Soul Stori

The Soul Stori Podcast's final episode of 2023! Join host Rachael Barillari and returning guest Alex Williams as they reflect on the major, up-leveling lessons of 2023, as well as how to head into 2024 with intention, purpose, and love as an action through the love languages. Episode highlights include: - Alex shares her top lesson: "Everything that has happened to me has happened for me....

On today's episode, I'm joined by special educator Emily Felter, who shares stories, strategies, and best practices for teaching self-regulation skills to our little ones while also holding space for ourselves as educators. What I love most about this episode is how Emily keeps it real, sharing both the beauty and immense challenges that come with being a teacher today. We don't hold b...

On today's episode, Rachael is joined by Jr Rong (Melody) Huang to dive deep into her story of body image and how redefining standards of beauty can lead to freedom, self-compassion, and genuine self-love. Please be advised that the themes, content, and experiences shared in this episode around body image and eating habits may be extremely activating or triggering. Please feel welcome to skip...

In today's episode, Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst Michelle Gaudette shares her story of empowering parents through compassion and supporting young people through self-regulation techniques that last a lifetime. If you're in the greater Boston area and interested in Michelle's services, you can contact her at ⁠michelle@purposeful-connections.com⁠ . Write with us! For more info on: S...

On today's episode, Rachael speaks with professional drummer Murray S. Piper about his process of creating a thriving career straight from the heart. We discuss the process of identifying what lights you up, the experience of deciding the direction that is most authentic to you, and moving through the emotions of fear, doubt, and overwhelm to create the dream career on the other side. This epi...

We are living in an unprecedented time of rapid change and evolution. It's time our schools caught up. While not dismissing the importance of IQ and academics, as we enter the next paradigm of teaching and learning, teaching emotional intelligence to our children is no longer something that can seen as an add-on or put on the "back burner" to prioritize test scores and other traditio...

On today's episode, Jacqueline is here to share her journey as a parent of three neurodiverse children, including two who are twice exceptional (gifted with learning or social/emotional challenges). We discuss the importance of self-advocacy for both parents and children navigating today's school system, practical tools for parenting 2e kids, and how building community is an essential form...

Alex brought so much fire and wisdom to this recording that it had to extend beyond 20 minutes! In this episode: Alex shares her personal journey of self-discovery, which began when she realized a pattern of unhealthy romantic relationships and recognized the impact of her childhood experiences. She emphasizes the importance of self-compassion, setting boundaries, and self-awareness in both person...

What does self-compassion truly look like? Why does it sometimes feel so challenging to cultivate? And, how can we intentionally bring more of it into our lives on a daily basis? On today's episode, my sister and I dive deep into our personal stories of self-compassion, exploring where we adopted habits of self-abandonment, and how we are making real-life commitments to mind-body practices aim...

This week I'm back with the wise and wonderful Alyssa Fenix to discuss the intersectionality of neurodiversity and LGBTQ+ work, the importance of recognizing the complexity and interconnection of identities, the subjective nature of language and its impact on emotionally intelligent communication, and the challenges in creating inclusive spaces due to oversimplification and performative approa...

On today's episode, I speak with fellow educator Alyssa Fenix whose passion and expertise is in helping organizations look at the intersection of disability and LGBTQIA+ identity. In the episode, we discuss the importance of reengineering and reshaping the educational system to better accommodate neurodivergent individuals and foster inclusive environments for all. The conversation covers misc...

On today's episode, yoga instructor, momma of two, and heart-forward human Taylor Droney shares her story of how yoga helped transform her love of self inside and out. Listen in to hear Taylor discuss how yoga helps peel back layers of conditioning and negative thought patterns, teaches self-acceptance and eliminates the need for comparison and judgment, and has informed her approach to teachi...

Occupational therapist Melissa Reda is all about helping people live their everyday lives to their fullest potential. Through her work with our eight - not just five - senses, she teaches her clients how to attune to their own mind-body connection to help them thrive and self-advocate wherever their daily experiences take them. In today's episode, she shares much of this practical wisdom with...

This week I’m on the pod with my dear sister, DOCTOR Lauren Barillari, to talk about all things cardiovascular health and its connection with our overall wellness. During this conversation (on one of my all-time favorite topics), we explore: How physical heart health impacts our emotional state and vice versa How we can spot the heart’s stress signals and better regulate the mind-body connection H...

Get ready for endless nuggets of wisdom as I speak with my dear friend Lauryn Mackey about the art of compassion and practicing self-love while navigating motherhood, her heart-forward work as a victim witness specialist in the Department of Justice, and so much more. In this episode, we dive into: The importance of increasing awareness of the challenges and strategies for protecting children in t...

In yet another expansive conversation with award-winning musicians Dan and Claudia Zanes, we discuss self-compassion and how music can help us both deepen our connection with our inner worlds and express our authentic selves beyond. This seat of harmony - literally and figuratively - holds so much potential for self-acceptance and personal empowerment. Highlights in this episode include: The story...

This week I speak with the incredibly talented husband and wife duo Dan and Claudia Zanes on the profound power of everyday music-making. Music, we discuss, has a special way of bringing us back to our innate, heart-centered humanness in the classroom and in our communities. In this episode, we dive into: The power of teaching through the arts, especially simple music-making, and the impact on cla...

Whether leading children or adults, embodying compassion (and self-compassion!) is a core tenet for genuine success for yourself and those around you. In this episode, school-based teacher leader and instructional coach Jaime Volk discusses her firsthand experience of the power of compassion as both an educator and administrator. Jaime also shares her take on: The transformative effect of modeling...

Welcome to Soul Stori 20, a place where we explore real-life applications and benefits of the heart-brain connection. Through stories, I’m here to provide practical takeaways to help you bring more authenticity and well-being into your life, all within 20 minutes. Let the story begin.