Bridging The Shift Podcast

Find how thinking differently shaped the entrepreneurial journey and the person Teodor Mihail is today as his passion for travel translated into running and growing a business.
Teodor has been part of Andrea's family even before she moved to Canada as their go-to travel agent. But only last year in 2025, thanks to a post he did on Facebook, Andrea found out his real story about his neurodivergence and that it shaped his life and entrepreneurial journey. In this episode, Teodor shares his journey and wisdom from his experience for other neurodivergent individuals and for parents. As a neurodivergent parent herself of children and young adults with various abilities and kinds of neurodivergence Andrea learnt new perspectives. Teodor surprised her at the end and might surprise you too!Find more about Teodor's passion: https://www.unravelworldtravel.com/Read his Facebook post on April 30th, 2025: https://www.facebook.com/teodor.mihail.9/posts/pfbid026wkci8dsgZzs235Es3Nq1aekVBi1vedFRBmPmARTzmrevbi5JeJKNFQQJNzPomiJl
About your host and the podcast:
Life was never meant to be lived alone. It takes a village.
Andrea Petrut is a Romanian-Canadian storyteller, holistic practitioner and “deep connector” who brings you real conversations, timeless stories and the wisdom of people who’ve helped shape and support her own village.
Come curious. Bring your stories, your questions and your beautifully imperfect human self.

This episode brings a new Village member: Andrea's colleague from the Natural Nutrition Program, Toddia Ververs. They live in the same province (Ontario) and have met in person a few times in the last two years. Their friendship is sprinkled with various moments of fun, challenge and synchronicity. Together they talk about Toddia's journey and story with fitness and nutrition, family, pregnancy challenges, motherhood and managing in today's world. The message we are left with at the end is for any woman who needs to hear what is healthy and supportive now instead of what the world is pushing us all through.Toddia is a Certified Personal Trainer and Registered  Holistic Nutritionist. She is passionate about getting you real results.Reach out to Toddia on Instagram @toddiaverversHer website https://www.fitinformedbytoddia.ca/
She is married and has 3 beautiful children. They reside on her husband’s 3rd generation family farm, just outside Elmvale. Together they are passionate about protecting the land and regenerative farming practices. They have chickens and a giant breed dog that welcomes everyone with a very wet slobbery kiss! She has always been intrigued about health and wellness, it wasn’t until 2020 when Toddia was diagnosed with gestational diabetes with her third pregnancy, that she started linking together the massive impact that food has on our body! What we eat can change the direction of our mental health and overall health.
 
About your host and the podcast:
Life was never meant to be lived alone. It takes a village.
Andrea Petrut is a Romanian-Canadian storyteller, holistic practitioner and “deep connector” who brings you real conversations, timeless stories and the wisdom of people who’ve helped shape and support her own village.

This episode brings another friend part of Andrea Petrut's "Village" - Christianne Asper-Contant. They've met each other thanks to a group they joined. This conversation was recorded with a live audience.
 
Listen to Christianne's soothing, grounded, wise voice. This was a time of flow, synchronicities, packed with insights.
Together we learn about:
landing in our roots,
staying curious before, during and after meal times
what integration means from her experience
how a firecracker of a human, a high-achiever, extraordinary mother and friend can find nourishment in her day
natural ways to enjoy meal time with your family and children while resourcing...and more...
About the guest:
Christianne Asper-Contant, CAS, E-RYT 500, has spent more than two decades exploring how we experience ourselves through the intersecting lenses of psychology, Ayurveda, and yoga. Her work begins with a simple recognition: the body is always communicating. Rather than offering another set of rules to follow, Christianne helps people become better observers of their own experience—learning to notice patterns, recognize what supports them, and participate more fully in their own well-being.
She is a longtime Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, yoga teacher and educator. As the steward of Assisi Yoga in Rochester, New York she helps cultivate a place where yoga is practiced in community and in relationship with real life. Through Well-Being Compass, she offers individual work and guided experiences designed to help people listen, respond, and return to their natural rhythm.Where to find Christianne:
Website - https://well-beingcompass.com/
Recent Article Related to this Topic:https://well-being-compass-llc.kit.com/posts/from-organic-food-to-an-anxious-mind-what-else-are-you-taking-in?
Recent Video Related to this Topic:https://youtu.be/sMvgcXuZxw8?si=o_Dlft8ypiY9TsZq
 
Nourishing Cleanse - A Message from Christianne:
"If this conversation leaves you curious about your own relationship with food and nourishment, I invite you to explore my Nourishing Cleanse.
This guided Ayurvedic experience isn't about deprivation, perfection, or finding another set of food rules to follow. It’s about receiving nourishment. For a short period of time, we simplify our relationship with food so we can more fully notice our own experience of appetite, digestion, senses, satisfaction and habits.
Ayurveda and I provide the container. Your experience provides the discovery.
Learn more:https://well-beingcompass.thinkific.com/courses/7-Day-Nourishing-Cleanse"To leave comments, feedback or ask questions related to the podcast write Andrea here: ap at andreapetrut dot ca

I had a "village" in Romania. I was born into one. Then the "village" changed. Listen how my family had community around me and what I've learnt growing up. It's the beginning of my stories related to what "village" means to me.

This time we had Jo Tye, a storyteller from Australia that I befriended thanks to Mythsinger Legacy Project's and Judith-Kate Friedman's Stories from The Other Within sessions. As we were recording we had Elder storytellers in the room. One of them was a common mentor or teacher for Jo and I. For me Jo's telling and the whole feeling of being in a circle with Elders around the virtual hearth or the Willow Tree was mesmerizing. At the moment of posting this it's been three hours after the recording stopped and I am still in the world of wisdom from old stories...Jo and I LOVE deep conversations around stories (folk tales, fairytales, legends) from around the world. Last week we kept resonating on lots of things related to female archetypes in stories and how male storytellers tell stories and/or perceive stories or characters. We realized we can open the conversation with others through this podcast. It's a start and the first oral storyteller we'll have on the show. More to come...Here's Jo's message about this conversation:---"When I heard Mary of Egypt for the first time, I knew I wanted to tell stories to women. For the last 5 years I have told stories in many places - schools, camps, nursing homes and my favourite - in someone's house, surrounded by women. My journey with story telling has been one of the great joys of my life and I look forward to sharing some of this passion with you."---Here's my take on this...You'll hear women telling, women sharing, women listening. You'll hear how we connected, what kept us friends and supports us in the storytelling.You'll find some of our teachers, mentors, guides on the path of storytelling.Women who listen to stories that call them (without taking on a male storyteller's way of telling or interpreting or perspective) allow life to speak to us through them, as a conduit, in ways that our hearts can hear. LISTEN to two stories that touched Jo.FEEL how storytelling has sacredness and touches like acupuncture points in our life.NOTICE, HEAR your insights and share if you feel so in by emailing me or Jo.This is part of my dream of having spaces where we go deeper with the stories that our cultures kept alive for generations...For comments, feedback, insights or any related questions to the topic or Jo's work you can reach her at: josknitting@gmail.com

Your host, Andrea Petrut, is a holistic practitioner who knows the importance and role of the body in the work of a healer, facilitator, space holder. Andrea met Lise in a community of entrepreneurs. Curious and without knowing much of the somatic work, after having a 1:1 experience and after joining circles created by Lise, Andrea learnt that there are deeper levels of relating with the body than she was familiar with. That's how Andrea found a steady, constant support in life in the last couple of years.She invited Lise as the first guest because for spiritual people, those working with energies and subtle things, embodiment practices help for long term role, for a life that is here to impact others. And tending, listening to the body is what we all need.Andrea has been part of the Rooted Circle (co)created by Lise. You will hear Andrea's insights and feedback about this intimate circle. Lise will share her point of view on circling, somatic practices, resourcing.
 
Towards the end you'll hear more about the Rooted Circle, the rare opportunity happening these weeks and how to find out if this Circle is a fit for you.This is the FIRST LIVE (ZOOM) Podcast episode with recorded interview and non-recorded Q&A. Lise Lønsmann is a trauma-informed somatic healing practitioner and an Embodied Leadership mentor for women in midlife. https://www.liseloensmann.com/
Lise supports her clients in reconnecting with their body and its wisdom, so they can tune into more steadiness, calm, and safety in their body and inner world. Her embodiment work invites you to slow down and deepen your connection with yourself and with others.
Her somatic approach is gentle and relational and centers connection and care.
Lise works online with clients from all over the world in 1:1 sessions and circles.
Join the Rooted Circle: a soft space to gather, a steady, anchoring rhythm, an invitation to slow down and tune in. Rooted is an intimate, closed, online embodiment circle for women in midlife. https://www.liseloensmann.com/rooted-circle Free Exploration Call to find out if Rooted Circle is a fit for you: https://calendly.com/liseloensmannhealing/30minYou can also reach out to Lise at lise@liseloensmann.comLise on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liseloensmannhealing
Lise on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liseloensmann
About your host and the podcast:
Bridging The Shift Podcast is where Romanian-Canadian storyteller, holistic practitioner and “deep connector”, Andrea Petrut, brings you real conversations, timeless stories and the wisdom of people who’ve helped shape and support her own village.
It’s about becoming part of the village —sharing our common humanity.
Come curious. Come as you are. Bring your stories, your questions and your beautifully imperfect human self.
 
You can leave comments and/or feedback at ap at andreapetrut dot ca.

In this solo episode Andrea shares how the podcast started years ago, where she is now and what this podcast is meant to be. The next episode is a live one on August 24th with a guest, Lise Lønsmann, who has been a great support over the years thanks to her embodiment practices and offerings.

Life was never meant to be lived alone. It takes a village.
Hi, I’m Andrea Petrut, a Romanian-Canadian storyteller, holistic practitioner and “deep connector.” I’m inviting you to my village with the new “Bridging The Shift" podcast…  Here I bring real conversations, timeless tales and the wisdom of people who’ve helped shape and support my life. Together we explore how to navigate life transitions, while still staying connected to ourselves, the people we love and the person we’re destined to be.
Each episode will be an honest conversation about how we grow as humans, taking care of various parts and dimensions of our lives, and the stories that shape us. We talk, listen, laugh, wonder and sometimes go to unexpected places. Not only will I share weekly insights, but I’ll also invite others to impart their wisdom. 
This is about sharing our common humanity and becoming part of the village.
Come curious. Come as you are. Bring your stories, your questions and your beautifully imperfect human self. Subscribe to listen, grow your own village and join the conversations!

How do faith, character and ancestral wisdom combine for a driven life? Tune in and find out. This episode's guest is Garcia Hanson-Francis, mother of four (including twins), the Founder & CEO of CADJPRO Payroll Solutions, a boutique firm offering specialized payroll and accounting for small businesses (Canada). Garcia is winner of the People’s Choice Awards Accountant category and author of "Blessed by God, Broken by Life: A Spiritual Biography."
 
Garcia is a founding member of IWB (Immigrant Women in Business - https://immigrantwomeninbusiness.com/)  and the founder of CADJPRO Virtual tax clinic (https://www.cadjpro.com/), a clinic offering free tax services through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program to under privileged communities.
 
This is a teaser related to November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls declared by the UN. Garcia will be speaking at WOMEN's EMPOWERMENT, Social impact, Diversity, Equity & Entrepreneurship event organized by IWB in person Toronto: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/womens-empowerment-social-impact-diversity-equity-entrepreneurship-tickets-391448160987.
The UNiTE campaign (Nov 25- Dec 10) is an initiative of 16 days of activism concluding on the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day (10 December).
 
This campaign, led by the UN Secretary-General and UN Women since 2008, aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world, calling for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions.
 
This years’ campaign UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls will aim to mobilize all society to become activists for the prevention of violence against women, to stand in solidarity with women’s rights activists and to support feminist movements around the world to resist the rollback on women’s rights and calling for a world free from VAWG.
 
 
Garcia Hanson-Francis https://www.cadjpro.com/
https://www.instagram.com/cadjpropayroll/
https://www.facebook.com/cadjpropayroll
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garcia-hanson-francis-cpm-96b95614b/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cadjpropayroll/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cadjpro-vtc/about/
 
 
Follow IWB - Immigrant Women in Business - on Eventbrite for event updates:
IWB Events✨✨✨✨✨Music by:Chris Birkett - "5th Dimension" (The theme song for the musical 'The Age Of Awakening' that started in October 2018 in theaters in Canada.) - https://chrisbirkettmusic.ca/

In this episode join me for a conversation with Marian Yewande Balogun and Michael Challenger 
MARIAN BALOGUN - https://booksbymarianbalogun.com/
She is a marketing communications specialist, entrepreneur, author, lover of books, movies, and an enthusiastic person in general. Marian enjoys good conversations, a great sense of humor and sharing opinions.
 
She started her journey in Canada almost three years ago and decided to educate individuals about emotional abuse through her book “The Different Faces of Narcissism '' which recently became #1 on Amazon’s abuse and self-defence ebook category. Her book’s success derives from her personal experience with narcissistic individuals in her surroundings.
 
MICHAEL CHALLENGER
optimallivingsummit.com
anu-entertainment.com
michaelchallenger.com
 
Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, this peaceful warrior’s passionate curiosity and zest for life began at a very young age. Through spirituality, yoga, healthy eating and physical training, this “Challenger” spends his time on the planet becoming more centered everyday.
 
He is the Ceo and founder of Optimal Living Summit, best-selling author of “Don’t Let Fear Paralyze You “, a certified life coach and the creator of the “No Fear Online Program.” Michael is a ten time award winning entrepreneur who continues to push his boundaries in life every single day.
 
 
Marian Balogun and Michael Challenger will be speakers  on October 21 2022, at 6 pm ET at Metro Hall Toronto at "An empowering event to Help Immigrants on their Journey to triumph" organized by Immigrant Women in Business (Canada) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Ff0Z3wdYzuCdpHKx83MWw
 
Follow IWB - Immigrant Women in Business - on Eventbrite for event updates:
IWB Events✨✨✨✨✨Music by:Chris Birkett - "5th Dimension" (The theme song for the musical 'The Age Of Awakening' that started in October 2018 in theaters in Canada.) - https://chrisbirkettmusic.ca/