Love, Girl Talk

As we enjoy our last bites of chocolate and savor the red roses of Valentine's Day, Love, Girl Talk host, Julie Larkin, and special guest, Monica Hinderer, LCPC, reflect upon our heart's deepest desires. Monica offers the therapeutic lens into our self-limiting core beliefs--our fears of being unwanted, unworthy, and unloved. Take a listen to reflect on the truth of your value...BIOMonica Hinderer, LCPCMonica is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), who truly believes in the healing and restorative nature of therapy. She enjoys working collaboratively with clients helping build, maintain, or restore relationships in their lives; whether this be the relationship with themselves, their spouse, or children. Monica believes healthy relationships are the key to happy lives. With a client-centered approach, she provides evidence-based interventions such as CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing in conjunction with faith-based practices allowing the client to receive a well-rounded and holistic approach to healing. LINKSLearn More About Our Mission:www.ourgirltalk.org@ourgirltalkJoin the Girl Talk Community to provide young women friendship, resources, and tools to build true confidence.Girl Talk is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (EIN: 47-5334989), and all gifts are tax-deductible. Questions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

As we implement our new year's resolutions, we can get hung up on perfecting our lives. Julie shares how we can let go of perfectionism and become truly confident this year.True confidence is the inner conviction of our inherent dignity and the outward manner in which we live that out. QUOTES“It's terrifying to risk when you're a perfectionist; your self-worth is on the line.” - Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown“Less of who you should be, more of who you are.” - VerilyLINKSLearn More About Our Mission:www.ourgirltalk.org@ourgirltalkJoin the Girl Talk Community to provide young women friendship, resources, and tools to build true confidence.Questions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.orgGirl Talk is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (EIN: 47-5334989), and all gifts are tax-deductible.

This heart-tugging episode brings forth a blend of trusting friendship, finding hope and struggling through healing. Our guest, Mary Reilly, shares her experiences about living with a neurological disability called spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). Having to transition from running to using a walker challenged Mary to experience the reality of her family's mantra to “let go and let God.” The mentally heavy burden of dealing with many difficulties drew her to seek the help she needed. She wants every person to know God is with you, you are not alone, and you can trust the process of day by day surrendering and acceptance. “Come as I am.” - Mary Reilly“Filling my cup up with good people.” - Mary Reilly“Be as open as possible, you'll get there, just trust the process.” - Mary ReillyMary is a High School Religion Teacher at St. Francis in Mountain View, CA. She is originally from Springfield, Pennsylvania (Delco!) and attended the Catholic University of America for undergrad. After growing up on the East Coast, she traveled to the West Coast for Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) (#ruinedforlife) and then got her Master of Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berekely. Now, she has her dream job and although she misses her Family in Delco she is really happy living on the West Coast!Girl Talk Gala 2021:Come “fill your cup” with an evening of dinner, dancing, and dreaming as we help moms, middle schoolers, and all women in between recognize and radiate their inherent dignity. The Gala is September 10, 2021 in Potomac, Maryland. To register, sponsor, or donate, please go to: GirlTalkGala21.givesmart.comGirl Talk is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

Our hearts were made to give and serve, especially to those whom we most love. However, sometimes our sincere charity forgets its own needs, and we become frustrated and depleted. Julie explains how in order to best pour into the people who need us most, we first must fill our own cup! In light of this mantra, we invite our listeners to celebrate with us at our second annual Girl Talk Gala to “fill your cup!” Friday, September 10th. More details can be found at GirlTalkGala21.givesmart.com. “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” -----Girl Talk Gala 2021:Come fill your cup with an evening of dinner, dancing, and dreaming as we help moms, middle schoolers, and all women in between recognize and radiate their inherent dignity. The Gala is September 10, 2021 in Potomac, Maryland. To register, sponsor, or donate, please go to: GirlTalkGala21.givesmart.comGirl Talk is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

Life comes with challenging and uncertain choices. When the pressure seems overwhelming, we can remind ourselves to be gentle and intentional, and allow time to simply observe the good and bad “data points” on the graph of life. Julie chats in this Girl Talk 101 episode about how to look at the whole picture!Reflection: Is there a relationship, a move, or a big decision that you're trying to make? Imagine that graph - what are your data points?

When it comes to the field -- the competition, the practice, and the fellowship make an impact in the heart of the game. Our guest, Meg Gargulinski, shares her passion for lacrosse and how her life has been transformed as a player and coach. Her rooted humility shines through owning her mistakes and celebrating the sisterhood in her teams. Listen to this sporty episode about mentorship, living out values, and fierce determination. Meg is a financial planner at Morgan Stanley by day and a lacrosse coach by night. She graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville and was a 4 year letterman and 3 time captain of their NCAA Division III lacrosse team. Meg is a Maryland native and loves living in the DC area close to her family. Meg loves anything health and fitness related and is a big Orangetheory Fitness fan. She also gets excited when she's going to bed because it means she gets a cup of coffee in the morning.“Take a step back, Macro it out. Recognize the things you are doing should relate to your deep rooted values and beliefs, whether you are winning or losing.” — Meg Gargulinski“Humility is being yourself for who you are.” — Meg Gargulinski

One tear, two tear, sad tear, happy tear! Why do we cry sometimes at the most unexpected and unwanted moments -- if only we could control it? Letting those precious tears come out bonds us as sisters and can shine a light on things that are unknowingly building deep inside us. Shannon and Julie open up about some of their most embarrassing crying moments, while also exploring there's more going on than what meets the eye. “The cure for anything is salt water — sweat, tears, or the sea.” — Isak Dinesen

When brokenness seems so big and the desire to be back to normal dangles just out of reach, healing can still be present. Shannon shares that our sense of self can endure while struggling through healing. Healing does not necessarily mean the remission of symptoms. It is the restoration of a sense of meaning, purpose, and sense of self despite the struggle.” - Dr. Estes

Beauty products such as moisturizer and conditioners can make our skin and hair feel healthy, silky, and smooth. On the other hand, placing conditions on our happiness can have the opposite, tangled effect. Julie shares the perfect conditioner for a thriving life. “Happiness is not dependent on circumstances being exactly as we want them to be, or on ourselves being exactly as we’d like to be. Rather, happiness stems from loving ourselves and our lives exactly as they are, knowing that joy and pain, strength and weakness, glory and failure are all essential to the full human experience. ” - Dr. Kristen Neff

Julie and Shannon speak to the topic of empathy; how to see, listen, and feel deeply connected to others. We go through heartaches and headaches in life, and how relieving it is to feel heard and accepted in your current place. Our relationships are strengthened with a healthy dose of empathy, where our vulnerable moments become cherished connections.Learn More About Our Mission: www.ourgirltalk.orgQuestions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

The Love, Girl Talk podcast is celebrating its first birthday! Co-hosts, Shannon and Julie, reminisce over shared memories and lessons learned, and reveal a few shenanigans behind the scenes. We thank our wonderful guests for their vulnerability in sharing their stories, and look forward to many deep conversations to come. We Love, Girl Talk!“The most [whole-hearted people] didn’t talk about vulnerability being comfortable, nor did they really talk about it being excruciating..they just talked about it being necessary.” - Brene Brown. “Improvement and healing is just day by day, faithful moment by faithful moment.” - Christie Dondero Bettwy“One little bubble at a time.” - Meaghan KaneLearn More About Our Mission: www.ourgirltalk.orgQuestions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

In Julie’s reflection on the song from The Greatest Showman, “Never Enough,” she invites us to remember self-acceptance. Through our accomplishments and failings it can seem we are not enough. Thankfully, we are worthy and enough exactly as we are -- yesterday, today, and always!“Start where you are, use what you have; do what you can; it will be enough.” -Arthur AsheLearn More About Our Mission: www.ourgirltalk.org@ourgirltalkQuestions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

Shannon and Julie follow up to Episode 16: The Pandemic of Loneliness with the antidote to loneliness -- authentic friendship! As dear friends, they speak to the heart of deep, abiding friendships with some trusty ingredients for baking the best memories together. Friendship is a precious gift worth celebrating as the cure to the pandemic of loneliness!Girl Talk Retreat: https://www.ourgirltalk.org/girl-talk-retreat Learn More About Our Mission: www.ourgirltalk.org@ourgirltalkQuestions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

Our special guest, Kate Bryan, shares the common grit and resilience of every woman. She tells us about her life-long inspiration behind founding 1 Girl Revolution, and sheds light on the powerful stories of ordinary girls who respond to real needs. Whether you are incarcerated, homeless, nine years old or a hair stylist, every girl has a story, a purpose, and mission that will affect generations to come. That includes you!Our special guest, Kate Bryan, shares the common grit and resilience of every woman. She tells us about her life-long inspiration behind founding 1 Girl Revolution, and sheds light on the powerful stories of ordinary girls who respond to real needs. Whether you are incarcerated, homeless, nine years old or a hair stylist, every girl has a story, a purpose, and mission that will affect generations to come. That includes you!

Shannon reflects on her favorite memories from the beach, where life lessons have been passed down through the generations while walking along the seashells. Every woman is a gift to be cherished. “Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach-waiting for a gift from the sea.” -- The Gift of the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.-----Learn More About Our Mission:www.ourgirltalk.org@ourgirltalkQuestions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

Girl talk dives into the hard reality behind the current pandemic of loneliness. Extended isolation from friends and family, feelings of anxiety or depression, and limiting physical interaction has placed remarkable stress on men and women who are wired for connection. Everyone may experience loneliness, yet not everyone may feel alone. There’s an art to embracing alone time, being still, and moving beyond the lure to stay stagnant and avoid daily challenges. In this warm conversation, Shannon and Julie bring up the hard stuff -- but also dating, appreciating quality time, finding joy in the little things in life, and yodeling too! We admit the hard spots, so we can be open to new connections as we change loneliness into immeasurable worthiness. **Girl talk dives into the hard reality behind the current pandemic of loneliness. Extended isolation from friends and family, feelings of anxiety or depression, and limiting physical interaction has placed remarkable stress on men and women who are wired for connection. Everyone may experience loneliness, yet not everyone may feel alone. There’s an art to embracing alone time, being still, and moving beyond the lure to stay stagnant and avoid daily challenges. In this warm conversation, Shannon and Julie bring up the hard stuff -- but also dating, appreciating quality time, finding joy in the little things in life, and yodeling too! We admit the hard spots, so we can be open to new connections as we change loneliness into immeasurable worthiness. “We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” — Brené Brown-----Sign up for Mom Talk: www.ourgirltalk.org/momtalk Learn More About Our Mission: www.ourgirltalk.org@ourgirltalkQuestions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

Christie Dondero Bettwy has been helping people find healing and freedom from eating disorders and mental health challenges for more than a decade. She currently serves as Executive Director for Rock Recovery, a Washington, DC based nonprofit that breaks down barriers to eating disorder and mental health treatment. Having previously struggled for many years with an eating disorder herself, Christie understands the depth of emotional, physical and spiritual support needed to find full health and recovery. She is passionate about spreading the message that freedom from disordered eating is possible and helping others experience it. She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband, Ryan.“I’m better off healed than I ever was unbroken.” - Beth Moore“Improvement and healing is just day by day faithful moment by faithful moment.” - Christie Dondero BettwyRock Recovery: https://rockrecoveryed.org/Building Bridges Breaking Bread Virtual Gala on Friday, February 26https://rockrecoveryed.org/event/building-bridges-breaking-bread-virtual-gala/-----Sign up for Mom Talk: www.ourgirltalk.org/momtalk Learn More About Our Mission:www.ourgirltalk.org@ourgirltalkQuestions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

During this month of love, Julie reflects how one quote made a big impact on her single life. ------“Your single life is not a holding pattern. Every single person has the opportunity to develop themselves and serve society in a significant way.” - Sharon Hefferan“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” - Mary Oliver-----Learn More About Our Mission:www.ourgirltalk.org@ourgirltalkContact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

We are in the midst of a global pandemic of loneliness felt through isolation and a longing for human connection. At Girl Talk, we are providing the antidote to this pandemic of loneliness through friendship, hope, and healing. During the holiday season, we are going down memory lane with our mini-series, #FeelsLikeHome, to remind each other that we are never alone. Julie chats with a Cookies & Conversation mother and daughter, Dana and Lucy, about empathizing with friends and baking their favorite chocolate chip cookies. As they share a secret baking trick, their love of mother-daughter quality time, and the joys of sweet things in life, Girl Talk #FeelsLikeHome.Dana lives in Bethesda with her husband, Matt, her son and her daughter, and has called Maryland home her whole life. She has been a teacher for 24 years, working with elementary-aged children through high school students. Currently, she enjoys her days surrounded by middle school girls at Stone Ridge, her alma mater. Lucy is a Stone Ridge gator herself in 7th grade. Her favorite pastimes are playing basketball, trying new recipes and performing in her school’s plays. Together, this mom-daughter pair likes painting each other’s nails, finishing jigsaw puzzles, and baking, especially with Girl Talk’s Cookies and Conversation.******“I’ve learned [at Girl Talk] that no one can take away your dignity and that your self worth doesn’t change whether you accomplish something or fail at something.” - Lucy Iandoli“I feel at home in Girl Talk because I’m literally in my home in my kitchen. But also because I get to see some friends, especially ones I haven’t seen in a long time like my two friends from preschool who now come to Cookies and Conversation.” - Lucy Iandoli“Empathy is what allows us to connect to others. When we see through someone else's eyes or feel through someone else's heart that’s when you build a connection that often blossoms into friendship.” - Dana Iandoli“I’ve learned [at Girl Talk] that my children will understand their self-worth better by watching how I radiate my own.” - Dana Iandoli*****Follow the #FeelsLikeHome Series: www.ourgirltalk.org/feels-like-homeInstagram: @ourgirltalkJoin the Coffeehouse Community Today!

We are in the midst of a global pandemic of loneliness felt through isolation and a longing for human connection. At Girl Talk, we are providing the antidote to this pandemic of loneliness through friendship, hope, and healing. During the holiday season, we are going down memory lane with our mini-series, #FeelsLikeHome, to remind each other that we are never alone. Julie chats with Lourdes, a Mom Talk Ambassador, about connecting with moms from diverse backgrounds during the pilot Mom Talk program. As they share about the power of listening, investing in family, and the messiness of motherhood, Girl Talk #FeelsLikeHome.Lourdes Arguello is an expat from Latin America now Washington, DC-based lifestyle consultant. She offers services to improve her clients’ lives in areas such as personal style, home style, and hosting. She has a B.A. in Education from Amherst, MA and is a certified Montessori teacher obtaining her certificate in San Francisco, CA. She received her Masters in Matrimony and Family from the University of Navarre in Spain and her Image Consultant degree from Style Innovators in Chicago, IL. She has been married for 22 years and is a mother of four including a 15 year old daughter. ***** “[Mom Talk is] getting real about facing topics with my daughter. Making this time to dig deep and investing in her future.” - Lourdes Arguello"We invest so much time in our professional education and background. It’s not about material or career success that gives the true meaning in your life or that authentic joy. It’s your family. That’s at the end of the day what matters the most.” - Lourdes Arguello"The more we are solid in ourselves, the better we can give to others.” - Julie Larkin ***** Follow the #FeelsLikeHome Series: www.ourgirltalk.org/feels-like-home Instagram: @ourgirltalk Join the Coffeehouse Community Today!

We are in the midst of a global pandemic of loneliness felt through isolation and a longing for human connection. At Girl Talk, we are providing the antidote to this pandemic of loneliness through friendship, hope, and healing. During the holiday season, we are going down memory lane with our mini-series, #FeelsLikeHome, to remind each other that we are never alone. Our podcast co-hosts, Julie and Shannon, chat with Regina about the excitement of sharing stories with high school and middle school girls. They talk about romance, the craving deep conversation, and why blankets and pillows make all the difference. Girl Talk #FeelsLikeHome.Regina Bethencourt is the founder and CEO of Tenunto (www.tenutoconsulting.com), a branding firm that specializes in visual identity, web development and content writing for small to medium-sized businesses. She has a decade of experience in branding, marketing and communications and formerly served as the Director of Marketing & Communications for Yuma Center, a women’s leadership organization. She played a pivotal role in the development of Girl Talk's initial content and marketing, and has continued to advance the dignity of women through various platforms over through years. Regina started her career in political journalism, working for the Washington Examiner, before moving to the business side of communications. Regina lives in Arlington, VA with her husband and three children. *****"Girl Talk reaches out to moms, older professionals, seniors, college women — women all over the age spectrum and all over the life spectrum — and just hearing all those different stories and seeing where your own story fits in with others’ experiences is just really comforting.” - Regina Bethencourt "We all go through similar things, and we can always find someone that can give us that support we are needing. We’re not in isolation going through the challenges that life brings to us.” - Regina Bethencourt “These girls are craving getting to know truth, beauty, and goodness.” - Julie Larkin “We were able to just spill out the self-worth and dignity to the girls because we felt that so strongly with ourselves.” - Julie Larkin“Awareness of ‘I’m not the only one’ is really powerful and can change your perspective of what you’re feeling or what your condition actually is.” - Shannon White ***** Follow the #FeelsLikeHome Series: www.ourgirltalk.org/feels-like-home @ourgirltalk Join the Coffeehouse Community Today!

We are in the midst of a global pandemic of loneliness felt through isolation and a longing for human connection. At Girl Talk, we are providing the antidote to this pandemic of loneliness through friendship, hope, and healing. During the holiday season, we are going down memory lane with our mini-series, #FeelsLikeHome, to remind each other that we are never alone. Our podcast co-hosts, Julie and Shannon, chat with two amazing college ambassadors, Catherine and Emma. The girls share about the power of vulnerability, our inherent dignity, and beautiful sisterhood in their college years. By laughing at ourselves and helping lift each other out of the shadows and into hope, Girl Talk #FeelsLikeHome.Emma McCoy is a Girl Talk alum who currently works for CBS as a Broadcast Associate on the television show “48 Hours.” She graduated from Catholic University in 2019 with a degree in Media and Communication Studies. She was an ambassador for Girl Talk in 2017, it taught her so much about life and created memories that she'll never forget. Emma enjoys singing, yoga, and horror movies.Catherine Olohan*****“The most valuable thing that we can do for our friends and for those around us is to remind them that they have dignity.” - Catherine Olohan“I went to an all girls high school and that was such a safe place for my four years of high school and in college. I felt like I didn’t have that same safe place of all women that had events where you could learn about yourself and learn about other people and so Girl Talk really filled that little hole.” - Emma McCoy“We’re constantly going going going. and [Girl Talk] was a time to slow down and just acknowledge that things go wrong and we mess up and we’re imperfect. But there’s a hopeful way out. And there’s a way to turn it around, and make it into something actually beautiful.” - Catherine Olohan“I think that you can find a new sense of dignity and self-worth through vulnerability. There’s strength and pride in vulnerability that I don’t think either of us had before we were in Girl Talk.” - Emma McCoy“We can be perfectly imperfect, and keep striving.” - Julie Larkin*****Follow the #FeelsLikeHome Series: www.ourgirltalk.org/feels-like-home@ourgirltalkJoin the Coffeehouse Community Today!

We are in the midst of a global pandemic of loneliness felt through isolation and a longing for human connection. At Girl Talk, we are providing the antidote to this pandemic through friendship, hope, and healing. During the holiday season, we are going down memory lane with the mini-series, #FeelsLikeHome, to remind each other that we are never alone. To kick off the series, Founder Julie chats with two of Girl Talk's all-star interns from 2016. The girls share entrepreneurial stories about planning retreats, creative fundraising schemes, and filing the essential 501c3 application. Through the ins and out of launching a non-profit, Girl Talk #FeelsLikeHome.Victoria Principato is currently living and working in Manhattan for a commercial real estate company as a financial analyst. Where did she get her beginnings in budgeting and forecasting? From Girl Talk, of course! In 2016, Vic was Girl Talk's Finance and Ops intern, and helped launch Girl Talk's first iteration of the Girl Talk College Institute. From planning budgets and fundraising events to grocery shopping and planning retreats, Vic gained a wide array of experiences during her internship with Girl Talk, but, most of all, she learned the importance of the value of deep conversations, authentic friendships, and the community/sisterhood that makes it all possible.Teddy Bridgeman:Teddy was one of the first Girl Talk interns during her Sophomore year of college at CUA. Since graduating Teddy has moved to New York City where she works as a Project Manager at a marketing agency. Her favorite parts about living in New York are all of the fabulous restaurants and window shopping on Saturday mornings! Teddy’s favorite Girl Talk memories have to be all of the teams Friday meetings in Julie’s office. *****"Something that I really took away from Girl Talk is that there is this huge community of ladies who are just there to support each other and be there for each other." - Teddy Bridgeman"[Girl Talk] does open you up to a different line of thinking, and brings forward different and important conversations that you otherwise maybe wouldn't have with your friends." - Victoria Principato"Give thanks, and eat pie!" -Shannon White*****Follow the #FeelsLikeHome Series: www.ourgirltalk.org/feels-like-home@ourgirltalkJoin the Coffeehouse Community Today!

Girl Talk explores the unique and unrepeatable dignity behind every person. Julie and Shannon invite Girl Talk Ambassador, Victoria Turner, to share her stories of diversity of skin color, language, and experience through service, while appreciating the inherent worth of each and every human being.Victoria was a Girl Talk Campus Ambassador in 2017-2018. Her childhood was mainly spent living in White Plains, New York until she moved to Yardley, Pennsylvania with her parents and two brothers. She is an avid Yankees fan. Victoria spent many years running track, swimming, participating in community service and more. She graduated from Catholic University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Social Work and minor in Spanish. Following graduation, Victoria was a long-term service volunteer in Ecuador at Fundación Rostro de Cristo (Face of Christ Foundation), where she followed her call to walk compassionately with her brothers and sisters through Christ. She will be beginning graduate school at University of Michigan in the fall to receive her Master of Social Work, where she hopes to continue empowering others of their worth and fight for justice. -----"No matter what race we are, language we speak, socioeconomic status we have, and on...we are all human beings, and no one deserves to be treated with any less dignity and respect." - Victoria Turner"To love another person is to see the face of God." -Les Miserables "Each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done." -A Just Mercy"As I have loved you, love one another." - Jn 13:34-----Learn More About Girl Talk's Mission:www.ourgirltalk.orgQuestions or Comments: Contact us at info@ourgirltalk.org

"Love, Girl Talk" co-hosts Julie & Shannon welcome their dear "Zia" to share her stories of shame, inadequacy, eating disorders, and the struggle to love her body and herself. Wether we're counting calories, living by the scale, or constantly seeking the approval of others, Zia helps us journey through the rough patches of life, and to sit our little 9-year-old selves next to us and remind her that she is enough...she is worthy...she is loved.Kathleen is a mother of four from Lawrenceville, NJ. A graduate of Rutgers University, Kathleen worked in public relations before raising her family full-time. Through her stories and experiences, she shares the life lessons that she has learned. Kathleen also loves sharing inspirational quotes, writing, cooking, and most of all, doing small things with great love. “We have to relearn the truth: you are enough, whether you are on your 18th mile, your 6th mile, or no miles.” — Shannon White“Don’t deny what you need. We need what we need! Be honest in defining your needs. Don’t be afraid of it because it is the very thing that will make you whole.” — Kathleen McQuarrie”Be unspeakably kind to yourself.” — Kathleen McQuarrie“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can...it will be enough.” — Kathleen McQuarrie

Julie and Shannon tackle mental health with their first "Love, Girl Talk" guest! How do I handle anxiety in my everyday life? What does depression look and feel like, personally? Is it ok not to be ok? Join these friends as they encourage each other to take on life "one little bubble at a time!"Meaghan Kane passionately believes in feeding the whole person: physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. She loves cooking a good meal, sweating through a hard run, reading books of many varieties, and connecting deeply with her family and friends. She is married to her college sweetheart, and they live in Virginia with their six children and one rowdy german shepherd.“It’s ok not to be ok.”

All roads lead to Rome, and all Girl Talk pillars lead to healing...hopefully! Join the ladies as they close out this section of Girl Talk Foundations, and discover why healing is so necessary, sometimes painful, and ultimately, beautiful!“Your feelings are not right or wrong. They just are.” — Kathleen McQuarrie “We all have scars, some from stab wounds and others from a million papercuts.” —Angelica Tom We all take messages with them… “Healing does not necessarily mean the remission of symptoms. It is the restoration of a sense of meaning, purpose, and sense of self despite the struggle” — Anatomy ProfessorGirl Talk Website: www.ourgirltalk.orgFollow us: Instagram: @ourgirltalk Send Questions or Comments: info@ourgirltalk.org

Hospitality, vulnerability, and friendship all lead to hope. Join Julie and Shannon as they ask some tough questions. Why do we need hope? Where does our brokenness come from? How will hope help us?“The way I see it, hope is our lifeboat out of any situation. No matter how low we feel, how wrapped up we are in our emotions, no matter the depth of our sorrows or anxieties, hope is the lifesaver that keeps us afloat and leads us all back to happiness and love. Hope that we have the strength within to weather the storm. It's not always about conquering the storm ― it's moving through it with as much grace as we can muster, if any at all. Hope that we all have the capacity to grow and blossom in the morning, next week, or next year. Hope that we all have wonderful things to contribute to the world around us.” ― Gabrielle Piccininni"No one was going to let me fall into the shadows, because no matter how specific I thought my situation was, there was already a Girl Talk girl who had been there before.” ― Girl Talk College Sister“I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going, because they were holding on to something.” ― adapted from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by J.R.R. TolkienGirl Talk Website: www.ourgirltalk.orgFollow us: Instagram: @ourgirltalk Send Questions or Comments: info@ourgirltalk.org

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person looks at another and says, "What? You Too? I thought I was the only one..." Julie and Shannon turn the page to friendship as they continue to build Girl Talk's sisterhood of self-worth.“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables“A friend is someone that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still gently allows you to grow.”-William Shakespeare"Friendship is born at that moment when one person looks at another and says, "What? You Too? I thought I was the only one..."-C.S. Lewis“Sometimes we have to weed our friend garden.”Kathleen McQuarrie, Girl Talk Senior MentorGirl Talk Website: www.ourgirltalk.orgFollow us: Instagram: @ourgirltalk Send Questions or Comments: info@ourgirltalk.org

Julie & Shannon turn the page to vulnerability discovering heartbreak, loneliness, anxiety, and a bit of messiness. Listen as they reflect and decide if vulnerability is ultimately the best choice for them.Quotes Leading Discussion:“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” – C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves“Vulnerability is neither comfortable nor excruciating, but is essential.”Reflections on stories about disconnectionBrene Brown, Power of Vulnerability Ted TalkGirl Talk Website: www.ourgirltalk.orgFollow us: Instagram: @ourgirltalk Send Questions or Comments: info@ourgirltalk.org

Join Julie and Shannon for their first episode of “Love, Girl Talk.” In this first "chapter" you will learn about the mission of Girl Talk, get to know our founder and program director, and dive into the heart of Girl Talk hospitality. As our first pillar of Girl Talk, hospitality serves as the foundation for our sisterhood of self-worth. What does it mean to be really seen? How does something as simple as a candle influence my self-worth? Discover the answers to these questions and more as we unpack the definition of Girl Talk hospitality. Love, Girl Talk.Girl Talk Website: www.ourgirltalk.orgCo-Host Bios: Julie Larkin (Founder & Executive Director): Julie is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women. In 2012, she began Girl Talk after hearing too many friends doubt their inherent value and witnessing the loneliness that comes from heartbreak of any kind. Her mission is to remind women that they are not alone, by creating a sisterhood of self-worth—with authentic friendship at its core. With her undergraduate degree in psychology and masters in business, Julie has spent several years working in higher-ed, not-for-profits, and startup organizations. She loves developing ideas, experiencing them come to life, and witnessing lives transformed in the process! Although she currently resides in our nation’s capital, Julie is a Jersey girl at heart, with a weakness for Wawa, a love of board games, and an addiction to snapping too many pictures."I Girl Talk because of Rachel. And Vanessa. And Caitlin. For all my residents who inspired this storytelling venture, and for all my friends who continually remind of the need for courageous vulnerability. For every girl who has ever felt alone.”Shannon White (Program Director): Shannon is a Boston girl who came to DC to study and follow her dreams of helping others. She has seen Girl Talk through all its stages as a Girl Talk participant, the president at her university, and currently serves as the Girl Talk Program Director. Shannon is also a pediatric nurse at Children's National Medical Center. On her days off, you can find her baking for her housemates, hosting game nights with friends, and watching every Shonda Rhimes show under the sun. She lives by quotes and thrives by asking questions.“I Girl Talk because I love learning over and over again that women who I think seem so different than me are actually so similar to me. I love learning that there is something I can love in every woman I meet.”Quote leading discussion: “For me, hospitality is the gracious and generous welcoming and care of another person (friend, family member, acquaintance, or stranger). Everyone hungers in some way--for food, drink, safety, a desire to be heard, a desire for connection, and a desire to belong. Done well, hosp. Creates a sanctuary of comfort through a place, food, event, and/or conversation that leads to satisfying those innate hungers. When people are content and in a happy place, it eases the opening up of conversations between individuals and hopefully deeper relationships.” — Angelica TomFollow us: Instagram: @ourgirltalkSend Questions or Comments: info@ourgirltalk.org