Erin M. Barlow opens this episode by sharing how she felt when she was in one of her life’s lowest lows, when she was trying to navigate the loss of her beloved sister Michelle, and manage her own health crisis, and trying to find a way forward. As she looked out at the patter of rain on the lake’s surface, she felt a tap on the shoulder…Equal parts grit and courage, Erin shows us how she was able to move through loss, grief, and trauma…and chart her path forward to thriving. Erin is a talented, aspiring actor, filmmaker, and screenwriter. She is chock full of badassery and even as a tween, was the only girl on her town’s elite hockey team…and the Goalie!!We can think of no one better to open season two of our podcast, Katy Hansell: The Impact Whisperer™ than the inimitable Erin M. Barlow! LinkedIn

In our final episode of Season 1 of Katy Hansell: The Impact Whisperer ™ podcast, our guest Hussein Al-Baiaity opens this episode by sharing how losing his beloved father changed his perspective about how to live his own life. Hussein’s father was visiting family and friends in Baghdad when he suddenly passed away. Hussein learned this devastating news in a phone call from a relative. His father, Kamel Al-Baiaity, was Hussein’s greatest teacher and an acclaimed artist known throughout Iraq. In fact, as you will learn in this episode, it is his father’s artistry that enabled Hussein and his whole family to ultimately be granted safe passage from the refugee camp in Saudi Arabia where they lived for four years to the United States. This episode makes no mention of the current war in the region, the US and Israel’s war against Iran, as it was recorded before the war broke out on February 28, 2026. It does reference the Gulf War which caused Hussein and his family to have to flee under the cover of nightfall from their home south of Baghdad in Iraq. The transformative power of art and its tool to build resilience are the major throughlines of this podcast conversation between Hussein and Host Katy Hansell. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong, as Hussein shares what it was like to be displaced from his home to a refugee camp and then trying to assimilate in the US before he knew how to speak English. Like his father Kamel, Hussein used the power of art to find his way, befriend his peers, showcase his budding talent in school via a book creation contest, and ultimately help him advise others in his current business. Hussein is the host of the Rising Authors Experience podcast, author of the book Art of Resilience: The Refugee State of Mind, and founder of Rising Authors, his coaching business where he helps authors build clear brands and thriving platforms that turn books into lasting opportunities.

This episode opens with Dr. Faye T. Gamboa, O.D., sharing how a college volunteer service trip to help clean up after Hurricane Katrina opened her eyes to what true service looks like. Moment of Impact: "If you want to help us, walk with us." This episode is for anyone who is considering a service-based professional career or anyone who has a wanderlust for travel and wants to figure out how to combine travel with service. Dr. Faye also offers tips about how to own your own practice as a healthcare provider and move into entrepreneurship from clinical settings. We discuss the importance of role clarity when you have a team of professionals who want to collaborate in a frictionless way. Dr. Faye T. Gamboa is the owner and optometrist at Wanderlust Eyecare in Northfield, IL where her husband Shwin also works and their dog Winnie. She is also a Primary Care and Ocular Disease Optometrist at the North Chicago VA Hospital. Born and raised in Chicago, Dr. Gamboa has a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Illinois-Chicago and her doctorate cum laude from the Illinois College of Optometry. She completed her residency in Primary Eye Care and Ocular disease at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. She has worked in corporate and private practice settings and, in addition to her role as the founder of Wanderlust Eyecare, she devotes time to helping veterans and active-duty military personnel at the VA hospital. Dr. Gamboa treats her own wanderlust with ample travel around the world. She is an enthusiastic foodie who loves to spend free time with family and friends. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faye-therese-gamboaWebsite: https://www.wanderlusteyecare.com