76. [WISE WOMAN] WITH RHEA DEMPSEY - THE FUCKING EPIDURAL, CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE & WHY PAIN IN BIRTH MATTERS

In this special four-part mini-series with Whapio of The Matrona, we journey into the cosmology of life and birth through her unique lens of wisdom.In this episode, Whapio and I explore the holistic stages of birth—what it means to view labor not just as a clinical process, but as a profound journey of transformation. We talk about the early foothills of labor, the veil, altered states of consciousness, the importance of language, and the revolutionary ways we can describe and experience birth.Whapio reminds us that birth is not just medical or clinical—it is practical, sacred, and transformational. Together, we reflect on how the words we use shape our reality and how honoring the wisdom of women’s bodies opens space for sovereignty in birth.This episode takes us right up to the top of the mountain—the latent portion of second stage, that quietude just before the active pushing phase begins. Next week’s episode will guide us into that powerful threshold.This conversation is part of a mini-series that builds with each episode, so we encourage you to listen in order:Conception & the Return of the Wise WomanThe Holistic Stages of Birth (this episode)The Transition of the Newborn & the Role of the FatherThe Revolution of Words in BirthBe sure to tune into all four parts to receive the full arc of Whapio’s teachings.You can learn more about Whapio and her offerings at thematrona.com.Website: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠ — 6-week live online container beginning September 15. For women ready to reclaim their lineage of wisdom, remember who they are beneath the noise, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Weekly Monday evening ceremonies, rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠.⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠ — conception through postpartum; sacred, spiritual, grounded, physiological, sovereign⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast Feed⁠⁠Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.

In Part Two of my conversation with my mentor and teacher Whapio of The Matrona, we continue to unravel the depth and cosmology of conception and birth. As a student in her 2025 Midwifery & Birthkeeper cohort, it is an honor to bring you this continuation of her teachings.In this episode, Whapio guides us into a profound exploration of birth as a quantum, cosmological rite of passage. She shares her vision of the holistic stages of labor, the significance of the father or partner in “receiving the light,” and the necessity of changing the very language of birth to reflect its sacredness.Together, we explore:The father’s essential role in conception, birth, and receiving the lightHow honoring this role transforms family dynamics and even addresses patterns of violenceWhy language matters in reshaping birth culture, and Whapio’s vision of “holistic stages of birth”The importance of presence, quietude, and allowing women to access deeper states of consciousness during laborThe resurrection of the monitrice as the illuminated wise woman — bridging skills, intuition, and companionship for women in birthWhapio’s words are a call to return birth to its rightful place as a soulful, cosmological, and transformative rite of passage — one that belongs wholly to women, families, and communities.@whapio_and_thematronaWebsite: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.

In Part One of this extraordinary two-part series, I sit down with my mentor and teacher, Whapio of The Matrona — midwife, educator, and visionary — with whom I am currently apprenticing in her 2025 Midwifery & Birthkeeper cohort.Whapio shares her personal journey from practicing midwife in the 1980s to becoming a teacher and consciousness-raiser through The Matrona. Together we explore the midwifery renaissance, the return of the village wise woman, and Whapio’s cosmological framing of conception and fertilization as sacred, noble rites of passage.We dive into:Whapio’s story of midwifery, teaching, and The MatronaThe renaissance of home birth and the tensions between freedom and licensingThe return of the village wise woman as an illuminated guide for all life passagesA sacred reframing of conception and fertilization as cosmological, mystical experiencesWhy weaving mysticism with intelligence is essential to women’s wisdomStay tuned for Part Two, where we continue this powerful conversation and go even deeper into cosmology, birth as a portal of consciousness, and the elevation of women’s wisdom in our time.@whapio_and_thematronaWebsite: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.

This week marks a huge milestone: 80 episodes of Soul Evolution: Embodied Women’s Wisdom, Birth Stories & More.In this solo episode, I share a life update — moving my camper into Isaiah’s backyard, how our co-parenting relationship has softened, and the reminder I keep receiving (and teaching): to slow way, way down.From there, I celebrate the devotion behind these 80 episodes — the hours of interviewing, editing, and curating wisdom so you could receive them freely — and announce what’s next:I’ve launched a private podcast, Embodied Wise Women: Meditations, Conversations & Soul Journeys. Each month, members will receive new meditations, guided journeys, solo shares, and guest wisdom. This intimate audio sanctuary lives alongside the Embodied Wise Women’s Community, which includes monthly live circles, seasonal rituals, journal prompts, and a private gathering space away from the noise of social media.For just $12/month, you’ll receive it all.– The private podcast (fresh episodes each month)– Monthly LIVE CIRCLES beginning 9/25/25– Seasonal rituals & journal prompts– Member-only discounts & first access to future offerings– A nurturing, private space for women walking this path togetherIf you’re already a community member, look for the exclusive upgrade offer in the top right of your screen. If you don’t see it, sign up directly HERE Looking ahead: after a mini-series with my beloved teacher Whapio of The Matrona, I’ll be taking a pause from brand-new episodes. During that time, I’ll re-release earlier conversations — freshly polished, carrying new layers of wisdom and insight when heard again. This pause is intentional, to allow me to deepen the value inside the private podcast and community space.This is my way of both celebrating 80 episodes and creating a sustainable path forward. Thank you for listening, for supporting, and for walking this journey with me.JOIN THE PRIVATE PODCAST, EMBODIED WISE WOMEN: MEDITATIONS, CONVERSATIONS & SOUL JOURNEYS, + ONLINE COMMUNITYWebsite: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.

In this unforgettable episode, Yvonne Stoop takes us inside her three extraordinary birth experiences—each one more transformational than the last. From her first fast hospital water birth in Dubai, to an ecstatic, pain-free, orgasmic birth that defied the limits of the medical system, to the grounded ease and sovereignty of her planned free birth at home, Yvonne’s story is a masterclass in self-trust, preparation, and standing firm in your vision.We dive deep into how she navigated restrictive birth laws, protected her oxytocin bubble, prepared her body and mind for pleasure in birth, and reclaimed birth as an empowered, instinctual rite of passage. This is birth story medicine at its finest—raw, inspiring, and utterly possible.Yvonne Stoop is a natural birth mentor and the creator of Your Blissful Birth, a program that helps women create smooth births with ease, confidence, and even touches on the possibility of a pain-free or ecstatic birth. Through mindset, movement, and deep connection with intuition and the body’s wisdom, she supports women globally to reclaim birth as a powerful and pleasurable experience—a memory that lasts a lifetime.She’s also a mom of three in Dubai whose own births were pain-free, ecstatic, and wild. Yvonne homeschools her children while running her business alongside family life.Instagram: @yourblissfulbirthCourse Website: https://yvonne-stoop.com.systeme.io/courseGrab Yvonne’s free 5 Secrets to a Blissful Birth via the link in her Instagram bio.Website: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.

In this heartfelt episode of Soul Evolution, Emily sits down with Kesslyn, a newly licensed midwife and mother, to hear the full story of her sovereign, intuitive pregnancy and 42+4 home birth. From midwife dreams at 19 to catching babies in Mexico, Kesslyn shares her deeply embodied trust in physiological birth, her Christian faith, and the emotional initiation into motherhood. They explore prodromal labor, hypertension and stress, spiritual sovereignty, and integrating the maiden-to-mother rite of passage. A must-listen for any woman walking the path of conscious birth and sacred [email protected]: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.

In this deeply moving and raw episode, Kirsten returns the podcast to share the free birth story of her second daughter, Korra. After a long and challenging first birth, told in episode 8, Kirsten chose a radically different path this time—trusting her intuition, ending care with her midwife, and ultimately birthing alone in a tub on her deck, under the moonlight, surrounded by the sounds of the forest. We explore the unraveling of expectations, healing from a foggy postpartum, and what it means to reclaim sovereignty in birth. This story is gritty, wild, embodied, and deeply feminine.Mentioned in the Episode:Yolande Norris-Clark’s book PortalThe importance of discernment with ultrasounds and medical careLiving off-grid and birthing in natureHonoring fear, intuition, and the soul's calling to free birthPrevious Episode:Listen to Kirsten’s first birth story in Episode [email protected]@kirstens.garden_Website: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.

In this powerful episode, Emily is joined by Haley—mother, birth worker, and founder of Root Womb Collective—for a deeply personal and embodied birth story. Together they explore:Haley’s healing journey through abortion, spirit baby connection, and forgivenessHer intentional preconception preparation after a Hashimoto’s diagnosisChoosing a birth keeper and planning a home birth an hour from the nearest hospitalHer intuitive pregnancy, early labor signs, and sacred birth unfolding at 37+5How she self-checked her cervix, coached herself through labor, and trusted her voice and instinctsThis story is a beautiful reclamation of feminine wisdom, cyclical awareness, and deep trust in the body.Tune in and be reminded: the wisdom lives within you, too.Haley Nichole is the creator of Root & Womb Collective, a space where she holistically supports women through their fertility, pregnancy & birth journey's. She has been an avid student of women's health for well over a decade and has a background in nutrition, hormonal health, female physiology & is currently studying holistic midwifery. Haley sees birth as a sacred rite of passage that is instrumental for the spiritual evolution of womanhood. She lives on a farm & orchard in the San Diego mountains with her husband, daughter, dogs, cat, sheep, pigs & chickens. Check out her Website!@rootandwombcoWebsite: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.

Today’s guest, Rhea Dempsey, is a true elder and educator in the birth world. She has been on my dream guest list since the origin of Soul Evolution.After a shocking first birth experience in the late 1970s left her confused and traumatized, she began a lifelong inquiry into what had gone wrong — and how it could be different. That journey sparked a decades-long vocation in childbirth education, counseling, and birth support.Since then, she has attended over a thousand births, taught hundreds of workshops and prenatal classes, and supported countless women and families across Australia and around the world. Her work has had a profound ripple effect: midwives and medical professionals frequently report that her students are some of the most well-prepared and sovereign birthing women they encounter.She holds a Trained Primary Teacher’s Certificate, a Diploma in Childbirth Education, and a Graduate Diploma in Counseling and Human Services from La Trobe University, as well as advanced training in Gestalt Therapy. A proud independent childbirth educator, she’s a fierce advocate for physiological birth and a grounded guide for navigating an increasingly medicalized birth culture.Find her books Birth with Confidence and Beyond the Birth Plan at rheadempsey.com.auAlso available via BookBaby and other ebook outlets.@rheadempseybirthWebsite: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.

In this unforgettable episode of Soul Evolution, I sit with Laura—mama, circle keeper, and host of The Embodied Mother podcast—for a deep dive into the initiation of motherhood, the rupture of medical birth trauma, and the sacred path of reclamation.Laura shares the story of her undisturbed labor turned coerced hospital transfer and cesarean, the severance from her son, and the slow, holy work of finding her way back to her body, her pleasure, and her voice. We speak on nervous system repair, breast milk as medicine, ancestral midwifery wisdom, and how women become the elders we once sought.This is a love letter to every mother who has walked through fire, and to the daughters being born to women remembering who they are.Laura Guinnane is an INNATE Traditions postpartum care provider and a student midwife studying under elder midwife Whapio through The Matrona. She is a somatic practitioner, storyteller, and the creator and host of the Embodied Mother Podcast—a space devoted to raw, embodied conversations about birth, trauma, healing, and the sacred journey of motherhood.Born in Ireland and drawing from her Celtic lineage, Laura lives in deep reverence for the cyclical nature of life. Her path is rooted in feminine wisdom, earth-based practices, and storytelling as medicine. Following the emergency caesarean birth of her son, she was initiated into a powerful reclamation of her body and feminine essence—a process she calls the Wonder in her Wound. This experience awakened her devotion to supporting women in reconnecting with their own innate knowing. She has since refocused her work to support mothers in coming back into connection with their embodied wisdom and pleasure through somatic movement, touch, and sound.Laura weaves pre and perinatal dynamics throughout her work, bringing awareness to how our nervous systems are shaped from preconception, conception, gestation, birth, and the first three years of life. She supports identifying imprints from this period, known as the primal continuum of life, and using tools to orient back to the original blueprint—where life can thrive.Laura offers 1:1 support for women in all stages of their evolution: cyclical living, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond.Stay connected with Laura: @lauraguinnane embodiedmothermusings.substack.comWebsite: ⁠⁠www.emilygracenixon.com⁠⁠Instagram: @⁠⁠embodiedwomenswisdom⁠⁠Offerings:⁠⁠⁠Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast ⁠⁠⁠The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance⁠⁠⁠ — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.Ready to step in? ⁠⁠⁠Join us now⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Beyond a Doula support⁠⁠⁠ — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth⁠⁠⁠Self-paced courses⁠⁠⁠ — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.Leave me a review on ⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam AliDisclaimer:The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.