Ready Living Podcast

Andrea Weckerle
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Welcome to the Ready Living Podcast, where host Andrea Weckerle interviews some of the leading minds of today. Each episode is designed to EDUCATE, INSPIRE, and EMPOWER you to create the life you want.

  1. Leech-filled Jungle Treks, Water Fights, and Other Adventures While Traveling

    NOV 25

    Leech-filled Jungle Treks, Water Fights, and Other Adventures While Traveling

    In this Ready Living Podcast episode, writer Melissa Rodway recounts how she immersed herself in wild, unpredictable, and often hilarious adventures during her four months traveling through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China at age 35. The weekly emails sent from internet cafés to friends and family back home formed the basis of her new book The People You Meet: Luxury, Leeches, Love, and Lao-Lao With a Host of Interest. She shares how she survived a 3-day jungle trek in Laos with leeches climbing onto her pants and shirt, participated in Thailand’s Songkran Festival (“the craziest water fight you could ever imagine”), and learned the hard way that hydrofoils can cause mass seasickness in passengers. She also explores what it means to travel responsibly when visiting other countries and communities. She notes that travel is a privilege, not a right, urges people to observe with sensitivity and respect, approach every interaction with curiosity rather than entitlement, and engage in ways that honor the humanity of the communities they visit. She highlights how travel is a powerful teacher, exposing us to different ways and rhythms of life, and how unexpected challenges can clarify our relationships to material things, comfort, and control. She reflects on the deep happiness and generosity she has witnessed in places with fewer material resources.   Her experience hiking in the Dolomites with travelers in their seventies and backpacking with older explorers who embraced life with the spirit of twenty-year-olds taught her that adventuring belongs to people of all ages, especially with technology makes exploring safer and easier than ever. Packed with practical advice, Melissa reminds us that travel isn’t just about the places you go, it’s about the people you meet, the limits you push, and the parts of yourself you uncover far from home. LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

    28 min
  2. The Healing Power of Music Therapy

    NOV 11

    The Healing Power of Music Therapy

    In this Ready Living Podcast episode, board-certified music therapist Dr. Jennifer Sokira offers an insider’s look into music therapy’s ability to transform lives. Renowned internationally for her trauma-informed expertise and work with the Sandy Hook community, she has devoted her career to helping support people through life’s biggest and most complex challenges. She explains how music reaches parts of us that words alone cannot, activating regions of the brain that impact memories, connection, and emotional regulation, and reveals how it’s been part of human wellbeing and cultural identity for thousands of years. She shares how music therapy is a clinical discipline grounded in a triadic relationship between the client, the therapist, and the music itself, which, in expertly-trained hands, becomes a catalyst for deep emotional growth. She adds insights from real-world examples ranging from neonatal intensive care units to school settings, private practice, and trauma recovery programs, highlighting music therapy’s extraordinary breadth. She emphasizes that every human is inherently musical through their heartbeat, breath, rhythm, and the natural melody in everyday communication, helping break down the misconception that music therapy is only for musically-talented individuals. She also suggests self-care strategies such as mindful playlist creation and tuning in to how music affects one’s emotional state.  As a clinician, educator, and leader in the field, as well as owner and CEO of Connecticut Music Therapy Services and founder of EnlightenCE, she stresses the importance of trauma-informed care, the responsibility practitioners carry in helping their clients navigate anxiety, painful memories, or grief, and the profound honor of walking beside clients during some of the most important moments of their lives. She is deeply committed to advancing the profession, training future clinicians, and ensuring that communities, whether recovering from trauma or simply seeking support, have access to qualified, compassionate music therapists. LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

    24 min
  3. Discover the Seven Rules of Trust

    OCT 29

    Discover the Seven Rules of Trust

    Drawing from his debut book The Seven Rules of Trust, Internet entrepreneur and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales delves into why trust is essential to a well-functioning society. He argues that the erosion of trust, spanning government, media, technology, and industry, has become a national crisis that’s destabilized personal and public life alike. Fueled by partisanship, sensationalism, and algorithms, we’re mired in an environment where division is rewarded and nuance often punished. He says trust must be deliberately built, actively defended, and lived every day — and offers a roadmap for making that happen. He invites everyone to start where they are and model civility in public life and online spaces, reward honesty even when it’s inconvenient, seek out perspectives that challenge their own, and demand accountability from leaders, the media, and platforms that shape public discourse. Highlighting the human side of trust, he reminds us that people are born to connect, and that civility is not a sign of weakness but of strength. He reflects on Wikipedia’s core principle of ‘assume good faith,’ a simple idea that invites people to see the best in others instead of assuming the worst.  He also underscores that trust creates long-term benefits for companies and institutions. Those that choose fairness and transparency, even when it costs them in the short term, build reputations that endure. LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

    32 min
  4. Creating a More Just & Equitable World

    OCT 21

    Creating a More Just & Equitable World

    In this Ready Living Podcast interview, award-winning problem solver and change agent Art Chang examines one of the most important questions of our time: How can we save democracy and strengthen the moral and civic foundations of our country before it’s too late? Born in Atlanta, Georgia to Korean War refugee parents during Jim Crow, his early years were marked by isolation, racism, and domestic violence. He transformed those experiences into purposeful action, working towards pursuing a more just and equitable world. Arguing that democracy isn’t self-sustaining and instead requires participation, accountability, and an unwavering belief in our shared humanity, he is an outspoken advocate for reimagining political, social, and educational systems so they serve all Americans. He points out how America’s diversity should be one of its greatest strengths, but that fear of difference, the language of “othering,” and the dehumanization of entire groups of people is dividing communities and corroding society. A former managing director at JPMorganChase and a 2021 candidate for New York City mayor, he has continually sought to repair what’s broken in our institutions. His leadership reflects not just policy expertise, but also deep moral clarity and a belief that the strength of democracy lies in the dignity and participation of every person.  As an institutional entrepreneur using technology to transform broken systems, he founded a dozen tech startups, co-created NYC Votes, an initiative of the NYC Campaign Finance Board, and built Casebook, the nation’s first web-based child welfare system. He argues that democracy can’t survive polite neutrality, and that preserving it requires taking necessary action. In a time of democratic peril, he challenges listeners to confront the myths that divide us and to imagine an America that lives up to its promise. Art is a lecturer at Columbia University, Board Chair of the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, and holds a BA in Women’s Studies from Yale University and an MBA in Finance from New York University.  LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

    1h 4m
  5. The Truth About College Majors

    OCT 7

    The Truth About College Majors

    In this Ready Living Podcast episode, sociology professor Corey Moss-Pech, PhD, dismantles one of higher education’s most enduring myths: that only ‘practical’ majors lead to worthwhile jobs. He shares details from his new book Major Trade-Offs: The Surprising Truths about College Majors and Entry-Level Jobs, where he followed 91 students across business, engineering, English, and communications from their senior year to their first year in the workforce. He reveals that while engineering and business majors tend to land middle-class jobs more directly, those jobs often involve routine clerical tasks that leave graduates frustrated and unfulfilled. Meanwhile, liberal arts students, despite having a harder entry into the job market and lower starting salaries, are more likely to apply the very skills they learned in college and report greater job satisfaction. He also shares how class background and gender shape the college-to-career journey. Competitive-entry programs like business and engineering tend to reflect students with stronger academic preparation and family resources, while open-entry majors like English and communications draw a broader range of students, some of whom face starkly different opportunities after graduation. More privileged students can hold out for the ‘right job’ or accept lower-paid but meaningful roles, while working-class students often need to accept the first job that pays the bills, whether or not it matches their aspirations. One of his most important findings is the pivotal role internships play in securing full-time post-graduate employment. Through well-funded university programs and employer partnerships, business and engineering majors benefit from what he calls ‘career conveyor belt internships’ that create seamless pipelines from classroom to full-time work. In contrast, liberal arts students often end up in internships that are disconnected from hiring networks. He points out that it’s these structural supports, and not students’ actual skills or drive, that explain the post-grad job divide. Corey challenges the conventional wisdom about which degrees lead to success. By highlighting both the hidden advantages and overlooked strengths across fields of study, he makes a compelling case for rethinking how we define the value of particular majors in today’s workforce. LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

    28 min
  6. The Worldwide Vet’s Adventures Saving Animals Around the Globe

    SEP 23

    The Worldwide Vet’s Adventures Saving Animals Around the Globe

    In this Ready Living Podcast episode, veterinarian Cliff Redford, better known as "Dr. Cliff, Worldwide Vet,” shares extraordinary stories of animal care and rescue around the globe. Seemingly open to any challenge, he’s helped save a giant fruit bat tangled above seven lanes of traffic in India, crawled into an underground cave in Jamaica to track endangered bats, and performed surgery without benefit of X-rays in the Arctic Circle. He also opens up about the sobering realities of volunteering in war-torn Ukraine, where, amidst ongoing bombing, he worked in a shuttered animal shelter turned makeshift animal hospital. His time there left such a mark that he commemorated it with a special tattoo, a permanent reminder of resilience and sacrifice. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at his award-winning documentary Dr. Cliff Worldwide Vet, which follows him and his daughter Emily through India during the festival of Diwali, capturing both heartwarming animal rescues and life-or-death surgeries. Alongside global adventures, he shares practical pet health advice every owner should know, such as how to read a dog’s tail language, what common foods and plants are toxic to cats and dogs, and which basic first-aid skills can save a beloved pet’s life. Whether caring for companion animals at his Ontario clinic, treating wildlife at Canada’s busiest rehabilitation facility, or volunteering in remote corners of the world, Cliff exemplifies how veterinary medicine is about adaptability and courage as much as skill. LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

    50 min
  7. Sustainable Luxury Travel Experiences That Change Lives

    SEP 9

    Sustainable Luxury Travel Experiences That Change Lives

    What if your next vacation isn’t just a source of adventure or relaxation, but an opportunity to truly impact others’ lives as well? Christopher Hill, founder of Hands Up Holidays and Impact Destinations, aims to help his guests do just that. In this Ready Living Podcast episode, he shares how a trip to South Africa over twenty years ago changed the trajectory of his life from working as a successful London investment banker to becoming an entrepreneur pioneering luxury travel with purpose.  Rolling up his sleeves alongside local residents to help build a home for a family in a Cape Town township opened his eyes to the possibility of blending philanthropy with leisure. This sparked his desire to empower others to give back in impactful, authentic ways while simultaneously enjoying the beauty of luxury travel.  His philanthropy volunteering model ensures each trip is fully personalized, designed to match travelers’ interests, ages, and philanthropic goals. Guests can engage in a variety of activities such as helping build eco-friendly stoves that protect people from burns and respiratory illness, participating in rhinoceros relocations, teaching in classrooms, and supporting coral reef restoration.   Families in particular have embraced these vacations, finding them powerful ways to instill values such as gratitude, empathy, and humility in their children. As he explains, children who help release baby turtles in Mexico or assist in building accessible bathrooms in Bali return home with life lessons that textbooks can’t teach. Looking ahead, he sees growing demand for sustainable and meaningful travel experiences, arguing that  luxury is not at odds with giving back. He envisions a future where luxury travel empowers guests to become part of something bigger than themselves. LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

    23 min
  8. Bibliotherapy Can Change Your Life

    AUG 4

    Bibliotherapy Can Change Your Life

    Drawing on years of prescribing ‘books as medicine’ to people around the world, bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud reveals how bibliotherapy can offer comfort, insight, and a way forward through life’s many challenges.  Central to her work is an unwavering belief in fiction’s transformative power. When reading a book deeply, whether alone in a quiet room, nestled in a dedicated reading nook, or even when on the move, reading allows us to step into another world and emerge changed. Unlike nonfiction, which typically appeals to the conscious mind, fiction engages us at a deeper, subconscious level and invites us to become the characters we read about, experiencing both their joys and sorrows. In doing so, we change how we see ourselves and the world around us. For a book to be therapeutic it needs to offer more than just a great story, Ella argues; it should also resonate with the reader’s personal circumstances and challenges. As a bibliotherapist, her recommendations span modern literature, enduring classics, poetry, and even graphic novels, each chosen with the unique needs of the reader in mind.  She also highlights how children's and young adult books can hold real value for adult readers, noting that they contain profound stories worth engaging with even in later years. While arguing that some books should be approached with caution – differentiating between content that is heavy yet ultimately meaningful versus unnecessarily hideous imagery that’s emotionally scarring – she notes the comfort fiction can provide in times of uncertainty. In an age of near-constant digital distraction, she champions reading as a grounding practice that builds character, increases emotional intelligence, and even contributes to physical health. She suggests keeping a notebook to nurture a richer reading life amid the noise of modern life. Whether someone is a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic reader, she invites them to embrace reading as a profoundly personal, sensory, and meaningful act. Ella is the co-author, along with Susan Elderkin, of The Novel Cure: An A to Z of Literary Remedies and The Story Cure: An A-Z of Books to Keep Kids Happy, Healthy and Wise. She also wrote The Art of Mindful Reading and 30 Second Literature: The 50 most important forms, genres and styles, each explained in half a minute. LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

    46 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Ready Living Podcast, where host Andrea Weckerle interviews some of the leading minds of today. Each episode is designed to EDUCATE, INSPIRE, and EMPOWER you to create the life you want.

Information

  • Creator
    Andrea Weckerle
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Andrea Weckerle
  • Show Website
    Ready Living Podcast

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