Brandi Carlile Has Returned to Herself

Brandi Carlile joins Glennon for her rawest and most vulnerable conversation yet, sharing the story behind her deeply personal new album Returning to Myself—the songs that broke her open, the love that holds her steady, and what it means to truly come home. In this family meeting, Brandi bares her heart and reminds us we’re only here for the blink of an eye—so we must stay relentlessly joyful, soft, and human—and we must, together, find the beauty in the wildfire sun.  About Brandi:  Brandi Carlile is an eleven-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and activist. Over two decades and landmark albums like By the Way, I Forgive You and In These Silent Days, she has co-founded the Highwomen, launched the all-female Girls Just Wanna Weekend festival, founded the Looking Out Foundation, and helped bring Joni Mitchell back to the stage for a historic, Grammy-winning live album.  Brandi Carlile’s new album, Returning to Myself, will be out October 24th.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Youtube — @wecandohardthingsshow   Instagram — @wecandohardthings TikTok — @wecandohardthingshow

This life-saving conversation is for anyone who has—or loves someone who has—breasts. It’s what to look for, what to ask, what screenings you *actually need* (not just what is offered), and every decision point you have (even if it’s not offered to you) if you are facing surgery.   This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Glennon, Abby, and Amanda empower us with the most vital tool we have: information. Amanda reflects on how self-advocacy led her to her own breast cancer diagnosis—and we hear from the pod squad about how Amanda’s transparency helped save their lives. Then, we’re joined by Amanda’s renowned doctor, Dr. Lucy M. De La Cruz, who reminds us that every patient has agency—and shares how to choose the treatment path that’s right for you. And special shout out and thanks to Pod Squader Lori Mihalich-Levin (@mindfulreturn) for being such a special part of this story! If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with breast cancer, please save this episode or send it to the people you love. We love you.  For more on Amanda’s Breast Cancer journey:  - Amanda's Diagnosis and What's Next (Part 1) - Amanda’s Diagnosis and What’s Next (Part 2) - Amanda Returns Post Surgery: Here’s What She Wants You to Know  - What Amanda’s Learned About Life, Love & Community (Post Surgery Pt 2)  - Early Detection, Mammograms & Breast Cancer Care with Dr. Rachel Brem  - Expert Advice on Genetic Testing, Cancer Prevention & Care Disparities with Dr. Rachel Brem  About Dr. De La Cruz:  Dr. Lucy M. De La Cruz is an internationally recognized breast surgical oncologist and the youngest Latina Chief of Breast Surgery in an academic institution in the United States. She serves as Chief of Breast Surgery and Director of the Betty Lou Ourisman Breast Health Center at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, a nationally ranked center of excellence in breast cancer care. Dr. De La Cruz specializes in nipple-sparing mastectomies with structural preservation and resensation, with a focus on highly specialized single-stage implant reconstruction. Patients describe her not only as a world-class surgeon, but as a fierce advocate and mentor—especially for women navigating the complexities of diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.

Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody join us for a heartfelt, soulful, and delightfully chaotic conversation about:  - How to make a marriage last;  - The importance of quiet; and - how we can hold tight to our own humanity while demanding a more humanitarian world.  This conversation is an urgent reminder of how we can all use our voices to make the world more beautiful. Join us now.  About Mandy: Mandy Patinkin is a Tony Award–winning actor, singer, and storyteller whose career spans four decades across stage, film, and television. He’s known for unforgettable roles in Evita, Sunday in the Park with George, The Princess Bride, Homeland, and Criminal Minds. He has toured the world with his solo concerts and collaborations with icons like Patti LuPone and Nathan Gunn. Since 2020, Mandy and his wife, fellow performing artist Kathryn Grody, have offered a delightfully unvarnished glimpse into 45 years of marriage online—sparking live shows with their son Gideon and a new Lemonada Media podcast, Don’t Listen to Us.  About Kathryn:  Kathryn Grody is an Obie Award–winning actor and writer whose work spans theater, film, and television. She won Obies for Top Girls and The Marriage of Bette and Boo, earned a Drama Desk nomination for her one-woman play A Mom’s Life. She has long been active in advocacy with groups including the International Rescue Committee and Downtown Women for Change. This fall, she premieres her new one-woman show, A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive, exploring the transition into elderhood at 78 years young.  On their new podcast, “Don’t Listen to Us,” Mandy and Kathryn are giving you unqualified advice on everything including love, life, dolphins, work, art, bewilderments, relationships, pasta, aging, embarrassments, triumphs, ponderings on how to get through this crazy world. No question too small, no dilemma too big, no story too strange, no musing too trivial! All are welcome.  00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:41 Welcome Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody 00:05:37 Mandy playfully promotes Kathryn’s new show 00:09:31 The surprising reaction from young people 00:10:48 Mandy Patinkin’s dog, Becky 00:13:26 Mandy on how he feels about getting old 00:15:40 What Kathryn does after Mandy goes to bed 00:16:46 Mandy and Kathryn debate a recurring “issue” in their marriage 00:20:06 The first time Kathryn saw Mandy 00:27:10 Mandy and Kathryn share their repetitive marital issues 00:31:39 A hysteria about losing time 00:34:03 How a pause in the conversation can leave space for others to join 00:38:45 Glennon shares her appreciation for Abby’s gift of conversation 00:45:30 The gift of having a more talkative partner 00:50:35 Kathryn on how we need to be more generous in sharing resources 00:52:48 Holding on and trying to make the impermanent parts of life stand still 00:55:54 Why a wishing well is meaningful to Mandy Patinkin 01;02:50 How Mandy’s and Kathryn’s Judaism forms them today 01:08:36 Mandy Patinkin’s powerful thoughts on the Middle East 01:12:40 Why women should run the world 01:15:28 Mandy Patinkin’s plea to younger / older listeners 01:19:31 Mandy does not want to meet Glennon, Abby, and Amanda Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Youtube — @wecandohardthingsshow   Instagram — @wecandohardthingsTikTok — @wecandohardthingshow

We all have something inside us that knows exactly what we want.  Katie Gavin joins us to talk about:  How to identify that kernel of desire inside—and then have the courage to follow it;  Why love addiction can feel like being stuck on a “treadmill in the cosmos”; and the moment Katie called Glennon a Femme/Dom—and how it changed Glennon’s life forever.  Katie Gavin’s album: What A Relief About Katie:  Katie Gavin is a musician and member of the pop band MUNA, and released her debut solo album What A Relief this past October 2024—an album about a deep desire for connection and the obstacles standing in the way of achieving that. Gavin’s explorations of desire and intimacy feel time-worn and necessary – songs that might teach a generation if not how to live, exactly, then at least how to look within oneself for guidance about how to move forward. Katie is currently in the studio with MUNA working on their forthcoming album. Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Youtube — @wecandohardthingsshow   Instagram — @wecandohardthings TikTok — @wecandohardthingshow

Glennon shares the new way she’s making peace with her body—not through individual “wellness,” but through community care and collective action. Together, we explore why it’s more important than ever that we show up—even if we’re scared or heartbroken—because the world needs our broken hearts. And we unearth a small miracle: by listening to our bodies, we can participate in life without abandoning ourselves.  Join us now.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Youtube — @wecandohardthingsshow   Instagram — @wecandohardthings TikTok — @wecandohardthingshow

Music icons, queer trailblazers, and our heroes—Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge—share the wisdom, humor, and heart that have carried them through decades of music and community. We talk about faith, the power of music to heal and connect, their advice for queer kids, and the lessons they’re learning from young activists. About Indigo Girls:  Across four decades, 16 studio albums, and over 15 million records sold, the Grammy-winning Indigo Girls – Emily Saliers and Amy Ray – continue to blaze the trail for generations of Queer artists in the mainstream.  Committed and uncompromising activists, Saliers and Ray work on issues like racial justice and reproductive rights, immigration reform, LGBTQ advocacy, education, death penalty reform, and Native American rights. Indigo Girls was the first of six consecutive Gold and/or Platinum-certified albums.Their latest record, Look Long, is a stirring and eclectic collection of songs that finds the duo reunited in the studio with their strongest backing band to date.  About Melissa:  Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, Yes I Am. The collection featured the massive hits, "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window," a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Performance.  Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singers for more than two decades.  In June of 2020, Etheridge launched The Etheridge Foundation to support groundbreaking scientific research into effective new treatments for opioid use disorder.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Youtube — @wecandohardthingsshow   Instagram — @wecandohardthings TikTok — @wecandohardthingshow

Glennon, Abby, and Amanda share the bittersweet moment they dropped Tish off at college—and how they’re navigating the lucky grief of parenting older kids. If you, too, are in the middle of this landslide—learning how to hold on and let go as your kids grow up—this conversation is for you.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Youtube — @wecandohardthingsshow Instagram — @wecandohardthings TikTok — @wecandohardthingshow

Natasha Rothwell is here today to teach us not only how to survive this time, but how to absolutely stay alive—and hold onto our wild, precious humanity—during this time.  During this magical hour, we discuss: - The paradox of being an introvert who loves people; - How Natasha finds God in theater, laughter, and even pain; - How understanding her neurodivergence set Natasha free; and - How we can resist fascism by leaning into delight, sexuality, creativity, and nature. This conversation will wake you up. Don’t miss it.  About Natasha: Natasha Rothwell is the creator, executive producer, and star of the critically acclaimed Hulu series How to Die Alone, which is currently streaming. She recently earned her second Emmy nomination for her standout performance as Belinda Lindsey in Season 3 of HBO’s The White Lotus, reprising the role that first made her a fan favorite in Season 1. Natasha is also known for work on HBO’s Insecure. In 2020, she founded her production company Big Hattie Productions to create, produce, and develop genre-bending projects that champion marginalized voices in subversive ways. For more conversations about neurodivergence, check out: 82. Hannah Gadsby: How to Communicate Better 220. Why So Many Women Don’t Know They are Autistic with Katherine May 294. What ADHD Feels Like with Jaklin Levine-Pritzker Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Youtube — @wecandohardthingsshow   Instagram — @wecandohardthings TikTok — @wecandohardthingshow

Each of us has something we’re pretending not to know—an inner voice that whispers: We’re in trouble. Join us for a raw conversation with Jen Hatmaker on:  the cost of ignoring the trouble in her 25-year marriage; the night she heard her husband on the phone with his girlfriend; and  the freedom she found when she finally embraced the truth. About Jen: Jen Hatmaker is a bestselling author, award-winning podcaster, and fierce advocate for women living in freedom and agency. With 14 books—including four New York Times bestsellers—she reaches millions with her signature mix of humor, vulnerability, and wisdom. Her newest book, AWAKE: A Memoir, is out now, and chronicles her raw, real-time journey through the shocking end of her 26-year marriage and surprising reinvention. She lives in a creaky old farmhouse, loves 90s country, and drinks Almond Joy creamer like it’s a personality trait. Follow We Can Do Hard Things on: Youtube — @wecandohardthingsshow   Instagram — @wecandohardthings TikTok — @wecandohardthingshow

You’ve been asking for 4 years, and the day is finally here! You can now WATCH all We Can Do Hard Things conversations on YouTube!!!   Click over to the We Can Do Hard Things Show YouTube channel and subscribe here now:  https://www.youtube.com/@WeCanDoHardThingsShow After you subscribe, click the bell button so you don’t miss new video episodes (every Tuesday and Thursday)! In this FIRST EVER VIDEO EPISODE OF WE CAN DO HARD THINGS—Glennon, Abby and Amanda get extra honest about how they’re holding on to joy, rage, and hope during this American moment. They discuss their breakdowns and breakthroughs, their nationwide tour, and they share their vision of the Freedom Fleet— a united movement that not only organizes and strategizes—but dances and laughs and loves its way toward freedom.  Subscribe to the Show on YouTube:  @wecandohardthingsshow   And follow the show on Instagram — @wecandohardthings & TikTok — @wecandohardthingshow