In this heartfelt and timely episode of A Lighthouse in the Dark, Michael Fishman sits down with writer, content creator, brand storyteller, father, and deeply thoughtful voice Blake Kasemeier, whose series This Week in Fatherhood has resonated with parents navigating the beauty, pressure, humor, and uncertainty of raising a family in the modern world.

They explore brands, AI, social judgments, the power of a good "em dash" and impact meaningful relationships have on our lives.

Blake opens up about the transitions that have shaped him — becoming a father, his mother's cancer battle, facing her loss, and sudden unemployment — navigating finding his footing in family life, building a creative career, and learning how to stay grounded while living in a world shaped by technology, public visibility, social media, and constant change.

Together, Michael and Blake explore the real work of fatherhood: showing up when you are still healing, leading with love while learning as you go, protecting your family without losing yourself, and trying to build something meaningful in business and life while remaining present at home.

Their conversation also dives into the discipline and humility of Jiu Jitsu, the emotional weight men often carry quietly, and the importance of creating honest spaces where dads can talk about grief, growth, identity, responsibility, and love.

Funny, wise, vulnerable, and deeply relatable, this episode invites fathers — and everyone who loves them — into a conversation about what it means to keep becoming while building a family, a future, and a life of purpose.

Because fatherhood is not about having all the answers. It is about showing up with heart, humility, and the courage to keep learning.

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In this deeply grounding episode of A Lighthouse in the Dark, Michael Fishman sits down with Kristina Bant: wellness and longevity activist, autism spokesperson, yogi, international yoga ambassador, reiki practitioner, photographer, writer, and mother for a powerful conversation about resilience, healing, love, family, communication, and learning to live from the heart.

Kristina shares her journey of moving from a world shaped by science, logic, and structure into a deeper relationship with energy, intuition, compassion, and embodied healing.

With profound honesty, Bant opens up about recovering from back surgery, rebuilding trust in her body, and discovering new layers of strength through stillness, presence, and self-understanding.

Together, Michael and Kristina explore how healing is not always linear, how communication can become a bridge back to love, and how family, motherhood, wellness, and spiritual practice can shape a more intentional life.

This is a conversation about listening closely to the body, to the heart, to the people we love, and to the quiet wisdom that often arrives when we finally slow down enough to hear it.

Tender, wise, honest, and restorative, this episode offers a reminder that resilience is not just about pushing through pain. Sometimes, it is about softening, opening, receiving, and allowing the heart to lead us home.

Because healing often begins when we stop fighting ourselves and start listening with love.

Learn more about Kristina:

Website - https://kristinabantyoga.com/

Photography - https://lifethroughtheotherlens.com/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@KristinaBantYoga

Socials - @kristinabantyoga

Full episodes can be watched as well on YouTube @alighthouseinthedark channel.

For more connection and exclusive content please subscribe to the official @alighgthouseinthedark Substack.

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In this expansive episode of A Lighthouse in the Dark, Michael Fishman sits down with Kalpana Pot, actor, author, science influencer, and astronomy expert. What unfolds is a fascinating conversation about curiosity, creativity, space, truth, and the courage to follow a path others may not understand.

Kalpana opens up about growing up in an academic family, feeling like the “black sheep” for choosing creativity, and learning to honor both sides of herself: the scientist who wants evidence and the artist who dares to dream.

Together, Michael and Kalpana explore what it means to challenge expectations, pursue acting, write books, teach science, and build a life that refuses to fit neatly into one box.

Their conversation moves from the deeply personal to the cosmic, while touching on astronomy, conspiracy theories, aliens, climate change, the dangers facing our planet, and the importance of scientific literacy in a world filled with misinformation.

Insightful, funny, thoughtful, and full of wonder, this episode is a reminder that curiosity can be an act of courage, imagination can be a form of intelligence, and sometimes the people who think differently are the ones who help us see the universe more clearly.

Because following your light may lead you all the way to the stars.

Kalpana Pots Links:

https://www.instagram.com/kalpanapot/?hl=en

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5305151/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalpana-pot-1700b3271

https://www.tiktok.com/@toknerdytome

https://podcasts.apple.com/ga/podcast/128-kalpana-pot-actor-writer-host-and-space-communicator/id1517307796?i=1000661782112

https://stan.store/KalpanaP

Full episodes can be watched as well on YouTube @alighthouseinthedark channel.

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In this inspiring episode of A Lighthouse in the Dark, Michael Fishman sits down with entrepreneur, author, investor, and trailblazer Arlan Hamilton for a powerful conversation about resilience, reinvention, business, family, and building a life of purpose after hardship.

Michael and Arlan open up about their shared experiences being unhoused, the lessons learned during seasons of uncertainty, and the strength it takes to keep believing in yourself when the world has not yet caught up to your vision. Together, they explore entrepreneurship as more than business. It can be a path toward freedom, dignity, ownership, and opportunity.

Arlan shares wisdom from her journey helping others build businesses, create wealth, and move toward financial independence, especially people who have been underestimated, overlooked, or left out of traditional systems. This conversation is about what happens when good people are given access, encouragement, tools, and belief.

Honest, hopeful, and deeply motivating, this episode is a reminder that where you start does not have to decide where you finish.

Because sometimes the darkest chapters become the foundation for building a brighter future.

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In this powerful episode of A Lighthouse in the Dark, Michael Fishman sits down with Dr. Todd Frisch, author of WTF: Why the Face, for a fascinating conversation about facial analysis, whole-body health, medical advocacy, and learning to listen to the signals our bodies are already giving us.

Dr. Todd shares how the face can offer meaningful clues about what may be happening beneath the surface, helping people become more informed and empowered in their personal health journeys. Together, Michael and Dr. Todd explore the connection between observation, diagnosis, intuition, advocacy, and the importance of asking better questions when something does not feel right.

This conversation goes beyond medicine. It is about awareness. It is about empowerment. It is about refusing to be dismissed, learning to notice what your body may be communicating, and becoming a more active participant in your own care.

Insightful, practical, and deeply engaging, this episode invites listeners to rethink the way they see themselves, their health, and the faces of those around them.

Because sometimes the path to healing begins by noticing what has been right in front of us all along.

Full episodes can be watched as well on YouTube @alighthouseinthedark channel.

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In the premiere episode of A Lighthouse in the Dark, Michael Fishman sits down with the extraordinary Yvette Nicole Brown for a deeply human conversation about love, loss, caregiving, truth, and the courage it takes to keep choosing light.

Known for her warmth, wit, integrity, and unforgettable work on screen, Yvette opens up about the real-life experiences that have shaped her heart: caring for her beloved father, navigating grief after profound loss, finding love, stepping into marriage, and living as a relentless truth teller in a world that often rewards silence.

This episode is a conversation about what it means to show up fully. For family, for love, for yourself, and for what is right. Together, Michael and Yvette explore the beauty and weight of a life lived in public. They dive into caregiving, the sacred lessons found in grief, and the healing power of honesty.

It is an exploration of how love can remain a guiding force even in life’s darkest seasons.

Tender, funny, wise, and deeply inspiring, this first episode sets the tone for A Lighthouse in the Dark: real conversations with remarkable people about finding hope, healing, resilience, purpose, and humanity when life gets hard.

Because even in the dark, there is always a light worth moving toward.

Full episodes can be watched as well on YouTube @alighthouseinthedark channel.

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Welcome to A Lighthouse in the Dark

In this introduction episode Michael Fishman is interviewed by his business partner Michael Johnson to introduce the heart behind the podcast.

This is a space for honest conversations about resilience, healing, grief, mental wellness, knowledge, purpose, perspective, and the light we find through human connection.

This episode explores why the show was created, what it means to feel lost in dark seasons, some of the experiences that shaped Michael, and how stories, compassion, connection, and community remind us we are not alone.

Part reflection, part invitation, this sets the foundation for a podcast built on hope, emotional honesty, and the belief that even in Life's hardest moments, light can still be found.

In this episode:

• Why A Lighthouse in the Dark was created
• The origin and principles behind the show
• A glimpse into the host and his heart
• How grief, resilience, love, and purpose shape our lives
• Why healing begins with connection and happens in community
• The invitation to become light for one another

Welcome Light Keepers

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