Intrepid Storytelling

What is left of your life when the community you built and the faith you preached both disappear in an instant?

In this deeply honest episode of Intrepid Storytelling, Deanna Powell sits down with former pastor Ryan Meeks and his wife, Michelle. Ryan shares the raw reality of what happened when his evangelical church, Eastlake Community Church, imploded after he announced they would fully affirm the LGBTQIA+ community. The fallout ...

They bought a house in Bothell, Washington… and something else came with it. In this true paranormal podcast episode, a couple reveals the unexplained events, ghostly encounters, and haunting experiences that turned everyday life into a constant state of unease. If you love real haunted house stories, Pacific Northwest paranormal activity, and true ghost encounters—this episode will stay with you long after the final word.

PURCHASE...

In this transformative episode, Shelise Ann Sola, host of the popular podcast and YouTube show Cults to Consciousness, opens up about her deeply personal faith transition and deconstruction from LDS Mormonism. Raised in a devout Mormon household and immersed in the cultural expectations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Shelise spent years following rules, suppressing doubts, and striving to be the “perfect” membe...

This is a real-life comeback story you won’t forget. Once trapped in addiction and felony convictions, she hit rock bottom and checked herself into the Salvation Army—then did the work to completely transform her life. In this episode, we explore addiction recovery, life after prison, and how she defied the odds to become one of the most successful real estate agents in Seattle. If you believe in second chances, personal growth, an...

This is a shorter episode from the Intrepid Storytelling live event.

On February 6, 2023, Alicia Brown’s life was forever transformed when a ruptured brain aneurysm and stroke during surgery stole her ability to speak, write, spell, and function. In this powerful episode of Intrepid Storytelling, Alicia opens up about the month she spent in the hospital relearning the basics of life, from opening her left eye to taking her first st...

This gripping episode is Part 3 of a series that was started by Leila Culberson, who's story was told in Part 1 and Part 2 - Surviving The Unthinkable: A Mother's True Story Of Betrayal, Abuse, Fentanyl Loss, the Courage to Heal and Take Action. If you haven't listened to those episodes yet, head there first and come here for Part 3, Cash Nimmer-Culberson's True Story.

For years, one man controlled the story. And for years, everyon...

This is PART 2 of a 2 part series with Michelle Troll. Don't miss hearing her first episode where she talks about her experience escaping domestic violence and an ex-husband who went on to murder his next victim.

In this inspiring episode, Michelle Troll shares her courageous journey through years of unexplained symptoms, medical confusion, and the emotional fight to finally receive an accurate diagnosis: multiple sclerosis (MS). M...

This is PART 1 of a 2 part series with Michelle Troll. Stay tuned for PART 2 where she talks about a shocking health diagnosis and her determination to overcome multiple sclerosis (MS)!

In this powerful episode, we sit down with survivor and advocate Michelle Troll as she courageously recounts her escape from domestic violence at the hands of James Joseph Cain — a man who would later go on to murder one of his next girlfriends. Mic...

In this powerful episode, author, humanitarian, and community advocate Larry J Snyder opens up about one of the most challenging chapters of his life—caring for his aging parents as they battled dementia. Known as a “hope dealer,” Larry has spent his life uplifting others, but nothing prepared him for the emotional, physical, and spiritual weight of watching the two people who shaped him slowly slip away.

Larry shares the raw truth...

This is a shorter episode from the Intrepid Storytelling live event.

In this inspiring episode of Intrepid Storytelling, we meet Denise, a former elementary and middle school educator who transformed her life and career after surviving a near-fatal automobile accident in 2009. Her path from teaching to thriving in the mortgage industry is a powerful story of resilience, determination, and personal growth.

After enduring both physic...

In this inspiring episode of Intrepid Storytelling, I sit down with Sherilynn Hemphill, a true warrior who has faced and overcome unimaginable challenges. From battling cancer to enduring more than ten surgeries and living through two ileostomies, Sher’s journey is one of courage, faith, and unshakable resilience. Today, as a cancer survivor and proud ileostomy warrior, she shares her story with nearly 30,000 TikTok followers, insp...

In this powerful episode of Intrepid Storytelling, we follow the inspiring journey of Joanie Elisabeth who transformed deep childhood neglect into unshakable strength. Drawn for years to men with narcissistic traits, she found herself trapped in cycles of emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and self-doubt. But through courage, therapy, and radical self-awareness, she learned to recognize the red flags, break free from toxic relati...

In this powerful episode on Interrupted: Act 2 (reinventing your life) Podcast with Laurie Hardie, Deanna Powell opens up about her courageous journey from surviving abusive relationships and battling alcoholism to rebuilding her life with unwavering determination. After choosing sobriety and taking small, steady steps forward, Deanna turned to community resources like 211, Hopelink, and Catholic Community Services, slowly piecing ...

This is a short episode from the Intrepid Storytelling live event.

Born into a sheltered, fundamentalist Christian upbringing, Deanna Powell was taught that women and children were to be seen, not heard—and that a woman’s purpose was to serve men, marry, and have children. Naïve to the world and lacking boundaries, she became a target for predators, enduring sexually abusive relationships and three failed marriages. Struggling with...

This is PART 2, and if you haven't listened to PART 1 yet, you'll want to do that first.

In this deeply moving episode of Intrepid Storytelling, Deanna sits down with Leila Culberson, a courageous mother whose life was shattered by unthinkable betrayal and loss — discovering her husband had been sexually abusing their children, and later facing the heartbreaking death of her teenage daughter to fentanyl poisoning. Out of unimaginab...

This is PART 1 of a 2 part series. In this deeply moving episode of Intrepid Storytelling, Deanna sits down with Leila Culberson, a courageous mother whose life was shattered by unthinkable betrayal and loss — discovering her husband had been sexually abusing their children, and later facing the heartbreaking death of her teenage daughter to fentanyl poisoning. Out of unimaginable pain, she chose a path of healing, advocacy, and em...

Intrepid Storytelling Podcast with Deanna Powell — Real Stories. Raw Truth. Unbreakable Spirit. The Intrepid Storytelling Podcast is a powerful, truth-driven space where host Deanna Powell dives deep into the human experience through real, unfiltered, and transformational stories. Each episode features courageous individuals who have faced adversity, trauma, resilience, healing, reinvention, and personal breakthroughs.

From surviva...