Howefeelin Podcast

In this episode, Parshawn speaks with Noah Stulberg as Noah details the evolution of his mental health journey over the years. At the age of 3, Noah’s mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and given six months to live. His mother’s diagnosis impacted all facets of his life and forced him to grow up earlier than expected. Noah’s life took a turn as his mother’s eight-year battle eventually came to an end. He touches on how difficult it was to come to terms with the loss of his mother, and how easy it was for him to find ways to blame himself in the years after while being diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and PTSD as a result of the event.

Towards the end of his high school years, Noah found the power to acknowledge that this pivotal event had taken a toll on him. In search of help, Noah turned to utilizing prescription SSRIs and clinical therapy as tools to help him gain control of his mental well-being. He talks about how hard it was for him initially to accept using prescription medication to make him happy, and how his perspective eventually shifted towards realizing that it is simply a helping hand meant to assist him. He details how the most important aspects of life come in the form of enjoying the little things and celebrating your accomplishments, as practicing positive habits based on where you are in life will only compound into greater levels of overall happiness.

In this episode, Parshawn speaks with Amber Bratcher. Amber shares her journey as she details the experience of losing her father due to suicide. She touches on the level of difficulty that she has and continues to deal with on an everyday basis. She has come a long way, and she shares how the experience has shaped her and caused her to become stronger every day as she fights through the battle of wrestling with thoughts and “what ifs”.

Amber goes into detail as she touches on how her college life varied from those of most girls, causing her to feel alone. The defining step for Amber came in the form of finding a supportive group of friends that would allow her to grow. Amber is truly a brave soul who has continued to heal every day through sharing her story in hopes of impacting others who are also going through similar trials and tribulations.

In this episode, Scott speaks with Bailey Clark. Bailey shares moments from her early childhood, as she explains how her parent’s ability to maintain a positive, dynamic relationship despite separating served as a positive catalyst for growth within her life. She speaks on how her parent’s decision to enroll her in therapy following their split provided her with an outlet that improved her confidence growing up and allowed her to freely express herself. 

She speaks on leaving her hometown of Reno, Nevada after graduating college to pursue her dream career, and touches on how moments of adversity provided her with the mindset shift needed to remain stable when certain aspects of life felt like they were not going her way.

In this episode, Parshawn speaks with Clara Erickson. Clara first touches on several of the initial stages of her college experience at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. She shares how a number of these early moments within her life created the foundation for her desire to challenge herself to grow as an individual, no matter how scary it may have seemed to her at the time. 

She dives into her experience of studying abroad for four months in South Africa, as she expresses how this trip challenged her to step outside of her comfort zone and immerse herself within a culture that she viewed as extremely unfamiliar. She explains how commonalities between individuals from all walks of life can be found on the simplest of terms if we are willing to keep our eyes and arms open. Clara points out that we as people can all find ways to communicate, express ourselves, and understand one another despite any barriers that may seem like they are in place.

In this episode, Scott speaks with Grace-Maya Silver. From dealing with the divorce of her parents at an early age, to enduring a sexually and emotionally abusive relationship at the age of 17, the large sum of Grace-Maya's personal trials and tribulations have provided her with the challenge of recovering the voice that she felt had been stripped away from her at the hands of others. 

She provides an in-depth look into her battles with anxiety and PTSD following her relationship. She details how sharing her experiences with friends and family allowed her to process the series of events that had taken place, ultimately leading her though a rebuilding process which allowed her to take back the power that she felt had been lost. Grace-Maya attributes her healing to her willingness to be open and vocal about her story, and she hopes to increase awareness surrounding the topic of sexual assault while providing support for those who have experienced similar circumstances.

In this episode, Miles speaks with long-time friend and current pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, Kris Bubic.

Kris shares his story as he details his journey through life and speaks on the important role that his family has played throughout his life. He shares several of the most prominent moments of both his personal and athletic career over the years, which have provided him with the wisdom and the tools necessary to achieve his dream of playing professional baseball in the MLB. He speaks to the impact that confidence, preparation, and discipline can have within your life when in pursuit of achieving a goal, despite the thoughts of those around you. He also shares how important it is to focus wholeheartedly on the things that you can control within your life.

In this episode, Miles speaks with long-time friend, Kyle Mora. Kyle shares his story, as he explores the relationships and experiences present within his life that reenforced the importance of intention, mindfulness, and preparation. As a result of the shifts made within Kyle's mindset given his newfound perspective on both sports and life, his increased ability to fully tap into the potential present within him allowed him to receive a baseball scholarship to the University of California- San Diego and fulfill his goal of playing baseball at the collegiate level. Kyle details his initial experience as a key contributor on the pitching staff at UCSD, and speaks on how the departure of his pitching coach and mentor marked the beginning of a period that would prove to be difficult for him. Kyle explains how injuries and strained relationships within the program affected his ability to contribute to the team, leaving him stuck and confused in regards to fulfilling what felt like his true purpose between the lines.

Periods of self-doubt and a number of moments filled with angst followed, forcing Kyle to realize that he needed to bet on himself and continue to carve his own path if baseball would be something that would remain within his future. Kyle speaks on the series of events which led to him graduating college early in order to leave UCSD and continue his collegiate baseball career. Through displaying grit and an expanded mindset, Kyle was able to receive an offer to play baseball at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, where he would go on to be a key asset to the LMU Lions who would qualify and play in the NCAA D1 Baseball Regional in 2019. Kyle shares the lessons that he has learned up to this point within his journey, and outlines how having a strong community behind him allowed him to regain the infectious confidence that he is known for.

In this episode, Miles speaks with long-time friend Mitch Newman as Mitch shares his story. Mitch’s desire to become an advocate for mental wellness began early on as he watched his father battle with his own bouts of clinical depression. Much of Mitch’s early childhood was characterized by dealing with loss and growing up earlier than expected, as Mitch and his family endured the untimely passings of his father, his cousin, and his uncle from 2008-2010.

Mitch speaks on the lessons that he’s learned as a result of reflecting upon the impact of his father’s life. He details the outlets and personal relationships that he has cultivated over the years which have allowed him to remain supported. He also speaks on how his involvement within the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has motivated him to serve as an advocate for suicide awareness for his peers and others within his own age group. Mitch's passion for journaling and writing have also fueled him to begin writing a book detailing his story, in hopes that it will serve as a guide and a resource to others who are dealing with, or have dealt with the loss of a loved one.

In this episode, Miles speaks with Howefeelin co-founder Scott Shaffer. Scott discusses some of the earliest experiences that have shaped him including making several cross country moves with his family before finally settling in Reno, Nevada, as well as enduring and dealing with the divorce of his parents. Scott then dives into how being around a supportive group of friends during his first year of college allowed him to unpack and confront the behaviors and inner troubles that he experienced while dealing with the hardships that had occurred within his life. He discusses how this practice allowed him to shift his perspective on life, ultimately providing him the tools needed to impart these lessons and share what he has learned to help others find their way.