Stories and Stanza

#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 #storiesandstanza

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 #StoriesAndStanza

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

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.com

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/contact

What if the hardest part of getting help isn't the therapy itself — it's knowing where to start?In Part 2 of our conversation with counsellor and psychotherapist John Cuturilo, we go deeper into one of the most common questions people carry about mental health: How do I know what kind of support is right for me — and how do I know if it's actually working?Whether you've been in therapy for years or haven't taken that first step yet, this episode gives you the tools, language, and confidence to approach mental health support differently.In this episode:Why you don't need a diagnosis to justify seeking helpHow to assess the right level of support — from counsellors and psychologists to social workers and psychiatristsThe "grey areas" of mental health — when something feels wrong but you can't name itHow long therapy typically takes, and what ongoing vs time-limited support looks likeWhy culture and personal background must be part of the therapeutic conversationHow to choose the right therapist — and the red flags that should make you walk awayWhat goal-oriented therapy actually looks like in practiceJohn also shares a personal reflection — a reminder that what we normalise isn't always 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🎙️ Missed Part 1? Start hereAbout John Cuturilo John is a counsellor, writer, and podcast host based in Melbourne, Australia, specialising in complex trauma and relational matters. He integrates lived experience with evidence-based practice — aiming to be versatile, educative, empowering, and relatable. 🔗 www.yourlistener.com.au#MentalHealth #Therapy #Counselling #FailWithMe #StoriesAndStanza #MentalHealthPodcast #TherapyTips #HowToFindATherapist #ComplexTrauma #GoalOrientedTherapy #TraumaRecovery #Psychology #Wellness #SelfCare #MentalHealthAwareness #JohnCuturilo #AbhraPal #MelbournePodcast

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.

In this episode of Stories and Stanza, host Abhra sits down with Robert Rickelmann for an unflinching conversation about a life shaped by mental illness and addiction. Robert grew up with crippling anxiety — and discovered early on that alcohol made him feel fearless, confident, and finally comfortable in his own skin. That relief came at a devastating cost. What began as a coping mechanism consumed his law school career, his sense of self, and nearly his life. In 1996, Robert made a major suicide attempt that landed him in a psychiatric hospital for a month, where he was diagnosed as Seriously Mentally Ill — carrying diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder, severe depression, OCD, and borderline personality disorder. The years that followed brought repeated hospitalizations, a long and grueling journey through medications, and immeasurable strain on his marriage. Through it all, Robert scribbled notes on scraps of paper — in psych wards, in dark moments, in the margins of a life he was trying to hold together. Those fragments became a memoir. After years of rejections from agents and publishers, he signed with Apprentice House Publishing, releasing Jumping Off the End on May 5, 2025 — timed deliberately with Mental Health Awareness Month. This conversation covers the seductive lie of alcohol as self-medication, the stigma men face when seeking help, dark humor as a survival tool, the invisible weight carried by caregivers, and what it means to be sober since January 10, 2013. Robert's book is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jumping-End-Lifetime-Struggle-Alcoholism/dp/1627206604/ Stories & Stanza A podcast for curious minds Follow Us FacebookInstagramYouTubeXWhatsApp 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