Aware And Prepared

Dr. Brandi Kelly shares her journey as a high-achieving leader when her body and mind finally say "enough" from the stress of leadership. She didn't just survive, she built a system to help others do the same: hope and purpose through faith, reflection, and community. She discusses her system of HOPE, overcoming hypervigilance, and building resilience as a woman leader. Everyone can gain actionable help through this episode!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Brandi Kelly and Her Journey

02:57 Navigating Health Challenges and Career Transitions

05:46 The Impact of Personal Loss and Professional Stress

06:30 Overcoming Hypervigilance and Stress

08:46 Finding Clarity Through Self-Assessment

12:00 Building Community and Connection

14:55 The Role of Faith and Reflection in Healing

17:49 Creating a Supportive Community for Leaders

20:50 HOPE: Habits, Outlook, Purpose, Excellence in Leadership

23:58 Overview of the Book: Lead with Hope

26:45 Connecting with Brandi and Resources

Resources

BOOK: Lead with Hope: Building a System of Self-Efficacy 

Connect with Dr. Brandi Kelly:

• Website: SparkHopeEDU.com
• LinkedIn: Brandy Kelly
• WEBSITE: Spark Hope EDU
• PODCAST: Lead with Hope Podcast

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

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We have to stop teaching only potential victims and start asking what we're doing to prevent harm from being caused at all. In this episode, Mandi Pratt returns from delivering her keynote "End Victim Blaming: Creating Safer Communities" at two college campuses, and the students' own words in their feedback after the keynote say it all. One student admitted they never learned how to respect boundaries. Another said it was the first time she heard it wasn't her fault for being a people pleaser. That's why this work matters.

Mandi makes the case that women's safety is a community issue, not an individual one. Listen in!

RESOURCES

• Last episode (sneak peek of my keynote)
• Bloom365 - Organization supporting both survivors and those who cause harm, addressing the full spectrum of relationship violence.

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message

In this episode Mandi Pratt breaks down why victim-blaming culture persists, where it comes from, and most importantly what we can ALL do to dismantle it: one conversation, one word choice, one moment of showing up at a time. 

Drawing on her own powerful story of survival and resilience, Mandi shares practical tools anyone can use to trust their intuition, set boundaries, and create communities where survivors are believed and supported.

This episode is for everyone: survivors, allies, students, parents, and anyone who has ever wondered what they can actually do to make the world a safer, more peaceful place. Because it turns out the answer starts closer to home than most of us think.

RESOURCES

Hassl.Uk for free courses men (or anyone) can take

Bloom365.org for victims AND those who cause harm and violence

Past episode: Empowering Bystanders

RAINN: Sexual Assault Hotline

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message

What if the grief you're carrying doesn't have a name BUT it's still very real?

Most of us know grief as something that follows death. But what about the loss of your identity after divorce? The quiet grief of watching the world change around you? Pet loss? These losses are just as profound and they deserve to be processed, not pushed aside.

In this episode, I sit down with Karen Omand, a thanatologist (yes, that's a real degree: the study of grief, bereavement, and loss) who has dedicated her career to helping people navigate all kinds of loss, not just the ones society gives us permission to mourn.

If you've ever felt like you were grieving something you couldn't quite explain or wondered why moving on feels so much harder than it "should" this episode is for you.

We cover:

• The hidden layers of loss that come with divorce beyond just the relationship ending
• Why grief looks so different from person to person, and how to stop judging yourself or others for it
• How to cope when the grief isn't just personal, but collective like the weight so many of us feel from today's nonstop news cycle
• Practical ways to practice self-compassion when you're in the thick of it

RESOURCES

Dr. Kristin Neff's work on self-compassion 

Connect with Karen Omand:

• Website:  DivorceWorkshop.ca
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @DivorceWorkshop.ca
• LinkedIn: Karen Omand

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message

SUMMARY

Discover practical ways to foster joy, especially when the world feels chaotic. Helen Thompson, a seasoned life coach, shares actionable tips on using your senses, managing feelings, and cultivating more joy regardless of external circumstances.

Key Topics / Timestamps

02:37 - Sensory Triggers for Joy 

03:16 - How the 5 Senses Create Joy in Everyday Life & Examples

05:29 - Our relationship with joy & how thoughts influence our experience 

06:50 - Overcoming Guilt Around Feeling Joy in Hard Times

07:55 - Benefits of Joy: Resilience, Clarity and More 

09:22 - Holding multiple feelings: sadness, anger, and joy simultaneously 

10:47 - Happiness vs. Joy: Key Differences Explained 

11:30 - Reframing Shame & "Shoulds" Around Feeling Joy 

12:22 - Guilt as Unprocessed Sadness: Neuroscience Insights 

13:35 - Using gratitude as a tool to cultivate joy daily 

15:01 - Noticing "glimmers" of joy through small, intentional moments 

17:20 - Helen's "Joy Guide" Resource Overview 

22:00 - Negativity Bias & Intentional Practices for Positive Emotions  

23:33 - Self-Care as a Gift to Others, Not Just Yourself

25:06 - Overcoming Your Brain's Default to Negativity

RESOURCES

Your Joy Guide – Download Helen Thompson's Joy Guide to cultivate daily joy

Life Coach Helen Thompson – Weekly Love Notes

Connect with Helen Thompson:

• Website: Lifecoachhelenthompson.com
• Instagram:@LifeCoachHelenThompson
• Facebook:@LifeCoachHelenThompson

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message

True anxiety relief isn't about calm, it's about safety. 

We explore what it actually means for your nervous system to feel safe, how small, repeatable daily actions build that safety over time, and why your body may still feel on alert even when your mind knows you're okay. 

You'll also walk away with a simple audit to identify who and what is draining your sense of safety, plus a curiosity-based affirmation technique to try today. 

RESOURCES

Last episode with Tom on Getting Through Anxiety & Panic Attacks

National DV Hotline website and 1-800-799-SAFE

Nervous System Healing with Dr. Keean podcast / Instagram and Jen Mann Instagram

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message

Hear real tools that actually help during a panic attack AND find out what NOT to say to someone who's struggling.

In this episode, I sit down with certified life coach and author Tom Seaman to talk about what really happens in the brain and body during anxiety and panic and why fighting it often makes it worse. Tom brings his expertise on panic attacks and anxiety in the context of chronic health conditions, sharing practical tools, mental models, and compassionate approaches to help you navigate the hard moments and build real resilience.

This one is full of grace, hope, and tools you can really use! Listen and share!

In this episode you'll learn:

• The difference between anxiety and panic attacks
• What your brain is actually doing during anxiety and why it's not working against you
• Practical tools for moving through panic: curiosity, distraction, movement and more
• Why self-compassion and naming your feelings are more powerful than you think
• What NOT to say to someone struggling with a panic attack and what actually helps

RESOURCES

Tom Seaman's website and Instagram

Tom's Books:

Diagnosis Dystonia, Navigating the Journey

Beyond Pain and Suffering, Adapting to Adversity

Dr. Claire Weekes:

Hope and Help for Your Nerves — Dr. Claire Weekes' classic, groundbreaking guide to breaking the anxiety cycle 

Pass Through Panic: Freeing Yourself from Anxiety and Fear — her original 8-part radio series, narrated in her own voice 

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message

Listen to Dispatch Supervisor, Glenna, inform us on:

- When to call 911 versus the non-emergency line

- Handling suspicious situations

- Providing tips for effective communication with law enforcement

Glenna emphasizes the importance of using 911 for situations involving imminent threats to life or significant property loss. The topic of reporting harm to pets is discussed as well as the distinction between felonies and misdemeanors.

Glenna provides insights into the dispatch process and encourages callers to be proactive in saving the correct police department number in their phones. They discuss anonymous reporting and more.

The episode concludes with a role-play scenario where Mandi calls 911 to report a car accident, highlighting how a dispatcher may respond in order to gather information and ensure caller safety.

RESOURCES

WeTip.com: A resource for reporting information anonymously. It allows individuals to provide information about crimes without revealing their identity. (Note: Some limitations were discussed.)

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message

Learn how to safely intervene as a bystander and hear Kelly Pfleider's, founder of Pure Praxis, innovative approaches to sexual assault prevention training. They discuss the importance of engaging student leaders, and empowering individuals to take action in difficult situations. 

Kelly emphasizes the role of storytelling in education and the need for continuous conversations about consent and support for survivors. The episode highlights how Pure Praxis customizes its training to create safe spaces for dialogue and encourages listeners to get involved in their community.

TAKEAWAYS

• Kelly Pfleider is the founder of Pure Praxis, focusing on social justice through theater.
• Bystander intervention is crucial in preventing sexual assault.
• Engaging student leaders can create a ripple effect in communities.
• Empowerment comes from understanding one's own skills and instincts.
• Storytelling is a powerful tool in educating about consent and prevention.
• Creating safe spaces for dialogue is essential for honest conversations.
• Every situation is unique, and responses should be tailored accordingly.
• Believing survivors is fundamental to encouraging them to come forward.
• Training should avoid re-traumatization and focus on support.
• Continuous conversations about consent and prevention are necessary for societal change.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Kelly Pfleider and Pure Praxis

03:02 Innovative Approaches to Sexual Assault Prevention Training

06:04 The Importance of Bystander Intervention

08:57 Engaging Student Leaders in Conversations

12:00 Empowering Individuals to Take Action

14:46 Creating Safe Spaces for Dialogue

18:02 The Role of Storytelling in Education

21:10 Addressing the Complexity of Consent

24:00 The Need for Continuous Conversations

26:58 How to Get Involved with Pure Praxis

RESOURCES

• Pure Praxis - Customizable prevention & response training programs

• Kelly Pfleider on LinkedIn

• Instagram: PurePraxis

• Are You Sure? Program for faculty and mandated reporters

Connect with Kelly:  LinkedIn / Official website

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message

Coercive control = any intentional pattern of behavior designed to control or dominate another person and is the umbrella over all forms of abuse. Bethany Jantzi, DPC, MSc. explains why intelligent, strong people fall victim to it, and the early red flags to watch for: from love bombing and commitment whirlwinds to sexual pressure and the slow erosion of your autonomy. 

She also shares her powerful FOG-C framework to help you recognize coercion in real time. And if someone you love is being controlled, whether in a relationship or a cult, Bethany shares why compassionate curiosity, not confrontation, is the key to keeping that lifeline open.

Whether you're a parent worried about your teen, someone dating again after abuse, or a survivor still making sense of what happened, this conversation is for you.

RESOURCES

Dr. Jane Monckton Smith's TED Talk – The domestic homicide timeline 

Bethany's Website & Instagram – freefromcontrol.ca / @freefromcontrol.ca

Connect with Mandi:

• Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com
• Take the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/Quiz
• Instagram: @WomenAwareAndPrepared
• LinkedIn: Mandi Pratt

The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.

Send me a message