Podcast
Hearth2Heart
Hosted by CJSW 90.9 FM · EN
Each episode of Hearth2Heart features a conversation between host Gayathri Shukla and an everyday role model, who explores their story and wisdom from overcoming personal challenges. We share tips and insights on leading a life of purpose and belonging. You'll get to learn from diverse perspectives while connecting with our shared humanity. Listen on your preferred podcast platform, and please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it!
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Hearth2Heart - Episode May 25, 2026
2w agoTap to summarizeReclaiming Your Worth Through Telling Your Story | Serena Arora How do you tell your story—when the world keeps asking you what you are, instead of who you are? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla sits down with author, yoga therapist, and Ayurvedic practitioner Serena Arora to explore a deeply personal journey of identity, lineage, and coming home to oneself. Drawing from her book Unbound, Serena shares what it means to grow up navigating mixed identity, cultural expectations, and the lifelong search for belonging. Together, they unpack: - The tension between “immigrit” and “immiguilt”—and how grit and guilt both shape our choices - What it means to carry (and eventually put down) the invisible “backpack” - Why belonging is not something to become, but something to just be - How generational patterns live in us—and how we begin to consciously shift them - How telling your story can help you find alignment This conversation is both grounding and expansive—a reminder that belonging is not found in a place, a title, or a path…but in the quiet, ongoing practice of returning to yourself. Resources mentioned: Serena Arora’s book, Unbound: An Immigrant Daughter’s Journey of Reckoning, Unraveling Shame, and Reclaiming Her Worth www.serenaarora.com https://www.campfirekinship.com/
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Episode March 23, 2026
Mar 23Tap to summarizeBetween Worlds: Navigating Identity and the Stories We Carry | Lina Bahlawan & Yemi Adefulu What happens when two people from vastly different cultures come together not just to share stories, but to write a book about the in-between spaces of identity? n this Hearth 2 Heart episode, host Gayathri Shukla speaks with Lina Bahlawan and Yemi Adefulu, co-authors of Adventures of a Migrant Heart, about the surprising friendship that sparked their book—and the deeper lessons it holds for reimagining inclusion. Together, they explore: - Why storytelling with someone (not just about someone) creates a new kind of empathy - How curiosity and compassion can disrupt stereotypes—without losing complexity - The power of unlikely friendships to bridge global perspectives and lived experience - Why choosing collaboration over competition is a radical act, especially in systems shaped by scarcity This episode is a refreshing reminder that sometimes, the best way to understand someone else’s story… is to co-write a new one. Resources mentioned: https://www.amazon.ca/Adventures-Migrant-Heart-Yemi-Adefulu/dp/196761668X https://www.yemiadefulu.com/ https://www.campfirekinship.com/
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Episode February 23, 2026
Feb 25Tap to summarizeDreaming Boldly: From Surviving to Thriving | Najah Al-Atassi What does it take to thrive as an immigrant woman—not just survive? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla speaks with Najah Al-Atassi, founder of Al-Atassi Leadership Consulting and its Peaks Program, about the emotional resilience, bold dreaming, and grit it takes to build a life—and leadership—on your own terms in Canada. Through heartfelt storytelling and sharp insights, Najah shares: - Why informed optimism gives way to informed realism—and how to stay motivated - How rejection, assimilation pressure, and “Canadian experience” myths can erode confidence - The power of perspective, networks, and beginner’s mindset in transforming your journey - What allies can actually do to support immigrant women—without assuming superiority - And why courageously being yourself is the first step to belonging Whether you’re new to Canada, navigating career transitions, or leading workplace inclusion, this episode is your reminder to dream boldly—and support others to do the same. Resources mentioned: https://www.alatassileadershipconsulting.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/najah-al-atassi/ https://www.amazon.ca/Landed-Transformative-Stories-Canadian-Immigrant/dp/B0B7PSHKMR/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 https://www.campfirekinship.com/
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Podcast January 26, 2026
Jan 27Tap to summarizeNew Year Special: What Brings Us Home | Stanley Opara What does it mean to feel at home—across lands, timelines, and technologies? This New Year special features an openhearted dialogue, where host Gayathri Shukla and guest Stanley Opara weave together their personal stories of migration, identity, and imagination. From oil-rich Nigeria to the majestic Rockies, this episode journeys through the past, present, and future, exploring: - What it means to belong to a place, to people, and to oneself - How stories shape our sense of home - The impact of climate change on belonging - The risks and possibilities AI poses for human connection - Why humility, resilience, and hope are more urgent than ever This episode is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and come home to yourself, wherever you are. Resources mentioned: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-immigrant-story-podcast/id1555915922 https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanleyopara/ https://www.amazon.ca/Landed-Transformative-Stories-Canadian-Immigrant/dp/B0B7PSHKMR/ https://www.campfirekinship.com/
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Podcast December 22, 2025
Dec 19Tap to summarizeUnlearning Silence: Reclaiming Empathy as a Leadership Strength What does it mean to lead with empathy in a world that seems increasingly polarized and divided? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla sits down with Dr. Vidya Chamundeswari - senior scientist at Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals and Chair of the Board at Lotus STEMM (2021-2025) - for a heartfelt conversation on unlearning silence, navigating identity in the workplace, and leading with courage and care. Together, they explore: Why empathy is a strategic strength, not the so-called soft-skill or weakness The tension of holding power and vulnerability - building on insights from the Breaking Barriers project at Lotus STEM Why “you shouldn’t have to be brave to belong” Tune in for this rich and reflective conversation on people-first leadership. Resources mentioned in episode: Lotus STEMM Breaking Barriers https://campfirekinship.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidya-chamundeswari-n/
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Episode November 24, 2025
Nov 21Tap to summarizeReimagining Belonging for Women of Colour in the Workplace | Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi What does it mean to belong when your lived experiences are not always reflected in the very systems meant to support your growth? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla sits down with Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi, founder of Accelerate Her Future, for an intimate and powerful conversation about the career development experiences of Indigenous, Black, and racialized women in the workplace. Drawing from key findings of a national research project funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre, they unpack career development needs and gaps, as well as promising practices and opportunities shared by women across sectors—pointing to what’s already working and what must shift. This episode invites us to reimagine career development for greater belonging. Resources mentioned in episode: https://accelerateherfuture.com/insights-and-resources/research/ https://golnazgolnaraghi.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgcQiLM5rSk https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36780282/ https://www.instagram.com/campfire_kinship/ https://campfirekinship.com/
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Episode October 27, 2025
Nov 5Tap to summarizeBelonging in Academia: Is PhD right for you? | Gayathri Shukla In this solo episode, Gayathri sharers her raw, unfiltered thoughts on one of her major career: whether to pursue a PhD. Re-entering academia after two decades in industry and entrepreneurship, Gayathri pulls back the curtains on the hard questions, doubts, and insights that shaped her choice to enter University of Calgary's inaugural Transdisciplinary Research program. From a literal hammock moment of inspiration to mentors' future-oriented perspectives, she explores what it means to belong in academia. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should or should not do a PhD - or if you’re simply curious about the behind-the-scenes journey - this episode is for you. Resources mentioned in episode: https://campfirekinship.com/learn/courses/kindle-your-spark-career-story-crafting/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/welcome-to-hearth-2-heart/id1579260488?i=1000532740109 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/belonging-at-the-intersections-hidden-struggles-in/id1579260488?i=1000705847058 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/embracing-discomfort-my-experience-with-vipassana/id1579260488?i=1000664039413 https://mailchi.mp/66750e6763d8/life-story https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayathri-shukla https://www.instagram.com/campfire_kinship/
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Episode September 29, 2025
Sep 27Tap to summarizeMoving Beyond the Inner Critic | Kalyani Pardeshi What if the harshest critic you ever faced…was inside your own mind? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla is joined by TEDx speaker and award-winning author Kalyani Pardeshi, who shares her deeply personal journey of overcoming burnout and self-bullying. Drawing on her bestselling book Beyond the Inner Critic, Kalyani unpacks the conscious and unconscious voices that shape our motivation, self-worth, and ability to belong. This conversation is an invitation to gently examine the stories we tell ourselves, and to remember that growth begins not in perfection, but in permission to feel, to pause, and to belong to ourselves. Resources mentioned in episode: https://www.kalyanispeaks.com/ and https://instagram.com/kalyanispeaks049/ CampfireKinship.com
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Episode August 25, 2025
Aug 21Tap to summarizeRedefining Motherhood and STEM: A Healing Journey | Kinia Romanowska What happens when we redefine success by balancing the masculine and feminine energies in our lives? In this episode, Gayathri sits down with Kinia Romanowska, founder of Pros&Babes, to explore how these energies—logic and intuition, structure and creativity—manifest not as gendered traits but as complementary forces that drive personal and professional growth. Kinia shares insights from her journey as an entrepreneur and working parenthood strategist, offering actionable tips on energetic hygiene, healing, and embracing seasonality. Together, they discuss how women in STEM and other demanding fields can align their ambitions with well-being, rediscover their feminine power, and create spaces for authentic belonging. Resources: www.engineerlikeamom.com CampfireKinship.com
Transcribe →Hearth2Heart - Episode July 28, 2025
Jul 23Tap to summarizeBuilding Brave Spaces to Innovate and Belong | Andrea Silverstone and Carrie McManus Content Warning: This episode includes mention of domestic and sexual abuse in the context of Sagesse’s work. Please listen with care. "Belonging is what makes vulnerability survivable." In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla sits down with Andrea Silverstone and Carrie McManus from Sagesse to explore the deep connection between belonging and innovation, drawing lessons from their latest book, Innovation at the Back of the Bus. Through personal stories, they reveal how feelings of worthiness—or the lack of it—impact our ability to create, collaborate, and push for systemic change. Drawing from their new book Innovation at the Back of the Bus, they discuss why vulnerability is key to meaningful innovation, how healing attachment wounds supports stronger communities, and why fun and failure must coexist on the path to real social change. Resources: Sagesse.org CampfireKinship.com
Transcribe →