Conversations with Joan

Inner strength is an essential skill that’s necessary for carrying out tasks, making decisions, and achieving goals. Without it, it’s difficult to start anything, and it’s difficult to get to the finish line.  Alyssa Ages was able to flip Mack truck tires and walk with 300 pounds on her back. She was the strongest she had ever been, until her body betrayed her. During the process of rebuilding her...

Joy is one of our basic needs, and yet it eludes many. When we experience life’s challenges and turmoil it may difficult to live in joy. Grace Harry learned how to see her pain as a gift that created a pathway for joy. She discusses about how we find joy, re-discover it, and incorporate it into our daily lives. Grace worked for 30 years as a music industry executive at Island Def Jam and Jive Reco...

Women are increasingly controlling wealth. Research shows that 95 percent of women will be a primary financial decision maker at some point in their lives. Nancy Tengler believes that it’s important for women to develop the knowledge and skills required to accumulate wealth and build an investment portfolio. She offers strategies for investing, especially in these times of inflation and rising int...

When we think of well-being, we often think of our physical and mental health. But, according to  Kamlesh Patel, affectionately known as Daaji, there is a third system we often overlook: the spiritual anatomy. He contends that the chakras lead us back to the sustainable happiness and meaning we desire. Daaji discusses how we can learn how to nurture our spiritual anatomy to become our most authent...

According to Allison Carmen, at some point in life, a significant number of women may find themselves without a partner, face financial uncertainty, and shoulder the responsibility of being the sole caretaker for their children if they have any. She discusses why women should prioritize investing in fulfilling careers and building strong female friendships. Allison is business consultant and life...

Online dating is a big part of the dating world today and is one of the main ways people look for a partner. The Pew Research Center reported that 3 in 10 U.S. adults have used dating apps. When meeting strangers online, how can you be sure the person is legitimate and has your best interests at heart? Donna Marie Hayes was scammed and robbed of her life’s savings by a man that she described as th...

The movie, A League of Their Own, is one of the most beloved baseball movies of all time.  Erin Carlson takes us on a journey into the story behind the World War II era all-female baseball league and the making of Penny Marshall’s film. Erin shares untold stories through exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes memories, and captivating anecdotes from the original cast and creators. She explains th...

On February 13, 2017, two teenagers, Abby Williams and Libby German’s lives were cut short while enjoying a day off from school. The case went unsolved for years until an arrest was finally made. Broadcast journalist ,Susan Hendricks, took a deep-dive into that double homicide that shook the small community of Delphi, Indiana. Over the years, Susan has fostered deep connections with family members...

Just about everyone has had an experience that has led to wondering if there’s a way forward. Sometimes it’s so devastating that you can’t see a path no matter how hard you try. According to Dr. Ken Druck, it’s not always clear how to go on. And that’s okay! He offers a guide for when we find ourselves feeling lost, uncertain, or even terrified about the road ahead. Dr. Druck is one of the nation'...

Often, those who suffer from anxiety either exhaust themselves trying to cure it or they resign themselves to a lifetime of fear and worry. But according to Dr. David Rosmarin, instead of fighting anxiety, we can learn to turn it into a strength. He discusses how we can use anxiety as a tool to be more self-aware, self-accepting, and resilient. Dr.  Rosmarin is the founder of the Center for Anxiet...

Michelle Renee and her seven-year old daughter were kidnapped and forced to rob a bank with dynamite strapped to their chest.  Michelle shares the true crime story of her kidnapping and discusses how she confronted her dark, turbulent past to forge ahead and defy all odds. Michelle’s first book, Held Hostage, was turned into a Lifetime movie. Her new book is Nine Days: Living with My Soul Wide Ope...

Hearing the words, you have cancer, is a major fear for most people. A cancer diagnosis is shocking and scary. Dr. Dominic Brandy heard those words when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. He talks about his healing journey and how we can learn to prevent, survive and even thrive with cancer. Dr. Brandy is a medical doctor, author, speaker, and cancer coach who has been practicing...

Most people don’t think of AIDS as something that affected women and families. Until August 20, 1990, Julie Lewis was one of those people. On that day, she was diagnosed with HIV and thrust into the scary world of AIDS. Julie was told she had three to five years to live. As the mother to three young children, she made every effort to create lasting memories while managing the debilitating side eff...

Mitch Albom has written books that have made a difference in the lives of millions around the world. He is an internationally renowned and best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, broadcaster and musician. Mitch’s books, which include Tuesdays with Morrie , The Five People You Meet in Heaven , and For One More Day , and have collectively sold more than 40 million copies worldwide...

We all experience challenges in life. For some, it’s difficult to express their feelings and so they mask their hidden pain with substance abuse, anxiety, depression, isolation, or even violence. Matthew Quick understands that pain. Matthew experienced a “dark night of the soul” after using alcohol and drugs to treat his extreme anxiety and depression. He got sober in 2018, only to experience five...

If you have a loved one who is struggling with alcohol or other drugs, you may have feelings of frustration, anger, fear, or sadness. You may also feel powerless and unsure of how to offer help or support. According to Dr. Jeffrey Foote, you don’t have to try a tough love approach or wait for your loved one to hit rock bottom before taking action. He contends that you can be a force for positive c...

Many people hunger for success but struggle to balance what they pursue on the outside with what they need on the inside. According to Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa, we can learn how to have our outer success reflect our inner core. He teaches how our five core energies can create outer impact from a place of inner mastery. Dr. Wadhwa is a professor at Columbia Business School and the founder of the Mentora...

Many people wonder if there really are angels by our side and what their role may be in our lives. Lorna Byrne has been seeing and talking to angels since she was a baby. As a young child, she assumed everyone could see the beings who always accompanied her. Today, sick and troubled people from around the world are drawn to her for comfort and healing, and even theologians of different faiths seek...

When we talk about staying healthy, we usually discuss diet or exercise. The one area that is often overlooked is the command center, the brain. Brain health is a critical piece of overall health. It controls the ability to communicate, make decisions, problem-solve, and live a productive life. Dr. Gary Simonds, a brain surgeon who's spent his life caring for the sickest of the sick in the ICU’s a...

The fear of failing often stops people from moving forward or following a dream. But according to Jim Harshaw, Jr., every success story includes crushing failure, doubt, and uncertainty. Jim discusses how to maximize potential and increase resilience by leveraging failure for success. Jim became an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and later the youngest Division I head coach in the country. T...

After a traumatic past, which includes kidnapping and physical, emotional and sexual abuse, Doug Dane beat the odds stacked against him to find happiness and success in his own life. Doug’s work is inspired by the steps he took to overcome the typical trajectory for someone in his shoes. He discusses ways to help us break into a new life, no matter what we may have experienced. Doug is a mindset m...

On his 68th birthday, New York Times bestselling author, Kevin Kelly, started to write down advice for his children about things he learned in life. That list turned into his new book, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier. Kevin offers guidance for career, relationships, parenting, and more. Kevin has led a remarkable life and has been ahead of the curve on practically ever...

When we experience a difficult time, we may believe that finding joy is too hard, too much to hope for, and only for those who are resilient enough. According to Dr. Tanmeet Sethi, joy is an innate human right accessible to all. Dr. Sethi helps us rediscover joy, not as a destination or solution, but as a practice for healing. Dr. Sethi is a board-certified integrative family medicine physician an...

Many of us have a strong desire to become a better person. We read books and complete programs, and yet we still struggle. What we feel called to do can sometimes seem impossible. Guy Finley, is an internationally renowned spiritual teacher, talks about our potential for transformation and how we can discover the seed of possibility in every moment. Guy is the founder and director of Life of Learn...

Millennials are opting for prenups in record numbers compared to previous generations. They are also more likely to simultaneously plan for divorce while preparing for their wedding, essentially assuming that it won’t last. But what if you could take preemptive action to have one of the marriages that does last? Dr. Frieda Birnbaum says that an emotional prenup, the often-unnoticed emotional inves...