The Kindness Podcast

Episode DescriptionIn this episode of The Kindness Podcast, Nicole Phillips sits down with Lauren Wu, keynote speaker, attorney, former healthcare privacy executive, and founder of Heart Led Leadership, for a conversation about what happens when life forces us to rethink everything we thought we knew. Lauren shares the unexpected thread that connects her journey from ballerina to healthcare executive to founder, and how a life-threatening health event reshaped her understanding of success, leadership, and her own worth. Together, Nicole and Lauren explore what it means to build a career and a life around being human rather than around endurance, why empathy, authenticity, accessibility, and resilience are strategic advantages in the age of AI, and what kindness actually looks like inside a workplace. Lauren also offers a tender invitation for anyone who has built their identity around being the strong one, the dependable one, the high performer, and is quietly running on empty.About our guest: Lauren WuLauren Wu, Esq., CIPP/US, is a keynote speaker, attorney, former healthcare privacy executive, and founder of Heart Led Leadership, where she helps organizations rethink leadership, burnout, and performance in the age of AI. Before stepping onto stages, Lauren spent nearly two decades leading privacy, regulatory, and compliance strategy at companies including Roche, Exact Sciences, and Evidation Health.A former ballerina turned executive, Lauren's work explores what happens when high-performance cultures are built around constant endurance instead of sustainable human systems. After surviving a life-threatening health event that forced her to step away from her executive career, she began speaking about empathy, authenticity, accessibility, and resilience not as soft skills, but as strategic advantages.Today, Lauren speaks at the intersection of leadership, healthcare, ethics, technology, and human-centered design, helping audiences build systems where people can succeed without losing themselves in the process.Links and ResourcesLauren's website: https://www.heartledleadership.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-foster-wu/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/heartledlauren

Episode DescriptionIn this episode of the Kindness Podcast, Nicole Phillips speaks with Kelly King, a male breast cancer survivor whose journey has reshaped his views on time, purpose, and kindness. Kelly shares his unique experience of being diagnosed through a DNA blood test, navigating treatment, and the ongoing challenges he faces post-cancer. He emphasizes the importance of community, kindness, and gratitude in overcoming adversity, and encourages others to reach out for support during difficult times.About our guest: Kelley KingMy Why Changed Everything. For over four decades, I’ve helped people build legacies—crafting estate and life insurance strategies to protect families and futures. But I’ve learned that money alone doesn’t lead to a meaningful retirement.In 2023, that lesson became deeply personal. Through a new DNA blood test, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer—despite feeling healthy and having no symptoms. That diagnosis changed how I viewed everything: my health, my time, my why. For me, the answer was clear—my family, especially my seven grandchildren. They are my anchor and my “why.”After completing treatments, I became a co-founder of The Retirement Life, a program that prepares people for more than finances in retirement—focusing on values, relationships, faith, and purpose. My mission has grown from helping dads become better dads to helping men build lives of goodness, health, and vitality in every season.I’ve served on the board of Youth for Christ for 17 years, completed the Prime Movers program, and am a Certified Kingdom Advisor. I live in Alexandria, Ohio, attend Jersey Church, and take great joy in watching my three grown children lead boldly in their churches and communities.Purpose doesn’t end at retirement. In many ways, it begins.Links and ResourcesThe Retirement Life https://www.theretirement.life/pages/homeFacebook https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Retirement-Life-61558988862516/Galleri early cancer detection test https://www.galleri.comKelley King Financial Services http://www.king-fs.comKelley’s male breast cancer story https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/post/my-male-breast-cancer-storyJohn Hancock feature Early detection, lifelong impactJohn Hancock podcast episode https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/our-why-with-kelley-king-the-value

Episode Description:In this honest conversation, Nicole sits down with Asha Miller, breast cancer survivor, vitiligo advocate, storyteller, and founder of Asha Miller Creative. Diagnosed with stage 3B aggressive breast cancer at just 33, Asha shares how that experience reshaped not only her health, but her sense of self, her voice, her faith, and her understanding of what it means to live fully in the body she has now.Together, they talk about visible difference, truth telling, motherhood, healing, community, and the courage it takes to stay open when life gets hard. Asha’s story is powerful, grounded, and deeply human. This episode is for anyone navigating illness, identity shifts, or the quiet work of learning to be kind to yourself in a life you did not plan.In this episode, we talk about: • What life looked like before Asha’s breast cancer diagnosis at 33 • How cancer impacted her identity, not just her body • What it means to live fully in the body you have now • How vitiligo shaped her relationship with visibility and self acceptance • Why telling the truth matters more than telling the polished version. Why this conversation matters Asha reminds us that kindness is not denial. It is not pretending everything is fine. It is honesty. It is tenderness. It is learning to stay with yourself, even when your body feels unfamiliar and your life has taken a turn you never asked for.Her story offers hope without sugarcoating. Truth without performance. And a powerful reminder that healing is rarely neat, but it can still be meaningful.About Asha Miller Asha Miller is a breast cancer veteran, vitiligo advocate, storyteller, and consultant based in Columbus, Ohio. Diagnosed with stage 3B aggressive breast cancer at 33, she transformed her diagnosis into a life rooted in advocacy, truth telling, and building community. She is the founder of Asha Miller Creative and the voice behind Dear Cancer, It’s Me, where she creates space for honest conversations about identity, healing, faith, visible difference, and what it means to live fully in the body you have now. Through writing, speaking, and storytelling initiatives with hospitals and national organizations, Asha helps people reclaim their voice and push back darkness with love. At the heart of everything she does are her two children, who remind her daily that kindness begins at home, in the smallest moments, and in the courage to stay tender even when life has been anything but.Connect with Asha: Instagram: @dearcancer_itsme Everyday Health contributor page: Asha Dee Miller Linktree: Dear Cancer, It’s MeOutro If this conversation meant something to you, share it with someone who might need it too. And if you’re walking through something hard right now, you’re not alone in it.And remember, what you look for is what you’ll see.

What Does Kindness Look Like When We Treat Our Body as a Friend with Camellia JadeIn this episode of The Kindness Podcast, I’m joined by Camellia Jade, a creative visionary helping women build confidence, community, and a healthier relationship with their bodies. Through fashion, vulnerability, and a lot of courage online, Camellia has turned style into a vehicle for self love. She is the founder of Confidera, a speaker, and the creator of events that invite women to show up fully as themselves.We talk about the difference between visibility and validation. How stepping on camera can expose old wounds. And why so many women feel isolated inside bodies they live in every day. Camellia shares what viral attention did to her mental health, how burnout showed up physically, and what healing body dysmorphia taught her about kindness toward herself.This is a conversation about more than clothes. It is about identity, safety, and the quiet courage it takes to be seen. It is about building circles of women who choose honesty over performance and connection over comparison.Big question this episode explores: What does kindness look like when we treat our body as a friend instead of a project?In this episode, we talk about: • How Camellia describes her work to someone meeting her for the first time • When fashion became a doorway to deeper healing • The hidden problem she sees women struggling with • Lessons from stepping into public visibility • Viral fame and its impact on mental health • Why social media can turn toxic and how she navigates it • Body image, vulnerability, and practicing self kindness • Healing body dysmorphia in a public space • What victory in vulnerability actually looks like • One kind thing women can do for themselves todayAbout Camellia JadeCamellia Jade is a Creative Visionary for Confidence and Community dedicated to helping women look good, feel good, and live boldly. As Founder and CEO of Confidera, she designs clothing that blends style, comfort, and purpose. She also creates empowering events that celebrate movement, connection, and self expression.A sought after speaker, Camellia inspires audiences to embrace their unique style, own their story, and build communities where confidence thrives.Website: www.camelliajade.com Instagram: @camellia_jadeThank you for listening to The Kindness Podcast.If this episode made you think of someone who could use a little encouragement, share it with them.And remember, what we look for is what we will see.

Episode DescriptionWhat if kindness wasn’t soft at all, but one of the most powerful biological forces we have?In this episode of The Kindness Podcast, Nicole Phillips talks with David R. Hamilton, a former pharmaceutical scientist and one of the world’s leading researchers on the science of kindness.Dr. Hamilton explains why kindness is literally wired into our genes, how it counteracts stress at a physiological level, and why genuine kindness changes inflammation, immunity, aging, and mental health. They also talk about why “being nice” out of duty does not count, why kindness has real teeth, and how small moments of compassion can ripple out to change lives we will never meet.This conversation is honest, science-backed, and deeply human.Show NotesGuest: Dr. David R. Hamilton Author of 12 books including The Joy of Actually Giving an F*ck Former pharmaceutical scientist turned kindness researcher Based in Scotland, UKWhat We Cover• Why calling someone a “kindness expert” can feel uncomfortable • How Dr. Hamilton’s work in pharmaceuticals led him to study kindness • The placebo effect and why kindness is a mind-body phenomenon • What actually counts as kindness and what does not • Why duty-based kindness gives no benefit to the giver • “Nature’s Catch-22” and why kindness has to be genuine • How kindness directly reduces stress, blood pressure, and inflammation • The link between kindness and slower cellular aging • Why kindness is the true physiological opposite of stress • A powerful personal story about compassion at the exact right moment • What to do when life feels too heavy to be kind • The ripple effect of kindness and how one small act can impact over 100 peopleKey Takeaways• Kindness is not weak. It is biologically powerful. • The benefits only happen when kindness is real. • You don’t need grand gestures. Small moments matter. • You are already creating ripple effects, whether you see them or not. • Kindness changes the quality of other people’s days, and your own body.Memorable Quotes“Physiologically speaking, the opposite of stress is kindness.”“You only get the benefits of kindness if you mean it.”“Kindness has teeth. Powerful teeth.”“You are setting waves in motion that reach people you will never meet.”ResourcesDr. David Hamilton’s website: https://drdavidhamilton.com Better You Backed By Science vlog: https://www.youtube.com/@davidrhamiltonphdSign up for weekly science-backed kindness emails and check out his books!Dr. David Hamilton's latest online course (Why Woo Woo Works) starts in January. Sign up here: https://drdavidhamilton.com/online-courses/

The Kindness Podcast Episode Overview: In this episode, Nicole talks with Dr. Caitlin Ryan about what real support looks like for families with an LGBTQ child. Dr. Ryan has spent decades listening to young people and their caregivers, and she brings a clear, grounded view of what helps and what harms.They focus on the work of the Family Acceptance Project, which has shown how everyday family behaviors strongly influence a child’s health, safety and sense of belonging. Nicole and Dr. Ryan talk about why small relational shifts matter so much, why families sometimes react in painful ways without meaning to, and how practical guidance can change outcomes for both kids and parents.A key part of the conversation explores the tension families feel when faith or cultural beliefs seem at odds with their child’s identity. Dr. Ryan shares how she has seen families honor those beliefs while still choosing understanding, curiosity and love, and how that choice often opens the door to healing.The episode returns to one guiding question. What does kindness look like for families who want to support their LGBTQ child? Dr. Ryan offers simple, realistic steps that bring the answer within reach.Our guest is LGBTQ expert, Dr. Caitlin Ryan.Caitlin Ryan, PhD, ACSW is a clinical social worker, educator and researcher who has worked on LGBTQ health and mental health since the the 1970s and whose work on LGBTQ health has shaped policy and practice for LGBTQ children and youth. She directs the Family Acceptance Project® (FAP) at San Francisco State University – a research, education, intervention and policy project – to help ethnically, racially and religiously diverse families to support their LGBTQ children. Dr. Ryan and her team conducted the first research on LGBTQ youth and families and developed the first evidence-based family support model to help diverse families and caregivers to prevent health risks and to promote well-being for LGBTQ children and youth in the context of their families, cultures and faith traditions. Dr. Ryan’s work has been recognized by national professional groups in the fields of counseling, medicine, nursing, psychiatry, psychology and social work, and from civic, LGBTQ, advocacy, arts and faith-based groups. This includes recognition for her work by the American Psychological Association’s Division 44 that gave her the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award for groundbreaking research on LGBTQ youth and families, by the American Psychiatric Association and by the Human Rights Campaign for lifetime contributions to well-being for LGBTQ youth. Dr. Ryan is implementing FAP’s trauma-informed family support model across systems of care and has trained more than 130,000 families, providers, religious leaders and youth on FAP’s family support approach across the U.S. and in other countries. She works with organizations, faith communities, families and providers to integrate FAP’s family-based support model to build healthy futures for LGBTQ children, youth and young adults across disciplines, services and systems.https://lgbtqfamilyacceptance.orghttps://familyproject.sfsu.eduBehaviors that help/behaviors that hurt posters: https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/postershttps://familyproject.sfsu.edu/publications

The Kindness PodcastEpisode: What Does Kindness Look Like When We’re Talking to Our Teens? Guest: Shanna Reyes, MS, LCMHCSEpisode OverviewTalking to teens can bring out the best — and sometimes the worst — in us. In this episode, host Nicole J. Phillips talks with trauma expert Shanna Reyes about how kindness can reshape the way we communicate with our kids, especially when conversations get uncomfortable.They explore how to connect instead of control, how to set expectations when college kids return home for the holidays, and what to do when we inevitably get it wrong. Because kindness in parenting isn’t about saying all the right things — it’s about being willing to repair when we don’t.About the GuestShanna Reyes is the founder of Counseling Integrity and a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor with nearly two decades of experience specializing in complex PTSD, dissociation, and developmental trauma. She combines cutting-edge neuroscience with deep clinical intuition to help clients heal at the root level.She is one of only four EMDR Institute Facilitators in North Carolina and serves as Co-Coordinator for the NC Trauma Recovery Network (EMDR HAP). Shanna is also EMDRIA Certified and trained in Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), Parts Work/Ego State Therapy, and Transactional Analysis/Redecision Therapy.Key TakeawaysHow to open conversations when your teen seems shut down or defensive.Why setting expectations before college kids come home can prevent conflict.How to recover when you say something you regret.Why repair — not perfection — builds lasting connection.Simple ways to bring curiosity and calm to tough moments.Resources MentionedCounseling Integrity – Shanna ReyesThe Gottman Institute – Parenting ResourcesThe Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline by Dr. Dan Siegel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson (“Repair, repair, repair.”)

Christine Caine is a sought-after international speaker, author and activist. Known for her ability to effectively communicate a message of hope, Christine has a heart for reaching the lost, strengthening leadership, and championing the cause of justice. Together with her husband, Nick, she founded the anti-human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign – a recipient of the Mother Theresa Memorial Award for their work combating human trafficking among refugees. They also founded Propel Women, an organization designed to celebrate every woman’s passion, purpose, and potential. Christine and Nick make their home in Southern California with their daughters, Catherine and Sophia. See more at https://christinecaine.com/. You can also connect on social media at https://www.instagram.com/christinecaine/ https://www.facebook.com/theChristineCaine/ https://twitter.com/ChristineCaine

Twila True, a lifelong member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribe, is a mega-successful entrepreneur whose businesses total more than one billion dollars. With roots from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, the poorest community in the U.S., Twila overcame a challenging family upbringing to become a business megaforce, from investing and incubating, to owning and operating, multi-million dollar companies in entertainment, beauty, fashion, food and real estate. In addition to her businesses, Twila’s charitable ventures include an orphanage assistance foundation in China, and a Native American personal development foundation in the U.S. One of Twila’s latest projects involves bringing up young musicians at 1500 Sound Academy, a state-of-the-art music college based in Inglewood, California. Learn more about Twila at https://twilatruecollaborations.com/.

Jackie Moore received her Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Psychology, but it’s real life that has been her greatest teacher. Three years ago she launched Jordyn's Summer Shirt Project to teach Jordyn, her daughter with autism, job skills. Jordyn has not only learned valuable work skills, she’s also encouraging people to be kind to everyone. Find Jackie and Jordyn online at www.bekindtoeveryone.com and @summershirtproject.

Nicki Koziarz is a two-time ECPA bestselling author and speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries. She speaks nationally at conferences, retreats, and meetings and hosts her own podcast. An evangelist at heart, Nicki inspires others to become the best version of who God created them to be. Nicki and her husband and three girls run a small farm just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, which they affectionately call The Fixer Upper Farm. In her new book, Flooded: The Five Best Decisions to Make When Life is Hard and Doubt is Rising, Nicki bravely shares her own struggles with doubt and the man with the arc who became her role model for faith. Visit Nicki's website : www.nickikoziarz.com

Sissy Goff, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP is the Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee, where she works alongside her counseling assistant/pet therapist, Lucy the Havanese. Since 1993, she has been helping girls and their parents find confidence in who they are and hope in who God is making them to be, both as individuals and families. Sissy is a sought-after speaker for parenting events and the author of twelve books, including the bestselling Raising Worry-Free Girls and Braver, Stronger, Smarter (for elementary aged girls) and her new release for teenage girls, Brave. Sissy is a regular contributor to various podcasts and publications as well as her own podcast called Raising Boys and Girls. You can find more information and resources at raisingboysandgirls.com and follow Sissy on Instagram at @sissygoff.

Dr. Gary Chapman is an author, speaker, pastor, and counselor. He has a passion for people and for helping them build lasting relationships. He is an internationally recognized marriage counselor and director of marriage seminars. The 5 Love Languages is one of his most popular titles—it has been translated into 50 languages and has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide. Dr. Chapman was a family counselor in private practice for 40 years. His nationally- syndicated radio programs air on more than 400 stations. Learn more at https://www.5lovelanguages.com.