Becca Jordan wanted to create a record.  As an independent musician living in Nashville, it was a logical next step. But what did she want from this experience? A record deal? More opportunity? A tour? This... was a more difficult question to answer. In this special bonus episode of Invisible Lions, you'll hear what it's like to take a step toward a dream — even when you’re not sure where you’ll end up. 

Asking for help — it rarely feels brave in the moment but as you’ll hear on today’s episode, it’s often the most courageous thing you can do. In this episode, you’ll hear a young woman named Sarah talk about her road to healing after a lifetime of chronic pain and mental illness. A story full of redemption and beauty, you don’t want to miss this final episode of Season 1!

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Show Notes:
When I was deciding on the order of episodes for season 1, I knew from the start that this had to be the finale episode. Sarah’s story moved me so deeply and her hope, strength, and internal fire embodied everything I wanted Invisible Lions to represent. I hope it inspired you as much as it inspired me to make it.

Go deeper:

• Disney didn't invent Cinderella. Her story is at least 2,000 years old. — This Vox article details the history of the Cinderella tale. I was shocked to learn how each culture recreated it to fit their society.
• The Original Version Of Cinderella Might Shock You — Want to see a total badass and slightly weird version of Cinderella? This Bustle article details the Brothers Grimm edition and it really will shock you.
• Unlearn Your Anxiety & Depression — This book by Dr. Howard Schubiner is a workbook for people experiencing Mind Body Syndrome. It uses a combination of storytelling, meditation, journaling, and mindfulness exercises to help people find healing. I’ve personally used it and was really impressed with the tools it provides.
• How the Brain Hides Memories — This Northwestern Medicine article talks about a study done on mice that proves the brain can repress memories. It’s really fascinating and modern medicine is still discovering the implications of studies like this.

How does someone become a doula, and what do they do? Find out on today’s episode as we dive deep into Simone’s story. You’ll also hear one woman’s account of having an unmedicated birth. After listening, I hope that like me, you’ll have a greater appreciation for the incredible bravery it takes for women to speak up for what they need. We’ve got work to do as a society around race and gender equality, but I’m hopeful that by hearing stories like these, we’ll make the changes necessary.

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Show Notes:

I have a confession to make. 

When I set out to create this episode about women, birth, and doulas, I had NO idea how much I didn’t know about my own body.

Courtney, Simone, and Tessa (all fake names) were so generous with their storytelling. All three had me riveted throughout their interviews. In fact, you’ll hear my gasps and nervous laughter a lot in the background because I forgot many times that I was conducting an interview.

After listening, I hope that like me, you’ll have a greater appreciation for the woman who brought you into this world and the incredible bravery it takes for women to speak up for what they need. We’ve got work to do as a society around race and gender equality, but I’m hopeful that by hearing stories like these, we’ll make the changes necessary.

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honored that I get to share this art with you.

— Laura

Links:

• Birth Manifesta — This is the doula services company that Simone (whose real name is Tanzye) owns and runs. If you’d like to work with her or want to support what she’s doing in the world, be sure to contact her and let her know I sent you.
• National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) — NBEC does research and racial equity training to promote healthier birth experiences and outcomes in hospitals. Please join me in supporting their important work!
• The Health Gap BBC series — This series from 2018 dives into the different ways that gender bias affect modern-day healthcare systems. 
• The Health Gap column — It appears that the above series was so successful, that BBC created a regular column on these issues. I found many of the articles fascinating and I think you will too.
• The Case for Renaming Women’s Body Parts — This BBC article goes into detail about the patriarchal history around naming female body parts.
• CDC 2019 press release — This press release details the report I mentioned in the episode that states, “Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women – and this disparity increases with age.”

385,000 babies are born a day according to one UN study — which means around 385,000 women are going into labor every single day. Despite that number, people talk about the actual birth in hushed tones or not at all. But Invisible Lions has always been about talking about the brave things that we don’t always talk about — and the stories you’ll hear definitely fit that description. In this 2-part episode, you’ll hear three different women talk about all things birth, the female body, and the healthcare system.

Note: this episode is not about promoting or shaming anyone for their experience or lack of. It’s about honoring the bravery of choosing what’s right for YOUR body. Spoiler alert: women are incredible, the human body is amazing, and a baby making its entrance into this world is just plain miraculous.

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Show Notes:

I have a confession to make. 

When I set out to create this episode about women, birth, and doulas, I had NO idea how much I didn’t know about my own body.

Courtney, Simone, and Tessa (all fake names) were so generous with their storytelling. All three had me riveted throughout their interviews. In fact, you’ll hear my gasps and nervous laughter a lot in the background because I forgot many times that I was conducting an interview.

After listening, I hope that like me, you’ll have a greater appreciation for the woman who brought you into this world and the incredible bravery it takes for women to speak up for what they need. We’ve got work to do as a society around race and gender equality, but I’m hopeful that by hearing stories like these, we’ll make the changes necessary.

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honored that I get to share this art with you.

— Laura

Links:

• Birth Manifesta — This is the doula services company that Simone (whose real name is Tanzye) owns and runs. If you’d like to work with her or want to support what she’s doing in the world, be sure to contact her and let her know I sent you.
• National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) — NBEC does research and racial equity training to promote healthier birth experiences and outcomes in hospitals. Please join me in supporting their important work!
• The Health Gap BBC series — This series from 2018 dives into the different ways that gender bias affect modern-day healthcare systems. 
• The Health Gap column — It appears that the above series was so successful, that BBC created a regular column on these issues. I found many of the articles fascinating and I think you will too.
• The Case for Renaming Women’s Body Parts — This BBC article goes into detail about the patriarchal history around naming female body parts.
• CDC 2019 press release — This press release details the report I mentioned in the episode that states, “Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women – and this disparity increases with age.”

How do you make peace with a relationship that’s not turning out the way you wanted? On this episode of Invisible Lions, follow a young woman, Lily, as she processes and answers this question about her quirky, aging father. You’ll learn about the stories we create so we can love others better, and the bravery it takes to examine deep, painful truths about our beginnings and our most precious relationships.


A Note on Self-Compassion & Crafting Your Story:

What stories are you crafting about your relationships or your past? 

Like I mentioned in the episode, we all craft stories to make sense out of our lives. It’s the way our brains are wired. Most of us do it unconsciously — we line up our clues and pick a narrative that feels right at the time.

Sometimes, you may want to relook at those old narratives and ask yourself, “Is that the story I want to believe? This kind of processing takes a lot of bravery, and it’s why I’m so grateful that Lily modeled this for us on Invisible Lions.

Please note that it can be very painful to examine your old stories, and I highly recommend doing this work with the help of a trusted therapist. But another resource is self-compassion. (Lily and I talked about the power of self-compassion a lot, but that part of our conversation didn’t make it into the final episode).

If you’re processing something difficult, self-compassion will help you comfort and care for yourself through those challenging emotions and memories. 

SELF-COMPASSION RESOURCES:
Dr. Kristen Neff is one of the leading researchers on self-compassion, and here are a variety of resources you can use to learn more:

• Listen to this episode of The Happiness Lab — As a guest on one of my favorite podcasts, Dr. Kristen Neff explains how trading your inner drill sergeant for a kinder, more compassionate coach will help you in the long run.
• Read Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself — This is Dr. Neff’s book on self-compassion that’s based on her research. If you’re a fan of Brené Brown’s work, then you’ll be happy to know that Kristen Neff’s research builds off of Dr. Brown’s research on shame and courage. To be totally transparent, I haven’t read Neff’s book yet myself, but Lily highly recommends it.
• DO self-compassion with The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive — In this workbook, Kristen Neff teamed up with Christopher Germer to give you over twenty-four chapters of exercises to help you practice self-compassion. I’ve been working through it since June 2020 with my therapist and I can honestly say that it’s changed my life.

I hope these resources help you put together the pieces of your stories. Remember — doing so requires a lot of bravery. I’m cheering you on.

Thanks so much for listening :).

— Laura

Being yourself. Shouldn’t it be easier than it is? In this episode, you’ll hear one brave gay Black woman’s journey to showing up in the world as her full, authentic self — even when society, family, and her boss make it anything but easy.

A Special Note About This Episode:

I’m so honored that Sasha chose to share her story here on Invisible Lions. The mission of this podcast is to tell everyday people’s brave stories — especially the kind you wouldn’t hear in a casual conversation. 

When I invite people to tell their stories on Invisible Lions I make them two promises: 

1. I will never divulge their true identity (I change their names on each episode).  
2. They get to listen and approve the episode before I publish it. 

I do my best to honor their sacred stories, and tell it in the way I think they would want me to. But on this episode in particular, my storytelling abilities are limited by my lived experience as a straight white woman. When Sasha talks about her experience as a gay Black woman, expect me to miss some important points or say things in a way that doesn’t do this story or the topics covered justice. 

In fact, I’ll probably listen to this episode a year from now and cringe at what I did or did not say. That said, I still have faith that you’ll get a lot out of this story. 

Because it’s an important one and deserves to be listened to. 

I hope you enjoy this episode, and if you want to hear more stories from LGBTQ storytellers and Black men and women, here are some podcasts to check out:

• 12 LGBTQ Podcasts You Should be Listening to, Advocate — In this list, Jeffrey Masters doesn’t just give you names of podcasts to listen to, he also pinpoints the best episodes. So if you’re the type that likes to jump around from podcast to podcast, this article is a must-read.
• 1619 by Nikole Hannah-Jones — This New York Times podcast is deeply powerful and dives into the history of American slavery. The storytelling and sound engineering are masterful, and you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of this country’s beginnings.
• Code Switch by NPR — If you’re a fan of NPR-style podcasts, I highly recommend this. It covers all kinds of topics on race and culture, as well as the broad perspectives around them.

There are literally thousands of podcasts created every day — many of them by talented LGBTQ and Black folks. This very short list encompasses what I’m listening to now, but a simple Google search will give you many more options.

Thanks so much for listening :).

— Laura

How far would you go to protect someone you love? In this episode, you'll hear the riveting tale of Elianna and her younger sister Janna on a night they'll never forget. Family roles are powerful and birth order can play a huge part in the way we experience life.  Add on other factors like religion and social dynamics and... it gets complicated. But there's nothing complicated about bravery. Especially when the ones you love most are in harm's way.

Show Notes:

Curious how birth order shapes your personality and life experience? There are varying views on this topic and here are  some of them: 

• SciShow Psych: Does Birth Order Affect Your Personality? — In this 6-minute video, you’ll learn about the birth order theory, and whether the stereotypes we give to older, middle, and youngest children actually hold up.
• Adlierian Overview of Birth Order Characteristics — Get an overview of Alfred Adler’s theories on how birth order may affect an individual’s personality in this simple chart.
• Birth Order May Not Shape Personality After All — This Washington Post article explains that the birth order theory is still very much a theory saying, “The possibility also remains that birth order influences personalities in children […] but those effects vanish when people become adults.”

As you heard from Elianna’s experience, many Muslim Americans face widespread religious discrimination. Here are some articles on this topic:

• How to Overcome Islamaphobia in Your Workplace — Learn about the many issues and stereotypes Muslims face in professional environments in this short Forbes article.
• U.S. School Principals Discriminate Against Muslims and Atheists, Our Study Finds — Did the 9/11 attack on U.S. soil lead to negative stereotypes and discrimination against Muslim Americans? According to this Washington Post article, the answer is yes.

Due to COVID times, Elianna and I met at a park to record this interview. I’m so honored that she chose to share her story with us. 

When I asked Elianna what she hoped people would take away from her story, she said, “If you see anyone in a rough situation, if you can help to offer help, to offer care to offer understanding, to offer love to offer kindness, because it can make a big difference.”

Remember — bravery is driven by love, not fear. I hope you choose to bravely love a stranger today.

How much of an impact do we have on each other? In this episode of Invisible Lions,  we'll explore what happens when our lives intersect with others. You'll hear about the life of a Danish man named Erik — and the ripple effect of his brave choices. Told through the lens of his daughter, Anna, you'll hear about the very real and difficult journey of grief, and why it's so important for us to share our stories.

After this episode was published, Anna provided some grief resources and wrote a beautiful note to listeners.

A Note from Anna to Listeners:

My hope for all the listeners out there is that you would know the value of your own losses and the tears that accompany them. May you know your tears are evidence of the amount of love shared between you and whomever you have lost. May you have the courage to feel the depth of your own grief and find Love traveling the depths with you. May you come to see the gift there is in stewarding your losses.

Resources:

Website: Modern Loss

Books: 

• Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome by Gabrielle Birkner and Rebecca Soffer.
• A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss by Jerry Sittser