Powerfully Broken

What does it really take to unlearn a street-made identity and rebuild a life that lifts others? We sit down with Andre Dotson—once a teen hustler in East Cleveland, now an apostle, youth mentor, CCW instructor, and mayoral candidate—to trace the choices, influences, and turning points that shaped his transformation. The story is raw and unvarnished: early drinking at 11, hustling at 12, juvenile...

In this powerful Season 2 episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast , host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S sits down with Ateira Ashley —mother, wife, cheer coach, and AKA—to unpack the real blueprint for long-term, healthy relationships. Together, they discuss: Why friendship first matters more than chemistry How faith, family, and maturity sustain marriage through hard seasons Letting go of unreali...

When comfort starts costing you more than change, it’s time to move. We sit down with Denia, a mentor to founders and a master connector, to unpack the real signals that tell you to quit the job, bet on yourself, and build a business that can breathe. From the first manual that launched her company to turning bottlenecks into revenue, she lays out a grounded path: generate cash, hire the right peo...

What does it take to turn a life once steeped in chaos into a business that bottles peace for others to taste? We sit down with Kitten, founder and CEO of Nelijah One Winery in Akron, Ohio, to unpack how a love of wine, a tough health diagnosis, and a very blunt $300 receipt pushed her to create a low-sulfite, no-hangover wine brand that puts wellbeing first. It’s a story about resilience, flavor,...

What if the thing that tried to break you became the reason you lead with more courage, clarity, and care? We sit down with cheer coach and mentor Atira Ashley to trace the path from wrongful termination to a faith-fueled mission that’s raising confident girls and stronger communities—one routine, one voice, one choice at a time. Atira opens up about the weight of travel, finances, and uncertainty...

Your home is your nervous system. Realtor & creator Diahnna Curtis shows how to set energy boundaries , ditch chaotic relationships, and use small DIYs to turn any space into a calming, beautiful refuge—without big money. What you’ll learn Energy hygiene: placing people at the right “distance” without drama Scent & sound therapy at home (lavender, woodsmoke, ritual cues) Budget-friendly DI...

There’s a reason Black wealth is projected to hit near-zero for too many families. Realtor leader Diahnna Curtis (President, Akron Realtist) breaks down how our homes are lost to probate, Medicaid estate recovery, and bad planning—and exactly how to protect them. What you’ll learn Why approvals ≠ closings: the hidden drop-off for minority buyers The wealth math of homeownership (leverage, stabilit...

She was the protector everyone called when things got ugly. Today, Kitten (Charlesetta Byers-Richardson) is the founder & CEO of Nalijaron Wines —and she’s sharing how she transformed street survival into a legitimate, legacy-building business. What you’ll learn Why some girls “choose the life” (trauma, “protection,” fast cash) and how to exit Street loyalty vs. self-loyalty: the moment everyt...

Keys can feel heavier when life is heavy. We sit down with Diahnna Curtis—realtor, community leader, and caregiver—to trace how a home becomes more than an address when you’re navigating grief, surgery, and the hard math of a volatile market. What starts as a story about buying and selling turns into a blueprint for building stability: saving through feast-or-famine seasons, trusting your gut afte...

After two marriages, violence, and the terror of choosing survival , Realtor & community leader Diahnna Curtis tells host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S how she rebuilt: leaving abuse, working three jobs, choosing public assistance without shame, raising two daughters through activities and structure, and transforming health with intentional eating and meal prep (autoimmune-friendly). What you’...

Ever wondered how the person everyone leans on finds their own support? Stephanie Brooks—minister, mother, mental health advocate, and sexual minority advocate—joins us for a raw conversation about navigating life as both a support system for others and a human being with her own needs. Stephanie unveils her powerful strategy for discerning when to process alone versus when to call in reinforcemen...

After seven suicide attempts and years of stigma, mental-health advocate and trainer Shanika Suniyah Jordan chose help over silence. With host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S , she unpacks faith vs. therapy, finding the right therapist (CBT/EMDR), and her “Release the DOPE” framework for letting go of shame, fear, and self-sabotage. What you’ll learn Faith and therapy: why it’s not either/or How to...

Men cry. Men break. Men heal. In this powerful roundtable, Brian D. Nordstrom Jr., Apostle Andre Dodson, and Will Van Dyke sit with host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S & Co-Host Mary Kent to break the stigma around male emotions—especially for Black men—and talk boundaries, therapy, co-parenting, and choosing peace over chaos. What happens when men's emotions are invalidated in relationshi...

After a 17-year relationship ended, veteran and artist Brian D. Nordstrom Jr. hit an unthinkable low—then rebuilt from the inside out. In this raw conversation with host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S, Brian shares how therapy, Buddhism, creativity, and a service dog helped him choose life, self-love, and purpose. The path from despair to self-discovery rarely follows a straight line. In this raw a...

Three men sit around a table, sharing their raw, unfiltered stories of marriage dissolution. Their voices sometimes catch, sometimes strengthen as they reveal the moment they knew their marriages were over. "I knew it was over like 10 years prior, like you just know," Will confesses, describing how he stayed in his 22-year marriage until a health crisis revealed his wife's true prio...

What does it take to navigate the glamorous yet often treacherous world of modeling while keeping your values intact? Miriam White opens up about her fascinating journey from child commercial actor to adult model, nurse, and mother in this eye-opening conversation. Starting at just three years old in Cleveland's commercial scene, Miriam's path took an unexpected turn when she stopped gro...

Sex, trauma, and faith collide in this candid conversation with Stephanie Brooks, who fearlessly guides us through topics many find difficult to discuss. Breaking down the barriers to authentic sexual communication, Stephanie reveals why "Nobody can read your mind, nobody knows how to please you but you" and how this simple truth transforms intimate relationships. The conversation dives...

 In this deeply personal episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast , host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S talks with Miriam White — nurse, qualified behavioral health specialist, mother, and model — about her journey from people-pleasing and unhealthy love to reclaiming her identity, confidence, and peace.  What happens when a lifetime of people-pleasing collides with new motherhood and toxic relatio...

What does it truly mean to maintain your identity within a relationship? The Powerfully Broken Podcast tackles this question head-on as host Barbara Parker welcomes a diverse panel of guests to share their journeys through healthy and unhealthy relationship patterns. The conversation takes a deeply personal turn when Stephanie Brent reveals her transformative realization: "I could still be a...

Why do we miss the red flags in relationships — and how do we heal enough to try love again? ❤️ In this powerful episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast , host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S sits down with a panel of women — Miriam White, Stephanie Brown, Lauren, Joy Jackson, and co-host Mary Kent — to talk candidly about: 🚩 Why we ignore red flags in relationships (even when they’re obvious) 💔...

Too many women have asked themselves: “Did I miss the red flags?” 💔 In this raw and unfiltered episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast , host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S sits down with an incredible panel — Miriam White, Stephanie Brooks, Lauren Marsh, Joy Jackson, and co-host Mary Kent — to unpack what society taught us about love, why we ignore the warning signs, and how to finally break fre...

🧠 Burnout. Breakdown. Breakthrough. In this raw and unfiltered episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast, Joy Jackson shares her story of overcoming a toxic workplace where the pressure was high, the support was low, and the leadership was everything but kind. Joy opens up about the emotional toll of working under a horrible boss, the internal conflict of wanting to stay loyal vs. choosing mental...