Standing Up Strong – Details, episodes & analysis

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Standing Up Strong

The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center

Science

Education

Health & Fitness

Frequency: 1 episode/28d. Total Eps: 8

What are your superpowers?

Each of us have a unique profile of character strengths — values and traits that come naturally to us. When you know what they are and how to use them, you can rise to be an upstander — setting off incredible ripples of change in yourself and the world around you.

In partnership with the VIA Institute on Character, and hosted by character strengths expert Dr. Jillian Coppley, this special series of short podcast episodes will explore the science behind standing up. We’ll unpack the world of insights this character strengths framework can provide for all of us in our day-to-day lives — and how we can lean into what we naturally do well to do our small part in strengthening our communities and the world around us.

Standing Up Strong is generously supported by the Mayerson Family Foundation

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇺🇸 USA - socialSciences
05/07/2026
#78
🇺🇸 USA - socialSciences
04/07/2026
#100
🇺🇸 USA - socialSciences
07/06/2026
#88
🇺🇸 USA - socialSciences
03/06/2026
#91
🇺🇸 USA - socialSciences
02/06/2026
#85
🇬🇧 Great Britain - socialSciences
07/05/2026
#89
🇬🇧 Great Britain - socialSciences
06/05/2026
#64
🇨🇦 Canada - socialSciences
05/05/2026
#87
🇨🇦 Canada - socialSciences
04/05/2026
#74
🇨🇦 Canada - socialSciences
03/05/2026
#58

Spotify

No recent rankings available

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https://www.viacharacter.org/
13 shares
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/
12 shares
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

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RSS feed quality

Good

Score global : 73%

Publication history

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Standing Up Strong with Caroline Miller

Season 2 · Episode 2

Thursday, January 15, 2026 • Duration 29:30

True resilience and success don’t start with striving harder—they begin by standing firmly in who you are at your best.

“Happiness precedes success.”
- Caroline Adams Miller

In this episode of Standing Up Strong, Dr. Jillian Coppley speaks with positive psychology pioneer and author Caroline Adams Miller about the science of flourishing, goal setting, and meaningful achievement.
Caroline challenges the myth that success creates happiness, explaining instead that well-being fuels goal attainment and long-term success. Drawing on research and personal experience, she highlights the power of character strengths, supportive relationships, and her concept of ampliship—publicly and intentionally uplifting others, particularly women, as they pursue ambitious goals.
Her best advice: do hard, meaningful things, surround yourself with people who believe in you, and create spaces where everyone can rise together. This conversation reminds us that true happiness and wellbeing are critical to building a community of upstanders.

More about host Jillian Coppley:
Dr. Jillian Coppley is a visionary executive recognized internationally for her expertise in character strengths, wellbeing, and organizational transformation. With deep experience in positive psychology, strategy, and change, she has led large-scale collaborations, built global programs, strategic partnerships, and thriving organizational cultures that empower individuals, teams and organizations to flourish. Her leadership blends strategic vision, research-based innovation, and deep personal care for others —creating environments where people and programs thrive and where meaningful, lasting impact takes root.

This series is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the science of character strengths is integral to our work creating a community of upstanders.
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/
https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity    
   
Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation and the VIA Institute on Character for their support of this series   
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/     
https://www.viacharacter.org/  
   
Find us on social media   
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/    
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/    
https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity   

Episode Resources
Take the free VIA Character Strengths Survey https://www.viacharacter.org/survey
Caroline Adams Miller’s latest book, "Big Goals" https://biggoalsbook.com/
Caroline Adams Miller’s website: https://www.carolinemiller.com
Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org

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Standing Up Strong with Dr. Michelle McQuaid

Season 2 · Episode 1

Wednesday, December 3, 2025 • Duration 27:36

“When we can start to reach for and engage and develop our strengths, those things we're good at and enjoy doing, then it is going to not just energize us a bit more in the face of all those challenges but give us more confidence to try to muddle our way through and get to the other side.”
- Dr. Michelle McQuaid

Feeling stretched thin by all the change around you? In this uplifting episode of Standing Up Strong, author and researcher Dr. Michelle McQuaid joins Dr. Jillian Coppley of the VIA Institute on Character —a global leader in the science and practice of character strengths—to reveal how our character strengths can help us rise above stress and “quiet cracking.” Discover how leaning into what makes you strong, paired with a dose of self-compassion, can boost your confidence, build resilience, and help you thrive even when life feels overwhelming.

Dr. Michelle McQuaid is an award-winning researcher, LinkedIn Top Voice for Mental Health, and honorary fellow at Melbourne University's Centre for Wellbeing Science and her team runs workshops, designs tools, and delivers coaching to help care for well-being, supercharge psychosocial safety, and co-create change in workplaces, schools, and communities around the world.

Dr. Jillian Coppley is a visionary executive recognized internationally for her expertise in character strengths, wellbeing, and organizational transformation. With deep experience in positive psychology, strategy, and change, she has led large-scale collaborations, built global programs, strategic partnerships, and thriving organizational cultures that empower individuals, teams and organizations to flourish. Her leadership blends strategic vision, research-based innovation, and deep personal care for others —creating environments where people and programs thrive and where meaningful, lasting impact takes root.

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation and the VIA Institute on Character for their support of this series.
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/
https://www.viacharacter.org/

This series is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the science of character strengths is integral to our work creating a community of upstanders.
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/ https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity Find the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center on social media https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity Find the VIA Institute on Character on social mediahttps://www.instagram.com/viastrengths/https://www.linkedin.com/company/via-institute-on-character/Episode Resources Take the Character Strengths survey for free and find out your top strengths https://www.viacharacter.org/ Find out more about Dr. McQuaid and her work https://www.michellemcquaid.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chellemcquaid/Michelle’s “HEART of change” steps to navigating change in our lives: Honoring feelings, Engaging purposefully, Appreciating strengths, Reaching out, and Taking tiny steps. https://www.michellemcquaid.com/research/heart-of-change-insights-report/Follow Dr. Jillian Coppley on LinkedIn for more insights about character strengths and how they can help us thrive https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcoppley/

Turn your failures into your secret weapons with Fiona Macaulay

Season 2 · Episode 5

Friday, March 13, 2026 • Duration 29:27

The most successful people aren’t the ones who manage to avoid failure. Entrepreneur and author Fiona Macaulay says they’re the ones who learn how to fail forward.

“When we have a failure, it doesn’t make you a failure—it’s simply having a failure. The real question is: what strategic intelligence can you learn from it?”

- Fiona Macaulay

In this episode of Standing Up Strong, Dr. Jillian Coppley sits down with Wild Network founder Fiona Macaulay to talk about the truth behind success that most people never see: the long trail of setbacks, pivots, and lessons that make it possible.

Fiona shares how perfectionism nearly derailed her early success—even landing her in the emergency room with a panic attack while her company was thriving. That moment forced her to rethink what failure really means and how leaders can transform setbacks into what she calls “strategic intelligence.” Fiona explains why talking openly about failure can be liberating—and how it helps people move from shame to learning.

Dr. Jillian Coppley is a visionary executive recognized internationally for her expertise in character strengths, wellbeing, and organizational transformation. With deep experience in positive psychology, strategy, and change, she has led large-scale collaborations, built global programs, strategic partnerships, and thriving organizational cultures that empower individuals, teams and organizations to flourish. Her leadership blends strategic vision, research-based innovation, and deep personal care for others —creating environments where people and programs thrive and where meaningful, lasting impact takes root.

Fiona Macaulay is a leadership expert and keynote speaker who designs immersive learning experiences that drive lasting behavior change for Fortune 500 companies, global nonprofits, and professional associations. With 25 years of experience, her approach combines practical frameworks with real-world application, ensuring participants leave with tools they can use immediately. Fiona is Founder/CEO of The WILD Network, connecting 25,000 purpose-driven leaders across 100+ countries in global development and social impact. In the academic world, Fiona serves as Adjunct Professor and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

Renee Moorefield is changing the way we think about thriving

Season 2 · Episode 4

Friday, March 6, 2026 • Duration 31:09

What does it really mean to thrive—especially in a world full of complexity, pressure, and constant change?

“The way we define thriving is to be internally well-resourced to meet your complexities and demands with a sense of vitality, with a sense of competence, and with a sense of growth. And for us, this is absolutely not about chasing perpetual happiness, because that's not real life.”
- Renee Moorefield

In this episode, Dr. Jillian Coppley sits down with Renee Moorefield, CEO of Wisdom Works Group and a global leader in the science of human flourishing. Renee shares why thriving isn’t about being happy all the time—it’s about building the inner resources to face life’s challenges with energy, growth, and purpose.

Together, they explore how leaders shape the environments where people either flourish or burn out. Renee also explains why thriving is no longer a “nice to have,” but a foundation for the kind of leadership our complex world needs now.

This conversation also connects to the work of building upstanders—people who choose to show courage, care for others, and make a positive difference. Thriving helps us show up with the courage and compassion the world needs.

Dr. Jillian Coppley is a visionary executive recognized internationally for her expertise in character strengths, wellbeing, and organizational transformation. With deep experience in positive psychology, strategy, and change, she has led large-scale collaborations, built global programs, strategic partnerships, and thriving organizational cultures that empower individuals, teams and organizations to flourish. Her leadership blends strategic vision, research-based innovation, and deep personal care for others —creating environments where people and programs thrive and where meaningful, lasting impact takes root.

Renee Moorefield, PhD, MCC, is the CEO of Wisdom Works Group, a social enterprise partnering with global companies to integrate the science and practices of human thriving into their cultures, brands, and leadership—establishing thriving as the new standard of success. Through Wisdom Works’ core brand Be Well Lead Well®, leaders across the world gain access to a cutting-edge platform of science-based assessments, strategic advisory services, and development resources to lead and thrive with greater impact. Renee sits on the Advisory Board of the Global Wellness Institute and the Program Advisory Board of the John W. Brick Foundation, championing innovation in wellness and mental health worldwide. For over three decades, she has advanced a global movement of leaders committed to making thriving a priority across workplaces, communities, and society at large. This series is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the science of character strengths is integral to our work creating a community of upstanders. https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/ https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation and the VIA Institute on Character for their support of this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/ https://www.viacharacter.org/ Episode Resources Learn more about Wisdom Works https://www.wisdom-works.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wisdom-works-group

Wellbeing isn't just for the wealthy with Steve Leventhal

Season 2 · Episode 3

Friday, February 13, 2026 • Duration 30:40

“One of the most beautiful, sort of promising - and also tragic - statements that I heard very, very early on, when I started this work, nearly what 17-18, years ago was the girls would say, ‘Nobody ever told us we had strengths.’”
- Steve Leventhal, CEO of WorldBeing

In this episode of Standing Up Strong, Steve Leventhal joins Dr. Jillian Coppley to talk about why wellbeing isn’t something we earn after things get better—it’s what helps people make things better.
Through his work with young people around the world, Steve shows that when kids recognize their strengths, believe in their worth, and learn how to speak up, they’re better equipped to stand up to injustice, inequality, and difficult circumstances.

By starting from the inside out—building identity, kindness, and courage—Steve reminds us that upstanders aren’t born; they’re developed. And when we invest in wellbeing, we’re not just helping individuals thrive—we’re helping communities change.

More about host Jillian Coppley:

Dr. Jillian Coppley is a visionary executive recognized internationally for her expertise in character strengths, wellbeing, and organizational transformation. With deep experience in positive psychology, strategy, and change, she has led large-scale collaborations, built global programs, strategic partnerships, and thriving organizational cultures that empower individuals, teams and organizations to flourish. Her leadership blends strategic vision, research-based innovation, and deep personal care for others —creating environments where people and programs thrive and where meaningful, lasting impact takes root. 

This series is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the science of character strengths is integral to our work creating a community of upstanders. 
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/  
https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity     

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation and the VIA Institute on Character for their support of this series    
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/      
https://www.viacharacter.org/   

Episode Resources Read more about the work at WorldBeing https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_missing_link_in_girls_education Follow WorldBeing on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldbeing/ Follow Steve https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-leventhal-a2748/ Follow Jillian https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcoppley/ Take a free character strengths quiz https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

Don't give up seeking joy with Dr. Lindsey Godwin

Season 2 · Episode 8

Thursday, June 18, 2026 • Duration 31:23

“There's so much more to us and to the world than just what's broken.” - Dr. Lindsey Godwin

How do we find joy when the world feels overwhelming?

In this episode of Standing Up Strong, guest host Dr. Jillian Coppley sits down with Dr. Lindsey Godwin to talk about resilience, hope, and the power of paying attention to what’s good. Lindsey says joy isn’t about ignoring life’s challenges—it’s about finding the strength to face them. She talks through the science behind our tendency to focus on the negative, the importance of creating space for what truly matters, and the little moments of beauty and connection that help us keep going. This conversation is a reminder that joy can exist alongside struggle—and that noticing it may be one of the most important things we do.

Dr. Lindsey Godwin is the Robert P. Stiller Endowed Chair and Professor of Management at Champlain College, where she teaches leadership, Appreciative Inquiry, and positive organizational change. She serves as the Academic Director of the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, partnering with organizations around the world to design strengths-based approaches to leadership and change. Lindsey is also the co-founder of Bellflower Street and co-author of the #1 new release Ditch the Ditty: Doing What Matters Instead of Doing It All, a practical guide that helps women move from over-obligation and overwhelm to greater clarity, purpose, and intentional decision-making.

This series is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the science of character strengths is integral to our work creating a community of upstanders.

Grief can break your heart. Dr. Lucy Hone knows about living through the darkest days.

Season 2 · Episode 7

Friday, May 15, 2026 • Duration 32:59

“I'm used to helping other people get through their darkest days, and suddenly, here I am, the grieving mum, wondering if anything that I've ever learned is going to be relevant and helpful to me now” - Dr. Lucy Hone

After the sudden loss of her 12-year-old daughter, Dr. Lucy Hone was forced to put her life’s work on resilience to the ultimate test.

In this episode of Standing Up Strong, host Dr. Jillian Coppley sits down with the renowned resilience researcher and grief expert to explore how personal loss shaped Lucy’s groundbreaking approach to grief, healing, and human flourishing. Lucy expands our understanding of grief beyond bereavement, introducing the concept of “living losses”—the heartbreaks that don’t involve death but still deeply impact our lives. From divorce and estrangement to illness, infertility, and job loss, these experiences can leave people feeling untethered, isolated, and unseen—and asking, How will I ever get through this?

Through research and lived experience this conversation highlights the role of character strengths—including hope, forgiveness, curiosity, and perseverance—as tools we can draw on in times of adversity, even if they aren’t what we usually consider to be our strengths. These strengths don’t remove pain, but they can help us navigate it with intention, connection, and courage.

Dr Lucy Hone is a resilience researcher, grief specialist, and author committed to helping people face the toughest chapters of their lives with clarity, compassion and practical tools. Her TED talk, "Three Secrets of Resilient People," has reached over 9 million viewers worldwide, and her first book, "Resilient Grieving," is now in its second edition. She's spent over 15 years studying how humans cope with loss, disruption and change - blending lived experience with evidence-based strategies to help people rebuild after heartbreak.

Take your relationships to the gym with Suzie & James Pawelski

Season 2 · Episode 6

Wednesday, April 15, 2026 • Duration 33:33

Your relationships might be the most important thing you’re not training.

"We should invest our relationships, like our health and well-being depends on it, because it does." - Suzie Pileggi Pawelski

In this episode, Suzie and Dr. James Pawelski—the husband and wife who co-authored the book Happy Together—explore how thriving relationships aren’t all about finding the perfect match, but about putting in the right kind of effort to build something worth having.

Suzie Pileggi Pawelski has a Master of Applied Positive Psychology degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a freelance writer, well-being consultant, and international speaker specializing in the science of happiness and its effects on relationships and health. Her 2010 Scientific American Mind cover story, “The Happy Couple,” was the catalyst for Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love That Lasts. Happy Together was named a best book of 2018 by Business Insider, Success magazine, Fatherly and The Greater Good Science Center.

James Pawelski is Professor of Practice and Director of Education in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania where he co-founded the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program with Martin Seligman in 2005. The Founding Executive Director of IPPA, he is currently leading a three-year, multi-million-dollar grant investigating connections between the science of well-being and the arts and humanities.

Standing Up Strong – Details, episodes & analysis

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Standing Up Strong – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other28

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Publication history

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