Conversations with Joan

When faced with her husband Sean’s terminal brain cancer diagnosis, FOXLA’s morning meteorologist, Maria Quiban Whitesell, found herself in a position she could not have imagined. She had to learn to deal with illness, death and grief, all while caring for her son and wearing a smile every day in front of millions on LA’s morning show, Good Day LA. Maria shares her journey and offers actionable in...

Emotions can sink us or they can power us like fuel to succeed. Susan Packard, co-founder of HGTV. has developed a program that can help us grow emotional fitness and thrive in all areas of life. According to Susan, “Success is an inside job!” Susan worked on the start up teams for HBO and CNBC, and is a speaker and guest expert on television and radio. She is a pioneer in the industry she helped...

Courage involves facing our fears, but it is also about resilience, grit, and having a built-in BS detector and knowing when and how to use it. Evy Poumpouras, author of the new book, Becoming Bulletproof: Protect Yourself, Read People, Influence Situations, and Live Fearlessly, discusses how we can heighten our natural instincts to move from fear to fearlessness. She shares lessons and insights l...

Growing up autistic, Jude Morrow faced immense challenges. Once a nonverbal and aggressive child, he transitioned into a hard working, responsible father to a non-autistic son. According to Jude, those with autism can have difficulty understanding the world around them and can find it hard to find their voice. But Jude found his and he uses it to break down the misconceptions and societal beliefs...

Many people are in search of ways to reach their highest potential. They want to be wise, strong, happy, and loving. According to Dr Rick Hanson, science is revealing how these ways of being are based on changes in our own nervous system, making them more attainable than ever before. He explains the new neuroscience of awakening and how this can be an effective path to handling stress, healing old...

The origins of infectious diseases are as varied as their symptoms, yet they have one thing in common: a devastating impact on society. As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, many ask, how did this happen? Dr. Michael Greger explains where viruses come from and how we can stop them. Dr. Greger is a founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, a physician, au...

Bonny Meyer has lived her life set in the romantic era of Napa Valley. Bonny and her husband, Justin, established and owned two wineries. They shared the ups and downs of life and business, and along with a few prominent wineries of the time, they helped revolutionize Napa Valley. Bonny’s story is one filled with deep grief and abiding love. She shares wisdom and advice for living a full life with...

According to Mark Nepo, after we are physically born we must be spiritually born a second time, a process that takes place through the labor of a lifetime. Mark teaches that no matter what is going on in the world around us, we can tap into our inner wisdom and strength for sustenance. Mark was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People. He has...

The pain and devastation resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic can cause one to search for the meaning behind it. Why is there so much suffering and what are we to learn from it? Life as we know it no longer exists, but is it possible that there could be a plan, one for our greater good? Rabbi Daniel Cohen discusses how we can remain strong, remain hopeful, and turn this experience into somethin...

As states begin to reopen, social distancing lessens and many wonder if there is anything we can do to improve our odds of remaining healthy. According to Dr. Paul Zeitz, there are actions we can take that may make a difference. Dr. Zeitz is a leading public health expert and former Obama and Trump administration official. He currently serves as the founder of Build A Movement 2020 and as co-chair...

With today’s technology we are more connected than ever before and yet, it has been reported that social isolation is a growing epidemic in the United States. The number of Americans with no close friends has tripled since 1985, and more Americans are living alone, particularly people over 60. As it turns out, we can have hundreds of “friends” on social media without having any meaningful relation...

Bad things can and do happen and sometimes the world can seem like a very scary and dangerous place. Fortunately, there are things we can do to become personally responsible for the security and safety of ourselves and our loved ones. Former FBI special agent, John Iannarelli, provides tools that can help us in every day life. John spent more than 20 years in the FBI and he is the author of five b...

Life can present many challenges as most of us know from recent events. A pandemic, financial concerns, isolation, and health issues can create anxiety and fear. Emerging from a crisis takes inner strength and determination. The good news is that according to Panache Desai, you have the power to do it! Panache is a bestselling author, thought leader, and business and life catalyst. He has been int...

The name Jackie Robinson is synonymous with breaking down barriers, which he did throughout his life. Sharon Robinson, the daughter of baseball legend and civil rights icon, Jackie Robinson, experienced some of the most important events in history, including the March on Washington. She discusses her father's life and legacy. Sharon is the author of numerous children’s books honoring her father’s...

Every child who has ever played baseball has dreamed of being the hero of Game 7 of the World Series. Ron Darling had that dream too, and he got to live it. But, as many of us have learned, dreams don’t always turn out as imagined. Ron is the author of the book, Game 7, 1986, Failure and Triumph in the Biggest Game of My Life. He discusses what he experienced that night in Shea Stadium and the les...

You may know his story from the movie, The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid. Jim Morris, was a high school teacher and baseball coach that in an attempt to motivate his team, made a bet with his kids: if you win a district championship, I’ll go tryout for a major league team. The bet was born, and with it so was The Rookie. Three months later, 35-year-old school teacher Jim Morris was striking out bi...

April means baseball and all month Conversations with Joan is bringing you inspiring stories from standouts in the sport. Leading off is one-handed baseball great, Jim Abbott, who inspires us to overcome limitations and reach for the stars! We all have limitations - it’s what you do with them that matters! Jim Abbott was born without a right hand but that did not stop him from fulfilling his dream...

We are living in an over stimulated world and the resulting stress impacts our physical and mental health. It can stand in the way of our happiness. Dr. Frank Lawlis discusses how we can retrain our brain and break the stress/anxiety cycle. Dr. Frank Lawless is a renown psychologist, researcher and counselor. He is the cofounder of the Lawlis and Peavey PsychoNeuroPlasticity Center, and the chief...

With the coronavirus outbreak, the world as we know it has been rapidly changing. Schools and businesses are closed, social distancing requirements have been implemented, supermarket shelves are bare, and many are concerned about how they will pay their bills. With all of this in mind, we are offering a series of podcasts to help you navigate this uncharted territory. We will focus on the various...

With the coronavirus outbreak, the world as we know it has been rapidly changing. Schools and businesses are closed, social distancing requirements have been implemented, supermarket shelves are bare, and many are concerned about how they will pay their bills. With all of this in mind, we are offering a series of podcasts to help you navigate this uncharted territory. We will focus on the various...

With the coronavirus outbreak, the world as we know it has been rapidly changing. Schools and businesses are closed, social distancing requirements have been implemented, supermarket shelves are bare, and many are concerned about how they will pay their bills. With all of this in mind, we are offering a series of podcasts to help you navigate this uncharted territory. We will focus on the various...

The stress of everything that we are experiencing today can become overwhelming. Dr. Elizabeth Stanley discusses how we can lighten the load and become more resilient. She teaches that recovery and resilience can be learned and we can alter the effects and outcomes of any situation, and she offers strategies to help us perform while under pressure and to heal from traumatic experiences. Dr. Stanle...

Raising kids is not for the faint of heart. Those cute babies grow up to test the limits and can make us wonder what we are doing wrong. Sean Grover discusses what happens when kids call the shots and how parents can reclaim their authority. Sean is a psychotherapist, speaker, and author with 25 years of experience working with adults and children. He is the author of the book, When Kids Call the...

Being a woman in the workplace can be difficult to navigate. There are different standards that apply to each sex, and often women end up being too nice. Dr. Lois Frankel explains how you can advocate for yourself while advancing your career. Dr. Frankel is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal best selling Nice Girls Don’t business books. She has appeared on The Today Show, CNN...

As human beings we are born with a genetic code that we believe makes us who we are and guides our behavior – that we’re hardwired to react in a certain way. What if this is a myth? What if we can erase and replace our internal programming and master our own code? According to Darren Gold, our behavior is driven by a subconscious program of our own making; our genes don’t have full control of our...