In this episode of Unscripted Curiosity, Jenn and Scott sit down with Dana St. Germain for a deeply personal conversation about service, identity, recovery, and learning to listen when the body says enough.

Dana shares her winding path from growing up in a military family and joining the military at 18, to environmental science, fitness, policing, and eventually confronting the impact that years of high-stress work had taken on her own well-being. She reflects openly on recognizing PTSD symptoms, the complicated decision to take medical leave, and the cultural and intergenerational messages that can make stepping away feel like failure—even when it may be exactly what healing requires.

Together, they explore hypoarousal and the surprisingly small steps that can help us find our way back: sunlight, water, movement, nature, and allowing recovery to happen gradually rather than turning it into another thing to accomplish. Dana also shares how her curiosity has led her deeper into spirituality, Reiki, and shamanic healing as she continues exploring what it means to live—and serve—from a more integrated place.

Along the way, there are conversations about grouse wings, prairie grasses, intuition, energy, and the people who help us see ourselves differently. At its heart, this episode is about releasing old definitions of strength and discovering that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is honour what we need.

Connect with Dana:
📸 Instagram: @journeytotheheartyoga

Connect with Jenn & Scott:

https://twistedoakyogaandwellness.offeringtree.com

https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1262404

Email us at unscriptedcuriosity@gmail.com

We'd love to hear from you!

In this episode of Unscripted Curiosity, Jenn and Scott are joined by Kim Long, founder and director of Dóchas Psychological Services, for a heartfelt conversation about purpose, belonging, and the quiet ways we're shaped by the people who raise us.

Kim reflects on her journey from growing up as an Air Force "base brat" to becoming a psychologist working with veterans and complex trauma. Along the way, she shares how her parents' simple philosophy—to help people feel loved and appreciated wherever they find themselves in life—became the foundation for both her practice and her approach to being human. The conversation explores the meaning behind the name Dóchas (the Gaelic word for hope), the unique sense of community found in military life, and why compassion begins with seeing the humanity in one another rather than judging how someone arrived where they are.

Together, they also wander into conversations about yoga, Buddhism, teaching, the science behind ancient practices, and the lifelong challenge of balancing meaningful work with a life that remains spacious and deeply lived.

At its heart, this episode is a gentle reminder that hope isn't something we simply wait for—it’s something we cultivate through curiosity, connection, and the way we choose to show up for one another.

Connect with Kim Long & Dóchas Psychological Services
🌐 Website: https://www.dochaspsych.com
📸 Instagram: @dochaspsych
👍 Facebook: Dóchas Psychological Services
💼 LinkedIn: Kim Long | Dóchas Psychological Services

📱 Dóchas Lifejacket App (Free)
A free self-regulation app designed to help you navigate those moments when your thinking brain goes offline. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Connect with Jenn & Scott:

https://twistedoakyogaandwellness.offeringtree.com

https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1262404

Email us at unscriptedcuriosity@gmail.com

We'd love to hear from you!

In this episode of Unscripted Curiosity, Jenn and Scott sit down with Marla Ericksen, founder of Empower Me Yoga, for a heartfelt conversation about reinvention, spiritual practice, and what it means to keep evolving through every season of life.

Marla reflects on her remarkable journey—from multi-talented competitive athlete, national aerobic champion to yoga teacher, Buddhist practitioner, and founder of a thriving yoga community. Along the way, she shares how silent retreats, Buddhist psychology, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty gradually transformed both her teaching and her understanding of what it means to live well.

Together, they explore the tension between striving and surrender, the myth that happiness should be our default state, and the freedom that comes from making peace with life's inevitable joys and struggles. Marla offers a refreshing perspective on aging, purpose, and the wisdom that emerges when we stop trying to "fix" ourselves and instead learn to meet life with greater compassion and curiosity.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down, trust the unfolding of your own path, and discover that sometimes the greatest growth happens in the space between certainty and mystery.

Connect with Marla: https://www.empowermeyoga.com/

Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empowermeyogaott/

Connect with Jenn & Scott:

https://twistedoakyogaandwellness.offeringtree.com

https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1262404

Email us at unscriptedcuriosity@gmail.com

We'd love to hear from you!