She Explores

Judith Sadora, a licensed marriage & family therapist (LMFT) who practices wilderness therapy, shares how she applies some of her backcountry work into her everyday life, and how we might be able to use those tools in the front country, too.In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s difficult to get out the way we’d like to. Here in the US, states have been under varying levels of lockdown for the last two months. And it’s been wearing on us all in different ways - whether it’s coping with loss, the stress of isolation, grappling with the unknown, or trying to make sense of the inequities and injustices that continue to harm our fellow Americans.Judith joins us on the podcast to talk through some tips for tapping into nature to manage stress during this time and into the future. We also get to learn what wilderness therapy is and why Judith is so connected to and moved by the practice.Featured in this episode: Judith Sadora, LMFT & Wilderness TherapistHosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production

Chris Fagan isn't a professional adventurer, but she’s spent a good deal of the leisure time in the last 30 years of her adult life seeing what she’s made of. Chris has skied unguided to the South Pole, run 100-mile ultras, sailed and paddled thought the Inside Passage, and cycled in Tanzania. Adventure is a big part of her alone time, but it’s also formed the foundation of her marriage and family life. Today, it's helping her lean into the unknown of her husband Marty's cancer diagnosis. Chris is also a really thoughtful mom. And though Mother’s Day is a holiday that many of us have our reasons for choosing to celebrate or choosing not to celebrate, what Chris says about caring for family really resonates, especially living during this global pandemic. We recommend listening to this conversation through a COVID-19 filter: what Chris says about small moments, resilience, and appreciating the people in your life feels especially poignant today.Featured in this episode: Chris FaganHosted & Produced by Gale

Lindsey Falkenburg is feeling the loss of a 2020 thru-hike... and remembering what she's made of. Like a lot of 2020 thru-hikers, Lindsey canceled her plan to hike the Continental Divide Trail in June. In its absence, she's allowing herself to feel the loss - and also filling her cup with urban hiking, art, and re-discovering her resilience.Featured in this episode: Lindsey Falkenburg & outdoor memory voice memo by Sarina ClarkHosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production of Ravel MediaSponsored by Salomon, Deuter, and Travel South Dakota.Join the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookIn this episode, you'll hear:What thru-hiking has added to LIndsey's lifeA bit about Lindsey's previous hikes of the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest TrailWhy she's intentional about building a career and balanced life between thru-hikesThe decision that went into canceling her 2020 southbound thru-hike of the CDTWhy Lindsey feels a sense of community with fellow thru-hikersWhy Lindsey thinks it's important for out

Win Kelly Charles says it best: "People with cerebral palsy are strong and people with cerebral palsy are determined." In this episode, we hear about all the different ways she finds joy outdoors (snowboarding, climbing, and e-cycling to name a few activities), as well as why she's so motivated to share her life with CP with more people.Plus, we'll listen to Cherie Schaller's outdoor memory of comfortable silence on an alpine hike in Colorado.Featured in this episode: Win Kelly Charles & Cherie SchallerHosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production of Ravel MediaSponsored by  Appalachian Gear Company, Cusa Tea, and Travel South Dakota.Join the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramResourcesWin Kelly Charles: Website & InstagramWin's PodcastsWin's BooksChallenge AspenWatch Win SnowboardinShe Explores Landing PageRavel MediaSponsors and Discount CodesCusa Tea: Try a FREE sample pack at CusaTea.com or get 30% OFF your first order using code EXPLORE

The memories of outdoor adventures are precious and nourishing. They connect us to our friends and certain versions of ourselves. They're our happy places. And they give us the fortitude to push through hard times. This is a compilation of listener outdoor memories that feel especially salient today.There’s a palpable sense of longing in the air, so we created an  episode that provides space for that longing — and the potential for celebration for the moments we've lived outside, too. Featured in this episode:  Becky Marcelliano, Fran Turauskis, Genevieve, Madi Salvati, Mary Straub, Gretchen Powers, Amber, Iz La Motte, Nikki Smith, Andrea Di Maio, Jasmine Jones, Erin Espinosa, Lindsay, Paola Lopez, Annelise Del Rio, Julie Hotz, Sharlene, and Somang Lee.Hosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production of Ravel MediaSponsored by Deuter, Appalachian Gear Company & Travel South DakotaJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramResourcesBecky Marcellian

For Anna Brones, the point of creating is rarely the end result - it's all about the satisfying act of doing. While a lot of us are missing the time we normally spend outside, Anna reassures us that there's inspiration to be found with the materials we have on hand. In this episode, we talk with Anna about the Creative Fuel Challenge she started for anyone who wants to join in and Women's Wisdom Project. The latter is the culmination of two years of work and celebrates the wisdom of inspirational women through beautiful, deceptively simple papercut portraits. These women are environmentalists, artists, writers, advocates, and more.Featured in this episode: Anna BronesHosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production of Ravel MediaSponsored by Danner & Appalachian Gear CompanyJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookIn this episode, you'll hear:Why creativity is so important in the age of COVID-19About Anna's Creative Fuel challenge - creative prompts sent to your inbox that anyone can do to step

Beth Bradley can confidently say that hiking changed her life. Call it her hobby, her love, her self-care. Doing the 52 Hike Challenge has changed the voice in her head from one that says "I'm too fat" to one that believes, without a doubt, that we need to change who we think of when we think of a hiker. We interviewed Beth live at No Man's Land Film Festival on March 8th PLUS Gale checked in with Beth this past Monday over the phone because a lot has changed in the world since they met up in Denver.Featured in this episode: Beth BradleyHosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production of Ravel MediaSponsored by Deuter, Appalachian Gear Company, and  South Dakota TourismJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramResourcesBeth Bradley: InstagramBeth's First Moth Grandslam StoryNo Man's Land Film Festival: Website & Instagram52 Hike ChallengeUnlikely HIkers: InstagramFat Girls Hiking: InstagramDown With Adventure: Instagram & FilmCurvy Kili Crew:

For Shon’t Savage, divorce was a bad thing that turned out to be a good thing. Ten years ago, while sharing custody of her then two year old son, she found herself with free time. Shon’t grieved the days she lost with her son, but filled the space with a newfound love for hiking, camping, backpacking, and cross-country skiing. In doing so, Shon’t found herself once more -- which ultimately made her a better mother.Featured in this episode: Shon’t SavageHosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production of Ravel MediaSponsored by Danner, Appalachian Gear Company,  South Dakota Tourism, and BetterHelpJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramResourcesShon’t’s InstagramShe Explores Episode 119: Adventure MomsWomen on the Road PodcastAdventure MamasAdventure Mamas InstagramShe Explores Landing PageRavel MediaSponsors and Discount CodesDanner: Learn more about the Women's Trail 2650's at Danner.comAppalachian Gear Company: Learn more about the All-Paca  Fle

Meet Amanda Monthei, a hotshot wildland firefighter and creative who has made it her mission to empower women and all qualified firefighters to know there is space for them in wildland firefighting. We spoke to Amanda about her path to fighting fires as well as her project “The Women Before Me” that celebrates the women of the Zig Zag hotshot crew, the legacies they humbly left behind, and the qualities they brought to the US Forest Service.In this episode, we learn how the common traits women bring to the firefighting field are important and why it’s valuable to have those traits in any typically male-dominant field. Amanda wants more women to be wildland firefighters, as well to do other outdoor work like trail building or outdoor management. She encourages them by showcasing the impact and lives of the women who have paved the way for her and asking others to be open to alternative career paths.Featured in this episode: Amanda MontheiHosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production of Ravel MediaSponsored

Ever dreamed of going to space? Analog astronaut and geoscientist Dr. Sian Proctor shares how she lives out her childhood dream of space exploration here on earth. We talked to Sian just a week after Sensoria, a first of its kind, all-women’s Mars simulation at the HI-SEAS habitat on the Big Island of Hawaii. In this episode, we learn how proudly pursuing your passions (in the outdoors and otherwise) helps open up opportunity. Sian followed her curiosity scuba diving, getting her pilot’s license, traveling around the world, and studying science. While not the end goal, all helped her in applying to be an astronaut with NASA. And though she didn’t get the final call, she’s kept herself open to analog space exploration on Earth. We hear how preparing for life in space encourages us to be better environmental stewards and fellow humans on our home planet.Featured in this episode: Dr. Sian ProctorHosted & Produced by Gale StraubA production of Ravel MediaSponsored by Victorinox Swiss Army, and Alpenventures U

The power of a two-night backpacking trip in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona is multiplied when it's spent with women who are motivated by a common goal: to help introduce more girls to the outdoors. We backpack with The Cairn Project.The premise of The Cairn Project is simple: they work with ambassadors to help them host adventure fundraisers.  Then they pool the money and give it out in small grants to nonprofits that get girls and young women outside. Featured in this episode: Alison Wright, Sarah Castle, Sally Jewell, Martha Wyckoff, Camille Fiducia, Emily Teitsworth, Marina Fleming, Ashley Carruth, Licia Sahagun, Petrika Peters, and Amanda Neiman.Hosted by Gale StraubSponsored by Smartwool, Stio, and ThirdLove.Join the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramResourcesThe Cairn Project: Website & InstagramApply to be a Cairn Project Ambasador: Application & InformationNonprofits mentioned:Women's WildernessEmbark OutdoorsGirl VenturesWild

There's a well-kept secret in the international trekking industry. The Porter Voice Collective is raising up the backbone of the industry to advocate for change. In doing so, they're empowering both porters and tourists to speak up for an equitable workforce.In this episode, we talk with Marinel de Jesus and porter/guide Lucía Merclaluly Vela Sosa to learn about a documentary The Porter Voice Collective is creating to help tell the story of porter treatment on Peru's Inca Trail. They're currently crowdfunding to fund the film - an opportunity for us to take action.Featured in this episode: Marinel de Jesus & Lucía Merclaluly Vela SosaHosted by Gale StraubSponsored by Smartwool, Danner, and RitualJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple Podcasts.ResourcesSupport KM 82 Documentary: Crowdfunding & Watch TrailerThe Porter Voice Collective: Website, Instagram, and FacebookShe Explores Landing PageNote: Initially this la

Jennifer McLaren doesn't have a five year plan for her career in the outdoor industry, but she knows her personal values will continue to align with the work she's doing. Why? From her start in finance to her current role as CEO at Smartwool, Jen has worked hard, learned a lot, and developed a personal toolkit that means she can take her skills and apply them in an industry she's passionate about.In partnership with Smartwool, we talk with their CEO Jennifer McLaren about how her love of the outdoors and a career in finance collided to take her where she's at today: the leader of a purpose-driven company.Featured in this episode: Jennifer McLaren, President & CEO of SmartwoolHosted by Gale StraubSponsored by SmartwoolJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramResources mentioned in this episode:Smartwool's Environmental Advocacy CommitmentSOS OutreachThe Nature Conservancy & the Yampa River FundShe Explores Podcast Facebook GroupSponsor Websit

Briana Feola gets to wear the hats of biologist, geologist, and environmental scientist through her work at Brainstorm---all by creating affordable, nature-inspired screenprints and other art that we can hang on our walls.This is an episode is for creatives, but it’s also for people who dream big in small towns. Because it can often feel like the grass is greener or the opportunity is another stop on your journey, but Briana's story is one of striving to build a simple life while achieving some notable accomplishments in her business.Gale heads to Briana's studio to learn more about her art, why Briana's chosen New Hampshire as her home, and how she hopes her work helps others dream big, too. Featured in this episode: Briana FeolaHosted by Gale StraubSponsored by Smartwool and StioJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple Podcasts.ResourcesBriana Feola: @wearebrainstorm on InstagramBrainstorm: Website, Instagram, FacebookSh

In partnership with Sherpa Adventure Gear, guest host Laura Hughes interviews Wasfia Nazreen-- mountaineer, activist, and writer-- to learn about what it was like to take a journey up each of the Seven Summits, what it was like to be the first person from Bangladesh to do it, and how approaching external mountains in our lives mirror the personal work it takes to summit our internal ones.Resources mentioned in this episode:Follow Wasfia on Instagram - @wasfianazreenWasfia’s websiteWasfia’s foundation - Ösel FoundationListen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on She-Explores.comShe Explores Podcast Facebook GroupSponsor Websites & Codes:Sherpa Adventure Gear Music is by Kai Engel and Lee Rosevere using a CC by A license.Enjoy this episode? Rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It’ll help other people find us. You can also share this podcast with a friend. Thank you for your support!Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays – subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Jenny Bruso's multi-day trek on the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru transformed what she thought was possible for herself; it's opened her up to the idea of hikes around the world and helped refine her mission as the founder of Unlikely Hikers. And while Jenny's enthralled by all this possibility, she's still working through how to trek internationally in a respectful way.Featured in this episode: Jenny BrusoHosted by Gale StraubSponsored by Smartwool , Danner, and ThirdLoveJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsResourcesJenny Bruso: Instagram & WebsiteUnlikely HikersNew York Times Article: 'Unlikely' Hikers Hit the TrailCurvy Kili Crew: Instagram & Jenny's Autostraddle articleWHOA Plus TravelMountain Gods PeruJenny's first She Explores Episode, "Fat & Outdoorsy" Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on She-Explores.comIf you like this episode, you might enjoy listening to these She

Krystle Wright is an Australian adventure photographer who's worked really hard to make a name for herself taking risks and creating images all over the world: base jumping in the arctic, storm chasing in the American West, free diving with orcas, wandering the desert in Morocco. As she looks ahead to the new year, she's welcoming rest and building more room in her life for play. Featured in this episode: Krystle WrightHosted by Gale StraubSponsored by Stio, Smartwool , and RitualJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on InstagramResourcesKrystle Wright: Website & InstagramFilms Mentioned:Chasing MonstersWhere the Wild Things PlayWhere the Wild Things Keep PlayingShe Explores Landing PageSponsors and Discount CodesSmartwool: Learn more at Smartwool.comStio: Get 25% off at checkout with code 'EXPLORE' when you shop at Stio.comRitual: Get 10% off your first three months subscription by heading to Ritual.com/exploreEpisodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscri

For Sydney Williams, “Hiking My Feelings” means identifying trauma, figuring out how it manifests in our bodies through physical and mental disease, and figuring out how to heal from that. For Sydney, it’s been hiking - and taking her story on tour to connect with other people who benefit from it. She believes that showing up as your whole self is how we’ll changed the world: one hike, kayak, bike ride, (fill in the______) at a time.Featured in this episode: Sydney WilliamsHosted by Gale StraubSponsored by Danner & SmartwoolJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.comResourcesHiking My Feelings: Website & InstagramPre-order Sydney's Book: Hiking My Feelings - Stepping into the Healing Power of NatureSydney Williams' personal Instagram: @sydneyunfilteredShe Explores Landing PageSponsors and Discount CodesSmartwool: Learn more at Smartwool.comDanner: Learn more at Danner.comEpisodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.Music i

Kara Richardson Whitely is the author of Gorge, a memoir about her climb up Mount Kilimanjaro and her lifelong experience with binge eating disorder, the most common (but least talked about) eating disorder. Kara's proud to be part of a growing community of plus-size adventurers, while simultaneously acknowledging that her relationship with food and her body is forever unfolding.Featured in this episode: Kara Richardson WhitelyHosted by Gale StraubSponsored by Danner, Smartwool , and ThirdLoveJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.comIn this episode, you'll hear:How's Kara's definition of a "hiker girl" has changed over timeWhat binge eating disorder is, how it's not talked about enough, and why it needs to be talked about moreWhy, when Kara wrote about her third hike up Mount Kilimanjaro in her memoir Gorge, she decided to include her relationship with foodHow hiking gives Kara space to think, and how it's basically the opposite of bingeingAbout the first of Kara's Moving Mount

Verna is Navajo, a mother of four, and days away from running a 50-mile ultra run. She started running after having her second child 12 years ago. Hear about Verna's journey as a runner and how it’s underlined her resilience as a person. Now she's bringing native women together by uplifting their running journeys, too.Featured in this episode: Verna VolkerHosted by Gale StraubSponsored by Smartwool & StioJoin the She Explores Podcast community on FacebookVisit She-Explores.comIn this episode, you'll hear:About growing up Navajo in Northwest New MexicoHow Verna took up running after her second childThe ways running has emphasized Verna's resilienceWhy Verna shares the stories of other native runners through her Instagram: @native_women_runningVerna's annual virtual run to raise awareness for Missing & Murdered Indigenous WomenWhy Verna places an emphasis on safety (not fear) when runningWhat excites her about the future of Native Women RunningResourcesVerna Volker: InstagramNative Women Running: Instag