Chocolate and Coffee Break

Andrea Putting
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A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection. Each episode invites you into real, unscripted conversations over chocolate and coffee — simple rituals with the power to disarm, disarmour, and deeply connect. Here, we don’t just talk about change — we live it. We bring together people from different walks of life to share their stories, their hopes, and sometimes, their hardest truths. What will you get out of it? Perspective. Courage. Humanity. A spark of hope that maybe — just maybe — the world isn’t as divided as we think. This is your invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and discover the extraordinary in everyday people. Because when we make space for the conversations that matter, love doesn’t just whisper — it roars. So grab a cuppa. Break the chocolate. And stay for the conversation that might just change your day — or your life.

  1. 2d ago

    Coming Home from War Was Only the Beginning _ Jerry Clark

    What does it really mean to come home from war? Jerry Clark returned from Vietnam in 1967 after thirteen months of service. The Marines had given him a place to belong, opportunities to lead and a growing sense that he mattered. But some of the ways of operating that had served him well in military life did not translate easily into being a husband and father. Jerry speaks candidly about treating his sons like Marine recruits, wanting to be in control, and eventually being confronted by people who helped him see how his behaviour affected those closest to him. He also shares what happened as those relationships changed, including the very different relationship he now has with his sons. More than twenty years after returning from Vietnam, Jerry experienced another kind of homecoming. Walking in a Houston parade in 1988, he heard people calling out their appreciation and welcoming the veterans home. He remembers crying for much of the two-mile walk. Through Jerry's story, our conversation opens a larger human question: How do we help another person know that they matter? Today, Jerry works with people experiencing emotional suffering and has spent years supporting fellow veterans. He explains why, when someone is struggling with whether they matter, he doesn't try to convince them. Instead, he uses gently curious questions and gives them the space to hear their own voice. A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection.

  2. Sep 10

    How Much Do We Change to Belong_ _ Anna Osherov

    How much do we change about ourselves in order to belong? For Anna Osherov, that question runs through a life shaped by different countries, languages, cultures and identities. Born in Kharkiv when Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union, Anna came to Australia with her family on a humanitarian refugee visa as a child. She arrived without English and quickly discovered how important language, friendship and fitting in could become. Anna talks about pushing aside the things that made her different, refusing to speak Russian until she was fourteen, and a Grade Five diary containing a single entry titled “Anna’s Road to Popularity.” She describes assimilation as something that once felt necessary: “If you’re going to survive in this world, you have to fit in.” But identity does not always stay neatly where we put it. In our conversation, Anna shares what it means to carry Ukrainian, Russian-speaking, Jewish and Australian parts of herself, and how events in the world have complicated identities that are deeply personal. She also speaks about being told by people that they did not believe she was born in the USSR or that she was Jewish, and about experiencing fear around revealing her Jewish identity in a way she had never experienced before. This is a conversation about belonging, assimilation, identity and the parts of ourselves that may become quieter when we are trying to find our place. How much do we change to belong? And how much of another person’s story might we never see unless we take the time to listen? Pour yourself a cuppa, grab your favourite chocolate and join the conversation. A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection.

  3. Sep 3

    What a Civil War Teaches a Little Girl About Safety _ Meybell Cristina

    For Meybell Cristina, childhood in El Salvador meant learning rules designed to keep her safe: keep your head down, don’t make eye contact, don’t talk to strangers, and know where to hide when danger comes. Then, at ten years old, she arrived in Australia — a place where children could play outside, make new friends and move through the world with a freedom she had never known. But what happens to the things we learn to survive when the danger is no longer there? In this conversation, Meybell and Andrea explore what we carry with us from the worlds that shaped us. They talk about the courage it took for her parents to begin again, why adapting to safety was different for a ten-year-old than it was for her parents, and how behaviour that may look distant or unfriendly from the outside can have a story behind it we cannot see. But El Salvador gave Meybell more than memories of war. She also carries the joy of her culture — family, food, music, dancing, celebration and a determination to live fully. Today, Meybell works across mental health, mentoring and leadership, helping others find their voice. Yet she also speaks candidly about why telling our stories can be difficult, particularly when vulnerability carries the fear of judgement. This is a conversation about safety and freedom, fear and joy, the stories we carry and what can happen when someone becomes curious enough to understand them. A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection.

  4. Aug 27

    He Carried Anger for 30 Years. Then His Father Died _ Aaron Watts

    Aaron Watts looks like someone you'd cross the street to avoid. His story will change how you see everyone. At 11 years old, Aaron's father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. By 17, Aaron had become his primary caregiver — the parent to his own parent. For nearly 30 years, he carried anger, guilt, and a life put on hold, hiding it behind tattoos and a tough exterior that made strangers judge him before they ever spoke a word. In this episode of Chocolate and Coffee Break, Aaron sits down with Andrea Putting to explore what happens when the person you're supposed to lean on becomes the person who needs you most — and what it takes to finally let go. A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection.

  5. Aug 20

    Who Cares for You- The Question Nobody Asked Her - Oksana Samkova

    She was the lighthouse — the person everyone turned to. But what happens when the lighthouse goes dark? Oksana Samkova grew up in a Ukrainian village where caring was woven into daily life. It led her into 32 years of nursing across multiple countries, raising children, supporting parents, and being the one who always showed up. Then she collapsed at work — and became the patient. Pour your cuppa and join us as Oksana and Andrea explore a question that rarely gets asked: who cares for the carer? They dig into why receiving help feels harder than giving it, the addictive pull of being needed, and the water bottle metaphor that changed how Oksana sees compassion — and herself. A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection.

  6. Aug 12

    She Chose Curiosity When Belonging Felt Impossible _ Ell Joven

    What happens when every culture has different unspoken rules—and you no longer know where you belong? In this episode of Chocolate and Coffee Break, Elee Joven shares her experience of moving between Guam, the Philippines and the United States, and the challenge of balancing her old identity with a new cultural environment. She speaks honestly about feeling like an outsider, experiencing culture shock, struggling with belonging and questioning whether adapting meant losing part of herself. From the everyday differences around saying “please” and “thank you” to the deeper ideas of cultural intelligence and power distance, this conversation explores how quickly we can mistake difference for something wrong. Elee explains how curiosity helped her move beyond defensiveness, understand cultural differences and create more meaningful connections across cultures. This is a conversation about cultural identity, belonging, authenticity and learning to listen more deeply. Chocolate, coffee, and a conversation can change the tone of a room. How simple is that? ☕ Brew the Change Every episode ends with one simple invitation to put compassion into practice. This week: Ask someone, "What's something people often misunderstand about where you come from?" Then listen with curiosity. If this conversation meant something to you, share it with someone who could benefit from it. Let Love Be the Loudest Voice. Subscribe to Chocolate and Coffee Break, a compassionate proposition. Connect with Elee on LinkedIn or ellijolvin.com A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection.

  7. Aug 6

    He Built Belonging Across 70 Countries After He Was Told He Didn't Belong _ Endre Hoffman

    At 15, Endre Hoffman was told he didn't belong. That one moment set him on a 20-year journey across 70 countries, searching for a place to call home. But along the way, he learned that belonging isn't something you find out there — it’s something you build between us. Today, he is known as "The Doctor of Self-Worth," helping others heal the wounds of rejection. In this conversation, we sit with the difficult questions of outgrowing our roots, the difference between blood family and soul family, and what happens when we stop escaping and start building connection where we are. Chocolate, coffee, and a conversation can change the tone of a room. How simple is that?—🎙 Chocolate and Coffee Break: A Compassionate Proposition Hosted by Andrea Putting, The Compassion Curator A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection.

  8. Jul 29

    Courageous Compassion_ When Difference Divides, One Woman Crosses _ Morenike Ogebe

    What happens when you’re told you don’t belong — by the people who should belong to you? Morenike Ogebe grew up between African-American and Nigerian cultures, feeling she was not “enough” for either side. Over time, that lived experience became something powerful: the ability to listen across difference, understand more than one perspective, and help people move towards one another. In this conversation, Andrea and Morenike explore: • belonging and cultural identity • what it means to become a bridge builder • courageous compassion and the discomfort of difference • how curiosity can widen our world • small steps that help us connect with people unlike ourselves Morenike shares how her experience of living between cultures shaped her work, her relationships, and her commitment to bringing people together. This is not a conversation about pretending differences do not matter. It is about meeting one another with courage, curiosity, and humanity intact. Your Brew the Change challenge: notice where you feel most comfortable — and where you instinctively pull back. Stay a little longer. Ask one more question. Listen without needing to respond. Because that is where bridges begin. Find Morenike’s Elevating Good podcast: Website: elevategoodpod.com Substack: elevatinggoodpod.substack.com Watch Chocolate & Coffee Break, a compassionate proposition — conversations about what happens between people across difference. A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection.

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About

A show, a movement, and a mission to break down the barriers that divide us. In a world growing louder with hate, division, and misunderstanding, we choose a different frequency: love, compassion, and the courageous power of connection. Each episode invites you into real, unscripted conversations over chocolate and coffee — simple rituals with the power to disarm, disarmour, and deeply connect. Here, we don’t just talk about change — we live it. We bring together people from different walks of life to share their stories, their hopes, and sometimes, their hardest truths. What will you get out of it? Perspective. Courage. Humanity. A spark of hope that maybe — just maybe — the world isn’t as divided as we think. This is your invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and discover the extraordinary in everyday people. Because when we make space for the conversations that matter, love doesn’t just whisper — it roars. So grab a cuppa. Break the chocolate. And stay for the conversation that might just change your day — or your life.

Information

  • Creator
    Andrea Putting
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Vids Inc. TV
  • Show Website
    Chocolate and Coffee Break