2 LIVES - Stories Of Transformation

"We all have two lives. The second begins the moment we realize we have only one." Stories of people who have faced darkness and how those moments transformed them. 2 Lives is hosted and written by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Pod art and website designed by Christian Arnder, music from Blue Dot Sessions.

How One Mom Turns Grief Into ‘A Place Of Yes’

When Heather Straughter’s son got sick, her perspective shifted. She discovered how fragile life is. She had to keep pivoting, when she was forced to change her expectations and recalibrate hope.  2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast When you become part of the 2 Lives Crew, we'll send you an uncut episode of your choice. Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Learn more about Heather Straughter, Jake's Help From Heaven, and her podcast A Place Of Yes on our website.  

09-24
33:09

Therapist Takes His Own Advice: Confronts Perfectionism, Faces Fears

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION As a teenager Michael discovered he was a great tennis player. He fell into a flow state that he spent decades studying and striving to achieve again. He became a psychologist in the process. After years of telling clients to face their fears, Michael Brady has taken his own advice and confronted his perfectionism, but it’s still difficult to let go. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Michael Brady or M Brady's music on Spotify or our website.  

09-10
25:32

After Sobriety, Broken Heart, Woman Finds Calling

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION For years Sonia Kahlon succeeded by her parents’ and husband's standards, but it was only after getting sober and volunteering at a women’s prison that Sonia found her true calling. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Sonia Kahlon, Sisters In Sobriety, their substack, and ACE scores on our website.  

08-27
32:14

How Divorce And ADHD Diagnosis Become A Catalyst For Growth

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION After years of relying on cocaine and caffeine to focus Kathleen discovers she has ADHD. The diagnosis and subsequent tools help her achieve her dream of becoming a therapist. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Kathleen Killen and her podcast "Sisters In Sobriety" on our website.

08-13
29:49

Intelligence Analyst Goes From Capture Kill To Survive And Thrive Missions

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION After years of capture kill missions Kervin Aucoin now employs his military training to help people thrive. He says sharing his story keeps his PTSD at bay. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Kervin Aucoin on our website.  

07-30
32:17

How One Music Therapist Discovers The Healing Power Of Her Voice

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION At 15 Meghan Callaghan was left alone with her grandfather for the day. What started out as a seemingly ordinary day became a defining moment in Meghan’s life. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about GUEST on our website.  

07-16
25:21

Reporter Survives War, Now Faces Cancer From A Place Of Love

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Rod Nordland, author of "Waiting For The Monsoon," doesn’t plan to die from an incurable brain cancer. He’s a survivor — of violence, war, and now disease. "Although it's been terrible, I wouldn't change it back, his partner Leila Segal says. "Even though I was in love with him and I loved him before, I would never have got the relationship I now have with this man unless this had happened. Not only to him, to me too, because of course I've had to change."  "Learning to love and express love was a very important part of my second life," Nordland says.  2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Rod Nordland and his partner Leila Segal on our website.  

07-02
31:32

Pop Artist Adaline Reconciles Queer Identity With Evangelical Upbringing

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Shawna Beesley, known to most as Adaline, says there’s no dopamine hit like saving someone from hell. Today she finds that high performing on stage. She discovered she had to shed her golden child identity and reconcile with her evangelical upbringing to be true to herself and come out to her family. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Adaline on our website.  

06-18
35:41

Bonus: 2 Lives Creator Listens To Her Inner Voice

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION We’re working hard on season 10 of 2 Lives, which we’ll be bringing you just in time to kick off your summer. In the meantime I thought I’d share a bit about 2 Lives origin story. The following is a speech Laurel gave at the Flagstaff Women’s Leadership Summit.  I love stories. I love listening to them. I love watching them. I love reading them. And I love making them. But when I’m consuming stories, I’m tuning out the world and my inner voice – my source of creativity. This a story about how I tuned back into my source. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website.    

05-21
10:57

Back From The Dead With Lessons On How To Live

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” TW: We mention an assault. Lauren’s heart stopped for 24 minutes. It took almost dying to realize she couldn’t get through life on her own. 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook or Instagram. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about GUEST on our website.

05-07
31:45

Blind Surfer Embraces Challenges To Recover From PTSD

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Joshua "The Jedi" Loya lost his eyesight at 15, but that didn’t stop him from skydiving, surfing, Ju-Jitsu, and stand up comedy. Joshua says choosing sometimes the scary thing makes him feel authentically himself and helps him to live well with PTSD.  2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or X. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Joshua Loya on our website.  

04-23
24:40

Severe Burnout Pushes West Point Grad To Find Worthiness Beyond Career

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION It took a life threatening situation to give Kafi Joseph permission to make her own rules about what she needs.  She learned that burnout was a symptom of a deeper worry that she wasn’t valuable unless she was driving hard.  Now this West Point grad uses her can-do attitude to take care of herself. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Kafi Joseph on our website.  

04-09
25:45

Adrenaline Junkie Finds Peace, Recovery In Nature

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Morgan O’Kane spent much of his young life searching for meaning and a high. It wasn’t until he sacrificed alcohol for the love of his child that he reconnected with his true nature. Through train-hopping, mountaineering, music, fatherhood and two very special dogs, Morgan O’Kane found his way home. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Morgan O'Kane and his music on our website.  

03-26
29:57

Podcast Host Changes Dialogue Around Mental Illness Recovery

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Content Warning: We mention suicide in this episode. After decades of telling people what she believed they wanted to hear, Helen Sneed shares openly her struggles with mental illness because it provides hope and ultimately saves lives, but it took many agonizing years of therapy, hospitalizations, and finally finding community to get here. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn more how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Helen Sneed and her podcast on our website.  

03-12
27:41

Perfectionist Cures Chronic Illness And Burnout

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Wenche Fredriksen is on a mission to help people accept they are enough after perfectionism took its toll on her. She suffered from years of chronic illness and back pain before a doctor told her she needed to recover from burnout. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Wenche Fredriksen on our website.  

02-27
28:16

How One Chicago Man Turned His Life Around In Prison

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Yohance Lacour creates luxury hiphop sneakers because they represent both his humble beginnings on Chicago's south side as well as the high fashion person he became, but it took a decade’s long prison sentence to learn how to make the shoes and to work toward the greater good. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Yohance Lacour, his leather label, and his podcast on our website.  

02-13
27:03

How One Woman Stopped Drinking, Stopped Dissociating, And Started Finding Her Way Back To Herself

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Valerie Milburn was getting help for her mental illness but it wasn’t until her husband told her she couldn’t come home until she found stability that she turned her life around. It was then she began to fight for her recovery and to find the right treatment for her bipolar disorder and PTSD. Today she’s been married 40 years and she’s close with her children and grandchildren. On top of all that she's helped many people with her story. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Valerie Milburn on our website.  

01-30
26:41

2 Lives Season 9 Trailer

2 Lives - Stories Of Transformation “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website.  

01-16
03:13

Queer Reverend Finds God After Decades Of Feeling Rejected By Church

2 LIVES - Stories Of Transformation Alex Reegan became a reverend after two decades of feeling disconnected from God and after rejecting his ultra conservative evangelical christian faith. Today he helps other LGBTQIA folks on their spiritual journey. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Alex Reegan and his book “What Needs To Be Said: Speak Your Truth, Release Shame, Find Oneness” on our website.  

12-19
26:49

Blind Woman Turns Disability Into A Super Power

2 Lives - Stories Of Transformation Beth Pizzarello’s blindness saved her life in a hurricane when she used her heightened senses to get to safety but she had to figure out a way to help herself before the Americans With Disabilities Act passed and when she didn’t qualify for disabilities. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Beth Pizzarello and her book at our website.  

12-05
25:34

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