Grey Matters Now

Shelby Stanger is the host and creator of the hit podcast, Wild Ideas Worth Living, an REI Co-op Studios production and the author of the new book Will To Wild. Shelby started the Wild Ideas Worth Living podcast on her own though and it became SO popular and influential that REI purchased it in 2020.  Like her adventurous podcast guests, Shelby is a true badass and trailblazer whose trails have led her to major wild outdoor adventures, writing a book, large speaking engagements and even most recently a Ted Talk. Over the years, her work has appeared everywhere from Outside Magazine to ESPN, and she has spoken to organizations all over the world. Always chasing adventure herself, Shelby has surfed from Canada to Costa Rica; sandboarded down desolate dunes in Cape Town; paddled down a remote portion of the Amazon River; and interviewed countless CEOs, athletes, activists, and thought leaders. She regularly consults with highly motivated individuals and brands to tell better stories and even launch their own po

Samantha Colicchio is a San Diego-based writer who focuses on feminism, sex, and mental health. She writes regularly for lifestyle and wellness blogs and she is currently working on a book of nonfiction. To me, she is Sam my sweet neighbor and friend that is apparently also humble and a VERY talented writer. I knew nothing of her phenomenal writing skills until she recently wrote an article that was featured in the Huffington Post. It is a brilliantly written, brave, very transparent and vulnerable account of her struggles with Relationship OCD, a relatively new subtype of the disorder. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and has been observed in the U.S. since 1949 every year to highlight mental health issues in order to fight stigma, provide validation and support, educate the public and advocate for policies that support the millions and millions of people in the U.S. affected by mental illness. This is so important but is a very a tall order and such a large infinitely evolving issue.  The giant umbrella

Enjoy: "To enjoy something is to take delight or pleasure in something." Upcycling: “The act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function. In doing so, the finished product often becomes more practical, valuable and beautiful than what it previously was.” Ed Lewis started his first business in 1996 right out of college and since then his goals have shifted significantly. In the beginning work was all about self and making a living… admitting that in his twenties he couldn’t see too far past himself. photo credit: Nate Perraccini  In 2005 after experiencing the birth of his daughter, something shifted for him and he suddenly had a view of the world that was less about self and more about others. In 2010 he cofounded Enjoy Handplanes with the mission of making products from other peoples trash. It was a cool way to save broken surfboards, old wetsuits and production waste from going to the landfills while creating products that are fun to use and environmentally responsible.

Mary Cap is a sound healer based in Carlsbad, CA where she lives with her husband and son. After leaving a fast paced and high stress career in the hotel wedding & events industry to be a stay-at-home mom when her son was born, she found herself feeling lost in both identity and direction after about a year of being at home. Experiencing depression for the first time in her life, she began to unravel the layers of trauma and conditioning that she realized were affecting her everyday life, relationships and ability to live life to the fullest. This “dark night of the soul” led to a spiritual awakening and ultimately led her to sound healing and starting her own business. Music has been a passion in Mary’s life since she was a young girl, and being able to help others and ease the burden of their stress was what she enjoyed most about her previous career in events. Being able to marry these two is her ultimate calling and purpose in life, allowing her to serve others while also cultivating an important too

A couple of years ago I started following a social media account Salted Spirit because I was so drawn to the beautiful images of this cool waterwoman podcasting and serving tea at the beach from my ultimate dream recording studio - a vintage Westfalia named Salted Carmela.   This beautiful salted spirit is Stacie Vanags and she was creating something way deeper and more comprehensive than just beautiful images. Her mission was to make her way around Southern California, hosting Salted Spirit podcasts, workshops and cultivating COMMUNITY for waterwomen. 

Her workshops focus on techniques and strategies for work/life balance, pursing passions, mindfulness and resilience. Turns out Stacie has a background in mental health and the abbreviated version of her full time job is to help large companies develop innovative plans that prioritize the mental health of their employees. So …everything this generous salted spirit is offering through social media, workshops, newsletters and websites is completely from her h

One common tool in everyones wellness, healing and navigation toolbox and mentioned in every podcast episode is breath.  Yes - we need breath to exist, but we also need it to live and thrive.  Whether we feel stuck, paralyzed, escalated or ungrounded by the weight of the world or everyday challenges, breathing is our vehicle to navigate forward. Our breath is a powerful and exciting tool that can take us many more places than just forward.  A guide and expert can show us how to utilize this tool we carry with us everywhere, to unlock new spaces and experiences. As a surfer, husband, father of two young girls, and an owner of two start-up businesses, Reis Paluso found himself searching for a way to maintain balance in life. By making a mind-body connection through the Wim Hof Method and summiting mountains in sub-zero temperatures wearing only shorts he began on a journey of unlocking his true potential and found the capacity to dig in just that much deeper into the things he is passionate about. After some ex

Best selling author David Magee, formerly a columnist for Newsweek, a former daily newspaper and magazine publisher, and the author of many books about businesses and sports figures began to shift his focus when he wrote wrote an article for the front page of the local paper in 2016. This personal article ripped the bandage off a wound, to air out and share for a greater good and healing all around. It began with these 2 sentences: "A new freshman class started at Ole Miss this week and I wish I could tell them ALL this story. It’s about my oldest son William, who was a freshman in 2008, he would gladly tell you himself if only he were alive." By the next morning the story had gone viral and read by millions of people not only coast to coast but all over the world!! The ripple affect of this article turned into waves of conversations, community and brainstorming about the why’s re: drug overdoeses, substance misuse, addiction and mental health…evolving into tangible solutions with the opening of the first wel

Tina Page is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of California. She has been creating and holding safe space for individuals for over 20 years. In both informal settings as well as in structured therapy settings she utilizes intuitive wisdom and best practice approaches that support each individual in their journey. For the past 3 years, she has provided therapeutic services on-line and has worked with people all over the world. Her ability to connect and create a safe and compassionate space while challenging her clients transcends technological limitations. She has also been a big support and been a part of several of my podcasts over the years as a colleague, staff expert and guest. Tina is not only a friend but someone I really really like and admire as a professional and as a human. She is a wise woman that thinks outside the box and is consistently very open to weaving new and innovative healing tools into her own fabric in order to provide the best and most comprehensive care for her clients

On June 11, 2020 I recorded Episode 25: Healing Trauma Through Surf Therapy and Waves of Love With Natalie Small LMFT and Leanne Tibiatowski. Groundswell Community Project a sisterhood of inter-sectional womxn holding safe & brave space for individuals and communities to find their healing, power, and belonging in Mother Ocean’s Waves. Since our last podcast GSCP realized that the world was in need of a specific resource for processing grief. Waves of Grief: Their Waves of Grief community drop-in groups were birthed out of response to the various types of personal and communal grief that resulted from COVID’s impact on our lives. They welcome women and their families who are grieving loss of loved ones, jobs, homes, and normalcy. The in person or virtual group sessions integrate grief practices that include movement, art, and the ocean to honor and grieve what has been lost. After time in circle and setting of intentions, everyone is invited to interact with Mother ocean’s waves and notice what she teache

Meet the Aqua Dolls The band is composed of a power trio Melissa / vocals & guitar Keilah / vocals & bass Jackie/ vocals & drums And... their amazing manager Jaysea Devoe who is always behind the scenes taking care of business! This was Jaysea's 3rd time on the podcast. In her 1st episode, a teenager's guide to balance, we discussed how valuable her foundation, light, and tools would be as she navigates through life and things become more challenging.  It has been a gift to follow her growth and evolution into her new role and how her foundation and light were so important in her journey!! These young women are TALENTED, caring, smart, pro-active FIERCE FEMALES, and they ROCK !! Historically and unfortunately women have always faced unique challenges in the music industry.  The Aqua Dolls eagerly joined me for some powerful conversation about how to maintain balance, respect and sanity in hopes of helping anyone being mistreated in the industry for being their true selves! The energy of music is

John Abate is a returning guest from Episode 13. In Episode 13 John discussed how he integrated his mindfulness based stress reduction practice as a large part of his recovery from a horrible hit and run incident on his bicycle. He not only recovered but got back up stronger than ever and went on to win and crush cycling events.  He also became committed to providing hope and support to other accident survivors. This year John took his mindfulness practice next level and became a MBSR certified instructor. In this conversation we discuss his journey to be more connected to the earth and to teach Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). We both agreed that this is a crucial time to spread awareness of the benefits of mindfulness. Being able to use our mindfulness tools as we emerge and sift through the dust and debris of 2020 will be more important than ever on so many levels! Thank you @johnjabate for shining your bright light, sharing your warm grounding energy, the amazing conversation and the generos

Welcome to Grey Matters Now Episode 30! My last episode with Mary Judd, the director of SongwritingWith:Soldiers (SW:S), left such an huge impact on me that I have not been able to stop thinking about it  really felt like I needed to know more - more about the ripple affects, collective and community healing and collaborations. I became really interested in the perspectives of the songwriters and what the experience and process is like for them. I have had numerous conversations with my friend Will Kimbrough, who is a musician and part of the SongwritingWith:Soldiers team after returning from retreats. Our conversations are SO interesting and are kind of like de-briefs of his fresh experience. I soon realized this program has such a profound affect on the songwriters and that they also leave with new tools to take out into the world and that they too experience healing. I decided there is so much to this, and since the songwriter experience is not publicly discussed much, I wanted to do a whole episode about

For years I have been a huge fan of the organization SongwritingWith:Soldiers / SW:S and the depth, power and beauty of what they produce. SongwritingWith:Soldiers holds weekend retreats across the U.S. for veterans from all conflicts. Since 2012, we have connected with hundreds of veterans and military families, creating a safe and inspiring environment to share their experiences and write songs with professional songwriters. These songs have been recorded and streamed across the internet, reaching and connecting more veterans and raising civilian awareness of the challenges the military community faces. So… you can only imagine how BEYOND thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to have a conversation with the program director and co-founder Mary Judd. She is a brilliant and down to earth woman, visionary, and trailblazer. Mary is a master at creating collaborative programs that inspire connections and highlight individual and community strengths. When witnessing Darden Smith write a song with a vetera

When former collegiate athlete and competitive skydiver, Sydney Williams, unexpectedly found herself on the receiving end of a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, while grappling with unresolved trauma from a decades-old sexual assault, she set out on a mission: turn her pain into power. Two hikes across Catalina Island and 80 miles later, she founded Hiking My Feelings to help others tap into the mind-body connection and healing power of nature that helped kick her self-limiting beliefs and disease into remission. Having more than 12 years of marketing experience with Fortune 500 companies and emerging brands, Sydney serves up her “truth juice” style of storytelling to break wide open tough conversations with practical, powerful content and experiences. Over the years, she’s been featured on the SXSW stage, as well as in Health Magazine, Diabetic Living Magazine, San Diego Union-Tribune, Psychology Today, US News & World Report, and numerous other publications. Today, she is the author of Hiking My Feelings: Step

Gabaccia Moreno is a first-generation Mexican-American multi-disciplinary creator, consultant, and passionate outdoor advocate #exploringresponsibly wherever life takes her. She holds a B.A. in Theater and Anthropology from SUNY College at Buffalo and an M.A. in Performance Studies from New York University.     Growing up in Veracruz, Mexico to a family of hunters and ranchers gave her an appreciation for the land and its wildlife at an early age, one that prevails today. Her works, whether artistic, creative, or entrepreneurial, have always intersected with the social and environmental issues that surround her.   She is most recently serving as a Director of Social Responsibility on the board of Hiking My Feelings, hosting and curating the Joshua Tree National Park Association's virtual series Desert Live, and has also launched her own Live conversation series named Exploring Responsibly on Instagram.     Today you’ll find her writing, advising businesses and non-profits, or adventuring outside, probably t

Chef Mic True is an award winning international chef that has committed himself to feeding and introducing his community to healthy food rooted from the earth. He is an incredibly humble and holistic chef and peace warrior that feeds the mind body and soul of his community. As a Violence interrupter with Gideon's Army, he nurtures and protects the roots of his community and helps to fuel the powerful movement and mission of this extremely comprehensive and effective endeavor. Chef True feeds and nurtures a community starving for representation, protection, tools, mentors and trauma first response - a community zip code 37208 in Nashville, TN with the highest incarceration rate in the nation! The Mission of Gideon’s Army is to act collectively, boldly and strategically as a unified force for all children and to dismantle the school to prison pipeline. I love one of their latest posts that reads: Stop blaming systematic failures on individuals trapped in that system. Fight for people to have better choices.

Natalie Small is a LMFT and the founder and CEO of a unique surf therapy program called Groundswell Community Project. Groundswell Community Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers surf therapy for self-identifying women overcoming various forms of trauma and it’s effects. With their home roots in San Diego, California and branches that extend across the globe, they are a transformational community of surfsisters who provide intersectional, brave, and safe spaces for all self-identifying women to find their unique healing, community, and power in the waves of Mother Ocean. Groundswell’s surf therapy curriculum is grounded in positive psychology, somatic and arts-based therapy modalities and mindfulness practices. They are proud members of International Surf Therapy Org, supporting the advancement of surf therapy research and best practices. Their Surf Therapy sessions are unique in that they are facilitated and supervised by licensed trauma-informed therapists and surf coaches that hold int

Captain Liz Clark traveled over 20,000 miles Sailing to Surf and explore and wrote a book called Swell – a sailing surfer’s voyage of awakening. She is an incredibly gifted writer, a legit waterwoman, her first mate was a rescued Cat Amelia the Tropicat, and she absolutely rips as a surfer! She also has the most sweet and gentle energy and is a genuinely kind human committed to Loving our planet & animals completely. I discuss her book a lot amongst my friends and on this podcast because she illustrates so well through her writing the parallels of wellness maintenance of her vessel (her boat) and her human vessel and spirit. We recorded this episode in February 2020 with Liz live from the Island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. We had a bit of sound quality issues but I think it makes the recording sound so exotic!!! Today is April 1 2020 and I am referencing the date because a lot has happened and escalated in the world since our recording in February. We are globally and collectively experiencing a health

Inocente the documentary won an Academy Award in 2013, among many other awards, and should be a required watch for everyone! It is an incredibly important film and just as relevant now as it was when it was filmed as we are still struggling with a serious homeless crisis and lack of funding for after school programs and the arts. At 15 years old, Inocente the human courageously and vulnerably told her whole story to the world in hopes of putting a face with homelessness (among other huge challenges), bring attention to the importance of what works and to validate others going through similar situations.⁣ Her story did not start with the film nor did it end when the cameras stopped rolling . She stated that one of the most common misconceptions is that she became wealthy after the film won an Oscar. As the subject of a documentary she was not paid. As a matter of fact, The film was financed by Kickstarter and was the first crowdfunded film to win an Oscar. New doors and opportunities did open for her but getti

Becky Mendoza was born and raised in Miami, Florida to parents who emigrated from Cuba, it wasn’t until she graduated from the University of Florida and backpacked through Europe, that her desire for an education through travel and adventure, was born. With a Law Degree and Masters in Sports Administration in-hand, she moved to Encinitas, CA and began her career as an action sports and entertainment lawyer, opening up her own firm, Action Sports Law Group (ASLG), in 2009. Through ASLG, Becky works with top companies, artists and athletes in action sports helping them with general contract matters and visas to the US. As she became more well-traveled, she began to seek more from her adventures. In 2014, she did her first Clean Water Courier trip through Waves for Water to Nicaragua, where she raised funds to purchase and distribute 54 Sawyer water filters on a surf trip. After that, she decided the following year to bring filters to Mainland Mexico, to the remote coastal areas of Jalisco, south of Puerto Valla