And Then Everything Changed

And Then Everything Changed is on hiatus for a bit while I work on two new limited series podcasts. I've enjoyed these last two years of creating this show and meeting so many guests who remind me that we can survive and learn and grow after contending with challenges we never thought we'd have to face. My two new podcasts are The Body Myth and Let's Talk Memoir which do have similar themes to And Then Everything Changed. I'll be interviewing guests and getting to the heart of their personal experience and their creative work. If you have struggled with feeling good in your body and wonder why after all these years you still can't find peace, you will like The Body Myth. And if you are a memoir lover, reader, or writer you will enjoy Let's talk memoir. If the trailers for these shows sound intriguing to you please head over to your podcast platform, search for The Body Myth and Let's Talk Memoir and hit subscribe. The first episodes drop in just a few weeks. Thank you for being an And Then Everything Changed listener. I hope you'll join me for Let's Talk Memoir and The Body Myth podcasts, too! Follow me on Instagram: @ronitplank Subscribe to Let’s Talk Memoir: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-memoir/id1612365112 Subscribe to The Body Myth: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-body-myth/id1613426285

Laura Formentini was in Ethiopia when her son Blaise died by suicide. An empath like her, he had difficulty connecting to the material world and day to day life often felt overwhelming for him. Though it took years and has been painful, she has come to accept and honor her son’s choice to no longer be here. Humanitarian work and sponsoring more than 40 kids in 18 years enabled her to survive her grief and transform it into a healing force in the world. She truly believes it is possible to turn dark into light even while experiencing loss. Laura joins the last episode of And Then Everything Changed to tell Blaise’s story and talk about her new book Twentyone Olive Trees: A Mother’s Walk Through the Grief of Suicide. About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect with Laura: Laura's Website: www.lauraformentini.com Laura's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlauraformentini Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlauraformentini/ Connect with Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/

When Shelly Snow Pordea reached out to church leaders about the sexual abuse she suffered as a child she found no support, no advocacy; instead the process of telling her story to church elders revictimized her. She would come to discover her experience was all too common. In the Independent fundamental baptist movement her family was part of, patriarchy was in full force and misogyny ran rampant. There was a dress code, gender roles were rigid, and women had to be submissive. Shelly was taught that as a girl she was inherently dangerous, the sexualization of women and children was their own fault, and that she was responsible for the way men treated her. Without any education but the curriculum the church offered and isolation from the outside world, it took her and her siblings years to break away from the community in which she was raised. She has now made it her mission to speak out about the church’s harmful practices. In this episode she shares her story and her advocacy work, her thoughts on the Josh Duggar case, and reflects on how being an artist helped save her. About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect with Shelly: Shelly's Website: www.shellysnowpordea.com Shelly's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shellysnowpordea/ The Hug Who Had No Arms: https://www.amazon.com/Hug-Who-Had-No-Arms/dp/1735012017 Tracing Time: The Past Outlines A Legacy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1943526532 Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/

Keema and Tekla Waterfield were raised by a young single mother in Southeast Alaska after their father left the family. With very little money but a passion for music and art, their mother moved them frequently in pursuit of her education, gigs, and new relationships. “Music festival brats” from a young age, Keema and Tekla reveled in summer trips to watch their mother perform with her friends and also sing beside her; those gatherings would become the most stable facet of their childhoods. As the sisters grew, art and their at-times traumatic childhood led each of the sisters on different paths. Keema wrote Inside Passage, a new memoir about her nomadic Alaskan childhood, the toll her upbringing took on her, and the effect it had on her relationship with her mother. Tekla became a singer-songwriter whose most recent release, "New Skies" landed in the NACC Top 30 Folk Album Charts in October of 2021. On this episode of And Then Everything Changed they share their perspective on their childhood, how each of them grappled with their father leaving, and why art has always been central in their lives. About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect with Keema: Keema's Website: https://keemawaterfield.com Link to Keema’s memoir Inside Passage: Ronit’s review of Inside Passage: https://therumpus.net/2021/08/inside-passage-by-keema-waterfield/ Connect with Tekla: Tekla's Website: www.teklawaterfield.com Tekla's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teklawaterfieldmusic/ Connect with Ronit: Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/

Limi Marie Bauer was born into the cult where her parents met via an arranged marriage. They raised Limi in the Unification Church, known as the Moonies in popular culture, and Limi knew from a young age she would grow up and have an arranged marriage herself. As she got closer and closer to her wedding day she began to rebel and step away from church, but at 19 she married a man she’d met only three days before her wedding. It wasn’t until she heard her children talking about being in the cult that she realized she could no longer stay. In this episode Limi shares her experience of the Unification Church’s power dynamics, dogma, and how because of its many front organizations it is able to hide in plain sight. Today she’s working on a memoir about growing up in and leaving the Moonies and active in the #IGotOut movement for cult survivors. About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect with Limi: "The Champion" a short story for #igotout (high-demand group survivor stories) https://youtu.be/m1TP-ZMhfMg Website: www.limimariebauer.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/limibauer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writingwithlimi/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@writingwithlimi? Cult resources: https://janjalalich.com Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/

Laura Davis, celebrated author and advocate, joins And Then Everything Changed for episode 100! When Laura’s groundbreaking first book, The Courage to Heal was released decades ago it was the first of its kind to document hundreds of women’s stories of sexual abuse. In it, Laura shared her own story of being sexually abused by her grandfather, showed women it was possible to heal from this trauma, and called out the patriarchy. As she helped hundreds of thousands of women and her star rose, a rupture began in her own family. Her mother refused to believe Laura about the abuse she’d suffered, and when Laura came out as lesbian her family rejected her. Laura relocated across the country and found a supportive community, a loving relationship, became a mother, and wrote and published many more books. Then, toward the end of her mother’s life, she told Laura she was moving to live near her and Laura faced the prospect of caring for and being in relationship again with her mother who had hurt her so many years before. In this episode Laura shares what it was like to write her new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars: A Mother-Daughter Story about how she reconciled with the mother who betrayed her and came to care for her in her final days. Also in this episode: Laura’s tips for writing about traumatic experiences, where the boundaries are when writing about family experiences, and what all memoir writing needs. Connect with Laura: You can buy The Burning Light of Two Stars wherever books and audiobooks are sold. You can also read the opening chapters of The Burning Light of Two Stars at: www.lauradavis.net/chapters If you’re an aspiring writer or want to use writing as a tool for healing or self-discovery, you can learn about Laura’s online writing workshops and in-person domestic and international retreats here: www.lauradavis.net Direct links to buy The Burning Light of Two Stars: Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/the-burning-light-of-two-stars-a-mother-daughter-story-9781954854161/9781954854161 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Light-Two-Stars-Mother-Daughter/dp/1954854218/ Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-burning-light-of-two-stars-laura-davis/1139198069 Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781954854161 Get Your Signed Copies Through Bookshop Santa Cruz: https://www.bookshopsantacruz.com/burning-light-two-stars-get-it-signed) Want a Discount When You Buy in Bulk for Your Book Club or Organization? For bulk sales: https://www.porchlightbooks.com/product/burning-light-of-two-stars-a-mother-daughter-story--laura-davis?variationCode=9781954854161#full-description Other info can be found in her press kit: https://bit.ly/3illC9Y Connect With Ronit: About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

This week is the 100th episode celebration for And Then Everything Changed! I started the podcast on Halloween of 2019 with my first guest, Paul who took a chance on a new show and a new host, and we created one of my favorite episodes to date. Since then, I've gotten to interview people in recovery, survivors, social justice leaders, and so many talented authors. On my website ATECpodcast.com you can go check out and listen to my previous episodes, each categorized by topic, so you can listen to what moves you first! Thank you for tuning in and for being a part of the ATEC community! Below are links to the 15 most listened-to episodes: 1. A Living Person Among the Dead featuring Paul Boardman 36. From Downward Spiral to the Other Side featuring Ashlee Brown 3. Everybody Knew featuring Christine McLean The COVID-19 Experience- Surviving Coronavirus, Bonus Episode 3 59. Living Through the Loss of a Spouse featuring Mark Schutter 61. A Family Survival Story: Prosthesis, Recovery, and Resilience featuring Rosalie93. My Salinger Year and a Second Chance at Love featuring Joanna Rakoff 58. Mother to a Child Born with Differences: From Pain to Advocacy featuring Jaclyn Greenberg60. The Power of Advocacy After Childhood Trauma featuring Johnny Crowder 23. The Duality of the Gift of Coming to America Baktash Ahadi27. Unschooling OUrselves Akilah Richards 45. The Toll of Mental Illness and Finding A Path Forward featuring Debbie Lechtman 40. Hollywood Park Mikel Jollett97. Becoming the Person You’re Meant to Be After Childhood Violence, Drugs, and Neglect ft. Treveal Lynch90. A life of Meaning After Profound Loss Jacqueline Genovese About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

When Jen Kiaba was growing up in the Unification Church, known as the Moonies in popular culture, a main mantra was “absolute faith, absolute love, absolute obedience” which did not leave most people much room to question authority. Violence was not condoned but children were often hit, and as she came of age and noticed other contradictions, she didn’t have a safe space to process her feelings or make decisions that were right for her. Finally, when she faced an arranged marriage like that of her parents, she knew she had to leave. And when she did, she lost everything: her community, her family, and the only structure she had ever known. Slowly, slowly, she rebuilt her life and today she is an artist and activist who educates others about cults, coercive control, and high control groups. Jen believes cult education is vital because people from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences are vulnerable and she sees similarities between cults and American workplaces, such as amazon, everywhere. In this episode she shares her story, helps identify cult tactics, and offers an inside look at how these groups take root. Connect with Jen: https://jenkiaba.com https://instagram.com/jenkiaba https://facebook.com/jenkiaba https://twitter.com/jenkiaba Cult expert Janja Lalich and resources: https://janjalalich.com Buy Cults in Our Midst by Janja Lalich: https://www.amazon.com/Cults-Our-Midst-Continuing-Against/dp/0787967416 About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ For books and information on cults visit Dr. Janja Lalich's site: http://cultresearch.org Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

Suzanne Najarian had been married for two decades when she realized the sexual desire between her and her husband had all but disappeared. From the outside their relationship they had no deeper sexual connection. She began to study the nature of desire and had what she describes as a cataclysmic awakening which altered her relationship, her sense of self, and how she wanted to live. Soon, she ended her marriage and dove deep into a spiritual, sacred, and sexual practice that transformed her. Today Suzanne is a sex, love, and relationship coach who helps women and men tap into the sacred, spiritual, and sexual life force within them and integrate that energy into all areas of their life. Connect with Suzanne: Website: www.suzannenajariangoodson.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzanne.najarian.goodson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wholeselfessence/ About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

When he was growing up, Treveal Lynch’s father was out of the picture, his mom was addicted to drugs and he faced emotional trauma almost on a daily basis. As a teenager he began using drugs and alcohol too, unable to escape from the patterns he grew up around. It wasn’t until he was arrested and found himself standing trial that he realized the way he was living no longer felt right. In this episode, Treveal shares the story of his childhood and how he came to the decision that he needed to change his life for the better. He is now a faith-based community leader, author of the new book "What Is Enough”, & founder of a self-development company built on his philosophy that we and our possibilities are one and the same; everything we hope to be tomorrow we already are today. Using his own story as guide, he helps individuals revive hope for their lives and reclaim their purpose. Connect with Treveal: Treveal's Website www.iamthepossible.com Treveal's Facebook https://www.facebook.com/treveal.lynch Treveal's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamthepossible/ Free Self-Worth/Self-Discovery Workbook https://www.myworthworkbook.com/free-download What Is Enough: “How to lighten your load and find what makes you happy” https://bit.ly/mywhatisenoughbook About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

When Allison Hong Merrill was growing up in the slums of Taiwan her family was riddled with cycles of alcoholism and domestic violence. She couldn’t imagine a different life until she met Mormon missionaries, began attending church, and witnessed, for the first time, families who cared for one another. She became more and more active in the church and eventually fell in love, moving to the US to be with her American husband. But soon after, he abandoned Allison, took her money, and left her alone in her new country with no resources. In this episode, Allison, whose new memoir Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops is out this month, shares how she found strength, created a new life for herself, and what her past has helped her understand. Connect With Allison: Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ninety-Nine-Fire-Hoops-Allison-Merrill/dp/1647421896 Allison's Website: www.allisonhongmerrill.com, Allison's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allison.hong.merrill Allison's Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/xieshou Allison's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonhongmerrill About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

Sonia Frontera, a collaborative divorce lawyer and author of divorce and relationship-related books, survived a 7-year toxic marriage. She married at 24 and on the flight to her honeymoon right after the wedding, her husband became a whole new person. He went from a loving man to a violent controlling one. For years she suffered behind closed doors because of fear of judgement from her family and the Church but when she finally had enough, they divorced. She has now been happily married for 21 years and helps other women navigate divorce and regaining independence from their toxic relationships. She is a domestic violence advocate and shares that domestic violence is not just physical violence. Her books include workbooks to follow along with, so the reader can find the answer themselves. Domestic Violence Hotline: 1.800.799.SAFE Connect with Sonia: Website: www.soniafrontera.com Sonia’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sistersguides/ Sonia’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/FronteraSonia Author of Solve the Divorce Dilemma: Do You Keep Your Husband or Do You Post Him on Craigslist? and Relationship Solutions: Effective Strategies to Heal Your Heart and Create the Happiness You Deserve About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

A few months after Myriam Steinberg turned forty, she decided she couldn’t wait any longer to become a mother. She made the difficult decision to begin the process of conceiving a child without a partner. With her family and friends to support her, she picked a sperm donor and was on her way. But Myriam’s journey was far from straightforward. She experienced the soaring highs and devastating lows of becoming pregnant and then losing her babies. She grappled with the best decision to make when choosing donors or opting for a medical procedure. She experienced first-hand the silences, loneliness, and taboos that come with experiences of fetal loss. Unafraid to publicize her experiences, though, she found that, in return, friends and strangers alike started sharing their own fertility stories with her. Although the lack of understanding and language around fetal loss and grief often made it very hard to navigate everyday life, she nonetheless found solace in the community around her who rallied to support her through her journey. In this episode Myriam shares her story, how her graphic memoir came to be and what her life is like now years after her fertility journey began. Connect with Myriam: www.cataloguebabynovel.com Myriam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catalogue_baby/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cataloguebaby TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myriam_writes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myriam.steinberg About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

Calling all romantics, writers, and memoir lovers--this episode is for you! When Joanna Rakoff, best selling author of A Fortunate Age and My Salinger Year (now also a movie starring Sigourney Weaver and Margaret Qualley), took a job at a storied New York literary agency back in her twenties she had no idea her experience there answering letters addressed to J.D. Salinger about Catcher in the Rye and assisting the author himself would shape her life for decades to come. In this episode we dive deep into the book that would change everything for her career and Joanna tells the story of marrying the wrong man, reuniting with the right man, and how they found a life together long after she thought they had missed their chance. Connect with Joanna: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannarakoff/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/joannarakoff Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joanna.rakoff Website: http://www.joannarakoff.com/ Watch My Salinger Year here: https://www.amazon.com/My-Salinger-Year-Margaret-Qualley/dp/B08XST93XK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=My+Salinger+Year&qid=1629149640&s=instant-video&sr=1-1 About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! https://andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlankCreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSZFpcksgdHopmBLUXfLA

When Scott Medlin returned from his second deployment to Iraq he didn’t realize he was suffering from PTSD, but knew something was wrong. He experienced confusion and anger and struggled with alcohol and didn’t know how to get back to who he was before entering the marine corp. Though he never regretted his decision to serve his country he often felt he was on an emotional rollercoaster. As he began to work on himself he came to understand that humans are not machines and the brain is not built for the kind of stress that combat brings. His need to protect and give back led him to the police force where he has served since then but in January 2020 he learned the scope of mental health issues and the suicide rate among cops. In this episode Scott shares what he’s learned about trauma and its effect on law enforcement, and how in writing his new book and lecturing he has become an advocate for mandatory mental health support for officers. Connect with Scott: Scott's Book: 101 Health Tips For Police Officers: How To Be Physically, Mentally, Spiritually, and Socially Fit For Duty https://bit.ly/101HealthTipsForPoliceOfficers Scott's Youtube: https://bit.ly/LawEnforcementMotivation Scott's Book: Mental Health Fight Of The Heroes In Blue: How To Mentally Survive Working as a Police Officer https://bit.ly/MentalHealthHeroesBook Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! Instagram Facebook Youtube

When Danielle Simone Brand began researching cannabis years ago she had no idea she would become a full-fledged canna-mom and even write a book about how helpful weed can be to mental and physical health and to a sense of well-being so many mothers miss while raising their families. Her book Weed Mom, The Canna-Curious Woman's Guide to Healthier Relaxation, Happier Parenting, and Chilling TF Out, is made for busy moms and debunks the “lazy stoner” stereotype and details the health benefits of weed and how it can help with pain, sleep, anxiety and improve sex. The book also covers the types of cannabis products available, the status of legalization in the U.S. and the history of incarceration for marijuana possession and its impact on brown and Black communities. In this episode, Danielle joins me to share her story of quitting alcohol, diving into the world of cannabis, and becoming a full fledged weed mom. Connect with Danielle: Instagram @daniellesimonebrand Facebook @WeedMomAuthor About Ronit‘s book When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/book/ Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! Instagram Facebook Youtube

A quick message to say hi and thank you for tuning in to And Then Everything Changed which is nearing its second birthday and 100 episodes! It's been a privilege to interview guests of all ages, backgrounds, nationalities, and experiences and learn how they became the compassionate and resilient people they are today. With my book When She Comes Back just published and my short story collection Home is A Made-Up Place due out this spring, plus some exciting projects in the works, the podcast will go to an every-two-week format. I have many episodes in the works including 2-part interviews with beloved authors, anniversary swag, and book giveaways coming soon! -You can find more out about my latest articles, my memoir and even listen to a sample of the audiobook here: https://ronitplank.com/book/ -And you can subscribe to my monthly newsletter here: https://ronitplank.com/blog/ -And you can follow me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ Thank you so much for tuning in to And Then Everything Changed!

When she least expected it writer and teacher Jacqueline Genovese became a mother after her older sister made her guardian of her two children before she lost the battle with cancer. Jacqueline built a life for her new son and daughter and soon, a third child, while managing her career and nurturing her marriage. Over the next few years she would lose another sister and then her mother to cancer and her marriage would end. As her children grew she became fascinated with the toll a life of service can take, especially for those in medicine and the military. Today she is Executive Director of the Medicine & the Muse Program at Stanford and teaches War Literature & Writing class for military affiliated students where she focuses on the intersection of literature and medicine and the power of writing to lift and support military veterans and help them process what they have been through. In this episode Jacqueline shares the story of adopting her sister’s young children, holding space for the trauma doctors and veterans experience, and what she’s learned about loving through loss. Connect with Jacqueline: LinkedIn Stanford Profile Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! Instagram Facebook Youtube

In 2018 Artisha Bolding was working 50- to 60-hour weeks and becoming more and more unhappy. She was unsettled and frustrated in her marriage and thinking of leaving her husband and knew she wanted a different career path. As she worked more and more, her health began to suffer but though she became very sick she continued to put in long hours. Soon she was hospitalized with heart and lung complications and nearly lost her life. Through her hospitalization and long recovery her husband did not leave her side and she realized she wanted to save their marriage. Today they are still together and happier than ever, she’s left the job she hated behind, and now she helps other women find their passion and live more peacefully. In this episode we talk relationships, health, and what to do when change comes calling. Connect with Artisha: ArtishaBolding.com Instagram Facebook Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! Instagram Facebook Youtube

Gender equality advocate and author of the book I Took Her Name, Shu Matsuo Post grew up in a very patriarchal society. Through Japanese media and at school he grew to understand what was expected of him as a man. He didn’t learn about feminism and gender equality until he met his wife who helped him grasp what being a feminist meant. She didn’t want to take his last name so when they got married they combined their last names, but in Japan where they now live that isn’t recognized so, he decided to take her name. As his worldview became more and more feminist he noticed all the ways sexism affects life in Japan, from the language to the absence of paternity leave. In this episode Shu shares the story of becoming a full-fledged feminist, his views on toxic masculinity, and what changes he’s pushing for in Japan. Connect with Shu Matsuo Post: Amazon page:https://geni.us/ITookHerName Website: shumatsuopost.com/en Book website: itookhername.com Instagram @shumatsuopost Facebook @ITookHerName YouTube @ITookHerName Connect With Ronit: For more about this episode click here! Instagram Facebook