Travel & Transformation

Scared to book your first solo trip? I'm solving the exact fears holding you back — feeling out of place, dining alone, staying safe — with everything I've learned from years of traveling on my own.Most of my travel has been solo. Not because I prefer it, but because when I had the time and money, my friends usually didn't. So I stopped waiting on other people. In this solo episode, I'm breaking down exactly how I do it, from choosing your travel style to handling the moment strangers sit down at your table.If you're ready for your first solo trip, DM me. I'd love to walk you through it, from planning to landing home. TOPICS DISCUSSED:The three ways I travel solo: fully independent, guided trips with a private driver, and small group tours with strangersWhy grocery stores are my favorite way to understand a new culture (and how I scored cheaper argan oil in Morocco)Getting past the "am I out of place?" fear — and why nobody's actually watching youMy dining-alone trick that always works: bring a bookHow I check travel safety before I go: STEP (U.S.) and ROCA (Canada) advisory programsPassport and visa checks every traveler needs before bookingWhy solo travel builds self-trust, confidence, and total freedom over your scheduleBEST MOMENTS:"Every single time I have been lost in another country, I have gotten just the most amazing people to give me directions.""All that awkwardness is all you and is in your head.""It's the ultimate self care. It's your personal power to just do it and build that muscle."Connect with SophiaWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

You're having sex to keep him. You're having sex because you feel obligated. You're having sex because your body said yes even though your nervous system screamed no.And you still don't know what you actually want.In this episode, I'm talking with Jasmine C. Perry, author of "40 Sex Lessons from Me to You" and the woman who spent two years in tantra training after her 12-year relationship ended because neither of them could talk about desire. Jasmine isn't here to teach you techniques or performance. She's here to teach you discernment. About your body. About who deserves access to you. And about the difference between sex that uses you and sex that heals you.We dive into surrender, oxytocin attachment patterns, and why your nervous system is a better guide than your longing. If you've ever wondered why you keep choosing the same pattern, felt guilty for wanting pleasure, or realized you don't actually know what your body needs—this one's for you.Resources Mentioned:40 Sex Lessons From Me To You by Jasmine C PerryWhere to BuyAmazonTOPICS DISCUSSED:Why we use sex as a tool for love instead of a tool for pleasureHow tantra taught her what real surrender actually meansThe oxytocin effect: what happens to your brain after sex with someone you don't fully trustSexual desire as a map to your boundaries and your worthMoving through the sexual landscape as a healer instead of just a participantKnowing your "why" before you moveHow your nervous system already knows when you're doing it for the wrong reasonsBuilding transcendent sex through trust, not performanceThe difference between transactional sex that works and transactional sex that ruins youWhat she learned reaching out to former partners about her own sexualityConnect with Jasmine on:Dreams Only: Wine & Vibes LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/jasminecperryInstagram | www.instagram.com/jasminethalegendBEST MOMENTS:"The best sex of your life doesn't always come from techniques, stamina, or the Kamasutra. It comes from the beautiful state of surrender. The kind where your mind goes quiet and your body finally says, yes, I can trust this.""When you're having sex from that place, you almost don't feel comfortable completely letting go because you didn't know if I showed this person my full self, are they just gonna leave me?""Is this person worth it? Do I want to be under this man's spell?""There's a way where you move through the sexual landscape as a healer. Like if you're going to have a sexual experience with me, I want this to be a positive experience and I want this to heal you in some way."Connect with SophiaWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

What do you want?Most women can't answer this question. And it costs them everything.I sent an email asking my community one simple thing: what do you want? From life. From your future. Who is your future self? Not everyone answered. And that silence told me everything.In this solo episode, I'm exploring why women struggle to voice what they want, and why that matters especially if you're single, child-free, or over 40. We dive into the expectations society placed on you before you had a say. The shame that shows up when your life doesn't match the plan. The weight of legacy when no one taught you to think about it. And what happens when you finally stop doing and start being.If you've ever wondered what you actually want underneath all the roles you play, felt guilt for wanting something different, or sensed that someone needs to ask you what YOU want — this one's for you.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Why asking women what they want reveals what's been withheldProfessional vs. high-achieving: why labels matter and who they're really excludingChild-free and childless women over 40 — the group nobody's really talking toShame and guilt when your life doesn't match the prescribed pathThe legacy question: what are you leaving when you have no childrenWhat to do with everything you carry alone as a single income householdThe journaling practice that changes everything: What I want is…How talking to your future self unlocks what you already knowFrom doing to being: the pause that resets your entire lifeBEST MOMENTS:"Knowing yourself and knowing what you want, you can stand unshakable. You can be unapologetically you. You can be unstoppable.""Future self is here, right? She's living the life that we want, so she knows what you want.""Not create the life somebody else wanted for us, but to create life our way."YOUR JOURNAL PROMPT:What I want is…Then start listing. Big things. Little things. Let them be huge. When you're finished, close it. Come back to it later. Read all the things. That's where your real life begins.Connect with SophiaWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

You're doing what worked in your 30s. Nothing's changing. Your metabolism slowed. Your body's storing fat differently. And nobody warned you this was coming.In this episode, I talk with Dominika Asare, founder of Dominion Fitness and women's health expert, about why traditional weight loss advice fails women over 40 and what actually works when your hormones shift.With a background in biology and pharmacology, Dominika spent years watching women prescribed medication for conditions that could be managed with better nutrition and movement. She left pharma to build something different: a practice and app designed specifically for the hormonal reality of perimenopause and postmenopause.We break down why your metabolism isn't broken, why cortisol matters more than you think, and the small daily shifts that actually move the needle when you're in this phase of life.If you've felt anxious for the first time ever, walked into a room and completely forgot why, or watched your body change no matter what you do—this one's for you.DM Cortisol on Instagram to receive their free copy of our Cortisol Guide.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Why the pill affects so much more than just pregnancy preventionBrain fog and weight gain: the most common symptoms Dominika seesHow hormonal changes slow your metabolism and change where you store fatThe two big rocks: building muscle and reducing cortisolWhy strength training alone won't build muscle without the right nutritionProtein strategies for non-meat eaters and plant-based womenNatural vs. hormonal creams for vaginal dryness in menopauseThe cortisol guide and app beta testing (launching July)Why your body's stress response is different nowDaily cortisol reduction: eating breakfast within 30 minutes of wakingThe importance of eating regularly and getting 6+ hours of sleepEvening wind-down routines and why "the clapper" approach actually worksWhy existing weight loss apps don't account for perimenopauseConnect with on Dominika:Instagram | www.instagram.com/dominika.asareDominion Fitness | DM Cortisol on Instagram to receive their free copy of our Cortisol Guide.Luna App Beta Test – Menopausal Health dominionfitness.co.uk/luna-beta-surveyBEST MOMENTS:"The biggest thing that changes is metabolism because we lose muscle mass. The biggest thing we do is working to optimize their metabolism and reduce their cortisol.""Your metabolism is faster the more muscle mass you carry around your frame. You burn more calories at rest.""It's about increasing your protein levels within what you're currently eating and how you already eat, because that's the only way to make it stick.""If you're someone running on no breakfast and start eating at 12, you've got cortisol running free for the first part of the day.""Have breakfast within the first 30 minutes after you wake up. It doesn't have to be a full English breakfast. You can just have a banana."Connect with SophiaWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Kidney disease. Failed transplant. Twenty years as an end-stage renal patient while pursuing her medical career. Dr. Kathryn Tapper, is a Wellness Leadership Speaker and Coach and survived what was supposed to break her. And in the process, she learned that healing and leadership aren't about doing more, they're about becoming different from within.We dive into identity, language, and why the words you use to describe yourself either empower you or lock you in a box. We talk about nervous system regulation, why desire feels dangerous, and how high-achieving women unconsciously give away their power. If you've been grinding and achieving while feeling increasingly empty, this one's for you.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Why identifying as your diagnosis quietly locks you into a smaller lifeThe power of language: Why saying "I'm anxious" vs. "I feel anxious right now" changes everythingHow high-achieving women unconsciously give their power away and don't even realize itThe nervous system regulation secret no productivity guru will tell you aboutWhy desire feels dangerous and the generations of feminine conditioning behind itThe difference between control and surrender, and why surrendering is an act of strengthHow coaches and mentors hold you differently than friends ever canStepping into your future identity through small, aligned choicesThe grain of sand metaphor: How remembering you're part of something bigger changes everythingConnect with onLinkedIn | Dr. Kathryn TapperInstagram | @drkktapEmail | info@drkktap.comFree Guide Coming Soon | The 5-Minute Stress Reset (check email or socials for link)BEST MOMENTS:"We operate from the identity and the beliefs that we have about ourselves. I'm experiencing chronic kidney disease, not a chronic kidney disease patient. Because the first separates who I truly am from the disease.""Just because you can doesn't mean you should. What is it costing us? Our peace? Our presence? Our health?""There's a lesson in everything. There's a message in the message."Connect with SophiaWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Living a full life on the outside while feeling absolutely nothing on the inside isn't strength. It's survival. And there's a difference.Rachelle Luv Raku knew that difference intimately. Successful podiatrist. Mother of five. Holding everything together. And feeling none of it. Her wake-up call wasn't a breakdown, it was scrolling through her own photos and having zero memory of the joy she was looking at.In this episode, I talk with Rachelle about what it really takes to stop surviving and start actually living. We get into the nervous system, desire, pleasure, and why safety isn't something you find out there. It's something you build within.If you've ever numbed out just to keep going, felt guilty for wanting more, or wondered who you even are underneath all the roles you play — this one is for you.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Why numbing out the pain also means numbing out the joyThe shift that changes everything: you're not broken, you just don't have the skill yetWhy desire feels dangerous and the generations of conditioning behind thatHow to find safety within yourself instead of searching for it externallyWhy getting what you want can feel just as threatening as losing itChoregasms — how to bring pleasure and presence into everyday life, not just the big momentsConnect with Rachelle onInstagram | www.instagram.com/rachelleluvrakuFacebook | www.facebook.com/rachelle.luv.rakuWant to learn more about Rachelle’s work? Visit her website HEREBEST MOMENTS:"Once you find safety within yourself, everything shifts. Because you know that no matter what situation you get into, you're going to know what to do.""Go today and spend a whole day flirting with your damn self."Connect with SophiaWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

If your job disappeared tomorrow, would you know who you are without it? Work should not be your whole identity.In this episode of the Travel and Transformation podcast, I talk with Dawn M. Hunter — JD, MPH, workplace culture strategist, and host of the Work Is Third podcast. Dawn spent 20+ years as a public health lawyer in public service before leaving a toxic work environment and building her own consulting practice. We get into values alignment, leaving toxic workplaces, rediscovering who you are outside of your job, and why the small celebrations you're skipping are the ones that change everything.If you've ever tied your entire identity to your job, or stayed somewhere that no longer aligned with your values because leaving felt too risky — this conversation is for you.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Why work becoming your identity is a public health problemHow to figure out what you actually want Values alignment: how to know when your job — and your life — are out of syncWhat ethical leadership looks like when your company's culture doesn't match yoursWhy leaving a toxic job is good for your mental and physical healthThe small celebrations that compound into a completely different lifeConnect with Dawn onLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-m-hunterInstagram | www.instagram.com/the_dawn_hunterTikTok | www.tiktok.com/@the_dawn_hunterFacebook | www.facebook.com/workisthirdYouTube | www.youtube.com/@the_dawn_hunterPodcast | Work Is Third — available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTubeWant to learn more about Dawn’s work? Visit her website at www.dawnmhunter.comBEST MOMENTS:"Family, friends, work. Either way — work is third.""The longer you stay somewhere that isn't aligned with your values, what you're saying is that job is more important than your values.""I've survived 100% of my worst days. I'm still here. I'm still kicking."Connect with SophiaWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

What if the life you were supposed to build was never the one you actually wanted?In this episode of the Travel and Transformation podcast, I talk with Laura Ericson, group travel curator, content creator, and founder of a company built from nothing after divorce became the unexpected doorway to a completely different life.Laura didn't ease into this. She walked out of a 14-year career in higher education on a Friday and was her own boss by Monday with no email list, no website, no clients. What she built from that point, leading over 350 solo travelers across eight countries, came down to one thing: she didn't stop.If you've ever wondered whether the leap is worth it, felt the gap between the life you're living and the one you're curious about, or wanted to travel somewhere "scary" but talked yourself out of it this conversation is for you.TOPICS DISCUSSED:What nobody tells you before you quit your job to start a businessHow Laura got her first clientsWhy unknown doesn't mean dangerous and the real reason we fear certain destinationsWhat it takes to build a following when you hate being on cameraHow she curates trips that make travelers feel like insiders, not outsidersThe truth about "ethical" animal tourism Connect with Laura onInstagram | www.instagram.com/lolawhiskeyFacebook | www.facebook.com/thelauraericsonTikTok | www.tiktok.com/@thelauraericsonLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/thelauraericsonWant to learn more about Laura’s work? Visit her website at www.lauraericson.comBEST MOMENTS:"The only reason I succeeded is because I didn't stop.""Unknown doesn't mean dangerous. Just because you're not familiar with a place doesn't automatically make it dangerous.""You reap what you sow in travel, in all of the ways. There's so much more good out there than there is bad."Connect with SophiaWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock