Spirit Talk Show - Bedtime Stories for Grown Ups

As Season 6 of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups comes to a close, we pause—not with noise, but with reflection. In this special tribute episode, Doyle sits down with his friend Russ to honor the life of Russ’s mother, Evelyn Dorothy Parker—a remarkable woman whose story quietly spans immigration, science, motherhood, and a lifetime of perseverance. Born in 1937 to a family who fled Nazi Germany, Evelyn’s life began in upheaval but unfolded with extraordinary purpose. She grew up on a dairy ranch in Northern California and quickly revealed a rare brilliance—graduating high school at just 14 and earning her bachelor’s degree by 17. She went on to complete her doctorate in biochemistry at UC Berkeley and contributed to important molecular biology research at Stanford, helping shape early understanding in genetics and developmental science. But this story isn’t only about achievement. It’s about who she was in the spaces between. Evelyn is remembered for her kindness—welcoming young researchers into her home, hosting holiday gatherings for students far from their families, and offering support without ever seeking recognition. Her impact wasn’t loud, but it was lasting. In this deeply personal conversation, Russ shares stories preserved in a remarkable family binder—stories of wartime displacement, academic brilliance, rediscovered connections, and the quiet humanity that defined his mother’s life. The episode closes with a gentle bedtime story from a book written by Evelyn’s own mother decades ago—a reminder that every life, no matter how extraordinary or ordinary it may seem, carries its own rhythm… and its own meaning. As we close Season 6, this episode stands as a tribute—not only to Evelyn, but to all those whose lives shape the world quietly through kindness, curiosity, and a life well lived. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

What does it look like when a man stands in a thunderstorm, dares lightning to strike him, and discovers his entire purpose instead? Steve Gamlin -- keynote speaker, stand-up comedian, vision board coach, and self-described "beach bum philanthropist" -- has built a life out of beautiful wreckage. A ten-year radio career that imploded. A divorce. Tens of thousands of dollars in debt at 35. And then, one afternoon on a golf course in the middle of a thunderstorm, something shifted. That moment launched everything: a speaking career, seven years of stand-up comedy, the Vision Board Mastery program, Beach Bum Philanthropy (his official 501c3 nonprofit), and a personal development philosophy he calls "blue collar woo" -- no glitter, no fluff, just roll up your sleeves and do the work. But the heart of this episode is a love story. In June of 2007, after 21 years of silence, Steve received an email from a girl he had a crush on in high school and never had the courage to ask out. Her name was Tina. Four weeks later, she texted him: "Can I tell you something if you promise not to freak out?" What followed was 6,386 days of the kind of love most people only put on vision boards. Tina died suddenly in Steve's arms in a London hotel room in December of 2024, less than 24 hours after the two of them shared what Steve calls the most honest conversation of their lives together. And still, every single morning, his foot slides across to her side of the bed. In this conversation, Steve brings all of it -- the grief, the humor, the heartbreak, the hopefulness, and yes, the standing ovation he admits he cheated to get -- into the Spirit Talk Show studio. We also perform a short radio play, read him a tribute story, and close with a poem that left the whole room quiet. If you have ever felt like your failures were just firewood waiting to be lit, this episode is for you. Find Steve and explore his work -- including Vision Board Mastery, his humor coaching, and his speaking events -- at www.stevegamlinspeaker.com. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter at @SteveGamlin. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

There are people you meet in life who remind you that you are more than the story you have been telling about yourself. Wil Fisher is one of those people. This week on Spirit Talk Show, Doyle gets deeply personal. He opens by sharing something that happened to him at a retreat he nearly did not attend, a weekend where he cried not once but three times, not from sadness, but from something rarer and harder to name: recognition. The relief of finally being seen. The man responsible for creating that room is Wil Fisher, life coach, retreat leader, applied theater practitioner, hypnotherapist, NLP Master Practitioner, Reiki practitioner, founder of Willfully Living, and host of the podcast Queerly Beloved. Wil grew up in a home marked by addiction, alcoholism, and abuse. As a gay kid who also navigated bullying, safety was never something he got to take for granted. For years afterward he found himself in patterns that will feel familiar to many listeners: people pleasing, self-sabotage, chasing success that looked right on the outside but felt hollow on the inside. What changed everything was an unexpected role at Easton Mountain, an LGBTQ retreat center in upstate New York, where he eventually became Executive Director and immersed himself in healing work every single day, sitting at the feet of shamans, coaches, and spiritual guides from around the world. He did not just witness transformation. He let it in. In this episode, Wil and Doyle talk about what it actually means to be fully seen, why receiving a compliment can be one of the most terrifying things a person can do, how theater and improv unlock truths that the thinking mind cannot reach, what cacao ceremony is and what it is not, the inner child work that left Doyle speechless, how the retreat served men who showed up skeptical and left lighter than they had felt in years, and what it looks like to build a new neural pathway that tells you it is safe to be yourself. Wil also shares about his one-on-one immersive retreat work in Encinitas, California, a place he calls high-vibrational and a couple of blocks from the ocean. And if something in this episode stirs something in you, here is what is coming up: Wil is hosting a retreat in Lake Arrowhead, California from Thursday, October 8th through Sunday, October 11th. It is the kind of weekend that changes things. Full details and registration are at https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/events. He is also offering a week-long Costa Rica retreat over New Year's, and the possibility of a Northern California event is on the horizon as well. The episode closes with Doyle reading the tribute story he wrote for Wil, which brought both of them close to tears, and Wil reading an achingly beautiful poem about joy that just might stay with you for days. If any part of you has been waiting a long time to exhale, this episode is for you. Connect with Wil Fisher: Website: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Upcoming Events: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/events Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilfish99/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillfullyLiving Podcast: Queerly Beloved: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/queerly-beloved/id1647431399 Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

In this powerful episode of Spirit Talk Show, Doyle sits down with Josh Tomeoni for an honest, deeply personal conversation about masculinity, divorce, identity collapse, addiction, failure, and the long road back to yourself. Josh opens up about the moment his life cracked open—when shame, loss, and the collapse of the life he thought he had forced him to confront who he really was underneath the roles of husband, father, provider, and “good man.” What follows is a raw and thoughtful exploration of what happens when the white-picket-fence dream falls apart and a man has to decide whether he will keep hiding or finally face himself. Together, Doyle and Josh talk about modern masculinity, self-worth versus self-esteem, addiction as escape, the pressure men feel to be useful at all costs, and why so many men suffer in silence rather than reach for help. Josh also shares insights from his book, The Gospel of an Ex-Derelict: Fight, Fail, Rebuild, offering a grounded and compassionate framework for what rebuilding can actually look like. This is a conversation about pain, responsibility, identity, and the courage to stop performing strength and start becoming real. A moving episode for anyone who has lost the life they thought they were supposed to have and is trying to build something truer in its place. Learn more about Josh Tomeoni:http://exderelict.com/ Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

There is a quiet memory many of us carry — even if we don’t have language for it. A sense that life was once gentler.That cooperation came before competition.That learning once meant becoming more human, not more efficient. In this reflective episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle sits down with psychotherapist, yoga philosophy teacher, and author Catya Batalha to explore what it means to remember who we were before the world told us who to be. Drawing from her book Echoes of the Timeless, Catya shares a vision of a civilization rooted in reciprocity rather than dominance — a world where spirit and nature were not separate, and where children were guided toward authenticity rather than comparison. Together, they explore: • The nervous system impact of prolonged competition and stress• Why so many children enter school expecting kindness — and leave disillusioned• Trauma as part of a larger soul journey• The balance between “shadow work” and “light work” in healing• How education might change if personal development came first• The idea that remembering together may be the most revolutionary act of all Catya speaks candidly about her own journey — from anger and despair to spiritual awakening — and how she now integrates Western psychotherapy with Eastern wisdom traditions in her healing work. This conversation is not about fixing yourself. It is about remembering. If something in this episode feels familiar in a way you can’t quite name, stay with it. The ache may not be sadness alone. It may be recognition. Learn more about Catya’s work, her book, and her offerings at:https://catiabatalha.org/ And if you’re listening and thinking, “I thought it was just me,” it never was. There are more stories to remember. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

What if happiness isn’t something we force or choose on command, but something that slowly emerges as we come to understand ourselves more deeply? In this thoughtful episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle sits down with Australian author and philosopher Adam Brownlie to explore happiness through the lenses of neuroscience, philosophy, and lived experience. Drawing from his book Happypedia, Adam shares a science-informed perspective on how our brains shape emotions, decisions, and behavior. Together, Doyle and Adam explore forgiveness not as excusing the past, but as a way of easing emotional burden, and discuss how compassion and understanding can help create a steadier, more meaningful life. This conversation explores: How neuroscience helps explain emotional patterns The difference between blame and understanding Why forgiveness can be a deeply personal inner process Practical foundations for a balanced and meaningful life This is not a conversation about quick fixes or forced positivity. It is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and consider how patience, clarity, and understanding can quietly transform the way we experience the world. To learn more about Adam Brownlie and his work, visit his website: https://adambrownlie.com.au/ Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

What if confidence isn’t something you earn—but something you remember? In this inspiring, funny, and deeply affirming episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle and producer Howie welcome Simone Knego—international speaker, two-time TEDx presenter, bestselling author, podcast host, and the voice behind The Extraordinary Unordinary You and the upcoming book Real Confidence. Simone’s story doesn’t begin on a stage. It begins at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro—far from home, far outside her comfort zone, and face-to-face with a question many of us carry quietly for years: Am I enough? With six kids waiting back home, a full life already in motion, and a long history of self-doubt, Simone chose to climb—not to prove anything to the world, but to finally believe herself. From summiting Africa’s tallest mountain to navigating international adoption, parenting neurodiverse children, building a global speaking career, and learning how to silence the “what-if whisperer” in her own head, Simone shares her journey with humor, honesty, and zero pretense. In this conversation, we explore: Why confidence is a skill—not a personality trait The moment her daughter stopped her mid-self-criticism—and changed everything How discomfort builds belief from the inside out The messy middle between doubt and self-trust Her REAL Method: Respect yourself, Embrace failure, Ask what you want, Live without limits Why leadership often happens around the kitchen table, not the boardroom Along the way, Simone reads from her work—sharing stories that move effortlessly between laugh-out-loud moments and quiet revelations. As always, Spirit Talk Show weaves in a tribute poem and story, honoring not just Simone’s achievements, but the courage it takes to meet yourself honestly and choose differently. This episode is a reminder that you don’t need to become someone new.You need to stop being cruel to the person you already are. Settle in. You might recognize yourself in this one. Spirit Talk Show: now go tell a story worth telling. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

Some people search for miracles.Others trip over them daily—and laugh while doing it. In this joyful, funny, and deeply thoughtful episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle and producer Howie sit down with Kirsten Rudberg—author, screenwriter, podcaster, spiritual explorer, and self-described panentheist who believes the divine is not somewhere else, but everywhere, all at once, including squirrels, spilled coffee, and awkward public moments. Kirsten grew up across continents—from Guyana to Pakistan—immersed in a childhood where cultures, languages, and faiths coexisted naturally. That global upbringing shaped a worldview rooted in curiosity, compassion, humor, and sacred wonder. Whether she’s walking the Camino alone through brutal weather, caring for family through life’s hardest transitions, or hosting her podcast Bite-Sized Blessings, Kirsten brings the same question to everything: What if nothing is ordinary? In this conversation, we explore: Why miracles might be constant—and we’re just distracted Panentheism explained without incense, robes, or gatekeeping Creativity as a nagging muse that refuses to be ignored Walking the Camino without training (and trusting anyway) Boundaries, kindness, and why small gestures matter more than grand ones Why humor might be one of the most spiritual tools we have Along the way, the episode unfolds into playful radio-style scenes, improvised scripts, laughter, deep reflections, and a powerful spoken-word monologue about “small lights” that quietly stitch the world back together. This is an episode that doesn’t just talk about magic—it models it. Through wit, warmth, and radical attentiveness, Kirsten reminds us that blessings aren’t rare. They’re bite-sized, persistent, and waiting to be noticed. Settle in.Laugh a little.And keep your eyes open. Spirit Talk Show: now go tell a story worth telling. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

What if dyslexia isn’t a learning disability — but a differently wired brain that’s been taught the wrong way? In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle sits down with Russell Van Brocklin — known as “The Dyslexic Professor” — whose journey from a first-grade reading level to law school sparked a mission to transform how we teach reading and writing. After being failed despite excelling in a New York State Assembly internship, Russell refused to accept the limits placed on him. What followed was groundbreaking dyslexia research, a state-funded intervention program, and a structured writing method that has helped students move from the lowest percentiles to grade level — and beyond — often in a matter of months. In this conversation, Russell explains: • Why dyslexia is not simply a reading problem• What brain scans reveal about how dyslexic minds process language• How specialization unlocks confidence and rapid growth• The simple sentence framework that begins organizing chaotic thinking• Why traditional remediation often fails• How advanced writing tools like “warrants” can elevate students to college-level work• Why this approach may even prepare students for the AI-driven future This episode is bold, technical, and deeply hopeful. If you’re a parent, educator, student, or someone who has ever been told you “just can’t learn,” this conversation offers a new lens — and real possibility. Learn more and download Russell’s free guide at:https://dyslexiaclasses.com Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

What does it mean to leave something behind that truly lasts? In this deeply uplifting episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle and producer Howie welcome author, speaker, and podcaster Dom Brightmon, a self-described Positive Thought Catalyst whose life’s work centers on one powerful idea: advance others so they can advance themselves. From becoming the youngest Area Director in Toastmasters at just 23, to writing bestselling books like Going North and Stay the Course, to hosting over 1,000 conversations with authors and leaders on the Going North Podcast, Dom’s journey is a masterclass in intentional growth, mentorship, and joyful leadership. This episode drifts effortlessly between laughter, insight, and imagination. Together, the trio explores: How mentorship can accelerate a life Why libraries are sacred community spaces in a digital world What it means to create your own “piece of immortality” through words and ideas How humor, hydration, and preparation can quietly transform your days And why acknowledging strangers might be one of the most powerful acts we have As always, Spirit Talk Show weaves in a signature tribute story, a spoken-word poem, and an original narrative—turning conversation into something closer to a shared fireside moment. What emerges is not just an interview, but a reminder that leadership doesn’t have to be loud, success doesn’t have to be lonely, and positivity—when practiced daily—can ripple farther than we ever expect. Settle in. Listen closely.This is a story about connection, courage, and the quiet work of lighting the way for others. Spirit Talk Show: now go tell a story worth telling. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

Some stories entertain.Others quietly keep us alive. In this powerful and deeply human episode of Spirit Talk Show: Bedtime Stories for Grown-Ups, Doyle is joined by Richard Spiegel, a prolific fantasy and dark speculative fiction author whose work lives at the intersection of imagination, trauma, love, and resilience. Richard is the author of five published novels—with many more already written—and the creator of expansive story worlds including the Wolves and Ravens trilogy and the ongoing Eternal Nights saga. His writing blends fantasy, paranormal elements, romance, and psychological realism, not as escape, but as a way to understand what it means to survive. This conversation moves far beyond craft talk. Richard speaks candidly about: Writing as a form of emotional containment and release Living so deeply inside fictional worlds that they rival reality Military service, medical retirement, and the unseen cost of sacrifice Why fantasy isn’t the opposite of truth—but one of its most honest languages Creating characters who endure trauma, break, recover, and keep going He describes himself less as an author and more as a correspondent—someone recording events as they unfold in worlds that feel fully real to him. That intensity allows him to write full novels in weeks, but it also carries a cost, requiring constant grounding, support from his wife, and an ongoing negotiation between imagination and everyday life. The episode includes: A moving tribute story honoring Richard’s work and its emotional impact A poem inspired by his fiction and the spaces it creates for readers A live excerpt from Broken Angel, the harrowing conclusion to Wolves and Ravens, exploring sacrifice, love, and irreversible choice Together, the hosts and Richard reflect on why readers binge his books, why he avoids filler and spectacle, and why he believes the most important stories leave room for the reader’s own imagination to do part of the work. At its heart, this episode is about storytelling as resilience—about how imagined worlds help us process real pain, how darkness can be approached with care instead of fear, and how fiction can become rehearsal for being human. These are not stories that distract you from life.They sit beside you in it. Spirit Talk Show – Bedtime Stories for Grown-UpsHosted by Doyle Follow Spirit Talk Show on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirittalkshowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylespirittalkshow/X: https://x.com/doylespirittalk Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/spirittalkshow www.spirittalkshow.info If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who might need it.Sponsored by Incogni — they remove your personal data from broker sites automatically so strangers cannot buy your information. Get protected: https://deal.incogni.io/spirittalkshow

<p>Dantro and Pat risk everything as they slip into Marston’s palace through a hidden tunnel, searching desperately for Billy and Jane before it’s too late. Deep behind enemy lines, every step brings new danger. Meanwhile, across the galaxy, the League of Planets prepares for open war against Marston, setting the stage for a conflict that could determine the fate of multiple worlds. Tension rises on all fronts in this suspenseful chapter of <em>The Planet Man</em>.</p>