Awakenings In Real Life

Shirley Buck is a severe trauma and abuse survivor, mindset transformation coach, Reiki Master, and international best-selling author of Sweet Freedom Whispered in My Ear. Her personal awakening didn’t come in a moment, it came in waves. She buried her pain under a mask of strength. But at 23, she hit a breaking point: a complete mental and emotional breakdown from the weight of everything she had...

In the journey of life, we often encounter individuals who have overcome adversity and emerged as beacons of inspiration for others. Craig Sotkovsky is one such individual whose life story is a testament to the power of resilience, self-discovery, and transformation. As a 9/11 Volunteer, a lung cancer survivor, Craig's journey is marked by both challenges and remarkable success.. His journey,...

Sophia DEMAS did not want to get married, have children, or write a book. The Universe, however, had other plans. And now she has written two books. In The Divine Language of Coincidence, Sophia chronicles the miracles she has experienced since the age of 19. After discovering the key in turning a coincidence into a potential miracle, she was propelled to share with the world how miracles are acce...

Gary Pacelli is a Former Law Enforcement Officer, County Detective, DEA Task Force Officer/ FBI / Marine/Author/Speaker. His unique story— a harrowing blend of near-death experiences, physical recovery, and the unwavering determination to return to everyday life resonates deeply with audiences. He is the author of the best-selling book NOT MY TIME. He broke HIS neck skydiving and was paralyzed. he...

For 20 years, Mary Beth Robinson has been working with people across the globe to discover their Superpowers. She uses her intuitive ability to help people deeply understand where their true genius and power reside. Mary Beth Robinson isn’t just a business coach – she’s a game changer for entrepreneurs who are ready to break free from self-doubt and tap into their true brilliance. Her method is a...

Stephen Panus is a storyteller and mentor & coach at heart, one driven by purpose, resilience, and the unwavering belief that we can turn pain into positive change. As the author of the best-selling book “Walk On”, he shares his deeply personal journey following the tragic loss of his son, Jake, who was tragically and suddenly killed as a passenger in a reckless and senseless car crash at the...

Jan Allen Ackley is an author, veteran, executive, and  storyteller. Jan grew up in the hills of Appalachia, without a father and where his prospects to succeed  were dim. His memoir, Searching for Change , is a deeply-human look at finding happiness in hardship and transforming adversity into purpose. His awakenings were meeting people that helped  give him the courage and inspiration to succeed....

Sherman Niamehr is an Italian-born American, former stockbroker, and memoir author whose life took a dramatic turn during a period of unexpected confinement at an IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) military base in Iran. His quiet act of inner defiance—refusing to march on the American and Israeli flags—led to brutal interrogations and a spiritual reckoning that shaped the rest of his life....

Franke James' latest book, which represents her biggest awakening, is Freeing Teresa: A True Story about My Sister and Me. The memoir is about choosing her sister’s freedom over her family. Franke helped her younger sister with Down syndrome get out of a nursing home after being improperly admitted.. Then all hell broke loose. The two sisters had to stand together—against their siblings, the m...

Julian Raven is a British-born, Spanish-raised American artist, author, entrepreneur, & First Amendment activist. After being a U.S. Missionary & Bible student, Raven’s journey went from the pulpit to the Supreme Court. Raven made news when his Trump portrait was rejected by the Smithsonian in 2016, launching an eight-year legal battle reaching the Supreme Court and resulting in his becomi...

John E. Goralski is an award-winning journalist & photographer, a publisher, and the father of a son, named Jack,  with autism who was diagnosed in the early 2000’s. John’s book, "Parent in Crisis: Finding Peace and Purpose in a Special Needs Home" traces his journey from struggle to peace. The book explores what it feels like to be an overwhelmed parent, & he tries to offer insi...

Koya M. Bakare, U.S. Queens Ambassador 2025. Koya is a force to be reckoned with—an educator, state and national pageant queen, and sought-after guest speaker who captivates with her powerful blend of wisdom, grace, and charm. Her journey is one of triumph - a survivor of sexual assault, bulimia, and two suicide attempts - having graced the pages of Vogue, Essence.com, InStyle, and numerous other...

Robert Don’s memoir explores what he knows of his mother’s teenage life as a Schindler’s List survivor. The book also confronts Intergenerational Trauma (“Second Generation) and holocaust survivor trauma, manifested in hatred as a form of racism—how it can begin, what it can do to us and how we can reconcile even amidst the reach of darkness. Rob had a second awakening when his mother made Shimmas...

Glenn Nicholson has had the pleasure of working with adults with disabilities for 12 years and from them, he has learned gratitude and immeasurable resilience and what it means to be authentically happy despite personal challenges, both mental and physical. This has opened his eyes in an awakening of understanding of the gifts he has  been given and an immense desire to share them with the world....

Podcast Host Dan Cohen and his brother Dr. Ken Cohen discuss their Dad Herbie’s Awakening from late stage Dementia to closely resemble the man he was. He went from barely recognizing his family to being lucid and sharing the love he had for his wife, children and grandchildren. Remarkably, he remembered things that happened during his dementia when he had little awareness. He also shared a profoun...

Bryan Lee, known worldwide as Bullseye The Clown, has transformed his personal trauma of being bullied into a global mission of compassion. At age 47, he saw the movie Patch Adams and decided to join the real Patch Adams on a 14 day mission to Russia to hospitals, orphanages and more. There Bullseye had two other awakenings when he made an old lady be seen and brought  laughter to a woman in hospi...

After the passing of her father in 2015, Liz Entin delved in to see if there was science based evidence of an afterlife, something as an atheist she never thought possible. She  was stunned to discover there is a large amount of valid scientific evidence of an afterlife that does not require faith or belief.  It was a long process that combined delving into the science and meeting the people behin...

Holocaust survivor Sami Steigmann's awakening to educate about the holocaust. Sami Steigmann awakened later in life, after being inspired by a 6th grader, to make his life’s mission to educate children and society about the horrors of the holocaust and the dangers of Jew hatred today. Sami's life story is remarkable. From 1941 -1944, he and his parents were in Ukraine at Mogilev-Podolsky, a labor...

The “Awakenings In Real Life” podcast tells inspiring stories of transformation, meaning and hope.  Host Dan Cohen will share stories of people awakening and then triumphing over bullying, addiction, disability, illness, trauma, loss, near death experiences and more Host Dan Cohen is a dynamic entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience and a deep passion for brand building.  The “Awakenings In...