Hope Comes to Visit

Danielle Elliott Smith
  • 5.0 (9)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

Hope Comes to Visit is a soulful podcast that holds space for real stories, honest conversations, and the kind of moments that remind us we’re never alone. Hosted by author, speaker, and former TV journalist-turned-storyteller Danielle Elliott Smith, the show explores the full spectrum of the human experience — from the tender to the triumphant. Through powerful interviews and reflective storytelling, each episode offers light, connection, and presence for anyone navigating the in-between. Whether you’re grieving, growing, beginning again, or simply craving something real, Hope Comes to Visit will meet you right where you are — with warmth, grace, and the quiet belief that even in the dark, transformation can take root. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light, reflection, and hope.

  1. Ann Imig on Rewiring Your Brain for Hope, Burnout Recovery & Mental Fitness

    5D AGO

    Ann Imig on Rewiring Your Brain for Hope, Burnout Recovery & Mental Fitness

    Send a text What if hope isn’t a feeling… but a skill? This week on Hope Comes to Visit, I’m joined by my longtime friend Ann Imig — MSW, certified coach, and founder of the storytelling phenomenon Listen to Your Mother. Fifteen years after giving motherhood a microphone on stages across North America, Ann now helps burnt-out women retrain their brains for clarity, calm, and joy. We talk about: Why your stress brain dominates your decisionsHow to literally rewire your brain for hopeThe myth of “I’ll be happy when…”Achievement addiction and burnoutWhy curiosity is the antidote to anxietyHow 10-second sensory practices can change your dayStaying sober, staying open, staying a learnerAnn explains that hope doesn’t require you to feel hopeful first. You can take hopeful action — and the feeling will follow. This conversation is practical, grounding, and incredibly timely. Especially if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of what comes next. ✨ Connect with Ann at listenlifecoaching.com ✨ Take the saboteur assessment at positiveintelligence.com If this episode resonates, please share it with someone you love and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

    37 min
  2. Learning to Love What You Don’t Like | Oneika Mays on Mindfulness, Rikers Island & Radical Loving Kindness

    FEB 16

    Learning to Love What You Don’t Like | Oneika Mays on Mindfulness, Rikers Island & Radical Loving Kindness

    Send a text What if you don’t have to like someone to love them? In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, I was honored to sit down down with mindfulness coach, yoga teacher, and master storyteller Oneika Mays to explore what it means to practice loving kindness in the hardest places — including Rikers Island and how these experiences inspired her new book: Sit with Me: A No BS Journey to Mindfulness & Meditation. Oneika spent years teaching meditation and yoga inside one of the most notorious jails in the country. What she discovered there reshaped her understanding of agency, boundaries, spirituality, and hope. Together, we discuss: Why mindfulness belongs in places we overlookThe radical power of choice in environments with no agencyLoving people you disagree withLeaving work that no longer aligns with your bodyGrief, hope, and the moment Onika’s father diedWriting through rejection (15 no’s before a yes)And why loving yourself is the first act of activismOnieka’s new book Sit With Me is part memoir, part field guide, and part meditation on meta — the Buddhist practice of loving kindness. It’s a deeply human invitation to embrace the messy, clunky parts of ourselves. This episode is a reminder that hope doesn’t require perfection. It requires presence. ✨ Connect with Oneika:  Instagram: @OneikaMays Substack: Oneika Mays If this episode moved you, share it with someone you love — and leave a review. It means more than you know. Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

    31 min
  3. Pancakes for Roger: Love, Service, and the Lessons Our Parents Leave Us — with Susan L. Combs

    FEB 2

    Pancakes for Roger: Love, Service, and the Lessons Our Parents Leave Us — with Susan L. Combs

    Send a text Season 2, Episode 5 A Missouri girl in a New York world on founding Combs & Company, honoring her father’s legacy, and why hope is the only thing greater than fear. This week I’m joined by Susan L. Combs—president of Combs & Company, bestselling author, and daughter of Major General Roger E. Combs. We talk about the moment “Pancakes for Roger” was born, the quiet heroism of caregivers, what the military gave her family (and took), and how a single story can ripple into grants, breakfasts, and thousands of tiny acts of hope every February. What we get into: The kitchen-table moment that sparked Pancakes for RogerHow Susan turned grief into a living legacy (and a nonprofit)Mentorship, “slaying dragons,” and finding the lesson in the hard thingCaregiving, oxygen levels, and the strange quiet after lossVeterans, VA claims, and why tiny actions scale changeWhat hope sounds like when you say someone’s name—again and againAbout Susan: Susan L. Combs is the president of Combs & Company, a full-service insurance brokerage in NYC. She launched the Pancakes for Roger book and foundation to honor her father, Major General Roger E. Combs (USMC/Army/Air Force). Every February, thousands post pancake photos to raise funds for veterans’ legal aid and home grants. Missouri roots, New York hustle, heart-first leadership. Links & ways to support: Pancakes for Roger: share your pancake pic + tag @pancakesforroger (feed posts > stories)Donate: pancakesforroger.org (button : Combs & Company -for her day-job brillianceSusan on LinkedIn Call to action: Have pancakes this month. Tag your post. Say Roger’s name out loud. Then share this episode with one person who needs a little light. Chapters  00:00 Intro 02:00 Meet Susan + her dad, Major General Roger E. Combs 07:00 “Pancakes for breakfast” — the spark 12:30 From post to movement to nonprofit 18:20 What the military gave (and cost) 24:50 Mentorship: finding the lesson + slaying dragons 31:30 Hope, grief, and saying the name 39:30 How to join Pancake Month 45:00 What Susan’s building next Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

    54 min
  4. Laugh, Cry, Cuss, Evolve: Practical Hope for Divorce with Jessica Ashley

    JAN 26

    Laugh, Cry, Cuss, Evolve: Practical Hope for Divorce with Jessica Ashley

    Send a text This week on Hope Comes to Visit, I’m joined by my long-time friend Jessica Ashley—the Divorce Coach for Moms (CDC Certified Divorce Coach®), award-winning writer, and pink-haired powerhouse helping women move through divorce with clarity, community, and yes… a little cussing. We talk about identity, grief that resurfaces in tiny moments, and how to be “amicable” with yourself when co-parenting isn’t collaborative. I have so many favorite moments from this episode - but Jessica helps women move through divorce with grace, creativity, and community. We talk about what it means to put yourself at the center of your life, how to communicate with kids and exes, and why tiny, steady steps matter more than grand gestures. We cover The moment Jessica knew divorce coaching was her calling (“like a bolt of lightning”)The 3 buckets of her coaching: logistics, communication strategy, identityWhy “there’s no such thing as a broken marriage—only an evolving one”Being targeted online for empowering women (and why that’s threatening)Practical ways to feel less alone in the loud/quiet chaos of divorceConnect with Jessica Website: https://divorcecoachformoms.comInstagram: @divorcecoachformomsTikTok: @divorcecoachformomsIf this helped, please leave a review and share it with one friend who needs a little light. 💙 Chapters 00:00 Cold open — “Laugh, cry, cuss—it’s all OK here.” 00:30 Welcome + who Jessica is 02:00 The post that changed everything 04:20 “Bolt of lightning”—how coaching chose her 06:45 The 3 buckets: logistics, comms, identity 09:58 Grief that resurfaces in tiny moments 12:40 Empowering women online (and the backlash) 16:20 “Not broken—evolving” co-parenting reality check 20:30 First steps when you’re overwhelmed 23:40 How Jessica defines hope 26:20 Books + what’s next Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

    36 min
  5. When Love Stay: Showing Up for your Partner Without Losing Yourself with Tina Hamby S2 EP3

    JAN 19

    When Love Stay: Showing Up for your Partner Without Losing Yourself with Tina Hamby S2 EP3

    Send a text Season 2, Episode 3 What does it look like to love someone through addiction—without losing yourself? My dear friend Tina Hamby shares the messy middle of her marriage: the years her husband Adam was drinking, the boundaries that kept her safe, the moment everything changed, and the daily practices that keep their extraordinary family grounded now. We talk faith, community, parenting through guilt, and why “nothing changes if nothing changes.” Listen for:  • The difference between fixing and loving  • Boundaries that protect you (and your relationship)  • Finding your recovery “thing” ( prayer, movement, community, AA)  • Talking with kids—and letting hope grow at home Show notes  00:00 Cold open: “It’s okay not to be okay…”  01:20 Meet Tina & why this conversation matters  03:30 The love story (and the first red flags)  05:55 “Unpredictable weather”: what living with addiction felt like  08:40 Trying to lead by example—and why it backfired  12:10 Triggers, safety, and setting real boundaries  17:20 The turning point: prayer, “Chainbreaker,” and choosing life  20:30 Early sobriety at home: money, peace, presence  24:00 Parenting through guilt; making room for both gratitude and ache  28:10 What she’d do differently; therapy for the partner  31:00 “Find your thing”: AA, faith, movement, community (Kava)  35:15 The boundary that held: love and consequences 40:10 From storm to rainbow: family now 44:10 Tina’s message to partners who want to stay 45:30 Hope, defined Special Guest: Tina Marie Hamby — IG/FB: @TinaHambyMUA (hair/makeup & wedding officiant) Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

    50 min
  6. From Marriage to Team: Our Co-Parenting Playbook with my ex-Husband Jeff Smith

    JAN 12

    From Marriage to Team: Our Co-Parenting Playbook with my ex-Husband Jeff Smith

    Send a text When the marriage ends but the season isn’t over, what does it look like to stay on the same team? In this candid conversation, I sit down with my ex-husband (and friend) Jeff Smith to share the co-parenting playbook that’s worked for us: kids-first decisions, private huddles + public alignment, respect over ego, and informed support through recovery. No trick plays—just fundamentals we run every day. Today’s game plan Kids-First Offense: decisions that put the children on the scoreboard, not our egosThe Huddle Rule: disagree in private, align in front of the kidsSupport in Recovery: why addiction isn’t a decision—and what real support sounds likeForgiveness = Fitness: how letting go brings you peace (and better play)Launching the Rookies: why we pushed for out-of-state schools and independenceChapters 00:00 Why this conversation now 01:04 What made co-parenting work 06:02 Supporting sobriety (for real) 10:46 Pride, growth, modeling for our kids 12:10 Advice for families walking with addiction 16:47 Forgiveness that brings peace 24:41 Our top co-parenting rules 30:27 Launching kids far from home 33:21 Choosing happiness & team mentality 35:34 Don’t bad-mouth the other parent 36:48 Jeff’s definition of hope 37:30 Close Links & resources mentioned Atomic Habits — James Clear Elizabeth Vargas, Between Breaths (for loved ones of someone struggling with addiction) Connect with Jeff - LinkedIn Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

    39 min
  7. Season 2 - Light, Audacity, and Showing Up- My Word (and Work) for 2026

    JAN 5

    Season 2 - Light, Audacity, and Showing Up- My Word (and Work) for 2026

    Send a text This year, my word of the year is Audacity—not the loud kind, the tender kind that says: I’m still here, and I’m going to live like it. If you are here right now and/or planning to press play today, thank you. You’ve taken a chance on me—and on this new season. I’m choosing Audacity for its tiny brave steps, presence over perfection, and hope that shows up. Season 2 starts officially starts here. Season one left us with FORTY-THREE episodes of hope and I am damn proud of that.  Here and now, I have the AUDACITY to believe there are more extraordinary and epic, challenging and beautiful, inspired AND inspiring stories of hope yet to be shared and life that is worth showing up for. So, in this first episode, I share my word of the year—Audacity—and why I'm choosing the tender, steady kind of bold: showing up, taking tiny consistent action, and letting hope light the way....as well as the AUDACITY framework that is lighting and igniting my path for 2026, as well as lessons from sobriety and, of course, a loving nudge to pick YOUR word for 2026. Mentioned in the podcast: Atomic Habits by James Clear and Hell Yeah or No by Derek Sivers  xo, Danielle Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

    25 min

  8. 12/29/2025

    When the Paint Chips: Finding Light After Unthinkable Loss with Theo Boyd

    Send a text Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of traumatic loss, suicide, and grief. In this final Hope Comes to Visit episode of 2025, I sit down with award-winning Texas author, grief educator, and podcaster Theo Boyd. Every story has a turning point and she joins me to talk about hers...including her new USA TODAY bestselling book Hope All the Way—and the life behind it. Theo shares the day everything changed: her mother’s tragic death in a farm accident, the unraveling of her marriage, the sudden loss of her counselor, and—three years later—her father’s suicide. Through it all, Theo kept writing, first in private journals, then in two books: My Grief Is Not Like Yours and now Hope All the Way. We talk about the “black paint” of early grief and the tiny chips of light that follow. Theo opens up about the signs that kept showing up (from song lyrics to butterflies), the in-depth grief study she commissioned to ground the conversation in data, and why so many grievers simply want to be heard. She offers gentle practices—honor where you are, open your eyes to what helps, permit yourself to do less, and remember to enjoy what’s still here. If you’re on the tar-side of grief or walking with someone who is, this conversation is both a steady hand and a soft place to land. Guest: thinktheo.com You can connect with Theo at info@thinktheo.com  Books: Hope All the Way; My Grief Is Not Like Yours (both also on Audible, narrated by Theo) Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit

    36 min
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About

Hope Comes to Visit is a soulful podcast that holds space for real stories, honest conversations, and the kind of moments that remind us we’re never alone. Hosted by author, speaker, and former TV journalist-turned-storyteller Danielle Elliott Smith, the show explores the full spectrum of the human experience — from the tender to the triumphant. Through powerful interviews and reflective storytelling, each episode offers light, connection, and presence for anyone navigating the in-between. Whether you’re grieving, growing, beginning again, or simply craving something real, Hope Comes to Visit will meet you right where you are — with warmth, grace, and the quiet belief that even in the dark, transformation can take root. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light, reflection, and hope.

Information

  • Creator
    Danielle Elliott Smith
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hope Comes to Visit
  • Show Website
    Hope Comes to Visit