The Choice to Grow

In this rich and multidimensional conversation, Scott Schwenk is joined by Saniel and Linda Groves-Bonder—founders of the Waking Down in Mutuality work—for a dialogue on what it means to live a fully awakened and fully human life. Together, they explore the paradox of recognizing ourselves as being radiantly whole simultaneously with flaws and lots of room to grow, the power of mutuality in relationships, and why awakening doesn’t mean erasing your ego.  This episode is a deep dive into radical embodiment, healthy shadow work, and the courage to be known and shows how relationships hold a mirror...

In this spacious and soul-touching dialogue, Scott Schwenk is joined by Carl Lindeborg—founder of the Flow Festival, wellness entrepreneur, and integrative guide through the thresholds of the human spirit. Together, they explore what it means to return to wholeness in a fractured world—how to meet intensity with breath, how to turn fear into fuel, and how the practices of presence, nature connection, and conscious leadership can realign our deepest purpose. With stories from his journey through burnout, fatherhood, entrepreneurship, and stillness, Carl offers luminous reflections on living from the inside out.

Deeply curi...

In this soul-deep episode, Scott Schwenk sits down with Hawaiian mystic and intuitive guide Keoni Hanalei for a profound conversation on returning to wholeness. Keoni shares powerful teachings from the land and from his own awakening—what it means to listen to the “inner Earth,” how trauma disrupts our sacred geometry, and why healing isn’t about fixing, but about remembering. With humor, raw honesty, and visionary depth, this dialogue is a call to reclaim our divinity, live in coherence, and recognize that we already belong.

A conversation that maps the mystical and the embodied with stunning clarity...

In this illuminating conversation, Scott Schwenk sits down with branding genius, entrepreneur, podcaster, and creative force Matt Gottesman for a powerful dialogue on what it means to grow from within. Together, they explore the distinction between alignment and hustle, why nervous system regulation is the new success metric, and how to live a life that reflects soul—not ego. With stories of personal unraveling and radical rebuilding, Matt shares his own journey of reclaiming purpose, creativity, and the freedom of showing up fully as yourself.

Matt Gottesman is a 3x founder, podcaster and writer... an...

In this wide-ranging, vulnerable conversation, dancer, actor, and father Adam Garcia joins host Scott Schwenk for a deep dive into self-worth, inner child healing, and the surprising power of making peace with our many identities. From the stage to the stillness, Adam reflects on choosing growth through curiosity, imperfection, and connection. A rich journey through the river of life—with a few good laughs along the way.

Adam Garcia - Actor, Dancer, Leader

After training at Kerry & Glenn Dumbrells’ Capital Performance Studios in

Sydney, David Atkins & Dein Perry kindly offered Adam a slight deto...

Eugene Pustoshkin is an integral psychologist, translator into Russian of Ken Wilber’s work, and co-founder of the Integral Awareness Meditation process. He brings forward a richly textured transmission on waking up, growing up, and showing up in life. Drawing from integral theory, mystical traditions, and his own path of translating wisdom into lived practice, Eugene weaves a map of radical wholeness, creativity, and presence. If you’ve ever wondered how deep philosophy meets direct experience, this is your portal.

With two decades of experience studying and working with and teaching from the Integral Framework and various tran...

In this expansive and soul-deep conversation, Scott Schwenk welcomes Alexander Love—acupuncturist, developmental coach, and mystic—for a journey into the alchemy of healing. Together, they explore how trauma distorts perception, how widening perspective gives birth to new possibilities, and how the sacred reveals itself when we slow down enough to notice. Alexander shares potent insights into grief, love, and Awakening inside the very lives we often try to escape. This episode is a poetic call back to wholeness, a meditation on being human, and a guidepost for anyone learning to love what’s hard to love.

Alexan...

Fitness icon turned spiritual teacher, Mike Chang joins Scott Schwenk for an unfiltered, wide-ranging conversation on the pursuit of true freedom. From being the star of the largest fitness channel in YouTube history to a psychedelic journey that radically altered his sense of self and launched a pivot away from the golden handcuffs (and hamster wheel) of a highly profitable business, Mike reveals what happens when you stop chasing profits and start listening to the soul. A story of breakdowns and  breakthroughs. And the power of learning to take a profound experience and ground it into new integrated ways o...

Mystic, leadership development sherpa and tantric Buddhist lama in the lineage of the Dalai Lama, Kimberley Lafferty joins Scott Schwenk for a conversation that spans the hunger to grow, awakening, death, devotion, embodiment and feminine leadership, and what it means to surrender to the soul’s timing. From her experiences as a householder teacher and practioner (rather than a monk) to her reflections on divine love and karma, Kimberley shares stories that are as raw as they are revelatory.

🎧 Tune in for a poetic journey through following a deep calling, faith, and the mystery of being

Kim...

What if everything we believe about money is a spell? In this electrifying and soul-rooted conversation, Kristen Ragusin—author, economist, and truth-seeker—joins Scott Schwenk to explore how our financial systems obscure the truth of our value. From early awakenings to working with the World Bank, Kristen shares the journey that led her to redefine wealth as an inner state—and reclaim the sovereignty of the human soul. This episode will change the way you think about money, power, and what you’re really worth.

Kristen Ragusin - Finance Maven, Author, Visionary

Kristen Ragusin is the best...

In this dynamic episode, Scott Schwenk welcomes Dr. Darshan Shah, founder of Next Health, for a far-reaching conversation on the future of wellness, from bio-optimization and longevity science to spiritual alignment. Dr. Shah shares what it means to reclaim authorship over your own health using biomarkers, tech, and self-awareness—revealing how data can catalyze not just healing, but awakening. From hormone recalibration to AI-driven diagnostics, from ancient wisdom to futuristic medicine—this episode offers both actionable insight and expansive inspiration.

Dr. Darshan Shah, MD - Longevity Medicine Specialist, Surgeon, Visionary

Darshan Shah, MD, is a heal...

What if your burnout was never a personal failure—but a signal from a deeper intelligence calling you back into connection? In this provocative and wide-ranging conversation, Scott Schwenk welcomes Alex Olshonsky—founder of Deep Fix and former tech executive—for a raw exploration of nervous system healing, societal collapse, and the courage to grow through disintegration. They explore the soul costs of extractive work, the slow medicine of reconnection, and the power of embodied presence in a culture built on speed. A vital conversation for anyone feeling overwhelmed, disillusioned, or on the edge of a personal or collective breakt...

In this expansive and humble dialogue, Scott Schwenk welcomes transformation facilitator Geoff Fitch for a luminous inquiry into awakening, embodiment, and the paradox of modern spiritual life. With humor and precision, Geoff explores how emptiness and form, compassion and clarity, self and culture all co-arise—and how awakening isn’t an escape from life but a deeper embrace of it. From dreamlike perception and financial stress to the grit of manifesting and the wisdom of community, this conversation is a treasure map for those choosing to grow with their whole being.

Geoff Fitch - Leadership Development, Late-Stage Guid...

Writer, speaker, and “beauty hunter” Jennifer Pastiloff joins The Choice to Grow for a conversation about grief, letting go of perfectionism, the healing power of humor, and why telling the truth—especially the messy, human kind—can change your life. Jen opens up about her hearing loss, her journey as a mother, and how she’s learned to stop pretending and start truly living. This episode is a love letter to those who feel like they don’t belong and a call to anyone ready to show up as they are.

Jennifer Pastiloff - Writer, Speaker, Beauty Hunter

What happens when you stop trying to outsmart life and start letting it teach you? In this wide-ranging and mind-expanding conversation, Scott Schwenk sits down with philosopher and spiritual provocateur Layman Pascal. Together, they explore how to navigate complexity without losing clarity, the difference between real growth and spiritual bypass, and why paradox may be the ultimate teacher. Expect to challenge your assumptions—and laugh a little along the way.

Layman Pascal - Metamodernist, Author, Alchemist

Layman Pascal used to be a Canadian meditation teacher, yoga instructor & philosopher of Integral Metatheory -- but he’s feel...

Jeff Krasno joins Scott for a soul-centered conversation on what it means to live with integrity, openness, and heart in a collapsing world. They explore the sacred in the everyday, the power of grief to reveal truth, and how community and belonging start with radical honesty. This is a conversation for anyone longing to show up fully—in the mess, in the mystery, and in the magic of being human.

Jeff Krasno - Maverick Entrepreneur, Community Builder, Contemplative Writer

Jeff is the co-founder and CEO of Commune, a masterclass pl...

What if most chronic symptoms—fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, even autoimmune disease—weren’t your body’s flaws, but signals of deeper imbalance?

In this episode of The Choice to Grow, Dr. Alejandro Junger, founder of the Clean Program and pioneer of functional medicine, unpacks the root causes of modern illness and why our healthcare system is built to suppress, not solve. From detoxing emotions to healing the gut, this conversation is a masterclass in reclaiming your body’s natural intelligence.

Whether you're struggling with your health or seeking more vitality, this episode will shift the way yo...

In this episode of The Choice to Grow, Scott sits down with breathwork practitioner and mental health advocate Jamie Clements. What begins as a conversation about the power of the breath unfolds into a deeper reflection on stillness, masculine identity, and what it takes to come back into the body. Jamie shares his own journey—from struggling with anxiety and dissociation to finding his voice through the breath—and the quiet revolution that happens when we stop running from our discomfort.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “doing all the work” but still not feeling safe inside...

In this episode of The Choice to Grow, Wendi Michelle shares her personal and professional journey of healing—moving from chronic illness and childhood trauma to becoming a voice for embodied well-being. We talk about radical honesty, the body’s intelligence, the complexity of trauma, and why true healing takes more than mindset. If you’ve ever felt trapped by a diagnosis or disconnected from your body, this conversation offers an empowering reframe. Your body remembers, and it’s always trying to help you come home.

Wendi Michelle - Epigenetics Strategist, Product Formulator, Consumer Health A...

In this episode, somatic guide and facilitator Venita Ramirez invites us into a deeper dialogue with the intelligence of the body. We explore how true healing unfolds when we slow down, honor the mystery, and learn to trust the subtle signals within. Venita shares how grief, surrender, and stillness can become portals into wholeness—and why becoming “no one” is sometimes the most liberating path forward.

This is a conversation about reclaiming embodiment in a disembodied world. And about remembering that, no matter how fractured things may feel, you have never been separate from the sacred.

Veni...

In this episode of The Choice to Grow, Suze Yalof Schwartz, founder of Unplug Meditation, shares the powerful story of how one mindful breath changed her entire life—and how it can change yours. From her high-fashion past at Vogue to becoming a leading voice in meditation, Suze invites us into the radical simplicity of the pause. She and Scott explore the science of stillness, the myth of “not enough time,” and how to shift from reactivity to presence, one breath at a time.

Suze Yalof Schwartz - Meditation Maven, Wellness Pioneer, Transformer

...

In this heart-centered, mind-expanding conversation, Scott and Kim explore how releasing the rigid expectations of how life “should” be opens the door to greater presence, adaptability, and personal freedom. They examine how attachment to ideology—across politics, relationships, and even self-concept—limits our capacity to engage with what is real, emerging, and alive, opening the floodgates for presence, love and fulfillment.

Kim Barta - Psychotherapist, Shadow Work Expert, Evolutionary Guide

Kim Barta is a globally recognized psychotherapist, award-winning speaker, and international workshop leader. He is widely known for his expertise in shadow work, including his meta-mod...

In this heart-opening episode of The Choice to Grow, Scott Schwenk is joined by mystic and transformational guide Bea Rubli for an unforgettable conversation that bridges the seen and unseen realms. Bea shares her lifelong journey from resisting her gifts as a medium to embracing a life of deep energetic service and soul remembrance. Together, Scott and Bea explore the collapse of the old matrix of fear and separation, the return of mystical knowing, and how each of us can reconnect with our own unique soul signature—our fractal of the divine.

Bea Rubli – Mystic, Medium, Transformational Guid...

In this deeply intimate episode of The Choice to Grow, Scott sits down with beloved teacher, author, and artist Elena Brower. Together they explore the rich terrain of grief as an expression of love, the transformative power of daily practice, and what it means to live — and die — with Presence. From the alchemy of long meditations facing the wall in silent Zen practice to serving tea during a final goodbye, Elena opens her heart and offers fierce, unflinching grace. This is a conversation about what really matters — and how to stay close to it.

Elena Brower – Teacher, Author...

In this deep and luminous conversation, Scott Schwenk welcomes yoga nidra teacher, author, and spiritual guide Tracee Stanley for a heartfelt dialogue on what it means to grow—not by force, but by surrender. From samskaras (stored subtle energies that shape a person's personality, perspective and motivations) and sacred pauses to the profound practice of remembering, Tracee shares tools and stories to help us soften into life’s transitions and reawaken our innate worth. A conversation rich in wisdom, practice, and radical presence.

Tracee Stanley - Spiritual teacher, guide, mentor, author

Tracee Stanley is the auth...

In this powerful episode, Scott Schwenk is joined by heart coach and author James “Fish” Gill to explore radical compassion, conscious communication, and the deep human longing behind even the most painful behaviors. Together, they unpack what it means to attune to our own pain and longing, recognize the humanity in others, and transform rupture into connection. From grief to traffic rage to childhood wounds, this is a soul-deep conversation on how we begin to fall in love with humanity—starting with ourselves.

James ‘Fish’ Gill - Heart coach, yoga teacher, author and transformational teacher Duration: 01:20:14

In this deeply honest and spiritually potent episode, Scott Schwenk sits down with bestselling author and thought leader Danielle LaPorte to explore what it really means to grow. Together, they unpack radical compassion, heart-centered living, and the surprising cost of hustle culture. Danielle shares her journey through burnout, ego death, spiritual surrender, and how she found her way back to peace—not by fixing herself, but by loving every fragment. This is an episode to feel, not just hear.

In this deep and luminous conversation, Scott Schwenk welcomes yoga nidra teacher, author, and spiritual guide Tracee Stanley for a heartfelt dialogue on what it means to grow—not by force, but by surrender. From samskaras (stored subtle energies that shape a person's personality, perspective and motivations) and sacred pauses to the profound practice of remembering, Tracee shares tools and stories to help us soften into life’s transitions and reawaken our innate worth. A conversation rich in wisdom, practice, and radical presence.

Tracee Stanley - Spiritual teacher, guide, mentor, author

"It takes courage to push yourself to places you have never been before...

to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the

risk it took to stay tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took

to blossom."

~Anais Nin

What tools, practices and perspectives can help you to thrive more in life?

To build your abilities for using challenges and unfamiliar experiences as

powerful opportunities to grow and add value?

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