Becoming Spiritual

What happens when the life you carefully built no longer feels aligned?
In this deeply reflective conversation, Heather sits down with writer, teacher, and consciousness scholar Dr. Rima Bonario to explore the profound spiritual territory of endings. Rima shares her personal experience of stepping away from a thriving body of work, navigating the end of a long-term relationship, and entering what she describes as “the fertile void”: a space where identity, certainty, and familiar structures begin to dissolve.
Together they explore how listening to the wisdom of the body can guide us through major life transitions, why endings are an essential part of every cycle of growth, and how our culture often resists the natural rhythms of creation and dissolution. Rather than rushing to rebuild, Rima invites us to stay present with uncertainty and trust the deeper intelligence unfolding beneath it.
If you’ve ever felt yourself standing between chapters, unsure of what comes next, this conversation offers reassurance, perspective, and a powerful reminder that sometimes the most important transformation happens in the quiet space where something has ended, but the next beginning has not yet appeared.
Episode Resources
Book: The Fourth Turning Is Here (2023) by Neil Howe
About Dr. Rima Bonario
Dr. Rima Bonario is a writer and teacher exploring attentional sovereignty, graceful endings, and Keeper Work - the practice of remaining human and coherent during times of profound change. With over 30 years in psychology, consciousness studies, and embodied spiritual practice, she helps people relocate authority from external systems back into the living intelligence of the heart.
She is the author of the bestselling book The Seven Queendoms and holds a doctorate in Transformational Psychology. Rima’s work weaves depth psychology, myth, and lived experience to guide individuals and communities through meaningful transitions with clarity, integrity, and resilience.
Connect with Rima
Website: https://rimabonario.com Bloom Temple Mystery School: https://rimabonario.com/bloomtemple 
Free Mini Courses:
The Lost Art of Ritual: https://usebloomoils.com/ritual
Anointing The Sacred Heart: https://www.usebloomoils.com/sacredheart
Free Mobile App: Bloom Temple
Connect with Rima on Instagram 
Get Rima's book, The Seven Queendoms: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57302944-the-seven-queendoms
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 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.
Conversation Highlights:
00:00 Introduction to the Becoming Spiritual podcast
01:48 Why this conversation is different: sharing transformation while it’s happening
05:28 Meeting Rima and the surprising truth behind her current life transition
09:29 Understanding the deeper signals that it’s time for change
16:08 Listening to the body’s wisdom instead of pushing through
23:18 Questioning work, identity, and purpose during major life shifts
26:02 Entering the void and allowing space for grief, rest, and renewal
33:17 Recognizing when systems or structures have reached their natural end
39:17 How personal transformation mirrors collective societal change
48:12 Creation and destruction as natural cycles of life
58:55 The spiritual practice of embracing uncertainty
01:04:14 Practical guidance for navigating the void
01:07:20 Releasing external expectations and listening to your own voice
01:09:29 Why graceful endings matter
 

Power. It’s a word that can feel charged, heavy, even triggering. We’re taught from a young age that power lives outside of us, in institutions, in titles, in money, in authority figures. But what if that definition is incomplete? What if the discomfort we feel around power is actually an invitation to redefine it?
In this episode, Heather sits down with Emily Frieze-Kemeny to explore how power shapes our world (from corporate systems to family dynamics) and how it quietly shapes us. Together, they unpack why traditional models of “power over” create isolation, fear, and disconnection, and how those patterns show up not just in leadership, but in our own nervous systems.
This conversation bridges neuroscience and spirituality, offering a deeper understanding of why we feel controlled at times, and how we begin reclaiming our sovereignty.
If you’ve been feeling the cracks in old systems… if you’ve been questioning authority, your career, or your place in the world… this conversation is an invitation to remember that true power is presence. And it starts within.
About Emily Frieze-Kemeny
Emily is the CEO and Founder of the leadership and organizational change consulting and coaching firm, AROSE Group. Emily and her coaches and consultants work with individuals, teams, and organizations to "Bridge Humanity and Profitability”.
In addition to being a leadership advisor and coach, Emily is a multi-modality wellness practitioner certified in numerous healing and therapeutic modalities.
She is also the host of the podcast, Let’s Talk, People, where leaders and people managers come to unpack their hardest-to-navigate people dynamics at work.
Connect with Emily
Listen to Emily's podcast: Let's Talk People
Visit Emily's website: AROSE Group
Connect with Emily on LinkedIn and Instagram 
Get your free Pivot Player tools at pivotplayer.com
 
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 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.

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