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Stories and Stanza: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Abhra Pal
Welcome to ”Stories and Stanza”, the podcast that delves into the past, explores the world of prose and poetry, and brings you real-life stories, creativity, motivation, and poetry. Join us as we take you on a journey through the human experience, sharing inspiring stories and conversations that will uplift your spirit and leave you feeling motivated and inspired. Whether you’re a lover of literature, a writer, or simply someone who enjoys a good story, ”Stories and Stanza” is the podcast for you. So, sit back, relax, and let us take you on a journey of discovery, reflection, and inspiration.
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- 1 weeks ago56 min
Eradicating Loneliness Through Connection, Compassion, and Boundaries
Relationship coach, YouTube creator, and author Stacy Rocklein joins Stories and Stanza to discuss her mission to eradicate loneliness by helping people feel seen, known, and understood in their relationships. A former math teacher turned coach and author, Stacy shares how finding her purpose led her to this deeply personal work.She reframes failure as a pathway to intimacy when it's felt and shared rather than avoided, and emphasizes emotional "fluency" — sitting with feelings, not just naming them. The conversation explores how unmet needs, childhood wounds, and defense mechanisms shape relationship patterns, why personal wholeness must come before seeking a partner to "fill holes," and how endings can offer painful but valuable growth.Stacy and the host discuss navigating busy lives through small daily moments of connection, the importance of emotional presence during mental health struggles, and how boundaries create safety for vulnerability, trust, and deeper intimacy. She also reads from her book "Forgive Without an Apology: How to Heal, Set Boundaries, and Create Deeper Connections," offering a powerful formula for making peace with your past and moving forward — even without closure from the other person.Whether you're healing from a difficult relationship, trying to deepen the one you're in, or learning to determine who in your life is truly capable of the emotional intimacy you desire, this conversation will meet you where you are.Connect with Stacy Rocklein: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StacyRocklein Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/jdiPiRk Substack: https://substack.com/@stacyrocklein Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SRocklein Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacyrocklein/If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to Stories and Stanza for more meaningful discussions on creativity, resilience, and the human experience. Follow us on YouTube or any podcast platform.Wish to read about the episodes in advance or need a recap? Find us on 👉 SubStack.📌 Follow us: YouTube | Facebook | X | Instagram☕ Buy me a coffee🛠️ Tools we love: vidIQ · Descript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago43 min
Solving Dyslexia: The Method That Jumps Kids 8 Grade Levels in Months
#dyslexia #neurodiversity #learningdisabilityRussell Van Brocklen, the Dyslexia Professor, reveals the writing-based method that helped students jump 8 grade levels in months — at less than 1% of the cost of private dyslexia schools. If your child struggles with reading and writing, this episode could change everything.Russell was flunked by SUNY Buffalo despite earning a recommended A-minus through the NY State Assembly Internship Program — all because of his dyslexia accommodations. Instead of giving up, he set out to solve dyslexia himself. He audited law school, learned to read in a month, and spent 25 years developing a method rooted in how the dyslexic brain actually works.In this conversation, Russell breaks down the brain science behind dyslexia, demonstrates his word analysis and articulation technique live, and shares real results — including a 10-year-old who jumped 8 grade levels in 6 months and a homeschooling mom who solved her son's dyslexia in under 9 months. He also covers why motivation and specialization matter for dyslexia, ADD, and ADHD, and how the craft of research connects directly to mastering AI tools in the workplace.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on creativity, resilience, and human stories.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Flunked Internship Sparks Mission 03:37 Law School Breakthrough and Research Program 06:11 Dyslexia Science and Fast Fix Method 19:44 Course Pricing & Access 24:15 Dyslexia Testing Myths 33:24 Advanced Writing Framework🇦🇺 AUSTRALIAN LISTENERS If you are based in Australia and wish to get Russell's course priced in Australian dollars instead of USD, get in touch with us at Storiesandstanza@gmail.com and we will generate a discount code for you.📩 Connect with Russell — grab his free ebook and join his newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/dcacd9a6f9ae/3-reasons-ebookStories and Stanza is a podcast exploring creativity, resilience, and the transformative power of human stories. Through our two series — Between the Lines (creators and craft) and Fail With Me (wellness and life's challenges) — we bring you authentic conversations with inspiring voices from around the world.#ADHD #readingintervention #dyslexiaawareness #specialeducation #parentingtips #homeschooling #writingskills #storiesandstanzaWish to read about the episodes in advance or need a recap? Find us on 👉 SubStack.📌 Follow us: YouTube | Facebook | X | Instagram☕ Buy me a coffee🛠️ Tools we love: vidIQ · Descript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago1h 0m
Why Your Political Views Aren't Fully Your Own: Personality, Conditioning & Filter Bubbles
What if your political identity has less to do with facts and more to do with personality and conditioning? In this episode of Stories and Stanza's Fail With Me series, host Abhra sits down with psychologist Jennifer Cox to unpack the psychology behind political identity — without labeling any side as right or wrong.Using the Big Five (OCEAN) personality framework, they explore research linking higher openness to left-leaning tendencies and higher conscientiousness to right-leaning tendencies, along with how extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism shape political engagement, emotional reactivity, and our vulnerability to filter bubbles.Abhra also shares a personal story of perfectionism, anger, illness, and loss that became a turning point toward curiosity, mindfulness, and creative freedom — connecting emotional intelligence and openness in a very human way. The conversation moves into belonging, unpacking the real origins (and modern misuse) of "Maslow's hierarchy of needs," and how political movements weaponize in-group/out-group fear. The episode closes with a preview of future topics: immigration, intergenerational trauma, and gender fluidity.If you're interested in political psychology, emotional intelligence, personality theory, or how conditioning shapes belief systems, this episode is for you.Jennifer earned her minor in creative writing from Alfred University in 2016. As a pansexual genderflux individual and a trauma-informed mental health counsellor, they’re passionate about representation in fiction. Each story she tells is an opportunity to explore the beauty in nonconformity, healing, and diversity. After a lifetime of putting imagination to paper, Jennifer’s debut novel, Getting to Know You, came into being as a promise kept to a friend. Jennifer lives in the Finger Lakes with her family, enjoying tabletop roleplaying games, sewing, and cuddling their cat.Find her books here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4BKKR3Nhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXVRTG15Timestamps 00:00 Failure Sparks Change 01:15 Podcast Intro 01:39 Meet Jennifer Cox 04:11 Episode Focus: Political Identity 06:51 EQ Measurement Challenges 11:29 Big Five (OCEAN) Overview 14:11 Host's Turning Point Story 20:37 From Rigidity to Politics 22:42 Openness and Left-Leaning Tendencies 24:12 Conscientiousness and Right-Leaning Tendencies 26:07 Extraversion, Agreeableness & Neuroticism 31:44 Filter Bubbles and Disengagement 34:16 Conditioning Limits Curiosity 38:58 Belonging and Maslow Reframed 45:52 Politics Weaponizes Belonging 49:58 Immigration and Generational Views 53:20 Intergenerational Trauma and Identity 58:05 Wrap-Up and Where to FollowListen and Subscribe YouTube: https://yt.openinapp.co/ii389 Spotify: https://spotify.openinapp.co/storiesandstanza Apple Podcasts: https://apple.openinapp.link/u3ui2 Substack (full write-up): storiesandstanza.substack.com#PoliticalPsychology #EmotionalIntelligence #BigFive #PersonalityTraits #FilterBubbles #MentalHealthPodcast #FailWithMe #StoriesAndStanzaWish to read about the episodes in advance or need a recap? Find us on 👉 SubStack.📌 Follow us: YouTube | Facebook | X | Instagram☕ Buy me a coffee🛠️ Tools we love: vidIQ · Descript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 23, 20261h 15m
Why Love Languages Aren't Enough — Missing Skill That Actually Saves Relationships | Laziena Hodge
We know our love languages. We've read about attachment styles. We've even set boundaries. So why do we still struggle to stay connected when conflict hits?In this episode of Stories and Stanza, Laziena Hodge — relational intelligence speaker and creator of the Relationship Repair Language framework — joins Abhra to unpack what actually happens inside us during conflict, and why knowing your patterns isn't the same as knowing how to repair.Laziena shares her deeply personal journey — from generational trauma and family separation to rebuilding her relationship with her children through curiosity, emotional honesty, and a willingness to get it wrong. What emerged from that lived experience is a practical framework that gives people a language for their emotional needs in the moments that matter most. Together, they explore why most relationship struggles aren't about a lack of love, but a lack of skill. Why emotional presence matters more than having the right answer. Why we carry unresolved wounds into every new relationship. And why sitting at the table with curiosity — instead of blame — can change everything. This conversation is for anyone who has ever wondered why they keep repeating the same patterns, why their reactions feel bigger than the moment, or why repair feels so hard even when the love is still there.🔗 CONNECT WITH LAZIENA Website: https://laziena.com📖 WHAT WE EXPLORE00:00 Trauma and Emotional Impact02:30 Origins of Repair Language14:19 Presence Without Burnout43:22 Breaking Relationship Cycles44:52 Healing Tools and Inner Child50:41 Reading from the book: "The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough"📌 If this conversation resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need to hear it.#RelationshipRepair #EmotionalIntelligence #RelationalIntelligence #AttachmentStyles #InnerChildHealing #ConflictResolution #HealthyRelationships #MentalHealthPodcast #StoriesAndStanza #FailWithMe #LazienaHodge #EmotionalNeeds #HealingRelationships #SelfAwareness #GenerationalTrauma #RelationshipAdvice Wish to read about the episodes in advance or need a recap? Find us on 👉 SubStack.📌 Follow us: YouTube | Facebook | X | Instagram☕ Buy me a coffee🛠️ Tools we love: vidIQ · Descript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 21, 20261h 7m
Why Men Suffer in Silence
What happens when men are told to toughen up, push through, and never ask for help? In this episode of Stories and Stanza — recorded in solidarity with Men's Mental Health Awareness Month — I sit down with Joelle Camille, somatic therapist, body-brain rewiring practitioner, men's coach, speaker, and facilitator, for one of the most honest conversations I've had on this podcast.This isn't a one-sided interview. Joelle turns the mic on me — asking about my own journey with anger, grief, ego, and the somatic workshop that changed my life. I share the story of losing my father without reconciliation, the belief I grew up with that my anger was permanent, and the moment I realised I'd been carrying weight I didn't even know was there.Together we explore why men tie their self-worth to work, why defence mechanisms built in childhood follow us into adulthood, how the body stores what the mind won't process, and why the journey toward emotional intelligence begins with one step.If you're a man who feels like you're carrying too much, or you love someone who is — this conversation is for you.This is Part 1. Part 2 coming soon.🕐 Chapters 00:00 I Win or I Learn 08:02 Silent Struggles and Support 18:57 Somatic Healing and Nervous System 33:14 Childhood Defence Mechanisms 41:30 Ego, Perfectionism and Embodiment 56:36 Generational Patterns and Parenting🎙️ About the Guest Joelle Camille is a somatic therapist, body-brain rewiring practitioner, men's coach, speaker, and facilitator. Her mission is to support men to clear the mental clutter and become everything they want to be.Joelle Website: https://presenceisyourpower.subscribepage.io/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joelle.vadas Email: deeperconnectionsnow@gmail.comWish to read about the episodes in advance or need a recap? Find us on 👉 SubStack.📌 Follow us: YouTube | Facebook | X | Instagram☕ Buy me a coffee🛠️ Tools we love: vidIQ · Descript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 15, 20261h 11m
You Are Not Your Thoughts: Mindfulness, Leadership & Radical Acceptance | Dalida Turkovic | Fail With Me
What is mindfulness, really? And what happens when we confuse achieving with living?In this episode of Fail With Me — Stories and Stanza's series on mental health, resilience, and the messy, beautiful work of becoming — host Abhra Pal sits down with Dalida Turkovic, an ICF-certified leadership coach and certified Mindful Self-Compassion teacher with 30+ years of experience guiding executives and communities across Asia, Europe, and beyond.Dalida Turkovic's story is anything but theoretical. She fled the Yugoslav War in her early 20s, landed in China with almost nothing, spent 30 years building a career and a practice from scratch — and learned, through depression, burnout, and the quiet discipline of embodied awareness, how mindfulness becomes the skill that carries us through life's relentless changes.In this conversation, we explore:→ Why mindfulness is not about silencing your mind — and what it actually means to "let thoughts flow" → The "frog in the well" — why self-awareness is the first real act of leadership → Why mindfulness without compassion is incomplete → The three phases of practice: striving, disillusionment, and radical acceptance → What the "hyper-achiever trap" costs leaders — in their body, their relationships, and their teams → How to begin a mindfulness practice in just 10 seconds → Why redefining success as the quality of human connection might be the most radical leadership move of our timeA moment from this episode:"Sometimes we think we are in a space where we got it all — but we are actually stuck in a well. What mindfulness offers us is to begin to see different scenarios, that there is more to what we can perceive." — Dalida TurkovicConnect with Dalida Turkovic: Website & Coaching Inquiry → https://www.dalidaturkovic.com/contactWish to read about the episodes in advance or need a recap? Find us on 👉 SubStack.📌 Follow us: YouTube | Facebook | X | Instagram☕ Buy me a coffee🛠️ Tools we love: vidIQ · Descript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 7, 202642 min
You Don't Need a Diagnosis to Seek Help | Therapy, Red Flags & Finding the Right Support ft. John Cuturilo (Part 2)
In Part 2 of our conversation with counsellor and psychotherapist John Cuturilo, we go deeper into one of the most common questions people have about mental health: How do I know what kind of help I need — and how do I know if I'm getting the right kind? Whether you've been in therapy for years or have never taken the first step, this episode will give you the tools, language, and confidence to approach mental health support differently. In this episode, we cover: Why you don't need a mental health diagnosis to justify seeking help How to assess what level of support is right for your situation — from counsellors and psychologists to social workers and psychiatrists The "grey areas" of mental health — when something feels wrong but you can't quite name it How long therapy typically takes, and what ongoing vs time-limited support looks like Why culture and personal background must be part of the therapeutic conversation How to choose the right therapist — and the red flags that should make you walk away What goal-oriented therapy actually looks like in practice John also shares a personal reflection from his own history — a reminder that what we normalise isn't always what's healthy, and that recognising that can be the beginning of real change. "Don't think that you're weak or of less value because you need help. We're all human. It's okay to seek help." — John Cuturilo 🎙️ Miss Part 1? Start here: https://www.storiesandstanza.com/e/johncuturilo1 About John Cuturilo: John Cuturilo is a counsellor, writer, and podcast host based in Melbourne, Australia. He works with a diverse range of clients and specialises in complex trauma and relational matters. John integrates humanity and lived experience with evidence-based methods — seeking to be versatile, educative, empowering, and relatable. As a writer and host, he helps his audience understand how psychology applies to everyday life, encouraging more critical and constructive thinking. 🔗 www.yourlistener.com.au About Stories and Stanza: Stories and Stanza is a podcast charting in the Mental Health top charts across the US, UK, and Canada. We run two series: Between the Lines — conversations with writers and creators — and Fail With Me — honest dialogues about mental health, resilience, and life's challenges. Hosted by Abhra Pal. 📌 Follow Stories and Stanza: ▶ YouTube 📘 Facebook 📸 Instagram 🐦 X 💬 WhatsApp Channel 🎧 Listen on Audio Platforms: 🎵 Spotify 🍎 Apple Podcasts ✏️ Substack ☕ Support the Show: Buy me a coffee 🛠️ Tools We Recommend: Want to grow on YouTube? Try vidIQ Edit your podcast with ease — try Descript #MentalHealth #Therapy #Counselling #FailWithMe #StoriesAndStanza #MentalHealthPodcast #TherapyTips #SelfCare #Wellness #Psychology #MentalHealthAwareness #HowToFindATherapist #TraumaRecovery #GoalOrientedTherapy #JohnCuturilo #AbhraPal #MelbournePodcast #ComplexTrauma
- Jun 1, 20261h 22m
The Warning Signs We Miss: Robert Mahoney on Behavioral Threat Assessment
What if violence could be predicted — and stopped — before it ever happens? In this episode, we sit down with Robert Mahoney, founder of TVTP Solutions, who argues that there is no such thing as a random act of violence. Every attack follows a recognisable, interruptible pathway — if you know what to look for. Robert walks us through behavioral threat assessment, the "three buckets" of identity, purpose, and community, and why our defensive approach to security is leaving us more vulnerable. He also shares real-world examples of individuals who were pulled back from the edge — including one whose life was transformed by a pottery class. A vital listen for anyone working in education, community services, public health, or anyone who simply wants to understand how safer communities are built. Stories & Stanza A podcast for curious minds Follow Us Facebook Instagram YouTube X WhatsApp Channel Listen & Read ▶ Spotify ▶ Apple Podcasts ✎ Read on Substack Tools We Love ↗ Grow on YouTube with vidIQ 🎤 Edit Podcasts with Descript ☕ Buy me a coffee © 2025 Stories & Stanza · All rights reserved
About Stories and Stanza
Welcome to ”Stories and Stanza”, the podcast that delves into the past, explores the world of prose and poetry, and brings you real-life stories, creativity, motivation, and poetry. Join us as we take you on a journey through the human experience, sharing inspiring stories and conversations that will uplift your spirit and leave you feeling motivated and inspired. Whether you’re a lover of literature, a writer, or simply someone who enjoys a good story, ”Stories and Stanza” is the podcast for you. So, sit back, relax, and let us take you on a journey of discovery, reflection, and inspiration.
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