ABWilson's Heart of the Matter

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In this warm and uplifting episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, host Aderonke Bademosi Wilson welcomes Dr. Judith Francis, a New Jersey-based public health educator, author and advocate who describes herself as patient, energetic, a thought leader and a lover of people. 

Judith opens up about what each of those descriptors looks like in daily life, from staying calm and giving others room to grow at their own pace, to surrounding herself with people who sharpen her, because, as she says, iron sharpens iron. She also shares a few things her friends might be surprised to learn, including her days as an NAACP Cotillion Queen in Jersey City and her deep love of libraries as a place of refuge, free resources and community.

Judith shares the story behind her new book, Navigating Life’s Challenges Through Discipline and Grace: Wisdom for a Purposeful and Balanced Life. This faith-based self-help workbook uses the image of a traffic jam, with its detours, roadblocks and unexpected turns, to guide readers through relationship struggles, career setbacks, grief and those moments when the next step is unclear. It is a perfect fit for small groups, book clubs and ministry discussions, It is available on Amazon, with a New Jersey book signing on the way.

The conversation turns to Judith’s work in maternal and child health and reproductive justice. She tells the moving story of a client facing domestic violence and eviction while pregnant with three young children and how empathy, perseverance, communication, follow-up and faith helped connect her to safety, housing and support. 

Judith explains what reproductive justice means, why Black maternal health matters so deeply and how her annual Black Maternal Health Conference, held each April during Black Maternal Health Week, brings families, fathers, doulas and community organizations together. Judith further explains the many kinds of doulas, including full spectrum, postpartum, grief and even financial doulas. She shares how families can find one, sometimes at little or no cost.

Judith also reflects on a personal season of growth during COVID-19, when she was doing contact tracing in person while her young son did remote learning at home and how she advocated to work from home so she could be there for him. Aderonke, who led the Government of Bermuda’s Department of Communications during the pandemic, shares her own perspective and the two talk about how COVID reconnected families, sparked new group chats, and brought public health into the spotlight.

In the second half, Judith shares her self-care practices, which include daily journaling, silly sitcoms, walks in the park, people watching in Central Park, better sleep and removing the TV from her bedroom. 

She talks about the ripple effect of leading by example for her teenage son, the opportunities she sees ahead in writing, speaking, teaching and mentoring, together with the joy she finds in everyday blessings and in leaving a legacy. 

The episode ends with a heartwarming reveal: Aderonke and Judith are line sisters and have known each other for nearly forty years and are members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

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In this episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Caitlyn Casson joins host Aderonke for a heartfelt conversation about dance, resilience, everyday joy and creating space to care for ourselves. 

A New York City dancer, yoga teacher, Pilates and fitness instructor and positive psychology facilitator, Caitlyn brings energy and intention to her work. She shares why dance remains her first and deepest love, how music shapes the experiences she creates for her classes,and why doing things wholeheartedly matters more to her than simply getting them done.

Caitlyn reflects on a particularly meaningful collaboration with a physician friend at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Over a year and a half, they brought four movement and well-being workshops into the hospital system, combining yoga, dance, creative movement and positive psychology practices. 

Caitlyn designed the curriculum while her collaborator conducted research alongside the workshops. Their project culminated in a symposium presentation and Caitlyn shares that all participants who completed the research forms reported that the workshops reduced burnout. Just as meaningful was the feedback that the sessions helped participants connect as people, not only as colleagues. She recalls the openness with which they embraced movement, games and writing exercises and the joy of creating room for those who care for others to receive care themselves.

The conversation also explores the beginnings of Caitlyn’s approach to blending movement, positive psychology and community. During the pandemic, a quiet visit with her parents gave her the breathing room to write the curriculum for a five-week virtual program. Approximately 25 participants joined, meeting twice a week for movement classes followed by guided conversations and community-building activities. 

Caitlyn remembers new friendships forming and participants making significant life changes afterward, including changing jobs and moving to another state. Although she has not repeated that exact course, its central ideas continue to shape her on-demand offerings, private client work and corporate programming. Looking back, she recognizes that the program emerged not from pushing harder, but from allowing herself to soften and rest.

With openness and perspective, Caitlyn discusses the challenges of pursuing a professional dance career in New York City. Criticism and rejection have been part of her experience from a young age and she is candid that learning to navigate them remains an ongoing process. Along the way, she has developed greater trust in her instincts and a clearer understanding of her capabilities. Her message to aspiring dancers is direct and deeply personal: make sure the dream is your own. In a demanding profession, she believes that genuinely wanting to create the art, rather than fulfilling someone else’s expectations, is essential to continuing.

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In this episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Christy Smith joins host Aderonke Batamosi Wilson for a heartfelt conversation about curiosity,  connection, self-compassion and the joy of still becoming. An educator with 25 years of classroom experience, an applied positive psychology practitioner, and  an enthusiastic explorer, Christy shares how her adventures and life transitions have shaped her passion for helping people thrive.

Christy’s story takes us beyond the classroom and around the world. As a young first-grade teacher, she decided to step away from a familiar career path to work with Club Med, an experience that sparked her love of travel. Before returning to teaching, she spent ten months backpacking through countries including France, Italy, Greece, Jordan, Israel, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. 

Along the way, she earned her scuba diving certification in Thailand and later explored the Great Barrier Reef. Yet some of her most enduring discoveries came through conversations with strangers. With a small journal and a willingness to ask questions, Christy found guidance, companionship and friendships that have lasted for decades. Her invitation to listeners is simple: get curious, ask for help and remember that you do not have to figure everything out alone.

The conversation then turns to a quieter, equally meaningful adventure: learning to step back from constant achievement. Christy reflects candidly on the years she spent teaching, raising children, earning qualifications and launching programs, often tying her identity and self-esteem to the next completed task. 

Today, one of her proudest accomplishments is giving herself permission to be unfinished. She shares what it means to take breaks, welcome life’s ups and downs and offer herself more grace without abandoning her ambitions. Her story invites us to consider whether being present might matter more than always proving what we can do.

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In the latest episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Aderonke Bademosi Wilson welcomes Dr. Deena Kara Shaffer, a learning strategist, writer, educator, entrepreneur, poet, mother and backcountry canoeist based in Toronto, Canada. 

Deena brings a deeply human perspective to learning, one that recognizes  students are whole people with responsibilities, emotions, histories, hopes and challenges that extend far beyond the classroom.

Deena explains what it means to be a learning strategist and why learning strategies are so important at every age and stage. She supports students ranging from middle school learners to university students, graduate students, mature learners and professionals returning to school. Her work focuses on the often-unspoken skills that students are expected to know, including how to study, prepare for exams, manage time, work with others, overcome procrastination and navigate academic stress.

One of the episode’s most practical lessons is Deena’s advice on studying effectively. She challenges the common habit of rewriting, highlighting and beautifying notes, explaining that these activities may create a sense of control but do not necessarily prepare students for what they will be asked to do on an exam. Instead, she recommends using practice questions, mock exams and retrieval over time. This approach supports stronger memory and academic performance and can also give students more time for sleep, movement, family, community, creativity and rest.

Deena also discusses her work as a writer and author. She describes her books as accessible toolboxes designed to place useful learning strategies in the hands of students, parents and educators. 

Her books include Feel Good Learning, a supportive guide for navigating challenges in school, Raising Well Learners, which helps parents support their children’s learning, and A New Way to Learn, a book for first and second-year university and college students navigating the transition into post-secondary education.

The conversation then moves into Deena’s experience as a mother and member of a close blended family. She shares tender and joyful reflections about her children, her stepdaughter, and her role as a dog mom. Motherhood, she explains, is not separate from the rest of her life. It remains close to her heart and informs the way she understands care, responsibility, growth, and connection.

Listeners also learn about Deena’s life as a published poet and entrepreneur. Her poetry collection, The Grey Tote, reflects her love of language and the creative discipline of saying something meaningful with very few words. She speaks candidly about how she came to recognize herself as an entrepreneur, particularly through the growth of Awake Learning and her commitment to offering thoughtful, values-driven services rather than pursuing business in an extractive or exploitative way.

Nature is another powerful thread throughout the episode. Deena describes her love of backcountry canoeing and the annual camping trips she takes with her family. She explains how wilderness experiences offer simplicity, focus and restoration. In nature, the priorities become clear: find a place to sleep, prepare food, make a fire, stay dry and pay attention to the world around you. This slower pace helps restore the capacity for deliberate attention, something that is increasingly important in a world filled with notifications, scrolling, competing demands and information overload.

This episode is a warm and thoughtful invitation to rethink what it means to learn. It reminds us that meaningful learning should support performance and well-being, ambition and rest, curiosity and compassion. Through her work, writing, teaching, parenting, entrepreneurship, poetry, and relationship with nature, Deena models a way of living that is purposeful and deeply alive.

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This episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter invites listeners into a thoughtful, uplifting conversation with Heidi Thoe, a Plymouth, Massachusetts-based mother, observer, science lover and devoted advocate for monarch butterflies. Heidi shares how slowing down, paying attention to nature and choosing small acts of care can create meaningful ripples in our homes, communities and world. 

In this warm and wide-ranging conversation, Heidi brings listeners into her world of curiosity, stewardship and intentional living. Known in her neighborhood as the 'mother of monarchs,' Heidi shares how a love of observation and time spent outdoors has deepened her understanding of people, relationships, conflict and the natural world. For Heidi, taking time to simply be, listen and notice is not passive. It is a practice that can help us become more grounded, compassionate and present in our lives.

Heidi offers a fascinating look at monarch butterflies and their extraordinary migration. She explains the multigenerational journey monarchs make between North America and Mexico, the importance of native milkweed and nectar-rich plants, and why creating butterfly-friendly spaces can support far more than one species. 

What began as concern for declining monarch populations became a personal mission to raise caterpillars safely, educate her neighbors and invite children and families to witness the wonder of a butterfly’s life cycle. Her work is a beautiful reminder that awareness can become action, and that even a small garden can make a difference.

The conversation also explores Heidi’s belief in the power of small kindnesses. From mowing a neighbor’s lawn to buying a stranger a coffee or delivering flowers to local teachers, Heidi reflects on how simple gestures can ease someone’s stress and inspire them to pass kindness on. She reminds us that making a difference does not always require a grand gesture, a large budget or a great deal of time. Often, it begins with noticing what someone might need and responding with care.

Listeners will also enjoy hearing about Heidi’s love of thunderstorms, quiet moments in nature, gardening, her pet bearded dragon and an unforgettable sailing adventure from Norfolk, Virginia, to Aderonke's island home, Bermuda. 

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In this episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Aderonke Batamosi Wilson welcomes Katie Ashburner, a teacher, mother, well-being enthusiast and the creator of Toowoomba Positive Psychology in Queensland, Australia. 

Katie reflects on the rich, demanding,and deeply transformative experience of raising three young children while building work that supports individuals, families, schools and organizations. Her perspective is refreshingly human: she sees herself as a practitioner and teacher of well-being science and as a student and client of the very practices she shares.

Katie explains that well-being is not one-size-fits-all. It is shaped by relationships, rest, nourishment, time in nature, emotional regulation, belonging and the choices we make in everyday life. She shares how her more than decade-long career in early childhood and primary education taught her that meaningful learning begins with safety, trust and relationships. 

While witnessing increasing pressure within education systems, she became motivated to explore how positive psychology could help people build resilience, connection and the deeply human skills that technology cannot replace.

At the heart of the conversation is Katie’s ABC 1-2-3 Framework, a practical well-being anchor designed to help people respond intentionally during challenging moments. ABC stands for Awareness, Behaviors and Care. Katie invites us first to notice our needs and current reality, then consider which behaviors would be helpful or harmful and finally act with care for ourselves and others. 

The 1-2-3 component expands the lens from Me, to We, to Us, reminding us that well-being is personal, relational and systemic. The framework is designed to be accessible in many settings, from family life and classrooms to workplaces and leadership teams.

Throughout the episode, Katie returns to the idea that well-being is built through tiny threads woven into daily life: a moment of self-compassion, a breath before reacting, a walk outdoors, an encouraging phone call, a shift in perspective or the choice to savor joy instead of rushing past it. Her message is hopeful and practical. We do not need to be optimized at all times, and we do not need to purchase our way into wellness. We can begin by meeting the reality of the moment with awareness, care, and intentional action.

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In the latest episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Johann Brun invites us into a thoughtful conversation about creativity, compassion, personal growth and the stories we tell ourselves. Based in London and connected to Ghana and Denmark through his family and upbringing, Johann reflects on a life shaped by fashion, art, relationships, spirituality and a willingness to look beneath the surface.

Johann describes creativity as something we can feel. For him, truly creative work carries the presence and essence of the person who made it. Whether he is looking at a garment, a painting or a simple object presented in an unexpected way, he is drawn to work that helps us see something familiar with fresh eyes. He recalls being deeply moved by a Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition, where he sensed the artist’s anger, pain and presence in the paintings.

The conversation then turns to Johann’s understanding of what it means to be alive. He shares his belief that we are not entirely in control of our breathing or our heartbeat and that life is supported by a presence greater than ourselves. This perspective has encouraged him to question the mind’s constant desire for control, including the impulse to control other people and their choices.

Johann also speaks candidly about meditation and diving deeper. He meditates regularly to create space from his thoughts and regain balance. He introduces listeners to Byron Katie’s method, known as The Work, which involves writing down and questioning stressful thoughts. Through a powerful example involving a man going through a difficult divorce, Johann illustrates how our unresolved anger and resentment can affect the very people from whom we hope to receive love, respect and gratitude.

As a designer and creative force, Johann shares stories from his work with John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood. He explains how chance encounters, instinct and mentorship helped shape his path in fashion, even though he originally wanted to work in film. His experiences led him to establish influential creative spaces and labels, including a collaboration with Vivienne Westwood and the shop Site, where he supported emerging designers and introduced distinctive work to an international audience.

Johann discusses a recent design accomplishment that brings together historical dress, West African menswear, and modern tailoring. By adapting traditional Ghanaian and Nigerian royal influences into contemporary garments, he is creating clothing that feels culturally grounded and easy to wear in everyday life. His approach demonstrates how fashion can honor heritage while making room for innovation, movement and modern identity.

The episode closes with Johann’s reflections on Byron Katie’s insight that “no two people have ever met.” He explains that we often react not to the person in front of us, but to our thoughts and assumptions about that person. By writing down and questioning those thoughts, we may create more clarity, peace and openness in our relationships and within ourselves. It is a fitting conclusion to a conversation that encourages us to look more closely, live more consciously and choose compassion whenever we can.

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In this uplifting episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Aderonke Bademosi Wilson welcomes Lisa Caughman, a cancer survivor, positive psychology practitioner, interfaith minister, author and passionate advocate for the healing power of play. 

Lisa reflects on her journey through childhood trauma, stage four colon cancer, COVID-19 and Hurricane Helene, sharing how each experience shaped her understanding of resilience, community, hope and intentional living.

Lisa introduces listeners to her “Let Us Play” philosophy, inspired by positive psychology and the belief that play is not frivolous or childish. For Lisa, play can be a source of joy, healing, connection and renewal. It may happen during a shared retreat, while singing with friends, while noticing wildlife in nature or simply by finding a spark of delight in an ordinary moment. 

She encourages listeners to become more conscious of these opportunities and to make room for laughter, joy and connection in everyday life.

A powerful part of the conversation centers on Lisa’s cancer survivor retreats. At one retreat, women who arrived as strangers left as lifelong friends after spending several days laughing, crying, singing, journaling, practicing yoga, sharing meals and rediscovering the freedom to play. One participant told Lisa that she had spent three days forgetting she had cancer, a reflection that affirmed Lisa’s belief in the restorative power of community and joy.

Lisa speaks candidly about her stage four colon cancer diagnosis in 2016 and the intentional practices that supported her healing journey. She describes walking on a treadmill while listening to music, using guided meditations, journaling, drawing angel oracle cards, eating well, listening to her body, drinking more water and prioritizing preventive health care. She also offers a heartfelt reminder about the importance of age-appropriate screenings, including colonoscopies.

The episode explores Lisa’s experience during Hurricane Helene, when her Western North Carolina community faced devastating damage, prolonged power outages, destroyed roads, flooding and the loss of homes and lives. Lisa describes how neighbors supported one another and how she continued serving her community through her work in school nutrition. Even amid extraordinary hardship, she and those around her found ways to care for one another, feed people and make lemonade out of lemons.

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This episode of ABWilson's Heart of the Matter features Lemi Ghariokwu, an artist, thinker and Pan-Africanist whose life and work have been guided by self-discovery, purpose and a deep commitment to African consciousness. 

Lemi reflects on what it means to be an iconoclast, explaining that he has never been one to follow the mainstream. Instead, he has lived independently, taught himself through observation and practice and stayed anchored by the belief that every person has a destiny and a role to play in the world.

Lemi shares the story of how his artistic journey intersected with Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s, beginning with a self-initiated daily drawing challenge in the 1970s that led to his first memorable Fela cover art. That moment opened the door to an enduring creative relationship, one that would become part of music and cultural history. 

Lemi also reflects on his early race consciousness, the influence of books and metaphysics and the conviction that Pan-Africanism is not just a philosophy but a way of life rooted in truth, identity and liberation.

The conversation also highlights Lemi’s generosity with younger creatives. He speaks warmly about mentoring emerging artists, sharing books, encouraging independent thinking and making space for young people to find their own voice. 

From his work with students and creatives to his ongoing embrace of new tools like AI and social media, Lemi shows that reinvention can coexist with principle. His episode is a reminder that purpose, courage and lifelong learning can shape art and legacy.

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In this episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Kashonna Marrow shares a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation about joy, calling, growth, and the power of self-awareness. She describes herself as happy, joyous, open, and approachable, and explains that joy, for her, is not dependent on outside circumstances but anchored in faith and cultivated through intention.

Kashonna reflects on the importance of staying open to change, people, and new opportunities, even when discomfort shows up. She speaks candidly about learning to lean into curiosity instead of shutting down, and about creating a sense of safety and trust for others through approachability, active listening, and genuine care. Her work as a speaker, coach, and training and development leader is rooted in helping people feel seen, heard, and supported.

The conversation also highlights Kashonna’s adventurous side, from skydiving and zip lining to her red belt in taekwondo, as well as her love of dreaming big and seeing what is possible. She shares how seeing her long-held dreams come to life has strengthened her faith and confidence, especially in her work and travels. These stories bring out her playful, determined spirit and her belief that life is meant to be fully lived.

A major theme of the episode is personal growth through challenge. Kashonna opens up about the lessons she learned through divorce, therapy, and faith, explaining how digging into the root causes of pain helped her change the fruit in her life. She speaks honestly about boundaries, forgiveness, and the need to stop carrying emotional weight that blocks peace, creativity, and progress.

Throughout the episode, Kashonna emphasizes that her business is about people, purpose, and impact. After 14 years in business, she continues to show up with commitment because she sees her work as a calling, not just a passion. Her reflections on self-care, harmony, seasons of life, and the importance of saying no offer listeners practical wisdom for staying grounded while serving others.

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