SPARK, A Mother-Daughter Journey
Hi, this is Jenny Kierstead and Sophia Rae, a Mother-Daughter duo. We’ve been through a lot together the last few years. As we moved through COVID self-isolation, we also dealt with our own traumatic grief from the massacre here in NS, which claimed the life of Jenny’s sister, and Sophia’s Aunt, Lisa McCully. We decided to channel our desire to spark a light amidst the darkness by creating this podcast.Our hope for this podcast is to ignite honest, whole-hearted conversations that bridge the generational gap, heal trauma and light the path for a healthy, united future.
Episodes
24 episodes
Moving from loneliness to connection
In this episode, Sophia and I discuss the epidemic of loneliness, which millions are suffering from around the world.We open with the surprising detrimental effects that loneliness has on our mental and physical health, like how it rewires ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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30:00
Repair and Recovery: The key to lasting relationships
This stellar conversation is the fourth and final episode (for now) with our champion guest speaker, Sophia's Dad, and my hubby, Blair Abbass. We begin with updates on our lives since we chose to postpone our pod to give our chat with Cindy Tho...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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35:55
Let's talk about our red flags...ft Blair Abbass
In this third episode of our four part mini series on relationships with therapist, mindfulness teacher and educator, Blair Abbass, we discuss everything from dysfunctional relationships and red flags to healthy connections and green flags. We ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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35:55
Foster Healthy Relationships with the Law of Attraction
In this touching and informative family conversation, we discuss the popular phrase 'law of attraction' with regards to attracting partnerships. I start off by reminding us that our intimate relationships are the most important choice we'll eve...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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26:12
Summer 2023 Wrap up- Camp highlights, Epiphanies, Meeting the Prime Minister....
Join us for our Summer 2023 Wrap up and Reflection!The practice of 'recapitulation' is a meaningful way of closing any experience, or season. Reflecting on the last season helps us to deepen our insight and savour the goodness we'v...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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41:42
Mini series: Let's chat about intimate relationships- an introduction
In this episode with our repeat guest, the one and only Blair Abbass, we share a surprisingly serious and deep conversation about intimate relationships. After 22 years of being together, we continue to refine and define our partnership, and we...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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23:48
Unveiling the Truth about Self Harm
In this moving and emotional episode, Sophia and I have a very real conversation about the prevalence of self-harm (TW).We want to be clear that we discuss this topic in it's broadest sense, not by what is presented in the DSM-5, which d...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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28:32
Musicians, Meaghan Smith and Jason Mingo, on success in the industry and in parenting.
In this exciting SPARK episode, we chat with the one of a kind duo, singer/songwriter Meaghan Smith and her producer husBAND, Jason Mingo. It's fascinating to hear about them starting out, living and working in LA with the likes of ren...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:01:13
How to Think Big and Pursue Your Deepest Dreams
In this moving and frankly, inspiring conversation, this mother-daughter duo discusses the challenges and rewards involved in pursuing your own passions, even and especially when they lie outside of the cultural norm. This topic arose from Soph...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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35:37
Three Generations- A Mothers Day Special
In this very special Mother's Day episode, we chat with Emily Kierstead, my (Jenny's) mother, Sophia's grandmother and a woman who's lost three of her four children. The three generations discuss Mom's early years when she bravely left NB...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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43:17
The Courage To Change
In this beautiful conversation on the sometimes frightening yet necessary experience of change, we open with our stories of change and how important they were for our personal growth and alignment of our true path.We then reference and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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34:51
Into the Mind of a Teen- two conversations, a year apart.
In this crazy amazing episode, Sophia and her bestie, Mylene Cormier, share two different conversations, a year apart. The first one is when they were both 15 and the second one was recorded a year later. In these chats, they openly...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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45:07
The three forbidden C’s: Conflict, Confrontation and Communication
In this episode, this mother-daughter duo discusses the uncomfortable, yet necessary topic of conflict and confrontation. Sophia starts us off with a quote from the Guardian: “Confrontation is the willingness to address difficult topics, whi...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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25:32
The silent devastation of living with an eating disorder
Happy International Women's Day everyone! In this episode, we begin with the IWD mandate: Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where diffe...
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Episode 10
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35:07
We're Back!....and Sophia took the Accutane Leap
They're back!!! After a short hiatus from podcasting, this mother-daughter duo comes back together to update you, our listeners, on their lives now. Sophia candidly shares about her struggle to come to the decision to take accutane, the hefty a...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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30:13
Beloved educator and member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community gets real- A convo with Colleen Shannon
In this podcast episode, Jenny and Sophia chat with beloved educator Colleen Shannon.Colleen is an extraordinary educator who commands a lot from her students and gives a lot in return. Sophia knows this well because she was taught by...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:14:40
This 14 year old sees dyslexia as a gift- A convo with Bella Rose
This very special episode, recorded on Mother's Day, is a candid conversation between hosts Jenny and Sophia AND Sophia's younger sister, Bella Rose. After a few minutes of awe inspiring details of Bella's cooking creations, Bella b...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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44:06
Way of the Peaceful Warrior- with bestselling author Dan Millman
*Potential Sensitive Content Warning*We are thrilled to introduce Dan Millman, who’s been transforming humanity for over 40 years, with his dedicated work on personal development and human potential. Author of PEACEFUL ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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35:02
The Olympic Dream- with 3x Olympian Karen Furneaux
In this episode, Sophia and Jenny share reflections on their public speaking to a school in NB, and have a good chuckle at Jenny’s rather intense approach to health and healing with grade eights. They discuss the training opportunities coming u...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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49:38
Life after Tragedy
As the Public Inquiry into the mass shooting of April 18-19th was approaching, the Mass Casualty Commission asked the public how the massacre has affected their lives?Sophia shares honestly about how unrecognizable she was right after the e...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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37:14
A Bootlegger's Son - From Trauma to Resilience
In this episode, we interview my husband and Sophia's Dad, Blair Abbass. He's an award winning educator, therapist and mindfulness expert whose survived a trainwreck and many other close calls, leaving him convinced that there is a greater purp...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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59:44
Teen Success - with actress Simone Miller
What's it like to be a rising celebrity? In this episode, Jenny and Sophia chat with Simone Miller, an actor in shows such as CBC Detention Adventures and Run the Burbs. Sophia fell in love with Simone's debut single, Dry Eyes, that wa...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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23:41
Q&A: Get to know your Mother-Daughter Duo!
In this episode, we start off with a Q&A so you can get to know us a little better…and with these high octane questions, that’s exactly what happens. We discuss our fears, our dreams, the blocks in the way and somehow, Jenny’s perfection...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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36:51
