In this episode, Brian and Hope sit down with spiritual guide, Reiki Master, and plant medicine facilitator Shellee Rae, who has been supporting people in their healing and awakening journeys since 1998. Together, they dive deep into the world of plant medicine, specifically Ayahuasca, and how it serves as a catalyst for profound transformation.
Shellee shares her own powerful story of sobriety, her unexpected calling to Ayahuasca, and how she overcame the fears and stigma around working with this sacred medicine. She explains the origins of the brew, the importance of safe facilitation, and how the medicine meets each person exactly where they are — sometimes with gentleness, sometimes with fierce intensity.
The conversation explores:
The healing potential of Ayahuasca and how it differs from other plant medicines.
Why safety and trauma-informed facilitation are crucial, especially in a field full of both authentic healers and unsafe, untrained guides.
Integration as at least 50% of the work — how to carry the lessons into everyday life, relationships, and community.
The role of music, ritual, and safe space in opening people to deep release and transformation.
Who this medicine is for — and who it may not be safe for.
Brian and Hope also share their own awakenings with Ayahuasca, including healing from addiction and shifting long-held survival patterns. Together with Shellee, they highlight how plant medicine can strip away old identities, trauma imprints, and protective masks, revealing deeper freedom, connection, and authenticity.
This is a raw, honest, and heart-opening conversation about the challenges, risks, and profound gifts of walking the path with Ayahuasca — and how to discern safe spaces, honor the medicine, and commit to the lifelong integration process.
Shellee Rae’s Books:
Brian Yang and his wife, Hope, pull back the curtain on the messy, painful beginnings of their relationship — from addiction, codependency, and toxic fights to years of therapy, plant medicine, and somatic healing. What most people (and even therapists) would have called doomed, they transformed into a secure, spiritual partnership built on vulnerability, truth, and deep inner work.
In this episode, they share the raw milestones of their journey: breaking destructive cycles, facing childhood trauma, discovering nervous system work, and learning how to hold space for each other instead of trying to fix. Now, as they prepare to welcome their first child, Brian and Hope reflect on the biggest lessons that carried them from near-collapse to deeper connection, and how any couple willing to face the pain can create real intimacy.
More about me
https://awakeningwithbrian.com/
Apply for my transformational mentorship program
https://awakeningwithbrian.com/get-started/
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This episode is dedicated to our sweet dog, Rocky, who passed away weeks before this episode. It's because of him, this episode and interview was conducted to talk about grief, pet loss and the lessons learned.
Website: https://www.carolelizabethlong.com/
Blogpost on
Amazon book link: MILEY SPEAKS: A True Story of Love, Loss, Grief, and Reconnection by Lisa Peachey and Carol Elizabeth Long https://a.co/d/cKJnCm6
In this episode of The Awakening Podcast, Brian and Hope sit down with their longtime spiritual guide, Dave Clark, a clairvoyant reader, healer, and teacher, along with his wife Julie Peoples Clark, an artist, writer, and teacher.
Together they open up about their 25-year marriage, their journey through grief, and the profound lessons they learned raising their daughter Ella, who was born with severe cerebral palsy and passed away at age 11.
The conversation dives into:
What clairvoyance really is and how it helps us see truth beneath trauma
How childhood wounds replay in adult relationships as “matching pictures”
The pact that helped Dave and Julie survive sleep-deprived nights as young parents
The lessons Ella taught them about patience, intimacy, slowing down, and spirit-to-spirit communication
What it was like to witness Ella’s passing and continue a relationship with her in spirit
How they keep their marriage strong through forgiveness, humor, nature, and deep sexual connection
Real guidance for supporting someone through grief without spiritual bypassing
This is a moving, raw, and deeply inspiring episode on love, loss, spiritual partnership, and the healing power of seeing beyond the body into spirit.
Resources & Links:
Work with Dave Clark: divineroots.love
Julie’s upcoming book on raising Ella and navigating grief
Tune into this weeks episode with Jason and Carolyn Ozuna where we talk about relationships , how they mirror our pain and the gifts they bring!
Jason and Carolyn are relationship coaches and NSA Practitioners
You can find Jason/Carolyn at the link provided or social media
For a Free healing session https://go.sparkyourrockstar.com/healfest-1?
Instagram: @awakenwithcarolyn
Very few people know the story of my wife and I, especially how we met and how we even begun the journey of healing and changing our relationship.
In this episode, it is juicy, it is surprising, and hopefully inspiring as well. It is our hope that it gives hope to others who are struggling or stuck and want to improve their relationships or even themselves individually.
Ready for your transformational journey?
Learn more about me
Mainstream pop advice says is communication, sex or the love languages! While all those things are nice, we challenge you to go deeper.
Ready for deep healing and transformation? Work with me:
👉🏼 https://www.awakeningwithbrian.com/
My socials (1.5m followers combined):
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My wife and I have worked with Dave Clark for years. He is a beautiful soul with gifts to share with the world. He very often sees exactly what is coming next for me in life before I see it.
To learn more about Dave and his work, visit:
https://divineroots.love/
To work with me:
https://awakeningwithbrian.com/get-started/
https://www.instagram.com/awakeningwithbrian/
Ever wondered how psychedelics plays in the healing process? In this episode I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. James Cook, a neuroscientist with a PhD from Oxford, to not only talk about plant medicines but also all things related to the healing and spiritual journey. He is also the host of "Living Mirrors Podcast."
Dr. James Cook mentions "TRE" (Trauma Release Exercises)
Example video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeUioDuJjFI
Learn more about Dr. James Cook on his Youtube
Ready for deep healing and transformation? Work with me:
👉🏼 https://www.awakeningwithbrian.com/
My socials (1.5m followers combined):
How was this episode for you? Give it some love, drop me some stars! 🙏🏼
In this community Q&A round, I answer some very common burning questions and also controversial topics!
"How do I begin to heal from the narc and move on for good and how do I start with healing my childhood to ensure I stay away even though we have a child?"
"How to heal and recover from betrayal trauma from infidelity and also transition my life and letting go of the life I invisioned while now going through a divorce?"
"How do I pinpoint what/when/who caused my trauma that does not allow me to trust, accept love and feel that I need to push people away?"
"How to learn to completely trust and know myself when most of my life has been ensuring others are happy and cared for and not myself"
Listen to the podcast to explore these deep topics with me!
Ready for deep healing and transformation? Work with me:
👉🏼 https://www.awakeningwithbrian.com/
My socials (1.5m followers combined):
How was this episode for you? Give it some love, drop me some stars! 🙏🏼