What happens when you've spent your entire life drowning out your own voice to please others?

 In this powerful episode of Every Soul Has a Story, host Dara Levan sits down with Julie Chan—a former TV news anchor, school board member, and author event host—who bravely shares her journey from childhood enmeshment and narcissistic abuse to finding her authentic self. Julie opens up about walking away from her mother, leaving her TV news career to prioritize her daughters' mental health, and the hypnotherapy and inner child work that helped her transform from a "pleaser" to a woman who finally hears her own heart.

This conversation explores breaking generational cycles, the courage to set boundaries with toxic family members, and the importance of following your soul's passion—even when it means disappointing others. If you've ever struggled with people-pleasing, codependency, or feeling like you've lost yourself in relationships, Julie's story will inspire you to reclaim your voice.

Keywords: narcissistic abuse recovery, healing from toxic parents, people-pleasing, codependency, inner child healing, hypnotherapy, breaking generational cycles, TV news career, every soul has a story, finding your authentic self, Julie Chan, Dara Levan

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
0:31 - Julie's introduction
1:44 - Instant soul connection
3:20 - Childhood enmeshment
5:15 - Royal wedding party
6:45 - TV career begins
8:23 - Moving across country
16:45 - Leaving news for daughters
17:29 - Therapy & breakthrough workshop
20:19 - Narcissistic mother dynamic
27:11 - Hypnotherapy journey
33:18 - Learning to play
35:07 - Stopping contact with mother
44:04 - School board & legacy
46:20 – Outro

Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:
•    https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
•    Website: daralevan.com

QUOTES:
"If you and I didn't have these sorts of hardships or have to learn life in this way, we might not be as passionate to share other people's stories.’’
– Julie Chan

"The most important thing in the world to me is that my children know they were loved unconditionally because that is not material. That's forever."
– Dara Levan

What happens when a Harvard MBA graduate leaves a six-figure corporate job to sleep on a friend's couch and pursue jewelry design?

In this soul-stirring episode, host Dara Levan sits down with Zameer Kassam, the visionary jewelry designer behind custom pieces for Ashley Judd, the cast of Crazy Rich Asians, and countless couples worldwide. Zameer reveals how he transforms love stories into heirloom jewelry, the pivotal moment that changed his career trajectory, and why he measures wealth by happiness rather than zeros on a paycheck. 

From his family's dramatic escape from East Africa to his grandmother's nose pin—the only piece of jewelry they could save—Zameer's journey is a testament to following your heart. Discover how this self-described "storyteller through jewelry" creates pieces that will outlast generations, and why every piece he designs carries a secret narrative. Perfect for jewelry lovers, aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking purpose-driven work.

Keywords: custom jewelry design, love story jewelry, luxury jewelry designer, Crazy Rich Asians jewelry, Ashley Judd ring, storytelling through jewelry, entrepreneur journey, purpose-driven career, heirloom jewelry, handmade jewelry

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro and welcome
0:43 - Zameer describes his work as storyteller
1:50 - Podcast origins and business timeline
2:38 - Childhood dreams and family history
4:18 - Heritage and jewelry's cultural significance
9:35 - Ashley Judd's Oscar ring story
10:47 - Designing for Crazy Rich Asians premiere
16:49 - The sketchbook creative process
21:08 - Harvard Business School turning point
24:55 - Quitting corporate job and living on friend's couch
26:35 - Measuring wealth through happiness
30:06 - The emotional process of letting pieces go
38:30 - Parents' reaction to career change
42:48 - Outro

RESOURCES:

http://www.zameerkassam.com/
Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:
•    https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
•    Website: daralevan.com

QUOTES:

"I think the line is thin, and sometimes blurs, but I can promise you that learning love stories and speaking to my clients and understanding more about their families and where they come from is far more therapeutic for me than I could ever be for them."
– Zameer Kassam

"It sounds like jewelry is symbolic and more layered. And then just a beautiful piece, which in and of itself, at least for me, because I told you I love jewelry. That's a spiritual experience right there."
– Dara Levan

What do you do when a pandemic strips away your life's work? For Eric Trope, a professional ballet dancer with the Miami City Ballet, that question led to an unexpected calling. In this episode of Every Soul Has a Story, host Dara Levan sits down with Eric to explore his journey from a bullied kid in New Mexico to a celebrated dancer on some of the world's biggest stages. Eric opens up about the shame he felt as a young gay man pursuing ballet, the body image struggles that plague the dance world, and his parents' unwavering support that made it all possible.

When COVID-19 shut down his career, Eric co-founded The Buddy System, a nonprofit that has placed community fridges across Miami-Dade to fight food injustice. This is a story about identity, resilience, and how the arts can heal—both on and off the stage.
Keywords: ballet, Miami City Ballet, coming out, gay dancer, body image, eating disorders, bullying, COVID-19, nonprofit, The Buddy System, community fridges, food justice.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro
1:00 - Forcing Sisters Into Plays
2:38 - Moving & Never Fitting In
3:18 - Growing Up as a Triplet
6:36 - Dad Encourages Jazz Over Fencing
10:21 - Ballet Shame & Wearing Basketball Shorts
11:44 - Knowing He Was Gay in Middle School
13:00 - Moving to NYC at 16 for Ballet
14:13 - Coming Out to Supportive Parents
16:30 - Knowing Years Before Coming Out
21:24 - Advice for Parents of LGBTQ+ Kids
24:33 - Life of a Professional Ballet Dancer
31:43 - Body Image Standards for Male Dancers
43:31 - Pivot: Co-Founding The Buddy System
52:38 - Maintaining Faith in Humanity
54:59 - Outro
RESOURCES:

•    Buddy System - Community fridge initiative in Miami-Dade County
Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:
•    https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
•    Website: daralevan.com

QUOTES:
"You are seeing companies start to acknowledge that mental health is impacted by your job and the stress of your job and the intensity of our jobs. So there's a lot of things that I think that are shoved away for a long time within the arts community."
– Eric Trope

"I feel like I need downtime to kind of reboot, sort of like a solar system. I feel like I need my own sun, but it's not outside. It's kind of writing or going inward and just turning everything off and tuning in."
– Dara Levan

What if a random tarot card reader on a street corner could predict your future husband? In this episode of Every Soul Has a Story, host Dara Levan welcomes Jennifer Nayak-Feldman, a freelance creator who moved to the Bahamas for love. Jenny shares her incredible journey of resilience, from a heart-wrenching fetal diagnosis for her son Robbie (ACC, Autism, and Tourette’s) to navigating grief after the death of her first husband.

She discusses the profound challenges and joys of parenting neurodivergent children, the silver linings of COVID-19, and the "metamorphosis" of healing through sleep and life coaching. Tune in to hear how Jenny found her "passport man," blended a family, and discovered a path to happiness after a difficult divorce.

Keywords: parenting special needs, autism, agenesis of the corpus callosum, Tourette's syndrome, grief, healing, COVID silver lining, dating after divorce, blended families, Bahamas, Match.com, life coaching.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
1:14 - Moving to Bahamas for Love
2:11 - COVID & Hurricane Dorian Separation
4:42 - The "Festival de Niac" Scorpio Family
6:45 - Son Robbie's ACC Diagnosis
8:15 - The Devastating Ultrasound Experience
11:45 - Autism & Tourette's Comorbidities
13:45 - Grief: Neurodivergent vs. Neurotypical Kids
18:18 - The Tarot Card Reader's Prophecy
20:58 - Meeting Andre on Match.com
27:48 - Connecting the Dots to "Passport Man"
31:53 - How COVID Paved the Way for a New Life
32:24 - Outro  

RESOURCES:

Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:
•    https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
•    Website: daralevan.com

QUOTES:
"As a child, your sensory levels are so much more accessible, because children haven't developed the tools to disregard it, hide it, not express it, contain it. Those are not childlike behaviors."
– Jennifer Nayak -Feldman

‘’I often tell people I'm Jewish, and so identify with our core values. But I'm not religious, I almost call myself a Judas, because I believe in just being a good human and the energy that we give others.’’
– Dara Levan

Writer, author, and speaker Rachel Sobel—a self-professed smartass who lives life with complete candor shares her journey through an 18-year relationship that ended in divorce, becoming a single mother, and eventually finding love again with her husband Jason (whom she met on Match.com).

From recording in her closet to escape her kids, to leaving a toxic PR job to pursue writing full-time, Rachel opens up about finding her voice, setting boundaries, and staying authentic online. She discusses her work as a contributor for PopSugar, Mommy Nearest, and Scary Mommy, and her third anthology essay in Jen Mann's New York Times bestselling series. This conversation is packed with humor, wisdom, and real talk about motherhood, divorce, and reinvention.

KEYWORDS
Rachel Sobel, Every Soul Has a Story, Dara Levan, divorce, single mother, second marriage, dating after divorce, Match.com, writing career, authenticity, social media, motherhood, parenting, toxic work environment, PR, tech PR, freelancing, anthology, PopSugar, Mommy Nearest, Scary Mommy, Jen Mann, I Just Want to Hang Out with You, raising tweens and teens, self-care, Peloton, boundaries, trust, vulnerability, co-parenting, divorce recovery, reinvention, finding your voice, mental health, emotional wellness, humor, Jewish humor, authenticity, content creation, writer, author, speaker

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro with Dara Levan
0:34 - Recording from the closet
1:43 - Raising an 11-year-old "mini-30-year-old"
3:30 - Toddler tornado at age 3
5:10 - Two daughters, different dads
7:18 - Finding confidence as a mother
9:37 - Divorce and discovering identity
11:17 - Rebound relationships after divorce
12:43 - Dating as a single mother
15:23 - Meeting husband Jason on Match.com
17:35 - Surprises in second marriage
20:21 - Embracing the "crazy"
22:37 - From PR to full-time writer
24:03 - Leaving a toxic work environment
26:38 - Anthology and writing career
27:54 - Authenticity and social media
31:32 - Love/hate relationship with social media
33:36 - Trust, boundaries, and discernment
36:48 - Handling social media trolls
39:58 - Making time for intimacy
42:59 - Final advice: Don't give up
43:52 - Self-care with Peloton and cooking
45:03 - Closing and wrap-up

RESOURCES:

Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:
•    https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
•    Website: daralevan.com
•    https://whineandcheezits.com/ 

QUOTES:

"You only heal if you're willing to like relinquish control a little bit. And I'm very bad at that."
– Rachel Sobel

"Growth doesn't happen in the good times. You know, growth is really uncomfortable and that it's supposed to be."
– Dara Levan

Dara Levan sits down with Joel Nagelbush—a professor, life coach, and motivational speaker who has faced unimaginable challenges. In 2002, Joel was diagnosed with thyroid cancer while simultaneously learning he would become a dad. His son Justin was born a month early and by three months old, his liver had fully cirrhosed, requiring a life-saving transplant. Justin received his new liver on August 7th, 2003.

Now, 17 years later, Joel shares the devastating news he received just yesterday—Justin's body is in chronic rejection of his liver. Through tears and raw honesty, Joel reveals how he processes fear, maintains his spiritual beliefs, and guides his son through this terrifying moment. This conversation explores the power of purpose, the illusion of control, and finding gratitude even in life's darkest moments.

KEYWORDS
Joel Nagelbush, Every Soul Has a Story, Dara Levan, thyroid cancer, liver transplant, fatherhood, chronic rejection, organ donation, survival, purpose, no accidents, spiritual awakening, grief, trauma, PTSD, fear, uncertainty, catastrophic thinking, mindfulness, self-compassion, resilience, growth, motivation, life coaching, professor, Jackson Memorial Hospital, organ transplant, immunosuppressed, COVID-19, pandemic, family, healing, gratitude, authenticity, hospice volunteer, Make-A-Wish, motivational speaking, parenting, teenager, hope, connection, emotional wellness

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro with Dara Levan
0:56 - No accidents: Finding purpose
1:53 - Thyroid cancer and becoming a dad
2:12 - The surreal bubble of trauma
4:16 - 107 countries by age 28
5:10 - Justin's liver transplant diagnosis
6:18 - Three-month checkup discovery
8:02 - Justin's 17-hour transplant surgery
9:54 - PTSD of being a cancer survivor
13:04 - Global awakening and COVID connection
17:07 - Justin's lab results and chronic rejection
22:24 - Joel and Justin's sacred time together
25:42 - Humor and a ghost conversation
28:18 - The "Jedi moment" with Justin
35:04 - Catastrophizing and spiritual practice
40:38 - Closing gratitude and wrap-up
RESOURCES:

Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:

•    https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
•    Website: daralevan.com
•    https://jacksonhealth.org/ 

QUOTES:

"When dealing with traumatic illness, when dealing with critical illness or death, the uncertainty becomes almost the greatest plague."
– Joel Nagelbush

We have to be shaken to awaken, but more than that, once you see, once you awaken, you can't unsee.
– Dara Levan