The Heart Leader Podcast

What lights you up? This is a question that our amazing guest Stephanie James asks not only herself, but her clients and peers. As a Psychotherapist for over 30 years, she has dedicated her life to helping others transform their lives. Her secret sauce? Igniting her spark within. Her journey is truly inspiring, sharing incredible stories and experiences that touch the lives of many as an Author, S...

How can creativity be a catalyst for change in your everyday life? This is the very thing that Amber and guest Linda Levitt will discuss in this week's episode. With more than 40 years experience in the field of education, Linda provides an amazing tactical perspective for how to bridge the knowledge we gain into practical daily application utilizing creative means. Tune in and listen as these two...

This month our focus is on the importance of creativity as a Heart Leader. We're diving deep into the role that creativity plays in the transformational approach to all aspects in life.    And we couldn't be more excited to have transformational coaching specialist Dr. Rosie Kuhn, PhD joining Amber in this episode of The Heart Leader Podcast to lend her wisdom and insights. Dr. Kuhn has...

If you had a key to unlock your soul level potential, would you use it? We all have this amazing gift. The ability to create, to choose to bring something that didn't exist before into existence simply by trusting in our ability to do it. From cooking a meal from scratch to building a house from the ground up - each of us has this amazing gift to access our creative spirit and bring forward someth...

We think a lot about working out our bodies, but how often do we consider working out our soul? If we consider our soul as another body, an extension of who we are, then consistently working it out just as we do our physical form is important to keep it in shape. This is why we called this month's Heart Leader Toolkit item Compassion Calisthenics. It's a way to connect with a very key attribute of...

Has compassion shaped and changed the way some organizations do business? If so, what impact has it had on their bottom line?   If you ask James Robson and Lance Williams of Robson Reserve, a senior living community located in Arizona, compassion has made all of the difference in how they do business. It not only enhances the living conditions of those who are members of the community, but it...

Is it possible to build a top performing business with compassion at the core? Steve Sadaka, Founder and CEO of StevenDouglas - one of the nation’s Leading Boutique Search and Interim Resources firms - has done exactly this! His approach from the start of StevenDouglas has been to hold compassion for his clients and associates and it has been a cornerstone to his success. Steve...

Each generation has had its challenges to face, yet few have felt fully supported and empowered to address those challenges by the generation before it. The new generation that's stepping into the world today is facing unique circumstances on the heels of a global pandemic, a war raging, inflation soaring and the future feeling so uncertain. How must these young people be feeli...

Although it may appear almost instantaneous, compassion is a multi-level response comprised of: an awareness of your own suffering or the suffering of another sympathetic concern - being emotionally moved by that suffering a desire to ease that suffering and then a movement, responsiveness or action to help remove that suffering The month of May is dedicated to this complex Heart Leader trait and...

Do you struggle with honesty and transparency in your relationships? Building a conscious connection with another person requires everyone in the exchange to be transparent and authentic on multiple levels. Austin and Amber have navigated multiple levels in their relationship over the years, from mentorship to friendship to a deeply rooted romantic connection. Join them as they share: ▸ the challe...

Do you need to isolate yourself or spend your days in meditation to explore consciousness? Or is it possible to fully engaged in life and still dive deep into conscious exploration? Consciousness explorer Cory Hetherington would say that it's both! In an infinite universe filled with infinite possibilities, limiting the exploration of consciousness to only one path doesn't support the actual inten...

Every generation brings new and amazing ideas, innovations and energies to the world - but it's not always easy for them to understand how to translate these into a society that was preset by the previous generations. Resistance to new ideas, adherence to traditions, and a reluctance to change can bring challenges for young people who are eager to create what is in their hearts and minds. That is...

What does transparency bring to the table when it comes to being a Heart Leader? Why is it so important in personal transformation? These are two of the overarching questions Amber and Austin discuss as they kickoff the month of April and the theme of transparency. In this episode Amber and Austin discuss: ▸ The goal of transparency and how it can be utilized as a tool in daily life ▸ How effectiv...

Our focus this month has been centered on how to utilize the ego as an amazing tool to assist us in navigating our life journey. As we learn how to use this amazing asset in our toolbox, it's equally as important to understand where our ego might be holding us back or creating unanticipated pitfalls. In this discussion with Heart Leaders Amber and Austin, they share: ▸ How to utilize the free reso...

Have you ever taken a moment to ask yourself, "Am I directing and driving my ego, or is it the one directing and driving me?" Our guest this week, Greg Kimble, has explored this question many times in his epic journey through life. Tune in as Greg shares his story of: ▸ how his ego took him from financial lows to highs and how he triumphed by helping others ▸ what his perspecti...

There are very few of us in the world today who have not been impacted by the "new norm" left by the pandemic. So how do we create calm in the chaos of the aftermath ? This has been one of the focus points for Pastor Tracy Pryor as she brings congregations back together in two churches that she has guided through the reopening process after COVID. Listen in as Amber and Tracy discuss: ▸ how Tracy...

When your voice has been silenced, who will speak for you? This was a question that weighed on the heart of our guest this week. Ms. Rangina Hamidi had an opportunity to leave a challenging past behind and build a new life in a very comfortable setting, but something kept calling her back to those who were left behind. Those who had no voice and little choice about where their lives would go next....

Ego is such a tricky part of the human experience. It's the part of our mental makeup that helps each of us hold a sense of self-importance and self-esteem. But when this amazing tool falls even slightly out of alignment, a domino effect can begin. Join this discussion as Heart Leaders Amber and Austin navigate: ▸ How ego has been miscategorized and mislabled, creating some of the c...

If you know someone facing cancer treatments or illnesses that cause hair loss, we encourage you to tune in and to share this episode.     When Chelsea Kunde was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, she was at the start of her young adult life. Her heartwarming story of triumph is not only inspiring, it also resulted in an organization that now provides hope and support for others fac...

Are you one of the millions who face mobility challenges or physical health concerns? There is a growing need for each of us to become our own advocate in our health and wellness care journey, but many have no idea where to begin. That's where physical fitness and movement specialist Jim Gibson can assist. In this discussion, Jim talks with Amber about: ▸ Why physical wellness is about so much mor...

How can we find the courage to be vulnerable and share from a space of authenticity in a cancel culture society? This is a strong question on the hearts of many, and a topic Shaman Benjaman Sullivan and Heart Leader Amber Mikesell will dive into in this episode of The Heart Leader Podcast. Listen in as they: ▸ Discuss the impacts of a cancel culture on vulnerability ▸ Dive into the...

Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable can be a very scary endeavor. It opens us up to a state of emotional exposure that can make us feel uncertain about the outcome. To experience true vulnerability, we must be willing to accept the emotional risk and exposure that comes from being fully open and willing to be transparent, love fully and be loved fully in return. When we spend our lives in protecti...

Have you ever found it challenging to be your authentic self? You take time to know who you are and what you want in life, but the moment you start to go out into the world, you feel challenged and held back at every turn? Re-connecting with your authentic self is the first step in the journey of authenticity, but continuing to embody your authenticity when met with challenges is the next stage. T...

Connecting with your authentic self is an important part of setting a strong foundation for life, but understanding how to do this isn't always an easy journey. Having tools and techniques that can support you along the way is critical to longterm success and sustainability. This is why our Heart Leader guests this week, Jaeden & Jill Schafer, are dedicating their lives to bring forward free r...

Have you ever started a new year’s resolution only to discover several weeks in that somehow it's fallen away? Habits you're attempting to break slowly begin to return and before you know it, you're asking how you got back to where you started?    There are reasons many of us can fall into this pattern and rarely does it come down to a lack of motivation.     Join Austin a...