What does Ukraine look like beyond the headlines?

In a compelling new episode of Intent on Purpose, Ukrainian PhD, professor, and software engineer Natailia Lototska shares an authentic perspective on her homeland's history, culture, innovation, and resilience.

Laura Hansen Breksa's conversation with Nataailia explores how Ukrainians continue to build businesses, educate future generations, support communities, and preserve hope while living through ongoing conflict.

This episode provides a timely and deeply human perspective that helps international audiences better understand Ukraine beyond news coverage.

Get to know Natailia:

Nataliia Lototska is a Ukrainian PhD, university associate professor, and software engineer at an international company, successfully balancing her academic career with the global tech industry. A proud wife and mother of two, she blends her professional and scientific expertise with a deep passion for her country's heritage. She is dedicated to sharing Ukraine’s rich history, vibrant traditions, and modern innovative spirit with the world. Through this episode, she aims to give global audiences a closer look at her homeland, showcasing why Ukraine is truly "More Than War."

#IntentOnPurpose #Ukraine #Leadership #Resilience #Innovation

A few facts about Ukraine:

• Home to more than 40 million people before the full-scale invasion
• Kyiv is among Europe's oldest cities
• Approximately one-quarter of the world's black soil reserves are located in Ukraine
• The Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych wrote the original version of "Carol of the Bells"
• Ukraine has one of Eastern Europe's strongest technology sectors
• Ukrainian-founded innovations include globally used platforms such as Grammarly and GitLab
• Ukraine is recognized for advanced digital government services
• The country's history spans more than a thousand years

Most people fear conflict.

Yvette Durazo says that’s exactly why we need to learn it.

In this episode of Intent on Purpose, we unpack why conflict starts shaping us before age seven, why workplaces keep getting it wrong, and how conflict management is an essential skill.

From HR systems to power dynamics, mediation, anxiety at work, and the hidden cost of toxic culture — this conversation changes the way you think about human behavior.

Conflict isn’t the enemy.

Avoiding it badly might be.

🎧 Listen now.

Get to know Yvette:

Yvette Durazo, MA, PCC, is a workplace conflict strategist and founder of Unitive Consulting. She helps organizations navigate high-stakes conflict, leadership strain, and cultural breakdowns before they become costly or damaging. A first-generation professional, Yvette brings lived experience, mediation expertise, and her proprietary Conflict-IQ® methodology to support leaders in building trust, accountability, and resilient workplace cultures. She is the author of Conflict-IQ® and In the High Heels of a Smart Negotiator, and a longtime instructor in conflict resolution and leadership development.

#WorkplaceDrama
#LeadershipTok
#CareerGrowth
#OfficePolitics
#ConflictManagement
#HumanBehavior
#ProfessionalDevelopment
#HealthyWorkplace
#BusinessPodcast
#SelfAwareness
#TeamCulture
#DifficultConversations

• conflict resolution
• workplace conflict
• toxic workplace culture
• HR and conflict
• mediation skills
• alternative dispute resolution
• emotional intelligence

Jenny Chapman’s interview was part crochet masterclass, part comedy hour, and part heartfelt ode to creativity. From the moment she confessed that crochet was just the “100th craft” she’d picked up, Jenny’s personality unraveled faster than a badly counted stitch. What started as a calming hobby during a stressful job became a full-blown passion involving blankets, bath mats, “yarn chicken,” and enough acrylic yarn to survive the apocalypse.

Jenny spoke lovingly about learning crochet from her Grammy, who passed down both the skill and the creative spark that now fuels Jenny’s life as a teacher, theater lover, audiobook addict, and self-proclaimed “hooker” — in the crochet sense, of course. She explained how repetitive stitches can calm an overactive brain, why lockdown brought fiber arts roaring back into style, and how she once mailed handmade blankets to flight attendants who bribed her with airplane snacks.

Between stories about theater, teaching high school English, and intimidating lacework projects, Jenny’s real message was simple: make things, share them, and don’t hide what brings you joy. Whether she’s crafting blankets for graduating students, donating handmade gifts, or teaching teens to perform Antigone, Jenny stitches warmth into everything she touches — one row at a time.

More about Jenny:

Jenny has been crafting since the age of 5 and has hand made over 100 blankets as of today. She always has a craft in hand while traveling and can always recommend a great audiobook to listen to while crafting.

#ADD #ADHD. #Crochet

What if healing your trauma isn’t about finding the right method—but finding the right support for you?

In this powerful episode of Intent on Purpose, Laura Hansen Breksa sits down with somatic coach Victoria Duarte to break down the truth about trauma, anxiety, and emotional healing. Together, they explore why cookie-cutter solutions often fail, how even small childhood moments can shape your adult reactions, and what it really means to heal from the inside out.

You’ll learn how trauma lives in the body, why you might still feel triggered even when nothing is “wrong,” and how to begin creating safety, self-compassion, and real change in your life.

Whether you’ve tried therapy before, feel stuck in anxiety, or are just beginning your healing journey—this conversation will help you understand what’s really going on beneath the surface.

Get to know Victoria:

Victoria is the co-founder of Healing Arts Center, a practice built around the healing modalities that supported her business partner Mark during his military retirement. With over 15 years of experience, Victoria works as a somatic and mindfulness coach helping military families and civilians find healthy ways to manage stress and anxiety. She is deeply committed to making healing accessible to the Hampton Roads community, believing there is no one size fits all approach. She tailors every session to the individual sitting in front of her and creates a space where people feel safe enough to have honest conversations with themselves.

https://www.healingartsvb.com/

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why trauma healing is not one-size-fits-all
• How to recognize hidden trauma responses
• The difference between coaching and therapy
• Why your body—not just your mind—needs to heal
• When it’s time to seek deeper support

🎧 If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure where to start—this episode is for you.

How do you handle tantrums? What do personality types reveal about family dynamics? And what can just 90 seconds teach us about behavior?

In my conversation with parenting coach Mindy Green, we unpack it all—and you might just leave with a new mantra: keep calm and parent on.

Get to know Mindy:

Mindy Green is a Parenting and Family Communication Coach, former school social worker, and author whose work grew from her own journey of raising four children. What began as a search for better ways to support her family became a passion for helping others understand emotions, personality, and the patterns that shape relationships. Through storytelling and practical tools, Mindy guides parents to break generational cycles and build deeper connection at home. She believes that living with purpose starts with how we show up for ourselves and for the people we love.

https://mindygreencoaching.com/

#Partenting #parentingtips #tantrums #mindfulparenting #parentingcoach #familydynamics

Mindy Green believes she has the answers. This short reels reveals a lot of Mindy Green's beliefs, which she talks more of in her complete conversation on Intent on Purpose with Laura Hansen Breksa.

How Being Authentically Aligned with Your Values Brings Clarity & Momentum (And How to Find Yours)

What if the reason you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or off-track… isn’t a lack of motivation—but a lack of alignment?

In this powerful conversation, Joey Chandler breaks down how clarifying your core values can transform the way you think, act, and navigate challenges. Instead of forcing productivity or focusing on weaknesses, he shares a surprisingly simple shift that creates real momentum: starting with celebration.

You’ll learn how to identify your values, why most people get them wrong, and how to actually use them in your daily life to build confidence, clarity, and forward progress.

Top Takeaways:

• Start with celebration → it fuels energy and belief
• Your values create the thread that connects your life and decisions
• Misalignment leads to stress and stagnation—alignment creates momentum
• Keep it simple: 3 core values, including one “spark” (like fun or creativity)
• Use a daily process: Celebrate → Reflect → Set a goal → Face fears → Take action

Joey also shares a practical 3-question method to uncover your values and explains how to apply them—even on your hardest days.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, burned out, or unsure of your next step, this episode will give you a clear and actionable way forward.

Get to know Joey

Joey Chandler is the founder of Certain Growth Solutions where he helps owners and entrepreneurs grow their businesses by creating alignment between their values, goals, plans and Actions. He lives in Reno Nevada, and his 2026 resolutions include to always be training for an event and read at least one book a month.

https://www.joeychandler.net/

How can families support a child learning English when private tutoring isn't an option? In this episode of Intent on Purpose, host Laura Hansen Breksa speaks with Catherine Wilkinson, a qualified teacher with over 10 years of experience. Catherine discusses the transition from 1-on-1 tutoring to creating The Online English Teacher (OETI), a project where she develops affordable resources for young learners.

Catherine shares her philosophy of steering away from traditional textbooks in favor of play-based learning for children aged 3–8. She explains how she uses digital tools to create printable games and crafts, and why she provides free videos on YouTube to ensure English learning is available to families regardless of their financial situation.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Reframing language learning as a bonding experience between parent and child.
• Practical ways to use simple games like Tic-Tac-Toe for vocabulary building.
• Catherine’s outreach to small nonprofit refugee schools.
• Overcoming the internal fear of "failing" when you aren't a native speaker yourself.

If you found Catherine’s mission inspiring, Subscribe to Intent on Purpose for more stories of people putting time, engery and talent into what they believe!

Get to know Catherine:

Catherine is a qualified teacher, home-educating mum, and online ESL educator with 10+ years’ experience. She advocates for accessible, affordable learning, supporting families teaching English at home and mums building flexible work-from-home careers through online ESL teaching.

00:00 – Meeting Catherine Wilkinson and the start of OETI

01:19 – Transitioning from 1-on-1 tutoring to printable resources

04:10 – Managing OETI as a "one-man band" with digital tools

07:43 – The philosophy of play-based learning vs. traditional textbooks

09:40 – Using simple games like Tic-Tac-Toe to teach

12:31 – Advice for parents who are not fluent in English

16:40 – Reaching refugee schools through nonprofit outreach

22:54 – Why the only true failure is giving up on your passion

Explore Catherine’s Resources:

https://theoet.com/

#ESL #LanguageLearning #IntentOnPurpose #CatherineWilkinson #EarlyEducation