Episode Details

What happens when the host becomes the guest? In this special episode of the Awakening Spaces Podcast, Ashley's dear friend and building biology colleague Zara D'Cotta flips the microphone and interviews Ashley herself, pulling back the curtain on the work Ashley does behind the scenes on every project she touches. From the lawsuit that changed everything in her early career to what owner's rep work actually looks like day to day.

Ashley walks through how a project gone wrong became the foundation of everything she does now, why oversight is the single biggest indicator of project success, and what it actually means to advocate for a homeowner in a room full of specialists who all have different opinions. She also gets candid about her own health journey, what finally shifted after years of outsourcing her healing, and why neurofeedback, morning walks, and learning to stop scanning her environment for threats changed things more than any supplement protocol ever did.

This one is for every homeowner who has ever felt overwhelmed by decisions, every builder or designer who wants to understand what a healthy project team actually looks like, and every practitioner in this space who has ever wondered how Ashley holds it all together. Spoiler: she is still figuring it out too, and that is exactly what makes this conversation so good.

THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Conscious Construction Container: https://courses.awakeningspaces.com/ccc
• Zara D'Cotta, The Healthy Home: thehealthyhome.com.au
• Building Biology Institute: buildingbiologyinstitute.org
• Green Building Advisor: greenbuildingadvisor.com
• Building Science Corporation: buildingscience.com

CONNECT WITH ASHLEY
Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube | Website

Ashley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way.

Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower and one on one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again!

Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here.

CONNECT WITH GUEST
Instagram | Youtube | Website

Zara D'Cotta is a Building Biology New Build Consultant, Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, and founder of The Healthy Home in Australia. After navigating two cancer diagnoses and years of environmental illness across multiple water-damaged homes, Zara made it her mission to bridge cutting-edge research and real-world building practice. She holds both the BBNC and EMRS certifications, placing her in a small group of building biologists globally qualified to integrate EMF awareness with moisture control, material health, and healthy design principles into mainstream constr