The New Story Is with Dave Ursillo

70% of adults in the U.S. are estimated to have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives—that’s 223.4 million people. In this Best Of episode, we’re listening back to excerpts from past guests who bravely shared their stories of experiences with traumatic events in their lives—and, how different forms of therapy have supported their ongoing healing journeys. Michael Ba...

A disputed US presidential election? Narrowly avoided government shutdowns? Divisions over race relations stemming from the legacy of slavery in the United States? These issues were on the minds of Americans in 1880, just as they do in 2023. (Maybe the political division that defines the present age is not as unique as we think!) To discuss the similarities — and stark differences — between the Un...

Doing work that feels authentic to "who you are" as a person can be quite a gift and privilege; not all of us get to do work that feels in integrity to our values and beliefs. And yet, one of the unseen struggles of those whose work blends into their self-identity is, "If 'what you do' is 'who you are,' then happens your sense of self changes?" Shauna VanBogart is an entrepreneur, mentor, and spea...

"What do our jobs do to our souls?" That is the big question asked in the debut novel of Ben Purkert called The Men Can’t Be Saved . Following a junior copywriter in New York City whose latest tagline went viral, the novel is a witty, comedic exploration of what it means to be a man in a modern context, unpacking both overt and subtle expressions of toxic masculinity and examining themes like work...

How do we talk about race? How should we? And how do we hold healing, constructive dialogues about race when we come from different racial identities and experiences? Yseult Polfliet Mukantabana  and  Hannah Summerhill  are the hosts of the award-winning podcast,  Kinswomen , which was named Best Podcast of 2020 by Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Marie Claire. After meeting at an event...

What do we lose as a society when we only experience a person, a group of people, or an entire culture through their pain or losses—not their joys, successes, or humor? Alli Frank and Asha Youmans are multi-published authors, novelists, and former educators who use humor, joy, and compassion to write stories that encourage candid conversations about issues such as race, religion, culture, class, p...

"Woke backlash" refers to the appropriation of the term "woke" and how pockets of American society are pushing back against the progressive social justice moment. But why is today's so-called "woke backlash" happening? Behavioral science — and a look back at history — help us understand why. N. Chloé Nwangwu is a behavioral strategist, brand visibility expert, and former international conflict med...

Did you know that an estimated 61 million Americans live with a disability ? While the challenges of living with a disability can range from mobility to cognition, independent living, hearing, vision, and self-care, those who experience disabilities also have so much to offer to those without. This Disability Pride Month , we're revisiting our 2023 conversation with Brooke Ellison, Ph. D. , associ...

The White House is one of the most iconic structures known the world over—a symbol of democracy, and American power. But who built the White House? Who designed it? And why do so few of us know the true history of the White House? Stewart D. McLaurin is the President of the White House Historical Association , a private nonprofit, nonpartisan educational Association founded in 1961 to enhance the...

Resilience is all the rage in education, mental health, and self-help circles these days. But what is resilience, really? And, what isn't resilience? Dr. Kate Lund is a licensed clinical psychologist of nearly 20 years, a peak performance coach, a best-selling author, and a TEDx speaker . Dr. Kate's specialized training in pediatric medical psychology has spanned world-renowned Shriners Hospital f...

Privilege is an idea that many have been reckoning with in recent years. Doesn’t it make sense to introduce young people to the idea of privilege to help them understand the complex realities that exist in our shared world? Susan Justice is a children’s legal advocate, attorney, and co-founder of South Asians Against Childhood Abuse , a nonprofit organization based in British Columbia, Canada, tha...

Christine Macdonald lived a drug- and booze-fueled fast life as an exotic dancer in Waikiki, Hawaii in the 1980s and 90s. Before you think that you can't relate to her life, think again: Christine's story is one of survival, struggling with feeling "less-than," craving acceptance and fighting to fit in.  She says you have a lot to learn from a story like hers. Christine Macdonald is the autho...

In the United States, the month of June is Pride Month . To celebrate LGBTQ+ stories and experiences, we’re sharing excerpts from two past interviews with guests who identify as gay and whose personal stories have navigated self-acceptance and belonging in cultures that marginalized and excluded them—and, how their experiences shaped them as storytellers. Eduardo Placer is a story doula, coach, fo...

Play is essential for healthy human growth and development. But despite the benefits, many adults lose their sense of play. Why? Gary Ware is a Strategic Play Consultant, corporate facilitator, keynote speaker, certified coach, and author who helps individuals and teams integrate play into their daily business. He was featured as one of the Top 100 HR influencers of 2021 by the Engagedly HR softwa...

A car accident at age 11 left Brooke Ellison paralyzed from the neck down and ventilator-dependent. When, at 21, she graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in cognitive neuroscience—the first student with quadriplegia to do so—she received international praise and attention. Her first book, Miracles Happen (2002), was adapted into The Brooke Ellison Story, a movie directed...

Content warning: This episode discusses violent crime including homicide, the criminal justice system, natural disasters, racism, and police brutality against unarmed Black civilians. For 14 years, Jared Fishman served as a U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor, where he led some of America’s most complex and high-profile civil rights prosecutions involving police misconduct, hate crimes, and huma...

The World Economic Forum says that we are 151 years away from achieving gender equity at work. Our guest says that gender equity is achievable in this lifetime. Katica Roy is a gender economist and the founder and CEO of Pipeline Equity , an award-winning analytical platform designed to help organizations improve their equity and inclusivity efforts, beyond the talk, and with real action. As the d...

In the United States, the month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month . To celebrate AAPI heritage , we're resharing two past guests who identify as AAPI and who shared personal stories on navigating cultures and belonging—and how those influences have shaped them, their missions, and their work in the world. Dr. Han Ren is a licensed clinical psychologist and educato...

Content warning: This episode contains brief mentions of sexual, physical, and emotional violence involving children, childhood abuse, sexual abuse of a child, bullying, and substance use. For most of his life, Michael Baldwin was haunted by curious phobias, recurring nightmares, interpersonal relationship issues, and sudden anxieties so distressing that he would turn to substance use for relief....

Physical touch is crucial for healthy human development. Safe touch may be a key to living whole and well in our lifetimes. But what happens to those in our society who have been deprived of touch and conditioned against intimacy and connection? Aaron Johnson (he/him) is a facilitator, public speaker, and touch specialist who says touch can help dismantle systems of oppression and racism. As the c...

In a patriarchal, misogynistic society, the stigmas and stereotypes that are weaponized against women create an insidious pattern of internalized oppression: those who are marginalized are gaslighted into thinking that they, themselves, are to blame. What does that cost women? We're joined by Sasha Cagen , an author, coach, and teacher whose life work subverts some of the more restrictive, diminis...

In this solo-pod episode, host Dave Ursillo breaks down some of the big — and daunting! — ideas that emerged in our last interview with best-selling author and thought leader Margaret Wheatley.   Dave editorializes an overview of his understanding of a philosophical concept called The Three Stories of Our Time , which was created by ecologist, philosopher, and author Joanna Macy in her book A...

For decades, best-selling author Margaret Wheatley was known for leading change initiatives and developing organizations and strategies that she thought could change the world. Today, she's preparing leaders, change agents, and activists to deal with the fall-out of eventual civilization collapse. (Yes, collapse.) Whoa. So, what changed? And, if it's true, what can we do about it? In this deeply p...

Being able to "see yourself" represented in the media is an important part of developing some of our earliest self-conceptions. So what happens to our self-concept and self-esteem when we don't see ourselves represented in the media? Cher Hale is the founder and director of Ginkgo PR , a public relations firm that helps historically-excluded authors, entrepreneurs, and leaders take back narratives...

Social media has warped what it means to be in relationship to other people, their experiences, and their opinions. Algorithms force-feed us predictable content based on what they predict we will consume. How do we break the cycle—and rethink what division means in 2023? Can disagreements, governed by shared values, actually save us—and democracy, itself? Alissa Wilkinson is a  senior culture...