The Soulful Side of IVF: Magic, Mindset & One Miracle Embryo with Lisa White

Holistic IVF coach Lisa White on why the missing link in fertility isn't only medical, it's energetic.

What if the most powerful thing you could do during IVF had nothing to do with your protocol? Lisa White, holistic IVF coach, occupational therapist, and author of the #1 bestselling fertility book Hold On Baby, joins me to share the soulful approach that carried her through multiple egg retrievals, the grief of losing her mother mid-journey, and ultimately, the miracle of one healthy embryo now thriving as her eight-year-old daughter.

• Why the IVF journey is energetic, not just medical, and how working with your chakras, nervous system, and inner alignment can change the conditions you're creating from the inside out
• The shift from "trying to conceive" to "preparing to conceive" and why that language matters more than you'd think
• How symbols, synchronicities, and earth angels showed up to guide Lisa through her hardest moments and how she teaches clients to notice and invite them in
• What happens when you hand your power to doctors and how to reclaim your sovereign role as a co-creator in your own journey
• The mantra that anchored Lisa through every unknown: Expect something wonderful to happen

Whether you're on the IVF path, know someone who is, or have ever had to trust your body through something deeply uncertain, this one will open new ways of seeing, feeling, and thinking about intuition and your body.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:02

Welcome back to an intuitive life podcast. This is Elena Lipson, your intuitive coach and mentor. And I'm so excited to bring someone very special to you today. It's a conversation that I have not had on this podcast. And I think it's one that you might relate to, you yourself or someone in your life, but we're going to be talking about some really cool things. So welcome, Lisa White. Lisa is a holistic IVF coach, a speaker, and a national board certified occupational therapist, author of the number one best-selling fertility book, Hold on Baby, and the host of the Soulful IVF podcast. She specializes in helping women navigate the ride of IVF with a focus on mindset, energetics, and nervous system regulation so they can thrive on their path to motherhood without losing themselves. Okay, there's so much to explore here. Welcome, Lisa. It is so great to have this conversation with you.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

Oh my gosh. Thank you, Alena. So excited to be here.

SPEAKER_02 1:00

Yeah, me too. So I as I was thinking about this, as I do when I know I'm going to be chatting with someone on the podcast, I start sort of tuning in. I do my little intuitive, you know, psychic lean-in, um, not into you, but into the topic and what the space that we're co-creating can hold and how it can benefit our listeners and your community and my community. And I know there's a lot of things you can talk about, but the where what I started thinking about was this journey. Like I actually thought I was gonna have a hard time conceiving way back when my son's almost 21 now. So it's been a minute. Um, but I have had clients on this journey. I've actually had another client who was like an author in the field, and I've known sort of peers who've been on the journey. So I've kind of peeked into the journey from different directions, but never haven't experienced it myself. So I feel like I'm a woman, I'm a mother, I've been pregnant, like all those things I can relate to, but the experience of having to make peace with, go through the ups and downs, all the things that you go through that I can imagine you go through on this journey. I I was like, when I read your your background, I was like, oh yes, like you know, it feels so obvious now in this sort of world we're living in that our nervous system, our whole mindset, our embodiment, like it gets affected by this experience on so many levels, even if you haven't gone through it. I think there's so much you can take away from this conversation because we are women with bodies and experiences. And I think growing our empathy bubble for others is really important so we can, you know, understand that maybe someone you've known, and even if you don't know someone who's, I think it's important to understand what other people do go through. So, ah, so Lisa, I guess the first question is what brought you to this work? And and what do you like, what do you get excited for in this realm of work that you do?

SPEAKER_00 2:52

Yeah, I always say I never expected to step into supporting others through fertility challenges, but it really came from firsthand lived experience. And I always wanted to be a bomb and found my husband later in life. And we started down the road of trying and not having any luck and starting with testing. And I'm really grateful for getting answers pretty quickly. Um, finding out that we had male factor issues and that IDF was going to be our best chances of bringing home a biological baby. And this road, this whole path is one that you you can't really prepare for. You don't even know what you're getting into when you're embarking on this path. It's a whole nother world of medical terminology abbreviations. And I do have a medical background, like you said, as an occupational therapist. So I did have some of some understanding of the body and the nervous system and and the importance of self-care. And we'll talk a lot about that because it helped me immensely to navigate this very uh unpredictable path. And I mean, our our story is one like many. I mean, we wanted to be parents more than anything and faced a lot of setbacks and unexpected detours and surgeries. And that's probably one of the hardest parts of this is you go down this path and you don't know what to expect. I always I carried a mindset of expect something wonderful to happen. My mindset was huge in helping me navigate this really wild ride. And it is a mo an emotional roller coaster, full of the highs, full of the lows. And I went about this path really differently. I tuned in word and I listened to my intuition, which is what you're all about. And I took a different approach, a really soulful approach. And that is what I saw that was missing for so many going through this. I saw the hardships, I saw the pain, and it's there. Like it is there, but that's not where my focus was. And I chose to lead with more of the love over the fear, with more curiosity, with more self-compassion, with openness, with trust, with magic, which I know you're all about as well. A lot of magic, synchronicity, serendipity, and all these amazing doors opened up through this path. I never expected to write a book on this topic, and I never expected to start a podcast through this. And so honestly, it's been following the breadcrumbs of like I'm here, I've lived this. We had success, quote, success with one healthy embryo. That was our only healthy embryo. She's now our eight-year-old daughter. And this has been my calling to help others really navigate this path with more presence, more peace, more ease, and more joy. Because that's not really the focus when we're going through this. It is it's sad and it's painful. And and I just decided, you know what? I want to be a voice in this space and keep light alive and playfulness and fun. And we can dive into this, but it's just this is what I get to do. And it just like started out through coaching, and I put my offers out there and then kind of word spread, and then meeting somebody that was looking for new authors, and it's like all of it led down the path of trusting the next step. And honestly, like that's how I live my life.

SPEAKER_02 6:25

Yeah. So, first, thank you for sharing that. I know it's like it you've probably said it so many times, but it's also not an easy thing to say. Like, I'm sure if we just pause for like a few minutes, you can tap back into the roller coaster that you were in then because it's so visceral and it's so meaning-making, and it's so, I mean, we can look at it from so many different angles. Um, and I'm sure there's a whole other chapter on like relationships and how it affects your marriage and your, you know, your just your ability to like bond in a way that sort of separate from this topic, right? That becomes sort of your whole life. I can imagine it's it's everything that you sort of start thinking about. So I'm I'm always curious about um the pieces that you were able to access and tap into. Like, was that just like you said, you were already someone who understood mindset and understood um your body? And and like, so had was that like a very conscious thing, or were you just sort of like, I already know how to meditate, I already know how to go for a walk and I know the power of nature? Like, or did you have to consciously like pull that in? And like I guess your your journey a little bit in terms of being able to navigate something really hard, really that seems unfair in the moment, even if you're super, super balanced and grounded. There's still those moments where you're like, Well, yeah, why? Um, how are you able to access that? And and what was the journey like for you?

SPEAKER_00 7:46

Yeah, I knew I had to be an active participant. And there's so many I see on this path that really kind of hand over their power to people outside of themselves. And we need these doctors to help us through assisted reproduction, but they can't do it all. There's an element that no one else can control but us, like our attitude, our energy, how we approach this path. And I was very conscious of that. I was I was like, I want to give this my all, like show up fully to give myself the best chances of this working out. You hear the stories, you know, the odds, right, are stacked against you. And I was starting this process when I was 37, 38, 38-ish, and my husband's seven years older. You know, we were older. And I just wanted to optimize everything. And so yeah, my training did help me being an OT, right? Because it's a it's a holistic lens that I was using. And I was very conscious of energy, energy forces around me, the kind of things I was absorbing in my space, who I was hanging out with, what influences were supporting me or not supporting me, like um, what was uplifting me or draining me. So those were things I was conscious of, but that I think a lot of people are not. Um but by taking an open approach, so many incredible things came my way. And that is honestly a lot of how I have lived my life in the past by putting myself out there, like opportunities come, being being aware of manifestation principles. That is something I've I learned at a young age. Like before the secret came out, all those things, like I was understanding that those concepts at a young age. Yeah, and I think tools such as journaling, like I started journaling when I was 10 years old. My grandmother got me into that. And that I can't tell you like how helpful that has been through my life. I've journaled my whole life. I have books through everything. So it was natural for me to document my journey, to document when I was feeling sad and upset, angry. All those emotions were there when I was going through this. So it I found tools to release and I consciously knew, like I had those tools available for me.

SPEAKER_02 10:04

So you were already like set up in a really great frame of mind of living and also like this, I guess the, you know, you know, and some women I'm sure go do all of that and still don't have success. So I think there's probably on both sides, there's like there's no magic formula, there's no like one way it's supposed to go. So a couple of questions come up. One is do you have like a faith that you fall back on? Do you have like this? It I like I know that sort of in the spiritual world, in the coaching world, we're all, you know, it's it things happen the way they're supposed to, and all that, and like trusting that, and that's a double-edged sword to like, I don't know if things happen the way they're supposed to, but they happen and we make meaning from what they happen. Like we get to decide sort of how to frame frame the whole thing. Um, but did you have a sense of like faith that that, you know, and what was it? Like, how did you access that?

SPEAKER_00 10:53

Yeah, definitely a higher power was present. I I very much believe in universal source, spirit, God, universe, all of it. And I um tapped into that immensely. Like we are co-creators through this. And I wish we had a magic crystal ball to to see the outcome, and we don't. And so it's putting immense faith into this unknown, unknown world. We we hold on. I, you know, I talk about holding on for our dreams and holding on for I was holding on for this one embryo, but I was holding on to for myself, really to be able to navigate this without losing myself. And so we're not meant to do this alone. And I had community sisterhood around me, my husband, very supportive. And I just ultimately had to look at the within the strength within me and look to that higher power, God, to you know, remind me I'm not alone through this. And symbols, synchronicities, like we can talk about it. But I had so many things show up that were really supportive to help remind me like of my intention through this, that I was gonna be okay no matter what, that I would become a mom in some way or another, if it was IVF or if maybe it was a different path. And we got very lucky with our one embryo. I'm very aware of that.

SPEAKER_02 12:14

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So, one of the things we talk about here quite a bit is self-trust and how that shifts and like wanes and ebbs and flows throughout our life. And I would imagine there's a relationship with not only is like trusting yourself, but trusting your body. Like, how does that like, you know, if we just sort of take away the the miracle of it, let's not take away the miracle? We'll just like hold it in the miracle that it is. But in those moments, how how did it affect your relationship with your like trusting your body or trusting yourself? Or how did you like did you have tools around reconnecting with that? Or if you just reflect on, like, wow, I did question like you know, my my relationship with my body, and if so, how was that scenario for you?

SPEAKER_00 12:58

Yeah, as I think back, I mean, trusting your body is a huge part of this, and try and trusting in the unknown just in general. Um and we can get we can beat ourselves up, like my body's not doing what it was meant to do. We we had male factors, that's you know, part of it, and you know, good egg numbers and getting embryos and and all of these things that are elements that are our are out of our control, but like with trusting my body, like that that is something within my control. No one else can do that for me, right? So it was challenging. I mean, it took us two egg retrievals to get one healthy embryo. And so I got really discouraged after our first unsuccessful egg retrieval, and we had four embryos and they all tested, we did genetic testing. They all kind came back non-viable, non-healthy. It would have likely resulted in a miscarriage, a loss, an unhealthy baby. But and going through that again, trusting, okay, we're going through this another egg retrieval to get, and then we got three, and one came back healthy. And trust is everything. I mean, I was then exposed to an acupuncturist. I mean, these are things that I think individuals could look into sooner. I I kind of went into this very naive and didn't know what I didn't know until like um one of my technicians because you get regular blood draws and ultrasounds, and you are just so poked and prodded. And so your body does become like very much feeling outside of you. You're going in for these daily appointments and vaginal ultrasounds and all kinds of things that you just like it takes this conscious, like remembering like I'm the sovereign being and in and choice and trust and holding on to that. But yeah, an acupuncturist was somebody that I got exposed to and they helped support me with my body blood flow. Um, and also through Reiki, I got exposed to a Reiki practitioner and then through that became certified myself because it was so immensely helpful. Um, but these outside professionals, yeah, I mean, they did help me reconnect to that trust within my body. And um I'm I'm really grateful. I'm yeah, trust is huge. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:18

And so fast forward to today. Um, you so do you now work with women who are on the journey? So that's do they find you like right at the beginning or like how do you work with women today?

SPEAKER_00 15:28

I do. Yeah, everyone's at kind of different stages. It's ideal if they can find me right at the beginning of their journey, but oftentimes they've tried a lot of different things that haven't, you know, either recurrent implantation failure, failure, or unsuccessful cycles, and they're looking for a new approach. So I do get people at different stages of the journey. And it's my passion to get to walk alongside them, to show them a new way to tap into these holistic practices and principles and introduce them to this way of I say it's a way of being, right? There's so much doing through this through IVF andor doing shots, doing appointments, all these meds and things that affect your body. So it is reclaiming that like power within and kind of really about doing less, honestly. It's helping them live their life through this path and tap into there's so much, right? Creativity, magic, connection to themselves, to others. So you're not taken over by this path. It's really easy for IVF and fertility challenges to really consume you and rob you of your joy. So, yes, the approach I bring is very much in the soulful realm because fertility and IVF, it is so clinical, it's so medical.

SPEAKER_02 16:43

And if that's just the soulful IVF podcast, right? So it's almost like taking it. And I'm sure someone who is like, do the women who come to you are are they already like you were kind of on the spiritual side, very open to it, sort of, or do you find you know, women have to be sort of open up to that a little?

SPEAKER_00 17:01

Great. Yeah, I get I get a mix of people. Some people are really kind of newer to understanding manifestation and um holistic kind of ways of living, and then others are very much in the spiritual world. So I get a mix of both, to be honest. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:15

So you you mentioned magic a few times, like when how do you introduce that to someone who's coming to you for the support in this very like serious, like this is happening, we have this, you know, life thing happening. How do you introduce that? What what you know, what do you how do you infuse the magic into the journey?

SPEAKER_00 17:31

This is like one of my favorite things to talk about, honestly. Because it's like we are creating life. We we I get to help them call in life. And when you think about like an embryo, and and I have a picture of our embryo, right? And many women and guys who are on this path, you know, you see these pictures of your embryos, and it is like nothing that you've ever seen before. This little cluster of cells that can the potential of it, what it can become. And I have this picture that I see every day still, our embryo, our one. So it is about a remembrance of what this journey is all about, and we are giving it our all, and we are stepping into this space of it gets to be magical, right? And it's a choosing there's so much through this that we feel like we have to eat. I'm sure you've talked about this too. Have to eat, right? Have to exercise, have to do certain things, and so it's a reframing of like what we get to do, and kind of flipping the script on like this is this gets to be a magical path. And there is, like I said earlier, there's there is a lot of pain, and there's the physical pain, there's the emotional pain, mental, financial, um, it affects relational, it affects work. But I mean, this is where again being OT, like it's it affects every area of your life. And so once we kind of we I help my clients, you know, address those areas and we talk about what could be out of alignment, where can we bring in more of this peace and ease? And the magic is it's it's where we get to notice and pay attention, bring more presence to it. So the symbols show up, the signs guiding us show up, the right support start showing up, new opportunities, new connections. I mean, I can't tell you, I have so many uh examples of, you know, going to my first acupuncture appointment and running into a woman in the elevator who I actually went to high school with who was pregnant. She went through IVF, we were heading to the same appointment, and she became like a really great support to me. I hadn't seen her since high school, right? And I'm like, what are the chances? We just reconnect and and like people like that, these like earth angels just show up. And I have different like this heart crystal symbol I'm holding. Like, I just I'm holding this right now. It was sent to me from a dear family family member, and it was an immensely supportive, magical tool for me. Like I took it to all my appointments. And so I do guide my clients in being open to how their symbol can appear, and that can be a source of inspiration and keeping them grounded and keeping that intention alive as you're trusting this path. So there's lots of ways to pull in the magic. I I could talk about it for a while.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

What are some of your favorite ways? It sounds like there's some like intentionality around maybe looking for signs. There's some, you know, looking for the green light. I call it like, you know, where's the green light leading you? I think supportive people on your path is always a great validation. Like you didn't know what you didn't know. And then, you know, what are some of the other things you help them sort of re especially someone who's coming to the journey with less of an open mind to like, here's a pendulum and here's make an altar for your you know, I can imagine like there's some beautiful practices, but someone who just really doesn't have that vocabulary or experience, like how do you help someone who's like, okay, I'm interested in adding more of this, even you know, whether it's like a pregnancy journey or an IBF journey or just like a journey for a woman in general, how do you how do you help someone sort of open that door to like experiencing the magic on the journey and also to as they're going through difficult things? Like, how do you how do you open up to that?

SPEAKER_00 21:21

I think you know, just engaging in questions and and getting curious. Um, one of the things I love to do is asking people what they love to do as a kid and past hobbies that they may have forgotten about. So we dive into what lights you up, what you know, what brings you joy and peace. And I've had clients who are doctors and just reminding them they can take a break, right? Like for even just getting outside. Like that's something that a lot of people just kind of put on the back burner, like taking time for them, a simple pause, a simple just break for oneself. So intentional. If it's intentional eating, if it's just like um trying to think of a lot of different things, but allowing people the space to get in that playful part, that playful part of them again to explore what makes them like what did they love to do when they were younger? And we we do, we often forget to do those things as we're like so laser focused on we want to make this happen. And that's something too. I as I think back, like bringing this to my clients, you know, a lot of high achieving women who have made a lot of things happen in their life. And this is an area of your life where you just can't make it happen. So it's introducing these new concepts and ways, kind of a softening, right? A softer way of being to bring in the play, to bring in the joy. I do card pulls. So a lot of those messages, you know, really speak to these women for what they're going through at the moment. So they're they're excited for these, you know, kind of downloads, if you will, to come through. And then introducing them, you know, offering different practices for them to really just tap back into that inner knowing and trust and through right, journal prompts, writing, um, through encouraging them just to pursue what what keeps that spark alive in them because this path, I always say it tests you, it challenges you, but it also transforms you. And so allowing them to document their journey, like the highs, the lows, and they're they're documenting to for themselves, for their future little one, just like as a gift for themselves.

SPEAKER_02 23:33

So I love that. It's really bringing some intentionality and creating like um a meaningful process around it. So, speaking of which, how do you think it changed you, like looking back on who you were when you started way back then? And now, I mean, obviously the work you do has been highly influenced by it and the things you probably care about. But you as a person, like, how do you see that you've changed and transformed through the journey, of course, of a beautiful outcome of a beautiful daughter? You know, but you yourself as a woman, like how has that been for you?

SPEAKER_00 24:03

Oh my gosh, it's a big question.

SPEAKER_02 24:06

We got time.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

How have I changed and transformed? I mean, like you said, obviously I wouldn't be doing this work if I never answered the calling. So it has led down the most beautiful path, beautiful connections. Um I wasn't an entrepreneur before this. And they say that when you step into entrepreneurship, it's it's like one of the biggest spiritual teachers. So I have oh gosh, yeah, I'm thinking about writing my book and pouring my heart out into that, into this our story, what helped me navigate through it. It's very therapeutic to write a book. And even challenges I'm going through today, to be honest. These this is a recipe for healing. Like I didn't know when I wrote this in 2019 how much it would still help me through today's challenges. Um it's changed me in all the ways. I I'm not afraid to dream. I'm not afraid to create. And I was always a creative person and athletic and sports. I played college volleyball. I I I, you know, I've been a go-getter in my life in a lot of areas, um, saying yes to a lot of random fun things in my life. And I guess I'm just still applying that through what I'm doing today. And I'm saying yes to the sparks, I'm saying yes to what I want to create, like beginning to do the podcast, and I can't wait to have you on and interviewing incredible people. Like it has led to some amazing new connections. Um and being able to highlight and showcase others' stories, being a platform for others. I mean, I can't tell you how many people have said, You're my first fertility podcast, or I've never shared my story before. I mean, what an honor. Like it makes me like tear up because I'm like, I get to be that space where people feel safe to open up, to share their story, like for their healing, to imp impact others. I don't take that lightly, you know, makes me tear up because I'm just like, wow, if I hadn't started this, yeah, that wouldn't exist, it wouldn't exist, you know.

SPEAKER_02 26:27

Yeah, and I think, you know, I do think quite a few women go through it. And I think um some choose to share it for their own reasons, whether it's their own personal healing or just to keep their like people they care about abreast of the situation, abreast. I've never said that word. Informs. It's so funny what you say sometimes. Um but I and I and the women who I've known who have shared it, you know, it has felt like um you're getting to peek into something so like tender and vulnerable. And whether it works out or or doesn't work out, I've known both. Um, it really does take courage to share that inner. I'm super private. Like I just like it really takes we have a mutual friend who teaches shadow coaching, and she's been a friend and a co-creator, and we've done things together, and she's always like, Elena, you need to share more. I'm like, I don't want to. Like, you know, so so I really appreciate that the bravery and the courage and the openness that it takes to share. Like, you know, I think people hear you sharing and you have this beautiful energy and all the tools and everything, but you know, being someone who also has done the magic and the mindset for a very long time, there are still very shitty seasons and days and the dark sides of of all of it are still very present. So I think that it's important to share that journey and the fact that you've turned your, like, you know, I can see this as like the beautiful sort of quintessential heroes, heroes, hero, heroine's journey, right? Um, where you you've been called, like you said, you you even use the language, like you were called to something. You were you were stepped into something you didn't expect. You had a choice of how you were going to navigate the path, you had a choice whether you were gonna pick up the sword and fight, and then you did. And now after that, you get the calling of like, well, do I just sort of continue living my life and being what I was before in terms of work and continuing that, and there's nothing wrong with that. That's a you know, beautiful experience. And you do your life and you do it how you want to do it. But you did something different, which is you know, why we're talking today on this podcast, which is you decided to share something that not just the thing like, oh, we did this thing and it worked. Yay, I can teach you how, but it's so much deeper than that. There's like the actual like embodied experience, the ethereal experience, the mindset experience. I'm sure there's like relational experience and the family, like the whole financial, like it's a whole wheel. It's a whole wheel of topics. So I just want to honor you for bringing that because here you are like so beautiful and you're like, you just look lovely and everything's great. But but along with that, there was probably an equal and opposite experience of that internal, you know, being able to sort of alchemize that internal experience into what you now help people with, what you help yourself through, and and probably still have to sort of like reckon with in your own world. Just because it's over in a timeline doesn't mean the experience itself is over. It's still within your cells and your body and your and your memory and all of it. And so it just continues to probably turn into deeper, deeper experience that you can then help others with. So I think that's really phenomenal. And so I just want to honor that for you.

SPEAKER_00 29:31

So thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 29:32

So yeah, um, I can give you a second to reply to that too, if you want to.

SPEAKER_00 29:37

Oh gosh, I just appreciate you seeing that. And you know, so many who are on this path, it really does change your life in so many ways. And as I was going through it too, um, navigating through a lot of personal challenges, you know, in addition to going through IVF and wanting to call in and be a mom, I was kind of losing my own mom at the same time. So that's a whole nother layer to this of like grieving and feeling this full cycle of life right in front of me. And um, I write about that a lot. Um, the impact of my mom and her strength and her attitude and mindset really did support me during like some of those hardest moments. So it's it's a spiritual journey. Yeah, it's it's it's an energetic one. It's it's all of it, as you mentioned, emotional and mental and physical. And so yeah, bridging all these worlds together and and riding the waves, I say it. Riding the wave. Totally.

SPEAKER_02 30:37

What would you say to someone who's sort of, I guess, in that journey, wherever, whatever point on the journey, you know, she's at? What would you say to someone who is in the journey right now? With with IBF or with, you know, even adoption, or like what what I know there's many pathways you can go around it, but like just sort of that journey of trying to have a baby and and having that experience of, oh, it just didn't happen so easily, and it doesn't for many women.

SPEAKER_00 31:04

Yeah, I have to take a deep breath because living this firsthand, I I can remember and I can put myself back in the shoes of just when you want to be a mom so bad. Um and you want it more than anything. And I would encourage that woman listening to keep that dream alive, to keep living their life, to keep being open to support and to guidance and listening and getting quiet, right? I think it's um it's just like honoring honoring where you're at and I mean sending a message. I don't know. I just feel like I want to give those women just the biggest hug because it's such a path of unknown and we don't we don't know the outcome, we can't see it, and so it takes this like invisible going within, trusting that the path will be revealed to you.

SPEAKER_02 32:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:12

Um and you and you've got this, um, that you're not alone. I want them to know they're not alone. So many are going through this, yeah, and there's a whole community of people there to hold you.

SPEAKER_02 32:24

I love that. And and that's why I'm having you here too, because I think, you know, we we want to think we can help everyone, but I think there is something really important about having an embodied um body of work where, you know, I do think we can coach people through things that we haven't been through for sure, because there's just threads of experience, threads of, you know, knowing. But now that I've been a coach for a long time, over 25 years, I think the way I coached at 25 versus now is very, very different. Was I I was good, it was great. Like I felt like I knew a lot. I was also like swimming my way through a lot of pieces. Whereas now I'm very specific. Like if you come to me as a you know woman who's in midlife navigating change and marriage and kids and having a kid go through high school, like let's talk. Like, I got it, we've been there, we've done that, let's do it. And not only do I have that like experience and wisdom, but I have huge compassion, huge humility, huge, like, well, I never thought that would happen to our family. I never thought I'd be going through that. I never thought that, you know, like there's so much humility and understanding that that even the most spiritual of us who have all of the mindset tools and have the altars and have the connection to nature and source and all those things, that all of it is part of it, not just the things that turn out well. Like all of it is part of it, the dark ones, the dark days and the and the bright days and the the storms and the sunshine, it's all part of it. And I think that only and I will stand by like hill I die on. That only comes with wisdom and experience and having gone through shit. Like I'm sorry, but I like I I think a 25-year-old coach could help me now with some things. Lovely, yes, thank you. Very wise. And I was then too when I was coaching my first client who was a 50-year-old CEO man. Like, I remember that. I'm like, oh my God, how am I gonna help him? And I did, I did my best in what I knew, and it was a great experience. It was a year-long coaching contract. So I I like good girl, like you did a good job validating who I was. But now, like, it's just so much more depth. So I'm saying that to say, like, you know, the way you help women now with the embodied experience of having gone through a journey, I think is probably like a huge like relief. Exhale, um, witnessing, experiencing, being able to talk through the ups and downs. And even though no journey is exactly the same and the the outcomes and the experiences are different and the causes are different. So that I'm sure it informs, like, you know, like yours was very specific. Other women have other other issues, like maybe it's age, maybe it's male, female, all everything in between. Um, so I love that you're sort of like embodying the teaching of it. And so I I wanted to bring you here because this is why I started that whole that whole little rant was because I can't I can help someone who's been through that journey in other ways in other areas. But I think I wanted to bring in someone like you. So when when when you suggested the conversation, I was like, yeah, let's do it because I think I I like we shouldn't be all things to all people. We should help the people that we we we can help and want to help and have the experience to help. And you do. So I'm sure there's people out there who are or know someone who's like, oh, it's like, oh my God, it'd be amazing to have someone who's been through it, who can coach me, who can work with me on this journey so that I can have that part of the journey mean like the mindset peace, the spiritual peace on lockdown in a good way, right? In a release way. Lock it down, but release it, lock it down anyway. Um, so I that's I think that's such a you know, uh a really important work that you're doing. So I'm glad you followed the calling. I'm glad you're Elena.

SPEAKER_00 36:06

Yeah, it's like really creating the resources that didn't exist that I wished I'd had. You know, the books, the podcast, the supports, right?

SPEAKER_02 36:13

It's yeah, yeah. So what are you working on now that excites you? Like what are you super stoked to get up about each morning?

SPEAKER_00 36:19

Oh, I love doing the podcast. I mean, just getting to interview incredible people, like that's something I just entered my fourth year doing that. Um gosh, I mean there's a lot. I I have this um kind of mentality of the manifesting mama mindset and and miracle mindset manifesting mama identity. So creating some things behind the scenes with that in mind, I feel that that's just something I want to share as like a movement, really, like helping women who are wanting to be a mom, claiming it, embodying it, manifesting mama. Like we're here to like create some magic. And like you are, you're a manifesting mama, you are a mama, and it can apply to a lot of different people, right? Like we're here to to elevate and expand. And I think like, yeah, again, I'm I'm practicing what I preach. It's like following these nudges about what do I feel called to create. So it's um, it's evolving. I wouldn't say I have it all figured out yet. And that's like part of the like the mystery of it all is like the fun of getting to play in this space of like, okay, what what do I see that's not out there that I can put together? Um and I don't pretend to have it all figured out. I mean, I I love creating programs and putting things together. And I'm just wondering, is is that like I still am trying to figure out what is what are women really wanting? What are women really looking for? And you know, being honest about that because it's like putting myself back in those shoes of what what kind of spaces do I want to be in, like in person, more in-person, immersive experiences, um, deep connections, right? That's where so many, so much transformation can happen. And the online space is incredible, right? So yeah, I I guess I'm talking in a lot of different ways. I I just I'm I'm following following what excites me. And so it's it's this energy. I'm all into the energy and energetics of IVF. It's a course I created. So if anyone's interested in that, please reach out to me. That's what I was gonna ask you.

SPEAKER_02 38:24

Like, if someone, like what are some ways that a woman could work with you?

SPEAKER_00 38:28

Yeah, I do one-on-one coaching. So if anyone is looking for in one-on-one support, definitely, you know, if you're getting ready for ready for an embryo transfer, we can do a one-time call and I support you through the two-week wait. If you're a you know, those women know what I'm talking about when you're waiting for the call to find out if you're pregnant, it's one of like sometimes the most stressful times. So a transfer prep session and then manifesting mama package. If you want deeper support, we go deep. Um, I have intimate group programs that I've I lead a few times a year. So if you're looking for more community, definitely send me a message and we can chat about that. But yeah, there's lots of opportunities to kind of either DIY, like go about it yourself. But I find there's so much value when you can talk to somebody, get your answers, like questions answered, and um talk with someone who's who's lived it and quote, I say found success through this. And you mentioned energetics of IVF. Yes, the energetics of IVF. That's a course I created. And truly that is that is the missing link, I feel like, through this path. It's it's the focus that I like to bring through my coaching and one-on-one work. And when I sat with it and really like for my own personal path and through clients, what are the common themes? There's this thread through the core chakras, right? From everything from being grounded and rooted and feeling safe to stepping in your power, your self-compassion, advocating for oneself, seeing this working out, and trusting in the unknown, all of this. It's where this is the key. The doctors are not focusing on that. They're focusing on the protocol, the medications, you know. Um, they're not tuning really into your emotional, mental well-being. Their focus is on really this physical side, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:17

And that, you know, I think that's probably true for quite a few women in the medical journey of any kind where it's the few. Maybe if you go to naturopath, maybe you'll get a little more of like, tell me about your relationships and how are you sleeping? And like, right, or it's just like the checklist of, you know, the outer. And you know, I I heard this, um, I think it was like a gosh, I think he was an osteopath, which is someone who's like more holistic. And then he's like, we don't heal people, we create the optimal conditions, and we like people heal themselves. And we're like, oh, that was a really cool. Like, and it was a longer conversation, but that I remember him saying that he's like, and I think he was a surgeon. He's like, I don't even, he's like, even in surgery, I just create the optimal conditions. He's like, I'm not God, like I'm creating the conditions. So I thought that was a really like evolved, like huge, expanded perspective on the relationship between him and whoever he's whoever his patient is. Cause wow, like imagine if you walked in and he's like, We're partners here, like we're gonna do this together. Even if, you know, even if there is not a mindset conversation, there's still like this um co-creation of like this space that you're co-creating. Like you show up with with your work, I'll show up with my work, and we'll like let the rest be done, you know. So I think that's it sounds like a little bit of what you're doing too.

SPEAKER_00 41:36

100%. I mean, I had a friend say, you know, I really help people get mom ready. And it's true. Like we we use the term trying to conceive, TTC. That is not my favorite term. What is trying energy evoke? Right. Trying. So this preparing energy, we are preparing to conceive. And like you said, getting the optimal conditions, right? Inner alignment, it starts with us first, right? So it's always, always.

SPEAKER_02 42:05

Yeah, I love that with what you just shared.

SPEAKER_01 42:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:08

So um, gosh, I think um I love, I love some of the places we went in terms of embodiment and um just really being able to listen to your your own individual journey and having that like that magic mindset, but also because I think, you know, the reality is the reality. Like you don't have to add to the reality, it's already there. Like already the difficulty is there, already the doubt is there, already all of that is there. Like I think the fact that you're like someone might be listening, be like, oh, you can't just love and light your way to conception, but that's not the point. I don't, I don't hear that is the point. I hear like it's gonna be really hard in a lot of ways, physically, emotionally, pain-wise, financially. It's like that's already there. You don't need to like churn that up. What you're trying to do is like create, it seems like you're trying to create this like almost a container around it to help her navigate this path with the best chances optimally to prepare to, you know, regardless of the this each step or even the outcome, which you know it doesn't necessarily always lead to a baby, sometimes it doesn't. Um it's so true.

SPEAKER_00 43:12

And it's like giving people thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate that. And I just, you know, giving people permission, permission to feel and to express your emotions, like you said, is not all love and light. Don't get me wrong. Like these are heavy emotions, these are really heavy things. And so being a place where we can talk about these and go deep and allow yourself to to release to make space, like oftentimes there's just not those spaces where you can talk about, like you said, these things. And um, that's what I strive to do is to help hold on to you, right? You you hold on to yourself as you're holding on to your little one.

SPEAKER_02 43:52

Yeah, absolutely. I love that. Um well as we wrap up our journey of our conversation here, is there anything You want to share in terms of either you know your work that we haven't talked about or something that about the journey itself or just sort of like as a general, you know, don't forget this kind of moment.

SPEAKER_00 44:13

I think you know, be mindful of what you're paying attention to. And I think having a mantra can be really supportive for anyone going through this. And my mantra was always expect something wonderful to happen. So lead with lead with optimism, lead with possibility. Right? Like you said, the heart is already there. Let's not create more of that energy. Um and just be gentle on yourself and having that kind of thinking to help guide you forward. Maybe if it's if it's trusting in the unknown, if it's I'm divinely guided, I'm I'm supported. Um there are a lot of different phrases and things, but what we're giving attention to like only grows. So speak to yourself kindly and don't be afraid to reach out, you know. I think just no one is meant to go through this path alone.

SPEAKER_02 45:08

That's what I want to say. Awesome. So I'll make sure to share all of your links to your book, to your podcast, your Instagram, and um some of the other links you mentioned that I have. So yeah, I think you know, save this episode. Sometimes you don't need it in the moment, and then all of a sudden you have a dear friend or cousin or sister, whoever's going through it, or yourself. Um, and whether you are on the IVF journey or not, I'm not at this moment at all and don't plan to be. Um, I'm good where I am. Um, but I think there's so much to be acknowledged in the fact that, you know, like I I think I mentioned this after he we hit record, but I thought I was gonna have a huge issue getting pregnant because I had PCOS and I was told that I was not gonna be able to get pregnant naturally and I was gonna need like drugs, maybe intervention and all these. So like I had the precursor of like imagining the journey of like, oh wow, like and I was 30 when I had my son, so could considered a little older, right? At that time. And um I remember thinking, like, wow, I just assumed it was gonna be easy when I decided. And then I had this like sort of, you know, when we decided to start trying, I'm like, okay, this is gonna take forever. And then, you know, after a certain point, I remember talking to my doctor, and it's like, well, after I think it was like six months, if you, you know, haven't gotten pregnant, we can start talking about the different, like there was like a stages of it, you know. And I'm like, wow, I just assumed it was just gonna be like so easy. And yeah, um, I I didn't know anyone at the time who had had who'd gone through anything other and I was, you know, pretty young. And anyway, I we like got pregnant. And I was like, what? Like it was shocking, actually. It was like three months in, and I remember just feeling so shocked and grateful that and also a little unprepared because I thought it was, I actually thought it was gonna take a long time. Um, so I'm very grateful for that ease, but I know that like feeling of initially thinking that I was gonna go, I was in for like whatever, I was committed to whatever, like we're going for it all the way. And so I was very grateful and blessed that I didn't go through that. I had my own, my own stuff, my own, my own journeys through pregnancy and childbirth and afterwards and my physical recovery. And so that was that. So every woman, I think, whether we're becoming moms or trying to become moms or decided not to become moms, have a relationship with um, you know, having children or not. I have many friends actually who have decided not to consciously and very conscious decisions. Some it wasn't a con some, some it wasn't a choice, it was just what happened. And um I think we can all learn from having conversations with each other, even if our journey is not exactly the same. And we can learn to have compassion and not assume that everyone has the same experience as we do. Um, so I think this conversation is that for me too, like really understanding, like, wow, I okay, that I didn't have to go through that, but I went through other things and you went through that and look how it just led you to this beautiful experience, which really is everything, right? Like our lives, our our lives are meant to be or could be, have the potential to be like help for other people as well and for ourselves, and just to inspire and yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:19

Anything you want to add to that? I was just thinking, no, I mean, something my mom taught me. It's you know, we can't always control what happens to us, but we can control control how we respond to things. And so whatever challenges you're confronted with right now, like we do have a choice and how we how we get to respond. And for those who maybe are have had multiple cycles and are ready to be done with their treatment, I have resources for that. Friends who've writ written amazing books and podcasts, those are resources for the women who have done it, done it all, and they're like ready to close this chapter. Um I I applaud any woman. It's such a personal decision to stop this journey, to pivot, to you know, move to different routes of parenthood. So just know like there are so many resources and I'm there for you, you know, for anyone listening. So yeah, it's uh it's a challenging path, but it can be a really beautiful path.

SPEAKER_02 49:14

Well, thank you for being who you are and being a resource and choosing to hear the calling and being here for people who need to know, like I think you said, you know, you're not alone. And I think that's a huge, huge because I think people do feel pretty alone on the journey of any journey that's super hard and in shadow and in darkness, a lot of the time it could be like that light that you need to say, like, oh wait, I don't have to figure everything out alone. I'm already making so many decisions all the time. And this this is one I can sort of help have, you know, arm in arm, like have someone in in my corner helping me. So make sure to check out Lisa's Instagram and um all the links and just let us know what you thought. There's a little blue heart at the top of the show notes. Share a thought, leave a remark, anything that inspired you, or you just want to comment, I'll make sure to share it with Lisa as well. And thank you so much for being here, Lisa. I really appreciate your ability and your willingness to share your your own journey and to like show what's possible on this side of like, you know, it is soulful. Anything could be soulful, really, when you when you're in the walking in the right mindset. So thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you so much, Alina. Yeah, and we'll see you on the next episode of An Intuitive Life.