End your year with an inspiring tale. Tabitha Bailey and mother Toni Jacobs share an unwavering belief in God’s plan.
Navigating healthcare intricacies, Tabatha’s family supported her through the greatest challenge of her life - pregnant with a brain tumor.
Their resilience, born in preparation for the inevitable bumps in life, deepened connection to faith and family.
Mentioned in the episode:
Bishop T.D. Jakes: “Get ready, get ready, get ready...” https://www.tdjakes.org/
Joyce Meyer Ministries: https://joycemeyer.org/
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Birth mothers are under-represented in the triangle of adoption: often misunderstood and vilified, while living with a lifetime of grief and shame. Seeing the need for support, entrepreneur and straight shooter, Yvonne Rivers created “Birth Mom’s Real Talk”. This Facebook group and podcast provide a voice to the women who placed their children for adoption, through choice, deception or coercion.
Mothers on Yvonne’s podcast may tell different stories, but every interview offers insight and breaks the bonds of secrecy in adoption experience. Listen to D. Yvonne Rivers’ podcast at https://birthmomsrealtalk.com/
Yvonne also offers international business development training through her company, Phoebe Marketing Group at www.phoebemarketing.com
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Honest and brave, Ashley Barbour battles superficiality and appearance-based biases. As an activist sharing her experience living with cleft lip and palate, she helps thousands on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok with @cleftlove.
Inspired by her beauty and compassion, Vicky and Barb sat down to discuss resilience and learning to love ourselves exactly as we are.
Want more? Listen to her brilliant podcast - Love Meets Joy with co host Iva Ballou. Sponsored by Smile Train, they offer love, laughter and deep insight into living with cleft. Podcast link: https://www.smiletrain.org/lovemeetsjoy
To stay in touch with Ashley Barbour find her on social media: @cleftlove
Read about her story on Love What Matters:
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
Other people’s stories move us, build compassion and change our perspective. Award winning filmmaker Phyllis Bancroft’s latest film is personal. “With Salt” is her vulnerable look at date rape. She joins Barb and Vicky to discuss the creative process, finding her voice, and challenging the status quo.
To watch Phyllis’s amazing film at a festival near you, visit www.withsaltthemovie.com
Give this amazing artist a follow. Her next film explores her experience as an adoptee.
Website:
https://www.phyllisbancroft.com/
Instagram:
@hollywoodflowonthego
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
“What is real and what’s a dream?”
Divine inspiration led musician Carol Heffler to compose music based on A Course in Miracles.
Her beautiful song, I Could See Peace opens this episode. Carol’s lifetime of creativity flowed like a river within, offering strength for her own struggles as well.
Music was something all her own, separate from a larger-than-life mother. In her teens, Carol’s passion for Dave Brubeck’s piano style remained secret - even from friends. After a classical music education, Carol finally found a jazz program in grad school at University of Massachusetts, Amhurst.
Working for Elliot Lawrence in New York, Carol scored music for Daytime TV Soaps Search for Tomorrow and The Edge of Night. In club performances she brought her love of Brazilian rhythms to jazz standards and her own compositions. Carol still enjoys performing, and especially nurturing a love of music in her grandson.
Carol’s CDs: Available on Spotify
I Could See Peace - Music of A Course in Miracles
Sea Dreams - from exactly
Willow Weep for Me - from pull of the moon
Hero - https://youtu.be/WcQcvZVAV_Y
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Yumi Iwama’s life may have seemed perfect, but beneath a successful acting career and beautiful family, she hid her struggle with deep anxiety.
The child of Japanese immigrants in a white suburban New Jersey town, Yumi always felt different. Navigating life as an Asian American carried a high emotional and physical cost. Restorative Hypnotherapist Lisa Hubler helped Yumi release the anxiety, and 12 years later, it has not returned.
This profound healing inspired her to study with Lisa and she now offers Restorative Hypnotherapy and meditation, finding the combination healing for her clients.
Inspired to offer services to people who have been mistreated, and may not feel safe enough to do this vulnerable work, Yumi plans to create a non-profit serving the BIPOC & AAPI communities on a larger scale.
To connect with Yumi, visit her website: mindspahypnotherapy.com
Also referenced in the podcast:
Lisa Hubler: https://www.amindmatters.com/
Dr. Herbert Benson - The Relaxation Response
Charles Yu - Interior Chinatown
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
How did Yumi get from constant anxiety to…peace?
This mini-episode introduces actress Yumi Iwama’s amazing journey of discovery and how she is now helping others.
Listen to Episode 23: Release Anxiety with Yumi Iwama and discover for yourself!
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
Like a butterfly, Molly McLaurin’s transformation revealed her true beauty. This busy wife, new mother and twin is passionate about bringing people together, sharing her story and helping others tell theirs. Her company, Monarch Connections blends connection and healing work, offering Christian dating, life coaching and joyous events.
A supportive advocate for adoptees, Molly shares her heart-felt personal story to help others, including starting Adoptee Talk, an adoptee meetup that expanded internationally during the pandemic.
Connect with Molly:
Website: www.monarch-connections.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monarchconnections/
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
Marine Conservation Institute’s Angela Nardo-Morgan is sustained by her deep connection to earth and sea. This inspiring mother offers lessons from her long career as an environmental educator, activist and scientist. When then eighty-three year old Jane Goodall told her, “I know that you feel discouraged, but I don’t want you to give up. There is still time left to save the planet,” Angela dug deep and kept going. She joins Barb and Vicky to discuss ways we can all stay engaged, inspired, and take action to save this planet for future generations.
Marine Conservation Institute:
https://marine-conservation.org
https://education.ucdavis.edu/ccs-salmon-classroom
Angela’s favorite resources:
https://www.count-us-in.org/en-gb/
https://www.charitynavigator.org
The history of Earth Day:
http://www.nelsonearthday.net/nelson/
http://www.rachelcarson.org/SilentSpring.aspx
Inspiration from their chat:
https://www.clarissapinkolaestes.com
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
In this tender mini-episode and first video podcast, relinquishing birth mother Barbara and her adoptee daughter Vicky ponder a deep question. What if Barb made a different choice and kept her baby?
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
Black Adoptee Support Group founder Artreese Basnight was called to help others. Adopted from foster care by parents of the same race, she provides a safe community for many adoptees to connect.
Raised an only child, Artreese is finding joy and healing through connection to siblings from multiple families. She joins Barb and Vicky to discuss life after closed adoption, becoming a sister and the healing found in her adoptee support group.
Find her on Instagram @immetreesetheadoptee and @blackadopteesupportgroup
Learn more about Treese and her work supporting Black Adoptees: https://linktr.ee/TreesetheAdoptee
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Gifted listener and dynamic speaker Mary Jo Lorei is a spiritual beast - throwing folksy wisdom like truth bombs. Mary Jo joins Barb and Vicky to discuss her journey from caretaker daughter of two alcoholics, one-time celebrity girlfriend and Beverly Hills stylist, to Self Mastery Mentor and now writer of the book, Practical Inspirations.
She believes her parent’s struggle and recovery demonstrated the power of humility and courage, inspiring her passion for connection.
To learn more, visit her website: https://www.maryjolorei.com/
Connect with Mary Jo on social media:
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
Diana Raab wrote Lust to “Bring more love into the world.” This episode begins with a reading from her book of erotic poetry. She joins Barb and Vicky to discuss her writing process, Valentine’s Day and the many ways love can be expressed.
Poet, author and mentor Diana Raab’s journey was born in pain after finding her beloved grandmother dead from an overdose of antidepressants.
Diana’s mother was consumed by her own grief, and presented young Diana with a diary. Finding comfort and healing through journaling, Diana shares that message with others: encouraging them to dig down to the essence of experience, in all its beauty and ugliness.
Find Diana’s books, courses, and newsletter on her website: https://dianaraab.com/
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Lisa Hubler dreamed of singing opera but life chose a different path. After the loss of her beloved father, Lisa’s search for peace led her to develop a unique model for deepest change and healing: Restorative Hypnotherapy. She is now teaching her method, encouraging students to develop their own blend of lyricism, language and deeply restful postures.
Learn more at her website
https://www.amindmatters.com/
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
Thriving in these times demands a lot of tools, eh? We could all use some help. Adventure Traveler Akemi Rico was a fearless child, encouraged by her father to dream big. A brilliant manifestor, she’s the perfect first guest for a new year. Akemi finds inspiration in unexpected places, and teaches others to remain open to new experiences.
Check out her website to learn more: www.akemirico.com
Visit Barb and Vicky's website for other offerings website
Filipino-American recording artist and physical therapist Charmaine Clamor sang before she spoke. Raised in open adoption, she blends ancestral spiritual healing with improvisation; turning physical therapy into an expression of art. She describes open-hearted grieving after the loss of her adoptive father, and the healing power of music.
To find out more about Charmaine Clamor:
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
What’s new with you? These are challenging times. Are you stronger now? Or struggling? In Season Two, your favorite (they hope) Mother and daughter team laugh and learn from amazing guests, exploring the healing power of music, honest connection and meditation that saw them through. Warning: There may be occasional bouts of raving lunacy. If you are struggling, you are not alone - subscribe and find connection with Barb and Vicky.
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website
Class clown Felise Seiler turned childhood bullies into friends and became an improv and stand-up comic at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, California. During a life-threatening illness, she found strength and connection in humor. Listen to her triumphant story and be inspired.
Contact us:
Email: freeyourselfthrough@gmail.com
Instagram: @freeyourselfthrough
Twitter: @Free_y_t
Barbara and Vicky answer listener questions, and talk about what’s next for Season Two.
Subscribe today and be among the first to hear Season Two…The healing power of music, connection and meditation. Barbara and Vicky dive into theory and offer simple tools for living with freedom and happiness.
Contact us:
Website - https://www.freeyourselfthrough.com
Email: freeyourselfthrough@gmail.com
Instagram: @freeyourselfthrough
We want to hear from you!
In the last episode of Season One we will answer your questions.
Contact us:
Email: freeyourselfthrough@gmail.com
Instagram: @freeyourselfthrough
Leave a voice message https://anchor.fm/victoria-graham1/message
Check out Barb and Vicky's other offerings - visit their website