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Steve “Stevie” Lofgren might technically be “just” a bartender, but this conversation makes it clear he’s also a philosopher in a leather jacket, the kind you meet at 1am who accidentally helps you rethink your whole life. Siobhan and Stevie trace their friendship from late-night bar hangs to 4am world-saving sessions, then dive headfirst into his wild, unfiltered Oakland upbringing.

Growing up in 70s/80s Oakland as one of the only white kids on the block, Stevie learned early that neighborhood codes mattered more than police, respect kept you safe, and you absolutely did not mess with your neighbors. He shares stories of hippie parents, beaded doorways, and a household where mom’s boyfriend lived with dad, until the bombshell moment when his parents moved out while he was still in high school, leaving him and his brother the house, a hundred bucks on the fridge, and zero supervision. Cue legendary parties, punk bands, early acting gigs, and a lifetime of DIY survival skills.

From there, the conversation moves through grief and loss, friends dying too young, cancer ripping through people they love, and how both of them learned to live with grief instead of being swallowed by it. They talk chronic pain, burnout, “non-people days,” bartending as performance art, and why neighborhood bars might be one of the last real classrooms for learning how to be a good human in public.

It’s messy, funny, tender, and deeply honest,  an ode to chosen family, dark humor, and choosing joy without pretending the darkness isn’t there.

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What’s it really like to work alongside a police dog? On this episode of Squirrel Gurls, we sit down with Officer Fetzer from the Alameda, California Police Department K9 Unit to get an inside look at life as a K9 cop. From her path from law school to the K9 unit to the unique bond she shares with her partner, Ace, this episode dives into a world most of us only see from a distance.

Officer Fetzer shares gripping and entertaining stories from Ace’s training and work as a detection dog, specializing in sniffing out firearms and ammunition. She also explains the different types of dogs used in K9 units, how they are chosen for specific roles, and the rigorous training required to turn a dog into a skilled law enforcement partner. Listeners also get a peek into their home life, where Ace gets to relax and bond with his handler away from the streets.

Whether you’re a dog lover, curious about law enforcement, or just love a good story, this episode is full of insight, heart, and a few surprises along the way.

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In this deeply candid episode of Ducking Realitea, Siobhan sits down with therapist-in-training and soon-to-be mom Carissa Kerwin for a conversation that moves effortlessly between laughter, frustration, and profound insight. From navigating long-distance love and career pivots to surviving pregnancy hormones that no one warned her about, Carissa shares what it really looks like when life stacks all the transitions at once.

Carissa opens up about her journey from special education teacher to licensed therapist, and how working with emotionally overwhelmed teens revealed her true calling: helping people regulate emotions, unpack trauma, and feel less alone in their mess. The conversation dives headfirst into childhood wounds, therapy myths, people-pleasing, and why you don’t actually have to “rehash everything” to heal.

Together, Siobhan and Carissa unpack the realities of pregnancy and postpartum mental health, how isolating it can feel, how little research exists for women’s emotional experiences, and why needing support doesn’t make you weak. They also explore relationships, emotional labor, adoption, social media’s impact on body image, and the power of simply being listened to instead of “fixed.”

It’s honest, validating, and refreshingly unpolished, exactly the kind of conversation we need more of.

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This episode of Ducking Realitea dives headfirst into the messy, funny, terrifying, and strangely beautiful reality of living with metastatic cancer. Siobhan sits down with Sarah Knopp, who was told she had six weeks to live after aggressive HER2-positive breast cancer had already spread to her liver. Eleven years, 160+ rounds of chemo, brain surgery, a hysterectomy, and a lot of dark humor later, she’s not only still here — she’s coaching others to survive the chaos.

Sarah shares stories of diapers and puppy pads, neuropathy, sex after chemo, cannabis, Ritalin, medical gaslighting, and why she estranged herself from her family to stay alive. Now a certified cancer coach, she teaches patients how to advocate for themselves, ask better questions, and protect their energy.

Bold, irreverent, and full of real talk,  this isn’t a cancer sob story. It’s a blueprint for living.

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This week, Siobhan sits down with Wanda Reynolds, Chief Content Officer and Executive Producer at ABF Creative, for a powerful conversation on reinvention, resilience, and the real work of building a meaningful life.

Wanda shares her journey from the East Coast to California, opening up about navigating chronic illness, starting over without a support system, teaching full-time while building a company at night, and ultimately helping create groundbreaking children’s audio like Charm Words and the Mini Pods initiative now used in 150+ schools.

Together, Wanda and Siobhan dive deep into community, chosen family, chronic pain, identity, and the courage it takes to rewrite your story at any age. If you’re looking for inspiration rooted in truth, heart, and a little Black Girl Magic, this is your episode.

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In this candid and courageous follow-up, Siobhan welcomes back returning guest Dr. Hannah,  whose first appearance sparked some of the podcast’s most heartfelt conversations. This time, they go even deeper, unpacking white privilege, identity, and the uncomfortable mirrors most white women avoid. Drawing from Hannah’s academic background in multicultural studies and Siobhan’s lived perspective, they explore what it really means to dismantle bias, stay accountable, and build community without losing your humanity.

This isn’t a performative chat about privilege,  it’s a soul-level reckoning. It’s equal parts classroom and confession booth: raw stories, laughter through discomfort, and the radical honesty required to grow. Together, they wrestle with white feminism, systemic bias, and the burnout that comes from wanting to “fix” instead of actually listen.

It feels both familiar and fresh, a continuation of a conversation that never really ended, and a bold step into territory most people don’t talk about out loud. By the end, it’s clear that allyship isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence, accountability, and choosing connection over comfort.

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Siobhan and veteran Burner Brenda are back from the dust with a brutally honest debrief of Burning Man 2025. From dust storms, rain, and 27-hour gate lines to surprise reunions, camp chaos, emotional curveballs, and art that hits you right in the soul, this episode dives into what the Playa really teaches you about resilience, community, and yourself.

Siobhan opens up about being a first-timer navigating anxiety, belonging, and the wild pride that comes from surviving the unimaginable. Brenda shares hard-won wisdom from her seven burns, including how to weather the mud (literal and emotional), handle relationship tensions, and find magic in the middle of the mess.

If you’ve ever wondered why people return to the desert year after year, or how anyone survives a week where your shoes disintegrate and your soul gets tested, this conversation is your inside look. Because Burning Man isn’t just about the burn.
It’s about the rebirth.

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This is part one of a heartfelt two-part episode, Siobhan welcomes back her friend and veteran Burner Brenda, fresh off a year of seismic life shifts, new job, facing eviction, and finding unexpected joy (and love) at the Fireside. What begins as a personal catch-up quickly evolves into a full-on Burning Man bootcamp, equal parts dust, wisdom, and radical self-discovery.

Brenda draws from seven burns and her years volunteering with the Gate crew to drop real Playa wisdom: everything from how to avoid “Playa dreadlocks” and overpacking to why gifting isn’t about reciprocity. She also opens up about anxiety, resilience, and rebuilding her confidence at 50, proving that growth doesn’t come from comfort, it comes from showing up, sweating it out, and saying yes to new beginnings.

This episode kicks off a special Burning Man series: this week, Brenda preps Siobhan for her first Burn; next week, we’ll hear how it all went down the dust, the lessons, and the magic that followed. Whether you’re heading to the desert or navigating your own season of change, this conversation will leave you prepped, inspired, and maybe craving tacos, community, and a little bit of chaos.

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This week on Ducking Realitea, we’re diving into the raw, unfiltered terrain of grief with someone incredibly special. Stacia isn’t just a seasoned therapist in this space, she’s also the person who sat with Siobhan through some of her darkest disorienting moments, making this conversation tender, honest, and deeply human.

Together, they explore what grief actually looks and feels like beyond the clichés and movie scripts, the shock, the identity shift, the emotional whiplash, the friendships that change, and the moments of unexpected humor that somehow sneak in. Stacia shares how her own life was reshaped by sudden loss, and how it led her from birth doula work to grief counseling, helping others alchemize pain into purpose.

They unpack why accepting a “new normal” isn’t about being okay with what happened, but about learning to carry love forward in a new form. You’ll walk away with language, tools, and perspective for navigating your own grief or supporting someone you care about, and maybe feel a little less weird the next time grief shows up at your door.

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In this raw and riveting episode, Siobhan sits down with Erik, a man who’s stared down addiction, homelessness, and trauma, and somehow turned it all into purpose. From sleeping on the streets of San Francisco to finding love and stability, Erik’s story is a masterclass in resilience and radical self-reinvention.

With unflinching honesty, he opens up about multiple marriages, substance abuse, a near-fatal stabbing, and the unconventional paths that helped him heal, from psychedelic therapy and ketamine treatments to shamanic practices and hard-won self-compassion.

There’s a psychedelic twist, a lesson in empathy, and a reminder that healing isn’t about perfection, it’s about honesty. By the end, Erik proves that telling the truth out loud won’t rewrite your past, but it might just change your future.