Winter is long. And right now, we're in this unique in-between place: the light is slowly returning, but we still have weeks (or months) of cold, heavy weather ahead.

If you're feeling the weight of winter, you're not alone. And more importantly, you're not supposed to be producing at summer's pace right now.

In this conversation, I sit down with Brett Aldrich—breathwork practitioner, Ayurveda counselor, and founder of Seed the Spirit—to talk about what's actually happening in our bodies during winter, why seasonal affective disorder is real (but also misunderstood), and how to work with the season instead of against it.

Brett shares her own journey from social work burnout to discovering Ayurveda on a little note card in a shop—and how that small piece of wisdom changed everything. We explore the rhythm of winter, the pressure to keep producing when nature is asking us to rest, and why breathwork became the "missing puzzle piece" in her healing journey.

This episode is for anyone who's struggling right now—whether that's with seasonal depression, exhaustion, or simply the cultural pressure to keep going when your body is asking you to slow down.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

What's actually happening in your body during winter from an Ayurvedic perspective (and why it's natural to feel heavier, slower, more inward)
Why late February/early March is uniquely challenging—we're moving from Vata (cold, mobile, erratic) into Kapha season (heavy, wet, earthy), and that transition can feel intense
The truth about seasonal affective disorder—how to discern between the natural slowness winter asks for vs. when you need more support
Why the pressure to keep producing is working against you—and what would happen if we actually honored our natural rhythms
How breathwork works as medicine—the difference between controlled yogic breath and cyclical breathwork for releasing what you can't put words to
Brett's journey from burnout to Ayurveda—stumbling into a practice that finally made sense, and how small shifts created big change
The power of going with your natural flow—why honoring your constitution and the seasons is actually rebellious in our culture
Simple, doable practices for winter wellness—no expensive supplements or complicated protocols, just wisdom you can use today
When to reach out for professional help—and why there's no shame in that

Key Themes:

This episode is about permission—permission to slow down, to honor winter's natural rhythm, to be gentler with yourself. Brett reminds us that we're not machines designed to produce at the same rate year-round. We're humans. We're part of nature. And nature has seasons.

Connect with Brett:

Website: Seed the Spirit

Resources:

Free Masterclass: The Alchemy of the Perimenopause Portal

Ayurvedic Dosha Quick Reference Guide

Abhyanga Self Massage Guide

Weekend Nervous System Reset

Nourished For Resilience Workbook

Find me at www.nourishednervoussystem.com

and @nourishednervoussytem on Instagram

The Missing Piece: Breathwork, Ayurveda, and Moving Through Winter with Brett Aldrich