Episodes

David Fiala on Healing Emotional Pain and Finding Inner Strength | 1,675 David Fiala believes healing begins when we learn to step back from emotional pain, observe it with greater awareness, and reconnect with the strength already within us. A licensed therapist, mind-body healer, teacher, and author, David brings more than 35 years of clinical experience in private practice to his work helping people better understand their minds, emotions, and inner lives. He is the author of The Courageous Seeker: Release Emotional Pain, Master Your Mind, and Wake Up to Your Inner Warrior, which combines his therapeutic experience, spiritual insights, and practical tools for personal growth. Central to David's work is the idea of becoming the Observer, creating space to recognize emotional patterns without being completely defined or controlled by them. His message is simple: when we learn to observe our experiences with greater awareness, we can begin changing our relationship with…

Xiaoyin “Shell” Li on How Architecture Can Better Support Autism and Neurodiversity | 1,674 Xiaoyin “Shell” Li believes the spaces around us can do more than serve a function. They can influence how we learn, regulate, connect, and experience the world. A licensed architect, educator, multidisciplinary designer, and neurodivergent mom, Shell is dedicated to creating healthier, more inclusive environments that support different ways of experiencing and interacting with space. Her commitment to neuroinclusive design became deeply personal while raising her son on the autism spectrum. That experience inspired her to explore how thoughtful design can better support learning, sensory regulation, comfort, and well-being. Shell holds a B.A. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Architecture from the University of Kentucky. Her experience also includes teaching and managing the Syracuse University NYC Architecture Program and serving as a gues…

Danute Debney Shaw on How to Make Better Decisions Beyond Logic | 1,673 Danute Debney Shaw believes better decisions begin when we learn to use more than logic alone. With more than 30 years of experience across management, organizational leadership, and law, Danute now focuses her work on Decision Strategy Innovation, helping individuals and organizations rethink how they approach decisions, thought processes, and problem-solving. Her approach brings together rational thinking, intuition, creativity, and emotional intelligence, recognizing that each can play an important role in how we perceive situations and determine what comes next. Danute is the owner and consultant of CelaPhontus LLC and the author of How The Tin Man Found His Brain: One Attorney's Path for Perceptual Development, which reflects her exploration of how expanding perception can influence both personal and professional decision-making. Her message is simple: when we expand the way we perceive a situa…

Dimple Bhatti on Finding Yourself and Creating a Life That Feels Like You | 1,672 Dimple Bhatti believes meaningful change begins when we reconnect with ourselves, listen more deeply, and give ourselves permission to create a life that genuinely feels like our own. A therapeutic coach, author, and co-owner of Sage House Wellness in Miami, Dimple helps people navigate life transitions, release what no longer serves them, and move forward with greater clarity and self-awareness. She is the #1 bestselling author of Things to Tell Your Daughter, a heartfelt collection of wisdom and life lessons inspired by the conversations, experiences, and truths she believes everyone should carry with them. Through her coaching, Dimple combines compassion, curiosity, and authentic connection to create a space where people feel heard and supported while discovering their own answers. Her message is simple: it is never too late to embrace who you are, make meaningful changes, and build a l…

Maria Jackson on Healthy Aging, Mobility, and Better Movement | 1,671 Maria Jackson believes understanding how we move can change the way we experience our bodies, especially as we grow older. Her relationship with movement spans decades, beginning with professional dance and expanding into graduate study in theatre and dance, anatomy and kinesiology, medical massage, postural alignment, and movement education. Today, Maria brings those disciplines together through The Anatomy of Longevity, a lifestyle restoration framework, and Movement Literacy, an educational approach that helps people better understand posture, balance, tension, compensation, and repeated movement patterns. Rather than simply accepting pain, limitation, or physical decline as inevitable, Maria encourages people to become curious about what their bodies are communicating and more active in understanding how they move. Her message is simple: when you learn to read your body's patterns, you can become …

[SPOTLIGHT FEATURE] Kenny Stoddart on Preparing Young Professionals | 1,670 Kenny Stoddart believes the transition from college to the professional world is not just a career shift. It is an identity shift that many young professionals are never taught how to navigate. As the founder of IronMind Elite, Kenny helps young professionals build the mental readiness, self-awareness, and confidence needed to succeed when the next step in life is no longer assigned to them. Through coaching focused on identity, leadership, communication, and personal development, Kenny helps young adults understand who they are beyond a degree, title, or achievement. His work gives them practical tools to handle pressure, make stronger decisions, communicate effectively, and take ownership of the direction of their lives. Rather than simply preparing young professionals for their next job, IronMind Elite helps prepare them for the person they need to become as they enter adulthood and build their …

Mary Lynn Childerston on Family Court Reform and Child Safety | 1,669 Mary Lynn Childerston believes protecting children requires more than reforming broken systems. Sometimes those systems must be fundamentally reimagined. Describing herself as a “disruptive educator,” Mary Lynn has shifted her focus from advocating for educational, legal, and social reform toward helping create new systems designed to better serve children and families. That mission is driving her creation of the Family Court Accountability Project (FCAP), an initiative centered on accountability and the belief that children's safety and well-being should remain at the heart of family court decisions. Through FCAP, Mary Lynn hopes to bring people together around new approaches to systems she believes are failing the families they were created to serve. Her message is simple: when an existing system no longer protects the people who depend on it, meaningful change may require the courage to build somet…

Siamon Emery on Nervous System Regulation and Somatic Healing | 1,668 Siamon Emery believes lasting transformation begins when the body feels safe enough to change. As the founder of The Embodied Return, Siamon helps people move beyond chronic stress patterns and reconnect with a deeper sense of safety within their bodies through a somatic, nervous-system-focused approach. A Neuro Somatic Embodiment Practitioner trained in the Bihar School of Yoga lineage, Siamon brings together yogic tradition, somatic practice, and an evolving understanding of neuroscience. He is currently deepening this work through neuroscience studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Central to his methodology is the idea of “regulation as ceiling,” which recognizes that our capacity for growth and transformation can be influenced by how safe and regulated the nervous system feels. His message is simple: meaningful change is not only about pushing harder or thinking differently. Sometimes it begi…

Paramjit Kaur on Self-Discovery, Inner Wisdom, and Trusting Yourself | 1,667 Paramjit Kaur believes some of life's deepest wisdom can be found by listening inwardly, staying curious, and paying attention to what nature has to teach us. An Australian author and poet, Paramjit's writing explores self-discovery, courage, inner wisdom, and our connection with the natural world. She is the author of The Master's Wisdom and Whispers Beyond the Peaks: A Quiet Little Rebellion, a children's fantasy story blending poetry, imagination, and thoughtful reflections about life. Through her stories, Paramjit encourages readers to trust their inner voice, embrace what makes them unique, travel lightly through life, and remain open to unexpected lessons along the way. Her message is simple: wisdom is not always something we have to search for. Sometimes it appears when we become quiet enough to listen to ourselves, to nature, and to the journey unfolding around us. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━…

Ohad Maoz on Sports Psychology and Performing Under Pressure | 1,666 Ohad Maoz believes peak performance begins long before the moment of competition. It is built through the ability to prepare the mind for pressure, uncertainty, and opportunity. A pioneer of sports psychology in Israel, Ohad has spent more than 40 years helping elite athletes, national teams, competitive organizations, and business leaders strengthen their mental performance. He served as the sports psychologist behind Israel's first-ever Olympic medalists, Yael Arad and Oren Smadja, at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Today, he is Co-Managing Partner at Mental Jump and founder and leader of the mental performance unit at the Olympic Committee of Israel. Throughout his career, Ohad has worked with dozens of elite athletes across multiple sports, both in Israel and internationally, while applying the principles of high performance beyond athletics to CEOs and organizations. His experience and insights have …

Elke Scholz on Simple Tools to Manage Anxiety in Everyday Life | 1,665 Elke Scholz believes managing anxiety does not have to be complicated. Meaningful change can begin with simple, creative tools that people can use in everyday life. A registered Psychotherapist, internationally registered Expressive Arts Consultant and Educator, and internationally certified EMDR Therapist, Elke has spent more than 30 years helping people navigate anxiety and strengthen their emotional well-being. Drawing from both professional expertise and her own experience managing anxiety, Elke believes effective strategies should be practical, accessible, and empowering. She is the author of Loving Your Life, now in its third edition and featuring more than 40 creative exercises, as well as Anxiety Warrior Vol. One and Vol. Two. Her work also includes the Energy Rich webinar, audio meditations, and creative wellness resources for employees, at-risk youth, and seniors. Through her private practi…

Ally Berthiaume on Turning Life Experiences Into a Powerful Memoir | 1,664 Alyssa “Ally” Berthiaume believes the most powerful memoirs do more than document what happened. They uncover the meaning within the experience and create something another person can carry into their own life. Known as The Memoir Coach, Ally helps courageous people write the memoir they wish they had while navigating the hardest chapters of their lives. Her work is centered on transforming lived experience into stories that offer connection, perspective, and meaning beyond the person writing them. An award-winning author, speaker, developmental editor, and memoir coach with an MFA in creative writing, Ally understands that knowing what happened is not the same as knowing how to tell the story. Writers must decide where the memoir truly begins, which moments belong, what can be left behind, and what deeper thread connects everything together. Through her coaching, Ally guides writers through the str…

Patricia Knight Meyer on Adoption, Identity, and the Right to Know | 1,663 Patricia Knight Meyer believes every person deserves access to the truth of their own identity, and no one should have to spend decades proving who they are. An author, speaker, and adoption reform advocate, Patricia was handed over as an infant along a Texas hospital curb in 1970 without an agency, judge, or legal adoption paperwork. She grew up with a fraudulent birth certificate and little documentation of her true identity. At 39, Patricia began searching for answers with no original records, known birth name, or confirmed birthplace. Her investigation eventually led her to both of her birth parents, and at 47, she received her first legal birth certificate. She shares her journey in WONDERLAND: Memoir of a Black-Market Adoption, an award-winning memoir exploring identity, secrecy, family separation, reunion, and the consequences of an adoption system that failed to legally recognize who she was…

William Cowan on Career Strategy, Leadership, and Navigating Change | 1,662 William Cowan believes a successful career is not simply defined by the positions you hold, but by how deliberately you navigate change, make consequential decisions, and continue creating value throughout your professional life. With more than 30 years of experience in senior management and executive advisory roles, William has built a career spanning corporate leadership, strategy, career management, consulting, broadcasting, and board governance. He has advised boards and chief executives around the world while also serving as CEO of several listed and privately held companies. His message is simple: a remarkable career does not happen by accident. It is shaped by the decisions you make, the transitions you navigate, and your willingness to approach each new chapter with clarity and purpose. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Enjoying the show? Support the conversation! 👉 Today’s guest: www.buildingawinnin…

Dr. Maria Nemeth on Turning Your Intentions Into Meaningful Action | 1,661 Dr. Maria Nemeth believes meaningful success is not simply about knowing what to do. It is about learning how to direct your energy toward what matters and turn your intentions into meaningful action. A Master Certified Coach, transformational seminar leader, author, and lifelong advocate for social change, Maria has spent decades helping people bridge the gap between what they say they want and how they actually live. She is the founder and director of the Academy for Coaching Excellence, where thousands of people around the world have been trained to bring greater clarity, purpose, and effectiveness to their work and lives. Her influence extends across nonprofit organizations, businesses, government sectors, and the broader coaching profession. Maria is also the author of two acclaimed books, The Energy of Money and Mastering Life's Energies. Through her writing, she explores how our relationship …

Angel Willard on Trauma, Incarceration, and Rebuilding Her Life | 1,660 Angel Willard believes the hardest chapters of our lives do not have to become the final ones. Sometimes rebuilding begins with the courage to face what happened, take responsibility for what comes next, and fight your way back to yourself. An author, mother, survivor, and advocate from a small town in British Columbia, Angel's life has been shaped by childhood trauma, loss, motherhood, chronic pain, incarceration, grief, and the difficult process of rebuilding after everything familiar has changed. That journey inspired her memoir, Fighting to Come Home, an deeply personal exploration of trauma, survival, motherhood, incarceration, healing, faith, and finding your way back to yourself. For Angel, "coming home" ultimately became about far more than returning to a physical place. It became about reclaiming who she was and deciding who she wanted to become. She is also the author of The Litigation Landmi…

How to Stop Living for Others and Start Living for Yourself with Courtney Freeman | 1,659 Courtney Freeman believes success means very little if the life you have built no longer feels like your own. Through her podcast, The Unbroken Blueprint, Courtney explores the emotional patterns and expectations that influence how people see themselves, navigate relationships, and make decisions. Her conversations examine identity, personal growth, emotional patterns, and what it means to create meaningful change without relying on burnout, constant striving, or abandoning yourself in the process. At the heart of her philosophy is a powerful distinction: there is a difference between creating a life that looks successful and creating one that actually fits. Courtney encourages people to examine the roles they have learned to perform, question what no longer feels authentic, and develop enough trust in themselves to make healthier choices, even when those choices are difficult. Her ap…

Dr. Kenneth Markowitz on Overcoming Addiction and Reclaiming Your Life | 1,658 Kenneth Markowitz believes recovery can become more than a way out of addiction. It can become the beginning of an entirely new way to use your experience, knowledge, and life in service of others. An addiction recovery coach and former pediatrician, Kenneth works with people navigating chemical and behavioral addictions. His approach is shaped by an uncommon combination of medical training, nearly two decades of clinical experience, and his own deeply personal journey through addiction and recovery. Kenneth earned his medical degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, completed his pediatric residency training at North Shore University Hospital-Long Island Jewish Hospital, and holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from New York University. That professional foundation, combined with lived experience, gives him a perspective that extends beyond theory alone. Today, Kenneth's …

Cindy Waddle and Carl Merrell on the Power of Words and Encouragement | 1,657 Cindy Waddle and Carl Merrell believe the right words, offered at the right moment, can remind someone that they are seen, supported, and not alone. Together, Cindy and Carl are behind Dezire to Inspire, a collection of thoughtfully created cards designed to offer strength, comfort, encouragement, and meaningful connection during the moments when finding the right words can be difficult. Dezire to Inspire goes beyond traditional greeting cards. Each message is created with the intention of speaking directly to what someone may be experiencing, whether they are navigating grief, seeking healing, holding onto hope, or simply needing encouragement to keep moving forward. With card sets covering 28 different topics, Cindy and Carl have created a resource that can meet people across a wide range of life experiences. The goal is not simply to send a card, but to create a moment of genuine human connect…

Susannah Robbins on Anxiety Relief, Overthinking, and Hypnosis | 1,656 Susannah Robbins believes anxiety does not have to control the way you think, feel, or move through your life. A Certified Master Hypnotist, IEMT Practitioner, author, and founder of MindShift Potentials, Susannah helps people struggling with chronic anxious thoughts, overthinking, fear, and self-doubt develop a greater sense of calm, confidence, and control. Her path into this work began close to home. After watching her daughter experience severe anxiety, Susannah became determined to find approaches that could help. That search eventually introduced them to hypnosis, and the meaningful changes she witnessed inspired Susannah to change the direction of her own life and train as a hypnotist. As her work with clients developed, Susannah recognized another important need. People needed practical tools they could reach for when anxiety appeared in everyday life, not only techniques used during a professio…

Positive Talk Radio is more than a show. It’s a movement of hope, healing, and purpose. 🎙️ Hosted by Kevin McDonald, we bring you real stories from real people who turned pain into power, fear into faith, and dreams into reality. From bestselling authors and visionaries to everyday heroes, each conversation will move you, challenge you, and remind you that you were created for greatness. Here, positivity isn’t just talked about. It’s lived, shared, and multiplied. Whether you’re seeking encouragement, clarity, or a spark of joy, you’ll find it here. 🌎 Watch and listen on Brushwood Media Network, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and YouTube. ✨ Subscribe today and be part of the global ripple of kindness and possibility.

Michael Grayson believes adversity can leave deep scars, but it can also become the beginning of rebuilding a life with greater meaning, resilience, and purpose. A nurse, cancer survivor, and author of Blades of Resurrection, Michael's story has been shaped by experiences with poverty, addiction, grief, recovery, and profound personal loss. Growing up surrounded by instability and addiction, he faced challenges that would later influence both his understanding of human suffering and his commitment to creating a different future. Michael eventually overcame a gambling addiction, pursued higher education, earned multiple degrees, and built a career in nursing. His professional life placed him alongside people navigating some of their most vulnerable moments, giving him an intimate understanding of illness, uncertainty, and the importance of compassionate care. Those experiences became part of the foundation for his memoir, Blades of Resurrection, an exploration of resilience, a…

James Logan believes hope is not something you wait for. It is something you choose to keep moving toward, even when the road ahead feels impossible. A lifelong endurance athlete, James has completed approximately 300 races across four decades and has been pursuing IRONMAN competition since 2018. In 2026, that journey is taking him to one of endurance sports' biggest stages after being selected to compete with TEAM IMF at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. For 2026, James has simplified his life around three goals: arrive in Kona with enough strength and fitness to complete the race within the 17-hour limit, publish and promote Just Keep TRI-ING, and raise as much money as possible for the IRONMAN Foundation. His message is simple: a difficult diagnosis may change the course of your life, but it does not have to take away your purpose. Keep believing, keep moving, and above all, just keep TRI-ING. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Enjoying the show? Support the conversat…

Judith Hoaglund believes healing and self-discovery begin with a willingness to explore the deeper mysteries of ourselves, the natural world, and our connection to something greater. A lifelong student of spiritual alchemy, quantum mechanics, shamanism, mysticism, nature, and healing, Judith has spent decades exploring traditions and practices that seek to understand consciousness and human transformation. Her search for personal healing and spiritual wisdom has taken her across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, eventually transforming a personal journey into a life devoted to service. Since 1977, Judith has worked with people seeking healing and greater self-understanding. She immersed herself in Sufism and was ordained as a healer and minister in the Sufi Order of the West in 1979. During the 1990s, she expanded her practice through training with Native American and other shamanic teachers, later beginning an in-depth apprenticeship in Peruvian shamanism in 200…