Language of the Soul Podcast

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What if catharsis isn’t a single dramatic release but a daily reset that turns judgment into compassion? We sit down with artist and educator Greg Spalenka to explore how story, image, music, and spiritual practice can move us from fear to presence—and why that shift might be the most important creative skill we have.

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Order the book that inspired the podcast, Language of the Soul: How Story Became the Means by which We Transform at dominickdomingo.com/books

"Take your broken heart—make it into art." —Carrie Fisher, actress.  In this episode—fifth in this season's exploration of the Language of the Soul book—we explore the mechanics of catharsis. From the moment Aristotle coined the term to assign cultural value to the arts in the face of fascism, the catharsis art provides has transformed us emotionally, while shifting our thought forms and paradigms. The cleansing...

Order the book that inspired the podcast, Language of the Soul: How Story Became the Means by which We Transform at dominickdomingo.com/books

When the plot of life breaks, the real story begins. We open Season Three of Language of the Soul Podcast by returning to the book that inspired it, using  Chapter One: STORY and TRANSFORMATION to map the path from crisis to opportunity, from strife to paradigm shift. Conflict resolution is the means by which we transform, individually and collectively. Through the ripple effect, personal transformation always equals c...

The clock is ticking! Please VOTE for 'The SEEKER'  HERE for the  LIBRARO PRIZE competition. It culminates in a publishing contract with Hachette, one of the BIG FIVE! SO this is a potentially life-altering opportunity for me! Please upvote my entry to it may advance to the juried round!

Order The SEEKER audiobook HERE!                                                               

The SEEKER blends inspirational Visionary Fiction with Mythic Fiction in this epic reimagining of the tale of Icarus. In his plunge from glory, rather than perishing in the waters of the Aegean, Icarus is rescued by a passing mariner, fictional de...

Order the book that inspired the podcast, Language of the Soul: How Story Became the Means by which We Transform at dominickdomingo.com/books

When the plot of life breaks, the real story begins. We open Season Three of Language of the Soul Podcast by returning to the book that inspired it, using  Chapter One: STORY and TRANSFORMATION to map the path from crisis to opportunity, from strife to paradigm shift. Conflict resolution is the means by which we transform, individually and collectively. Through the ripple effect, personal transformation always equals c...

Order the book that inspired the podcast, Language of the Soul: How Story Became the Means by which We Transform at dominickdomingo.com/books

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We change minds by touching hearts. In this episode—second in this season's exploration of the Language of the Soul book—we explore how storytelling is the means by which we transform, both individually and collectively.  From the late '60s whiplas...

Order the book that inspired the podcast, Language of the Soul: How Story Became the Means by which We Transform at dominickdomingo.com/books

Returning to the Source

In Season Three, Dominick and Virginia return to "Language of the Soul: How Story Became the Means by which We Transform," the book that inspired the podcast. We set the tone for season three by engaging the book directly, clarifying our mission, and drawing a bright line between story that transforms and story that manipulates. We share how biology, ethics, and...

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Order the book that inspired the podcast, Language of the Soul: How Story Became the Means by which We Transform at dominickdomingo.com/books

Welcome to season three of Language of the Soul Podcast. This season will explore the book that started at all: Language of the Soul: How Story Became the Means by which We Transform. This episode is devoted to the bo...

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Join is for an author reading of Cirque, a whimsically absurd short story about the power of imagination. Cirque placed in the 2020 Writer’s Digest Short Story Competition and has been analyzed in college-level Humanities courses for its form, structure and literary themes.

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What if the most honest art you’ll ever make begins where control ends? We sit down with medicine woman, artist, and storyteller Alexandra Bourne to trace a decade-long pilgrimage that turned paintings into prayer and travel into ceremony. From a close call in Croatia to kickboxing in Thailand, from the stillness of the Yukon to the stars over Taranaki, Alexandra shows how creativity, intuition, and nature weave a single thread: art...

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Enter a thought-provoking exploration of creativity, connection, and the power of visual storytelling with acclaimed illustrator and art director Brian Thompson. With over two decades of experience spanning video games, book illustration, and visual development, Thompson brings a unique perspective on how art can bridge our increasingly divided world.

In an era dominated by short attention spans and digital distractions, Thompson reflects on storytelling's evolving role in culture. From its ancient or...

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Why do we cling to certain memories while letting others fade? Dominick and Virginia take you on a journey through time, challenging the oversimplified clichés that define entire decades and generations. Together, they dismantle the reductive portrayals of Gen X in contemporary media and examine how nostalgia serves as both a comfort and a compass for identity.

From questioning whether violence has truly increased over time to exploring how famously unp...

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Episode two of a two-part series showcasing CTNX Animation Expo 2025. We roam CTN with Disney and Pixar veterans, educators, and fresh voices to ask how story, culture, and technology can revive animation beyond remakes. From Brave’s lush production design to real-time pipelines and indie funding, we map practical paths to original creator-driven work that moves audiences. And in the spirit of Language of the Soul Podcast, transforms them.

Inte...

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The rain made CTN Animation Expo feel more intimate this year as Language of the Soul's booth became a revolving door for stories bridging Disney legends, gallery treasure hunters, and students abiding muse by chasing their first calling cards. We opened with the original premise of CTN's inception: to bring Disney Feature Animation artists back together after time and industry changes dispersed colleagues who felt more like family. Th...

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What makes a writer? For René Urbanovich, it's an undeniable drive—the recognition that there's something harder than writing: not writing. In this profound conversation, René takes us deep into the heart of her literary auto-fiction memoir "Dreaming Cima and the Abandoned Mind," revealing how becoming a grandmother sparked an urgent need to document her family's extraordinary legacy.

Against the backdrop of the Mojave Desert's shifting sands, René uncovers a century-spanning narrati...

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In today's thought-provoking episode, we welcome novelist Angela van Breemen to explore where forensics meets the metaphysical, how reincarnation reframes justice, and how storytelling teaches us who we are. In Angela's latest crime novel, Revenge Is Not Enough, a psychic visitation leads to a séance that opens up a decades-old cold case. The investigation exposes an underground baby ring that is part of a much larger human trafficking network, sparking hard questions abo...

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What if everything we believe about aging is wrong? What if the symptoms we chalk up to "getting older" are actually side effects of the medications prescribed to help us? This thought-provoking episode challenges the disempowering narratives we've accepted about health, aging, and our relationship with modern medicine.

The conversation between Dominick and Virginia weaves together cutting-edge science on epigenetics with practical wisdom about self-advocacy in healthcare. They discuss how our th...

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The path through trauma often remains misunderstood, yet it represents one of humanity's most profound journeys. In this thought-provoking mini-episode, we delve into what trauma truly means beyond clinical definitions, exploring its spiritual significance and transformative potential.

Drawing inspiration from thought leader Marianne Williamson's pragmatic tenets, we examine how our framing of difficult experiences determines their lasting impact more than the experiences themselves. Just as ducks shake off territorial disputes without dw...

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When three parties with different agendas collide, is it conflict or opportunity? 

Civil discourse represents our best pathway through cultural divisiveness, requiring us to understand the emotional stories behind opposing viewpoints and find common ground, despite our differences. Tune in as host Dominick Domingo recounts a recent conflict that sparked this reflection on cultural divisiveness and the critical importance of civil discourse in our increasingly polarized world.

What story are...

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What happens when we disguise bigotry as opinion? In this watershed moment for American discourse, I felt compelled to address how dangerous rhetoric spreads through our society like a poison.

Recording without my usual co-host, I reflect on the eerie timing of our recent episode about empathic reasoning—a conversation that became painfully relevant in light of political violence. This isn't about partisan politics but about recognizing the mechanics of how harm...

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What if story isn't just how we communicate, but fundamentally who we are? Communication Studies professor Jim Urbanovich joins us for a fascinating exploration of narrative as the very foundation of human connection and understanding. 

"Story is not optional. It is essential," Jim explains, setting the tone for a conversation that weaves through decades of shared history, the power of metaphor, and the critical importance of civil discourse in our divided wor...

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When the systems we depend upon collapse, will you have the skills to survive? What if the true key to resilience isn't stockpiling supplies but building community and reclaiming forgotten knowledge?

Meet Sarah F. Hathaway, author of the Changing Earth series, who joins us to challenge conventional wisdoms about preparedness and self-sufficiency. Unlike many post-apocalyptic storytellers, Sarah deliberately creates relatable characters who demonstrate how ordinary people can develop extraordinary resilience.

...

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What happens when the world breaks your heart and everything you thought you knew crumbles around you? In this deeply personal conversation, Dominick Domingo steps away from his hosting role to discuss mythic fiction novel "The Seeker" with his sister, humanities professor René Urbanovich. Their discussion unveils the powerful transformation story at the heart of this ancient myth-inspired tale set in Bronze Age Minoan culture.

Inspired by Dominick's own brush with dea...

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What makes a story uniquely human? Award-winning author Allison McBain believes it's the individual experiences we bring to our writing - those personal moments that, paradoxically, create universal connections.

When artificial intelligence threatened to revolutionize creative industries, McBain responded with an extraordinary challenge. Her "Author vs AI" project saw her writing a book every week for eight months, producing 34 complete manuscripts without any technological assistance. This remarkable feat wasn't just about pr...

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"We're all souls. That's my premise." Psychotherapist Carolyn Coleridge bridges mental health and spirituality, helping clients find their golden thread amidst pain.

As a therapist, Carolyn Coleridge is often called to treat not the mind, but the Soul that is crying out for healing. That inner voice, so often drowned out by the cacophony of noise that is daily life, holds the key to a sense of purpose and, therefore, well-being. At...

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The battle to preserve our humanity will be fought not on a tangible battlefield, but in the realm of story and creative expression. This exploration delves far beyond typical conversations about the legislation of proper compensation, job replacement or intellectual property infringement, to the profound implications of AI's potential impact on human creativity—examining what's truly at stake.          

Guest BIO

Dominick Domingo is a former Disney Fea...

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"There's a hole in my soul when I'm not writing." 

Award-winning author DC Gomez shares how stepping into your creative purpose can transform your life. Listen to this powerful conversation about finding family, battling self-doubt, and adding joy to the narrative. 

Whether you're a writer seeking inspiration, a reader curious about urban fantasy, or simply someone searching for your own purpose, this conversation reminds us that our stories—both the on...

Grief Mentor Doug Lawrence takes us on a profound exploration of grief as a universal human experience that's often misunderstood and stigmatized in our society. Drawing from his personal journey following the loss of his wife Deborah to cancer in 2021 and his 25 years in law enforcement dealing with trauma, Doug reveals how these experiences shaped his approach to mentoring those struggling with grief and mental health challenges. 

Doug began his Mentoring Practice in 2009. He is an international speaker, mentor and international best-selling author. His books include: “The Gift of Mentoring,” “You Are Not Alone,” and his current release...

Acclaimed author Tong Ge joins us to discuss her celebrated novel, 'The House Filler,' a family saga set in China during the most tumultuous time of the twentieth century including the Japanese invasion, the civil war, and the Communist takeover.

We go on to discuss the power of Historical Fiction to both fuel social reform and preserve history by documenting the stories of the silenced and erased. As Tong Ge puts it, the number one outcome that drives storytellers is the desire to 'right a wrong.' This episode touches on the mechanics of empowering those...

"The wrath of the gods was but a series of tests that Amitayus might prove his heroism and secure his place in Elysium. The thing is, he's not sure that's where he wants to end up."

Step into the mythic world of "The Seeker" as author Dominick Domingo joins us to explore the profound journey behind his latest novel, which is now an Audible audiobook. 'The Seeker' blends inspirational Visionary Fiction with Mythic Fiction in this epic reimagining of the tale of Icarus. In his plunge from glory, rather than perishing in the waters of the Aegean...

What happens when you return to the setting of your deepest trauma and suddenly see it through new eyes? In this profound conversation with returning guest Joshua Lloyd Fox, we witness the transformative journey of a man who faced his childhood abusers in court and discovered unexpected healing along the way. Joshua shares the powerful story of testifying against the Archdiocese of Santa Rosa for sexual abuse he experienced as a child in a boys' home. Rather than finding simple closure, he encountered something far more complex—a reconnection with the beauty of Northern California that had been invisible to...

In this episode, author Mark Olmsted shares his remarkable journey from incarceration to rehabilitation, highlighting the therapeutic power of storytelling throughout his recovery. We explore how unexamined trauma can lead to mood regulation and self-medication in the form of substance abuse and how an outlet for creative expression can free us from self-destructive cycles that limit our growth. In the same spirit, we discuss how the rigid norms  of  prison culture and the politics therein echo those of social conditioning at large, and the irony that both are directly at odds with the manifestation of our greatest potential and ca...

In this episode we sit down with Dominick's lifelong friend, Rob Zabrecky,  a true renaissance man in the world of art and entertainment. He  shares his  journey from fronting the iconic band, Possum Dixon in the nineties, through his decades-long love affair with magic and the acting that became a natural extension of all that came before. As a multi-media artist, Rob knows well the traditions, conventions and trappings of each storytelling mode, as well as the role of concept in the creative process. Rob details his evolution from the rock scene to becoming a celebrated magician at the Mag...

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Join Language of the Soul host Dominick Domingo and his former student Janna Van Vliet from Amsterdam as they reminisce about the ‘Animation Renaissance.’ We break format in this special 2-part series by giving Janna the opportunity to pick Dominick’s brain for the benefit of listeners—about everything from the lore surrounding this unique pop culture moment to nostalgic, first-hand anecdotes from the trenches of production on Lion King, Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame...

PLEASE Help FUND Season 3—Time is of the essence and no amount is too small! Contribute HERE: https://throne.com/language_of_the_soul

Join Language of the Soul host Dominick Domingo and his former student Janna Van Vliet from Amsterdam as they reminisce about the ‘Animation Renaissance.’ We break format in this special episode by giving Janna the opportunity to pick Dominick’s brain for the benefit of listeners—about everything from the lore surrounding this unique pop culture moment to nostalgic, first-hand anecdotes from the trenches of production on Lion King, Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarz...

Join Dominick and Virginia for a fascinating episode as we pick the brain of Stuart Wood, a Narcissism expert. Together, we parse terms often conflated in pop culture (or more accurately, pop psychology) to clarify the traits, components and behaviors that actually comprise a clinical diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. We go on to dissect the pervasiveness of Cultural Narcissism on the macrocosmic level--as well as the normalization of it and what can be done about it as a societal ill.
 
More about our guest:
Stuart focuses on context and the bigger picture. He a...

What if you could harness the power of your intuition like training a muscle? Join us as we explore this intriguing concept with Cheryl Murphy, an esteemed evidential medium and psychic. Cheryl shares her journey of connecting individuals to their inner light through clairvoyance and mediumship. Her insights into how storytelling can empower others to trust their own intuition provide valuable perspectives on personal growth. Discover how nurturing these intuitive abilities can be a transformative experience, offering a path to realizing one's full potential.

Learn more about Cheryl Murphy at:
www.mediumcheryl.com
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Note: this episode was recorded the first week of the 'new administration' during Trump's second term in office. 

        America is fast becoming a fascist oligarchy. Or as Bernie Sanders puts it, a Kleptocracy.  Dive into the unsettling realities of Trump's re-election and the eerie parallels between current events and some of the most authoritarian regimes in history. In this gripping episode, we explore the profound fears and anxieties permeating the nation as the political landscape shifts dramatically. We unpack how tactics like 'flooding the zone' aim not only to destabilize and overwhelm the public, but to terrorize. Amid t...

Virginia takes the helm in this engaging episode of Language of the Soul as we sit down with the multifaceted writer John Bukowski. From veterinary practice to crafting thrilling narratives, John shares how his scientific background enriches his storytelling with technical plausibility and authenticity. Explore the therapeutic power of thrillers and the profound role of fiction in navigating existential threats, much like the timeless narratives of Star Trek and The Twilight Zone. Discover how literary influences such as Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, and Elmore Leonard have shaped John's approach to character development and dialogue, offering listeners a fresh perspective...