matrix. Martin unpacks why resilience and self-belief function like buildable “muscles,” how emotional intelligence is routinely ignored in business, and what he means by deterministic AI rooted in decision science and irrational mathematics. From letting go of old identities to desig...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana sits down with movement educator Ellen Barrett to challenge the “grind” mindset and make a case for mindful movement—training where breath, pace, and presence guide effort. From 80s aerobics to Pilates and yoga, Ellen explains why workouts that regulate the nervous system, protect mobility, and leave you with more energy are the foundation for sustainable health and real longevity. If you’ve...

On The Mindful Journey, host Sana sits down with Yoga with Veronique (Veronique Ory) to explore mindfulness where it matters most—off the mat. From NYC hustle culture and Hurricane Sandy to living with vitiligo, Veronique shares how breath, presence, and clear language (“I’m full” vs. “I’m busy”) shift nervous-system load and restore choice. We unpack grief without numbing, the difference between contentment vs. happiness, an...