It's been a minute, and what a special episode to return to.
In this episode, I sit down with Catherine Pakaluk, author of Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth. Her book gathers the stories of American women who have chosen to raise five or more children in an age where birth rates are in historic decline.
Together, we explore:
Why some women embrace large families, and how it reshapes their identity, purpose, and sense of legacy.
How motherhood changes us—not just for a season, but as a lifelong transformation.
The role of faith, culture, and technology in shaping our choices about children.
What it means to move from maiden to mother, and how that transition requires letting go of the idea of “going back” to who we once were.
Why children are not only a private family decision but also a cultural inheritance and a gift to the wider community.
The overlooked wisdom and resilience that comes from spending years in the trenches of newborn life.
We also talk about Catherine’s upcoming work interviewing fathers—offering new perspectives on family life, vocation, and what it means to raise children in today’s world.
This conversation is both countercultural and deeply hopeful, offering encouragement for mothers and families navigating their own choices in a culture that often overlooks the sacredness of children and the home. Read or listen to her book here.
If this episode resonated with you, please consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. It helps this podcast reach more women who are seeking to reconnect with the cycles of life, motherhood, and the wisdom of the Great Mother.
shopgreatmother.com/shop
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles podcast! In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Norton of Cucina Melissa to explore her inspiring journey from culinary school in Italy to building a thriving business centered around food, travel, and community. What started as a small pasta and pizza kit venture during the early days of COVID has grown into a sought-after culinary brand with an immersive Italian cooking school and a dedicated following!
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
The evolution of Cucina Melissa from a passion project to a full-scale culinary brand.
How Melissa leveraged social media and influencer marketing to grow her business.
The importance of community and connection in Italian food culture.
The reality of entrepreneurship—burnout, resilience, and the power of delegation.
What goes into creating unforgettable cooking retreats in Italy.
Resources & Links:
Follow Melissa Norton on Instagram: @cucinamelissa
Learn more about Cucina Melissa and upcoming cooking retreats: cucinamelissa.com
Follow me on Instagram: @brookemackenzie____
Work with me: brookembaldwin.com
Welcome back to the podcast! I'm so excited to share my conversation with Kathrin Smirke. Kathrin is a designer, a photographer, and she lives on the beautiful Mendocino Coast of Northern California with her husband Brian, their rescued Great Pyrenees, Daisy, and their two adopted kitties, Cobie and Bruno.
In this conversation, we dive into the art of slowing down, of listening to the whispers of intuition, and of building a life that nourishes the soul. Kathrin shares how her journey led her away from the fast-paced world of entertainment into the rhythm of nature—living amongst the redwoods, tending to her animals, and immersing herself in creative practices.
We explore the balance between the masculine and feminine energies in our lives, the power of trusting our instincts, and the deep ancestral wisdom found in simple, meditative acts like baking, canning, and tea rituals. This episode is an invitation to reflect on what it truly means to cultivate a life of beauty, meaning, and presence. Enjoy! Xo, Brooke
Work with me: brookembaldwin.com
Welcome back to the podcast! I’m so excited to share today’s conversation with Nicole Silaperre, the heart and mind behind The Sunshine Pescadero. Nicole is the founder and owner of this incredible grocery shop, which is far more than a store—it’s a hub of nourishment, community, and sustainability, located in the charming town of Pescadero, California.
In our conversation, we cover so much ground, including:
We also dive into broader topics like:
Find Brooke at brookembaldwin.com or instagram.com/brookemackenzie____
In this episode, I sit down with Quinn McCormick, graphic designer, creative director, and co-founder of Rhea Creative, a bicoastal agency she launched in 2024. Quinn shares her inspiring journey from her artistic upbringing in Canada to navigating the professional design world, eventually taking the leap to start her own agency.
In this episode we cover:
-How Quinn discovered her passion for graphic design and built a career rooted in creativity.
-The challenges and rewards of launching a creative agency.
-The importance of balancing personal style with client projects.
-Strategies for overcoming fear and embracing imperfection in the creative process.
- How to cultivate boundaries and stay inspired as a creative entrepreneur.
Whether you’re in the creative field or simply looking for inspiration to take the next step in your career, I hope this episode serves you! Xo, Brooke
Happy New Year! Welcome Alex Rooted, a basket weaver, creative, and advocate for slowing down and reconnecting with ancestral wisdom. Alex shares her journey from a faster-paced life as a photographer and videographer to finding purpose and meaning in the ancient craft of weaving.
What You’ll Hear:
- Grounding into Winter: Embracing the season’s invitation to slow down, reflect, and align with nature’s cycles.
- Weaving as a Life Practice: How Alex discovered basket weaving, its ancestral roots, and the profound lessons it teaches about patience, presence, and imperfection.
- Creating Intentional Beauty: The transformative power of crafting a life filled with meaning, from building a tiny home to weaving with natural materials.
- Ancestral Connection and Authentic Living: Exploring ancestry as a guiding force for modern creativity, motherhood, and returning to a slower, more authentic way of life.
- Navigating Creativity and Capitalism: Balancing personal passions with the pressure to monetize art while fostering community and connection in a fast-paced world.
I’m doing my first giveaway! To win a gorgeous hand-made basket by Alex (highly sought after!), please:
- Rate & review the podcast
- Tag a friend!
Links:
Welcome back to the podcast! I'm so honored to share this episode with Naomi and highlight the important work she is doing to address OCD and mental health from a buddhist framework. She wrote the workbook 'A Thought is Just a Thought : A Buddhist Guide to OCD'. I can't wait for you to listen!
Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to the pod! A little solo episode to ground and round out the year. This was a literal stream of consciousness, so I hope I don't put you to sleep!
Many beautiful guests in the queue that I am excited to share in the coming weeks in a more consistent way. Sending you so much love. You can connect with me here or on Instagram.
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles! Today, I am honored to have Dorothea Barth Jorgensen on the podcast. Dorothea is an Intuitive guide in breathwork, sound healing & self inquiry. Her lifelong awareness and fascination with Creation and Consciousness led her to explore and study several healing modalities including non-duality, breathwork & the art of sound healing. She’s currently living between Kauai and Sweden and works with people in person and online. Today we discuss her background and upbringing, her practice and ongoing connection to Self, and the energy of the collective.
I am hosting a virtual women’s circle next Tuesday, November 26 at 10am if you feel called to join. brookembaldwin.com
Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to the podcast! Today, I am sharing in conversation with Joanna Steblay of Mammal Herbs. Today we discuss her road to finding herbalism after making the decision to depart from her career in law. Joanna offers herbalism workshops, postpartum offerings, and her latest Mineral Milk. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles podcast--season 2!
Today I am chatting with Sarah Kate Benjamin of The Kosmic Kitchen. Sarah’s mission is to bring plant medicine, the people's medicine, back into the forefront. To make kitchens kosmic worldwide, so that every human has a fundamental understanding of their bodies, and can experience the incredible magic of plants.
Today we talked about her background and journey to discovering medicinal plants and herbs, how she used this medicine and teachings to heal herself from fatigue and autoimmune issues, how she supports clients when it comes to burnout and fatigue, what part of her work she is most grateful for, medicinal herbs for the fall season, her own rituals and routines, and lots more. I hope you enjoy!
Xo, Brooke
brookembaldwin.com
Welcome back to the Feminine Profiles Podcast! Today, I have Emily Rose Klein on the podcast. Emily is a fashion & wellness content creator and founder of Colours where she produces highly curated and beautiful offerings and products for her community. Today we discuss:
I hope you enjoy! Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles podcast! Today, I am in conversation with Jenelle Manzi. Jenelle is a member of the New York City ballet and the founder of Get Golden. She spent years as a professional dancer sidelined with injuries and food allergies and could never find a healthy snack that gave her the energy she needed so she decided to create her own products in her kitchen and get golden was born.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
I Hope you enjoy this conversation. Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles podcast! Today I am in conversation with Amanda Wahlstedt of Roots to Leaves. Amanda is a registered dietician, certified lactation counselor, and yoga instructor. She is the founder of Roots to Leaves where she offers 1:1 support and a library of courses--from her coming off birth control course, fueling for fertility, egg retrieval course, syncing your cycle, to the pregnancy pathway course. Her instagram and Substack are amazing free resources for those looking for more support on their health journey.
Today we discuss:
Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles Podcast! Today, I am chatting with Abby Landers. Abby is an interior designer and is lucky to call interior design legends like Kathryn Ireland a mentor and Kathy Marshall her boss. Abby graduated with her Master’s in Interior Architecture from The Boston Architectural College in 2021. After working in the design field for five years she decided to grow her own business and A.L Design was born.
Today we cover:
her intro to interior design & how a seed was planted on a design trip with Kathryn Ireland after graduating high school
imposter syndrome starting out in this industry
getting her first client and not being afraid to start small to start with friends & family
what schooling is necessary (if it even is!) for interior design, interior architecture, and interior decorating
leading with intuition and a natural curiosity
her desire to make interior design approachable for those in their 20s, 30s, and for those who don’t know where to begin
Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles Podcast! I’m very excited to share my conversation with Kristen Caissie of Moon Canyon Healing. Kristen is an herbalist and somatic practitioner who weaves these modalities together into a holistic Earth-centered healing practice. I hope you enjoy! -Brooke
Today, we touch on:
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles Podcast! Today I am chatting with Carley DeMarco, the creator of The Retreat, a monthly print newspaper. She is also the founder of Clayton yoga studio and co-founder of Roots & Wings, which hosts retreats & workshops. I was honored to be part of the March Issue of The Retreat, alongside the March muse, Jordan Younger, centered around the theme of rebirth. If you want to try the magazine for free, you can go to theretreatbycarley.com and select the 'rebirth' issue from past issues and use code BROOKE100.
Today, we cover a range of topics including starting her yoga studio, starting the newspaper, how she creates community through all of her offerings, how the newspaper has organically grown and evolved through word of mouth, having faith while accepting change, how she creates heaven on earth. And lots more! I hope you enjoy!
Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles! Today I am chatting with Maddie Bush, who I met through a shared client and we have now become friends. I immediately felt connected with Maddie through our shared tech backgrounds. Maddie left Google and has been freelancing, supporting women and brands with her marketing and partnerships background. Today we talk about how she made the scary but necessary transition in her career...about how after her sister’s passing she had a new tolerance for what she looked for in life, work, career...the pros and cons of entrepreneurship and freedom. And lots more. I hope you enjoy! XO, Brooke
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles Podcast! Today I am in conversation with Lina Bardovi of Resonant Healing. Lina Bardovi is a licensed and board-certified acupuncturist & clinical herbalist, specializing in Women’s Health & Fertility, Digestive Issues, & Fatigue/Stress related disorders. Today we talk about:
I hope you enjoy! Xo, Brooke
Welcome back to The Feminine Profiles Podcast! Today, I am in conversation with Krista Schilter of Golden Chain, a practical and esoteric body-based practice to make life brighter and lighter. She incorporates kundalini, yoga, gestalt theory, chanting, breath work, dancing, all of the modalities that have allowed her more presence and expansion in her life. Today we talk about...her background to starting her kundalini practice, answering what is kundalini and what is the purpose of the practice, the “superpowers” these modalities grant her in everyday life, and the perspective shift gained once she became a mother, and lots more! Enjoy! Xo, Brooke