The Elisha Show: Purpose Driven Life & Mastery

What happens when an addiction becomes so much a part of your life that you no longer know who you are without it? And how do you break free from the patterns that keep pulling you back?On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with Massimo Rigotti, addiction recovery professional and author of The Digital Sober Method, about his journey through more than 20 years of addiction, his path to sobriety, and the personal loss that continues to inspire his work.Massimo explains why lasting recovery requires more than simply stopping a behavior. It involves understanding the deeper struggles beneath addictive patterns, rebuilding confidence, and choosing change for yourself. He also explores how our relationship with smartphones can mirror other addictive behaviors and shares practical ways to build healthier digital habits.From turning personal pain into purpose to recognizing hidden patterns and developing greater self-awareness, this conversation offers valuable insights for anyone seeking lasting change in their life.In this episode:✅ How Massimo's search for love and acceptance contributed to his struggles with addiction✅ Why lasting recovery begins with a personal decision to change✅ How to recognize the deeper emotional needs behind addictive behaviors✅ Why replacing one addiction with another can leave the underlying problem unresolved✅ How smartphones can become a way to escape boredom, anxiety, and uncomfortable situations✅ Practical ways to reduce phone dependence, including turning off notifications, charging your phone outside the bedroom, and switching to grayscale✅ How self-awareness and personalized support can help people recognize hidden addictive patterns✅ How Massimo turned his recovery journey and personal loss into a mission to help othersThe Elisha Show Resource HubYou told us links get buried, and we heard you. Visit The Elisha Show Resource Hub to see if Massimo is featured and find his resources, including The Digital Sober Method.

Do you control your reactions, or do your emotions and old habits control you? What if the difference between reacting impulsively and responding wisely could transform your leadership, relationships, and everyday life?On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with Doug Babcock, leadership coach, former police officer, and emergency medical technician, about the power of intentional living, emotional intelligence, and values-based leadership.Drawing on 25 years as an EMT and 19 years as a police officer, Doug shares lessons from a career spent navigating crises and helping people through difficult moments. He explains how self-awareness helps us recognize emotional triggers, create space to choose our responses, and become more intentional about how we show up in the world.From identifying your core values to leading with integrity in a negative environment, this conversation offers practical insights for leaders, professionals, parents, and anyone seeking personal growth.In this episode:✅ Why your everyday habits reveal your true values more than your words do✅ A practical exercise to identify your core values and assess whether you're living by them✅ How emotional intelligence strengthens leadership and relationships✅ How to lead with integrity when working in a negative or challenging environment✅ Why you can control your response without controlling other people's actions or outcomes✅ How to develop the clarity and character needed to lead effectively during a crisisThe Elisha Show Resource HubYou told us links get buried, and we heard you. Visit The Elisha Show Resource Hub to see if Doug is featured and find his resources, including his book Stop Reacting, Start Responding: How Leaders Can Lead with Clarity and Act Decisively.Be my guest via #PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/Theelishashow

What do you say when someone is grieving and you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing? Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can offer isn’t the perfect words, but your presence.On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with Heather Stang, grief therapist, author of Navigating Loss, and creator of the Mindfulness and Grief System. Heather shares her personal journey through loss and how it shaped her work helping others navigate grief.Together, they explore what grieving people need most, how to offer meaningful support without hurtful platitudes, and practical ways to cope when grief feels overwhelming. Heather also explains how grief can arise from experiences beyond death, including divorce, estrangement, and job loss, and why healing doesn't mean forgetting or simply moving on.Whether you’re grieving yourself or trying to support someone you love, this conversation offers practical insights into compassion, mindfulness, and finding a way forward after loss.In this episode:✅ What to say when someone is grieving and you fear saying the wrong thing✅ Why your presence can be more comforting than trying to find the perfect words✅ What to avoid saying to someone who has experienced a loss✅ Practical ways to support grieving people, from listening to helping with everyday needs✅ Understanding grief beyond death, including divorce, estrangement, and job loss✅ What to do when grief feels overwhelming and you don’t know where to begin✅ How mindfulness and self-compassion can help you navigate difficult emotions✅ How Heather’s eight-step Mindfulness and Grief System helps people adapt to loss and carry forward the legacy of those they loveThe Elisha Show Resource HubYou told us links get buried, and we heard you. Visit The Elisha Show Resource Hub to see if Heather is featured and find her resources, including her book Navigating Loss and other helpful materials.Be my guest via #PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/Theelishashow

What if your worth was never something you had to earn, prove, or get from someone else?On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with Stacey Simmons, a Los Angeles-based psychotherapist, author, and certified therapist, about personal sovereignty, women’s empowerment, and the psychological patterns that shape how we see ourselves.Stacey shares her journey from the entertainment industry to psychotherapy and explains why sovereignty goes beyond freedom. Drawing from her book The Queen’s Path, she explores how cultural expectations can cause women to fight against themselves, why women’s journeys differ from the traditional hero’s journey, and how understanding archetypes can help us develop healthier relationships with ourselves and others.In this episode:✅ The difference between personal sovereignty and freedom✅ Why the traditional hero’s journey can overlook women’s experiences✅ How cultural expectations pressure women to be likable, quiet, and perfect✅ The inspiration behind Stacey’s book, The Queen’s Path✅ How understanding archetypes can reshape our expectations of parents and partners✅ Why defining your values and living by them can bring greater peace✅ How women can embrace their identities without diminishing themselves to meet society’s standardsThe Elisha Show Resource HubYou told us links get buried, and we heard you. Visit The Elisha Show Resource Hub to see if Stacey Simmons is featured and find her resources.Be my guest via #PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/Theelishashow

What if improving your health started with understanding your body, your lifestyle, and the choices you make every day?On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with MaryLee Calmes, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner with 30 years of professional experience. After struggling with chronic illness, allergies, asthma, and daily headaches, MaryLee discovered Chinese medicine and began a journey that transformed her life and career.MaryLee explains her approach to holistic health, why she encourages people to take an active role in their healthcare, and how her Living in the Season program helps people understand their individual needs and adapt their nutrition, exercise, and daily habits. She also shares insights into seasonal living, stress, and the behavioral changes that can help women navigate busy lives.In this episode:✅ How MaryLee’s personal health struggles led her to traditional Chinese medicine✅ What she means by “stop outsourcing your health”✅ Why asking questions and researching health decisions matters✅ How the Living in the Season approach connects health with seasonal changes✅ The role of nutrition, exercise, and daily habits in holistic well-being✅ How traditional Chinese medicine views the relationship between organ systems and the seasons✅ Why awareness and adaptation are important for maintaining well-being✅ How busy schedules and personal commitments can affect women’s healthThe Elisha Show Resource HubYou told us links get buried, and we heard you. Visit The Elisha Show Resource Hub to see if MaryLee Calmes is featured and find her resources.Be my guest via #PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/Theelishashow

What if the solution to your problem begins with questioning the story you tell yourself about it?On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with Ignacio Mendoza Martinez, entrepreneur, problem solver, and founder of Creative Growth Solutions and Urban Shaman Ministries. Ignacio shares his journey through divorce, grief, personal struggles, and rebuilding his life, revealing how these experiences shaped his understanding of human behavior, self-love, and personal growth.He explains why self-knowledge requires honest self-acceptance, how our assumptions can prevent us from seeing solutions, and why supporting someone means being present without trying to control their choices. Ignacio also discusses marriage, commitment, and how his company helps small businesses improve operations, build systems, and use technology and AI more effectively.✅ Why self-love begins with self-knowledge and accountability✅ How Ignacio rebuilt his life after divorce and losing his mother✅ Separating real problems from the assumptions we make✅ Asking better questions to uncover solutions✅ Supporting others without controlling their decisions✅ What marriage teaches us about love, commitment, and freedom✅ How Creative Growth Solutions helps small businesses improve operations✅ Using systems, automation, and AI to strengthen business performanceThe Elisha Show Resource HubYou told us links get buried, and we heard you. Visit The Elisha Show Resource Hub to see if Ignacio Mendoza Martinez is featured and find his resources.Be my guest via #PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/Theelishashow

What happens when God leads you in a direction you never planned and asks you to surrender everything you thought you wanted?On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with Jerry Alessi, author of Hermit: My Journey with God into the Silence. Jerry shares his extraordinary spiritual journey, from a successful career in accounting and finance to a profound encounter with God in 1990, years of spiritual transformation, and four years living as a hermit in silence and solitude.Jerry opens up about surrender, prayer, letting go of control, and discovering who he was beneath the expectations of the world. His story offers a powerful reminder that God is personal, that every life has a story worth sharing, and that sometimes the most important step is simply saying yes to God.In this episode:✅ Jerry’s search for meaning beyond career and worldly success✅ How his faith journey took an unexpected turn✅ The encounter with God that changed his life in 2004✅ Four years of silence, solitude, prayer, and spiritual transformation✅ Learning to surrender control and follow God’s leading✅ The inspiration behind his book, Hermit: My Journey with God into the Silence✅ Finding peace by letting go of worldly attachments✅ Why your story matters and why it is okay to say yes to GodThe Elisha Show Resource HubYou told us links get buried, and we heard you. Visit The Elisha Show Resource Hub to see if Jerry Alessi is featured and find his resources.Be my guest via #PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/Theelishashow

Can you heal from childhood trauma, even after decades of pain? On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with Donna Donahue, a psychotherapist specializing in trauma recovery, about her personal journey through complex trauma, emotional flashbacks, and long-term healing.Donna shares how childhood sexual abuse and other traumatic experiences affected her life, and how years of inner work helped her move from feeling hopeless to finding greater peace and stability. She explains how to recognize emotional flashbacks, understand trauma responses, strengthen personal boundaries, and treat yourself with compassion rather than criticism. She also discusses her book, Witness Awakening: Finding Peace and Healing in the Midst of Childhood Trauma, written to help survivors understand their experiences and discover practical ways to move toward healing.In this episode:✅ Understanding complex trauma and its lasting effects✅ Recognizing emotional flashbacks and trauma triggers✅ What to do when past trauma affects your present reactions✅ How childhood trauma can affect memory, attention, and daily life✅ Rebuilding self-trust and establishing healthy boundaries✅ Why healing takes time and setbacks do not mean failure✅ How self-compassion and professional support can help survivors heal✅ The story behind Witness Awakening and its message of hopeThe Elisha Show Resource HubYou told us links get buried, and we heard you. Visit The Elisha Show Resource Hub to see if Donna Donahue is featured and find her resources.Be my guest via #PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/Theelishashow

What if you achieved everything the world celebrates but neglected the assignment God sent you to fulfill?In this continuation of The Royal Dispatchers, Amb. Elisha explores Parts 16 and 17 through the stories of Daniel, a successful businessman who loses sight of his purpose, and Samuel, a young boy whose potential goes unrecognized. Their stories reveal the dangers of chasing worldly success while neglecting relationships, overlooking the needs of others, and forgetting why God entrusted us with our gifts.As the story deepens, discover what it means to live as a faithful representative of the King, steward your abilities, and resist a world that measures success by appearances rather than purpose.In this episode:✅ The emptiness behind success without purpose✅ Remembering the assignment God entrusted to you✅ The danger of sacrificing relationships for achievement✅ Recognizing and nurturing the potential in others✅ Why gifts and resources are meant to serve others✅ Resisting the world’s definition of success✅ When ambition, wealth, and influence become idols✅ Living faithfully for the King and His kingdom