Becoming Spiritual

What really happens at a spiritual retreat?
In this special episode, Crystal Roberts and I sit down to talk about the transformative power of spiritual retreats: why we feel so called to them, what actually happens in these containers, and why community is such a vital part of healing and personal growth.
We share our own experiences attending and hosting retreats, the magic that unfolds when like-minded souls come together, and how retreats create space for vulnerability, integration, deep connection, and unexpected transformation. We talk about the energy of the land, the importance of being present in nature, and why sometimes the most powerful shifts happen in between the scheduled sessions... around the fire, in the kitchen at midnight, or during quiet moments by the water.
We also share details about our upcoming retreat in Arkansas (held during Beltane and under the full moon) and the ceremonies, channeling, cacao, reiki, water rituals, and spacious integration time we’ve intentionally woven into the experience.
Whether you’re considering joining us, curious about what really happens at a spiritual retreat, or simply feeling called to deeper community in your life, this episode is an invitation to explore what becomes possible when we gather with open hearts.
x Heather
JOIN US ON RETREAT IN MAY
If you’ve been craving deeper connection beyond the podcast, Heather and Crystal are excited to welcome you to their Ley Lines of Your Spirit Retreat in Arkansas on May 1-3.
To learn more about this special event, or register to attend, visit the link below:
https://becomingspiritualpodcast.podbean.com/p/retreats/
 
Connect with Crystal
Website:  www.WatermelonWellness.com (coming soon)
Instagram: @WatermelonWellness_
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who might be looking for their tribe or feeling called to community. Following and rating the show helps these conversations reach more open-hearted souls.
 

In this episode, host Heather Dolan sits down with health and wellness coach Michelle Forland to discuss their parallel journeys through breast implant explant surgery. Meeting again almost exactly one year on from their explant surgeries, they reflect on the physical, emotional and spiritual transformation that comes with removing breast implants after decades of them being part of their identity.
This conversation goes beyond the surgery itself to explore:
The societal pressures that lead women to get breast implants
The hidden health impacts of breast implants (breathing issues, inflammation, gut health)
The financial and emotional costs of explant surgery
How to have empowering conversations with daughters about body image
Why breast implant removal should be covered by insurance
The importance of informed consent and comprehensive health information
Whether you're considering explant surgery, supporting someone through their journey, or simply interested in women's health advocacy, this episode offers valuable insights into reclaiming your health and authenticity.
Guest: Michelle Forland
Michelle is a board-certified health and wellness coach specializing in functional medicine. She focuses on the four pillars of health: sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress management. Michelle is a mother of three and passionate about helping clients create sustainable habits for longevity.
Connect with Michelle:
Online Course: Longevity Blueprint - Create Essential Habits to Optimize Your Health Span: https://www.wellnessfmhc.com/about-9
Services: One-on-one coaching and group coaching programs https://www.wellnessfmhc.com/
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to follow, rate, or share the show.Your support helps these conversations reach the people who need them most.
 
Chapter Markers
00:00 - Introduction & Welcome00:36 - Episode Overview: Explant Surgery Journey02:30 - Michelle's Background in Health & Wellness03:36 - How Heather & Michelle Met (Surgery Buddies)07:53 - One Year Post-Surgery: How Michelle Feels Now09:10 - The Meaning of "Relief" After Explant12:00 - Physical Health Improvements & Authenticity16:09 - Michelle's Journey: Getting Implants at 2518:47 - The Pamela Anderson Era & Beauty Standards20:23 - Making Informed Decisions: What We Wish We Knew23:09 - The Financial Reality of Explant Surgery25:36 - Replacing vs. Removing: Michelle's Decision Point30:02 - The Bathing Suit Moment & Body Image Struggles37:53 - Physical Symptoms We Didn't Know Were Related38:06 - The First Deep Breath in 27 Years40:24 - Inflammation, Gut Health & Detox Experiences47:00 - Raising Daughters: Body Image Conversations52:05 - Social Media vs. Our Generation's Influences58:30 - Taylor Swift, Barbie & Normalizing Harmful Behaviors1:00:42 - Insurance Coverage: Treating This as a Lifestyle Disease1:05:17 - The Role of Doctors & Medical Education Gaps1:11:10 - Michelle's Wellness Practice & Approach1:13:42 - The Power of Curiosity in Coaching1:16:47 - Michelle's Online Course: Longevity Blueprint1:18:57 - Final Thoughts: Empowerment Through Information1:16:33 - Closing & Where to Find Michelle
Topics discussed:
explant surgery, body image, health coaching, wellness, self-discovery, societal expectations, women's health, implants, recovery, mental health, self acceptance, breast implant removal, breast implant illness, health and wellness coaching, functional medicine, body autonomy, informed consent, health advocacy
This episode contains discussions of surgery, body image, and women's health. If you're considering explant surgery, please consult with qualified medical professionals.

In Part Two of my conversation with Crystal Roberts, we move fully into her intuitive and channeled work as she shares a message for the collective as we move into 2026.
This episode can be listened to on its own, but it also builds beautifully on Crystal’s personal story from Part One. Here, Crystal opens a channeled space and offers guidance around the year ahead, including how to stay grounded, discerning, and connected as both personal and collective shifts continue to unfold.
And as promised, we have a very special announcement to share with the Becoming Spiritual community...
2026 IN-PERSON RETREAT
If you’ve been craving deeper connection beyond the podcast, Heather is  co-hosting her first Becoming Spiritual retreat this May at a beautiful site in Arkansas with this episode's guest, Crystal. To learn more about this special event, and be the first to know when details and registration are released, you can register your interest via this link:
https://becomingspiritualpodcast.podbean.com/p/retreats/
We hope that you enjoy this transmission from spirit and I thank Crystal for her generosity in sharing this message with the Becoming Spiritual community. 
x Heather
Connect with Crystal
Website:  www.WatermelonWellness.com (coming soon)
Instagram: @WatermelonWellness_
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to follow, rate, or share the show.Your support helps these conversations reach the people who need them most.
Topics discussed:
Holistic Healing, Channeling, Energy, Intuitive Work, Healing Journey, Personal Transformation, Self-Discovery, Emotional Healing, Resilience, Authenticity, Life Challenges, Inner Strength, Personal Growth, Empowerment

In this episode, I’m joined by Crystal Roberts for Part 1 of a special two-part conversation exploring holistic healing, personal transformation and what it really means to trust the path as it unfolds.
Crystal is a registered nurse with a deep respect for both science and spirituality, and a belief that true healing often lives at the intersection of many modalities. Alongside her nursing background, Crystal works intuitively with energy, sound, and Spirit to support deep, grounded healing.
In Part 1, we focus on Crystal’s personal journey, from working in traditional healthcare to stepping into a more intuitive and holistic role. She also shares how the heartbreak of divorce became a powerful catalyst for self-discovery, inner strength, and ultimately, living more fully in alignment with her purpose.
We talk about identity shifts, navigating uncertainty, and how life’s hardest experiences can open the door to profound healing when we allow them to shape us rather than shut us down.
And while today’s episode centers on Crystal’s story, this is just the beginning. In Part 2, Crystal joins me for a channeled conversation, offering guidance for the collective and insight into the energies ahead... coming next week as a special extra episode.
x Heather
Episode Resources
Book: A Hypnotist's Journey to Avalon by Sarah Bresman Cosme
Connect with Crystal
Website:  www.WatermelonWellness.com (coming soon)
Instagram: @WatermelonWellness_
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to follow, rate, or share the show.Your support helps these conversations reach the people who need them most.
Topics discussed:
Holistic Healing, Eastern and Western Medicine, Channeling, Energy, Intuitive Work, Reiki, Sound Therapy, Crystal Therapy, Past Life Messages, Cellular Memories, Healing Journey, Divorce, Heartbreak, Personal Transformation, Self-Discovery, Emotional Healing, Resilience, Authenticity, Life Challenges, Inner Strength, Personal Growth, Empowerment

What kind of energy are we stepping into as we move toward 2026, and how can we meet it with clarity and confidence instead of fear?
In this episode, Natalie and I sit down for a live 2026 Tarot reading, exploring the collective themes and revealing cards that speak to change, choice, reflection and personal empowerment. Together we unpack what the Wheel of Fortune, the Four of Cups, and the Seven of Cups reveal about the year ahead, and how these energies invite us to participate willingly in our own growth and evolution in the year ahead.
There's some truly powerful, big energies in store for us all this year, bringing new opportunities to feel expansion...super exciting!
Our hope is that this conversation helps you feel confident and empowered as you step into 2026, and ready to take on all of the amazing possibility that lies ahead.
x Heather
 
Book a Year Ahead Reading with Natalie
Book your 2026 Tarot Forecast Reading here: https://www.crystalauratarot.com/online-tarot-reading-services
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to follow, rate, or share the show.Your support helps these conversations reach the people who need them most.
Topics discussed:
tarot reading, 2026 tarot forecast, Wheel of Fortune, Four of Cups, Seven of Cups, spiritual growth, personal empowerment, inner reflection, conscious choice, inner wisdom, collective energy

In this episode, I sit down with yoga teacher, healer, and author Kathleen McPhillips for a heart-led conversation about what yoga truly is, beyond the poses.
Kathleen shares her lived experience of yoga as a lifelong spiritual practice: a path of breath, awareness, healing, and inner listening that has quite literally saved and transformed her life. Together, we explore yoga as a holistic spiritual tool for life, and why the inward journey is essential not only for personal healing, but for collective awakening.
We talk about breath as medicine, meditation as listening, and how presence, gratitude, and love become daily practices that ripple outward into the world around us. Kathleen also shares her powerful healing journey through cancer and her years of solitary retreat in nature.
Whether you’re new to yoga or have practiced for years, my hope is that this episode gently opens a door that welcomes you home to yourself.
x Heather
 
Episode Resources
Adirondack Retreat: My Midlife Journey to Wholeness 
The Wellness Universe Guide to Self-Care: 25 Tools for Transformation 
The Wellness Universe Guide to Complete Self-Care: 25 Tools for Life
Connect with Kathleen
Website:  kathleensmcphillips.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kathleensmcphillips/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kathleenmcphillipshealer/
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to follow, rate, or share the show.Your support helps these conversations reach the people who need them most.
Topics discussed:
traditional yoga, what is yoga, yoga as a spiritual practice, breathwork for healing, meditation and mindfulness, inward journey, mind body connection, spiritual awakening, healing through yoga, yoga beyond poses, breath awareness, conscious living, gratitude practice, yoga philosophy, accessible yoga, natural healing, healing journey, alternative healing

The holidays can be beautiful, but they can also be overwhelming (and exhausting). Between family dynamics, year-end deadlines, social expectations and the general busyness of this season, it’s easy to abandon your own needs without even noticing it.
In this episode, Natalie and I cozy up for chat about simple self-care practices that actually help you feel grounded, nourished, and well, not just during the holidays, but any time life feels demanding.
We walk through the practices that support us most: grounding rituals, gratitude, connecting with nature, breathwork, rest, boundaries, intentional indulgence, self-love reminders, and even the unexpected ways pets, food, and small moments can bring you back to yourself.
What I love most about this episode is how different our perspectives are, giving you an accessible menu of self-care options to choose from.
Our hope is that this episode offers you permission to take care of you this season. Whether you’re celebrating holidays or simply moving through a busy time of year, may this conversation help you soften, breathe, and come home to yourself.
x Heather
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this conversation resonated with you, please share it with a friend who’s exploring their spiritual path, and don’t forget to rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Topics discussed: holiday self-care, seasonal self-care, grounding, rest, boundaries, mindfulness, spiritual self-care, breathwork, gratitude, nervous system support, holiday overwhelm, year-end wellness, slow living

Have you ever felt drawn to the divine in a way that didn’t fit neatly inside the tradition you grew up with?
In this episode, I sit down with Beth Barling, Wiccan elder, high priestess, theologian, and co-creatrix of The Serpent and The Dove, for a rich conversation about witchcraft, divinity, theology and what it truly means to hold spiritual leadership.
Beth has a rare gift: she bridges deep scholarly understanding with lived, embodied spiritual experience. Together, we explore how Wicca became a safe and sovereign path for her, how studying theology opened the door to deeper connection and why responsible leadership matters so deeply in spiritual spaces.
This conversation is a reminder that your connection with the divine is allowed to evolve, deepen, and look different than you ever expected.
x Heather
Connect with Beth
Website: www.bethbarlingwellness.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethbarling/
 
Connect with Serpent and the Dove
Website: www.serpentandthedove.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.serpent.and.the.dove/
 
Current offerings 
Sedona Earth Week Retreat, April 2026 https://serpentandthedove.com/sedona-arizona-2026/
Magic, Mystery, and Reckoning: A New Orleans Retreat, September 2026 https://serpentandthedove.com/new-orleans-2026/
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this episode resonates, please share it with someone who’s redefining their spiritual path. And if you’re loving the show, rating and subscribing helps us reach more listeners on the journey home to themselves.
Topics discussed: Wicca, witchcraft, theology, feminine divine, spiritual leadership, priestess path, sovereignty, spiritual awakening, interfaith spirituality, divine feminine, goddess worship, discernment
 

Have you ever felt art speak to you? Not just visually, but energetically?
In this conversation, I welcome back my wonderful friend Willow Shire, spiritual artist and galactic ambassador, to explore how spirit art can awaken healing, connection and authenticity.
Willow’s work bridges multi dimensions (from dragons and Sasquatch to angelic and galactic realms) and  carries energetic “codes” that activate deeper levels of self-awareness. Together, we talk about how art can open portals and how to trust your own multidimensional experiences. We also explore what it means to live in energetic sovereignty, which is a big part of Willow's work. 
And as a special bonus, Willow does a live spirit art session during our chat - a beautiful gift to the collective that has the power to activate connection and sovereignty within you. 
If you'd like to receive your own copy to print out and receive, email us at hello@becomingspiritual.me and Natalie will send you a copy.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
x Heather
About Willow
Willow Shire is a spiritual artist, author, and galactic ambassador known for his unique ability to connect with multidimensional beings through spirit art and storytelling. Through his books, artwork, and workshops, he helps others connect with their divine teams, release fear, and reclaim their sovereignty. Willow’s mission is to awaken people to the realms beyond the veil and empower them to explore their own multidimensional nature with curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Connect with Willow
Website: awakenwithwillow.comInstagram: @awakenwithwillow
Listen to Willow’s first appearance on Episode 11: “Awakening to Soul Sovereignty.”
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this conversation resonated with you, please share it with a friend who’s exploring their spiritual path, and don’t forget to rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Topics discussed: spirit art, spiritual awakening, galactic beings, multidimensional healing, soul sovereignty, authenticity, frequency, dragons, Sasquatch, energy healing, authenticity, inner child healing

Have you ever felt called to follow a new path? One that your logical mind can’t explain, but your soul keeps nudging you toward?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Liz Lehman, a board-certified anesthesiologist and founder of Aluminate Life, a luxury wellness brand that blends the science of scent with the energetic healing of crystals and essential oils.
After two decades in medicine, a series of life-changing challenges led Liz to step away from the operating room and reimagine her path. What began as a personal exploration of candles has evolved into a thriving business built around intention and authenticity.
In our conversation, Liz shares what it means to live a soul-led life, how she bridges science and spirituality through her work, and the moment she decided to “come out of the spiritual closet”,  publicly embracing her experiences as a galactic channel.
Join us in unpacking how we can break free from old identities and create a business (and a life) that reflects your soul’s calling.
x Heather
About Liz
Dr. Liz Lehman is a former anesthesiologist turned spiritual entrepreneur and the founder of Aluminate Life, a luxury wellness brand that fuses the science of scent with the healing energy of crystals and essential oils.
After two decades in medicine, Liz followed an unexpected calling that led her from the operating room to creating energetically aligned products designed to bring balance and light into daily life. Today, her work bridges science and spirituality, encouraging others to live with greater authenticity and purpose.
Connect with Liz
Aluminate Life Website: https://aluminatelife.com/
Instagram: @aluminateliferx
Facebook: AluminateLifeRx
Tiktok: @aluminateliferx
 
Connect with Heather
Visit the Becoming Spiritual websiteFollow us on Instagram @‌becomingspiritualpodcastFollow us on Facebook @‌becomingspiritualpodcastSubscribe on Youtube @‌becomingspiritualpodcast
If this episode inspired you, please follow Becoming Spiritual on your favourite podcast platform, rate the show, and share it with someone who’s ready to live a more authentic, soul-led life.
spiritual entrepreneurship, soul-led life, authenticity, spiritual awakening, galactic channel, energy healing, intuition, conscious business, holistic wellness, science and spirituality, divine alignment, personal transformation, self trust