The Open Exploration Podcast
Lily Werthan
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Lily connects with rule-breakers, dream-makers, and all around inspiring people to explore possibilities for living a vibrant and honest life on her own terms.
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1 day ago
The Regenerator: Eric Rooney of Half Moon Farm and Regeneration Earth
Lily talks with Eric Rooney about how he transitioned from his days of briefcase carrying and corporate living in San Francisco to...well…what he does today. Which is a little tough to pin down really - he’s a farmer and a florist and a landscaper, but he also works in death and dying, in service to the elderly and terminally ill, in grief support, in advocacy and education regarding greener options after death, and in advocacy for Medical Aid in Dying.
Eric's non-profit organization, Regeneration Earth, will launch at the end of this month (February 2023). Check it out at https://www.regenerationearth.org/
Learn more about Half Moon Farm at https://www.halfmoonfarm.co/
"We're all just walking each other home." ~ Ram Dass
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Jan 24, 2023
The Writer: Heather Mateus Sappenfield
Lily talks with author Heather Mateus Sappenfield about how she followed her life-long dream to be a professional writer.
Heather shares about the inspiration for her characters, how she has dug deep in herself to learn how to stay in a scene beyond the point when it is tidy and comfortable, and the ways that her pursuits as an adventure athlete, including her experience cycling across america with a relay team, have prepared her for the challenges of this career. She also urges us to recognize what we really want and need and believe versus our social conditioning.
Heather is the author of The River Between Hearts, Lyrics for Rockstars, Life at the Speed of Us, and The View from Who I Was, as well as numerous articles in publications such as Writer’s Chronicle, Writer’s Digest, and other writing journals and outdoor magazines
Find out more about Heather's Work at https://heathermateussappenfield.com/Support the show
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Jan 10, 2023
The Good Judy: CC Haug of Good Judy Garage
Lily talks with CC Haug about her journey to founding Good Judy Garage, a mechanic shop that promises excellent service and a safe space to customers.
CC is a mechanical engineer and master mechanic with over 25 years of experience. She feared that coming out as trans would threaten her livelihood and her place in the industry, so she built the kind of workplace and the kind of business she wished existed.
Fundraiser for Club Q Victims organized by Good Judy and Faith HaugSupport the show
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Dec 13, 2022
The Tattooer: Cat James of Old Sol New Tricks (Part 2)
Lily continues her conversation with Cat James about the many twists and turns, adventures, and surprises that have marked her path towards becoming a tattoo artist. Cat shares about a sudden moment of clarity that led her to painful realizations and challenging conversations, but also to an honest and life-affirming path forward.
You can see Cat's work at www.oldsolnewtricks.com or on social media @oldsolnewtricks. Support the show
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Nov 29, 2022
The Tattooer: Cat James of Old Sol New Tricks (Part 1)
Lily talks with Cat James about the origins of her career as a tattoo artist and her upcoming event (artisan market meets party meets concert), the Old Sol Fiesta on December 3rd in Denver, CO.
To find out more about Cat's work and for Old Sol Fiesta, visit www.oldsolnewtricks.com or follow her on social media @oldsolnewtricks.
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Nov 15, 2022
La Sanita: Carolyn Taylor-Harris of Sanita Soul Wellness
Lily talks with lifestyle and nutrition coach, activist, community builder, and all around delightful human, Carolyn Taylor-Harris about her path the wellness and the teaching she has to offer.
To find out more about Carolyn's work, visit www.sanitasoulwellness.com or follow on Social Media @sanitasoul
Mentioned in this conversation, weight loss, healing, wellness, Abraham Hicks, Adrienne Maree Brown and her book Pleasure Activism, Morgan Harper Nichols, Human Design
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May 17, 2022
The Leadership Coach: Carissa Karban
Lily talks with Leadership Coach, Carissa Karban, about how the ruptures and shifts in her life allowed her to break out of a path of checking boxes.
Carissa leads Lily in a coaching session to dig into the layers of mindsets and beliefs that are holding her back and to energize the path forward.
https://www.carissakarban.com/Support the show
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May 3, 2022
The Van Builder: TJ Rivers of Venturhaus
Lily connects with TJ Rivers, founder and owner of Venturhaus, a design studio focused on off-grid and mobile living.
Their conversation spans climbing, van life, gender, sexual orientation, relationship structures, communal living, skateboarding, learning differences, the narrow measures of the public school system, overcoming major obstacles and setbacks, entrepreneurship, and paving our own way.
Find out more about TJ's work at https://venturhaus.comSupport the show
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Apr 19, 2022
The Phoenix: Kelly Ryan, Co-Author of Warrior Sisters
Lily connects with Author and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Kelly Ryan about her path to healing from trauma and addiction and how she and her sister came to write a memoir together.
https://kellyandkaren.com/Support the show
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Apr 5, 2022
The Death Doula: Eleonora Cross
Lily talks with Death Doula, Eleonora Cross, about her path to becoming a Death Doula, what this role is, and the communities she aims to serve. Eleonora discusses her identity as a queer, polyamorous person and a pagan, and what these parts of her identity bring to her life.
Find out more about Eleonora's work at https://www.thelittledeathwitch.com/ Support the show
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Mar 22, 2022
The Counselor and the Farmer: Autumn Setzler and Isaac Manobla
Lily connects with Autumn and Ike in their home in Del Norte, Colorado. Autumn is in graduate school to be a counselor and shares about how she decided to take this path and what it means to her, AND how she balances her work and studies with adventure and creativity. Ike manages a small organic farm in the Foothills of the San Luis Valley with his two partners, does landscaping work, and helps to put on tons of community events like the local farmers market, an annual music festival, harvest festival and bike race.
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Mar 8, 2022
The Intuitive: Wendy Berger
Lily talks with her dear Aunt, Wendy Berger, about the winding path that led Wendy to her career as a therapist.
Wendy shares about the deep pain she experienced in her adolescence, her time spent in a cult and how she got out and began to make sense of that season of her life, and how she began to recognize her profound intuition and build a career around that gift.
This conversation centers on our spiritual relationship to our lives and the events that impact us.* *Lily takes the opportunity to dig into some of the big questions and ideas that have been on her mind and seeks Wendy's guidance.
Link the full poem, Famous by Naomi Shihab Nye, which Lily shares a segment of in the episode intro: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47993/famous
A few clarifications:
Allan Werthan is Wendy's brother/Lily's dad (and, of course, the star of S1Ep1 of the Open Exploration Podcast!)
Allen Berger is Wendy's husband/Lily's uncle.
Lily's mom, Vanessa, died in 2019 after a 10 year battle w…
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Feb 22, 2022
The Non-Traditionalist: Principal Scott Bain of the Jefferson County Open School
Lily talks with Principal Scott Bain of the Jefferson County Open School about their non-traditional approach to education that centers student-led learning and education through travel, adventure, and the pursuit of big goals.
Scott also shares about the path that led him from discontentment as a student, to years spent working as a river guide and ski instructor, to becoming an educator himself and finding a home and a sense of purpose in non-traditional education.
To learn more about the Jefferson County Open School, check out https://jcos.jeffcopublicschools.org/
Another great resource is the book Lives of Passion, School of Hope: How One Public School Ignites a Lifelong Love of Learning by Rick Posner, which explores the Open School model and the lives of JCOS alumni.
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Feb 8, 2022
The Acrobat: Bethel Lindsley of Circus Foundry
Lily talks with acrobat and performer Bethel Lindsley about her experiences in the circus community around the world and her choice to set down roots and create Circus Foundry with her partner, Anthony.
Bethel shares about her childhood trauma and how she began to recognize and heal its long-term impacts in her life. With Circus Foundry, she now tells stories of humanity, healing, and compassion through contemporary circus, and coaches circus students at Apex Denver. Aside from an immense workload, Bethel's life as a founder/owner/performer/coach/entrepreneur is characterized by bone-deep passion, intentional community , and purpose.
Find out more at https://www.circusfoundry.com/ Support the show
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Jan 25, 2022
The Harm-Reducer: Sophie Feffer
Lily talks with her dear friend, Sophie Feffer (better known as Feff), about her decision to leave a job that was crushing her in search of greener pastures. From her experience in harm reduction and safe needle-exchange, Feff offers insight into the drug problem in the United States and the impacts of policy on real people, and shares about the heartbreak of becoming disillusioned and burned out from working in a system ill-equipped to support professionals like herself or the communities they aim to serve.
Check out these resources mentioned in the conversation:
Book: Drug Use for Grownups by Dr. Carl L Hart
Naloxone access and information in Colorado: http://stoptheclockcolorado.org/
Resources for people who use drugs and/or uninsured beyond Colorado: https://nextdistro.org/naloxone
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Jan 11, 2022
The Rabbi: Jamie Arnold
Lily talks with Rabbi Jamie Arnold about how he found his path, why he built his life around spirituality and Judaism, and his profound experiences of mysticism and connection. Support the show
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Dec 27, 2021
The Brewer: Kelissa Hieber of Goldspot Brewing
Lily talks with Kelissa Hieber, owner and head brewer of Goldspot Brewing in Denver, Co, about how she has connected her love of craft brewing with her passion for social justice and community. Kelissa shares about the dangerous and intense parts of the brewing process, her experience as a queer female in a male dominated industry, and how she is using her position to change the industry and give back.
Find out more about new brews and events at www.goldspotbrewing.comSupport the show
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Dec 14, 2021
The Actor: Jacob Gibson
L*ily talks with Actor and Musician Jacob Gibson about his choice to live a creative life, the opportunity to transform our fear into energy towards our goals, and the insights that come from art. *Support the show
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Nov 30, 2021
The Chaplain: Mary Greenwood
*Lily talks with Mary Greenwood, a Chaplain who has supported hundreds of families through death and grief. Mary shares about her initial urge to resist the call towards this work, her constantly-expanding sense of spirituality, and how awe can be a guide. *
*See Mary's work at www.shanti-spiritual.com*
*Books mentioned in the episode: **Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, **Dan Harris; **Meditation for the Love of It, **Sally Kempton*Support the show
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Nov 16, 2021
The Craftsman: Ben Anderson of Icelantic Skis
Lily talks with Ben Anderson, founder and CEO of Icelantic Skis. Ben shares about how, as a young college drop-out, he had the confidence, knowledge, and novelty to break into an industry dominated by huge players. Support the show
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Nov 9, 2021
The Lifesaver: Heather Aberg of Resilience1220
Lily talks with Heather Aberg, former pro-skier turned Hospice Grief Counselor, and now Executive Director of Resilience 1220, an organization for youth suicide prevention. Heather offers guidance on how and why to lead a life of service.
https://www.resilience1220.org/
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Nov 2, 2021
The Yogi: Allan Werthan
Lily talks with her dad, Allan Werthan, about the habits and values that guide his life, the importance of grieving honestly in the face of immense loss, and how yoga has saved him. Support the show
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Oct 21, 2021
Season 1 Teaser
Clips from a few of our episodes! Support the show
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Oct 6, 2021
Introducing The Open Exploration Podcast Season 1
This is a podcast for all of us who wonder what our lives can be if we're honest about what matters and courageous enough to take the leap.
It is a podcast about seeking wisdom from the people we cherish, and deciding for ourselves what our lives can be. Support the show
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