Bounce Back Stronger with Donna Ferris

A Lullaby for 2025: Vienna Teng on Music, Hope, and Connection

 ”I see you, and I'm telling you my story in hopes that you'll see me. And from there, there's so many more things that are possible.”

In this conversation, Donna Ferris sits down with singer, songwriter, and pianist Vienna Teng—an artist whose music has long served as a bridge between people, ideas, and lived experiences.

From her iconic song City Hall, inspired by th...

“I grew up among funny people who, the darker the event, the more opportunity for lightness and absurdity, and I've always loved that.”

What if laughter really is a kind of medicine—especially when we’re experiencing loss? In this episode of Bounce Back Stronger, Donna sits down with Thurber Prize-winning humorist and New Yorker columnist John Kenney about his latest novel, I See You’ve Called In Dead.

With warmth, wit, and a gener...

“Astoundingly, you find joy, and it coexists with the grief…It's like the grief kind of moves over a little bit and lets joy in.”

If you’re doing life with a broken heart this holiday season, this episode is for you.

In this moving conversation, Donna talks with award-winning journalist and novelist Gwen Florio about what it means to keep showing up for life after loss.

Gwen shares her experience of losing her child, the suffocatin...

“When we let go of fear, we make room for hope to rise."

When life feels uncertain, it’s easy to get caught in fear and worry about what’s next. This guided meditation helps you reconnect to your inner strength and remember that healing can begin with one mindful breath.

Through calming body awareness, gentle visualization, and soft encouragement, you’ll learn to release tension, quiet self-doubt, and open to possibility. Whether y...

“Build your portable paradise — that inner spa where you can return to peace no matter what happens around you.”

In this episode, Donna sits down with bestselling author and spiritual teacher Agapi Stassinopoulos to explore how to find calm, connection, and courage in everyday life.

Agapi—known for her books Wake Up to the Joy of You and Speaking with Spirit—discusses how to release fear, build our “inner spa,” and reconnect to the...

“ The more things that you have, the more things you have to deal with.”

What if the secret to a happier, freer life isn’t earning more—but needing less?

This week, adventurers and authors Cindy Ross and Todd Gladfelter join host Donna Ferris to share how they built a meaningful, debt-free life rooted in simplicity, nature, and gratitude. From hiking the Appalachian Trail to growing their own food and raising world-schooled kids, t...

“I recognized at that moment, without having the words to name it, a sense of my own will. It was exhilarating. Over my mother, I chose my grandmother. Over emotion, I chose self-control. I chose choice itself.”

In this episode of Bounce Back Stronger, Donna Ferris talks with Kim Adrian—author of The Twenty-Seventh Letter of the Alphabet, editor, and teacher—about reclaiming agency through writing. Kim shares how she used “micro-me...

“Are you a bully, a bystander, or a target?

We’re all of those things on different days and different times in our lives.”

In this episode of Bounce Back Stronger, Donna Ferris sits down with Peggy Moss—Vice Chair of the Canadian Women’s Foundation, former Maine Assistant Attorney General, Associate Director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence, and award-winning children’s book author of Say Something, Our Friendship ...

“I don’t want to fix people anymore. I want to be with them.”

Need a dose of pure joy?

Join host Donna Ferris as she chats with internationally recognized acupuncturist Dr. Claire McManus—a healer whose patients range from people to penguins. Claire’s incredible journey has taken her from organic farming to acupuncture research at Harvard, to working with warthogs, sea turtles, and yes… penguins at the New England Aquarium.

In this...

“So many people are taught compassion is stupid. Gratitude is really stupid. And I got to talk to researchers, and it was so interesting 'cause they said, well, actually it's the opposite.

These researchers said to me, if you practice gratitude, you have a kind of energy. You don't feel so bereft, so exhausted, so that you can seek change with some energy.

And not only that, people who practice gratitude want to pay it forward. The...

 ”I feel privileged that I went through this journey because you don't know what you can handle until something comes along. And we made mistakes like anybody would, and we had hiccups like anybody would, but I feel privileged that we were able to go through this with her and try to make her life as comfortable as possible.”

Curious about how to support transgender rights and the LGBTQ+ community in today’s complex climate? On this...

 ” I need to know what's happening. I can't not know. But I can't over know. It cannot take over my day.”

In this needed conversation, Donna Ferris sits down with beloved Kripalu faculty member and mindfulness coach Aruni Futuronsky to share deep, actionable wisdom on how to stay grounded, compassionate, and present—even when the world feels largely unmoored.

They dive into:

• How to navigate anxiety and news overwhelm
• Mantras t...

“I look at pictures of my child when he was young, and I remember his young, innocent light, and he's still in there.”

In this heartfelt episode of Bounce Back Stronger, host Donna Ferris speaks with writer, mindfulness teacher, and mental health advocate Shelley Karpaty, also known as “Spicy Soul Mama.” Together, they explore the complex intersection of motherhood, mental health advocacy, neurodiversity, and spiritual healing.

She...

"Life isn’t meant to be endured—it’s meant to be enjoyed."

In today’s new episode, Donna Ferris offers a centering practice to help you find peace even when everything feels tough. With the world feeling heavy, we are reminded that happiness is a choice—one we can make even in the middle of chaos. This episode includes:

• Breathwork to reduce stress
• Powerful affirmations like “I am safe” and “I choose to be happy”
• Tips to detach...

"When you have things like ADHD and autism and you struggle, hey, try a skilled trade because man, it turns your disability into a superpower."

What if the traits that made you feel like a misfit were actually your biggest assets? In this powerful episode, ironworker and ADHD advocate Jamie McMillan shares how growing up with undiagnosed ADHD—and being one of the few women in the skilled trades—shaped her into a force for change. J...

Feeling off lately? You’re not alone. In this episode, recorded from a recent centering group, we explore the healing power of Tonglen meditation, the truth behind Tara Brach’s “Trance of Unworthiness,” and practical ways to take care of ourselves during tough moments. Learn how to:

• Breathe through discomfort
• Calm your mind to get back to sleep
• Reconnect with your true, good self
• Create an emergency self-care list you’ll actua...

"To manage outrage with loving kindness has been the richest lesson of my spiritual practice.”

In this episode, spiritual leader Reggie Hubbard shares his remarkable journey from high-powered political strategist to sound healer and advocate for mindfulness and social justice. After facing extreme professional adversity and surviving a life-changing stroke, Reggie used yoga and sound healing practices to transform his life and reco...

With consumer confidence dropping, uncertainty rising, and the daily barrage of news, it’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed and demoralized. In this episode, host Donna Ferris shares strategies for managing these feelings, including:

• Guided Meditation: Start with a calming meditation to gain perspective and find peace during challenging moments.
• Self-Care Tips: Learn why prioritizing self-care is essential for navigating toug...

“The next revolution is a revolution in consciousness where we realize we are far more connected than we ever thought or believed.”

In this episode, host Donna Ferris is joined by Erin Byron, a renowned wellness author, psychotherapist, and trauma expert. Together, they explore the powerful concept of karma—the law of cause and effect.

In today’s world of uncertainty and challenge, Erin offers practical strategies for neutralizing ...