In this Nature Series on The Bonded Podcast, Lizzie takes the episode outside — literally. Recording from her Florida backyard, surrounded by cicadas, wind, and bird song, she explores what sound and sight actually do to our bodies, our nervous systems, and our capacity to heal. From the womb to the wild, this episode is part science, part philosophy, and part prescription to get outside!

In this epsiode Lizzie explores:

• Hearing as the first sense we develop in utero, our nervous systems are already learning to read safety and threat through sound.
• Noise pollution is a public health issue: chronic exposure to man-made noise has been linked to elevated blood pressure, impaired memory, and increased hyperactivity in children.
• Bird song is ancient medicine: a 2022 King's College London study found that hearing or seeing birds improved mental well-being for up to eight hours — even in people with depression.
• What we see heals us too: patients with tree-view hospital windows went home sooner, needed less pain medication, and recovered faster than those facing a brick wall.
• Green views build community — apartments with more natural views had up to 56% fewer violent crimes, and residents reported stronger trust and belonging.
• The prescription is 20 minutes: sitting or walking in a nature-adjacent space is enough to produce the greatest measurable drop in cortisol.
• And the big question: if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it — does it make a sound? Lizzie has an answer.

If this episode resonated, try this week's eco-mindfulness invitation: go outside, close your eyes and just listen — then plug your ears and just look — then let both senses come together. Your ears were built for this before you were even born.

Can a forest, a river, or a favorite tree offer the same qualities we seek in our closest relationships?

Could nature help us heal attachment wounds and remember our belonging to the living world?

Explore these questions and more in this deeply moving conversation, we sit down with author, researcher, eco-chaplain, and founder of the Heartwood Institute, Dr. Lindsay Branham, to explore the profound ways nature can support healing, belonging, and reconnection in a disconnected world.

From secure attachment with trees to the language of the body, erotic ecology, eco-grief, and collective healing, this conversation invites us to remember that we are not separate from nature—we are nature.

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world, longing for deeper connection, or curious about eco-mindfulness practices, this episode offers wisdom, hope, and practical ways to begin cultivating kinship with the living world around you.

• The concept of secure attachment with nature and why it matters
• Why Lindsay uses "they/them" pronouns for nature
• Queer ecology, belonging, and what nature teaches us about diversity
• Allowing safety, boundaries, and consent to support healing sexual trauma
• How the body serves as our primary language with the natural world
• What "erotic ecology" means and how nature invites us back into aliveness
• Eco-anxiety, eco-grief, and how grief can become fertile ground for transformation
• Lessons from trees, forests, and mycelial networks about cooperation and community
• Why healing ourselves and healing our relationship with the Earth are deeply interconnected

"Nature is not going to cross those boundaries of consent or violate them. There is a profound safety available in relationship with the Earth."

• Heartwood: The Art of Living with the End of the World by Lindsay Branham: REVIEW THE BOOK ON AMAZON!
• Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass
• Joanna Macy's work on Active Hope and Deep Ecology
• Suzanne Simard's research on forest communication and mycelial networks

Stay connected with Lindsay on Instagram: @lindsaylaurenne https://lindsaylaurenne.cargo.site/

What if the ocean could become part of the healing process?

In this episode of the Bonded Podcast, Lizzie and Dr. Patty sit down with surf and trauma therapist Jess Ripley, LMFT, to explore the transformative power of nature-based healing and reconnecting with ourselves through the ocean. Jess shares her personal journey from recovery and recreation therapy to creating her own integrative approach to surf therapy blending mindfulness, trauma healing, play, embodiment, and the wisdom of nature. Whether you’re a surfer, nature lover, therapist, or someone longing to feel more alive and connected, this episode offers an inspiring look at healing through relationship — with ourselves, others, and the natural world.

This conversation dives into:

• How nature and the ocean can support trauma healing
• What surf therapy actually looks like in practice
• The role of mindfulness, play, and embodiment in healing
• Why healing outside the therapy office can be so powerful
• Corrective experiences through movement, challenge, and connection
• Ocean metaphors for life, timing, fear, trust, and resilience
• The ethical considerations of doing therapy outside the office
• The healing impact of awe, beauty, and feeling part of nature
• How surf therapy supports addiction recovery, PTSD, anxiety, and depression
• Reconnecting with nature as a path toward wholeness

If this episode sparked something in you, share it with a friend who surfs, works in mental health, or finds refuge out in the ocean!

Connect with Jess

🌊 Website: www.sealovehealing.com

🌊 Instagram @sealovehealing

🌊 Surf Therapy Training: For recreational therapists who want to work within their scope of competence outside the office, co-creating therapeutic spaces with nature. Learn more: www.sealovehealing.com/become-a-surf-therapist.html

Resources

Surf Therapy International: A global hub for surf therapy organizations, research, and resources. https://intlsurftherapy.org/

Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner. The book on awe that Lizzie and Dr. Patty reference in this episode — a beautiful companion read.

In this Nature Series on The Bonded Podcast we explore how humans can build secure bonds with each other, with animals, and with the natural world. Today we sit down with Hanna Wise, a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern (RCSWI) specializing in veterinary social work. Hanna shares how she stumbled into this niche, deeply meaningful field, and what it looks like to support both the humans and animals who walk through the doors of a nonprofit veterinary clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. From pet loss grief groups to staff burnout, this conversation will open your eyes to a field you've probably never heard of but will absolutely relate to if you've ever had an affection for animals or pets.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Veterinary social work is built on one core principle: respecting the dignity and worth of all species.
• Pet loss is disenfranchised grief — it's valid, it's real, and it deserves the same space as any other grief.
• The human-animal bond as a secure attachment — how our relationships with pets mirror the principles of healthy human connection, including trust, consistency, co-regulation, and boundaries.
• What pets can teach us about relationships — body language, respecting "no," early socialization, and growing independence over time.
• The potential for sacred reciprocity within human-animal bond.
• Pets can serve as a mirror for healthy relationships — modeling boundaries, trust-building, and independence.

If this episode sparked something in you, share it with a friend who has loved their pet, works in veterinary medicine, or is curious about the intersection of mental health and animal welfare.

🐾 Virtual Pet Loss Support Group — First Wednesday of every month. Open to anyone in Florida through EveryPet.org email Hanna at hwise@everypet.org

Learn mindfulness and self-compassion tools at www.SacredTreehouse.org

Strengthening the Human-Animal Bond This website has so many great links that can be utilized for individuals and families, with a lot of the topics that we discussed being addressed. https://mhanational.org/resources/strengthening-the-human-animal-bond/

Jacksonville Specific

• https://jaxhumane.org/pet-help/pet-owner-assistance/
• https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/office-of-administrative-services/animal-care-and-protective-services

Veterinary Social Work Resources

• https://vetsocialwork.tennessee.edu/
• https://www.iavsw.org/

In this episode we sit down with Maureen Ake, LMFT, to explore the Wild Woman archetype ~ who she really is, how she lives in all of us, and what it looks like to reclaim her. From Maureen's own initiation of getting pregnant the day after being accepted into her master's program, to the deeply healing work she facilitates in women's groups and retreats, this conversation weaves together themes of authenticity, sovereignty, nature, community, and embodiment. This episode is part of our ongoing series on nature's role in healing and cultivating mind-body-soul wellbeing.

Who Is the Wild Woman, Really? She's not feral or chaotic. The Wild Woman is creative, intuitive, boundaried, compassionate, and sovereign. She understands the cycles and seasonality of life and doesn't apologize for simply existing. Think of the plant that leans toward the sun without asking permission — that is her. Tune into the episode to unleash her full essence.

About Our Guest:

Maureen Ake is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 10 years of experience, and the visionary co-creator behind Wild Woman Therapies and Wild Woman Awakening — a program and community helping women reconnect with their instinctual nature, reclaim their authentic voice, and step fully into their power. Maureen blends therapeutic expertise with creativity, nature, and community through private practice, group therapy, and immersive retreats in Stuart, Florida.

Resources & References Mentioned

• Wild Woman Awakening Program https://wildwomantherapies.com/About
• Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés (foundational reading on the Wild Woman archetype)

In this episode of Bonded, we continue exploring the theme of interconnection—what Thich Nhat Hanh called “interbeing.”

This conversation is an invitation to remember something many of us have forgotten: we are not separate—from nature, from each other, or from life itself.

Lizzie shares how her relationship with nature opened the door to a deeper sense of belonging, while Dr. Patty reflects on how mindfulness helps us reconnect to what has always been here—our innate capacity for connection.

Together, they explore how disconnection—whether from people or the natural world—can be at the root of suffering, and how gently restoring awareness of interconnection can bring a sense of hope, support, and wholeness.

• What “interbeing” really means and how it shows up in everyday life
• How mindfulness is not about learning something new—but remembering what is already true
• A powerful food meditation practice to experience interconnection directly
• The link between loneliness, disconnection, and emotional suffering
• How reconnecting with nature can support healing—especially when human connection feels difficult
• Why connection (to people and the earth) may be a missing piece in how we understand well-being

This week, try this simple mindfulness practice: At your next meal, pause and really look at your plate.

Notice:

• Where did this food come from?
• What elements made it possible? (sun, rain, soil, animals)
• Who contributed along the way? (farmers, transporters, cooks)

Let yourself feel into the truth that this single meal is made up of the entire universe. Notice what arises—gratitude, awe, connection, or something else.

Connect and Grow with Us:

If this episode resonates, we invite you to continue exploring with us:

• Join our upcoming mindfulness and eco-awareness offerings www.SacredTreehouse.org
• Reach out to learn more about our community info@sacredtreehouse.org
• Or simply begin by stepping outside and noticing your connection to the living world around you

In this special series launch episode, Dr. Patty interviews her daughter and co-host Lizzie to explore the origins of their newest podcast series: Nature's Role in Healing Trauma and Cultivating Wellness.

Whether you're a nature lover, a skeptic, a parent wondering how to inspire curiosity in your children, or someone seeking new pathways to healing, this series is for you.

This isn't just another wellness trend, this is Lizzie's life's work coming full circle. From a childhood spent mesmerized by A Bug's Life and asking for World Wildlife Fund donations instead of birthday presents, to sustainable summer camps in Ecuador and Costa Rica, to studying permaculture at Rancho Mastatal, to becoming a health coach and now a trauma therapist—Lizzie's path has always been guided by one question: How can I help the Earth?

In this tender, personal conversation, Dr. Patty and Lizzie trace the invisible thread that connects to her awakening that there is no separation between planetary health and human health.

This episode sets the stage for a groundbreaking summer series exploring how nature isn't just a nice place to visit, it's a fundamental part of who we are, and reconnecting with it is one of the most powerful tools we have for healing trauma, regulating our nervous systems, and living with more joy, peace, and purpose.

Links & Resources

→ Sacred Treehouse Retreats and Eco-Mindfulness Classes: https://sacredtreehouse.org

→ Work with Lizzie: Email info@sacredtreehouse.org

→ Rancho Mastatal (permaculture learning center in Costa Rica): https://ranchomastatal.com/

→ Sustainable Summer programs have closed as of 2024

May you remember: We are nature. There is no separation. And taking care of ourselves is taking care of the whole.

If you enjoyed this episode leave a review to help us reach more people ready to reconnect with nature—and themselves.

SEO Keywords: nature therapy, ecotherapy, nature and mental health, trauma healing in nature, permaculture, sustainable living, nature connection, planetary health, environmental wellness, nature-based healing, childhood and nature

Dr. Patty explores one of the most powerful healing modalities she's witnessed in her 30+ years as a psychologist: Family Constellation, a transformational approach to healing generational trauma, attachment wounds, and the blocking beliefs we carry without even knowing where they came from.

Have you ever had a reaction that felt bigger than the moment? A wave of rage or grief with no clear source? What if it didn't start with you? What if you've been unconsciously carrying something that was never yours to carry and what if today, you could begin to put it down?

Dr. Patty shares how family constellation work makes the invisible visible, revealing the unconscious loyalties, unexpressed grief, and unacknowledged suffering that gets passed down through families and how this energetic healing modality can free you to live a life that truly belongs to you.

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT: We are bringing facilitator Maria do Carmo back to the U.S. in May 2026 for systemic healing workshops and family constellation sessions. Click here to explore: sacred-treehouse.mykajabi.com/systemic-healing

CRITICAL: This work requires a highly trained facilitator. Do not attempt constellation work with someone who has only taken a weekend certification. True mastery takes years of training and personal work.

Links & Resources

→ Ep.10 Family Constellation: Healing the Invisible Ties with Maria do Carmo

→ Ep.13 Beyond Words: Generational Healing Through Family Constellation (Part 2)

→ Ep.21 Birth as a Gift: Healing the Mother Wound & Early Attachment Trauma

→ May 2025 Workshops: sacred-treehouse.mykajabi.com/systemic-healing

→ Sacred Treehouse: https://sacredtreehouse.org