The Artist Within Podcast

Project Human Inc.
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

The Artist Within Podcast is a Project Human Inc. production hosted by founder Adela Hittell. The show explores creativity, storytelling, mental and emotional wellness, advocacy, faith, resilience, and the human experience of becoming. Launched in July 2024, T.A.W. began as a space to celebrate artists and creators using their stories, talents, and lived experiences to inspire others. Now in Season 2, the podcast expands into deeper conversations about self-care, community, identity, trauma-informed growth, creative healing, and peer-to-peer advocacy. Through solo reflections, guest interviews, Monthly Community Conversations, and PHInc. updates, The Artist Within invites listeners to define their own narrative, reconnect with themselves, and take practical steps toward healing, growth, and purpose. The Artist Within Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Project Human Inc. is a peer-to-peer advocacy organization. We are not medical professionals, and this podcast should not be considered medical advice. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or dial 911 for immediate assistance.

  1. Sep 8

    A Ten-Minute Brain Break Can Reset You

    Send us Fan Mail Your calendar is packed, your brain is loud, and the world keeps asking for more. So what does real self-care look like when you only have ten minutes and zero extra energy? We sit down with our Project Human community for a peer-to-peer conversation about “ceremonies of care” and why small, intentional rituals can be the difference between getting through the day and actually feeling like yourself again.  We share practical examples that are refreshingly ordinary: quiet coffee on the porch, a walk without tracking apps, a run that burns off stress, a jacuzzi bath with candles and music, skincare as a gift to your future self, or even a quick video game or nap as a true brain break. Along the way, we dig into what these rituals give us beneath the surface: nervous system regulation, a sensory reset, an outlet for frustration, and the kind of peace that makes you more patient, more grounded, and better at making decisions.  We also name the hard parts. Time pressure, family needs, productivity habits, phone noise, and limited resources can crowd out wellness routines. Guilt can be the biggest barrier of all, especially for people who have spent years being “the responsible one.” We talk about permission-based self-care: setting boundaries, saying no, asking for help, and making the appointments you keep putting off. Care does not have to be impressive, expensive, or long to be meaningful.  If you’ve been running on fumes, come take a breath with us, then pick one small act of care to try this week. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs a reset, and leave a review with the ceremony of care that helps you most. Support the show Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.  Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590 Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

  2. Sep 1

    Tonya Jackson on Vitiligo, Faith, and Moving Beyond the Mask

    Send us Fan Mail For years, Tonya Jackson felt as though two versions of her existed: the confident leader who continued showing up—and the woman underneath who felt ugly, avoided mirrors, and wanted to disappear. After a traumatic birth experience and an unexpected reaction to medication, Tonya began developing vitiligo, an autoimmune condition that causes the skin to lose pigment. When the changes reached her face, being visible became one of her greatest emotional challenges. Then she walked into a Zumba class. No one questioned her skin. No one treated her differently. They simply welcomed her into the movement. That experience did not instantly erase her insecurity, but it awakened the part of Tonya that was still willing to live, move, and be seen. Eventually, the woman who was afraid of people looking at her became “The Dance Doctor”—an instructor creating spaces where other humans could reconnect with their bodies, confidence, and joy. In this powerful Season Two conversation, Adela sits down with Tonya to explore her life as a military child, U.S. Navy veteran, pharmacist, educator, mother, fiancée, health coach, vitiligo advocate, and movement leader. Together, they reflect on: Growing up in a military family and later choosing to serveBecoming a pharmacist and leader in the U.S. NavyThe birth experience that preceded the onset of her vitiligoLiving behind what Tonya describes as “a mask that I wore—but couldn’t wear”Walking into her first Zumba class despite her fear of being seenHow movement helped reconcile the two versions of herselfCreating DRX Fitness and prescribing dance for total well-beingFaith, gratitude, family, and finding purpose in difficult experiencesAcknowledging when we need help and finding the courage to askTonya’s story reminds us that healing does not always begin when fear disappears. Sometimes it begins the moment we decide to enter the room while fear is still present. Follow Tonya Jackson, The Dance Doctor: Instagram: @dancedoctor.drx Facebook: Dance Doctor Tonya Jackson Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, share this with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Support the show Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.  Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590 Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

  3. Aug 25

    The Empathic Mirror: Turning Sensitivity into Story and Resilience with Claire Louise Huder

    Send us Fan Mail A dream can break, a plan can evaporate, and you still have to wake up and decide who you are. That is the heartbeat of this conversation with returning guest Claire Louise Huder, an actor, writer, director, producer, and founder of Cinder Pictures LLC. We talk about resilience as something you build through real responsibility, real setbacks, and the choice to keep coming back. Claire shares what changed since her earlier appearances: a stronger foundation, a clearer identity in Florida’s film community, and more trust in her own voice. We also get specific about the creative process and why it mirrors mental health. Claire walks through the hard parts of independent filmmaking, from a first production where the location fell through to the different challenges of pre-production, production, and post-production. We connect those lessons to everyday emotional health: planning, communicating clearly, taking constructive feedback, and staying accountable when your excitement or frustration spikes. If you care about personal growth, creative entrepreneurship, filmmaking, or healing through art, you will hear how those worlds reinforce each other. Then we go deeper into empathy, sensitivity, and boundaries. What does it mean when someone tells you “you make people feel” and why does that scare them? How do you protect your limited energy, stop giving without reciprocity, and set non-negotiables that keep you stable? We close with Runway To Resilience, our butterfly-themed fashion fundraiser supporting suicide prevention and community healing, plus how to grab tickets and use the model discount code. Subscribe, share this with someone building their own resilience, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Support the show Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.  Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590 Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

  4. Aug 18

    Meg Pettus: Life Is Too Dang Short To Match Your Socks

    Send us Fan Mail Fashion can be a mirror, a mask, or a lifeline. We’re taking the lifeline route, and we’re inviting you into the story behind Runway to Resilience, our September 19 fashion and art fundraiser for Project Human in Jacksonville. The whole point is simple and hard at the same time: celebrate resilience without pretending the hard parts never happened, and use art to bridge the gaps where humans need it most. Designer and metal vocalist Meg Pettus, the self-trained force behind Manic Quarantine Designs, joins us to talk about how quarantine mania pushed her to pick up a needle, upcycle thrifted clothes, and build real skills that helped her regulate intense emotional seasons. We also go deeper than sewing machines and fabric. Meg shares what it took to navigate an abusive upbringing, homelessness, and the long process of reconnecting with her dad, plus what healthy support and boundaries look like when you are actively breaking cycles. We get into plus-size fashion, why women’s sizing is still wildly inconsistent, and how fast fashion fuels textile waste and body shame at the same time. Meg explains her conviction that the fashion industry should treat the human body like a human body, not a number, and she previews her runway piece built from thrifted materials with a garden fountain and butterfly-inspired vision. If you believe art can be a form of mental health care and community care, you’ll feel at home here. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a little grace, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. Support the show Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.  Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590 Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

  5. Aug 11

    Kali Farnsworth: If It’s Going to Hurt Anyway, Let It Hurt Doing Something I Love

    Send us Fan Mail Pain can steal more than movement. It can steal your plan, your confidence, and the version of you that felt unstoppable. Today we sit down with Kali Farnsworth, a 16-year-old athlete and early college student, to talk about what happens when chronic knee pain and repeated sports injuries force you to rethink everything you thought your future would look like. Kali shares her real timeline: tearing her MCL at 11, living on crutches, pushing through physical therapy, and later facing a torn meniscus that led to surgery and a long recovery. We get honest about the parts people don’t always see: the anger, the embarrassment of breaking down in public, the mental battle of returning to cheer as a flyer, and the exhaustion of being told “you look fine” when you’re not. If you’ve ever searched for answers around teen sports injury recovery, hypermobility, or invisible pain, you’ll hear language for what you’ve been carrying. What makes this conversation hit is her perspective on resilience. Kali doesn’t deny the risk or the fear, but she refuses to let pain be the only author of her life. We also talk about the power of a support system, from best friends who show up in the hallway to family and faith community that adjusts so she can still lead. By the end, we land on a simple truth: labels don’t get to name you, you do. If this helped you, subscribe to Artists Within, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. Support the show Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.  Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590 Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

  6. Jul 30

    You Can Choose How You Wear Your Identities

    Send us Fan Mail This month's Community Conversation explores the identities we carry throughout life—the parent, caregiver, leader, survivor, peacemaker, employee, friend, and countless others. Together, we reflect on how these "hats" shape our thoughts, responsibilities, and relationships, while asking an important question: At what point do the roles we wear stop serving us? Through honest stories and thoughtful discussion, we examine the beliefs attached to our identities, the expectations we place on ourselves, and the freedom that comes from recognizing we are more than any single role we play. This conversation is an invitation to pause, reflect, and remember that while life may hand us many hats, we still have the power to choose how we wear them—and whether they still belong in our story. Support the show Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.  Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590 Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

  7. Jun 30

    Men’s Health Is More Than a Checklist: Body, Mind, Stress & Peace

    Send us Fan Mail Men’s health isn’t just a number on a scale or a clean lab report, and we wanted a conversation that treats it like the full-body, full-life reality it is. We sit down with our community and hear honest stories of turning points that force clarity: a shoulder replacement that changes everything, a heart attack at 32 that reshapes priorities overnight, and a prediabetes warning that becomes a catalyst for real lifestyle change. What keeps coming up is that “health” has to include the mind, the heart, and the relationships we lean on, not just the body we see in the mirror. We talk about movement in a way that’s actually sustainable, because the best men’s fitness plan is the one you enjoy. Cycling, basketball, hiking, walking with headphones, and strength training all show up as powerful outlets that support both physical health and mental health. Then we get practical about recovery: sleep, shift work, and the bedtime routines that help you stop fighting your own nervous system. We share real sleep hygiene tactics, from cutting blue light to using boring, repetitive activities to help the brain finally power down. The most important thread is stress and the pressure many men feel to act like they’re always fine. We name the “fixer” role, the ego traps, the loneliness that can creep in as circles get smaller, and what it looks like to cope in healthier ways through music, prayer, meditation, and getting outside to reset. If you’ve been trying to power through silently, this conversation offers a different kind of strength: putting yourself back in the pecking order, staying connected, and taking one next step toward balance. If this resonates, subscribe so you don’t miss next month’s community conversation, share this with someone who needs a more human approach to men’s health, and leave a review with the one habit that brings you back to peace. Support the show Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.  Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590 Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

  8. Jun 9

    Women Protect Their Health When They Stop Pushing Through

    Send us Fan Mail Your body isn’t being dramatic, it’s sending data. We sit down for a candid monthly community conversation on women’s health, and we start where most of us actually live: doing everything for everyone else, running on low sleep, and telling ourselves we’ll deal with it later. We connect the emotional side of women’s health to the physical reality, including why chronic stress shows up as fatigue, inflammation, digestive issues, and brain fog. From there, we get specific about the risks women often underestimate, especially heart disease and stroke. We talk about how women’s symptoms can look different than the “classic” signs, and we share the BE FAST acronym (balance, eyes, face, arm, speech, time) so you can act fast when something feels off. We also zoom out to the long arc of a woman’s life: postpartum shifts, perimenopause, menopause, and aging. Along the way, we share practical tools that build real-world power, like journaling to track patterns, creating ceremonies of care that protect your sleep, and self-advocacy that doesn’t apologize. One of our favorite takeaways is simple: interview your doctor the way you’d interview any professional who affects your life. If you’ve ever felt dismissed, overwhelmed, or unsure what to do next, this conversation gives you language, perspective, and a starting point. Subscribe, share this with a woman you care about, and leave a review with the health topic you want us to tackle next. Support the show Listen, follow, subscribe, and share! Join us in spreading the message of creativity and empowerment. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more inspiring content.  Website: https://www.phinc-ing.org/taw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/projecthumanincphinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taw_theartistwithin_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552201342590 Disclaimer: “The Artist Within Podcast” is for educational and informational purposes only. We are not medical professionals, and the content should not be considered medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The Artist Within Podcast is a Project Human Inc. production hosted by founder Adela Hittell. The show explores creativity, storytelling, mental and emotional wellness, advocacy, faith, resilience, and the human experience of becoming. Launched in July 2024, T.A.W. began as a space to celebrate artists and creators using their stories, talents, and lived experiences to inspire others. Now in Season 2, the podcast expands into deeper conversations about self-care, community, identity, trauma-informed growth, creative healing, and peer-to-peer advocacy. Through solo reflections, guest interviews, Monthly Community Conversations, and PHInc. updates, The Artist Within invites listeners to define their own narrative, reconnect with themselves, and take practical steps toward healing, growth, and purpose. The Artist Within Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Project Human Inc. is a peer-to-peer advocacy organization. We are not medical professionals, and this podcast should not be considered medical advice. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or dial 911 for immediate assistance.

Information

  • Creator
    Project Human Inc.
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Project Human Inc. (PHInc.)
  • Show Website
    The Artist Within Podcast