Coming Home w/ Rachael Hunt

Rachel Hunt, founder of Freedom School Co. and host of the Cyclebreakers Podcast, joins Amy Pons to discuss reconnecting to Indigenous roots, ancestral healing, manifestation through a trauma-informed lens, and cultural appropriation.Amy and Rachel explore the "collective remembering" happening right now — the magic, intuition, and ancestral wisdom that gets trained out of us as children, and how reclaiming it can reshape our relationship to ourselves and the world. They dig into the power of ancestral land, honoring the places we live even when they aren't our own, and how to engage respectfully with cultures other than our own without appropriating them.The conversation also unpacks the physical and emotional toll of ignoring your calling — from toxic workplaces to health crises — as a catalyst for spiritual awakening, and offers a trauma-informed take on manifestation that goes deeper than "ask, believe, receive." Rachel closes with candid guidance on navigating cultural appropriation in spiritual spaces and staying rooted in authenticity.Whether you're on your own path of reconnection or simply curious about the intersection of trauma, healing, and Indigenous wisdom, this episode offers real, grounded insight into unlocking your own magic.0:00 — Introduction: meet Rachel Hunt, indigenous employee empowerment consultant & Cyclebreakers podcast host1:40 — What the Cyclebreakers podcast amplifies; creating safe space for Indigenous voices3:28 — Unlocking childhood "magic" and reclaiming intuitive gifts after corporate life4:56 — Rachel's reconnection journey to her Indigenous lineage and ancestry7:23 — Honoring the land you live on vs. cultural appropriation10:12 — The power of ancestral land connection and privilege of access14:07 — Why society disconnects us from magic and the "collective remembering"17:28 — Rachel's call from Creator during a ceremony in Tulum, Mexico19:10 — Dark nights of the soul, free will, and destiny/blueprint23:22 — Hitting rock bottom in the body: toxic workplace, illness as awakening27:16 — Overview of Freedom School: Indigenous empowerment, subconscious & somatic reprogramming31:48 — Radical trust in self, somatic intelligence, and intuition34:47 — Rachel's LinkedIn post: "Manifestation is everywhere, and a lot of it misses the point"40:15 — Discerning true desires vs. surface-level wants41:06 — How to avoid cultural appropriation and find authentic spirituality44:25 — Where to find Rachel: LinkedIn, Instagram (@freedomrach), Cyclebreakers Podcast, freedomschool.co45:10 — Closing remarksConnect with Rachel HuntLinkedIn: Rachel HuntInstagram: @freedomrachPodcast: The Cyclebreakers Podcast (new episodes every Thursday — YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts)Website: freedomschool.coConnect with Amy PonsLinkedIn: Amy PonsInstagram: @women_making_moves and utm_magicschoolWebsite: Unlock the MagicWomen Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

In this episode of Women Making Moves, host Amy Pons sits down with Trishia Domingo — confidence coach, award-winning model, and multidisciplinary leader — for a deeply personal conversation about identity, healing, and what it really means to feel at peace. Trishia shares how her work as a confidence coach centers on helping people, especially women, reconnect with the "magic" and brilliance that often gets conditioned out of them from childhood onward. The two explore how societal expectations shape girls from infancy, how generational patterns get passed down and challenged, and why the new generations are unlearning inherited beliefs about who they're allowed to be.The conversation turns to Trishia's work with the Eldest Daughters Collective, a racial healing justice organization supporting eldest and only daughters — many of them children of immigrants — who carry disproportionate emotional and logistical responsibility within their families. Trishia and Amy dig into the invisible weight of emotional labor, the exhaustion of hyperindependence, and why learning to receive support is just as important as giving it.0:00 — Intro: Welcome to Women Making Moves, meet Tricia Domingo (confidence coach, model, Face of CBMA winner)0:34 — Tricia's background in healthcare tech, Eldest Daughters Collective, Dream Photo House, Filipina on the Rise0:53 — What is a confidence coach? Unlocking the "magic" in people2:12 — How conditioning chips away at confidence starting in childhood3:48 — Energetic conditioning from birth, generational shifts (Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z)6:57 — Growing up in a "be seen, not heard" household; intergenerational healing7:46 — Rethinking divine feminine/masculine — "the new human energy"9:36 — What is the Eldest Daughters Collective? Origins and mission11:52 — Hypervigilance, hyperindependence, and emotional labor of eldest daughters15:34 — Women bearing the emotional load of the household ("expense report" thought experiment)16:58 — Layoffs as a hidden gift; finding your own truth center17:28 — Defining racial healing within the Eldest Daughters Collective18:47 — What's next: new membership model, Shutterfest modeling, future YouTube channel20:00 — "Find calm in 5 minutes a day" — breathwork, tactical pauses, and ADHD22:30 — Finding "okayness" from within instead of external validation25:15 — Why people avoid revisiting painful memories, and how coaching holds space27:42 — Bridging ego and soul; releasing suppressed emotional energy30:27 — Do you really want peace? Uncovering the deeper desire behind stated goals33:50 — Grown adults still living by their parents' rules — "is that still true for you?"36:11 — Where to find Tricia: Instagram @atasteoftrishia, thrivewithtrisha.com36:33 — Closing thoughts and gratitude

Menopause Care, Misinformation, and Advocacy: Nurse Betsy ReturnsAmy Pons welcomes back repeat guest Elizabeth “Nurse Betsy” Kelly, a board-certified adult geriatric primary care nurse practitioner with extensive ICU/ER experience, work with Doctors Without Borders in Ethiopia and Malawi, and 13 years serving nursing home patients at Sinai Chicago. They discuss rapid changes in midlife women’s health education and access to menopausal hormone treatment, emphasizing that the 2002 WHI study was widely miscommunicated, fueling fear of breast cancer and leaving many boomer women without treatment. Betsy explains that starting menopausal hormone treatment within 10 years of the last period can be protective, that transdermal estrogen reduces clot risks compared with oral forms, and that care is individualized; she notes FDA-approved indications and the lack of coverage and research for testosterone in women. They also address misinformation, holistic approaches alongside Western medicine, key supplements (magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3, L-methylfolate), and close with advocacy concerns about a 2026 federal student loan rule deeming nursing not a professional degree, restricting access to graduate programs.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:23 Why Womens Health Matters Now02:35 Why Betsy Is Back04:28 WHI Study and Lost Generation07:34 Modern MHT Benefits17:30 MHT vs HRT Explained22:18 Testosterone and Insurance26:42 Healthy Masculinity and Energy33:12 Holistic Care Meets Medicine36:12 Supplements That Help41:52 Avoiding Wellness Snake Oil43:07 Where to Find Betsy44:18 Final Advocacy CallFind Nurse Betsy on Instagram and Facebook @Stay In Your Cortex, and at https://stayinyourcortex.comThank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn.Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

Wayfinding Moms: Conscious Parenting, Cycle-Breaking, and Finding Your Inner CompassHost Amy Pons of Women Making Moves interviews Dr. Priyanka Venkataraman, a board-certified OBGYN, life and parent coach, and founder of Wayfinding Moms, about helping parents understand their nervous systems, break generational patterns, and build emotionally safe homes. They discuss “remembering” an inner truth center/inner compass, leaving mainstream career molds after breaking points, and how grief and discomfort can guide healing and course-correction. Dr. Priyanka describes conscious parenting as doing internal work to recognize triggers and projections from upbringing and ancestry, regulate the nervous system, and teach children emotional resilience and compassionate leadership rather than chasing quick behavior fixes. She shares creating “the village,” a monthly community gathering for women, and offering a 12-week group parenting program, and provides her website, wayfindingmoms.com, for calls and registration.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro02:02 Cycle Breaking and Lineage04:22 Remembering Your Path05:35 Inner Compass Wayfinding07:39 Magic School and Truth09:29 Parenting Without the Noise10:18 Truth Center and Alignment13:19 Grief and Course Correcting14:59 Feeling Triggers to Heal16:03 Ignoring the Body in Medicine17:38 Breaking Point and Surrender19:03 Ego After Leaving Work19:57 Remembering What Matters20:32 Earth School Talk With Kid22:59 Wayfinders And Matriarchy23:41 Building The Village26:01 Lighthouse Healing Paradigm27:46 Cycle Breaking And Boundaries34:41 Conscious Parenting Explained38:15 Schooling Choices And Values40:17 Where To Find WayfindingThank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn.Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

Women Making Moves — Episode: Audacity and AuthenticityGuest: Sandhya Sudhakar — Certified Coach, Enneagram Practitioner, Speaker, Facilitator, Founder of Self At Work, and Host of the Working Your Way podcast.Host: Amy Pons — Founder of Unlock the Magic Coaching, Healing and Magic SchoolEpisode Summary: Amy sits down with Sandhya to explore what it means to show up authentically in the workplace and in life. They discuss the courage it takes to be direct, the tension between practicality and audacious dreaming, and how to navigate discomfort in a way that leads to real growth.Key Topics Discussed:Audacity as a guiding word — Sandhya shares why she chose "audacity" for 2026 and how she's learning to dream bigger and care less about others' perceptions.Directness vs. palatability — Both Amy and Sandhya reflect on being told to "achieve the same but be nicer," and the impossible double standard women face in the workplace.Self-abandonment and trade-offs — A nuanced conversation about when to walk away from misaligned work and when financial safety takes priority, and the long-term cost of forsaking yourself.The learning zone — Sandhya breaks down the comfort zone / learning zone / panic zone framework and how to discern good discomfort from harmful discomfort.Generational dynamics at work — How Boomers, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha each play a role in reshaping workplace culture.Enneagram in teams — How Sandhya uses the Enneagram to help high-achieving leaders diagnose team dynamics and lead more effectively.Speaking up and truth-telling — Amy shares a personal story about confronting inappropriate behavior and the backlash that followed.Where to Find Sandhya:Website: selfatwork.comPodcast: Working Your Way (available on YouTube and all audio platforms)Where to Find Amy:Website: https://unlockthemagic.orgInstagramLinkedInClosing Thought: "Having less so I could do more — simplifying, and going much bigger with fewer things." — Sandhya Sudhakar

S7 Ep7 — Dr. Tamara BeckfordWomen Making Moves PodcastHost: Amy Pons, Founder of Unlock the Magic Coaching, Healing and Magic SchoolGuest: Dr. Tamara Beckford — Board-certified emergency medicine physician, bestselling author, international speaker, and founder of Truly Balanced Wellness CareEpisode Summary: Amy sits down with Dr. Tamara Beckford to explore the intersection of traditional medicine, holistic healing, and the powerful journey women experience through perimenopause and menopause. They discuss reclaiming the magic of womanhood, honoring the body's natural cycles, the importance of slowing down, and building an intentional life beyond the "go, go, go" mentality.Topics Covered:3:23 Perimenopause — embracing the biological experience5:49 Slowing down & the "to-feel list"8:04 Sound baths, sacral womb healing & energy work10:00Healing beyond traditional medicine & the power of timeframes14:57 Heart disease as a silent killer in women18:26 Women pushing through pain & learned endurance21:43 Generational shame around menstruation & naming your womb25:04 Menopause as reemergence — wisdom, not decline30:00Writing your own story & challenging "I have to"33:22 Dr. Tamara's telemedicine practice & expanding to 4 states35:14 "Intentional outweighs impressive" — building a slower, richer life41:02 What patients truly want — time, compassion, listening44:00 Advice for finding the right care provider47:06 Closing remarks — fierce, ferocious, and forging the next pathKey Quotes:"How do you wanna feel?" — Amy on replacing the to-do list with a "to-feel list""Intentional outweighs impressive every single day." — Dr. Tamara Beckford"Our body sheds, prepares, and renews for the next phase — over and over." — Dr. TamaraWhere to Find Dr. Tamara Beckford:LinkedIn: Dr. Tamara BeckfordFacebook: Dr. Tamara BeckfordInstagram: Dr. Tamara BeckfordTikTok: @trulybalancedwcFeatured In: Fox 26, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Voyage Houston, LinkedIn News, Rolling Out Magazine, Kevin MDBooks: Made For More, Made For More Too, Thriving After BurnoutPractice: Truly Balanced Wellness Care — concierge telemedicine for menopausal care, hormone balancing, and weight care (serving Texas, Michigan, Georgia, and Iowa)Where to Find Amy, Women Making Moves, and Unlock the Magic: LinkedIn: Amy Pons, Unlock the Magic, Magic School, Women Making MovesWebsite: https://unlockthemagic.org Instagram: Unlock the Magic and Women Making MovesTikTok: @chicagosfavewitchycoachPlease leave a rating and review on your favorite platform, thank you!

The Future of Working Motherhood: Flexibility, Ambition, and Real Support After Maternity LeaveAmy Pons hosts Alexa Starks, maternity leave coach and founder of Executive Moms, to discuss reshaping maternity leave and return-to-work experiences and the findings from Executive Moms’ Future of Working Motherhood 2026 report. They reflect on the need to deconstruct harmful workplace systems, the lack of support for mothers returning from leave, and how simple supports like mentorship can improve retention. Alexa shares key data: 40% of women leave their job within a year of returning from maternity leave, yet 97% would stay if truly supported; the report also found no “ambition gap,” with mothers reporting equal or greater ambition after having kids. A major takeaway was that flexible work design (remote/hybrid/part-time) mattered more than longer leave. Alexa also previews a TED Talk in Rotterdam and the launch of Mothered Magazine.01:09 Coaching and Paradigm Shift03:02 Aha Moments in Corporate05:22 Maternity Return Support Systems06:48 Report Findings and Retention Stats09:02 Ambition Gap Myth Debunked11:43 Burnout and Hands On Work13:54 Workplace Bullying and Boundaries15:20 Surprising Data on Flexibility16:56 Flexibility Tops Requests17:15 Ambition And The 97 Percent17:52 Survey Logistics And Reach18:34 Return To Office Pushback20:51 Why Leaders Cling To Control22:42 TED Talk And Moving Abroad25:04 Launching Mothered Magazine27:04 Super Bowl Holiday Hypocrisy28:46 Advice For The 97 And 4031:06 Where To Find The Report31:32 Feminine Strength ClosingFind the 2026 'Future of Working Motherhood' report along with key updates from Executive Moms here, and follow Alexa on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn.Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

What Stability Really Requires: Breana Grayson on Bipolar Disorder, Stigma, and Support at WorkAmy Pons hosts Women Making Moves and interviews writer Breana Grayson about living with bipolar disorder, what “stability really requires,” and the stigma and misunderstandings that still surround bipolar (“one of the ‘scary ones’”). Breana explains that medication is essential for her but not sufficient; stability also involves therapy, psychiatric care, consistent sleep, exercise, diet, and enjoyable practices like writing, guitar, and “therapy based kind of yoga,” and she defines stability as moving through life without derailing relationships or work. They discuss how menstrual cycles can affect symptoms, Breana’s use of cycle tracking and astrology to document patterns, and her diagnosis process at 25 through an intensive outpatient program after work and relationship difficulties. Brianna argues remote and flexible work are not favors but protect productivity, and she advocates proactive workplace support, education, and community so people don’t handle bipolar alone.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro00:47 Stability and Root Chakra01:22 Bipolar Stability Routine02:22 Redefining Normal03:46 Yoga and Creative Coping04:33 Bipolar Stigma Myths05:46 Cycles Hormones Astrology08:51 Sharing Her Story at 2609:23 Diagnosis at 2510:32 Screening and Medication Risks11:58 Childhood Signs and School Support14:58 Remote Work as Accommodation17:51 Workplace Support Strategies20:37 Mental Health Across Generations25:21 Advice Find Community27:04 Where to Follow and Closing

Dr. Nelva Lee on School Choice, Vocational Pathways, and Housing Solutions in GeorgiaHost Amy Pons welcomes Dr. Nelva Lee—healthcare and academic leader, former board appointee, author, and Georgia Superintendent of Schools candidate—who discusses the bleak realities of healthcare and education and her focus on solutions. Lee describes Concrete Build Financing, a crypto company backed by real estate aimed at countering private equity’s rent hikes by converting commercial multifamily properties into rent-to-own condos to promote stability, equity, and dignity. In education, she advocates expanding Georgia’s Promise Scholarship Act so more families—including homeschool and private-school families—can access broader learning environments, and she proposes every student graduate with both a diploma and a trade certificate. She cites post-COVID learning gaps, top-heavy education budgets, low reading and math proficiency rates, and calls for basics like phonics, targeted resources, and holding back non-readers by second grade. She also critiques HOPE Scholarship “bait and switch,” urging lower maintenance requirements and a college “star system,” and encourages limiting news, cultivating hope, and volunteering.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:13 Healthcare and Maternal Gaps02:59 Crypto Real Estate Housing Plan06:31 School Run and Voucher Expansion10:36 COVID Learning Loss and Resources15:25 Vocational Skills Over College22:21 Hope Scholarship Reform Ideas27:19 Hopeful Action and Volunteering31:59 Where to Find Dr Lee32:23 Final Thanks and Wrap UpFind all of Dr. Nelva's work on her website and follow along with her campaign!Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn.Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

Isvari Maranwe on Impact-Focused Activism, Citizen Journalism, and Rebuilding Social MediaAmy Pons, founder of Unlock the Magic, interviews Isvari Maranwe—Silicon Valley–raised tech leader and Georgetown-educated cybersecurity attorney—now based in London. Isvari is CEO and founder of YuVoice, a new social media company designed to reward users for tangible impact rather than a follower-driven influencer model, and CEO of The Sentinel by YuVoice, a nonprofit, ad-free, non-paywalled citizen journalism platform building an all-volunteer global press corps. They discuss the tension between professional success and the emotional toll of social justice work, the importance of boundaries, and prioritizing empowering people who want to make a difference over trying to convince those who won’t. Isvari shares her view that only about 1% of people truly shape society for good, making it critical to change social defaults and focus energy where it creates measurable impact. Isvari explains that YuVoice has closed a $1 million angel round and will launch in phases with nonprofit partners, focusing on “anti addictive algorithms” and mentally healthy design. The Sentinel’s mission is to break global news through local perspectives: “We believe that everybody can tell their story the best.” They critique for-profit media incentives and argue, “media needs to be a nonprofit.” 02:22 What’s on Your Heart: Success, Privilege & Staying Resourced03:54 Stop Convincing the Unmoved: Empower the 1% Who Shape Society06:35 From Righteous Rage to Real Impact (and Posting with Intention)13:00 Why Outrage Doesn’t Translate to Action (and What Might)18:32 What Happens When No One Wants the Baton? Work, Power & Consolidation22:38 Global South activism & the myth that “they can’t modernize”28:19 Borders, stolen land & rethinking indigeneity and migration30:46 What is YuVoice? Building a healthier, impact-rewarding social platform32:24 The Sentinel: citizen journalism, no ads, no paywalls, global perspectives37:21 Escaping doomscrolling: joy, community, boundaries & anti-addictive tech40:34 Where to follow, platform burnout & final call to find your purposeFollow Isvari on LinkedIn, check out The Sentinel, and follow along with YuVoice!Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn.Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.