The Soul Stories Podcast

From Masks and Self-Destruction to Heart-centered creativity w/ Mike BrancatelliMike Brancatelli, the Host of the Mikeadelic Podcast, is dedicated to liberty, psychadelics, and self-empowerment. Mike has been plagued with depression, escapism, and destructive habits in what he describes as his version of hell. He finds himself masking these through stand-up comedy, corporate success and travel. In 2016, his life changed when he found his healing through Ayahuasca while living with the Shipibo people in the Amazon.Mike has been on a profound and inspiring journey for personal and social truth. Through his transformation, he has found that his process has moved from the ego into vulnerability and heart-centered creativity. He hopes that this can ripple into people developing a stronger sense of curiosity, community and raw honesty in their paths.

Sexual Consent, Journalism and the Pursuit of Nuance in Social Issues w/ Hannah SkewesHannah is a writer and advocate for mental health awareness and sexual assault prevention. She comes from a journalistic background and seeks the nuance in difficult social conversations. Hannah grew up in Mississippi in a somewhat conservative household and has learned the importance of creating space for productive dialogue where minds can be changed. Since this conversation took place, Hannah and I hosted "Un/pact: a creative dialogue on consent" which was an extremely impactful evening. 10 performers shared personal stories on consent including topics like "hot consent", the gray spaces of power, how to ask for what you want, sexual assault, being a survivor, religion's impact on sex, and much more.In this episode, Hannah details parts of her own story and what she learned from an abusive and coercive marriage. This is an important conversation that I encourage you to listen to.

Individualized Learning, Sparking Curiosity in Education, and the Pursuit of Knowledge w/ Tanise FoxTanise has a passion for secondary education, individualized learning styles and museum exhibit design. She learned to navigate the education system with Dyslexia and ADHD on her own. Far before she was diagnosed, Tanise took it upon herself to identify creative strategies to learn. This was met with resistance from several of her teachers. She has taken those challenges and focused her efforts on creating individualized experiences to spark curiosity in youth and adults. It was really inspiring to talk with someone who is so dedicated to improving education for our community. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Dave Glaser is a fitness entrepreneur who is developing authentic community and vulnerability in a world overrun with toxic masculinity and pride. He speaks about how exercise has been his number one tool to overcome anxiety and depression and he hopes that he can do the same for his clients. What started as 1:1 physical training with his mother has now blossomed into a successful business and community. In this conversation, I press him on what healthy masculinity looks like and how vulnerability can show up in the world of sports and athleticism. I have been so fed up with performative masculinity in the sports world and the lack of emotional depth. Dave had some unique solutions to these issues in the latter half of this conversation. I'm curious what you all think. Feel free to leave comments.

Kamga Tchassa, The Soul Stories Podcast Producer and Engineer sits down to discuss his journey as a husband, storyteller and immigrant from Cameroon. Starting out in his home country's education system, he was placed on a track to become a professional in the sciences. Growing up, he was shy and considered himself "boring". It wasn't until he learned how to choose himself, develop a love for writing, and express himself openly, did he really come alive. He speaks to dealing with mental health issues, meeting the love of his life, Queenie, his intention to become a father and how we wants to his writing to connect with those who have had similar experiences to himself. Kamga is a good a friend and incredibly sweet soul. I think you will really enjoy this one.

Shelsea is an artist, activist, and educator. She has a special ability to approach life with a sense of wonder and awe and hopes to inspire that feeling in others through creating meaningful experiences. Shelsea was home schooled, lived homeless for a short period of her teenage years, and has traveled the world. She is constantly seeking social change and believes that service with integrity comes from a place of human connection and mutual benefit. This conversation was a special one for me. Shelsea has been one of my closest friends and inspirations in life. It's a fun one! Enjoy.