If you or someone you know has been divorced, is going through a divorce or even thinking about one, please give a listen to Heather and Steph's conversation with Jessica Ashley and her signature powerful insights. Steph, Heather, and Jessica keep it very real and go deep in this episode about finding our way through divorce, including personal stories of what happened, and what it's like now and fears we can reframe. With class and grace, Jessica reminds us that we have been working a muscle th...
Apr 03, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 48
Join Steph and Heather for a candid conversation celebrating ONE YEAR of podcasting, including 47 shows and 10 fantastic talented lovely guests! What have we learned? What do we love about this? Is it proof of growth as humans, the way we can document it here? Yes, that's a big part of it. We've been doing this bare bones project and we're happy with our process (or lack of a process) . P.S. This episode includes Heather's favorite Steph quotes, too! Ann Imig Listen Life Coaching Maggie Ginsbe...
Mar 30, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 48
This week on the Hearty Podcast, Steph records her thoughts from a walk with her dog in the bitter cold and Heather responds from outside a recovery meeting. What parts of your story do you want to share? What are chapters that don't need writing? How do you get inspired when there's so little clarity? This and more, including what Steph is watching that you need to watch, too. Mentioned in this show: Enlightened on HBO Max Find the Hearty podcast on Instagram and Facebook...
Feb 27, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Stephanie shares her heart and thoughts after a long couple of weeks, and then shares about a return to a way of joy, through minestrone. How does this happen? This is what resilience means, maybe. That we struggle so hard and joy and peace still enters. Grace, even in small ways or in seconds. Heather responds to Steph about how it feels for her to struggle so hard and still receive these moments of calm and peace. And of course, both Steph and Heather share what they're reading, watching, or l...
Feb 21, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Heather sends Steph another voice letter in this episode because Steph is down for the count with the stomach flu of all ungodly things. Listen as Heather updates Steph about the memory care situation (or non-memory care situation) with her mom, talks about escaping from home for a one night stay in a hotel alone and how that feels, and fills you (and Steph) in on what good stuff she's been watching, reading, and listening to lately. Thank you for being here. #Alzheimers #motherhood #Cults #Memo...
Feb 13, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Trigger Warning: If you are in an extra vulnerable place, especially as a caregiver or if you are grieving, please skip this one. We want to be careful with your heart. In this episode, Heather talks to Steph like she's reading her a letter, updating her on moving her mom to a memory care facility. It's raw, friends. If you or someone you know is walking the Alzheimer's/dementia road (boy it's long), please know you are not alone. If you know someone that is a caregiver or family member or loved...
Feb 06, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 43
As it turns out, this episode has a lot of crying in it. It is being left just as it is. It's real and raw and true, all the things the Hearty podcast is about. Steph and Heather are hurting and their recordings to each other are all about the insides; the pain and struggle in the midst of it all. To say it out loud to each other is healing and powerful and an example of breaking free from darkness through connection. May this episode be just as healing for you. Mentioned: Tig and Cheryl - True ...
Jan 26, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Stephanie sits down for a conversation with well-known influencer and writer Kristen Chase to cover all things from Kristen's online career and upcoming debut novel, A Thousand Miles To Graceland , to divorce and how endings and new beginnings sometimes come out of nowhere. (Even when the endings have been a long time coming.) Listen as Steph and Kristen revisit the old blogging days and talk about how Kristen learned American Sign Language and wrote a book, as a single mom. Get your copy of Kri...
Jan 18, 2023•47 min•Season 1Ep. 41
*Trigger Warning* (This episode includes conversation about the depths of depression & suicide/suicidal ideation. Please skip it if you feel vulnerable to the topics, or listen with a trusted loved one. Take care of yourself. We love you.) In this episode we dive deep into a hearty conversation about depression, living through the darkness, and even accepting it. If you or someone you know struggles with their mental health, we sincerely hope this episode is cathartic & helps you more cl...
Jan 03, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 40
In Episode 39, Heather and Steph discuss handling the holidays, letting go and what it's like for an ADHD mom (Heather) and kids. And since both Steph and Heather are forever fascinated by cult stories (especially breaking free) they discuss the The Vow on HBO Max. Oh and let's not forget White Lotus which leads to a conversation about what Heather and Steph need in order to have a good night sleep. (Spoiler: It is not like movies and TV, where everyone seems to sleep with lights on and too many...
Dec 12, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Heather and Stephanie share some funny (& sometimes embarrassing) stories and Steph also shares some BIG NEWS! Then stay tuned for suggestions of good ol' blogger friends that have stayed on the Internet (& elsewhere) being funny. It's a "WHO TO FOLLOW" segment of Writing Threads! Mentioned in this episode: Glennon Doyle Momastery Carpe Diem 2012 Ann Imig Glennon Doyle We Can Do Hard Things Ellie at One Crafty Mother Katherine Stone Leane Vandeman Kristen Howerton Dadcation - Michael Mob...
Nov 29, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Heather and Steph process what happens over time with both sexual assault and spiritual trauma, and how both kinds of trauma are triggered by similar things. This is a heavy conversation, but the hope is that it brings some knowledge to people who may not understand, and the comfort of recognition for those that do understand. Thank you for bearing witness. #triggerwarning #spiritualtrauma #storytelling #writing #sexualassault #transphobia #keeptranskidsalive #beinganally Mentioned in this episo...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Steph and Heather take turns recording to each other in this episode about setting the bar too high and then feeling defeated by not living up to your own idea of how things should be. Of course, Steph and Heather also discuss what they're reading, watching, and listening to. Thank you for being here! Quotes from the show: "We need to be mindful of the bars we've set of someone else set, or we've allowed them to be set for us." - Stephanie Wilson "We do our best even when it doesn't look like ou...
Nov 16, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 36
In this episode Heather shares about a local controversy in her small community, how it feels, what doubts arise, and how it can make her spin with anxiety. Listen as Steph reflects her thoughts and feelings about the ways Heather is feeling and thinking through it all. When do we speak up? When do we take a pause? How do we gauge our reactions and recognize that they are often privileged reactions. What do we really want to be in the world? Big Questions, but maybe sometimes the answers are mor...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 35
You never know what we might talk about. In this episode we talk about control, or the lack of it, how we manage to cope when we can, and much more. A topic that arose is sex work, so listen to our thoughts about that cultural debate, huh? This and more, we're glad you're here for it. The Bear on Hulu The Patient on Hulu Bad Sisters on Appletv+ Culpable Season 2 podcast Girls Next Level podcast Melody Beatty episode of We Can Do Hard Things Codependence: How to Stop Controlling Others ACLU.org S...
Nov 02, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 34
***TRIGGER WARNING** (suicide, suicidal ideation, death, grief, Alzheimer's, chronic mental illness, addiction) This episode is holds a lot of sensitive information. Please skip this episode if you are struggling in any way, especially with your mental health or are grieving. If you choose to listen be sure you are supported and have a plan for who to call if you feel vulnerable or alone. Thank you. Adrienne Jones joins Steph and Heather for one of their deepest dives yet. Striving to hold Adrie...
Oct 24, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Come along as Heather and Steph record separately to each other. Steph asks Heather questions about alcoholism and both Heather and Steph talk about a new perspective, "rest as resistance", inspired by the We Can Do Hard Things episode with Tricia Hersey. Steph shares more about burnout as a single mother and how to stay positive when you are too exhausted to imagine things getting easier, smoother, or better. Then stick around for an AMAZING list of shows, podcasts and good books! Thank you for...
Oct 19, 2022•51 min•Season 1Ep. 32
This episode is a conversation with the talented award-winning writer, Maggie Ginsberg . Heather and Maggie have known each other for years, and happen to share a sobriety date because of a blog post Heather wrote in the wee hours when she decided to quit drinking. Listen as Maggie and Heather share the details of how that came to be and how Maggie and Heather have now been sober together for almost thirteen years. The story of alcoholism is told in Maggie's new gripping and powerful novel, Stil...
Oct 10, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Heather records alone and asks Steph some questions, one light and silly, and one more serious and deep (of course). Steph responds and shares more of her story and Heather tells a little more about hers as well. This episode was inspired by our friend and listener, Riley. Come along! Mentioned in this episode: Nick Kroll on Netflix Rebecca Woolf's book All Of This Maggie Ginsberg's book Still True...
Oct 04, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 30
In this episode, Steph and Heather welcome lifelong writer, blogger, and author Rebecca Woolf, to talk about her new memoir on death and desire, All of This. This conversation dives deep into what it means to be a person that expresses the whole truth about the human experience in writing, for the world to see. Heather, Steph, and Rebecca talk about normalizing telling the whole truth, how healing it is, and how it helps others. They also talk about writing in the midst of chaos as an accepted "...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Jen Kanable lives in Chicago and Steph’s on the west coast, but they’ve remained BFFs since 1982! After high school Jen went to college and started her career when Steph took the marriage/motherhood route. Listen in to their conversation about what happened then, how life is now, and everything in between. When’s the last time you had a one on one with your childhood bestie? Mentioned in this episode: The Way Back Machine Jeannette McCurdy I’m Glad My Mom Died The Dark Side of the 90’s on Hulu A...
Sep 21, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Due to not being able to line up a time to be together to record, Steph brilliantly comes up with the idea to record separately, like sending off little letters to each other. Both Heather and Steph share pieces of writing, thoughts about the week, and of course, what they're listening to, watching, and/or reading. Mentioned in this show: Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley The Patient on Hulu Steph's Writing Heather's Writing...
Sep 12, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Heather and Steph talk about having older kids now, and launching them; what they may regret and how to let go and be less hard on themselves. They aren't experts, but love to talk openly and honestly about how all of this feels. Also, for real...how is Steph's house so peaceful? (She answers this and Heather continues to be in awe.) And of course, stay tuned for an update on what Steph and Heather are reading, watching, and listening to. Mentioned in this show: Ann Imig - For Us, Folks With A K...
Sep 06, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Heather and Steph discuss the classic "Five Love Languages" and last week's podcast episode of We Can Do Hard Things titled, "WHY ARE THERE NO PICTURES OF US?" Heather and Steph love We Can Do Hard Things, but didn't really love that episode, and in today's episode they discuss why. This brings up communication being key to so many of the questions we ponder about relationships, and then communication comes up during several other topics, including parenting kids with ADD/ADHD and how to get the...
Aug 29, 2022•58 min
Pamela Dayton is back to talk spirituality, religion, faith and more with Steph! Pamela has a Master's of Divinity. She's a Christian. She's also an unashamed liberal, if we have to use such labels. Listen and Pamela and Steph share how they really feel, what they struggle with, and what they believe love really is. Pamela earned a Master of Arts in Social Justice and Theology in 2015, and a Master of Divinity in 2019. Pamela and three friends founded Free Hugs ROC, based on the Free Mom Hugs gr...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Should it be said? Should it be said by me? Should it be said now? When trying to decide if we should respond to some Internet drama this week, we decided the answers to those questions is yes. Most of the time the answers are no, no, and no. Not much needs to be said about any kind of drama. But this particular situation hits close to home and puts people in harm's way. With Stephanie's personal experience as a mother of a transgender teen, it was time for us to speak up against harmful misinfo...
Aug 15, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Our guest Pamela Dayton and co-host Stephanie both have transgender kids, and in this episode they speak openly about their experience, knowledge, and love for their kids exactly as they are. Come along and learn how to love better, more fully, and with more grace. If you haven't had the opportunity to know a transgender person and feel you know very little about what "transgender" even means, this is an amazing opportunity to come to a place of better understanding. When we know more, we do bet...
Aug 09, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Author Deb Rogers talks to Steph and Heather about her new book Florida Woman , the writing and publishing process and creativity in midlife and beyond. Heather and Steph have known Deb since the start of the good ol' blogging days and find her to be one of the smartest, funniest, and gentle souls on all the planets. Her book leaves the reader begging to find out what is happening under the surface at this strange animal sanctuary where the main character goes to work, instead of doing jail time...
Aug 05, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Come along as Heather acts like a giddy child (and then ends up crying) simply because she's in the presence of someone who knew her when she was a literal giddy, giggling child. Riley Worth is one of Heather's oldest friends. He's also the most curious and engaging conversationalist Heather knows. Riley is a former journalist, a current teacher, a writer, and a very good friend. He's funny and kind and sometimes ridiculous, which makes him even better. Topics include but are not limited to: Ril...
Aug 01, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Do you feel like the term "self care" is just another way of saying, "you need to do more"? Well then, this episode is for you. Come along as Steph and Heather discuss what it feels like to hear you need to take better care of yourself when you're already drowning, when you can't think straight, let alone decide to do something to take care of yourself. Heather asked friends on Facebook to answer the question, "What are some obstacles to self care for you?" and many of the raw and honest respons...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 19
