What if courage isn’t something you either have or you don’t—but something you can practice?

In this special episode of the Courage Keepers Podcast, Liz Lamoreux turns the tables and interviews host John Yeager about his new book, Courage Keepers: A Guide to Brave Leadership and Inspiring Bold Action in Others.

John shares the experiences that inspired the book, introduces the Courage GPS and its eight pathways, and explores the roles we each play as Courage Seekers, Keepers, and Champions. Together, John and Liz discuss how courage shows up in everyday moments—from leadership and parenting to relationships and the workplace—and why bravery is often less about feeling confident and more about choosing to act when we don’t.

Courage Keepers launches September 17, 2026.

Today, we explore the consciousness pathway to brave action with the Reverend Dr. Sam Boys.  Consciousness is a fundamental capacity for self-observation.  Sam invites us to listen deeply to our inner wisdom and our body’s own language — cultivating awareness, and offering practical tools and resources that help support our quest for courage. 

Curiosity isn't just about asking more questions—it's about paying closer attention.

In this episode of the Courage Keepers Podcast, John Yeager welcomes author, artist, and teacher Liz Lamoreux for a thoughtful conversation about curiosity as a pathway to courage.

Together, they explore how slowing down, noticing what often goes unseen, and approaching ourselves and others with genuine curiosity can transform our relationships, our leadership, and the way we navigate uncertainty.

Rather than rushing to answers, Liz reminds us that curiosity invites us to be fully present—to observe, wonder, and discover what is possible when we choose openness over assumption.

If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or certain you already knew the answer, this conversation offers a different path.

Listen in and discover how paying attention may be one of the bravest things you can do.

Compassion is learnable. Courage Seekers can intentionally increase the capacity to stay present with the pain of others and respond well. As a Courage Pathway, Compassion helps Seekers act bravely because it makes the drive to support themselves and others stronger than the fear.

This episode explores ways Courage Keepers can help Seekers follow this pathway across three dimensions: offering direct compassion to Seekers who are suffering; helping Seekers develop self-compassion so their energy is freed for courageous action; and helping Seekers extend compassion outward toward others, because that outward turn is itself an act of courage.

Vicki Wetterskog is a family nurse practitioner in Boston, Massachusetts. John and Vicki discuss the Compassion Pathway.

Mitch Greene, author of Courage over Confidence, is a clinical and sport psychologist who helps athletes and high performers build courage and resilience. His core philosophy is that peak performance doesn't require a lack of fear; it requires the ability to tolerate uncertainty and manage mind chatter. 

In this podcast, John sits down with author Jill Schulman about being brave. Jill talks about true growth and success comes from embracing discomfort. Knowing that taking steps forward, even when it's hard, is when growth happens. 

Strength is born in a struggle. When we do uncomfortable, hard things, more growth happens in our brains. Jill's book, "The Bravery Effect," is based on an evidence-based self-leadership model that empowers individuals to push past their limits, embrace challenges, and elevate their success, happiness, and well-being. 

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Jill Schulman is a former US Marine Corps Officer, leadership development expert, and founder of Breakthrough Leadership Group. She helps people do hard things — and love it. Lern more at jillschulman.com

What truly builds a championship team?

In this episode of the Courage Keepers Podcast, John Yeager sits down with Sean Quirk—Head Coach of Springfield College Men’s Lacrosse and former national powerhouse builder at Endicott College.

Sean shares lessons from decades of leadership across collegiate and professional lacrosse, including leading the Boston Cannons to a championship. But this conversation goes deeper than wins and losses.

They explore:

• Why culture beats talent
• How character shapes performance
• The courage required to lead young men beyond the scoreboard
• What it really takes to build something sustainable

Because championship culture isn’t built on trophies.
 It’s built on people.

What if care wasn’t just culture talk—but a strategic advantage?

In this bonus episode of the Courage Keepers Podcast, John Yeager sits down with Dr. Brooklyn Raney and Dr. Stephanie Fitzpatrick to explore the concept of the Caring Dividend—the tangible return organizations experience when they invest deeply in wellbeing, belonging, and human-centered leadership.

Together, they unpack:

• How care drives measurable performance and resilience
• Why belonging is a leadership responsibility
• The gap between strategy and lived employee experience
• What it takes to build organizational health that lasts

If you lead people—and want excellence without burnout—this conversation is for you.

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Stephanie Fitzpatrick, EdD

Stephanie Fitzpatrick is a former Fortune 5 Chief Learning Officer with prior senior leadership roles at Apple, Optum, UnitedHealthcare, and LBrands. She understands executive pressure from the inside, having led large-scale talent strategy, advised C-suite teams, and built leadership systems across global, matrixed organizations. She holds a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and brings both lived executive experience and doctoral research in leadership and sustainable performance to her work.

Brooklyn Raney, EdD

Brooklyn Raney is a former educational leader and the founder of a company dedicated to ensuring young people have the mentors they need—those who intentionally build strong connection while maintaining healthy and clear boundaries. She brings doctoral research in trust, care, and hierarchical relationships together with practical frameworks that help leaders strengthen engagement, communication, and culture. Her work translates relational care into actionable leadership strategies that support both people and performance.

In this inaugural episode of the "Courage Keepers" podcast, host John Yeager explores the concept of courage in everyday actions and organizational leadership. Joined by Senior Executive Coach Erica Moore, they discuss different aspects of courage from personal experiences to leadership dynamics. John shares impactful stories that shaped his understanding of courage, while Erica discusses her journey through the lens of confidence, beliefs, and core values developed over her career. They emphasize the importance of connection and self-awareness in cultivating courage, along with practical advice and challenges for viewers to enhance their own bravery. This episode sets the stage for future discussions focused on the diverse pathways to courageous behavior.