What can our evolutionary past teach us about living healthier, more connected lives today? In this episode, Monica sits down with Andie Edwards, creator of the popular Instagram account Ancestral Habits, to explore how hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution continue to shape our bodies, minds, and relationship with the natural world.

Together, they discuss evolutionary mismatch, our biological need for nature, the importance of honoring natural rhythms, and what it means to apply ancestral wisdom in a modern world. They also explore the responsibility of communicating science on social media and Andie's perspective on artificial intelligence. It's a fascinating conversation about using our deep history not to return to the past, but to build a healthier, more aligned future.

Show Notes

• Ancestral Habits Website
• Ancestral Habits on Instagram
• Ancestral Habits on Substack
• Ancestral Habits at Home (PDF)

biophilia, nature connection, human evolution, ancestral health, ancestral habits, anthropology, evolutionary mismatch, evolutionary biology, human behavior, natural rhythms, circadian rhythms, modern life, well-being, mental health, physical health, environmental psychology, science communication, social media, artificial intelligence, AI, biology, evolutionary medicine, ecology, resilience, holistic health, outdoor living, health and wellness, connection, sustainability

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.

#NatureHasTheAnswers

How do the places we inhabit shape our sense of meaning, connection, and well-being?

In this episode, Monica sits down with architect, author, and placemaker Dr. Phill Tabb for a wide-ranging conversation on the relationship between place, spirituality, and human flourishing. Together, they explore how thoughtful design, biophilia, ritual, awe, and sensory experience can help create environments that support deeper connections to ourselves, to one another, and to the natural world.

The conversation also examines the role of mythology, storytelling, and creative practices in shaping our experience of place. From the symbolism embedded in communities and cities to the power of observation, sketching, and reflection, Phill shares insights drawn from decades of research and practice.

Whether you're interested in design, wellness, spirituality, or the human need for belonging, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of how place influences the way we live, feel, and connect.

Show Notes

• Wellness Architecture and Urban Design
• Spiritual Wellness and the Built Environment
• Placemaking Through Myths, Experience and Drawing
• Thin Places, Sacred Architecture, and Biophilic Patterns with Dr. Phill Tabb
• Place Drawing as a Sacred Practice by Phillip Tabb
• As Serenbe exhibition will show, architect Phill Tabb’s art always starts with nature (ARTS ATL)

Biophilia, placemaking, spiritual wellness, thin places, architecture, wellness design, nature connection, awe, ritual, human flourishing, sense of place, mythology, storytelling, community design, biophilic design, creativity, drawing, journaling, mindfulness, well-being, environmental psychology, sacred spaces, intentional living, place attachment, connection to nature, personal growth, reflective practice, healthy communities, design for wellness, meaning and purpose

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.

#NatureHasTheAnswers

In this episode, we explore a question that feels more urgent than ever: what if healing ourselves and healing the planet are deeply interconnected?

Monica is joined by author Lindsay Branham, whose book Heartwood: The Wisdom and Healing Kinship of Trees chronicles her personal journey through chronic illness and toward a deeper relationship with the natural world. Guest co-host Florence Williams, bestselling author of The Nature Fix, also brings her expertise on nature, health, and well-being to this wide-ranging conversation.

Together, they explore the story behind Heartwood and the experiences that led Lindsay from a career as a war journalist and Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker to an exploration of ecology, spirituality, and embodied healing. The conversation delves into interoception – sometimes called our “eighth sense” – and how tuning into the body’s internal signals may help us reconnect with ourselves and the living world around us.

From chronic illness and nervous system regulation to reciprocal healing, belonging, and even erotic ecology, this episode examines why so many of us are searching for deeper connection in an increasingly disconnected world and what nature may have to teach us about finding it. If you’re interested in the intersection of science, spirituality, and healing, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Show Notes

• Heartwood: The Healing Wisdom & Kinship of Trees by Lindsay Branham
• Heartwood Institute
• Lindsay Branham on Substack
• Florence Williams
• The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams

Key Words: biophilia, biophilic design, nature connection, healing, planetary health, human health, ecology, spirituality, interoception, nervous system regulation, forest healing, nature therapy, forest bathing, ecological connection, mindfulness, embodiment, emotional well-being, Florence Williams, Lindsay Branham, Heartwood, The Nature Fix, Biophilic Solutions, sustainability, conservation, healing through nature, wild places, environmental psychology, holistic health, connection, natural world, regenerative living, personal transformation, neuroscience, nature and well-being, eco-spirituality, environmental stewardship, intentional living

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.

#NatureHasTheAnswers