The Uncorking a Story Podcast

Listen in as host Mike Carlon pops the cork on conversations with your favorite authors. Uncorking a Story takes you on a journey into the brilliant minds behind your favorite books. Discover the secrets, inspirations, and hidden narratives that bring these stories to life. Join us every week for new episodes filled with laughter, insights, and captivating conversations. Subscribe now and never miss a sip of inspiration!

Listen Here

Recently Uncorked Stories

Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "Medicine knows a patient’s disease, but it does not know the patient — and that is where the real crisis lies." — Dr. Robert Smith In this powerful episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with Dr. Robert Smith, a nationally recognized pioneer in evidence‑based mental health care and physician‑patient communication. Drawing from his new book Has Medicine Lost Its Mind?, Dr. Smith reveals how our current medical system inadequately prepares doctors for the most common health issues in America — mental health conditions — and why this failure is costing lives, families, and entire communities. From formative early-career mistakes to the creation of the first patient‑centered interviewing method, Dr. Smith shares a compelling journey of awakening, reform, and hope. If you've ever wondered why navigating mental health care feels so broken — or what it would take to fix it — this conversation is essential listening. Key Takeaways: 1. The mental health crisis is rooted in medical education. Doctors receive only 2% of training in mental health, despite mental illness being the most common health condition in the U.S. 2. A powerful personal failure reshaped Dr. Smith’s career. A patient's diary — detailing how unheard she felt — sparked his lifelong mission to reform how physicians communicate and treat mental health. 3. Primary care doctors handle most mental health cases — untrained. Psychiatrists see only about 12% of mental health patients; primary care sees the rest, often without adequate preparation. 4. The mind–body split dates back to the 1500s. Deep historical roots shape modern medicine’s exclusion of psychological and social factors, to the detriment of today’s patients. 5. Untreated mental illness drives society-wide consequences. Divorce, addictions, homelessness, incarceration, and even suicide can often be traced back to missed diagnoses in primary care. 6. Dr. Smith proposes a Second Flexner Report. A federally led investigation could expose systemic failures and force medical education to modernize. 7. Listeners can take action today. Dr. Smith provides tools on his website — robertcsmithmd.com — for contacting political leaders and advocating reform. Buy Has Medicine Lost Its Mind Amazon: https://amzn.to/46Iaw7a Bookshop:https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781493087655 Connect with Dr. Smith Website https://www.robertcsmithmd.com/ X: https://x.com/RobertCSmithMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobertCSmithMD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertcsmithmd/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Uncorkingastory Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #MentalHealthCrisis #HealthcareReform #PatientCenteredCare #MedicalEducation #UncorkingAStory #DrRobertSmith #HasMedicineLostItsMind #PrimaryCareMentalHealth

Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/

"Medicine knows a patient’s disease, but it does not know the patient — and that is where the real crisis lies." — Dr. Robert Smith
In this powerful episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with Dr. Robert Smith, a nationally recognized pioneer in evidence‑based mental health care and physician‑patient communication. Drawing from his new book Has Medicine Lost Its Mind?, Dr. Smith reveals how our current medical system inadequately prepares doctors for the most common health issues in America — mental health conditions — and why this failure is costing lives, families, and entire communities.

From formative early-career mistakes to the creation of the first patient‑centered interviewing method, Dr. Smith shares a compelling journey of awakening, reform, and hope. If you've ever wondered why navigating mental health care feels so broken — or what it would take to fix it — this conversation is essential listening.

Key Takeaways:

1. The mental health crisis is rooted in medical education. Doctors receive only 2% of training in mental health, despite mental illness being the most common health condition in the U.S.
2. A powerful personal failure reshaped Dr. Smith’s career. A patient's diary — detailing how unheard she felt — sparked his lifelong mission to reform how physicians communicate and treat mental health.
3. Primary care doctors handle most mental health cases — untrained. Psychiatrists see only about 12% of mental health patients; primary care sees the rest, often without adequate preparation.
4. The mind–body split dates back to the 1500s. Deep historical roots shape modern medicine’s exclusion of psychological and social factors, to the detriment of today’s patients.
5. Untreated mental illness drives society-wide consequences. Divorce, addictions, homelessness, incarceration, and even suicide can often be traced back to missed diagnoses in primary care.
6. Dr. Smith proposes a Second Flexner Report. A federally led investigation could expose systemic failures and force medical education to modernize.
7. Listeners can take action today. Dr. Smith provides tools on his website — robertcsmithmd.com — for contacting political leaders and advocating reform.

Buy Has Medicine Lost Its Mind
Amazon: https://amzn.to/46Iaw7a
Bookshop:https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781493087655

Connect with Dr. Smith
Website https://www.robertcsmithmd.com/
X: https://x.com/RobertCSmithMD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobertCSmithMD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertcsmithmd/

Connect with Mike
Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Uncorkingastory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/

If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#MentalHealthCrisis #HealthcareReform #PatientCenteredCare #MedicalEducation #UncorkingAStory #DrRobertSmith #HasMedicineLostItsMind #PrimaryCareMentalHealth

0 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4eWFSX0pYSFhRaUY0amxOUGhaaWJUQy5DMkIzQTQwRkQyNTU3NDAz

Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? Dr. Robert Smith on the Crisis in Mental Health Care & How to Fix It

The Uncorking a Story Podcast February 24, 2026 6:01 am

Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ “It’s never too late — never too late to heal, to learn, to evolve, or to create a relationship built on something truer than what you grew up with.” — @joellelydon In this powerful and deeply human conversation, author and relationship coach Joëlle Lydon uncorks the journey that led to her book Unbreakable Us. Raised in a chaotic family system and identifying as a highly sensitive person, Joëlle spent years navigating old patterns, heartbreak, and healing. Through expressive arts, coaching, and a radical year‑long experiment to change her beliefs about love, she rebuilt her relational “operating system” — and now helps others do the same. Joëlle shares her path from a 32‑year teaching career to becoming a relationship facilitator, how she met the partner who transformed her understanding of love, and why she believes relationships aren’t just between two people — but with a living, sacred third. Whether you’re single, partnered, or somewhere in between, this episode offers wisdom, humor, and a hopeful reminder that love is infinite — and it’s never too late to begin again. Key Themes: 1. We teach what we most need to learn. Joëlle realized her challenges with relating were her greatest calling as a coach and writer. 2. Highly sensitive people often develop deep empathy — and coping strategies. Her sensitivity was both innate and amplified by a chaotic home environment. 3. Old family dynamics shape adult relationships — until we examine them. Joëlle’s upbringing taught her to see love as transactional, a pattern she had to unlearn. 4. A rock‑bottom moment became her turning point. A painful breakup led her into deep self‑work and a year‑long project intentionally reframing her beliefs about men. 5. Love is not a commodity — it’s a living system. Joëlle describes intimacy as an ever‑present field we must stay aware of, not something given in “crumbs.” 6. Relationships include a “sacred third.” She teaches that a partnership is not just two people, but a third entity — the relationship itself — that must be tended. 7. It’s never too late to begin again. Whether healing childhood wounds or reigniting long‑term partnerships, growth is always possible. Buy Unbreakable Us: Removing the Barriers to Love Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tEoIIq Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781956442625 Connect with Joelle Website: https://joellelydon.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joellelydon/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourLovebyDesign LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joellelydon/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joellelydon Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Uncorkingastory Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #UncorkingAStory #JoelleLydon #UnbreakableUs #RelationshipHealing #ExpressiveArts #TraumaHealing #LoveAndGrowth #HighlySensitivePerson #PersonalTransformation #PodcastInterview

Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/
“It’s never too late — never too late to heal, to learn, to evolve, or to create a relationship built on something truer than what you grew up with.” — @joellelydon

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, author and relationship coach Joëlle Lydon uncorks the journey that led to her book Unbreakable Us. Raised in a chaotic family system and identifying as a highly sensitive person, Joëlle spent years navigating old patterns, heartbreak, and healing. Through expressive arts, coaching, and a radical year‑long experiment to change her beliefs about love, she rebuilt her relational “operating system” — and now helps others do the same.

Joëlle shares her path from a 32‑year teaching career to becoming a relationship facilitator, how she met the partner who transformed her understanding of love, and why she believes relationships aren’t just between two people — but with a living, sacred third. Whether you’re single, partnered, or somewhere in between, this episode offers wisdom, humor, and a hopeful reminder that love is infinite — and it’s never too late to begin again.


Key Themes:

1. We teach what we most need to learn. Joëlle realized her challenges with relating were her greatest calling as a coach and writer.
2. Highly sensitive people often develop deep empathy — and coping strategies. Her sensitivity was both innate and amplified by a chaotic home environment.
3. Old family dynamics shape adult relationships — until we examine them. Joëlle’s upbringing taught her to see love as transactional, a pattern she had to unlearn.
4. A rock‑bottom moment became her turning point. A painful breakup led her into deep self‑work and a year‑long project intentionally reframing her beliefs about men.
5. Love is not a commodity — it’s a living system. Joëlle describes intimacy as an ever‑present field we must stay aware of, not something given in “crumbs.”
6. Relationships include a “sacred third.” She teaches that a partnership is not just two people, but a third entity — the relationship itself — that must be tended.
7. It’s never too late to begin again. Whether healing childhood wounds or reigniting long‑term partnerships, growth is always possible.

Buy Unbreakable Us: Removing the Barriers to Love
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tEoIIq
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781956442625

Connect with Joelle
Website: https://joellelydon.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joellelydon/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourLovebyDesign
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joellelydon/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joellelydon

Connect with Mike
Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Uncorkingastory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/

If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
#UncorkingAStory #JoelleLydon #UnbreakableUs #RelationshipHealing #ExpressiveArts #TraumaHealing #LoveAndGrowth #HighlySensitivePerson #PersonalTransformation #PodcastInterview

1 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4eWFSX0pYSFhRaUY0amxOUGhaaWJUQy45RjgyODEyNEJEREM5Nzkx

It’s Never Too Late, Joëlle Lydon on Healing, Creativity, and Redefining Love

The Uncorking a Story Podcast February 17, 2026 6:01 am

Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ “There’s always another way of looking at things. Collaborators win bigger—in business, families, communities, everywhere.” In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with Priscilla McKinney—CEO and “Mama Bird” of Little Bird Marketing, author of Collaboration Is the New Competition, keynote speaker, podcaster, and lifelong creative. From growing up as part of a traveling Christian family band to building a thriving B2B marketing agency, Priscilla shares her remarkable journey of resilience, reinvention, and redefining what leadership looks like. She opens up about the tornado that destroyed her studio, the anthropology roots that shaped her worldview, the collaborative mindset behind her book, and the power of creating something from nothing. Whether you’re a marketer, creative, entrepreneur, or leader, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about how work gets done—and why collaboration beats competition every time. Key Themes: 1. Creative roots matter. Priscilla’s childhood—writing skits, spoofing commercials, performing with her family—instilled a lifelong belief that ideas can come from anywhere. 2. Anthropology shaped her business philosophy. Her cultural anthropology background trained her to see multiple perspectives and understand human behavior—an essential lens for modern marketing and collaboration. 3. Resilience can redefine your path. After a tornado destroyed 35% of her town and her studio burned down weeks later, Priscilla rebuilt with clarity and purpose, eventually creating Little Bird Marketing. 4. Collaboration outperforms competition. Her book breaks down the mindset shift required to work collaboratively and the “anchors” needed to make collaboration sustainable long‑term. 5. Writing is never a solitary act. From scribes to editors to industry peers, Priscilla highlights how creating a book is inherently collaborative—even when the ideas are your own. 6. Self‑publishing can be a strategic business choice. With an existing platform, team, and marketing machine, Priscilla turned her book into a powerful calling card for speaking, podcasting, and client growth. 7. Little Bird Marketing thrives in B2B. Her team blends creativity with serious revenue discipline, helping high‑ticket B2B brands stand out, differentiate, and grow. Buy Collaboration Is the New Competition: Why the Future of Work Rewards a Cross-Pollinating Hive Mind & How Not to Get Left Behind Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tluPRR Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781544535418 Connect with Priscilla Website: https://littlebirdmarketing.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscillamckinney/ Podcast: https://podcast.littlebirdmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlebirdmktg/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlebirdmarketing Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Uncorkingastory Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #UncorkingAStory #PriscillaMcKinney #LittleBirdMarketing #CollaborationIsTheNewCompetition #B2BMarketing #CreativeLeadership #PodcastInterview #WomenInBusiness #MarketingStrategy #AuthorInterview

Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/

“There’s always another way of looking at things. Collaborators win bigger—in business, families, communities, everywhere.”

In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike sits down with Priscilla McKinney—CEO and “Mama Bird” of Little Bird Marketing, author of Collaboration Is the New Competition, keynote speaker, podcaster, and lifelong creative. From growing up as part of a traveling Christian family band to building a thriving B2B marketing agency, Priscilla shares her remarkable journey of resilience, reinvention, and redefining what leadership looks like. She opens up about the tornado that destroyed her studio, the anthropology roots that shaped her worldview, the collaborative mindset behind her book, and the power of creating something from nothing.

Whether you’re a marketer, creative, entrepreneur, or leader, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about how work gets done—and why collaboration beats competition every time.


Key Themes:
1. Creative roots matter. Priscilla’s childhood—writing skits, spoofing commercials, performing with her family—instilled a lifelong belief that ideas can come from anywhere.
2. Anthropology shaped her business philosophy. Her cultural anthropology background trained her to see multiple perspectives and understand human behavior—an essential lens for modern marketing and collaboration.
3. Resilience can redefine your path. After a tornado destroyed 35% of her town and her studio burned down weeks later, Priscilla rebuilt with clarity and purpose, eventually creating Little Bird Marketing.
4. Collaboration outperforms competition. Her book breaks down the mindset shift required to work collaboratively and the “anchors” needed to make collaboration sustainable long‑term.
5. Writing is never a solitary act. From scribes to editors to industry peers, Priscilla highlights how creating a book is inherently collaborative—even when the ideas are your own.
6. Self‑publishing can be a strategic business choice. With an existing platform, team, and marketing machine, Priscilla turned her book into a powerful calling card for speaking, podcasting, and client growth.
7. Little Bird Marketing thrives in B2B. Her team blends creativity with serious revenue discipline, helping high‑ticket B2B brands stand out, differentiate, and grow.

Buy Collaboration Is the New Competition: Why the Future of Work Rewards a Cross-Pollinating Hive Mind & How Not to Get Left Behind
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tluPRR
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781544535418

Connect with Priscilla
Website: https://littlebirdmarketing.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscillamckinney/
Podcast: https://podcast.littlebirdmarketing.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlebirdmktg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlebirdmarketing

Connect with Mike
Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Uncorkingastory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/

If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#UncorkingAStory #PriscillaMcKinney #LittleBirdMarketing #CollaborationIsTheNewCompetition #B2BMarketing #CreativeLeadership #PodcastInterview #WomenInBusiness #MarketingStrategy #AuthorInterview

0 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4eWFSX0pYSFhRaUY0amxOUGhaaWJUQy42QTAwM0IwOURDNUE5RURG

Collaboration Is the New Competition: Priscilla McKinney on Creativity, Resilience & Reinvention

The Uncorking a Story Podcast February 10, 2026 6:00 am

Load More... Subscribe

Recent Uncorked Insights

48,000 people die by suicide every year in the U.S; half of them saw their primary care doctor in the two to four weeks before they died. That’s not just tragic, that’s a missed opportunity. Primary care doctors treat about 75% of all mental health patients — but receive only about 2% of their medical training in mental health. So what if we changed that? What if suicide prevention didn’t start in a crisis hotline, but in a routine doctor’s visit? How many of those 48,000 could still be here if one doctor had been trained to ask the right questions? Train doctors. Save lives. #SuicidePrevention #MentalHealth #PrimaryCare #PreventSuicide #Healthcare #MentalHealthAwareness #SaveLives

48,000 people die by suicide every year in the U.S; half of them saw their primary care doctor in the two to four weeks before they died. That’s not just tragic, that’s a missed opportunity.

Primary care doctors treat about 75% of all mental health patients — but receive only about 2% of their medical training in mental health. So what if we changed that? What if suicide prevention didn’t start in a crisis hotline, but in a routine doctor’s visit?

How many of those 48,000 could still be here if one doctor had been trained to ask the right questions?

Train doctors. Save lives.

#SuicidePrevention #MentalHealth #PrimaryCare #PreventSuicide #Healthcare #MentalHealthAwareness #SaveLives

2 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4ekkwbDZSV19WblA2M3dKRjc5SEh4Ny5CMDU4Mjk2QjA2QTIwODZB

We’re Training Doctors Wrong, and Lives Are at Stake!

The Uncorking a Story Podcast February 24, 2026 11:00 am

Is it ever too late to have a great relationship? In this clip from my conversation with @joellelydon, author of Unbreakable Us, we explore one powerful truth: it’s never too late to begin again. Whether you’ve been married for 30 years, feel stuck in autopilot, or believe your childhood patterns have defined your relationships forever — Joëlle explains why growth, reconnection, and deeper intimacy are always possible. Love isn’t a finite resource. It’s a living system. And the moment you choose awareness and responsibility, you can start rewriting your story. If you’ve ever wondered: • Can we reconnect after years of distance? • Is it too late to change old patterns? • Can love grow again after complacency sets in? This conversation will give you hope — and practical insight. Because as Joëlle says: t’s never too late. #NeverTooLate #Relationships #MarriageGoals #EmotionalGrowth #PersonalGrowth #ConsciousLove #HealthyRelationships #BeginAgain #LoveAndConnection #RelationshipAdvice #SelfAwareness #HealingJourney #InnerWork #Vulnerability #Communication #LongTermLove #WritersOfYouTube #AuthorInterviews #UncorkingAStory #PodcastClips

Is it ever too late to have a great relationship?

In this clip from my conversation with @joellelydon, author of Unbreakable Us, we explore one powerful truth: it’s never too late to begin again.

Whether you’ve been married for 30 years, feel stuck in autopilot, or believe your childhood patterns have defined your relationships forever — Joëlle explains why growth, reconnection, and deeper intimacy are always possible.

Love isn’t a finite resource. It’s a living system. And the moment you choose awareness and responsibility, you can start rewriting your story.

If you’ve ever wondered:
• Can we reconnect after years of distance?
• Is it too late to change old patterns?
• Can love grow again after complacency sets in?

This conversation will give you hope — and practical insight.

Because as Joëlle says: t’s never too late.

#NeverTooLate #Relationships #MarriageGoals #EmotionalGrowth #PersonalGrowth #ConsciousLove #HealthyRelationships #BeginAgain #LoveAndConnection #RelationshipAdvice #SelfAwareness #HealingJourney #InnerWork #Vulnerability #Communication #LongTermLove #WritersOfYouTube #AuthorInterviews #UncorkingAStory #PodcastClips

5 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4ekkwbDZSV19WblA2M3dKRjc5SEh4Ny45NkM5QURGMTI1Rjg4NDRC

Why It’s Never Too Late to Have the Relationship You Want

The Uncorking a Story Podcast February 20, 2026 5:12 pm

For years, @joellelydon believed love was something you earned — a currency exchanged for good behavior and approval. In this clip from Uncorking a Story, Joelle shares how heartbreak, healing, and deep inner work transformed her understanding of love from transactional to something far more powerful: a living system you co-create. We explore: • How childhood patterns shape adult relationships • Why vulnerability is essential for real connection • The idea that love isn’t finite — it’s something you participate in • And why it’s never too late to begin again Joelle is the author of Unbreakable Us and a relationship coach who helps individuals and couples move from old patterns to lasting connection. Watch the full conversation to hear how rewriting your definition of love can change both your relationships — and your writing. #UncorkingaStory #WritersLife #AmWriting #LoveAndRelationships #Vulnerability #PersonalGrowth #CreativeProcess #AuthorInterview #RewriteYourStory #ItsNeverTooLate

For years, @joellelydon believed love was something you earned — a currency exchanged for good behavior and approval.

In this clip from Uncorking a Story, Joelle shares how heartbreak, healing, and deep inner work transformed her understanding of love from transactional to something far more powerful: a living system you co-create.

We explore:
• How childhood patterns shape adult relationships
• Why vulnerability is essential for real connection
• The idea that love isn’t finite — it’s something you participate in
• And why it’s never too late to begin again

Joelle is the author of Unbreakable Us and a relationship coach who helps individuals and couples move from old patterns to lasting connection.

Watch the full conversation to hear how rewriting your definition of love can change both your relationships — and your writing.

#UncorkingaStory #WritersLife #AmWriting #LoveAndRelationships #Vulnerability #PersonalGrowth #CreativeProcess #AuthorInterview #RewriteYourStory #ItsNeverTooLate

2 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4ekkwbDZSV19WblA2M3dKRjc5SEh4Ny5DMTA0RkI2RTNGNUQ0Njgw

The Dangerous Lies We Believe About Love

The Uncorking a Story Podcast February 17, 2026 2:15 pm

Priscilla McKinney never set out to write a business book, but after being repeatedly invited to speak about collaboration — and seeing how deeply the message resonated — she realized she had tapped into something bigger than a keynote. That idea became her book, Collaboration Is the New Competition. In this episode of Uncorking a Story, we explore: • How speaking engagements can reveal the book you’re meant to write • Why collaboration is a strategic advantage — not a soft skill • The mindset shift that separates competitors from collaborators • How a book can become a powerful calling card for your brand Whether you’re an author building a platform or a business leader building revenue, this conversation will challenge how you think about winning. #UncorkingAStory #PriscillaMcKinney #LittleBirdMarketing #CollaborationIsTheNewCompetition #B2BMarketing #CreativeLeadership #PodcastInterview #WomenInBusiness #MarketingStrategy #AuthorInterview

Priscilla McKinney never set out to write a business book, but after being repeatedly invited to speak about collaboration — and seeing how deeply the message resonated — she realized she had tapped into something bigger than a keynote. That idea became her book, Collaboration Is the New Competition.

In this episode of Uncorking a Story, we explore:

• How speaking engagements can reveal the book you’re meant to write
• Why collaboration is a strategic advantage — not a soft skill
• The mindset shift that separates competitors from collaborators
• How a book can become a powerful calling card for your brand

Whether you’re an author building a platform or a business leader building revenue, this conversation will challenge how you think about winning.

#UncorkingAStory #PriscillaMcKinney #LittleBirdMarketing #CollaborationIsTheNewCompetition #B2BMarketing #CreativeLeadership #PodcastInterview #WomenInBusiness #MarketingStrategy #AuthorInterview

0 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4ekkwbDZSV19WblA2M3dKRjc5SEh4Ny45REM1NzQ1MDM2OUZDNDMx

Why Collaboration Trumps Competition

The Uncorking a Story Podcast February 11, 2026 10:07 am

Most of us spend our lives focused on two things: work and family. Important? Absolutely. Complete? Not always. In my conversation with Jason Reid, he talks about something deceptively simple—and profoundly important: the need for something that’s just for you. Not something you’re great at or something that makes money or something that impresses anyone, something you love. That idea sits at the heart of his new film, Shift: Do What Moves You—a powerful documentary showing kids and teens who leaned into hobbies, passions, and creative outlets as a way to navigate depression, anxiety, and dark moments. Not because it fixed everything, but because it gave them a reason to get up, a reason to try, and, importantly, a reason to stay. What surprised me most, this film isn’t just for kids. It’s for burned-out adults, for parents who lost themselves along the way, and for anyone who quietly feels empty but can’t quite explain why. Sometimes the most radical mental health strategy isn’t another productivity hack, it’s permission to enjoy something again. Shift: Do What Moves You is designed for school and community screenings (with no cost to schools). If you’d like to help bring this film to a school in your area—or learn how to host a screening—visit TellMyStory.org and reach out through the contact form. And ask yourself one small question today, what’s one thing I do… just because I love it? #MentalHealthAwareness #FindYourThing #DoWhatMovesYou #CreativeLife #HealingThroughCreativity #PurposeDriven #PersonalGrowth #WellbeingMatters #MentalHealthInSchools #YouthMentalHealth #Resilience #HopeThroughStory #storytellingforchange #uncorkingastory @tellmystorycommunity

Most of us spend our lives focused on two things: work and family. Important? Absolutely. Complete? Not always.

In my conversation with Jason Reid, he talks about something deceptively simple—and profoundly important: the need for something that’s just for you.

Not something you’re great at or something that makes money or something that impresses anyone, something you love.

That idea sits at the heart of his new film, Shift: Do What Moves You—a powerful documentary showing kids and teens who leaned into hobbies, passions, and creative outlets as a way to navigate depression, anxiety, and dark moments. Not because it fixed everything, but because it gave them a reason to get up, a reason to try, and, importantly, a reason to stay.

What surprised me most, this film isn’t just for kids. It’s for burned-out adults, for parents who lost themselves along the way, and for anyone who quietly feels empty but can’t quite explain why.

Sometimes the most radical mental health strategy isn’t another productivity hack, it’s permission to enjoy something again.

Shift: Do What Moves You is designed for school and community screenings (with no cost to schools).
If you’d like to help bring this film to a school in your area—or learn how to host a screening—visit TellMyStory.org and reach out through the contact form.

And ask yourself one small question today, what’s one thing I do… just because I love it?

#MentalHealthAwareness #FindYourThing #DoWhatMovesYou #CreativeLife #HealingThroughCreativity #PurposeDriven #PersonalGrowth #WellbeingMatters #MentalHealthInSchools #YouthMentalHealth #Resilience #HopeThroughStory #storytellingforchange #uncorkingastory @tellmystorycommunity

3 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4ekkwbDZSV19WblA2M3dKRjc5SEh4Ny5FRDc0QkQxMzlEMTZBMzg0

One key to suicide prevention in kids.

The Uncorking a Story Podcast February 3, 2026 10:15 am

Why does income determine who’s “allowed” to invest, but not who’s allowed to gamble? In my latest conversation with Karen Rands, she points out a contradiction we rarely question: People can walk into a casino and risk thousands of dollars with zero guardrails — but if you don’t meet certain income thresholds, you’re restricted from investing in early-stage companies and wealth-building opportunities. Karen asks the uncomfortable question: If the goal is “protection,” why does it apply to investing — but not gambling? Her answer: It’s not about capability. It’s about access, awareness, and outdated assumptions about who deserves a seat at the wealth-building table. We talk about democratizing investing, building wealth with purpose, and how everyday people can begin aligning their money with what they care about — not just where Wall Street tells them to put it. 🎧 Listen to the full episode of Uncorking a Story with Karen Rands, author of Inside Secrets to Crowdfund Investing https://youtu.be/_bisVUnwMD4 #UncorkingAStory #Investing #WealthBuilding #Crowdfunding #FinancialFreedom #PurposeDrivenWealth #AngelInvesting #PodcastRecommendations #MoneyMindset @angelinvesting

Why does income determine who’s “allowed” to invest, but not who’s allowed to gamble?

In my latest conversation with Karen Rands, she points out a contradiction we rarely question: People can walk into a casino and risk thousands of dollars with zero guardrails — but if you don’t meet certain income thresholds, you’re restricted from investing in early-stage companies and wealth-building opportunities.

Karen asks the uncomfortable question: If the goal is “protection,” why does it apply to investing — but not gambling?

Her answer: It’s not about capability. It’s about access, awareness, and outdated assumptions about who deserves a seat at the wealth-building table.

We talk about democratizing investing, building wealth with purpose, and how everyday people can begin aligning their money with what they care about — not just where Wall Street tells them to put it.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Uncorking a Story with Karen Rands, author of Inside Secrets to Crowdfund Investing

https://youtu.be/_bisVUnwMD4

#UncorkingAStory #Investing #WealthBuilding #Crowdfunding #FinancialFreedom #PurposeDrivenWealth #AngelInvesting #PodcastRecommendations #MoneyMindset @angelinvesting

0 0

YouTube Video UExNamVTdmRxWkg4ekkwbDZSV19WblA2M3dKRjc5SEh4Ny44MjZDNDYzQjgwQzkzQzkz

A dirty little investing secret explained. #financialfreedom #buildwealth

The Uncorking a Story Podcast January 30, 2026 10:15 am

Load More... Subscribe

Meet The Host

With an impressive 25-year career in the market research industry, Mike Carlon has mastered the art of moderating focus groups and in-depth interviews for renowned companies like Unilever, Pepsi, American Express, and JP Morgan Chase. In 2013, he launched the Uncorking a Story podcast, creating a vibrant platform for writers and authors to showcase their work. Mike's quick wit, genuine curiosity, and deep empathy infuse each conversation with insight and joy, making them a delight to listen to. As a talented writer himself, his eight captivating novels are available wherever books are sold. Beyond his moderating expertise, Mike also offers tailored storytelling workshops designed to inspire and engage his clients.

New Episodes

Every Tuesday

Want to Be a Guest?

Request to be Interviewed

Listen

iTunes | Spotify

Stay Connected to Get The Latest Podcast Alerts