Episodes
Episode 100: The Tables Turn - Jennifer Peterkin on Dreams, Travel, a…
For this milestone 100th episode, we're doing something special—host Jennifer Peterkin hands over the mic to her friend, Kesh Witmer, for an intimate conversation about the journey behind The Human Experience podcast. In this...
Understanding Schizoid: Breaking Stigmas and Changing Lives
In this insightful podcast, host Jennifer Peterkin interviews Blair, an individual diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder, to shed light on this widely misunderstood condition. Blair shares personal experiences of being...
Carrying the Tiger: Tony Stewart on Love, Loss, and the Healing Power…
Show Notes: In this deeply reflective episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin visits lifelong New Yorker Tony Stewart, who shares an intimate story of love, creativity, and grief. Tony recounts meeting his wif...
From Where I Sit: Becky Galli on Grief, Disability, Faith, and Choosi…
Show Notes: In this deeply moving episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin sits down with Rebecca (Becky) Faye Smith Galli in her Maryland home for a powerful conversation about loss, resilience, faith, and the...
The Golden Child: Jalisa Hardy on Generational Healing, Faith, and Fi…
Show Notes: In this powerful and deeply heartfelt episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin sits down with Minister Jalisa Hardy, also known as The Golden Child, for a courageous conversation about generational ...
Poetic Alchemy: Angela Harvey on Healing, Boundaries, and Self-Discov…
In this heartfelt episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin welcomes Angela Harvey, who opens up about her profound journey through codependency, depression, and rediscovering her self-worth. Angela shares candi...
Uncovering Hidden Roots: Linda Ambrus Broenniman on Family Secrets, S…
Show Notes: In this profound episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin and guest interviewer Linda explore the extraordinary story of a woman whose Hungarian refugee parents survived World War II and the Holocau...
Rebuilding After the Wreck: Cheryl Wilder on Accountability, Healing,…
In this deeply moving episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin welcomes Cheryl Wilder, who shares her remarkable journey of survival, accountability, and transformation following a tragic car accident at age 20...
Beyond the Pulpit: How One Pastor Challenged the Status Quo
Show Notes: In this thoughtful episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin visits John (Jonathan Heaslet) at his North Carolina home to reflect on a remarkable life of service, transformation, and storytelling. Jo...
From Tragedy to Purpose: Linda’s Journey of Loss, Love & Service
In this moving episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin sits down with Linda, who shares her extraordinary journey of resilience and compassion. After the tragic murder of her best friend and her best friend’s ...
Triumphing Over Trauma: Maria Teresa Pratico-Swanson on Healing, Spir…
Show Notes: In this heartfelt episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin sits down with Maria Teresa Pratico-Swanson, a shamanic healer, artist, and speaker whose life story is one of resilience, hope, and transf...
Rewriting the Story: Derek Newborn on Resilience, Healing, and Spirit…
Show Notes: In this episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin welcomes Derek Newborn, who shares his raw and inspiring journey from abandonment, trauma, and self-destruction to transformation, healing, and purpo...
Brotherhood & Battle: Michael Allison on Overcoming Adversity, Identi…
In this powerful and emotionally charged episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin sits down with Michael W. Allison, MBA—U.S. Marine, Purple Heart recipient, award-winning keynote speaker, and best-selling auth...
Failing Grief: How Losing His Mom Shaped Matt Gilhooly’s Life
Matt Gilhooly, host of The Life Shift podcast, shares the story behind his own pivotal life shift—the sudden death of his mother when he was just eight years old. In a deeply moving conversation, Matt reflects on the fallout ...
From Budapest to Hollywood: Katherine Mitchell on Resilience, Reinven…
Katherine Mitchell’s 84-year journey defies the limits of a single identity. Born during WWII in Hungary, she survived war, communism, and displacement before building a multifaceted life in the U.S. As a nationally ranked gy...
Living History: Robert Kesten on Activism, Identity, and the Stories …
Robert Kesten, Executive Director of the Stonewall National Museum & Archives, shares a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation that spans civil rights, global activism, the importance of preserving history, and his lif...
From Trauma to Advocacy: Shakina Rush and the Mission Behind She Is Y…
After surviving childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault, Shakina Rush chose healing—and then built a movement. In this powerful in-person conversation, recorded in Philadelphia after her nonprofit’s seco...
A Promise to His Mother: Richard Hsung on Legacy, Loss, and the Power…
When Richard Hsung promised his dying mother he’d finish her memoir, he didn’t yet understand the weight of that vow—or the decade-long journey it would set in motion. In this episode, Richard shares his deeply personal path ...
From Refugee to Healer: Dr. Katrina Nguyen’s Journey of Faith, Freedo…
Dr. Katrina Nguyen was just 14 months old when her family fled Vietnam by boat during the Fall of Saigon, a journey marked by near-death experiences and unimaginable courage. Now a board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist...
The Greatest Journey: From Restaurant Owner to Travel Photographer
In this episode of The Human Experience, I sit down with Ralph Velasco, a seasoned travel photographer and founder of small group travel experiences. Raised in suburban Chicago, Ralph takes us through his winding career path—from restaurants and real estate to his true calling behind the camera and…
The Power of Local: A Life in Service to Philadelphia
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From Coal Mines to Concert Halls: My Grandmother’s Century of Stories
In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with my grandmother—my last living grandparent—to capture her incredible journey through life. From her Italian immigrant roots in coal-mining Pennsylvania to her years as a talented young musician and her marriage to my grandfather, a brilliant physicist and H…
Healing Beyond Therapy: Kim’s Story
After years of identifying solely as a teacher, Kim faced an identity crisis when burnout forced her to leave the profession. What followed was a deeply personal journey through therapy, self-discovery, and alternative healing modalities. In this episode, she shares the emotional rollercoaster of r…
Holding It Loosely: The Evolution of The Human Experience Podcast
Two years ago, The Human Experience went live—a deeply personal and transformative journey of storytelling, connection, and vulnerability. Host Jennifer Peterkin reflects on what she has learned, the intentionality behind in-person interviews, and why proximity and presence matter in capturing huma…