HeARTtalk with Tracey Michae'l

In episode 2, TMLG dives into the nuanced role of hope in Black communities, especially during political turbulence. She reflects on how hope has been a tool for survival and resilience but challenges the notion that it owes us anything beyond sustaining our spirits. Perhaps, she suggests, we haven't fully understood hope as a self-sustaining force rather than a promise. TMLG also addresses the trap of finding our worth solely in “doing the work,” sharing how embracing stillness serves as a vital reminder of inherent value beyond action. Join this conversation on rethinking hope and embracing the sacred pause for renewal and guidance on future action. Written and produced by Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts (IG: @tmlgwriter) Music by Rebecca KellyG (IG: @rebeccakelly_g) \ Visit TMLG online at www.traceymlewis.com and check out her latest book, Black Joy Playbook: 30 Days of Intentionally Reclaiming Your Delight. Available wherever books are sold.

In the Season 4 opener of HeARTtalk with Tracey Michae'l, TMLG explores her journey into contemplative and mindfulness practices as a Black woman whose life and foundation has been informed by the necessity of movement and activism. She unpacks the tension between stillness and action, the cultural nuances of Black joy and faith, and how silence and quietude can serve as a tool for both healing and clarity in the same way sound and expression can. With reflections on her faith journey and the influence of the late Dr. Barbara Holmes and Howard Thurman, Tracey invites listeners to embrace the practice of stillness—in all its forms—as one more resource we can wield for wellness in a world bent on our dehumanization. Subscribe now so you can follow this season of powerful, grounding conversations on Black contemplative practice. Written and produced by Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts (IG: @tmlgwriter) Music by Rebecca KellyG (IG: @rebeccakelly_g) \ Visit TMLG online at www.traceymlewis.com and check out her latest book, Black Joy Playbook: 30 Days of Intentionally Reclaiming Your Delight. Available wherever books are sold.

In this season finale episode, TMLG shares how observing her favorite animal taught her the power of surrendering control and releasing the need to manufacture outcomes in her life. She also helps a caller think through how to release a friendship that's no longer serving them well.   Visit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.com IG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtracey FB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

TMLG unpacks the power of surrender as a way to shift and pivot in one's life as well as the importance of viewing joy, freedom, and healing as a practice as opposed to a destination. She also answers a caller's question about finding joy on the job.   Visit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.com IG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtracey FB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

TMLG shares how she released herself from a culture of silence and the need to be in control at all times—in order to experience the freedom that comes with telling her stories and giving her voice air. She also helps a caller deal with the complicated feelings that come up while co-parenting a “forever child.”   Visit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.com IG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtracey FB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

TMLG challenges us to consider how what we believe about ourselves and our lives shows up in what we actually do; our practices. She also invites a caller to accept that grief and joy CAN coexist.   Visit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.com IG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtracey FB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

TMLG discusses the process of letting go of people, places, and things as we grow and evolve on our healing journeys. Sometimes the old stories, thoughts, and beliefs will rear their head because we haven't thanked them for their service and put them in their proper place. She also helps a caller navigate the “loss” of joy in their marriage.    Visit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.com IG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtracey FB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

TMLG explores how living the life of a healing person is the best testimony and witness we can have to others. She also answers a caller's question regarding protecting the joy of Black children when they are the “only one” in certain spaces.   Visit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.com IG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtracey FB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

TMLG explores the power of contentment and acceptance as both a pathway to AND a manifestation of Black Joy.    Visit TMLG and HeARTtalk online at: IG - @hearttalkwithtracey & @tmlgwriter FB- https://www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey Get your copy of Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration wherever books are sold! Including Black bookstores Click HERE to buy.    

Howard Thurman, citing Abraham Heschel, wrote about this concept of "radical amazement" in his book, The Inward Journey, and TMLG unpacks it in relationship to Black Joy. She also invites a caller who is concerned about not being able to express the fullness of his emotions as a Black man, to consider the lies he's been told.    Visit TMLG and HeARTtalk online at: IG - @hearttalkwithtracey & @tmlgwriter FB- https://www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey Get your copy of Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration wherever books are sold! Including Black bookstores Click HERE to buy.

TMLG chats with prolific author, Deesha Philyaw, about the various ways we wield joy as Black women and writers. The two explore how Black joy shows up in the creation of characters as well as how creatives, in particular, live and work.  Visit Deesha at: www.deeshaphilyaw.com Visit TMLG and HeARTtalk online at: IG - @hearttalkwithtracey & @tmlgwriter FB- https://www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey Get your copy of Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration wherever books are sold! Including Black bookstores Click HERE to buy.

TMLG talks more about the physical body being a portal to joy, especially for Black and Brown folks.  Our caller fam also wants to know how we can sustain joy over time.  Visit TMLG and HeARTtalk online at: IG - @hearttalkwithtracey & @tmlgwriter FB- https://www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey Get your copy of Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration wherever books are sold! Including Black bookstores Click HERE to buy.  

TMLG is back and Season 3 is all about BLACK JOY! In this episode... What does it look like to hold on to our joy, to be intentional about creating moments of joy, when fear and rage and grief is ever present and the world is a dumpster fire? With the new call-in format and special guest episodes, Tracey will unpack this and so much more this season.  Visit TMLG and HeARTtalk online at: IG - @hearttalkwithtracey & @tmlgwriter FB- https://www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey Get your copy of Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration wherever books are sold! Including Black bookstores Click HERE to buy.  

In the season finale episode, Tracey Michae’l talks with author, visual artist, and teacher, Claudia Love Mair, about the intersection of the arts with mental health and specifically about her own journey with Bipolar Disorder. This candid conversation covers the problematic view of racism as mental illness, Claudia's spiritual evolution and winding journey in publishing, and the beauty in having a different kind of brain.Visit Claudia on IG: @claudialovemair HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and StoryVisit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

In S2E9 of HeARTtalk, TMLG talks with her partner/husband William Giggetts about the challenges and upsides of living with an artist/creative. The couple talks about the day-to-day frustrations, the ever-elusive notion of balance, and parenting pressures during the pandemic.  HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story Visit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

In S2E8 of HeARTtalk, TMLG talks with actor/playwright, Teresa Miller, about the power of the arts to help us "hear" ourselves so that, in turn, we can love well and heal. The response to grief, for some, is to run as far away from it as possible. And that’s understandable. It hurts. It overwhelms. But Teresa shares with us the hope found in sitting in our grief. Examining it.HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and StoryVisit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

In S2E7, TMLG speaks with writer, cinematographer, and producer, Stephanie Malson, about her pivot from corporate security to full-time creative work. The conversation is an intimate and candid look at the ebbs and flows that come with making such a huge transition and the significance of knowing your “why.”  Check out Stephanie’s cinematography reel: https://vimeo.com/223023758Visit her on instagram: @slminspired HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story Visit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

So much of what we call illness and disease can be linked to how much personal and trans-generational trauma we hold in our bodies. That’s why it is critical in this movement for Black lives that we #fightANDheal. Learning how to return to our bodies can be transformative and one of the ways we can do that is through movement. In S2E6 of HeARTtalk, TMLG speaks with Randall Rosenberg, a NOLA-based dancer and choreographer, about how movement and dance can be a healing force if we can embrace the freedom found in it.Visit Randall on IG at: Instagram.com/IwantmycrownbackHeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and StoryVisit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

While we—Black people—are fighting, we must also try to heal. We must. In S2E5, Tracey Michae’l talks about choosing to embrace her rage as righteous and the importance of finding subversive ways to heal from the trauma of racism and racial micro-aggressions. One of those tools for healing is gardening and in this episode she chats with Natasha Nicholes of We Sow We Grow and HousefulofNicholes.com about urban homesteading and how gardening/farming has served her own grief journey.HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and StoryVisit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

In S2E4 of HeARTtalk, Tracey Michae'l speaks with author, journalist, and public intellectual, Lori Tharps, about the power of telling our personal stories for personal and collective healing. It’s inevitable that when sharing our personal stories--whether via memoir, essays, or oral storytelling--there will be a myriad of questions that come up. What part of the story should I tell? How much of it should I tell? Who am I "speaking" to and why? Do I need to give the other people in my story a "heads up"? HeARTtalk takes a deep dive into what it means to be “ready” to tell your story.Visit Lori at https://www.loriltharps.com/Visit My American MeltingPot at http://myamericanmeltingpot.com/***HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and StoryVisit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

The timeline for grief is not standardized. We all journey through it in our own ways. In this episode, TMLG talks with Neysa Taylor, an author and leader in the communications field who recently lost her husband of 17 years, Chris, after his long battle with cancer. The two talked about the ways grief has shown up for Taylor and how she has chosen to help herself and her children navigate it. They also explore how grief shapes us as we try to prepare for a world that’s different from the one we knew before our loss.Visit Neysa online at: www.neysataylor.comHeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and StoryVisit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

In this episode of HeARTtalk, Tracey Michae’l talks with entrepreneur/influencer/speaker and all around dope woman, Dawn Fitch, Founder and President of Pooka Pure and Simple, a handmade bath and body products company based out of New Jersey. The conversation deep dives into the power of persistence and what it means to advocate for your own wellness. Dawn talks about her journey from graphic designer to entrepreneur/wellness guide to thousands of women, and how she transformed a devastating MS diagnosis into her life’s passion and work.Visit Dawn online at: IG: @pookalita, Facebook: @thebestlifetribewithdawnfitch, www.pookapureandsimple.comHeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and StoryVisit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

In our SEASON TWO opener, Tracey Michae’l talks with Michelle Richard about what it means to find peace after leaving her lucrative corporate career. As an attorney and former C-suite corporate executive for a billion dollar company, the list of Michelle’s accolades is long. But what happens when the concessions and compromises one has to make to reach that level of power and success become too much? Well…you pivot. And you do so with fierceness and grace. That’s what Michelle did and HeARTtalk is grateful that she shares a bit of her sojourn with us.HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and StoryVisit TMLG and the show online at www.hearttalkpodcast.comIG: www.instagram.com/hearttalkwithtraceyFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

There’s so much going on right now. So much uncertainty. Sorrow and frustration is seeping into our souls. As we sit with these emotions, we must remember to breathe. Breathing is how we live through it. COVID-19 is trying to steal our breath…physically for some, emotionally and spiritually for others. Let’s reclaim it. Our stories are not finished.***Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit HeARTtalk at www.hearttalkpodcast.comFB: www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtraceyIG: @hearttalkwithtracey 

During the podcast hiatus, Tracey Michae’l will share various stories for the heARTtalk community. Enjoy this short work of fictional commentary written by TMLG herself: Meet Mae Green**Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit HeARTtalk at www.hearttalkpodcast.com Join our online community at https://www.facebook.com/hearttalkwithtracey

The final episode of season 1 of HeARTtalk is a dynamic one! Tracey Michae’l facilitates a roundtable discussion with Black women professors who share their stories on what it means to create space and be authentic in Academia. The conversation covered a myriad of topics including how and why being unapologetically black can be a struggle. How being an advocate for the marginalized in a way that isn’t denigrating to those groups is too often challenged in a way that doesn’t make sense. And of course, the ever-present bureaucracy that shows up in so many large organizations. It can be hard to fly with some of those weights but these women candidly speak to what it means to fly anyway.Featuring:  Dr. Debonair Oates-Primus, Assistant Professor of English at Community College of PhiladelphiaDr. Nakeiha Primus-Smith, Associate Professor of Education at Millersville UniversityLucia Gbaya-Kanga, Assistant Professor of English at Community College of Philadelphia.***Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story and how we use that space to create work and a life for ourselves. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit HeARTtalk at www.hearttalkpodcast.com

In episode 9 of HeARTtalk, Tracey Michae’l chats with writer, director, and producer, Christina Faith. Christina is a dynamic filmmaker and educator who, along with her spouse, photographer Allen Johnson, owns Creative Thought Media, a Philadelphia-based independent production company and artist collective. TMLG and Christina discuss the challenges of being a Christian filmmaker who doesn’t tell “corny” stories; the role that a creator’s own personal healing journey can have on their work; and how to manage grind culture. Christina goes IN on the false validation that too many artists seek instead of investing in the development of their craft. A great conversation you don’t want to miss!Visit Christina on social media @christinafaith and CTM at www.creativethoughtmedia.com ***Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit TMLG and HeARTtalk at www.hearttalkpodcast.com 

In this episode, TMLG speaks with four of the 11 contributors to the Sex and the Church Girl essay collection published in 2019. The conversation is a no holds barred, candid talk about the ways in which the Christian Church—particularly the Black Church—navigates the subject of sex and sexuality. (Please note that because of the room where this taped, there are some minor tech issues with sound--apologies!)Participants include: author, speaker, and minister, Candace Wilkins, scholar Dr. Felecia Commodore, writer Rainah Chambliss, and artist and family/behavioral health therapist, Cyndi Swinton-Jackson. The conversation that took place was a candid exploration of how sex has (or not)  been taught by the Christian Church—more specifically, the Black Church—and the ways in which those gaps in progressive dialogue have informed the sexuality of women.Purchase your copy of Sex and the Church at www.nsbooksandmedia.com or wherever books are sold. ***Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit HeARTtalk at www.hearttalkpodcast.com 

In her commentary, Tracey Michae’l discusses the impact of racial trauma and violence on the physical bodies of Black and Brown people. She candidly shares her own story of learning to return to her body through EMDR and bodywork. This episode closes with a meditation for Black people navigating a world often bent on their dehumanization.**Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit HeARTtalk at www.hearttalkpodcast.com 

In this episode, Tracey Michae’l talks with writer, producer, and artistic theologian, Alexus Rhone, about the power of holding true to the enormity of our dreams and being willing to pivot in the name of writing a better story for our lives.  Telling the stories of our heart—whether its a novel, a memoir, a poem, or a chat with a friend—is a revolutionary act and part of finding our authentic voices is understanding that one of the ways we heal is by removing the masks we’ve crafted. First though, we must trust ourselves enough to “lean into the wild.”***Alexus Rhone is a writer, producer, artistic theologian and "revolutionary artist" devoted to candidly exploring the power of story through fiction, story-slams, and page-to-stage productions. She has over 20 years of experience working in the private/corporate sector customizing workshops and branded events, and coaching creative and true, first-person storytellers for live events.Visit Alexus Rhone at www.alexusrhone.com ***Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit HeARTtalk at www.hearttalkpodcast.com 

In this episode, TMLG talks with Angela Johnson Ayers about how parenting, and motherhood specifically, can be an act of creation, and how too often our own narratives impact the effectiveness of that important work. ABOUT OUR GUESTAngela Johnson Ayers is a wife, mother, author and consultant.  With a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Gannon University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Penn State University, she has over 20 years’ experience working in the Political, Corporate, and Education arena as a Policy Analyst, Program Supervisor and Middle School Principal to name a few.  Angela creates and facilitates interactive workshops targeting Professional Development & Best Practices, Academic Success, Career Coaching, Self-Esteem, and Life Transitioning Techniques for organizations, schools, churches, individual and corporate agencies. After becoming a mother 11  years ago, she endured various pitfalls numerous new moms encounter, such as postpartum depression and anxiety.  In her own journey to mental wholeness, Angela began a Podcast, Blog and YouTube Channel as a means to reach other mothers and give them a place to vent, share and receive encouragement.  One of Angela’s books, Laughter Pills for Moms, A 31 Day Supply provides funny antidotes about parenting, marriage and daily life as a mom. Angela’s true passion is using her life experiences and knowledge and becoming a bridge for others to grasp hope, insight and laughter from.  She does this through her podcast, The Bridge Building With Angela Podcast which can be found on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, & Spreaker, and her YouTube Channel, The Bridge Building With Angela Channel.When Angela is not sitting in carpool lines or transporting their two daughters to every place imaginable, she enjoys quiet North Carolina evenings with her husband Larry, relaxing and listening to jazz. ***Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit HeARTtalk at www.hearttalkpodcast.com 

BONUS CONTENT: Tracey Michae'l leads our HeARTtalk community through a New Year/New Decade MeditationMusic: Lee Rosevere***Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story. Visit TMLG at www.hearttalkpodcast.com 

In this episode, Tracey Michae’l talks with scholar, professor, and writer, Dr. Marcella McCoy-Deh, who recently took a giant leap of faith by accepting a year-long Fulbright Teaching Fellowship at the University of Ghana.  Dr. McCoy-Deh shares her observations on how African American culture and West African culture intersect in the realm of art and storytelling, as well as, where Black people on both sides of the Atlantic have the opportunity to gain more understanding of the other’s lived realities. This is one you don’t want to miss!Dr. Marcella McCoy-Deh has enjoyed over 20 years in higher education as a faculty member and administrator. The Philadelphia native is an alumna of Morgan State University (MD) and Bowling Green State University (OH). Dr. McCoy-Deh is currently an Associate Professor and the Director of the Honors Program at Jefferson University-East Falls. She is the co-author of “The Search for Susu” with HeARTtalk host, Tracey Michae’l, and the children’s book, AKOFA. Follow @ghanadelphia on IG and YouTube to learn more about Dr. McCoy-Deh’s work. Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Storywww.hearttalkpodcast.com 

In this episode, Tracey Michae’l talks with speaker and holistic health educator, Adrienne Carwheel, about what it means to be equipped with the knowledge (generational info or otherwise) necessary for living authentically and creating our best work. The conversation examines the pervasiveness of resistance, shame, and guilt in preventing us from being open to our own paths to wellness. She shares her personal story about learning of her adoption and how that has been a kind of fuel for the work she does today. Visit Adrienne at www.adriennecarwheel.com On IG at @adriennecarwheelOn FB at http://www.facebook.com/walkingwellwithadrienneThrough interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. HeARTtalk is: Healing through Art and Story

In a timely New Year’s Day episode, Tracey Michae’l talks with author and speaker Candace Wilkins about her book “Letters to the Finishers (who struggle to finish).” They chat about some of the obstacles that can impede a person’s ability to finish what they start, including perfectionism and fear. Visit Candace Wilkins at http://www.candacewilkins.com Link to purchase her book: https://amzn.to/2Ext64uThrough interviews and riveting commentary, HeARTtalk with Tracey Michae’l takes a deep dive into the intersection of art and story. The show explores the ways in which creators of all kinds experience healing themselves or how they’ve observed healing occur in others as a result of their work. Visit TMLG and HeARTtalk online at www.hearttalkpodcast.com 

Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk podcast explores the intersection of art and story. In this inaugural episode, TMLG talks with Annette Deigh, a licensed social worker, clinical supervisor and mental health therapist, about the power of art and storytelling to support individuals living through trauma or traumatic experiences. More information on Annette Deigh can be found at www.boundaryspan.org Visit us at www.hearttalkpodcast.com 

Through interviews and riveting commentary, Tracey Michae'l and HeARTtalk will deep dive into the intersection of art and story. The show will explore the ways in which creators of all kinds experience healing themselves or how they’ve observed healing occur as a result of their work. Visit TMLG online at http://www.hearttalkpodcast.com