23: Hummingbird Wisdom: Sobriety, School Integration, and Somatic Sex Education (Part 1)

In part one of this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Diane welcomes Anna Lodder to The Midwife Life. A self-described “career hummingbird,” Anna shares the wisdom she’s gathered from a life of transformation—moving from addiction recovery and early motherhood to grassroots education activism and, most recently, to the healing path of somatic sex education. Together, they unpack what it means to parent for the collective, not just the individual, how grief and loss can shape legacy, and why telling the truth about abortion, desire, and embodiment is an act of reclamation. Anna’s story is honest, hilarious, heartbreaking, and holy—a reminder that our healing helps heal the world. Topics We Cover: The hummingbird metaphor: embracing nonlinear careers and layered identities Recovery, resilience, and the power of mentorship Choosing community-centered parenting over perfectionism Public schools as a public good—and what “integration” really means Why “your child is not your brand” is the parenting mantra we all need Telling the truth about abortion, even when it’s hard The beauty and bravery of somatic sex education Reclaiming pleasure, voice, and the divine feminine after disconnection How healing our bodies allows us to show up more fully for community Links & Resources: Learn more about Integrated Schools: https://integratedschools.org Read: Call of the Wild: How We Heal Trauma, Awaken Our Own Power and Use It For Good by Kimberly Ann Johnson (https://amzn.to/4jYBAnu) Read: Come As You Are: The Surprising Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Cory Silverberg (https://amzn.to/4mk4b8d) Read: Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book About Body, Feelings, and YOU by Robin Wall Kimmerer (https://amzn.to/44ASXpu) Read: Shameless: How I Ditched the Diet, Got Naked, Found True Pleasure…and Somehow Got Home in Time To Cook Dinner by Pamela Madsen (https://amzn.to/43jTqds) If Anna’s story stirred something in you—share this episode with a friend, a fellow parent, or someone navigating their own rebirth. These conversations matter. They help us grieve, heal, and grow—together. Subscribe to The Midwife Life and leave a review to help more women find their way back to themselves.