You've Got Lael Podcast

26/02/2024

09/02/2024

"Rest is the bridge between where you are and where you want to be." - Octavia Raheem

Dear podcast listeners,
I am pressing pause on the podcast for a minute. In this week's episode, I'm sharing what led to this decision, what the future might hold, and how you might benefit from pressing pause on something in your life as well. Perhaps even something you love in order to make space for something new.

In the meantime, let's stay connected! Feel free to join my email list, attending an upcoming event or reach out via website, email or phone.

Hope to see you soon!

22/12/2023

Figuring out our life purpose can feel daunting. We think we're supposed to have some a-ha moment where it becomes clear why we're here and what we're meant to do. For me and most people I know, life purpose tends to me more of a slow unfolding. An ongoing process of noticing what gives our lives meaning and living aligned with that the best we can.

About our Guest:
Erik Melver is a Fine and Performing arts teacher living in Saudi Arabia. Twelve years ago he tested the theory that 10,000 hours could make you an expert in anything and started painting with acrylic using nothing but YouTube videos, books and experimentation as his guide.

Today he has paintings in private collections in over a dozen countries around the world. He donates proceeds of art sales to support refugee relief. Erik and his wife Heather have raised their three daughters over seas for most of their lives as parents. He walks every day with the sun and curates a YouTube Channel called Sun Walker World.

14/12/2023

Tema Okun is on the podcast ya'll! I asked her to speak to us about holiday traditions, rituals, and cultural appropriation. What she offered was deep wisdom from her personal life and decades of work as a DEI facilitator, author and professor. I hope this conversation supports your healing and growth.

About our guest:
Educator, writer, artist and activist, Tema Okun (she/her), has spent over 35 years working with and for organizations, schools, and community-based institutions as a trainer, facilitator, teacher, and mentor focused on issues of racial justice and equity.

She is the author of the award-winning The Emperor Has No Clothes: Teaching About Race and Racism to People Who Don’t Want to Know (2010, IAP) and the widely used website https://buff.ly/3wTVt6d.

Her current project is deepening her ability to love her neighbor as herself. She is finding the instruction easy and the follow through challenging, given how we live in a culture that is afraid to help us do either or both.

Check the show notes for links to all the resources mentioned in this episode.

30/11/2023

Attention business owners! Business has changed. The strategies we were using prior to 2020 are not working. Despite the need for our services, people are not investing, purchasing or committing like they used to.

Chances are you've changed, too. Perhaps the strategies you were using don't feel aligned anymore. What can we do?

Tune into this week's podcast for a conversation with business coach Brooke Monaghan. She has been problem solving these issues for us and has some ideas to help.

Link in my bio or wherever you listen to podcasts.

16/11/2023

The holiday season is upon us. For most, the rifts in our relationships and in our culture are painfully present this time of year. Whether in your family, social circle, work place or larger community, chances are you have a relationship or two that needs healing.

You might be thinking: I'm right. They are wrong. I've been hurt. Or I'm ashamed but don't know what to do. Decisions to act or not act are made from that place of wounding. Walls go up inside and out. Distance grows and our energy is spent protecting ourselves vs healing. The cycle continues and the divides between us deepen.

On this episode, Rebecca Greenidge walks us through how to take accountability and repair harm - foundational skills for our own healing and for ending oppression in all its forms. I hope this conversation gives you the courage and skills to heal and repair, so we can be proud of who we are and hopeful about the culture we are creating.

The You've Got Lael podcast is available on my website: https://buff.ly/3JBseOw or on all major podcast platforms. To support this project, join me on Patreon.

13/11/2023

Registration is now open! Early bird pricing through December 25.

We have two options for you:
Jan 20 in Portland, OR
Jan 21 online

For details and registration, visit Laelpetersen.com/events or click the link below. 💙

02/11/2023

What if there is another way? What if we've been taught a very narrow view of what a healthy, committed relationship might entail? This episode is for anyone who wants to renegotiate the terms of their long-term relationship AND for those committed to liberation in all its forms.

About our guest...
Terra Anderson (they/them) is a leading force for pleasure and intimacy in the LGBTQIA+ community. With almost 20 years of experience working in embodiment and s*xuality and over 20,000 hours fine tuning their expertise in gender justice, Terra’s unique approach to healing joins the powers of activism and pleasure to help LGBTQIA+ people to live more empowered, empleasured, and liberated lives. Terra is the founder of Embody Emerge, a somatic s*x therapist, a pleasure and intimacy coach, and a published researcher exploring the impacts of oppression on the body. Through their work, Terra aims to move us closer to a world where pleasure for all can be prioritized as the navigational force by which we heal together, grow, and carve meaningful lives.

19/10/2023

Liminal Spaces: those times in our lives that feel foggy and uncertain, where we're moving from one known thing to another. Liminal spaces can be liberating or terrifying. They can be confusing or freeing. But liminal spaces are unavoidable part of life. On this week's episode of You've Got Lael, I'm offering you some practical tools for navigating foggy and confusing times. I hope after listening you feel a little more equipped and maybe even empowered to handle your next liminal phase in life.

12/10/2023

Rest. Sounds simple enough. Doesn't everyone know how to rest?

If that were true, why are we a culture of burned out, overworked, and disconnected people?

This week on the You've Got Lael podcast, we're talking about the radical and challenging practice of rest. Not because I have it nailed, but because I need to practice alongside you.

I hear that rest, in its various forms, can be a powerful tool for liberation - if we are courageous enough to stick with it. Rest invites us to reclaim our bodies, intuition, spirit, and loosen the grip of grind culture. Which I think it something we can all get behind.

And...if you want to experience DEEP REST, come on retreat with me. November 9-12 in Vernonia, Oregon. There are a few spots left and I'd love to rest with you.

24/09/2023

There are 3 spots remaining for our fall retreat.

Is one of them for you?

3 nights
November 9-12
at Liminalia in Vernonia, OR

Our theme is REST

Facilitation by me
Meals by Paige Common
Massage by Jana Losey Crenshaw
Facials by Gail Lukesh
Tarot by Jendeah Foreman
Soul & Sound Healing by Audrey Voon Music
Yoga by Courtney Canfield Cronk

and more!

Details and registration on my website 💙

21/09/2023

Here’s a lie I believed for years: In order to be an effective therapist/coach, I have to have all my s**t figured out.

• I have to have no “issues.” (At least none anyone knows about.)
• I have to have all the answers to all the questions.
• I have to be “well adjusted” and perfectly grounded. (Or at least appear that way.)

F&*k. That was hard to live up to. Not to mention totally impossible.

This week on the You've Got Lael podcast, we’re replaying a conversation I had 2 years ago with my therapist-friend . I was unpacking the burden of trying to have it all together vs embracing the hot messes we all can be.

Hope it's helpful for you!

07/09/2023

While the You've Got Lael podcast is taking a short break, we are replaying some of our most popular episodes. This week it is The Wisdom of the Enneagram with Jessica Dickson.

I met Jessica through author, coach and educator Trudi LeBron. The first time we were on a group call together, Jessica's authenticity and infectious laugh drew me in. Then, when I was struggling with burnout, Jessica helped me understand how the Enneagram can be a tool for understanding ourselves and each other.

I'm grateful for her work in the world and excited to share this episode with you again.

31/08/2023

Just in time…

31/08/2023

There are a handful of spots left for our retreat Nov 9-12 at Liminalia about 80 minutes outside Portland, OR

Our theme is REST. Come relax your body and mind, explore new ideas with others, and connect deeply with yourself.

You'll leave feeling grounded and inspired for the season ahead.

Reach out with any questions 💙

24/08/2023

Over the next few weeks, we are replaying a couple of our most popular episodes. This one with Tristan Katz (they/he) is part of a two episode conversation we had about gender last summer. We received a lot of feedback about how informative and thought-provoking it was. Because you and the world are always evolving, you might be surprised what you hear when you listen again.

10/08/2023

What does it mean to be inclusive?

To me, it means still centering the identities preferred by dominant culture while making room at the table for folks who hold marginalized identities.

That doesn't sit right for me.

I want to live in a world where we honor, celebrate and uplift each others' diverse gifts and experiences. Not just make space for them. What might we gain as a collective when we do?

This week on the You've Got Lael podcast, we're continuing our conversation about neurodiversity with Greta West. I'm so grateful for what she brings to our awareness as we learn and grow together.
⠀
Thank you for listening and sharing this show with others. If you appreciate what you hear and want to support the show, please visit the link in my bio!

27/07/2023

This week on the You've Got Lael podcast, we're exploring neurodiversity with the incredible Greta West.
⠀
If we want to create a world where differences are celebrated, not just tolerated, it is important to listen and learn about each others' experiences. As I listen more to the autistic and neurodivergent community, my beliefs and biases have been challenged. Yet, I feel empowered when I expand my idea of what "success" can look like at work, school, home and more.

In this two-part series, Greta graciously shares her lived experience as a neurodivergent person as well as her professional expertise as a speech and language pathologist and coach. She helps us understand each other a little more and provides practical strategies for creating a more dynamic, inclusive and empowered world.
⠀
Thank you for listening, educating yourself, and doing your part to create positive change today.

Listen here >> https://buff.ly/3Q8ZkJs

24/07/2023

Scenes from the exciting parts of summer.

13/07/2023

With all the pain and injustice in the world, do you ever feel like you aren't doing enough?

Not speaking up enough. Not donating enough. Not organizing enough. For me, it's hard not to feel overwhelmed by all the people and spaces that need advocacy and healing. And guilty about my position and privilege.

On this week's episode, we're looking at where these feelings come from and what we might do when feeling anxious, guilty or hopeless about the state of the world.

29/06/2023

Visualization and manifestation are a common tool in the coaching world and I've struggled with the individualistic, spiritual bypassy nature of how it's typically used.

"If you believe it, you can create it!"

“It" meaning wealth, happiness, some body ideal, etc.

But then I keep hearing from authors and leaders who have been teaching dreaming and visualization as a tool for liberation and change for forever.

So now what?

Check out this week's episode, where we explore the power of imagination.

How does imagining the kind of world we want to live in shift our energy and our daily actions?

How might visualization create positive change, not just for our own personal gain, but for the well-being of our communities? our schools? our places of work?

Check out the show notes for leaders & teachers who have inspired and shaped me.

I’d love to know who inspires you!

15/06/2023

How do we show up for people who are grieving without causing more harm? How do we recover from loss in our lives?

In this week's episode, yoga therapist, wellness coach, and author Michelle Ann Collins (she/her) shares her story as a su***de survivor and what helped her get through. We explore the myths surrounding su***de and cultural norms that tend to create distance for those in grief.

Listen to learn what helps us heal and how to support those who are grieving.

02/06/2023

In January 2023, approximately 6,633 people in the Portland metro area were unhoused. (Many advocates say that number is higher.)

Rents in Portland have climbed nearly 40% since 2021. Nearly every neighborhood has groups of people living outside.

To say we're experiencing a humanitarian crisis is an understatement.

Housing a basic human right. But it's treated like something one must earn and there's little safety net should *life* happen.

Many of us are wrestling with our biases, privileges and fears when it come to this housing crisis.

Social worker, advocate and restorative justice facilitator Tara Benavente (she/they) joins us this week to help break it down.

The history, the myths, the solutions and the inner work necessary to create change.

18/05/2023

In the latest episode of You've Got Lael, we talking about stress, rest and self-care with Ayurveda Yoga Specialist, Mental Health & Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher and Self-Care Coach Steff Gallante.

Here are the top takeaways from our conversation:

- The sneaky ways exercise can reinforce healthism and self-harm

- How rest takes many forms and is an essential tool for rejuvenation.

- How understanding harmful cultural norms impact the way we care for ourselves (or don't).

If you want to embody and experience self-care that's right for you, be sure to listen to this episode here (https://buff.ly/3pHzCjT ) or wherever you listen to podcasts.

And if you're interested in connecting with Steph, check out her website https://buff.ly/434ySnC

04/05/2023

I broke up with my gym after reading Dana and Hilary's book.....

That's how powerful their book was for me. Join Dana and me in this latest episode as we discuss diet culture, fatphobia, healthism and how we are harmed by and uphold these damaging cultural norms.

Would love to know what comes up for you and what you have to add to this conversation. Comment here or become a podcast member on patreon.

01/05/2023

Just a friendly reminder…

Lael Petersen Coaching is open for business!

I help people with…

🗺️ Navigating life transitions: birth, death, coming out, divorce

🤔 Relationship and career discernment

🛑 Boundaries and effective communication

🕺🏽 Self-confidence & self-care

✨ Finding purpose & meaning

👩🏾‍🤝‍👩🏽 Untangling privilege, guilt & social justice issues

—————————————————-

When we work together, you receive…

🔦clarity about your challenges

🤯 insight into your behaviors and reactions

💥 help getting unstuck

🗓️ practical action steps to create change

💞 emotional support and encouragement

Sound like something you need?

Click the link in my bio and schedule a Discovery Call with me today. 💙

20/04/2023

461 anti-LGBTQ bills (https://buff.ly/3YE4ihP ) have been introduced in the U.S.
Many specifically target trans youth.

LGBTQ people have a right to live in safety, to thrive, and to be treated with dignity.

In this week's episode of You've Got Lael, I'm taking with Jenn Burleton: activist, educator and director of the TransActive Gender Project (https://buff.ly/43FLRwV ) at the Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education.

Jenn's message is powerful and urgent. She explains the history of this organized and deliberate effort to eradicate trans people and why it's crucial for cis people speak up and push back now.

Thank you for listening to this important and timely conversation and for doing your part to create a world that is safe for all because truly...

"None of us are free until all of us are free."

30/03/2023

There are two ways I could share the following news.

1. I could tell you all the inner workings of my heart and mind - in order to normalize our shared human experience.

OR

2. I could just announce this "new opportunity for you!"

The truth is - neither feel quite right.

If I choose the first one, I do what I feel like I've been doing A LOT lately on the podcast. Being pretty transparent. Sharing my hangups. Being vulnerable again.

If I choose the second one, I bypass what's real for me and present you with something that I need, but package it like a gift for you.

TBH, it's both.

I could use your support to keep making the podcast and I have some fun stuff to offer you in return.

Asking for support can be tough! ?
The vulnerability doesn't feel great.
But phony marketing doesn't feel right for me either.

Intellectually I know we all need support from time to time. Even in business. The judgment we have of ourselves and each other when we are courageous enough to ask for it - is part of what's messed up about our culture.

I want to be part of creating a new world.

I want to live in a world where we are real with ourselves and each other. Where, despite the discomfort, we try new things in order to disrupt the toxic patterns of perfectionism, isolation and shame.

Don't you?

So, all this to say, I created a podcast membership.
For you and for me.

My ask is this -

If you appreciate the You've Got Lael podcast or have benefitted from it in some way, I'd be so grateful for your support so we can keep it going.

Love you!

(Link in my bio)