Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! What is ethical non-monogamy? Is it the same as polyamory? Are we talking about swinging? We're talking about all that and more with Lauren Hayes, a relationship coach specializing in supporting ethically non-monogamous (ENM) couples, including swingers and the ENM-curious. You might be surprised about what you learn in this episode. Lauren Hayes, trained in both life and relationship coaching, helps couples navigate and ...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! How much do we really know about our parents, grandparents, and our family history? How do they fit into the backdrop of history as a whole? Susan Servais' mother Kathe Mueller Slonim gave her family the gift of her story in the book Escape From Dachau: A True Story of Survival, Courage, and A Daring Escape in the Face of Unthinkable Evil. This book is a memoir couched in history that reads like a novel. Tune in to hear o...
Dec 12, 2024•58 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! In this week's episode, we discuss Varuni Sinha's memoir, Golden Handcuffs: An Immigrant's Pursuit of Happiness. Varuni, a New York-based writer and multimedia producer, describes her book as a story of love, strength, and resilience written with the intention of spreading peace and harmony. Golden Handcuffs is all that and so much more; it's the true story of what so many South Asian (and other immigrant) women endure in...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Sexual abuse is objectively a difficult topic. Even more so when the predator is your father. Cindy Benezra knows this all too well; her predator was her father. In her memoir, Under the Orange Blossoms, Cindy shares her story, along with how she healed, in the hopes of helping others. Behind the accomplished author, speaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist and advocate is a sexual abuse victim that is passionate about bring...
Nov 28, 2024•59 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Magic mushrooms, plant medicine, psilocybin - what came to mind when you read those words? If you grew up in the 80s, "just say no" probably popped up. But are all drugs bad? Can their powers be used for good? Sometimes, yes. Specifically, psilocybin. We talk about this (and so much more!) with guest Leslie Draffin, a trauma-trained somatic coach, psychedelic microdosing guide & breath and meditation teacher with a sp...
Nov 21, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! After a few days of processing the results of the election, we talk through our feelings about what happened, what's to come, our fears and hopes, and our plans going forward. The conversation doesn't stop here, and it doesn't stop with us; after you listen, please share your thoughts and feelings. Community is going to help us through this. You're a part of this community and we want to hear from you. We're in for a long...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 177
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! We read and discussed Stacey Abrams' Our Time Is Now before the results of the 2024 election were announced. We were excited and hopeful and wanted to share Stacey's message, information and talented wordsmithing with everyone. We're in a very different emotional space right now, but we still want everyone to read Our Time Is Now. We stand by our view that Stacey Abrams' book is vital and important. And necessary. The tru...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 176
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Return guest Christina Reynolds, Senior Vice President of Communications and Content at EMILYs List, is back to talk about the book that she co-wrote with the President of EMILYs List Stephanie Schriock - Run to Win: Lessons in Leadership for Women Changing the World. Timely topic, no? But trust that the lessons in the book are for all women looking to lead and make change whether that's as a business owner, head of house...
Oct 31, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 175
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! So many people walk through life wearing a mask, disconnected from themselves. How can we drop the mask and reconnect? According to this week's guest, Gao Motsemme, we have to get to the core of the issue and connect to source. That's how we get to the sexual and creative energy that the patriarchy is so afraid of. That's how we connect to the queen within and let her thrive! Gao Motsemme is a mother of three who emerged ...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Words matter. Words have power. Art is powerful. We explore just how powerful words, art, and poetry can be with guests Tara Bracco and Karla Jackson-Brewer. Tune in to hear some of that power as Karla reads a portion of one of her poems included in the book, Poetic People Power. For 20 years, the New York City-based spoken word group Poetic People Power has creatively explored social and political topics, offering insigh...
Oct 17, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 173
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Sensitive, empathic, overwhelmed? Can you relate? Do you know someone who can? How can you protect yourself? How can you manage overwhelm in this time of chaos? This week's guest, Abby Humphrey, talks to Raquel and Jennifer about what can help. Abby Humphrey has been practicing acupuncture in Ann Arbor since 1999. In 2001, she co-founded the Center for Sacred Living. She has lectured on Chinese Medicine at the University ...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! One common belief is that our colleges and universities are safe spaces and, if we are subjected to sexual violence, our schools will protect us. Unfortunately, that is not true for so many people. In fact, victims are often retraumatized by the very people in authority who are supposed to help them. Why? What is happening? What isn't happening? What can be done? We delve into that with guest Nicole Bedera, PhD as we disc...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Is motherhood the default? Are people without children monsters? Is it ok to be childfree and happy? Raquel and Jennifer talk about all of this and more with this week's guest Therese Schechter. Therese Shechter is an award-winning filmmaker and the founder of the production company Trixie Films . Over the past 20 years, she has created a body of work that fuses humor, activism, and personal storytelling to explore a host...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Project 2025 - it's all over the news and everyone's talking about it. Or they should be. What is it? Why should we care? To be fair, it's to be expected that a candidate for president will have a plan (not just a concept of a plan...) for how they will govern. But Project 2025 is more than that, it is The Heritage Foundation's plan which would have lasting negative, earthshattering consequences. In short, it's a plan to ...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Are boys destined to become incels, misogynists, and emotionally stunted? When it does happen is patriarchy to blame? Can parents do something to prevent toxic masculinity from ruining their sweet little angels? Can grown men reparent themselves to get back to who they were before society took control? In the wake of #MeToo, pregnant with her third son, this week's guest, Ruth Whippman, was thinking about all of this and ...
Sep 12, 2024•59 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! What do most of us really know about car insurance? Why is it necessary, besides that it might be legally required? What choices are best for me, for my family, for my new driver? We get into all of this (and more) with guest Caroline Monsewicz. If you have a question for Caroline, scroll down for her contact information. (Don't forget to ask her about add-on uninsured/underinsured motorist and bodily injury insurance!) C...
Sep 05, 2024•1 hr 13 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! We are beyond excited about Vice President Kamala Harris as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee! We share all of our feelings, hopes and dreams about the future of our country with Kamala Harris as our next president. Join the discussion and share your thoughts with us. Mentioned in this episode: YouTube: (1) Kamala Harris - YouTube Support the show Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this epis...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 166
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! We are all in relationship - with ourselves, family, friends, society. With that comes great joy and, sometimes, pain. How can we handle that pain in a way that doesn't add to the pain? How can we handle that pain so that we can show up for our loved ones in a way that is helpful rather than harmful? We delve into all of this and more with guest Celia Landman as we discuss her book When the Whole World Tips: Parenting Thr...
Aug 22, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! What happens when a racist goes to jail? In George Sedberry, Jr.'s case, he becomes vulnerable enough to listen and learn, and his life opens up. Then his mission to visit all 100+ HBCUs and tell the little-known history of Black Americans begins. After all, Black history is American history. Where to find The White George: TikTok: @whitegeorge IG: @thewhitgeorge (no “e” on the whit) Apply to several HBCUs with only one a...
Aug 15, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! The conversation around Christian patriarchy continues in this week's episode as Raquel and Jennifer discuss Tia Levings memoir A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy. Learn more about the movement that threatens to destroy our democracy and how Tia Levings escaped it and is now a shining example of how others can escape it as well. Where to find Tia Levings' work: Website: https://tialevings.com Substac...
Aug 08, 2024•52 min•Season 1Ep. 163
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! In this week's episode, Raquel and Jennifer talk to guest A'magine Goddard about the intersection of medical training and consent. A’magine Goddard has been teaching and speaking about feminism and sexuality for over two decades. As a queer sexuality educator, she wanted to impact people who were entering the field of medicine about sexuality and gender. She earned her master’s in Human Sexuality Education at New York Uni...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Being a surrogate is a selfless and noble act but it's also complicated and emotional. Add in religious considerations pregnancy loss and everything is heightened almost beyond measure. In this week's episode, Raquel and Jennifer speak with guest Kelila Green Siciliano about her decision to become a surrogate and the journey that has grown from that decision. Kelila Green Siciliano is a mom, a surrogate, a pregnancy loss ...
Jul 25, 2024•58 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! We're talking about anger in this week's episode. Given the state of the world it's no wonder that anger is a repeat topic of conversation. Listen in as we speak with guest Bronwyn Schweigerdt about anger and what it might be trying to tell us. Browyn Schweigerdt may be the most evocative psychotherapist you’ve ever heard. Instead of fixing peoples’ messes, her goal is to elicit feelings you’re most ashamed to have, such ...
Jul 18, 2024•55 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! In this week's episode, Raquel and Jennifer speak with guest Cait West about her new book, Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy, which chronicles her upbringing in the world of ultra-conservative, high control, patriarchal religion. The discussion touches on how things started to shift for Cait, how she left, what her life is like now, and how she's helping others looking to break away. Cait West is a...
Jul 11, 2024•50 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! What is natural hair? Why are we talking about it? Find out in this week's episode where Raquel and Jennifer dive into it with guest Lyzette Wanzer. Lyzette Wanzer’s work appears in over thirty literary journals and books. Her book, TRAUMA, TRESSES & TRUTH: Untangling Our Hair Through Personal Narratives (Chicago Review Press) appears on Library Journal’s 2022 Top 10 Best Social Sciences Books list and was a 2023 Blac...
Jul 04, 2024•58 min•Season 1Ep. 158
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Many heartfelt thanks to everyone who supports the show! In this week's episode, Raquel and Jennifer celebrate their 3rd anniversary! Join in as they revisit the very first episode of the podcast, reminisce about their initial visions for the show, and share new dreams for Madness Cafe. Support the show Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation...
Jun 27, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 157
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Women are woefully underrepresented in politics in the United States. ( https://www.statista.com/topics/10417/women-in-politics-in-the-us/#topicOverview ) But there's one organization dedicated to changing that - EMILYs List, the nation's largest resource for women in politics. EMILYs List works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and co...
Jun 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! This week Raquel and Jennifer speak with guest Afarin Ordubadi Bellisario about her novel Silenced Whispers which tells the story of a young Iranian woman's fight for freedom and love amid the struggle between tradition and modernity at the beginning of the 20th century. Historical fiction that holds lessons for today's society. Where to find Afarin Ordubadi Bellisario: Afarin's Website: www.afarin.net Book website: www.s...
Jun 13, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 155
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! This week, Raquel and Jennifer speak with Julie Bee - an award-winning entrepreneur who’s been dubbed the “small business fixer” by her clients and peers. With over 15 years in the entrepreneurial field, Julie has solidified her reputation as a dynamic consultant, a riveting speaker, and a leader who sheds light on the darker side of business ownership. Having been celebrated by Fast Company and Forbes, Julie’s insights a...
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 154
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! In this week's episode, Raquel and Jennifer speak with Patrice Scott, Jr., recent graduate in Film and Video Production at Grand Valley State University, about the collaborative journey of creating his short film Songs from the Sky, his college journey, and how art can bring people together. Ways to connect with Patrice: Website: Patrice Scott Email: contact@patricescott.art Instagram: @patricesroom Support the show Be pa...
May 30, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 153
