Defining Moments Podcast: Conversations about Health and Healing

Each year, thousands of premature and vulnerable infants receive the life-sustaining gift of donor breast milk. On this episode of Defining Moments, Dr. Sarah Jones shares how her discovery of human milk banks catalyzed a surprising personal and scholarly journey that continues to this day. Dr. Jones is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Communication in the School of Communication Studies at Ohio University.

You can read Dr. Jones’ article published in Health Communication at https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1941644

When patient safety scholar Dr. Annegret Hannawa suffers a massive stroke at age 39, her life becomes a case study from her own books. Her journey toward recovery is as surprising as the stroke itself, taking her from the despair of hospital rehabilitation units to joining helicopter rescue missions in the Swiss Alps. On this episode of Defining Moments podcast, Hannawa reflects on stroke recovery and the profound healing capacity of simple acts of communication. Dr. Hannawa is an Associate Professor of Communication Sciences at the University of Lugano. She is also the Founding Director of the Center for the Advancement of Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety.

You can read Dr. Hannawa’s Defining Moments article in Health Communication at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1994254

Patty Mitchell, Susan Dlouhy, and Tad Semsel of Passion Works Studio join co-host Dr. Lynn Harter to explore the healing potentials of collaborative art and cottage industry employment. The mission of the studio is to inspire and liberate the human spirit through the arts. In living out this mission, the studio has revolutionized societal perceptions of developmental differences, fostered more inclusive communities, and created employment opportunities through a cottage industry model.

You can read their article in Health Communication here: https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2022.2037863

Asha Winfield, Assistant Professor in the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University, joins guest host Dr. Jill Yamasaki to explore her journey as a Black woman scholar with uterine fibroids. Asha gets personal as she reflects on silences in Black families, the myth of the Strong Black Woman, and the importance of representation for envisioning otherwise. She calls for loud healing in scholarship, healthcare, and communities to diversify how we care for and write about Black women and other minoritized individuals with health disparities.

You can read the article by Asha Winfield in Health Communication at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1818959

You can view Asha’s upcoming documentary on Black experiences with COVID-19 at: https://www.productionsbyasha.com/date

Tiandra Finch, Founder and CEO of Spirit Over Flesh, joins co-hosts Dr. Lynn Harter and Dr. Joe Bianco to explore her journey to heal through words. Spirit Over Flesh prioritizes and supports black women on their wellness journeys. Tiandra gets personal as she reflects on health inequities connected to race, systemic biases amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of storytelling and narrative medicine in imagining healthier futures.

You can read the article by Tiandra Finch in Health Communication at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1818959

As we enter year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, cases are starting to decline in the U.S. For front-line health care professionals, this is a welcome reprieve from the back-to-back surges caused by Delta and Omicron variants. For the public health workforce, however, there is no respite from the pandemic’s demands; the pace of their work is as relentless between surges as during.

In this episode of Defining Moments, Dr. Gillian Ice joins co-host Dr. Joe Bianco to talk about her experiences overseeing Ohio University’s COVID Operations team. She reflects on the emotional toll of the pandemic on public health workers and shares a hopeful vision for how public health systems can help communities navigate post-pandemic life. Dr. Ice is Special Assistant to the President for Public Health Operations and a Professor of Social Medicine at Ohio University.

Hylie Voss, President of Sugar Bush Foundation Board of Directors, joins co-host Dr. Lynn Harter to explore campus and community partnerships that seek to improve quality of life in Southeastern Appalachian Ohio. Voss highlights projects supporting local agricultural systems and housing security, both of which reveal how the environment and human health are connected.

When 22-year old Spencer Smith sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, physicians predicted he would spend the rest of his life in a nursing home—if he survived at all. In the eight years since his injury, Spencer has earned two master’s degrees, authored nine peer reviewed publications, and is close to completing a doctoral degree in Education at Ohio State University. Along the way, he and his family cofounded Smith Brain Connections, Inc., a nonprofit dedicating to increasing traumatic brain injury education and training for medical professionals.

On this episode of the Defining Moments podcast, co-host Joe Bianco talks to the Smith family and rehabilitation physician Dr. Sheital Bavishi about Spencer’s long journey from injury to recovery and his experiences navigating daily life as a traumatic brain injury survivor.

You can read Spencer’s story published in Health Communication at https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1909246

To learn more about traumatic brain injury and Smith Brain Connections, go to https://smithbrainconnections.com/

How does storytelling foster resilience amidst inescapable suffering, trauma, and vulnerability? In this episode, new co-host and co-producer Dr. Joe Bianco joins Dr. Lynn Harter to explore this question and kick-off Season 3 of the Defining Moments Podcast. Listen as two narrative enthusiasts share the role that storytelling plays in their personal and professional lives and enjoy a preview of some of the speakers and topics slated for Season 3. Lynn is a Professor in the School of Communication Studies at Ohio University. Joe is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Medicine at the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Together, they form the leadership team of the Barbara Geralds Institute for Storytelling and Social Impact.

You can read the article by Dr. Harter in Health Communication that launched the Defining Moments Series at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10410230903242440

You can read a Defining Moments essay by Dr. Joe Bianco also published in Health Communication at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10410236.2010.550023

Finally, you can read an article on Storytelling and Podcasting from Dr. Harter here : https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2018.1517549

How do you reframe a terminal disease as a life-limiting experience? In this episode of Defining Moments, guest host Dr. Erika Kirby speaks with Dr. Chad McBride and Dr. Kathy Miller on how they’ve been co-narrating Chad’s life in the wake of his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease. In raw and honest form, Chad reflects on the diagnosis and its impact. Together, Chad and Kathy describe their joint efforts of legacy leaving and memoir writing. Beyond clarifying these narrative endeavors, Chad and Kathy challenge listeners to cherish relationships lost and found. Dr. McBride and Dr. Kirby are Professors in the Department of Communication Studies at Creighton University. Dr. Miller is a retired academician who now writes fiction and nonfiction professionally.

You can read more about Dr. McBride’s ALS experiences in Psychology Today at:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/medical-humanities-mamas/202008/experiencing-the-unimaginable-dying-and-leaving-your-child