What would convince a world famous dancer to trade in her ballet slippers for a bullet-proof vest?

My guest this week is Lana Nicole Niland.

Dancing for decades with the world renown Virsky National Dance Emsemble in the city of Kiev, Ukraine, this Canadian born expat danced, trained other dancers, built costumes, choreographed some of Ukraine's most famous dances.

In February 2022, Lana founded the Ukrainian Patriot fund from her balcony in Kyiv as Russian forces threatened to invade her home city.

For the last three years, Lana and her team of over 100 Ukrainians and international volunteers have been working to ensure the safety, security, and stability of Ukraine now and going forward, with all focus on those who remain in country.

Anyone interested in supporting the cause may visit www.UkrainianPatriot.org

Lana can be found at

facebook.com/lananicoleniland

instagram.com/lananicoleniland

www.UkrainianPatriot.org

Twitter: https://x.com/UkrPatriotOrg

Instagram: / ukrpatriotorg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ukra...

FB: / ukrainianpatriot.org

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good.

He is Dean of Faculty for the Center for Action and Contemplation. and a podcaster with Learning How to See. He is a co-host of Southern Lights.

His newest books are Faith After Doubt (January 2021), Do I Stay Christian? (May 2022), and Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart (2024). His co-authored children’s book Cory and the Seventh Story was released in 2023. The first book of a new science fiction trilogy, The Last Voyage, was released in July, 2025.

In this episode, Fran and Brian discuss:

00:00 - How Brian describes younger person's reactions to the book, "Life After Doom".

05:15 - Brian's history from English teacher to pastor to environmental activisit.

06:00 - Brian's Christian family of origin believed and taught that God would destroy the world.

08:08 - Why becoming an English teacher helped him read the bible more critically.

09:55 - Why the shift away from the religion of his childhood?

14:40 - How the 12-Step program enriched Brian's own understanding of God.

17:40 - We are past the environmental tipping point, and what that means for us and future generations.

22:40 - Hope is complicated; it can be shallow or deep, or defiant.

23:40 - Why defiant hope reflects the overturn of the slave economy in historical USA.

25:30 - Capitalism and religion and it's intertwined relationship.

31:06 - Indigenous history and why "overshoot" of the earth's balance will eventually catch up to us.

34:20 - How Indigenous people used the land to increase biodiversity and was good for generations to come.

36:25 - Why hope is so essential to change.

37:11 - Crazy Horse and his famous quote

46:40 - Brian's new book "The Last Voyage" coming out in July, 2025.

49:42 - Not everyone needs to read "Life after Doom", but why some of us must read it.

Brian can be found at:

website: www.brianmclaren.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-D-McLaren/65814657989?ref=ts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian_mclaren/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@brian_mclaren

Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@brianmclaren

Bluesky: @brianmclaren.bsky.social

Short Ebooks: Why Don't They Get It? (on Bias), and Authoritarianism

Books: Faith After Doubt, Do I Stay Christian, Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart, and new 2025 Sci Fi release: The Last Voyage.

Podcast: Learning How to See (https://cac.org/podcast/learning-how-to-see/)

Susan Grau, is a Soul Healer, Renowned Body, Mind and Spirit Intuitive, Inspirational Speaker, and Hay House Bestselling Author. Susan’s journey began following a profound near-death experience at just four and a half years old. This pivotal moment in her life awakened her unique healing abilities, allowing her to connect with spirits from the other side.

Under the guidance of Dr. Raymond Moody, Susan achieved her doctorate of divinity degree and acquired a plethora of certifications. These distinctions include her roles as a Certified Counselor, Grief Specialist, Professional Medium, Reiki Master, and Hypnotherapist, specializing in Past Life Regression.

Among her myriad of contributions, Susan has been a distinguished lecturer and teacher for Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop events in both the US and Canada. Recently, she has premiered various series, events, podcasts, and documentaries, some of which include, her appearance in Elysium Media’s “Beyond The Grave” film with Dr. Eben Alexander (Beverly Hills Film Festival Nominated), and being a featured guest on Coast to Coast AM Radio, Gaia’s “Beyond Belief” with George Noory, The Healthydoc Podcast by Dr Nigma Tablib, among the top leading podcasts, radio, television shows, and films.

Susan's book, "Infinite Life, Infinite Lessons," published by Hay House, is a guiding light, offering hope and clarity for those navigating their spiritual paths. “Infinite Life, Infinite Lessons” is a bestseller, and #1 new release in the near death experiences category! Now available internationally.

Fran welcomes Susan Groth, an intuitive therapist and medium, to discuss spirituality and the afterlife. Susan shares her perspective on connecting with loved ones who have passed, and emphasizes that love and energy do not die; everyone is connected to the afterlife. Susan also addresses potential concerns from Christian viewers to support her work. Both Fran and Susan share their near-death experiences as children, finding common ground in their spiritual journeys.

Susan shares her journey of discovering her abilities as a medium. They also explore the nature of the soul, the importance of being present in the moment to enhance intuition and connect with loved ones. Additionally, they touch on the impact of suicide on loved ones, the concept of transitioning from life to death, and the emotional toll of being a medium.

Seeing the light at death is not what we imagine. Our loved ones come to take us at our death. Birth and death are so synonymous.

Susan's next book, "Infinite Healing: Facing the Wounds that Bind Us" will be coming out soon.

"You are love, and you are loved."

Susan can be reached at: http://www.susangrau.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susangrauofficial? Her book "Infinite Life: Infinite Possibilities" can be found here: https://10430000.funnelpages.com/book Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susangrauofficial?mibextid=LQQJ4d Youtube: https://youtube.com/@susangrauofficial?si=O5Ks6UbbdV9h8JHV Infinite Soul Sanctuary - http://www.infinitesoulsanctuary.com

Penny Chiasson is a board-certified hypnotist, bestselling author of Breaking the Fibro Code, and the creator of The Identity Matrix™. As founder of Elite Hypno Pro™, she trains high-caliber professionals to master the subconscious mind and create profound, lasting results. On The Soul Fusion Podcast, Penny shares real, grounded conversations about subconscious transformation, spiritual alignment, and becoming who you're here to be—with zero fluff and full integrity.

00:00 - Welcome to Penny Chiasson, who teaches others to become hypnotherapists.

2:29 - The Identity Matrix - why our identity is the foundation of everything we do, our layers of belief, and our tunnel vision of what we can achieve.

6:36 - How hypnotherapy changes one belief and as a result, other limiting beliefs start to change.

8:01 - How Penny moved from neurodivergent loner in high school into nursing, and how this impacted her understanding of pain, and complementary ways of managing pain.

13:30 - How Penny's husband's diagnosis of MS led to finding thousands of articles on how hypnosis was and could be used for pain management and nausea.

21:15 - Why does manifesting result when we speak with no attachment to the outcome?

29:50 - Letting go of the "how" results in seeing new opportunities.

31:30 - Why attaching a $$$ or number to business is not a good manifesting technique.

34:28 - "Breaking the Fibro Code" - the impact of non-forgiveness on fibromyalgia

40:01 - Imposter syndrome vs. "growth zone"

Insta: penny.chiasson

FB: penny.chiasson

Dudley Evenson, the co-founder of the amazing "Soundings of the Planet" recording studio is a multi-media producer, writer, podcaster, and life coach who has been living her dreams for over five decades. She is a sound healing pioneer and plays harp with her musician husband Dean Evenson. Together they co-founded award-winning record label "Soundings of the Planet" with the mission of sharing Peace Through Music.

Dudley and Dean's music has been streamed over a billion times.

In this episode of Hopenning 2.0:

0:00 - Introduction, Welcome

1:54 - • "Crown of Flowers" - from the album, ... with Valadymyr Solionyc in Kiev, Ukraine( early 1980's) and the album "Music Makes the Snow Melt Down"

5:17 - "Crown of Flowers" and how it creates Peace through Music.

11:34 - As elders we must help young people to not lose hope

18:31 - Dudley was an "enthusiastic" high school girl who came out of the civil rights movement.

24:30 - Stockholm UN Conference on Human Environment with 15 Native Americans

30:39 - "Desert Dawn Song"

35:36 - Why we need music with nature sounds

38:41 - Dudley's books: " https://a.co/d/cJvcZ6g " https://a.co/d/7yNPJkD.

Soundings of the Planet Music Podcast Blog: http://www.soundings.com Instagram Dudley: https://www.instagram.com/dudleyevenson/ Instagram Dean: https://www.instagram.com/dean.evenson/ Facebook Soundings: http://www.facebook.com/SoundingsofthePlanet Facebook Dudley: https://www.facebook.com/dudley.evenson Music channel: http://www.youtube.com/SoundingsofthePlanet Archival channel: http://www.youtube.com/SoundingsMindfulMedia Lifestyle channel: https://www.peacethroughmusic.foundation/

Cynthia Kane is the best selling author of the "...like a Buddhist" series, which teaches how intentional communication and meditation impacts human relationships and the world.

Cynthia Kane, through her books, courses, and her teaching programs helps people enhance their lives and relationships by teaching them how to speak to themselves, others, and their environment in a kind, honest, and helpful way. She has taught over 70,000 people how to change the way they communicate through her bestselling books (How to Communicate Like a Buddhist, Talk to Yourself Like a Buddhist, How to Meditate Like a Buddhist), DailyOM Courses (How to Communicate Like a Buddhist and Turn Off the Enemy in Your Mind), and the Intentional Communication Training Program.

She is a certified meditation and mindfulness instructor, certified breathing coach, and the founder of the Kane Intentional Communication Institute, LLC. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and two little kiddos.

In this episode of Hopenning 2.0, Fran and Cynthia discuss how the unexpected death of her best friend and partner, and the devastating effect that had on Cynthia's life and how his death forced her to look at herself with honest eyes.

Meditation changed her life and furthered her recovery through helping others through her training programs, and the books which followed.

The passion of communicating like a Buddhist are the universal principles of being kind and helpful, while communicating truth, and regardless of religion, or non-spirituality, can lead people to communicating with a higher power or communicating with our definition of God.

Cynthia describes meditations that help us communicate such as the Meta-Lovingkindness Meditation for cultivating more compassion for ourselves and others and the Vapasona Meditation - How to allow everything you are feeling to be part of the meditation; allowing attention to be brought to the emotions and how Vaposona helps us to see things more clearly and not stop them.

We discuss the financial costs of poor communication, and how a lack of communication in a large (or small) organization creates an environment of difficult interaction with clients, tensions in teams and staff, and higher employee turn over.

How do we help the anxious generation of parents and children? Changing our relationship with anxiety involves learning how to let go of fear, and expand our capacity for discomfort, and then we can trust situations and others.

Cynthia's Monthly Meditation Series - monthly meditation series live on-line with zoom opens up this month.

The Pause Principle: How to Keep your Cool in Tough Situations - Cynthia's new book which came out at beginning of 2025, uses The SOFTN Technique.

S- Sensation, O-Owning your own discomfort, F-Focus on the Present, T-Turn your eyes toward the other, N -Need to say

Cynthia can be found: cynthiakane.com

[email protected]

intentionalconversations.com

kanecommunicate.com

Instagram: cyk1

Facebook: Cynthia Blair Kane

Facebook: How to Communicate Like a Buddhist

DailyOM courses: How to Communicate Like a Buddhist and Turn Off the Enemy in Your Mind Intentional Communication Training Program

Karen Salmansohn is the bestselling author of How to Be Happy, Dammit (and a range of other bestsellers), with over 2 million books sold globally; as well as a leading behavioral change expert, columnist for Oprah and Psychology Today, and influencer with a 1.5 million strong social media following.

Most recently Karen has written a new book: Your To-Die-For Life: How to Maximize Joy and Minimize Regret . . . Before Your Time Runs Out (out July 22), and become the leader of the Mortality Awareness Movement. LEARN MORE HERE: https://amzn.to/44n5dd6

Why? Because research reports that embracing the reality of death can ironically breathe new life into you.

Karen found this out the hard way, when she lost her father about two decades ago. It woke her up to do a serious spring-cleaning of her priorities—including the decision to stop swatting away the idea of starting a family.

She has her father’s death to thank for her son's birth. Karen now fully believes that facing death is part of truly living. Her new book Your To-Die-For Life is loaded up with eye-opening studies, inspiring philosophical truths and powerful tools to embrace the finite nature of life.

She shares everything with warmth, poignancy, and humor.

Karen can be found at: NotSalmon.com

YourToDieForLife.com

instagram.com/notsalmon

facebook.com/notsalmon

Fran interviews Dr. Connie Kerali, a medical doctor, who, after a traumatic rape, was silenced by the shame and guilt she felt after the event.

With over 15 years of experience as a medical professional, Dr. Connie Kerali continues her practice and her crusade to break the code of silence, as a female empowerment transformational life coach & clinical hypnotherapist.

After years of being silenced by shame, she learnt how to find her voice, own her story and rediscover her self-worth, helping her to get unstuck in her personal and professional life.

Now she is empowering other women to do the same.

In this episode we discuss:

00:00 - How the #metoomovement has opened the door for women to tell their stories

02:02 - "Good girl" and perfectionist to the shame of the sexual violation

14:57 - Why didn't she report it?

29:00 - Brene Brown - "connection and vulnerability"

32:30 - "Shame loves perfectionists"

42:26 - Shame holds you back in life

44:37 - Dr. Connie's personal experience with hypnotherapy and weight loss

48:00 - The memories that surfaced under regression

50:30 - Mission 100K

DrConnieKerali.com

Insta: ‪@drconniekerali‬

Podcast: Speak Shame with Dr. Connie Kerali

FB: Dr. Connie Kerali

LinkedIn: Dr. Connie Kerali

Dr. Connie Kerali lives in London, England and continues her practice as a Medical doctor, counselling therapist and empowerment and transformational coach.

In Episode #139 of "Hopenning 2.0" Fran interviews Steph Kennedy, a master in Osteopathic Medicine, who began her journey in the health and wellness industry after her own teenage misfortune with athletic injuries.

Eager to continue learning and become more involved in preventative healthcare, she discovered Osteopathy. In 2020, Steph was accepted into the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, where she began working toward achieving her Master in the Practice of Osteopathic Manipulative Sciences.

The holistic approach and in-depth study of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics aligned with her personal philosophy on the interconnectedness of the human body and her belief that no part of the body becomes injured in isolation. Steph’s osteopathic education has enabled her to develop a more effective and efficient approach to treatment, helping patients recover from injuries while also improving their overall health and quality of life.

In this episode of Hopenning 2.0, Fran and Steph discuss and ponder on:

00:00 - Introduction

1:30 - Steph's injuries as a youth and how this experience moved her into her first career as an Athletic Therapist, and later into osteopathy.

5:10 - What is Osteopathy, and why is it so effective?

6:30 - How does Osteopathy look at the ways the systems of the body work together, to create a more effective and efficient approach to treatment.

8:00 - The process of programming for an osteopath client

8:33 - The assessment process requires seeing what is and isn't moving together, and how pain usually doesn't originate where it is felt.

10:15 - Motion preferences and how our bodies want to move in ways that compromise our health and cause inflammation.

13:00 - Benefits and limitations of other health procedures; physiotherapy, chiropractic, massage, and yoga, and how multiple modalities are sometimes necessary to regain health.

18:45 - How osteopathy differs from other health modalities by calming the nervous system, in order to reduce inflammation and subsequent pain.

26:30 - How osteopathy stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and why that is effective in reducing pain and inflammation.

28:00 - Success stories; recovery from whiplash

31:15 - Helping a client with Cerebral Palsy

34:00 - A client avoids knee replacement

36:29 - Inflammation and its role in pain and healing, and how osteopathy encourages the body's natural processes of healing.

39:39 - The role of lifestyle in creating and reducing inflammation

42:10 - Conscious movement and how to challenges the ranges of motion throughout the work day.

44:11 - Suggestions of movement for the sedentary worker

46:00 - Hands on rhythmic movement, and why it is so successful in osteopathic treatments.

46:55 - Tips and tricks to releasing inflammation and promoting relaxation

49:00 - Steph demonstrates the 90-90 to open up the hips and knees.

51:17 - Words of hope - your body is made to heal and to help you.

53:15 - KennedyOsteopathy.com

"Stop Chasing Pain" podcast for more insightful exercises and tips on maintaining health through movement.

Where to find Osteopaths in Alberta, Canada and other places:

OstCan or Osteopathic Canada

Alberta Association of Osteopathic Manual Therapist (AAOMT).

Steph can be found at:

https://www.kennedyosteopathy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kennedyosteopathy/

https://www.facebook.com/kennedyosteopathy/

Martin O’Toole is a highly experienced psychedelic guide and integration coach, certified through ICEERS, with a background in transpersonal psychology, breathwork, and trauma-informed coaching. He is the author of the book, "How To Die Happy" and creator of the popular "How To Die Happy" Podcast.

Julia Malcolmson is a globetrotting, multidisciplinary Yoga & Mindfulness Instructor, retreat leader, Sound Healer, and bodyworker with over a decade of experience leading retreats, including a role as a senior teacher at the renowned Hari Hara - Center for Awakening in Cambodia.

In this episode of “Hopenning 2.0”, Fran, Martin and Julia discuss the use and history of psychedelic and plant medicine in treatment on mental health, and how they were outlawed in the 60’s, which contributed to unsafe practice in the 70’s.

Today, there is a resurgence of psychedelic use, in and out of controlled and ceremonial settings, and why we all need to be aware of their potential, and misuse, and to decide for ourselves if psychedelics are the next best way of treating and recovering from emotional trauma.

We discuss Martin and Julia's upcoming Peru retreat, and lead our "Hopenning 2.0" listeners through the reasons their retreat, with a combination of eastern spirituality, western psychology, and shamanic ceremonial plant medicine practices, may be the best use of the potential of psychedelics to heal from emotional trauma.

Information about the retreat:

https://martinotoole.coach/retreats Y

You can find Martin here:

Podcast: https://martinotoole.coach/podcast

FB: Martin O'Toole

Insta: martinotoole

You can find Julia here:

FB: Yoga with Julia Louise

Insta: yogawithjulialouise