The Teaching Journeys Podcast

What if the life you were handed was never the life you had to keep? KAYR Robinson turns a childhood of poverty, instability, and repeated setbacks into a blueprint for unbreakable success. If you need proof that mindset, discipline, and the right people can change everything, this conversation delivers it. Dave Roberts talks with Kevin "KAYR" Robinson, a two-time USA Today bestselling author, rea...

Trauma may not need years of talk therapy to shift. Dr. Judith Swack shows how the body stores emotional pain, why it keeps repeating in your life, and how to interrupt it in minutes using simple techniques you can do yourself. Host Dave Roberts sits down with Dr. Judith A. Swack, the originator of Healing from the Body Level Up, for a conversation that blends science, somatic healing, and surpris...

Shame can look like freedom on the outside and still keep you locked up for years. Matilde Hernandez reveals how she turned incarceration, silence, and self-protection into a life of real freedom, and why the hardest prison to escape is often the one in your own mind. Host Dave Roberts sits down with Matilde Hernandez, certified coach, speaker, author of Beyond These Walls, and founder of Dare to...

The most painful part of Alzheimer’s is not always the diagnosis - it’s the slow, heartbreaking loss of the person you love before they’re gone. Sarah Vosburgh shares the story behind Who Will Name the Bees? and the moment a simple question about bees became the title of a memoir about memory, grief, and holding on. Sarah - a psychologist, mother, wife, and memoirist - opens up about her mother’s...

Discover the inspiring story of resilience and rebirth in our latest episode featuring Ron Klopfenstein, an adjunct professor at Utica University and host of Hot Seat Media Monday. After suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome for over a decade, Ron shares how he transformed his life from debilitating illness to impactful educator and community activist. Ron’s journey is not just about overcoming...

What if the behaviors that make you great at helping others are also the ones that keep you stuck, burned out, and disconnected from yourself? Trauma expert and award-winning professor Dr. Adam McCormick joins host Dave Roberts for a deeply practical conversation about adverse childhood experiences, emotional survival, and why so many helping professionals are drawn to this work long before they e...

Some paintings are beautiful. Mary Marquiss makes paintings that answer back. In this conversation, the Oregon artist and author of Behind the Painting reveals how grief, synchronicity, travel, and 30 years of watercolor work turned her art into a mirror for the most life-changing moments of her story. Mary and host Dave Roberts trace the deeply personal paintings in her memoir, including the popp...

Fear does not disappear by accident. It gets transformed when you finally face the root, reframe the story, and stop calling stuck "fine." Claudia Wyatt returns with the energy, honesty, and hard-won insight to help you break the loops that keep you repeating the same patterns. Dave Roberts and Claudia go deep on the hidden ways fear shows up - in change, in grief, in old childhood wounds, and in...

Grief is grief is grief - and if you support people, lead teams, or live with loss yourself, this conversation will change how you think about it. Suzanne Jabour returns to unpack the overlooked world of pet loss, why it hits so hard, and how intuition led her from grief education into a new mission that many people desperately need. After the death of her son Ben, Suzanne built a life around help...

What if your next chapter is not a restart, but a metamorphosis? Dr. Vasundhara Tolia - physician, former pediatric gastroenterologist, and self-taught visual artist - shares how she turned a distinguished medical career into a second act built on creativity, resilience, and purpose. Host Dave Roberts sits down with Dr. Vasu to trace the path from India to Michigan, from pioneering pediatric gastr...

Death does not have to be a family emergency. Niki Weiss, a digital thanatologist, shows why the smartest move you can make is to build your plan while life is good, everyone is of sound mind, and the paperwork is still manageable. If you think end-of-life planning is only about wills, this conversation will change the way you think about your phone, your passwords, your photos, your subscriptions...

What if your best performers are the ones most likely to quietly break your company? Jackie Roby reveals why "palatability culture" creates stalled leaders, hidden burnout, and the kind of polite silence that kills innovation, retention, and trust. Executive leadership advisor Jackie Roby and Teaching Journeys host Dave Roberts unpack the real cost of rewarding agreement over honesty, and why so m...

Grief can break you open - or become the force that rebuilds your life with more truth, purpose, and peace. Chris Mamone returns to share the raw, practical, and unexpectedly hopeful lessons that have emerged from his journey after the loss of his son Caden, and why he now sees grief not as something to “get over,” but as something that can transform you. Chris and host Dave Roberts go deep on the...

A charity can become a movement when it’s built on love, music, and one unforgettable mission. Mike Gomoll shares how Joey's Song turned personal loss into a one-of-a-kind live music event that raises epilepsy awareness while creating moments you cannot hear anywhere else. Mike’s story starts long before the stage lights. From his years in IBM management to the college music scene that shaped his...

In this episode, Wes Michael shares the story behind founding Rare Patient Voice, how it connects patients with researchers, and the future of patient-centered healthcare. Discover how patient voices are shaping medical research and treatment development. You will further discover: The origin story of Rare Patient Voice How patient panels are built and used in research The importance of listening...

Alec and Lydia’s story changed everything. Hope Hooten shares the heartbreaking truth behind filicide, the warning signs families and courts miss, and how she turned unimaginable loss into a nationwide fight to protect children. Hope and host Dave Roberts go far beyond grief. They break down what filicide actually is, why coercive control and domestic violence are often fatal warning signs, and ho...

In this episode, Sylvia Wolfler shares her journey of grief, her passion for travel and minimalism, and how different cultures influence her approach to healing and life after loss. This episode explores the intersection of neuroscience, mindfulness, and cultural practices in transforming grief into growth. Key Topics Sylvia's journey through grief and travel The influence of family and cultural h...

What if the things stealing your satisfaction are hiding in plain sight? In this episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Lynette Melnyk — next chapter strategist and creator of the Unedited Life — to explore why so many accomplished people feel like life looks right on paper but something feels off. Lynette shares her own journey through burnout, a trip to France...

What happens when a child survives vitamin A toxicity, 20+ surgeries, parental kidnapping, and a front-row seat to 9/11 — and still builds a captivating life? In this powerful episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with author and resilience advocate Eliza Young to unpack one of the most extraordinary life journeys you'll ever hear. Eliza shares how she became the fi...

What if an animal has been trying to send you a message — and you just haven't been paying attention? In this episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with licensed clinical social worker and intuitive spiritual guide Tammy Zumbo to explore the transformative journey behind her upcoming book, When the Lion Roars: Answering the Call (releasing August 18th). Tammy shares...

In this powerful episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Cristina P. Simmons — bestselling author, TEDx speaker, trauma-informed occupational therapist, and founder of Soul Story Collective — to explore the deep connection between emotional trauma and our relationship with food. Cristina opens up about losing three biological children, raising a son with autism,...

What if the energy trapped in a house could prevent it from selling — and a spiritual specialist could clear it? In this captivating episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Venus Castleberg — energetic clearing specialist, intuitive guide, ordained minister, and bestselling author — for a wide-ranging conversation that bridges the seen and unseen worlds. Venus sh...

In this powerful episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Serena Mastin — founder of the award-winning Pulse Marketing agency, author, speaker, and resilience advocate — for a raw, honest conversation about healing, loss, and rebuilding life with purpose. Serena shares her extraordinary journey: surviving a satanic cult in early childhood, living on the streets at...

What happens when the life you've built no longer fits who you are? In this episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Natasha Ramlall — embodied integration coach and guide for high-functioning women navigating major life transitions and identity shifts. Natasha shares her own journey of growing up without a single defining trauma, yet still carrying the weight of...

In this powerful episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts sits down with Kari Wells — Bravo TV personality, actress, entrepreneur, and author of From Attitude to Gratitude: 15 Practices for Transforming Pain into Power — for a deeply moving conversation about survival, loss, and the radical power of gratitude. Kari opens up about the night she was held at gunpoint during a viole...