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Fire rarely reignites in a noisy room. We bring in a veteran divorce mediator to show how quiet skills—neutrality, boundaries, and deep listening—turn high-conflict standoffs into agreements people can live with. From personal triggers to client blowups, he walks us through the real work behind “staying neutral” and why it’s not a stance but a job: set expectations, shut down disrespect, and come prepared with options that honor both the numbers and the nerves.

You’ll hear why drama often spikes when there’s less to divide, how confidentiality protects everyone, and what it takes to read the iceberg beneath each demand. Instead of positional bargaining—my way versus yours—he uses interest-based negotiation to find the option no one named but both can accept. Think Thai food when the room is stuck on burger versus pizza. Along the way, small affirmations and clear math lessons become turning points. When people feel seen and understand the tradeoffs, the thunderstorm passes and progress starts.

We also talk about the circle around the couple. Friends and family can help most by asking “How can I help?” and then sitting with the answer, even if it’s silence. Presence beats advice. The mediator shares why he sometimes ends a case to protect the process, how he prepares between sessions to save clients time and money, and why service above self starts with local acts of care. If you’re navigating divorce, leading a team through conflict, or just trying to argue less and understand more, these tools will steady your next hard conversation.

Want more resources and a steady guide? Visit equitablemediation.com for checklists, videos, and a free call where available. If this conversation helped, follow Reignite Resilience, share this episode with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review so others can find it too.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The co-hosts of this podcast are not medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided by the podcast hosts or guests is solely at your own risk.

Pamela Cass is a licensed broker with Kentwood Real Estate
Natalie Davis is a licensed broker with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC

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A better divorce starts with better decisions. We sit down with Joe, a seasoned divorce mediator and finance pro, to unpack how couples can end a marriage without burning down their futures. Instead of letting a stranger define “fair,” Joe shows how to bring control back to the table: build a realistic budget, map parenting time with intention, and negotiate support and property division with eyes wide open.

We dig into the four pillars of divorce—parenting plan, child support, alimony, and property—and why three of them are really money conversations in disguise. Joe explains how courts of equity can feel unpredictable, how biases sneak into decisions, and why mediation gives you a faster, clearer path to outcomes you can actually live with. Along the way, we talk candidly about the emotional costs of litigation, the whisper network of friends who mean well but make things worse, and the power of seeing your numbers on paper before you fight over them.

What sets Joe’s approach apart is the blend of financial rigor and emotional coaching. His team keeps conversations calm, uses proven communication tools to stop unhelpful patterns, and helps both people focus on what will matter in ten years, not ten minutes. If you care about protecting your kids, preserving your wealth, and recovering your peace of mind, this conversation offers a practical roadmap from crisis to clarity.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The co-hosts of this podcast are not medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided by the podcast hosts or guests is solely at your own risk.

Pamela Cass is a licensed broker with Kentwood Real Estate
Natalie Davis is a licensed broker with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC

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Fire fades. Momentum stays if you know how to rebuild it. In this episode, Dr. Christiana Schroeder shares a clear system for turning goals into action. Her STEP method—Simplify, Tell, Examine, Praise—helps you speak goals into existence, track small wins, and understand where real resilience comes from on both strong and weak days.

We talk about voice as more than tone. It’s your message, your work, and your purpose. Christiana walks through her journey from the runway to the TEDx stage. She talks about preparation, nerves, and what happens after the spotlight fades. Planning the “after” matters as much as the moment itself. Scheduling the next step keeps momentum and prevents the post-goal crash.

The conversation moves through vulnerability, leadership, and growth. Admitting what you don’t know builds trust faster than trying to look perfect. It’s how founders and students learn faster and lead better.

We cover the tools behind Step Into Your Voice, her coaching program built to turn reflection into results. You’ll also learn about a free superpower assessment that connects your strengths to your goals.

You will leave with steps to apply now:
• Simplify your goals
• Speak them out loud
• Examine progress with honesty
• Praise small wins

If you want to regain focus and keep moving forward, listen in. Follow the show, share it with someone who needs direction, and leave a review to share your next step.

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Magical Mornings Journal

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The co-hosts of this podcast are not medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided by the podcast hosts or guests is solely at your own risk.

Pamela Cass is a licensed broker with Kentwood Real Estate
Natalie Davis is a licensed broker with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC

Send us a text

Your spark hides under noise, routine, and goals that don’t fit anymore. In this episode, Dr. Christiana Schroeder, TEDx speaker, professor, and best-selling author, explains how small rituals help you rebuild focus and energy. She calls it Petite Practice—tiny, repeatable actions that move you forward every day.

Christiana shares lessons from her move from Germany to the U.S., where structure met hustle. She breaks down how to find your superpower by tracing your story’s roots, why health messages often fail to change behavior, and how better pricing and language drive adoption. Her process helps you act with clarity, save energy, and grow with intention.

We also discuss a short networking exercise that helps you move past small talk and form real connections fast. The conversation covers brand clarity, aligning with trends that matter, and finding confidence through work that fits who you are today.

You will leave with tools you can apply now:
• Micro-rituals that make planning productive
• Short scripts that sharpen your pitch and message
• A daily system to align action with purpose

If you want progress without burnout, this episode gives you the reset you need. Follow the show, share it with someone who needs direction, and leave a review to share which Petite Practice you will start first.

About Dr. Christiane Schroeter

https://facebook.com/doctorchristiane
https://instagram.com/@doctor.christiane
https://www.amazon.com/shop/doctor.christiane
https://linkedin.com/in/christianeschroeter/
https://www.tiktok.com/@hello.happy.nest
https://www.pinterest.com/doctor.christiane/
https://www.youtube.com/@doctor.christiane
https://www.threads.net/@doctor.christiane

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Magical Mornings Journal

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The co-hosts of this podcast are not medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided by the podcast hosts or guests is solely at your own risk.

Pamela Cass is a licensed broker with Kentwood Real Estate
Natalie Davis is a licensed broker with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC

Send us a text

Burnout is loud. Recovery is quiet and intentional. In this episode, author, coach, and veteran journalist John DeDakis shares how real resilience takes shape in workplaces and in life. We focus on practical ways leaders and teams build human-centered cultures that perform without exhaustion.

John outlines a simple vision for change: make space for life so attention returns to the present. Pair experienced employees with newer talent to exchange wisdom and skills. We discuss psychological safety, how ideas get lost in meetings, and what it means to credit voices in real time. The conversation goes deeper into immigrant grit, accent adaptation, and code switching—how it helps people survive and how organizations can lessen its hidden cost.

John also shares his journey with dyslexia, from shame to ownership. He explains how cognitive diversity drives stronger solutions when leaders value different ways of thinking.

Writing connects it all. Memoir heals. Journaling brings clarity. Storytelling turns pain into purpose. John gives insight into writing his memoir, mentoring authors, and teaching interviewing techniques that reveal truth.

You will leave with a plan for sustainable resilience:
• Protect time for recovery
• Build two-way mentorship
• Create inclusive meeting habits
• Use reflective writing to turn experience into growth

Follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help others find their way back to resilience.

Subscribe to The Reignite Resilience Thinkletter

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Subscribe to Our Weekly ThinkLetter
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Check out our Book Series:

Magical Mornings Journal

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The co-hosts of this podcast are not medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided by the podcast hosts or guests is solely at your own risk.

Pamela Cass is a licensed broker with Kentwood Real Estate
Natalie Davis is a licensed broker with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC

Send us a text

What if your hardest seasons became the fuel for your most meaningful work? In this episode, journalist and novelist John DeDakis shares how loss, discipline, and truth shaped his purpose.

John’s path started at American Forces Network in Germany, where he interviewed Alfred Hitchcock. From there, he moved through local news and on to CNN, where the nonstop pace demanded a creative outlet. Fiction became that outlet. His first novel took ten years, fourteen rewrites, and thirty-nine agent queries. The lesson: cut weak subplots, find your genre through subtraction, and treat reflection as part of the writing process.

He speaks plainly about modern media. The press and the White House often work in tension. Speed often beats truth. Integrity in reporting is harder to maintain when accuracy loses to attention. Those same tensions shape his thriller Fake, where a reporter’s reputation is destroyed by a lie everyone can see.

The heart of the conversation is writing through pain. John shares how early trauma and the loss of his son became the foundation for honest and healing work. He explains how writing can process grief, rebuild focus, and restore meaning. Leaders and teams face the same truth—unresolved pain drains morale and performance.

If you want to reconnect with your purpose, finish your story, or bring meaning to hard experiences, this episode gives you practical direction. Follow the show, share it with someone who needs perspective, and leave a review to help others find it.

About John DeDakis

@dedakisjohn

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Magical Mornings Journal

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The co-hosts of this podcast are not medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided by the podcast hosts or guests is solely at your own risk.

Pamela Cass is a licensed broker with Kentwood Real Estate
Natalie Davis is a licensed broker with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC

Send us a text

A blinding light. A mountain watching. A tree she had chosen long before. Holly Porter’s near-death experience did not end in the hospital. Through guided hypnosis, she revisited what she could not explain and uncovered one sentence that changed her life: love them where they’re at. That shift removed judgment, eased grief, and redefined how she works, heals, and connects.

We explore the line between dreams, nightmares, and real out-of-body experiences. Holly explains how hypnosis helps the body lead while the mind stays aware, turning years of therapy into hours of insight. These experiences shaped her book, Near Death Shift, and redirected her nonprofit from despair to purpose. Her new mission centers on helping women lead with clarity and conviction.

Healing took structure. Holly tracked her progress like data: fatigue levels, pain cycles, and stress triggers. She built daily habits around rest, hydration, supplements, and a 5 a.m. hyperbaric routine that restored her lungs. A new pulmonologist later confirmed what her own discipline had shown—wellness grows when you create room for recovery.

She closes with her SHIFT framework: surrender, hope, intuition, faith, and transformation. It is a guide for growth without trauma as the teacher.

If you want to trade judgment for grace and urgency for sustainable progress, listen in. Then subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the insight you plan to apply.

About Holly:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retreaternr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyporter/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hollyaporter
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@retreatrnr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyporterinternational/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HOLLYANNPORTER/

Subscribe to The Reignite Resilience Thinkletter

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Subscribe to Our Weekly ThinkLetter
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Check out our Book Series:

Magical Mornings Journal

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The co-hosts of this podcast are not medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided by the podcast hosts or guests is solely at your own risk.

Pamela Cass is a licensed broker with Kentwood Real Estate
Natalie Davis is a licensed broker with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC

Send us a text

A new guest. A clear sky. One question that matters. How do you reignite your fire when life blows it out?

Holly Porter is a CEO, retreat leader, and survivor of a 70-day battle with COVID. She shares her story from intubation and isolation to clarity and purpose. She returned with direction, firm boundaries, and a mission that reshaped her work and her life.

In the ICU, she lost all five senses. She describes the silence, the sameness of masked faces, and the rare moments of contact that kept her connected. She recounts an out-of-body experience in a “Stadium of Light” and a meeting with ancestors who told her one word: fight. From that moment, she received two instructions. Start a nonprofit called Adventure Bucket Wish. Decline a business partnership that did not align.

Her return brought hard years. Legal issues. Family conflict. Emotional strain. Holly explains how hypnosis, community, and reflection helped her rebuild. She learned to say no, to draw lines, and to turn her pain into service.

If you are a founder, leader, or caregiver facing burnout, you will hear clear lessons.

• Trust your inner direction.
• Protect your time and energy.
• Grow through recovery instead of rushing through it.

This is a story of resilience, leadership, and faith in your own path. Follow the show. Share it with someone who needs strength. Leave a review so others can find hope too.

About Holly:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retreaternr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyporter/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hollyaporter
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@retreatrnr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyporterinternational/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HOLLYANNPORTER/

Subscribe to The Reignite Resilience Thinkletter

Support the show

Subscribe to Our Weekly ThinkLetter
Facebook
Instagram

Check out our Book Series:

Magical Mornings Journal

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The co-hosts of this podcast are not medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided by the podcast hosts or guests is solely at your own risk.

Pamela Cass is a licensed broker with Kentwood Real Estate
Natalie Davis is a licensed broker with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC