A podcast about the human connection to nature.
Nature doesn’t just surround us—we are nature. Our bodies, minds, and societies are woven into its rhythms, yet in today’s modern world, we’ve severed that bond, and the consequences ripple through our environment, politics, culture, and even spirituality. Every other week, host Monica Olsen sits down with leading experts to explore the profound connections between planetary health and human well-being. Through these conversations, they uncover how nature influences everything—from the way we design our cities to the way we govern, heal, and find meaning in our lives. As we face climate change, biodiversity loss, and deep societal shifts, rediscovering our place in the natural world isn’t just necessary—it’s transformative.
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125
Aug. 25, 2026
Our Ancestors Want Us To Be Mushrooms with Madison Murphy Barney
What can mushrooms teach us about becoming better humans? How can doula work, in the literal and metaphorical senses, help us navigate the uncertainty of the near future? These are just two of the compelling questions we’re exploring today alongside Madison Murphy Barney. Madison is a Two Spirit Shoshone sister, a doula, author, and a public-health storyteller. She holds a master’s degree from Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health and has become a sought-after voice, using storytelling a
124
Aug. 11, 2026
Solutions Rewind | Diana Lind Makes The Case for Smarter, Simpler Housing
This week on the podcast, we’re revisiting a 2022 conversation with urban policy expert Diana Lind, author of Brave New Home: Our Future in Smarter, Simpler, Happier Housing. In this episode, we explored the rise of the single-family home and the many challenges that come with it: the isolation created by large homes on expansive plots of land, outdated zoning, high energy use for relatively few people, and a built environment that makes cars a necessity. Almost four years to the day after its
123
July 28, 2026
Designing Places That Help Us Thrive with Oliver Heath & Vanessa Champion
Research suggests we spend close to 90% of our lives indoors. While we all need more time outside, there's another part of the solution: designing the places where we live and work to better support our health and wellbeing. In this episode, Monica Olsen sits down with two of the UK's leading voices in biophilic design: Oliver Heath, an expert in regenerative and wellbeing-led design for the built environment, and Dr. Vanessa Champion, founder of the Journal of Biophilic Design and host of the
122
July 14, 2026
Nature Has The Answers: Solutions That Changed Everything
After five seasons of Biophilic Solutions, which ideas have stood the test of time? In this special compilation episode, Monica Olsen revisits some of the most impactful conversations from the podcast to uncover the common thread connecting the most powerful solutions to today's biggest challenges. From climate scientist Tim Lenton's hopeful vision of positive tipping points to Helena Norberg-Hodge's call for localization, economist Edward B. Barbier's rethinking of nature's economic value, e...
121
June 30, 2026
Ancestral Habits: Learning From Our Deep History
What can our evolutionary past teach us about living healthier, more connected lives today? In this episode, Monica sits down with Andie Edwards, creator of the popular Instagram account Ancestral Habits, to explore how hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution continue to shape our bodies, minds, and relationship with the natural world. Together, they discuss evolutionary mismatch, our biological need for nature, the importance of honoring natural rhythms, and what it means to apply an
120
June 16, 2026
Where Place Meets Spirit: A Conversation with Phill Tabb
How do the places we inhabit shape our sense of meaning, connection, and well-being? In this episode, Monica sits down with architect, author, and placemaker Dr. Phill Tabb for a wide-ranging conversation on the relationship between place, spirituality, and human flourishing. Together, they explore how thoughtful design, biophilia, ritual, awe, and sensory experience can help create environments that support deeper connections to ourselves, to one another, and to the natural world. The conver...
119
June 2, 2026
Earth’s Generous Alchemy with Lindsay Branham & Florence Williams
In this episode, we explore a question that feels more urgent than ever: what if healing ourselves and healing the planet are deeply interconnected? Monica is joined by author Lindsay Branham, whose book Heartwood: The Wisdom and Healing Kinship of Trees chronicles her personal journey through chronic illness and toward a deeper relationship with the natural world. Guest co-host Florence Williams, bestselling author of The Nature Fix, also brings her expertise on nature, health, and well-being
118
May 19, 2026
Building Bridges for the Wild with Beth Pratt & Tim Beatley
On this episode of Biophilic Solutions, Monica Olsen is joined by wildlife conservationist and author Beth Pratt alongside special guest co-host Tim Beatley for a conversation about urban wildlife, national parks, and the future of conservation in our cities. As California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation, Beth shares the story behind the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Los Angeles, the cultural impact of mountain lion P-22, and how storytelling can inspire
117
May 5, 2026
History, Memory, and the Fight for Environmental Justice with The Corridor's Jaha Nailah Avery
Cancer Alley, an 85-mile stretch along the Mississippi River in Louisiana, has become shorthand for one of the most urgent environmental justice crises in the United States. Lined with more than a hundred petrochemical plants, it’s often talked about in terms of statistics and headlines. But in the new podcast The Corridor, those abstractions start to fall away, revealing something much more human: the lived experiences, histories, and deep-rooted connections of the communities who call this reg
116
April 21, 2026
Charting Our Path Forward with Dr. Katharine Wilkinson
Climate change can feel overwhelming, especially for those already deeply attuned to the natural world. Alongside that awareness often comes anxiety, grief, and a lingering question: how do we move from overwhelm to action? In this episode, we’re joined by climate leader and author Dr. Katharine Wilkinson to explore her fantastic new book Climate Wayfinding. In it, Katharine offers a hopeful framework for navigating climate emotions and finding a sense of purpose. Co-host Steve Nygren brings hi
115
April 7, 2026
The Lost Art of Being Human
As we welcome a new season of Biophilic Solutions, we’re also sharing a bittersweet farewell to our wonderful co-host, Jennifer Walsh. From the very beginning, Jennifer has brought a thoughtful, grounded perspective to nearly every conversation, drawing on her work as a business leader and expert on biophilia. The silver lining is that she’s stepping away precisely because her message is resonating. From speaking engagements to nature walks to wellness room design, her essential work is in grea
114
March 3, 2026
Solutions Rewind | Alfie Vick on Native Plants, Wildness, and Ecological Responsibility
Is it important to understand the cultural context of a place? And how can landscape architects help us feel more connected to the natural world? This week, we’re revisiting our most popular episode ever, a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation with Alfie Vick on Native American ethnobotany, environmental ethics, and the delicate balance between wildness and order. Alfie is the Georgia Power Professor of Environmental Ethics at the University of Georgia and the Director of its Environmental Eth
About the Host
Monica Olsen
Monica is the CMO of Serenbe, the leading biophilic wellness community, overseeing all development, hospitality, and real estate brands including content creation, partnerships, and brand licensing. She also executive-produces and hosts Serenbe Stories and the Biophilic Solutions podcasts.
Past work and clients include Sony Pictures, Sprint, Gap Inc. and Old Navy, start-up Tellme Networks (acquired by Microsoft), Interface FLOR, Seventh Generation, Johnston & Murphy, USA Today, and The Atlantic Monthly among others.
Monica sits on the board of directors for Georgia Organics and The Biophilic Institute with past board seats on AIR Serenbe, artist residency program, Communications Chair of The Serenbe Institute, and co-founded and served as Vice Chair, Chattahoochee Hills Charter School, an innovative nature-based public school. She lives in Serenbe with her husband and two teenage boys.