Her whole life Pardis Mahdavi tried to belong -- in the US, then in Iran. And finally she decided to be a bridge between two cultures but it took an arrest by the morality police and a crisis of identity to get there. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales, story edited by Ruxandra Guidi. Lauren Vespoli is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and web designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Pardis Mahdavi on our website 2lives.org.  

An Arrest By Iran's Morality Police Forces Woman To Embrace Her Hyphen

"We all have two lives. The second begins the moment we realize we have only one."

Stories of people who have faced darkness and how those moments transformed them.

2 Lives is hosted and written by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Pod art and website designed by Christian Arnder, music from Blue Dot Sessions.

Personal Journals

Society & Culture

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” TW: We mention an assault. Lauren’s heart stopped for 24 minutes. It took almost dying to realize she couldn’t get through life on her own. 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook or Instagram. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about GUEST on our website.

Back From The Dead With Lessons On How To Live

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Joshua "The Jedi" Loya lost his eyesight at 15, but that didn’t stop him from skydiving, surfing, Ju-Jitsu, and stand up comedy. Joshua says choosing sometimes the scary thing makes him feel authentically himself and helps him to live well with PTSD.  2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or X. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Joshua Loya on our website.  

Blind Surfer Embraces Challenges To Recover From PTSD

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION It took a life threatening situation to give Kafi Joseph permission to make her own rules about what she needs.  She learned that burnout was a symptom of a deeper worry that she wasn’t valuable unless she was driving hard.  Now this West Point grad uses her can-do attitude to take care of herself. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Kafi Joseph on our website.  

Severe Burnout Pushes West Point Grad To Find Worthiness Beyond Career

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Morgan O’Kane spent much of his young life searching for meaning and a high. It wasn’t until he sacrificed alcohol for the love of his child that he reconnected with his true nature. Through train-hopping, mountaineering, music, fatherhood and two very special dogs, Morgan O’Kane found his way home. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Morgan O'Kane and his music on our website.  

Adrenaline Junkie Finds Peace, Recovery In Nature

2 LIVES - STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION Content Warning: We mention suicide in this episode. After decades of telling people what she believed they wanted to hear, Helen Sneed shares openly her struggles with mental illness because it provides hope and ultimately saves lives, but it took many agonizing years of therapy, hospitalizations, and finally finding community to get here. 2 Lives “The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” 2 Lives is created by Laurel Morales. Valerie Shively is the assistant producer. Christian Arnder is our illustrator and website designer. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Become a 2 Lives patron at https://www.patreon.com/2lives Or give a donation at paypal.me/2LivesPodcast Drop us a note on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can learn more how to support the show here. Or order merch here. Episode transcripts are posted on our  website. Find out more about Helen Sneed and her podcast on our website.  

An Arrest By Iran's Morality Police Forces Woman To Embrace Her Hyphen

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