PODCAST · society
Stories, Soul Work & Substack
by John Rinaldo
The Positive Pen Podcast—"Stories, Soul Work & Substack"—is a live weekly conversation exploring honest stories, inner work, and the courage it takes to write and become. Each episode brings real voices together to reflect on meaning, healing, spirituality, and why writing has become a lifeline. rinaldoj.substack.com
Episodes
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Remembering Who We Are — A Conversation with Pam Lob
Thank you Mama's Homestead, Bonnie Bluewater 🐦, Lessons Along The Way, Jason Stephenson, and many others for tuning into my live video with Pam | Echoes of Ancient Wisdom! Join me for my next live video in the app. Sometimes the stories we write take us to places we’ve never been, only to help…
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Helping Young People Find Their Way Back — A Conversation with Dr. Deborah Vinall
Thank you Saira Anwar, Bonnie Bluewater 🐦, rhonda doruiter, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me on the next Stories, Soul Work & Substack for another conversation that matters. Today on Stories, Soul Work & Substack, I sat down with Dr. Deborah Vinall for a conversation every...
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Typing It Real: Finding Your Way, Gen X Musings & What Really Matters With John Rinaldo
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rinaldoj.substack.com/subscribe
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The Leadership Frame — A Conversation with Chellie Grossman
Thank you, Kanyin Abebi, rhonda doruiter, Karl Tame, Emma Steel and many others, for tuning into my live video! Join me on the next Stories, Soul Work & Substack for another conversation that matters. Today on Stories, Soul Work & Substack, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Chellie Grossman...
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Is This It? — A Conversation with Natissa Sang
Thank you Author Gold, A New Dawn Healing Arts, rhonda doruiter, Tom Janiak, Harriet Corvine, and many others for tuning into my live video with Nat Sang! Join me on the next Stories, Soul Work & Substack for another conversation that matters. Sometimes the most important question we can ask...
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The People We Meet Along the Way — The Story of April and Gary
Thank you Bonnie Bluewater 🐦, rhonda doruiter, Amar | Travel & Stories, and many others for tuning into my live video! On this episode of The Positive Pen: Stories, Soul Work & Substack, I sat down with my longtime TikTok friend Gary to talk about his wife, April—the woman he met online more…
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The Self-Led Life — A Conversation with Erin Gregory
Thank you Sarah Oehler, rhonda doruiter, Tom Janiak, Deanne Ames Original Junior-Senior and many others for tuning into my live video! How authenticity, courage, community, and the willingness to pivot can help us build a life that actually fits who we are. What happens when the life you are...
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The Poetry of Showing Up — Chris B. Writes
Thank you Sara da Encarnação, Deanne Ames, Johnmark Guzman, Harriet Corvine, Karl Tame, rhonda doruiter and many others for tuning into my live video! Some stories aren’t measured by dramatic moments but by the quiet, everyday decision to keep showing up. On this episode of Stories, Soul Work &...
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Luminous Touch with Ruth Urman
Thank you Chellie Grossman, rhonda doruiter, Tom Janiak, Karl Tame, Bridget and many others for tuning into my live video with Ruth Urman! Finding the Beauty in Being Present: A Conversation with Ruth Urman and Luminous Touch Some conversations stay with you long after the recording ends. My...
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Before History Had a Name — A Conversation with Stephen Thomas
Thank you Kathy Washburn, Sacred Storylines 🎨, rhonda doruiter, Karl Tame, Original Junior-Senior, Sue Rumack Life Debunked, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. What if the oldest stories humanity has ever told are still shaping the way we…
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Real Life Resurrection — A Conversation with Craig Sefa
Thank you Deanne Ames, Danni Levy, rhonda doruiter, and many others for tuning into my live video! On this episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, I sit down with Craig Sefa—pastor, teacher, author, and spiritual director behind Reflections of Something—for a conversation about faith, identity,...
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Finding Strength in the Next Chapter with Sarah Oehler
In this deeply personal episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, host John Rinaldo welcomes back writer, journalist, and storyteller Sarah Oehler for an honest conversation about cancer, creativity, fear, community, and finding the courage to begin again. When Sarah first joined the show nearly…
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Stories, Soul Work & Substack: Conversations for Writers and Authors
Thank you Vonnie G. Clemens Jr., Sacred Storylines 🎨, Harriet Corvine, Summer Willan, Debi Hassler-Never Forsaken, and many others for tuning into my live video with Nat Sang! Join me for my next live video in the app. In this inspiring episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, host John Rinaldo...
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Keep Breathing — A Conversation with Megan Youngmee
Thank you Florence Acosta, The Warden’s Archive, Lynn J. Broderick, Hundred Tomatoes, Danni Levy, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. From Amish Country to Peru: A Journey of Healing, Self-Discovery, and Hope On this episode of Stories, Soul...
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Breaking Barriers — Ashley Schmitt
Thank you Michelle Renée, Giuliana, Anthony Giovacchini, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. 💨Ashley Schmitt™️ joins Stories, Soul Work & Substack to share the story behind The Tribal Dream-Stackers, a growing community dedicated to helping...
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Letter From the Deep End with Jess
Thank you Megan Youngmee, Sara da Encarnação, Nat Sang, Denise Olivieri Yagel, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Some conversations stay with you long after they end. This was one of them. In this deeply personal episode of Stories, Soul…
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June Substack Authors BookFunnel Podcast Summary
Explore our featured collection of independent Substack authors for June 2026. Discover inspiring stories, thought-provoking insights, and outstanding books spanning fiction, memoir, personal growth, spirituality, history, and more. Support independent writers, find your next great read, and...
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The Soft Space with Camille
Thank you ThickOnine, rhonda doruiter, Anthony Giovacchini, and many others for tuning into my live video! What happens when you stop chasing success and start listening to yourself? In this thoughtful episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, John Rinaldo sits down with Camille, writer of The…
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Writing Unfiltered with Lynn J. Broderick
Thank you Chris B. Writes, Florence Acosta, John Thompson, Deanne Ames, Roland Millward, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. In this episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, John Rinaldo sits down with Lynn J. Broderick for a raw and honest...
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We Were a Nice Normal Family with Patricia A. Grenelle, PsyD
Thank you Megan Youngmee, Deanne Ames, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. In this deeply personal and emotionally layered episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, John Rinaldo sits down with psychologist, author, and trauma survivor Patricia...
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Finding Your Voice with Mary Baker
Thank you Robert C. Worstell, Deanne Ames, Dr Craige Golding, Franky Dyson, Mary Ann McGee, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. In this episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, John Rinaldo sits down with Mary Baker, a licensed clinical...
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Grief, Grace, and the Quiet Work of Returning with Sandra Lynne
Thank you Jenny Lynn, Nicola Farnhill, Cit Ananda, Lynette K Dodd, rhonda doruiter, and many others for tuning into my live video with Sandra-Lynne! In this episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, John Rinaldo sits down with Sandra Lynne for a conversation that moves beneath the surface—into…
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Authors Optimize. Supporters Amplify. — How Indie Books Actually Win on Amazon
Thank you Karl Tame, Vonnie G. Clemens Jr., Susan J Hilger, Sacred Storylines 🎨, Harriet Corvine, and many others for tuning into my live video! This wasn’t a podcast about writing. This was a reality check. Today, I sat down and walked through something most indie authors don’t want to...
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The Question Beneath the Words — Live with Stone Wolf
First—thank you Ruth Urman, Mary Ann McGee, Dragonheart Jo, Grey Selkie, rhonda doruiter, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Today’s conversation with Stone Wolf was not linear. It didn’t follow a script. It moved the way real conversations...
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Opening the Heart — Live with Tiffany
Some conversations inform you. Others slow you down. Today’s episode—Opening the Heart with Tiffany—was the kind that asked for stillness before it offered insight. It didn’t start with advice. It started with presence. There was no rush to get to a point, no urgency to explain or fix anything....
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The Truth About Writing & Growing on Substack
The first Writer’s Notes panel wasn’t a performance—it was a conversation. No polished formulas, no “how-to-go-viral” scripts—just four writers, chris kalaboukis, Let’s Get UnStuck, Nat Sang, and John Rinaldo, unpacking what it actually takes to write, stay consistent, and grow on Substack. At…
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Imagine It. Create It. Live It.... Chris Kalaboukis
There are conversations that stay on the surface—and then there are conversations that ask something of you. Today’s episode with chris kalaboukis was the second kind. It didn’t begin with answers. It began with a question most people avoid: What would your life look like if you actually believed...
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Just Commit, Grace Grossman
Today’s conversation began in a way that felt familiar—and honest. Before Grace Grossmann even joined, there was a pause. Not silence, but space. And in that space, something important surfaced: progress rarely looks perfect while it’s happening. As we waited, John spoke about the movement...
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After the Silence: When Truth Opens the Door to Healing | Dr. Deborah Vinall Returns
Today’s conversation with Dr. Deborah Vinall began with something simple: questions from the audience. After our earlier discussion on gaslighting, many readers wanted to understand how these dynamics appear in families—especially with teenagers. Dr. Vinall reminded us that the word gaslighting…
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SPECIAL EDITION — The Road West: Joe Nichols Returns
Tonight’s special edition brought Joe Nichols back to the conversation, and it quickly became clear that the road west isn’t really about geography. It’s about the journey a writer takes with himself. Joe spoke openly about the tension many writers feel on Substack—the pressure to perform, to...
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Lifting Others Lights the Way | Lis of Savor Life Studio
Today’s conversation with Lis reminded us that the most powerful things on Substack are often the quietest ones. Lis did not arrive on the platform chasing numbers, subscribers, or attention. Instead, she created a simple weekly ritual—lifting other writers through her Friday shout-outs. What…
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When a Person Goes Silent
Today’s guest was supposed to join us. Instead, he made the decision to step away from writing — and from the public space altogether. I respect that. There is dignity in knowing when to step back. But there is also something deeply human in that moment that deserves conversation. So today, we…
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When the Shadow Speaks
In this raw and reflective episode of Stories, Soulwork & Substack, John sits down with Shadow Pursuit for a conversation that moves beyond surface-level storytelling and into the hidden parts of identity — the “shadow” we all carry but rarely confront. This episode explores what happens when we...
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Healing, Truth, and the Courage to Recover with Deborah Vinall
In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Stories, Soulwork & Substack, John sits down with trauma psychologist, author, and EMDR clinician Dr. Deborah Vinall to explore the layered realities of trauma, gaslighting, boundaries, and emotional healing. Drawing from over 20 years of clinical...
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Bloom Where You Are with Josie DiVincenzo
In this heartfelt episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, KaZ and John sit down with Josie DiVincenzo for a grounded and inspiring conversation about growth, timing, and learning to flourish exactly where life has planted you. Josie shares her journey of embracing creativity without waiting for...
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The Truth No One Talks About After a Layoff with Nat Sang
In this candid and deeply resonant episode of Stories, Soulwork & Substack, John Rinaldo and KaZ Akers sit down with Nat Sang to talk about the part of layoffs that rarely gets discussed—the emotional fallout, identity loss, quiet relief, and unexpected clarity that follow once the job title is...
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Writing Toward Peace
In this deeply moving episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, John and KaZ have a powerful conversation with Deanne Ames—a retired psychotherapist, trauma survivor, and writer whose life story is a testament to resilience, healing, and the quiet courage it takes to choose peace. Deanne shares…
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Goals, Books, and the Power of a Clear Path
This week on Stories, Soulwork & Substack, co-host KaZ graciously takes the reins as John continues to recover from illness, offering listeners warmth, humor, and thoughtful conversation in his absence. KaZ opens the show with a personal reflection on her birthday week, celebrating friendship,...
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Kristen Coffield on Healing the Body and Soul
In this episode of Stories, Soulwork & Substack, co-host KaZ takes the reins while John recovers from pneumonia and has temporarily lost his voice. KaZ opens with the show’s new music, shares a heartfelt update about grieving the loss of her brother Lenny Lenwood Sloan, and reflects on how an...
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Pivot to Your Purpose w/ Diane Britt-Smith
In this heartfelt episode of Stories, Soul Work & Substack, co-hosts KaZ and John return after the holidays with honesty, humor, and reflection. The show opens with a warm exchange about their new intro and quickly settles into real life—grief, recovery, creativity, and purpose. KaZ shares a…
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I surrendered custody and it changed my life
Justin Stark of Dad From A Distance shares a raw, honest conversation about parenting from miles away. We explore heartbreak, resilience, and how fathers stay present despite the distance. Now available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access…
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Holiday Special of Stories, Soulwork & Substack
Thank you Jenny Lynn, Wayne Baird, and many others for tuning into my live video with KaZ In The World! Join me for my next live video in the app. This Monday at 4 PM marks our final live show of the year — a special year-end conversation with KaZ and me reflecting on the voices, stories, and...
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We lived under her government conspiracy
Justin Stark of Dad From A Distance shares a raw, honest conversation about parenting from miles away. We explore heartbreak, resilience, and how fathers stay present despite the distance. Now available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access…
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Mom signs away parental rights
Justin Stark of Dad From A Distance shares a raw, honest conversation about parenting from miles away. We explore heartbreak, resilience, and how fathers stay present despite the distance. Now available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access…
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How love-bombing really works
Justin Stark of Dad From A Distance shares a raw, honest conversation about parenting from miles away. We explore heartbreak, resilience, and how fathers stay present despite the distance. Now available. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access…
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Fathers Being Erased from Their Children’s Lives
Today on the podcast, we sit down with Justin Stark, known as Dad From A Distance, for an honest and unfiltered conversation about what it truly means to parent from miles away — not by choice, but by circumstance. Justin shares real-life experiences that shed light on the emotional, practical…
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AFTERSHOW: Let’s Get UnStuck w/ Traci Edwards
Thank you Deanne Ames, Gray, Cindy Stewart, and many others for tuning into my live video with Let’s Get UnStuck and KaZ In The World! Stick around after the main episode for a fun and candid conversation between KaZ and John as they break down today’s show, share behind-the-scenes moments, and...
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Let’s Get UnStuck w/ Traci Edwards
Thank you Deanne Ames, Gray, Cindy Stewart, and many others for tuning into my live video with Let’s Get UnStuck and KaZ In The World! Join me for my next live video in the app.In this raw and empowering episode of Stories, Soulwork & Substack, co-hosts @KaZInTheWorld and John Rinaldo sit down…
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EP 016 – Classic Christmas Movies w/ Hundred Tomatoes
As Christmas approaches, Stories, Soulwork & Substack co-hosts @KaZInTheWorld and John Rinaldo sit down with @HundredTomatoes for a cozy conversation about classic holiday movies that warm the heart — and a few that spark debate. From It’s a Wonderful Life and Home Alone to the ultimate question…
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EP 15 – Confidence Matters w/ Sue Reid
In this empowering episode of Stories, Soulwork & Substack, co-hosts @KaZInTheWorld and John Rinaldo sit down with Sue Reid, creator of Confidence Matters on Substack — a growing community where readers learn to rebuild trust in themselves and live with courage and compassion. 🌿✨ Sue shares how...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Positive Pen Podcast—"Stories, Soul Work & Substack"—is a live weekly conversation exploring honest stories, inner work, and the courage it takes to write and become. Each episode brings real voices together to reflect on meaning, healing, spirituality, and why writing has become a lifeline.
rinaldoj.substack.com
HOSTED BY
John Rinaldo
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Stories, Soul Work & Substack have?
Stories, Soul Work & Substack currently has 97 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Stories, Soul Work & Substack about?
The Positive Pen Podcast—"Stories, Soul Work & Substack"—is a live weekly conversation exploring honest stories, inner work, and the courage it takes to write and become. Each episode brings real voices together to reflect on meaning, healing, spirituality, and why writing has become a lifeline....
How often does Stories, Soul Work & Substack release new episodes?
Stories, Soul Work & Substack has 97 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Stories, Soul Work & Substack?
You can listen to Stories, Soul Work & Substack on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Stories, Soul Work & Substack?
Stories, Soul Work & Substack is created and hosted by John Rinaldo.
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