Ayana Lage - writer, blogger, and author of Missing Me - joins us for an honest and deeply important conversation about postpartum mental health. With bylines in The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour, Ayana brings both her voice as a writer and her lived experience to this powerful story.

In this episode, Ayana opens up about her experience with postpartum psychosis after the birth of her daughter and the road back to healing. We explore a topic that is often misunderstood or left unspoken, creating space for awareness, compassion, and understanding. This conversation is tender and eye-opening, and offers hope for those navigating mental health challenges or supporting someone who is.

Connect with Ayana: Instagram: @ayanalage Website: ayanalage.com Book: Missing Me

Donna Pope, founder of Heart to Heart Adoptions, joins us to share her journey into the world of adoption—and the moments that shaped her passion for doing it differently. From adopting three boys as a single mom to advocating for more compassionate, respectful care for birth mothers, Donna offers a thoughtful look into the complexities and beauty of adoption. We talk about unexpected pregnancies, the courage of birth mothers, and how meaningful connections are created between families. This conversation invites a deeper understanding of adoption and the heart behind the work.

Connect with Donna:

Heart to Heart Adoptions

Choosing Adoption Podcast

In this Women’s History Month episode, it’s just the two of us having a conversation about what we love about being women. We chat about Women’s History Month, reflect on how far women have come, and share some of the little things that make being a woman meaningful and fun. Happy Women's History Month to all of you!

Marilyn Raichle—author of Don’t Walk Away and longtime community builder—joins us to share the unexpected life shift that came when both of her parents developed dementia. Growing up surrounded by Alzheimer’s, Marilyn was told by her mother to “walk away” if the disease ever came for them. Instead, her journey as a caregiver transformed the way she sees connection, creativity, and the lives of those living with dementia. In this conversation, Marilyn reflects on finding meaning in caregiving, the surprising joy that emerged along the way, and how community and the arts can bring dignity and beauty to life’s most difficult transitions.

Find Marilyn’s book Don’t Walk Away at dontwalkaway.net and on Amazon here.

Learn more about Maude’s Awards, where Marilyn serves as Executive Director—an initiative honoring innovative care and support for people living with dementia and their care partners maudesawards.org.

In this tender episode, Heidi shares the story of her daughter Holly—her beautiful life, her lasting impact, and the three words she wrote during cancer treatment: “Love is Everywhere.” We talk about grief, legacy, and how Holly’s mantra continues to guide Heidi’s life and work, including her memoir Love Is Everywhere: You Will See. Heidi also opens up about her family’s faith shift away from the LDS church after Holly’s passing and the unexpected peace she’s found outside of religion and within the unknown. A heartfelt conversation about love that endures and the beauty that can still be found after profound loss. Visit love-is-everywhere.com to learn more of Holly’s story and her beautiful impact, and on Instagram @loveiseverywhere_youwillsee Find Heidi @heidirbruno and find her memoir Love is Everywhere: You will See on Amazon here

Autumn McAlpin and Vienna Boyes join us to share the story behind their powerful new film, Sanctuary—and the friendship that made it possible. From navigating the faith communities they grew up in to telling stories that center LGBTQ+ individuals often underrepresented in religious spaces, they open up about courage, collaboration, and creative conviction. This conversation explores how art can build bridges of understanding, invite deeper compassion, and spark meaningful change.

Learn more about Sanctuary and find screenings at sanctuarydoc.com.

Follow Sanctuary on Instragram @sanctuarydocfilm

Find Autumn on Instagram @autumnmcalpin

Find Vienna on Instagram @vienna.boyes

In this fun and inspiring episode, Judith Balis—interior designer, store owner, empath, and empty nester—shares her brave step into a new season of life. From buying an apartment in Spain and traveling solo for the first time to preparing to leave the familiar behind, Judith reflects on fear, freedom, and rediscovering herself. A conversation about choosing joy, embracing change, and stepping into a beautiful new chapter.

In this episode, Dr. Theresa Lyons, PhD from Yale and Founder and CEO of Navigating AWEtism, shares her journey through life’s unexpected transitions—from a career in chemistry to becoming a passionate autism advocate after her daughter’s diagnosis. She reflects on the question that changed everything: “Ok, so now what?” and how it led her to founding Navigating AWEtism, a company centered around supporting parents and grandparents as they seek trustworthy information and compassionate guidance for children with autism. Theresa offers insight, hope, and practical wisdom for navigating uncertainty and creating meaning and purpose through life’s unexpected turns.

Find Navigating AWEtism at awetism.net

Find Theresa on her YouTube Channel Navigating AWEtism with Theresa Lyons, PhD here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrnw5_DvQ4E7IRwa3zSJe7g

Find Theresa on Instgram here