Resonance – Episode 30
Verbatim Transcript
Speaker: Viktoria Levenberg
Guest Speaker: Morgan West & Ariel Saunders
Morgan West: I was so overwhelmed and so stressed over this beauty clinic job that I nearly
fainted. I nearly fainted on the couch.
Viktoria Levenberg: It took time for our bodies to get that depleted. It's gonna take time for
the body to heal. Women get judged no matter what they're doing, like either you're too
much or you're not enough.
Ariel Saunders: I don't think because you're an adult you need to be serious. This is a calm
space, uh huh calm people.
Viktoria Levenberg: In today's episode, you are going to get the solution if you want
beautiful, dewy, glowing skin and so much more, like a thriving life and and ultimate health
and wellness so that you can truly flourish. So let me tell you something. The answer to you
living your best life and really glowing from the inside out isn't in what you're seeing in all
the ads on TV, billboards or magazines. It's inside this episode.
Let's dive in as I explore a juicy conversation with Morgan and Ariel from Balance Skin and
Wellness. Enjoy.
Viktoria Levenberg: Welcome to Resonance, a podcast for ambitious heart-led humans
craving more balance, depth and aliveness in their lives. I'm your host Vik, health coach,
yoga teacher, facilitator and fellow high achiever learning to live in tune with my nervous
system, not against it. In this space is here to remind you that you can have it all — the
career, the success, the fulfilment — all aligned with your truth.
Through honest conversations, expert insights and practical tools, we'll explore how to
work with your body, mind, emotions and spirit, not against them. And the best part? You
don't have to stay stuck in survival mode to get there. Because true well-being is not about
being perfect. It's about being in resonance. Let's dive in.
Viktoria Levenberg: Alright, so a quick intro to Morgan and Ariel from Balance Skin and
Wellness. I was referred to them by a friend and I had the most incredible experience. You
know, I know facials for many people may seem like a really big luxury, but actually it is
such a great way to pamper yourself and show yourself some self care. And it doesn't have
to be like every single week.
Honestly, you'll hear in this episode actually Morgan talk about the fact that you need a
decent amount of time between your facials to really start to see long lasting results. And
also of course the more the merrier, but and you know I'm conscious that we all have
certain time and resources available. So um, if this has ever felt like a distant possibility,
um maybe think again, um because it might be exactly what your skin and your face need.
And so yeah, I just had this most amazing experience at their studio, you know from the first
initial welcome to Morgan really taking the time to get to know me and my unique skin
situation. And um it was truly like, if you think of wanting to design your dream ultimate
facial experience, this was it. And so we got talking and the more I spoke to the ladies the
more I was like wow, you've got so much knowledge. I knew we had to bring them onto this
podcast.
So the reason this topic is so important is that Morgan and Ariel share a really unique
perspective as they are not just skin specialists, they are also nurses and such incredible
multifaceted women who shed so much wisdom and light on what balance, wellness, skin
and stress truly look like and how all of these intricacies play out together. Without further
ado enjoy the episode — it is so so juicy and plump, pun slightly intended. Let's go.
Viktoria Levenberg: Ariel, Morgan, thank you so much for joining me on Resonance.
Welcome. I am so grateful that this is happening. Um yeah, really really thrilled for our
conversation to learn everything that you have to share both about skin and wellness, but
also balance and um I wanna dive into kind of the world of nursing as well, as I know both
of you are in that space. There's so much hahaha I can imagine. Um so yeah, let's just um
give a brief round of intros. You know, who you are, um what you do and and we'll dive in.
Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: Well I'm Ariel.
Morgan West: And I'm Morgan.
Ariel Saunders: Morgan um, we actually met at orientation for our nursing degree. Um she
ran at me, ha ha ha, in a field when we were playing trust games with a bunch of 18 year
olds. Um and I was wearing my work uniform at the time um and it's a known beauty
business and she was like, are you an esthetician? And I snubbed her and went no. Um and
then we met again —
Morgan West: No Gio, you snubbed me and I actually didn't like that to be honest.
Ariel Saunders: No that's true. We just ended up hanging out for the rest of the day. Yeah.
And then we met again obviously with the start of classes and then ironically I moved to the
same suburb as her and we just started carpooling. And then it just — then we just literally
dragged each other through the MUD that is nursing school until the very end.
Yeah and then in terms of Balance um, yeah it just started with a LED machine and I want to
just pamper each other and not like — we obviously both worked in the beauty industry and
even with our discounts within the beauty industry, it was an astronomical expense that we
just couldn't fathom how we were gonna keep it up. Um and we didn't feel that it was
realistic with the current market and still to this day similar market if not worse. And yeah I
think we sat there and went oh my God yeah, one day one day.
Morgan West: Well yeah there was, there was a night — my parents are very lucky, they
have a lovely spa pool — and there was a night um I think just after we'd finished our like
licensing exam for nursing and we have always been very kind of big picture goals people.
And we were talking about where we wanted our lives to be.
Ariel Saunders: The 10 year plan.
Morgan West: The 10 year plan. And the 10 year plan was that we were gonna open a
beauty clinic. That was the 10 year plan. And then it was like six months later we hahaha —
Viktoria Levenberg: The 10 year plan became a six month plan.
Morgan West: Um and yeah it was definitely, it was so interesting just being like
sometimes uh the universe really just kind of wakes you up and goes knock knock, it's now,
like just wake up, we gotta go. Um so yeah it was, it came out of — I was still actively in a
beauty clinic treating and although I loved, I loved the treatments, I love doing, I love my
clients, I couldn't navigate it whilst having a nursing role.
And that's you know like — it's very different when you have your own business because I
can just dictate my hours and come down here and you know sometimes I clean in my
pyjamas and things like that, whereas when you're hired by someone you don't have that
luxury. Um and I remember there was a night that I was so overwhelmed and so stressed
over this beauty clinic job that I nearly fainted. Um I nearly fainted on the couch. I was so
stressed. And I think that was the point that Ariel was like no, we're doing our own. That's it.
I'm calling it, I'm calling it. We're not doing this because you're only staying because of the
love you have for skin. So we're doing this at home and off — non-negotiable.
Ariel Saunders: Um and I think I like resigned a week later.
Viktoria Levenberg: Um that's incredible. What a good friend you have.
Ariel Saunders: I think yeah, I think I actually wrote my resignation. We were on the couch,
you were dying.
Morgan West: I was like — she's force feeding me electrolytes.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah that's how it went. Um but yeah that's kind of, that's where Balance
um, Balance came from. There's so much more of where Balance came from and there's
you know, we'll talk about really our ethos and and our — where we as humans lie, but that
was the fundamentals. That was the real push as to why it was in 2024 and not 10 years.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes. That's it. Yeah
Ariel Saunders: I think as well we're both like hyper perfectionist people. So the 10 year
plan was like — we weren't gonna start until we were at the top.
Morgan West: Yeah,
Ariel Saunders: Which doesn't make sense when you think about it now from where we sit
at this standpoint. But we were like yup, in 10 years we'll save a lot of money, we'll have our
masters, we'll get a business loan and we'll open up an in-store clinic. Yeah. Um and then
having this now as it is, I was like this is so much less stressful than that idea because it's
so — it's not linear but it is also linear in a sense that we have this freedom to enjoy this
space. We have the freedom to learn lessons that aren't going to cripple us. And it's, it's
such a beautiful ability to come in, have a passion that's then not going to be almost
tainted by economic standards or economic standpoints as we currently stand.
So yeah it's, it's — in hindsight yes. We always say 50 50 um, 20 20, I don't know.
But um, it's very much like even being in here today, it's like oh yeah, this is way better than
the idea of waiting 10 years when we're burnt out as hell after doing a Masters and trying to
make it.
Viktoria Levenberg: Exactly. That's it, like why would you wait, right? And I love how you
shared that you both got so clear on kind of the what you were going after and the why,
which it kind of — we'll dive into a little bit more in just a moment. And um, it's my
meditation and manifestation teacher always talks about, you know when you wanna bring
something to life, your job is just to get clear on the what and the why. Let the universe take
care of the when and the how. And so for you, even though part of your like 10 year plan was
that 10 year time constraint, right — like Morgan's giggling now because it was like nope,
you're just gonna do it now and you're gonna do it how it is. It doesn't have to be perfect.
You don't have to be at the top. And if anything, it's actually better this way, because you're
not wasting all that time thinking oh, the what ifs and and I could have, should have, would
have.
Morgan West: Yeah, hundred percent.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah amazing. And before we dive into, you know, more around
balance and skin, I wanna ask you one more question which each of you will probably have
your own unique answer to. And that is what doesn't show up on your official bio.
Ariel Saunders: On our bio?
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah, like your bio.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah yeah.
Morgan West: What's — what, I think I'm gonna have to read our bios. You know what, I'm
gonna have to read it.
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh, it's okay, like if it — you know, I mean I can think of it at the top of
my head, right? It's like nurses…
Morgan West: Yeah um.
Viktoria Levenberg: Skin, kind of friends. And what's something that people wouldn't
know if they, you know, unless they listen to this podcast?
Ariel Saunders: Yeah chaos and karma. Like yeah, we are not — this is a calm space.
Viktoria Levenberg: Uh huh.
Ariel Saunders: We are not calm people. We are calm in an energy exchange without —
we're treating. In our life, we are like — we do hot girl walks. It is the weirdest thing. If you
walked past us, we could be talking about dinosaurs and then you might circle us again and
we're talking about like um, like bowel problems with no rest in the hospital. Something like
that. Like, oh my God, or a specific smell. But yeah, a certain health product that has —
yeah. No, or like oh, do you remember that TV show, what was it about? And then I start
describing it. She's like that did not exist.
Viktoria Levenberg: That's so crazy, that is so funny. And you know, I love that you said that
because I actually got that vibe when I first met you, Ariel. It was like after my treatment and
we were having this incredible chat and I was like oh, these girls are very fiery. Like I think
um, you had dinged your car that day as well and you mentioned like oh, we gotta go on a
hot girl walk. And I was like oh, I wonder, I wonder what that is.
Morgan West: We did, we actually did. I was like move it, I need to — come on, I'm getting
a hot chocolate, you're getting out the house with me now.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Morgan West: Yeah, I think we — it's like even our social media, and I do think part of that
is like real. I deal at something I posted about recently is that I think most of us, especially
when we run our own businesses, still really struggle with that perfectionism and creating a
specific image. And that is something that I've worked on this, cause I do want people to be
able to come in here and and calm down and everything. And I think for me, you're
absolutely right — like we are chaos and giggles and all sorts of really special, fun spaces
that if that's what someone needs, then we do share it. Um, but I think for me I — I do
unfortunately hide it sometimes. Um, I had a fair few years ago — but I did have an
experience where a coworker of mine I heard was talking about me. Um, and I do think it
was a bit of a jealousy attack, unfortunately, where she had said oh, I wouldn't wanna be
Morgan's client because she might know science, but she doesn't know how to do a
relaxing treatment. She's way too much, like she's too much noise. I don't wanna be her — I
don't wanna be her client. She, she might know science but she doesn't know how to relax.
And I think that's why I definitely, performatively online and if you don't — if you're my first
time client, I probably pull back a lot. Um, because some people do just want to relax and
that's totally fine. But you know, that therapist had never actually had a treatment with me
and has no idea exactly the space and the energy that I can provide.
Viktoria Levenberg: That's it, yeah. And I'm going to go on the record here and say I — I'm, I
am your client, right? Like I see Morgan in Balance Skin and Wellness, and it is relaxing AAF.
Like I loved it. And that was one of the things that I shared and that kind of sparked, you
know, even just this podcast and this conversation, cause I spoke to you too and I um, can
really see the love and the attention and how you've created your in — experience to be
what you wish that it would be. You know, you make it such a holistic uh, journey in the
sense that it really integrates mind, body, spirit. There is, you know, mindfulness. There is
just every little detail. I just remember coming in and I was like yes, A this girl knows her
science of course, but also B, like this is the best facial I've ever had.
Morgan West: Thank you. But yeah, I would say I agree that's probably not — is what not
also isn't what's showing on our social media and our bio is really the giggles. I think
occasionally we share it, but really it's — there is so much more colour behind the scenes.
Viktoria Levenberg: Behind the scenes, yeah.
Ariel Saunders: I have a blooper reel that will be coming out soon that shows it a bit more.
Yeah, um cause honestly, when you record self talk like, you know, by yourself, funny things
do happen. But there is very much — especially in a woman-owned or woman-centric
space, there is this fear of the too much. You're too much, you're too vocal, you're too
static, you're too bubbly, you're too this. And it's like, and it's like you know, we end up
getting put into this category of black cat energy or like, you know Labrador energy or
whatever. Where if a woman's too bubbly, she must be dumb. Yeah. If a woman's too
serious, she must be hateful or a b***h.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah yeah.
Ariel Saunders: I was gonna say the big word.
Viktoria Levenberg: That's like — it's okay. We'll, we'll bleep it out or whatever. I, I like
sneak a swear word in here and there and I'm like I hope Apple won't notice hahaha. Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: No it's — yeah. It's, it's, it's very hard to navigate that. And I think even to
this day, we do have a much more um, understanding culture, but there are still people out
there who — and when it's your livelihood you're like oh, what if I have like 40% of people
who love me, but 60% who hate that, and then I've lost clientele. But I do think you — you
attract what you put out. And I think like our friend group is a prime example. We are the
weirdest — like my partner is literally like, I like when you guys together. It's not even words,
it is just a barrier of sound. Ha ha ha. Um, he's like — and he's not even like saying it's a bad
thing, he's just like you guys enter a space together and it is just sound.
Viktoria Levenberg: And uh huh.
Ariel Saunders: It's like just joyous, completely unadulterated being yourself.
No, love it. Yeah. There's no hiding anything.
And our clientele has almost become that as well where I do have a lot of clients who don't
come in to relax. They come in to have like — it's like a Margarita session.
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh my gosh, yes.
Morgan West: I'm like blah blah blah blah blah blah, and I'm like perfect, love this. I can
have a spiritual Margarita session.
Ariel Saunders: That's what it is, yeah.
Viktoria Levenberg: And and you know how to adapt as well. Like that's the important
piece. And I think you really, you know, hit the nail on the head there Ariel is you're like
women get judged no matter what they do. Like either you're too much or you're not
enough. And so I know you shared that, you know, you kind of positioning yourself in a
certain way. And I love that you're also embracing your nature because like people wanna
see all of you and and people wanna see, you know, the messy, the real, the behind the
scenes. And and often it's the authenticity that brings us closer together because it's really
a sad world if we're all just putting on a filter and trying to hide behind some false mirror of,
you know, just to make sure a coworker doesn't say something mean about us. I mean, I'm
sorry that you had that experience. And at the same time I also hope that she is listening
and hears my feedback about what an incredibly relaxing facial I had hahaha.
Um so, tell me a little bit more about the ethos behind Balance Skin and Wellness, you
know, the story of you individually and how you got to where you are today.
Morgan West: I'd like to start with our three primary values.
Viktoria Levenberg: Mm hmm.
Morgan West: They are um — my brain's like what — safety, compassion and growth.
Those are our three primary real core values of Balance. And that was something like you
said, as long as you have the what and the why, you can go with anything. And I felt that that
was pretty much one of the things — we got a whiteboard out and I was like, who — the who
are we? Like that before everything else. So those were the three things that we —
Ariel Saunders: It's a massive whiteboard.
Morgan West: It's a massive whiteboard. It's like if you put it on a — on a like an aisle.
Ariel Saunders: An easel.
Morgan West: Yeah, an easel, yeah. It would be like a classroom. Yeah it is ginormous. Um
and those were the three primary things that really came through to us. I think part of that
comes through and you can see it. I think those were probably the things that we needed
the most when we wrote those. Um, we had like I said, we just graduated nursing school. It
was such a really vulnerable and daunting time in the transition of leaving nursing school,
about to start nursing jobs, and not knowing where you are in the world.
Morgan West: And yeah, there was — there was, there was a lot of really unsettled
grounds. Um, having to be in jobs that necessarily weren't the nicest.
Morgan West: Yeah, yeah.
Ariel Saunders: You know, we had — there was a promise, especially in the nursing
industry, like obviously not so much anymore. I think everyone's very aware of it, that we
were right before the um, freeze hire.
Morgan West: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: Hire freeze.
Morgan West: Yeah.
Viktoria Levenberg: So we were still part of the — and, and for listeners who don't know
what the hire freeze is, can you elaborate on that as well?
Ariel Saunders: Oh yes. So um, to help with funding — I'm gonna put that in really good
quotes because we get to see how that's worked — um, there was a hiring freeze uh, in the
DHBs in order to ease the amount of money that was being taken into healthcare. Um,
because obviously we just come out of pandemic, there's like this whole view of the
economic crisis. Um, unfortunately what it has done has left, I think at this point, six
rounds of graduating nurses without a job. Um, I think we've had 500,000 New Zealanders
move to New — uh, Australia, and quite a large population of nurses have also moved
overseas and basically where it's left us is a very strange and scary understaffed show, big
show. Um, where we have more patients than we have staff to take care of it.
And you're also talking about if we're not bringing in fresh generations, there is a bit of a um
— the nursing, the community has always had a bit of an icky young kind of mindset. And if
we can't keep bringing in fresh things, like fresh faces and fresh people with fresh ideas, it
does become — and they've been in the industry so long, you do — it does take a toll. And
we are told that you get to a point where you do have to sort of leave. Um, but that's not
feasible. People can't just retire at 45 or 50 because you burn out. Because you burnt out
you just have to deal with it. You just have to — but it does create a culture of “this is what
we have to do, it doesn't matter if we're understaffed, you just have to pull your weight and
get it done. We did it so why can't you?”
Morgan West: Exactly. Hmm.
Ariel Saunders: But we — when we were in school, specifically when we were doing ACE,
which is basically how you sign up to be in like the Rolodex that is, what's your job gonna
be, spin the wheel, whoo! Um, we were advertised that we didn't have to go with the place
that we've done our pre-reg at, which I know for me personally, I would have preferred
there.
Morgan West: Um, yeah.
Ariel Saunders: Pre-reg is the placement we did before graduation. Um, and then for other
people it was going completely outside of the scope of where you've done your last 10
weeks. And I did that and I went into mental health and I got one interview out of that entire
process. And I didn't get a job hire until May. So that was — so from December…
Morgan West: Well even before then, yeah. So I think November we finished school and so
study like ran out in November.
Ariel Saunders: In November. So from November end to May I was jobless.
Morgan West: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: And then we both ended up in rehab, which is very heavy on the body. Um,
it's older people, they're a lot less mobile, and we don't have the staff. It's two to three
assist per patient for the most part, and you're lucky if you get someone to help you.
Viktoria Levenberg: Wow.
Morgan West: Yeah. It is — it is like, nursing is something that I love more than anything in
the world, and I love looking after those people. However it — I said this to one of my
coworkers, cause I have since — we both have since moved on from those wards, and I
said to my coworker, I said you, you have to be so reassured in yourself as a person and as a
nurse, that what you're doing is enough. Because I felt every single day that what I was
doing wasn't enough. Because these are the most vulnerable people in probably our health
system. You know, they're so — they've got so many comorbidities, they need so much time
and attention, that there physically was not enough of me. Like I used to go to work and be
like I wish I was an octopus. Like there is — I can't divide myself. And that to me was so
crushing because I'm someone that gives 120%. Not that — not my coworkers don't, it's
just that you, you have to — that's what I said. You have to be so reassured and so confident
in yourself that you know, even if you didn't do everything, you still did enough and you still
made an impact.
And I just, for me, I knew that I wasn't. I was leaving feeling hot, and I was leaving like an
hour late every single day because it was like — you know, cause nurses, we have to
document everything we do. And I would kind of get to the point where none of my
documentation would be done because for example, if I'm sitting at a laptop having to
document my five, six patients for the day, and I can see the call bell going off and I know
my little lady's either in pain or she needs to go to the toilet — do I sit at my laptop and
ignore the call bell so that I can go home on time? Or do I make sure that she's okay?
Viktoria Levenberg: Mm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: Cause no one else is gonna go and help her.
Viktoria Levenberg: Mm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: So I've — the next shift is usually having to do handover so then — so
they're unavailable. And usually the point is that we're meant to have support staff for the
in-betweens. But again, the cuts were not just nurses.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah, mm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: HCAs, OTs, all of the support staff that we would need. So it just was — it
was an impossible task. And even now on the outside, I work in community care and I still
feel like — well, I know that I make an impact, because prevention is always better than a
cure.
Viktoria Levenberg: Mmm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: But I'm still on the outside thinking about — like to be very blunt, it was
almost — we were like a respite care or even worse, hospice care. To the point where I had
patients come in who were completely independent, they broke their hip, we couldn't find
like an interim level of care that they required before they went home or they couldn't even
get into — they had to change their level of care and they couldn't get into a rest home or a
private hospital or whichever. And they end up, because of our understaffing, contracting
pneumonia because they're immobile. They're immobilised and we can't help them. I can
get them up once in a shift, or I can try and get them up by myself for each meal of my shift,
which is two. That's what, an hour total in a day where they're not in a bed.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: And so I left there with this sense that I had death-sentenced people by
leaving the hospital system. And it was something I really had to battle within myself where
I was like — I had to leave because my body physically couldn't keep up. I was falling apart.
I had days where I woke up and I had to stretch to be able to walk. Um, and it just — it
wasn't feasible and the system wasn't changing. Um, so I left. And it's been five months,
nearly six months, and I still sit there and I'm like oh my God, I wonder like, what's
happening. And I'm quite lucky now that I have seen on the other end some of my patients
who did get out and they're now patients within the community and I'm like oh, thank God.
That's still, probably 2% of the people I would have seen in my year in the hospital.
Viktoria Levenberg: Mmm.
Morgan West: You leaving — you leaving the hospital isn't a failure on you as a nurse, it's a
failure on the hospital.
Ariel Saunders: No, no.
But yeah, it is — it, it — but as — because we are nurses, because the way our brains work,
that when you become a nurse, it's because you're a type of way. You don't become a nurse
because you don't really give crap.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah. Like when you care, yeah.
Ariel Saunders: You live — you don't, you don't get through nursing school unless you have
some kind of care. I know that there's nurses out there that said I just did it cause my family
told me to. You don't make it through, you don't make it unless you care about something.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: It's not possible. You have, yeah — weeks and weeks and weeks where you
are unpaid, bottom dollar, you work 40 hours a week and then have to go and do your side
job to actually pay for things. There's — you don't, you don't get through that without having
some passion ignited within you along the way. And because we are that kind of people, we
sit there and we're like oh, like, I need to do everything in my power to fix everything I can
while I'm on this earth. And when you have to take a step back and be like oh crap, I'm
actually human and I can't do that.
Morgan West: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: I'm not — I'm not the circus strongman who can just like lift up a patient,
wipe down the bed and put him back. It is really confronting cause it's like my brain and my
soul has this need to fix everything and help everyone and I can't.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: And it's like — it's probably, I would say, the hardest part about nursing. Is
coming home every day and being like I did enough. I did enough. Yes, what if it was
enough? I made a difference.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah.
Morgan West: Yes. It's probably the hardest part despite everything.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Morgan West: Surrounds it.
And so I think that whole story of nursing and who — kind of how it feels for, how it feels for
us, so that — you can see now in our values as a business, when you talk about safety—
So safety — Safety, compassion, and growth.
Viktoria Levenberg: That makes so much more sense now.
Morgan West: Something that hospital can't do. It — it, they really came from like, you
know, safety. And I just posted this week about what safety means to us, because again it's
— it's, you know, safety in the sense that we're not breaking our backs, we're not hurting
ourselves. Everything we make sure is, is protecting our bodies and us and you. And then
it's talking about our physical, like our mental safety, so that we're not leaving this room
being like did I do enough? Because we already do that. Um, so that's kind of where that
came from. And then yeah…
Compassion because again, nursing — I think you live and breathe compassion, but it is
compassion, connection, everything. It's all about community I think.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Morgan West: Compassion becomes community.
Viktoria Levenberg: Mm hmm.
Morgan West: It's kind of a big umbrella term. Mm hmm. So that's giving back to people,
not just in nursing but how else can we support people and how can we build great
communities in our villages. Um, and then yeah, growth is just — I think my mum is a
teacher and your mum's a teacher, um, and there is that kind of saying about lifelong
learning. If you're not learning, what are you doing?
Viktoria Levenberg: Exactly. The moment we stop learning, we die.
Morgan West: We die. We're done. Um, yeah. Our brains are designed to learn, they love —
they love going. Um, and so growth is — we want to continue to grow in every aspect of our
life, and Balance has done this beautifully, where it seems to have just mirrored us. So
wherever we've grown, it's grown. And it's been really lovely to see. And then it reflects back
on you. We want to see our clients really shine through and grow, and that's because we
want to cheer you on and support you. And if there's something that you're struggling with,
it's like, okay — I'm a perpetual cheerleader. I'm here, let's go girl, let's go. Um, so it is like a
shared synergy of growth. And that's — yeah, so those are the core three primary values:
safety, compassion and…
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah. And that resonates so strongly because, you know, even if we
talk about the nervous system and stress — like, what does the nervous system crave? It's
just safety. Safety, compassion, and growth as well when it is feeling safe and secure. And
that is — that being kind of like your first value, your first pillar — you know, upon hearing it
out of nowhere someone might be like, huh, I don't get it. But then like getting into the crux
of your story, and then also understanding just the depth that comes with, and the
nurturing space that you create — it is like evident in everything. In the artwork on the walls,
in the books on your little bookshelf, in the drink you give your clients at the end of the
session, it does shine through every single step of the customer's experience. And um, I
just like really congratulate and applaud both of you on that because you're doing a lot. You
have done a lot. I mean, you are still nursing while navigating this business — hospital or
not, it is still nursing, right?
Morgan West: Yes.
Viktoria Levenberg: And so — pun slightly intended — but I would love to ask you: how do
you balance it all?
Ariel Saunders: Honestly, it isn't always easy, obviously. Um, but it also — it has a big
space between. Luckily there's only two of us so we have to navigate other employees,
which is great. And there comes a place where you have to come from a place of really
deep understanding. Like um, you know, if I come in and the bed's not made and I know
Morgan has a client, I'll just make the bed. Because obviously she lives between here and
her partner's house and I have no idea if you had a rough sleep that night. And you know, it's
having that moment of being like, I'll just do this one task that takes me five minutes. And
it's like having that ability to come into a workspace where you're not gonna be throttled by
your manager because you didn't put the hot towels on.
Morgan West: Yeah, like I found this in a — yeah. No. Hmm.
Ariel Saunders: And again, compassion I guess. Ha ha ha. Shared respect. Um, yes. But
also, I think for me personally — so I work Monday through Friday, and then I also — I am, I
returned — I was, used to be a professional, um, semi-professional pole artist and circus
artist. And I had an injury and then obviously school and then, you know, destroying my
back in nursing, I took quite an extensive break. Um, and then recently I had a flare-up of
my back injury that put me out for like four months, pretty much the entire time of my new
job. Um, and I've just recently got back into it. And I like to say hobbies because I don't put
the expectation on that it's for anyone but me. I'm not doing it to perform, I'm not doing it to
showcase myself, I'm doing it because it gives me something back. Yeah. Um, and then —
but that then leads to: I now then work Monday through Friday, I teach on a Saturday
morning, I train throughout the week, and then if I have a client here on Sunday, that's also
another day where I have to switch on a bit.
But for me, in this space, I walk in and I feel like the space creates a give-back that allows
me to sit in that and be like, this is giving me something. It's not an income, but it's giving
me something. It's giving me this — it's a sense of pride, it's a sense of like, you know,
especially — I feel like neurodivergency, we've kind of been told in our childhood that we
should manage our expectations on what we have the ability to do.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: Um, and this is a very evident space of like: ha ha, yes, stop that.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes. Let me show you.
Ariel Saunders: So the balance comes from an understanding of what gives back and what
takes. And yes, work is a constant change of — you have days that give back and you've
actually — you're like, oh, I smashed that. I helped that patient, they're so much better off
because of what I did. And then you have days where you're just like: oh my God. And
Balance is never like that. It's constantly — you walk into the room, it doesn't matter what
client you have that day — not that we don't like any of our clients, they're amazing — but
you walk in and you just go: shit, yeah. I did this. Yeah. Like damn, okay. Like our degrees
are on this wall to our side, she can't see, and they're like in these giant white frames.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes.
Ariel Saunders: And in the middle is a mirror. People look at themselves. And it's such an
evident thing of being like: here's our achievements, and then look at your face. You're an
idiot. That's also—
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh my gosh, I love that. And it's so good.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah. But yeah, that's for me where I find balance. But then you're also a
shift worker, so you would have a different perspective on that as well.
Morgan West: Yeah. I think I was talking to someone the other day and she was like, “Well,
I think you're absolutely crazy. Like I think you're like genuinely—” Because again, similar to
her, we just like to do it all. Um, and so for me, yep, I still — I work in the hospital. Um, so
I'm a shift worker. I did move out of rehab and I work in gynaecology, so I'm a women's
health nurse. Um, which to me that's everything I wanted and is what I got into nursing
school to do. And yes, some days are really difficult but um, I'm so much happier and
healthier from making the move. Um, yeah. That's my — that's my niche, that's my field,
that's what gets me up in the morning. It's like, I live and breathe women's health and
working with women, so it's such a privilege to be able to do that. At the moment. Um,
yeah. Very, very grateful.
And similar to what I said, it gives back and it takes depending on — depending on the shift
and depending on what's going on. Um, so yes, I — I do shift work as a nurse. Obviously
same, I'm here in Balance. Um, with shift work, I can kind of take clients more throughout
the week depending on what client's availability is, so that is a perk. Um, and, um,
sometimes I tutor some nursing students. Um, cause again, I — I really, really enjoy giving
back. I think it's such a rewarding um, session. And I think it also challenges me. It's like I —
again, same thing, lifelong learner. I think when you're going back to nursing basics or
looking at case studies, it really challenges you. And I think that — I actually think in the —
in nursing itself, I think there's a lack of, not professional development because we have so
much professional development that we have to do, but it's a tick box. It's a tick box. And I
think that if we actually were challenged more, I think we'd really enjoy it because again,
you do have — not all nurses, but you do have nurses that have been there for decades and
they have not changed. And I think that there needs to be more frequent, um, sessions
where you work together and you brainstorm. Um, so yeah, I really enjoy tutoring for that
reason because one, I think it really challenges me, and two, because I love seeing people
get it. You know, I love seeing people kind of connect and go, “Oh my God, yeah. I see it.”
And I love seeing that spark in people. It's really exciting.
Um, and then yeah. I'm — I'm at my partner's house and he's got two beautiful children, so
I'm very, very lucky to be a stepmom, which is like its own exciting pathway and its own —
um, not challenges, I don't like that word — but you know, like moments where I'm like, oh
my God, I need to breathe. Um,
Viktoria Levenberg: Intensity maybe is the right word.
Challenges is not the right word.
Ariel Saunders: Time.
Yeah. Time that you don't get to walk in the door when you have children at home and sit
down and do what you want to do first. Yeah. It's that they are always a priority. And I think
that that is something that should be recognised — is when you walk in the door, you don't
get to just dump your bag down and sit down and go, okay, give me a second. They are on
24/7 energy.
Morgan West: Which is amazing. And it's — and it's genuinely not, not giving me purpose,
because I have so much purpose and there's so much to me without it. But like, I think
when you have children watching you and learning from you, it really ignites something in
you where you're like: everything I do is — and influencing you and inspiring you. I want to
see you just grow and flourish. And so that's such a — yes, yeah. It's so exciting and so
magical.
Like for me, I'll — I'll share a story. Um, this — I think it was last week — my stepdaughter,
she's nine, and she lost her tooth. And she's at that age where you're like not quite believing
it and she goes, “Hmm…”
I don't know, I don't know if the Tooth Fairy is real. I think it's just you — you guys giving me
money. And I went, well, I don't wanna give you money. Do you think daddy wants to give
you money? And she's like, oh. And then she's like, oh okay. And then I asked her, like, what
do you think the Tooth Fairy looks like? Do you think she's sparkly? And she goes, yeah, I
think she must be sparkly.
She goes to bed and so we're like scrounging around the house trying to find a dollar for
starters. Oh my God. I was like, I really, I really, I really want to make this magical. So I have
like my Fenty lip gloss, right? And I cover this dollar coin in Fenty lip gloss, and then I dab it,
slide it under the pillow. I have a shift the next morning, so I'm up at crack of dawn, don't
see her — and then I got a text that was like, she spent all morning talking about how the
real Tooth Fairy — the real Tooth Fairy — came to her.
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh my God.
Morgan West: Because her dollar was sparkly. And I was like… and to me it's like, it's when
you get to be able to provide magic like that. Like in her world, the Tooth Fairy delivered her
money — the real Tooth Fairy. So I think when you're providing magic like that, it's so
exciting and so special. Um, but yeah, I think all of those things — it is, like I said, my friend
said “you are crazy.” And I was like, yeah, slightly. Um, but I think, I think for me, I am so
blessed in the sense that I have some of the most amazing people in my life.
Yes. Um, I could actually talk about you for days, but I won't go there because I'll cry if I talk
about, um, Ariel.
Viktoria Levenberg: Tears our welcome on the podcast.
It wouldn’t be the first time. But it’s definitely not the last.
Viktoria Levenberg: Okay, just a quick break here. If you love these kinds of conversations,
you might also enjoy my newsletter. It’s like a breath of fresh air in your inbox — slow,
seasonal, and always real. An email that you actually want to read for a change. If that
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bios at LVNHealth. Now let's get back to the episode.
Morgan West: But yeah, and so for me, finding balance is because I've been blessed with
some of the most supportive and kind people. Um, so my friends and my partner — he's
wonderful. Um, and I think being able to really rely on people — and it takes time to learn to
rely on people — and then once you find that, I think it's incredibly special. Um, so yeah, it's
not — I mean, it's not all perfect. The day that I saw you, you're right, I — I had thanks to my
car. And that was a week before my postgrad assignment was due, and I definitely had
assigned — I'd given myself too much to do and just completely spaced out when I was
reversing my car because I was stressed about too many things.
Ariel Saunders: And you also had your literal driving exam the next day.
Morgan West: Yeah, I was getting my full license. She’s like, “I’m just gonna cancel.”
Ariel Saunders: I was like, don’t you need to do it? Because it doesn’t mean anything — I’m
a fully licensed driver, Sam, my partner’s a fully licensed driver, we hit shit all the time, it’s
fine. It doesn’t matter. Still do it because the more you think about it you’re going to go
another year. She did it, she passed it, it was fine.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes girl.
Ariel Saunders: But it's—it's one of those things where it's like, you have a moment and
especially for you, driving is like — we make fun of her, but it is genuinely a sore spot for her.
And um, ha ha, so when she has these moments it's like — it's not like an adult being like,
oops, I did an oopsie. It's her being like, you're right, I'm trash.
Viktoria Levenberg: Hahaha.
Ariel Saunders: And I have to pull back and be not jokey friend and I have to be friend. It's
like, no — genuinely, we all do it. It's fine. Like — and look, funny weird side quest: I actually
am like a part of her driving. Morgan took me to drive. And one of the biggest things I said to
her is, the more anxious you are getting into this car, the more unsafe you are going to be.
Viktoria Levenberg: That’s it.
Ariel Saunders: And so that was the biggest thing — like she used to turn corners at the
slowest pace. I was like, you're going across two lanes of traffic — hook that crap! You have
a turbo. Give it. Move. Um, and I think that is actually very depictive of our relationship
where like, I'm not necessarily self-assured — I have my own insecurities — but I’m very
internal with how I navigate them. And I'm very much like, like I will speak about it, but I'm
— I'm a Leo. So I'm of a mindset where it's like, I can fix it or I can do this myself.
Ariel Saunders: Mm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: Um, whereas Morgan’s a Gemini. So there's like that — there's that side of
her that's like, well, I've done the bad thing or I've done something that's — it's not, you
know, how it's meant to go, so like this must be like a sign or bad news or whatever.
It’s a reflection of you personally.
And that's when my like ego energy comes out and goes, well no. Because that's just a
human experience.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes. Exactly.
Ariel Saunders: Like it's like — in the scheme of things it's fine. Yeah. And we do balance.
We do like that.
Yeah. And when you were telling the Tooth Fairy story, it also reminded me — talking about
our village or our community — we have a friend group, like I said, completely authentic.
Play mermaids.
Viktoria Levenberg: Hmm.
Ariel Saunders: I'm 30.
Viktoria Levenberg: Hmm. Oh my God.
Ariel Saunders: Still go to the beach and we play mermaids. Like we do not sit — we sun
tan, but like for maybe five seconds. We're back in that water. We want—
Viktoria Levenberg: I love —
Ariel Saunders: We want to flap about. Cartwheels, handstands.
Cartwheels.
Handstands. We like — we retaught ourselves how to tumble on the beach.
Morgan West: That's our whole purpose.
Ariel Saunders: Which we really shouldn't have done. Our — no. We have not built up that
way anymore. Not protected anymore. Um, not made of Jell-O. So — but yeah, like that’s
how — what we have created within our space as well is: this is a space where the inner
child is accepted and should be allowed that space. I don't think because you're an adult
you need to be serious.
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh God no.
Ariel Saunders: I don't see when that correlation actually comes into play because — mm
hmm, I have a mortgage, but I go and twizzle on a pole in my heels.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes.
Ariel Saunders: It doesn't actually affect how that navigates.
Viktoria Levenberg: You get to be both.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah. I'm a nurse, so I have to — you know, I have to hold space for people.
When I'm treating people who are double my age and they have like, you know — there's a
give and take of respect, but there’s an autonomic respect of authority that I'm in a medical
position. And still, like I say, slay in the hallway at work. Yeah. It's like, it's those things
where it's like: we're human beings. And so we're not a black and white entity. And that's for
us how our authenticity plays out and our relationship plays out and how we go about it.
And I think it's actually, for me, in my childhood, how I grew up, this is a completely healing
scenario and healing situation where I am like, I don't ever question my integrity or my
worth within this group. Yeah. I know where I am. Yeah.
And that is, I feel — especially in a woman experience — so special.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah. So powerful.
Morgan West: I think both of us — the way that we quote-unquote “balance” is again going
back to connection and purpose and people.
Viktoria Levenberg: Um, that’s it. That’s it. That’s probably the way.
Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: And I love our segues.
Morgan West: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: Segues.
Viktoria Levenberg: They're perfect, right? Because as you say, like you are such
multifaceted, incredible superwomen. You know, there's like a kaleidoscope of these
different roles that you play throughout your day, throughout your week, and throughout
your life. Be it, you know, as female entrepreneur, as nurse, as stepmother, as, um, you
know, teacher of pole dancing — which I think is super cool, so much respect. I couldn't do
it because the skin burns were just too much for me. So, alright — so like hands down. Um,
yeah. Um, and — but what really shone through as both of you were sharing, you know, how
you kind of find balance throughout your week, because you've got a full life, right? But that
life is like filling up your cup. So from both of your stories and both of the examples that you
gave, there are specific things where you're like: it lights me up from the inside. Whether it's
the little moments of magic that you get to create; whether it's giving back to the
community; whether it's being playful; or whether it's exchanging with your client in that
nurturing space.
And the fact that you came back to the support network and how important that is is also
such a gold mine. Because unfortunately, we live in a really lonely world. And to have the
depth of friendship that the two of you have, and also from what it sounds like, your friend
group and your partners, etcetera, surrounding you — it's a real rare find. And I am — it like
fills me up from the inside to see both of you get to have this experience. And I think that
solid foundation is what's enabling you to then bring things like Balance Skin and Wellness
to life.
Um, because I feel you girls — like I also, you know, I work part time. I've moved back to
three and a half days to give myself space for building my business. And at the same time
just graduated uni again, did like three yoga teacher trainings, like building all these things.
You know, my weekends is like, okay, well what are you doing? I was like, I'm building this
quiz to get people on my priority list. Hahaha. You know. And at the same time it like it fills
up my cup.
And I know that it's gonna help people just like you. So people might call you crazy, they
might, you know—I often get that judgment, I don't know about you, but sometimes people
are like, oh, well you're like, you're still doing so much, aren't you burning yourself out? But
burnout isn't how much you do; burnout is what you do. You can be burnt out working three
days a week in a job that makes you miserable, and you can be thriving, going wild during a
launch. And don't get me wrong, of course you need times to rest and restore, and it all
comes back to kind of that harmony. But there's more to burnout and stress than just the
time spent on something.
Ariel Saunders: I think as well, when we go back to like actual wellness culture, it's not
like—yes, rest and recovery is an aspect, but that's why we talk about sleep cycles, yes.
Sleeping every night, that is rest and recovery. Me having four hours on a Sunday afternoon
to just sit there and do nothing doesn't necessarily equal rest. Because realistically, when
people talk about their downtime, they're absorbing content.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes. Thank you. Yes!
Ariel Saunders: And yes, active rest is still applicable if you are talking about the wellness
space. We are not sedentary creatures. We're not designed for that. We evolutionarily are
not designed to sit for hours. It's like—I mean, you know, they always talk about like sitting
desk jobs and cancer, and—but there is an aspect to that that is true. And if you have a job
that fulfills you, or you have something that fulfils you—and I know the luxury of having a
job that fulfils you is in itself a luxury. It is not doable if you're in an economic strife and
you're just doing what you can to get food on the table. Bless be you, because holy man,
like I could not—my soul, like I would struggle.
But then like, my father is a great example. He left the Navy and went to work for Australia
Post, and it’s sort of like a family thing. They all did it. Like for some reason Australia Post is
their legacy. It's really strange. But um, he recently was like really struggling with his mental
health because he hated his job. He was like, it's soul sucking, it gives me nothing. And
then he got into a really down period, and my mum was like, well, go back to school. I earn
enough. It's fine. Just go do—find something that you wanna do. And then he sat back and
he went, actually, you know what? I’m at the final stage of my career where I get to have
weekends off. I have long service leave. I have so much time that I can play with to be with
my family. And that to me is more important than fulfilling maybe even what he perceives
as an ego—an ego path,
Viktoria Levenberg: Scratching that itch.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah. And I said to him—and even my partner’s been the same—where
when I first began nursing, he was like, “I really wish I was in a job where I could help
people.” And I said, well, why aren't you in a job where you could help people? And he goes,
well, I'm—I'm a sparky. And I went, you're a leader naturally. And I was like, and you're in an
industry that keeps filtering this real like masculine—toxic masculine
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh my God, don't get me started.
Ariel Saunders: You could adapt that. He's had female apprentice, he's had young male
apprentice. And as much as he jokes with the boys, he's also an example of someone who
is really soft. He loves our two cats like they are the most precious things on this earth, and
he is not subtle about it. He loves me with so much devotion—it's like, there is no like, “oh,
my missus wants this, my missus wants that.” He will literally be like, I’m not going out on a
Friday night, I wanna spend time with my partner. And he is so unabashedly that way that I
said, that is helpful. You are an older male role model that is able to turn the tides on how
people are perceiving the masculine role. Yes. And I think that is valuable in itself.
And I think that ties into wellness. It’s not about what you do, it’s about how you’re doing it
and what it means to you and what you gather from it. And that's the thing with the give and
take. If you constantly feel like something's taking from you, you need to find where it can
give you something back—or what gives you something back. And for us it's hot girl walkies,
doing skin, movement. Movement—like mine’s pole, she loves the gym, I love the gym. But I
have to go because I'm hypermobile. But it’s like one of those things where you just have to
sit back, take a moment, and stop thinking about all the things you should be doing
because it's what you think is right or what you know—your path. Whether it be kids, getting
in a high-paying job, blah blah blah blah. Think about what means something to you. And
for a lot of people, I think it is family. And it can’t be their job because they don't have the
luxury. And so for them it's, “I get to put food on the table so that I can sit at my table and be
with my children.”
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah. And I think that that is a great way to look at life. Because
unfortunately, the way our Western society—this society—has been built, we have to work
forty-something hours a week, or we have to pay a certain amount of money. There's no
like—I can't trade in clamshells for my mortgage, you know. Like I have to live by the rules
that have been set out. But I don't have to play by the same standard pathway.
Viktoria Levenberg: That's it. That's it. You can still stay in integrity with yourself, as you
said earlier. And even if it is a conscious choice, like it is for your father—because it enables
other things in his lifestyle, etcetera—then it is that conscious choice and you find a way to
work with it, right? And the thing is like, even if you do for your living what you love—which is
like the greatest gift on this planet, right? Which both of us—or like all three of us—are
heading towards, um, there's still gonna be blows and stressors, and shit’s gonna hit the
fan, and things are gonna happen. And so it's like, how centred in yourself can you be? How
grounded, how well supported and well rounded can you be as a person to be able to deal
with it when ish hits the fan, right? And um, that kind of is quite the important thing to keep
in mind when we reflect on what you shared.
And on that note as well, um, I wanna pivot and kind of just have us nerd out on the skin
science side of things. Because you two are like a wealth of knowledge. And for the average
lay woman or layman who may be listening, how might things like, you know, giving more
than receiving or stress or burnout be showing up in people's skin? Because many people
don't realise that it's like the largest organ of the body. So come on ladies, give it to me. I
can see Morgan’s like—ah.
Do you have another three hours?
Morgan West: Yeah, how much time we got? Um, I never say it directly to someone, but I
can see exactly what's going on in your skin. Um, ha ha ha. And I'm not gonna say that
because I think—I think it's really, I always let my client lead. Because what I see in your
skin might not be your priority.
Ariel Saunders: So not necessarily flaws.
Morgan West: No, not at all.
Ariel Saunders: They're environmental stress.
Morgan West: Yeah, I just see this thing.
But they’re not flaws. Um, but—
Viktoria Levenberg: Give me some examples.
Ariel Saunders: Um, well, I think for me, the first thing I notice when someone's under the
pump: you don't have that luminosity. Your skin is not bouncy or glowing. And again, that's
not a flaw. You're stressed.
Morgan West: Mm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: Like what do you expect? And your cells are using vital energy to do things
like, you know, kidney function, digestion, stuff like that. It doesn't give a crap about the
flow to your face.
Viktoria Levenberg: That's it. Yeah.
Morgan West: So I think one of like the really key things to remember—and that will show
across multiple skin concerns—is that especially there's—there's three different phases of
stress, which I can kind of picture me writing it down in my textbook. Can’t remember it.
But it's basically like acute stress, it's like stress response, healing response, or chronic
stress.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Morgan West: And so, if you are in this phase where you are just stress, stress, stress,
stress, stress—you physically cannot heal. So this is—this is just talking about wound
healing. But you're also looking at, you know, let's say for example you come to me and
you're really struggling with stubborn breakouts. You can't—your skin cannot respond, it
cannot heal. So you might get one little spot and it be there for four weeks, because the
body is like, girl, I have nothing. I cannot help you.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Um, like, I'm trying to keep your heart beating here.
Morgan West: Literally.
Like I've got these other really like—like I already said, I've got significantly more important
organs to look after than healing your spot. So it will show. Um, and so, you know, I
remember looking at my own skin, and I was talking to another uni student when I still
worked in a clinic, and I was like, oh, your skin looks like mine. We are in the same boat girl.
Um, and so in that case, when I'm treating skin like that I'm not thinking, okay, so this
moisturiser is really gonna help you. Don't get me wrong, it probably will. However, it's
really not gonna make the biggest difference. So you can use all of the topical treatments in
the world—it is not going to fix anything if your internals are wacky ducky.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes.
Thank you. You cannot buy your way out of stress.
Morgan West: Yeah.
I'm like, it's not—it’s not gonna work. So I think that’s, you know, like it will present in a
multitude of ways. Whether that's stubborn breakouts—it just won't heal—whether that’s
kind of like the technical word for it, it's called sallow, and I don't like that word because I
always used to get called sallow skin. But I'll just say, oh, you look dull. Dull.
Ariel Saunders: That's nice. Nice dull skin.
Whereas I said your skin's lacking like colour, yeah. Just—it feels—
Viktoria Levenberg: And buoyancy. Just whatever you said you would want it to be, it's
just—it’s lacking that glowiness.
Morgan West: Just, yeah, your glow is a bit dim.
But pretty. You're stressed. So yeah, you know, so that would be what I would see. And, you
know, obviously sometimes you can see the dehydration in people's skin because quite
often they—I'm sure if you're stressed, you're not really, really well hydrated and being right.
Um, so usually it's kind of like a multitude—
Viktoria Levenberg: Coffee overconsumption.
Morgan West: Yeah, exactly. So then you've got, um, so dehydration quite often looks—I
always say like, you compare a grape to a raisin.
Viktoria Levenberg: Um…
Morgan West: So a lot of the time people think that they're aging, and I'm like, no, you're
just dehydrated. So we're just gonna show you some love and go drink your water. Um, so
those are the types of things that we would see. It's just really like—I call it tired and a bit
sad.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes.
Morgan West: I'm like, okay, we need to structure it. Okay?
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah.
Morgan West: That's it. Go to your backup.
Viktoria Levenberg: That's it.
And then there's, of course, like the nutrition, which is obviously a passion point of mine. I
mean, it's like, you literally are what you eat—and the thoughts you think, the way you move
your body. Like, getting a good sweat, detoxifying, right? Like, we detoxify through the skin
as well. Um, so it is just—yes, so interesting. And I remember when I first saw you, I think I
just was like submitting my final assignment or something, and like planning this big
photoshoot, and it was all just a lot. And you're like, “So I can tell you're a bit stressed.”
Hahaha.
Morgan West: I will say, the next time I saw you, your skin was so much more vibrant. And I
remember looking and being like, hey. Hahaha.
Viktoria Levenberg: And it's also like, I want to acknowledge this is a slow process. And I
think we spoke about that in our session as well, right? That like, people expect these
miracles—miracle cures—and unfortunately we have a whole multi-billion dollar industry
founded on that. It's like promising you that glowy, dewy skin and “Here, take this serum
and you're gonna look just like Eva Longoria,” who's had like three rounds of Photoshop and
Botox. Um, but the thing is, it takes time. Like, it took time for our bodies to get that
depleted; it's gonna take time for the body to heal.
You'll know this better than I do, Morgan—like, how long does it take for the skin cells to
actually renew?
Morgan West: Yep. So it also depends on your age.
Viktoria Levenberg: There you go.
Morgan West: So yeah, it actually slows down as we age. So like typically under 20s, it's
about a 28-day skin cycle. So from the bottom of your epidermis—it’s got five layers…
Epidermis is the very like thin, crusty—see, it's the hard skin cells.
There's five layers. And essentially the role of the epidermis is it just gradually goes up and
up and up and up, and it’s like—it sheds. Shits pulls off
Viktoria Levenberg: Like a snake. It's so cool.
Morgan West: Um, there are obviously lots of other functions to the epidermal layer other
than just shedding. You know, like protection, but there's—there is some kind of histamine
responses and like, there's lots of other cool stuff. Um, but from 20 years old, right?
Twenty-eight days. So again, if you come to see me at the start of the month and then two
weeks later you're like, “It didn't work. I don't know why it didn’t work.”
Viktoria Levenberg: “Stupid facial didn’t do anything.”
Morgan West: Miss ma’am, I got—you gotta work with me here.
So 28 days is like your minimum. And then obviously as we age our skin cells—as the rest
of the body—it starts to kind of slow down, just not producing at the same rate as they
would.
Ariel Saunders: Like obviously new cell turnover is just slower, yeah. I think it's like—there
were studies that showed after 25 you pretty much don't produce any new fat cells. So it's
like, you can imagine when you start talking about like sunken features and stuff like that.
So it's like, you have the fat cells you have you can either plump them or you can shrink
them. And then it's the same with skin cells. Although I will say skin cells have a bit more
durability in terms of like collagen and elastin and all that stuff. But in terms of aging,
there’s like—you can't fully beat the clock. You can replace what you've lost, yeah, with like
additives if you want to, if you want to, but for the most part it's—you'll never…
I know there's like biohacking and stuff like that that people talk about recently, and that's a
very big thing. I personally don't have the willpower for that. So in an average human
lifespan, you're not going to ever gain that ability to reproduce those cells at that rate.
Morgan West: There is like, we talk about the skin cells slowing down and like it not
shedding as fast. There are things that we can do in treatment. So for example LED light
therapy—it actually triggers ATP, so that's your like energy source. So ATP production
actually makes your skin cells wake up and produce things. So that's—for example, LED is
non-invasive, most people can have LED. Um, and then in terms of encouraging skin cell
removal and helping with the skin—skin cell turnover, you've got your chemical peels, but
also just home-grade exfoliants. Um, so lactic acid in your cleansers and things like that.
So there are, again, things to assist because yeah—and that's why they come about, is
because we know that as we age, it slows down. And then that's how sometimes we notice
things on the skin. So that's kind of like—
Viktoria Levenberg: Mmm hmm.
Morgan West: I was taught that if you're gonna point something out in someone's skin, you
need to be able to have a solution. Have a solution.
Viktoria Levenberg: That's it.
Morgan West: Do you know what I mean? Because it's like—it's not very nice. And that was
again—I’ve been on the receiving end of many, many facials in my training and everything,
and it's a really awful—it's a really awful sensation when someone—I remember people
looking at my skin three times a week when I was in training and being like, “Okay, so I'm
seeing sallow skin and dehydration and breakouts across here.” End of facial. Not talking to
me. Not saying, okay, well this is what we're gonna do here, this is what we're gonna do
here, yeah—let’s look at this. And so I think it's really important that we do talk to you and
explain to you. And I think, you know, that's probably what I said to you was like, I'm looking
at stress. And I remember looking at like what I was calling a histamine reaction—um, not
histamine reaction but—a lot of—there was a lot of histamine.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yeah. And I've got a whole history with histamine and stuff, like I dive
into it in my story. So yeah, that's like—
Morgan West: —There's a lot of histamine going on. And I remember being like, again, I
think—I think this is gonna ease off as the stress eases off. Um, but here's what we can do
today. Um, and I think, yeah, as long as you're transparent and communicative and really
open with, you know—I'm like, don't get me wrong, I know a lot about skin and I love skin,
but I'm not an expert on you. And that’s—I’m not an expert, yes, and dictate you and
assume that I know better than you and your body.
I think that's a huge—yeah. Huge.
Ariel Saunders: Also, when we talk about skin, we talk about the blueprint. Not—like, so
many people are individual. Like some people have, what, it's like ungeneralised erythema,
and it's like, well, we don't know what causes it. We just know that they break out in hives.
And that's sometimes what medicine is as well, where it's like, yeah, yeah. Mmm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: And that's for us with skin, it's like—I might have someone—like I have
clients who are like, “I cannot use retinol. The purge never goes away.” And I'm like, okay.
And they're like, “But everyone says I need retinol.” Like look, retinol is a beautiful product
and it's a great—like it is great for cellular turnover. It is great. As you age it does really do—
and it's quick. That's why it's so, like, marketed. You know, big, and like advertisable—
marketable—is because it is quick. But we have products that have fruit enzymes that still
have a turnover rate—they're just slower.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes.
Ariel Saunders: And it’s not—and same thing like a peel and like, you know, having like a
salicylic or lactic acid based cleanser that you use a couple of times a week should be
sufficient as long as you are hydrated, you're rested, um, and you have good like omegas in
your diet. Like it's honestly like—and I mean you're a nutritionist as well—so we stress so
much about the digestive system. If you—and noticing—and like, people don't realise this:
you should be going at least daily.
It’s actually super uncommon in this society for people to have regular bowel motions. I
even saw someone—
Viktoria Levenberg: So wild.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah, I saw this woman the other day complaining—she was like saying,
she was on a full-on lecture, she was talking to a giant audience. I was like, who gave her a
microphone? She goes, “Did you know that fiber actually doesn't break down in the gut?”
And I'm sitting there going, that's literally the point.
Viktoria Levenberg: Wow.
Ariel Saunders: So the reason it doesn't do that is because we have soluble and insoluble.
And hopefully with soluble, it's gonna draw all that water into your gut and
Viktoria Levenberg: It's gonna help move all the toxins out as well—like it's literally crap
out of your body. That's what it is.
Ariel Saunders: In the hospital, if you're day three, we’re pumping you full of laxatives—
we're shoving enemas up you. Day 3—go. Go.
Viktoria Levenberg: Mmm hmm. Yes.
Ariel Saunders: I think people—and personally as well—I’m like, uh, “It’s day 4, I'll be right.
I’ll be right.”
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh my goodness.Really?
I mean like, wow. Personally I’m like every—every day at least twice a day generally.
Like it depends again—like your digestion speaks to you in the language
Ariel Saunders: Made deliberately. Made—I was like, I'm feeling like I'm having hormonal
cycle problems and I'm feeling really, really bloated, so I made a Mediterranean meal
because I knew—you know, like we've got chickpeas, chicken, broccoli, um eggplant. And I
was like, cool, I am going to introduce soluble fiber to my body.
Viktoria Levenberg: That’s it.
Ariel Saunders: So that it does what it needs to do. And I don't need to have a detox tea or
a, like, artificial laxative at this point because I like—you know, when we do it at the
hospital—
Because these people are on medications that would increase risk of, um, hospital food—
which yeah, I don't even know how that works.
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh my God, don't get me started.
Ariel Saunders: If you are a relatively healthy individual, you can do most of that with just
how you choose to eat in a day
Viktoria Levenberg: and hydrate and move and stress.
Ariel Saunders: I'm not saying like, oh, you should—you know, you should eat this way or
you should have this diet. Hmm. Like we talk about it in—our name of the business is really
perfect because it comes up something—
Morgan West: Balance.
Viktoria Levenberg: Haha.
Ariel Saunders: It's like, okay, so yes, I love McDonald's. I'm a Big Mac girl. Like I get two
burgers from McDonald's when I have it.
Jesus, I'm like dashing things. Um…
But that's for me. I'm like, okay, well then I will have McDonald's on a Thursday night, and I
just won't have it the next night and the night after.
Viktoria Levenberg: Mmm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: But then if I do have it two nights in a row, I'm also like, okay, so I know that
this is going to have effect.
Viktoria Levenberg: Mmm hmm.
Ariel Saunders: And I just listen to my body and go from there.
Yep. And it's the same as like—we're not expecting people, because like—we were even
talking about it. If you have endometriosis or PCOS or stuff like that, there is actually proven
diets that you could stick to that could basically make you non-symptomatic. They are so
hard and super restrictive, and for people’s mindsets, that's not doable. So it's like, okay,
what symptoms really bother you? Because yeah, you could be, you know, really lean and
like have really glowy skin and you could feel amazing, but you would have to be in a
restrictive lifestyle.
Viktoria Levenberg: And that's also a conscious choice. You know like, and it’s your
choice.
Ariel Saunders: Damn. Yeah.
Damn. But like—and I could recommend it if you wanted to try or like—but for me it's more
about how I would implement little things into my diet. Like Mediterranean—I’m Italian and
like, you know Italians eat so much faster, but they also have a lower, like… like most
Mediterranean countries and stuff like that have a lower rate of Alzheimer's.
So it’s like this thing of like, you know—
Morgan West: which I think has also been linked to a sense of purpose.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes.
Morgan West: They—yes—they eat to socialise. They walk to eat. And they drink to
socialise and all this stuff.
Ariel Saunders: Yeah.
Viktoria Levenberg: Blue zones right?
Morgan West: Yeah—correlation too long.
Ariel Saunders: But for me it is very much like, when I talk to my clients about their skin,
I'm not so much—I'm like, hey, I'm not concerned about all these issues you have with your
face. I'm like, well, how have you been? Like one of my clients is also a shift worker, and I'm
like, have you been drinking water? Even like Morgan—like one day I just said—she was like,
“Look at my face.” And she was like, “What's the problem? What am I missing?” And you
know, she's probably more knowledgeable than me, and I'm going: why the hell are you
asking me? And then I looked at her and went, “Yeah, I think—are you bleeding?” And she
went, “Oh no.” There's your problem.
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh my God.
Morgan West: I had to—like I was so tired. Good job.
Good job.
I was so tired—so many shifts—and I was coming—I was working really late shifts and I
was coming home at like midnight, half midnight, nearly one in the morning every single
day. And I didn't want to clean my face before bed.
Viktoria Levenberg: Hahaha.
Says the skin specialist. Hahaha.
Morgan West: So I looked at her and I was like, “Eww.” What is it? Like my face was just—
Ariel Saunders: She’s like asking me, she's like, “Should I like get on complete pigment?
Should I do problem skin? I don't know what to keep doing.” I was like, “Have you tried
washing it?”
Morgan West: Yeah that makes sense.
Viktoria Levenberg: Um, here's some advice for you sister. Oh my gosh, I love that. And
ladies, this has been so much fun. I've got no idea where the time went because we're
like—there's so much more that I know you have to share and we might have to just do a
second round because there's like a lot of—lot of juiciness I know. Part two. Um, but for
today, you know, I would love to ask you my signature question that I ask everyone. And you
each get your own answer—maybe they're the same, maybe they're not—but um, if there
was one thing that resonated with the listeners from today's episode, what do you hope
that one thing would be?
Ariel Saunders: I think for me it would be about talking about what actual wellness is. Like
talking about active rest and stuff like that, and it's not always the perpetrated yogi lifestyle
that is influenced to us. Not the actual real yogi lifestyle—like the Instagram version. But
um, talking about what wellness means to you. And I think that's something that's really
important, is I would encourage anyone to have a moment, put your phone away, sit down
and actually think about what drives you, what fills you, what's draining you, and think
about how you can make small, adaptable and realistic changes to better your path and to
better your inner health.
Viktoria Levenberg: Hmm. I love that.
Morgan West: I think mine's quite similar, in a sense that I think that—it’s hard, because I
wanna say like, I hope that people can learn again to sit down and find your purpose. But I
think that's such a scary feeling. I think so many people—especially like, I'm late 20s—and I
think there's so many people around me that feel really lost. And I mean really lost. And so I
think the words—because I want to say, hey, like sit with yourself and find your purpose,
find what lights you—that’s really scary. Because people feel…
Viktoria Levenberg: Oh yeah, it's really confronting.
Morgan West: Mm hmm. They're like,. There's no “I don't have a purpose.” And I've seen
that in a lot of people in my life. So I think to get there, I would say sit in the ugly. Learn to be
authentic. And I think that is incredibly difficult in a society where we pigeonhole into
labels, where being authentic is actually shamed. I think it's really truly shamed. Um, but I
think all authenticity in its natural state is so raw and so beautiful. And it's such a privilege
that I get to sit in that state. Um, and so I think if you're not at the point where you're able to
look at maybe what your purpose is—sit in the ugly. Get authentic. Um, I said to someone
in my own family maybe about six months ago—I said like—he was struggling and didn't
feel like he had genuine people in his life and everything. And I was like, “But you're not
being genuine.” Hmm. Um, so it's hard. Like it is really hard. But that's probably—if I could
say one thing.
To actually build off that, cause yeah again, I fully agree. I think finding your purpose, finding
what fills your cup, what lights you up is very, very important, and that's gonna set your
entire well-being off. But if you're not there yet, start with getting ugly and start with being
authentic. And yeah, look in the mirror.
Viktoria Levenberg: That's it. Yes. It brings people together. And it takes someone to have
the courage to be the first one to step into that place of vulnerability and authenticity. And
that's where the magic happens. The magic doesn't happen behind the TikTok filters and
the polished videos or anything. It is right there in the present moment, right here, right
now. And I am so grateful for both of you, because I feel like that's what both of you brought
to today's conversation. You know, you were fully yourself, fully authentic. I love the
tangent—like—but there's so much juice in there, and there is so much more to explore.
And so if people want to learn more about you, people want to work with you, where can
they find you?
Morgan West: It’s Balance underscore Skin and Wellness. Um, to be honest, it's mostly on
Instagram because I just try and keep it simple and not overwhelm myself. So hit us up
there. Um, I think we were also talking that if anyone listens to this and did want to come
catch up with us, there will be like a 10% discount.
Viktoria Levenberg: Amazing.
Morgan West: So obviously we want to see you guys and celebrate your podcast as well.
Um, so they could just reference maybe the podcast or “the podcast.”
Viktoria Levenberg: Thank you.
Yeah we'll—we'll come up with something that they can—we'll reference something out.
Yeah. Oh yay! How generous, thank you.
Morgan West: You can come hang out with us. Um, but yeah, definitely Instagram—
message us, hang out with us, let's get fun.
Viktoria Levenberg: Yes! I highly recommend—as I said, I've been to many professional
facial skin treatments before and Balance Skin and Wellness is by far the best experience I
have had. So, um, couldn't recommend it any more. And thank you, thank you, thank you.
I—from the bottom of my heart—I’m so grateful for the two of you. I cannot wait to see the
empire that you will build one step at a time, and I am sending so much love your way.
Morgan West: Mmm. Thank you.
Ariel Saunders: Thank you so much.
Morgan West: Thank you so much.
Viktoria Levenberg: Alright. What a great conversation. I don't know about you, but I am—
hmm—filled up. My cup is full. Just as full as these ladies' cups from all the incredible
things that they are doing. And you know, some of my key takeaways that I wanted to share
with you were—one is the big one that really stuck out for me at the beginning of our
conversation is: don't wait for the perfect moment. Like just do it. Whatever it is that you're
thinking about—whether you're wanting to try something new, you're wanting to go outside
of your comfort zone, you want to—you know, I don't know. You've got dreams. I don't know
what they are. I've got my own dreams and I'm chasing them, and you can chase yours too.
You don't need to wait until you've got all your ducks in a row. Because here's the secret—
I'm gonna let you in on a secret that like people don't talk about—no one ever gets their
ducks in a row. We're all just pretending here. We're all just doing the best we can with what
we know, the way we know how. So like, you may as well just get started now. Um, hahaha.
And the other pieces that really stuck with me from that conversation were, you know, the
notion of chronic stress, which obviously is like my bread and butter—
That’s what I am really passionate about helping women and conscious humans heal from
and navigate through. And um, you heard the ladies say it: you physically cannot heal if you
are in a state of chronic stress. If you are experiencing issues like skin, like things that are
coming up on the visible surface of your body, they’re not a priority for your body to heal if
it’s doing the best it can to keep your blood pumping and your lungs breathing.
So, you know, a lot of the time—and this was me back in the past as well—when I felt like
stress was just normal, it was just this kind of, “Oh yeah, of course everyone talks about
being less stressed, whatever.” Like I used to be this judgy Judy about it too. But now I
understand that actually, like, I need to heal it. There is so much more to life. You can live
such an incredible, thriving, vibrant life, but it’s really hard to do that if you’re in a state of
chronic stress. So even if just that awareness kind of starts to simmer and land and
percolate for you, that would be incredible.
And um, I will link up below the show notes the discount code for your Balance Skin and
Wellness appointment. If you are in Auckland, I highly recommend that to be your next
action step. Just go in and book, use your 10% off, the details will be in the show notes. I
honestly could not recommend Morgan and Ariel enough. They are incredible. They are now
the only facial skin experts that I see. Um, and if you are not in Auckland, I would just
encourage you to do a little bit of research around who might be a local business in your
area that you perhaps feel open to supporting.
I would look for people who have the same ethos and values like Morgan and Ariel, so you
know, really coming from a holistic wellness lens and working with natural and
scientifically backed and proven products that are good for you, that are not going to cause
you more harm through some toxic ingredients. So just be really careful with what you put
in and on your body.
So, and if you have any questions and need to vet some people or some products, like, I’m
sure that you could just DM Morgan and Ariel and they’d be more than happy to help you
out. So their details will be linked below this episode as well.
And um, if you wanna hear a little bit more about my story and sort of the stress response
that was visible on my skin, and actually a big flare up which was linked to a histamine
response and stress and chronic stress and burnout, I’ll link those episodes down below
for you as well, alongside another conversation that aired on this podcast with my old
naturopath a little while ago. And I feel like that conversation really complements this
episode beautifully, because it provides another perspective to skin and stress and women
and cycles.
So you’ll find all of this juicy detail in the show notes below. In the meantime, just pay
attention—like have a look at your skin and maybe you can even intuitively be like, “Oh,
what does it need right now?” Am I maybe a little bit dehydrated? Maybe you’re like Morgan
and you just need to actually wash it. Um, what does your skincare routine look like? Like
do you have one? I had a really long time in my life where I had no skincare routine. So um,
just a few things to ponder on.
And let an expert help you. Like I highly, highly recommend it.
Thank you so much for tuning in this week. I am so grateful that you are here, and I will see
you next week. Bye.
Viktoria Levenberg: If the word “mindfulness” has ever felt vague, overwhelming or just a
little out of reach, I created something just for you. Live in Presence: 8 Days of Mindfulness
is my free online course that gently walks you through everything I wish I had known when I
first heard the word “mindfulness.” It is a soft, spacious introduction to presence. There’s
no jargon, no overwhelm and no pressure to do it “right.” So over 8 days, you’ll receive short
grounded lessons and simple practices that you can weave into your real life, even if you
are busy, tired or feeling totally out of sync.
The link is in the show notes below or through the link in my bio at LVN Health, because
presence isn’t something you have to earn—it’s something you get to return to.
Viktoria Levenberg: The views and opinions expressed by guests on Resonance are their
own and do not necessarily reflect the views of me, Viktoria Levenberg, LVN Health, or
anyone working within the LVN Health brand. This space welcomes a diversity of ideas,
experiences and stories, and part of Resonance is learning to take what aligns and gently
leaving the rest.
Also, while I am a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and deeply
passionate about well-being, this podcast is intended for educational and inspirational
purposes only. Resonance does not substitute personalised medical, psychological or
therapeutic advice. Always seek guidance from qualified professionals for any physical,
emotional or mental health concerns.
