Health Coach Conversations is a podcast hosted by Cathy Sykora, founder of The Health Coach Group, whose mission is to bring awareness, professionalism, and growth to the health coaching industry.
In this episode of Health Coach Conversations, Cathy Sykora sits down with Dr. Marina, an experienced OB-GYN with over 30 years in women's health, to explore how lifestyle medicine and evidence-based holistic care can dramatically impact fertility. Dr. Marina shares why declining fertility rates are a global concern and how environmental toxins, stress, sleep, nutrition, and exercise all play a critical role in reproductive health—for both women and men. She explains why conventional medicine often overlooks root causes and how health coaches can be key partners in prevention and support. From endocrine-disrupting chemicals to nutrigenomic testing and restorative reproductive medicine, this episode offers practical, science-backed strategies to optimize fertility naturally before IVF becomes necessary.
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Bio: Dr. Marina is an experienced OBGYN and dedicated educator with over 30 years of experience in women's health and fertility. She combines her medical expertise with a passion for evidence-based, holistic approaches, naturally empowering individuals to optimize their reproductive health. Dr. Marina enjoys teaching and mentoring the next generation of medical professionals while staying at the forefront of reproductive science. Inspired by her journey as a mother, she shares cutting-edge insights and practical strategies to help readers navigate the complexities of conception and pregnancy. Through her compassionate and educational approach, she aims to demystify fertility and provide the tools to build healthier, thriving families.
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In this episode, Cathy Sykora sits down with Karese Laguerre, a Registered Dental Hygienist and Myofunctional Therapist, to explore how the way we breathe—and where our tongue rests—can deeply influence our sleep, anxiety, digestion, and overall health. Karese shares how myofunctional therapy strengthens the muscles between the eyes and shoulders to promote better breathing and restorative sleep. They discuss the surprising signs of poor breathing, such as chronic anxiety and fatigue, and dive into simple, actionable tips like nasal hygiene routines and using nasal strips. Karese also breaks down the role of the vagus nerve, why nasal breathing is superior to mouth breathing, and how sleep quality is far more important than sleep quantity.
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Bio: Karese Laguerre is a Registered Dental Hygienist and Myofunctional Therapist. She founded The Myo Spot, a practice dedicated to amplifying oral wellness into whole-body wellness through virtual therapy. Karese helps clients of all ages with issues like tongue ties, TMJ disorders, sleep apnea, anxiety, and breathing dysfunction. She's also the author of Accomplished: How to Sleep Better, Eliminate Burnout and Execute Goals, and a passionate educator helping people improve their lives through better breathing.
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What if clutter isn't just about messy spaces, but a reflection of your inner world? In this episode, Cathy Sykora chats with Julie Corraccio, award-winning professional organizer and life coach, about a holistic approach to decluttering that goes far beyond simply tidying up. Julie redefines clutter as anything that prevents you from living a life you love, whether it's physical, emotional, digital, or relational. From the mental health effects of a messy environment to the hidden reasons we hold on to things, this conversation will inspire you to let go—thoughtfully and with compassion.
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Bio: Julie Corraccio is an award-winning professional declutterer & organizer, certified life coach, and author of 15 books. She is passionate about supporting people in clearing clutter in all areas of their lives; getting organized; and becoming more mindful and aware. For a decade, she hosted the popular podcast Clear Your Clutter Inside & Out. Happily married to Tony, she is also at the beck and call of rescued black cats Antonio, NiNi, and Gus. Based in Wheeling, WV, Julie works with people all over the world. She enjoys hiking, reading, learning about environmental and animal issues, and baking. The bathtub is her woman cave.
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Cathy Sykora is joined by Rob Grover and Gary Logan, founders of The Journeymen Collective, to explore the transformative power of guided psilocybin retreats. Based in British Columbia, Rob and Gary offer luxurious, purpose-driven experiences that integrate plant medicine, personal development, and deep inner healing. They discuss how their unique approach helps individuals—including executives, entrepreneurs, and creatives—decompose emotional baggage, rediscover their true selves, and live more consciously. The duo shares moving success stories and breaks down how their ceremonial structure provides a safe and powerful alternative to recreational or unsupervised use.
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Bio: Rob Grover and Gary Logan are the founders of The Journeymen Collective, the alternative wellness company creating luxury guided magic mushroom retreats at their center in British Columbia, Canada. Since 2018, they've hosted CEOs, entrepreneurs, athletes, actors, couples, and small groups invested in the highest level of self-discovery and personal development through sacred plant medicine. Guiding guests through contemporary ceremonies using psilocybin, the pair have a combined 60+ years of education in spiritual and metaphysical training, executive level mindset coaching, energetic healing modalities, and the Alexander Technique. Their transformational retreats often result in accelerated personal breakthroughs and conscious impact.
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The Journeymen Collective: https://www.thejourneymencollective.com/
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Disclaimer: This podcast discusses psilocybin and altered states of consciousness. Content may include sensitive topics related to mental health, trauma, and substance use. This is educational information, not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or legal guidance. Psychedelics may be unsafe for some people, including those with certain mental health conditions or those taking specific medications. Psilocybin may be illegal in some locations; we do not promote illegal activity. Please consult qualified professionals, prioritize safety, and comply with laws in your jurisdiction.
Dr. Tessa Damm, an ICU physician turned metabolic health advocate, shares her insights on why women often miss early signs of metabolic dysfunction and how to take back control of their health. Drawing from years in critical care and personal experience with chronic illness, Dr. Damm explains how lifestyle interventions can prevent life-threatening diseases and improve quality of life at any age. She also describes her 12-week Metabolic Transformations™ program, which blends science, coaching, and community to help women achieve lasting health transformations. This episode is a compelling reminder that chronic disease is not inevitable—and that vibrant health is within reach.
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Bio: Dr. Tessa Damm is an ICU physician who has spent years caring for critically ill adults—often seeing undiagnosed metabolic dysfunction driving life-threatening disease. She now leads Metabolic Transformations™, a high-touch program helping women take back control of their health, reshape their metabolism, and create a future they're excited about.
Her work focuses on restoring metabolic flexibility, preserving strength, and mastering lifestyle habits—because the most powerful changes happen outside the doctor's office. Through experimenting with delivery models, she discovered that coaching is the most effective approach. By prioritizing frequent touch-points, individualized lifestyle education, and small-group support with women on the same journey, she consistently helps clients achieve meaningful, lasting change.
Her mission is simple: show that chronic disease is not inevitable—and give women the tools to rewrite their health trajectory.
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In this episode, Cathy sits down with Janet Madrid, a holistic dental hygienist and oral health coach with 46 years in clinical dentistry. Janet shares her expertise on the powerful oral-systemic health connection and how oral health impacts everything from gut health to cognitive function and cardiovascular health. They dive into the importance of the oral microbiome, how improper dental care can lead to systemic inflammation, and why mouth breathing may be at the root of several chronic issues. Janet also introduces simple yet powerful tools like salivary testing and non-toxic dental products to help clients achieve better whole-body health.
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Bio: Janet Madrid, BS, RDH, is a holistic dental hygienist, bestselling author, and oral health coach with 46 years in clinical dentistry. She is the owner of Hope for Health, a mobile wellness-focused dental hygiene practice in Castle Rock, Colorado. Janet specializes in the oral-systemic connection, helping clients optimize wellness through foundational lifestyle shifts. She is a national speaker, passionate educator, and author of Hope for Health: Illuminating the Foundations of Health & Wellness, a bestseller in three categories.
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What happens when coaching meets improv? In this episode, Cathy Sykora speaks with Betsy Salkind and Amy Warshawsky, co-authors of Coaching with a Twist: Improv for Coaches. With backgrounds in health coaching, leadership, somatics, and comedy, Betsy and Amy have created a dynamic and experiential approach to coach training that blends improv exercises with foundational coaching skills. They explain how play and presence deepen learning, increase client connection, and make coaching more effective—and more fun. Whether you're a seasoned coach or just starting out, their fresh take on training and development is both practical and transformative.
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Betsy Salkind, PCC, NBC-HWC, is a health and mentor coach with expertise in team, group, and leadership coaching. A professional standup comic and TV writer, she trained at the Mayo Clinic and holds an MS in Organization Studies from MIT Sloan.
Amy J. Warshawsky, MCC, NBC-HWC, is a leadership and mentor coach known for integrating somatic practices into coaching. She has held roles in nonprofit and higher education, and holds degrees from Northwestern University and Cornell. Together, they co-founded BNA Mentor Coaching and co-authored Coaching with a Twist: Improv for Coaches.
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In this episode, Cathy sits down with Martyn Stephen Williams — explorer, former Hindu monk, and founder of Antarctic expedition companies — to explore what it means to stretch the boundaries of human potential while cultivating inner peace. From leading expeditions to the North Pole, South Pole, and Mount Everest, to time spent meditating as a monk in India, Martyn shares how extreme physical challenges and contemplative practice shaped his approach to resilience, emotional intelligence, and purposeful living. The conversation dives into how mindset, perspective shifts, and simple daily rituals can enable profound personal transformation — not just for adventurers, but for anyone seeking balance, clarity, and strength. If you've ever wondered how adventure, spirituality, and coaching can merge into a powerful formula for well‑being and performance, this episode delivers.
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Bio: Martyn Stephen Williams was born in Liverpool, England on May 2, 1947. As a mountain and wilderness guide, he is the first person in the world to lead expeditions to the three extremes: South Pole (1989), North Pole (1992), and Everest (1991). He was the first to cross the continent of Antarctica under human power (1990). He founded Adventure Network International and later Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions — an Antarctic services company that has supported many of the record‑breaking expeditions in Antarctica over the past 40 years. He also founded the first airline on the continent, Antarctic Airlines. In 2000 he organized and led the Pole to Pole 2000 expedition — the first (and so far only) human‑powered journey from one pole to the other. As a public speaker and teacher, he has spoken about human potential on all seven continents and shares tools and techniques for enlightened living.
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In this episode of Health Coach Conversations, Cathy Sykora dives into the transformative power of AI for health coaches. She shares how using AI—specifically a customized AI clone—can help you create content faster, build efficient systems, and finally launch your signature program. Cathy discusses practical ways to train AI to sound like you, use it ethically and safely, and integrate it into your marketing, client support, and administrative workflows. With years of experience leveraging AI, Cathy offers a hands-on demonstration and introduces her new course, Signature AI, designed to guide you through creating your AI clone and business systems in just 30 days.
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Bio: Cathy Sykora is a public health educator, communicator, and founder of the Health Coach Group. She helps health coaches build scalable, profitable wellness practices by providing programs, systems, and strategic support. With extensive experience in integrating AI into health coaching businesses, Cathy is leading the way in teaching coaches how to work smarter and grow faster.
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In this episode, Cathy Sykora delves into how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way wellness and health coaches run their businesses, create programs, and engage clients. She shares her personal experiences—both what's worked and what needs caution—and outlines actionable strategies to leverage AI for operations, content creation, marketing, and coaching workflows. Cathy emphasizes that while AI can dramatically accelerate productivity, it still requires human oversight to maintain integrity, authenticity, and scope of practice. She also explains how to build your own branded "voice" in AI tools and avoid common pitfalls, like over‑reliance or blind trust in generated content. If you're a coach ready to up‑level your business efficiency and client impact, this episode gives you a roadmap to make AI a practical asset.
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Bio: Cathy Sykora is the founder of the Health Coach Group and has over 40 years of business experience, including extensive work in public health, education, and communication. Her mission is to empower health coaches and practitioners to create thriving practices that transform lives. Through ready‑to‑brand programs, websites, and business tools, Cathy has supported thousands of coaches in building successful businesses.
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In this episode, Cathy Sykora sits down with Dana Hargus, M.Ed., LPC, to explore the science and healing potential behind biofeedback and whole-person wellness. Dana shares how her experience as an educator and mother led her to pursue trauma-informed counseling and EEG neurofeedback, ultimately founding Biofeedback and Counseling, Inc. and the transformative Restore of Ada program. The conversation highlights the importance of nervous system regulation, gut health, lifestyle habits, and human connection in overcoming trauma and chronic stress. With practical insights and deeply personal stories, Dana offers a compassionate roadmap for anyone seeking lasting emotional and physical wellness.
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Bio: Dana Hargus, M.Ed., LPC is the owner of Biofeedback and Counseling, Inc., a large private practice in Ada, Oklahoma. With more than 25 years of counseling experience, she specializes in trauma-informed care and integrates EEG neurofeedback to help clients regulate the nervous system and heal from anxiety, PTSD, depression, and stress-related challenges. Dana is also the founder of Restore of Ada and its digital community, Restore+, which extend her mission of whole-person healing by offering education, support, and practical tools for mind-body-spirit wellness. A former teacher, mother of four, and grandmother of eleven, Dana combines professional expertise with personal insight to bring hope and practical solutions to individuals, families, and foster/adoptive communities.
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Restore of Ada: https://restoreofada.com/
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