Hope Comes to Visit

Danielle Elliott Smith
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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. 11h ago

    We Need to Talk to Our Sons: What Being a “Good Man” Really Requires

    Send us Fan Mail The Cornell allegations, the men we love, and why silence isn't enough What does it actually mean to be a “good man”? In this solo episode of Hope Comes to Visit, I took a look at the allegations involving seven former Cornell fraternity members—not to determine guilt or innocence, but to ask a larger and deeply uncomfortable question: What do we expect from men when a woman around them may not be safe? For generations, women and girls have been taught how to protect themselves: watch your drink, don't walk alone, text when you get home, stay with your friends, be careful. But where is the equally persistent conversation with our sons? I wanted to talk about the why “he would never hurt a woman” cannot be the ceiling for what we expect from good men. What happens when a friend makes the degrading joke? When a woman is too intoxicated to protect herself? When something disturbing appears in a group chat? When speaking up might cost social standing? And as the mother of a son, this conversation is personal. It's important to me that my son isn't simply someone who would never harm a woman. He has been raised to be the man who notices, speaks up, intervenes when he can, refuses to participate—and becomes someone women know they can trust.   This isn't about thinking less of men. It's about expecting more from them. Because silence doesn't change culture. People do. Conversations do. Courage does.   I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today. If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know. Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters. 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

    We Need to Talk to Our Sons: What Being a “Good Man” Really Requires

  2. Sep 28

    Should. Just. I’m Sorry.: The Words That Quietly Give Our Power Away

    Send us Fan Mail Should. Just. I'm sorry. Three tiny phrases we use all the time—often without noticing what they might be saying underneath. In this solo episode of Hope Comes to Visit, I'm excited to explore the language we use with ourselves and how words like should, just, and I'm sorry can reveal comparison, self-minimizing, postponed happiness and our tendency to apologize simply for taking up space. There are also two very different versions of “just.” There's: “I'm just checking in…” And then there's: “If I can just make it to the weekend…” “If I can just lose ten pounds…” “If I can just get the job…” Then I'll be happy. But what happens when the finish line keeps moving? I also share why I do my best to replace unnecessary apologies with thank you, and the story behind a philosophy that changed the way I make decisions....an 'a-ha moment':  If it isn't a hell yeah, it's a no. This isn't about policing your language or adding another rule to your life. It's about noticing. Because maybe these words are clues to where we're still asking for permission, making ourselves smaller, or forgetting to trust our own voice. “I don't want to make today the price I pay to get to tomorrow.” 🎙️ Hope Comes to Visit with Danielle Elliott Smith Chapter Markers: [00:00] — Welcome to Hope Comes to Visit [1:33] — SHOULD: When an Idea Becomes an Obligation [4:15] — Comparison, Expectations & What YOU Actually Want [6:31] — JUST: The Word That Makes Us Smaller [7:56] — “If I Can Just…”: Stop Waiting for THEN [10:40] — What If This Part Counts Too? [11:38] — I’M SORRY: What Are We Actually Apologizing For? [12:44] — Replace “I’m Sorry” With “Thank You” [14:02] — The Story Behind “If It’s Not a Hell Yeah, It’s a No” [16:11] — What Happened When I Started Saying No [17:22] — Not Everything in Life Gets to Be a Hell Yeah [19:35] — From External Permission to Internal Authority [20:18] — The Powerful Thing Is: I Get to Decide [21:19] — Maybe These Words Are Just Clues I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today. If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know. Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters. 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

    Should. Just. I’m Sorry.: The Words That Quietly Give Our Power Away

  3. Sep 21

    From Corset to Crown: Carrie Lupoli on the Truth About Worth, Identity & the Pressure to Be Enough

    Send us Fan Mail What if the thing you're desperately trying to fix isn't actually the problem? Carrie Lupoli has spent more than 30 years helping women change their lives. She's a behavioral transformation expert, board-certified nutritionist, bestselling author, TEDx speaker and founder of Disruptive Nutrition. But after decades of doing this work, Carrie realized something: Nutrition was never the destination. It was the doorway. This conversation became deeply personal for both of us. Carrie shares the moment she overheard her young daughters talking about calories—and realized they had absorbed beliefs she never intended to teach them. I share moments from my own life: the text between my children that forced me to confront my relationship with alcohol, being put on Weight Watchers as a teenager, and the messages women absorb about our bodies, our choices and our worth. Through Carrie's From Corset to Crown framework, we explore the invisible “corsets” so many of us wear: perfectionism, people-pleasing, diet culture, sacrifice, achievement and the exhausting belief that our value must somehow be earned. We talk about why “quick fixes” aren't fixes, the difference between self-consciousness and self-awareness, why peace can feel uncomfortable when we're accustomed to chaos, and the powerful question Carrie uses to examine our choices: Is this coming from the corset—or the crown? And perhaps most importantly: What if you were never broken in the first place? This is a conversation about food and bodies—but it is also about motherhood, identity, recovery, self-trust, worth and learning to make choices from who we actually are. Because, as Carrie reminds us: “We were all born worthy.” Connect with Carrie on her site and on Instagram. Get her Book - From Corset to Crown. Learn about her Live Event - From Corset to Crown Live Chapter markersThese track the actual conversation flow: 00:00 – Hope, Worth & the Pressure to Be Enough 03:06 – Meet Carrie Lupoli 04:05 – The Pizza Conversation That Changed Everything 07:00 – What Our Children Learn by Watching Us 09:40 – Why Nutrition Was Only the Doorway 12:39 – The Myth of the “Quick Fix” 16:09 – Why the Word “Just” Matters 18:27 – When Was the Corset First Put On You? 20:02 – Danielle's Weight Watchers Story 21:23 – Motherhood, Sacrifice & Proving Our Worth 24:44 – What Do You Want—and Why? 27:43 – Carrie's Why: Stewardship vs. Sacrifice 29:34 – “We Were All Born Worthy” 31:47 – From Corset to Crown 33:23 – Danielle on Dressing From the Crown 35:14 – Is Your Choice Coming From the Corset or Crown? 37:53 – Why We Need to Pause 39:25 – When Chaos Feels Safer Than Peace 41:06 – Self-Awareness Is Health 43:23 – Carrie Defines Hope 45:05 – From Corset to Crown Live 47:24 – How Danielle & Carrie Found Each Other 49:23 – One Small Shift Can Change Your Trajectory 50:17 – Closing Thoughts I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today. If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know. Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters. 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

    From Corset to Crown: Carrie Lupoli on the Truth About Worth, Identity & the Pressure to Be Enough

  4. Sep 14

    S2 Ep 22 How You Make Them Feel: Finding Purpose Through Service with Beth Ann Riechman

    Send us Fan Mail What if one of the best ways to find more purpose in our own lives is simply to show up for someone else? Beth Ann Riechman has made showing up a way of life. After retiring from a successful career in sales, Beth Ann turned decades of experience, energy, creativity and connection into something bigger: service. Today, she volunteers throughout the St. Louis community, supporting organizations focused on women, children, education, healthcare, literacy and opportunity. And she doesn't just volunteer occasionally. Beth Ann says, “I volunteer every day. I don't ever miss a day.” In this joyful conversation, Beth Ann and I  talk about what happens when service becomes part of your identity—and how the skills we've accumulated throughout our lives can become tools for making a difference in someone else's. We explore Beth Ann's work with organizations including the Assistance League, Junior League of St. Louis, Connections to Success and Dress for Success Midwest; why helping someone feel confident can change far more than an outfit; and how Beth Ann somehow turned dressing as Barbie into another opportunity to serve. Beth Ann also shares the story behind her Pink Ribbon Good fundraiser, her passion for connecting people with volunteer opportunities that fit who they are, and why she believes there truly is a nonprofit for everyone. But beneath all of it is a much bigger conversation about purpose. As Beth Ann puts it: “All your accolades in life are never going to be on your tombstone… They're going to remember how you made them feel.” Maybe making a difference doesn't require changing the entire world. Maybe it begins with deciding to show up for one person, one organization, one community—or one moment that matters. In this episode: • Finding purpose through service • Turning career skills into community impact • Why volunteering doesn't have an age limit • Helping women build confidence through clothing and connection • Beth Ann's Barbie-inspired literacy work • The mission of Pink Ribbon Good • Finding the volunteer opportunity that fits you • Why purpose matters in every chapter of life • How Beth Ann defines hope Because sometimes hope comes to visit through the people who simply choose to show up. You can connect with Beth Ann at fashion1st@msn.com. I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today. If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know. Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters. 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

    S2 Ep 22 How You Make Them Feel: Finding Purpose Through Service with Beth Ann Riechman

  5. Jul 8

    Limited Series - There's Always a Way - Episode 5 - From Surviving to Thriving: Erin Smith on Recovery, Faith and Finding her Way Home

    Send us Fan Mail Some people find recovery by putting down alcohol. Others find recovery when they finally discover they don't have to carry life alone. My friend Erin Smith's story reminds us that while every path is different, healing almost always begins with connection. Erin's struggle began long before she was old enough to legally drink. After a devastating sports injury left her feeling like she'd lost her identity, she found herself relying on prescription medication and alcohol to numb anxiety, depression, and overwhelming emotional pain. Although she stopped using substances at just seventeen years old, she quickly realized that abstinence alone wasn't enough. She was surviving—but she wasn't truly living. In this deeply personal conversation, Erin shares how community, faith, vulnerability, and learning to ask for help transformed her life. Today, she works professionally in recovery, helping others find hope while continuing to grow in her own. Whether you're questioning your relationship with alcohol, supporting someone you love, or simply searching for hope in the middle of your own struggle, I think Erin's story will remind you that healing is possible—and that sometimes the first step is simply letting someone walk beside you. Erin wanted to make sure I shared ways to connect with her and other resources if you are struggling. StepOne Service – https://steponeservice.com/ Alcoholics Anonymous – https://www.aa.org/ 12-step fellowship information for Narcotics Anonymous – https://na.org/ For families/loved ones: https://nar-anon.org/ https://al-anon.org/ And if this conversation resonates with you, I hope you’ll continue listening to the other extraordinary guests in this limited series – Heather, Adam, and Laura. Every story is different. Every path is unique. Together, they remind us of one simple truth that has become the heartbeat of this series—and of my own life: There isn’t one right way to redefine your relationship with alcohol… but there is always a way. If any part of this conversation felt familiar… if you found yourself quietly thinking, “I’ve never said that out loud, but I’ve felt it,” I want you to know something: I see you. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure this out by yourself. That’s exactly why I created the ReDefining Sober™ app. It’s the support I wish I’d had—a compassionate, personalized space filled with daily guidance, reflections, coaching, meditations, and practical tools to help you build a healthier relationship with alcohol and, more importantly, a life that feels like yours again. Learn more at ReDefiningSober.com or download the app at studio.com/danielle. CHAPTER MARKERS00:00 Welcome to There Is Always a Way 02:15 Meet Erin Smith 04:00 Losing her identity after a sports injury 06:00 Prescription medication and addiction 10:00 Recovery begins at seventeen 12:00 Why abstinence wasn't enough 16:00 The hug that changed everything 20:00 Community, faith, and finding recovery 22:30 Heartbreak, miscarriage, and rebuilding 27:00 Learning what she deserved 30:30 What she'd tell someone questioning their drinking 33:00 Helping others professionally 39:00 Defining hope 45:00 Danielle's closing thoughts and the ReDefining Sober™ app I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today. If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know. Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters. 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

    Limited Series - There's Always a Way - Episode 5 - From Surviving to Thriving: Erin Smith on Recovery, Faith and Finding her Way Home

  6. Jul 8

    Limited Series - There's Always A Way - Episode 3 - The Life I Never Want to Lose: Adam Hamby on 10 Years of Sobriety, Family and Fighting For What Matters Most

    Send us Fan Mail One of the greatest gifts recovery has given me is the people I've met along the way—and Adam Hamby is one of those people. I've known Adam for almost as long as I've been sober, and one of the things I've admired most about him has always been the way his entire face lights up when he talks about his wife, Tina, and their daughters. His family isn't just part of his recovery—they're the life he fought to build. But it wasn't always that way. In this conversation, Adam shares how years of trauma, grief, and alcohol eventually led him to his fourth DUI and six months in jail. Sitting alone in a jail cell, he reached the moment that changed everything. Today, he's celebrating ten years of sobriety and says he has absolutely no desire to go back. We talk about grief, rock bottom, fatherhood, long-term recovery, learning to feel again, and why building a life you never want to lose becomes one of the greatest motivations to keep going. Adam's story is honest, humble, and incredibly hopeful. I know it's going to stay with you long after this episode ends. And if this conversation resonates with you, I hope you’ll continue listening to the other extraordinary guests in this limited series – Heather, Laura and Erin. Every story is different. Every path is unique. Together, they remind us of one simple truth that has become the heartbeat of this series—and of my own life: There isn’t one right way to redefine your relationship with alcohol… but there is always a way. If any part of this conversation felt familiar… if you found yourself quietly thinking, “I’ve never said that out loud, but I’ve felt it,” I want you to know something: I see you. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure this out by yourself. That’s exactly why I created the ReDefining Sober™ app. It’s the support I wish I’d had—a compassionate, personalized space filled with daily guidance, reflections, coaching, meditations, and practical tools to help you build a healthier relationship with alcohol and, more importantly, a life that feels like yours again. Learn more at ReDefiningSober.com or download the app at studio.com/danielle. CHAPTER MARKERS00:00 Welcome to There Is Always a Way 01:00 Meet Adam Hamby 02:15 When alcohol became part of everyday life 03:30 Losing his brother and drinking to numb the pain 07:15 Four DUIs and six months in jail 09:20 The moment everything changed 11:00 Walking out to the family waiting for him 13:30 Why he chose recovery 16:00 Ten years later: how he stays sober 19:45 Finding purpose beyond alcohol 22:20 Fatherhood, passion, and presence 23:15 Adam defines hope 24:45 Final advice for anyone struggling 28:30 Danielle shares the ReDefining Sober™ app I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today. If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know. Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters. 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

    Limited Series - There's Always A Way - Episode 3 - The Life I Never Want to Lose: Adam Hamby on 10 Years of Sobriety, Family and Fighting For What Matters Most

  7. Jul 8

    Limited Series - There's Always A Way - Episode 4 - The Quiet Whisper That Changed Everything: Laura Zigman on Curiosity, Wine Culture and Choosing a Different Path

    Send us Fan Mail Not every recovery story begins with rock bottom. Sometimes it begins with a quiet realization that something no longer feels right. Bestselling author Laura Zigman never considered herself someone with a drinking problem. But during the pandemic, she noticed something she couldn't ignore: even though she only drank two glasses of wine a day, she didn't like needing it. She didn't like watching the clock. She didn't like how alcohol had quietly become the center of her evenings. In this thoughtful and deeply relatable conversation, Danielle and Laura explore the subtle ways alcohol can begin occupying more space in our lives than we ever intended. They talk about curiosity instead of judgment, addiction, the culture that normalizes drinking, resilience, hope, writing, and why success—and failure—are never permanent places to live. Whether you're questioning your own relationship with alcohol or simply wondering what it means to listen to yourself more honestly, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that change doesn't always begin with a crisis. Sometimes it begins with a whisper. Connect with Laura here on her website. And we also chatted about the 'Talk Therapy' she does for writers - I invite you to check it out. Find her newest book - The Author Weekend right here (it's fabulous!) Another Laura Zigman Favorite we discussed in this episode - Separation Anxiety. Be sure to check out the other extraordinary and brave individuals - Heather, Adam and Erin - who so generously shared their stories as part of this limited series, There Is Always a Way. And I hope—truly hope—that their honesty, courage, and experiences give you, or someone you love, the hope to believe that change is possible... because there isn't one right way to redefine your relationship with alcohol, but there is always a way. If any part of this conversation felt familiar… if you found yourself quietly thinking, "I've never said that out loud, but I've felt it," I want you to know something: I see you. You're not alone, and you don't have to figure this out by yourself. That's exactly why I created the ReDefining Sober™ app. It's the support I wish I'd had—a compassionate, personalized space filled with daily guidance, reflections, coaching, meditations, and practical tools to help you build a healthier relationship with alcohol and, more importantly, a life that feels like yours again. Learn more at ReDefiningSober.com or download the app (the process takes less than 2 minutes to get you set up at studio.com/danielle.  xo, Danielle I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today. If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know. Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters. 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

    Limited Series - There's Always A Way - Episode 4 - The Quiet Whisper That Changed Everything: Laura Zigman on Curiosity, Wine Culture and Choosing a Different Path

  8. Jul 8

    Limited Series There is Always a Way - Episode 2 - Finding My Way Back: Heather King on Recovery, Relapse, and the Courage to Begin Again

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when someone with nearly sixteen years of sobriety relapses? More importantly... What happens next? In this deeply honest episode of There Is Always a Way, Danielle sits down with writer Heather King for one of the most courageous conversations in the series. Heather spent nearly sixteen years sober before a perfect storm of grief, caregiving, loss, chronic stress, and emotional exhaustion slowly led her back to alcohol. What followed wasn't just a relapse—it became a profound lesson in grace, healing, and discovering that recovery isn't about perfection. Together, Danielle and Heather explore what relapse really looks like, why shame keeps so many people silent, how recovery can evolve over time, and why no amount of sobriety is ever wasted. If you've ever believed you've gone too far...  If you've ever worried you've failed...  If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to begin again... This conversation is for you. Because relapse doesn't erase recovery. And there is always a way. Connect with Heather on her Substack. And if this conversation resonates with you, I hope you’ll continue listening to the other extraordinary guests in this limited series – Adam, Laura and Erin. Every story is different. Every path is unique. Together, they remind us of one simple truth that has become the heartbeat of this series—and of my own life: There isn’t one right way to redefine your relationship with alcohol… but there is always a way. If any part of this conversation felt familiar... if you found yourself quietly thinking, "I've never said that out loud, but I've felt it," I want you to know something: I see you. You're not alone, and you don't have to figure this out by yourself. That's exactly why I created the ReDefining Sober™ app. It's the support I wish I'd had—a compassionate, personalized space filled with daily guidance, reflections, coaching, meditations, and practical tools to help you build a healthier relationship with alcohol and, more importantly, a life that feels like yours again. Learn more at ReDefiningSober.com or download the app at studio.com/danielle.  xo, Danielle I’m so grateful you spent this time with us today. If Hope Comes to Visit has become a bright spot in your week, I’d love for you to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation resonated with you, sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or simply telling someone about the show helps more than you know. Until next time, take good care of yourself. And remember—your story matters. 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

    Limited Series There is Always a Way - Episode 2 - Finding My Way Back: Heather King on Recovery, Relapse, and the Courage to Begin Again
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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
    76
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hope Comes to Visit
  • Show Website
    Hope Comes to Visit