Interview | Medicine Junkie in Recovery: Rebelling Against the Medical Model to Rediscover God’s Healing Through Plants & Emotional Renewal

I’m Penny, an occupational therapist and former pharmaceutical rep, mom of three, Crohn’s warrior, and now host of Becoming Natural. After years of surgeries, chronic illness, and chasing healing through modern medicine, I found myself at rock bottom—until I started exploring the healing power of natural remedies, faith, and emotional renewal.

Becoming Natural is my story, but it’s also for anyone who’s ever felt dismissed, exhausted, or unheard in their health journey. Each episode blends real-life storytelling, biblical truth, practical education on natural health, and a touch of humor to encourage and empower listeners toward true, whole-body healing.

My audience includes women navigating chronic illness, autoimmune issues, burnout, or faith deconstruction around wellness. They’re hungry for truth, tired of one-size-fits-all answers, and ready to explore God-designed healing with wisdom, grace, and grit.

I never set out to podcast—it truly found me. I was deep into my healing journey from Crohn’s Disease, sepsis, PTSD, and 13 surgeries, when I began writing my story, thinking a book was the answer to sharing my testimony. Every time I sat down to write, I froze. After being diagnosed with PTSD, going through EMDR therapy and saying “no” to everything that didn’t serve me well, I suddenly found myself with margin—and a strong conviction that it was time to say “yes” to something new, even if uncomfortable.

I love podcasts. They became a lifeline during carlines and traffic in Houston—first through audiobooks, then through more topic-focused podcasts. I love to learn. But even then, I never imagined I’d host one. It wasn’t until I was invited to write a devotional chapter, and that publisher told me I needed to start a podcast, that the idea really planted itself. I still laughed it off… until I stumbled upon a podcast about how to start a podcast. That led me to a free course, and then an intensive class that gave me all the tools I needed.

Still, my trailer sat untouched for six months. When I finally released my first real episode, I had no idea it would become such a life-giving outlet. I found myself loving the research, the writing, the storytelling—it let me weave together my background in pharmaceuticals, my faith, my medical training, and my lived experience into something meaningful. I surprised myself by how much I loved doing it. So I cleared my calendar of unnecessary commitments to make space.

Now, I release weekly episodes and fund the podcast entirely myself. I don’t edit—what little music I’ve added was edited by my son. I don’t advertise or market it, but I’m ready to learn how to grow and hopefully monetize it in a way that still feels authentic to my message, but maybe covers my time. I started this podcast because it became clear this was how I was supposed to tell my story as opposed to a book. And now, I can’t imagine life without it. It’s completely therapeutic!

I release weekly episodes, and each one usually takes me a day or two to write and record—longer if I’m noodling on the topic (which I often am!). I spend a good amount of time researching and writing because I want each episode to be both meaningful and evidence-based. But I’ve also found that the creative process itself is part of my own healing, so I look forward to the time I spend working on it.

Time-wise, I had to get very intentional. After my healing journey through sepsis and PTSD, I made a commitment to say “no” to anything that wasn’t a good time exchange for me. That meant stepping away from some good commitments, too, so I could have more peace. Practicing what I preach! And that margin made space for something I never saw coming—a podcast that’s been surprisingly life-giving, educational for me and healing.

I fund the podcast entirely myself. I don’t outsource anything—what little I do is just to add music, and my son helps with that. And I created my cover on Canva. I keep things super simple. I don’t advertise or market it (yet), and I’ve never monetized it, although I’d love to learn how. The investment is minimal, but the return in terms of personal fulfillment and connection with my listeners has been worth every uncomfortable minute of putting myself out there…dust bunnies and all!

Podcasting has given me more than I ever expected—clarity, healing, purpose, and connection. What started as an alternative to writing a book has now become my favorite creative outlet. It’s been a way for me to share my story authentically while educating and encouraging others who are walking through chronic illness or seeking natural healing. I’ve learned so much through the research I do for each episode, and I’ve grown in confidence by stepping out in obedience—even when I felt completely unqualified.

I don’t currently have sponsorships or monetize my podcast. I fund it entirely myself and intentionally keep things very simple—minimal tools, no outside editing, and just enough music (thanks to my son!). But I’d love to learn how to find aligned sponsorships and explore monetization in a way that still serves my message and audience well. My dream is to partner with brands I already use and trust—clean products, natural remedies, or supplements—so it feels like an extension of the mission, not a distraction from it.

Since launching, my podcast has grown organically, with downloads increasing 18–20% each month. I’m now entering my 8th month and am honored to be ranked in the top 2.5% of podcasts globally. While it hasn’t brought financial return (yet), the emotional and personal growth I’ve gained has been immeasurable.

The feedback I receive—especially from listeners who say an episode brought them peace, clarity, or hope—means more to me than numbers ever could. I may be the one behind the mic, but I feel like I’ve gained both a mission and a community, and for that I’m beyond grateful.

I keep my podcasting process intentionally simple so I don’t get lost in the weeds. I track episode ideas in MindMeister, often drawing from personal experiences, listener questions, or topics I’ve researched. Once I’ve landed on a subject, I spend a day or two researching and writing a full script—which has become therapeutic for me—leaving space to freestyle stories or reflections.

I use the free Headline Analyzer for titles, record in a tiny closet under my stairs using a Yeti mic and Audacity on my laptop, then upload to Podcastle for simple drag-and-drop editing. I chose my theme music early on, and my son helped layer it into my intro and outro. Now I just plug and play those each week and let Podcastle handle background noise with the touch of a button.

I organize everything in Google Drive: scripts, MP3s, images, and SEO notes generated using ChatGPT. I’ve built a customized podcast checklist (with ChatGPT’s help) for SEO tags, hashtags, and summaries. While I don’t currently post on social media, I do keep those assets ready in case I return to it later.

Once the file is ready, I upload to Podbean, drop in the show notes (usually the blog summary I tweak from ChatGPT), and publish or schedule. Most episodes are solo, though I’ve had a few guests via Zoom and in person. When I do invite someone, it’s intentional—they must align with my message, and the conversation must feel meaningful.

No studio, no team—just me, some research, a mic, and gratitude to be alive and sharing my journey.

Most of my listeners find the podcast organically through listening platforms, without active marketing. According to my analytics, about 58% come from Apple Podcasts, followed by iHeartRadio (14.9%), Google Chrome (5.9%), the Podbean app (4.31%), Audible (3.27%), and Spotify (2.97%). I linked up the major platforms through Podbean when I launched, which helped syndicate the show automatically. Beyond that, listener growth has mostly come through word of mouth, with a few early posts on my personal Facebook page. I don’t currently use social media for promotion, but the steady organic growth has been so encouraging—and speaks to the power of authentic content finding the right audience.

I’m really grateful the podcast has continued to grow month over month—without any traditional marketing—because I think it speaks to how much people are craving honest, natural, faith-based conversations around healing. Eventually, I’d love to be more intentional about growth and possibly use email or podcast-specific social media, but for now, I’m just focused on showing up consistently and letting the content speak for itself.

Start before you feel ready, and let it be imperfect. If I had waited until I felt qualified, I never would’ve started. I had no production background, no marketing plan, no polished studio—just a message burning in my heart and a quiet sense that God was asking me to speak it out loud. That opened the door to something more beautiful than I imagined.

You don’t have to do it like everyone else. There’s so much noise about “the right way” to podcast. But your voice, format, and pace are yours to decide. Some people batch record. I don’t (yet). Some have video setups and teams. I podcast in a closet, and my son helped me layer music on my intro. There’s no one-size-fits-all—and that’s the beauty of podcasting.

Be willing to grow, but don’t compare. It’s easy to feel small next to flashy production or big numbers. But if your podcast impacts one person, it’s already meaningful. Growth comes when you show up with consistency, honesty, and value.

Create margin to support creativity. Podcasting takes time and energy. If you’re overwhelmed, it’s okay to say “no” to good things so you can say “yes” to your message. For me, that meant clearing space emotionally and logistically—and it’s been one of the most healing decisions I’ve made. Whether it’s one episode a week or one a month, be consistent.

Helpful resources I love:

Podbean + Podbean’s YouTube Courses – Helped me get started.
Stefanie Gass Podcast / Podcast to Profit Course – Game changer.
Audacity – Free, beginner-friendly recording software.
Podcastle – Simple drag-and-drop editing.
ChatGPT – For transcripts, SEO, and summaries.
Headline Analyzer – To optimize SEO titles.
Ubersuggest – Helps find top search terms.
Yoast – SEO tool for WordPress.
Canva – For all graphics and podcast visuals.

Above all: Podcasting isn’t about polish—it’s about authenticity. If you feel called to start, that’s reason enough. Let the rest unfold as you go.

You can learn more about me and the Becoming Natural podcast at www.becomingnatural.com, where each episode is published alongside a blog-style summary and additional resources mentioned in the show. You’ll also find links to listen on your favorite platform, subscribe to my email list, order my book and read more about my story.

Although I don’t currently use social media to promote the show, you can reach me directly through the contact form on my website or sign up for my email newsletter. I’m growing this list into a more intentional space for encouragement, bonus resources, and podcast updates.

Here are a few direct links:

🪴 Website & Podcast Hub: https://www.becomingnatural.com
📩 Email Sign-Up: https://becomingnatural.myflodesk.com/emailsignup
🎧 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/becoming-natural/id1709146045

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zog4egptlz0gc8J1wA0V3