The *Activate and Illuminate Podcast with Melanie Wakelin* is a weekly celebration of real people sharing authentic stories of determination, perseverance, overcoming challenges, and simply choosing to show up.
Tune in each week as we explore narratives that might challenge your assumptions, inspire you to show up differently, or even reshape your views on what's possible.
You might find yourself moved to tears or eager to share this podcast with friends. Either way, we're thrilled you're here to listen, to discover how much is achievable, and to recognize that we're all active creators of our own lives.
Through it all, our hope is to empower listeners everywhere to approach the world with a bit more optimism, equipped with fresh tools or a renewed mindset.
Let's Activate, Baby!
The Mystical World of Mushrooms with Juliette Bryant
In this episode of Activate & Illuminate, Melanie welcomes nutritionist, author, educator, and founder of the School of Earth Wisdom, Juliette Bryant.
With over 20 years of experience in nutrition, plant medicine, superfoods, and holistic wellbeing, Juliette shares her wisdom on medicinal mushrooms, plant medicine, food sovereignty, natural health, and reconnecting with the healing intelligence of nature.
Juliette is the author of Superfoods and How to Use Them and 7 Magical Mushrooms.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Introduction & Welcome
02:15 – Juliette's Journey Into Natural Health
08:30 – The Healing Intelligence of Nature
15:45 – Understanding Medicinal Mushrooms
23:10 – Food, Nutrition & Our Wellbeing
30:20 – Reconnecting With Plant Wisdom
37:15 – Food Sovereignty & Our Relationship With the Earth
44:00 – Trusting Our Own Innate Wisdom
49:30 – Final Thoughts & Where to Find Juliette
Connect with Juliette
📸 Instagram: @officialjuliettebryant
📘 Facebook: Juliette Bryant / Juliette's Kitchen
Connect with Melanie
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/activateandilluminate/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/activateandilluminate
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@activateandilluminatewithmel
🌐 Website: https://activateandilluminate.com/
📧 pr@melaniewakelin.com
🌿 LifeVantage: http://protandimcanada.lifevantage.com/
#ActivateAndIlluminate #JulietteBryant #NaturalHealth #PlantMedicine #MedicinalMushrooms #Superfoods #HolisticHealth
29 Sept 2026
One Hospital Stay Nearly Changed Her Life Forever
What happens when a hospital stay leaves you unable to advocate for yourself?
In this powerful conversation, Melanie speaks with returning guest Jane Scharf about her unexpected health crisis, hospitalization, medication, loss of mobility, and the importance of having someone who can advocate for you when you cannot advocate for yourself. Jane shares her experience with being heavily medicated, confined to bed, losing mobility, and eventually regaining her independence after leaving the hospital. They also discuss consent, capacity, power of attorney, living wills, rehabilitation, and questions surrounding long-term care and healthcare policy in Canada.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction: Jane Scharf Returns
01:57 - The Fall That Changed Everything
04:00 - Discovering the Brain Bleed
06:00 - A Severe Reaction and ICU Stay
09:00 - When Medication Took Away Her Ability to Advocate
14:36 - "I Was Restrained in There"
15:00 - Consent, Capacity & Your Medical Rights
19:17 - What Jane Learned About the Healthcare System
24:00 - The Questions Nobody Was Asking
26:09 - Why You Need a Power of Attorney & Living Will
32:00 - Medication, Mobility & Loss of Independence
40:00 - What Happens When Patients Lose Mobility?
45:14 - The Research Behind Deconditioning
46:00 - Could Some Long-Term Care Patients Go Home?
48:00 - The Importance of Having an Advocate
54:51 - How to Challenge What Happens in Institutions
57:00 - Jane's Experience With Medical Decisions
1:02:00 - Healthcare, Long-Term Care & the Future
1:12:00 - How Jane Regained Her Independence
1:14:13 - Jane's Final Advice: Prepare Before You Need It
1:17:00 - Closing Thoughts
Connect with Jane:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mj.scharf.7
Website: www.grandjuryrising.ca
Email: liaisonjane@gmail.com
Connect with Melanie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/activateandilluminate/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/activateandilluminate
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@activateandilluminatewithmel
Website: https://activateandilluminate.com/
Contact: pr@melaniewakelin.com
LifeVantage: http://protandimcanada.lifevantage.com/
28 Sept 2026
The Hummingbird Mentality: What If You're Not Powerless? | Norman Traversy
Former firefighter and paramedic Norman Traversy shares the extraordinary story of surviving serious injuries, PTSD, losing his career and home, and ultimately choosing to fight back. Norman discusses resilience, "divine mischief," intuition, challenging authority, and why he believes ordinary people have far more power than they realize.
Chapters:
00:00 Norman's story begins
01:39 Life as a firefighter
05:57 PTSD & losing everything
08:57 The Hummingbird
11:13 Divine Mischief & OODA
17:14 "Buying" Canadian laws
30:03 The cost of fighting back
40:00 Divine timing
54:13 His upbringing & purpose
58:20 Are we the authors of our lives?
1:00:59 Supporting Norman
Key Takeaway: Be the hummingbird. Do what you can, with what you have.
Support Norman:
Website: https://www.givesendgo.com/werisetheyfall
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/norman.traversy/
Connect with Activate & Illuminate
🎙️ Hosted by Melanie Wakelin
Website:
https://www.activateandilluminate.com
Instagram:
@activateandilluminate
Facebook:
Activate & Illuminate
YouTube:
Activate & Illuminate Podcast
Listen on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe for new episodes featuring inspiring stories, personal transformation, spirituality, healing, and human resilience.
#ActivateAndIlluminate #NormanTraversy #TheHummingbirdMentality #Resilience #Purpose #Courage #DivineTiming #PersonalPower
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
18 ratings
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