Ruthless Compassion with Dr. Marcia Sirota

Tony Beadle grew up in a household full of music and pursued a career as a professional musician for sixteen years after which he enjoyed a career in performing arts administration for 30 years. He served in several positions at major US orchestras, including the Boston Pops, where he had previously performed. His upbringing was one that included a loving family life, but also was one of duplicity and hiding secrets to protect the reputation of the Catholic Church. myfatherthefather.com His memoir: My Father, the Father

Mark A. Michaels identifies as an uncontrolled experiment. He belongs to the first generation of test tube babies, as so-called sperm donor offspring were known in the 1950s. He has published in a variety of fields, from law to ornithology to self-help, and has written for theater and film. He came of age at CBGB and Max's Kansas City in the 1970s. He is coming of age again at 66. Recent work has appeared or will be appearing in The Brussels Review, The San Antonio Review, Bitter Melon Review, Closed Eye Open, Quarter(ly) Review, and TrashLight. https://instagram.com/markamichaels/

NICK BRANCATO is a seasoned personal development coach and educator with over 25 years of experience helping individuals and couples connect, communicate, and thrive. With a master's degree in education and a background as a Microsoft systems engineer, Nick blends practical tools with data-driven frameworks to guide clients through life's challenges, including career shifts, financial pressures, and personal growth. Nick's holistic process incorporates meditation, guided visualization, and hypnotherapy, emphasizing both emotional insight and actionable steps. By fostering deeper connections and mental clarity, Nick empowers couples to transform tension into trust and misalignment into mutual success, creating lasting, meaningful change in their relationships. Website: https://nickbrancato.com/ Instagram: @personaldevcoach (https://www.instagram.com/personaldevcoach/) His new book: "Prioritize Us: Unlock Lasting Love with One Simple, Proven Test" (https://a.co/d/82Ul7KS)

Chelene Knight is the author of five books including Safekeeping: A Writer's Guided Journal For Launching a Book With Love (Anansi 2025), and Let It Go: Free Yourself From Old Beliefs and Find a New Path To Joy (HarperCollins Canada 2024). She is founder of her own holistic creative studio, Breathing Space Creative through which she's launched the BSC Bespoke Writing Mentorships which are thoughtfully designed to help writers elevate their craft, deepen their connection to who they are, while learning how to build a writerly ecosystem that over time, gives back to them emotionally and financially. www.breathingspacecreative.com Instagram: @breathingspacecreativestudio https://www.instagram.com/breathingspacecreativestudio/ Chelene's bespoke writing mentorships: "My 1:1 mentorship program is fully customized to each writer, diving deep into the craft of writing. We start by establishing your 'why,' your project's action, and your non-negotiables—giving you the clarity and confidence to move forward. While craft is a key focus, this mentorship goes beyond technique. It's about fostering a resilient, growth-oriented mindset so you can make aligned, intentional decisions about your creative life, while learning how to build a writerly ecosystem that over time, gives back to you emotionally and financially." https://breathingspacecreativeliterarystudio.hbportal.co/public/6574b2217ad8ec0023b33ca1/1-What_is_Mentorship

David W. Brown's career reflects resilience and service. He began in 1980 at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, earning the Navy League award and later graduating as honor student from Radarman School. He completed BUD/S training with class 115 and earned Army Airborne wings before serving in UDT-21 and SEAL Team 4 across multiple continents. After 1985, he taught Naval Aviation Water Survival and earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Troy State University. In 1987, David joined NCIS as a Special Agent, later holding leadership roles with the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division and the Department of Interior's OIG. Retiring as a Senior Executive after 35 years, he now lives in Sanford, Florida, and advocates for public safety. His education includes programs at the Center for Creative Leadership, the Federal Executive Institute, and Harvard's Kennedy School. New book titled, "And Goliath: The Littlest Navy SEAL's Inspirational Story About Living Your Biggest Life." Website: www.udtdave.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLittlestSEAL YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@udtdave Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/udtdave/ #udtdave

**Thank you to this episode's guest, Benny of Muted Circus, for permission to use a clip of his song ("Wait for What") in this podcast episode. ** In the latest episode of the Ruthless Compassion podcast I speak with Benny, who makes music under the name Muted Circus. Benny is a trained musician (violin, viola, electric bass, guitar, etc.) and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music. After briefly touring with a Sony artist and seeing things from the inside he got disillusioned with music and set it aside completely to do other things. But when his artist father was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, music rushed back in. What started as one song led to two, which led to three, and on and on, which ended up becoming a 10 EP x 50 song cycle. Each song explores death, mourning, loss, and aging in its own way. Half instrumental, half vocal. Benny is gearing up to release the 10th and final EP of the Muted Circus project and is ready to share his story. You can check out his music on Spotify, YouTube, and Instagram. Listen to his song, "Wait for What" (discussed in this podcast). (https://open.spotify.com/track/07lyO9589z0elcgLg7alQr?si=7e9a6cb2d2194f4b) Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mutedcircus?igsh=MW52anUyczlwdHkzNg== Listen to his music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3BGFACqqp9d8Go9aGL26RZ?si=hb_76ZdtRvW949yeEGV2UA Check out The Starting Gun (Spotify Track) Instrumental Songs Collection (Spotify Playlist) *Permission granted by the artist to use a clip of his song ("Wait for What") in this podcast episode.*

Julie Wignall received international acclaim for her trailblazing accomplishments in environmental practices, animal care, and leadership working with Mirage Resorts, a Fortune 500 company. Her unconventional career path has given her first-hand experience working with innovators in national politics, conservation, international business, television, and the arts. Along her unconventional journey, Julie encountered many remarkable people who, like her, had forged uncommon pathways to create meaningful change. Julie coined the term "Fireflies" to describe these visionaries: people you see beyond what is and take action to create a better reality. She shares her story and those of others in her multi award-winning book, The Extraordinary Power of Fireflies: How to Shine Your Light Brighter and Transform the World. Today, Julie is a sought-after consultant, workshop leader, coach, and speaker. She empowers changemakers with the tools to align with their purpose and amplify their impact as she shares what is possible when individuals harness their light to transform the world. Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExtraordinaryPowerofFireflies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extraordinarypoweroffireflies/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-wignall-38548668/ Multi award-winning book, "The Extraordinary Power of Fireflies: How to Shine Your Light Brighter and Transform the World" PROMO: Free download of "Flying Lessons for Fireflies" and Free discovery call, found at www.extraordinaryfireflies.com

Darlynn is a recovering "mad mom". After spending the first 5 years of parenting yelling at her kids and feeling like crap, she massively transformed herself and her approach to parenting by diving into a self-healing journey that led her to become a certified life coach and parenting expert. Now, she's on a mission to heal the next generation in advance by helping moms find true calm, gain skills to parent with compassion, and manage misbehavior without using shame or fear. Since 2012, Darlynn has worked with hundreds of families and helped them thrive. She's also been featured talking about Raising Emotionally Healthy Children on the Becoming You Again podcast with Karin Nelson and was named as one of the 11 Leading Parenting Coaches to Rely on in 2024 by the San Francisco Examiner. The Calm Mama Club is a parenting mentorship program with all the tools and support you need to get calm and raise emotionally healthy kids. Inside, you'll learn Darlynn's signature 4-step Calm Mama Process. You also get access to weekly group coaching calls, the Calm Mama Handbook and a library of courses with topics ranging from sibling fights to screentime. IG: @darlynnchildress FB: @calmmamacoaching Free "Stop Yelling Cheat Sheet" Join the Calm Mama Club Learn more about Darlynn and her work: https://www.calmmamacoaching.com/ Consult link: https://darlynnchildress.as.me/chat