HEAL with Kelly

Have you ever felt terrified of change… not just because life is shifting, but because you feel like you’re shifting with it? I know that feeling well — and this week’s conversation opened my heart and mind in such a profound way. In this week’s episode of HEAL with Kelly, I sit down with Dr. Maya Shankar, a renowned cognitive scientist whose work sits at the intersection of identity, behavior, and human transformation. Maya is the Senior Director of Behavioral Economics at Google, the creator and host of the award-winning podcast A Slight Change of Plans, and the former Senior Policy Advisor in the Obama White House. She founded and chaired the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team and later became the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations. Maya’s new book, The Other Side of Change, is a stunning blend of research and storytelling. In our conversation, we explore why change can feel so destabilizing, how our brains are wired to resist uncertainty, and what happens when the identities we’ve clung to suddenly fall away. Maya shares vulnerably about losing the violin career she spent her childhood building, and later, facing the grief and identity questions that came with unexpected challenges around motherhood. We also dive into some of the most fascinating ideas from her work — like why we mistakenly believe we’re “done changing,” how awe and moral beauty can completely redirect our lives, and a simple 5-minute practice that can ground us when we feel unmoored. We talk about the stories we inherit, the ones we outgrow, and the courage it takes to imagine ourselves beyond old definitions.  In a world where CHANGE is the only constant, Maya's work is a lighthouse.  This conversation is honest, expansive, and full of insight. If you’re navigating transition, grieving a path that didn’t unfold, questioning your identity, or simply curious about who you’re becoming… this episode is for you. Key Moments You'll Love ✨: 🎻 [1:56] Maya's Origin Story 🔒 [15:13] Locked-In Syndrome: Olivia's Journey to Self-Acceptance 🧠 [24:39] Why We Mispredict Our Future Selves 😱 [29:15] Self-Blame, Shame & The Power of Human Connection ✨ [42:51] Awe & Moral Elevation: How Witnessing Others Changes Us 💔 [46:00] Self-Affirmation Exercise: Finding Wholeness After Loss 🌊 [48:50] Letting Go of Motherhood: Maya's Unexpected Freedom 🔄 [56:04] Attachment Styles Are Malleable: Tara's Transformation 🌙 [1:02:02] The 3AM Rumination Spiral & Breaking Free 🎁 [1:02:31] Light-Lift Tools for Your Mental Change Survival Kit LINKS Dr. Maya Shankar Website: https://mayashankar.com/ Dr. Maya Shankar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar/ The Other Side of Change: Who We Become When Life Makes Other Plans on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4pPTbjJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever wondered why certain moments bring you to your knees before lifting you higher than you ever imagined, this conversation is one you won’t forget. Today, I sit down with my dear friend Rhonda Byrne, creator of The Secret, whose work has reshaped how millions of us understand our thoughts, emotions, and power to create. Rhonda’s work changed my life in the most profound ways, and I love welcoming her back for a refresher, especially as we kick off a new year and get ready to step into the abundant energy of the Fire Horse in February. In this episode, we discuss her brand-new book, Countdown to Riches, where Rhonda reveals the wealth practices that transformed her relationship with money. She shares the exact tools she relied on during periods of intense financial pressure — practices that helped her move from scarcity and survival into trust, flow, and unfathomable abundance. Throughout the episode, Rhonda opens up about the techniques that carried her through profound emotional challenges, including depression. She explains how she created a game that turned outgoing expenses into “incoming money,” and the miracles that followed. We also discuss how welcoming intense and all-consuming emotions can dissolve them, and why gratitude is one of the fastest ways to lift your frequency and change your life. This episode is filled with heart, humility, honesty, and practical magic. Rhonda brings clarity to concepts we’ve all heard but may not yet fully believe and embody — and reminds us who we truly are beneath fear, conditioning, and resistance. Key Moments You'll Love ✨: 💰 [0:00] Why Countdown to Riches & The Story Behind It 🎁 [8:02] The Boomerang Effect: Visualizing Giving Money Away 💸 [18:30] Turning Outgoing Money Into Incoming Money 🙏 [27:33] The Billionaire's Daily Gratitude Practice on Shower Steam ✨ [32:41] Gratitude: The Signature of Something Already Done 👶 [39:32] How Three Investors All Dropped Out The Same Day 🛤️ [41:07] The $2 Million Crisis That Led to The Secret 📍 [49:28] Focus on the Outcome, Not the How 😊 [55:25] Welcoming Depression: The Power of Non-Resistance 💝 [55:31] Who You Really Are: Love, Joy & Gratitude LINKS Rhonda Byrne’s Website: https://www.thesecret.tv/ Rhonda Byrne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesecret365/ Countdown to Riches: 21 Days of Wealth-Attracting Habits book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4abfU5x The Secret book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4q2fOld The Magic book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YoBLz4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever felt that your heart knows more than your mind, that quiet intuitive wisdom that guides you when logic can’t? In this week’s episode of HEAL with Kelly, I sit down with the incredible Estelle Bingham, a fourth-generation psychic, holistic healer, spiritual teacher, and author of Manifest Your True Essence, for a conversation that goes straight to the soul. Known as The Heart Whisperer, Estelle shares the deeper truth about the three hearts — the physical, emotional, and spiritual — and how reconnecting with them can unlock our innate power to heal. We talk about the courage it takes to truly feel, the shadow work that helps us meet the parts of ourselves we’ve long avoided, and why our next evolution as humans is a revolution of the heart. We explore everything from somatic healing and reparenting the inner child, to shame, grief, the Divine Feminine, and even AI, and how in the face of so much change, it’s our connection to love and source energy that keeps us grounded and whole. If you’ve ever wondered how to live more from your heart with discernment, compassion, and courage, this conversation will remind you that everything you need is already within. Key Moments You'll Love ✨: ❤️ [0:00] Manifesting from the Heart vs. The Mind 💫 [3:44] The Three Hearts: Physical, Emotional & Mystical 🧠 [10:11] The Heart Has Its Own Mind: Neurocardiology ✨ [14:21] How Estelle Manifested Her BBC & Publishing Dreams 😢 [19:58] The Heart Override: When Defenses Finally Soften 🌑 [25:26] Humanity's Next Revolution is the Heart 😱 [35:18] Meeting Your Shame Wound in the Cave 🏠 [39:34] The Guest House: Rumi's Poem on Welcoming All Emotions 🌊 [46:46] The Tsunami of Self: Why We Fear Our Emotions 🤖 [55:48] AI vs. Divine Intelligence: The Heart is Our Hope LINKS Estelle Bingham website: https://estellebingham.com/ Estelle Bingham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estelle.bingham/ Manifest Your True Essence book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JG7xDX See where you can watch HEAL Documentary now by going to:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/documentary.html ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read The HEAL Book with double the content of the movie:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/book.html⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Email Community:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.healwithkelly.co/subscribe.html⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eitan (Eital) Yardeni is an ordained rabbi and Kabbalah teacher, best known as Madonna's spiritual mentor. In this engaging discussion, he explores why challenges arise as we step into our power and how anxiety can be a doorway to growth. Eitan delves into the concepts of soul versus ego, the role of discomfort in transformation, and the spiritual significance of suffering. He also shares insights on trusting the divine beyond logic, and the importance of nurturing empathy and connection in our lives.

I’ve always believed that healing starts with awareness — but this conversation with Dr. Ellen Vora took that belief to a whole new level. In this illuminating conversation, I sit down with Dr. Vora, a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, yoga teacher, and author of The Anatomy of Anxiety — and she’s redefining what it means to truly care for our mental health. In this episode, she shares how her own health crisis and years in conventional psychiatry led her to a more holistic path — one that honors both science and soul. We explore the two types of anxiety she defines in her book — False (avoidable) and True (purposeful) — and how understanding the difference can completely transform your relationship with anxiety. Ellen explains how hormones shape our mood and perception, why modern life keeps us stuck in “all yang, no yin,” and how small shifts in sleep, nourishment, and nervous-system care can restore balance. This conversation bridges logic and magic, reminding us that true mental health isn’t about fixing symptoms — it’s about coming back into balance, reclaiming your wholeness, and trusting your inner wisdom. Key Moments You'll Love ✨: 🧠 [0:00] False vs True Anxiety 💊 [3:37] Why Birth Control Changed Everything for Dr. Vora 🔮 [4:38] Becoming a Witch: Reclaiming the Feminine 📊 [27:32] Dignity Behind a Paywall & Corporate Consumerism 🌸 [38:13] Learning to Cry Better & Unfelt Grief 💀 [44:35] Choosing Connection: When Her Mom Passed Away 🧬 [54:48] Male vs Female Brains & The Corpus Callosum 🌙 [27:32] Honoring Your Cycle: Yin & Yang of Menstruation ⚡ [38:13] Nervous System Rewiring & Unresolved Trauma 🐪 [1:04:29] Trust in Allah But Tie Your Camel LINKS Dr. Ellen Vora website: https://ellenvora.com/ Dr. Ellen Vora on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenvoramd/ The Anatomy of Anxiety book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3WX7mai Shop my Swell Score Storefront and get 20% off with code HEAL20 your first order. And if you want deeper, year-round savings, join their Wellness VIP Membership. Use code HWK to get a $25 gift card added automatically, plus enjoy 15–25% savings on purchases throughout the year. See where you can watch HEAL Documentary now by going to:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/documentary.html ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read The HEAL Book with double the content of the movie:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/book.html⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Email Community:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.healwithkelly.co/subscribe.html⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We spend so much time trying not to age… but the real question isn’t how not to age — it’s how can we age well? In this heartfelt conversation of the HEAL with Kelly Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Kerry Burnight, leading Gerontologist and author of the bestselling book Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half, to explore what it truly means to live a long, meaningful, and joy-filled life. We talk about how to expand not just your lifespan or healthspan, but your joyspan— the quality of your days, your relationships, and your inner life. Dr. Kerry shares inspiring insights on how joy differs from happiness, why internalized ageism keeps us from thriving, and how autonomy, purpose, and connection become essential nutrients as we grow older. We also talk about what really matters at the end of life — and how to start cultivating it right now, no matter your age. A beautiful reminder that aging isn’t something to fear—it’s a sacred invitation to grow, love, and live more fully. Key Moments You'll Love ✨: 🌟 [0:00] The Fountain of Youth is Actually Joy 📖 [2:30] How Joy Span Was Born From Elder Abuse Work 🌱 [8:45] The Four Pillars: Grow, Connect, Adapt & Give 🍕 [15:10] The Pizza Delivery Story: Problem Solving at 90 💝 [17:15] Connection & The Five Rings of Friendship 🧠 [24:07] Adapting Through Crisis: The Brain Tumor Story 🎯 [30:05] The Power of Purpose & Giving What You Have 🔄 [39:45] Internalized Ageism & The Silver Tsunami Myth 👨‍👩‍👧 [47:26] Building Your Village & Proactive Connection 🛏️ [53:56] Autonomy vs Safety: The Hospital Bed Lesson LINKS Dr. Kerry Burnight’s website: https://drkerryburnight.com/ Dr. Kerry Burnight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_gerontologist/ Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life's Second Half book: https://amzn.to/4o5AOqM Shop my Swell Score Storefront and get 20% off with code HEAL20. And if you want deeper, year-round savings, join their Wellness VIP Membership. Use code HWK to get a $25 gift card added automatically, plus enjoy 15–25% savings on purchases throughout the year. SPONSORS HONEYLOVE: Go to https://www.honeylove.com/HEAL and use our exclusive link to get 20% OFF. See where you can watch HEAL Documentary now by going to:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/documentary.html ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read The HEAL Book with double the content of the movie:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/book.html⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Email Community:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.healwithkelly.co/subscribe.html⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you stripped away every distraction —  your screens, your routines, and even your ability to see? What hidden thoughts would rise to the surface? What suppressed emotions would finally have room to move? And what would catch up to you that you have been running from, for potentially years. In this episode, I sit down with Scott Berman, the founder of Sky Cave Retreats, which is the first darkness retreat center in the United States. Scott has spent more than 70 days in total darkness and has guided over 600 people through this profound inner journey. And after doing a darkness retreat myself, I finally understand why Sky Caves is booked out for 3 years and has a 3000-person waitlist. Darkness itself is a threat to the nervous system. And Scott lets everyone know who signs up that their system will probably not react the way they anticipate. He shares that the only thing one needs to bring is HONESTY, and what happens to those who don’t.  I share my experience during 4 nights and 3 days in pitch blackness and the profound breakthroughs that occurred when I stopped running from, escaping, and numbing my deepest, rawest feelings. This episode is for anyone curious about nervous system healing, the addiction to the stories that hijack our minds, or what becomes possible when you meet yourself with honesty, zero distractions, and the primordial pressure of the dark. Scott is a beautiful human who leaves us with this question before we enter the cave and turn off the lights: “What would nurture do in this moment?” The answer is usually what we should follow to create the safety in our system we are all searching for.    This episode is for all those who are afraid of the dark and those who are afraid of the parts of themselves that may be trapped in the darkest recesses of their subconscious. Luckily, Scott has the compassion, calm, and skills to hold our hand through it all.  Key Moments You'll Love ✨: 🌑 [0:00] Introduction & Most Surprising Reactions in the Dark 🕯️ [4:49] Scott's Biggest Fear & The Journey to Solitude ⛰️ [8:17] How Sky Cave Retreats Was Born From Personal Experience 🧘 [12:57] Why Spiritual People Often Struggle More in Darkness 💡 [17:39] The Evolution: From Trauma to Three-Day Experiences 🌊 [25:13] Darkness vs Plant Medicine: Subtle vs Peak Experiences 💔 [39:52] Kelly's Experience: Anger, Armor & The Scared Little Girl 🔥 [45:44] Discharging Rage & Finding What's Underneath ❤️ [57:19] The Zero Gravity Chair Revelation: Internal Freedom 🙏 [1:23:44] Shame, Judgment & The Permission to Be Authentic LINKS Sky Caves Retreat website: https://www.skycaveretreats.com/ Sky Cave Retreat on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skycaveretreats/ See where you can watch HEAL Documentary now by going to:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/documentary.html ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read The HEAL Book with double the content of the movie:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/book.html⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Email Community:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.healwithkelly.co/subscribe.html⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode is extra special because I’m joined by my precious and precocious six-year-old daughter, Riley Grace Gores — my favorite guest of all time. We sat down for a sweet and silly conversation about all the things that light her up — from fashion to Disneyland adventures, singing lessons, and what she dreams of being when she grows up.   We also talk about family memories, the fire that changed our lives, and what she’s learned about bravery, kindness, and joy along the way. Riley even shares her favorite and least favorite things about yours truly, her ideal superpower (it involves candy), and a favorite impersonation that she learned from a certain Dancing with the Stars host.    It’s a tender, funny, and endearing conversation that reminded me how much wisdom and innocence lives in a child’s heart — and how healing (and awakening!) it can be to see the world through their eyes. By the way, Riley made sure I treated her like an Amex and “DO NOT leave home without her” :) . I hope this episode brings a smile to your face and a little more light to your day.   👗 [0:55] Riley's Fashion Journey & Isabel Marant Obsession 🔥 [6:30] The Palisades Fire: A Kid's Perspective 💄 [8:48] Summer Fridays Lip Gloss & Sister Lauren's Success 🎤 [9:52] Singing Lessons, Crushes & School Adventures 🎢 [13:33] Disneyland vs Legoland: The Verdict 🚗 [17:42] The Car Lock-In Trauma Story 🩵 [20:00] Sports, Travel & Palm Beach Love 🍦 [24:39] Blue Dye Ice Cream Meltdown & Body Awareness 😂 [31:23] Favorite Ways to Relax & What Makes Riley Laugh 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 [33:12] What Kids Wish Adults Did Better SPONSORS:HONEYLOVE: Go to https://www.honeylove.com/HEAL and use our exclusive link to get 20% OFF. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The body is always speaking — through tension, emotion, intuition, and energy. The question is: are we listening? In this week’s episode, I sit down with my dear friend Dr. John Amaral — a world-renowned energy practitioner, chiropractor, and educator who has worked with thousands of people across more than 70 countries, including Oscar-winning actors, Grammy-winning musicians, Olympic athletes, and global leaders, including his decades-long collaboration with Tony Robbins. We explore how trauma and emotion get trapped in the body, why awareness is essential for growth, and how developing somatic and energetic sensitivity allows us to feel, truly feel, what’s happening beneath the surface.   We talk about the difference between releasing energy and avoiding emotion, how the body adapts when we lose choice, and why feeling deeply — rather than bypassing discomfort — is the key to genuine healing and embodiment. When you reconnect to your body and learn to really feel ALL of the feels, healing becomes not something you chase — but something that naturally unfolds.  Key Moments You'll Love ✨ 🌊 [0:00] Introduction 💫 [1:43] From Disconnection to Healing 🧠 [7:15] Understanding Somatic Awareness vs Physical Awareness ⭐ [9:20] The Subtle Body & Energy Fields Explained 🎯 [15:21] How Energy Fields Organize Matter & Disease ⚡ [22:47] Why We Somaticize Emotions Into Physical Pain 🔓 [31:05] Breaking Free From State-Changing Addictions 🌀 [46:35] The Adaptation Patterns & Losing Our Choice 💝 [52:56] Thawing Out Rigidity & Learning to Feel Again 🌟 [1:05:21] Somatic Energy Training & The Future of Medicine LINKS John Amaral website: https://johnamaral.com/ John Amaral on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohnamaral/ Dr. John Amaral's Somatic Energy Training: https://somaticenergy.com/ See where you can watch HEAL Documentary now by going to:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/documentary.html ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read The HEAL Book with double the content of the movie:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/book.html⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Email Community:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.healwithkelly.co/subscribe.html⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the secret to living longer, happier, and healthier wasn’t found in a pill, a supplement, or a gym membership — but in the simple way we live our daily lives? In this week’s episode of HEAL with Kelly, I sit down with Dan Buettner — National Geographic Explorer, multiple New York Times bestselling author, and founder of the Blue Zones Project, which has helped over 10 million Americans live healthier, longer lives. Dan is the man who discovered the five places in the world where people live the longest — Okinawa, Sardinia, Ikaria, Nicoya, and Loma Linda — and he’s on a mission to help the rest of us do the same. His groundbreaking Netflix series Live to 100 brought these discoveries to life on screen, earning multiple Emmy Awards and inspiring millions to rethink what it means to truly thrive. We talk about what truly drives longevity — from the foods we eat and how we move, to purpose, community, and the environments that shape our choices without us even realizing it. Dan also shares insights from his newest book, Blue Zones Kitchen: One Pot Meals, and why the healthiest people on Earth aren’t dieting, exercising, or biohacking — they’re simply living in alignment with nature and one another. If you’ve ever wondered how to make healthy living effortless — or what really adds years (and joy) to your life — this conversation will completely shift the way you see health, purpose, and the power of environment. Key Moments You'll Love: 🎙️ [0:00] Introduction ⚡ [1:37] Rapid Fire Questions 🌍 [3:25] How Dan Discovered the Blue Zones 🏠 [8:49] The Problem With Modern Comfort 📍 [12:46] The Five Blue Zones Explained ❤️ [21:56] The Medicinal Value of Volunteering 🥗 [25:43] Navigating Diet Confusion 🧠 [35:54] The Ikaria Dementia Secret 🍽️ [42:08] Simple Kitchen Tweaks That Work ⚠️ [48:50] Why America Is Overweight LINKS Dan Buettner website: https://danbuettner.com/ Dan Buettner on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danbuettner/ Blue Zones website: https://www.bluezones.com/ The Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/43dopIO The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100 book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4nW1j1R See where you can watch HEAL Documentary now by going to:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/documentary.html ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read The HEAL Book with double the content of the movie:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.co/book.html⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Email Community:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.healwithkelly.co/subscribe.html⁠⁠⁠ Join Our Substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://healwithkelly.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices