Hi loves! I'm back after a podcast pause to share a life update at 13 months postpartum. In this episode, I talk about:

• 13 months postpartum reflections
• Motherhood, identity + becoming more yourself
• Grief, marriage shifts + changing relationships
• Overwhelm, mental load + healing old patterns
• Trusting intuition in parenting
• Traveling to Morocco with a 1-year-old
• Creativity in a full season of life
• New book project: “10 things” from baby’s first year

PRE ORDER MY NEW BOOK! I Collect Stories Like Seashells. Pre-order here.

@leyavandoren

In today's solo episode, I share what it feels like being 8 months postpartum.

We talk about:

• Postpartum nourishment
• Navigating changing postpartum identities
• Yoga & why the practice makes me feel held
• SLEEP, caffeine, & my DC matcha tour
• Herbal infusions
• Postpartum hair loss and the spiritual reasons behind it
• Making friends and finding community as a new mom
• Travel anxiety
• Planning mine and babies first international trip

& lots more!

PRE ORDER MY NEW BOOK! I Collect Stories Like Seashells. Pre-order here.

The First Forty Days by Heng Ou

@leyavandoren

In this episode, I share what’s currently lighting up and inspiring my creative soul. We dive deep into synchronicities, creative inspiration, and gentle reminders that magic exists in the details of daily life.

We talk about:

• The lessons and magic from my September writing group, Mundane into Magic
• How to build a simple, consistent creative practice
• The power of a 5-minute brain dump and the “10 Things” daily writing ritual
• Reflection from reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir All the Way to the River
• What it really means to let go and let God
• How surrender is shaping my journey as a new mom
• The process of writing and self-publishing my upcoming memoir, I Collect Stories Like Seashells
• The reminder that your creative legacy can begin with your immediate community

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• Mundane into Magic
• Create for Yourself, First on Substack
• All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Emma Watson on On Purpose
• Elizabeth Gilbert on Soul Boom

Connect with Leya @leyavandoren

Pre-Order I Collect Stories like Seashells: https://leyavandoren.com/book

HAPPY 5 YEAR BIRTHDAY TO THE CREATIVE SOUL PODCAST! In this heartfelt solo episode, I reflect on five years of podcasting and what it takes to show up for your art - even amidst transition and change.

We talk about:

• The journey of celebrating the 5-year anniversary of The Creative Soul Podcast and 160+ episodes recorded.
• What it means to treat creative projects like living beings with birthdays, growth, and their own evolution.
• Lessons I've learned about trusting my voice, creating sustainable rhythms, and navigating overwhelm.
• The cosmic synchronicity of the podcast anniversary aligning with my baby’s six-month birthday.
• Why creative structures (like journaling, voice memos, or podcasting) help build trust and confidence in your artistic voice.
• Encouragement to honor your own creative soul projects and start, even if it feels messy, small, or unknown.

Whether you’re in a season of transition, doubting your creative voice, or looking for inspiration to start your own project, this episode is an invitation to trust your soul’s nudges and celebrate the art you’ve already birthed into the world.

Creative Resources Shared:

• Ashley Love Creatives

Connect with Leya: @leyavandoren

I'm so excited to share this conversation I had with my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doula, Elizabeth Beeker! We talk about the role of a doula in birth and the spiritual aspects and elements of birth.

We also talk about:

• What observing birth work in Kenya taught her about Western birth practices
• Surrender in birth
• The importance of prenatal preparation
• What to do if you're experiencing prodromal labor
• Navigating miscarriage and loss
• Why hiring a doula for birth is key

Creative Resources Mentioned

• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
• Call the Midwife

Connect with Elizabeth:

Facebook: By Design Birth Services

What if your everyday life could feel like art? In this creative minisode, I share a simple daily writing practice to transform the mundane into magic and help you reconnect with your creative soul. Plus you'll receive an invitation to a live 4 week writing circle starting September 9th, 2025.

We talk about:

• Why the mundane moments of your life hold the most creative inspiration
• A simple daily practice to spark creativity in just a few minutes a day
• How to overcome fear, perfectionism, and the resistance of the blank page
• The power of record-keeping through writing and journaling
• How to tell the stories your creative soul wants to tell
• Ways to romanticize your everyday life and infuse it with beauty
• How writing connects you to your inner voice and creative soul

Join the live writing class: Mundane into Magic here

Connect with me on Instagram @leyavandoren

Read my Substack here

In this solo episode, I share the magic of the summer season - from what I'm buying at the farmer's market, to reframing our creative purposes, to making our day jobs work for us, to balancing multiple identities, to navigating seasons of change and transformation.

We talk about:

• The sensual, creative magic of summer abundance
• What I’m cooking and loving from the farmer’s market
• Living seasonally and honoring nature’s rhythms
• Saying goodbye to our Michigan home and honoring the woman I became there
• The cyclical nature of change: beginnings, middles, and endings
• Why I stopped feeling shame about my “day job” and how I reframed it as part of my creative purpose
• Creativity, authenticity, and the soul’s calling in a content-driven world
• Redefining success as a creative and understanding your role in the collective

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• The Social Change Ecosystem Map by Deepa Iyer
• Birth Story Workshop
• My upcoming book I Collect Stories Like Seashells – releasing Fall 2025

Subscribe to my Substack for weekly writing, seasonal rituals, and soulful musings: leya.substack.com

Let’s stay connected:

Instagram: @leyavandoren

Dalia is an Assyrian-American director and writer focusing on explosive theatricality and subverting existing narratives. She was listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Hollywood and Entertainment 2025. Her Broadway credits include serving as Associate Director of Sweeney Todd and as the Resident Director at Phantom of the Opera.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What it really means to be a director
• Learning to trust your creative vision
• Making mistakes in the rehearsal process
• How overstimulation kills creativity
• Why collaboration is a mirror for self-growth
• Telling ancestral stories
• Finding the stories that matter to us

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• Everything is Waiting for You by David Whyte
• Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

Connect with Dalia:

@your_gal_dal

www.daliaashurina.com

In this solo episode, Leya shares her life updates being four months postpartum.

We talk about:

• The importance of honoring and processing our birth stories
• How you can reflect and honor your birth story, months and even years later!
• What I'm navigating postpartum
• Feeling more feminine becoming a mother
• Why motherhood is bringing me deeper into compassion
• How motherhood is strengthening my spirituality

Birth Story Reflection Workshop: Find the replay here.

Read my Substack here.

Connect with Leya @leyavandoren

Lindsey Simcik is a creative force, entrepreneur, and media personality best known as the co-founder and co-host of the critically acclaimed Almost 30 podcast. Alongside her co-host Krista, she also launched Morning Microdose, a wildly popular daily show serving up the best bits of Almost 30. She created “New Mom on the Block”, a brand designed to support new moms in owning their unique flavor of motherhood through resources, products, and a vibrant community.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How to know when is the right time for a creative idea
• Determining what season you're in
• What to do in a waiting season
• Navigating a healing season, integration season, and chaos season (Hello Saturn Return!)
• Embodying different roles in marriage
• Finding embodiment through motherhood
• Allowing our creative and spiritual practices to change with the seasons of life

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• Time Passages App

Read the Book: Almost 30: A Definitive Guide to a Life You Love for the Next Decade and Beyond

Connect with Lindsey: @lindseysimcik

In this creative minisode, Leya provides tips on how to navigate this nuanced and complex topic for creatives:

📝 How can you write and share your personal story—especially in memoir or creative nonfiction—without damaging relationships with family and loved ones?

If you've ever felt creatively blocked by the fear of how others will react to your truth, this episode will offer both comfort and clarity. Leya explores the emotional and practical sides of writing about real people in your life, especially in personal essays, memoirs, or storytelling projects.

We talk about:

• Why this question often shows up too early in the creative process
• How fear of offending others can block your creativity
• Why your story matters even if it includes other people
• The importance of writing your truth for yourself first
• Tips for navigating sensitive relationships once you’re ready to share

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur
• Mother, Nature by Jedidiah Jenkins
• How to Write About Your Childhood Without Blowing Up Your Family by Jedidiah Jenkins

Want to start telling your story? Join The Creative Soul Practice today!

Use "CREATIVESOUL" for 10% off

In this deeply nourishing episode of The Creative Soul Podcast, I sit down with energy healer and spiritual guide Maya for a raw, real, and inspiring conversation about transformation, intuition, and the power of trusting your path, especially when everything is falling apart.

Maya shares her evolution from full-time coach and entrepreneur to stepping away from her business, working a corporate job, and then returning home to her true calling: Reiki healing. We talk about Saturn returns, identity shifts, navigating the dark night of the soul, and what it means to listen to the body’s wisdom.

You’ll hear us explore:

• Maya’s journey of spiritual growth and identity rebirth as a Scorpio sun and moon
• Why she stepped away from her business and what led her back to it with more clarity and ease
• How working a 9-to-5 taught her about compassion, privilege, and healing outside the “spiritual bubble”
• The truth about dark nights of the soul and why “the only way out is through”
• Creating safety and finding (or building) authentic community
• How Reiki energy healing works (even from a distance!) and who it’s for

Whether you're in a season of rapid transformation, seeking spiritual support, or craving real talk about the behind-the-scenes of healing and entrepreneurship, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.

✨ Learn more about Maya’s work:

Follow Maya on Instagram: @somedaymysoul

In this week's solo mini-sode, I answer one of YOUR questions - how do you keep going on a creative project when you feel un-inspired?

We talk about:

• Why the creative process is non-linear
• How to navigate creative blocks or when you feel stuck
• The importance of taking time away
• How to stay committed and keep showing up to your creativity
• Trusting the timing of your creative projects
• Why inspiration isn’t enough—and how discipline can be devotion
• Allowing yourself to be changed in the creative process
• Questions to journal when a project feels stuck or ready to transform

Have a topic you want me to cover? Message me on Instagram @leyavandoren

Kacie is a travel content creator living in Florence, Italy. After a life-changing solo trip and her own little ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ moment, she made the official move to Italy in January 2021. Through positivity, authenticity, and humor, she began sharing culture shocks, travel tips, and life abroad across her social media, where her following quickly grew to a community of over 1.5 million people. Her New York Times best selling book, You Deserve Good Gelato is out now.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Making your own work as an artist
• Viewing social media as a performance
• The ebb and flow of the creative process
• Moving to Italy and meeting her fiance!
• Navigating identity crises
• Writing her NYT best selling book
• What happens when you surrender

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

Connect with Kacie:

Website: kacierosetravel.com

Tiktok: @kacierose4

Creative Soul Practice: Learn more here

In this special solo episode, Leya shares the birth story of her first son, Alexander Boaz Henderson who was born March 10th, 2025 at 11:22 pm.

Tune into get the full story of surprising twists and turns and surrendering our plans for something greater.

Connect with Leya: @leyavandoren

Amie McNee is an author, speaker, creative guide, and the founder of the popular Instagram account @InspiredtoWrite. She writes historical fiction novels and writing guides and is known for speaking, teaching, and coaching artists all over the world and helping them to achieve their creative dreams.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Creativity as a path to self love
• How to gentle parent the inner critic
• How to reparent ourselves through creating our art
• Why it's okay to want attention as an artist
• How to be a JOYFUL artist
• How to share and promote your art
• How to find your audience
• Balancing life with your creative life

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• Beyond Anxiety by Martha Beck

Amie's Book: We Need Your Art

Connect with Amie: @inspiredtowrite

Join The Creative Soul Practice today!

In this from the heart episode, Leya shares vulnerably how she's feeling as she's entering the birth portal.

We discuss:

• What fears and resistances have come up before entering motherhood
• Moving through fear and anxiety around labor and childbirth
• Why birth feels like the ultimate embodiment experience
• Allowing our experiences to be unique and universal at the same time
• Why motherhood is not a universal experience
• How to deal with life circumstances that feel out of our control
• Learning to surrender and trust

Connect with Leya: @leyavandoren

Mari Andrew is a New York Times bestselling author, artist, and speaker, who has gained an international reputation for joyfully philosophical illustrations and essays that meander between deep and light, bitter and sweet. Mari is in the business of paying attention, and her work reflects her specific observations turned into universal life lessons.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Connecting to your past art as a creator
• Making meaning from your personal experiences
• Embracing our humanity as creative souls
• Not having to be consistent in a creative practice
• How to own your own creative process
• Letting yourself grow and evolve as an artist
• Mari's decision to leave Instagram after gaining a large community
• The number one thing that stops people from creating

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• Sabrina Ward Harrison
• How to Live a Good Life by Jonathan Fields

Connect with Mari: Substack

Join The Creative Soul Practice - a 7 day guided writing meditation series. Use code "CREATIVESOUL" for 10% off. Find more info here.

In this solo episode, Leya shares how to make creativity a habit and how you can SHOW UP for your creative soul this year.

We discuss:

• How to value your creativity and prioritize it
• Cultivating a creative practice
• Why we face resistance in our creative practice and how to move through it
• How to show up consistently to your creativity
• How to see your creative ideas come to life
• How to take the pressure off your creativity and start accessing it in fun, simple, easy ways

Join The Creative Soul Practice:

A 7 day guided writing meditation series to help you cultivate your creative practice.

Find more info here.

Use code "CREATIVESOUL" for 10% off

Connect with Leya: @leyavandoren

Tune into Episode 111 for a taste of The Creative Soul Practice and receive a free Heart Chakra Writing Meditation

In this solo episode, I share my updates from week 35 of pregnancy!

We talk about:

• How I'm feeling at 35 weeks pregnant
• What prenatal care decisions I made and why
• How I chose my birth team
• Hiring a doula
• How I chose my birth plan (and why I'm planning for a home birth)
• Why birth is not a medical event
• Managing blood sugar during pregnancy
• Prepping for postpartum

Creative Resources Mentioned:

• The Business of Being Born
• Real Food for Gestational Diabetes by Lily Nichols
• The First Forty Days by Heng Ou
• Glucose Goddess