Podcasts about Western Massachusetts

Aaron Vega calls it the next logical progression in a career that has taken him from freelance film editing to directing the Office of Planning & Economic Development in Holyoke. He was referring to the role of president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council after prevailing in a nationwide search that attracted more than 100 candidates; he will assume that role in January. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Aaron discusses his plans and goals with BusinessWest Contributing Writer George O'Brien. Among other things, he wants the region to do a better job of telling its story, grow the inventory of shovel-ready land for developers, create a blueprint for population growth, and make the EDC even more of a “convener and connector.” It's must listening, so tune into BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest on both audio and video platforms and sponsored by Greenfield Cooperative Bank.

In this week's episode, we have the very talented Jordan Gladu in studio. Hailing from the Western Massachusetts area, Jordan is an inspiring artist with an impressive EP and track record of live musical performances all over the area. He is a singer-songwriter who often incorporates heartfelt lyrics into his songs. While not widely mainstream yet, he has garnered a following for his authentic sound and emotional depth in music. Jordan Gladu's work includes tracks that have a mix of catchy melodies and meaningful lyrics, and he's known for his dynamic and raw performances. If you would like to follow Jordan, check out his site: https://www.jordangladu.com You can also check out his EP here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZvUDaBhrZ8esbh6kwicfj?si=ieFXX2kRR8Gx655BVYPz5g And lastly, make sure to support this very special fundraiser by going here: https://www.facebook.com/share/16uMB8C5KJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr⁩ And as always, make sure that you're following us on all of our platforms and subscribed to our YouTube channel. Your support helps us keep this show going! You can check out our stuff here: https://linktr.ee/musicalchairsmass We hope that you enjoy the show as much as we did recording it! #mcm #makingmondaysmusicalagain #doitforthepod #musicpodcast

You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, OR— BRAND NEW: we've included a fully edited transcript of our interview at the bottom of this post.In this episode of The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, I am giving you another sneak peek inside my Peaceful Parenting Membership! Listen in as I interview Rachel Simmons as part of our membership's monthly theme of “Friendship Troubles”. Rachel is an expert on relational aggression, AKA mean girls. We discuss how to intervene in this behaviour when kids are young, how to prevent our child from doing this, and how we can support our children when they're experiencing it.**If you'd like an ad-free version of the podcast, consider becoming a supporter on Substack! > > If you already ARE a supporter, the ad-free version is waiting for you in the Substack app or you can enter the private feed URL in the podcast player of your choice.Know someone who might appreciate this post? Share it with them!We talk about:* 6:27 What is relational aggression?* 8:50 Both boys and girls engage in this type of aggression* 10:45 How do we intervene with young kids* 14:00 How do we teach our kids to communicate more effectively* 22:30 How to help our children who are dealing with relational aggression* 33:50 Can you reach out to the aggressive child's parents?* 38:00 How to reach out to the school* 47:30 How to help our kids make new friends after relational aggressionResources mentioned in this episode:* Yoto Player-Screen Free Audio Book Player* The Peaceful Parenting Membership* Rachel's websitexx Sarah and CoreyYour peaceful parenting team- click here for a free short consult or a coaching sessionVisit our website for free resources, podcast, coaching, membership and more!>> Please support us!!! Please consider becoming a supporter to help support our free content, including The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, our free parenting support Facebook group, and our weekly parenting emails, “Weekend Reflections” and “Weekend Support” - plus our Flourish With Your Complex Child Summit (coming back in the spring for the 3rd year!) All of this free support for you takes a lot of time and energy from me and my team. If it has been helpful or meaningful for you, your support would help us to continue to provide support for free, for you and for others.In addition to knowing you are supporting our mission to support parents and children, you get the podcast ad free and access to a monthly ‘ask me anything' session.Our sponsors:YOTO is a screen free audio book player that lets your kids listen to audiobooks, music, podcasts and more without screens, and without being connected to the internet. No one listening or watching and they can't go where you don't want them to go and they aren't watching screens. BUT they are being entertained or kept company with audio that you can buy from YOTO or create yourself on one of their blank cards. Check them out HERERachel interview transcriptSarah: Hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Peaceful Parenting Podcast. Today's episode is another sneak peek inside my membership, where I interviewed Rachel Simmons — an expert on relational aggression, AKA “mean girls.” She wrote a book called Odd Girl Out, which is all about the topic of relational aggression and how we can support our children when they're experiencing it — and what to do if our child is actually doing that to other people.If you don't know what relational aggression is, don't worry — listen up, because she goes into the definition of it. This was a great conversation. My members had questions, I had questions, and in the end, we all agreed it was a very helpful discussion. I think you'll find it helpful as well — no matter how old your child is or whether or not they've experienced any relational aggression.This is something we should all be aware of, and as parents, we actually have a lot of control over preventing our child from becoming someone who uses relational aggression.As I said, this is a sneak peek inside my membership, where we have a theme every month. This month's theme was “Friendship Troubles,” and it actually came as a request from one of our members. So we brought in Rachel to talk to us about relational aggression, which this member's child had been struggling with.Every month in the membership, we have a theme — I do some teaching about it, and we also bring in a guest expert for teaching and Q&A.If you'd like to join us inside the membership, you can go to reimaginepeacefulparenting.com/membership to learn more and join us.Another thing we do inside the membership is office hours. You may have heard a recent podcast that gave a sneak peek into what those are like. We do office hours twice a week where you're welcome to drop in, ask a question, get support, or share a win — from me, Corey, and other members. It's just a wonderful place.Our membership is my favorite corner of the internet, and we've been doing it for six years. It really is a special place. I'd love for you to join us! Please let me know if you have any questions, or just head over to reimaginepeacefulparenting.com/membership to learn more.And now — let's hear from Rachel.Hey Rachel, welcome to the podcast.Rachel: Thank you.Sarah: Can you just tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?Rachel: Sure. Well, I'm based in Western Massachusetts, and I'm a researcher and author. Over the last eight years, I've also become an executive coach. I've always been fascinated by — and inspired by — the psychology of girls and women.Over what's now become a long career, I've worked with women and girls across the lifespan — beginning, I'd say, in elementary school, and more recently working with adult women.I've always been animated by questions about how women and girls experience certain phenomena and spaces differently, and how paying attention to those experiences can contribute to their overall wellness and potential.Sarah: Nice. And I just finished reading your book Odd Girl Out, and I could see how much research went into it. I think you mentioned you interviewed people for a few years to write that book.Rachel: It was a long time, yeah. I was just actually reflecting on that. I came across a shoebox filled with cassette tapes — little cassette tapes of the interviews I did when I wrote that book, which came out 20 years ago.I worked all over the United States and tried to speak to as many girls as I could.Sarah: It's a great book — highly recommended. We'll put a link to it in the show notes. Thank you for writing it.So today we invited you here because we want to talk about relational aggression. Can you give us a definition of what relational aggression is?Rachel: Yes. Relational aggression is a psychological form of aggression — a way that people express themselves when they're trying to get a need met or are upset about something. It usually starts as early as two or three years old, when kids become verbal, and it's the use of relationship as a weapon.It can start off as something like the silent treatment — “I'm going to turn away from you because I'm upset with you” — cutting someone off as a way of communicating unhappiness. That silence becomes the message.I remember once interviewing a seventh-grade girl who told me she gave people the silent treatment — that she'd stop talking to them as a way to get what she wanted. That was really unusual, because most girls won't come up and be like, “Yeah, here are all the ways I'm mean.”In fact, it's often the secrecy that makes this stuff hard to talk about. So I was like, wow, here's a unicorn telling me she's doing it. And I asked, “Why do you do it?” And she said, “Because with my silence, I let my friends know what's going to happen if they don't do what I want.”A very powerful description of relational aggression.So that's the silent treatment, but it can also take more verbal forms. Like, “If you don't give me that toy, I won't be your friend anymore.” Or, “If you don't play with me at recess today, then our friendship is over.”The threat is always that I'll take away a relationship. And it's so powerful because — what do we want more than connection? That's a profound human need. So it's a very, very powerful form of aggression.Sarah: Your book is called Odd Girl Out, and you focused on women and girls. Do you think this also happens with boys? Has it started happening more with boys? What's your take — is it still mainly a girl thing? I mean, when I think of relational aggression, I think of “mean girls,” right?Rachel: Yes, I think a lot of people do — and certainly did when I first started researching this book many years ago. I did too.It's important to remember that yes, boys definitely do this, and they do it as much as girls starting in middle school — at least according to the research I read. I haven't read the very recent studies, so that could have changed, but back when I was doing this work, no one was writing about boys doing it.There was almost no research, and frankly, because of my own experience — seeing boys being more direct and girls being indirect — I assumed it was just a girl thing. But it most definitely is not.I think I and others, in many ways, did a disservice to boys by not studying them. I wish I had. It's something that's much more widely understood now by people out in the field doing this work.Sarah: Yeah, interesting — because my oldest son, who's now 24, definitely experienced a lot of relational aggression in elementary school. And my daughter did too.And just as a side note — it's so painful to watch your kids go through that. I want to ask you more about parents' roles, but it's so painful as a parent to watch your child have their friends be mean to them.You mentioned it can start as young as two or three, and I remember reading in your book — that sort of “you can't come to my birthday party” thing. Even little kids will say that to their parents sometimes, right? Using that relational aggression.You said that if we don't actively get involved, it can turn into older-kid relational aggression that never goes away. What do you suggest parents do or say when they hear this kind of thing — whether it's to other kids on the playground, to a sibling, or even to the parents themselves?Rachel: Yeah, with little kids — we're talking about little, little ones — I often answer that question with a question back to the parent: What do you do when your kid hits or bites somebody?Usually what most of us do is stop the behavior, make sure the other kid's okay, and then turn to our own child and say, “You can't do that. We don't do that in our family. That's not what we say, that's not what we do. You have to use your words.”And we say, “We don't ever threaten people when we're angry.” It's okay to be mad — that's really key — but it's not what you say, it's how you say it. Certain ways of speaking are off-limits, just like certain words are off-limits.It's also key, though, to practice self-awareness as a parent. Because if you're the kind of person who goes quiet when you're upset, or withdraws as a way of expressing yourself, that's probably where your kid's picking it up. They're not unaware of that.It's kind of like when parents tell teens, “Hey, get off your phone,” and the teen says, “You're on your phone all the time.” Modeling is key.Sarah: That makes a lot of sense — treating relational aggression like any other form of aggression, giving alternatives, correcting the behavior.Rachel: Exactly — and helping them cultivate empathy. Ask, “How do you think that other person felt when you said that? How do you think it feels when someone says they won't be your friend anymore?”You don't want to lose friends just because you made a mistake.Unfortunately, so many people believe this is just “kids being kids.” When you hear that phrase, it's almost a way of disqualifying or invalidating the behavior as aggression. We have to be really careful not to trivialize it or write it off. That's the gateway to not taking it seriously and not holding kids accountable.Sarah: One of the things you talk about in your book — which I thought was really great food for thought — is how this often happens with girls because girls are socialized not to express their anger and to be “nice” and “good.” So it goes underground and comes out in these covert, or even not-so-covert, forms of relational aggression.What can we do as parents to change this? Any concrete ways to help girls express themselves or communicate more effectively so that this doesn't happen?Rachel: That's a really good question. I think one approach I value — both as a parent and in my work — is taking a more integrated approach to parenting, not just saying something in the moment.If we want kids — and we don't even have to say “girls,” just kids — to be more emotionally expressive and authentic so they don't resort to indirect or harmful behaviors, then they need to be raised with certain principles.Those principles have to be voiced, reinforced, and practiced throughout daily life — not just in response to an acute moment of aggression.Some of those principles are: It's not what you say, it's how you say it. All feelings are welcome, but not all behaviors are. You have the right to be treated with respect and dignity by your friends, and you owe that to them as well.And not even just your friends — everyone. You don't have to be friends with everyone, but you do have to treat everyone with respect.That's key for girls, in particular, because they're often expected to be friends with everyone, which makes them feel resentful. So another principle is: You don't have to be friends with everyone. You can be acquaintances and still treat people respectfully.You're striking a balance between supporting expression — it's good to say how you feel — and being thoughtful about how you do it.It's also a practice. Sometimes we'll make mistakes or feel awkward expressing ourselves, but that's far better than going behind someone's back or ignoring them forever.Sarah: Right. I'm reminded of a line we often use in peaceful parenting when one sibling is being “mean” to another verbally. We'll say, “You can tell your sibling how you feel without attacking them,” or, “You can tell your sibling how you feel without using unkind words.”That's really what you're saying — it's not what you say, it's how you say it.So as I was reading your book, I realized that many of the things we teach in peaceful parenting already help kids express themselves in healthy ways — and also not put up with being treated poorly.If you learn at home that you don't have power or agency because your parents don't treat you with respect, then you're more susceptible to peers treating you poorly.Rachel: Yeah, I think so. Parents teach us what to expect from other people. They also teach us how to respond in difficult moments.If they normalize difficult moments and your day-to-day life includes not feeling valued or safe, you'll import that into your relationships with others.It can be more subtle too — if you don't feel unconditionally valued, or if you have to fight for your parents' attention, or you don't feel consistent attachment, you might become vulnerable to pursuing peers who recreate that familiar but painful dynamic.If your “happy place” becomes constantly trying to get the popular girl to win you over, that might mirror how you once tried to win your parents' attention.Sarah: If your child is the victim of relational aggression — what should you do? Both in terms of how to support your child and whether there's anything you should do with other parents or the school?Rachel: Great questions. First, how to support your child when they go through something like this — and you're absolutely right, it can be really triggering for us as parents.Empathy really matters. And I know some people are like, “Yeah, duh, empathy.” But in my work — and in my life as a parent — I've found that we're wired to help and fix, not to empathize. That's how humans have survived — by fixing and protecting, not empathizing.So our instinct when we see our child in distress is to jump in and try to fix it.Sarah: It's called the “righting instinct,” I think.Rachel: The righting instinct — oh! Like to put them upright again?Sarah: Yeah.Rachel: Oh, that's helpful — I didn't know that! Yes, the righting instinct.So we have to override that and remember that what a child really needs is to know that what they're going through is normal — even if it's incredibly hard — and that their feelings are normal. They need to know they're not alone.Say things like, “You must feel really hurt,” or “That sounds so hard.”Now, some kids will say, “No, I'm fine.” Not every kid will respond with, “Thanks for empathizing, Mom.” But you can still name the feeling — “If I were you, I'd feel the same way,” or, “That's really hard.”The feelings are scary, and kids want to know it's okay to feel how they feel — that they're not alone, and that it's normal.After that, try to override the fixing instinct as much as you can. Because unless your child is in acute distress, these are opportunities for them to develop problem-solving skills.They will experience social aggression — that's inevitable. If they don't, they're probably not connected to other people. So it's not a question of if, it's when.These moments are opportunities for you to be with them and support them — but not to do it for them.Ask, “Okay, this is going on — tell me one way you could respond. What's something you could do?”What we're doing by asking that is not jumping in with, “Here's what I'd do,” which doesn't teach them anything. We're giving them a chance to think.A lot of kids will say, “I don't know,” or get annoyed — that's fine. You can say, “Okay, what's one thing you could do?”If they say, “Nothing,” you can say, “Nothing is a choice. That's a strategy. What do you think will happen if you do nothing?”We live in a culture that's consistently deprived kids of opportunities to become resilient — deprived them of discomfort, and that's cost them problem-solving ability.I'm not saying kids should handle social aggression alone, but these moments are a chance to hold them and be with them — without doing it for them.So those are kind of the first two steps.Sarah: Well, I mean, I think empathize and empath—one thing that I read in your book is that sometimes parents dismiss that it's really happening, or because of their own fears of their child. Wanting their child to fit in, they might try to encourage them to stay in the relationship or to try to fix the relationship. Maybe you could speak to that a little bit.Rachel: Sure. Well, I think these kinds of moments can be incredibly disorienting for parents and triggering. And I use the word disorienting because we start to lose—we stop losing—the ability to differentiate between our feelings and experiences and our kids'.So, for example, if we have a lot of emotion and a lack of resolution around what happened to us, when our kids go through it, all those feelings come right back up. And then we may start to assume that our kids are actually suffering more than they are.Like, I'll give you an example of a kid I met and her parent. The kid had been not treated well in middle school and she said, “I just want to sit at a different table.” And her mom was like, “But this is terrible! This is a terrible thing. We have to do something about it.” And her kid was like, “I just want to sit at a different table.”So remaining aware of any delta between how your child is reacting and how you are is very key. And if you sense that difference, then you really need to conform to where your kid is and not insert or enforce your own emotions on them.I also think it runs the other direction. To your point, Sarah, if you yourself fear—if you remember being really afraid of what happened when you felt alone—and you start to imagine that if your child were to make a move that would put them in more isolation, that would be bad for them because it was bad for you. Again, that's a flag.Anytime you find that you're sort of flooding your parenting with the memories or the experiences that you had long before you were a parent—if you have the ability to differentiate—that's really where you learn how to do it differently. But becoming aware of that is most important.Sarah: That makes a lot of sense. And then I love how you're talking about inviting problem-solving—you know, “What do you want to do?” Because often we come in with this, “Well, this is what you do. You march back in there on Monday and you say this.”But as you said, that doesn't allow them to develop any skills.And, you know, where's the spot—where's the space—for encouraging? Because I know that my daughter, I went through this with her, with some mean girls in our community and at her school. And I just wanted to say, “Just make friends with different kids! Why do you keep trying to be friends with these same kids that are not being nice to you?”Like, where's the space for that? And what do you do?And that actually is a question that one of our members sent in: what should we do, if anything, if our child still wants to be friends with the kids that haven't been kind to them or who have been relationally aggressive?Rachel: Yeah, it's such a great question, and it's one that many, many parents hold. Because it is certainly a phenomenon where, you know, you keep going back to the person who has hurt you.And girls can be very inconsistent or all over the place—like, one day we're really good friends, the next day you don't want to sit with me at lunch, three days later you invite me to your house for a sleepover, right? You kick me out, you take me back in.There comes a point in a kid's life where they're old enough to make their own decisions. They're going to school, they're going to hang out with whoever they want. And I'm most interested in supporting the parents who actually can't control who their kid hangs out with.Because if it were as easy as just saying, “Well, you can't go over to their house anymore,” that would be fine. But it's not—because the kid's going to make their own social choices when they're out and about.So I think the answer is that relationships are a classroom. Relationships are a place where we learn all kinds of life skills—including how to say what we want, how to compromise, how to forgive, and how to end a relationship.I think that while it is incredibly frustrating and stressful for a parent to watch their child return to an aggressor, trying to remain as much of a guide as you can to your child, rather than bringing down the hammer, is key.So, in other words, one strategy I've suggested—which is not maybe for everyone—but it's kind of like: think about a friend you've had in your life as an adult who keeps going back to somebody who isn't good to them. Maybe you remember—they were in a relationship with a crappy person—and you're like, “What are you doing with that person? Why are you dating them?”And you probably weren't yelling at them or saying, “You better stop dating them or I'm not going to be your friend anymore.” You had to stick with them as they figured it out, and you knew they were learning and you hoped they would learn.There's a bit of that with your kid. Your kid is not your friend—your kid is much more triggering than your friend—but they're actually in a very similar learning experience to your friend who's dating somebody that everyone knows isn't right for them.And so as a parent, you want to stay connected and say, “Okay, so what's your takeaway from what just happened? What are you learning about this person—how they're treating you?” And you're going to say it a hundred times before maybe some neuron fires next week or next year, and they're like, “Oh, I get it.”Sarah: Yeah.Rachel: Like, they need to keep hearing from you. They need to keep hearing that this isn't a good person—that this person's not good to you, that this person doesn't have the values our friends have.Sarah: That happened with my daughter—with a best friend from birth, too. I think it was around age eight when things started shifting, and the girl started being pretty mean to my daughter.And it took her four years until she finally made the decision on her own. One thing happened, and it finally cracked it open for her, and she just said, “I don't think [name] and I are best friends anymore.”She cried for about three hours, and she went through maybe a month or two of grieving that friendship. But that was kind of like—it had been the straw that broke the camel's back, where she finally saw everything in the true light. You know what I mean?But it was so hard for those four years to watch her keep going back and trying and giving her the benefit of the doubt. Anyhow, it was rough.Rachel: It was rough. And what do you think she learned from that?Sarah: Well, I think she learned to look other places for friends. And I think she learned how she wanted to be treated.So we've talked about how to support your child who's going through this. Is there anything you recommend doing with the other child's parents or with the school to support your child?Rachel: Yeah. I mean, I think it depends on their age, right?Sarah: Let's say tweens.Rachel: Okay. I think it depends. So first, with the other parents—it's important to remember that if you call another kid's parents without clearing it with your own kid first, you just never know what those other parents are going to disclose to their own child.If you don't know these parents well, you have no idea whether they'd go to their kid and say, “Guess who called me today?” So, as much as possible, have some communication with your own child about reaching out to another parent, especially if you don't know that parent or have a prior relationship.I understand the intention is to help, but when you call another parent, you can't control what that parent does with your words—or how that affects your own child. So you have to be very careful.Now, does that mean you always have to have your child's permission to reach out? No, it doesn't. There are times where you'll just do that because that's your job. I just want people to be aware of that.Also, when you call another parent, it's critical to start the conversation with: “I know I only have one perspective here. I know I can only see what I can see. Can you tell me if there are things I'm not seeing? I'd love to know what's going on from your perspective.”In other words, you're not going in heavy-handed or accusatory—you're going in with humility. It's okay to say you're upset and to talk about what you know, but it's critical to maintain the humility of realizing you don't know everything.And that children—just like everyone else—can have their own distortions or lenses through which they experience their peers.Finally, when you talk to another parent, be very precise in your language when you describe what happened. Stick to the behaviors that allegedly occurred.Like, you can say, “My understanding is that your kid called my kid with some kids over while they were having a sleepover, and it left my daughter feeling pretty embarrassed and hurt. Can you tell me more about what you know?”So you're not saying, “Your kid did this and really messed up my kid.” You're saying, “Here's my understanding of what happened, and here was the impact.” Those are two things you can control knowing—without accusing.Sarah: Yeah, that makes sense. I made all the mistakes with my friend's daughter's mother, so yeah, I think your advice is good.And I wish I had had it then. It's so hard not to rush in as a parent, especially when kids are younger. It's so hard not to rush in and try to—like you said—right things, to try to fix it and make things better.There's just a comment from Mare—when we were talking about kids going back to people who are unkind—she said that her grandson, who I know is nine, told her that he's “an easy mark.” And when she asked why he felt that way, he said his friend punched him in the stomach and he just accepted that and continues to be friends with him.Do you have any words for her around that—how she might support her grandson?Rachel: Yeah. I mean, first of all, I like that he's comfortable talking to his grandmother in that way—how wonderful for her that he's so vulnerable and authentic. So I would, as the grandma, be very cautious and handle delicately the vulnerability your grandson's giving you.And I would be very inquisitive. I'd put on my coach's hat and say, “Tell me more about that. Tell me more about what happens and why. Tell me more about your decision to accept it. What do you think would happen if you didn't accept it?”I've learned a lot in the later part of my career about the importance of just holding space for people to talk something through. You don't have to give advice. You don't have to have an idea. You can just ask questions and let them talk it through.Talking aloud to someone who cares and listens closely is not that different from journaling. Both can help you arrive at new insights that you couldn't otherwise on your own—but don't require someone telling you what to do.So I think that kind of stance, if you can take it with your grandson, would be very effective—and you'd probably learn a ton.Sarah: Thanks. That's great. So the final part of that three-part question that we keep getting back to is—what about with the school?One thing that I thought was interesting in your book is you talked about how a lot of the kids that are doing the relational aggression have a lot of social status, and that it often flies under the radar—that the teachers don't see what's going on.I think that would make it especially tricky to try to get support from the school if they're not seeing what your child is reporting back to you.Rachel: Yes, it does make it tricky. And you know, psychological aggression is just that—it's psychological. So unless you're listening, you'd miss it.It's also the case that—like Eddie Haskell in Leave It to Beaver—when the adult shows up, a lot of the most aggressive kids turn into very likable, charming, dynamic kids. They know how to work the adults in the room.This is why even the most devoted, skilled teachers who really want to catch this stuff still say to me, “Why don't I see it? I'm trying so hard.”That does make it hard. And I say that because it makes it particularly hard for a school to respond if they're like, “We don't see it.”So, when you talk to the school, it's important to keep that in mind—that this stuff might not be visible.It's also important to practice that same humility, because often the school does see things you don't. They may have awareness of the different sides of the story.Schools are filled with human beings who are tired, and if they get a two-page single-spaced email from a parent at 11:30 at night with a call the next morning saying, “Why haven't you responded?”—they're not super psyched to work with you.Treating people like they're customer-service reps who are there to serve you—especially if you pay tuition—I understand why that happens, but you're going to catch a lot more flies with honey.Sarah: Than with vinegar.Rachel: Yeah, I couldn't remember what the insect was—but I think you catch more flies with honey.It's hard. It's heavy. It's a tall ask, because you're hurting as a parent—you're frustrated, you're angry, you're worried about your kid. But it's a really complex situation.A couple other ways to approach this: figure out if your school has an anti-bullying or behavior policy that acknowledges these more indirect forms of aggression.Also, I'd caution parents against using the word bullying unless it actually meets that definition. That's a big turn-off for school administrators and teachers when parents elevate something to bullying that isn't.Bullying is more of a protracted campaign of one person against another, typically with a big power dynamic. Most of what kids experience are acts of aggression, but not ongoing campaigns.So being careful about the words you use is important too.And then, see what training teachers have—what professional development they've been given around what to look out for, how to manage their classrooms.There was a long period in my life where all I did was professional development sessions for schools. We talked about, “Have you talked to your students about body language? About the power of rolling your eyes when someone speaks up, or laughing, or staring?”Those are silent behaviors, but they send strong messages. Many teachers don't have those conversations with students—and that's the kind of thing that makes a difference in communicating expectations.Sarah: Someone on the call just asked a question related to that. She's curious what you have to say about shame being used by girls as a form of aggression—especially middle schoolers.Rachel: That's interesting—when you say shame, meaning like trying to shame the target for something they've done?Sarah: Yeah, she says yes. Like rolling your eyes at somebody when they do something—that would make someone feel a sense of shame. She also said her daughter was shamed for talking to boys.Rachel: Yeah. So I think there's quite a bit of shame that both boys and girls experience.So—sorry, I'm reading the comments too—your daughter was shamed for talking to boys who came to their lunch table, and was asked to sit at a different lunch table?Yeah, I wonder if that's about shaming for breaking an unwritten code—“We don't talk to boys.” Which can also be rooted in cultural expectations around girls—like, “You're such a slut if you talk to boys,” or “We don't.”And so there's a way in which girls can police each other and shame each other by channeling messages from the culture that they've learned.What I have to say about that is that girls do become agents of the culture—and of patriarchal culture—that says, “You're not supposed to talk to boys because that means you must be sexual with them,” or, “We just don't like those people, so we're going to punish you.”Boys will do it to each other too—when they're vulnerable or show feelings.So, to support a girl who's going through that: if we think about the definition of shame, it's to feel like you are a bad person—that your core identity is defective.The difference between shame and guilt is that shame is about you, and guilt is about the thing you did.We're all vulnerable to shame, but I think tween girls are particularly so because they're both able to understand what adults are saying and still in a very self-focused moment in development. That's a pretty toxic brew.It means you can easily take on shame without fully understanding what's being said to you.So I think just really taking a moment to say, “You are a good human being. You are valued. You are loved. You're not alone.”You may not think a moment like this requires those words, but if your child is feeling ashamed because of those behaviors, it's important to remind them they're just like everyone else—in the best way—and that even if they've been othered or singled out, they're still part of a loved whole, whether that's family or friends.Sarah: Yeah, when you were saying that, I was reminded of something I did with my daughter that I talk about a lot—making sure our children, even if they're having social troubles or not feeling like they have friends or the friends they want—making sure they feel unconditionally loved and appreciated and delighted in and celebrated at home can be very protective, I think.And I've heard adults talk about that—who were bullied—and say, “The only reason I came through it with my self-esteem intact was that my parents made me believe this wasn't happening because there was something wrong with me.” They made me feel loved and celebrated and appreciated at home.So I think that's something for all of us to keep sight of too—if our kids are having friendship troubles—to do the work at home to help them.Rachel: Yes. A thousand percent. That has nothing to do with their friends.Sarah: Yeah.Rachel: Yes.Sarah: Okay, two more questions before we let you go. A question from a member who couldn't be on the call: any advice for making future friends once they've gone through a mean relationship?So this person's child is on the other side of a difficult elementary school relationship, starting middle school at a new school, and is finding it hard—maybe she's a little hesitant about making new friends after what she's gone through. Any advice about that?Rachel: I think you validate it. You validate the hesitation.And you also say, “Hey—do you notice how many people date and break up and then start dating new people? Or get divorced and marry new people? Friendships are the same thing.”We're not meant to have one best friend forever—that's a myth. People lose friends and also cut loose people that aren't right for them.Maybe your daughter's been through that—but remind her we're constantly regenerating new connections.It's okay to feel a little gun-shy or apprehensive. Ask, “What would make you feel more comfortable making new friends so you don't feel like you're exposing yourself too much?”Again, always staying curious, inquisitive—not assuming you know what's right because you're the parent—but asking, “What would need to be true for you to feel comfortable making this new friendship?”Maybe she's not comfortable socializing one-on-one outside of school for a long time and wants to keep it to school. That's okay.So being flexible and kind of flexing to where your child is, while also holding the line about the importance of continuing to connect—that's important.Sarah: Love that. My final question to you is one I ask all my podcast guests—and you can answer this in any context, not just what we were talking about today—but if you had a time machine and could go back to your younger parent self, what advice would you give yourself?Rachel: Oh my God, so much. Don't let your kid have YouTube as early as you did. That would be the first one.I guess I'd say that feeling out of control is normal—and you've got to learn to breathe through that more. Yelling isn't going to give you anything but a false sense of control, and it's just going to upset your kid.That's the truth of it. I think I would've yelled less if I'd been more comfortable with the discomfort—feeling like things were out of control and I couldn't manage or have the solution for something.Sarah: Love that. Thank you so much for joining us. Where's the best place for folks to find out more about you and what you do?Rachel: Find me at rachelsimmons.com.Sarah: All right. Thank you so much, Rachel.Rachel: Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. Great questions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sarahrosensweet.substack.com/subscribe

Tim and Eric Vogel went to see Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot in the winter of 1976, when they were in their teens. Seeing that movie really sparked their interest in Sasquatch. About a month after seeing that movie, during a big snowstorm, something happened one morning that completely set the hook in them, with regards to their interest in the topic. The storm had dropped about 28 inches of snow on the area where Tim and Eric lived, in Western Massachusetts, and when the looked out their window that morning, they saw a horde of people in their driveway. There were Bigfoot investigators, news reporters, and other people out there who were focused on a trail of big tracks that led across their property. It turned out to be a hoax that a kid in their area had been responsible, but the damage was already done. Tim and Eric couldn't get enough of the Bigfoot topic. It should come as no surprise that Tim and Eric decided to become Sasquatch investigators, years later and form Vogel Brothers Sasquatch Investigations. On tonight's show, Tim and Eric are going to share numerous sightings and experiences they've had. We hope you'll tune in and listen to them do that. If you've had a Sasquatch experience in Western Massachusetts that you'd like to report to the Vogel Brothers or if you'd like to find out more about the Cobble Mountain Critter Project, please visit…https://thecobblemountaincritterproject.wordpress.com/If you've had a Bigfoot sighting and would like to be a guest, on the show, please go to https://MyBigfootSighting.com and let us know. We'd love to hear from you. Premium memberships are now available! If you'd like to be able to listen to the show without ads and have full access to premium content, please go to https://MyBigfootSighting.com to find out how to become a premium member.f you'd like to help support the show by buying your own My Bigfoot Sighting T-shirt, sweatshirt, or tank top, please visit the My Bigfoot Sighting Show Store Page, by going to...https://dogman-encounters.myshopify.com/collections/mens-my-bigfoot-sighting-collectionShow's theme song, "Banjo Music," courtesy Nathan BrumleyI produce 4 other shows that are available on your favorite podcast app. If you haven't checked them out, here are links to all 4 channels on the Spreaker App...Bigfoot Eyewitness Radio… https://www.spreaker.com/show/bigfoot-eyewitness-radio_1 Dogman Encounters…  https://www.spreaker.com/show/dogman-encounters-radio_2 Dogman Tales…  https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dogman-tales--6640134My Paranormal Experience…  https://www.spreaker.com/show/my-paranormal-experience Thanks for listening!

Christine share about the lessons we all can learn from postpartum care whether you are in this stage of life or not. The principles can still apply to your life. Christine's Bio Christine is mother to four children. She is an Ayurvedic Health Consultant, a Birth and Postpartum Doula and the founder and director of the Center for Sacred Window Studies. She is an advocate for social awareness and change for postpartum care in cultures where traditions in caregiving have diminished or disappeared. She is an educator, speaker, organizer, caregiver and group facilitator. Her mission with the Center for Sacred Window Studies is to empower professionals in postpartum care and families with information and tools in creating the support needed during the sacred postpartum window. She trains Conscious Postpartum Caregivers to support families using diet, routine, herbal support, healing touch and the Universal Mother Principles of conscious care. Christine resides in Western Massachusetts and teaches students around the world. Connect with Christine www.sacredwindowstudies.com www.instagram.com/sacredwindowstudies Free 5 Day Email Course: https://sacredwindowstudies.com/sacred-journey-landing/ Where to connect with Andrea Website: https://andreaclaassen.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/seasonalandrea Perimenopause Support Quiz: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/681d3069f79fde0015c88d8c Sacred Seasons: https://andreaclaassen.com/sacred-seasons 8 Week Perimenopause Reset https://andreaclaassen.com/8-week-perimenopause-program Andrea Claassen Bio Andrea Claassen is an Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor, RYT 500 hour yoga teacher, and personal trainer who has been in the wellness space since 2007. She specializes in cyclical living. Her mission is to help women learn how to slow down, tune in and connect to their inner wisdom. The three pillars she focuses on are movement, mindfulness & mother nature through an Ayurvedic lens. You can hear more from Andrea on her Peaceful Power Podcast where she aims to deliver actionable takeaways for you to live a more holistic lifestyle. Connect with Andrea on her website at www.andreaclaassen.com

Between Sue with her Western Mass accent and Intern STefano being a Long Island native -- Kendra is trying to teach them the right way to pronounce certain town names!

Rick Sullivan's 11-year tenure leading the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council has been one of both challenge — the region has dealt with everything from shifting economic tides to a pandemic — and opportunity; indeed, during that time, the EDC has grown, programming has expanded, and membership has doubled. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Rick talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about all that and more, including his advice for the next president and CEO; the organization's continuing importance in growing the business landscape in the 413; and what he values most from his time serving this region as a mayor, in the governor's office, and with the EDC. It's must listening, so tune into BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest.

What if fewer mics could help you make better records? Alan Evans (Soulive) joins me to talk 4-track recording, Iceland sessions, AI in music, and how simplicity, mindset, and health can fuel your best creative work.   Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guest today is Alan Evans, a recording, mixing, and mastering engineer, producer, and musician based in Western Massachusetts. Alan's probably best known as the drummer and co-founder of Soulive, but over the past 30 years, he's also built a deep discography engineering, producing, and shaping the sound of hundreds of recordings. He grew up in a musically rich household in Buffalo, NY, soaking in the sounds of Miles Davis, Ray Charles, and Jimi Hendrix which ignited his interest in music. As a teenager, he hit the clubs and started recording bands, teaching himself the craft of recording, mixing, and production from the ground up. These days, Alan continues to push boundaries through his label, Vintage League Music, with projects spanning jazz, funk, reggae, rock, and Americana—including recent recordings with Oteil Burbridge and MonoNeon at Floki Studios in Iceland, and a new album with Charlie Hunter and Ella Feingold at Pilot Recording Studios in Housatonic, MA. Alan's been on the show before in episodes RSR183, RSR339, and RSR440—and I'm psyched to have him back again, this time in person for video at Ready To Rock Studios. THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS! http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com https://usa.sae.edu/ https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off! https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off! https://www.adam-audio.com/ https://www.makebelievestudio.com/mbsi Get your MBSI plugin here! https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/Academy  https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/ Listen to the podcast theme song “Skadoosh!” https://solo.to/lijshawmusic Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1F16ucxEvIBugOepkzsTkW?si=FJKiBFINRAOZrjKf0FdYJg If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/525

Colin and Danny Interview Top Gunz Tri Team Member, Mike Consolini. Mike discusses his experiences with Ironman races, noting his struggles with bike volume and the importance of feeling fresh. He shares a challenging six-hour training ride and the benefits of having a local training partner. He also talks about his background as a paramedic firefighter, detailing a humorous incident at a daycare fire. He reflects on his journey into triathlons, starting with a marathon in 2016 and his first Ironman in 2018. He opens up about her addiction struggles, starting with substance use in his late teens, and how his faith and family support have been crucial in his recovery and athletic pursuits. Ironman Training and Challenges Mike discusses his experience with Ironman races, expressing a desire to perform better but feeling he hasn't yet nailed it. Mike mentions watching an interview with Jan Frodeno and Gordon Ramsay, where Frodeno admits he only feels proud of a few of his races. Mike shares his struggle with the bike volume in his training, noting it as his strength but also a source of fatigue. Mike talks about a six-hour ride he had to do, which he found daunting due to his lack of mileage. Mike mentions having a local training partner who rode half of the six-hour ride with him, which was a significant advantage. Mike's Background and Career Mike introduces himself, mentioning her upbringing in Western Massachusetts and her involvement in various sports in high school. Mike explains his career path, starting as an EMT at 19 and later becoming a paramedic firefighter. Danny Royce inquires about Mike's dual role as both an EMT and a firefighter, and he explains the rotation system in his department. Mike shares a humorous anecdote about getting lost during a fire call, which led to him being jokingly called "Back Door." Mike describes the stress and unpredictability of his job, comparing it to the challenges of endurance triathlons. Transition to Triathlons Mike recounts his journey into triathlons, starting with his first marathon in 2016 and his first Ironman in 2018. Mike shares his initial confidence and the humbling experience of crashing his bike at mile two of his first Ironman. Mike discusses the lessons he learned from his first Ironman, including the importance of being prepared for unexpected challenges. Danny Royce and Colin Cook express their admiration for Mike's resilience and progress in his triathlon career. Mike talks about the support and encouragement he receives from his family, particularly his wife, who is also an avid triathlete. Addiction and Recovery Mike opens up about his struggle with addiction, starting with experimenting with substances in his late teens. Mike explains how his addiction began as a secretive habit, influenced by a family member who provided easy access to substances. Danny Royce and Mike discuss the concept of addiction as a disease, emphasizing the importance of treatment and self-responsibility. Mike shares his journey towards recovery, including the role of his faith and the support of his family and friends. Mike reflects on the parallels between his addiction and the challenges of endurance sports, highlighting the importance of mental strength and resilience.

In this episode, I sit down with David Mysliwiec, the founder and CEO of The Upstate Sound. A Grammy-winning label, publisher, and artist collective based in Nashville. From bootstrapping beats in Western Mass to building a full-stack music company. With its own Codex, David shares the raw story behind launching a brand that's more than a label it's a mission. We talked music ownership, turning interns into execs. Seeing why raising your own flag matters more than chasing industry trends. Whether you're an artist, creative, or entrepreneur. This is a blueprint for building with integrity.

Aaron Stupple is a practicing physician, former public school teacher and author of The Sovereign Child. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and five children.In this episode, we discuss various aspects of parenting, focusing on non-coercive methods and the philosophy behind raising children. We explore the importance of allowing children to develop organically, the impact of rules on trust and relationships, and the challenges of navigating modern parenting issues such as screen time and sleep. Aaron shares insights from his book, The Sovereign Child, which advocates for treating children as full status individuals and emphasizes the need for understanding rather than enforcing rules.In this conversation, Jason and Aaron explore the complexities of modern life, including the impact of technology on brain development, the role of boredom, and the importance of autonomy in children's learning. They discuss the balance between digital engagement and real-life experiences, the influence of parenting on skill development, and the intricate relationship children have with food. The conversation also delves into the effects of social media on mental health and self-perception, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of these issues.Become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/bajadadialogues Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a quiet hike near the Quabbin Reservoir turns into a confrontation with something impossible? In this chilling episode, we sit down with John Coster — songwriter, author, Harvard graduate — to hear the story of his life-changing encounters with a towering, white-haired Sasquatch in the forests of Western Massachusetts.From eerie silences and giant handprints on his car, to thunderous whistles in the woods, trees bent with impossible force, and even a massive boulder hurled into the lake — John's story is one of the most interesting and compelling Bigfoot encounters ever recorded in New England.You'll hear about sightings in Pelham, the hidden wilderness of the Quabbin, strange footprints near the Prescott Peninsula, and the long history of Sasquatch lore across Hampshire County and beyond down to Granville. Could these creatures still be haunting Massachusetts' forgotten forests?Resources: Convergence: Encounters with an Impossible Being - buy link - https://amzn.to/3UERbNR (Amazon affiliate link helps support the podcast)https://www.johncostermusic.com/

This week on the Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon editor Laura Colarusso sits down with Gateway Cities reporter Hallie Claflin to talk about her recent reporting in Holyoke – where city leaders and housing developers have struggled to restore vacant mills and blighted industrial buildings. They discuss the costly environmental hazards associated with these projects, as well as state and federal funding barriers, weak market conditions, tariffs, and more.

On this Sunday's edition of News You Can Use on WTIC Newstalk 1080 at 5:30 AM and 9:00 AM, host Ann Baldwin welcomes Diane Gates-Dulka, Gold Star wife and former president of the Connecticut and Western Massachusetts chapter of Gulf War Veterans of New England. Diane shares her powerful story of being denied death benefits for her husband, Joseph Dulka Jr., a 15-year veteran of the National Guard who tragically passed away from early-onset pancreatic cancer. She opens up about the emotional and financial toll this denial has taken, and the many challenges she continues to face in advocating for families who deserve recognition, support, and rightful compensation. In addition, Diane sheds light on the ongoing struggles Gold Star families face when navigating the benefits system, including her own frustrating experiences with ChampVA, where it can take over four months just to receive a response to basic correspondence. This candid conversation reveals the urgent need for reform in how we care for our veterans' families and emphasizes the importance of continuing the fight for fairness, dignity, and justice.

Ever wondered what it takes to conquer some of the most grueling gravel cycling events? Join us as we uncover the secrets of going epic with Coach Patrick, who shares his firsthand experiences from the Unbound 200 and his preparations for the D2R2 event in Western Massachusetts. The D2R2 is not just any ride—it's a celebration of grit, community, and the breathtaking landscapes of New England. Patrick is especially pumped about the new 200K mystery ride, promising some serious adventure through Jeep trails and hike-a-bike sections. With stories of challenging climbs and scenic pit stops, Patrick paints a vivid picture of what makes these events truly special and why they matter beyond just racing. But preparation is key to tackling such epic adventures, and that's where innovation meets cycling. Learn how I harness the power of a customized GPT bot to streamline every detail of my training and logistics, from equipment checks to nutrition planning. This tool is a game-changer, eliminating last-minute chaos and helping riders stay focused on the ride rather than the rush. We also dive into the broader impact of participating in organized events like the D2R2, which supports vital land and trail conservation efforts. Whether you're a competitive racer or someone seeking personal fulfillment through gravel rides, this episode offers insights and resources to elevate your preparation game. Don't forget, for those eager to enhance their riding experience, you can access the Epic Ride GPT tool through the link provided.

Think the Berkshires are just scenic hills and quiet towns? Think again. Beneath the serene beauty of Western Massachusetts lies a history steeped in the strange, the unexplained, and the terrifying.Join us as we journey deep into one of New England's most mysterious regions to uncover ten of its most chilling and bizarre legends. This is a land of eerie encounters and lingering spirits, where folklore and fact collide. We'll investigate an infamous mass UFO sighting, walk the haunted halls of historic inns, and venture into forests where monstrous creatures are said to roam.From cursed objects to ghostly soldiers and even a case of demonic possession investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren, these are the stories that the locals whisper about after dark.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

Will anyone beat Sue Tabb's story of her failed attempt in white glitter Go-Go boots for the Junior Miss Contest in Western Mass??

With almost 20 years of experience in the mortgage lending industry, Lindsay LaBonte (a BusinessWest 40 Under Forty honoree in 2018) has become one of the Western Mass. region's most prolific loan originators. But it's about more than numbers, she says, emphasizing elements of her job like relationship building and financial education for clients who are often navigating the homebuying process for the first time — at a particularly challenging time for buyers, for many reasons. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, LaBonte, branch manager and senior loan officer with HMA Mortgage, talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about the many aspects of her job, how she and her team prioritize community involvement in myriad ways — from philanthropy and volunteerism to a new program called Local Love Days — and why it's still so ratifying to help people achieve the dream of homeownership. It's must listening, so tune into BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest.

Each and every year, the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts serve thousands of girls throughout the Commonwealth, offering them opportunities to build leadership and life skills. This time of year, it's all about summer fun through camps, troop activities, and much more, but it's important to ensure every child who wants to take part has the chance to do so. Theresa Lynn, CEO of GSCWM, talks with Nichole about their efforts to ensure girls in underserved communities have access to these programs, their upcoming events, and a very special camp anniversary.

In today's show, Chris Lievense, high school social studies teacher in Vermont and Kelly Junno 3rd grade teacher in Western Massachusetts, and Spark faculty, share with us their insights from the 2025 Socialism conference in Chicago and how those lessons are applicable to their work as K-16 educators. A major theme Kelly and Chris found at the conference was, how does the progressive left recapture the narrative. Fascist can't win unless they capture education and the narratives around it that normalize injustice. How does the progressive left ask for the unimaginable. How do we ask for a better world that we don't have prisons that we don't spend billions of dollars and billions of lives to have them and instead ask for what are the kinds of care we need and what are the things that we need to meet at minimum the basic needs for people: food, clothing, shelter, health, education, transportation. How do we bring the majority of people in the United States along with the possibilities of abolition. Most Americans can't imagine an abolitionist society. How do we as educators change the conversation which then changes the narrative around this and make it imaginable? Most importantly that Capitalism can't solve capitalism

Lauren Rollins, Founder of the Western Massachusetts Policy Center by WHMP Radio

Hi there! Feel free to drop us a text if you enjoy the episode.In this episode we interview Amy Rusiecki — ultrarunner, trail advocate, race director of the iconic Vermont 100 Endurance Race, and race director of the Beast Coast Trail Running Series. We take a deep dive into  the origins of the Vermont 100 and how it began as a horse endurance ride and remains one of the only events in the world where horses and runners share the same 100-mile course. Amy discusses what it takes to direct a race of this magnitude, from coordinating dual events to cultivating a tight-knit, supportive race culture.More than just a race, the VT100 is a beacon of inclusivity — proudly being the first trail ultra to welcome adaptive athletes and raising money for the Vermont Adaptive.   Amy speaks passionately about her mission to foster a trail running culture that is accessible, welcoming, and community-driven.The conversation also spotlights the Beast Coast Trail Running series, a collection of events (like the Seven Sisters trail race) that embody the rugged charm and spirited camaraderie of New England's trail scene. Amy shares her insights on what makes the East Coast ultrarunning community so unique, why volunteerism is at the heart of these events, and how the region's technical terrain delivers a one-of-a-kind endurance challenge.Key Takeaways:The Vermont 100 is one of the only ultra races where runners and horses compete side by side.The event has a strong, family-like community and emphasizes volunteer participation.VT100 was the first trail ultra to officially include adaptive athletes, pushing the standard for inclusion.The race is working to welcome neurodiverse athletes, part of a broader inclusivity initiative.Beast Coast Trail Running is also a club that has been newly formed for runners located in Western Massachusetts.Art & Eric embark on a journey to showcase and celebrate the endurance sports community in New England.

Born in 1962, Malcolm Smith was raised in Western Massachusetts. Captivated by the sound of Tibetan ritual music in 1984, he began his study of the Dharma. He met his first formal teacher, H. H. Sakya Trizin, in 1989. He studied Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language under the guidance of Khenpo Migmar Tseten for the next five years at Sakya Institute for Buddhist Studies in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1990 Malcolm travelled to Nepal to receive lamdré from the late H. H. Sakya Dagchen.He received his first Dzogchen teachings from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in 1992. In 1993 he met his second Dzogchen teacher, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, receiving important transmissions. During this year he entered a three-year solitary retreat. In 1998 he met H. H. Penor Rinpoche and received the complete empowerments of the mahayoga section of the Nyingma Kama as well as teachings on the Namchö preliminary practices. In 2001, he met his third Dzogchen teacher, the late Kunzang Dechen Lingpa, from whom he received the Nyinthig Yazhi in its entirety, as well as the formal Ngakpa empowerment in 2004. He met his fourth Dzogchen teacher, H. H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, in 2001, from whom he received the entire transmission of the Gongpa Zangthal in 2010, as well other transmissions. He received the transmission of the Seventeen Tantras from Khenpo Tenzin Thinley in 2012 and again from Tulku Dakpa Rinpoche in 2022. Since 2018, he has been studying under Khenchen Namdrol Tsering of Namdrol Ling MonasteryIn addition, Malcolm has received Sakya, Kagyü, and Nyingma teaching cycles from many other lamas.Malcolm Smith was awarded the title of acarya by Khenpo Migmar Tseten of Sakya Institute in 2004. In 2008 Malcolm was granted the title of lama by Lama Ngawang Tsultrim, abbot of Dhongag Tharling. In 2009 Malcolm graduated from Shang Shung Institute of America as a doctor of Tibetan medicine, completing an internship in Xining, in the Amdo province of northeast Tibet.Since 1992 Malcolm Smith has worked on a wide variety of texts for Sakya, Drikung Kagyü, and Nyingma groups, as well as medical and astrological texts.Thank you to all the listeners who are supporting the show. If you would like to support the show with a monthly donation please visit our website somaticprimer.com, or at our online learning platform on Patreon.Support the show

This episode features Peter D. Banko, President and CEO of Baystate Health, sharing how the system is advancing financial resilience, culture and engagement, and access to care. He also discusses the integration of Health New England, value-based care initiatives, and the strategic vision to grow services and remain a vital community anchor in Western Massachusetts.

Learn more about our upcoming Women's Hiking Retreat in Moab, Utah: https://sunandmoonsoberliving.com/moab-retreat/Access a free mindfulness meditation to help manage cravings and regulate emotions: https://pages.sunandmoonsoberliving.com/easemeditationFollow along on Instagram: @sunandmoon.soberliving ___Nina Pick is a somatic practitioner focused on helping individuals with early relational wounds live full, embodied, and connected lives. In recovery since 2009, she is the author of The Mind-Body Guide to the Twelve Steps: Finding Joy, Sensuality, and Pleasure in Recovery, and she facilitates groups on somatics, attachment, and recovery. She received an MA in counseling psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and an MA in comparative literature from UC Berkeley, and has certifications in a range of mind-body modalities, including NeuroAffective Touch, Somatic Attachment Therapy, Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy, the Safe and Sound Protocol, the Havening Techniques, and Reiki. Based in Western Massachusetts, she loves cats and is always up for a good dance party. In this episode, we discuss:Nina's recovery journeyHealing shameThe power in surrenderThe connection between trauma & addictionNervous system regulationA mind-body guide to recoveryFinding "God in the Body"Regaining access to joy and pleasureTo find out more, visit: www.ninapick.comOrder Nina's Book, The Mind-Body Guide to the Twelve Steps: Finding Joy, Sensuality, and Pleasure in Recovery: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Body-Guide-Twelve-Steps-Recovery-Integrative/dp/1623179408/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0__Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

188 - Ray LaMontagne n episode 188 of “Have Guitar Will Travel”, presented by Vintage Guitar Magazine, host James Patrick Regan speaks with singer/songwriter and guitarist Ray LaMontagne. In their conversation Ray talks about living in Western Massachusetts and early on selling a Volkswagen Van that belonged to he and his wife for a Martin guitar and Ray talks about his wife's support of his music. Ray describes his early music experiences and how he went from writing songs for himself occasionally playing a coffee house to becoming a superstar albeit a humble one. Ray describes his friendship with Stephen Stills. Ray talks about his guitars his 70's Martin and Paul Reed Smith acoustics and Ray discusses his tunings and with method of amplifying his acoustics. Ray discusses his upcoming tour and his album “Trouble” that came out 20 years ago. Finally Ray tells us about his songwriting process and what he does in his spare time and his love of classic cars. To find out more about Ray and see his tour dates you can go to his website: raylamontagne.com Please subscribe, like, comment, share and review this podcast! #VintageGuitarMagazine #RayLaMontagne #MartinGuitar #Trouble #PRSAcousticguitars #PaulReedSmithAcoustic #StephenStills #theDeadlies #haveguitarwilltravelpodcast #HGWT Please like, comment, and share this podcast! Download Link

On this week's edition of The New England Business Report, Joe Shortsleeve and Kim Carrigan talk real estate with William Raveis VP of Morguage Lending Kate Rockett. Executive Editor of the Boston Business Journal Doug Banks tell's Joe and Kim all about the International BioTech conference being held in Boston. Mary Kay Wydra, President of Explore Western Mass talks about the great summer activities available to visitors of Western Mass. University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute researcher, Ember Skye Kanelee, summarizes the results of a recent small business survey. Finally, a chat with the CEO of Wears Woody apparel company Mike Norwood. The growing clothing company started in Massachusetts.

LA Bike Advocate and Altadena Town Councilmember Dorothy Wong on rebuilding her home and her town after the LA fires destroyed both (2:17). The "Born To Be Wild" bikepackers of Northampton High School reflect on their annual 4-day tour of Western Massachusetts (13:29). New York City is dragging cyclists to criminal court for minor and sometimes made up traffic infractions under a new anti-bike policy. Kevin Duggan, StreetsblogNYC journalist, has been doing in-depth reporting, and shares his insights with us (24:23). Streets For All, the Los Angeles advocates that brought us Healthy Streets LA, has merged with the San Francisco organization KidSafe SF, which fought for a car-free JFK Promenade and Golden Gate Park, transformed the Great Highway into Sunset Dunes Park, and made slow streets permanent. Robin Pam, Parent Organizer of KidSafe SF, tells us about becoming a chapter of Streets For All (40:17). Audio from the May 30 Critical Mass ride in Chicago, by Rick Rosales (50:32). Nebraska's Vulnerable Road User Bill has passed its final vote and heads to the Governor. If passed, LB530 will strengthen penalties for speeding or harming "Vulnerable Road Users," and require drivers to change lanes to pass when possible. By John Gibilisco (54:16).

We open the lines on the state of immigration raids in Massachusetts. Over the weekend, an 18-year-old in Milford was detained by ICE.Michael Curry of the NAACP and Mass League of Community Health Centers discusses the state of police reform five years after George Floyd's murder and why state Democrats are warning of harm to the health care system under Trump's budget proposal.UN humanitarian aid worker Olga Cherevko zooms in to discuss the latest conditions in Gaza.Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung continues our Market Basket coverage and gets into the finances behind the Boston mayoral race.Food policy analyst Corby Kummer discusses the FDA failing to publicize a major e. coli outbreak and a wine critic's dispatch from the Trump Winery in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Kris Delmhorst is not a good sleeper. The Western Massachusetts songwriter is usually awake from 2 or 3 am to about 4 or 5am. Sometimes it feels nice and floaty, but other times she is wide awake worrying about anything her brain can get a hold of. This is similar to a feeling with which she ended her tenth record, 'Ghosts in the Garden,' with the song "Something to Show." Thankfully, she set us straight and explained that, indeed, the track is a hopeful prayer that she will have something to show for all the questioning, trying, pushing through, and general work that she and fellow humans are doing. Too bad it can't happen in the daylight hours. In our conversation for Basic Folk, we talk about this and the other themes and songs on the new album, like the unbearable emotional density of summer ending, ambient restlessness during destruction, carrying unresolved loves, and, of course, death.Kris experienced a great loss in 2021 with the death of her dear friend and collaborator Billy Conway. Her husband, Jeffrey Foucault, memorialized Billy in his 2024 album, 'The Universal Fire,' which he called "a working wake" for their friend. He appeared on Basic Folk and spoke at length about Billy and what he meant to the Boston music community. I encourage you to listen to that conversation and Jeff's record. Kris had known Billy for many decades, he produced a couple of her early albums and had been a huge presence in her life. The title track, "Ghosts in the Garden," addresses Billy's death, which sounds like it was a beautiful one, something that not very many people experience. He was surrounded by a houseful of friends and family celebrating his life and keeping him company up until the moment he passed.There are many types of ghosts on the album: lost loves and past mistakes, roads not taken, and our possible futures too. It was recorded at Great Northern Sound in rural Maine, which is inside an 1800s farmhouse that must keep its own ghosts. Kris, a great lover of collaboration, brings in many guest vocalists like Rose Cousins, Anaïs Mitchell, Ana Egge, Taylor Ashton, Rachel Baiman, Anna Tivel, and her husband, Jeffrey. I was surprised to learn that she had not actually planned for any guest vocalists. She made the decision, recorded some reference mixes in Maine, and listened on the drive home. She was startled to discover that she heard each guest vocalist on the track with her in the car, which prompted her to write some emails and get them all on the record. The songs want what the songs want, so you better give it to them or else... more ghosts?Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/  Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknews  Help produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Send us a textThis week, we continue our Pizza Expo Interview Series from the show floor at Pizza Expo 2025. This special edition of The Hot Slice Podcast with operators who bring excitement and passion to the pizza business with their pizza ownership journeys. They are: Jimmy Casapizzaiolo from Casa Pizza in Western Massachusetts shares his passion for tinkering with pizza dough and making multiple pizza styles. We also talk about his fascination for a Montanara pizza. Brian Nittayo, owner of Rose City Pizza in Covina, California, road tripped to Pizza Expo with his mom Carol, the behind-the-scenes master at the pizzeria. They share all the new developments with their tech-savvy business.   Stay tuned as we continue our interviews from Pizza Expo 2025. Check out more news from International Pizza Expo, including pizza competition results, show floor takeaways and happenings in our Pizza Expo News Hub. 

In this episode, Anne starts with all the details of this year's Shetland Hogmanay Box before diving into her experiences at the Connecticut and New Hampshire Sheep and Wool events and her trip to volunteer at the Woolly Good Gathering. Finally, she shares an excursion to the Western Massachusetts wool pelletizer with Erin Pirro of Morehouse Farm.  Things Mentioned in This Episode The I Thought I Knew How Facebook Group, Instagram, and website (where you can join the mailing list). The Shetland Hogmanay Box preorders will go live on May 17 at 2 pm eastern time. This year's box contains yarn from Aister 'Oo', Jamieson's of Shetland, Laxdale Yarn, The SIlly Sheep Fibre Co., Uradale Yarns, West Lynne Wool, and Langsoond Yarn, as well as a day of inclusions and a pattern created to use the yarn in the box designed by Mandy Moore.   Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Festival New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival Woolly Good Gathering Western Massachusetts Fibershed Peggy Hart on Instagram Wool: Unravelying an American Story of Artisans and Innovation, by Peggy Hart Morehouse Farm's website and Instagram Check out Erin's video from our day at the pelletizer at her website! The pellets should appear on the Morehouse site. If you are in the midwestern United States, you might want to order wool pellets from closer to home from The Wool Yard. The Journal of Scottish Yarns Rhode Island's unofficial Sheep and Wool Festival takes place at Coggeshall Farm The Maine Fiber Frolic Massachusetts Sheep and Woolcraft Fair Music The songs in this episode were "What Love Means to You," from Tom Goldstein; "Better Than Us," by Humans Win; and Nicholas Rowe with "I Wish That I Could Sing It For You."

Have you or do you feel stress? What is stress and how can we deal with it? Our guest this time is Rachelle Stone who discusses those very questions with us. Rachelle grew up in a very small town in Massachusetts. After attending community college, she had an opportunity to study and work at Disney World in Florida and has never looked back.   Rachelle loved her Disney work and entered the hospitality industry spending much of 27 years working for or running her own destination management company. She will describe how one day after a successful career, at the age of 48, she suffered what today we know as burnout. She didn't know how to describe her feelings at the time, but she will tell us how she eventually discovered what was going on with her.   She began to explore and then study the profession of coaching. Rachelle will tell us about coaches and clients and how what coaches do can help change lives in so many ways.   This episode is full of the kind of thoughts and ideas we all experience as well as insights on how we can move forward when our mindsets are keeping us from moving forward. Rachelle has a down-to-Earth way of explaining what she wants to say that we all can appreciate.       About the Guest:   “As your leadership consultant, I will help you hone your leadership, so you are ready for your next career move. As your executive coach, I will partner with you to overcome challenges and obstacles so you can execute your goals.”     Hi, I'm Rachelle. I spent over 25 years as an entrepreneur and leader in the Special Event industry in Miami, building, flipping, and selling Destination Management Companies (DMCs).  While I loved and thrived in the excitement and chaos of the industry, I still managed to hit a level of burnout that was wholly unexpected and unacceptable to me, resulting in early retirement at 48.   Now, as a trained Leadership Consultant and Executive Coach, I've made it my mission to combine this hard-won wisdom and experience to crack the code on burnout and balance for others so they can continue to thrive in careers they love. I am Brené Brown Dare to Lead ™ trained, a Certified Positive Intelligence ® Mental Fitness coach, and an accredited Professional Certified Coach by the ICF (International Coaching Federation, the most recognized global accreditation body in the coaching industry).   I continue to grow my expertise and show my commitment to the next generation of coaches by serving on the ICF-Central Florida chapter board of directors. I am serving as President-Elect and Chapter Liaison to the global organization. I also support those new to the coaching industry by mentoring other coaches to obtain advanced coaching credentials.   I maintain my well-being by practicing Pilates & Pvolve ® a few days a week, taking daily walks, loving on my Pug, Max, and making time for beach walks when possible.   Ways to connect Rachel:   www.rstoneconsulting.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/rstoneconsulting/ Instagram: @even_wonderwoman_gets_tired   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Well, hi and welcome to unstoppable mindset where inclusion diversity and the unexpected meet. But you know, the more fun thing about it is the unexpected. Unexpected is always a good thing, and unexpected is really anything that doesn't have anything directly to do with inclusion or diversity, which is most of what we get to deal with in the course of the podcast, including with our guest today, Rachelle Stone, who worked in the hospitality industry in a variety of ways during a lot of her life, and then switched to being a coach and a leadership expert. And I am fascinated to learn about that and what what brought her to that? And we'll get to that at some point in the course of the day. But Rachelle, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Thank   Rachelle Stone ** 02:08 you, Michael. I'm honored to be here. Excited to be talking to you today.   Michael Hingson ** 02:12 Well, it's a lot of fun now. You're in Florida. I am. I'm in the Clearwater   Rachelle Stone ** 02:16 Dunedin area. I like to say I live in Dunedin, Florida without the zip code.   Michael Hingson ** 02:22 Yeah. Well, I hear you, you know, then makes it harder to find you that way, right?   Rachelle Stone ** 02:28 Physically. Yeah, right, exactly. Danita, without the zip code, we'll stick with that. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 02:33 yeah, that works. Well, I'm really glad you're here. Why don't we start by maybe you talking to us a little bit about the early Rachelle growing up and some of that stuff.   Rachelle Stone ** 02:43 Yeah, I was lucky. I grew up in rural Western Massachusetts, little po doc town called Greenfield, Massachusetts. We were 18 miles from the Vermont border, which was literally a mile and a half from the New Hampshire border. So I grew up in this very interesting area where it was like a tri state area, and our idea of fun growing up, well, it was, we were always outdoors, playing very much outdoors. I had three siblings, and I was the youngest, and it was one of those childhoods where you came home from school, and mom would say, go outside, don't come back in the house until you hear the whistle. And every house on the street, every mother had a whistle. There were only seven houses because there was a Boy Scout camp at the end of the road. So as the sun was setting and the street lights would come on, you would hear different whistles, and different family kids would be going home the stone kids up, that's your mom. Go home, see you next time that was it was great. And you know, as I got older and more adventurous, it was cow tipping and keg parties and behind and all sorts of things that we probably shouldn't have been doing in our later teen years, but it was fun. Behind   Michael Hingson ** 04:04 is it's four wheeling,   Rachelle Stone ** 04:08 going up rough terrain. We had these. It was very, very hilly, where I was lot of lot of small mountains that you could conquer.   Michael Hingson ** 04:17 So in the winter, does that mean you got to do some fun things, like sledding in the snow. Yeah, yeah.   Rachelle Stone ** 04:24 We had a great hill in the back of our yard, so I learned to ski in my own backyard, and we had three acres of woods, so we would go snowshoeing. We were also close to a private school called Northfield Mount Hermon, which had beautiful, beautiful grounds, and in the winter, we would go cross country skiing there. So again, year round, we were, we were outdoors a lot.   Michael Hingson ** 04:52 Well, my time in Massachusetts was three years living in Winthrop so I was basically East Boston. Yeah. Yes and and very much enjoyed it. Loved the environment. I've been all over Massachusetts in one way or another, so I'm familiar with where you were. I am, and I will admit, although the winters were were cold, that wasn't as much a bother as it was when the snow turned to ice or started to melt, and then that night it froze. That got to be pretty slippery,   05:25 very dangerous, very dangerous.   Michael Hingson ** 05:29 I then experienced it again later, when we lived in New Jersey and and I actually our house to take the dogs out. We had no fenced yards, so I had to take them out on leash, and I would go down to our basement and go out and walk out basement onto a small deck or patio, actually, and then I had to go down a hill to take the dogs where they could go do their business. And I remember the last year we were in New Jersey, it snowed in May, and the snow started to melt the next day, and then that night, it froze, and it and it stayed that way for like about a day and a half. And so it was as slick as glass is. Glass could be. So eventually I couldn't I could go down a hill, it was very dangerous, but going back up a hill to come back in the house was not safe. So eventually, I just used a very long flex leash that was like 20 feet long, and I sent the dogs down the hill. I stayed at the top.   Rachelle Stone ** 06:33 Was smart, wow. And they didn't mind. They just wanted to go do their business, and they wanted to get back in the house too. It's cold, yeah?   Michael Hingson ** 06:41 They didn't seem to be always in an incredible hurry to come back into the house. But they had no problem coming up the hill. That's the the advantage of having claws,   Rachelle Stone ** 06:51 yes. Pause, yeah, four of them to boot, right? Yeah, which   Michael Hingson ** 06:54 really helped a great deal. But, you know, I remember it. I love it. I loved it. Then now I live in in a place in California where we're on what's called the high desert, so it doesn't get as cold, and we get hardly any of the precipitation that even some of the surrounding areas do, from Los Angeles and Long Beach and so on to on the one side, up in the mountains where the Snow is for the ski resorts on the other so Los Angeles can have, or parts of La can have three or four inches of rain, and we might get a half inch.   Rachelle Stone ** 07:28 Wow. So it stays relatively dry. Do you? Do you ever have to deal like down here, we have something called black ice, which we get on the road when it rains after it hasn't rained in a long time? Do you get that there in California,   Michael Hingson ** 07:41 there are places, yeah, not here where I live, because it generally doesn't get cold enough. It can. It's already this well, in 2023 late 2023 we got down to 24 degrees one night, and it can get a little bit colder, but generally we're above freezing. So, no, we don't get the black ice here that other places around us can and do. Got it. Got it. So you had I obviously a fun, what you regard as a fun childhood.   Rachelle Stone ** 08:14 Yeah, I remember the first day I walked into I went to a community college, and I it was a very last minute, impulsive, spontaneous decision. Wow, that kind of plays into the rest of my life too. I make very quick decisions, and I decided I wanted to go to college, and it was open enrollment. I went down to the school, and they asked me, What do you want to study? I'm like, I don't know. I just know I want to have fun. So they said, you might want to explore Recreation and Leisure Services. So that's what I wound up going to school for. And I like to say I have a degree in fun and games.   Michael Hingson ** 08:47 There you go. Yeah. Did you go beyond community college or community college enough?   Rachelle Stone ** 08:53 Yeah, that was so I transferred. It took me four years to get a two year degree. And the reason was, I was working full time, I moved out. I just at 17, I wanted to be on my own, and just moved into an apartment with three other people and went to college and worked. It was a fabulous way to live. It was wonderful. But then when I transferred to the University, I felt like I was a bit bored, because I think the other students were, I was dealing with a lot of students coming in for the first time, where I had already been in school for four years, in college for four years, so the experience wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted the education. And I saw a poster, and it was Mickey Mouse on the poster, and it was Walt Disney World College program now accepting applications. So I wrote down the phone number, email, whatever it was, and and I applied. I got an interview again. Remember Michael? I was really bored. I was going to school. It was my first semester in my four year program, and I just anyway. I got a call back and. And I was accepted into the Disney College Program. So, um, they at that time, they only took about 800 students a year. So it was back in 1989 long time ago. And I was thrilled. I left Massachusetts on january 31 1989 in the blizzard of 89 Yeah, and I drove down to Orlando, Florida, and I never left. I'm still here in Florida. That was the beginning of my entire career. Was applying for the Disney College Program.   Michael Hingson ** 10:36 So what was that like, being there at the Disney College, pro nominal, phenomenal. I have to ask one thing, did you have to go through some sort of operation to get rid of your Massachusetts accent? Does   Rachelle Stone ** 10:50 it sound like it worked? No, I didn't have well, it was funny, because I was hoping I would be cast as Minnie Mouse. I'm four foot 10. I have learned that to be Mini or Mickey Mouse, you have to be four, eight or shorter. So I missed many by two inches. My second choice was being a lifeguard, and I wound up what I they offered me was Epcot parking lot, and I loved it, believe it or not, helping to park cars at Epcot Center. I still remember my spiel to the letter that I used to give because there was a live person on the back of the tram speaking and then another one at the front of the tram driving it to get you from the parking lot to the front entrance of the gate. But the whole experience was amazing. It was I attended classes, I earned my Master's degree. I picked up a second and third job because I wanted to get into hotels, and so I worked one day a week at the Disney Inn, which is now their military resorts. And then I took that third job, was as a contractor for a recreation management company. So I was working in the field that I had my associates in. I was working at a hotel one day a week, just because I wanted to learn about hotels. I thought that was the industry I wanted to go into. And I was I was driving the tram and spieling on the back of the tram five days a week. I loved it was phenomenal.   Michael Hingson ** 12:20 I have a friend who is blind who just retired from, I don't know, 20 or 25 years at Disneyland, working a lot in the reservation centers and and so on. And speaks very highly of, of course, all the experiences of being involved with Disney.   Rachelle Stone ** 12:38 Yeah, it's really, I'm It was a wonderful experience. I think it gave me a great foundation for the work in hospitality that I did following. It was a great i i think it made me a better leader, better hospitality person for it well,   Michael Hingson ** 12:57 and there is an art to doing it. It isn't just something where you can arbitrarily decide, I'm going to be a successful and great hospitality person, and then do it if you don't learn how to relate to people, if you don't learn how to talk to people, and if you're not having fun doing it   Rachelle Stone ** 13:14 exactly. Yes, Fun. Fun is everything. It's   Michael Hingson ** 13:18 sort of like this podcast I love to tell people now that the only hard and fast rule about the podcast is we both have to have fun, or it's not worth doing.   Rachelle Stone ** 13:25 That's right. I'm right there with you. Gotta Have fun,   Michael Hingson ** 13:30 yeah? Well, so you So, how long were you with Disney? What made you switched? Oh, so   Rachelle Stone ** 13:36 Disney College Program. It was, at that time, it was called the Magic Kingdom college program, MK, CP, and it's grown quite significantly. I think they have five or 7000 students from around the world now, but at that time it was just a one semester program. I think for international students, it's a one year program. So when my three and a half months were up. My semester, I could either go back. I was supposed to go back to school back in Massachusetts, but the recreation management company I was working for offered me a full time position, so I wound up staying. I stayed in Orlando for almost three and a half years, and ultimately I wound up moving to South Florida and getting a role, a new role, with a different sort of company called a destination management company. And that was that was really the onset destination management was my career for 27 years. 26   Michael Hingson ** 14:38 years. So what is a destination management company. So   Rachelle Stone ** 14:41 a destination management company is, they are the company that receives a group into a destination, meetings, conventions, events. So for instance, let's say, let's say Fathom note taker. Wants to have an in person meeting, and they're going to hold it at the Lowe's Miami Beach, and they're bringing in 400 of their top clients, and and and sales people and operations people. They need someone on the receiving end to pick everybody up at the airport, to put together the theme parties, provide the private tours and excursions. Do the exciting restaurant, Dine Around the entertainment, the amenities. So I did all the fun. And again, sticking with the fun theme here, yeah, I did all of the auxiliary meeting fun add ons in the destination that what you would do. And I would say I did about 175 to 225, meetings a year.   Michael Hingson ** 15:44 So you didn't actually book the meetings, or go out and solicit to book the meetings. You were the person who took over. Once a meeting was arranged,   Rachelle Stone ** 15:53 once a meeting was booked in the destination, right? If they needed a company like mine, then it would be then I would work with them. If I would be the company. There were several companies I did what I do, especially in Miami, because Miami was a top tier destination, so a client may book the lows Miami Beach and then reach out to two to three different DMCs to learn how can they partner with them to make the meeting the most successful. So it was always a competitive situation. And it was always, you know, needing to do our best and give our best and be creative and out of the box. And, yeah, it was, it was an exciting industry. So what makes   Michael Hingson ** 16:41 the best destination management company, or what makes you very successful? Why would people view you as successful at at what you do, and why they would want to choose you to be the company to work with? Because obviously, as you said, it's competitive.   Rachelle Stone ** 16:59 Everybody well, and there's choice. Everybody has choice. I always believed there was enough business to go around for everybody. Very good friends with some of my my hardiest competitors. Interestingly, you know, although we're competing, it's a very friendly industry. We all network together. We all dance in the same network. You know, if we're going to an industry network, we're all together. What? Why would somebody choose me over somebody else? Was really always a decision. It was sometimes it was creativity. Sometimes it was just a feeling for them. They felt the relationship just felt more authentic. Other times it was they they just really needed a cut and dry service. It just every client was always different. There were never two programs the same. I might have somebody just wanting to book a flamenco guitarist for three hours, and that's all they need. And another group may need. The transportation, the tours, the entertainment, the theme parties, the amenities, the whole ball of Fox, every group was different, which is, I think, what made it so exciting, it's that relationship building, I think, more than anything. Because these companies are doing meetings all over the country, sometimes some of them all over the world. So relationships were really, really important to them to be able to go into a destination and say to their partner in that destination, hey, I'm going to be there next May. This is what I need. Are you available? Can you help? So I think on the initial front end, it is, when it's a competitive bid, you're starting from scratch to build a relationship. Once that's relationship is established, it is easier to build on that relationship when things go wrong. Let's talk about what worked, what didn't, and how we can do better next time, instead of throwing the entire relationship out with the bathwater and starting from scratch again. So it was a great industry. I loved it, and   Michael Hingson ** 19:00 obviously you must have been pretty successful at it.   Rachelle Stone ** 19:04 I was, I was lucky. Well, luck and skill, I have to give myself credit there too. I worked for other DMCs. I worked for event companies that wanted to expand into the DMC industry. And I helped, I helped them build that corporate division, or that DMC division. I owned my own agency for, I think, 14 years, still alive and thriving. And then I worked for angel investors, helping them flip and underperforming. It was actually a franchise. It was an office franchise of a global DMC at the time. So I've had success in different areas of Destination Management, and I was lucky in that I believe in accreditation and certification. That's important to me. Credibility matters. And so I. Involved in the association called the association of Destination Management executives international admei I know it's a mouthful, but I wound up serving on their board of directors and their certification and accreditation board for 14 years, throughout my career, and on the cab their certification accreditation board, my company was one of the first companies in the country to become a certified company, admc certified. I was so proud of that, and I had all of my staff. I paid for all of them to earn their certification, which was a destination management Certified Professional. That's the designation. I loved, that we could be a part of it. And I helped write a course, a university level course, and it was only nine weeks, so half a semester in teaching students what destination management is that took me three years. It was a passion project with a couple of other board members on the cab that we put together, and really glad to be a part of that and contributing to writing the book best practices in destination management, first and second edition. So I feel lucky that I was in this field at a time where it was really growing deeper roots. It had been transport the industry. When I went into it was maybe 20 years young, and when I left it, it been around for 40 plus years. So it's kind of exciting. So you so you   Michael Hingson ** 21:41 said that you started a company and you were with it for 4014 years, or you ran it for 14 years, and you said, it's still around. Are you involved with it at all? Now, I   Rachelle Stone ** 21:51 am not. I did a buyout with the I had two partners at the time. And without going into too much detail, there were some things going on that I felt were I could not align with. I felt it was unethical. I felt it was immoral, and I struggled for a year to make the decision. I spoke to a therapist, and I ultimately consulted an attorney, and I did a buyout, and I walked away from my this was my legacy. This was my baby. I built it from scratch. I was the face of the company. So to give that up my legacy, it was a really tough decision, but it really did come full circle, because late last year, something happened which brought me back to that decision, and I can, with 100% certainty, say it was a values driven decision for me, and I'm so happy I made that decision. So I am today. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 22:57 and, and let's, let's get to that a little bit so you at some point, you said that you had burnout and you left the industry. Why did you do that?   Rachelle Stone ** 23:08 So after I did, sold my my business, I worked for angel investors for about three and a half years. They brought me in. This was an underperforming office that the franchisee, because they had owned it for 10 years, had done a buyout themselves and sold it back to the angel investors or the private equity so they brought me in to run the office and bring it from surviving to thriving again. And it took me about 18 months, and I brought it from under a million to over 5.3 million in 18 months. So it's quite successful. And I had said to the owners, as they're thanking me and rewarding me, and it was a great first two years, I had said to them, please don't expect this again. This was a fluke. People were following me. There was a lot of curiosity in the industry, because this was a really big move for me to sell my company and then go work for this one. It was big news. So it was a great time. But the expectation for me to repeat, rinse and repeat, that kind of productivity was not realistic. It just wasn't realistic. And about a year and a half later, I just, I was driving from the Lowe's Miami Beach. It's funny, because I used that as an example before, to the breakers in Palm Beach. And if you know South Florida at all, it's, it's, you're taking your life in your hands every time you get on 95 it's a nightmare. Anyway, so I'm driving from the lows to the breakers, and I just left a kind of a rough meeting. I don't even remember what it was anymore, because that was back in 2014 and I'm driving to another meeting at the breakers, and I hang up the phone with somebody my. Son calls about something, Mom, this is going on for graduation. Can you be there? And I'm realizing I'm going to be out of town yet again for work, and I'm driving to the breakers, and I'm having this I just had this vision of myself in the middle of 95 slamming the brakes on in my car, coming to a full stop in the middle of the highway. I did not do this this, and I don't recommend you do this. And I opened up my car door, and I literally just walked away from my car. That was the image in my mind. And in that moment, I knew it was time for me to leave. I had gone as high as I could go. I'd done as much as I could do. I'd served on boards, contributed to books, spoken on panels. I wanted to go back to being an entrepreneur. I didn't want to work for angel investors anymore. I wanted to work for myself. I wanted to build something new, and I didn't want to do it in the DMC world. So I went home that night thinking I was going to just resign. Instead, I wrote a letter of retirement, and I retired from the industry, I walked away two and a half weeks later, and I said I was never going to return.   Michael Hingson ** 26:09 And so I burnt out, though at the time, what? What eventually made you realize that it was all burnt out, or a lot of it was burnt out. So I   Rachelle Stone ** 26:17 didn't know anything about burnout at that time. I just knew I was incredibly frustrated. I was bored. I was over in competence, and I just wanted out. Was just done. I had done well enough in my industry that I could take a little time. I had a lot of people asking me to take on consulting projects. So I did. I started doing some consulting in hospitality. And while I was doing that, I was kind of peeling away the layers of the onion, saying, What do I want to do next? I did not want to do DMC. That's all I knew. So I started this exploration, and what came out of it was an interest in exploring the field of coaching. So I did some research. I went to the coachingfederation.org which is the ICF International coaching Federation, is the leading accreditation body for coaches in the world. And through them, I researched Who were some of the accredited schools. I narrowed it down. I finally settled on one, and I said, I'm going to sign up for one course. I just want to see what this coaching is all about. So I signed up for a foundations course with the with the school out of Pennsylvania, and probably about three weeks into the course, the professor said something which was like a light bulb moment for me, and that I realized like, oh my   Speaker 1 ** 27:40 god, I burnt out. And I was literally, at this   Rachelle Stone ** 27:46 time, we're in school, we're on the phone. It was not zoom. We didn't have all this yet. It was you were on the phone, and then you were pulling up documents on your computer so the teacher couldn't see me crying. I was just sobbing, knowing that this is i i was so I was I was stunned. I didn't say anything. I sat on this for a while. In fact, I sat on it. I started researching it, but I didn't tell anybody for two years. It took me two years before I finally admitted to somebody that I had burnt out. I was so ashamed, embarrassed, humiliated, I was this successful, high over achiever. How could I have possibly burnt out?   Michael Hingson ** 28:34 What? What did the teacher say   Rachelle Stone ** 28:37 it was? I don't even remember what it was, but I remember that shock of realization of wellness, of it was, you know what it was that question, is this all? There is a lot of times when we were they were talking about, I believe, what they were talking about, midlife crisis and what really brings them on. And it is that pivotal question, is this really all there is, is this what I'm meant to be doing? And then in their conversation, I don't even remember the full conversation, it was that recognition of that's what's happened to me. And as I started researching it, this isn't now. This is in 2015 as I'm researching it and learning there's not a lot on it. I mean, there's some, mostly people's experiences that are being shared. Then in 2019 the World Health Organization officially, officially recognizes burnout as a phenomenon, an occupational phenomenon.   Michael Hingson ** 29:38 And how would you define burnout? Burnout is,   Rachelle Stone ** 29:43 is generally defined in three areas. It is. It's the the, oh, I always struggle with it. It's that disconnect, the disconnect, or disassociation from. Um, wanting to succeed, from your commitment to the work. It is the knowing, the belief that no one can do it well or right. It is there. There's that. It's an emotional disconnect from from from caring about what you're doing and how you're showing up, and it shows up in your personal life too, which is the horrible thing, because it your it impacts your family so negatively, it's horrible.   Michael Hingson ** 30:39 And it it, it does take a toll. And it takes, did it take any kind of a physical toll on you?   Rachelle Stone ** 30:45 Well, what I didn't realize when I when I took this time, I was about 25 pounds overweight. I was on about 18 different medications, including all my vitamins. I was taking a lot of vitamins at that time too. Um, I chronic sciatica, insomnia. I was self medicating. I was also going out, eating rich dinners and drinking, um, because you're because of the work I was doing. I had to entertain. That was part of that was part of of my job. So as I was looking at myself, Yes, physically, it turns out that this weight gain, the insomnia, the self medication, are also taught signs of of risk of burnout. It's how we manage our stress, and that's really what it comes down to, that we didn't even know. We don't even know. People don't no one teaches us how to process our stress, and that that's really probably one of the biggest things that I've through, everything that I've studied, and then the pandemic hitting it. No one teaches us how to manage our stress. No one tells us that if we process stress, then the tough stuff isn't as hard anymore. It's more manageable. No one teaches us about how to shift our mindsets so we can look at changing our perspective at things, or only seeing things through our lizard brain instead of our curious brain. These are all things that I had no idea were keeping me I didn't know how to do, and that were part of contributing to my burnout. Right?   Michael Hingson ** 32:43 Is stress more self created, or is it? Is it an actual thing? In other words, when, when there is stress in the world? Is it something that, really, you create out of a fear or cause to happen in some way, and in reality, there are ways to not necessarily be stressful, and maybe that's what you're talking about, as far as learning to control it and process it, well,   Rachelle Stone ** 33:09 there's actually there's stresses. Stressors are external. Stress is internal. So a stressor could be the nagging boss. It could be your kid has a fever and you're going to be late for work, or you're going to miss a meeting because you have to take them to the doctor. That's an external stressor, right? So that external stressor goes away, you know, the traffic breaks up, or your your husband takes the kid to the doctor so you can get to your meeting. Whatever that external stress, or is gone, you still have to deal with the stress that's in your body. Your that stress, that stress builds up. It's it's cortisol, and that's what starts with the physical impact. So those physical symptoms that I was telling you about, that I had, that I didn't know, were part of my burnout. It was unprocessed stress. Now at that time, I couldn't even touch my toes. I wasn't doing any sort of exercise for my body. I wasn't and that is one of the best ways you can process stress. Stress actually has to cycle out of your body. No one tells us that. No one teaches us that. So how do you learn how to do that?   Michael Hingson ** 34:21 Well, of course, that's Go ahead. Go ahead. Well, I was gonna   Rachelle Stone ** 34:24 say it's learning. It's being willing to look internally, what's going on in your body. How are you really getting in touch with your emotions and feelings and and processing them well?   Michael Hingson ** 34:37 And you talk about stressors being external, but you have control. You may not have control directly over the stressor happening, but don't you have control over how you decide to deal with the external stress? Creator,   Rachelle Stone ** 34:55 yes, and that external stress will always. Go away. The deadline will come and go. The sun will still rise tomorrow in set tomorrow night. Stressors always go away, but they're also constantly there. So you've got, for instance, the nagging boss is always going to bring you stress. It's how you process the stress inside. You can choose to ignore the stressor, but then you're setting yourself up for maybe not following through on your job, or doing   Michael Hingson ** 35:29 right. And I wouldn't suggest ignoring the stressor, but you it's processing that   Rachelle Stone ** 35:34 stress in your body. It's not so let's say, at the end of the rough day, the stressors gone. You still, whether you choose to go for a walk or you choose to go home and say, Honey, I just need a really like I need a 62nd full on contact, bear hug from you, because I'm holding a lot of stress in my body right now, and I've got to let it out So that physical contact will move stress through your body. This isn't this is they that? You can see this in MRI studies. You see the decrease in the stress. Neuroscience now shows this to be true. You've got to move it through your body. Now before I wanted to kind of give you the formal definition of burnout, it is, it is they call it a occupational phenomenal, okay, it by that they're not calling it a disease. It is not classified as a disease, but it is noted in the International Classification of Diseases, and it has a code now it is they do tie it directly to chronic workplace stress, and this is where I have a problem with the World Health Organization, because when they added this to the International Classification of diseases in 2019 they didn't have COVID. 19 hybrid or work from home environments in mind, and it is totally changed. Stress and burnout are following people around. It's very difficult for them to escape. So besides that, that disconnect that I was talking about, it's really complete exhaustion, depletion of your energy just drained from all of the stressors. And again, it's that reduced efficiency in your work that you're producing because you don't care as much. It's that disconnect so and then the physical symptoms do build up. And burnout isn't like this. It's not an overnight thing. It's a build up, just like gaining 25 pounds, just like getting sick enough that I need a little bit more medication for different issues, that stuff builds up on you and when you when you're recovering from burnout, you didn't get there overnight. You're not going to get out of it overnight either. It's I worked with a personal trainer until I could touch my toes, and then she's pushed me out to go join a gym. But again, it's step by step, and learning to eat healthy, and then ultimately, the third piece that really changed the game for me was learning about the muscles in my brain and getting mentally fit. That was really the third leg of getting my health back.   Michael Hingson ** 38:33 So how does all of that help you deal with stress and the potential of burnout today? Yeah,   Rachelle Stone ** 38:43 more than anything, I know how to prevent it. That is my, my the number one thing I know when I'm sensing a stressor that is impacting me, I can quickly get rid of it. Now, for instance, I'll give you a good example. I was on my the board of directors for my Homeowners Association, and that's always   Michael Hingson ** 39:03 stressful. I've been there, right? Well, I   Rachelle Stone ** 39:06 was up for an hour and a half one night ruminating, and I I realized, because I coach a lot of people around burnout and symptoms, so when I was ruminating, I recognized, oh my gosh, that HOA does not deserve that much oxygen in my brain. And what did I do the next day? I resigned. Resigned, yeah, so removing the stressors so I can process the stress. I process my stress. I always make sure I schedule a beach walk for low tide. I will block my calendar for that so I can make sure I'm there, because that fills my tank. That's self care for me. I make sure I'm exercising, I'm eating good food. I actually worked with a health coach last year because I felt like my eating was getting a little off kilter again. So I just hired a coach for a few months to help me get back on track. Of getting support where I need it. That support circle is really important to maintain and process your stress and prevent burnout.   Michael Hingson ** 40:10 So we've talked a lot about stress and dealing with it and so on. And like to get back to the idea of you went, you explored working with the international coaching Federation, and you went to a school. So what did you then do? What really made you attracted to the idea of coaching, and what do you get out of it?   Rachelle Stone ** 40:35 Oh, great question. Thanks for that. So for me, once I I was in this foundations course, I recognized or realized what had happened to me. I i again, kept my mouth shut, and I just continued with the course. By the end of the course, I really, really enjoyed it, and I saw I decided I wanted to continue on to become a coach. So I just continued in my training. By the end of 2015 early 2016 I was a coach. I went and joined the international coaching Federation, and they offer accreditation. So I wanted to get accredited, because, as I said, from my first industry, a big proponent for credit accreditation. I think it's very important, especially in an unregulated industry like coaching. So we're not bound by HIPAA laws. We are not doctors, we are coaches. It's very different lane, and we do self regulate. So getting accredited is important to me. And I thought my ACC, which my associate a certified coach in 2016 when I moved to the area I'm living in now, in 2017 and I joined the local chapter here, I just continued on. I continued with education. I knew my lane is, is, is burnout. I started to own it. I started to bring it forward a little bit and talk about my experiences with with other coaches and clients to help them through the years and and it felt natural. So with the ICF, I wanted to make sure I stayed in a path that would allow me to hang my shingle proudly, and everything I did in the destination management world I'm now doing in the coaching world. I wound up on the board of directors for our local chapter as a programming director, which was so perfect for me because I'm coming from meetings and events, so as a perfect person to do their programming, and now I am their chapter liaison, and I am President Elect, so I'm taking the same sort of leadership I had in destination management and wrapping my arms around it in the coaching industry,   Michael Hingson ** 42:56 you talk about People honing their leadership skills to help prepare them for a career move or their next career. It isn't always that way, though, right? It isn't always necessarily that they're going to be going to a different career. Yep,   Rachelle Stone ** 43:11 correct. Yeah. I mean, not everybody's looking for trans transition. Some people are looking for that to break through the glass ceiling. I have other clients that are just wanting to maybe move laterally. Others are just trying to figure it out every client is different. While I specialize in hospitality and burnout, I probably have more clients in the leadership lane, Senior VP level, that are trying to figure out their next step, if they want to go higher, or if they're content where they are, and a lot of that comes from that ability to find the right balance for you in between your career and your personal life. I think there comes a point when we're in our younger careers, we are fully identified by what we do. I don't think that's true for upcoming generations, but for our generation, and maybe Jen, maybe some millennials, very identified by what they do, there comes a point in your career, and I'm going to say somewhere between 35 and 50, where you recognize that those two Things need to be separate,   Michael Hingson ** 44:20 and the two things being   Rachelle Stone ** 44:23 your identity, who you are from what you do, got it two different things. And a lot of leaders on their journey get so wrapped up in what they do, they lose who they are.   Michael Hingson ** 44:39 What really makes a good leader,   Rachelle Stone ** 44:42 authenticity. I'm a big proponent of heart based leadership. Brene Brown, I'm Brene Brown trained. I am not a facilitator, but I love her work, and I introduce all my clients to it, especially my newer leaders. I think it's that. Authenticity that you know the command and control leadership no longer works. And I can tell you, I do work with some leaders that are trying to improve their human skills, and by that I mean their emotional intelligence, their social skills, their ability to interact on a human level with others, because when they have that high command and control directive type of leadership, they're not connecting with their people. And we now have five generations in the workforce that all need to be interacted with differently. So command and control is a tough kind of leadership style that I actually unless they're willing to unless they're open to exploring other ways of leading, I won't work with them. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 45:44 and the reality is, I'm not sure command and control as such ever really worked. Yeah, maybe you control people. But did it really get you and the other person and the company? What what you needed.   Rachelle Stone ** 46:01 Generally, that's what we now call a toxic environment. Yes, yes. But that, you know, this has been, we've been on a path of, you know, this work ethic was supposed to, was supposed to become a leisure ethic in the 70s, you know, we went to 40 hour work weeks. Where are we now? We're back up to 6070, hour work week. Yeah, we're trying to lower the age that so kids can start working this is not a leisure ethic that we were headed towards. And now with AI, okay, let's change this conversation. Yeah, toxic environments are not going to work. Moving forward that command and control leadership. There's not a lot of it left, but there's, it's lingering, and some of the old guard, you know, there it's, it's slowly changing.   Michael Hingson ** 46:49 It is, I think, high time that we learn a lot more about the whole concept of teamwork and true, real team building. And there's a lot to be said for there's no I in team, that's right, and it's an extremely important thing to learn. And I think there are way to, still, way too many people who don't recognize that, but it is something that I agree with you. Over time, it's it's starting to evolve to a different world, and the pandemic actually was one, and is one of the things that helps it, because we introduced the hybrid environment, for example, and people are starting to realize that they can still get things done, and they don't necessarily have to do it the way they did before, and they're better off for it.   Rachelle Stone ** 47:38 That's right. Innovation is beautiful. I actually, I mean, as horrible as the pandemic was it, there was a lot of good that came out of it, to your point. And it's interesting, because I've watched this in coaching people. I remember early in the pandemic, I had a new client, and they came to the they came to their first call on Zoom, really slumped down in the chair like I could barely see their nose and up and, you know, as we're kind of talking, getting to know each other. One of the things they said to me, because they were working from home, they were working like 1011, hours a day. Had two kids, a husband, and they also had yet they're, they're, they're like, I one of the things they said to me, which blew my mind, was, I don't have time to put on a load of laundry. They're working from home. Yeah? It's that mindset that you own my time because you're paying me, yeah, versus I'm productive and I'm doing good work for you. Is why you're paying for paying me? Yeah? So it's that perception and trying to shift one person at a time, shifting that perspective   Michael Hingson ** 48:54 you talked before about you're a coach, you're not a doctor, which I absolutely appreciate and understand and in studying coaching and so on, one of the things that I read a great deal about is the whole concept of coaches are not therapists. A therapist provides a decision or a position or a decision, and they are more the one that provides a lot of the answers, because they have the expertise. And a coach is a guide who, if they're doing their job right, leads you to you figuring out the answer. That's   Rachelle Stone ** 49:34 a great way to put it, and it's pretty clear. That's, that's, that's pretty, pretty close the I like to say therapy is a doctor patient relationship. It's hierarchy so and the doctor is diagnosing, it's about repair and recovery, and it's rooted in the past, diagnosing, prescribing, and then the patient following orders and recovering. Hmm, in coaching, it's a peer to peer relationship. So it's, we're co creators, and we're equal. And it's, it's based on future goals only. It's only based on behavior change and future goals. So when I have clients and they dabble backwards, I will that's crossing the line. I can't support you there. I will refer clients to therapy. And actually, what I'm doing right now, I'm taking a mental health literacy course through Harvard Medical Center and McLean University. And the reason I'm doing this is because so many of my clients, I would say 80% of my clients are also in therapy, and it's very common. We have a lot of mental health issues in the world right now as a result of the pandemic, and we have a lot of awareness coming forward. So I want to make sure I'm doing the best for my clients in recognizing when they're at need or at risk and being able to properly refer them.   Michael Hingson ** 51:04 Do you think, though, that even in a doctor patient relationship, that more doctors are recognizing that they accomplish more when they create more of a teaming environment? Yes,   51:18 oh, I'm so glad you   Rachelle Stone ** 51:20 brought that up, okay, go ahead. Go ahead. Love that. I have clients who are in therapy, and I ask them to ask their therapist so that if they're comfortable with this trio. And it works beautifully. Yes,   Michael Hingson ** 51:36 it is. It just seems to me that, again, there's so much more to be said for the whole concept of teaming and teamwork, and patients do better when doctors or therapists and so on explain and bring them into the process, which almost makes them not a coach as you are, but an adjunct to what you do, which is what I think it's all about. Or are we the adjunct to what they do? Or use the adjunct to what they do? Yeah, it's a team, which is what it should be.   52:11 Yeah, it's, I always it's like the Oreo cookie, right?   Michael Hingson ** 52:16 Yeah, and the frosting is in the middle, yeah, crying   Rachelle Stone ** 52:19 in the middle. But it's true, like a therapist can work both in the past and in the future, but that partnership and that team mentality and supporting a client, it helps them move faster and further in their in their desired goals. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 52:37 it's beautiful, yeah, yeah. And I think it's extremely important, tell me about this whole idea of mental fitness. I know you're studying that. Tell me more about that. Is it real? Is it okay? Or what? You know, a lot of people talk about it and they say it's who cares. They all roll   Rachelle Stone ** 52:56 their eyes mental fitness. What are you talking about? Yeah, um, I like to say mental fitness is the third leg of our is what keeps us healthy. I like to look at humans as a three legged stool, and that mental fitness, that mental wellness, is that third piece. So you have your spiritual and community wellness, you have your physical wellness, and then you have your mental wellness. And that mental wellness encompasses your mental health, your mental fitness. Now, mental fitness, by definition, is your ability to respond to life's challenges from a positive rather than a negative mindset. And there's a new science out there called positive it was actually not a new science. It's based on four sciences, Positive Intelligence, it's a cognitive behavioral science, or psychology, positive psychology, performance psychology, and drawing a bank anyway, four sciences and this body of work determined that there's actually a tipping point we live in our amygdala, mostly, and there's a reason, when we were cavemen, we needed to know what was coming that outside stressor was going to eat us, or if we could eat it. Yeah, but we have language now. We don't need that, not as much as we did, not in the same way, not in the same way, exactly. We do need to be aware of threats, but not every piece of information that comes into the brain. When that information comes in our brains, amplify it by a factor of three to one. So with that amplification, it makes that little, little tiny Ember into a burning, raging fire in our brain. And then we get stuck in stress. So it's recognizing, and there's actually you are building. If you do yoga, meditation, tai chi, gratitude journaling, any sort of those practices, you're flexing that muscle. You talk to somebody who does gratitude journaling who just started a month in, they're going to tell. You, they're happier. They're going to tell you they're not having as many ruminating thoughts, and they're going to say, I'm I'm smiling more. I started a new journal this year, and I said, I'm singing more. I'm singing songs that I haven't thought of in years. Yeah, out of the blue, popping into my head. Yeah. And I'm happier. So the the concept of mental fitness is really practicing flexing this muscle every day. We take care of our bodies by eating good food, we exercise or walk. We do that to take care of our physical body. We do nothing to take care of our brain other than scroll social media and get anxiety because everybody's life looks so perfect,   Michael Hingson ** 55:38 yeah, and all we're doing is using social media as a stressor.   Rachelle Stone ** 55:42 That's right, I'm actually not on social media on LinkedIn. That's it.   Michael Hingson ** 55:48 I have accounts, but I don't go to it exactly. My excuse is it takes way too long with a screen reader, and I don't have the time to do it. I don't mind posting occasionally, but I just don't see the need to be on social media for hours every day.   Rachelle Stone ** 56:05 No, no, I do, like, like a lot of businesses, especially local small businesses, are they advertise. They only have they don't have websites. They're only on Facebook. So I do need to go to social media for things like that. But the most part, no, I'm not there. Not at all. It's   Michael Hingson ** 56:20 it's way too much work. I am amazed sometimes when I'll post something, and I'm amazed at how quickly sometimes people respond. And I'm wondering to myself, how do you have the time to just be there to see this? It can't all be coincidence. You've got to be constantly on active social media to see it. Yeah,   Rachelle Stone ** 56:39 yeah, yeah. Which is and this, this whole concept of mental fitness is really about building a practice, a habit. It's a new habit, just like going to the gym, and it's so important for all of us. We are our behaviors are based on how we interpret these messages as they come in, yeah, so learning to reframe or recognize the message and give a different answer is imperative in order to have better communication, to be more productive and and less chaos. How   Michael Hingson ** 57:12 do we teach people to recognize that they have a whole lot more control over fear than they think they do, and that that really fear can be a very positive guide in our lives. And I say that because I talked about not being afraid of escaping from the World Trade Center over a 22 year period, what I realized I never did was to teach people how to do that. And so now I wrote a book that will be out later in the year. It's called Live like a guide dog, stories of from a blind man and his dogs, about being brave, overcoming adversity and walking in faith. And the point of it is to say that you can control your fear. I'm not saying don't be afraid, but you have control over how you let that fear affect you and what you deal with and how you deal it's all choice. It is all choice. But how do we teach people to to deal with that better, rather than just letting fear build up   Rachelle Stone ** 58:12 it? Michael, I think these conversations are so important. Number one is that learner's mind, that willingness, that openness to be interested in finding a better way to live. I always say that's a really hard way to live when you're living in fear. Yeah, so step number one is an openness, or a willingness or a curiosity about wanting to live life better,   Michael Hingson ** 58:40 and we have to instill that in people and get them to realize that they all that we all have the ability to be more curious if we choose to do it.   Rachelle Stone ** 58:49 But again, choice and that, that's the big thing so many and then there's also, you know, Michael, I can't wait to read your book. I'm looking forward to this. I'm also know that you speak. I can't wait to see you speak. The thing is, when we speak or write and share this information, we give them insight. It's what they do with it that matters, which is why, when I with the whole with the mental fitness training that I do, it's seven weeks, yeah, I want them to start to build that habit, and I give them three extra months so they can continue to work on that habit, because it's that important for them to start. It's foundational your spirit. When you talk about your experience in the World Trade Center, and you say you weren't fearful, your spiritual practice is such a big part of that, and that's part of mental fitness too. That's on that layers on top of your ability to flex those mental muscles and lean into your spirituality and not be afraid.   Michael Hingson ** 59:55 Well, I'd love to come down and speak. If you know anybody that needs a speaker down there. I. I'm always looking for speaking opportunities, so love your help, and   1:00:03 my ears open for sure and live like   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:06 a guide dog. Will be out later this year. It's, it's, I've already gotten a couple of Google Alerts. The the publisher has been putting out some things, which is great. So we're really excited about it.   Rachelle Stone ** 1:00:16 Wonderful. I can't wait to see it. So what's   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:19 up for you in 2024   Rachelle Stone ** 1:00:22 so I actually have a couple of things coming up this year that are pretty big. I have a partner. Her name's vimari Roman. She's down in Miami, and I'm up here in the Dunedin Clearwater area. But we're both hospitality professionals that went into coaching, and we're both professional certified coaches, and we're both certified mental fitness coaches. When the pandemic hit, she's also a Career Strategist. She went she started coaching at conferences because the hospitality industry was hit so hard, she reached out to me and brought me in too. So in 2024 we've been coaching at so many conferences, we can't do it. We can't do it. It's just too much, but we also know that we can provide a great service. So we've started a new company. It's called coaches for conferences, and it's going to be like a I'll call it a clearing house for securing pro bono coaches for your conferences. So that means, let's say you're having a conference in in LA and they'd like to offer coaching, pro bono coaching to their attendees as an added value. I'll we'll make the arrangements for the coaches, local in your area to to come coach. You just have to provide them with a room and food and beverage and a place to coach on your conference floor and a breakout. So we're excited for that that's getting ready to launch. And I think 2024 is going to be the year for me to dip my toe in start writing my own story. I think it's time   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:02 writing a book. You can say it. I'm gonna do it.   Rachelle Stone ** 1:02:05 I'm gonna write a book Good. I've said it out loud. I've started to pull together some thoughts around I mean, I've been thinking about it for years. But yeah, if the timing feels right,   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:21 then it probably is, yep, which makes sense. Well, this has been fun. It's been wonderful. Can you believe we've already been at this for more than an hour? So clearly we   1:02:33 this went so fast. Clearly we   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:35 did have fun. We followed the rule, this was fun. Yeah, absolutely. Well, I want to thank you for being here, and I want to thank you all for listening and for watching, if you're on YouTube watching, and all I can ask is that, wherever you are, please give us a five star rating for the podcast. We appreciate it. And anything that you want to say, we would love it. And I would appreciate you feeling free to email me and let me know your thoughts. You can reach me at Michael H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I, B, e.com, would love to hear from you. You can also go to our podcast page, www, dot Michael hingson.com/podcast, and it's m, I C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s, O, N, and as I said to Rochelle just a minute ago, if any of you need a speaker, we'd love to talk with you about that. You can also email me at speaker@michaelhingson.com love to hear from you and love to talk about speaking. So however you you reach out and for whatever reason, love to hear from you, and for all of you and Rochelle, you, if you know anyone else who ought to be a guest on unstoppable mindset, let us know we're always looking for people who want to come on the podcast. Doesn't cost anything other than your time and putting up with me for a while, but we appreciate it, and hope that you'll decide to to introduce us to other people. So with that, I again want to say, Rochelle, thank you to you. We really appreciate you being here and taking the time to chat with us today.   Rachelle Stone ** 1:04:13 It's been the fastest hour of my life. I'm gonna have to watch the replay. Thank you so much for having me. It's been my pleasure to join you.   **Michael Hingson ** 1:04:24 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

This week, Jim is coming to you from the serene and stunning Miraval Berkshires, nestled in Western Massachusetts, where Vayner hosted the Future CMO Summit. We welcomed twenty next-gen marketing leaders for a perfect setting that inspired a candid, energizing roundtable with some of the brightest minds in the industry today.Joining Jim are four standout leaders who participated in the Summit:Melissa Madaio Colleluori, Global Head of Social & Influencer Marketing at General MotorsDanielle Wallis, Chief Marketing Officer of Connected Commerce and Head of Card Customer Marketing at JPMorgan ChaseKatie Berry, Director of Global Brand Marketing at CoachSteven Saenen, Vice President of Marketing at Mondelēz InternationalFrom financial services to fashion, from autos to snacks, these leaders bring bold perspectives, creative strategies, and a shared passion for connecting with customers in meaningful ways.So grab a coffee—or a glass of wine—and settle in. You're about to hear an honest, inspiring conversation straight from the heart of the Berkshires.---This week's episode is brought to you by StrawberryFrog and Deloitte.Learn more: https://strawberryfrog.com/jimSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith is joined by state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa of the First Hampshire district and Laura Sylvester, public policy manager at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, to discuss transportation challenges in Western Massachusetts and how they connect with other policy areas.

Got Zylonite? You might. A mysterious space between two towns in Western Mass...Photos and contact: https://www.instagram.com/lostmassachusetts/ Sources, credits, blog, etc.: https://lostmassachusetts.com/a-lost-place

This week's pick is the 1980 killer kids horror flick the Children. Toxic gases turn the youngsters in a small Western Massachusetts town into zombies that can microwave you to death with their flesh-melting hugs.

Join us in this episode of Bigfoot Society as we talk with long-time listener Nate, who shares a series of intriguing encounters he's experienced in the Berkshires area of Eastern New York and Western Massachusetts. From unexplained rocks and acorns being thrown, to mysterious white handprints on cars, and even a headless deer found in a field, Nate's stories are as fascinating as they are perplexing. He also recounts his potential Bigfoot sighting along the Taconic State Parkway and dives into strange occurrences like malfunctioning GPS equipment, unexplained structures in the woods, and eerie sounds at night near his home. Tune in to explore these baffling encounters that challenge our understanding of reality.Resources: STM Kinderhook Creature clip - https://youtu.be/9nL-HTGBZ5A?feature=sharedSasquatch Summerfest this year, is July 11th through the 12th, 2025. It's going to be fantastic. Listeners, if you're going to go, you can get a two day ticket for the cost of one. If you use the code "BFS" like Bigfoot society and it'll get you some off your cost.Priscilla was a nice enough to provide that for my listeners. So there you go. I look forward to seeing you there. So make sure you head over to www. sasquatchsummerfest. com and pick up your tickets today.If you've had similar encounters or experiences, please reach out to bigfootsociety@gmail.com. Your story could be the next one we feature!

Welcome to another episode of "This is Bipolar," where host Shaley Hoogendoorn delves into personal experiences and insights about living with bipolar 2 disorder. Shaley an advocate, teacher, wife, and mother, shares her own journey alongside guest Sara Schley, who brings her perspective as an entrepreneur and grandmother living with the condition. In this episode, they discuss the profound impact of proper diagnosis and the often-long journey to receiving it, emphasizing the importance of understanding the nuances of bipolar disorders, particularly bipolar 2. Shaley and Sara explore the misconceptions about bipolar depression, the challenges of parenting with a mental health condition, and the crucial role of community support in healing and empowerment. Through candid conversation, they aim to break down stigma, offer a supportive hand to those struggling, and showcase how creativity and resilience can emerge even in the face of adversity. Sara also shares information about her upcoming documentary film "Brainstorm," which promises to highlight inspiring stories and cutting-edge research on bipolar disorder. this is bipolar... Connect with us: IG @this.is.bipolar Youtube: this is bipolar channel TT @this.is.bipolar thisisbipolar.com   (00:07:35) Understanding Hypomania (00:11:16) Navigating Anger & Shame (00:12:58) The Reality of Bipolar Depression (00:19:14) Coping with Chronic Mental Illness (00:22:34) Discussing Parenting and Bipolar (00:26:22) The Weight of Suicidal Thoughts (00:39:46) The Making of the BrainStorm Film   Thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening. If this episode or podcast means something to you, I would be forever grateful if you would follow/subscribe the ‘this is bipolar' podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts so you stay up to date. It would also mean the world to me if you gave a 5 ⭐️ star review- this helps the podcast reach those who need to hear it most.  Much love, Shaley xo  About Our Guest: Sara Schley is the author of the acclaimed memoir, BrainStorm: From Broken to Blessed on the Bipolar Spectrum. She is a business consultant, speaker, and author who has led organizational transformations at renowned companies around the world. She is a mother, grandmother, community leader, and has been married to a great guy for twenty-six years. She also has a Bipolar II brain, on the Bipolar Spectrum. Sara has kept this mostly a secret for four decades. Until now. She is choosing to tell her riveting story – from broken to blessed – to save lives, end stigma, and optimize healing for millions. Sara is also the leader of Seed Systems, an international consulting collaborative that she founded in 1994 to create a regenerative, inclusive, and kinder world. She has worked with over 50 enterprises and 1000s of individuals in every sector. A social change entrepreneur, Sara has also co-founded several networks including The SoL Sustainability Consortium, Women in Power, and most recently, WeTheChange. Sara has written two previous books: The Necessary Revolution: How Individuals and Organizations Are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World (Doubleday, 2008), based on her experience convening the SoL Sustainability Consortium and co-authored with business guru Peter M. Senge, and others which was translated into 10 languages; and Secrets of the 7th Day: How Everyone Can Find Renewal Through the Wisdom and Practices of the Sabbath (White Cloud Press, 2014). She has two new manuscripts in the works. Sara travels nationally and internationally for her work. (At least she did before Covid!) In her free time, she enjoys every outdoor sport there is: hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, rafting, paddling, sailing, windsurfing, to name just a few. When not on the road or on the water, Sara lives in the hills in Western Massachusetts with her husband, twin teens, and one aging yellow lab. You can find all Sara's current projects here: saraschley.com Brainstorm the Film BrainTalk the Podcast   More about your Host: Shaley Hoogendoorn is a speaker, content creator and currently hosts the popular “this is bipolar” vlog and podcast. She lives with bipolar 2 disorder and shares her story and the stories of others to dismantle the stigma around mental illness.  Shaley is passionate about educating and empowering others about bipolar disorder. She has contributed to publications for Sanctuary Ministries, Psych Central and BP Hope magazine. She hosted a series interviewing women living with mental illnesses at SheLoves Magazine in a series named "Sisters in Mental Illness."  Shaley's greatest hope is that creating safe spaces to connect will give hope and comfort those that struggle.  

With members spread across Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, New England quintet Arms Like Roses play a blend of emo, indie rock, and post-hardcore that alternates between lush beauty and cathartic harshness just like the seasons do in the region they call home. With a sound harkening back to the ‘90s and early 2000s influenced by acts like Sunny Day Real Estate, mewithoutYou, Circa Survive, and Tigers Jaw, ALR made their debut in 2021 with the EP “Get Some Sleep”; they followed it up the next year with their Chris Teti (TWIABP)-produced first LP “Blooming”, which saw the band complete several east coast and Midwest tours and receive praise from press outlets like No Echo and The Alternative. Thanks for listening!!! Please Follow us on Instagram @hiddentracks99Pre and Post roll music brought to you by @sleepcyclespa

Ava Roy grew up in rural Western Massachusetts, in an area rich in literature and theater. Ava met Ann Podlozny back east before Ava came to California to attend Stanford, which is where she created a theater production group. Today, Ava is the founding artistic director of We Players, a 25-year-old theater company based in San Francisco. Ann, who'll play Lady Macbeth in an upcoming, all-woman production of Macbeth, is based in London and came back to be in the play and to support her friend Ava in whatever way she can. While at Stanford, Ava let her art play, in the sense of public displays such as throwing banners off the clock tower and tying bodies to sculptures around campus. She discovered that art would be her life's work, not just a hobby. One idea she had while in Palo Alto was to do a production of Shakepeare's Romeo and Juliet held all around the Stanford campus. It was a success, as the audience grew and grew as it moved around, picking up more and more people along the way. Ava was able to turn this type of theater into an independently designed major. After graduating, she moved to the East Bay and started doing theater productions there and in The City. She started partnering with the National Park Service (NPS) in 2008 and then with SF Recreation and Parks in 2018. Ava's first production at Fort Point, the Civil War-era fort under the southern base of the Golden Gate Bridge, was in 2008. From 2009 to 2011, she had a three-year residency on Alcatraz, further deepening her relationship with the NPS. In 2013, she kicked off Macbeth at Fort Point. But a funny thing happened—a government shutdown that year effectively ended that run under the bridge. Fast-forward nearly a decade, and the NPS reached out to see whether Ava and We Players were interested in trying again to produce Macbeth at Fort Point. That brings us to the present day. Ava's friend Ann had left theater and had been working in movies. She'd also been taking epic walks—as in hundreds of miles at a time, all over the world. She was on one of these walks when she and Ava connected over Zoom and Ann offered to play the part of Lady Macbeth to Ava's Macbeth in We Players' upcoming production. Ann would not only play one of the two major roles in the play, but she would also be there for Ava to help with various aspects of putting it all together, including casting. It was somewhere in this time that the decision was made for this to be an all female-identifying and non-binary cast. We Players is run and was founded by women, but they hadn't done a production with a cast like this before. It was 2024, before the election. It just felt right. Ann and Ava talk about the themes of Macbeth and how they relate to the current times we're in, no matter who we are. Ava touches on how important it is for her to foster a caring, kind, nurturing environment among her cast members, and how poignant that is for such a violent play like Macbeth. Then we pivot to talk about how times have changed, 10 years removed from the last time they did this at Fort Point, and how they have not. Ava also describes what it's like inside of Fort Point, something we in San Francisco might not all know about. One point they want to emphasize for anyone who comes to see their show—it's cold as hell, even by SF standards. We Players' production of Macbeth at Fort Point opens on April 11 and runs through May 18. All shows start at 6 p.m., Thursday through Sunday (with a few exceptions), rain or wind (duh) or shine. Tiered tickets (for equitable access) are available at the We Players website. We recorded this episode in the Gramercy Towers in March 2025. Photography by Jeff Hunt

Nadia Milleron is an independent mother, farmer, attorney, and successful advocate who will fight for you. In 2019, Nadia's daughter was a passenger on a Boeing 737 MAX that crashed in Ethiopia killing all on board. After 2 deadly crashes, instead of taking Boeing's and the FAA's word that nothing was wrong and a crash would not happen again, Nadia got involved to hold all involved groups accountable. Nadia went to Washington and helped lead the unanimous passage of the national bi-partisan Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act in 2020 which directed US aircraft and aerospace industry manufacturers to adopt, enforce, and regulate compliance procedures to ensure planes met the proper criteria and specifications before they are commissioned for use. She didn't stop there. Nadia then went to Boeing's home in Illinois and spearheaded the overthrow of a state law thatprotected big corporations over victims. Nadia met with legislators and stakeholders to fix a flawed law that allowed negligent and reckless corporations to get away with murder and not be held responsible. Nadia has never shied away from standing up for everyday people. She began her career practicing law helping children who were facing neglect and abuse. For 5 years, she took cases from the bench and advocated on the child's behalf in cases of contested divorces, lack of child support, or crime. She also represented people in the state mental hospital inprobate court proceedings. As a pro bono volunteer attorney, she worked with patients who had been subjected to dehumanizing conditions and a legal system that was violating their rights. When Nadia's son got sick with cancer, their family moved to a farm in Sheffield that would improve his quality of life. That farm turned into a way her family could give back to the community and even teach life lessons to other children and residents. Over the last 25 years, they have raised pigs, chicken, turkey, and lambs, and produced organic grain and dairy. Nadia invites classes, after school programs, and localresidents to come to the farm and learn about growing sustainable food and raising animals. Their farm continues to be a place for families in Western Massachusetts to receive locally grown food and produce.www.5calls.org  NadiaForCongress website Thanks to New England Grazing Network for sponsoring this episode under a USDA-Grazing Lands Conservation Initiation grant! More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby Whole Human web site Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode!  Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show…tiers start at just $1!

Thank you for watching! Grab your copy of The Time is Now and start your journey toward living a more intentional and fulfilling life -⁠⁠ https://a.co/d/aDYCQ9oBecome a member of the channel & get access to exclusive perks (including town halls with guests from the show):https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl67XqJVdVtBqiCWahS776g/joinDownload this episode's transcript - https://throughconversations.kit.com/ad165371fdIn this conversation, Aaron Stupple discusses the themes of his book, 'The Sovereign Child,' which challenges conventional parenting norms. The discussion explores the importance of agency, autonomy, and trust in parenting, emphasizing the need for children to learn through experience rather than strict rules.Aaron Stupple is a practicing physician, former middle school and high school science teacher, and co-founder of the nonprofit Conjecture Institute. He has been promoting critical rationalism and the work of Karl Popper and David Deutsch since 2018, most prominently through Rat Fest, an annual in-person conference. Aaron lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and five children.Order the sovereign child - https://www.thesovereignchild.comChapters00:00 Introduction to The Sovereign Child02:04 Understanding Agency and Food Choices05:57 Philosophy of Parenting and Personal Fears10:06 Intervention vs. Autonomy in Parenting14:12 Trust and Rules in Parenting17:48 Learning from Children and Discovery23:59 Passions and Resilience in Life31:20 The Role of Passion in Resilience32:45 Supporting Children's Interests34:54 Understanding Screen Time and Engagement38:38 The Misconception of Screens and Learning43:30 Dopamine: Understanding Pleasure and Guilt49:18 The Flaws of Goal-Oriented Mindsets56:53 Embracing Incremental Change and Enjoyment01:01:20 Exploring Consciousness in Infants01:09:03 The Nature of Free Will in Modern Society01:24:49 Raising Sovereign Individuals: A New Parenting Philosophy// Connect With Me //ORDER MY BOOK, THE TIME IS NOW: A GUIDE TO HONOR YOUR TIME ON EARTH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.timeisnowbook.comWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠https://throughconversations.com⁠⁠Substack - https://throughconversations.substack.comYouTube community -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl67XqJVdVtBqiCWahS776g/join// Social //X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ThruConvPodcast⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thruconvpodcast/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠https:⁠//www.youtube.com/channel/UCl67XqJVdVtBqiCWahS776g

Jewish tradition emphasizes welcoming the stranger. Many organizations like Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts live that value by helping to resettle refugees. But what happens when government policies make that nearly impossible? Rabbi James Greene, CEO of Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, shares how his organization supports refugees —despite legal and financial obstacles. Greene discusses the impact of recent policy shifts, the power of community-driven advocacy and why helping newcomers to the country is central to Jewish tradition. Tune in for a powerful conversation on justice, resilience and the fight for a more welcoming world. Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1 This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org (https://ReconstructingJudaism.org). Special Guest: Rabbi James Greeene.

When I hit bottom in my descent through the hell of addiction and mental illness, I did what many modern spiritual seekers do — I turned to the god of Google, typing in the search bar “Inpatient Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers.” In less desperate times, I carefully peruse several entries, note sources, and examine websites. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so I called the number at the top of the screen. A gentle voice poured forth — “Hello, this is Chris. How can I help? I shared some of my pain and suffering, summarizing over 40 years of struggle that had led me to a life or death cliff. “Tony, you are not alone. I'm here to help.” Chris guided me to an Inpatient facility in Western Massachusetts. Within 24 hours, a car was in my driveway to take me the three hours through the wooded wilderness of Upstate New York to a place designed to help people like me struggling with an addiction and a mental health diagnosis to take the first step toward sobriety, sanity, and serenity. My second day at that facility I had visitors. It was Chris and he brought along a friend — Mattie. If the Roman Catholic Church accepted nominations for patron saints of recovery, I would submit Mattie's name. Mattie listened intently. Barely spoke. I did find out he was the owner of Empower Health Group, a dual diagnosis rehab in Northampton, Massachusetts. Chris gave me a phone number and said if I ever needed more help, they would take care of me. Within 17 days, I desperately needed more help. My trust had been violated. My condition had deteriorated. I hadn't slept for days. I asked the case manager to call Empower. In no time, I spoke to Nate who reassured me they would accept me into the program and I could start immediately. Nate's warm and welcoming baritone voice reassured me that I would be okay, that things would get better. A few hours later I arrived. Nate did my intake and ordered me groceries. Bryan, an alumni director, gave me a firm handshake. Jonathan, who would become my therapist, brought me pizza. Nate then gave me a tour of the two-story office space. When we got to the top of the stairs, he gestured to the treatment rooms and said, “This is where the magic happens.” Over the next 100 days or so, one day at a time, I would meet the wounded healers who served Empower as staff magicians. The people who poured out their hearts to bring hope to those with troubled minds — a chance to choose abundant life over miserable death dealing ways. Shelby and her canine companion Vinny. Shelby makes things happen night and day with compassionate consideration. Jody, who attends to group process and family dynamics with a bloodhound's nose for codependency. Later came Kibbie, a master chef who serves up comfort foods from scratch. Emily, a model of serenity who maintains the ability to exercise tough love. Will, willing to tackle things behind the scenes. And recently two of my best friends in recovery — Tim, a brilliant spiritual mentor who has been like a brother to me, and Kyle, like a son, who masterfully chauffeurs people in the Empower van and sets a quiet example of devotion to sobriety. A final word about Mattie. Mattie is 33 years old, a heroin addict in recovery for over a dozen years who humbly points out he relapsed over 50 times before he was willing to surrender to God, his Higher Power, and do the work necessary to maintain sobriety, sanity, and serenity. Mattie's methods seem mad to many — he is ruthless in his pursuit of recovery and desperately wants that for everyone. He is at his best when assembling a top-notch team of wounded healers and empowering them to do their jobs. The sky's the limit for Empower, but they could also self-implode tomorrow if they are not daily vigilant to their recovering identity and mission. I am now an Empower alum, class of Feb 2025. I now offer service and pray daily that everyone impacted by their spiritual mission would be liberated to live in love. Empower Health Group,

Drew Phillips opened the doors of Four Phantoms in Greenfield, Massachusetts in 2021. He began his fermentation career in the Pacific Northwest, and while waiting to open his own brewery, he took on the role as cider maker at Artifact Cider Project. Drew Phillips Known for his creative ciders and beers, Drew blends tradition with innovation, sourcing local fruit and experimenting with wild fermentation. Check out his talk on the making of Old Gods . In this episode, Drew shares how Four Phantoms' unique approach reflects the terroir of Western Massachusetts. Early Challenges of a Brewery/Cidery: Gaining a License Drew initially couldn't produce cider legally due to licensing restrictions in Massachusetts. After securing a farmer winery license, he started making cider alongside beer and mead. All ciders are crafted from Pine Hill fruit in Colrain, Massachusetts. Signature Ciders and Fermentation Techniques Late Harvest – 6.5% Apples (Spy, Golden Russet and Baldwin) Tamlane – 6% 100% Macintosh apples, aged on black birch wood, giving it a herbal, German liqueur note. Redfield – 7.7% 100% Redfield apples – A red-fleshed apple cider with natural acidity and structure. Chapin's Waltz – 8.5% A blend of Golden Russet, Baldwin, and Northern Spy, co-fermented with low intervention. King of the Wharf – 7.5% A Mac-based cider aged on rum-soaked oak chips, giving it a smooth, warming finish. Old Gods – 8% Inspired by Finnish farmhouse brewing, fermented on black birch. Listen to Episode 345 on how Old Gods a Co-Fermentation of Wort and Apple Juice was made! Ciders Tasted during this chat Low Intervention and Sense of Place Drew emphasizes low-intervention cider making — no back-sweetening, minimal sulfites, and natural wild cultures. The ciders reflect the unique qualities of Western Massachusetts apples and local wood aging. Poly tanks and oak aging contribute to the distinctive flavors and textures. Community and the Future of Four Phantoms Four Phantoms Tasting Area by the production room Drew values the connection between local agriculture and cider. He sees cider's future as more craft-focused than beer, with room for independent voices. “Cider resists commercialization,” says Drew. “It's about sense of place.” Contact Info for Four Phantoms Website: https://fourphantoms.net Mentions in this Cider Chat Totally Cider Tours Cider Route Itinerary send a request to Cider Chat Cider Rap Song – by Robert Sherman of EsoTerra Ciderworks in Durango, Colorado

Welcome back. On this episode I had the honor of talking with the founder of Neighborhood Guidance whose work is about Elevating Lives and empowering communities through counseling, social emotional learning and much more. www.neighborhoodguidance.com is the website and we hope you enjoy this discussion around working with the youth, mental health advocacy, communication and much more. I big shout out to all the Wonderful Work Mr. Jenkins is doing for the Western Mass community. Thank You Mark. Video of this episode is available on Los' Lounge Podcast YouTube Channel and please follow the Instagram page for Neighborhood Guidance and Los' Lounge podcast.

This week on Tea Talks with Jiling, we are joined by the author, naturalist, and former pro-boxer, Vanessa Chakour. Vanessa fosters intimacy with inner and outer wilds through writing, herbalism, martial arts, and land stewardship. She is the author of Awakening Artemis, a memoir told through the lens of 24 medicinal plants, and Earthly Bodies: Embracing Animal Nature, which delves into the parallels between human struggles and the experiences of our wild neighbors, offering insights on self-discovery and coexistence. She lives in Western Massachusetts where she collaborates with her local ecosystem and is a devoted student of nature. Tune in a Jiling and Vanessa discuss: Vanessa's writing process Initiatory plants Parallels between humans and animals Species interdependence

In this episode, we sit down with Dan and Tom Harrison of Harrison Anglers to explore the hidden gems of fly fishing in Western Massachusetts. Once written off due to industrial-era damage, these rivers are now thriving fisheries—thanks in part to the Harrisons' relentless passion for exploration. From their early guiding days in Montana and Patagonia to pioneering drift boat access in New England, they've helped change the perception of Northeast fly fishing. We talk about their journey, their favorite techniques, and what makes these waters so special. If you love adventure, conservation, and chasing wild fish, this one's for you!

This is about abuse, missing, and murdered children. Listen with care.In preparation for Friday's new episode with Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, a replay of Andy Puglisi's case first released in June 2023, in two parts. There are many updates to this story, despite the  decades-long mystery.In part one, we explore the haunting case of 10-year-old Andy Puglisi, the boy who vanished from his neighborhood, spotlighting the societal attitudes towards missing children during that time. The discussion delves into the failed police response, media portrayal, and subsequent changes in child protection laws.On Sunday, August 22, 1976, (we learn this is the actual date he was last seen), Andy Puglisi disappeared from a public pool in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, Andy's childhood friend and documentary filmmaker, spent years piecing together the events of that fateful day. Her decades-long investigation, highlighted in her documentary "Have You Seen Andy" and new podcast "Open Investigation," brings fresh perspectives to his case and others like his.It doesn't stop with Andy's story. We delve into the broader narrative of missing and murdered children in the 1970s, an era marked by systemic child abuse within the Catholic Church. This period saw high-profile cases like Etan Patz and, later, Adam Walsh, which led to the creation of crucial resources like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). We learn about Springfield boy, Danny Croteau, and the powerful forces that shielded his alleged killer, Father Richard R. Lavigne, a notorious child abuser who would later be convicted of molesting boys across Western Massachusetts, and the investigative work of journalists such as Kristen Lombardi, of the Boston Phoenix, whose work played a critical role in unmasking these crime against children.Crime of the Truest Kind - Episode 43 - What Happened To Andy Puglisi, Part OneSend a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King