Surrendering to the Signs

In this heartfelt and reflective Season Two finale, Laura looks back on the conversations, insights, and transformations that shaped this powerful season of Surrendering to the Signs . Framed as both a reflection and a gentle guide, Laura shares the deeper intention behind the podcast, not just as a series of conversations, but as a kind of “homework” for life. Each episode, each guest, and each s...

In this deeply thoughtful and personal episode, Laura is joined by returning guest Bob Gates , professor emeritus from Syracuse University, Jungian scholar, photographer, and Laura’s father. Building on their widely loved conversation from Season One, Laura and Bob explore the profound symbolism of The Wizard of Oz and why this beloved film continues to resonate across generations. Through a Jungi...

In this deeply energising and wide-ranging conversation, Laura is joined by Ginny Clarke , conscious leadership expert, executive coach, former executive recruiter at Google and Spencer Stuart, and featured thought leader in Brené Brown’s book Strong Ground, to explore what it truly means to lead with consciousness, integrity, and soul. Ginny shares her personal and professional evolution, from na...

In this moving and energising episode, Laura is joined by Maria Medrano , CEO and Co-Founder of Inspirame , tech executive, mother, and first-generation pioneer, to explore how faith, education, and an unwavering belief in possibility can change not just one life, but generations. Maria shares her remarkable story, from growing up in a working-class immigrant family in California to becoming the f...

In this expansive, philosophical, and deeply grounding conversation, Laura is joined by longtime mentor, friend, and executive coach Joel Kimmel to explore one of the most fundamental questions of our time: Who are we being  and how is that shaping the world we’re living in? Drawing from near-death experiences, decades of leadership work, and a lifetime of inquiry into language and awareness, Joel...

In this spacious, and deeply nourishing conversation, Laura is joined by leadership coach Nancy Larocca Hedley to explore the subtle art of completion, discernment, and listening to the body as a source of truth. Nancy brings wisdom from the world's spiritual traditions to her work with leaders, team facilitation, and leading in her community. Together they reflect on how endings are not failu...

In this deeply human conversation, Laura sits down with her longtime friend Tim Winters to explore the winding, painful, and ultimately transformative journey of addiction, surrender, and recovery. Tim shares his story with remarkable openness, from a teenage sense of not quite belonging, to decades of alcohol and drug use that slowly narrowed his world, to the quiet, devastating moment when he re...

In this deeply resonant and wide-ranging conversation, Laura is joined by Jana Hendrickson, executive coach, researcher, and global citizen, to explore what it truly means to follow the signs even when fear, uncertainty, and practical logic are present. Jana shares her extraordinary life journey, from growing up in East Germany with no spiritual framework, to a life shaped by intuition, somatic wi...

Welcome to Season Two of Surrendering to the Signs. In this opening episode, host Laura Gates reflects on the deeper meaning behind signs, synchronicities, and, most powerfully, the people who show up on our path at exactly the right moment. Laura explores how encounters often carry lessons, invitations, and turning points we can only understand in hindsight. From unexpected reunions and uncomfort...

In this reflective season finale, Laura looks back on the conversations and transformations that shaped Season One of Surrendering to the Signs . She shares what she has learned from her guests, from her own life, and from the unexpected signs that have continued to appear along the way, including the story of a small alleyway in Glastonbury that offered a message from her sister, three years afte...

In this profoundly moving and life-affirming conversation, Laura sits down with Ruud Hopstaken , former healthcare executive, cancer survivor, and now coach, to explore what it truly means to wake up to life. Ruud shares his extraordinary story: from a high-powered career as vice chair of a major Dutch medical university, to a sudden cancer diagnosis that brought everything to a halt. What followe...

In this deeply inspiring episode, Laura speaks with Allison Sagraves, data and AI strategist, educator, and lifelong learner whose unconventional journey led her from corporate burnout to a cabin in the woods and to an entirely new way of living. What began as a quiet yearning for space became a full transformation: from feeling claustrophobic in her career to creating a wild sanctuary rooted in n...

In this expansive and heartfelt conversation, Laura reconnects with her dear friend and fellow guide, Tesse Akpeki, to explore how we cultivate resilience in times of chaos, grief, and transformation. Tesse shares her deeply personal journey, shaped by global roots, professional pivots, and profound loss and how a serendipitous solo trip to Ghana became a turning point in her healing. Together, La...

In this powerful and soul-bearing episode, Laura welcomes her longtime friend and fellow seeker, Sherold Barr. What unfolds is a profound exploration of trauma, trust, resilience, and spiritual awakening. Sherold opens up about the life-altering events that have shaped her journey, her brother’s unsolved murder, her son’s near-death illness, and her own harrowing accident that led to a near-death...

In this heartfelt reunion, Laura reconnects with Geri Esposito, her former manager at Citibank and one of the earliest catalysts on her spiritual path. What begins as a conversation about their shared professional history evolves into a profound exploration of intuition, spiritual awakening, and life-altering choices. Geri shares how a spontaneous yoga class in the 1960s set her on a lifelong jour...

In this intimate and heart-led conversation, Laura reconnects with long-time friend, collaborator, and fellow seeker Sarah Nicotra to explore the magic of “surrendering to the signs.” From hawks circling overhead to a lone sparrow nesting above her shoulder, Sarah shares how nature’s messengers have guided her through seasons of creativity, rest, and personal healing. Together, they reflect on the...

In this deeply personal and profoundly moving episode, host Laura Gates sits down with her father, Bob Gates, for a heart-opening conversation about awakening, personal transformation, and the art of surrender. What begins as a talk about “nothing” unfolds into a rich exploration of spiritual evolution, inner healing, and the power of self-awareness. Together, Laura and Bob reflect on generational...

In this soul-stirring solo debut, host Laura Gates sets the tone for Surrendering to the Signs by sharing her personal journey through transitions, synchronicities, and the spiritual nudges that shaped her path. As an executive coach and lifelong seeker, Laura reflects on how life’s turning points from job changes and travel adventures to deep loss and intuitive awakenings, have guided her toward...