Join Nadine, Molly Wizenberg, and Hallie Bateman in Spain from Oct 26-Nov 2 for Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just wanting to preserve impactful memories on the page, remember that every story—no matter how small—is worth capturing.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Check out producer Michelle Redo's podcast, Daring to Tell --True stories read by the writers who lived them...https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daring-to-tell/id1547856931

Covered in this episode:

• Why Nic writes so transparently about money
• How honesty and privacy can exist at the same time
• Creating a values-aligned approach to work and life
• The burnout that comes from being accessible to too many people
• How we can be honest with ourselves with no pressure to do anything about it
• How Nadine and Nic have pivoted in their lives and careers
• The key question that will help us take imperfect action
• The price of admission that Nic was willing to pay for peace of mind
• How Nic's divorce impacted their outlook on change
• What Nic and Nadine are doing during their gap and apprentice year
• Their worries about how these changes will impact their lives and careers
• Nurturing our off-line lives

About Nic:

Has spent the past 19 years devoted to a public writing and storytelling practice.

Their current writing can be found in a pay-what-you-can weekly newsletter project called Now What? — written for big-hearted, liberation-oriented people who are grappling with the question of who/how we want to be in this collapsing world.

They are also the author of two adventure memoirs: How To Be Alone: an 800-mile hike on the Arizona Trail and What We Owe To Ourselves: a 500-mile hike on the Colorado Trail

• Website: https://www.nicoleantoinette.com/

Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat. Oct 26-Nov 2, Spain

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat. Oct 26-Nov 2, Spain

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Together Nadine and Susanna explore the creative process behind autofiction, the complexities of writing about real people, and how courage in life often leads to courage on the page. They also discuss midlife freedom, coming out later in life, co-parenting after divorce, and the surprising joys that come with starting over.

This conversation is an honest, funny, and thoughtful look at creativity, identity, and the power of telling the truth—even when the truth is still unfolding.

Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat. Oct 26-Nov 2, Spain

About Susanna:

Susanna Daniel is the author of three novels. Girlfriending, a spinoff of her award-winning short story, "The Goddess of Illicit Choices," is a “a novel to read in a passionate rush, immediately start again in a more savoring way, and then press into the hands of everyone you know,” according to author Amy Shearn and “sexy, page-turning fiction” according to author Catherine Newman.

Her debut novel, Stiltsville, was awarded the PEN/Bingham prize, and her second novel, Sea Creatures, was a Target Book Club pick.

Susanna co-founded the Madison Writers’ Studio with author Michelle Wildgen in 2013. She’s won lots of fellowships and has been published lots of places, but she’s mostly concerned with building clear and engaging stories and helping new writers develop their voices.

Susanna lives in Madison with two terrific teens and adorable mutt. She kayaks a lot and does a lot of hot yoga, and she believes every human deserves human rights.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Join Nadine, Molly, and Hallie in Spain from Oct 26-Nov 2 for Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat (just a few spots left). Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just wanting to preserve impactful memories on the page, remember that every story—no matter how small—is worth capturing.

Covered in this episode:

1. Why The Fixed Stars had such a big impact on Nadine
2. How to develop self-trust even when the path forward is unclear
3. Why we must not abandon ourselves
4. How to grow as individuals within a partnership
5. How Molly and Nadine (both mothers and teachers) prioritize their writing time
6. How to become an emboldened writer even when we're afraid
7. What Nadine's and Molly's mid-life journeys have looked like
8. The impact of books on their lives and on the mainstream conversation around women and mid-life
9. Mid-life body empowerment
10. The brave action they've taken this past year

About Molly:

Molly Wizenberg is a memoirist, essayist, and teacher of personal narrative writing. She is the author of The Fixed Stars, a Stonewall Honor Book and a 2021 finalist for the Washington Book Award in biography and memoir. Her previous books, A Homemade Life and Delancey, were both New York Times bestsellers. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Washington Post, and Bon Appétit, where she was a columnist for three years. She also cohosts the weekly comedy-and-food podcast Spilled Milk, where, with co-host Matthew Amster-Burton, she’s been chewing on-mic since 2010. In other lifetimes, she wrote the James Beard Award-winning blog Orangette (2004-2019) and co-founded the Seattle restaurants Delancey and Essex. Today she writes the newsletter I’ve Got a Feeling, which a very astute person once described as “a chronicle of enthusiasms.” She teaches writing workshops online and around the world.

Newsletter: https://mollywizenberg.substack.com/

Website: https://www.mollywizenberg.com/

Current workshop offerings: https://www.mollywizenberg.com/upcomingworkshops

Podcast: https://www.spilledmilkpodcast.com/

Instagram (though I’m not there much): https://www.instagram.com/molly.wizenberg/

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Join Nadine, Molly Wizenberg, and Hallie Bateman in Spain from Oct 26-Nov 2 for Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just wanting to preserve impactful memories on the page, remember that every story—no matter how small—is worth capturing.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

In this heartfelt and wide-ranging conversation, Illustrator Hallie Bateman, memoirist Molly Wizenberg, and host Nadine Kenney Johnstone explore the power of tiny containers: daily journal comics, glimmers, four-panel sketches, letters, lists, and small true stories.

They talk about:

1. Why children naturally learn through words and images — and why adults often abandon that balance
2. Creative resistance (and why it doesn’t mean you’re broken)
3. The relief of giving your thoughts a place to land
4. How constraints can unlock magic
5. Falling back in love with your work after seasons of doubt
6. And why retreating from daily life can change everything

From postpartum depression to IVF, from manuscript meltdowns to rediscovering joy through humor, this episode is an honest look at how creative practice can sustain not just your art — but your sanity.

You’ll hear how small, repeatable acts of attention — a daily comic, a 100-word love story, a page of “I remember” sentences — can become the foundation for books, healing, and creative renewal.

If you’ve ever said “I’m not an artist,” struggled with resistance, or forgotten that loving your work is even an option, this conversation is your invitation back.

Because sometimes the smallest forms hold the biggest transformation

Join Nadine, Molly, and Hallie in Spain from Oct 26-Nov 2 for Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just wanting to preserve impactful memories on the page, remember that every story—no matter how small—is worth capturing.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

About Molly:

Molly Wizenberg is a bestselling memoirist, James Beard Award-winning essayist, and teacher of personal narrative writing. She is passionate about helping people learn to use writing as a tool to better understand themselves, their experiences, and their stories.

Her memoir “The Fixed Stars” was an American Library Association Stonewall Honor Book and a finalist for the Washington Book Award in biography and memoir. Her food memoirs, "A Homemade Life" and "Delancey," were both New York Times bestsellers.

Molly’s work has appeared in The Guardian, The Washington Post, and Bon Appétit, where she was a monthly columnist for three years. Since 2010, she has co-hosted the hit comedy-and-food podcast “Spilled Milk.”

In other lifetimes, she wrote the beloved blog “Orangette” (2004-2019), her debut in the writing world, and she co-founded the award-winning restaurants Delancey and Essex, both in Seattle, Washington. She writes the newsletter I’ve Got a Feeling on Substack and teaches writing workshops online and around the world.

Learn more about Molly Wizenberg and her work by visiting her website or her Substack, or find her on Instagram.

Hallie Bateman

Hallie Bateman is a Cincinnati-based writer and illustrator. She is the author of 4 books, and her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, BuzzFeed, Cup of Jo, and many others.

Hallie made art from a young age, but her real artistic journey began in college. She was an English major and took an art class alongside her writing studies. When she drew with a nib pen for the first time, she fell in love, realizing images were what had been missing from her writing.

Hallie’s first book, “Brave New Work,” published by The Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 2017, is an inspirational journal meant to guide its readers through an interactive creative journey, helping them get started on creating their own art.

More books followed. “What to Do When I’m Gone” is a 2018 graphic memoir in which her mom, Suzy Hopkins, offers instructions for Hallie to follow, beginning the moment Suzy dies. Their second collaboration, “What to Do When You Get Dumped,” was published in 2025 and traces Suzy’s journey through heartbreak after the end of her 30-year marriage. Like their first book, it is funnier than it sounds.

Hallie’s book portfolio also includes “Directions,” “Eggasaurus,” “Love Voltaire Us Apart,” and “If Our Bodies Could Talk.”

Hallie has made daily journal comics off and on for over a decade and passionately believes they can serve as an accessible foundation for a wider creative practice. They allow us to write and draw in combination, learning how each medium impacts and aids the other, while cultivating an artist’s sense of awareness and aliveness.

Learn more about Hallie and her work by visiting her website and following her on Substack and Instagram.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Nadine revisits an essay she first wrote in 2018 and originally shared on episode 3 in 2021—an essay about her husband and the moments that have exposed their differences, for better and for worse.

Nadine also reflects on what it's like to listen back, now that her kindergartener is a middle schooler and her home address has changed from Chicago to Florida. Yet some things have remained the same: life is as challenging and uncertain as ever.

Through memories of wilderness hikes and a post-couples-therapy stroll that helped rekindle connection, Nadine explores how walking became both a practice and a metaphor for marriage. After the essay, she shares behind-the-scenes reflections on how the piece was written—and offers a gentle invitation to writers to follow objects, memories, and moments of meaning wherever they lead.

Reclaim your writing time with the following offerings in 2026:

1. Revision Made Easy: A 3-Step Process to Up-level Your Writing Virtual, Feb 28
2. Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Looking back at the episode that started it all, Nadine explores how revisiting our own work can reveal surprising truths about growth, desire, and inner wisdom. She pulls back the curtain on what has changed in the last several years and what lessons she's still re-learning. She also shares the inspiration behind the first episode, including a trip to couple's therapy that led to an aha moment.

Reclaim your writing time with the following offerings in 2026:

1. Revision Made Easy: A 3-Step Process to Up-level Your Writing Virtual, Feb 28
2. Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Nadine shares her powerful experience from a five-day silent Vipassana retreat—and what emerged when there was nowhere left to escape. From boredom and resistance to unexpected joy, grief, and clarity, Nadine opens up about the emotional and spiritual breakthroughs that unfolded in stillness.

She reflects on self-compassion, non-reactivity, and the freedom that comes from releasing expectations and the constant desire for things to be different. A moving loving-kindness meditation becomes the catalyst for deep emotional release and insight, revealing a simple but radical truth: happiness doesn’t live in the future—it’s available now.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and discover what silence can teach us about presence, peace, and being fully alive.

Get access to the full episode when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

1. Why she chose to do a silent retreat for the second time
2. What was different (and disappointing) this time
3. What it was like to renounce technology
4. The rules she broke
5. The breakthroughs she had
6. The shocking vision that made her weep

Reclaim your writing time with the following offerings in 2026:

1. Revision Made Easy: A 3-Step Process to Up-level Your Writing Virtual, Feb 28
2. Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Nadine reflects on the key takeaways from her semi-sabbatical: a year of working part time, studying deeply, and intentionally becoming a beginner again. Instead of chasing output, she followed curiosity. Instead of mastering, she practiced.

This episode explores what a slower, experimental year taught her about identity, learning, rest, and growth — and why becoming a beginner might be one of the most transformative choices we can make.

If you’ve been craving space to learn, try something new, or rethink your relationship with work and productivity, this episode is for you.

Covered in this episode:

1. How jealousy inspired her sabbatical
2. What she scaled back on and give up completely
3. The silly and scary things she wanted to try in 2025
4. How she funded her sabbatical
5. What her fears were
6. The unexpected experiences that unfolded
7. What changed when productivity wasn't driving everything
8. The key lessons she learned

Reclaim your writing time in 2026:

1. Publish the Personal (Virtual): Fridays Jan 23-Feb 27
2. Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Reclaim your writing time with the following offerings in 2026:

1. Tiny True Stories, Micro Memoir workshop (virtual) Jan 15
2. Publish the Personal (Virtual): Fridays Jan 23-Feb 27
3. Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

While the show is on a holiday break, catch up on any episodes you missed!

Reclaim your writing time with the following offerings in 2026:

1. Tiny True Stories, Micro Memoir workshop (virtual) Jan 15
2. Publish the Personal (Virtual): Fridays Jan 23-Feb 27
3. Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Join Nadine in her next round of Publish the Personal and at her next retreat:

• Publish the Personal (Virtual): Fridays Jan 23-Feb 27
• Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

Covered in this episode:

• The major things Nadine's been avoiding
• The 4 reasons we avoid
• How to take small steps towards the things we avoid
• How to access difficult material on the page

Access the full episode and the other Sabbatical Yr episodes when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

But the journey didn’t stop at the state lines. Along the way, Trish launched her own line of spice blends and published two cookbooks (including her newest, Tastes of the States). Now, she and her husband are dreaming even bigger: they’ve purchased a property that will soon become the Daydream Depot café, opening its doors in 2027.

This episode dives into how curiosity, courage, and a willingness to start small can turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary one.

Register for Nadine's Micro Memoir course on Jan 15!

About Trish:

Tricia Leach is the co-creator of Keep Your Daydream, a travel-and-lifestyle brand inspiring millions to chase adventure. She’s the author of two cookbooks: Small Space, Big Taste and the latest Taste of the States, which celebrates America’s regional flavors and the stories behind them. Whether she’s on the road in the US in an Airstream or baking croissants at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Tricia reminds us that daydreams are meant to be lived.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Learn how Nadine has gotten her writing in top mags and how she's helped hundreds of writers get published in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, Brevity, Boston Globe Connections, the Chicago Tribune, Hippocampus, Longreads, Writer's Digest, and more (and how they’ve gotten nominated for major awards like the Pushcart Prize).

Covered in this episode:

• Why your typical approach isn't working
• The 4 ways to make your writing stand out
• What has helped Nadine and her students get published in major mags
• What Nadine has learned about publishing in her 20-year writing career (first as a Chicago magazine intern, then as a writing professor, a published writer, and a writing coach)

If you want to finally publish your personal essays, look no further! Sign up for Publish the Personal, which will run on Fridays, Jan 23-Feb 27. In this 6-week intensive, we’ll write, workshop, revise, and submit 2 of your personal essays to major publications.

Success Stories mentioned in this show:

Margaret Ghielmetti

Sally Schwartz

Barbara Phillips

Sarah Robertson

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Join Nadine at her Revision Retreat on Madeline Island Aug 24-28, 2026.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

-how living in many places (Jamaica, England, Canada, NY) has impacted her cooking

-how food affects our bodies

-how to eat more plants even if you're not vegan

-how to welcome a career change even while raising kids

-how sharing her recipes led to unexpected writing opportunities

-how to have a healthy relationship with social media

About Nisha:

Cookingforpeanuts.com I @cookingforpeanuts

Nisha is a vegan Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a master’s degree in nutrition from Columbia University, an ACCET accredited trained Chef from the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City, and a published cookbook author of Practically Vegan. She currently lives with her three teenagers in New York City. Nisha uses her professional expertise and personal experience as a vegan to help vegans and nonvegans transition to a plant-based diet and meet their nutrient needs. She enjoys helping her clients with their cooking, nutrition, and health goals.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Join Nadine at her next retreat:

• Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

Covered in this episode:

• What it's been like to tiptoe back into a fuller work life
• The amazing retreat she assisted and attended at Omega
• Why she joined a women's entrepreneur group that is IFS focused
• Recent hormone adventures that will have you laughing

Access the other episodes when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• The excerpt that instantly made Nadine a fan of Catherine's writing.
• Nadine and Catherine's ridiculous injuries (one involved a mini-golf incident)
• Maternal anxiety, in all its terror and beauty
• Catherine's approach to writing that sells
• The unexpected symptoms of perimenopause that took both women by surprise
• Why reproductive experiences make intimacy such complicated territory
• How to write about our scariest thoughts without shame

Join Nadine in her community or at her Revision Retreat:

• Writer Workout Membership (virtual): Every Monday, Doors Close Oct 31
• Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

About Catherine:

Catherine Newman is the New York Times bestselling author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, the kids’ craft book Stitch Camp, the best-selling how-to books for kids How to Be a Person and What Can I Say?, and the novels We All Want Impossible Things, Sandwich, and Wreck. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages. She has been a regular contributor to the New York Times, Real Simple, O, The Oprah Magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other publications. She writes the Crone Sandwich newsletter on Substack and lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Here are the links for her 2025/2026 workshops and retreats:

• Writer Workout Membership (virtual): Every Monday, Doors Close Oct 31
• Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Here are the links for her 2025/2026 workshops and retreats:

• Writer Workout Membership (virtual): Every Monday, Doors Close Oct 31
• Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

Covered in this episode:

• Nadine became an auntie!
• Nadine's reflections on her struggles during new motherhood
• The acts of support that had the biggest impact
• Navigating identity changes after becoming a parent.
• The ways that people have NOT been supportive during times of need (she can laugh about it now)
• The number one thing her writing group is doing to keep everyone writing
• Nadine's perimenopause struggles and what's helping

Access the other episodes when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

-What inspired Sari to start Oldster magazine

-What Sari has learned from Oldster interviewees and her own aging process

-Her plans for her 60s and beyond

-Her self-compassion and boundary-setting practices

-Two unexpected life events that made her feel the urgency of time

-Why people love, leave, and come back to NYC

-The benefits of being a community builder and story collector

-Two things that bring Sari great joy 

About Sari: 

Sari Botton is a bestselling author, editor, and teacher with decades of experience. She is the author of the memoir in essays, And You May Find Yourself…Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen-X Weirdo, which was chosen by Poets & Writers Magazine for the 2022 edition of its annual “5 Over 50” feature. An essay from it received notable mention in The Best American Essays 2023, edited by Vivian Gornick. For five years she served as the Essays Editor for Longreads. She edited the bestselling anthologies Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving NewYork and Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York. She publishes Oldster Magazine, Memoir Monday, and Adventures in Journalism. 

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about midlife reclamation on Substack.

If you've ever looked at your life and wondered, "How did I get here?" this hopeful episode is for you. Ultimately, Jen shows us how she reclaimed not just the life she wanted, but the life she deserves.

Learn more about WriteWELL-Nadine's community for Women Writers, which meets every Monday for a writer workout. Try a FREE class on Oct 6

About Jen Hatmaker:

From the power of her written word across 14 books, including four New York Times best sellers, to speaking on stages, leading her own courses and book club communities, and interviewing countless visionaries on her award-winning For The Love podcast, Jen has an undeniable gift for reaching the hearts and minds of her community.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about midlife reclamation on Substack.

Why does it hurt so badly when things don't go as we'd hoped? How do we hold ourselves when we're in great pain? How do we talk to others so that we can reestablish loving connections when they've hurt us or we've hurt them? Psychologist and embodiment expert Dr. Hillary McBride answers all these questions and more in this profound conversation that offers deep solace to anyone who's hurting.

Covered in this episode:

• Transitions that Hillary and Nadine are currently navigating
• What's bringing them delight
• Why there is a deep grief when our plans don't play out
• How to tune into our own bodies to see how we're feeling
• How to identify what we need and then self-soothe
• Helpful dialogue for hard conversations
• The 7 words that can lead to great repair
• How to cultivate profound self-trust

About Hillary:

Dr. Hillary McBride is a registered psychologist, a researcher, and podcastor, with expertise that includes working with trauma and trauma therapies, embodiment, at the intersection of spirituality and mental health. Her first book, Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image: Learning to Love Ourselves as We Are, was published in 2017; she was the senior editor of the textbook Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention, and Treatment, which was published in 2018. Her bestselling book The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding wholeness, healing and connection through embodied living came out in the fall of 2021, and in January she released Practices for Embodied Living. Her next book Holy Hurt: understanding and healing from spiritual trauma, comes out April 2025. She has been recognized by the American Psychological Association, and the Canadian Psychological Association for her research and clinical work. In addition to being a teaching faculty at the University of British Columbia, she is an ambassador for Sanctuary Mental Health, and the host of CBC's award winning podcast Other People's Problems. Hillary makes her home in the pacific northwest in British Columbia, Canada.

www.hillarylmcbride.com 

IG: @hillaryliannamcbride

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• Emily and Nadine share personal stories of hard goodbyes
• The scene from the book that gave Nadine permission to be human 
• Why Emily’s editor urged her to have more self-compassion
• Why we didn't choose wrong even if something didn't last forever
• What to do when our investment in something makes it hard to say goodbye
• How to give ourselves grace in the midst of transition-shame
• What to do when we experience endings we didn't see coming
• How to give ourselves closure when we haven't gotten it from someone else
• Emily’s favorite 2-word mantra when we're in a seemingly long struggle
• What Emily knows for sure

Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart.

About Emily:

Emily P. Freeman is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of five books, including The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions. As a spiritual director, workshop leader, and host of The Next Right Thing podcast (more than 25 million downloads), her most important work is to help create soul space and offer spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue. Emily holds a master’s degree in spiritual formation and leadership from Friends University. She lives in North Carolina with her family.

website: https://emilypfreeman.com/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/emilypfreeman/

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

The Living Centered Podcast is an invitation to a different way of living. Every Monday, they sit down with mental health experts, artists, and friends for a practical and honest conversation about how to pursue a more centered life—rediscovering, reclaiming, and rooting in who we truly are.

onsiteworkshops.com   

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Here are the links for her 2025/2026 workshops and retreats:

• Publish the Personal (virtual): Fridays, Sept 12- Oct 17 (almost full)
• Writer Workout Membership (virtual): Every Monday, Try a class on Sept 8
• Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI

Covered in this episode:

• How Nadine is prioritizing rest and creativity as she transitions back to teaching
• The little moments that've marked her son's transition into full pre-teen territory and what she's doing to foster his autonomy
• How to recognize when you're caught in unachievable back-to-school-routine expectations
• How she's using IFS for self-healing and within her relationships
• How honest conversations are healing old wounds
• The number one question that helps lead to repair
• The trick that's helping her re-establish her writing routine

*This is the eight episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers.

Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• How Abby never had a plan and the interesting twists life has taken
• What prompts she recommends to get people writing
• The word that changed Abby's perspective about guilt
• The hilarious thing Abby does when she's blocked
• How to capture the human experience on the page
• What she's learned with age and what advice she'd give to her younger self

About Abigail Thomas:

Abigail Thomas has four children, twelve grandchildren, two great grandchildren, two dogs, eleven books, and a high school education.

About Nadine:

Learn more about Nadine's Writer Workout membership for women writers here.

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular newsletter on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• An update on her ongoing areas of study: creativity, perimenopause, and environmental support
• How Nadine adjusts her writing rhythms in the summer
• Nadine's week of day dates with her husband while their son was at camp
• The many new experiences Nadine embarked on
• Nadine's favorite non-alcoholic drinks of the summer
• How supporting your body is like investing in a 401k
• The tension between our individual needs versus our responsibilities as mothers
• Having difficult conversations as a necessary part of growth

*This is the seventh episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers.

Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Nadine Kenney Johnstone has always surrounded herself with words. As a child in the Southside of Chicago, Nadine found herself nose-deep in countless books, drawing strength and understanding from the narratives within. Her local library was where her passion for literature bloomed, where she learned to nurture relationships with her loved ones and make sense of her surroundings. Her resilience in overcoming hardships, including bouts of intense burnout and panic attacks, has been nothing short of inspirational. In recognizing the potential of the written word to forge deep personal connections, Nadine embarked on a journey as a full-time writing coach. She established her organization, WriteWELL, with the mission of uniting wellness and writing through retreats and workshops. Nadine’s podcast, Heart of the Story, amplifies the heartfelt narratives of writers she’s worked alongside. Her goal? To empower as many women as possible, encouraging them to share their most vulnerable moments with the world. In this conversation, Nadine pulls back the curtain on her own experiences with overwork and the invaluable life lessons she learned in her early years about tenacity and perseverance. She also highlights the power of personal narratives and the freedom in being able to pivot at any stage of one's journey.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

This enlightening conversation with the extraordinary Nadine Kenney Johnstone, takes you on a journey through her life's narrative, from overcoming academic hurdles to flourishing as an award-winning author and holistic writing coach. Listen in as Nadine unpacks the transformational role writing has played in her life, especially through the challenges of infertility leading to writing her empowering memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure. She also offers invaluable wellness advice for those constantly on the go, ensuring that her insights resonate with everyone, from busy moms to dynamic entrepreneurs.

This episode is a treasure trove of inspiration, particularly for women seeking to harness the power of journaling and wellness to navigate the complexities of modern life. Nadine's transition from academia to creating her business, WriteWELL, is a testament to blending passion with profession. She shares her unique approach to teaching, integrating meditation and yoga with writing, and provides strategies for prioritizing self-care amidst the whirlwind of entrepreneurship and motherhood. Her story encourages you to explore your own creative outlets and the peace that can come from establishing routines that grounds you. 

Cap off this motivational experience by discovering how simplifying your life can lead to newfound clarity and focus. Nadine's personal anecdotes, including her minimalist living in an Airstream camper, offer a perspective on decluttering that extends beyond the physical space. She reveals how intentional living and strategic delegation in her business have opened doors to continuous growth and innovation. Moreover, Nadine and Victoria delve into the concept of a solo work retreat, illustrating how dedicated time for reflection can rejuvenate both your business and personal life, a practice that has been pivotal in the development of her latest project, a guided journal. So, sit back and let this episode inspire you to find your balance and clarity through writing and wellness.

Links mentioned in today's episode:

Visit Nadine’s Website

Follow Nadine on Instagram

Of This Much I’m Sure: A Memoir

Come Home to Your Heart: A Guided Journal

Heart of the Story Podcast 

For show notes, head to www.thebrandingbusinessschool.com/thepodcast/

Follow BrandWell on Instagram.

Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• Why she traveled 2000 miles in 3 weeks
• Where she went and who she visited
• The moments that made her emotional
• The 5 things that roadtripping does for your soul

*This is the sixth episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers.

Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Nadine talks with her about the rapidly changing world of publishing and new doors of hybrid and self publishing women writers have for how to get their work in front of readers.

About April:

April Eberhardt, a literary change agent and advocate, is passionate about helping authors be published in the most effective and satisfying way. After 25 years as a corporate strategist and management consultant, April joined the literary world, where she saw strategic opportunity to play a role in the changing world of publishing.
 April advises and assists authors as they choose the best pathway to publication for their work, be it indie or traditional, digital or print. She provides advice and guidance to authors who wish to explore non-traditional paths to publication, including hybrid publishing. If you have questions about how to publish your work most effectively, including which path might be most profitable and satisfying, please email. April serves as a consultant to new publishing startups, and serves on the Advisory Council for The American Library in Paris.

aprileberhardt.com

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• How Laura lived our her father's dreams
• The surprising things on her father's bucket list
• The healing power of writing
• How activism can be born from tragedy
• The spiritual side of grief: how Laura and Nadine communicate with their fathers

About Laura:

Laura Carney is a magazine copy editor, writer and illustrator who lives in Montclair, NJ. She copyedits for Vanity Fair, GQ, People magazine, Real Woman magazine, Thriving magazine, Audubon magazine, The Knot and The Bump, Document Journal, Macmillan and St. Martin’s Press on a freelance basis and proofreads college textbooks, home decor books, novels and self-help books from time to time. She’s also a reporter for Diversity in Action magazine. She copyedited full-time for Good Housekeeping for seven years and for Redbook, Woman's Day and Dr. Oz for one. Laura has written for the Washington Post, The Hill, Good Housekeeping, Guideposts, People magazine, Runner's World, the Associated Press, Real Woman magazine, The Fix, OK! magazine, McSweeney’s, Monkeybicycle, Vagabondage Press, various trade magazines, Basket of Kisses and Fashion and Grammar Gripes.

She has worked to raise awareness as an advocate with the National Safety Council, End Distracted Driving, the Safe Roads Alliance, Families for Safe Streets NJ, Act to End Deadly Distractions, NCSR Road Safety Advocacy and the Road to Zero Coalition.

These days she raises awareness via her book, My Father's List, a memoir about her father, who was killed by a distracted driver, and as a marathon runner. 

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• How to take imperfect action
• Why celebration is essential
• How to celebrate in a way that actually feels meaningful
• What GROW meetings are and why they're so impactful
• How unstructured time can be a gift for creativity and self-discovery
• Finding balance between structure and freedom

*This is the fifth episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers.

Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She has helped those writers publish countless books and hundreds of essays in The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She interviews renowned female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story, and writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Registration for the class will be live on June 3 at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com/classes.

About the episode:

Nadine talks with memoirist Peg Conway about her book, The Art of Reassembly: A Memoir of Early Motherloss and Aftergrief.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Writing guru Jane Friedman answers all your burning questions about the business of being a writer (which also happens to be the title of her latest book).

Covered in this episode:

-How the pandemic changed the publishing industry (for the better)

-How to have an honest outlook about getting published and still have hope

-How to give yourself yourself grace when you're burnt out

-Marketing approaches that actually work

-How to write newsletters that people want to read

-The best writing advice books

-The best writing advice given and received

About Jane:

Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing. Learn more at JaneFriedman.com

Twitter: @janefriedman

Instagram handle: @janefriedman

YouTube: http://youtube.com/@janefriedman

Jane's upcoming newsletter class

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• Updates on her year-long projects like local food sourcing
• How HRT (hormone replacement therapy) has been going
• Why she's applying to writing residencies
• What she's discovering about high-functioning codependency
• How she's asserting boundaries and taking care of her nervous system
• How to release our desire to prove our relevance
• One important question that's changing everything

*This is the fourth episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers.

Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She has helped those writers publish countless books and hundreds of essays in The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She interviews renowned female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story, and writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Covered in this episode:

• The moments that led Betsy to consider becoming an adoptive parent at age 47
• How her mother's death spurred Betsy to create a powerful legacy
• How she and her children bravely navigated the unknown with hope, even after heartache
• How Betsy stayed dedicated to her book project for more than a decade
• How Nadine' coaching impacted the manuscript
• How Betsy and Nadine have watched each other grow

About Betsy:

Betsy Armstrong grew up on a farm in Minnesota, but Chicago captured her heart thirty-plus years ago, so she stayed. Betsy is a writer, mom, athlete, and philanthropist who wants to change the world. She had careers in sales, counseling, and the non-profit space. Still, her true passion was running, which led her to become the Executive Director of Girls on the Run-Chicago and the Chicago Area Runners Association. Her writing has been published in the Brevity Blog, The Pinch Journal, and WOW-Women on Writing, and she has been recognized in essay contests in Writer’s Digest and WOW-Women on Writing. She and her husband, kids, and pets divide their time between the mountains of Nevada and the lakes of the Midwest.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She has helped those writers publish countless books and hundreds of essays in The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She interviews renowned female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story, and writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

---

Many of us have carried at least one hard story for years, suffering under the weight of secrecy and silence. But what if you didn't have to carry it anymore? What if writing or telling it could not only free you, but deepen your relationships with your loved ones? Melanie Brooks--author of Writing Hard Stories and A Hard Silence--is here to help us write and tell our hard stories.

Covered in this episode:

• The life changing impact that Writing Hard Stories had on Nadine
• Melanie’s surprising experiences with renowned authors as she researched her book
• The benefits of writing a hard story 
• How and why it gets easier
• What you discover when you’re writing hard stories and how it’s able to help you process
• The phases we go throughout when telling hard stories 
• What prompted Nadine to write and publish her hard story
• The 2 books Nadine reread while writing her memoir
• The hard silence Melanie had to keep for almost 10 yrs
• The long term impact of not being able to speak your truth
• What helps us stay centered while writing hard stories 
• The guilty pleasure TV show that Melanie and Nadine both watch when they need to escape 
• How it felt for Melanie and Nadine to have their vulnerable books be published 
• What it was like for both writers to write about real life characters and what their family's reactions were
• What narrative medicine is and how it’s changing health care 
• Hear Melanie read a moving passage that gives anyone permission to share their hard story 

About Melanie:

IG: melaniejmbrookswriter

website: 

melaniebrooks.com

Melanie Brooks is the author of the memoir A Hard Silence: One daughter remaps family, grief, and faith when HIV/AIDS changes it all (Vine Leaves Press, 2023) and Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma (Beacon Press, 2017) She teaches creative nonfiction in the M.F.A. program at Bay Path University and in the M.F.A. program at Western Connecticut State University and professional writing at Northeastern University. She holds an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast writing program and a Certificate in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. She has had numerous interviews and essays on topics ranging from loss and grief to parenting and aging published in the The Boston Globe, HuffPost, Yankee Magazine, Psychology Today, The Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and other notable publications. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, two children (when they are home from university), and chocolate Lab.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

Why does it hurt so badly when things don't go as we'd hoped? How do we hold ourselves when we're in great pain? How do we talk to others so that we can reestablish loving connections when they've hurt us or we've hurt them? Psychologist and embodiment expert Dr. Hillary McBride answers all these questions and more in this profound conversation that offers deep solace to anyone who's hurting.

Covered in this episode:

• Transitions that Hillary and Nadine are currently navigating
• What's bringing them delight
• Why there is a deep grief when our plans don't play out
• How to tune into our own bodies to see how we're feeling
• How to identify what we need and then self-soothe
• Helpful dialogue for hard conversations
• The 7 words that can lead to great repair
• How to cultivate profound self-trust

About Hillary:

Dr. Hillary McBride is a registered psychologist, a researcher, and podcastor, with expertise that includes working with trauma and trauma therapies, embodiment, at the intersection of spirituality and mental health. Her first book, Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image: Learning to Love Ourselves as We Are, was published in 2017; she was the senior editor of the textbook Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention, and Treatment, which was published in 2018. Her bestselling book The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding wholeness, healing and connection through embodied living came out in the fall of 2021, and in January she released Practices for Embodied Living. Her next book Holy Hurt: understanding and healing from spiritual trauma, comes out April 2025. She has been recognized by the American Psychological Association, and the Canadian Psychological Association for her research and clinical work. In addition to being a teaching faculty at the University of British Columbia, she is an ambassador for Sanctuary Mental Health, and the host of CBC's award winning podcast Other People's Problems. Hillary makes her home in the pacific northwest in British Columbia, Canada.

www.hillarylmcbride.com 

IG: @hillaryliannamcbride

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

Whether you're experiencing infertility or want to support someone who is, you won't want to miss this profound conversation. In this episode, Nadine and Hillary discuss the emotional impact of infertility, how to support yourself or your loved one, the most important questions to ask when seeking treatment, and how best to self-advocate as a patient. This empowering and hopeful conversation reminds us all that we know our bodies best and have the right to advocate for ourselves. Hillary is the founder of Humanize Infertility and is working to humanize infertility with one woman, one couple, and one story at a time by empowering those struggling with infertility with knowledge, hope, and connection.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

About Hillary:

Hillary Alberta Sherer is a biotechnology researcher with expert knowledge in the policy and ethical conversations around infertility. Utilizing over 15 years of clinical science research experience, she saw a need for more robust, transparent, and accessible research on infertility and infertility technologies. This led to her dissertation work on the ethical guidelines and policies surrounding egg donation. She is an activist for positive change that enables women to make informed and autonomous decisions about their health and wellbeing. She received her B.S. in Biology, M.S. in Public Policy and Ph.D. in Biotechnology Policy and Ethics all from The Georgia Institute of Technology (aka the Georgia Tech Trifecta). Hillary resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband, two kiddos, and 100-pound goldendoodle. 

Website: https://www.hillarysherer.com/

IG: @humanizeinfertility

Resources shared in this episode:

ASRM

SART

Fertility and Sterility

PubMed

Dr Natalie Crawford

The Egg Whisperer

Covered in this episode:

• How Nadine developed a regular writing practice
• What's inspiring her to stay dedicated to her writing
• The surprising lessons from her recent trips to Illinois, Georgia, and South Carolina
• What garbage time is and why it's so important
• What she's learning about perimenopause
• Why she started HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) & what it's been like

*This is the third episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers.

Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

Covered in this episode:

• How patriarchy siphoned parts of her identity
• How she was able to question the brainwashing and fight back
• The role grief played in Tia's transformation
• Why reclamation is a long but rewarding journey that requires ongoing effort
• Why understanding the aftermath of trauma is crucial for healing
• Tia's and Nadine's daily practices for nervous system regulation
• Why sharing your true story with the world can be so empowering
• Why midlife is a great time for new beginnings
• Self-care practices for sustaining creativity

About Tia:

Tia Levings is the New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of Christian fundamentalism, evangelical patriarchy, and religious trauma, and is quoted in Salon, the Huffington Post, and Newsweek. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. She is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter. Her second book, The Soul of Healing, releases with St. Martin’s Essentials in 2026.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack



---

What do we do when the future we thought we’d have is wiped clean, and we're stuck in uncertainty? Bestselling author Maggie Smith joins us to talk about life in the in-between and how, even when we’re at a loss, we can still trust ourselves. She also explores the writerly decisions she made in her most recent bestseller (and one of Nadine’s favorite books of all time), You Could Make This Place Beautiful. She closes the conversation with incredible writing advice that will make you want to grab a pen and start writing. 

Covered in this episode:

• How to find beauty, even when our lives change in unexpected ways
• The difference between a midlife crisis and midlife recovery
• How to turn up the volume of our inner voice and act on it
• The wise women who’ve inspired Maggie & Nadine in life and in writing
• Why writing hard things is actually enjoyable 
• Why Maggie wrote her story in real-time rather than waiting
• What has and hasn’t changed since the publication of You Could Make This Place Beautiful 
• Maggie’s favorite small pleasure–how she’s treating herself well 

Want more Maggie? Grab a copy of You Could Make This Place Beautiful (now out in paperback), subscribe to her popular Substack For Dear Life, and preorder her forthcoming book, Dear Writer (April, 2025).

Maggie Smith is the award-winning author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Good Bones, The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, Lamp of the Body, and the national bestsellers Goldenrod and Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change. A 2011 recipient of a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, Smith has also received several Individual Excellence Awards from the Ohio Arts Council, two Academy of American Poets Prizes, a Pushcart Prize, and fellowships from the Sustainable Arts Foundation and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She has been widely published, appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Nation, The Best American Poetry, and more. You can follow her on social media @MaggieSmithPoet.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

If you've ever felt alone in your suffering and uncertainty, this episode is for you. Bestselling author Sara Avant Stover shares her own story of serial heartbreaks and the steps she took towards repair. Through IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy, Sara discovered how to acknowledge, understand, and heal her parts.

Covered in this episode:

• The midlife transition most of us go through
• Signs/stages of heartbreak
• How to allow & be where we are
• Getting to the root of your suffering and healing our parts 
• Asking others for help
• Fully surrendering
• Patience and persistence 
• Not giving up on ourselves
• Why everything you’re feeling is normal 
• The winding road of Sara's writing journey that ended in deep alignment

About Nadine:

Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart.

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack