The Teaching Journeys Podcast

What does it actually take to build a resilient organization — and how do you measure it?In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts welcomes back Terry Healey — cancer survivor, facial difference advocate, keynote speaker, business strategist, and author of The Resilience Mindset. Terry draws on his 35-year career as a marketing executive and his deeply personal journey through a rare fibrosarcoma diagnosis to explore what resilience really looks like inside teams, leadership structures, and organizations.You'll discover why 83% of people believe they're resilient, but research shows only 57% actually are — and what organizations can do about it. Terry walks through his 7-dimension resilience assessment framework, covering resourcefulness, capability, alignment, seeking support, hopefulness, growth mindset, and positive mindset, and explains how leaders can use these tools to build stronger, more adaptable teams.What you'll learn in this episode:• The difference between individual and organizational resilience• How to conduct a resilience assessment workshop using Terry's proven framework• Why emotional intelligence and empathy are non-negotiable leadership skills• How the REBAR framework (Reflect, Build, Act, Renew) applies to both personal and organizational growth• Why empowering employees — not micromanaging them — is the foundation of a resilient culture• The one daily habit Terry recommends for anyone struggling with attitude or adversityTerry Healey BioA survivor of a life-threatening cancer that left him with a permanent facial difference, Terry Healey is an author, keynote speaker, and business strategist. A graduate of UC Berkeley with a thirty-five-year career as a marketing executive, Terry challenges audiences to face adversity and change, and apply his ReBAR resilience framework and principles to gain confidence, build resilience, and find greater purpose and joy in their personal and professional lives. Terry lives in Santa Cruz, CA with his wife Sue.Learn more at terryhealey.com.Resources mentioned:The Resilience Mindset by Terry HealeyTo find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What does it truly mean to strive for more — and how do you get there?In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Jan Raeder, the Self-Care Sensei — a wellbeing educator, keynote speaker, and author with over 30 years of experience in traditional Okinawan and Japanese karate.Jan breaks down her evidence-based MORE Framework (Meaning, Optimism, Relationships, Engagement) from her book Strive for More: What Wellbeing Really Means and How You Can Achieve It, and shares how the principles of martial arts — self-discipline, resilience, and perseverance — apply directly to personal growth and conscious wellbeing.In this episode, you'll learn: The key difference between wellness and wellbeing (and why it matters) How to use the MORE Framework to build a life of clarity, confidence, and purpose Why self-awareness alone isn't enough — and what to do with it How positive psychology and the science of optimism can rewire your mindset The role of gratitude, resilience, and meaning in overcoming life's biggest crossroads Lessons from 10,000+ sparring rounds and decades of martial arts teachingWhether you're navigating a career transition, health challenge, or simply want to live with more intention, this conversation is packed with actionable insights rooted in behavioral science and lived wisdom.Jan’s Bio and Contact InformationJan Raeder is a recognized Wellbeing Educator, keynote speaker, and author dedicated to helping people lead lives of clarity, confidence, and conscious well-being. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in traditional Okinawan and Japanese karate, behavior change science, and positive psychology, Jan blends evidence-based insights with lived wisdom to support meaningful, sustainable growth.As the author of Strive for M.O.R.E.: What Wellbeing Really Means & How You Can Achieve It, Jan breaks down her M.O.R.E.™ framework (Meaning, Optimism, Relationships, Engagement) and offers evidence-based, actionable tools. She delivers dynamic keynotes and workshops that help individuals and organizations make the mindset shifts that lead to lasting change.Having fought in over 10,000 sparring rounds, Jan deeply understands how practice, self-discipline, honor, and perseverance shape growth. That experience has also taught her a vital life lesson: the moment you start taking things personally, you lose your center—on the mat and in life.A National AAU Karate gold medalist and former senior instructor and business manager at US Budokai Karate of Albany, Jan also earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just four years. Through her work as the SelfCare Sensei, she empowers others to strive for M.O.R.E.—and to live with purpose, energy, and heart.Jan's Book: Strive for M.O.R.E.: What Wellbeing Really Means and How You Can Achieve It🌐 Website: selfcaresensei.com📱 Instagram: @selfcaresenseijraeder👥 Facebook: Self Care Sensei | Jan Raeder Well-Being Educator💼 LinkedIn: Jan RaederTo connect with Dave: davidrobertsmsw.com

What if the stories you tell yourself are the very thing keeping you stuck?In this powerful episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Scott Mason — known as The Myth Slayer — a speaker, coach, attorney, and former senior executive who uses the power of ancient Greek mythology to help people identify the toxic myths holding them back from living a bold, purposeful life.Scott shares his remarkable journey from a high-powered career in New York City government and nonprofits to a complete identity collapse — and the profound near-death experience that became his greatest catalyst for transformation.In this episode, you'll discover:• What "toxic myths" are and how they silently sabotage your personal and professional life• How ancient Greek mythology offers a timeless roadmap for self-discovery and reinvention• The surprising mind-body connection between toxic thinking and physical health• Scott's extraordinary near-death experience and the dream that changed everything• Why your darkest moments may be the doorway to your greatest rebirth• How to shift from the empirical mindset to the mythic mindset — and why it matters now more than ever• Whether you're navigating a career transition, recovering from personal loss, or simply searching for deeper meaning and purpose, Scott's story will challenge you to stop letting your past author your future.Scott’s Bio and Contact Information: Scott Mason is known as The Myth Slayer: a speaker, coach, attorney, and former senior executive who uses the power of Greek mythology to help people name the hidden stories that keep them stuck and begin writing a more powerful life.After graduating from Columbia Law School, Scott spent more than two decades as an attorney and executive leader in government and nonprofit organizations, including roles overseeing homeless shelter systems, senior services, administrative justice, compliance, operations, and domestic violence shelter services. He has also served on nonprofit boards and currently speaks to audiences across the country on leadership, professional rebirth, resilience, and bold personal transformation.But Scott’s work is not only professional. It is deeply personal. After experiencing his own career collapse, identity crisis, and painful period of rebuilding -- and later, a profound personal and spiritual reawakening during a mysterious illness that almost claimed his life -- he came to understand that many people are not trapped by a lack of talent, intelligence, or effort. They are trapped by what he calls “toxic myths”—the unconscious stories that convince us we are powerless, broken, invisible, doomed, or too far gone to begin again.Through his coaching, speaking, writing, and YouTube channel, Scott helps people name their toxic myths, and take concrete action toward a life of greater purpose, courage, creativity, and impact. His message is simple but fierce: your past may shape you, but it does not get to author the rest of your story.Social Media links:• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Myth_Slayer• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.scott_mason/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themythslayer/🔗 Connect with Scott Mason: MyFreedomRocks.com📖 Book: The Charismatic OlympianTo connect with Dave: davidrobertsmsw.com

What does it take to go from hitchhiking through a revolution at 19, scaling the deadly North Wall of Denali at 20, and surviving violent conflict in Vietnam — to becoming one of the world's leading voices for peace, purpose, and citizen action?In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with John Graham — Foreign Service officer, global peacebuilder, and 42-year leader of the Giraffe Heroes Project — for a raw and inspiring conversation about adventure, transformation, and the search for meaning. In this episode, you'll learn:· How John went from adrenaline-fueled risk-taker to compassionate peace advocate· Why he helped engineer the UN plan that contributed to ending apartheid in South Africa· The difference between smart risk-taking and reckless risk-taking — and the 6-step framework to know the difference· How the Giraffe Heroes Project inspires everyday people to "stick their necks out" and solve tough public problems· Why building trust is the single most important leadership skill most people overlook· How to find real meaning in your life — no matter your age or circumstancesJohn's memoir, Quest: Risk, Adventure and the Search for Meaning, and his video series Badass Granddad (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) bring these lessons to a global audience.John's Bio and Contact InformationJohn Graham shipped out on a freighter when he was 16, hitchhiked through the Algerian Revolution at 19 and was on the team that made the first ascent of Denali’s North Wall at 20, a climb so dangerous it’s never been repeated. He hitchhiked around the world at 22, working as a correspondent in every war he came across. A US Foreign Service Officer for 15 years, he was in the middle of the 1969 revolution in Libya and the war in Vietnam. To the young Graham, adventure was everything, and each brush with death only pushed him to up the ante—and to bury ever deeper the emotional life needed to make him whole.Then it began to change. At the United Nations he risked his career, crossing his own government to support initiatives for peace and justice in Asia, Africa and Cuba, including engineering a UN plan that helped end apartheid in South Africa. As a global peace builder, post Foreign Service, he contributed to peace efforts in Israel/Palestine.For the last 42 years he’s been a leader of the Giraffe Heroes Project, a global movement inspiring people to stick their necks out to solve public problems and giving them tools to succeed (giraffe.org). His speeches, blogs, podcasts and interviews have a global audience.Connect with John Graham:🌐 johngraham.org | giraffe.orgIf this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who's searching for more purpose in their life — and leave us a rating or review. Your support makes all the difference.🎙️ Teaching Journeys Podcast — where extraordinary lives teach extraordinary lessons.To find out more about Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What can 30 years living in Japan and Indonesia teach us about mental health, respect, and what it means to live a meaningful life? In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts welcomes back writer, producer, and entrepreneur Rob Schwartz — son of Morrie Schwartz of Tuesdays with Morrie fame — for a wide-ranging conversation that connects Eastern philosophy, cultural identity, and the growing mental health crisis in America.Rob shares his remarkable journey from studying Eastern philosophy in university to building a decades-long career in Japan as a film journalist, Billboard Magazine Asia correspondent, NHK World TV script editor, and record label founder. He unpacks the profound differences between Japanese, Indonesian, and American culture — from Confucian values and group identity to the stigma surrounding mental health in East Asia.The conversation also explores Rob's work with the One Humanity Foundation, a global movement to raise mental health awareness, his innovative virtual reality startup Moshpit XR, and the timeless wisdom of his father Morrie Schwartz — whose philosophy that relationships, not money, are the true source of happiness continues to resonate worldwide.In this episode:• Why Japan and Indonesia place such a high value on respect — and what America can learn from it• How Confucianism shapes mental health culture across China, Japan, and Korea• The stigma of therapy in Japan and why it's keeping people from getting help• Morrie Schwartz's philosophy on love, relationships, and creating your own culture• Moshpit XR: the future of virtual concerts and photorealistic real estate tours• The One Humanity Foundation and the butterfly symbol for mental health awarenessRob Schwartz Bio and Contact InformationRob Schwartz is a writer, producer, and entrepreneur. His work has appeared in Time, Newsweek, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Interview and Melody Maker, among many others.He was a script editor at NHK World TV in Japan for fourteen years and has was an Asia Correspondent for Billboard magazine from 2007 to 2022. In 2005 he founded the electro-rock crossover label Dynastic Records in Japan.Rob produces feature films, including Putty Hill (2010) and Bernard and Huey (2017); Stay (2018) , Touched By Water. Rob actively invests in tech-based startups; and is currently a partner and the chief strategy officer in the virtual concert-creation platform Moshpit (www.Moshpit.Live).Putty Hill won a host of awards and the New Yorker magazine chose as one of its Top Ten Films for 2011.Recently Rob edited, wrote essays for, and published The Wisdom of Morrie (2023), a book authored by his father Morrie Schwartz (of Tuesdays with Morrie).Links to our previous episode :YouTube Other Platforms * *Hit the "Listen On "button to find your favorite podcast platform.CONNECT WITH ROB SCHWARTZ:The Wisdom of Morrie: wisdomofmorrie.comMoshpit XR: moshpit.liveCenneto (Real Estate VR): cenneto.comOne Humanity Foundation: onehumanity.oneEmail: [email protected]

What does British theater have to do with business leadership? More than you'd think.In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts welcomes back award-winning actor, director, and business coach Carl Walsh for a deep dive into creativity, innovation, and the leadership principles that separate great managers from truly inspiring leaders.Carl draws on 20 years in the British theater, 25 years in corporate management, and 15 years as a professional speaker to explore:• Why most adults think they've "lost" their creativity — and how to get it back• How Disney built a culture where no one pointed fingers and everyone solved problems together• The "happy mistake" philosophy that transformed a theater scene into the biggest laugh of the show• Why failure is not inefficiency — and how experimentation drives breakthrough innovation• The critical difference between managing and leading (and why 60% of the workforce has "quietly quit")• How to balance creativity with efficiency without sacrificing either• What AI, improv comedy, and focus groups have in common when it comes to innovation• Why diversity of thought — not groupthink — is a business superpowerWhether you're a small business owner, team leader, or someone looking to reignite your own creative spark, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and memorable stories.Connect with Carl Walsh: [email protected], leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow leader who needs to hear it..Carl's Bio and Contact InformationCarl Walsh is a speaker, consultant, and business coach who blends theatrical expertise with corporate leadership. With 20 years as an award-winning actor and director, 25 years in corporate management—including as an IT Director—and 15 years as a professional speaker, he brings dynamic storytelling and strategic insight to business growth. As the co-host of The Oval Table podcast and co-founder of Alpha Dogs Small Business Coaching, Carl helps small businesses foster creativity, improve communication, and apply lessons from the theater to leadership and innovation. A certified Red Team Thinking coach, he challenges teams to think critically and adapt in a rapidly changing world.Connect with Carl Walsh and learn more about Dogologic:Email: [email protected] connect with Dave: davidrobertsmsw.com

In this powerful episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Julianna Burmesch — former school principal, speech pathologist, early brain development trainer, and author of the memoir Life With Less of Me (releasing June 23rd).Julianna shares her deeply personal story of growing up in a home marked by alcoholism, physical abuse, and chronic unpredictability — and how those adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) shaped her brain, her body, and her life well into adulthood. From PTSD and anxiety to sepsis, cancer, and necrotizing fasciitis, Julianna connects the science of trauma to real-world health outcomes in a way that is both eye-opening and deeply human. In this episode, you'll learn: · How ACEs and childhood trauma rewire the developing brain· The long-term physical and mental health effects of growing up in a traumatic environment· Practical grounding techniques for managing trauma triggers· What parents, educators, and policymakers can do to protect children's long-term wellbeing· Why investing in children — through universal childcare, birth support, and trauma-informed education — is one of society's most important priorities· Whether you're an educator, mental health professional, parent, or survivor, this episode offers both science-backed insight and profound human connection.🎙️ Julianna Bio and Contact InformationJulianna Burmesch is a former school principal, speech pathologist, early brain development trainer, parent educator, and child advocate. In writing her memoir, “Life with Less of Me” (Books Fluent, June 23, 2026), she wants to help people understand the effects of adverse childhood experiences and unresolved trauma on one's long-term physical and mental health. Julianna is a mother, grandmother, potter, and occasional jewelry artist. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, John, and her beautiful dogs, Bella and Ruby.Links --Website - https://www.juliannaburmesch.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/Julianna-Burmesch-Author/61568035880501/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianna-burmesch-69476674/ Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250813693-life-with-less-of-me Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Life-Less-Me-Julianna-Burmesch-ebook/dp/B0G32LQHQR/ 📚 Book: Life With Less of Me — available June 23rdTo find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What does it truly mean to see someone?In this heartfelt episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with award-winning author, humanitarian, and founder of the Desire to Inspire Foundation, Dawn Airhart Witte, for a deeply moving conversation about purpose, belonging, and the transformative power of human connection.Dawn shares how a childhood experience of not feeling seen sparked a lifelong mission — from volunteering in the LA foster care system to bringing clean water, resources, and hope to communities across Africa. Rooted in the African philosophy of ubuntu ("I am because we are") and the Zulu greeting sawubona ("I see you, you are valued"), Dawn's work is a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can change a life.In this episode, you'll discover ,among other things:• How serendipity and "soul families" shape our life's path• The story behind the Desire to Inspire Foundation and its global humanitarian work• What drew Dawn to Africa — and the dream that finally answered her question why• How to reconnect with your purpose after major life transitions• The Ubuntu Creator Circle and Dawn's upcoming projectsBio:Dawn Airhart Witte is an award-winning author, speaker, humanitarian, and the founder of the Desire to Inspire Foundation, a global nonprofit dedicated to uplifting communities through both humanitarian support and heart-centered connection. Through her work in Africa and beyond, Dawn has helped bring clean water, resources, and hope to those in need, while also addressing the deeper human need for love, unity, and belonging.She is the creator of The Secrets of Being, a platform devoted to helping individuals reconnect with their true selves and live with purpose, authenticity, and compassion. Dawn is the host of The Secrets of Being podcast, where she brings together thought leaders, healers, and visionaries to share wisdom that uplifts and inspires.Her work is rooted in the belief that we are all interconnected, often expressed through the African philosophy of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—and the Zulu greeting sawubona—“I see you, you are valued.” Dawn’s mission is to help every soul feel seen, loved, and inspired to be the change they wish to see in the world.Links:https://desiretoinspirefoundation.org/https://thesecretsofbeing.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawn.witte1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-airhart-witte-19910920/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesecretsofbeingpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thesecretsofbeingAmazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B071WR5BY4?ccs_id=62d45259-927a-4a86-9bbb-2db1e245c827Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secrets-of-being-podcast/id1716399716To connect with Dave: davidrobertsmsw.com

What happens when your worst chapter becomes the foundation for your greatest purpose?In this powerful episode of the Teaching Journeys podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with RJ Johnson — speaker, author, and founder of Not My Will Ministries — to explore one of the most remarkable stories of redemption, faith, and transformation you'll ever hear.After making a devastating choice that led to a 20-year prison sentence, RJ didn't just survive incarceration — he encountered the relentless grace of Jesus Christ and came out with a mission. Serving seven of those years, RJ faced multiple attempts on his life, found faith in the darkest of places, and ultimately discovered that God doesn't waste a single moment of our pain.In this episode, you'll learn:• How RJ found faith and purpose while serving time in a maximum-security prison• Why taking full accountability — without justification — is the first step toward real healing• The powerful scripture-based workshop RJ created to help men break free from destructive cycles• What forgiveness truly looks like, even toward those who tried to take your life• How RJ's nonprofit, Not My Will Ministries, is transforming lives both inside and outside prison walls• The story behind his memoir God Doesn't Waste a Thing (written under the pen name Luke Chance)Whether you're walking through your own dark season, working in ministry, counseling, or simply looking for proof that God can redeem any story — this episode will challenge and inspire you.Bio and Contact InformationRJ Johnson | Founder & CEO, Not My Will Ministries | Author of God Doesn’t Waste a Thingwww.notmywillministries.comRJ Johnson is a speaker, author, and redeemed son of God who is passionate about helping others discover that God is still in the miracle business. After serving seven years of a twenty-year prison sentence, RJ encountered the relentless grace of Jesus—and everything changed.Through his journey of transformation, RJ founded Not My Will Ministries, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to helping men—both in prison and in society—break free from destructive cycles and rediscover their identity, value, and purpose in Christ. His ministry leads powerful, scripture-based Cycle Workshops that equip men to confront lies, build resilience, and walk in lasting freedom.RJ is also the author of God Doesn’t Waste a Thing (written under the pen name Luke Chance), an awe-inspiring memoir of the miracles he witnessed behind bars. His story challenges churches and communities to step outside their comfort zones and into God’s mission field—even when that mission field has razor wire and locked gates.With transparency, intentionality, and a spirit of joy, RJ brings a message of hope, redemption, and real-life faith. Whether he’s speaking to a church, podcast audience, or leadership circle, RJ’s life proclaims one core truth: Your worst chapter does not have to be your last one—and God can use every broken piece to build something beautiful.Connect with RJ Johnson:🌐 NotMyWillMinistries.com📖 God Doesn't Waste a Thing by Luke Chance — available on AmazonIf this episode moved you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, leave a rating and review, and subscribe so you never miss a Teaching Journeys conversation.To connect with Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What does it take to lead with heart, communicate with impact, and live with true purpose? In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Amrita Mukherjee — TEDx speaker, ICF ACC executive coach, author, and founder of the Thriving Women's Tribe — for a deeply inspiring conversation on emotional intelligence, leadership communication, and the power of intentional living.Amrita shares how personal adversity, including recovering from a burn injury and losing her sister, shaped her passion for purposeful leadership. She breaks down the EQ-i 2.0 framework and explains why emotional intelligence — not technical expertise — is the defining factor in today's workplace. The conversation also explores how her engineering background at Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo gave her a unique systems-thinking edge as an executive coach.In this episode, you'll discover:• Why listening is the most underrated leadership skill• How emotional intelligence, executive presence, and leadership communication work together• The danger of groupthink and how to build psychological safety on your team• Why Amrita chose fiction over a leadership book — and how storytelling connects generations• How the Thriving Women's Tribe empowers women through coaching, community, and connection• The one takeaway Amrita wants every listener to rememberBio and Contact InformationAmrita Mukherjee is a TEDx speaker, an ICF-ACC executive coach, author, and seasoned industry leader with nearly 20 years of leadership experience in Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo. She is recognised for her expertise in EI-driven leadership, strategic communication, building remote and diverse teams, and strengthening employee engagement in today’s disconnected workplace.Known for her blend of data-driven insights, storytelling, and actionable strategies, Amrita equips leaders to build inclusive cultures that drive innovation and business performance. She has spoken at colleges, global forums, corporate events, and leadership summits across diverse sectors.As the founder of SHEvolution, Amrita is committed to empowering women through coaching, mentoring, and community-building. She has delivered impactful workshops for corporate leaders, universities, and schools, including programs designed to inspire confidence, communication, and leadership in teenage girls. Her advocacy extends to girls’ education and menstrual health awareness, supporting campaigns such as #PadforFreedom.LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mukherjeeamrita/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamamritamukherjeeWebsite - https://thrivingwomenstribe.com/Links to my books:Avani The Girl Who Found Her Voice - https://amzn.in/d/056QnH4nShe & Me - https://amzn.in/d/0a0WLRPlTo connect with Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Can pain really become a portal to beauty? What happens when you stop numbing and start feeling everything?In this episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with writer and self-healing advocate Alexis Leigh, author of Pain Is a Portal to Beauty — a transformative memoir about grief, authenticity, and the unconventional path to wholeness.Alexis opens up about losing her mother to addiction at age 11, spending decades numbing her pain, and the moment a voice in the woods in 2020 told her, "If you die today, your life will have been a tragedy" — a wake-up call that changed everything.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why conventional wisdom and gratitude practices can actually keep you emotionally stuck• How MDMA therapy and ayahuasca helped Alexis access grief that years of talk therapy couldn't reach• The difference between performative happiness and genuine emotional freedom• How processing childhood trauma reshapes your identity at every life stage• Why codependency may be blocking your ability to love yourself and others fully• What it means to truly surrender — to pain, to healing, and to life itselfThis is a deeply honest conversation about the courage it takes to feel everything, embrace the shadow side of who we are, and discover the beauty waiting on the other side of pain.Bio and Contact InformationAlexis Leigh is a writer and advocate for self-healing through unconventional methods, including psychedelics and deep inner work. With a background in finance and consulting, her personal journey led her away from the corporate world and into a life centered around authenticity and transformation. Pain Is a Portal to Beauty is her first book, a testament to the power of feeling deeply and embracing the unknown."📖 Pain Is a Portal to Beauty is available everywhere books are sold.🌐 Connect with Alexis at alexisleigh.comTo connect with Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What if kindness could literally save a life? In this powerful episode of the Teaching Journeys podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Randy McNeely — also known as Captain Kind Man — a survivor of childhood abuse turned passionate advocate for courageous kindness.Randy shares the deeply personal journey that shaped his mission: from surviving multiple forms of abuse and near-suicidal darkness, to becoming a bestselling author, speaker, filmmaker, and founder of the Kindness Giver LLC and The Kindness Factor International.In this episode, you'll discover:• How Randy's traumatic childhood became the foundation for a worldwide kindness movement• The 5-step Kindness Givers Formula you can start using today• The difference between ordinary kindness and courageous kindness — and why it matters• How kindness can bridge divides, heal polarization, and transform organizations• Real stories of how a smile, a hug, or nine simple words saved someone's life• Why love — delivered through kindness — is the keystone of every successful relationship, team, and communityRandy's Bio and Contact InformationRandy McNeely—Captain Kindman—is a man of faith, husband, father of five, survivor, and passionate advocate for Courageous Kindness. Guided by the belief that we are all children of God, Randy inspires people to live and lead with love in every part of life.Through The Courageous Kindness Shift,™ Randy teaches how to see, think, feel, listen, and respond differently—helping students, educators, and organizations bridge divides, heal polarization, and create cultures of empathy and respect.As founder of The Kindness Giver, LLC, he equips others with the ICA Method™ (Identify, Clarify, Amplify) and The Kindness Giver’s Formula™ to turn kindness into real, sustainable action.Randy is also co-founder of positive film company The Kindness Factor International, producer of For Such a Time as This, co-creator of The Kindness Factor series, and co-host of The Kindness Factor Podcast.Mantra: Love PeopleMotto: You Can’t Fail with KindnessMission: To inspire and equip others to embrace The Courageous Kindness Shift and transform the world—one act of love-driven kindness at a time.Connect with Randy McNeely:🌐 captainkindman.com📚 Available on Amazon: The Kindness Givers Formula 2.0🔗 LinkedIn: Randy McNeelyIf this episode moved you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave us a rating or review. Your support makes all the difference.**Teaching Journeys Podcast | Host: Dave RobertsPassing knowledge from one generation to the next — one extraordinary conversation at a time.

What happens when a child's life ends too soon — and what can it teach us about love, consciousness, and what lies beyond death?In this deeply moving episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts welcomes Katy Gilbertson, founder of Hauora Wellness, for a raw and spiritually rich conversation about child loss, grief, and the survival of consciousness after death.Both Dave and Katy have lived through a parent's worst nightmare — Dave lost his daughter Jeannine to cancer at 18, and Katy lost her son Jaxon to leukemia just before his 10th birthday. Together, they explore the sacred and the human dimensions of these profound losses.In this episode, you'll discover:• The concept of sacred law vs. human law — and why a short life can still be a complete one• How Jaxon and Jeannine demonstrated advanced empathy and spiritual awareness beyond their years• Real accounts of shared-death experiences and signs from the other side• How consciousness survives physical death — and how to stay connected to loved ones who've transitioned• The waves of grief that resurface at unexpected milestones, and how to navigate them• How Katy transformed her experience into Hauora Wellness, guiding high-achieving women beyond burnout into embodied leadership• Why "once you learn how to die, you learn how to live"• This episode is for anyone navigating grief, curious about life after death, or seeking meaning after profound loss.Katy Gilbertson's Bio and Contact InformationKaty is the founder of Hauora Wellness, an expert in holistic wellness, embodied leadership, and human potential, guiding high-level women to expand their capacity and step into their next level of life, leadership, and business in a sustainable and deeply aligned way.Her work sits at the intersection of holistic health, nervous system regulation, human potential, identity transformation, energy work, and personal mastery. Blending a holistic and functional medicine lens with embodiment, leadership development, and transformational coaching, Katy guides women to reconnect with the deeper intelligence of their body, energy, and purpose so they can lead from alignment rather than exhaustion.At the heart of her philosophy is Hauora, the interconnected relationship between physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental wellbeing. Her work is deeply shaped by lived experience. After navigating her own health challenges, chronic stress, periods of losing herself, and the profound journey of supporting her son through cancer and loss while continuing to lead in life and business, Katy’s understanding of resilience, regulation, grief, leadership, and human potential transformed entirely.These experiences became the foundation for the work she now shares through transformational immersions, private mentorship, embodied leadership experiences, and teachings devoted to sustainable expansion and self-mastery.Today, Katy supports high-level women, entrepreneurs, and leaders who know they are here for more, helping them move beyond overthinking, dysregulation, and survival-mode patterns so they can access deeper levels of vitality, clarity, creativity, leadership, and fulfillment.Through Hauora Wellness, Katy is building a movement devoted to embodied expansion, sustainable leadership, and helping women fully hold the mission they are here to lead.ConnectInstagram: @hauorawellnessFacebook: @hauorawellnessWebsite: www.hauorawellness.comEmail: [email protected], share, and leave a review — your support makes all the difference.

What if you could save your marriage — even if your partner has already given up? In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Dr. Lee Baucom, PhD, creator of the globally used Save the Marriage system and host of the Save the Marriage podcast (600+ episodes strong).Lee breaks down why most marriages fail — not from conflict, but from disconnection — and introduces his concept of the "pause button": the moment couples stop investing in their relationship and slowly drift apart. He reveals the three levels of connection (physical, emotional, and spiritual) that every healthy marriage requires, and explains why neglecting even one can quietly erode a relationship over years.You'll also discover:• Why premarital counseling rarely works — and what actually does• How to rebuild intimacy using a team approach, even through trauma, grief, and conflict• Why one motivated partner can shift the entire relationship dynamic (no dragging a reluctant spouse to therapy required)• The chaser-spacer dynamic — and how to invite connection instead of pushing your partner away• How Lee's Unpause app helps couples build new habits of connection daily• Whether your marriage is quietly disconnecting or at a full-blown crisis point, this episode delivers a clear, actionable roadmap for turning things around.Lee’s Bio and Contact InformationLee Baucom, Ph.D., is the creator of the Save The Marriage System,used around the world for over two decades. He is the author of fourbooks on relationship issues and marriage recovery. As a RelationshipCoach, Lee works with people around the world to save and restoretheir intimate relationships, even when a partner has given up.His method proved useful for people, working on their own, to turntheir marriages and committed relationships around into loving,thriving, connected relationships. He shares that approach in hisSystem, his writing, and the Save The Marriage Podcast. He has beenpodcasting since 2013. He is married, with two adult children and twoactive dogs.Connect with Lee Baucom:📌 Connect with Lee Baucom:Chronically disconnected → unpauseyourmarriage.comAt a crisis point → savethemarriage.comSave the Marriage Podcast: savethemarriage.comYouTube: Search : Lee Baucom Save the MarriageTo connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What does it take to break free from a lifetime of addiction, childhood abuse, and generational trauma? In this powerful episode of the Teaching Journeys podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with internationally award-winning author, public speaker, and transformational mentor Shannan Kym to share her extraordinary journey from rock bottom to radical freedom.Growing up as the youngest of eight children in a home defined by alcoholism, mental illness, and abuse, Shannan endured unimaginable hardship — only to find herself trapped in a marriage to a narcissist and drinking up to six bottles of wine a day. Her story is raw, honest, and ultimately deeply inspiring.In this episode, you'll discover:•How childhood trauma and generational patterns fuel addiction — and how to break the cycle • What hitting rock bottom really looks like and the moment Shannan finally surrendered • Why traditional therapy and AA didn't work for her — and what did• The awakening that led to nearly 7 years of sobriety•How writing her award-winning book How in the Hell Did I Get Here? changed everything•The 10 Pathways to Self-Discovery . · •How she helps women ages 40–60 reclaim their identity, rebuild their lives, and step into their greatness Shannan's Bio and Contact InformationSHANNAN KYM grew up in a family where addiction, violence, and extreme dysfunction were normalized. Robbed of her childhood, she was forced to grow up at a very young age. After dropping out of high school and leaving her family, she was filled with self-loathing and shame. Suppressing her feelings, Shannan became an alcoholic. For years, she abused her body, gained excessive weight, and let herself be taken advantage of by toxic people, including marrying a narcissist. She experienced career highs and lows and suffered the loss of a child. Eventually, Shannan hit rock bottom; but on August 17, 2019, everything changed. That day, Shannan made up her mind to stop letting addiction control her life. She also made a decision to get real, let go of her past hurts, embrace forgiveness, and focus on living each day with gratitude, purpose, light, and love. Connect with Shannan Kym at shannankym.com or find her on all social platforms @shannankym.To connect with Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What would you do if you lost four babies in one day — and then built a multi-million dollar nonprofit, wrote a book, and adopted nine children from trauma backgrounds?In this powerful episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Debbie Simmons — Legacy Architect, keynote speaker, author, and CEO/founder of Anchor Point, a nonprofit serving families in crisis. Debbie shares the extraordinary journey that shaped her: surviving the loss of quadruplet sons, battling infertility, finding purpose through grief, and ultimately adopting nine children from the foster care system.Together, Dave and Debbie explore:• How to process grief without getting stuck in the "why" questions• The founding of Anchor Point — a nonprofit offering medical care, maternity housing, parenting classes, and trauma-informed family camps• Debbie's proprietary frameworks: The Architecture of Trust and The Obedience Engine — and how leaders can identify where trust is leaking in their organizations• Why control and hustle are maladaptive survival mechanisms — and how to replace them• The realities of parenting nine adopted children from hard places• How to take the "next best step" no matter where you are in life• Debbie's book, The Heart of Legacy, is available FREE at theheartoflegacy.com. to teaching journeys podcast listeners.Debbie's Bio and Contact InformationDebbie Simmons is The Legacy Architect™ — a keynote speaker, bestselling author, and the CEO/Founder of Anchor Point, a multimillion-dollar nonprofit changing lives every day. With over two decades of leadership at the intersection of impact and exhaustion, Debbie equips high-capacity leaders to rebuild what success was never designed to carry alone. She’s the creator of the Architecture of Trust™, a structural framework that helps leaders diagnose where trust is leaking — and the Obedience Engine™, a proprietary rhythm and decision-making model that aligns identity, trust, and forward movement. Her frameworks weren’t built in theory. They were born under pressure. Debbie has adopted nine children from trauma backgrounds, lost quadruplets, and battled a health crisis that nearly killed her. Despite the outward success — leading teams, speaking on global stages, publishing a bestselling book — her system began to collapse from the inside out. That breakdown exposed what many leaders quietly feel: they’ve built strong organizations but left their own structure weak. From that wreckage, she rebuilt. Today, Debbie is a trusted strategist to CEOs, founders, pastors, and high-level teams navigating leadership at scale. She doesn’t just speak truth — she helps leaders structure their obedience, rebuild trust at the root, and lead from a place that holds under pressure. If you’re successful but stretched, respected but unraveling, or tired but still performing… Debbie is your mirror, your strategist, and your challenger. SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: https://www.facebook.com/TheDebbieSimmonsSpeaks https://www.youtube.com/@TheDebbieSimmonsSpeaks https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedebbiesimmons/ https://www.instagram.com/thedebbiesimmons/To connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What would you do if you had to choose the day your husband died?In this deeply moving episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Erica Baccus — author, former marketing executive, and end-of-life advocate — to explore one of the most profound and rarely discussed decisions a family can face.After her husband John was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's in 2020, Erica and John made a courageous choice: rather than wait for the disease to steal everything he was, John would die on his own terms. That journey led them to Dignitas in Zurich, Switzerland — and forever changed Erica's life.In this episode, you'll hear:· What it was like the day John received his Alzheimer's diagnosis· Why U.S. aid-in-dying laws create a cruel catch-22 for dementia patients· The intimate, heartbreaking, and even humorous final moments of John's life· How Erica found the strength to choose the date her husband would die· The family's reaction — and why secrecy was necessary· Erica's book A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love· Why every person — young and healthy — should have end-of-life conversations nowA powerful, compassionate conversation that will make you think differently about life, love, and letting go.Erica’s bio:Erica started her professional career in the suburbs of Chicago as an 8th grade English teacher. She went on to San Francisco to become a high-tech marketing, advertising, and research executive. She and her beloved husband John were married for 41 years. Together they lived an active and adventurous life-skiing, golfing, hiking and traveling around the world. Erica enjoys spending time with her son, stepson, stepdaughter and grandkids. Now she helps advocate and educate people about end-of-life decisions exploring the moral and ethical perils so many face. Erica’s Social Media:Website: https://ericabaccus.comInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/ericabaccus/Threads:https://www.threads.com/@ericabaccus?xmt=AQF0dd2_SOOtLxTJickCWTEMu8SGa14IuGfoLb6PD1SoMS0Substack: https://ericabaccus.substack.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGn9iTZX6vHaLEUPb4H0ve1jd4RW-YfGvouRzbgzDm4Loa51BkSGTvg61IkTtI_aem_M9j4EYCPiYOIDAt6UikBgA&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3_a1dennhddsnx1i📖 Erica's Book: A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our LoveAvailable on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold🎙️ Subscribe, rate, and review the Teaching Journeys Podcast wherever you listen.To find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What does it look like to find joy after losing a child? In this deeply moving episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with author Carrie Eaton, who lost her 3-year-old daughter Chelsea in 1995 — and lived to tell a story of miraculous healing and unshakable faith.Carrie shares how she navigated decades of grief, survived two near-death experiences, caught a glimpse of heaven, and ultimately found peace through her relationship with God. She also opens up about releasing 27 years of self-blame and co-writing her book Walking in the Fullness of Joy After Tragedy — which she says God gave her word by word in under 30 days.A conversation about grief, faith, healing, and the hope that joy is always waiting on the other side.Carrie's Bio and Contact InformationCarrie Eaton currently resides in Elgin Texas and cares for her 92 year-old mother who has dementia and has for the past three years. God And I have written two books: Walking in the Fullness of Joy .Faith without Borders is our second book that will be out later this year. Carrie wants to give people hope that even through tragedy joy is on the other side of it. Email:[email protected] Media Links: https://www.instagram.com/carrie_eaton?igsh=aXFnYWtpOTlhdjl3&utm_source=qrhttps://www.facebook.com/share/14adN9w3wVP/?mibextid=wwXIfrhttps://www.threads.com/@carrie_eaton?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==https://open.spotify.com/user/31wy23toaccub26to5c2osxoiqbm?si=BPT82bUCRSO9K9CF3bF8SAhttps://youtube.com/@carrieeaton8069?si=Li7csw_bQR6FzsHjhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-eaton-485b7357?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ioshttps://a.co/d/018Ct82R📚 Carrie's book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books.Keywords: child loss, grief, near-death experience, Christian faith, hope, healing, faith after tragedy

What happens when grief, toxic relationships, and rock bottom become the foundation for your greatest transformation?In this powerful episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Claudia Wyatt — internationally recognized keynote speaker, certified confidence coach, and founder of the Walkabout Method — for a deeply honest conversation about turning tragedy into purpose.Claudia opens up about a decade of compounding loss: the death of her father and sister within a month of each other, two toxic marriages (including one to a master manipulator), and the slow erosion of her sense of self. She shares the exact moment — a simple walk with her dog — that sparked her awakening and ultimately led to building her signature coaching framework.Whether you're a leader, a survivor, or simply someone ready to stop living on autopilot, this episode will energize and challenge you to take that first bold step forward.Claudia Wyatt Bio and Contact InformationClaudia Wyatt is a globally recognized inspirational leader, international keynote speaker, consultant, coach and writer known as The Enthusiasm Igniter™ and Self-Doubt Eraser™. With over 20 years of experience coaching high-performing teams and leaders, she helps individuals and organizations break free from limiting beliefs, strengthen communication, and lead with unshakable confidence.Claudia is a certified confidence, cognitive behavior and life purpose coach with emphasis in leadership, empowerment and wellness.Having transformed profound personal loss into purpose, Claudia brings authenticity, heart, and fire to every stage she steps on. She is the founder of The Walkabout Method™, her signature framework guiding leaders & individuals to reclaim their power, elevate emotional intelligence, and lead boldly from within. Showing up as themselves for themselves and living on purpose. Recognized &verified by Influential Women. Awarded Best Executive Life & Leadership Coach – Midwest USA (2025). World’s Rising High Women Leaders Making a Difference in 2023. One of the Most Admired Women Leaders in Business to Follow in 2022. Claudia’s impact is immediate, audiences leave energized, empowered, and ready to rise.Social Media Links:LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiawyattcoaching/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theclaudiawyatt/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554805040594 Company pages:LinkedIn: : https://www.linkedin.com/company/claudia-wyatt-coaching-llc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567176611416Website: https://claudiawyatt.com/ To find out about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Vanessa's Bio and Contact InformationVanessa Cardenas is a Relationship Reset Expert and Betrayal Recovery Specialist who has helped individuals and couples rebuild trust, restore emotional connection, and regain clarity from the inside out since 2017.She is the founder of Understanding Ear and the creator of the HOPE Roadmap, a structured approach designed to help people stabilize after betrayal, navigate emotional disconnection, and make grounded decisions about what comes next in their relationships. Vanessa’s work focuses on emotional safety, intentional communication, and restoring self-trust when relationships feel uncertain or fractured.For years, Vanessa was considered a best-kept secret, quietly supporting clients through some of the most painful and defining moments of their lives. In 2025, her work was formally recognized when she was named Best Relationship Coach in Westchester County.Clients often describe her impact simply and powerfully. One shared, “Working with Vanessa helped me come back to myself. I stopped spiraling and finally trusted my own decisions again.”She believes empowerment begins when people feel safe enough to trust themselves again and strong enough to choose what comes next.Websitehttps://www.UnderstandingEar.comBooking / Sessionshttps://calendly.com/understandingear/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/vanessa_understandingear/Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/UnderstandingEar/YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@Vanessa-CardenasLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-understanding-ear/Substackhttps://beyondbetrayal.substack.com/Mediumhttps://medium.com/@Vanessa-CardenasBookDealing with the Devastation of Your Partner’s Betrayalhttps://amzn.to/3PcA6bjTo connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Kat Polsinelli to the Teaching Journeys podcast to discuss how a decade-long abusive relationship shaped her life and mission. Kat, a domestic violence and PTSD survivor, shares her journey of leaving at 28 with two children, rebuilding identity, and helping others through speaking, her podcast Real Chat with Kat, and The Lotus Effect. She emphasizes that survivors are not alone, that abuse is often emotional and psychological, and that common biases and stigma—especially toward men—harm understanding; she cites domestic violence prevalence and deaths. Kat and Dave highlight why “just leave” is complex, the importance of safety planning, and how helpers can hinder by talking over survivors or taking control. Kat presents her TEDx “three Cs”—courage, curiosity, connection—plus a simple practice for judgment-free conversations, and previews a mid-May support community.Kat's Bio and Contact InformationFrom stepping onto a stage at just 10 years old to stepping out of a decade-long abusive relationship, Kat Polsinelli's journey is one of courage, resilience, and radical transformation. Now a sought-after speaker, bestselling co-author, and host of Real Chat with Kat—a top 5% globally ranked podcast airing on four radio stations and two public TV stations—Kat is on a mission to shed light on the unseen wounds of emotional and psychological abuse while empowering others to reclaim their strength and rewrite their stories.A survivor of domestic violence, PTSD, and the challenges of single motherhood, Kat speaks with raw authenticity about the invisible scars that linger long after the abuse ends. She chose to leave, to rebuild, and to lean into courage every day—and now she helps others do the same. Through her own story and hard-won insights, she challenges audiences to rethink what they know about trauma, healthy relationships, and resilience, offering a powerful look at the emotional and psychological toll of abuse and the path to healing.Kat's talks go beyond inspiration—they spark deeper conversations and deliver practical change. She brings a no-nonsense approach with a compassionate heart, making her a powerful voice for colleges, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and advocacy organizations. Whether she's speaking to students, educators, social workers, or criminal justice professionals, audiences walk away with greater understanding of the survivor experience and actionable tools to support those affected by abuse.Featured in NashvilleVoyager, CanvasRebel, and Her Nation, Kat has taken the stage at universities, domestic violence awareness events, and criminal justice panels. She's here to challenge perspectives, create change, and prove that even the darkest moments can become catalysts for transformation.Connect with Kat Polsinelli:Website: www.the-lotus-effect.comPodcast: Real Chat with Kat (available on all major platforms)Socials: @KatPolsinelliTo connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Emma Leach to the Teaching Journeys podcast to discuss how art and movement shape healing and meaning. Leach describes a childhood rooted in theater and visual art amid family instability and bullying, and how creative expression helped her cope. She shares the loss of her first love, Ray, who died of a heroin overdose at 27, and how discovering Gabrielle Roth’s Five Rhythms dance practice became a turning point, leading her to teach the method for 25 years and apply arts-based work with marginalized youth, prisons, and addiction. Leach explains Five Rhythms (flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical, stillness) as an energetic “wave” that supports intuition and trauma release. She also outlines her in-progress documentary, Let It Play, centered on Ray’s handmade guitar as a metaphor for grief, hope, and storytelling through musicians and dance.Emma's Bio and Contact InformationEmma Leach has spent 35 years listening to bodies.Not as objects to be trained or corrected, but as living texts, fluent in a language older than speech. Movement, for her, is not decoration or performance. It is metaphor in motion. A way meaning arrives before thought has time to organize it.Rooted in the Five Rhythms as her main body of study, Emma has been teaching this practice for 25 years. Over decades of guiding others through sweat, silence, pulse, and release, she has witnessed how movement tells truths the intellect cannot negotiate. The body speaks sideways, symbolically, through weight and rhythm and pause. It reveals what words circle but never quite land on.Alongside this devotion to movement practice, Emma has wandered widely through other art forms. Visual art. Installation. Clowning. Burlesque. Theatre and ritual theatre. Each discipline added texture, tension, and contrast. Each offered another doorway into presence, risk, and transformation. Yet again and again, she found herself returning to the body as the primary instrument, the original stage, the first storyteller.Now her work is evolving. What once lived in separate rooms is beginning to converse. From this convergence, Movement Metaphor is emerging. A living, expanding practice that recognizes the body as a generator of meaning rather than a vehicle for ideas. In this work, movement does not illustrate concepts. It unlocks them.Emma’s inquiry rests on a simple, radical knowing. When the body moves with attention, something beyond intellect comes online. Memory. Image. Instinct. Archetype. The unsayable finds form. Gesture becomes sentence. Rhythm becomes revelation.Her work invites people into that threshold, where language dissolves into motion and motion reassembles as understanding. Not tidy. Not fixed. Alive.Emma Leach continues to explore, create, and listen. Following movement not as an answer, but as a question that keeps unfolding.🎵 About the Documentary: Let It Play is currently in post-production and seeking support. Follow Emma's journey at emmadance.co | Instagram: @EmmaChristinaRedTo connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Deanna Scaldaferri to the Teaching Journeys podcast to discuss her work as a licensed massage and bodywork therapist, Reiki master, intuitive life coach, speaker, and facilitator of a narcissistic abuse recovery support group in Charlotte, North Carolina. Deanna shares how her Italian-American, Catholic upbringing, living overseas (especially in Germany), and major traumas—including being a 9/11 survivor, losing her parents, and leaving a dangerous 20-year narcissistic relationship—shaped her path. She describes recovery tools including faith, psychotherapy, somatic work, neuroplasticity/rewiring, massage, Reiki, and energy protection for empaths. Deanna explains similarities and differences between massage and Reiki, emphasizing nervous system regulation, trauma release, and clarity/intuition. Deanna's Bio and Contact InformationDeanna Scaldaferri is a Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist, Usui Holy Fire III Reiki Master, Intuitive Life Coach and Public Speaker. Her passion is helping people grow on their life’s journey and spiritual path to find healing, balance, health, love and happiness. She approaches every person with a total MIND, BODY, SPIRIT mindset and treats each client individually. She offers a safe and trusting place, and the ability to hold space with compassion & empathy, without judgment. Massage therapy and Reiki energy healing are her main tools in helping others release stress & heaviness to feel better in their bodies physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually. She has overcome heavy trauma and many obstacles in her personal life, and feels inspired to help others do the same. Deanna is grateful to be of service to others in attaining a healthier and happier life.Deanna has been facilitating a Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Support Group in Charlotte for the last 4+ years. She herself is a survivor of this emotional, verbal & psychological abuse, and knows first-hand how damaging it is to the mind, body and spirit. The intention of the group and its monthly meetings is to educate, learn, grow and heal, all in community with like-minded people who are seeking recovery and healing in their lives from these toxic and abusive relationships. Deanna creates a safe space where survivors can feel heard and truly seen, and recognize that they are not alone. Many members of this group book private sessions with Deanna for massage, coaching or Reiki energy healing to help find clarity and purpose in their lives, as well as to help release trauma from the body. Deanna offers holistic healing tools to get to the root cause of people's blockages in their lives, that keep them from moving forward. She helps them reconnect with themselves, build a sense of empowerment and heal from the inside out.www.healinghandsbydeanna.comhttps://www.meetup.com/charlotte-narcissistic-abuse-recovery-meetup-grouphttps://www.youtube.com/@HealingHandsbyDeannahttps://www.deannadecamillo.com/Deanna would like to offer a promotional item of a 10% discount to any of The Teaching Journeys Podcast listenersfor booking a private session with me. Anyone can book me virtually for ReikiEnergy Healing or Intuitive Coaching. The coupon code to use is: DAVE10%OFFTo vonnect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Michelle Kuei, a business and visibility marketing coach for coaches and founder of Elevate Life Coaching, who helps certified coaches get clients through her signature client enrollment method. Kuei shares her journey overcoming deep negative self-talk rooted in an 11-year-old car accident that left her physically disabled, immigrant identity, feeling she didn’t belong, and using a “diamond” metaphor for personal transformation. She explains how choosing a new path led her to get fit and eventually hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu on crutches, shaping her views on empowerment and taking bold action. Kuei defines true visibility as being seen by providing non-harmful value and fostering belonging, describes her mission and evolution to training other coaches, and argues motivation isn’t enough without determination, dedication, and discipline. She discusses barriers like limiting beliefs and past trauma and her memoir Perfectly Normal.Michelle’s Bio and Contact InformationMichelle Kuei (pronounced Ku-way) is a Business and Visibility Marketing Coach, ICF-accredited coach, and founder of Elevate LifeCoaching — a company built on one simple belief: your coaching certification gave you the skills to change lives. It just didn't teach you how to find the people whose lives you're meant to change.She works with certified female coaches who are talented, trained, and completely stuck on how to get clients consistently. Using her signature Client Enrollment Method — a 7-step framework built around visibility, messaging, and client attraction — she helps coaches stop second-guessing themselves and start building businesses they're genuinely proud of.Michelle brings a rare combination of credentials to her work: ICF accreditation through iPEC, certified copywriter, email and content marketing strategist, and a background in conversion copywriting and social media marketing. She doesn't just teach coaches how to show up online — she teaches them how to show up in a way that actually converts.Her thought leadership has been featured in Life Coach Magazine, Influence Digest (Top 15 Coaches in Los Angeles), the Los Angeles Tribune, and on FOX.She's also the author of Perfectly Normal: An Immigrant's Story of Making It in America — a memoir about resilience, identity, and having the courage to build a life that doesn't fit the mold.And if you really want to understand how Michelle operates: she's physically disabled and hiked 26 miles of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. That same stubborn, keep-going energy is exactly what she brings to every client, every program, and every stage she steps on.Her mission hasn't changed: help purpose-driven women turn their coaching skills into a profitable, fulfilling business — without losing themselves in the process. Website: http://elevatelifecoaching.orgIG: http://instagram.com/elevatelifecoachFB: http://facebook.com/lifecoachingbyelevateLinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/michellekueiEmail: [email protected] connect with Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Anca Uni, an award-winning trauma expert, healing innovator, former IT and cybersecurity leader, and author of “Soulful Alignment: Daily Reflections for Enlightened Connections.” Anca shares how moving from Romania to Canada, corporate leadership, and personal experiences (immigration, divorce, single parenting, quitting smoking) shaped her mission to bring “soul back into tech” and help people heal at the root rather than cope. She describes client challenges such as anxiety, insomnia, and addictions, and her approaches including hypnotherapy, reiki, energy work, sound healing (crystal bowls, tuning forks, mantras, breathwork), and nervous system regulation, including distance healing.Anca’s Bio ( In Her Own Words)Anca Uni, born and raised in Europe, has three deep passions: 5D healing, a master’s degree in computer science, and dancing. Having spent a significant part of my life as an IT and cybersecurity professional, I know that world inside out. Now, my mission is to bring soul back into tech—helping IT professionals and corporations not just survive but truly thrive.At one point in my life, I struggled with my own trauma and weight challenges, which led me on a journey to find sustainable healing modalities. By combining these methods, I’ve created Signature Programs and Healing Interventions to help my clients achieve their goals. Witnessing transformations in myself and those I’ve helped fuels my passion and determination to create a lasting social impact.I’m a Hypnotherapist & 5D Healer, NLP Master Coach, Reiki Master, and Trauma-Aware Coach, with a track record of transforming over 200 lives and earning five-star reviews. Over the past decade, I’ve pioneered healing modalities that seamlessly blend Neuroscience, Quantum Energy, Subconscious Communication, and Spirituality to create profound 5D Healing experiences. Recognized as an innovator in the healing space, my work has been honored with multiple prestigious awards, including Best Service, Best Choice, and Canada’s Choice for Hypnotherapy.I am passionate about making a societal impact and helping people break free from trauma, emotional pain, and internal turmoil, guiding them toward elevated consciousness for profound 5D Healing, self-love, inner peace, abundance, and lasting empowerment. My mission is to assist those ready to change and heal, especially those who have been let down by traditional modalities.I’m also a published author of “Soulful Alignment: Daily Reflections for Enlightened Connections.” My hope is that this guided journal will find its way into as many homes as possible and become a trusted companion. I bring a deep passion for fostering meaningful connections and an extensive background in psychology, relationship counseling, and personal development. My mission is to empower as many people and couples as I can to navigate the intricate terrain of love and intimacy, providing thoughtfully crafted prompts, exercises, and insights to help you strengthen your bonds, communicate effectively, and nurture lasting, fulfilling relationships. Drawing from my years of experience, I aim to guide you on a transformative journey toward deeper connection, self-discovery, and enduring love.Website: www.ancauni.comTo connect with Dave go to www.davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Nino Fincher, a rapid therapy expert on anxiety and purpose clarity coach, to discuss experiences shaping her path, including her grandfather’s death at 15 and her shift from an atheist upbringing to following Christ after studying philosophy, comparative religion, and evidence for Jesus’ claims. They explore faith, non-ordinary phenomena, and the idea of transcendent reality. Nino explains Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT), developed by Marisa Peer, combining CBT, hypnotherapy, and neurolinguistics to reach root causes quickly, often serving high performers, CEOs, athletes, veterans, and first responders. She outlines her MOVE framework (Movement, Overcome, Value, Expectation) for escaping stagnation, previews her September book on getting out of a rut, and describes her 2023 children’s book “Kooba Says Hi,” inspired by life in the Middle East. Nino’s Bio and Contact InformationNino Fincher is a rapid therapy expert on anxiety and a purpose clarity coach. Her clients span multiple countries and cultures . Nino speaks on mind's operating system , purpose and mind engagement. She has a new book on moving out of stagnant state , coming this fall.Connect with Nino Fincher:🌐 Website: ninofit.com💼 LinkedIn: Nino FincherTo connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

What if your biggest career crisis was actually your greatest creative breakthrough?In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Dr. Tasha Golden — touring singer-songwriter turned behavioral scientist — for a fascinating conversation about creativity, mental health, and the power of the arts to heal.Dr. Golden was the first Director of Research for the International Arts and Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and her journey from performing on stage with her band Ellery (featured on ABC, Showtime, Fox, and Netflix) to earning a PhD in public health is anything but conventional.In this episode, you'll discover:• How music creates "safe spaces" that allow people to share what they've never told a doctor or therapist• Dr. Golden's 3-pillar Creative Mindset Framework (Deconstruction, Imagination, Action) and how to apply it in your work and life• Why "growth is on the other side of the questions we are not asking" — and how to start asking them• The science of talkability — why art makes difficult topics speakable• How Arts on Prescription is revolutionizing healthcare by prescribing cultural experiences to treat loneliness, depression, and anxiety• Inside Project Uncaged — a trauma-informed creative writing program for incarcerated girls driving real policy change• Why organizations get stuck solving the wrong problems — and how a creative mindset fixes that• Whether you're a leader, educator, healthcare professional, or creative, this conversation will challenge you to see the world — and your challenges — in an entirely new way.Tasha’s Bio and Contact InformationTasha Golden, PhD, is a touring artist turned behavioral scientist who speaks and consults globally on creativity, wellbeing, and change.Dr. Golden was the first Director of Research for the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, is adjunct faculty in the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, and lead author of "Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for US Communities". Named one of Fierce Pharma's "Fierce 50" for her work integrating arts and healthcare, she has published extensively on intersections of arts, behavior, and wellbeing.Golden's work emerged from her career in the arts. As singer-songwriter for the critically acclaimed band Ellery, she toured internationally, with songs in TV/film (ABC, SHOWTIME, FOX, NETFLIX). Her experiences on the road, and subsequently with burnout and depression, shaped her current work in arts and health. She is founder of Project Uncaged, a trauma-informed writing program for incarcerated girls, and developer of "How We Human”—a mental health training for creative professionals.Dr. Golden helps clients and audiences combine creativity and science to advance wellbeing, innovation, and impact.🔗 Connect with Dr. Tasha Golden:http://www.tashagolden.com/Visit tashagolden.com/teachingjourneys for free resources and information for Dave’s podcast audience.Subscribe to the Teaching Journeys Podcast for weekly conversations with extraordinary guests dedicated to passing knowledge across generations.To connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Is the news actually informing you — or just manipulating you?In this eye-opening episode, host Dave Roberts sits down with Kira Shishkin, CEO of the Informed Now Project, to unpack how modern media has traded truth for clicks, attention, and emotional triggers.Kira shares his remarkable journey — born in Ukraine, coming of age in Israel, and building a media reform movement in the United States — and explains why she believes the current news ecosystem is designed to harvest your attention rather than serve you.🔍 In this episode, we cover:How sensationalism and clickbait have replaced real journalismWhy critical thinking is in crisis in the age of social media and tribal politicsThe cognitive dissonance between media credibility claims and actual contentHow Informed Now is giving people back the power of attention, focus, and clarityWhy American political tribalism now resembles a spectator sportKira's personal philosophy: "Everything has the power to make you stronger, if you let it"Whether you're frustrated with the 24-hour news cycle or looking for a smarter way to stay informed, this conversation will challenge the way you consume media.About informed.nowinformed.now is your news concierge to beat information overload. It provides minimal, concise, and factual daily news briefings via SMS to keep you informed without the influence of bias, sensationalism, or advertisements. Know more, read less. Get www.informed.nowAbout Kira ShishkinKira Shishkin is the CEO of informed.now , the news concierge service to beat information overload. Kira is a 4-time serial entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and investor in the technology industry. His experience spans investment banking, corporate strategy, and private equity investments in category-defining ventures. His education includes University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, and Stanford. Kira was in Forbes 30 Under 30. Connect with Kira Shishkin: l.informed.now/kiraGet www.informed.nowTo find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts introduces the Teaching Journeys podcast and interviews grief coach Sylvia Wolfer, who works at the intersection of neuroscience, mindfulness, and movement, including Pilates. Wolfer shares a lifelong history of sudden losses—her father when she was seven, a younger brother at 17, an older brother in 2019, and later her mother—and describes carrying “unattended grief,” marked by outward functioning but internal bracing, triggers, sleep and digestive disruption, fatigue, and brain fog. She explains how grief is stored in the body and how “nailing the basics” (hydration, real food, sleep routine, daylight, breathing, and movement) can help regulate the nervous system before deeper emotional work. Wolfer also outlines a neuroscience view of grief as the brain recalibrating its map of time and space while closeness endures, emphasizing patience, sibling grief, and regaining agency so grief doesn’t “run the show.”Sylvia's Bio and Contact InformationSylvia Wolfer is a grief coach working at the intersection of neuroscience, mindfulness, and movement. Her work is shaped by both professional training and lived experience, having lost both parents and two brothers over the course of her life.After years of trying to “move forward” through grief using conventional approaches, it was the science of the brain and body that gave her a different kind of understanding — one that helped her regain a sense of stability and agency when everything felt disorienting. Alongside this, her long-standing practice of Pilates became a powerful anchor, helping her reconnect with her body and find a sense of steadiness from within.Today, Sylvia helps people who are outwardly functioning but internally struggling after loss to understand what grief is doing to their brain and nervous system, and to regain agency and rebuild capacity.Her work combines research-backed insights with a deeply human approach, offering digital courses, 1:1 support, and guided practices that meet people where they are.LinksWebsite: https://sylviawolfer.com/Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/_sylvia_wolfer_grief_support/Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylviawolfer/To find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts introduces Teaching Journeys and interviews Sarah Barnes-Humphrey, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and founder of the top 1% podcast Let’s Talk Supply Chain. Sarah discusses key obstacles that shaped her, including a 15-year struggle to diagnose lipedema and the loss of her dream when her family business closed 10 days before her 37th birthday, forcing her to rebuild through side hustles, part-time work, and continuing her podcast. They explore grief, acceptance without “closure,” therapy, self-sabotage, and the idea that strength and struggle (and emotions like fear and excitement) can coexist. Sarah explains her memoir title I Buried Her in a French Press, a real COVID-era burial story tied to intuition and resilience. She outlines her inclusion-focused Blended podcast and nonprofit Blended Pledge, emphasizing creating safe spaces, and advocates “be yourself,” grace, and progress over perfection.Sarah's Bio and Contact InformationSarah Barnes-Humphrey is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and fierce advocate for self-worth and authentic leadership. She’s best known as the founder and host of Let’s Talk Supply Chain™, one of the top 1% most downloaded podcasts globally — but her journey to becoming a voice in the industry didn’t come easily. After working in her family business for over a decade, Sarah lost her job, sold her house, and found herself at a personal and professional crossroads. Instead of staying silent, she picked up a mic. Since then, she’s built a powerful platform dedicated to amplifying voices that often go unheard — particularly women and underrepresented communities. Through her Women in Supply Chain™ series, Blended podcast, and nonprofit Blended Pledge, Sarah continues to create safe spaces where vulnerability leads to real transformation. Now, she’s sharing her personal story in a brand-new way — through her debut memoir and #1 Amazon Bestseller, I Buried Her in a French Press. The book is a raw, honest reflection on identity, loss, and finding your voice after you’ve lost it. It’s a story of self-worth, resilience, and learning that you are your best advocate. Whether she’s on stage, behind the mic, or writing her truth, Sarah is committed to helping others feel seen, heard, and empowered to tell their own story — unapologetically. ---- 📖 Get the book: Search "I Buried Her in a French Press" on Amazon🎙️ Follow Sarah:Instagram & LinkedIn: @SarahBarnesHumphreyWebsite: sarahbarneshumphrey.comPodcasts: Let's Talk Supply Chain | BlendedTo connect with Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Mark Ruegg, a healing advocate and creator of the “Healing Recipe,” who shares his journey from a stage four pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma diagnosis (with metastasis to lymph nodes and liver and a prognosis of four to six months) to living with no evidence of disease. Influenced by the documentary “Heal” and Dr. Joe Dispenza’s “Blessings of the Energy Centers” meditation, Ruegg describes a transformative meditation experience followed by a PET scan showing the pancreatic tumor gone, later confirmed by repeated scans; a physician at Cedars called it a miracle and removed his stent. Ruegg explains his seven-ingredient framework—belief, meditation, spirituality, increased positivity, decreased stress, diet, and exercise—emphasizing calm, reduced stress, and “borrowing belief.”Nark's Bio and Contact InformationMark Ruegg is a healing advocate and the creator of The Healing Recipe, a simple, belief-centered framework focused on helping the body feel safe so it can heal.After being diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma and told he had months to live, Mark took an integrative approach—combining conventional treatment with meditation, lifestyle changes, and a deep focus on mindset and belief. Today, he is living with no evidence of disease.With more than 20 years working as a professional child wrangler in the entertainment industry, Mark developed a unique ability to break down complex ideas into simple, practical steps. He now shares what he’s learned to help others move from fear to hope—and understand how healing can begin.Connect with Mark Ruegg:Instagram: @MarkAllenRueggHealing Recipe on Substack (link in Instagram bio)To connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes return guest Sheila B. Tillich, a recovery meta physician and spiritual practitioner, for an organic conversation focused on the Spring 2026 equinox and a shift from old “duality” programming and fear into unity, community, and co-creation. Tillich says current changes are prophesized and also tied to scientific and astrological factors such as Earth’s electromagnetic field, solar flares, and planetary alignment, which she describes as affecting human physiology and consciousness. She suggests practical ways to align with the season’s “new beginnings,” including gratitude on waking, affirmations, grounding with bare feet on Earth, breathwork, limiting mainstream media, surrounding oneself with positive people, and “SIP” (sit in presence/prayer) to reflect, ask questions, and listen. They discuss compassion, anonymous giving, and using everyday interactions to project love and influence collective energy.Sheila's Bio and Contact InformationRev. Sheila B. Tillich has been openly and deeply committed to a spiritual path since 1985. As a Recovery Metaphysician, Sheila guides individuals in awakening to and aligning with their true self, empowering them to live the purposeful life they were divinely created for.Her healing practice facilitates a profound electromagnetic shift within the body, supporting transformation on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. As a Metaphysical Minister, Healer, and Galactic Grandmother, Sheila’s mission is to hold a sacred field of God-Consciousness Energy that nurtures healing and remembrance. Within this space, she works to gently merge the human energy field with the Consciousness of God—restoring harmony, clarity, and divine alignment.In February 2020, Sheila was called by the Galactic Star Mothers to transmit messages of unconditional love, guidance, and remembrance to those seeking answers. In her role as Galactic Grandmother, she supports emotional healing and offers soul-level solutions that help individuals step fully into their Divine Purpose, drawing nourishment from Mother Earth’s energy and the wisdom of their Galactic Lineage.Sheila is a Universal Master Healer, skilled in a wide range of healing modalities, as a practitioner and Master Teacher/Trainer, including Integrated Energy Therapy® (IET®), Unity Field Healing (UFH), HeartMath®, USUI Reiki, and Spiritual Counseling. She is also a Certified Hospice and Palliative Caregiver, an Ordained Metaphysical Minister, and an Experienced Metaphysical Practitioner, bringing compassion, integrity, and deep spiritual wisdom to all whom she serves.🔗 Connect with Rev. Sheila B. Tillich:Visit her website https://sheilatillich.com/ to book a free clarity call or explore her mentoring programs.To connect with Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Dr. Cornelia Kawann, an executive at the Swiss electricity regulator, founder of Energy on, and author of "Change Your Energy, Change Your Life," to discuss how her early fascination with electricity led to electrical engineering and later a shift from Newtonian science to personal energy work after illness and burnout in the male-dominated energy industry. Kawann explains parallels between electrical and human energy, including cell voltage, nervous-system currents, and electromagnetic fields, and outlines her client approach across physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual layers. She describes an “energy survival kit” focused on awareness, cleaning energy, quick recharging practices, and setting energetic boundaries. The conversation covers emotions and thoughts as frequencies, sustainable frequency change beyond mindset work or meditation, “energy as a leadership skill” tied to authenticity and safe workplaces, and her key takeaway: personal energy is a valuable currency to spend wisely.Dr. Kawann's Bio and Contact InformationDr. Cornelia Kawann is an executive in the Swiss electricity regulator and the founder of energy-on! During her corporate career, she was working at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and has held various management positions in several energy companies in Europe, all the while founding two start-ups. She stems from an Austrian family of entrepreneurs, which is why building companies and problem solving is in her DNA.As a Personal Energy Strategist, Cornelia empowers ambitious entrepreneurs and businesses to reach their goals through energy management and energetic business strategies. She explains to her clients the world of quantum physics and shows them how to manage their energy to reaching their goals and to transform not only their lives but their businesses.As a public speaker and author of “Change Your Energy – Change Your Life”, Cornelia’s mission is to make the simplicity and magic of Personal Energy Management popular.https://www.corneliakawann.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/cornelia-energy-on/Check out my book “Change Your Energy – Change Your Life”US: https://amzn.to/4ruhfubGet my complementary e-book: The 3-min Personal Energy Reset and discover 4 powerful Energy Rituals for immediate stress reliefhttps://www.corneliakawann.com/e-book/Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/cornelia.kawann.37/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cornelia_energy_on/Websitehttps://www.corneliakawann.com/LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cornelia-energy-on/To connect with Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts interviews Marilyn Raichle, author of “Don’t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s Journey,” who grew up in a family that viewed Alzheimer’s as worse than death and was taught to “walk away.” After earning an MPA from Harvard, she became caregiver for parents developing dementia, initially reluctant but later finding joy and meaning by focusing on her mother Jean’s enduring personhood and living in the moment. Jean developed an unexpected passion for painting in memory care, inspiring Raichle to found The Art of Alzheimer’s in 2010 to showcase creativity in dementia and reduce fear through art. Raichle discusses shifting from “caregiver” to “care partner,” the importance of community, and moments of humor and connection. She now leads Maude’s Awards for Innovation in Alzheimer’s Care, distributing $100,000 annually and sharing a free handbook of innovations.Marilyn’s Bio and Contact InformationMarilyn Raichle, author of Don’t Walk Away, grew up in the shadow of Alzheimer’s. Nearly everyone in her father’s family and many in her mother’s developed the disease. Her mother Jean told her, “When we get Alzheimer’s, walk away. There is nothing you can do, so live your life and don’t sacrifice it for us.” Instead, Raichle became transformed, embracing the value and joy of people who are living with, not suffering from, dementia.Marilyn Raichle began her career in the performing arts. She founded the Seattle International Children’s Festival, introducing children to world culture through the performing arts. In 2007, she received a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Upon returning to Seattle, her career was upended when she became the family caregiver for her parents, both of whom were developing dementia. It was a rocky journey, at first reluctant and ultimately joyous. In 2010, inspired by her mother’s newfound artistic ability, she founded The Art of Alzheimer’s, celebrating the creativity of people living with dementia and the power of the creative arts to enrich and empower their lives. She is now the Executive Director of Maude’s Awards for Innovation in Alzheimer’s Care. https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynraichle/ www.facebook.com/marilyn.raichleinstagram.com/raichlem/ Dontwalkaway.net/

Host Dave Roberts interviews somatic performance coach April Wyett, founder of Living With Intention. April describes a traumatic car accident at age nine that led to parentification, hypervigilance, people-pleasing, and later relationship patterns, and explains how meditation, reiki, and biodynamic breathwork helped her recognize and release embodied trauma. She outlines biodynamic breathwork and trauma release system components—breath, movement, emotion, touch, and integration—emphasizing trauma stored in the body and fascia, the need for extensive practitioner training, and contraindications. April shares her work creating guided meditations, supporting clients with multiple modalities, and hosting Living With Intention Live. She discusses the Hounds of Business community and a restorative Bali retreat (Oct 10–17) focused on breathwork, meditation, and cultural excursions, urging listeners to pause, breathe, and set intentions daily.April's Bio and Contact InformationApril Wyett is a Somatic Performance Coach and the founder of Living With Intention. She supports professionals and leaders in reconnecting with their bodies and restoring their nervous system so they can move through life with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.With more than 15 years in holistic wellness, April integrates emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and the BioDynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release System® (BBTRS®) to help people release stored tension and rediscover the wisdom of their own body. Her work focuses on helping individuals remember who they are beneath stress, expectations, and the constant noise of modern life.April is also the host of Living With Intention LIVE, where she brings together wellness practitioners, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs to explore self-awareness, leadership, and the human experience. These gatherings create space for meaningful dialogue and practical insights that support people in both their personal and professional lives.She also leads restorative retreats around the world, creating immersive environments where people feel safe, seen, and supported as they reconnect with themselves and one another. April believes that when people experience this kind of inner reset, it naturally creates ripples of change that extend into families, communities, and the wider world.Her mission is simple and powerful: helping people reset their nervous system so they can live and lead with clarity, confidence, and intention.Links:http://www.livingwithintention.co/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilwyett/https://www.facebook.com/livingwithintention.co/https://www.youtube.com/@livingwithintention.aprilwyettTi connect with Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts introduces the Teaching Journeys podcast and interviews rehabilitation consultant and author Val Walker about her book “Healing Through Wonder: How Awe Restores Us After Trauma and Loss.” Walker describes a lifelong sense of wonder and how neuroscience and positive psychology research validate awe as a healing, resilience-building trait. She outlines the Awe Experience Scale criteria, including vastness, altered time, physical sensations, oneness, inexplicability, and the “small self,” and emphasizes cultivating everyday awe and sharing awe stories for lasting benefits. Walker recounts a pivotal late-1970s moment when a great blue heron interrupted a suicide attempt after domestic violence and grief, inspiring lifelong heron symbolism. She summarizes four profiles in her book involving awe turning points. Walker also discusses her Healing Through Wonder YouTube storytelling channel and provides websites for contact and resources.Val’s Bio and Contact InformationVal Walker is a rehabilitation consultant and blogger for Psychology Today and the Health Story Collaborative. She is the author of The Art of Comforting, a Nautilus Book Award Gold Winner, and 400 Friends and No One to Call. With a Master of Science degree in rehabilitation counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University, she has led support groups and workshops for twenty-five years for people living with illness, disability, grief, and trauma. She lives in Boston and speaks throughout New England at human services agencies, medical centers, hospices, and universities. Social Media Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/val-walker-11628b21/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579292450531#X: https://x.com/ValWalkerAuthorYouTube Healing Through Wonder Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@WonderforLivingAuthor website: https://valwalkerauthor.comHealing Through Wonder website: https://healingthroughwonder.comTo connect with Dave, go to davidrobsertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts introduces the Teaching Journeys podcast and interviews Becca Pearce, a former Maryland state exchange CEO appointed in 2011 to implement the Affordable Care Act. Becca describes building the agency from nothing, enrolling 300,000 previously uninsured people, then losing her job publicly after an IT system failure, which shattered her identity. Fourteen months later she learned she had a ping-pong-ball-sized brain tumor, underwent a 12-hour surgery, and faced major recovery, which deepened her understanding of vulnerability and prompted her to reassess success and balance. She discusses her book, You Don’t Have to Achieve to be Loved, and explains her coaching approach, emphasizing that time is life’s key nonrenewable resource.Becca's Bio and Contact InformationBecca Pearce understands firsthand how hard change can be Two life-altering events forced her to realize that what she once wanted no longer felt right. The resulting journey reshaped her path, upending everything she had believed about success and happiness. Over the last twelve years, Becca has learned the value of vulnerability, the importance of optimism and the imperative to find the life you want to live now because we're never promised tomorrow. A former CEO and state official, she is now the president of Extend Coaching & Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping people find the courage to live the life they've been dreaming of. Connect with Becca:Website: morebeccaopearce.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccapearce/To connect with Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts interviews Steve Moore, an award-winning author and licensed clinical professional counselor with 25+ years of experience and 35 years of continuous sobriety. Moore shares his early life in a German orphanage, adoption, abandonment into foster care and a psychiatric hospital, and an abusive childhood followed by life with an alcoholic, PTSD-affected adoptive father. He describes his progression into heavy drinking, Air Force service, and entering treatment on October 10, 1990 after a doctor warned of severe liver damage. Moore discusses his work through moresobriety.com helping people heal emotional wounds, shame, grief, trauma, and core beliefs, reframing relapse as a learning opportunity, and using tools like gratitude lists and the “stop sign” method. He also uses songwriting/poetry for healing, highlights fellowship’s role, reflects on nearly relapsing after his wife’s death in 2024, and explains his book “34 Years Sober” on sustaining long-term recovery.Bio and Contact InformationSteve Moore is an award-winning author, licensed clinical professional counselor, and Master Addictions Counselor with over 25 years of clinical experience and more than 35 years of continuous sobriety.Steve is the founder of mooresobriety.com where he helps individuals heal emotional wounds, reduce shame, and build lasting recovery grounded in self-awareness, compassion, and personal responsibility.He is the author of four books exploring grief, addiction, shame, and family systems, and his work is shaped by both clinical practice and lived experience. At the core of his philosophy is a powerful belief: you can’t go home, until you’ve gone home—a reminder that unresolved childhood experiences often influence adult relationships, self-worth, and coping behaviors.In addition to his clinical work, Steve is also a songwriter who uses poetry and music as tools for healing childhood trauma, and he teaches clients how to access creativity as a pathway to emotional recovery. His songs can be found on his You Tube Channel “Songs and Melodies Productions”.A veteran-informed speaker and educator, Steve blends psychology, whole-health recovery principles, and personal narrative to foster clarity, resilience, and sustainable personal growth..Website: https://www.mooresobriety.comEmail: [email protected] Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-a-moore-lcpc-ncc-mac-506a6034Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578391686586Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/samwv_u1982/

Host Dave Roberts interviews Jeff Johnston, founder and CEO of Brighton, a mental wellness app combining health, wealth, and purpose with evidence-based AI support. Johnston recounts losing his 23-year-old son Seth to fentanyl poisoning on Oct. 4, 2016, and later his wife Prudence to alcoholism in 2021, describing ensuing alcoholism, grief, suicidal ideation, and a shift from status- and money-driven living toward seeking peace, joy, empathy, and resilience. He discusses reframing pain and suffering, stigma around men crying, and how guided plant-based medicine experiences (psilocybin and ketamine) helped him. Johnston outlines his advocacy work (Living Undeterred project, podcast, 2022 nationwide tour) and explains Brighton’s AI-driven journaling, pattern recognition, and personalized prompts, plus his book This One’s For You written partly for Seth’s daughter Brighton.Bio and Contact InformationJeff Johnston is the Founder and CEO of Brightn, a comprehensive mental wellness app that brings together health, wealth, and purpose through evidence-based AI support. His life was forever changed on October 4, 2016, when his oldest son, Seth, died from fentanyl poisoning at age 23. Formerly a successful entrepreneur and financial advisor in Iowa, Jeff stepped away from his career to become a vocal advocate for substance use awareness and mental health. He began speaking in schools, joined the board of a local treatment facility, and launched the Living Undeterred Project in 2020 to confront stigma around addiction. That same year, he authored This One’s For You and launched the Living Undeterred Podcast. In 2021, Jeff lost his wife, Prudence, to alcoholism. Driven to create meaningful change, he completed a 95-day nationwide tour in 2022 and is now building Brightn to help others live with greater resilience and purpose.Website: www.brightn.appTwitter: https://twitter.com/undeterreddadFacebook: https://facebook.com/brightnappInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightnapp/Podcast: https://linktr.ee/LivingUndeterredLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-a-johnston/Book: www.thisonesforyoubook.comEmail: [email protected]: (319) 899-3400To find out more about Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts interviews Cindy Barg, a motivational speaker, retreat leader, licensed psychotherapist, and author whose life was shaped by multiple losses. Cindy recounts a car crash at age 12 that killed her father, injured her family, and led to a near-death/shared-death experience in which she felt taken out of her body, encountered a loving “other side,” and was told to return. Years later, her older brother Michael Barg, who said he would die young, was murdered at 39 in a home invasion, inspiring her book The Heavens Never Cried and a second completed manuscript about what her deceased brother communicated to her. Cindy describes post-death visitations from Michael, discusses grief, counseling, respectful approaches to skeptics, cultural differences in caring for the dying, and urges listeners to live fullyCindy’s Bio and Contact InformationCindy Barg is a dynamic and internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, retreat leader, licensed psychotherapist, and published author. After a series of devastating life experiences, her existence was completely splintered.Through Cindy’s own grief and healing process, she has experienced extraordinary conversations and signs from the other side, confirming that those who have passed are still with us. She shares these experiences with local and international audiences in the hope that my journey will provide hope and inspiration for others moving through the grieving process.Connect with Cindy:Website: cindybarg.comEmail: [email protected] find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts interviews Sydney Curtin—author, songwriter, entrepreneur, consultant, and nonprofit board member—about experiences shaping her life and work. Curtin describes childhood instability, her mother’s fatal addiction, being raised by a single father, and entering an abusive relationship at 20 that led to pregnancy. Facing custody fears, she chose an open infant adoption in 2019, naming her daughter “Berlyn” to mean “beautiful firestorm,” but says the adoptive parents later moved abroad and effectively closed the adoption. She wrote the workbook “Courageous Considerations” to help expectant mothers and adoptive parents set expectations and ask critical questions. Curtin discusses adoption dynamics, overcommunication vs. expectation setting, and her advocacy for adoption reform, including legally enforceable post-adoption contact agreements, access to resources and legal representation, and banning unlicensed facilitators. Her key takeaway is that self-development begins with self-forgiveness.Sydney's Bio and Contact Information Sydney Curtin is a published author, songwriter, and serial entrepreneur known for her executive-level work at the intersection of business strategy, leadership, and purpose-driven impact. As a highly sought-out business consultant, she brings strategy and growth to founders and organizations, is the CEO of multiple companies that she owns and operates and a board member for the nonprofit organization Unplanned Good, where she helps shape national advocacy and mission-focused initiatives. Recognized for blending sharp business acumen with authentic storytelling, Sydney has built and led multiple ventures while maintaining a respected public presence. And above all, she is a mom of three, a role that anchors her leadership, influence, and long-term vision.Links:https://a.co/d/5B7zJn5www.sydneycurtin.comwww.coachcurtin.comhttps://www.facebook.com/sydney.nicole.566To find out more about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts introduces the Teaching Journeys podcast and interviews retired nurse and grief advocate Linda Henderson, who describes how her 37-year nursing career and the deaths of her mother and 27-year-old pregnant daughter Andrea shaped her path. Andrea and a coworker were killed instantly in a crash caused by a transport truck driver texting, and Henderson recounts her early, debilitating grief, a pivotal moment three months later when she considered ending her life, and her decision to “chip away” at grief. She discusses the trauma of a highly publicized case and court trial, the struggle to maintain contact with Andrea’s son Tristan and ultimately gaining access, and her book The Road of Love and Hope. Henderson explains her AAA Framework—Acknowledgement, Action, Appreciation—emphasizing small steps, community support, counseling, and the message to “embrace the moments,” and shares where to find her work.Linda’s Bio and Contact InformationLinda Henderson is a retired nurse with 37 years of experience in compassionate care. After the profound loss of her daughter, she found her new purpose in helping others navigate the complex journey of grief. She holds certifications in Professional Grief and Bereavement, Coping with Child Loss, and Grief and Bereavement Counselling. Linda is the author of The Road of Love & Hope and the creator of the Triple-A Framework—Acknowledgment, Action, and Appreciation—offering guidance to those seeking hope after loss. She is a writer for “Open to Hope online grief support”,” Compassionate Friends” and contributed a chapter to the book “The Empowered Grief Journey: 23 Stories of Grief.” Her work focuses on grief education, navigating the Grief process, and creating safe spaces for healing. Through her speaking, writing, and advocacy, Linda ensures that no one walks the road of grief alone. She continues to honour Andrea’s memory by helping others integrate loss into purpose and transform hope into a legacy.· Facebook, Linda Wesley Henderson or Linda Henderson· TikTok, @lindawesleyhenderson· Instagram, lindahenderson5044· Website, authorlindahenderson.comTo connect with dave go to daverobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Rania, host of The Healing Trained Podcast and founder of R2R Coaching, who supports women reclaiming power from toxic dynamics using talk therapy and energy modalities such as EFT and Reiki. They discuss how immigration, early curiosity about human behavior, and exposure to past-life concepts (including Brian Weiss’s work) shaped Rania’s path. Rania outlines signs of toxic relationships—tension, feeling drained, dismissed, constant arguments, boundary violations, manipulation and gaslighting—and emphasizes focusing on behavioral patterns rather than labels. They explore why people repeat toxic cycles, citing unhealed childhood trauma, cultural and religious pressures, people-pleasing, and lack of self-worth. Rania describes relationship grief as mourning lost dreams, identity, time, money, community, and the person imagined. She explains her coaching as “exploration” and “invitation,” and shares her key takeaway: trust your intuition and bodily signals. Rania shares where to find her work and affirmation products online.RANIA EFFAT BIO And Contact InformationPodcast Host “THE HEALING TRAIN PODCAST WITH RANIA”, a certified Relationship Coach, EFT & Reiki Practitioner, Speaker, Author, and a passionate Change-Maker. As the Director and Founder of R2R Coaching, Rania specializes in guiding and supporting women to reclaim their power, heal from toxic dynamics and rise in self-worth. In her practice, she uses multiple energy healing modalities alongside talk therapy.Through her work, Rania aims to raise awareness about narcissistic behaviors across all relationship dynamics, equipping individuals with the tools they need to navigate and manage toxic situations. Born out of her own healing journey, she created an Affirmation Product Line, designed for practical daily use, with personalization options to encourage self-love, promote a positive mindset and elevate one’s vibration.Rania invites those ready to embark on a journey of healing and self-empowerment to reach out. Whether through coaching sessions, energy healing, intuitive readings, or personalized affirmation posters, Rania is here to equip you with the tools needed to rise. Connect with Rania:🔗 Instagram: @r2rcoaching🎙️ Podcast: The Healing Train Podcast with Rania🌐 YouTube: @RaniaTheRisingCoachTo Book a FREE Let’s Get Acquainted Call:https://linktr.ee/ready2rise📍 Find all links: [Link tree in Instagram bio To connect with Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts interviews Tina Amoroso, former employee of Real Options, a nonprofit supporting people facing unplanned pregnancies and reproductive loss. Tina recounts growing up in a strict Catholic Filipino household, becoming pregnant at 15, hiding it, facing bullying, and attempting to obtain an abortion but being turned away due to gestational age and medical complications. Sent to relatives to give birth in secret and plan a closed adoption, she initially tried to parent, then placed her son, Eric, with adoptive parents she trusted; the adoption became open, leading to an ongoing relationship and shared family connection. Tina explains Real Options’ mission of prevention in schools, services for men and women (testing, counseling, prenatal support, supplies, insurance help, and hope/healing), and cites over 7,000 lives safeguarded in 2024. She emphasizes self-love, transparency, community, and offering resources.Tina’s Bio and Contact InformationTina Amoroso grew up in a loving family shaped by the courage and sacrifice of her parents, who migrated from the Philippines at the age of 15 in search of a better life and greater opportunities for their family in the United States. Their resilience and dedication deeply influenced Tina’s values and passion for serving others.Today, Tina works for a city in the Bay Area, and during her personal time, serves as a speaker using her story to inspire hope, compassion, and support for life and adoption. Connect with Tina via email : [email protected] connect with Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts introduces the Teaching Journeys podcast and interviews author, speaker, truth coach, and trauma-informed NLP solution-focused counselor Nattolie Chilton, a survivor of abuse, domestic violence, addiction, and deep trauma who describes a supernatural encounter with God that transformed her identity and helped lead to nearly 15 years of sobriety. Chilton shares how childhood neglect, lack of touch, and narcissistic family dynamics shaped feelings of worthlessness and later influenced her 35-year career in massage and creating safe spaces for others. Discussing her book Unsilenced, she emphasizes “where secrets end healing begins,” urging compassion for addicts and explaining how secrecy, including family sexual abuse kept hidden, perpetuates harm. She also discusses her Survivors Unite Club Facebook community, her Wednesday “Cup of Courage” Zoom, and a Freedom Legacy fundraising project.Nattolie's Bio and Contact InformationNattolie Chilton is a 3X author, speaker, Truth Coach, and trauma-informed NLP Solution Focused counselor whose message is clear: where secrets end, healing begins.After surviving abuse, domestic violence, addiction, and deep trauma, Nattolie experienced a supernatural encounter with God that transformed her identity—and even led to a name change. Nearly 15 years sober, she now lives as proof that restoration is real.Her TEDx-style talk, Return to Love, and her book Unsilenced: Use Your Voice, Words Hold Power (Dec 2024; audiobook Dec 31, 2025) share how childhood words and hidden secrets shaped a false identity—and how God rewrote her story. What was broken became beautifully restored.An International Amazon Bestselling co-author in The Ripple Effect of Impact Collaboration and featured in Resilience Anthology Two, Nattolie also founded Survivors Unite Club, a Facebook community for those ready to step forward to recover wholeness over serious life challenges.She hosts Cup of Courage every Wednesday at 3PM MST on Zoom, creating space for truth & bold healing in the community.Nattolie believes in miracles—and reminds others they are not beyond one.Connect with Nattolie:Website: breakupwithsecrets.comEmail: [email protected]: facebook.com/nattolie.chiltonFacebook: Survivors Unite ClubInstagram: @unsilencednattolieYouTube: youtube.com/unsilencednattolieTo find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Janelle Miller Moravek, a nonprofit leader and mental health advocate who has served as executive director of Youth and Family Counseling (YFC) since 2009. Janelle describes coming from a culture that didn’t discuss feelings, recognizing her own anxiety later, and becoming committed to expanding access to care. She and Dave discuss barriers for emerging young adults including among other things, affordability, therapists not taking insurance, limited Medicaid providers and high out-of-pocket costs. Janelle advocates for reimbursement at cost, licensure reciprocity, prevention and behavioral health literacy, more recess and manageable school workloads, and urges listeners: don’t wait to seek help; get screened or assessed. Bio and Contact informationJanelle Miller Moravek is a nonprofit leader & mental health advocate. She has led Youth & Family Counseling as Executive Director since 2009, driving its growth and impact across Lake County, Illinois. With a deep commitment to increasing access to mental health services, she oversees strategy, programming, and operations while fostering strong partnerships throughout the community. Janelle plays a key leadership role in the region, serving on the board of the Lake County Alliance for Human Services and co-chairing the Lake County Behavioral Health Action Team. Her prior experience includes development roles at Carmel Catholic High School and Barat College. She holds a BA in French Studies from Wesleyan University and lives in Libertyville with her husband and three children.Connect with JanelleWebsite: CounselingForAll.org/ LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/janelle-miller-moravek-903a815b/ Janelle’s profile: accessspeakers.biz/speaker/janelle-miller-moravek-nonprofit-leader-mental-health-advocate/To find out more about Dave , go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts interviews TJ, executive program director of the Safer Schools Foundation, about a program that evolved from a self-spotting exercise platform originally built to train military and law enforcement under extreme duress. After seeing strong youth engagement, the team developed a seven-tier, 15-week school program combining 30 minutes of group exercise to counter isolation and obesity with 30 minutes of mentor circles teaching situational awareness, safety/security, social media and cyber safety, anti-bullying, and suicide awareness, reinforced by weekly character traits and active challenges. TJ describes community-based youth events where the foundation flies in, fundraises, and donates equipment and manuals so schools can sustain the program, including an upcoming donated event in Uvalde, Texas honoring victims. He shares impact stories of isolated students gaining confidence and connection, discusses faith as a personal motivator while operating as a secular foundation, and highlights partners IdentityMax and the U.S. Women’s Grocery Association.TJ Bio and Contact InformationTJ is the executive program director of the Safer Schools Foundation training approximately 18 He has been blessed to train Law Enforcement , Pro-Athletes-Collegiate and HS athletes , First Responders of all levels on this program. TJ has been married 30 years in May of this year. He and his wife have three sons and four grandchildren.Contact the Safer Schools Foundation:Email: [email protected]: saferschoolsfoundation.orgTo find out more about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes equine professional and coach Michelle Holling-Brooks to the Teaching Journeys podcast. Michelle describes a life-threatening illness at 13 (equine eastern encephalitis and viral spinal meningitis) that left her in a coma, then deaf, light-blind, partially paralyzed, and without memory or sense of self, leading to functional freeze and disconnection from family. She recounts how returning to a barn and bonding with a horse named Schedule became the bridge back to engagement, communication, and physical recovery through connection and rhythmic movement, and how her “energy eyes” and intuitive senses emerged. After Schedule’s death and a suicide attempt, her German shepherd Baron helped spur a renewed healing journey. Michelle explains her nonprofit Unbridled Change (founded 2008), evolving from equine-partnered psychotherapy to broader heart-centered healing presence work, and discusses her books The Horse Cure and Trauma-Informed Enlightenment with an accompanying deck and guidebook, plus resources and offerings via unbridledchange.org.About Michelle Holling-Brooks:MICHELLE HOLLING-BROOKS has over 20 years of experience working as an Equine Professional and Coach in the field of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapy, specializing in working with clients to heal trauma, post-traumatic stress, and attachment issues. After a life-threatening illness at the age of 13 changed Michelle’s life, a horse named Schedule A helped her heal her body, mind, and soul. Michelle is passionate about sharing the lessons horses have taught her about healing and personal growth with her clients and other professionals. She believes that horses provide us all with the gift of awareness, the kindness of unconditional love, and an open challenge to us as humans to step into our own empowered voice.Connect with Michelle:Website: unbridledchange.orgSocial Media: @unbridledchangeTo find out more about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes USA Today bestselling author Cara Lockwood, who has written more than 35 books and whose romcom I Do, But I Don’t became a Lifetime movie starring Denise Richards. Lockwood discusses her 2023 breast cancer diagnosis, the shock of receiving the news by phone, and her treatment journey including a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, reconstruction, and remission in 2024. She explains how journaling, counseling, support groups, and acknowledging emotions like fear and anger helped her cope, and she critiques “toxic positivity” and phrases like “the good kind of cancer” or “everything happens for a reason.” Lockwood describes using humor and “pep talks” as tools for healing and perspective, explores body image after mastectomy, and shares that half of her memoir proceeds benefit breast cancer research.Bio and Contact InformationCara Lockwood is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 35 books, including the USA Today bestsellers “The Takeover” and “I Do (But I Don’t),” which became a Lifetime Original Movie starring Denise Richards. Her latest, "There’s No Good Book for This but I Wrote One Anyway: The Irreverent Guide to Crushing Breast Cancer" (Oct. 1, 2025), blends memoir, humor, and practical advice for navigating diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. A breast cancer survivor, Cara endured a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and reconstruction before going into remission in 2024. Half of all book proceeds benefit breast cancer research. A native of Texas, she lives in Chicagoland with her family and pets.Connect with Cara:🌐 Website: CaraTheAuthor.com📚 Book: "There's No Good Book for This" (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible)💗 A portion of all proceeds supports breast cancer researchTo connect with Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts interviews Jim Boad on the Teaching Journeys podcast about starting, launching, and scaling sober living and group homes. Jim shares how growing up with alcoholic, drug-addicted parents shaped his passion, his Army service, 25 years in real estate investing, and his shift over the past four years to sober living homes and the past year to coaching others. He explains sober living as an underemphasized but crucial step after rehab, improving long-term sobriety through structured, well-run homes and supportive community. Jim describes his Group Home Accelerator program, delivered largely through group coaching with weekly Q&A, plus tools, templates, and strategies for evaluating local need, building referral pipelines with treatment providers, maintaining bed occupancy, and running quality admissions. They discuss community stigma, being good neighbors, job training initiatives via a nonprofit, and Jim’s focus on Washington with fewer homes but more beds, emphasizing imperfect action and a memorable resident success story.Bio and Contact InformationJim Boad is a no-nonsense, entrepreneur on a mission to transform lives through housing. As the founder of Shelton Housing First, he’s personally launched over 14 recovery homes in the last two years—with eight more on the way—and he’s committed to helping others follow that same path with his book, Group Home Accelerator.With a background in business and boots-on-the-ground experience in building both for-profit and nonprofit housing models, Jim blends strategy with heart. His step-by-step guide equips aspiring group home operators with the tools, mindset, and structure needed to create real impact—especially for those in recovery, reentry, or transition.Jim also leads a high-touch coaching program designed to help purpose-driven entrepreneurs open, fund, and fill their own sober living or transitional homes. Through his work, he’s helped hundreds break through fear, red tape, and financial barriers to launch homes that change lives.Faith and family are at the center of Jim’s mission. When he’s not building businesses or helping others do the same, he’s spending time with his wife, their kids, and their loyal pup, O’Malley. He’s known for saying, “This isn’t just real estate—it’s a calling,” and Group Home Accelerator is his roadmap for anyone bold enough to answer it.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16x6EKmA8U/?mibextid=wwXIfrInsta: https://www.instagram.com/ghaccelerator/Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-boad-aba962b5/X: https://x.com/JimBoadGHAYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClk94EgvIUVlVUzdkA7BZoQMy Book: https://a.co/d/aElyB5EWebsite: jimboad.comTo find out more about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com