From Broadway red carpets to spiritual psychology at Columbia, Emily McGill has walked a wild, winding path.
In this episode, Emily – also known as the Ivy League Witch – shares how she moved from being a successful Broadway publicist to embracing her work as a spiritual psychologist, tarot reader, and creator of the Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot.
We explore what it really feels like to shed an old identity, unmask neurodivergence in high-pressure workplaces, and reintroduce yourself to people as you change. Emily also reframes tarot as a psychological tool – “like texting yourself a meme from your subconscious” – rather than a fortune-telling gimmick, and shares insights from her Master’s thesis at Columbia on tarot as a tool for self-reflection.
At the end of the episode, Emily offers a playful “pick-a-card” reading just for listeners, using the Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot deck that weaves together Broadway archetypes, theatre history and spiritual symbolism.
In this episode, we explore:
Emily’s journey from theatre kid to Broadway publicist to Ivy League Witch
Masking neurodivergence in traditional PR culture – and what happens when you stop
The uncomfortable, brave work of reintroducing yourself as your identity shifts
Tarot as a mirror and psychological tool, not a prediction machine
Insights from Emily’s Master’s thesis on tarot and increased clarity for clients
How the Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot brings together theatre archetypes and the major arcana
A live “pick-a-card” reading for listeners using The Hermit and The Magician
Connect with Emily
Instagram (spiritual psychology & tarot): @emilyannemcg
Website: emilymcgillentertainment.com
Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot: via Emily’s website and linked from her Instagram
Connect with Jordan & the podcast
Podcast: Sacred Stories of the Spirit
Website: jordanharcourthughes.com
If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, or leave a review – it helps these stories find the people who need them most.
How do women redefine success through mentorship, connection, and service? In this heartfelt conversation, Tina Fox, Founder and CEO of TERN Mentoring, joins Jordan Harcourt-Hughes to explore mentorship as a sacred act of connection and return — a journey symbolised by the Arctic Tern’s migration home.
Mentorship isn’t just a professional exchange — it’s an act of return, of coming back to serve the next generation with the wisdom gathered along the way.
In this conversation, Tina Fox shares her journey from corporate leadership to founding TERN Mentoring, a platform built on the belief that mentorship transcends hierarchy and technology to meet our deepest human need for connection.
Together, we explore:
How the Arctic Tern became a symbol for the mentor’s journey
Why mentorship is a sacred act of connection and return
The challenges women face in finding authentic mentors in executive spaces
What younger generations are seeking in mentorship today
How redefining success through joy and service transforms leadership
Whether you’re a mentor, a mentee, or somewhere in between, this episode invites you to reflect on what it means to come home — to yourself, and to those who follow.
🎙 Guest: Tina Fox — Founder & CEO, TERN Mentoring
🌐 https://ternmentoring.com/
✨ Host: Jordan Harcourt-Hughes — Sacred Stories of the Spirit Podcast
Time stamps:
00:00 Welcome & introduction
01:02 The origin of TERN Mentoring
02:30 The Arctic Tern metaphor
07:15 Mentorship as sacred connection & return
09:20 COVID & the hunger for human connection
10:20 Cross-cultural perspectives on connection
11:27 Mentorship challenges for women in leadership
13:30 The golf story — and entering unfamiliar spaces
14:45 Executive mentorship: vulnerability over perfection
17:05 What young mentees want today
18:50 Redefining success beyond titles
20:40 Gentle wisdom for the “in-between” chapters
Standing at the Threshold: A Special 2-part Series
Who we become when a story stops fitting
We are living through a moment in which many of our cultural stories are loosening. The narratives that once felt unquestionable are slowly becoming porous — notrejected outright, but no longer landing in the body with the same certainty or belonging. We are not yet in the new story, but we are no longer fully inside the old one either. We are standing in the threshold: a space where somethingis dissolving and something else is not yet born.
The Melbourne Cup is one of these threshold stories. For more than a century it has functioned less as a sporting event and more as a cultural ritual — woven into workplaces, media, fashion, schooling and national identity. In Melbourne it isa public holiday; throughout Australia many workplaces pause or host events around it. Participation hasn’t just been encouraged — it has long been treated as a signal of belonging.
And like all rituals, it sits atop deeper layers. Beneath the festivities is a cultural script about aspiration, glamour, mateship, celebration and the performance ofunity. Beneath that cultural meaning sit structural forces — power networks, lobbying systems, political interests and industries that reinforce not just the race, but the story of the race.
Eventually every cultural story reaches a point of reckoning. It ceases to be purely symbolic and becomes personal:
What are we being asked to overlook to remain inside this story? And what does it cost us, individually and collectively, to keep doing so?
In this second conversation in this special series, we shift from the cultural story to the inner and organisational story — how we show up, lead and create meaning together in the world of work.
Behaviourist and habits coach Stephen Belenky shares insight into the quiet leadership required to evolve rituals without losing their intent.
Stephen and Jordan explore:
How cultural and corporate rituals become hollow when format replaces feeling
Why curiosity and compassion are essential leadership capacities
The difference between compliance and consciousness at work
How vulnerability becomes a bridge between authenticity and belonging
Together, they ask what it means to lead from the threshold — that space between the stories we inherited and the ones we now have the courage to write.
🎧 Follow Sacred Stories of the Spirit for new episodes on storytelling, transformation and mindful leadership.
About this special 2-part series
Every year, Australians gather to watch the Melbourne Cup — once hailed as “the race that stops a nation.” But these days, fewer people are tuning in, and more are asking uncomfortable questions: what does this tradition really celebrate? Who benefits, and who pays the price? The conversation isn’t just about horse racing, gambling, or fashion. It’s about the stories we inherit, the systems we participate in, and what happens when those old stories no longer resonate.
Standing at the Threshold is a special two-part series of Sacred Stories of the Spirit about what happens when a cultural story begins to loosen — and we can suddenly see the gap between the ritual we inherited and the values we now hold.
Thresholds are the places where old stories are still operating, but can no longer fully claim us. They are uncomfortable, formative, disorienting — and also deeply creative — because they ask us to decide what we will continue carrying, and what we are now ready to live differently.
Using the Melbourne Cup as a case study, this series looks at the “architecture” of a cultural ritual: the narratives, incentives, histories and norms that hold it in place. But more importantly, it asks what happensinside us when a familiar cultural script asks us to leave part of ourselves at the door in order to belong.
Because once we become conscious of a story, we also become responsible for how we carry it — whether we participate in it, reshape it, outgrow it, or choose a new expression entirely.
This is a series for anyone who can feel the cultural shift inside their own inner landscape — for people who sense that personal integrity is becoming the new ground of belonging, and that cultural change ultimately begins with the courage to remain whole.
About Part 1
When a cultural ritual stops reflecting who we are becoming, it reaches a threshold — a moment when its story begins to loosen. In Part One of this special two-part series, we explore the Melbourne Cup as a case study, with cultural scholars Professors Catharine Lumby and David Rowe unpacking how rituals accumulate social power, and Clancy Moore and Elio Celotto revealing what happens when protection meets accountability.
Guests in this episode:
Professor Catharine Lumby
Discipline of Media & Communications, University of Sydney
Expert in how media, culture and gender shape public narratives and collective identity.
Professor David Rowe FAHA, FASSA
Emeritus Professor of Cultural Research, Western Sydney University. A leading voice in cultural sociology, examining sport as a carrier of national identity and social power.
Clancy Moore
CEO, Transparency International Australia
Brings the structural lens: how political and economic ecosystems safeguard social permission around contested industries.
Elio Celotto
Campaign Director, Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses - Central to the 2019 exposé that revealed widespread cruelty in the racing industry, rupturing the myth of “harmless tradition.”
#cultural story #cultural rituals #collective identity #Narrative power #Public accountability #Transparency #Institutional power #Political influence #Social licence to operate #Melbourne Cup #Horse racing reform #Animal welfare #Investigative exposé #Governance ethics #Cultural shift
In this episode, leadership facilitator Ashley René Casey joins us for a thoughtful conversation about what soulful leadership looks like in a world that moves quickly and rarely pauses to understand people. Ashley shares her journey through corporate America, burnout, identity, and alignment — and why listening is one of the most undervalued leadership skills of our time. We explore compassion, presence, boundaries and the shift from “work–life balance” to something deeper: alignment with what matters. This is a warm, human reminder that leadership is not just a role — it’s a relationship.
00:00 – Welcome & introduction
01:10 – Ashley’s early story and unexpected path
03:15 – Corporate life, pressure & the limits of performance
05:25 – Alignment vs “work–life balance”
08:40 – Boundaries as a form of care
10:55 – The early signs of burnout
13:20 – What soulful leadership really looks like
14:50 – Listening as leadership
16:35 – Curiosity as the next step after listening
18:00 – Releasing old identity stories
20:10 – Growth, impermanence & becoming
21:40 – Ashley’s work today + Presence Over Pixels
#SoulfulLeadership #DeepListening #CompassionateLeadership #HumanCentredWork #LeadershipDevelopment #Presence #WellbeingAtWork
How do you know if the timing’s right to tell your story?
In this episode of Sacred Stories of the Spirit, storyteller, coach, and former journalist Beatrice N. Kabutakapua joins Jordan Harcourt-Hughes to explore the sacred timing of storytelling — and how to recognise when a story needs more healing before it’s ready to be shared.
Beatrice grew up as one of the only Black girls in a small Italian town, where visibility was both constant and complex. Today, she helps women of colour entrepreneurs find the confidence to share their stories with authenticity. Together, we discuss the fear that can freeze a story, the importance of emotional readiness, and how healing transforms personal experience into connection and leadership.
🌿 In this conversation:
• How to tell if a story isn’t ready to be shared
• Why healing must come before visibility
• The “frozen story” and how to unfreeze it
• Finding the lesson that turns pain into wisdom
• The sacred timing of expression and silence
💬 About the Guest
Beatrice N. Kabutakapua is a storytelling coach and former BBC journalist helping purpose-driven professionals communicate with clarity and heart.
🔗 Learn more: beatricekabutakapua.com
📸 Instagram: @bea.com_storytellingcoach
🎧 Listen to more episodes of Sacred Stories of the Spirit for reflections on story, spirit, and transformation.
#SacredStories #Storytelling #Healing #Visibility #Authenticity #BeatriceKabutakapua #Podcast #WomenInLeadership #PersonalGrowth
Chapters
00:00 The Journey of Visibility
03:24 Navigating the Fear of Being Seen
07:06 The Path to Embracing Visibility
10:37 The Importance of Authentic Storytelling
13:48 Overcoming Self-Doubt in Storytelling
17:29 Transformative Success Stories
20:14 Finding Support in Storytelling
23:05 Current Projects and Future Directions
In this episode, Jordan speaks with Luis and Hans, the creative duo behind the Sunday Afternoon Project — partners in life and in work, whose story is one of courage, reinvention, and truth-telling.
Together, they explore the hidden cost of code-switching— what happens when we spend our lives shifting who we are to fit in — and the liberation that comes when we stop.
Luis and Hans share their journey from Guatemala to the U.S., discussing the challenges they faced as a queer couple and the importance of storytelling in their lives and business.
They emphasize the power of self-efficacy, the need for role models, and the significance of authenticity in storytelling.
The duo also explores the emotional and spiritual aspects ofstorytelling, the joy of queerness, and the dynamics of their partnership.
This is a conversation about the energy it takes to belong, thecreativity that returns when we live authentically, and the quiet courage of becoming visible.
Chapters
00:00 The Journey Begins: From Guatemala to the U.S.
02:56 The Power of Storytelling in Business and Life
05:57 Self-Efficacy and Role Models: Breaking Barriers
09:01 The Importance of Authenticity in Storytelling
11:59 Personal Stories: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Identity
14:46 Storytelling as a Spiritual and Emotional Practice
17:50 The Joy of Queerness and Self-Expression
20:32 Navigating Client Relationships and Team Dynamics
23:37 Brand Therapy: Helping Others Tell Their Stories
26:41 The Slow Progress of Social Change and Role Models
29:28 Final Thoughts: The Essence of Storytelling
In this episode of Sacred Stories of the Spirit, Rachel S Heslin dives deep into the psychology of identity and the transformative role of storytelling in our lives. She explores how the narratives we carry can both limit and liberate us—and how consciously rewriting them can open the door to empowerment, resilience, and growth.
We discuss:
Why most of us don’t realize we’re living inside our own stories
How grief and anger reveal themselves through narrative
The power of ruthless curation for mental health
The importance of honoring old stories while embracing new ones
Why self-care and community are essential in times of change
Rachel’s insights remind us that we can evolve our stories as we grow—choosing narratives that support, strengthen, and expand who we are becoming.
🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mindful creativity, spirituality, and the art of storytelling.
What if your body could tell you your calling?
In this episode of Sacred Stories of the Spirit, Devin shares how tattooing became more than art — it became a spiritual path. From childhood sensitivity and isolation to discovering creativity as a lifeline, Devin reveals how listening to the body opened up a calling he couldn’t ignore.
We talk about:
✨ How tattooing felt like destiny, not a choice
✨ Why sensitivity is a superpower in creativity and life
✨ The role of sobriety in unlocking deeper artistic expression
✨ Crystals and their connection to energy and spirituality
✨ How the law of assumption supports manifestation and self-worth
✨ Why tattooing teaches boundaries, identity, and the courage to say no
If you’ve ever wondered how art, spirituality, and personal growth come together in real life, this conversation will inspire you to feel your calling — in your body and your spirit.
Sacred Stories of the Spirit is a podcast hosted by author and artist Jordan Harcourt-Hughes, exploring how we find meaning in a shifting world.
Chapters:
00:00:The Journey into Tattooing
02:55:The Influence of Jason
05:50:Childhood Isolation and Discovery
08:54:Understanding Sensitivity and Creativity
13:35:The Power of Sensitivity
17:42:Crystals and Energy Connection
21:02:The Connection with Crystals
28:44: Law of Assumption Manifestation
34:24:Personal Growth and Daily Rituals
35:55:Lessons from Tattooing#tattooing #spirituality #creativity #manifestation #sobriety #identity #crystals
Dr Sheri Lake's life changed when, after a head-on car crash, she heard her guardian angel tell her very clearly to get out of the car.
In this episode, we talk about her experience in that moment, and the wisdom she continues to draw from that experience, identifying moments when we should all consider 'getting out'.
In this episode, Sheri shares her journey of helping women rediscover their true selves by releasing outdated identities and we discuss the importance of embodiment, storytelling, and intuition in personal transformation, especially after trauma.
Sheri emphasizes the role of angels in guiding individuals through their healing processes and offers practical tipsfor women to embrace their freedom and purpose.
An opportunity to take a free quiz, "Your Future Self Has a Style, What's Yours?" https://sherilake.com/assessment-opt-in
Chapters00:00: Rediscovering Identity: The Journey Within
03:01 : Embodiment: Connecting Mind and Body
06:01 : The Power of Storytelling in Healing
08:50: Intuition and Channeling: Tools for Transformation
11:50: Navigating Life After Trauma
14:39: Embracing Change: The Role of Angels
17:46: Finding Freedom: Tips for Women
20:32: The Blend of Science, Spirituality, and Strategy
In this conversation, Dawn Robyn shares her transformative journey from a successful theater designer in New York City to founding a horse rescue sanctuary.
We talk about the challenges and rewards of her new life, the importance of understanding horse communication, and the healing power of working with traumatized animals.
Dawn emphasizes the need for a shift in how we relate to horses, advocating for a more compassionate and understanding approach.
We also explore the idea of stepping into a more meaningful, satisfying life - and Dawn shares wonderful tips and insights on how to go after the life that you really want.
Chapters
00:00Dawn's Journey from NYC to the Country
02:56Discovering a New Purpose with Horses
05:47Learning to Communicate with Horses
08:41The Power of Energy and Connection
11:55Teaching Moments from Horses
14:53Understanding Horse Behavior and Communication
22:14Evolving Relationships with Horses
24:23The Importance of Willingness in Training
26:51Letting Horses Be Horses
30:30Healing Trauma in Horses
34:52Creating a Lasting Impact
39:26The Power of Volunteering
In this episode of Sacred Stories of the Spirit, I'm in conversation with Mari Angulo, a purpose-driven marketer and coach. Mari's reflecting on the portance of storytelling in personal and professional growth, particularly in the nonprofit sector. We chat about the need for flexibility in our narratives, and dive into the value of understanding and recognizing dissonance in our lives, as a powerful as a signal for change. This is a conversation for everyone who wants to know more about the power of stories in shaping our identities and guiding us through uncertain times.
In this conversation, Jordan is in conversation with Mienke Richter, an advocate of the High Court of South Africa and a yoga teacher. Mienke discusses the intersection of law and yoga, the importance of mediation, and the concept of thought work. She shares insights on self-createdsuffering, the nature of personal stories, and the significance of mindfulness in communication.
Chapters
00:00: Introduction and Background
03:01: The Role of an Advocate and Mediation
05:46: Integrating Law and Yoga
08:33: Thought Work and Self-Created Suffering
11:24:The Nature of Suffering
14:12: The Power of Personal Stories
17:15: Awareness and Presence in Communication
19:54: Conclusion and Future Endeavors
In this conversation, host Jordan and her guest, Jared Broussard, explore the journey of becoming a therapist, the nuances of mental health and the importance of storytelling in therapy. They discuss the impact of fear and scarcity mindset on individuals and how curiosity can help navigate these challenges. Jared shares insights on how to approach fears and the significance of values in personal growth. The conversation also touches on the power of narratives in shaping our experiences and the role of storytelling inunderstanding ourselves and others.
Jared shares insights on personal growth, the importance of daily rituals, and the surprising lessons learned throughtherapy. Jared emphasizes the role of a therapist as a supportive guide, the integration of nerd culture into therapy, and the need for more nourishing conversationsin the workplace.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:56 The Journey to Becoming a Therapist
05:45 Understanding Mental Health in Youth
08:52 The Power of Storytelling in Therapy
12:00 Fear, Scarcity, and Abundance Mindset
15:01 Navigating Fear and Adrenaline
19:59 Quick Fire Section: Life-Changing Practices
21:11 The Journey to Private Practice
22:26 Releasing Personal Narratives
23:34 Daily Rituals and Family Time
25:01 Surprising Lessons from Therapy
26:29 The Role of a Therapist
30:02 Nerd Culture in Therapy
34:40 Creating Nourishing Work Environments
In this episode, host Jordan Harcourt-Hughes and John M Torrens explore the intersection of entrepreneurship and spirituality, emphasizing the importance of inner resilience, heart-brain coherence, and the role of intuition in business.
They discuss grounding practices, overcoming limiting beliefs, and the significance of thoughts and vibrations in shaping our experiences.
The dialogue highlights the need for a shift in entrepreneurial education towards well-being and resilience, culminating in Torrens' initiative to teach these principles to the next generation of entrepreneurs.
takeaways
Chapters
00:00 Exploring the Intersection of Entrepreneurship and Spirituality
02:55 The Importance of Inner Compass and Resilience
05:53 Heart-Brain Coherence: A Path to Intuition
08:48 The Role of Intuition in Business
11:55 Grounding Practices for Entrepreneurial Success
14:36 Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
17:29 The Connection Between Thoughts and Vibration
20:34 Finding Coherence in Stressful Situations
23:29 Understanding Resistance in Entrepreneurship
26:25 Developing Resilience in the Next Generation
29:07 The Total Entrepreneur: Mind, Body, Spirit Podcast
In this conversation, we're diving into origin stories. My guests, Dr. Mark Crosweller, and former GP, now labyrinth expert and facilitator, Marg Rainbird, join me in a conversation around consciousness, identity, and the intersection of science and spirituality. We explore the complexities of non-verbal communication, the challenges of established narratives, and the importance of cultural knowledge. We explore personal storytelling and the journey of examining and releasing old stories, exploring the transformative nature of identity and the human experience.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Sacred Stories
00:10 Exploring Origin Stories and Identity
00:10 Exploring Sacred Stories and Their Impact
01:43 The Nature of Origin Stories
05:13 The Intersection of Science and Spirituality
08:30 Challenging Traditional Narratives
12:22 Cultural Knowledge vs. Scientific Knowledge
15:43 The Complexity of National Origin Stories
16:55 The Complexity of War Narratives
18:33 Honoring Service Beyond the Military
19:38 The Human Experience of Remembrance
20:51 Personal Stories and Identity
25:09 The Evolution of Self and Story
27:55 Trauma and the Loss of Identity
30:08 Exploring Origin Stories and Identity
In this episode of the Sacred Stories podcast, Jordan, MargRainbird, and Dr. Mark Crosweller explore the concept of sacred stories, their significance in personal healing, and the challenges of sharing these experiences. They discuss the importance of compassion, the role of personal truth, and the need to overcome shame in order to foster open conversations about spiritual and esoteric experiences. Through personal anecdotes and reflections, the conversation highlights the transformative power of storytelling and the interconnectedness of human experiences.