Tender Space

What if self-care was never meant to be a journey we take alone?

In this episode of Tender Space, we welcome Dr. Maria Van Der Maaten, sociologist, community development practitioner, and upcoming author of Even Monks Meditate Together. Maria explores how community, connection, and collective empowerment can transform the way we understand personal wellness.

Together, we discuss why asking for help can feel difficult, how loneliness ...

Can a person move beyond the circumstances that shaped their past and build a life around learning, accountability, and transformation?

In this episode of Tender Space, we sit down with Antoine Davis-Bey, founder of Conscience College, researcher, human-rights advocate, and student of Noble Drew Ali. Antoine shares the experiences that shaped his early life in Chicago, his three years in prison, and the journey that led him toward s...

What happens when the person you love so deeply is no longer here, and the future you imagined suddenly disappears?

In this deeply moving episode of Tender Space, Mark Stackpole shares his family’s journey through the loss of his 22-year-old daughter, Corinne, following her eleven-month battle with leukemia. From the shock of her diagnosis to the months spent beside her through treatment, Mark reflects on the love, uncertainty...

What if the reason you can't slow down has less to do with your calendar—and more to do with what you believe about yourself?

In this episode of Tender Space, Liz Coleman takes us beneath the surface of overthinking, perfectionism, constant productivity, and the inability to truly switch off.

Liz is a certified Transformational Life Coach, Mind Shifting and NLP practitioner, and psychology graduate. After years of searching for...

What if being busy isn’t the same thing as moving forward?

In this episode of Tender Space, Tony Tenaglier invites us to slow down and question the constant rush that has become so normal in modern life.

Tony is an aerospace Quality Manager, PhD researcher in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher, author, and podcast host. His work sits at the intersection of psychology, leadership, flow, engine...

What if some of the things affecting our health are things we have simply learned to consider normal?

In this episode of Tender Space, Norbert Heuser shares the extraordinary journey that began with a serious illness 45 years ago and ultimately led him from business management into health coaching, alternative medicine, research, invention, and public speaking.

Norbert discusses his experiences with food and beverage addictions, his ...

What happens when surviving is no longer enough?

In this powerful episode of Tender Space, Margie Allman shares a deeply personal story of trauma, addiction, prostitution, resilience, physical endurance, grief, and ultimately, healing.

Margie’s journey took her from surviving institutionalized child abuse and addiction to becoming a Pilates instructor and Ironman triathlon contender. For years, triathlon gave her a way to keep ...

What happens when success no longer feels like success?

In this episode of Tender Space, Richard “Coach Jack” Jack III joins us for a thoughtful conversation about identity, alignment, burnout, leadership, pressure, purpose, and the quiet internal conflict that can exist behind achievement.

After 20 years as a Senior Noncommissioned Officer in the U.S. Air Force, Richard developed a perspective shaped by leadership under ...

What if you don’t need more discipline—you need a different way of working with yourself?

In this episode of Tender Space, Kathryn Riordan joins us for an honest conversation about neurodivergence, burnout, executive dysfunction, time blindness, food struggles, sensitivity, and the pressure so many women feel to constantly do more.

Kathryn shares how her own long search for healing eventually led her to a different unders...

What happens when the dream you spent years building is no longer the life you want?

In this episode of Tender Space, Josh “Juice” Washington joins us to talk about identity, money, entrepreneurship, limiting beliefs, and the courage required to reinvent yourself.

After spending about a decade as a professional dancer—including performing with the Jabbawockeez, choreographing, and touring—Juice began questioni...

What happens when you’re trying to raise your children differently while still healing from what happened to you?

In this episode of Tender Space, Trigger Recovery Coach Emily Cleghorn joins us for an honest conversation about parenting after trauma, emotional triggers, mom guilt, reactive patterns, repair, and the pressure mothers can feel to get everything right.

We explore why parenting can bring old emotions to the surface,...

What happens when finding your voice becomes part of finding yourself?

In this episode of Tender Space, independent recording artist and songwriter Kneet joins us for an intimate conversation about music, cultural identity, motherhood, resilience, belonging, and reclaiming your voice.

Born and raised in Bangkok and now based in New York, Kneet has built her music around lived experience and the different worlds that have shaped her. ...

What makes some couples seem to genuinely glow when they’re together?

In this episode of Tender Space, author Ed Tomlinson joins us to explore what decades of observing people, love, and relationships have taught him about creating lasting connection.

Ed’s relationship work grew from his own experience of sharing an extraordinary three-year relationship and becoming curious about why it worked so well. That curiosity led ...

What happens when grief, love, science, and entrepreneurship unexpectedly collide?

In this episode of Tender Space, Dr. Steve McGough shares the deeply personal experiences behind his work in nervous-system regulation, pelvic health, intimacy, and wellness.

After Steve and his wife Wendy lost their newborn son, Luke, and Wendy nearly died from a serious infection, her long recovery led Steve down an unexpected path of research, exper...

How do we keep moving when our own mind makes moving forward feel impossible?

In this episode of Tender Space, award-winning author and mental health advocate Nita Sweeney joins us for a vulnerable conversation about depression, mindfulness, movement, writing, grief, relationships, and learning how to live alongside serious mental health challenges.

Nita shares how running became part of her journey from an intensely difficult period...

What happens when someone you love gets sick and you suddenly become the person responsible for holding everything together?

In this episode of Tender Space, Tiffany Auvil joins us for an honest conversation about caregiving, healthcare navigation, burnout, advocacy, grief, and what it means to become “the one” for someone you love.

After more than twenty years working inside healthcare, Tiffany thought she understood the...

What happens when the life you built falls apart—and you have to figure out how to build again?

In this episode of Tender Space, Steve Gamlin takes us through a deeply personal conversation about visualization, purpose, positivity, humor, relationships, kindness, and the complicated journey of starting over.

At 35, Steve lost his radio career, first marriage, and financial stability. What followed was a remarkable process of re...

What happens when a season of survival becomes the unexpected beginning of a creative mission?

In this episode of Tender Space, Xenia Ioannidis shares a deeply personal journey from homelessness in Miami to becoming an author, coach, creative director, and creator of Crowned in Faith—a multi-format children's faith series combining storybooks, coloring questbooks, and original songs.

We talk about hardship, surrender, faith, cr...

What if the biggest thing standing between you and your next breakthrough isn’t a lack of talent—but a ceiling you haven’t learned how to break through?

In this episode of Tender Space, Chris Natzke takes us through a powerful conversation about discipline, confidence, leadership, purpose, limiting beliefs, and the journey of becoming more.

Chris is an 8th Degree Black Belt, former U.S. National Taekwondo Champion, ...