On episode 284 of The Nurse Keith Show nursing career and healthcare podcast, Keith interviews Lucy Camarena, RN, DNP, CCRN, CNL, CPN, and Diana Cantu-Reyna, RN, BSN, CCRN of Cultivating Self, a burgeoning community of nurses who are leaning deep into self-care and wellness through a plethora of healing arts modalities. If you’re a nurse seeking rejuvenation and a reconnection with your authentic self, you’ve come to the right place.
Cultivating Self is an opportunity for nurses to unwind, rejuvenate, and reconnect with their passion for wellness, education, and healing. Their mission is to cultivate community around the healing arts. Through practical application, nurses learn about ways to heal and ways to integrate methods from around the world. They discuss the importance of culture, joy, and connectivity through curated experiences and also share their unique gifts with one another in a container that feels comfortable and compassionate. The good folks of Cultivating Self welcome collaborations with holistic healthcare practitioners, artists, educators, and anyone interested in work-trade opportunities.
Diana Cantu-Reyna, RN, BSN, CCRN
Founder
Diana works as a full-time staff nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, one of California’s Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Centers. Diana is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She travels internationally to Mexico, Central and South America as a nurse volunteer. Prior to becoming a nurse, Diana received a BA in Political Science from San Diego State University where she discovered her passion for social justice and community service. Diana was recently on the bargaining team with California Nurses Association. With support from Children’s Hospital Oakland RNs and the community, the bargaining team successfully won a contract giving nurses wage parity in the San Francisco/Bay Area, and more educational opportunities through a tuition reimbursement program.
Diana’s self-care practices always include some element of nature and are typically spent with her cute French bulldog, Chuy. You can find her swimming at the beach, hiking in the forest, gazing at the sun, moon and stars, doing yoga and meditating in the park, or jammin’ out with her tambourine!
Lucy Camarena, RN, DNP, CCRN, CNL, CPN
Co-Founder
Since she was 10 years old, Lucy Camarena knew she wanted to be in the medical field. Growing up in Napa, Lucy was originally inspired to become a doctor. Her goal changed when a cousin needed a second open-heart surgery. “I saw the nurse at the bedside constantly, making sure my cousins was OK, connecting with our family. That’s how I decided on nursing instead of being a doctor,” Lucy says. “Nurses were the ones that were really there with the patients.” As her career has evolved in the last five years, Lucy’s natural caring personality has started to include her coworkers’ wellbeing. She is involved in several committees that all have the same goal of cultivating resilience and caring for caregivers. Lucy not only advocates for her patients’ wellbeing, but that of her fellow nurses as well.
Lucy works as a full-time staff nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, one of California’s Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Centers. Lucy is a graduate of The Dominican University of California School of Nursing, and a double graduate of The University of San Francisco–Masters of Science Clinical Nurse Leader and Population Health Leadership Doctorate of Nursing Practice.
Connect with Cultivating Self:
- CultivatingSelf.org
- Email: cultivatingselfnow@gmail.com
The Nurse Keith Show is a proud member of The Health Podcast Network, one of the largest and fastest-growing collections of authoritative, high-quality podcasts taking on the tough topics in health and care with empathy, expertise, and a commitment to excellence.
I’m very privileged and grateful to announce that The Nurse Keith Show is a proud member of Ars Longa Media, a collaborative network of podcasts, media entities, musical artists, and others with an aim to add a humanistic touch to professional education, educate the public from a scientifically informed perspective, and improve lives by strategically partnering with those who share our goals to address social ills.


Podcast: Play in new window | Download