Wonder In The Weeds

About Wonder In The Weeds

"Wonder in the Weeds" with trauma therapist Cristie Ritz-King. This is the show where we talk about how to live, love, and grow right alongside grief, change, and the "wild messiness of this human life". Moving beyond the role of the "blank slate" therapist , Cristie combines her professional experience with her personal stories of challenge and reinvention. We're not about toxic positivity or influencer-style advice. Instead, this is a space for authentic connection, community , and understanding that we don't have to wait for life to be perfect to feel good. Each week, we'll talk about: Finding "wonder" even when you feel like you're "walking through the weeds". Navigating personal change, from parenting to finding your authentic self. The "Weeds of the Week," where we discuss everything from small daily annoyances to the big things that bother us. Sharing stories to feel less alone in our experiences. Join us to get through the weeds together. Let's connect: ➡️ Website: https://thewonder.life/ ➡️Join Our community: https://wonder.myflodesk.com/womenofwonder critzking.substack.com (https://critzking.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Cristie Ritz-King

Category

health & fitness · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Nov 2023

Latest episode

4 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

110 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Nov 2026

   Stuck in Healing Mode? It’s Time to Start Living.

   Sarah Sparks has been with us since almost the beginning of this podcast, so it was a joy to welcome her back. For the last three years, Sarah has been stepping into a new identity. She says Archangel Uriel delivered it to her, written in fire: HEALED. And then came the next message: get out of healing mode and get into living mode. If you are rolling your eyes a little right now, I get it. Sarah channels divine guidance, and I am a trauma therapist, so we come at this from very different angles. Honestly, I don’t think there is any such thing as healed. I think we all die unhealed, because the work of living is the healing. But we still land in the same place: listen to yourself, pay attention to yourself, and trust that you know what is best for you. Sarah also gets real about the hardest part of any big change, what she calls the void. It’s the space where you are not who you were anymore, but you are not yet who you are becoming. If you have ever felt stuck in the in-between, this one is for you. What we talk about: - The message that changed everything for Sarah: new identity, HEALED - Why “I need to process that” can keep us stuck, and what living mode looks like - The master’s degree she keeps on the wall to remind her she doesn’t have to prove she’s smart - Why she lets her girls swear at home, and what that teaches kids about anger - Unlearning the idea that jealousy is a form of love - The void between who you were and who you are becoming - Trading busy, hustle and 5 a.m. runs for slow mornings and light through the trees - How intuition shows up: intuitive walks, a yes or no in the body, and asking for very specific signs - “How good can I feel?”: no screens after 8, a real bedtime, and what she noticed when she cut sugar (her experience, not medical advice) - Why you don’t have to be perfect, or have it all figured out, to show up Find Sarah: Instagram: @thesarahsparks Website: https://sarahsparks.love One more thing: XwhyZ, the segment with my daughter, is coming more often, and we have a little twist coming for you next season. Stay tuned. ➡️ Website: https://thewonder.life/ ➡️Join Our community: https://wonder.myflodesk.com/womenofwonder So tell me: are you in healing mode or living mode right now? Hit reply or leave a comment, and send this one to a friend who is in the in-between. Listen to Wonder in the Weeds wherever you get your podcasts. 🌿 Until next time, keep looking for the wonder in the weeds. And maybe you are the wonder. Get full access to Cristie Ritz-King, PsyD at critzking.substack.com/subscribe (https://critzking.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   28 Oct 2026

   The Cornell 7 and the 50 Who Stayed Quiet. Men, You Should Be Embarrassed.

   This week Faith and I sat down to test our new XwhyZ setup: new spots, new lighting, Friday finest sweatpants. We didn’t have a topic. We ended up with a hot takes episode. We start light. Faith and I are both tired of people who exist to yuck other people’s yum, whether that’s the Lynx or Taylor Swift writing a song called “Cleveland!” Then we get to what’s really bothering us: why, when anything goes wrong, we always look to the woman and ask what she could have done differently. The Cornell case is all over the news: seven fraternity members accused, and a group chat of about 50 men who reportedly saw the messages and never went to the police. Faith has a message for the men who think of themselves as the good guys, and I have a few things to say about why parenting advice still lands on moms. Content note: we discuss sexual assault. What we talk about: • Bess Kalb’s “Seven Good Boys” and the myth of the good boy • The guy who photographed the Snapchat instead of stopping it • Why embarrassment can change behavior • Gen Z and the uncomfortable conversations worth having with friends • How institutions protect themselves • What we’re reading and watching: Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll, The Corner by David Simon and Edward Burns, and John Proctor Is the Villain (Goodman Theatre this winter, Guthrie Theater this spring) Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. ➡️ Website: https://thewonder.life/ ➡️Join Our community: https://wonder.myflodesk.com/womenofwonder Who in your life would you actually say “that’s not okay” to? Hit reply or leave a comment. Until next time, keep looking for the wonder in the weeds. And maybe you are the wonder. Get full access to Cristie Ritz-King, PsyD at critzking.substack.com/subscribe (https://critzking.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   14 Oct 2026

   Ted Lasso Season 4 Is Cheesy. A Therapist Says We Need It.

   It’s just me today, and I’m trying something a little different. After a couple of episodes where I mostly ranted, I wanted more structure. So this week comes in two parts: the Weeds, what’s been weighing on us, and the Wonder, what’s been getting me through. The weeds are easy to name. The conversation about women online is focused on everything that isn’t working, and it should be. But it can leave you feeling hopeless. Two steps forward, five steps back. The wonder surprised me. It’s the writers of Ted Lasso Season 4. Yes, it’s sentimental. Yes, it wraps everything up in a bow. And they still walked straight into the hard stuff: motherhood, ambition, pregnancy, what happens when a woman is the boss. I sit with struggle in my office every day. I don’t need my TV to do it too. No spoilers, I promise. What we talk about: * Why Ted Lasso Season 4 felt like it was written by women * The women’s issues the writers weren’t afraid to take on * Rebecca and the question of whether she’s really a feminist * Why “sentimental” isn’t a flaw right now * The beach read of television, and an episode that deserves the Emmy * More wonder: the Minnesota women (and fans) who made me feel welcome in sport * The bar in town that only shows women’s sports * A new segment, Tourist in My Own Town: a weekend up north at Breezy Point * What I’m reading: Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan ➡️ Website: https://thewonder.life/ ➡️Join Our community: https://wonder.myflodesk.com/womenofwonder Also on Substack: critzking.substack.com Listen to Wonder in the Weeds wherever you get your podcasts. 🌿 Until next time, keep looking for the wonder in the weeds. And maybe you are the wonder. Get full access to Cristie Ritz-King, PsyD at critzking.substack.com/subscribe (https://critzking.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.