What does skydiving have to do with leadership?

In this powerful episode of Spirits and Stories, Donald Dunn sits down with leadership coach and engineering executive Joe to explore how stepping outside your comfort zone transforms the way you lead, think, and grow.

With over 650 skydives and years of experience building high-performance teams in mission-critical environments, Joe shares practical leadership lessons on:

1. How to overcome fear and take calculated risks
2. Why growth mindset beats achievement mindset
3. How to reduce risk without becoming paralyzed
4. The importance of defining your “why” in leadership
5. How young leaders today are reshaping the future
6. Why awareness and perspective matter more than ever

Whether you're a business owner, executive, veteran transitioning to civilian life, or someone feeling stuck in your professional growth, this episode offers actionable insights you can apply immediately.

Leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about courage, clarity, and consistency.

If you’re ready to level up your leadership skills, navigate uncertainty with confidence, and push beyond self-imposed limits, this conversation is for you.

If you like podcasts that help improve peoples lives and filled with story telling, Check out https://barracksmedia.com/network

Links referenced in this episode:

1. wyserwithjoe.com
2. linkedin.com/in/wyserwithjoe
3. instagram.com/wyserwithjoe
4. https://barracksmedia.com
5. https://barracksmedia.com/network

What does it take to drive nearly eight thousand miles the length of Africa — without GPS, cell phones, or modern safety nets?

In this powerful episode of Spirits and Stories, Donald Dunn sits down with adventurer, journalist, and memoirist Barry Maughan, who recounts his extraordinary journey from Alexandria, Egypt to Cape Agulhas, South Africa — alongside his wife and their one-year-old son.

Long before digital maps and electronic “tethers,” Barry navigated jungle washouts, desert crossings, political coups, malaria, mechanical breakdowns, and life-changing encounters across fifteen African countries. His journey wasn’t about bravado — it was about preparation, humility, and meeting people with respect.

In this episode, we explore:

1. What Africa was like before modern travel technology
2. How serendipity shaped a life-changing expedition
3. Lessons in courage, resilience, and human connection
4. Covering political upheaval and drought as a foreign correspondent
5. The “oneness of love” moment that defined the entire journey
6. Why travel reduces fear and builds understanding

Barry shares how this experience shaped his children’s worldview, his journalism career with Voice of America, and ultimately his memoir Beneath the African Sun.

This conversation is not just about travel.

It’s about perspective.

It’s about humanity.

It’s about what happens when you step beyond fear.

If you’ve ever wondered:

1. Is Africa safe to travel?
2. What was overland travel like before GPS?
3. How does extreme travel change a family?
4. What life lessons come from long-distance adventure?

This episode answers those questions — and more.

Listen in, feel the journey, and discover why Barry says Africa gave him more than he ever expected.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. barrymaughan.com

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In this episode of Spirits and Stories, Donald Dunn sits down with author and photographer Charlie Siegel for a deep conversation on meditation, spiritual awareness, creativity, and healing. Raised in a deeply spiritual environment and now helping lead the Wisdom of the Ages Center, Charlie shares how mindfulness, intuition, and inner stillness shape both his writing and photography.

The discussion explores how meditation influences creativity, how people process grief and life transitions, the idea of spiritual guidance, and why connecting with nature can profoundly affect mental and emotional well-being. Charlie also reflects on self-publishing, storytelling as a tool for healing, and the unseen patterns that often guide personal growth.

This episode is for anyone interested in meditation, spiritual development, consciousness, creative expression, personal transformation, and finding meaning through life’s challenges.

Topics include:

• Meditation and mental clarity

• Spiritual guides and intuition

• Healing through writing and photography

• Creativity and mindfulness

• Grief, growth, and perspective

• Nature, awareness, and inner peace

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Is there really a light people see after death? In this deeply thought-provoking episode of Spirits and Stories, we explore the mysteries surrounding the life and death journey with spiritual teacher Michael Waters. Drawing from extraordinary afterlife experiences, Michael shares his work in psychopomp work — the practice of crossing lost souls into the light — guided by Native American spirit guides.

The conversation dives into landlocked spirits, reincarnation, spirit guides, and the life review many believe occurs after death. We also examine the relationship between consciousness and energy, shamanic journeying, emotional healing, and how unresolved trauma may influence spiritual lessons beyond this life.

From mystical experiences and paranormal encounters to discussions about remote viewing and indigo children, this episode challenges conventional thinking while offering a compassionate perspective on death, healing past traumas, and the nature of the afterlife.

If you’ve ever questioned what happens when we die, how spiritual guidance works, or whether consciousness survives the body, this episode will leave you reflecting long after it ends.

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Is PTSD a Soul Wound? What Veterans Need to Know About Moral Injury?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Edward Tick joins The Healing Side to explore whether PTSD is more than a diagnosis — and whether it may actually be a soul wound. Drawing on over forty years of experience in holistic psychotherapy and veteran therapy, Dr. Edward Tick breaks down moral injury, the invisible wounds of war, and what true PTSD healing looks like beyond medication and symptom management.

This episode dives deep into trauma recovery for veterans, exploring how moral injury differs from traditional PTSD, why some wars leave deeper spiritual scars, and how transgenerational trauma can pass through families. Dr. Tick shares insights on the warrior archetype, soul wounds, and why veterans mental health must include spiritual healing and community-based healing — not just clinical treatment.

You’ll hear powerful Vietnam veteran stories and learn about Dr. Tick’s reconciliation journeys back to Vietnam, where healing journeys have helped veterans confront guilt, release shame, and experience emotional healing through storytelling and sacred ceremony. These trauma-informed care approaches offer a radically different path for veterans support — one rooted in connection, meaning, and restoration of the human soul.

If you or someone you love is struggling with PTSD healing, moral injury, or the lingering emotional weight of combat, this conversation offers hope, perspective, and a deeper understanding of holistic psychotherapy and healing through storytelling.

This episode is for anyone seeking emotional healing for veterans, greater understanding of the invisible wounds of war, and a new framework for trauma recovery grounded in spiritual healing and reconciliation.

Takeaways:

1. Dr. Edward Tick emphasizes that PTSD is a universal human issue, not limited to veterans.
2. The concept of moral injury is discussed as a profound wound affecting the soul of warriors.
3. Dr. Tick's work is dedicated to healing the wounds of war through spiritual and community practices.
4. The importance of understanding and addressing the psychological impacts of conflict on both individuals and families is highlighted.
5. The podcast explores the significance of rites of passage for young men in contemporary society.
6. Healing journeys to Vietnam are described as pivotal for veterans seeking reconciliation and closure.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. edwardtick.com
2. dredtick@gmail.com

It’s Not Addiction — It’s Unhealed Trauma | Dr. Robert Bleck

What if addictions, panic attacks, and compulsive behaviors aren’t the real problem — but symptoms of something much deeper? In this powerful Dr. Robert Bleck interview, we explore how unhealed trauma silently shapes our lives and what it truly takes to break free. As the creator of Source Completion Therapy, Dr. Bleck shares permanent healing methods designed to help people move beyond survival and step into lasting emotional freedom.

This deeply insightful psychotherapy podcast dives into the root causes of emotional suffering, offering practical emotional healing techniques for anyone navigating pain from the past. Through real-world examples and decades of clinical experience, Dr. Bleck explains how unresolved trauma often leads to destructive coping patterns — and how trauma-informed therapy can help uncover the source so true healing can begin.

Listeners will gain perspective on childhood trauma recovery, coping with abuse, and building genuine emotional resilience after adversity. Whether you’re searching for hope, understanding, or a path forward, this conversation highlights why healing emotional wounds requires more than symptom management — it demands courage, awareness, and the willingness to face what was buried.

If you care about mental health awareness, are inspired by PTSD recovery stories, or are seeking guidance on your own journey of overcoming childhood abuse, this episode delivers both clarity and possibility. It’s a reminder that personal transformation is achievable — and that healing is not just temporary relief, but a lifelong breakthrough waiting to happen.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. robertblack.com
2. amazon.com

Mentioned in this episode:

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What is it really like to police one of the most violent eras in American history — and then bring law and order to countries shattered by war?

In this powerful interview, former law enforcement officer and author Mike shares what it was like working the streets of New York City during the height of the crack epidemic — a time when violent crime surged and officers faced life-or-death decisions daily. But his career didn’t stop there.

Mike went on to help rebuild policing systems in war-torn nations where governments had collapsed, infrastructure was destroyed, and communities were struggling to survive. From responding to violent crime in NYC to training police forces overseas, this conversation reveals the realities of law enforcement that most people never see.

You’ll learn:

✔ What policing was REALLY like during the crack epidemic

✔ How extreme street experience prepares officers for global missions

✔ What happens when a country has no functioning police force

✔ The psychological toll of high-risk law enforcement

✔ Leadership lessons from chaos, conflict, and rebuilding order

✔ The biggest myths about policing — and the truth behind them

Whether you're interested in law enforcement, military experience, leadership under pressure, or real-world stories from dangerous environments, this episode delivers raw insight from someone who has lived it.

If you enjoy conversations about service, resilience, and the realities behind the badge, make sure to subscribe for more interviews with veterans, leaders, and professionals operating in high-stakes roles.

http://jbbyrnenypd.com

Mentioned in this episode:

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What do New Yorkers really think about Andrew Cuomo, politics, and the culture surrounding power and accountability?

In this episode, we sit down with filmmaker Sara Alessandrini, creator of the documentary miniseries This Is What New Yorkers Say, to unpack the real conversations happening on the streets of New York. Filmed over five years, her project captures unfiltered public opinion during and after the controversial tenure of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Rather than pushing a political agenda, Alessandrini’s work explores the human side of modern politics—examining women’s empowerment, cancel culture, due process, and how public perception collides with media narratives. Through candid interviews with everyday New Yorkers, the series exposes the complexity, contradictions, and emotional weight behind political opinion in one of the most influential cities in the world.

This conversation dives into the challenges of political filmmaking, the responsibility of storytelling, and why listening—rather than labeling—matters more than ever in today’s polarized climate.

Takeaways:

1. Filmmaker Sara Alessandrini explores the intricate intersection of New York politics and personal narratives in her documentary.
2. The documentary investigates how the resignation of Andrew Cuomo impacted everyday New Yorkers and their perspectives on governance.
3. Through Candid Conversations, the series delves into critical issues such as women's empowerment and the implications of cancel culture.
4. The project emphasizes the necessity of nuanced dialogue, allowing marginalized voices to be heard beyond mainstream narratives.
5. Sara's work challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths regarding societal norms and the application of due process.
6. The documentary serves as a catalyst for discussions surrounding the complexities of modern political landscapes and social justice movements.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. thisiswhatnew Yorkerssay.com
2. apple tv on demand
3. youtube
4. zoomo

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Candid Conversations
2. Fox
3. CNN

Mentioned in this episode:

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