Bump In The Road

For behind the scenes cnoversations, subscribe on Substack! Christine V. Davies has a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University. With over two decades of experience as a hospital chaplain, pastoral educator, cognitive behavioral therapist and healthcare administrator, Christine offers "spiritual direction" What is spiri...

Subscribe at BumpInTheRoad. Substack.com for behind the scenes conversations and more! How do our secrets define us? Everyone has a story or two they just don't tell. But Sandra Schnakenburg grew up in a family of secrets. And perhaps the greatest secret was that of her beloved housekeeper, Lee. On Lee's deathbed, she asked Sandra to write her story. Her story? Sandra had no idea what this really...

Subscribers can enjoy exclusive, extended conversations from this podcast. To subscribe, go to BumpInTheRoad. Substack.com This is a story about radical transformation. Gerard Wouters brings us into the fascinating world of Taoist therapy. With his revolutionary approach, he focuses on using the present to change our attitudes about the past. Instead of focusing on what cannot be changed (i.e., th...

Subscribers can enjoy exclusive, extended conversations from this podcast. To subscribe, go to BumpInTheRoad. Substack.com While I often say that all families are dysfunctional, Michael Swerdloff's family had some pretty serious issues including violence and infidelity which deeply impacted the entire family and for Michael, set the stage for a tumultuous childhood that would shape his understandi...

Subscribers can enjoy exclusive, extended conversations from this podcast. To subscribe, go to BumpInTheRoad. Substack.com Artist, educator, nonprofit leader, and author Irma Velasquez is dedicated to living from a place of presence and connection—especially in the face of adversity. Her life's work is rooted in the ongoing journey of bridging inner and outer divides, often through turbulent terra...

Subscribers can enjoy exclusive, extended conversations from this podcast. To subscribe, go to BumpInTheRoad. Substack.com Josh McConkey was the first in his family to attend college, breaking a long-standing lineage of railroaders. His passion for medicine led him to a successful career in emergency medicine. As a part-owner of a freestanding emergency department in Georgetown, Texas, Josh initia...

Losing one's parent at 10 years old definitely qualifies as a bump in the road. But Marilyn Robinson has navigated this and other bumps with seeming ease. Her perspective on life is optimistic and take charge. She moves through many life phases as if it were a neighborhood walk. Something is always evolving, changing and blooming. You just have to look for it. From home schooling to a successful c...

Where do spirituality and psychology meet? Are they polar opposites or can they complement each other? This conversation touches on the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, the importance of presence, and the use of meditation for body, mind and soul connection. Ellen talks abut meditation as a vehicle to develop conscious thought which allows one to become an observer of the mind, rather than a prisone...

The fear of rejection can hinder our personal and professional growth. Can we learn to see transformative growth in "No"? Andrea Waltz is the author of "Go for No," a concept that encourages us to embrace rejection as a stepping stone to success. The crux of the "Go for No" philosophy is simple yet profound: to achieve more 'yeses' in life, we must intentionally increase our failure rate. Andrea e...

Menopause takes many women by surprise. Society is focused on the illusion of perpetual youth. But when menopause hits, hormones change, our bodies change and possibly the way society sees us changes as well. Lisa Triggs candidly discusses her downward spiral into depression and weight gain during her menopause years, exacerbated by life events that caused extreme stress. She realized that she nee...

Marijuana is legal. It's safe. Or is it? Rayond Wiggins questions the safety of this widely used drug, both from his professional and personal experience. On the personal side, Raymond has witnessed the devastating effects of substance abuse within his family. Professionally he has administered nearly 30,000 general anesthetics, which point to the increased drug tolerance and mental health issues...

Aaron, Lapedis knows what a second chance looks like. Just over 16 years ago, Aaron was thriving as an art gallery owner in Denver, Colorado. However, the recession hit hard, and his business faced unprecedented challenges. As he struggled with financial burdens, his personal life was also in turmoil, with his wife experiencing a difficult pregnancy and his father's health declining. In December o...

Kristina Heagh-Avritt is a former public school teacher who now supports families in finding the best educational paths for their children. Kristina focuses on the pressing issues within the current educational framework—more rules, regulations, and a lack of connection with families and students. She emphasizes how the school system is broken and suggests that the solution lies in empowering pare...

As a psychic medium and life coach, Mark Charters has navigated a difficult path. His journey began in a family where psychic abilities were both a gift and a burden. Growing up in a household where his mother and grandmother were psychic, he struggled with his identity and the societal stigma attached to his gifts. Mark's path was not an easy one. Along the way, he faced addiction, homelessness a...

Michelle DeKeyser found herself wondering if this is all there was. That simple question was the beginning of a midlife quest that would transform her world. In response, Michelle created Connecting Mamas, a community that connects entrepreneurially minded mothers through authenticity and support. The conversation touches on the vital role of community in fostering creativity and collaboration amo...

Marbeth Dunn's story is one of self-discovery, healing, and empowerment. Growing up in a traditional environment in New Jersey, she took a leap of faith and ran away to Haiti with her husband, where they lived in the mountains without electricity or running water for seven years. Along the way, Marbeth found herself coping with potentially life threatening asthma which sent her on a quest to heal....

Are talented children more difficult to raise? Sally Raymond's first son was a remarkably intelligent child, began reading signs and engaging in debates at an astonishingly young age. But beneath the facade of the perfect of the perfect child, life wasn't so perfect. Her son was emotionally vulnerable, as all children are. For him, a series of critical life events eventually led to his suicide. Sa...

What is happiness? And where do you find it? Teresa Greco had a fulfilling career, a loving family and material comforts. But none of this filled the void she felt within. This "lack" sent her on a quest. For over a decade, she embarked on a journey of healing, meditation, and spiritual exploration seeking to for whatever it was that might fill that void. This story is about one woman's personal t...

Midlife can be a transformative phase, filled with both challenges and opportunities. With a growing awareness of limited time, many of us reassess where we are and where we want to go. Jean Alfieri's story is about a midlife journey of self-discovery and reinvention. One of the key themes Jean discusses is the concept of invisibility that often accompanies midlife, particularly for women. She ref...

Joni Rodgers is, first and foremost, a storyteller. She's also a critically acclaimed novelist and New York Times selling ghostwriter. She's worked with many well known people including Paris Hilton, Justin Bieber and Elizabeth Smart. Her ability to translate people's paths into a compelling narrative is unparalleled. "As a novelist, memoirist, and collaborator, I'm dedicated to storytelling that...

Finding one's voice can be a daunting journey. For Laura Reid it meant overcoming a severe stutter. Yet today, she's a polished public speaker teaching others the ins and outs of effective communication. For Laura the key was to embrace her own vulnerability and using it as a superpower. It was when she discovered the power of storytelling, that she found an energetic connection with her audience....

Margot Black is an award-winning publicist who shares her secrets to help you navigate life's bumps. Margot is first and foremost a story teller. She has a key eye for detail, market trends and human nature. As an award-winning publicist and marketing executive, Margot Black helps people "fail forward" with style and grace to achieve their goals and objectives. Her book, Life's A Pitch: How to Win...

Doug Stoddard's story is inspirational. After facing bankruptcy and personal turmoil, he turned to neuroscience to understand the habits of thinking that had taken hold of his life. And there he found answers. He argues that 90% of what we experience in our professional lives is rooted in our emotional responses and habitual thought patterns. This is a powerful reminder that self-awareness is cruc...