Speak Loud

Today I’m talking with Sean Singleton, a good friend of mine for over 15 years. He is an entrepreneur and automotive shop owner from Starboys Auto, who is here to share more of his story in his first ever podcast experience. Today, he’ll be speaking loud about overcoming your situation, no matter what it is, and creating your own life regardless of the hand you were dealt.Life Without StabilityWhen Sean was eight, his parents went through a divorce, which was when he learned that his father was not actually his father, but his stepdad. The trauma of that realization and the splitting up of his family pushed Sean into a rebellious era, where his built-up anger and resentment lacked guidance and support. With free reign and no discipline, he was often causing trouble, such as vandalism, theft, breaking into cars, and later drugs. The bad choices continued to escalate from junior high and into high school. Sean continued breaking into cars and abusing harder drugs, such as meth, and was on what he called a ‘path

Today I’m talking with Sara Im, who, after surviving a mass genocide in Cambodia that claimed 2 million lives, is a speaker and author of “How I Survived the Killing Fields.” She is a member of the Women’s Speaker Association and speaks to inspire listeners to thrive from pain to purpose, from corporate events to churches to schools. Today, she’s here to speak loud about never giving up on anything in life. Sara was born and raised in Cambodia, and was attending college at 21 when a military takeover in her country forced her out of the city and into the countryside to work in a labor camp. She experienced extreme exhaustion, sickness, and punishment for 4 years while forced to work in the rice fields. Often malnourished, Sara turned to prayer in her darkest moments, and clung to hope of seeing her family again. After four years, Sara recalls hearing noise in the distance that could have been gunfire or explosions. Though they didn’t know what was happening, the laborers—once 1000, and now around 300 people—w

Today I’m talking with Seph Dietlin, a psychic and hypnotherapist, who, after experiencing a spiritual awakening in 2002, has set out to help others create their own reality and experience unity. He is constantly downloading and sharing knowledge through his intuitive online course, content, his podcast “Talk to My Angels” and more. Today, Seph is here to speak loud about how to utilize your trauma to become a conscious creator of your own reality.Soul Contracts and AgreementsSeph explains that everybody has the ability to tune in to a higher consciousness and unlock their intuition. It is an amazing tool that can be unlocked easily, even after we are taught to shut it down as we grow up. Seph describes this process as remembering something we already knew, which will allow the skill to unravel and unfold on its own time. Seph also talks about soul contracts and agreements that we make before coming into this world. This could be spouses we’ll meet or children that we’ll bring into the world as well as hardsh

Today I’m talking with Lion Goodman, who, after a near-death experience at 26, has spent 5 decades researching the nature of consciousness, spirituality, and healing. He has instructed more than 500 healers, therapists, and coaches around the world in trauma-informed therapeutic coaching. His teaching methods have been vetted by the International Coaching Federation and the Association for Coaching. Today he is speaking loud about the role of beliefs in our life and the infrastructure of the human mind. Brushing Close to DeathLion graduated with a degree in Consciousness Studies but ended up as a traveling salesman in order to make money. On one trip, he had stopped to help a man whose car had broken down in the middle of the Mojave Desert. After 3 days of gaining each other’s trust, the man attempted to kill Lion and shot him in the head. After many hours, Lion was able to talk to and understand the man, and they came to an agreement: the man would not kill him and Lion would not turn him in. He later went t

Today I’m talking with Victoria Cuore, an advocate, speaker, best-selling author and CEO of A Contagious Smile. She is a survivor of domestic abuse and has undergone over 100 operations as a result of the struggles she overcame. Today, she’s here to speak loud about fighting for yourself and acknowledging that everyone can get lost in the journey of life. Recovering From Domestic ViolenceVictoria always knew that she wanted to be a wife and a mother, which was the card that her abuser played in order to drive her into a toxic situation. After pushing her to get married, the abuser began physically assaulting Victoria once she was pregnant. Even as the abuse escalated, he continued to deny and gaslight her, to the point that Victoria even doubted herself. Victoria underwent dozens of surgeries and operations and is still affected by a history of abuse. At one point while in the ICU, she was told that she had a 2% chance of making it through the night. Then her daughter was born early, and Victoria found the st

Today I’m talking with Debby Kruszewski, a coach, consultant, and author of “Soul Meets Body: Six Degrees of You” and several other books. After being ‘dream crushed’ by corporate America, Debby decided to listen to her inner voice, leave the corporate world, and begin writing. Today she’s here to speak loud about self worth, respect, and integrity. Being Dream Crushed As a woman in an executive position in corporate America, Debby had dealt with more than her fair share of sexism in the workplace. One instance stands out to her, when a recruiter belittled and gaslit her about being a woman in her job position. At a certain point, Debby had to stop and reflect. Who she was was more important than a job. So, she left the corporate world, and began to write. Debby never thought about becoming a writer before, but when she left her job, she heard a voice telling her, “Leave, and I’ll take care of it.” She listened, and the storylines began pouring out. She fell in love with the characters who were mirroring her

Today I’m talking with Mandy Capehart, author, speaker, and certified grief and life coach. She’s the founder of the restorative grief project, an online resource for grievers looking for growth and healing. Today, she’s here to speak loud about grief literacy, and the language needed to navigate grief for ourselves and others. The Unalignment of GriefMandy recounts having lost someone to death almost every year of her life. While she was grieving almost constantly, she says that she wasn’t doing so in a good way. She coped with humor and by minimizing herself to service others. The first eye opener came in high school, when her senior class shared a loss of another classmate and Mandy began to realize that not all of the methods used to move through grief were effective. In 2016, Mandy’s mother died 4 months after being diagnosed with cancer. Mandy had just had a baby and had planned on her mother being with her to help take care of her grandchild. After taking the time needed to process, Mandy began explori

Today I’m talking with Donna Tashijan, a life mastery coach and founder of the Vibrant Living International nonprofit. Donna specializes in turning baggage into luggage, accelerating transformations for people across the globe. She’s the author of 4 books and is known for having a “knack for turning fear into excitement” through speaking and coaching. Finding Support EarlyAt 14, Donna was assaulted and became pregnant, giving birth to her first child by 15. The judgment of teenage pregnancy caused feelings of shame, resentment, and anger. She developed a fear of failing as a mother before even starting her own life and had to learn to rise above. For someone who might be in a similar situation, Donna says that she wishes she had spoken to herself differently. Self-talk can be an important tool for healing. She also encourages people to look for support, and that there is more help available than you might think. Helping Women’s TransformationsThe focus of Donna’s nonprofit, Vibrant Living International, is “t

Today I’m talking with Dr. Debi Silber, founder of the Post-Betrayal Transformation Institute, holistic psychologist, and personal development expert. She’s a best-selling author and award-winning speaker, appearing on Fox, CBS, and TedEx, and is dedicated to helping people heal from past betrayals. Learning the Effects of Betrayal Dr. Silber has been in the business for 30 years, starting with a focus on health and personal development. After a series of betrayals, she decided to return to school for her Ph.D., knowing that something had to change. Her degree was in Transpersonal Psychology, in which she did a study on betrayal and what it does physically and emotionally.Dr. Silber has made and confirmed three discoveries: betrayal feels different than other traumas, such as disease and death; a collection of common symptoms make up what is now post-betrayal syndrome; and, by healing the betrayal entirely, you can come out the other side an entirely changed person. The Stages of BetrayalIn the Post-Betrayal

Today I’m talking with Sivan Hong, author and illustrator of the “Super Fun Days Books” series. Her work focuses on inspiring neurodiverse children in overcoming challenges with perseverance and bravery. Sivan is here to speak loud about the power and benefits of neurodiversity and how cool it is to be different. Supporting Kids with NeurodivergenceSivan believes that books are incredibly powerful tools in helping someone feel that they’re not alone. The structure of her books was based on social stories that are often used in special education, taking the educational framework and bringing it home for families. Sivan’s first book was published three years ago, based on a true story she shared with her oldest son. Sivan doesn’t want her children to grow up with the challenges that her generation did when it came to neurodivergence. Rather than seeing their struggles as a failure of their ability, she wants kids now to know that “Different is OK,” and know that they have the support they need. Identifying Neur

Today I’m talking with Anissa Hudak, a registered yoga trainer who works with PTSD, trauma, and the military. She volunteers with soldiers to provide yoga and other therapies, she founded the Trauma Healing Yoga Therapy program, which uses science-based yoga and holistic techniques to treat PTSD and trauma. Discovering Yoga-Based TherapyAnissa found her current calling when she started taking yoga teacher training classes. At first, she wanted to have the skills for her own journey, but after the class ended found opportunities opened up for her. She loved that this new profession felt like sharing a gift rather than teaching. After taking classes geared towards PTSD survivors and veterans, Anissa saw that she had an opportunity to take these gifts back to her community. As the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and the wife of an active duty combatant, she feels a special connection to those in the military and their families. From there, her journey went from one of self-discovery to helping others recover. What

Today I’m talking with Renaye Thornborrow, a child life coach whose worldwide movement helps bring life coach training to kids with a story-based curriculum. She has worked in the industry for more than 10 years, sharing her teachings with other coaches, educators, and counselors to help children soar in life. Repurposing Coaching for KidsChildren’s mental health has recently been declared a national emergency by 3 pediatrician institutions, making Renaye’s work even more crucial. She’s worked as a child life coach since 2013, having been interested in personal development since graduating college. She became interested in applying those skills to children when she had kids of her own. Life coaching is about giving support as a preventative measure. Renaye created her company and curriculum to help share skills with her own kids, and from there, the vision grew into helping others. She now has coaches in more than 30 countries, helping children develop skills such as confidence, positive self-talk, resiliency

Today I’m talking with Rebecca Heidt, an artist, entrepreneur, and author of “Acceptance: The Beginning,” the first work of a trilogy that chronicles and teaches the journey of self-acceptance. She’s worked in management and finance but has always had a love for the arts. Rebecca is here to speak loud about how to remain your authentic self when surrounded by society’s boxes. Growing Up LGBTWhen Rebecca was growing up, she had no one to talk to about being LGBT. Her childhood was full of uncertainty and chaos as she explored her feelings. It wasn’t until college that she felt comfortable being open about her relationship with another woman, as she was still navigating homophobia and a lack of representation in her community. While her family had their struggles with accepting her, Rebecca is in a much better place now, happily out and married. She explains, “The only way to benefit me was to be who I was.” She knows that being LGBT is not a lifestyle or a choice, but a part of one’s identity that deserves as

Today I’m talking with D. Neil Elliott, author of “A Higher Road: Cleanse Your Consciousness to Transcend the Ego and Ascend Spiritually.” Despite appearing outwardly successful, Neil had his own challenges behind the scenes that led him to discover a high road to transform his life. His entire life view changed and now he desires to help others empower, transform, and bring peace, love, and joy into their lives. Connecting Science and SpiritualityNeil read hundreds of books and attended countless self-help courses, never finding one that fulfilled his needs. As an engineer, spirituality and self-help books—while giving great processes—didn’t give him the key he needed to bridge the gap between science and spirituality. Through a spiritual undertaking, Neil discovered the process necessary to understand the truth and connect to source. “When you change your beliefs, you change what you see,” Neil says. His understanding is that everything we see in the world is a reflection of our beliefs and that the electri

Today I’m talking with Christine Malek, the founder and creator of “The SASSI Coach” program for women in or recovering from abusive situations. She is an advocate for women against domestic violence and uses a unique coaching approach to bring out the strength and light in every woman she works with. Her life mission is to help others “ruffle some feathers and blow some minds” as they identify and reach their goals. Shining a Spotlight on AbuseChristine experienced every abuse in the book. Her defining moment was in 2018 when her abuser shot her in the back of the head after an altercation. She remembers the night vividly and recalls her thoughts at the time the gun went off: “Fuck, I’m not dead,” and, “Oh, I’m not dead.” She was described as ‘lucky’ that her abuser must have tilted the gun to only graze her at the last moment, but Christine knows that this moment was her angels stepping in. This was what forced Christine to admit that something had to change. The abuser wasn’t worth her life or freedom. Her

Today I’m talking with Michael Thornhill, co-founder of Casa Galactica, an ayahuasca healing and evolutionary retreat based in Peru. He’s a traditionally-trained plant spirit healer and professional advocate for trauma-informed care. With Casa Galactica, Michael and his wife blend Eastern medicines with Western mindsets to transform years of suffering into an empowered state of mind. Michael’s journey with plant medicine began with his journey in healing from addiction, trauma, and abuse. His struggle with substances began young and continued into his late 20s when he started to explore meditation and sound healing. From there, he was drawn to ayahuasca. For Michael, ayahuasca was able to address the root cause of his addiction, alerting him to the fact that the life he lived was out of line with his deeper self. Following the medicine to Peru, Michael learned with indigenous teachers and found a deeper calling in guiding others to the same freedom and liberation he experienced. “There’s more to your life tha

Today I’m taking the time for a solo episode to talk about a few topics that have come to mind as I approach 40-years-old. A few conversations with friends and online interactions have brought inspiration for this episode of talking about how childhood trauma follows a person all the way into their adulthood behaviors. Reflecting and Reminiscing As I approach my birthday, I’ve been reminiscing and reflecting on the last and the next 40 years. I recently made a post on Facebook on the signs of high-functioning anxiety. On the outside, a person may appear as hard-working, organized, and someone who can work well under pressure—but beneath the surface, they may be overwhelmed, burnt out, and set unrealistic expectations. All of this resonated with me greatly. To a stranger, my need to be busy might make me look like a hard worker rather than someone who doesn’t like to sit alone with their thoughts. The age-old adage, “You never know what someone else is going through,” still rings through, especially through th

Today I’m talking with Nathan Osmond, keynote speaker, actor, entertainer as well as humanitarian. He’s had 4 consecutive hit country singles, won the John C. Maxwell Leadership Award 2 years in a row, and been the recipient of Honorary Command Sergeant Major. He uses his music and platform to recognize non-profits and to make a difference. Nathan is here to speak loud about being your own friend in the mirror through self-talk and resilience. Nathan has had his struggles with self-talk and self-image. Not long after returning from his mission abroad, he was cast in the leading role in ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.’ He made extensive efforts to get into character but realized he may have internalized too much when he noticed self-esteem issues out of character. He had a heaviness that he couldn’t explain. Nathan knew he had to be still and figure out what was going on with him, so he went to the temple where his parents were married to think and pray. Sitting in his car, he swears he heard a voice ask, “

Today I’m talking about Jeff Soelberg, an amputee peer visitor, activist, and founder of the Jeff Giving a Hand Foundation. After losing three of his fingers in an industrial accident, Jeff has become a prominent advocate for amputees and how amputation affects all aspects of a person’s life. “Life happens when you adapt,” according to Jeff, and he believes in the resilience of the human spirit. On July 6th, 2016, Jeff was in an industrial accident that resulted in the loss of three of his fingers, along with tendon and nerve damage up to his elbow on his dominant hand. He had been shining a pump shaft when his glove got caught and his hand was pulled in to the wrist. Despite his shock, Jeff was able to instruct his coworkers and the on-site nurse on what to do and was soon taken to the hospital for surgery. Jeff underwent a total of 9 surgeries, 7 of them in the first 9 months. He recalls looking at his hand while waiting several hours in the hospital, knowing that his fingers weren’t there but not registeri

Today I’m talking with Mary Jean Winn. Mary Jean grew up in northern Utah and has spent a lifetime she describes as not recognizing her own self-worth. She has 6 kids and 12 grandkids. Mary Jean is a business owner and a writer, and is starting a non-profit to help others find their own empowerment and identity.Being Silenced on Abuse Mary Jean shares that she’s repressed the early parts of her childhood as a result of her abuse and has struggled to piece together how that early programming has affected the person she is today. She had a father who was physically abusive to her, her siblings, and her mother, and one of her earliest memories is of abuse witnessed at 9 years old. Throughout her childhood, Mary Jean didn’t go to therapy and didn’t speak about what was happening to her. People didn’t talk about abuse. Physical discipline was more common, but the line between discipline and abuse was often in question. Everything was silent, according to Mary Jean, and no one ever came to help. In her opinion, the