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In this season finale of Connection from Here, hosts Ashley and Michele Perry take a heartfelt look back at the season, exploring the universal search for community, belonging, and meaning. Through their own reflections and memorable moments from past guest conversations, they unpack the lived experiences, personal stories, and lessons that connect us all, even in times of change and uncertainty.

Topics covered:

• How sharing and listening to real experiences fosters empathy, connection, and community.
• The importance of being able to show up fully and imperfectly in communities that value psychological safety.
• Embracing discomfort, uncertainty, and openness as essential to learning and building stronger relationships.
• How small acts of inclusion, kindness, and courage can inspire broader community impact.
• Encouragement to stay connected by joining communities, continuing the dialogue, and reaching out to others on the same journey.

As you reflect on your own journey, remember: it’s okay to not have all the answers and to be in the “messy middle.” True connection starts with sharing your story, listening deeply, and staying open to growth.

Watch the episode on YouTube here!

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Learn more about HopeBase at https://www.gethopebase.com/ and our community at https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/

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How does true community shape our sense of self, resilience, and purpose in a rapidly changing world?

This week on Connection From Here, host Ashley Perry welcomes guest host Rhiana Wiggins and changemaker, Bryony Schwan. Bryony shares her powerful journey from a community-rich childhood in Zimbabwe, through international moves, to spearheading innovative organizations such as Women’s Voices for the Earth and the Biomimicry Institute.

Together, they discuss the complexity of building community across cultures and why authentic connection, belonging, and purpose are essential both for personal well-being and for creating a more just, sustainable world.

Bryony’s life has been one of remarkable creation. She founded Women’s Voices for the Earth, a non-profit environmental justice organization, which included GUTS, one of the first outdoor leadership programs for girls–as well as Coming Clean, a national alliance of health and environmental groups working to reform chemical policies. She then co-founded the Biomimicry Institute, establishing an international network for the creation of nature-inspired solutions for a healthier planet. She also founded KindKudos, which was a mobile app to help deepen social connection between people and decrease the human drive to over-consume. She has since become a consultant and coach and remains passionate about creating a more just and sustainable world.

Topics covered:

• Bryony’s early upbringing in Zimbabwe, where communal life played a central role and the experience of collective safety and belonging shaped her worldview.
• How moving countries brought challenges of isolation, highlighting the cultural contrasts in community-building and the importance of seeking connection in unfamiliar places.
• How Bryony found that the power of collective action is amplified when every individual feels seen, valued, and heard.
• Bryony’s work and her creation of the Kind Kudos app underscore that meaningful happiness comes from human connection, not material possessions.
• Small, intentional acts that make lasting impacts.

True belonging is cultivated through small acts of reaching out and seeing one another.

Watch the episode on YouTube here!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, telling us what you found insightful!

Learn more about HopeBase at https://www.gethopebase.com/ and our community at https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/

Connect with Bryony:

Consulting | Photography Site

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What does it mean to truly listen—both to ourselves and to others?

This week on Connection From Here, hosts Ashley Perry and Rhianna Wiggins sit down with Daniel Weinshenker, founder of EchoStory and a pioneer in digital storytelling. Together, they explore how sharing and witnessing stories creates authentic connection in a world where traditional community spaces can feel scarce or out of reach.

Daniel’s 25 years of experience helping people narrate their journeys—whether around a dinner table, in a workshop, or coping with life’s hardest moments—set the foundation for a discussion that weaves personal reflection, empathy, and the radical act of listening. From childhood memories to community myth-making, and from sitting with grief to empowering marginalized voices, this episode is an invitation to reimagine how we connect, heal, and grow together.

Daniel Weinshenker is the founder and director of EchoStory a storytelling organization based in Denver, CO. He is one of the most seasoned digital storytelling practitioners in the world, having spent 25 years with StoryCenter - the creators of the digital storytelling movement.

Over that time, Daniel has helped over 8000 people around the world find and tell their stories in the form of mini movies. He started the Nurstory program and has trained nurses and nurse educators in reflective storytelling for compassion fatigue, moral injury, burnout prevention and working through ethical dilemmas

Daniel is a TEDx speaker, has keynoted conferences around the world, and is a widely published writer.

Topics covered:

• How growing up in a caring family amidst silencing community norms fueled Daniel’s passion for agency in storytelling
• Why digital storytelling is a powerful tool for connection, allowing people to witness each other’s true experiences and break down barriers of loneliness and misunderstanding
• Why listening is an act of love and how it creates space for others and ourselves to feel seen, validated, and connected
• How safe spaces help people express and discover their truest selves across all stages of life

By holding space for your own story and listening with honesty and compassion, you build the foundation to truly witness and connect with others.

Watch the episode on YouTube here!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, telling us what you found insightful!

Learn more about HopeBase at https://www.gethopebase.com/ and our community at https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/

Connect with Daniel:

LinkedIn | YouTube | TEDx Talk | Talking Documentary Episode | The Impact That the Stories We Tell About Ourselves Have On Identity Formation

Stay Connected:

GetHopeBase.com

Join the HopeBase Community!

A caring, inclusive community for those seeking real connection, thoughtful conversations, & support.

Start your free trial today at: https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/plans/1524592?bundle_token=33729f35dfaaa9fea5bc9fc3fdde4a68&utm_source=manual