Tracy Doyle, Navigating Life’s Storms

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If you find yourself feeling exhausted and burned out, you’re not alone. And you’ll want to tune into our show to find out how to find your way back to feeling okay again.

Please welcome Tracy Doyle, a successful entrepreneur with a multi-million dollar company who simply couldn’t do it any longer. She was exhausted, not processing daily tasks clearly, and she hit rock bottom. But she found her way again, and wrote about it, “Life Storms: Finding Your Clear Sky,” a proven self-help guide designed primarily for women who seem put together on the outside but are struggling on the inside. And that was Tracy. In fact, she nearly drove herself off a cliff.

She created the Aurora Method, which are eight mindful practices designed to break negative cycles, regulate emotions, and restore connection with yourself and others in your life. She talks about what drove her to write this, and she believes early unresolved trauma and overwork caused her to mentally snap. Her goal – to help everyone else out there struggling mentally to find their way back to balance and clarity.

Please find my full conversation with Tracy on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE.

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here. Please share with your friends, too!

Suzanne Cope, Italian Women Warriors

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Today, I present an extraordinary true story for Women’s History Month, written by Suzanne Cope, “Women Of War: The Italian Assassins, Spies, and Couriers Who Fought the Nazis.”

This is the untold story of the women who risked their lives to secretly pass messages, ammunition, and other secrets to help fight the Nazis who were occupying Italy in the 1940’s. The book focuses on four women – in their early 20s – who would do their work on bicycle and on foot, carrying messages in a loaf of bread or hiding munitions in their overcoats, and risking their lives to do it.

This is a hidden chapter of Italian history — women of the Resistance who fought Fascism and Nazi occupation while living their everyday lives. And what they did mattered, as told by author and journalist Suzanne Cope, who conducted meticulous research for this book. The women highlighted here carried notes, transported weapons, organized strikes, and committed acts of extraordinary bravery, yet their stories had been overlooked for decades. Until now. In fact, these stories are perhaps more significant as women face challenges around the world to stand up for their rights and freedom.

Please find my full conversation with Suzanne Cope on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast.

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I thank you for joining us.

Arzo Yusuf, Executive Director. Angels Nest

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There are more than 30,000 children in the foster care system throughout Los Angeles County. Once they reach legal age, they are on their own, often with no place to go, no job, family, and often with limited skills. Arzo Yusuf,
executive director with Angels Nest, is working to change that.

Angels Nest assists with transitioning youth from foster care into the world so these children can function as thriving adults. But it’s hard. Nearly 33% end up homeless, 85% are sex trafficked, and 90% end up incarcerated. Clearly,
something isn’t working with these kind of statistics, and we’ll talk about that and possible solutions to a system that has been in place for decades. 

Arzo’s mission is to give these kids tools and finances to get a head start, providing services from rent support, educational assistance such as tuition, books, and laptops, groceries, and the list goes on. And she’s had tremendous
success.

Imaging growing up in a chaotic household, only to end up in a foster system that abandons you. It seems unimaginable. And you can help, too. Please find my full interview with Arzo Yusuf on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. 

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Rob Thomas, Wordless Connection: Deepen Intimacy Without Saying a World Even if You are Married

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Very often, we don’t need to speak to get our point across. In fact, a look or touch can speak volumes, and I’ll be discussing that with Rob Thomas, author of “Wordless Connection: Deepen Intimacy Without Saying a Word.” 

Rob’s book provides a practical, five-step framework for couples to rebuild trust and closeness through nonverbal communication rather than the traditional “talking it out” method, which can often lead to arguments. Rob talks about
specific silent techniques designed to increase empathy and intimacy, and uses neuroscience and behavioral research to illustrate how nonverbal cues, such as a touch or gaze, can deepen emotional bonds and reduce conflict. The gestures are subtle, but effective.
We’ll talk about it and even go through some exercises to illustrate. 

The work is done with purpose. For example, there’s a simple hug, and then there’s a hug with deeper meaning and intent. The idea is to engage with deeper care to provoke love and connection. And it works. We all need that tender
touch and provocative look. It makes us feel good. 

Please find my full interview with #RobThomas on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. 

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here. 

David Schnurman, Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur

Deborah Kobylt Live

Ever think of packing up and leaving? Let’s face it, many of us have. With all the crazy happening in our country, from gun violence to a lack of affordable housing and healthcare, not to mention an education system that has been sub par, many have dreamed
of packing up the kids and getting out of dodge. And that’s just what our guest did.

Meet David Schnurman, successful entrepreneur and author, “Eleven Suitcases: How Moving Abroad Changed A Family Forever,” who says moving was the best thing he and his family ever did.

Overwhelmed by the grind of raising three young kids in NY, David, the founder and CEO of Lawline, and his wife, Kelli, made a decision in 2019 while sitting at their kitchen table to pack up and move to Barcelona. What followed was a life of unplanned adventure,
from treks in Morocco to mountain escapes in Spain. However, there were multiple challenges, like the lockdown, among others.  But what unfolded changed their family forever – in unexpected ways.

Now back in the States with his family and their eleven suitcases, David talks about their experiences and how it transformed them.

Please find my full interview with #DavidSchnurman on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here!

Mimi Nichter, Author, Hostage: A Memoir of Terrorism, Trauma, and Resilience

Deborah Kobylt Live

Mimi Nichter was 20-years-old when she was on TWA flight 741 to JFK after spending her summer on a kibbutz in Israel. But her flight was hijacked and redirected to Jordan where passengers were held captive for six days in unimaginable conditions. Most were
sent home, but Mimi, falsely accused of being an Israeli soldier, was held hostage along with 31 others. This is Mimi’s story of survival and courage as she and the others hostages navigated the uncharted waters of how to stay alive and find their way home.

#Hostage recounts Mimi’s dramatic time as a hostage, her release, and the aftermath of when she returned home. She was never the same, plagued with terrifying memories and PTSD that has haunted her for much of her life. She backpacked across Africa and Asia
trying to release the trauma, but it was only buried deep inside of her until finally, she wrote about it. “Hostage” is her gift to herself and others facing unimaginable circumstances and coming out a survivor.

Please find my full conversation with #MimiNichter on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Dr. Abraham M. George, Author & Humanitarian

Deborah Kobylt Live

“Mountains to Cross: Finding Life’s Purpose in Service” by best-selling author Dr. Abraham M. George is a true story about lifting people up and changing the direction of someone’s life.

After a successful career as an entrepreneur in the United States, Dr. George returned to his homeland in India and created opportunities for the most disadvantaged children, providing education, healthcare, and opportunities where there were none. He established
a rural hospital for 15 villages, helped to eliminate leaded gas in much of the region, and founded a school for socially and economically distressed kids, with many of them going on to have successful lives where they are now giving back.

Dr. George has written three books and is the recipient of numerous awards for Human Rights. He has dedicated his life to service, justice, and education, and lives by his mantra, “purpose over comfort.” We’ll talk about that, because he wants to inspire others
to step out of their comfort zone and do the same.

Please find my full conversation with Dr. George on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE.

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Heavenly Hughes, My Tribe Rise: Helping Altadena Fire Victims

Deborah Kobylt Live

Nearly 9500 homes, businesses, churches, and schools burned in the Altadena fires last year, and many in the community are facing foreclosure on their homes because there’s been little movement to recover funds to rebuild. Rents are sky high for most, and they simply can’t make ends meet. Developers are swooping in to make low ball offers to homeowners, and many are forced to settle because it’s their only choice. Residents aren’t getting much help from local, county, or state government, either, and it’s time everyone steps up.

Meet Heavenly Hughes, longtime Altadena resident and founder of My Tribe Rise, a grass roots organization that provides funding and resources for members of the community in need of housing, work, and a place to turn during this critical time. The residents of Altadena say they’re trying to remain hopeful, but time is running out. They’ve asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to step in to ensure homeowners don’t foreclose, because people still have to pay their mortgage even though there’s no home, and they’re paying rent at the same time. It’s too much. Heavenly is working every angle to get people the help they need, and it’s been a challenge. So we’re talking with her about it on our show, and I hope you’ll join our conversation and do what you can, too.

You can find my full interview with Heavenly on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, and invite your friends, too. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Randy Gardner, LETS TALK OLYMPICS & Go Figure: The Randy Gardner Story

Deborah Kobylt Live

The Olympics are here, and one of my all-time favorite sports to watch is figure skating!!! So today, I welcome a skating legend to our show, Randy Gardner, who won the 1979 World Figure Skating Championships along with his skating partner, Tai Babilonia. Tai and Randy also won five U.S. Figure Skating Championships from 1976-1980 and qualified for the Winter Olympics in 1976 and 1980, but what happened just before their skate was truly crushing.

This year, the Olympics has some of the most brilliant skaters on the U.S. team, from quad-God Ilia Malinin to Amber Glenn, recognized for landing the rare triple axel, and teammates Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito. We’ll ask Randy to break down what to look for and what we might expect. And of course there’s the other winter sports to look forward to as well, from skiing to bobsledding. I also want to know what it feels like to walk into the arena with the possibility of bringing home the Gold. It must be amazing.

We’ve had Randy on our show previously to discuss his incredible documentary, Go Figure, The Randy Gardner Story, which is a jaw-dropping string of events starting with his conception. Let’s just say at multiple times during the documentary, I had to stop and say, “did that just happen??” So we’ll talk about that, too. And I’d like to add, despite more than a few bumps in the road, or in his case, cracks in the ice, Randy has remained positive throughout.

Ondi Timoner, Filmmaker, “All The Walls Came Down”

Deborah Kobylt Live

Please welcome to our show award-winning filmmaker, Ondi Timoner, who lost her home in Altadena when the Eaton fire tore through neighborhoods there last January, killing 19 people and leaving thousands of others without a home.This is a tight-knit, multi-generational community where kids played safely in the streets, residents organized block parties, and neighbors would meet at nearby coffee shops. But that’s all gone now, up in flames in just one night, leaving residents to mourn not just homes, but their community, wondering if they’ll ever be able to rebuild, siting little help from government officials and most insurance companies.

So Ondi did what she does best, and produced the documentary, “All The Walls Came Down,” a magnificent portrayal of the struggle, sadness, and reality of those who lost so much, including those residents who tragically lost family members. This is a stunning portrayal of a community left to fend for themselves, hanging on to hope while still looking for answers.
Ondi graduated cum laude from Yale and is the founder of Interloper Films. In fact, two of her films were acquired by New York’s Museum of Modern Art for its permanent collection. We will talk with Ondi about her outstanding career in the arts and what fuels her as a filmmaker, particularly this latest film, where she’s part of the action.

Please join me in welcoming Ondi Timoner to all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.