Heart of the Story

198 If you've ever felt crippled by loss and utterly uncertain about your next steps, this episode is for you. In her new book, The Mother of All Decisions, Betsy Armstrong navigates the impossible--the early death of her mother, the wrath of her stepfather, chronic pain, and a harrowing adoption journey--with the kind of steadfast resilience that gives us boundless hope. This conversation is no different. It will leave you thinking about the impact we have on each other and the powerful legacy you can create.Covered in this episode:The moments that led Betsy to consider becoming an adoptive parent at age 47How her mother's death spurred Betsy to create a powerful legacyHow she and her children bravely navigated the unknown with hope, even after heartacheHow Betsy stayed dedicated to her book project for more than a decadeHow Nadine' coaching impacted the manuscriptHow Betsy and Nadine have watched each other growAbout 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.

197 To celebrate Melanie and Nadine's collaborative masterclass, Publishing Your Stories, on May 13, we're bringing back this chat with Melanie Brooks. If you can't make it live, you can still register and catch the replay.---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 NadineMelanie’s surprising experiences with renowned authors as she researched her bookThe benefits of writing a hard story How and why it gets easierWhat you discover when you’re writing hard stories and how it’s able to help you processThe phases we go throughout when telling hard stories What prompted Nadine to write and publish her hard storyThe 2 books Nadine reread while writing her memoirThe hard silence Melanie had to keep for almost 10 yrsThe long term impact of not being able to speak your truthWhat 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 wereWhat 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: melaniejmbrookswriterwebsite: melaniebrooks.comMelanie 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.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

196 To celebrate the publication of Dr. Hillary McBride's latest book, Holy Hurt: Understanding and Healing from Spiritual Trauma, we're bringing back this beloved conversation about how to hold ourselves when we are hurting.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 navigatingWhat's bringing them delight Why there is a deep grief when our plans don't play outHow to tune into our own bodies to see how we're feeling How to identify what we need and then self-sootheHelpful dialogue for hard conversationsThe 7 words that can lead to great repairHow 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.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

195 In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, we're bringing back our conversation with the founder of Humanize Infertility, Hillary Alberta Sherer.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.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her SubstackAbout 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: @humanizeinfertilityResources shared in this episode:ASRMSARTFertility and SterilityPubMedDr Natalie CrawfordThe Egg Whisperer

194 Nadine is taking a semi-sabbatical this year to study, try new things, and travel, and she's sharing her adventures with you in a podcast series that will air multiple times throughout the year. In this 3rd episode, she shares the highlights, challenges, and takeaways from her March areas of interest: creative writing, garbage time, and perimenopause support.Covered in this episode:How Nadine developed a regular writing practiceWhat's inspiring her to stay dedicated to her writingThe surprising lessons from her recent trips to Illinois, Georgia, and South CarolinaWhat 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.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

193 Disruptor and author of a Well-Trained Wife, Tia Levings shares her journey of escaping a high-control religious environment and reclaiming her identity. Tia roots for women to recognize their worth and reclaim their voices, especially in the face of patriarchal systems. Tia walks us through her daily practices for nervous system regulation and how she got to her "grandma is a bestselling author" era. Covered in this episode: How patriarchy siphoned parts of her identityHow she was able to question the brainwashing and fight backThe role grief played in Tia's transformationWhy reclamation is a long but rewarding journey that requires ongoing effort Why understanding the aftermath of trauma is crucial for healingTia's and Nadine's daily practices for nervous system regulation Why sharing your true story with the world can be so empoweringWhy midlife is a great time for new beginnings Self-care practices for sustaining creativityAbout 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.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

192 To celebrate the release of Maggie Smith's new guidebook for writers called Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for a Creative Life, we're bringing back this beloved chat with Maggie about writing, self-trust, and life in the ellipsis! ---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 waysThe difference between a midlife crisis and midlife recoveryHow to turn up the volume of our inner voice and act on itThe wise women who’ve inspired Maggie & Nadine in life and in writingWhy writing hard things is actually enjoyable Why Maggie wrote her story in real-time rather than waitingWhat 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.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her SubstackFollow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

191 To celebrate Nadine + Sara's upcoming collaborative masterclass on April 15, we're bringing back this much-loved episode w/ Sara Avant Stover. Register for the class at https://www.nadinekenneyjohnstone.com/classesIf 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 heartbreakHow to allow & be where we areGetting to the root of your suffering and healing our parts Asking others for help Fully surrenderingPatience and persistence Not giving up on ourselvesWhy everything you’re feeling is normal The winding road of Sara's writing journey that ended in deep alignmentAbout 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.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

190 To celebrate Renee's April 25th women's retreat: Tending Your Wild Fire, we're brining back this fan favorite episode. Award winning author and retreat leader Renee Trudeau joins Nadine to talk about the self discernment practices she does when she feels lost, why she walked away from a book deal, how her life has changed in the last 2 years, and why retreat is so important for women. Renee and Nadine geek out on why they love leading & taking retreats. Renee's Info:Subscribe to Renee’s weekly Live Inside Out blog where she shares personal stories/support for living intentionally.View all Renee’s upcoming retreats Tips on Taking a Personal Planning RetreatFollow Renee in Instagram @reneetrudeau_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.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack