This episode is an invitation to explore what it truly means to lead — not from the outside in, but from the inside out.

Together with JJ Vega, leadership coach and facilitator, we move through the landscapes of inner healing, conscious leadership, and the quiet revolution of taking responsibility for your own experience. We explore what it looks like to stop trying to fix the world around you — and instead turn toward what is alive and true within you. And why that shift may be one of the most quietly radical things a leader, or a human, can do.

Through personal reflection and hard-won insight, we venture into how the relationship we cultivate with our own pain, doubt, and ego can give us access to both more depth and more integrity in how we show up — for ourselves, for the people we lead, and for the structures we are part of.

It's an exploration for anyone drawn to the deeper currents of self-development and embodied healing — and for those who sense that real change in organizations and the structures we are part of begins not with better systems, but with humans who are able to lead themselves in new ways.

About JJ:

JJ Vega is a leadership coach, facilitator, and founder of Art of Unfolding, an organizational development firm for mission-focused technology companies. With over 20 years in leadership roles in diverse fields from software startups to the military, JJ's coaching practice focuses on leaders navigating significant life transitions: career pivots, relationship changes, identity shifts, and the quiet unraveling that often follows periods of high achievement.

His approach to coaching integrates developmental psychology, Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic awareness, and presence-based methodology from his training in the Aletheia Advanced Coaching Program. Rather than treating clients as problems to be solved, JJ operates from the premise that people are already whole—and that transformation happens through revealing what's been blocked, not adding what's missing.

Beyond his coaching practice, JJ is active in the self-organization and regenerative business communities, including cocreation.loft, a Berlin-based collective exploring new ways of working and belonging together. He's particularly interested in how organizations can move beyond command-and-control structures toward emergent, trust-based collaboration—and the inner development leaders need to steward that transition.

Originally from Richmond, Virginia, JJ relocated to Berlin, Germany in pursuit of a different rhythm of life. When he's not coaching, he's likely exploring the city's music and creative scenes, practicing yoga, or engaging in the kind of deep conversations that make life feel meaningful.

Get in touch:

Art of Unfolding Website: artofunfolding.org

Cocreation.loft Website: https://www.cocreationloft.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jj-vega/

This episode in headlines:

• Arriving and meeting ourselves
• Embracing joy and fun — beyond the pursuit of positivity
• Practicing inquiry — the art of listening inward
• Turning toward pain - what does it mean?
• Beyond optimization — choosing attunement
• Exploring mastery as commitment, not arrival
• How healing and work intertwine
• Inside-out leadership — taking responsibility for inner experience
• The challenges of being humans and leaders at work
• Ownership versus stewardship — reframing what we hold
• Ego, relevance, and why we need both
• Final thoughts and invitations

This episode is an invitation to explore what it truly means to connect — with ourselves, with the people we love, and with something larger than our own lives.

I am joined by Carina Modéus, and together we move through the landscapes of presence, service, and the beauty and weight of being human together. We explore what it looks like to show up fully to life and relationships — and why the quality of our presence may be one of the most quietly radical things we can offer in a fragmented world. And perhaps the most necessary.

Through our own experiences and reflections, we venture into how the relationship we cultivate — with our senses, with other humans, with our faith(s) — can give us access to both more grace and more grit in the face of life’s challenges.

It's an exploration for anyone drawn to the deeper currents of human connection — and for those who find their sense of purpose in being there for and with others, without neglecting themselves.

About Carina:

Daughter of farmers in the deep forests of Småland, in the south of Sweden. She grew up in a big family - three siblings and 75 cousins. Moved to Lund. Met and fell in love with a tenor and theologist, married him and now had the grace of sharing 35 years together (and counting).

Mother of three grown up children. While also taking a winding way through professional life - always mirroring grace and grit: Biologist, physician, both oncologist and psychiatric, the last ten years working mainly in palliative care. Deeply committed to the exploration of existential perspectives and questions, and their impact on our well-being.

Get in touch:

Carina says: “In person actually. I am striving to be as analog as reasonably possible. Meeting physical human beings in physical rooms is more and more my preferred way of living. I have an account on LinkedIn, but I am not at all good at keeping it updated, so I do not dare to promise anyone to be answered there but it is the best channel I have”.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carinamodeus

This episode in headlines:

• Morning rituals - a foundation for presence
• What true presence means and how we cultivate it
• Analog and digital - the push and pull of human connection
• The Power of Human Connection
• The courage to reach out and face rejection
• Caring for others without losing yourself
• Intention and Small Steps as a guiding light
• Letting grace and grit guide you
• Finding Comfort in Imperfection
• Reflections on Life, Death, and Connectedness
• Final Thoughts and Invitations

This episode is an invitation to play with our uniqueness - and the imprints that life has left on our brains. An honest conversation about how we can approach our self-discovery and growth with curiosity instead of judgement.

I am joined by Maria Sundell, physician and specialist in neurology. Together we venture into the brain - how it develops and shapes our perspectives and the ways in which we can reframe our experiences for better self-understanding, compassion and - if we want it - growth. And we talk about how a playful mind can enhance our ability to adapt and learn.

Through our own rabbit-holes and experiences we explore what it can look like to approach our evolution with kindness. Each offering our lenses to what it means to make sure we have the resources and support we need to actually be able to evolve.

It’s an exploration for anyone wanting to release the pressures of societal expectations and find their unique paths to self-discovery and fulfilment.

About Maria:

Maria is a specialist in neurology, research physician, podcast host and professional speaker. She has a deep interest in the neuroscience behind personal and professional development and loves educating others on this topic.

Get in touch:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maria-sundell-05b56a57 Website: https://brainobservations.com/

This episode in headlines:

• Connecting to the moment
• Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
• Understanding Brain Filters
• Self-help and privilege
• Peeling onions - welcoming our growth layer by layer
• Brain Differences: Nature vs. Nurture
• Childhood Choices and Adult Patterns
• The Role of Play in Adult Life
• Exploring Playfulness and Creativity
• The Power of Compassion and Kindness
• Embracing Change and Individuality
• Final Thoughts: Compassionate Playfulness

This episode is an invitation to self-compassion. An intimate dialogue on what it means to meet ourselves with softness, what it looks like when we get (too) comfortable in our own suffering and how removing force can actually welcome greater expansion.

I am joined by Arianna Montanari, a Yoga Synergy teacher, Beekeeper and natural skin-care wizard and we talk about what it is to live connected to our own rhythm. And how one can lean into a practice of listening to ourselves instead of pushing, of cultivating presence rather than performance.

Together, we explore the tender intersections between physical practice and emotional well-being: how our bodies mirror our states of mind, how fatigue and restlessness can speak before words do, and how healing and growth often begins in the smallest gestures of care.

Surfacing moments from our own transitions — from travels, to the quiet ache of change, to disrespecting our boundaries, we explore how ease and joy can - too - be a form of resilience.

An honest conversation cultivating a kind and curious relationship to ourselves and braving the waves of life one fluid movement at the time.

Learn your own ways, because your ways are unique and you are the only one who has the possibility to learn them. Like for real, in depth.  You are the only one in the whole planet who moves like you do. And that's amazing. - Arianna Montanari

About Arianna: Arianna Montanari is a Yoga Synergy teacher. The core of her craft is leading people back to themselves, helping them reconnect with their own voice and inner guidance through movement and getting to know their body.

After her own personal journey from pain and pushing through, to ease and intentionality, Arianna draws from her decades of experience, to help others weave choices that give energy into their life - and find the people, activities and practices that encourage lasting wellbeing .

She is also a beekeeper, creating natural body products with some of what the hive offers.

Get in touch:

Website: mielestrega.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mielestrega/

This episode in headlines:

• Reconnecting with the Body: From Pushing to Listening
• The Mind–Body Conversation: Signals and Subtleties
• Moving Through Emotional and Physical Transitions
• Balancing Work, Life, and Self-Care
• Boundaries, Self-Worth, and the Art of Saying No
• Yoga, Longevity, and Non-Violence Toward Self
• Lessons Lessons from Nature on Work and Rest
• Learning to listen to our bodies
• The Joy of Movement and Everyday Ease
• Rethinking Work and Life Balance
• Asking for Help as an Act of Strength
• Resilience Through Softness
• Embracing Self-Care and Boundaries
• Returning to Compassion, Curiosity, and Joy

This episode is a quiet exploration of what it means to be in dialogue with ourselves — through creative practices, through breath and introspection. And what it means to honour our processes and our needs in a world that rarely pauses.

I am accompanied by Michelle Baker, breathwork teacher, mentor and guide to self-inquiry and somatic practices. We talk about the beauty of slowness, depth and long stories. And we explore the power of tactile creative practices - like sewing and pottery - and how they can become acts of healing and self-discovery.

Sharing generously from our own every day - from profound lessons to challenges - we inquire gently about what it means to be in co-creation with life. Curiously exploring what it means to take care of ourselves through different initiations and evolutions.

It’s a moment for anyone longing to breathe a little deeper, listen with curiosity and rediscover the art of inquiry - instead of answers - as a means of creating movement and connection.

About Michelle:

Alongside being a devoted student and practitioner, Michelle is a teacher, guide and mentor known for her grounding presence and steady counsel. She is the founder of Radiant Wellbeing, which is home to her ever evolving offerings that aspire to braid together the sacred, seasonal and somatic.

Her work is centered around supporting people in navigating personal, spiritual and seasonal evolutions by guiding them back home to the innate wisdom of their body through breathwork, movement, meditation and body focussed inquiry & coaching. She also mentors other visionary leaders and creatives in building and growing their heart-led, service based businesses.

Her love for poetry, perspective, nature and language is woven into the tapestry of all that she offers.

Michelle has been working with clients individually since 2013 and fostering community connection and growth through retreats, trainings and group gatherings (both online and in person) since 2014.

Get in touch:

Website: www.michellebaker.co

Insighttimer: insighttimer.com/michellebaker

Substack: substack.com/@michellebaker

Instagram: instagram.com/__michellebaker/

This episode in headlines:

• Reflections on a Weekend of Rest and Near-Death Experiences
• Stories, Podcasts, and the Power of Long-Form Content
• The Joy and Healing in Using Our Hands
• Lessons from Pottery: Letting Go and Beginning Again
• The Body as a Site of Healing
• Being Held: The Power of Connection
• Personal Practice, Boundaries, and Balance
• Intention in Teaching, Creating, and Sharing
• Conversation as Healing practice: Embracing Diversity and Difference
• Navigating Defensiveness and Polarization
• Welcoming Contrast, Welcoming Growth
• Talking to that which we avoid

This is a gentle dive into what it really means to be here, fully. An exploration of how we can stay present amid the noise and the strong pull of plans, objectives and efficiency — learning to return, again and again, to this very moment.

In this episode, I am joined by Oren Shai - Organizational Psychologist, Somatic Leadership Coach and Co-founder of Feeling School. We talk in depth about somatic awareness and the art of feeling sensations without needing to fix or control them. And we touch in the delicate balance between creating space and holding on. The quiet and loud ways in which our nervous system and learned patterns can shape our current reality - and how our inner landscape responds to the environment and relationships that we are part of.

By weaving together the science of our body with our personal stories of trials and realisations we surface a multifaceted view of what it means to practice and grow or interoception and connection to self. It’s an invitation to slow down, to listen inwardly, and to rediscover the nuances of being alive.

About Oren: Oren’s experience combines a decade in corporate learning and change with well over a thousand one-on-one hours of leadership development within budding 10-person startups all the way to 10,000-person giants, as well as collaboration with top universities researching applied team performance.

As the co-founder of Feeling School, Oren teaches his signature methodology to leaders seeking to integrate cutting-edge neuroscience with depth and humanity, helping them step into healthy, sustained performance, and an alive expression of leadership at work and in life.

Get in touch:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/oshai

Substack: https://workingwithfeeling.com

This episode in headlines:

• Introduction and Current Lessons
• Daily Practices for Presence
• Balancing Anticipating the future and being here now.
• The role of control
• Small Shifts for Big Changes
• The Importance of Repair and Integration
• Embodying Emotional Awareness
• The Journey of Neuroplasticity
• Building a Connection to Our Bodies
• We need others to grow
• What does it mean to practice somatically?
• Busting ideas about personal growth
• Ownership and Accountability
• Integrating Somatic Practices
• Gentle Curiosity and Sensation Awareness

This is a curious search for balance. An honest conversation between two humans who explore what it really means to pursue peace and contentment, when both our inner and outer world offer so much contrast, dissonance and variety.

In this episode I am joined by Joana Castro, a Food Therapy Educator and consultant rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). We use a big and generous canvas to uncover what a holistic approach to our wellbeing could look like. Taking us from the abstract waves of acknowledging and processing emotions, to the practicality and necessity of gentle and patient self-care through the different seasons of life.

Sharing our personal experiences, successes and disappointments, we shed light on the true pace of change and the role that curiosity and willingness to adapt our methods - little by little - can lead to personal growth and healing…that we are also able to sustain.

About Joana:

Joana is a modern creative polymath with a love for blending disciplines in unexpected ways—science, art, health, food, design. Her life’s work is a canvas made of all of them. Curious by nature she is likely to question everything and soak in new perspectives.

As a founder of My Own True Balance, she offers her services as a Food Therapy Educator & Consultant. (But never without creating space for her other big love - songwriting)

Get in touch:

Website: https://www.myowntruebalance.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanadscastro/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myowntruebalance/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myowntruebalance_

Medium: https://medium.com/@joana.7.castro

PLUS:

Find your own personalised path to health with

Food therapy consultation (1:1) - at a discounted price with promo code: TB20

Rebalance Meal Plan - with promo code TAKE15

This episode in headlines:

• The Transformative Power of Music
• Balancing Science and Art
• Embracing Multitudes
• What is balance even?
• How is the concept of balance applied in life?
• Inner harmony through the seasons
• The Role of Emotions in Health
• Embracing our emotions
• The Pursuit of Contentment
• Mood Swings or flow of emotion?
• Meeting Emotions with Actions
• Taking accountability for your healing
• The Power of Food
• Gentle Recovery and why we struggle with it
• Personalize your healing
• The Importance of Patience and Sustainability
• Mindfulness and Breath Control

This is an intimate conversation about our relationship with life. And all the raw material that it gives us - whether pleasant or painful - to expand, learn, create and connect.

In this episode I am joined by Sofìa Laria, a concert pianist, piano-mentor and researcher of creativity and creative expression. Together we explore the idea of effort, what it can mean to our process and to our sense of self-worth. And we talk in depth about what it means to trust and engage with the impermanence of our experiences and performances…

Through the lens of our personal practices in music, art and human interactions, the episode sheds light on how engaging with an object, whether it's a piano or clay or a desired change (or impact), can help us not just understand, but also integrate and put to use valuable life lessons.

About Sofia:

Since the age of six, Sofia has passionately pursued piano, beginning her journey in Argentina and continuing her studies in piano performance in the Netherlands and Sweden with dedication and curiosity.

After completing her bachelor's in classical piano and studying anthropology at the University of Buenos Aires, Sofía followed her lifelong dream of studying in Europe. She earned a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of the Arts Utrecht in the Netherlands. Now based in Sweden, she’s pursuing a second Master’s while researching how music and artistic learning can support personal growth and positively impact society, bringing together her love for the arts with insights from psychology and cognitive science.

Her piano studio is a space for creative learning, where both lessons and one-on-one consultations offer a way to grow, reclaim agency, and find clarity in a noisy world through creativity.

Get in touch:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/sofia-laria-piano

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sofialaria

Website: https://www.sofialaria.com/

This episode in headlines:

• What is so good about effort?
• The role of effort for self-worth
• The Importance of Process Over Goals
• Is it effort or suffering?
• Can effort be playful?
• What does it mean to be engaged?
• Transitioning from Listener to Player
• The Role of Honesty in Art
• Integrating Theory and Practice - of anything
• Being honest and being of service
• Embracing Impermanence
• The Power of Presence in Art
• The performing persona - that is actually you
• The role of trust in presence