The Story Seat

What happens when the world shaping our children is one that parents themselves are still learning to navigate? In this episode of The Story Seat, Rev. Dr. Robin Blair shares stories and lessons from more than 40 years of working with children, families, faith communities, and media. From phones and social media to gaming and streaming, we explore the deeper questions beneath screen time—how digit...

What if living longer isn’t the real goal — but living better is? In this episode of The Story Seat, Judy Gaman shares the experiences, lessons, and perspectives that have shaped her passion for helping people live longer, healthier, and more meaningful lives. From healthcare and wellness to motherhood, family, purpose, and the everyday choices that shape our future, this conversation explores wha...

What happens when a childhood fascination becomes a dream—and that dream survives failure, setbacks, and uncertainty? On this episode of The Story Seat, Irene Chan shares the remarkable story of her journey from growing up in East Los Angeles as the daughter of an immigrant family to becoming a Flight Planning Engineer supporting NASA's International Space Station and Artemis programs. Her story i...

Confidence, relationships, identity, and personal growth are deeply connected. Before we can build meaningful relationships with others, we often have to learn how to understand ourselves, grow in confidence, and become comfortable with who we are. In this episode of The Story Seat, Lopaze Lasane shares how his experiences in the U.S. Navy, traveling across different cultures, and years of studyin...

What if meaningful change begins not with winning an argument, but with being willing to listen? In this episode of The Story Seat, Teddy Bloom shares the story behind Ride4Rights—a cross-country bicycle journey born from his concern about political division and his belief that respectful dialogue, civic education, free speech, equal justice, and national unity still matter. From extreme weather a...

Some chapters of life are written through loss, unanswered questions, and moments we never would have chosen. But sometimes, those same chapters become the place where we discover faith, resilience, purpose, and a voice of our own. In this episode of The Story Seat, we sit down with Dara V. Rose—author, speaker, Bible study teacher, and founder of 12 Cups of Grace—to explore grief, faith, identity...

What if you stopped waiting until you felt old enough, ready enough, or experienced enough—and simply started? In this episode of The Story Seat, we sit down with Shanti Hershenson, a remarkable young author, poet, and anti-bullying advocate whose love for storytelling began with childhood drawings and scribbles and grew into a published writing career while she was still in sixth grade. Shanti sh...

We often celebrate the films that make it to the screen, but what about the ones that never do? In this episode of The Story Seat, we sit down with Alan Katz—writer, producer, podcaster, and storyteller—to explore the unexpected stories behind creativity, failure, rejection, and success. From his work in television and film to creating The How NOT To Make A Movie Podcast, Alan has spent decades di...

What does it really mean to become a man others can trust, respect, and follow? In this episode of The Story Seat, Mike Van Pelt shares his journey from achievement and leadership to a deeper understanding of purpose, character, faith, and intentional living. We explore healthy masculinity, vulnerability, family, leadership, and the experiences that shape the kind of legacy we leave behind. Mike’s...

In this episode of The Story Seat, Sylvia Worsham shares a deeply personal story of a life-changing medical complication, stepping away from a successful corporate career, and awakening to a deeper sense of purpose. She reflects on faith, turning points, doubt, and the courage it takes to listen when life begins calling you in a new direction. It’s a heartfelt conversation about transformation, sp...

In this episode of The Story Seat, Robert Raymond Riopel shares his powerful journey from $150,000 in debt to financial freedom by the age of 32. He opens up about the mindset shifts, lessons, and turning points that changed the direction of his life and inspired his book, Success Left A Clue. It’s an energizing conversation about recognizing the opportunities hidden in our experiences, overcoming...

In this episode of The Story Seat, Jim Marshall takes us on a fascinating journey through decades of exploring human potential, philosophy, psychology, science, and consciousness. As the creator of Septemics, Jim shares how his curiosity led him to develop new ways of understanding human behavior, personal growth, and the patterns that shape our lives. It’s a thought-provoking conversation about c...

In this episode of The Story Seat, Andrew Wilson shares his deeply personal journey through loss, burnout, disconnection, and the inner work that helped him find his way back to himself. He explores the unconscious patterns that shape our lives, the role of fear in keeping us stuck, and how neuroscience, personal growth, and spirituality can support lasting transformation. It’s a meaningful conver...

In this episode of The Story Seat, Tara Mae Temple shares her deeply personal journey from years of inner struggle to discovering healing, harmony, and a renewed sense of being truly alive. Through her story, she explores resilience, emotional wellbeing, faith, and the practical lessons that helped transform her life. It’s a heartfelt conversation about healing without perfection, finding peace af...

In this episode of The Story Seat, Marcia Heath takes us through a deeply personal story of burnout, reinvention, and finding a new definition of success. After decades of a successful corporate career, an unexpected experience in Aruba inspired her to step away from the path she had always known and finally pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Her story reminds us that sometimes feeling lost is...

What happens when the beliefs, identities, and stories that once defined us no longer feel true? In this episode of The Story Seat, Christian Hurst shares his journey from feeling like an outsider to finding new meaning through curiosity, creativity, and storytelling. From leaving a faith tradition to becoming an author, we explore identity, belonging, empathy, and how the stories we create can he...

What happens when the business you built for freedom starts consuming your time, energy, and identity? In this episode of The Story Seat, Louis Swart shares the lessons he’s learned from decades of entrepreneurship about burnout, delegation, leadership, AI, and building businesses that can grow without taking over your life. It’s a candid conversation about redefining success, letting go of contro...

For a child struggling with reading, the challenge can quickly become about more than academics—it can affect confidence, identity, and how they see themselves. In this episode of The Story Seat, Russell Van Brocklen, the Dyslexia Professor, shares practical insights into dyslexia, structured literacy, multisensory learning, and the simple steps parents and educators can take to help children move...

In a world where we can connect with almost anyone at any time, why do so many of us still feel lonely? In this episode of The Story Seat, Catherine Crestani explores the complicated space between emotional attachment and genuine intimacy, and how loneliness, digital relationships, vulnerability, and the need for validation can shape the way we connect. This is a thoughtful conversation about reco...

What happens when intimacy, desire, and emotional connection become difficult to talk about? In this episode of The Story Seat, Dr. Lori Davis opens up a deeper conversation about shame, mismatched desire, disconnection, and the stories we carry about intimacy. Together, we explore what it takes to move beyond pressure and judgment toward greater honesty, vulnerability, pleasure, and genuine conne...

What happens when you look successful on the outside but feel exhausted, disconnected, or stuck on the inside? In this episode of The Story Seat, Lauren Fay shares her deeply personal journey through addiction, identity, sobriety, and self-discovery, and explores what it means to stop negotiating with yourself and start living in alignment. This is a powerful conversation about self-trust, emotion...

What does it really take to build a relationship where love feels safe, honest, and deeply connected? In this episode of The Story Seat, Valerie Greene shares her personal journey of moving through emotional suppression, conflict avoidance, and unhealthy relationship patterns to discover a deeper understanding of intimacy and connection. We explore emotional healing, relationship patterns, conflic...

What happens when the very skills that made you successful begin to hold you back? In this episode of The Story Seat, Daniele Forni, also known as The Data Shaman, shares his journey from a successful career in global banking to discovering the limits of logic, analysis, and conventional ideas of performance. We explore the Logic Ceiling, influence, neurodiversity, and the shift from technical exc...

What if the future of leadership begins long before someone enters the workplace? In this episode of The Story Seat, Jill Delgado explores the connection between childhood, culture, behavior, and organizational transformation. From her years helping organizations navigate change to creating Bibba & Bubba, Jill shares why adaptability, empathy, resilience, and collaboration are skills worth develop...

What happens when financial uncertainty changes the way you see money, stability, and the future? In this episode of The Story Seat, Simon Popple shares the journey that led him from property and finance into gold investing and financial education. We explore inflation, wealth preservation, the psychology behind our trust in gold, and why becoming financially informed can be one of the most import...