LFPWLI: Kim Vehon, Creating Foster Arizona and Action Steps for Improving your Community 

In this episode, Mathew, and Kim discuss what led her to create Foster Arizona, the importance of sharing personal stories, and how she is working to destigmatize the foster system and set children up for success. We also hear from Percy and Zach about their experiences in the foster system, what led them to Foster Arizona, and the things they are learning there that are changing their lives.

Kim Vehon is a foster parent herself who Foster Arizona to secure the space and funds needed to keep helping children when her house ran out of space. She is working with kids who are aging out of the system to develop practical skills and create connections in a safe place.

“You just gotta define reality…dream of the preferred future, define reality and design a path”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• How investing in foster children improves the community at large

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Connect with the guest:

• Kim Vehon

Resources: 

• Foster Arizona

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

* This podcast is not meant to serve as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, and is not a substitute for therapy.

LFPWLI Shorts: Ryan Pinney, Redefining Recovery as a Paralympic Medalist 

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Frank, and Ryan discuss the accident that left Ryan paralyzed, his emotional state throughout his journey of recovery, how experiencing trauma changes the way we see ourselves, and the false assumptions we hold about what the people we love expect of us. 

Ryan Pinney is a Paralympic Medalist in Cyclist who served in the United States Air Force and the Arizona National Guard for 14 years. Ryan opens up about how he overcame the dark days to help others that feel like the future is bleak and need encouragement to get through their tough times.

“Recovery is breaking through the walls of your mental state. It's not being able to do the same things you did before a traumatic experience.”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• How Ryan became paralyzed and how he felt when he realized what happened.

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Connect with the guest:

• Ryan Pinney on Twitter

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

* This podcast is not meant to serve as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, and is not a substitute for therapy.

LFPWLI Shorts: Karie Hicks, Losing a Child and How to Keep Going After

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Frank, and Karie discuss the night she found out her 19-year-old son, Casey, had passed away from an accidental overdose, the ways she is balancing trying to be happy and moving on with the grief of missing her son, and why expecting the sadness helps her through it.

“There's the before and then there's the after when you're never going to be the same.”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• What Casey taught Karie in life and in death

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Connect with the guest:

• Dr. Frank Bevacqua

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

* This podcast is not meant to serve as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, and is not a substitute for therapy.

Aug.5th - RESERVED FOR VETS - Relationships, Assumptions, and Communication 

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Chad (aka Mental Joe) discuss what to do if you find yourself in a relationship with a person who is a bad influence and what if you find you are a bad influence. It all comes down to communication, managing your expectations for yourself and the people around you, and figuring out where the “hard lines in the sand” are for you. 

“I was the problem but didn't see it until I started seeing it in my kids, my wife, or my coworkers.”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• If awareness is the first step, what is the second step?

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Connect with the guest:

• Dr. David Leicken, MD

Resources: 

• MentalJoe.com

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

* This podcast is not meant to serve as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, and is not a substitute for therapy.

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Frank, and Keri discuss the challenges of parenting while dealing with your own childhood trauma, what “double trauma” is, and how Keri came to love and forgive herself. Keri also shares a story about how she brought healing to her family and what true redemption can look like.

Keri Maughan is a life coach specializing in relationships who has been “helping things go right” for over 27 years. Despite the conditions she was raised in and found herself in with her own daughters, Keri tells us she is “living her best life” and tells us how she made that happen against all odds by seeking understanding and engaging in empathy.

“I came to a realization there are so many people I loved wholly that were imperfect. And I had to truly look myself in the mirror and say, then why? What's holding you back from loving your imperfect self?”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• How Keri dealt with issues in raising her own children and how they turned their relationships around

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Connect with the guest:

• Keri Maughan on Instagram

Resources:

• Bonds That Make Us Free by C. Terry Warner

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

* This podcast is not meant to serve as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, and is not a substitute for therapy.

July 29 - RESERVED FOR VETS - Listener Questions and the Biggest Challenges Facing Veterans

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Chad (aka Mental Joe) talk about why homelessness is such an issue for veterans, the struggles of coming back into civilian life, the power of changing your environment, and the dangers of comparing your trauma to others.

They guys also give their advice to listener questions:

“My son won't advocate for himself and he won't let us help him much either. Any advice?”

“I never really recovered from my PTSD. What else is out there besides meds and talk therapy?”

“My problem has always been civilian life and how unstructured it is. What kinds of things can I do that have a similar structure to military life?”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• The science behind what alcohol and addiction do to our minds and bodies

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Connect with the guest:

• Dr. David Leicken, MD

Resources: 

• MentalJoe.com

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

LFPWLI: Rick Clemmons, Coming Out Late in Life

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Frank, and Rick discuss the complexity of entering into a heterosexual marriage as a closeted gay man, the reality that there is still hate towards the queer community in 2022, dealing with derogatory comments as a closeted man, and how society can create a better environment for the LGBTQ community.

Rick Clemmons is a Life Coach, speaker, author, and podcaster who was married to his ex-wife for 13 years and had 2 children before his life got turned upside down after he fell in love with a man in London. Even though he knew he was gay from a young age he felt like he had to hide it and the positive affirmations he received while he was doing so kept him in the closet. Now, Rick is using his story of “how you are never too old to do something bold” to help gay men live authentic and unapologetic lives.

“The truth of who we are is far more powerful than the false truth any of us are pretending to be.”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• Misconceptions many people still hold about gay people and the community 

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Connect with the guest:

• Dr. Frank Bevacqua

Resources:

• Rick Clemons Huffington Post Articles 

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

* This podcast is not meant to serve as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, and is not a substitute for therapy.

Anger is a subject I'm close to because I am prone to it. I don't like that about myself and am certainly working on it but I just want to understand it more, because when I understand something it makes it easier to stop the cycle.

Dr Dave serves up so many great pieces of the anger pie on this one so take notes and thank you for listening.

Mathew 

* This podcast is not meant to serve as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, and is not a substitute for therapy.

Series Three partner: A Growing Space, A private practice, training and consulting service. We serve individuals, couples, children and families, in their growth and healing journeys. Text LEARN to 623-202-4553 right now to learn a little more.

The reason they rock: You will learn about your body and brain and how they can function together in a balanced way. When you complete each session you will leave with at least one tool to aid you in your healing/growth. These weekly take away skills and experiments will allow you to try on different, hand selected strategies. Text LEARN to 623-202-4553 right now to learn a little more. Make sure you mention you heard them on Learn from people who lived it.

In this episode, Mathew and Francine discuss how and why Zachary was lost to suicide, why the langue we use matters, and what  Kid in a Corner is doing to shine a light on mental illness through education, awareness, and contagious kindness. Michelle shares how losing Zachary impacted his older siblings, the challenges of moving forward together after losing a family member, and her favorite memory of Zachary.

Francine Sumner is a mother and advocate for educating young people on mental health. Five years ago after her youngest son Zachary completed suicide she founded Kid In the Corner with the mission of shattering the stigma around mental illness. 

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.”

― Fred Rogers

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• Practical advice on how to reach out to someone you notice is acting different 

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Connect with the guest:

• Kid in the Corner on Facebook

Resources:

• kidinthecorner.org 

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

LFPWLI: Chelsey McHale, Part 2 - The Unique Grief of Losing a Sibling

In this second episode, Mathew, Dr. Frank, and Chelsey discuss how she heard about her brother's death and the impact it had on her, why she started the first sibling loss group in Arizona, the meaning she forged out of her grief, and the car accident that changed her life.

“If you don't heal what hurt you, you’ll bleed on people who didn't cut you.”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• The specific pain of losing a sibling and why it’s considered a “disenfranchised loss”

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Resources:

• Dr. Frank Bevacqua

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

* This podcast is not meant to serve as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, and is not a substitute for therapy.