Episode 36: Messages and teachings from the whales and dolphins, with Nancy Windheart

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, we sit down with Dr. Michael W. Fox, a pioneering veterinarian, ethologist, and longtime advocate for the welfare and dignity of animals. With a career spanning more than six decades, Dr. Fox’s work has profoundly influenced how we understand and relate to animals - ethically, emotionally, and spiritually.Dr. Fox shares what inspired him to become a veterinarian, reflecting on his lifelong commitment to healing the fractured relationship between humans and the natural world. Together, we explore what humanity must do to restore balance, compassion, and kinship with the beings we share this planet with - and how doing so will also help us heal ourselves.Drawing on his friendships with visionaries like Thomas Berry and Paul Winter, and his experiences learning from Indigenous elders, Dr. Fox brings a rare depth of wisdom to this conversation. His insights remind us that caring for animals is not only an act of service but also a path to spiritual renewal and reconnection with the Earth.

In this episode, Nita Daryanani interviews Barbara about her work and herbooks. Barbara talks about her journey from ethologist (studying animalbehavior) to dog trainer to veterinarian, and finally to animal communicator.She talks about her experiences of communicating initially with dolphins,and then in Africa with the elephants and lions, and swimming withhumpback whales in Tonga.They discuss how animal communication works and how everyone cancommunicate with animals in their own ways. And the importance of doingpersonal inner work to release old beliefs and patterns, allowing for a deeperconnection with animals, nature, and our own higher selves, or souls. As wellas seeing the world from a higher perspective.Barbara talks about the similarities between elephants and whales, and howthey serve a similar function on Earth. And she also discusses how they aredifferent from one another. The conversation ends with a guided meditationthat Barbara leads to help people connect energetically, spiritually, with thewhales.This interview can be viewed as a video with lots of photos on Nita's website,www.nurtureyourpet.com. Click on community, then interviews.Nita Daryanani is the founder of NurtureYourPet.com, a platform born fromher own journey of healing through the love of animals. Originally fromIndia, Nita has spent the past 30 years in Hong Kong. When she experienceda period of deep personal loss and change, she found solace and joy throughher two Yorkies, Nico and Luca. Their unconditional love rekindled her senseof purpose and inspired her to create a space where others could experiencethe same nurturing bond with their pets. Through NurtureYourPet.com, Nitaoffers resources for pet wellness, including TeleVet services, support for griefand loss, and PEMF therapy, as well as conversations with holistic animalpractitioners. Through her work, Nita shares the message that our petsnurture us just as much as we nurture them—and that love, when sharedwith animals, can truly heal and transform our lives.

In this episode, we speak with Denise Nestel and Christine Noble Seller, two inspiring women from the nonprofit Giving Animals Voice, an organization dedicated to transforming how we care for, understand, and advocate for animals - especially those living in shelters, rescue organizations and sanctuaries.Denise, the founder of Giving Animals Voice, shares how years of working in animal care led her to realize that something crucial was missing: a way to truly hear what animals were trying to communicate. Through intuitive communication with animals, her organization tries to help shelters create calmer, more connected environments that support healing, adaptability, and adoptability.Christine, a certified animal communicator, teacher, and advocate with a background in social work, joins Denise to discuss their recent pilot project that explored how intuitive communication can reduce stress and improve the wellbeing of shelter dogs. Together, they share remarkable stories, like Blackie’s, that reveal how listening to animals can profoundly change their lives, often leading to adoption soon after sessions take place.We also discuss what animal communication looks like in practice, how shelters can begin integrating this work, and the broader ripple effects it creates for both humans and animals. Denise and Christine remind us that animals have voices, preferences, and wisdom - and that simply asking them what they need is an act of compassion and respect that can change everything.

In this episode, Barbara and Avantika talk about how Avantika's PhD program in Belgium is going. She started working with the ANICOM project in February 2025 and is about to start her research fieldwork in Canada and India. ANICOM stands for Animal Communicators: Intuitive interspecies communication as a key to dialogic multispecies methods. For more information, visit the project website here. There was also an earlier podcast episode with Avantika's PhD supervisor and the person behind this project, Dr. Vanessa Wijngaarden. Listen to that episode here.NOTE: This research is funded by the European Union (ERC Consolidator, ANICOM, 101124189). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Cara Gubbins, animal communicator, author, and founder of the Animal Communicator Academy.Cara shares the personal and spiritual journey that led her to animal communication—including the unforgettable encounters with grey whales that cracked her open to new levels of healing and growth. We talk about the wisdom animals offer us when we’re willing to listen—lessons about curiosity, openness, presence, and the simple truth that animals and humans aren’t all that different.At the heart of our conversation is Cara’s powerful vision: that animal communication isn’t just a skill—it’s a pathway to personal transformation and planetary healing. As she explains, learning to truly listen to animals requires us to face our own emotional blocks, shift how we relate to ourselves, and ultimately become more compassionate, connected humans. And from that space, real change becomes possible.Cara shares stories from her practice and teaching, and speaks about her mission to save animals by helping people become confident, heart-led animal communicators. Because when we learn to communicate with animals, she says, we begin to remember who we really are—and that remembering is the healing our planet needs.We also talk about her books, The Confident Animal Communicator and Animal Chakras, and how she helps people around the world awaken their intuitive gifts and step into service.For more information about Dr. Gubbins, visit her website:https://www.caragubbins.com/ 

This meditation, titled Evolutionary Remembering, has been adapted from the book, Thinking Like a Mountain, and read aloud by Lisa Christel. We thank Lisa and the beautiful birds that gave life to the audio for this special episode. We also thank John Seed (interviewed in our last episode), Joanna Macy, Pat Flemming, and Arne Ness, for bringing this book into the world.

In this special episode of Animals & Us – Voices of a New Paradigm, we share an impromptu conversation with legendary environmental activist and deep ecologist John Seed.John has spent over four decades defending rainforests and advocating for the Earth - not only through direct action, but by inviting us to transform how we see ourselves in relation to the natural world. As the founder of the Rainforest Information Centre and co-author of Thinking Like a Mountain, John’s work has inspired a generation of changemakers, spiritual ecologists, and everyday people yearning for reconnection.We speak with John about the roots of the Deep Ecology movement, the role of grief and love in environmental action, and the power of the Council of All Beings workshops to awaken ecological identity. Our conversation explores what it means to shift from seeing the Earth as “other” to remembering that we are the Earth, and that our activism, care, and listening arise from that sacred belonging.This is a gentle yet powerful episode with someone whose life reminds us that protecting the planet is not just an act of urgency - but of reverence.Follow John's work at:https://www.facebook.com/johnseed.deepecology        https://www.instagram.com/johnseed_deepecology/  Substack at https://substack.com/@johnseed  Occasional blog posts at htpps://johnseed.netSchedule, podcasts, essays, films etc. at https://rainforestinfo.org.au/johnseed.htm

In this episode, we chat with Sydney Kuppenbender, a Métis-Ukrainian-French Canadian researcher and environmental advocate from rural Northern Saskatchewan. Sydney’s powerful vision for the future of the environmental sector emphasizes the need for animals and the land to be consulted as equals in conservation and land management processes.Sydney recently completed her Master’s degree in Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan, where her research focused on the role of intuitive interspecies communication (IIC) in wildlife conservation and human-animal conflict resolution. Her work beautifully intertwines her Indigenous roots with modern conservation science, offering a fresh perspective on how we can better understand and respect the spiritual and relational connections we share with animals.In this episode, Sydney takes us through her journey of discovering IIC, the challenges and breakthroughs of working alongside animal communicators, and how her research can shift the paradigm in conservation practices. She shares powerful stories from her research, including a case where an animal communicator was called in to help with the relocation (which can often be very complex, challenging and even dangerous) of elephants. Join us as we explore how asking the right questions, and truly listening to the answers, can help foster a more harmonious relationship between humans and the natural world.Listen now to hear Sydney’s inspiring journey and her vision for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to environmental conservation.For more information, visit Sydney's:Website at https://www.sydneykuppenbender.ca/ Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/borealiskwiw/LinkedIn account at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-kuppenbender-596b22b3/She also mentions Indigenous Elder Copper Jack's work in this episode. If you are interested in learning more about him and his work on the Land and Peoples Relationship Model, visit https://www.respectcareshare.ca/

In this episode of Animals & Us - Voices of a New Paradigm, we are joined by the incredible wildlife photographer Dan Elster, whose work captures the raw, authentic moments of animals in the wild. Dan’s unique approach to wildlife photography goes beyond just snapping a picture - he shares how he establishes a deep, respectful connection with the beings he photographs, often creating a silent space that allows for the magic to happen in the interaction.We dive into the process behind his photography, discussing how patience and presence play crucial roles in forging these meaningful connections with wildlife. Dan reflects on some of his most profound encounters, including a powerful story of a mother bear and her cubs, as well as the deeply personal lessons he’s learned about human-animal connections and the importance of understanding animals as individuals with distinct personalities.In this episode, we also explore the complexities of anthropomorphism in wildlife photography, examining how attributing human emotions to animals can shape our understanding of them. Dan also shares his thoughts on how he thinks animals might perceive humans in their space and how we can show up for them in ways that are respectful and non-threatening.With a deep commitment to conservation and education, Dan hopes his photography inspires others to connect with the natural world in a more meaningful and respectful way. He shares advice on cultivating stillness and presence in our interactions with animals and the environment, helping us all take steps toward a more mindful, compassionate relationship with wildlife.Catch the full episode to hear about Dan’s transformative experiences in the wild and the profound lessons animals have to offer.Check out Dan's incredible photography HERE.He has a beautiful collection of greeting cards with his amazing photography, and he donates a portion of all proceeds to conservation efforts. Click HERE to see his unique and stunning greeting cards.Dan is also very active on Facebook, where he shares about his adventures with wildlife photography.