In this episode, I sit down with Jamie Menzel, Certified Nutrition Specialist and founder of Sword Fern Nutrition in Portland, Oregon. We explore the fascinating field of nutritional psychology, how what we eat directly influences our brain chemistry, mood, and focus. Jamie shares insights on how nutrient deficiencies can impact emotional regulation and cognitive function, especially in individuals with neurodivergent traits, ADHD, or chronic stress. Together, we talk about the importance of supporting brain health through a root-cause lens: from stabilizing blood sugar and replenishing micronutrients, to using food as a daily form of nervous system care. This conversation is an invitation to understand your brain as part of your body’s ecosystem and to find small, practical ways to nourish it for clarity, focus, and emotional balance. ✨ Connect with Jamie Menzel: swordfernnutrition.com💛 Learn more about Meli’s work: melikirkwood.com | @melikirkwood 🎙️ Produced by Bululú Wellness

In this episode, Meli sits down with Dr. Gabby Rivera, an acupuncturist and energy worker whose journey embodies the heart of integrative wellness. Together, they explore how acupuncture bridges body, mind, and energy, helping us restore balance, release tension, and reconnect with our natural vitality. Gabby shares her perspective on what it means to practice integrative health, how energy flows through the body, and why acupuncture can be such a powerful ally for stress, hormones, and nervous system regulation. She also opens up about weaving in other modalities like hypnotherapy and nutrition, showing how true healing happens when we work with the whole person, not just symptoms. Whether you’re new to acupuncture or simply curious about energy medicine, this conversation invites you to see healing as a dialogue, one that starts within. Practical takeaway: Gabby closes the episode with a simple grounding practice you can try today to reconnect with your body’s energy and calm your nervous system. 📍 Connect with Gabby:frontporchacupuncture.com 💫 Rebuilding energy from the root, one episode at a time. Produced by Meli Kirkwood @melikirkwood  

In this episode of The Integrative Conversations Series, I explore the fascinating intersection between science, emotion, and ancestry through the lens of Family Constellations — a systemic therapy developed by Bert Hellinger that reveals how unresolved family patterns can shape our health and behavior. Drawing from the work of Mark Wolynn, Brigitte Champetier de Ribes, and studies in epigenetics, we’ll explore how inherited trauma can influence gene expression, and how awareness, compassion, and connection can restore balance within the family system. If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying something that isn’t yours, this episode will help you see how healing your roots might just be the key to reclaiming your energy and peace. 💫 Rebuilding energy from the root, one episode at a time. Produced by Meli Kirkwood @melikirkwood

En este episodio de Conversaciones Integrativas, converso con Jimy Calderón, facilitador peruano de Constelaciones Familiares, sobre cómo esta herramienta puede ayudarnos a mirar nuestras raíces, liberar patrones repetitivos y encontrar paz dentro de nuestro sistema familiar. Jimy comparte cómo comenzó su camino en este trabajo, su inspiración en las enseñanzas de Bert Hellinger, y cómo las constelaciones familiares pueden ser parte de un proceso de sanación integral junto con otras modalidades como la medicina funcional o las terapias somáticas. A través de su experiencia, hablamos de temas como el amor, el perdón, los órdenes familiares y la importancia de reconocer con gratitud a quienes vinieron antes que nosotros. Este episodio es una invitación a mirar hacia atrás con compasión y a entender que, al sanar, también liberamos y honramos a toda nuestra línea familiar. Invitado: Jimy Calderón, Facilitador y formador en Constelaciones Familiares y SistémicasInstagram: @jimy.calderon 🎧 Escucha más episodios de Conversaciones Integrativas en el Podcast Bululú Wellness, donde exploramos cómo reconstruir la energía desde la raíz y encontrar bienestar a través de diferentes caminos de sanación. Que esta historia te inspire a seguir buscando tu propia forma de sanar y reconectar contigo misma.

In this special episode, we close the series with my mom’s life story—a resilient woman who faced difficult diagnoses, explored integrative therapies, and discovered new ways of healing through epigenetics, family systems, somatic practices, and the biology of trauma. We reflect on what healing really means beyond the physical, and how tools learned over the years—from functional medicine to body- and energy-based therapies—have been essential on this path. The message is simple: it’s never too late to begin healing and reconnecting with yourself. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode: Dr. Aimie Apigian – Biology of Trauma: www.traumahealingaccelerated.com Mark Wolynn – “It Didn’t Start With You”: www.markwolynn.com Jimy Calderón (Peru – Epigenetics & Constellations): Instagram @jimycalderonoficial Jonathan Epelman – Psychobioemotional Approach: www.jonathanepelman.com

En este episodio especial cerramos la serie con la historia de vida de mi mamá: una mujer resiliente que atravesó diagnósticos difíciles, buscó terapias integrativas y encontró nuevas formas de sanar a través de la epigenética, sistemas familiares, las prácticas somáticas y la biología del trauma. Reflexionamos sobre lo que realmente significa sanación más allá de lo físico, y cómo herramientas aprendidas a lo largo de los años —desde la medicina funcional hasta terapias de conciencia y energía— han sido fundamentales en este camino. El mensaje es claro: nunca es tarde para empezar a sanar y reconectar contigo misma. 📚 Recursos mencionados en este episodio: Dr. Aimie Apigian – Biology of Trauma: www.traumahealingaccelerated.com Mark Wolynn – “It Didn’t Start With You”: www.markwolynn.com Jimy Calderón (Perú – Epigenética y Constelaciones): Instagram @jimycalderonoficial Jonathan Epelman – Psicobioemoción: www.jonathanepelman.com

In this episode, I talk with my mom about our move to the United States and how such a drastic change impacted her physical and emotional health. We discuss the functional medicine clinic where she began therapies like supplementation, lifestyle changes, and chelation therapy to address heavy metal toxicity. We also reflect on the functional testing that gave her insights into hormones, cortisol, neurotransmitters, and heavy metals, and how she received a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. We share what it was like for me to experience panic attacks during that same period and how we searched for tools to cope together. This episode is an invitation to better understand the connection between body, emotions, and environment—and a reminder that there’s always a place to begin healing. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood

En este episodio converso con mi mamá sobre nuestra llegada a Estados Unidos y cómo ese cambio drástico impactó su salud física y emocional. Hablamos de la clínica de medicina funcional donde comenzó terapias como suplementación, cambios de hábitos y la terapia de quelación para eliminar metales pesados. También recordamos los exámenes funcionales que le dieron más claridad sobre sus hormonas, cortisol, neurotransmisores y toxicidad, y cómo recibió el diagnóstico de fibromialgia. Compartimos lo que significó vivir mis ataques de pánico en paralelo y cómo buscamos herramientas para afrontarlos juntas. Este episodio es una invitación a comprender mejor la relación entre cuerpo, emociones y entorno, y a descubrir que siempre hay un punto de partida para sanar. Sígueme en Instagram @melikirkwoodVisita: www.melikirkwood.comProducido by Meli Kirkwood

In this episode, I share a difficult stage of my life marked by panic attacks during my transition to the U.S. I talk about how a simple church pamphlet helped me understand what I was experiencing, my first neurofeedback sessions at the university counseling center, and the functional testing that showed me there was also a chemical side to my mental health. I reflect on the tension between medication and natural alternatives, and how small steps gave me resilience. This episode is for anyone who feels something isn’t right in their body but still hasn’t found answers. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood

En este episodio comparto una etapa difícil de mi vida marcada por ataques de pánico durante mi transición a Estados Unidos. Hablo de cómo un simple panfleto en una iglesia me ayudó a entender lo que estaba viviendo, de mis primeras sesiones de neurofeedback en la universidad y de los exámenes funcionales que me hicieron comprender que también había un componente químico en mi salud mental. Reflexiono sobre las decisiones entre medicación y alternativas naturales, y cómo pequeños pasos me dieron resiliencia. Este episodio es para quienes sienten que algo no está bien en su cuerpo, pero aún no tienen respuestas. Sígueme en Instagram @melikirkwoodVisita: www.melikirkwood.comProducido by Meli Kirkwood

In this episode of The Beginnings, I talk with my mom about a special chapter in her healing journey: the creation of a holistic community in Caracas and the powerful modalities she explored there. We revisit her experiences at a functional medicine clinic — from IV drips and hyperbaric oxygen therapy to Neural Therapy and supplementation — and how each one played a role in supporting her body and mind. She also shares practical advice for anyone feeling physically unwell and wondering where to start. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood

En este episodio de El Inicio, converso con mi mamá sobre un capítulo especial de su camino de sanación: la creación de una comunidad holística en Caracas y las poderosas modalidades que exploró allí. Recordamos sus experiencias en una clínica de medicina funcional — desde sueros intravenosos y la cámara hiperbárica, hasta la Terapia Neural y la suplementación — y cómo cada una contribuyó a fortalecer su cuerpo y su mente. También comparte un consejo práctico para cualquier persona que no se sienta bien físicamente y no sepa por dónde comenzar. Sígueme en Instagram @melikirkwoodVisita: www.melikirkwood.comProducido by Meli Kirkwood

In this episode, my mom and I dive into the emotional therapies we explored after my dad passed. We reflect on the work we did with a very special psychologist who introduced us to Bach flower remedies, Avatar techniques, and eventually Reiki. These sessions were focused on helping me regulate my emotions, understand my grief, and develop the tools I needed to navigate life with more clarity and connection. My mom shares how these practices supported both of us, and we talk about the importance of integrating emotional healing in any journey of wellness. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood

En este episodio, mi mamá y yo hablamos sobre las terapias emocionales que exploramos después de la muerte de mi papá. Reflexionamos sobre el trabajo que hicimos con un psicólogo muy especial que nos introdujo a las flores de Bach, las técnicas de Avatar y, más adelante, al Reiki. Estas sesiones estaban enfocadas en ayudarme a regular mis emociones, entender mi duelo y desarrollar herramientas para navegar la vida con más claridad y conexión. Mi mamá comparte cómo estas prácticas nos apoyaron a ambas, y hablamos sobre la importancia de integrar la sanación emocional en cualquier camino de bienestar. Sígueme en Instagram @melikirkwoodVisita: www.melikirkwood.comProducido by Meli Kirkwood

We open The Beginning series with a very special interview: a heartfelt conversation with my mom. In this episode, we explore how she, both as a woman and as a mother, searched for support after the loss of my dad. She shares what motivated her to explore alternative and holistic therapies at a time when they weren’t widely known. This episode is an invitation to reflect on how the body holds onto what the mind tries to forget and how awareness can begin to shift everything. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood

Iniciamos la serie El Inicio con una conversación muy especial: una entrevista con mi mamá. En este episodio, exploramos cómo ella, como mujer y madre, buscó apoyo para atravesar el duelo después de la pérdida de mi papá. Hablamos sobre lo que la motivó a explorar la medicina alternativa y las terapias integrativas en una época en que no eran tan comunes. Este episodio honra su intuición, su resiliencia y su compromiso con nuestra sanación familiar.   Sígueme en Instagram @melikirkwoodVisita: www.melikirkwood.comProducido by Meli Kirkwood

This episode is a tribute to my mother’s strength. Even while grieving and navigating her own pain, she poured everything into helping me heal. I share how her nervous system, her resilience, and her choices shaped my healing—and why early regulation and support matter so deeply. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood

For years, movement was my escape. In this episode, I unpack how dance became both a healing tool and a coping mechanism. We explore how trauma can fuel our need for constant motion—and how integrating movement with presence and breath can become true medicine. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood

After the loss of my father, life changed forever. In this episode, I share how grief shaped my nervous system, shifted my personality, and pushed me to grow up quickly. I explore how childhood trauma can impact our physiology—and how early support, even when imperfect, can make a difference. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood

In this first episode of the July series, I open up about the moment my world shifted—the sudden loss of my dad. I was just a child, and while I didn’t fully understand what was happening, my nervous system did. I share how this event shaped my physiology, my sense of safety, and the path I would eventually take toward healing. Follow me on Instagram @melikirkwoodVisit: www.melikirkwood.comProduced by Meli Kirkwood