This conversation felt like a deep exhale. A remembering. With Mary Ann Simonds, we explore what happens when we stop trying to control the moment and learn to be with it. Horses, wildlife, children, and humans all exist within the same field of awareness. When we soften our attention and shift from looking at to looking with, real connection becomes possible. This episode invites you back into the adventure that is already here, alive in your body, your relationships, and the natural world around you.

Mary Ann grew up loving horses in California and has spent more than four decades as a researcher, educator, coach, and pioneer in equine psychology and human animal interaction. Her work weaves science, consciousness, and lived experience to help humans and horses reduce stress, build trust, and thrive together. We explore social behavior, boundaries, safety, awareness, and what horses can teach us about leadership, regulation, and belonging.

• Why looking with nature reveals more than looking for answers
• What horses teach us about boundaries, safety, and social intelligence
• How presence and energy shape behavior in both humans and animals
• The parallels between equine psychology, child development, and healing
• Why awareness and relationship matter more than rigid training systems

Reflection for you
Where in your life are you pushing for answers instead of allowing connection? What might shift if you softened your focus and chose to be with the moment instead?

Links and resources mentioned

• Website: https://maryannsimonds.com/
• Book A Horse By Nature available on Amazon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-simonds-26697010/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equinesbynature/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryann.simonds
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-simonds-26697010/
• YouTube:

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...

This moment matters more than we realize.

In this reflective solo episode, I’m checking in with you from a snowy mountain town and inviting an honest pause as the year unfolds. We talk about shedding old skins, standing at the edge of long held dreams, and remembering that the adventure is not something we arrive at later. It is happening now.

I share behind the scenes reflections from my TEDx journey, lessons inspired by Martin Luther King Jr, and how powerful moments are often born through connection, presence, and listening to what is calling from within. We explore the transition into the year of the fire horse, the courage it takes to let dreams evolve, and how animals, nature, and real human connection bring us back to what is true.

This episode is a gentle invitation to slow down, assess what is working, and ask yourself what you are ready to release so you can meet what is next with clarity and courage.

You’ll hear reflections on

• Why presence matters more than perfection
• How connection creates powerful turning points
• Letting go of outdated goals and honoring new callings
• Using nature and animals as guides back to yourself
• Questions to help you reassess where you are and where you are headed

Links and Resources

• TEDx Spokane virtual tickets - http://tedxspokane.com/tickets
• Spiritual Ascension Summit - https://eliteascensionsummit.com/registration-page?am_id=catcaldwellmyers3839
• Gravity Haus - https://gravityhaus.com/
• SkiJoring retreat and horse adventure weekend - https://tetonskijor.org/

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Support the show

✨ Join My TEDx Spokane Journey!
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✔️ 4 Voxer Days
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...

This is the full episode interview with Monica Stahlmann, who also writes under the pen name Leokadia George.

Monica is a children’s book author, mental health therapist, and volunteer at the Wolf Conservation Center. In this conversation, we sit with wolves, story, family, and the deeper threads that connect us to nature and each other.

We talk about Trumpet, a critically endangered Mexican gray wolf known as F1 1505, and how her story inspired a children’s book series rooted in honesty, care, and respect for wild animals. Monica shares why early storytelling matters, how fear around wolves is often learned, and what it looks like to offer children a different first story.

We also explore conservation, dialogue in polarized spaces, ancestry, wildness, and why being close to nature can feel so grounding. This conversation is thoughtful, gentle, and full of heart.

Key Takeaways

• Wolves live as families, much like we do
• Stories shape how fear or understanding takes root
• Dialogue opens space for shared solutions

Reflection and Action

• What story about nature are you ready to see differently?
• Spend a few quiet moments outside this week and notice what settles

Resources and Links

• Email: leokadiageorge.books@gmail.com.
• Wolf Conservation Center and live webcams
• https://nywolf.org
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/nywolforg
• X: https://x.com/nywolforg
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7pgxuIaHyodYW0kDD27-dw
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/wolfconservationcenter/
• Trumpet The Miracle Wolf Pup: https://a.co/d/0RIBa3h

Monica’s books are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble online, independent bookstores, libraries, and the Wolf Conservation Center store.

Send us a text

Support the show

✨ Join My TEDx Spokane Journey!
Get early updates, BTS moments, and reflections as I prep for TEDx Spokane.
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✔️ 4 Voxer Days
All for $750 USD — save $250!

Seeking clarity, healing, or guidance? This sacred space is for you.
✨ Spots are limited!
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🌟 Stay Connected & Support the Show
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...