The Nature Pod with Suzanne Radford: Recent Episodes
Suzanne Radford
The Nature Pod, a weekly conversation and invitation to join me and my guests as we navigate pathways to nature-inspired by forest bathing and the practice of Shinrin Yoku. Sharing stories from friends and experts in the field of health, wellness and eco-therapy about their connection to nature with insights into personal development. I’m Suzanne Radford, forest therapy practitioner, communication coach and radio presenter, lover of the great outdoors - guiding people through nature to a place of calm, clarity and contentment. I have found some of the best conversations, ideas and inspiration happen when walking and spending time in nature. Let’s connect and see where it takes us…Visit my website http://www.naturepod.com/ for more information
Join Suzanne Radford and medical herbalist, Daisy Mae, as they take a walk in Ceratonia gardens in the Algarve, Portugal. Daisy shares her connection to nature, the interrelation between humans and plants and trees and how they support us through medicine and healing.
Dr Thoraiya Kanafani, Clinical Director, Clinical psychologist and Co-Owner of The Human Relations Institute & Clinics Dubai joins Suzanne in discussing the effects of stress on the body and what the World Health Organisation calls the 'health epidemic of the 21st Century'. Thoraiya sheds light on our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and how as humans we respond and engage with the natural world.
Lisa Steele-Maley joins Suzanne on The Nature Pod from her home in Maine, in the United States. She is an author, environmental educator and inter-faith chaplain whose love of wild places inspires her work and blog: Lisa Steele-Maley, Fostering Connections. Her book: Without a Map: A Caregiver’s Journey through the Wilderness of Heart and Mind weaves together her memories of being in the wilderness and experience of being with her dad and navigating the uncertain territory of caring for a parent with dementia. Lisa talks about living in rhythm and pace with nature and shares her learnings and her latest book: Arriving Here: Reflections from the Hearth and Trail.
For many, it is a dream to be self-sufficient and to live off the land. For Paul Carter and his wife Kate, it is a reality. Paul joins Suzanne on The Nature Pod as they take a walk around his farm in the hills of Southern Portugal, a long way away from his life as a police officer in the UK. He shares his connection to the earth and soil, and the lessons he has learned from nature.
Patty Gay loves to garden and is a keen home cook. She joins Suzanne on The Nature Pod sharing her connection to nature from her home country, the Philippines to living as an ex-pat in Dubai in the UAE and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Suzanne catches up with her whilst on holiday in a forest in France.
Suzanne talks to Eduardo Vasconcelos Fernandes, Vice-President of the Association of Physical Education Teachers of the Algarve about how the summer of 74 in Portugal and the revolution led him to nature for support and how it continues to support him today. He shares his passion for stargazing, climbing, cycling and how nature impacts across cultures and he talks about some of the programmes he is running helping young people in the Algarve.
Suzanne explores the taste of raw honey with Riath Hamed founder of Balqees Honey @honeyexplorer. He shares his connection to nature and how it 'eases the heart' as he seeks out the purest places on the planet free from pollution to source the best honey for taste and health. He talks about his Yemeni roots and the Sidr Tree and growing up in Sheffield, UK, and how respect for bees and the environment has brought him happiness in the remotest of places including New Zealand, Kyrgyzstan and Bali.
Sophia Berger gives her perspective on being a 'Gen Z-er' when she joins Suzanne Radford from her home in the Algarve. She shares her love of nature and how she has learned to enjoy being alone during the lockdown. So, what is concerning the youth of today and what are they looking for when it comes to fulfilment? Talking social and eco-anxiety, the influence of technology and the impact of climate change. They are also joined by Frank the puppy who is rather partial to Suzanne’s microphone!
Sonia Carr Steyns joins Suzanne Radford on The Nature Pod. She is Mothers Finest Monchique and runs Food as Medicine workshops in the Algarve, Portugal. Married with 2 boys she lived in Amsterdam for 24 years before finding her piece of land and home on Picota, one of the mountains in the Serra De Monchique region. She shares her passion for nature, wild foraging, fermentation, and healing the body through natural ingredients.
Keith Littlewood of Balanced Body Mind joins Suzanne Radford on The Nature Pod. He is an independent health researcher and coach - specializing in energy, digestion, sleep, mood and other hormone related issues. He shares his insights into the effects nature can have on human health and our physiology. Talking light and dark, cycadean rhythm, slow walking and breathing in clean air.
Julie Lewis shares coaching exercises and insights into nature connection including her ‘here and now rock’. She is the founder of Mountain High & Julie Lewis consulting and author of the book Moving Mountains: Discover the Mountain in You. She climbed her first mountain at the age of 40 and has gone onto guide and coach hundreds of people travelling to beautiful locations on the planet inc the Arctic. Suzanne joins Julie as she talks, growth, and resilience and walking barefoot.
Mark Sykes created the lifestyle brand Caveman so you could say he is in his element when he is in nature. He describes some of his best moments skiing in the Himalayas and kayaking through thousands of cormorants and how he came to name his house plants after members of the band Led Zeppelin.
Penny Coombs shares her love of painting landscapes in Southern Portugal and Devon in England, how it feels to take a breath in nature, swimming wild and a cork oak that is giving inspiration during a time of self-isolation. A school teacher and mum to two grown-up boys Penny explores healing through growing vegetables, foraging wild herbs and edible flowers. To see Penny's artwork visit https://algarve-art.com/art/penny-coombs/
We explore our connection to animals – cats, dogs, alligators with guest George Stothard, the founder of https://thewritingshop.biz/. We share moments in nature from London, Dubai, Portugal and Grantham! George shares his personal experience of how nature helped him with his mental health during challenging times in his late teens and early twenties. We also discuss loneliness in the young and ponder on the question, are we the loneliest species ever?