How a Divorce Led to Her True Self

Summary

Living Your Legacy Podcast: "How a Divorce Led to Her True Self"

Host: Kira Brinton
Guest: Christina Calvi
Date: June 1, 2026
Theme: Personal transformation after divorce, creative healing, and embracing spiritual truth

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Episode Overview

This episode features therapist and transformational coach Christina Calvi, founder of Legacy Heights, in a candid conversation with host Kira Brinton. Christina shares her journey of self-discovery and empowerment following her divorce. The discussion centers on finding spiritual and personal truth, the healing power of community—particularly among women—and the transformative experiences that shaped her forthcoming books and television appearance. Blending vulnerability, spiritual themes, and creative growth, the episode offers both inspiration and practical wisdom for those navigating life's transitions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Spiritual and Creative Community

• Joining the Island Retreat

  • Christina found Kira through Instagram and instantly connected after attending a webinar.
    • “I found you on Instagram, signed up for a webinar and was immediately like, yeah, it was... It landed, like, such a yes for me.” (02:14 — Christina)
  • Attending the “sacred island” retreat was transformative, enhancing her spiritual connection and creative expression.
    • “My connection with God just gets louder on that island. And writing just like, you're just a clear channel, a clear vessel for... this conjuring. That's really what writing is for me, is conjuring.” (02:32 — Christina)

• The Power of Collective Healing

  • The retreat fostered a sense of restoration among the women, rooted in faith and community support.
    • “At the hands of women have I always been restored. And so that just, like, sits with me because it's. It's. It's really true. And that's really what happened. We were all restored by God and by each other.” (04:13 — Christina)

2. The Courage to Speak the Truth

• Christina emphasized the importance of radical honesty and dropping shame around one’s story.
  • “What I hear most, I think, for myself right now when I sit with God and myself, is tell the truth. And the truth is so interesting and ugly and beautiful and tragic and so many things that are, like, you know, in contention with each other. Yeah, it's so good to tell the truth and to not have any shame around.” (00:32, repeated at 05:39 — Christina)
• Kira praised Christina’s willingness to be a “disruptor” by sharing unapologetically about her experience.
  • “We're here to disrupt with truth. And you are a disruptor. You are bringing...” (04:57 — Kira)

3. Writing, TV, and Personal Breakthroughs

• From Books to Television

  • Christina wrote her book during her time on the island, with another written during “Writer’s Island,” a TV show she participated in.
    • “You brought through a book last September on the island. We're about to get that published. You wrote a different one when we did Writer's Island, you are stepping into full force with your gifts....” (04:57 — Kira)
  • Filming for the show was “surreal” and fostered an even deeper communal bond.
    • “How would you explain it?” “Surreal, right? Totally surreal. Yeah. So important, though.” (03:50 — Kira & Christina)

• Emerging Self-Acceptance

  • Speaking about her creative and personal evolution, Christina reflected on feeling “enough” at last.
    • “It feels like just that. Like a deep sigh, like a relief, like I finally... Finally existing is enough. Right. Like, I don't have to do perform. It's. You know, I feel good in my own body, and that's taken 43 years.” (05:39 — Christina)

4. The Tension in Spiritual Conversations

• The podcast addressed how discussing faith openly is often considered “not politically correct.”
  • “It's just not politically correct. It's like... too many people are going to get offended. Some people hate the word God. Like, there's just so many things... that's not what we're here to do. We're here to disrupt with truth.” (04:57 — Kira)
• Christina and Kira agreed on the necessity and healing power of bringing spiritual language and community into the public sphere.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Restored by Women and Spirit:
  “At the hands of women have I always been restored.”
  (04:13 — Christina, quoting Teresa)

• On Creative Expression:
  “That's really what writing is for me, is conjuring. I have to be really careful to, like, not really write too much in public and do it in private because I literally, I'm, like, moving and, you know, it's like a... it's a real creative process.”
  (02:32 — Christina)

• Finding Her Whole Self:
  “Finally existing is enough. Right. Like, I don't have to do, perform... I feel good in my own body, and that's taken 43 years.”
  (05:39 — Christina)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:32 — Christina on the essential practice of truth-telling and dropping shame
• 02:14 — She recalls the instant “yes” to joining Kira’s community
• 02:32 — Details about the island retreat and the deepening of her spiritual and creative channels
• 03:50-04:13 — Reflections on the surreal experience of filming the TV show & the restorative power of female community
• 04:57 — Discussing the disruptive, powerful nature of honesty and spiritual conversation in public
• 05:39 — Christina’s insights on feeling “enough,” self-acceptance, and truth-telling

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Episode Tone

The conversation is open, warm, and deeply personal. Both host and guest encourage vulnerability, spiritual inquiry, and courageous honesty. There’s a clear sense of camaraderie and mutual respect, as well as an underlying call to inspire listeners to claim their full, unapologetic selves and integrate healing into their legacies.

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Summary Takeaway

Christina Calvi’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of truth, spiritual connection, and community. Her story challenges listeners to embrace authenticity—even when it’s messy or countercultural—and to seek healing through collective experiences. Whether sharing her writing, appearing on television, or simply being present with others, Christina’s message is clear: restoration, creativity, and courage begin by daring to be wholly oneself.

Transcript

[Christina Calvi]

I think the constant communion of, like, being with God and being with God in community was so important for writing and just for each other's healing. Teresa, who is on the island as well, quoted me. She said, at the hands of women have I always been restored.

[Narrator]

Christina Calvi is a compassionate, insight driven and transformational therapist and the founder of Legacy Heights, where she helps individuals, couples, and families navigate life's transitions and build healthier, more meaningful relationships.

[Christina Calvi]

What I hear most, I think for myself right now when I sit with God and myself, is tell the truth. And the truth is so interesting and ugly and beautiful and tragic and so many things that are, like, you know, in contention with each other. Yeah, it's so good to tell the truth and to not have any shame around.

[Promotional Voice]

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[Narrator]

living your legacy podcast.

[Promotional Voice]

For those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible has been. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan Open Chicago with the lead. You said Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream.

[Kira Brinton]

Welcome back to my season of legacy makers. I am Kira Brinton, and I'm so excited to introduce to you one of my amazing JOA authors, Christina Calvi. Christina, this is such a joy to have you here.

[Christina Calvi]

Thank you. It's absolute, like, miracle to be here, isn't it?

[Kira Brinton]

And our whole journey has been that way. So let's go back to the beginning.

[Christina Calvi]

Okay.

[Kira Brinton]

Was it August or September last year that you said yes to coming to the island?

[Christina Calvi]

I think it was September.

[Kira Brinton]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is right before. Yeah. You, like, signed up right before I did. You came to. Did you go to a webinar? Is that what happened?

[Christina Calvi]

I did. I found you on Instagram, signed up for a webinar and was immediately like, yeah, it was. It was just, like. It landed, like, such a yes for me.

[Kira Brinton]

So then you went to the island, the sacred island. Tell me about your first time going there.

[Christina Calvi]

I mean, it was just. It was just so magical, you know, I think my connection with God just gets louder on that island. And writing just like, you're just a clear channel, a clear vessel for. For this conjuring. That's really what writing is for me is conjuring. I have to be really careful to, like, not really write too much in public and do it in private because I literally, I'm, like, moving and, you know, it's like a. It's a real creative process. But that time on the island, that first time, I don't even know if I was prepared for the magnitude of the power of what it was.

[Kira Brinton]

Right.

[Christina Calvi]

I just. Yeah, you don't expect things like that, you know, you don't expect to hear God like that. And. Yeah. Just miraculous.

[Kira Brinton]

And then a month. No, for like three weeks, maybe a month before we shot Riders island, you signed up to be on the TV show, and we just shot it like three weeks ago, maybe four. How. I mean, how do we explain what it was like to shoot that TV show? How would you explain it?

[Christina Calvi]

Surreal, right? Totally surreal. Yeah. So important, though.

[Kira Brinton]

Yeah.

[Christina Calvi]

So important. I think the constant communion of, like, being with God and being with God in community was so, so important for writing and just for. For each other's healing.

[Kira Brinton]

Yeah.

[Christina Calvi]

I just. I. You know, Teresa, who was on the island, as well, quoted me, and she. And she said, at the hands of women, have I always been restored. And so that just, like, sits with me because it's. It's. It's really true. And that's really what happened. We were all restored by God and by each other.

[Kira Brinton]

Yeah.

[Christina Calvi]

On that island. And. Yeah, the TV show is just. I mean, I'm just so excited that. That it gets to like this. This message of kind of coming with God is coming together with God is out there.

[Kira Brinton]

Yeah.

[Christina Calvi]

Because I. I just don't see it anywhere.

[Kira Brinton]

No, it's like. Well, it's just not politically correct. It's like too many people are going to get offended. Some people hate the word God. Like, there's just so many things that everyone wants to please and make sure everyone feel. And it's like, that's not what we're here to do. We're not here to just make everyone feel good. We're here to disrupt with truth. And you are a disruptor. You are bringing. So you brought through a book last September on the island. We're about to get that published. You wrote a different one when we did Writer's island, you are stepping into full force with your gifts, with your authority, and with your ability to be open and vulnerable. How does that feel?

[Christina Calvi]

It feels like just that. Like a deep sigh, like a relief, like I finally. Finally existing is enough. Right. Like, I don't have to do perform. It's. You know, I feel good in my own body, and that's taken 43 years. But, I mean, it's just what I hear most. I think for myself right now when I sit with God and myself is just tell the truth. And the truth is so interesting. And ugly and beautiful and tragic and so many things that are, like, you know, in contention with each other. And it's just. It's so good to. It's so good to tell the truth and to not have any shame around it.

[Kira Brinton]

I just love you. I'm so excited, everyone. She just recorded her episode. She's got two books coming out this year. She's on Riders Island. Stay tuned because there's so much good coming to the world through Christina Calby. And until next time, my friends, I will see you on legacy makers.

[Promotional Voice]

Sam.