The Connection Code: Transforming Women's Lives in Just Minutes a Day with Dr. Melissa Sonners

In this episode, I’m speaking with Steven Sashen, who founded minimalist shoe company Xero Shoes with his wife Lena Phoenix in 2009. His philosophy? Modern footwear is actively hurting you.  In this discussion (which was so fun and informative thanks to Steven’s lighthearted approach to his work), we explore what the shoe industry has been hiding about arch support, cushioning, and elevated heels, all while knowing these features actually increase injury rates. Steven's company exists because he wants to change people’s lives, and after 16 years of challenging the footwear industry's biggest myths, he's revealing how traditional shoes weaken your feet, destabilize your balance, and even contribute to falls that kill older adults. Get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about what to put on your feet. This conversation could literally save you from decades of unnecessary pain, injury, and disability.  

  In this episode, I’m excited to welcome Dr. Mel Hopper Koppelman back for the third time! Today, we continue our conversation on the overlooked importance of brain development but go on to explore heart rate variability (and how it can easily be misinterpreted), Polyvagal Theory, and her fascinating, physics-based thoughts on how our heart rate variability connects us to the universe! In this podcast, Dr. Mel and I discuss: An easy way to visualize brain development: the brainstem is the root that grows up into the trunk of our brain and branches off into the right and left hemispheres The underlying driver of illness for many people with chronic symptoms and why gut or immune health might continue to suffer if this isn’t addressed A clear, easy-to-understand explanation of heart rate variability and why this often-misinterpreted marker is crucial for vital health The 10-second at-home test Dr. Mel recommends to better understand your heart rate variability findings AND the functioning of your vagus nerve! Her physics-backed belief that our heart rate variability connects us to the “breath” or wave of the universe…and how this connection (or lack of connection!) relates to the vagus nerve, inflammation, nervous system development, and long-term health 2 major predictors of mortality, i.e., how long you will live and the interesting pattern often found in people with autism The extreme importance of working with the body and tracking test results versus cleverly attempting to biohack or manipulate the body with supplements or drugs   

In this episode, I’m back with Dr. Mel Hopper Koppelman, discussing what she believes is one of the most important and overlooked areas in health—how brain development in childhood might be at the root of the health problems you’re experiencing as an adult. You’ll likely have some ‘aha!’ moments (maybe big ones) while listening to the podcast.  In this podcast, Dr. Mel and I discuss:   The fascinating fact that we actually have 2 brains…and how brain imbalances impact your immune system and overall health How evolution led to our specialized, complex brain design and the main purposes it serves Myths debunked: The misunderstood idea that the left brain controls math and logic and the right brain controls creativity, and whether it’s true that we only use 10% of our brain  The overlooked brain imbalance called “functional disconnection” and why this might be at the root of health problems such as autism, ADHD, gut dysfunction, autoimmunity, dyslexia, depression, anxiety, or even chronic infections  The surprisingly easy-to-test primitive reflexes (that start in the womb!) and how they’re connected to chronic disease  Could you have an immature brain stem? Dr. Mel tells us the symptoms that let you know AND how to address this issue Why some popular health solutions might actually make you worse based on the specific brain imbalance you’re experiencing  How brain imbalance can lead to changes in blood tests, such as low white blood cell count Practical ways you can assess if you have an imbalanced brain, accounting for your particular skills, health history, and childhood experiences The important distinction between pathologizing neurodiversity vs. helping those who wish to improve their brain’s functionality in certain areas The liberating knowledge that our brains are malleable and trainable, and we can heal even longstanding brain-related issues!    

After 25 years of being "Superman on the outside but a train wreck on the inside," John A. Mollenhauer has discovered the missing piece between high achievement and sustainable health.  John is an entrepreneur who started his first gym at 19 and worked with Tony Robbins in his 20s—he learned the hard way that our culture rewards the very behaviors that lead to burnout. In this episode, John reveals how he developed the Performance Lifestyle framework after checking himself into a hospital from complete exhaustion. His method isn't about work-life balance—it's about knowing what to do, why, how, and when at the right intensity for sustainable results in both health and achievement. This conversation offers a practical pathway to break free from the hidden lifestyle challenges keeping you stuck in the energy-debt cycle.  

I’m back again for my fourth conversation with Dr. Mark Cronshaw, an expert in the world of photobiomodulation (PBM), aka red light therapy. You know that when I have multiple conversations with a guest, I highly value their knowledge and want to go deeper with what they have to share. If you want to get VERY technical and go deep with the topic of PBM, this episode is for you, and I recommend you listen to the prior 3 episodes we’ve recorded together.  In this conversation, Dr. Cronshaw presents what he calls his "philosophy of care" for using photobiomodulation to enhance healing, manage pain, and prevent injury. His approach focuses on a few fundamental questions:  Are you treating surface or deep tissues?  Are you seeking to stimulate healing/tissue repair or provide pain relief?  His multi-dimensional approach explains why different devices produce different results, enabling more strategic use of both professional and at-home light therapy tools.  

In this episode, I’m back for a third installment of my conversation with Dr. Mark Cronshaw, one of the world’s foremost photobiomodulation (PBM) experts...what most people commonly refer to as red light therapy. He’s particularly one of the top experts when it comes to dosimetry (the details of how to properly “dose” light therapy). Have you invested in red light therapy but feel confused by contradicting information?  You're certainly not alone. In this conversation, Dr. Cronshaw challenges conventional wisdom about photobiomodulation with some insights that surprised even me! I deeply appreciate his highly informed and logical, yet relaxed, approach to this complex topic. WARNING: My conversations with Dr. Cronshaw are NOT a simple or practical how-to guide of “go buy this device and use it this way.” This podcast series intends to go deep into the scientific, technical, and theoretical nuances of PBM science. So it’s NOT for everyone. These podcasts are for people who want to nerd out on PBM science. So please don’t say I didn’t warn you! :)

In this episode of The Energy Blueprint podcast, I’m speaking with Dr. Melissa Sonners, host of the Be Inspired Mama podcast and creator of a movement that's transforming how women approach self-care.  After battling Lyme disease and mold toxicity while juggling motherhood, a chiropractic practice, and the pressure to "do it all," Dr. Sonners discovered that traditional self-care wasn't the answer—it was self-CONNECTION. Her practical approach helps busy women transform their relationship with themselves without adding more to their overflowing plates.  This conversation is essential for any woman feeling overwhelmed by life's demands.  

In this episode, I’m speaking with Nadine Artemis, author of Renegade Beauty and Holistic Dental Care. But most personally impactful to me is that she’s the woman behind Living Libations, an obsessively natural skincare line that has been creating and promoting pure products for over 30 years. My family and I really love and frequently use her products.

In this episode, I’m speaking with Julie Matthews, a Certified Nutrition Consultant and published researcher specializing in personalized nutrition for complex neurological conditions, particularly autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.

In this episode, I’m speaking with Dr. Scott Sherr, a board-certified internal medicine physician certified to practice Health Optimization Medicine (HOMe) and a specialist in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).