The WOMAN Podcast

Hosted by Jill Stalnaker
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement

The WOMAN Podcast is for you, woman, to share your experience, strength, and hope with the rest of us. Your story matters. Yes, yours. The world has come a long way for us, but we've still got a long way to go. I'm Jill, your host, and I hope you'll join me in improving the world for women one courageous conversation at a time. Like, subscribe, share, and comment.  Your voice matters.

  1. 5d ago

    CANDI - The Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law of 2026

    Justice does not bring those lost back to life. But it does hold those responsible for horrific crimes accountable, and hopefully acts as a deterrent for potential perpetrators of those crimes.     But prior to the Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law of 2026, coercive suicide was not a crime.     After grooming Grace Anne Sparks online from the age of 12 to 19, Hayden Jennings Berkebile strategically and methodically coerced her to commit suicide. Berkebile was convicted of criminally negligent homicide, and sentenced to just 2 years, only serving a small portion of that time.  He was released just months after his conviction.   This episode’s guest, Grace Anne’s mother, Candi, could have let the loss of her precious baby girl, and the immense sense of a lack of justice, destroy her.  But she didn’t.   Instead, she channeled the same fiery spirit that lived in Grace Anne, transforming her pain into purpose and her grief into justice by sharing her story and advocating for a new law - one that will help protect future generations of girls and spare other mothers from enduring the same unimaginable tragedy.     Tomorrow, July 1st, 2026, coercive suicide becomes a Class D felony offense in the state of Tennessee punishable by up to 12 years in prison.     Thank you to Tennessee State Representative Ryan Williams and Tennessee State Senator Paul Bailey for partnering with Candi to lead this bill to unanimous passage in both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly.   Please share this episode with every parent you know.    Thank you, Candi, for having the courage to talk about this incredibly difficult part of your life.  Grace Anne’s story and legacy is sure to save lives.   Links: Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law of 2026 https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=HB1951&ga=114   Kids Online Safety Act https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/about/issues/kids-online-safety-act   Kids Off Social Media Act https://www.schatz.senate.gov/kosma    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572964925750   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_podcast/

    1h 15m

  2. Jun 2

    LAURIN - When Women Lead

    When Laurin ran for Cookeville, TN City Council she was balancing a career, marriage, and motherhood to two young children. She saw opportunities to serve her community and chose to step forward. Her children were just 2 and 3 years old.   Despite having no previous political experience, she was elected Vice Mayor during her first term and Mayor during her second.   Our conversation explores how womanhood and motherhood can shape the way women lead - fostering empathy, resilience, collaboration, and a deep investment in the future. Laurin shares her journey from an engaged citizen to city leader and offers insight into the unique strengths and perspectives women bring to public service. As she concludes her final term as Mayor and the next election approaches, she reflects on the lessons learned through years of service to her community and her passion for encouraging more women to step confidently into leadership.   Join us for this inspiring conversation about leadership, community, family, and the impact women can have when they answer the call to serve. And I highly recommend passing this episode along to the next generation of women!   Because when women lead, communities gain a more balanced voice in the conversations that shape their future.     Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572964925750   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_podcast/

    1h 4m

  3. May 5

    BETH - Conquering Clutter One Decision at a Time

    Do you ever get stuck in analysis paralysis? Does deciding what to keep and what to let go of completely stress you out? Same. In this episode, my guest Beth shares practical, doable tips that will actually help you tackle the spaces you’ve been avoiding. Because clutter isn’t just stuff - it’s postponed decisions. Read that again: clutter is postponed decisions. And listen… sometimes that junk drawer is an act of self-preservation. We need a place to delay decisions. But eventually, it catches up to us. The clutter builds, the overwhelm creeps in, and suddenly it’s affecting how we function and how we feel. Whether you love a super simple space like I do, or you’re more comfortable with a full, lived-in home, this isn’t about doing it “right.” It’s about learning how to make decisions that work for you.   Check out these great tips from Beth's blog! https://www.conqueringclutter.net/blog    WOMAN Socials: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572964925750 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_podcast/

    1h 33m

  4. Apr 7

    LINDA & DEANNA - A Safe Haven Can Change Everything for a Woman

    A home can be a haven. A community can be a haven. Even a person can feel like a haven. A haven is a place of safety, rest, and protection—things many incarcerated women have rarely, if ever, experienced. In this episode, Linda and Deanna share how a 12-month sober living program creates that kind of safe haven for women transitioning out of jail. It offers more than a place to stay—it provides a true home where women can rest, heal, and begin again. Throughout their journey, Linda and her team walk alongside each woman as she slowly and steadily rebuilds her life. They address the often-overlooked barriers that can keep women stuck—things like court fees, fines, and the inability to regain a driver’s license. They also equip women with practical tools like budgeting and life skills that lay the foundation for long-term independence. But beyond all of that, they offer something even more powerful: community. Connection. Sisterhood. Because real healing doesn’t happen alone—and every woman deserves a safe place to start again. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572964925750 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_podcast/ www.safehavenuc.org Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge: https://a.co/d/0bUrxqma Experiencing God by Henry and Richard Blackaby: https://a.co/d/0bUrxqma

    1h 48m

  5. Mar 24

    MORGAN - Bringing Street Ministry to Rural Tennessee, and a Shoutout to "The Purple Shirt People"

    Is it enabling to give someone clean needles to shoot up?  Is the best way to find God always in church?  Is the man or woman begging on the street corner lazy?  Is addiction a moral failure?   Morgan and I confront these questions head on in today’s powerful conversation about what it really means to meet someone where they’re at.  But that begs the question - Where ARE they?  Where are the addicts in rural Tennessee? There is a unique stigma surrounding addiction in rural communities.  Especially in the Bible belt.  There’s a lot of pushback to harm reduction, medically assisted treatment, and using anything but faith in Jesus to recover from addiction. If reading that makes you uncomfortable, good!  As Morgan told me during our conversation, we need to “get comfortable being uncomfortable.”  And spoiler alert - Morgan is on fire for God.  She’s not here to challenge your faith, but rather the actions that follow it. But do get comfortable while you listen to this episode.  It’s one you don’t want to miss. The Purple Shirt People: https://www.voicesofhopemaryland.org/ WOMAN Socials: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572964925750 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_podcast/

    1h 38m

  6. Feb 21

    TARA - Thinking In and Outside the Systems That Shape Women

    In this episode my guest and longtime friend, Tara, and I explore the narrative many women know too well - long marriage, children, financial dependence, and the ground shifting beneath us through divorce.    Now a marriage and family counselor, Tara regularly gets an up-close look at the systems that surround families and how, for our purposes, they affect women - systems like the church, the family system, the legal system, and the broader system of culture and community.     These systems are powerful. They can change a crisis into a transition, despair into hope, and a barrier into an opportunity.    After listening to this episode, you might wonder how the systems around you have affected your life.  Personally, I think many of the systems surrounding me need improvement.  One of the ways I’m setting out to do just that is through this podcast.     If after listening to this episode you feel empowered to confront or support the systems around you that are or are not working, send it to another woman you care about.  Women will change the world for women.   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572964925750   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_podcast/

    1h 20m

  7. Feb 13

    TINA & MELODY - Navigating Our Rock Bottom Moments

    In this episode with Tina and Melody we explore the often-unseen work of hospital navigators — the people who help patients struggling with alcohol or drug addiction navigate complex healthcare systems with clarity, support, and most importantly, dignity. That moment of crisis is often a rock bottom moment - which in the world of addiction, is actually one of the most transformative moments of a person’s life.  It’s critical they be met with care and compassion.  So what better person to help them navigate next steps than someone who has been exactly where they are?   In this conversation, Tina and Melody share their personal experiences of how they navigated through their own rock moments, and how those moments changed the course of their lives forever. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572964925750   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_podcast/

    53 min

  8. Jan 27

    SHERRI - What You Think and How You Feel Is Important and Deserves a Voice

    At 19, Sherri was homeless with two young children, and over the next several years, she experienced what far too many women do - abuse.  Physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, and mental abuse became her norm.  How does a woman escape this nightmare?  How does she find it within herself to believe this does not have to be her life?  She can start by telling herself what Sherri’s friend told her:   “What I think and how I feel is important and deserves a voice.”   In this episode, Sherri and I have a raw, honest conversation about broken systems and broken people, and how women can find hope, healing, and the life of their dreams simply by finding their own voice.   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572964925750 Join our Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2030235170875841

    1h 16m
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About

The WOMAN Podcast is for you, woman, to share your experience, strength, and hope with the rest of us. Your story matters. Yes, yours. The world has come a long way for us, but we've still got a long way to go. I'm Jill, your host, and I hope you'll join me in improving the world for women one courageous conversation at a time. Like, subscribe, share, and comment.  Your voice matters.

Information

  • Creator
    Hosted by Jill Stalnaker
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The WOMAN Podcast