The Red Thread: Fertility, Healing and the Embodied Journey

What if grief did not need to be fixed or pushed away but gently met and held in the body?In this reflective conversation, Shreyasi welcomes Sarah, a women’s bodyworker, womb-care and grief-tending practitioner based in Northern Ireland. Together, they explore how embodied care, gentle touch, community, and connection to the womb can create space for grief during fertility treatment and other life transitions.Sarah shares how her own experiences of burnout and grief led her to this work. They discuss the ways IVF and IUI can leave women feeling disconnected from their bodies, why grief does not follow a timetable, and how slowing down and listening to the body can become acts of self-care.This episode offers a compassionate invitation to honour grief without rushing it—and to find support and connection along the way.About SarahSarah is a women’s bodyworker, womb-care practitioner, and grief-tending practitioner based in Northern Ireland. She offers in-person individual sessions and retreats as well as online grief-tending and womb-connection work. Her approach combines attuned touch, somatic movement, guided practices, and a gentle, body-led pace.In This Episode They Explore:How Sarah found womb-tending and grief work after burnoutWhy grief is not something to simply overcome or finishThe relationship between fertility treatment, embodied experience, and accumulated griefMoving from the story of grief into bodily sensationThe role of touch, breath, gentle movement, and guided meditationWhy pacing and consent matter in somatic grief workThe importance of community and co-regulationSarah’s online grief-tending offering and Women of SheeConnecting with the inner mother through everyday self-careWhy doing less, pausing, and honouring boundaries can be restorativeKey TakeawaysGrief can be met rather than managed: Sarah encourages making room for grief as an ongoing human experience, rather than treating it as a problem with a deadline.The body can offer a way in: Gentle body-led practices may help people notice sensations and make space for emotions at a tolerable pace.Support matters: Trusted relationships and community can help make difficult experiences less isolating.Inner mothering can be simple: Listening to bodily needs, setting boundaries, and making caring daily choices are meaningful forms of self-tending.Less can be more: Slowing down and creating spaciousness may be more supportive than adding another wellness task.ResourcesWomen of Shee, Sarah’s offerings and online grief-tending sessions available at https://www.instagram/womenofshee and at https://www.womenofshee.comConnect with SarahWebsite: https://www.womenofshee.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenofsheeEmail / booking information: womenofshee@gmail.comWork With ShreyasiIf you're navigating infertility, IVF, IUI, pregnancy loss, or the emotional complexity of a fertility journey, you don't have to walk this path alone.Through fertility support programs, mindfulness-based practices, equine-facilitated healing experiences, retreats, and one-to-one support, Shreyasi helps women stay connected to themselves while moving through the uncertainty of trying to conceive.Connect with Shreyasi BrodheckerWebsite: https://shreyasibrodhecker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreyasi_brodhecker

What if you had a gentle place to turn when the emotional ups and downs of fertility treatment feel overwhelming?In this special solo episode of The Red Thread, Shreyasi introduces The Red Thread Journal: A Mindful Self-Compassion Journal for the Ups and Downs of Medically Assisted Fertility, launching November 1, 2026.Drawing from her own IVF journey, Shreyasi shares the inspiration behind creating a compassionate companion for women navigating IVF and IUI. From moments of hope and anticipation to grief, uncertainty, and disappointment, she explores how mindful self-compassion can help you feel grounded and supported through it all.Shreyasi offers a look inside the journal, including grounding exercises, guided meditations, self-massage practices, reflection prompts, loving-kindness exercises, and simple self-care rituals designed to meet you wherever you are in your fertility journey.This episode is a reminder that you don't have to navigate every difficult moment alone, and that even the smallest act of kindness toward yourself can make a difference.In This Episode We ExploreThe inspiration behind The Red Thread Journal and Shreyasi's personal IVF experienceWhy mindful self-compassion matters during medically assisted fertilityFinding grounding and emotional support through uncertainty, grief, and hopeA look inside the journal's exercises, reflections, and daily seeds of kindnessGuided meditations for heart-womb connection, loving-kindness, and groundingSelf-massage, mindful touch, and somatic practicesNavigating difficult days with compassion rather than forced positivitySimple self-care rituals and opportunities for joyful connectionHow the journal can support women undergoing IVF and IUI at their own paceResources MentionedThe Red Thread JournalLaunching November 1, 2026!Created by Shreyasi Brodhecker, The Red Thread Journal is a mindful self-compassion journal designed to support women navigating the emotional, physical, and spiritual experiences of IVF and IUI.Inside, you'll find grounding and breath practices, self-massage and touch exercises, loving-kindness practices, guided meditations, reflection prompts, daily intentions, and self-care rituals.Featuring original illustrations by Tarn Ellis, the journal also includes a curated music playlist, accessible meditations, and a collection of love notes to offer comfort when you need it most.The journal is designed to be explored at your own pace. You can move through the practices in sequence or simply open to a page that feels supportive in the moment.Available beginning November 1, 2026, through Shreyasi's website, Amazon.ca, and select bookstores and clinics in Alberta and across Canada.Visit https://shreyasibrodhecker.com for purchasing details and updates.Guided Meditations and Mindful Self-Compassion PracticesThe journal includes access to guided meditations and gentle exercises designed to support emotional awareness, grounding, and connection with your body.Practices include heart, belly, and vulva breathing, heart-womb connection, dreaming motherhood into being, and loving-kindness meditation.Each practice offers an opportunity to pause, reconnect with yourself, and approach your experience with greater compassion.Connect with Shreyasi BrodheckerWebsite: https://shreyasibrodhecker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreyasi_brodheckerSubscribe & ReviewIf this episode resonated with you, follow The Red Thread Podcast: Fertility, Healing and the Embodied Journey, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may benefit from a little more self-compassion.Your support helps more women find connection, compassionate guidance, and healing along their fertility journey.

Unexplained Infertility, Finding Answers & Trusting Your Intuition with Meghan GottschalkWhat happens when you’re told everything looks normal, yet after years of trying, fertility treatments still aren’t working?In this deeply personal conversation, Shreyasi sits down with Meghan Gottschalk to talk about her eight-year journey with unexplained infertility, multiple IUIs, IVF, and the emotional toll of repeatedly being told that everything looked right while still not having an answer for why she wasn’t conceiving.Meghan shares how her intuition kept telling her there was more to explore. That instinct eventually led her beyond the fertility testing she had received in Canada to additional testing through Fertilysis, a clinic in Greece specializing in unexplained infertility.In This Episode We Explore• Meghan’s eight-year journey with unexplained infertility• The emotional impact of unsuccessful IUIs and IVF• What it feels like to be told everything looks “normal” when treatments aren’t working• Why Meghan continued searching for answers beyond her initial fertility testing• How meditation, Reiki, energy work, and subconscious imprinting techniques supported her emotionally• Finding Fertilysis in Greece and pursuing additional testing for unexplained infertilityMeghan GottschalkInspired by her own ongoing journey with unexplained infertility, Meghan is passionate about supporting women through life’s emotional challenges.Through energetic support sessions and guided womb meditations, she helps women reconnect with themselves, explore their emotions, and feel seen, supported, and empowered.Drawing from her own experiences and training in practices including meditation, Reiki, energy work, and subconscious imprinting techniques, Meghan brings both lived experience and a deeply supportive perspective to her work with women.Connect with MeghanInstagram: @moments.with.meghanFacebook / Moments with Meghan: https://facebook.com/moments.with.meghanResources Mentioned in This EpisodeFertilysis — GreeceMeghan shares her experience working with Fertilysis after years of unexplained infertility. The clinic provided additional testing that Meghan says helped identify potential factors that had not previously been uncovered through her fertility testing in Canada.Fertilysishttps://fertilysis.com/LIT Therapy — OntarioFollowing the results of her testing, Meghan pursued LIT (lymphocyte immunization therapy) through a clinic in Ontario.Victory Reproductive Carehttps://www.drvictory.com/The experiences and resources discussed in this episode reflect Meghan’s personal fertility journey and are shared for informational purposes. They are not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Please speak with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional about testing or treatment options for your own circumstances.How to Work With ShreyasiIf you’re navigating infertility, IVF, IUI, pregnancy loss, or the emotional challenges of trying to conceive, you don’t have to walk this path alone.Through fertility support programs, mindfulness-based practices, equine facilitated healing, guided meditations, retreats, and one-to-one support, Shreyasi helps women reconnect with themselves while moving through the uncertainty of their fertility journey.Connect with Shreyasi BrodheckerWebsite: https://shreyasibrodhecker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreyasi_brodheckerLearn more about fertility support programs, equine healing experiences, retreats, guided practices, and resources designed specifically for women navigating fertility challenges.Subscribe & ReviewIf this episode resonated with you, please follow The Red Thread on your favourite podcast platform, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may benefit from Meghan’s story.Your support helps more women find compassionate guidance, connection, and healing throughout their fertility journey.

What does the word Sacred mean to you and is there a place for it alongside the medical realities of IVF or IUI?In this solo episode, Shreyasi opens a conversation about bringing spirituality, ritual, intention, nature, prayer, faith, and connection with something greater than ourselves into the fertility journey.Rather than defining the Sacred in any one way, Shreyasi invites you to explore what feels meaningful and aligned for you. The Sacred might be found through faith or prayer, connection with nature and animals, ancestral influences, a Higher Power, the universe, or simply the recognition that there are parts of conception, motherhood, and life that remain mysterious and beyond our control.She also explores IVF and IUI as a form of spiritual initiation, a journey that can ask us to surrender parts of ourselves, walk through uncertainty and grief, and emerge changed. Drawing on the ancient story of Inanna’s descent into the underworld, she reflects on fertility treatment not only as a medical process, but as a deeply personal and potentially transformative journey.Throughout the episode, Shreyasi shares some of the ways she brings the Sacred into her own fertility path, from spending time with her herd of horses and connecting with the land to lighting candles, creating altars, setting intentions, praying, journaling, and exploring connection with future or “spirit” children.In This Episode We ExploreWhat the word “Sacred” can mean on a fertility journeyCreating your own definition of spirituality and sacred connectionWhy IVF and IUI can feel like an experience of surrender and walking into the unknownExpanding the fertility journey beyond the medical modelMotherhood as a sacred or deeply held desireIVF and IUI as a spiritual initiationThe story of Inanna and her descent into the underworldHow fertility experiences can transform our identitiesFinding wisdom, resilience, and strength through difficult experiencesConnecting with nature, animals, and the earthShreyasi’s relationship with her herd of horses and the SacredUsing prayer and intention during fertility treatmentLighting candles and creating altars for different stages or treatment cyclesJournaling, writing letters, and creating personal ritualsSetting an intention to receive rather than force or chaseExploring the idea of spirit babies or spirit childrenCreating a tangible thread with what feels intangible or unseenFinding your own way of bringing the sacred onto your IVF or IUI pathResources MentionedThe Story of Inanna: An ancient Sumerian story of descent, surrender, transformation, and return that Shreyasi uses as a lens for exploring the transformative nature of the fertility journey.Sacred Ritual: Practices such as lighting candles, creating altars, setting intentions, prayer, journaling, connecting with nature, and spending intentional time with animals can offer ways to bring personal meaning and sacred connection into fertility treatment.The Red Thread Library: A collection of guided meditations, somatic practices, and emotional support resources designed specifically for women navigating fertility challenges.Connect with Shreyasi BrodheckerIf you're navigating infertility, IVF, IUI, pregnancy loss, or the emotional complexity of trying to conceive, you don't have to walk this path alone.Through fertility support programs, mindfulness-based practices, equine facilitated healing, guided meditations, retreats, and one-to-one support, I help women reconnect with themselves and their bodies throughout the fertility journey.Website: https://shreyasibrodhecker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreyasi_brodhecker

What if your body has been communicating with you all along through subtle sensations of openness, tension, expansion, discomfort, ease, or constriction?In this solo episode, Shreyasi explores how to begin recognizing and honouring your body’s “yes” and “no,” particularly while navigating IVF, IUI, fertility treatments, and medically assisted conception.Through a trauma-informed and somatic lens, Shreyasi invites you to move beyond living solely “from the neck up” and begin noticing what is actually happening inside your body. She explores the window of tolerance, nervous system regulation, somatic awareness, and the physical cues that can help you understand your body’s needs, limits, and capacity in any given moment.You’ll also be guided through a simple grounding and body-awareness practice and learn how everyday choices can become opportunities to strengthen your ability to hear your body so that when bigger decisions, procedures, relationships, or fertility experiences arise, you have a deeper foundation of self-trust and bodily awareness.In This Episode We ExploreWhat it means to listen to your body’s “yes” and “no”A simple grounding and body-awareness practiceWhy we often disconnect from physical sensationsHow fertility treatments and medical procedures can affect our relationship with the bodyUnderstanding the window of toleranceThe difference between hyper-arousal and hypo-arousalSimple ways to return to your window of toleranceWhat somatics means and how it relates to embodimentHow a “yes” might feel like expansion, ease, openness, excitement, or readinessHow a “no” might feel like constriction, tension, discomfort, or pulling awayPracticing body awareness through small, everyday decisionsThe connection between bodily awareness, consent, and self-advocacyBecoming the sovereign guardian and ally of your bodyUsing your body’s signals during IVF, IUI, treatments, and proceduresHow listening to your body can cultivate greater trust, compassion, and kindness toward yourselfKey TakeawaysYour body is communicating with you: A “yes” or “no” does not always arrive as a thought. It may show up physically as expansion, ease, tension, constriction, excitement, discomfort, or another sensation unique to you.Start with awareness: Before you can respond to your body’s signals, you first need opportunities to notice them. Grounding, breathing, and intentionally checking in with physical sensations can help you become more familiar with your body's language.Your capacity matters: The window of tolerance offers a way of understanding when you can remain connected to your physical and emotional experience and when your nervous system may be moving into overwhelm or disconnection.Resources MentionedThe Window of Tolerance: A framework for understanding the range of physiological and emotional arousal in which we are able to remain present and connected to our experience.Somatic Practices: Practices centred around experiencing and understanding the body from within, including noticing physical sensations, bodily cues, boundaries, and responses.The Red Thread Library: A collection of guided meditations, somatic practices, and emotional support resources designed specifically for women navigating fertility challenges.Connect with Shreyasi BrodheckerIf you're navigating infertility, IVF, IUI, pregnancy loss, or the emotional complexity of trying to conceive, you don't have to walk this path alone.Through fertility support programs, mindfulness-based practices, equine facilitated healing, guided meditations, retreats, and one-to-one support, I help women reconnect with themselves and their bodies throughout the fertility journey.Website: https://shreyasibrodhecker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreyasi_brodhecker

How do you trust yourself when your fertility journey feels uncertain, overwhelming, or completely different from what you imagined?In this inspiring conversation, Shreyasi sits down with fertility coach Justine Lapointe to explore intuition, self-trust, decision-making, and the unexpected ways fertility challenges can transform our lives.Drawing from her own experiences with infertility, IVF, pregnancy loss, entrepreneurship, and recovery, Justine shares how learning to trust herself became one of the greatest gifts of her fertility journey. Together, she and Shreyasi discuss intuition, community, creativity, surrender, identity shifts, and how fertility struggles can ultimately open doors to new possibilities, relationships, and ways of living.This episode is a reminder that while fertility journeys are often filled with uncertainty, there can be profound growth, healing, and self-discovery along the way.In This Episode We Explore• How to recognize and trust your intuition during uncertain times• The role of creativity, movement, and passion projects during fertility struggles• Why community can become one of the greatest sources of support• Learning to surrender when life doesn't unfold according to plan• Navigating fertility decisions through self-trust rather than fear• How fertility coaching can help women uncover options and move forward with clarityKey TakeawaysYour intuition is a skill that can be strengthened: The more space you create for stillness, reflection, movement, or creativity, the easier it becomes to hear your own inner wisdom.Fertility is only one part of your life: Nurturing your passions, relationships, creativity, and personal growth can help you stay connected to who you are outside of trying to conceive.The path rarely unfolds exactly as planned: Many of life's most meaningful opportunities, relationships, and lessons emerge from unexpected detours.Community often appears in unexpected places: Being open to new friendships, support groups, mentors, and experiences can create powerful opportunities for healing and growth.Guest InformationJustine LapointeJustine Lapointe is a fertility coach who helps women navigate the emotional, practical, and strategic aspects of their fertility journeys. Drawing from both professional training and lived experience, she supports clients in exploring their options, building personalized support systems, making aligned decisions, and finding clarity during challenging seasons.Through one-to-one coaching, Justine helps women better understand available resources, navigate decision fatigue, manage the emotional impact of fertility struggles, and create fertility journeys that reflect their unique needs and values.Website: https://www.justinelapointe.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justineclapointe/How to Work With ShreyasiIf you're navigating infertility, IVF, IUI, pregnancy loss, or the emotional challenges of trying to conceive, you don't have to walk this path alone.Through fertility support programs, mindfulness-based practices, equine facilitated healing, guided meditations, retreats, and one-to-one support, Shreyasi helps women reconnect with themselves while moving through the uncertainty of their fertility journey.Connect with Shreyasi BrodheckerWebsite: https://shreyasibrodhecker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreyasi_brodheckerLearn more about fertility support programs, equine healing experiences, retreats, guided practices, and resources designed specifically for women navigating fertility challenges.Subscribe & ReviewIf this episode resonated with you, please follow The Red Thread on your favourite podcast platform, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may benefit from its message.Your support helps more women find compassionate guidance, connection, and healing throughout their fertility journey.

What if your IVF or IUI journey could become an opportunity to build a deeper, more compassionate relationship with your body even when it feels like your body has let you down?In this episode, Shreyasi explores what it means to become a sovereign ally to your body while navigating medically assisted conception. Drawing from her own experiences and what she has witnessed in IVF and IUI support groups, she reflects on the complicated relationship many women develop with their bodies during fertility treatment.From hormonal medications and medical procedures to pregnancy loss, unsuccessful cycles, unexpected diagnoses, and the uncertainty of treatment, IVF and IUI can leave women feeling disconnected from their bodies, out of control, numb, frustrated, or even betrayed.Shreyasi offers gentle, trauma-informed practices for beginning to rebuild that relationship. She explores body awareness, soothing and sensory practices, pleasure, compassionate touch, and learning to recognize your body’s signals of “yes” and “no.”This episode is an invitation to move away from seeing your body only through the lens of fertility treatment and toward becoming its ally, guardian, and compassionate partner throughout the journey.In This Episode Shreyasi Explores:· Why IVF and IUI can create feelings of disconnection or betrayal within the body· The physical and emotional toll fertility treatments can place on the body· What it means to become a sovereign ally and guardian to your body· How to check in with your body and notice what it needs throughout the day· Recognizing physical sensations connected to emotions, stress, fear, tension, and ease· Responding to your body’s needs for rest, movement, comfort, or release· Using soothing touch and sensory experiences to create feelings of comfort and safety· Why pleasure, beauty, connection, and positive physical experiences matter during fertility treatmentKey TakeawaysYour body is going through a lot: IVF and IUI can involve hormones, procedures, tests, uncertainty, physical discomfort, and emotional stress. Simply acknowledging how much you are asking of your body can be an important first step toward compassion.Checking in creates connection: Taking a few moments to notice how your body feels and then responding when possible with rest, movement, stretching, soothing, or comfort can help rebuild a sense of relationship and agency.Your body deserves experiences beyond treatment: Your physical experience does not have to become defined entirely by tests and procedures. Pleasure, comforting touch, movement, beauty, connection, and sensory experiences can help create a wider range of experiences within your body.Your body has its own language: Tension, constriction, bracing, or pulling away may signal a “no,” while openness, expansion, excitement, or ease may feel more like a “yes.” Learning to recognize these signals can strengthen your connection with your body and intuition.Start slowly: Trauma-informed body connection is about pacing. Begin by noticing your body’s signals during safe, everyday experiences rather than trying to develop these skills for the first time during a stressful fertility procedure.Resources· IVF and IUI fertility support groups· Trauma-informed fertility support· Mindful self-compassion practices· Sensory soothing and grounding practices· Somatic and body-awareness practices· Mental health support during fertility treatmentWork With ShreyasiIf you're navigating infertility, IVF, IUI, pregnancy loss, or the emotional complexity of a fertility journey, you don't have to walk this path alone.Through fertility support programs, mindfulness-based practices, equine-facilitated healing experiences, retreats, and one-to-one support, Shreyasi helps women stay connected to themselves while moving through the uncertainty of trying to conceive.Connect with Shreyasi BrodheckerWebsite: https://shreyasibrodhecker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreyasi_brodhecker

What if one of the most powerful forms of support on your IVF or IUI journey isn’t another appointment or piece of advice but simply being in a space with women who truly understand?In this episode, Shreyasi explores the profound healing potential of women’s circles and fertility support groups. Drawing from her experience facilitating IVF and IUI support groups, she shares why gathering with other women navigating medically assisted conception can create a sense of safety, belonging, connection, and understanding that can be difficult to find elsewhere.Shreyasi reflects on the isolation that can accompany fertility treatment, even when you have supportive partners, family, friends, medical professionals, and holistic practitioners around you. She explores the power of having your story witnessed, hearing experiences that resonate with your own, and being in a space where fertility terminology, treatments, fears, losses, and hopes don’t need to be explained.She also discusses the importance of choosing support spaces carefully, practicing emotional and energetic boundaries, and finding groups that reflect your particular fertility journey whenever possible.This episode is a reminder that while every fertility story is unique, you don’t have to navigate yours alone and that sisterhood, community, and being truly seen can become an important part of healing along the way.In This Episode Shreyasi Explores:· Why IVF and IUI can feel deeply isolating, even when you have support· The unique power of being surrounded by women who understand medically assisted conception· How sharing and witnessing fertility stories can create connection and belonging· Why feeling seen and understood can help bring safety and wholeness to the fertility journey· The importance of creating emotionally and energetically safe women’s circles· How to practice discernment when choosing a fertility support group· Why customized groups can be especially valuable for different fertility experiences and family-building paths· How to maintain emotional boundaries when hearing difficult stories from other women· Why you are not responsible for rescuing, fixing, or taking care of everyone else in the group· Making space for both grief and celebration as women move through different stages of fertility treatment· How women’s circles can help heal “sister wounds” and rebuild trust in relationships with other women· Why community and sisterhood can continue beyond IVF or IUI into pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhoodResources· IVF and IUI fertility support groups· Women’s circles and fertility community spaces· Single mothers by choice support groups· Couples fertility support groups· Emotional support during medically assisted conception· Fertility-focused mental health and holistic supportWork With ShreyasiIf you're navigating infertility, IVF, IUI, pregnancy loss, or the emotional complexity of a fertility journey, you don't have to walk this path alone.Through fertility support programs, mindfulness-based practices, equine-facilitated healing experiences, retreats, and one-to-one support, Shreyasi helps women stay connected to themselves while moving through the uncertainty of trying to conceive.Connect with Shreyasi BrodheckerWebsite: https://shreyasibrodhecker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreyasi_brodhecker