In Her Words: Working Conversations by Women

What if the thing the world calls a "limitation"… is actually the very thing that equips you to change it?

Today on In Her Words, we are joined by Ron Sandison: author, minister, national speaker with autism, and the beloved voice behind the Honey Badger's Bible videos. Ron has memorized an astonishing 15,000 Bible verses (including 22 complete books of the New Testament) and shares a message of faith, neurodiversity, and God's blessings at 70 events a year, from churches in the US to conferences in Madagascar, Cameroon, and Israel.

In his book Thought, Choice, Action, Ron writes about decision-making that releases power. But in his own life, he has lived out a beautiful progression: Light, Ministry, & Action. Through the light of his faith, the ministry of his global speaking, and the action of memorizing 15,000 verses, Ron proves one undeniable truth: Autism doesn't stop purpose.

✨ In this deeply moving conversation, we explore:

• Why neurodivergence is not a barrier to your calling, but a profound part of your gift

• The story behind the Honey Badger's Bible and how humor and truth can change lives.

• How memorizing 15,000 verses has shaped his relationship with scripture and the people he serves.

• Navigating healthcare, education, and faith systems that weren't built for neurodivergent people and how to bravely advocate for yourself.

• The beautiful meaning of Father's Day, legacy, and honouring your parents as they grow older.

If you've ever felt unseen, underestimated, or told your voice doesn't belong, this conversation is your invitation to remember: your story matters, your faith is valid, and your difference is a gift.

📚 Explore Ron’s Books:

• ⁠Adulting on the Spectrum: An Insider's Guide for Navigating Life with Autism⁠

⁠ • Views from the Spectrum: A Window into Life and Faith with Your Neurodivergent Child⁠

•⁠ A Parent’s Guide to Autism: Practical Advice. Biblical Wisdom⁠

⁠• Thought, Choice, Action: Decision-Making that Releases the Holy Spirit's Power⁠

🎧 Listen now and remember: today, we rise, together.

#Neurodiversity #AutismAndFaith #HoneyBadgersBible #RonSandison #InHerWords #ThandoMazibuko #FaithAndResilience #FathersDay #NeurodivergentVoices #ChristianPodcast

What happens when the people you love need care, but your financial plan didn't prepare you for it?

In this episode of In Her Words, host Thando Mazibuko sits down with Raymond Lavine, Principal at Lavine LTC Benefits, co-author of the Amazon Best-Selling book Empathy and Understanding in Business, and host of Planning with Purpose, The Caregivers Blueprint.

Raymond’s perspective is deeply personal. After watching his immigrant parents navigate the complex world of care over nearly two decades, he dedicated his career to helping families and businesses create safety nets that protect their careers, assets, and connections.

💡 In this conversation, Raymond breaks down:

• The crucial difference between standard health insurance and long-term caregiving insurance.

• Why comprehensive financial planning must include insurance, and why retirement planning isn't "fun" but absolutely necessary.

• How to start early with a retirement plan and life insurance to secure your future .

• Why caregiving is ultimately an act of empathy, and how it impacts women in the workplace and at home.

• The hard truth: "People make the worst financial decisions without a plan."

Whether you are a caregiver, a professional planning for retirement, or someone who just wants to protect your family's future, this episode will give you the practical tools to plan with purpose.

🔗 Connect with Raymond:

•⁠ Website⁠:

Book: Empathy and Understanding in Business

🎧 Listen now and start planning with purpose.

#LongTermCare #CaregiversBlueprint #FinancialPlanning #RetirementPlanning #InHerWords #ThandoMazibuko #RaymondLavine #EmpathyInBusiness #WomenAndCaregiving

What happens when the woman stewarding $25 billion across 18 markets realises she needs to stop, heal, and completely rewrite her definition of success?

In this powerful episode of In Her Words, host Thando Mazibuko sits down with Ashley D. Varnado retired Managing Director in the Financial Services Industry, national news contributor, and author of the forthcoming book Out of the Yazoo Clay.

After surviving three strokes, Ashley made a courageous choice: she took a radical sabbatical. She stepped away from the corporate boardroom to heal, reflect, and pivot toward a life of deeper purpose, eventually stepping into national media and writing.

💡 In this conversation, you’ll discover:

• The raw truth about her health crisis and the courage it took to step back.

• Why a "radical sabbatical" is sometimes the most strategic leadership move you can make.

• How to align financial performance with human purpose and legacy.

• Practical ways to champion emerging leaders while forging your own new path.

• The mindset shift required to survive, reset, and redefine success on your own terms.

📖 ⁠Learn more about Ashley & her upcoming book:⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠LinkedIn⁠

🎧 Subscribe to In Her Words for more conversations that center women’s voices, healing, and purpose.

💬 Reflection: What’s one area of your life where you feel called to pause, reset, and redefine success? Save this episode for your next quiet moment.

#RadicalReinvention #WomensLeadership #PurposeDriven #Sabbatical #InHerWords #ThandoMazibuko #OutoftheYazooClay #Legacy #HealingJourney

What does it really take to build a clean beauty brand in a world of greenwashing?

In this episode of In Her Words: Working Conversations By Women, host Thando Mazibuko sits down with Michelle Doan founder of EMANI Vegan Cosmetics to explore The Business of Beauty: From Refugee Camp to Clean Beauty Pioneer.Michelle shares her extraordinary journey: from Vietnamese immigrant and time in a refugee camp, to battling cystic acne and menopause, to building a global brand that merges ancient fermentation practices with modern science.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover:

• Why fermentation isn't a trend, it's ancient wisdom meeting modern skincare.

• The Three P's every conscious consumer should ask: Potency (is it strong enough?), Penetration (does it reach where it's needed?), Proven (has it been tested,not just marketed?)

• How to spot greenwashing and choose products that truly honor sensitive, hormonally dynamic skin .

• The mindset shift that changed everything: "Start noticing your thoughts" • Practical lessons on building a mission-driven brand while navigating adversity.

🌿 Learn more & shop EMANI

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

🎧 Subscribe to In Her Words for more conversations that center women's voices, resilience, and purpose.
💬 Reflection: What's one beauty claim you wish had more proof? Save this episode for your next skincare moment.#TheBusinessOfBeauty #CleanBeauty #Greenwashing #FermentationSkincare #EMANI #InHerWords #ThandoMazibuko #SensitiveSkin #MindfulBeauty #ImmigrantEntrepreneur

Modern medicine is a powerful resource but it often leaves women unheard and not cared for.

What if the missing ingredient isn't a new treatment… but a story?

In this episode of In Her Words: Working Conversations By Women, host Thando Mazibuko sits down with Kayla Branstetter educator, TEDx speaker, and author of the forthcoming book Don't Be an Athena to explore narrative medicine: the transformative practice of using storytelling to heal women's bodies, honour reproductive trauma, and challenge the culture of silent endurance.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover:

• How narrative medicine turns lived experience into healing & advocacy.

• Why the myth of "powering through pain" silences women and how to break it.

• Practical, age-appropriate ways to talk to kids about bodies, boundaries & consent.

• How patient storytelling is rebuilding trust between women & healthcare providers.

• Tools to reclaim your voice, honour your story, and heal without shame.

📖 Learn more & connect with Kayla:

🎧 Subscribe to In Her Words for more conversations that center women's voices, healing, and purpose. 💬 Reflection: What's one part of your health story you've been waiting to share? Save this episode for your next quiet moment.

#TheArtOfHealing #NarrativeMedicine #WomensHealth #MedicalGaslighting #DontBeAnAthena #InHerWords #ThandoMazibuko #StoryAsHealing #ReproductiveJustice

What if a mother's love isn't about fixing, but about seeing?

In this episode of In Her Words: Working Conversations By Women, I sit down with Brigitte Shipman to explore autism, advocacy, and the radical power of loving kindness. Drawing from their two-voiced book, A Mother's Guide Through Autism: Through the Eyes of the Guided, Brigitte shares her journey from grief to hope, while Joseph offers his lived perspective on navigating a world not built for neurodivergent minds.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover:

• How to move from grief to hope and let kindness be your guide.

• Why "meeting yourself where you are" is an act of courage, not compromise.

• Practical steps for advocacy: 7 lessons + 5 actionable tools for overwhelmed parents.

• Joseph's truth: "It's okay to be different" and how autistic honesty can improve the world.

• Why neurodiversity isn't a deficit, it's a difference worthy of dignity.

✨ Brigitte's wisdom to carry:

"Notice your thoughts but don't let the negative ones control you. Practice."

"Start with gratitude."

"Meet yourself where you are."

📖 Learn more & get the book:

🎧 Subscribe to In Her Words for more conversations that center women's voices, healing, and purpose.

💬 What's one way you can practice loving kindness toward yourself or someone neurodivergent this week? Let us know in the comments.

#AMothersLove #AutismAcceptance #Neurodiversity #LovingKindness #InHerWords #ThandoMazibuko #MoreThanTheLabel #ParentalResilience

What if healing isn’t about fixing yourself but about reaching for someone else? 🎸

In this episode of In Her Words: Working Conversations By Women, I sit down with Blair Sorrel author, innovator, and survivor to explore life with Schizoid Personality Disorder (SPD), navigating overparenting, and finding your voice when you’ve been told you don’t fit. Drawing from her candid memoir, A Schizoid at Smith, Blair shares how rock 'n' roll, animal advocacy, and one simple act of kindness became her bridge to purpose and connection.

💡 In this conversation, you’ll discover:

• How an SPD diagnosis at 33 clarified a life of “warts and weirdness”.

• Why music and animals became lifelines when human connection felt hard.

• How overparenting can lead to underachieving and how to reclaim your path.

• The transformative power of looking outward and practicing one act of kindness.

• Why thriving on your own terms means rewriting the rules of success.

📖 Get Blair’s memoir & learn more

🎧 Subscribe to In Her Words for more conversations that center women’s voices, healing, and purpose.

💬 What’s one small act of kindness you can offer yourself or others this week? Let us know in the comments!

#NavigatingNeurodivergence #SPD #MentalHealthMemoir #BlairSorrel #InHerWords #ThandoMazibuko #NeurodivergentWomen #RockAndRollHealing

What if your greatest chapter hasn’t been written yet? At 87, Dr. Susanne Eden is proving it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

Welcome to Part 2 of Wisdom & Wonder: How Women Can Heal, Age & Thrive with Purpose on In Her Words: Working Conversations By Women. I’m back with Dr. Susanne T. Eden educator, author, and wisdom-keeper—to dive deeper into the practical, spiritual, and emotional steps of healing as you age.

Drawing from her health, spirituality, and wellness book, Healing from the Inside: Living Fully as You Age, we explore how to sit in stillness, name what still “bothers you,” and tap into your true energy. We also unpack her powerful “Taking Action” chapter, why deep human connection is non-negotiable for fulfillment, and what it means to see yourself as part of something far greater than trivial worldly concerns.

💡 In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Practical steps for self-healing & emotional clarity in later life.
• How to sit with yourself, uncover hidden blocks, and release them with grace.
• Why “tapping into your energy” transforms how you age and dream.
• Inside the “Taking Action” chapter: moving from reflection to purposeful living.
• Why human connection is the cornerstone of lasting wellness & spiritual growth.

📖 Get Dr. Susanne’s book:
🎧 Subscribe to In Her Words for more conversations that center women’s voices, healing, and purpose.
💬 What’s one dream you’re ready to pursue in this season? Let us know in the comments!#WisdomAndWonder #HealingFromTheInside #AgingWithPurpose #SpiritualWellness #InHerWords #ThandoMazibuko #SelfHealingJourney #HumanConnection

What if ageing isn't about looking back...but stepping fully into the life you were meant to live?

In this episode of In Her Words: Working Conversations By Women, I sit down with Dr. Susanne T. Eden, a pioneering educator, author, and wisdom-keeper at 87. To explore how healing, self-discovery, and intentional living can transform the way we experience our later years. In her new book, Healing from the Inside: Living Fully as You Age, Dr. Eden shares her deeply personal journey of releasing past wounds, embracing transformational journaling, and finding profound purpose in the season many call "the end."

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover:

• Why the later decades are your "last, best shot" at healing and self-discovery.

• How to unlearn the myth that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks".

• Practical ways to use journaling and inner reflection to rewrite your relationship with ageing.

• How to release regret, quiet fear of the future, and step into purposeful living.

• What truly makes women shine at every stage of life.

📖 Get Dr. Susanne's book

🎧 Subscribe to In Her Words for more conversations that center women's voices, healing, and purpose.

💬 What's one "new trick" you're ready to learn in this season of your life? Let us know in the comments!

#InHerWords #WisdomAndWonder #AgingWithPurpose #HealingJourney #WomenWhoLead #TransformationalJournaling #IntergenerationalWisdom #ThandoMazibuko

Black mothers deserve care that sees them, saves them, and celebrates them. But what happens when the system fails?

In this episode of In Her Words: Working Conversations by Women, host Thando Mazibuko sits down with Ciara Lyons-Ragains, MSN, RN, PHN — nurse, Black mother, and founder of Her Black Wellness By Ciara.

Ciara shares her powerful journey at the intersection of clinical expertise and lived experience, offering wisdom on antiracist nursing practice, building community as healing, and advocating for systemic change in maternal care.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

✨ The reality of medical bias facing Black mothers.

✨ How The Black Maternal Table supports mothers from preconception to age 5.

✨ Why community care is a form of resistance.

✨ How Ciara uses her Master's degree to train medical professionals through the Antiracist Nurse Collective.

✨ Practical ways allies and providers can do better.

Whether you're a Black mother navigating pregnancy, a healthcare provider seeking to do better, or an ally ready to listen, this conversation reminds us: we are building what saves us.

You are more than the label. You are power in progress.

🌸 Connect with Ciara:

Her Black Wellness By Ciara

💬 Join the Conversation:

Tag us @AlaraWomen with your biggest takeaway.

🌍 Connect with Alara Women:

📱 Instagram: @AlaraWomennetwork

🌐 Website: www.alarawomen.online

#BuildingWhatSaves #BlackMaternalHealth #MedicalBias #CiaraLyonsRegans #TheBlackMaternalTable #AntiracistNursing #MaternalWellness #HealthEquity #InHerWords #AlaraWomen #PowerInProgress #MoreThanTheLabel #BlackMotherhood #ReproductiveJustice #NurseLife #CommunityHealing