Breaking the Cycle - From Burnout to Plant Medicine and Holistic Integration with Kayla Ewing

In this episode of Cura Medicina, host Derek Dodds sits down with holistic health practitioner Kayla Ewing for a deeply intimate conversation about transitioning from the high-stress corporate world to a life aligned with mind, body, and spirit.Growing up in a traditional Catholic community in South Louisiana, Kayla’s path ran completely counter to the natural flow of her environment. She shares the pivotal moment a severe back injury at age 30 led her to step onto a yoga mat for the first time—sparking a 15-year healing journey that completely dismantled her worldview.Derek and Kayla dive deep into what it truly means to practice holistic health, treating the root causes of physical ailments rather than just the symptoms, and why doing the hard "inner work" is crucial before exploring alternative modalities. Kayla also pulls back the curtain on her profound, life-changing experiences with plant medicine—from her first blind therapeutic encounter with psilocybin to a deeply transformative Ayahuasca retreat with the Shipibo tribe at Soltara in Costa Rica.Tune in to discover:The Corporate Leap: How burning the candle at both ends in the banking and oil field industries led to a physical and spiritual wake-up call.Symptom vs. Root Cause: A live roleplay demonstrating how chronic physical issues like migraines and back pain are often tightly wound with past trauma and core belief systems.Navigating the Skepticism: Reconciling a growing alternative spiritual practice with traditional religious upbringings and family dynamics.The Power of Preparation: Why establishing a daily practice of meditation, breathwork, and clean eating completely alters and deepens a plant medicine experience.The Lesson of the Small Shift: Why sustainable healing relies on making one manageable, micro-commitment to yourself each day rather than chasing an overnight fix.Connect with KaylaWebsite: Holistic Health IntegrationInstagram: @holisticallyintegratedDerek’s new book on Animal Spirit Guides is launching next month! As a thank you to the Cura Medicina community, he is offering it absolutely free. Click the link in the show notes below to drop your email and join the exclusive release list.Join The Launch: https://derekdodds.com/animal-spirit-guides-summer-26-book-launch/Connect with Derek:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠curamedicina.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/cura_medicina_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​derek {@} ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠curamedicina.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Derek's Books on Amazon:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ayahuasca: A Beginner's Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sacred Geometry and Patterns of Divine Design⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hapé Sacred Tobacco: Plant Medicine Ally From The Amazon Rainforest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe & Review: Please take a moment to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review on your favorite platform. See all ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠platforms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.My Vision & PrayerMay all beings be happy.May all beings be free.May all beings find their way home.~ Om Mani Padme HumTAGS: ayahuasca, plant medicine, yoga, meditation, spiritual practice, astral plane, mindfulness, ancient lineages, consciousness, plant medicine