• #9 – Connection Is My Medicine with Amer Ameen
    Oct 1 2025
    What if connection was as essential as food and water? In this heart-opening conversation, Brien sits down with Amer Ameen — a man who has spent 50 days in silent meditation, volunteered for five years on a suicide hotline, helped scale a crypto company to 35 countries, and lived in intentional communities from Burning Man to the mountains of British Columbia. They explore the life-changing power of authentic human connection, the lessons Amer learned supporting people in crisis, and the transformative impact of rituals, presence, and chosen family. From the origins of West Nest to practical steps for building community in your own life, this episode is a reminder that we are meant to live — and thrive — together. Tune in to discover: Why loneliness is at the root of so much suffering The difference between offering solutions and truly listening How rituals can deepen friendships and create lasting bonds Simple ways to bring more connection into your daily life Where you can find Amer: https://www.instagram.com/amer.experiences/ https://x.com/amer__ameen https://amer.substack.com/ https://soundcloud.com/brothers-ameen ----------------------------------------- https://www.qimovements.com/ https://imoveclinic.com/ https://neurokinetictherapy.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 – Cold open & episode setup Brief overview of Amer, connection as “vital,” and the episode’s promise. 01:21 – Welcome to The Key Movements Podcast On location in Cabbagetown; setting the scene and bringing Dre in. 01:42 – Dre’s affirmation “Connection is my medicine…” — opening intention for the show. 02:13 – Why Amer for this topic Brien tees up Amer’s background and why he embodies connection. 03:12 – Amer reacts to the intro First banter and shared origin story; Castle Gar airport meet. 04:25 – Volunteering on a suicide hotline: the “why” Amer’s friend’s bipolar diagnosis, time in the psych ward, and perspective shift. 07:16 – What the psych ward taught Amer Mental health reality, empathy expansion, and life priorities re-aligned. 11:33 – Big active-listening lesson Don’t offer solutions unless asked; helping people find their own answers. 13:39 – Layers of connection & self-connection Curiosity, openness to experience, and traveling as catalysts. 16:23 – “Am I on the right path?” Reflection practices: journaling, meditation, honest body check-ins. 18:01 – Wayfinding through experiences Try things (monastery, Burning Man, hotline, crypto), then reflect. 20:34 – West Nest origin story From COVID invitation to multi-month co-living: chosen family in the mountains. 27:15 – Brien & Dre’s first West Nest House rituals, Monday meetings, and the shared-chef dinner flow. 28:39 – Food, cold plunges & early mornings Playful competition in the kitchen; Brien all-in on the plunge. 29:35 – Ad: Aspire Performance Consulting Mindset coaching spot. 30:25 – Why community lifts baseline happiness Like-minded proximity vs. isolation; alignment matters. 32:35 – Biology, tribes, and immune benefits Connection as health; loneliness as stress. 34:13 – First steps to more connection “Warm, real connection” relieves pain; small starts matter. 35:13 – Hotline pattern: loneliness underneath Across backgrounds, acute loneliness was the common thread. 37:07 – As essential as food or water Why connection is survival-level for humans. 37:45 – Naming the modern isolation problem Nuclear families, convenience tech, and default individualism. 40:44 – Relationships predict happiness Long-running study takeaway; optimize for people, not just money. 42:10 – Practicals: live close if you can Neighbors, open doors, spontaneous lunches/walks. 43:20 – Weekly rituals that remove planning friction Thursday park hangs; “Round Table” monthly dinner with shared readings. 45:15 – Put connection on the calendar Habits with friends; schedule the next one before you leave. 46:56 – Call people (don’t just text) Five minutes on the phone > five minutes of logistics texts. 47:42 – Distant-friend rituals Weekly standing calls; phone is lower-friction than video. 49:19 – Feeling supported unlocks authenticity When held by others, you can be yourself—and everyone benefits. 50:11 – “Social health” as a pillar Treat relationships like training/sunlight/nutrition. 50:47 – Make it easier for others to join Be the inviter; design on-ramps for newcomers. 51:58 – Shout-out: Adam & the “fourth place” (Pluto) A community space beyond home/work/gym; co-creation as culture. 56:20 – Ad: iMove Physiotherapy Pain, root causes, and real progress. 57:22 – Vulnerability → connection (Brené Brown) Mirroring, safety, and why depth beats time. 59:12 – Environments that deepen fast Retreats/festivals/challenges vs. casual neighborly small talk. 1:00:49 – Choose presence-heavy experiences Phones down; dinners → weekends → weeks together. 1:01:11 – Active listening recap (Amer...
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • #8 – Return to the Heart: Sovereignty, Stillness & the Dance of Life with Krista Critchley
    Sep 15 2025

    Retreat facilitator and spiritual guide Krista Kritchley joins us from Costa Rica to talk transformation that’s lived—not lectured. From addiction and fibromyalgia to leading retreats and community, Krista shares how radical responsibility, nervous-system regulation, and heart-led choices can turn pain into peace.

    We get into cacao ceremony as a heart-opening practice, psilocybin for healing and integration, why “doing nothing” can be the most productive move, and how to step off the Victim-Villain-Hero triangle. Expect tools you can use today: finding your middle path when the pendulum swings, tuning thoughts/words/behaviors to the same “station,” and practicing compassion without losing boundaries.

    In this episode:

    • Saying “yes” to a new life (and manifesting a 7-year plan in 6 months)

    • Cacao & ceremony (intentions, gratitude, and real-world grounding)

    • Mushrooms, microdosing, and nervous-system healing

    • Left/right brain harmony, growth mindset & neuroplasticity

    • The Four Agreements in practice; life as a mirror

    • Alchemy: turning triggers into peace; the power of non-engagement

    • Integration: journaling, community, nature, ecstatic dance

    https://www.qimovements.com/

    https://imoveclinic.com/

    https://neurokinetictherapy.com/

    Timestamps:

    • 00:00 Intro & Episode Theme

    • 01:37 Affirmation: “Wisdom of my heart”

    • 03:17 Meet Krista Kritchley

    • 05:06 Seven-Year Plan → Six Months

    • 06:55 Origin: From burnout to Costa Rica

    • 08:33 Yoga, meditation, insomnia shift

    • 11:55 Saying “Yes” during COVID; community

    • 14:35 What’s a Cacao Ceremony?

    • 17:03 Water intentions & gratitude

    • 19:16 Mushrooms, migraines, microdosing

    • 21:31 Left/Right brain & nervous system

    • 23:52 The Pendulum & the Middle Way

    • 25:58 “Do the Opposite” experiment

    • 27:12 Productive stillness & nature

    • 32:35 Compassion & the 80/20 rule

    • 35:03 Reframing sickness as an upgrade

    • 41:08 Life as mirror; ego triangle

    • 45:32 The Four Agreements (recap)

    • 53:25 Music & inputs as medicine

    • 57:15 Why Peace • Love • Joy

    • 1:03:38 Alchemy: turning pain into peace

    • 1:11:16 Integration after ceremony

    • 1:13:13 Seed of Life invite (Fridays)

    • 1:15:24 Moving Well / Living Well

    • 1:18:51 Empowering question & close

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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • #7 – Alignment, Leadership & Life Force with Adam Lewis
    Sep 1 2025

    What does it really mean to live in alignment with your truth? To lead from your body, not your ego? To feel your life force fully… and follow where it wants to take you?

    In this expansive and vulnerable episode, Brien sits down with Adam Lewis — co-founder of Man Camp, facilitator of transformational men’s work, and a deep student of plant medicine, myth, and movement.

    They explore the invisible forces that guide our growth:

    • How misalignment shows up as burnout, emptiness, or soul fatigue

    • The role of nervous system awareness, emotional fluency, and ritual in reclaiming vitality

    • Why vulnerability and shadow work are the gateways to true strength

    • How to listen to the subtle signals of your body — and make bold decisions from your inner compass

    • Masculinity, leadership, grief, polarity, and the Hero’s Journey

    • Plus: what it means to walk away from the “dream job” to follow your soul

    This is a conversation for anyone navigating transition, craving depth, or seeking a more meaningful way to lead — from within.

    Listen now and reconnect with the current of your life force.

    Timestamps:

    • 00:00 – Opening — Welcome, Intention & Affirmation

    • 01:12 – Guest Introduction — Who is Adam Lewis?

    • 02:49 – Early Spiritual Influences & Awakening

    • 06:17 – Meaning, Myth & the Hero’s Journey

    • 14:54 – Dark Night of the Soul & Saturn Return

    • 17:11 – Vulnerability, Shadow Work & Triggers

    • 22:39 – Anger, Emotional Energy & Movement

    • 24:26 – Workshop Insights: Brotherhood, Healing & Expression

    • 29:00 – Emotional Spectrum & Power of Polarity

    • 33:09 – Nature, Flow State & Risk

    • 34:48 – Alignment, Burnout & Mission Clarity

    • 40:56 – Following Soul Guidance — Quitting the Dream Job

    • 41:11 – Discovering Purpose & Initiation into Manhood

    • 47:30 – Masculine Energy, Maturity & Mission

    • 51:00 – Structure, Devotion & Creating Impact

    • 54:30 – Building Community, Ritual & Legacy

    • 57:55 – What It Means to Live Fully & Die Well

    • 1:01:20 – Closing Reflections & Final Blessing

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • #6 – Busting Myths: Harmonizing the Pelvic Floor with Kailah Macri
    Aug 15 2025

    What if everything you thought you knew about the pelvic floor was incomplete—or just plain wrong?

    In this deeply informative and empowering episode, Brien sits down with Kailah Macri, a compassionate and highly skilled physiotherapist and NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT) practitioner. Kailah is here to bust the most common pelvic health myths—and help you reconnect with your body in a truly holistic way.

    From breaking down the over-prescription of Kegels to understanding how breathing, posture, hydration, and even your nervous system impact pelvic floor function, Kailah helps reframe pelvic health as a whole-body issue—not just a women’s issue or something to "deal with later."

    You’ll learn:

    • Why Kegels aren’t the magic fix—and what matters more

    • How hydration affects urgency, incontinence, and bladder health

    • Why pelvic floor issues are not just for women

    • The surprising role of breathing and core coordination

    • How to treat pelvic dysfunction without internal exams

    • What a real pelvic health assessment looks like

    • Why optimizing movement can be preventative—and transformative

    Whether you're struggling with incontinence, lower back pain, pelvic pain, or simply want to feel stronger and more at ease in your body, this episode is packed with powerful insight and practical takeaways. Kailah’s expertise shines through as she explains how small shifts in awareness and movement can bring big healing.

    Empowering Question of the Day: How would your life improve if you let go of the belief that pelvic floor issues are something you just have to live with—and instead took steps toward reclaiming your independence and confidence?

    Mentioned in this episode:

    • Kailah Macri at iMove Clinic https://imoveclinic.com

    • Dr. Kathy Dooley — ImmaculateDissection.com

    Timestamps:

    00:00 – Introduction: Busting Pelvic Floor Myths 01:30 – Dre’s Affirmation & Overview of Today’s Topic 02:00 – Meet Kailah Macri – From Athlete to Pelvic Floor Physio 05:00 – Kailah’s Path to Physiotherapy & Pelvic Floor Focus 08:30 – Intro to NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT) and Integrating it with Pelvic Health 10:00 – Why Specialization Without a Holistic View Can Be Limiting 11:30 – Understanding the Pelvic Floor – Myths, Breath & Kegels 17:30 – Myth #2 – Pelvic Floor Therapy Isn’t Just for Women 21:55 – Myth #3 – Internal Exams Aren’t Always Necessary 24:42 – Myth #4 – Drinking Less Water Doesn’t Reduce Urgency 26:42 – Myth #5 – The Pelvic Floor is Tied to Hormones & Neurotransmitters 32:38 – What an Appointment with Kailah Looks Like 35:30 – Helping Athletes Optimize Movement & Performance 39:23 – Preventative Physio – How to Stay Out of Pain 41:00 – Why Strength Training is Key to Pelvic Health 43:00 – Who Kailah Wants to Work With & Her Ideal Clients 44:30 – How to Book with Kailah & What to Expect 46:30 – Final Takeaways, Closing Words & Reflections

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    48 mins
  • #5 – The Wild Within with Niall Scarr
    Aug 1 2025

    What happens when we remember we are nature?

    In this unforgettable episode, Niall Scarr shares his journey into the wilderness — both around him and within. From being surrounded by wolves as a child to working with plant medicine and sacred ceremony, Niall’s story is one of surrender, reverence, and return.

    Together, we explore what it means to heal through presence, to find belonging in the stillness of the forest, and to let life move through us instead of trying to control it. Niall reminds us that wholeness isn’t something we build — it’s something we remember.

    This episode is for anyone craving connection, depth, and the raw beauty of being fully alive.

    http://www.qimovements.com/

    http://www.imoveclinic.com/

    http://neurokinetictherapy.com/

    Timestamps:

    00:00 – Intro Opening the door to stillness, presence, and the wild intelligence within us all.

    04:10 – Niall’s Story: A Life Shaped by Nature From childhood moments with wolves to sacred ceremony and plant medicine.

    09:45 – Grief as a Gateway How the death of Niall’s grandfather opened a portal to reverence and presence.

    14:30 – Remembering We Are Nature The disconnection of modern life and the power of returning to the land.

    19:20 – Sacred Ceremony and Psychedelic Insight How plant medicine supported healing and deepened spiritual awareness.

    24:50 – Listening to the Earth Why nature doesn’t demand — it invites. And how that shifts how we show up.

    30:00 – Somatic Safety and Nervous System Regulation Creating internal environments that mirror the groundedness of the forest.

    36:15 – Letting Go of Control Surrendering the need to force, and learning to trust the flow of life.

    41:45 – Reverence as a Way of Living How awe, slowness, and breath bring us home to what matters.

    47:30 – Final Reflections We are not separate from the wild. We are the wild, remembering itself.

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • #4 – Reflect & Realign: Lead Yourself with Joy and Focus with Nick Alderton
    Jul 15 2025

    Imagine setting goals that don’t just push you — but pull you. In this thoughtful conversation with performance coach Nick Alderton, we explore how reflection can realign us with what truly matters. This isn’t about chasing success through burnout. It’s about finding clarity, direction, and joy through presence and self-leadership.

    Nick invites us to rethink discipline, embrace discomfort, and replace external pressure with intrinsic drive. Through stories and grounded wisdom, we uncover how meaningful progress begins when we meet ourselves honestly — with compassion and curiosity.

    If you’re feeling stuck, scattered, or uninspired, this episode will reconnect you to your why and remind you: the path forward starts from within.

    https://www.qimovements.com/

    https://imoveclinic.com/

    https://neurokinetictherapy.com/

    Timestamps:

    00:00 – Intro Opening thoughts on goal-setting, growth, and finding purpose beyond pressure.

    03:30 – Meet Nick Alderton Nick’s journey from external achievement to internal alignment — and why it changed everything.

    08:20 – The Art of Reflection Why slowing down and looking inward is essential for meaningful performance.

    13:00 – Joy as a Compass Redefining motivation: doing what lights you up, not what burns you out.

    18:15 – Discipline Without the Grind Structure as freedom — and how to build sustainable habits rooted in compassion.

    23:40 – Breaking Patterns and Conditioning How to recognize when you're stuck — and how to shift out of it.

    29:10 – Self-Leadership and Emotional Mastery The difference between reacting and responding, and the power of inner awareness.

    34:25 – The Performance Trap Why many high achievers feel empty — and how to reconnect to what really matters.

    39:50 – Building a Life That Reflects Your Values Getting honest about what you want, and having the courage to follow through.

    45:15 – Final Reflections The path to joy isn’t about doing more — it’s about realigning with your truth.

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • #3 – You Matter with Ajna Samadhi
    Jul 1 2025

    What if the deepest healing comes from remembering that you matter?

    In this raw and reflective episode, Ajna Samadhi joins us to explore the journey of spiritual sovereignty, releasing the need for external approval, and returning home to the truth of who we are. Together, we unravel the stories we’ve inherited, the roles we’ve performed, and the quiet inner voice that’s been waiting all along.

    Ajna shares wisdom on identity, trust, and the radical act of self-love — even when it’s messy. This conversation is a reminder that healing doesn’t require perfection. It requires presence. And it begins when we stop seeking and start allowing.

    If you've ever questioned your worth or felt disconnected from yourself, this episode is a gentle invitation back to your center. You matter. You always have.

    https://www.qimovements.com/

    https://imoveclinic.com/

    https://neurokinetictherapy.com/

    TImestamps:

    00:00 – Opening Affirmation & Welcome Dre opens with a gentle affirmation on worthiness. Brien introduces Ajna and the episode’s core message: You matter.

    03:15 – Ajna’s Journey to Sovereignty How Ajna stepped away from seeking external validation to reclaim her inner authority.

    07:45 – The Performance Trap Unpacking the ways we perform, contort, and betray ourselves to be loved.

    11:50 – Coming Home to the Body The role of breath, nervous system regulation, and safety in healing and embodiment.

    16:10 – Grief, Rage & Emotional Truth Ajna shares her process of letting the body speak, and holding space for all emotions.

    21:00 – Remembering Wholeness Why nothing needs to be fixed — and how radical acceptance opens the door to transformation.

    26:40 – Boundaries, Belonging & Being Seen Navigating relationships while protecting your energy and honoring your truth.

    32:15 – Trusting the Unknown Letting go of identity, achievement, and control to rest in presence.

    36:45 – Closing Reflections Ajna speaks directly to the listener: You are enough. You are already home.

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    56 mins
  • #2 – Unlocking the Body: The Power of Neurokinetic Therapy with Kyle Horvath
    Jun 15 2025

    What if your pain wasn’t the problem — but a message? In this illuminating conversation, physiotherapist and modern healer Kyle Horvath guides us through the art and science of Neurokinetic Therapy (NKT), where movement reveals memory and the body’s compensation patterns tell the deeper story.

    We explore how pain often arrives last — as the final signal in a long-forgotten chain of injuries, imbalances, and survival strategies. Kyle shares his journey from cookie-cutter rehab to becoming a mentor in a method that asks not just what’s wrong, but why.

    With metaphor, insight, and heart, this episode invites you to look beyond your symptoms, challenge old protocols, and learn how to move in a way that restores harmony to your system. Whether you’re in pain or simply ready to move better — this is a masterclass in listening to the body’s intelligence.

    https://www.qimovements.com/

    https://imoveclinic.com/

    https://neurokinetictherapy.com/

    Timestamps:

    00:00 – Intro Setting the stage: pain as a signal, not the source.

    03:10 – Kyle’s Journey into Physiotherapy and NKT How curiosity, intuition, and frustration with conventional rehab led him to discover Neurokinetic Therapy.

    08:45 – What Is Neurokinetic Therapy (NKT)? Breaking down the method, the testing process, and why it works.

    13:30 – Pain Is the Last Thing to Show Up Exploring how the body compensates — and how NKT traces the root cause.

    18:05 – Breath, Core, and Movement Reprogramming Why breathing patterns matter and how the nervous system influences motor control.

    24:00 – From Cookie-Cutter to Customized Care The limitations of traditional rehab models — and the power of individualized movement assessment.

    30:20 – Muscle Inhibition, Compensation, and the Brain-Body Loop How the body adapts, and how NKT gently unwinds those patterns.

    36:15 – Stories from the Clinic: Emotional Roots and Somatic Memory Real-world examples of how old injuries and emotions show up in the body.

    42:40 – Why You Can’t Stretch Your Way Out of Dysfunction The truth about mobility, fascia, and why "tight" muscles aren’t always the issue.

    48:10 – The Future of Healing Through Movement Kyle’s vision for collaborative care and empowering clients through awareness.

    53:30 – Closing Reflections Listening to the body, trusting the process, and embracing a new way of healing.

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    57 mins