This week, Lorena speaks with renowned fashion model, designer, and philanthropist, Camila Alves, who recounts her upbringing in Brazil and her early days of struggle in the United States as a teenage immigrant. Lorena asks about her philanthropy organization, Women of Today, and its goal of providing a community for women to come together and support each other as they try to better their lives. Camila will encourage us to always try to see the beauty in every situation, and to help others see it when we are lucky enough to gain a glimpse for ourselves. To learn more about Camila and Women of Today, please visit: https://womenoftoday.com/meet-camila/

No parent with a sick child should have to worry about where they’re going to stay while their little one endures treatment. That’s why the Ronald McDonald House Charity makes it its mission to provide sick children with the care they need and to make sure their families can be an integral part of it. Today, Lorena is joined by Carolyn Schwarz, the CEO of the Ronald McDonald House of Central Texas, who shares her inspiration to get involved in the charity following her son’s blindsiding near-fatal illness. Carolyn will give us the ins and outs of how Ronald McDonald Houses work, clear up some misconceptions about the organization, and offer some tips and volunteer opportunities so we can support its mission in the future! If you’d like to learn more about the Ronald McDonald House Charities, please visit: https://www.rmhc.org/

Today, Lorena sits down with actress and blogger, Gen Padalecki, for a heartfelt discussion about Gen’s early days as an actress and the difficult but rewarding process of balancing a career with family life. She tells stories of her crucial mentors in life, and shares the inspiration behind her new media platform, TOWNN, which aims to share resources and tips about how we can all live sustainably with nature. To learn more about TOWNN, please visit: https://nowandgen.com/2021/02/10/welcome-to-towwn/

Just how much can style impact our health, sense of joy, and overall well being? Well, ask Lorena’ guest today, style coach and fashion blogger Rose Ferreira! Lorena and Rose share stories of their common heritage and bond over the simultaneous immense joys and deep struggles of motherhood. Plus, Rose gives us an inside look at some of the strategy and metrics behind her flourishing social media business! To see more of Rose’s work, visit her instagram page @lizostyle

This could be the episode that gets you out of your reading rut! Today, Lorena is joined by Executive Director of the Texas Book Festival, Lois Kim. Listen in as the two talk about their love of books, their shared background as immigrants, and the more noticeable trends in modern literature. Lois demystifies what the book festival is really all about and explains how important the event can be to shine a light on burgeoning authors. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

What extent of tragedy can the human spirit endure and still be able to go on to lead a fruitful, meaningful life? There is perhaps no better person to pose this question to than Lorena’s guest today, Gilbert Tuhabonye, a professional running coach who, as a young teenager, escaped the Rwandan genocide of the 1990’s in the centuries old Hutu-Tutsi conflict. Gilbert recounts his upbringing in poverty, the descent of his homeland into bloodshed, and his miraculous escape from torture and almost certain-death at the hands of his Hutu captors. Listen as the two discuss Gilbert’s journey of hope and healing as he built a new life in the United States; a life built on faith, family, and running. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

Do you know where your adrenal glands are located in your body? Take a guess! You’ll learn that and much more on today’s episode, as Dr. Perrier discusses the art of surgery and the dire importance of the adrenal glands to our endocrine system and overall health. Her and Lorena discuss the need for everyone, including surgeons, to find personalized ways to rest and recharge to avoid burnout. Later, they are joined by endocrine surgeon in training, Uriel Clemente, who shares the background of his Mexican heritage and the journey of overcoming the odds to get the chance to train with world class surgeons. If you want to learn more about Dr. Perrier and her great contributions to medicine, please visit her MD Anderson faculty page at https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/nancy_perrier.html. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

In this very special start to Season 3, Lorena sits down with renowned surgical oncologist, tenured professor, and personal friend, Dr. Nancy Perrier. They discuss their own relationship starting with Lorena’s consulting visits to Houston and how the doctor-patient relationship truly can be a sacred bond. She goes on to emphasize the need for doctors to avoid 'White Coat' syndrome by connecting with their patients as people first rather than just viewing them as problems to be solved. Lorena asks about the makings of a good doctor and Dr. Perrier shines a light on the need for mental health awareness in the medical community. If you want to learn more about Dr. Perrier and her great contributions to medicine, please visit her MD Anderson faculty page at https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/nancy_perrier.html This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

This week, Lorena shines a light on those behind the scenes by sitting down with the executive producer of the show, Casey Helmick! They discuss Casey’s background in media & marketing for nonprofit organizations and he shares his expansive knowledge of podcast strategy and why it’s often a go-to resource for brands and personalities in the 21st century. Lorena highlights their close working relationship and thanks Casey for his hard work in supporting artists and organizations in a competitive media space. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

In Lorena’s third and final discussion with dear friend and Conscious Parenting coach, Marisa Garcia, the pair discusses the difficult but necessary act of setting healthy boundaries with loved ones that are not spiteful or isolating. Marisa laments our culture’s tendency to merely react to personal problems, rather than deeply reflecting on their source to try and understand why we are feeling that way in the first place. She concludes by reading a letter she has written to herself in anticipation of turning 40; pressing the main question of whether she’s being compassionate to herself and living her own truth, instead of living merely to please others. If you want to contact Marisa about her practice of Conscious Parenting, please feel free to email her at marisagmtz@gmail.com or visit her instagram @coach_marisa. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

In this second part of Lorena’s discussion with Conscious Parenting coach, Marisa Garcia, Marisa expands the practice into Conscious Living, which she describes as being aware of how our past trauma is constantly informing our present and the way we judge ourselves. She stresses why we must first have empathy for ourselves, before we can truly empathize with others, and gives us the powerful daily practice of the “Red Light” meditation. Lorena concludes by sharing the metaphor of the Lotus, illustrating why life’s hardships often prove essential to creating our most beautiful moments. If you want to contact Marisa about her practice of Conscious Parenting, please feel free to email her at marisagmtz@gmail.com or visit her instagram @coach_marisa. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

Parents often feel that they are struggling to connect with their children and offer them the support they need. The answer to this issue could be “Conscious Parenting”, a revolutionary practice in which Lorena’s guest and longtime friend, Marisa Garcia, is a certified coach! Join the conversation as Marisa explains the value in connecting with your children before correcting, how your past informs your parenting style, and the conscious way to communicate with your children when conflict arises. If you want to contact Marisa about the practice of Conscious Parenting, please feel free to email her at marisagmtz@gmail.com or visit her instagram @coach_marisa. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

In this second part of Lorena’s interview with mother and daughter, Isabella and Ella, Isabella shares both hilarious and enlightening stories of her childhood in Nicaragua, and Ella explains her role in assisting her mother’s business and how it’s helped her mature. Isabella opens up with the emotional admittance that she is afraid of leaving Ella early because of her illness, leading Lorena to offer to help look after and guide Ella, as well as express the hard-won lesson she's learned of always choosing to live with through faith instead of worry. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

This week, Lorena is joined by friend and fellow immigrant, Isabella, and her young daughter, Ella, who shares her eye opening life story of fleeing from a war-torn Argentina as a child and, later in life, dealing with the death of her husband and her own health struggle with liver cirrhosis. The three of them bond over the importance of family and caretakers in our journeys, and Lorena shares some of the best lessons she’s gained from her own health struggles, including the importance of being totally honest with friends and family (or “Framily”, as Isabella would say!) and taking time each year to perform physical and spiritual re-sets. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

Maggie Miller, Chief Troublemaker of consulting firm Magnify Impact, returns this week to share with Lorena her life changing experience of serving the poor while living in Latin America by providing micro-financing to women in need of small loans. They highlight the role that serving others plays in finding deeper meaning, and discuss Maggie’s concept of restorative justice; making yourself whole again by seeking resolution, not revenge, with the person who did you wrong. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

This week, Lorena is joined by the true-to-title Chief Troublemaker and Chief Optimist duo of the consulting group Magnify Impact, Maggie Miller and Hannah Nokes, who pride themselves on finding the core ideology in companies that will provide lasting and meaningful impact. Maggie and Hannah stress the importance of forward thinking and being true to your word, and discuss their own experience consulting for Lorena’s businesses, revealing her core ideology to be inspiring others to lead a life of love through forgiveness. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

Despite the often negative stereotypes surrounding the fashion industry, it is undeniable that what we choose to wear is a vital part of how we approach life and heal from its setbacks. In this second part of Lorena’s interview with close friend and fashion consultant, Elizabeth Elias, the pair discusses how clothing truly becomes our armor when we step into the world and highlights the therapeutic power of cleaning out and organizing your wardrobe to help you feel confident each and every day. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

This week, Lorena is joined by fashion consultant, former event planner, and dear friend, Elizabeth Elias, as they discuss how to overcome the fear of failure and the importance of finding the right circle of people to help you push through career adversity. Elizabeth shares some key lessons she’s gained through her business ventures and Lorena emphasizes the importance of seeking out a proper mentor to help you reach your highest potential. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

Diana Jabour, Lorena’s close friend and renowned building biologist, returns this week to give us more expert tips on how to transform our homes into centers of healing and ensure they're free of harmful substances that degrade our health. Listen to learn which paint brands you should buy to avoid toxic off-gassing, why you should seriously consider throwing out your microwave, and much more! If you want to learn more about Diana’s work, the tips & tricks she recommended in this episode, and the growing field of Building Biology, please visit her website at https://www.jabourenvironmental.com/. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.

This week, Lorena sits down with close friend and building biologist, Diana Jabour, who sheds light on the several unseen threats around our homes that could be damaging our health and holding us back from living our fullest, most energetic lives. From proper air and water filtration, to avoiding the harmful electromagnetic fields (or EMF’s) emitted by our growing number of electronic devices, Diana walks us through the most effective, simple fixes to make sure our homes are places of healing, rather than harm. This podcast is produced by Terra Firma Audio.