Spirits and Stories With Donald Dunn

What does it take to go from preaching sermons to leading high-risk FBI tactical operations? In this powerful episode of Spirits and Stories , Donald Dunn sits down with Eric Robinson — former FBI Special Agent, 15-year SWAT operator, and national security investigator — to unpack what really happens behind the scenes in counterterrorism, civil rights investigations, tactical entries, and high-sta...

What happens when a United States Marine decides pain and fatigue aren’t “just part of getting older”? In this powerful episode of Spirits and Stories , host Donald Dunn sits down with Marine veteran and entrepreneur Lee Ettinger — a former Special Operations qualified service member who transitioned from the battlefield to business. After years of pushing through injuries, inflammation, and energ...

How do you successfully lead a remote team without losing connection, culture, or performance? In this episode of The Real Leadership Brief , Donald Dunn sits down with engineering leader Limor Bergman-Gross to break down practical leadership strategies that work in today’s remote and hybrid workforce. From performance reviews and hiring for culture fit to giving constructive feedback using the SB...

What does skydiving have to do with leadership? In this powerful episode of Spirits and Stories , Donald Dunn sits down with leadership coach and engineering executive Joe to explore how stepping outside your comfort zone transforms the way you lead, think, and grow. With over 650 skydives and years of experience building high-performance teams in mission-critical environments, Joe shares practica...

What does it take to drive nearly eight thousand miles the length of Africa — without GPS, cell phones, or modern safety nets? In this powerful episode of Spirits and Stories , Donald Dunn sits down with adventurer, journalist, and memoirist Barry Maughan , who recounts his extraordinary journey from Alexandria, Egypt to Cape Agulhas, South Africa — alongside his wife and their one-year-old son. L...

In this episode of Spirits and Stories , Donald Dunn sits down with author and photographer Charlie Siegel for a deep conversation on meditation, spiritual awareness, creativity, and healing. Raised in a deeply spiritual environment and now helping lead the Wisdom of the Ages Center, Charlie shares how mindfulness, intuition, and inner stillness shape both his writing and photography. The discussi...

Is there really a light people see after death? In this deeply thought-provoking episode of Spirits and Stories , we explore the mysteries surrounding the life and death journey with spiritual teacher Michael Waters. Drawing from extraordinary afterlife experiences, Michael shares his work in psychopomp work — the practice of crossing lost souls into the light — guided by Native American spirit gu...

Is PTSD a Soul Wound? What Veterans Need to Know About Moral Injury? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Edward Tick joins The Healing Side to explore whether PTSD is more than a diagnosis — and whether it may actually be a soul wound . Drawing on over forty years of experience in holistic psychotherapy and veteran therapy, Dr. Edward Tick breaks down moral injury, the invisible wounds of war, and...

It’s Not Addiction — It’s Unhealed Trauma | Dr. Robert Bleck What if addictions, panic attacks, and compulsive behaviors aren’t the real problem — but symptoms of something much deeper? In this powerful Dr. Robert Bleck interview , we explore how unhealed trauma silently shapes our lives and what it truly takes to break free. As the creator of Source Completion Therapy , Dr. Bleck shares permanent...

What is it really like to police one of the most violent eras in American history — and then bring law and order to countries shattered by war? In this powerful interview, former law enforcement officer and author Mike shares what it was like working the streets of New York City during the height of the crack epidemic — a time when violent crime surged and officers faced life-or-death decisions da...

What do New Yorkers really think about Andrew Cuomo, politics, and the culture surrounding power and accountability? In this episode, we sit down with filmmaker Sara Alessandrini , creator of the documentary miniseries This Is What New Yorkers Say , to unpack the real conversations happening on the streets of New York. Filmed over five years, her project captures unfiltered public opinion during a...

This episode of Spirits and Stories with Donald Dunn explores the often-unspoken realities of military service and the transition to civilian life through the story of Paul, a veteran who joined the military for practical reasons rather than idealism. He reflects on the motivations that led him to enlist, the financial decisions many young service members face, and the lessons learned through expe...

This podcast episode delves into the intricate narratives of military service, emphasizing the profound impact that such experiences have on personal growth and career trajectories. Our guests, both veterans, share their unique journeys into the military, recounting how motivations often stemmed from a desire for direction and purpose amidst life's challenges. The discussion further explores the e...

What if the thing blocking your book isn’t craft, time, or talent—but identity? In this episode of Authors After Action , bestselling author and transformational coach Nina Amir reveals why most writers fail long before page one—and how inner alignment is the real publishing advantage. Nina shares her journey from childhood horse stories to magazine journalism, book editing, and ultimately walking...

Our guest, Danny Johnson, embodies the essence of clean, relatable comedy, having dedicated nearly two decades to the art of making people laugh while maintaining a sincere and genuine approach. Throughout his illustrious career, he has traversed the nation, performing at various venues including clubs, churches, and corporate events, where he draws upon his personal experiences with mental health...

In this episode of Authors After Action , we bring you a powerful storytelling podcast experience grounded in real life stories , inspiring interviews , and the depth of the human experience . We sit down with Elise Allison—sailor, author, and adventurer—whose personal journey carried her from a New Jersey horse farm to life on the open ocean. Alison has sailed through forty-six countries across f...

The primary focus of this podcast episode centers on the transformative power of storytelling and its profound impact on personal growth and confidence-building. We engage in a compelling conversation with Simone Canego, who shares her diverse journey from a background in accounting to her current passion for storytelling and podcasting. Through her experiences, she emphasizes that one’s career pa...

What does it really take to build leaders inside a small business—without burning people out or losing your culture? In this episode of The Real Leadership Brief , Donald Dunn sits down with Rich Ashton, a Navy veteran and entrepreneur with more than four decades of experience building, fixing, and selling companies across multiple industries. Rich breaks down why most small businesses struggle wi...

In this episode of The Healing Side , we deliver a powerful storytelling podcast experience rooted in real life stories , deep conversations , and the evolving human experience of healing. We sit down with Lincoln Stoller—physicist turned psychotherapist—whose personal journey bridges science, spirit, and psychology into a unified approach to understanding the mind. Lincoln shares how quantum mech...

In this podcast episode, we engage in a profound conversation with renowned paranormal expert John Zaffis, who shares his extensive experiences and insights into the supernatural realm. Zaffis delves into the complexities of haunted objects, the nuances of paranormal investigations, and the importance of maintaining a balanced perspective amidst the pervasive negativity often associated with the f...

In this episode of Spirits and Stories with Donald Dunn , we deliver a powerful storytelling podcast experience centered on real life stories , inspiring interviews , and the raw truth of the human experience . We sit down with Megha Parek, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars, whose remarkable career in sports law is matched by an extraordinary personal jou...

In this episode of The Healing Side , we deliver a powerful storytelling podcast experience rooted in real life stories , deep conversations , and the evolving human experience of growth and healing. We sit down with Len May—genetics pioneer, CEO of EndoDNA, and human optimization advocate—whose personal journey began with an ADHD diagnosis and evolved into redefining what potential truly means. L...

In this episode of Authors After Action , we deliver a storytelling podcast experience built on real life stories , inspiring interviews , and the creative side of the human experience . We sit down with John David—public relations professional, corporate ghostwriter, and award-winning novelist—to explore the personal journey behind his debut thriller, The Bystander , winner of the Two Thousand Tw...

In this episode of Spirits and Stories with Donald Dunn , we bring you a powerful storytelling podcast experience centered on real life stories , inspiring interviews , and the unfolding human experience . We sit down with Dean Graves—author, mental health counselor, and guide in conscious living—to explore a profound personal journey of awakening, healing, and self-discovery. With over two decade...

In this episode of Spirits and Stories with Donald Dunn , we deliver a powerful storytelling podcast experience built on real life stories , inspiring interviews , and the depth of the human experience . We sit down with Richard Spiegel, a twenty-one-year Army veteran turned dark fantasy and paranormal author, whose personal journey reveals how storytelling can become a path to healing after servi...