Elsplend Realities

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Terrence L. Rotering — Air Force Academy graduate, retired U.S. Air Force officer, and former NORAD weapon systems officer — to explore the unexpected bridge between disciplined military service and expansive creative storytelling.

After decades operating in high-responsibility environments defined by precision, structure, and global awareness, Terrence turned toward a very different form of service: writing. His ten-book Chronicles Series blends fantasy, science fiction, and spiritual warfare into a vast multiverse shaped by moral tension, meaning, and consequence.

We explore how a life grounded in discipline can evolve into imaginative creation, how themes of conflict and morality are shaped by real-world experience, and why storytelling can be both an act of reflection and contribution. Terrence also shares what it means to sustain a long-form creative vision, and how imagination can become a deeper way of engaging with reality — not an escape from it.

This conversation reveals a powerful truth: structure and imagination are not opposites, but partners in meaning-making.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your most disciplined chapters can coexist with your most creative ones, this episode offers a clear answer — they don’t just coexist, they often complete each other.

In this deeply grounding episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Julie Turner — dancer, trauma-informed movement specialist, and founder of The Movement Effect — to explore how healing can begin not in the mind, but in the body.

Drawing from her own lived experience as a domestic abuse survivor, Julie shares how movement became a pathway out of trauma and into safety, agency, and reconnection. Today, she brings this work into domestic violence shelters and healing spaces, supporting mothers, children, and individuals recovering from PTSD, illness, and emotional distress.

We explore how trauma is stored in the nervous system, how movement can restore regulation and trust, and why embodied practices often succeed where words fall short. Julie also breaks down how different forms of movement — from grounding to expressive release — support healing in unique ways.

This conversation reframes the body not as something to fix or fight, but as a partner in recovery. It offers a powerful reminder that healing is not always linear, and that safety can be rebuilt through small, intentional acts of movement.

If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body or overwhelmed by stress or trauma, this episode offers a gentle starting point: healing may begin not with thinking differently — but with moving differently.

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Micah Logan, business growth and leadership expert, to explore what truly drives or drains a business beyond strategy alone.

Micah’s journey began without mentors or formal guidance, shaped instead by early challenges, self-taught resilience, and learning through failure. Today, he helps entrepreneurs move from chaos and cash flow stress into clarity, structure, and sustainable growth — by focusing not only on systems, but on the mindset and leadership capacity of the business owner.

We explore the hidden patterns that keep businesses stuck, why many challenges are internal rather than operational, and how leadership blind spots quietly influence decision-making under pressure. Micah also breaks down what it really takes to transition from survival mode to intentional, scalable growth.

This conversation reveals a simple but powerful truth: most business limitations aren’t about effort — they’re about awareness, patterns, and the way leaders think under pressure.

If you’ve ever felt like your business is working harder than it’s growing, this episode offers a clearer lens: real growth begins when you start leading yourself differently.

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Cory Chadwick, founder of Lyceum — a “mental gym” designed to help high-performers and growth-driven leaders strengthen their mindset with the same discipline used to train the body.

Cory’s journey is shaped by personal loss and a lifelong exploration of how people think, adapt, and grow through adversity. His work reframes mental health and performance not as something reactive, but as something trainable — built through consistent, intentional practice over time.

We explore what it means to treat the mind like a muscle, how daily mental “workouts” translate into better decisions and stronger leadership, and why so many high achievers struggle not from lack of knowledge, but from lack of consistent inner training. Cory also shares how community, accountability, and lived experience play a critical role in sustaining real transformation.

This conversation challenges the idea that resilience is something you either have or don’t — instead offering a practical truth: mental strength is built, rep by rep.

If you’ve ever wondered how to move from coping to truly thriving, this episode offers a grounded path forward: train your mind with the same intention you bring to everything else that matters.

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Dr. Emily Hensarling, audiologist and creator of Sound Shift, to explore a different way of understanding tinnitus — not just as a sound in the ear, but as an experience shaped by the brain and nervous system.

With over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Hensarling challenges the outdated belief that people must simply “learn to live with it.” Instead, she introduces a more empowering perspective: while the sound itself may persist, the distress around it is deeply influenced by perception, meaning, and nervous system response.

We explore how neuroscience explains tinnitus distress, why emotional and cognitive responses matter just as much as auditory symptoms, and how practical tools such as education, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing can help individuals regain a sense of control and calm.

This conversation reframes tinnitus care from resignation to agency — showing that while we may not always control what we hear, we can influence how we experience it.

If you or someone you know is struggling with persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, this episode offers a grounded message of hope: relief may begin not by eliminating the sound, but by changing the way the brain relates to it.

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Janet Dickey, professional mindset coach and creator of Built to Compete: A Mindset Blueprint for Coaches, to explore what truly separates good teams from great ones — confidence.

With over 35 years as head Field Hockey Coach at Westbrook High School, Janet has transformed a small program into a consistent competitive force, earning multiple Hall of Fame honors along the way. But her greatest insight goes beyond strategy and skill development: performance is ultimately shaped by belief.

We explore how distraction impacts modern athletes, why mindset is often the missing link in coaching, and how leaders can intentionally build a “culture of confidence” that drives consistent excellence. Janet also breaks down how coaches must first address their own internal barriers before they can effectively lead others.

This conversation reveals a powerful truth — winning begins long before competition. It’s built daily through identity, mindset, and the standards a team chooses to uphold.

If you’ve ever wondered why some teams consistently rise while others struggle to find momentum, this episode offers a clear answer: confidence is not inherited — it’s built.

In this deeply moving episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Dr. Oluwole Babatunde—physician-scientist, psychiatrist, author, and servant-leader—to explore a life shaped by profound loss and sustained by unwavering purpose.

Orphaned by the age of thirteen, Dr. Babatunde’s journey began in grief, uncertainty, and early responsibility. Yet rather than defining his limits, these experiences became the foundation of a life dedicated to healing, service, and faith. Today, he serves as Chief Resident in Psychiatry at Prisma Health while contributing to global scientific research with over 60 peer-reviewed publications and an NIH F99/K00 award.

In this conversation, we explore the intersection of science and faith, the emotional realities of grief, and what it means to pursue healing as a whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Dr. Babatunde also shares insights from his journey of migration, academic perseverance, and decades of ministry and community service.

This episode is a reminder that suffering does not cancel purpose, faith does not oppose science, and even the deepest loss can become the soil for meaning, service, and growth.

If you are navigating grief, uncertainty, or transition, this conversation offers a steady truth: your story is still unfolding—and it may hold more purpose than you can yet see.

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Michael Newmann, Branch Manager and Senior Loan Officer at CMG Home Loans, to explore the deeper psychology behind one of life’s biggest financial decisions — borrowing.

With over 20 years of experience in mortgage leadership and a background in psychology, Michael brings a unique perspective to lending — one that blends financial strategy with human behavior, emotional awareness, and long-term thinking. He challenges the idea that mortgages are purely transactional, instead framing them as strategic tools shaped by mindset, clarity, and intention.

We discuss how fear, habit, and inherited money beliefs influence borrowing decisions, why many high earners default to outdated financial structures, and how reframing the way we think about debt can unlock greater flexibility and control. Michael also introduces concepts like thinking “like a lender, not just a buyer,” and how financial tools such as the All In One Loan can shift long-term outcomes when used with the right understanding.

If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s a smarter way to approach home financing, this conversation offers a powerful shift: financial freedom begins not just with what you borrow — but how you think about borrowing.

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Fuquan Bilal, Founder and CEO of NNG Capital Fund, to explore what it truly takes to build sustainable wealth in real estate — beyond strategy, beyond numbers, and into the realm of mindset, discipline, and emotional intelligence.

With over 25 years of experience and more than $50 million in capital raised, Fuquan shares insights from navigating multiple market cycles, including the challenges of the 2008 financial crisis. His journey reflects not only entrepreneurial resilience but also the inner qualities required to make sound decisions under pressure, build trust with investors, and stay grounded through uncertainty.

We explore how adaptability, clarity, and purpose shape long-term success in real estate investing — and why emotional discipline is just as critical as financial strategy. Fuquan also breaks down the importance of transparency, community impact, and evolving definitions of success as wealth-building becomes more than just accumulation, but alignment.

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by investing or uncertain about where to begin, this conversation offers a grounded reminder: wealth is built not only through opportunity, but through mindset, consistency, and intentional action.

In this profound episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Jay U. Jacobson to explore what leadership truly looks like when the stakes are real, the emotions are raw, and there is no room for performance.

Drawing from experiences in funeral homes, disaster response zones, and high-trust business environments — as well as testimony before the United States Senate on funeral ethics — Jay brings a rare perspective on leadership shaped not by theory, but by lived responsibility in moments of grief, crisis, and moral complexity.

This conversation moves beyond traditional leadership frameworks to examine presence under pressure, the rebuilding of trust after systemic failure, and the quiet decisions that shape legacy long before it is recognized. We explore the difference between performative leadership and grounded service, and what it takes to remain steady when others are looking to you for stability.

If leadership is ultimately revealed under pressure, this episode asks a deeper question: who are we becoming in the moments no one claps for?

Because real leadership is not performed — it is lived.