Courage to Be Courageous

Matt Christofaro has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from University of Rhode Island in 2010 and a MBA in Global Business Leadership & Marketing from Johnson & Wales University in 2012. Also he is a Licensed Thrive Programme Coach . Matt suffered for over 22 years with panic attacks . He had tried all types of therapy and help which was not working. However, he stumbled on a company called Thrive company and thought he would "give it a chance".Matt was totally surprised that it worked for him even though he was skeptical. This has had such an impact on his life that he wanted to share it with others and became a Thrive Programme Coach. This company is very popular in the UK. The founder of the company who treated patients came up with three reasons that would make people feel better ,do better and thrive in their life. 1.Feel more control of your life 2. Build high self esteem. 3. Develop high social confidence . Surprisingly this program would be completed in six to eight weeks. The Thrive Programme has helped over 60,000 people mostly in the UK and Europe and is being introduced more fully in the United States. It has helped many people, whether their heterosexual or part of the LGBTQ community . Several of the licensed coaches at Thrive are part of the LGBTQ community. I want to encourage my listeners to listen to this podcast.and see if it is an option for positive mental health for you.

Matt can be reached at [email protected] and Instagram: thrive.with.matt

This is for audiences 18 years and older. Viewer discretion advised.

Part two will show how Travit continued to be violently and sexually abused by his aunt Annie and finally how Travit was able to use courage to overcome his fear and leave. This is the end to a tragic story and yet a story of courage and faith that Travit had . May all my listeners get the lesson in this always protect our children.

Cameron Call has a Bachelor Science Degree in Exercise Science from Brigham Young University in Provo Utah ,and a Doctor Degree in Chiropractic (DC) in 2015 from Parker University in Dallas, Texas . Cameron grew up as the "perfect Mormon boy". He served as a missionary in Nashville, Tennessee, did high-level work with the bishop in the church , was married to his wife in the Mormon Temple in Mesa Arizona. He had so much shame and so much internal homophobia of being a gay man. Cameron produced three beautiful children .He also is an excellent pianist started playing when he was seven years old . Even though he loves to play the piano, he continued to use this as one of the ways to hide himself authentically. What makes Cameron story so incredible is his internal homophobia which went on for years and his denial of his authentic self and the tremendous shame he had to overcome by using courage. You will see the tremendous amount of courage that Cameron displayed. You will also be impressed with the peace he has with being his authentic self. Another thing that's incredible in this story it has a happy ending and you'll have to listen to the podcast find out what that happy ending is . .

Faythe Huston was a 70 year virgin , how in the hell did this happen? Faythe has a Masters Degree in Counseling and also a Masters Degree in Spiritual Direction. She grew up in a conservative, religious family, never married or had children. Faythe believed in the Hero Journey which had a "called to adventure "which brought her so much energy she could not ignore it. She will talk about the well-known Hero Journey and the different stages involved in the Hero Journey .Faythe did not want to die without having the experience of sex and intimacy and began to explore the area of sexuality and sex in her life. Faythe is a seeker by nature and discovered a program called" Surrogate Partner Therapy " (SPT). A client meets with a surrogate partner weekly as well as talking afterward with a sex therapist. This program is for those who have had little or no sexual history, those who have had sexual abuse or trauma, and those who experience pain with sex or have other sexual issues .As a heterosexual woman she had concerns and fear . However she used courage to overcome her fear. Faythe will describe her own journey . She says " This last year and a half with SPT has been the most incredible journey I have been on in my whole life ". This is a fascinating podcast which will appeal to both male and female heterosexual allies, LGBTQ and even those that are Transgender. Over half of the clients of SPT are men . You must hear this podcast. It is eye-opening, vulnerable, and powerful.

Stonewall Rebellion /Riot took place , June 28th 1969 early in the morning. The Stonewall Inn was a LGBTQ bar located in Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan, New York. This was a safe place where LGBTQ people could come and spend time together . During this period of time in New York it was illegal to be gay as well as the majority of other states in the United States . Early in the morning on June 28 the police came to raid the patrons at the bar. Raids were common by the police at Stonewall but this one got violently out of hand .The police use extreme force and the 200 patrons back . The riot went on for almost 5 days. Sonewall riots are widely considered the watershed event that transformed the gay liberation movement and the 20th century fight for LGBTQ rights in the United States. One year later on June 28, 1970 the first pride events were held in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Many of the rights that LGBTQ people have today i.e. the freedom to get same sex married , freedom in the military to be gay or lesbian came from the basis of what happened at Stonewall This is truly our history, and we must not forget the courageous people who fought back and led others be proactive in fighting for the gay rights .You will find my commentary enlightening and show all of us why we must have a voice and to be proactive for fighting for LGBTQ rights.

Dan Bolen was privileged and honored to be interviewed by the nationally syndicated daytime talk show "Daily Blast Live". "Daily Blast Live" is sent out to over 100 TV stations across the United States. I met the host Sam Schacher two years ago when I was in Telluride, Colorado. I sent her a copy of my memoir "the Courage to Be Courageous". The memoir was so powerful for her she wanted to interview me on "Daily Blast Live". It is a great opportunity for me to get my voice out nationally for our community. If you want to listen to my interview which was done on April 18, 2024 you could go to YouTube and search for the "Daily Blast Live" Dan Bolen. You will be able to listen to the video/audio portion. What you'll be listening to on my website/podcast is the audio portion. I think you will find this interview, inspiring to the LGTBQ community and also to the heterosexual allies.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvrXYu7C0gY&t=1s

Dan Bolen was interviewed by Chelsea Ennen out of Brooklyn, New York for the Kirkus Review. Kirkus is the number one in the world who rates authors and their books. Chelsea did an excellent interview with me and Kirkus was supportive and honest about my memoir "the Courage to Be Courageous". So on this podcast, I read the interview word for word in hopes of inspiring others to read my memoir regarding overcoming fear and using courage to get through it. Kirkus reviewed it on their website digitally April 8 and I was featured in their March 1 and March 15 magazine publication that goes to bookstores and all libraries.

I also wanted my listeners to know that I will be doing a live interview with a national syndicated TV program, "The Daily Blast". I will be doing this podcast on April 18, 2024. Because "The Daily Blast is a national syndicated program I invite my listeners to listen to it locally. You all should have it on your local TV stations .Here we get it on NBC. it's my opportunity to have a national voice for our community and I am humbled and appreciative that "The Daily Blast " have offered me this opportunity.

On this podcast I also read a portion of Steve Petersons "Bursting Through knowledge and power" about an article he did regarding the Love of Hate . What is the love of hate? "The love of hate is best described as someone looking at someone and simultaneously seeing hate in their eyes and a smile on their lips". Steve goes onto show the love of hate is gaining power and momentum. For example: He mentions in 2020 these groups took over $110, million and their revenue continues to grow. We all in our community and our heterosexual allies must have a voice about this. Do not remain silent. I encourage all of you to read this entire review ONLINE knowledge and power. The entire article can be found on Steve'swebsite. [email protected]

Sage Jaurequi of Hispanic descent received his BA at Arizona State University in Family Studies and Human Development and Masters Degree in Marital and Family Therapy from Alliant University in San Diego. Sage knew he was different and was ashamed of being different because he was met with so much disapproval. He had no interest in sports loved to play with dolls and received emotional and physical abuse from his older brother. Sage's mother decided to put him into therapy. This was the first time he admitted to the therapist or to anyone that he was gay. It took so much courage for him to do this but for the first time he felt he had owned who he was. Sage also later came out to his mother when he was 14 years old and she struggled with it, but came to accept it. When Sage finally got into high school he was able to find an accepting community of others who were gay. Because of the Hispanic community, it is harder to come out and Sage realized the importance of having a community; all races who accept you for who you are. When Sage became a flight attendant, he was able to meet others from the gay community who supported him. Sage found out that he need to find out the history of his hispanic ancestors because this is part of who you are. He encourages all individuals to find out the history of their ancestors. You will find out in this podcast the history of "marginalized "individuals and how they can have the strength and courage to get through it.

Monish Modi grew up in India and was on cricket as his whole family played it. In India, the marriages are arranged by their parents, because there is so much respect and dignity for the parents who they consider their their elders. Monish knew he was different than the other boys however because they're so much pressure against being gay in India, his fear of coming out crippled him. On the request of his mother who had had a stroke and she wanted him to get married before she died he married someone he only knew for four days. It produced a beautiful daughter, Monish decided to move to the UK, where he felt it would be better for his wife and daughter. However, his wife did not want to move to the UK and went back to India, which led to a separation and a divorce because Monish love to play cricket, he got connected to an LGBTQ team called Graces where he eventually became the captain of the cricket team. First time in his life, he was able to feel he was accepted, and they gave him courage and strength. He was interviewed by Sky Sports News and CNN, who totally supported the LGBTQ network. You're going to learn how things have changed in India. However, there are still many who have a fear of coming out because there's society pressure in India. Monish decided to come out to his dad when he came to the UK and the outcome you will see in the podcast. This is an intriguing and powerful story. Monish we'll talk about what his story can help others to be their authentic self. He continues to do a lot of work for the LGBTQ community and he has a voice for our community.