This is My Silver Lining

Miracles Revisited: Jean Trebek and Alison Martin on the Power of Friendship Oct 29, 2024

In this heartfelt conversation, InsideWink co-creators and co-hosts Jean Trebek, widow of Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, and actress, Alison Martin, explore the transformative power of friendship, everyday miracles, grief, and compassion. Jean reflects on her journey of loss and resilience, sharing deeply personal experiences of losing her brother at a young age, overcoming an eating disorder, and caring for and grieving her beloved husband, Alex. Alison opens up about the impact of losing her father as a child and the simple, profound importance of being present for a friend in need. Through laughter and tears, they remind us that friendship is a precious gift of love from the universe.

Episode Links and Resources

InsideWink

A Course in Miracles, Helen Schucman

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Flat Fashionistas: Becky Johnson and Tracy Friden on Creating Flatwear Clothing a Brand for Women Who Go Flat After a Mastectomy Oct 07, 2024

When faced with a breast cancer diagnosis, treatment recommendations, and reconstruction options, Becky Johnson was unequivocal: she wanted the cancer out, and she wanted to minimize the need for additional surgeries. She opted for an aesthetic flat closure after her double mastectomy. She never expected that this decision would take her from the world of real estate to creating a whole new line of fashion for the flat community. When Becky discovered that no clothes truly honored a woman’s decision to go flat, she decided to take on the challenge with her friend and designer, Tracy Friden. Together, they created Flatware Clothing, a company that creates fabulous and feminine clothes for women who choose to go flat. We explore body image, femininity, the need for greater awareness, and the role fashion plays in making us feel good in the skin we’re in.

Episode Links and Resources:
Flatwear Clothing
Instagram: @flatwearclothing
Facebook: flatwearclothing
Flat Closure Now
Not Putting On a Shirt
Fierce, Flat, Forward
Fantastic Flat Fashions
Fabulously Flat Not Reconstructing Breasts
Why I Chose To Remain Flat After My Mastectomy, Ellyn Winters-Robinson, Châtelaine Magazine, October 25, 2023
'Boobless Babe' Removes Breasts Despite Not Having Cancer, Health News, Mira Miller, May 21, 2024

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© 2024 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

A Father's Perspective on Grief, Growth and Gratitude: a Conversation with Amiel Handelsman Jun 16, 2024

Amiel Handelsman opens up about his personal experience of loss and grief and how he found healing power in his discovery of positive psychology. Amiel discusses the importance of acknowledging and expressing grief, particularly for men and removing the taboos. He shares his experience of losing his first child in the hospital after a preterm live birth and the feelings of isolation that were compounded by the stress of several rounds of IVF and miscarriage for him and his wife. Amiel took this experience to a lecture hall, telling medical students about his experience and the power of apology.

Amiel also shares his professional perspective on shifting our thinking to develop sustainable strategies and innovative solutions. He shares his journey into executive coaching and highlights recurring themes in his work, such as managing emotionally charged situations and adapting to change. Amiel talks about deliberate practice and its application in leadership development. His podcast, 'How My View Grew,' explores the importance of injecting nuanced perspectives to solve complex problems.

Episode Links and Resources
Amiel Handelsman
How My View Grew (website)

Podcasts:
How My View Grew, The Amiel Show
Teaching Doctors How to Say “I’m Sorry”
Michigan Is Haven from Climate Change. Officials Must Prepare.

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© 2024 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

We Should all be Daydreamers: Nik Venios on Human Creativity and the Gift of Resilience Jun 02, 2024

Nik Venios, founder of The Ideas Agency, shares his journey of resilience and creativity. When Nik lost his mother to breast cancer at age eight it made him an outlier. The transformational impact of her death wasn’t all negative, he says. It provided him the the ability to always look at problems from a range of perspectives. Nik discusses his early career, how he discovered design thinking, and how he went from foraging for nettles in Denmark to inventing a hygienic door handle long before the 2020 pandemic. We discuss the creative process, the importance of taking the time to truly define and understand a problem before developing solutions that may not produce the best fix, and the intense value of testing and tinkering. Nik emphasizes the need to embrace curiosity, daydreaming, and playfulness to foster creativity.

Episode Links and Resources

The Ideas Agency

Free innovation course from The Ideas Agency

Big Magic

Alchemy

Think Bigger

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A Remarkable Little Boy and the Universal Bond of Grief with Heather Straughter Apr 28, 2024

Heather shares her experience of losing Jake, her four-year-old son, after a still undiagnosed illness that caused constant seizures. Heather emphasizes the importance of breaking the taboo on grief and finding the light in difficult situations.
She and her husband Brian started Jake's Help From Heaven, a nonprofit organization to provide support for individuals and families confronted with complex medical needs and disabilities. She emphasizes the importance of accepting help from others and building a community of support.
Heather also discusses the challenges faced by families with children who have disabilities and the need for more support and understanding from society.
Heather believes in finding silver linings and staying positive despite the loss of her son. In her recently launched podcast, A Place of Yes, Heather shares stories of resilience and possibility with similarly affected families.

Episode Links and Resources

Charity: Jake’s Help From Heaven

Podcast: A Place of Yes

Instagram: @heatherstraughter, @jakeshelp

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Find a Way to Do the Favor: Golf Pro Mike Bennett on Big Dreams, Resilience, and Helping Others Apr 14, 2024

Mike knew he wanted to be a professional golfer when he was five years old. He talks to us about how he made his big dream come true as a golf pro. We explore how he and his business partner, Andy Plummer, created the Stack & Tilt System of golf instruction through intense study and data analysis long before artificial intelligence was a thing. Mike tells us about the controversial Golf Digest article that introduced their teaching method to the world. He emphasizes the value of connections and helping others, both in the golf world and in his personal life. As a parent, he teaches his daughters the importance of resilience and the joy of doing favors for others. In this conversation, Mike Bennett shares his insights on building confidence, creating meaningful connections, and expressing gratitude.

Episode Links and Resources

Stack & Tilt

Stack & Tilt Article

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From Gray to Open Skies: Travel Expert Lindsey Epperly on Growing as a Leader through Vulnerability Mar 17, 2024

Just in time for Spring Break and with a special nod to National Optimism Month, we're thrilled to bring you this inspirational interview with Travel Expert, Lindsey Epperly, the CEO of JetSet World Travel.

Lindsey shares some of her most difficult challenges as an entrepreneur in the travel industry during a global pandemic. She also talks to us openly about how an unexpected health scare created an opportunity for her to lean into her vulnerability and become a stronger leader.

Episode Links and Resources

Lindsey Epperly

Jetset World Travel

Who Made You the Boss

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Patience and Presence: Sabrina Mallick Peterson on Entrepreneurship and Life’s Priorities Dec 17, 2023

The daughter of immigrant parents, Sabrina was the consummate high achiever growing up. An Ivy Leaguer with her sights on law school, she did a summer internship at a prestigious firm that changed her plans. She took a role as a fixed income analyst on Wall Street. She was young and curious; she was great at her job. By all measures, Sabrina was a success, but she wanted more from life.

As she considered her options, the music stopped. In 2008, Sabrina had a front row seat to the downward spiral that was the financial crisis. If she ever needed a sign to define a new career path, this was it. She traded her pin stripes for sneakers and became an entrepreneur. She hasn’t looked back. Fifteen years later, Sabrina has successfully launched several consumer brands. Her journey has been anything but smooth or “balanced”. She’s had moments of doubt, regret, and feelings of failure, but she is enjoying the ride!

Sabrina is also the proud mother of three young sons. Motherhood has provided some unvarnished challenges and fresh opportunities for triumph at home and in her business ventures. This perspective has fueled her passion for creating healthy work environments where people feel appreciated and valued.

Forbes Magazine, How To Create Your Best Real Life on the Non-Linear Path to Career Success

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Learning to Walk in the Shoes of Another: a Prayer for Peace with Documentary Filmmaker and Podcaster Jamil Simon Oct 29, 2023

Jamil Simon is a documentary filmmaker, development worker, peace activist and lifelong adventurer. Over the course of multiple capacity building projects across sub saharan Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, Jamil gained insights into the deep challenges associated with building and maintaining lasting peace in several conflict-ravaged areas. He witnessed firsthand that signing peace agreements and shaking hands in front of the cameras does little to repair divisions and discord. Peace-building is a practice that requires learning what each side needs and wants in order to find common ground. That sounds straightforward and obvious, but in an age of great division, 24/7 news, and the proliferation of misinformation on social media, finding enough daylight to cultivate meaningful peace seems almost unimaginable.

Jamil is undeterred; he believes peace is possible. We speak with Jamil about the practice of building lasting peace and the powerful role of journalists in shaping public consciousness. On his podcast, Making Peace Visible, Jamil speaks with journalists and peacebuilders who help us understand the human side of war and peacemaking efforts around the world.

Please note that in this episode, we mistakenly refer to Abraham Trail. It is the Abraham Path, a monumental undertaking and true testament to what is possible in the name of peace. Links to Jamil’s interview with Josh Weiss and Anisa Mehdi about the Abraham Path is linked below, as is his interview with Dutch investigative journalist, Bette Dam, to which we also refer in this episode.

If you would like to be notified of future episodes of the Making Peace Visible podcast, news and other publications, sign on to the War Stories Peace Stories website on the contact page: https://www.warstoriespeacestories.org/contact

Links and Resources:
Jamil Simon (http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamil-simon-245580)
War Stories Peace Stories (https://www.warstoriespeacestories.org/)

Making Peace Visible Podcast, Un-embedding Western narratives about Afghanistan with Bette Dam

Making Peace Visible Podcast, Building peace on a walk through the Middle East with Joshua Weiss and Anisa Mehdi

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

How a Tough Girl Meditates: Meredith Tapper on the Lessons She Never Expected to Learn from Boxing Oct 15, 2023

For Meredith Tapper, boxing is as much about patience and persistence as it is about landing the perfect punch. Meredith is a 38-year-old lawyer from Winnipeg, Manitoba who works on Wall Street. She’s a big thinker driven by intellectual challenge who gets things done. She is also a risk taker who won't hesitate to take a solo trip to Southeast Asia or some other far-flung destination. In 2019, she embarked on a new adventure right at home in New York City when she started taking boxing classes. She had a hard time fitting in at first. She tried several gyms. Coaches and other fighters asked her why she kept coming back - she didn’t seem like the type. Undeterred, she kept at it. There was something about boxing. She wanted to master it.
On November 2, 2023, Meredith will enter the ring officially at the Haymakers for Hope 11th Annual Hope NYC charity boxing event at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Haymakers for Hope gives everyday people the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in their first sanctioned boxing event. Over the years, Haymakers has raised over $25 million dollars for cancer related charities. Meredith is raising funds and awareness for cancer patients who cannot afford treatment or the broader economic consequences that come with fighting a terminal illness.
We speak with Meredith about how she discovered her passion for boxing and what it continues to teach her about life outside the ring. She dispels many of the myths that surround boxing, notably that it’s all about violence. To the contrary, Meredith says she is more centered, focused and patient with herself (and others) thanks to boxing. For those who are truly committed to the sport and their community, there is love, kindness, and respect for others.
Links and Resources:
Meredith’s Fundraising Page on Haymakers for Hope
To Buy at Ticket to Haymakers for Hope 11th Annual Hope NYC Boxing Event - Make sure to type “Tapper” as the unlock code.
Haymakers for Hope
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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Art is Messy, So Just Start Writing: Children’s Author, Erin Dionne, on the Creative Process Jul 23, 2023

When she was just seven years old Erin Dionne knew she wanted to be an author. She took all the right steps - she majored in English at Boston College, she earned a Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Emerson College in Boston, and set her sights on writing the great American novel. But a chance opportunity to take a class in children’s literature ignited a new creative spark. Today, Erin is a successful author who has written 7 books for tweens, children's picture books, and recently, a nonfiction book about writing. She also writes mystery novels –for grownups– under a pen name.

Erin talks with us about launching herself into the creative process, how she has learned to receive and accept feedback, and the generous community of writers she has found to share her experiences and challenges with. Erin confesses that she’s not one of those writers who writes every single day. She’s a busy mom and a professor of creative writing at Montserrat College. But, she finds at least 15 minutes every day to work on something related to her writing.

At a time when it’s harder and harder to get our kids to put their devices down, we talk to Erin about the importance of reading and storytelling and the connection between reading and learning empathy.

Episode Links and Resources

Erin Dionne

Montserrat College of Art

Books by Erin:

Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking - A 14 Day Mystery

Models Don’t Each Chocolate Cookies

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet

Bad Choices Make Good Stories

Lights, Camera Disaster

Books Erin Recommends:

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (A Memoir of the Craft), Stephen King

Bird by Bird: Som

No Dead Ends, Only Obstacles: Restaurateur, Alex Wight, on Navigating the Challenges of Building a Successful Seasonal Business. . . on an Island! Jul 16, 2023

Just off the coast of Portland, Maine, in the Casco Bay lies Great Diamond Island, the home of Crown Jewel, a unique dining hotspot where you are sure to make new friends and memories while you delight in the chef’s creative twists on seafood standards and truly smashing cocktails. A 20-minute ferry or water taxi ride will get you there, but you’ll definitely need a reservation. This gem is open Memorial Day to Columbus Day and offers an intimate dining setting, with 35 seats, in what was long-ago a Blacksmith’s shop.

Crown Jewel’s creator and owner, Alex Wight, has had a longstanding passion for creating memorable dining experiences; she has made this her life’s work. As we discuss, after studying at the Institute for Culinary Education, Alex received hands-on training in the kitchens of some of the most renowned restaurants in New York and San Sebastian, Spain. Hardwired for entrepreneurship, she knew early on that she wanted to bring her creative visions to life with her own restaurant.

As with many entrepreneurial journeys, getting to and succeeding on Great Diamond Island has not been easy. Alex learned to be a resilient and creative problem solver from her mom. Her unflappable demeanor continues to serve her well. We discuss the challenges of owning and operating a seasonal restaurant on an island with a limited water supply, making friends with neighbors, and launching a “boatside” service during the pandemic. We get Alex’s impressions on how the restaurant business has evolved during her career with respect to diversity and equity. Finally, Alex shares her thoughts on labor shortages and environmental sustainability in the industry.

Episode Links and Resources
Crown Jewel
These Maine restaurants are making the extra effort for the environment, Tim Cebula, Portland Press Herald, June 11, 2023.
The 18 Essential Maine Restaurants, Kate McCarty, Eater.com, July 21, 2022.
Saved From the Flames, Ready for Love, Sandy Keenan, The New York Times, August 27, 2014
Fabulous Femmes at Flanagan’s Table, Karen Watterson, The Maine Mag, November 2016.

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Driving Dignity with Dollars: Bram Zeigler, Founder of Capitalists for Shared Income, on Putting Cash in Hands of Those Who Need it Most Jul 09, 2023

For Bram Zeigler, an economist and unapologetic capitalist, changing the narrative on poverty starts with dignity and self-determination. In 2021, Bram founded Capitalists for Shared Income (C4si). Inspired by the work of Milton Friedman, who advocated for a negative income tax in the late 1960s, C4si offers an innovative approach to address poverty and income inequality. Through one-time debit card cash payments of $58, C4si partners with existing nonprofit organizations that work with the disenfranchised to lift them out of poverty. While $58 may not seem like a lot to many listeners, it can make a lasting difference to someone in need of groceries, a tank of gas, or an oil change. Bram intentionally chose $58, which is "a day's pay" for anyone working a job at today's federal minimum wage. That’s a full day’s pay — $ 58.

While he sees a role for the government in addressing income inequality, Bram’s focus is on the private sector. Despite its imperfections, Bram believes that capitalism is the best economic system we have devised to allocate resources and reward individual effort efficiently. For the system to work for everyone, however, Bram believes that the individuals and organizations who reap the benefits of a free market economy are also responsible for self-regulating and addressing the widening income disparities between rich and poor. Working with his board, partner organizations, and investors, Bram is applying his expertise in Asset Management to raise an endowment to fund C4si’s cash distributions.

Through C4si, Bram has created a life with social impact, one debit card at a time.

Episode Links and Resources:
Capitalists for Shared Income
A New Year’s Resolution For Capitalism, Kevin Coldiron, Forbes, January 6, 2022
Milton Friedman - The Negative Income Tax, interview on “The Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr.”, 1968, YouTube
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive, Stephanie Land, 2019.

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Schoolhouse Rock Redux: Louise Dubé, Executive Director of iCivics, on Using Gaming to Reimagine Civics Education to Energize our Youngest Citizens Jul 02, 2023

How do we teach students about civics and generate excitement around civic engagement in the 21st century? Like our ever-evolving American experiment, we try new tools. iCivics leverages a suite of interactive video games that put students at the center of the educational action.

By the time Justice O’Connor retired from the Supreme Court, she had grown increasingly concerned about the lack of understanding, awareness, and appreciation of the basic tenets of democracy and civic engagement during her time on the Court. In 2009, she founded iCivics and worked with a team of educators and engineers to reimagine and reinvigorate civics education through gaming. iCivics has become the nation’s premier non-profit civic education provider of high-quality, non-partisan, engaging, and FREE resources to more than 9 million students annually in all 50 states.

Today, we are honored to speak with Louise Dubé, the Executive Director of iCivics. Louise was born and raised in Quebec, Canada. After earning a law degree from McGill University in Montreal, she came to the US and earned an MBA from Yale. She became a US citizen. Working in the criminal justice system in New York in the 1990s, Louise co-founded CASES, a mentoring and skills program for young offenders that offered an alternative to incarceration. This experience ignited in Louise a passion for the transformative power of education, particularly the use of rapidly evolving technology to deliver memorable content. She and her team at iCivics are committed to activating our young citizens, preparing them to solve problems and engage in challenging but respectful debate in their communities.

Episode Links and Resources:
iCivics
Louise Dube Bio
CivXNow Coalition
Civics Secures Democracy Act
A Supreme Court Pioneer, Now Making Her Mark on Video Games, New York Times, March 27, 2016
New Poll Shows Strong Support for Civic Education Across Party Lines, Cision PR Newswire, October 27, 2022

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Angels, Mentors, Friends, and Fathers: Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida, Peggy Quince, on the Importance of the People Who Guide Us Along The Way Jun 18, 2023

In this final installment of our series highlighting stories of the achievements and challenges faced by some of the most distinguished women judges in our history, we speak with former Chief Justice Peggy Quince of the Florida Supreme Court, who is featured in the ABA’s recently published Her Honor - Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges, edited by Lauren Rikleen.

Raised by a single father in Virginia with her four siblings, Chief Justice Peggy Quince learned early on what it means to be treated unfairly. In 1954, the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the policy of “separate but equal” justifying segregation in schools was unconstitutional in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education. The decision had little practical or positive impact on the course of young Peggy’s education - many white schools actively resisted efforts to integrate, with some shuttering for years to avoid it. Still she persevered.

Justice Quince tells us about the profound influence her father, Solomon Quince, had on her education. He was determined to afford his children the education he had been denied. Peggy excelled at school and after graduating from Howard University, she was inspired by both the civil rights movement and the anti-war movement, to pursue a career in the law. In 1993, she was appointed to the Second District Court of Appeal and then in 1999, she was appointed as the first African American woman to serve as a Justice on the Florida Supreme Court. From 2008-2010, she served as Chief Justice.

Episode Resources:
Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges
Justice Peggy A. Quince Bio

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Ultimate Myth - Fmr. Chief Justice of Canada’s Supreme Court, Beverley McLachlin, on How the Quest for Perfection Holds Us Back Jun 11, 2023

Nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies in southern Alberta lies the small town of Pincher Creek. With a population of just under 4,000, Pincher Creek has the distinction of being the “Wind Capital of Canada.” It is perhaps better known as the birthplace and hometown of the Right Honorable Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, the longest serving Chief Justice of Canada’s Supreme Court.

Despite being told by her 8th grade teacher that her aptitude for reading wouldn’t do her much good as a girl, Chief Justice McLachlin went on to study philosophy and eventually law at the University of Alberta. Upon graduating with high honors, she spent six years in private practice and then turned to academia, teaching at the University of British Columbia for seven years. At age 37, she received her first judicial appointment to the Vancouver County Court. Could she have imagined the significance of this life changing moment? Over the next eight years, from 1981 to 1989, Justice McLachlin was on the rise! She was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the British Columbia Court of Appeals, made Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and in March 1989, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. Her highest honor came in the year 2000 when she was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, a role she held for 17 years, making her the longest serving Chief Justice in Canada’s history.

Chief Justice McLachlin’s legacy cannot be adequately cataloged. During her tenure on the Supreme Court, she authored over 400 majority opinions on the most consequential matters of legal interpretation under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including assistance in dying, the criminalization of prostitution, equality, free speech, and aboriginal rights.

Resources:
Truth Be Told: The Story of My Life and My Fight for Equality, Beverley McLachlin
Full Disclosure: A Novel, Beverley McLachlin
Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges
The Persons Case

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

REPLAY: Enjoy the Wave You’re On: Kevin Sousa on Surf Therapy, Getting Present, and Getting Sober Jun 04, 2023

Last Friday, This is My Silver Lining lost a dear friend.

Kevin Sousa lost his battle with skin cancer, which had suddenly and aggressively metastasized to his brain. He passed away in his beloved Hermosa Beach, California, with his wife Patti by his side.

Kevin was a kind soul with an unshakeable effervescence for life. By day, he worked as a psychotherapist, counselor, and mentor, taking the hard-fought battles and lessons he learned from his own journey through substance addiction to help others. Kevin served as the Program and Clinical Director for the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation. This non-profit organization is at the forefront of providing those suffering from mental and physical illness, injury, and disabilities with life-changing Ocean Therapy. By night, Kevin delighted crowded audiences as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist in his eponymously named rock n roll band.

When Kathleen and I first spoke to Kevin, we were intrigued to learn more about ocean therapy. Thanks to his generosity of spirit and time, we came away from the conversation, having learned so much more.

We send our deepest condolences to Kevin's wife Patti, his friends and colleagues at the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, and all those who loved and admired him.

You can find more information on Kevin's legacy and the incredible work of the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation in the show notes and on our website.

We hope you'll have a listen to this replay of TIMSL episode 2 as we remember Kevin. Time is short; stop pining for the perfect wave, and enjoy the wave you're on.

Episode Links and Resources:
Just the Man to See: Beloved musician and therapist Kevin Sousa touched thousands of South Bay lives before passing away last week, Ryan McDonald, Easy Rider, May 31, 2023
Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation
Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race
International Surf Therapy Foundation
Watch: Resurface
Listen: The Perfect Wave (original song by Kevin Sousa)
Read: Blue Mind
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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In the Afterglow: Jim Kuczo on Creating a Positive Legacy from the Tragic Loss of His Son, Kevin May 21, 2023

This episode contains content related to suicide that may be triggering to some listeners.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. If you or someone you know is in distress, please dial 988 in the United States for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Calls to 988 are toll-free.

Kevin Kuczo was an all-American kid. He played Lacrosse, worked hard at school, and volunteered with a local church youth group. He was a great friend, teammate and student; he took great pride in his grades. He was generous and kind; someone who would do anything to help others. Kevin did his best to juggle the demands and pressures of high school - AP classes, fitting in, living life on social media. Then in early 2020, like so many teens, Kevin struggled with the isolation and social dislocation wrought by the global pandemic. He saw a therapist and a doctor prescribed antidepressants. Kevin’s depression seemed to moderate, but tragically, in February of 2021, he took his own life. He was 17.

Confronted by the devastating loss of their son, Jim and Kristen Kuczo decided to honor Kevin by dedicating themselves to raising awareness about depression and other mental health issues that can lead to suicide. They created Kevin’s Afterglow, a non-profit advocacy organization to build a lasting legacy for Kevin. Through their work, they are doing their part to save lives, helping other families avoid the pain they have suffered. Jim speaks with high school and middle school students, sports teams, teachers and parents about recognizing the early warning signs and asking the right questions. Through his talks, he emphasizes the importance of kindness, asking for help, checking in, and taking care of one another.

Resources

Kevin’s Afterglow

Kevin's Afterglow 2nd Annual Golf Classic

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

QPR Institute

The Will to Live Foundation

The Friendship Bench Project

Teen Suicides: What Are the Risk Factors? Nadine Kaslow, PhD, Child Mind Institute, March 6, 2023

Teen Girls Report Record Levels of Sadness, C.D.C. Finds, Azeen Ghorayshi and Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, February 13, 2023

U.S. Depression Rates Reach New Highs, Dan Witters, Gallup News, May 17, 2023

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Suicide Prevention Resources

Suicide in Children and Teens, The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

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REPLAY: PART TWO Whose Life is This? Parenting Experts Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson on How to Raise Resilient Kids and Lower the Stress Levels for Everyone at Home Apr 02, 2023

While we take a pause to record new content and to spend time with our families over spring break, we wanted to take this opportunity to replay a few episodes that our newer listeners may not have heard and that long-time TIMSL listeners have loved. We hope you enjoy this fantastic 2-part conversation with Ned Johnson and Dr. William Stixrud, co-authors of parenting books The Self Driven Child and What Do You Say?

Link to Orignal Episode Shownotes

REPLAY: PART ONE Whose Life is This? Parenting Experts Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson on How to Raise Resilient Kids and Lower the Stress Levels for Everyone at Home Mar 26, 2023

While we take a pause to record new content and to spend time with our families over spring break, we wanted to take this opportunity to replay a few episodes that our newer listeners may not have heard and that long-time TIMSL listeners have loved. We hope you enjoy this fantastic 2-part conversation with Ned Johnson and Dr. William Stixrud, co-authors of parenting books The Self Driven Child and What Do You Say?

Link to Orignal Episode Shownotes

Grounds for Optimism: Deborah Jones Merritt on the Living Legacies of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor Mar 19, 2023

Welcome to Part 2 of our series highlighting stories of the achievements and challenges faced by some of the most distinguished women judges in our history. We are honored to speak today with Professor Deborah Jones Merritt. Debby believes that true progress only occurs in the presence of a great deal of optimism. She witnessed such optimism in none other than Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg as their law clerk. She speaks with us today about how the wisdom and unique perspectives of these remarkable women has shaped this nation’s history as well as her own philosophy and career path.

In the earliest days of Debby’s legal career she had the enviable good fortune of clerking for both the then- Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg when she was somewhat unexpectedly appointed to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals and then for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in her first year on the United States Supreme Court.

Indeed the lessons she learned from RBG and SOC built the framework for the rest of her career, much of which she has focused on teaching law students how to be good lawyers.

Our episode last week featured Lauren Rikleen, the editor of the ABA’s recently published Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges. Debby authored the concluding essay in this compilation, which highlights the significant contributions of the honorable Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to justice and the rule of law.

Resources
Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges
Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World, Linda Hirshman
My Own Words, Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg – A Life, Jane Sherron De Hart
RBG Dissents: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Most Striking Dissents on Women's Rights, Civil Rights, Voting Rights, & More
Conversations with RBG – Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty and Law, Jeffrey Rosen

Paths To Justice: Lauren Rikleen on Editing Her Honor, The American Bar Association's Recent Publication of Essays By and About The Most Revered Women Judges Mar 12, 2023

“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Welcome to Part One of our series celebrating some of the most influential women who have—sometimes against all odds— earned their position in some of the most important places where decisions are made: on the bench of some of the highest courts in our country.

Our inspiration for this series and our guest today on This is My Silver Lining is Lauren Rikleen. Lauren recently served as the Editor of Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women on the Bench. Published by the American Bar Association, Her Honor is a collection of compelling personal narratives of the most revered judges in the United States (and one judge from Canada!). The book provides an amazingly unique and deeply instructive glimpse into our justice system.

Lauren is the founder and president of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership and the interim Executive Director of the non-partisan Lawyers Defending American Democracy. She is also a 2017 American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award recipient.

Lauren is a nationally recognized expert on developing a thriving, diverse and multi-generational workforce. Through her speaking, training, consulting, and writing, Lauren addresses such topics as strengthening multi-generational teams, women’s leadership and advancement, and implementing strategies to minimize the impact of unconscious bias.

Episode Links and Resources:
Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges
Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership
About the ABA’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award

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© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Say it Out Loud: Celebrated Author, Amy Impellizzeri, on Rediscovering Her Voice Through Her Writing Mar 05, 2023

Amy Impellizzeri was a highly successful litigator in New York City for over ten years at one of the largest law firms in the world. Working around the clock, with three young kids at home, and a husband in medical school, Amy was stretched pretty thin. She started to wonder whether she was living her most authentic life. In 2008, the Great Recession afforded her an unexpected sabbatical and an opportunity to rediscover her love of creative writing. She started with an essay and just kept writing. After a year, Amy wasn’t ready to go back; she wasn’t convinced she ever would be and negotiated a three-year unpaid leave of absence. She never went back. As the primary breadwinner for her family, her decision was a risky one with big financial consequences. Amy was undeterred. Ultimately, her family made the difficult decision to move out of New York City, back to rural Pennsylvania.

That was 15 years ago. This week, Amy’s seventh novel, Barr None, will hit the shelves. Starting with Lemongrass Hope in 2014, her works of fiction are infused with mystery, fantasy, romance, and even time travel. We couldn’t help but notice that the main character in her most recent book, In Her Defense, is a former lawyer-turned-podcaster named Ingrid! Amy has also authored/co-authored two non-fiction books, including How to Leave the Law, with co-author Liz Brown, who we interviewed for Episode 16 of This is My Silver Lining.

Amy’s successful career transition prepared her for other life changes. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her husband made the difficult decision to get divorced after being married for 24 years. She likes to say that she is on the “healing side” of that experience now, where she is able to look back and recognize that although it was difficult, it was the right decision for her and her family. In its own way, leaving the law a decade earlier prepared her for the sense of lost identity and grief that came with divorce.

With the benefit of hindsight, Amy would not necessarily have designed so many significant life transitions for herself in a concentrated period of time, but she knows they happened as they needed to and that each challenge prepared her for the next. Her best advice: “say it out loud!” Give voice to your dreams; you never know who is listening!

Episode Links and Resources:
Amy Impellizzeri
Barr None
In Her Defense
Lemongrass Hope

Our Work is a Privilege: Marta Passerini and Jorge Bica, Humanitarian Aid Workers with UNICEF, on the Strength of the Human Spirit in Times of Extreme Hardship Feb 26, 2023

Through their work, husband and wife, Jorge Bica and Marta Passerini, have a front row seat to the never ending resilience of the human spirit. They are grateful to be “custodians of the most important moments in people’s lives.”

Marta and Jorge were both in Haiti after the devastating earthquake in 2010 and although their paths were definitely meant to cross, they didn’t meet until some time later while working for Save the Children assisting Rohingya refugees in Myanmar. Today, Marta is a Child Protection Specialist who works for UNICEF. It’s her job to create and implement programs to care for the needs of migrant and refugee children in places like Haiti, Kenya, Tunisia, Myanmar, and Lebanon. Jorge is an Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist for UNICEF. Jorge ensures that the victims of disaster, both natural and manmade - have access to clean water, the most critical requirement for our survival, as well as basic sanitation infrastructure.

From 2013 through the end of 2020, Marta and Jorge were stationed together in Beirut, Lebanon. During this time, Lebanon faced long-standing political instability, an influx of millions of Syrian refugees fleeing civil war, a severe economic crisis, and a global pandemic. Despite these realities, Marta and Jorge know Lebanon as a place of incredible beauty and culture, whose people are generous to a fault.

On August 4, 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, a massive explosion ripped through the Port of Beirut, killing over 200, injuring 77,000, and decimating thousands of homes and buildings nearby. The blast was felt in Syria, Turkey, Israel, Jordan and as far away as parts of Europe. It’s considered one of the most powerful accidental, non-nuclear explosions in history. Among those killed and injured were many that Marta and Jorge counted as friends and colleagues. They themselves became displaced and dispossessed.

Today we speak with Marta and Jorge about what inspired them to dedicate their lives to humanitarian aid work, and what their experiences have taught them about grace, gratitude, community, and how we can all help.

Episode Links and Resources:
UNICEF
Save the Children
International Committee of the Red Cross

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Organizing Your Creativity: Olamide Michelle, Founder of The Boho Business Guide, on Working with Creatives and Entrepreneurs to Build Thriving Brands through Simplification, Practice, and Collaboration Feb 19, 2023

Olamide Michelle, the founder of The Boho Business Guide, speaks with us about the BOHO Method, which weaves together our personality, passions, and professional training to find successful and fulfilling careers.

Olamide is an intellectual property lawyer, brand expert, business coach, mentor, podcaster, and yoga instructor. If you ever find yourself hitting a low energy point during the day, please listen to Olamide’s podcast, The Boho Business Guide, or replay this episode for an instant lift! Olamide exudes positive energy and joie de vivre. She grew up in Atlanta, the eldest of three and the only daughter of her parents, who emigrated to the U.S. from Nigeria. After getting her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia in PR and Fashion, Olamide went to law school at Mercer University and earned her LLM in IP from George Washington University.

In the first years of her career, she worked hard to follow a traditional legal path. Unfulfilled and frustrated, she confronted that she was not living the life she wanted. She realized that the path to personal and professional success lay in embracing and aligning her many passions. Today, Olamide works with creatives, entrepreneurs, and influencers to do the same.

Episode Links and Resources:
The Boho Business Guide
The Boho Business Guide Podcast - Subscribe, Listen, and Review today!
OMI Legal - Protecting Your Brand and Your Business
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield and Shawn Coyne
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, Elizabeth Gilbert
Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert

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© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

When 1 Plus 1 Equals 8: Roy DiNicola and Maria Stewart Share Their Story of Finding Love After Loss and How They Parented Their Blended Family Feb 12, 2023

This is the last episode in our 3-part series. If you haven’t listened to our conversation with Roy DiNicola or our conversation with Maria Stewart, hit the pause button and go back and listen to those last two episodes (links below!).

Roy spoke with us about his experience of losing his wife, Holly, to cancer in 2015. We talked about the outpouring of love from his community and how that kept him and his kids afloat during that time.

Maria’s husband, Kevin, passed away in October 2011 after a 20-month battle with brain cancer. She told us about how she got through this incredibly difficult time with the help of friends and family and being laser-focused on maintaining what she and her kids came to call their family “power unit” to help them get through.

As they went through these experiences, neither Roy nor Maria ever expected to find love again. After what they had gone through, it just wasn’t even imaginable.

And yet. . .

In this episode, Roy and Maria have joined us –together– to tell us about the next chapter of their stories. One that they have written together. And one that they have generously agreed to share with us.

Episode Links and Resources:

TIMSL Episode 28: Letting Go: Roy DiNicola on Losing His First Wife and Learning to Lean on Community
TIMSL Episode 29: Blame Lewbert: Maria Stewart on How She and Her Husband Parented Their Children Through His Battle with Brain Cancer using Love, Honesty, and Humor

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Blame Lewbert: Maria Stewart on How She and Her Husband Parented Their Children through His Battle with Brain Cancer using Love, Honesty and Humor Feb 05, 2023

In Part Two of this three-episode series (listen to Part One here), we speak with Maria Stewart about finding the strength to support her husband as he lost his battle with brain cancer, embracing the help being offered by friends and family, and ensuring that her children could rely on their family “Power Unit” throughout this incredibly difficult chapter in their lives.

In 2010, Maria’s husband, Kevin Stewart, who was then 48 years old, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Maria and Kevin had three children, ages 10 and 8 year old twins. Maria shares the good advice she received: the children are part of this story. She involved them in making decisions about hospice so they understood that they were part of the process. This empowered them to come through the experience with the knowledge that they could trust her to tell them the truth.

The outpouring of support from friends and family was incredible, but somewhat overwhelming. Maria tells us that asking for help was made easier by a few close friends who could coordinate efforts and make sure their family got what they needed.

Going through this experience, Maria recognized that without resources, it would have been nearly impossible to care for her husband and navigate the complexities of the healthcare system while also caring for her children and trying to fulfill obligations to her full-time job.
Suppose you have listened to Part One of this series, where we speak with Roy DiNicola about the experience of losing his wife to cancer. In that case, you might have gathered that eventually, Roy and Maria find their way to one another. But that is a story for another day.

Episode Links and Resources:
Big Tree is Sick: A Story to Help Children Cope with the Serious Illness of a Loved One, Nathalie Slosse (Author), Rocio Del Moral (Illustrator)
The List of Things that Will Not Change, Rebecca Stead
Glioblastoma - Mayo Clinic Overview
Glioblastoma Multiforme - American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Who is Lewbert from iCarly?

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
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© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Letting Go: Roy DiNicola on Losing His First Wife and Learning to Lean on Community Jan 29, 2023

It was during one of the most difficult times in his life that Roy DiNicola learned about the importance of community, and the importance of letting go of those things we cannot control.

In the spring of 2008, Roy and Holly DiNicola had been happily married for 14 years and were raising their three young boys, Ryan, Casey, and Owen, in Hopkinton, MA, just outside of Boston. When Holly received a cancer diagnosis, their community rallied around them and stepped in with kindness, large and small.

As Roy and Holly became overnight experts on the range of treatment options for Holly’s metastatic breast cancer, their community sprang into action: cooking meals, shuttling the boys to school and sports practices, managing home renovations, and sending positive thoughts and prayers. In order to share updates on Holly’s progress, Roy created an online journal called “The Fight of the Irish.” It also became a place for Roy to express his love and admiration for his wife’s courage and dogged determination.

Holly’s initial prognosis was good. After just over a year of surgeries, treatments, and medications, Holly persevered. In July 2009, she was declared cancer free and back to living her life at full speed. Roy shut down the online journal.

Two years later, in November 2011, Holly developed a cough that she just couldn’t shake and her speech became impaired. The cancer was back. It had metastasized to her brain, lungs, and bones. Over the next 3 ½ years, Holly fought valiantly. In October 2014, having exhausted all available FDA-approved and experimental drug trials, Holly made the difficult decision to forgo further medical treatment. On February 10, 2015, with family by her side, Holly passed away.

Several months later, on the occasion of spreading Holly’s ashes in Ossipee Lake in New Hampshire, Roy sent one last post, poignantly writing, "In dying, she showed me how to live.”

This is a heartfelt and beautiful conversation; we are beyond grateful to Roy for sharing with us. We know you will feel the same.

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© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Going For It! Executive Coach Cindy Wolpert on Discovering Her Passion and Finding the Courage to Follow It Jan 22, 2023

We are excited to kick off a new season of This is My Silver Lining with Executive Coach, Cindy Wolpert. Cindy is the founder of Results-Based Coaching (RBC) Associates. She works with business leaders across all levels of seniority to maximize their leadership potential, manage successful transitions, and realize their professional goals. She is a creative and thoughtful innovator who is known for bringing calm to the chaos.

Cindy tells us about starting her entrepreneurial journey during the lockdown in March 2020 - moving beyond the fear, building her reputation as an independent coach - there is so much power in being really honest with yourself and pushing yourself into uncomfortable positions.

Prior to founding RBC Associates, Cindy held various product development, operational and HR roles in the Fortune 100. She has first hand experience with the challenges of managing through business and budget cycles, navigating office politics, and harnessing the opportunities that her clients face. This gives her a real edge and makes her an invaluable asset to their advancement.

Cindy found her passion for coaching and leadership development as a client herself. In one of those, “you can make money doing this?” moments, Cindy realized that nurturing the personal and professional development of other leaders would give her the greatest career satisfaction. She threw herself into the deep end of the pool and learned all that she could about coaching, created opportunities to coach at work, and got certified. Prior to leaving corporate America, she led an internal executive coaching practice at Fidelity Investments where she served as the lead executive coach for executives and had responsibility for the certification and development of over 175 internal coaches globally.

As many of you enter the annual review cycle, consider career changes or pound the pavement for a new job, grab a pen and a notebook and prepare to be inspired. We know you’ll come away from this conversation with practical tools and perspectives to consider the career adventures that lie ahead.

Episode Links and Resources:
Cindy Wolpert
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

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No Time for Interruption: Chef Elizabeth Heiskell on Making Big Dreams Come True and Confronting Breast Cancer Dec 18, 2022

Life is busy and there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do all the things we need and want to do. Nobody knows this better than a chef during the holidays! TODAY Show food contributor, Elizabeth Heiskell, also known as the Debutante Farmer, generously made time to speak with us on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

She founded her company, Elizabeth Heiskell Catering, over 22 years ago, turning her love of food, entertainment, and hard work into a thriving business in Oxford, Mississippi. She is the author of three cookbooks, including her most recent, titled, “Come on Over.” She has produced a line of home-grown gourmet products, including her popular Debutante Farmer Bloody Mary mix. She has also appeared on the Food Network’s “The Kitchen,” and served as a judge on Chopped. Many years ago, Elizabeth had a dream to be on the iconic morning program, the TODAY Show. She had no idea how she would make it happen, but she knew she wanted to bring some of the magic from the Mississippi Delta into homes across America.

With the kind of schedule, Elizabeth keeps, being sick was never on her radar. When she discovered a lump in her breast a few months ago, she was forced to figure out how this bump in the road would fit into the huge plans she has for her life. Elizabeth talks with us about her experience with breast cancer and gives us some insight into how she has found the strength to fight this battle. She also tells us about how she has built her business and made her own big dreams come true.

Episode Links and Resources:
Elizabeth Heiskell
@elizabethheiskellofficial on Instagram
Elizabeth Heiskell’s Breast Cancer Journey - Today Show Video
Come On Over!: Southern Delicious for Every Day and Every Occasion
What Can I Bring?: Southern Food for Any Occasion Life Serves Up
The Southern Living Party Cookbook: A Modern Guide to Gathering
Debutante Farmer Bloody Mary Mix

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© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

PART 2: Whose Life is This? Parenting Experts Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson on How to Raise Resilient Kids and Lower the Stress Levels for Everyone at Home Dec 11, 2022

In Part 2 of this two-part series, we continue our conversation with Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, authors of parenting books The Self Driven Child and What Do You Say? We talk with Bill and Ned about the importance of giving our kids autonomy, helping them learn how to manage technology (the dreaded phones and video games), and the importance of a good night’s SLEEP. And we talk about the all-important pursuit of happiness. Bill and Ned set us straight by reminding us that by the time they graduate from high school, most kids have already spent 90% of the time they will ever spend with us.

Episode Links and Resources:
The Self Driven Child
What Do You Say
Ned Johnson
PrepMatters
Stixrud Group: A Lifespan Neuropsychology Practice
Lori Santos Happiness Lab

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© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

PART ONE: Whose Life is This? Parenting Experts Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson on How to Raise Resilient Kids and Lower the Stress Levels for Everyone at Home Dec 04, 2022

Any parent with a teenager at home knows that each day can be a struggle. We want to enjoy these years before they fly from the nest, but we live with the drama and pushback that comes from enforcing the house rules while they still live under our roof. Couple that with the pressures and anxiety teenagers face today– including those we unknowingly place on our kids– and we have a recipe for anxious and stressed-out kids and parents.

Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, authors of parenting books The Self Driven Child and What Do You Say? are here to tell us that if we, as parents, are stuck in this cycle and find ourselves doing 90% of the worrying about our kids’ futures (with them doing only 10% of the worrying and work), then we need to change the energy. Stop fighting, stop nagging, and let your kids find their way to happiness and success. This, Bill and Ned tell us, is how our kids will become self-motivated, resilient, and successful humans.

Episode Links and Resources:
The Self Driven Child
What Do You Say
Ned Johnson
PrepMatters
Stixrud Group: A Lifespan Neuropsychology Practice
Lori Santos Happiness Lab

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© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

EPISODE 3 REPLAY: Kindness 9-1-1: Chanda Brodnax-Nino on How Being Laid Off Led to the Start of a Successful Business and Fulfilling a Life-Saving Calling Nov 27, 2022

In celebration of Thanksgiving, this week we hope you will listen –or re-listen– to one of our first episodes: an interview with Chanda Brodnax-Nino, someone who is committed to giving. She gives that extra degree to her students, she gives lifesaving care to her patients, and she gives kindness a priority position on the syllabus for her EMT training classes. Chanda reminds us how important it is to give a little something extra and to be thankful for those who return the favor.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Link to Original Episode Shownotes
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Elevator Up? Senior Music Executive Ian Holder on How Taking Risks, Making Mistakes, and Relentless Determination Helped Him Rise to the Top Nov 20, 2022

Ian Holder is the Senior Vice President of Creative at Sony Music Publishing, the world’s number one music publishing company, reporting directly to the CEO. Over the course of his career, he has signed and/or worked with artists including Post Malone, Frank Ocean, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Tjay, and Jack Harlow. Getting here wasn’t easy or obvious for Ian, but from the time he decided in his early 20s that he was going to turn his love for music into a career, he was dogged in his determination to make it. There was no blueprint for what he wanted to do, he didn’t have connections, exposure, or experience. He made his own way, guided by his curiosity and embracing risk. He made some bad choices, but rather than allowing his failures to douse his passion, he decided to turn every mistake and setback into a brick in the foundation of his ultimate success.

Ian is more attuned than most to how our personal and professional lives influence one another. He talks to us about the importance of his family in supporting him no matter what and how his parents influenced his determination and understanding of commitment to individuals and the task at hand. He tells us how fatherhood has not only taught him about balance, patience, and humility but has made him a more effective communicator and stronger leader.

Ian gives us a peek behind the curtain on how the music industry works. He tells us that having the opportunity to work with creatives who channel their powers of self-reflection, empathy for others, and connection to the world around them into the art form of music inspires him every time he opens his eyes.

Ian leans into life with gratitude and generosity for others, knowing that there were many people along the way who did the same for him.

Episode Links and Resources:
Ian Holder Bio
Sony Music Publishing Promotes Ian Holder to Senior Vice President, Creative

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Uncommonly Driven: United States Marine Corps Veteran Chuck Roche on Supporting Veterans, the Power of Fitness, and How Pain Can be a Motivator Nov 13, 2022

Two words describe our guest today: Uncommonly Driven. How else would you describe someone who gets up before the sun rises each day to run 8-10 miles, then works from 5:30 AM until lunchtime, takes a short break, works out again, and then gets back to work until evening. Our guest, Chuck Roche, is the owner of Uncommonly Driven Fitness, a USMC veteran, fitness guru, and ultrarunner.

Chuck speaks with us today about his experience in the Marine Corps, his struggles with PTSD and alcoholism, and his thoughts about how we can do a better job supporting Veterans. 10 years sober and the owner of a thriving personal training business, Chuck talks about his path, about the importance of fitness in his own life, and how pain can be a motivator if we are willing to let ourselves get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

We are so grateful to share this conversation today, as we honor all who serve and have served in commemoration of Veteran’s Day.

Episode Links and Resources:
Chuck Roche on Instagram: @uncommonlydriven
Mission 22
U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot Drill Sergeant School

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Enjoy the Journey: Nicole Johnson on Why Adopting a Baby with Down’s Syndrome Was the Best Decision She and Her Family Have Ever Made Nov 06, 2022

After suffering multiple miscarriages, and delivering two healthy baby boys, Nicole and her husband knew that their family was not yet complete. When they decided to open their hearts and their home to the possibility of adopting a third child, they did not realize that deciding to adopt was only the beginning of the journey.

Nicole, Joe, and their two young children waited with excited anticipation for that phone call notifying them that a baby was available for adoption. That call finally came 15 months later, when they were told that a baby with Down’s Syndrome was available for adoption.

Nicole and her husband searched their souls and knew that this was the baby they had been waiting for. Listen to Nicole’s journey of learning and loving and the challenges and rewards of raising their beautiful daughter, Mary Rose.

Episode Links:
Check out Nicole’s Blog: http://www.nicolejenniferjohnson.com/

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© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

How Can I Help? Serial Connector Susan McPherson on Nurturing Our Relationships to Create a Constellation of Connections Oct 30, 2022

After the tragic loss of her mother in a fire set by an arsonist in 1986 at the Dupont Plaza Hotel in Puerto Rico, Susan McPherson committed herself to applying the lessons she learned from her parents about the importance of meaningfully connecting with others by offering to help. In this episode, we speak with Susan about overcoming our fears of networking through the “Gather, Ask, Do” method, which she describes in her book, The Lost Art of Connecting, and which was named a Best Business Book of 2021 by Soundview Magazine.

Susan begins from the premise that we are always learning and that meaningfully connecting with others is far more rewarding if we start by asking, “how can I help?” rather than “what can you do for me?” From Susan’s perspective, a simple change in mindset can move us out of the “what’s in it for me?” type of transactional networking, to one of meaningful engagement. Not only does this develop deeper relationships, but it drives business results, breeds innovation and creativity, and most importantly, serves as an engine for greater happiness and longevity.

Episode Links and Resources:
The Lost Art of Connecting
Susan McPherson
McPherson Strategies
Dupont Hotel Fire - Article

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I’m the Lucky One: Award-Winning Teacher, Jessica Baldizon, on Helping Her Students Recognize The Superpower of Speaking More than One Language Oct 23, 2022

Jessica Baldizon understands the superpower of speaking more than one language. She teaches English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at Cesar Batalla Elementary School in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the second-largest preK thru 8 school in Connecticut. Her students include many immigrants and refugees from around the world.

Like many of her students' parents, Jessica’s mother, father, and her maternal grandparents came to the U.S. as refugees; her family fled the war in Nicaragua in 1984. Jessica has first-hand experience as a cultural and language broker in her own family. Her background and experiences growing up have allowed Jessica to help her students hone this amazing asset as they help their family navigate new spaces.

Many of Jessica’s students come into school with worries and stresses that have to be addressed before teaching and learning can happen. Before all else, she focuses on helping her students feel a sense of security and belonging.

Jessica challenges the resource constraints of the status quo by leveraging technology and calling on community to ensure that her students have plenty of books to share with one another, uniform shirts that fit, and the pencils, pens and paint sets they need to create with and learn. Check out her Donors Choose page HERE (and link below) to see some of her current and past requests.

As we discuss, she is rarely idle - in addition to her daily teaching, Jessica leads both an active after-school program called HOPE club, as well as a summer writing camp, called Ubuntu Academy, through the Connecticut Writing Project with her fiancé, also a teacher in the Bridgeport school system.

It was no surprise to us to learn that Jessica received the 2022 Bridgeport Public Education Fund Inspiration Award for Outstanding Teaching earlier this year. Every day she is a difference-maker, preparing her students to create the world they want to live in.

Episode Links and Resources:
Jessica’s DonorsChoose Page
Connecticut Writer’s Program- Ubuntu Academy
“Where Language is No Barrier,” Sacred Heart University Magazine Feature About Jessica Baldizon
2022 Inspiration Award for Outstanding Teaching

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More Than Hippies in Bell-Bottoms: Jamie Zelermyer on the Back to the Land Movement and an Enduring Family Mystery Oct 16, 2022

As a seasoned TV and film producer, Jamie Zelermyer knows a good story when she hears one. She loves to delight the senses of viewers through sight and sound. In 2019, however, she began working on a podcast with her mom, Karen, weaving together the pieces of a cultural movement of the 1970s, with a true crime missing person’s case, and a deeply personal narrative of her own upbringing in West Virginia.

The podcast, I Was Never There, tells the story of Marsha Mudd Ferber’s disappearance. Jamie shares her thoughts about having this time with her mom and how it afforded each of them the opportunity to reflect on some complicated moments from Jamie’s childhood.

Jamie was determined to shine an authentic light on the Back to the Land movement of the 1970s that defined her earliest childhood memories. This period was about a lot more than long-haired, bell-bottom wearing hippies. Jamie tells us that the mother-daughter podcasting duo have been surprised at how much their dynamics and the natural tension between them has resonated with listeners.

Episode Links and Resources:
Jamie Zelermyer
I Was Never There Podcast
New York Women In Film and Television
Twitter: @jamiezelermyer
Instagram: @jamiehayaz

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
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Spinning Plates: Meghan Skelton on the State of Mental Health Oct 09, 2022

Meghan Skelton has always approached her work as a Therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker from a place of deep empathy. She has never felt more connected to her clients’ needs as she has in the last two years.

Meghan speaks openly about the long and challenging road to her son’s autism diagnosis, the grief she and her husband experienced, and how they work day-to-day to meet his needs. Rather than focus on his deficits, she celebrates his empathetic heart, compassion and emotional intelligence.

As a therapist, Meghan has dedicated herself to actively participating in solving the mental health crisis in America. She and her partners at Linq Therapy take a holistic approach to treating the mental health care needs of their adolescent patients and families. They recently launched LinqPerformance, which provides a toolkit and training program to destigmatize and demystify mental health, working directly with schools, students, coaches, and athletes.

We discuss social media, the pandemic, gun violence and other chronic stress triggers that affect adolescent mental health along with the everyday tools they can use to be more present in order to manage anxiety and depression.

Episode Links and Resources:
Linq Therapy
Linq Performance Mental Health Awareness Training
WHO - World Mental Health Day Official Site
Autism Speaks

Meghan Skelton says: “If you or someone you know is showing signs of having a mental health condition, or struggling with a situational struggle please reach out for help. Psychology Today is a great resource to find certified therapists in your area to start working health. Mental health is equally important to our physical health. Let's reduce stigma and start seeking support. You do not have to be in a dire situation to seek therapy.” Link to Psychology Today
Contact Linq Performance for Mental Health Awareness Training at www.linqperformance.com for the following services and more:
- For adolescents, coaches, parents and club sports that are interested in virtual Mental Health Awareness and Peak Performance Modules that address warning signs, how and when to ask for help, proactive coping skills and mental health toolkit tor greater athletic performance.
- For School Districts that are interested in virtual trainings for students, teachers, administrators and parents on Mental Health Awareness - how to recognize when to ask for help (for self and others), where to go for help, in addition to proactive coping skills and toolkit for everyone to build healthy mindset and coping strategies.
- For Corporate Mental Health Awareness Trainings to include warning signs in employees, how to work with employees with conditions, structuring of policies to support proactive support.

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Leaving the Law: Liz Brown on Making Changes that Bring You Joy and Finding a Career You Love Oct 02, 2022

Liz Brown knows a thing or two about transitions, the ones you plan for and the ones imposed upon you by circumstances. Having experienced serious loss, she understands the power of reflection and creating a life worth living. If you don’t like where your life is heading, it’s time to start planning. Liz believes it’s never too late to make changes. Do you want to be in the same place, doing the same thing or do you want to be somewhere else? Only you can really know and while we can’t predict the future, one thing is for sure: in 10 years (with any luck), we will all be 10 years older. Figure out what you enjoy being good at and plan your journey from there.

Sharing your experiences openly and honestly can transform another person’s life. Liz has benefitted from the wisdom of others and is generous in sharing her own. We talk with Liz about the courage it takes to leave a career that is all-consuming, financially rewarding and has taken years of training to realize. We talk about how our work often defines how we identify ourselves and how others see us. Embracing the opportunity to define a new career identity can feel risky, but the rewards of joy and career fulfillment are well worth the journey.

Episode Links and Resources:
Liz Brown
How to Leave the Law, Liz Brown and Amy Impellizzeri
Life After Law, Liz Brown
Liz Brown speaks about Career Choices at Bentley Convocation 2015

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Failure is Just Opportunity in Disguise: TV and Film Actor Matthew Del Negro, on Overcoming 10,000 No’s by Being Bold, Digging Deeper, and Celebrating Our Successes Sep 25, 2022

Matthew Del Negro believes that we learn more about ourselves in our losses than in our victories. He is a hugely successful actor– with major roles on the Sopranos, West Wing, Scandal, and currently starring on Showtime's City on a Hill with Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge. Despite his long list of impressive acting credits, Matt has discovered more about his true self by overcoming the “10,000 No’s” that he has been dealt throughout his career.

While some actors might prefer to keep up the facade of a perfect life and career, Matt chose to get real by starting his podcast, 10,000 No’s. He interviews his guests –many of whom are also successful actors, including Lorraine Bracco and Kevin Bacon– about their own experiences with rejection and the fear of not being able to find the next great role. Matt recognized that sharing these experiences and wisdom would help other young actors, and he quickly realized that the idea of turning a No into a Yes could be helpful to anyone– not just actors.

Matt talks about the importance of being bold enough to take a risk and believe you will succeed. And we talk about not caring what other people think of us when we decide to enter the arena.

Episode Links and Resources:
10,000 Nos Podcast, Book and Insider’s Community
Order 10,000 NOs: How to Overcome Rejection on the Way to Your YES
Matthew Del Negro IMDb Bio
Showtime’s City on a Hill
Full Text of “Citizenship in a Republic” (a/k/a “Man in the Arena”) Speech by Theodore Roosevelt
Matthew Del Negro Instagram

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

A Street For Everyone: Carmen Osbahr on Bringing to Life Sesame Street’s Lovable Rosita Sep 18, 2022

There is a certain magic involved in bringing to life a new character on one of the most iconic children’s television shows. Sesame Street puppeteer, Carmen Osbahr, joins us this week as we talk about how she found her dream career as a puppeteer, and her role in creating–and performing–the lovable Rosita.

Carmen knows what it’s like to be the new kid on the block and how this can be even harder and scarier when everyone around you is speaking a different language. In her late teens, she discovered puppeteering through a Workshop facilitated by Sesame Street. She was hooked and couldn’t imagine doing anything else for the rest of her life.

Carmen takes us behind the scenes and below the frame to help us understand the physical and emotional aspects of how the puppets on Sesame Street actually come to life. She also shares her gratitude for an unexpected dream come true: working with families through Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the television show.

Episode Links and Resources:
Sesame Street: https://www.sesamestreet.org/
Plaza Sesamo: https://plazasesamo.com/?code=US
Sesame Workshop: https://www.sesameworkshop.org/
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, https://www.hbo.com/movies/street-gang-how-we-got-to-sesame-street

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

REPLAY - We Can All Be Heroes: Claudette Scheffold on Remembering Her Dad, FDNY Battalion Chief Fred Scheffold Sep 11, 2022

EPISODE 5 REPLAY: As we mark the 21st anniversary of the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, we want to take this opportunity to honor the memory of one of its victims, FDNY Battalion Chief, Fred Scheffold. If you haven't had a chance, or even if you already have, please listen to this episode where his daughter, Claudette, shares her experience of that day, her memories of her father, and how she keeps his legacy alive through her writing.

We will never forget.
It’s hard to imagine finding a silver lining after suffering the loss of a loved one. Claudette Scheffold tells us that it wasn’t something she was able to see until many years later, as she remembers the huge outpouring of love that she and her family received after they lost her father, Fred Scheffold, FDNY Battalion Chief, on September 11, 2001. She remembers the kindness of loved ones and of complete strangers–many of whom are now close friends–who would have done anything to help her and her family during this tragic time in her life.

We talk about what makes a hero and about the importance of having an outlet. Claudette’s commitment to writing and to running are both critical to her mental health. Claudette shares stories about her memories of her father; about why he was a great parent, and how he lived life to its fullest. We are thrilled to share this conversation and honored that this podcast is yet another way that the memory of FDNY Battalion Chief Fred Scheffold will endure.

Episode Links and Resources:
Claudette’s Medium Page: https://claudettes.medium.com/
Robin Hood Foundation: https://www.robinhood.org/
Can Running Improve Your Mental Health? https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/mental-health/a39925963/benefits-of-running-mental-health/

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

A Different Kind of Back-To-School: Lynne Sullivan on the Transformative Power of Education Sep 04, 2022

Lynne Sullivan knows the transformative power of education. After being convicted of second degree murder, she spent the first few years of a life sentence in and out of solitary confinement.

A new life path opened for Lynne when she was encouraged by another inmate to go back to school. This path eventually led her to earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Boston University. A few years later–after she was released early on parole– she earned a master's degree from Boston University in criminal justice.

Lynne is now focused on giving back. She is currently the Regional Manager for Massachusetts and Rhode Island at the Petey Greene Program, where she oversees academic support in several correctional facilities, community correctional centers, youth centers, and reentry programs.

Lynne tells us about the power of someone believing in her and caring about her success–something many of us take for granted.

Victor Hugo wrote, “He who opens a school door, closes a prison.” Lynne Sullivan is living proof.

Episode Links and Resources:
Lynne Sullivan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynne-sullivan-ladc-ii-a4b076b5/
Petey Greene Program: https://www.peteygreene.org
Partakers Program: https://www.partakers.org/
Boston University Prison Education Program: https://sites.bu.edu/pep/
Forget Them Not: https://www.amazon.com/Forget-Them-Not-Holistic-Ministry/dp/1608993205

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Friendship Manager: Leora Kaye on How the Trauma of Middle School Bullying Led Her to Become a Community Building Rabbi Aug 28, 2022

It’s no overstatement to say that middle school bullying changed Rabbi Leora Kaye's life.
When she was halfway through 5th grade, her parents decided to move. Her new home, in the Chicago suburb of Willamette, was only a short drive from her old home in Evanston, but the move meant changing schools at a really tough time in the school cycle. A social kid with a thriving circle of friends from her synagogue’s youth group and Jewish summer camp, Leora had never experienced the kind of ridicule and shaming that soon rained down upon her. The bullies were relentless.
Leora’s decision to pursue rabbinical studies was 100% motivated by a desire to create safe spaces for others to come together and find community.
Leora found refuge in the Jewish spaces where she was made to feel confident and grounded. She says that her youth group and Jewish summer camp gave her a foundation beneath her feet. Today, Leora is the Director of Partnerships and Collaboration at Union for Reform Judaism in Brooklyn, NY. Her daughter once asked her what she does at work each day. After explaining a bit more about how she spends her days bringing people together, Leora’s daughter responded, “Oh, so you’re a friendship manager!”

Episode Links and Resources:
Rabbi Leora Kaye: https://urj.org/author/rabbi-leora-kaye
Queen Bees and Wannabes, Rosalind Wiseman
Masterminds and Wingmen, Roasalind Wiseman

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

When One Broadway Dream Ends, a Real Star is Born: Casey Erin Clark on Losing out on the Role of a Lifetime and Finding the Career of Her Dreams Aug 21, 2022

Casey Erin Clark sang at the Tony Awards a few months ago: a dream come true for a Midwestern girl who grew up singing in church and starring in school musicals. But it may not have happened if she had landed the Broadway role that she thought was her ticket to the big-time. After earning a degree in fine arts, Casey came to New York City to try to make it on Broadway. After making her off-Broadway debut, she soon found success when she landed a role in the cast of the 25th anniversary national tour of Les Miserables. A few months after the tour ended, Casey was in final callbacks for the show’s highly anticipated Broadway revival. It was the role she was made for; she could feel it. But she didn’t get the part. And that’s when Casey began to realize that she might just have another calling.

Episode Links and Resources:
Vital Voice Training Website: https://vitalvoicetraining.com/
Voice (Is) Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/voice-is/id1484301232
Casey Erin Clark’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyerinclark/
Broadway Inspirational Voices: https://broadwayinspirationalvoices.org/

Additional Reading:
Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together, Pamela Slim
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Emily Nagoski, Amelia Nagoski
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Nicholas Kristoff, Sheryl WuDunn

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Broadening the Aperture: Erin Borzellino on How Her Son’s Rare Illness Changed Her Approach to Parenting and Led Her to Start a Thriving Photography Business Aug 14, 2022

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but some pictures move from the eyes, straight to the heart, without any need for words. Erin Borzellino is a photographer who captures such images, waiting patiently to catch unpolished moments of raw joy that might otherwise pass unnoticed. Erin is a storyteller, whose photo projects, Unstoppable , Below the Water Line, and Women Who Rock each evoke and celebrate the best of the human spirit.

After college, Erin’s passion for photography took a backseat to a more “practical” career in financial services. She moved to London, where she met her husband. Shortly after having their first child, Giorgio, in the UK, Giorgio was diagnosed with a rare genetic mutation of the NF1 gene, which is responsible for suppressing tumor growth. Erin and her husband had to quickly adapt to the daily uncertainty of Giorgio’s condition and learned how to care for him moment to moment. Along the way, they also learned to enjoy each day, to focus on the present, not worry too much about the future, and to be grateful for all that they have. Erin says that in many ways, having a child with special needs changed her life positively in unexpected ways.

A high achiever destined to be a "Type A" mom, once she started raising her three kids, Erin was surprised to find that she was actually much more of a "Type Z" mom. Having a child with special needs changed her perspective on a lot of things: career, success, and what really matters. She’s less inclined to hound any of her children about piano practice and soccer lessons, instead maintaining her focus on their happiness and teaching them to be kind to others.

Episode Resources:
Erin Borzellino Photography: https://erinborzellino.com/
Erin’s Instagram: @erinborzellino
The Giorgio Foundation: https://endnf1.org/

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved

Only a State Away: Ann Barham on Past Life Regression Therapy and How Exploring our Past Lives can Lead to Greater Fulfillment in This Life Aug 07, 2022

Have you ever had that sense of deja vu? Like you’ve been somewhere before? Or maybe you meet someone for the first time but you have an instant connection and feel like you must have known them before? These feelings and experiences may be clues to one of your past lives. In this episode, we speak with Ann C. Barham, a Certified Regression Therapist and retired Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. For over 25 years, she has worked with clients of all faiths and backgrounds to explore issues that they are having in their current lives by mining their subconscious memories for key past life experiences. Her book on this topic, The Past Life Perspective, highlights actual case studies from real clients.

Ann’s work is based on the premise that each of our souls is reincarnated across time in order to go through a series of life experiences on the planet. Each of us carry memories of past lives from one life to the next. At a conscious level, we may be unaware of our past lives. However, subconsciously, these memories often have a profound impact on the way we show up and experience life in the present.

Episode Links and Resources:
Past Life Perspective
The Past Life Perspective: Discovering Your True Nature Across Multiple Lifetimes
Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives, Brian Weiss, M.D.

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Before You Put on Your Judgment Shoes... Jul 31, 2022

Vivian Kahn Adler on Suffering Loss, Helping Children with Special Needs, and Choosing to Be Grateful Every Day

Vivian Kahn Adler is a speech pathologist who specializes in pediatric feeding disorders. After losing her daughter in 1989 to a rare genetic disorder, Vivian was encouraged by well-meaning friends to shift away from working with children with special needs. Instead, Vivian leaned in, realizing that helping these children was her “raison d’etre.” Vivian talks about showing up for others who are going through loss and how she lives a life of gratitude.

Episode Links and Resources:
Feeding Matters: https://www.feedingmatters.org/
Familial Dysautonomia Foundation, Inc.: https://familialdysautonomia.org/
Vivian Kahn Adler Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-kahn-adler-ma-ccc-slp-c-ndt-03002089/?trk=public_profile_similar-profiles_profile-result-card_result-card_full-click

Re-Envisioning Work: Jennifer Sabatini Fraone on Opportunities for Change in the Workplace and Embracing Your Personal Definition of Success Jul 24, 2022

Agonizing over your resume? Put it down and pick up a pen and paper. The key to career satisfaction might lie, instead, in figuring out your own personal definition of success. Rather than focusing on title or salary, focus on who you want to help and how, where you want to be, and think about the goals you have for your non-working hours. Then build your career around that. We talk about this, and much more, in this episode of This is My Silver Lining, where we speak with Jennifer Sabatini Fraone, Director of Corporate Partnerships at Boston College Center for Work and Family (CWF), about how employers and employees are adapting to make work work for them.

Episode Links and Resources:
Jennifer Sabatini Fraone LinkedIn Profile
BC Center for Work and Family
BCCWF Mental Health Executive Briefing Series
BCCWF Research Materials

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Gaming for Good: 18-Year-Old Nick Priest Talks about How Losing His Dad Inspired Him to Start Nick’s Power of Play, a Nonprofit Connecting Volunteer Video Game Players with Young Cancer Patients Jul 17, 2022

Nick Priest is not your average 18 year old. Throughout his life he has focused on how he can give back in a meaningful way that honors the memory of his father, who he lost to oral cancer when he was just six years old. Nick tells us that playing video games with his father were some of his favorite memories. Even as his dad’s health deteriorated rapidly, father and son were able to bond through the gaming console. From a young age, Nick was determined to help other kids who were going through this same struggle with cancer. He quickly realized in his first chemistry course that a career in oncology was probably not in the cards, but Nick was inspired by young cancer patients who were under treatment and isolated in the hospital, unable to play with other kids. Gaming offered the perfect opportunity to connect with these patients, and could create a way for them to connect with one another.

Nick is an inspiring young man who is committed to making a difficult situation better for so many kids who desperately need it. And he’s quick to remind us that it isn't even about the video games. It's all about connecting with other people during their time of need and creating community. Who can argue with that?

Episode Links and Resources:
Nick’s Power of Play: https://www.nickspowerofplay.com/

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

We Can All Be Heroes: Claudette Scheffold on Remembering Her Dad, FDNY Battalion Chief Fred Scheffold Jul 10, 2022

It’s hard to imagine finding a silver lining after suffering the loss of a loved one. Claudette Scheffold tells us that it wasn’t something she was able to see until many years later, as she remembers the huge outpouring of love that she and her family received after they lost her father, Fred Scheffold, FDNY Battalion Chief, on September 11, 2001. She remembers the kindness of loved ones and of complete strangers–many of whom are now close friends–who would have done anything to help her and her family during this tragic time in her life.

We talk about what makes a hero and about the importance of having an outlet. Claudette’s commitment to writing and to running are both critical to her mental health. Claudette shares stories about her memories of her father; about why he was a great parent, and how he lived life to its fullest. We are thrilled to share this conversation and honored that this podcast is yet another way that the memory of FDNY Battalion Chief Fred Scheffold will endure.

Episode Links and Resources:
Claudette’s Medium Page: https://claudettes.medium.com/
Robin Hood Foundation: https://www.robinhood.org/
Can Running Improve Your Mental Health? https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/mental-health/a39925963/benefits-of-running-mental-health/

Support the podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Unlimited Potential: Olaseni Bello on the American Dream and Why Failure is Part of the Equation for Opportunity Jul 03, 2022

Olaseni Bello is a Nigerian immigrant, an American citizen, a husband, a father, a lawyer with an MBA, an entrepreneur, and a decorated veteran. And not one of these things has come easy. With the belief that you have the power to change your life for the better, Olaseni does not accept challenges lying down.

Olaseni tells us about his highly anticipated arrival on American soil, knowing that upon landing his entire life would change. His understanding of America came from TV and movies, and he was greeted here with many unexpected challenges. He didn’t fit in because of the way he spoke, his clothes, and the way he looked. His mother enrolled him in Tae Kwon Do, where he excelled, and where he learned to embrace the mental and physical self-discipline that he has relied on throughout his life.

After law school and completing a judicial clerkship, rather than taking the traditional path to a law firm, Olaseni wanted to repay what he calls a “debt of gratitude to America.” Coming here as an immigrant, Olaseni talks about fully recognizing and appreciating the opportunities that this country provided to him. He applied to join the Army JAG Corps, specifically requesting assignment to Fort Hood, Texas, and made clear that he wanted to be deployed to Afghanistan to serve his country.

We talk about the challenges that Olaseni – and many veterans – faced after separating from the military and trying to transition to the corporate world. Despite 5.5 years in the JAG Corps, law firms did not see his experience as relevant. He realized that he had to learn to sell his skills in a way that a non-military employer could understand. Every employer is looking for someone who has a particular set of skills – who can say “I do X.” Olaseni says, “In the Army we solve problems and that is our X. And that X keeps changing.” Adapting quickly and being resourceful are veteran super-skills.

After overcoming so many challenges and having such great success, Olaseni leaves us with his thoughts on never letting fear guide your decisions. “Failure is part of the equation for opportunity.. . . Failure is a tool that forces us to get creative or explore a path we may have ignored.” Olaseni doesn’t see failures as roadblocks, but sees his failures as silver linings. Each has been “illuminating in its own way.”

Episode Links and Resources:
JAG Corps: https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/specialty-careers/law.html
Carpe Med: https://www.carpemedtravel.com/
Olaseni Bello Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olaseni-a-bello-jr-esq/

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Kindness 9-1-1: Chanda Brodnax-Nino on How Being Laid Off Led to the Start of a Successful Business and Fulfilling a Life-Saving Calling Jun 26, 2022

Being laid off from her longtime position running an emergency medicine training program at a large suburban hospital, Chanda tells us how this setback (with the help of an inspiring letter from a former student) ultimately inspired her to launch her own business, the EMS Institute of Fairfield County (the “Institute”).

Chanda talks about how she hopes to inspire young Black women. When she was growing up, she didn’t see any Black women entering the field of emergency medicine. She knows directly the power of if you can see it, you can be it.

Chanda discusses how and why she puts her students through the “212 teaching Method;” teaching her students to give more than just the bare minimum. At 211°, Chanda explains, water is really hot. But add just one more degree, and that water is boiling, emitting steam and enough energy to power a locomotive. She motivates her students to give that one extra degree, which can make all the difference. Chanda’s classes are really hard, but her students unanimously agree that, as a result, they are better trained than many of their peers to handle life-critical situations.

Chanda emphasizes the importance of knowing CPR, “an easy life-saving skill that you can learn in less than 2 hours.” She shares a story of two cardiac arrest patients who arrived in the emergency room one Thanksgiving evening: one had received immediate CPR from a trained family member and walked out of the hospital that night. The other only received CPR upon arriving at the emergency room, where Chanda did CPR for 43 minutes. Sadly, that patient did not survive. Every second counts in emergency response; acting quickly can mean the difference between life and death.

Chanda is not your typical teacher and her story isn’t just about teaching the basics of CPR. Kindness is part of the curriculum. Not only does she encourage her students to be kind to one another, she asks that they share at least one nice thing about each other at the end of class. While her day job is focused on life-saving, Chanda teaches (and learns from) her students the ways in which kindness can be life-changing.

Episode Resources:

EMS Institute of Fairfield County: https://emsinsfc.com/
212° the Extra Degree: https://www.inspireyourpeople.com/212-the-extra-degree/
Chanda Brodnax-Nino Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanda-brodnax-nino-370886125/

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Enjoy the Wave You’re On: Kevin Sousa on Surf Therapy, Getting Present, and Getting Sober Jun 19, 2022

Kevin Sousa is a Program Director and Ocean Therapist at the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, as well as a therapist in private practice in Hermosa Beach, California. While we initially approached Kevin to learn more about the benefits of surf therapy and the work of the JMMF, we quickly learned that Kevin had his own story to tell about his path to sobriety, being present, and the importance of enjoying the wave you’re on right now.

Kevin shared with us his doctoral thesis, Soul Seeking: A Crossing, where he shares his journey from alcohol abuse and addiction to sobriety through the lens of training for the Catalina Classic, an annual 32-mile paddleboard marathon from Catalina Island to Manhattan Beach, CA. Kevin’s story is one of endurance, gratitude, and one of healing himself by helping others. Training for the Classic carried Kevin through the earliest and most difficult days of his path to sobriety. As a professional musician, building up his physical endurance to complete the race was only part of Kevin’s journey. Unleashing new found creativity, songwriting and performing, played a significant role in Kevin’s ability to confront and deal with his addictions.

We learn about the history and the work of the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, one of the oldest surf therapy programs in the country, which provides surf therapy to “at-promise” youth, veterans through the Wounded Warrior battalion at Camp Pendleton, and most recently, first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We talk about a lot more than surfing. Kevin shares his views on meditation and how being mindful has helped him along his journey. “You can’t do it wrong,” he says.

Whether it’s meditating, writing music, performing, surfing. . . Kevin tells us that it’s all about putting yourself in situations where you have to stay engaged and stay present. Kevin’s message is one we can all learn from: focus on the present. “The perfect wave is the one you’re on.”

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Long COVID: Compassion and Resilience with Infectious Disease Doctor, Evangeline Thibodeau Jun 19, 2022

It has been a long two years. Correction: two-plus years. We’re all exhausted by the unending wait for this COVID 19 pandemic to be over. Our guest, Dr. Evangeline Thibodeau feels the same way. She’s a mom of three living in a small town on the coast of Maine. But Evangeline doesn’t have the luxury of turning off the news and forgetting about COVID for a few hours. She’s been in the thick of it all longer than most of us, and still is. She is the person that this small town turns to for guidance as everyone tries to live with this virus and adapt to a new normal. Imagine enjoying a Saturday morning soccer game at your daughter’s school as parents casually (or not so casually) ask questions like, “Is it safe for me to visit my parents for Christmas?” “Do we really need to wear masks?” No pressure!

Evangeline likens her role to someone who is flying an airplane while they are still trying to put the wings on. We talk with her about the challenges of being the “expert” while the information available is constantly changing.

Although she has every reason to, Evangeline doesn’t focus on the burnout. In fact, she’s grateful for the lessons that these past two years have taught her. When it is so easy to judge someone who doesn’t see eye to eye with you, she has learned to be more understanding and compassionate. She has become resilient instead of exhausted. She has cherished the extra time with her family, and even tells us about a new sport they all learned together. . . and it’s not a sport that naturally comes to mind when you think about the great state of Maine! For Evangeline, the pandemic has been a reminder of why she entered the medical field in the first place: to treat people whose health is suffering with kindness, dignity and compassion.

If an infectious disease doctor in the midst of a global pandemic can find the silver linings. . . so can you. Tune in to hear more.
Support the podcast by subscribing and reviewing!

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Trailer: Welcome to This is My Silver Lining May 27, 2022

It’s true that you never really know what someone else might be going through. But just think about what might happen if we did; how we might treat each other with more patience and compassion. The world needs us to take a step back and listen to one another. We hope that you are as inspired as we are by these stories of the people you might pass on the sidewalk each day; about what inspires them to take chances, to be kind, and to find gratitude despite the obstacles that they face.

Each week, This is My Silver Lining shines a light on some extraordinary ordinary people as they share their stories of courage, resilience, determination, and how they manage to find silver linings through it all.
Listen to and follow This is My Silver Lining on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or anywhere else you find your podcasts so you can get every show as soon as it is released each week. You can find us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. If you have a silver lining you'd like to share, leave us a message on our website, thisismysilverlining.com, where you'll find shownotes and more information.

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