A podcast about the human connection to nature.

Every other week, hosts Monica Olsen and Jennifer Walsh sit down with thought-leaders and experts across a wide range of industries to discuss the impact that nature has on our wellbeing, why we need nature in order to thrive, and what steps we can all take to live in harmony with the natural world. Faced with global challenges like climate change, reconnecting with nature has never been more imperative. We hope you’ll join us on our biophilic journey. Follow and listen today, because nature has the answers!

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Recent Episodes

Oct. 29, 2024

Redefining Wildness with 'Wild Souls' Author Emma Marris

Is the idea of pristine, untouched nature a misguided fantasy? Are any animals truly wild on a planet so dominated by human impact? And while we’re on the topic - what do we mean by wildness in the first place? …

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Oct. 22, 2024

What Do We Owe Animals? With ‘Meet the Neighbors’ Author Brandon Keim

We know that many animals possess “human-like” qualities: the ability to play, sustain friendships, mate for life, and even reflect on the past. But what should we actually do with that information? That’s the crucial questio...

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Oct. 8, 2024

A Thriving City is a Walkable City with Jeff Speck

With the rise of suburban sprawl and city planning that has prioritized car travel above all else, modern American cities seriously lack comfortable walking and biking infrastructure. It’s a massive issue - but solutions do e...

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Aug. 20, 2024

Mushroom Hunting and the Joy of Discovery with Emily & Gregory Han

Mushrooms are fascinating. They’re not quite plants and they’re not quite animals. Unique and charming mushroom caps are just the fruit of a massive, interconnected mycelium network. And there are millions of mushrooms specie...

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Aug. 6, 2024

Social Prescribing and Nature as Medicine with Author Julia Hotz

What would you think if your doctor wrote you a prescription to take a walk outside? To visit an art museum? To take a yoga class? It may sound unconventional, but the practice of prescribing nonmedical interventions to impro...

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July 23, 2024

Author Talk: Wellness Architecture and Urban Design with Dr. Phill Ta…

Wellness is a buzzword that gets thrown a lot these days - but at its core, what does wellness really mean? And how do we design homes, towns, and entire cities where the wellness of residents is a top priority? …

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July 9, 2024

The Mini-Forest Revolution with Hannah Lewis

Today’s guest, Hannah Lewis, is on a mission to restore biodiversity in our towns and cities by planting native trees, pollinators, and shrubs on abandoned lots, degraded land, and in backyards. In her acclaimed new book, Min...

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June 25, 2024

Biophilic Leaders Fireside Chat: Ryan Gravel, Michael Phillips & Stev…

In this episode of Biophilic Solutions, we are presenting a Fireside Chat recorded live at the 2024 Biophilic Leadership Summit, a multi-day conference for leaders in the Biohpilic world to come together, share ideas, and lea...

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June 11, 2024

Biophilic Summer Reading: Our 2024 Picks

Hello! Monica and Jennifer here, back yet again with some of our favorite books from the past year. We think that there is no better way to enjoy the summer months than by unwinding with a good book and we've …

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May 28, 2024

Beauty, Awe, and Biodiversity in Old Growth Forests with Joan Maloof

Old Growth Forests, natural forests that have grown undisturbed over a long period of time, offer a wide variety of benefits including storing more carbon and nitrogen than typical forests, providing a unique structure that s...

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May 14, 2024

Harnessing the Power of New Technology for Greener Cities with Nadina…

The smart cities movement, which seeks to optimize public wellbeing through the use of technology and data, and the biophilic cities movement are happening at the same time - but it rarely feels like these two movements are w...

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April 30, 2024

Myth, Science, and the Age of Deer with Erika Howsare

In the lives of many humans, deer occupy a really fascinating middle ground between so many binaries: domestic and wild, familiar and alien, beautiful and pest. They’re also, interestingly, the only large mammal that seems to...

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About the Hosts

Monica Olsen Profile Photo

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.

Jennifer Walsh Profile Photo

Jennifer Walsh

Jennifer Walsh created Beauty Bar, the very first omni-channel beauty brand, changing the way people shopped for beauty products. It allowed shoppers to see and try out independent beauty products in person, on her website and weekly TV show. Her retail concept became the first in America to incorporate biophilic design, an experiential connection between nature and the beauty space.

Now, Jennifer is on a mission to get more people outdoors, to understand the power of connecting to nature and the impact and importance of green spaces in our offices, homes, hospitals, schools and cities. She is bridging the research gap between brain health and nature

Jennifer lives in New York City, gets outside everyday to walk no matter the weather, and her first book published with Prevention, Walk Your Way Calm, is out now.