The Cyclical Doula Podcast
The Cyclical Doula Podcast is a space for honest conversations about cycles, body literacy, motherhood, and what it actually looks like to live in relationship with your body.
I’m Emma — Your Cyclical Doula. I’m a certified SymptoPro Instructor, fertility awareness educator, miscarriage doula, and mom of two. I teach women how to chart their fertility signs, understand their cycles, and rebuild trust with their bodies — and this podcast is where those teachings meet real life.
Some episodes are personal reflections on hormones, cycle shifts, charting practices, and the messy, tender realities of womanhood. But this podcast is also deeply rooted in conversation.
You’ll hear interviews with doulas, educators, clinicians, wellness practitioners, and women with lived experience — people working across fertility, birth, hormones, nervous system regulation, mental health, and motherhood. Together, we explore what’s working, what needs to change, and what women deserve to know about their bodies and their care.
These conversations are grounded and human, thoughtful dialogue about cycles, embodiment, informed choice, and learning to listen to what the body is communicating.
Whether you’re postpartum, trying to make sense of your chart, navigating hormonal changes, or simply tired of being told your body is too much, this space is for you.
Your body isn’t broken — it’s cyclical, communicative, and worthy of care.
Let’s talk about it together.
36. Learning to Breathe Again: Sobriety, Survival & Humor with Sarah Marie Shoulak
In this deeply honest and unexpectedly light conversation, I sit down with Sarah Shoulak—speaker, artist, and author of the memoir Dead Serious: How Death Made Me Laugh at Life. Sarah shares her story of choosing sobriety at 27, navigating toxic environments, and learning how to feel again after years of numbing.
35. The Rebellion That Changed Her Life: Kourtney Rider on Cycles, Fertility & Finding Answers
In this episode, I sit down with reproductive health educator and fertility awareness teacher Kourtney Rider for a deeply honest conversation about what happens when you finally start listening to your body.
Kourtney shares her journey through anovulatory PCOS, infertility, birth control use, and the long process of learning what was actually happening inside her cycle. What unfolds is a story about unlearning, rebuilding trust in the body, and stepping into fertility awareness education from lived experience.
34. Listening Before the Body Screams: Nervous System Healing with Nicole Sawyer
In today's fast-paced world, many women find themselves grappling with persistent physical symptoms that seem to have no clear cause. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by neck pain, tension headaches, or emotional stress, you're not alone. In this post, we explore the journey of healing through a holistic lens, drawing insights from Nicole, an occupational therapist and health mentor. You'll learn about the mind-body connection and practical steps to achieve wellness.
33. Listening When the Body Whispers: Fertility, Massage & Hormones with Justine Robinson
The conversation with Justine covers the topics of body literacy, reproductive choices, fertility challenges, miscarriage experiences, massage therapy for fertility support, and supporting women during pregnancy and postpartum. The conversation covers a holistic approach to women's health, including advocacy for informed decision-making, seeking alternative healthcare providers, and open conversations and support groups for women's health. It also addresses challenges in seeking healthcare, empowerment, and advocacy for menstrual health, as well as awareness and advocacy for menstrual health in young women.
32. Embracing Integrative Medicine: A Holistic Approach to Chronic Illness and Menopause with Penni Vachon
In today's fast-paced world, the intersection of traditional medicine and holistic practices is more important than ever. Dr. Penni, an integrative nurse practitioner and trauma-informed hypnotherapist, shares her journey and insights on navigating chronic illnesses and the often-misunderstood transition into menopause. Through her unique approach, she emphasizes the importance of treating the whole person rather than just isolated symptoms.
31. From Symptoms to Signals: Women’s Hormone Health with Athena Newell
Women’s health is a complex field that often leaves many feeling confused and unheard. In a recent podcast episode, family nurse practitioner Athena Newell sheds light on the importance of a functional medicine approach, which emphasizes understanding the root causes of symptoms rather than merely treating them. This comprehensive guide draws from Athena's insights to explore common issues women face at different life stages and how a holistic approach can facilitate healing and empowerment.
30. Trusting The Body to Heal: Biomagnetism & Hormone Support with Kim Foss
Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the things to support your health…the supplements, the protocols, the research, the lifestyle changes…and still feel like something is off?
This week on The Cyclical Doula Podcast, I sat down with Kim Foss of Magnetic Wellness to talk about a fascinating healing modality called biomagnetism.
29. Talk About Your Period: Dismantling Menstrual Stigma with Karen Klein
This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Karen Klein (Talk About Your Period) about why storytelling is the fastest way to shift culture: when someone speaks without shame, it gives other people permission to do the same.
22. A Brighter Birth: Building Community & Confidence with Natalie Karasiewicz
In a world where childbirth can often feel overwhelming, birth workers like Natalie provide invaluable support and guidance for families navigating the journey of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. This blog post delves into a recent podcast conversation with Natalie, a professional birth doula and childbirth educator, who shares her insights on maternal care and the importance of community support in Charleston.
20. The Body Remembers: Trauma, Cyclical Healing, and Decolonizing the Stories We Carry with Danniel Worthen Cullumber
In this episode, Emma sits down with trauma therapist, doctoral researcher, and holistic practitioner Danniel Worthen Cullumber, MSW, LCSW, founder of Willow Medela Wellness. Together, they explore how trauma, chronic stress, and cultural conditioning shape the way women understand and inhabit their bodies—and how healing often begins with rebuilding a relationship with our own internal rhythms.