In this episode of Teaching Journeys, host Dave Roberts speaks with author and journalist Ashley Jordan about her transformative journey through grief and self-discovery.

The Story:

Ashley lost her childhood sweetheart Daniel at age 13—literally on her 13th birthday. Growing up in the Midwest with a culture of "nice on the outside," she buried her grief for 24 years. At 37, while living what appeared to be a perfect life, a spontaneous visit to a psychic medium triggered a tsunami of repressed grief that changed everything.

Key Themes:

• Grief & Loss: How traumatic loss at 13 shaped her entire life trajectory
• The Triggering Event: A medium's connection with Daniel reopened 24 years of buried pain
• Unbecoming vs. Becoming: Deconstructing a life built on external achievements to rebuild one rooted in authentic love
• Shadow Work: Embracing darkness to find light and true aliveness
• Unconditional Love: Daniel's legacy taught her that love exists by virtue of being, not doing

The Transformation:

Ashley walked away from her "picture perfect" life—the degrees, accolades, marriage, and material success—to follow her heart. Today she lives a life built on love rather than achievement, sharing her story through her book "Unhappy Achiever" and her journalism.

Core Message: You are worthy of love simply by existing. Grief never goes away—it just gets different. And sometimes you have to unbecome everything you thought you should be to remember who you truly are.

Ashley’s Bio and Contact Information

Ashley Jordan has done many things throughout her life. She’s

been a feminist activist, licensed attorney, public speaker, and

a stay-at-home mother. Most notably, however, she’s a well-

published journalist with her works appearing in The New York

Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and HuffPost, among

others. Today, she lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her

three children.

Connect with Ashley:

• Website: ashjordan.com

• Book: unhappyachiever.com

• Instagram: @msashjordan

To find out more about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Martha Glory Kartaoui—author, speaker, mentor, Let Glory Shine TV host, and trauma-informed event facilitator and coach—to The Teaching Journeys Podcast. Martha shares that she was born into a religious cult in Shawano, Wisconsin, experienced years of isolation from extended family, and endured physical, mental, sexual, emotional, and spiritual abuse. At 26, motivated by reconnecting with her sister and learning she was pregnant, Martha escaped with help from an outside supporter she calls “Papa,”. Martha explains spiritual abuse as fear-based control tied to salvation requirements that continually escalate.S he describes her trauma-informed coaching approach and emphasizes the power of group community for healing.. She discusses her book, “Glory Going All In: Cult Survivor to Courageous Warrior,” encouraging readers not to be defined by trauma and to choose healing.

The link to her bio is : https://lnk.bio/MarthaGloryKartaoui

Connect with Martha:

• Book: "Glory Going All In: Cult Survivor to Courageous Warrior" (available on Amazon)

• TV Show: Let Glory Shine (YouTube - Thursdays at 7 PM)

• Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

• Learn about trauma-informed coaching and the Unbound events

To find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com

In this episode of Teaching Journeys, host Dave Roberts welcomes Dr. Kate Lund, a clinical psychologist and resilience expert, for an insightful conversation about building family resilience and thriving through life's challenges.

Dr. Kate shares her personal journey, beginning with her childhood diagnosis of hydrocephalus at age four and the bullying she faced for looking different. These early experiences shaped her passion for understanding people and helping families develop resilience.

The conversation explores Dr. Kate's broad definition of resilience as a lifestyle—integrating daily tools and strategies to optimize wellbeing rather than simply overcoming obstacles. She introduces practical techniques to help families manage stress and shift their perspective.

She discusses her two books: Bounce, which outlines seven pillars of resilience for children, and Step Away, focused on resilient parenting strategies.

A highlight of the episode is Dr. Kate's heartwarming work with her therapy dog, Wally, at Seattle Children's Hospital. She shares touching stories of how Wally brings comfort to children facing serious medical challenges, demonstrating the powerful role animals play in healing and resilience.

The episode concludes with Dr. Kate's key message: always focus on the possibility on the other side of every challenge, both for yourself and your children.

Dr Lund’s Bio and Contact Information

Dr. Kate Lund is a clinical psychologist, keynote speaker, published author, and resilience expert dedicated to helping individuals and families thrive within their own unique contexts. With advanced training from three Harvard-affiliated hospitals and decades of experience in clinical practice, Dr. Lund specializes in emotional intelligence, stress resilience, and sustainable well-being for parents, athletes, and high performers.

She is the author of Bounce: Help Your Child Build Resilience and Thrive in School, Sports, and Life and Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting. Dr. Lund also hosts Resilient Parenting with Dr. Kate, a podcast that explores the science and lived experience of resilience through conversations with parents, educators, clinicians, and leaders.

Known for her relatable, evidence-based approach, Dr. Lund blends clinical expertise with personal insight as the mother of twin boys and while working as a volunteer with her dog Wally as part of the animal assisted therapy program at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Whether on stage, in session, or on the air, she empowers people to step away from overwhelm and step into clarity, connection, and confidence.

Connect with Dr. Kate Lund:

Website: www.katelundspeaks.com

New Podcast: Resilient Parenting with Dr. Kate (launches March 5th)

To find out more about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

Host Dave Roberts welcomes Karl Pontau to the Teaching Journeys podcast. Karl, host of the Human Connection Podcast, describes how a brain tumor diagnosis at age 15 and the support he received shaped his commitment to helping others. Karl states that sustainable business success depends on combining mutually beneficial transactions with personalized connections, especially amid rising AI use and declining trust. He discusses how leaders can improve employee engagement, morale, and retention through curiosity, active listening, psychological safety, and avoiding superficial perks, Karl explains his view that “Humanity + AI = exceptional and sustainable growth” by using AI to remove busy work so people can invest more in relationships. He also explains storytelling’s power to drive emotion and behavior and strengthen connection.

Karl’s Bio and Contact Information

Karl is a super connector who loves to catalyze genuine human to human relationships. He uses active listening, empathy, and his understanding of human behavior to authentically connect with people. Karl is excited by creating personalized experiences that build lasting trust, building communities, innovating business development strategies that lead to sustained growth, and mentoring others in their professional journeys. Karl is the host of The Human Connection Podcast, a thrice-weekly show that helps business leaders accelerate their growth by building relationships with customers, employees, and stakeholders. Because, no matter if your business is B2B or B2C, it’s really H2H, Human to Human.

Links:

https://www.thehumanconnectionpodcast.com/ https://karlpontau.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpontau

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUbf_bDWwB9KVrFn5Sj3u2w?sub_confirmation=1

To find out more about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

In this episode of the Teaching Journeys podcast, host Dave Roberts converses with Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, a zen priest, author, professor, and founder of the international NGO, the MISS Foundation and Selah Care Farm. Dr. Cacciatore shares her insights on grief, particularly focusing on her personal experiences and the role of animals in the healing process. They discuss societal issues around grief avoidance and the rise of AI in depersonalizing emotional support. Highlighting the powerful presence and empathy animals provide to grieving humans, Dr. Cacciatore recounts the inspirational story of Shama, a rescued horse that became central to the therapeutic work at Selah Care Farm. The episode underscores the importance of emotional support and authentic presence in the healing journey of grievers, while also detailing the various services provided by Selah Care Farm. Dr. Cacciatore concludes with the message that feelings should be treated as a superpower in the journey through grief.

Dr Jo’s Bio and Contact Information

Dr. Joanne Cacciatore is a Zen priest, the founder of the international NGO the MISS Foundation, author of the award-winning best seller, Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and The Heartbreaking Path of Grief, professor at Arizona State University, and a bereaved mom since the death of her daughter, Cheyenne in 1994. She is also the founder of Selah Carefarm, the first carefarm for the traumatically bereaved in the U.S. and a haven for animals rescued from abuse, neglect, and torture. She is an acclaimed public speaker and provides expert consulting services in the area of traumatic loss. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as The Lancet, Social Work and Healthcare, and Death Studies, among others.

Resources Mentioned:

📖 Book: Bearing the Unbearable by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore

🎬 Documentary: A Sacred Pause (premiering at Sedona Film Festival)

🌐 Selah Care Farm: selahcarefarm.org

🌐 The Miss Foundation: missfoundation.org

🌐 Center for Loss and Trauma: centerforlossandtrauma.com

To find our more about Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

In this episode of the Teaching Journeys podcast, host Dave Roberts interviews Diane Kahn, an educator with over 20 years of experience, including work at San Quentin State Prison. Diane discusses her involvement with the Academic Peer Education Project, which focuses on using education as a tool for personal transformation for incarcerated learners. She co-founded Humans of San Quentin, a storytelling platform featuring over 3000 stories of incarcerated individuals from all 50 states and globally. Diane shares insights into the struggles and traumas faced by incarcerated individuals and emphasizes the importance of compassion, rehabilitation, and breaking stereotypes. The episode also explores the transformative power of storytelling and restorative justice efforts.

Diane’s Bio and Contact Information

Diane Kahn is an educator with over 20 years of teaching experience, including inside San Quentin State Prison, where she led the Academic Peer Education Project. Her work centers on the power of education as a tool for agency, critical thinking, and transformation. She co authored the effort that brought Rehabilitative Achievement Credits to California, expanding access to educational opportunities for incarcerated learners. In 2017, Diane co-founded Humans of San Quentin to amplify lived experience through storytelling, a platform now featuring more than 3,000 stories from all 50 states and globally. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of San Francisco and is deeply committed to reimagining education as a pathway to dignity, purpose, and lifelong learning.

Social Media Links and Contact Information

https://humansofsanquentin.org/

https://www.instagram.com/humansofsanquentin

https://www.linkedin.com/company/humans-of-san-quentin/

https://www.facebook.com/humansofsanquentin.org/

https://www.youtube.com/@humansofsanquentin9582

https://www.tiktok.com/@humansofsanquentin

Email: hi@humansofsanquentin.com

Follow on Patreon

To connect with dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com

In this episode of the Teaching Journeys podcast, host Dave Roberts interviews Dr. Robb Kelly, an expert in addiction recovery who focuses on treating the root causes rather than the symptoms. Dr. Kelly shares his personal experiences with addiction, homelessness, and recovery, highlighting the influence of childhood trauma and family dynamics. The conversation also touches on the importance of nutrition, the limitations of traditional medication, and the role of neuroplasticity and innovative techniques like neurolinguistic programming in recovery. Dr. Kelly emphasizes the significance of family involvement in treatment and the impact of environmental factors on addiction. Listeners are encouraged to consider the broader implications of their actions and how small positive gestures can make a significant difference.

ABOUT DR. ROBB KELLY:

Dr. Robb Kelly rewires brains from addiction and trauma..

Dr. Robb Kelly, PhD is a sought-after recovery expert who believes in treating the causes of addiction and not the symptoms. Dr. Kelly has appeared on such shows as The Doctors, Eye Opener, Good Morning Texas, and Kens5 morning news. A frequent contributor to radio and print interviews including The Jim Bohannon show, Miracles in Recovery, USA Today, and participated in McLean Hospital’s (Harvard Medical School) study on the stigma associated with mental illness. Dr. Kelly hosted Sober Celebs show on KLIF radio in Dallas, and currently hosts the Breaking Through Addiction podcast featuring special guests discussing a variety of mental health issues.

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• The Robb Kelly Recovery Group: RobbKelly.com

• Breath Box Software (brain rewiring technology)

• Free book offer: Mention "Dave Roberts" on the website

To find out more about dave, go to daverobertsmsw.com

In this episode of the Teaching Journeys podcast, host Dave Roberts converses with Lily Robinson, an author, speaker, coach, and entrepreneur. Lily shares her journey of healing from personal trauma, including the loss of her father at a young age, and how these experiences shape her work in helping others overcome adversity. The podcast discusses themes of resilience, self-reflection, emotional restoration, and the importance of creating a safe space for healing. Lily also talks about her book, 'Rise Up and Heal,' which guides readers through confronting their traumas and embracing authenticity. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of compassion, both for oneself and others, and the significance of reclaiming personal power to break cycles of trauma.

Lily’s Bio and Contact Information

Lily Robinson is an author, speaker, coach, and entrepreneur whose work centers on healing, resilience, and personal transformation. Her journey has been shaped by lived experience, deep faith, and a commitment to helping others rise above adversity and step into wholeness.

As a businesswoman and leader, Lily understands both success and struggle. She brings a unique blend of compassion, wisdom, and practical insight to her work, connecting with people who are navigating life transitions, emotional healing, and personal growth. Her ability to speak honestly and empathetically allows others to feel seen, understood, and empowered.

Lily is the author of Rise Up and Heal, a transformative book that guides readers through self-reflection, emotional restoration, and renewed purpose. Through storytelling, practical exercises, and faith-centered wisdom, she encourages individuals to confront their past, embrace authenticity, and move forward with courage and resilience.

Through her writing, speaking and coaching, Lily’s voice resonates with empathy and purpose. She is committed to creating spaces where healing is possible, resilience is cultivated, and lives are restored with grace, strength, hope and intention.

Social Media and Contact Information.

https://riseupandhealcoaching.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lilyrobinson_author_lifecoach/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578624740789

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-robinson-21788472/

https://www.audible.com/pd/B0G62R3JLF?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=pdp

tiktok.com/lilyrobinson777

To connect with Dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com